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SEO has changed significantly over the last decade, largely because Google has continuously updated its algorithms to improve search results. These updates aim to better understand user intent, reward high-quality content, and discourage manipulative practices. From foundational changes like Panda and Penguin to more recent updates like the November and December 2024 core updates, each has shaped how websites rank and how we approach optimization. Below is a look at some of Google’s most impactful updates and what they mean for SEO today. Table of contents 2011 – Panda 2012 – Venice 2012 – Penguin 2013 – Hummingbird 2014 – HTTPS/SSL 2015 – Mobile Update 2015 – RankBrain 2018 – (Mobile) Speed Update 2018 – Medic 2019 – BERT 2021 – Page Experience Update 2021 – MUM (Multitask United Model) 2021 – Product Reviews Update 2022 – Helpful Content Update 2023 / 2024 – A mix of updates 2024 – Site Reputation Abuse Google algorithm updates: What’s next? 2011 – Panda The Panda update marked a shift in SEO by targeting low-quality content and spammy practices. It penalized sites with thin content or those created solely to manipulate rankings, such as affiliate-heavy pages. Over time, Panda became part of Google’s core algorithm, reinforcing the need for meaningful, high-quality content that provides real value to users. 2012 – Venice Google’s algorithm update Venice was a noteworthy update, as it showed that Google understood that searchers are sometimes looking for results that are local to them. After Venice, Google’s search results included pages based on the location you set, or your IP address. 2012 – Penguin The Google Penguin update focused on eliminating manipulative link-building practices. It penalized sites with spammy or paid backlinks, shifting the focus to earning genuine, high-quality links. By 2016, Penguin became part of the core algorithm, emphasizing the importance of ethical and relevant link-building strategies. 2012 – Pirate The Pirate update addressed copyright infringement by penalizing sites with repeated DMCA takedown requests. It aimed to reduce the visibility of websites sharing unauthorized content, ensuring legitimate sources were prioritized in search results. This update highlighted the importance of respecting intellectual property online. 2013 – Hummingbird The Hummingbird update improved Google’s ability to understand the meaning behind search queries. Rather than focusing on individual keywords, it considered the entire phrase to deliver more accurate results. This shift encouraged natural, conversational content and reduced the need for over-optimized keyword stuffing. It also laid the foundation for advancements in voice search and semantic search technology. 2014 – Pigeon Another bird-related Google update followed in 2014 with Google Pigeon, which focused on local SEO. The Pigeon update affected both the results pages and Google Maps. It led to more accurate localization, giving preference to results near the user’s location. It also aimed to make local results more relevant and higher quality, taking organic ranking factors into account. 2014 – HTTPS/SSL Google introduced HTTPS as a ranking signal to encourage secure web connections. Sites using HTTPS gained a slight ranking advantage, promoting better data encryption and security for users. While initially a minor factor, it signaled Google’s growing focus on user safety and set the stage for security becoming a standard expectation online. 2015 – Mobile Update Known as “Mobilegeddon,” this update prioritized mobile-friendly websites in mobile search results. As mobile usage surpassed desktop, Google aimed to ensure a better experience for users on smaller screens. While the immediate impact wasn’t drastic, it marked a clear shift toward mobile-first indexing, emphasizing the importance of mobile optimization for long-term SEO success. 2015 – RankBrain RankBrain introduced machine learning to Google’s algorithm, helping the search engine interpret unfamiliar or complex queries. It analyzed past searches to predict the most relevant results, even for terms it hadn’t encountered before. While you can’t directly optimize for RankBrain, creating clear, helpful, and user-focused content ensures your site aligns with its goal of improving search relevance. 2016 – Possum In September 2016 it was time for another local update. Google’s algorithm update ​Possum update​ applied several changes to Google’s local ranking filter to further improve local search. After Possum, local results became more varied, depending more on the physical location of the searcher and the phrasing of the query. Some businesses, not doing well in organic search, found it easier to rank locally after this update. This indicated that this update made local search more independent of the organic results. Read more: Near me searches: Is that a Possum near me? » 2018 – (Mobile) Speed Update The Speed Update made page load time a ranking factor for mobile searches, building on its previous importance for desktop. Slow-loading sites were more likely to see a drop in rankings, especially on mobile devices. This update reinforced the need for fast, seamless user experiences, encouraging site owners to prioritize performance optimization. 2018 – Medic The Medic Update was a broad core algorithm change that heavily impacted “Your Money or Your Life” (YMYL) websites, such as health, finance, and legal sites. It appeared to prioritize expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (E-A-T) in content, especially for topics affecting users’ well-being. While it wasn’t exclusively aimed at medical sites, it underscored the importance of credible, accurate, and user-focused information. Keep reading: Google’s Medic update » 2019 – BERT The BERT update (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers) enhanced Google’s ability to understand the context of words in a search query. By analyzing words in relation to the ones around them, BERT improved how Google interpreted natural language and intent. This update particularly helped with more conversational or complex queries, making search results more accurate and relevant. For content creators, it emphasized the value of clear, natural writing that directly addresses user needs. Read on: Google BERT: A better understanding of complex queries » 2021 – Page Experience Update The Page Experience update introduced a new ranking signal combining existing factors like mobile-friendliness and HTTPS with Core Web Vitals. These metrics measured real-world user experience, focusing on loading speed, interactivity, and visual stability. While content quality remained the top priority, this update emphasized the importance of delivering a smooth and user-friendly browsing experience. Keep on reading: Page experience: a new Google ranking factor » 2021 – MUM (Multitask United Model) Announced in 2021, MUM introduced a powerful AI system capable of processing information across multiple formats and languages. It can analyze text, images, and videos to deliver more comprehensive answers to complex queries. For example, MUM can combine insights from various sources to provide layered, context-rich results. This update signaled Google’s focus on deeper understanding and more diverse content delivery in search. Read more: Google’s MUM understands what you need: 1000x more powerful than BERT » 2021 – Product Reviews Update First run in April 2021, these updates prioritized detailed, insightful product reviews over thin or generic content. Google rewarded reviews that showed expertise, included real-world usage, and helped users make informed decisions. It’s a key update for affiliate and e-commerce sites focused on providing genuine value. The update ran multiple times over the years. 2022 – Helpful Content Update The Helpful Content Update targeted low-quality, unoriginal content designed primarily to game search rankings. Instead, it rewarded “people-first” content—material that genuinely answers user questions and provides a satisfying experience. Sites with lots of unhelpful or shallow content saw declines, while those focused on creating valuable, user-centric content were prioritized. This update reinforced the importance of writing with the audience in mind, not just search engines. Keep reading: Google to launch Helpful Content Update to diversify search results » 2023 / 2024 – A mix of updates Between 2023 and 2024, Google rolled out a mix of core and spam algorithm updates to enhance search quality and combat manipulative practices. Core updates focused on refining how content is evaluated, rewarding pages that provide high-quality, relevant, and trustworthy information. At the same time, spam updates targeted tactics like keyword stuffing, spammy backlinks, and low-quality AI-generated content. These changes reinforced Google’s priorities: surfacing helpful, user-focused content while penalizing manipulative SEO strategies. 2024 – Site Reputation Abuse Google is cracking down on site reputation abuse, including parasite SEO. This tactic involves using trusted domains to host unrelated third-party content, like payday loans or casino reviews, to manipulate rankings. Sites caught violating this policy risk manual penalties, which require removing or noindexing the problematic content to recover. Legitimate uses of third-party content, such as syndicated news or user-generated material, are still allowed when properly managed. Google algorithm updates: What’s next? Google continues to refine its search algorithms with a growing focus on AI-driven search experiences. Recent advancements, such as Google AI Overviews, show a shift toward providing users with more intuitive and context-rich results. These tools combine AI to summarize complex topics, pull insights from multiple sources, and answer broader questions in a concise way. Looking ahead, we can expect updates to further enhance understanding of search intent, prioritize high-quality content, and improve how information is presented. At the same time, technical factors like site speed, mobile usability, and security will remain essential. For website owners, the key is to stay adaptable by focusing on creating helpful, accurate, and user-centered content while keeping an eye on emerging AI trends in search. Read on: Should I follow every change Google makes? » The post A brief history of Google’s algorithm updates appeared first on Yoast. View the full article

Using a template to create a work breakdown structure for your project can save you a ton of time, help you get your project up and running quicker, and reduce errors and inconsistencies. Download our free template and get started right away! The post Free Work Breakdown Structure Template [Download] appeared first on The Digital Project Manager. View the full article

With the new Yoast SEO Dashboard, you can see how your site is doing at a glance. Instead of hunting through pages, you’ll find all your key metrics in one place. It’s easy to spot which posts need attention, see where you can improve, and figure out what to tackle first so you can spend more time refining your content and less time searching for data. We know it can be challenging to improve your content when you have to dig through every post and page. That’s why we created a dashboard that instantly shows your site’s SEO Performance. It streamlines the process so you can focus on what matters: making your content shine. What you get from the Yoast SEO Dashboard: Top-level overview of your SEO: see critical insights at a glance without hunting through individual pages Filterable views of SEO and readability scores: quickly spot where you can make the most significant improvements Designed for clarity and direction, our dashboard makes it easy to check in, prioritize your next steps, and enhance your content strategy immediately. It’s straightforward, efficient, and all about helping you work smarter. How to access the Yoast SEO Dashboard: To access the Yoast SEO Dashboard, you just need to: Ensure your Yoast SEO plugin is up-to-date: In your WordPress admin area, go to “Plugins” and update Yoast SEO to the latest version Navigate to the Dashboard: Click on “Yoast SEO” in your WordPress sidebar to land on the dashboard, or click on “Dashboard” Explore your insights: Review the overview, filter your scores, and start working through your task list Ready to see how much simpler managing your SEO can be? Get Yoast SEO today and let your new dashboard guide you toward better performance. The post Get instant clarity on your SEO with the new Yoast SEO Dashboard! appeared first on Yoast. View the full article

If you don't properly prioritize the resources that are available to you and your project, you'll run into delays, unnecessary work and rework, and low productivity from the team. Here's how to get this crucial aspect of resource management right. The post Project Resource Prioritization Process: 5 Key Steps appeared first on The Digital Project Manager. View the full article

The project ramp down is more than just checking deliverables and tasks off the list. It's important to gather feedback, celebrate success, and keep the team motivated for future projects and challenges. Here's how to land the plane with a successful project ramp down. The post How To Do A Project Ramp Down: 5 Key Steps appeared first on The Digital Project Manager. View the full article

Two months ago, I joined a virtual writing workshop. Every Friday morning, a group of strangers gathered online to write furiously for 45 minutes. At first, it didn't feel like much, but over time, those sessions added up. Now, we have a body of work to show for it. It got me thinking: How often do we pause to recognize all we've achieved? Take a moment to reflect on everything you’ve done this year. Big wins, small victories, or even just showing up: chances are, you’ve done more than you give yourself credit for. Hit reply and share one thing you’re proud of from this year. I’d love to hear about it! Cheers, Vic Our Favorite Articles 💯A Third of Remote Workers Are Working Two Jobs (Newsweek)"With no rush-hour traffic or endless watercooler chats, remote workers have found extra hours in the day—and they're cashing in." ​Read on​. AI Thinks Differently Than People Do. Here’s Why That Matters. (HBR)AI runs on data and looks to the past—but it’s people who dream up better futures. ​Read more​. Top 5 Industries For Remote Jobs In 2025 (Forbes)If you can email it, crunch it, or Zoom it, you’re in the right field! ​Learn more​. Work From Home Is Here To Stay, Says Harvard's Ethan Bernstein (CNBC)Remote work was declared 'dead' countless times in 2024, yet Professor Bernstein had this to say: ​Watch​. This Week's Sponsor 🙌Too many emails? Declutter your inbox with Meco. Your home for reading newsletters. Try it for free -no card required. Try it for free ↗️ Remotive Jobs 💼Is this job for you? 👉 ​iOS Developer at nooro​ (USA) 👉 ​​​​Backend Engineer at Clerkie​ (USA) 👉 ​​​​Migrations Engineer at Discourse​ (EMEA, UK) 👉 ​Senior Backend Developer at Mimo GmbH​ (EMEA, UK) 👉 ​Senior Unreal Engine Developer at Proxify​ (CET +/- 3 HOURS) 👉 ​Senior Business Intelligence Engineer at Proxify​ (CET +/- 3 HOURS) Free Guides & Tools​Public Job Board​We curate 2,000 remote jobs so you don't have to! ​Find your remote job →​ ​Exclusive Webinar​3 Mistakes to Avoid When Looking For A Remote Startup Job (And What To Do Instead) ​Register for free →​ ​Job Search Tips​Looking for a remote job? Here are our tips to help you work remotely ​Check it out → Join the Remotive newsletter Subscribe to get our latest content by email. Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription. There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again. Email address Subscribe Powered by ConvertKit View the full article

Hybrid work continues to reshape professional landscapes around the globe, and as a result, companies are increasingly recognizing the need for effective hybrid meeting technology to support seamless collaboration between remote and in-office employees. Hybrid work offers numerous benefits to businesses, from employers to employees and all the way down to a company's consumers. View the full article

The holiday season is a whirlwind of joy, celebration, and—let’s be honest—chaos and stress. Between gift shopping, festive gatherings, family drama, and year-end work deadlines, it’s no wonder many of us feel pulled in a thousand directions. Productivity often takes a backseat as we juggle work and personal obligations and try to soak in the The post Tips for Productivity During the Holidays appeared first on RescueTime Blog. View the full article

Subscribe to Work LifeGet stories like this in your inbox Subscribe The holidays are approaching, and suddenly everyone’s scrambling to wrap up projects before taking a break. What should be a time for winding down and holiday parties becomes a sprint to the finish line, bringing a calendar full of meetings, shifting priorities, an overflowing inbox, and a voice in your head whispering, “just one last email before you log off…” That’s when mounting pressure gives way to the stark realization that you’re running out of time, and we start to hear a familiar phrase: “Let’s circle back on that next year.” As the end-of-year crunch fast approaches, Atlassian partnered with YouGov to survey 6,000 knowledge workers across six countries (US, France, Germany, UK, India, Australia) to unpack the circle-back phenomenon. Spoiler alert: On average, 1 in 5 projects (19%) will be pushed to 2025. One-third of those unfinished projects will be abandoned entirely in the new year. Why do teams circle back? The end-of-year scramble can be tough on everyone, and our research shows that “circling back” has become a collective coping mechanism. Sixty-eight percent of knowledge workers say at least some projects will go unfinished, with shifting priorities (34%) and unexpected challenges (32%) serving as the main reasons why. Avoiding burnout is a big motivator too, but one person’s blessing is another’s burden. While 18% of knowledge workers push projects back and pick them up in the new year to avoid year-end burnout, 22% say they avoid those kinds of delays to ensure a lighter January workload. Yet workers seem to be missing a bigger opportunity. What if instead of scrambling to complete a laundry list of tasks, we use this as an opportunity to evaluate what really matters? Mark your calendars We’re calling it: December 17 is World Circle Back Day! By mid-December, 71% of workers will either have all tasks wrapped up or push them into 2025. Circling back or spinning wheels? Related Article Shared understanding: finding the “why” behind the “what” By Ingrid Blake In Leadership For many, the notion of “circling back” brings a deceptive feeling of relief. But pushing out projects – while an inevitable reality for some items in the December dash – might not result in the intended outcome. When it comes time to actually circle back, a mere 26% feel confident they can easily resume postponed projects in the new year. Most workers have the best intentions for picking up their stalled projects, but it’s harder than it sounds. Who can remember an important action item shared verbally in a one-off meeting from last year? Or a small but mission-critical piece of client feedback in an email that’s now buried deep in your inbox? Without documenting these decisions and touch points, teams work slow at best and ill-informed at worst, or end up running fast at the wrong priorities. And those tasks left on the back burner in December can quickly start to feel overwhelming in January, leading to delays – or worse, projects that drop entirely. When important projects fall off the radar, it not only disrupts the flow of work, but also negatively impacts team trust and accountability. Suddenly your December dash turns into wasted output for the entire team. Circling back(wards) It’s hard to pick back up where you left off. Part of the problem is that workers tend to say they will circle back on EVERYTHING this time of year, instead of using it as an opportunity to get super clear on your team’s priorities and realistic about what does (or doesn’t) move the needle. Some projects struggle to regain momentum after the holiday because they don’t have a big impact in the long run. These projects can feel tedious – we often call them “zombie projects” – technically “alive,” but failing to progress, draining resources and morale. The reality is that it might be time to scrap those zombie projects altogether. And that’s okay! The end of year is a great time to reevaluate your priorities, get clear on what matters, and come back prepared to make a meaningful impact with great focus (just make sure your team knows you’re scrapping it, too!). So what about postponed projects that are mission-critical and worth circling back on? There are ways to set yourself up for success so your future self will thank you. Disrupting the spin cycle Related Article How to excel at asynchronous communication with your distributed team By Jaime Netzer In Communication A little time getting organized now can make a big difference in the new year. To pick up where you left off, teams need to document their important work, including up-to-date statuses and easy-to-find sources of truth with important context about each project. These information sharing practices – often called asynchronous work – not only help you pick up where you left off, but make it easier to disconnect knowing your team has what they need to move work forward without you. This is especially useful during the holiday season, when mismatched PTO schedules, competing priorities, and fluctuating energy levels can make it tough to coordinate, risking delays or stalled progress. And no one wants to be on the receiving end of an angry ping asking where something is while on a holiday break. what is asynchronous work? Asynchronous work is teamwork that happens without needing everyone present, online, and available at the same time. Teammates can move work forward when it’s convenient for them, as long as the work is clearly documented, context is readily available, and there is clarity on expectations and deadlines. Try these async work practices this circle-back season so your team can pick up right where it left off in 2025: Capture context now for clarity post-holidays: Async work requires clearly documenting progress, decisions, and next steps in accessible formats like written documents, videos, or voice notes. Before you head out on PTO, publish a Confluence page (check out this OOO plan template) or record a Loom video that provides updates, suggested next steps, and context so team members can make progress while you’re out. Doing so means you can disconnect knowing you set your team – and your future self – up for success. Time is of the essence, so think async first: When the pressure to complete projects mounts, it’s easy to default to scheduling a meeting. But meetings are time-consuming, and often not as productive as intended. Before scheduling a meeting (or accepting one!), think about what you’re really trying to accomplish. If it’s a status update, relaying information, or an FYI, keep it async and send your teammate a Loom instead. If it’s not worth circling back on, scrap it now: Most people try to do too many things at once, which slows them down and lowers the quality of their work. Use this moment to let go of low-impact projects and focus on the work that truly matters. For tasks deemed circlebackable, reflect the new deadline on your planning pages, Jira tickets, and shared calendars so everyone is on the same page. Be realistic about your calendar: As the year’s end approaches, timebox your calendar to make sure you have enough focus time to get your most important work done. Pick a few important things to see over the finish line (rather than trying make a little progress on everything). pro tip Record a “Loom to my 2025 self” to help jog your memory on where you left a certain project and suggest where to get started when you are logged back in. New Year’s resolution: Work on what really matters While this time of year can feel overwhelming, it’s also an opportunity for a fresh start. The beginning of the year is a great time to reevaluate your priorities, set new intentions, and get reenergized about your work. If teams can change their mindset, they can turn the chaotic year-end rush and sluggish start to the new year into a seamless flow of highly effective teamwork. Breaking the circle-back cycle can be challenging, but the rewards – renewed focus, a smoother transition into the new year, and greater impact on team goals – are well worth it. Visit the Atlassian Community to take part in the circle-back challenge! Join the discussion Subscribe to Work LifeGet stories like this in your inbox Subscribe The post Happy circle-back season, to those who celebrate appeared first on Work Life by Atlassian. View the full article

Subscribe to Work LifeGet stories like this in your inbox Subscribe The holidays are approaching, and suddenly everyone’s scrambling to wrap up projects before taking a break. What should be a time for winding down and holiday parties becomes a sprint to the finish line, bringing a calendar full of meetings, shifting priorities, an overflowing inbox, and a voice in your head whispering, “just one last email before you log off…” That’s when mounting pressure gives way to the stark realization that you’re running out of time, and we start to hear a familiar phrase: “Let’s circle back on that next year.” As the end-of-year crunch fast approaches, Atlassian partnered with YouGov to survey 6,000 knowledge workers across six countries (US, France, Germany, UK, India, Australia) to unpack the circle-back phenomenon. Spoiler alert: On average, 1 in 5 projects (19%) will be pushed to 2025. One-third of those unfinished projects will be abandoned entirely in the new year. Why do teams circle back? The end-of-year scramble can be tough on everyone, and our research shows that “circling back” has become a collective coping mechanism. Sixty-eight percent of knowledge workers say at least some projects will go unfinished, with shifting priorities (34%) and unexpected challenges (32%) serving as the main reasons why. Avoiding burnout is a big motivator too, but one person’s blessing is another’s burden. While 18% of knowledge workers push projects back and pick them up in the new year to avoid year-end burnout, 22% say they avoid those kinds of delays to ensure a lighter January workload. Yet workers seem to be missing a bigger opportunity. What if instead of scrambling to complete a laundry list of tasks, we use this as an opportunity to evaluate what really matters? Mark your calendars We’re calling it: December 17 is World Circle Back Day! By mid-December, 71% of workers will either have all tasks wrapped up or push them into 2025. Circling back or spinning wheels? Related Article Shared understanding: finding the “why” behind the “what” By Ingrid Blake In Leadership For many, the notion of “circling back” brings a deceptive feeling of relief. But pushing out projects – while an inevitable reality for some items in the December dash – might not result in the intended outcome. When it comes time to actually circle back, a mere 26% feel confident they can easily resume postponed projects in the new year. Most workers have the best intentions for picking up their stalled projects, but it’s harder than it sounds. Who can remember an important action item shared verbally in a one-off meeting from last year? Or a small but mission-critical piece of client feedback in an email that’s now buried deep in your inbox? Without documenting these decisions and touch points, teams work slow at best and ill-informed at worst, or end up running fast at the wrong priorities. And those tasks left on the back burner in December can quickly start to feel overwhelming in January, leading to delays – or worse, projects that drop entirely. When important projects fall off the radar, it not only disrupts the flow of work, but also negatively impacts team trust and accountability. Suddenly your December dash turns into wasted output for the entire team. Circling back(wards) It’s hard to pick back up where you left off. Part of the problem is that workers tend to say they will circle back on EVERYTHING this time of year, instead of using it as an opportunity to get super clear on your team’s priorities and realistic about what does (or doesn’t) move the needle. Some projects struggle to regain momentum after the holiday because they don’t have a big impact in the long run. These projects can feel tedious – we often call them “zombie projects” – technically “alive,” but failing to progress, draining resources and morale. The reality is that it might be time to scrap those zombie projects altogether. And that’s okay! The end of year is a great time to reevaluate your priorities, get clear on what matters, and come back prepared to make a meaningful impact with great focus (just make sure your team knows you’re scrapping it, too!). So what about postponed projects that are mission-critical and worth circling back on? There are ways to set yourself up for success so your future self will thank you. Disrupting the spin cycle Related Article How to excel at asynchronous communication with your distributed team By Jaime Netzer In Communication A little time getting organized now can make a big difference in the new year. To pick up where you left off, teams need to document their important work, including up-to-date statuses and easy-to-find sources of truth with important context about each project. These information sharing practices – often called asynchronous work – not only help you pick up where you left off, but make it easier to disconnect knowing your team has what they need to move work forward without you. This is especially useful during the holiday season, when mismatched PTO schedules, competing priorities, and fluctuating energy levels can make it tough to coordinate, risking delays or stalled progress. And no one wants to be on the receiving end of an angry ping asking where something is while on a holiday break. what is asynchronous work? Asynchronous work is teamwork that happens without needing everyone present, online, and available at the same time. Teammates can move work forward when it’s convenient for them, as long as the work is clearly documented, context is readily available, and there is clarity on expectations and deadlines. Try these async work practices this circle-back season so your team can pick up right where it left off in 2025: Capture context now for clarity post-holidays: Async work requires clearly documenting progress, decisions, and next steps in accessible formats like written documents, videos, or voice notes. Before you head out on PTO, publish a Confluence page (check out this OOO plan template) or record a Loom video that provides updates, suggested next steps, and context so team members can make progress while you’re out. Doing so means you can disconnect knowing you set your team – and your future self – up for success. Time is of the essence, so think async first: When the pressure to complete projects mounts, it’s easy to default to scheduling a meeting. But meetings are time-consuming, and often not as productive as intended. Before scheduling a meeting (or accepting one!), think about what you’re really trying to accomplish. If it’s a status update, relaying information, or an FYI, keep it async and send your teammate a Loom instead. If it’s not worth circling back on, scrap it now: Most people try to do too many things at once, which slows them down and lowers the quality of their work. Use this moment to let go of low-impact projects and focus on the work that truly matters. For tasks deemed circlebackable, reflect the new deadline on your planning pages, Jira tickets, and shared calendars so everyone is on the same page. Be realistic about your calendar: As the year’s end approaches, timebox your calendar to make sure you have enough focus time to get your most important work done. Pick a few important things to see over the finish line (rather than trying make a little progress on everything). pro tip Record a “Loom to my 2025 self” to help jog your memory on where you left a certain project and suggest where to get started when you are logged back in. New Year’s resolution: Work on what really matters While this time of year can feel overwhelming, it’s also an opportunity for a fresh start. The beginning of the year is a great time to reevaluate your priorities, set new intentions, and get reenergized about your work. If teams can change their mindset, they can turn the chaotic year-end rush and sluggish start to the new year into a seamless flow of highly effective teamwork. Breaking the circle-back cycle can be challenging, but the rewards – renewed focus, a smoother transition into the new year, and greater impact on team goals – are well worth it. Visit the Atlassian Community to take part in the circle-back challenge! Join the discussion Subscribe to Work LifeGet stories like this in your inbox Subscribe The post Happy circle-back season, to those who celebrate appeared first on Work Life by Atlassian. View the full article

Looking to boost your digital asset management skills? This list covers the best certifications, including details on cost, focus, and ideal candidates for each. The post 6 Best Digital Asset Management Certifications For Upskilling In 2025 appeared first on The Digital Project Manager. View the full article

With a clear picture of how much work your team has on their plates, you can keep resource allocation and utilization in check. Here's how to calculate utilization rate and use this data to prevent team burnout and keep your project on the path to on-time and on-budget delivery. The post How To Calculate Resource Utilization Rate (With Formula) appeared first on The Digital Project Manager. View the full article

Subscribe to Work LifeGet stories like this in your inbox Subscribe Compare a morning when you slept through your alarm, rushed out of bed, and barely made it to your desk in time to one when you had time for a brisk walk, a healthy breakfast, and some leisurely coffee-sipping. You’ll quickly realize your morning routine sets the tone for your entire day. Think an effective morning routine is out of your reach? We have good news: It’s a learnable science, no matter how much chaos you’re met with when you open your eyes. After analyzing the advice and morning routines of numerous well-known business leaders and productivity experts, we’ve pinpointed common practices of successful people for your most productive morning. 1. Wake up at YOUR right time Related Article Night owl or early bird? Discover your circadian personality By Tracy Middleton In Productivity “Morning people” are supposed to be the high achievers. The early bird catches the worm, right? But a successful morning routine isn’t necessarily synonymous with an early morning routine. Sure, some people who wake up early are more productive, and some studies do associate waking up just one hour earlier with lower depression rates. But if you personally dread early-morning wake-up calls, any potential benefits you get from peeling yourself out from under the covers at an unreasonable time will likely be overpowered by your misery. Oprah Winfrey never sets an alarm and Google CEO Sundar Pichai describes himself as “not a morning person.” Take a cue from them and pay attention to your own ultradian rhythms – your body’s natural cycles that repeat throughout the day and cause those peaks and dips in your energy levels. Doing so helps you find the times of day when you’re most focused and productive (known as your biological prime time). If you determine that you’re at your best in the afternoon or evening, there’s no reason for you to join the 5 a.m. club. As Mike Vardy, productivity author, speaker, and podcaster, wrote, “Look, I’m a night owl — and proud of it. Why? Because despite having many say that my sleeping habits make me less likely to achieve, I prove them wrong.” So forget the pressure to pop out of bed at the crack of dawn; stay focused on what works best for you. 2. Prepare the night before Many successful people spend their evenings preparing for the next day. Their reasoning: It leaves mornings free for an earlier start on important work (and breakfast). Giving “future you” the favor of adequate preparation doesn’t just free up your time – it frees up some brain space. We have a limited amount of willpower and decision-making ability. Too many decisions in the morning slow you down and can drain your brain for the rest of the day (it’s known as decision fatigue). Whether you pack your lunch, lay out your outfit, or create the next day’s to-do list, even five minutes of evening prep work can help you start your morning off on the right foot. Former American Express CEO Kenneth Chenault likes to end his evenings by simply writing three things he wants to accomplish the next day. For many, a successful morning routine actually starts in the evening. 3. Focus on what matters Related Article How to embrace the human side of leadership By Atlassian In Leadership Erik Fisher is the voice behind the Beyond the To-Do List Podcast. He points out that if you analyze productivity experts’ morning routines, you’ll find a few things in common. Most focus on big-picture goals, gratitude, and planning for the day. Here are a few examples: Canva CEO Melanie Perkins starts her day by reading tweets from the Canva community (which motivate her) and writing in a gratitude journal. Sara Blakely, founder of Spanx, intentionally drags out her morning commute to give herself quiet time to think and plan before the chaos of her day sets in. John Paul DeJoria, the co-founder of Patrón tequila and Paul Mitchell hair products, spends five minutes each morning quietly reflecting on what he’s grateful for. Of course, plenty of morning routines include journaling and mindfulness. But don’t feel guilty if you don’t have the time (or quiet space) for a lengthy meditation routine. Even a short walk can help you focus your thoughts and identify your desired outcomes for the day. 4. Move around and hydrate Many successful people start their mornings in motion, and you can follow their lead for a morning routine that’s equal parts healthy and helpful: Kevin Kruse, author of 15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management, does a daily 20-minute HIIT session on the treadmill. Jack Dorsey, co-founder of Twitter and Block, Inc., walks to work every morning. Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi power walks before work. Shark Tank investor Kevin O’Leary gets on his elliptical or exercise bike. Multi-board member Frits Dirk van Paasschen runs 10 miles every morning. Keep in mind that you don’t need to run a marathon to start your day well. According to one study, even some moderate exercise in the morning (like a brisk walk) can boost your brainpower for the rest of the day. While you’re moving, remember that what you put in your mug matters. There’s nothing wrong with a morning cup of coffee, but you should also drink plenty of water in the morning to stay hydrated and give you lasting energy. Research shows that adequate hydration improves your cognitive performance. Jeff Sanders, author of The 5 AM Miracle and host of the podcast with the same name, says his favorite morning habit is to drink one liter of water within the first 45 minutes of bouncing out of bed. “Hydration is incredibly important, especially after waking up. I always find that this larger quantity of water provides incredible energy and prepares my body for the day ahead.” 5. Eat the frog first thing in the morning Brian Tracy, author of Eat That Frog! 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time, bases his morning philosophy on a quote from Mark Twain. “If the first thing you do each morning is to eat a live frog, you can go through the day with the satisfaction of knowing that that is probably the worst thing that is going to happen to you all day long.” The “frog” is that one important task you’re dreading the most because it’s large and looming over you. Doing your biggest task first can help you start your day with a sense of accomplishment. Can’t quite manage to jump into the day (pun intended) with the big frog on your list? Even tackling some smaller tadpoles can help. Whether you manage a big or a small win in the morning, that gratification can propel you into the rest of the day with greater motivation. That’s the progress principle in action. Mornings matter: Create a better morning routine for a more productive day Your morning sets the tone for the entire day. But that doesn’t change the fact that there are still plenty of factors (like kids, pets, last-minute emergencies…the list goes on) that can influence exactly how your morning shapes up. The good news is that you’re not going for perfection here – and you don’t need to overhaul your entire routine. Even trying out one or two of the above tips can help you approach your mornings with a little more intention. As the old saying goes, if you win the morning, you win the day. Subscribe to Work LifeGet stories like this in your inbox Subscribe The post 5 tips to find your best morning routine appeared first on Work Life by Atlassian. View the full article

Subscribe to Work LifeGet stories like this in your inbox Subscribe Compare a morning when you slept through your alarm, rushed out of bed, and barely made it to your desk in time to one when you had time for a brisk walk, a healthy breakfast, and some leisurely coffee-sipping. You’ll quickly realize your morning routine sets the tone for your entire day. Think an effective morning routine is out of your reach? We have good news: It’s a learnable science, no matter how much chaos you’re met with when you open your eyes. After analyzing the advice and morning routines of numerous well-known business leaders and productivity experts, we’ve pinpointed common practices of successful people for your most productive morning. 1. Wake up at YOUR right time Related Article Night owl or early bird? Discover your circadian personality By Tracy Middleton In Productivity “Morning people” are supposed to be the high achievers. The early bird catches the worm, right? But a successful morning routine isn’t necessarily synonymous with an early morning routine. Sure, some people who wake up early are more productive, and some studies do associate waking up just one hour earlier with lower depression rates. But if you personally dread early-morning wake-up calls, any potential benefits you get from peeling yourself out from under the covers at an unreasonable time will likely be overpowered by your misery. Oprah Winfrey never sets an alarm and Google CEO Sundar Pichai describes himself as “not a morning person.” Take a cue from them and pay attention to your own ultradian rhythms – your body’s natural cycles that repeat throughout the day and cause those peaks and dips in your energy levels. Doing so helps you find the times of day when you’re most focused and productive (known as your biological prime time). If you determine that you’re at your best in the afternoon or evening, there’s no reason for you to join the 5 a.m. club. As Mike Vardy, productivity author, speaker, and podcaster, wrote, “Look, I’m a night owl — and proud of it. Why? Because despite having many say that my sleeping habits make me less likely to achieve, I prove them wrong.” So forget the pressure to pop out of bed at the crack of dawn; stay focused on what works best for you. 2. Prepare the night before Many successful people spend their evenings preparing for the next day. Their reasoning: It leaves mornings free for an earlier start on important work (and breakfast). Giving “future you” the favor of adequate preparation doesn’t just free up your time – it frees up some brain space. We have a limited amount of willpower and decision-making ability. Too many decisions in the morning slow you down and can drain your brain for the rest of the day (it’s known as decision fatigue). Whether you pack your lunch, lay out your outfit, or create the next day’s to-do list, even five minutes of evening prep work can help you start your morning off on the right foot. Former American Express CEO Kenneth Chenault likes to end his evenings by simply writing three things he wants to accomplish the next day. For many, a successful morning routine actually starts in the evening. 3. Focus on what matters Related Article How to embrace the human side of leadership By Atlassian In Leadership Erik Fisher is the voice behind the Beyond the To-Do List Podcast. He points out that if you analyze productivity experts’ morning routines, you’ll find a few things in common. Most focus on big-picture goals, gratitude, and planning for the day. Here are a few examples: Canva CEO Melanie Perkins starts her day by reading tweets from the Canva community (which motivate her) and writing in a gratitude journal. Sara Blakely, founder of Spanx, intentionally drags out her morning commute to give herself quiet time to think and plan before the chaos of her day sets in. John Paul DeJoria, the co-founder of Patrón tequila and Paul Mitchell hair products, spends five minutes each morning quietly reflecting on what he’s grateful for. Of course, plenty of morning routines include journaling and mindfulness. But don’t feel guilty if you don’t have the time (or quiet space) for a lengthy meditation routine. Even a short walk can help you focus your thoughts and identify your desired outcomes for the day. 4. Move around and hydrate Many successful people start their mornings in motion, and you can follow their lead for a morning routine that’s equal parts healthy and helpful: Kevin Kruse, author of 15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management, does a daily 20-minute HIIT session on the treadmill. Jack Dorsey, co-founder of Twitter and Block, Inc., walks to work every morning. Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi power walks before work. Shark Tank investor Kevin O’Leary gets on his elliptical or exercise bike. Multi-board member Frits Dirk van Paasschen runs 10 miles every morning. Keep in mind that you don’t need to run a marathon to start your day well. According to one study, even some moderate exercise in the morning (like a brisk walk) can boost your brainpower for the rest of the day. While you’re moving, remember that what you put in your mug matters. There’s nothing wrong with a morning cup of coffee, but you should also drink plenty of water in the morning to stay hydrated and give you lasting energy. Research shows that adequate hydration improves your cognitive performance. Jeff Sanders, author of The 5 AM Miracle and host of the podcast with the same name, says his favorite morning habit is to drink one liter of water within the first 45 minutes of bouncing out of bed. “Hydration is incredibly important, especially after waking up. I always find that this larger quantity of water provides incredible energy and prepares my body for the day ahead.” 5. Eat the frog first thing in the morning Brian Tracy, author of Eat That Frog! 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time, bases his morning philosophy on a quote from Mark Twain. “If the first thing you do each morning is to eat a live frog, you can go through the day with the satisfaction of knowing that that is probably the worst thing that is going to happen to you all day long.” The “frog” is that one important task you’re dreading the most because it’s large and looming over you. Doing your biggest task first can help you start your day with a sense of accomplishment. Can’t quite manage to jump into the day (pun intended) with the big frog on your list? Even tackling some smaller tadpoles can help. Whether you manage a big or a small win in the morning, that gratification can propel you into the rest of the day with greater motivation. That’s the progress principle in action. Mornings matter: Create a better morning routine for a more productive day Your morning sets the tone for the entire day. But that doesn’t change the fact that there are still plenty of factors (like kids, pets, last-minute emergencies…the list goes on) that can influence exactly how your morning shapes up. The good news is that you’re not going for perfection here – and you don’t need to overhaul your entire routine. Even trying out one or two of the above tips can help you approach your mornings with a little more intention. As the old saying goes, if you win the morning, you win the day. Subscribe to Work LifeGet stories like this in your inbox Subscribe The post 5 tips to find your best morning routine appeared first on Work Life by Atlassian. View the full article

Is your task list overflowing with things to do? Struggling to sort out what needs to get done vs what you can skip? Here are my hacks for prioritizing the items on your to-do list and getting more time back in your day to add real value to your projects. The post Prioritization Tips: 8 Ways To Hack Your To-Do List appeared first on The Digital Project Manager. View the full article

It’s the festive season! Or it’s nearly Valentine’s Day, or the start of summer, or… You get the drift. People love to celebrate, which is why seasonal content tends to do well during those periods. So, should you put effort into creating content for the holidays? We think so! But you should be smart about it. Here are five tips to help you create good-quality seasonal content. Why should you create seasonal content? A big benefit of creating seasonal content is that you’ll stay top of mind. After all, your customers are probably looking for content to give them ideas for gifts, services, or events. By participating in the trend, you’ll show your audience that your business is relevant. Of course, by having seasonal content, you’ll also be able to boost your brand’s visibility and traffic. Especially if you have content optimized for seasonal keywords! In short: most people get swept up by the holiday season, so it’s good to join the hype. Tip 1: Create evergreen seasonal content Good news for busy people! You don’t need to create a new piece of seasonal content every year. It’s way better to create one excellent Christmas post, for example, that you optimize every year. Preferably, you optimize it a month or two before the event or holiday takes place. This will save you time, and increases the likelihood of your content actually ranking (since that usually takes a while). So, avoid adding years to your content. Don’t write a piece about: Best recipes for Hanukkah 2024. Just delete the year from the title, and you’re good to go. If you do want to include the year in your title, don’t include it in your URL. That way, you can update the post and title each year without having to constantly create new posts and redirect the old ones. Our Black Friday post has a year in the title, but not in the URL What if you already have multiple content pieces about the same holiday? If your posts rank well for different keywords and they get a decent amount of organic traffic, keep them. But if there is overlap in the keywords they’re ranking for and they get okayish traffic, it’s better to merge them into one big post. Just make sure the post’s content still makes sense. Our tip would be to use the URL of the post that is performing the best. For the other posts, make sure you redirect them to the optimized post so people won’t hit a 404. Tip 2: Do keyword research Whether you want to write a new post or optimize an existing one, it’s good to do research. First, start with keyword research, so you know what your audience is searching for during specific events or holidays. Tip: you can always look for variations of your core keywords! For example, you can add “holiday” or “guide” or “summer/winter” to them. Just don’t create content for content’s sake. Only write content if you’re sure that your audience is looking for this information. At the end of the day, you want your audience to feel that your site has added value. Tip 3: Do competitor research Once you’ve picked out a main keyword, it’s good to search for that keyword in Google, for example. Analyze the top results. Are they blog posts or category pages? If they’re blog posts, what kind of articles are they? For example, if all the top posts are how-to guides then you probably have the best chance of ranking if your article is a how-to guide as well. Just make sure to write something different from what’s already out there. Tip 4: Plan well ahead of time It’s good to remember that people often search for gift ideas or tips for activities or recipes weeks in advance. This means you’ll need to have your seasonal content ready before the actual holiday! That’s why it might be a good idea to have a content calendar for your posts, so you won’t forget. Plus, it’s good to publish new content early so it has time to rank. After all, once the event is there, you want your content to be findable by your audience. That’s why it’s also a good idea to make sure your content meets Google’s helpful content and E-E-A-T guidelines. Tip 5: Keep your seasonal content updated Even though you’ve created evergreen content, make sure to update it at least once a year—preferably a couple of weeks before the event or holiday itself. Let’s say you have a new tip, or one of your products is no longer being produced. By updating your content, you’ll ensure that your content is always relevant and helpful. Which your audience and Google will both like! Don’t forget to republish your content as new! Once you’ve updated your content, don’t forget to change the publish date. This way, people (and search engines) will know it’s been updated. Of course, if you have a feature on your site that shows both the publish and updated date, then this isn’t necessary. So why should you republish or update your content? Again, it shows that your content is relevant and current. Because let’s be honest, how would you feel if you read a blog post with Tips for a perfect summer vacation and the date said 2018? You’d think it was outdated, right? Tip: Our free Duplicate Post plugin allows you to easily rewrite and republish your posts! With the plugin, you can edit your posts without taking them offline. You can access the Rewrite & Republish feature via the WordPress toolbar or from the post overview Seasonal content: the gift that keeps on giving If you’ve got a solid post that you can update every year, you’ll ensure that you’ll give your audience helpful content. Plus, you’ll gain more traffic during seasonal events. Just make sure to update or write your content weeks in advance, so it has time to rank. All that’s left then, is to promote your content, for example on your social media channels or via email marketing. Good luck! The post 5 tips on how to create good seasonal content appeared first on Yoast. View the full article

We love to say that SEO is always changing, and 2024 proved that true. There’s hardly been a year more challenging and exciting than that. But as we’re heading into 2025, we’re sure we have not seen the last of it. With everyone banking on AI, search, and the search industry are set for another sea change. In this post, we hear from seasoned SEO experts for their predictions on the future and how you can prepare. Table of contents A look back at SEO in 2024 The SEO experts in this article Main trends and SEO insights for 2025 AI’s role in SEO Adapting to zero-click searches The rising importance of video content E-commerce SEO shifts Local SEO trends for 2025 User experience (UX) enhancements Leveraging SEO communities Conclusion to SEO in 2025 A look back at SEO in 2024 2024 was a year with many newsworthy developments. We won’t review everything here, as that would need a book, but maybe someone will make a documentary about life as an SEO in 2024. Or maybe life at Google, as the search giant was central to almost all the big news. Google deemed a monopoly Let’s start with the biggest: Google faced a significant legal ruling when a federal judge declared it a monopoly in August. This landmark antitrust case found that Google’s dominance in the search engine market violated antitrust laws. Since then, there have been many discussions about potential regulatory changes and impacts on the broader search and tech industry. Currently, it looks like the DOJ will ask Google to sell off Chrome, among other things. Google launched AI Overviews In May, Google launched AI Overviews during its I/O event. This new feature uses AI to generate concise summaries in search results, aiming to make searches more efficient and user-friendly. This integration marked a significant advancement in using AI within search engines. AI Overviews are now available in most markets, but not the EU. Google search documents leak Around the same time, a massive leak of Google’s search API documentation occurred, revealing over 2,500 pages of internal documents. Although the leaked documents do not contain the algorithm’s secret recipe, they provide valuable insights into Google’s inner workings. Core updates keeping everyone up at night Throughout the year, Google’s core updates led to significant swings in search rankings and notable traffic changes for many websites. For many of us, it remains an ongoing challenge to adapt to evolving algorithms quickly. Keep up to date with the Yoast newsletter SEO is ever-changing. It can be hard to keep up with the latest changes and decide what’s best to focus on. But as a Yoast newsletter subscriber, you no longer need to worry! You’ll receive weekly emails with practical SEO tips and insights to help you quickly improve your site. Sign up now! The end of Parasite SEO? Additionally, in March, Google banned Parasite SEO, a practice that exploits high-authority domains for quick ranking. Google uses this ban to improve search quality and eliminate manipulative practices within its search ecosystem. This policy affected major sites like Time, Forbes, CNN, and the Wall Street Journal, as they were penalized for not adhering to Google’s guidelines. OpenAI launches ChatGPT Search In non-Google news, OpenAI introduced a search feature within ChatGPT in October, which was another groundbreaking development. This addition allows users to access up-to-date web information directly through the chatbot. As a result, OpenAI became a direct competitor to traditional search engines and offered a new way to find information online. These were just some of the big events that happened in 2024. SEO is one of the most dynamic industries — there is never a dull moment! But this also means that you must stay informed about SEO trends for 2025 and be able to adapt to a rapidly changing environment. The SEO experts in this article Jes Scholz Consultant and SEO futurist Kevin Indig Independent Growth Advisor Lily Ray VP, SEO Strategy & Research at Amsive Kyle Risley Senior SEO Lead at Shopify Aleyda Solis SEO Consultant, Speaker & Author Jo Turnbull Founder and Consultant at Turn Global Arnout Hellemans SEO & Analytics Consultant Gareth Hoyle Managing Director Marketing Signals Mark Williams-Cook SEO Director at Candour Gus Pelogia Senior SEO Product Manager at Indeed Carolyn Shelby Principal SEO at Yoast Alex Moss Principal SEO at Yoast Johnny Herge Digital Marketer at Amsive Main trends and SEO insights for 2025 We’ve asked several trusted experts for their predictions of what’s happening next in SEO in 2025. We’ll present their answers in themes, starting with the biggest one: the role of AI in SEO. AI’s role in SEO Artificial Intelligence is reshaping how businesses and professionals approach SEO. As AI tools become more advanced, they offer both opportunities and challenges. Content generation and strategy Arnout Hellemans (independent SEO consultant) believes AI will “massively” transform SEO strategies. However, he says, “The issue is that search engines will leave loads more content out of the index because it’s generic content already there.” This means businesses must focus on creating unique and valuable content rather than relying solely on AI-generated text. AI can help keep content updated and assist in research, but human oversight remains critical. Hellemans suggests that while AI advances rapidly, “human oversight and rewriting is still really needed.” This balance ensures content remains relevant and engaging. Streamlining content creation Lily Ray (VP, SEO Strategy & Research at Amsive) points out that AI can make content creation much more efficient: “More and more companies will find ways to integrate AI into their content creation and optimization strategies. Outside of using AI to generate content, AI can create major efficiencies that streamline the content creation, such as analyzing and summarizing data, producing insights and text content at scale; generating metadata and structured data, and much more. While mass-producing AI content on a large scale can present SEO risks in some cases, using AI creatively and intelligently can dramatically speed up and improve the content ideation and creation process.” Using AI for more than just content creation Lily’s colleague Johnny Herge added that content writers will start using AI tools to do more than just produce content. “A new way many SEOs will succeed in 2025 is by using AI to help with the final product besides the copy itself. Coding is made infinitely easier with AI. Using AI will allow writers to make data analytics scripts or scripts that organize data and pull insights that would have previously required a writer to have a different skillset entirely. This likely will lead to writers being able to put forward much further quantifiable insights. ” Kevin Indig (independent consultant) agrees: “AI + no-code offers SEO and other marketers powerful new workflows around building systems instead of working on single campaigns. I expect us to see many more examples of “systemization” next year, which will lead to smaller SEO teams with larger impact.” AI and SEO tools will improve As AI and SEO tools evolve, they will become much smarter. They don’t just identify issues but suggest fixes, making them incredibly valuable. Kyle Risley (Senior SEO Lead at Shopify) predicts, “SEO tools will evolve to be more proactive, shifting from merely identifying issues to offering comprehensive solutions. For small businesses with limited time and resources, these recommendations can help improve site quality, even without specialized SEO knowledge. Instead of simply noting “Your title tag is too short,” tools will suggest “Your title tag is too short. Click here to implement a better one.” AI agents and AI brandbuilding Jes Scholz (independent Growth Marketing Consultant and SEO Futurist) says, “AI agents will be all the hype, but very few SEOs will actually change their strategy. Only the bold will have the buy-in to take tactics to the cutting edge. But this will be needed as LLM-powered surfaces (AI Overviews, ChatGPT, etc.) start slowly but steadily eating into traditional search. Quick win AI visibility tactics, like best of listicles, will rise and fall like the meta keyword tag of old. Brand building on popular RAGd platforms will likely emerge as a dependable strategy. But no matter what, now is the time you can win the HoM/CMO/CEOs attention.” Google’s AI Overviews will evolve Kevin Indig predicts that Google’s AI Overviews will evolve: “I expect AIOs to morph into other formats next year, similar to how they contain products in shopping. Right now, they look like Featured Snippets, but I expect Google to keep iterating. I also expect them to roll AIOs out even further to monetizable queries, widening the gap between what’s measurable and what’s happening in the search results even more.” Mark Williams-Cook (SEO Director at Candour) adds: “We’ve long seen the trend of Google trying to keep searchers on their SERP, and with their recent announcement they have reduced the cost of generating AIOs by 90%, I think it’s obvious we’re only going to see more of them. However, AI in the form of LLMs does open new doors, especially with content creation, without falling into the no-value trap of having AI write your content for you.” Yoast SEO expert insights for 2025 Carolyn Shelby – Principal SEO at Yoast The balancing act of SEO professionals In 2025, the big shift in SEO will be balancing diversified visibility with unified messaging. As AI-powered platforms, alternative search engines, and social discovery tools like TikTok, ChatGPT Search, and even Reddit increasingly influence how users find information, businesses can no longer rely solely on Google to drive traffic. Success will come from creating a consistent, authoritative presence across these fragmented ecosystems. SEO professionals will need to ensure brand messaging remains cohesive and trustworthy across all channels while adapting to each platform’s unique requirements. Structured data, multimedia content, and a deep understanding of user intent will become critical to connecting the dots between platforms and maintaining a seamless user experience. In 2025, SEO will evolve into an integrated marketing discipline where visibility and messaging work hand in hand to build lasting trust and engagement. Adapting to zero-click searches The rise of zero-click searches is changing how businesses approach SEO in 2025. Getting clicks can be harder as users find answers directly on search result pages. Here are our experts’ predictions on this challenging topic. Maintaining visibility Arnout Hellemans suggests that you “start looking at other platforms (both search engines and AI interfaces) and try to understand how you can be included in their answers (think Claude, ChatGPT, Bing, Brave search engine). By doing this, you can ensure your business remains visible even when traditional clicks decrease.” Building a brand following Building a strong brand presence is essential. Arnout advises businesses to focus on “proper marketing, such as building a following or fans. Visibility will start shifting away from Google; I think this is where we will find plenty of opportunities.” Engaging with your audience on social media and other platforms helps maintain interest and loyalty, even if users don’t click through to your site directly. Leveraging AI and alternative channels Kyle Risley says, “As clicks become harder to come by in organic search, there are pretty much two options for organic acquisition: hang on to as much of your remaining click share as you can and activate new traffic acquisition channels.” This could mean looking at channels like TikTok and YouTube. These platforms are gaining traction as starting points for user journeys. Businesses can create engaging content on these channels to reach new audiences and drive traffic. Becoming a source for AI Overviews Gus Pelogia (Senior SEO Product Manager at Indeed) notes that being a source in AI Overviews can be more relevant than getting clicks: “Imagine searches displaying a brand’s blog as a source (e.g. software listicles). If one of the players is the main source for AI Overviews, they’ve more control over the message vs competitors. Could they change the wording to say better things about them? “I’d guess many people will see an AI answer mentioning a few brands and what’s being said about them, and later, they will move to each brand’s website to evaluate their options. That specific search was a zero-click, but there’s a new one happening directly to your company’s website.” “It’s interesting that clicks will decrease, but since AI Overviews are a RAG (AI answers validate with sources), many pages will still have a reason to exist since they’ll validate the AI answer. This is intent-dependent. Many informational, common-knowledge queries won’t require new articles or have a brand impact.” Reddit is not going away; make use of it Kevin Indig doesn’t expect Reddit’s growth to slow: “Searchers want connection and a non-commercialized space. I expect Google to improve at showing Reddit posts that are not outdated or thin. The implication is that domains must compete for one less spot since Reddit takes up many top spots in the search results. On the other hand, it becomes a valuable pool of audience insights and engagement. Brands that develop a playbook to grow their visibility on Reddit have a chance to improve their sentiment and create loyal customers.” Expand your data tracking Aleyda Solis predicts that tracking pixels, SERP features, and clicks vs. no-clicks will become fundamental: “Start monitoring your overall SERP visibility and click behavior: Your SERP features shifts — AI overviews included — pixel visibility from the top, as well as clicks (and no-clicks) shifts per content type and SERP feature, to focus your SEO strategy accordingly.” Yoast SEO expert insights for 2025 Alex Moss – Principal SEO at Yoast The evolving role of the SEO: It’s more than just “SEO” As an SEO professional, I’ve witnessed a dramatic shift in our field, particularly in 2024. While the traditional “SEO” title remains, it has become an increasingly outdated term. Our role is expanding, becoming more multifaceted, and demanding a broader skillset. We’re no longer solely focused on optimizing for Google; we’re becoming Discovery Optimization Experts responsible for ensuring brands are found across the entire digital landscape. Several factors drive this shift, including the rise of AI-powered search engines like ChatGPT and Perplexity and the growing importance of platforms like TikTok and Reddit as legitimate discovery channels. Furthermore, the perception of SEO as purely a marketing function is misguided. SEOs bring a unique understanding of the digital ecosystem far beyond traditional marketing. We should be more involved in high-level business decisions that shape a company’s online presence, influencing everything from website design to content strategy to product development. The future of SEO is exciting, but our value still tends to be underrated. Our skillset will need to expand further yet again, practicing through experimentation. The rising importance of video content Video content is becoming a key component of SEO strategies in 2025. Its engaging nature offers a unique way to connect with audiences. Video-first approach Mark Williams-Cook says, “I expect we’ll see many smaller businesses take a ‘top-down’ approach with content now, meaning they will go video first – and I think this is really smart. Video content is cheap, fast to make, and a natural way to pull real insight out of people. With the tooling we have now, it’s easy to automatically produce transcripts, which in turn, LLMs can rewrite into a more traditional ‘article’ style. This approach means you’ll get the video to share over multiple platforms, which is not only hard for AI to replicate but how a lot of people prefer to engage in content.” Google’s focus on video content Lily Ray confirms that “video content is increasingly essential, as Google prominently features YouTube and sometimes TikTok across various surfaces, like Search, Discover, Google News, the Video tab, Short Videos, and more. Site owners should be well-versed in changes to how Google indexes video content and expands their text content into visual formats.” “As it relates to video indexing, Google now requires that a video be the focus of an indexed watch page for the video to get indexed (“Google indexes videos only from indexed watch pages.”) Using YouTube to host the video is another way to ensure that the video is indexed, but be sure to use VideoObject structured data to “connect” your watch page to the YouTube video for the watch page to get video rich features in search results.” Interactive engagement Gareth Hoyle emphasizes that “video will also continue to gain importance due to its interactive nature and engagement. AI video will continue to grow, but like the EEAT signals above, curated and well-engaged real video will help businesses showcase themselves to Google’s algorithm and their current and potential new customers.” E-commerce SEO shifts The landscape of e-commerce SEO is evolving, particularly with changes in how Google handles shopping queries. Businesses need to adapt to these shifts to stay competitive. These are some of the predictions our SEO experts had to share. Google Shopping tab focus Kevin Indig expects “the new Shopping Tab experience to become the default experience for shopping queries. As we’ve seen before, Google often tests a new experience in the shopping tab and then moves it to the main tab. The implication is that e-commerce SEO becomes more about optimizing product pages as Google becomes the new category page.” Optimizing product pages As Google will likely integrate more e-commerce features directly into search results, businesses must optimize their product listings. With the emphasis on product pages, businesses should ensure that these pages are detailed and informative. This includes high-quality images, detailed product descriptions, customer reviews, and clear pricing information. Structured data markup can enhance how products appear in search results, increasing visibility and click-through rates. Product feed accuracy Accurate and organized product feeds are crucial. Kyle Risley highlights the importance of having “well-organized and error-free product feeds” as search engines increase the visibility of organic product listings. This requires regularly updating product information and ensuring consistency across platforms. Adapting to new channels As consumers begin their shopping journeys on platforms like TikTok and YouTube, businesses should consider expanding their presence on these channels. Creating engaging product videos and leveraging social commerce features can attract new customers and drive traffic. Sign up for our monthly SEO news webinar Learn more about the SEO trends and predictions of 2025 with insights from industry experts. Join our free monthly installments of the SEO Update by Yoast to learn strategies that drive results. Reserve your spot today. Sign up now! Building brand authority Today, brand authority is vital if you want to perform well in search results. As search engines evolve, they will develop new ways of determining how valuable your brand is. Building a good — human — brand is one of the best ways to stand out from the crowd. Targeting branded queries Aleyda Solis emphasizes that it’s all about brand optimization: “Brand optimization becomes key. It’s clear that Google wants to feature real, authoritative brands at the top of the SERPs, which is also helpful for increasing CTR and optimizing conversions. Grow your brand authority by understanding your company brand positioning and considering it in your SEO strategy: Target your branded queries, specify your brand details with structured data, optimize your knowledge panel details, etc.” Focusing on EEAT Gareth Hoyle highlights the importance of EEAT (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) referenced content: “As Google continues to improve its ability to weed out low-level, auto-produced AI content, EEAT-referenced content will become increasingly important and visible as Google increases trust based on what it knows about the author rather than just the words on the page. I am sure it will be an ongoing battle as spammers and content sites continue to churn out page after page of content, but the personal brand will help the cream rise to the top.” Local SEO trends for 2025 Local SEO is essential for small and medium-sized businesses attracting nearby customers. As we move into 2025, businesses should focus on a few key areas. Google Business Profile optimization Keeping an updated and complete Google Business Profile is essential. Freelance SEO expert Arnout Hellemans emphasizes that a “regularly updated Google Business Profile and a fully completed profile will be extremely important.” This means ensuring that all business information is accurate and up-to-date. Regularly adding new photos, responding to customer questions, and posting updates can make your business more appealing to local searchers. The power of reviews Customer reviews significantly impact local search rankings. According to Arnout, reviews with the “right sentiment,” particularly those discussing “the services received and results,” are crucial. Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews, highlighting their experiences with your services. Responding to positive and negative reviews shows that you value customer feedback and are committed to improving your business. User experience (UX) enhancements Improving user experience is key to boosting SEO performance. A smooth and intuitive website keeps visitors engaged and encourages them to explore more. Form validation and friction reduction Arnout Hellemans highlights the importance of “proper form validation on lead forms and checkout.” Ensuring that forms work correctly and are easy to use can prevent user frustration. Make sure users can easily fill out and submit forms without errors. Removing distractions is also crucial. Arnout advises focusing on “the removal of distractions like pop-ups on every page.” Pop-ups can be annoying and disrupt the browsing experience. Limiting their use or ensuring they’re relevant and easy to close can help maintain user attention. Leveraging SEO communities Joining SEO communities can be a game-changer for people looking to enhance their knowledge and network. These communities offer support, insights, and opportunities that can drive growth. Growth of global SEO communities Jo Turnbull (Founder and Marketing Consultant at Turn Global) mentions that by 2025, there will be “the growth of global SEO and digital communities.” This growth is particularly beneficial for smaller brands aiming to build authority. Being part of a community provides access to shared experiences and advice from peers facing similar challenges. Jo says, “We have seen a growth in members of some communities such as Women in Tech SEO, The FCDC and the DMU (a community for freelancers) over the past few years and many communities will continue to grow in 2025. SEO Office Hours has had over 60k views and regularly has between 30 and 40 live attendees per episode. As of November 23rd, there have been 50 episodes.” “The International Search Summit, run by WebCertain, has grown to over 600 attendees, but when it first started in Barcelona, there were just 50. Search London has been running for nearly 14 years, and we have grown to now run events in Barcelona. They sold out of tickets just by promoting on social media and within our network.” Support and learning opportunities SEO can often feel isolating, especially in smaller companies where one person handles most of the SEO tasks. Jo notes that these communities help individuals who “look for external support” as they navigate frequent updates and changes in SEO. Participating in events, webinars, and online forums provides valuable learning opportunities and informs members about the latest SEO trends and techniques. Building networks and careers Being active in an SEO community can also open doors to career opportunities. Networking with other professionals can lead to collaborations, job offers, and new projects. Jo points out that people join communities to “feel and be supported,” learn from one another, and advance their careers. Conclusion to SEO in 2025 As we move into 2025, staying on top of SEO trends is more important than ever. The events of 2024 have shown us how quickly the landscape can change, from legal rulings and algorithm leaks to shifts in digital strategies. These changes underscore the need for you to remain agile and informed. Join our monthly SEO news webinar to keep up with these changes and gain deeper insights. Alex and Carolyn — our resident SEO experts — talk you through all the latest developments. It’s a great opportunity to stay informed about the latest trends and strategies. Please sign up today and learn how to navigate SEO in 2025. Let’s continue to learn and adapt together. Do you have any thoughts or predictions about SEO in 2025 to share? Please comment on this post! The post SEO in 2025: Experts reveal key trends and insights appeared first on Yoast. View the full article

Last week we talked about how to set goals for December. With 2025 looming ever closer, we’re looking even further ahead. It’s time to start engaging in our year-end reflections and setting goals for the upcoming year. Goal-setting doesn’t just involve thinking ahead, though. It also requires you to look back. Reflecting on the past The post Year-End Reflections: Setting the Stage for Success appeared first on RescueTime Blog. View the full article

Subscribe to Work LifeGet stories like this in your inbox Subscribe It feels great to make real progress with your team. But too often, work gets bogged down in a frustrating cycle: you’re waiting for input from collaborators stuck in back-to-back meetings, while urgent requests for your input keep piling up. Deadlines slip, blockers multiply, and high-priority work slows to a crawl. Atlassian’s State of Teams research reveals that teams spend 50% more time in unnecessary meetings than making progress on high-priority work. The problem? These meetings are spent talking about work – sharing updates and information – instead of rolling up their sleeves and doing work together. I lead Atlassian’s Teamwork Lab, a group of behavioral scientists that designs best practices for modern teams. Our research reveals a powerful antidote to unproductive meeting culture: eliminate information-dump meetings and use that synchronous time for real collaboration. Think: building decks, writing documents, solving problems, sharing feedback, and revising work together. What makes this shift so powerful? When meeting time is deliberately structured for collaboration, it unleashes the power of “bursty” communication. bursty communication A distinct rhythm shared by high-performing teams, characterized by intense “bursts” of rapid communication between team members alternating with periods of deep individual work. Research shows that this bursty communication pattern makes it easy for teams to advance important work by quickly flowing between ideation and execution – driving faster problem-solving and more innovative outcomes. To tap into this “bursty” rhythm, modern teams must deliberately shift how they work and make room for bursty communication to happen. First, move routine updates and information-sharing to asynchronous channels like Slack, email, and Loom videos, keeping everyone in the loop without disrupting their flow. This frees up sync time for what we like to call “Get Sh!t Done (GSD) Sessions”: dedicated one- to two-hour blocks designed for this type of high-impact collaborative work. The term “GSD Sessions” works for us , but feel free to call it whatever resonates with your team. Think of these sessions as a virtual “tap on the shoulder” moment, during which teams can demo early work, get immediate feedback, and solve problems on the spot. There’s no waiting for responses or hesitation to “interrupt” – exactly the kind of environment that facilitates the communication and collaboration that drives team success. As one Atlassian whose team tried GSD Sessions said, “It’s like magic.” Here’s how to bring that magic to your team: 5 steps to run an effective GSD session 1. Schedule a block of time for collaboration.– Choose collaborators based on session needs: Include a small group of people who are critical to completing the work, regardless of function or reporting lines. – Start small: Block off a one- to two-hour chunk of time for your team once or twice a week. As your team gets comfortable, you can build up to 10-20% of your week (roughly 4-8 hours). – Replace meetings: Look for existing meetings that are primarily spent talking about work. These are prime candidates to convert into GSD Sessions.2. Prepare to roll up your sleeves together on high-priority work.– Remember: this session is set aside for in-progress work. The point isn’t to present something polished, it’s to get work done together. – Keep it flexible: No fixed agenda needed – just be ready to tackle your most critical task(s) with key people as needs arise. – The day before (or day of) the session, spend 5-10 minutes identifying high-priority tasks that would benefit from real-time collaboration.3. Set up your tools for seamless interaction.Keep the video call running throughout the GSD Session. Alternate between: – Camera/mic ON: for planning, questions, or feedback – Camera/mic OFF: for focused work to action the things you’ve discussed – If you have questions during focus time, use chat messages or briefly turn your camera/mic back on. – The rhythm will feel natural once your team gets the hang of it.4. Use bursty communication.– Alternate between group work and individual focus. One successful approach: meet for 10 minutes to align, work independently for 30, then regroup to share progress and solve blockers. – Create a “tap on the shoulder” atmosphere: make it safe for teammates to ask for help, troubleshoot, and share spontaneous ideas – that’s how great solutions emerge.5. Aim for progress, not perfection.– Remember: GSD Sessions are about making tangible progress. – Whether you’re developing new ideas or refining existing work, the goal is to work in a way that feels responsive and momentum-building. Get buy-in from your team with this message: “Hey Team! I’d like us to try out GSD Sessions. These are dedicated time blocks that we’ll use to collaborate on high-priority tasks together, in real time. They’re flexible – we can decide which projects to tackle and which key collaborators to include as the session approaches. We can accomplish things like: Writing a page together Working through a complex problem live Reviewing and providing feedback on each other’s work Next steps: You’ll see some GSD Session holds on your calendar soon! Go deeper: GSD Sessions facilitate bursty communication, which research shows fuels innovation and productivity. Check out this blog on GSD Sessions from Atlassian for more details.” The power of GSD Sessions We tested GSD Sessions with 103 Atlassians over 2.5 weeks. From the 40 participants who provided feedback, the results were striking, demonstrating the impact of creating real-time space for getting high-priority work done together. Boost progress on key priorities After 2.5 weeks of GSD Sessions, teams’ ability to resolve blockers increased by 39 percentage points. Meanwhile, we found that bursty communication was in fact the secret sauce for moving work forward: when teams reported alternating between bursts of rapid communication and deep individual work during their GSD Sessions, they made 24% more progress on top priorities. We can debate immediately when a question or problem occurs and not need to wait until we find time for a meeting. Chris Spanner, Advisory Services Increase innovation Teams’ ability to explore new ideas increased by 26 percentage points during the weeks they participated in GSD Sessions. Real-time collaboration sparked creativity – people could immediately build on each other’s suggestions, leading to more cohesive and innovative solutions than they’d find working separately. We could not only discuss but quickly get feedback after trialing the ideas discussed. This meant we could move and pivot faster. Annaliese McGavin, Senior People Researcher Strengthen team connection and energize collaboration Team connection increased by 27 percentage points, with 85% of participants feeling connected post-sessions. Participants’ energy levels increased by 21 percentage points, showing the motivating power of effective collaboration. Most notably, anxiety around collaboration disappeared completely: before GSD Sessions, 52% worried about inconveniencing teammates when asking for feedback. After just one week, not a single participant reported feeling anxious. The results speak for themselves: 69% of participants recommend GSD Sessions to their colleagues, and 65% plan to make them a permanent part of their workflow. Ready to transform how your team creates together? Schedule your first GSD Session this week and start turning meeting time into momentum. Subscribe to Work LifeGet stories like this in your inbox Subscribe The post Stop talking about work – do work together instead appeared first on Work Life by Atlassian. View the full article

Subscribe to Work LifeGet stories like this in your inbox Subscribe It feels great to make real progress with your team. But too often, work gets bogged down in a frustrating cycle: you’re waiting for input from collaborators stuck in back-to-back meetings, while urgent requests for your input keep piling up. Deadlines slip, blockers multiply, and high-priority work slows to a crawl. Atlassian’s State of Teams research reveals that teams spend 50% more time in unnecessary meetings than making progress on high-priority work. The problem? These meetings are spent talking about work – sharing updates and information – instead of rolling up their sleeves and doing work together. I lead Atlassian’s Teamwork Lab, a group of behavioral scientists that designs best practices for modern teams. Our research reveals a powerful antidote to unproductive meeting culture: eliminate information-dump meetings and use that synchronous time for real collaboration. Think: building decks, writing documents, solving problems, sharing feedback, and revising work together. What makes this shift so powerful? When meeting time is deliberately structured for collaboration, it unleashes the power of “bursty” communication. bursty communication A distinct rhythm shared by high-performing teams, characterized by intense “bursts” of rapid communication between team members alternating with periods of deep individual work. Research shows that this bursty communication pattern makes it easy for teams to advance important work by quickly flowing between ideation and execution – driving faster problem-solving and more innovative outcomes. To tap into this “bursty” rhythm, modern teams must deliberately shift how they work and make room for bursty communication to happen. First, move routine updates and information-sharing to asynchronous channels like Slack, email, and Loom videos, keeping everyone in the loop without disrupting their flow. This frees up sync time for what we like to call “Get Sh!t Done (GSD) Sessions”: dedicated one- to two-hour blocks designed for this type of high-impact collaborative work. The term “GSD Sessions” works for us , but feel free to call it whatever resonates with your team. Think of these sessions as a virtual “tap on the shoulder” moment, during which teams can demo early work, get immediate feedback, and solve problems on the spot. There’s no waiting for responses or hesitation to “interrupt” – exactly the kind of environment that facilitates the communication and collaboration that drives team success. As one Atlassian whose team tried GSD Sessions said, “It’s like magic.” Here’s how to bring that magic to your team: 5 steps to run an effective GSD session 1. Schedule a block of time for collaboration.– Choose collaborators based on session needs: Include a small group of people who are critical to completing the work, regardless of function or reporting lines. – Start small: Block off a one- to two-hour chunk of time for your team once or twice a week. As your team gets comfortable, you can build up to 10-20% of your week (roughly 4-8 hours). – Replace meetings: Look for existing meetings that are primarily spent talking about work. These are prime candidates to convert into GSD Sessions.2. Prepare to roll up your sleeves together on high-priority work.– Remember: this session is set aside for in-progress work. The point isn’t to present something polished, it’s to get work done together. – Keep it flexible: No fixed agenda needed – just be ready to tackle your most critical task(s) with key people as needs arise. – The day before (or day of) the session, spend 5-10 minutes identifying high-priority tasks that would benefit from real-time collaboration.3. Set up your tools for seamless interaction.Keep the video call running throughout the GSD Session. Alternate between: – Camera/mic ON: for planning, questions, or feedback – Camera/mic OFF: for focused work to action the things you’ve discussed – If you have questions during focus time, use chat messages or briefly turn your camera/mic back on. – The rhythm will feel natural once your team gets the hang of it.4. Use bursty communication.– Alternate between group work and individual focus. One successful approach: meet for 10 minutes to align, work independently for 30, then regroup to share progress and solve blockers. – Create a “tap on the shoulder” atmosphere: make it safe for teammates to ask for help, troubleshoot, and share spontaneous ideas – that’s how great solutions emerge.5. Aim for progress, not perfection.– Remember: GSD Sessions are about making tangible progress. – Whether you’re developing new ideas or refining existing work, the goal is to work in a way that feels responsive and momentum-building. Get buy-in from your team with this message: “Hey Team! I’d like us to try out GSD Sessions. These are dedicated time blocks that we’ll use to collaborate on high-priority tasks together, in real time. They’re flexible – we can decide which projects to tackle and which key collaborators to include as the session approaches. We can accomplish things like: Writing a page together Working through a complex problem live Reviewing and providing feedback on each other’s work Next steps: You’ll see some GSD Session holds on your calendar soon! Go deeper: GSD Sessions facilitate bursty communication, which research shows fuels innovation and productivity. Check out this blog on GSD Sessions from Atlassian for more details.” The power of GSD Sessions We tested GSD Sessions with 103 Atlassians over 2.5 weeks. From the 40 participants who provided feedback, the results were striking, demonstrating the impact of creating real-time space for getting high-priority work done together. Boost progress on key priorities After 2.5 weeks of GSD Sessions, teams’ ability to resolve blockers increased by 39 percentage points. Meanwhile, we found that bursty communication was in fact the secret sauce for moving work forward: when teams reported alternating between bursts of rapid communication and deep individual work during their GSD Sessions, they made 24% more progress on top priorities. We can debate immediately when a question or problem occurs and not need to wait until we find time for a meeting. Chris Spanner, Advisory Services Increase innovation Teams’ ability to explore new ideas increased by 26 percentage points during the weeks they participated in GSD Sessions. Real-time collaboration sparked creativity – people could immediately build on each other’s suggestions, leading to more cohesive and innovative solutions than they’d find working separately. We could not only discuss but quickly get feedback after trialing the ideas discussed. This meant we could move and pivot faster. Annaliese McGavin, Senior People Researcher Strengthen team connection and energize collaboration Team connection increased by 27 percentage points, with 85% of participants feeling connected post-sessions. Participants’ energy levels increased by 21 percentage points, showing the motivating power of effective collaboration. Most notably, anxiety around collaboration disappeared completely: before GSD Sessions, 52% worried about inconveniencing teammates when asking for feedback. After just one week, not a single participant reported feeling anxious. The results speak for themselves: 69% of participants recommend GSD Sessions to their colleagues, and 65% plan to make them a permanent part of their workflow. Ready to transform how your team creates together? Schedule your first GSD Session this week and start turning meeting time into momentum. Subscribe to Work LifeGet stories like this in your inbox Subscribe The post Stop talking about work – do work together instead appeared first on Work Life by Atlassian. View the full article

According to a 2023 study, nine in 10 consumers consider online reviews when they make a purchase decision. Think about the last time you spent more than $100 on an online purchase. Did you use a recommendation from a friend? Did you buy the first listing you saw on Amazon, or did you read through the reviews first? When it comes to office equipment, having to submit expense reports or prove the value of a purchase makes it so that you are even more conscious of the product you are buying. View the full article

Key takeaways Navigating the complex climate of project management with tight timelines and limited resources is tricky, and with the demands of the process, effective leadership becomes crucial for success. Leadership in project management is more than just assigning tasks. It also involves creating a vision, inspiring and motivating the team, making informed decisions, and… The post Leadership in Project Management: Why It Is an Essential Skill appeared first on project-management.com. View the full article

Google’s Search Engine Results Page (SERP) offers more than just a list of links. Its layout can change based on what you’re searching for, presenting various SERP features tailored to your needs. You might see different elements like featured snippets, shopping options, or local listings and also AI Overviews. Understanding these can help you navigate the results more effectively. This guide will help you identify and differentiate between the paid and organic results you encounter. Table of contents What are SERP features? A new SERP feature: Google AI Overviews It depends on what you’re searching for Browsing through the result page Sponsored results and ads Organic results Snippets Other elements on the SERPs Knowledge Graph panel People also ask Featured snippets Local 3-pack Image pack Top stories Conclusion about SERP features What are SERP features? Search features are elements on a search engine results page (SERP) that provide information beyond the standard list of links. They include things like featured snippets, image packs, and knowledge panels. These features make it easier for users to quickly find answers and relevant information in search results. Google Search is really rich with information these days A new SERP feature: Google AI Overviews AI Overviews are a new feature in Google’s search results. They use artificial intelligence to create concise summaries that answer user queries quickly. These summaries appear at the top of search pages, providing immediate information without the user needing to click through links, although links are provided. This feature helps users find the information they need faster and increases the visibility of diverse websites. Google AI Overview provide a new way of accessing information from search It depends on what you’re searching for What the result page looks like largely depends on what you are searching for. If you’re searching for a product you can buy, Google will show shop results on the SERP. For example, when we searched for hockey equipment for an eight-year-old, Google showed us this: An example of a product search on Google This results page starts with shopping results, with images on top. On the left-hand side, you will see all kinds of filters to fine-tune your product search as well. To enter the Sponsored section, you must pay Google – note the word ‘sponsored’ in the upper left corner. After those results, the first is an ad, which is another paid result. And then the organic results start. However, if you’re searching for information about the planet Neptune – because your son is writing an essay about that – you’ll encounter a different-looking SERP: Different searches show different SERP features on Google These search results do not show any paid or sponsored results. At the top, you’ll see an AI Overview for the topic, and on the right, you’ll notice a knowledge graph with lots of information about the planet Neptune. There’s even an interactive diagram to learn more about what Neptune looks like. Read on: What is search intent? » Browsing through the result page The default page of Google’s search result is a page on which different results appear. Google decides which results fit your search query best. That could be ‘normal’ results, but also news results, shopping results or images. If you’re searching for information, a knowledge graph could turn up. When you’re searching to buy something online, you’ll probably get lots of shopping results on the default result page. Google Search has many options than just regular search You can apply some filters on the search results yourself if you want to. You can, for instance, click on ‘images’ if you’re searching for an image. This allows you to browse through images only. You can also choose ‘shopping’, ‘maps’, ‘forums’, ‘videos’, ‘news’ and ‘more’. Keep on reading: How to get your Shopify store on Google » Sponsored results and ads Google shows both paid results and organic results. It can be pretty hard to notice the difference between the two. The ads usually appear on top of the search results. Sometimes it’s only one ad, but Google can show more ads as well. This depends on how many people search for a certain search term and who wants to pay for it. There are many sponsored listings in Google You’ll recognize the paid result by the word Sponsored shown in front of the link to the website. The shopping results in Google are also paid results: a company pays Google to appear in the shopping results. If you want to advertise on Google, you should check out Google Adwords. Organic results Google’s organic results are all non-paid results. According to Google’s algorithm, the organic results shown first are the best fit for the user’s search query. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) improves the chances of ranking in organic search results. Snippets The search result page consists of a number of snippets. A snippet is a result Google shows to the user in the search results. A ‘normal’ snippet usually looks like this: A regular Google snippet Google shows the title in blue, the URL in grey, and a description of the page. You’ll also encounter rich snippets on the SERP. A rich snippet shows extra information between the URL and the description. A rich snippet looks like this: A rich result as shown in Google search In this snippet, a picture of the ice cream is added. You can see the recipe’s rating and the time it takes to prepare this type of ice cream. A rich snippet contains much more information than a normal snippet does. Read more: What are rich snippets? » Other elements on the SERPs Besides snippets, images, videos, news results, shopping results and maps, Google also shows some other elements on the SERPs. Knowledge Graph panel The Knowledge Graph Panel appears on the right side of the search results. According to Google, this information is retrieved from many sources, including the CIA World Factbook and Wikipedia. Information from the Knowledge Graph is used to answer spoken questions in Google Assistant and Google Home voice queries. An example of a knowledge graph panel Google search feature People also ask This box appears somewhere between the organic search results. It’ll suggest questions related to the search query you typed in. You’ll encounter these related questions in the organic search results if you’re searching for Minecraft. Clicking on one of the suggestions will directly answer the specific question. Google’s People also ask search feature Featured snippets A featured snippet, aka answer box, is a highlighted search box that answers the question you type in the Google search bar. This featured snippet box is situated above the regular organic search results. Featured snippets often appear as a paragraph or a bulleted list, accompanied by an image. Featured highlight answers directly at the top of the Google search results Keep reading: How to get featured snippets » Local 3-pack When you search from something locally, the Local 3-pack can show up to highlight three related local businesses. It’s a Google search feature that provides information such as business names, addresses, phone numbers, and customer reviews. This feature is often integrated with Google Maps. It helps users find directions and learn more about local businesses. This search feature shows three local result based on the query Image pack The image pack search feature shows a collection of images related to a search. Typically shown in a grid or carousel format, they allow users to quickly browse visual content without leaving the search page. For some searches, images are a better fit than just regular links or other SERP features. An example of an image pack in Google’s search results Top stories Top stories is a search feature on Google that displays the most recent and relevant news articles. This section typically appears near the top of the search results, highlighting breaking news and timely updates. It includes headlines, publication names, and often images to quickly inform users about current events. Google’re Top stories feature shows the most important news Conclusion about SERP features Google’s search engine results pages can show various elements: the search results (so-called snippets), AI Overviews, a knowledge graph, a featured snippet, an answer box, images, shopping results, and more. Some of these elements will show up depending on the type of query and the data Google finds. You can add structured data to your page so Google can show a ‘rich’ snippet, providing more information about your product or recipe, for instance. You can pay Google to make the snippet of your page end up high on the search results page as an ad. Or, you can optimize your pages for the search engines – and users! – so it will rank high organically. That’s SEO, and that’s what we write about! Read on: Yoast SEO: how to make your site stand out in the search results » The post Features of the Google Search Engine Results Page (SERP) appeared first on Yoast. View the full article

Between this newsletter, my podcast, my books, and my New Yorker journalism, I offer a lot of advice and propose a lot of ideas about how the modern digital environment impacts our lives, both professionally and personally, and how we should respond. This techno-pontification covers everything from the nitty gritty details of producing good work in an office saturated with emails and Zoom, to heady decisions about shaping a meaningful life amid the nihilistic abstraction of an increasingly networked existence. With the end of year rapidly approaching, and people finding themselves with some spare thinking time as work winds down for the holidays, I thought it might be fun to try to summarize essentially every major idea I discuss in one short primer. So that’s what I’m attempting below! I’m sure I’m missing some key points, but this should nevertheless provide a useful road map to my esoteric mental wanderings. Knowledge Work Treat cognitive context shifts as “productivity poison.” The more you switch your attention from one target (say, a report you’re writing) to another (say, an inbox check), the more exhausted and dumber you become. The biggest source of context shifts is digital communication. Move as much collaboration as possible out of chains of ad hoc, back and forth messaging and into something more structured. The second biggest source of context shifts is caused by working on too many tasks at the same time. Do fewer things at once. You’ll finish each task faster (and better) and therefore accomplish more over time. Focus is like a super power in most knowledge work jobs. Train this ability. Protect deep work on your calendar. Support these sessions through special rituals and spaces. You need specific systems to track all of your commitments. You need specific system to manage your time and attention. The pace and volume of modern knowledge work is too intense for you to casually handle it all in your head. Remote work requires more structure surrounding workload management and communication than regular office work. It’s not enough to simply give remote workers a Zoom account and a Slack handle and hope their efforts unfold as before. Sources: Deep Work, A World Without Email, Slow Productivity, “Why Remote Work is So Hard–And How it Can Be Fixed”, “Why Do We Work Too Much?”, “Was Email a Mistake?”, “How to Have a More Productive Year” Personal Technology Use Your phone should be used as a tool, not a constant companion. To accomplish this: (1) keep your phone plugged into the same spot when at home (instead of having it with you); and (2) remove all apps from your phone where someone makes more money the more you use it. Most people don’t need to use social media. If you really need to use it — e.g., for professional purposes — use it on a web browser on your laptop, and spend at most an hour a week logged in, as that’s enough for 99% of legitimate uses. There are better ways to be entertained, find news, and connect with people. Digital communication can be great, but be wary of communicating with people you’ve never actually met in person before. (That is, texting a friend is good. Arguing with a random Twitter user about presidential politics is not.) Fixing your relationship with digital tools requires that you fix your analog life first. It’s not enough to stop using problematic apps and devices, you must also aggressively pursue alternative activities to fill the voids this digital abstention will create: read books, join communities, develop hard hobbies, get in shape, hatch plans to transform your career for the better. Without deeper purpose, the shallow siren song of your phone will become impossible to ignore. Kids under the age of 16 shouldn’t have unrestricted access to the internet. Their brains aren’t ready for it. Sources: Digital Minimalism, “Quit Social Media”, “Steve Jobs Never Wanted Us to Use Our iPhones Like This”, “Cal Newport on Kids and Smartphones” The Deep Life In building a meaningful and fulfilling life, it’s usually better to work backwards from a broad vision of your ideal lifestyle than it is to work forward toward a singular grand goal (e.g., a “dream job” or radical location change) that you hope will make everything better. The best way to improve your professional life is to get good at something the market unambiguously values, and then use this “career capital” as leverage to shape your work in ways that resonate. No one owes you a great a job. You have to get great first before you demand it. Succeeding with big changes in your life requires that you first get your act together. Get comfortable with discipline (doing things that are hard in the moment but important in the long term), get organized, and reclaim your brain from constant digital distraction. Only then should initiate your ambitious plans. Sources: So Good They Can’t Ignore You, “The Most Important Piece of Career Advice You Probably Never Heard”, “The Deep Life: Some Notes”, “Deep Life Stack 2.0” The Internet and Future Technology When it comes to the internet, small is usually better than big. Niche online communities are more meaningful and less harmful (in terms of both content and addictive properties) than massive social platforms. Independent content formats, like podcasts and newsletters, are much better for creatives (in terms of stability, income, and autonomy) than attempting to become an influencer on a major platform. And so on. The age of massive social network monopolies is already coming to an end. We just don’t realize it yet. Generative AI won’t really change our daily lives in a massive way until it leaves the chatbot format and becomes more integrated into specific tools. The biggest technology story everyone is ignoring is the end of screens. Within the next decade, AR glasses will replace essentially every screen currently in our lives — phones, laptops, tablets, computer monitors, and televisions. The ramifications on the worldwide technology sector will be absolutely massive. It will also be the end of a fully differentiated analog reality as we know it. Sources: “The Rise of the Internet’s Creative Middle Class”, “TikTok and the Fall of the Social Media Giants”, “Can an AI Make Plans”, “The End of Screens?” ##### Speaking of books, my latest, Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment without Burnout, was named a best book of 2024 by The Economist, NPR, and Amazon. It’s also currently heavily discounted for Cyber Monday. Consider it as a great gift for yourself or someone else you know who could benefit from slowing down! (The photo used for this article was taken by Greg Kahn for a recent profile of me published in El Pais.) The post The Tao of Cal appeared first on Cal Newport. View the full article

Between this newsletter, my podcast, my books, and my New Yorker journalism, I offer a lot of advice and propose a lot of ideas about how the modern digital environment impacts our lives, both professionally and personally, and how we should respond. This techno-pontification covers everything from the nitty gritty details of producing good work in an office saturated with emails and Zoom, to heady decisions about shaping a meaningful life amid the nihilistic abstraction of an increasingly networked existence. With the end of year rapidly approaching, and people finding themselves with some spare thinking time as work winds down for the holidays, I thought it might be fun to try to summarize essentially every major idea I discuss in one short primer. So that’s what I’m attempting below! I’m sure I’m missing some key points, but this should nevertheless provide a useful road map to my esoteric mental wanderings. Knowledge Work Treat cognitive context shifts as “productivity poison.” The more you switch your attention from one target (say, a report you’re writing) to another (say, an inbox check), the more exhausted and dumber you become. The biggest source of context shifts is digital communication. Move as much collaboration as possible out of chains of ad hoc, back and forth messaging and into something more structured. The second biggest source of context shifts is caused by working on too many tasks at the same time. Do fewer things at once. You’ll finish each task faster (and better) and therefore accomplish more over time. Focus is like a super power in most knowledge work jobs. Train this ability. Protect deep work on your calendar. Support these sessions through special rituals and spaces. You need specific systems to track all of your commitments. You need specific system to manage your time and attention. The pace and volume of modern knowledge work is too intense for you to casually handle it all in your head. Remote work requires more structure surrounding workload management and communication than regular office work. It’s not enough to simply give remote workers a Zoom account and a Slack handle and hope their efforts unfold as before. Sources: Deep Work, A World Without Email, Slow Productivity, “Why Remote Work is So Hard–And How it Can Be Fixed”, “Why Do We Work Too Much?”, “Was Email a Mistake?”, “How to Have a More Productive Year” Personal Technology Use Your phone should be used as a tool, not a constant companion. To accomplish this: (1) keep your phone plugged into the same spot when at home (instead of having it with you); and (2) remove all apps from your phone where someone makes more money the more you use it. Most people don’t need to use social media. If you really need to use it — e.g., for professional purposes — use it on a web browser on your laptop, and spend at most an hour a week logged in, as that’s enough for 99% of legitimate uses. There are better ways to be entertained, find news, and connect with people. Digital communication can be great, but be wary of communicating with people you’ve never actually met in person before. (That is, texting a friend is good. Arguing with a random Twitter user about presidential politics is not.) Fixing your relationship with digital tools requires that you fix your analog life first. It’s not enough to stop using problematic apps and devices, you must also aggressively pursue alternative activities to fill the voids this digital abstention will create: read books, join communities, develop hard hobbies, get in shape, hatch plans to transform your career for the better. Without deeper purpose, the shallow siren song of your phone will become impossible to ignore. Kids under the age of 16 shouldn’t have unrestricted access to the internet. Their brains aren’t ready for it. Sources: Digital Minimalism, “Quit Social Media”, “Steve Jobs Never Wanted Us to Use Our iPhones Like This”, “Cal Newport on Kids and Smartphones” The Deep Life In building a meaningful and fulfilling life, it’s usually better to work backwards from a broad vision of your ideal lifestyle than it is to work forward toward a singular grand goal (e.g., a “dream job” or radical location change) that you hope will make everything better. The best way to improve your professional life is to get good at something the market unambiguously values, and then use this “career capital” as leverage to shape your work in ways that resonate. No one owes you a great a job. You have to get great first before you demand it. Succeeding with big changes in your life requires that you first get your act together. Get comfortable with discipline (doing things that are hard in the moment but important in the long term), get organized, and reclaim your brain from constant digital distraction. Only then should initiate your ambitious plans. Sources: So Good They Can’t Ignore You, “The Most Important Piece of Career Advice You Probably Never Heard”, “The Deep Life: Some Notes”, “Deep Life Stack 2.0” The Internet and Future Technology When it comes to the internet, small is usually better than big. Niche online communities are more meaningful and less harmful (in terms of both content and addictive properties) than massive social platforms. Independent content formats, like podcasts and newsletters, are much better for creatives (in terms of stability, income, and autonomy) than attempting to become an influencer on a major platform. And so on. The age of massive social network monopolies is already coming to an end. We just don’t realize it yet. Generative AI won’t really change our daily lives in a massive way until it leaves the chatbot format and becomes more integrated into specific tools. The biggest technology story everyone is ignoring is the end of screens. Within the next decade, AR glasses will replace essentially every screen currently in our lives — phones, laptops, tablets, computer monitors, and televisions. The ramifications on the worldwide technology sector will be absolutely massive. It will also be the end of a fully differentiated analog reality as we know it. Sources: “The Rise of the Internet’s Creative Middle Class”, “TikTok and the Fall of the Social Media Giants”, “Can an AI Make Plans”, “The End of Screens?” ##### Speaking of books, my latest, Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment without Burnout, was named a best book of 2024 by The Economist, NPR, and Amazon. It’s also currently heavily discounted for Cyber Monday. Consider it as a great gift for yourself or someone else you know who could benefit from slowing down! (The photo used for this article was taken by Greg Kahn for a recent profile of me published in El Pais.) The post The Tao of Cal appeared first on Cal Newport. View the full article