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Search digestMay 2026

Google published generative-AI search guidance, retired FAQ rich results, and expanded preferred sources into AI surfaces.

Issue 62 min read2 primary sources

May changed the documentation around generative-search work and retired one familiar enhanced-result surface. The sensible response is to improve source material and measurement discipline, while removing plans that depend on FAQ rich-result display.

Product change

Google published generative-AI search guidance

On May 15 Google published a resource for optimizing content for generative AI features in Search. It emphasized valuable, unique and non-commodity content, plus local, shopping, image and video content; it also addressed common AEO/GEO misconceptions and early AI-agent guidance. Google framed established SEO practices as foundational rather than replaced. The guide is useful for prioritising content quality and factual clarity, not as a recipe for guaranteed inclusion in an AI feature.

Treat the new guidance as a content-quality and accessibility checklist. Do not turn it into a claim that a page will be cited or shown in an AI answer.

Product change

Google deprecated FAQ rich results

Google’s May changelog entry said FAQ rich results would no longer appear in Google Search starting May 7. The FAQ rich-result documentation was removed in June. This affects the search-result presentation, not the value of a well-structured FAQ for a reader. Keep questions only where they answer real, visible user needs; do not maintain FAQ markup solely for a discontinued visual result.

Helpful questions can remain on a page even after Google retires the FAQ rich-result presentation.

Product change

Preferred sources began rolling into AI Mode and AI Overviews

On May 27 Google’s changelog said preferred sources was available in AI Mode and AI Overviews, and clarified that spam policies apply to generative AI responses in Google Search. This does not introduce a separate publisher shortcut. A durable site response is to maintain accurate, original public information and avoid tactics that would breach policy in ordinary Search simply because the surface is generative.

KeepRetire
Reader-facing FAQ answers with real supportPlans that promise FAQ rich-result visibility.
Original, well-attributed source materialAutomated commodity pages designed only to be cited.
Search Console and page-level implementation checksA single AEO/GEO score as a success measure.

Action

What to check on your own site

  • Find pages whose FAQ schema exists only to seek a rich result; keep or remove it based on visible reader value.
  • Check that FAQs, product details and local information match the rendered page and source data.
  • Review AI-search proposals against ordinary spam policies and helpful-content criteria.
  • Record AI-feature availability and citation observations separately from traffic and ranking metrics.

Sources