A lot happened this week in SEO. From big updates at Google to new ad tools and privacy changes, these stories can affect how your website ranks and how people find your business. Here’s a quick and easy breakdown of the top news, especially helpful for local marketers, business owners, and SEO pros using Local Dominator.
Search Engine Roundtable
- SEOs continue to report high volatility from Google’s June 2025 core update. Rankings are shifting daily across multiple industries, including local search. Google hasn’t confirmed when the update will finish, but impact is still visible. Read more
- Cloudflare is now blocking AI bots like OpenAI’s GPTBot and Google-Extended by default. This change helps websites protect content from being scraped for AI training. Site owners can choose to allow these bots manually. Read more
- Bing is testing green-colored labels on local listings in search results. These green listings appear in the local map pack and could highlight trusted or eco-friendly businesses. It’s part of Bing’s ongoing design updates for local visibility. Read more
Search Engine Land
- Many business owners notice their Google event posts aren’t showing on search. Common causes include incorrect post formatting or missing event details. Fixing post types, adding accurate dates, and following GMB guidelines can solve the issue. Read more
- Google is experimenting with LLM-generated ads written on the spot using a “token auction” model. Advertisers may soon bid for AI-written ad messages, not just placements. This could reshape how dynamic ads appear in search. Read more
- As privacy laws expand, marketers must change how they track and target users. Cookies are going away, and first-party data is more important than ever. Transparency, consent, and secure tools are now essential for compliance. Read more
Search Engine Journal
- A new study shows many top-ranking websites have invalid or broken HTML. Google still ranks them if content is useful and accessible. Clean code helps with speed, but it’s not always required to rank well. Read more
- An SEO expert tested whether meta descriptions impact rankings and found no major difference. Google often ignores or rewrites meta descriptions. Focus on user intent and CTR, not just metadata. Read more
- A Google patent reveals that user behavior like clicks, bounce rate, and time on site may influence rankings. These signals help Google determine trustworthiness. Real engagement now plays a bigger role in SEO. Read more
Local business owners should keep websites helpful, mobile-friendly, and honest with data use. If you’re using Local Dominator, make sure your listings are up to date and your local pages are optimized for trust and speed.
