#google-search

#google-search

Google Search is testing a new game in its search results to encourage searchers to search more. It is likely called the Google Search mini-game and it rewards searchers with badges when they "dive deeper into topics." Google describes the game as follows: This Google Search mini-game invites you to dive deeper into topics you think you know with a series of trivia questions. Discover new interests and earn shiny badges as you conquer each challenge.

We finally had a confirmed Google Search update this past month, the August 2025 spam update, which seems pretty intense so far and it is not done rolling out yet. This is in addition to the ongoing heated volatility we saw throughout the past months. Google rolled out AI Mode to 180 countries and territories. Google also pushed an update to the AI Model model and said Google has been testing ways to encourage clicks for its AI results.

Overall, total organic click volume from Google Search to websites has been relatively stable year-over-year. Additionally, average click quality has increased and we're actually sending slightly more quality clicks to websites than a year ago (by quality clicks, we mean those where users don't quickly click back - typically a signal that a user is interested in the website). This data is in contrast to third-party reports that inaccurately suggest dramatic declines in aggregate traffic - often based on flawed methodologies, isolated examples, or traffic changes that occurred prior to the roll out of AI features in Search.

Google Search is currently indexing and ranking Google Maps search results pages for certain 'near me' queries, potentially unintentionally bypassing its usual indexing restrictions.

The month saw significant volatility in Google search rankings due to the June 2025 core update which began before July 1st and continued through July.

AI Overviews in Google Search now has 2 billion monthly users, increasing from 1.5 billion in May 2025, reflecting strong consumer demand for AI features.

A Pew Research Center report published this spring analyzed data from 900 U.S. adults who agreed to share their online browsing activity. About six-in-ten respondents (58%) conducted at least one Google search in March 2025 that produced an AI-generated summary. Additional analysis found that Google users were less likely to click on result links when visiting search pages with an AI summary compared with those without one. For searches that resulted in an AI-generated summary, users very rarely clicked on the sources cited.

Public relations professionals must adapt to AI Mode in Google Search, as it fundamentally changes how audiences seek information and interact with brand narratives.

The genius of Google's design was to focus entirely on delivering better results without asking more from the user, making it a revolutionary experience.

'What the list does represent is curiosity - names that intrigue us,' baby name consultant Sherri Suzanne tells TODAY.com, noting that most-searched names don't always become the most popular names.