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Google Reviews Glitch – An Update for Business Owners

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Google Reviews Glitch – An Update for Business Owners

Google Reviews play a crucial role in how businesses attract customers, build trust, and enhance their online presence. However, a recent Google Reviews glitch has caused confusion and frustration for many business owners. If you’ve noticed missing reviews, fluctuating review counts, or inconsistencies in your Google My Business (GMB) listing, you’re not alone.

At Zenergy Works, we specialize in SEO, Google My Business optimization, and local listing management, so we’re breaking down what’s happening, why it matters, and how to respond.

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What is the Google Reviews Glitch?

Recently, business owners have reported issues with Google Reviews, including:

  • Reviews disappearing or not showing up
  • Review counts fluctuating without explanation
  • New reviews taking longer than usual to appear
  • Ratings changing without new reviews being added

This glitch has affected businesses across industries, raising concerns about how Google’s algorithm manages review moderation, filtering, and display updates.

Why This Matters for Your Business

Google Reviews Impact Your SEO & Visibility

Google prioritizes businesses with consistent, positive reviews in local search rankings. If your reviews disappear or your rating suddenly drops, your business could lose valuable visibility.

Reviews Build Trust & Influence Consumer Decisions

Potential customers rely on reviews to make purchasing decisions. A sudden decrease in review count or missing positive feedback could impact credibility and conversion rates.

Google My Business Listings May Be Affected

Because reviews are integrated into your Google My Business profile, any inconsistencies can create confusion for both business owners and potential customers.

What is Causing the Glitch?

While Google has not released an official statement, several possible causes could be responsible:

  • Algorithm Updates – Google frequently updates its ranking and review filtering algorithms, which may be affecting how reviews are displayed.
  • Spam Filtering Issues – Google filters out spammy or fake reviews. However, legitimate reviews could be caught in this process, leading to unexpected removals.
  • System Bugs – Like any technology platform, Google My Business can experience glitches that temporarily affect review visibility.
  • Profile Changes – If you’ve updated your business address, category, or name, Google may have reprocessed your reviews, causing some to disappear or reset.

How to Handle the Google Reviews Glitch

If your business is affected, don’t panic! Here are some steps to mitigate the impact and restore your online reputation:

Check Your Google My Business Dashboard

Log into your GMB profile and see if there are any notifications about review issues. Sometimes, updates or warnings will appear here.

Monitor Your Reviews & Keep Records

Take screenshots of your review history and keep track of missing reviews. If they return, you’ll have documentation to compare.

Ask Customers to Repost Reviews

If a legitimate review disappears, kindly ask the customer to check if it’s still in their Google profile and, if needed, to repost it.

Contact Google Support

You can report missing reviews directly through Google Business Support. While they don’t always restore lost reviews, they may offer insight into the issue.

Diversify Your Review Strategy

Encourage customers to leave reviews on multiple platforms like Yelp, Facebook, and industry-specific review sites. That way, you’re not solely relying on Google.

Keep Your SEO & Local Listings Optimized

Even if reviews are fluctuating, maintaining a strong SEO strategy, updated GMB profile, and well-optimized website will help sustain your online visibility.

Final Thoughts: Stay Proactive

The Google Reviews glitch is frustrating, but it’s a temporary setback that businesses can navigate with the right strategy. Staying proactive, transparent with customers, and focused on a long-term SEO plan will ensure your business continues to thrive despite technical hiccups.

At Zenergy Works, we help businesses optimize their online presence, manage local listings, and build strong SEO strategies.

Need help with your Google My Business or SEO? Get a free quote today and take control of your online reputation!

SEO Practices That Defeat Algorithm Updates

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SEO Practices That Defeat Algorithm Updates

At Zenergy Works, we understand that Google’s ever-evolving algorithm updates can leave businesses scrambling to maintain their search engine rankings. But instead of chasing after every update, the key to long-term SEO success lies in adopting sustainable practices that work with—not against—these changes. In this blog, I’ll share actionable SEO strategies that help your website stay ahead, no matter what new algorithms are introduced.

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Why Google Algorithm Updates Matter

Google’s mission is to provide users with the most relevant and high-quality content. To achieve this, Google constantly refines its algorithms, impacting how websites are ranked. Recent updates, such as those targeting user experience (Core Web Vitals) and content quality, emphasize the importance of a strong SEO foundation.

As a business owner, it’s essential to partner with an SEO company that understands these shifts and implements strategies designed to thrive in this dynamic environment.

1. Prioritize High-Quality Content

At the heart of every algorithm update is Google’s commitment to content that satisfies user intent. High-quality, original content continues to reign supreme in SEO. Here’s how to ensure your content meets Google’s standards:

  • Focus on User Intent: Understand what your audience is searching for and create content that answers their queries comprehensively.
  • E-A-T Principles: Google evaluates content based on Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. Showcase your authority by citing reputable sources and offering well-researched insights.
  • Avoid Keyword Stuffing: Use keywords naturally, focusing on delivering value over keyword density.
  • Regularly update existing content to keep it relevant and align with the latest search trends.

2. Mobile-First Optimization

With mobile searches accounting for over 60% of all searches, Google’s mobile-first indexing prioritizes websites that are optimized for smaller screens. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, it risks losing visibility in search results.

  • Fast Loading Times: Optimize images and reduce server response time to improve site speed.
  • Simplify Navigation: Make your site easy to browse on mobile devices by minimizing clutter.

3. Improve Core Web Vitals

Core Web Vitals are performance metrics that measure your site’s loading speed, interactivity, and visual stability. These factors directly impact your rankings.

  • Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): Optimize page load speed to ensure key elements are visible quickly.
  • First Input Delay (FID): Enhance your website’s responsiveness by minimizing JavaScript.
  • Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): Avoid unexpected shifts in layout by specifying image dimensions and preloading fonts.

4. Focus on Local SEO

For businesses targeting specific geographic areas, local SEO is a game-changer. Recent algorithm updates have increased the importance of optimizing for local search.  Local SEO strategies are especially important for small businesses looking to dominate their local markets.

  • Google My Business Optimization: Keep your business profile up-to-date with accurate information, including address, hours, and services.
  • Localized Content: Create blog posts or landing pages tailored to your local audience’s needs and interests.
  • Citations and Reviews: Ensure consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) across directories and encourage positive customer reviews.

5. Diversify Your Backlink Profile

Google views backlinks as a vote of confidence in your content. However, not all backlinks are created equal. Updates targeting spammy or low-quality links have made it crucial to focus on quality over quantity.

  • Earn High-Authority Links: Partner with reputable sites in your industry to gain backlinks from trustworthy sources.
  • Content Marketing: Publish compelling infographics, case studies, or research that others want to link to.
  • Avoid Link Farms: Stay away from practices that could result in penalties, such as buying links or participating in spammy link schemes.

6. Leverage Technical SEO

A strong technical foundation is essential for navigating algorithm updates. Technical SEO focuses on optimizing your website’s infrastructure to make it more accessible to search engines. Technical SEO may seem daunting, but with the right SEO consultant, you can ensure your site is search-engine-friendly.

  • Structured Data: Use schema markup to help search engines understand your content and display rich snippets.
  • XML Sitemap: Ensure your sitemap is up-to-date and submitted to Google Search Console.
  • Fix Crawl Errors: Regularly audit your website for issues like broken links, duplicate content, or missing meta tags.

7. Stay Ahead with Regular SEO Audits

SEO isn’t a one-and-done process. Regular audits allow you to identify weaknesses, measure performance, and adapt to changes in Google’s algorithms. With Zenergy Works, you’ll receive SEO audits weekly ensure your website remains optimized for today and prepared for tomorrow.

  • Technical Audit: Identify and fix issues that may be hindering your site’s ranking.
  • Competitor Analysis: Keep an eye on what your competitors are doing to stay ahead in your industry.

Partner with an SEO Company You Can Trust

At Zenergy Works, we specialize in helping businesses navigate the complexities of SEO. From adapting to algorithm updates to crafting long-term strategies, we’re here to ensure your website ranks high and attracts the right audience.

Get a Free SEO Quote

Ready to take your SEO to the next level? Contact us today for a free SEO quote and discover how we can help your business thrive in a constantly changing digital landscape.

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Tips on Holiday Success for Google Ads

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Tips on Holiday Success for Google Ads

As the holiday season approaches, business owners with websites face one of the most competitive and rewarding times for digital marketing. For any digital marketing firm, the holidays present a golden opportunity to help clients capture more traffic, leads, and conversions. At Zenergy Works, we specialize in Google Ads management and understand how to make the most of paid ads during this critical period. In this post, I’ll share actionable tips to help you succeed with Google Ads this holiday season.

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1. Start Early and Plan Strategically

The key to holiday success is preparation. Begin by analyzing your past holiday campaign performance and identifying what worked. Use that data to shape your strategy. Create a detailed campaign calendar, outlining when specific promotions, discounts, or sales will run.

Be mindful of key holiday shopping dates such as Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and even Green Monday. Start your campaigns early to capture pre-holiday shoppers and stay visible during the peak season.  We suggest using Google Ads’ Performance Planner to forecast campaign performance and budget allocations effectively.

2. Optimize for Mobile

Did you know that mobile devices account for a significant portion of holiday shopping? Your campaigns need to cater to on-the-go customers. Optimize your landing pages for mobile use and ensure that your website is fast, responsive, and user-friendly.

In your ad campaigns, leverage mobile-friendly ad formats like call ads or app promotions if they fit your business model. Use the mobile-first indexing insights from Google Analytics to identify and address pain points in your user experience.

3. Focus on the Right Keywords

Holiday shoppers often use highly specific search terms. Tailor your keyword strategy to include:

  • Branded keywords (e.g., “Zenergy Works holiday deals”).
  • Seasonal keywords (e.g., “holiday gifts,” “Christmas discounts”).
  • Long-tail keywords that target purchase-ready customers.

At Zenergy Works, we emphasize targeting the right audience. As part of your paid ads strategy, be sure to refine your keyword list using tools like Google’s Keyword Planner.

4. Leverage Remarketing Campaigns

Not every visitor will convert on their first visit. Remarketing allows you to stay top of mind with potential customers who have already interacted with your site. Set up remarketing lists to re-engage those visitors and encourage them to complete their purchases.

5. Adjust Your Budget

The cost-per-click (CPC) often rises during the holidays due to increased competition. Anticipate this by adjusting your budget accordingly. Focus on high-performing campaigns and allocate a larger share of your budget to them. Consider using Google’s Target ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) bid strategy to ensure your investment delivers strong returns.

6. Create Compelling Ad Copy and Visuals

Holiday shoppers are bombarded with ads, so yours must stand out. Use ad copy that evokes urgency and excitement:

  • “Limited-Time Holiday Offer – Shop Now!”
  • “Exclusive Christmas Deals – Ends Soon!”

Incorporate festive imagery and call-to-action buttons like “Shop Now” or “Get Yours Today.” Google Ads’ Responsive Search Ads allow you to test multiple versions of ad copy, ensuring the most effective message reaches your audience.

7. Utilize Ad Extensions

Ad extensions enhance your ads and provide additional information to potential customers. During the holidays, focus on:

  • Promotion Extensions: Highlight special discounts or free shipping offers.
  • Call Extensions: Allow mobile users to call your business directly.
  • Location Extensions: Drive foot traffic to your physical store if applicable.

By making your ads more informative, you’ll increase your click-through rates and conversions.

8. Monitor Campaign Performance and Adjust

The holidays are dynamic, and market conditions can shift quickly. Regularly monitor your campaigns to ensure they’re delivering optimal results. Use real-time data to adjust bids, pause underperforming ads, and refine targeting criteria. With tools like Google Analytics and Google Ads Insights, you can track important metrics such as conversion rate, click-through rate, and cost per acquisition.

At Zenergy Works, we pride ourselves on helping businesses navigate the complexities of digital marketing, especially during the bustling holiday season. Whether you’re new to Google Ads or looking to enhance your strategy, our team of experts can assist you with top-notch Google Ads management and comprehensive campaign solutions.

Are you ready to maximize your paid ads performance this holiday season? Get a free quote on paid ads management today!

Let’s work together to make this your most successful holiday season yet. Contact us at Zenergy Works, and let’s turn clicks into conversions.

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How To Create Amazing SEO Blog Posts

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How To Create Amazing SEO Blog Posts

Whether you’re a seasoned blogger or just starting, creating content that ranks well on search engines requires attention to detail and strategic planning. At Zenergy Works, we’re dedicated to helping businesses get noticed online. In this blog post, I’ll share the essential steps for creating amazing SEO blog posts that capture attention and drive results.

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1. Start with a Strong Foundation: Keyword Research

The first step in any SEO strategy is keyword research. Keywords are the search terms people type into Google or other search engines to find the content they need. As an SEO company, we know how critical it is to choose the right keywords—words that not only bring in traffic but attract the right audience. For this post, we focused on “blog posts” as the primary keyword and included relevant keywords like “SEO” and “SEO company.”

When choosing keywords, think about what high-performance auto enthusiasts might be searching for. Are they looking for tips on performance upgrades? Maintenance advice? Use keyword research tools to find these terms, and remember to check search volumes and competition levels.

2. Create a Catchy, SEO-Optimized Title

Titles are the first thing readers and search engines see, so they need to be both catchy and optimized for SEO. Your title should include the primary keyword (in this case, “Blog Posts”) and clearly communicate the article’s value. A good rule of thumb is to keep titles under 60 characters to ensure they display fully in search results.

For instance, “How To Create Amazing SEO Blog Posts” is a clear and direct title that includes the keyword and hints at the value readers will get from the post.

3. Write for Your Audience, Not Just Search Engines

SEO might be all about getting noticed online, but the ultimate goal is to connect with your target audience. In this case, the audience is high-performance auto owners who are likely passionate about speed, precision, and quality. Use language and references that resonate with them and reflect the topics that are important to your target audience.

4. Structure Your Post with Headings and Subheadings

An effective blog post should be well-organized. Use headings and subheadings to break up the content and make it easy for readers to skim. Search engines also pay attention to headings, so include relevant keywords in them when it makes sense.

In addition to improving readability, a good structure helps search engines understand the content and its relevance. Headings also provide natural stopping points, which is especially helpful for readers who may want to skip to specific sections. It is usually best to use H1 for the main blog title, H2 for section headings, and H3 or lower for subsections.

5. Write Compelling Meta Descriptions

A meta description is the brief snippet that appears under your title in search engine results. Although it doesn’t directly impact rankings, it can influence click-through rates. Write a compelling meta description that includes your primary keyword and entices readers to click, much like structuring a paid ad.

For example:

“Learn the secrets to creating SEO-optimized blog posts that drive traffic. Follow these expert tips to make your content stand out.”

Keep it under 160 characters to ensure the whole description is visible on the results page.

6. Use High-Quality Images and Alt Text

Visuals make blog posts more engaging and break up the text, but they also have SEO value. Use high-quality images that are relevant to the content. For example, images of high-performance cars, close-ups of engines, or shots of cars on the racetrack could work well here.

Don’t forget to add descriptive alt text to each image. Alt text helps search engines understand what’s in the image and improves accessibility for visually impaired users. Include keywords where appropriate but keep the descriptions natural and relevant.

7. Optimize Your Content for Mobile Users

More than half of web traffic comes from mobile devices, so optimizing for mobile is essential. Make sure your blog post looks great on smaller screens. This includes using shorter paragraphs, larger fonts, and a responsive design that adapts to any device.

Search engines prioritize mobile-friendly content, so this step can improve your rankings. Plus, it ensures a better user experience for your readers, keeping them engaged longer.

8. Encourage Engagement with a Strong Call to Action

Every great blog post should end with a call to action (CTA). This could be as simple as encouraging readers to leave a comment, share the post, or visit your services page. A CTA not only prompts reader interaction but also increases time spent on your website—an important factor for SEO.

For high-performance auto owners, a CTA could invite them to explore related content, sign up for a newsletter with tips on car performance, or check out specific services we offer at Zenergy Works.

Creating SEO-friendly blog posts doesn’t have to be complicated. By focusing on keyword research, writing for your audience, and optimizing each element of your post, you can create content that not only ranks well but also resonates with your target audience. At Zenergy Works, we’re committed to helping you achieve online success. Follow these tips, and you’ll be well on your way to writing amazing SEO blog posts that drive results.

If you want to apply these techniques to your SEO campaign, please reach out to us and we will work with you to bring you quality website traffic.

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SEO Blog Optimization Checklist

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SEO Blog Optimization Checklist

The primary goal of any blog is to create unique and useful content. The strategies outlined here are designed to get content found in search engine results and help to build the reputation of the author of the blog content. The following is a very basic checklist designed to help with SEO Blog Optimization.

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Keyword Research

If you use tools from Google, Ahrefs or SEMrush, keyword research is a vital start to your blog process. It is the basic step of understanding how many searchers are interested in your blog topic, how competitive the keyword or keyword stream is in search results, and what related topics may be available to optimize in your blog post. It is also wise to check trending topics in search for the terms that you have chosen to optimize.

Quality Content

Content should use short sentences, short paragraphs and use simple words whenever possible. The content should be easy to read and convey a useful message.  E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) is also very important under current Google Guidelines. Be sure to write about what you know. Most of our blog topics are inspired by questions we get from our clients. Don’t be afraid to update past content as it becomes outdated.

On Page SEO

It is vitally important to create the following to optimize your blog post: Title tag that contains the keywords and geo targets, a compelling and descriptive meta description to let online searchers see what your blog post is about and want to get the information that you provide in it, H1 tag that includes your target keywords and matches the Title Tag, alt text for images on the post-again to match your target keywords, and please include links to valuable information that matches the blog post on your website.

Backlinks

If you are optimizing for competitive keywords, you may consider building quality backlinks to fully complete SEO Blog Optimization. The links should be from relevant sites-a great guideline is to only build links that a human being is likely to find in relevant online searches and use to reach your content.

Conclusion

This checklist is not meant to be exhaustive, but rather to introduce you to the general practices for SEO Blog Optimization. For a more in depth discussion of this topic please see optimizing your blog for SEO on SEMRush.

I know that our firm struggles with being consistent with blog posts, but that is one of the keys to success and staying relevant in search results.

If you have additional questions about SEO, please see our white paper on Local SEO Optimization  
Eric Van Cleave is CEO and Digital Director for Zenergy Works, A Santa Rosa California SEO Firm.

Why is SEO Considered a Long-Term Process?

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Why is SEO Considered a Long-Term Process?

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Why is SEO Considered a Long-Term Process?

Search engine optimization is definitely a process, and a long one at that – it’s not just a one-and-done deal like many might believe. Because of the constant changes in procedures and updates to the search engines, SEO needs to be continuous.

It’s easy to see SEO as something that you can complete once and move on, but that’s far from reality. In this article, I will be going over some of the most asked questions: how long does it take SEO to see results?

Starting Strong; How Long Does SEO Take to See Results?

Well – that depends. First, we want to lay it out: SEO is not a race, and any “expert” that tells you they can get you on the first page by the weekend is NOT being truthful. There is no exact time-frame on how long it will take to rank top on the SERPs (search engine results page). With that being said, there are a few factors that determine what WILL HELP you to rank, just to name a few:

Content

Backlinks

Pagespeed

Internal Linking

Website Structure

Mobile-Friendly Site

No one can tell you how fast they can get you there, rather the main focus should be in implementing the right digital strategy that can HELP YOU GET THERE over time.

Why Can’t I Just Be Finished with SEO?

The search engines are constantly updating and changing their algorithms. One day you find yourself at the top of the SERPS (search engine results pages) and then the next, you’re nowhere to be found. Scary, we know. There is no specific timeline on when or if they’ll update their algorithms again. The only thing that stays consistent is that Google is constantly changing and evolving, which is why WE have to change & evolve with them. 

SEO: A Long-Term Commitment

Treating SEO as a long-commitment gives you the opportunity to be more strategic with how you approach it. That way, you are not constantly worrying about how you’re going to stay on top of search engine results pages. Focus on creating a sustainable SEO campaign that will last. SEO is long-term; it takes time, but once you are there, success and growth will come of it.

Planning and Running an SEO Campaign

It’s important to plan and run your SEO campaign correctly. That way, you’ll be setting yourself up for SEO success in the long-term. 

What are your goals?

Before you do anything, it’s important to get a clear understanding of your goals. That way, you’ll know what you’re trying to achieve with SEO. Without goals, all of your effort will likely be pointless.

Research and understand your keywords

You can’t create a sustainable SEO campaign unless you know what keywords you’re trying to target. There are many FREE keyword research tools available; Google is a big one!

What is your content marketing strategy?

Your SEO campaign can’t exist with nothing — you need content to help determine what you want to rank for. Create reliable content while including the keywords you are targeting.

Always monitor SEO your campaign

Check your analytics, research tools and adjust as necessary. You can’t simply set up an SEO strategy once and leave it ‘running’. It’s important to monitor to see how (and if) your SEO is working. Once you know what is and isn’t working, adjust your campaign as necessary.

Conclusion

So in short – SEO is a long-term process because, like your business, search engine algorithms are constantly changing.  Your website, website content and overall online message needs to change with it.  It’s important to be strategic and methodical in your SEO efforts if you want to succeed. Planning and running your campaign correctly will help ensure you see success in the long-term.

Case Studies

Visit our case studies to see how our SEO plans have helped businesses across the country increase search rankings, web traffic, and sales. Don’t get left behind! Stay competitive by calling Zenergy Works today at (707) 360-1402. 

Over 256% in Revenue

We grew Remote Satellite’s revenue by 256%
in two years with a new website and organic search.

Over 250% in Revenue

We grew APCT’s revenue by 250%
in five years with organic search and Google Ads.

Over 175% in Revenue

We grew Cline Collision Center’s revenue by 175%
with organic search and Google Ads.

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Email Marketing – How Do Your Email Campaigns Stack Up?

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Email has become so important now that personal contact has been limited.  

The hardest thing for a business owner to know is how your email campaigns stack up with others, both within and outside of your industry.

Many of the answers are in a Study released this Spring by Campaign Monitor.  

Campaign Monitor analyzed 100 Billion emails sent during 2020 to come up with the following results.  

These results can vary by industry and region. But here are some of the “top-level” results of the study:

  • Average Open Rate-18%
  • Average Click Through Rate 2.6%
  • Average Click To Open Rate 14.1%
  • Average Unsubscribe Rate .1%

Best Day of the week to send email-Friday

Worst Day of the week to send email-Saturday

To view industry standards for your industry, or to fill out a questionnaire to get a ranking on your email program, please go to Campaign Monitor report.

Recent Changes to Google Ads

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I will admit that some of the changes outlined here do not affect most advertisers.  I will also admit that Google’s message of “Deliver relevant ad experiences to the right people at the right moments—all while being respectful of their privacy preferences” is not a terrible way to look at Google Ads, please use your own judgement as to whether or not these are “improvements” and if they work for your business.  Where applicable, I will mention the changes that are clearly designed to mirror what Facebook provides their advertisers, with the key difference of Google’s direct (and sometimes scary) access to search data.  Some of these changes are not new for online marketing experts, but they are new to most business owners.

Image Extensions (The New Gallery Ads)

Gallery Ads help advertisers to combine images and copy to serve prospects their offering on the search network.  Gallery ads were in a carousel format and allow consumers to swipe through your images. Google is now replacing the Gallery Ads and rolling out image extensions in Beta to chosen advertisers.  Images will show up in search results for that advertiser.  More details to follow.

Smart Bidding

Google is implementing machine learning across all of its platforms, and the most prominent is smart bidding.  Smart bidding uses machine learning to optimize your bids for conversions or conversion value. Automated bidding in Google Ads include Target CPA, Target ROAS, Maximize Conversions, and Enhanced CPC.

You Tube Bumper Ads

You Tube (along with Netflix) is the entertainment star of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Bumper ads are 6 second ads that pre roll a video on You Tube.  As valuable as these ads can be, many small to medium sized businesses do not have the resources to create professional bumper ads. In the somewhat rare case that a business does have video content, it’s typically in the form of a couple one- or two-minute pieces.

Google has introduced tools to make advertising on Google easier for all businesses. One of these tools, the bumper machine, can turn any video shorter than 90 seconds into a collection of YouTube-ready bumper ads. 

Custom Affinity + Custom intent = Custom Audiences 

Google is unwilling to allow Facebook to be the leading audience targeting advertising platform.  Google has merged custom affinity audiences and custom intent audiences to create custom audiences. Custom audiences merge those who have an interest in the subject at hand with those who have a commercial interest (meaning those who have searched for the service and related keywords).  Machine learning has allowed Google to provide the targeting available from the direct information on search data to allow advertisers to more closely target prospects.

Audience Expansion Tool

Facebook has had the lookalike audience tool for some time.  Google has now introduced the audience expansion tool that will enable advertisers to grow the number of relevant consumers who see your ads. 

Local Search Ads

Google Local Search Ads allow advertisers to put in location extensions to allow those in your local area to easily find or find and call your business.  These ads are designed to bring in more store visits and phone calls to your brick and mortar location.  The ads appear across search, display, maps, and You Tube and are relatively easy to set up requiring only ad copy, some images, and location data. Google Ads machine learning optimizes ad delivery across its properties.

Conclusion

Ok, these are just a few of the changes to Google Ads and related platforms in recent months.  I have purposely chosen those changes that apply to small and medium sized businesses.  For those of us lucky enough to be up and running, this type of information can be key to continuing in business.  For those of you who will be reopening, hopefully soon, this can be key information in rebuilding foot traffic and call volume for your business.

Artificial Intelligence And SEO: The Future Is Now

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AI technology is becoming the “new norm” for SEO.  With AI in search engines and its place in SEO and digital marketing, the future is now.  With AI tools, the future of SEO is all about data use and personalization on levels that we have never seen before. Ranking in search engines will be about providing the most intuitive and valuable content for website visitors.

AI Search Engine Style

The most prominent use of AI by search engines is Google’s Rank Brain.  Rank Brain employs machine learning and word vector elements to better match billions of search results to the needs of the search engine user.  Machine learning and word vectors (Or Word2Vec to Google) are the key AI processes that Google utilizes to improve search results.

Machine Learning Increases Speed And Accuracy of Search Results

Machine learning is the kind of artificial intelligence enabled by technology like neural nets that adapt and respond to data, teaching themselves over time to better answer queries. Machine learning also can produce accuracy in search results beyond human capabilities.  This speed and accuracy of sorting search inquiries is the future of search engines.  To continue to have success in SEO, digital marketers must understand how AI is affecting search results.

Word Vectors Define Context of Search Queries

Word Vector platforms sort semantically linked words and phrases through data models that track the use of those words in context. This technology ensures that content is presented based on relevance in terms of the interpreted meaning of content as it frequently appears. This technology is has allowed SEO to move beyond keyword stuffing and more into content that provides a strong User Experience (UX) and relevance because search engines can determine relevance without the need for keyword density.  This becomes more and more important as voice search becomes prevalent in the way consumers find what they seek on search engines.

AI Is Your Friend

As search engines adapt with better and better AI technology, SEOs need to adapt their techniques to provide better UX and relevant content, including photos and videos.  The following are important factors to consider when designing  your SEO campaign:

Quality Is King

AI-powered search engines are better able to find and bypass weak content with high bounce rates and poor readability.  Successful SEO experts will have to put more effort into relevant and valuable website content and backlinks that a human being would actually use.  Websites that rank will require content with a high standard and commitment to authenticity in not only website content, but also social media, email targeting and digital marketing campaigns that are consistent and relevant to the established brand of the firm in question.   

Remember, Google has AI, but so do SEO professionals.  We can use a number of tools that help us comply with current SEO standards. We have AI tools for content optimizing programs to give us hints on readability, A/B split testing to help us understand what our clients want, and contextual comparisons to see how our competition is structuring their website content, just to name a few.

Voice Search-Have Your Site Speak Up

With the emergence of smartphones and assistants like Apple’s Siri, Ask Google or Amazon’s Alexa, the convenience of voice search is changing the way we think about SEO.  Comscore states that 50% of searches in 2020 will be voice search, and that 55% of household in America will have at least one voice search device by the end of 2020.  Voice searches tend to be more conversational and be a phrase or a sentence as opposed to the shorter desktop and mobile searches that must be typed in to the search engines. Voice searches also require more natural language and unique and valuable content. Successful SEO requires creating website content with lots of information that is easy to understand and easy to find.

Visual Content-Seeing Is Believing

AI has enabled search engines to better analyze, label and connect visual content based on historical data obtained and stored by AI platforms.  Optimizing Videos by carefully optimizing ranking factors like descriptions, video length, and keyword tagging are useful in gaining traffic on YouTube and other visual content sites, and even having videos rank in search. As  AI improves, the analysis of photos and videos will improve to the point that images will be compared for quality, relevance and value to website visitors. 

The Future of AI in SEO

AI is already a huge factor in search engine crawling and optimization. With machine learning and Word Vector programming improving all the concurrent with a changing environment of smart devices, voice searching, and consumer demands for valuable and relevant content that can be found quickly and efficiently, SEO needs to adapt with the machines that are teaching themselves through AI and big data.

Will AI be the end of SEO as we know it?  I don’t think so. Optimization strategies will remain valuable as long content is being created, but content will have to be efficiently optimized with a focus on voice and visual searches.

Google Ranking Factors – Get Onboard To Do What You Can Do

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AI, Rankbrain, BERT, Content Creation, and others are all parts of the list of Google Algorithms that determine the placement of websites in search.  Many of these algorithms are so complex that little or nothing can be done to directly optimize for the algorithm.  There are, however, a few general tactics that can be done to optimize your site for Google search.  I have listed and explained a few of these in this post.  I know, sounds boring, but the results you will achieve from understanding and following these guidelines will likely be worth it.

Unique Content And Search Intent

It is not enough anymore to create unique content around a keyword that you wish to rank in search.  You must also analyze the “intent” of the search query for that keyword.  Does someone searching for “Best SEO Company” want a sales statement about how your firm is the best, or are they looking for case studies, examples of success, positive customer reviews and at least a hint at what tactics are used to gain placement for your clients?   I think that the latter outline is what most searching for that term have in mind, and that is the information that one should provide.

There are four types of search queries according to Google:

  1. Informational queries (e.g., how do you do SEO?)
  2. Navigational queries (e.g., SEO firm near me)
  3. Comparison queries (e.g., SEO v. Paid Ads)
  4. Commercial queries (e.g., SEO Pricing)

Page Content and Code

The best indicator of what needs to be on your page to move up in rankings is to review what Google has on the SERP (Search Engine Results Page) for your search terms.  If there are images in the search results, then images with optimized alt tags are important.  Featured Snippets on the SERP?  Be sure to use the proper schema data to highlight your content.  If you are in local search, your Google My Business listing is critical.  Optimize with posts, photos and correct NAP (name, address, phone number) info.

Increase Page Speed

Page speed is an important factor of the User Experience (UX) of your site.  It is also a ranking factor.  You may assess your load speed by using Google’s Pagespeed Insights for load speed and Google Search Console to identify mobile and desktop usage issues and 404s (broken links) and other site structure issues.  Google is using mobile first indexing almost universally now, so page load speed and UX are key to gaining rankings.

E-A-T factors

E-A-T stands for expertise, authority, and trustworthiness. It is difficult to say if optimizing this is going to improve rankings, but it should improve conversion knowing that the person or people behind the ideas being presented in the website are experts in their field.  Be sure that you have contact info on your site, and that you have a profile page explaining who you are and outlining your experience and training. 

Backlinks That Help You Find Information

The most important things about backlinks (links to your site from other sites) is that you want them to be from a variety of sites and that they be links that a human being would actually follow.  Ahrefs.com and SEM Rush both have link building tools that will help to identify sites that link to competitors or have information relevant to your site.

Conclusion

There are so many things in SEO that are outside of our control   The factors that we can influence are vulnerable to constant change.  It is important to focus on strategies that are able to be improved, and trust that creating a website that has unique, relevant and valuable content that is presented in a fashion that allows a user to gain the answers to the questions they ask (keyword searches) will be valued not only by those who visit, but by Google Algorithms.  The above list represents a few improvements that can be made to help a site to rank in SERP.  

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