Podcast
Search Engine Roundtable Podcast
Hosted by Barry Schwartz · EN
This podcast includes weekly search news recaps and vlogs that Barry Schwartz of the Search Engine Roundtable produces. It covers SEO, SEM, organic and paid search topics, mostly around Google but also on Microsoft Bing and other search engines.
It is a quick way to catch up on the most important SEO and SEM topics of the week.
108episodes
Episodes
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Google March 2026 Core & Spam Update, AI-Generated Title Links, Bing AI Reports Update & Much More
Mar 2700:09:23Tap to summarizeThis week we covered the release of the Google March 2026 core update that rolled out this morning and will take about two weeks to finish. We also covered Google March 2026 spam update that launched on March 24th and finished 19.5 hours later on March 25th. We also covered Google’s confirmation of using AI to generate title links in search results. Bing Webmaster Tools AI performance report added grounding queries on the page level. Google Search Live went global. Google is testing pushing web guide with larger promotion. Google is testing a huge block of citation at the bottom of the AI Overviews. Google AI Mode changes some of the links to overlay cards, hurting clicks. The first ChatGPT ads share little information with advertisers. Google added sponsored stores to AI Mode results. Google Ads PMAX added audience exclusions and new reporting. Google Ads API version 23.2 is out. Google Merchant Center requires you gray out your buy now button for out of stock products. Bing is testing a new AI Image search. Google is testing a feature to reply to local reviews using AI. Google Business Profiles performance metrics shows offer data. And local ads are coming to Apple Maps soon. That was the search news this week at the Search Engine Roundtable.SPONSOR: This week's video recap is sponsored by Duda, the Professional Website Builder You Can Call Your Own.0:00 - Introduction0:54 - Google March 2026 Core Update Is Rolling Out - First Core Update Of Year2:05 - Google March 2026 Spam Update Unleashed (& Finished)2:57 - Google Using AI to Create Title Links on SERP3:22 - Bing Webmaster Tools AI Performance Reports Add Grounding Queries To Pages4:05 - Google Search Live Goes Global4:31 - Google Tests "Skip Digging, Start Guided Research" Driving Users to Web Guide-like Results4:44 - Google Tests Huge Block of Citations at Bottom of AI Overviews5:02 - Google AI Mode Tests Changing Some Links To Overlay Cards - Reducing Clicks5:42 - First ChatGPT Ads Share Little Data To Advertisers6:08 - Sponsored Stores Spotted in AI Mode As Google Expands Ads Across AI Surfaces6:20 - Google Ads PMax Audience Exclusions & New Reporting6:52 - Google Ads API Version 23.2 Now Available7:00 - Google Merchant Center: Out-of-Stock Products Need Grayed Out Buy Button7:22 - Microsoft Bing Tests New AI Image Search7:45 - Google Tests Reply To Reviews With Al8:03 - Google Business Profile Performance Metrics Offer Data Added To Help Doc8:37 - Local Ads Coming To Apple Maps9:02 - Conclusion
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It's New 3/25 - Google Spam Update, "Dig Deeper" Guides, and Positive News for News Publishers?
Mar 2500:10:55Tap to summarizeMordy and Greg talk about the newest Spam update, breakdown the "Dig Deeper" guides that Google is leaning into (only if opted in!) and uncover some good news for news publishers about AIOs.0:00 - Intro1:12 - Google Spam Update2:29 - Google’s Web Guides6:40 - Jeter vs Arod8:10 - AIOs showing less for Breaking News?9:57 - ConclusionA daily recap video summarizing a few of the top search marketing headlines covered at the Search Engine Roundtable.This recap is called It's New - A quick, daily dose of the latest in SEO with Anu Adegbola of Search Engine Land, Mordy Oberstein of SE Ranking and Greg Finn of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.
Transcribe →It's New 3/24 - Google Results Get A Hover, Duplicates in Google Ads & Ads Coming to Apple Maps
Mar 2400:11:03Tap to summarizeMordy covers bubble overlays in Google Results as well as the possibility of Google's Personal Intellegence rolling out globally. Anu talks about duplicate stats on Google Ads and Greg covers Apple Map ads coming this month?0:00 - Introduction2:00 - Hover Preview in AIOs5:21 - Personal Intelligence Coming Globally?7:00 - Duplicate stats on Google Ads Display8:30 - Ads Coming to Apple Maps?9:38 - Conclusion10:25 - Anu's Music VideoA daily recap video summarizing a few of the top search marketing headlines covered at the Search Engine Roundtable.This recap is called It's New - A quick, daily dose of the latest in SEO with Anu Adegbola of Search Engine Land, Mordy Oberstein of SE Ranking and Greg Finn of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.
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It's New 3/23 - Google Rewriting Title Links With AI, AIOs & Breaking News, and ChatGPT Ad Drama
Mar 2300:14:43Tap to summarizeMordy, Anu & Greg cover Google using AI to (badly) rewrite title links in the SERPs, ChatGPT is using phone calls and spreadsheets to help advertisers optimize and AIOs are slowly taking over breaking news.0:00 - Introduction1:16 - Google Rewriting Title Links with AI6:53 - The State of ChatGPT Ads11:57 - AIOs are overtaking Breaking News 13:04 - Jokes!14:00 - Conclusion A daily recap video summarizing a few of the top search marketing headlines covered at the Search Engine Roundtable.This recap is called It's New - A quick, daily dose of the latest in SEO with Anu Adegbola of Search Engine Land, Mordy Oberstein of SE Ranking and Greg Finn of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.
Transcribe →It's New 3/19 - Google Is Developing the Ability to Opt-Out of AI Features & More
Mar 1900:12:28Tap to summarizeThe gang covers the developing ability to opt-out of AI Features in Search, a new beaker icon and Google retiring several legacy ad format policies. Oh and Mordy covers Google's Personal Intellegence updates that we already covered yesterday.0:00 - Introduction1:11 - Opt-Out of Google AI Features in Search is Developing5:44 - Google Beaker Change6:40 - Mordy Rehashes Personal Intelligence 9:22 - Things are going poorly10:08 - Google retires several legacy ad format policies A daily recap video summarizing a few of the top search marketing headlines covered at the Search Engine Roundtable.This recap is called It's New - A quick, daily dose of the latest in SEO with Anu Adegbola of Search Engine Land, Mordy Oberstein of SE Ranking and Greg Finn of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.
Transcribe →It's New 3/18 - Personal Intellegence Rolls Out Futher, Sticky YouTube "Skippable" Ads and more!
Mar 1800:08:45Tap to summarizeThe gang covers the new rollout of Google's Personal Intellegence along with an ad-free (FOR NOW) version of AI mode if using Personal Intellegence. Anu covers a sticky ad that can't be skipped on YouTube and Mordy has better baseball scores in AI Mode.0:00 - Introduction1:35 - Google Personal Intelligence Expands2:40 - Ads Won’t Show For Personal Intelligence Users in AI Mode4:30 - Skippable YouTube Ads6:16 - Better Scores in AI Mode7:45 - Conclusion https://www.gsqi.com/marketing-blog/the-power-of-personal-intelligence-in-gemini-and-ai-mode/ - Glenn's Coverage of Personal IntellegenceA daily recap video summarizing a few of the top search marketing headlines covered at the Search Engine Roundtable.This recap is called It's New - A quick, daily dose of the latest in SEO with Anu Adegbola of Search Engine Land, Mordy Oberstein of SE Ranking and Greg Finn of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.
Transcribe →It's New 3/17 - ChatGPT Ads Manager, Are Google Call Buttons Disappearing? and More!
Mar 1700:11:06Tap to summarizeToday Mordy, Anu & Greg covered ChatGPT Ads Manager, A Loss of Call Buttons in the Local Packs, an odd recommendation to reach out to SearchLiaison and new updates in Google Ads Editor 2.120:00 - Introduction0:52 - ChatGPT Ads Manager4:08 - Call Buttons Disappearing? 7:21 - Google Ads Editor 2.12 10:15 - Conclusion & St. Patrick’s Day TriviaA daily recap video summarizing a few of the top search marketing headlines covered at the Search Engine Roundtable.This recap is called It's New - A quick, daily dose of the latest in SEO with Anu Adegbola of Search Engine Land, Mordy Oberstein of SE Ranking and Greg Finn of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.
Transcribe →It’s New 3/11: Google Merchant Center For Agencies, March Volitility Continues & PMax AI Voice Overs
Mar 1100:09:20Tap to summarizeToday we covered the continued March volitility, went deep on the Alvin Picklefest, talked about the launch of Google's Merchant Center for Agencies and ended with some AI-Voice overs in PMax0:00 - Introduction1:16 - Google's "Related Activity"2:35 - Google continued volitility3:45 - SER Programming Note4:03 - Merchant Center for Agencies7:14 - AI Voice Overs for PMax 8:30 - Conclusion A daily recap video summarizing a few of the top search marketing headlines covered at the Search Engine Roundtable.This recap is called It's New - A quick, daily dose of the latest in SEO with Anu Adegbola of Search Engine Land, Mordy Oberstein of SE Ranking and Greg Finn of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.
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Google Heat Continues, AI Mode Recipe Link Cards, ChatGPT Web Search With Fewer Links & AI-Generated Search Landing Pages
Mar 600:09:08Tap to summarizeThis week, we continue to see ongoing heated Google Search volatility. I posted the big Google webmaster report for March 2026. Google AI Mode added more links to recipe sites. Google AI Mode has this recipe widget but is that a good thing. Google AI Overviews has expandable drop-downs that just seem weird. Google AI Mode sidebar links don’t pass referrer, but it should be fixed. ChatGPT launched GPT5.3 but web search will now show fewer links. Google has a patent that says it can send people from search to AI-generated web pages, instead of your page. Google had a new help document on web crawling. Google says how to help Google pick your image thumbnail. Google removed the accessibility section from the JavaScript SEO document. Google Knowledge Panels now have these colored table elements. Google has a new help document on Universal Commerce Protocol UCP. Google Ads is testing an ad label named sponsored options in the area. Google added build to order attribute for Google Merchant Center. Google updated its alcohol, prescription drugs, gambling and government policies. Google may allow publishers to claim Google Discover profiles. That was the search news this week at the Search Engine Roundtable.Sponsor: BruceClay one of the founding fathers of the SEO space, doing search marketing optimization since 1996. Bruce Clay is big into SEO training, check out seotraining.com to learn more and check them out at bruceclay.com. Also, check out their new product, Prewriter.ai - this tool empowers writers to write better and more efficiently, so check it out.0:00 - Introduction0:53 - Google Search Ranking Volatility Heated Into March1:15 - March 2026 Google Webmaster Report1:35 - Google AI Mode Adds More Links To Recipe Sites2:37 - Google AI Mode Recipe Widget Sucks Searchers Into AI Frankenstein Recipes3:08 - Google AI Overviews Expandable Drop Downs3:26 - Google AI Mode Sidebar Links Don't Pass Referrers - Google To Fix3:49 - ChatGPT's GPT-5.3 Instant May Show Fewer Links In Web Search Results4:44 - Google Patent: Sending Searchers To AI-Generated Pages Over Your Site5:33 - New Google Help Doc About Google's Web Crawling5:50 - How Google Search & Google Discover Picks Image Thumbnails6:13 - Loading Content With JavaScript Does Not Make It Harder For Google Search6:46 - Google Knowledge Panels With Colored Table Elements Sections Rolling Out7:02 - Google Help Document On Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) Checkout7:20 - Google Ads Label: Sponsored Options In The Area7:34 - Google Adds Build to Order Attribute For Vehicle Listings7:56 - Google Updates Alcohol, Prescription Drugs, Gambling & Government Policies8:25 - Will Google To Allow Publishers To Claim Google Discover Profiles8:54 - Conclusion
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It’s New 3/5: Google AI Mode recipe cards and links, AI Overview drop downs and JavaScript SEO accessibility
Mar 500:09:23Tap to summarizeToday we covered Google AI Mode recipe results with new link cards, based on recipe blogger feedback. Google also has these AI Mode recipe widgets in Google Search. Google AI Overviews have these weird drop downs. Google removed the accessibility section from its JavaScript SEO documentation. Google Merchant Center adds build to order for vehicle listings.0:00 - Introduction0:30 - Google AI Mode with new recipe link cards3:24 - Google AI Mode recipe widget3:48 - Google AI Overviews with drop down options5:19 - Google removed accessibility section from JavaScript SEO docs7:12 - Google Merchant Center build to order attribute8:23 - Conclusion A daily recap video summarizing a few of the top search marketing headlines covered at the Search Engine Roundtable.This recap is called It's New - A quick, daily dose of the latest in SEO with Anu Adegbola of Search Engine Land, Mordy Oberstein of SE Ranking and Greg Finn of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.
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