Last week was a big one in search land. At its I/O conference on 19 May, Google showed off the biggest change to its search box in over 25 years. Two days later, it started rolling out the May 2026 core update. Busy week.
If you run a small business and you’re wondering whether any of this matters to you, here’s the plain-English version.
What Google announced
The highlights:
- A new search box. It expands as you type longer questions, suggests better ways to phrase them and lets you search with images, files and even videos.
- Smarter AI answers. AI Mode now runs on a newer Gemini model. You can ask a follow-up question straight from an AI Overview and keep the conversation going.
- Agents that do stuff for you. Google is testing tools that keep an eye on things for you and send updates, and others that help book appointments. Some of these are US-only for now.
- More personalised results. If people choose to connect apps like Gmail, Google can tailor answers to them.
In short, Google wants search to feel less like a list of links and more like an assistant.
What it means for you
People will ask longer, more specific questions
Instead of “dentist Perth,” people will increasingly ask “which dentist near me does Saturday appointments and takes HCF?” Google will try to answer that directly.
To show up, your website needs the specific details: opening hours, services, health funds, suburbs, prices if you can share them. The more clearly you state the facts, the easier you are to recommend.
Fewer clicks for simple questions
If someone just wants to know “how long does a roof restoration take,” Google will often answer right there. You might see fewer clicks on that sort of informational content.
That’s okay. The clicks that matter, from people ready to call, book or buy, are still there. Make sure the pages built for those people are excellent.
Your Google Business Profile matters even more
When Google recommends a local business, it leans heavily on your Business Profile, your reviews and your consistency across the web. If you haven’t touched your profile in a year, now’s the time.
What about the core update?
The May core update is rolling out as I write this. Same advice as always: don’t panic mid-rollout, wait for things to settle, then check Search Console to see what actually changed. I covered this in more detail when the March core update hit.
What I’d do this month
- Update your Google Business Profile. Hours, services, photos, and reply to your reviews.
- Add a proper FAQ section to your main service pages, answering real customer questions in plain language.
- Check your key pages state the basics clearly: what you do, where, for whom and how to contact you.
- Don’t chase every new feature. Most of what Google announced is still rolling out, and some of it is US-only. Strong fundamentals will carry you through.
The big picture
Search is changing, no question. But Google still needs good, trustworthy businesses to recommend. If your website is helpful, clear and backed up by real reviews, you’re in a good spot whatever the search box looks like.
If you want help getting your site ready for AI-powered search, check out my AI SEO & GEO services or get in touch for a quote.
