Is Google Indexing Less Pages and Sites?

Wave Issue 244; GSC is Hiding 50% of Queries; AI Agent for iPhones; Write <300 Words for Emails; TikTokers Pretending to be AI; Google Auto-Translating Pages; and Much More!

Author

Yoyao
June 07, 2025 • Est. Learning Time: 15 minutes

In partnership with

FIRST …

Getting closer to releasing this next update on Floyi that’s going to show the SERPs and AI ResultS (AIRS) in an easy to use feature.

Stop juggling between Google and AI chats to piece together insights. Floyi’s upcoming AIRS feature shows SERPs and AIRS side-by-side.

You’ll be able to compare traditional search engine rankings with citations from AIO, ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity.

See which source URL and sites are most commonly mentioned. Then bundle all your findings into a handy report and analysis for the fastest path from data to decisions.

AD

How to steal your competitors’ backlinks (but get them 30-50% cheaper) 👀

Use Link Finder.

Link Finder searches any domain you want (like your competitors 👀)...

And shows you exactly which links you can buy…

(For example, here’s some of the links available for one SEO tool if you run a competitor…)

But that’s not it.

Then, Link Finder checks 28+ link marketplaces with over 300,000 domains, and finds the lowest price for you…

So you never overpay for a backlink again.

You can also search keywords to find ranking pages with links you can buy at the best prices.

Some marketplaces charge 2-3x what the real price should be – but not anymore.

SEO + GEO

Aleyda Solis draws a clear line between the world of traditional SEO and the fast-emerging discipline of GEO. As user behavior evolves from keyword snippets to full-length prompts, optimization must follow suit. Aleyda walks you through how search intent, session depth, and KPIs diverge between Google’s classic SERPs and AI-driven interfaces. Some of the takeaways:

  • AI search queries average 23 words, compared to just 4 in traditional search

  • GEO relies on multi-turn, conversational search sessions

  • AI search lacks volume data. Prompt research relies on intent and topic inference.

  • GEO favors content with semantic depth over keyword precision.

  • Mentions matter. GEO rewards brand citations, not backlinks alone.

  • Visuals, like images and video, increasingly power AI answers.

Erik Sarissky pulls back the curtain on a growing threat to global SEO. Google is auto-translating your English content, publishing it on its own subdomains (e.g., translate.google.com), and siphoning off international traffic without sending users to your site. It shows up in AI Overviews, featured snippets, and the regular SERP. Erik shows how to identify if it's happening to you, why it wrecks your analytics, and how to reclaim that traffic.

His fix is to localize even a 300-word version of your page and use hreflang. Because in a multilingual, AI-first SERP, you’re either the best local result or you’re just Google’s content writer.

Tom Demers shares ten high-impact Google Business Profile features every local business should be using. From dialing in your services and location coverage to mastering reviews and Q&A updates, this guide is all about turning your profile into a lead magnet. He urges businesses to stop neglecting key features like booking, product listings, and performance metrics.

Clicks and rankings used to be the gold standard. But those old metrics just don’t cut it anymore with Generative AI searches. This isn’t a cosmetic update to SEO dashboards. It’s a full-blown paradigm shift. Duane Forrester lays out 12 KPI ideas for AI search, from chunk retrieval frequency to machine-validated authority. These new signals track how often your content is retrieved, cited, and reasoned over by LLMs.

Kevin Indig shows how true growth comes from embedding SEO into your product experience. He shares a five-phase framework built on UX design, AI visibility, UGC incentives, and continuous testing. Learn how Tripadvisor and G2 use schema, internal search, and post-click engagement to dominate LLMs and AI Overviews. If your marketplace depends on search for user acquisition, this piece is your north star.

Barry Schwartz reports a growing wave of SEO chatter around Google quietly reducing how many pages it indexes since late May. While Google’s John Mueller claims it's just routine crawling adjustments, screenshots from SEOs show steep drops in indexed pages across multiple sites. Whether it’s a bug, a reporting shift, or a subtle algorithmic change, the effect is the same - content is vanishing from the index.

If AI search engines are skipping your content, it's time to play offense. Casey Nifong reveals how competitive audits can unlock visibility in AI-powered SERPs. The strategy? Analyze your competitors’ featured snippets, keyword coverage, content structure, and citations in generative results. Then reverse-engineer what works and beat them at their own game. Casey shares how to track AI-generated visibility, build content that wins featured spots, and avoid lazy copycat tactics.

My Take: I’m building something similar to this right now inside Floyi and should be done soon. It’s going to analyze the SERPs and AI Results, competitors, and more.

SEO + GEO Ripples

AI

David Nield reports on PhoneAgent, an experimental AI tool that gives your iPhone a mind of its own. Built by Rounak Jain, this early-stage agent can snap photos, send messages, share haikus, even book Ubers - all from a single prompt. It’s clunky, buggy, and slow, but it works, offering a raw look at where Siri and Gemini may be headed. It does take some extra work because you need Xcode and a GitHub account.

AI Ripples

  • OpenAI is under court order to indefinitely store deleted ChatGPT conversations as evidence in The New York Times’ ongoing copyright lawsuit. Emma Roth reports that the ruling overrides OpenAI’s 30-day data retention policy, raising serious privacy concerns. Although the data remains private and accessible only to a small legal team, OpenAI is appealing the decision, calling it an overreach.

  • X has updated its developer agreement to explicitly forbid the use of its content for training AI models. Ivan Mehta reports that the policy shift follows Elon Musk’s acquisition of the platform via his AI venture, xAI. The updated clause bans any use of the X API or content to fine-tune or train foundation models.

  • Reddit just took Anthropic to court, accusing the AI startup of scraping its site over 100,000 times despite promising to stop in May 2024. In the lawsuit, Reddit claims Anthropic’s actions are a billion-dollar swipe at the heart of its value: authentic human conversations.

MARKETING

Neil Patel, one of the most visible figures in digital marketing, is now at the center of a civil lawsuit brought by the bankrupt FTX estate. In a twist worthy of a thriller, FTX claims it paid over $30 million to Patel’s companies for services that were overpriced, underdelivered, or completely absent. Cyrus Shepard connects the dots between the lawsuit, Neil’s strategic reputation cleanup, and his long track record of marketing controversy. Neil Patel responds too.

CONTENT

Carly Stoenner discusses how using data journalism to earn trust, build authority, and dominate organic and AI-powered search. She says to tell a compelling story, back it with original data, and distribute it like a newsroom. Brands like Spotify and Glassdoor have been doing it for years. Carly breaks down how even short-form, data-led content with stats, quotes, and info gain can lift your visibility across Google, Discover, and LLMs.

LINK BUILDING

Vince Nero dives into 5 million emails to answer one of digital PR’s biggest questions: how long should your pitch be? The data is clear. Emails under 300 words get more opens and replies. Vince breaks down why brevity beats bloated intros, how flattery falls flat, and why linking to press releases or datasets is smarter than stuffing them in.

SOCIAL MEDIA

In a twist worthy of a Black Mirror episode, Kyle Orland reports that TikTokers are now pretending to be AI-generated videos to game the algorithm and hook viewers. From musicians passing off old songs as Veo 3 deepfakes to creators joking they're “just prompts,” the lines between human and machine are deliberately blurred. The 2025 Pinterest Summer Trend Report

This summer, Pinterest declares it a season of digital detox. Pinterest says to give people tangible, soulful experiences they can touch, taste, and wear. According to their 2025 trend report, Gen Z is swapping screen time for garden time, forest walks, and farmhouse aesthetics. Searches are skyrocketing for book retreats, nature bathing, and that Martha Stewart lifestyle. People want backyard veggies, rustic interiors, and fresh summer sips.

TOOLS AND RESOURCES

Roger Montti reports on a sleek new plugin from the WordPress Performance Team that makes your site feel more like an app without the mess of a full SPA rebuild. The View Transitions plugin uses native browser animations to smooth out page loads, improving perceived speed and flow. It works with most themes out of the box and lets you customize animations for key elements like headers and featured images.

EDUCATION

Jasmine Hall turns buses, sandwiches, nightclubs, and Mona Lisa into teaching tools for technical SEO. In this playful yet sharp piece, she translates technical jargon into real-world analogies that make SEO instantly click. Some of the highlights:

  • HTML is the structure of your site, like bricks in a house.

  • CSS is the design layer - the paint, wallpaper, and style.

  • JavaScript is the smart tech that can help or hinder loading.

  • Server response codes are like bus routes, from smooth rides (200) to broken-down detours (500).

  • Internal links act like city connections, directing users and bots efficiently.

  • Anchor text works as road signs, guiding click-throughs with meaning.

  • Robots.txt is your door policy - some bots get in, some don’t.

WAYS WE CAN WORK TOGETHER

Floyi - The only AI-powered tool that builds 4-level topical maps, so your content strategy isn’t just planned—it’s unstoppable.

Topical Maps Unlocked 2.0 - The blueprint for ranking dominance. Learn how to structure content the way search engines (and audiences) crave.

Topical Map Service - We handle the research, structure, and strategy. You get a custom topical map delivered that builds authority, so your content dominates its niche.

Content Strategy and SEO Consulting – No guesswork, no gimmicks, no generalizations. Just you and me, refining your personal strategy into a clear, proven roadmap for traffic, authority, and conversions.

AD

Maximize Brand Impact with Every Campaign

Make smarter brand decisions with Neurons AI.

Know exactly how memorable & engaging your creatives will be, before you launch.

Get instant, AI-powered recommendations to refine your visuals and hit your campaign goals.

Top global brands trust Neurons to boost CTR by 73% CTR and lift brand awareness by 20%.

What Did You Think of This Week's Wave?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

LIKE DIGITAL SURFER?

Find me and others in the Digital Surfer Discord community.

I’d also love to know what you think and if you have any ideas for the newsletter. Reply or email me at [email protected].

I’d also appreciate it if you shared it with fellow digital surfers.

You currently have 0 referrals, only 3 away from receiving LinkedIn Shout-out.

Have a great week taking your SEO and digital marketing to another level!

And don’t forget to drag the Digital Surfer emails to your Primary Inbox 🌊 

Reply

or to participate.