Yoast

Where is WordPress heading in 2026? On March 12, the WP:26 Virtual Conference by Human Made will bring together industry experts to discuss the biggest shifts shaping the WordPress ecosystem, from hybrid CMS architectures to the growing impact of AI on content and discovery. We’re excited to share that Alex Moss, Principal SEO at Yoast, will be part of the speaker lineup. In his session, Alex will explore how GEO and AI are transforming content discovery and what this means for the future of search. The event is fully online and free to attend, so anyone interested in the future of WordPress can join the conversation. If you'd like to learn more or register, check out the event here: https://lnkd.in/eDe2QRzN #YoastSEO #WordPress #SEO #AI #ContentDiscovery #Yoast

We’re excited to share that Carolyn Shelby, Principal SEO at Yoast, will be the opening keynote speaker at SMX Munich 2026 🇩🇪 On March 10–11, 2026, Carolyn will take the stage with her session, “Inside Google’s head: why you need a new SEO strategy.” She’ll explain how Google now interprets and evaluates content in an AI-driven search landscape, breaking down what still matters for rankings and how to align your SEO foundations with how Google, and modern language models, actually understand information. If you’re attending SMX Munich, don’t miss the chance to see Carolyn live. If you want to learn more, check here: https://lnkd.in/gWuYg5UK #Yoast #YoastSEO #SMX #SMXMunich #SEO #SearchMarketing #SEOCommunity #DigitalMarketing

New: Schema Aggregation in Yoast WordPress products 🚀 Stay visible as AI reshapes search. Schema Aggregation makes your existing Yoast schema graph usable for AI systems, providing the structured context needed to accurately interpret and represent your content. Search results are evolving into direct answers, and AI systems decide what gets cited, and what gets left out. If a site’s structure isn’t understood, its content won’t be represented correctly. With Schema Aggregation: ✔ Become AI-ready using your existing setup ✔ Keep full control, only public, indexable content is shared ✔ Maintain visibility as discovery shifts As AI transforms search, Yoast helps your website remain part of the conversation. Dive into the full blog: https://lnkd.in/ePbhubQB #Yoast #StructuredData #Schema #WordPress #SEOCommunity

🚨 The Latest in SEO & AI Search Updates from Today's #SEOFOMO [March 1st, 2026] * February 2026 Google Discover Core Update Is Done Rolling Out After 3 Weeks The goal of the update was to show more locally relevant content, reduce sensational and clickbait-style material, and provide more in-depth, original, and timely reporting. John Shehata has already developed an initial analysis, which is a highly recommended read. * Google's contextual overlay, pop-up link cards are now live in AI Mode Coincidentally, Bing is also testing a new UI for AI Responses with new links and references. Also, almost at the same time, Tom Critchlow spotted that sidebar links within AI Mode are not passing any referrer. John Mueller has replied saying he's passing a note about it. * Google Won't Use Sitemap Files If Its Not Convinced Of New/Important Content John Mueller said that if Google is not convinced that there is new and important content to index on your site, then it won't use the sitemap file. Just because you have a sitemap, it does not mean Google will index all the pages in that file. * How to use embeddings to map hreflang tags at scale Gus explains how to collect embeddings with Screaming Frog and use the Hreflang Finder Google Colab Notebook to map hreflangs tags at scale. * Agentic Commerce Optimization: A Technical Guide To Prepare For Google’s UCP UCP expands commerce beyond checkout into discovery, loyalty, and post-purchase support, redefining how brands compete for AI-mediated selection. Alex goes through it. * What are Google's Preferred Sources? Google’s Preferred Sources feature is a shift toward personalization on search, but it can help publishers build audience loyalty. Jessie and Shelby share what else to know. * The real risk of AI-generated content Tomek goes through how AI content sites lose visibility, shares important considerations while creating AI content, and explains how to use AI content safely. * The Bing AI Index Gap: How AI is Citing Not Index Pages [Study] Adam conducted a study using the new AI Performance report in Bing Webmaster Tools to determine why pages might appear in Bing but not in Google. “98% of the cited pages in Bing AI Answers are Not Indexed in Google because of page quality issues” + Much more! Including jobs, events, tools.... Featuring SEOs like Lazarina Stoy, Tomek Rudzki, Georgie Kemp, Metehan Yeşilyurt, Will Critchlow, Alex Moss, Jessie Willms, Shelby Blackley, MJ Cachón Yáñez, Clara Soteras Acosta, Gus Pelogia, and more! Read more in comments 👇

Search engines are expanding AI reporting and website controls. In this short snippet from th SEO Update by Yoast, Carolyn Shelby and Alex Moss discuss Bing’s AI citation reporting, Google’s AI access controls, and what it means for your visibility. The takeaway? Monitor your AI citation reports, review your access settings, and remember: the end game is the synthesized answer to the user. The SEO Update by Yoast happens every month, where our Principal SEOs unpack the latest SEO news, algorithm shifts, and industry developments, so you can focus on what actually moves the needle. Want the full context and discussion? Watch the complete recording here: https://lnkd.in/etDy-drZ #Yoast #SEOUpdate #SEO #AI #SearchMarketing

Meet our latest Yoast Care Fund recipient: Muhammad Yeasin 💜 🇧🇩 Muhammad is a dedicated contributor to the WordPress community, whose journey started with translations during the pandemic in 2020. Since then, he has translated thousands of strings, organised and volunteered at multiple WordCamps, supported the Dhaka WordPress Meetup, joined the Make WordPress Accessible Team, and continues to help others grow within the ecosystem. Even during personal challenges, Muhammad stayed committed to giving back, always humble, always community-first. We’re incredibly grateful for your contributions and proud to support your journey, Muhammad ✨ 👉 Read Muhammad’s story here: https://lnkd.in/epCsegpP #Yoast #YoastCareFund #WordPressCommunity #OpenSource #WordPress

We’re back with another SEO Update by Yoast 👋 On February 24 at 4 PM CET / 10 AM EST, Carolyn Shelby and Alex Moss will walk you through the latest SEO news, algorithm shifts, and industry developments shaping search right now. Search is changing fast. This session helps you focus on what actually moves the needle. 👉 Register now and join us live. #SEOUpdateByYoast #YoastSEO #SEO #SEOForEveryone #SEOTips