Searchbeam: SEO, AI search and digital marketing news – Page 2
Stories
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AI Search & GEO
New York Times sues Brave over search index, AI answers and ads
The New York Times and three other newspapers sued Brave Software on November 2, 2026, alleging it copied their journalism into an index sold to AI companies, bypassed paywalls and replaced their ads. Brave had not yet responded in court; the claims are allegations.
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AI Search & GEO
Google moves brand AI Overviews to the right column
Google appears to have moved AI Overviews for many brand queries into the desktop right column, where knowledge panels sat. Google has not announced it, and no click data exists yet on the effect.
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SEO
Google gives no date for AI clicks in Search Console report
Gary Illyes said Google has nothing to announce about adding click and query data to the Search Console AI report. For now it shows impressions only, though a UK CMA deadline of Dec. 3 may force change.
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AI Search & GEO
Publisher group cites Microsoft’s ‘doom loop’ in OpenAI case
Digital Content Next asked a New York federal judge on October 29, 2026 to accept a brief citing Microsoft's own 'doom loop' language and member data showing falling traffic. The figures are self-reported advocacy, but they sharpen the debate over AI referrals and licensing.
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Digital Marketing
Google Search now shows Add to cart and Buy now buttons in the US
Google's Universal Cart is now visible in standard US Search results, with Add to cart and Buy now buttons under the Visit site link. Retailers can't see saved carts and Google hasn't said how these sales appear in Ads conversion reporting.
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AI Search & GEO
French publishers take Google AI Overviews complaint to the EU
Five French publisher and marketing groups complained to the European Commission about Google's AI Overviews and AI Mode in France, feeding an existing antitrust probe. No data or remedy was published, but the case signals rising regulatory pressure.
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AI Search & GEO
Google to support shared robots.txt AI training opt-out in 2027
Google plans to support a shared AIPREF robots.txt token for AI training opt-outs in early 2027, treating it like a Google-Extended disallow. Bing announced separate training and grounding controls with dates from December 15, 2026.
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Digital Marketing
Google expands AI Mode ads to 10 countries, adds multiturn ads
Google is taking ads in AI Mode to 10 more countries, with the UK, Brazil and Mexico due in Q4, and launching multiturn ads on follow-up questions in the U.S. The move came hours after Alphabet's earnings, where an executive said AI Mode growth weighed on ad growth.
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AI Search & GEO
Google may be removing the citations card from AI Overviews
SEO Brodie Clark reports that Google is showing far fewer citation cards in desktop AI Overviews, but Google has not confirmed a test or bug. If your impressions dropped recently, add this to your list of possible causes.
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AI Search & GEO
Google Q3 2026: AI Mode earns less per query, ads expand
Alphabet's Q3 2026 results showed Search & other revenue up 12% to $63.35B, with slower growth that Google partly tied to lower AI Mode monetization. Ads in AI Mode are expanding to 10 more markets, plus multiturn ads in the US.
