SEO Tools and Resources

American desktop users perform 126 unique Google searches per month, on average, according to a new analysis of search behavior published by SparkToro co-founder Rand Fishkin. The median average was 53 Google unique searches per month. By the numbers. Here are some additional findings about American searchers, beyond the headline statistic: 34% conducted more than 101 searches per month. 36% conducted 21-100 searches per month. 30% conducted 1-20 searches per month. Google Search by vertical. A whopping 86.94% of Americans use Google.com (Google’s homepage search experience) to search. As for Google’s other vertical options: Images: 10.62% Vid…

SEO is a fast-moving, marketing-centric industry that will always keep you on your toes. If you’re just getting started, it can be overwhelming without a guide. There are many facets and specializations in SEO that come later in a career – local, technical, content, digital PR, UX, ecommerce, media – the list goes on. However, that level of specialization isn’t something a junior professional needs to focus on right away. Much like a liberal arts degree or an apprenticeship, a newcomer to SEO should first develop a broad understanding of the entire discipline before choosing a specialty. This article covers several ways to build that foundational kn…

Google Business Profiles has added a new QR code you can use to make it easier to get reviews on your Google local listing within Google Maps and Google Search. The QR code, when accessed, jumps the user directly to the add review form, so there is little distraction to read other reviews or difficulty finding the form. How to access it. You can access the new QR code on desktop by searching for your business, then clicking on “Ask for reviews” or by going to your reviews and clicking on “Get more reviews.” This can be found in your Google Business Profile within Google Search on desktop. What it looks like. Here is an example of my QR code for my business that I …

Search is evolving, and social platforms are now at the heart of discovery. Pinterest, in particular, has emerged as a powerful visual search engine, driving traffic and engagement for brands, bloggers, and businesses. Unlike traditional social media, which thrives on conversations and real-time interactions, Pinterest is built for intent-driven discovery – where users actively seek inspiration, ideas, and products. This presents a unique opportunity for search marketers. Pinterest users often arrive with high intent, making it an invaluable platform for organic visibility and referral traffic. To maximize discoverability, understanding how Pinterest…

Meta ads are evolving, and understanding the right video formats can make a big difference in your ad performance. Here’s how 9:16 and 4:5 videos can help you get better results in Meta, and even across TikTok and YouTube Shorts. The power of Meta’s video innovation Many ecommerce brands have found success using Meta ads. However, many of these brands don’t understand the formatting details that, when used correctly, can drive better results. For context, Meta has undergone more changes than other platforms like Google Ads (which together form the digital advertising duopoly). While Google Ads is older, Meta continues to innovate. It first entered…

Google’s Ads and Commerce product lead, Vidhya Srinivasan, today outlined how the company is reimagining advertising as “avenues for tailored exploration” in response to unpredictable consumer behavior. The big picture: Google is focusing on three key solutions to help advertisers break through: AI-powered shopping innovations. Google launched several new shopping features, including ads in Lens, AI-powered Google Shopping, 3D product spins, and virtual try-on experiences for clothing items. YouTube creator partnerships. The platform’s highly engaged audiences, particularly Gen Z, trust creator recommendations 98% more than those on other social platforms (acc…

Google processes more than 5 trillion searches per year. This is the first time Google has publicly shared such a figure since 2016, when the company confirmed it was handling “more than 2 trillion” queries annually. By the numbers. Google revealed the new figure in a blog post today, saying it is based on internal Google data: “We already see more than 5 trillion searches on Google annually.” Google added another tidbit in the same blog post: that “the volume of commercial queries has increased” since the launch of AI Overviews. However, Google didn’t share any data or a percentage to explain how much commercial queries have increased. Searches per secon…

Google vehicle ads now accept listings for recreational vehicles (RVs) and campers. This broadens the scope beyond traditional automobiles. The details. The expansion, announced Feb. 28, allows RV and camper dealers to showcase their inventory directly in Google search results, similar to how car dealerships have been using the platform. The catch. Dealers must maintain valid dealership licenses in all states, territories, or provinces where their RVs and campers are located or offered for sale – the same requirement that applies to other vehicle categories. Why we care. Dealerships can now reach potential buyers searching for recreational vehicles directly th…

Google updated its conversion terminology in Google Merchant Center, renaming “Conversion settings” to “Key event setup” in the Google Ads UI. The terminology change aligns Google Merchant Center with Google Analytics 4’s shift from “conversions” to “key events,” creating more consistent language across Google’s marketing platforms. The big picture: This change reflects Google’s broader move toward standardizing measurement terms across its suite of marketing tools, which began with Google Analytics 4’s introduction of the “key events” terminology in March 2024. Why we care. The alignment with Google Analytics 4 means you will need to adapt your workflows, rep…

Reddit isn’t just a place for memes and viral debates – it’s a powerful tool for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) looking to boost visibility, connect with audiences, and even boost SEO. While most marketing advice for Reddit focuses on big brands, SMBs can use the platform effectively to engage with potential customers, build trust, and drive real results. Consider Reddit as another social platform So why should an SMB consider using Reddit? Unlike other social media channels, such as Instagram, where you’re forced to keep up with every new feature so the algorithm will push your account, Reddit doesn’t really change. It’s a forum-style site…

AI has made it easier than ever to scale SEO fast – but with it comes high risk. What happens when the party is over and short-term wins become long-term losses? Recently, I worked with a site that had expanded aggressively using AI-powered programmatic. It worked until it didn’t, resulting in a steep decline in rankings, which I doubt they will recover. It’s not worth the fallout when the party is over. And, eventually, it will be. Here are the lessons learned along the way and ways to approach things differently. When the party ends The risks of AI-driven content strategies aren’t always immediately apparent. In this case, the signs were …

Search ads are powerful. But with fierce competition in PPC, it’s not enough to just show up. To stand out, you need more than basic ad copy. This article breaks down how to craft search ads that grab attention and drive results. You’ll learn actionable strategies for writing compelling headlines and descriptions, plus advanced techniques like A/B testing, ad asset optimization, and competitor analysis. Master the fundamentals of search ads Strong search ads start with the fundamentals. Here’s what to keep in mind: Use relevant keywords: Include keywords from your ad group in the headline and description to improve Quality Score, CTR, and convers…

Starting on Saturday, March 1, 2025, some advertisers have noticed their ads are not running and not getting impressions or clicks. The ads are simply not being served or delivered. In fact, there are tons of complaints about this in the Google Ads Forum. Google has not yet commented on the issue. What we know. Starting March 1, some advertisers are saying that some of their campaigns are not serving ads. Some are saying they have received zero impressions or clicks on their ads. The crazy thing, this has been now going on for almost two days and Google has not responded about the issue, at least not yet, since it is the weekend. We do not know exactly how…

I’ve been auditing Google Ads accounts for over 10 years. I can confidently say that the same issues appear in most accounts. The good news? These issues are easy to fix and can quickly improve performance. The five key areas where I consistently find missed opportunities include: Location targeting: A default Google Ads setting can cause your ads to reach users outside your intended area. This is easy to fix and can save you measurable amounts of money. Auto-applied recommendations: Allowing Google to auto-apply changes can lead to costly mistakes. It’s better to review and apply these manually, except in specific cases. Campaign structure: Different s…

It’s no longer groundbreaking to say that the SEO landscape is evolving. But this time, the shift is fundamental. We’re entering an era where search is no longer just about keywords but understanding. At the core of this shift is vector-based SEO. Optimizing for vectors gives websites a major advantage in search engines and overall web presence. As AI and large language models (LLMs) continue to shape digital experiences, websites that adapt early will stay ahead of the competition. What are vectors? Vectors are a mathematical way for AI to understand and organize information beyond just text. Instead of relying on exact keyword matches, search en…

Searchers are twice as likely to click on a brand they know than a top-ranked result, according to a survey from link building agency Page One Power. 59% of Americans click on search results of brands they know. Less than one-third click on the top-ranked result. Why we care. Trust remains critical for brands in SEO. Yes, “build a brand” has become a cliche, but it’s also true. You need to build a brand that your audience recognizes and connects with. But that doesn’t mean you must be a global brand the size of Apple or Google. Paid vs. organic. 49% of Americans trust organic search results more than paid results, while another 46% trust organic and paid r…

No SEO strategy is one-size-fits-all, but there are common practices we follow when helping websites recover from traffic losses or drive growth. We see these patterns across projects, making them best practices within our agency. While they may not apply to every situation, they consistently deliver results. Here are the SEO pitfalls to avoid if you want to regain lost traffic or get back on a growth trajectory. 1. Writing blog posts based on keyword search volume Search engines prioritize content written for people because it provides solutions to users’ needs. They might use sitewide classifiers and human reviewers to assess this. If every pag…

Google updated its documentation on how the Google Ads auction works to say, “We run different auctions for each ad location.” Previously, that document did not say that and the PPC community is wondering what changed and why Google did not announce this change more broadly. What changed. Google added these lines to the top of that document: “When someone searches on Google, we run different auctions for each ad location – for example top ads are selected by a different ad auction from ads that show in other ad locations. Your ads will only show once in a single ad location, but across ad locations your ads can show more than once.” Why the change. Googl…

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…

Success in Google Ads hinges on how well you use your data. With AI-driven features like Smart Bidding, traditional PPC tactics like campaign structure and keyword selection don’t carry the same weight. However, Google Ads provides a goldmine of insights into performance, user behavior, and conversions. The challenge? Turning that data into action. Enter Google’s BigQuery ML – a powerful yet underused tool that can help you optimize campaigns and drive better results. What is BigQuery ML? BigQuery ML is a machine learning tool within the Google Cloud Platform that lets you build and deploy models directly in your BigQuery data warehouse. What m…

SEO is, for a large part, all about getting the right content in front of the right audience. When you’ve been doing that for a while, there comes a time when you want to scale content production. Scaling content creation means you aim to make more content to reach new targets. While that’s a good idea, you need to find a way to scale while keeping the same level of quality you’ve always had. Let’s go over how to scale your content production step by step, showing common problems and solutions. Table of contents What is content scaling? Why scaling content matters The biggest challenges in scaling content Building a repeatable content creation process Strategies to …

Shoppers expect fast, accurate, and personalized search results—but many retailers still struggle with product discovery. The State of Product Discovery in Digital Commerce 2025 report, based on insights from 200+ retailers, reveals how AI-driven search is transforming ecommerce. Conducted by London Research in partnership with Crownpeak, this report reveals how leading brands are: Optimizing site search with AI to improve relevance and reduce friction Personalizing results in real-time to increase conversions Investing in smarter product discovery tools to stay ahead in 2025 Download the full report to discover the product discovery strategies driving …

Google announced the release of version 19 of its Google Ads API, introducing several new features and improvements for developers. What’s new. Google published the highlights of what is new and those include: Added support automatically generating enhanced video assets for Performance Max campaigns. Removed all feed-related entities from the Google Ads API like Feed, FeedMapping, FeedService, AdGroupFeed, feed_placeholder_view. Users should now use assets to achieve the same purpose. Demand Gen ads now support 9:16 portrait image assets. Use DemandGenMultiAssetAdInfo.tall_portrait_marketing_images to include these assets in your ads. Added more methods …

Google continues to lose ground among younger generations, with 61% of Gen Z and 53% of Millennials using AI tools instead of Google or other traditional search engines. That’s according to a new Vox Media survey. Why we care. We continue to see early signs that Google search may be starting to slip – from Google’s market share dropping below 90% for the first time since 2015 to other surveys indicating searchers are frustrated with search quality. Things are changing rapidly – from the rise of AI answer engines and generative engine optimization, to the growth of social platforms for discovery (e.g., TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest). Many brands and marketers are still …

If you’re like me, you’ve heard plenty of talk about entity SEO and knowledge graphs over the past year. But when it comes to implementation, it’s not always clear which components are worth the effort. I’ve struggled to determine when and where entity concepts actually impact SEO, especially when time is limited. While modern search engines are semantic, traditional tactics like keyword research and link building still work well and often overlap with entity-based strategies. Through trial and error, I’ve learned when these approaches add value and when they’re just unnecessary extra work. So, for the practical SEO professional who doesn’t have endl…