Google has begun rolling out its September 2026 spam update. It applies worldwide, covers every language, and Google says the rollout may take up to two weeks to complete.
Google Search Console now provides dedicated reports for AI Overviews and AI Mode, but the figures have limitations. Here is what small business owners should know before drawing conclusions from AI search impressions and positions.
A useful, credible website gives you the best chance of doing that, whether somebody finds you through Google, ChatGPT, a recommendation or a good old-fashioned search for your business name.
You may have noticed a small punctuation mark getting a lot of attention lately: the em dash. Some people now treat one as a sure sign that a piece of writing came from AI. It is not. It is just punctuation doing a job.
More visitors are arriving at your website from ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews and other AI tools. That sounds like good news. Someone asked a question, an AI recommended your business, and they clicked through. But there’s a problem. Most of that traffic isn’t landing where it should. And if you don’t know this is happening, you’re losing customers who were already sold on you before they even arrived.
AI search has changed quickly since 2025. Here’s what Microsoft, Bing and Google’s latest guidance means for small businesses, and how to make your website clearer, more trustworthy and easier for AI-powered search tools to understand.
