Many think SEO is all about ranking reports. In fact, I have seen many companies that use ranking reports as their primary performance indicator. This is a dangerous path, and in fact, though rankings are something to be aware of at a very specific level, they can be very misleading and cause some poor decisions. [...]
First of all, as with many SEO messages, there is nuance here. It is ok to use AI tools to assist in creating content, but you can't expect results if you rely totally on them. It may not be fair, but as we move forward in the world of AI, Google and Bing are essentially [...]
Google search has arguably changed more in the last 18 months than in the decade prior. It is something that keeps us search engine optimization pros on constant guard. Generally, the evolution of Google search has been to help improve the user experience and provide better results for searcher's queries. With the recent Google I/O [...]
Updated May 2023: Much of this is still going on and now more. A majority of this post was written in 2014. I keep updating and adding on as I see things in the market when I run into new clients and see how they have been serviced with SEO prior to coming on board. [...]
Fresh off my attendance at the prestigious Local U Advanced conference in Dallas, I'm reminded of a marketing fundamental that I have employed for years and works like a charm, but most small business owners overlook. It is also tremendously beneficial for content marketing ideas. Along with many other quick and easy content ideas for [...]
Today we are just going to look at some key local ranking factors as we spot them in the wild, by using a state-level search for a business CPA. The specific search was for "best business CPA NJ". This is a typical search someone in NJ might make when looking to find a new CPA [...]
For small businesses in an increasingly competitive digital marketplace, it is always great to find new and easy ways to help set you apart from your competitors. Here's a tip that can boost Google Business Profile performance for you. Coming off of great research done by the folks at Sterly Sky, we are learning that [...]
I wrote earlier in the week about some of the basics and biggest local ranking factors from the recent annual Whitespark study. I always recommend taking a deep dive into their study because they do a great job with it, but I also like to try to provide easily digestible headlines for the small business [...]
Sometimes we get too far down our own silo in our industries to remember to address some of the basics. I will have a discussion with a client or prospect that will ask a question that reminds me once again that they don't dig into the weeds of this stuff every day. Whitespark just came [...]
With some of the changes that have happened from Google in recent months, I want to help make sure we all keep our eyes on the right prize. I've written many times about measuring the right things to make the right decisions. With recent Google algorithm updates, small and locally focused businesses may see shocking [...]
