SEO Daily News Recap for Friday, October 3, 2025
Organic SEO & Search News
Google Search Serving Issue: Google has confirmed a serving issue impacting search results in some locales. The ongoing problem is significant enough for Google to address it on its Search Status Dashboard.
New Bing Places for Business: Bing has launched an updated interface and new features for Bing Places for Business, including a new URL and improved recommendations.
Google Analytics Benchmarking Expansion: Google Analytics now allows businesses to benchmark absolute metrics like New Users and Total Revenue for enhanced performance insights.
Google to Phase Out Call-Only Ads: Google plans to retire Call-Only Ads by 2027, prompting advertisers to shift towards Responsive Search Ads with Call Assets.
Paid Search & Platform Innovations
Google Ads Copywriting with AI: Learn how effective ad copywriting relies on clear, structured prompts for stronger AI-generated ads.
Microsoft Testing Large Images in Bing Copilot Ads: Microsoft is experimenting with large images in Bing Search Copilot ads, potentially changing the ad unit’s appearance.
Moz Alternatives for SEO Tools: Explore alternative SEO tools to Moz that offer advanced features and actionable insights.
Google Reviews with ‘Incentivized’ Label: Google is testing labeling reviews in the product reviews section as “incentivized,” potentially providing more transparency to users.
General Digital Marketing
AI Tools for Small Businesses: Discover 10 AI tools that can revolutionize small businesses, enhancing productivity and growth.
Post-Pandemic Consumer Behavior in 2025: Explore the lasting effects of the pandemic on consumer behavior, from e-commerce trends to evolving norms.
Hybrid Approach to AI Content: Learn why a hybrid approach combining AI and human involvement is crucial for successful content creation and SEO strategies.
Marketing Insights from Ahrefs Podcast: Uncover valuable marketing insights from the Ahrefs Podcast featuring industry experts like Neil Patel and more.
Dive into our detailed sections for more insights and updates.
Organic SEO & Search News
SEO Daily News and Algorithm Updates
Google Search Serving Issue
Google has confirmed a Google Search serving issue that is currently ongoing and impacting serving "some pages in some locales." This is a large enough issue that Google posted about it on its Google Search Status Dashboard.
Source:
Search Engine Roundtable
Google Search serving issue in some locales
Google confirmed a data center issue impacting serving some search results in some regions.
Source:
Search Engine Land
Necromancer Battle Test
This week, we tested necromancer — our in-house software to track the state of hundreds of bare-metal servers during reboots. Why do we…
Source:
Ahrefs – Medium
Daily Search Forum Recap: October 3, 2025
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 explained why the LCP numbers in Search Console is not wrong. Google is testing reviews labeled with "incentivized." Google is testing light gray titles links on hover. Google Merchant Center Next has rolled out its new menu bar. Microsoft is testing large impacts in Bing Copilot ads. And I posted the weekly SEO video recap…
Source:
Search Engine Roundtable
Google Testing Light Gray Title Links On Hover
Google is testing another variation to the title links in the Google Search results – a light gray effect. So when you hover your mouse cursor over the snippet, the title link turns grayed and washed out.
Source:
Search Engine Roundtable
Google On Why Google Search Console LCP Is Not Wrong
Barry Pollard from Google did a long explanation on Bluesky on why Google Search Console says an LCP is bad but the individual URLs are fine. I don’t want to mess it up, so I will copy what Barry wrote.
Source:
Search Engine Roundtable
Video: Google AI Mode Visual Update, Ads Reporting Updates, ChatGPT Instant Checkout and More
This week we covered the Google AI Mode news that it is more visual for many queries…
Source:
Search Engine Roundtable
Technical SEO
10 Best AI Tools for Small Businesses
AI is a game-changer for small businesses—check out 10 AI tools that can help your business create, do, and grow more than ever before.
Source:
Unknown Source
Moz Alternatives: Best SEO Tools to Rank in 2025
Explore the best Moz alternatives that deliver advanced features and actionable insights at a competitive price.
Source:
Unknown Source
130 SEO Statistics Every Marketer Must Know in 2025
From GenAI to Google Search, these SEO statistics will help you plan for 2025. Included: Keyword research, e-commerce, local SEO, link building, and video SEO.
Source:
Unknown Source
Semrush Demo: Master This SEO Tool for Maximum Visibility
Learn how to use Semrush to enhance SEO strategies. Explore key tools and features that can help improve website rankings and drive more traffic.
Source:
Unknown Source
9 Top Business Trends (2025 & 2026)
The most important trends impacting the world of business right now.
Source:
Unknown Source
10 Top Product Research Tools (2025)
These 10 product research tools can help online store owners, marketplace resellers, dropshippers, and influencers improve their revenue.
Source:
Unknown Source
Top 16 Competitive Intelligence Tools for SEO & Market Research
Use these 16 tools to analyze your competitors’ marketing efforts, prices, social media strategies, and more.
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Unknown Source
What does post-pandemic consumer behavior look like in 2025?
More than two years on from the official end of the coronavirus pandemic, explore the lasting effects on consumer behavior. From E-commerce to mask-wearing, dive into the data on what has (and hasn’t) become the new normal for consumers.
Source:
Unknown Source
The Complete Guide to SEO for Small Businesses (2025)
Small business guide to improving a website’s position in search results, including both SEO and GEO.
Source:
Unknown Source
Why Pure AI Content Won’t Win, And What SEO Teams Are Doing Instead
AI content without human involvement presents a huge risk for content and SEO teams. Successful professionals are moving toward a hybrid approach with humans at the centre.
Source:
Unknown Source
The rise of technical branding in the age of AI search
Discover why technical branding – speed, semantics, security – now drives AI search performance, and how to stop brand drift before machines define you.
Source:
Search Engine Land
SEO Tools and Data Analysis
Google Analytics expands benchmarking with unnormalized metrics
Google Analytics now lets businesses benchmark absolute metrics like New Users and Total Revenue.
Source:
Search Engine Land
The 11 Best Marketing Insights from the Ahrefs Podcast
Discover the best insights from 70+ episodes of the Ahrefs Podcast, featuring Mark Schaefer, Emily Kramer, Peep Laja, Neil Patel, and more.
How to Audit Brand Mentions for Modern SEO
Discover how to audit brand mentions across the web to correct misinformation, reclaim lost links and find outreach opportunities.
Source:
General SEO – SEO Blog by Ahrefs
Local SEO
New Bing Places for Business is live
A new interface, new URL, new commendations and more are now live in the updated Bing Places for Business.
Source:
Search Engine Land
AI and Machine Learning in SEO
Hype or Not? Should you be investing in AI Agents? – Marie Haynes
Google says every enterprise will soon rely on multi-agent systems – multiple AI agents working together. That sounds exciting and futuristic, but what I’ve found when talking to my clients is that while agents sound like something we should all be building, there’s little information to help you decide what your business should be doing […]
Google Ads copywriting with AI: Getting the prompt right
Great ad copy depends on the input. See how clear, structured prompts – from personas to constraints – lead to stronger AI-generated ads.
Source:
Search Engine Land
AI Max for Search: Everything you need to know
From search term matching to URL expansion, discover how Google’s AI Max for Search works – and why advertisers should test it now.
Source:
Search Engine Land
Career Development and Industry Trends
Aashna Makin’s experience of when best practices backfire
Aashna Makin shares how a costly early-career mistake taught her the power of ownership, context, and careful campaign management.
Source:
Search Engine Land
User Experience and SEO Optimization
Google Merchant Center Next New Menu Bar
Google has rolled out the new, more compact, menu bar for Google Merchant Center Next. This was part of a slew of user interface updates that Google has been slowly rolling out for Merchant Center Next over the past several months.
Source:
Search Engine Roundtable
Google Reviews With Incentivized Label
Did you know Google can label some of the reviews in the product reviews section as "incentivized"? I am not sure I’ve seen this before, have you?
Source:
Search Engine Roundtable
Paid Search & Platform Innovations
Paid Search and Advertising
Google to phase out Call-Only Ads by 2027
Google will retire Call-Only Ads by 2027, pushing advertisers to shift phone lead campaigns to Responsive Search Ads with Call Assets.
Source:
Search Engine Land
Microsoft to end nonprofit ad grant program in December
Microsoft will end its Ads for Social Impact grant program in December, leaving nonprofits to either pause campaigns or pay out of pocket.
Source:
Search Engine Land
Microsoft Testing Large Images In Bing Search Copilot Ads
Microsoft is testing using really large images in the Bing Search Copilot ads. I don’t believe I’ve seen such large ads in this ad unit before, so it seems new to me.
Source:
Search Engine Roundtable
Job Postings
Job Postings
10/3/2025
SEO Specialist ~ Collinseo ~ 1,100-1,200EUR/M ~ Remote (WW)
Job details Salary between a range of 1,100EUR to 1,200EUR a month depending on your current SEO level, experience and the ability to perform the actions needed. Fully remote. Work from Monday to Friday, working full-time on average between a range of 7 to 8 hours a day. The work hours mainly depend on however […]
Source:
SEO Agency Jobs – SEOjobs.com
Job Postings
10/3/2025
SEO Contractor ~ Intellibright ~ $45 – 50/ hour ~ Remote (USA)
Description Intellibright, a high-performance digital marketing agency and Google Partner, is seeking an experienced SEO Contractor to lead technical and content-focused SEO initiatives across client websites. This role is perfect for someone who is part strategist, part problem-solver—able to identify technical challenges, uncover growth opportunities, and execute hands-on optimizations. You’ll work directly in WordPress, leverage […]
Source:
SEO Agency Jobs – SEOjobs.com
Job Postings
10/3/2025
AEO/SEO Strategist ~ Scrunch AI ~ Remote (USA)
We’re a fast-moving AI startup reshaping how brands show up across the world’s fastest-evolving discovery platforms. Backed by top investors, we’re building tools that help companies stand out in an increasingly noisy, algorithm-driven world. Our team combines deep technical talent with creative experimentation and we’re scaling quickly. We’re looking for an AEO/SEO Strategist to help […]
Source:
SEO Agency Jobs – SEOjobs.com