State of Search is a weekly roundup of what actually changed in Google and AI search, written for people running a business rather than for other SEOs. It is published every week whether or not anything dramatic happened.
Quiet weeks get a short post saying so, which is more useful than a long post pretending otherwise.
What each issue covers
Google. Ranking updates, features, documentation changes and anything confirmed on the Search Status Dashboard. What Google has said, separated from what people think it means.
AI Overviews and AI Mode. Where they are appearing, what has changed about how they behave, and whether anything has moved on citations.
AI assistants in search. ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and Copilot, when there is something real to report rather than a feature announcement.
Tools and data. Changes to Search Console, Analytics and the third-party tools most small businesses actually use.
What it means for a small business, which is the section that matters, and three things I’d do this week, which is the only part that asks anything of you.
How it’s written
Confirmed, observed and opinion stay separate. “Google has confirmed”, “in my own data I’ve seen” and “my view is” are three different claims and you deserve to know which you’re reading.
Every factual claim carries its source and the date it was accessed. Search commentary ages badly, and a lot of what gets repeated is someone’s summary of someone else’s summary.
No panic. Most weeks, most changes do not require you to do anything. A roundup that manufactures urgency every seven days is selling something.
Short when the week is short. The length follows the news.
Who it’s for
People running a business who want to know whether this week’s noise affects them, without reading six newsletters written for other SEOs. If you already track the Search Status Dashboard yourself, you are not the audience.
The archive
The first issue of this series is being written and will appear here. In the meantime, here is the most recent writing.
SEO2 Nov 2026Is your website too slow? What I did to my own site, and how to check yours
What Google says about site speed, what I changed on my own site to reach 100 on PageSpeed Insights, what the scores don't show, and how…
SEO2 Nov 2026Enquiries are down but traffic looks fine: where to look
Fewer enquiries but steady traffic? Check the contact route, who is visiting, the results page and your tracking, in the order I would.
SEO31 Oct 2026Traffic dropped after a Google update: what to check, and what an update can’t prove
Traffic fell around a Google update? How to test whether the update is a credible cause, what else to rule out, and what an update can't…
SEO30 Oct 2026Why isn’t my business recommended by ChatGPT or Google’s AI Overviews?
Why your business isn't named by ChatGPT or Google AI Overviews: indexing, blocking, unclear answers, vague business facts, and how to test it.
SEO29 Oct 2026Independent SEO consultant or agency, project or retainer: how to choose
Choosing between an independent SEO consultant and an agency, and between a project and a retainer: when each suits, and what to ask.
SEO27 Oct 2026Website traffic dropped after a redesign: what to check first
Website traffic fell after a redesign? Check redirects, indexing, lost content, reset titles and tracking, in the order I would, using Search Console.
The other regulars
Content Marketing runs fortnightly, State of AI and Direction run monthly, and the tests run whenever one finishes. Everything sits on the writing page.