SEO Tools and Resources

Grappling with innovation and changing consumer attitudes is second nature to marketers, who have already lived through many technological shifts over the past two decades. But forecasting where things are going is especially hard when it comes to modern AI, which has such unusual, non-deterministic properties. You can’t just extrapolate from the state of AI today to understand where AI is going to be in five years (or one…); during this sort of a platform shift, you need to take a deeper first-principles look. Some things won’t change. Consumers will always want products, services and experiences that resonate and meet their needs. Marketers will always want easier, …

Google reduced the minimum audience size requirement for customer match lists in Search campaigns from 1,000 to just 100 users — a significant update for small and midsize businesses. The big picture. This update makes precision targeting more accessible to SMBs, who often struggle to meet high list-size minimums. According to Google’s documentation, the new threshold applies only to customer match lists — not to remarketing lists or other audience types. It also mirrors YouTube’s recent customer list minimums, signaling a broader push for consistency across Google’s platforms. Why we care. Previously, advertisers needed at least 1,000 users to qualify a c…

Google search impressions are up 49% year-over-year, but click-through rates (CTR) are down 30%, according to new data from BrightEdge. For that, all credit goes to AI Overviews, Google’s AI-generated summaries that launched one year ago. Why we care. Google’s AI Overviews have impacted SEO in a big way. For so long, the focus has been on rankings, which generally tended to drive traffic that could then be monetized. Today, we’re forced to focus on reach – visibility in AI Overviews – even though there is no guarantee you’ll get a click or that your content will be properly credited if you get cited by AI. By the numbers. Here are some additional findings about ho…

Google’s YouTube Insights Finder tool, launched to help advertisers understand intent-based audience insights, is now available in over 20 markets worldwide. How it works: Explore interests and trends: Find out what your audience is searching for and interested in. Discover top creators: Identify trending creators by topic, category, or audience segment. Measure engagement: Access detailed metrics on viewer engagement and content preferences. Understand device usage: Analyze how audiences watch across devices, including Connected TV. Why we care. The tool taps into YouTube’s trove of viewing behavior and trending topics, helping you tailor c…

Google is launching Marketing Advisor, as announced today at Google Marketing Live 2025. Marketing Advisor is a new AI-powered assistant that lives directly in the Chrome browser and is designed to help advertisers manage marketing tasks across Google platforms and beyond. Driving the news. Marketing Advisor is an AI agent that marketers can install as a Chrome side panel. Once connected to a user’s Google account and Ads campaigns, it tailors insights and support based on their goals. It offers step-by-step guidance on the websites and tools marketers use daily, from campaign dashboards to CMS systems. Unlike traditional chat assistants, it can proactively as…

As search engines continue to evolve, so too must our approach to link building. In 2025, the focus has shifted more than ever toward quality over quantity, prioritizing authoritative, relevant backlinks from trustworthy sources. This article outlines 12 essential dos and don’ts for effective link building, covering the most common pitfalls to avoid and the proven strategies that drive SEO success. Fails: Common link building mistakes to avoid 1. Don’t: Prioritize quantity over quality More is not better. Better is better. Earning numerous low-quality backlinks can harm your site’s credibility and rankings. Google values the quality and relevance of…

Artificial intelligence (AI) plays a central role in how Google determines which ads appear in response to a search and how they are ranked. The company uses a sophisticated machine learning (ML) infrastructure to handle almost every aspect of its Search Ads system — from understanding user queries to ranking ads based on value and engagement. Here’s what we learned from trial exhibits revealed in the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) antitrust case against Google. Two AI pillars: LLMs and LEMs Google’s system relies primarily on two types of AI models: LLMs (Large Language Models) – These are responsible for interpreting user intent and query co…

Google Ads rolled out device targeting options for Performance Max (PMax) campaigns, which gives you granular control that was previously unavailable at the campaign level. The new targeting options appear in PMax campaign settings. You can now include or exclude specific device types You can now gain critical control over which devices see your Performance Max ads, a long-requested feature that allows for more precise campaign management and optimization. Details. The update allows targeting across four distinct device categories: Computers: Desktop or laptop devices with screens larger than 7″ diagonal. Mobile phones: Hand-held devices with phone …

Even when it ranks in Position 1, Mail Online loses over half its clicks when AI Overviews appear in Google’s search results. Calling the click-through rate (CTR) “pretty shocking” Carly Steven, SEO and editorial ecommerce director for the UK newspaper, told the WAN-IFRA World News Media Congress (as reported by PressGazette): “On desktop, when we are ranking number one in organic search, it [clickthrough] effectively is about 13% on desktop and about 20% on mobile. When we are still ranking number one organically but there is an AI Overview present, that drops to less than 5% on desktop and 7% on mobile, so a pretty profound change in clickthrough.” Why we c…

Are you paying too much for branded search ads, even when you’re the only one bidding? A hidden flaw in Google Ads could be driving up your CPCs unnecessarily. You’re not alone. And you’re not imagining it. Join Jenn Paterson and John Beresford from BrandPilot AI for The Hidden Cost of Google Ads: Solving the Uncontested Paid Search Problem where they’ll reveal: Why CPCs are inflated on branded terms—without active competition How this self-bidding trap happens, and what it’s costing you The true scale of wasted spend across paid search accounts How to stop this problem and take back control of your brand budget This is the insight your campaign…

Searchers can now find out who paid for the ads they see, as Google is beginning to roll out its Ads Transparency policy. This update makes ad funding more visible to users. This new label could impact how consumers perceive and trust advertisements. Advertisers now have less ability to obscure financial relationships. What it looks like. Google’s My Ad Center now features a new transparency section labeled Ads funded by. Anthony Higman, CEO of ADSQUIRE, spotted the implementation and shared screenshots on LinkedIn. Why we care. Google’s new Ads funded by labels expose previously hidden agency-client relationships and parent company connection…

Search marketers know that visibility doesn’t always equal traffic—and with Google’s AI Overviews gaining traction, the gap is growing. Users are now getting answers directly in the SERP, often without clicking through. That means your content strategy must evolve to stay relevant. In Building a Smarter Content Strategy in the Age of AI, MoreVisibility breaks down how marketers can adapt for a zero-click future, use AI as a strategic tool (not just for content creation), and measure performance beyond CTR. Inside the guide you’ll find: Why traditional SEO tactics aren’t enough in AI-driven SERPs How to make content discoverable—even when users never land on y…

No, you can’t just trust AI to do your SEO work for you. Great SEO requires smart humans. But used strategically, it can be an effective accelerant for great organic growth. In other words, as I recently explained to a client, simply using AI to mass-produce content doesn’t work – but a structured AI-driven workflow does. When I say “work”, I mean: It works for the client by delivering results. It works for me because it helps us operate more efficiently and take on more client work with the same number of employees. Before the process I’m about to lay out, I used to have to hire a team of writers for client content initiatives. Now, I …

You don’t need a site redesign to improve performance. Sometimes, small changes—like a different headline, image, or layout tweak—can have a measurable impact. This free guide offers 26 practical A/B testing ideas that digital marketers can use to boost clicks, signups, sales, and more. You’ll find test examples for: CTA buttons and placement Product detail pages and image choices Homepage layouts and messaging Checkout friction and cart recovery Each idea comes with a brief explanation of why it might work—so you’re not testing blind. Whether you’re in search marketing, ecommerce, or CRO, this is a great resource to help you spot opportunities a…

A strong Google review strategy is one of the most effective – and accessible – ways to boost your local SEO. Unlike other ranking signals that may feel out of reach, reviews are something business owners can actively influence. And their impact is only growing. Google reviews play a major role in map pack rankings, and yet many businesses still underestimate just how much they matter. By consistently earning new, high-quality reviews and keeping the momentum going, you can dramatically improve your local visibility and stay competitive in your market. Learn how to build and manage a Google review strategy that works in 2025 – helping your business grow,…

Grappling with innovation and changing consumer attitudes is second nature to marketers, who have already lived through many technological shifts over the past two decades. But forecasting where things are going is especially hard when it comes to modern AI, which has such unusual, non-deterministic properties. You can’t just extrapolate from the state of AI today to understand where AI is going to be in five years (or one…); during this sort of a platform shift, you need to take a deeper first-principles look. Some things won’t change. Consumers will always want products, services and experiences that resonate and meet their needs. Marketers will always want easier, …

Google is rolling out a new feature in Google Business Profiles named “What’s Happening.” This feature offers restaurants and bars a new way to highlight events, deals, and specials prominently at the top of your Google Business Profile. Google said, “What’s Happening” puts your timely updates, like “Today’s Special” or “Live Music on Saturday,” front and center!” What it looks like. Here is a screenshot of this feature in action: Eglibility. To be eligible to appear in this new space, share What’s Happening at your business via Google Posts or connect your Facebook, Instagram and/ or X profiles to your Google Business Profiles for automatic syncing. …

If you’re still calling it Apple Search Ads, you’re already behind. Earlier this year, Apple dropped the “Search” and rebranded to simply Apple Ads – a move that signals something bigger than a name change. The platform is evolving beyond App Store search, and with that shift, the rules have changed. Tactics that once drove installs and strong ROAS can now drag down performance and waste spend. The upside: for advertisers who adapt, Apple Ads is fast becoming one of the most reliable paid growth engines on iOS. Here’s what’s driving results heading into 2026. Apple Ads’ quiet advantage in the privacy era In the post-ATT world – Apple’s App T…

For years, marketers measured digital success through impressions, backlinks and clicks. If you ranked high in search results and won the click, you had visibility and control of the funnel. But that landscape is already shifting. Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Perplexity are rapidly becoming the first place decision-makers go for answers. These systems don’t return a page of links; they generate a synthesized response. Whether your brand is included, or ignored, in that answer increasingly determines your relevance in the buying journey. This changes the marketer’s playbook. Visibility is no longer only about ranking on Google. It’s…

The U.S. Department of Justice has released several new trial exhibits as part of the ongoing remedies hearing. These exhibits include interviews with two key Google engineers – Pandu Nayak and HJ Kim – which offer insights into Google’s ranking signals and systems, search features, and the future of Google. Key Google search ranking system terminology Nayak defined some key Google terminology and explained Google’s search structure: Document: What Google calls a webpage, or its stored version. Signals: How Google ranks documents that ultimately generate the SERP (search engine results pages). Google talked about using predictive signals from machine lear…

Google started rolling out new image optimization tools for Performance Max (PMax) campaigns. The feature, first announced last month, gives Google’s AI more control over how images appear in your ads. The shift to default-on image enhancements signals deeper AI involvement in creative decisions, potentially affecting ad look, feel, and performance without advertiser awareness. What’s new: Image Enhancements: Google’s AI can now automatically reformat uploaded images, adjusting layout and style to drive better results. Landing Page Images: PMax may pull visuals directly from your website to dynamically populate ad creatives. Between the lines. If y…

In the first quarter of 2025, I ran a data study to understand how often Google changes title tags – and why. While it’s well known that Google frequently rewrites titles, I wanted to dig deeper: What factors trigger these changes? Are some pages more prone to rewrites than others? Most SEO professionals develop their own title tag strategies based on a mix of Google’s guidance, industry advice, and personal experience. Yet, when I searched for actual data on how and why Google modifies title tags, I found only one notable case study – by Cyrus Shepard in 2023. That left me with more questions: Does search volume play a role? What abo…

Google has a number of announcements around Al Mode, including dropping the waitlist, adding products and place cards to the answers, a new history panel, and that they are doing a limited test without having to opt in to Al Mode within Search Labs. Testing Al Mode in the wild. Google is now testing Al Mode within Google Search without you having to opt in to Al Mode within Search Labs. That means that you might see the tab for Al Mode without specifically opting into the feature. Soufi Esmailzadeh, Director, Product Management, at Google Search wrote, “Because our power users are finding it so helpful, we’re starting a limited test outside of Labs. In the coming …

Undoubtedly, one of the hot topics in SEO over the last few months has been how to influence LLM answers. Every SEO is trying to come up with strategies. Many have created their own tools using “vibe coding,” where they test their hypotheses and engage in heated debates about what each LLM and Google use to pick their sources. Some of these debates can get very technical, touching on topics like vector embeddings, passage ranking, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), and chunking. These theories are great—there’s a lot to learn from them and turn into practice. However, if some of these AI concepts are going way over your head, let’s take a step back. I’ll walk you…