#search-visibility

#search-visibility

Google is losing one of its main sources of information for its Knowledge Graph, the CIA World Factbook. This was a reference resource produced by the Central Intelligence Agency between 1962 and 2026 with almanac-style information about the countries of the world. Glenn Gabe posted about this on X, and noted that The CIA World Factbook is sunsetting. On February 4, 2026, the CIA announced that The World Factbook was discontinued.

Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today, through the eyes of the Search Engine Roundtable and other search forums on the web. OpenAI's ChatGPT ads go live with user ad controls. We are also seeing the start of more Google ranking volatility. Google is testing citation icons at the bottom of the AI Mode results. Google Ads PMax A/B testing is rolling out.

The rules of online visibility have changed. For decades, digital commerce strategy rested on a relatively stable bargain: brands optimized for ranking and bids, Google surfaced links and ads and consumers clicked through to evaluate options. That model is being rewritten with a new gatekeeper standing between brands and customers. Artificial intelligence has become an intermediary in search that increasingly answers questions, frames comparisons and influences decisions before users ever reach a brand's site.

Consumers are using social media platforms like Instagram to search for new products and services. Forbes research found that 24% of people primarily use social media to search online (versus traditional methods like Google search). Furthermore, 44% of Gen Z actively discover new brands on social media every day. Your ideal customers are likely already searching for businesses like yours on Instagram. Show up where they are to give your small business the best chance to be discovered.

For cannabis dispensaries and brands, visibility is everything. In a crowded market where thousands of businesses compete for attention, many owners turn to traditional PR agencies hoping to secure headlines, boost their reputation, and drive traffic. What they don't realize until it's too late is that much of the PR industry is designed to bleed budgets dry while delivering little more than vanity press mentions and fleeting hype.

Starting on 7/6 I'm seeing a number of sites impacted by the September HCU(X) surge. It's early and they are not back to where they were... but a number of them are surging which is great to see.