Google confirmed a Search Console bug: the Generative AI report undercounted impressions 9 to 11 Nov (SER, 12 Nov).
Don't trust a single dashboard. Check whether ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity and Grok name you. Free plan, no card.
https://t.co/703YririRN
Building in public, Thursday numbers.
Five posts, 55 views so far. Best was the 19:30 free-scan post (19). Worst was the Perplexity stat (6). The lunchtime CDN how-to got 12, so the 13:00 slot stays.
Followers: 6, down one.
10-minute check: is Google really sending you visits? Google has a new help doc on this (SER, 12 Nov).
1. Open analytics or server logs
2. Filter by the Referer header
3. Count visits from Google domains
4. Compare with Search Console clicks
5. Big gap? Check your tag
In our sample of 60 brands, 30% partly blocked AI crawlers in their robots file, often by accident. Small sample, directional only.
Fix: open your robots file and search for GPTBot, OAI-SearchBot, ClaudeBot and PerplexityBot. Any under Disallow: /? Make sure that's on purpose.
Google calls Gemini 4 Hydrogen its biggest model upgrade to Search yet, with better query fan-out and linking (SER, 12 Nov).
Fan-out: one question becomes many searches behind the scenes.
So check the follow-ups buyers ask, not just the main one. Does your site answer them?
Google is testing tucking AI Overview sources out of sight. The brands named in the answer itself get seen first.
Do ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity and Grok name you? Free plan, no card: site audit plus a five-engine AI scan.
https://t.co/703YririRN
Building in public, Wednesday numbers.
Five posts, 78 views so far. Best was the 19:30 free-scan post (39). Worst was the core update how-to we said we'd try (3). Followers: still 7.
Lunchtime how-tos keep losing. One more try today, then we test a later slot.
Moving to a CDN? Google's 11 Nov crawling guidance as a 10-minute check:
1. Pre-warm the cache before switching DNS
2. Allow verified bots in your WAF, no CAPTCHA for crawlers
3. Origin needs a breather? Send 429 or 503, not 403
4. Watch Search Console Crawl Stats for the spike
In our sample of 60 brands, Perplexity was the engine most likely to cite smaller brands. Small sample, directional only.
Fix: ask Perplexity your top 3 buyer questions. Note the pages it cites when it names a rival, then work on getting your brand onto those pages.
Google is testing the AI Overview source count at the bottom of the answer, citations only on hover (Brodie Clark via SER, 11 Nov). Definition searches now show the full AI Overview by default too.
Fewer eyes reach the links. Being named in the answer text matters more.
Core update rolling for the next two weeks. Good moment to get a baseline on both sides: Google and AI answers.
Surfaceable's free plan: a site audit plus an AI scan across ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity and Grok. No card.
https://t.co/zOC3VV6yII
Building in public, Tuesday numbers.
Back on schedule after two missed days: five posts, 49 views so far. Best was the 13:00 Business Profile how-to (13). Worst was the SparkToro stat (3). We have 7 followers.
Small numbers, real ones. Today we try a core update how-to.
10-minute core update baseline (rollout began 10 Nov):
1. Search Console > Performance > last 28 days
2. Export the Pages tab
3. Mark your 10 money pages
4. Save it with today's date
When it ends, compare those pages full week vs full week. Don't chase daily swings.
OpenAI just announced Businesses in ChatGPT: mentions, profile views and clicks (SER, 10 Nov). Useful, but it's one engine.
In our sample of 60 brands, Gemini cited brands 23% more than ChatGPT on commercial queries. Directional only.
Fix: check buyer questions on each engine.
Google started rolling out the November 2026 core update yesterday (10 Nov). It takes about two weeks. Google calls it a regular update to surface relevant, satisfying content from all types of sites.
Before you change anything, save today's numbers as your before.
Before you pay for a spot above the AI answer, check whether you're already in it.
Surfaceable's free plan: an SEO audit plus a scan across ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity and Grok, showing where AI skips your brand and what to fix. No card.
https://t.co/703YririRN
Building in public: no posts went out from this account on Sunday or Monday. Our scheduler missed both days. Back to five a day from today.
Last Friday and Saturday: 7 posts, 99 views. The two best were free-scan offers at 28 and 24. Followers: 7.
10-minute Business Profile check. Google may be auto-adding booking links to some profiles, and some hit a 500 error (SER, 9 Nov).
1. Search your business name
2. Look for a Book button
3. Tap it on mobile
4. Error or not your booking page? Raise it with Business Profile support
SparkToro and Gumshoe ran 2,961 AI responses: the same brand list came back in fewer than 1 in 100 runs (Jan 2026).
So one screenshot of ChatGPT naming or skipping you proves little.
Fix: run each buyer question several times per engine and track how often you're named.
Bing now shows ads at the top of its AI Mode results (formerly Copilot Search): search ads and shopping ads, above the answer (SER, 9 Nov).
Paid space is moving above the AI answer. The unpaid spot is being named inside it.
Ask your top buyer question. Note who gets named.