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.
103episodes
Episodes
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It's New 5/28: Google on buying mentions, preferred sources bone, Google Ads data going away and ChatGPT Ads CPAs
May 2800:13:00Tap to summarizeToday we covered that Google says you should not buy or manipulate your brand mentions to get ahead on Google AI responses. Google AI Mode and AI Overviews gain preferred sources, a new carousel but is it enough - oh, also the highly cited label expanded. Google Ads to delete shorter-term data starting this Monday, June 1st. ChatGPT Ads conversion optimized campaigns are coming for advertisers.0:00 - Introduction2:21 - Google says don’t buy mentions4:39 - Google preferred sources expands to AI responses8:49 - Google to delete shorter-term data June 1st10:06 - ChatGPT Ads conversion optimized campaigns are coming 11:46 - 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.
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It's New 5/27: Google Ads real time policy review, display ads fold, Discover reporting broke and local inventory check
May 2700:12:36Tap to summarizeToday we covered the new Google Ads real time policy review process for faster ad approvals. Google Display ads is being folded into Demand Gen campaigns. Google Search Console Discover performance report broke again on May 21. Google local pack tests a check real time stock button.0:00 - Introduction2:40 - Google Ads Real Time Policy Review4:44 - Google Display Ads now in Demand Gen Campaigns7:45 - Google Search Console Discover Report broke again9:04 - Google local packs test real time stock checker10:43 - 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.
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It's New 5/26: EU to fine Google a lot, Bing Images AI results, ChatGPT ads new features and ratty Google Ads
May 2600:11:20Tap to summarizeToday we covered that the EU may fine Google triple-digit million euros for showing its services in the search results. Bing image search officially launched its AI-curated image search results. ChatGPT ad manager added geo-targeting, budgeting and more, and is testing ad experiences. Google does some testing with Shopping Ads, which are renamed ratty ads.0:00 - Introduction1:50 - EU may fine Google in the triple-digit million euros4:00 - Bing Image search AI-grouped images goes live5:16 - ChatGPT ads gain geo-targeting, budgeting and more7:24 - Google Shopping Ads tests11:04 - 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.
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It's New 5/25: Google Core Update Felt, Lag In AI Index & Appeals Monopoly Ruling
May 2500:07:19Tap to summarizeToday we covered the Google core update being announced on Thursday but being felt in a bit way this weekend. Google also appealed its search monopoly ruling on Friday. Google Search Console’s link report is broken. Google seems to have removed the index lag between AI Overviews/AI Mode and core search. And Google is promoting its AI features and I/O news on its home page but it was replaced by the Memorial Day Doodle.0:00 - Introduction0:40 - Google May 2026 core update touched down this weekend2:04 - Google appealed its search monopoly ruling3:32 - Google Search Console links report is broken4:15 - Google removed the index lag between its AI results and core search5:37 - Google’s home page promotes AI features and I/O news6:51 - Google Memorial Day Doodle7:04 - 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.
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Google's New Search Box, Gemini 3.5 Flash Powers AI Mode, New Google Ads, Ranking Volatility & More I/O GML News
May 2200:11:16Tap to summarizeThis week, we had both Google I/O and Google Marketing Live, so we have a lot of news. Google launched a new search box it is calling the intelligent search box. Google also launched Gemini 3.5 Flash, which is now powering AI Mode. Google showed off information agents in search, expanded agentic booking capabilities, showed agentic coding directly in Google Search, expanded personal intelligence and the seamless AI Overviews to AI Mode experience went fully live. Also, Google showed off its new Universal Cart, which is neat. What would be a week without Google ranking volatility, we had that the morning of I/O and throughout. Google posted a new help document on how to optimize for generative AI. Google added markdown files to its help docs but says it is not for Search. Google is testing a preferred label in the AI Mode results. Google has two new ad formats, conversational discovery ads and highlighted answers, within AI Mode. Google AI Mode is gaining shopping ads, business agents for leads and direct offer for leads. Google is merging Ads Advisor and Analytics Advisor with Ask Advisor. Google Ads primary conversion actions may be used for enhanced conversions. Microsoft Advertising has an import center, cross-account portfolio bidding, and bidding strategy report. Microsoft Clarity added a new AI report, a citations report. OpenAI’s ChatGPT does have a web cache. OpenAI also released updates to ChatGPT Ad Manager such as daily budgets and geo-targeting and new CTA experiments to ChatGPT ads. 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.Note, I recorded this on Thursday and I am offline on Friday for a holiday.0:00 - Introduction0:38 - Google May 2026 Core Update Is Rolling Out - You Felt It1:03 - Google I/O 2026 Search Ranking Volatility & Update1:45 - Google's New Search Bar, The Intelligent Search Box3:13 - Google Search Now Powered By Gemini 3.5 Flash With New Agentic Features5:41 - Google Search On How To Optimize For Generative AI With Myth-Busting6:36 - Google Adds Markdown Files To Help Docs But Not Used For Search7:06 - Google Tests Preferred Sources Label In AI Mode Citations7:30 - Google Tests Conversational Discovery Ads & Highlighted Answers In AI Mode8:10 - Google AI Mode Shopping Ads, Business Agent For Leads & Direct Offers Coming8:26 - Google Ask Advisor Brings Together Ads Advisor & Analytics Advisor8:56 - Google Ads Primary Conversion Actions May Be Used For Enhance Predictions9:38 - Microsoft Advertising Updates Import Center, Cross-Account Portfolio Bidding & Bidding Strategy Report9:39 - Microsoft Clarity New AI Citations Report10:08 - OpenAI / ChatGPT Has A Web Cache10:38 - OpenAI Releases ChatGPT Ads Manager Updates & Ads Tests10:57 - Conclusion
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It's New 5/21: Big Google Ads News From Google Marketing Live and more
May 2100:15:46Tap to summarizeToday we covered much of the Google Marketing Live news about changes with Google Ads. This includes new ad formats for AI Mode, conversational discovery ads and highlighted answers. Google Shopping ads coming to AI Mode, Business Agents for Leads also coming and expanding Direct Offers. Google also combined Ads Advisor and Analytics Advisor into Ask Advisor. 0:00 - Introduction0:24 - Google Marketing Live Ad News15:28 - 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.
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It's New 5/20: Intelligence Search Box, Google AI Mode Gemini 3.5 Flash & All The I/O Search News
May 2000:12:58Tap to summarizeToday we covered all the big search news out of Google I/O, including the new intelligent search box, the seamless AI Overview to AI Mode feature expanding, Gemini 3.5 Flash powering AI Mode, information agents in search, agentic booking updates, coding in Google Search, personal intelligence expanding, Universal Cart, and so much more. Microsoft Advertising announced its monthly releases, and they include updates to the import center, cross-account portfolio bidding, bidding strategy reports and more. 0:00 - Introduction1:02 - Google I/O Search News10:15 - Microsoft Advertising import center, cross-account bidding and bidding report0:00 - 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.
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It's New 5/19: Google I/O Search Volatility, Markdown Files & Microsoft Clarity AI Citations
May 1900:04:38Tap to summarizeToday we covered Google search ranking volatility heating up before Google I/O. Google added markdown files to the help docs but John Mueller of Google said it is not used by Google Search. Microsoft Clarity adding AI citations reporting to its analytics package. And just some ranting. 0:00 - Introduction0:20 - Google has some big ranking volatility on I/O day1:30 - Google added markdown files to its help docs but Search doesn’t use it2:52 - Microsoft Clarity added a new AI citations report4:09 - 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.
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It's New 5/18: Google on how to optimize for AI answers, spam policies apply to generative AI and primary conversions for enhanced positions
May 1800:13:34Tap to summarizeToday we covered Google’s new guidance on how to optimize for generative AI answers. Google also updated its spam policies to note those policies apply to AI responses. Google Ads primary conversion actions not used for optimization may be used to enhance predictions. Google is moving offline conversion imports out of the Google Ads API. I asked the SEO community, pre-Google I/O, if Google AI Mode will replace Google Search - most say no.0:00 - Introduction1:17 - Google advice on how to optimize for AI answers4:55 - Google spam policies apply to AI responses5:29 - Google Ads primary conversion actions for enhanced predictions9:50 - Offline conversions moving out of Google Ads API11:05 - Google I/O Poll: AI Mode won’t replace Google Search12:40 - 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.
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Google Ranking Volatility Heated, Discover Data Goes Missing, FAQ Rich Results Totally Gone & Google Ads AI Dashboards
May 1500:09:24Tap to summarizeThis week in search I covered, yep, heated Google search ranking volatility kicking in the middle of this week. Google updated its spam policies to say it also applies to Google’s AI responses in Search. Google Discover performance report is missing data from May 7th and May 8th. Google Search drops FAQ rich results from the search results completely. Bing Webmaster Tools does not distinguish between http and https. A new study says schema does not influence AI citations. Google Discover publisher pages are testing new links and featured posts. Google Ads teases new AI-powered dashboards. Google Ads search terms report shows the best approximation of a user’s intent. Google Ads posts a help document on site visits assets. Google Ads to automatically link your YouTube channels. Google Ads API version 24.1 is now out. Google Merchant Center tests Merchant Advisor. Google Merchant Center has new out-of-stock options. Google Merchant Center for Agencies is now globally available. Google Analytics has a new AI assistant traffic to track ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude. That was the search news this week at the Search Engine Roundtable.This episode is brought to you by Yahoo Scout. Yahoo Scout is a new AI-powered answer engine that brings together AI summaries with something the search community cares about—real links to real sources, designed to be transparent. Built on Yahoo’s long history as a trusted guide to the internet, Yahoo Scout helps users get clear answers, with the ability to explore beyond. You can try it now at scout.com.0:00 - Introduction0:57 - Google Search Ranking Volatility Heated May 13th & 14th1:53 - Google: Spam Policies Apply To AI Responses (AI Overviews & AI Mode)2:36 - Google Discover Performance Report Missing Data May 7 & May 82:55 - Google Search Drops FAQ Rich Results In Search & Search Console3:42 - PSA: Bing Webmaster Tools Does Not Distinguish Between http and https4:12 - Study: Adding Schema Did Not Improve AI Citations On Google, ChatGPT & More4:47 - Google Discover Publisher Pages To Get Links & Featured Posts5:04 - Google Ads Teases New Dashboards Powered By Gemini5:29 - Google Ads Search Terms Report Shows Best Approximation Of User's Intent6:27 - Google Ads Posts Site Visits Assets Documentation6:49 - Google Ads To Automatically Link YouTube Channels7:14 - Google Ads API Version 24.1 Now Available7:34 - Google Merchant Center Tests Merchant Advisor8:05 - Google Merchant Center Gains More Out-of-Stock Options8:27 - Google Merchant Center For Agencies Now Available Globally8:42 - Google Analytics AI Assistant Traffic: Tracks ChatGPT, Gemini & Claude Traffic9:15 - Conclusion
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