Google Maps now lets users leave business reviews under a custom nickname instead of their real name. The feature is part of a four-feature Maps update and is rolling out globally on Android, iOS, and desktop. Local SEO agency Whitespark was among the first to document the change in detail, describing it as one of […]
The latest benchmark results reveal a surprising drop in SEO accuracy from top AI models. TL;DR: The latest flagship AI models (Claude Opus 4.5, Gemini 3 Pro) have statistically regressed in performance for standard SEO tasks, showing a ~9% drop in accuracy compared to previous versions. This isn’t a glitch – it’s a feature of […]
AI is changing how people discover and understand brands. It’s also reshaping how they search, with users turning to tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s AI Overviews for answers instead of clicking through pages. They interact with synthesized summaries, not traditional results. That shift forces marketers to rethink how visibility is built. SEO still matters, […]
Google is rolling out an experimental feature that lets Search Console users configure the Search results Performance report using natural language instead of manual filter selection. The feature, called AI-powered configuration, translates plain-language requests into the appropriate filters and settings. You can describe the analysis you want to see, and the system handles the technical […]
Google announced new “AI-powered configuration” within the Search Console Performance report that lets you ask Search Console to show you a specific report, and Google will “instantly” configure a report for you. This feature is “experimental” and won’t show up for everyone today. This is a lot like AI-powered advisors in Google Ads and Google […]
People keep asking me what it takes to show up in AI answers. They ask in conference hallways, in LinkedIn messages, on calls, and during workshops. The questions always sound different, but the intent is the same. People want to know how much of their existing SEO work still applies. They want to know what […]
Search evolved quickly throughout 2025 as AI systems became a primary route for information discovery, which, in turn, reduced the consistency and predictability of traditional organic traffic for many brands. As blue‑link visibility tightened and click‑through rates became more erratic, CMOs found themselves under growing pressure to justify marketing spend while still demonstrating momentum. This […]
Google is pushing AI Mode within Google Discover, with options to summarize, follow-up and dive deeper after you start reading a story from within the Google Discover feed. This is just one more avenue where Google is pushing its users into AI Mode. How it works. After you click into an article from the Google […]
The Internet Archive, also known as the Wayback Machine, is generally regarded as a place to view old web pages, but its value goes far beyond reviewing old pages. There are five ways that Archive.org can help a website improve their user experience and SEO. The Wayback Machine’s new WordPress plugin makes it easy to […]
Google today released its 2025 Year in Search list, but don’t mistake it for a ranking of the “top searches” or the “most searched” terms. This year’s recap focused on trending queries – the topics that grew the fastest compared with 2024. That shift reveals a lot about where Google Search is heading, and how it’s […]