SEO Tools and Resources

Microsoft Bing appears to be testing an aggressive new ad display format that dramatically reduces organic search visibility in favor of sponsored content. The details: Users are reporting search result pages with at least seven paid advertisements. One or two organic results are visible on the first page. The format has been independently verified by multiple users. What they’re saying. The original poster, Red Leaf Web Design, expressed shock at the format, stating “BING Ads Gone Wild!” on X. Several of the Search Engine Land staff were also able to replicate the ad-heavy results, seeing as many as nine ads: Bing Ads Gone Wild! ONE organic result…

Microsoft is now testing a Google-like redesign of search ads in Bing, grouping multiple sponsored links under a single “Sponsored results” label and adding a “Hide” button that collapses the entire ad block. Driving the news. Sachin Patel spotted the Bing test in the wild and shared screenshots and video showing the new layout. In the test, only the first sponsored result carries an ad label, while subsequent ads appear unlabelled underneath it. Users can tap “Hide” to collapse the entire set of ads, then “Show” to reveal them again. How it works. The structure groups ad units in a way that can blur the distinction between organic and paid content. By collaps…

Microsoft released Copilot within Bing Webmaster Tools to all users today, the company announced today. Initially, Microsoft had a beta release to only 10,000 trusted users of Bing Webmaster Tools but now the feature is generally available to all users. What is Copilot in Bing Webmaster Tools. Copilot in Bing Webmaster Tools promises to provide “instant, accurate and contextually relevant answers to [user] queries.” It is engineered to provide “streamline workflows, enhance productivity, and provide valuable insights,” Microsoft initially said. Copilot in Bing Webmaster Tools aims at “helping webmasters manage their search optimization efforts more efficiently, im…

Microsoft added query-to-page mapping to its AI Performance report in Bing Webmaster Tools, letting you connect AI grounding queries directly to cited URLs. Why we care. The original dashboard showed queries and pages separately, limiting optimization. Now you can tie specific AI-triggering queries to the exact cited pages, so you can prioritize updates based on real AI-driven demand — not guesses. The details. The new Grounding Query–Page Mapping feature links two existing views in the AI Performance dashboard: Click a grounding query to see which pages are cited Click a page to see which grounding queries drive its citations Mapping is many-to-many: o…

Microsoft today launched AI Performance in Bing Webmaster Tools in beta. AI Performance lets you see where, and how often, your content is cited in AI-generated answers across Microsoft Copilot, Bing’s AI summaries, and select partner integrations, the company said. AI Performance in Bing Webmaster Tools shows which URLs are cited, which queries trigger those citations, and how citation activity changes over time. Search Engine Land first reported on Jan. 27 that Microsoft was testing the AI Performance report. What’s new. AI Performance is a new, dedicated dashboard inside Bing Webmaster Tools. It tracks citation visibility across supported AI surfaces. Inst…

Microsoft has added the ability to compare date ranges within the Search Performance report in Bing Webmaster Tools. This allows you to compare metrics and data points such as clicks, impressions, CTR, keywords, and pages across various date ranges. What Microsoft said. Microsoft wrote: “These enhancements enable in-depth analysis, providing invaluable insights for optimizing online presence and improving visibility. This means businesses can now make more informed decisions, identify key trends, and effectively adjust their marketing strategies to achieve better results.” Microsoft also made user experience improvements in time filters, the company added. …

Microsoft teased new AI reporting features within Bing Webmaster Tools that enhance the AI performance reports and other reports around AI. The new features that were showcased include citation share, grounding query intent, GEO-focused recommendations. More details. Several shared screenshots of this presentation that was given by Krishna Madhavan from Microsoft at SEO Week today in New York City. Here are some of those slides: Bing Webmaster Tools just dropped some VERY COOL stuff at #SEOWeek 2026 Citation Share, Grounding Query Intent (15 pre-defined intents), and GEO-focused recommendations. The gap between Bing's transparency and Google's is getting harde…

Microsoft has been promising to give data on the performance of websites mentioned in AI results within Bing and Copilot since February 2023 and then again in April 2023. But then decided to let us down and only lump the data together with web queries, not giving us a clear view of how our sites perform within Bing’s AI experiences. Now Bing is reportedly testing showing a new report within Bing Webmaster Tools named AI Performance report. AI Performance report. This report is currently in a super limited beta – Microsoft has not announced anything about this publicly. But a source told us this report shows citation data from both Microsoft Copilot and partners. …

In this case study, we went deep instead of broad. We focused on one question: why wasn’t a brand present in a single ChatGPT prompt across ~70 iterations? We chose one prompt: “What are the best hotels in New York City?” We analyzed mentions, citations, fanouts, and SERPs in Google and Bing. We also planned to analyze GPT memory, but it made no discernible difference to mentions, citations, or fanouts. What we did and what we found We chose NYC hotels because it’s a crowded, mature market with juggernauts and up-and-comers. We also have no connection to the NYC luxury hotel space — we intentionally picked an area where we could stay objective and learn fr…

Black Friday 2025 was a bit of a head-scratcher. Year on year, spend rose, impressions fell, but clicks and engagement stayed strong. The data (so far): Source: Optmyzr-connected Google Ads accounts (5,000+ ecommerce, 16,000 lead gen advertisers active both years). Conversion value and ROAS are still coming in — we’ll update when the full picture is ready. Two big takeaways: Visibility got pricier. Spend up ~17% across ecommerce and lead gen. Impressions fell year over year. Translation: advertisers paid more to reach roughly the same audience. Engagement held steady. Clicks and CTR up across the board. Lead gen saw slightly l…

Black Friday is when performance peaks — and so do risks. In 2024, global spending reached $74.4 billion, with U.S. online sales up 10.2% year-over-year. Behind that growth, affiliate competition and coupon activity surged, pushing paid channels to their limits. During these high-traffic days, even a single unchecked campaign can waste hundreds of thousands of dollars. Coupon fraud, coupon scam tactics and unauthorized brand bidding mess with your paid traffic, distort performance data and steal conversions that should’ve stayed yours. That’s why strong PPC compliance and continuous promo code monitoring aren’t optional — they’re what keep acquisition costs stable…

In the early days of SEO, ranking algorithms were easy to game with simple tactics that became known as “black hat” SEO – white text on a white background, hidden links, keyword stuffing, and paid link farms. Early algorithms weren’t sophisticated enough to detect these schemes, and sites that used them often ranked higher. Today, large language models power the next generation of search, and a new wave of black hat techniques are emerging to manipulate rankings and prompt results for advantage. The AI content boom – and the temptation to cut corners Up to 21% of U.S. users access AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot, Perplexity, and DeepSeek mo…

For years, I told bloggers the same thing: make your content easy enough for toddlers and drunk adults to understand. That was my rule of thumb. If a five-year-old can follow what you’ve written and someone paying half-attention can still find what they need on your site, you’re doing something right. But the game has changed. It’s no longer just about toddlers and drunk adults. You’re now writing for large language models (LLMs) quietly scanning, interpreting, and summarizing your work inside AI search results. I used to believe that great writing and solid SEO were all it took to succeed. What I see now: Clarity beats everything. The blog…

Bluesky is quickly gaining attention as a growing social media platform – but what does that mean for the PPC community? Here’s what you need to know and how to prepare for potential ad opportunities What is Bluesky? Bluesky is a social media platform that was originally founded as a research initiative at Twitter in 2019. After becoming an independent company in 2021, it launched its invite-only beta in 2023 before opening to the public in February 2024. As of writing, Bluesky has a total of 33.1 million registered users, and its growth shows no signs of slowing down. How does Bluesky differ from other social media platforms? The platform, whi…

In digital marketing, a common belief is that everything can be measured – clicks, conversions, and ROI. Many advertisers assume that brand awareness is unnecessary and that performance marketing alone is enough to drive sales. After all, brand awareness campaigns don’t always generate immediate traffic or conversions visible in analytics. Their effects unfold over time, making them harder to measure than performance-driven campaigns. However, this overlooks a critical factor: brand strength acts as a multiplier for performance marketing effectiveness. A well-known brand increases ad click-through rates (CTR), lowers cost-per-click (CPC), improves con…

Most brands don’t realize how much traffic they lose each day to unauthorized bidding, affiliate violations, and ad hijacking. Industry data shows ad fraud reached an estimated $84 billion of global digital ad spend in 2023. If your branded CPCs keep rising or competitors keep appearing above you in searches for your own name, this PPC brand protection guide can help you understand why – and what to do next. What is brand protection in PPC? Brand protection is the practice of defending your brand from unauthorized use of your branded search terms in PPC and from deceptive or fraudulent ad placements. The goal: make sure people searching for your bran…

The search landscape is changing. With the rapid evolution of AI, the Google SERP is no longer a predictable grid of 10 blue links. This shift presents new opportunities for businesses, but it also creates new risks for your brand. Competitors, affiliates, and bad actors can now use sophisticated tactics to hijack your presence, mislead customers, and drain your budget. Your brand’s visibility is never fully secure, and these hidden threats don’t just waste money – they suppress your growth and limit your ability to acquire new customers. Protecting your brand isn’t a defensive chore; it’s a proactive strategy for unlocking budget and fueling your growth. …

Branded search refers to the results that Google or an LLM (like ChatGPT) shows when someone searches for your brand name. Whether you’re a small company or a large, established brand, ranking highly for these queries is essential – but it’s not always easy. If your brand is new or shares its name with other entities (such as a town, a film, or another company), search engines may prioritize other meanings. Even if your brand name is unique, it takes time for search engines and users to associate it with your business. Optimizing for branded search helps ensure your brand appears prominently and accurately in search results. What are branded keywords…

Do you think you’re able to answer the question every marketing leader dreads hearing from leadership: “Why isn’t our marketing effort doing more?” How do you even go about answering that? Let’s look at what I mean using a fictional location analytics company we’ll call Acme Area Analytics. The Acme team reviews its reports. Nothing appears broken. Campaigns are running, leads are still coming in, and performance metrics are mostly stable. Yet sales momentum isn’t clearly accelerating, and it’s hard to pinpoint why. Insights are scattered across site analytics, brand monitoring and SEO tools, CRM systems, and paid media dashboards. Each platform reflects p…

Are you watching your team’s creative operations buckle under mounting pressure? You’re not alone. As project complexity skyrockets and client demands intensify, creative leaders face an unprecedented challenge: scaling operations without sacrificing quality or burning out teams. The solution isn’t working harder, rather, it’s working smarter with technology that transforms your entire content lifecycle. Here’s how forward-thinking creative operations leaders are building resilient, scalable workflows that thrive in 2025’s demanding landscape. The perfect storm facing creative operations Creative teams are caught in a maelstrom of expectations and pressure…

A great piece of content doesn’t just rank—it drives the right traffic, at the right time, with the right message. In Your Content Marketing Blueprint from MoreVisibility, you’ll get a practical blueprint for building a smarter content strategy rooted in search behavior. What’s inside: A framework to align your content with real search intent A method for using keyword data to uncover content gaps A Help / Hub / Hero structure to serve every stage of the funnel Tips for using AI to streamline content creation—without losing quality Whether you’re auditing existing pages or planning net-new content, this guide helps you focus on what actually wo…

There’s a flood coming. A downpour of noise — more content, more channels, more AI-generated everything, moving faster than most teams can keep up with. Somewhere in that volume, your customers are quietly drowning — overwhelmed, underserved, and one bad experience away from choosing someone else. You’ve probably felt it on your team, too. Another tool. Another sprint. Another quarter of doing more with less. The productivity metrics look fine from the outside. But inside, people are running on empty. There’s an old story about a man named Noah who, facing catastrophic disruption, didn’t freeze or panic. He didn’t look for shortcuts or try to outswim the storm. He…

Tracking your brand’s visibility in AI-powered search is the new frontier of SEO. The tools built to do this are expensive, often starting at $300 to $500 per month and quickly rising from there. For many, that price is a nonstarter, especially when custom testing needs go beyond what off-the-shelf software can handle. I faced this exact problem. I needed a specific tool, and it didn’t exist at a price I could afford, so I decided to build it myself. I’m not a developer. I spent a weekend talking to an AI agent in plain English, and the result was a working AI search visibility tracker that does exactly what I need. Below is the guide I wish I’d had when I started…

Paid search is often the highest-leverage ecommerce growth channel, delivering strong conversion rates and efficient spend when structured effectively. Google Shopping and Amazon Ads capture high-intent demand while generating the data needed to scale it. These platforms connect search queries directly to revenue, enabling you to identify which terms drive sales and allocate budget accordingly. The real challenge is organizing campaigns to act on that signal. Why paid search works so well for ecommerce Paid search performs differently from other channels because it combines two advantages: intent and data. Intent: Google and Amazon are search-driven e…

Google made a handful of tweaks to its Channel Performance and Asset reports this week – including long-awaited ROI metrics like ROAS and CPA. But the most revealing update wasn’t in the announcement at all. A new, currently non-functional attribute called Campaign Type appeared in the Channel Performance report. Why we care. This addition — though inactive — signals that Google may soon expand the Channel Performance report beyond Performance Max (PMax) campaigns. The intrigue. For weeks, a tooltip in the interface has read: “Channel performance data is only available for Performance Max campaigns at this time.” That phrasing hinted expansion was coming. …