Something significant shifted in how Google works last month — and if you haven’t noticed a change in your website traffic, that doesn’t mean you’re safe. It may just mean you haven’t checked recently enough.
Google’s May 2026 Core Update began rolling out on 21 May and is being described as the most far-reaching AI search overhaul the platform has ever shipped. It’s not just adjusting where pages rank. It’s changing which businesses get cited in AI-generated answers — the responses that now sit above traditional search results and capture a growing share of clicks.
What AI Search Visibility Actually Means Now
Until recently, “being found on Google” largely meant ranking well. Get to page one, earn clicks. That model is being overtaken.
Google’s AI Overviews — the generated answer blocks that appear at the top of many search results — pull from specific sources. A page that ranks fifth but is structured as a clear, expert, direct-answer resource can be cited above pages that rank above it. Meanwhile, position-one pages on AI-heavy queries are seeing click-through rates drop from around 27% to as low as 11%, according to recent industry analysis. The content being cited shares common characteristics: it’s specific, trustworthy, and sounds like it was written by someone who actually knows their subject.
What This Means for Your Business Website
For many SMEs — particularly in manufacturing, B2B services, retail, and the public sector — website content was written years ago to tick an SEO box. It’s generic, it’s padded, and it doesn’t really say anything that a competitor couldn’t say word-for-word.
That content is now being actively deprioritised. Not penalised in a dramatic way — just quietly passed over in favour of content that demonstrates genuine expertise.
The good news is that this is fixable. Clear, well-structured content that reflects what your business actually knows and does — written in plain language, not jargon — is exactly what Google’s AI is looking for. It’s also, not coincidentally, what your customers respond to.
How RHDC Approaches This
This isn’t a technical SEO problem. It’s a communications problem. Our brand and marketing strategy work has always been rooted in helping businesses say something meaningful — articulating what makes them credible, experienced, and worth choosing. That kind of clarity translates directly into the kind of content that earns AI search visibility.
If you’re not sure whether your website is still working as hard as it should be, get in touch. A fresh pair of eyes often spots what familiarity hides.
For a deeper look at what changed in May 2026, Google’s core update coverage on Search Engine Land is a useful starting point.