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July SEO News: Google AI Mode Launches in the UK

Has the latest Google core update impacted your search performance? Does the mention of AI still send an anxious shiver down your spine? Not to worry, our team has compiled the latest SEO marketing news and updates from July, offering expert advice to help you regain your top spots.
And yes, we’ll talk about Google AI Mode’s UK launch, in what could be the biggest change to search we’ve seen in a long time.
The Latest Google Core Update is Complete
The latest core update from Google completed its rollout on the 17th of July after initially launching at the end of June. Now that the update has finished, it’s important to begin reviewing your site to assess any impact it may have had on your performance.
It’s best to start by looking into your top-performing pages (e.g. position 1-4 on Google Search) to understand what’s happened. Any huge drops in ranking may require further investigation.
What Does this Mean for You
If your ranking has taken a hit after the core update, there’s no need to panic. Any drops in performance may not be due to issues with your content if it already meets Google’s criteria for people-first content. As long as you’ve been prioritising quality content and following Google’s advice around providing meaningful insights and value to your audience, your ranking will soon recover.
Google AI Mode Launches in the UK
The AI search revolution has finally arrived on UK shores. Google’s new AI Mode is transforming how search results appear, embedding AI-generated answers directly into the main Google Search interface, instead of showing a list of links.
The key features of AI Mode include:
- Versatile search: AI Mode allows for the use of text, images, or voice commands as search prompts.
- Interactive experience: Follow-up questions and revisiting previous searches allow users to dig deeper into a given topic.
- Smarter breakdowns: Information is organised under headings with relevant links to improve readability.
What Does this Mean for You
Much like Google’s existing AI summary feature, AI Mode puts its sources front and centre, providing users with links to the websites which influenced its response. This means it’s vital that your site appears in any relevant AI Mode searches.
Google ranks prompts based on snippets rather than whole pages which means you should be shifting your focus to creating semantically rich content that answers real customer questions clearly and directly.
AI traffic is yet to be separated into tools such as Search Console, but this is something they may do in the future. For now, keep a close eye out for any more conversational long-tail keywords in Google Search Console as it’s more likely that this is traffic that has been driven by AI Mode.
Google has acknowledged that the feature is far from the finished product and they’re still making improvements to the platform. So, don’t be surprised if we continue to hear more about AI Mode in the coming months.
Does ChatGPT Use Google Search Results?
Google’s influence in the AI space extends beyond their own platform as we are seeing numerous tests online that seem to prove that ChatGPT’s search feature is using Google Search’s index to power its own results.
While we still don’t fully understand the extent to which ChatGPT is using Google’s index to influence its answers, this news demonstrates Google’s dominance in the AI space. We know that ChatGPT uses data from all over the internet to influence its responses so it’s no surprise that Google’s index is part of their data collection strategy.
This means that creating relevant content which ranks on Google will positively contribute towards your visibility on ChatGPT and potentially other LLMs (large language models).
By continuing to create people-first content across your site you’ll also, ironically, boost your visibility across AI-driven platforms.
Is Social Media Taking Over Google Search?
It may seem like AI is the only SEO industry news this month, but not to worry, there’s plenty more outside of AI content to keep search professionals on their toes.
Another major change coming to search is that social media content from various channels is about to start appearing on search engine results pages (SERPs) more frequently.
Reddit and Google
Google is testing a new section in search results titled “Posts on Reddit.” This seems to be replacing the Discussions and Forums category, which currently shows Reddit threads amongst other sites.
While Google has stated that this is simply a new coat of paint for an existing search feature, it shows the platform’s commitment to showcasing authentic, user-led conversations on the SERPs.
This is part of a pivot towards more conversational keywords that better reflects user search intent. Understanding the questions which your audience are asking and effectively answering them in your content will make your site stand out by going beyond the initial search query.
Instagram Posts Begin to be Indexed
Google announced in July that Instagram profiles and posts can be indexed. Whether professional or public, if you have the feature enabled on your profile it can appear in the Google SERP.
That means Instagram photos, videos, reels, and carousels can now surface directly on SERPs. Having a brand presence on Instagram which is optimised for search will become vital, even if you’re a B2B organisation that would usually focus on LinkedIn as an organic social channel.
Further testing is required to understand how Instagram posts will appear in Google so this is certainly a story we’ll be keeping a eye on.
Google to Automatically Add Social Links to GBP Profiles
Google is now automatically adding social media links to Google Business Profiles (GBP). This follows an update they made in August 2023, where business owners could manually add these details to their profile. However, now it seems that Google is including these regardless of whether they’ve been manually added or not.
This reinforces Google’s belief that social media is a huge indicator of authenticity and having visible and up-to-date social accounts alongside your GBP will become a trust signal, for search engines and users alike.
And breathe.
We know there’s been a lot of news this month to get your head around but don’t panic. Whether you’re looking to harmonise your social media and SEO presences, or navigate the new world of AI search, we’re here to help. We’ll keep bringing you the biggest SEO news each month to help boost your digital performance.
If you’re interested in finding out more, you can get in touch with us at hello@summitmedia.com.
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