This Week in Search: Google Ranking Volatility, AI Images in Overviews, and New Ads Features

Barry Schwartz recaps the week's search news at Search Engine Roundtable, which includes Google Search ranking volatility around July 11 (termed the "7-Eleven update"), the arrival of AI-generated images within Google AI Overviews, and Google Merchant Center's new AI performance reporting. On the ads side, Google reaffirmed it is not making broader Smart Bidding updates despite industry sentiment, while turning on local inventory ads by default for Shopping campaigns in August and expanding PMax product reporting across all networks. ChatGPT Ads gained new location and audience exclusion controls plus sales attribution metrics, and Apple Maps Ads introduced restrictions on home services advertising.