SEO Tools and Resources

Google is gearing up for its annual Google Marketing Live event, set to stream on Wednesday, May 21, at 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT. What’s new: Ginny Marvin, Google Ads Liaison, announced the date on LinkedIn and encouraged advertisers to register for the event Vidhya Srinivasan, Google’s VP of Ads, shared a letter previewing the company’s focus on reimagining ads across platforms like Search and YouTube. AI advancements will play a major role in helping advertisers create tailored experiences and improve business outcomes. You can register here. Why we care. Google Marketing Live is a key event for advertisers, offering insights into the company’s lates…

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…

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 …

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…

Google today announced upcoming updates to its Demand Gen advertising platform. These include new controls over ad placement and enhanced creative tools, while setting a timeline to retire its Video Action Campaigns. The big picture. These changes represent Google’s push for advertisers to create more engaging visual content and better measure its performance against social media campaigns. The details: New channel controls (starting in March): Advertisers will be able to precisely choose ad placement across YouTube, Discover, and Gmail. Specific targeting for YouTube Shorts will become available. Google Display inventory will be added, reaching over 9…

Microsoft has confirmed it uses schema markup to help its LLMs (large language models) understand your content. There has been a debate around if AI models and LLMs use schema or structured data, and at least Microsoft has confirmed they do. Source. Fabrice Canel from Microsoft’s Bing confirmed this while on stage at SMX Munich the other day. David wrote, “Fabrice Canel confirms that schema markup helps Microsoft’s LLMs understand your content in his excellent SMX – Search Marketing Expo in Munich presentation.” David Mihm posted on LinkedIn these details, which later Fabrice Canel confirmed in the comments area. Fabrice added, “Gen AIs value fresh content in…

SEO isn’t for everyone. Some people run from its complexity and constant change. But for others, it’s an obsession – an ever-evolving puzzle that keeps us hooked. With Valentine’s Day coming up, let’s explore seven reasons why SEO isn’t just about algorithms and rankings – it’s a passion that keeps digital marketers coming back for more. 1. SEO is always changing In my 14 years of running an agency, SEO has evolved from a relatively simple effort to rank on Google to a discipline that drives brands to strengthen their foundations. Those of us who have been in the industry long enough remember the turbulence of the Panda and Penguin updates – two…

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.…

Change is the only constant – a truth marketers, especially those in SEO, know all too well. The search landscape is shifting faster than ever, with AI-powered tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Gemini reshaping how people find and interact with information. Yet, despite all the innovation, the core principles of SEO remain as relevant as ever. While AI-enhanced search engines may seem like a revolutionary leap, they still rely on the foundational elements that have driven search success for years. This article explores how time-tested SEO strategies – like site structure, indexing, and keyword optimization – still play a crucial role in an AI-d…

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…

Meta is expanding its AI-powered advertising tools to help businesses get better results from their campaigns, with early tests showing significant cost reductions and performance improvements. Details. Meta is rolling out these new features: A streamlined Advantage+ campaign setup that automatically applies AI optimizations to sales, app, and leads campaigns — removing the need for marketers to choose between manual or automated campaigns New Advantage+ leads campaigns specifically designed to help advertisers find high-quality leads more efficiently. Early tests show a 10% lower cost per qualified lead compared to campaigns without these AI features …

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 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…

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…

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…

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…

Despite being a popular talking point, people aren’t (yet?) abandoning Google Search and using ChatGPT search or other AI chatbots. In fact, the number of Google searches increased year over year, and Google Search handles 373 times more searches than ChatGPT, according to a new analysis by SparkToro co-founder Rand Fishkin. Why we care. Many search marketers, users, and analysts have speculated that AI tools are reducing Google’s dominance in search. However, this research finds no evidence that vast numbers of searchers are abandoning Google for ChatGPT and other AI search engines and chatbot experiences. By the numbers. Even if all ChatGPT’s 1 billion messa…

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…

Google Ads is making a major change to its Search Partner Network by automatically opting all accounts out of serving ads on parked domains, websites that are registered but not actively developed, starting March 19. Details: Google will automatically opt out all advertiser accounts from showing ads on parked domains. The change will roll out gradually over several months. Advertisers can still manually opt in through their account’s Content suitability settings. Why we care. The change will affect all advertisers using Google’s Search Partner Network, potentially reducing ad reach but improving quality of ad placements. Between the lines. While Goo…

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…

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…

ChatGPT Tasks might be the most underrated tool in SEO today. It can turn a single employee into a vast team – but only if you know how to use it. And in this article, you’re about to see the future of SEO. What is ChatGPT Tasks? ChatGPT Tasks is a tool within ChatGPT designed to automate various tasks, including those related to SEO, such as content generation, keyword research, and link building. This feature allows users to schedule tasks to run at specific times, either as one-time events or recurring actions, enhancing workflow efficiency and productivity. As of writing, it’s in beta and rolling out to users on the Plus, Pro, and Team plans. …

Google AI Mode is now here and available within Google Search Labs; it is a new search mode that goes beyond AI Overviews with a more immersive Google Search AI interface that provides “more advanced reasoning, thinking and multimodal capabilities,” Google announced. Google also announced that AI Overviews are now powered by Gemini 2.0 and that AI Overviews are now available for teenagers, a login is not required for access to these AI answers anymore. AI Mode AI Mode is a new tab within Google Search, right now only for those accepted into the Google Search Labs experiment, that brings you into a more AI-like interface. Google said AI Mode “is particularly hel…

The holiday season saw a significant increase in digital ad spending across retail media, paid search, and paid social channels according to the Q4 2024 Digital Marketing Quarterly Trends Report by omnichannel advertising platform for commerce media, Skai. Despite concerns over a shorter shopping season and ongoing economic pressures, advertisers doubled down on digital campaigns, driving a 20% quarter-over-quarter (QoQ) increase in ad spend across all channels. Retail media emerged as the biggest winner, with remarkable year-over-year (YoY) growth. By the numbers: Paid search. While spending increased 20% QoQ, YoY spending dipped by 2%, with a decline in sta…