You may have seen recent headlines about the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) investigating Google Search. Here’s what’s happening and why it matters — even before anything officially changes.
The Basics
- Google controls over 90% of the UK’s search market.
- The CMA is reviewing whether that dominance limits competition and choice.
- No decisions have been made yet — a final ruling is expected in October 2025.
- Proposed changes include:
- Giving users more choice over their default search engine.
- Giving businesses and publishers more control over how their content appears in Google’s results (and in AI-generated answers).
What Google Said
Google has responded, saying the suggested changes could impact the way UK businesses use their services, including advertising and search visibility. They’re working with the CMA but have raised concerns about possible “unintended consequences.”
What This Means for You (Even Now)
While the outcome won’t be final until October, here are a few early implications:
- Search Traffic May Diversify
If users are given more choice, we may start to see more people using Bing, DuckDuckGo, or other engines — especially if changes happen in browsers or devices.
✅ We’ll be monitoring performance across all major search engines, not just Google.
- AI Search May Evolve
The CMA is also looking into how AI tools like Google’s “AI Overviews” use website content. This could lead to more transparency and possibly more click-through opportunities for your content.
✅ We’ll adjust content strategies to optimise both for visibility in AI results and for driving real clicks.
- Ad Budgets Could Be Affected
If the CMA introduces rules that open up the ad market, advertising costs (like cost-per-click) might shift — potentially lowering ad spend over time.
✅ We’ll continue to evaluate your ad spend efficiency and explore any emerging platforms.
What’s Next?
We’re watching the situation closely. If major changes are confirmed in October, we’ll provide clear guidance on any action needed — but for now, this is a proactive heads-up.
If you have questions about how this might affect your SEO or advertising strategy, feel free to reach out.
