Google backs single robots.txt rule for AI training
Google and other AI providers are supporting a shared robots.txt rule to let website owners block model training in one go.
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What’s on our mind
Insights, updates and explanations about everything happening in online marketing — from search engines to AI.
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Google shows AI Overviews in 88% of commercial searches
Software company Semrush finds that Google displays AI Overviews in 88% of analysed commercial search results.
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Google adds more source links to AI Overviews and AI Mode
Google shows links to sources more often and higher up in AI answers, is testing a box for official websites and is expanding news carousels.
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AI Findability Barometer — October 2026: insulation companies
SiteBoosting measured how ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Mistral recommend insulation companies: 180 measurements, 1,506 sources. Four very different patterns.
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Google updates guidelines for main content on pages
Google updated its guidelines for helpful content on 6 October 2026, emphasising that the most important information must be placed right at the top.
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Google AI Overviews rise to 80% for brand searches
Data from DemandSphere reveals that Google AI Overviews appeared for over 80 per cent of brand search queries by late September.
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Google rolls out September 2026 Spam Update
On 24 September 2026, Google began rolling out a global spam update that could take up to two weeks to complete.
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Google Lighthouse tests discoverability for AI agents
Google Lighthouse 13.5 adds a check for Agentic Resource Discovery to see whether AI agents can find your services.
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Google tests payments for content in AI responses
Google is testing a Search Console feature that pays website owners when their content shapes answers in Gemini and AI Overviews.
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Google tests traditional search ads in AI Mode
Google is testing displaying traditional search ads using exact match and phrase match within AI Mode when there is clear search intent.
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Google Automatically Expands AI Overviews for Searchers
Google now automatically expands AI Overviews for certain search queries, leaving standard search results visible only after scrolling.
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AI Findability Barometer — September 2026: heat pump installers
SiteBoosting measured how ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini recommend heat pump installers: 135 measurements, 1,014 sources. Here are the lessons for your findability.
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Google deploys Gemini Omni in Google Ads for video
Google is adding Gemini Omni to Asset Studio in Google Ads, allowing advertisers to create videos using their brand guidelines.
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Google completes global August 2026 Spam Update
Google has completed its August 2026 Spam Update, so you should check your Search Console data to see if your rankings have changed.
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Google updates Ads and Analytics with AI assistant
In August 2026, Google expanded its AI assistant Ask Advisor in Google Ads and Analytics to analyse data more quickly.
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Perplexity wins appeal to run AI shopper on Amazon
A US federal appeals court has ruled that Perplexity's AI assistants can keep ordering goods on Amazon on behalf of users.
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AI knows 96 per cent of brands but almost never mentions them
A study by Victorious shows AI models recognise almost all brands directly, but omit 89 per cent from general buyer recommendations.
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Google Tests Opt-Out for AI in Search Results
Google is rolling out an opt-out allowing you to exclude your website from AI Overviews and AI Mode without losing your standard search results.
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Google makes Gemini 3.5 Flash default in search engine
On 10 July 2026, Google made Gemini 3.5 Flash its default search model, putting AI answers at the top and pushing links below the fold.
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Google tests automatic AI summaries in search ads
Google is testing a feature that automatically places AI-generated summaries beneath paid search ads.
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How a Dutch estate agent doubled their AI visibility in six months
A Dutch estate agent on the Costa del Sol went from invisible to consistently in the top three of AI answers. The data shows why conversational customer questions win and short commercial keywords lose.
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Ahrefs study shows what makes brands visible in AI
A study by Ahrefs reveals which factors determine whether AI systems such as ChatGPT and AI Mode mention your brand.
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Google's June Spam Update: Stricter Rules for AI Citation Manipulation
Google is rolling out a new spam update specifically targeting the manipulation of AI-generated responses, including influencing AI citations.
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Wikipedia and Reddit dominate AI sources
PR agency 5W examined nine studies on AI sources: Wikipedia and Reddit account for over 25 per cent of ChatGPT mentions.
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Google launches AI reports in Search Console
In Search Console, you can now see how often your website appears in Google Search and Discover's generative AI features.
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68% of Google searches end without a click
Data from SparkToro reveals that 68.01% of Google searches in the US end without a click to a website.
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Google rolls out 24/7 search agents in AI Mode
Google is launching information agents for AI Ultra subscribers, which continuously search the web for updates on specific queries.
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Zero-click searches: what does this mean for your findability?
More and more often, searchers get their answer straight in Google without clicking through. We explain what this means for your online visibility.
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AI in search engines: how do you stay visible in an AI-driven Google?
With AI Overviews and LLMs, the way people search is changing. Read how to get your SEO ready for a search landscape full of AI.
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LLM, AI, AIO, SGE: what does it all mean?
The online marketing world is full of acronyms. We line up the most important terms around AI and search engines for you.
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