SEO Daily News Recap for Friday, July 3, 2026
Organic SEO & Search News
Google Local reviews disappearing from many businesses, indexing report fixed: Google has finally updated the page indexing report in Google Search Console after a long delay, while investigating reports of reviews going missing from local listings.
Google Testing New Local Places Layout Design: Google is experimenting with a new design for local pack and places listings in Google Search, moving the map to the top and changing the action buttons.
Google Business Profile Reviews Disappearing: Complaints have surged about Google reviews disappearing from Google Business Profile local listings, suggesting a bug or policy change affecting review visibility.
Paid Search & Platform Innovations
Microsoft Advertising Introduces Performance Max Experiments Beta: Microsoft Advertising has launched a beta for Performance Max experiments, offering Max upgrade or uplift experiments to advertisers.
Google Third-Party Rates For Hotel Ads to be Discontinued: Google will no longer support third-party rates for hotel ads after September 30, 2026, affecting the serving of ads across all Hotel Ads inventory.
General Digital Marketing
Google Celebrates Fourth of July 2026 with Doodle: Google marks the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence with an animated GIF of the American flag in its Fourth of July Doodle.
Google Business Profile Restrictions Can Stack On: Google warns of escalating penalties or restrictions on Google Business Profiles for repeated policy violations, potentially extending initial restrictions for longer durations.
Video Recap: Google June Spam Update, DMCA Takedowns, Ad Budget Changes & More: The latest news includes Google’s completion of the June 2026 spam update, issues caused by fraudulent DMCA takedown requests, and updates on Google AI improvements and page indexing report fixes.
Dive into our detailed sections for more insights and updates.
Organic SEO & Search News
SEO Daily News and Algorithm Updates
Daily Search Forum Recap: July 3, 2026
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.
Google Local reviews are disappearing from many businesses…
Source:
Search Engine Roundtable
Google indexing report in Google Search Console fixed
After a long three-week delay, Google has finally updated the page indexing report with new data.
Source:
Search Engine Land
Google Fourth of July 2026 Doodle: Celebrating 250 years of the USA
Google has posted its Fourth of July Doodle for 2026, the United States Semiquincentennial celebrates the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence. The Doodle is an animated GIF of the American flag in the background.
Source:
Search Engine Roundtable
Video: Google June Spam Update Done, Fraud DMCA Takedowns Breaks Google, Costly Google Ad Budget Changes & More
This week, I covered that Google’s June 2026 spam update completed last Friday afternoon. Fraudulent DMCA takedown requests are breaking Google Search and no one seems to be doing anything. Google AI Mode improved links…
Source:
Search Engine Roundtable
Google Page Indexing Report Fixed & Updated
Google has fixed the page indexing report within Google Search Console after it was struck and delayed for over three weeks. It was literally just fixed within minutes of this story going live, as I continuously check the report like an unwell-OCD man.
Source:
Search Engine Roundtable
Local SEO
Google is investigating reports of reviews going missing and pausing reviews on local listings
Google has confirmed it is investigating the reports of bugs with reviews in Google Business Profiles after several days of complaints from businesses.
Source:
Search Engine Land
Google Testing New Local Places Layout Design
Google is testing updating the design for the local pack and places listings within Google Search. The map was moved to the top, instead of on the right and the action buttons are also moved and changed. I am not sure which version I like more, but here is what changed.
Source:
Search Engine Roundtable
Google Business Profile Restrictions Can Stack On
Google will add to existing penalties or restrictions on your Google Business Profiles if you continue to violate the same policy over and over again. The initial restriction might be 30 days but then if you are caught doing the same thing, Google can make that restriction twice as long.
Source:
Search Engine Roundtable
Google Business Profile Reviews Go Missing For Many
Google reviews seem to be disappearing from Google Business Profile local listings. In the past few days or so there has been an influx of complaints in the Google Business Profile forums. I have not seen Google respond to the complaints, but either there is a bug or a change to the review policy that is causing these reviews to go missing.
Source:
Search Engine Roundtable
Paid Search & Platform Innovations
Paid Search and Advertising
Microsoft Advertising Performance Max Experiments Beta
Microsoft Advertising has opened up a new betas for Performance Max experiments. There are now Max upgrade or uplift experiment available in Microsoft Advertising.
Source:
Search Engine Roundtable
Google Third-Party Rates For Hotel Ads Feature Going Away
Google added a note to the About Google third-party rates for hotel ads saying after September 30, 2026 this will become unavailable. Google said campaigns will stop serving ads across all Hotel Ads inventory after September 30th.
Source:
Search Engine Roundtable
