Local SEO

AI has changed the way people shop. 58% of consumers now use GenAI tools instead of traditional search to find products. Imagine your customer runs a simple query in Google’s AI Mode: “Winter jackets for women.” Instead of a long list of links, they get direct product recommendations — alongside: Descriptions of features and best use cases Ratings and reviews Editorial sites that mention the product Direct comparisons with top competitors All in one response. Which raises an obvious question: Why do some products show up, while others are ignored entirely? Many factors influence AI recommendations. But one of the most important — and most controllable — is your…

Learning how to sell SEO isn’t easy. Why? Your prospects don’t want to buy SEO—they want to buy results. I learned this the hard way. After years of trial and error, I found a system. It consistently delivers what people want: more customers, revenue, and growth. In fact, I’ve maintained a 75% close rate by focusing on one thing: demonstrating value before asking for the sale. Think about it: AI advancements. Nontraditional search results. Constant algorithm shifts. SEO looks different every year. But these changes have made skilled SEOs more valuable than ever. In this guide, you’ll learn my exact process for selling SEO services, backed by insights from industr…

If you publish writing, you’d be crazy not to use artificial intelligence. It’s like telling a carpenter not to use a drill. You can build a deck without one. But why would you? Writers have always embraced new tools to improve their craft. The challenge with AI, or any technology, is that we want the easy way out. We hope the tech will magically automate everything. And for mediocre content, AI is the perfect solution. But creating exceptional content is HARD. No matter what tool you use. For example, I used AI extensively to write this article. Yet, it still took me 40+ hours to produce. Why? AI has made me realize how much I can improve my content. And you ca…

This guide will show you how to use ChatGPT the right way. Brand new to using it? I’ll help you skip the rookie mistakes that leave most beginners frustrated. Tried it before and had an average experience? No problem. You’ll learn how to refine your approach to get useful, high-quality responses (finally). Because here’s the thing: ChatGPT IS a powerful tool. But only if you know how to use it effectively. Let’s make that happen. What is ChatGPT (And What Can It Do)? ChatGPT is an AI assistant that answers your questions like a human would. It can also generate ideas and assist with writing, problem-solving, and research tasks. How does it do this? It analyzes …

Ask the same question in 11 AI search engines, and you’ll get 11 different answers. Sometimes wildly different. Some engines focus on visuals and shoppable results. Others go deep into research. A few just try to get you an answer, fast. Each platform prioritizes and presents it differently. And those differences matter. Not just for users, but for brands trying to get discovered in AI search. So, I tested popular and lesser-known AI engines on accuracy, depth, user experience, and other factors. Only four made the cut. In this guide, you’ll learn which AI search engines came out on top, including pros, cons, and pricing. I’ll also share which engines didn’t make …

AI search is still moving. What’s cited today across Google (AI Mode + AI Overviews) and ChatGPT might look different in a month. But there’s no need to scramble. For example, a dip in Reddit citations isn’t a reason to abandon conversational marketing or rebuild your plan from scratch. (Plus, it’s likely things aren’t always what they seem, like this speculation from John-Henry Scherck about Reddit and ChatGPT.) Instead, stick to doing the basics — getting mentioned by the major players in your industry as well as hyper-relevant/niche ones — while keeping tabs on macro changes that should impact your go-forward strategy. LLM Sources Aren’t Set in Stone The “who get…

Meta tags are snippets of HTML code that live in your webpage’s <head> section. Your website’s visitors won’t see them. But search engines, browsers, and social media platforms can see and use them. You can think of meta tags as a way to tell Google and other search engines about what your page contains and how they should display it in search results. Some meta tags are more important than others. In fact, there are really only a couple of meta tags you need to worry about. I’ll explain exactly what these are below and how you can optimize yours. The Components of a Meta Tag Here’s what a basic meta tag looks like: <meta name="description" content="This is …

Currently, the mobile AI apps market is valued at $2 billion, primarily led by the success of ChatGPT and the sector continues to rise with more apps. In 2024 alone, over 4 thousand new AI apps were released and downloads reached a staggering 1.49 billion times across all AI apps. But what are the most popular AI apps worldwide and in the US, besides ChatGPT? Most Popular AI Apps (Top Picks) As of January 2025, ChatGPT ranks as the most popular AI app worldwide with 349.41 million monthly active users worldwide. ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Doubao were the most downloaded AI apps worldwide in 2024. In 2024, ChatGPT became the most popular AI app in the US, recording 31…

Managing local search marketing for one location is straightforward. But managing multi-location SEO — whether it’s 10, 50, or 100 branches — gets complicated fast. Each location needs unique content. A single mistake in your business info can mislead customers and hurt trust. And it’s tough to see which branches are actually driving results. Everything changes when you’re managing SEO for multiple locations. Our six-step system below tackles these challenges in order of priority. You’ll learn exactly how to: Create high-performing location pages Optimize Google Business Profiles (GBPs) across every branch Manage reviews, citations, and backlinks efficiently Tra…

Growing your website starts with reaching the right people. Not random traffic. People actively searching for the solutions you provide. That’s where organic traffic shines. Unlike paid advertising or social media, organic traffic attracts visitors with clear intent. At Backlinko, organic traffic brings us over 571K monthly visitors—each one specifically interested in SEO and digital marketing. In this guide, you’ll learn all about organic traffic, including how to measure and increase it. Let’s start with what organic traffic is and how it differs from other traffic sources. What Is Organic Traffic? Organic traffic refers to visitors who land on your website or …

Founded in 2022, Perplexity offers an AI-powered search engine. AI tools offer a new way to search for factual information, where Perplexity stands out as an AI-native search engine that combines large language models with real-time web search. With a valuation of $20 billion and a growing user base of 30 million monthly active users, Perplexity is one of the fastest-growing tech startups challenging Google’s dominance with its AI-native search engine. From the number of Perplexity active users to company revenue, we’ll cover the latest stats about the popular AI search engine on this page. Key Perplexity Stats Perplexity has 30 million monthly active users. Perplexi…

Reddit marketing is delicate work. Show up with a sales pitch — or just a little too much enthusiasm for your product — and they’ll shut you down quickly. Without mercy. But that hostility is really standards in disguise. Redditors care about their communities. They care about real conversations and keeping the place worth coming back to. Meet those standards, and the mood turns. They’ll start to trust you. Sometimes, they’ll even ask where they can buy your stuff. That’s when you know you’ve earned the hard-to-win, harder-to-fake Reddit trust. A kind of credibility so strong it travels far beyond Reddit. (More on that later.) This guide shows you how. Just thre…

AI chat is the number one source B2B buyers use to shortlist software. Not review sites. Not vendor websites. Not salespeople. AI chat. G2’s 2025 survey of 1,000+ decision makers found that 87% say AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini are changing how they research software. Half of SaaS buyers now start in AI chat instead of Google Search. They’re “one-shotting” their research with prompts like “Give me CRM solutions for a large gym that work on iPads.” What used to take hours of “Google —> right-click —> open new tab” is condensed to minutes. If your product doesn’t show up when buyers ask AI to recommend solutions in your category, you’re losing de…

AI answers are taking over search. More people are turning to Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity for recommendations. And if your brand isn’t showing up in those AI answers? You’re missing out on a huge (and growing) slice of your market. That’s why Semrush built the AI SEO Toolkit. It’s a major unlock for marketers trying to understand how AI is impacting their business. Today, I’m going to show you how to use it — step by step — with a real example. TL;DR: Measure Your AI Search Visibility Here’s what you need to know about Semrush’s AI SEO Toolkit: What it does: Tracks how your brand appears across ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Google AI Mode, and Per…

Choosing a Semrush plan isn’t always obvious. Paid plans start at $139.95 and go up to enterprise solutions. Not to mention the various add-ons and apps. You don’t want to overpay for features you don’t need. Or pick a cheaper plan that limits your ability to grow. In this guide, you’ll learn which Semrush plan matches your needs, whether you’re a solo blogger tracking 100 keywords or an agency managing 40+ client websites. Semrush’s Core Pricing Plans Explained Semrush offers four main subscription tiers: Pro plan at $139.95/month: Best for freelancers and startups Guru plan at $249.95/month: Caters to growing businesses and small agencies Business plan at $499.95/…

Your SEO and PPC teams probably don’t share data. That’s problematic. Organic traffic is slipping. CPCs are climbing. And conversions aren’t keeping pace. It’s not just the LLMs — the SERP itself has changed. In 2025, every query is a blended battlefield of ads, AI overviews, videos, shopping units, map packs, and organic links. Yet, most teams operate with SEO and PPC in silos. That doesn’t work anymore. Because to users, there’s no “organic vs. paid search.” They just click what’s useful. And “useful” now shows up in more places than ever. If you don’t align your channels, you end up with duplication, cannibalization, and wasted spend. This guide will show you …

If you do any kind of marketing, you’ve probably come across at least one of these acronyms recently: GEO: Generative Engine Optimization AEO: Answer Engine Optimization LLMO: Large Language Model Optimization AIO: Artificial Intelligence Optimization Here’s the truth: They all mean essentially the same thing. But they are subtly different from SEO (search engine optimization). This article will tell you where they’re similar, where they’re different, and what you need to know as a marketer. SEO vs. Everything Else Explained There might be shades of nuance between these acronyms, but the goal with all of them is the same. They all aim to optimize your (or your clien…

A user asks Gemini: “Find me a task chair under $400 with lumbar support and free shipping. Order the best one.” The AI doesn’t open a new tab. It doesn’t ask the user to click anything. Instead, it queries product databases, cross-references reviews, checks real-time inventory, compares shipping policies, and initiates a checkout — all without a human touching a single page. These are all things the user would have done themselves, but now in a fraction of the time, with as much effort as it took to write the initial prompt. Okay, we might not be quite at the stage where everyone is letting AI agents make all their purchases for them. But it’s no longer an unrealistic…

Running PPC campaigns isn’t for the faint of heart. You’re constantly juggling dashboards, tweaking campaigns, and fielding requests from clients who wanted performance reports yesterday. That’s why the best PPC tools don’t just offer features. They help you move faster. In this guide, I’ve curated this list of the best PPC tools marketers swear by, organized by use case. The goal? To help you quickly find what fits your workflow and skip the ones that don’t. What Are the Best PPC Tools? PPC Tool Best for Price Semrush Advertising Toolkit All-in-one PPC campaign management Starts at $139.95/month. 14-day Pro trial available. Spyfu Competitor research Start…

SEO services have evolved significantly in recent years, driven by changes in search behavior, AI-powered results, and rising competition across industries. To give you the most accurate picture of the industry today, we’ve combined data from multiple sources, including our survey of 1,200 business owners. In this report, you’ll learn: How much businesses spend on SEO services today Where companies actually find and hire SEO providers What factors influence the decision to choose one agency over another Why clients leave (or stay with) their SEO provider Key trends shaping the future of SEO services Let’s dive into the data. Highlights and Key Statistics: 1. Compani…

You can create the most helpful, well-optimized content on the web. But if you mess up the title tag, none of that will matter. The title tag is the blue, clickable headline that shows up in search results. It’s also your one shot at convincing a reader to choose your content over everyone else’s. A subtle tweak to the title tag can make all the difference. Take this example from the Backlinko blog: rain Original title tag: “17 Ways to Get More Views on YouTube in 2025” Position: 4th in search results Improved title tag: “17 Powerful Tactics To Get More YouTube Views in 2025″ Position: 1st in search results and the featured snippet Same topic, same content. Wi…

With beauty enthusiasts constantly searching for the next must-have product, niche affiliate programs are the ultimate secret weapon for creators looking to turn passion into profit. But the real challenge isn’t finding programs – it’s finding the right ones that truly align with your audience and deliver real rewards. The beauty industry is vast, ever-changing, and inclusive, spanning everything from luxury skincare and high-end cosmetics to affordable everyday essentials. No matter your niche, whether it be makeup tutorials, skincare reviews, or holistic wellness, there’s a beauty affiliate program perfectly suited to your platform. We’ve rounded up a curated list of…

What people say about your brand online shapes your reputation. This could be reviews, social mentions, or business listings. Keeping up with all of them takes A LOT of time and effort. Online reputation management (ORM) tools help you monitor brand mentions, manage reviews, and keep business details consistent across directories. But each tool has its specialties. I researched and tested the best ORM tools available. And found the top five that’ll make your life easier. Here’s what you’ll find in this guide: The best tool for tracking social mentions The easiest way to manage and respond to reviews A solution that automatically updates your business listings 5 Be…

The difference between getting discovered on YouTube search and being invisible? Strategic keyword research. By optimizing videos with the right terms, you can dramatically increase your organic traffic. Take YouTuber Caren Magill’s ADHD coaching channel, for example. With 4.95M lifetime views and 116K subscribers, it’s safe to say Caren has found a successful niche. But this wasn’t luck. Caren optimizes her video’s titles, descriptions, and tags with terms that attract her target audience. The good news? You can do it, too—all you need is a reliable keyword research tool. To help you with this task, I evaluated five of the most popular YouTube keyword tools. …

The men’s fashion world has evolved into a thriving online marketplace, ranging from timeless tailoring and premium streetwear to sustainable basics and cutting-edge accessories. For creators, bloggers, and influencers, joining the right affiliate program can turn style expertise into a consistent income stream. But finding the perfect fit isn’t about volume; it’s about choosing brands that align with your audience’s lifestyle, values, and spending habits. Whether your focus is minimalist menswear, high-end luxury, or casual everyday essentials, there’s a men’s fashion affiliate program tailored to your platform. We’ve curated a list of the top men’s fashion affiliate…