SEO Tools and Resources

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 …

The fundamentals of SEO haven’t changed. You still need technical access, content clarity, and external credibility. But the requirements inside those pillars are evolving fast. AI-driven discovery systems are now shaping how your brand is surfaced, trusted, and recommended. And for many enterprise teams, the response has been: A content brainstorm. A wait-and-see approach. Or nothing at all. That’s not a strategy gap. It’s an execution problem in the making. Is your company preparing for what’s coming after ‘SEO’ fades away? Your SEO team may be running efficiently – protecting rankings, publishing content, and salvaging what they can from G…

PPC best practices come from a variety of places. Some of those sources are: Google Ads reps. The Help Center. Official certifications. Auto-apply and manual recommendations. Ad strength recommendations. And even automated assets to an extent. However, depending on those sources, you could end up with highly different answers. So, how do you know when to apply or be critical of a “best practice”? Many PPC professionals can relate: You see “Google” on your caller ID, and you momentarily feel a boost in ego. But reality sets in when you realize it’s often a junior Google representative or even a third-party service who needs to tick som…

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 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. …

For decades, the SEO world has been divided into two camps: black hat and white hat practitioners. These opposing forces have waged countless battles across digital forums and social media. But now, a new breed of SEO has emerged. One that’s mastered the art of attention-grabbing and self-promotion. Enter the “like hat.” SEO practitioners who trade in social currency rather than business outcomes. They’re not optimizing for search engines or users – they’re optimizing for likes. And it’s becoming one of the industry’s most pressing problems. The social media mirage Nowhere is the like hat trend more visible than on LinkedIn, which has be…

Even the most old-school PPC managers can’t deny it anymore: Performance Max is capable of amazing things. It does require a certain level of setup (like good-quality data inputs) and a different mindset than Search and Shopping, but it’s no longer the struggling tech we knew from the beta four years ago. Let me give you an example. Years ago, when working with retailers selling products from many different brands, you’d typically make a separate Shopping campaign for each one. Try that with Performance Max, and you’ll force it into doing something it’s not built for. And performance certainly won’t be at max. Consolidation is the name of the ga…

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 Ads Liaison Ginny Marvin answered a slew of questions about the upcoming AI Max for Search Campaigns feature. Here are the key insights and revelations about this significant update to Google’s advertising platform from the interview, which was conducted by PPC specialist Julie Bacchini, founder of Neptune Moon. Rollout timeline and availability AI Max for Search Campaigns will begin rolling out globally at the end of May, with the complete rollout expected by early Q3. This optional suite of AI-powered features aims to enhance existing search campaigns rather than introduce an entirely new campaign type. Keyword strategy and keywordless target…

Google’s newly launched AI Mode in Search isn’t passing referral data. That means it’s impossible to know how many clicks you got from AI Mode in Google Search Console (GSC) or other analytics tools. Why we care. You have no way of knowing how much traffic you’re getting from AI Mode. Google continues to tell us its AI answers drive higher-quality clicks, without proof. We have no data to verify this. Frustratingly, Google continues to take away helpful data, making it impossible for us to make data-driven decisions. Driving the news: Tom Critchlow, EVP audience growth at Raptive, first raised the issue on LinkedIn. Testing from Patrick Stox, product advisor, tech…

“Did our organic traffic just drop again – even though our rankings went up?” If that question has come up in your marketing meetings lately, you aren’t alone. AI is reshaping SEO, breaking the traditional link between rankings, clicks, and conversions. We’re all trying to redefine what “good” SEO performance looks like. When Google serves your answer directly in a featured snippet or AI Overview, is that a win – or a lost click? In 2025, measuring SEO success demands a new approach. AI-driven search may boost your content’s visibility, but it also shifts user behavior in ways that make legacy metrics unreliable, if not completely misleading. …

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…

Just like most other website owners, you want your website to attract customers. But how can you see who visits your website? And how can you use this knowledge to increase website traffic over time? Luckily, there are loads of tools that can help you. Let’s get you started with the right one for your website without the need to become a data expert! What is website traffic? The term website traffic refers to the number of internet users visiting your website. Traffic can arrive from wide-ranging sources, such as directly typing in your website address, through other websites that link to your site, organic traffic (meaning they come to your site from the search re…

Is there a spam problem in AI Overviews? Yes – and apparently it’s growing. Don’t believe me? Just ask Google and you’ll get the following response: Yes, there is a growing spam problem in Google AI Overviews. A recent LinkedIn post highlighted that AI Overviews are easily manipulated, regurgitating content verbatim or hallucinating incorrect information, and that spammers are exploiting this to promote low-quality content. How AI Overviews are being abused: Hallucination and Incorrect Information: AI Overviews often generate answers that are factually incorrect or hallucinate information, even when contradicting accurate data from Google Business Pr…

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 …

Google is facing a legal reckoning across Europe, with at least €12 billion ($12.9B) in damages sought by price comparison sites who say the tech giant abused its dominance in search to siphon traffic and revenue. The civil suits stem from the EU’s landmark 2017 decision to fine Google €2.4B for antitrust violations related to its shopping service. With that ruling upheld, plaintiffs now only need to prove financial harm – not the legal wrongdoing itself – opening the door to massive payouts. Driving the news. A Bloomberg review identified 12 active civil suits in seven EU countries. Nine of the cases have disclosed claims totaling more than €12B. The lawsuits com…

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…

A new report from Cint reveals that 74% of market researchers are already using AI in their workflows — especially for data analysis (81%) and project setup (78%). For agency and brand marketers that rely on audience insights, testing, and fast-turnaround campaign planning, this shift signals how research partners and internal teams are evolving their methods. However, the same study finds a sharp divide around synthetic data. While it’s occasionally used to boost niche sample sizes, a full 60% of respondents view it negatively, citing concerns around ethics, authenticity, and reliability. Download the full report to see how AI and synthetic data are reshaping mar…

The search landscape is shifting fast—and AI is at the center of it. So how should your SEO strategy evolve? Join a panel of seasoned experts from Exposure Ninja, Dragon Metrics, and Semrush for a discussion on what AI means for the future of search—and how marketers and SEOs can adapt now. In The Impact of ChatGPT and Generative AI on Search: Insights from Industry Experts, you’ll learn: How AI-powered tools are changing the way users search—and what that means for your rankings. What it takes to get your content cited by AI assistants like ChatGPT and Perplexity. How brand mentions, structured data, and topical authority play a bigger role in AI visibili…

The platform behind your site plays a bigger role than you might think. From site speed and mobile responsiveness to content scalability and technical SEO, the foundation you choose can make or break your organic performance. If your goal is seamless, secure, and engaging digital experiences that also support strong search visibility, it’s time to re-evaluate your CMS. Join MarTech’s Future-Proof Your Content Strategy with the Right CMS, and discover exactly what marketers need to consider when evaluating content management systems. You’ll learn: Must-have CMS features for delivering top-notch digital experiences. How to tackle security, compliance, an…

Whether they’re digital natives or prefer traditional channels, today’s customers share one expectation: relevance, wherever and however they engage. But for organizations balancing privacy mandates, data governance, and legacy systems, delivering that kind of personalization at scale is no small feat. Join Adobe for Secure, Scalable Omnichannel Engagement—For the Most Demanding Industries and get an inside look at how leading organizations in complex industries are evolving from fragmented messaging to seamless, secure, and scalable cross-channel experiences. In this session, you’ll learn: How to architect personalized journeys across touchpoints without…

What would you do if you realized that you had lost 15% of your market share last month? Can your brand afford to fall behind in Google Ads, even for a week? Right now, the recent tariff shifts (taxes on imported goods) are sending shockwaves through global industries. Supply chains are strained. Pricing strategies are in flux. And consumer behavior is shifting faster than many advertisers can track. When the ground moves this quickly, visibility into your paid search market share isn’t just helpful, it’s essential. Even a few percentage points can mean the difference between leading or lagging in Google Ads. That’s exactly what Adthena’s PPC Market Share Rep…

The Positionless Marketer is the new marketing professional who is a triple threat with data, creative and optimization power. They blow up the traditional marketing assembly line, where roles are rigidly defined. Instead, they have agility, intelligence and execution speed in defining success. A blueprint for the way Positionless Marketers achieve this level of independence and mastery is Stephen R. Covey’s “7 Habits of Highly Effective People.” Covey’s principles, trusted by millions as an excellent foundation for personal and business growth, align with the principles of Positionless Marketing. Covey’s seven habits are divided into three basic groups. The …

Google has confirmed that you will be able to see AI Mode performance data in the Search Console performance reports but you won’t be able to break out that data individually to see how AI Mode is performing compared to web search or other Google surfaces. Last week, Google rolled out AI Mode to all US searchers and when AI Mode launched in labs in March, Google told us then that since it was in Labs, it would not be reported in Search Console. Now that it is out of Labs, the data will come to Search Console. What Google said. As I reported and also mentioned in my story on the future of SEO and search, John Mueller from Google confirmed on my LinkedIn post sayin…

Google updated its Google image SEO best practices help document to recommend that you use the same image file name URL for the same image, even if you place that same image on different pages on your site. Google said you should do this to save with your site’s overall crawl budget. What Google changed. Google added the following two lines to the Google image SEO best practices help document: “If an image is referenced on multiple pages within a larger website, consider the site’s overall crawl budget. In particular, consistently reference the image with the same URL, so that Google can cache and reuse the image without needing to request it multiple times.”…