Google is fixing a long-running Search Console bug that inflated impression counts. As the fix rolls out, reported impressions will decrease.

What happened. A logging error caused Google Search Console to over-report impressions starting May 13, 2025. Google today updated its Data anomalies in Search Console page:

• “A logging error is preventing Search Console from accurately reporting impressions from May 13, 2025 onward. This issue will be resolved over the next few weeks; as a result, you may notice a decrease in impressions in the Search Console Performance report. Clicks and other metrics were not affected by the error, and this issue affected data logging only.”

A Google spokesperson told Search Engine Land:

• “We identified a reporting error in Search Console that temporarily led to an over-reporting of impressions from May 13, 2025 onward. Bug fixes are being implemented to ensure accurate reporting.”

What’s changing. Google is deploying fixes that will change how impressions are recorded and reported. As the rollout continues, you’ll likely see a drop in impressions in the Performance report. Clicks and other metrics aren’t affected.

The timeline. The issue began May 13, 2025 and persisted until now. Google said the correction will take several weeks to fully roll out across reporting.

Why we care. If your Google Search Console impressions change in the coming weeks, it will likely be due to this bug fix.

Reddit ranks as the most-cited domain in AI-generated answers, followed by YouTube and LinkedIn, based on a new analysis of 30 million sources by Peec AI, an AI search analytics tool.

The findings. Reddit was the most-cited source across ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, Gemini, Perplexity, and AI Overviews. YouTube, LinkedIn, Wikipedia, and Forbes also ranked in the top five. Review platforms like Yelp and G2 appeared often in recommendation queries.

The research showed which domains models rely on:

• ChatGPT favored Wikipedia, Reddit, and editorial sites like Forbes.
• Google leaned toward platforms like Facebook and Yelp.
• Perplexity emphasized Reddit, LinkedIn, and G2 for B2B queries.

Why we care. To win in AI search, you need authority beyond your site. Brands that appear consistently across trusted third-party platforms are more likely to be cited.

Why these sources? AI systems prioritize perceived authority plus authentic user input:

• Reddit leads because it captures real user discussions.
• YouTube dominates video citations via transcripts and descriptions.
• Wikipedia serves as both a live source and a training dataset.

About the data. The analysis covered 30 million sources across ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, Gemini, Perplexity, and AI Overviews, measuring domains directly cited in answers to isolate what shapes responses.

The study. Top domains cited by AI search: Analysis based on 30M sources

Dig deeper. More citation research:

• AI citations favor listicles, articles, product pages (March 2026)
• Only 15% of pages retrieved by ChatGPT appear in final answers (March 2026)
• ChatGPT citations favor a small group of domains (March 2026)
• Google’s AI Mode is citing Google more than any other site (March 2026)
• 44% of ChatGPT citations come from the first third of content (February 2026)
• AI Overview fan-out rankings boost citation odds by 161% (December 2025)
• Tracking AI search citations: Who’s winning across 11 industries (October 2025)
• YouTube dominates AI search with 200x citation advantage (October 2025)
• AI search relies on brand-controlled sources, not Reddit (October 2025)
• How to get cited by AI: SEO insights from 8,000 AI citations (May 2025)
• 82% of Google AI Overviews citations come from deep pages (March 2025)

A newly published, unverified report claims Google’s Gemini AI is instructed to mirror user tone and validate emotions while grounding its responses in fact and reality.

Why we care. If accurate, AI-generated search responses may vary based on how a query is phrased — not just the information available.

What’s new. The report centers on the inherent tension in the system-level instructions guiding how Gemini responds. The report, published by Elie Berreby, head of SEO and AI search at Adorama, suggested that Gemini is instructed to:

• Match the user’s tone, energy, and intent.
• Validate emotions before responding.
• Deliver answers aligned with the user’s perspective.

What it means. The “overly supportive mandate frequently overrides the factual grounding,” Berreby wrote. So instead of acting as a neutral aggregator, AI answers may:

• Reinforce negative framing (“Why is X bad?”).
• Reinforce positive framing (“Why is X great?”).

If public perception is negative, AI may amplify it. As the report suggests:

• AI reflects existing sentiment signals.
• It doesn’t “balance” them the way blue links often do.

Query framing. The emotional framing of a query affects:

• Which sources get cited.
• How summaries are written.
• The overall tone of the answer.

Google’s AI Overviews already show tone shifts, often aligning with query intent beyond keywords. This report offers a possible explanation.

Unverified. Google hasn’t confirmed the leak. As Berreby noted in his report: “I’ve decided to share only a fraction of the leaked internal system information with the general public. I’m not sharing any sensitive data. This isn’t a zero-day exploit. This is a tiny leak.”

The report. This Gemini Leak Means You Can’t Outrank a Feeling

SEO hiring is shifting toward senior, strategy-led roles as AI reshapes search and expands the scope of the job. A new Semrush analysis of 3,900 listings shows companies now prioritize leadership, experimentation, and cross-channel visibility over pure technical execution.

Why we care. SEO hiring, career paths, and required skills are changing. Entry roles focus on execution, while most demand sits at the leadership level — owning strategy across search, AI assistants, and paid channels, with clear revenue impact.

What changed. Senior roles dominated, accounting for 59% of listings. Mid-level roles, such as specialists (15%) and managers (10%), trailed far behind.

• Companies are shifting budget toward strategy as AI tools absorb more execution work.

The skills shift. In-demand capabilities extend beyond traditional SEO into coordination, testing, and decision-making:

• Project management appeared in more than 30% of listings.
• Communication led non-senior roles at 39.4%.
• Experimentation appeared in 23.9% of senior roles compared with 14% of other roles.
• Technical SEO appeared in about 6% of listings.

Tools and channels. The SEO tech stack now spans analytics, paid media, and data.

• Google Analytics appeared in up to 47.7% of listings.
• Google Ads appeared in 29% of listings.
• SQL demand grew at the senior level.
• AI tools like ChatGPT were increasingly listed.

AI expectations: AI literacy is moving from optional to expected:

• 31% of senior roles mentioned AI.
• Nearly 10% referenced LLM familiarity.
• AI search concepts like AI search and AEO appeared more often.

Pay and positioning: SEO is increasingly treated as a business function.

• The median salary for senior roles reached $130,000, compared to $71,630 for others. Some listings were much higher.
• Degree preferences skewed toward business and marketing.

Remote work is now standard. More than 40% of listings offered remote options, with little difference by seniority.

About the data: Semrush analyzed 3,900 U.S.-based SEO job listings from Indeed as of Nov. 25. Roles were deduplicated, segmented by seniority, and analyzed using semantic keyword extraction.

The study. What 3,900 SEO Job Listings Reveal for 2026: Experiments, AI, and Six-Figure Salaries

Visibility is no longer just about ranking. It depends on whether your content is discovered, evaluated, and selected in AI-driven search experiences.

We’re kicking off our new monthly SMX Now webinar series on April 1 at 1 p.m. ET with iPullRank’s Zach Chahalis, Patrick Schofield, and Garrett Sussman on how you must adapt.

The session introduces iPullRank’s Relevance Engineering (r19g) framework for executing Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) through an omnichannel content strategy. You’ll learn how AI search uses query fan-outs to discover and select sources, and how to structure content so it’s retrieved, surfaced, and cited.

It also emphasizes that GEO success isn’t universal. It requires testing, tailored strategies, and a three-tier measurement model spanning discovery, selection, and citation impact.

Save your spot

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