The GLC Blog
Practical advice on websites, SEO, AI search and online advertising for small businesses, from Gareth Cross at GLC Web Solutions.
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Google's PageSpeed Insights switched to Lighthouse 13.6 in the last few days, and many websites are seeing higher speed scores without changing anything. Here is why, and which numbers actually matter for your customers and your Google rankings.
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On 30 October 2026 Google, OpenAI and Microsoft said they will honour one shared robots.txt rule that lets websites opt out of AI training. Nothing changes today, but the choice you make could affect how often AI assistants recommend your business.
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YouGov's new research shows planned AI use among likely UK Black Friday shoppers has jumped from 19% to 34%, and spotting a genuine discount is their biggest worry. Here is how to make your prices and product pages easy to trust before 27 November.
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Google confirmed on 28 October 2026 that ads in AI Mode will reach the UK before the end of the year. Existing Google Ads campaigns join automatically, so here is how it works and what to check in your account and on your website first.
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Google updated its spam guidance on 26 October 2026 so tools that publish shared pages, generated content or web apps should keep those pages out of search by default. Here is what that means if you use AI share links, builders or guest tools on your site.
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Instagram is removing Linked Reels from 28 October 2026, and existing series links will disappear. Here is what that means for tutorial and case-study Reels, and how to keep viewers moving without the old link tool.
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Google Chrome now stops and asks visitors before it opens a website that cannot load securely over HTTPS. Here is who sees the warning, why first-time customers are most at risk, and a 20-minute check for your own site.
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YouTube's AI search, Ask YouTube, now answers questions with clips that start from the most relevant moment of a video. It is US only for now. Here is what UK businesses should change in their videos before it arrives.
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Google has launched a small business hub inside Gemini that can manage your Business Profile, remember your brand style and turn receipts into charts. Here is what it does, who can use it in the UK, and why your website now matters even more.
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Since late September, Google has been handing some SEO rank tracking tools search pages with the results swapped out, so reports can show drops that real searchers never saw. Here is how to tell a false alarm from a real problem using Search Console.
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Meta's updated business terms take effect on 30 October 2026 and let it crawl the website behind any Facebook Page, Instagram business profile or ad account. After a backlash Meta removed the word "train", but the crawling permission stays. Here is what that means for a small business and the robots.txt choices worth making this week.
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From 28 October 2026, Meta will add product browsing to Facebook and Instagram ads that are already running. A tap on your ad may open a product page inside Meta's apps before anyone reaches your website. Here is what changes, what Meta has not said and how to decide whether to opt out.
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Google has quietly changed its Business Profile rules. Prices, dated offers and lines such as "call now" no longer belong in your listing, and posts must not carry contact details Google cannot verify. Here is what to check and where your offers should go instead.
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ChatGPT can now fill in contact and booking forms for your customers, while big names such as Amazon and Delta are blocking AI agents. Here is what that means for your website and how to avoid turning customers away by accident.
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Asking AI to find a local business has gone mainstream in a single year, but most people still double-check the answer before they get in touch. Here is how to make sure your business passes that check.
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Google's AI Overviews and AI Mode now show more links to websites, and a new test puts official pages at the top of the answer. Here is how to make sure Google picks yours.
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Search Console now shows when your pages appear in Google AI Overviews and AI Mode. Here is how to read the report without overreacting.
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Instagram now limits clickable links in posts and Reels to paid Meta One plans. Here is how to keep sending customers to your website.
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Google's September 2026 spam update finished on 8 October after two weeks. Here's how to check your site and what to do next.
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Apple's rebuilt Siri now answers questions from its own web index. Here is what a small business should check so the assistant can find them.
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Nearly 1 in 5 holiday shoppers started before August, and AI now shapes where they buy. Here is how small businesses get ready before Black Friday.
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WordPress 7.1.1 patches 11 security flaws, including a bug that can be triggered through blog comments. Here is what small business site owners need to check now.
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Facebook charging for link posts now starts after two free a month. Here's what changed this week, why ads are exempt, and what small businesses should do next.
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Threads quietly dropped link-click data from its analytics on 8 Sept 2026. Here's how to track link clicks from Threads to your website properly.
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Google auto-upgraded broad match and ad assets to AI Max this September. Here's what the Google Ads AI Max upgrade changed in your account and what to check now.
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YouTube's view count jumped in August 2026, but earnings didn't. Here's what actually changed, why, and how to read your real numbers.
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Google's August 2026 spam update knocked more top-10 sites off page one than normal. Here's what happened and what small business owners should check.
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Anthropic just released blueprints for AI shopping agents. Here’s what it actually means for small business websites — and how to get ready.
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Chrome now updates every two weeks from 8 September 2026. Here’s what it means for your small business website, and how to make sure nothing breaks.
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Google’s August 2026 core update is rolling out. Here’s what’s actually moving, what to check in Search Console, and what not to touch yet.
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Anthropic is watermarking Claude’s output worldwide. Google still allows useful AI-assisted pages — but unmeasured AI-only publishing, and false alarms from grammar checkers, are about to get more expensive.
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How to set up Google Search Console properly, which reports to use first, and the SEO and GEO metrics UK businesses should actually measure.
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There are dozens of security plugins out there that claim to be the best—but which one really is? We'll help answer that question by checking out some of these top options