Ginny Marvin

Super insightful summary of the Google documentation leak around features used in its ranking algorithm. Thanks Michael King for the great deep dive. I continue to be an advocate for observing what actually has effects for your page in SEO over what Google sais and claims. This leak is another confirmation that blindly trusting Googles statements, e.g they are not using click data, is likely not the best idea. For all SEOs, PMs or entrepreneurs responsible for the organic rankings and traffic of their product this is a really worthwhile deep dive. As always in SEO: it doesn’t get as precise to tell you what exactly you need to do. But it’s important to know the variables and features that are important. But in the end one thing that has been true in SEO for years: It always boils down to build a great and engaging product with valuable and engaging content and promote yourself well enough so that you earn qualitative links to your page and content.

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𝗔𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗘𝗢 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗟𝗠 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Search is undergoing a seismic shift, and SEO professionals must adapt. LLMs, such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity, are changing how search engines work, and how users consume online content. Today, search engines use LLMs to deliver short, contextual answers directly to users, bypassing the need for users to visit websites. This paradigm shift presents both challenges and opportunities for SEO professionals. Visibility remains a goal. However, the strategies for achieving it must change. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵: 𝗔 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 Search engines are now blending human-curated content with the power of LLMs. Users pose queries. LLMs fetch relevant information and use it to create complete, well-written responses/overviews. SEO professionals don't game algorithms in this environment. Rather, they forge partnerships with these smart models. Focus shifts from keyword optimization to creating great, useful content that resonates with LLMs and enables them to provide accurate, insightful responses. 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗘𝗢 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗿𝗮 𝗼𝗳 𝗟𝗟𝗠-𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 Embrace the LLM mindset. Understand their mechanics. Study how they operate, the data they use, and how they formulate responses. This knowledge guides the creation of LLM-friendly content. Go beyond keyword optimization; craft comprehensive, user-centric pieces that directly address needs and provide insights. Invest in acquiring backlinks from relevant, authoritative websites. Understand LLMs, create tailored content, and maintain robust backlink profiles to ensure brand visibility and authority. The integration of LLM into search engines is already underway. Realign strategies accordingly, understand LLMs, create tailored content; and maintain robust backlink profiles. As search dynamics change, this ensures brand visibility and authority. Intrigued? Share your thoughts on how to navigate the LLM search frontier. #seo #marketing #content #digitalmarketing #ai #llm #sem

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Big Internet companies are making suboptimal decisions to push market valuation. We see more and more ads in search results, in news feeds, everywhere, and not enough care for the people who are actually creating content. Ahrefs intends to stay independent and focus on helping people to make useful content and to make it more accessible, with the ultimate goal of building a search engine that shares profit with content creators. https://ahrefs.com/ Ahrefs #SEO #BusinessStrategy #Marketing

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May 5 will be like March 5, with a flurry of manual actions + algorithmic demotions. It's approaching quickly. Should be very interesting to analyze :) -> "Site reputation abuse is when third-party pages are published with little or no first-party oversight or involvement, where the purpose is to manipulate Search rankings by taking advantage of the first-party site's ranking signals." -> Google Will Fight Site Reputation Abuse Spam Via Both Manual Actions & Algorithmic Changes via Barry Schwartz #google #seo

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Just this week, there's been a huge, unprecedented leak of internal Google documentation on their search algorithm. We've not seen anything like this really in the past. Quite surprisingly, in a way, that they've managed to keep everything to do with how their search systems work so secure and so private. There's also a treasure trove of additional information in here, which, to be honest, I've not really scratched the surface of so far and I don't think we have yet as an industry either. Without any further ado, let's talk about what I think are the four most interesting revelations thus far: https://lnkd.in/g_bFdMSM #google #search #algorithm

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INSANE Summary and ACTIONS WE SHOULD CONSIDER... A significant leak of Google documents from its Content API Warehouse has provided unprecedented insights into Google Search's ranking algorithms. Released by an automated bot on GitHub and analyzed by industry experts Rand Fishkin and Michael King, these documents outline the numerous modules and attributes that influence content ranking. Key findings include the persistence of PageRank, the importance of link diversity, the use of Chrome browser data, and the significance of brand recognition. Additionally, Google's algorithm incorporates user behavior metrics and maintains historical data of page changes. This leak offers invaluable information for SEOs aiming to optimize their strategies in alignment with Google's ranking mechanisms. ### Actions for Digital Marketers - **Focus on Brand Building**: Develop a notable and well-recognized brand to improve organic search rankings. - **Enhance User Experience**: Create high-quality content and ensure a positive user experience to drive successful clicks. - **Diversify and Optimize Links**: Ensure link diversity and relevance; maintain strong homepage PageRank. - **Monitor Content Freshness**: Regularly update content to maintain its freshness and relevance. - **Optimize Page Titles**: Use precise and relevant page titles that match user queries effectively. - **Track and Adapt to User Signals**: Monitor user behavior metrics such as clicks and dwell time to refine content strategies. - **Leverage Authorship and Authority**: Highlight author credentials and build site authority through consistent high-quality content. - **Consider Small Site Strategies**: For smaller sites or personal blogs, focus on niche authority and content quality. - **Stay Informed on Algorithm Changes**: Keep up with ongoing analyses and updates from industry experts to adapt strategies accordingly. - **Utilize Chrome Data Insights**: Understand how user interactions via Chrome can impact rankings and adjust SEO tactics. - **Pay Attention to SERP Signals**: Be aware of user satisfaction indicators and adjust content to avoid potential demotions.

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Traditional MMM uses a maximum likelihood approach. This means that the results are purely focused on the correlations in the data over time. The reality is that this kind of analysis uses data that no marketer or manager would trust 100% to guide decisions. The #Bayesian estimation approach allows its users to incorporate multiple sources of information, including but not limited to MTA & incrementality testing results. By doing so, the model is more informed and more consistent with the brand's larger information estate. The more you know!

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Google recently had a leak of part of their mysterious ranking algorithm. Needless to say, the SEO community has been going ape-shart dissecting it this week. 🐵 The leak, which exposed over 14,000 potential ranking features, provides an unprecedented look under the hood of Google’s closely guarded search rankings system. It will take time to rummage through the info, understand the technical language, and draw conclusions to apply to your SEO approach -- but a few nuggets have already risen to the surface. Let's talk about them. 1) Clicks Matter - clicks to a page influence its rank, especially if they come from a Chrome browser. The click quality also matters - how long the user stays on the page, how much they engage with the page, and if they navigate your site deeper. 2) Fresher Links are Better Links - links from new pages contribute more "link juice" than those inserted in aged content. 3) Text Weight Matters - bigger and bolder fonts convey to Google that those keywords are more important in your content. 4) Hard to Replicate Content - Google has an LLM that tries to understand how easily a page could be recreated and how much work went into it. Tools, images, videos, unique information, and depth of information stand out as ways to score high on “effort” calculations. 5) % of Pages on Topic - Google wants to see websites dedicated to the topic, with very few pages off-topic. 6) Old, Non-Updated Content Ages Out - so be sure to go back and update your historically best-performing pages 7) Poor Content Can Bring Your Good Content Down - pages that have had time to perform but haven't can bring down your overall domain. The solution is to regularly remove dated, under-performing pages so more of your live pages are quality. What else are you applying from the leak?

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Per IAB Social Video (70%) & CTV (69%) are essential buys for US marketers now. Collaborate with creators for TikTok, IG, & YouTube content, and invest in CTV ads to reach consumers on both fronts https://bit.ly/3zgz8X2 #DigitalMarketing #CTV #SocialVideo

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Focus on Local? I'd love to say this is some super-sophisticated exploit, but it's not. You can literally just move someone's pin and their local rankings tank. Wow -> Google Maps exploit lets you move your competitors map pin far away, resulting in their local rankings drops & even the business being suspended (Note, it's been an issue for months)... via Barry Schwartz Coverage by Joy Hawkins and Darren Shaw #google #seo #local

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Google will not be able to resist the layout and search journey… “changes” made available by their conversational AI (subtext: SGE stopped really being generative shortly after it was rolled out and they encountered legal issues/claims/liability because of it) They’re on their way to overmonetizing their results (a big reason why they, internally, really need to stop marking ads as such). THIS is the chance an engine like Perplexity may take to gain market share… they’ll be seen as nimble/clean and “not evil” as Google used to be. (Am watching what happens w Perplexity’s recently announced plan to have ads.)

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How will generative AI impact marketing and sales? Here’s an interesting study from Databox. The range of responses is interesting, but not surprising. Even though we’re a niche player in the generative space, these uses are similar to what we’re seeing.

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So… if a link in an “organic” result is actually an affiliate link, crediting a paid partner with a click, a site visit or a sale… That would mean search engines are monetizing search listings, including allegedly organic Map results for #retail locations. Here’s what we’ve uncovered: https://lnkd.in/dQr_DqiU #SEM #affiliatemarketing #marketingROI #searchengines #ftc

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There's still quite a bit of unknown of how Google integrating Gemini into its standard search experience (referred to as Search Generative Experience, or SGE) will broadly impact SEO. But more and more data is coming out about the current state of the SGE. Search Engine Journal published an in-depth report with their findings today. Below are the key takeaways: 🔥 This is critical: websites can only accrue organic traffic from the SGE AFTER users click on the source of the AI-generated content. We all know how much adding an additional click to the process of the user journey can negatively effect traffic. This alone will likely decrease how much organic traffic is being driven to everyone's website 🤖 Some results (around 5%) don't even have original sources, meaning the content of the results are produced by Google 📈 The appearance of SGE's varies drastically by vertical, but will holistically increase over time. Of the industries analyzed, Beauty saw the highest rate of SGE at 95% and Finance saw the lowest at 47% 📊 In some cases, Google will show a generate button prior to showing the AI-based results. Safe to assume Google is experimenting with different layouts of this new experience, and testing how users will engage with Gemini if the AI results aren't delivered right away. The discrepancy between these two experiences also varied drastically by vertical 📉 Verticals with a higher portion of SGE results will have less time to pivot their SEO strategy accordingly. The Health industry has the highest portion of auto-generated SGE results, and therefore will be the most impacted by this change 🤑 Primary conclusion - This change will drastically overhaul everything we know about SEO, and everyone needs to be ready to pivot to this new reality very quickly. My personal opinion: everyone will likely see less organic traffic, and have to become more reliant on Paid Search. https://lnkd.in/gRj_Gwp9

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🔍 Eric Schmidt, former Google CEO, predicts a future where search engines could bypass traditional links to directly deliver answers. This aligns with what I've been discussing with the Google SGE (Search Generative Experience) update and developments like Perplexity and a very cool ChatGPT search engine. I doubt no linking is for all content but rather quick-hit answers to questions. 🌟 Aligning content with Google's E-E-A-T standards, ensuring Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness, is more important than ever for your content to achieve visibility and credibility. What are your thoughts on the AI-driven future of search? How are you crafting content for an AI-powered search engine? Read more about it: 👉 https://lnkd.in/dpt6JQDx #digitalmarketing #seo #aisearch #content

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It's done. And it ended on 4/19…? -> BREAKING : Google March 2024 core update rollout is now complete via Barry Schwartz Some thoughts about the completion of the March core update: *How in the world could Google NOT explain it ended a week ago? Seriously, did someone fall asleep at the wheel? *I feel terrible for site owners heavily impacted by the September HCU(X). Not one has recovered and most are down more. Some are down over 95%. Like the screenshot below of a site down 97%. Yes, 97%. *There is no way IMO that the HCU classifier was removed. Or it was, it was replaced by the next generation HCU classifier which is on steroids. Many of those sites impacted in September dropped heavily with the March core update. *Beyond that, there are some very interesting cases based on this core update. I will hopefully be sharing more about that in the coming weeks. There was a ton of movement with this update (outside of HCUX sites). Some massive surges and some huge drops. And across many verticals. *And finally, I can now stop my "Google Morning Google Land!" updates each day. At least for now. :) #google #seo

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⚡ No, it is not just you - the cost per click (CPC) for Google Ads continues to 📈rise! ✏ There is a great new study covering 4 billion in media spend posted on Media Post showing: ➡ COSTS ARE UP - 13% increases in CPC costs year-on-year in the first quarter of 2024 (compared with a 9% increase YoY in Q4 2023) ➡ COMPETITION IS GROWING - 17% increase in gross search spend year-on-year in the first quarter of 2024 ➡ TRAFFIC GROWTH FROM ADS IS SLOWING DOWN - 4% click growth YoY in first quarter of 2024 (compared with an 8% increase in YoY in Q4 2023) ➡ AVERAGE VALUE OF ORDERS IS NOT INCREASING - 1% increase in AOV (just a slight increase from roughly flat growth in Q4 2023) What does this all mean for you 🤷‍♀️? It means you should have a 📢 FULL FUNNEL digital marketing strategy. Relying on one or two channels puts your business at a disadvantage going forward. You can learn more here -

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Something tells me a ton of new spam reports will be flowing in to Google based on these additions. And oh yeah, WHERE IS THE ALGORITHMIC PART OF THE SITE REPUTATION ABUSE UPDATE? :) -> Google added two new options to the spam reporting tool: (1) Site reputation abuse (2) Expired domain abuse #google #seo

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