The Competition and Markets Authority has introduced two new conduct requirements for Google Search in the UK, aimed at making search rankings fairer for businesses and giving users more control over their search data.
For small firms, the announcement matters because search visibility is still one of the main routes to new customers. A local retailer, trades business, restaurant, consultancy or online seller can feel the impact quickly when ranking signals change, when AI-generated answers alter how results are displayed, or when there is no clear route to challenge a sudden drop in visibility.
The CMA said the first requirement is about fairness and transparency in search rankings, including Google Search features such as AI Overviews. The second puts Google’s existing search data portability tool on a legal footing, so users can share search data with authorised third parties such as rewards services or businesses offering personalised deals.
What has changed?
The new fair-ranking requirement is designed to give businesses more confidence that they are being treated fairly in Google’s general search services. The CMA said businesses had raised concerns that current ranking practices were not fair or transparent enough, that changes could happen without sufficient notice, and that affected firms did not always have effective ways to raise concerns.
That is especially relevant as search changes shape. AI Overviews and other AI-led search features can reduce the number of traditional blue-link results users see first, change which sources are surfaced, and alter how customers move from a query to a purchase or enquiry.
The CMA’s action follows its earlier June requirement giving publishers more control over whether their content is used to power Google’s AI search features. This latest step is broader for businesses that depend on search discovery, not only publishers.
Why SMEs should care
Many small businesses do not have the marketing budget to smooth over sudden changes in organic traffic. If search results become less predictable, the effects can show up as fewer calls, fewer booking requests, weaker ecommerce sales or more dependence on paid advertising.
The CMA’s move does not mean every small firm will see an immediate ranking improvement. It does mean Google will face clearer UK rules around fair ranking and routes for businesses to raise concerns. For SMEs that rely on search, that is worth tracking because it may affect how ranking changes are explained, how disputes are handled, and how AI-led search results develop.
There is also a possible opportunity around data portability. If customers can share search data more easily with authorised services, new comparison, loyalty, discount or recommendation tools may emerge. That could create fresh marketing channels for independent firms, though the detail will depend on how those services develop and how comfortable customers are with sharing data.
What to check now
Small firms should use this as a prompt to review how exposed they are to any single source of digital traffic. Check where enquiries and sales actually come from, not just where the business assumes they come from. If Google Search is a major channel, make sure Search Console, analytics, call tracking and ecommerce reporting are set up well enough to spot changes quickly.
It is also worth documenting important search changes as they happen. Keep a simple note of dates, visible ranking shifts, site updates, major Google changes and the business impact. If clearer complaint or concern routes become available, having a timeline will make it easier to explain the issue.
For firms already tightening up digital processes, this sits alongside wider operational resilience. The same mindset that helps with payment disruption and systems risk also applies to marketing channels: know the dependency, measure the impact, and have a fallback. BritishSME has previously covered why small firms should think about operational resilience when digital services fail.
The practical takeaway
The CMA’s announcement is not a reason to rewrite a website overnight. It is a reason to pay closer attention to search visibility, AI search changes and the routes available when something looks unfair or unexplained.
For small businesses, the safest response is practical: keep website information accurate, maintain useful local and product pages, avoid relying on one channel, and track performance closely enough to know when a search change is affecting real revenue. The rules are aimed at Google, but the firms most likely to benefit are the ones that can see and explain what is happening to their own customer pipeline.
Source: Competition and Markets Authority.
