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The SMX Master Classes kick off today! Don’t be left behind.

Written on August 21, 2024 at 8:16 am, by admin

Ah, 2024. Just another quiet, uneventful year.

Not?!

Between endless algorithm updates and ad type rollouts, AI Overviews rewriting SERP anatomy, Google’s content quality guidelines evolving at breakneck pace… what’s a search marketer to do?

Keep calm, and carry on!

Or, in other words, attend the SMX Master Classes, online August 21-22 (today and tomorrow!), to sharpen your skills, expand professional horizons, and meet these challenges head-on.

These live, two-day training workshops dive deep into your search marketing specialty and deliver actionable tactics you can implement immediately to move forward with confidence. Check out the complete summer 2024 lineup:

At just $299 each, the SMX Master Classes pack a ton of value:

Since 2022, more than 2,000 search marketers have trusted the SMX Master Classes to take their SEO, PPC, and AI skills to the next level. Now, it’s your turn. Secure your spot today!

Psst… Attend with your crew for a unique team-building experience – and score up to 20% off* with group discounts, depending on your party size. Email reg@thirddoormedia.atlassian.net to learn more! 

*Discounts cannot be combined.

Courtesy of Search Engine Land: News & Info About SEO, PPC, SEM, Search Engines & Search Marketing




How to get faster SEO results

Written on August 20, 2024 at 5:16 am, by admin

How to get faster SEO results

Many SEO professionals have been asked by managers or clients, “How long does SEO take?”

Usually, the answer is “Somewhere between 4-12 months.” In some cases, it can take as long as 24 months to see a significant return on investment. 

This article discusses ways to get SEO results faster through what the late and great Hamlet Batista called “agile SEO.” 

The need for speed

Businesses want returns on their marketing investment sooner rather than later, especially given ongoing supply chain issues, a looming economic downturn and increased labor costs.

Getting results faster than others gives you a competitive edge whether you do SEO in-house or as an agency partner. 

Stop doing checklist SEO

One common mistake SEOs make is practicing “checklist SEO.”

This method assumes that to have a well-optimized site, you must check all the boxes in an exhaustive list of best practices and site diagnostics. It also implies that all sites need the same work, which is often untrue. 

Checklist SEO is generally not a great approach to SEO. You always need to consider the varying impact and difficulty of each box you’re seeking to check off so that you can prioritize effectively.

Instead of checklist SEO, use the SEO Eisenhower grid

The SEO Impact Eisenhower grid is something our agency developed to prioritize client SEO tactics and efforts based on their expected difficulty and impact. Focusing on work that has proven to be impactful is critical for accelerating client growth.

Make your own SEO Impact Eisenhower grid to better understand what work you should focus on.

The grid consists of four quadrants:

What items would you place in the top left and right (high impact)?

What items would you place on the bottom (low impact)?

Look at the bottom and ask, do we even need to do all of these things in the first 3-6 months of this campaign? 

You should plan to examine all opportunities over a year or so, but focusing on high-impact items first will help you achieve faster SEO results.

In this exercise, the aim is to identify those high-impact, lower-effort items and address those first.

Add any ideas you come up with that may be helpful, even if they are higher effort or lower impact, but consider saving them for later on in your SEO campaign. 

SEO Impact Eisenhower grid

Many SEOs start with an exhaustive technical and full site audit. While this sounds like a good plan, it may not be the best approach in most situations.

Many smaller sites built on Shopify, WordPress or other common CMS platforms have a limited number of technical issues. Their issues are often the same and can be identified and addressed without a full audit. 

Sometimes the things we find in technical audits are “nice to haves” and align with best practices but are often difficult to implement and may not have a measurable impact on every website. 

Technical SEO is critical for larger websites and some smaller sites. However, it’s rarely the first thing you should focus on. The exception is when there are indexing or crawl ability issues that would prevent on-page optimization or new content creation from being impactful.

Often, the more technical recommendations that require development time aren’t implemented or sit in a queue for months.

I’m not saying that technical audits are worthless. Quite the contrary.

You should absolutely do that type of work on any site you are trying to help grow. But always start with low-effort, high-impact initiatives.

For example, unless the site is not being crawled at all or is set to noindex, you’d probably get more lift out of doing keyword research, title and meta optimizations and creating new content than you would out of working on fixing a bunch of tech debt like old redirected internal links or optimizing page speed.

Why do so many SEOs start there?

The graphic below exemplifies what we have listed in our SEO Impact Grid based on the deliverables we execute at our agency. These are examples of tactics and their relative effort and impact. These are meant to serve as examples and may differ for every site or industry.

SEO Impact Grid based on agency deliverables

In this example, I was also thinking of what we know to be a direct ranking factor through our own experience or what Google stated is a confirmed ranking factor. Sometimes, that also means critically examining what Google has said about various factors.

For example, Core Web Vitals as a ranking signal. Google beat their drum about this like it would shake up the SERPs in a big way, but the impact has not been that large. Algo-watchers like Glenn Gabe have some interesting data on the true impact. 

Now that the Page Experience Update for desktop is complete, here is some data that supports a very lightweight ranking signal. Let's start with a site that has terrible desktop CWV scores. No change in trending at all during the rollout. pic.twitter.com/5L0AhX4frc

— Glenn Gabe (@glenngabe) March 3, 2022

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Implement SEO campaigns faster

One of the other places I see SEOs stumble is not creating the recommendations but implementing them on the website. 

We recently published a guide to SEO implementation, which provides a framework for presenting and tracking implementations. If you have already collected your recommendations, check out that guide on implementing them. 

Whether your SEO strategies are high or low effort on the impact grid, they will only be impactful if you can implement the recommendations – which requires team buy-in, developer support or a powerful SEO implementation tool.

Use agile SEO tools to implement optimizations on your own

Pioneers like Baptista and even Stephan Spencer have been using tools and tech to modify clients’ sites without needing dev support for a long time. Since those days, many tools have come to market that enable SEOs to implement SEO changes either on the edge of the cloud or in the DOM. 

Tools you can use to implement SEO changes:

Do agile technical auditing

In the world of web/app development, there are two models for how teams work: waterfall and agile. The Agile methodology is built around sprints. In SEO, we have traditionally worked more in a waterfall approach, where a bunch of recommendations are dumped on a client or dev team’s desk while we move on to other audits or optimizations. 

The waterfall approach may be simpler than Agile, but it sacrifices the ability to prioritize high-impact changes. Try a more agile approach, where you constantly crawl and identify key priority fixes. 

Screaming Frog’s Issues tab is a great place to source a list of prioritized recommendations. Try working through just one or two of these per sprint with your clients. Thinking back to the impact grid, technical SEO doesn’t have to be monumental if you take an Agile approach that tackles one step at a time. 

At our agency, we have started working with many clients in this way: focusing on just one key task or implementation from our audits. We provide project management and implementation support for that one task, then move on to the next. 

Initiative-based reporting

Once you have gotten your client or in-house team to implement something, your job is to turn into a cheerleader. 

Create a mini case study of what you implemented and the impact that you saw. This helps rally teams to implement similar changes but also motivates them to implement your other recommendations. 

When internal stakeholders or client teams can see the impact of your individual recommendations, something magical happens. They become excited to implement more of them. The time it takes to implement changes diminishes, and your impact grows over time. 

If your compelling data-filled story doesn’t help with implementation, you can always use the implementation tools we mentioned above to get them done. 

Do SEO testing

SEO testing was previously reserved for enterprise organizations like eBay, which could invest in their own custom solutions. However, with the growth of cloud-based hosting or content delivery network (CDN) solutions like CloudFlare, new solutions like RankSense and Search Pilot came to fruition. These platforms enable you to implement and test SEO changes. 

SEO testing helps you get SEO results faster by showing you exactly what changes will have a positive impact vs. those that may not or may even have a damaging impact. Knowing what changes will yield positive results before using developer or team resources to implement them can help you avoid wasted time and get to results faster than stabbing in the dark. 

Accelerating your SEO efforts

We all know that SEO takes time. However, that doesn’t mean you or your clients need to wait months for anything meaningful to happen. 

SEO testing, tools for implementation and a strong understanding of the most impactful work are critical components of an agile SEO strategy that gets results. With the above framework for pushing on low-hanging fruit first and bigger wins later, you’ll be well-positioned to get SEO results faster than ever before. 

Courtesy of Search Engine Land: News & Info About SEO, PPC, SEM, Search Engines & Search Marketing




Google apologizes to advertisers for major Shopping Ads glitch

Written on August 20, 2024 at 5:16 am, by admin

Google Ads experienced a significant system glitch affecting its Shopping product serving late last month.

Google comms. Google reached out to advertisers today about the issue and what they have done about the issue. Hana Kobzová shared the email she received:

Several advertisers aren’t happy with Google’s response.

Lack of transparency and timeliness. Many industry professionals have criticized Google for its delayed and opaque response to the issue.

Mike Ryan, Head of Ecommerce and a prominent voice in the digital advertising space, pointed out the use of euphemistic language in Google’s communications, such as referring to the incident as a “system issue.”

He is also displeased with the language used:

Melissa Mackey, Director of Paid Search, a veteran with 22 years of experience in paid search, described the glitch as “one of the craziest things” she’s ever encountered in her career, emphasizing the bizarreness of the situation and the insufficient explanation provided.

Brett Bodofsky highlighted the initial lack of formal communication when the issue first arose, noting that while Ginny Marvin (Google’s Ads Liaison) provided updates via social media, more immediate and official communications would have been beneficial.

Inconsistent messaging on compensation. The handling of compensation for affected advertisers has also been a point of contention.

Chris Ridley, Head of Paid Media, pointed out the lack of a clear timeline for issuing credits, with Google repeatedly stating they would be provided in “coming weeks” for over two weeks.

Adding to the confusion, Hana Kobzová, PPC Specialist, noted inconsistencies in the emails sent to different advertisers. While some received notifications about forthcoming credits, others impacted by the issue did not receive any mention of compensation, leading to further uncertainty and frustration.

Dids Reeve

Calls for detailed impact reports. Several advertisers have expressed a desire for more comprehensive information about the incident’s impact on their accounts.

McKenzie Davis, Senior SEM specialist, emphasized the need for “timely and transparent communication,” suggesting that Google should provide detailed reports outlining the percentage of spend, clicks, and impressions that went toward products from other Google Merchant Center accounts. Davis also noted:

James Foster Senior Paid Media Manager, echoed this sentiment, calling for “more information about the impact this had to my ad account, the data that other advertisers were able to see, and how much ad spend went through my account that was for other businesses/my competitors.”

Security and trust concerns. Odi Caspi, Founder and Digital Marketing specialist, raised concerns about the potential breach of confidentiality, noting that the glitch exposed data that should have been protected behind passwords and two-factor authentication.

Moving forward. As the dust settles on this unprecedented glitch, the advertising community is calling for Google to:

This incident has underscored the critical importance of clear, timely and transparent communication from ad platforms, especially in crisis situations. As Google continue to be in the limelight for all the wrong reasons, maintaining trust between platforms and advertisers will be crucial for the industry’s continued growth and success.

Courtesy of Search Engine Land: News & Info About SEO, PPC, SEM, Search Engines & Search Marketing




Google Ads removes Audience Recommendations

Written on August 20, 2024 at 5:16 am, by admin

Google Ads officially eliminated the audience recommendations feature from the Insights tab, a move that removes automated suggestions for targeting specific audiences.

Why we care. The removal of audience recommendations from Google Ads’ Insights tab forces advertisers to take a more hands-on approach to audience targeting.

Impact on advertisers. Advertisers will need to manually identify and select audience segments, potentially increasing the time and effort required to optimize campaigns.

Reason for change. Google has not provided a specific reason for the removal, but the shift suggests a move towards more user-driven strategies and customization in audience targeting.

What it means:

What they are saying.

Search Engine Land contributor Melissa Mackey, director of paid search at Compound Growth Marketing, noted the significant disadvantage of this update on X:

Google hasn’t yet commented on this update.

Courtesy of Search Engine Land: News & Info About SEO, PPC, SEM, Search Engines & Search Marketing




Google August 2024 core update: What we’re seeing so far

Written on August 20, 2024 at 5:16 am, by admin

Google unleashed the much-anticipated August 2024 core update Thursday morning. Less than 24 hours later, Google Search confirmed a ranking bug, which is still ongoing.

This means Google Search is volatile right now. And many SEOs and publishers have been documenting some of what they’ve seen since the August core update rollout started.

Caveats. It’s important to note the following, which can impact your Google organic search traffic:

What we’re seeing. In short, most are seeing nothing. This is common.

But, for the first time, we are seeing some signs of life for sites that were negatively impacted by the September 2023 helpful content update.

To be clear: Those sites did not “recover” and are nowhere near where they were prior to the September 2023 helpful content update. However, some are showing surges in Google Search ranking and visibility.

I documented a lot of the more detailed chatter within the SEO industry on Search Engine Roundtable.

Glenn Gabe, an SEO consultant, has been tracking a few hundred sites negatively impacted by the helpful content update. Gabe wrote that 47 of those sites are seeing some small signs of life – some surges in visibility:

House Fresh and Retro Dodo. These two sites received a lot of media attention following their Google ranking issues. Both reported some fluctuations – not full recoveries – in the last few days. Here are those posts:

Hey! Sorry, this update caught me while on vacation ????

We are receiving visitors to some of our former top traffic pages. Here you can see yesterday VS 28 days ago: pic.twitter.com/38PBMTZYnR

— Gisele Navarro (@ichbinGisele) August 17, 2024

I can confirm that I am seeing lots of fluctuations. I'm not sure what this means yet, but my fingers are crossed. Reddit is still dominating absolutely everything.

— Brandon Saltalamacchia (@iambrandonsalt) August 16, 2024

Why we care. We’re only a few days into a month-long rollout of the August core update while a search ranking bug is ongoing, so it’s hard to know whether sites will continue to improve and what’s causing this movement. Their traffic could keep improving – but it could also get worse in the coming days.

We don’t know which way this update is headed. But we will continue to watch and report back what we find. We hope you all find success and improvements with this Google algorithm update.

Courtesy of Search Engine Land: News & Info About SEO, PPC, SEM, Search Engines & Search Marketing




Interactive CTV ads boost engagement, fall short on purchases

Written on August 16, 2024 at 8:07 pm, by admin

A new study reveals the promise and limitations of interactive TV advertising. The key findings:

Why it matters. As CTV ad spend is projected to reach $33 billion by 2025, interactive formats could become a major player in the space.

By the numbers:

Why we care. While not yet driving direct sales, interactive CTV ads offer a wealth of benefits that can significantly impact brand awareness, consumer understanding and overall marketing effectiveness.

What they’re saying:

The big picture. Interactive CTV ads represent a shift from passive viewing to active engagement, offering new opportunities for brands to connect with audiences.

What to watch. Development of add-to-cart functionality and potential for direct purchasing through streaming accounts.

Courtesy of Search Engine Land: News & Info About SEO, PPC, SEM, Search Engines & Search Marketing




Could your marketing automation be doing more? by Edna Chavira

Written on August 16, 2024 at 8:07 pm, by admin

MarTech live event

Mtc 1920x1080 Live Event A1

Many businesses found early success with marketing automation platforms. But as marketing needs evolve, a question arises: Is it time for a change?

Join us for Stuck on Autopilot? Upgrade Your Marketing Automation where we’ll explore:

Don’t let outdated technology hold you back! Sign up today to learn how to future-proof your marketing automation and unlock new opportunities.

Courtesy of Search Engine Land: News & Info About SEO, PPC, SEM, Search Engines & Search Marketing




Publishers report ‘negligible’ traffic impact of Google AI Overviews

Written on August 15, 2024 at 5:06 pm, by admin

Two large publishers – Dotdash Meredith and Ziff Davis – say Google AI Overviews haven’t significantly impacted their traffic.

What Dotdash Meredith is saying. Here’s what the IAC (owner of Dotash) wrote its Q2 2024 shareholder letter:

What Ziff Davis is saying. Here’s what Ziff Davis CEO Vivek Shah said on the company’s earnings call:

But. While this all makes sense, it’s important to remember that the rollout of Google AI Overviews has been fairly limited and volatile so far. Overall, AI Overviews appeared for 7% of queries, as of the end of July, according to BrightEdge research. The presence of AI Overviews peaked at 15% in May.

While Ziff Davis may not see AI Overviews as a “significant change” to Google’s search experience, I would add the word “yet” to the end of that sentence. Because Google has clearly stated search is evolving toward AI Overviews.

Why we care. Generative AI has just begun reshaping search and AI will continue to do so over the next decade. Granted, these two reports form a line, not a trend. But AI Overviews (and Search Generative Experience before it) caused a lot of anxiety for SEOs, publishers and content creators. So it’s helpful to get some insight into how publishers are being impacted in these early days of AI Overviews.

Courtesy of Search Engine Land: News & Info About SEO, PPC, SEM, Search Engines & Search Marketing




Google Ads API v15 to sunset Sept. 25

Written on August 15, 2024 at 5:06 pm, by admin

GPT-4 or Google Cloud’s API library- What should you choose for SEO task automation

Google announced the upcoming sunset of Google Ads API version 15, urging developers to migrate to newer versions to maintain uninterrupted API access.

Why we care. Failure to upgrade could result in API requests failing, potentially disrupting advertising operations for businesses.

Key details:

How to prepare:

Between the lines. Regular API version sunsets are part of Google’s strategy to maintain up-to-date and secure systems while encouraging developers to adopt newer features and improvements.

What’s next. Developers should prioritize migration efforts to ensure smooth transitions before the September deadline.

Bottom line. Proactive migration is crucial to avoid potential disruptions in Google Ads API functionality.

Courtesy of Search Engine Land: News & Info About SEO, PPC, SEM, Search Engines & Search Marketing




Google AI Overviews now show for signed-out users in the US

Written on August 15, 2024 at 5:06 pm, by admin

Google AI Overviews will now appear for all users in the United States, even if they are not signed into their Google account. Google has confirmed with Search Engine Land that AI Overviews are available for signed-out users in the US after we noticed Google testing it this morning.

What it looks like. I just conducted a search while not signed into Google using Chrome and Google showed me an AI Overview at the top of the search results.

Here is a screenshot:

More details. As a reminder, Google launched AI Overviews to US searchers back in May, after the Google I/O event.

Today, Google expanded AI Overviews to six new countries, added new links to the AI Overviews and added new Search Labs experimental tests for AI Overviews.

Jon Henshaw posted on LinkedIn yesterday he was seeing these while signed out, so I dug in and Google confirmed, it is 100% rolled out to all US searchers. I should note, I personally do not see AI Overviews when searching logged in to my Google Workspace account but Google did tell me that Workspace accounts can see AI Overviews.

Why we care. As more and more searchers see AI Overviews, it might lead to different click behavior from the Google Search results. Google touts how AI Overviews should lead to more traffic to publishers, but publishers have good reason to be doubtful of such statements, especially since Google is not showing publishers distinct impression and click data from Search Console on AI Overviews.

This also means that SEO tools will be able to better track these AI Overviews, as Lily Ray pointed out. Mark Traphagen from seoClarity also confirmed that his toolset is seeing AI Overviews in incognito mode.

AI Overviews seem to be here for the foreseeable future and it is our job to ensure publishers and content creators get traffic from Google Search, even with AI Overviews being found at the top of those results.

Courtesy of Search Engine Land: News & Info About SEO, PPC, SEM, Search Engines & Search Marketing