SEO Tools and Resources

Microsoft is experimenting with a new Local business tag that appears on some sponsored listings in Bing search results. This tag could potentially give nearby advertisers an edge in capturing local customer attention. The big picture. Microsoft is simultaneously testing additional blue tags for other valuable attributes: Made in the USA highlighting domestic products. Deal flagging special offers. Free Shipping calling out no-cost delivery options. Why we care. These visual indicators could impact click-through rates by instantly communicating key differentiators to searchers. For local businesses, the Local business tag could improve visibility agains…

Reddit is rolling out a new ad control feature that gives users more power over the sponsored content they encounter on the platform. The details: Users can now select Hide from a dropdown menu on any feed-based advertisement. Hiding an ad blocks content from that advertiser account for at least one year. The feature works alongside the existing Report function, which also triggers advertiser blocking. Implementation will roll out gradually across iOS, Android, and desktop over several weeks. Hide option in the ad dropdown. Ad immediately after being hidden. Why we care. Reddit’s new ad hiding feature creates stronger incentives to deliver releva…

Traffic from generative AI surged to U.S. retail sites over the holiday season and that trend has continued into 2025, according to new Adobe data. Between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31, traffic from generative AI sources increased by 1,300% compared to the year prior (up 1,950% YoY on Cyber Monday). This trend continued beyond the holiday season, Adobe found. In February, traffic from generative AI sources increased by 1,200% compared to July 2024. The percentages are high because generative AI tools are so new. ChatGPT debuted its research preview on Nov. 30. 2022. Generative AI traffic remains modest compared to other channels, such as paid search or email, but the …

When it comes to keyword research, SEO professionals often rely on expensive tools to find the right keywords. However, Google Search Console (GSC) provides a completely free way to access insights straight from Google itself. GSC is a powerful and often underused tool that shows exactly what is working on a site and where improvements can be made. Unlike other keyword research tools that provide generic suggestions and estimated data, GSC delivers real-life search data based on actual searches leading to a website. It can often uncover interesting insights. Here’s how to use GSC to find valuable keyword opportunities and improve rankings. Why use Goo…

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…

Whether it’s time, money, or expertise, marketing resources are finite. In today’s world, with advances in AI and more efficient tools than ever, businesses expect better results with fewer resources. That means every second spent on an SEO campaign matters. To keep up, SEOs must focus on actions that truly move the needle – without wasting time or unnecessary effort. This article highlights SEO activities that have diminishing returns – where the effort eventually outweighs the benefits – and offers tips on optimizing more effectively. 1. Page speed improvements Not long ago, I had a client who was obsessed with page speed. The site’s page spe…

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 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. …

Google is testing placing special and very clickable links in its AI Overviwws, but not to publishers or your own website, but rather back to its own search results. You got that right, Google is testing linking the AI Overviews back to new search queries on Google.com. What it looks like. I posted a screenshot and video from Sachin Patel who spotted this change on the Search Engine Roundtable – here they are: Clicking on those underlined links in the text of the AI Overview, both at the top and in the middle section, will take you back to a new Google Search. The smaller link icons take you to the side panel links, those go to publishers and external website…

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…

Google Ads has begun rolling out channel control for select Demand Gen campaigns. This feature will let you specify where your ads appear across Google’s properties. Yes, but. While the feature is live, segmentation by individual channel (e.g., YouTube, Discover, Gmail) is not yet available. This will limit your ability to make data-driven adjustments. Why we care. This update, first announced in January, gives advertisers more control over campaign placement, but the full impact remains unclear since performance data is still aggregated under “Google-owned channels.” What they’re saying. Greg Kholer, director of digital marketing at ServiceMaster, shared see…

Andriana18, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons W. Edwards Deming’s 14 principles transformed manufacturing by emphasizing quality, efficiency and continuous improvement. His ideas weren’t just about improving production lines—they were about creating a culture of adaptability and excellence. Today, marketing faces its own shift. The traditional, assembly-line model of campaign execution—where data, creative, and deployment are handled in rigid steps—is no longer fast enough for real-time customer engagement. Positionless Marketing builds on Deming’s legacy by enabling marketers to act independently, collaborate fluidly and use AI-powered tools to engage custome…

Being great at PPC isn’t just about launching campaigns and optimizing bids. It’s about making an impact, proving your value, and building a reputation that accelerates your career. Whether you’re an in-house marketer, agency professional, or freelancer, standing out in the PPC world requires technical excellence and strategic visibility. After working at several agencies before starting my own, I’ve seen firsthand what separates top-tier PPC professionals from the rest. Success in this industry isn’t just about knowing the platforms. It’s about positioning yourself as an indispensable expert. While this playbook is built around PPC, the principles …

Maximizing return on ad spend (ROAS) in Google Ads is crucial for driving profitability. However, without revenue data, PPC advertisers often default to focusing on cost per purchase – a strategy that can limit long-term growth. While ROAS optimization enhances ad spend efficiency, it falls short if it doesn’t account for customer lifetime value (LTV). To stay competitive, you must move beyond short-term returns and embrace LTV-based ROAS optimization. This ensures you’re capturing the full value of your customers over time. This article will break down how to: Shift from short-term ROAS to LTV-based ROAS. Use static conversion values to improve…

Google Merchant Center click reporting is changing on April 21, 2025, where clicks will be reported in the same manner Google Ads reports clicks. Google said this will align click reporting with Google Ads and thus may impact some current and historical data reported in Merchant Center. What is changing. Google wrote in this email, “As of April 21, 2025, we’re updating Google Merchant Center to align click reporting with Google Ads.” The email goes on to say: “This change reflects new advertising formats that have different types of interactions. While Google Ads reports clicks separately from other interactions, Merchant Center currently reports all intera…

PPC marketing isn’t easy. Juggling campaigns across Google, Microsoft Bing, and social platforms while maximizing every click is a challenge – and those clicks aren’t cheap. That’s why Chrome extensions are PPC game-changers. They sit in your browser, ready to help without the hassle of switching tools. Imagine this: you’re analyzing competitors, tweaking ad copy, and tracking keywords – all without juggling tabs or draining your focus. The best part? Most top extensions are free. No budget approvals, no learning curve – just click, install, and start optimizing faster. Whether you’re a PPC pro or just starting out, the right Chrome extensions ca…

Google is rolling out a significant update to its Performance Max campaigns, giving advertisers more transparency and control over their ad placements. The big picture: Performance Max search terms are now visible in the standard Search Terms report Advertisers can add negative keywords directly from the report The update integrates with Google’s recent addition of negative keyword capabilities for Performance Max Why we care. This change addresses one of the biggest criticisms of Performance Max campaigns: lack of visibility into which search queries trigger ads. Advertisers now have the same level of insight and control they’re accustomed to with stan…

When Google launched the March 2025 core update last week, Google said there will be a series of improvements aimed to help “better surface relevant, satisfying content” from content creators “thoughtout this year.” But you should not expect all sites to fully recover by the end of the 2025 year, that simply won’t happen. What Google said. Danny Sullivan, the Google Search Liaison, in a conversation on X with Travel blogger, Nate Hank, explained that there is a caveat to the statement about surfacing those sites better in Google Search again. Sullivan wrote, “With the important caveat that this doesn’t mean all sites will go back up to wherever they were if they are …

Imagine this: You are a wealthy art lover seated in a room filled with beautiful paintings and surrounded by other art lovers. You have a numbered paddle in one hand and a glass of champagne in the other. You are at the center of an auction and about to bid against all the other people in the room for the artwork you want. Now imagine you are blindfolded! The auctioneer’s rapid-fire speech guides you as prices go higher and higher. You periodically raise your paddle to make a bid; you assume that those around you are doing the same. But what if they’re not? What if the joke is on you, and you’re feverishly raising your paddle again and again to win the auction w…

The way people search for information is changing, and Gen Z is leading the shift. Instead of turning to Google, they’re searching on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Reddit, and Discord for everything from product recommendations to restaurant reviews and how-to guides. This isn’t just a trend – it’s a fundamental shift in digital discovery. Google usage among Gen Z has dropped by 25% compared to Gen X, a 2024 Forbes study shows. eMarketer reports that 46% of Gen Z and 35% of millennials prefer social media over traditional search engines. Why? They crave fast, visual, and community-driven content rather than sifting through traditional search resu…

SEO is something of a nebulous concept. To some, SEO is technical; to others, it is creative. Neither of these is 100% right or wrong. SEO is all of this and more, depending entirely on the unique situation and goals of the business looking to use SEO. This loose definition leads to some common and fairly troublesome issues. One of these issues, which we see repeatedly and completely derails the success of projects – even by experienced agencies – is the misunderstanding between SEO strategy and SEO planning. This article defines these terms and shows a simple way to ensure both strategy and planning are tackled with the rigor that the modern, h…

People are making more purchases online, whether from home on a laptop or on their mobile phone while on the go. In 2025, retail e-commerce sales are estimated to exceed 4.3 trillion U.S. dollars worldwide, and this number is expected to go up in the following years. Naturally, this rise in online shopping has come with a surge in online stores worldwide. How can you make sure your online store stands out and reaches the right people? Ecommerce SEO can help drive up those sales numbers. In this guide, we’ll explain every aspect and help you get started! Table of contents What is ecommerce SEO? Branding is key Technical ecommerce SEO User experience improves conversi…

Do you have a website or are you thinking about creating one? And do you want to attract more people to your business? If the answer is yes, then there’s no doubt about it: SEO should be part of your marketing efforts. It’s a great way to build your brand and get people on your site. But what does it actually entail? In this post, we’ll give you an understanding of what SEO is and how you can get started! What is SEO? The acronym SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. Let’s first get a definition from one of our principal SEO experts at Yoast, Alex Moss: SEO is both the art and science of improving a website, and pages within, to be as visible…

How does adding coordinates to the EXIF data affect local rank? Our team wanted to find out. That’s why we recently conducted a 10-week study on the effects of geotagging for local rank. The geotagged images seemed to only affect the ranking for “near me” queries in the areas the EXIF data coordinates specified. Their impact on those queries in those areas was positive and statistically significant. However, the study also found that queries that mentioned specific towns saw a decrease in ranking during the same period. In other words, when EXIF data targeted Salt Lake City, Utah, the query [lawn care near me] saw a significant increase in rank. For the sa…

If you try to add a new business to Google Business Profiles today, you may run into difficulties. When you get to the screen where you add your phone number and website address, Google won’t let you proceed to the next step. It is unclear if there is an issue with phone numbers in general, which may be causing this bug, or not. But there are also businesses reporting their phone numbers are being removed and also rejected from their Google Business Profiles. More details. As noted, on this screen, the “Next” button, simply won’t take you to the next screen: Google product expert, Vinay Toshniwal, wrote in the Google Business Profile forums: I’ve com…