Podcast appearances and mentions of Danny Sullivan

Rand Fishkin joins Ross Hudgens to unpack the latest acronym craze—GEO, AEO, LEO—and why none may be necessary. They explore the origins of SEO, the rise (and fall) of inbound marketing, and how marketers can avoid falling into the trap of trend-chasing. From naming conventions to the real value of brand clarity, this is a conversation for anyone navigating search in the age of AI. Rand also shares a bold bet on AI's impact on jobs, reflects on his early days in the “promised land of SEO”—and discusses why “SEO for AI” might be the clearest path forward. Plus: Cooking games, Snack Bar Studios, and whether creating a new marketing category is ever worth the effort. Show Notes 0:08 – Why SEO has too many new acronyms 0:44 – The wild origin of SEO in Bend, Oregon 1:29 – Danny Sullivan, Circuit City, and the OG SEO crowd 2:54 – Who coined “zero-click search”? 3:29 – Why naming trends like GEO can hurt clarity 5:00 – Is GEO catching on because A16z backed it? 5:59 – Should we name this shift at all? 6:37 – Why "SEO for AI" is clearer than new acronyms 8:09 – Organic digital vs SEO vs paid—don't confuse your client 9:33 – Naming things doesn't always benefit the person who coined it 10:13 – Why SEO isn't in decline (despite the narrative) 11:07 – Google is still orders of magnitude bigger than any AI tool 12:34 – Rand bets $100K AI won't take half of all jobs 13:39 – “SEO for AI” has 100% clarity, unlike GEO or AEO 14:58 – GEO and AEO should be considered tags under SEO 16:07 – Simplifying your services for buyers: SEO still works 17:11 – SEO can carry baggage—but it's still foundational 18:20 – Organic growth as the category; SEO as the tactic 19:03 – The Snickers bar analogy for misaligned category tags 20:01 – Why HubSpot had the power to rebrand with inbound marketing 20:54 – Applying lessons from game tagging at Snack Bar Studios 22:16 – Final thoughts: ride the wave if you're Mars; otherwise, keep it clear 23:07 – Rand's AI/job displacement bet explained 24:53 – Revisiting his blockchain bet with Dharmesh from 2016 25:21 – What worries Rand more than AI? Government decisions 26:14 – Elon, politics, and the future of tech influence 26:22 – Snack Bar Studios: magical boars and carbonara 26:56 – Sparktoro and “Search Everywhere Optimization” 27:03 – Tagging the cooking game: chill action, story rich, 2D action 27:51 – Geraldine's writing brings it to life Show Link It's Still SEO (SparkToro Blog): (https://sparktoro.com/blog/its-still-seo-search-everywhere-optimization/](https://sparktoro.com/blog/its-still-seo-search-everywhere-optimization/) a16z: GEO Rewrites the Rules of Search: (https://a16z.com/geo-over-seo/) Rand's Game Studio: (https://snackbarstudio.com/](https://snackbarstudio.com/) Subscribe today for weekly tips: (https://bit.ly/3dBM61f](https://bit.ly/3dBM61f) Listen on iTunes: (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/content-and-conversation-seo-tips-from-siege-media/id1289467174) Listen on Spotify: (https://open.spotify.com/show/1kiaFGXO5UcT2qXVRuXjsM](https://open.spotify.com/show/1kiaFGXO5UcT2qXVRuXjsM) Listen on Google: (https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5zaW1wbGVjYXN0LmNvbS9jT3NjUkdLeA) Follow Siege on Twitter: (http://twitter.com/siegemedia](http://twitter.com/siegemedia) Follow Ross on Twitter: (http://twitter.com/rosshudgens](http://twitter.com/rosshudgens) Directed by Cara Brown: (https://twitter.com/cararbrown](https://twitter.com/cararbrown) Email Ross: (ross@siegemedia.com](mailto:ross@siegemedia.com) #seo | #contentmarketing Subscribe today for weekly tips: https://bit.ly/3dBM61f Listen on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/content-and-conversation-seo-tips-from-siege-media/id1289467174 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1kiaFGXO5UcT2qXVRuXjsM Listen on Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5zaW1wbGVjYXN0LmNvbS9jT3NjUkdLeA Follow Siege on Twitter: http://twitter.com/siegemedia Follow Ross on Twitter: http://twitter.com/rosshudgens Directed by Cara Brown: https://twitter.com/cararbrown Email Ross: ross@siegemedia.com #seo | #contentmarketing

Send us a textThis is another conversation from the Complex Needs Conference 2025 and our guest is Adjunct Associate Professor Danny Sullivan, Consultant Forensic and Adult Psychiatrist.Dr Sullivan gave a keynote at the conference about the prescribing of psychotropic medications, which are namely drugs that influence a person's mood, thoughts, and behavior - for people with complex needs.He is the Board Director of ACSO Australia and Director of Victoria's Sentencing Advisory Council.This episode was recorded at the Complex Needs Conference in Melbourne  co-hosted in March 2025 by ermha365 and ACSO Australia with support from Swinburne University's Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science and funded by the Victoria State Government's Department of Families, Fairness and Housing. ermha365 provides mental health and disability support for people in Victoria and the Northern Territory. Find out more about our services at our website.Helplines (Australia):Lifeline 13 11 14QLIFE 1800 184 52713 YARN 13 92 76Suicide Callback Service 1300 659 467ermha365 acknowledges that our work in the community takes place on the Traditional Lands of many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and therefore respectfully recognise their Elders, past and present, and the ongoing Custodianship of the Land and Water by all Members of these Communities.We recognise people with lived experience who contribute to GET REAL podcast, and those who love, support and care for them. We recognise their strength, courage and unique perspective as a vital contribution so that we can learn, grow and achieve better outcomes together.

It's finally Long Beach Grand Prix week, and Conor Daly has a brand new livery just in time for the famed event. He joins co-host Chase Holden to chat about the Mannkind-sponsored Juncos Hollinger 76 entry he'll be piloting this weekend, as well as what listeners should expect to see when IndyCar hits the track. The race has been lengthened to 90 laps this season, which Conor explains will unlock new opportunities for strategy. Drivers and teams will also be dealing with a similar tire selection to the St. Pete season opener, which showed favorable results. The guys make their podium picks for the race and chat about the other latest news around the IndyCar paddock.In celebration of the 40th anniversary of his 1985 Indianapolis 500 victory, IndyCar legend Danny Sullivan joins the program. He fills listeners in on his journey from Louisville, Kentucky to the famous Jim Russell Driving School in England, which sent him on the path of formula racing. After a brief stint in Formula One in 1983, Danny would return Stateside and take his place in the CART paddock. In 1985, Danny completed the famous “spin and win” at the Brickyard, which has become one of the most iconic moments in the history of the race. He chats with Conor and Chase about what life was like on the grid back then and what the victory did for his life and career.

The March 2025 Core Update continues to roll out though early indicators are showing in search console. Google Business had a reverficiation bug that caused chaos for a few days that appears to be fixed. The White House announced it was going to order a dramatic downsizing of the department of Education and a French scientist was denied entry to the US after messages critical of Trump were found on his phone, which has terrifying implications for the future of American education and training. The US Court of Appeals rejected copyright protection for AI generated works without a human author while Spain announced it would impose massive fines for not labeling AI generated content as such. The EU has again charged Google with violating EU anti-trust rules, setting the stage for another series of rulings against the search giant. OpenAI released o1-Pro which will be the company's most expensive model yet. Facebook's efforts to supress Shara Wynn-Williams book, Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism has created a Streisand effect by creating ten times the publicity the book previously had. In other news: Danny Sullivan talks about Optimizing for Google AIO, links in AIOs don't necessarily lead to the same sites on Google search, Google is testing a radically expanded number of search options beyond AI Mode, Google Assist is replaced by Gemini, and Google is crawling JSON files daily. All this and much more in a long but interesting episode.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/webcology/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Selamlar,Bu bölüm biraz "flaş haber" gibi oldu.Şöyle ki; Gazete Duvar haber sitesi hafta ortasında kapanacağını açıkladı. Kapanma gerekçesi gelirlerin düşmesiydi ve en büyük neden de Google algoritmasının 2024 Eylül'ünde ve bu yılın başında bağımsız haber platformları için bazı ürünlerinden gelen trafiği neredeyse sıfırlaması olarak ifade edildi.Akabinde dokuz bağımsız medya platformu (Artı Gerçek, BirGün, Diken, Ekonomim, Gazete Pencere, ilketv.com.tr, Kısa Dalga, Medyascope, T24) Google algoritmasındaki değişimin kendileri için de hayati tehlike arz ettiğini duyurdu.Ve ben tam bu esnada Google Search (Arama) küresel sözcüsü Danny Sullivan'la bir röportaj yaptım.Bunun üzerine tüm gözler iki güne yayarak T24'te yayımladığımız bu röportaja çevrildi.Birkaç TV canlı yayınına katıldım vs...Sonra dedim ki; "E benim bunları Yeni Haller dinleyicilerine de anlatmam lazım. Ne oldu? Nasıl oldu? Neden oldu?..."İşte bu bölümde bunları anlatıyorum size.Röportajı da okumak isterseniz link'leri bırakıyorum buraya:BölümBölümİyi dinlemeler...Biliyorsunuz Yeni Haller sizlerin desteğiyle yayın hayatına devam eden bir podcast kanalı.Beni aşağıdaki link'lerden destekleyebilirsiniz:www.patreon.com/yenihallerYeni Haller'in bir de Buy Me A Coffee hesabı var artık. Buradan destek olmak çoook daha kolay. Patreon'da sorun yaşayanlar için açtım efendim. Buyurun:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/yenihallerBölümde bahsi geçen Yeni Haller'in T24 Youtube kanalındaki özel içeriklerine şuradan ulaşabilirsiniz:T24 Youtube Yeni Haller ListesiBana ulaşmak için:https://www.instagram.com/eray_ozerhttps://twitter.com/ErayOzeryenihallerpodcast@gmail.com

Danny Sullivan is a legendary race car driver who is best known for his 360-degree spin on lap 120 of the 1985 Indianapolis 500. He was attempting to pass Mario Andretti and after recovering from the spin, he led the last 61 laps to become the 69th winner of the Indy 500 and the moniker “Spin to Win.” Danny is also known for being one of the first “big” personalities in motorsports by using his fame to help promote his sponsors and his likeness through appearances on late-night talk shows, in movies and other forms of media. Danny's promotional prowess was good and NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Jeff Gordon says he emulated him throughout his racing career. Danny was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2012 and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame in 2022. He remains active as a TV personality, producer, and entrepreneur, staying involved in many forms of racing and business. Danny is here to share his latest venture, Racers Roundtable with Danny Sullivan and Tony Stewart.

Racing legend, champion and Indy 500 winner, Danny Sullivan joins Dane Neal on WGN Radio. Hear as Danny shares excitement around the new show with legendary guests and all the stories in on Racers Roundtable. Listen as Danny talks about the guests from all over racing with IndyCar, NASCAR, NHRA, Sprint cars and more. The […]

Racing legend, champion and Indy 500 winner, Danny Sullivan joins Dane Neal on WGN Radio. Hear as Danny shares excitement around the new show with legendary guests and all the stories in on Racers Roundtable. Listen as Danny talks about the guests from all over racing with IndyCar, NASCAR, NHRA, Sprint cars and more. The […]

In this special edition of Crawling Mondays, Aleyda Solis interviews Danny Sullivan, Search Liaison from Google, going through the state and future of SEO: 00:00 - Intro 00:11 - Danny Sullivan Search Background 01:08 - The Big Brand Challenge in Latest Google Search Updates 13:09 - The UGC Challenge in Latest Google Search Updates 27:20 - The state and future of AI Overviews 39:13 - The future of Search and SEO #SEO #seotrends #dannysullivan

Sat, 14 Sep 2024 08:26:42 +0000 https://podcast552923.podigee.io/324-new-episode 8c6bbd8f2e36c103e934b205998d9544 Nach dem Abschluss des Core Updates gab es von Googles Danny Sullivan noch einige interessante Anmerkungen und praktische Tipps. Das Google Core Update ist inzwischen schon einige Tage her, und viele Website-Betreiber und SEOs sind mit der Analyse der Auswirkungen beschäftigt. Passend dazu gab es von Danny Sullivan einige Tipps. Er riet zum Beispiel von radikalen Änderungen ab, nur um sich beispielsweise von Position drei auf Position zwei verbessern zu wollen. Google hat die Möglichkeit eingeführt, sich aus der Suche heraus ältere Versionen von Webseiten anzusehen. Dazu wird jetzt in den Informationen zu den Suchergebnissen jeweils ein Link auf das Internet Archive angezeigt. Google zeigt auf den Suchergebnisseiten deutlich mehr Händlereinträge in den sogenannten Product Grids an. Für Betreiber von Onlineshops ist es wichtig, dort zu erscheinen. Google indexiert versteckte Inhalte, die sich zum Beispiel in Akkordeons befinden, nicht immer - und das, obwohl Google Tools wie der Rich Results Test die Inhalte anzeigen. full Nach dem Abschluss des Core Updates gab es von Googles Danny Sullivan noch einige interessante Anmerkungen und praktische Tipps. no

Sat, 20 Jul 2024 06:11:04 +0000 https://podcast552923.podigee.io/316-new-episode bd8944d3b549a1b780ac71ac08ad395c Das nächste Google Core Update könnte bereits in den kommenden Wochen stattfinden. Das würde zum langjährigen Google Rhythmus für solche Updates passen. Viele Betreiber von Websites warten sehnsüchtig auf das nächste Google Core Update. Das betrifft vor allem diejenigen, deren Websites beim Helpful Content Update vom September stark verloren hatten und die seither auf Besserung warten. In den nächsten Wochen könnte es soweit sein, wie Danny Sullivan von Google vermutet. Google AI Overviews, die neuen KI-Antworten auf den Suchergebnisseiten von Google, sind in dieser Woche erstmals außerhalb der USA gesichtet worden, ohne dass dabei ein VPN verwendet wurde. Kommen die AI Overviews jetzt in weitere Länder? Wenn eine Website plötzlich stark wächst, bewerten Suchmaschinen wie Google diese neu - mit Auswirkungen auf die Suche. Daher sollte man eine solche Veränderung gut planen. Auch wenn Google jetzt nur noch mit dem Googlebot Smartphone crawlt, gelten nach wie vor Googles Empfehlungen zur Verlinkung zwischen mobilen und Desktop-URLs. Geleakte Daten zu möglichen Ranking-Faktoren zeigen, dass Google möglicherweise einen Gesamt-Score für KI-Inhalte auf Websites verwendet. full Das nächste Google Core Update könnte bereits in den kommenden Wochen stattfinden. Das würde zum langjährigen Google Rhythmus für solche Updates passen. no

Welcome back everybody, to another episode of the Niche Pursuits News Podcast!  This week Jared and guest host Colin Ma tackle the most recent news in the SEO world affecting creators and entrepreneurs, they inspire with their successful side hustles, and they highlight some unique ideas being used by some weird niche sites. The first item up for discussion is that Brandon Saltamacchia, the owner of Retro Dodo, whose website was crushed in the Helpful Content Update and he has been very vocal about it.  He was invited to meet with Danny Sullivan at Google's office in London, and although the Google Search Liaison couldn't share any actionable advice, he was hopeful that website owners would see an improvement in the coming months. Jared highlights a few important sentiments from the article. What did Google say? And what is Danny's actual role? Tune in to hear what they are! Moving along, Jared and Colin tackle an article on The Verge which details a complex but fascinating story involving fake authors, BestReviews, Sports Illustrated, and link schemes. What's the juxtaposition Jared points out? Should Google just reveal its ranking factors? How would it all play out? Listen to the full episode to hear their thoughts. And lastly, they talk briefly about the impending Google Core Update.  When is it coming? Will it bring with it a recovery to battered sites? And what has Danny Sullivan said about it? In the Shiny Object Shenanigans portion of the podcast, Jared talks about his performance on Prime Day as part of the Amazon Influencer Program and how that affects his overall earnings. Then he talks about the newsletter he recently acquired and the recent stats, which are very interesting. He also talks about working towards potential sponsors. When it's Colin's turn, he talks about his inspiration from speakers in the Niche Pursuits Community inspired him to try out the side hustle, and he's already earning money from it. What are his initial thoughts about the program? What's his ROI? What are his future plans?  Tune in to hear a strategy he's considering and some additional creative ideas from Jared. Jared shared his weird niche first: Calculate Aspect Ratio, which allows users to check dimensions when resizing images. The DR58 site, which has been around since 2015, recently saw its traffic jump and ranks for 58,000 keywords even though it's just 6 pages in total. This simple site is monetized with ads and is probably making a couple of thousand dollars a month. What other simple ideas can you think of, using this site as inspiration? It's Colin's turn next, and he shares a weird site called National Nail Fungus. This DR20-something site has seen its traffic decline considerably, it hasn't done much to improve its initial design from 2012, and the content is written by doctors and other experts. Colin did some digging into the site and he made a surprising discovery. What was it? Is it something you could do for your own business? And what do they have to say about the site's traffic over the years? And that brings us to the end of another episode of the Niche Pursuits News Podcast. We hope that you feel informed about some of the latest happenings in the SEO world, inspired to start your own side hustle, and curious about how you might replicate the strategies we identified among our weird niche sites. Catch you next week! Ready to join a niche publishing mastermind, and hear from industry experts each week?  Join the Niche Pursuits Community here: https://community.nichepursuits.com Be sure to get more content like this in the Niche Pursuits Newsletter Right Here: https://www.nichepursuits.com/newsletter Want a Faster and Easier Way to Build Internal Links?  Get $15 off Link Whisper with Discount Code "Podcast" on the Checkout Screen: https://www.nichepursuits.com/linkwhisper Get SEO Consulting from the Niche Pursuits Podcast Host, Jared Bauman: https://www.nichepursuits.com/201creative

Welcome back, everyone, to the latest episode of the Niche Pursuits News Podcast! As always, Spencer and Jared offer a quick overview of the most important news items affecting content creators, publishers, SEOs and entrepreneurs. On this week's podcast, they decide to lead with positivity, kicking things off with potentially good news for sites pummelled by the HCU.  Recent comments from Danny Sullivan and John Mueller suggest that sites may see a recovery with the next core update, whenever that may be. Should we believe them? Find out what Jared thinks about all of this.  Also, Spencer has some very interesting insider details about this, so check out the episode to find out what he knows that may or may not affect you and your site! Moving along, they talk about Google usage over time.  Studies show that people are spending more time looking at search results compared with 5 years ago. So what does that mean exactly? Are people dissatisfied with the initial results, or are they more savvy? Or, is this a strategy from Google? Spencer and Jared have a few theories about this. And Spencer shares some stats that are completely shocking to him. Tune in to hear it all. The next news item is about the site The Wirecutter, which is owned by the NYT and has come to be an example to follow in affiliate marketing over the years.  Spencer reveals how the site has seen its visibility decline following the HCU, potentially losing half of its traffic.  According to Jared, they are seeing a very slight uptick recently, according to Ahrefs, which could be a sign of hope for others. As for Shiny Object Shenanigans, Spencer goes first and talks about the challenge he announced last week where he's trying to earn $1000 from a new Facebook page in one month. He's currently 10 days in and nowhere near $1000 in earnings, but he does highlight some positive results of his experiment so far. How many followers does he have? What's his ad spend so far? What interesting and potentially profitable advice does Jared offer him? Tune in to hear all the details! When it's Jared's turn, he talks about a strategy he's using to try to revive traffic to a site hit by the HCU with a newsletter and a Facebook page. He also shares his stats and progress from the last 7 weeks: Facebook followers, ad spend, email subscribers, cost per lead, etc.  He's also working on a digital product that he wants to sell to his audience. What's going well and what's not? Check out the full episode to find out. Then it's time to discover some weird niche sites. Spencer shares Million Dollar Homepage, which was created by an entrepreneur in 2005 with the goal of selling pixels on the homepage to earn a million dollars.  As it was an unusual idea at the time, the creator got some press coverage and was able to sell out all the pixels and he did, in fact, earn a million dollars.  What happened after he reached his goal? How is his site doing now? What did he go on to create? And did his success streak continue or did it die? Check out the podcast to find out. Jared then shares his site, US Beer Labels, a DR19 website created in 1999 by a guy who collects and trades vintage beer labels. It only ranks for 242 keywords and gets minimal traffic. What's Jared's theory about this very niche website? What's so fascinating about it and what can we learn from it? And that concludes another episode of Niche Pursuits News. Thanks so much for tuning in! We hope you feel informed and inspired, like every week. See you next Friday! Ready to join a niche publishing mastermind, and hear from industry experts each week?  Join the Niche Pursuits Community here: https://community.nichepursuits.com Be sure to get more content like this in the Niche Pursuits Newsletter Right Here: https://www.nichepursuits.com/newsletter Want a Faster and Easier Way to Build Internal Links?  Get $15 off Link Whisper with Discount Code "Podcast" on the Checkout Screen: https://www.nichepursuits.com/linkwhisper Get SEO Consulting from the Niche Pursuits Podcast Host, Jared Bauman: https://www.nichepursuits.com/201creative

Play Podcast: 06-10-24f1weekly1047.mp3 Nasir and the Host both feel that this was George’s race to win yet, Max does it again with a car that probably should not have won the race. Motorsports Mondial fully loaded as usual with a short Interview with 1988 CART Champion and 1985 Indy 500 winner Danny Sullivan. Let’s here […] The post F1Weekly Podcast # 1047 appeared first on F1Weekly.com - Home of The Premiere Motorsport Podcast (Formula One, Formula Two, Formula Three, Motorsport Mondial).

Welcome back to another episode of the Niche Pursuits News Podcast! Are you ready to hear the latest news affecting Google, SEO, AI, and web publishers? As always, Spencer and Jared will break everything down into digestible pieces and share their thoughts, concerns, and predictions. They kick things off diving straight into a particularly spicy topic: who's killing Google Search. They maintain that it's an inside job, and talk about the news that came out this week about an internal meeting at Google regarding the division's “new operating reality” and the decline in search queries and engagement. Word on the street is that the man who heads the Search team is the man who killed Google Search. Spencer and Jared talk about this possibility as well as a little bit about the history of Search, the results of updates over the years, why results have gotten worse over time, how ads have been redesigned, and how Google is trying to squeeze more money out of Search results. What incredible irony does Jared point out? What's Spence's takeaway for bloggers? Is Google going to implode? Spencer and Jared then move on to a related topic: how product recommendations have broken Google. They reference the Housefresh debacle from a few weeks ago, and talk about how the search for products has changed over time.  How do we know if the reviews are honest, or if they're sponsored, or if they're authentic? And what does the future hold for product reviews? The last article they discuss is how Google has become defensive when it comes to its Search quality and forum results. Experts are pointing out that the results being delivered by Google on Reddit offer very poor and misguided advice, especially when it comes to health queries. How has Danny Sullivan responded? Why do Spencer and Jared talk about the difference between “trust” and “like?” Moving on to their Side Hustle Shenanigans, Spencer talks about his Amazon Influencer videos going live on YouTube. Before his channel got shut down, he was getting between 100 and 200 views per day, peaking one day at 250. Now his biggest day has been 11 views. He and Jared talk about why this may be as well as his process for getting his videos live on YouTube. What program does he recommend using to automate the process? Jared then talks briefly about his Alt G Conference, which was held just a few days earlier, and he shares some interesting stats and stories from that online event. When it's his turn, he talks about his email newsletter side hustle.  He recently launched a second email newsletter using content from one of his sites that was crushed by the HCU. He goes through many of the steps he took to get the project off the ground, so tune in for some great ideas! When it comes to Weird Niche Sites, Spencer shares his, which is Brick Economy, on the economics of Legos. The site offers the current value on lots of Lego sets as well as annual growth of certain themed Legos, and the ability to track the prices of your own Legos. It's monetized with affiliate links and display ads, and according to SimilarWeb, it's getting over a million visitors per month. When it's Jared's turn, he shares his site, Tractor Data, which is a small, family-run business that has been tracking data on tractors for the last 20 years. This DR61 site includes a news section and a directory and gets almost 400k pageviews a month, according to Ahrefs. What keywords is it ranking for? Does it rank first for any terms? Is it making any money? And what kind of potential does Jared see in the site? As both of these sites are doing well in Google, what can we learn from them and their strategies? And that brings us to the end of another informative and inspiring episode. See you next Friday! Ready to join a niche publishing mastermind, and here from industry experts each week?  Join the Niche Pursuits Community here: https://community.nichepursuits.com Be sure to get more content like this in the Niche Pursuits Newsletter Right Here: https://www.nichepursuits.com/newsletter Want a Faster and Easier Way to Build Internal Links?  Get $15 off Link Whisper with Discount Code "Podcast" on the Checkout Screen: https://www.nichepursuits.com/linkwhisper Get SEO Consulting from the Niche Pursuits Podcast Host, Jared Bauman: https://www.nichepursuits.com/201creative

The Google March 2024 core update is still rolling out, almost 6 weeks now, and we saw two shifts of ranking volatility, both mid-week and the weekend before. Google's Danny Sullivan went on the defensive on search quality and forum listings...

Fri, 12 Apr 2024 14:06:05 +0000 https://podcast552923.podigee.io/302-neue-episode f159d7d6ac8dd56f3715937719440016 Die Tipps und Ratschläge von Googlern wie Danny Sullivan oder John Müller werden oftmals missverstanden oder falsch wiedergegeben. Das kann zu Frust führen. Sie sind eine der wichtigsten Informationsquellen für viele SEOs und Website-Betreiber: Mitglieder des Google Search Central Teams und weitere Googler, die Auskünfte und Tipps rund um Suche und SEO geben. Zu ihnen gehören zum Beispiel John Müller und Danny Sullivan. Doch leider werden ihre Antworten nicht immer richtig verstanden oder korrekt interpretiert. Und das hat zuletzt zu einigem Frust bei den Betreffenden geführt. Google SGE bzw. die KI-Antworten von Google sind jetzt auch in Großbritannien verfügbar - zumindest für ausgewählte Nutzer und Suchanfragen. Bisher hatte Google seine neue Suche nicht in Europa ausgespielt. Google testet eine Rückkehr zu Suchergebnissen ohne separate Anzeige des Website-Namens. Entsprechende Ergebnisse in der mobilen Suche wurden jetzt gesichtet. Spielt EEAT für bestimmte Suche-Features und für die KI-Antworten in der Suche keine oder nur eine untergeordnete Rolle? Manche Suchergebnisse für sensible Themen lassen zumindest darauf schließen. full Die Tipps und Ratschläge von Googlern wie Danny Sullivan oder John Müller werden oftmals missverstanden oder falsch wiedergegeben. Das kann zu Frust führen. no

Welcome back to another episode of the Niche Pursuits News podcast, where Spencer and Jared break down the most recent news in SEO, AI, and content creation into smaller, digestible pieces. Let's get started! Spencer first digs into Glen Allsopp's recent report on almost 50 companies' SEO performance, sharing some of his research for companies like NextDoor and Chegg, which are publishing massive amounts of AI-generated content and answering questions with AI, respectively, with a lot of success. On the flip side, they share how many large content sites are also seeing a decline in traffic following the updates, just like smaller sites are experiencing. They talk about the lessons we can draw from who's really winning in affiliate marketing these days, the Asia-focused version of websites that are killing it, and more, but you'll have to tune in to hear what they think. Moving on, they talk about how Google has offered advice to those people affected by the HCU.  What kinds of things are people doing to show Google they're legit, and should they keep doing it? What does Danny Sullivan say? Were the penalties delivered really at page level or site level, and why do people think Google's response to this was contradictory? The next article they address is from Glen Gabe, featuring hundreds of websites that Wikipedia has deemed as reliable or not, and what we can take away from this information as website owners and content creators.  What popular sites did they find on the list and what was surprising about their standing? Listen to the episode to find out! Moving along to their Shiney Object Shenanigans, first Spencer talks about growing his Facebook page, which currently has around 60k followers.  Is he able to achieve his goal, which is to drive traffic from the page to his website? He shares the stats, as well as a unique strategy he's using that is starting to bear fruit, albeit just a little. He's still in the weeds with this one, so stay tuned to hear how it evolves. When it's Jared's turn, he talks about a new experiment to grow 2 TikTok channels, one in the fashion niche and the other in the travel niche.  How did they do? How did he promote them? And what can we learn from this? And what does it have to do with the Amazon Influencer program? Moving into the Weird Niche Site portion of the podcast, Spencer goes first with 1920s Fashion and Music, which dives into the 1920s celebrity fashion industry.  What's especially surprising about this site is that it got a traffic bump from the HCU and has been doing better ever since. Spencer shares the site's very interesting and inspiring backstory. What can we learn from this? When it's Jared's turn, he shares Box Cycle, a platform for buying and selling used boxes. It has a Craigslist-esque look to it, but is it ranking at all? How popular is it? And how is it performing? It's a DR40 site with several number 1 rankings, but is this an actual niche? Listen to the full episode to find out! This brings us to the end of another great episode full of information and inspiration. See you next Friday for more of the same! Ready to join a niche publishing mastermind, and here from industry experts each week?  Join the Niche Pursuits Community here: https://community.nichepursuits.com Be sure to get more content like this in the Niche Pursuits Newsletter Right Here: https://www.nichepursuits.com/newsletter Want a Faster and Easier Way to Build Internal Links?  Get $15 off Link Whisper with Discount Code "Podcast" on the Checkout Screen: https://www.nichepursuits.com/linkwhisper Get SEO Consulting from the Niche Pursuits Podcast Host, Jared Bauman: https://www.nichepursuits.com/201creative

Sat, 23 Mar 2024 20:56:24 +0000 https://podcast552923.podigee.io/299-neue-episode 5c6cbc6fc3396a7d9c58f5b8a05441a4 Ein paar Handgriffe genügen nicht, um Helpful Content zu schaffen. Das gilt sowohl für ein Inhaltsverzeichnis als auch für den Hinweis, die Inhalte seien von Experten überprüft worden. Es bringt nichts, Dinge in eine Website einzubauen, nur weil man irgendwo gehört hat, dass Google das gut finde. Danny Sullivan hat nun einige Beispiele für solche vermeintlichen Ranking-Booster genannt und noch einmal erklärt, was wirklich unter Helpful Content zu verstehen ist. Google zeigt jetzt ein neues Filter-Paar auf den Suchergebnisseiten an: Produkte und Produkt-Websites. Während man unter dem Produkte-Filter klassische Onlineshops finden kann, erscheinen unter dem Filter für Produkt-Websites aktuell nur große Preisvergleich-Websites. Google plant eine nahtlose Integration von Ads in die Ergebnisse von Google SGE. Das soll neue Möglichkeiten zur Ausspielung von Anzeigen bieten. Gleichzeitig zeigt Google erstmals KI-Antworten auch außerhalb von Google SGE an. Ein neuer Filter für Foren auf den Suchergebnisseiten von Google enthält Ergebnisse von Reddit, Quora und anderen Foren. Der bisherige "Perspectives"-Filter entfällt. Das Google Spam-Update vom März ist abgeschlossen. Sobald auch das Google Core Update vom März abgeschlossen ist, wird Google ein Feedback-Formular zur Verfügung stellen, um die Auswirkungen der Updates zu bewerten. full Ein paar Handgriffe genügen nicht, um Helpful Content zu schaffen. Das gilt sowohl für ein Inhaltsverzeichnis als auch für den Hinweis, die Inhalte seien von Experten überprüft worden. no Chri

Welcome back to another episode of the Niche Pursuits News podcast, where Spencer and Jared break down recent events in the SEO, publishing, and niche site space.  It's been a very busy week and there's a lot going on, so sit back, get comfortable, and get ready for a packed episode! They get things started with a report from Glen Allsopp, which takes a closer look at who's ranking for affiliate queries at the moment.  He goes into great detail in his article on Detailed, for which he handpicked product review terms to look at. Who's dominating organic search for these very valuable affiliate keywords?   But it's not as straightforward as that!  Jared reveals a twist to the plot that's affecting search results, rendering the results from the dominant ranking website full of spam.  But what is the definition of spam, exactly? And when a spokesperson for that website denied that the results were poor quality and offered an example of quality search results, what happened? Is this an overcorrection by Google? Are they aware of what's happening? Check out the episode to find out all the drama! Moving along, Spencer and Jared discuss an article that seems to have gone viral about how Google is killing independent sites.  The article was published on the website Housefresh, which reviews air purifiers and was hit hard by the HCU, and looks at how large publishers are ranking for affiliate keywords with less in-depth content and without actually putting in the work to review the items. If this trend is glaringly obvious and offers a poor experience for users, why isn't Google doing anything about it? How did Danny Sullivan respond?  Is there a silver lining on the horizon? Jared and Spencer have a lot of thoughts on this, so check out the episode to hear more. Moving along, but closely related, they talk about how Housefresh's article about Google killing independent sites is, ironically, being outranked by everyone, from Search Engine Land, Twitter, and Reddit, for its own article! Hear what they have to say about it! And along the same lines, they share a tweet from Glen Allsopp with the same problem: not ranking for his own article. In short, the smaller guys are getting beat by the bigger guys, for no good reason. For their last story, Spencer and Jared talk about the big deal that went down between Google and Reddit. Google has agreed to pay Reddit $60 million a year to train its AI models.  Why is this an important moment for Reddit? By how much would this increase their revenue? But what makes this situation so incredibly ironic? Jared gives a great breakdown of recent events. When it's time to talk about their Shiny Object Shenanigans, Spencer goes first and reveals he's launching a premium Niche Pursuits community.  His goal is to create a community where users can connect with each other, discuss what's happening in the industry, and learn from and bounce ideas off one another. The group will include weekly expert calls, mastermind groups, group challenges with monetary prizes, among other elements. It will open to the public on March 4th, so check it out! Jared talks about his Weekend Growth newsletter side hustle, which is now1 year old. He set an initial goal of getting 1000 subscribers in the first 3 months, and 1 year in he has 4600+ subscribers.  He's earned slightly less than $40k during that period, from newsletter ads, affiliate earnings, and the services he offers. He offers some great motivational advice for listeners and talks about what has worked for him when building up this side hustle. Spencer then shares his weird niche site, Let Me Google That, and shares a funny story about how he found the site. He gives a demo of how the site works and recommends sharing the link when someone asks a “silly” question. Not only does the site sell merch, but Ahrefs says they're getting 111k organic visitors per month while SimilarWeb calculates a million per month. How much might they be earning per month? When it's Jared's turn, he shares Throx, the cure for the missing sock. What started out as a pitch on Shark Tank many years ago has actually grown to become a popular brand with tweens and teens making $1 million a year.  That being said, his SEO could be improved and his website is kind of sparse. Are his products expensive? Is this a gag-gift type of product? Hear what Jared has to say. And that brings us to the end of another great episode of the Niche Pursuits News podcast. As always, we hope you're feeling informed and inspired by today's jam-packed episode, and we'll see you next week for more! Be sure to get more content like this in the Niche Pursuits Newsletter Right Here: https://www.nichepursuits.com/newsletter Want a Faster and Easier Way to Build Internal Links? Get $15 off Link Whisper with Discount Code "Podcast" on the Checkout Screen: https://www.nichepursuits.com/linkwhisper Get SEO Consulting from the Niche Pursuits Podcast Host, Jared Bauman: https://www.nichepursuits.com/201creative

Episode 199 contains the Digital Marketing News and Updates from the week of Feb 12 -16, 2024.1. Google Updates Image Removal Process from Search Index - Google has  updated their guidelines regarding the removal of images from their search index. As of February 16, 2024, the updated guidance includes new details for both emergency and non-emergency situations, ensuring that you can swiftly address image removal needs. Properly managing these images can protect your brand's reputation and ensure that only relevant and positive images are associated with your business in search results.The guidance highlights various methods to remove images, covering scenarios where immediate action is required and where there is no direct access to the Content Delivery Network (CDN) or Content Management System (CMS) hosting the images. For urgent removals, Google recommends using the Removals Tool, which temporarily removes images from search results. However, it's crucial to block or remove these images from your site to prevent them from reappearing after the removal request expires.One common issue addressed is the inability to access images hosted on a CDN or through a CMS that doesn't support indexing blocks. In such cases, deleting the images from your site may be necessary. Furthermore, Google has provided more detailed instructions on using robots.txt with wildcards for more effective control over which images are indexed. This update is essential for tailoring your site's visibility and ensuring that unwanted or irrelevant images do not detract from your online presence.Additionally, the update includes a caution regarding the use of the "noimageindex" robots tag. While this tag can prevent images on a specific page from being indexed, if those images appear on other pages, they might still be indexed. To fully block an image, the "noindex" X-Robots-Tag HTTP response header should be used.2. Google Updates Canonical Tag Documentation - Canonical tags play a foundational role in SEO by helping prevent duplicate content issues. They signal to search engines which version of a page is preferred when similar content appears under multiple URLs. Proper use of these tags ensures that the right page gets indexed and ranked, leading to improved website visibility and user experience.The essence of the update, based on Google's adherence to RFC 6596 standards, is the emphasis on explicit use of rel="canonical" annotations. Google specifies that the canonical tag is intended to identify the preferred version of a webpage among duplicates. This clarification does not change how Google processes these annotations but aims to make their intended use clearer.A noteworthy addition to Google's documentation is the guidance against using rel="canonical" for non-duplicative purposes, such as indicating alternate versions of a page (e.g., in another language or for a different media type). Instead, Google recommends using rel="alternate" for such cases. This adjustment highlights the importance of accurately using canonical and alternate tags to avoid confusion and ensure the correct page version is presented to search engine users.3. A New Video Series for Learning Google Search - Google has launched a video series titled "How Search Works" on its Search Central YouTube channel, aimed at demystifying the complexities of Google Search. Spearheaded by Google engineer Gary Illyes, this initiative promises to offer a behind-the-scenes look into the operational intricacies of the world's leading search engine. The series is designed to cater to a broad audience, including business owners, marketers, and even the general public, with the ultimate goal of boosting website visibility in Google's search results.The debut episode lays the groundwork for the series, with subsequent installments set to dive into practical strategies for improving your website's search engine ranking. Illyes highlights the series' technical focus, emphasizing its intent to equip viewers with the knowledge to enhance their site's online presence. Central to the discussion are the fundamental processes of Google Search: crawling, indexing, and serving. These stages represent how Google discovers URLs, understands and stores webpage content, and finally, how it ranks and presents search results.From the initial episode, Illyes stresses two pivotal insights. First, Google staunchly denies accepting payments for improved crawling frequency or search ranking positions. Illyes firmly states, "If anyone tells you otherwise, they're wrong," dismissing any misconceptions about pay-for-play in search rankings. Secondly, the quality of a website's content is underscored as the cornerstone for securing a favorable spot in search results. The definition of "quality" content, as per Google's standards, will be explored in future episodes, offering viewers a roadmap to achieve better visibility.4. Google's Guidance for Understanding Ranking Decline - In the dynamic landscape of search engine optimization (SEO), even the most authoritative websites can experience fluctuations in Google search rankings. This was the case for Wesley Copeland, owner of a gaming news website, who noticed a significant downturn in traffic and reached out to Google's Search Liaison, Danny Sullivan, for insights. On February 14, 2024, Sullivan responded with a practical blueprint for diagnosing and potentially reversing ranking declines, shedding light on the intricate dance of maintaining visibility in Google's search results.Sullivan's advice centers on leveraging Google Search Console to dissect and understand the factors contributing to a site's performance dip. He outlines a five-step process aimed at identifying where and why these declines might occur. This method starts with comparing the site's metrics over recent months against a previous period, focusing on the Queries report sorted by click change. This analytical approach helps pinpoint significant decreases in clicks, providing a clearer picture of the site's current standing in search rankings."If you're still ranking in the top results, there's probably nothing fundamental you have to correct," Sullivan reassures, indicating that fluctuations can often be attributed to Google's algorithmic changes rather than a decline in content quality or SEO efforts. He emphasizes that Google's algorithms are designed to evolve, constantly refining how content is ranked and presented to users based on relevance and utility.For business owners and SEO professionals, this conversation underscores the importance of regular performance reviews using tools like Google Search Console. It's crucial to recognize that high search rankings are not static achievements but ongoing efforts that align with Google's ever-changing criteria. Sullivan's parting message offers both assurance and a dose of reality, suggesting that while fundamental issues may not be present, the variability in how content is displayed can impact site visibility over time.The dialogue between Copeland and Sullivan se...

Sat, 17 Feb 2024 17:03:02 +0000 https://podcast552923.podigee.io/294-neue-episode 3a76862d51ec6b1effe811ecf1af3e5e Google hat jetzt erklärt, wie lange es dauern kann, bis das Helpful Content System Verbesserungen an einer Website berücksichtigt. Google hat außerdem neue Suchergebnisarten für Europa angekündigt. Verbesserungen an einer Website wirken sich meist erst nach einiger Zeit in der Suche aus. Das gilt auch für Helpful Content. Google hat jetzt eine Zeitspanne genannt, die bis zur Berücksichtigung von Verbesserungen durch das Helpful Content System vergehen kann. In Europa gibt es bald oder sogar jetzt schon neue Suchergebnisarten. Google reagiert damit auf den Digital Market Act. Für einige Anbieter wird es auf den Suchergebnisseiten zukünftig mehr Präsenz geben - zum Beispiel in den Bereichen Shopping und Touristik. Was ist zu tun, wenn eine Website weniger Traffic aus der Suche bekommt, die Rankings aber noch gut sind? Dazu hat sich jetzt Danny Sullivan von Google geäußert. Viele Websites sind aus den Google Rezept-Galerien gefallen. Stattdessen erscheinen Duplikate und Ergebnbisse von Pinterest. full Google hat jetzt erklärt, wie lange es dauern kann, bis das Helpful Content System Verbesserungen an einer Website berücksichtigt. Google hat außerdem neue Suchergebnisarten für Europa angekündigt. no Christian Kunz

In this episode, we talk about AI and SEO.  Specifically, ChatGPT & the newly-released Gemini, and the current industry buzz about Google and the potential upcoming changes:How Google's current shift towards AI resembles shifts made in the past?What have website owners done in the past to end up winning in the long-term? What does this mean for you (and me) and what to keep in mind for 2024? In this Episode...[0:51] Question: Can you get websites listed in ChatGPT?[1:44] Passwords are going away[3:44] Danny Sullivan said Google is changing[4:23] Google fires their Quality Raters [6:30] Google updates their Quality Guidelines[8:33] The Buzz about Google and AI[9:14] How to approach SEO in 2024[10:04] This has happened before[11:07] Examples of Big Changes in the past[12:10] The winners always do the same thing... [12:41] What is this Good Stuff that Google recommends?[13:23] What to remember in 2024... Contact:www.meredithshusband.com/contact

Episode 198 contains the Digital Marketing News and Updates from the week of Feb 5 -9, 2024.1. Google's SEO Starter Guide Revamp: Streamlining for Clarity and Efficiency - Google has recently overhauled its SEO Starter Guide, a move that marks a significant shift towards simplifying SEO practices for website owners and digital marketers. The revised guide has been condensed from approximately 8,639 words to about 4,058 words, making it nearly 53% shorter than its predecessor. This streamlining effort is aimed at eliminating redundancy and focusing on the core essentials of SEO. The reduction in content volume is matched by a decrease in the use of heading elements, from 92 in the original to 27 in the updated version, indicating a more orderly page structure and a tighter focus on key topics.Key Takeaways from the Updated Guide:Topic-Rich Links: The guide emphasizes the importance of creating links that are useful to readers, suggesting that user interactions, as influenced by the quality of these links, play a significant role in ranking.Orderly Page Structure: The new guide is not only shorter but also more logically organized, with a clear progression from one topic to the next. This structure enhances readability and comprehension.Topic-Focused Content: By discarding granular subtopics and reducing the number of headings, the guide maintains a sharp focus on the main topic, providing essential information while offering links to more detailed content.Conciseness Over Comprehensiveness: Reflecting the mobile-first world's content consumption habits, the guide favors concise, on-topic information that addresses readers' immediate needs without overwhelming them with excessive detail.Cohesive Visual Elements: The updated guide also pays attention to the visual consistency of images, which contributes to a more professional and trustworthy presentation of content.This revamped SEO Starter Guide is a valuable resource that demystifies SEO by presenting it in a more digestible and actionable format. It highlights the shift away from technical SEO manipulations towards creating high-quality, user-focused content that naturally improves search rankings.2. Decoding SEO: Understanding Google's Ranking Systems, Signals, and Factors - In a recent clarification, Danny Sullivan, Google's Search Liaison, provided valuable insights into the intricacies of Google's ranking process, which is crucial for business owners striving to enhance their online visibility. Sullivan's explanation sheds light on the often-confusing terms within SEO: ranking systems, signals, and factors. He emphasized that signals and factors are used synonymously at Google, serving as the "fuel" for the ranking "machine" or systems.This analogy is particularly enlightening for small business owners navigating the complex world of SEO. Sullivan described the signals and factors as the essential elements or criteria that Google's algorithms evaluate when determining the relevance and quality of a webpage for a specific search query. These can range from the use of keywords within the content to the speed at which a page loads and the quality of inbound links.On the other hand, the systems are the algorithms themselves – the "machines" that process these signals or factors to rank content. This distinction is critical for understanding how SEO works and how to optimize content effectively. It highlights that while the signals or factors are the inputs or "fuel," the ranking systems are the engines that analyze these inputs to determine search rankings.In summary, Sullivan's analogy provides a clearer understanding of how Google's search ranking process works, distinguishing between the inputs (signals/factors) and the systems that process them. For businesses, this means that SEO efforts should be holistic, focusing on improving all aspects of their website's content and user experience. By doing so, they can provide the right "fuel" to power the "machine" that determines their visibility in search results, driving more organic traffic to their site and ultimately, enhancing their online presence.3. Clarifying Google's Stance: Page Experience and Core Web Vitals as Ranking Factors - Google's Danny Sullivan provided clarity on the ongoing confusion surrounding page experience and core web vitals as ranking factors. Despite previous discussions and documentation updates, Sullivan emphasized, "We don't confirm any of the things [page experience or core web vitals] as a direct ranking factor." This clarification is crucial for business owners navigating the complexities of SEO to enhance their online presence.Sullivan further elaborated that Google evaluates numerous elements to determine search rankings, indicating that no single factor, including page experience or core web vitals, directly influences ranking. This approach underscores Google's multifaceted evaluation system, which assesses a wide range of signals rather than relying on a singular metric.The confusion stems from past updates to Google's helpful content guidance and page experience documentation, which led to mixed messages about their role in search rankings. While Google previously stated that page experience is a ranking signal, Sullivan clarified it is not a ranking system but rather one of many signals used by other systems. This distinction is vital, as it highlights the importance of considering a broad spectrum of factors in SEO strategies.On X, Sullivan reiterated, "While not all aspects may be directly used to inform ranking, they do generally align with success in search ranking and are worth attention." This statement is a reminder that, although not every aspect may directly impact rankings, focusing on page experience and core web vitals aligns with overall success in search results.4. Google Updates Extended Crawler Documentation for AI Model Training - Google has recently made updates to the documentation of its Google-extended web crawler user agent. Introduced on September 28, 2023, the Google-extended user agent allows web publishers to control how their sites are crawled, specifically offering the option to opt-out of having their content used in AI training datasets. This move by Google aims to give publishers more control over their content, addressing concerns about the use of web content in training AI models like Bard (now renamed Gemini Apps) and Vertex AI generative APIs.The updated documentation clarifies that the Google-extended crawling is exclusive to Gemini Apps and has no impact on Google Search. This distinction is crucial for business owners who may worry that blocking the Google-extended crawler could affect their site's search rankings. The revised guidance reassures publishers that opting out of Google-extended AI data collection does not impact a site's inclusion or ranking in Google Search.Key points from the update include:Control Over Content Use: Publishers can now explicitly allow or disallow the Google-extended user agent from crawling their sites, providing a direct way to opt-out of AI model training data collection.Clarification on Impact: The documentation emphasizes that Google-extended crawling is solely for AI model training and does not affect search rankings, ...

Sat, 10 Feb 2024 18:09:19 +0000 https://podcast552923.podigee.io/293-neue-episode 57ca7afc7c3f6fea39606d4ad2f455a5 Warum es nichts bringt, sich auf einzelne Rankingfaktoren und EEAT-Kriterien zu konzentrieren, hat Google in dieser Woche erklärt. EEAT lässt sich nicht durch eine Autorenbox oder den Hinweis erreichen, dass auf einer Website Experten schreiben. Die Expertise muss für sich selbst sprechen. Ähnlich verhält es sich mit den Rankingfaktoren von Google: Es würde wenig bringen, alle Rankingfaktoren zu kennen. Worum es geht, sind die Bedürfnisse der Nutzerinnen und Nutzer. Diese sollte man als Website-Betreiber kennen und entsprechende Inhalte erstellen. Die Indexierungsprobleme, die Google zum 1. Februar gemeldet hatte, sind seit dem 8. Februar endgültig erledigt. Google hat seine Ankündigung erneuert, dass es bald umfassende Verbesserungen der Suchergebnisse geben soll. Unklar ist aber immer noch, worin genau diese Verbesserungen bestehen werden. Sind Page Experience und Core Web Vitals Rankingfaktoren oder Rankingsignale? Dazu hat sich Danny Sullivan von Google geäußert. full Warum es nichts bringt, sich auf einzelne Rankingfaktoren und EEAT-Kriterien zu konzentrieren, hat Google in dieser Woche erklärt. no Christian Kunz

For the original iTunes version, click here. This week we covered a new possible Google search ranking update that started brewing on Wednesday, February 7. Google's Danny Sullivan said again...

Welcome back everybody to the Niche Pursuits News Podcast. Join us as Spencer and Jared tackle the latest headlines about Google, SEO, AI, and content creation.  Get inspired hearing about progress with their side hustles, and learn about some weird niche sites and the unique strategies they're using. The first news item up for discussion is Google's own reporting on the future of SGE during its recent earnings call. Although Spencer and Jared have hypothesized in the past that SGE might hit a dead end, this call confirmed Google leadership's commitment to, and belief in, this new tool.  The company is investing heavily in SGE and expects it to be extremely useful and popular in the future. Spencer underlines the diversity of results using this feature, where the first 10 SGE results are different from the first 10 organic search results, and Jared shares a few highlights from the article about the breadth of search and Google Assistant. How do Spencer and Jared interpret the CEO's comments on SGE? What do they think about his comments about long tail searches? What did the company have to say about publishers? And how did its ad revenue perform? Check out the episode for their take on these questions. The next topic up for discussion is Google Bard's ability to now create images. What happened when Spencer played around with it? What happens if you use them on your website? And how good are the photos it generates? See the images it created for Jared and judge for yourself! The last article they share features a podcast guest, Brandon Salt, who asked for help on Twitter when his traffic tanked. Surprisingly, Danny Sullivan from Google Search Liaison answered him directly and their exchange was highlighted in an article on Search Engine Roundtable. What do Spencer and Jared think about Danny's response? Is his feedback useful and do they agree with his comments? What do they say about embedding videos? And what advice do they give to publishers who like to update their article dates each year? As for their Shiny Object Shenanigans, Spencer once again spoke about his experiment where he's to grow his Facebook page and drive that traffic to his website. How does he run a Facebook likes campaign? What does it cost and entail? He recently launched several campaigns and he shares the results and a little bit about the strategy.  How many likes does he have at the moment? And how would he use this strategy to get into the Amazon Influencer Program? Listen and find out! When it's Jared's turn to talk about side hustles, he shares the latest on his efforts to land public speaking gigs. He has discovered that there are more opportunities than he had anticipated and he talks about his plans going forward.  Both he and Spencer share an update from their Amazon Influencer side hustle. How did they do in January? What do they expect in February? Moving on to their Weird Niche Sites, Spencer shares his site which, unlike the usual sites he shares, is not a content website. Weather Embed is a SaaS tool with a very simple website that is very niche as it's specifically for embedding in newsletters.  Who might use this type of tool? Who might have built this tool? And can it be used beyond newsletters? How do Spencer and Jared think people could use this for their businesses? He doesn't know how much they're making and it barely gets any traffic from Google Search, but it is a very cool, very niche website. Jared then shares his Weird Niche Site: IMCDB, an internet cars movie database. It's essentially a Wikipedia of every car that was ever used in every movie. Although the site is not very user-friendly, it is extremely extensive and includes information and photos about all the cars. It's a classic, old-school directory with a DR of 68, it ranks for 95k keywords, and it gets around 32k organic sessions per month. Which keywords are getting the most traffic? What kind of affiliate program is it using? Listen to find out! And that wraps up another episode of the Niche Pursuits News podcast! Thanks for joining us, and we hope that you're feeling informed and inspired to keep on building, creating, and publishing. See you next week! Be sure to get more content like this in the Niche Pursuits Newsletter Right Here: https://www.nichepursuits.com/newsletter Want a Faster and Easier Way to Build Internal Links? Get $15 off Link Whisper with Discount Code "Podcast" on the Checkout Screen: https://www.nichepursuits.com/linkwhisper Get SEO Consulting from the Niche Pursuits Podcast Host, Jared Bauman: https://www.nichepursuits.com/201creative

Fri, 02 Feb 2024 19:08:51 +0000 https://podcast552923.podigee.io/291-neue-episode ecf92123e2ec07b1f9aeb5dbb713c503 Google hat aktuell Indexierungsprobleme, die schon fast zwei Tage andauern. Derweil braut sich möglicherweise ein großes Google Update zusammen. Für manche Websites kann es derzeit ein wenig länger dauern, bis Seiten indexiert werden, denn Google hat derzeit Indexierungsprobleme. Eine Lösung ist laut Google zwar in Arbeit, aber noch nicht fertig. Jetzt steht fest, wann die Interaction to Next Paint (INP) den First Input Delay (FID) in den Google Core Web Vitals ablösen wird: Das von Google angekündigte Datum ist der 12. März. Google Bard bietet jetzt Gemini Pro für mehr als 40 Sprachen an und kann jetzt auch Bilder auf Grundlage von Texteingaben erstellen. Danny Sullivan hat am Beispiel einer Webseite einige Beispiele dafür genant, was als nicht "helpful" gelten kann. Dazu gehört zum Beispiel das Vorgaukeln von Aktualität für Inhalte, die schon älter sind. Eine erneute Andeutung von Google könnte auf ein umfangreiches Ranking-Update schließen lassen, das Google vorbereitet. full Google hat aktuell Indexierungsprobleme, die schon fast zwei Tage andauern. Derweil braut sich möglicherweise ein großes Google Update zusammen. no Christian Kunz

Google hat derzeit ein Problem mit der Qualität der Suchergebnisse. Spam und KI-Massencontent machen der Suchmaschine zu schaffen. Die Qualität der Suchergebnisse, die Google präsentiert, leidet durch Spam und KI-Content. Das zeigt nicht nur eine aktuelle Studie, in welcher die Qualität der Suchergebnisse verschiedener Suchmaschinen untersucht wurde. Das Qualitätsproblem offenbart sich auch an vielen anderen Stellen. KI-Content belastet auch die Qualität von Google News und der Suchergebnisse im News-Tab der Google Suche. Neue Websites haben es dagegen oftmals schwer, in Google News aufgenommen zu werden, auch wenn sie mit viel Arbeit und Sorgfalt erstellt wurden. Zu diesen Problemen hat jetzt Danny Sullivan von Google Stellung genommen. In einem neuen Modul auf den Suchergebnisseiten fragt Google, ob Affiliate-Seiten und Seiten mit Produktbewertungen aus den Suchergebnissen hilfreich sind. Betreiber von Websites, die von 404-Spam, also von Massenlinks auf nicht bestehende URLs, betroffen sind, müssen laut Google nichts unternehmen

Episode 194 contains the Digital Marketing News and Updates from the week of Jan 08-12, 2024.1. Google's Clear Message: No 'Perfect Page' Formula for Search Rankings - Google's Search Liaison, Danny Sullivan debunked a common myth in SEO: the existence of a 'perfect page' formula for achieving high rankings in search results. Danny emphasized that there is no universal formula or set of rules that websites must adhere to for high placement in search results. This clarification challenges the widespread belief, dating back to the early days of SEO, that specific word counts, page structures, or other optimizations can guarantee success in search rankings.According to Danny, third-party SEO tools often suggest creating pages in certain ways to succeed in search. However, he asserted that these tools cannot predict rankings accurately. Their advice is usually based on finding averages among top-ranking pages, but Google's algorithm values both commonalities and unique differences in content. Following such generalized advice does not guarantee a top ranking.Instead of focusing on mythical formulas, Danny recommended prioritizing helpfulness and relevance to users. For instance, including an author byline should be based on its usefulness to readers, not because it might supposedly boost rankings. His key advice is to put readers and audience first, as being helpful to them aligns more closely with the various signals used by Google to reward content.For small business owners, this means shifting focus from trying to crack a non-existent 'perfect SEO formula' to creating content that genuinely serves its audience. This reader-first approach is more likely to resonate with the diverse and evolving signals used by search engines. It's not just about organizing content; it's about making your site more accessible and relevant to both your audience and search engines.In summary, Google's message is clear: there is no perfect blueprint for guaranteed rankings. However, creating content that genuinely serves its purpose continues to be rewarded. This approach encourages small business owners to focus on quality and relevance, rather than chasing elusive SEO shortcuts, ultimately leading to a more robust and effective online presence.The question for you: Who will you listen and follow? Danny Sullivan, Google's Search Liaison or a third-party tool who makes money when can keep you as a customer? 2. Author Bylines Don't Impact Search Rankings - Google's Search Liaison, Danny Sullivan, stated, "Author bylines aren't something you do for Google, and they don't help you rank better." This statement addresses the belief that including author bylines and bios on a website can directly influence its ranking in Google's search results. Sullivan emphasized that these elements are for the benefit of the readers, not for the search engine.He further explained that while publications with author bylines may exhibit other characteristics that align with Google's criteria for useful content, the bylines themselves do not contribute to better rankings. This clarification dispels the myth that specific structural elements like author bylines can be used as a shortcut to achieve higher search rankings.John Mueller of Google also previously stated (Sep 20, 2021) that author bylines are not a requirement for Google Search. This reinforces the idea that while bylines can enhance the credibility and transparency of content for readers it is not going to give you a ranking boost. For small business owners, this means prioritizing the creation of content that genuinely serves the needs and interests of their audience. By focusing on being helpful and providing value to readers, businesses are more likely to align with the various signals Google uses to reward content. This approach not only enhances user experience but also supports long-term SEO success without relying on misconceptions about specific page elements.3. Navigating the Japanese Keyword Hack: Google's John Mueller Offers Recovery Advice - In a recent interaction on Reddit, Google's John Mueller provided crucial advice for website owners who fall victim to the Japanese keyword hack. This is especially relevant for small business owners who manage their websites and are concerned about online security and SEO.The Japanese keyword hack is a type of SEO spam attack where a website is injected with thousands of foreign language pages, often in Japanese or Chinese, without the owner's knowledge or consent. This attack can significantly impact a site's search rankings and integrity. In the reported case, a website owner discovered over 20,000 such pages suddenly indexed on their site.Mueller's advice for recovery begins with identifying how the breach occurred. It's crucial to understand the vulnerability that allowed the hack, to ensure it is properly secured. He suggested considering automatic updates or switching to a hosting platform that handles security as potential solutions.For SEO implications, Mueller advised that once a site's most important pages are cleaned of unwanted content, they can be reindexed quickly. He reassured that old hacked pages, if not visible to users, do not pose immediate problems and can remain indexed for months without issue. Importantly, Mueller clarified that spammy backlinks pointing to these invisible indexed pages do not require disavowing. Instead, the focus should be on cleaning up the site's visible content and preventing internal search results from being indexed.Regarding the issue of spammy backlinks causing internal search pages to be indexed, Mueller clarified that this was separate from the hacking issue. He recommended against disavowing the links, as the pages would naturally drop from search results over time. Proactively blocking search results pages from indexing, using methods like robots.txt or noindex, is advised for both new and existing sites to prevent exploitation by spammers.For small business owners, this incident underscores the importance of website security and regular maintenance. Regular security updates, malware scans, and link audits should be part of routine website management. It's a shared responsibility between website owners and search engines to keep search results free of hacked and spammy content.In summary, Mueller's advice highlights the need for proactive security measures and vigilant maintenance to protect websites from hacking and spam attacks. By focusing on these areas, small business owners can safeguard their online presence, maintain their search rankings, and ensure a trustworthy experience for their users.4. Google's Updated Guidance on Search Snippets - Google has recently updated its documentation to clarify how its algorithm selects snippets for search results. Traditionally, it was believed that the snippet in search results, which consists of a title, URL breadcrumb, and a brief description, was derived mainly from the meta description of a webpage. However, Google's updated guidance indicates that the primary source of the snippet is the page content itself, not the structured data or the meta description.This update represents a shift in how meta descriptions might be written and how content is optimized. The previous version of Google's documentation implied that the snippet was mostly derived from the meta description, suggesting that on-page content could also be selected for the snippet. The new documentation makes it clear that the page content is the main source of the snippet, with the meta description being used only when it describes the page better than other parts of the content.Google has removed a substantial amount of content from the previous version of the documentation, including a paragraph that advised site owners on how to suggest content for snippets. The new wording emphasizes that snippets are primarily created from the page content, and the meta description is used only when it might give users a more accurate description of the page than content taken directly from the page.5. Google's Temporary Reprieve for Select Sites on Third-Party Cookie Phase-Out - Google Chrome has started restricting third-party cookie access, a significant change that began on January 4, 2024, and is expected to reach 100% of users globally by Q3 2024. Recognizing the challenges this transition poses, Google is offering a limited "Deprecation Trial" to allow websites and businesses additional time to migrate away from third-party cookie dependencies. This trial is specifically for non-advertising use cases and will temporarily re-enable third-party cookie access for eligible third-party services until December 27, 2024.To qualify for these trials, services must meet strict eligibility criteria set by Google. Services categorized as advertising-related will not be approved, and origins matching known ad-related domains, including subdomains, will be rejected. Only services with proven functional breakage, not just data collection issues, are eligible. Applicants must provide detailed steps to reproduce the broken functionality in bug reports, and Google will only accept requests where apparent breakage is validated.For approved services, unique access tokens can be added in Chrome to enable trials. Google has granted a grace period until April 1, 2024, for approved sites to deploy their tokens, addressing the short window between registration opening and the initial blocking of cookies for 1% of traffic.This extension is not intended to relieve data collection inconveniences but to allow services with functional breakage to use third-party cookies. Business owners relying on third-party services or cookies should conduct an audit of their site's usage and prepare contingency plans. With the rollout already underway, it's crucial to address potential impacts before a larger percentage of visitors are affected.6. Google Search Console Retires Crawl Rate Tool - Google has officially removed the crawl rate setting tool from Google Search Console. The crawl rate limiter was a legacy tool within Google Search Console that allowed website owners to communicate to Google how frequently their site should be crawled. It was primarily used when a website experienced server load problems due to frequent crawling by Googlebot. However, Google has deemed this feature no longer necessary due to improvements in its crawling logic and other tools available to publishers.With the removal of this tool, Google now relies more on its enhanced crawling logic to determine the appropriate frequency for crawling websites. Googlebot now automatically adjusts its crawl rate in response to how a site or server responds to its requests. For instance, if a server consistently returns HTTP 500 status codes or if the response time for requests significantly lengthens, Googlebot will automatically slow down it's crawling.This means that Google's automated systems are now more adept at managing crawl rates without manual intervention. While this may reduce the level of control website owners have over crawl rates, it also simplifies the process, as Googlebot will intelligently adjust its behavior based on the site's response. Google has set the minimum crawling speed to a lower rate, comparable to the old crawl rate limits. This adjustment aims to continue honoring the settings that some site owners had previously set, especially if the search interest is low and the crawlers do not waste the site's bandwidth.7. The Evolving Role of Hashtags on LinkedIn - On January 12, 2024, Andrew Hutchinson reported in Social Media Today about the changing effectiveness of hashtags on LinkedIn. For a long time, LinkedIn did not support hashtags. However, in 2018, the platform reactivated hashtag discoverability and began encouraging users to categorize their posts using hashtags. The goal was to segment content better, enabling LinkedIn to show users more relevant content. But as algorithms have evolved, the necessity for hashtags has diminished. Modern social platform systems are now adept at understanding the context of a post's text, visuals, user history, and all keywords included, making hashtags less critical for content categorization.LinkedIn's current stance is that while hashtags can be helpful for viewers to easily identify what a post is about and find related posts, they should be closely related to the topic of the post to be most effective. LinkedIn also considers conversation topics and keywords to surface relevant information. This suggests that LinkedIn is now less reliant on hashtags for maximizing discovery. However, when searching for conversations on a specific topic, users can still use topics or hashtags.For business owners, this means that while hashtags in LinkedIn posts are less relevant than before, it's still important to be mindful of the keywords mentioned in the main post. Understanding and tapping into the right conversation streams based on target topics is crucial. Following popular pages and people within your business niche can provide insights into common hashtags related to your sector. Additionally, searching for hashtags in the app can help identify trending topics and discussions in your industry.Research by LinkedIn expert Richard van der Blom indicates that using 3-10 hashtags in LinkedIn posts used to significantly boost reach, but now hashtags provide no additional reach boost. This change suggests that LinkedIn is gradually deemphasizing hashtags as a discovery tool, focusing more on topical relevance rather than maximizing reach.LinkedIn's system is not designed for virality, so hashtags do not necessarily function on LinkedIn the way they do on other social media platforms. This could be part of LinkedIn's strategy to prevent users from gaming the system with hashtags.8. Expanding E-Commerce Horizons: X's New Partnership with Shopify - On January 9, 2024, X announced an expanded partnership with Shopify. This collaboration is set to open new opportunities for Shopify merchants to promote their products on X's platform, aligning with X's vision of becoming an "everything app."The partnership is designed to enable all Shopify merchants to reach a broader customer base by leveraging the power of X Business. While X already had a deal with Shopify in 2022 to display products in-stream, this new development promises to facilitate broader product awareness actions, enable easier catalog uploads, and provide more ways for Shopify merchants to maximize ad outcomes.Shopify President Harley Finkelstein highlighted the importance of reaching customers wherever they are. He emphasized that more platforms mean more choice, entrepreneurship, and opportunities for business growth. Although many details of the partnership are yet to be disclosed, the collaboration is expected to offer significant benefits for retailers.X's work with Shopify could potentially facilitate new opportunities for retailers in-stream. This would be particularly impactful if X's vision of integrating peer-to-peer payments and transfers in the app materializes. Such a feature could lead to innovative ways for retailers to expand their audience and leverage X's reach.For small business owners, this partnership represents a significant opportunity. It suggests that leveraging platforms like X, in conjunction with e-commerce giants like Shopify, could be a strategic move to expand their digital footprint and reach new customers. The potential for in-stream payments and transfers could further enhance the customer experience and streamline the purchasing process.9. Microsoft Has A New Ad Creation Tool - On January 11, 2024, Microsoft announced a significant update to its retail media tool, introducing a new Creative Studio element powered by generative AI. The new Creative Studio allows users to generate entirely new ads in various formats using conversational AI prompts. This AI-powered solution is designed to boost creativity and productivity, particularly benefiting retailers and advertisers by simplifying the process of creating banner ads. The tool's ease of use is particularly advantageous for smaller businesses that may lack the resources to run effective banner campaigns.One of the key features of this tool is its ability to create ads based on just a product URL. Users can then further customize the creative for different channels. Microsoft ensures that the AI-generated ads will automatically align with each retailer's style guide. Additionally, users have the flexibility to customize ads by updating and emphasizing selected words and phrases, cropping and cleaning up backgrounds, and modifying other ad elements, all based on text prompts.

Hello, and welcome to the latest episode of The Niche Pursuits News podcast! Spencer and Jared are back this week to bring you all the latest happenings in the world of SEO and to break the news down. There's a lot to talk about, so let's get started! The first topic of discussion is the latest article in The Verge about Google.  According to the article, content creators and website owners have essentially created their websites with Google in mind, with the result that they all look and feel the same. As a result, Google has shaped how we build our websites.  Do Spencer and Jared believe that the article's premise is accurate? Is there too much homogenization going on? Should we really be preparing people-first content? And what about the use of Reddit in content creation? They also talk about the response from Danny Sullivan, sharing a particularly thought-provoking tweet from the Google Search Liaison about “chasing the algorithm,” EEAT, and the “perfect” page formula. The last news item they cover is an article about Google's efforts to combat spam. There are still a lot of spammy results in the SERPs and Google reports that it's aware and is working on the situation. Spam is a huge problem, and it's only increasing with the rise of AI. Google certainly has its work cut out for it!  When it's time for the Shiny Object Shenanigans portion of the podcast, Spencer kicks things off by explaining that he's going to put all of his podcast videos on a new YouTube channel going forward.  But what are the reasons behind his decision? And is he going to move existing videos to the new channel? When it's Jared's turn, he wants to continue to grow his Weekend Growth newsletter, but he flips the script this week. Instead of talking about his future plans, he asks for Spencer's input on new actions he can take. They have a productive brainstorming session with several interesting ideas! As for this week's weird niche sites, Spencer shares a directory site for dude ranches. His site this week is a little bit different in that he knows the backstory because he discovered it on Twitter.  He shares the interesting story behind the site, which has excellent visuals and branding and makes money through its paid listings. Jared's weird niche site is certainly a sight to behold: Dogica. This DR12 site ranks for 10k keywords, including lots of first-page rankings. He and Spencer agree that the very old-school design might be holding it back, plus it doesn't seem to be on top of many modern monetization methods, although it does offer a dog rental service. And that brings us to the end of another episode of The Niche Pursuits News podcast.  We hope that we helped catch you up to speed on all the latest news in SEO, website development, and content creation. See you next Friday! Be sure to get more content like this in the Niche Pursuits Newsletter Right Here: https://www.nichepursuits.com/newsletter Want a Faster and Easier Way to Build Internal Links? Get $15 off Link Whisper with Discount Code "Podcast" on the Checkout Screen: https://www.nichepursuits.com/linkwhisper Get SEO Consulting from the Niche Pursuits Podcast Host, Jared Bauman: https://www.nichepursuits.com/201creative

Episode 191 contains the Digital Marketing News and Updates from the week of Dec 11-15, 2023.1. Google Reiterates: Domain Age Does Not Impact Search Rankings - In a recent discussion, Google's John Mueller addressed a long-standing question in the SEO community: Does the age of a domain name impact Google search rankings? This topic, often debated among SEO professionals, has been clarified by Mueller, providing valuable insights for business owners looking to understand the nuances of search engine optimization.Key Insights from the Discussion: Domain Age and Rankings: Mueller stated that the age of a domain name does not impact Google search rankings. This clarification dispels a common belief among SEOs that older domain names correlate with top rankings. Misinterpretation of Google's Patent: The misconception about domain age as a ranking factor may have originated from a misreading of a Google patent titled "Information Retrieval Based on Historical Data." The patent, however, focuses on identifying spam sites using domain-related information, not on boosting the rankings of legitimate domains. The Role of Domain Data: The patent mentions using domain data to catch throwaway domains used by spammers. It indicates that valuable, legitimate domains are often paid for several years in advance, unlike spam domains. However, this information is used to predict the legitimacy of a domain for spam detection, not for ranking purposes. This clarification from Google means that focusing on the age of your domain as a ranking strategy is misguided and highlights the importance of accurate information in the SEO industry. Instead, attention should be directed towards creating high-quality, relevant content and optimizing your website for a better user experience. It is a reminder to always seek clarity and accuracy in SEO strategies, ensuring that efforts are directed towards genuinely effective methods.2. Google Chrome: Phasing Out Third-Party Cookies for Enhanced Privacy - On January 4, 2024, Google will begin testing a new feature that restricts third-party cookies by default in Chrome, impacting 1% of users globally. This rollout is part of Google's broader initiative to phase out third-party cookies entirely by the second half of 2024, marking a significant shift in online privacy and digital advertising practices.Key Aspects of Google's Update: Testing of Tracking Protection: The new tracking protection tool will be rolled out to a small percentage of Chrome users, starting with 1% globally. This feature is designed to limit third-party cookies, which have been a fundamental part of the web for nearly three decades. Impact on Websites and Advertisers: Websites that depend on third-party cookies for advertising or other purposes might face challenges due to this rollout. It's crucial for site owners to prepare in advance for a web without third-party cookies. Google's Privacy Sandbox Initiative: This initiative aims to develop technology that safeguards online privacy while providing tools for successful digital businesses. The primary objectives are to phase out third-party cookies and reduce cross-site tracking, maintaining free online content and services. For small business owners, especially those relying on digital advertising, this update signals a need to adapt to new privacy-focused online practices. The phasing out of third-party cookies will require a shift in how businesses target and reach their audiences online. Preparing for these changes is essential to ensure continued effectiveness in digital marketing strategies.3. Google's Local Search Algorithm Update: Prioritizing Open Businesses - On December 16, 2023, Google announced an update to its local search ranking algorithm, emphasizing the 'openness' signal for non-navigational queries. This change means that Google now ranks open businesses higher in local search results than those that are closed, particularly during the business's operating hours. This update is a response to the evolving needs of users who are increasingly looking for immediate services or products.Key Aspects of the Update: Strengthened Openness Signal: Google's local search algorithm now considers whether a business is currently open as a more significant factor in ranking for local pack rankings. This change applies to non-navigational queries, where users search for types of services rather than specific brands. Impact on Business Visibility: Businesses that are open at the time of a user's search query are more likely to appear higher in search results. This update benefits businesses that operate 24/7, as they remain visible even when competitors are closed. Advice Against Manipulating Business Hours: Google's Search Liaison, Danny Sullivan, advised against changing business hours to appear open 24/7 unless true. This manipulation could lead to penalties or adjustments in the ranking signal in the future. For small business owners, this update underscores the importance of accurately listing business hours on Google. Ensuring your Google Business Profile reflects true open hours can improve your visibility in local search results, especially during your operating hours. This change can significantly impact customer footfall and inquiries, making it crucial for businesses to update their profiles accurately.4. Google Confirms: Publishing Content in Both PDF and HTML Formats is Acceptable - On December 13, 2023, Google's John Mueller clarified a common query regarding the publication of content in both PDF and HTML formats. In a recent AskGooglebot video, Mueller confirmed that it's perfectly fine to publish content in both formats, as Google's systems can index them separately, even if the content is technically a duplicate.Key Insights from John Mueller's Statement: Independent Indexing of PDF and HTML: Google can find and index both PDF and HTML pages separately. This means that even if the content in both formats is the same, they can be shown independently in search results. Managing Duplicates: If Google's systems identify the content as duplicates, they usually defer to the HTML page version. However, website owners have control over this through various methods like using a 'noindex' HTTP header or robots meta tag to block indexing of one format, or using the 'rel=canonical' link element to indicate a preference. Practical Use Cases: Mueller highlighted that the choice of format often depends on what the audience prefers or requires. For example, restaurant menus are best suited as HTML pages for mobile viewing, while forms or guidebooks might be more practical in PDF format. Google's stance on publishing content in both PDF and HTML formats offers businesses an opportunity to diversify their content strategy. By understanding how Google indexes and handles these formats, business owners can make informed decisions about content publication, ensuring their information reaches the audience effectively in their preferred format.5. Google Takes Action Against Parasite SEO - On December 11, 2023, Google's Search Liaison Danny Sullivan announced that the search company has taken steps to address the issue of 'parasite SEO.' This term refers to the practice of leveraging high-authority third-party websites to rank content that otherwise wouldn't perform well in search results. Sullivan indicated that while the specific change related to the upcoming helpful content update isn't live yet, Google has implemented other measures to combat this problem.Key Points from Google's Announcement: Addressing Third-Party Content Abuse: Google has enhanced its systems to better handle third-party content that falls under the category of parasite SEO. This includes content hosted on reputable sites but created primarily for SEO manipulation. Ongoing Efforts: Sullivan emphasized that Google will continue to refine its approach to dealing with such issues, indicating an ongoing commitment to maintaining the integrity of search results. Advice for Content Creators: The advice given by Google regarding third-party content remains relevant. Creators are encouraged to focus on producing helpful, people-first content to be recognized as valuable by Google's algorithms. Impact on Business Owners: This development is particularly important for small business owners who rely on organic search traffic. Understanding and adhering to Google's guidelines is crucial for maintaining visibility and credibility in search results. Google's proactive steps to address parasite SEO highlight the importance of ethical SEO practices. For business owners, this serves as a reminder to focus on creating high-quality, user-centric content rather than resorting to manipulative tactics. Staying informed about these changes and aligning with Google's guidelines is key to achieving long-term success in search engine rankings.6. Googlebot Crawling Experiment: Surprising Insights for Website Owners - On December 14, 2023, an intriguing experiment conducted by technical SEO expert Kristina Azarenko revealed the impact of disabling Googlebot from crawling a website. This experiment, which ran from October 5 to November 7, offers valuable insights for business owners about the importance of Googlebot crawling and its effects on website performance.Key Findings from the Experiment: Impact on Favicon and Video Search Results: The website's favicon was removed from Google search results, and video search results took a significant hit, which still hadn't recovered post-experiment. Stability and Volatility in Search Positions: While positions remained relatively stable, there was slightly more volatility in Canada. Slight Decrease in Traffic: The website only saw a slight decrease in traffic during the experiment. Increase in Reported Indexed Pages: Despite pages having 'noindex' meta robots tags, they ended up being indexed because Google couldn't crawl the site to see those tags. Multiple Alerts in Google Search Console (GSC): The site received multiple alerts in GSC, such as 'indexed though blocked by robots.txt' and 'blocked by robots.txt.' This experiment highlights the critical role of Googlebot in maintaining and updating a website's presence in search results. For business owners, it underscores the importance of ensuring that Googlebot can crawl their site effectively. Any impediments to crawling can lead to unexpected issues, such as outdated information in search results or the indexing of unintended pages.7. Google Ads Unveils Expanded Video Reach Campaigns - On December 12, 2023, Google Ads announced a significant enhancement to Video Reach Campaigns (VRC), offering businesses more formats to maximize their brand awareness on YouTube. This update reflects the evolving ways people engage with YouTube, from mobile Shorts to TV screen browsing, presenting brands with diverse opportunities to connect with their audience.Key Features of the Update: Expanded Video Formats: Video Reach Campaigns now include the ability to scale video creatives to in-feed and Shorts, in addition to in-stream ads. This expansion allows advertisers to reach viewers across various YouTube formats, increasing the potential for brand exposure. AI-Powered Efficiency: Leveraging Google's AI, multiformat ads in VRC deliver enhanced reach and efficiency. Testing has shown that campaigns opting into all three inventory types (in-feed, in-stream, and Shorts) achieved an average of 54% more reach at 42% lower CPM (Cost Per Mille) compared to in-stream-only campaigns. Case Study - Bayer's Midol Campaign: Bayer utilized VRC for their Midol multi symptom relief campaign, opting into in-feed, in-stream, and Shorts ads. A head-to-head test against in-stream-only VRC revealed that the multiformat approach delivered 30% more reach at a 45% lower CPM.8. Google Ads Enhances Business Operation Verification Process - On December 12, 2023, Google Ads announced the rollout of a comprehensive guide to assist businesses in completing their Business Operation Verification. This new resource aims to clarify the verification process, providing detailed explanations and examples to help advertisers understand and successfully navigate the verification requirements.Key Features of the Update: Step-by-Step Guide: The guide offers a clear, step-by-step explanation of the Business Operation Verification process, including reasons for verification failure and example scenarios where verification might be required. Easy Accessibility: The guide is accessible through the billing icon in Google Ads and via in-account prompts, ensuring that advertisers can easily find and use the resource. Clarification on Verification Requirements: The document outlines specific scenarios and reasons why a business might need to undergo verification, helping advertisers to better prepare and complete the process efficiently. Google's Commitment to Transparency: This update reflects Google's ongoing efforts to maintain a secure and transparent advertising environment. By providing additional information to advertisers, Google aims to enhance the overall experience and effectiveness of the advertiser verification program. Google Ads' introduction of a detailed guide for Business Operation Verification is a proactive step towards supporting advertisers in meeting compliance standards. For business owners, this resource is a valuable tool in optimizing their advertising efforts and maintaining a credible presence on Google's platform.9. Meta's Threads App Embraces Decentralization with ActivityPub Integration - On December 13, 2023, Meta announced a significant step towards decentralization and interoperability for its Threads app by integrating with ActivityPub, a decentralized social networking protocol. This move allows Threads content and profiles to be accessible via other Fediverse-based apps, marking a notable shift in Meta's approach to social media.Key Aspects of Meta's Integration with ActivityPub: Threads Content Viewable on Mastodon: The integration enables Threads content to be viewable on Mastodon and other ActivityPub-based systems, effectively plugging Threads into the Fediverse concept. The Fediverse Concept: The Fediverse is a collection of independent, federated servers working together to facilitate open social media access. It aims to reduce centralized control, allowing each server to establish its own parameters and algorithms. Meta's Shift Towards Decentralization: Historically, Meta has been known for its 'walled garden' approach. This integration represents a significant move towards decentralization, potentially connecting Threads content to a range of tools and platforms that utilize the ActivityPub standard. Interoperability and Data Portability: The integration aligns with Meta's commitment to data portability and control over content. It also facilitates a broader connection into the Mastodon network, expanding Threads' audience reach and engagement. Meta's integration of Threads with ActivityPub is a bold step towards a more open and interconnected social media ecosystem. For business owners, it presents an opportunity to leverage the expanded reach and interoperability offered by this integration, potentially enhancing their social media strategy and audience engagement.

Welcome back, Niche Pursuits News fans, to the latest episode of the podcast, where Spencer and Jared break down the most recent events in SEO, website development, and content creation into bite-size pieces. Get ready for their insightful analysis and actionable tips and, as always, a good dose of inspiration for your businesses. It's another episode of the podcast and another opportunity to talk about Google completing, yet again, another of its updates. The November Reviews Update has officially concluded, after about 5 weeks. Spencer and Jared talk about the extended duration of recent updates and what this might mean for sites impacted by the HCU.  Will these updates be baked into larger updates in the future? What should content creators who do a lot of product reviews do moving forward? And what happens to you in future updates if your site has been deemed “ unhelpful?” Check out the episode to hear their thoughts. For a bit of good news, they then talk about how Google's How-To rich results seem to be returning to Search. Check your Google Search Console to see if you're getting any clicks and look for ways to optimize it. Moving along, the next topic is parasite SEO and the fact that reviews are currently appearing on Harvard University's official website. GoogleLiaison's Danny Sullivan recently tweeted that Google is aware of this and taking appropriate measures, but still, this raises questions. If Google previously positioned sites based on their link profile and pagerank, the algorithm no longer works when authoritative sites start publishing review content unrelated to their topical authority and ranking on page one, so how do they fix this? Spencer and Jared discuss a few ideas. The next order of business is Google's new AI Studio, a web-based tool for developers to allow them to create Gemini-based chatbots. Jared turns to ChatGPT to find out more about how it works, and they both brainstorm about how they might use it. Tune in for some clever ideas!  Moving on to the Side Hustle Shenanigans, Spencer and Jared both have exciting updates on their Amazon Influencer Program performance. Spencer reports that he's published over 1000 videos and has already earned over $5.5k for the month. When it's Jared's turn, he reveals that he's earned over $6200 for the month so far, and shares some details about which video is bringing in the most commissions. They both talk about their ideas for strategies going forward, as well as the importance of just getting started. When it comes to Weird Niche Sites, Spencer kicks things off with Keep The Score, a very professional-looking DR40 website that lets you keep score of any type of competition you have going on. Traffic could be between 28k (Ahrefs) and 195k (SimilarWeb) per month.  They talk about some of the site's unique features, what keywords are driving the traffic, and how it's earning money. Jared reveals his site, Belt Checker, for Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners. You can create a profile and then enter all of your information like competition history and belt promotions, you can track your injuries, and much more. This DR46 site ranks for over 10k keywords and has over 18k indexed pages, so it's a pretty solid website. How many users does it have? Was it affected by the HCU? Was the site built for SEO? And, perhaps most importantly, what can we learn from it? You get all this and more when you listen to the latest episode of the Niche Pursuits News podcast, so don't miss this one!  See you all next week when Spencer and Jared tackle new topics and offer even more ideas you can apply to your own projects. Be sure to get more content like this in the Niche Pursuits Newsletter Right Here: https://www.nichepursuits.com/newsletter  Want a Faster and Easier Way to Build Internal Links? Get $15 off Link Whisper with Discount Code "Podcast" on the Checkout Screen: https://www.nichepursuits.com/linkwhi...  Get SEO Consulting from the Niche Pursuits Podcast Host, Jared Bauman: https://www.nichepursuits.com/201crea... 

Hey everybody, welcome back to the latest episode of the Niche Pursuits Podcast.  Like they do every week, Spencer and Jared cover the latest happenings in the Google, SEO, and content creation space so you can feel informed and make the best decisions for your business. The first news item they discuss is a tweet from Barry Schwartz noting that Danny Sullivan and John Mueller from Google had deleted some of their previous tweets about the Helpful Content Update. What does this mean?  The HCU is not being rolled back, but what would lead them to delete their previous tweets? Is there a glimmer of hope for the people affected by the update? Is the potential December update actually a “rollback?” Or are we all reading too much into this? Spencer and Jared have a few thoughts to share on the subject. The next topic is Google's new update, Gemini Pro, which is already rolled out into Google Bard. A ChatGPT competitor, this is an advanced multimodal AI model that will be part of the Google Search experience very soon.  Jared and Spencer talk about how Gemini and SGE are actually in conflict with what Google wants and show a few examples. What happens when Spencer pokes around to test Gemini out? What are the implications and how will this look going forward? Listen to hear what they think! The next news item is how there are continuous leaks of information and tidbits of Google's strategy that have been coming out as the company faces its major anti-trust lawsuit.  Most recently, an article was published that offers a ton of insight into how Google works behind the scenes. Spencer and Jared share a few of the highlights, like Google's many ranking signals, the use of keywords, how websites are rated and tested, and the Navboost system.  Listen to the tidbits that surprised them in the super-detailed article. Moving on to the side hustles, Spencer gives an update on the Amazon Influencer Program. He has 967 videos live and he shares a screenshot for over $3k in earnings for the last 30 days. He talks about the cost of outsourcing his videos, and he and Jared talk about whether they think earnings are up because of the holidays or if this upward trend will continue. In the ongoing competition between the hosts, Jared talks about reaching the 1000-video mark and his most recent earnings from the program, $4600. This is a great performance for a side hustle he started just a few months ago. He and Spencer talk about the enormous possibilities of this side hustle and share an inspiring story of a podcast listener who earned $11k in November from the program and started in July! The big picture message is that there are lots of side hustles out there that anyone can start and potentially earn life-changing money if they're willing to put in the work. Spencer then goes on to share his weird night site, which may very well be someone's side hustle: Flpbk.io.  This cool, little website lets you submit a 1-minute video and they will turn it into a flipbook and send it to you.  Although this website ranks for 0 keywords and only gets about 17k visitors per quarter, which is probably direct traffic and social. That being said, if the traffic is targeted, the website could be quite profitable. Jared shares his weird niche site next: Celebrity Cutouts, where you can buy masks, large heads, and life-size cut-outs of your favorite celebrities. This DR28 site is doing pretty well, ranking for 47k keywords and getting 17.5k a month in traffic. They discuss how it's most likely a print-on-demand business and encourage listeners to take advantage of the holiday sales to buy loved ones cutouts of their favorite celebrities. And that brings us to the end of another episode of the Niche Pursuits Podcast. Hopefully, this episode inspires you to start that side hustle and keeps you informed of the latest SEO news. Be sure to get more content like this in the Niche Pursuits Newsletter Right Here: https://www.nichepursuits.com/newsletter Want a Faster and Easier Way to Build Internal Links? Get $15 off Link Whisper with Discount Code "Podcast" on the Checkout Screen: https://www.nichepursuits.com/linkwhisper Get SEO Consulting from the Niche Pursuits Podcast Host, Jared Bauman: https://www.nichepursuits.com/201creative  

Episode 187 contains the Digital Marketing News and Updates from the week of Nov 13-17, 2023.1. Danny Sullivan's Insights on Google's Ranking Misconceptions - In a recent presentation, Google's Danny Sullivan addressed a common misunderstanding in the SEO community regarding how search rankings work. He emphasized that the SEO industry might be misinterpreting Google's guidance and documentation. A key example Sullivan provided was the widespread adoption of author pages and bylines, based on the belief that Google's algorithm prioritizes these elements. However, Sullivan clarified that Google does not specifically look for author pages.The main point of Sullivan's presentation was the gap between Google's communication and the SEO community's interpretation. He acknowledged that Google needs to improve how it conveys its expectations for successful content. Sullivan urged SEO professionals to focus on creating 'people-first' content, emphasizing the importance of trustworthiness and reliability in content, rather than specific elements like author pages.Sullivan also highlighted the challenge in communicating what Google looks for in content. He explained that Google's guidance is often interpreted too literally, leading to misconceptions about the ranking algorithm. For instance, when Google advises assessing a webpage's trustworthiness, it does not mean the algorithm is specifically looking for features like author pages. Instead, it's about evaluating the content broadly for trust factors.The presentation led to a significant shift in how SEOs should approach Google's documentation. Sullivan presented examples of how certain parts of Google's advice are cherry-picked and misinterpreted as direct ranking factors. He encouraged more critical thinking and a closer examination of what is being advised, distinguishing between opinions and actual Google statements.Sullivan concluded by revealing that much of Google's recent update documentation is a reiteration of decades-old advice. The core message has always been about creating helpful, people-first content. The difference now lies in the advanced technology like AI and machine learning, making it plausible that these long-standing principles are integrated into Google's algorithm.P.s: For business owners, this insight from Danny Sullivan is crucial. It suggests a shift from focusing on specific SEO tactics to prioritizing the overall quality and trustworthiness of your content. Understanding that Google values 'people-first' content can guide you in developing a more effective and sustainable SEO strategy, ensuring your website not only ranks well but also genuinely serves your audience's needs.2. GoogleSafety - Google's New Crawler - Google has updated its official list of crawlers, adding details about a previously undocumented and somewhat mysterious crawler. This update is particularly relevant for website owners and digital marketers who need to understand how Google interacts with their sites.Understanding Crawlers: Crawlers, also known as bots or spiders, are tools used by search engines like Google to collect information from websites. This process is crucial for indexing and ranking websites in search results. There are different types of crawlers, each serving a specific purpose. Common Crawlers: These are primarily used for indexing various types of content. Some are also employed for search testing tools, internal Google product team use, and AI-related crawling. User-Triggered Fetchers: Triggered by user actions, these bots are used for tasks like fetching feeds or site verification. Special-Case Crawlers: These are used for unique purposes, such as mobile ads, webpage quality checks, or push notification messages via Google APIs. They do not follow the global user agent directives in robots.txt marked with an asterisk. The GoogleSafety Crawler: The newly documented crawler is known as the "GoogleSafety" user agent. It plays a critical role in Google's process of identifying malware and is unique among special-case crawlers. Unlike others, the GoogleSafety crawler completely ignores all robots.txt directives. Its primary function is to crawl for malware in publicly posted links on Google properties. The full agent string for this crawler is "GoogleSafety."3. Google's Hidden Gems Ranking System - Google has introduced the "Hidden Gems" ranking system, a significant update aimed at promoting authentic content buried within forums, social media, and blog posts. This update is distinct from the Helpful Content Update and has been part of Google's core updates for a few months. The Hidden Gems algorithm is designed to identify content that offers personal insights and experiences, which might have been challenging to find in search results previously.The Hidden Gems update is not a classification system but rather a method to highlight content perceived as especially helpful. This content often resides in unexpected places, such as comments in forum threads, posts on lesser-known blogs, or articles with unique expertise on a topic. Google's approach with this update is to make these valuable pieces of content more accessible to users.Initially, there was some confusion about whether this update was live and its relation to the Helpful Content Update. However, Brad Kellett, Senior Director on Google Search Product and Engineering, clarified that Hidden Gems is its own algorithm and ranking system, separate from the Helpful Content Update. This initiative is part of a series of ongoing updates, not just a single change.4. Google Search Console Introduces New Robots.txt Report - Google has announced a significant update to its Search Console with the introduction of a new robots.txt report. This new feature replaces the older robots.txt tester tool. The report is designed to provide webmasters with detailed insights into the robots.txt files found for the top 20 hosts on their site. It includes information about the last time these files were crawled by Google and highlights any warnings or errors encountered during the process.This update is particularly important for business owners and digital marketers who rely on Google Search Console to monitor and optimize their website's performance in search results. The robots.txt file plays a crucial role in controlling how search engines crawl and index a website's content. By providing a more comprehensive report, Google aims to make it easier for site owners to identify and fix issues that could affect their site's visibility and ranking in search results.However, the removal of the older robots.txt tester tool has been met with mixed reactions. While some users appreciate the new report's enhanced capabilities, others miss the simplicity and familiarity of the previous tool. It's worth noting that Bing still offers a robots.txt tester, which might be a useful alternative for those who prefer the older format.5. Google's $18 Billion Secret: Paying Apple for Safari Search Dominance -  In a surprising revelation during the federal antitrust trial, Google CEO Sundar Pichai confirmed that Google pays Apple a significant 36% of its Safari search revenue. This payment, amounting to a staggering $18 billion, is in exchange for Google maintaining its status as the default search engine on all Apple devices. This disclosure came to light when Google's final witness, Kevin Murphy, inadvertently mentioned the figure during the trial.This information is crucial for business owners to understand the competitive dynamics of the digital market. Google, often touted as the superior search engine, spends billions to secure its default position on Apple devices. This raises questions about Google's dominance in the search engine market and whether it's due to quality or strategic financial agreements.The implications of this revelation are significant. The Department of Justice (DOJ) argues that this agreement between Google and Apple demonstrates Google's efforts to unlawfully control search and advertising markets. If the DOJ's case succeeds, it could lead to a court order halting Google's practices, potentially even breaking up the company. This outcome could have a profound impact on the digital marketing landscape, affecting how businesses strategize their online presence and advertising.6. Google's Take on Topical Authority -  In the realm of SEO, the term "topical authority" has been a buzzword, often causing confusion among professionals and business owners alike. Google's John Mueller recently addressed this topic, providing clarity and a refreshing perspective.The concept of topical authority emerged from the SEO community's interpretation of Google's approach to authoritativeness. It suggests that by creating and interlinking content around a specific topic, a website can gain 'topical authority' in Google's eyes. Imagine a website dedicated to sustainable living. This site regularly publishes in-depth articles, blogs, guides, and videos on topics like eco-friendly home practices, sustainable products, renewable energy, and environmental conservation. Over time, the website becomes a go-to resource for information on sustainable living. However, Mueller's advice is straightforward: don't worry about it.The key takeaway from Mueller's response and the article is that while Google does look for signs of authoritativeness, there's no specific 'topical authority' metric or score. Good content naturally gains authority due to its quality and relevance to user queries. The idea of linking related articles for the sake of gaining topical authority is overthinking what is essentially a basic best practice in content organization and site architecture.In conclusion, the concept of topical authority, while rooted in valid SEO practices, is not a revolutionary tactic. It's a common-sense approach to creating and organizing quality content. As Mueller suggests, rather than getting caught up in buzzwords, focus on the fundamentals of good SEO practices.7. Google Introduces New Structured Data for Educational Videos - Google has introduced a new type of structured data markup specifically designed for educational videos. This markup, based on schema.org metadata, allows site owners to specify the educational level, concepts, and skills their videos cover. The primary goal of this update is to enhance Google Search's ability to understand and categorize educational video content more effectively, thereby providing users with more relevant search results.The new structured data for learning videos enables Google to display rich snippets in search results. These snippets can include information like the target education level and the type of video, such as an overview or a solution-focused piece. This feature is currently available in English on Google Search globally, both on desktop and mobile platforms. It appears for searches related to academic learning and educational content.For implementation, publishers with content management systems (CMS) can integrate structured data plugins to add this markup more easily. Those using JavaScript-based websites can generate the schema.org metadata through coding. Google emphasizes the importance of following best practices for implementation, such as adding the required schema.org properties based on the video format and using Google's structured data testing tool for validation.The technical requirements for this feature include a minimum video duration of 30 seconds, and the videos must be publicly accessible without any login or subscription barriers. The structured data must be present on the page where users can view the video directly.8. Google Search Console Adds Learning Video Rich Results Data -  Google has enhanced its Search Console by adding a new feature for learning video rich results. Learning videos are specifically designed for students and teachers, encompassing a range of educational levels and covering various concepts and skills. In June 2022, Google introduced new rich results for these learning videos, which include details like the educational level and the skills or concepts taught in the video.The latest update in Google Search Console allows users to track the performance of these learning videos as a search appearance in the performance reports. This means that content creators can now get detailed insights into how their educational videos are performing in Google searches. The inclusion of learning video rich results in performance reports is a step forward in understanding the impact and reach of educational content on the web.9. YouTube Mandates Tags for AI-Generated Videos - YouTube is introducing new tagging requirements for AI-generated content to enhance transparency and viewer awareness. Over the coming months, creators will be required to disclose when their content is synthetic, especially if it realistically depicts events or actions that didn't actually happen. This includes AI-generated videos that might show someone saying or doing something they never did. While AI-generated animations are acceptable, realistic depictions of people and events must be tagged. Non-compliance could lead to penalties like content removal, suspension from monetization, or even account suspension. YouTube will also automatically tag content created with its own AI tools. Additionally, the platform is adding new removal request processes for individuals and musicians whose likenesses are used in AI creations. This move aligns with YouTube's efforts in music discovery and generative AI music creation, working with record labels to set parameters for AI-generated music. Both Meta and TikTok have also implemented similar tags for AI-generated content, reflecting a growing trend in the industry for transparency in the use of generative AI tools.10. YouTube Easing the Copyright Claims Process for Creators - YouTube is enhancing its copyright claims process to better support content creators. This update aims to reduce the burden of multiple claims and provide more effective solutions for creators to manage their content in compliance with copyright laws.The key change involves the notification system for copyright claims. Instead of receiving separate emails for each claim, creators will now get a single notification encompassing all claims. This consolidated approach not only streamlines communication but also includes clear steps for resolving the issues. For instance, if a video violates copyright due to its soundtrack, creators can now easily access YouTube's copyright-free music library, Creator Music, to find a suitable replacement.This improvement is part of YouTube's ongoing efforts to refine its automated detection system, which has significantly reduced false claims. Additionally, YouTube has introduced an educational approach for repeat violators, offering guidance to prevent future violations. Creators can also utilize a pre-publish check to identify potential copyright issues before their content goes live.These enhancements reflect YouTube's commitment to creating a more creator-friendly environment. By simplifying the copyright claims process and providing accessible tools for compliance, YouTube is helping creators and brands navigate copyright regulations more effectively.11. Maximize Your TikTok Ad Impact: New Metrics Unveiled! - TikTok is enhancing its advertising analytics with a new measurement metric, the Engaged View-Through Attribution (EVTA). This metric aims to provide a deeper understanding of how TikTok ads influence user conversions. EVTA tracks conversions that occur after a user views an ad for at least six seconds, even if they don't click on it, and then makes a purchase within seven days. This approach acknowledges that the path from ad exposure to conversion isn't always direct.TikTok's introduction of EVTA is part of its broader effort to improve conversion tracking. The platform recognizes that traditional last-click attribution methods often undervalued TikTok's role in driving purchases. A recent report revealed that these methods underestimate TikTok conversions by 73%, missing 79% of purchases influenced by the platform. EVTA, combined with other recent ad measurement tools, offers a more comprehensive view of how TikTok ads lead to customer engagement and sales.12. Meta Partners with Amazon for Seamless Shopping on Facebook and Instagram - Meta has struck a significant deal with Amazon that will allow Facebook and Instagram users to purchase Amazon products directly within these apps. The integration is designed to facilitate one-click purchases by linking Instagram and Amazon accounts, offering a seamless shopping experience without leaving the social media app.The new feature will display real-time pricing, Prime eligibility, delivery estimates, and product details on select Amazon product ads within Facebook and Instagram. This development, while not entirely groundbreaking, as in-app purchases are already possible, marks a significant step in enhancing the convenience and efficiency of social media shopping.A crucial aspect of this partnership is the data integration between Meta and Amazon. The agreement involves sharing limited in-app activity data to show more relevant product ads based on user engagement. However, it's important to note that Amazon will not share specific shopping actions like purchases, product views, or searches with Meta. This means the data exchange is somewhat restricted, focusing mainly on improving ad targeting rather than creating a comprehensive data-sharing ecosystem.Despite the limited data flow, this collaboration could drive more engagement with Amazon ads on Facebook and Instagram. It also aligns with Meta's ongoing efforts to boost in-app shopping activities. While Meta has scaled back some of its e-commerce initiatives, like livestream shopping and dedicated shopping tabs, this partnership with Amazon, which boasts over 167 million Prime subscribers in the U.S., could open new avenues for in-app shopping.13. Microsoft Advertising's New Alert System for Policy Violations - Microsoft Advertising has enhanced its policy violation notification process, aiming to inform customers more promptly when their ads, keywords, or product offers are disapproved. This change involves sending more frequent email alerts, often within 24 hours of a violation. These emails, titled "Notice of Violation of Policy: Ad or Ad Component," detail the rejected content and provide insights into which accounts under a manager's customer account are affected.The emails link directly to the Microsoft Advertising campaign interface, allowing advertisers to view specifics on disapprovals. If advertisers choose not to modify the disallowed content, no action is needed. However, for those wishing to have their content reconsidered, edits must be made to comply with policy standards before requesting an appeal.Common violations highlighted by Microsoft include misleading product claims, inappropriate content, counterfeit goods, and gambling/alcohol promotions. The tighter policies aim to decrease such violations but may also restrict advertising potential in certain cases. This initiative is part of Microsoft's broader effort to increase transparency and safety across its products and services. The rise in email notifications suggests an increase in policy violations, indicating a more rigorous approval process to catch and address these issues.

SEO for Creative Business OwnersEpisode 89: MAJOR UPDATES Coming Soon from GoogleHighlights from this episode...[1:00] A Direct Quote from Google [4:15] Your website should be PEOPLE FIRST[5:52] Ask yourself this...[6:15] Danny Sullivan describes the Google Algorithm...    [8:04] My Own SEO Mistake[9:03] How to do SEO for the long-term  ASK QUESTIONS HERE>  https://www.meredithshusband.com/contact CONNECT… www.MeredithsHusband.com/start

Welcome back to Niche Pursuits News, where Spencer and Jared share the most important and recent news in SEO, digital marketing, content creation, and website building. Grab something to drink and get comfortable—there's lots to cover this week!  The first topic they cover is Google's antitrust lawsuit. One of Google's witnesses made a mistake on the stand and accidentally revealed that it pays Apple 36% of the revenue earned via search ad activity on Apple's Safari browser.  Essentially, Google is paying billions of dollars to Apple to ensure that it's the default browser on all of its products and it did not want this data to be revealed. What does this mean for other search engines? Does Google have a monopoly in the search engine market? Or, maybe a better question is, how good is Google really? Does it need to go to these lengths to become the default browser? Is the quality of its search actually getting worse? And what is the science behind being the “default?” The next news item up for discussion is Google's announcement about new ways that users can find what they're looking for on Search.  Google is testing out three features: allowing users to follow topics that they're interested in by adding a follow button, adding a perspective filter to allow users to get the best first-hand knowledge on a topic, and including information about content creators to highlight their expertise.  What other potentially controversial announcements has Google made with regard to new features? What's the role of AI in all of this? Tune in to find out!  Jared and Spencer then talk about Danny Sullivan's recent presentation at brightonSEO. The Google Search Liaison essentially told attendees to get ready for even more changes, tweaks, and improvements to Google's search rankings. To get a peek at his full presentation, head on over to Twitter, where he posted all the slides and see for yourself. But what were the overarching themes? Listen to the podcast to hear Jared and Spencer's impressions.  When it comes to Shiny Object Shenanigans, Spencer goes first and talks about his adventures building a faceless YouTube channel.  He offers a summary on Twitter, but the gist is that he started uploading videos and one video went viral in May and got 474k views. He started to earn money and was making plans for the future when his viral video got hit with a copyright notification and had to be taken down. How have things gone since then? What's in store for this side hustle? Listen and find out what Spencer's doing now! When it's Jared's turn, he gives an update on his Amazon Influencer Program side hustle which, if you've been tuning in over the last few weeks, has been particularly volatile. The good news is that earnings appear to be picking up, so stay tuned to see if he sees a full recovery.  He also talks about his photography course on Weekend Growth and the importance of having high-quality photos, particularly in view of all the changes in Google. His course, which offers useful tips for non-professionals, is celebrating its 1-year anniversary.  Don't miss out on the chance to get it! Jared's offering it for 50% off with the code “Niche Pursuits.” When it comes to Weird Niche Sites, the co-hosts really capture the weirdness of the web. Spencer reveals his ‘90s-looking website, Disk Prices, which is essentially a list of hard drive prices and their different characteristics.  All of the links are Amazon affiliate links, and search engine traffic varies according to the source: 2600 organic searches per month according to Ahrefs, 20k according to SimilarWeb. How is the website updated? How is it doing on mobile? How did it fare during the HCU? What are the key takeaways from this website?  When it's Jared's turn, he shows his love for cats with Cat News Headlines. It's a repository of daily (and probably) manually updated cat news from all over the web. This DR4 site only ranks for 250 keywords. The main articles it's ranking for are cat food reviews and, in general, the site isn't doing especially well.  What do they think of the design? What is the site doing correctly (if anything)?   And that brings us to the end of another great podcast. We hope you feel informed of all the latest news in the SEO space and inspired to launch or continue your business projects and side hustles. See you next week! Be sure to get more content like this in the Niche Pursuits Newsletter Right Here: https://www.nichepursuits.com/newsletter Want a Faster and Easier Way to Build Internal Links? Get $15 off Link Whisper with Discount Code "Podcast" on the Checkout Screen: https://www.nichepursuits.com/linkwhisper Get SEO Consulting from the Niche Pursuits Podcast Host, Jared Bauman: https://www.nichepursuits.com/201creative

Welcome to another episode of the Barber's Brief. A segment where we cover news that caught our eye, a marketing moment where we highlight a case study, and our ad of the week. Enjoy the show! Our Hosts: Follow our updates here: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/sleeping-barber/⁠⁠ Get in touch with our hosts: Marc Binkley: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbinkley/ Vassilis Douros: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/vassilisdouros/⁠ In the news Marketing Week - Mark Ritson Effectiveness: American and Canadian marketing fall behind in effectiveness, with a lack of engagement in key discussions like eSOV, distinctive assets, attention theory, 60/40 rule, and mental and physical availability. The perception that effectiveness principles originated outside the US leads to skepticism. Notable figures include the B2B Institute (Peter Weinberg, Jon Lombardo, Ty Heath), Koen Pauwels, and Roger Martin. Search Engine Land - Barry Schwartz: Google will be announcing significant changes to their search algorithm. Danny Sullivan, Google's Search Liaison, hints at upcoming adjustments but cautions that those generating "good content" will not be affected. Marketing Letters - Brand Growth Potential: Challenge to the 80/20 rule: Top 20% of customers contribute 50% of sales. Emphasis on targeting light and non-category buyers for sustained growth. Sales potential depends on the number and frequency of category buyers. Simulation and real panel data analysis conducted in the toothpaste category. Marketing Dive - Coca-Cola's AI Activation: Coca-Cola utilizes AI to create a futuristic cityscape at Las Vegas Sphere, promoting Coca-Cola Y3000 Zero Sugar. Transformation of Exosphere inspired by Y3000 AI Cam. The activation period began Nov. 13. The Drum - Huge Bets on Productization Model: Creative agency Huge, under IPG ownership, shifts away from traditional practices, abandoning RFPs, free creative, and rate discounts. Adopts a productization model with set prices and timelines in experience transformation, technology realization, and growth creation. Global talent pool of 1200+ employees accessible globally. Marketing Dive - Google's Generative AI Features: Google introduces generative AI features in Performance Max ad product. Advertisers generate campaign assets by providing a URL. AI-populated assets, including stock and unique images, guaranteed to be non-repetitive. FastCompany - IDEO's Restructuring: Leading design firm IDEO undergoes layoffs and restructuring, reflecting a shift from traditional design thinking. Industry trend moves towards agile, external innovation sources. Downsizing raises questions about the industry's future efficiency and innovation potential. Marketing Highlight: Oreo Case Study As one of Kantar's top 10 penetration powerhouses, Oreo's success is driven by the product flywheel effect—a positive feedback loop that fuels sustained growth. While cookies remain their core business, strategic expansion into new categories, like frozen treats, has introduced Oreo to 26 million new global shoppers, with 5.7 penetration points in India alone, equating to 19 million new buyers. The #StayPlayful global brand campaign has been instrumental in Oreo's triumph, celebrating the brand's playful elements and fostering a nostalgic connection to family moments. Running for over a year, the campaign reached audiences across 27 Central and Eastern European countries, including key markets like Germany and Russia. Results: 93% Global Presence: Oreo has solidified its footprint on a global scale. 8% CRP Growth: Demonstrating sustained consumer relevance and engagement. 26 Million New Shoppers: A testament to the effectiveness of their product flywheel strategy. +1 Global Rank Position: Reflecting Oreo's ascending position in the global market. Ad of the week https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5y0fGsQU5zg&t=4s Coming up next week: Eddie Obeng - Building High Performance Organizations

Truckin' through Groundhog Day of November 16th and talking Wikimedia too... "Six weeks until Christmas and all through the Web, not a placement was stirring because they were all dead. The dossiers were hung in massive digital files, defining all pages, their friends, and their while. And in Google's great blender, an awful sort just got slewed, making mincemeat of merchants whose lives just got screwed. I sat alone with rank checkers on screen but could only see red where once I saw green..." November 17, 20?? -- We had a show plan until Google did what Google did and so that plan got 302ed. We do have an interview with WikiCommons super-contributor Joe Mabel who spoke at the WikiConference North America 2023 held in Toronto last week, the one that was briefly truncated by a bomb threat but, because Google did what Google tends to do at this time of year, the interview was way too brief. Considering the importance of Wikipedia to the Web and its impact on search over the years, we could have talked with Joe for hours. Unfortunately, Google screwgled those plans by announcing what could be the most sweeping sets of changes to how Google creates, displays, and distributes search results since its first major update, 20 years ago today. We spend the last half of the episode discussing those changes. To Quote spokesperson Danny Sullivan, "Buckle Up!"Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/webcology/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Episode 186 contains the Digital Marketing News and Updates from the week of Nov 6-10, 2023.1. Google's Cookieless Future Unveiled! - As third-party cookies are being phased out, Google is introducing new, privacy-focused ad targeting methods that rely on first-party data and artificial intelligence (AI). This change, set to take effect in 2024, is crucial for business owners to understand and prepare for.Third-party cookies have long been a staple in digital advertising, enabling brands to track users across websites and serve targeted ads. However, they've also raised privacy concerns. Google's research indicates that a staggering 89% of internet users would trust brands more if they used privacy-safe technologies. In response, Google is transitioning to a cookieless future, emphasizing the importance of first-party data and privacy-preserving tools like the Privacy Sandbox's Protected Audience API. This API introduces new techniques to limit constant tracking, such as minimum thresholds for ad targeting and shorter user data storage durations.The shift to first-party data means advertisers will still be able to build audience lists, but with enhanced AI filling the gaps left by reduced tracking capabilities. Tools like Smart Bidding and Optimized Targeting are expected to improve ad relevance using internal algorithms. For instance, Optimized Targeting has already increased conversions by 50% for some Google Display customers. Additionally, Google is expanding capabilities like Customer Match, allowing personalized ad targeting based on an advertiser's customer data.This transition away from third-party cookies is part of a broader movement towards stronger data privacy protections. While some advertisers are concerned about the potential impact on digital ad revenues, the introduction of alternative targeting and measurement approaches offers a new way forward. For business owners, investing now in automated and consent-based solutions is key to adapting to this changing advertising landscape.In summary, while targeting precision may decrease post-third-party cookie phaseout, the advancements in first-party data use and AI optimization present viable alternatives for online marketers. Embracing these changes and preparing for the cookieless future is essential for staying ahead in the digital advertising game.P.S. The future of digital advertising is here, and it's more private and user-focused than ever. Start adapting today to stay competitive!2. Insights From Google Search Ranking Documents in Antitrust Trial Exhibits - Key documents released during the U.S. Department of Justice antitrust trial involving Google provide insights into Google's search ranking processes, which are crucial for business owners to understand in order to optimize their websites for better visibility in Google searches.Key Takeaways: Three Pillars of Ranking: Google's search ranking is based on three main factors: the content of the document itself, what the web says about the document (links and references), and user interactions with the document (like clicks and attention on a result). User Interaction Signals: Google uses various user interaction signals, such as clicks, scrolls, and mouse hovers, to understand how users interact with search results. This helps them determine the relevance and quality of a document. Importance of User Responses: Google doesn't fully understand documents but relies on how people react to them. Positive reactions suggest good content, while negative reactions indicate the opposite. This approach is crucial for sustaining Google's ability to deliver relevant search results. Search Quality Aspects: The documents mentions 18 aspects of search quality that Google considers, including relevance, page quality, popularity, freshness, and mobile-friendliness. Understanding these aspects can help businesses create content that aligns with what Google considers high-quality. Challenges with Click Data: Google acknowledges the limitations of using click data for ranking, as it can be hard to interpret and requires a lot of traffic to draw meaningful conclusions. Continuous Manipulation Attempts: The documents highlight the ongoing attempts to manipulate search results, emphasizing the need for secrecy in Google's search workings to prevent exploitation by SEOs, competitors, and others. Implications for Business Owners:  It's crucial to grasp these pillars. Your website content (Body), how it's referenced across the web (Anchors), and how users interact with it (User Interactions) are all vital for your site's search ranking. Ensure your website's content is high-quality and relevant. This not only appeals to your audience but also aligns with how Google assesses and ranks content. User interactions are a significant factor. Pay attention to how users engage with your site and continuously improve their experience.3. Google Claims That Core Web Vitals Save Decades in Load Times! - Every second counts, especially when it comes to website loading times. Google's recent announcement highlights a groundbreaking achievement: Core Web Vitals (CWV) optimizations have saved Chrome users over 10,000 years in page load time in 2023 alone. This remarkable feat underscores the importance of optimizing your website for speed and user experience.Core Web Vitals are a set of metrics developed by Google to measure the user experience on web pages. These include Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), which tracks load time; First Input Delay (FID), measuring responsiveness; Interaction to Next Paint (INP), assessing overall responsiveness; and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS), which gauges visual stability. By focusing on these metrics, websites can significantly enhance user experiences.The time savings were calculated by Google's Chrome team, analyzing data from millions of website visits. Specifically, optimizations related to CWV saved over 8,000 years on Android devices and over 2,000 years on desktops in 2023. These improvements are not just about faster loading times; they also include better page response metrics, contributing to a more seamless user journey.Technical improvements in Chrome, such as preconnecting resources and rendering optimizations, played a crucial role. For instance, prioritizing image loading reduced layout shifts and improved LCP by over 5% on mobile. The broader web community, including platforms like WordPress and JavaScript frameworks like React and Angular, have also contributed to this progress.Currently, over 40% of websites meet the CWV thresholds, indicating that there's still room for improvement. As a business owner, this is a call to action. Optimizing your website for Core Web Vitals is not just about complying with Google's standards; it's about providing a superior experience for your users. This can lead to increased engagement, higher conversion rates, and ultimately, business growth.In conclusion, Google's Core Web Vitals are revolutionizing the way we experience the web. By focusing on these key metrics, you can ensure that your website not only meets Google's standards but also delivers an exceptional experience to your customers.P.S. Embrace the change and optimize your website for Core Web Vitals today.4.  Boost Your Website's Speed with Expert Tips from Google's John Mueller! - The speed of your website is more than just a convenience; it's a crucial factor in attracting and retaining customers. Google's John Mueller recently shared valuable insights on improving website performance, specifically focusing on Google's PageSpeed Insights (PSI) scores. This tool evaluates web pages' loading speeds and provides a score from 0 to 100, along with recommendations for enhancement. For anyone involved in managing a website, understanding and improving these scores is vital for both search engine optimization (SEO) and user experience.Mueller's tips are particularly helpful for those who have tried common optimization techniques, like compressing images and videos, but haven't seen the expected improvements in PSI scores. He suggests a more targeted approach: testing individual page elements on a noindexed page. This method allows you to isolate specific changes and understand their individual effects before applying them to your entire website. For example, if a test page with a compressed image loads faster but the live page doesn't show similar improvements, it indicates other factors are slowing down the live page.Mueller emphasizes the importance of focusing optimizations where they're most needed. If your website's page speed is already reasonable, extensive extra work may not be necessary. However, if improvements are needed, Mueller advises making a copy of the actual page, removing the elements you've already optimized, and then trying out changes on the rest. This step-by-step, selective process helps identify and address the real limiting factors affecting your website's performance.In summary, optimizing your website's performance requires patience and incremental testing. By isolating webpage elements and evaluating their impact, you can make informed decisions about where to focus your efforts. Remember, achieving and maintaining high PSI scores is possible with the right strategies tailored to your website's specific needs.5. Google Updates Page Experience Report in Search Console - Google has recently updated the Page Experience Report in its Search Console, aiming to provide a more holistic view of page experience as part of the content creation process. This update is significant for business owners who rely on Google for online visibility and customer engagement.The Page Experience Report now offers an informational page with links to relevant reports, making it easier for site owners to understand and improve their web pages' performance. This change is part of Google's ongoing efforts to evolve its understanding of page experience, which now encompasses more than just core web vitals and HTTPS.One notable change is the removal of the "Good Page Experience" search appearance filter from the Performance Report in Search Console. This filter was previously used to identify pages that met certain criteria for a good user experience. With its removal, Google emphasizes the need to consider a broader range of factors in evaluating page experience.The update also includes the retirement of the search appearance filter from the Search Console API, which will take effect in 180 days. This means that businesses and SEO professionals will need to adjust their reporting and analysis practices to align with the new framework.For business owners, this update underscores the importance of focusing on comprehensive quality and user experience on their websites. It's not just about meeting technical benchmarks but creating content that genuinely serves and engages the audience. Adapting to these changes in Google's approach will be crucial for maintaining and improving online visibility and performance.6. Google Shares How Your Feedback Shapes Search Results! - Recently, Danny Sullivan, Google's Search Liaison, revealed internal documents highlighting how Google incorporates feedback from SEO professionals into its search algorithms. This insight is vital for anyone looking to improve their website's visibility on Google.Sullivan's documents show that Google actively listens to SEO feedback and considers it when updating its search algorithms. This process includes gathering opinions on various updates like the "Helpful Content Update" and "Parasite SEO." For instance, Sullivan discussed the challenge of creating "people-first" content. He emphasized that content should be designed for readers, not just to rank well on Google. This is a fundamental shift from traditional SEO practices, where the focus was primarily on pleasing search engines.Another key point Sullivan addressed is the misconception about old content being unhelpful. He clarified that Google does not penalize sites for having older content, as long as it remains relevant and people-first. This is reassuring for businesses that have a wealth of archival content.Sullivan also touched on the idea of a "Helpful Content Tool," a potential future feature that could help website owners understand what Google considers valuable content. This tool could be a game-changer for businesses struggling to align their content with Google's guidelines.The documents also debunked the myth that certain SEO tactics, like using schema and recipe sites, directly boost rankings. Sullivan's insights suggest that while these elements are important, they are not the sole factors in determining a site's ranking.In summary, Google's approach to SEO feedback is a dynamic process that involves constant evaluation and adaptation. For business owners, this means staying informed and adaptable is key to maintaining a strong online presence. Understanding that Google values user-centric content and does not solely rely on technical SEO tactics can guide your content strategy in a more effective direction.7. Holiday Marketing with Meta's Latest Lead Gen Innovations! - Meta (formerly Facebook) has recently announced several updates to their lead generation campaigns, which are particularly relevant for the upcoming holiday season. These updates aim to enhance direct customer engagement and streamline the lead generation process, making them vital for businesses looking to capitalize on the holiday rush.One of the key updates is the expansion of Meta's lead objective to Facebook and Instagram ads that initiate a WhatsApp chat. This feature allows businesses to tap into the growing trend of direct messaging (DMs) for customer engagement. With more people preferring DMs over public social media posts, this update offers a new avenue to connect with potential customers directly and personally.Another development is the introduction of a question-and-answer flow in Instagram Direct ads, where businesses can offer coupons to customers who engage with the flow. This not only incentivizes customer interaction but also drives sales by offering discounts on future purchases.Meta is also testing a new instant form ad format. This format allows users to submit their information to multiple related businesses at once, increasing convenience for customers and exposure for businesses. For example, someone signing up for a bridal hair trial can simultaneously share their contact information with related businesses like nail salons.Furthermore, Meta is exploring the potential for businesses to make phone calls through Facebook, displaying their business name and information on the caller screen. While this might be more appealing to older demographics, it's an interesting option for businesses looking to establish a more personal connection with their audience.Lastly, Meta is testing full campaign automation for lead generation campaigns. This feature utilizes AI to manage various campaign elements, including targeting, creative content, placements, and budget. While it may take time for businesses to trust AI with these aspects, the potential for streamlined, efficient campaign management is significant.In conclusion, these updates from Meta offer innovative ways to enhance lead generation and customer engagement. As a business owner, staying updated and adapting to these changes can significantly impact your holiday marketing strategy and overall business growth.8. LinkedIn Update: Carousel Posts and Profile Videos to be Removed! - In a recent announcement, LinkedIn has informed users that  starting December 14, 2023, LinkedIn will remove all carousel posts and profile videos. This change is noteworthy because carousel posts have been a popular feature for engaging audiences with multiple images or slides in a single post.LinkedIn introduced carousel posts in July last year, allowing users to upload PDFs with each page as a separate slide. This feature gained popularity due to its interactive and engaging format. However, LinkedIn has decided to discontinue this feature, along with profile videos, which were added in 2021 but didn't gain as much traction. Additionally, the ability to embed clickable links within images or videos will also be deactivated. While the content itself will remain, the interactive links will no longer function.This update is significant for businesses that rely on LinkedIn for marketing and engagement. Carousel posts, in particular, have been effective in generating high levels of user interaction. With their removal, businesses will need to adapt their content strategies on LinkedIn. The platform suggests reverting to the previous method of creating carousels by uploading PDFs, but this might not offer the same level of engagement as the native carousel feature.For those who have used these features extensively, LinkedIn offers a solution to retrieve their content. Users can contact LinkedIn at contentsupport@linkedin.com by December 11th to request a copy of their profile video or files from their carousel posts.

Welcome back to another episode of the Niche Pursuits News Podcast, where Spencer and Jared cover all the latest relating to SEO, digital marketing, affiliate marketing, and website creation and break it down into bite-size pieces for listeners.  Spencer and Jared kick things off by talking about how the November Core Update was rolled out about a week ago. Spencer reveals how Niche Pursuits has fared thus far and Jared talks about how site owners he's in contact with have been affected by Google's latest update.  Did most websites see a recovery or more of a decline? What will happen as the update concludes?  They also announce that the Reviews Update has also been rolled out. Will site owners be able to determine which update affected them and how? How is this latest update different from the HCU? How is Google going to handle update announcements moving forward? And will there be another update before the end of the year? Tune in to hear what Spencer and Jared think.  Changing gears, Spencer shares an affiliate article in The Verge that is clearly written with AI with no human editing. Listeners of last week's episode will recall the discussion of a different article in The Verge complaining that the internet is overloaded with poor-quality SEO content. And here it is, spamming the web with SEO-optimized unedited AI content! Is their article ranking? And if it is, is it outranking truly helpful content written by humans who have actually tested the products? What do Spencer and Jared think about this case of parasite SEO? Listen to find out! Next up on the agenda is a very interesting tweet from Danny Sullivan from Google Search Liaison on how he brings people's feedback back to Google. Jared lauds this moment of transparency and Spencer wonders if this feedback could impact the way that Google Search works.  Another tweet that made it into this week's news is about the New York Times' 3Q revenue numbers. Glen Allsopp did an excellent write-up after analyzing The Wirecutter, the Times' affiliate website. How much does he estimate it's bringing in per month in affiliate commissions? It's clear that “the little guys” can't compete with The Wirecutter, but what are Jared and Spencer's takeaways from this situation? In the last news item of the episode, Spencer shares that Elon Musk and Twitter recently revealed their ChatCPT competitor, Grok. Premium Twitter subscribers can currently sign up to the waiting list to test it out. Where will this go? It remains to be seen, but as Spencer says, it's always interesting when someone with very deep pockets gets into the AI game. In the Shiny Object Shenanigans portion of the podcast, Spencer talks about the tool he created, Rank Logic, and its latest addition—a Google Analytics integration, which will be available for current users as early as next week. He talks about the different ways users will be able to analyze data and create custom reports, and how much easier it will be compared with using GA4. When it's Jared's turn, he talks about recording more videos for the Amazon Influencer Program, most of them seasonal. His goal is to hit 1000 videos by the end of the year. He also talks about celebrating the anniversary of the Photo Course on Weekend Growth and how his side hustles, and the opportunities that come with them, continue to grow and surprise him as well. Spencer shares his Weird Niche Site first: Miss Rachel Networth. He gives the backstory about Miss Rachel, a popular teacher on YouTube, and shares stats for the 3-month-old site, which has a DR of 63 and organic monthly traffic of around 30k. Is it a 301 from an older domain? What else does he discover when he digs deeper? What's his and Jared's theory behind the website? Jared's find this week is The Measure of Things, a very, very weird niche site that lets you enter a measurement and then compare that measurement to other “things.” For example, 829 square centimeters is about 1/15th as big as a bath towel. Isn't that great to know?  This DR52 site ranks for 17k keywords and has an organic search volume of 24k per month. What's super unique about this website? Hear Jared and Spencer break down the data they see in Ahrefs. And that brings us to the end of another great episode. We hope you're feeling informed and inspired, as always. See you next week! Be sure to get more content like this in the Niche Pursuits Newsletter Right Here: https://www.nichepursuits.com/newsletter Want a Faster and Easier Way to Build Internal Links? Get $15 off Link Whisper with Discount Code "Podcast" on the Checkout Screen: https://www.nichepursuits.com/linkwhisper Get SEO Consulting from the Niche Pursuits Podcast Host, Jared Bauman: https://www.nichepursuits.com/201creative

Episode 185 contains the Digital Marketing News and Updates from the week of Oct 30 - Nov 3, 2023.1. Mobile-First Indexing: Google's 7-Year Mission Accomplished! - Imagine a world where your smartphone is the key to unlocking the vast potential of the internet. That's the vision Google has pursued for nearly seven years, and they've just announced a significant milestone: the completion of mobile-first indexing. This means that Google now primarily uses the mobile version of content for indexing and ranking across all websites.Back in 2016, Google embarked on this journey, recognizing the shift towards mobile internet usage. By 2018, half of the websites in Google's search results were indexed this way. Fast forward to today, and Google has officially declared the process complete. What does this mean for you? It's simple: if your website isn't optimized for mobile, you're not speaking the same language as Google's search engine—and potentially missing out on valuable traffic.For the few sites that still don't work on mobile devices, Google will continue to use its legacy desktop crawler, but this is a temporary measure. The message is clear: mobile optimization is no longer optional; it's essential.As a business owner, this update is a call to action. Ensure your website is mobile-friendly, with responsive design and content that shines on smaller screens. This isn't just about staying in Google's good graces—it's about providing your customers with the best experience, no matter how they find you.Google's update is a reminder of the ever-evolving nature of the web and the importance of keeping pace with these changes. As mobile-first indexing becomes the norm, it's an opportunity to review your online presence and ensure that your business is set up for success in a mobile-centric world.P.S. Don't let your website get left behind in the desktop era. Embrace mobile optimization and open the door to a world of opportunities.2. Google Launches Nov'23 Core Update -  Google has announced its November 2023 Core Update. This update is the latest in a series of adjustments that Google makes to its search algorithms, which can significantly impact where your site appears in search results.The November update is particularly noteworthy because it's the fourth broad core algorithm update of the year, following closely on the heels of the October 2023 Core Update. These updates are part of Google's ongoing efforts to improve the searcher's experience by providing the most relevant and high-quality results.What's new with this update? Google has improved a different core system than the one adjusted last month. This means that even if you've made recent changes to your site, you might still see fluctuations in your search rankings. Google's guidance remains the same: focus on creating high-quality content that provides value to your users.If your site's rankings are negatively impacted by an update, Google advises that there aren't specific actions to take to recover. However, they do offer a list of questions to consider if your site is hit by a core update. It's also possible to see a bit of recovery between core updates, but the most significant changes typically occur after subsequent updates. In conclusion, Google's Core Updates are a reminder of the importance of having a robust content strategy that prioritizes user experience. By focusing on creating valuable, high-quality content, you're more likely to weather the storm of algorithm changes and maintain a strong presence in search results.3.  According to Google, Small Websites Can Win in the Ever-Evolving Search Landscape - In the digital age, where the internet seems dominated by large players, it's easy to wonder if small websites still have a fighting chance. Danny Sullivan, Google's Search Liaison with over 25 years in the search space, shared an encouraging perspective that's vital for you as a business owner to understand.Search engines have evolved tremendously since the pre-Google era, and with each update, concerns arise about the visibility of small sites. Yet, history has shown us that small sites have not only survived but can thrive and become leaders in their niches. Sullivan himself has witnessed this growth firsthand, having run two successful small sites before joining Google.The key takeaway? Google's goal is to reward great content, regardless of the site's size. They are committed to the success of the open web ecosystem, where quality content leads to satisfaction all around—for searchers, content creators, and the search engines themselves.However, the web is dynamic, with changing content and shifting user expectations. Google continuously adapts, striving to improve search results. This includes recognizing valuable contributions from various sources, including forums and personal experiences, ensuring a diverse mix of results.For you, the message is clear: don't get caught up in an "expert arms race" or create content solely with Google's algorithms in mind. Instead, focus on what benefits your readers. Author bios, for instance, should be crafted for your audience, not for search engine optimization. Quality content that serves your readers' expectations aligns naturally with Google's ranking principles.Sullivan emphasizes that there's no checklist for success. Instead, he points to guidelines that help assess if content is genuinely people-first, such as providing original information or analysis. If your content consistently delivers value and leaves visitors thinking, "Wow, that was great. I learned something. That was helpful," you're on the right track.Remember, it's not about being labeled as an "expert" or having the perfect About page—it's about creating content that resonates with and serves your audience. As a business owner, focusing on delivering great content is your key to thriving in the search landscape.P.S. For more insights on creating helpful content, visit Google's guide here: Creating Helpful Content.4. Unpacking the Real Impact of Keyword Stuffing on Your Site - In the realm of SEO (Search Engine Optimization), "keyword stuffing" has been a buzzword for all the wrong reasons. But what does it truly mean for your website's content? Danny Sullivan, Google's Search Liaison, sheds light on this topic, clarifying that keyword stuffing isn't about the number of times a word is used. Instead, it's about the context and quality of your writing.Keyword stuffing refers to cramming a webpage with keywords or numbers to manipulate a site's ranking in Google search results. This often results in content that sounds unnatural or out of context. For example, repeating "unlimited app store credits" to an excessive degree can be flagged as keyword stuffing. It's not the repetition per se that's the issue; it's when the repetition leads to non-sensible patterns and unhelpful writing.Sullivan advises against writing with Google's algorithms as your primary audience. Phrases shouldn't be repeated unnaturally just to ensure Google "gets it." Instead, focus on how people consume content. Google's sophisticated language analysis can understand meaning and concepts without the need for over-repetition. The best practice is to write naturally, as if you're explaining something to a person, not a search engine.This insight is crucial for you as a business owner. The content on your website should be crafted for your customers, providing them with value and a pleasant reading experience. If your content is engaging, informative, and written in a natural tone, you're already aligning with Google's preference for high-quality, user-focused content.Remember, the goal is not to outsmart search engines but to create content that genuinely serves your audience. By doing so, you'll naturally improve your site's SEO and foster a trustworthy relationship with your customers.5. Write for Your Readers, Not for Google - In the digital world, where Google's algorithms can feel like an enigma, Danny Sullivan, Google's Search Liaison, offers a simple yet profound piece of advice: "Stop thinking 'What should I do for Google?' when writing content." Instead, focus on what your readers need and want. This shift in perspective is not just refreshing; it's crucial for creating content that resonates with your audience and, ironically, performs well on Google too.Sullivan's guidance comes as a reminder that the content you produce should cater to the interests and queries of your readers, not to the perceived demands of search engines. The essence of his message is to prioritize the quality and usefulness of your content over SEO tactics. Google's ranking systems are designed to reward content that serves readers well, which is why your primary goal should be to address the needs and questions of your audience.This approach is more than just a best practice; it's a strategic move in the ever-evolving landscape of SEO. By focusing on your readers, you're likely to naturally include the keywords and topics they're searching for, which aligns with how Google assesses and ranks pages. Sullivan reiterates this point, encouraging content creators to write in a way that's most helpful for their audience.For you, this means taking a step back from the technicalities of SEO and asking yourself: What information does my audience seek? How can I provide value in a way that's engaging and informative? The answers to these questions will guide you in crafting content that stands out, not just to search engines, but more importantly, to the people you aim to serve.In conclusion, let go of the "What should I do for Google?" mindset. Instead, embrace a reader-first approach to content creation. It's a strategy that will serve your business well, building trust with your audience and, as a result, with search engines too.6. Vintage or Outdated? Google's Take on Old Content's Value - Understanding the importance of content relevance is crucial for any business owner. The digital space is often seen as a race to stay current, but Sullivan's insights suggest that the true value lies in the content's quality and utility to the reader, not its publication date. He states, "Just because something is older doesn't make it unhelpful." This is a significant point, especially for news publishers and content creators who worry about the need to constantly update their articles to maintain relevance.The conversation arose from a question about the feasibility of news publishers updating old articles. Sullivan's response was clear: if the content is written with the audience in mind and remains relevant, it doesn't lose its value over time. This perspective is part of Google's broader guidance, which emphasizes creating content that prioritizes the reader's experience.For you, this means that the evergreen content on your site—those pieces that provide timeless value—can continue to serve your audience and contribute to your site's authority. It's a reminder to focus on quality over quantity and to consider the lasting impact of what you publish.In summary, don't rush to discard or rewrite your older content just because of its date. Evaluate its ongoing relevance and usefulness to your audience. If it still answers questions, solves problems, or provides insight, it remains a valuable asset to your website.7. The Truth About Schema: Does It Really Boost Your Google Ranking? - Are you looking to improve your website's ranking on Google? You might have heard that adding schema, or structured data markup, to your pages can give you a leg up in search results. However, Danny Sullivan, Google's Search Liaison, has clarified a common misconception: schema does not directly improve your site's ranking.Schema markup is a code that you put on your website to help search engines return more informative results for users. While it's true that schema can enhance the way your page appears in search results—potentially increasing click-through rates—it's important to understand that it doesn't give your page a ranking boost. Sullivan emphasizes, "Using schema doesn't give you a ranking boost. It can help you be eligible for certain displays or enhancements, but it doesn't somehow boost you to the top of results."This clarification is crucial for business owners like you who are investing time and resources into SEO strategies. It's easy to get caught up in the myriad of tips and tricks out there, but Google's stance is clear: schema is about aiding search engines in understanding your content, not about climbing the search result ladder.Moreover, if your site violates Google's schema guidelines, it won't impact your ranking. Instead, it may disqualify your site from being eligible for those rich results or enhancements that schema can provide. Sullivan's message is a reminder to focus on creating quality content first and foremost. The use of schema should be viewed as a tool for improving user experience, not as a shortcut to higher rankings.As a business owner, it's essential to align your SEO efforts with practices that genuinely help your audience. By focusing on delivering valuable, high-quality content, and using schema as it's intended—to enhance user understanding—you're setting your site up for long-term success.Remember, the goal is to make your content helpful and accessible to your audience. Schema can contribute to this by making your content more understandable to search engines, which in turn helps users find the great content you're providing.8. Boost Your Video's Visibility: Google's New Structured Data Guidelines - Google has updated its guidelines for video structured data with new recommendations that could enhance your video content's visibility in search results. Structured data is a standardized format for providing information about a page and classifying the page content. For videos, this means using specific code to communicate details to Google about the video content on your site, which can then be displayed in rich search results.The key change is that Google now requires not just the date but the exact time a video was published and also when the video expires, using the ISO 8601 format. This update aims to make the publication time more precise, which can be crucial for timely content. Google suggests including timezone information with this data; otherwise, it defaults to the timezone of Googlebot, which may not align with your local time.If you ignore these new recommendations, the only immediate consequence is the potential for a timezone mismatch. However, it's always wise to present structured data as Google expects. Think of it as fine-tuning your content for optimal performance – you're giving Google exactly what it's looking for, which can only benefit your site.In summary, take the time to update your video content with the precise publication time and timezone. It's a simple step that aligns with Google's best practices and could make a noticeable difference in your content's online presence.9. Google's Sep'18 Top Money-Making Search Queries Revealed - Have you ever wondered which search queries are the golden tickets in the vast lottery of Google searches? A recent revelation from an ongoing antitrust trial has shed light on this very topic, and the insights are invaluable for any business looking to capitalize on Google's search engine.For a single week in September 2018, terms like "iPhone," "auto insurance," and "cheap flights" were the most profitable for Google in the United States. This information, previously shrouded in secrecy due to Google's tight-lipped policies on revenue data, was disclosed in a heavily redacted slide. While the exact figures remain undisclosed, the list of terms provides a fascinating glimpse into user behavior and market trends.Why does this matter to you? Understanding these high-revenue search terms can inform your digital marketing strategy. If your business is related to any of these lucrative categories, there's a clear opportunity to align your online content and advertising efforts with what users are actively seeking.The top revenue-driving searches ranged from tech products to insurance and entertainment services, indicating diverse areas where Google users are willing to spend their money. This diversity suggests that there's room for businesses of all kinds to find their niche in the search engine landscape.In conclusion, while the specifics of Google's earnings from these searches are not public, the takeaway for you is the importance of targeting the right keywords in your SEO and PPC campaigns. By focusing on terms related to your business that have proven profitable, you can potentially increase your visibility to high-intent customers and drive more revenue through your online channels.10. Google Ads Click Tracker Policy - In the digital age, tracking the performance of your online ads is crucial for understanding customer behavior and maximizing your return on investment. Google Ads has recently updated its policies, and there's an important change you should be aware of: the requirement to use certified click trackers.A click tracker is a tool that records clicks on your ads, providing valuable data on how users interact with your advertising. Google has now mandated that, for accounts using click trackers for the first time after September 11, 2023, only certified click trackers will be accepted. Ads using non-certified trackers may be disapproved. This policy will be fully enforced over the next 12 to 18 months, with the timing depending on factors like the advertiser's history and account activity.Why is this important for you? Compliance with Google's policies ensures that your ads remain active and effective. Using a certified click tracker not only aligns with Google's standards but also guarantees that the data you collect is reliable and actionable.If you're currently using a third-party click-tracking service, it's time to check if it's on Google's approved list. If not, you'll need to switch to a certified provider or risk having your ads disapproved. This may seem daunting, but it's a step towards more transparent and trustworthy ad tracking.For those who provide click-tracking services, Google has opened applications for certification. Meeting their guidelines means you can continue to serve businesses like yours without interruption.

Welcome back to another episode of the Niche Pursuits News Podcast. This week's episode is seriously packed with a ton of important and interesting headlines in the SEO, digital marketing, and content creation space. So grab some popcorn, get comfortable, and let's get started! Spencer and Jared kick off the episode by talking about Google's latest announcement about an impending November core update, which started to roll out on November 2nd. We can expect to see the effects over the weekend. They talk about Google's explanation for the latest update and how there's also a review system update coming next week. Moving on, they share an article in The Verge accusing SEOs of ruining the internet. Spencer summarizes the 8000-word article and he and Jared discuss whether the author ultimately blames SEOs or Google itself for bringing down the quality of the internet.  What does Jared think about the article? Is The Verge hypocritical for publishing an article like this? What happened to Danny Sullivan, the Google employee who responded to Spencer's tweet? Tune in to find out! The conversation then shifts to an article on Detailed, and a tweet, by Glen Allsopp, about product review affiliate keywords. Allsopp shares his findings after analyzing 10,000 search results and he shares some staggering statistics for sites like Reddit and Quora. The next news item on the agenda has to do with Google's efforts to fix a bug from the October 2023 update, which impacted Google Discover traffic. Does that mean people who got massive traffic from Google Discover recently will see it disappear? Will people without much Google Discover traffic see it increase? Continuing with news about Google, Spencer and Jared share an article that shows how Google is inserting paid ads among organic search results. They talk about the implications of this move and how it may or may not affect publishers. Then Spencer shares an article about updates to Google AdSense, as the network is shifting to per-impression payments for publishers. How will this impact their earnings? Why is Google doing this? Since the network has always been pay-per-click, this is a major change to how it functions. Tune in to hear what Spencer and Jared have to say. Jared geeks out on the last news item on the agenda, an analysis of Google's EEAT Knowledge Graph. A recent article took a deep dive into how Google understands what is and isn't expert content and the importance of getting into the Knowledge Panel and building a brand. Jared shares some good ideas on how to get Google's stamp of approval, so don't miss them! When it comes to Side Hustle Shenanigans, Spencer provides an update on his second faceless YouTube channel, for which the stats are underwhelming. As he is completely hands-off in this endeavor, his advice for anyone looking to do something like this is to be very involved and detail-oriented. Listen in to find out what he thinks about this business model. Jared reports on his Amazon Influencer side hustle, noting that October was his worst month ever. Why was this? What's driving all the volatility? What does he expect in the coming months? There's just a little bit of time left, and Spencer shares his weird niche site first: Astronaut.io. This fascinating site features videos from YouTube that have zero views. With 105k visitors over the last three months according to SimilarWeb, it seems that some people (mostly in Russia), are enjoying them. Jared's weird site is in the celebrity niche, Who's Dated Who, which offers the dating history of every celebrity you can think of. He and Spencer discuss the site's ranking system, how it might be getting its data, its use of a forum, and how it's monetized. This DR56 site is ranking for over 600k keywords, and monthly estimated organic traffic of 1.2 million. And that brings us to the end of another great episode. Thanks for tuning in for another week and getting the latest in SEO news. See you next Friday! Be sure to get more content like this in the Niche Pursuits Newsletter Right Here: https://www.nichepursuits.com/newsletter Want a Faster and Easier Way to Build Internal Links? Get $15 off Link Whisper with Discount Code "Podcast" on the Checkout Screen: https://www.nichepursuits.com/linkwhisper Get SEO Consulting from the Niche Pursuits Podcast Host, Jared Bauman: https://www.nichepursuits.com/201creative

Episode 184 contains the important Digital Marketing News and Updates from the week of Oct 23-27, 2023.1. Google Introduces “Search Themes” -  A New Optional Performance Max Signal : Google has introduced a new feature called "Search Themes" for its Performance Max campaigns. If you're not familiar, Performance Max campaigns use Google's AI to automatically place ads across Google's landscape after analyzing your budget, assets, feeds, and landing pages to predict valuable placements. . The new feature allows advertisers to have more control over these automated campaigns by providing specific topics or categories relevant to their business. This helps the AI system better understand what kind of traffic would be most beneficial for your business - better targeting means more relevant traffic, and more relevant traffic means higher conversion rates.Why should you care? Traditional keyword-based advertising has its limitations. For instance, if you've just launched a new product or entered a new market, you might not have enough data for effective keyword targeting. Search Themes fill this gap by allowing you to provide additional context about your business, helping Google to better understand and target your ads. You can add up to 25 search themes per ad group  in your Performance Max campaign, and these themes will be treated like phrases and broad match keywords in regular search campaigns.  Search themes will respect any brand exclusions and negative keywords you've set at the account level. This is a significant step towards giving advertisers more control over automated systems, which has been a long-standing request from the business community.Google has launched this feature in beta and plans to add more robust search term insights and guidance around utilizing Search Themes in 2024. Early feedback from pilot testers has been positive.2. Google's Latest Update on Structured Data! - Google has just rolled out an update that allows you to mix different types of structured data on your website. If you're wondering what structured data is, it's a way to label your website's content so search engines like Google can understand it better. This helps improve your website's visibility in search results, which is crucial for attracting more customers.Before this update, you had to choose between using JSON-LD or Microdata formats for your structured data. Each has its own pros and cons. JSON-LD is easier to maintain and read, while Microdata integrates directly into your HTML. Now, Google says it's okay to use both formats together. This flexibility can make your website more efficient and effective in communicating with search engines.Why is this important for you? Imagine you run a blog on your business website. Previously, you might have had to duplicate your article content in the structured data to make it understandable to Google, making your code bulky. With this update, you can use Microdata for the article content and JSON-LD for other metadata, avoiding unnecessary duplication. This means cleaner, more efficient code, which can lead to faster load times and a better user experience.This change is optional, so you don't have to rush to update your existing structured data. But it opens up new possibilities for optimizing your website. Whether you're looking to improve your site's SEO or streamline its code, this update offers a valuable opportunity to do both.3. Don't Let Google Penalize You: Avoid These Content Mistakes Now! - Are you aware that the type of content you publish on your website can either make or break your online presence? Google's Search Liaison, Danny Sullivan, recently shed light on what the search engine considers "unhelpful content." In simple terms, unhelpful content is material written primarily to rank well in search engine results, rather than to serve your audience's needs.Why should you care? Google is the gatekeeper to your online visibility. If your content is deemed unhelpful, it could seriously harm your website's search engine ranking. This means fewer people will find your business online, leading to lost opportunities and revenue.Sullivan pointed out that if you're writing articles like "20 Fun Things You Can Do Today" just to rank well for the term "fun things," then you're on the wrong track. The focus should be on creating content that is genuinely useful to your audience. He also cautioned against using tools that suggest what to write about based on what might rank well. According to him, this approach often leads to content that Google considers unhelpful.So, what's the takeaway? Shift your focus from trying to please search engines to meeting the needs of your audience. If someone asks a question and your content provides a clear answer, that's "people-first content." And guess what? Google loves it!Don't risk your online visibility by making easily avoidable mistakes. Make the shift to audience-focused content today and watch your online presence grow.P.S. Google's guidelines are not just rules but opportunities to improve. Take action now to align your content strategy with what truly matters!4. The Real Culprit Behind Your Website's Ranking Drop: It's Not CLS! - Have you noticed a sudden drop in your website's Google search rankings and are scrambling to find out why? You might be tempted to blame it on "Cumulative Layout Shift" (CLS), especially if you've recently received warnings about it from Google Search Console. But hold on, Google's John Mueller has made it clear: CLS is not the reason for sudden, significant drops in search rankings.Firstly, what is Cumulative Layout Shift? It's a metric that measures the visual stability of your website. For example, if elements on your webpage move around as it loads, that's a high CLS score, and it's generally considered bad for user experience. However, according to Mueller, even if you have issues with CLS, it's not going to cause a drastic drop in your Google rankings.Why is this important for you? Because focusing on the wrong issue can waste your valuable time and resources. Google has consistently stated that page experience signals, like Core Web Vitals (which includes CLS), are not significant ranking factors. They might act more like a "tie-breaker" than a major ranking signal. So, if you've seen a drop in traffic, the culprit is likely something else.In summary, while it's good to optimize for a better page experience, don't panic or "over-focus" on metrics like CLS when you see a drop in your rankings. Your time is better spent analyzing other potential issues that could have a more significant impact on your website's performance.P.S. Understanding what really affects your website's ranking can save you from unnecessary stress and help you focus on what truly matters for your business. Don't chase the wrong problems!5. Stop Blaming Your Web Host: The Real Story Behind Google's "Hostload Exceeded" Error! - If you've been scratching your head over the "Hostload Exceeded" error message on Google Search Console, you're not alone. This error has left many website owners puzzled, leading them to question their web hosting services. But Google's John Mueller has clarified that the issue is not with your web host; it's something else entirely.First, let's break down what "Hostload Exceeded" means. This error appears when you try to index your website's pages using Google Search Console. Indexing is crucial because it helps Google understand your website's content, making it searchable and visible to potential customers. So, when you see an error like this, it's natural to worry.However, Mueller has stated that the problem is not with your web host or even with Google's crawling and indexing processes. Instead, the issue arises when people "spam" the URL inspection tool by submitting too many URLs for indexing. In other words, the error is a result of user behavior, not a technical glitch or quality issue with your website.Why is this important? Because understanding the real cause behind this error can save you time and effort. You don't need to switch web hosts or make drastic changes to your website. Instead, be mindful of how many URLs you're submitting for indexing. Normal crawling and indexing by Google will happen naturally, so there's no need to force the process.P.S. Transparency and accurate information are key to solving problems. Don't waste time fixing what's not broken; focus on what truly matters for your website's success!6. Google's New Privacy Feature : IP Protection - Google is taking a significant step in enhancing user privacy with its new IP Protection feature for Chrome. If you're wondering what IP Protection is, it's a feature designed to mask users' original IP addresses, making it harder for websites to track them. This is crucial for you as a business owner because it could impact how you target and reach potential customers online.Why is IP Protection important? In today's digital age, privacy is a growing concern. Many users are wary of how their data is being used, and Google's new feature aims to address this by limiting cross-site tracking. This means that the feature could potentially disrupt traditional online advertising methods that rely on tracking users' behavior based on their IP addresses.Here's how it works: Users will need to opt-in to activate IP Protection. Initially, the feature will focus on Google-owned domains and be available for U.S.-based IP addresses. Google plans to roll out this feature in phases, starting with a single company-owned proxy server responsible for routing web traffic. Future updates will include a more complex system for added privacy.So, what does this mean for your business? If you rely heavily on targeted advertising, you may need to rethink your strategies. The feature is still in its early stages, but it's essential to stay ahead of the curve and consider how these privacy changes could affect your marketing efforts.P.S. Privacy is not just a user concern; it's a business concern too. Stay updated and adapt your strategies to meet the evolving digital landscape. Don't get left behind! 7. Google's Q3'23 Ad Revenue Bounces Back - Google's parent company, Alphabet Inc., has reported an 11% year-on-year increase in search advertising revenue for Q3 2023. If you're wondering why this matters to you, it's simple: this uptick indicates a stabilizing ad market, which could be a golden opportunity for your business.Why is this important? The 11% gain in search revenue is a significant improvement from the 5% loss reported in the previous quarter. This suggests that the digital advertising landscape is recovering, making it a ripe time for businesses like yours to invest in online advertising. Alphabet's CFO, Ruth Porat, stated that the "fundamental strength of our business was apparent again in Q3," with a total revenue of $77 billion, up 11% year over year.The report also highlighted a 12.5% increase in YouTube ad revenue, while Google's advertising network saw a 2.6% decline. However, this decline is an improvement over the previous quarter, signaling a positive trend. Sundar Pichai, Google's CEO, emphasized the role of AI-driven innovations in driving this growth, particularly in search and YouTube.8. IndexNow Impressive Growth : 1.4 Billion URLs Submitted Daily For Indexing - If you're a business owner with an online presence, you know how crucial it is for your website content to be up-to-date in search engine results. The problem? Search engines often lag behind in reflecting the latest changes on your website. This is where IndexNow comes in, a service that has made significant strides in solving this issue.Established two years ago, IndexNow aims to streamline how websites communicate their content changes to search engines. The service has seen exponential growth, with 60 million websites joining daily and a staggering 1.4 billion URLs submitted each day. The platform bridges the gap between search engine results and real-time website content by sending a simple "ping" to participating search engines whenever a URL is added, updated, or deleted. This ensures that search engines crawl only the updated content, making the process more efficient for both businesses and search engines.IndexNow is integrated with popular platforms like WordPress, Wix Premium, and Duda, making it easy for website owners to adopt. If you're using SEO plugins like Yoast, All-in-One SEO, RankMath, or SEOPress, IndexNow is already included. Even if you're not using these services, activating IndexNow is straightforward. All you need to do is generate an API key, host it on your web server, add the necessary code to your website, and monitor the details via webmaster tools.9. Microsoft's PubCenter Relaunch: The Google AdSense Alternative - If you're looking to monetize your website, Microsoft has relaunched its PubCenter as a compelling alternative to Google AdSense. For those unfamiliar with these terms, monetizing your website means displaying ads to earn revenue. Google AdSense has been the go-to platform for this, but Microsoft's PubCenter is stepping up as a strong competitor.Why should you care? PubCenter offers a way to display both native and display ads from Microsoft's advertising network. The platform is not new; it's been around since 2008. However, Microsoft is repositioning it as a U.S.-only pilot program. The process is simple: choose an ad format, add some code to your website, and start earning every time an ad is displayed. There are no signup costs, revenue minimums, or volume requirements.What sets PubCenter apart? Microsoft claims to offer "higher engagement and more revenue" compared to Google AdSense. The platform allows you to use their ads alongside Google AdSense ads, serving Microsoft's ads only when they predict a higher bid for you. This flexibility can be a game-changer for small and mid-sized publishers looking to maximize their ad revenue.Currently, PubCenter is open only to U.S.-based businesses, but if you're outside the U.S., you can join a waitlist for when international support is added. If you've been relying solely on Google AdSense, this could be the perfect time to diversify your revenue streams.10. Microsoft's Q3 Surge in Ad Revenue - Microsoft has just reported a remarkable 10% year-on-year increase in its search and news advertising revenue for Q3 2023. If you're not familiar with the world of online advertising, this is a significant metric that indicates the health of the digital advertising ecosystem. As a business owner, this news should catch your attention because it signals a recovering ad market and the growing importance of diversifying your advertising platforms.Why is this surge significant? For starters, it marks a substantial jump from last quarter's 3% increase. This growth suggests that ad spending is bouncing back after the economic downturn, offering a more fertile ground for your business to advertise and reach potential customers. Microsoft's overall revenue in productivity and business processes also rose by 13% to $18.6 billion, further emphasizing the company's strong market position.So, what does this mean for you? If you've been solely relying on Google for your online advertising, now might be the time to consider Microsoft's platforms as well. With the ad market recovering and Microsoft showing strong performance, diversifying your advertising strategy could be a wise move.11. Meta's Q3 Profits Skyrocket to $11.6 Billion - Meta Platforms, Inc., the parent company of social media giants like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has reported a staggering $11.6 billion in profits for Q3 2023.So, what's driving this success? Meta's Q3 revenue soared by 23% year-on-year to $34.15 billion. The company saw a 31% increase in ads viewed during the quarter, even though the average price per ad decreased by 6%. This is the smallest decline in seven quarters, signaling a robust ad market. Meta's CFO, Susan Li, attributes this to "ongoing improvements to ad targeting and measurement," which are driving better results for advertisers.Cost-cutting measures also played a role. Meta has reduced its workforce by about a third and cut expenses by 7% from a year earlier. The company is also heavily investing in AI-powered marketing planning and ad measurement to drive growth. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced plans to hire more AI-focused technologists, emphasizing the role of AI in the company's future.12. HubSpot and TikTok's Game-Changing Partnership For B2B Lead Generation - HubSpot and TikTok have joined forces to redefine B2B lead generation. If you're a business owner, you know how crucial lead generation is for growth. This partnership aims to make that process more efficient and cost-effective. HubSpot's CRM (Customer Relationship Management) platform will now integrate seamlessly with TikTok, allowing businesses to automatically capture leads from the social media giant. This is TikTok's first CRM lead generation collaboration.Why is this important? Small and medium-sized businesses are grappling with rising customer acquisition costs. HubSpot's research shows that 53% of such businesses in the U.S. have seen these costs go up from 2021 to 2022. TikTok, a platform where over half of its U.S. users discover new brands, aims to alleviate this issue.The integration offers automated lead capture from TikTok, turning its highly engaged audience into potential high-value customers. Once you link your TikTok for Business account with HubSpot, you can create lead-generation ads that automatically sync leads into HubSpot's CRM in real-time. This centralizes all your prospects, making it easier to manage your sales funnel. Plus, you can engage with these new leads using HubSpot's Marketing Hub and determine the effectiveness of your campaigns through AI-powered analytics.As an added incentive, the first 500 advertisers to integrate HubSpot CRM with TikTok will receive $200 in TikTok ad credits. Currently, this integration is only available in the U.S. and Canada but is expected to expand to other countries soon.

Welcome back to another episode of the Niche Pursuits News podcast! You definitely don't want to miss this one as it's packed with interesting insights and thoughts about events over the last week in SEO. After Spencer talks briefly about his positive experience promoting Link Whisper at FinCon, he and Jared dive headfirst into the big news of the week: Spencer's unexpectedly controversial post on X about how Google is slowly killing blogging.  Much to his (and everyone's) surprise, Danny Sullivan, from Google, responded to his post and offered a few helpful tips and takeaways from the HCU. This exchange generated a lot of debate about the topic—over 130 threads on Spencer's original post.  Spencer and Jared talk about the general confusion among site owners and content creators over the HCU and their efforts to understand what Google wants, and although Danny references this document to help people, people remain very confused and frustrated. They also talk about the difference between the HCU and previous updates like Panda and Penguin, and encourage everyone to check out the original post on X. Moving on, Spencer and Jared talk about the latest news about Reddit, as the platform is threatening to block Google. This decision hinges on Reddit's ability to reach deals with generative AI companies to pay for its data. What might happen to Reddit if it goes through with it? What would be the ripple effect? And what about the other 500+ companies that have already blocked their content from being scraped by AI? What would Spencer and Jared do if they ran Reddit? Tune in to hear them discuss the possibilities. The next big news is that the DALL-E 3 image generator is available in ChatGPT and it's free. With the right prompts, you can create whatever images you want.  Spencer shares a few images he created using the tool, Jared talks about using it to successfully create YouTube thumbnails, and they discuss the quality of the images it creates. As for Shiny Object Shenanigans, Spencer starts by talking about his most recent results with the Amazon Influencer Program. He shares that his videos are back in the carousel and his earnings are around $2k for the month.  Although he's finally cash flow positive with this side hustle, with 767 videos currently, what will the coming months hold in terms of earnings? Also, who's making more at the moment, Spencer or Jared? Listen to the podcast to find out which host is in the lead. Jared then talks about growing his Weekender Growth email list, which is now at 3k subscribers.  He shares his challenges growing the YouTube channel, which has about 12 videos, +1k subscribers, and 2000 watch hours. He hopes to monetize it in the coming months, so stay tuned to see how that evolves! As for weird niche sites, Spencer's find of the week is the very colorful Sound Buttons World, which receives 575k visitors per month from organic search and has tons of sounds that users can download or link to.  He and Jared look at the site's exponential growth and discuss why that may be, and they look at the types of keywords the site is ranking for. Jared shares his weird niche site, Day of the Week, which provides a lot of information about the days of the week, everything from the zodiac, birthstones, historical events, and more.  This DR26 site ranks for 60k keywords, and Jared and Spencer are very surprised when they take a closer look at those keywords and at the type of ads running on the site. Listen to find out why! And that brings us to the end of the latest episode of Niche Pursuits News! Hopefully, you're feeling informed and inspired. Tune in next week when Spencer and Jared take on more SEO, digital marketing, and niche site creation news. Be sure to get more content like this in the Niche Pursuits Newsletter Right Here: https://www.nichepursuits.com/newsletter Want a Faster and Easier Way to Build Internal Links? Get $15 off Link Whisper with Discount Code "Podcast" on the Checkout Screen: https://www.nichepursuits.com/linkwhisper Get SEO Consulting from the Niche Pursuits Podcast Host, Jared Bauman: https://www.nichepursuits.com/201creative 

In this episode we're joined by our former host, Kelvin Newman.Kelvin runs Rough Agenda, a specialist marketing events company, based here in the UK. Rough Agenda is well known for housing the world's largest search marketing conference, brightonSEO. brightonSEO has been running for 13 years and welcomes over 3000 marketers twice a year in Brighton, UK.…and it's about to get even bigger.Kelvin and his team are heading to San Diego on the 9th and 10th November 2023 for the very first brightonSEO US event.In this episode Kelvin joins us to share a behind the scenes look at what it's taken to organise brightonSEO US, and a preview of what attendees can expect.If you have any questions that you'd like to ask the keynote speaker at the event, Danny Sullivan, Public Liaison for Search at Google, you can add them here.COMPETITIONKelvin is giving away 5 tickets for each day of brightonSEO US, taking place on 9th & 10th November 2023 at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego.To enter, email Kelvin at kelvin@brightonseo.com with the subject line ‘Podcast Competition' and note the day you want to attend in the email.Kelvin will keep the competition open for a week after this podcast airs, with winners being selected at random and contacted shortly afterwards.Connect w/ Kelvin/brightonSEO:us.brightonseo.comhttps://twitter.com/brightonseohttps://www.linkedin.com/company/brightonseo/https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelvinnewmanConnect with Scott:https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottcolenutt/Connect w/ SiteVisibility:https://www.sitevisibility.co.uk/https://twitter.com/sitevisibilityhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/sitevisibility-a-division-of-ai-digital-ltd/https://www.instagram.com/sitevisibility/https://www.tiktok.com/@sitevisibilityhttps://www.youtube.com/@SiteVisibility/https://www.threads.net/@sitevisibilityIf you'd like to work with us, you'd like to feature on the podcast, or you have a guest or topic recommendation, please email marketing@sitevisibility.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Does SEO demand that you prune old content from your website? And, Gyi and Conrad pick The Face and The Guest during round 3 of the marketing dream team draft. ----- Improving your SEO performance is always a good idea, but there have been disagreements of late as to whether deleting underperforming content is a means to that end. So, what's the deal? Should you, indeed, prune legacy content? As usual, the answer may not be black and white, but Gyi and Conrad draw from their years of experience to explain how to analyze performance in order to decide what to do with older content.  Later, time for round three of drafting your marketing dream team! Conrad picks The Face—an individual your law firm puts forward to rally affinity toward your business. Gyi picks… The Guest! Who's that? Someone whose respected expertise translates into podcasts, events, speaking engagements, and more.  The News: So, CNET is deleting old articles to try to improve its Google Search ranking. Google's Danny Sullivan and John Mueller say, “No, absolutely not”, but Gyi and Conrad say, “Hmm…” Also sensational—The ABA just pulled an Op-Ed on lawyer reforms —what's that all about?  Lawmatics has some cool new features, and so does CallRail Labs. Could it be that they both listened to this LHLM?   Mentioned in this Episode: Our other Marketing Dream Team picks: Round 1 Round 2 Leave Us an Apple Review  Lunch Hour Legal Marketing now on YouTube  Lunch Hour Legal Marketing on TikTok  

Does SEO demand that you prune old content from your website? And, Gyi and Conrad pick The Face and The Guest during round 3 of the marketing dream team draft. ----- Improving your SEO performance is always a good idea, but there have been disagreements of late as to whether deleting underperforming content is a means to that end. So, what's the deal? Should you, indeed, prune legacy content? As usual, the answer may not be black and white, but Gyi and Conrad draw from their years of experience to explain how to analyze performance in order to decide what to do with older content.  Later, time for round three of drafting your marketing dream team! Conrad picks The Face—an individual your law firm puts forward to rally affinity toward your business. Gyi picks… The Guest! Who's that? Someone whose respected expertise translates into podcasts, events, speaking engagements, and more.  The News: So, CNET is deleting old articles to try to improve its Google Search ranking. Google's Danny Sullivan and John Mueller say, “No, absolutely not”, but Gyi and Conrad say, “Hmm…” Also sensational—The ABA just pulled an Op-Ed on lawyer reforms —what's that all about?  Lawmatics has some cool new features, and so does CallRail Labs. Could it be that they both listened to this LHLM?   Mentioned in this Episode: Our other Marketing Dream Team picks: Round 1 Round 2 Leave Us an Apple Review  Lunch Hour Legal Marketing now on YouTube  Lunch Hour Legal Marketing on TikTok  

 In this episode of the SEO 101 Podcast, we discuss an anticipated Google algorithm update, Danny Sullivan's views on AI-generated content, and the diminishing link reports in Google Search Console. We also cover Google's bug fix in News indexing, the discontinuation of the related search operator, and the performance-enhancing WordPress V6.3 update. Insights from the Washington Post's SEO guidelines are shared, and a recent poll on SEO strategies for category/tag pages is analyzed. Finally, we touch on local SEO, sharing strategies for handling negative reviews. Tune in for these crucial SEO updates and insights.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In 2015, Indy 500 winner and racing legend Danny Sullivan joined A.J. trackside from The Thermal Club for the CarStories.com podcast.  They discuss his astonishing career in racing, his fames "spin and win" move and being the guest of honor at the 1st annual Petersen Invitational.