Google Clicks To Sites Stable, Volatility Cooled & Heated, AI Mode Ads, GPT-5 & Sullivan Drops Liaison

Search Engine Roundtable Podcast

This week, we covered the ongoing Google search volatility, which cooled for a bit and then got heated again. Google’s Liz Reid said that website clicks from Google are relatively stable since launching AI Overviews, but no one believes them. Google did not confirm that it uses MUVERA in Google Search. I posted the Google Webmaster report for August. Bing Webmaster Tools search performance report gained 24 months of historical data and added device and country lists. Microsoft Copilot is using OpenAI’s GPT-5 now. Google is rolling out a sticky search header bar. Google tests AI Mode tab icon and divider. Google is pitching AI Mode ads to advertisers. Google released a number of Performance Max updates. Google Ads sitelinks do impact performance max ad strength. Google Ads on training smart bidding with negative keywords. Google Ads API version 21 is now out. Google Ads updated its EU political content policy. Microsoft Advertising updated Audience Planner and website exclusions. Google refreshed the Google Posts creation tool. Apple Business Connect supports UTM parameters for action links. And Danny Sullivan is no longer the Search Liaison; he has moved into a different role within the Google Search team. That was the search news this week at the Search Engine Roundtable.

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0:00 - Introduction

1:43 - Google Search Ranking Volatility Calmed For Just A Second & Heated Again

2:30 - Google: Clicks To Websites Relatively Stable With AI Overviews (Is It Flawed?)

4:10 - Google: We Did Not Confirm We Use MUVERA

4:46 - August 2025 Google Webmaster Report

5:00 - Bing Webmaster Tools Performance Report Gains 24 Months Of Data & More

5:20 - Bing Webmaster Tools Performance Report Adds List By Device & Country

5:38 - Microsoft Copilot Now Using OpenAI's GPT-5

6:26 - Google Search Rolling Out Sticky Search Bar As You Scroll

6:42 - Google Tests AI Mode Tab Icon With Divider

6:57 - Google Pitching AI Mode Ads To Advertisers

7:30 - Google Ads For Performance Max Gains New Controls & Reporting

7:46 - Google Ads Sitelinks Impact Performance Max Ad Strength

8:11 - Google Ads On If Negative Keywords Train Smart Bidding

9:01 - Google Ads API Version 21 Now Available

9:17 - Google Ads Updates EU Political Content Policy For September 2025

9:29 - Microsoft Advertising Audience Planner Updated

9:49 - Microsoft Advertising Website Exclusions Updated

10:07 - Google Posts Creation Tool Refresh Now Live

10:24 - Apple Business Connect Supports UTM Parameters For Action Links

10:40 - Danny Sullivan Steps Away From Google Search Liaison Role

11:15 - Conclusion