Weekly SEO and Marketing Recap: Aug 01, 2025

🌞 Welcome!

Step into August with a fresh brew of the latest digital shifts — algorithm storms, AI shakeups, affiliate growth hacks, and more to help you outsmart the competition.

Skim, deploy, and win: here’s everything you need to know.

🔥 Lead Story — Google Search Volatility

Ranking Volatility Still Red-Hot

After June’s core update wrapped on July 17, Google search rankings have been unusually turbulent—some tools reported volatility “as weird at this point” as major algorithms keep sites on edge. Watch your rankings and double down on helpful, original content.

 🤖 Privacy & AI Agents

Ecommerce? Test Your Site For AI Agents

Google’s John Mueller now recommends ecomm brands check whether agentic AIs (like shopping bots built on ChatGPT) can actually browse and buy on your site. CAPTCHAs, bot blockers, and technical glitches can shut agents out entirely, potentially losing future sales.

Shared ChatGPT Conversations Yanked from Google Search

OpenAI rolled back the option to share ChatGPT chats publicly after over 4,500 conversations (some personal) got indexed by Google. The “discoverable by search” toggle is gone, and OpenAI is purging indexed chats for privacy.

Google’s Age-Gating: ML Now Checks (Almost) Everyone

Google just started testing machine learning to estimate user ages and block underage accounts from seeing “age-sensitive” ads like gambling, alcohol, and weight loss. It’ll also restrict app access and remind minors to take breaks on YouTube. Age estimation rolls out for U.S. users first—expect ripple effects in ad targeting and compliance.

📈 Search & Affiliate Trends

AI Not the Enemy—For Bloggers & Affiliates, It’s the Playground

Generative AI in search is here but not a death blow. Creators and affiliates who focus on expertise, depth, and authentic value are still being rewarded in Google’s ever-evolving SERPs. Lean into authority content; thin or automated spam is getting crushed.

US Publishers: Unlocking Global Brand Partnerships

Stateside media are leveraging global networks for new brand collabs, accelerating affiliate and partnership growth even as domestic CPMs slip.

Reddit’s Monster Quarter: AI + Ads Power Growth

Reddit posted a stunning 78% YoY revenue surge and leapfrogged earnings estimates. Its ad business now accounts for 93% of revenue, with AI-powered tools fueling more data-driven campaigns and new user spikes. Great news for affiliates eyeing Reddit as a high-ROI channel.

Affiliate Strategy in the LLM Era

Leaders like Profound’s Ben Grosse say the “game has changed” for affiliates as AI-powered SERPs and agent-driven conversions take hold. Adapting to conversational intent and zero-click answers is key. (More on this in the latest coverage.)

👀 Spotlight: LeadingCards

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✨ Bonus Play: How AI Agents Are Transforming Affiliate Marketing

Don’t miss the in-depth guide on how affiliate marketers are leveraging AI agents, automation, and new-gen tech to boost commissions, conversions, and scalability.

Read the playbook: 👉 Affiliate Marketing AI Agents

🚀 Scale with Multi-Source Ad Traffic: PropellerAds

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