Google: AI Max For Search Has No Conversion Minimums
Google confirms no conversion minimums for AI Max for Search, but Smart Bidding is required for search-term matching.
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
LinkedIn Study: Professionals Trust Their Networks Over AI & Search
LinkedIn reports that professionals trust their networks more than AI or search engines for work advice, with spending shifting to creators and community content.
Google Wants To Show More Links In AI Mode
Google says it wants to show more links in AI Mode, rolling out embedded carousels, smarter inline links, and expanding Web Guide.
Google Rolls Out August Spam Update Targeting Search Quality
Google released the August spam update, impacting search results worldwide. The rollout may take a few weeks to complete.
Perplexity Launches Comet Plus, Shares Revenue With Publishers
Perplexity’s new subscription plan pays publishers for webpage visits, AI search citations, and agent actions.
Google: Why Lazy Loading Can Delay Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)
On Google’s podcast, Martin Splitt explains how default lazy loading can delay LCP, why some libraries hinder indexing, and how to verify fixes.
Google AI Mode Adds Agentic Booking, Expands To More Countries
Google adds agentic bookings and personalization to AI Mode and expands access to 180+ countries in English.
Ahrefs Launches Tracker Comparing ChatGPT & Google Referral Traffic
Ahrefs launched a monthly dashboard comparing Google and ChatGPT referral traffic so you can track AI search as a measurable channel.
Google: Why CrUX & Search Console Don’t Match On Core Web Vitals
Google’s Barry Pollard explains why CrUX and Search Console often report different Core Web Vitals results. Learn how page-view vs. URL-level methods lead to mismatches.
Google Trends API Alpha: Mueller Confirms Small Pilot Group
Google Trends API launch starts with “quite small” pilot group, John Mueller confirms. Not expected to be a “big SEO event.”
LinkedIn Alerts You When Posts Drive Profile Views & Followers
LinkedIn notifications now alert you when posts drive profile views & followers. Learn how these real-time analytics can help.
AI Systems Often Prefer AI-Written Content, Study Finds
A peer-reviewed study finds LLMs often prefer AI-written content over human text in pairwise tests.
Google Makes Merchant API Generally Available: What’s New
Google makes Merchant API generally available and announces plans to sunset the Content API. New features include order tracking, issue resolution, and Product Studio.
Local SEO Best Practices Aren’t Universal: Yext Study
A study of 8.7M Google results finds review engagement correlates strongest with Local Pack visibility, with tactics varying by industry.
Googlebot Crawl Slump? Mueller Points To Server Errors
A Reddit thread about a sharp crawl drop prompted guidance from Google’s John Mueller. Here’s how to diagnose the cause.
Google Brings AI Trip-Finding To Google Flights
Google adds an AI “Flight Deals” tool to Google Flights, part of a broader push into vertical, conversational search experiences.
Google Gemini Adds Personalization From Past Chats
Google’s Gemini now personalizes replies from past chats and adds Temporary Chats, rolling out now with controls you can manage.
OpenAI Brings GPT-4o Back For Paid ChatGPT Users
OpenAI restores GPT-4o to the ChatGPT picker for paid users and promises advance notice on future deprecations.
YouTube Lets Creators Pick Exact CTAs In Promote Website Ads
YouTube’s Promote tool now lets you choose specific calls to action for website traffic campaigns, like “Book now” or “Get quote.”
Google: Invalid Ad Traffic From Deceptive Serving Down 40%
Google cites a 40% drop in invalid ad traffic from deceptive serving, helping protect budgets and keep billing clean for advertisers.
Google Rolls Out ‘Preferred Sources’ For Top Stories In Search
Google is rolling out Preferred Sources for Top Stories in Search, letting you choose outlets to see more often.
Google Cautions Businesses Against Generic Keyword Domains
Google’s John Mueller advises small businesses to choose distinctive brand names over generic keyword domains for better search visibility.
Google: Unique Image Landing Pages Can Help Search Visibility
Google’s John Mueller says giving each image its own landing page can help it appear in image search, while gallery setups may limit visibility.
OpenAI Launches GPT-5 In ChatGPT To All Users
OpenAI launches GPT-5, now the default model in ChatGPT for all users. The update prioritizes factual accuracy, transparent reasoning, and broader accessibility.
Ecosia & Qwant Launch European Search Infrastructure
Ecosia begins using its own search index in France, part of a joint effort with Qwant to reduce reliance on U.S. tech providers.
Google Says AI Clicks Are Better, What Does Your Data Say?
Google claims AI is making Search more useful and clicks more valuable. Check whether that holds true for your content.
Study: Advanced Personalization Linked To Higher Conversions
Deloitte research commissioned by Meta shows personalization boosts conversions by 16%, with a framework to assess and improve your strategy.
Claude Opus 4.1 Improves Coding & Agent Capabilities
Anthropic has released Claude Opus 4.1, which is said to deliver better coding and agent performance with improved safety.
The Future Of Search: 5 Key Findings On What Buyers Really Want
AI answers, offline calls, and voice search are reshaping how buyers act. This report breaks down what that means for your search strategy.
ChatGPT Nears 700 Million Weekly Users, OpenAI Announces
ChatGPT is nearing 700 million weekly active users, up from 500 million in March and four times higher than a year ago.