Author Archives: SocialSignalCounter

Temu pulled its ads – here’s what happened next

Temu pulled its ads – here’s what happened next

Chinese ecommerce giant Temu was a dominant force in paid acquisition across Google, Meta, and other platforms – until mid-April, when it abruptly halted all U.S. advertising. This was a stunning move from one of the internet’s most aggressive spenders. Temu’s sudden absence opened up a flood of ad inventory – and with it, new […]

Why PR is becoming more essential for AI search visibility

Why PR is becoming more essential for AI search visibility

Public relations (PR) is no longer just a supporting tactic, it’s becoming a core strategy for brands looking to stay visible in the age of AI search.  AI-powered search engines increasingly rely on brand mentions, reputation, and authority signals pulled from across the web – areas where PR excels. In this new landscape, the question […]

The decline of ecommerce search ads: Are shopping campaigns to blame?

The decline of ecommerce search ads: Are shopping campaigns to blame?

For years, search campaigns have been an imperative part of one’s PPC strategy.  However, the landscape is shifting and Google is increasingly prioritizing shopping within the user experience, changing how users interact with the SERPs and how we as advertisers approach strategy for ecommerce clients. With continued investment in AI-powered tools like Performance Max, which […]

How AI shapes Google’s Search Ads rankings revealed in trial exhibit

How AI shapes Google’s Search Ads rankings revealed in trial exhibit

Artificial intelligence (AI) plays a central role in how Google determines which ads appear in response to a search and how they are ranked. The company uses a sophisticated machine learning (ML) infrastructure to handle almost every aspect of its Search Ads system — from understanding user queries to ranking ads based on value and […]

12 skills every SEO specialist must master by 2026

12 skills every SEO specialist must master by 2026

The SEO industry has evolved dramatically over the past decade, but the pace of change is about to accelerate even faster as we approach 2026. With the rise of AI-generated search, multimodal experiences, privacy-first regulations, and the blending of SEO with user experience and brand, the skillset required of an SEO professional is transforming radically. […]

The Intersection Of Video SEO And Social Media: Tactics To Win

The Intersection Of Video SEO And Social Media: Tactics To Win

Video content is now a driving force behind consumers’ attention in today’s digital era. Gone are the days of simple blog posts and stock images. Social media has transformed what entices clicks, follows, and likes, displaying a consistent stream of highly engaging visual content for users to sift through. Visual content, particularly in the form […]

Googler’s Deposition Offers View Of Google’s Ranking Systems

Googler’s Deposition Offers View Of Google’s Ranking Systems

A Google engineer’s redacted testimony published online by the U.S. Justice Department offers a look inside Google’s ranking systems, offering an idea about Google’s quality scores and introduces a mysterious popularity signal that uses Chrome data. The document offers a high level and very general view of ranking signals, providing a sense of what the […]

Most users only read a third of Google’s AI Overviews: Study

Most users only read a third of Google’s AI Overviews: Study

Most people stop reading a Google AI Overview after skimming the top third of an AI-generated answer – the median scroll depth is just 30%. That’s one of many insights from a new UX study conducted by Kevin Indig and Eric van Buskirk. By the numbers. The study confirms what many SEOs have suspected and/or […]

HTTP Status Codes Google Cares About (And Those It Ignores)

HTTP Status Codes Google Cares About (And Those It Ignores)

Google’s Search Relations team recently shared insights about how the search engine handles HTTP status codes during a “Search Off the Record” podcast. Gary Illyes and Martin Splitt from Google discussed several status code categories commonly misunderstood by SEO professionals. How Google Views Certain HTTP Status Codes While the podcast didn’t cover every HTTP status […]

Straight from the source: 2025 Search Engine Land Awards judges reveal what makes an application award-worthy

Straight from the source: 2025 Search Engine Land Awards judges reveal what makes an application award-worthy

Since its inception in 2015, the Search Engine Land Awards have recognized exceptional marketers on an annual basis — showcasing outstanding work, providing well-earned exposure in coverage and interviews, and bestowing upon them the highest honor in search. But the road between deciding to begin an application and winning the award can be a long […]