SEO Daily News Recap for Thursday, January 15, 2026
Organic SEO & Search News
Alarming Average Screen Time Statistics (2026) – Explore US and global data on daily average screen time. Dive into regional and demographic differences.
What Social Media Apps Have Been Banned? – Find out what social media apps will be banned in 2026 in the United States and globally, and why countries censor content.
Meta’s Outlines How It’s Improved Its Reels Recommendations – Meta’s using direct user feedback to improve its Reels recommendations.
Paid Search & Platform Innovations
Google Expands Budget Allocation Options for Ad Campaigns – Now, you can set an overall budget for the duration of your campaign.
Pinterest Launches 2026 Planning Guide – With many Pinners using the app for planning, these could be some especially valuable notes.
X Bans InfoFi Projects from Mass-Posting to the App – Another effort to reduce the amount of spam posting in the app.
General Digital Marketing
Meta Signs Content Deal with Wikimedia to Power AI Projects – All the major platforms are working to secure content access deals.
TikTok Adds More AI-Powered Tools to Assist TikTok Shop Merchants – Some new AI tools to streamline your TikTok Shop listing process.
YouTube gives creators smarter ad targeting – YouTube upgraded its Promotions tool to let creators target viewers by interests—shifting beyond basic demographic-based promotion.
Dive into our detailed sections for more insights and updates.
Organic SEO & Search News
SEO Daily News and Algorithm Updates
Meta’s Outlines How It’s Improved Its Reels Recommendations
Meta’s using direct user feedback to improve its Reels recommendations.
Source:
Social Media Today – Latest News
X Bans InfoFi Projects from Mass-Posting to the App
Another effort to reduce the amount of spam posting in the app.
Source:
Social Media Today – Latest News
AdSense publishers report sudden revenue plunge — again
Google AdSense publishers are reporting sudden eCPM and RPM drops of up to 70%, sparking fears of another revenue shock.
Source:
Search Engine Land
Daily Search Forum Recap: January 15, 2026
Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today…
Source:
Search Engine Roundtable
Google Trends Explore Section Gets Gemini Upgrade
Google has added Gemini to the Google Trends Explore page to help you find new and fresh search terms. It will also compare those search terms automatically for you, all in a new design. This is rolling out now, but you might not see it just yet.
Source:
Search Engine Roundtable
Google Core Updates Don’t Make Favicons Disappear In Google Search
While a number of Google Search features are impacted by Google’s core update, favicons showing up or not is not one of them. Yes, your site can drop in the rankings, or not show up in Google Discover, or be removed from Top Stories and other features but favicons are not impacted by core updates.
Source:
Search Engine Roundtable
Google Says Universal Commerce Protocol Won’t Kill SEO
Earlier this week, Google announced Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) and it has a lot of the industry worried. Once SEO named Ramon Eijkemans said, "I hate to bring this, but SEOs: we’re gonna be f$@*ed." John Mueller from Google responded on Bluesky and said, "I disagree."
Source:
Search Engine Roundtable
Technical SEO
Alarming Average Screen Time Statistics (2026)
Explore US and global data on daily average screen time. Dive into regional and demographic differences.
Source:
Unknown Source
What Social Media Apps Have Been Banned?
Find out what social media apps will be banned in 2026 in the United States and globally, and why countries censor content.
Source:
Unknown Source
SEO Tools and Data Analysis
Why the shakeout effect matters in CLV modeling
Misreading churn leads to flawed CLV assumptions. Analyze retention over time and identify the customers that actually drive profit.
Source:
Search Engine Land
AI and Machine Learning in SEO
Meta Signs Content Deal with Wikimedia to Power AI Projects
All the major platforms are working to secure content access deals.
Source:
Social Media Today – Latest News
Google AI Mode Ads – Explore Guides and Articles
We have seen ads in AI Mode before but there may be a new Google Ads format coming to AI Mode results, not the just the Direct Offer ads, but Explore guides and article ads.
Source:
Search Engine Roundtable
Personal Intelligence In Gemini & Soon In Google Search Via AI Mode
Google is rolling out what it calls "Personal Intelligence" in the Gemini app and it will soon also come to Google Search within AI Mode. Google announced that Personal Intelligence in Gemini "connects Gmail, Photos, YouTube and Search in a single tap."
Source:
Search Engine Roundtable
Content Marketing and Strategy
Pinterest Launches 2026 Planning Guide
With many Pinners using the app for planning, these could be some especially valuable notes.
Source:
Social Media Today – Latest News
The social-to-search halo effect: Why social content drives branded search
Social content creates curiosity that shows up as branded search. Here’s how to measure and use the halo effect.
Source:
Search Engine Land
E-commerce and Affiliate SEO
TikTok Adds More AI-Powered Tools to Assist TikTok Shop Merchants
Some new AI tools to streamline your TikTok Shop listing process.
Source:
Social Media Today – Latest News
User Experience and SEO Optimization
How to show up in any room with a low heart rate: Silicon Valley’s missing etiquette playbook | Sam Lessin
How to build trust, lower your heart rate, and win in business by understanding proper etiquette
Source:
Lenny’s Newsletter
Paid Search & Platform Innovations
Paid Search and Advertising
Google Expands Budget Allocation Options for Ad Campaigns
Now, you can set an overall budget for the duration of your campaign.
Source:
Social Media Today – Latest News
YouTube gives creators smarter ad targeting
YouTube upgraded its Promotions tool to let creators target viewers by interests—shifting beyond basic demographic-based promotion.
Source:
Search Engine Land
Google Ads rolls out account-level placement exclusions
Google Ads has introduced account-level placement exclusions, allowing advertisers to block unwanted inventory from a single, centralized setting.
Source:
Search Engine Land
Google introduces total campaign budgets for Search
Set a total campaign budget over days or weeks, letting Google optimize spend automatically and keep your campaigns on track without constant tweaks.
Source:
Search Engine Land
Microsoft adds new customer acquisition goals and deeper visibility to PMax
Microsoft’s latest updates give advertisers more control over PMax, from acquiring new customers to improving visibility and measurement
Source:
Search Engine Land
Job Postings
Job Postings
1/15/2026
SEO Specialist ~ Blacksmith Agency LLC ~ $80,000-$100,000 ~ Remote (USA)
Join the Blacksmith Team! Blacksmith Agency is a boutique digital agency based out of Phoenix, AZ, specializing in top-of-the-line, custom website design and development. By forging digital products and online experiences rooted in user expectations and data, Blacksmith helps partners grow, innovate, and exceed their business objectives. Top clients include Google, General Electric, Voss Water, […]
Source:
SEO Agency Jobs – SEOjobs.com
Job Postings
1/15/2026
SEO Manager ~ Resident ~ $80,000-$100,000 ~ Remote (USA)
CRAFT MEETS COMFORT. At Resident, we believe your living space shouldn’t just look good, it should feel good. That’s why we’ve created a house of brands that focuses on quality materials, timeless style, and most importantly, comfort. Our current brands include the award‑winning Nectar, DreamCloud, Awara, and Siena products and we continue to invest in […]
Source:
In-house SEO jobs – SEOjobs.com
Job Postings
1/15/2026
SEO Marketing Manager ~ NoGood ~ $80,000-$100,000 ~ Remote (USA)/Hybrid (New York, NY, United States)
Spend time learning about the different aspects of that topic from experts in the field. Ready to join one of the fastest-growing marketing agencies in the country? You’ve arrived at the right place! We are: NoGood is an award-winning, tech-enabled growth consultancy that has fueled the success of some of the most iconic brands. We […]
Source:
SEO Agency Jobs – SEOjobs.com
Job Postings
1/15/2026
SEO Specialist ~ Verndale ~ $50,000-$70,000 ~ Remote (USA)
About the Position The SEO Specialist will support SEO initiatives across multiple client accounts by executing day-to-day tasks, monitoring performance, and providing insights that improve search visibility. This role requires someone who is detail-oriented, proactive, and eager to grow their expertise in SEO. The ideal candidate will be able to work independently, translate analytics into […]
Source:
SEO Agency Jobs – SEOjobs.com
