Each month, we host the SEO Update by Yoast, covering the latest in search and AI. In this edition, Carolyn Shelby and Alex Moss discussed Google’s new tools for publishers, the impact of AI on search visibility, and how to adapt to the evolving digital landscape.
Watch the full recap on YouTube to dive deeper into these topics, hear examples, and get answers to audience questions.
Key stories from August 2026
Google Trends adds comparison over time data
Google Trends now allows users to compare search interest over time, providing deeper insights into keyword trends and seasonality.
Why it matters:
– Helps identify long-term trends and seasonal fluctuations in search behavior.
– Useful for content planning, especially for topics like news, e-commerce, and seasonal events.
Actionable takeaway:
– Use Google Trends to refine your content strategy by focusing on rising or consistently popular topics.
– Compare related keywords to understand user intent shifts over time.
Explore Google Trends.
Cloudflare introduces new controls for AI content access
Cloudflare announced new default settings for AI crawlers, blocking “Training” and “Agent” crawlers by default for new domains starting September 15, 2026. However, Google has stated it will not honor these blocks for its search crawlers.
Why it matters:
– Publishers now have more control over how AI systems access their content.
– Google’s refusal to honor these blocks means AI-driven search visibility may still be impacted.
Actionable takeaway:
– Review Cloudflare’s new AI traffic settings to understand how they affect your site.
– If you rely on AI-driven traffic, ensure your content remains accessible to Google’s crawlers.
Read Cloudflare’s announcement.
Google updates product structured data guidance
Google has updated its product structured data guidelines, emphasizing the importance of rich snippets for e-commerce sites. The update includes new properties like “category” to improve product visibility in search results.
Why it matters:
– Structured data helps search engines better understand and display product information.
– E-commerce sites can benefit from enhanced visibility in rich results and AI-driven search.
Actionable takeaway:
– Audit your product schema to ensure compliance with Google’s updated guidelines.
– Use Yoast SEO to implement structured data effectively.
View Google’s Product Structured Data Guidelines.
Google Search Console expands reporting for social and video platforms
Google Search Console now includes platform properties, allowing creators to track how their content on Instagram, TikTok, X, and YouTube performs in Google Search and Discover.
Why it matters:
– Provides a holistic view of how social and video content contributes to search visibility.
– Helps creators and businesses optimize their content for broader reach.
Actionable takeaway:
– Set up platform properties in Google Search Console to monitor social and video performance.
– Compare data across platforms to identify gaps and opportunities.
Learn more about platform properties.
Google’s Preferred Sources button
Google has expanded its Preferred Sources feature, allowing users to prioritize specific publishers in their search results. Publishers can now embed a button on their sites to encourage readers to add them as a preferred source.
Why it matters:
– Publishers can increase visibility in AI Overviews and Top Stories by becoming a preferred source.
– Users benefit from personalized search results tailored to their trusted sources.
Actionable takeaway:
– Add the Preferred Sources button to your website to encourage readers to prioritize your content.
– Monitor performance in Google Search Console to see how preferred source status impacts visibility.
Guide to Preferred Sources in Google Search.
AI Overviews can now generate images
Google’s AI Overviews now have the capability to generate images directly in search results, enhancing the visual appeal of AI-driven answers.
Why it matters:
– Publishers must ensure their content is descriptive and accurate to avoid misinterpretation by AI image generators.
– Visual content in AI Overviews can drive engagement but may also raise copyright concerns.
Actionable takeaway:
– Provide detailed descriptions in your content to guide AI image generation.
– Monitor AI Overviews for inaccuracies and report issues to Google.
Read About AI image generation in search.
Google claims AI search sends billions of clicks to websites
Google stated that its AI search features are sending billions of clicks to websites weekly, though the quality and intent of these clicks remain debated.
Why it matters:
– AI-driven search is becoming a significant traffic source for publishers.
– Not all clicks may be valuable, as some could be generated by AI systems rather than human users.
Actionable takeaway:
– Monitor AI-driven traffic in Google Search Console and Microsoft Clarity.
– Focus on optimizing for high-intent queries to maximize the value of AI-generated clicks.
Read about Google’s AI search clicks claim.
Google loses key claims in lawsuit against SerpApi
A U.S. federal court dismissed key claims in Google’s lawsuit against SerpApi, a move that could preserve access to third-party SEO tools that rely on SerpApi for data.
Why it matters:
– The outcome ensures that SEO professionals can continue using tools that depend on SerpAi.
– Highlights the ongoing tension between Google and third-party data providers.
Actionable takeaway:
– Stay informed about legal developments that could impact SEO tooling.
Read about the SerpApi lawsuit outcome.
Microsoft Clarity adds branded and non-branded AI query reporting
Microsoft Clarity now offers AI query reporting, allowing website owners to distinguish between branded and non-branded queries that lead to AI citations.
Why it matters:
– Provides insights into how AI systems cite your content.
– Helps identify opportunities to improve visibility for high-value queries.
Actionable takeaway:
– Set up Microsoft Clarity to track AI query performance.
– Use insights to refine content strategy and target high-intent queries.
Explore Microsoft Clarity’s AI query reporting
Anthropic adds watermarks to Claude content
Anthropic announced that Claude models will now include watermarks in AI-generated content to comply with EU regulations and improve transparency.
Why it matters:
– Watermarking helps distinguish AI-generated content from human-created content.
– Businesses must ensure compliance with emerging AI regulations.
Actionable takeaway:
– Familiarize yourself with AI watermarking and its implications for content creation.
– Use AI tools responsibly and transparently to maintain trust with audiences.
Learn about Claude’s watermarking
Sign up for the next SEO Update by Yoast
The next SEO Update by Yoast is on September 25, 2026, at 4:00 PM CET (10:00 AM EST). Sign up to join live!
