Host: Sean Barber — https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanrbarber/ — He/Him

Welcome to Search With Sean: Weekly Digital Marketing News – your weekly breakdown of the latest developments across SEO, AI, paid media, digital marketing and search.

Co-Hosts

David Carrasco – https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-carrasco-pamies/

Steve O'Brien – https://www.linkedin.com/in/steveob/

Dan Taylor – https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielrwtaylor/

Stanislav Farkas – https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanislav-farkas-fastraveller/

This episode looks at Google calling its EU search results the worst in its history after the DMA redesign, the rival models taking shape for how AI pays publishers, and a new wave of cheaper AI models — OpenAI's GPT-6 and a leaner Claude Opus 5.5.

We also discuss multimodal arriving in Search Console, warnings of an AI "silicon species", OpenAI and an Australian government hack, the Tilly Norwood AI actress, another Google spam update and the latest AI-citation ranking factors.

Key Topics Covered

- Google calling its EU results its "worst ever" after the DMA redesign

- How AI might pay publishers — Cloudflare, Google and Microsoft's rival models

- What actually counts as "content" worth paying for

- Cheaper AI models: OpenAI's GPT-6 (Sol & Luna) and Claude Opus 5.5

- Why OpenAI keeps cutting prices and chasing volume over profit

- Multimodal reporting arriving in Search Console (still no AI Mode data)

- Why Google keeps "half-baking" Search Console tools

- Microsoft AI's "silicon species" warning and AI agents seeking work

- OpenAI and the Australian Medicare incident — the first government "hack"?

- Who's accountable when an AI agent goes rogue (Jensen Huang's view)

- Tilly Norwood, AI actors, the Coca-Cola AI advert and AI-disclosure rules

- NYT v OpenAI: "users won't click" and AI as a search "substitute"

- Another Google spam update — why so frequent?

- AI making phishing and spam far harder to spot

- Invented keywords and fake "ranking hacks"

- Cyrus Shepard's AI-citation factors: accessibility, search rank and fan-out rank

Our partners:

SEO Gets, the easy-to-use analytics and reporting tool for your GSC & GA4 data. Use code search10 for 10% off: https://seogets.com/

Linkavista — A backlink marketplace offering thousands of websites and real traffic insights through Google Search Console connections.

Use code SEAN10 for 10% extra credit on your first order:

https://linkavista.com/

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In this month's Round-Up episode, we cover the biggest developments across SEO, AI, search, paid media and digital marketing.

🔴 First, a look back at Search With Sean Live 2 — 30+ videos across digital marketing, all for charity: https://www.searchwithsean.com/search-with-sean-live-2

Hosted by Sean (https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanrbarber/)

Alongside -

Crystal Asiedu (https://www.linkedin.com/in/crystalasiedu/)

Stanislav Farkas (https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanislav-farkas-fastraveller/)

Katie Thompson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-lingo-freelance-writer/)

Steve O'Brien (https://www.linkedin.com/in/steveob/)

We discuss Google's latest updates, the measurable shift to AI search, GEO and AI citations, local search, AI security, and where AI is taking the industry next.

Key Themes:

Search Updates & Google Protecting Its Results

We start with Google's third spam update of the year and its ongoing moves to make scraping harder and what that means for how we access and rely on search data.

The Measurable Shift To AI Search

We dig into the numbers: traditional search reportedly down around 25%, the EU treating ChatGPT as a search engine, and Google beginning to pay publishers when their content shapes an AI answer and what a "pay-the-publishers" model could mean.

GEO, Reviews & AI Citations

We discuss why GEO is becoming about credibility rather than clever prompts - including research on how a strong review profile hugely increases citation rates - plus JavaScript, AI crawlers and platforms blocking bots by default.

AI Platforms, Trust & The Workplace

The team explores generalist vs specialist AI tools, trust and data concerns, and the uncomfortable reality of AI starting to replace certain roles and how businesses are weighing speed and growth against people.

Local Search — Apple Maps Ads & AI Verification

We cover Apple Maps launching ads to take on Google, AI local packs rewarding accurate, review-rich profiles over proximity, and Google's move to AI photo verification for business profiles.

Social, Search Console & MarTech

The panel discusses Search Console now tracking how Instagram, TikTok and YouTube content ranks in Google, GA4's new AI and chat features, and the endless Reddit-strategy-and-spam cycle.

AI Security & Rogue Agents

We get into the story everyone's talking about — AI agents communicating and acting autonomously, the Hugging Face incident, questions of disclosure, and whether the risks are being under- or over-stated.

The Bigger Picture — AI, Power & Society

The episode closes on the wider view: AI concentration and who benefits, AI creeping into government and public-sector decisions, Albania's AI "minister", and why human oversight and healthy scepticism matter as the pace accelerates.

Thank you to our partners, SEO Gets and Linkavista.

SEO Gets is the easy-to-use analytics and reporting tool for your GSC & GA4 data. Use code search10 for 10% off: https://seogets.com/

Linkavista helps you find quality backlink opportunities with transparent data. Use code SEAN10 for 10% extra credit on your first order: https://linkavista.com/

Welcome to Search With Sean: Weekly Digital Marketing News – your weekly breakdown of the latest developments across SEO, AI, paid media, digital marketing and search.Co-HostsLaura Iancu – https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-iancu-seo/Stanislav Farkas – https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanislav-farkas-fastraveller/Amanda Walls – https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandajwalls/This episode looks at Google’s expansion of AI-powered Performance Max, YouTube’s new approach to counting views and evidence that ChatGPT may shortlist brands before searching the web.We also discuss Meta glasses, Google Analytics benchmarking, AI search visibility, advanced humanoid robots and research suggesting AI systems may act deceptively to avoid being shut down.Key Topics Covered- Google expanding Performance Max video optimisation with AI- YouTube changing how views are counted- ChatGPT potentially shortlisting brands before searching- Traditional SEO and entity authority influencing AI answers- Outdated content appearing within AI search- Wetherspoons banning Meta glasses- Google Analytics campaign benchmarking- Google’s advice for improving AI search visibility- Humanoid robots exceeding human performance limits- Google’s latest global spam update- In-model versus out-of-model AI responses- AI models potentially protecting one another from shutdown- Gemini’s optional watermarks for AI-generated media- Reddit citations reportedly falling within ChatGPT- Conversational AI queries appearing in Search ConsoleOur partners:SEO Gets, the easy-to-use analytics and reporting tool for your GSC & GA4 data. Use code search10 for 10% off: https://seogets.com/Linkavista — A backlink marketplace offering thousands of websites and real traffic insights through Google Search Console connections.Use code SEAN10 for 10% extra credit on your first order:https://linkavista.com/

Welcome to Search With Sean: Weekly Digital Marketing News – your weekly breakdown of the latest developments across SEO, AI, paid media, digital marketing and search.

Co-Hosts

Laura Iancu – https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-iancu-seo/

Stanislav Farkas – https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanislav-farkas-fastraveller/

Amanda Walls - https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandajwalls/This episode explores the continued growth of ChatGPT and Gemini, the debate around watermarking AI-generated content, major changes to Google Ads bidding and the emerging future of AI-powered advertising.

We also discuss MySpace’s potential comeback, Grok’s move into AI agents, how brands can improve their visibility within ChatGPT, the changing agency pricing model, privacy concerns around everyday technology and why JavaScript could make large parts of your website invisible to AI crawlers.

Key Topics Covered

- ChatGPT and Gemini surpassing one billion monthly users

- How ChatGPT Work is changing everyday productivity and creative workflows

- Claude’s proposed invisible watermarking of AI-generated content

- The debate around labelling AI content on websites, YouTube and Spotify

- Google Ads changing how Target CPA and Target ROAS campaigns optimise

- MySpace’s potential comeback and whether social media can become fun again

- ChatGPT testing advertising that sends users directly into branded AI-agent conversations

- Grok, Chinese AI models and the growing competition in the AI market

- Jono Alderson’s advice on JavaScript, developers and technical SEO

- Why positive brand sentiment matters more than simply being mentioned in AI search

- Reddit, reviews and original research as trust signals for AI visibility

- The privacy risks of smart devices, voice assistants and everyday technology

- Whether 12-month SEO contracts still make sense in a rapidly changing market

- False Wikipedia information appearing in Google’s Knowledge Panel

- Time creating a Markdown version of its website specifically for AI crawlers

- New research showing that most AI bots do not execute JavaScript

Our partners:

SEO Gets, the easy-to-use analytics and reporting tool for your GSC & GA4 data.

Be sure to check out the tool and use code search10 for 10% off: https://seogets.com/

Linkavista — A backlink marketplace built for SEOs who want more transparency. With access to thousands of websites, real traffic insights through Google Search Console connections, and an easier way to find relevant opportunities.

Use code SEAN10 for 10% extra credit on your first order:https://linkavista.com/

In this month’s Round-Up episode, we cover the biggest developments across SEO, AI, search, paid media, and digital marketing.

Hosted by Sean (https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanrbarber/), alongside Amanda Walls (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandajwalls/), Laura Iancu (https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-iancu-seo/) and Stanislav Farkas (https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanislav-farkas-fastraveller/), we discuss Google Search usage, AI search behaviour, GEO, AI citations, privacy concerns, copyright challenges, AI agents, advertising, and the future of AI.

Key Themes:

Google Search, AI & Changing Search Behaviour

Google Search reached record usage levels during the World Cup, showing that traditional search is still growing. The team discusses how users are increasingly combining Google with AI platforms like ChatGPT and Claude.

AI Search, Zero-Click & The Shift From Keywords To Prompts

The panel explores new research around AI traffic, zero-click searches, conversion rates, and why marketers may need to think beyond traditional keyword optimisation towards prompts and broader user intent.

GEO, AI Citations & Brand Visibility

We discuss AI citations, ChatGPT visibility, and why strong SEO foundations, digital PR, brand authority, and consistent online signals are becoming increasingly important in AI search.

OpenAI, AI Assistants & Health Concerns

The episode covers OpenAI developments including Yelp integrations, ChatGPT Health, improved voice features, and the opportunities and risks of AI becoming more embedded into everyday decisions.

AI Privacy, Copyright & Legal Challenges

The team discusses concerns around private data, Claude conversations being indexed, Anthropic’s copyright settlement, and the wider challenges around AI companies using online content.

AI Agents, Security & The Future Risks

We explore AI agents, safety concerns, autonomous systems, and why human oversight remains essential as AI capabilities continue to develop.

Paid Media, ChatGPT Ads & Brand Building

Amanda discusses AI advertising developments, measurement challenges, and why brands need to invest beyond paid media through PR, authority, and wider visibility.

AI Content & Preparing For AI Search

The panel discusses why AI-generated content is not the problem, but poor-quality content is. We explore the importance of useful content, entity building, and helping AI systems understand organisations.

AI Infrastructure, Security & The Future Of AI

The episode closes with a discussion around AI infrastructure costs, autonomous AI systems, security concerns, and the wider challenges facing the industry as AI continues to develop.

Thank you to our partners, SEO Gets and Linkavista.

SEO Gets is the easy-to-use analytics and reporting tool for your GSC & GA4 data. Use code search10 for 10% off: https://seogets.com/

Linkavista helps you find quality backlink opportunities with transparent data. Use code SEAN10 for 10% extra credit on your first order: https://linkavista.com/

In this month’s Round-Up episode, we cover the biggest developments across SEO, AI, search, paid media, and digital marketing.

Hosted by Sean, alongside co-hosts Amanda Walls (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandajwalls/) and Laura Iancu (https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-iancu-seo/), we discuss Google's latest algorithm updates, AI search visibility, changing click-through rates, AI citations, reporting challenges, AI agents, and what these changes mean for marketers as search continues to evolve.

Key Themes:

Google Algorithm Updates & Search Manipulation

Google rolled out multiple updates including the May 2026 Core Update and June Spam Update. The team discusses the impact on paid links, mass AI content, and attempts to manipulate AI answers, while exploring why quality, usefulness, and genuine authority remain critical for long-term visibility.

AI Search Visibility & Reporting Challenges

Google has started providing more visibility into AI Overviews and AI Mode performance data within Search Console. The panel discusses what this means for SEOs, the limitations of current reporting, and why combining multiple data sources is essential when measuring performance.

SEO Tools, Data & Finding The Truth

The team explores the role of third-party SEO tools such as SEM Rush and Ahrefs, discussing why these platforms provide valuable insights but should not replace first-party data sources like Google Search Console and analytics platforms.

AI Citations, GEO & Multi-Channel Visibility

New research highlights the growing importance of building visibility beyond traditional rankings, with YouTube, Reddit, Wikipedia, and wider online mentions becoming increasingly important signals for AI systems. The discussion explores why brands need to build authority across multiple channels.

AI Overviews, Schema & Measuring Success

The panel discusses AI citations, schema markup, and the difficulty of measuring AI visibility as results continue to change rapidly. As AI Overviews evolve, marketers face new challenges around proving value and understanding success.

AI Agents, Commerce & The Future Of Search

ChatGPT and other AI platforms are moving beyond answering questions, with AI agents becoming increasingly involved in payments, shopping, and professional services. The team discusses the opportunities and risks of this shift.

AI Adoption, Security & Human Oversight

From AI helping with legal cases to concerns around security, autonomous systems, and AI development, the episode explores where AI can provide value while highlighting the importance of human judgement.

Technical SEO & Platform Changes

The discussion covers HTML vs Markdown for indexing, Google Business Profile data in GA4, AI traffic reporting, Lighthouse updates, and the growing need to prepare websites for an AI-driven ecosystem.

Paid Media & Changing Advertising Challenges

Amanda discusses the latest Google Ads updates, including advertiser verification, AI Max reporting improvements, and the ongoing challenges around transparency and attribution.

The Future Of Search & Changing Metrics

The episode closes with a discussion around declining organic click-through rates, changing client expectations, and why marketers need to rethink success beyond rankings and traffic as search becomes increasingly AI-driven.

Thank you to our partner, SEO Gets, the easy-to-use analytics and reporting tool for your GSC & GA4 data. Be sure to check out the tool and use code search10 for 10% off: https://seogets.com/

Welcome to Search With Sean: Weekly Digital Marketing News – your weekly breakdown of SEO, AI, digital marketing, and search trends shaping the industry right now.

Co-Hosts

Laura Iancu – https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-iancu-seo/

Stanislav Farkas – https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanislav-farkas-fastraveller/

Episode Overview

This episode covers major shifts across AI, search, media trust, and digital marketing - from AI-powered journalism workflows and regulatory pressure on Google, to declining trust in news and the growing use of AI in everyday decision-making like healthcare.

Key Topics Covered

- Announcement of Search With Sean Live 2, a charity-driven online event where speakers across SEO, AI, and digital marketing contribute talks, with applications closing mid-August and a planned September stream

- AI-powered journalism workflows around major events (e.g. World Cup coverage), where articles are pre-written using templates and rapidly edited when real-world events occur

- The role of speed vs human input in modern publishing, and concerns about whether AI reduces editorial quality or enhances efficiency

- UK CMA proposals around Google Search regulation, including transparency, ranking fairness, advance notice of core updates, and debate over whether implementation timelines are realistic

- Tension between increased transparency and the risk of enabling manipulation of search systems

- Record-low global trust in news media, with Reuters Institute data showing declining trust and increased reliance on social and video platforms

- Rising use of AI tools for health-related queries, including reported negative outcomes and particularly high-risk use in mental health contexts

- Why people are increasingly turning to AI for healthcare support due to limited access, delays, and pressure on traditional medical systemsThe growing trust gap between institutions (news, healthcare, media) and AI systems providing “synthetic reassurance”

- AI becoming embedded in cultural and marketing moments, including Messi x ChatGPT collaborations and large-scale World Cup advertising campaigns

- Critique of AI marketing claims and “AI visibility” reporting, particularly short-term growth narratives that may not reflect long-term outcomes

- SEO industry discussion around declining performance signals, CTR changes, and indexing behaviour that prioritises only high-value content

- GrowthX and “Mountain AI” style examples used to highlight volatility in AI-driven growth case studies

- Research showing differences in JavaScript rendering across AI assistants, impacting what content is actually visible when models ground responses

- Key finding that many AI systems used in Europe do not execute JavaScript, meaning rendered content may not exist to them

- llms.txt research showing adoption is increasing, but the vast majority of files are never actually requested

This episode is supported by SEO Gets – the easiest way to analyse and report on your Google Search Console & GA4 data.

Try it here: https://seogets.com/Use code search10 for 10% off

About Search With Sean Live 2 - https://www.searchwithsean.com/search-with-sean-live-2026

Welcome to Search With Sean: Weekly Digital Marketing News. Your weekly breakdown of SEO, AI, digital marketing, and search trends shaping the industry right now.

Co-Hosts

Laura Iancu – https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-iancu-seo/

Christian Goodrich - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cargoodrich/

In this week’s episode, we look into some of the most important shifts happening across AI, search, and digital marketing – from model safety concerns and enterprise AI risks, to Google’s aggressive push to bring Gemini into mainstream culture, and what that means for the future of search behaviour.

We start with a deep discussion around Claude’s latest model developments, including the contrast between “safer” public-facing versions like Fable and more advanced internal systems like Mythos. The conversation explores the growing gap between AI capability and public release constraints, and what that means for security, governance, and business risk.

From there, we move into one of the biggest underlying themes of the episode – AI security and organisational readiness. We discuss how quickly companies are adopting AI tools without clear guardrails, and how “vibe coding” and rapid AI-assisted development could introduce hidden vulnerabilities into live environments, from small businesses to enterprise SaaS platforms.

We also explore how different AI models are being used interchangeably across teams (Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini), and why lack of structured policy is becoming a major risk factor for data exposure and compliance issues.

Next, we look at Google’s marketing strategy for Gemini, including its high-visibility World Cup advertising campaign. This sparks a wider discussion around platform dominance, consumer behaviour, and whether AI adoption is now being driven less by choice and more by exposure at scale.

We then move into Google Discover’s new “search profiles” update, which gives publishers and creators a more structured way to present content across Google surfaces. We explore whether this could meaningfully shift visibility dynamics or if it risks repeating past experiments that failed to gain traction.

In the hiring and skills space, we break down findings from Moz research into the AI search skills employers actually want. Despite the AI hype, the data shows that traditional SEO fundamentals, analytics, and measurement still dominate hiring requirements, with AI skills acting as a supplement rather than a replacement.

We also explore what this means for professionals trying to demonstrate AI capability on CVs, and how real-world application (automation, tooling, measurable outcomes) is becoming more valuable than surface-level buzzwords.

The episode then moves into a broader industry debate around publishers and AI training data, including the growing pushback against scraping via systems like Common Crawl. We discuss the tension between content creators, platforms, and AI systems, and whether new licensing or control frameworks are inevitable.

Finally, we reflect on the wider implications of AI adoption – including concerns around AI-generated content quality (“AI slop”), sustainability, carbon footprint, and whether the industry is moving faster than its ability to regulate, secure, and responsibly scale these systems.

This episode is supported by SEO Gets – the easiest way to analyse and report on your Google Search Console & GA4 data.Try it here: https://seogets.com/Use code search10 for 10% off.