Industry News

Google added a number of AI, Gemini-powered, features to Google Maps including new search features, review summaries for place listings and a way to ask about a specific business listing where AI will give you answers.

Google is testing more local search features and sections including a section in the local finder named "Discover more places" and a local search box in web search named "Explore places nearby."

Microsoft seems to be testing a new design for its local knowledge panel or local listing for a specific brand. This new design has a more card-like interface, showing company photos and information, reviews from third party sites, a map, and other details.

Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today...

Google is rolling out new sales and leads conversion reports in the Google Ads advertiser console. These reports are under the Goals section, then Conversions and then Summary tab and there are then toggles to see sales versus leads.

Google seems to be showing trust scores for some website entities in the knowledge panel box. It can show a trust score from APIVoid and ScamAdviser. I can replicate it for some websites but not for most.

Google can show a restaurant's menu right at the top of the search results for a search on that restaurant's brand name. It comes up in this "menu highlights" carousel and showcases some of the items on that restaurant's menu.

Google is testing replacing the question and answer box for Google Business Profile listings with a title that reads, "Lear something specific." At least I think it is the same functionality as the question and answer box.

Google Ads has been rolling out its conversational ad experience and more and more advertisers has been seeing the Google Ads chat feature come up. This Google Ads AI Chat can sometimes be at a loss for words. Thomas Eccel posted a screenshot of the Google Ads AI Chat bot responding with nothing, no words, just emptiness.

Microsoft reported its first quarter 2025 earnings and it showed that its search and advertising revenue was up 18%. The last quarter it was up 19%, but as I noted then, the last time it was up over 19% in a quarter before last quarter was 10 quarterly earning reports ago, in Q3 2022.