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This week we covered the first week or so of Google’s unusual ranking volatility only to see things spike up in a big way this week as well - something is up. Google’s remedies are out for its ad tech monopoly ruling. Google has an AI contribution pilot for paying publishers for using its content in Gemini, AI Mode and AI Overviews. Google Search Live is powered by the new Gemini 3.8 Live. Google Search profiles has a new design, easier account management, reduced follower requirement and new badges. Google local knowledge panels are turning into AI Overviews. Google updated its Chrome user experience report to add four ad metrics. Google Search Console’s page indexing report is missing a chunk of data. Google Search Console position reporting in the performance report may evolve over time. Google supports local business queries in the aggregator and supplier units. Google says e-commerce sites need to label adult products in its feeds. Whatever happened with Google Discover not showing on desktop. Google Ads has a new spend benchmark report to compare you to competitors. Google Ads has product value optimization beta. Google AI Mode is testing text link ads. Google product listings are linking directly to the merchant’s site in a new test. Google Merchant Center’s AI performance report is live, easier UCP integration was announced and more. Google Ads August 17th bidding update finished on August 27th and we have some data from Mike Ryan. OpenAI is teasing Sponsored Agents ads on ChatGPT. Bing is testing a shopping filter on the left side. And there are now dashboards for Google Analytics. That was the search news this week at the Search Engine Roundtable.

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Search Topics of Discussion:

• 0:00 - Introduction
• 1:14 - Google Search Update September 4th That Reverted September 13th?
• 1:51 - Google Search Ranking Volatility Heats Up This Morning - September 15th
• 2:30 - Google May Be More Successful In Blocking Scrapers & Tracking Tools
• 2:58 - Google Ad Tech Monopoly Remedies: Behavioral Changes With Oversight
• 3:58 - Google Al Contribution Pilot - Paying Publishers For Use Of Content In AI
• 5:12 - Google Search Live Now Powered By Gemini 3.8 Live
• 5:41 - Google Search Profiles Article Design, Less Followers & Easier Login
• 6:05 - Google Search Profile Badge - How To Add It To Your Site
• 6:18 - Google Local Knowledge Panel As An AI Overview
• 6:55 - Google Chrome User Experience Report (CrUX) With Ad Metrics
• 7:46 - Google Search Console Indexing Report Missing Old June Data
• 8:10 - Google: Google Search Console AI Position Reporting Will Evolve Over Time
• 8:51 - Google Supports Local Business Queries In Aggregator & Supplier Search Units
• 9:04 - Google Now Requires You Label Adult Products In Ecommerce Feeds
• 9:22 - What Ever Happened To Google Discover On Desktop
• 9:50 - Google Ads Spend Benchmarks Report Compares Your Competitors
• 10:16 - Google Ads Product Value Optimization Beta
• 10:43 - Google AI Mode Tests Text Link Ads
• 11:10 - Google Search Product Listings Tests Linking Directly To Merchant Site
• 11:38 - Google Merchant Center AI Reports Live, Easier UCP & UCP Analytics
• 12:06 - Google Ads August 17 Target-Based Bidding Update Finished August 27
• 12:28 - Early Data On Google Ads August 17 Bidding Update
• 12:59 - OpenAI Testing Sponsored Agents For ChatGPT Ads
• 13:13 - Bing Tests Shopping Filters On Left Sidebar
• 13:21 - Dashboards Available In Google Analytics
• 13:33 - Conclusion

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