SEO Daily News Recap for Friday, January 30, 2026
Organic SEO & Search News
Kirk Williams emphasizes the importance of client fit in digital marketing – Identifying red flags early can prevent time and results drain from wrong clients.
Google Search Ranking Volatility Peaks in January – Recent spike in SEO chatter and tools showing intense Google search ranking volatility.
Custom GPTs for SEO Automation – Exploring 7 custom GPT ideas to streamline SEO workflows effectively.
AI Discovery Insights from 2 Million LLM Sessions – One-platform AI strategy may no longer suffice for various industries in 2026.
Paid Search & Platform Innovations
Google Tests Third-Party Endorsements in Search Ads – Adding publisher logos and quotes for external validation in paid results.
Google Ads Introduces PMax Ad Preview Feature – Preview Performance Max campaign ads with one-click convenience.
Google Business Profiles Review Appeals Process Update – Delays in review appeals seemingly resolved as notice is removed.
Google Adds Preferred Sources Help Documentation – Official support documentation for site owners on Preferred Sources feature.
Google Ads Experimenting with Third-Party Content in Search Ads – Potential inclusion of third-party endorsements in search ad content.
General Digital Marketing
TikTok Usage Statistics for 2026 – Insights on global and US-based daily and monthly average screen time on TikTok.
SEO’s Evolution as Brand and Performance Channel – AI advancements and zero-click SERPs redefine SEO ROI criteria.
Dive into our detailed sections for more insights and updates.
Organic SEO & Search News
SEO Daily News and Algorithm Updates
Daily Search Forum Recap: January 30, 2026
Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today…
Source:
Search Engine Roundtable
Google Search Ranking Volatility Very Heated January 29 & 30
January has been an insane month with Google Search ranking volatility, and I guess it is no surprise to see the most heated time right now, as we end the month. I am seeing a significant spike in SEO chatter and many of the tools are showing very heated Google search ranking volatility over the past 24 hours or so.
Source:
Search Engine Roundtable
Video: Google Rank Volatility Heated, AI Overviews To Send Less Traffic, Opt Out Of It, Yahoo Scouts & Bing AI Performance Report
This week, we covered more ongoing Google search ranking volatility – January was a heated month. Google AI Overviews show more button officially flows to AI Mode…
Source:
Search Engine Roundtable
Google Business Profiles Review Appeals Delay Removed
Before the December holidays, Google posted a notice that review appeals for Google Business Profiles were delayed. Well, Google just removed the notice, which likely means the extended delays for review appeals are no longer an issue.
Source:
Search Engine Roundtable
Google Adds Preferred Sources Help Documentation
Several weeks after Google rolled out support for Preferred Sources globally, Google added official help documentation for site owners to use to help them understand what it is all about and how to encourage their readers to subscribe to your site as a preferred source.
Source:
Search Engine Roundtable
SEO Tools and Data Analysis
Average Time Spent on TikTok Statistics (2026)
Global and US-based data on daily and monthly average TikTok screen time, including statistics on changes in use over time.
Source:
Unknown Source
AI and Machine Learning in SEO
7 custom GPT ideas to automate SEO workflows
How custom GPTs can be used in SEO, with example prompts for planning, analysis, reporting, and technical work.
Source:
Search Engine Land
What 2 million LLM sessions reveal about AI discovery
From finance to SaaS, different LLMs win different jobs, which is why a single-platform AI strategy won’t work in 2026.
Source:
Search Engine Land
Content Marketing and Strategy
Is SEO a brand channel or a performance channel? Now it’s both
AI Overviews and zero-click SERPs have broken the traffic model. SEO ROI now depends on brand strength, not just rankings.
Source:
Search Engine Land
Career Development and Industry Trends
Kirk Williams discusses why client fit is very important
Taking on the wrong clients can quietly drain time and results, and this episode explains how to spot red flags early.
Source:
Search Engine Land
Paid Search & Platform Innovations
Paid Search and Advertising
Google tests third-party endorsements in search ads
Google is testing 3rd party endorsements in Search ads, adding publisher logos and quotes to introduce external validation into paid results.
Source:
Search Engine Land
Google Ads PMax Ad Preview With One Click
Google Ads has this new way to preview your Performance Max campaign ads, with one click. Now you can easily preview your PMax asset group ads from the table by clicking on the images.
Source:
Search Engine Roundtable
Google Ads Testing Third-Party Content On Search Ads
Google is testing showing third-party endorsement content on Search ads, a Google Ads spokesperson confirmed. This "third-party endorsement content" may include content from third-party websites under the ad description, including the site’s name, logo, and a short endorsement from that site.
Source:
Search Engine Roundtable
Job Postings
Job Postings
1/30/2026
Senior Digital Marketing Specialist
Are you ready to trade your job for a journey? Become a FlyMate! Passion, excitement & global collaboration are all core to what it means to be a FlyMate. At Flywire, we’re on a mission to deliver the world’s most important and complex payments. We use our Flywire Advantage – the combination of our next-gen […]
Source:
In-house SEO jobs – SEOjobs.com
Job Postings
1/30/2026
Digital Marketing Specialist ~ AdPro 360 ~ $60,000-$64,000 ~ Hybrid (Colorado Springs, CO, United States)
Job Description Join AdPro 360 as our Full-Time Digital Marketing Specialist and embrace an exciting opportunity that puts your creativity and strategic thinking to the test. This role offers the flexibility to work from home, allowing you to balance your professional ambitions with personal priorities in a dynamic and supportive environment. With a competitive salary […]
Source:
SEO Agency Jobs – SEOjobs.com
Job Postings
1/30/2026
Senior Manager, Digital Marketing Strategy & Operations ~ 143 Studios LLC ~ Remote (USA)
Who are we? 143 Studios is the award-winning media production company behind The Mel Robbins Podcast — one of the top ranking podcasts in the world. We’re also the same team behind The Let Them Theory, a cultural phenomenon with over 5 million copies sold in 5 months, and six #1 Audible Originals. Every day, […]
Source:
In-house SEO jobs – SEOjobs.com
Job Postings
1/30/2026
Digital Marketing Specialist ~ Self-Storage Consulting Group LLC ~ $20-$23/hr. ~ In-office (USA) ~ Gilbert, AZ, United States
Job Description Note: This position is based out of our Gilbert, Arizona office and is in-office Monday-Friday. A short cover letter is encouraged to help us better understand your background and interest. About Self Storage Consulting Group (SSCG) Self Storage Consulting Group (SSCG) is a nationwide, full-service self-storage firm that provides expertise across the entire […]
Source:
SEO Agency Jobs – SEOjobs.com
Job Postings
1/30/2026
On Page SEO Specialist ~ ASG ~ $10-$15/hour ~ Remote (WW)
📌 Job Title: On-Page SEO Specialist 📅 Experience: 5+ Years ⏰ Schedule: 8 AM – 5 PM CST 💰 Compensation: $10-$15/hour (based on experience) 🏡 Fully Remote | Full-time Contract Position 🌟 Job Overview We’re looking for a seasoned On-Page SEO Specialist to optimize and enhance our website’s on-page SEO performance while driving multi-location performance […]
Source:
SEO Agency Jobs – SEOjobs.com
