SEO Daily News Recap for Monday, February 9, 2026
Organic SEO & Search News
Google AI Mode doesn’t favor above-the-fold content: Study – It’s not about placement, it’s about structure. Analysis of 2,300+ AI citations shows Google pulls answers from anywhere on a page.
Daily Search Forum Recap: February 9, 2026 – Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today…
Why GA4 alone can’t measure the real impact of AI SEO – Relying on GA4 alone leaves AI SEO analytics lost in the Bermuda Triangle of measurement. Learn what’s missing – and what to track instead.
Paid Search & Platform Innovations
Google Ads API Developer Token Access Applications Delayed Due To High Demand – Google announced on Friday that there is a delay with the Google Ads team reviewing and thus approving developer token access applications.
Google Preferred Sources Deeplink Button Broken – The Google preferred sources deeplink button feature is broken and has been since at least last Wednesday. When you click on a button to make a site a preferred source, such as for this site, it does not pre-fill in the site’s URL in the box, as it should.
Google On If A New Web Site Can Beat An Older Website In Google Search – A thread at Reddit asked if a one-year-old website can beat a four-year-old website in SEO and perform better in Google Search. John Mueller from Google answered with his classic “it depends.”
General Digital Marketing
How to diagnose and fix the biggest blocker to PPC growth – Most PPC accounts stall because teams focus on the wrong work. Learn how to identify the bottleneck limiting growth.
The future of social: AI-augmented workflow plays – Stop the grind. Master the seven AI plays to scale your social without losing your brand’s soul.
Dive into our detailed sections for more insights and updates.
Organic SEO & Search News
SEO Daily News and Algorithm Updates
EU Issues Warning to Meta Over Closing Off WhatsApp to AI Rivals
Meta could be facing more costly penalties in Europe.
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Social Media Today – Latest News
Review Posting Blocks Are Surging: The Data & Patterns Behind Google’s Crackdown – Sterling Sky Inc
Google review posting blocks are rising fast. See real data, behavior patterns Google appears to flag, why reviews get restricted, and what to do if your profile is hit.
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Sterling Sky Inc
Daily Search Forum Recap: February 9, 2026
Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today…
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Search Engine Roundtable
Traffic Impact of Google Discover Update
Last week’s core update focused entirely on Discover, a first for Google.
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SEO – Practical Ecommerce
Google On If A New Web Site Can Beat An Older Website In Google Search
A thread at Reddit asked if a one-year-old website can beat a four-year-old website in SEO and perform better in Google Search. John Mueller from Google answered with his classic "it depends."
Source:
Search Engine Roundtable
Technical SEO
How to build your own AI developer tools with Claude Code | CJ Hess (Tenex)
Watch now | 🎙️ Learn how to build custom tools that transform AI-generated Markdown plans into interactive visual diagrams and UI mockups
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Lenny’s Newsletter
SEO Tools and Data Analysis
Why GA4 alone can’t measure the real impact of AI SEO
Relying on GA4 alone leaves AI SEO analytics lost in the Bermuda Triangle of measurement. Learn what’s missing – and what to track instead.
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Search Engine Land
9 Ways to Use Google Trends for SEO & Content Marketing
Enhance your SEO and content marketing strategy by taking advantage of the full power of Google Trends. Check out this article to learn how!
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Unknown Source
Google Preferred Sources Deeplink Button Broken
The Google preferred sources deeplink button feature is broken and has been since at least last Wednesday. When you click on a button to make a site a preferred source, such as for this site, it does not pre-fill in the site’s URL in the box, as it should. You can retype it in the box but it does not pre-fill it for you.
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Search Engine Roundtable
AI and Machine Learning in SEO
ByteDance Launches Impressive New AI Video Generation Tool
The new AI video generator is producing better results than other rmodels.
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Social Media Today – Latest News
OpenAI starts testing ChatGPT ads
OpenAI is testing clearly labeled ads inside ChatGPT, marking its first step toward monetizing conversational AI.
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Search Engine Land
X Shares the Most Discussed Super Bowl Ads
X ranked responses to Super Bowl ads in real time using AI analysis.
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Social Media Today – Latest News
Snapchat Launches AI-Powered Lens Promotion With Gucci
Expanded considerations for Snap’s AR Lens promotions.
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Social Media Today – Latest News
Reddit says 80 million people now use its search weekly
Reddit is unifying search with its AI Q&A. It’s goal: to become an end-to-end discovery engine where users finish, not just start, queries.
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Search Engine Land
🎙️ This week on How I AI: How to build your own AI developer tools with Claude Code
Your weekly listens from How I AI, part of the Lenny’s Podcast Network
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Lenny’s Newsletter
A preview of ChatGPT’s ad controls just surfaced
The leaked ChatGPT ad settings preview shows advertisers how personalization and privacy will shape ads in conversational AI.
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Search Engine Land
Google AI Mode doesn’t favor above-the-fold content: Study
It’s not about placement, it’s about structure. Analysis of 2,300+ AI citations shows Google pulls answers from anywhere on a page.
Source:
Search Engine Land
What Google and Microsoft patents teach us about GEO
Search patents reveal how AI search systems interpret intent, evaluate content passages, and build brand understanding in generative results.
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Search Engine Land
Reddit On Google & ChatGPT AI Citations
On the Reddit Q4 2025 Earnings Call (see transcript here), Steve Huffman, the CEO of Reddit, was asked about how he feels about how Google and OpenAI link or use citations to link to Reddit’s content. Overall, Steve made it sound like the interfaces are adapting quickly and he is hopeful they will drive traffic to the conversation (within Reddit) in the future.
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Search Engine Roundtable
Google AI Overviews With Contextual Overlay Link Cards
Over the past week or so, Google has been testing a new format for link cards in the AI Overviews within Google Search. When you place your mouse cursor over a link clip icon, a new overlay will show you the page/site cards that line of text is being sourced from.
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Search Engine Roundtable
The future of social: AI-augmented workflow plays
Stop the grind. Master the seven AI plays to scale your social without losing your brand’s soul.
Source:
Unknown Source
E-commerce and Affiliate SEO
YouTube Announces New Subscription Packages for YouTube TV
YouTube’s making a bigger push in CTV subscriptions.
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Social Media Today – Latest News
User Experience and SEO Optimization
Snapchat Expands Home Safe Alerts to Any Destination
Now, you can set an automated message to be sent when you arrive at a chosen location.
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Social Media Today – Latest News
Paid Search & Platform Innovations
Paid Search and Advertising
OpenAI begins testing ads inside ChatGPT
OpenAI is testing clearly labeled ads inside ChatGPT, marking its first step toward monetizing conversational AI.
Source:
Search Engine Land
Google Ads API Developer Token Access Applications Delayed Due To High Demand
Google announced on Friday that there is a delay with the Google Ads team reviewing and thus approving developer token access applications. This is because Google is "seeing significant interest in the developer community for Google Ads API access, and are receiving an increase in developer token access applications," the company said.
Source:
Search Engine Roundtable
How to diagnose and fix the biggest blocker to PPC growth
Most PPC accounts stall because teams focus on the wrong work. Learn how to identify the bottleneck limiting growth.
Source:
Search Engine Land
Job Postings
Job Postings
2/9/2026
Senior Search Engine Optimization Manager
About Us At Ideal Living, we believe everyone has a right to pure water, clean air, and a solid foundation for wellness. As the parent company of leading wellness brands AirDoctor and AquaTru, we help bring this mission to life daily through our award-winning, innovative, science-backed products. For over 25 years, Los Angeles-based Ideal Living […]
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In-house SEO jobs – SEOjobs.com
Job Postings
2/9/2026
Digital Marketing Specialist (SEO, SEM, Content)
About US: Abacus Business Computer (abcPOS) is a New York City-based technology company specializing in comprehensive point-of-sale (POS) systems and integrated payment solutions. With over 30 years of industry expertise, abcPOS offers an all-in-one platform that combines POS systems, merchant services, and growth-focused marketing tools. Serving more than 6,000 businesses and supporting over 40,000 devices, […]
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In-house SEO jobs – SEOjobs.com
Job Postings
2/9/2026
AI-Driven Digital Marketing Specialist (SEO/SEM)
Job/Role Overview: We’re hiring a modern digital marketer who understands that today’s marketing is AI-assisted, data-driven, and constantly evolving. This role is ideal for a recent college graduate or early-career professional trained in today’s digital and AI-focused programs – not outdated marketing playbooks. If you actively use AI tools, enjoy testing ideas, and think in […]
Job Postings
2/9/2026
SEO Specialist
Responsibilities: Execute full on-page SEO optimization (titles, meta, internal linking, structure) Deliver Local SEO improvements (Google Business Profile optimization, citations) Perform technical SEO audits and implement clear action plans Conduct keyword research for competitive local markets Build and manage SEO content plans focused on ranking and leads Provide monthly reporting with measurable ranking + traffic […]
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SEO Agency Jobs – SEOjobs.com
Job Postings
2/9/2026
Graphic Design & Digital Marketing Specialist (SEO/PPC)
Job Description Job Title: Graphic Design & Digital Marketing Specialist Location: Hybrid / Remote (Huntersville, NC preferred) Employment Type: Full Time About Everblue Everblue is a mission-driven company dedicated to transforming careers and improving organizational efficiency. We provide training, certifications, and technology-driven solutions for contractors, government agencies, and nonprofits. Our work modernizes outdated processes, enhances […]
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SEO Agency Jobs – SEOjobs.com
























