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 […]

Google rolls out ‘Ads funded by’ labels in search results

Google rolls out ‘Ads funded by’ labels in search results

Searchers can now find out who paid for the ads they see, as Google is beginning to roll out its Ads Transparency policy. This update makes ad funding more visible to users. This new label could impact how consumers perceive and trust advertisements. Advertisers now have less ability to obscure financial relationships. What it looks […]

New Google AI Overviews data: Search clicks fell 30% in last year

New Google AI Overviews data: Search clicks fell 30% in last year

Google search impressions are up 49% year-over-year, but click-through rates (CTR) are down 30%, according to new data from BrightEdge. For that, all credit goes to AI Overviews, Google’s AI-generated summaries that launched one year ago. Why we care. Google’s AI Overviews have impacted SEO in a big way. For so long, the focus has […]

YouTube unveils new shopping ads for TV viewers

YouTube unveils new shopping ads for TV viewers

YouTube pitched advertisers on a new suite of ad formats aimed at tapping into its massive connected TV audience. Among the highlights from yesterday: interactive shopping ads that let viewers browse and buy products directly from their television screens. YouTube is capitalizing on its dominance in streaming to blur the line between passive viewing and […]

6 tactical ways to responsibly use AI for everyday SEO

6 tactical ways to responsibly use AI for everyday SEO

SEO has always involved a lot of manual, repetitive work.  Keyword research, writing title tags and meta descriptions, parsing GA4 exports, auditing massive content libraries – it’s all important, but it’s also time-consuming. Now, we have tools that can help lighten the load.  From accelerating content ideation to pulling insights from performance data, AI can […]

2025 will redefine loyalty. Here’s what that means for brands. by Digital Marketing Depot

2025 will redefine loyalty. Here’s what that means for brands. by Digital Marketing Depot

If your loyalty strategy still revolves around points and perks, it’s time for an update. Consumer allegiance is no longer built on convenience alone—it’s driven by alignment. Shoppers are scrutinizing your brand’s ethics, your data practices, and your follow-through. And younger audiences aren’t shy about walking away if you miss the mark. AtData’s white paper, […]

How to measure SEO success when AI is changing search

How to measure SEO success when AI is changing search

“Did our organic traffic just drop again – even though our rankings went up?” If that question has come up in your marketing meetings lately, you aren’t alone.  AI is reshaping SEO, breaking the traditional link between rankings, clicks, and conversions. We’re all trying to redefine what “good” SEO performance looks like.  When Google serves […]