SEO tips and updates from Mark Williams-CookSearch with Candour hosted by Jack Chambers-Ward SEO updates you need to know βοΈ Gemini in Chrome begins worldwide rollout. This integrates Google's AI directly into the browsing experience, including encouraging users with an 'Ask Gemini' button added to the top right of Chrome. π΄οΈ Google creates guidance for building agent-friendly websites. This new guide explains that agents use three primary methods: screenshots, HTML and the accessibility...
10 days agoΒ β’Β 5 min read
SEO tips and updates from Mark Williams-CookSearch with Candour hosted by Jack Chambers-Ward SEO updates you need to know π Google updates best practices for 'Read more' links on SERPs. To be eligible for these links, your content must be immediately visible to users, not rely on JavaScript for scrolling and remove the hash fragment from your URLs. π§ Google tests Audio Overviews for more users, outside of Search Labs. This feature was announced in Search Labs last year and has been spotted...
17 days agoΒ β’Β 6 min read
SEO tips and updates from Mark Williams-CookSearch with Candour hosted by Jack Chambers-Ward SEO updates you need to know π AI Mode can now open webpages in a side-by-side view within the same tab. While this seems to streamline the browsing experience, it also keeps the user more attached to the AI Mode interface. π Google introduces a new spam policy for 'back button hijacking'. Sites that use this tactic may be subject to manual actions or automated demotions. This policy will be enforced...
24 days agoΒ β’Β 5 min read
SEO tips and updates from Mark Williams-CookSearch with Candour hosted by Jack Chambers-Ward SEO updates you need to know ποΈ The March 2026 core update completed its rollout on 8 April. This core update has been reported as relatively quiet, especially compared to the previous core update from December 2025. π Google tests integrating AI Mode into the main 'All' search tab. This continues Google's experiments of making AI Mode part of the central search experience, rather than a separate...
about 1 month agoΒ β’Β 5 min read
SEO tips and updates from Mark Williams-CookSearch with Candour hosted by Jack Chambers-Ward SEO updates you need to know π A GSC error has affected impression reporting since May 2025. This error has been confirmed by Google. Once resolved, it may cause a decrease in impressions so keep a close eye on your GSC data over the next few weeks. π ChatGPT adds location sharing feature for more accurate local information. This can be toggled on and off to allow ChatGPT to provide more relevant...
about 1 month agoΒ β’Β 7 min read
SEO tips and updates from Mark Williams-CookSearch with Candour hosted by Jack Chambers-Ward SEO updates you need to know π Google's March 2026 spam update began on 24 March and completed on 25 March. No, that's not a typo; this update took less than 24 hours to roll out and complete. That's the fastest ever Google spam update. π Google's March 2026 core update began rolling out on 27 March 2026. This is the first core update of 2026 and is set to take two weeks to roll out. Core updates...
about 1 month agoΒ β’Β 3 min read
SEO tips and updates from Mark Williams-CookSearch with Candour hosted by Jack Chambers-Ward SEO updates you need to know βοΈ Google confirms that AI-generated titles are being tested in search results. Of course, Google rewriting titles is nothing new but this is the first time AI-generated titles have been confirmed. π«Έ Google confirms development of controls to opt out of generative AI features. This is in response to the Competition and Markets Authority's proposals to keep search results...
about 2 months agoΒ β’Β 5 min read
SEO tips and updates from Mark Williams-CookSearch with Candour hosted by Jack Chambers-Ward SEO updates you need to know πΊοΈ Google launches Ask Maps, a new AI-powered interface for Google Maps.This near feature uses Gemini to allow the user to prompt Google Maps about local businesses, get recommendations and make travel plans. π Google Search Console's branded query filter expands to all eligible sites. This feature was announced in November and allows easier filtering for branded and...
about 2 months agoΒ β’Β 4 min read
SEO tips and updates from Mark Williams-CookSearch with Candour hosted by Jack Chambers-Ward SEO updates you need to know π Google publishes a new help page for Universal Commerce Protocol. This documentation clarifies some implementation requirements for UCP and cements UCP as a core part of Google's agentic checkout. πΊοΈ Yoast launches Schema Aggregation, a feature that maps all of your site's structured data. This new visualisation creates a 'schemamap' for your entire site at once, and, in...
2 months agoΒ β’Β 6 min read