SEO Tools and Resources

Grappling with innovation and changing consumer attitudes is second nature to marketers, who have already lived through many technological shifts over the past two decades. But forecasting where things are going is especially hard when it comes to modern AI, which has such unusual, non-deterministic properties. You can’t just extrapolate from the state of AI today to understand where AI is going to be in five years (or one…); during this sort of a platform shift, you need to take a deeper first-principles look. Some things won’t change. Consumers will always want products, services and experiences that resonate and meet their needs. Marketers will always want easier, …

Google Business Profiles has a form where you can report negative review extortion scams, the form launched a month ago. You can find access to the form in this help document and I believe you need to be logged into your Google account with access to the Business Profile you want to report. Review extortion scams. This negative review extortion scams are on the rise and a huge concern for local SEOs and businesses. A scammer will message you, likely over WhatsApp or email, and tell you that they left a one-star negative review and the only way to remove it is to pay them. Google wrote in its help document, “These scams may involve a sudden increase in 1-star and …

Word count is not a ranking factor in itself, but it still plays a significant role in SEO. A minimum number of words helps search engines understand your topic, helps users understand your message, and supports content quality and relevance. The right length for your content depends on search intent, topic depth, competition, and purpose. In this guide, you will learn why word count matters, when length helps or hurts, and how to decide the right length for every page you publish. Table of contents What does word count mean for SEO? Why very short content often struggles What does Yoast SEO check when it comes to text length? How user intent determines ideal length…

On April 15th, 2025, ​WordPress 6.8 was released. This release, named Cecil, is aimed at bringing more control when it comes to the design of your website. It also comes with features that improve performance and enhance security for users and developers. Let’s dive into a few of the highlights in this latest release. The Style Book for Classic themes The Style Book, previously exclusive to block-based themes, is now accessible for Classic themes that have editor-styles or a theme.json file. It also comes with a new look and a few new settings to play around with. You can find this feature, or see if you have access to this feature, by going to Appearance > Desi…

WordPress offers two primary content types: Pages and Posts. Choosing the right format for your content can improve your website’s organization, user experience, and even SEO. But how do they differ – and when should you use one over the other? Let’s break it down. WordPress Pages Pages are best suited for static, “evergreen” content – information that doesn’t change frequently and forms the foundation of your website. Typical examples include: Home page. About us. Services or products. Contact page. Key features: Not time-sensitive. Not included in RSS feeds. Do not use categories or tags by default (can be implement…

X launched two new features to help advertisers automate ad creation and analyze real-time ad campaign performance. The new features – Prefill with Grok and Analyze Campaign with Grok – are (as the names imply) powered by Grok, X’s AI assistant. Prefill with Grok. Enter your website URL and Grok will generate ad copy, imagery, and a call-to-action headline. You can tweak as needed. Here’s what it looks like: Analyze Campaign with Grok. Grok will analyze campaign data and offer insights and recommendations to optimize targeting and creative strategy. What’s next. The rollout, which began Feb. 21, will continue in phases to advertisers. Why we care. This…

Yahoo today introduced MyScout, a customizable homepage inside Yahoo Scout, its beta AI answer engine. How MyScout works. Logged-in users can customize the homepage with tiles that pull information from Yahoo properties (e.g., Mail, News, Sports, Finance, Games). Examples include: Inbox previews from Yahoo Mail. Stock updates from Yahoo Finance watchlists. News topics and trending stories. Scores and schedules for favorite teams. Weather, shopping comparisons, and games. Users can add, remove, reorder, or create tiles based on topics or queries they want to follow. Some tiles update in real time, such as stock prices. Other tiles refresh …

Yahoo CEO Jim Lanzone said AI-powered search — especially Google’s AI Mode — is putting the open web’s core traffic model at risk and argues AI search engines must send users back to publishers. “I think that the LLMs are one big reason that they’re under threat, with AI Mode in Google being the biggest challenge.” “Those publishers deserve [traffic], and we’re not going to have the content to consume to give great answers if publishers aren’t healthy.” Why we care. Many websites are seeing less traffic from answer engines like Google and OpenAI — and I think it’ll only get worse. So it’s encouraging to see Yahoo trying to preserve the “search sends traffic” m…

Yahoo appears to be testing some new AI related features within Yahoo Search. In fact, some are seeing Yahoo show a banner at the top of Yahoo’s home page that says, “We’re building a new yahoo.com to show more of what’s interesting to you.” The new search features include: AI powered chat AI generated answers within search Note, you need to login to Yahoo to see the new Yahoo Search features. AI chat in Yahoo. For the past week or so, we’ve been seeing signs of Yahoo incorporating AI Chat features in Yahoo Search. Now, we are seeing that more prominently in the Yahoo Search interface. Here are some screenshots from Sachin Patel on X: Here is…

Yahoo has launched its first version of its AI-based answer engine named Yahoo! Scout. Yahoo! Scout is available at scout.yahoo.com and is also embedded through Yahoo’s massive network of sites; Yahoo News, Finance, Mail and of course, Yahoo Search. Think of it as a Yahoo-branded AI companion for Yahoo users, that is there to help you along the way within those specific properties. What is Yahoo Scout. Yahoo Scout is Yahoo’s take at an AI search engine and companion, much like Google’s AI Mode or OpenAI’s ChatGPT, but with a flare from Yahoo. Yahoo told me that they wanted Yahoo Scout to have personality, to make it fun and engaging for users to interact with and allo…

Yelp announced 15 new features and updates to make it faster and easier for users to hire service professionals and for restaurants to manage their front-of-house operations. Many of these upgrades are powered by AI. Details. Yelp Assistant, launched in 2024, now uses AI-powered photo recognition to identify project needs. Users can simply upload a photo (e.g., a leaking pipe, car damage) and Yelp will quickly match them with the right service pro. Alongside smarter matching, Yelp is debuting AI-driven “response quality badges” to spotlight service providers who give clear, helpful replies. Businesses are rated based on whether they quote pricing, …

Yelp is rolling out its most significant AI update yet, centered on a new conversational “Yelp Assistant” designed to move users from searching to actually booking, ordering, and scheduling — all in one flow. What’s new. Yelp Assistant sits at the center of the update, acting as a chatbot that can answer complex queries, recommend businesses, and complete actions like reservations or appointments without leaving the app. Zoom in. The assistant pulls from Yelp’s massive base of user reviews and photos to generate tailored recommendations, explain why a business fits, and let users refine results conversationally. It can then take the next step — booking a t…

Yelp just unveiled its 2025 Fall Product Release, a sweeping AI-driven update that turns the local discovery platform into a more conversational, visual, and intelligent experience. Driving the news: Yelp’s rollout includes over 35 new AI-powered features, headlined by: Yelp Assistant, an upgraded chatbot that instantly answers customer questions about restaurants, shops, or attractions—citing reviews and photos. Menu Vision, which lets users scan menus to see photos, reviews, and dish details in real time. Yelp Host and Yelp Receptionist, AI-powered call solutions that handle reservations, collect leads, and answer questions with natural, customi…

Search visibility isn’t what it used to be. Rankings still matter, but they’re no longer the whole story. Today, discovery happens across traditional search results, local listings, brand knowledge panels, and increasingly, AI-driven experiences that surface answers without a click. For marketers, that makes visibility harder to measure — and easier to lose. SEO teams now operate in a landscape where accuracy, consistency, and trust signals matter as much as keywords. Business information, reviews, and brand authority determine whether a brand shows up at all, especially as AI-powered search reshapes how results are generated and displayed. As a result, many bran…

Do you want to take your site’s SEO to the next level? Yoast SEO Premium can help you out! But there is also a free version of Yoast SEO. So, what exactly is the difference between the free version of Yoast SEO and Yoast SEO Premium? How do these two compare? And is Yoast SEO Premium worth it? Let’s uncover the ten reasons why you should buy Yoast SEO Premium today! Table of contents Yoast SEO free vs premium: what is the difference? What are the benefits of Yoast SEO Premium? 1: Yoast SEO Premium comes with amazing AI features 2: Yoast SEO Premium comes with all add-ons 3: Yoast SEO Premium is a time-saver 4: Use Yoast SEO in Google Docs 5: Makes doing site mainten…

Take your content strategy to the next level with expanded Semrush insights in the Yoast SEO plugin! Simplify your SEO process and focus on what matters the most: crafting and optimizing content that resonates and ranks. The Yoast Semrush integration means all Yoast SEO users can access keyword intent, and keyword difficulty and track and analyze up to four keywords. All powered by Semrush—seamlessly integrated into Yoast’s focus keyphrase section. Keyword difficulty and intent: Make your keyword choices smarter with data-driven insights: Keyword difficulty shows how challenging it is to rank for a specific keyword, helping you focus on keywords that are withi…

Hundreds of the most advanced, experienced, and passionate search marketers on the planet are heading to Boston this June 11-13 for the ultimate summer camp for search marketers: SMX Advanced is back in-person, and this is your chance to unlock actionable tactics, intimate networking, and the unmatched energy of a live event. Designed by advanced search marketers, for advanced search marketers, SMX Advanced delivers expert-level training you won’t find anywhere else. This is your chance to connect face-to-face with the sharpest minds in the industry, validate your ongoing initiatives and instincts, and geek out with your search community IRL. It’s summer camp for sea…

You can now generate custom PPC tools in plain English. With GPT-5 enabling complete program generation, the competitive edge belongs to those who master AI-assisted automation. Frederick Vallaeys is building tools in minutes, not days or months, with AI. Vallaeys spent 10 years at Google building tools like Google Ads Editor, then another 10 building tools at Optmyzr, where he’s CEO. He’s watched automation evolve firsthand, and vibe coding is the next leap. At SMX Next 2025, he shared his journey with vibe coding. The traditional script problem If you work in PPC, automation has always been top of mind. In the early days, you relied on Google Ads s…

SEO reporting and tracking are major sticking points for anyone in the industry. Data that you find important may be less valuable to C-suite executives. Or you may not have enough data to show growth, changes, and significant events clearly and concisely. Reports must tell a story. Without the right data, you’ll end up with a confusing plot that won’t be well-received. Before you can begin reporting and tracking data, you need to gather it, which requires using the right tools. SEO reporting and tracking tools Most SEOs use a combination of different tools to properly collect, track and report data. A few of the main ones include: Google…

AI is changing how people find and engage with content – but the core signals that drive visibility haven’t changed. This article shows how search marketers can stay competitive by combining proven SEO and content strategies with AI-powered workflows to build authority, trust, and reach across platforms. Why authority still wins in the age of AI search If you work in marketing, you’ve probably heard the same questions repeated throughout the past year: “What’s AI’s impact on organic search?” “How can my brand appear in AI-driven search results?” “Is it safe to use AI in my content workflow?” While many agencies and experts are rushing to stak…

The death of an ad, like the end of the world, doesn’t happen with a bang but with a whimper. If you’re paying attention, you’ll notice the warning signs: click-through rate (CTR) slips, engagement falls, and cost-per-click (CPC) creeps up. If you’re not, one day your former top performer is suddenly costing you money. Creative fatigue – the decline in ad performance caused by overexposure or audience saturation – is often the culprit. It’s been around as long as advertising itself, but in an era where platforms control targeting, bidding, and even creative testing, it’s become one of the few variables marketers can still influence. This article exp…

While online discussion obsesses over whether ChatGPT spells the end of Google, websites are losing revenue from a far more real and immediate problem: some of their most valuable pages are invisible to the systems that matter. Because while the bots have changed, the game hasn’t. Your website content needs to be crawlable. Between May 2024 and May 2025, AI crawler traffic surged by 96%, with GPTBot’s share jumping from 5% to 30%. But this growth isn’t replacing traditional search traffic. Semrush’s analysis of 260 billion rows of clickstream data showed that people who start using ChatGPT maintain their Google search habits. They’re not switching; they’re e…

Are you controlling your paid search campaigns, or are they controlling you? If you can’t confidently articulate your smart bidding strategies, you lose conversions and credibility. True mastery isn’t just about setting up a campaign and picking a bid strategy; it’s about owning and communicating the process effectively. This guide is your roadmap to clarity and control, breaking down 2025’s Smart Bidding into actionable insights. We’ll cover key concepts, common mistakes, and actionable tips for picking the right strategy. Smart Bidding in Google Ads: AI-powered bid optimization Smart Bidding is Google Ads’ advanced form of automated bidding. …

SEO forecasting is essential for predicting the future performance of your strategies, measuring progress, and making data-driven decisions. This guide will show you how to use Google Sheets to create accurate forecasts for traffic, rankings, and revenue, even if you’re not a data expert. Forecasting: The secret to navigating SEO’s biggest hurdles In marketing and SEO, it’s often necessary to illustrate our vision for what lies ahead. Common scenarios include: Getting buy-in for a new SEO or content strategy: We need to demonstrate the expected ROI of the proposed strategy. While it may not be perfectly precise, providing an estimate of the potential growt…

In the early days of the web and my career, web architecture was simple: we built “filing cabinet” websites designed around a single, grand entryway. Visitors arrived at your homepage, a.k.a. the “front door,” and navigated through the site to find what they needed. Then SEO came along and changed everything. Suddenly, every page became a possible entrance point, and people could be dropped in directly at the page most relevant to their current need. But today, in this AI environment, it seems that things are changing again. As users now use AI tools like Gemini, ChatGPT, and likely mass-adoption tools embedded in our mobile devices, search engines, and browsers t…