The August 2026 SEO Update by Yoast recap

Each month, we big the SEO Update by Yoast, covering the latest successful hunt and AI. In this edition, Carolyn Shelby and Alex Moss discussed Google’s caller devices for publishers, the effect of AI connected hunt visibility, and really to accommodate to the evolving integer landscape.

Watch the afloat recap connected YouTube to dive deeper into these topics, perceive examples, and get answers to assemblage questions.

Key stories from August 2026

Google Trends adds comparison complete clip data

Google Trends now allows users to comparison hunt liking complete time, providing deeper insights into keyword trends and seasonality.

Why it matters:

– Helps place semipermanent trends and seasonal fluctuations successful hunt behavior.

– Useful for contented planning, particularly for topics for illustration news, e-commerce, and seasonal events.

Actionable takeaway:

– Use Google Trends to refine your contented strategy by focusing connected rising aliases consistently celebrated topics.

– Compare related keywords to understand personification intent shifts complete time.

Explore Google Trends.

Cloudflare introduces caller controls for AI contented access

Cloudflare announced caller default settings for AI crawlers, blocking “Training” and “Agent” crawlers by default for caller domains starting September 15, 2026. However, Google has stated it will not grant these blocks for its hunt crawlers.

Why it matters:

– Publishers now person much power complete really AI systems entree their content.

– Google’s refusal to grant these blocks intends AI-driven hunt visibility whitethorn still beryllium impacted.

Actionable takeaway:

– Review Cloudflare’s caller AI postulation settings to understand really they impact your site.

– If you trust connected AI-driven traffic, guarantee your contented remains accessible to Google’s crawlers.

Read Cloudflare’s announcement.

Google updates merchandise system information guidance

Google has updated its merchandise system information guidelines, emphasizing the value of rich | snippets for e-commerce sites. The update includes caller properties for illustration “category” to amended merchandise visibility successful hunt results.

Why it matters:

– Structured information helps hunt engines amended understand and show merchandise information.

– E-commerce sites tin use from enhanced visibility successful rich | results and AI-driven search.

Actionable takeaway:

– Audit your merchandise schema to guarantee compliance pinch Google’s updated guidelines.

– Use Yoast SEO to instrumentality system information effectively.

View Google’s Product Structured Data Guidelines.

Google Search Console expands reporting for societal and video platforms

Google Search Console now includes level properties, allowing creators to way really their contented connected Instagram, TikTok, X, and YouTube performs successful Google Search and Discover.

Why it matters:

– Provides a holistic position of really societal and video contented contributes to hunt visibility.

– Helps creators and businesses optimize their contented for broader reach.

Actionable takeaway:

– Set up level properties successful Google Search Console to show societal and video performance.

– Compare information crossed platforms to place gaps and opportunities.

Learn much astir platform properties.

Google’s Preferred Sources button

Google has expanded its Preferred Sources feature, allowing users to prioritize circumstantial publishers successful their hunt results. Publishers tin now embed a fastener connected their sites to promote readers to adhd them arsenic a preferred source.

Why it matters:

– Publishers tin summation visibility successful AI Overviews and Top Stories by becoming a preferred source.

– Users use from personalized hunt results tailored to their trusted sources.

Actionable takeaway:

– Add the Preferred Sources fastener to your website to promote readers to prioritize your content.

– Monitor capacity successful Google Search Console to spot really preferred root position impacts visibility.

Guide to Preferred Sources successful Google Search.

AI Overviews tin now make images

Google’s AI Overviews now person the capacity to make images straight successful hunt results, enhancing the ocular entreaty of AI-driven answers.

Why it matters:

– Publishers must guarantee their contented is descriptive and meticulous to debar misinterpretation by AI image generators.

– Visual contented successful AI Overviews tin thrust engagement but whitethorn besides raise copyright concerns.

Actionable takeaway:

– Provide elaborate descriptions successful your contented to guideline AI image generation.

– Monitor AI Overviews for inaccuracies and study issues to Google.

Read About AI image procreation successful search.

Google claims AI hunt sends billions of clicks to websites

Google stated that its AI hunt features are sending billions of clicks to websites weekly, though the value and intent of these clicks stay debated.

Why it matters:

– AI-driven hunt is becoming a important postulation root for publishers.

– Not each clicks whitethorn beryllium valuable, arsenic immoderate could beryllium generated by AI systems alternatively than quality users.

Actionable takeaway:

– Monitor AI-driven postulation successful Google Search Console and Microsoft Clarity.

– Focus connected optimizing for high-intent queries to maximize the worth of AI-generated clicks.

Read astir Google’s AI hunt clicks claim.

Google loses cardinal claims successful suit against SerpApi

A U.S. national tribunal dismissed cardinal claims successful Google’s suit against SerpApi, a move that could sphere entree to third-party SEO devices that trust connected SerpApi for data.

Why it matters:

– The result ensures that SEO professionals tin proceed utilizing devices that dangle connected SerpAi.

– Highlights the ongoing hostility betwixt Google and third-party information providers.

Actionable takeaway:

– Stay informed astir ineligible developments that could effect SEO tooling.

Read astir the SerpApi suit outcome.

Microsoft Clarity adds branded and non-branded AI query reporting

Microsoft Clarity now offers AI query reporting, allowing website owners to separate betwixt branded and non-branded queries that lead to AI citations.

Why it matters:

– Provides insights into really AI systems mention your content.

– Helps place opportunities to amended visibility for high-value queries.

Actionable takeaway:

– Set up Microsoft Clarity to way AI query performance.

– Use insights to refine contented 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 see watermarks successful AI-generated contented to comply pinch EU regulations and amended transparency.

Why it matters:

– Watermarking helps separate AI-generated contented from human-created content.

– Businesses must guarantee compliance pinch emerging AI regulations.

Actionable takeaway:

– Familiarize yourself pinch AI watermarking and its implications for contented creation.

– Use AI devices responsibly and transparently to support spot pinch audiences.

Learn astir Claude’s watermarking

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