SEO Tools and Resources

As privacy regulations evolve and consumer expectations shift, marketers face a growing challenge: delivering personalized experiences while respecting data privacy. How can you navigate this changing landscape without sacrificing engagement? Join MarTech.org’s upcoming webinar, Balancing Personalization and Privacy, to explore best practices for responsibly collecting and managing first-party data, building trust with privacy-conscious consumers, and simplifying data integration across large organizations. Our expert speaker will also address key industry challenges, from handling highly regulated sectors to adapting to opt-out technologies like Apple’s Do Not Tr…

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…

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…

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 …

Brandon Saltalamacchia’s office, adorned with a dazzling collection of retro gaming paraphernalia, offers a glimpse into the passions that have driven his professional life. In this interview with Saltalamacchia, you’ll learn about his humble beginnings as an independent publisher to navigating the labyrinthine challenges of SEO in a Google world. The early days: A camper van and a dream Saltalamacchia’s foray into independent publishing began in 2017 while working full-time for Future Publishing. A self-described “newb” in SEO and content marketing, he channeled his love for camper vans into a small passion project — a website dedicated to van life. “It w…

Search has transformed. AI-powered results, featured snippets, “People Also Ask,” and Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) are redefining how — and where — visibility happens. Join Wayne Cichanski, Vice President of Search & Site Experience at iQuanti for SEO Beyond Just the Ten Blue Links! He’ll share a data-driven SEO 2.0 framework designed to help brands systematically claim high-impact search shelf-space — and convert visibility into measurable results. In this live session, you’ll learn: How to analyze and win across modern SERP features A blueprint for aligning structured data, content, and intent Real-world strategies for navigating S…

UK news site the Sun ended 2024 by losing half of its audience, due in part to “algorithm changes at certain platforms,” according to the latest earnings report from parent company News Corp. On the earnings call, News Corp Chief Financial Officer Lavanya Chandrashekar was more specific, blaming “industry headwinds on search algorithms.” Yes, that means Google search algorithm updates. The drop. Glenn Gabe, SEO consultant at G-Squared Interactive, shared a screenshot showing the massive visibility drop on X: Why we care. Not all websites are losing Google traffic, but many are and have been over the past couple of years following multiple helpful content …

Google is rolling out one-on-one appointments with technical experts to help advertisers properly implement conversion tracking tags on their websites. Why we care. Accurate conversion tracking is essential for optimizing digital ad campaigns and understanding return on investment (ROI). Google offering appointments with experts to help advertisers implement Google tagging on their websites addresses a common pain point for advertisers who struggle with technical implementation of tracking tools, which can lead to unreliable performance data and wasted ad spend. What tagging does: ROI insights. Track valuable actions on your site to gauge ad effectiveness. …

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. …

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…

As third-party cookies phase out, measuring marketing performance is becoming more complex. Advertisers rely on various attribution methods, each with strengths and limitations. Choosing the right one requires understanding their differences. For instance, Google Analytics doesn’t capture LinkedIn lead gen forms, while multi-touch attribution (MTA) does. MTA, however, misses YouTube views and other upper-funnel initiatives MMM accounts for. This article breaks down the pros and cons of: Google Analytics (session-based) attribution. Advertising platform (click- and impression-based) attribution. Multi-touch attribution. Salesforce (CRM-base…

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 confirmed to Adweek it will “explore bringing ads” to its new AI Mode search experience. The company will use lessons from ads already running in AI Overviews to inform its approach. Ad buyers warn that user behavior in AI Mode’s conversational interface could reduce ad effectiveness. Big picture. Google is looking to monetize its newest AI search experience, telling AdWeek it plans to “explore bringing ads” into AI Mode — the conversational search feature launched in beta this week. It executes multiple searches simultaneously to answer complex queries. While ads aren’t yet appearing in AI Mode, Google’s approach will be informed by what it learns from…

Mastering user intent is all about putting yourself in your user’s shoes. It’s easier to do that if you know what kind of shoes they’re wearing and why. Create and incorporate user personas in SEO decision-making to create actionable insights in the best interest of your actual users. Build your search personas User personas can help you develop a more customized approach to applying user intent to a topic and to your specific users. You aren’t just selling a garden rake to someone in Indiana – you’re selling a metal rake to Gretel in Pawnee so she can get rid of slugs in her front yard. To develop your personas, make a list of your typical users base…

Google revised its policy for dating and companionship advertisers, pushing back enforcement and clarifying certification rules for aggregators. Extension. The deadline for certification has been extended from March 4 to April 9. After this date, uncertified advertisers will no longer be permitted to run ads. Aggregator update. Aggregatoars promoting dating or companionship services will be eligible to serve restricted ads with proper certification, starting April 9. These ads will appear on Search with age and country restrictions. Certification for aggregators opens Feb. 25, while other advertisers can continue applying for certification. Why we care…

AI has been a part of PPC for years through features like smart bidding and audience targeting. But in the past 12-18 months, its influence has expanded – reshaping how PPC managers plan, execute, and optimize campaigns. By leveraging AI, you can streamline processes, improve performance, and focus on higher-level strategy. This article covers 15 essential AI tactics and the best tools to enhance your PPC management – from content creation to data analysis. The top AI tools for PPC marketers A variety of tools are available to assist with setting up and managing PPC campaigns, each offering unique capabilities and benefits. Advertising platforms …

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 …

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 (or, you can scroll down to watch the video). Let’s explore Target CPA bidding, one of the four Smart Bidding strategies in Google Ads. If you’re looking to gain more control over your Google Ads campaign costs, Target CPA may be the right bidding solution for you. I’ll cover: What is Target CPA bidding? How does Target CPA bidding work? How to set up Target CPA bidding in your Google…

By now, most marketers have at least dabbled with generative AI (GenAI) tools and large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini. They’ve heard that their competitors are using the technology to practically create entire campaigns with the push of a button. And they’re aware that AI is reshaping marketing and perhaps are both excited and a little worried about what the future will bring. To date, much of the early conversation about putting AI into production at scale has centered on the need for good prompt engineering — the ability to ask the right questions of this powerful technology. We’ve been told our successful use of the technology hinges on thi…

Last week, Avinash Kaushik said, “The best way to make a Super Bowl ad effective is through ‘spike and sustain’ marketing.” He also explained that releasing teasers, ads, and extended versions before the Big Game is part of the “sustain” strategy, building momentum ahead of the “spike” in viewership. Super Bowl LIX drew 113 million viewers, according to Nielsen. Many brands embraced this strategy, unveiling their commercials early to build buzz and maximize exposure. By midday Sunday, more than 40 ads had already been released, and several organizations had analyzed those aired before Feb. 9. Pre-game Super Bowl ads that made an impact For exampl…

Google has launched a new Search Labs experiment named “Ask for me.” Ask for me lets you use Google AI to call businesses on your behalf to find out what they charge for a service and also to find out when it’s available. This can work for services like like an oil change from nearby mechanics or other services. How to use it. To access this labs experiement, go here and click on “join to try.” Then when you search for relevant and related queries, like “oil jobs near me,” Google will show you this “Ask for me” box. What it looks like. Here are some screenshots of this feature: More details. Rose Yao, VP of Search Product, Verticals & Internati…

Mentorship is a powerful yet often overlooked tool in the SEO industry. Whether you’re an industry veteran or an up-and-coming specialist, the mentor-mentee relationship offers countless benefits that can accelerate growth, refine skills, and build a stronger professional network. In an industry where algorithms, strategies, and best practices constantly evolve, having guidance from someone with experience – or offering that guidance to others – can be a defining factor in career success. Some think mentorship only benefits the mentee. But after being a mentor a few months ago, I found that simply wasn’t the case. I learned as much from them as they did from …

Ever notice how website visitors rarely follow the exact path you’ve planned for them? You might build great landing pages for different customer types, but visitors have their own plans. They Google something random and land on your blog post. They click a link from social media that drops them into your resources section. Or they skip your homepage completely and jump straight to a product page. This creates a problem. How do you make sure your website works for all your target customers when they aren’t following your planned customer journeys? The answer is simple: Build your entire website, not just specific landing pages, with y…

Super Bowl 2025 will be held on Sunday, Feb. 9. The “Big Game” will have around 50 minutes of TV commercials trying to change the hearts, minds, and actions of over 100 million viewers. However, many marketing executives ask, “Are Super Bowl ads effective?” And with a 30-second spot during the Big Game costing $8 million, some are also asking, “Are Super Bowl commercials worth it?” I asked Avinash Kaushik, who spent 16 years leading analytics at Google before becoming the chief strategy officer of Croud, to share the secret sauce for measuring Super Bowl ads. Below is an edited transcript of my questions and his answers. Are Super Bowl ads really effe…

Are all Google Ads conversions created equal? Let’s say a $500 sale and a $50 sale both land in your lap: do you treat them the same? If not, you need to test Maximize Conversion Value, one of the four Smart Bidding strategies in Google Ads. We’re going to cover: What is Maximize Conversion Value bidding? What’s the difference between Maximize Conversion Value and Maximize Conversions? Should you use Maximize Conversion Value bidding? What’s the difference between Maximize Conversion Value and Target ROAS? Do you need a Target ROAS with Maximize Conversion Value? When can you use Maximize Conversion Value bidding? Tips for optimizing y…