A founder told me they shoot everything on iPhone. Smart product, growing company—yet their average deal was $85,000. One low-quality LinkedIn video can make a CIO scroll past in seconds and cost you a high-value sale. The Three-Second Credibility Window Users form impressions almost instantly. In B2B, you have roughly three seconds to look competent and credible. Common failure signals: verbal fillers, wandering eyes, awkward pacing, and weak vocal dynamics. These minute details determine whether a prospect trusts you enough to engage. Why Perceived Cheapness Equals Real Cost Poor production signals unprofessionalism and erodes trust. Research shows high-quality video boosts conversions dramatically—landing pages, product pages, and campaign performance benefit most. Losing one six-figure opportunity because of a five-second scroll far outweighs the cost of professional production. Where DIY Works — and Where It Fails Smartphone video is fine for casual updates and quick social content. It fails for high-stakes marketing, investor pitches, trade shows, and enterprise sales where polish, lighting, and clean audio matter. Quality is about strategy and post-production, not just the camera. The Hidden Factor: Performance Coaching Equipment alone won’t fix a weak on-camera presence. Coaching turns nervous founders into confident communicators who command attention and inspire team buy-in. That performance uplift creates referrals, internal momentum, and better business outcomes. Starter Package: Affordable, Strategic Entry We offer a Starter Package ($1,200–$1,500) that delivers a fast, measurable lift—trade shows, sales decks, and LinkedIn content that converts. It’s priced to be an easy decision and designed to prove ROI quickly. What “Professional” Actually Means Professional work is a system: pre-production strategy, superior capture, on-camera coaching, and expert post-production (editing, color, sound). That system signals credibility and closes more deals. The Real Question to Ask How many prospects scroll past your video in the first three seconds? How many deals are…

Poor conversions usually come from unclear offers, not bad design. Nail your value proposition first — then let design amplify it. Core Points Low conversions = unclear value proposition, not visuals. Clear messaging beats fancy design in conversion tests. Offer clarity makes sales, marketing, and support work better. Strategy + execution integration prevents value leakage across handoffs. Why Teams Blame Design Companies repeatedly spend time and money on redesigns after growth stalls. A new site often converts the same or worse because the underlying offer is unchanged. Presentation doesn’t create substance — offer clarity does. Data-Driven Reality Sites with explicit calls-to-action convert about 42% better. Landing pages focused on one promise outperform general pages (median ~6.6%, top >11%). Fast, focused pages beat slow, decorative ones — every extra second costs conversions. Real Example A telecom rep doubled open rates and became the top seller by changing a subject line to speak directly to prospects’ pain (not their product). Same design, different framing — huge impact. Where Value Leaks Separate strategy, copy, design, and development creates translation loss. Each handoff dilutes the original value proposition until visitors see a vague message. Integrate strategy into copy and design so the offer survives to the page. Quick Diagnostic Can you state your offer in one sentence that makes someone lean forward? Does a stranger understand your offer after a 5-second glance at your homepage? Have you A/B tested offer framings with real prospects? Action Plan Define one specific offer targeted at one audience segment. Test headlines, CTAs, and landing pages before redesigning the site. Integrate strategy → copy → design with no isolated handoffs. Optimize for speed and a single, distraction-free path to the offer. Bottom Line Design amplifies a strong offer but won’t create one. Fix your value proposition first. Once your…

How Sanjay Tulsiani Turned 800 Followers Into 14,000 and Kept His Business Growing for a Decade I need to tell you about a transformation that changed how I think about video production. In 2012, I started working with Tech2 Business Solutions in Chicago, Illinois. Sanjay Tulsiani, the President, was a startup entrepreneur trying to make his staffing company succeed. His social media following sat at around 800 people. His web presence was minimal. And he was fighting an uphill battle for public perception in a competitive market where perception determines survival. He needed more than a video. He needed a communication system that could bypass the noise and connect directly with clients and candidates. The Before State: When Good Intentions Meet Amateur Execution Before we started working together, the company was doing what most organizations do – they were trying. They had people on camera. They were posting content. They were making an effort. The problem wasn’t effort. The problem was execution. When you watch someone on camera who hasn’t been coached, you see it immediately. The ums and ahs. The eyes drifting off-screen. The awkward pacing back and forth like they’ve got a rock in their shoe. No physical cues to punctuate their points — you know, the classic one-two-three finger count that gives viewers a visual anchor. No measured timbre in their voice. No ability to punch down specific points with the kind of emphasis that makes people lean in. I call it the baptist preacher problem. You need to be able to preach a little bit to get your point across on camera. Most people can’t do that without training. And here’s what the research confirms: 89% of consumers report that video quality significantly influences their trust in a brand. When your video looks amateur, people make…

Video Marketing, I tested algorithm changes. Live video works. But only if it’s properly produced. No Apologies. Full Stop. We used to believe raw, unpolished content was authentic—that audiences craved the unfiltered, rough-around-the-edges approach. We bought into the narrative that high production values made content feel staged or corporate. We thought the way to connect was to just turn on a camera and let it roll, imperfections and all. That assumption cost us reach, repeat views, and actual revenue. The data we tracked across multiple campaigns told a completely different story. High-production UGC content consistently outperformed low-production content in every metric that mattered—watch time, shares, conversion rates, and return on investment. The content that looked professional got distribution. The content that looked amateur got ignored. Words like amateur, unprofessional, cringeworthy echo the buyer’s viewpoints. We realized the platforms weren’t rewarding authenticity for its own sake. They were rewarding content that kept viewers engaged long enough to serve more ads. Production quality directly influenced retention, and retention directly influenced algorithmic distribution. The shift happened when we stopped treating production value as optional. We invested in lighting, audio equipment, and environments that made subject matter experts look credible on camera. We maintained authenticity while eliminating the visual and auditory friction that caused viewers to scroll past. The results were immediate. Reach expanded. Repeat views increased. The ROI on campaigns with higher production standards outpaced everything we had done before. This pattern held across industries. The creators making sustainable revenue were not the ones filming in their bathrooms with poor lighting, crappy cameras and horrible audio—they were the ones who understood that production infrastructure amplifies message clarity without sacrificing genuine delivery. Authenticity and production quality are not opposing forces. They work together when you understand that audiences respond to content that respects their…

We’ve spent 35 years building marketing strategies and digital content across more than a billion dollars in portfolio work. The shift we’re seeing right now confirms what we’ve known works—and we…

I’ve watched this pattern repeat for years. A business owner sits across from me, frustrated, explaining how their last three agencies failed them. The stories sound different on the surface, but the…

I used to think live video was just another format option—something you could test when you had extra bandwidth or when you felt ready.I was wrong.After working with businesses across multiple…

Why You Keep Firing Marketing Agencies (And Why It’s Not Really Their Fault) I’ve watched the same pattern repeat for years. A mid-tier business hits a growth ceiling, hires a marketing agency, gets excited about the strategic deck, waits three months, sees underwhelming results, and starts the search again. The cycle costs more than money. Every restart means re-explaining your business model, re-educating a new team about your market position, and re-building trust from zero. Marketing agency employee turnover hits 30% annually, which means if you’ve partnered with an agency for six years, you’ve educated and re-educated two complete teams. But here’s what I’ve realized after watching this happen across dozens of businesses: the problem isn’t the agencies. The problem is the gap between what you know and what you can articulate. The Founder’s Paradox: When Instinct Becomes the Bottleneck You built your business on pattern recognition. You saw an opportunity others missed, made decisions faster than your competitors could analyze, and trusted your gut when the data wasn’t clear yet. That instinct created your initial success. It’s also what’s preventing you from scaling. When you hire an agency, you’re asking them to amplify a strategy that exists primarily in your head. You know what differentiates you in the market. You understand why certain messaging resonates with your best customers. You can feel when a campaign direction is off-brand. But can you explain it in a way that survives translation through three account managers, two copywriters, and a graphic designer who’s never met you? I used to think this was a vendor selection problem. Find the right agency, pay them enough, give them access to leadership, and they’ll figure it out. After testing that theory across multiple partnerships, I realized the assumption was wrong. Decision-makers are surprisingly willing to go…

We’ve watched search behavior shift more in the past eighteen months than in the previous decade combined. The data tells a story most agencies haven’t processed yet.Half of consumers now…

I’ve watched hundreds of companies generate thousands of leads and convert almost none of them. The pattern repeats so consistently that I stopped calling it a marketing problem years ago.It’s a…

Over 35 years, we’ve produced more than 850 websites. And we’ve watched the same pattern repeat across hundreds of clients: a business invests in a beautiful website. The design wins awards. The…

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences signed a deal that gives YouTube exclusive global rights to the Oscars starting in 2029. Not a streaming partnership. Not a simulcast. Exclusive…

I spent fifteen years watching businesses optimize their way to the top of search results, only to discover that nobody clicked.The pattern became impossible to ignore around 2023. Clients would…

YouTube Became Digital Headquarters While Everyone Was Chasing TikTok Daniel Elliott I used to think social media was about building followers. That’s what everyone said—grow your audience, engage your community, post consistently to your network. Then I watched the data shift underneath that entire premise. The platforms changed the game. They stopped showing your content to people who follow you and started showing it to people who might be interested in it. Half your reach now comes from non-followers. The algorithm doesn’t care about your social graph anymore—it cares about interest signals. This isn’t social media. It’s interest media. And the structural implications of that shift are bigger than most people realize. The Platform That Ate Television YouTube commands a larger share of global social media time than TikTok and Instagram combined. People worldwide spend almost twice as much total time on YouTube as they do on the next closest platform. That’s not preference. That’s dominance. But here’s the pattern that reveals the real transformation: In early 2025, YouTube’s CEO confirmed that Americans now watch more YouTube on TV screens than on smartphones. YouTube amassed 45.1 billion viewer hours in the first half of 2025, with TV screens accounting for 36% of total viewing—narrowly ahead of web at 35% and mobile at 29%. YouTube evolved beyond mobile-first. It became the living room default. This matters because the context of consumption determines the type of content that wins. When people watch on their phones, they’re filling gaps—waiting in line, riding the bus, killing time between meetings. When they watch on their TVs, they’re choosing to sit down and invest attention. That’s why the barbell strategy works. Ultra-Short Plus Ultra-Long Beats Everything In Between The data validates what I’ve been observing across dozens of client implementations: You need both ends of the content spectrum,…

Many believe AI content is inherently bland. I disagree. From my observations, the issue lies in *how* AI is leveraged. There’s a method to make it truly authentic. The objection I hear most: “AI content sounds robotic.” Fair. Most of it does. But observe the pattern closely. The issue is rarely the technology itself. The failure happens at the input layer. When you feed a model generic prompts, you get the same recycled noise everyone else publishes. The mechanism flips when you train it on *your* actual strategy. Your positioning. The specific reality of your audience segments. Suddenly, the output stops drifting. We aren’t trying to replace human creativity. We are removing the structural friction between idea and execution. When the system understands your constraints, the words hit differently. They carry weight. -> Precision inputs create distinct outputs. If you ignore the strategic architecture, you can’t blame the tool for being shallow. Does this match your experience? Like and comment “Friction” if you’re ready to stop sounding like a bot 🤖

My own tests have revealed a significant pattern: algorithms no longer care who follows you. This deep dive into platform mechanics shows the real leverage points you’re missing. I uncovered how interest media changed everything. For the longest time, I genuinely thought that follower count was the floor. You know, the safety net. If you had the numbers, you had the reach. But looking at the backend data from the last few months, that safety net has holes in it. Big ones. I realized I was optimizing my entire strategy for a ghost. The social graph—that direct line between you and the people who clicked “subscribe”—has basically dissolved. We are operating in an interest economy now. Here is what that actually means for the work we do. YouTube and Facebook aren’t looking at who follows you to decide distribution. They are looking at the video itself. They are asking: does this specific piece of content hold attention right now? If the answer is yes, they find the audience for you. If the answer is no, your follower count is irrelevant. The machine prioritizes retention over relationship. This was a hard pill to swallow because it means we can’t coast on past wins. You have to re-earn attention with every single post. I watched high-production generic content die on the vine, while hyper-specific, focused clips with zero production value found massive reach. The difference wasn’t quality. The difference was specificity. Specific inputs get specific distribution. Generic inputs get ignored. So the strategy has to change. Instead of trying to be a “creator” that people follow, you have to be the source of a specific interest that algorithms can categorize. You need to be so clearly defined that the system knows exactly where to slot you. Specificity wins because it reduces the…

If you feel your business is stuck, it’s often not your vision. It’s how your positioning gets translated—or not—by agencies. There’s a subtle shift that changes everything. You hand off a crystal clear idea. By the time it hits the feed? It’s weak. Diluted. 📉 I see this constantly. You aren’t losing because the market is “too crowded.” You’re losing because of the handoff. The copywriter guesses. The designer guesses. And you pay for the confusion. That’s expensive friction. We have to stop treating communication like a relay race where everyone drops the baton. You need continuity. One brain. One system. You need me. When the strategy actually informs the output… the noise just stops. Does this resonate with your current setup? DM me ‘CLARITY’ if you want to fix the architecture. #businessowner #marketingstrategy #positioning #growth #agencyproblems #midmarket

Two companies- same market, same capital. One thrives, the other barely survives. The difference- it’s rarely strategy. It’s how they fundamentally frame marketing’s role. Most see it as a line item. A necessary evil you try to minimize, like paying the electric bill. But the ones winning? They treat it as infrastructure. I’ve seen this pattern destroy growth plans that looked perfect on paper. The budget was there. The talent was there. But the intent was transactional. When you treat communication as an expense, you look for the cheapest way to get loud. You buy ads. You rent attention. And the second you stop paying, the silence is deafening. That is high-entropy marketing. It dissipates the moment the check clears. Infrastructure is different. You build it once, and it carries value forever. Think about it. If you spend $10k on ads, that money is gone. Burned fuel. If you spend $10k building a content engine that articulates your core methodology… that asset works for you next month. Next year. Five years from now. Same cost. Radical difference in value retention. You have to decide if you are renting your market position or building the rails your revenue runs on. One is a tax you pay to platforms. The other is equity you build in your own system. If you feel like you’re starting from zero every January, you aren’t investing. You’re just spending. Drop a “🏗️” if you’re done renting attention. Or, better yet, click here, and let’s get you started.

This isn’t about replacing humans with AI; it’s about making your strategic mind an unstoppable force. I used to think volume was the variable that mattered. I thought if we just published more, the authority would follow. Nope. I was looking at it the wrong way. The market doesn’t need more noise. It’s already full of entropy—thousands of generic pages churned out by bots that don’t understand context. If you try to compete on volume now, you lose. Differentiation comes from structure. It comes from architecture. We have to stop asking the software to be the “writer” and start using it as the engineer. The human mind is still the only thing capable of connecting a commercial intent to a genuine insight. That’s your job. You can’t delegate the thinking. But you can—and should—delegate the friction. Use the machine to lock down the technical floor that most people skip because it’s tedious. Have it audit the technical weaknesses you miss Let it write the schema markup that helps the engines read your site Use it to polish meta tags and headers so the structure is bulletproof When you do this, you aren’t just creating content. You are building a system where the “boring” technical elements support the creative strategy. The result isn’t just a spike in traffic. It is predictability. It removes the variance. You stop hoping the algorithm picks you up and start forcing it to recognize your authority because the foundation is too solid to ignore. That is how you double the result. Not by writing faster, but by building stronger. Are you using AI to think, or to build? Drop a like if you’re tired of the noise. Comment “Structure” if you are ready to build a real foundation.

The Lead Generation Advice Industry Has an Execution Problem I’ve spent two decades watching the gap between what people say works in lead generation and what actually produces revenue. The distance between those two points keeps growing. Here’s what I’ve observed: the people creating most of the lead generation frameworks you’re following have never had to hit a quota under their own name. They’ve never felt the pressure of a pipeline that needs to convert by Friday or the business doesn’t make payroll. They’ve never had to look a client in the eye and explain why the strategy they sold didn’t produce the leads they promised. They build theories. You live with the consequences. The Credential Gap Nobody Talks About Walk through any marketing conference. Scan the speaker lineup. Count how many of those experts offering lead generation advice have actually generated leads as their primary revenue responsibility in the last three years. Not managed a team that does it. Not consulted on it. Actually done it—where their income depended on the conversion rate. The number is smaller than you think. I’ve noticed something consistent across consultants who only prescribe recommendations without offering to fulfill the work themselves. It’s a clear signal they may not have the marketing skills or practical experience in the field they’re providing advice for. This isn’t speculation—it’s pattern recognition across hundreds of engagements where I’ve seen the aftermath of theoretical advice meeting operational reality. The research backs this up. Practical experience, a solid understanding of marketing strategies, and a track record of successful projects outweigh formal education in this field. Yet the industry remains flooded with theorists who’ve never personally hit a quota. Why Most Lead Generation Strategies Fail at Implementation Over 60% of marketers report that generating high-quality leads is their biggest challenge. Think…

YouTube’s Algorithm Doesn’t Push Videos Anymore—And That Changes Everything About How You Build Reach I’ve spent two decades watching platforms manipulate creator success through opaque distribution systems. YouTube just broke that pattern. The platform’s 20th anniversary report reveals something I’ve been tracking for months but couldn’t fully articulate until now. YouTube shifted from a subscriber-broadcast model to an interest-based discovery system. The algorithm doesn’t push content to audiences anymore. Viewers control what gets recommended to them through their watch history and engagement patterns. This isn’t a minor adjustment to how content gets distributed. This is a structural recalibration that eliminates the artificial barrier between new creators and established channels. The Subscriber Count Myth Just Collapsed Small channels have a real shot at wide reach now. The algorithm cares more about viewer response than subscriber counts or upload history. If a video hooks the right audience, it gets recommended regardless of who made it. I tested this with a client last quarter. We launched a new channel with zero subscribers. Within three weeks, one video hit 47,000 views. The channel had 12 subscribers at the time. That doesn’t happen in a subscriber-dependent system. YouTube’s Director of Growth confirmed this through built-in viewer surveys that collect feedback on how people feel about what they watched. The platform optimizes for satisfaction over watch time. This means quality of engagement beats quantity of followers. The implication for mid-growth companies is significant: You can rebuild reach quickly if you lose platform access. Your audience isn’t trapped behind a subscriber wall anymore. Content quality and viewer response determine distribution, not historical follower count. TV Screens Now Dominate YouTube Consumption YouTube amassed 45.1 billion viewer hours between January and June 2025. TV screens accounted for 36% of total viewer hours—16.3 billion hours. That’s more than mobile devices…

Youtube Marketing: It will replace your website. YouTube is quietly replacing cable in Dallas–Fort Worth, and most local businesses are still treating it like a side project. In the next few years, your YouTube channel could actually become more important to your business than your website—if you use it strategically. DFW Business Owners: Your YouTube Channel Will Beat Your Website (If You Start Now) Right now, people in Dallas–Fort Worth are spending hours every day on YouTube—on their phones, on their laptops, and on their TVs instead of traditional cable. In the next five to ten years, your company’s YouTube channel could be more important to your business than your website. And for most DFW businesses, that’s a massive opportunity—because your competitors are not ready for it. In this video, I’m going to show you how to turn YouTube into a local client machine for your Dallas–Fort Worth business, without turning you into a full‑time video producer. Stay with me to the end, and I’ll give you a simple weekly plan you can run from a single studio session that builds your brand, your pipeline, and your authority right here in North Texas. Part 1 – Your YouTube channel is your new “digital headquarters” If you’re like most business owners in DFW, you still think of YouTube as “that place we upload a video once in a while.” That mindset is costing you money. YouTube is now the center of global entertainment and one of the top places people go to learn, research, and make buying decisions. Unlike other platforms, your content on YouTube compounds over time—one great video can keep bringing you views and leads for months or even years. So I want you to start thinking about your channel as your digital headquarters for Dallas–Fort Worth: It’s your…

The $47,000 Redirect My Client Forgot to Map I watched a client lose half their organic traffic in 72 hours. Not because their new website was bad. It was beautiful—clean design, fast load times, mobile responsive, the whole package. The problem was invisible to everyone who approved the launch. Every URL had changed. And nobody had mapped where the old ones should point. Within three days, Google started dropping pages from the index. Within two weeks, their lead flow dried up. The math was brutal—this particular client generated about $47,000 per month from organic search traffic. Most of that evaporated because they failed to preserve the connection between what Google knew and where it actually lived. This wasn’t a theoretical problem. I had to call them and explain that their investment in a new website had just destroyed most of their digital equity. That conversation taught them more about the gap between design execution and technical continuity than any certification course ever could. The Pattern I Keep Seeing Here’s what happens in most website redesign projects. A business decides they need a new website. The current one feels dated, or it doesn’t reflect where they’re headed, or a competitor just launched something that makes theirs look amateur. All valid reasons. They hire a designer or agency. Mockups get created. Revisions happen. Everyone focuses on visual hierarchy, color psychology, conversion optimization, user experience. The new site gets built in a staging environment. It looks incredible. Then launch day arrives. The old site comes down. The new site goes up. And if you’re lucky, someone remembered to set up basic redirects for the homepage and maybe a few major pages. But the deep pages—the ones that have been accumulating backlinks and ranking for long-tail keywords for years? Those often get left behind….

The Partnership ModelThat’s Replacing Traditional Agency Relationships I’ve watched the agency-client relationship crack apart over the past decade. The model that worked for years—hire specialists, coordinate deliverables, manage vendors—is collapsing under its own weight. The fragmentation isn’t just inefficient anymore. It’s become economically unsustainable. What I’m seeing emerge in its place isn’t a minor adjustment to how agencies and clients work together. It’s a fundamental restructuring of the partnership model itself, driven by coordination costs that now exceed the value individual specialists deliver. Here’s where I think we’re headed in the next three to five years. The Fragmented Model Is Dying From Coordination Loss The traditional approach—strategic consultant over here, creative agency over there, media buyer somewhere else, content producer in another building—made sense when each specialist operated in a distinct domain with clear handoff points. That world doesn’t exist anymore. What I’m observing across mid-tier businesses is this: the cost of coordinating multiple vendors now consumes more resources than the specialized expertise delivers in return. Internal teams report spending 30% more time on coordination than execution when working with fragmented service providers. The math doesn’t work. Research shows that fragmented brand and marketing efforts waste 30-40% of marketing budgets while simultaneously eroding the premium positioning that drives profitability. You’re not just paying for the specialist work. You’re paying for the gaps between specialists. Every handoff point introduces friction. Strategic intent gets diluted in translation. Creative concepts lose coherence across execution channels. Timeline delays compound as dependencies multiply. Quality degrades when no single entity owns the complete outcome. The hidden cost structure looks like this: Time spent briefing multiple vendors on the same strategic context Energy lost managing conflicting recommendations from specialists who don’t coordinate Revenue opportunity missed while waiting for sequential handoffs to complete Brand coherence eroded when execution…

The Agency Graveyard: Why You Keep Firing Partners and Hiring the Same Problem I’ve watched this pattern repeat for years. A business owner sits across from me, frustrated, explaining how their last three agencies failed them. The stories sound different on the surface, but the structure is identical. “They didn’t get our vision.” “They couldn’t execute what we needed.” “The relationship just stopped working.” Here’s what I’ve learned: the agency wasn’t the problem. The problem was sitting in the chair telling me about the agency. The Briefing Blind Spot Let me show you something that stopped me cold when I first saw it. Research from the BetterBriefs Project surveyed over 1,700 marketers and agency staff across 70+ countries. They found that 80% of marketers think they write good briefs. Only 10% of creative agencies agree. That’s not a small perception gap. That’s a canyon. The same research revealed something even more damaging: an estimated 33% of marketing budgets are wasted due to poor briefs and misdirected work. In the UK specifically, marketers estimate 26% of their budget evaporates because they can’t articulate what they actually need. Think about that for a second. One-third of your spend disappears before the agency even has a chance to fail you. But here’s the part that really matters: three in five marketers admit to using the creative process to clarify the strategy. They’re not briefing agencies. They’re using agencies as expensive thinking partners to figure out what they should have known before the engagement started. The Founder’s Paradox I used to think this was just a communication problem. Bad briefs, unclear expectations, misaligned objectives. Fix the input, fix the output. Then I started noticing something deeper. The instincts that built your business are now preventing it from scaling. The same decisive action that got…

The pattern repeats with disturbing consistency. A business owner hires what looks like the perfect marketing partner. Six months later, they’re hemorrhaging money with nothing to show for it. A year later, they’re starting over with someone new, carrying the scar tissue from the last disaster. The average client-agency relationship longevity sits at 3.2 years. For smaller agencies, that number drops closer to 2 years. But here’s what those statistics hide – most of those relationships were dead long before the contract ended. They just kept lurching forward on autopilot, burning budget and generating mediocre work nobody believed in. I used to think the problem was incompetence. Bad agencies hiring bad people doing bad work. I was wrong. The real problem is structural. The way most business owners select marketing partners guarantees failure before the first invoice gets paid. You’re making predictable mistakes in a predictable sequence, and the agencies you’re hiring are perfectly designed to exploit every single one of them. Here are the 5 rules I wish someone had told me before I learned them the expensive way. Rule 1: The Skinny Chef Test Would you hire a personal trainer who’s 40 pounds overweight? Would you trust a financial advisor who just declared bankruptcy? Then why are you hiring a marketing agency whose own marketing looks like it was assembled by a high school intern during lunch break? I call this the Skinny Chef Test. If the chef is overweight, the food probably isn’t that good. If the marketing agency can’t market themselves effectively, they definitely can’t market you. Look at their website. Actually look at it. Is it fast? Is the copy clear? Does it make you want to keep reading? Or does it feel like every other agency website you’ve seen – vague promises, stock photos,…

Why do you keep hiring the same problem? You’re frustrated with agencies, I get it. But what if the ‘problem agency’ isn’t who you think it is? There’s a subtle root cause. I’ve watched this cycle repeat until I’m blue in the face. A founder sits across from me, totally drained, explaining how their last three partners failed to deliver. The stories always sound different on the surface, but the mechanics are identical. “They didn’t get the vision” or “The execution was off.” Here is what I’ve learned from being on both sides of the table: Usually, the agency wasn’t the problem. The problem was sitting in the chair telling me about the agency. See, we have a blind spot. A massive one. There’s this data from the BetterBriefs Project that stopped me cold. They found that 80% of marketers believe they write clear, effective briefs. But only 10% of agencies agree. That isn’t a small disconnect. That is a canyon. And in that canyon, 33% of marketing budgets just evaporate. Poof. Gone before the work even starts. Why? Because you’re asking outsiders to read your mind. You write a brief that feels complete because you’ve been living inside your business for a decade. The context is obvious to you. The constraints are intuitive. But to them, it’s just words on a page without the texture of your experience. So they do what any rational human does when they lack information → they guess. They interpolate. They assume. And they get it wrong. This is the hard part to swallow. You aren’t hiring agencies to solve a communication problem. You are likely hiring them to solve a systems problem you haven’t diagnosed yet. Your business has outgrown your instincts. The hands-on control that made you successful in year one is…

Nine years without a single update. I thought I’d seen it all, but this story unveils a profound, systemic breakdown in trust and partnership. We had to make the call. The kind of phone call that makes your stomach turn because you have to tell a business owner they’ve been burning cash for nothing. Their previous agency hadn’t touched the site’s backend in nine years. That is essentially running Windows 95 while your competitors are leveraging AI. Silence. That’s what usually kills companies. Not the loud mistakes… but the quiet drift. This situation exposes the rot in the standard “vendor” model. Most practitioners treat communication output as a static artifact—a one-time transaction rather than a living mechanism within a conversion system. They optimize for the billing cycle, not the outcome. When you separate strategic conception from execution accountability, you create a massive gap where value just leaks out, day after day, for nine years. The client pays for safety. They get decay. We had to break the bad news. We didn’t just fix the code. We had to recalibrate their entire understanding of what a partnership looks like. Because true partnership implies shared outcome co-ownership. If you aren’t sweating the result as much as the client, you’re just renting them space. The tech is the easy part. Building a system that prevents this kind of entropy? That is the real work. Has a “partner” ever let you drift? Like & Comment if you’re tired of the silence. ⬇️

Most of us believe our vision is clear, but often it’s a vague wish. That lack of concrete strategic direction is the silent killer of agency relationships and ultimately, growth. We blame the partners. I’ve done it. You hire a team, the output feels wrong, and you fire them. Then you repeat the loop six months later with a new “expert” who promises to fix the mess. But if you look at the wreckage honestly, the common denominator is usually the instructions. The signal was never clear to begin with. You wanted someone to execute a vision that didn’t actually exist yet. This is uncomfortable. It suggests that the bottleneck isn’t their competence, but your clarity. We tend to hand off “strategy” as a loose collection of goals and expect a vendor to translate that into commercial mechanics. That handoff is where the entropy kills you. The noise takes over. You cannot outsource the translation layer. Real growth happens when you collapse that separation. When you stop treating communication as a product you buy and start treating it as a system you own. If you can’t articulate the physics of how your idea converts to revenue, no agency can save you. You are just paying for expensive guessing games. It requires slowing down. It requires building a bridge between the idea in your head and the hands doing the work. Maybe it’s time to stop looking for better vendors and start looking at the architecture of your requests. Does this match what you’re seeing in your own projects? Hit like if this hits home—I’d love to hear how you handle that strategy-to-execution gap in the comments.

Everyone blames the agency. But what if that ‘problem’ is just a well-worn path leading away from the real issue? There’s a fundamental clarity gap, and it’s costing you more than you think. We often convince ourselves we just have bad luck with vendors. We cycle through partners—burning cash, losing momentum, stressing out the team—certain that the next group will finally “get it.” But the gray hair on my head comes from watching a different pattern repeat for 35 years. We are optimizing execution while remaining strategically rudderless. It’s easier to blame the last firm than to admit the internal signal was weak. When you hand over a mess of half-formed ideas and expect an external team to return a commercial empire, you are paying a premium to amplify noise. That is strategic entropy. Real value leakage happens when we outsource execution without owning the architecture. → We hire for output velocity. → We fail to define the outcome physics. → The gap consumes the budget. If we don’t know exactly what we are building, no vendor can build it for us. That friction you feel often looks like incompetence, but in my experience, it is usually just the sound of high-speed execution grinding against a lack of direction. Stop firing the agency. Start fixing the architecture. Does this resonate with your experience? Like & Comment “CLARITY” if you’re tired of the churn.

You scrutinize every line item. But the largest expense in marketing remains invisible, a phantom on your balance sheet. It’s a fundamental challenge few ever recognize. Random thought from 35 years in this game. The best clients I’ve ever worked with weren’t the ones sitting on massive budgets. Nope. They were the ones capable of sitting in a room and admitting they didn’t know what they didn’t know. Ego is the most expensive line item in any marketing budget. It just never shows up on the invoice. I see it constantly. You probably do too. It manifests as friction. It’s the refusal to kill a project because a senior leader feels personal ownership over it, even when the market clearly doesn’t care. Or forcing a strategy that worked ten years ago onto a system that operates by completely different physics today. When you operate with false certainty to protect your status, you introduce massive drag into the system. You stop the flow of valid information. You are effectively paying a premium to maintain an illusion. → Humility is actually an efficiency mechanism → Admitting ignorance clears the path for data I used to think my value was just the strategy itself. The “big idea.” But after decades of doing this, I’ve realized that half the work is just removing the psychological blockages that prevent execution. If you can’t say “I don’t know” during a strategy session, you aren’t leading. You’re just expensive noise. What’s the biggest “ego cost” you’ve seen in a project? Like & Comment if you’d rather work with curious people than “experts.” 🧠

Content marketing funnel strategies for Texas SMBs: Learn key stages, funnel types, conversion tactics, and major ROI pitfalls to avoid.

Content marketing funnel strategies for Texas SMBs: Learn key stages, funnel types, conversion tactics, and major ROI pitfalls to avoid.

Content marketing funnel strategies for Texas SMBs: Learn key stages, funnel types, conversion tactics, and major ROI pitfalls to avoid.

Content marketing funnel strategies for Texas SMBs: Learn key stages, funnel types, conversion tactics, and major ROI pitfalls to avoid.

Why video content converts: discover psychological triggers, proven formats, and ROI for Texas SMBs, plus mistakes to avoid for better marketing results.

Discover 7 proven content marketing strategies designed for Texas small businesses. Learn practical tips to boost engagement, traffic, and marketing ROI today.

Discover a step-by-step digital advertising checklist with 7 key tips to help Texas businesses improve ROI and run more effective ad campaigns.

Digital ad spend demystified for Texas businesses—learn spend types, budgeting strategies, pitfalls, and ROI measurement for better marketing results.

Interactive website design explained for Texas businesses. Learn key features, real-world benefits, must-have tools, and common mistakes to avoid.

Learn how to create a social media posting schedule for Texas businesses with step-by-step planning, content creation, and performance tracking for real results.

Role of design in branding: See how visual identity, emotional impact, and digital presence drive success for Texas businesses. Learn key strategies for ROI.

Discover 7 practical examples of branding strategies tailored for Texas SMBs. Learn actionable branding tips to boost ROI and stand out in your local market.

Learn how to craft social ads step by step to boost your Texas business. Follow each stage for higher engagement, better targeting, and real measurable results.

Role of design in branding: See how visual identity, emotional impact, and digital presence drive success for Texas businesses. Learn key strategies for ROI.

ROI of video marketing for Texas businesses revealed. Learn measurement strategies, real-life wins, costs, and how to maximize your investment.

Discover the ultimate email marketing checklist for Texas small businesses. Learn 7 key steps to boost ROI, grow leads, and improve your campaigns today.

Discover an actionable video content workflow for Texas businesses. Follow step-by-step guidance to plan, produce, and optimize powerful video marketing results.

Why invest in digital marketing? This comprehensive guide covers core concepts, essential strategies, business benefits, ROI factors, and common mistakes to avoid.

Master the role of paid social ads with this comprehensive guide. Learn types, targeting strategies, campaign costs, and ROI for Texas businesses.

Discover why video marketing drives ROI. This complete guide covers types of video, proven benefits, practical use cases, and key ROI factors for Texas businesses.

Discover the role of social media in business. This comprehensive guide covers types, key strategies, benefits, challenges, and best practices.

Unlock your business growth with a texas local marketing plan. Follow this step-by-step guide to boost ROI and outshine competitors across Texas.

Media buying helps Texas businesses achieve more with targeted ad placement, effective strategies, and optimized marketing budgets for measurable results.

Good day all. I met with Phyllis Sneed from the Westin who gave me a tour. These pics are of spaces available. NOTE: They’re just to record the space, no treatments or retouch (save for a sky or two). I’m seeing the subject front and center, with the background in a soft defocused effect. This will draw the eye to the subject and separate them from the setting. We can also remove them completely for any other use. The files are huge so resolution is not an issue. Enjoy! Daniel Elliott ~ (241) 704-5353  

Discover what digital PR is, its main types, how it drives online visibility, practical applications, and mistakes businesses should avoid.

Brand awareness: comprehensive guide for Texas businesses covers core definitions, measurement methods, strategies, impact on ROI, and common challenges.

Email marketing: comprehensive guide to core benefits, types, ROI impact, legal compliance, and pitfalls for Texas businesses and small companies.

Discover the best branding tools for small business in our expert comparison of 8 top products to elevate your brand in 2025.

Discover the real purpose of creativity in marketing. This comprehensive guide covers creative strategy, audience targeting, and results-driven campaigns.

San Antonio SMB Marketing Experts Share Industry-Specific Strategies Published November 25, 2025 | Discover specialized marketing tactics tailored for different industries in the San Antonio market, addressing unique regional challenges and opportunities. San Antonio’s diverse business landscape demands marketing strategies as varied as the city itself. From healthcare practices serving military families to manufacturing companies supporting aerospace industries, each sector faces distinct challenges that require specialized approaches. Local marketing experts have developed industry-specific tactics that address these unique market conditions while leveraging San Antonio’s cultural richness and economic diversity. Healthcare Marketing in Military City USA San Antonio’s significant military presence creates unique opportunities for healthcare providers. Marketing experts recommend developing specialized campaigns that speak directly to military families, veterans, and active-duty personnel. This demographic values trust, reliability, and understanding of their specific healthcare needs. Successful healthcare marketing in San Antonio focuses on building relationships with military communities through targeted messaging that acknowledges their service and sacrifices. Content marketing strategies should address common concerns like TRICARE navigation, deployment-related health issues, and family care coordination. Video testimonials from military families who have received care create powerful social proof that resonates with this demographic. Local SEO becomes crucial for healthcare practices, as military families frequently relocate and search for nearby providers. Optimizing for location-based searches like “pediatrician near Lackland AFB” or “urgent care Fort Sam Houston” helps practices capture this mobile population. Review management takes on added importance, as military families rely heavily on recommendations from their tight-knit communities. Manufacturing and Industrial Marketing Strategies San Antonio’s manufacturing sector, particularly aerospace and automotive industries, requires B2B marketing approaches that emphasize technical expertise and reliability. Marketing experts recommend content strategies that showcase engineering capabilities, quality certifications, and successful project completions. Trade publication advertising and industry-specific digital marketing campaigns prove most effective for reaching decision-makers in…

Discover the real purpose of creativity in marketing. This comprehensive guide covers creative strategy, audience targeting, and results-driven campaigns.

Transform your marketing investments into measurable business outcomes with advanced analytics and performance-focused strategies. Learn how Fort Worth digital ROI specialists deliver transparent, data-driven results that drive real business growth. In today’s competitive digital landscape, Fort Worth businesses need more than just marketing campaigns—they need measurable results that directly impact their bottom line. Digital ROI specialists focus on transforming marketing investments into quantifiable business outcomes through sophisticated analytics, strategic planning, and performance optimization. Understanding Digital ROI Measurement Digital return on investment goes beyond basic metrics like clicks and impressions. True ROI measurement encompasses the entire customer journey, from initial awareness to final conversion and beyond. Fort Worth digital ROI specialists employ comprehensive tracking systems that monitor every touchpoint, providing businesses with clear visibility into which marketing efforts generate actual revenue. Effective ROI measurement requires establishing baseline metrics, setting clear objectives, and implementing tracking mechanisms that capture both direct and indirect conversions. This includes monitoring assisted conversions, attribution modeling, and lifetime customer value calculations that paint a complete picture of marketing performance. Key Performance Indicators That Drive Results Fort Worth digital ROI specialists focus on metrics that directly correlate with business growth. Customer acquisition cost (CAC) reveals the true expense of gaining new customers across different channels, while customer lifetime value (CLV) demonstrates the long-term impact of marketing investments. The CLV to CAC ratio provides crucial insights into campaign sustainability and profitability. Revenue attribution tracking connects specific marketing activities to actual sales, enabling businesses to identify their most profitable channels. Conversion rate optimization metrics reveal opportunities to improve campaign performance without increasing advertising spend. Time-to-conversion data helps optimize budget allocation across the customer journey. Lead quality scoring systems ensure that marketing efforts attract prospects most likely to convert into paying customers. This approach prevents the common mistake of optimizing for quantity…

Unlock powerful growth with this Texas business marketing guide. Follow actionable steps to maximize ROI and transform your business’s digital marketing results.

Texas Startup Marketing Solutions: Accelerating Growth on Limited Budgets Discover proven Texas startup marketing solutions that maximize impact while conserving resources. Learn the strategic approaches that drive sustainable growth for new ventures. Starting a business in Texas presents incredible opportunities, but limited budgets often constrain marketing efforts. Successful startups understand that strategic marketing solutions can accelerate growth without breaking the bank. The key lies in implementing cost-effective strategies that deliver measurable results while building a foundation for long-term success. Understanding the Texas Startup Landscape Texas boasts one of the most dynamic startup ecosystems in the United States, with major hubs in Austin, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. The state’s business-friendly environment, diverse economy, and access to talent create fertile ground for new ventures. However, competition is fierce, making effective marketing essential for standing out in crowded markets. Startups face unique challenges including limited brand recognition, tight cash flow, and the need to prove market fit quickly. Traditional marketing approaches often prove too expensive or inefficient for emerging businesses. Smart entrepreneurs recognize that success requires innovative marketing solutions tailored to startup constraints and objectives. Budget-Conscious Digital Marketing Foundations Building a strong digital presence forms the cornerstone of effective startup marketing. A professional website serves as your digital headquarters, providing credibility and a platform for all marketing activities. Focus on creating a clean, mobile-responsive design that clearly communicates your value proposition and includes essential conversion elements like contact forms and clear calls-to-action. Search engine optimization represents one of the most cost-effective long-term marketing investments. Start with local SEO if you serve Texas markets, optimizing for location-based keywords and claiming your Google Business Profile. Create valuable content that addresses your target audience’s pain points while naturally incorporating relevant keywords. Social media marketing offers powerful reach potential at minimal cost. Choose platforms where your…

Top Houston Web Design and SEO Experts Compared Comprehensive evaluation of Houston’s leading web design and SEO specialists, analyzing services, pricing, expertise, and client satisfaction metrics to help businesses make informed decisions. Houston’s digital landscape is incredibly competitive, with businesses across industries vying for online visibility and customer engagement. Choosing the right web design and SEO partner can make the difference between digital success and stagnation. This comprehensive comparison examines Houston’s top web design and SEO experts, providing the insights you need to select the perfect agency for your business goals. Key Evaluation Criteria for Houston Digital Agencies When evaluating Houston’s web design and SEO experts, several critical factors determine which agencies deliver exceptional results versus those that underperform. Understanding these criteria helps businesses make informed decisions that drive measurable returns on investment. Technical Expertise and Service Range The most effective Houston digital agencies offer comprehensive services that integrate seamlessly. Top performers typically provide custom web design, strategic search engine optimization, pay-per-click advertising management, social media marketing, and content creation. This full-service approach ensures consistent branding and coordinated campaigns across all digital touchpoints. Leading agencies demonstrate proficiency in modern web technologies, including responsive design frameworks, content management systems, e-commerce platforms, and advanced SEO tools. They stay current with Google algorithm updates, mobile-first indexing requirements, and emerging digital marketing trends that impact client success. Portfolio Quality and Industry Experience Exceptional Houston web design and SEO experts showcase diverse portfolios spanning multiple industries, from healthcare and construction to professional services and e-commerce. Their case studies reveal measurable improvements in search rankings, organic traffic growth, conversion rate optimization, and revenue increases. The best agencies understand Houston’s unique market dynamics, local search patterns, and regional business challenges. This local expertise translates into more effective strategies that resonate with Houston audiences and drive qualified leads….

Finding an Affordable ROI-Focused Marketing Agency in 2025 Learn how to identify marketing agencies that prioritize measurable returns without breaking your budget, with key questions to ask and red flags to watch for. In today’s competitive business landscape, finding a marketing agency that delivers genuine return on investment while staying within budget has become more challenging than ever. Many businesses struggle with agencies that promise the world but fail to deliver measurable results, leaving them with depleted marketing budgets and little to show for their investment. The key to success lies in identifying agencies that prioritize data-driven strategies and transparent reporting over flashy presentations and empty promises. This comprehensive guide will help you navigate the process of selecting an affordable, ROI-focused marketing agency that can truly drive your business growth in 2025. Understanding ROI-Focused Marketing ROI-focused marketing goes beyond vanity metrics like impressions and likes. It concentrates on measurable outcomes that directly impact your bottom line, such as lead generation, conversion rates, customer acquisition costs, and revenue growth. An agency that truly understands ROI will establish clear benchmarks, track performance meticulously, and adjust strategies based on real data rather than assumptions. When evaluating potential agencies, look for those that speak in terms of concrete business outcomes rather than abstract marketing concepts. They should be able to explain how their strategies will translate into actual revenue for your business and provide realistic timelines for achieving these results. Essential Questions to Ask Potential Agencies Before committing to any marketing agency, prepare a comprehensive list of questions that will reveal their true capabilities and approach. Start by asking about their reporting structure and what metrics they consider most important for businesses in your industry. A quality agency should be able to provide detailed examples of how they’ve improved ROI for similar clients. Inquire…

Learn a proven social media strategy workflow to boost your ROI. Follow step-by-step actions and optimize results for Texas businesses and SMBs.

Custom Texas SMB Digital Marketing Solutions That Deliver Results Discover tailored digital marketing strategies designed specifically for Texas small and medium businesses that maximize visibility, engagement, and conversion rates. Texas small and medium businesses face unique challenges in today’s competitive digital landscape. From the bustling tech corridors of Austin to the energy hubs of Houston and the diverse markets of Dallas-Fort Worth, SMBs across the Lone Star State need marketing solutions that understand their local market dynamics while delivering measurable results. Generic, one-size-fits-all approaches simply don’t cut it when you’re competing against both local competitors and national chains for customer attention. Understanding the Texas SMB Market Landscape Texas represents one of the most diverse business environments in the United States, with industries ranging from traditional oil and gas to cutting-edge technology, healthcare, manufacturing, and hospitality. This diversity creates both opportunities and challenges for small and medium businesses looking to establish their digital presence. The key to success lies in developing marketing strategies that acknowledge these regional differences while leveraging the state’s strong entrepreneurial spirit. Texas consumers value authenticity, quality, and businesses that understand their local needs. This means your digital marketing approach must reflect these values while utilizing the most effective modern techniques to reach your target audience. Core Components of Effective Texas SMB Digital Marketing Strategic Search Engine Optimization Search engine optimization forms the foundation of any successful digital marketing strategy. For Texas SMBs, this means focusing on both local and broader market visibility. Effective SEO strategies include comprehensive keyword research that targets terms your customers actually use when searching for your products or services. Technical SEO ensures your website loads quickly, functions properly on mobile devices, and provides an excellent user experience. Content optimization involves creating valuable, relevant content that addresses your customers’ questions and concerns while establishing…

Discover a practical 7-step digital marketing checklist for Texas small businesses. Learn key strategies to boost your marketing ROI and online results.

Discover 7 essential social media engagement tips for Texas small businesses and learn practical ways to improve your online presence and connect with local customers.

Discover 8 local SEO tools for Texas and get the best insights for boosting your business visibility in 2025.

Discover the best digital ad tools 2025 with our expert comparison of 8 top products to enhance your advertising strategies.

Why choose a Texas digital agency? Learn about service types, measurable results, Texas-specific advantages, and key factors for SMBs in this comprehensive guide.

What Makes a Dallas Digital Marketing Agency Worth Hiring Choosing the right digital marketing partner can transform your business growth trajectory. Understanding key evaluation criteria helps you identify agencies that deliver exceptional value and measurable results. The Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex hosts hundreds of digital marketing agencies, each promising impressive results and transformative growth. However, not all agencies deliver on their commitments. Distinguishing exceptional partners from mediocre providers requires understanding specific qualities that separate industry leaders from the rest. Comprehensive Service Portfolio Top-tier agencies offer integrated solutions rather than isolated services. A worthwhile partner provides strategic web design, search engine optimization, pay-per-click advertising, social media management, content marketing, and video production under one roof. This comprehensive approach ensures consistent messaging across all channels while streamlining communication and project management. Agencies specializing in single services often lack the broader perspective necessary for cohesive digital strategies. When evaluating potential partners, prioritize those offering full-service capabilities with demonstrated expertise across multiple disciplines. This integration prevents the common pitfall of disjointed campaigns that confuse audiences and dilute brand messaging. Proven Track Record with Measurable Results Exceptional agencies showcase specific achievements through detailed case studies and performance metrics. Look for partners who present concrete data including conversion rate improvements, revenue increases, search ranking gains, and return on investment figures. Vague testimonials and generic success stories indicate limited accountability and measurement capabilities. Request examples of campaigns similar to your industry and business size. Agencies worth hiring readily share performance dashboards, analytics reports, and before-and-after comparisons. They understand that transparency builds trust and demonstrates their commitment to delivering quantifiable outcomes rather than vanity metrics. Strategic Approach Over Tactical Execution Many agencies focus exclusively on tactical implementation without developing comprehensive strategies. Worthwhile partners begin every engagement with thorough discovery processes, competitive analysis, audience research, and goal-setting sessions. They invest…

Video marketing explained: discover core concepts, top strategies, content types, ROI measurement, and tips for Texas small businesses in this comprehensive guide.

Texas SEO Services for SMBs: Affordable Growth Solutions Discover how specialized Texas SEO services can help small and medium businesses compete effectively with larger competitors while maximizing limited marketing budgets. Small and medium businesses across Texas face a unique challenge in today’s digital landscape. While large corporations have substantial marketing budgets and dedicated teams, SMBs must find cost-effective ways to compete for online visibility. This is where specialized Texas SEO services become invaluable, offering affordable growth solutions that level the playing field. Understanding the Texas SMB Market Landscape Texas boasts one of the most diverse and competitive business environments in the United States. From Houston’s energy sector to Austin’s tech hub, Dallas’s financial district to San Antonio’s healthcare industry, SMBs operate in markets where visibility can make or break success. The challenge lies in standing out among thousands of competitors while working with limited resources. Traditional advertising methods often prove too expensive for SMBs, making digital marketing and specifically SEO a critical investment. Unlike pay-per-click advertising that requires ongoing budget allocation, SEO provides long-term value by building organic visibility that compounds over time. Why Generic SEO Approaches Fall Short for Texas SMBs Many SEO agencies offer one-size-fits-all solutions that fail to address the specific needs of Texas small and medium businesses. These generic approaches often overlook crucial factors such as local market dynamics, regional search patterns, and the unique competitive landscape that Texas businesses face. Effective SEO for Texas SMBs requires understanding local consumer behavior, seasonal trends specific to different Texas regions, and the cultural nuances that influence search patterns. For instance, a restaurant in Austin needs different optimization strategies than a manufacturing company in Houston, even though both are Texas-based SMBs. The Importance of Local Market Knowledge Texas spans multiple time zones and encompasses diverse economic regions, each with…

Comprehensive guide to digital strategy for Texas businesses. Learn core concepts, types, processes, benefits, costs, and common mistakes to avoid.

Discover 7 video marketing benefits for Texas businesses. Learn how videos boost brand awareness, engagement, and ROI in this practical guide.

Discover 7 digital marketing tips 2025 designed for Texas SMBs. Learn actionable strategies to boost ROI and improve your online presence with expert advice.

Social media strategy explained with actionable steps, platform choices, content planning, common pitfalls, and ROI measurement. A comprehensive guide for Texas SMBs.

Discover a step-by-step email marketing workflow tailored for Texas SMBs. Learn to boost ROI with proven strategies, tools, and practical execution tips.

Digital marketing: comprehensive guide covering channels, strategies, benefits, costs, and ROI for Texas businesses aiming for measurable online growth.

Discover 7 types of digital ads and how each can boost your business. Learn the strengths, uses, and tips for Texas companies to improve marketing ROI.

Learn how to plan digital ads step-by-step for Texas businesses. Master targeting, creative strategy, budgets, and analytics to boost digital marketing ROI.

Digital marketing ROI explained: definitions, measurement strategies, common pitfalls, real-world examples, and actionable tips for Texas SMBs in this comprehensive guide.

Discover 7 essential social media tips for small business owners, designed to boost engagement, grow local reach, and improve marketing ROI across Texas.

15 Must-Have Features for Business Websites in 2025 Modern business websites need strategic features that drive conversions and enhance user experience. These essential elements separate successful online presences from digital afterthoughts. Your website serves as your digital storefront, operating around the clock to attract, engage, and convert visitors into customers. In today’s competitive landscape, having a basic website isn’t enough—you need a strategic platform equipped with features that deliver measurable results for your business. 1. Mobile-First Responsive Design With mobile traffic accounting for over 60% of web browsing, your website must perform flawlessly across all devices. Mobile-first design ensures your site loads quickly, displays properly, and provides intuitive navigation on smartphones and tablets. This approach prioritizes the mobile experience while scaling up beautifully to desktop screens. 2. Lightning-Fast Loading Speed Page speed directly impacts your bottom line. Studies show that a one-second delay in loading time can reduce conversions by 7%. Optimize your website’s performance through compressed images, efficient coding, content delivery networks, and reliable hosting. Aim for loading times under three seconds to keep visitors engaged and improve search rankings. 3. Search Engine Optimization Foundation Built-in SEO capabilities ensure your website gets discovered by potential customers. This includes optimized URL structures, meta tags, header hierarchies, schema markup, and XML sitemaps. Your website should make it easy to add alt text to images, customize page titles, and create SEO-friendly content that ranks well in search results. 4. Conversion-Focused Contact Forms Strategic contact forms capture leads at crucial moments in the customer journey. Place forms on high-traffic pages, keep them concise, and use compelling calls-to-action. Include fields that gather qualifying information while remaining user-friendly. Implement form analytics to track completion rates and optimize for better performance. 5. Live Chat Integration Live chat provides immediate assistance when visitors have questions, significantly increasing…

Social Media Management vs DIY: What Texas Businesses Should Know Understanding the key differences between professional social media management and DIY approaches can help Texas businesses make informed decisions about their digital marketing strategy. This comprehensive guide explores costs, benefits, and practical considerations for both options. The Current State of Social Media for Texas Businesses Texas businesses face unique challenges in the competitive digital landscape. With over 29 million residents and countless businesses vying for attention across major metropolitan areas like Dallas, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio, establishing a strong social media presence has become essential for success. The decision between hiring professional social media management services or handling social media in-house represents one of the most significant strategic choices modern Texas businesses must make. This choice impacts not only immediate marketing results but also long-term brand development, customer relationships, and overall business growth. Understanding the nuances of both approaches helps business owners make informed decisions that align with their resources, goals, and growth objectives. The stakes are particularly high in Texas markets, where consumer expectations continue to rise and competition intensifies across all industries. Professional Social Media Management: The Full-Service Approach Professional social media management involves partnering with experienced agencies or specialists who handle all aspects of your social media presence. This comprehensive approach typically includes strategy development, content creation, posting schedules, community management, advertising campaigns, and performance analytics. Key Benefits of Professional Management Professional agencies bring specialized expertise that most businesses cannot develop internally. They understand platform algorithms, trending content formats, optimal posting times, and audience engagement strategies. This knowledge translates into more effective campaigns and better return on investment. Time savings represent another significant advantage. Social media management requires consistent daily attention, from responding to comments and messages to creating fresh content and monitoring performance metrics. Professional…

Managing local search marketing for one location is straightforward. But managing multi-location SEO — whether it’s 10, 50, or 100 branches — gets complicated fast. Each location needs unique content. A single mistake in your business info can mislead customers and hurt trust. And it’s tough to see which branches are actually driving results. Everything changes when you’re managing SEO for multiple locations. Our six-step system below tackles these challenges in order of priority. You’ll learn exactly how to: Create high-performing location pages Optimize Google Business Profiles (GBPs) across every branch Manage reviews, citations, and backlinks efficiently Track performance by location to see what’s really working Plus, you’ll get our free toolkit to help you build a scalable SEO strategy for multiple locations. Let’s dive in. Step 1. Create Location Landing Pages Every branch needs its own home online. Without a dedicated location landing page, your GBP has nowhere reliable to link. And customers looking for local hours, directions, or services may bounce straight to a competitor. So, start by confirming the basics. Talk with branch managers or franchise owners to verify core business details — official name, address, phone number, operating hours, and available services. Copy our location details sheet and use it to gather and confirm accurate data for every branch. Once it’s filled out, this sheet becomes your single “source of truth” — helping you prevent endless downstream errors when managing dozens of listings and citations later on. Do Location-Focused Keyword Research Once you’ve gathered accurate data, move into keyword targeting. Each page should focus on one primary keyword set that combines your core service with its city or neighborhood modifier (e.g., “dentist in Austin”). Doing this avoids keyword cannibalization between branches while signaling clear relevance for local searchers. If you’re unsure where to start, use tools…

Understanding ROI in Digital Marketing: A Comprehensive Guide Master the fundamentals of measuring return on investment in digital marketing campaigns. Learn practical strategies to calculate, track, and optimize your marketing ROI for maximum business growth. Return on investment (ROI) serves as the cornerstone metric for evaluating digital marketing success. Understanding how to calculate, track, and optimize ROI enables businesses to make data-driven decisions that drive sustainable growth and maximize marketing effectiveness. What is Digital Marketing ROI? Digital marketing ROI measures the financial return generated from your marketing investments compared to the costs incurred. This metric provides clear insight into which campaigns, channels, and strategies deliver the highest value for your business. The basic ROI formula is straightforward: (Revenue Generated – Marketing Investment) / Marketing Investment × 100 = ROI Percentage. However, digital marketing ROI calculations often require more nuanced approaches to account for various factors including attribution models, customer lifetime value, and multi-touch campaigns. Key Components of ROI Calculation Revenue Attribution Accurate revenue attribution forms the foundation of reliable ROI calculations. This involves tracking how customers interact with your marketing touchpoints before making purchases. First-click attribution credits the initial touchpoint, while last-click attribution assigns credit to the final interaction before conversion. Multi-touch attribution provides a more comprehensive view by distributing credit across multiple touchpoints throughout the customer journey. This approach offers deeper insights into how different marketing channels work together to drive conversions. Cost Considerations Comprehensive cost tracking includes direct advertising spend, creative development expenses, platform fees, and internal labor costs. Many businesses underestimate their true marketing costs by overlooking indirect expenses such as software subscriptions, training, and opportunity costs. Time-based cost allocation helps distribute expenses across relevant campaigns and timeframes. For example, creative assets used across multiple campaigns should have their development costs allocated proportionally to each campaign’s duration…

Content Marketing Strategies That Convert Visitors to Leads Transform your website traffic into qualified leads with proven content marketing techniques that drive measurable results. Learn how to create compelling content that guides prospects through your sales funnel. Converting website visitors into qualified leads remains one of the biggest challenges facing businesses today. While driving traffic to your site is important, transforming those anonymous visitors into engaged prospects who willingly share their contact information requires strategic content marketing approaches that deliver genuine value while building trust. Understanding the Lead Conversion Funnel Successful content marketing for lead generation operates on a fundamental principle: providing increasingly valuable content in exchange for progressively more detailed prospect information. This approach recognizes that visitors rarely convert on their first interaction with your brand, instead requiring multiple touchpoints that build confidence and demonstrate expertise. The most effective content strategies map directly to your prospect’s journey, addressing their specific concerns and questions at each stage. Top-of-funnel content attracts visitors by solving immediate problems or answering pressing questions. Middle-funnel content demonstrates your expertise while helping prospects evaluate solutions. Bottom-funnel content provides the final push toward conversion by addressing objections and showcasing results. Creating High-Converting Lead Magnets Lead magnets serve as the cornerstone of content-driven lead generation, offering valuable resources in exchange for contact information. The most successful lead magnets solve specific, immediate problems that your target audience faces regularly. Rather than creating generic resources, focus on addressing pain points that your ideal customers experience right before they typically seek your services. Effective lead magnets include comprehensive guides that walk prospects through complex processes, templates and checklists that simplify challenging tasks, exclusive research or industry insights unavailable elsewhere, and tools or calculators that provide immediate value. The key lies in ensuring your lead magnet directly relates to your core services…

Master social media ads with this comprehensive guide. Learn ad types, targeting, budgeting, ROI strategies, and legal considerations for Texas SMBs.

These are the top 50 countries with the biggest proportion of AI Overviews worldwide. We pulled data from our search index and calculated how many keywords appear in AI Overview queries compared to regular search queries that appear in SERPs… Read more ›

There’s been a lot of buzz around llms.txt. But no major AI platform has confirmed that they use it. Not yet, anyway. And there’s no evidence that any major large language model (LLM) actually uses it when crawling. So, why are some SEOs and site owners already adding it to their sites? Because LLM traffic is projected to explode over the next few years. Which means AI models could soon become your biggest traffic source. Remember: robots.txt was once optional, too. Today, it’s essential for managing search crawlers. LLMs.txt could follow a similar path — becoming the standard way to guide AI to your most important content. In this guide, you’ll learn how llms.txt files work, the key pros and cons, and the exact steps to create one for your site. You’ll also see different llms.txt examples from real sites. First up: a quick explainer. What Is LLMs.txt? LLMs.txt is a plain-text file that tells AI models which pages to prioritize when crawling your site. This proposed standard could make your content easier for AI systems to find, process, and cite. Here’s how it works: You create a text file called llms.txt List your most important pages with brief descriptions of what each covers Place it at your site’s root directory In theory, LLM crawlers would then use the file to discover, prioritize, and better understand your key pages For example, here’s what Yoast SEO’s llms.txt file looks like: Does LLMs.txt Replace Robots.txt? Short answer: No. They serve different purposes. Robots.txt tells crawlers what they’re allowed to access on a site. It uses directives like “Allow” and “Disallow” to control crawling behavior. LLMs.txt suggests which pages AI models should prioritize. It doesn’t control access — it just provides a curated list. And makes it easier for crawlers to understand your content….

7 Signs Your Website Needs a Professional Redesign Published November 3, 2025 | A comprehensive guide to identifying when your website is holding back your business growth and what to do about it. Your website is often the first impression potential customers have of your business. In today’s digital landscape, a poorly performing website can be the difference between landing a new client and losing them to a competitor. Many business owners struggle to recognize when their website has become a liability rather than an asset. Understanding the warning signs that indicate your website needs professional attention is crucial for maintaining a competitive edge. Whether you’re experiencing declining traffic, poor user engagement, or technical issues, recognizing these red flags early can save you from significant revenue loss and help you capitalize on missed opportunities. 1. Your Website Takes Forever to Load Website speed is no longer just a nice-to-have feature—it’s a business necessity. Studies consistently show that users expect websites to load within three seconds, and every additional second of delay can result in significant bounce rate increases. If your website takes longer than three seconds to fully load, you’re likely losing potential customers before they even see your content. Page speed affects more than just user experience. Search engines like Google use site speed as a ranking factor, meaning slow websites are penalized in search results. This creates a compounding problem where poor performance leads to lower visibility, which results in fewer visitors and reduced business opportunities. Common causes of slow loading times include oversized images, outdated code, poor hosting infrastructure, and excessive plugins or widgets. Professional web developers can conduct comprehensive speed audits to identify bottlenecks and implement solutions that dramatically improve performance. Modern optimization techniques like image compression, code minification, and content delivery networks can transform a…

Master the instagram marketing strategy guide with actionable steps designed for Texas businesses to boost ROI and elevate online presence.

SEO vs PPC: Which Search Strategy Fits Your Business? Discover the key differences between SEO and PPC to determine which search marketing strategy delivers the best results for your business goals and budget. When it comes to driving traffic and generating leads through search engines, businesses face a critical decision: invest in search engine optimization (SEO) or pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. Both strategies can deliver impressive results, but they work in fundamentally different ways and serve different business objectives. Understanding the nuances of each approach is essential for making an informed decision that aligns with your business goals, budget constraints, and timeline expectations. The choice between SEO and PPC isn’t always an either-or decision, but knowing when to prioritize one over the other can significantly impact your marketing success. Understanding SEO: The Long-Term Investment Search engine optimization focuses on improving your website’s organic visibility in search engine results pages. This strategy involves optimizing your website’s content, structure, and technical elements to rank higher for relevant keywords without paying for each click. SEO operates on the principle of earning visibility through relevance and authority. Search engines like Google evaluate hundreds of factors to determine which pages deserve to rank at the top of search results. These factors include content quality, user experience, page loading speed, mobile responsiveness, and the number of high-quality websites linking to your content. The SEO process typically begins with comprehensive keyword research to identify the terms your target audience uses when searching for products or services like yours. This research informs your content strategy, helping you create valuable resources that address your customers’ questions and needs. Technical optimization ensures your website meets search engine requirements for crawling and indexing. This includes optimizing site structure, improving page speed, implementing proper schema markup, and ensuring mobile compatibility. These technical improvements…

Building a Strong Online Presence: The Ultimate Guide Published November 2, 2025 | A comprehensive roadmap to establishing and maintaining a powerful digital footprint that drives business growth and customer engagement. In today’s digital-first world, your online presence serves as the foundation of your business success. Whether you’re a startup entrepreneur or an established company looking to expand your reach, building a strong online presence is no longer optional—it’s essential for survival and growth in the competitive marketplace. Your online presence encompasses every digital touchpoint where customers can discover, interact with, and evaluate your brand. This includes your website, social media profiles, online reviews, search engine visibility, and digital content. When these elements work together cohesively, they create a powerful ecosystem that attracts, engages, and converts potential customers into loyal advocates. Understanding the Foundation of Online Presence A strong online presence begins with understanding your target audience and their digital behavior. Research shows that consumers typically interact with multiple digital touchpoints before making purchasing decisions. This means your brand needs to be visible, consistent, and compelling across all relevant platforms and channels. The foundation consists of three core pillars: visibility, credibility, and engagement. Visibility ensures your target audience can find you when they’re searching for solutions you provide. Credibility builds trust through professional presentation, positive reviews, and valuable content. Engagement creates meaningful connections that foster long-term relationships and customer loyalty. Creating a Professional Website That Converts Your website serves as your digital headquarters and often provides the first impression potential customers have of your business. A professional, user-friendly website should load quickly, display properly on all devices, and guide visitors toward specific actions that benefit your business goals. Focus on creating clear navigation that helps visitors find information effortlessly. Your homepage should immediately communicate what you do, who you serve,…

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It measures where the brand is mentioned in AI search platforms, how often, how accurately, and based on which sources. Here’s a step-by-step process for how you audit your brand’s AI visibility today. Before benchmarking your AI visibility, start by… Read more ›

That’s what a brand gap analysis enables. It also turns brand visibility from a vague concept into something measurable and fixable. Here’s how. A brand gap analysis measures the difference between your brand’s potential visibility and its actual presence across… Read more ›

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Digital branding: comprehensive guide covering definition, brand elements, process, benefits, risks, and tips for Texas small business owners.

When a potential user asks ChatGPT, Google AI, or Perplexity for recommendations, does your brand appear in the answer? Not just cited — actually mentioned in the response? That’s a crucial distinction. Brands that AI systems mention with context and positive sentiment attract the most intent-driven traffic. Semrush research shows that visitors who find a brand in an AI answer are 4.4 times more valuable than those from traditional search. They’re pre-qualified. They’ve seen AI endorse your solution. And unlike SEO, AI doesn’t care about website authority. Most sources cited in AI responses don’t even rank in Google’s top 20. So if you follow best practices, your startup can earn favorable mentions over more established competitors. Meritocracy. How do you make that happen? Read on to learn: How AI search works How the Backlinko team approaches AI SEO Best practices to make your site AI-ready Let’s start with the basics of AI optimization. Grab our free AI Search Optimization Checklist and follow the exact steps we use to get cited across ChatGPT, Google, and more. What Is AI Optimization (And Why You Should Care)? AI optimization is the process of making your website accessible and understandable to AI-powered search tools. Like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, Google AI Overview, and Bing Copilot. Some call it “AI search optimization.” Others “AI content optimization.” Terminologies vary, but they’re all about the same thing: Make your site easy for large language models (LLMs) to find, understand, and reference in their answers. It’s not a brand-new strategy. It’s built on the core SEO principles. Only now, you’re optimizing for tools that pull, summarize, and use your information — not just rank. But why is AI optimization so important now? AI tools are expected to drive more traffic than traditional search engines by 2028. And here’s…

Websites have been the foundation of SEO strategy for 20-odd years. That’s changing with AI search. When someone asks ChatGPT for a product in your category, it doesn’t always crawl websites in real-time. Its first move is to pull from what it already knows about you and your competitors from its existing knowledge. Clear and recognizable entities in AI training data are just as important as having the most authoritative and optimized website. This shift means your webpage might rank #1 in classic search, but if your brand isn’t well-structured for entities, AI might overlook you entirely in the answer. The rules we’ve relied on for decades don’t fully apply when machines create answers. They draw on their own knowledge and real-time data from sites, including yours. You’re about to learn what this means, why it matters, and what you can do about it. What Are Entities in AI Search? An entity is a “thing” that search engines and AI models can recognize, understand, and connect to other things. Think of entities as the building blocks that AI uses to construct answers. In other words, gigantic relational databases. Let’s use email marketing company Omnisend as an example. Through the lens of a database, Omnisend isn’t just a website with pages about email marketing. It’s a network of connected entities: The brand itself: Omnisend Products: Omnisend Email & SMS Marketing Platform People: Rytis Lauris (co-founder) Features: automation workflows, Shopify integration, SMS campaigns Use cases: “welcome series,” “abandoned cart recovery” Here’s what the entities look (hypothetically ) like to a large language model (LLM): These records become the foundation for AI answers. LLMs do more than just find keywords on your page. They also retrieve entities, place them in vector space, and choose the ones that best answer your question. Vector space…

AI answers are taking over search. More people are turning to Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity for recommendations. And if your brand isn’t showing up in those AI answers? You’re missing out on a huge (and growing) slice of your market. That’s why Semrush built the AI SEO Toolkit. It’s a major unlock for marketers trying to understand how AI is impacting their business. Today, I’m going to show you how to use it — step by step — with a real example. TL;DR: Measure Your AI Search Visibility Here’s what you need to know about Semrush’s AI SEO Toolkit: What it does: Tracks how your brand appears across ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Google AI Mode, and Perplexity — showing which prompts include you and where you’re missing Provides prompt tracking, content audits, and competitor comparisons What it costs: $99/month per domain (no trial) Step 0: Start With a Brand Before we analyze anything, let’s pick a brand to make this walkthrough concrete. I went to Exploding Topics, browsed the ecommerce category, and picked Petlibro — a trending startup that sells smart pet feeders and water fountains. I have zero affiliation with Petlibro. This isn’t sponsored. I just wanted a brand that’s growing fast and has enough search demand to make this example interesting. Step 1: Get Your Search Baseline Before we look at AI, we want to know how Petlibro is doing in traditional search. It’s super valuable context that will help us understand how they’re performing in LLMs. To understand their current search baseline, head to Semrush’s Domain Overview. Enter the brand’s domain name and look at the last 18 months. Looking at petlibro.com, they’ve been growing a TON. They get most of their traffic from the U.S., rank for more than 25,000 keywords, and have a…

Discover the best marketing automation platforms of 2025 with our comparison of 8 top services for optimizing your marketing strategy.

AI has infinitely sped up the hype cycle in marketing. So when the term “vibe marketing” came onto the scene, you may have rolled your eyes for a moment before you said, “I have to try this.” In basic terms, vibe marketing means using AI to run entire marketing workflows. Usually, this involves a combination of: Vibe coding: No-code AI tools where you type what you want (e.g., “Build me a landing page”), and the tool spins it up AI agents: Always-on assistants that handle background tasks, like checking your inbox for leads or updating your CRM And whether or not they consider themselves “vibe marketers,” many teams are already doing this. In a survey of marketing teams doing $100m+ in revenue, GrowthLoop found that more than a third of those teams use AI to optimize campaigns or predict customer behavior. And those embedding AI into their processes report more effective strategies. So, is vibe marketing the next wave of marketing methodology? Or just more AI hype? In this guide, we’re diving into real-world case studies that show how marketers are using AI in their daily workflows. Plus, we’ll test the hype against reality based on my own experiments and the perspective of industry experts. Vibe Marketing vs. Traditional Marketing With vibe marketing, things like campaigns, segmentation, and competitor analysis can happen in the background. So you can focus more on creative work and strategy. Here’s how it stacks up against traditional marketing: Task Traditional Marketing Vibe Marketing Campaign creation Weeks of strategy, briefs, handoffs, and approvals Concepts, landing pages, and emails drafted in hours Audience segmentation Manual data exports and persona-building AI builds real-time dynamic segments Competitive analysis Manual research on competitor websites, social feeds, reports Automated data scraping and AI summaries Performance reporting Hours compiling data into slides…

ChatGPT recommends products — complete with photos, pricing, and purchase links — to its 700 million weekly users. And now customers can complete purchases without leaving the chat. BIG deal. But will ChatGPT recommend your products? That’s not automatic. And you can’t pay for placement. What you can do is optimize your site so ChatGPT understands what you sell, trusts your brand, and surfaces your products when buyers search. This guide shows you how. You’ll learn the eight-step framework for getting featured in ChatGPT Shopping. I also spoke with Leigh McKenzie, Backlinko’s Head of Growth and founder of the ecommerce brand UnderFit, to get his insights on what’s actually working. First, let’s look at how ChatGPT decides which products make the cut. How ChatGPT Shopping Works ChatGPT Shopping kicks in automatically for some shopping intent prompts. While it doesn’t fire every time, I found it appears more often than not after testing 100+ prompts. The key? Typing a prompt with clear buying intent. Like “e-bikes that can handle potholes.” Instead of just explaining things or offering advice, ChatGPT Shopping recommends specific products. This includes product images, pricing, and links to online stores and websites where users can make a purchase. Side note: The ChatGPT Shopping experience isn’t consistent. Even with the same prompt, the carousel may (or may not) show. It can also appear at the top, middle, or bottom of the chat. This variability suggests the feature is still evolving. If your store gets recommended, countless high-intent shoppers will see your products. For example, when I tested the e-bike query, ChatGPT gave me a brief explanation of what features to prioritize. But it also provided a visual product carousel with eight products, each in its own card with key details. (It looks similar to Google Shopping ads, except you…

If I had a dollar for every time someone said “know your audience,” I could retire from marketing altogether. And yet, most teams are completely winging it. Too often, marketers equate audience research with half-baked customer relationship management (CRM) data, some social media metrics, and a few buyer interviews. But that’s just organizing information you already have. Real audience research means discovering what you don’t know yet. It’s the exact words people use when they’re frustrated. The solutions they’ve already tried and dismissed. The moment they decide to trust one source over another. When you get this right, you move from guessing what might work to creating content from what your audience is already telling you. In this guide, I’ll show you how to find those insights across five key channels, with practical tactics you can use right away. Download our free Audience Research Tracker As you go through these methods, I’ll show you how to capture insights in our Audience Research Tracker and turn them into actionable content ideas.   Why You Can’t Skip Audience Research If you’ve ever lost hours scrolling TikTok or binge-watched “just one more episode” on Netflix until midnight, you’ve experienced the power of audience research. Platforms like Netflix, YouTube, and TikTok own our attention because they know us better than we know ourselves. They’ve built this advantage by making audience research a core function. Netflix, for example, treats “Consumer Insights” as one of its nine core research areas, which shows just how pivotal understanding users is to their success. For these winning brands, audience research isn’t an afterthought. It shapes everything: what gets built, how products are positioned, and which messages resonate And the payoff is massive — delivering experiences tailored to your customers that keep them coming back for more. In stark contrast,…

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Published October 24, 2025 | Understanding and monitoring the right key performance indicators can transform your Texas business’s digital marketing success and maximize return on investment. In the competitive Texas business landscape, digital marketing success hinges on tracking the right metrics. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) serve as your compass, guiding strategic decisions and revealing opportunities for growth. Whether you’re running a Houston tech startup, a Dallas retail operation, or an Austin service business, understanding which metrics matter most can dramatically improve your marketing effectiveness and bottom line. Many Texas businesses struggle with data overwhelm, tracking dozens of metrics without focusing on those that truly drive business growth. This comprehensive guide identifies the ten most critical digital marketing KPIs that every Texas business should monitor, providing practical insights for implementation and optimization. 1. Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) Customer Acquisition Cost represents the total expense required to acquire a new customer through your digital marketing efforts. This fundamental metric helps Texas businesses understand the efficiency of their marketing spend and determine sustainable growth strategies. Calculate CAC by dividing total marketing expenses by the number of new customers acquired during a specific period. Include all digital marketing costs: advertising spend, content creation, marketing software subscriptions, and staff salaries dedicated to marketing activities. For Texas businesses, CAC varies significantly by industry and market. A San Antonio restaurant might have a CAC of fifty dollars, while a Fort Worth B2B software company could see CACs exceeding five hundred dollars. The key lies in ensuring your CAC remains substantially lower than your customer lifetime value. Monitor CAC trends monthly and by marketing channel. If your Google Ads CAC increases while social media CAC decreases, reallocate budget accordingly. Seasonal fluctuations are common in Texas markets, particularly for tourism, retail, and outdoor service businesses. 2. Customer Lifetime Value…

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Published October 27, 2025 | A comprehensive guide to leveraging video marketing for small business growth and customer engagement. Video marketing has become the cornerstone of successful digital marketing strategies for small businesses. With consumers watching billions of hours of video content daily, businesses that harness the power of video content are positioning themselves for unprecedented growth and customer engagement. Why Video Marketing Matters for Small Businesses Video content generates significantly higher engagement rates than static images or text-based content. Research consistently shows that video posts receive more likes, shares, and comments across all social media platforms. For small businesses competing against larger corporations, video marketing levels the playing field by allowing authentic storytelling and personal connection with audiences. The human brain processes visual information exponentially faster than text, making video the ideal medium for communicating complex ideas quickly. Small businesses can explain their products, services, and value propositions more effectively through video than through traditional marketing methods. Types of Video Content That Drive Results Product Demonstration Videos Product demonstration videos showcase your offerings in action, helping potential customers understand exactly what they’re purchasing. These videos reduce purchase hesitation and increase conversion rates by providing visual proof of your product’s benefits and functionality. Customer Testimonial Videos Authentic customer testimonials build trust and credibility faster than written reviews. Video testimonials allow prospects to see and hear real customers sharing their positive experiences, creating powerful social proof that influences purchasing decisions. Behind-the-Scenes Content Behind-the-scenes videos humanize your brand and build emotional connections with your audience. Showing your team, workspace, and company culture helps customers feel more connected to your business and increases brand loyalty. Educational and How-To Videos Educational content positions your business as an industry expert while providing genuine value to your audience. How-to videos addressing common customer questions or challenges…

Master step by step email campaign setup. This guide covers every stage for Texas businesses, ensuring powerful results with actionable, proven methods.

Finding the perfect digital marketing partner can transform your Texas business, but making the wrong choice can cost you time, money, and missed opportunities. This comprehensive guide walks you through the essential steps to select an agency that delivers real results and exceptional value. The digital marketing landscape in Texas is as vast and diverse as the state itself. With hundreds of agencies claiming to be the best, choosing the right partner for your business can feel overwhelming. Whether you’re a small business in Austin, a growing company in Dallas, or an established enterprise in Houston, selecting the right digital marketing agency is crucial for your success. Understanding Your Digital Marketing Needs Before you start evaluating agencies, you need to clearly define what you want to achieve. Are you looking to increase brand awareness, generate more leads, improve your search engine rankings, or boost online sales? Different agencies specialize in different areas, so understanding your primary objectives will help you narrow down your options. Consider your current digital presence. Do you have a website that needs improvement? Are you active on social media but not seeing results? Is your SEO strategy non-existent or underperforming? Take inventory of your existing digital assets and identify the gaps that need to be filled. Budget is another critical factor. Digital marketing services can range from a few hundred dollars per month for basic services to tens of thousands for comprehensive campaigns. Establish a realistic budget range that aligns with your business goals and expected return on investment. Essential Services to Look For A comprehensive digital marketing agency should offer a full suite of services that work together to achieve your business objectives. Look for agencies that provide custom web design and development, as your website is the foundation of all digital marketing efforts. Your…

Local SEO Strategies That Drive Results for Texas Businesses Published October 26, 2025 | Comprehensive guide to dominating local search results and attracting more customers in the competitive Texas market. Texas businesses face unique challenges in the digital landscape. With major metropolitan areas like Dallas, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio, plus countless smaller communities across the Lone Star State, standing out in local search results requires strategic planning and execution. Local SEO isn’t just about being found—it’s about being found by the right customers at the right time when they’re ready to make a purchase decision. Understanding the Texas Local Search Landscape The Texas market presents both opportunities and challenges for local businesses. With a population exceeding 30 million people spread across diverse geographic regions, consumer behavior varies significantly between urban centers and rural communities. Dallas-Fort Worth businesses compete differently than those in smaller East Texas towns, yet the fundamental principles of local SEO remain consistent. Local search behavior in Texas reflects the state’s business-friendly culture and entrepreneurial spirit. Consumers actively research local options before making purchasing decisions, with over 80% of local searches resulting in a visit or phone call within 24 hours. This presents tremendous opportunity for businesses that optimize their local presence effectively. Google Business Profile Optimization Your Google Business Profile serves as your digital storefront and often provides the first impression potential customers have of your business. Complete optimization goes far beyond basic information entry—it requires strategic thinking about how customers search for your services. Start with accurate, consistent business information across all platforms. Your name, address, and phone number must match exactly across your website, Google Business Profile, and all directory listings. Even minor inconsistencies like “Street” versus “St.” can confuse search algorithms and dilute your local ranking power. Category selection significantly impacts your visibility….

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Maximizing ROI: Digital Marketing Success Stories from Texas Businesses Discover how Texas businesses are achieving exceptional returns on investment through strategic digital marketing initiatives. Learn from real success stories and proven strategies that drive measurable results. Texas businesses are experiencing unprecedented success in digital marketing, with many achieving remarkable returns on investment through strategic implementation of comprehensive digital strategies. The Lone Star State’s diverse business landscape provides unique opportunities for companies to leverage digital marketing channels effectively, resulting in substantial growth and profitability. The Foundation of Digital Marketing Success Successful digital marketing campaigns in Texas share common foundational elements that contribute to their exceptional performance. These businesses understand that effective digital marketing requires a holistic approach combining multiple channels and strategies to create synergistic effects that amplify overall results. Custom web design serves as the cornerstone of successful digital marketing initiatives. Texas businesses that invest in professionally designed, user-friendly websites see significantly higher conversion rates compared to those using generic templates or outdated designs. These websites feature intuitive navigation, mobile responsiveness, and compelling calls-to-action that guide visitors through the customer journey. Strategic search marketing, encompassing both search engine optimization and search engine marketing, forms another critical component of successful campaigns. Texas businesses implementing comprehensive SEO strategies report increased organic traffic, improved search rankings, and higher quality leads that convert at superior rates. Local Restaurant Chain Transforms Digital Presence A regional restaurant chain operating across multiple Texas cities experienced remarkable growth after implementing a comprehensive digital marketing strategy. The business faced challenges with inconsistent online presence and declining foot traffic across their locations. The transformation began with a complete website redesign focusing on local search optimization and mobile user experience. The new website featured location-specific pages, online ordering capabilities, and integrated social media feeds showcasing daily specials and customer testimonials. Search…

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Why Invest in Web Design: Complete Guide for Business Did you know that users form their first impression of a website in less than half a second? This snap judgment highlights how good web design shapes your brand image and influences whether visitors stay or leave. Strong design is more than attractive visuals. It guides user actions, builds trust, and directly impacts your business growth by turning visitors into customers. Key Takeaways Point Details Importance of Web Design Effective web design enhances user experience and drives first impressions, influencing perceptions of brand usability. Types of Web Design Select the right design type (static, dynamic, etc.) based on business needs and communication objectives for optimal engagement. Investment Returns Quality web design can yield substantial returns, with every dollar invested potentially generating up to 900% back. Common Mistakes Avoid critical errors such as neglecting mobile responsiveness and clear calls-to-action, which can hinder the site’s performance and reduce user engagement. Table of Contents Defining Web Design And Its Core Value Different Web Design Types For Businesses How Quality Web Design Drives Business Growth Financial Impact And Returns On Web Design Investment Common Mistakes When Investing In Web Design Defining Web Design and Its Core Value Web design is the strategic process of creating digital experiences that blend visual aesthetics, functional architecture, and user interaction into a compelling online platform for businesses. It goes far beyond mere visual decoration—it’s about crafting digital environments that communicate your brand’s essence, engage visitors, and drive meaningful interactions. The core values of effective web design include: Visual Communication: Translating your brand’s identity through carefully selected colors, graphics, and layout. User Experience (UX): Designing intuitive navigation and interactions that feel natural and effortless. Functional Performance: Ensuring fast loading times, mobile responsiveness, and seamless cross-device compatibility. Strategic Messaging: Guiding visitors…

Published October 22, 2025 | Finding the perfect digital marketing partner requires careful evaluation of expertise, results, and alignment with your business goals. Selecting the right digital marketing agency can make or break your business’s online success. With countless agencies across Texas claiming to deliver exceptional results, the decision process can feel overwhelming. The key lies in understanding what separates truly effective agencies from those that simply promise the world but deliver mediocre outcomes. Define Your Digital Marketing Goals and Budget Before reaching out to any agency, establish clear objectives for your digital marketing efforts. Are you looking to increase website traffic, generate more qualified leads, boost online sales, or improve brand awareness? Different agencies excel in different areas, so knowing your priorities helps narrow your search significantly. Create a realistic budget range that accounts for both agency fees and advertising spend. Quality digital marketing requires investment, and agencies that promise exceptional results for unrealistically low prices often deliver subpar outcomes. Consider your expected return on investment and allocate resources accordingly. Document your current marketing challenges and pain points. Whether you’re struggling with low website conversions, poor search engine rankings, or ineffective social media presence, identifying these issues helps potential agencies understand your specific needs and propose targeted solutions. Evaluate Agency Expertise and Service Offerings Look for agencies that offer comprehensive digital marketing services rather than specialists in just one area. The most effective campaigns integrate multiple channels including search engine optimization, pay-per-click advertising, social media marketing, content creation, and web design. This integrated approach ensures consistent messaging and maximizes your marketing impact. Examine the agency’s technical capabilities, particularly in areas like custom web design and development. Your website serves as the foundation for all digital marketing efforts, so partnering with an agency that can optimize both your site’s performance…

Role of digital marketing for Texas small businesses: strategies, channels, ROI impact, and common mistakes in this comprehensive guide.

To find out, we analysed billions of clicks and impressions from Google Search Console. Our findings are a good reminder: page one is where the overwhelming majority of clicks and impressions happen. In August 2025, 96.98% of desktop clicks in… Read more ›

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Explore the top social media management tools in 2025 with our expert comparison of six powerful platforms to enhance your marketing efforts.

Comprehensive email marketing guide for Texas businesses. Covers strategies, campaign types, legal compliance, costs, and common pitfalls explained.

Explore the top email marketing solutions 2025 with our comparison of 5 leading platforms to find the perfect fit for your business.

Did you know email marketing brings in around $36 for every $1 spent? Many business owners still believe email is outdated, yet the numbers show it remains one of the most reliable ways to reach customers. Understanding how modern email campaigns work and clearing up the myths helps Texas companies connect, stand out, and see real returns with every message they send. Key Takeaways Point Details Email Marketing Effectiveness Email marketing remains a powerful tool with an ROI of $36-$42 for every dollar spent, debunking myths about its irrelevance. Diverse Campaign Types Employ various email campaign strategies, such as relational, transactional, promotional, and advanced types to target your audience effectively. Compliance and Privacy Adhere to Texas legal requirements for email marketing, including subject line labeling and prompt opt-out processing to protect consumer privacy. Focus on Value Prioritize delivering genuine value and engagement in your emails, avoiding common pitfalls like quantity over quality and hard-sell tactics. Table of Contents Defining Email Marketing And Common Myths Types Of Email Marketing Campaigns How Email Marketing Works For Businesses Legal Compliance And Privacy Rules In Texas Costs, ROI, And Common Mistakes To Avoid Defining Email Marketing and Common Myths Email marketing isn’t dead. Far from it. Email marketing is a powerful digital communication strategy where businesses send targeted messages directly to subscribers’ inboxes, creating personalized connections that drive engagement and sales. According to recent research, email continues to be an incredibly effective marketing channel with remarkable returns. Common myths about email marketing persist, but the data tells a different story. According to research from Tipton Franklin, email marketing delivers an impressive ROI of around $36 for every $1 spent. The myths that younger audiences don’t use email or that personalization feels intrusive are consistently debunked by engagement data. What makes email marketing truly powerful…

MCP, which stands for Model Context Protocol, is an open standard that companies can use to integrate their external tools and data with compatible AI assistants. Imagine you’ve recently launched a new clothing brand and want to find eCommerce stores… Read more ›

This checklist combines proven SEO essentials with the new steps that matter for AI search. No fluff, no fuss. It will help you strengthen your SEO foundation, adapt to changing behaviors in AI search, and keep your brand visible across… Read more ›

To find out, I asked the speakers and panelists at Ahrefs Evolve, our conference in San Diego from October 13-15, which books they actually read and recommend. Here are their recommendations: Author: Eric Ries Recommended by: Travis Tallent This is… Read more ›

The Art of Flawless Marketing Campaign Management Every successful business milestone starts with a great marketing idea. But an idea, no matter how brilliant, is worthless without flawless execution. Campaign management is the art of taking a strategy and bringing it to life, coordinating every moving part—from creative design to ad deployment—to ensure your launch is a spectacular success, not a stressful failure. Phase 1: The Blueprint for Success (The Campaign Plan) A rock-solid plan eliminates the chaos and miscommunication that sinks most campaigns. We create a detailed blueprint that goes beyond just a goal and a deadline, defining: The specific target audience. The core messaging and offer. A map of every single deliverable (ad creative, email copy, landing pages). Clear ownership and timelines for each task. Phase 2: Launch, Monitoring, and Live Optimization A campaign is a living system. Once launched, we monitor its vital signs daily using advanced tracking and live dashboards. We watch the data to see what’s working and what isn’t. If an ad is underperforming, we don’t wait a month to find out; we pause it immediately and reallocate the budget to top-performing assets. This agile, data-driven approach ensures your marketing budget is constantly optimized for the best possible ROI. Why Expert Campaign Management Is a Game-Changer Eliminates Stress: We handle all the moving parts so you can focus on running your business. Ensures Accountability: Clear ownership and timelines mean deadlines are met without fail. Maximizes Your Budget: Constant optimization ensures your ad spend is never wasted on assumptions. Delivers Predictable Results: A structured process leads to more consistent and successful outcomes. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Q: What’s the difference between a campaign manager and a marketing strategist? A: A strategist develops the high-level “why” and “what” (the goals, audience, and core message). A campaign…

Managing What Google Says About You in 2025 Here’s a simple truth about modern business: before anyone decides to buy from you, visit your location, or even call you, they will Google you. That first page of search results is your digital handshake and permanent first impression. What it says—from your star rating to your customer reviews—can either build instant trust or kill a potential sale before it ever begins. The Key Components of Your Digital Footprint Your online reputation is your entire digital footprint, and customers are looking at all of it. The most critical components include: Your Google Business Profile (GBP): This is the map listing that shows your hours, location, and most importantly, your average star rating and customer reviews. An incomplete or poorly rated profile is a major red flag. Social Media Activity: Active, engaging profiles show a vibrant brand personality. Inactive or abandoned profiles suggest your business may be outdated or unresponsive. Third-Party Review Sites: Customers are having conversations about your business on sites like Yelp, Trustpilot, and other industry-specific forums, whether you are participating or not. A Proactive Strategy for Building 5-Star Social Proof You cannot passively hope for a good reputation; you must actively build and manage it. A proactive strategy involves two key parts: Encouraging Positive Reviews: Implementing simple, automated systems to ask your happiest customers to share their positive experiences online. Managing Negative Reviews: Monitoring for all new reviews and responding quickly and professionally to negative feedback. A thoughtful response can turn a bad situation into a public display of excellent customer service. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Q: Should I respond to every online review? A: Yes, you should aim to respond to all reviews, both positive and negative. Thanking customers for positive feedback and professionally addressing concerns in negative reviews…

Think about the last special offer that made you stop scrolling and buy immediately. It likely wasn’t a simple “10% Off” coupon. The best promotions create powerful feelings of excitement and urgency, making customers feel they’d be foolish to miss out. The key isn’t just lowering the price; it’s about crafting a compelling offer that drives incredible demand. The 3 Core Elements of an Irresistible Offer An offer people can’t ignore is built on a strategic combination of science and art, focusing on three key psychological triggers: Urgency: Using countdown timers, flash sales, or limited product quantities to encourage immediate action. Exclusivity: Making customers feel special with early-bird access for subscribers, VIP bonuses, or offers for the first 100 buyers. Overwhelming Value: Stacking the offer with valuable bonuses like free shipping, complimentary products, or exclusive guides that make the core purchase an absolute no-brainer. Building Momentum with a Cross-Channel Campaign Once your irresistible offer is perfected, we create a cross-channel “echo chamber” to ensure your message is heard everywhere. This isn’t just a single email blast; it’s a coordinated campaign designed to build anticipation and momentum. We’ll tease the promotion on social media, use countdowns on Instagram Stories, partner with influencers for a launch-day announcement, and deploy retargeting ads to create an unmissable event. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Q: How can I run a promotion without devaluing my brand? A: Avoid constant, generic discounting. Instead, frame promotions as special events, focus on adding value (bonuses) rather than just slashing prices, and use exclusivity to reward loyal customers. Q: What is a “value stack”? A: A value stack is the practice of listing out every component of your offer (the main product, free shipping, bonus #1, bonus #2) and assigning a monetary value to each, demonstrating to the customer that the…

How to Build a Marketing Strategy That Drives Predictable Growth Trying to grow your business without a marketing strategy is like driving cross-country without a GPS. You’ll waste time, money, and energy on wrong turns and dead ends. In today’s crowded digital world, a focused strategy is your superpower. It’s the difference between making random noise and executing a plan that attracts a steady, predictable stream of high-value customers. Step 1: Foundational Research & Your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) Everything starts with your customer. If you’re marketing to everyone, you’re connecting with no one. We begin by building your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)—a detailed snapshot of your perfect customer. Understanding their needs, pain points, and online behavior allows us to craft messaging and offers that resonate deeply. Step 2: Choosing the Right Channels for Maximum ROI A winning strategy doesn’t require being everywhere; it requires being everywhere that matters. Based on your ICP, we map out the customer journey to identify the most effective channels to reach them. Whether they’re on TikTok, listening to podcasts, or active on LinkedIn, we focus your budget and effort where they will generate the highest return. Step 3: Creating a Cohesive Plan with Measurable KPIs Consistency builds trust. We build a cohesive plan where your social media, email marketing, and website all communicate a unified message. We also define your Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)—the critical numbers (like website traffic, lead acquisition cost, and conversion rate) that act as the scoreboard for your marketing, enabling you to make smart, data-driven decisions. Frequently Asked questions (FAQ) Q: What’s the difference between a marketing strategy and a marketing plan? A: A strategy is your high-level “why”—it defines your long-term goals and how you’ll achieve a competitive advantage. A plan is your “how”—the specific actions and tactics you’ll…

Does this sound familiar? You’re boosting posts and running ads with your fingers crossed, copying competitors, and hoping for a different result. “Random acts of marketing” are a frustrating drain on your time, budget, and energy. A professional marketing consultation provides an expert, outside perspective, delivering a clear diagnosis of what’s broken and a step-by-step roadmap to fix it, putting you on a path to predictable growth. Our 3-Step Marketing Diagnosis Process Our process is designed for clarity and to deliver actionable insights, not just generic advice. Discovery & Goal Setting: First, we listen. We dive deep to understand your business, your customers, your revenue goals, and the specific challenges you’re facing. In-Depth Data Analysis: Your analytics tell the true story. We analyze your website traffic, ad performance, and customer data to identify what’s working, what isn’t, and where the biggest opportunities lie. Prioritized Action Plan: We won’t overwhelm you. We deliver a tangible game plan focused on the 3-5 most critical actions you need to take now to see a real impact on your bottom line. From Confusion to Clarity: Your Roadmap to Success This isn’t just advice; it’s a tangible plan. We’ll provide clarity on who your ideal customer is, what messaging resonates with them, and which marketing channels will provide the highest return on investment (ROI). You’ll walk away with the knowledge and tools needed to stop wasting your budget and start scaling your business with confidence. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Q: Who is a marketing consultation for? A: It’s for any business owner or marketing manager who feels stuck, is overwhelmed by options, or isn’t seeing a clear ROI from their current marketing efforts. Q: What do I need to prepare for a strategy session? A: The most important things are an open mind and a…

5 Signs You Need a Redesign in 2025 Think of your website as your #1 salesperson, working 24/7. But if that salesperson is slow, confusing, and unprofessional, it’s not closing deals—it’s actively turning customers away. In today’s competitive market, a website that looks and feels like it’s from 2015 is a liability. An outdated user experience (UX) directly impacts your bottom line, costing you credibility and sales every single day. Warning Signs Your Website is Leaking Profits Each of these common issues is a critical flaw that causes potential customers to leave your site and never return. Slow Load Times: If your site takes longer than three seconds to load, a significant portion of visitors will abandon it before it even appears. High Bounce Rate: This metric shows that users land on your site and leave immediately, signaling a major disconnect between their expectations and their experience. Poor Mobile Experience: With over half of all web traffic coming from mobile devices, a site that isn’t easy to use on a phone is alienating the majority of your audience. Unprofessional Design: Outdated graphics, poor-quality photos, and inconsistent branding erode trust and make customers question your business’s legitimacy. Confusing Navigation & Weak CTAs: If users can’t find what they’re looking for or don’t know what to do next, they won’t convert. A clear call-to-action (CTA) is essential. How a Modern Website Redesign Drives Growth A professional website makeover is one of the smartest investments you can make in your business. We rebuild your site from the ground up with a single goal: turning visitors into happy, paying customers. This involves creating a clean, intuitive layout, crafting powerful messaging, and optimizing every element for lightning-fast speed. The result is a seamless customer journey that guides users effortlessly toward making a purchase, boosting your…

Let’s be real for a second. You scroll through Instagram and TikTok every day, and you know when an ad feels fake. The cringey celebrity holding a product they’ve clearly never used? You see right through it, and so do your customers. That’s why the old way of “influencer marketing” is dead. In 2025, it’s all about authenticity. Forget paying for boring shoutouts that get zero results. It’s time to team up with real creators your audience already loves and trusts. Think of it like this: would you rather buy something recommended by a giant billboard or by a friend who genuinely loves it? The answer is obvious. This is where the magic of micro-influencers comes in. These are creators with smaller, but hyper-engaged, communities built around specific interests like fitness, vegan cooking, or vintage fashion. Their followers don’t just see them as entertainers; they see them as trusted experts. When they recommend a product, it feels like a genuine suggestion, not a paid-for ad read. We help you find these authentic partners who can create awesome content that connects. Imagine unboxing videos that build genuine excitement, Instagram takeovers that give a fun behind-the-scenes look at your brand, and affiliate partnerships that motivate creators to drive sales because they get a piece of the action. This approach builds true brand loyalty and turns followers into fanatics. It’s not about the size of the audience; it’s about the trust they command. Of course, the big question is: how do you know it’s actually working? We take the guesswork out of it. By using custom discount codes, special tracking links, and analyzing the right data, we can see exactly how many clicks, sales, and new customers each influencer brings in. No more wasting money on vanity metrics and fake hype. We focus…

So I did something different: I asked the speakers and panelists at Ahrefs Evolve, our conference in San Diego from October 13-15, which newsletters they actually read and recommend. The result? A curated list of newsletters that span SEO, media,… Read more ›

Here’s a simple truth about business in 2025: before anyone decides to buy from you, visit your store, or even pick up the phone to call you, they’re going to Google you. That first page of search results is your new storefront window, your digital handshake, and your permanent first impression. What it says about you can either build instant trust or instantly kill a sale. Your online presence isn’t just your website anymore. It’s your entire digital footprint—and it’s your reputation. This footprint has several key components. First is your Google Business Profile. This is the box that pops up in Google Maps and local searches, showing your hours, phone number, and—most critically—your star rating and reviews. An incomplete or poorly managed profile with bad reviews is a massive red flag for customers. Then you have your social media channels. Are you engaging with customers and showing a vibrant brand personality, or are your profiles ghost towns with posts from two years ago? Both tell a story. And, of course, there are the review sites like Yelp, Trustpilot, or industry-specific forums where customers are having conversations about you whether you’re participating or not. Managing this isn’t a passive activity; it requires a proactive strategy. You can’t just sit back and hope for good reviews. We help you implement simple systems to encourage your happiest customers to share their positive experiences online, building a powerful wall of social proof that new prospects can see. More importantly, we monitor for new reviews and mentions across the web. When a negative review inevitably pops up, responding quickly, professionally, and authentically can turn a bad situation into a public display of excellent customer service. Ignoring it, on the other hand, lets the negative comment define you. Your online reputation is being built every…

Create Promotions People Can’t Ignore Think about the last time a special offer genuinely made you stop scrolling and click “buy now.” What was it? It probably wasn’t just a simple “10% Off” coupon. The best promotions create a powerful feeling of excitement and urgency. They make you feel like you’d be crazy to miss out. That’s the difference between a boring sale and a promotion that drives real demand. It’s not just about lowering the price; it’s about crafting an offer so compelling that your audience feels it was made just for them, and they have to act now. Crafting the Perfect Offer So, how do you create an offer people can’t ignore? It’s a mix of science and art. We help you design the whole package, focusing on three key elements: urgency, exclusivity, and overwhelming value. Urgency can be a countdown timer for a flash sale or a limited quantity of a special product bundle. Exclusivity makes people feel special, like an early-bird discount for your email subscribers or a bonus for the first 100 buyers. And value isn’t just about the discount; it’s about everything else you stack on top. Think free shipping, a valuable bonus guide, or a complimentary product. We help you build these value stacks that make your core offer an absolute no-brainer. Amplifying Your Message Once the offer is perfected, we create a cross-channel “echo chamber” to make sure your message is heard loud and clear. This isn’t just one email blast. It’s a coordinated campaign that builds momentum. We’ll tease the upcoming promotion on social media, build anticipation with a countdown on Instagram Stories, partner with an influencer for a live launch-day announcement, and use retargeting ads to remind anyone who showed interest. Every piece works together to create an unmissable event,…

Auditing your brand’s mentions is how you uncover: How the public sees your brand What misinformation might be feeding AI systems Which topics and entities are most strongly connected to you Think of it as backlink auditing for the AI… Read more ›

But even if you’re our most loyal fan, there will still be plenty of insights that you’ve missed or have forgotten already. Many of these ideas are too good to let vanish. So we went back through our catalog and… Read more ›

They’ve always happened on social media, forums, news sites, and blogs. But now they’re happening in AI responses—and these mentions influence how millions of people discover and perceive your brand. Welcome to the new era of brand mention monitoring. Right… Read more ›

Ready to grow beyond word-of-mouth? Our local marketing services use SEO, paid ads, and social media to help you reach new customers right in your area.

Ready to grow beyond word-of-mouth? Our local marketing services use SEO, paid ads, and social media to help you reach new customers right in your area.

Ready to grow beyond word-of-mouth? Our local marketing services use SEO, paid ads, and social media to help you reach new customers right in your area.

Need to handle your marketing in one place? Appture is a full-service digital agency offering web design, SEO, social, and email for a consistent brand voice.

Want to improve your email open rates? We use subject line testing, list segmentation, and smart timing to help more people open and read your emails.

Get a website designed for your construction company. We showcase your projects with image galleries and make it easy for potential clients to request a quote.

Use SocialEYES™ to post to multiple social accounts at once. Our dashboard lets you schedule content across Facebook, Instagram, and more to save time.

Create a mobile app for your next event. We build custom event apps with schedules, maps, speaker info, and push notifications to improve the attendee experience.

Appture Digital builds secure websites for healthcare providers. We focus on privacy, patient-friendly design, and clear layouts to build trust and safety.

Stop wasting money on Facebook ads. Our management service focuses on smart targeting and budget optimization to generate real leads and sales for your business.

Want to make your business easier to find on Google? Appture improves search rankings with site optimization, local listings, and quality content.

We help non-profits reach more donors online. Our websites, email campaigns, and social media strategies make it easy to tell your story and grow support.

Need a professional video for your company website? Appture plans, films, and edits high-quality videos that explain your services and connect with customers.

Get practical, effective SEO for your small business in Texas. We improve local search rankings and website traffic so more customers can find you online.

Need more online leads for your manufacturing company? We use SEO, paid ads, and industry-focused content to bring qualified buyers directly to your website.

Redesign your outdated website without breaking the budget. Appture Digital delivers a fresh, modern, and mobile-friendly look with better performance.

Appture Digital builds secure mobile apps for government agencies. We create tools for public safety, city services, and education to help you serve residents.

Need professional virtual event production in North Texas? Appture handles streaming, A/V, and run-of-show for polished hybrid events and webinars.

Help your city or school improve community communication with custom apps and alert systems. Appture Digital makes it easy to send news and urgent messages.

Looking for the best email marketing service in Texas? Appture Digital designs and manages email campaigns that get opened. Connect with your customers today.

Save time with expert social media management in DFW. Appture Digital plans content, schedules posts with SocialEYES™, and tracks results. Stay active online!

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Featured snippets are prime real estate in the SERP. They sit at the top of the organic results and immediately grab the attention of searchers. They’re also increasingly common. Featured snippets are now present on 23% of all Google SERPs and get 8.6% of clicks, on average. If you’re doing SEO, you need to be optimizing for featured snippets. What Are Featured Snippets? Featured snippets are short extracts of information displayed at the top of Google search results. The content in a featured snippet provides a concise and clear answer to a query so that a searcher can quickly find the information they need. Types of Featured Snippets According to a 2020 Semrush study, the three most common types of featured snippets are: Paragraphs Paragraph snippets are the most common, with 70% of featured snippets displayed in a paragraph format. This type of featured snippet provides definitions, short overviews of topics, and direct answers to questions. Lists List featured snippets are bulleted or numbered lists that show important information on a topic. They can also include step-by-step instructions. Google compiles the list by pulling the subheadings from a relevant web page. Over 19% of featured snippets are lists. Tables Tables appear in 6.3% of featured snippets. This format is used to provide a simple comparison of information or data such as pricing or sizing. Google can use an existing table on a web page or pull relevant data to create a dynamic table. Google also pulls video content from YouTube for some search queries. To rank for video featured snippets, you’ll need to identify relevant keywords that trigger video content and focus on YouTube SEO. Are Featured Snippets Important? Featured snippets are important because they are the most prominent result on the SERP. Winning a featured snippet can increase your…

The Uncanny Valley of YouTube: Why AI Avatars Can Sabotage Your Channel’s Growth Using AI-generated on-screen avatars to grow a YouTube channel is a tempting shortcut in an age of accessible artificial intelligence. However, this approach is often a significant misstep that can lead to slow growth, a perception of unprofessionalism, and ultimately, become an embarrassment to your brand development. Here’s a breakdown of why a human presence, even an imperfect one, is almost always the superior choice for long-term success. The Erosion of Authenticity and Human Connection At the heart of a successful YouTube channel is a connection between the creator and the audience. Viewers subscribe and return for the personality, the unique perspective, and the genuine emotion that a human creator provides. AI avatars, by their very nature, create a significant barrier to this connection. The “Uncanny Valley” Effect: AI avatars often fall into the “uncanny valley,” a phenomenon where a figure appears almost, but not exactly, like a human, causing a sense of unease or revulsion in the viewer. This subtle but persistent feeling of “offness” can make your content difficult to watch and prevent viewers from forming a genuine bond with your channel. Lack of Genuine Emotion: While AI can mimic expressions, it cannot replicate the nuanced and spontaneous emotions that are crucial for engaging content. The subtle tells of excitement, the genuine frustration with a difficult task, or the heartfelt passion for a topic are what make a creator relatable. An AI avatar’s pre-programmed expressions can feel hollow and disconnected, leaving the audience feeling like they are being marketed to rather than communicated with. Absence of Relatability: People connect with people. They relate to imperfections, quirks, and shared experiences. An AI avatar is, by definition, flawless and artificial. This perfection creates a distance, making it…

By The Legal Marketing Advisor – In partnership with Appture Digital Media Introduction For today’s successful law firm, growth is achieved not just in the courtroom, but in the court of public opinion and the digital marketplace. Building a powerful brand that communicates authority and inspires confidence is key to attracting the clients you want. While any attorney can record a video, only a professional production can convey the gravitas and sophistication your firm represents. Amateur video often falls short, failing to build the necessary trust. To make a truly compelling case for your firm, you need the strategic and polished approach of Appture Digital Media, North Texas’ elite agency for Video Marketing, Social Media, and Website Development. The Power of the Video Testimonial In the legal world, results and reputation are everything. While confidentiality is key, a satisfied client who is willing to speak on camera provides the most powerful form of social proof imaginable. A professionally filmed client testimonial, handled with discretion and class, can be a game-changer for your firm. It adds an emotional weight and a layer of authenticity that a written review simply cannot capture, making it a highly persuasive tool for your website and marketing efforts1. Dominating Search and Social Media Video is a powerhouse for boosting your firm’s visibility. Search engines like Google favor websites with video content, meaning a professional video can help you outrank your competitors in local search results2. On social media platforms, especially LinkedIn, video posts generate significantly more engagement than text alone. This allows you to effectively build your network, share your expertise, and stay top-of-mind with potential clients and referral sources. Appture Digital Media creates video content that is optimized to perform on every critical platform. Creating an Invaluable Asset for Your Firm Think of a professionally…

By The Legal Marketing Advisor – In partnership with Appture Digital Media Introduction In the legal profession, a reputation for authority, integrity, and competence is paramount. As clients increasingly turn to the internet to find legal counsel, your firm’s digital presence has become your new first impression. To attract high-quality clients and build a distinguished brand, your marketing must be as professional and persuasive as your legal arguments. Amateur videos, often shot on a whim, can project an image of disorganization that undermines your credibility. The clear path to growth and enhanced reputation is a strategic partnership with a professional team like Appture Digital Media, North Texas’ Best Video Marketing, Social Media, and Website Development Agency. Building Trust and Rapport Instantly Choosing an attorney is a decision rooted in trust. Professional video is the single most effective tool for building that trust before a potential client ever contacts your office. A well-produced introductory video allows them to see and hear you, get a sense of your demeanor, and connect with you on a human level. This is incredibly powerful, as studies show 89% of consumers are convinced to use a service after watching a brand’s video1. Appture Digital Media helps you make a first impression that is both authoritative and approachable. Demystifying the Law and Demonstrating Expertise Legal concepts can be complex and intimidating for clients. Use professional video to create a series of short, informative clips that answer frequently asked questions or explain different areas of your practice. This not only provides immense value to your audience but also powerfully demonstrates your expertise and positions your firm as a trusted authority. This educational approach helps pre-qualify leads, as potential clients arrive at a consultation better informed and more confident in your abilities2. A Commanding Presence Online A strong online…

By The Aesthetics Advisor – In partnership with Appture Digital Media Introduction A successful aesthetics clinic or med spa is more than a place for treatments; it’s a trusted brand that clients rely on for their confidence and well-being. Building this brand requires a marketing strategy that is as sophisticated and results-oriented as your clinical work. While it’s easy to post a quick video on Instagram, these amateur efforts often lack the strategic messaging and polished look needed to attract high-value clients. To build an authoritative and profitable brand, you need the professional, integrated approach of Appture Digital Media, the top-rated agency in North Texas for Video Marketing, Social Media, and Website Development. Converting Viewers into Loyal Patients The ultimate goal of your marketing is to convert interested viewers into loyal patients. Professional video is exceptionally effective at moving people through this journey. A high-quality video on a landing page can increase conversion rates by up to 86% because it clearly and persuasively demonstrates the value of your services1. Whether it’s a detailed procedure explainer or a compelling patient story, a professional video from Appture Digital Media can guide potential clients from consideration to consultation. Becoming the Authority on Social Media To stand out on crowded platforms like Instagram and TikTok, you need more than just “before and after” pictures. You need to be an authority. A professionally produced video series where your providers share expert advice, debunk myths, or explain new trends can position your clinic as the go-to source for aesthetic knowledge. This builds a loyal following and attracts patients who are looking for true expertise, not just a low price. Appture Digital Media helps you develop a video content strategy that establishes you as a thought leader. A Seamless and Elegant Digital Experience Your client’s experience begins…

By The Aesthetics Advisor – In partnership with Appture Digital Media Introduction In the world of aesthetics, your brand is a promise of beauty, precision, and transformative results. Patients choose your clinic based on the confidence you inspire and the quality you project. To attract a discerning clientele and grow a top-tier practice, your marketing must be as flawless and sophisticated as your work. Amateur, low-quality videos can cheapen your brand and create doubt. To build a truly magnetic brand, you need the artistic vision and technical excellence of a premier partner like Appture Digital Media, North Texas’ Best Video Marketing, Social Media, and Website Development Agency. Curating an Image of Luxury and Trust Your brand is a luxury brand. Every touchpoint, especially video, must reflect that. A professionally produced video—featuring elegant office tours, articulate provider introductions, and a calm, sophisticated tone—immediately establishes your clinic as a high-end destination. Quality is critical, as high-quality visuals are proven to establish credibility and trust, which is essential for patients making an emotional and financial investment in your services1. Appture Digital Media crafts a visual identity that speaks of quality and exclusivity. Showcasing Mastery with Visual Storytelling The results you achieve are your most powerful marketing tool. Professional “before and after” videos and patient journey testimonials allow you to showcase your mastery in a compelling and ethical way. Unlike static photos, video captures the emotion and newfound confidence of a happy patient, creating a powerful and relatable story that resonates with prospective clients. This form of visual storytelling is unparalleled in its ability to build desire and trust in your skills. Educating and Empowering Your Patients An educated patient is a confident patient. Use elegant, professional videos to explain your procedures, introduce new technologies, and discuss the science behind the beauty. This content…

  By The Build Advisor – In partnership with Appture Digital Media Introduction For a modern construction firm, growth is about more than just laying bricks and mortar; it’s about building a rock-solid reputation. Your brand’s perception in the market directly impacts your ability to secure premier projects and attract elite talent. While social media makes it easy to post quick, unfiltered videos from the field, these often fail to convey the scale, safety, and professionalism of your operation. To truly elevate your brand and accelerate growth, you need a strategic video partner like Appture Digital Media, the undisputed leader in Video Marketing, Social Media, and Website Development in North Texas. The Unmistakable Mark of Professionalism In construction, trust and credibility are paramount. Every aspect of your business presentation should reinforce these values. A professionally produced video—whether it’s a project profile, a safety training module, or a client testimonial—instantly communicates a higher level of organization and quality. This visual branding, from your website to your job site signage, is critical. It instills confidence in clients and stakeholders, assuring them of your capability to deliver excellence1. Documenting Your Success Story Your completed projects are your best sales tool. Professional video allows you to document these successes in a powerful and lasting way. Imagine being able to show a potential client a stunning time-lapse of a build from groundbreaking to ribbon-cutting, complete with drone shots and interviews with the satisfied owner. This is infinitely more powerful than a static photo gallery. Appture Digital Media are masters at creating these compelling project showcases that become cornerstone assets for your marketing efforts. Enhancing Safety and Training Programs A strong commitment to safety is a hallmark of a leading construction firm. Professional video can be a highly effective tool for your safety and training programs….

By The Care Advisor – In partnership with Appture Digital Media Introduction For a home health care agency, growth is fueled by reputation and referrals. Physicians, hospital discharge planners, and families all need to have complete confidence in your services before they will recommend or choose your agency. Your digital brand is often the first point of contact, and it must convey absolute professionalism and warmth. Amateur video can unintentionally undermine this, creating a perception of disorganization. To build a powerful referral network and attract more clients, a strategic partnership with a professional agency like Appture Digital Media, North Texas’ leading team for Video Marketing, Social Media, and Website Development, is essential. Strengthening Your Referral Network Your relationships with hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and physicians are critical. A professional brand video is a powerful tool to use when connecting with these referral sources. A short, polished video that encapsulates your agency’s mission, highlights your key service differentiators, and features your professional staff can be easily shared and makes a lasting, credible impression. It demonstrates that your agency operates at a high level of professionalism, making them confident in referring their patients to you. Attracting and Retaining the Best Caregivers Your agency is only as good as your caregivers. In a competitive hiring market, a strong, professional brand can help you attract top talent. A recruitment video that showcases your agency’s positive culture, highlights your commitment to your team, and features testimonials from current caregivers can be a powerful differentiator. It shows potential hires that you are a professional, supportive, and desirable place to work. Appture Digital Media can help you create compelling recruitment content that builds your dream team. A Website That Works for You Your website is your digital front door. It needs to be welcoming, easy to navigate,…

By The Healthcare Advisor – In partnership with Appture Digital Media Introduction In today’s connected healthcare landscape, your practice’s growth depends on your ability to build meaningful connections online. For primary care physicians and therapists, video is the most effective medium for conveying the empathy, professionalism, and trust that define your practice. While a simple webcam video might seem sufficient, it often fails to capture the high standard of care you provide. To truly grow your practice and build a reputable brand, you need the polished, strategic approach of a professional partner like Appture Digital Media, North Texas’ leading agency for Video Marketing, Social Media, and Website Development. Humanizing Your Practice in a Digital World A professional video is your opportunity to humanize your practice and create a personal connection at scale. A well-produced video that shares your practice’s mission, introduces your caring staff, and gives a virtual tour of your welcoming office space can significantly lower the barrier for new patients. It transforms your practice from a name in a directory into a place they feel they already know and trust. This is critical in an era where 81% of patients report feeling heard by their providers, indicating a growing trust in technology-aided healthcare relationships1. Showcasing Expertise and Thought Leadership Establish your authority and build your brand by regularly sharing your expertise through professional video. Creating a series of short videos answering frequently asked questions or discussing timely health topics can position you as a thought leader. This content is highly shareable on social media and can be a powerful tool for attracting new patients who are actively seeking reliable health information. Appture Digital Media can help you develop a content strategy that highlights your unique expertise and grows your audience. Enhancing Your Website and Search Visibility Integrating high-quality…

By The Healthcare Advisor – In partnership with Appture Digital Media Introduction As a primary care physician or therapist, the heart of your practice is the trusting relationship you build with your patients. In an increasingly digital world, that relationship often begins online, long before the first visit. To attract new patients and foster a sense of connection and confidence, your digital presence must be professional, empathetic, and reassuring. Amateur videos, however well-intentioned, can miss the mark and fail to convey your expertise. To build a thriving practice rooted in trust, partnering with a professional team like Appture Digital Media, North Texas’ Best Video Marketing, Social Media, and Website Development Agency, is a vital step forward. Establishing a Compassionate First Impression Choosing a new doctor or therapist is a significant decision. Professional video allows you to introduce yourself and your care philosophy in a warm and controlled manner, breaking down barriers before a patient even picks up the phone. A high-quality “Meet the Provider” video helps potential patients feel a sense of connection and comfort, making them more likely to take the next step. With over 65% of patients searching online before contacting a doctor, a professional and welcoming video presence is your most important digital handshake1. Educating and Empowering Your Community Position your practice as a trusted pillar of health in your community by sharing valuable information through video. Short, professional videos on topics like preventative care, managing chronic conditions, or mental wellness tips can establish you as a go-to authority. This type of content marketing not only helps your existing patients but also attracts new ones looking for expert guidance. Appture Digital Media can help you script, produce, and share content that is both informative and engaging, building your brand as a community health leader. Improving Patient Experience…

By The Practice Growth Advisor – In partnership with Appture Digital Media Introduction In the competitive field of dentistry and orthodontics, visibility and reputation are everything. Today’s patients are savvy digital consumers; they research their options online before ever booking a consultation. To attract these ideal patients, your practice must present a modern, professional, and trustworthy brand. While quick, amateur videos are easy to make, they fail to convey the high level of expertise and care you provide. To build a magnetic brand that drives growth, a partnership with a top-tier agency like Appture Digital Media, North Texas’ Best for Video Marketing, Social Media, and Website Development, is the clear choice. Dominate Local Search and Attract New Patients A website with professionally produced video content is a magnet for search engines like Google. Video significantly increases the time visitors spend on your site, which is a key factor in boosting your search rankings1. When potential patients in your area search for dental services, a strong video presence helps ensure your practice appears at the top of the list. Appture Digital Media combines stunning video with expert SEO strategies to make sure your practice gets seen by the right people. The Power of the Video Testimonial Written reviews are good, but video testimonials are game-changing. Hearing a happy patient describe their positive experience in their own words creates an authentic and emotional connection that text simply cannot match. A professionally filmed testimonial adds a layer of credibility and persuasiveness that can be the deciding factor for a new patient. These stories are powerful assets for your website and social media, and Appture Digital Media excels at capturing them beautifully. Stand Out in a Crowded Social Media Feed Platforms like Facebook and Instagram are visual battlegrounds for attention. Low-quality, poorly lit videos…

By The Practice Growth Advisor – In partnership with Appture Digital Media Introduction As a dentist or orthodontist, you are dedicated to crafting beautiful, healthy smiles. Your practice’s brand should reflect that same commitment to excellence and precision. In a visually driven world, video is the most powerful tool for showcasing your work, building patient trust, and attracting high-value cases. While DIY videos can seem like a quick option, they often lack the polish that inspires confidence in prospective patients. To build a thriving, top-tier practice, you need a professional touch. That’s where Appture Digital Media, North Texas’ leading Video Marketing, Social Media, and Website Development Agency, comes in, helping you build a brand that truly shines. Building Trust Before the First Appointment For many patients, choosing a dentist or orthodontist can be an anxious process. Professional video helps ease that anxiety by humanizing your practice and building trust before they even walk through the door. A warm, professionally produced “Meet the Doctor” video or an elegant office tour can make your practice feel more familiar and welcoming. This is crucial, as a strong online presence is proven to build trust with patients before they book1. Appture Digital Media creates videos that make a confident, reassuring first impression. Visually Communicating Life-Changing Results Your work is transformative. Nothing showcases the power of a smile makeover or perfectly aligned teeth like high-quality video. Professionally shot “before and after” videos and patient testimonials are incredibly persuasive marketing assets. They provide powerful social proof and allow prospective patients to see the incredible results you deliver, connecting with them on an emotional level. Visuals are paramount in cosmetic dentistry, and video offers the most compelling way to display your artistry2. Educating Patients and Increasing Case Acceptance Use professional video to clearly and concisely explain complex…

By The MedTech Advisor – In partnership with Appture Digital Media Introduction For MedTech companies, brand development is synonymous with building trust. Healthcare professionals and institutions must have absolute confidence in your products and your company before they invest. In this high-stakes environment, your marketing communications must reflect the highest standard of care. Amateur video, with its potential for poor quality and unclear messaging, can create doubt and undermine your credibility. To build a powerful and trusted brand, you need the sophisticated approach of a professional partner like Appture Digital Media, North Texas’ Best Video Marketing, Social Media, and Website Development Agency. Humanizing Technology Through Storytelling Beyond the technical specifications and clinical data, your brand’s story is about the people you help. Professional video is unparalleled in its ability to tell these human stories. Through compelling patient testimonials and surgeon success stories, you can create a powerful emotional connection that resonates deeply with your audience. This approach humanizes your technology and demonstrates its real-world impact, a key factor in building brand loyalty. In fact, sharing patient success stories is a leading method for creating emotional connection and reinforcing trust in healthcare1. Gaining a Competitive Edge at Every Touchpoint In a competitive market, every interaction matters. High-quality video gives you a distinct advantage across all your marketing channels. A professional video on your website can significantly increase visitor engagement and time on site, signaling to search engines that your content is valuable and boosting your SEO2. In presentations and proposals, it makes your pitch more dynamic and memorable. Appture Digital Media helps you create these high-impact assets that set you apart from the competition. Accelerating Training and Education Your relationship with clients extends far beyond the sale. Professional video is an invaluable tool for scalable and effective user training. Clear, concise,…

By The MedTech Advisor – In partnership with Appture Digital Media Introduction In the world of medical products and capital equipment, your brand is built on innovation, precision, and trust. You are not just selling a product; you are providing a solution that impacts patient outcomes. To effectively communicate the value of your complex technology, your marketing must be exceptionally clear, credible, and professional. Amateur videos simply cannot convey the level of sophistication and reliability required in this field. Partnering with a specialized agency like Appture Digital Media, North Texas’ Best Video Marketing, Social Media, and Website Development Agency, is the strategic choice to accelerate adoption and build unshakeable confidence among healthcare professionals. Simplifying Complexity, Building Confidence Your products often involve intricate technology and complex clinical data. Professional video excels at breaking down this complexity into clear, digestible, and compelling visual information. Through high-quality 3D animations, expert interviews, and procedural demonstrations, you can effectively educate surgeons, clinicians, and hospital administrators. This clarity is essential, as video has been shown to improve user understanding of a product or service by 88%1. Appture Digital Media has the technical and creative expertise to transform your complex data into a powerful educational tool. Establishing Credibility and Authority In the medical field, credibility is everything. A poorly produced video can instantly damage your brand’s reputation and make stakeholders question your company’s professionalism. Conversely, a polished, high-quality video production signals that your company operates at the highest standard. It reflects the same precision and attention to detail found in your products, building the trust necessary for a significant capital investment. Appture Digital Media ensures your brand is presented with the authority and gravitas it deserves. Empowering Your Sales Team Give your sales and clinical teams the ultimate tool to succeed. A professional video serves as a…

By The Growth Advisor – In partnership with Appture Digital Media Introduction Building a successful consumer brand is a journey of creating connection and establishing trust. In today’s digital-first world, video is the most powerful medium for telling your brand’s story. However, the difference between an amateur attempt and a professional production is the difference between being forgotten and becoming a favorite. Low-quality videos can hinder your growth, failing to capture the essence of your brand and the loyalty of your audience. To accelerate your journey from startup to standout, you need a partner like Appture Digital Media, the top-rated Video Marketing, Social Media, and Website Development Agency in North Texas, to craft a visual identity that shines. The Science of Engagement and Retention Professionally produced video isn’t just about looking good; it’s about how the human brain processes information. Viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video, compared to only 10% when reading it in text1. But this effect is amplified when the quality is high. A polished video with clear audio and crisp visuals keeps viewers engaged longer, giving your message the time it needs to resonate and stick. Appture Digital Media creates content that is not just seen, but remembered. Showcasing Quality with Quality You’ve invested heavily in creating a top-tier product or service. Why would you showcase it with a second-rate video? Consumers subconsciously associate the quality of your marketing with the quality of your offering. A professional video signals that you are a serious, credible brand that cares about excellence in every detail. This perception is crucial for building the trust needed to foster long-term customer relationships. Appture Digital Media ensures your marketing is a true reflection of your brand’s high standards. Versatility for Maximum ROI One of the greatest…

By The Growth Advisor – In partnership with Appture Digital Media Introduction In the crowded consumer marketplace, capturing attention and building brand loyalty are the keys to explosive growth. Your product might be exceptional, but if your presentation falls flat, you’re leaving money on the table. While DIY video seems like a quick way to create content, it often projects an amateur image that undermines your brand’s quality. To truly connect with customers and drive sales, your video content must be as polished and professional as your products. This is where a strategic partnership with Appture Digital Media, North Texas’ Best Video Marketing, Social Media Pros, and Website Development Agency, transforms your brand from just another option into a household name. First Impressions are Your Digital “Shelf Appeal” Think of your video content as the digital packaging for your brand. A poorly lit, shaky video is like a damaged box on a shelf—it immediately signals low quality and diminishes trust. High-quality video, on the other hand, creates a powerful first impression, conveying professionalism and building instant credibility. It’s a fact that video quality significantly impacts consumer trust; one study found that 87% of consumers state that video quality impacts their trust in a brand1. Appture Digital Media ensures your brand’s first impression is a stellar one, captivating audiences from the very first frame. Driving Engagement and Conversion The goal of brand development is to move customers from awareness to purchase. Professional video is an incredibly powerful tool for achieving this. Engaging, story-driven content not only holds viewer attention but also effectively showcases the value and benefits of your products, making the decision to buy easier. Research confirms that a staggering 82% of consumers have been convinced to purchase a product or service after watching a brand’s video1. Appture Digital Media…

By The Measurement Maven · June 21, 2025 Introduction You launched your new brand video. You’re glued to the analytics dashboard, tracking views, click-through rates, and shares. The numbers are okay, maybe even good, but your sales team reports that it’s having no impact on their conversations. You chalk it up as another marketing initiative that didn’t quite move the needle. The common practice is to measure the success of a video with the same quantitative “vanity metrics” we use for a banner ad. My contrarian argument is that your video didn’t fail. Your measurement of it did. By focusing on clicks, you completely missed the real, game-changing metric: connection. The Current State of Things The prevailing wisdom in digital marketing is “if you can’t measure it, it doesn’t exist.” We have become obsessed with quantifiable, top-of-funnel metrics. For video, this means we track views, play rate, social shares, and click-throughs to a landing page. These are the numbers we put in our monthly reports to the C-suite to “prove” that the video is working. This data-driven approach is seen as the only way to justify marketing spend. The Immediate Risk The most immediate risk is abandoning a powerful, effective video because you are looking at the wrong dashboard. A financial services firm created a powerful video featuring the story of a family navigating a difficult financial transition. The video didn’t get a huge number of views or social shares. Based on these vanity metrics, the marketing director deemed it a failure and pulled it from their homepage. The Problem Is You’re Tracking Actions, Not Emotions A click is an action. A view is an action. But a story’s primary purpose is not to generate an immediate action; it is to generate an emotion. Trust, empathy, loyalty, inspiration—these are the…

By The Efficiency Expert · June 21, 2025 Introduction “We don’t have time for elaborate storytelling videos. We need leads now.” This sentiment is common in every sales-driven organization. The pressure for short-term results leads to a focus on direct-response marketing, and “story” feels like a slow, meandering path when you need to get to your destination quickly. My feeling is that a powerful video story is the ultimate shortcut. It is a time machine that can compress a multi-month sales cycle into a single, resonant viewing experience. The Current State of Things The prevailing wisdom is that the sales cycle is a linear, step-by-step process. A lead comes in, they get a demo, they get a proposal, they negotiate, and they close. Marketing’s job is to feed the top of this funnel, and sales’ job is to manually move the prospect through each stage. Videos are often created to support a single stage, like a top-of-funnel “explainer” or a bottom-of-funnel “testimonial.” The process is seen as a long, sequential march. The Immediate Risk The immediate risk of this non-narrative approach is a sales cycle that is needlessly long and leaky. A B2B logistics company had an average sales cycle of six months. Their process involved multiple meetings where the sales rep had to build trust, establish credibility, explain the complex process, and overcome objections one by one. Their videos were simple, feature-focused animations that did little to help. The Problem Is You’re Making the Buyer Do All the Work A typical B2B sales cycle is long because the buyer has to go on a difficult journey. They have to understand their own problem, discover potential solutions, build trust in a vendor, and convince their internal stakeholders. A story-less video just gives them more data to process. A story-driven video…

By The Trend Skeptic · June 21, 2025 Introduction You see it on LinkedIn. A competitor just released a video using that cool, fast-paced, text-on-screen style that’s everywhere right now. It gets a ton of likes. Your immediate reaction is, “We need one of those.” You task your team with creating a similar video, adopting the style as your own. The common practice is to treat video styles like fashionable clothes, trying on whatever is popular to make your brand look current. My argument is that a video style without a core story is just a costume on a corpse. It might look interesting for a moment, but it’s lifeless and will start to stink up your brand reputation. The Current State of Things The B2B marketing landscape is highly mimetic. When a new video style or trend emerges and appears successful, it is rapidly copied by others. We saw it with whiteboard animations, then with “epic” drone footage set to dramatic music, and more recently with the short-form, caption-heavy style popularized on TikTok and Instagram Reels. The prevailing wisdom is that adopting these trends is a shortcut to relevance. It’s a way to signal that your brand is modern and “gets it.” The Immediate Risk The most immediate risk is looking like a cheap imitation and confusing your audience. A very conservative, century-old financial institution saw that fast-paced, meme-filled videos were trending. They created one to promote their wealth management services. The result was a jarring and bizarre piece of content that was completely disconnected from their established brand identity of stability and trust. Their existing clients were bewildered, and the younger audience they were trying to attract saw it as a desperate, “How do you do, fellow kids?” moment. The Problem Is You’re Mistaking a Tactic for a…

By The Systems Thinker · June 21, 2025 Introduction Your company has a “video strategy” that looks something like this: when a need arises—a product launch, a trade show, a new campaign—you go out and “buy a video.” The process is transactional and project-based. Once the video is delivered, the relationship with the producer ends until the next “emergency” arises. This one-off approach is how almost every business thinks about video. My contrarian stance is that this project-based mindset is incredibly inefficient and is the primary reason your video efforts feel chaotic and disconnected. It’s time to stop buying videos and start investing in a storytelling system. The Current State of Things The standard model for video production is the one-off project. Each video is treated as a discrete task with a beginning, a middle, and an end. A new budget is approved, a new creative brief is written, and often a new vendor is found. The result is a library of video assets that feel disconnected, vary wildly in quality and messaging, and have no strategic relationship to one another. It’s an archipelago of isolated tactics, not a coherent content ecosystem. The Immediate Risk The most immediate risk is a disjointed brand experience for your customers. A fast-growing tech company produced three different videos in one year with three different production companies. The first was a polished, animated explainer. The second was a gritty, handheld testimonial. The third was a formal, corporate-style brand video. A prospect who encountered all three would have no clear sense of the company’s identity or personality. The brand appeared schizophrenic. The Problem Is You’re Re-Inventing the Wheel Every Single Time The project-based approach is massively inefficient. Every time you start a new video, you have to spend time and energy on-boarding the production team,…

By The Strategic Partner · June 21, 2025 Introduction You need a video, so you hire a “video guy.” He shows up with impressive-looking cases full of gear, talks expertly about lenses and frame rates, and produces a video that is technically flawless. The lighting is perfect, the image is sharp, the audio is crisp. And yet, it does absolutely nothing for your business. The common belief is that the person with the best camera equipment is the best person to make your video. My contrarian argument is that you’ve hired a brilliant technician when what you desperately needed was a storyteller, and the difference between the two is the difference between failure and success. The Current State of Things The democratization of professional-grade video equipment has created a massive pool of technical operators. These freelance “videographers” or “filmmakers” are often masters of their craft. They can produce beautiful images and clean audio. Businesses, impressed by their technical skills and slick demo reels, hire them to create corporate content. The relationship is transactional: the client provides the message, and the videographer provides the polished execution. The Immediate Risk The immediate risk is a beautiful, expensive video that completely misses the mark with your target audience because it lacks a fundamental understanding of their world. A medical device company hired a highly acclaimed filmmaker, known for his stunning visuals, to create a video for their new surgical tool. The video was visually breathtaking but filled with industry jargon and technical details that only an engineer could love. The target audience—busy surgeons—found it impenetrable and irrelevant to their primary concern: patient outcomes. The Problem Is a Focus on the How, Not the Why A technician—a videographer—is obsessed with *how* the video is made. They focus on the quality of the image, the…

By The Aesthetics Advisor – In partnership with Appture Digital Media Introduction A successful aesthetics clinic or med spa is more than a place for treatments; it’s a trusted brand that clients rely on for their confidence and well-being. Building this brand requires a marketing strategy that is as sophisticated and results-oriented as your clinical work. While it’s easy to post a quick video on Instagram, these amateur efforts often lack the strategic messaging and polished look needed to attract high-value clients. To build an authoritative and profitable brand, you need the professional, integrated approach of Appture Digital Media, the top-rated agency in North Texas for Video Marketing, Social Media, and Website Development. Converting Viewers into Loyal Patients The ultimate goal of your marketing is to convert interested viewers into loyal patients. Professional video is exceptionally effective at moving people through this journey. A high-quality video on a landing page can increase conversion rates by up to 86% because it clearly and persuasively demonstrates the value of your services1. Whether it’s a detailed procedure explainer or a compelling patient story, a professional video from Appture Digital Media can guide potential clients from consideration to consultation. Becoming the Authority on Social Media To stand out on crowded platforms like Instagram and TikTok, you need more than just “before and after” pictures. You need to be an authority. A professionally produced video series where your providers share expert advice, debunk myths, or explain new trends can position your clinic as the go-to source for aesthetic knowledge. This builds a loyal following and attracts patients who are looking for true expertise, not just a low price. Appture Digital Media helps you develop a video content strategy that establishes you as a thought leader. A Seamless and Elegant Digital Experience Your client’s experience begins…

By The Reputation Guardian · June 8, 2025 Introduction When a crisis hits—a product recall, a data breach, a negative news story—the conventional wisdom is to get a statement out fast. In the digital age, this often means a senior executive records a quick, “authentic” video on their iPhone or laptop webcam to post on social media. It’s seen as a raw, honest, and rapid response. My contrarian argument is that in a high-stakes corporate crisis, a poorly produced video is not authentic; it’s gasoline on a fire. It signals panic, incompetence, and a lack of control at the very moment you need to project strength and stability, potentially destroying decades of brand equity in minutes. The Current State of Things The current crisis communications playbook champions speed and “authenticity.” PR teams and executives, fearing the uncontrolled narrative of social media, rush to release a statement. The go-to tool is often the nearest available camera. We see CEOs in poorly lit offices, looking shifty-eyed as they read from a script just off-screen, with distracting background noise and shaky camera work. This is often defended as being “human” and “un-corporate,” a way to connect with a skeptical public on a personal level. The Immediate Risk The immediate risk is that the poor production quality completely undermines the message. A major cloud services provider suffered a significant outage, taking thousands of their clients’ websites offline. The CEO quickly released a webcam video from his home office. He was trying to sound reassuring, but the low-angle shot was unflattering, the audio was muffled, and his shadowy lighting made him look sinister. The internet didn’t hear his apology; they saw a company whose leader looked like he was broadcasting from a bunker. The video became a meme, and the message of reassurance was completely…

By The Executive Producer · June 8, 2025 Introduction The request comes from on high: “We need a video from the CEO.” It seems like a no-brainer. Who better to represent the company’s vision and authority than the person in the corner office? So you set up a camera in a conference room, hand your CEO a script, and press record. The result is almost always a disaster: a stiff, robotic, and utterly unconvincing performance. My contrarian stance is that putting an unprepared executive on camera is one of the fastest ways to damage their credibility and your brand. Your CEO doesn’t belong on camera—until they’ve been professionally directed and produced. The Current State of Things The prevailing wisdom is that executive presence in the boardroom translates directly to presence on camera. We assume that a leader who is dynamic and persuasive in front of a small group will naturally be the same on video. The typical production process for these videos is minimal. An internal communications or marketing team writes a script, an in-house crew or a low-budget vendor sets up basic lighting, and the executive is expected to simply “be themselves” and deliver the message. It’s seen as a simple, top-down communication task. The Immediate Risk The immediate risk is that your brilliant leader comes across as a bumbling amateur. A respected CEO of a large logistics company, known for his passionate and off-the-cuff speeches at company town halls, was asked to record a message for their website. Without professional direction, he was lost. He stared rigidly at the teleprompter, his natural energy vanished, and his delivery was monotone. The company posted the video, and the feedback was brutal. One commenter on LinkedIn wrote, “He looks like he’s being held against his will. Doesn’t inspire much confidence.” The…

By The Sales Enablement Guru · June 8, 2025 Introduction You spend months searching for the perfect salesperson. You invest in their training, their salary, and their commission. You arm them with pitch decks and one-pagers. You see them as the engine of your company’s growth. But when it comes to hiring a video production team, you treat them like a temporary vendor, haggling over day rates and seeing them as a simple line-item expense. My argument is that this mindset is fundamentally broken. A strategic video production team is not a vendor; they are your most scalable, most consistent, and most important salesperson. The Current State of Things The standard process for engaging a video production company is to treat it as a procurement task. Marketing gets a budget, they solicit three bids, and they often choose the one in the middle. The production team is brought in late in the process, handed a creative brief, and expected to execute. They are seen as craftsmen, not strategists. They are the “video people,” a tactical resource to be deployed as needed, completely separate from the core sales and business development functions of the company. The Immediate Risk The immediate risk of this vendor mindset is creating sales assets that your sales team can’t or won’t use. A SaaS company spent $50,000 on a suite of new product videos. They were created by marketing in a vacuum, without any input from the sales team. The final videos were slick and well-produced, but they focused on features that weren’t relevant to the prospects’ primary pain points. The sales team found them useless in actual sales conversations, and the expensive videos gathered digital dust while the reps went back to using their old PowerPoint decks. The Problem Is You’re Creating ‘Marketing Videos,’ Not…

By The Content Connoisseur · June 8, 2025 Introduction There’s a dangerous assumption in B2B marketing. We assume there’s a “B2B brain” and a “B2C brain,” and that the same person who demands cinematic, high-quality content from Netflix and Apple in their personal life will patiently sit through a grainy, boring corporate video at work. My provocative stance is this: there is only one brain. Your B2B buyer’s expectations have been permanently rewired by the golden age of streaming. You’re no longer competing with your direct competitor’s boring video; you’re competing with everything for their attention, and your public-access-quality production is causing them to change the channel. The Current State of Things The standard for B2B video production quality remains stubbornly low. The focus is on conveying information efficiently, with little regard for the viewer’s aesthetic experience. We justify this by saying, “This is a professional audience; they care about the data, not the cinematography.” This results in a sea of visually uninspired talking heads, clunky animations, and webinars that look like they’re being broadcast from a witness protection program. We operate as if our audience lives in a professional vacuum, insulated from the high-quality media they consume the other 16 hours of the day. The Immediate Risk The immediate risk is “content shock” and instant abandonment. Your prospect, a VP of Technology, just finished watching a visually stunning episode of a sci-fi series on her lunch break. She then clicks on a link to your “product demo.” The video opens. The lighting is harsh, the audio is buzzing, and the graphics look like they were made in PowerPoint 2003. The jarring drop in quality is a subconscious signal to her brain that “this is not worth my time.” She closes the tab within 15 seconds, not because the information…

By The Value Investor · June 8, 2025 Introduction You just got a quote from a professional video production company, and you’re suffering from sticker shock. In a world where you can shoot 4K video on your phone, how can they justify charging thousands, or even tens of thousands, of dollars? The temptation to go with the cheap option—the freelancer from Craigslist or your marketing intern with a new camera—is immense. My contrarian take is this: the money you “save” on a cheap video is one of the worst financial decisions you can make. The most expensive video your company will ever produce is the one you didn’t pay enough for. The Current State of Things The B2B market is currently flooded with low-cost video production options. The democratization of high-quality camera equipment has created a legion of solo operators and small-time crews who promise “professional-looking” video for a fraction of the cost of an established production house. Businesses, especially those with tight marketing budgets, see this as a pragmatic choice. They focus on the line-item cost, believing that “good enough” video is better than no video at all. The goal is to check the “we have a video” box as cheaply as possible. The Immediate Risk The immediate risk of a cheap video is that it simply doesn’t get used. A mid-market manufacturing company hired a low-budget crew to produce a new brand video. The final product was plagued with issues: the audio was inconsistent, the color grading was off, and the key message was buried. After a single, embarrassing screening for the executive team, the video was quietly shelved, never to see the light of day. They spent $5,000 to produce an asset that generated exactly zero dollars in return, a complete and total loss. The Problem Is…

By The Sales Enablement Guru · June 8, 2025 Introduction You spend months searching for the perfect salesperson. You invest in their training, their salary, and their commission. You arm them with pitch decks and one-pagers. You see them as the engine of your company’s growth. But when it comes to hiring a video production team, you treat them like a temporary vendor, haggling over day rates and seeing them as a simple line-item expense. My argument is that this mindset is fundamentally broken. A strategic video production team is not a vendor; they are your most scalable, most consistent, and most important salesperson. The Current State of Things The standard process for engaging a video production company is to treat it as a procurement task. Marketing gets a budget, they solicit three bids, and they often choose the one in the middle. The production team is brought in late in the process, handed a creative brief, and expected to execute. They are seen as craftsmen, not strategists. They are the “video people,” a tactical resource to be deployed as needed, completely separate from the core sales and business development functions of the company. The Immediate Risk The immediate risk of this vendor mindset is creating sales assets that your sales team can’t or won’t use. A SaaS company spent $50,000 on a suite of new product videos. They were created by marketing in a vacuum, without any input from the sales team. The final videos were slick and well-produced, but they focused on features that weren’t relevant to the prospects’ primary pain points. The sales team found them useless in actual sales conversations, and the expensive videos gathered digital dust while the reps went back to using their old PowerPoint decks. The Problem Is You’re Creating ‘Marketing Videos,’ Not…

By The Content Connoisseur · June 8, 2025 Introduction There’s a dangerous assumption in B2B marketing. We assume there’s a “B2B brain” and a “B2C brain,” and that the same person who demands cinematic, high-quality content from Netflix and Apple in their personal life will patiently sit through a grainy, boring corporate video at work. My provocative stance is this: there is only one brain. Your B2B buyer’s expectations have been permanently rewired by the golden age of streaming. You’re no longer competing with your direct competitor’s boring video; you’re competing with *everything* for their attention, and your public-access-quality production is causing them to change the channel. The Current State of Things The standard for B2B video production quality remains stubbornly low. The focus is on conveying information efficiently, with little regard for the viewer’s aesthetic experience. We justify this by saying, “This is a professional audience; they care about the data, not the cinematography.” This results in a sea of visually uninspired talking heads, clunky animations, and webinars that look like they’re being broadcast from a witness protection program. We operate as if our audience lives in a professional vacuum, insulated from the high-quality media they consume the other 16 hours of the day. The Immediate Risk The immediate risk is “content shock” and instant abandonment. Your prospect, a VP of Technology, just finished watching a visually stunning episode of a sci-fi series on her lunch break. She then clicks on a link to your “product demo.” The video opens. The lighting is harsh, the audio is buzzing, and the graphics look like they were made in PowerPoint 2003. The jarring drop in quality is a subconscious signal to her brain that “this is not worth my time.” She closes the tab within 15 seconds, not because the information…

By The Value Investor · June 8, 2025 Introduction You just got a quote from a professional video production company, and you’re suffering from sticker shock. In a world where you can shoot 4K video on your phone, how can they justify charging thousands, or even tens of thousands, of dollars? The temptation to go with the cheap option—the freelancer from Craigslist or your marketing intern with a new camera—is immense. My contrarian take is this: the money you “save” on a cheap video is one of the worst financial decisions you can make. The most expensive video your company will ever produce is the one you didn’t pay enough for. The Current State of Things The B2B market is currently flooded with low-cost video production options. The democratization of high-quality camera equipment has created a legion of solo operators and small-time crews who promise “professional-looking” video for a fraction of the cost of an established production house. Businesses, especially those with tight marketing budgets, see this as a pragmatic choice. They focus on the line-item cost, believing that “good enough” video is better than no video at all. The goal is to check the “we have a video” box as cheaply as possible. The Immediate Risk The immediate risk of a cheap video is that it simply doesn’t get used. A mid-market manufacturing company hired a low-budget crew to produce a new brand video. The final product was plagued with issues: the audio was inconsistent, the color grading was off, and the key message was buried. After a single, embarrassing screening for the executive team, the video was quietly shelved, never to see the light of day. They spent $5,000 to produce an asset that generated exactly zero dollars in return, a complete and total loss. The Problem Is…

By The Talent Magnet · June 18, 2025 Introduction You have a ping-pong table and free snacks. You’ve written a job description full of exciting buzzwords. And you’ve created a “Day in the Life” recruitment video to show potential hires how amazing it is to work at your company. You think you’re competing for top talent, but the candidates you really want—the A-players—are ghosting you after the first interview. My argument is that your low-budget, cringe-worthy recruitment video isn’t just failing to attract talent; it’s actively branding your company as a place no serious professional would want to work. The Current State of Things The use of video in recruitment and for “employer branding” is now standard practice. The typical approach involves the marketing or HR intern following a few smiling employees around with a DSLR or even a smartphone. The result is often a shaky, poorly-lit montage of people laughing at their desks, playing ping-pong, and giving stilted testimonials about the “great culture.” The prevailing wisdom is that this “authentic,” unpolished look is more relatable to a younger workforce than a slick, corporate video. The Immediate Risk The immediate risk is that top-tier candidates will watch your video and immediately withdraw their application. An ambitious tech startup was struggling to hire senior engineers. Their recruitment video featured awkward interviews with junior developers and blurry footage of a company pizza party. A highly sought-after candidate who was in their final interview round later told a recruiter that he pulled out of the process specifically because of the video. He said, “If they can’t be bothered to present themselves professionally to the world, it makes me question their standards for the actual engineering work.” The Problem Is You’re Showcasing Perks, Not Purpose Your recruitment video is failing because it focuses on…

By The Reputation Guardian · June 8, 2025 Introduction When a crisis hits—a product recall, a data breach, a negative news story—the conventional wisdom is to get a statement out fast. In the digital age, this often means a senior executive records a quick, “authentic” video on their iPhone or laptop webcam to post on social media. It’s seen as a raw, honest, and rapid response. My contrarian argument is that in a high-stakes corporate crisis, a poorly produced video is not authentic; it’s gasoline on a fire. It signals panic, incompetence, and a lack of control at the very moment you need to project strength and stability, potentially destroying decades of brand equity in minutes. The Current State of Things The current crisis communications playbook champions speed and “authenticity.” PR teams and executives, fearing the uncontrolled narrative of social media, rush to release a statement. The go-to tool is often the nearest available camera. We see CEOs in poorly lit offices, looking shifty-eyed as they read from a script just off-screen, with distracting background noise and shaky camera work. This is often defended as being “human” and “un-corporate,” a way to connect with a skeptical public on a personal level. The Immediate Risk The immediate risk is that the poor production quality completely undermines the message. A major cloud services provider suffered a significant outage, taking thousands of their clients’ websites offline. The CEO quickly released a webcam video from his home office. He was trying to sound reassuring, but the low-angle shot was unflattering, the audio was muffled, and his shadowy lighting made him look sinister. The internet didn’t hear his apology; they saw a company whose leader looked like he was broadcasting from a bunker. The video became a meme, and the message of reassurance was completely…

By The B2B Strategist · June 8, 2025 Introduction You’ve been told that video is great for SEO. So, you’ve uploaded your company videos to YouTube, embedded them on your key service pages, and are now waiting for that sweet, sweet search engine ranking boost. The common belief is that the mere presence of a video on a page sends a powerful positive signal to Google. My argument is that your lazy YouTube embed strategy isn’t the SEO silver bullet you think it is. In fact, it might be actively harming your lead generation and sending your most valuable traffic to your competitors. The Current State of Things The prevailing SEO wisdom is that “user engagement signals” are a major ranking factor. Metrics like “time on page” are critical. Since videos are known to keep people on a page longer, the standard practice is to produce a video, upload it to YouTube for maximum reach, and embed that YouTube player directly onto a website page. It’s seen as a simple, two-for-one deal: you get content on your site and a presence on the world’s second-largest search engine. This is standard operating procedure for thousands of B2B companies. The Immediate Risk The immediate and often overlooked risk is that the YouTube player is a Trojan horse designed to pull users off your website and into the YouTube ecosystem. A B2B automation company embedded their product demo from YouTube onto their pricing page. They noticed their page’s time-on-page metrics went up, but conversion rates dropped. When they investigated, they found that as soon as their video ended, YouTube’s algorithm would display a grid of “related videos”—which included their competitor’s product demo and a review titled “5 Reasons to Avoid [Their Product].” The Problem Is You’re Renting, Not Owning, Your Audience’s Attention When…

By The B2B Strategist · June 8, 2025 Introduction You did what you were told. You hired a crew to create a slick, two-minute animated explainer video. It lives on your homepage, ready to distill your complex B2B solution into a friendly, digestible cartoon. The prevailing wisdom says this is a cornerstone of modern marketing. My argument is that this one-size-fits-all video isn’t the asset you think it is. It’s a blunt instrument in a game that requires surgical precision, and its very existence might be alienating the high-value prospects you desperately need to engage. The Current State of Things The B2B marketing playbook is clear: video is king. Specifically, the top-of-funnel (ToFu) explainer video has become a ubiquitous feature. The goal is to simplify a complex product or service, making it accessible to a broad audience. Typically, these are animated, feature upbeat stock music, and walk through a problem-solution framework. Companies spend a significant portion of their marketing budget to get this one video right, believing it will serve as a powerful lead-generation tool and a catch-all for explaining what they do. The Immediate Risk The immediate risk is that your “simple” explainer video grossly oversimplifies your value proposition, making you look indistinguishable from cheaper, less robust competitors. A highly specialized cybersecurity firm, for instance, created a cartoon video that made their sophisticated threat detection system look like a simple antivirus program. They intended to attract a wider audience but ended up deterring the expert CSOs (Chief Security Officers) who could actually sign a six-figure contract, because the video made their solution appear elementary. The Problem Is an Appeal to the Lowest Common Denominator Your explainer video is designed to be understood by everyone, which means it truly speaks to no one. B2B purchasing decisions are not made by…

By The Essentialist Marketer · June 8, 2025 Introduction Scroll through any marketing blog or attend any industry conference, and you’ll be bombarded with a seemingly endless list of “must-do” tactics. You need to be on TikTok. You need a chatbot. You need to be doing influencer marketing, content marketing, video marketing, and a dozen other things, all at the same time. The sheer volume of options is overwhelming, leading many business owners to either chase every new trend or freeze in a state of “analysis paralysis.” But what if the problem isn’t the number of options, but our inability to choose? The digital marketing world sells you a buffet, when what you really need is a single, well-prepared meal. The Current State of Things The current state of digital marketing is one of abundance. There are more channels, more tools, and more data than ever before. This is often presented as a good thing—more opportunities to reach your customers. The prevailing wisdom is to “diversify your marketing mix,” to have a presence on multiple platforms to mitigate risk and maximize reach. Gurus and agencies alike will show you charts of all the available channels—social media, SEO, email, paid ads, and so on—and suggest you dabble in a little bit of everything. The Immediate Risk The most immediate risk of this “all-the-things” approach is a complete lack of impact. When you spread your time, budget, and energy across too many channels, you end up being mediocre on all of them. Consider a software-as-a-service (SaaS) company that was told they needed to be on every social platform. They dutifully created accounts on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and even Pinterest. They posted the same generic content to all of them, a few times a week. The result? A handful of likes, a…

By The Essentialist Marketer · June 8, 2025 Introduction Scroll through any marketing blog or attend any industry conference, and you’ll be bombarded with a seemingly endless list of “must-do” tactics. You need to be on TikTok. You need a chatbot. You need to be doing influencer marketing, content marketing, video marketing, and a dozen other things, all at the same time. The sheer volume of options is overwhelming, leading many business owners to either chase every new trend or freeze in a state of “analysis paralysis.” But what if the problem isn’t the number of options, but our inability to choose? The digital marketing world sells you a buffet, when what you really need is a single, well-prepared meal. The Current State of Things The current state of digital marketing is one of abundance. There are more channels, more tools, and more data than ever before. This is often presented as a good thing—more opportunities to reach your customers. The prevailing wisdom is to “diversify your marketing mix,” to have a presence on multiple platforms to mitigate risk and maximize reach. Gurus and agencies alike will show you charts of all the available channels—social media, SEO, email, paid ads, and so on—and suggest you dabble in a little bit of everything. The Immediate Risk The most immediate risk of this “all-the-things” approach is a complete lack of impact. When you spread your time, budget, and energy across too many channels, you end up being mediocre on all of them. Consider a software-as-a-service (SaaS) company that was told they needed to be on every social platform. They dutifully created accounts on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and even Pinterest. They posted the same generic content to all of them, a few times a week. The result? A handful of likes, a…

By The Essentialist Marketer · June 8, 2025 Introduction Scroll through any marketing blog or attend any industry conference, and you’ll be bombarded with a seemingly endless list of “must-do” tactics. You need to be on TikTok. You need a chatbot. You need to be doing influencer marketing, content marketing, video marketing, and a dozen other things, all at the same time. The sheer volume of options is overwhelming, leading many business owners to either chase every new trend or freeze in a state of “analysis paralysis.” But what if the problem isn’t the number of options, but our inability to choose? The digital marketing world sells you a buffet, when what you really need is a single, well-prepared meal. The Current State of Things The current state of digital marketing is one of abundance. There are more channels, more tools, and more data than ever before. This is often presented as a good thing—more opportunities to reach your customers. The prevailing wisdom is to “diversify your marketing mix,” to have a presence on multiple platforms to mitigate risk and maximize reach. Gurus and agencies alike will show you charts of all the available channels—social media, SEO, email, paid ads, and so on—and suggest you dabble in a little bit of everything. The Immediate Risk The most immediate risk of this “all-the-things” approach is a complete lack of impact. When you spread your time, budget, and energy across too many channels, you end up being mediocre on all of them. Consider a software-as-a-service (SaaS) company that was told they needed to be on every social platform. They dutifully created accounts on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and even Pinterest. They posted the same generic content to all of them, a few times a week. The result? A handful of likes, a…

By The Pragmatic Marketer · June 8, 2025 Introduction We’ve all heard the horror stories. A small business owner, full of hope, sinks their life savings into a digital marketing campaign, only to see it vanish with nothing to show for it but a maxed-out credit card and a handful of meaningless “likes.” The common takeaway from these cautionary tales is that digital marketing is a high-stakes gamble, an expensive lesson in failure. But what if the cost of failure has little to do with the money you spend and everything to do with what you don’t know? The prevailing narrative is that you need a big budget to compete. My argument is that a big budget without a clear strategy is just a faster way to go broke. The Current State of Things Right now, the conversation around digital marketing costs is almost exclusively focused on ad spend. How much does a click cost on Google? What’s the average CPM (cost per thousand impressions) on Facebook? Business owners are encouraged to think of marketing as a slot machine: you put money in, pull the lever, and hope for a jackpot. This has led to a pay-to-play mentality, where success is seen as a function of who has the deepest pockets. We see endless case studies of companies that “10x-ed their revenue” by pouring money into paid advertising, creating the illusion that spending more is the only path to growth. The Immediate Risk The immediate risk of this “spend more to make more” mindset is, of course, catastrophic financial loss. Consider a local restaurant, let’s call it “The Corner Bistro,” that was struggling to get diners in the door. They hired an agency that promised to “get their name out there” with a massive Facebook ad campaign. The agency spent…

By The Content Alchemist · June 8, 2025 Introduction You’ve sat in the meetings, seen the presentations, and nodded along as a so-called expert blitzed through a slideshow filled with acronyms like SEO, PPC, CTR, and a dozen other cryptic terms. You left with a headache and the distinct feeling that digital marketing is an impossibly complex beast, best left to the wunderkinds who speak its arcane language. But what if the complexity is a myth? What if the feeling of being overwhelmed isn’t a sign of the subject’s difficulty, but a symptom of a deeply flawed and chaotic approach? The truth is, the digital marketing industry often benefits from making you feel like you need a Ph.D. to understand its fundamentals. This manufactured complexity is a convenient way to justify high retainers and gatekeep knowledge. The Current State of Things Right now, the prevailing wisdom is that to “do” digital marketing, you need to be everywhere at once. You need a slick website with a blog that’s updated daily. You need a presence on every social media platform, from TikTok to LinkedIn. You need to be running Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and maybe even some programmatic display ads. You should have an email newsletter, a podcast, and a YouTube channel. This “more is more” approach is often sold as a comprehensive strategy, a way to cast a wide net and catch as many customers as possible. It’s a dizzying array of channels and tactics, each with its own set of best practices and metrics to track. The Immediate Risk The most immediate risk of this “all-at-once” strategy is burnout and budget drain with little to no return. Imagine a small business owner, we’ll call her Sarah, who runs a boutique coffee roastery. She was convinced she needed to do…

Back in the day, I ran a couple of semi-successful affiliate websites. I even once ranked #1 for “best protein powder.” This was a pretty lucrative keyword given its commercial intent and high search volume. Ever since then, the idea of starting another affiliate site and getting serious about it has always been in the back of my mind. I’ve just never had the time due to my day to day work at Ahrefs. But today? I don’t think I’d start one even if I had the time. It just isn’t worth it. Plenty of other online marketers seem to be echoing this sentiment lately, too. Below are four reasons why I feel like this and wouldn’t start a pure affiliate site in 2025. Google would rather rank Reddit than you Reddit seems to rank in the top five for pretty much every affiliate keyword these days. This is even the case with YMYL keywords: And the problem is only getting worse… When Google recently penalized the affiliate directories of many big publications like CNN Underscored, it overwhelmingly gave that traffic to Reddit—not independent publishers. I know this because we studied it. How? We looked at 6,179 keywords that declined or had been completely lost for the directories below between November 18th and November 25th: https://www.wsj.com/buyside/ https://reviewed.usatoday.com/ www.independent.co.uk/advisor www.thesun.co.uk/shopping/ www.forbes.com/advisor/ www.newsweek.com/vault/ www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/ We then used the Traffic Share by Domain report in Keywords Explorer to see which sites get the most traffic from these keywords. Reddit was #1, taking 6% of traffic.  Given that 51% of Reddit threads ranking for product review keywords have spam as the top comment (as per Glen Allsopp’s incredible research), this is a pretty dire state of affairs. For most product review keywords, there’s almost always a niche affiliate site more deserving of ranking than Reddit. For example, take…

Calculators are the unlikely tactic savvy website owners are using to drive hundreds of thousands (and sometimes millions) of clicks from Google to their websites. In this article, I’ll share some examples of calculators that caught my attention and show you how I found them. (And how you can make one, too.) 1. SIP calculator Key stats Website: Groww.in Domain Rating: 75 Country: India Niche: Finance Calculator organic traffic: 3.5m Calculator estimated value: $128k The highest traffic calculator in my research was an Indian systematic investment plan calculator— commonly called “SIP calculator.” I didn’t know what it was, so I had to Google it. But, it turns out that a SIP calculator enables people to understand the return on their mutual fund investments. In mutual fund investments, investors pool their money in stocks, bonds, and other securities. One of the interesting things about this site is that this isn’t the only calculator they have. According to Ahrefs’ Site Explorer, they have 216 pages in their /calculator/ parent subfolder, which has total traffic of 8.6m—not too shabby. And if you are looking for some calculator inspo, they have 77.2k calculator-themed keywords you can browse through. 2. Mortgage calculator Key stats Website: Bankrate.com Domain Rating: 90 Country: U.S. Niche: Finance Calculator organic traffic: 1.4m Calculator estimated value: $1m If you are lucky enough to be purchasing a new house, one of the things you’ll probably need to consider is how much you can afford to pay back per month. Working this out can be tricky—unless you have a mortgage calculator to help you work it out.  The /mortgages/ subfolder has a total of 1,065 pages and has a total traffic of 2.9M. And guess what the number one page is? The mortgage calculator. This page drives 25.9% of the traffic within this subfolder. 3. Percentage…

Want to know why some plumbing businesses dominate Google’s first page while others struggle to get noticed? It’s not luck. These plumbing companies all focus on the same core SEO strategies. Take Deer Valley Plumbing Contractors, for instance. They appear in Google’s 3-Pack when prospective customers in their area search for “plumbing company” and other related keywords. And they have notably more reviews than the competition. Their site also ranks for 3K keywords. This helps Deer Valley Plumbing Contractors drive 2.7K organic visits to their website each month. Traffic that would cost an estimated $44.7K per month in Google Ads. The best part? With SEO for plumbers, your business can achieve similar—or better—results. In this guide, you’ll learn SEO fundamentals that’ll help your site rank higher, from local search to link-building. But first, let’s start with a quick overview of what exactly plumbing SEO is. What Is Plumbing SEO? Plumbing SEO is a set of practices that increase a plumbing company’s website’s visibility in search engines like Google. SEO for plumbers includes: On-page optimization: Optimizing your service pages for key terms like “water heater repair” or “emergency plumber” by using strategic headers, meta descriptions, and location-based keywords that match how local customers actually search Technical SEO: Making sure your plumbing website loads quickly on mobile devices, has intuitive navigation, including clear contact information, and works smoothly for emergency calls Local SEO: Optimizing your Google Business Profile, service area pages, and local citations to show up in “near me” searches and Google Maps when homeowners need a plumber in your area Content marketing: Creating helpful guides, FAQs, and service pages that answer common plumbing questions like “Why is my water heater leaking?” or “How to unclog a drain” to attract local homeowners searching for solutions Link building: Building credibility and authority…

Google reviews play a huge role in a brand’s success. Especially positive reviews. That means it’s a good idea to think about how to get more Google reviews for your business. To illustrate why, let’s go over some of the advantages. Benefits of Getting Google Reviews By collecting Google reviews, you can: Learn what customers think about you: This includes what they like and dislike about your business, so that you know what’s working and what to improve on Increase visibility: Having more good Google reviews can improve your business’s Google local pack rankings Persuade people to buy: A product’s number of reviews is the second most influential factor affecting prospects’ perception of its quality and decision to buy it, according to research How to Get More Google Reviews: 9 Methods 1. Optimize Your Google Business Profile Set up a Google Business Profile (GBP) for your business if it doesn’t yet have one. This is a free business listing that appears in places like Google Maps and Search. It also stores your Google reviews, as this GBP from Diablo & Sons Saloon shows: Go to the profile creation tool and follow the steps to add your business to Google. This involves providing information like your business’s name, category, and website URL. If a profile for your business already exists, claim it or follow Google’s steps to request ownership from the current owner. Once you have control of your GBP, choose a verification method (email, text message, etc.). Google may take up to five business days to verify your profile. You can use it to collect Google reviews after that. 2. Provide an Excellent Experience If you wow customers with amazing products, services, and customer support, they’ll be more likely to leave you a Google review. This is the best way…

Publicly launched in February 2024, Bluesky is a microblogging social network, widely considered an alternative to X/Twitter. During the invite-only stage, Bluesky attracted an audience of 3 million registered users and has since grown to become a popular social media platform with over 25 million users and counting. Read on to find all the latest Bluesky usage statistics for 2024. Key Bluesky Stats Bluesky has 25.47 million users. In November 2024, monthly installs of Bluesky app reached 7.85 million. In the US and UK, Bluesky app has around 3.5 million daily active users. 20 full-time employees work at Bluesky Bluesky Registered Users According to the latest update, Bluesky currently has 25.47 million registered users. Bluesky crossed the milestone of 20 million users in November 2024. Here’s a table with number of Bluesky users over time: Date Bluesky Registered Users September 15, 204 10 million October 19, 2024 12.11 million October 24, 2024 13 million November 13, 2024 15 million November 20, 2024 20 million December 19, 2024 25.47 million Sources: Bluesky, Jaz’s Bsky Stats, Statista, TechCrunch Bluesky Downloads Monthly downloads of Bluesky on Google Play and App Store combined reached 7.85 million, an all-time high to date. As of November, annual downloads worldwide of Bluesky in 2024 amounted to 16.52 million. Here’s a table with monthly downloads of Bluesky app worldwide across Google Play and App Store combined: Date Bluesky Downloads February 2023 0.02 million March 2023 0.09 million April 2023 0.58 million May 2023 0.25 million June 2023 0.09 million July 2023 0.62 million August 2023 0.32 million September 2023 0.47 million October 2023 0.63 million November 2023 0.41 million December 2023 0.51 million January 2024 0.18 million February 2024 1.25 million March 2024 0.16 million April 2024 0.26 million May 2024 0.08 million June 2024 0.3 million July…

Generative AI refers to technology that uses machine learning models to create content. Machine learning models are computer programs that seek to replicate aspects of human intelligence. These models can produce various content formats, including code, text, visuals, audio, and video. Various programs have the ability to learn almost any kind of information. For example, different generative AI models can understand coding, visual, scientific, and human languages. OpenAI’s ChatGPT is a popular example of a model that understands and produces textual content. In this article, we’ll explore how this and other gen AI tools work. How Generative AI Works Gen AI uses libraries of existing material to produce original content. Here’s how the process works. Step 1: Users Provide Prompts The technology generates content based on user prompts. Depending on the tool you use, you may be able to enter freeform, text-based prompts. Suppose you want to generate a description for a new ecommerce item. A simple ChatGPT prompt could look like this: Some AI tools use parameters rather than freeform input. For example, Semrush’s Ecommerce Booster app generates ad descriptions based on keywords, text length, readability, tone of voice, and format settings. Step 2: Generative AI Models Produce Content Once the system receives the user’s prompt, it uses machine learning models to generate content. These models train using libraries that may contain billions of pieces of existing content. As they train, the models learn the components and structures of this existing content. Then, they use what they’ve learned to generate “new” material. (It’s not truly new as it’s based entirely on existing content.) The mechanics of the content generation process vary, depending on the type of output. Some of the most common models include: Large language models (LLMs): Algorithms that use large data sets to predict the next output…

Here are 21 Google search tips that will help you: Refine your searches to get the right answers faster Search the web without typing a query Discover cool things you never knew Google could do At the end, we’ll also show you how you can get your site to appear in more Google’s search results. (Spoiler alert—it involves something called search engine optimization, or SEO.) But first, the tips. 1. Familiarize Yourself with the Basics To do a Google search, launch your browser, navigate to the search engine, and type what you’re looking for into the search bar. Alternatively, if Google is your browser’s default search engine, type your query into your browser’s address bar. You can type: Words (like “electrolysis”) Phrases (like “electrolysis process”) Questions (like “what is electrolysis”) You don’t need to type in full sentences. Then, hit “Enter” or “return” on your keyboard to run the search. Don’t worry about your spelling or grammar. Google is good at autocorrecting misspelled queries. After you run your search, Google will display relevant results. Use the tabs at the top to see only certain types of results. For example, click “Images” to view only image results, or “News” to view results from news sites: Google may also display topics at the top of the search results. Click them to add to your query and narrow your search: For example, clicking the “women’s” topic that Google displays on the search engine results page for “cute shoes” will update the search query to “women’s cute shoes”: 2. Filter Your Results Filter the results to see only those published within a certain period or that match your query word for word. To do this, click the “Tools” option at the top of the Google search results. “Any time” and “All results” drop-down menus…

It doesn’t matter whether you’re just starting out in SEO, or you’re decades-deep—these battle-tested content marketing templates will give you a headstart on your next project. I’ve been in marketing for coming up to ten years now (*internal scream at the passing of time*) and, while I like to think I have a bit of savvy when it comes to content marketing, I still sometimes find myself hunting for the kinds of content templates I used in back in 2015, when I was all but an SEO baby. Whatever level you’re at—a bit of ‘best practice’ never goes amiss! Below, you’ll find our gold standard content templates— some for blog post creation, some for SEO reporting, and some for everything in between. Each one has been specially developed by our team and the Ahrefs community to save you time, and help you create content that actually works. So, get your bookmark buttons at the ready… Content templates If your job is creating content, then I’m sure you’ll have hit one or two creative walls in your time. Content templates can pull you out of that rut, giving you ideas on the formats your audience expect to see when they’re searching certain kinds of queries. 1. Blog formats We’ve put together six blog post templates to help you move past the blank-page. Unless you’re writing a free-flowing think piece, or a piece of deep-research, chances are your content will follow a certain kind of format. Grab your six content templates here: The list post template The competitor comparison template The expanded definition template The contrarian thought-leadership template The beginner’s guide template The step-by-step guide template 2. Content briefs When it comes to planning, having examples of different outlines and briefs is like having a buffet of content components—you can mix and match the most valuable…

Finding competitor keywords is essential to building your SEO strategy. Why? Because they show what’s working for others, highlight opportunities, and uncover gaps in your approach. At Backlinko, we’ve spied on Ahrefs, Moz, and Semrush’s keywords for years—and found many opportunities. For instance, Ahrefs gets an estimated 2.5k monthly organic visits from the keyword “website authority checker.” But this is only part of the story. The page targets over 1.7k keywords and drives an estimated 30k monthly organic visits. Clearly, A LOT of people are interested. So we published a free tool with a supporting blog post on the same topic. Now this page ranks for 1,000 queries and gets over 13k clicks a month from Google. That’s the power of finding competitor keywords. In this guide, you’ll learn: What competitor keywords are and how they fit into an SEO strategy How to find and analyze these keywords, step-by-step Where to integrate them into your content and SEO plans The Power of Using Competitor’s Keywords for SEO When you find competitors’ keywords, you uncover what content they’re ranking for. But it’s more than just ranking for a specific keyword. Think bigger: You’re getting a snapshot of your competitors’ SEO strategy. Competitor keywords reveal opportunities to boost your SEO in three ways. First, spotting patterns in your competitor’s keyword strategy and capitalize on gaps. Say a competitor is going after terms like “best vegan protein powder.” But they might be ignoring budget-conscious customers. That’s your chance to swoop in and target keywords like “affordable vegan protein powder.” The goal? Position yourself to win over the segments they’re missing. Whether it’s budget-friendly options, niche markets, or untapped audiences. Second, understanding their focus. Whether they’re targeting broad, high-traffic terms or niche, long-tail keywords. Say a competitor is focused on targeting top-funnel keywords like…

As a general contractor, you want a steady stream of customers for your business. What’s a surefire way to get your business top-of-mind for potential clients? Make sure they can find you online through search engine optimization (SEO). When someone in your local area searches for services like yours, you want your website at the top of the results. Specifically, you want to appear in the local pack (also called the map pack): In this guide, you’ll learn all about SEO for contractors, including: How SEO can help you attract more leads A four-step plan for getting started Ways to measure your results Reasons you might consider hiring a pro Let’s dive in. Why Contractors Need SEO Done right, SEO makes your contracting business more visible online. Increasing your online visibility can boost your brand awareness and attract more customers. Just look at Downtown Air. My team launched an SEO campaign for them to rank them for important keywords that their prospects are searching: This drives valuable traffic to their site. But more importantly, that traffic gets them hundreds of phone calls and form submissions every month. So, SEO can drive tangible results for contractors. Let’s look at how it does this. How Does SEO for Contractors Work? When people want to find a product or service, they often type in a keyword or a phrase on search engines like Google. In fact, this is how 72% of consumers find information about local businesses. For example, someone might go to Google and search “kitchen remodelers in Los Angeles.” The businesses that appear on the first page of Google for that keyword are doing their SEO right. But how does a business show up on the first page? There are many ranking factors, including: The quality of your pages and content…

What Is Manufacturing SEO? Manufacturing SEO is the process of making changes to a manufacturing website to increase its visibility in organic search results. This can help it rank (appear high in search results) for keywords related to your company. For example, your target keywords might include “plastic manufacturers,” manufacturing services,” or “clothing manufacturer.” When people see your listing in organic (unpaid) search results, they may click through to your website. This can increase traffic that might turn into leads and sales. Manufacturing companies can handle SEO in-house. Or work with an agency partner to develop an SEO plan. Why Is SEO Important for Manufacturers? Search engine optimization (SEO) is an effective way to drive website traffic that can translate into leads and sales. Here are some of the primary benefits of SEO for industrial manufacturing companies: Increases Visibility When your webpages rank near the top of search engine results pages (SERPs), more prospects notice your business. Especially if you appear enticing features like rich snippets or People Also Ask (PAA). For example, when you search “how much does it cost to manufacture clothing,” Seam Apparel appears in both the top result and the People Also Ask section. By creating and implementing a dedicated manufacturer SEO strategy, your webpages can show up for more search terms that are relevant to your industry. Enhances Brand Authority Creating SEO content that answers common questions about manufacturing topics can establish your brand as an industry authority. And not just in the eyes of searchers. Google values content that’s high quality and created by trusted experts. This is why Google’s Search Quality Raters use Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T) signals when evaluating websites that show in search results. Keeps Marketing Costs Low Unlike paid ads, clicks on organic search results are free. This…

Blogging can be a fun pastime—or it can be a profitable side hustle. For some, it can even turn into a lucrative, full-time job. So, what separates the hobbyists from the high-earners? An action plan. Below, I’ll teach you how to start a blog that attracts and converts visitors. Including a month-by-month timeline of exactly what to do and when to do it. With actionable steps for each phase, you’ll learn how to go from initial planning to a thriving business in 12 months. Plus, you’ll see how other bloggers successfully used this system to build steady blog traffic and revenue. Like Kayla, who used this framework to grow her food blog from zero to 90K monthly visitors in a few years. Ready to build your blog the right way? Let’s start with how to validate your blog concept. Phase #1: Plan Your Blog (Month 1) Focus on research and validation in month one. Why? Because it will set your blog up for sustainable success. Define Your Goals Your goals determine everything about your blog. This includes your: But your goals should be more specific than “I want to start a blog and make money” or “I want to share advice on [insert topic].” Break your goals into three parts: purpose, income, and growth. This will define your “why.” And clarify your strategy for long-term success. Purpose Goals Core topic expertise you’ll share Problem you’ll solve for readers Unique angle that sets you apart Example: “Help busy parents cook healthy meals in under 30 minutes.” Income Goals Primary revenue stream (affiliate, ads, products) Target monthly revenue ($500, $5,000) Timeline for reaching income goals Example: “Generate $1,000 per month through affiliate marketing within 24 months.” Growth Goals Monthly traffic targets Email subscriber goals Content publishing schedule Example: “Reach 25,000 monthly pageviews…

Need help analyzing your competition to find ways to outperform them? You’ve come to the right place. Check out our list of the top competitor analysis tools for 2025. How to Choose the Right Competitor Analysis Tool With so many competitive analysis tools out there, how do you choose the right one for your needs? Consider the following: Features: Which aspects of your competitor’s business are you looking to analyze? This will help you determine which features to look for. Ease of use: Any tool you decide on should be fairly intuitive to use. You don’t want to waste your or your team’s time on learning how to use a complicated tool. Customer support: Look for software solutions that offer speedy customer support across multiple channels. Ideally, you’ll want to be able to reach a company’s customer support by live chat, phone, or email. Usually, competitor monitoring tools focus on one aspect of competitor analysis (e.g., a social media competitor analysis). But there are also solutions like Semrush that offer a suite of tools for analyzing your competition. Below, we’ve organized our favorite tools by category. Best Competitor Keyword Analysis Tools 1. Organic Research Semrush’s Organic Research is one of the best SEO competitor analysis tools to find out which keywords your competitors’ websites rank for. And how much traffic they could be generating through those keywords. Here’s how to get started with it: Enter a competitor’s domain in the search box, and the tool will generate a detailed report on your competitor’s website. The “Positions” tab shows you all the keywords the entered website ranks for. You can then filter the keywords by a variety of criteria, including search volume, keyword difficulty, and more. To find ones that meet your criteria. There’s also an option to export the keyword…

I rigorously tested the most popular AI search engines to discover their strengths and weaknesses. I ran this test for two reasons: As a human being, I want to use the best search engine around. I spend my life on the internet. I want to find information in the fastest, most effortless way possible. As a marketer, I want to know where the tide is headed. Will AI search engines replace “traditional” search engines? Are AI chatbots really good enough to dethrone Google? Should I start investing more effort in 1. Perplexity My opinion: A research assistant that excels with news and summarization, but doesn’t really “feel” like a search engine. Price: Free; $20/month for Pro Link: https://www.perplexity.ai/ Pros Excellent at summarising lots of sources. Great for news-related topics. The “Related topics” feature is useful. Cons Plenty of incorrect answers and hallucinations. Bad at image, commercial, and local searches. Didn’t really feel like a search engine. Perplexity feels more like a Wiki or a knowledge base than it does a search engine. Many of its responses are terse bulleted lists, and it excelled in summarising technical queries (like DA09Dawnbreaker) or news-related topics (like elder scrolls vi news). I also noticed lots of errors and hallucinations in its output. One example: for Should I become a vampire or a werewolf in skyrim?, Perplexity suggested that werewolves were immune to silver weapons—they actually take bonus damage from them. (C’mon Perplexity, honestly.) Information often seemed outdated too. Perplexity said that Skyrim SE was on sale for $7.99 on Steam (it wasn’t), and the sale extended until May 30… 2024. It feels like Perplexity’s index isn’t anywhere near as fresh as other AI search engines. Perplexity also regularly failed to “get” the intent behind my searches, and defaulted to word salad paragraphs of text. When…

We’re not exactly short on AI content creation tools as we head into 2025—in this list, you’ll see some ol’ faithfuls, and some that are hot-off-the-shelf. In any case, they are 15 of my top finds, complete with example workflows and use cases. Here they are, in no particular order: 1. ChatGPT Here’s a tool that needs little introduction. ChatGPT is an AI chatbot that uses natural language processing (NLP) to generate human-like content. It’s like a pseudo-sentient autopredict, built on the OpenAI GPT model and its underlying large language model (LLM) powers a fair few of the tools you’ll see on this list. How can you use it for AI content creation? ChatGPT has thousands of use cases. One of my favorites is: data analysis and data visualization for research-led blogs. Here’s my first-pass ChatGPT data analysis of ‘AI Overview query length’ for my blog I Analyzed 300K Keywords. Here’s What I Learned About AI Overviews. It’s very satisfying being able to chat a chart into existence. Here are some more great examples of just that from Mateusz and Patrick: If you’ve read my article, So, you’ve been asked to “humanize” AI content, you’ll know my thoughts on using AI to write long form content (TL;DR: Just don’t do it). But ChatGPT comes into its own when generating short-form copy. That’s what makes it great for things like meta data and rephrasing scrappily-written sentences… I don’t like to outsource my thinking too much—ninety nice percent of the time I’ll still tweak the copy I run through ChatGPT to make it my own—but this kind of workflow helps me get my thoughts out without obsessing over grammar, structure, and brevity as I write. The query above, for instance, helped me quickly find a way to truncate my original sentence. In the end it became…

Orphan pages are website pages with no internal links pointing to them. This makes them inaccessible through the site’s normal navigation, meaning users and search engines can’t find them by browsing or crawling your website. However, users and search engines can still find them through external links or direct URL access. This means Google can still index them (more on that soon). You can end up with orphan pages for lots of reasons, but the most common ones include: Poor internal linking: Forgetting to link new pages from existing content Site migrations: Losing pages during site moves (or any other URL changes without putting redirects in place) Deleted links: Removing internal links or pages that contained lots of them For example, if you add a new product page but don’t link it from your main catalog, it becomes an orphan page. Or imagine you have internal links between two blog posts, Post A and Post B, but then you delete Post A. If Post A was the only one linking to it, Post B might become an orphan page. What Counts as an Orphan Page? Strictly speaking, orphan pages have ZERO internal links from anywhere on your site. Including homepage, blog roll, category, and navigational links. However, pages that contain internal links, but only from other orphan pages, are still orphans for all intents and purposes. For example, let’s say you have two blog posts, B and C, that both link to each other and have links pointing to them from Post A. But these are the only links that point to them. If Post A is an orphan page, Posts B and C are also orphans, at least in the context of the rest of your site: While they have internal links pointing to them, they’re disconnected from the…

We recently concluded Ahrefs Evolve: a sold-out, 2-day, 500-person conference at Pan Pacific Orchard in Singapore. The Ahrefs team at Evolve It wasn’t just a conference; it was an entire week of events. From Monday to Wednesday, we ran two paid workshops per day and then the conference on Thursday and Friday. Victor Karpenko’s workshop during Evolve week Before that, we ran online webinars, networking meetups, panel discussions, and even a smaller-scale conference. Suffice to say, we’ve had plenty of experience doing event marketing. A content marketing panel we ran But even though I’m writing this, I’m not the person behind it all. There is a brain behind all of our events, and that’s Shermin Lim, our events marketer. So, I interviewed her to find out how we did it, especially how we took on such an ungodly task of organizing a multi-day conference with just a two-person team. My interview with Shermin This is our guide to event marketing, specifically focused on building up to an actual conference. You can use the same knowledge to scale up or down depending on your goals. What is event marketing? Event marketing is the planning and organizing of an event to promote your brand, product, or service. The event can be big or small, online or offline. Now that we’ve gotten what Google wants to see out of the way, let’s get into our why. Why are we doing event marketing? We’re a mostly self-serve SaaS business, so why are we organizing events? The answer is simple: Business is social. Humans are not logical, rational creatures that buy everything based on pros and cons. We buy because there’s an emotional and human connection to the brand or the people behind the brand. How can you not do the cheek heart pose if you’re taking pictures with…

You don’t have to be the next James Bond to start PPC spying—all you need is a license to Ahrefs. In this article (for your eyes only), I’ll share what PPC spying is, why it’s important, and share seven ways you can start spying on your competitors’ paid search campaigns. 2. Spy on the location of your competitor’s paid traffic If you work with a client that operates in multiple territories, chances are their competitors will also be working across multiple territories. To spy on your competitor’s paid traffic across different locations, you can use Ahrefs’ Paid traffic by location report. This report shows you the countries from which your competitor is getting the most paid traffic. How to do it The Paid traffic by location report is to the right of the Paid traffic and Paid keywords reports. Why it’s useful If one of your competitors expands to a new territory, they will likely test the waters with PPC to see if they get any traction. This report shows where a competitor is spending most of their PPC budget, and it can be useful in identifying new market opportunities. It can also help you optimize your own Ad spend. If you know that a competitor is spending most of their PPC budget in one country, it may be beneficial for you to increase investment in other similar regions. 3. Spy on the number of paid pages and paid keywords your competitor has If you want to understand the scale of a competitor’s paid campaign, you can check the number of keywords they are bidding on and the pages they are sending the traffic to. How to do it To see this screen, just scroll down from the Paid traffic report. Why it’s useful The charts for Paid keywords and Paid pages…

Your phone buzzes, you look down. Someone mentioned your brand on LinkedIn… but not in a good way. You boot up your laptop with one hand and reach for the Red Bull with another. Welcome to the world of brand monitoring. But often, brand monitoring is more than just responding to comments that mention your brand—it’s about understanding customer sentiment and using feedback to shape your brand reputation in real-time. What is brand monitoring, and why is it important? Whether you like it or not, conversations happen about your brand constantly. Some are good, some are bad. Brand monitoring is the most effective way to keep track of these conversations. Brand monitoring is the process of identifying conversations and reacting to them. You can amplify positive comments or extinguish negative feedback before it potentially spirals into a public drama and impacts your reputation. How you react helps shape your brand’s narrative, positively or negatively, which is why it’s important. The tools you need for brand monitoring are often determined by what part of the online space you need to monitor. It’s often assumed that brand monitoring only happens on social media, but in my opinion, it can occur in three places online—websites, social media, and LLMs. So, if you want to monitor your brand effectively, you need to monitor it in these three places. Here’s how you do it: 1. Brand monitoring on social media Social media is the fastest way for customers to give real-time feedback on your brand, so it’s often the first place marketers think of when they think of brand monitoring. To get started, consider which platforms conversations about your brand happen on most frequently. Identify social media platforms your customers are using Do your customers use LinkedIn, X, Facebook, TikTok, or something else? Wherever they are, you need…

Want to learn about the state of Google Search in 2025? How many Google searches are there? How popular is Google visual search? What’s the Google market share in the search engine market worldwide? Keep reading as we will cover answers to these questions and more with a curated list of 21 recent Google Search statistics to know in 2025. General Google Search Statistics An estimated 6.3 million searches are conducted on Google every minute (Statista) The size of Google’s search index exceeds 100 million gigabytes in size (Google) An estimated 58.5% of Google searches across mobile and desktop in the US result in zero clicks (Search Engine Land) 59.7% of Google searches in the EU end without any clicks (Search Engine Land) The top position in Google’s organic search results has an average click-through rate (CTR) of 27.6% (Backlinko) The world’s most popular search queries on Google were “YouTube” and “Facebook” (Backlinko) Each day, 15% of search queries on Google are completely new (Google) Google ranks as the most trusted platform for finding information about local businesses (BrightLocal) In 2023 alone, Google launched 4,781 improvements to Search (Google) Within the Google Shopping Graph, there are more than 35 billion product listings available (Google) Google’s Search Engine Dominance Statistics Google accounts for 89.33% of the search engine market worldwide across all platforms (StatCounter) Google brought in $144.05 billion in revenue from search properties in the first nine months of 2024 (Alphabet) 28.5% of US Google searches lead to clicks to platforms owned by Google (YouTube, Images, Maps, etc.) (SparkToro) US accounts for 26.94% of Google desktop traffic worldwide (Statista) In 2024, Google generates an average of 84.4 billion monthly visits (Statista) Google accounts for 63.41% of US traffic referrals (SparkToro) Google holds a 51.9% share of the search advertising market…

Content distribution is the process of sharing, promoting, and repurposing your content across a variety of marketing channels. These may include social media platforms, email marketing, paid ads, and other websites. For example, Backlinko distributes content by sending new blog posts to email subscribers each week: And sharing them on social media: Content distribution can help you reach a wider audience with each piece of content you create. Leading to more traffic, engagement, and even conversions for your business. Below, I’ll walk you through the main content distribution channels and the steps you can take to maximize your reach with each one. The 3 Main Types of Content Distribution Channels Knowing the differences between owned, earned, and paid channels is key to maximizing your content’s reach. Within each type, there are individual channels: Owned Distribution Channels Earned Distribution Channels Paid Distribution Channels Websites and blogs Social shares and mentions Paid ads Social media accounts Backlinks Boosted social media posts Email marketing lists Forum discussions Native & sponsored content YouTube Channels Reviews Paid content syndication Owned Distribution Channels Owned distribution channels are the ones you own and have control over. Like your website, blog, and social media accounts. The good thing about owned channels is you can publish what you want, when you want. For example: When Masterclass adds new content to its site, it sends an announcement to its email subscribers. And when B2B companies like ON24 release new reports, they share them on LinkedIn. Plus, you can track your performance and results on these channels fairly easily. By using tools like Google Analytics to monitor website traffic and conversions, and social media analytics dashboards to keep track of engagement. The main downside to owned channels is that your reach is limited to your existing audience. Whether that’s readers, followers,…

You might be thinking, “What can I really do on the Semrush free account?” I was asked to test the limits of the free plan. Admittedly, this was an adjustment after using the paid tier for many years. But I was pleasantly surprised by what you can do. In this guide, I’ll walk you through concrete examples of how you can squeeze all the juice from the Semrush free account. All without entering your credit card details. 1. Uncover Valuable Keywords (10 Searches per Day) Semrush’s Keyword Magic Tool gives you 10 daily searches, each providing up to 10 keyword suggestions. That’s 100 potential keywords every day to fuel your content strategy. Here’s how you’d use this tool to research relevant keywords for free. Let’s say you have an SEO blog. Start with broad terms like “SEO” or “digital marketing.” This will give you a bird’s-eye view of your niche. Then, narrow down to more specific queries like “website optimization” or “digital marketing examples.” This can help you find more targeted keywords with less competition. For each search, focus on keywords with: Search volumes between 1,000– 10,000 Keyword difficulty scores below 60 Clear informational or commercial intent You might discover gems like “SEO books” (6,600 monthly searches, KD 38) and “ai tools for website SEO” (1,600 monthly searches, KD 43). Click any term, and you’ll be taken to the Keyword Overview tool, which provides an in-depth keyword analysis. By strategically using your 10 daily searches, you can build a robust list of keywords throughout the week. Once you’ve found keywords that match your criteria, create content that naturally incorporates these terms while solving your audience’s specific problems or questions. 2. Analyze Competitor Strategies (10 Domain Analyses per Day) The Domain Overview tool offers a window into your competitors’ strategies. Even…

SEO potential is the measure of how much organic traffic you can generate through search engines like Google without a cent spent on ads. This free traffic can translate into increased brand awareness, leads, sales, and revenue. Calculating SEO potential can be complex and time-consuming. But this is where my free SEO Potential Bot comes in. This simple tool automates the process of analyzing keywords, modeling ranking scenarios, and, in effect, calculating your/your client’s SEO traffic potential. The bot is based on a simple method but gives you enough to: Save time and skip the manual work. Set more realistic goals. See how much uplift SEO can give your site. How to use The bot is free to use but requires a ChatGPT subscription, as all community bots do. I’ve included the prompt at the end of the article that you can use instead of the bot (you’ll still need a ChatGPT subscription to use data analysis functionality) or with other LLMs, such as Gemini or Claude. Here’s how to get the input data with Ahrefs’ Keywords Explorer. Ask the AI to provide a list of seed keywords. You can use a prompt like “Give me a list of seed keywords for a blog about personal finance.” Naturally, you can add your own keywords or get them from your competitors (here’s how). Go to the Matching terms report and open the Clusters by Parent Topic tab. Export the results in CSV, UTF-8. Upload the file to the bot and wait for the result. The bot might ask a simple follow-up question or ask for confirmation of the attached data — it’s AI, after all. You can also ask the bot to explain the method and adjust the settings. Tip Use your competitor’s keywords to estimate traffic you could get if you went after their market….

In the early days of SEO, reciprocal links were a big deal. Nowadays, search engines like Google are a lot wiser to link manipulation. But people still debate whether reciprocal links help or hurt your SEO. They can boost your site’s visibility, but if you’re not careful, they might lead to penalties. This guide will teach you when (and how) to use reciprocal links safely in 2025 and when to avoid them altogether. What Are Reciprocal Links? Reciprocal links are when two websites link to each other. Typically, both site owners will agree to link to one another, with the goal of improving each other’s authority and SEO. The idea is that these backlinks will help the sites rank higher in Google. It’s like swapping favors: you link to me and I’ll link to you. But there are different types of reciprocal links. A direct reciprocal link is when Site A agrees to link to Site B, and in return Site B agrees to link back to Site A. An indirect reciprocal link happens when Site A links to Site B naturally. And then Site B links back to Site A, but also naturally, without any discussion or agreement of either link. For example, at Backlinko, we link out to reputable sources for data and insights. Like HubSpot: And HubSpot sometimes links back to us for the same reasons: We don’t communicate with HubSpot about this. Our writers and their writers are just naturally going to look for sources to link to, and sometimes there will be overlap. But another “type” of reciprocal linking occurs when, while there is no agreement between the two sites, there is acknowledgement from one side. An example is when Site A features Site B in one of their posts. Site B sees this and…

SEO often sounds more complicated than it really is. As a small business owner, you can get started for free with a handful of the best tools in the industry.  These small business SEO tools are free, beginner-friendly, and cover all your needs for DIY SEO. 2. Google Search Console  Google offers a range of free tools that can be used for SEO. The most important for monitoring your search visibility is Google Search Console (GSC for short). It provides data directly from Google about how your website is performing in its search results. This data can show you: What keywords you’re ranking for If there are any technical issues How many people are clicking on your website While it sounds like this data overlaps with what you can access in Ahrefs, there are some limitations. These mean that you can’t see all your data in the GSC platform. Here’s a comparison of the two: Despite its limitations, GSC is the only tool offering you data from Google about your website’s SEO visibility, so it’s an essential tool to have in your toolkit. Getting started You’ll need to have an existing Google or Gmail account before you can set up a Google Search Console account. If you’re on WordPress, the easiest way to set up GSC is by using Google’s Site Kit plugin. This plugin can connect your website to the following Google properties automatically: If your site is not using WordPress, it’s just a matter of following the prompts on the GSC landing page: Once you click the “Start Now” button, you’ll be prompted to log in to your Google account. Then you’ll be guided on how to connect your website. 3. Google Business Profile  A Google Business Profile (also known as a Google Business Listing or Google My Business profile) is essential…

A marketing funnel is a way to think about your customer journey. It starts when they discover your brand and tracks through as they become a loyal customer. This framework helps you map ideal interactions. It identifies drop-off points and guides customers to purchase. The better your marketing funnel, the more sales you can capture. A well-designed funnel turns casual browsers into loyal customers while reducing your acquisition costs. In this guide, you’ll learn: How a marketing funnel works Different types of marketing funnels Step-by-step process to build your first funnel Let’s start with the basics. The Marketing Funnel Explained How many stages a marketing funnel has and what you call them varies. But stages commonly include: Awareness: People first become aware of your brand, product, or service Interest: They’re interacting more and seeking information on your product or service Decision: They’re evaluating and comparing their options Action: Customers take a desired action, such as making a purchase It’s natural for people to drop off at each of these stages. Even when you’re successfully attracting a targeted audience. Your goal is to guide the most qualified prospects toward conversion. Let’s use a practical example to illustrate this. Imagine you run an online store. Here’s what your marketing funnel might look like: A wide top shows people who become aware of your product or service. A narrow bottom represents the people who purchase your product. For software as a service (SaaS) products, the marketing funnel might look like this: These examples use the same basic framework. See how it can be customized for different scenarios? There are a lot of different marketing funnel models you can use. To help you get started, we’ll explore two of the most common and effective marketing funnels. We’ll also look at a real-world example of…

What Is Local Search Marketing? Local search marketing is the process of optimizing a local business’ online presence. It uses paid and unpaid tactics, like search advertising and local SEO, to help the business appear more prominently in local searches. In other words, local search engine marketing aims to increase the chances of your business showing up in search results when customers look for specific products or services in a particular location. For example, the search results for “pet shop near me” include the following elements: A paid search ad marked as “Sponsored” Organic results within the local pack Regular organic results under the local pack Local search marketing is especially important for location-based businesses. Like salons, restaurants, and coffee shops. But it’s also vital for service-area businesses, like plumbers and electricians. Why Is Local Search Marketing Important? Local search marketing helps businesses connect with nearby customers who are actively searching for their products or services. It drives foot traffic, builds brand trust through reviews, improves search rankings, and increases conversions by targeting high-intent local consumers. (Customers that are close to making a purchase.) For example, when you search for a nearby store or service on Google, a local pack shows up. Like on this results page for “pet shop near me”: The top-ranking organic listing is “Pet Supermarket.” But how did it get there? Probably through local search marketing. First, the business has an optimized Google Business Profile. With tons of good reviews. Next, it ranks for 528 keywords with local packs, according to Semrush’s Organic Research tool. And it attracts nearly 33K organic traffic solely by ranking for keywords with local packs in search results. Getting similar traffic through paid search ads can cost $24K a month. Lastly, they also use paid ads to appear even more prominently…

The real secret to continuously ranking well in search engines lies in consistent, strategic maintenance. In this guide, we’re going to show you exactly how to maintain your SEO the right way. Let’s kick things off with some basics. What Is SEO Maintenance? SEO maintenance is the ongoing process of monitoring, updating, and optimizing your website to maintain and improve its search engine rankings. The initial efforts you make to optimize your website are usually not enough to produce long-term results. Google algorithms change, your content becomes outdated, and technical issues arise. So, your website needs consistent care and attention to weather these changes. Without regular maintenance, even the most perfectly optimized website can gradually lose its rankings. Perform SEO maintenance so it doesn’t happen to you. How Much Maintenance Does SEO Require? The level of SEO maintenance you need depends on your website’s size and the competitive landscape of your industry. It’s extremely difficult to give a one-size-fits-all answer. Small websites may only need a few hours of maintenance each month, focusing on essential updates and minor optimizations. But larger websites in competitive niches will require more frequent and detailed maintenance to stay ahead. We’ll cover specific maintenance tasks and how often to perform them later in this guide. But first, let’s clear something up. SEO Is an Ongoing Process “Set it and forget it” doesn’t work when it comes to SEO. You need to continuously check on and maintain your website’s SEO performance because: Google regularly updates its algorithm: While most are minor tweaks, some significant updates can dramatically impact your site’s rankings. If you’re not adapting your site’s SEO to align with Google’s latest guidelines, you could see a drop in traffic. Your competitors are probably continuously optimizing their websites: If you’re not actively improving your SEO,…

I’ve worked in SEO for just over 12 years. In that time, I’ve built up a trusty vault of tried-and-tested SEO resources that I use, which I’ll share with you today. Hopefully, you’ll find them useful (…and maybe even bookmark this page). WordPress Plugins WordPress is one of the most popular CMSs on the internet, So it makes sense if you’re working in SEO to know your way around some of the most popular SEO plugins. These are the ones I use most regularly. 18. Yoast SEO – Yoast has been considered the number one SEO plugin for many years now. Its strength lies in its ability to simplify a lot of SEO optimization.  19. RankMath – RankMath is another popular WordPress SEO plugin. Like Yoast, it simplifies SEO optimization. 20. Ahrefs WP Plugin – Our tool allows you to run a full content audit on your website and suggests different improvement actions. It integrates with GA and GSC to help provide you with better-targeted keywords and content recommendations. 21. TablePress – If you work with data, you’ll need to use a table in WordPress. One of the most SEO-friendly ways to do this is using a plugin like TablePress. YouTube Channels There is an unlimited supply of useful YouTube resources out there, but there are two channels that I’ve found most useful in my SEO career. 22. Google Search Central – Google Search Central is the newer version of Google Webmasters YouTube channel. If you work with clients, you need to stay on top of Google’s latest updates and responses, and this is one of the best places to do that. 23. Ahrefs – Video mastermind Sam Oh has been heading up the Ahrefs’ YouTube channel for as long as I can remember. I have watched his videos since day one, and…

SEO analytics involves digging into your site’s data to see how it’s doing. You track metrics like traffic, rankings, and user behavior to figure out what’s working. And what’s not. Why do it? It helps you stop wasting time on activities that don’t work. And double down on what does. At Backlinko, SEO analytics is central to what we do. It’s a major reason we were able to grow the site to 645K organic sessions per month. This guide will show you how to use SEO analytics to make data-driven decisions. Just like we do at Backlinko. I’ll cover key metrics and the tools the pros use. Plus, I’ll show you how to create reports that prove the value of your SEO efforts to clients and stakeholders. Step 1: Match Your Metrics to Your Goals Every successful SEO analytics strategy connects two pieces: Clear business goals that define what success looks like The right metrics that show you’re crushing those goals The key? Set SMART goals from day one. When your goals are specific and measurable, you’ll know exactly which metrics actually matter. Now here’s what makes this tricky. Different stakeholders care about different metrics. You won’t catch a C-suite executive losing sleep over bounce rates. But an SEO strategist needs to dig into those details to understand which content to update or optimize. That’s why it’s important to match your metrics to the needs of each role. Here’s a breakdown of the metrics that different stakeholders care about: C-Suite The C-suite wants to know how SEO is contributing to the business’s goals. Their priorities include: Increasing revenue Cutting costs Gaining market share from competitors For them, key metrics include things like revenue from organic search, customer acquisition cost (CAC), and market share growth. And they’re particularly concerned with the…

Every day, over 7.5 million blog posts get published. But how many of them actually get read? With the average attention span of adults hovering at just over 8 seconds, it’s no surprise that many people don’t make it to the end of an article. But when you write an article, you’re looking to accomplish more than just catching attention. You want to create content that leads to real results. When done right, your articles can become powerful tools to drive traffic, build trust, and generate revenue. In July 2024, we wrote an article about how to create a website. It has since received 27,193 pageviews. We’ve seen firsthand how the right approach to content can lead to higher engagement, more shares, and increased visibility. In this blog, we’ll show you exactly how to write an article that does just that—in seven steps. Step #1: Find a Relevant Topic One of the first hurdles in writing an article is deciding on a topic. You might find yourself asking, “What should I write about?” Start by thinking about the questions your audience is asking and the problems they’re trying to solve. For instance, if you run a gardening business, these are some ideas that might be of interest to your clients: Gardening tips Plant selection Pest control Garden design By addressing these needs, you can create content that’s genuinely helpful. Once you have a few ideas, ensure your topic has real demand by doing a bit of research. You can use a tool like Semrush’s Keyword Magic Tool to discover what people are actively searching for. Open the tool, type your seed keyword, and hit “Search.” Semrush will quickly generate a list of related topics. There, you can find content ideas for your business. Select keywords that will help your website…

At first glance, branded content may seem worlds apart from the actual brand. But that’s because it’s not really about them. It’s about the audience and their interests. Take the famous Michelin guide At first you think: “What do restaurants have to do with Michelin tyres?” Then you think: “People drive all over America to visit unique restaurants? Oh, I get it.” And, finally, you think: “That new tapas restaurant 10 miles from me has just got a Michelin star? That’s pretty cool.” What is branded content? Branded content is mass-appeal media or entertainment content that’s either sponsored, commissioned, or created by a company. Think Netflix-style documentaries for SaaS marketers, or short films directed by clothing brands. Audiences connect with branded content on an emotional level. They consume it because they find it in some way entertaining or profound—not just because it’s interruptive like most marketing. It’s not about the product Branded content is values-first, product-later marketing, with a simple message: “We get you” Products aren’t sold or promoted directly. Instead, the goal is to create positive brand affinity and shared audience values. The product may still get a mention, but it never overshadows the main entertainment. It’s not the same as content marketing or product placement Wikipedia defines branded content in relation to content marketing and product placement: Content marketing is created to naturally spark brand interest. Advertising is a direct attempt to get audiences to buy. Product placement is a form of subtle, subliminal marketing. Branded content is entertaining, educational, or emotional content. It’s not made to persuade, but to share the audience’s values. When the persuasion is dialed down, and the entertainment is dialed up, audiences can even forget they’re consuming a form of marketing. Branded content tends to increase brand awareness, since its entertainment value appeals to a…

We analyzed ~2.3 million keywords with ~4.99 million top ads to see how frequently businesses advertise on keywords where they already have an organic ranking in the top 10 positions. Here are some of the key statistics: 37.9% of advertised websites already rank in the top 10 organically for the same keyword. This indicates that a significant portion of businesses are paying for ads when they already have visibility for that term. When looking at specific pages rather than entire websites, 15.7% of advertised URLs have an organic ranking in the top 10. This shows that, even at the page level, ads are often run on already high-ranking content. Shockingly, 40.66% of pages that are advertised rank #1 organically. Essentially, these businesses are paying for the top ad placement on Google when they already rank in the number one organic position. Advertising when you don’t have competitors: inefficient or intentional? Another surprising insight from our research is that in 51.09% of cases, businesses advertise a page that ranks in the top 10, even when there are no competing ads present. This suggests that many businesses might be running ads needlessly, generating costs without competing against other advertisers. What the industry thinks This overlap between paid and organic raises two important questions. Are businesses simply trying to dominate the SERPs, or is this a sign of a lack of coordination between SEO and PPC teams? And perhaps more importantly, does running ads on keywords where you already rank well organically drive significantly more clicks, or is it just inflating your cost per acquisition? We found answers to these questions and a few others among the comments received on LinkedIn (here and here). Here’s our attempt to summarize the discussion: Use PPC selectively: PPC campaigns should only complement organic rankings for highly competitive keywords…

If you’re a founder who knows that SEO matters, but doesn’t know where to start, check out this one-page primer. Thanks to the following founders for sharing feedback on this guide: Sidenote. I’m writing this based on my experience helping startups from pre-seed to post-IPO with their search strategy. I also taught some of these ideas as part of the a16z Marketing Counsel Series. How to scale SEO Longer-term, most companies with serious SEO traffic acquire it in one of four ways: 1. Editorial content: long-term, educational blogging Editorial content refers to the process of publishing high-quality, educational resources targeted at relevant keywords. By systematizing content creation and publishing SEO content every week, many companies generate hundreds of thousands of monthly visits from blogging alone. Organic traffic and referring domain growth for the Ahrefs blog. Editorial content is great for building brand awareness and educating visitors, but—even in the era of ChatGPT—it’s an expensive strategy. Blogging is also very competitive today. Most high-volume keywords are already contested by big, well-known brands (with even bigger budgets). There are plenty of opportunities to become one of these brands, but it’s harder than ever before. Check out these examples of editorial content: 2. Programmatic content: semi-automated landing page creation Programmatic content describes the creation of keyword-targeted pages in an automatic (or near automatic) way. It provides a way for companies to create thousands of website pages targeted at thousands of keywords—without having to design, write, and publish pages manually. Programmatic pages are usually created from data like product prices, weather, or location information. Companies like Zapier, Zillow, and G2 use programmatic SEO to generate millions of pageviews each year. Organic traffic and referring domain growth to Zapier’s apps directory. This strategy often appeals to technical founders, but it’s not without risk. Programmatic content that is deemed thin…

Affiliate publications have seen a sharp drop in SERP visibility over the last few days. The news came after Glenn Gabe shared a “stop-the-presses” post, revealing that Google had penalized various affiliate directories through a spate of manual actions. Parasite SEO usually occurs when users post self-referential links on someone else’s site, to take advantage of its authority. Google’s site reputation abuse guidelines originally focused on this kind of third-party spam. But Google recently updated its policy to make it clear that site reputation abuse is still possible even when first-party players are involved. This was the first sign that things were about to get tricky for affiliate publications. As Angela Petulla points out, this blow comes just in time for Black Friday, when these publishers would expect to make the majority of the year’s revenue. The story so far… Here’s the story if you’re not yet up to speed. Publications began monetizing their historic authority by creating affiliate directories, and in doing so, started to rank for many commercially competitive keywords. SEOs and affiliates criticized these publications for producing inauthentic affiliate content that prioritized profit over providing value to the end user. Around the same time, hundreds of independents incurred SERP “shadowbans” in the wake of Google’s Helpful Content Update (September of ‘23), and have been struggling to regain visibility ever since. Aside from the odd drop, it’s been business as usual for many big name affiliate publications. But that all changed last week. So what’s happening now? In the last few days, the affiliate directories of many well known publications have seen significant drops in traffic. Here’s that same view minus Forbes Advisor, so you can see the traffic dips of other publications more clearly. But not every affiliate authority has been hit. Some still have steady visibility, and others—like New York Times,…

I’m going to type the lamest thing I’ve ever typed and make 90% of you close the page right now. Are you ready? I am a thought leader. I feel gross for typing those words. But here’s something that feels less gross to type: over the past decade, I have been lucky to find a small-but-important group of people who give a damn about my ideas. This has been beneficial for my career, and beneficial for the companies I join. I’ve seen my ideas referenced on stage, linked to in industry publications, debated on social media. I get invited to apply for amazing jobs, to speak at conferences and appear on podcasts. Yada yada yada, you get the idea. So why am I sharing this? To tell you how amazing I am? No—the opposite. I have an inside view of just how unremarkable I am. I have sat at my desk writing blog posts for fourteen years. I have saved no lives, climbed no mountains.  This is great news. If someone as unremarkable as me can do this, so can you. Whatever I have done to confer these benefits, I guarantee that you can do too. So let’s explore how you can become a thought leader. One of the smartest people I know, Bernard Huang, referencing something I wrote on stage at Ahrefs Evolve. I giggled like a school kid when this happened. 1. Publish prolifically Publishing tons is the necessary first condition for becoming a thought leader. You can’t change anyone’s perspective with clever ideas that never leave your head. Many of the smartest, most innovative people I know self-limit because of a reticence to actually publish, and put stuff out into the world. Sit and wait for the perfect idea to emerge before publishing, and you’ll wait forever. It’s almost impossible to tell which…

AI is eating the world, and it’s only been two years since the “ChatGPT moment.” Just a year ago, many were questioning whether AI was even worth the hype. Today, marketers who embrace AI in their workflows are leaving others behind, and no one can afford to sit out of this race, regardless of their personal views on AI. The question has shifted from “Is AI worth it?” to “Which AI tool should I use?” To answer this, I went on a quest to find SEO tools that got AI right. Tools that don’t overpromise but offer tried-and-tested ways to make you work smarter, not harder. Tools that are not overly optimistic about AI just two years into the tech but still put the human at the center of the process. If you need a quick answer to that, here are my top picks: ChatGPT. Great for virtually any SEO job as long as you feed it the right SEO data. In many cases, you’ll be way more effective with a ChatGPT + good AI tool combo. Writesonic This AI writing tool gives you plenty of control over AI’s work and packs all of the features you’d expect from a tool in this category. Ahrefs. AI working on top of Ahrefs’ industry-leading data is a match made in heaven. It helps a ton with keyword research, content creation, and optimization. AI Content Helper is the ideal writing assistant for those who value high-quality, original content. It’s also a tool you can confidently provide to your content team to enhance their workflow and boost efficiency without compromising on standards. I’ve also listed some notable tools which I think you should know about. I have much more to share about these tools, so keep reading, and I’ll make a compelling case for why you should use…

The holidays are coming up. What can you do to ensure you’re getting the most out of the season? Here are some holiday marketing strategies you can use: 1. Start preparations at least two months before the holiday season When I asked for the best marketing strategies for 2024’s holiday season on LinkedIn, Kaj Kandler told me to make preparations for next year instead. That’s because I asked too late: Black Friday/Cyber Monday was only two weeks away. I understand his perspective because holiday campaigns take time: Pages need time to rank in Google, around three to six months. You need time to create and assemble relevant digital assets, like images, photos, videos, emails, etc. If you’re working with influencers and partners, you need time and energy to coordinate, not to mention creating assets. If you have plans for a bigger campaign, then the effort required doubles or triples. So, if you want to have a profitable holiday season, start your prep early. But don’t worry if you’re reading this post slightly later. It’s not all over yet. You can still apply most of the tactics below, even if it’s just a simpler version. Every effort you make today is also an effort for next year’s holiday season. 2. Target seasonal topics People look for holiday-specific keywords during the holiday season. You should be creating pages to rank for these keywords. For example, Michaela Park of Holafly (a travel eSIM) creates content targeting keywords related to Christmas markets, and Christmas and New Year’s travel destinations. Here’s how to find these holiday-specific keywords: Go to Ahrefs’ Keywords Explorer Enter one or a few relevant keywords Go to the Matching terms report Use the Include filter to look for relevant holidays (e.g., Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Christmas) For example, if I’m a store selling golf equipment,…

Making great content isn’t easy, but a solid content brief can make all the difference. A good brief helps everyone—writers, editors, and strategists—stay on the same page. This ensures every post is useful, clear, and built to perform. At Backlinko, we’ve seen how strong content briefs drive results. They’ve helped us attract over 635,000 organic visitors every month. In this guide, you’ll learn what to include in a content brief, see three examples, and get step-by-step instructions to create your own. What Is a Content Brief? A content brief is a blueprint for high-quality, engaging, and SEO-friendly content. It includes elements to help writers create content that connects with the audience. Content briefs help teams work together by reducing revisions and speeding up the writing process. Strategists set the goals. Writers follow the plan. Editors make sure the content meets the brief’s requirements. When everyone is aligned, things run smoothly, and communication improves. The result? High-performing content. Here’s what team collaboration looks like at Backlinko: What to Include in a Content Brief Outside of keywords, it’s debatable what you should include in your brief. But after publishing hundreds of articles, we’ve found these elements work best: Primary keyword: The main term or phrase your content must focus on. Secondary keyword: Related words or phrases that support the primary keyword. They aren’t popular enough to deserve their own page but still add value. Estimated word count: Suggested length for the content. It gives writers a clear idea of how detailed the content should be. Competing URLs: Links to top-ranking posts for the primary keyword. Includes the strategist’s notes on what helps these posts rank well. Notes about the search engine results page (SERP): Observations about the search results for the primary keyword. This includes notes on the types of content that…

Your website’s design can make or break your ecommerce business. After all, design elements have important jobs: Grab shoppers’ attention with eye-catching aesthetics Guide visitors smoothly from browsing to buying A great example of this is the streetwear brand Kith. When Kith redesigned its website, it didn’t just focus on branding and colors. It zeroed in on usability and functionality. The result? A staggering 235% increase in conversion rate. Plus, their traffic is INSANE. We’re talking 1.5 million monthly visitors. Even better? Each visitor sticks around for well over four minutes, and the bounce rate is under 40%. Clearly, shoppers love the brand’s website experience. And your customers can love yours, too. In this guide, you’ll learn exactly how to nail your ecommerce website design. This includes proven strategies, real-world examples, and actionable tips. Let’s start with the three essential elements that make ecommerce websites successful. 3 Essential Elements of Ecommerce Website Design A successful ecommerce site has thoughtful UX and UI design, a mobile-friendly interface, and a checkout process that converts. Get these right, and you’ll turn more browsers into buyers. UX and UI Design You might hear user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) mentioned interchangeably. But they’re two very different concepts of website design. Let’s briefly break down the key differences between these roles in ecommerce: UX Design Ecommerce UX design ensures users can easily navigate your site, from browsing to checkout. Every click should feel intuitive to avoid frustrating shoppers and losing the sale. To create a great experience, think about your users: Where would they look for product categories? Where would they click to find more information or add something to their cart? Are they able to find key details quickly and easily (like a size chart or shipping info)? Bad UX, on the other…

Low-hanging fruit SEO opportunities can help you: Get your content indexed by Google ASAP Achieve maximum results with minimum effort Show clients fast progress to prevent churn Get buy-in for more SEO resources Here are 12 SEO quick wins you can implement today. 1. Optimize for low-hanging fruit keywords  It’s always easier to move something that’s already in motion. Shifting something from position 4 to 1 will bring in more traffic and have a more significant impact than going from position 100 to 15. That’s why low-hanging fruit keywords are the ones you’re already ranking for in positions 4-15 and that you can improve reasonably easily. You can access a pre-filtered list showing your site’s low-hanging fruit keywords in the Opportunities report: Get even more quick wins with high-volume, low-competition keywords If you have a long list of low-hanging fruit keywords, knowing where to start optimizing can be hard. Try adding these additional filters to uncover high-search volume, low-competition keywords: High search volume: Set a minimum monthly search volume. I like to start with 100. Low competition: Set a maximum keyword difficulty value. I like to start with 10. You can adjust these filters according to your data set until you have a more manageable list of keywords. For example, NerdWallet has almost 900,000 low-hanging fruit keywords. By adjusting the search volume and keyword difficulty filters, we can reduce the list to under 27,000 to find the ones that can lead to some quick traffic wins: If this list of keywords is still too large for you, try increasing the volume filter to a value over 100 and/or decreasing the difficulty filter to a value lower than 10. 2. Snagging more featured snippet mentions  If your site already ranks on the first page of Google results, an easy way to get more traffic is to snag…

We analyzed the branded search growth of 3,000 software companies to discover the fastest-growing AI companies around. When we published our list of 50 Top 50 fastest-growing AI companies Rank Company Brand Search Growth (12mo) Global Branded Search Volume Total Funding Estimated Revenue 1 Sahara AI +646% 1,100 $49.0M $17.5M 2 Artisan AI +197% 2,700 $21.1M $4.5M 3 Air Space Intelligence +174% 600 $27.0M $5.5M 4 StealthGPT +142% 9,200 $0.0M $0.5M 5 Acrisure Innovation +114% 300 $3454.0M $3000.0M 6 Perplexity AI +75% 3,630,000 $165.4M $17.5M 7 Mistral AI +59% 132,000 $894.8M $5.5M 8 Elicit AI +57% 41,000 $11.0M $5.5M 9 YoDayo +55% 295,000 $5.2M $5.5M 10 HitPaw +53% 62,000 $0.0M $0.5M 11 Blaze AI +47% 16,000 $0.0M $5.5M 12 Hebbia +44% 6,600 $161.1M $17.5M 13 Arize AI +44% 4,100 $61.0M $17.5M 14 Weaviate +43% 8,800 $67.7M $37.5M 15 Slingshot AI +41% 450 $36.2M $17.5M 16 DataSnipper +40% 7,500 $100.0M $37.5M 17 Tuva Health +40% 200 $0.5M $5.5M 18 Machina Labs +40% 1,800 $50.3M $37.5M 19 Topline Pro +40% 500 $17.1M $175.0M 20 Kaedim +39% 3,500 $15.3M $5.5M 21 PlayHT +39% 65,000 $2.7M $5.5M 22 Together AI +38% 6,500 $3.4M $5.5M 23 EliseAI +37% 2,300 $140.8M $17.5M 24 Abacus.AI +37% 600 $90.3M $37.5M 25 Redflag AI +35% 300 $7.4M $5.5M 26 MarqVision +35% 1,300 $41.5M $37.5M 27 AI21 Labs +33% 2,100 $336.0M $75.0M 28 Vannevar Labs +32% 3,600 $91.1M $17.5M 29 Reclaim.ai +32% 1,900 $11.0M $1.0M 30 ElevenLabs +32% 1,310,000 $0.0M $5.5M 31 Codeium +32% 67,000 $246.0M $17.5M 32 Fireworks AI +31% 4,600 $77.0M $5.5M 33 GrayMatter Robotics +31% 300 $70.4M $17.5M 34 Midjourney +30% 2,340,000 $0.0M $750.0M 35 Docsumo +30% 5,200 $3.7M $17.5M 36 Aleph Alpha +29% 23,000 $643.3M $175.0M 37 AISDR +29% 1,400 $3.5M $5.5M 38 PolyAI +28% 6,600 $121.0M $17.5M 39 Character.AI +27% 114,000 $150.1M $17.5M 40 MindsDB…

Local newspapers will link to anything. Seriously. Did you run the numbers and find that people in their state pay more lifetime tax than anyone else? They’ll cover it: Did you find that their city has the worst train delays in the whole country? Yep, they’ll cover it: Even if your data point is quite unimpressive, like their city ranking 37th best for millennials (what does that even mean?), it seems they’ll still cover it: In fact, judging by the backlinks to many of these campaigns, local tabloid journalists love to compare how their area stacks up when it comes to… well, just about anything. Even this piece about cities with the longest driving test wait times in the UK racked up links from 58 referring domains—with most coming from local newspapers: How can you take advantage of this fact to earn links? By using what I like to call the tabloid technique. How the tabloid technique works Building links with the tabloid technique is a three-step process: Find a newsworthy topic Pull local data about it Send it to local journalists 1. Find a newsworthy topic Let’s be real: this is the hardest part. If ideas that resonate with local journalists were so easy to come by, we’d all be launching hit PR campaign after hit PR campaign… That said, the topics of most successful ideas I’ve seen seem to fit into one of two buckets: Evergreen topics. Taxes, potholes—things locals always care about that also have the potential to get them a little riled up. Trending topics. Local elections, seasonal events—things people are interested in right now that local journalists are desperate to cover. Here are a few more ideas for evergreen topics, courtesy of ChatGPT: You can also use Content Explorer to find well-performing campaigns about evergreen topics and take inspiration from them. For…

Ahrefs Evolve is a wrap. And my favorite memory? All the people I met at the event. In fact,  I really loved the diversity—being held in Singapore, I was finally able to meet SEOs and marketers from around the region: Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, China, South Korea, and Japan. These are rarely people you see featured or mentioned in global SEO conferences, but they are an important part of our industry. Credits: Yeji Kim from Elifunt Credits: Chris D. from PageFly Networking aside, the speakers were incredible too. Their talks were highly actionable and many attendees took home lessons they could immediately apply to their work to succeed on Google and other marketing channels. So did I. Here are my takeaways from the event—new things I’ve learned, experiments I want to conduct, and things I’m going to do differently from now on: 1. I’m going to break free from SEO brain The SEO strategy everyone was using before the Helpful Content update was a sound one. You could do your keyword research, optimize content via content optimization tools, ensure your on-page SEO is on-point, build some links, and voila, rank high. But these were not content searchers wanted to see. Slide from Cyrus Shepard’s talk If searchers wanted a recipe, they wanted the recipe. Not a history of pasta. If searchers wanted to get started with email marketing, they wanted a simple guide. Not a 10,000-word article. If searchers wanted the best running shoe, they wanted an actual recommendation. Not scraped Amazon product descriptions. As SEOs, we hit our KPIs. But we didn’t help our readers and customers. And we certainly didn’t help the Internet. When was the last time you Googled a query and found something that changed your life? I couldn’t even remember when that happened. That’s why, like Sam, I want to…

Last year, we published a children’s book about SEO. We didn’t hire any consultants for this project. We didn’t create fancy presentations to justify the book to stakeholders. And we didn’t crunch any numbers to verify the potential impact on our brand awareness. In fact, no one in SaaS, let alone our competitors, had done it before. We just had a simple thesis: Parents travel to conferences Parents want to bring home something for their kids Parents get some kudos from their kids Parents remember that they got the kudos thanks to Ahrefs ??? Profit Even though we had no prior data, we trusted our gut. And our intuition was right. The book was a big hit. People couldn’t get enough. Look at the social media shoutouts we’ve gotten: Starting the SEO education young with my son. Thank you to .@ahrefs .@timsoulo for the lovely SEO themed children’s book. pic.twitter.com/WLj6lqDSrv — James Norquay (@connections8) August 6, 2024 In love with this beautiful children’s book edited by @ahrefs to explain what is SEO. 😍 Charming story written by @timsoulo about Jessy, a girl who climbs Mount Fjoogle (with special presence of black hat and Twitter). Congrats for the illustrations of White Haired SEO! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/YRNEDkXTsB — Clara Soteras (@ClaraSoteras) February 12, 2024 In the realm of marketing, no data models will ever tell you to make a children’s book. But we took a leap of faith anyway, believing that standing out required something bolder than the numbers could justify. The problem with playing it too safe in marketing The fundamental goal of marketing is to stand out and differentiate ourselves from our competitors. Yet, if you look at the world of marketing right now, you’ll think that our job is to replicate. Logos look the same: Source: Alex Murrell So do brand websites: I guess there’s a…

LLM optimization (LLMO) is all about proactively improving your brand visibility in LLM-generated responses. In the words of Bernard Huang, speaking at Ahrefs Evolve, “LLMs are the first realistic search alternative to Google.” And market projections back this up: You might resent AI chatbots for reducing your traffic share or poaching your intellectual property, but pretty soon you won’t be able to ignore them. Just like the early days of SEO, I think we’re about to see a sort of wild-west scenario, with brands scrabbling to get into LLMs by hook or by crook. And, for balance, I also expect we’ll see some legitimate first-movers winning big. Read this guide now, and you’ll learn how to get into AI conversations just in time for the gold rush of LLMO. What is LLM optimization? LLM optimization is all about priming your brand “world”—your positioning, products, people, and the information surrounding it—for mentions in an LLM. I’m talking text-based mentions, links, and even native inclusion of your brand content (e.g. quotes, statistics, videos, or visuals). Here’s an example of what I mean. When I asked Perplexity “What is an AI content helper?”, the chatbot’s response included a mention and link to Ahrefs, plus two Ahrefs article embeds. When you talk about LLMs, people tend to think of AI Overviews. But LLM optimization is not the same as AI Overview optimization—even though one can lead to the other. Think of LLMO as a new kind of SEO; with brands actively trying to optimize their LLM visibility, just as they do in search engines. In fact, LLM marketing may just become a discipline in its own right. Harvard Business Review goes so far as to say that SEOs will soon be known as LLMOs. What are the benefits of LLM optimization? LLMs don’t just provide information on brands—they recommend them….

What are the 4 Ps of marketing? Product. Price. Place. Promotion. For over 60 years, these four elements have been the cornerstone of many successful marketing strategies. But do these classic principles hold up even as AI transforms whole businesses and industries? Absolutely. Why? Even with AI’s growing influence, the fundamental customer needs haven’t changed. People still want great products, fair prices, convenient access, and compelling reasons to buy. But here’s where it gets exciting: You can use AI to give your 4 Ps a boost. This guide explains how to do that. You’ll learn: The core concepts of each P (and why they still matter) How to build a strong 4 Ps foundation Real-world examples that bring the 4 Ps to life Practical ways you can use AI to solidify your 4 Ps plan Using the 4 Ps of Marketing for Winning Campaigns What makes the 4 Ps of marketing so special? Well, they’re the backbone of every successful marketing strategy. The 4 Ps cover everything you need to connect with customers. And drive sales. We’re talking about: What you’re selling (product) How much it costs (price) Where people can buy it (place) How you tell people about it (promotion) Simple, right? But don’t be fooled. Mastering these four elements is what separates good marketing from great marketing. Get all the four Ps of marketing right, and your campaigns fall into place. Your product stands out. Your message resonates. And sales come much easier. That’s why the 4 Ps are also called the marketing mix. When these key elements come together in the right mixture, you crush business goals faster and with way less effort. So what’s the key to making the 4 Ps of marketing work? One word: Alignment. If even one P falls out of line, your…

We analyzed the branded search growth of 2,700 software companies to discover the hottest trending startups in tech. Here’s how we built this list (and how you can do the same using Ahrefs): Used Top 50 trending tech startups Rank Company Brand Search Growth (12mo) Global Branded Search Volume Total Funding Estimated Revenue 1 StealthGPT +139% 9,100 $0.0M $0.5M 2 Oneleet +76% 600 $0.0M $5.5M 3 Spinach AI +75% 450 $10.0M $5.5M 4 Perplexity AI +71% 3,580,000 $377.3M $17.5M 5 Factored Quality +64% 700 $6.5M $5500.0M 6 Gymdesk +63% 5,200 $29.5M $5.5M 7 Infisical +58% 3,400 $3.0M $0.5M 8 Cartpanda +58% 19,000 $0.1M $5.5M 9 FlutterFlow +54% 142,000 $23.2M $17.5M 10 HockeyStack +54% 2,800 $2.9M $5.5M 11 beehiiv +52% 35,000 $49.7M $49.7M 12 Blaze AI +47% 16,000 $0.0M $5.5M 13 Heptabase +47% 20,000 $0.0M $37.5M 14 Findymail +46% 3,400 $0.0M $0.5M 15 Arize AI +44% 4,100 $61.0M $55.5M 16 DocuClipper +43% 3,200 $0.0M $0.5M 17 Cloud Software Group +42% 6,600 $1.3M $0.0M 18 Storydoc +42% 2,900 $0.0M $5.5M 19 PropelAuth +42% 600 $2.8M $0.5M 20 Heyflow +42% 4,800 $22.0M $75.0M 21 Serif Health +42% 200 $2.5M $0.5M 22 Terra API +42% 1,300 $2.8M $5.5M 23 Coperniq +41% 350 $4.6M $5.5M 24 Topline Pro +40% 500 $17.1M $175.0M 25 Tuva Health +40% 200 $0.5M $5.5M 26 Onebrief +40% 450 $49.5M $17.5M 27 Bettermode +39% 3,300 $7.5M $5.5M 28 Rocketlane +38% 5,600 $45.0M $4.4M 29 La Growth Machine +36% 5,500 $0.0M $5.5M 30 SigNoz +40% 450 $5.4M $5.5M 31 incident.io +39% 3,300 $38.9M $17.5M 32 EasyDMARC +38% 5,600 $22.3M $5.5M 33 Cradlewise +36% 5,500 $7.0M $17.5M 34 DraftWise +36% 7,600 $28.0M $1.0M 35 Excalidraw +36% 800 $0.0M $5.5M 36 Zenduty +35% 6,100 $1.9M $17.5M 37 VEED.IO +35% 11,000 $35.0M $175.0M 38 Stock Unlock +35% 1,200 $0.5M $0.5M 39 Govly +35% 219,000 $16.9M $5.5M…

If you’ve ever done media outreach, chances are you’ve crossed paths with HARO (Help a Reporter Out). For over a decade, it was the go-to platform for securing media placements and backlinks. But in early 2024, HARO officially shut its doors. What now? Fortunately, HARO’s closure doesn’t mean your outreach efforts have to take a hit. There are several excellent HARO alternatives ready to help you land high-quality backlinks and media coverage. Below, you’ll learn seven HARO alternatives, along with pros, cons, and pricing, to help you score authority-building backlinks. Ready to dive in? Let’s go! HARO Alternatives at a Glance Platform Standout Feature Pricing Connectively Web application with advanced features Free plan available; paid plans cost $19–$149 per month ProfNet Less competition, higher quality opportunities Contact for pricing Source of Sources Identical format to HARO Free Featured Highest conversion rate, fastest turnaround Free plan available; paid plans start at $39.80–$79.20 per month, per seat Help a B2B Writer High-quality marketing opportunities Free Qwoted Access to top-tier media outlets Free plan available; paid plans start at $99 per month Direct Contributions Direct access to journalists Free (time investment required) 1. Connectively: HARO’s Official Successor When HARO shut down, Cision didn’t leave us hanging. They launched Connectively, a web-based platform designed to pick up where HARO left off. But is it a worthy successor? Let’s find out. How Connectively Compares to HARO Connectively tries to improve on HARO’s foundation: Sounds great, right? Well, not so fast. For starters, there might be less competition due to the pay-per-pitch model weeding out all of the “contributors” who spammed the old free format of HARO. But the web application has technical issues that can result in pitches being rendered useless, which lowers your outreach conversion rate. Pros Advanced UI: Filter, bookmark, and set keyword…

Your prospects are searching for roofers on Google right now. If you don’t appear in the top search results, it doesn’t matter how great your roofing services are—they’ll hire someone else. Why? Because they’ll be able to find other roofing companies. But not you. Search engine optimization (SEO) can fix this. SEO has the power to rank your business on top of the search results. Meaning potential customers will see you first, instead of your competitors. Take Washington-based Home Care Contractors as an example. They saw significant organic (unpaid) traffic gains after implementing an SEO campaign and ranking for important keywords related to their services. In addition to keyword rankings, the company received more leads and calls from potential clients. This is just one example of the countless ways that the right SEO strategies have helped businesses grow. In this guide, you’ll learn how you can use SEO to turn your own prospects into paying customers. How to Start Doing SEO for Your Roofing Business Follow these steps to start doing SEO for your roofing business and grow your online presence: Step 1: Optimize for Local Visibility You want people who are physically near you to discover your services and choose to hire you over the competition. Local SEO is a branch of SEO that focuses on increasing your business’s local search visibility so you can attract more customers in your area. One sign that you’re doing great in local SEO is if your business appears in the Google Map Pack (sometimes called the local pack). This contains the top three companies that appear in a location-based search. So how does a roofing business show up in the Map Pack? First, claim and optimize your Google Business Profile (GBP). You’ll need to enter all your business details, like your business…

Quality SEO content keeps readers glued to the page. The key? Producing content that satisfies both search intent and user experience. But most SEO content fails to do this. The focus is on on-page optimizations while ignoring what actually keeps readers engaged. In this guide, you’ll learn how to use my QRIES framework to: Create content that naturally aligns with Google’s quality standards Build authority that naturally attracts backlinks Scale quality content production First, a refresher on how Google assesses content quality. How Google (Probably) Evaluates Content Quality Google can see which content holds visitors by tracking user behavior. That means Google knows how long visitors stay on a page, how much they scroll, and whether they explore more of the site. When users do these things, it suggests the content successfully holds their attention. And when that happens, it can act as a signal to Google that the content is relevant and helpful. This in turn can lead to higher rankings, more traffic, and more conversions. But how do you create content that users love and want to consume more of? For starters, we can use Google’s E-E-A-T guidelines to point us in the right direction. E-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. While not a specific ranking factor (and not the only thing to consider when creating high-quality content), Google uses E-E-A-T as a framework to evaluate content quality. Let’s quickly go over these guidelines: Experience means the content should be created by someone who truly understands the topic firsthand Expertise means the creator should be a subject matter expert with in-depth knowledge of the topic Authoritativeness reflects the reputation and credibility of the source (creator or website) Trustworthiness assesses whether the information is reliable and accurate and whether the website is safe and reputable When users…

I analyzed 300K keywords to understand what triggers AI Overviews. The results were predictable in some ways and wholly surprising in others. For instance, one of my favorite stats (although not the favorite – you’ll have to read on for that ) is that 99.9% of AI Overview SERPs display at least one other SERP feature. In this study I attempt to nail-down the key differences between AIO SERPs, vs. non-AIO SERPs. I hope you find it interesting! 1. AI Overviews populate for low volume, long-tail keywords AI Overviews predominantly appear for low-volume, long-tail keywords. Even the most popular AIO keywords generate minimal search demand, averaging just 150 searches monthly. In fact, AIO keyword search volumes are 193 times smaller than that of non-AIO keywords, which drive 29K on average. AIO keywords also generate 8 times less traffic potential—which is essentially the sum of organic traffic earned by the #1 ranking page, from all its many keywords and rankings. The data shows that AIO queries are long-tail, containing 4 words on (median) average vs. 2 for standard searches, which explains those traffic and volume shortfalls. Sidenote. You’ve probably noticed that the most common AIO phrase length on the chart above is 3—not 4, as I said above. This is because the chart uses the “mode average”, or most common keyword phrase length, in order to see the percentage breakdown. I have used median averages when analyzing standalone stats across the entire dataset, since they’re less affected by extreme values or outliers. Comparing phrase lengths, you can see that the majority of non-AIO keywords trend towards the left of the chart around the lower numbers, confirming their short-tail nature, while AI Overview keywords peak at 3 words and are more evenly distributed across longer phrase lengths. AI Overviews are designed to…

100 Trending Products: November 2024 Get the week’s best marketing content Here are the top 100 trending products right now, showing their growth in Google Search volume in the last three months, and their current US and global search volumes. Keyword Volume in the USA Global volume Growth % (3mo) love shack fancy stanley 40000 45000 115.41 jogging stroller pish posh baby 23000 24000 85.35 meta quest 3s 21000 46000 75.14 fall nail colors 2024 15000 18000 55.81 bloomburrow commander decks 12000 15000 55.19 t mobile iphone 16 5300 5700 55.72 lansinoh discreet duo 5200 5300 51.99 sparking zero collector’s edition 4700 8300 64.55 russell’s reserve 15 4100 4300 56.08 orchid 4s 2800 2900 71.82 yu gi oh hello kitty 2600 5500 94.08 bloomburrow precons 2200 2900 54.04 ghost max 2 2200 3300 73.28 razr plus 2024 2000 2100 62.96 monster hunter wilds collector’s edition 1700 4400 84.45 x870e 1600 8900 80.46 psychic frog mtg 1500 1800 57.47 owala halloween 1400 1600 53.36 wine advent calendar 2024 1400 2100 56.52 best condoms 2024 1300 1300 58.63 hp all in plan 1300 2100 54.59 roc firming serum stick 1200 1200 102.36 top christmas toys 2024 1100 1700 54.17 wand dice 1100 1400 81.9 iphone 16 pro pink 1100 2500 69.86 yugioh sanrio 1100 1900 71.72 balenciaga alaska boots 1100 2500 63.86 4patriots.com solar generator cost 1100 1100 55.06 coach brooklyn shoulder bag 1000 3200 65.23 best steam irons 2024 1000 2600 62.87 ubounce dna shoes 1000 1500 51.17 sad hamster with bow 900 1300 61.27 donut fryd 900 1000 77.6 bloomburrow squirreled away 900 1400 74.19 tcl tab 10 nxtpaper 5g 900 3600 88.07 wave max antenna 900 900 76.7 best mesh wifi system 2024 900 1000 57.56 rog swift oled pg27aqdp 800 2300 78.14 ms rachel singing doll 800 1000 64.3 jackson merrill jersey 800 800 99.57 halloween costumes for 13 year-olds girl…

58 Affiliate Marketing Statistics for 2024 Get the week’s best marketing content Are you looking for some juicy affiliate marketing statistics? Don’t worry—I’ve done the hard work for you and trawled the internet to curate, vet, and categorize 58 affiliate marketing statistics for your delectation. Ok—let’s jump straight in. My top affiliate marketing statistics The average affiliate marketer earns $8,038 per month. (Authority Hacker) Global affiliate marketing spending will total $15.7m by the end of 2024. (Influencer Marketing Hub) 81% of brands have affiliate programs, and 84% of publishers are involved in affiliate marketing. (Rakuten Advertising) Only 4 of the top 100 websites ranking for product review search queries were independent brands. (Detailed) Reddit is the most popular domain for product review queries. (Detailed) Affiliate marketers with more than three years of experience earn 9.45x more than beginners. (Authority Hacker) 45.3% of affiliate marketers say getting traffic is their biggest challenge. (Authority Hacker) 82% of websites earning 6+ figures annually monetize with display ads and affiliate products. (Authority Hacker) The three most profitable affiliate niches are education, travel, and beauty. (Authority Hacker) Affiliate marketing overview statistics The global affiliate marketing industry is worth over $17 billion. (Authority Hacker) The affiliate marketing industry is expected to grow to a market size of $27.78B by 2027. (Authority Hacker) Affiliate marketing is responsible for 16% of all internet orders in the U.S. (Authority Hacker) Major brands get 5% to 25% of their overall online sales from affiliate marketing. (Authority Hacker) Affiliate marketing is growing at a rate of 10% year-over-year. (Authority Hacker) By the end of 2024, affiliate marketing spending in the U.S. is expected to reach $8.2 billion. (Statista) 75,659 companies are using the Amazon Associates affiliate program (Enlyft) 52% of Amazon Associates customers are in the United States (Enlyft) 64% of…

Hey all, I’m Rebekah and I am your Chosen One to “do a blog post for Ahrefs Evolve 2024”. What does that entail exactly? I don’t know. In fact, Sam Oh asked me yesterday what the title of this post would be. “Is it like…Ahrefs Evolve 2024: Recap of day 1 and day 2…?”  Even as I nodded, I couldn’t get over how absolutely boring that sounded. So I’m going to do THIS instead: a curation of all the best things YOU loved about Ahrefs’ first conference, lifted directly from X. Let’s go! OUR HUGE SCREEN The largest presentation screen I’ve ever seen! #ahrefsevolve pic.twitter.com/oboiMFW1TN — Patrick Stox (@patrickstox) October 24, 2024 This is the biggest presentation screen I ever seen in my life. It’s like iMax for SEO presentations. #ahrefsevolve pic.twitter.com/sAfZ1rtePx — Suganthan Mohanadasan (@Suganthanmn) October 24, 2024 CONFERENCE VENUE ITSELF It was recently named the best new skyscraper in the world, by the way. The Ahrefs conference venue feels like being in inception. #AhrefsEvolve pic.twitter.com/18Yjai1Cej — Suganthan Mohanadasan (@Suganthanmn) October 24, 2024 I’m in Singapore for @ahrefs Evolve this week. Keen to connect with people doing interesting work on the future of search / AI #ahrefsevolve pic.twitter.com/s00UkIbxpf — Alex Denning (@AlexDenning) October 23, 2024 OUR AMAZING SPEAKER LINEUP – SUPER INFORMATIVE, USEFUL TALKS! A super insightful explanation of how Google Search Ranking works #ahrefsevolve pic.twitter.com/Cd1VSET2Aj — Amanda Walls (@amandajwalls) October 24, 2024 “would I even do this if Google didn’t exist?” – what a great question to assess if you actually have the right focus when creating content amazing presentation from @amandaecking at #AhrefsEvolve pic.twitter.com/a6OKbKxwiS — Aleyda Solis ️ (@aleyda) October 24, 2024 Attending @CyrusShepard ‘s talk on WTF is Helpful Content in Google’s algorithm at #AhrefsEvolve “Focus on people first content” Super relevant for content creators who want to stay ahead of the ever evolving Google…

Want to create a content marketing strategy that actually works? You’re in the right place. Through content marketing, Backlinko attracts over 772,000 monthly sessions. Below, you’ll learn how to do the same. We’ll show you (step by step) how to create a content strategy that drives consistent, long-term traffic. Let’s get started. 1. Identify Your Goals Before you do anything, set specific, time-bound goals for your content marketing strategy. Why? Because clear goals give you direction, help you measure success, and keep you focused. Sample goals include: Increasing product sales by 30% Boosting organic traffic by 20% in six months Growing email subscribers by 15% this quarter Then, outline the actionable steps you’ll take to achieve each goal. For example, you might launch a new blog series targeting long-tail keywords to achieve your organic traffic goal. And an email marketing campaign offering exclusive deals. You’ll map out these assets in your content calendar, which we’ll explain later in the article. 2. Define Your Target Audience You can’t create great content if you don’t know who you’re creating it for. That’s why understanding your target audience is crucial. It helps you tailor your content to your audience’s specific interests and needs. And choose the right channels for your content. Use tools like SurveyMonkey or Google Forms to ask your audience about their challenges. If you’re unsure what to ask, start with a template. Both platforms offer pre-made surveys you can customize. This saves time and ensures you’re asking smart, strategic questions from the start. Look for recurring themes or problems in audience responses. This information will come in handy when building audience personas. Next, use Google Analytics to research essential demographic information (if you have enough existing data). Including where your audience lives. Knowing this will inform everything from the language…

Shein is one of the largest fast-fashion retailers worldwide, shipping to customers in over 150 markets. Known for its relatively low-priced apparel and wide variety, Shein became one of the most popular shopping destinations among Gen Z and millennial consumers across the world. The Shein app was downloaded more than 260 million times in 2023 alone and Shein’s annual sales are forecasted to reach $50 billion in 2024. Continue reading to find the latest statistics on Shein usage in 2024. Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll find on this page: Key Shein Stats Shein brought in $32.2 billion in sales worldwide in 2023. In the US, Shein had 46.9 million unique visitors in June 2024. Shein claimed an 18% market share worldwide within the fast fashion category. Around 1 in 4 US consumers report shopping at Shein in the past 12 months. More than 16,000 employees work at Shein. Shein Revenue In 2023, Shein generated an estimated $32.2 billion in sales worldwide, showing a 41.85% year-over-growth. Analysts forecast that Shein’s revenue will hit $50 billion in 2024. Here’s a table with Shein’s revenue growth since 2016: Year Shein Revenue 2016 $0.61 billion 2017 $1.55 billion 2018 $1.99 billion 2019 $3.15 billion 2020 $9.81 billion 2021 $15.7 billion 2022 $22.7 billion 2023 $32.2 billion 2024 $50 billion Sources: Reuters, Statista Shein Downloads Worldwide The Shein app generated a total of 199.37 million downloads worldwide in 2024 (as of October). In 2023, shoppers worldwide downloaded Shein 261.94 million times, showing a 31.38% year-over-year increase. Here’s a detailed breakdown of Shein’s annual app downloads since 2015: Year Shein Downloads 2015 2.71 million 2016 10.23 million 2017 18.66 million 2018 59.06 million 2019 68.26 million 2020 123.43 million 2021 177.49 million 2022 195.84 million 2023 261.94 million 2024 199.37 million Source: Statista Shein…

100 Trending Products & Things To Sell: October 2024 Get the week’s best marketing content Here are the top 100 trending products right now, showing their growth in Google Search volume in the last three months, and their current US and global search volumes. Keyword Volume in the USA Global volume Growth % (3mo) carpenters shaping tool 6200 8500 2495933 xbox series x restock 1800 2100 1435467 iphone 7 cases 3300 6300 996833 among us pc 2100 27000 946267 pumpkin carving stencil 2200 3500 931800 halloween eye makeup 1500 4400 822000 hoco proposals 1700 1800 723567 30th anniversary ps5 9800 12000 698241 hello kitty halloween blanket 2600 2900 689200 sexy costumes for women 1100 1800 590867 marshmello costume 1000 1600 590233 slingbox 1500 2500 550167 halloween shirts for women 800 900 549400 wine advent calendar 5300 10000 519167 sexy ninja costume 1000 1600 514267 easy mens halloween costumes 1200 2100 474767 mal costume 800 1800 470700 funny pumpkin faces 1100 2200 468000 best pumpkin beer 1100 1200 466200 champion’s path elite trainer box 2000 2400 436633 pennywise costume kids 800 1800 435033 cute painted pumpkins 1300 1600 433533 barbie doughnuts 7800 7900 423718 painted pumpkin faces 900 1100 419000 halloween pumpkin faces 900 2600 416400 dia de los muertos face paint 1400 1800 407367 witch face paint 900 6900 371967 halloween drinking games 700 1500 366467 kids pennywise costume 700 1500 365267 fall bulletin boards 900 1000 362833 coffin fall nails 800 900 352633 fall essential oil blends 900 1100 347467 iphone xs max case 1500 5900 347200 wandavision costume 600 900 343967 sonny and cher costumes 800 1000 338767 cheap fall decor 800 900 334333 easy halloween costumes for couples 700 900 333000 krabby patty meal 8800 9000 324091 calaveras de azucar 1200 4400 318533 iphone 12 deals 1500 5900 299900 cruella deville wig 500 900 299800 kylie jenner halloween…

Ever stumbled upon a competing post and thought, “Damn, I wish I wrote that”? That feeling of envy mixed with respect? It usually means you learned something new. This concept is known as “information gain” in SEO. It’s what makes your content fresh—often leading to better rankings. To explore the concept in depth, check out these articles by Animalz and Clearscope. They’ve nailed the theory. This post aims to complement them by providing practical, real-world applications of information gain. I interviewed three content leaders in various industries about their best work. Here’s who I talked to: Name Role Website Niche Monthly Traffic Caroline Gilbert Director of Content Angi Home Services 6.4M Nisha Vora Founder Rainbow Plant Life Recipes 748K Sam Balter Head of Content Wistia Video Marketing 114.5K In this article, you’ll get an inside look at how these pros approach proprietary content—so you can apply it to your strategy. I’ll also share how to make information gain part of your content workflow. But first, let’s touch on how Google thinks about knowledge. Understanding Information Gain: Inside Google’s Black Box The 2020 Google patent application gave us insights into how the search giant evaluates content. The punchline? Google is building a complex understanding of how topics evolve. It uses a knowledge graph to map relationships between concepts and identify new information. The patent describes measuring “additional information that is included in the document beyond the information contained in documents that were previously viewed by the user.” What does this mean? Picture this scenario: The top five search results for “SEO best practices” all talk about the same old stuff. Keywords. Links. Etc. But then, a new article pops up discussing how AI is changing SEO. What does Google do? It runs a test to see how users engage with this…

One way in is to identify and rank for trending keywords before these big sites catch up and dominate the SERPs. Here’s how you can discover trending keywords for your niche before competitors: 2. Discover millions of trending keywords on Ahrefs’ Keywords Explorer The disappointing thing about Google Trends is that it doesn’t show you many trending keywords. So, if you want to see a massive list of trending keywords, the best choice is to use Ahrefs’ Keywords Explorer. Enter any topic, go to the Matching terms report, then click on the Growth column. You’ll see >1.6 million keywords, sorted by the largest growth in search volume for the past three months. You can also select the timeframe by clicking the Period dropdown. The best thing about using Keywords Explorer is that you get to see every important keyword metric, like its search volume (your country of choice or globally), its keyword difficulty (or how competitive it currently is to rank), its traffic potential (how much search traffic you could potentially get if you rank #1), its cost-per-click, and more. You can even click on the SERP dropdown to see which pages are currently ranking for the keyword: You can click on Identify Intents to find out what searchers are looking for when searching for this keyword: So, not only can you find keywords that are trending, you’ll also get every piece of information you need to rank high for that keyword too. 3. Monitor discussions on Reddit Whatever’s trending on the Internet will find its way to the “front page of the Internet.” In short, Reddit is a one-stop shop to find trending keywords. Start by entering a relevant keyword in the search bar and look for relevant subreddits. For example, these are some of the subreddits for “knives”: Choose the…

At its core, a PR report is about presenting the impact of your hard work. While day-to-day PR reports get into the nitty gritty of media monitoring, periodic reviews and campaign washups take a step back, looking at wider context, learnings, and next steps. Let’s get into examples of both… How to create a PR report Now you’ve seen some examples of real PR reports, here’s how to create them. Here’s the TL;DR: Keep your reporting simple by focusing on one clear goal. Tailor the content, metrics, format, and cadence to your audience Don’t overdo it—stick to key insights and recommendations to keep things clear and actionable. 1. Answer a single specific question A great PR report doesn’t overwhelm the reader with information. Instead, it focuses on the most important insights and clearly answers a key question. Think of it as a scientific study, with a central hypothesis that needs testing. Examples: Did we successfully drive traffic back to our site? How much additional awareness did we create with influencers? Did we successfully turn awareness into product sales? A single-minded objective will keep you on track. 2. Keep your audience front of mind Your audience is the most important thing to consider when you start building your report. Ask yourself: Do they really need to know this? What do they actually care about? How do they prefer to consume information? Doing this will help you create reports that keep your clients coming back. 3. Choose the right PR KPIs and metrics Different audiences will be interested in different ways of measuring goals. For example, on-the-ground teams are more likely to care about granular KPIs like the number of dofollow links. C-suite or Directors, on the other hand, will want to see the top-level impact of your strategy. They’ll prefer overarching PR KPIs like share of voice uplift…

SEO jobs are booming. The global SEO industry is projected to reach $157 billion by 2032. (Up from $68 billion in 2022.) Why is this happening? Businesses NEED skilled SEOs to compete in the digital space. And they’re willing to pay top dollar for that expertise (more on that later). In this post, you’ll learn: How to land your first SEO job (even with zero experience) The skills you need to succeed in SEO How to grow your career from entry-level to leadership roles Where to find the best SEO job opportunities Plus, expert tips from seasoned SEO professionals on how to stand out. But before we get into the how-to, let’s look at why SEO is such an attractive career path. Why Choose a Career in SEO? Is SEO worth learning in 2024? Absolutely. Here’s why: High Demand for SEO Jobs Are SEO jobs in demand? Well, there are currently over 150,000 SEO jobs live on LinkedIn worldwide right now: And over 5 million LinkedIn members have “SEO” in their job title: This means there’s plenty of demand for SEO experts right now. Those jobs pay well, too. According to Indeed, SEO Specialists earn $64,314 on average, with salaries topping out at $109,005: And an SEO Manager’s average base salary is $78,225 and can rise as high as $125,845: Continuous Learning and Adaptability A career in SEO will keep you on the cutting edge of those strategies and tactics—whatever they end up being. In the 2000s, SEOs were keyword stuffing and spinning up personal blog networks (PBNs). Now we’re competing against AI-generated content for clicks in search engine results pages (SERPs). And more searches are happening on YouTube and TikTok every day. Who knows what SEO will look like in the future. What we do know is that there’s…

Artificial intelligence has become one of the key technologies reshaping the way we search for information, work with automating repetitive tasks, study with AI-powered tutors, and more. AI remains one of the dominant themes of venture capital investing and millions of users engage regularly with a growing number of AI apps. Here’s a curated list of 18 growing AI startups to look out for in 2024. Let’s dive right in! 1. VEED Website: https://www.veed.io/ Year founded: 2018 HQ: London, United Kingdom Users: 10 million Funding: $35 million Description: VEED offers an AI-powered video editing platform. The company’s video editor offers users a variety of tools, including background removal, automatic subtitles, AI avatars, and more. According to the startup, VEED generates more than $35 million in annual recurring revenue and serves 10 million users. 2. Fliki Website: https://fliki.ai/ Year founded: 2021 HQ: Dover, Delaware Users: 6 million Funding: No data available Description: Fliki is an AI text-to-video platform that generates video content at scale from text scripts or idea prompts in minutes. The startup specializes in social media videos suitable for various platforms, including Instagram Reels and TikTok. 3. PhotoRoom Website: https://www.photoroom.com/ Year founded: 2019 HQ: Paris, France Users: Not publicly disclosed Funding: $64 million Description: PhotoRoom is an AI-powered photo editor designed for online sellers. The company’s editor offers a number of features, including background removal, retouche, and shadows. The software supports batch edits, enabling users to edit multiple images at once. According to the startup, Photoroom has achieved over 150 million downloads. 4. Codeium Website: https://codeium.com/ Released: 2021 HQ: Mountain View, California Users: 700 thousand users Funding: $243 million Description: Codeium offers “ChatGPT for developers”, an AI tool that provides developers with autocomplete code suggestions, and answers code-related questions via chat functionality. AI startup Codeium reached a $1.25 billion…

We analyzed the organic growth of 1,600 SaaS companies to discover the SEO strategies that work best in 2024. In this article, we’re looking at bootstrapped SaaS companies that gained the greatest amount of referring domains in the past year. Bootstrapped businesses generally don’t have huge budgets to spend on marketing, so any strategy these small-but-mighty companies use to improve their organic growth is something that you can take inspiration from, too. We used the Ahrefs API to pull a list of live referring domains for each company in September 2023 and September 2024. Companies were ranked by referring domain growth as a percentage of their initial referring domains. We’ve set a minimum starting threshold of 1,000 referring domains. We’ve reported on referring domains instead of backlinks, because 1,000 referring domains are much, much harder to get than 1,000 backlinks. 50 best bootstrapped backlink builders This is a list of bootstrapped SaaS companies ordered by referring domain growth from September 2023 to September 2024. Did you make the cut? Rank Company Referring Domains 2023 Referring Domains 2024 Referring Domain Growth Change Estimated Revenue 1 Elfsight 7,657 33,610 25,953 339% $8.0M 2 Short.io 5,709 18,573 12,864 225% $0.5M 3 Gymdesk 1,325 3,052 1,727 130% $5.5M 4 Helpjuice 4,015 8,672 4,657 116% $6.0M 5 AlsoAsked 1,602 3,343 1,741 109% $0.5M 6 Stripo 2,304 4,420 2,116 92% $5.5M 7 Clearscope 1,883 3,580 1,697 90% $5.5M 8 Surfer 5,815 10,899 5,084 87% $37.5M 9 Wordtune 2,877 5,347 2,470 86% $1.0M 10 Crowdin 4,818 8,919 4,101 85% $17.5M 11 Socialinsider 3,264 6,007 2,743 84% $0.8M 12 SpyFu 8,101 14,821 6,720 83% $2.0M 13 Pentest-Tools.com 1,543 2,779 1,236 80% $5.5M 14 Canny 4,411 7,675 3,264 74% $5.5M 15 Surfshark 13,898 24,056 10,158 73% $20.0M 16 Sitebulb 1,232 2,093 861 70% $0.5M 17 Seobility 3,496 5,900 2,404 69% $5.0M 18 SpyCloud…

Generating demand is about making people want stuff they had no desire to buy before encountering your marketing.  Sometimes, it’s a short-term play, like an ecommerce store creating buzz before launching a new product. Other times, like with B2B marketing, it’s a long-term play to engage out-of-market audiences. In either situation, demand generation can quickly become an expensive marketing activity. Here are some ways SEO can help you capture and retain the demand you’re generating so your marketing budget goes further. 1. Make your product, service, or innovation searchable  If you’re working hard to create demand for your product, make sure it’s easy for people to discover it when they search Google. Give it a simple name that’s easy to remember Label it according to how people naturally search Avoid any terms that create ambiguities with an existing thing For example, the concept of a clay exfoliating stone is easy for people to remember. Even if they don’t remember what Pryshan calls their product, they’ll remember the videos and images they saw of the product being used to exfoliate people’s skin. They’ll remember it’s made from clay instead of a more common material like pumice. It makes sense for Pryshan to call its product something similar to what people will be inclined to search for. In this example, however, the context of exfoliation is important. If Pryshan chooses to call its product “clay stones,” it will have a harder time disambiguating itself from gardening products in search results. It’s already the odd one out in SERPs for such keywords: When you go through your branding exercises to decide what to call your product or innovation, it helps to search your ideas on Google. This way, you’ll easily see what phrases to avoid so that your product isn’t being grouped with…

Inbound marketing can have an immense impact on how you generate leads. What’s different about inbound marketing? It focuses on attracting customers to your business rather than pushing messages out to them. Mobile vet service, BetterVet, demonstrates the power of this approach. BetterVet doubled down on SEO by publishing A LOT of helpful content to help folks care for their pets. Like this: The effort paid off. BetterVet’s organic traffic has exploded: Want to learn how inbound marketing can boost your business? You’re in luck. Today, you’ll learn key strategies to add to your marketing mix and see successful case studies for inspiration. Inbound vs. Outbound Marketing Should you focus on inbound or outbound marketing? Backlinko is biased toward inbound, but you could benefit from using both methods. Here are the differences: Inbound Marketing Outbound Marketing Method Pull: Attract customers organically by creating content they value Push: Push general messages out to a broad audience Content Examples Blog posts, articles, social media updates, email newsletters, ebooks, whitepapers, webinars, infographics, videos, podcasts Digital advertisements, email blasts, TV commercials, billboards, direct mail, cold calls Cost Generally more cost-effective in the long run due to lower customer acquisition costs Can be expensive due to the high cost of advertising Ideal For Attracting fewer, but more highly qualified leads Reaching a larger, broader audience quickly Why Inbound Marketing Is So Effective What’s so special about inbound marketing? Simple: It works. Here are the top four benefits of inbound marketing: #1: It Attracts Qualified Leads Inbound marketing acts like a magnet for high-quality prospects. How? Your audience comes to you with hands raised for something. They could be downloading a resource, signing up for a webinar, booking an appointment, or buying your product. Point is: These are people willing and ready to engage with your…

Google Gemini and ChatGPT can speed up your workflows and make many aspects of your life—both personal and professional—much easier. But which app is better? We ran head-to-head experiments with both AI tools to find out. Read on to find out whether Gemini or ChatGPT is better for: All kinds of research Understanding complex concepts Image generation SEO tasks Creative content And much more. Why Google Gemini and ChatGPT Matter Large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and Google Gemini are changing the way people do business across industries. From digital marketing to finance and legal services. And at a rate so fast that it’s nearly impossible to keep up. Since the release of ChatGPT in November 2022, LLMs have: Improved our productivity and efficiency with better access to information and the ability to execute many tasks much faster Enhanced our creativity by allowing us to instantly generate stories, scripts, art, videos, and other creative content Impacted our economy with job loss and job creation as businesses adapt to the potential of these new technologies At the heart of the LLM revolution is Open AI’s Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer (ChatGPT). Close on its heels is Google Gemini, released in December 2023. Like ChatGPT, Google Gemini is an AI-powered Chatbot. The two programs offer similar functions and capabilities. So which one should you use? That depends on how your needs. First, let’s look at the main differences between the two. What’s the Difference Between Google Gemini and ChatGPT? ChatGPT is a text-focused AI Chatbot. You “talk” to ChatGPT via text input. As if you were messaging a friend. Like many messaging platforms, it has a talk-to-text option if you prefer to speak your questions instead of typing them. Google Gemini aims to differentiate itself by leaning into multi-modal capabilities. You can also…

Get the week’s best marketing content These are the 100 most searched people, along with their monthly search volumes. 100 most searched people on Google in the U.S. # Keyword Search volume 1 donald trump 7450000 2 taylor swift 7300000 3 travis kelce 4970000 4 matthew perry 3790000 5 kamala harris 2730000 6 joe biden 2480000 7 caitlin clark 2400000 8 olivia rodrigo 2100000 9 jd vance 2060000 10 billie eilish 1720000 11 sabrina carpenter 1680000 12 kate middleton 1660000 13 patrick mahomes 1570000 14 gypsy rose 1520000 15 jason kelce 1490000 16 mihály csíkszentmihályi 1460000 17 timothee chalamet 1450000 18 tyreek hill 1380000 19 lola beltrán 1350000 20 lebron james 1330000 21 lauren boebert 1310000 22 barry keoghan 1300000 23 brock purdy 1280000 24 drake 1250000 25 griselda blanco 1210000 26 ryan reynolds 1200000 27 zendaya 1180000 28 scottie scheffler 1170000 29 aaron rodgers 1170000 30 casimir funk 1170000 31 zach bryan 1150000 32 tom brady 1150000 33 jacob elordi 1140000 34 blake lively 1130000 35 millie bobby brown 1120000 36 margot robbie 1110000 37 luisa moreno 1110000 38 bruce willis 1090000 39 v 1090000 40 eminem 1050000 41 cillian murphy 1040000 42 anthony edwards 1020000 43 peso pluma 1000000 44 fani willis 1000000 45 etel adnan 1000000 46 dua lipa 991000 47 jennifer aniston 986000 48 bianca censori 983000 49 megan fox 982000 50 shannen doherty 977000 51 mike tyson 973000 52 megan thee stallion 971000 53 ariana grande 960000 54 james baldwin 958000 55 britney spears 954000 56 oj simpson 941000 57 lainey wilson 937000 58 dan schneider 933000 59 emma stone 932000 60 raoul a. cortez 930000 61 dolly parton 926000 62 joe burrow 925000 63 anya taylor-joy 925000 64 amanda bynes 924000 65 danny masterson 920000 66 matt rife 918000 67 kendrick lamar 912000 68 messi…

A high-converting landing page is a key component of lead generation campaigns. On this page, you’ll find a curated list of up-to-date statistics about landing page conversion rates, usage of landing page builders, and more. Let’s dive right in! The median landing page conversion rate across all industries is 6.6% (Unbounce) A recent analysis conducted across 9 industries shows that the median landing page conversion rate is 6.6%. The report revealed that the events and entertainment industry achieved the highest median landing page conversion rate at 12.3%, whereas the SaaS industry recorded the lowest rate at 3.8%. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the median landing page conversion rate by industry: Industry Landing Page Conversion Rate SaaS 3.8% Ecommerce 4.2% Health and wellness 5.1% Commercial and professional services 6.1% Financial services 8.3% Travel and hospitality 4.8% Legal 6.3% Education 8.4% Events and entertainment 12.3% Email stands out as the most effective channel, achieving an average landing page conversion rate of 19.3% (Unbounce) Users who visit landing pages via email convert 77.06% more than visitors from paid search. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the average landing page conversion rate by traffic channel: Channel Landing Page Conversion Rate Display 4.1% Paid search 10.9% Paid social 12% Email 19.3% Landing pages with a webinar invitation have the highest conversion rates (GetResponse) On average, landing pages that include webinar promotions achieve a 22.3% conversion rate (vs. the typical 10.76% conversion rate across all landing pages according to the same analysis). 43.6% identify lead generation as their goal with landing pages (HubSpot) Nearly half (43.6%) of surveyed marketers indicate lead generation as their top priority with landing pages, followed by a direct customer purchase (33.7%). Only 9.9% of marketers say they use landing pages to generate new email subscribers as their primary goal. 38.6% of marketers…

Topic clusters can strengthen your website’s authority, improve SEO performance, and enhance reader experience. Need proof? Check out our content cluster on SEO marketing: This 57-page cluster provides a comprehensive knowledge hub for anyone who wants to learn SEO. The result? The content cluster ranks for over 29K keywords, driving more than 158K visitors to Backlinko’s website. And it has picked up almost 165K backlinks. In this guide, you’ll learn how to build topic clusters like this one. We’ll share benefits, examples, and tactical tips to help you get started. What Is a Topic Cluster? A topic cluster is a group of pages covering a single topic or theme in detail. This strategic approach links several pages that discuss one aspect of the topic. A central pillar page then brings all these subpages together to cover the topic broadly. Let’s understand this concept better with one of Backlinko’s top-ranking content clusters on YouTube marketing. This content hub covers six themes for YouTube marketing, including creating a channel, making videos, and optimizing your channel. Each theme is a content cluster with multiple articles covering relevant subtopics. For example, the cluster “Optimize Your YouTube Videos” covers keyword research, your title and description, engagement signals, and more. This topic cluster’s performance speaks for itself. Ranking for over 17K keywords with a strong backlink profile of almost 7K links, it has significant search visibility for YouTube-related topics. Core Components of a Topic Cluster A topic cluster strategy includes three core elements: Pillar page: A central page with chapters or sub-sections linking to all the cluster articles Cluster articles: Individual pages targeting specific subtopics and keywords related to the topic Internal links: Connections between the pillar page and cluster articles to organize the topic cluster Let’s see a visual example to understand how these elements…

Software-as-a-service (SaaS) continues to revolutionize the software market and the way businesses approach their operations. From flexibility to cost savings, the SaaS software model has risen in popularity. Organizations now use an average of 112 SaaS applications, up from 16 in 2017. SaaS has become the dominant software model, representing over 50% of the market. In this article, we’ll cover up-to-date statistics on SaaS usage, SaaS market size, and VC funding of SaaS startups. Click for a specific section: SaaS Industry Statistics There are an estimated more than 42,000 SaaS companies worldwide (Latka) The latest data shows that there are approximately over 42,000 SaaS companies worldwide. A large share of these companies, totaling 12,400, are located in the United States. The remaining top countries by number of SaaS companies include the United Kingdom with 1,700 companies, Canada with 1,100, India with 1,100, and Germany with 916. SaaS spending is estimated to reach $247.2 billion in 2024 (Gartner) Global end-user spending on SaaS is estimated to hit $247.2 billion in 2024, showing a 20% year-over-year increase. Worldwide SaaS spending is forecasted to grow to $295.08 billion in 2025. Here’s a table with SaaS end-user spending worldwide since 2019: Note: Includes forecasts Year SaaS Market Size 2023 $206 billion 2024 $247.2 billion 2025 $295.08 billion 86% of enterprise buyers indicated intentions to either raise or maintain their SaaS budgets (Sapphire Ventures) According to a recent survey, 86% of enterprise buyers are planning to either boost or keep the same SaaS budgets. Specifically, 41% plan to increase their SaaS spending, while 45% expect to keep the SaaS budget at the same level as before. SaaS accounts for the largest share of the overall cloud service market (Gartner, Gartner) SaaS represents the largest share (36.6%) of the cloud service market overall and represents more…

Market analysis is the process of collecting and analyzing information about your specific market. It involves speaking to your customers, analyzing competitors, and identifying industry trends. The result? You’re able to: Make better business decisions Save time (and money) Create a better experience for your customers In this article, we’ll go through the exact steps to perform your market analysis. You’ll also learn how to overcome the challenges that come with it. Step 1: Define Your Purpose Giving your research a purpose helps you focus on gathering crucial information for your business with fewer distractions. Think of it like setting off on a road trip. Without a destination in mind, you’re likely to end up driving aimlessly. And you might miss what really matters for your business. So, how do you define the purpose of your market analysis? First, identify the information you want to learn. Then, use this information to set a SMART goal. Identify Key Focus Areas Here are some common key focus areas of market analysis: Market Size You’ll need to consider the overall size and potential of the market. Especially when launching new products or developing strategies. Target Audience Aim to get as much information about your audience as possible. Go beyond age, gender, and location. Understand lifestyle, interests, behaviors, and needs. This will help you craft messages that appeal to your audience and ensure that you offer products or services they need. For example, subreddits like r/technology or r/smarthome feature interesting discussions about technology. If you’re running a tech blog, you could use these to understand what people are saying about specific products, brands, or trends. Pay attention to common complaints or frustrations people express about certain gadgets. Consider how you can use these insights to improve your own products and/or messaging. Competitors Identify your…

I asked 12 SEOs for the link building strategy that’s working best for them right now. Here are the tactics they shared, how to do them, and tips for success.  Pitch “best of” listicles that feature multiple competitors, but not you This has been my go-to link building strategy for quite some time now. What makes this approach very effective is that it touches multiple campaign objectives beyond just building topical authority and improving search rankings. How to do it Let’s say you were doing this for MailChimp. You might want to find listicles that feature brands like ConvertKit and Aweber but not MailChimp—like this one:  To find these, run this search in Ahrefs’ Content Explorer:  [competitor 1] +[competitor 2] -[your brand] title:(best OR top) For example, to find listicles that mention Aweber and ConvertKit but not MailChimp, you’d search for: convertkit +aweber -mailchimp title:(best OR top) If you spot a listicle where you feel you should be listed, find their email address and reach out to them.  Here’s an example email Jason used:  I don’t recommend copying Jason’s email word for word, but here’s his and Alex Tachalova’s advice on what to include:  Some key pointers for emails:  Briefly highlight why your product or service merits inclusion on their list. Reference other reputable lists that have already featured your product or service. Inquire about their criteria and requirements for inclusion. Offer free tool access, complimentary products for review, or case studies that they can review (if you’re providing a service). Our pitches generally include:  The client’s previous features in listicle posts. A suggestion to collaborate on enhancing the quality of their listicle post, given the client’s industry expertise. An analysis of top-ranking listicle posts to identify missing tools or information that could offer a competitive edge and improve their post’s rankings. As Jason points out, this…

I asked 11 affiliate marketers for their top affiliate marketing tips in 2024. Here are the tips they shared and how to do them. Track out-of-stock products and update their affiliate links Keep a tight inventory of your affiliate links to ensure they’re working, and replace them when products go out of stock. This is like running a real retail store—you wouldn’t let your shelves go empty without noticing. How to do it Don’t try to do this manually. Use a WordPress plugin to automate it. I use Lasso (an affiliate plugin I helped develop) and Genius Link to track links. Neither of these are expensive. Genius Link starts at $6 per month for up to 2,000 affiliate clicks with extra clicks costing just $2.50 per 1,000. Lasso starts from just $8 per month (annual pricing). Recouping this investment is easy if your site gets, well, pretty much any traffic whatsoever. For example, this list of the best dehumidifiers gets an estimated 4,400 monthly search visits according to Ahrefs SEO Toolbar and recommends an out-of-stock product: Since the site owner earns $10-$15 per sale, recovering just one commission would make using the plugin worthwhile. Build trust by recommending the best products, not just the ones with the highest commissions Always prioritize products you trust over those with the highest commissions. This builds long-term trust with your audience. How to do it I’m afraid I have bad news for those looking to make an easy buck because you need to actually test products for real. There’s no other way to know if they’re worth recommending. Here’s an anecdote from Matt showing just how powerful building this trust can be: When I was shopping for a litter box for my cat, I bought a $400 fancy one. My wife thought it was insane. So I decided to do…

These are the 100 most asked questions on Google, along with their monthly search volumes. How to find the most asked questions in your niche Here’s how to find the most asked questions in your niche: Go to Keywords Explorer Enter a relevant keyword Go to the Matching terms report Toggle the Questions tab For example, if you search for “coffee”, you can see 142,000 questions which you could potentially create content for. Want to do keyword research for your site? Sign up for Keywords Explorer.

Are you frantically Googling “SEO interview questions” because you’ve got an upcoming interview like… tomorrow? If so, don’t panic—I’ve got you covered. As research for this article, I’ve asked eight top hiring managers to share the #1 SEO interview question they’re asking candidates right now, so you can understand what types of questions hiring managers are asking. The hiring managers I talked to came from a range of different backgrounds: agency, in-house, and enterprise businesses. It’s impossible to prepare for every question ahead of the interview, but it’s important to put yourself in their shoes and diligently do your research. At a minimum, you should consider: What’s important to them and their business? Why should they hire you? Can you demonstrate a thorough understanding of SEO and bring the receipts to prove it? Ok, that’s enough from me—let’s see what the hiring managers had to say. 2. “How would you handle a situation where someone in leadership wants immediate SEO results?” This question came from Jimisha Thakrar, Head of Organic Performance at MG OMD: “How would you handle a situation where someone in leadership wants immediate SEO results?” How to answer Jimisha gave an example of how to answer: SEO is a long-term strategy, but I understand the pressure for quick wins. In these situations, I would focus on setting clear expectations early on within the business by showing realistic timelines for SEO impact and comparing it to other channels like paid search. It’s also important to realize how key resource for implementation is going to be and that this is also going to have an impact. There are things you can do, such as identify low-hanging fruit that can provide quicker results, such as optimizing underperforming pages that are ranking on page 2 or fixing technical SEO issues that are limiting visibility…

Zillow, Trulia, Redfin. These names appear in almost every conversation about buying, selling, or renting property. This is not because people are particularly interested in these platforms but because they’ve become the default starting point for most property searches. The best illustration of this is that out of over 4.5M keywords that Zillow ranks for, bringing them an estimated 32.7M visits from search, the top keyword is “zillow”. And did you know that’s a more popular search term than “houses for sale” or even “apartments”? You might think there’s really nothing left for realtors and agencies. But here’s the twist: their niche focus is their secret weapon. These local experts can outshine the big names, proving that sometimes, being small is the biggest advantage. This is where SEO comes in. SEO (search engine optimization) for real estate involves strategies to boost your visibility in Google’s organic search results. This visibility brings free, consistent traffic that grows as you create more optimized content. The opportunity for boutique, small, and medium real estate businesses lies in four key areas: Hyperlocal keyword targeting. Long-tail keywords with high intent. Local link building. Exceptional customer service that fuels positive reviews, boosting your local search rankings. In other words, you need to do SEO better where it counts. In this article, I’ll share strategies and tips from SEO experts in the real estate sector, along with insights from high-performing niche sites. Our focus is exclusively on SEO, so we won’t cover search ads or listing your business on aggregators, as you’re likely already doing those. Challenges of SEO for real estate agencies and brokers SEO for real estate faces a few specific challenges. It’s good to know them to understand how to shape your strategy. Big sites dominate the share of voice. National real estate portals and aggregators…

Nobody needs SEO like NerdWallet. Their S-1 shows over 70% of traffic is unpaid. For a business that transforms knowledge-seeking into profit, that’s a perfect strategy. But it’s also imperfect. As a public company, NerdWallet must openly admit when its SEO fails. Worse still, dips in organic traffic can trigger falling stock prices and potential job losses. Lower organic can trigger falling stock prices, which can lead to job losses. And when Google tweaks its algorithms, it sends ripples through NerdWallet’s entire ecosystem—from employees to stockholders. Can you name another company with more skin in the SEO game? NerdWallet’s journey offers a masterclass in SEO strategy and adaptation. Their SEO success story is impressive, to say the least, but they’re walking a tightrope where missteps aren’t an option. This is precisely why there will always be much to learn from NerdWallet. Here are some things I learned from spending too much time in Numberland with NerdWallet. “Unexpected headwinds” swept away 6M in traffic According to our data, NerdWallet lost an estimated 6M in organic traffic in three months. That’s a 23.6% loss in a very short period. This loss was caused by “unexpected headwinds”, as their CEO put it in the 2024 Q2 financial report. And it looks like the loss in traffic resulted in a significant loss in revenue and stock value. Here’s what the traffic looked like before the start of Q3 2024. And this is how the stock value chart looked when they told everyone how the traffic looked. Source: Google. Interestingly, it happened around the same time as the recent March core update. The update was said to “fix” what you see on Google’s search results by 40% by literally punishing sites that tried to take advantage of Google. Was it the update that hit NerdWallet so badly? Julien Brault…

From Barbie-themed ketchup to exploding owl butts, these PR campaign examples prove that with the right data, timing, and a bit of creativity, you can win coverage and drive real, measurable results.  In this post, you’ll see the data behind nine successful PR campaigns, and hopefully get some inspiration for your next press idea. 9 popular PR campaign examples This list is a real mixed bag of PR examples – from newsjacking, to content repurposing, exclusive research, and kooky brand stunts – but one thing they all have in common is measurable success. In each section, I’ll do a post-mortem of campaign performance, share some analysis tactics, and round-off with a couple of quick tips. Sound good? Let’s jump in. 1. Heinz + Mattel “Barbiecue” PR campaign Campaign 🍅👱🏼‍♀️🎀 Heinz Barbiecue Brand(s) 🏷️ Heinz + Mattel Links earned 🔗 62 Campaign type 📰 Newjacking/brand collab/product release Global search volume 🔎 600 for “barbie ketchup” Search growth (YoY) 📈 200% for “barbie ketchup” Back in August 2023, when Barbiecore was all the rage, Heinz teased a mockup of two Barbie themed sauces: Kenchup and Barbiecue sauce. Eight months later, for Barbie’s 65th anniversary in April 2024, Heinz and Mattel dropped the official Barbiecue special edition sauce. Heinz first conceived of the PR stunt to build intrigue around the product months before it hit the shelves, then used public response as a litmus test for its success. According to their submission in the Shorty Awards, they carefully coordinated their initial “teaser” drop to coincide with an uptick in audience discussions, following the film’s release. To date, the Barbiecue PR campaign has earned Heinz 118 relevant mentions in top-tier media outlets like Bloomberg, Yahoo, CBS News, and The Standard, according to Content Explorer. With zero dollars in paid promotion, it also generated 38 million organic social impressions…

Total addressable market (TAM) is an estimation of how much you could earn if you could sell your product or service to every possible customer in your market. The basic formula for calculating TAM is: TAM = (Total Number of Potential Customers) × (Average Annual Revenue per Customer) Understanding TAM helps you figure out the size of your market and the amount of money you could make if you captured all of it. TAM is also a key metric for startup investors. It shows whether a business idea has a big enough opportunity. Investors often look for a TAM that is “just right” — not too big or too small. A TAM that’s too large might mean the market is crowded with tough competition, while a TAM that’s too small could mean limited room for growth. In this guide, you’ll learn how to estimate TAM using three methods, where people often make mistakes, and how to refine your estimations to make them plausible to investors or stakeholders and actionable for your business. TAM vs. SAM vs. SOM You may encounter the TAM, SAM, and SOM terminology and need to apply it if an investor requests it. People who prefer this approach treat TAM as a “pie in the sky” number and further refine it with SAM and SOM portions of it. TAM (Total Addressable Market) is the total market if you could sell to everyone, everywhere. Your biggest possible opportunity. SAM (Service Addressable Market) is the portion of the TAM you can actually target based on where you operate and who your product is for. For example, if you’re a local coffee shop in New York City, your SAM might be coffee drinkers in NYC, not every coffee drinker worldwide. SOM (Service Obtainable Market) is the realistic piece of the SAM that you can…

In today’s rapidly changing work landscape, remote work has emerged as a popular working model, offering employees increased flexibility. In this article, we’ll cover the latest statistics on remote work prevalence, benefits, and challenges of remote work. Click for a specific section: General Remote Work Statistics and Trends Around 1 in 4 employees in the US work remotely at least some hours (BLS) As of August 2024, 22.8% of US employees worked remotely at least partially, which accounts for 35.13 million people. Here’s a table with a share of US employees working remotely since January 2024: Date Share of US Employees Working Remotely January 2024 22.9% February 2024 22.7% March 2024 23.0% April 2024 21.5% May 2024 21.7% June 2024 22.3% July 2024 23.0% August 2024 22.8% Nearly half of US employees with an advanced degree work remotely (BLS) 45.2% of American employees did telework in August 2024. To put in perspective, only 9.6% of employees who are high school graduates with no college degree worked remotely in the same month. There’s a clear connection between education levels and remote work adoption rates. Here’s a detailed breakdown of remote work adoption among US employees by education level: Educational Attainment Share of US Employees Working Remotely Less than a high school diploma 3.6% High school graduates, no college 9.6% Some college or associate degree 18.4% Bachelor’s degree 37.4% Advanced degree 45.2% The largest share of remote employees falls within the age range of 35 to 44 years (BLS) Those aged 35 to 44 are most likely to work remotely. Within this demographic, 26.2% work at least some hours remotely. Age Group Share of US Employees Working Remotely 16-19 3.5% 20-24 8.7% 25-34 23.4% 35-44 26.2% 45-54 25.9% 55-64 24.5% 65+ 24.8% 27% of employees currently work remotely or in hybrid mode…

The term digital transformation describes the journey undertaken by companies to implement new technologies that promote change and improve business processes. Examples of digital transformation technologies include AI, hybrid cloud, and big data analytics. Digital transformation ranks among the top priorities for organizations in 2024. Yet, only around one-third of digital transformation initiatives are considered successful. In this blog post, we’ll cover the latest statistics on digital transformation trends, top challenges, and spending data related to digital transformation. Click for a specific section: General Digital Transformation Statistics 61% of business executives recognize digital transformation as a top priority in their organizations (West Monroe) Research indicates that 61% of C-suite executives believe digital transformation is a top priority in their organizations. Yet, only 21% of organizations state that the entire C-Suite holds responsibility for overseeing digital transformation initiatives. 94% of large organizations in the US and UK have a digital transformation strategy (Valtech) A significant 94% of decision-makers at large organizations report that they have a digital transformation strategy. Only 5% of survey participants claim they have no digital transformation strategy. 81% of business leaders consider investments in digital transformation to be either essential or necessary for achieving business success (Valtech) Research indicates that 81% of business leaders perceive investment in digital transformation as a critical or necessary element for achieving success in their organizations. Digital transformation is a key technology initiative for 74% of organizations (Flexera) Digital transformation ranks among the top 3 IT initiatives, closely behind cybersecurity (76%) and cloud (75%). 56% of US executives claim that ROI for digital transformation initiatives has exceeded their expectations (KPMG) According to the majority of US respondents, the outcomes of investments in digital transformation have exceeded their expectations, in particular with boosting employee productivity, cost-cutting, and improving customer engagement. 58% of organizations…

The importance of comprehensive onboarding cannot be overstated, as it plays a crucial role in the long-term success of new employees and organizations’ productivity. Ineffective onboarding experience may lead to increased turnover rates and damage the employer brand and its business bottom line. What’s the state of employee onboarding in 2024? In this blog post, you’ll find recent statistics, where we’ll uncover the importance of employee onboarding, how employees feel about their onboarding experience, and cover some insights about the use of AI in onboarding processes. Employee Onboarding Statistics 70% of employees think that the onboarding process can significantly impact a new hire’s experience (Paychex) A significant 70% of employees hold the view that the onboarding process is crucial in impacting a new hire’s experience. 66% of employees say they had an official onboarding program at their organization (Talmundo) One study found that 66% of employees had an onboarding program when they started a new role at their organization, while 34% reported there was no onboarding program in place. Among those employees who didn’t have onboarding, 83% stated that onboarding would have been useful. These responses indicate that the vast majority of employees expect some kind of onboarding program but in some cases, these expectations aren’t met by HR professionals at their organization. Only 12% of employees firmly believe that their organization excels in the onboarding process for new hires (Gallup) Gallup study found that the vast majority of employees believe their organization didn’t provide exceptional onboarding for them to be fully prepared for a new role. In fact, only 12% of employees strongly agree that their employer does a fantastic job of onboarding new hires. 79% of organizations indicate that the onboarding program facilitates quick integration into the company culture (Talmundo) Around 8 in 10 businesses agree that a…

I asked 12 SEOs to share what’s on their bookshelves. Here’s what they said: Authors: Stephan Spencer, Eric Enge, Jessica Stricchiola First published: 6 November 2009 Recommended by: Aleyda Solis Here’s why Aleyda recommended this book: “I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn SEO from scratch or gain insights into any specific SEO area. It’s the most complete SEO book out there!” Author: Ryan Stewart First published: 26 February 2020 Recommended by: Joshua Hardwick Here’s why Joshua recommended this book: “My favorite thing about this book is how actionable it is. Ryan shows you how to actually manage an SEO project for clients (or your own website) and gives you the spreadsheets/processes he uses for free so you can follow along. It could probably use an update as it was last updated in 2020, but it’s still an amazing book for anyone wanting to learn how to actually do SEO and not just drown themselves in theory.” Author: Chet Holmes First published: 27 May 2008 Recommended by: Glen Allsopp Here’s why Glen recommended this book: “There’s lots to love about the book, but I particularly fell in love with a concept Chet calls the ‘Dream 100’. The idea is to build relationships with the Dream 100 people who could impact your business, whether that’s potential clients, people who could promote your creation, etc. Giving value to people up front – even if they aren’t likely to have any impact on what I’m doing online – is something I’ve always tried to do and believed in so that’s why I related to it the most.  Chet helped me think about systemizing that process and making it a proactive thing rather than reactive and in the moment. The relationships I’ve built have been key for a number of businesses I work on, and I love…

I asked the SEO community and a few experts to share advanced SEO tactics that are working for them. I received 107 replies and had the opportunity to explore where people draw the line between basic and advanced skills in our industry. Here’s everything people considered advanced, ranked based on the frequency of mentions. If you’re wondering how to progress in your SEO career, these are the sorts of skills you’ll need to develop. Here are my 8 personal favorites and how to get started with them. 1. Integrate SEO with UX and CRO  Learning non-SEO skills that integrate with SEO can help advance your career in a few ways: They improve your communication with non-SEO teams (who you often rely on to get things done). They elevate your SEO skills beyond the basics of “keywords, content, and links”. They accelerate results, so your boss or clients see faster returns on investment. In particular, user experience and conversion optimization tie in with SEO quite nicely. While SEO is primarily a traffic acquisition channel, it’s useless to a business if the traffic you acquire doesn’t convert. To understand the full journey searchers take, I recommend learning about SXO. It’s short for search experience optimization and focuses on a searcher’s journey from the moment they search until they convert. You can also get more granular and look at specific user experience elements on your website that could be impacting your SEO performance. For example, Cyrus Shepard has seen big improvements in his client’s SEO campaigns by working on UX elements like: Reducing ad density, particularly fixed-video ad Removing browser notifications Simplifying navigation Improving contact information visibility Clarifying site identity (logo + tagline) Either way, combining SEO with UX and CRO can yield big gains, so it’s a worthwhile skill to learn. 2. Use paid ads to get more…

Here’s the thing: We previously ran the exact same study for Wix and it did well. So we decided to replicate it for Squarespace. Quite innocuous, right? Turns out it wasn’t. Someone shared the takeaways from that post Embrace polarisation because it means people care “The best art divides the audience, where if you put out a record, and half the people who hear it absolutely love it, and half the people who hear it absolutely hate it, you’ve done well because it’s pushing that boundary. If everyone thinks, oh that’s pretty good, why bother making it? It doesn’t mean as much.” The brutal truth about making thought leadership content is that you’ll overestimate yourself. Most of the time, no one cares. I’ve published hundreds of blog posts but could only summon hate for two. Because no one cares about the rest. It didn’t challenge anyone’s thinking or was about topics that no one bothered about. So, if you published something that other people actually took the time to criticize, it means you did a good job. You pushed the boundaries and challenged the industry’s assumptions. You made people think. It’s a mindset shift. You don’t need to fear criticism anymore. It can still hurt of course, but take pride in the fact that you’ve made people notice. But don’t take this to say you should intentionally poke bears. Your goal is not to say something controversial “for the attention”. Don’t ragebait and don’t rile people up. That’s not helpful and it’s not thought leadership content. You should share your genuine opinions based on your expertise or experience. Sometimes, this polarises because it differs from everyone else’s. But you’ll be surprised how many people were thinking about it. For example, I was a little hesitant to publish my opinion about entity SEO. After…

Google officially launched AI Overviews in the U.S. on May 14, 2024. Three months later, they announced that AI Overviews was rolled out to six more countries: the UK, India, Japan, Indonesia, Mexico, and Brazil. Is SEO dead and should you panic? Or is everything a big hoo-ha and there’s nothing to worry about? Here’s everything we know about Google’s AI Overviews to date: Timeline of AI Overviews’ rollout 10 May 2023 — Google announces the Search Generative Experience (SGE) experiment 25 May 2023 — Google opens access to SGE for users who signed up for the waitlist. 22 March 2024 — Google starts testing AI Overviews in the main Google Search results, even if you had not opted into SGE. 14 May 2024 — Google officially launches AI Overviews for the U.S. Google also launches a new ‘Web’ filter for users who want only text-based webpages in search results. 24 May 2024 — AI Overviews come under fire for giving dangerous and wrong answers. For example, it recommended using non-toxic glue to give pizza sauce more tackiness, eating at least one small rock a day, and drinking urine to pass kidney stones quickly. 30 May 2024 — Google responds to the brouhaha by explaining how it intends to improve AI Overviews. 15 Aug 2024 — Google launches AI Overviews for the UK, India, Japan, Indonesia, Mexico, and Brazil. It also begins showing AI Overviews for Incognito mode and users who are not signed in. Additionally, it launches the ability to “save” a specific AI Overview and tests adding links to relevant web pages directly within the text of AI Overviews. 23 Aug 2024 — Google’s John Mueller confirms that AI Overviews are affected by core updates. How do AI Overviews work? In September 2023, Google filed a patent for their AI Overview…

We’ve passed the high-water mark of content marketing—at least, content marketing in its current form. After thirteen years in content marketing, I think it’s fair to say that most of the content on company blogs was created by people with zero firsthand experience of their subject matter. We have built a profession of armchair commentators, a class of marketers who exist almost entirely in a world of theory and abstraction. I count myself among their number. I have hundreds of bylines about subfloor moisture management, information security, SaaS pricing models, agency resource management. I am an expert in none of these topics. This has been the happy reality of content marketing for over a decade, a natural consequence of the incentives created by early Google Search. Historically, being a great content marketer required precisely no subject matter expertise. It was enough to read widely and write quickly. Mountains of organic traffic have been built on the backs of armchair commentators like myself. Time spent doing deep, detailed research was, generally speaking, wasted, because 80% of the returns came from simply shuffling other people’s ideas around and slapping a few keyword-targeted H2s in the right places. But this doesn’t work today. For all of its flaws, generative AI is an excellent, truly world-class armchair commentator. If the job-to-be-done is reading a dozen articles and how-to’s and turning them into something semi-original and fairly coherent, AI really is the best tool for the job. Humans cannot out-copycat generative AI. Put another way, the role of the content marketer as a curator has been rendered obsolete. So where do we go from here? Hunter S. Thompson popularised the idea of gonzo journalism, “a style of journalism that is written without claims of objectivity, often including the reporter as part of the story using a first-person…

A few weeks ago, I optimized one of my blog posts for related keywords. Today, it gets an estimated 2,300 more monthly organic visits: In this post, I’ll show you how I found and optimized my post for these related keywords. How I found related keywords Related keywords are words and phrases closely linked to your main keyword. There are many ways to find them. You can even just ask ChatGPT. But here’s the thing: These keywords aren’t useful for optimizing content. If more traffic is your goal, you need to find keywords that represent subtopics—not just any related ones. Think of it like this: you improve a recipe by adding the right ingredients, not everything in your fridge! Below are two methods for finding the right related keywords (including the one I used): Method 1. Use content optimization tools Content optimization tools look for keywords on other top-ranking pages but not yours. They usually then recommend adding these keywords to your content a certain number of times. These tools can be useful if you take their recommendations with a pinch of salt, as some of them can lead you astray. For example, this tool recommends that I add six mentions of the phrase “favorite features” to our keyword research guide. Does that seem like an important related keyword to you? It certainly doesn’t to me! They also usually have a content score that increases as you add the recommended related keywords. This can trick you into believing that something is important when it probably isn’t—especially as content scores have a weak correlation with rankings. My advice? If you’re going to use these tools, apply common sense and look for recommendations that seem to represent important subtopics. For example, when I analyze our content audit guide, it suggests adding quite a few keywords…

Google’s search results aren’t set in stone—they’re always changing. But when there’s a major change in search intent for a keyword, the top websites can lose rankings through no fault of their own if they don’t match the new dominant search intent. I call this phenomenon search intent shift. In this article, I’ll share seven examples of search intent shift and show how to use Ahrefs to identify it. Search intent shifts happen because words change meaning over time, and Google needs to reflect this change—otherwise, it can’t fulfill its mission to provide the best search results for its users. Sidenote. I found these search intent shift examples by using the Identify Intents feature in Keywords Explorer’s SERP Overview. To use this feature: Enter a keyword in Keywords Explorer Scroll down to the SERP Overview Select two dates to compare Click the ✨ Identify Intents button Toggle between the dates and compare the most popular search intents Here are seven examples of search intent shift. 1. Oasis – Fashion or ‘90s band? “Oasis” means different things to different people. It could be a fertile spot in the desert, a drink, a fashion brand, or even a ‘90s Britpop band. Until recently, all these elements happily co-existed in the Oasis SERP until Oasis [the band] announced the surprise news that they were getting back together on August 27, 2024.  Credit to Carrie Rose for spotting this example originally What happened? Before the announcement, the dominant search intent for this SERP was 93% women’s fashion and accessories.  But after the announcement, it shifted to ~93% about the band Oasis. Subsequently, Oasis Fashion dropped in rankings for the keyword “oasis.” This is because it didn’t match the new dominant intent following the announcement. Is recovery possible? Yes—but it’ll take time. The Oasis reunion is very newsworthy in…

At a time when anyone can create content, the real challenge—and opportunity—is in saying something new.  I think content curation can help with that. Curation is all about finding undiscovered stories and repackaging ideas in ways your audience really respond to. In this article, you’ll learn why content curation is great for growth, and how to talent scout quality underground or left-field content. What is content curation? Content curation is about gathering existing content, and presenting it in a way that’s novel or interesting to your audience – usually with the view to educate, entertain, inform, or inspire them. Some quick examples of content curation Gathering and sharing content is a popular social media tactic, but content curation extends to mediums and channels far beyond social. Let’s take a look at some examples: Example Type What is it? The Pudding Article A data journalism publication that curates a range of rich media (e.g. social comments, headline snippets, literature reviews) to tell compelling visual stories – like this one. Ahrefs’ digest Newsletter Our Senior Content Marketing Manager, Si Quan Ong (SQ), curates key SEO/marketing news, accompanied by snappy annotations. Near Media Memo Podcast Conversations at the intersection of search, social, and commerce. Hosts curate and discuss the latest industry content. KFC’s “Bucket Bangers” Spotify Playlist Playlist A playlist curated by KFC as part of a PR campaign, containing 46 tracks that name drop the brand. Campaign Inspiration Image carousel This LinkedIn page curates visual examples of existing PR campaigns to inspire marketers. Newsletters, in particular, have become the go-to platform for curation, since they’re fairly cheap to run and easy to set up. The numbers back this up. A quick look at Site Explorer shows newsletter platform Substack experiencing a 373% leap in organic traffic from September 5th, 2023 to September 5th, 2024. You can see some…

“Entity SEO”. Sounds scary, doesn’t it? Not only does the word “entity” sound foreign, it feels like yet another thing to add to your never-ending SEO to-do list. You’re barely afloat when it comes to Why you don’t have to ‘do’ entity SEO If Google has moved to entity-oriented search, then entity SEO is just SEO. As my colleague Patrick Stox says, “The entity identification part is more on Google’s end than on our end.” I mean, if you look at the ‘entity SEO’ tactics you find in blog posts, you’ll discover that they’re mostly just SEO tactics: Earn a Wikipedia page Create a Google Business Profile Add internal links Create all digital assets Google is representing on the page (e.g., videos, images, Twitter) Develop topical authority Include semantically related words on a page Add schema markup Let’s be honest. If you’re serious about SEO and are investing in it, then it’s likely you’re already doing most of the above. Regardless of entities, wouldn’t you want a Wikipedia page? After all, it confers benefits beyond “entity SEO”. Brand recognition, backlinks from one of the world’s most authoritative sites (albeit nofollow)—any company would want that. If you’re a local business, you’ve probably created a Google Business Profile. Adding internal links is just SEO 101. And billions of blistering barnacles, creating all digital assets Google wants to see, like images and videos, is practically marketing 101. If you’re a Korean recipe site and want to be associated with the kimchi jjigae entity, wouldn’t you already know you need to make a video and have photos of the cooking process? When I started my breakdance site years ago, I knew nothing about SEO and content marketing but I still knew I needed to make YouTube videos. Because guess what? It’s hard to learn breakdancing from words. I don’t…

SEO for personal injury law firms is notorious for how expensive and competitive it can be. Even with paid ads, it’s common for every click from the ad to your website to cost hundreds of dollars:  When spending this kind of money per click, the cost of gaining new cases can quickly skyrocket. Since SEO focuses on improving your visibility in the unpaid areas of search engines, you can cut costs and get more leads if you’re savvy enough. Here are the strategies I’ve used to help new and boutique injury and accident law firms compete with the big guns for a fraction of the cost. Recommendation If you’re brand new to SEO, check out The Beginner’s Guide to SEO to get familiar with the fundamental concepts of SEO that apply to all websites.  1. Add reviews, certifications, and contact details to your website Unlike many other local service businesses, personal injury law firms need to work harder to earn trust and credibility online. This applies to earning trust from humans and search engines alike. Google has a 170-page document called the Search Quality Rater Guidelines. This document contains two frameworks law firms can use to help Google and website visitors trust them more. The first is “your money or your life,” or YMYL. Google uses this term to describe topics that may present a high risk of harm to searchers. Generally, any health, finances, safety, or welfare information falls into this category. Legal information is also a YMYL topic since acting on the wrong information could cause serious damage or harm to searchers. The second framework is EEAT, which stands for experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness. This framework applies more broadly to all industries and is about sharing genuine information written by experts and authorities for a given topic. Both YMYL…

We analyzed the organic traffic growth of 1,600 SaaS companies to discover the SEO strategies that work best in 2024… …and those that work the worst. In this article, we’re looking at the companies that lost the greatest amount of estimated organic traffic, year over year. We analyzed 1,600 SaaS companies and used the Ahrefs API to pull estimated monthly organic traffic data for August 2023 and August 2024. Companies were ranked by estimated monthly organic traffic loss as a percentage of their starting traffic. We’ve filtered out traffic loss caused by website migrations and URL redirects and set a minimum starting traffic threshold of 10,000 monthly organic pageviews. shows, the offending blog posts are now 301 redirected to the company’s (now much better, much more human-looking) blog homepage: 2. Contently (-97.16%) Contently 2023 2024 Absolute change Percent change Organic traffic 276,885 7,866 -269,019 -97.16% Organic pages 32,752 1,121 -31,631 -96.58% Organic keywords 94,706 12,000 -82,706 -87.33% Keywords in top 3 1,874 68 -1,806 -96.37% Contently is a content marketing platform. They lost 97% of their estimated organic traffic by removing thousands of user-generated pages. Almost all of the website’s traffic loss seems to stem from deindexing the subdomains used to host their members’ writing portfolios: A quick Google search for “contently writer portfolios” suggests that the company made the deliberate decision to deindex all writer portfolios by default, and only relist them once they’ve been manually vetted and approved: We can see that these portfolio subdomains are now 302 redirected back to Contently’s homepage: And looking at the keyword rankings Contently lost in the process, it’s easy to guess why this change was necessary. It looks like the free portfolio subdomains were being abused to promote CBD gummies and pirated movies: 3. Datanyze (-95.46%) Datanyze 2023 2024 Absolute change Percent change Organic traffic…

AI copywriting involves using artificial intelligence tools to generate compelling marketing copy. With the goal of driving more sales for your business (or your client’s business). You can use it to create: Snappy taglines Persuasive product descriptions Attention-grabbing social media posts There are lots of AI copywriting tools out there. And the technology is continuously getting better, faster, and more accessible. This leaves many worrying that AI might replace human copywriters altogether. But AI isn’t there to replace copywriters. AI is there to help you become a more efficient and creative copywriter. In this guide, we’ll show you how to get the most out of AI copywriting tools. And we’ll go over a few of our favorites. If you’re just looking for tools to use, here are the four we recommend checking out: AI Copywriting Tool Best for Starting Price Jasper Ad copy and slogans $49 per month; 7-day free trial Copy.ai Product descriptions and landing page copy $49 per month; limited free account Semrush AI Social Content Generator Social media posts and captions $35 per month; 7-day free trial ChatGPT Getting feedback on your copy $20 per month; limited free account How AI Copywriting Can Help Your Business Using AI for copywriting comes with various benefits. From speeding up your workflows to saving you money. Speed Up Your Copy Creation AI copywriting tools can drastically reduce the time it takes to create compelling copy. You don’t need to spend hours brainstorming the perfect tagline, product description, or social media copy. As you can use an AI tool to instantly generate a dozen options. Each tailored to your brand voice and target audience (when you include the right directions in your prompt). Here’s an example of AI generating 10 variations of a tagline for a new bakery in just under…

Let’s face it: When it comes to analytics tools, we want it all. Advanced metrics, intuitive dashboards, and seamless integrations. But we don’t always get what we want—especially as a Google Analytics 4 (GA4) user. Many marketers default to Google Analytics because it’s free and popular. But those same marketers report issues like: Steep learning curves Lack of qualitative insights Difficulty translating data into insights Ready to make the switch? We compared seven Google Analytics alternatives that provide quicker and more precise insights into your website’s performance. Learn pros, cons, and pricing to make the right decision for your business. What to Look for in a Google Analytics Alternative What are your non-negotiables for an analytics tool? Consider these factors when evaluating Google Analytics 4 alternatives. Ease of Use GA4 has a complex interface with a steep learning curve. So much so, that even marketers familiar with Universal Analytics (its predecessor) have trouble setting it up correctly. Look for a GA4 alternative that’s easy to navigate and lets you set up reports in minutes. This includes tools that set up tracking through a simple code snippet and automatically start collecting data. Find a tool with built-in reporting templates to reduce setup time if needed. Data Privacy Law Compliance Privacy should be a top concern when choosing a new analytics tool, especially if you have a European audience or customer base. European laws require compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), a strict information privacy law. While improved, Google Analytics 4 still collects user data, which raises privacy concerns. GA4 hides visitor data through IP anonymization, but still uses other identifiers like the client ID (CID) and user ID (UID) to track users. Additionally, Google relies on the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework (DPF) to securely transfer and store data on…

You know the saying “work smarter, not harder”? That’s what Chrome extensions can do for you. In fact, Leigh McKenzie, head of SEO at Backlinko, uses Chrome extensions to speed up many daily SEO tasks. Sold? Don’t download anything just yet. First, read our comprehensive review of the best Chrome extensions for SEO. We ranked each extension by its standout features and included detailed pros and cons to help you make an informed decision. Let’s get started! What’s the Best Chrome Extension for SEO? 1. Detailed SEO Extension Best for analyzing on-page SEO elements Need data fast? Detailed SEO Extension provides a comprehensive SEO analysis of any webpage at a glance. Learn actionable insights to improve your performance. Like why a competitor’s metadata gets more clicks or how they organize their content. Check SEO Details of Any Page Competitive analysis is essential, but it can also be time-consuming. If you’ve ever had to inspect the source code for multiple competitors manually, you know what we’re talking about. It’s a tedious process. But Detailed’s Chrome extension solves this problem. With a single click, view details like: This can save you hours per day, especially if you analyze multiple webpages. Let’s say you’re researching the top-ranking pages for an article about “running for beginners.” Detailed tells you everything you need to know to outrank your competitors—including the keywords they used, article length, metadata, and more. Review Content Structure Get crucial details about your competitors’ content structure without having to scroll each page. Detailed pulls a list of your competitors’ headings (H1s, H2s, and H3s) so you can see how they organize their content. For example, if multiple competitors have headings about how new runners can build endurance, you know your article should cover that topic, too. This lightning-fast insight will help you…

SEO newsletters make it easy to keep up to date with what’s going on in the world of search engine optimization. And they show you the strategies that are working right now. To save you time (and declutter your inbox), I’ve curated a list of the top newsletters I think are worth subscribing to. After consulting my team (including some healthy debate) here’s a summary of the best SEO newsletters for different needs: 1. Backlinko Written by: Leigh McKenzie (that’s me) What it covers: The best guide we’ve published here on Backlinko each week Frequency: Weekly Where you can subscribe: Sign up to the Backlinko newsletter Why You Should Subscribe If you’re looking for a completely unbiased list of the best SEO newsletters, we’ll admit we’re a bit partial to one in particular—our own Backlinko newsletter. Sign up and I’ll email to let you know about my favorite piece of content we’ve published each week. You’ll know by now that we only hit publish on a piece of content if we think it’s the best article on its topic on the internet. So you can trust that the newsletter is going to provide consistent value. Be the first to hear about our guides on everything you need to know to level up as an SEO. From mastering keyword research to executing an effective content strategy. I keep every email short and sweet. And you’ll be able to tell by the subject line if the guide I’m sharing is going to be useful to you. 2. Rich Snippets by TTT Written by: Jamie Indigo Frequency: Weekly What it covers: Bitesize commentary on the most important developments and happenings within the world of SEO (with a focus on technical SEO) Where you can subscribe: Sign up to Rich Snippets Why You Should…

Last month, I bought a laser cutter. If you’ve been in my shoes, you know that one does not simply Google “best laser cutters” and then buy the one most recommended in the ranking articles. As search marketers, that’s often what we think happens. But here’s what actually happened: The branch of SEO that cares about journeys like this is search experience optimization (SXO). It focuses on making a brand discoverable along all touchpoints in modern search journeys, no matter where they start or what path they take. Search is becoming more of a ‘choose your own adventure’ experience.  I interviewed some of the industry’s top experts and consolidated their advice into a process for optimizing brand visibility everywhere people search these days. Big thanks to: How the experts define search experience optimization SXO is about optimizing a brand’s presence for non-linear search journeys over multiple platforms, not just Google. Unlike search engine optimization (SEO), which traditionally focuses on a website’s Google rankings, SXO incorporates user experience elements. It prioritizes a person’s entire experience from initial search through to conversion. For example, if you sell laser cutters, it’s about helping potential customers through the process of: Figuring out what they want to make Sourcing the right materials Showing them exactly how to make these things Recommending products for different budgets or use cases It’s also about doing the above in forums, on YouTube, and anywhere else they look for information, on and off your website. If you don’t show up where they are searching, you miss many opportunities to connect with potential customers. The goal of SXO is to create an integrated experience from search to interaction. It’s essential to understand where your audience is searching and to ensure that their experience is optimized across all those touchpoints, reinforcing the notion that every…

Much of marketing today is built on the idea that education is enough. Provide a searcher with functional, half-decent information, and we’re halfway down the path to winning hearts and minds. In the pre-AI world, that was true. Accurate, relevant information was rare. Curating the web’s content into more accessible formats was a real value-add. Education was the engine that fuelled growth. But today, information has become impossibly cheap. Any brand can become a generalist publisher, churning out thousands of search-optimized how to guides on virtually any topic. It’s becoming easier and easier to find customized, personalized answers to even the weirdest of long-tail queries. The internet has transformed from a place of information scarcity to one of information abundance, and with it, the value of “education” as a marketing strategy has fallen off a cliff. The era of information scarcity In my early career (some thirteen years ago), many of my published articles were the only pieces of “educational” SEO content written on a given topic. That may sound appealing today, but at the time, it was a problem. Many SERPs were a mish-mash of different content types and search intents. The onus was on the searcher to piece together their answer from a platter of partially-helpful sources. As I’ve written before: There was a time when a Google search would yield a page of only vaguely relevant search results; finding an article that addressed your specific question was rare, and incredibly welcome. The information searchers wanted usually existed, but it was locked up in hard-to-access places: obscure forum posts, esoteric PDFs, hard-to-find personal blogs. My value-add was simply finding and repurposing this information into a more accessible format—something that would appear when people searched for it. (This was the great benefit of the skyscraper approach: centralizing disparate information into one place.) This…

The formula for calculating ROI is so simple that I’ll share it right here, in the article introduction: ((Return from content − cost of content) / cost of content) * 100 If your content marketing generated $10,000 in sales and cost $2,000 to create, that’s an ROI of 400%: (($10,000 – $2,000) / $2,000) * 100 = 400% Although the math is simple, actually doing this exercise in real life is tricky, for a few reasons. The most important: it’s pretty hard to put a dollar value on every single benefit of your content marketing. I’ll show you 3 practical methods for quickly working out your content marketing ROI, and then explain why ROI can become a tricky concept. 2. Lifetime traffic value At the other end of the spectrum, here’s a quick and easy method that takes about 30 seconds using Ahrefs: Return from content marketing = (monthly traffic value * content lifetime in months) Instead of working out how much revenue we’ve generated from our content, this method estimates how much money we’ve saved by ranking organically for keywords instead of paying for advertising. In Ahrefs, you can estimate the Traffic Value of any article—the amount it would cost to generate the same traffic via Google Ads, instead of SEO. Below, we can see that it would cost an estimated ~$44k to “replace” the traffic to our list of free SEO tools using ads: If we add up the traffic value of all the pages in our blog, we have an estimated monthly traffic value of $790,000: Put another way, if we used paid advertising to get the same amount of visits from the same keywords, we’d need to spend around $790,000 on ads, each and every month. Most content is useful for longer than a single month, so we can multiply…

Ahrefs’ $29 Starter plan – what’s included and how it compares Get the week’s best marketing content If you haven’t heard yet, we’ve launched a new plan at Ahrefs. Meet our Starter plan: a $29/month offering that’s great for SEO beginners who are looking to go beyond the basics offered in our free ² Verified projects are projects that have gone through a verification process to prove you own the website. ³ These additional 500 credits can only be spent for URLs within any of the verified projects. “);$(“#sMailFooter”).css(“border”,”1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2)”);$(“#sMailFooter”).css(“color”,”#333″);}else{if(data.error===’subscribed’){$(“#subscrResponse”).show();$(“#subscrResponse”).html(“ Looks like you’re subscribed to our blog already. “);$(“#sMailFooter”).css(“border”,”1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2)”);$(“#sMailFooter”).css(“color”,”#333″);}else{$(“#subscrResponse”).show();$(“#subscrResponse”).html(‘ ‘+data.error+’ ‘);$(“#sMailFooter”).css(“border”,”1px solid red”);$(“#sMailFooter”).css(“color”,”#333″);$(“.subscr_a”).css(“color”,”red”);}}}},”json”);return false;});

On July 26th 2024, I exported all “toxic” and “potentially toxic” backlinks to three of our blog posts from a well-known SEO tool. There were 129 URLs in total, which I disavowed in Google Search Console. After disavowing, traffic (as reported by GSC) fell by 7.1%: Sidenote. Google began rolling out a Core Update on August 15th, which is why I cut the experiment short to only 20 days. My plan was to leave it running for a full month, but I think just shy of three weeks is enough time to see results anyway. Before disavowing, according to GSC, traffic to these posts was trending slightly upward: After disavowing? Slightly downward: However, Ahrefs’ organic traffic estimates tell a slightly different story. Visibility is trending slightly downward before disavowing… … and after disavowing: I asked Patrick Stox how he’d interpret this. Here’s what he said: I would personally look at Ahrefs data here. Average search volume in Ahrefs will show if it impacted rankings and visibility, although our data may be slower to update than GSC. GSC can have seasonality, luck, etc. involved, so it’s not as consistent of a measure. Makes sense. In this case, it looks like disavowing had little to no impact on rankings/visibility overall. But let’s take a closer look at the data… Test pages The data above is for all three pages combined, so let’s take a look at what happened to each page individually. Page 1: 12% traffic drop This page was our SEO pricing guide. For the 20-day period before the disavow, the post got 574 organic visits. This fell by 12% to 505 visits in the following 20 days (when the disavow was in place). Before disavowing, organic traffic to this post was flatlining: After disavowing, it’s still flatlining: Ahrefs data tells a slightly different…

Struggling to find time for essential SEO tasks? Outsourcing SEO might be the solution. Outsourcing SEO allows you to leverage expert knowledge and free up time for other critical aspects of your business. To outsource effectively, you’ll need to hire an Agencies vs. freelancers – which should you choose? If you want to outsource your entire SEO strategy and don’t have much knowledge of SEO yourself, then an agency is probably the best option (assuming you’re willing to pay $1001+ per month.) Here’s why. You get access to an account manager and a team of SEO experts You also get access to the best tools in the business – Although agency fees are typically higher than a freelancer’s, agencies often have access to many different tools, some of which could be unaffordable for either your company or a freelancer You get expertise – Agency SEOs don’t just work on one client. They work on many different client accounts spanning many different industries – they bring this expertise to the table in every meeting However, if you’re looking to outsource a specific part of your SEO strategy, such as content, keyword research, or link building, and you’re working on a tight budget, then it could be better to start talking to a freelancer. Freelancers are usually more cost-effective – They usually have fewer overheads than agencies. According to Josh’s SEO pricing study, SEO agencies charge 138% more than freelancers Freelancers are often faster to work with – Due to less paperwork and onboarding processes Both agencies and freelancers can meet your SEO needs, but your choice depends on your desired level of involvement and budget. To summarize, SEO agencies are ideal for businesses with a hands-off approach or a larger budget. Freelancers are best for accessing specialized knowledge within a tighter…

SEO is critical in the travel industry. While most travelers might gain inspiration on TikTok, YouTube, or Instagram, they will still search on Google before purchasing. In fact, according to Kevin Indig, travel was the fifth largest industry on the web by organic visibility in June 2024. If you want to generate more bookings or get more customers, you will need to do SEO. To write this guide on travel SEO, I interviewed seven experienced travel SEOs: Kevin Indig also very kindly shared his paid publication on travel SEO with me. The unique challenges of travel SEO The basics of SEO are the same for every industry. You need to create high-quality content, earn backlinks, and make sure your site is free of technical issues. But travel SEO has some unique challenges: Travel isn’t just one industry but is made up of many different industries and players—there are online travel agencies, comparison sites, hotels, airlines, cruise operators, tour operators, car rental companies, travel technology companies, travel bloggers, and even travel insurance. You’re competing with Google itself. Google has its own travel product, which it’s happy to insert into the SERPs. Google also dominates the SERPs by showing many different SERP features for travel-related keywords, which usually answer the query (e.g., things to do in Barcelona). Popular keywords are also dominated by huge international brands like TripAdvisor and Booking.com. Many travel companies, such as tour operators, only serve a particular local area. Many travelers don’t visit or book trips via a business’s website. This is especially true for airlines and hotels. Instead, travelers might search via Skyscanner or Booking.com. Seasonality and real-world events (e.g., terrorism, pandemics, natural disasters) can impact your search visibility. In this article, we’ll show you how to solve these problems. 1. Focus on keywords that drive travel bookings The…

Searches for “How to humanize AI content” have grown 943% over the last 12 months.  More people are trying to “pass the human check”, either to make AI content suck a little less or to blag AI content detection tools. The process of “humanizing AI content” has become the de facto content strategy of growth-hungry companies. I see stifled writers sprouting up everywhere, asking for advice on how best to navigate this content headache. And I know just how soul-destroying it can be, because I’ve got the t-shirt. Here’s why it’s a doomed effort from the start. Humanizing AI content is a flawed process We all know the big glaring problems with AI content (and if you don’t, you can read about them here), but I don’t believe anthropomorphizing the bot is the solution. In fact, I’d argue that humanizing the long-form content churned out by AI is an inherently flawed process. The whole point of using AI is to drive speed, scale, and efficiency; getting humans to edit, and essentially rewrite, long-form AI prose completely undermines that value proposition. By the time you’ve researched and added in the “rich” human element, you may as well have created the content from scratch yourself. And the process of running “humanized” AI content through a detector is nonsensical – you’re literally getting an AI to validate humanity. I’d spend hours editing the AI content I’d been saddled with so it could pass the human check, only to be gaslit into thinking my content was AI… by an AI?! And I’m not the only victim. In a LinkedIn post, content consultant Kiran Shahid shared that AI detector tools would only verify her humanity when she wrote in first-person – a style of writing that clients are unlikely to sign off on. I have seen similar experiences…

Two things make a good website: content and functionality. Looks are nice to have but come last.  Focus on these two areas to create a website that people will want to visit, return to, and tell their friends about. If the site offers the type of content that people need and makes that content easy to find and interact with, people will overlook even the ugliest designs. Case in point: Hackernews.com — a site with 5M monthly users ( Focus on content: it attracts visitors and turns them into customers Website content includes all the information and media provided to visitors, such as text, images, videos, products, and their descriptions. No matter how good the design is, poor content will drive visitors away. Conversely, high-quality content can compensate for design shortcomings. Just look at some top sites. They prioritize simple, clean layouts that highlight their content, like Canva and Seeking Alpha. Example: Canva.com Example: Seekingalpha.com And I think you’d be surprised by how effortless Slack’s website looks — that company recently sold for $27.7B (source). But you won’t make it with just any content — you need quality content. Quality content can mean different things to different people but in general, you can’t go wrong if you follow these simple rules: Relevant to your audience. Content should be tailored to what your audience cares about, making it more likely they’ll find it useful and engaging. One of the ways you can find relevant topics is with keyword research. Uses simple language and is well-organized. Make your content easy to understand, avoiding complex jargon or technical terms unless absolutely necessary. Unique: The content should offer something new or present information in a fresh way. Unique content helps you stand out from the competition and has a bigger propensity to reach more people…

SEO audit tools reveal hidden issues and opportunities on your site. Backlinko uses these tools for in-depth SEO audits every year. And quarterly check-ins. This analytical approach has helped us maintain top rankings and grow organic traffic by 20.50% year over year. We run a fresh site crawl, review top pages, and optimize them to keep our search rankings high. You can do this for your website, too. To assist, we’ve reviewed five top SEO audit tools to help you improve your website’s search performance. What Are the Best SEO Audit Tools? The SEO audit tool you choose depends on your needs. But here are five of the best SEO audit tools we recommend (that cover most areas): What to Look for in SEO Audit Tools SEO audit tools have a lot of different features. Here are the top functions to add to your shopping list: Comprehensive crawling: The ability to thoroughly crawl your entire website, including all pages, links, and images to identify technical errors. To get this, make sure the plan you choose has a crawl limit that exceeds the number of pages on your website. Technical SEO analysis: Identification and prioritization of technical issues like broken links, duplicate content, missing meta tags, and page speed problems Actionable recommendations: Clear guidance on which issues to address in order to improve SEO performance. Ideally, with prioritization and basic instructions. Backlink analysis: Insights into your backlink profile, including the number of links you have and the quality of each Reporting and visualization: Clear and concise reports that highlight key issues Integration with other tools: The ability to connect with other SEO tools like Google Search Console and Google Analytics With these qualities in mind, let’s look at why each tool made our final list. 1. Semrush’s Site Audit Best for…

The key to restaurant SEO is understanding that most people don’t search for specific restaurants. They search for the type of cuisine or dish they want to eat. This is especially true for younger folks, with 76% of 18-24 year olds searching this way. Getting diners through the door, then, is a game of ranking well for these types of queries. Here are a few ways to do this, backed by concrete research and the real experiences of food bloggers and serial diners. 1. 62% of diners search for restaurants on Google… so make sure your Business Profile shines Google Business Profile is a free tool to manage your restaurant’s appearance on Google. You can’t rank in Google Maps or the “local pack” search results without one. Given how many people use Google to find restaurants, there’s virtually nothing more important than keeping this optimized and updated. If a listing contains few photos, no menu, or other scanty details, there is little chance that we might eat or order food from it. If a restaurant or cafe is new, it should have pictures, detailed information, and a menu. Without these, I’m less inclined to give it a try. Here are a few of the most important things to focus on: Add your menu People don’t always search by cuisine. Sometimes, they search for a specific dish. You’ll likely stand a better chance of showing up for their search if the dish they searched for is on the menu uploaded to your Business Profile. For example, if I search for “carbonara” in Google Maps, this nearby restaurant pops up because this dish is on its menu: Given that thousands of people across the US search for “carbonara near me” (and many other dishes “near me”) every month, this is an easy but often overlooked way to show…

If you have a website, keyword mapping should be a priority. Why? Because it can help you get more visitors, leads, and conversions. Noticeably more. At Backlinko, keyword mapping helps us reach 500k+ organic sessions every month. In this step-by-step guide, you’ll find everything you need to get started with keyword mapping. Plus, a free keyword mapping template. But first, let’s start with the basics. What Is Keyword Mapping? Keyword mapping is the process of organizing target keywords into groups and assigning them to specific pages on your website. And creating a detailed keyword map to keep track of important details. Including keyword volume, difficulty, and more. Like this: Why not just scribble it all down on a napkin? Creating a detailed keyword map ensures you have a permanent, organized document to guide your SEO strategy. Which helps keep you consistent in your optimization efforts. And gives your website content a serious advantage on search engine results pages (SERPs). Benefits of Keyword Mapping Not sure keyword mapping is worth the effort? Here’s a look at the benefits it can provide: Improves the site experience for visitors and search engines Reduces bounce rates Creates a path for search engines to follow Builds a strong internal linking system Helps avoid keyword cannibalization Identifies keyword gaps At Backlinko, we use keyword mapping to avoid cannibalization and ensure a strong internal link network. This allows our users to easily find information on any core topic. Keyword mapping helps us think strategically about our ideal customers and how to design our website to best meet their needs. Leigh McKenzie, head of SEO at Backlinko, said: How to Do Keyword Mapping in 5 Steps 1. Download Our Free Keyword Mapping Template Ready to learn how to create a keyword map? Download our free keyword mapping template…

Bad (or toxic) backlinks are links from external websites that can harm your site’s ranking and online reputation. Search engines like Google see bad backlinks as a red flag, associating your site with low-quality or spammy content. This can lead to a drop in your rankings, making it harder for potential customers to find you. We’ve already seen what a good link profile can do for your site. According to a study by Backlinko, the No. 1 result in Google has an average of 3.8 times more backlinks than positions #2-#10. But not all backlinks are created equal. Bad backlinks can strangle your site’s growth, making it difficult for your site to achieve and maintain high rankings. In this article, we’ll uncover why toxic backlinks are a problem, show you how to identify them, and explain where they usually come from. Most importantly, we’ll give you the tools and strategies to remove these harmful links. Why Are Bad Backlinks a Problem? Bad backlinks can be a problem for several reasons. They can: Lead to penalties by Google Damage your site’s reputation by associating it with spammy websites Drop your search engine rankings Waste your resources As SEO experts Greg Heilers and Morgan Taylor from Jolly SEO told us: Look at this example of the Easy Branches website. It has over 2.6 million backlinks. That sounds impressive. Yet, over the past two years, its traffic plummeted from 36,000+ visitors a month to zero: This shows that a ton of backlinks doesn’t guarantee success. And you should focus on earning high-quality backlinks over quantity. How to Find Bad Backlinks Knowing how to spot the harmful ones is key to maintaining a healthy backlink profile. And protecting your SEO. Here are two options to identify bad backlinks to your website: Option #1: Identify…

Online reviews have become an integral part of the buyer journey. From physical products to hotels and restaurants, customers increasingly rely on user-generated content to make informed decisions. In this blog post, you’ll find up-to-date online review statistics, where we’ll uncover the importance of customer reviews, highlight the most popular online review platforms, and cover some insights about fake reviews. Click for a specific section: Online Review Statistics (Highlights) 75% of consumers read online reviews when researching businesses. Facebook and Instagram are the most popular social media platforms for reading customer reviews. Around 7 in 10 consumers state consumer reviews at least “frequently” influence their purchase decisions. 75% of consumers are concerned about fake reviews. 93% of customers expect a response from businesses to their online reviews. General Online Review Statistics More than 7 in 10 consumers claim to “always” or “regularly” read online reviews when looking for local businesses (BrightLocal) 75% of consumers check online reviews when researching local businesses. Only 3% of consumers claim to never read online reviews. Here’s a complete breakdown of how often consumers turn to reading online reviews: Frequency Share of Consumers Always 33% Regularly 42% Occasionally 22% Never 3% 61% of consumers check 2-3 review sites before making a decision (BrightLocal) 61% of consumers rely on 2-3 sites to check online reviews when researching local businesses. Only 16% of customers typically use 4 or more review sites. Using more than 5 review sites or apps is fairly uncommon, where only 7% of respondents opted for that option. 7 in 10 American consumers say it’s rare for them to visit a new business without reading online reviews first (Yelp) 70% of surveyed respondents claim it is uncommon for them to try a new business without checking consumer reviews first. The same survey found that…

With dozens of SEO podcasts vying for your attention, choosing the right one(s) can be overwhelming. That’s why we’ve curated a list of the best SEO podcasts. To help you navigate the world of SEO and stay on top of the latest industry news. Our Head of SEO, Leigh McKenzie, also reached out to the community on LinkedIn to share their favorite episodes and insights gained from these podcasts. Let’s check out what people picked and discuss what you can learn from each podcast. TL;DR: The Top SEO Podcasts Podcast name Ideal for SERP’s Up Beginner SEOs, agencies, and digital marketers The Search Engine Journal Show Those looking for a long podcast series (300+ episodes) Search with Candour Beginner and intermediate-level SEOs to learn from unique perspectives Crawling Mondays Those looking for hands-on guidance through a video podcast The SEO Rant Those looking for personal opinions and unfiltered takes on the SEO industry The SEO Show Beginners and intermediate professionals looking for expert interviews and live Q&A sessions The Authority Hacker Podcast Those looking for a mix of topics within and beyond the SEO industry The SEO Mindset Those looking to learn from the personal experiences and growth stories of fellow SEOs 1. SERP’s Up Hosted by: Mordy Oberstein and Crystal Carter Frequency: Weekly Notable guests: Barry Schwartz, Cindy Krum, Kevin Indig, Barry Adams, Lily Ray, Marcus Tober Podcast format: Co-hosted with guest interviews Average episode time: Around 45-50 minutes SERP’s Up is the brainchild of Mordy Oberstein and Crystal Carter, two key figures in Wix’s SEO leadership team. With over 100 episodes (and a new one dropping every week), the podcast covers diverse subjects from the ever-evolving world of SEO. You can tune into intriguing expert-led conversations, such as Kevin Indig’s discussion of Google’s crucial SERP features. Or Zoe…

We analyzed the organic traffic growth of 1,600 SaaS companies to discover the SEO strategies that work best in 2024. In this article, we’re focusing on bootstrapped software companies—those who have never raised external funding. All SEO data featured here comes piping hot from the Ahrefs API. 2. BuiltWith (+2.6M pageviews) BuiltWith is a tool for discovering the technologies companies use to use to build their websites. BuiltWith has an estimated annual revenue of $31,000,000. BuiltWith 2023 2024 Absolute change Percent change Organic traffic 526,880 3,149,986 2,623,106 497.86% Organic pages 81,615 93,716 12,101 14.83% Organic keywords 126,541 111,371 -15,170 -11.99% Keywords in top 3 4,538 4,307 -231 -5.09% The biggest single driver of BuiltWith’s growth is the addition of a Korean language subfolder, builtwith.com/ko, housing localized versions of 191 website pages: Other language subfolders (particularly /de, /es, and /fr) also generate a decent amount of traffic: 3. Ahrefs (+2.1M pageviews) Oh hey, that’s us! Ahrefs is a powerful all-in-one SEO toolset, and the source of all the SEO data in this article. Ahrefs 2023 2024 Absolute change Percent change Organic traffic 2,171,168 4,271,413 2,100,245 96.73% Organic pages 4,522 18,982 14,460 319.77% Organic keywords 225,855 231,761 5,906 2.61% Keywords in top 3 14,291 20,618 6,327 44.27% We don’t need conjecture here. Our free AI writing tools are responsible for a big part of our organic traffic growth: Our paragraph rewriter (113k visits per month), paraphrasing tool (99k), and instagram caption generator (73k) are particularly popular: Try them out for yourselves here: https://ahrefs.com/writing-tools. We also launched a programmatic SEO campaign, using Ahrefs data to rank the world’s most popular websites: The localized versions of these pages—particularly Swedish and French—account for the majority of the traffic: 4. Surfshark (+519k pageviews) Surfshark is a VPN tool with an estimated annual revenue of $20,000,000. Surfshark 2023 2024 Absolute…

Google’s AI Overviews are a search feature that uses generative AI to provide quick answers directly in search results. Here’s what it looks like: We’ve spent many hours studying AI Overviews since they were announced on May 14, 2024. And we’ve analyzed what their introduction means for the world of SEO. In this (evolving) article, we cover: What AI Overviews are How AI Overviews affect SEO How you can optimize for AI Overviews We’ll keep updating our findings as AI Overviews continue to develop. What Are AI Overviews? AI Overviews are AI-generated summaries of results for your search query. They appear above the traditional organic search results. And can be before or after paid results (ads), depending on the query. AI Overviews vary in layout. And they can appear as mini-articles, tables, or lists. For example, when you search “what is SEO,” you’ll see a concise overview. This overview includes link cards—clickable links to websites used to generate the AI-generated summary. Or provide information on related topics and queries. But AI Overviews aren’t limited to simple queries. They can also answer complex, multi-faceted questions in a single step. For example, if you search “best cities for tech startups with low cost of living in the U.S.”, the AI Overview checks for a few things at once: Cities suitable for tech startups Low cost of living Located in the United States Ranking or comparison of options (i.e., which is “best”) Instead of making you search each of these separately, AI Overviews provide an answer that covers all these points. It understands and responds to your specific, detailed query—without needing you to break it down. Let’s see this in action with a travel-related query: “5 day travel itinerary in Andalucia Spain” You get a complete, day-by-day plan directly in the results: You…

I asked 11 of SEO’s own headline acts to share their best advice for aspiring speakers. Here’s their personal roadmap for speaking on the biggest stages, building your personal brand, and even getting flown around the world on someone else’s dollar. 5. Practice public speaking Public speaking is a skill like any other, something that can be improved and developed. Many of SEO’s biggest names still make time to practice, via training, studying famous speakers, or just simply workshopping their presentations out loud: I highly recommend doing speaker training. You can pick up some great tactics to make your speaking better. I paid for speaker training from my team with the organiser of Ted X, and it was extremely valuable.  Limit the desire to study marketing speakers for inspiration. Instead, study the greatest orators and comedians of all time to better understand how to tell a story that captivates and hooks an audience.  Practice your full talk out loud at least once before you present. This is probably the number one most important rule I’ve learned as a speaker – you need to formulate the sentences out loud a few times for the talk to become muscle memory. Want to learn from the best speakers in the world? 2 days in sunny Singapore (Oct 24–25) 500 digital marketing enthusiasts 18 top speakers from around the world Learn more and buy tickets. 6. Do interesting things There’s a Ryan Holiday quote about writing that I regularly share with my team, and it applies equally here: if you want to be a good speaker, “go do interesting things.” You don’t have to be a world-class orator if you share an interesting idea and jump straight to the good stuff. Having something interesting to say is critical, in my opinion. I go to lots of conferences where…

You might have heard of website crawling before — you may even have a vague idea of what it’s about — but do you know why it’s important, or what differentiates it from web crawling? (yes, there is a difference!)  Search engines are increasingly ruthless when it comes to the quality of the sites they allow into the search results. If you don’t grasp the basics of optimizing for web crawlers (and eventual users), your organic traffic may well pay the price. A good website crawler can show you how to protect and even enhance your site’s visibility. Here’s what you need to know about both web crawlers and site crawlers. How do web crawlers actually work? There are roughly seven stages to web crawling: 1. URL Discovery When you publish your page (e.g. to your sitemap), the web crawler discovers it and uses it as a ‘seed’ URL. Just like seeds in the cycle of germination, these starter URLs allow the crawl and subsequent crawling loops to begin. 2. Crawling After URL discovery, your page is scheduled and then crawled. Content like meta tags, images, links, and structured data are downloaded to the search engine’s servers, where they await parsing and indexing. 3. Parsing Parsing essentially means analysis. The crawler bot extracts the data it’s just crawled to determine how to index and rank the page. 3a. The URL Discovery Loop Also during the parsing phase, but worthy of its own subsection, is the URL discovery loop. This is when newly discovered links (including links discovered via redirects) are added to a queue of URLs for the crawler to visit. These are effectively new ‘seed’ URLs, and steps 1–3 get repeated as part of the ‘URL discovery loop’. 4. Indexing While new URLs are being discovered, the original URL gets indexed. Indexing…

Search traffic isn’t just a metric — it’s a business model. Companies like HubSpot, Nerdwallet, and Zapier have built multimillion dollar empires on it.  I’ve personally witnessed a gaming brand use search share of voice data to justify a $60M acquisition and market expansion. The bottom line is: search rankings and revenue are intrinsically linked. That’s why SERP volatility, even down to the keyword level, can make a huge dent in business value. Think about it: a law firm ranking for a high-value keyword ($75 CPC) would have to shell out $186K a month on ads if their organic visibility halved, just to keep revenue steady. Sidenote. Ahrefs calculates a unique CTR for every single keyword, to give the most accurate page-level traffic figures. For the purpose of this example, however, we’ve used a generic position 2 CTR to work out traffic and value on the keyword level.  Now imagine that multiplied across tens, if not hundreds of equally valuable keywords. That’s the cost of SERP volatility. What is SERP volatility? SERP volatility refers to the degree of fluctuation in Google’s search results. In volatile SERPs, different pages shift in and out of the top 10, while stable SERPs stay relatively steady over time. SERP flux is an inevitability. You’ll experience it across all pages on your site to various extents, and, yes, even “stable” SERPs experience a level of volatility. In the words of Google’s Senior Search Analyst, John Mueller …there is no one-shot secret to long-lasting online success. Even if you find something that works now, the web, user desires, and how they engage with websites changes. It’s really hard to make good, popular, persistent things. The reality is, Google is always testing and indexing to better meet searcher needs. When the SERPs are volatile, it’s a sign Google is…

Looking for a more reliable way to check the SERPs without spending a dime? Each of these free tools allows you to check rankings in different locations, without “contaminating” the results with Google’s personalization algorithm. SERP tracking with SEO Toolbar The SEO toolbar allows you to set the language and country and de-personalize your results when searching on Google. It works as a browser extension that can be added to Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. Set the country, Google’s local domain, language, and device to show the kind of SERP you want to check. Then, simply click on the local search icon to turn the SERP simulation on or off. For users with an Ahrefs subscription, the toolbar also shows relevant SEO data, such as the keyword’s traffic potential, the site’s domain rating, or traffic to the page, which can be useful for other SEO tactics like link building. These features are only a portion of the toolbar’s functionality. You can find out more and get the tool here. SERP tracking with Ahrefs Webmaster Tools Ahrefs Webmaster Tools (AWT) is a free tool for monitoring site health and tracking all your backlinks and keywords with actionable SEO metrics. You can use AWT to see which keywords bring your traffic, where you rank for those keywords, and which pages rank for them. The tool has a number of convenient data filters. For example, you can track keywords in the top 10, keywords that contain a specific phrase, or keywords from a specific page on your site. You can also check your rankings in SERP features and switch countries. Get AWT for free here. Set up a project (only for the sites where you can verify ownership). Click on the organic keywords card on the Dashboard. You will see your keywords, your ranking, and which page…

Want to win new business with your next SEO proposal? Let me show you how. In this article, I’ll explain what an SEO proposal is and how to craft it to win over the prospective client. I’ll share my SEO proposal template based on my agency experience and tips from the SEO pros to give you the edge in your next SEO proposal. What is an SEO proposal? An SEO proposal is a document (usually slides) that outlines services an SEO agency or consultant intends to provide to improve a website’s Google rankings—for a fee. It has two functions: first, as a persuasive sales pitch, and second, as a blueprint for the proposed SEO work. An SEO proposal is your manifesto for improving the SEO of the client’s website. It’s used to close business—so it needs to be persuasive. So, what does a good proposal look like? Good SEO proposals – Clearly communicate the scope of work, prioritize important issues, and provide the SEO services required at an appropriate price Bad SEO proposals – Misunderstand the brief, communicate poorly, don’t provide the required SEO services at an appropriate price In short, to stay on the winning side, you must balance these three things against each other. What should you include in an SEO proposal? Every website has unique SEO challenges, so every detail of an SEO proposal cannot be templated. Your input is still required to create an SEO proposal to convince prospective clients to do business with you. However, having looked at many SEO proposals over the years from working in various SEO agencies, there’s a structure that I’ve seen in many SEO proposals: Title card Introduction Brief Insights and recommendations Project timeline Pricing I’ve converted this structure into an SEO proposal template below, which you can quickly modify for your next pitch. You can…

SEO content is content optimized to rank high on search engines. I’ve created plenty of them in my career. In fact, I’ve written 1. Target a topic with search traffic potential If we want to acquire search traffic, we need to target topics that people are searching for on Google. In this case, I’m targeting the keyword “seo content creation”. How do I know people are searching for this keyword? Well, according to Ahrefs’ Keywords Explorer, this keyword has a search volume of 500 and a traffic potential of 1,100. A search volume of 500 means on average, there are 500 searches per month for this keyword on Google. And a Traffic Potential (TP) of 1,100 means I could potentially acquire 1,100 monthly search traffic from targeting this keyword, if I manage to rank #1 on Google. Sidenote. Why the discrepancy? That’s because there are many ways to search for the same thing. Google understands that and ranks nearly the same pages for all variations. Therefore, your page could potentially rank for these different keywords and generate search traffic from all of them. How did I find this keyword? I found it by analyzing what our competitors were ranking for. After all, if they rank for it, it’s likely relevant to us and something we can potentially rank for too. To find what our competitors rank for, I entered our competitor’s website into Ahrefs’ Site Explorer and went to the Top pages report. This report shows which pages on our competitor’s website get the most organic search traffic. For example, SEMRush’s page on competitive analysis ranks for ~3,000 keywords and gets an estimated total of 24,000 monthly search visits. The #1 keyword sending them the most search traffic is “analyse competitors”, which they rank for in position one. I went through the…

Google may be the king of search engines. But even kings have their flaws. Despite its immense popularity, Google isn’t perfect. Google’s dominance in the search engine market and data monopoly raises serious privacy concerns among users. And those frequent algorithm updates can wreak havoc on website rankings. Recently, Google’s AI Overviews even suggested adding glue to pizza as a solution to “cheese not sticking to pizza.” Crazy, right? If these issues have led you to seek alternate search engines, we’ve curated 11 popular options to explore. Instead of Google. Let’s get started. 1. Bing: Best for Searching with Microsoft Copilot Visit: https://www.bing.com/ Monthly domain traffic: 3.5B+ Traffic distribution: Desktop 44.93%, Mobile 55.07% Actively used in: U.S., China, India, Germany, and U.K. Created by Microsoft, Bing is one of the biggest Google alternatives. With nearly 4% of the search engine market share, Bing has 100 million daily active users. This search platform integrates with other Microsoft products like Office and Windows. You can also download the Bing app on your Windows device to run a search query anytime. Why You’ll Like Bing What gives Bing an edge over other search engines is a built-in AI-powered chatbot, Copilot. Optimizing your content for Copilot can help you reach more people. How? For every search query, Copilot shares a few links it used as a reference. This means if your blog post is one of those links, more users will see and visit your content. Comparatively, Google hasn’t integrated Gemini into its search engine. Meanwhile, Bing lets you instantly chat with Copilot to: Ask any question Send a voice query Create AI-generated art Bing’s user interface is another one of its biggest differentiators. Unlike Google’s one-line search box, Bing gives you a bigger box to type your query in 2,000 characters. It also…

In-house SEO refers to the practice of managing and executing search engine optimization strategies using a company’s internal resources, rather than outsourcing to an external agency. There’s a long-term trend of companies bringing SEO programs and expertise in-house. Companies usually want someone who is invested in the long-term success of the company and who can collaborate closely with other teams in a way that is difficult for external agencies to do. Here’s what it’s like to work in an in-house role. Making the transition in-house There’s more than one way to make the transition from an agency to an in-house position. People take different paths and companies look for different things. I’d say there are 3 main things you can do that might help: Shoot your shot. Apply to multiple roles and hope you get lucky. Work on skilling up. You could specialize in a certain skill, or you could go wide and know a little about a lot. Both of these are valuable for a company. I would say that keeping up-to-date with the industry is also important. These are mostly hard skills, but soft skills like communication are also extremely important for in-house roles. You need to speak the right language to be able to get buy-in and create effective reports. Network. Make friends with SEOs at other companies. Go to SEO meetups or SEO conferences. These professional connections often give you that “in”, or that break you need to make the transition in-house. Benefits of in-house SEO for people & for the company There are many reasons SEOs may want to work in-house instead of an agency. Some of those include: More money. Businesses can have higher margins than agencies. Services in general are rate and hour limited compared to other types of businesses. Better work-life balance. Agencies usually work…

In the United States, the median cost of SEO services is $1,501-$2,000 per month. This is according to our Keyword research: ~$200-$500 Keyword research is the process of finding what people type into search engines like Google to look for the products, services, and information you offer. Do I need this service? Yes. Without keyword research, you’re going in blind. You have no idea what people are searching for or what you should be trying to rank for. Remember, ranking for things nobody searches for is pointless, as you’ll get no traffic even if you rank #1. How much will it cost? It’s hard to give an exact figure, but probably around $200-$500 for a quality service. This is based on our testing of three keyword research gigs on Fiverr a couple of years ago. They cost $15, $80 and $150 respectively and none of them were great. Sam, Patrick, and I each blindly reviewed them and even the top-scoring gig only scored 5/10. The problem here is the same as with SEO audits: many people just send you an overwhelming list of thousands of keywords exported from an SEO tool like Ahrefs. Here’s me literally making that point in the video: It seems counterintuitive, but less is more with keyword research gigs because you want something you can actually take action on—not a huge list of random keywords. For example, a big part of keyword research is understanding what searchers are looking for (i.e., search intent). This is extremely important to know because you need to give searchers what they want to stand the best chance at ranking. How would an SEO professional figure this out? By looking for commonalities in the search results… For example, the results for “golf clubs” are all ecommerce category pages promising the lowest prices: This tells…

An SEO roadmap is where high-level objectives trickle down to project-level prioritization. Complete with all the context, tactics, and timelines to bring your strategy to life. Because having a solid SEO strategy is great. But without a plan to put things into action, it’s just a vision board. Below, I’ll break down why an SEO roadmap is such an important tool and how it can benefit your business at large. Then, I’ll walk through how to build, prioritize, and plot your own roadmap. What Is an SEO Roadmap? An SEO roadmap is the place to plan, schedule, and prioritize the work your SEO strategy requires. More than a simple to-do list, it’s a detailed picture painted with tactics, tasks, and timelines. Your SEO roadmap illustrates how your team will balance and work on key SEO opportunities. It might look something like this: Why Every Domain Needs an SEO Roadmap Every business has unique priorities. And an SEO roadmap helps you stick to them by: Connecting SEO work to broader business goals Empowering informed, cross-functional collaboration Streamlining SEO in the best way to maximize ROI An SEO roadmap benefits stakeholders across teams by making it clear why each item matters. In addition to showing how the team will complete each task. For team and business leaders, it shows the rationale behind decisions. At the same time, it streamlines communication and execution for contributors. Basically, any team member with a vested interest in (or connection to) SEO should have access to your roadmap. Linking the Marketing and Engineering Teams One big thing to call out is that it’s generally the main documentation informing collaboration between the Marketing and Product & Engineering teams. It helps translate SEO work into the larger development roadmap by making it easy to understand the level of effort…

Have you ever wondered how to find keywords on a website? Or, why it’s so crucial for your online business success? This method is easy to overlook. But it’s a powerful way to find valuable insights about your competitors. Find fresh content ideas. Or, locate the specific information you need. At Backlinko, we track how often people find our site through specific keywords. For instance, if “website audit” attracts many visitors but few clicks, it indicates we need to enhance our content on this topic to draw more visitors. So, we can search our website for keywords. This reveals what content we already have on that topic. Like this: By searching for keywords on our site, we identify existing content and areas for improvement. This article will guide you on using this method to boost your rankings and attract more organic traffic. Why Search a Website for Keywords? Searching a website for keywords can help you quickly find certain information. Whether it’s on your site or someone else’s. For example, you can: Search a website for a certain quote or statistics Access relevant articles, blog posts, guides, or product pages within a website Find a specific keyword on a relevant website for potential outreach and link building Learn how your competitors are covering certain topics Explore new topics and keywords to add to your content strategy How to Search for Keywords on a Website Searching a website for keywords can be done in various ways, depending on your goals and the type of information you’re seeking. Here are five methods you can try. 1. Use Search Operators Google lets you laser-focus your search to find what you’re looking for on any website. Let’s explore some shortcuts—also known as search operators—which are special commands that extend the capabilities of regular text…

As the web fills inexorably with AI slop, searchers and search engines are becoming more skeptical of content, brands, and publishers. Thanks to generative AI, it’s the easiest it’s ever been to create, distribute, and find information. But thanks to the bravado of LLMs and the recklessness of many publishers, it’s fast becoming the hardest it’s ever been to tell the difference between genuine, good information and regurgitated, bad information. This one-two punch is changing how Google and searchers alike filter information, choosing to distrust brands and publishers by default. We’re moving from a world where trust had to be lost, to one where it has to be earned. As SEOs and marketers, our number one job is to escape the “default blocklist” and earn a spot on the allowlist. The default blocklist Hitting the “boost” button for big brands may be a temporary measure from Google while it improves its algorithms, but even so, I think this is reflective of a broader shift. As Bernard Huang from Clearscope phrased it in a webinar we ran together: “I think with the era of the internet and now infinite content, we’re moving towards a society where a lot of people are default blocklisting everything and I will choose to allowlist, you know the Superpath community or Ryan Law on Twitter… As a way to continue to get content that they deem to be high-signal or trustworthy, they’re turning towards communities and influencers.” In the pre-AI era, brands were trusted by default. They had to actively violate trust to become blocklisted (publishing something untrustworthy, or making an obvious factual inaccuracy): But today, with most brands racing to pump out AI slop, the safest stance is simply to assume that every new brand encountered is guilty of the same sin—until proven otherwise. In…

Keyword relevance is a key part of Google Search, including both organic and paid search results. It helps make sure that the results Google shows are directly related to what people are searching for and match their needs. Google determines relevance in search results by understanding the intent behind user queries, considering exact and related keyword matches, and analyzing user engagement with pages. It also takes into account factors like internal links, localization, personalization, and whether the content is up-to-date. Think of relevance as the bedrock of your content. First and foremost, your content needs to align with the meaning of the query and the reason why someone could be searching for it. You can also use SEO techniques to improve the relevance of your content and get more traffic. 7 confirmed keyword relevance signals used by Google  Keyword relevance is more than just matching words. Google uses at least these seven different factors to decide not just if any given page is relevant, but how relevant it is. Make sure your content checks all the right boxes. The intent behind the query. Google aims to understand what users want when they search. If your content is about the topic but not in a way that would fulfill the needs of the user, it’s simply less relevant to the user (source) Exact keyword matches. Content containing the same words as the search query is considered relevant. However, Google doesn’t rely solely on exact matches (source). Other relevant keywords and content. Beyond exact matches, Google looks for related words and media such as videos or pictures. If a page covers a topic comprehensively, it’s likely to include relevant terms (source). Searchers’ behavioral data. If users engage with a page they found in the SERPs, it indicates relevance (source). Links. External and internal links…

Creating an SEO reporting dashboard is often an easier way to share your SEO performance results than a text-heavy SEO report. So, what’s the best way to create one? The type of dashboard you create often depends on who you’re making it for—your own website, a small business, or an enterprise business. In this article, I’ll explain the basics of SEO reporting dashboards and how to tailor them for your particular audience. What is an SEO reporting dashboard? An SEO reporting dashboard is a visual interface that displays key performance indicators (KPIs) and other metrics that show a website’s SEO performance in search engines like Google. Its main job is to communicate SEO performance over time. Here’s an example of what an SEO reporting dashboard looks like for Ahrefs.com. Ahrefs’ Looker Studio Integration – Site Explorer Template In the above example, we can see the results are positive because the line chart goes up, and the KPI comparisons are also mostly green, showing positive yearly growth. This is the power of an effective SEO reporting dashboard—you can instantly communicate SEO performance at-a-glance. What should you include in an SEO reporting dashboard? The simple answer is anything you want. But it’s best to include SEO metrics that matter to the website you‘re reporting on. This could include metrics like: Clicks Sessions Click-through-rate (CTR) Conversions Conversion rate (CR) Organic Traffic Average Position Referring domains And so on… Let’s simplify this further. At the most basic level, there are two core elements you should include in an SEO reporting dashboard: Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) – KPIs can be anything that is important to report on for your business and could include conversions, revenue, leads, orders, or any other SEO metrics Organic traffic performance chart – Tracking your traffic performance across the year So, how can you…

Redirects send users and search engines from one URL to another automatically. For example, when you try to visit https://backlinko.com/hub/youtube/position (which has a redirect) it will take you to https://backlinko.com/hub/youtube/positioning instead. Redirects guide users and search engines from outdated URLs to current, relevant content. This improves the user experience. Preserves your hard-earned backlinks. And helps search engines crawl and index your site more efficiently. Bottom line: Redirects can help you manage your website structure and improve your SEO. When you use them correctly, that is. In this guide, you’ll learn: What redirects are How to implement redirects the right way Best practices for using redirects When to Use Redirects Websites change and grow. And if you have a website, there’ll likely come a time when you’ll need to add a redirect. Let’s look at some examples of when you might need them. Moving a Website (Site Migration) Site migrations typically require redirects, particularly in the following situations: Changing Domain Names If you’re switching from www.oldsite.com to www.newsite.com, each page from the old site should point to its exact counterpart on the new domain. This ensures anyone trying to access one of your old pages still lands on the relevant version on the new website. For more guidance on this topic, check out our website migration checklist. Content Management System (CMS) Changes Different content management systems may organize web addresses differently. For example, if you move from WooCommerce (WordPress) to Shopify, some of your URLs will likely change. Shopify uses /collections for categories. So yoursite.com/category/mens-clothing would become yoursite.com/collections/mens-clothing on Shopify. Without implementing redirects, users and search engines might have a hard time finding your new pages. International Expansion Another type of website migration that may require the use of redirects is when you move to a different (country code) top-level domain….

Social media is evolving fast, with platforms like Threads and Noplace leading the charge. Check out these 13 new social networks making waves in 2024. Let’s dive right in! 1. Noplace Website: https://www.thenoplace.com/ Released: July 2024 HQ: San Francisco, California Users: No data available Funding: $19 million Description: Noplace is a new social media platform aimed at a Gen Z audience. Referred to as a “mashup of Twitter and Myspace for Gen Z”, it’s a colorful social app focused on text updates. Users can create customized profiles (change background colors, add tags) and find new friends based on common interests. App experience offers 2 feeds, one global feed which is the same for everyone on the app, and another personalized with friends only. 2. Ten Ten Website: https://tenten.app/ Released: September 2022 HQ: Paris, France Users: No data available Funding: No data available Description: Ten Ten is a walkie-talkie app designed for teen audiences to send voice messages to their close friends. Ten Ten hit 6 million downloads on Google Play in 6 months since its app release (its Android app was released in January 2024) Reveal any company’s website traffic Spy on your competitors’, prospects’, and potential partners’ website traffic. 3. BeReal Website: https://bereal.com/ Released: January 2020 HQ: Paris, France Users: 25 million Funding: $90 million Description: BeReal works as a photo-sharing app, allowing users to post one unfiltered photo per day to show their activities to their followers. The app alerts users randomly during the day to post a picture in 2 minutes. 12% of young adults ages 18 to 29 in the US report using BeReal. 4. Threads Website: https://www.threads.net/ Released: July 2023 HQ: Menlo Park, California Users: 175 million Funding: Owned by the publicly traded company (Meta) Description: Threads is a new social media platform from Meta…

SEO managers are responsible for developing the strategy to improve a website’s search visibility and organic traffic. But what exactly do they do? What skills and qualifications do they need? And how can you become one? To find out, I looked through 52 SEO manager job listings on LinkedIn and asked a few actual SEO managers. Sidenote. I only focused on job descriptions that asked for “SEO manager.” That means no “SEO account manager,” “technical SEO manager,” and the like. (Though job listings for Senior SEO Managers were included.)  Who hires SEO managers? Both agencies and companies hire SEO managers, but the data suggests that it’s most commonly an in-house position. Only 10.7% of the job listings I analyzed were for roles in agencies. I’m actually not entirely sure why this is. My best guess is that SEO agencies aren’t always structured in a way that requires an “SEO manager.” For example, here’s how SEO agency Bubblegum Search structures their team: This is known as a pod structure and, as you can see, there’s no SEO manager in the picture. Here’s their founder and director, Matt Cayless, explaining why they use this structure: Each client is matched with a pod consisting of an account manager, an SEO specialist, and an outreach specialist. This ensures that the client receives a well-rounded service, with each member bringing their unique expertise to the table. Further reading How much does an SEO manager make? 75.1% of US SEO managers make $100,000-$159,999. Roughly half of those make $120,000-$139,999. About the data It was surprisingly difficult to get figures for this because the job listings gave a unique salary range rather than a single figure—some of which were huge! For example, the salary range for this job is $111,000-$185,000: That’s a range of $74,000. Madness! So, the data you see…

Building links is difficult. Which is why it’s so frustrating when hard-earned links disappear without warning. Sadly, this happens all the time. Here’s a screenshot of a link to Ahrefs’ Content Explorer in an article by Copy.ai: This is a nice link from a page on a site with a Domain Rating (DR) of 93. But take a look at that article now. The link is no more. It’s gone. That would sure be a nice link to reclaim, right? Yes. It would. The same goes for the hundreds of other links we’ve lost in the past couple of months. Which is where link reclamation comes in. What is link reclamation? Link reclamation is the process of reclaiming lost links. You had a link. You lost it. You want it back. So you take steps to try to reclaim it. What steps, I hear you ask? It depends why you lost the link in the first place. Here are four common reasons for link losses: Link removed. The author removes your link from the linking page Linking page deleted. The linking page no longer exists (404 error) Linking page redirected. The linking page gets (301) redirected Linking page noindexed. The linking page is no longer indexed in Google* I’ve starred (*) that last reason because it’s not not technically a lost link. It still exists. But because the page isn’t indexed, it probably isn’t going to be as valuable. Understanding the nuances associated with each “reason” is the key to taking action to reclaim the links. Keep reading to learn how. Link reclamation vs. claiming unlinked brand mentions Here is an unlinked mention: Ahrefs is cited, but there’s no link. You could argue that this should be a link. In which case, attempting to convert this to a linked mention would be a form of link reclamation, right? Before…

In this post, you’ll learn the 10 most important types of keywords to improve your SEO. Keyword Type Examples 1. Seed keywords Books, cars, digital marketing 2. Informational keywords How to change a tire, what is SEO 3. Commercial keywords Best CRM software, compare MacBooks 4. Transactional keywords Book a hotel room, buy Nike shoes 5. Navigational keywords Youtube login, Facebook 6. Long Tail keywords Slow Wi-Fi connection on MacBook Pro 7. Short Tail keywords Off-page SEO, gardening tips 8. Primary keywords Healthy recipes 9. Secondary keywords “Healthy dinner recipes” for a page about healthy recipes 10. Geotargeted keywords Vinyl record store in New York We’ll show you how these types of keywords can help shape your SEO strategy. So that your content attracts more visitors to your website. Let’s get started. 1. Seed Keywords Seed keywords are short and generic words or phrases related to your business. While you may target seed keywords directly, they’re really the starting point for your later keyword research efforts. They typically have high search volumes and high competition. How to Find Seed Keywords To come up with your own seed keywords, think about the core aspects of your business, industry, product, or service. And brainstorm ideas you can use as starting points to find more keywords. For example, if you’re a mechanic with your own garage, you might come up with the following seed keywords: Mechanic Garage Auto repair Tire fitting Windshields You can also use keyword tools to find more seed keywords. For example, imagine you sold bullet journals and wanted to use content marketing to drive more traffic to your online store. You could use Answer The Public to get lots of seed keyword ideas for further keyword research. Or use Semrush’s Keyword Magic Tool, filtering for keywords containing just 1-2…

Whether you are working in-house at an enterprise company or you’re an agency working with enterprise clients, you’ll find that navigating the corporate landscape is complex. You may know exactly what the company needs to do in order to be successful, but actually getting things done can be a challenge.  One person’s challenge is another person’s opportunity. Being able to cut through red tape and get things implemented is a super power. Here are challenges you’ll need to overcome to be successful in the world of enterprise SEO. Getting buy-in for SEO projects If the company you’re working with doesn’t see the value of SEO, you’ll lose resources and prioritization to whatever the company considers more important. You need to constantly be selling SEO to everyone. Here are a few ways to do that. Align your SEO objectives with company goals You want to do things that have an impact and align with business goals. You should set your SEO objective and key results (OKRs) in a way that you and the business both get what you want. For example, many businesses have goals to improve revenue from their top products. If you have a project you want to do, like creating some new content around core topics, aligning it to these top products is your best bet at getting buy-in. Make a business case The mistake I see many SEOs making with this is that they think things should be done just because they’re a best practice or Google says they should do it. At enterprise scale, trying to do low-level tasks that don’t have much upside potential can waste resources without having much impact. My best tip is to equate projects to revenue, or as close as you can get to it with some other value metric. For example, I’ve…

Looking for a competitor analysis tool that does it all? Well, they’re a bit pricey. They can cost about $1000 per seat or $10000 per annual contract, plus set-up fees apply in some cases. I’m sure these tools are great, and that price tag is perfectly reasonable for enterprise-level businesses, but for many businesses out there, that’s out of reach.  So what are the competitor analysis tools for the “rest of us”? Here’s a selection of excellent tools that offer the same functionalities as these enterprise-level solutions, and more, for under $300 each or even for free: Competitors App — best budget tool for all-in-one competitor monitoring. This tool will keep you notified of content published by your competitors, and all content about your competitors, all in one place. Price: $19.9/mo. Ahrefs — best for SEO and SEM competitor tracking and analysis. Use it for a deep dive into SEO and search ad analysis and steal traffic from your competitors’ most successful content. Price: $129/mo (Starter plan available at $29). Visualping — best UX, CRO, and website competitor monitoring. Whenever the competitor changes something on their site, you’ll be the first to know. Price: $10/mo (free plan available). Brand24 — best for social media competitive tracking and analysis. See what people like and dislike about your competitors and use it to make improvements in your product or service. Price: $99/mo. SparkToro — best for competitor audience analysis. If you want to reach your competitors’ audience, this is how you’ll find them. Price: $50/mo, free plan available. Mailcharts — best for email and SMS competitor monitoring. Copy competitors’ best ideas for newsletters, email workflows, and email blasts, and make your work easier. Price: $149/mo. vidIQ — best for YouTube competitor analysis. Grow your YouTube channel by reverse-engineering your competitors’ success. Pricing: $10/mo, free…

Buyer intent keywords (or buyer keywords, high intent keywords) are search terms that suggest a user is ready to make a purchase in the near future. These users are not just browsing; they are looking for the final piece of information to make a buying decision. Often, buyer intent keywords include words related to buying, deals, discounts, reviews, and comparisons. These keywords can suggest looking for directions to get a product or service, too. Using buyer keywords for content optimization or advertising helps you reach people who are ready to make a purchase. They generally lead to higher conversion rates and a shorter buyer journey than other types of keywords (e.g. informational keywords). High-intent keywords are often more competitive and expensive. Therefore, SEOs and marketers typically blend these with other Types and examples of buyer intent keywords Traditionally, SEOs sort buyer intent keywords into different groups. This grouping helps clarify differences between the keywords and makes organizing campaigns easier — if you’re new to the topic, this is something worth knowing. Type Example Keywords Transactional. Indicate that the user is ready to make a purchase or take a specific action, such as ordering or subscribing. order pizza, buy concert tickets, subscribe to fitness magazine Commercial. Used by users who are researching products or services before making a purchase decision. best running shoes, high-performance laptops, top eco-friendly cars Navigational. Used when a user is looking for a specific website or page. target weekly ad, wikipedia, prime login Location-based. Used by users looking for businesses, services, or products in a specific geographical area.  dentist near me, vegan Brighton, co-working spaces in Warsaw Long-tail. Get a small number of searches per month, tend to be longer and more specific.  best running shoes for cross country, budget-friendly home office chairs, tips for organic gardening in small…

SEO can become complicated real fast. Lots of processes have many moving parts and there are plenty of tasks to keep repeating. Can you automate all of these? No. It won’t end well so don’t even try. But you can automate some of them to free up time to focus on stuff that really matters, like improving your SEO strategy. Below are my top 10 favorite SEO automation tools, how they can help with common tasks, and how you can take SEO automation to the next level to automate, well… pretty much anything! 1. Keywords Explorer to help automate keyword research Keywords Explorer is a keyword research tool. Enter words and phrases related to your industry and it searches a database of 28.7 billion keywords (yes, billion!) for ideas. It’s a manual process, but the tool has some nice features to automate a few of the more tedious steps. Automate finding seed keywords with AI Seed keywords are the words and phrases you enter into a keyword research tool, which it then uses to find keyword ideas. Historically, coming up with seeds has been a manual process, but now you can automate it with AI. This is particularly useful when working in industries you don’t know so well. For example, say you’re doing research for a pizza website. You can probably think of obvious seeds like “pizza” and “mozzarella,” but you might not know the lingo beyond that. This is where it makes sense to ask AI to suggest seed keywords related to your topic. Here are the results: If you then search for those seeds and visit a keyword ideas report, you’ll see a bunch of ideas that would have otherwise slipped through the net. Automate search intent analysis with AI Search intent is a fancy way of saying “the thing searchers are looking…

What are the best marketing books? To find out, I asked 26 marketers (from Ahrefs and elsewhere) to recommend a book that influenced their marketing work. Here are their recommendations: Author: Daniel Priestley First published: 2015 Recommended by: Joshua Hardwick Here’s why Joshua recommends this book: “It’s one of those books where the lessons seem obvious in hindsight. You’re reading it thinking “ohhh…. Obviously! Why didn’t I think of that before.” For example, one of the key lessons is that you need to know your business’s capacity (how many clients/customers you can serve), then create more demand for your offering than that. In this way, you will always be ‘oversubscribed’ and will be able to pick and choose who you want to work with. It also gives super actionable advice rather than theoretical mumbo jumbo. Daniel literally explains how to build demand for your business in ways you can actually put into practice.” Author: Robert B. Cialdini First published: 1984 Recommended by: Ryan Law, Nick Churick Here’s why Ryan and Nick recommend this book: “I think ‘persuasion’ is the ultimate goal of everything we do in content marketing. We want people to believe in our opinions, trust in our judgment, and assume that the methods and processes we share actually work. However, most content marketers are scared to actively persuade people and to try to advocate for their ideas. They end up usually just dumping rote information on the page in a take-it-or-leave-it kind of way. Influence is a classic for a very good reason: It talks through six different tools in the persuasion toolkit (reciprocity, scarcity, authority, commitment and consistency, liking, and consensus) and shows how real people apply them in everyday life. It’s very easy to turn the book’s ideas into better marketing.” “Because marketing equals understanding people, predicting their behavior…

Quillbot is a great tool for paraphrasing, summarizing, and translating content. It can also help you identify and fix grammatical mistakes, spot AI-generated content, and detect plagiarism. However, despite a lot of available features, Quillbot can fall short for some. This is for a variety of reasons: Not-so-perfect accuracy: Sometimes, the paraphrased or summarized content is not as accurate or coherent as expected Word choices: When paraphrasing, Quillbot sometimes uses difficult words, which makes the content even harder to read Context understanding: At times, Quillbot struggles to understand the context of complex sentences Manual intervention: Quillbot paraphrases sentences and even offers automatic suggestions (which you can accept or discard), but you still need to make manual changes if you want your sentences to sound natural and easy to ready So, if Quillbot isn’t cutting it for you, we’ve shortlisted the 15 best alternatives of Quillbot to create high-impact content. Short on time? Here are our top five picks: Quillbot Alternative Best For Standout Feature ChatGPT Prompt-based research and content creation Create your own GPTs trained on custom data and instructions SEO Writing Assistant Optimizing your content for SEO Targeted suggestions to improve content across four categories Wordtune AI-powered creative writing suggestions Built-in prompts to write and refine content Grammarly Writing grammatically accurate content Integrates with 500,000+ tools and platforms for in-app suggestions Writesonic Unifying content creation workflows Create content in textual, audio, and visual formats Read on for a breakdown of the full list. 1. ChatGPT: Best for Prompt-Based Research and Content Creation G2 Rating 4.7/5 stars (500+ reviews) Capterra Rating 4.6/5 stars (40+ reviews) Pricing Free plan, Plus at $20/month, Team at $25/month/user, Enterprise at custom pricing ChatGPT is one of the most popular AI writing generators. And a promising Quillbot alternative. The tool offers a simple chat-based interface,…

Want to learn about the state of blogging in 2024? What are the benefits of blogging to businesses? What are the most popular blogging formats? Keep reading as we will cover answers to these questions and more with a curated list of 29 up-to-date blogging statistics to know in 2024. Click for a specific section: General Blogging Statistics 76% of B2C marketers claim to have used blogs to distribute content in the past 12 months, making it the 2nd most popular distribution channel behind organic social media (Content Marketing Institute) 79% of B2B marketers use blogs to distribute content (Content Marketing Institute) An estimated 6 million blog posts are published every day (WebTribunal) The total number of bloggers worldwide stands at 104 million, including 32 million in the US alone (WebTribunal) Users create around 70 million posts on WordPress alone (WordPress) Tumblr hosts more than 600 million blogs (Tumblr) 83% of internet users claim to read blogs at least once a month (HubSpot) Social media (92%), email marketing (67%) and SEO (66%) are the most popular channels to promote blog content (Orbit Media) Benefits of Blogging Statistics Do blogs drive results? What’s the performance of blogs compared to other channels? Check out these stats on the benefits of blogging. 82% of bloggers report at least “some results” from their blogs. 26% of respondents claim blogs deliver “strong marketing results”. (Orbit Media) Bloggers who add video or audio report more commonly “strong results” with their blog performance – 34% and 38%, respectively vs. an average of 26% (Orbit Media) 44% of surveyed tech marketers say blog as a distribution channel produces the best results for their organization, more than email or organic social media platforms (Content Marketing Institute) 70% of marketers say blog posts are the most effective content type when…

If done well, SEO (search engine optimization) can send thousands of targeted visitors to your website every month. This turns your site from an afterthought into an asset that generates leads and sales. Backlinko started as a simple personal blog in 2012, publishing one or two posts per month. In the first two years, our traffic grew from a few hundred monthly visitors to several thousand. Now it generates over 680K monthly sessions, with 74% coming from organic searches. It has taken over a decade to reach this point, but our approach to SEO has remained consistent. It’s always been about helpful content, thoughtful user experience, strong branding, and earning quality backlinks. This article covers how to do SEO for your website in 10 digestible steps. And recommended tools along the way (some free and some paid). We interviewed Andrew Peluso, owner of Bananas Marketing Agency, for his expert advice on getting started with SEO. You’ll see his tips throughout this guide to set your small business up for success. Okay, ready? Let’s start with step one. 1. Set Up Your Website If you haven’t already set up your site, it’s time to choose a platform. Choose one that matches your technical skill level and business needs. For example, many website builders offer drag-and-drop editors. Making it easier for you to design and customize sites. Here are a few options: WordPress: Best for managing all aspects of your website, including SEO Squarespace: Best for showcasing your portfolio and booking appointments Shopify: Best for building an ecommerce website with a wide range of product pages, collections, and checkout pages Wix: Best for building basic sites like portfolios, blogs, or small business websites with zero to minimal ecommerce needs Consider using WordPress as it gives you more technical flexibility to improve your…

SEO and content marketing are different marketing channels. But you don’t have to choose between them. They’re complementary. In fact, you should combine them for greater effectiveness in your marketing. How to combine SEO and content marketing (the Ahrefs’ way) How do we do what we do? Believe it or not, there’s a method to the madness. Here’s one line that summarizes our entire SEO content marketing strategy: We create and maintain high-quality, product-led, search-focused content about topics with business potential and search traffic potential. Let me break down how we combine SEO and content marketing: 1. Find topics with search traffic potential If you want to acquire search traffic, you need to target topics that your potential customers are searching for. The easiest way to find these keywords is to use a keyword tool like Ahrefs’ Keywords Explorer: Go to Keywords Explorer Enter a few broad keywords related to your site or niche Go to the Matching terms report Filter for keywords with traffic potential (TP) Sidenote. Traffic Potential is the estimated monthly organic search traffic to the top-ranking page for a keyword. Since pages tend to rank for many keywords, Traffic Potential is a more reliable estimate than search volume. Go through the report and pick out the keywords that are relevant to your site. For example, if I were an ecommerce store selling coffee equipment, this could be a potential keyword to target: 2. Score each topic’s business potential A keyword’s business potential is how easy it will be to pitch your product while covering a certain topic. It’s our ‘trade secret’—it’s why we can easily introduce our product and its features in every piece of content we create. Here’s how to score a topic’s business potential: So, taking the above example, the topic “best coffee grinder” would…

Want to meet other people interested in SEO offline? Give an SEO meetup a go. In my experience, it’s one of the best ways to meet like-minded people and provides a more relaxed, informal setting than a bustling Tips for finding new SEO meetups If you don’t live in a big city, it may be difficult to find a good meetup, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any in your local area. Here are my tips to help you find new meetups near you. Tip 1 – Use Google’s advanced search operators to uncover new meetups As new meetups pop up all the time and often without notice, it’s worth doing some digging to see what’s out there. You can just do a regular ol’ Google search, but we’re SEOs—so let’s use some advanced search operators and spice it up a bit. In this example, I searched for the phrase “meetup” in the title, plus my location and my favorite SEO tool, and it managed to uncover Tim’s tweet on our London Meetup. This is just a very basic example, and you could use any website or location, but it shows how you can uncover information about new meetups with a little research. Tip 2 – Trigger the Events SERP feature By searching for events or events near me, you can trigger the Events SERP feature. In the example below, I found a few SEO-related events by prepending “SEO” to the search. Once you’ve triggered the feature, scroll down until you find an SEO meetup that catches your eye. Tip 3 – Use Meetup to find an SEO meetup If you can’t find anything on Google then it’s a good idea to run a quick check on a specialist community platform. One of the most popular platforms is Meetup. It allows you to find events near…

Website traffic data normally looks like this: Ups and downs, peaks and troughs. If we’re doing our job properly, we generally expect traffic to trend upwards over time, but in any given month, it’s difficult to say whether a peak or a trough is worth paying attention to. Did we do something great and trigger a new phase of growth? Did we benefit from a new Google update? Or is it just normal variation, part of the natural ebb and flow of people finding our website? Or suppose you make a change to your content process—you pruned and redirected a bunch of old content—and then traffic dropped the next month. Was that drop caused by the change, or was it just a coincidence? I’ve been experimenting with a simple statistical tool designed to help answer these questions: XmR charts, also known as process control charts. XmR charts (briefly) explained Here’s an XmR chart: XmR charts are designed to tell you whether any single data point from a time series is likely to be caused by normal fluctuation (“routine variation”) or a sign that something happened and needs to be investigated (“exceptional variation”). XmR charts consist of an X plot (named after the x-value, the “thing” we care about—like widgets produced or sales closed)… …and an MR plot (named after the moving range, basically the “gap” between each data point): In its simplest use, if you plot your data on the chart and it wiggles up and down around the central line, without crossing the upper and lower bounds—no problem! These ups and downs likely represent normal variation. But any points that appear outside the upper or lower bounds (shown in red) should be treated as anomalies that need to be investigated. In the X plot above, the time series seems to show routine…

Rank tracking tools let you monitor your SEO performance over time. By tracking which keywords you’re ranking for, where you’re gaining, and where you’re losing. Backlinko.com ranks for more than 114K keywords in the US. 16K of these rank in the top 10 positions. Keeping track of the keywords we know drive the most value helps us ensure we have visibility for key terms in volatile search results. But keyword rank trackers also help us find opportunities where we can drive even more value from underperforming content. And they can help your business do the same. That’s why we put together this list of the five best rank tracking tools for businesses, SEO agencies, and blogs of all sizes. So you can find the right solution to improve your website’s SEO. What Features Do You Need in a Ranking Tool? Choosing the right rank tracking tool for your website ensures you have all the features and data you need. Look for tools that offer these key features: Keyword tracking: Monitor your rankings for target keywords across multiple search engines. Pay close attention to update frequency. Some tools offer daily data (like Semrush), while others may only update weekly. Historical ranking data: Access past ranking data to identify trends and patterns. You can use this to understand the impact of your SEO efforts over time. Competitor tracking: Track your competitors’ rankings for the same keywords you’re targeting. Get context for your own performance and find opportunities to outrank your rivals. Rank tracking alerts: Receive automated alerts when significant changes occur in your keyword rankings. Quickly respond to drops or capitalize on gains. Reporting and analytics: Generate reports and visualize your ranking data through charts and graphs. This makes it easier to digest complex SEO data. And share your progress with clients…

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of optimizing your pages to rank in a search engine’s organic results. Pay-per-click (PPC) is a form of online advertising where advertisers pay a fee each time someone clicks their ad. There’s no conundrum between the two 2. Use PPC to build links Links are an important Google ranking factor. Generally speaking, the more links your page has, the more likely it’ll rank high in the search results. But acquiring links is hard. This is why it’s still a reliable ranking factor. And it’s also why there’s an entire industry behind link building, and tons of tactics you can use, all with varying levels of success. One way you can consider building links to your pages is to run PPC ads. In fact, we ran an experiment a few years ago to prove that it was possible. We spent ~$1,245 on Google search ads and acquired a total of 16 backlinks to two different pieces of content. (~$77-78 per backlink.) This is much cheaper than if you had to buy a backlink, which according to our study, costs around $361.44. (It would be even more expensive if you acquired links via outreach, as you would have to consider additional costs like software, manpower, etc.) 3. Use retargeting on SEO content Retargeting allows you to target visitors who have left your website. Here’s how retargeting works: A visitor discovers your article on Google Your ad management software sets a cookie on the visitor’s browser, which allows you to show ads to these visitors When the visitor leaves your website and surfs the web, you can show ads and persuade them to return to your website Depending on where they are on the buyer’s journey, you can convince them to take the next step. For example, if someone…