SEO Tools and Resources

Just like a deep “spring cleaning” clears out the clutter after a long winter or a rejuvenating scalp massage melts away stress after a tough work week, we all need a refresh occasionally. The same goes for your website – which can quickly get cluttered with outdated, unoptimized content. That’s why taking the time to reset, refresh, and re-optimize your content is so important. A content refresh isn’t just about tidying up, though. It’s also about making room for new ideas, renewed value for your readers, and timely relevance in the eyes of search engines. This can improve your website’s speed and rankings and drive new visitors to take action (su…

From automating review responses to suppressing negative search results, AI is making online reputation management (ORM) faster, smarter, and more effective. But while AI offers powerful tools, businesses must use them strategically to maintain authenticity and trust. Here’s how AI is reshaping ORM – and what brands need to do to keep up. Online reputation management in the age of AI In today’s digital-first world, a brand’s online reputation is more than just a reflection of its customer service. It’s a key driver of success or failure. A single negative news story, an influx of bad reviews, or even an outdated piece of content ranking high on Googl…

Google will be replacing Google Assistant with Gemini later this year, this is across mobile phones, tablets, cars and devices that connect to your phone, such as headphones and watches and even some TV-connected devices. This comes as no surprise to most, because when Google launched Bard (the name Google used for Gemini early on), Google said it would bring Bard features to the Google Assistant. Then in early 2024, Google removed a ton of features on the Google Assistant. Impacted devices. Google wrote, “Over the coming months, we’re upgrading more users on mobile devices from Google Assistant to Gemini; and later this year, the classic Google Assistant will no…

Google released new information about its ad review process, explaining its hybrid approach to enforcing policy violations across its advertising ecosystem. The details. Google’s clarification emphasizes: Reviews use a combination of AI systems and human evaluators Multiple information sources factor into violation determinations Content removal decisions apply to ads, assets, destinations, and entire accounts English remains the official language for policy enforcement Between the lines. This transparency update comes as regulatory scrutiny of digital advertising platforms increases globally, with lawmakers demanding more accountability around conte…

Staying ahead in Google Ads means adapting fast. With Video Action Campaigns (VAC) being phased out and absorbed into Demand Gen, you have a new opportunity to drive growth. Fortunately, Google is rolling out powerful new tools to help maximize performance. This article breaks down what’s changing and how to optimize your Demand Gen campaigns for success. A snapshot of Google’s Demand Gen campaigns Demand Gen campaigns (formerly Discovery campaigns) allow users to buy Google’s ad inventory across YouTube Shorts, YouTube In-Stream, YouTube In-Feed, Discovery feeds, Gmail, and Google Video partners. These campaigns support three ad types for ecomme…

Short-form videos may dominate social media, but long-form content remains essential – especially on YouTube. From in-depth tutorials to video podcasts, longer videos can drive engagement, build communities, and even get featured in Google’s AI Overviews. If you’re looking to make the most of long-form video in 2025, here are the key strategies you need to know. Why long-form videos still matter in 2025 Right now, three key shifts are reshaping YouTube: “Learning content” (how-to videos, travel hacks, DIY guides, and product reviews) averaged 15.2% more views than the YouTube platform-wide average in 2024, a Tubular Labs report found. More people now…

Google’s controversial site reputation abuse policy certainly ruffled a few feathers since its rollout last year. Some publishers, like Forbes, blame the policy for forcing devastating decisions in newsrooms – like the firing of all freelance journalists. Others argue that it’s yet another example of Google “abusing its dominant market position” to dictate how websites can and cannot generate revenue in an already fiercely competitive industry. Well, like it or not, the policy is here to stay. That’s why publishers must fully understand what is and isn’t allowed – and what Google is actually trying to achieve – before making any drastic decisions. Act…

YouTube is rolling out new features that make it easier for creators and brands to connect their collaborative content with advertising campaigns. This comes after their introduction last year of tools to help brands better leverage creator content and its fast-growing Shorts format to drive measurable business outcomes The details. The platform has introduced two improvements: Creator-initiated linking: Eligible creators can now directly send linking requests to brands for sponsored videos they’ve already published. Video linking API: Brands working with multiple creators can automate the connection process through a new API integration. Why we care.…

Google has released the March 2025 core update today, Google said this core update “rollout may take up to 2 weeks to complete.” Core updates happen multiple times per year. Core updates can have significant, broad changes to Google’s search algorithms and systems, which is why Google announces them. This is the first core update of the 2025 year. This core update happened a few months since the last core update, the December 2024 core update. What to do if you are hit. Google has given advice on what to consider if you are negatively impacted by a core update in the past. Google has not really given much new advice here but here is the past advice the company…

Google released a new help page detailing Asset testing for retailers, a specialized experiment type for Performance Max campaigns that lets you measure the effectiveness of your creative assets. What’s new. The new experimental feature tests asset impact within a single PMax campaign: A control group (feed-only) is compared against a treatment group (with added assets). The results are viewable in the Experiment report. Split testing without duplicate campaigns. Unlike traditional A/B testing that requires running parallel campaigns, this new feature splits traffic within a single Performance Max campaign: Control group: Shows product feed-only ads. …

Google Analytics is enhancing its reporting capabilities with three new features designed to help users better understand their data and identify potential tracking issues. Percentage values are now included in all detailed reports, new notifications flag missing session_start events and system alerts also highlight high rates of “(not set)” values. Percentages now standard in reports. Google has added percentage values to each row across all detailed reports in both the “Reports” and “Ads” modules. The new percentage columns allow analysts to immediately see which traffic sources, pages, or campaigns are driving the most significant portions of their results…

As generative AI continues to shape website performance, much of the conversation has focused on its negative impact. Factors like AI Overviews, increased zero-click searches, and a growing demographic that turns to ChatGPT instead of traditional research methods may all play a role. While these shifts raise concerns, it’s equally important to examine the traffic these AI engines are driving to websites. To better understand this, we analyzed traffic data from 391 SMB websites, breaking them down by industry and AI search engine referrals. Our goal was to see exactly how much traffic these companies were getting – and whether it was significant enough y…

Based on the hundreds of conversations I’ve had with B2B and lead generation brands over the years, this could be an annual – if not monthly or even weekly – topic. Lead quality remains a constant challenge, regardless of shifts in the advertising landscape. In 2025, my top PPC strategies for improving lead quality blend time-tested fundamentals with newly released features. If you implement everything on this list, you’ll stay ahead of the curve – and you’ll see your marketing dollars drive greater down-funnel impact. 1. Nailing the basics This falls into the evergreen category, but I still see brands coming up short. To assess lead quality, you …

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…

Is your landing page converting better—or worse—than your competitors’? If you’re not sure, now’s the time to find out. Unbounce’s new Conversion Benchmark Report provides a clear, data-backed look at how landing pages are performing across industries. The report includes median conversion rates by sector, giving marketers a useful baseline to assess their own performance. The report also offers helpful guidance for interpreting your own results—whether you’re outperforming the median or identifying areas for optimization. It reminds marketers that conversion rate is just one piece of the puzzle: lower conversion rates might still represent high-value leads, and e…

Google released version 2.9 of Google Ads Editor, adding new campaign management tools, video ad enhancements, and better support for Shopping and Performance Max campaigns. Key updates: Manager Account Labels. Advertisers can now attach labels from Google Ads Manager (MCC) accounts to campaigns, ad groups, and keywords. Expanded Shopping Ads. Retail Performance Max campaigns can now serve shopping ads on brand-related searches, even if those brands are typically excluded. Vertical Video Generation. Responsive video ads now support automatic vertical video creation for Video Views campaigns. Masthead Ads Support. Advertisers can create and manage YouTube…

Google is rolling out performance upgrades for Display & Video 360’s connected TV (CTV) ad solutions, enhancing audience targeting, measurement, and campaign insights. Key upgrades: Enhanced audience targeting. Marketers can now reach households based on demographics, shared interests, or purchase intent. Improved measurement. New conversion tracking capabilities in Display & Video 360 and Campaign Manager 360 will help advertisers connect CTV ads to household purchasing behavior. Household-level insights. Reach metrics will now include household-level data alongside existing people-based reach, improving comparisons between CTV and traditional TV. …

Meta is encouraging advertisers to integrate Google Analytics with its ad platform, offering early access to ad system updates that have shown a boost in conversions. Details. Meta says setting up the connection takes just 5-10 minutes. Advertisers with a high-quality integration saw an additional 5% increase in conversions, according to internal Meta data. How it works: Advertisers must connect Google Analytics to their Meta ads account. Meta will roll out system updates first to those with established connections. Why we care. Advertisers who establish a strong connection between Meta and Google Analytics could see improved campaign performance, gain…

Google has begun showing the ‘Price at Checkout’ within Google Shopping listings, both for paid ads and organic results. Merchants who alter prices at checkout risk suspension from Google Shopping, but this new feature provides an added layer of clarity for users. The big picture: Google has strict policies against misleading pricing, and this enhancement aligns with its broader efforts to improve trust in Shopping listings. Transparency in pricing could also pressure retailers to maintain consistency between advertised and final prices. Why we care. Online shoppers often encounter price discrepancies between initial listings and final checkout prices, lea…

Adding both “Date published” and “Date updated” to articles can confuse Google, causing it to display outdated dates in search results. The impact? A 22% drop in CTR for one site, according to an SEO case study shared by SEO professional Abby Gleason on LinkedIn today. Why we care. Your position in the search results only matters if people click. Searchers may be less likely to click on your fresh content if Google displays an older publication date. What happened. Gleason shared this screenshot of an unspecified website and explained what happened: The site in question saw a sharp decline in CTR starting in late August, when “Date updated” was added…

Google’s AI-powered match type Search Max is rolling out to more accounts, bringing automated ad optimization to Search campaigns. How it works: Expanded search term matching. Google extends beyond existing keywords and match types, using landing pages, headlines, and descriptions to surface new, relevant searches. Text & URL optimization. Google dynamically selects the most relevant landing pages and pairs them with optimized headlines and descriptions. Automatically created assets. Search Max now incorporates AI-generated ad components, further streamlining ad creation. Why we care. Search Max aims to increase conversions by dynamically tailoring…

If you’re spending time and money adding keyword-rich content to your website, hoping to improve your Google Maps rankings, you’re wasting resources. Website content does not influence your visibility in Google Maps – but there are proven strategies that do. The SEO myth: Blogging and Google Maps rankings When Google Maps first launched, it appeared to pull keywords from local business websites to help match businesses with local searches. Because of this perceived influence, local SEO experts have long advocated for blogging and content marketing. However, this belief is based on incorrect correlations. Adding content to your website – if it is…

Optimized targeting is one default Google Ads feature that gets a ton of vitriol. Sure, it’s not the best choice for everyone. However, there are definite use cases for this automated targeting feature. Let’s explore: is optimized targeting your friend or foe in Google Ads? We’ll cover: What is optimized targeting in Google Ads? Which campaign types are compatible with optimized targeting? Which bid strategies are compatible with optimized targeting? Optimized targeting vs. Audience expansion Optimized targeting vs. Performance Max How to evaluate optimized targeting: is it working? Should you use optimized targeting? What is optimize…

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…

When the rules change, smart players adjust their strategy. Google Ads has changed a lot since it first launched. But shifting PPC strategies isn’t always easy. What happens if the rules change and you don’t know about it? Or you’re too confused by the new rules to take decisive action? Here’s how to adapt to changes in Google Ads while keeping your competitive edge and sanity. Google Ads stacks the deck in its own favor Google Ads constantly makes changes to increase its revenue. If there were a Serenity principle for advertisers, it might be: “Grant me the clarity to accept the Google Ads changes I can’t control, the knowledge to push back on the…