News — Page 5
News articles on the Aergos blog — strategy, tactics, and case studies from Matt Weitzman and the Aergos team.
63 articles
Two-Thirds of Americans Think AI Is Moving Too Fast
A new Pew Research poll finds nearly half of Americans now use AI chatbots, but two-thirds think the technology is advancing too quickly. ChatGPT usage has doubled since 2023, yet only 16 percent of respondents believe AI will have a positive impact on society.
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Google Confirms LLMS.txt Files Have Zero SEO Impact
Google updated its documentation on June 16, 2026, to clarify that LLMS.txt files do nothing for your search rankings — and that HTML remains the only standard that matters for SEO. Here's what happened and what you should do about it.
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Google Confirms LLMS.txt Files Have No Effect on Search Rankings
Google has updated its official guide for optimizing for generative AI search to confirm that LLMS.txt files have zero impact on search rankings or visibility. The clarification, published June 16, 2026, also states that AI text files and Markdown files are not used by Google Search. Here's what you need to know.
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Google Core Update Fallout, Zero Clicks Hit 27.6%, and Apple's Siri AI Lands
Google's latest core update kept volatility high through the weekend and into the week of June 8th. A new zero-click study found only 27.6% of Google searches now send traffic to the open web. Apple also unveiled a revamped Siri AI alongside new Apple Intelligence features.
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Google Search Stayed Online During the Gemini Outage
Google's Gemini AI product experienced several outages on June 11, 2026, but Search Engine Roundtable's Barry Schwartz confirmed directly with Google's VP of Search Engineering that AI Mode and AI Overviews were completely unaffected. It's a small but telling sign of how Google has architected its AI search features.
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Apple's AI Shortcuts Idea Is Basically Vibe Coding Your iPhone
Apple spent most of WWDC 2026 playing catch-up on AI, but buried inside the keynote is one genuinely interesting idea: let users build Shortcuts and Safari extensions using plain English. The Verge's David Pierce called it 'vibe coding your phone' — and the implications go well beyond Apple fans.
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Google Rankings Still Shaking After May 2026 Core Update Ends
The Google May 2026 core update was marked complete on June 2, 2026, but community chatter spiked again over the June 6th weekend with some webmasters reporting traffic drops as severe as 80-90%. Third-party tracking tools mostly stayed calm, creating a confusing disconnect for site owners trying to read the room.
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Google May Core Update Done, AI Reports & ChatGPT Ads: What Happened This Week
The Google May 2026 core update has finished rolling out, and it brought another wave of volatility on June 2nd. Alongside it, Google Search Console launched new AI performance reports and blocking controls, Microsoft admitted AI search reduces clicks, and ChatGPT rolled out multi-advertiser ad placements.
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Google Must Let Publishers Opt Out of AI Search Under UK Rules
The UK's Competition and Markets Authority has made it official: Google must offer publishers a way to opt out of AI search features like AI Overviews and AI Mode. The toggle will live in Google Search Console and roll out globally after a UK pilot. Here's what it means for your traffic and content strategy.
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Google May 2026 Core Update Finishes With a Final Volatility Spike
Google's May 2026 core update went out with a bang — a major ranking volatility spike hit on June 2, just before the rollout officially completed. Search Engine Roundtable's Barry Schwartz reported the surge and confirmed the update finished within hours of his post. Here's what it means for your site.
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John Mueller: Quality Raters Guidelines Don't Drive Rankings
Google's John Mueller confirmed on Bluesky that the Search Quality Raters Guidelines are not a guide for search rankings. It's a critical distinction that trips up a lot of SEOs. Here's what Mueller actually said and what it means for how you build content.
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Google May Core Update, AI Mention Manipulation Warnings, and More
Google's May 2026 core update has landed, and Google issued a strong warning against buying or manipulating brand mentions for AI. Meanwhile, ChatGPT is sending significantly more referral traffic as it shows more links. Here's the full breakdown.
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