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About
Matt G. Southern, Senior News Writer, has been with Search Engine Journal since 2013. With a bachelor’s degree in communications, Matt specializes in gathering details, checking facts, and making complex subjects easy to understand. In addition to writing articles, Matt oversees strategy development for SEJ’s news department.
Articles
Perplexity Looks Beyond Search With Its AI Browser, Comet
Perplexity’s new AI browser, Comet, is now live. Here’s how it fits into the company’s long-term vision for search and task automation.
Ex-Google Engineer Launches Athena For AI Search Visibility
Former Google Search engineer Andrew Yan launches Athena, a startup helping brands optimize their visibility in AI-generated answers.
Google’s John Mueller Clarifies How To Remove Pages From Search
Google’s John Mueller explains how to remove pages from Google Search, why sitelinks can’t be controlled manually, and when to use the URL removal tool.
Google Adds Comparison Mode To Search Console’s 24-Hour View
Google has added a comparison mode to Search Console’s 24-hour view, letting you analyze hourly performance trends against previous days.
Google Search Can Now Call Local Businesses Using AI
Google Search can now call local businesses using AI to gather pricing and availability info on your behalf. Here’s how it works.
Google Rolls Out Gemini 2.5 Pro & Deep Search For Paid Subscribers
Google rolls out Gemini 2.5 Pro and Deep Search for paid subscribers, offering expanded support for reasoning, coding, and research tasks.
Google Updates Search Analytics API To Clarify Data Freshness
Google updated the Search Analytics API with a metadata field that helps identify when recent data is still being processed.
Meta Follows YouTube In Crackdown On Unoriginal Content
Meta is taking action against unoriginal content, cracking down on accounts that repost others’ work without permission or meaningful edits.
Nearly 8 In 10 Americans Use ChatGPT For Search, Adobe Finds
Adobe’s latest report finds 77% of Americans report using ChatGPT as a search engine, with nearly 1 in 4 preferring it over Google.
Google Clarifies Structured Data Rules For Returns & Loyalty Programs
Google updates its structured data documentation to clarify how merchants should implement return policies and loyalty programs.
TikTok Denies Report Claiming It’s Building a Standalone US App
TikTok has denied a Reuters report claiming it’s building a standalone U.S. app with a separate algorithm.
ChatGPT Recommendations Potentially Influenced By Hacked Sites
An investigation by SEO expert James Brockbank shows that ChatGPT may cite hacked websites and expired domains in business recommendations.
YouTube Clarifies Monetization Update: Targeting Spam, Not Reaction Channels
YouTube says its July 15 monetization update won’t specifically target reaction or clips channels, but warns enforcement will increase for repetitive or spam-like content.
Google Adds Forum Rich Results Reporting In Search Console
Google Search Console now shows performance data for Discussion Forum rich results as a distinct search appearance.
Ahrefs Study Finds No Evidence Google Penalizes AI Content
A new Ahrefs study of 600,000 pages finds no correlation between AI content and Google rankings, easing concerns about algorithmic penalties.
Relying Too Much On AI Is Backfiring For Businesses
Businesses adopting AI tools without proper planning are facing costly setbacks. Experts and research warn: AI needs human oversight.
YouTube Targets Mass-Produced Content in Monetization Update
YouTube is updating its monetization policies to target mass-produced and repetitious content. Here’s you need to know.
Cloudflare Sparks SEO Debate With New AI Crawler Payment System
Cloudflare’s new pay-per-crawl feature blocks AI crawlers and allows publishers to charge for access, sparking debate in the SEO industry over content visibility and monetization.
YouTube Adds New Viewer Metrics To Track Audience Loyalty
YouTube is replacing the “returning viewers” metric with new viewer segments to help creators better understand long-term audience engagement.
Study: Google AI Mode Shows 91% URL Change Across Repeat Searches
A study finds Google’s AI Mode returns different URLs 91% of the time for the same query, offering insight into how sources are chosen.
Google’s John Mueller: Core Updates Build On Long-Term Data
Google says core updates rely on long-term patterns, not recent link spam. Should you disavow? Here’s what John Mueller told SEO professionals.
Google: Many Top Sites Have Invalid HTML And Still Rank
Most top-ranking websites fail HTML validation. Google explains why perfect code isn’t required, and what matters instead.
Google’s June 2025 Core Update Rollout Complete
Google has finished rolling out its June 2025 core update.
Google Integrates Search Console Insights Into Main Platform
Google has launched a new integrated version of Search Console Insights, offering simplified performance data in the main dashboard.
YouTube Tests AI Features To Improve Search & Discovery
YouTube rolls out experimental AI features to improve video discovery, including a search carousel and conversational assistant.
Google Tests ‘Preferred Sources’ To Personalize Top Stories In Search
Google’s new Preferred Sources lets users customize Top Stories with favorite publishers. How could this shift impact search visibility?
Google Launches Offerwall To Expand Monetization Options
Google’s new Offerwall feature lets publishers monetize through surveys, ads, or micro payments. Could this reshape your revenue strategy?
Google’s ‘srsltid’ Parameter Appears In Organic URLs, Creating Confusion
Google’s srsltid parameter is showing on blog and homepage URLs, affecting reporting and analytics, but not affecting rankings.
Sam Altman: ChatGPT Has Evolved Beyond A “Google Replacement”
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says ChatGPT is no longer just a “Google replacement,” describing its shift toward task completion and assistant-style workflows.