SEO Tools and Resources

For years, PPC advertisers have considered Performance Max (and Smart Shopping before it) to be a black box, even a black hole. While its powerful automation drives convincing results, the lack of transparency into channel performance has been a persistent frustration. Now, Google is beginning to provide some answers. The rollout of the new Channel Performance report marks a significant step toward the transparency advertisers have been demanding. This guide explains what the report is, highlights its strengths and weaknesses, and shows you how to use it. What is the Channel Performance report – and why is it a big deal? The Channel Performance r…

Headings structure your content for both readers and search engines. They help users scan a page, understand its content, and quickly locate the information they need. Search engines and AI systems use headings to interpret the topic and structure of your content. By using one clear H1, supported by well-written H2 and H3 headings, you can improve readability, accessibility, and SEO simultaneously. Table of contents What are headings? Why are headings important for SEO? Why are headings important for readers? How to use headings correctly How many H1 headings should you use? How to use H2 and H3 headings Common mistakes when using headings Headings and accessibility…

Welcome to our weekly Search Engine Land series – Everything you need to know about Google Ads in less than 3 minutes. Every Wednesday, I highlight a different Google Ads feature, and what you need to know to get the best results from it, all in a quick 3-minute read. Let’s explore a powerful tool that can help your Google Search ads stand out and improve your click-through rates: keyword insertion. This is the closest thing we have to a “hack” in Google Ads, so be sure you’re not missing out on this tactic! I’ll cover: What is keyword insertion? Why should you use keyword insertion? How to use keyword insertion Best practices for keyword insertion …

LinkedIn targeting in Microsoft Advertising exists to help brands message-map their best creative with the ideal audience. When approached thoughtfully, it allows you to apply professional understanding to intent‑driven inventory without breaking the bank. The key is knowing how the targeting methods work together across the various campaign types. What follows is a practical guide to using LinkedIn data inside Microsoft Advertising, including: LinkedIn in Search campaigns (includes Multimedia ads). Using LinkedIn insights to inform broader audience strategy. Performance Max targeting signals. Directional insights into audience reach and composi…

One of the major things we talk about with large language models (LLMs) is content creation at scale, and it’s easy for that to become a crutch. We’re all time poor and looking for ways to make our lives easier – so what if you could use tools like Claude and ChatGPT to frame your processes in a way that humanizes your website work and eases your day, rather than taking the creativity out of it? This article tackles how to: Analyze customer feedback and questions at scale. Automate getting detailed and unique information from subject matter experts. Analyze competitors. These are all tasks we could do manually, and sometimes still might, but they’r…

SEO is evolving faster than a fruit fly colony in a genetics lab – constantly adapting, mutating, and surprising even the experts. One day, long-form content reigns supreme; the next, AI-generated summaries are stealing the spotlight. Staying ahead requires smarter, data-driven insights. AI-powered tools like OpenAI’s Deep Research are reshaping how marketers approach content strategy, competitive analysis, and SERP optimization. Unlike traditional AI models that rely on pre-existing training data, Deep Research can pull real-time insights from external sources, making it a game-changer for SEO professionals. But how does it compare to standard ChatGPT, a…

Long sales cycles, low conversion volume, and multi-stage purchase journeys make measurement and attribution harder, creating real obstacles to campaign optimization. For B2Bs and brands selling high-ticket items, this is the reality. A campaign launched today may take weeks or even months to show revenue, retention, or lifetime value – delaying your ability to use those measurements to refine bidding and targeting. That’s where proxy metrics – also known as soft metrics, or micro-conversions – can come into play. Let’s dig into proxy metrics. What are proxy metrics? Proxy metrics are early indicators of future outcomes. They give you a way to …

SEO is essential for improving a website’s visibility on search engines like Google, both globally and locally. However, a one-size-fits-all approach won’t effectively attract customers in specific regions. To stand out in a particular geographic area, you must implement localized SEO strategies tailored to local search behavior, competition, and cultural preferences. This article explores key actions to enhance your website’s visibility within a specific region. From global to local strategies: Understanding your potential local market To increase visibility in a specific region, start with market research to understand your potential users in the are…

TikTok has moved well beyond its roots as a short-form video app. It now serves as a search destination where people turn for answers, ideas, and products. Creator Search Insights gives creators and brands a window into that behavior – highlighting trending queries, underserved topics, and real audience interests. And the data backs up this shift: two-thirds of U.S. consumers use at least one social network for search, nearly half use several, and four of the top seven search platforms – YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok – are social. What TikTok’s Creator Search Insights can do for you TikTok’s Creator Search Insights tool gives creators visi…

Welcome to our weekly Search Engine Land series, Everything you need to know about Google Ads in less than 3 minutes. Every Wednesday, I’m highlighting a different Google Ads feature, and what you need to know to get the best results from it – all in a quick 3-minute read. Today, we’re discussing Video View campaigns (VVC). I’ll break down what they are, how they work, and when to use them as part of your Google Ads strategy. I’ll cover: What are Video view campaigns in Google Ads? What is a view in Google Ads? How will your ads appear? Video view campaigns and Remarketing Audience targeting and Content targeting in Video view campaigns How to cr…

When you think of video advertising on YouTube, you probably think of ecommerce: Videos showing products. Influencers doing an unboxing. Other visuals of consumer products that lend themselves to the video format. Even Google’s own case studies for video emphasize consumer-focused themes. Just look at the analysis of the top 2025 video ads. See any B2B brands there? Me neither. It’s true that YouTube Ads perform very well for ecommerce advertising aimed at consumers. But YouTube can also help drive B2B leads. You might be scratching your head and saying, “But I’ve tried YouTube for B2B. It doesn’t convert.” And you would be right. YouTube…

With YouTube Shorts now reaching 2 billion monthly users and generating approximately 70 billion daily views, this rapidly growing format represents an untapped opportunity for many brands. When used effectively, Shorts unlock multiple benefits that other platforms can’t match: Faster channel growth. Higher engagement rates. New monetization streams. A massive established user base of over 122 million daily viewers. Powerful cross-promotion between short and long-form content. Plus, YouTube’s established reputation provides a level of stability that newer platforms like TikTok can’t guarantee. But despite all this potential, many marketers…

We all use LLMs daily. Most of us use them at work. Many of us use them heavily. People in tech — yes, you — use LLMs at twice the rate of the general population. Many of us spend more than a full day each week using them — yes, me. Even those of us who rely on LLMs regularly get frustrated when they don’t respond the way we want. Here’s how to communicate with LLMs when you’re vibe coding. The same lessons apply if you find yourself in drawn-out “conversations” with an LLM UI like ChatGPT while trying to get real work done. Choose your vibe-coding environment Vibe coding is building software with AI assistants. You describe what you want, the model …

The SEO industry is undergoing a profound transformation in 2025. As large language models (LLMs) increasingly power search experiences, success now depends on withstanding traditional algorithm fluctuations and strategically positioning brands within AI knowledge systems. This article explores key insights and practical implementation steps to navigate this evolving landscape. Withstanding algorithm updates in 2025 Traditional algorithm updates remain a reality, but our approach to handling them must evolve beyond reactive tactics. The typical SEO response to traffic fluctuations follows a familiar pattern: Identify the drop date. Cross-chec…

Hiring an SEO agency can be a game-changer for brands looking to outshine the competition in search results. That said, an SEO agency is only as good as its partnership with its clients. That’s when SEO’s true value can be realized. What this looks like practically is working together towards shared goals and keeping momentum high. Sometimes that’s easier said than done. Here’s what you can do to ensure you get the most from your SEO agency partnership. Because when you’re aligned, you make progress faster and, in turn, can better prove ROI. Align SEO with what moves the business Your company sets the business goals, and SEO’s job is to ge…

We know that most readers skim. We also know that search engines prefer clear and easy-to-understand content. Luckily, a good summary can help with both. A summary gives your reader the core ideas quickly, while also helping your chances of ranking your content. Learning how to write a summary helps you give your content the love it needs. Table of contents What is a summary? Why are summaries important? How to write an effective summary Dos and don’ts of writing summaries Examples of weak vs. strong summaries Summaries vs. intros, conclusions, titles, and meta descriptions Benefits and pitfalls of using AI for summaries Key takeaways A summary provides a c…

People nowadays are uninterested in cold and business-like pieces of content. They want something authentic. They want conversations with people. That’s partly why Reddit is grabbing top spots in the search results because people know they’ll be reading something authentic. Hence why it’s smart to create more conversational content. But how do you do that? Read this blog to find out! What is conversational content? Plain and simple, it’s writing like you’re talking with someone. Not to someone. You’re not lecturing. You’re having a conversation with your audience. Though I’d suggest that you leave out the ‘ums’ and ‘ahs’ and multiple uses of ‘like’ or other filler …

How often do you review your PPC ad copy? Not just analyzing the performance of each asset within the ad platform, but also reviewing your ads in the context of how they appear next to competitor ads? Are you using the exact same messaging as your competitors? Does your offer stand out from theirs? Which ads are bland and generic, and which provide concrete calls to action and compelling selling points? Let’s walk through several tips for writing paid search copy that stands out in search results and converts customers for your brand. 1. Think about how assets will appear together, not just individually When you’re writing Responsive Search Ads, it’s easy t…

As an agency owner, you need skills to write content that your clients and audiences will love. Luckily, you can learn how to do it with proper steps and helpful tools. Here, we’ll discuss how to plan, write, and optimize the content work for your clients. If you have your process down, you’ll easily create content that aligns with the client’s needs and brings in results. One of the tools we’ll use is the Yoast SEO plugin, which helps your content production. Table of contents Understanding what makes content valuable Strategic planning is the foundation Ideation and content planning Optimize your writing for readability Using Yoast SEO in your content process Ins…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8AfAJUDFWY Search marketers are starting to build, not just optimize. Across SEO and PPC teams, vibe coding and AI-powered development tools are shrinking the gap between idea and execution – from weeks of developer queues to hours of hands-on experimentation. These tools don’t replace developers, but they do let search teams create and test interactive content on their own timelines. That matters because Google’s AI Overviews are pulling more answers directly into the SERP, leaving fewer clicks for brand websites. In a zero-click environment, the ability to build unique, useful, conversion-focused tools is becoming o…

Some things in life are constant – Google rankings aren’t one of them. If you’ve been paying attention (or just reading this website), you’ve likely noticed that rankings are becoming increasingly unstable. Industry veterans, with years of context, may feel this shift the most. That’s why I believe SEO is evolving into something new. What that means – and whether the industry is adapting well – is a discussion for another time (TL;DR: we’re not doing great, but we’re not failing either. Change is hard). One key driver of this shift is SERP instability. What I’d like to do here is explore that notion and give some concrete facts. The average level…

SEO has historically been an exercise in reverse-engineering algorithms. Keywords, links, technical compliance, repeat. But that model is being reimagined. Today, visibility is earned through trust, usefulness, and experience, not just relevance signals or crawlability. Search engines no longer evaluate pages in isolation. They observe how people interact with brands over time. That shift has given rise to human experience optimization (HXO): the practice of optimizing how humans experience, trust, and act on your brand across search, content, product, and conversion touchpoints. Rather than replacing SEO, HXO expands its scope to reflect how search …

In Google AI Overviews and LLM-driven retrieval, credibility isn’t enough. Content must be structured, reinforced, and clear enough for machines to evaluate and reuse confidently. Many SEO strategies still optimize for recognition. But AI systems prioritize utility. If your authority can’t be located, verified, and extracted within a semantic system, it won’t shape retrieval. This article explains how authority works in AI search, why familiar SEO practices fall short, and what it takes to build entity strength that drives visibility. Why traditional authority signals worked – until they didn’t For years, SEOs liked to believe that “doing E-E-A-T” would mak…

If you think that Search campaigns in Google Ads are still a text-only ad format, you are missing out! Image assets for search campaigns are a relatively new Google Ads feature that can help boost your click-through rate (CTR) and stand out from your competitors. Here’s what you’ll learn in this article: What are image assets for search campaigns? Eligibility requirements for image assets How to use image assets for search campaigns How to avoid image asset disapprovals What are image assets for search campaigns? Image assets for search campaigns allow you to make your responsive search ads more appealing and eye-catching. You can upload…

For the past decade, image SEO was largely a matter of technical hygiene: Compressing JPEGs to appease impatient visitors. Writing alt text for accessibility. Implementing lazy loading to keep LCP scores in the green. While these practices remain foundational to a healthy site, the rise of large, multimodal models such as ChatGPT and Gemini has introduced new possibilities and challenges. Multimodal search embeds content types into a shared vector space. We are now optimizing for the “machine gaze.” Generative search makes most content machine-readable by segmenting media into chunks and extracting text from visuals through optical character …