Google’s top ranking factors, according to 131 SEO professionals
Backlinks ranked as Google’s second most important ranking factor in a new survey of 131 SEO professionals conducted by Zyppy. Relevance ranked first, and content quality ranked third. Backlinks ranked No. 2. Although Google’s Gary Illyes has said links…
Google’s target bidding shake-up: Why PPC marketers have been here before
Watch this video on YouTube Reva Minkoff, Founder and President of Digital4Startups Inc., led our latest SMX Now webinar, examining Google’s changes to target bidding — and why paid search marketers shouldn’t panic. Drawing on nearly two decades of PPC…
Google updates Location asset requirements without changing enforcement
Google updated its Location asset requirements in September, revising terminology, improving readability and adding troubleshooting guidance for advertisers. Why we care. Advertisers using location assets now have clearer guidance for understanding and…
ChatGPT, Gemini & Claude Lead AI Visibility, Is It Time To Stop Tracking Perplexity? via @sejournal, @gregjarboe
Giving Perplexity less weight in AI search tracking can prevent distorted visibility scores without erasing useful competitive signals. The post ChatGPT, Gemini & Claude Lead AI Visibility, Is It Time To Stop Tracking Perplexity? appeared first on…
New Google Guide To Regional Search Features & Eligibility via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern
Google added documentation mapping regional Search features in the EEA, Türkiye, and South Africa, with eligibility and participation steps. The post New Google Guide To Regional Search Features & Eligibility appeared first on Search Engine Journal.
Jessica Bowman: SEO can’t win AI visibility alone
Watch this video on YouTube Jessica Bowman has spent more than 20 years figuring out how to make SEO work inside large organizations. Now she thinks AI is turning visibility into a challenge that SEO – and even marketing – can’t solve alone: “The SEO…
4 risks hiding in your branded search results
Consider the role that branded search results play in consumer decisions. Say a consumer types “company X + name of newest product” into their search bar. The results that display first will generally be those directly related to the company the consumer…
Caught by Google’s spam update? Don’t make recovery harder
Google’s August 2026 spam update has caused considerable confusion across the industry. Google has confirmed that the update is complete, but a number of publishers have seen their search visibility drop considerably, including sites that had been…
Manual vs. automated Google Ads campaigns: How to allocate your budget
Google Ads’ push to automate as many campaigns as possible isn’t news to anyone with recent paid search experience. Yet, at least as of this writing, advertisers still have options to set up manual campaigns when it makes sense for the business. Rather…
How AI Is Reshaping Search Intent – What 2 Studies Reveal via @sejournal, @ClaraSoteras
Search intent is fracturing across AI Mode, video platforms, and zero-click results and Google’s own metrics reveal what actually earns clicks now. The post How AI Is Reshaping Search Intent – What 2 Studies Reveal appeared first on Search Engine…