Search engine optimisation strategies and best practices.
Google rolled out its first core update of 2026 yesterday, the third algorithm change in four days. More than half of monitored sites are seeing ranking shifts. The update targets scaled AI content but rewards AI-assisted pages built on original expertise. Here's the five-minute audit that tells you which side of the line your content is on.
An "SEO expert" on LinkedIn told his followers to create "Top 10 [Service] in [City]" pages and rank themselves first. His followers loved it. Google's spam policies don't. Here's why self-referencing listicles now trigger penalties, and what to do instead.
Google released its first-ever Discover-specific core update on 5 February 2026. It boosts local content, cracks down on clickbait, and rewards topic expertise. The local relevance change is good news for UK businesses, and with the global rollout weeks away, there's time to prepare.
New data shows sponsored ads now appear in 22% of local pack keywords, up from less than 3%. AI local packs show 32% fewer businesses. Local Services Ads have grown from 11% to 31% of tracked queries. Organic local visibility is being squeezed from every direction, and UK small businesses need to act now.
Google's December 2025 core update caused the highest search volatility of the year. Affiliate sites lost 71% of traffic. UK publishers dropped 50-98% in Discover. But the data reveals something most analysis missed: sites with strong Core Web Vitals and professional design were far more resilient.