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AI and search news for US small businesses: November 2026

Google finished a spam update on October 8. Google and OpenAI also plan a shared way for websites to say whether AI may train on their content, and ads are appearing in more AI tools. Most of this needs no action from you. If you run a restaurant, check the ordering buttons on your Google profile. Everyone else can do a quick website check.

By Best Rated Company · 5 minute read

Key takeaways
  • Google's September spam update finished rolling out on October 8, and Google's notice does not say what it changed.
  • Google said it is putting more links to websites inside its AI answers, and is testing a section for official pages.
  • Ads are being added to AI tools, but nothing in this month's news says you must buy one to be found.
  • A shared AI training setting for websites is planned for the coming months at OpenAI and for 2027 at Google, so you do not need to act yet.

Want to know where your own website stands? Our free check reads it the way Google and AI assistants do and tells you in about ten seconds what it can and cannot see. The full report is $9, paid once, with no subscription.

Did Google's September spam update change my ranking?

Google's search status page says it released the September 2026 spam update on September 24. A spam update is a change to how Google spots and handles spam pages. Google said the rollout was complete on October 8, and that it applies worldwide and in all languages.

Search Engine Roundtable also reported chatter about an unconfirmed ranking shake-up around October 24. Google has not confirmed that one in anything we reviewed.

What this means for you. Google's notice does not say what the update targeted or who was hit. Look at your calls, messages and website visits from September 24 to October 8 and compare them with the weeks before. If nothing moved, you can leave it alone. If something dropped, note the dates and avoid rushing into big changes to your site, because many other things can cause a dip.

Sources: Google Search Status: Incident details, ; Search Engine Roundtable: Video: Google Volatility X2, Spam Updates, AI Overviews Everywhere...,

Is Google changing how its AI answers link to websites?

Google said on October 15 that it is showing more links inside its AI answers, and showing them higher up more often. An AI Overview is the short written answer at the top of some Google results. AI Mode is a Google search option where you ask questions in a chat.

Google also said it is testing a section at the top of AI answers that points to official pages for a task, with a note on why each link is useful. It also said it is rolling out news carousels to more places.

What this means for you. These are display changes. Google did not say which businesses will be linked or how it picks them. The sensible step is to make sure your own website clearly states your business name, what you do, where you work and how to reach you. Our guide on how AI assistants choose which businesses to name and our page on trust signals and contact details explain what to check.

Source: Google: AI Mode and AI Overviews updates to explore the web,

Are ads now showing up in AI chat tools, and do I need one?

OpenAI said on October 21 that ads in ChatGPT are expanding to 26 more countries, making 89 in total. It said over 100,000 advertisers have run campaigns since launch. It said ads show only on the Free and Go plans, are clearly labeled, are separate from ChatGPT's answers, and do not influence those answers.

Search Engine Roundtable reported on October 30 that Microsoft's Bing is showing ads inside its AI Overviews. That report rests on one screenshot shared on X, and the writer could not trigger the ads himself. We have not seen Microsoft confirm it.

What this means for you. An ad is a paid choice, like any other ad. Nothing in these announcements says you need one to be found. If someone tells you that you must pay to be named in AI answers, be careful. OpenAI's own statement is that ads do not change the answers.

Sources: OpenAI: ChatGPT Ads expands to 26 new countries as over 100,000 advertisers have used the platform, ; Search Engine Roundtable: Microsoft Bing Showing Ads Within Copilot AI Overviews,

What is the new AI training setting for websites, and do I need to use it?

On October 30, OpenAI and Google each announced plans to support a shared signal in robots.txt. That is a small file on a website that tells automated visitors what they may do. The signal would let a site say once that it does not want its content used to train AI, instead of setting rules for each company.

OpenAI said it aims to put this in place in the coming months. Google said it aims to support it in 2027. Both said their existing controls keep working.

What this means for you. You can leave this alone for now, because neither company has switched it on. If you want to opt out later, ask whoever looks after your website. Before blocking anything, check what you would give up. Google said sites that specifically allow its Google-Extended control are eligible to appear in Gemini app responses and get clicks.

Sources: OpenAI: Making it easier for websites to express AI training preferences, ; Google Search Central: Supporting a shared AI training control for websites,

Can my restaurant switch off delivery and ordering buttons on Google?

Search Engine Journal reported that Google's Lisa Landsman wrote on LinkedIn on October 28 that restaurants can now turn off individual third-party ordering providers from their Google Business Profile dashboard. Before this, a restaurant had to ask for a removal, and the provider then had up to 5 business days to act. A Google product manager said the feature is open in all countries.

What this means for you. If you do not run a restaurant, you can skip this. If you do, open your Business Profile and look at the pickup and delivery buttons. Google's policy page says these partner links are on by default, so the list may include a service you do not use. Turn off any you do not want customers to tap.

Source: Search Engine Journal: Spam Guide Update, Restaurant Controls & AI Mode Revenue - SEO Pulse,

What should you do this month?

  1. Compare your calls, messages and website visits for September 24 to October 8 with the weeks before, and write down any change.
  2. If you run a restaurant or cafe, check the ordering and delivery buttons on your Google Business Profile and turn off any you do not use.
  3. Make sure your website clearly shows your business name, what you do, your area and your phone number, then try our free website check to see what Google and AI assistants can read.
  4. Do not pay anyone who promises to get you named in AI answers, and leave your robots.txt file alone until you have a reason to change it.

Questions people ask

What is a Google spam update?
It is a change Google makes to how it finds and handles spam pages in search results. Google posts the start and end dates on its search status page. A business that follows Google's guidelines may see no change at all, but you should check your own numbers if you are worried.
What is robots.txt, and does my small business need to touch it?
It is a small file on your website that tells automated visitors, such as search engines, which pages they may use. Most small businesses never need to edit it. Your website builder or web person usually looks after it.
What is an AI Overview?
It is a short written answer that Google shows at the top of some search results, with links to the websites it drew from. It sits above the usual list of results. A clear, accurate website is the best thing you can control, though no one can promise to be named there.

Sources and dates

The stories come from the sources listed above, and an AI tool drafts the write-up. A person read and approved this post before it was published. It is general information, not advice for your own business. Figures, names and dates come from the pages above; check them there before you rely on them.

Read more in our guide

See an example reportA whole health check report for an invented business, section by section. The Website Health Check GuideWhat every part of your report means, in plain words, with a short glossary. Being recommended by AI assistantsHow ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity choose who to name, and what you can change.

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