What Is a Sitemap? Website Sitemaps Explained
Learn what a website sitemap is, why you need one, and how to check yours for errors.
Bing Search Ranking Algorithm Update Around May 29th? Microsoft S...
Microsoft looks to have pushed out a Bing Search ranking algorithm update around May 29th. I don’t track Bing Search ranking volatility that closely anymore but Glenn Gabe looked back…
Canonical URLs: A Beginner’s Guide to Canonical Tags
A canonical URL is the version of a webpage that search engines treat as “main“ when there are duplicates.
Google Does Not Handle HTTP RateLimit Header Fields
Google seems to know handle or obey the RateLimit Header Fields for HTTP. Mike Blazer asked John Mueller from Google about this and John said he never heard of it,…
Google Removes See Results About Title From Mobile Search Results
Google has dropped the title from the “see results about” disambiguous search feature in the mobile search results interface. The feature is still very much alive, but on mobile search,…
Google Shopping Product Images Showing User Review Images
Google seems to be showing photos from reviews from actual users in the Google Shopping product image carousel. So when you click on a product listing and then swipe through…
Google Local Knowledge Panel Interactive Card Interface
Google seems to have launched the interactive knowledge panel layout for local knowledge panels in Google Search. This design is from a couple of years ago but now seems to…
Why Search (And The User) Is Still Important To SEO
Uncover the true importance of SEO and search engines in the ever-changing digital landscape. Learn why it’s crucial to adapt your strategy. The post Why Search (And The User) Is…
Google Gives 5 SEO Insights On Google Trends
Google offers five insights about how Google Trends is useful for SEO and understanding search traffic issues The post Google Gives 5 SEO Insights On Google Trends appeared first on…
Redirects 101: A Beginner’s Guide to Setup & Best Practices
Redirects send users and search engines from one URL to another automatically. For example, when you try to visit https://backlinko.com/hub/youtube/position (which has a redirect) it will take you to https://backlinko.com/hub/youtube/positioning…
Daily Search Forum Recap: August 2, 2024
Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today, through the eyes of the Search Engine Roundtable and other search forums on the web. There is a…
How to Detect AI-written Content and Plagiarism
As AI writing tools abound, it‘s critical to vet your content & make sure it‘s authentic, trustworthy, and plagiarism-free.
Search News Buzz Video Recap: Intense Google Ranking Volatility, ...
This week we covered how Google said the core update isn’t extremely far away. We also reported on super intense Google Search ranking volatility change later this week and then…
Top 18 Affiliate Marketing Tools to Boost Traffic and Conversions
Learn how you can use affiliate marketing tools to help you increase your conversions.
August 2024 Google Webmaster Report
Here is the big monthly Google webmaster report, where I catch you up on what changes with Google Search related to Google updates, ranking volatility, SEO, Search Console, UI changes,…
Google Local Service Ads Automated Lead Dispute System
A few weeks ago, Google announced it is doing away with how it does credits and disputes for Local Service Ads and is switching to an automated system. It seems…
Meta Tags: What They Are & How to Use Them for SEO
Meta tags are HTML tags that provide information about a webpage‘s content to search engines and users.
Google Ads Tacks On Canadian Advertisers A 2.5% Surcharge
Google notified advertisers in Canada they are charging a 2.5% surcharge on top of everything for buying ads on Google. This is on top of many of these advertisers losing…
Separate Ad Group In Google Ads Can Remove AI-Theming
Ginny Marvin, Google’s Ads Liaison, said if you put similar keywords in separate ad groups that can essentially make both eligible to be considered for auction selection. It would essentially…
Google Tests Explore More With Search Section
Google seems to be encouraging searchers to search more for more types of queries with a new “Explore more with Search” carousel. It shows the searcher other topics, with photos,…
What Is a SERP Analysis & How Can You Do One?
Learn how to do a SERP analysis. Study the top pages for a keyword to uncover ranking opportunities.
Google To Allow Pubic Hair Grooming Ads In September 2024
Google will update its Google Ads policy on September 3, 2024, to allow public hair grooming services to be advertised on the Google Ads network, including Display, YouTube, and Search.
Understanding & Optimizing Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)
Find out how Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) can affect your website and why it’s important to optimize for this Google ranking factor. The post Understanding & Optimizing Cumulative Layout Shift…
What Are Breadcrumbs & Why Do They Matter For SEO?
Improve SEO and user experience with breadcrumbs on your website. Learn how implementing breadcrumbs can have a positive impact on your website’s visibility and navigation. The post What Are Breadcrumbs…
Google Confirms Robots.txt Can’t Prevent Unauthorized Access
Google’s Gary Illyes confirms that robots.txt is ineffective at stopping unauthorized access The post Google Confirms Robots.txt Can’t Prevent Unauthorized Access appeared first on Search Engine Journal.
Google Ads Reporting & Some Interfaces Are Down For Advertise...
Google Ads is currently having an outage for many of its reporting interfaces across Report Editor, Dashboards, and Saved Reports in the Google Ads web interface. Plus, The Products, Product…
Google Clarifies Autocomplete Functionality Amid User Concerns
Google clarifies Autocomplete functionality, addressing user concerns and explaining recent issues. The post Google Clarifies Autocomplete Functionality Amid User Concerns appeared first on Search Engine Journal.
Google Introduces INP Improvement For Publisher Tag Ads Library
Google updates Publisher Tag Ads Library to improve INP scores and ad loading efficiency. New features offer publishers more control. The post Google Introduces INP Improvement For Publisher Tag Ads…
Daily Search Forum Recap: August 1, 2024
Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today…
How to plan and create a solid website structure, and why it’s im...
Learn how to plan website structure effectively. Discover website structure key elements, its various types, and get step-by-step building procedures.
Google Search Ranking Volatility Bursting At The Seams
Google Search had an incredibly volatile month of July and it ended the month with a huge bang. The volatility in the Google Search results yesterday, July 31st, going into…
Google Explains Search Algorithm Updates Around Deepfakes
In May, we reported that Google Search algorithms lowered the rankings of deepfake sites. Now, Google has gone into more detail on how this algorithm works and how you can…
Google Tests Sitelinks Pill Formats On Desktop Search
A few weeks ago, we saw Google testing pill formats, bubble formats, for sitelinks in the mobile search results. Now Google is testing that format on the desktop search results.
Pagination: A Detailed Overview of What It Is and How to Implemen...
We’ll go over the impact of pagination on SEO, best practices and tools. You’ll learn how to do pagination to make things easier for users and search engines.
Google Merchant Center More Found By Google Product Feed Report
Google Merchant Center may have recently added to the product feed report the number of products found by Google, not by way of a feed you provided or manually submitted…
Google Knowledge Panels Tests “Videos From” Section
Google is testing a new section on knowledge panels named “videos from.” This section can contain videos from the brand’s social channels. This seems to be a larger extension of…
Deep Dive On How Google Search Indexes JavaScript
The folks at Vercel and MERJ put together a super deep dive on how Google Search handles indexing JavaScript. They analyzed over 100,000 Googlebot fetches across various sites to test…
Ask An SEO: Should I Delete My GBP If I Am Selling My Product Nat...
Should you delete your GBP if you sell nationwide? Find out if your business is eligible for a Google Business Profile and if it’s necessary. The post Ask An SEO:…
Agile SEO: Moving From Strategy To Action
Achieve SEO success with agile methods. Learn how to get resources and buy-in from executives without lengthy strategy documents. The post Agile SEO: Moving From Strategy To Action appeared first…
What Are Google’s Core Topicality Systems?
What to know about Google’s Core Topicality Systems and the implications for SEO The post What Are Google’s Core Topicality Systems? appeared first on Search Engine Journal.
I Analyzed 52 SEO Manager Job Listings. Here’s What They Do and H...
To find out, I looked through 52 SEO manager job listings on LinkedIn and asked a few actual SEO managers. The most common responsibilities I found were: It seems that…
Link Reclamation: How to Find and Reclaim Lost Backlinks
Sadly, this happens all the time. Here’s a screenshot of a link to Ahrefs’ Content Explorer in an article by Copy.ai: This is a nice link from a page on…
How People Search: Understanding User Intent
Get insights into the importance of understanding user intent for effective SEO. Learn how Google’s algorithms prioritize relevant content. The post How People Search: Understanding User Intent appeared first on…
New Social Media Platforms
Social media is evolving fast, with platforms like Threads and Noplace leading the charge. Check out these 14 new social networks making waves in 2024. Let’s dive right in! 1….
Google’s AI Overviews Appear In 3.9% Of Trending News Searches, S...
Google’s AI Overviews rarely appear in trending news searches, study finds. Health queries most affected. The post Google’s AI Overviews Appear In 3.9% Of Trending News Searches, Study Finds appeared…
Google Expands ‘About This Image’ To More Platforms
Google expands “About this image” feature, enhances deepfake detection, aiming to combat misinformation in search results. The post Google Expands ‘About This Image’ To More Platforms appeared first on Search…
Google Search Algorithm Update Targeting Explicit Deepfakes
Google updates search algorithm to combat explicit deepfakes, improving content removal and adjusting rankings to protect users from non-consensual imagery. The post Google Search Algorithm Update Targeting Explicit Deepfakes appeared…
Daily Search Forum Recap: July 31, 2024
Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today…
What Is Anchor Text? An Overview + Best Practices
Anchor text is clickable text that takes users elsewhere. Learn why link text matters and how to optimize it.
What Is Noindex Used for? An Overview + Best Practices
A noindex directive tells search engines not to index a webpage. Learn how to implement it.
Google Improved Autocomplete Predictions After Trump Criticism
Over the past few days, Google has come under fire over its autocomplete predictions in Google Search around former President, Donald Trump. In the wake of the issue, Google updated…
Google Ads Click-To WhatsApp Messages
Google Ads lets you set up message assets to click-to WhatsApp for some advertisers. Message assets allow you to configure an ad asset or button with your responsive search ads…
Google Ads Launches New PMax Reporting Updates & AI Generatio...
Google announced new Performance Max reporting updates and asset generation and image editing expansions. “We’re adding asset-level conversion reporting to Performance Max, expanding asset generation to App and Display campaigns,…
Google “Hidden Gem Stores” Search Feature
Google seems to be testing a new search feature named “Hidden gem stores.” This shows you shopping and merchant listings from various stores and brands. This does not seem to…
Microsoft Bing Advertising Revenue Up 19% (Back To Growth?)
Microsoft reported its fourth quarter 2024 earnings and it showed that its search and advertising revenue was up 19%. The last time it was up over 19% in a quarter…
Coming soon: Patches in Site Audit
What are Patches? Patches are fixes for your website that you can create and make directly in Site Audit issue reports. Did your pages get flagged for having too-short meta…
AI Integration in Marketing: Strategic Insights For SEO & Age...
Explore the impact of AI, and how it can take your skills to the next level, all in one place. The post AI Integration in Marketing: Strategic Insights For SEO…
Daily Search Forum Recap: July 30, 2024
Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today, through the eyes of the Search Engine Roundtable and other search forums on the web. Google Search Console…
Search GPT – Can Search GPT Disrupt Google Search?
Learn about the unique position of OpenAI’s new search engine, Search GPT, as a potential challenger to Google Search in the market. The post Search GPT – Can Search GPT…
10 Types of Keywords with Examples (+ How to Find Them)
In this post, you’ll learn the 10 most important types of keywords to improve your SEO. Keyword Type Examples 1. Seed keywords Books, cars, digital marketing 2. Informational keywords How…
Google: Don’t Make Your M-Dot URLs The Canonical
Google’s John Mueller repeated advice from a while ago that you should not switch your m-dot URLs to be the canonical URL, even though Google is fully switched over to…
The 20+ Must-Know Backlink Types
This article covers the various backlink types used by SEOs to achieve high rankings in SERPs. Discover over 20 techniques for getting valuable site mentions.
New Google Ads Google Merchant Center Feed Integration In AI Imag...
Google has a new Google Ads feature within Google Merchant Center feeds in AI image editor that enables you to import product images from your Merchant Center feeds into your…
New Google Ads Format “For Your Consideration”
Google may be testing a new search ad format named “for your consideration.” These ads, at least in the example below, show hotel websites that you can go to to…
How to Search a Website for Keywords
Ways to search a site for keywords: 1) Command+F, 2) Google search operators, 3) keyword tools, & more.
Google May Replace X (Twitter) With Latest Posts From
Google Search may be replacing the heading for “X (Twitter)” posts with “Latest Posts from.” This would be a step to removing more X branding from the Google Search results…
Google Search Console Performance Report Search Appearance Filter...
Google Search Console has a bug with the Search Performance report, where if you want to filter by Search Appearance, it won’t show you all the options. Google is aware…
Enterprise SEO Challenges & Mistakes You Need To Overcome
One person’s challenge is another person’s opportunity. Being able to cut through red tape and get things implemented is a super power. Here are challenges you’ll need to overcome to…
What Is Website Architecture? (& How to Improve it for SEO)
Website architecture refers to the structure of websites. Learn best practices for organizing your site for SEO.
Marketing 101: A Beginner’s Guide to Marketing Fundamentals
Use the fundamental concepts in this Marketing 101 guide to kickstart your strategies.
Buyer Intent Keywords Convert Better. Here’s How to Find Them
Often, buyer intent keywords include words related to buying, deals, discounts, reviews, and comparisons. These keywords can suggest looking for directions to get a product or service, too. Using buyer…
SEO Automation Tools: My 10 Favorites to Boost Productivity
Can you automate all of these? No. It won’t end well so don’t even try. But you can automate some of them to free up time to focus on stuff…
I Asked 26 Marketers for Their Best Marketing Books. Here’s What ...
To find out, I asked 26 marketers (from Ahrefs and elsewhere) to recommend a book that influenced their marketing work. Here are their recommendations: Author: Daniel Priestley First published: 2015…
Cracking Open The Local SEO Bucket: Expert Strategies To Shape Su...
Join our next webinar on August 7 and learn how to drive real impact in local rankings and user experience like the big brands. The post Cracking Open The Local…
The 10 Best Advertising Tools for Your Campaign Tech Stack
Uncover the best advertising tools to enhance your campaigns. This guide covers everything from audience research and campaign management to ad creation.
Daily Search Forum Recap: July 29, 2024
Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today, through the eyes of the Search Engine Roundtable and other search forums on the web. Google says the…
Google May Rely Less On Hreflang, Shift To Auto Language Detectio...
Google hints at a potential shift to automatic language detection, which could reduce reliance on manual hreflang annotations for multilingual websites. The post Google May Rely Less On Hreflang, Shift…
Google: Core Update Isn’t Extremely Far Away As Publishers ...
Google’s John Mueller responded to complaints about image thumbnails still not showing up for some publishers in the search results. He encouraged a bit more patience, saying “the next one…
Ongoing Google Search Ranking Volatility For 2 Weeks
Over the past almost two weeks, we have seen consistent and ongoing ranking volatility on a daily basis. The last Google search ranking update I covered was around July 23rd,…
Google Discover Promoting AI Overviews In Search
Google Discover is now pushing users to see AI Overviews directly in the Google Search results. As you scroll through the Discover feed on Google.com, you may see a promotion…
24 Best Search Engines in the World [2024 List]
Google isn’t the only search engine out there. Check out our list of the top search engines in 2024.
Report: How Often Google Mixes Ads Into Organic Search Results
Google has been mixing search ads into the free organic search results for several months now; Google even changed its definition of what it considers top ads in order to…
What is Keyword Gap Analysis and How to Do It
Discover new SEO opportunities with keyword gap analysis. Learn what it is, why it matters for SEO, and how to perform it to gain a competitive advantage.
Google Business Profiles New Generate Menu From Photo
Google Business Profiles has a new AI feature to let you upload a photo of your menu and Google will create your menu items for your restaurant based on that…
Google Showing X Carousel Less Often For News Topics?
Google may be displaying the X (formerly Twitter) carousel in the search results less often for news related topics. A report from Newzdash shows the X carousel is showing up…
Google Insights: Can Incorrect Hreflang Tags Hurt SEO?
Google’s Gary Illyes suggests incorrect hreflang tags may not hurt SEO, but the content language remains a key signal for search relevance. The post Google Insights: Can Incorrect Hreflang Tags…
A Guide to Content Calendars (+ Free Templates for Making One)
A content calendar helps you plan, organize, and schedule content. Learn how to build one.
SEO for Landing Pages: Best Practices to Rank on SERPs
Landing page SEO is the process of optimizing your landing pages for users and search engines.
Google Hints Lowering SEO Value Of Country Code Top-Level Domains...
Google suggests ccTLDs could lose SEO value in years’ time due to creative branding use, urging focus on hreflang for international targeting. The post Google Hints Lowering SEO Value Of…
Google Advises Caution With AI Generated Answers
Google’s Gary Illyes cautioned against blindly trusting generative AI answers The post Google Advises Caution With AI Generated Answers appeared first on Search Engine Journal.
The Complete Guide to SEO Search Intent
With user intent, you can identify the purpose behind online search and, therefore, serve up your audience according to its needs at an exact moment.
5 Automated And AI-Driven Workflows To Scale Enterprise SEO
Five automated enterprise SEO workflows to improve efficiency, enhance SEO strategy, and get more buy-in. The post 5 Automated And AI-Driven Workflows To Scale Enterprise SEO appeared first on Search…
Google Cautions On Blocking GoogleOther Bot
Google’s Gary Illyes cautioned that blocking the GoogleOther crawler may have an effect on a wide range of things across Google The post Google Cautions On Blocking GoogleOther Bot appeared…
What Can AI Do For Healthcare Marketing In 2024?
How can you use AI to enhance your your marketing efforts while prioritizing privacy, compliance, trust, and service? The post What Can AI Do For Healthcare Marketing In 2024? appeared…
The 6 Best SEO Tools for Small Businesses
The top SEO tools for a small business include Semrush, Google Search Console, Yoast SEO, and ChatGPT.
15 Best Quillbot Alternatives: The Ultimate Guide
Quillbot is a great tool for paraphrasing, summarizing, and translating content. It can also help you identify and fix grammatical mistakes, spot AI-generated content, and detect plagiarism. However, despite a…
Daily Search Forum Recap: July 26, 2024
Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today…
New SERP Features to Find Growth Opportunities
We’ve made a lot of changes to help your site grow. Evaluate a site‘s organic rankings and SERP feature rankings separately with more organic research data.
29 Up-To-Date Blogging Statistics
Want to learn about the state of blogging in 2024? What are the benefits of blogging to businesses? What are the most popular blogging formats? Keep reading as we will…