Industry News

Catch up on interesting new discussion and industry news.

    Google AI Overviews With Font Strikethroughs

    rustybrick
    by rustybrick
    Jan 20, 2026 at 4:51 AM
    Here is a weird one - one person named Kunjal Chawhan spotted a Google AI Overview that had an HTML font strikethrough in the text. So it looks like Google is offering an answer, but it's struck through as a false answer...

    Google AI Mode Fan-Out Prompts To Narrow Your Query

    rustybrick
    by rustybrick
    Jan 20, 2026 at 4:41 AM
    Back in May, Google announced updates to shopping in AI Mode. One of those announcements is to help you narrow down your AI Mode results for shopping queries using query fan-out. Well, here is an example of that where Google AI Mode is prompting you to narrow down the options.

    Google Search Team Does Not Endorse LLMs.txt Files

    rustybrick
    by rustybrick
    Jan 20, 2026 at 4:31 AM
    Yep, back on comments from Google on the LLMs.txt file. Another question came up on Bluesky asking if the fact that some Google properties still have the LLMs.txt files up, if that is some sort of endorsement from Google. John Mueller from Google said, simply, "no," it is not an endorsement.

    Poll: More Advertisers To Add Microsoft Advertising To Marketing Mix?

    rustybrick
    by rustybrick
    Jan 20, 2026 at 4:21 AM
    Navah Hopkins, the Microsoft Advertiser Ads Liaison, asked on LinkedIn if you will be adding Microsoft Advertising part of your marketing mix in 2026? The poll had over 200 responses, with most saying it is already included in that mix but 36% saying they will be adding it to the mix.

    Google AI Mode Shows Product Inventory & Pricing In Light Font Color

    rustybrick
    by rustybrick
    Jan 20, 2026 at 4:11 AM
    Google AI Mode is showing really light colored fonts for product pricing and inventory when you click on a product. This differs from the normal font type in the main Google Search results interface.

    Daily Search Forum Recap: January 19, 2026

    rustybrick
    by rustybrick
    Jan 19, 2026 at 7:00 AM
    Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today, through the eyes of the Search Engine Roundtable and other search forums on the web.

    OpenAI will be testing ads in ChatGPT very soon. Google's Gemini 3 Pro now powers some AI Overviews...

    Google AI Overviews Powered By Gemini 3 Pro For Complex Queries

    rustybrick
    by rustybrick
    Jan 19, 2026 at 4:51 AM
    Google announced late on Friday that Gemini 3 Pro is now powered Google AI Overviews for complex queries. Google actually said this last November, but then edited its story to say it was just AI Mode that was powered by Gemini 3 Pro and not AI Overviews. Now both AI Overviews and AI Mode can use Gemini 3 Pro.

    Google Is Appealing Its Search Monopoly Ruling & Asks To Pause Remedies

    rustybrick
    by rustybrick
    Jan 19, 2026 at 4:41 AM
    Google is appealing the ruling that it is an illegal search monopoly - which surprises no one. Plus, Google asked the court to pause the remedies during the appeal phase.

    Google Warns On Hosting With Free Subdomain Hosts

    rustybrick
    by rustybrick
    Jan 19, 2026 at 4:31 AM
    Google's John Mueller once again warned about hosting your website on free subdomain hosting service because they are magnets for a "lot of spam & low-effort content."

    OpenAI Will Soon Test Ads On ChatGPT

    rustybrick
    by rustybrick
    Jan 19, 2026 at 4:21 AM
    OpenAI announced on Friday it will begin testing ads in the ChatGPT responses in the coming weeks. The ads will show on the free product and low-cost subscription tier, ChatGPT Go. The ads will show under the main response and not influence the answers ChatGPT gives you. Advertisers will not get conversations with ChatGPT. The ads will be clearly labeled as ads.