SEO Tools and Resources

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…

Today, we’re exploring Google Ads brand settings, specifically brand inclusion and brand exclusion for Search and Performance Max. We’ll cover: What is Brand Inclusion in Google Ads? When should you use Brand Inclusion for Search? What is Brand Exclusion in Google Ads? When should you use Brand Exclusion? How to create and manage brand lists for brand settings Should you use Brand Settings in Google Ads? What is Brand Inclusion in Google Ads? Brand inclusion is a setting that restricts your Search campaign to only show ads on searches for specific brands. In fact, it used to be called “brand restriction.” You can include your own brand…

Many assume LinkedIn Ads is an easy-to-use platform: just set your budget, pick your audience, and let the leads roll in. But in reality, small mistakes can add up fast, costing your organization thousands with little to show for it. This article breaks down five of the most common LinkedIn Ads mistakes – from targeting missteps to overlooked settings – and how to fix them. 1. Using age as a targeting criterion You probably don’t remember this, but when you created your LinkedIn profile, you were never asked for your age or birth year. That means LinkedIn has no direct way of knowing how old you are (which, honestly, I don’t mind). Instead, it make…

Google will now associate your booking links it finds in your Google Business Profiles automatically with your Google Local Service Ads. And when a searcher fills out that booking link, that will be charged to your ads account as Google would charge you for a phone call or message within Local Service Ads. What is changed. Google said that starting yesterday, February 25, 2025, if Google detects a booking link associated with your Google Business Profiles, Google will start showing those booking links on your Local Service Ads. Google said you will be charged for those bookings like you would be charged for calls or messages through Local Service Ads. Why this…

When most businesses start an SEO program, their primary goal is growth – more organic traffic, higher rankings, and increased revenue. But in today’s search landscape, maintaining your visibility is just as important. With the rise of AI-driven search, AI Overviews, and zero-click results, organic growth is harder to achieve. Nearly 60% of Google searches end without a click – so where will future growth come from? The reality is that without ongoing SEO efforts, organic traffic will decline. To survive, businesses must see SEO not just as a growth engine, but as a way to protect and maintain their existing organic visibility. This article make…

Webpages are significantly harmed when excluded from Google’s AI Overviews, but benefit when included in AI Overviews. That’s according to a new study by Terakeet, a company that focuses on brand management for global brands. AI Overviews benefits. Webpages featured in Google’s AI Overviews benefit from increased traffic, regardless of their original ranking. Of note: Top-ranked (transactional queries): Webpages included in AI Overview had 3.2x as many clicks as pages that were excluded. Lower-ranked (informational queries): Webpages appearing in AI Overviews had 2x as many clicks compared to webpages that appeared on a SERP with no AI Overviews. Lower-rank…

Understanding the difference between search bots and scrapers is crucial for SEO. Website crawlers fall into two categories: First-party bots, which you use to audit and optimize your own site. Third-party bots, which crawl your site externally – sometimes to index your content (like Googlebot) and other times to extract data (like competitor scrapers). This guide breaks down first-party crawlers that can improve your site’s technical SEO and third-party bots, exploring their impact and how to manage them effectively. First-party crawlers: Mining insights from your own website Crawlers can help you identify ways to improve your technical SEO. …

Budgeting for paid ad campaigns has long been a static process – set a monthly budget, monitor spending, and adjust incrementally as needed. This method works for industries with stable demand and predictable conversion rates but falls short in dynamic, competitive markets. Still, static budgets aren’t obsolete. In industries with long sales cycles, consistent conversion trends, or strict financial planning – like B2B SaaS and healthcare – planned budgets remain essential. The key isn’t choosing between static and dynamic budgeting; it’s knowing when and how to adjust PPC spend using data-driven signals. The role of Smart Bidding and Performance Max in budge…