SEO tips and updates from Mark Williams-CookSearch with Candour hosted by Jack Chambers-Ward SEO updates you need to know ๐ธ 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. ๐น 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...
7 days agoย โขย 5 min read
SEO tips and updates from Mark Williams-CookSearch with Candour hosted by Jack Chambers-Ward SEO updates you need to know ๐ 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. ๐๏ธ Google recommends that your ecommerce site be compatible with AI agents. With the potential of an agentic web just around the corner, John...
14 days agoย โขย 7 min read
SEO tips and updates from Mark Williams-CookSearch with Candour hosted by Jack Chambers-Ward SEO updates you need to know ๐ 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. ๐ Google launches an MCP for Google Analytics 4. A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server enables users to "chat with their data" by directly...
21 days agoย โขย 5 min read
SEO tips and updates from Mark Williams-CookSearch with Candour hosted by Jack Chambers-Ward SEO updates you need to know โ
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. ๐ต๏ธ 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...
28 days agoย โขย 6 min read
SEO tips and updates from Mark Williams-CookSearch with Candour hosted by Jack Chambers-Ward SEO updates you need to know ๐ธ 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. ๐ 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 1 month agoย โขย 6 min read
SEO tips and updates from Mark Williams-CookSearch with Candour hosted by Jack Chambers-Ward SEO updates you need to know ๐จ 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. ๐งฑ Cloudflare now blocks all AI crawlers for new websites by default. This impactful update includes verification requirements for crawlers, one-click crawler...
about 1 month agoย โขย 7 min read
SEO tips and updates from Mark Williams-CookSearch with Candour hosted by Jack Chambers-Ward SEO updates you need to know ๐ฐ 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. ๐งฑ 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 agoย โขย 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 ๐ฃ๏ธ Google launches Search Live. Search Live allows users to ask questions in AI Mode, via the Google app, using voice input....
about 2 months agoย โขย 5 min read
SEO tips and updates from Mark Williams-CookSearch with Candour hosted by Jack Chambers-Ward SEO updates you need to know ๐ค AI Mode has started rolling out to all US users. It's been almost 4 weeks since Google's announcement at Google IO and many SEOs are reporting AI Mode appearing in the SERPs and Google Search Console data. ๐ 97% of URLs linked in AI Mode appear in the top 10 organic results. While there isn't a direct correlation, this data is very similar to AI Overviews, suggesting...
2 months agoย โขย 5 min read