SEO tips and updates from Mark Williams-CookSearch with Candour hosted by Jack Chambers-Ward SEO updates you need to know 📰 Google launches a new Preferred Sources feature. This feature lets users choose which publishers appear the top of search results. Google also recommends adding 'Add as a preferred source' button to your site. ✈️ Google launches Flight Deals, a new AI-powered featured in Google Flights. This new tool uses a conversational chat interface to save travellers money on their...
11 days ago • 6 min read
SEO tips and updates from Mark Williams-CookSearch with Candour hosted by Jack Chambers-Ward SEO updates you need to know 💸 Google confirms ads coming to AI Mode. A leaked document explains that ads will be based on the wider context of the conversation, not just the current query. So far, ad formats eligible for AI Mode include Text & Shopping ads. 💹 Google tests a new AI-powered version of Google Finance. This new page provides visualisations and an AI chatbot to access real-time data and...
18 days ago • 5 min read
SEO tips and updates from Mark Williams-CookSearch with Candour hosted by Jack Chambers-Ward SEO updates you need to know 🔍 Google AI Mode launches in the UK. After launching in the US and India, AI Mode launched in the UK on 28 July 2025. Users have reported a slow rollout but at the time of writing, it appears to be widely rolled out to most users. 🛍️ Google recommends that your ecommerce site be compatible with AI agents. With the potential of an agentic web just around the corner, John...
25 days ago • 7 min read
SEO tips and updates from Mark Williams-CookSearch with Candour hosted by Jack Chambers-Ward SEO updates you need to know 📈 Google launches the Google Trends API. This API is available for early testers and allows users to compare & merge different trends with consistently scaled 'search interest' data, rather than individual scales on the Trends website. 📊 Google launches an MCP for Google Analytics 4. A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server enables users to "chat with their data" by directly...
about 1 month ago • 5 min read
SEO tips and updates from Mark Williams-CookSearch with Candour hosted by Jack Chambers-Ward SEO updates you need to know ✅ The June 2025 Core Update completed its rollout on 17 July 2025. This appears to have been a relatively quiet core update compared to some of the more volatile recent changes. 🕵️ OpenAI launches ChatGPT agent. This is one of the first major demonstrations of the "agentic web" future that many experts are predicting. ChatGPT was able to browse, compare and order a roast...
about 1 month ago • 6 min read
SEO tips and updates from Mark Williams-CookSearch with Candour hosted by Jack Chambers-Ward SEO updates you need to know 📸 Content on professional Instagram accounts is now indexable by Google by default. This reinforces the importance of being consistent across both social media and organic search. 🌐 Both OpenAI and Perplexity announce their own web browsers. This is hugely important, as it is likely that user data mined from browsers will play a vital role in the future of managing the...
about 2 months ago • 6 min read
SEO tips and updates from Mark Williams-CookSearch with Candour hosted by Jack Chambers-Ward SEO updates you need to know 🚨 Google begins rolling out the June 2025 core update. Many were predicting that we were overdue for a core update so lo and behold, a new core update began on 30 June 2025. Rollout may take up to 3 weeks to complete. 🧱 Cloudflare now blocks all AI crawlers for new websites by default. This impactful update includes verification requirements for crawlers, one-click crawler...
about 2 months ago • 7 min read
SEO tips and updates from Mark Williams-CookSearch with Candour hosted by Jack Chambers-Ward SEO updates you need to know 📰 Google tests new types of customised search including 'Preferred sources'. Similar to the Discover feed, personalised search can show you more Top Stories from sites you regularly visit. 🧱 Google launches Offerwall, a new monetisation option for publishers. Available via Google Ad Manager, Offerwall allows publishers to monetise engaged users and give readers the option...
about 2 months ago • 5 min read
SEO tips and updates from Mark Williams-CookSearch with Candour hosted by Jack Chambers-Ward This week's Core Updates is dedicated to Jill Whalen. Thank you for championing good content and carving a path for women in this industry. You will be missed. Read dedications to Jill from around the SEO industry, collected by Barry Schwartz, here. SEO updates you need to know 🗣️ Google launches Search Live. Search Live allows users to ask questions in AI Mode, via the Google app, using voice input....
2 months ago • 5 min read