In January 2026, Google was granted patent US12536233B1. Six engineers worked on it, and it describes a system that scores a landing page on conversion rate, bounce rate, and design quality. If the landing page falls below a threshold, generate an AI replacement personalized to the searcher. The advertiser never sees it. Never approves it. Might …
Gboard, Google’s official keyboard, doesn’t really need an introduction for most Android users! Most Android smartphones use Gboard as the default keyboard. I have relied on Gboard most of the time I’ve driven a daily Android smartphone, and the experience has been decent. I also love that it offers well-integrated features, including a built-in clipboard, …
Google’s head of Search, Liz Reid, told Bloomberg’s Odd Lots podcast that AI Overviews are reducing “bounce clicks” from publisher pages, continuing an argument she has made in public appearances since last year. Reid appeared on the April 23 episode of Odd Lots. Hosts Joe Weisenthal and Tracy Alloway asked how AI Overviews affect publisher …
Using a tiling window manager is a lot like rewiring your brain. You learn shortcuts, ascertain your workflow and finally combine it all into an often cool-looking but insanely complicated setup. Tilting window managers can often be a bit intimidating. Not to mention, if you’re already invested in a desktop environment, it might be hard …
Welcome to the week’s Pulse: updates affect how deep links appear in your snippets, how your robots.txt gets parsed, how agentic features work in Search, and how the EU’s data-sharing rules apply to AI chatbots. Here’s what matters for you and your work. Google Lists Best Practices For Read More Deep Links Google updated its …
Pivot Tables in Excel are fine, right? They get the job done, but only until the moment you need to tweak the layout, add a new field, refresh the numbers after a new data dump arrives. Before you start scrambling through Excel’s UI, clicking through dozens of dialog boxes and dragging fields around hoping you …
Google may expand the list of unsupported robots.txt rules in its documentation based on analysis of real-world robots.txt data collected through HTTP Archive. Gary Illyes and Martin Splitt described the project on the latest episode of Search Off the Record. The work started after a community member submitted a pull request to Google’s robots.txt repository …
If you’ve been using Lightroom for as long as I have, Adobe’s subscription model starts looking a lot like you’re being held hostage. Gone are the good old days when Lightroom used to be a one-time purchase. Now, it’s a subscription where the price keeps bumping up every few years, often at the cost of …
Google’s Large Customer Sales team has posted a role titled “GEO Partner Manager, Performance Solutions” on Google Careers. The listing is a single job posting inside Google’s ads sales organization. The term “GEO” appears seven times across the listing, including the title. “Generative Engine Optimization” is spelled out twice. Other references include “GEO players,” “GEO …
Lately, I have been trying out some of the most popular note-taking apps. While some of them try to replace 10 unique apps at once, many pack flashy features. Honestly, there’s no judgment over which notes app you choose for your needs. Something that works great for me could be a little too much for …
Keep your media lists to 15–20 journalists max and make sure every single one is a genuine fit before you hit send Target journalists who cover your topic regularly and have published within the last month — that’s your Goldilocks zone. Lead your pitch with one to two sentences setting up the story, followed by …
Digiday reports that an early version of ChatGPT’s ads manager, available to a subset of pilot advertisers, now shows cost-per-click bids ranging from $3 to $5, based on screenshots reviewed and verified by the publication. Until now, advertisers in the pilot have paid on a CPM basis, meaning a flat rate per 1,000 impressions served. CPC pricing lets …
Despite its shortcomings, ChatGPT is unquestionably one of the best AI tools on the market. It’s always ready for you to ask it something, and it pretty much always has the right answer. However, just because using ChatGPT is easy doesn’t mean it’s also the best or the fastest tool for the job. It might …
AI search has changed how buyers discover solutions. Here’s how to make sure they find you. Why AI Visibility Is Now a Growth Priority Platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews are now active discovery channels for buyers. Marketing leaders who understand those signals are building durable visibility. Those who don’t are quietly losing …
Wearable tech has been a case of curiosity for Samsung in recent years. From its pricey if well-designed smart ring, to its range of smart watches designed to track fitness, the company has often swung (and often missed) in this developing sector. Now, a fresh leak from Sammyguru journalist @thatjoshguy69 suggests that Samsung could launch …
For 30 years, checkout has been a page. A form with fields for name, address, credit card number. Whether it was Amazon’s one-click patent or Apple Pay’s fingerprint, the innovation was always about making that form faster to get through. The form itself never went away. Now it is. This is the final article in …
LM Studio has been my go-to app for running local LLMs since I discovered it. It’s easy to use, the UI is well-polished, and you can have any AI model up and running in a matter of a few clicks — even if you’ve never touched a terminal in your life. It’s one of the …
Stanford’s Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence Institute published its 2026 AI Index Report. The report runs over 400 pages across nine chapters covering technical performance, investment, workforce effects, and public sentiment. The number getting the most attention is that Generative AI reached 53% adoption among the global population within three years of ChatGPT’s launch. That’s faster than …
I’ve been using Brave for a while now, and it does exactly what it promises. The privacy defaults are solid, the ad blocking works, and the Chromium foundation means it runs right. However, I found myself curious whether something even leaner existed, a browser that covered the same privacy ground without accumulating quite so many …
Welcome to the week’s Pulse: updates affect what Google considers spam, what happens when you report it, and what agentic search looks like in practice. Here’s what matters for you and your work. Google’s New Spam Policy Targets Back Button Hijacking Google added back button hijacking to its spam policies, with enforcement beginning June 15. …
Have you ever gone to Task Manager to figure out why your PC feels so slow, so sluggish? If you have, you might have noticed that nothing looks obviously wrong, but memory use is high and your machine is crawling. Why doesn’t Windows tell you what’s going on? Turns out that the Task Manager isn’t …
An Ahrefs analysis of 1.4 million ChatGPT prompts found that pages from a dedicated Reddit source were rarely cited in ChatGPT responses, even though they were often retrieved. Ahrefs highlights this pattern in a new report. What The Report Looked At Ahrefs examined 1.4 million ChatGPT 5.2 prompts, tracking which pages were retrieved and later …
With a rich set of formatting features comes a great responsibility. You have to get the look right if you expect to be taken seriously. Every time I received a Word document, I’d lose 20 minutes fixing mismatched fonts, inconsistent headings, and rogue spacing. It was the most tedious part of an editor’s job. It …
Focus on earning a few high-quality links rather than chasing volume. Use tightly targeted outreach instead of mass emailing journalists. Lead every pitch with a clear, compelling story—not a link request. Tie campaigns to timely trends, news, or seasonal angles. Create original, data-driven content that journalists can’t produce themselves. In the wake of AI, I’ve …
If you’re in an SEO role, there’s a good chance your job description quietly expanded over the last year. You’re now the de facto expert on how your company shows up in ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity. Your SEO Expertise Is Already the Foundation for AI Search Authority Getting cited in AI outputs is table stakes. …
There are hidden features that sometimes even Excel pros discover after years of using the program. You might know how to build a bar chart and a pivot table, and you must definitely have struggled with chart formatting in the past. But there’s a little hidden feature which can completely change how you visualize data, …
Google announced Skills in Chrome, a new Gemini in Chrome feature that lets you save prompts and rerun them as one-click tools across selected pages and tabs. What’s New Skills turn a prompt you’ve already written into a saved tool you can trigger again later. After running a prompt in Gemini’s Chrome side panel, you …
There are open-source tools that I’d happily pay for, and then there are tools like Cursor. It’s a $20 subscription that’s well worth the money, to the point where it’ll make you wonder why you were writing code without it in the first place. But if you’re not willing to pay, the 50 premium requests …
“Google Zero” is overstated — traffic isn’t vanishing, growth has just leveled off. SEO is now a zero-sum game — if you win the click, someone else loses it. Many publishers mistake flat traffic for actual decline. AI overviews reduce clicks, but they’re not the core problem. Pulling back on SEO can create the very …
Google added a new section to its spam policies designating “back button hijacking” as an explicit violation under the malicious practices category. Enforcement begins on June 15, giving websites two months to make changes. Google published a blog post explaining the policy. It also updated the spam policies documentation to list back-button hijacking alongside malware …
Local LLMs are great for privacy; they run locally and require no subscription. That is, until you realize they suffer the same problems their cloud counterparts do: extremely restricted safety guardrails. Safety measures online are one thing, but if you’re running your AI model locally, bypassing them should be easy, right? Turns out, it actually …
Every major AI platform can now browse websites autonomously. Chrome’s auto browse scrolls and clicks. ChatGPT Atlas fills forms and completes purchases. Perplexity Comet researches across tabs. But none of these agents sees your website the way a human does. This is Part 4 in a five-part series on optimizing websites for the agentic web. …
Chrome and memory. RAM and Chrome. The most enduring love-hate relationship between a browser and the folks that use it everyday, seeing it gobble up gigabyte after gigabyte and push systems to a crawl. I’m a long-term Chrome user and even longer-term tab horder, so I understand the pain of Chrome seemingly not stopping in …
Google CEO Sundar Pichai’s description of search as a future “agent manager” made headlines this week after an hour-long interview with Stripe CEO Patrick Collison. As SEJ’s Roger Montti reported, Pichai described a version of search where users have “many threads running” and are completing tasks rather than browsing results. But the interview covered more …
Regardless of my Linux distribution or setup, there comes a point when I start experiencing some slowdown or lag in daily activities. Sometimes, it gets tricky because when I use top, CPU and memory usage look normal. I recently tried iotop, and in real time, it revealed apps that were reading or writing to my …
I really enjoyed this interview with Sundar Pichai by John Collison and Elad Gil of Stripe. Here are the five most interesting things I learned. 1. Search Will Still Exist In The Future, But Much Of It Will Be Agentic Sundar was asked if agents would replace Search. He said: “If I fast forward, a …
Finding Wi-Fi on the go can be a challenging task. Public Wi-Fi may be convenient, but it’s got its own risks. Just because you can access the internet on a connection doesn’t mean you should, especially when you’re working with sensitive information or managing your finances. There are many safer alternatives to public Wi-Fi easily …
The next time you ask an AI what product to buy, which agency to hire, or which software platform actually works, pay attention to where the answer comes from. Increasingly, it does not come from the vendor’s own website. It comes from a stranger’s Reddit comment written eighteen months ago, upvoted 847 times by people …
I own a very specific PC case. Like “ludicrously specific”. The Hyte Y70 Infinite Touch is the most eye-alluring mid-tower I’ve ever owned. It’s also the most stylistically challenging case I’ve assembled, both due to its built-in touchscreen and, more importantly, its awesome-looking vertical GPU mount. The latter, fairly unique feature has caused me to …
Google’s March core update has finished rolling out, according to the Google Search Status Dashboard. The dashboard updated at 6:12 AM PDT on April 8 with the completion note: “The rollout was complete as of April 8, 2026.” The update began on March 27 at 2:00 AM PT, making the total rollout 12 days. That’s …
Over the past few months, I’ve been trying to educate myself a bit further in the world of networking. It’s a complex, convoluted, but incredibly interesting part of the tech world that I never paid enough attention to before, and something that has become increasingly interesting to me in my daily life. My quest to …
There is typically a disparity between links and the bottom line. A lot of the time, a link-building agency may be contracted to just get links or drive organic traffic, but there’s no clear throughline to how it impacts the company’s bottom line. And even if you are doing what you are hired for —building …
Boost your skills with Growth Memo’s weekly expert insights. Subscribe for free! AI Mode is compressing the stage where buyers compare, reject, and discover brands on their own. Our new usability study of 185 documented purchase tasks shows that 74% of AI Mode final shortlists came directly from the AI’s output – no external check, …
Summers are right around the corner, and as a desktop owner myself, I am quite worried that my PC may run hot, especially the GPU, since most of my tasks are either gaming or video editing. Under load, high temperatures will impact performance and wear out components fast, and during times when PC components are …
No single site dominates AI citations—Reddit leads at just 3.49%. Prompt type drives citations more than domain. Blog/content makes up 53.46% of all citations, far ahead of news (14.09%) and social (8.71%). Owned content appears in ~40% of brand awareness queries. Earned media accounts for ~80% of citations when brand-agnostic queries are excluded. ChatGPT is …
A new Ipsos survey adds consumer sentiment data to the growing debate over ads in AI search. Most US adults say ads in AI search results would reduce their trust in those results. Early advertiser data from ChatGPT’s ad pilot offers limited context. An Ipsos survey of U.S. adults found 63% say ads in …
For the past few months, productivity hasn’t exactly been my strongest suit. I found myself constantly reaching for my phone, scrolling mindlessly, hopping between apps, and slowly burning out my attention span. It wasn’t something so serious, but it gradually slid into a distraction that became hard to ignore. The frustrating part was that I …
This is Part 3 in a five-part series on optimizing websites for the agentic web. Part 1 covered the evolution from SEO to AAIO. Part 2 explored how to get your content cited in AI responses. This article goes deeper: the protocols forming the infrastructure layer that make everything else possible. The early web needed …
When you walk into your local big-box store to pick up a new HDMI or DisplayPort cable, you can typically grab one off the shelf without thinking twice, right? HDMI to HDMI works exactly as you’d expect, and the same goes for its more PC-centric counterpart. Heck, even a DisplayPort-to-HDMI converter will work exactly as …
When I started updating an online course I’m teaching, I kept returning to the same uncomfortable observation: The content marketing profession has gotten remarkably good at producing content nobody wants to read. That’s not a knock on the people doing the work. It’s a structural problem created by an industry that optimized for volume at …
I don’t tend to think of myself as someone who ignores privacy settings, but when I actually sat down and spent 20 minutes or so going through Windows 11’s app permissions, I found six things I should have changed a long time ago. None of these require any technical knowledge and is pretty straightforward to …
Google, OpenAI, and Shopify insist that the next revolution in AI is agentic AI shopping agents. Shopping is a lucrative area for AI to burrow into. The thing that I keep thinking is that shopping is a deeply important activity to humans; it’s literally a part of our DNA. Is surrendering the shopping experience something …
After setting up a quick Linux build, my system still felt a bit off. This wasn’t a case of crashing programs nor the regular bugs you expect on a fresh setup. Things were just a second slower than I would like. Installs seemed to drag, and I saw minor delays during routine tasks. This was …
Artificial intelligence led all employer-cited reasons for U.S. job cuts in March, accounting for 15,341 of the month’s 60,620 announced layoffs, according to outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. That’s 25% of all cuts for the month, up from roughly 10% in February. Since Challenger began tracking AI as a reason in 2023, employers have …
Open Task Manager on your Windows PC right now and chances are you’ll see apps like Discord, Slack, or Teams sitting at the top of the memory list, even if they’re not active. It’s not a bug in their code, and it’s not because your PC is old. It’s really the consequence of more than …
Fair to say the majority of evergreen content will not drive the value it did five years ago. Hell, even one or two years ago. What we have done for the last decade will not be as profitable. AIOs have eroded clicks. Answer engines have given people options. And to be fair, people are bored …
One of the cooler things about Windows is the clipboard history. It’s a feature that I like so much, I have a third-party app to replicate it on my Mac (Paste, if you’re curious). Being able to pull up items I’ve copied maybe three or four copies ago is a killer feature that I just …
Relationships drive results: prior replies lead to 1.5x more opens and 19x more responses A single reply isn’t just engagement—it’s a relationship trigger that compounds future outreach success Recency matters: journalist relationships decay significantly after ~90 days Even after 6 months, warm contacts still outperform cold outreach by ~8x At BuzzStream, we often talk …
Google’s Gary Illyes published a blog post explaining how Googlebot’s crawling systems work. The post covers byte limits, partial fetching behavior, and how Google’s crawling infrastructure is organized. The post references episode 105 of the Search Off the Record podcast, where Illyes and Martin Splitt discussed the same topics. Illyes adds more details about crawling …
One UI is Samsung’s in-house version of Android, and using it can be a blessing and a curse. Compared to Pixel UI or the bare-bones Android Open Source Project builds, releases like One UI 8.5 include custom features and extra functionality. They also come with extra bloat, and Samsung is known for loading up One …
Stick to core PR and SEO fundamentals instead of chasing every new LLM trend. Invest in niche sites and communities where your audience actually spends time. Ensure your brand messaging is clear and consistent across your site and third-party mentions. Regularly search your brand and category in LLMs to understand how you’re being represented. Treat …
Google’s Gary Illyes and Martin Splitt used a recent episode of the Search Off the Record podcast to discuss whether webpages are getting too large and what that means for both users and crawlers. The conversation started with a simple question: are websites getting fat? Splitt immediately pushed back on the framing, arguing that website-level …
I’m a big fan of Visual Studio Code — also commonly known as VS Code. I’m not a coder, but it’s long been my writing tool of preference, above all others. One of VS Code’s big pulls is that it’s open source. You know that it is because it proudly declares this on its website, …
You probably set up your Google Business Profile a while back, filled in your address, picked your categories, maybe chased down a few reviews, and then called it done. Totally understandable. That was enough, once. But here’s what’s changed: If you haven’t meaningfully touched that profile in months, you’re losing visibility to competitors who figured …
I knew something was not right with my PC. No, it wasn’t unstable. It didn’t even crash randomly. However, everything felt delayed. My apps would take longer to open, my browser stuttered at times, and even simple tasks like typing lagged behind my thoughts. When this started happening frequently, I blamed my hardware. I thought …
This is Part 2 in a five-part series on optimizing websites for the agentic web. Part 1 covered the evolution from SEO to AAIO and why the shift matters. This article gets practical: how AI systems actually select content, and what you can do about it. AI Doesn’t Rank Pages. It Selects Fragments. Traditional search …
If you are someone who relies on a seamless home network, you expect your devices to work in sync. Your phone talks to your TV, your PC talks to your printer, and everything just works in a perfect rhythm, until one day it stops. You try to print your documents or cast your phone to …
Imagine a web where a machine fills out your lead forms, buys your products, and negotiates with your backend. While many SEOs are currently arguing over whether to block AI search bots, whether to call ourselves SEOs or GEOs, or optimizing to get mentioned in ChatGPT, the reality of the web is moving far past …
There’s a meme that goes: if all of xyz artist’s fans are dead, then I am dead. Well, that’s me, but with music in general. I don’t commute without my AirPods, I don’t make a cup of coffee without it, I don’t study without it, and I’ve reached a point where I can’t sleep without …
Google is expanding Search Live to more than 200 countries and territories, bringing voice and camera conversations to AI Mode globally. The expansion is powered by Gemini 3.1 Flash Live, a new audio model that Google calls its highest-quality yet. It’s inherently multilingual, so you can speak with Search in your preferred language without switching …
Summary RCS Universal Profile 4.0 was announced on March 26, 2026. The headlining feature is native video calling within messaging apps. Native video calling could finally bring Android closer to Apple in this key area. On March 26, the GSMA (Global System for Mobile Communications Association, the governing body that maintains the RCS standard) announced …
Create newsworthy, data-driven stories—AI rewards original insights it can’t generate itself. Focus on entity authority, not just links—get your brand mentioned across many relevant platforms. Build topical dominance with fewer, stronger pages (10x content), not lots of thin content. Target a mix of mainstream + niche publications where your audience actually engages. Ensure consistent messaging …
Google Analytics has launched Scenario Planner and Projections, two new features designed to help advertisers plan and monitor paid media budgets across channels. The rollout is part of Google Analytics’ cross-channel budgeting feature, which is still in beta and not yet available to every Google Analytics property. Read on to learn more about the tools, …
Tools like LocalSend and PairDrop are almost perfect for cross-device file sharing. They are easy to use, completely free, and rarely fail. And honestly, I didn’t think I had a problem with them until I tried Blip. Blip brings the same file sharing convenience as LocalSend and PairDrop, but with slightly more flexibility. It lets …
Relevance matters most—don’t pitch journalists things they don’t cover Use small, targeted media lists instead of mass outreach Lead with a clear story idea (headline + angle), not a long press release Build relationships so your emails get prioritized in crowded inboxes Be reliable and responsive or you’ll lose future opportunities If you want to …
Google started rolling out the March 2026 spam update today, according to the Google Search Status Dashboard. The update is global and in all languages, with a rollout that may take a few days. What’s New The Search Status Dashboard listed the update as an incident affecting ranking at 12:00 PM PT on March 24, …
It seems like every now and then, my Wi-Fi starts misbehaving. Something is slower than it should be, the signal drops in rooms it never used to, or a device that worked fine yesterday now can’t hold a connection. I used to do what most people do: restart the router, mutter at it, and restart …
It’s been an eventful start to the year for AI search, and AI is moving quickly, but there’s a lot of hype and panic. When really search is just doing what it has for the last 30 years, it’s constantly self-updating. At Search Engine Journal, as most other publishers have, we’ve experienced considerable drops from …
There’s a specific kind of panic that sets in when you open the Recycle Bin in Windows to recover deleted files and find they’re gone. You didn’t permanently delete the files, nor did you hold Shift. You just deleted it the normal way, the way you’ve deleted files for years, fully expecting it to sit …
For 25 years, we’ve built websites for humans who click, scroll, and browse. That era is ending. I’ve been in website optimization for 15+ years, and this is the biggest shift I’ve seen since mobile. And honestly, I think it’s way bigger than that. The internet is undergoing its most significant transformation since it began. …
I don’t remember the first time I ever used VLC. It has just been the standard for years and is one of the few apps that I install on every PC. It’s probably the only app I don’t remember troubleshooting or second-guessing. The rule has been simple: as long as a file exists, VLC plays …
Welcome to this week’s PPC Pulse. Updates focus on expanding creative tools in Google Ads and updates to bidding strategies in Microsoft Ads. The newest version of Nano Banana Pro is now available to advertisers in Google Ads. In a separate creative update, marketers spotted an expansion to Google’s Creative Toolkit in the platform. Lastly, …
Universal Flash Storage (UFS) is a flash storage specification for mobile electronics, designed to deliver high data transfer speeds — critical for fast app loads, smooth gaming, and quick data access — while eliminating the market fragmentation caused by competing formats like eMMC (which couldn’t read and write simultaneously) and expensive, inefficient microSD expansion. This …
Welcome to the week’s Pulse: updates affect how Google personalizes AI Mode, what Googlebot’s crawl limits look like in practice, and what new data shows about AIO click behavior and publisher traffic. Here’s what matters for you and your work. Google Personal Intelligence Now Free For US Users Google expanded Personal Intelligence from paid AI …
We’ve all been there: We’re working away on our PC, maybe in a coffee shop or library, and we have to leave it for a moment, to grab our order or to greet an old friend. You can lock it manually, but I know I can often forget. Even at home, leaving my PC unlocked …
Around 75% of sites blocking OpenAI or Google AI bots still appeared in AI citations. Roughly 95% of the cited pages blocked GPTBot or Google-Extended, the bots used for model training. About 70% of ChatGPT citations came from sites blocking ChatGPT-User or OAI-SearchBot, which power live retrieval. Another myth busted. One way many publishers have been …
Google updated the Universal Commerce Protocol with new Cart and Catalog capabilities, highlighted Identity Linking as an available option, and announced a simpler onboarding process through Merchant Center. The update is UCP’s first since Google launched the protocol at NRF in January. Cart and Catalog are published as draft specifications. Identity Linking is in the …
Sometimes, you’ll get a call from someone you know, but the image is just a gray circle with initials on it. Sure, if it’s someone you know well, you might suss it out, but if not? Wouldn’t it be great to see a picture? My mom could put a photo of herself, my brother could …
Overall, about 3% of all news citations came from publishers with confirmed OpenAI or Google data partnerships. Less than 1% of citations from Gemini, AI Mode, and AI Overviews came from Google’s confirmed partner, the Associated Press. 28.5% of ChatGPT news citations came from OpenAI partners, though OpenAI partners with many more publishers than Google. …
Last Friday afternoon, Digg died. Again. Two months. That’s how long the relaunch lasted before CEO Justin Mezzell pinned a eulogy to the homepage. The platform had raised $15-20 million. It had Kevin Rose. It had Alexis Ohanian – Reddit’s co-founder, no less. It had promises that AI would “remove the janitorial work of moderators …
Imagine you are driving in a new city, relying entirely on your favorite navigation app in your car. Then, right at the moment when the navigation app is about to tell you which lane to take, the dashboard screen goes completely black, and Android Auto disconnects. Sounds frustrating, right? Well, in that instance, you have …
Effective PR for apps in crowded markets starts with finding a real story that benefits people, not just promoting the product itself. Strong PR teams create news instead of waiting for it, using tactics like newsjacking, data reports, or product tweaks tied to cultural moments. Every pitch needs a clear goal and audience—whether investors, users, …
Google has removed “What People Suggest,” a search feature that used AI to organize health perspectives from online discussions. The confirmation came as Google held its annual Check Up event, where it announced new AI health features for YouTube. A Google spokesperson confirmed the removal to The Guardian, calling it part of a “broader simplification” …
When you pay for a subscription every month, you expect the service to work flawlessly. And when you’re working with AI tools, hitting a rate limit mid-work can be quite a frustrating experience. Not to mention that all your work, and any sensitive files or documents you work with, are being sent over to an …
A BuzzStream report analyzing 4 million AI citations found that press releases distributed through syndication channels barely appear in AI-generated answers. Background Press release distribution services have been marketing AI visibility as a selling point. For example, ACCESS Newswire offers an “AI Visibility Checklist” for press releases. eReleases published a guide positioning press releases as …
Desktop mode, whether on Samsung DeX (which works especially well as a widget dashboard) or most Android phones running Android 16, is a great way to get more work done by utilizing a larger screen, along with (ideally) a wireless mouse and keyboard (we especially like mechanical keyboards here at MUO, but please keep them …
I wrote a LinkedIn post on this very topic a while ago, and people seemed, at least, reasonably interested. So I thought I’d expand on it a little. It is, IMO, a very good way of framing how you can generate real value from trends. The value of our traditional (if we’re being fair, beige) …
Figma is a great design tool for professionals; there’s no argument about that. But if you’re a freelancer or sole professional working on your own, that monthly subscription tends to add up. After looking around for an alternative that doesn’t drain my wallet, and testing five open-source Figma replacements, I’ve finally found the one free, …
Digital marketing usually gets discussed as one bucket in companies. It shows up in planning decks as a single line item, even though what sits underneath it is far more nuanced. SEO and PPC both live inside that bucket, but they don’t behave the same way once you start making real business decisions around them. …
The best browser debate is a war that seems to never run out of weapons. Every other day, a new browser shows up with shiny features, gunning to snatch users from big G’s hands. Some, like Vivaldi, have been surprisingly successful, while others, like Firefox, are fading into the desert like tumbleweeds. One long-standing contender …
An analysis from Discover tracking tool DiscoverSnoop adds to the post-update data available on Google’s Discover core update, confirming some patterns identified in earlier NewzDash analysis while contradicting others. The DiscoverSnoop report compared article counts and audience scores for publishers in the week before the update began (January 26 to February 1) against the week …
Windows 11 has plenty of useful preinstalled apps, and one of them is Snipping Tool. The built-in screen capture tool lets you record your screen, take screenshots, and even annotate live. It’s a handy tool for basic screen capturing needs without investing in a full-blown screenshot app like ShareX. However, one of my favorite features …
Ask ChatGPT’s default and premium models the same question, and they’ll cite almost entirely different sources, according to a Writesonic analysis. GPT-5.4 Thinking, ChatGPT’s premium model, sent 56% of its citations to brand websites. GPT-5.3 Instant, the default for all logged-in ChatGPT users, sent 8%. Across all prompts, the two models shared only 7% of …
Slow internet can drive anyone up the wall. Pages take forever to load, video calls get stuck at the worst moments, and streaming anything turns into a buffering nightmare. But not all of it is your ISP’s fault. There are router defaults you should fix before blaming your ISP. Similarly, some settings can also free …
WordPress published a troubled security release version 6.9.2 to patch ten vulnerabilities that also caused some sites to crash (display a white screen), so WordPress quickly followed up with a bugfix release version 6.9.3. Today, WordPress announced another update, version 6.9.4 because not all of the vulnerabilities were adequately addressed. WordPress security firm Wordfence published …
NotebookLM is one of the best research tools available right now; until you try to get your notes out of it. Despite a December 2025 update that added a native export button, the feature only sends content to Google Docs or Sheets. No PDF, no Markdown, no plain text. If you work outside the Google …
Always build multiple angles into a campaign so you have a backup if the lead story doesn’t land. Map your ideas against a press coverage vs. on-brand matrix before you commit to them. Check how many articles have been written about your topic in the last year — if it’s low, think twice. Ask yourself …
Peer recommendations are the most trusted information source for B2B buyers, according to a new report from Reddit and SurveyMonkey. AI chatbots ranked near the bottom. What They Found The report surveyed 1,200 U.S. business decision-makers. Among respondents, 73% said they trust peer recommendations when evaluating business purchases. That’s well ahead of vendor websites (55%), …
Data cleanup in Excel is quite boring. Someone types “electronics” in lowercase, someone else uses all caps, and suddenly your VLOOKUP returns errors for no obvious reason. These small inconsistencies compound over time, and for years, fixing them meant relying on data-cleanup functions like TRIM and CLEAN — functional, but tedious for something that shouldn’t …
A new study reported an increase in mental fatigue tied to heavy AI use. Marketing workers were hit hardest at 26%. A Harvard Business Review article by researchers from Boston Consulting Group and the University of California, Riverside reports that 14% of 1,488 full-time U.S.-based workers surveyed experienced what the authors call “brain fry.” They …
I’ve always been a proponent of using Gemini in Google Sheets to help me generate new sheets, clean and organize data, analyze and visualize information, pull in context from Gmail and Drive, and explain trends for my report. It’s been awesome having that assistance readily available, but I still had to spend a few minutes …
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In a podcast interview, Google VP of Search Liz Reid described two ways LLMs are changing what Google can index and how it ranks results for individual users. Reid told the Access Podcast that multimodal AI models now allow Google to understand audio and video content at a deeper level than was previously possible. She …
Google Maps has been my default navigation service for years now, and for the most part (except for one day when it literally guided me to someone’s backyard), it’s been reliable. While the default settings work for most people, Google Maps has evolved to offer a lot more than just basic navigation. You can check …
Choosing the right pay-per-click (PPC) ad network is a core strategy impacting the success of your advertising program. Each network reaches distinct audiences, offers different ad formats, and suits different campaign objectives, from capturing high-intent search demand to driving awareness through video and social feeds. With AI-powered automation now embedded across most major platforms, understanding …
The volume buttons on your phone can do more than just adjust volume. In fact, that’s what I sought out to do: you see, every day I go on a jog with my phone and my headphones (but I’m not using Anker’s killer budget ANC headphones), and if I want to advance the track, I …
Google’s self-referencing in AI Mode has risen to more than three times its level nine months ago, according to a new SE Ranking report analyzing 1.3 million citations. Google now accounts for 17% of all AI Mode citations, more than YouTube, Facebook, Reddit, Amazon, Indeed, and Zillow combined. When YouTube is included, Google-owned properties make …
When I started using Linux some years ago, I dreaded troubleshooting. I used to copy errors from my terminal after a failed command and search for answers online. Although I’m now more accomplished at understanding logs, I tried a weekend project that turned out to be one of the most helpful inclusions to my workflow: …
Since Google introduced AI Max for Search campaigns, most of the discussion has focused on Google’s own benchmarks. Those benchmarks suggest advertisers can expect meaningful conversion growth without major efficiency changes. But like many platform statistics, they leave open questions about how the feature behaves inside mature accounts. To get a clearer view, Mike Ryan, …
Linux Mint has always been a little stubborn about big changes. While much of the Linux world spent the last few years marching toward Wayland, Mint calmly stayed parked on X11 like someone watching the chaos from a safe distance with a cup of coffee. Not because the developers were ignoring the future, but because …
Images don’t noticeably affect open and reply rates. Images can hinder deliverability if used inappropriately via the spray-and-pray technique and high volumes. Images are essential for product PR. Images can be a difference-maker for expert commentary as fake experts are at an all-time high, especially in the UK. Data images and graphs can be a …
Robby Stein, VP of Product Google Search, posted that Google is updating AI Mode so that it surfaces more links to creators when users search for recipes. Google’s AI Mode has generated controversy by synthesizing multiple recipes into what many have taken to calling Frankenstein recipes. This new update aims to fix that by making …
Your phone isn’t dying — it just has a storage, battery, or heat problem that doesn’t get talked about much. It’s a familiar story: you open your phone after a year or two, and everything just feels a bit more sluggish. Apps take a little longer to open, the camera hesitates, you miss the perfect …
AI citations require real brand equity—authority, links, and deep coverage of the topic you want to own The fastest way to influence AI is to show up in its live “grounding” research, not the training data. Content should mirror the model’s reasoning chain, targeting the subtopics and queries it searches. In low-competition markets, strong third-party …
Builderius has released an experimental AI integration that connects Anthropic’s Claude to live WordPress projects through the Model Context Protocol. The release enables the AI to read the full state of a Builderius template and apply structural changes directly inside the visual development environment. Instead of generating isolated snippets of code, the system operates on …
Google just announced a ton of new features and improvements for the Android ecosystem, including ways to share locations, lost luggage location, Google Play shorts, personalized calling cards, a kid-friendly lineup of Android Auto games, and Emoji Kitchen sticker combos. Plus, the new March Pixel Drop is coming soon, with Circle to Search upgrades, Magic …
Google updated two Search Central documentation pages, adding guidance on how publishers can tell Google which image to prefer for thumbnails in Search results and Discover. The company added a new section called “Specify a preferred image with metadata” to its Image SEO best practices page. It also updated the Discover documentation to reference the …
My 2017 MacBook Air had been sitting in a cabinet for the better part of three years when I finally pulled it out again. Not because I had a plan for it — just because I was reorganizing and felt guilty throwing money at a new machine when a perfectly good laptop was gathering dust …
Welcome to the week’s SEO Pulse for the best of this week’s news: updates cover what early data reveals about the February Discover core update, why Google may ignore a valid sitemap, and how businesses are trying to game AI assistant memory. Here’s what matters for you and your work. Discover Core Update: Early Data …
So, you’re watching Squid Game on Netflix, excited to see all the deep colors promised by the title’s HDR tag. Except, well, it looks like every other show or movie you pull up on your TV. There’s nothing magical about it. HDR promises a revolution in how we see contrast and color on our screens, …
Microsoft has rewritten the Bing Webmaster Guidelines to cover how content appears in both traditional search results and Copilot’s AI-generated answers. The previous version focused on how Bing indexes and ranks websites. The rewrite extends that to Copilot and grounding API results, treating “grounding results and citations” as additional eligibility outcomes. New Meta Directive Guidance …
I get distracted embarrassingly easily. As I’m writing this, a Replit ad playing before a podcast has already pulled my attention away. The lamp on my desk has 16 different colors, and it’s starting to feel like cycling through them is somehow more urgent than completing this paragraph. Now, imagine how different this paragraph would …
Google’s February 2026 Discover core update has finished rolling out, per an update posted to the Search Status Dashboard at 2:02 AM PT on February 27. The rollout took roughly 22 days, starting February 5. That’s about 8 days longer than Google’s original estimate of up to two weeks. Google announced the update on the …
Spotify is expanding its push into the book world with the launch of Audiobook Charts in the United States and the United Kingdom, introducing a new way for users to track the most popular and fast-rising titles on the platform. Spotify’s newly announced Charts funtions is similar to the service’s existing music and podcast rankings. …
We’re bringing the SEJ newsroom to a screen near you. On March 11 from 12–3pm ET, we’ve gathered our own search experts, alongside some very special guests, to help you master AI search visibility this year. This is SEJ Live, a new series we’ve been building behind the scenes, and I couldn’t be more excited …
After visiting my local Chinese takeout spot, I grabbed a few pieces of candy from the small jar that they had near their cash register. Unsure of what they were, I was curious to uncover a delightfully fruity piece of hard candy that awaited inside the wrapper, but I was sad to see that I …
Choosing the right pay-per-click (PPC) ad network is a core strategy impacting the success of your advertising program. Each network reaches distinct audiences, offers different ad formats, and suits different campaign objectives, from capturing high-intent search demand to driving awareness through video and social feeds. With AI-powered automation now embedded across most major platforms, understanding …
There’s no shortage of creative ways to repurpose an old phone. You can turn it into a smart home sensor, a security camera, a digital clock, or even a dashcam. And while those are all great use cases, they can’t match the experience of dedicated devices that are designed for those specific tasks. Instead of …
Before creating any content or accounts, audit the top subreddits where your brand is mentioned. New accounts should spend time adding genuine value through comments before posting branded content. Claim reddit.com/user/yourcompanyname and reddit.com/r/yourcompanyname as soon as possible. Comments matter more than upvotes. Google tends to rotate results from a fixed pool of 5–8 subreddits per …
This post was sponsored by Channable. The opinions expressed in this article are the sponsor’s own. Ever watched your top-selling SKU eat up the majority of your ad spend? All while other high-margin or emerging products struggle to get any delivery? You’re not alone. Since launching in 2021, Google’s Performance Max (PMax) has fundamentally changed …
Senior executives at Meta repeatedly warned that encrypting Facebook Messenger would make it harder to detect child exploitation, according to newly unsealed court filings tied to a lawsuit brought by New Mexico’s attorney general. Internal emails, chats, and briefing documents show company safety and policy leaders raising alarms as early as 2019, when CEO Mark …
SerpApi filed a motion to dismiss Google’s federal lawsuit, two months after Google sued the company under the DMCA for allegedly bypassing its SearchGuard anti-scraping system. The filing goes beyond disputing the technical allegations. SerpApi is challenging whether Google has the legal right to bring the case at all. The Standing Question SerpApi’s core argument …
TVs are always better than smartphones for media consumption. When I want to watch something from my phone, like videos or photo albums, I simply cast it to my TV using the Smart View feature on my Samsung phone (other phones have similar features too), and all you need is both devices connected to the …
Information retrieval systems are designed to satisfy a user. To make a user happy with the quality of their recall. It’s important we understand that. Every system and its inputs and outputs are designed to provide the best user experience. From the training data to similarity scoring and the machine’s ability to “understand” our tired, sad …
My Outlook email inbox has been a big mess with over 30,000 emails in multiple folders. Sure, you can adopt some habits that can help you achieve inbox zero, but they still don’t fix the existing mess that’s in my inbox and the future messages that I’ll receive. While looking for ways to automate the …
Microsoft’s Defender Security Research Team published research describing what it calls “AI Recommendation Poisoning.” The technique involves businesses hiding prompt-injection instructions within website buttons labeled “Summarize with AI.” When you click one of these buttons, it opens an AI assistant with a pre-filled prompt delivered through a URL query parameter. The visible part tells the …
You spot a quote on Instagram you want to save, a product name buried in a YouTube comment, or an address tucked inside an X post, and the moment you long-press to copy, nothing happens. The app just won’t let you. So, my workaround was embarrassingly low-tech: take a screenshot, squint at it later, and …
Some advertisers are now seeing Performance Max placement data populate in Google Ads reporting, including Search Partner domains and impression counts that had previously been absent from the report. PPC marketer Thomas Eccel flagged the change on LinkedIn, noting the report had been empty for his PMax campaigns until now. “I finally see where and …
I didn’t switch to AwesomeWM because I wanted to optimize my workflow. I switched because I was annoyed. Not dramatic-annoyed, or “throw the laptop out the window” annoyed. Just that low, steady irritation that builds when you realize you’ve resized the same two windows three times in 10 minutes. When the browser is slightly too …
The middle is where your content dies, and not because your writing suddenly gets bad halfway down the page, and not because your reader gets bored. But because large language models have a repeatable weakness with long contexts, and modern AI systems increasingly squeeze long content before the model even reads it. That combo creates …
There’s no shortage of online cloud storage providers in 2026, but the majority of users are only familiar with a handful. These big players are great for convenience, but if you’re looking for a privacy-first storage solution, you’re going to have to look elsewhere. Sure, you can self-host your own cloud storage using tools like …
The UK builds digital PR around press releases, while the US relies more on newswires and avoids full releases in outreach emails. US PR pros personalize more often and more deeply than their UK counterparts. AI adoption in pitching is much higher in the US than in the UK. UK campaigns secure coverage faster, while …
I recently wrote about an unconfirmed Google algorithm update that rolled out in mid-January 2026, which negatively impacted the organic search visibility of dozens of major brands. For most of the impacted sites I analyzed, the impact was disproportionately targeted to the company’s blog, or another folder containing informational articles and resources. That same organic trajectory …
Using Photoshop inside ChatGPT sounds like a heavyweight crashing a welterweight’s bout. Image generation is baked into ChatGPT after all, with DALL-E 3. But after running a sample batch of ten photos through it, I get the logic behind using an outsider like Photoshop as a connected app in ChatGPT. Even if you don’t get …
PR must be social-first because news and trends now break on social before traditional media. Strong campaigns build social-ready soundbites and stats into the strategy from day one. Brands shouldn’t chase every viral moment—only trends that fit their audience and relevance. The future of PR is integrated with SEO, social, and influencer marketing, not siloed …
An analysis of 16,000 U.S. search queries found that text ads gained 7 to 13 percentage points of click share between January 2025 and January 2026. SEO consultant Aleyda Solis used Similarweb clickstream estimates to measure click share across classic organic results, SERP features, text ads, PLAs, and zero-click behavior. She also tracked how often …
I’ve relied on Google Photos for years, mainly because it made backing up my pictures effortless and offered handy editing tools in one place. At first, it really felt convenient and dependable. Over time, though, the experience started to feel overwhelming. The interface now feels crowded, and finding older photos or searching for something specific …
When the average customer age increases for a brand, it’s rarely a platform failure. It’s usually a signal that younger audiences are discovering, evaluating, and buying in different places, and older established brands haven’t kept pace. As of 2026, Gen Z spans ages 14 to 29. They’re the first generation raised in a digital online …
I’m an avid note-taker, and for years, I’ve used several note-taking apps, including open-source options and even Notion. Notion, at one point, felt like a second brain holding my dashboards, linked databases, content pipelines, reading trackers, and more. The only problem was that it stopped feeling like an efficient note-taker the moment I realized I …
Google’s John Mueller offered a simple solution to a Redditor who blamed Google’s “AI” for a note in the SERPs saying that the website was down since early 2026. The Redditor didn’t create a post on Reddit, they just linked to their blog post that blamed Google and AI. This enabled Mueller to go straight …
Graphic design was revolutionized when Canva first came around. No longer do you need to be a graphic designer and Photoshop expert to craft compelling thumbnails or make graphical assets of any kind. Canva did all the hard work with a simple web-based editor, a huge selection of templates, and access to a large library …
Google’s SERPs are changing faster than most SEO strategies can keep up. Does AI Mode change which keywords are still worth targeting? Which SERP features actually drive organic traffic in 2026? The expansion of AI Overviews into new keyword and intent queries, AI Mode’s attempt to dominate the search experience, and ongoing experimentation with new …
Fixing formatting in Microsoft Word can often take you away from the business end of writing. If it’s a long document, headings jump, images refuse to align, and working with a technical document can be a challenge. Every long document saved in your local drive often feels fragile. Cloud document editors like Typst are based …
Google’s Search Relations team was asked directly whether you still need a website in 2026. They didn’t give a one-size-fits-all answer. The conversation stayed focused on trade-offs between owning a website and relying on platforms such as social networks or app stores. In a new episode of the Search Off the Record podcast, Gary Illyes …
Antivirus programs for Windows have been around almost as long as Windows itself. Recently, I decided to stop relying on one of the many antivirus programs for Windows. Instead, I started using Microsoft Defender’s behavior monitoring instead. The result: no more bloated antivirus suites for me! Traditional antivirus software, such as that from Norton and …
In the recent episode of Google’s Ads Decoded podcast, Ginny Marvin sat down with Brandon Ervin, Director of Product Management for Search Ads, to address a topic many PPC marketers have strong opinions about: campaign and ad group consolidation. Ervin, who oversees product development across core Search and Shopping ad automation, including query matching, Smart …
At the start of 2026, I revived my old laptop by installing Linux. It was too old to run Windows 11, but it was still in good condition, so I didn’t want to throw it away. And to my surprise, everything was going smoothly. Performance was fine; the latest Linux distros felt complete, until I …
Google’s VP of Ads and Commerce, Vidhya Srinivasan, published her third annual letter to the industry, outlining how the company plans to connect advertising, commerce, and AI across Search, YouTube, and Gemini in 2026. The letter covers agentic commerce, AI-powered ad formats, creator partnerships, and creative tools. Several of the announcements build on features Google …
Many people would agree that Windows Search is unreliable. In fact, it’s not uncommon for experts to suggest other tools to address Windows Search’s shortcomings. This points to a fundamental issue. I have had times when I typed something into Windows Search and got only half-relevant results. However, what if the problem isn’t just about …
Common Crawl is a large, open web dataset that was historically used in early LLM training. According to Metehan, blocking Common Crawl may not remove a site’s link influence, because inbound links still affect its metrics. Harmonic Centrality and PageRank reflect authority and visibility in Common Crawl, but should be used only for benchmarking, not …
Boost your skills with Growth Memo’s weekly expert insights. Subscribe for free! We all know prompt tracking is directional. The most effective way to reduce noise is to track prompts based on personas. This week, I’m covering: Why AI personalization makes traditional “track the SERP” models incomplete, and how synthetic personas fill the gap. The …
Your router is your portal to the outside world and a vital part of how you interact with the internet. Most of the time, you’re advised to leave your router alone unless you know what you’re doing. There are settings in there that, once tweaked, could stop you from getting online. But there are also …
When we launched our first State of Digital PR last year, digital PR was entering a resurgence. This year, many say digital PR is even more effective than last year (driven in part by AI), yet it’s reportedly becoming more challenging. We interviewed 150+ digital PR professionals to understand how they were addressing challenges and …
Most SEO teams believe they need more data to report success, but what they actually have is metric debt, at least that’s what I keep seeing. The accumulated cost of optimizing for key performance indicators that no longer reflect how growth happens. The environment has changed, mostly because economic pressure has shifted expectations. At the …
Summary Discord is rolling out new account defaults to help protect younger users. Age checks using facial scanning or IDs will be required to enable full access to content. These changes will roll out globally in early March. Today, Discord announced new safety features designed to help safeguard younger users. This is a noble undertaking. …
Google revised its “Get on Discover” documentation following the lauch of the February Discover core update. On its documentation updates page, Google said it added more information on how sites can increase the likelihood of content appearing in Discover. Here’s what was added. What Changed Comparing the archived version with the current page shows Google …
I’ve seen people keep their Wi-Fi and Bluetooth off and then turn them on each time they need to use a Bluetooth device or connect to a wireless network. When asked why, the most common answer is battery life. But are the gains from turning off Bluetooth and Wi-Fi big enough to be worth the …
A 90 Day Plan to Prepare Every Location for AI Search AI is changing how consumers discover and choose local brands. For multi-location businesses, visibility is no longer decided only by search rankings. AI agents now evaluate location data, reviews, content, engagement, and brand trust before a customer ever clicks. This shift means each individual …
I remember the sad times before SSDs were ubiquitous. We are now spoiled by lightning-fast boot times, near-instant app launches, and transfer speeds that make hard drives look like they belong in the Stone Age. So when I came to realize that SSDs slow down over time, it felt like a design flaw, or, worse …
Welcome to the week’s Pulse for SEO: updates affect how Google ranks content in Discover, how it plans to monetize AI search, and what content you serve to bots. Here’s what matters for you and your work. Google Releases Discover-Only Core Update Google launched the February 2026 Discover core update, a broad ranking change targeting …
For years, IT departments have drilled the 90-day password change rule into our heads, and most of us never questioned it. The logic seemed sound when computing power was more limited and cracking a password hash took considerable time. The rule was to change your password regularly and stay secure. However, security experts, including NIST, …
Google has launched a core update specifically for Discover, rather than Search more broadly. The February Discover core update began Feb. 5 for English-language users in the U.S., with plans to expand to other countries and languages. Google says the rollout may take up to two weeks. Google has started a Discover …
I’ll be honest, I’ve always been awful at remembering names. You know that embarrassing moment when someone greets you enthusiastically, clearly remembering your last conversation, and you’re frantically trying to recall what their name is. Or worse, whether you’ve even met them before. Your local LLM might turn any file into a mind map, but …
Most SEO failures are not optimization failures. They are reasoning failures that occur before optimization even begins. In enterprise SEO escalations, the pattern is remarkably consistent. Teams jump straight to causes, debate theories, and assign blame before anyone clearly articulates the actual problem they are trying to understand. Once blame enters the conversation, problem definition …
Summary The Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 series are being moved to a quarterly update schedule. Affected devices include the Pixel 6, 6 Pro, 6a, 7, and 7 Pro. All newer Pixel devices will remain on the monthly update schedule — at least, for now. Google has released the February update for Pixel devices, but …
Boost your skills with Growth Memo’s weekly expert insights. Subscribe for free! My findings this week show Google Search Console data is about 75% incomplete, making single-source GSC decisions dangerously unreliable. Google filters 3/4 of search impressions for “privacy,” while bot inflation and AIOs corrupt what remains. (Image Credit: Kevin Indig) 1. GSC Used To …
There’s nothing more frustrating than being out and about and needing some minor tech accessory you accidentally left at home. We’ve all done it, and for the sake of preparedness, I’d rather carry a small pouch with the essentials daily if it comes in clutch just one time. I’ve put together the perfect kit of …
LinkedIn published findings from its internal testing on what drives visibility in AI-generated search results. The company, reportedly among the most-cited sources in AI responses, shared what worked for improving its presence in LLMs and AI Overviews. For practitioners adjusting to AI search, this is a rare look at what a heavily-cited source tested and …
I use a Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra as my main Android phone. While Apple took a while to introduce the Always on Display (AOD) feature, Android phones have had it for a bit longer. I use AOD to have a quick glance at the time, notifications, and what music I am listening to. Although there …
This is a transcription of my perfect pitch webinar, where I used data from millions of pitches and insights from top performers in the space. Special thanks to Fractl, Incubeta (Shout Bravo), Rise at Seven, Propellernet, Journey Further, and Go Fish Digital for contributing screenshots. Here’s the transcription: First thing up front, I guess this is …
On the first episode of the Google Ads Decoded podcast, host Ginny Marvin sat down with Eleanor Stribling, Group Product Manager for Google Analytics. In the episode, Stribling noted an ambitious two-phase vision for the GA4 platform. After acknowledging GA4’s rough transition from Universal Analytics, especially for marketers, she shared where the platform is headed …
Browsing the internet and being constantly bombarded by requests for cookies can get frustrating. There are some reasons why you might want to use cookies and deal with pop-ups. You may want targeted ads and to get better suggestions for your streaming options. You may also not want to type in passwords and usernames every …
WordPress announced wp-playground, a new AI agent skill designed to be used with the Playground CLI so AI agents can run WordPress for testing and check their work as they write code. The skill helps agents test code quickly while they work. Playground CLI Playground is a WordPress sandbox that enables users to run a …
If your phone ever connects to a 2G network, you’re putting yourself at a grave security risk that could let hackers monitor all of your data, including passwords. Depending on where you live, it’s unlikely your phone will ever drop to 2G, but if you live in a rural area or in a location where …
AI tools produce different brand recommendation lists nearly every time they answer the same question, according to a new report from SparkToro. The data showed a <1-in-100 chance that ChatGPT or Google’s AI in Search (AI Overviews/AI Mode) would return the same list of brands across repeated runs of the same prompt. Rand Fishkin, SparkToro …
Investing in security cameras for your home can be a costly endeavor. The hardware itself can be pricey, many cameras now require subscriptions for full functionality, and you’ll need to make sure your home Wi-Fi network is up to snuff as well. An easy way to avoid spending a small fortune on security cameras is …
You publish a page that solves a real problem. It reads clean. It has examples, and it has the edge cases covered. You would happily hand it to a customer. Then you ask an AI platform the exact question that page answers, and your page never shows up. No citation, no link, no paraphrase. Just …
When someone tells you to buy a graphics card that launched back in April 2017 in 2026, your first instinct would likely be to laugh and scroll away. There are plenty of tips and tricks for buying GPUs on launch day, but when you’re building a budget rig, these older GPUs can really come in …
Schedule regular conversations with customers to uncover repeatable pain points, not just opinions. Choose marketing channels based on where your audience already gathers, not on what your team is most comfortable with. Broaden your definition of content beyond articles to include experiences, tools, and interactions. Tie every creative idea to a clear path toward leads, …
TL;DR Disambiguation is the process of resolving ambiguity and uncertainty in data. It’s crucial in modern-day SEO and information retrieval. Search engines and LLMs reward content that is easy to “understand,” not content that is necessarily best. The clearer and better structured your content, the harder it is to replace. You have to reinforce how your brand …
Google Photos has a lot of excellent features, including Cinematic Photos, animations and AI enhancements, a decent image editor and collage maker. But some features can be really annoying. For instance, I don’t want to see all my screenshots and GIFs in the library after they are backed up, hide specific photos from Memories that …
Digital PR places brands on sites and platforms where most Americans actually consume information. Digital PR–driven rankings and brand mentions correlate with AI citations and AI-generated answers. High-authority publisher links and brand mentions secured through digital PR likely influence AI. The traditional throughline of digital PR to rankings and blue-link SEO may matter less, since …
Google is making Gemini 3 the default model for AI Overviews in markets where the feature is available and adding a direct path into AI Mode conversations. The updates, shared in a Google blog post, bring Gemini 3’s reasoning capabilities to AI Overviews. Google says the feature now reaches over one billion users. What’s New …
Over the past decade, I’ve gotten more value out of the Google Nest Hub than any other smart home gadget — or any other tech product, for that matter. The 7-inch smart display launched in 2018 for $149, but was frequently sold for much less than that, and I’ve been using it almost every day …
Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis said Google doesn’t have any current plans to introduce advertising into its Gemini AI assistant, citing unresolved questions about user trust. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Hassabis said AI assistants represent a different product than search. He believes Gemini should be built for users first. “In the …
Smart TVs are meant for personal entertainment. You buy it for its crisp 4K resolution, the deep blacks, vibrant HDR, and cinematic sound quality. In short, when you purchase a smart TV, you bring a theater experience home—not as a digital billboard for big companies and businesses to show their product ads right in your …
Welcome to this week’s PPC Pulse. The big news this week centers on platform evolution: how advertisers get information, where ads show up, and what formats are gaining traction. OpenAI announced it’s testing ads inside ChatGPT for the first time. Google launched a new podcast to help advertisers navigate platform changes. And Demand Gen added …
Those dreaded “low storage space” warnings really stress me out, whether I’m using an Android phone or an iPhone. There’s nothing more annoying than being forced to clear space right when you’re trying to download an app, take a photo, or update your phone. And while freeing up storage on an iPhone without deleting your …
Welcome to the week’s SEO Pulse. This week’s updates affect how AI Mode personalizes answers, which AI bots can access your site, and why your domain choice still matters for search visibility. Here’s what matters for you and your work. Google Connects Gmail And Photos To AI Mode Google is rolling out Personal Intelligence, a …
Setting up a smart home can take some planning. You have to figure out which smart home assistant you prefer and want to utilize. There are so many different kinds of smart home devices, so you have to decide which ones you want to look into first. There’s also the need to make sure you’re …
I found some interesting things in the latest document in the DOJ vs. Google trial. Google has appealed the ruling that says they need to give proprietary information to competitors. Image Credit: Marie Haynes Key Takeaways: Google has been ordered to give information to competitors so as not to be an illegal monopoly. Google does …
Building a smart home that’s actually functional takes time. You need to decide on the most important smart home devices for you and you need to acquire them. After deciding how you want to utilize those devices, you have to set them up. This isn’t always the easiest part, as some devices require extra pieces …
A security advisory was published about a vulnerability in the Photo Gallery by 10Web plugin that has over 200,000 installations. The vulnerability affects how the plugin handles image comments, exposing some sites to unauthorized data modification by unauthenticated attackers (meaning that attackers do not need to register with the site). The Photo Gallery by 10Web …
I have been a proponent of smart lighting since I installed the first bulb in my home. I’d lived in apartments for years and had never thought I needed smart lighting. But when I moved into my house, it seemed like a reasonable idea to have lights that could be turned on even when no …
Data becomes useful when it’s translated into everyday language people can act on, not left as spreadsheets, KPIs, and jargon. The biggest mistake is drowning in the details; strong data work starts by zooming out, understanding the user journey, and then checking whether the right data exists. Internal (first-party) data is the best starting point …
The debate about AEO/GEO centers on whether it’s a subset of SEO, a standalone discipline, or just standard SEO. Deciding on where to plant a flag is difficult because every argument makes a solid case. There’s no doubt that change is underway and it may be time find where all the competing ideas intersect and …
When you’re trying to improve your home, it matters what tools you have. You have to have the right paintbrushes if you want to paint at an angle and the proper rollers for the specific wall you’re painting. You might be like me and have purchased a tool for one specific job and then haven’t …
Most Americans do not rely on AI for news, with roughly 60% saying they never or rarely get news from AI. AI has not replaced traditional news habits, as user behavior is shifting more toward social. 71.7% of Americans who use AI for news have seen it produce false information. Only 7.1% of Americans trust …
SEO died as a traffic channel the moment pipeline stopped following page views. Traffic is either down for many sites, or its growth nowhere near reflects growth rates of 2019-2022, but demos and pipeline are up for brands that shifted from chasing clicks to building authority. What you’ll get in today’s memo: Why traffic and …
My three-season room is maybe 15 feet from the living room. A glass slider separates them. There are no ducts running out there, no vents, and nothing tying it to our HVAC system (besides keeping the slider open) — so it roasts in summer and turns into a freezer come January. I’ve fixed other temperature …
TL;DR To generate the most value from Discover, view it through an entity-focused lens. People, places, organisations, teams, et al. Your best chance of success in Discover with an individual article is to make sure it outperforms its expected performance early. So share, share, share. Then analyze the type of content you create. What makes …
Upgrading your home doesn’t mean that you need to buy the latest and greatest device on the market. While it may be cool to splurge on a fancy new purchase, like a new TV, most of your purchases for your home aren’t going to be as sexy. I am always thinking about the reality as …
Google’s John Mueller recently answered a question about phantom noindex errors reported in Google Search Console. Mueller asserted that these reports may be real. Noindex In Google Search Console A noindex robots directive is one of the few commands that Google must obey, one of the few ways that a site owner can exercise control …
Smart home electronics feel like a thing of the future, even though they’re very much available now. I’ve always been curious about how this technology can be helpful to others, or even to me, and I’ve spent a fair amount of time and money making that happen over the years. But since my brother got …
Just today, OpenAI confirmed it will begin testing advertising in the United States for ChatGPT Free and ChatGPT Go users in the coming weeks, marking the first time ads will appear inside the ChatGPT experience. The test coincides with the U.S. launch of ChatGPT Go, a low-cost subscription tier priced at $8 per month that …
Wi-Fi smart bulbs promise an easy entry point into home automation. Screw one in, download an app, and suddenly you’re living in the future. At least, that’s how the marketing goes. After three years of building out my smart home with various lighting solutions, I’ve learned that Wi-Fi-only bulbs create more problems than they solve. …
Welcome to this week’s Pulse. Google is laying more groundwork for agent-led shopping, Google Trends is getting a Gemini helper inside Explore, and Google appears to have responded to a report we covered last week on AI Overviews health queries. Here’s what matters for you and your work. Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) Brings Agent Checkout …
It’s happened to all of us. You make something for lunch or dinner, and then you can smell it in your home for hours afterward. It can get in your hair, and on your clothes, and even at the end of the night, you can smell it in different rooms. This isn’t specific to one …
Synapse was built to move PR pitching out of overloaded email inboxes. Even perfectly targeted pitches fail when mass “spray-and-pray” outreach overloads the system, so the channel—not just the message—has to change. Synapse keeps requests, replies, and DMs within the platform. Traditional media databases are becoming less effective because maintaining accurate contact data is expensive. …
The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism has published its annual predictions report based on a survey of 280 senior media leaders across 51 countries and territories. The report suggests publishers are preparing for two potential threats: generative AI tools, and creators who attract audiences with personality-led formats. Note that the Reuters Institute survey …
When one thinks of smart home technology, even the best smart plugs on the market are perhaps the last thing that comes to mind. These entry-level devices are discussed far less than high-end security cameras and smart thermostats. And yet, it’s the simplicity of these accessories that can make them among the most versatile tools …
OpenAI partners broadly, but partnerships don’t guarantee ChatGPT citations. Google uses very little licensed news data for LLM training beyond Associated Press. Perplexity signs the most publishers, and gets blocked the most. Microsoft’s deals mainly support Copilot. Meta mixes licensed news with user content, limiting partner impact. No AI company clearly explains how licensed content …
YouTube is updating its Advertiser-friendly content guidelines to allow more videos about certain “controversial issues” to earn full ad revenue, as long as the content is non-graphic and presented in a dramatized or discussion-based context. The change was outlined in a Creator Insider video and is reflected in YouTube’s Help Center policy language. What’s Changing …
Nobody wants to feel unsafe in their own home. It’s like the song “Somebody’s Watching Me” by Rockwell. The lyrics “When I’m in the shower, I’m afraid to wash my hair because I might open my eyes and find someone standing there” can show how uneasy someone might be in their own home. Okay, maybe …
Right now, we’re dealing with a search landscape that is both unstable in influence and dangerously easy to manipulate. We keep asking how to influence AI answers – without acknowledging that LLM outputs are probabilistic by design. In today’s memo, I’m covering: Why LLM visibility is a volatility problem. What new research proves about how …
Technology is advancing at an alarming rate, and I’m glad that I’m here to witness it happening in real time. Sure, we’re still years away from hitting the levels of “Smart House” as shown in movies and TV shows, but we’re getting there slowly and surely. Being a part of the Android ecosystem and recently …
When Google announced that shoppers could complete purchases directly in AI Mode, the focus was on convenience and technical capability. A retailer who emailed Search Engine Journal raised different questions about what gets lost when the transaction moves to Google’s surfaces. The retailer cited concerns that customers never visit the store, see accessory recommendations from …
If you’re like me, one of your household tasks is doing the dishes. It’s not a fun chore, but it has to get done each day to give you clean utensils and plates to eat with. After cooking a big meal, the last thing you want to have to do is clean all the dishes …
Google announced tools that let shoppers complete purchases directly within AI Mode and chat with branded AI agents in Search results. Users can purchase from eligible product listings on Google. Retailers are still the seller of record, while the checkout happens on Google surfaces instead of the retailer’s website. Universal Commerce Protocol Powers AI Mode …
Having a smart home is pointless if you have to intervene and tell your home what to do. But if you take advantage of the automations that run silently in the background without you having to do anything — now that’s smart! Here are three automations you can probably set up today with your existing …
Enterprise SEO is at the center of some fascinating and fundamental shifts right now. From mainstream media coverage in the Wall Street Journal and Forbes to the Associated Press, Business Insider, Entrepreneur, and more. The role of search and SEO and its impact on enterprise brands and their visibility in a new AI era made …
As someone who is not the most handy person, I have tried to learn as much as possible about household chores and tasks. Being a first-time homeowner has brought on plenty of challenges, and there are still plenty of jobs I don’t feel comfortable enough with my skills to even attempt on my own. But …
Paid media didn’t slow down last year. If anything, the platforms made sure we stayed busy. Google rolled out more AI-assisted ad creation features, new Performance Max reporting updates, and continued refining how AI-influenced results shape visibility across search. Microsoft pushed forward with its own set of AI tools inside Ads and Copilot, along with …
My wife and I bought a house a few years ago after searching for one for months. Once the home was finally ours, we were thrilled to start making it the home we would raise our kids in. After our daughter was born, we made some upgrades so the house would be a better space …
ChatGPT accounted for 64% of worldwide traffic share among gen AI chatbot websites as of January, while Google’s Gemini reached 21%, according to Similarweb’s Global AI Tracker. Similarweb’s tracker (PDF link) measures total visits at the domain level, so it reflects people who go to these tools directly on the web. It doesn’t capture API …
Think about all the times you’ve had to do small jobs around your home that involve a screwdriver or an electric driver. Whether it’s hanging up pictures, curtains, or shelves, or assembling furniture, your hand can get a workout while you’re twisting and turning. Some jobs are too delicate for an electric screwdriver or drill. …
Digital PR works when it’s “good PR” grounded in SEO fundamentals. Traditional and digital PR are rapidly converging into one discipline. A sustainable digital PR offering is usually retainer-based and requires steady coverage and links. The strongest digital PR programs prioritize link value over link volume. Track things like link relevance, new referring domains, and …
Google Search Advocate John Mueller says businesses that rely on referral traffic should think about how AI tools fit into the picture. Mueller responded to a Reddit thread asking whether SEO is still enough or whether practitioners need to start considering GEO, a term some in the industry use for optimizing visibility in AI-powered answer …
MSI launched its new range of AMD X870 and B850 motherboards at CES 2026, all tying into its PC building ecosystem spanning cases, GPUs, coolers, and more. Power has been the theme of MSI’s CES 2026, as evidence with its insanely powerful RTX 5090 32G Lightning Z GPU. These new motherboards are built with high-performance …
Boost your skills with Growth Memo’s weekly expert insights. Subscribe for free! Every year, after the winter holidays, I spend a few days ramping up by gathering the context from last year and reminding myself of where my clients are at. I want to use the opportunity to share my understanding of where we are …
Organizing my Downloads folder has never been something I enjoy. All kinds of files, including PDFs, installers, images, and ZIP archives, pile up quickly, and sorting them manually feels like busywork I’d rather avoid. I used to let things accumulate until the clutter became unbearable, then spend time dragging files into their proper folders. However, …
Google’s December core update ran from December 11 to December 29. Early analysis shared after the rollout points to a familiar pattern. Sites with narrower, category-specific strength appear to be gaining ground against broader, generalist pages in several verticals. Aleyda Solís, International SEO Consultant and Founder at Orainti, published an analysis on LinkedIn breaking down …
I’ve used Linux for several years. My introduction was with Kali Linux, but it turned out not to be the ideal starting point, so I left the ecosystem for a few years. When I next tried, it was Zorin OS, one of the most beautiful Linux distributions. Ever since, I’ve used Fedora, Debian, Arch, Ubuntu, …
Every December, brands battle for something far more valuable than views: emotional resonance. And according to new data from DAIVID, 2025 may be one of the strongest holiday seasons yet for emotionally engaging advertising across North America. This year shows an acceleration of trends I’ve long argued shape effective holiday storytelling: nostalgia, warmth, joy, and …
Google’s default Android apps aren’t bad, but they’re not great either. The file manager is still very basic and lacks FTP features, the media player only supports standard formats, and the authenticator app lacks a local-first encrypted export. Then there’s a genuine concern about privacy and data ownership. Open-source alternatives have quietly solved these problems. …
Santa’s coming! The world waits with excitement and anticipation for the arrival of Santa Claus as he starts his world tour for 2025. Children (and adults) everywhere are eager to track the man in the red suit as he defies the speed limit to make his journey across the globe in just one night. To …
Benchmark scores are one way to measure the performance of your PC, but they don’t tell the full story. Windows also has a rather annoying habit of burying important information under layers of menus or obscure tools that the average user rarely encounters. Just like there’s a hidden score that shows how well your PC …
Figuring out how to divide your budget between SEO and PPC is one of those decisions that looks simple on paper but feels complicated once you start running the numbers. Both channels play very different roles, and both come with their own timelines, risks, and expectations. Leadership wants predictable performance. Teams want room to test. …
I had to borrow and work entirely from my partner’s Mac Mini for two weeks when my Windows laptop had to be sent to the service centre for a motherboard-related issue. After two weeks, while I still prefer my Windows laptop over macOS, there were two features that I wished Windows had: Quick Look and …
Key dates and notable events throughout the year can feed your content strategy and your social media marketing strategy. Timely aligning your digital campaigns with the right seasons for your brand is a staple part of creating a content calendar. The SEJ marketing calendar includes dates from holiday dates to big sporting events to awareness …
I don’t know if you’ve paid attention, but installing apps on a PC can be a real pain. While the Microsoft Store is the safest and easiest way to install apps, there are way too many issues to ignore, from app availability to the lack of ability to install apps in bulk. And we all …
Enterprise SEO is at the center of some fascinating and fundamental shifts right now. From mainstream media coverage in the Wall Street Journal and Forbes to the Associated Press, Business Insider, Entrepreneur, and more. The role of search and SEO and its impact on enterprise brands and their visibility in a new AI era made …
Google Maps has always been a source of mixed feelings for me. On the one hand, it’s undeniably powerful and intuitive. On the other hand, there is a discernible trade-off regarding privacy, openness, and user control that I’ve never been entirely comfortable with. For this reason, I’ve experimented with various alternatives, including OpenStreetMap-based apps like …
If you’ve been following this series of exploration of vectors and their application in SEO, we have covered the building blocks of the plugin I’m sharing with you: Understanding the basics. Solving content issues. Scaling up to handle massive amounts of data. Automating 301 redirects at scale. Running Python scripts in a terminal is powerful, …
Since I started working here at MUO, I’ve spent a lot of time trying to find ways to modernize and update my smart home. One of the biggest projects I’ve undertaken initially started out sounding like the simplest — finding a way to turn my washer and dryer into smart appliances. After starting this project, …
When OpenAI quietly added native shopping to ChatGPT – alongside a partnership with Walmart – it marked more than another AI feature rollout. It signaled a fundamental shift in how consumers discover, compare, and purchase products online. For the first time, shoppers can browse and buy directly inside an AI conversation – no search results, …
Microsoft’s strategy for AI has been a bit strange from the very beginning. It’s partly leveraging its stronghold on business software, delivering key AI integrations in Windows 11 and Microsoft 365 with the Microsoft Copilot chatbot and voice assistant. However, it’s also dead-set on making Copilot a cross-platform site while partnering with OpenAI to use …
Every December, brands battle for something far more valuable than views: emotional resonance. And according to new data from DAIVID, 2025 may be one of the strongest holiday seasons yet for emotionally engaging advertising across North America. This year shows an acceleration of trends I’ve long argued shape effective holiday storytelling: nostalgia, warmth, joy, and …
Ever wondered why your phone’s display turns off when you’re on a call or bring it close to your face? That’s the proximity sensor detecting if you are using the earpiece to talk, thus turning off the display to save battery. Sensors on your phone do a lot more than you realize, and some are …
The marketing strategies that worked last year won’t carry you through 2026. Are you overlooking channels (like calls, text, and voice agents) that your competitors are already optimizing for? Is your marketing budget aligned with our new 2026 marketing reality? Watch on-demand for clear, data‑driven marketing strategies for January implementation. Marketing In 2026 Can No …
The long holiday weekend has arrived, and you will need things to entertain you and your family. As always, Netflix obliges. People around the world are happily binging Netflix series by the boatload over the holidays, with lots of options from every genre, from comedy to drama to documentary. These seven shows are among the …
Landing pages are a core part of the user journey, influencing ad performance, conversion rates, and how effectively you can test, personalize, and scale your marketing. Lead generation isn’t just about driving traffic; it’s about delivering seamless, trustworthy landing page experiences that convince visitors to take the next step. Even the best ad campaigns can …
When looking for a portable monitor, I explored a few options ranging from $60 to $150, including ASUS’s ZenScreen. But since I only needed a portable monitor for my laptop when traveling (it’s not feasible to carry around my bulky ultrawide monitor), I tried a DIY method first by repurposing my old Android tablet to …
This year has been a continuation of learning and understanding about how AI impacts our industry. It’s been less about the chaos of the initial disruption and more about “how do we leverage this?” My belief is that SEO is a practice that needs to be adaptable to the end goal and not fixed to …
Storage space on Windows has a way of disappearing when you least expect it. Your drive fills up faster than you’d expect, thanks to system files, app caches, and updates. I’ve tried the usual cleanup methods, including Windows 11’s built-in storage tools, clearing temp files, and uninstalling apps I forgot existed, but they only go …
Santa’s coming! The world waits with excitement and anticipation for the arrival of Santa Claus as he starts his world tour for 2025. Children (and adults) everywhere are eager to track the man in the red suit as he defies the speed limit to make his journey across the globe in just one night. To …
Most of the software installed on our devices today is working a double shift. Its primary job might be to play music or open an image, but its secondary job (and the one that pays the developers’ bills) is to upsell subscriptions, harvest behavioral data, or keep our eyeballs glued to a feed. We have …
In 2025, Google’s AI tool Gemini topped global searches. People tracked cricket matches between India and England, looked up details on the new Pope, and searched for information about Iran and the TikTok ban. They followed LA fires and government shutdowns. But between the headlines, they also looked up Pedro Pascal and Mikey Madison. They …
It’s frustrating that the most important website accounts are often the ones with the worst security options. I can set a 100-character password on a random forum account, while banks commonly limit your password to 20 characters (and sometimes without symbols). My bank’s security options are poor compared to many other accounts, but I’ve still …
Focus on what sparks public opinion and conversation. Surveys with just 1–2 well-crafted questions can yield strong PR results—don’t overcomplicate it. Simplicity is key for headlines. Trending or overdone topics (like tipping) can still succeed with fresh, up-to-date data and emotional framing. Demographic splits (e.g., Gen Z, political affiliation) are essential for pitchable headlines and …
I recently became frustrated while working with Claude, and it led me to an interesting exchange with the platform, which led me to examining my own expectations, actions, and behavior…and that was eye-opening. The short version is I want to keep thinking of AI as an assistant, like a lab partner. In reality, it needs …
The Mac mini was never meant to replace my existing setup. Windows had been my default for years, and it still handled my work reliably. Most of what I do involves writing, researching, and keeping dozens of browser tabs open at once, so I didn’t have a strong reason to switch platforms. Because of that, …
Microsoft has shared new guidance on duplicate content that’s aimed at AI-powered search. The post on the Bing Webmaster Blog discusses which URL serves as the “source page” for AI answers when several similar URLs exist. Microsoft describes how “near-duplicate” pages can end up grouped together for AI systems, and how that grouping can influence …
If you lean toward open source or simply want an Android setup that attracts less attention from big tech, you already know how tedious it can be to keep sideloaded apps up to date. The Play Store works, but it dictates the terms. F-Droid is a fantastic Google Play Store alternative, but it often lags …
Google sued SerpApi in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, alleging the company developed methods to bypass protections Google deployed to prevent automated scraping of Search results and the licensed content they contain. Why This Case Is Different Unlike previous cases that focused on terms-of-service violations or broader scraping methods, Google’s …
I have cleverly used my old Android phone as a TV remote, a security camera, a baby monitoring device, and even turned my phone into a webcam. However, tablets with their large screen sizes are more useful devices, so I decided to use them as a replacement for three expensive gadgets that I was planning …
Digital PR and traditional PR serve different goals: SEO and link-building vs. long-term trust and credibility. Digital PR often reports to SEO or marketing, while traditional PR reports directly to the C-suite. Mislabeling SEO-focused tactics as “PR” creates market confusion and erodes trust in true communications strategy. Successful PR and digital PR collaboration hinges on …
In this week’s Pulse: updates include AI Mode’s growth and missing features, what Google’s latest model brings to search, and what drives citations across different AI experiences. Google’s Nick Fox confirmed that AI Mode has reached 75 million daily active users, but the personal context features promised at I/O are still in internal testing. Google …
I don’t use Linux religiously, but I work with it regularly to revive older PCs with lightweight distributions and for personal hobby projects. It’s enough hands-on time to form real opinions about both operating systems. In doing all this, I’ve realized how incredibly simple Windows makes certain things I’d always taken for granted. Some of …
Over 50% of journalists rarely receive relevant pitches — hyper-targeted outreach is essential for digital PR success. Use layered Google search tactics (e.g., allintitle:, site:, date filters) to find journalist-written content by format and topic. AI tools like ChatGPT work well for finding *relevant sites*, but are unreliable for identifying specific journalists. Always validate journalists …
The search industry is entering a transition that many people still treat as a footnote. The systems consumers rely on are changing, and the way information is gathered, summarized, and delivered is changing with them. Yet the public messaging around what businesses should do sounds as familiar as ever. The narrative says the fundamentals are …
Apple is one of the largest technology companies on the planet and wields major financial might, giving it the means to acquire both successful and growing brands. Apple isn’t shy about spending millions, or even billions, to acquire companies it considers valuable. Beats and Shazam are two high-profile Apple acquisitions that live on within the …
79% of top news sites block AI training bots via robots.txt. Google-Extended is the least blocked among training bots. 71% of sites also block AI retrieval bots. PerplexityBot, used for indexing, is blocked by 67%. Only 14% of publishers block all AI bots, while 18% don’t block any. Bots can circumvent robots.txt directives. Everyone wants …
Google updated its JavaScript SEO documentation with new guidance on handling canonical URLs for JavaScript-rendered sites. The documentation update also adds corresponding guidance to Google’s best practices for consolidating duplicate URLs. What’s New The updated documentation focuses on a timing issue specific to JavaScript sites: canonicalization can happen twice during Google’s processing. Google evaluates canonical …
Summary Mozilla’s new CEO plans to shift Firefox into a “modern AI browser” as part of a broader ecosystem. Users fear AI features will impact privacy, worsen performance, and push needed fixes to the back burner. Backlash erupted across the internet, with users lamenting the company’s seeming lack of insight into what its users value. …
Spam is back in search. And in a big way. Honestly, I don’t think Google can handle this at all. The scale is unprecedented. They went after publishers manually with the site reputation abuse update. More expired domain abuse is reaching the top of the SERPs than at any time I can remember in recent …
It’s the 21st century, and our lives are busy. We have to worry about work, connect with family and friends, tend to our health, follow the news, and somehow squeeze in some entertainment to make sure we stay sane. Who has time to sit down for the 3-hour-plus Avatar movies (which aren’t that great anyway)? …
Cloudflare published its sixth annual Year in Review, offering a comprehensive looks at Internet traffic, security, and AI crawler activity across 2025. The report draws on data from Cloudflare’s network, which spans more than 330 cities across 125 countries and handles over 81 million HTTP requests per second on average. The AI crawler findings stand …
The continuous advancements in display technology have significantly improved the picture quality in modern TVs. Display technologies like QLED, OLED, and QNED are great at providing a solid watching experience, but the Achilles’ heel of modern TVs is sound quality. Whether you buy a budget TV or a flagship model for a couple of thousand …
How people use Microsoft Copilot depends on whether they’re at a desk or on their phone. That is the core theme in the company’s analysis of 37.5 million Copilot conversations sampled between January and September. The research examines consumer Copilot usage patterns across device types and time of day. The authors say they used machine-based …
I’m addicted to buying headphones and earbuds, and I own pairs for almost every listening situation. I’ve got workout earbuds for running, ANC earbuds for everyday listening, ANC over-ears for streaming and travel, IEMs for intentional listening, and open-backs for my home audio setup. If I had to give up one type of headphones forever, …
Google has updated Search Live with Gemini 2.5 Flash Native Audio, upgrading how voice functions inside Search while also extending the model’s use across translation and live voice agents. The update introduces more natural spoken responses in Search Live and reflects Google’s effort to improve natural voice queries, treating voice as a core interface as …
It’s that time of year again, where everyone gets to debate what’s a Christmas movie and what isn’t. I’m no stranger to these arguments myself, as one of those weirdos who believes Die Hard is absolutely a Christmas movie. It’s also just a genuinely great action thriller, even if it’s not the type to stay …
The December 2025 core update is the main story this week. Google confirmed a new broad ranking update, clarified how often core changes happen, expanded Preferred Sources in Top Stories, and started testing social performance data in Search Console Insights. Here’s what matters for your work. Google Releases December 2025 Core Update Google has released …
I have been slowly trying to move away from streaming services as much as I can, and I started taking control of my own media again. Music is obviously a high priority in that category, so I have been choosing local playback more and more. Obviously, listening to music on my phone is a big …
So many people spent 2025 arguing about whether SEO was dying. It was never dying. It was shifting into a new layer. Discovery continues to move from search boxes to AI systems. Answers now come from models that rewrite your work, summarize competitors, blend sources, and shape decisions before a browser window loads. In 2026, …
It’s 8pm on a Monday night. The kids are in bed, finally, and now it’s time for my wife and I to do some serious Netflix-and-chilling. Tonight, we’re going to endeavor to finally start watching Stranger Things, after hearing it being recommended for years by everyone I talk to. And like most, we subscribe to …
Agency-sent email addresses have ~15% higher open rates, largely due to more effective subject lines and pitch content. Brand email addresses drive ~60% more replies, likely due to built-in authority and perceived credibility. Best performance came from agencies sending from brand domains. Click-worthy subject lines using urgency and emotion strongly impact open rates across campaigns. If you’ve …
Boost your skills with Growth Memo’s weekly expert insights. Subscribe for free! Every year, I hold myself accountable for my previous predictions by scoring them. This year, I got three misses, two mixed results, and five hits: 1. Agentic LLM Models Reach +100 Million Users Score: Miss Thought Process: When I made this prediction, I …
For almost 30 straight years, Westerns dominated Hollywood. They accounted for a huge number of movies produced, including classics like Shane, The Searchers, and A Fistful of Dollars. The lone gunslinger became a stock character, the saloon an iconic location, and the taming of the lawless frontier, a theme that captured the attention of people …
Start audits with brand immersion, then benchmark against 3–5 direct or challenger competitors. Prioritize backlink quality, relevance, and link intersections over sheer quantity. Incorporate AI Overviews (AIOs) and LLM citations into audits, but report cautiously due to evolving tools. Use tools like Ahrefs, Moz, and GSC, but tailor audits to available data and always sense-check …
There are three inevitabilities in life. Death, taxes, and big tech companies dumping on the little guy. As zero-click searches reach an all-time high and content is stolen and repurposed for the gain of the almighty tech loser, there’s only one viable solution. To paywall. To create a value exchange that reduces reliance on third-party …
The newest movie in the Knives Out franchise, Wake Up Dead Man, starts streaming on Netflix on December 12 (and released in select theaters before that, although not in nearly enough). Wake Up Dead Men is the latest in a long line of Netflix movie mysteries designed to puzzle and perplex you before the final …
Google Search Console is testing a feature that shows how linked social channels perform in Google Search, including clicks, impressions, and queries. Search Console Insights now includes performance data for social channels Google has automatically linked to your website. The feature shows clicks, impressions, top queries, and trending content for connected social profiles. This is …
I ditched cable TV years ago, and Netflix was a big reason for that. But between Netflix, Disney+, and Prime Video, I was juggling too many subscriptions. So when Netflix came up for renewal, I figured it was time to cut one loose. To my surprise, I didn’t miss it as much as I thought …
The conversations shaping PPC this week focused on how AI interprets intent, how holiday demand played out across Shopping and Performance Max, and how Google is adding more automated language directly into ads. Google shared more clarity around AI Max, while Adalysis shared AI Max match type behavior, retail analysts broke down early Cyber Monday …
Marketers love using tech buzzwords to trick you into spending more money than necessary. And ever since HDMI has become the standard way to connect devices to TVs, companies have offered gold-plated HDMI cables that are supposedly of “superior” quality. In reality, this practice has minimal benefits and isn’t something you should pay extra for. …
Chatbots have changed many professionals’ workflows and processes. Accountants, lawyers, SEO experts, writers, agencies, developers, and even teachers are still discussing the changes taking place in their field thanks to tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude. If you want to search for information, need help fixing bugs in your CSS, want to create something as …
The fifth and final season of Stranger Things is here. What will become of characters like Eleven, Mike, Will, and Hopper? Can they defeat Vecna, the dark entity trying to invade our reality? After nearly 10 years, how will this generational TV show end? As of this writing, Netflix has released four episodes from the …
YouTube appears to have changed how it recommends Shorts, according to analysts who work with some of the platform’s largest channels. The shift reportedly began in mid-September and deprioritizes videos older than roughly 30 days, favoring more recent uploads. Mario Joos, a retention strategist who works with MrBeast, Stokes Twins, and Alan’s Universe, first identified …
Wireless headphones had a big year in 2025, with Sony and Bose updating their flagship active-noise canceling (ANC) over-ears. Plus, other competitors like the AirPods Max and Sonos Ace are still going strong, so there’s plenty of room for consumer choice. Apple even came out with the AirPods Pro 3, a pair of wireless earbuds …
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 …
Streaming is supposed to be easy and fun. But if you have an Android TV or Google TV device, the home screen can make it feel like a chore before you even hit play. You turn on your TV hoping to relax, only to get bombarded by recommendations and ads. Even finding the app you …
Previous predictions: 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 This is my 8th time publishing annual predictions. As always, the goal is not to be right but to practice thinking. For example, in 2018, I predicted “Niche communities will be discovered as a great channel for growth” and “Email marketing will return” in 2019. It took another 6 years. That same year, …
The “vinyl revival” crept into pop culture in 2007, and new generations are becoming acquainted with it still today. Their reasons might not be for the pure sound quality that those who grew up with the music medium most appreciate, however. Nonetheless, generations that have likely never seen these weird spinning discs anywhere but in …
Strong survey ideas spark real conversation and emotional reactions—talkability is key to virality. Blend evergreen and timely topics for data stories with both lasting impact and media appeal. Use diverse question types and audience splits (e.g., generational, behavioral) to uncover multiple story angles. Avoid overly product-centric surveys—tell broader human stories to earn media coverage. Survey …
YouTube launched its first annual Recap feature, providing users with a personalized summary of their viewing activity throughout the year. The feature is available starting today for users in North America and will roll out globally throughout the week, according to the YouTube Blog. What’s New YouTube Recap is accessible from the homepage or under …
The streaming situation has become nearly untenable. It’s more of a hassle to boot up your TV’s streaming options and find something more than ever before. There are so many options, and the content that you might want to watch can be spread across multiple streaming services. It can get even worse if you want …
Google announces delays in Search Console’s Page indexing report. The company confirms crawling, indexing, and ranking remain unaffected by the reporting issue. Google is experiencing longer than usual delays in the Page indexing report within Search Console. The issue affects reporting only, not actual crawling, indexing, or ranking of websites. Google will provide an update …
Audiophiles use a handful of common tricks to improve the audio quality of their headphones and earbuds, from using dedicated DACs to playing high-fidelity music files. However, there’s a much simpler option that will boost the detail and crispness of your favorite headphones without any external hardware, large lossless files, or uncommon audio codecs. In …
I’m not someone who’s drunk much of the AI Kool Aid. I have sipped it. Swilled it around my mouth like you would an 1869 Château Lafite Rothschild. But I’ve seen enough cult documentaries to know you should spit it back into the glass. Do I love the opportunities it’s provided me in a work …
Remember 1997? When the internet was still figuring itself out, when MP3s felt like the future, and when a scrappy little media player called WinAmp burst onto the scene? Well, in the era of cloud streaming, WinAmp isn’t just alive and kicking, but it’s available on more devices—perfect for turning an Android phone into the …
Google’s John Mueller says sites with low-quality AI content should rethink their purpose rather than manually rewrite pages. Starting fresh may be faster than recovering. Manually rewriting AI content doesn’t automatically restore a site’s value or authenticity Mueller recommends treating recovery as starting over with no content, not as a page-by-page editing task Recovering from …
All the best works of science fiction make us think. What will the future be like? How is technology changing the shape of our lives? What is the nature of consciousness? Westworld hit on all three of these buttons. The HBO show was set in the near future when human beings have created human-like androids …
Welcome to the week’s Pulse: updates affect how product discovery works, what drives visibility in ChatGPT, and how background assets impact Core Web Vitals. OpenAI launched shopping research in ChatGPT, SE Ranking published the largest study yet on ChatGPT citation factors, and Google’s John Mueller clarified that background video loading won’t hurt SEO if content …
You don’t need me to tell you that YouTube is getting worse in all sorts of ways. From clickbait thumbnails to AI slop to Shorts being shoved into every corner of the service (and much more), it’s harder than ever to navigate and find what you’re looking for on YouTube. It’s interesting to take a …
Adobe just paid $1.9 billion for Semrush. Not for the LLM tracking dashboards. For the platform, the customer relationships, and the distribution. Contrast: Investors poured $227 million into AI visibility tracking. Most of that went to tracking dashboards. The companies shipping outputs from agentic SEO raised a third of that. Adobe’s acquisition proves dashboards were …
I’ve slowly become a big fan of my Roku television over the past year. I originally bought my TV because it was the most affordable one available, not because of its smart capabilities. Up until starting my Roku journey properly, I was mostly a fan of using my Xbox Series X for all of my …
Your voice is your most valuable and most underleveraged asset. Let’s just start with the spoiler: Founders who post at least 10x a year on LinkedIn generate 33% more leads and drive bigger deal sizes. Are you leaving money on the table because you’re “too busy” or “not a marketer”? What if the product and …
Pluribus is a new sci-fi show from Vince Gilligan, the guy behind Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. People may not have expected his next project to be about what happens when humanity is taken over by a hive mind, but he also used to write for The X-Files, so this kind of mind-bending story …
8–9 AM local time sees the highest journalist email engagement across most major media domains. Monday is the top-performing day for both opens and replies, especially among freelancers and UK-based journalists. Freelancers show broader engagement throughout the week but still peak around 8 AM. US journalists engage most between 9–11 AM; UK journalists between 7–9 …
Doc Brown’s DeLorean didn’t just travel through time; it created different timelines. Same car, different realities. In “Back to the Future,” when Marty’s actions in the past threatened his existence, his photograph began to flicker between realities depending on choices made across timelines. This exact phenomenon is happening to your brand right now in AI …
“Rosebud.” That’s the first word we hear in Citizen Kane, Orson Welles’ 1941 film about the life and times of Charles Foster Kane, one of the greatest and most wretched men ever to live. It’s the last word Kane speaks on his deathbed, and a reporter spends the rest of the movie trying to figure …
Journalist pool is shrinking while PR pitches increase, creating a saturated, high-competition media landscape. Irrelevant, mass pitching damages long-term reputation; hyper-targeted outreach is more effective and sustainable. AI tools like Muck Rack’s Generative Pulse show niche outlets and corporate blogs influence LLM citations significantly. Relationship-building—not just trust—is essential in PR, especially amid rising AI-generated content …
The European Commission has proposed a “Digital Omnibus” package that would relax parts of the GDPR, the AI Act, and Europe’s cookie rules in the name of competitiveness and simplification. If you work with EU traffic or rely on European data for analytics, advertising, or AI features, it’s worth tracking this proposal even though nothing …
There are a lot of choices when it comes to free streaming services. Many people have cut the cord on cable over the past decade and have focused on paid streaming services, either with live TV or without, and free streaming platforms to satisfy their entertainment needs. Some people don’t mind watching older movies and …
YouTube and Facebook continue to lead U.S. social media usage, but TikTok, Instagram, WhatsApp and Reddit are showing consistent growth, according to new data from Pew Research Center. The report surveyed 5,022 U.S and found 84% use YouTube and 71% use Facebook. Instagram reached 50% adoption, making it the only other platform used by at …
I’m always equally hesitant and excited when it comes to book adaptations. Some books seem tailor-made for adaptations, with a concept or the level of spectacle you’d expect to find in a Hollywood production. Other books are not so suited for the big screen treatment or television, because they are too abstract or complex to …
Most SEO professionals obsess over content, links, and technical implementations. We track algorithm updates and audit on-page elements with precision. But there’s one factor that determines whether all that work can deliver results. Your web hosting controls every user’s first interaction with your site. It determines load speeds, uptime consistency, and Core Web Vitals scores …
The first movie in the Avatar franchise was released in 2009 and currently stands as the highest-grossing film in history, with nearly $3 billion earned at the global box office. The sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, was released in 2022 and is now the third-highest-grossing movie in history, with $2.3 billion in earnings. (Avengers: …
Unlinked brand mentions are now critical for appearing in AI Overviews and search citations. “Building coverage” is replacing “building links” as the goal of digital PR for small businesses. Emotional, founder-led stories drive local and niche media coverage that AI tools increasingly cite. Proprietary or third-party survey data can earn citations when tied to trending …
Welcome to the week’s Pulse: updates affect how AI surfaces content, how you track brand demand, and where core SEO tools sit in the wider marketing stack. Google launched Gemini 3 directly into AI Mode in Search, Adobe announced a $1.9 billion acquisition of Semrush, and Google shipped two reporting updates in Search Console: custom …
Forrest Gump is one of those films that I can rewatch at just about any time and still get a big emotional punch to the gut. I’m not convinced it’s the best collaboration between director Robert Zemeckis and Tom Hanks (that particular honor belongs to Cast Away), but there’s a reason Forrest Gump is considered …
Mass email blasts trigger penalties and underperform — Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo now penalize bulk, untargeted PR outreach. Smaller, hyper-targeted campaigns earn 17x more links — Based on analysis of 31M emails and 80K digital PR campaigns. Relevance now includes topic, geography, timing, and format — Generic “food” or “news” targeting isn’t enough anymore. Journalists …
The concept of barefoot shoes has gained significant popularity in recent years, driven by the growing awareness of foot health and the benefits of natural movement. These unique footwear options aim to offer a minimalistic approach, letting the feet move freely while providing some level of protection. With numerous brands available, consumers often face the …
AI-generated answers are spreading across search. Google and Bing are each presenting synthesized responses alongside regular results. These answers are not replacing traditional SERPs yet, but they are taking up attention. As they improve, they influence what people see first and what they trust most. The question is no longer whether they will change search, …
Sometimes, you just want your mind to be taken to a place it has never been before. The most obvious genre to do this is science fiction. The premises are generally rooted in scientific fact, helping them seem more plausible. But the fiction side is where audiences and directors can have some fun. You can …
Our guest for this episode, Rich Brooks, is a man of many hats. He runs the Agents of Change Digital Marketing Conference, is the president of Flyte New Media, and is the Tech Guru for his local NBC channel in Maine, among many other things. Rich was kind enough to invite me onto his podcast …
Adobe and Semrush announced today that they have entered into a definitive agreement for Adobe to acquire Semrush in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $1.9 billion. Adobe will pay $12.00 per share, describing Semrush as a “leading brand visibility platform.” The acquisition brings a widely used SEO platform under Adobe’s Digital Experience umbrella. The …
Are you on the case looking for a good new detective show to watch? Are you following the breadcrumbs and examining the evidence? Are you unbothered that I’m talking like a police procedural? Then you’re probably a detective diehard and have seen your fair share of crime series. You may need to dig a little …
Boost your skills with Growth Memo’s weekly expert insights. Subscribe for free! AI search visibility isn’t “too risky” to invest in for executives to buy-in. Selling AI search strategies to leadership is about risk. Image Credit: Kevin Indig A Deloitte survey of +2,700 leaders reveals that getting buy-in for an AI search strategy isn’t about innovation, …
A lot of people can’t do without Spotify, and it’s understandable. Its cross-device control, vast library, and new-music discovery make it hard to beat. Well, just last week, on a whim, I decided to open MusikCube in the terminal, and I never would’ve guessed that a command-line music player could feel like a revelation. It …
In the last two years, incidents have shown how large language model (LLM)-powered systems can cause measurable harm. Some businesses have lost a majority of their traffic overnight, and publishers have watched revenue decline by over a third. Tech companies have been accused of wrongful death where teenagers had extensive interaction with chatbots. AI systems …
Independent film fans unite! One of the better movie theater-going experiences one can have is heading to an indie film house and seeing a movie not many people are going to see at the same time as you. You go to an independent film to be impressed with the story and the acting rather than …
This post was sponsored by Weglot. The opinions expressed in this article are the sponsor’s own. When Google’s AI Overviews launched in 2024, dozens of questions quickly surfaced among SEO professionals, one being: if AI now curates and summarizes search results, how do websites earn visibility, especially across languages? Weglot recently conducted a data-driven study, …
Once upon a time, the only streaming app people really had to think about was Netflix, which is still the one most worth your money. Nowadays, every studio with even a shallow library has its own app, and it’s becoming hard to keep up. And not all streaming apps are created equal. Netflix has had …
OpenAI is experiencing a widespread outage affecting two systems, APIs and ChatGPT. The outage has been ongoing for at least a half an hour as of publication date. Update: File uploads have been restored as of 8:55 PM Screenshot Of File Upload Status ChatGPT API Jobs Stuck Outage The first issue is that batch API …
Headphones have come a long way since the only ones available were bulky and required plugging into the device you were using. Of course, wired headphones provide a better connection than wireless ones as they deliver a direct connection to the source. However, that doesn’t mean they are the best headphones for you. When eyeing …
Reviews are make-or-break trust signals on SERPs. Is AI changing the way people write, trust, and act on reviews? What review response frameworks actually drive loyalty and higher ROI (instead of just damage control)? Get your proven playbook to turn reviews + AI into measurable gains in visibility, conversions, & more. Consumers are now scanning …
Black Mirror is one of the premier sci-fi series on TV, and has been for a long time. Each episode tells a standalone story about technology, which has changed a lot in the 14 years since the show first premiered on Netflix in 2011; Black Mirror never lacks for new material. That said, as many …
Google updated its review snippet documentation to clarify that each review or rating in structured data should point to one clear target, reducing ambiguity. Google updated its review snippet docs to clarify how review targets should be specified You should avoid attaching the same review or rating to multiple different entities A quick audit of …
Five years ago, I was convinced that more monitors meant more productivity. I had four, sometimes five displays connected to my MacBook Pro. I had email on one screen, Slack on another, Google Docs on the third, and research windows on the fourth. It seemed perfect to me. The stands took over my whole desk; …
AI has reshaped SEO strategy — brands must now optimize for visibility across LLMs, alternative platforms like TikTok, and Discover. Audience insight is foundational — successful SEO begins with understanding user pain points, platform behavior, and demand creation. Brand mentions outweigh backlinks — LLMs prioritize mentions over links; citations in high-authority content drive AI visibility. …
Most SEO professionals obsess over content, links, and technical implementations. We track algorithm updates and audit on-page elements with precision. But there’s one factor that determines whether all that work can deliver results. Your web hosting controls every user’s first interaction with your site. It determines load speeds, uptime consistency, and Core Web Vitals scores …
When using Excel, you might have noticed the @ symbol popping up in your formulas more often. This tiny character isn’t something you typically type yourself; instead, Excel adds it automatically in certain situations, particularly when working with tables. At first glance, it seems random, but it’s actually Excel’s way of helping you reference data …
Marketing leaders are still budgeting to grow clicks in 2026, even though AI Overviews cut organic traffic in half and AI Mode kills it almost entirely. Image Credit: Kevin Indig Meanwhile, close to 60% of those who responded to my recent poll report their stakeholders don’t understand the value of brand mentions in LLMs. The SEO budget …
There’s a subtle kind of joy in unlocking your phone and seeing a new wallpaper waiting for you. It’s a small detail, but it can genuinely lift your mood. Yet, many of us end up using the same background for months without giving it a second thought. That’s where Paperize has become one of those …
It’s that time of year again. The John Lewis Christmas ad has dropped – a little earlier than usual – and with it, the annual debate over whether the retailer has rekindled its emotional magic or lost its festive sparkle. This year’s ad, “Where Love Lives,” created by Saatchi & Saatchi, tells the story of …
I’ve waded through viral threads in search of the Holy Grail of prompts. And I’ve learned one big truth: there’s no single perfect prompt that works for every situation. I also realized how tough it is to remember every prompt we come across. Yes, different ChatGPT prompt frameworks can help get that perfect answer, but …
Google’s Preferred Sources tool is meant to let fans of certain websites tell Google they want to see more of their favorite sites in the Top News feature. However, Google is surfacing copycat spam sites, random sites, and parked domains. Some of the sites appearing in the tool are so low quality that only their …
There are many note-taking tools out there, including Notion, Obsidian, and OneNote. However, one free tool stood out to me — the markdown-powered Joplin, thanks to its open-source, offline-first, and privacy-focused nature. When Joplin is paired with the Joplin Web Clipper and cross-platform syncing, it ensures that everything I capture is perfectly synced and easily …
Local SEO includes several specific tasks geared to establishing the relevance and authority of a business within a targeted geographic area. Search engines and large language models (LLMs) like Google Gemini and ChatGPT reference many different data points to determine who will be surfaced in their respective result sets, which include AI Overviews and AI …
Starting a business and building a house at the same time kept me busy. Add moving and two kids into that mix, and something had to give. For me, it was reading. My Kindle Paperwhite became another piece of furniture on the nightstand (and eventually in the desk drawer) while I passed out on the …
Twenty-five years ago, Google launched a modest advertising product that would evolve into one of the most influential tools in digital marketing. Back then, it was called Google AdWords; today, it is Google Ads. Over that quarter-century, the platform has transformed in format, scope, and ambition. While the technology behind Google Ads has evolved dramatically, …
Remember when your car’s cigarette lighter was actually used for lighting cigarettes? Those days feel ancient now. That 12-volt port has turned into the ultimate multitasker of modern cars, powering everything from useful add-ons to downright absurd inventions. While most of us use it to keep our phones alive on long drives, manufacturers clearly saw …
In recent years, barefoot footwear has gained substantial popularity among running enthusiasts, hikers, and casual walkers alike. This trend can be attributed to a growing understanding of the benefits these minimalist shoes offer, which include improved foot health, increased sensory feedback, and a more natural walking or running experience. However, selecting the right pair tailored …
Search isn’t ending. It’s evolving. Across the industry, the systems powering discovery are diverging. Traditional search runs on algorithms designed to crawl, index, and rank the web. AI-driven systems like Perplexity, Gemini, and ChatGPT interpret it through models that retrieve, reason, and respond. That quiet shift (from ranking pages to reasoning with content) is what’s breaking the optimization stack …
I used an old-school app called Freeplane years ago when I first got introduced to mind mapping. Over time, I shifted toward modern tools like Notion, Logseq, Obsidian, and Joplin. They offered beautiful interfaces, cloud sync, and countless plugins. For general note-taking tasks, they genuinely saved me time. But here’s the problem: none of them …
Set Google Alerts and subscribe to niche newsletters to streamline trend spotting for reactive opportunities. Pre-introduce expert sources to journalists before news breaks to boost chances of future outreach. Repurpose existing blog content or data in your reactive pitches to reduce turnaround time. Pitch trending roundups or suggest inclusion in existing ones to improve LLM …
YouTube introduced separate filtering for organic and paid traffic metrics in YouTube Analytics, allowing you to distinguish between unpaid and promoted content performance. Channels can now filter views, engaged views, likes, comments, shares, and watchtime by traffic source. The update addresses longstanding questions about how paid advertising affects organic channel growth. YouTube’s announcement included clarification …
Like many other writers, Grammarly has been my go-to tool for proofreading my articles. It caught my typos, misplaced commas, and grammar errors. I trusted Grammarly’s feedback, thinking it was helping me polish my writing. But lately, I realized the new version of Grammarly is doing something entirely different, which I didn’t sign up for. …
LLM referral traffic has been growing +65% year-to-date. But we should assume 0 in the future. LLM Referral Traffic Is Shrinking LLM referral traffic in B2B grew +65.1% since January – but dropped -42.6% since July. Image Credit: Kevin Indig My December prediction of 50% organic by 2027 is dead: In December 2024, I analyzed six B2B sites …
Gmail is the most popular email service provider in the world for many reasons. It offers a user-friendly interface, has simple applications for both mobile and browser users, and provides a generous integration with other Google Drive programs. It’s also completely free, and anyone using it gets 15GB of storage. While it may not be …
Your Money or Your Life (YMYL) covers topics that affect people’s health, financial stability, safety, or general welfare, and rightly so Google applies measurably stricter algorithmic standards to these topics. AI writing tools might promise to scale content production, but as writing for YMYL requires more consideration and author credibility than other content, can an …
I’m an eReader loyalist through and through. Since I got my hands on one, I’ve been spending pretty much every free minute I have reading. However, I also need to read a lot for work and college. While doing all of that reading on the eReader I have is certainly an option, it’s not always …
In this edition of Ask An SEO, we address a familiar challenge for marketers: How do you keep stakeholders from abandoning SEO when algorithm updates cause traffic drops? This is an all-too-common issue that SEOs will encounter. They have strong plans in place, the buy-in from their leadership, and are making great strides in their …
Like many people my age, I might be just a little addicted to technology. Wherever you may find me, you will likely find me there with my phone, laptop, or something with a screen attached to it. Even the study of technology has informed much of my writing, often through the lens of pop culture, …
ChatGPT Go, OpenAI’s heavily discounted version of ChatGPT, is now available in 98 countries, including eight European countries and five Latin American countries. ChatGPT Go offers everything that’s included in the Free plan but more. So there’s more access to GPT-5, image generation, extended file upload capabilities, a larger context window, and collaboration features. ChatGPT Go …
Prime Video is host to a number of great original sci-fi shows, including Fallout, The Boys, and The Expanse, which is one of the few sci-fi series that can really hold a candle to heavy-hitters like Andor. But you’ve already heard of those. But I’m taking things back to the early days of the streaming …
When it comes to thought leadership and great opportunities, professionals are missing out if they’re not on LinkedIn. It’s the world’s largest professional network with over 1.2 billion members in 200 countries and regions worldwide. LinkedIn’s popularity rose following a significant turn away from X (formerly Twitter), and users looked for continuation with their established …
How did I miss out on this for so long? That was all I could think as I explored the latest addition to my TV setup. It was simply too good — and the more I used it, the better it got. What blew my mind most was realizing that it’s completely free. For context, …
The footprint of large language models keeps expanding. You see it in productivity suites, CRM, ERP, and now in the browser itself. When the browser thinks and acts, the surface you optimize for changes. That has consequences for how people find, decide, and buy. Microsoft shows how quickly this footprint can spread across daily work. …
Every month, Netflix sheds lots of movies and TV shows; there are some great ones leaving the service soon that you may want to watch while you can. But it all balances out, because Netflix always adds at least as much as it subtracts. There are tons of new stuff coming in November to satisfy …
Reactive PR requires speed and specificity—jump on news within hours using expert quotes tailored to current headlines. Use AI tools like ChatGPT to surface timely, relevant stories across industries for each client daily. Build editorial calendars around recurring news cycles (e.g. heatwaves, cyberattacks) to proactively prep reactive content. Segment media lists by journalist beat, not …
When Google introduced the transformer architecture in its 2017 paper “Attention Is All You Need,” few realized how much it would help transform digital work. Transformer architecture laid the foundations for today’s GPTs, which are now part of our daily work in SEO and digital marketing. Search engines have used machine learning for decades, but …
Like many other smart TV users, I no longer use built-in television apps. Instead, I use an Apple TV on every television in my house for entertainment. However, as I have added more apps to each device, I recently became increasingly concerned about data privacy while streaming videos. I decided to install a VPN on …
What does it say about the economics of content when the most visible site on the web loses significant traffic? A status report by Wikipedia shows a significant decline in human page views over the last few months as a result of generative AI, “especially with search engines providing answers directly to searchers” [1]. Image Credit: …
When Netflix first started streaming content way back in 2011, a subscription would run you $7.99/month. That’s also what the lowest subscription tier costs today, only now you also have to watch ads that pop up unexpectedly in the middle of shows and movies that weren’t built to accommodate them. If you want to watch …
Search is literally evolving faster than ever. Is your SEO strategy keeping up? Are you struggling to stay visible in AI-powered search results? Does your visibility seem to vanish with each algorithm update or SERP overhaul? Worried that AI Overviews are cutting into your traffic, but unsure how to adapt? Discover 5 proven tactics to …
I have been using Comet as my daily browser for the past few months. For the most part, it’s much like Google Chrome, which is expected, as it’s based on Google’s open-source Chromium engine. You can browse the web, read your emails, watch YouTube, shop online, and have access to all the extensions on the …
OPenAI announced that it is upgrading all ChatGPT accounts to be eligible for the project sharing feature, which enables users to share a ChatGPT project with others who can then participate and make changes. The feature was previously available only to users on OpenAI’s Business, Enterprise, and Edu plans. The new feature is available to …
While this might be concerning (and maybe an indirect cry for help), the first thing I do these days isn’t scroll through Instagram or TikTok. Instead, I plug in my earbuds and put on some music. Honestly, it’s the best way to set the mood for the day. The only time my earbuds really come …
This post was sponsored by Campaign Monitor. The opinions expressed in this article are the sponsor’s own. Does it seem like fewer emails are getting delivered? Are bounce rates and spam numbers too high for your liking? Your well-crafted campaigns are at risk. They are at risk of missing the mark if deliverability isn’t a …
I remember being amazed when I first tried Spotify on a friend’s computer in 2011, shortly after it launched in the US. Being able to choose any song you wanted was so much better than the Pandora model of hearing music similar to an artist. I joined Spotify in 2012, then subscribed to Premium in …
Reddit sued Perplexity and three data-scraping firms in New York federal court, alleging the companies bypassed access controls to obtain Reddit content at scale, including by scraping Google search results. Perplexity posted a public response, saying it summarizes Reddit discussions with citations and doesn’t train AI models on Reddit content. The position is consistent with …
My smart TV felt somewhat limited right out of the box, but after installing Kodi, the open-source media center, my TV has become the perfect, personalized, flexible entertainment hub. Kodi lets you stream, organize, and access just about any type of content imaginable via a library of add-ons or dedicated apps that significantly expand your …
We’re looking for a powerhouse project manager to keep our marketing team inspired and on track. This is a Philippines-based, fully-remote position working on U.S.-adjacent hours (8 p.m. – 4 a.m. PHT) to be my partner in crime execution on some exciting projects. We do things a little differently here, and we’ve learned that culture …
I spent years building my Steam library. I must admit that I’ve slowed down considerably in recent years. My backlog finally made me realize buying more games was pointless, and I invariably end up playing Quake or OpenTTD anyway. That slowdown got me thinking. I’ve been using Steam for the best part of two decades …
AI Mode finds valid journalist emails only ~44% of the time, with ~69% of those verified as deliverable. AI’s email guesses based on pattern matching are often incorrect due to journalist turnover and media brand ownership. AI Mode pulls from public sources like PDFs, social posts, and websites, but misses JavaScript-rendered emails. Results from AI …
If you manage PPC campaigns, you’ve seen it. Platforms are making more decisions without asking you first. Campaign types keep consolidating into AI-first formats like Performance Max and Demand Gen. The granular controls you used to rely on keep disappearing or moving behind automation. A year ago, Performance Max still felt experimental. Now it’s often …
Once upon a time, tens of millions of people gathered around their TVs every night to watch network television. Then cable came along, and the market fragmented. Then came the streaming revolution, which further fragmented it. Now things are starting to recombine, as the experiences previously offered by network, cable, and streaming TV are increasingly …
AI discoverability demands unified SEO, PR, and content strategies to boost visibility across search and AI tools. SEO provides data that PR can use to craft stories aligned with what audiences are actively searching for. Content roadmaps should prioritize flexibility—3-month plans work best for adapting to real-time shifts. Cross-team alignment starts with shared goals, translated …
I just got back from San Diego and Toronto, where I spoke at Ahrefs Evolve and SEO IRL – both of which were fantastic. A lot of people I met subscribed to the Growth Memo. Thank you all for coming out! Image Credit: Kevin Indig I also had the pleasure of facilitating a 3h mastermind with leaders …
There’s something deeply unsettling about realizing you’re wasting time scrolling through social media, fully aware you’re procrastinating and putting off important tasks. Yet breaking free from that cycle is harder than most people think. To cut my screen time, I tried minimalist phone launchers and even turned my Android into a dumbphone. Still, I kept …
SEO and marketing are driven by the choices that you make, and those choices should be guided by clear, trustworthy data. Having a range of sources that you track on a regular basis helps you to stay informed and to speak with authority in meetings with C-suite and clients. Enable your strategies with real-world insights …
The fifth and final season of Stranger Things kicks off in November, and we’ve now learned the running times for the first four episodes: the shortest is nearly an hour long at 54 minutes, and the longest well over an hour at 83. If the show sticks to tradition, later episodes will be even longer. …
1. How AI Overviews and AI Mode Are Disrupting Local Search Visibility “Our data showed a noticeable drop in organic traffic where AI overviews are displacing maps. For local businesses, this means you could still be the best option nearby but never appear unless the query is explicitly local. ‘Best near me’ triggers maps, but …
Plex is also surprising me with its suite of features, from its ability to work with useful add-ons to even being useful for accessing personal images, like my own cloud storage. Not to mention the companion apps, like Plexamp, which is my personal favorite media player for playing back my CD collection. Fortunately, Plex isn’t …
Buffer’s analysis of 11.4 million TikTok posts from over 150,000 accounts reveals that posting 2-5 times per week delivers the steepest per-post view increase. The study challenges the usual recommendation to post multiple times daily by demonstrating that the benefits decrease after the initial increase in posting frequency. Data scientist Julian Winternheimer employed fixed-effects regression …
I admit to being a little wary of AI, especially in matters related to artistic endeavors, where it already threatens to replace human creativity. However, when OpenAI introduced the capability to link my Spotify account directly to ChatGPT, my curiosity was piqued. I had to see for myself whether AI could truly understand my musical …
1) The “Great Decoupling”: Impressions Up, Clicks Down “The big story of this year… is the so‑called great decoupling in Google search… there’s a downwards blue line—that’s clicks—and there’s an upwards pink line—and that’s impressions… a lot of people are seeing that their impressions go up and their clicks go down. And this is primarily …
Usually, when a celebrity appears onscreen for a minute during a movie, you’re supposed to notice. Think about Stan Lee appearing in every Marvel movie for well over a decade; spotting him became a game for fans. Sticking with Marvel, what about the scene in Thor: Ragnarok where Thor, Loki, and Odin are played by …
GEO is the new SEO: Generative Engine Optimization focuses on how AI systems synthesize brand info, not how Google ranks pages. Mentions > Links: Brand mentions across trusted sites now correlate more with AI visibility than traditional backlinks. Syndication still works: Republished and naturally re-written stories amplify brand authority across LLM training data. AI scales, …
Search has never stood still. Every few years, a new layer gets added to how people find and evaluate information. Generative AI systems like ChatGPT, Copilot Search, and Perplexity haven’t replaced Google or Bing. They’ve added a new surface where discovery happens earlier, and where your visibility may never show up in analytics. Call it …
I spent months chasing buried gems across Medium, Shortform, and random web highlights, only to lose them again in the shuffle. I clipped that brilliant insight last Tuesday, and now I can’t find it. The more I highlighted, the more scattered my notes became. Each new article added another layer of clutter, making it harder …
Average monthly contract: $5,458 across all respondents. Most retainers fall under $10K per month, with half priced below $5K. Average cost per link (CPL): $597. Costs vary widely by service type, ranging from $150 for guest posting to $800 for large hero campaigns. 1 in 3 respondents don’t know their CPL, a sign that digital PR is …
Last week, I shared the largest usability study of AI Mode, and it revealed how users interact with the new search surface: They focus on the AI Mode text first 88% of the time, ignore link icons, and rarely click out. This week, for Part 2, I’m covering what’s measurable, what’s guesswork, and what’s possibly …
Science fiction can be a genre that holds up a mirror to the present, past, and future simultaneously. Other genres of movies and television can do this, of course, and some have even accidentally predicted the future. But sci-fi can really capture the societal mood, or even predict it in ways viewers don’t see coming. …
Google is rolling out a change to how ads appear in Search, and this time it’s focused on clarity and user control. Text ads will now be grouped under a single “Sponsored results” label that stays visible as you scroll. In addition, a new “Hide sponsored results” option lets users collapse the entire ad block …
Even if you’ve never seen one of his movies, you likely know the name Alfred Hitchcock. The guy directed nearly 50 movies over his long career, including touchstones that went on to influence the horror, action, mystery, and suspense genres. Whether you’re a Hitchcock superfan or just discovering him now, these five films show why …
AI provides many ways to augment and assist how SEOs work. From analyzing SERP intent, to brainstorming content strategy for new pages, to running competitive analysis, to producing stakeholder-ready presentations, the possibilities are endless. More and more marketers are experimenting with AI prompts to use AI tools as an assistant where an effective prompt can …
Actually, using my Roku television has been something of a new experience for me, but it’s been fruitful. After discovering some helpful Roku tips I wish I had known sooner, I started really diving into the many applications the service offers. While I’m still more of an Xbox Series X user for most things in …
Google has released Lighthouse 13 with a broad audit consolidation that aligns Lighthouse reports with Chrome DevTools’ newer insight model. The update is available now via npm and Chrome Canary. It will roll into PageSpeed Insights within about a week and is slated for Chrome’s stable channel with version 143. Google says the update doesn’t …
Amazon’s Fire TV Stick is one of the best tech purchases that I have ever made. Especially since it can turn my old dumb TV into a smart one, it has its own perks, including easy plug-and-play setup, a smooth UI, and a vast app library. All in all, the Amazon Fire TV Stick is …
DR/DA are “vanity metrics” and useful for quick validation, but they can be easily gamed. Spammy link tactics (like DR-boosting and HARO overuse) lead to poor keyword relevance, traffic drops, and risk of manual penalties. Google’s SpamBrain evaluates link context and relevance, not just volume. Engagement-driven links hold more value, especially as AI-powered search increasingly …
Google has quietly updated its list of user-triggered fetchers with new documentation for Google NotebookLM. The importance of this seemingly minor change is that it’s clear that Google NotebookLM will not obey robots.txt. Google NotebookLM NotebookLM is an AI research and writing tool that enables users to add a web page URL, which will process …
In November, a new sci-fi show called Pluribus will debut on Apple TV+. Apple has only released one official image. It hasn’t released a trailer despite the premiere being only a few weeks away. We only have a vague idea of what Pluribus is about, and yet people are already expecting it to be the …
Reddit and Wikipedia dominate ChatGPT visibility across nearly all major datasets analyzed. Forbes, TechRadar, and Business Insider consistently appear, suggesting strong domain authority and topical relevance. OpenAI data partnerships don’t guarantee increased visibility in ChatGPT outputs. Query type and dataset design dramatically influence which sites are surfaced by AI. Sites with a strong presence on …
In recent years, barefoot footwear has gained immense popularity among those seeking a more natural walking and running experience. As awareness about proper foot health grows, many are turning to these innovative shoes designed to mimic the sensation of walking without shoes. However, not all barefoot options are created equal. What truly makes the finest …
YouTube is piloting a policy change that allows some previously terminated creators to request a new channel after a one-year waiting period. The program will roll out to eligible creators over the coming weeks and months, according to YouTube’s official announcement. How The Second Chances Pilot Works Eligible creators will start seeing an option in …
Although I still believe Plex is totally fine and usable without resorting to add-ons, I can’t help but feel better that I have several I can rely on when the library is acting up, especially when my family is having problems with Plex. Subtitles not syncing, for example, was not a problem I thought I’d …
“Most” and “Best” surveys average 10+ more links due to shareability and passive link-building from search queries. Timely surveys outperform evergreen ones in average links, but evergreen content builds consistent, long-term authority. Emotionally charged topics—especially joy, curiosity, and controversy—drive higher engagement and link velocity. Single-question polls with demographic breakdowns (age, gender, politics) are YouGov’s most …
The concept of barefoot shoes has gained significant traction in recent years, prompting many enthusiasts to tout their benefits while others remain skeptical. The idea behind these minimalist footwear options is rooted in the belief that less is more when it comes to running and walking. But with such fervor surrounding their advantages, one may …
What I’m about to say will feel uncomfortable to a lot of SEOs, and maybe even some CEOs. I’m not writing this to be sensational, and I know some of my peers will still look sideways at me for it. That’s fine. I’m sharing what the data suggests to me, and I want you to …
You don’t need a massive budget to make a compelling film. I would argue that sometimes a larger budget can actually be a hindrance to the creative process, because it can lead to more studio meddling in the end product. It’s probably why I prefer short horror films to most mainstream feature-length films in the …
Content marketing in 2025 is user-first — prioritize meeting users at multiple entry points with content tailored to their journey stage. Use the 6H framework — Hero, Hub, Help, Heart, Happy, and Human content map to key stages from awareness to advocacy. AI should support, not lead — human insight drives strategy, while AI helps …
If you’ve read “From Line Item to Leverage” or “Who Owns Web Performance?,” you know I’ve argued that enterprise SEO failures are rarely due to incompetence or lack of effort. The playbook is known. The teams are capable. The opportunity is massive. Yet results often stall or underdeliver. Why? Because the real problem isn’t only …
If you grew up with stacks of magazines beside your bed or rolled up in your school bag, there’s a corner of the internet that will make you feel like you’ve stepped back in time. Every issue of your favorite childhood magazines, complete with all the colorful ads, jokes, and fashion spreads, is quietly sitting …
Newsjacking has two paths: planned reactive (e.g. budget announcements) and breaking reactive (e.g. heatwaves, celebrity feuds). Think like a journalist: anticipate story evolutions, focus on audience interest, and aim to move the narrative forward. Build case study content: use brand spokespeople or real customers to add credibility and increase media pickup. Evolve with media consumption: …
Our new usability study of 37 participants across seven specific search tasks clearly shows that people: Read AI Mode Rarely click out, and Only leave when they are ready to transact. From what we know, there isn’t another independent usability study that has explored AI Mode to this depth. In May, I published an extensive two-part …
White vinegar serves as an effective home cleaning solution in several instances, such as on vinyl floors and mirrors. However, it should not be applied to all surfaces, as its acidic nature can damage certain materials. Store your bottle of vinegar in the cupboard when you need to clean these specific surfaces. Natural stone countertops …
Mike King is the founder of the SEO agency iPullRank and one of the sharpest minds in the SEO world. He has been at the forefront of breaking SEO news, such as the Google leak, and is leading the charge on how SEOs need to adapt their strategies to succeed in the AI era. As such, he’s a busy …
Builderius WordPress website builder announced the ability to develop sites using GraphQL together with AI. The new functionality enables developers to use the power of GraphQL with the assistance of AI. Why GraphQL GraphQL can be a more efficient way to fetch data than traditional approaches in WordPress, using visual query builders, PHP, or REST …
I’ve watched enough comedy that I can now, with a pretty good success rate, determine if a movie I just watched will stand up to a second rewatch. Sometimes there are one too many references to (old) current events, while others have problematic jokes that have aged like milk. That said, there are also a …
Branded web mentions had the strongest correlation with AI overview visibility, surpassing links and domain rating (DR). AI overviews favor language-based signals (mentions, branded anchors) over traditional link-based SEO factors. Even small brands saw visibility gains from minimal mentions, suggesting compounding value at early stages. Mentions are an output of brand-building but not the goal; …
Google reports a data center issue is causing a partial Search disruption, affecting some pages in certain locales. Google confirms a data center issue causing a partial Search disruption. Check the official Search Status Dashboard for updates. Avoid reactive site changes. [ad_2] Source link
I still remember the first time I tried to build a dashboard in Excel. I stared at endless rows of data, fumbled with formulas, and wrestled with chart placement, only to end up with a cluttered sheet that was barely usable. What I didn’t realize then was that a few simple techniques could have saved …
AI-driven search is rewriting the rules of discovery. ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews are changing how customers find brands. Traditional rankings no longer guarantee visibility. Are you appearing where it matters most? Discover proven strategies to boost your AI mentions and citations. What You’ll Learn in This Session Pat Reinhart, VP of Services & …
Like many, Google Keep has made its forever home on my smartphone’s home screen. I developed a habit of jotting down everything. Interesting quote? Noted. A to-do list? Noted. Grocery list? Added. A link to that one funny video I found on YouTube? Pasted. Keep was my note-taking, bookmarking, and reminder app, all in one. …
The State of SEO and AI Search Confusion in the space: multiple terms (GEO, LMO, AO, ASEO, etc.) “I just wanted to acknowledge how confusing this space has become. I want to say that SEO space or AI search space, whatever this space is called, became truly a notion of confusion with so many different …
Windows 11 has a half-decent built-in clipboard manager—press Win + V, and you can access the last 25 copied items from the clipboard history. But as soon as you restart your PC, everything vanishes, except for the pinned items. However, I needed a clipboard manager that could save more than a few dozen items at …
Artificial intelligence is transforming how people search, discover, and act on information. For chief marketing officers and senior leaders, this is not a question of whether SEO is “dead” but of how to adapt to a new era where visibility spans AI-driven assistants, multimodal tools, and fragmented user journeys. Two forces drive this disruption: rapid …
If you’ve never used Perplexity, the first time you run a query, it’ll feel like a more polished version of Google Search. That’s one of the reasons why people end up using Perplexity like Google. In reality, Perplexity is nothing like Google. It has features that let you do a lot more than basic research. …
Branded web mentions had the strongest correlation with AI overview visibility, surpassing links and domain rating (DR). AI overviews favor language-based signals (mentions, branded anchors) over traditional link-based SEO factors. Even small brands saw visibility gains from minimal mentions, suggesting compounding value at early stages. Mentions are an output of brand-building but not the goal; …
Before we jump in: I hate to brag, but I will say I’m extremely proud to have placed 4th in the G50 SEO World Championships this past week. I’m speaking at NESS, the global News & Editorial SEO Summit, on October 22. Growth Memo readers get 20% off when code “kevin2025” Boost your skills with Growth …
A low phone battery always seems to be a problem, whether your phone is a couple of years old or brand new. That’s because, more often than not, the secret battery killers are all the apps running in the background of your phone. But you don’t have to keep struggling with a drained phone battery. …
Google announced that AI Mode now supports visual search, letting you use images and natural language together in the same conversation. The update is rolling out this week in English in the U.S. What’s New Visual Search Gets Conversational Google’s update to AI Mode aims to address the challenge of searching for something that’s hard …
If you’ve ever worked inside an Excel workbook with dozens of tabs and thousands of rows, you know how easy it is to lose your bearings. One minute you’re checking a formula in column AR, and the next you are three sheets over, trying to remember what you were supposed to confirm. For years, I …
Google rolled out AI Overviews to all U.S. users in May 2024. Since then, publishers have reported significant traffic losses, with some seeing click-through rates drop by as much as 89%. The question isn’t whether AI Overviews impact traffic, but how much damage they’re doing to specific content types. Search (including Google Discover and traditional …
Perplexity’s Comet browser can do what other AI tools can’t. It can browse the web like we do. While ChatGPT, Claude, and even Perplexity’s answer engine are stuck with pre-trained data and get blocked by websites, Comet navigates the internet like a real browser. I’ve been using Comet since its launch and quickly made it …
Pinterest has introduced new ad products focused on visual search, highlighted by ‘Top of Search’ ads. Currently in beta across all monetized markets, these ads can appear within the first ten search results and in Related Pins, targeting users as they begin discovering products. Why This Matters For Search Marketers Pinterest is a search platform …
Google Keep has been my go-to to-do app for almost a decade now. However, among the many excellent Google Keep features, I’ve relied on location-based reminders the most. Google has decided to kill this feature in favor of moving reminders from Keep to Google Tasks. Instead of juggling two apps (Keep and Google Tasks), I …
YouTube released a video to clarify how its recent update to advertiser-friendly guidelines affects creators. The company acknowledged communication gaps and outlined what it has already done for previously affected uploads. What Changed? YouTube relaxed its rules about strong language at the beginning of videos, making it easier for creators to monetize their content. The …
I’m not sure what “knowledge worker” really means, but if the job description is cramming new information into your brain and hoping it sticks, then I qualify. ChatGPT has become my right-hand tool for this: quizzes, cloze tests, and flashcards are my bread and butter. They help me remember not just university coursework but anything …
Mike King is the founder of the SEO agency iPullRank and one of the sharpest minds in the SEO world. He has been at the forefront of breaking SEO news, such as the Google leak, and is leading the charge on how SEOs need to adapt their strategies to succeed in the AI era. As such, he’s a busy …
The How AI Search Can Drive Sales & Boost Conversions webinar, presented recently by Bartosz Góralewicz, touched on something that I think every marketer needs to understand about how people actually make decisions today. This isn’t just about Reddit anymore; we’re talking about the future of how brands actually connect with customers when they’re making …
I’ve always known I learn best when I can see information, not just read it. Charts, diagrams, doodles, and even social memes stick in my memory far longer than plain text. But when I tried traditional flashcard apps like Anki or Quizlet, they either came with a steep learning curve, didn’t have free options, or …
Why Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) Matters Now Search is becoming chaotic and untrackable through traditional SEO “800 million people right now actively use ChatGPT every week. It’s massive. And your customers are probably asking AI for recommendations right now. So if you’re not showing up there, your competitors are and you’re probably missing out on …
As much as I’m a morning person, waking up isn’t always easy. Yes, it’s easier most days, especially at the beginning of the week, but some days it’s hard to wake up on time, no matter how many alarms I set. I’d hit snooze half-asleep, swiped away notifications, and promised myself “five more minutes”, only …
Despite years of digital transformation talk, too many CEOs and CFOs still treat the corporate website as a necessary marketing expense, a sunk cost with limited upside. I have far too many CEO’s of billion-dollar companies who view it simply as an expensive interactive brochure, setting the tone for the company and dooming the web …
Three years ago, I downloaded Obsidian, thinking I’d finally found the perfect tool for organizing my thoughts and building a digital brain. What started as excitement quickly turned into frustration as I made one wrong move after another. My approach was all wrong from the beginning, and I wasted months reorganizing and restarting from scratch. …
Here’s what I’m covering this week: How to get the most out of personas in your day-to-day work across SEO, content, and the broader org. Because in the AI-search era, personas built from organic queries and prompts have value for every touchpoint: ad copy, sales scripts, support docs, product messaging. They carry the unfiltered language of …
I won’t say that the easiest way to determine if a photo is a fake is by using our eyes. Deepfakes are inching closer to “reality,” so we have to fall back on AI image detectors. These tools are trained on millions of images, both real and AI-generated, which allows them to recognize the subtle …
For years, the SEO equation appeared to be a fixed and unchanging landscape: optimizing for Googlebot on one side, and creating content for human users on the other. This outdated binary vision is now a thing of the past. In the current business environment, a new generation of actors is causing significant changes to the …
Note-taking apps are everywhere, but many of the most popular ones—like Evernote or Notion—are closed-source. Some of the key benefits of using open-source software are transparency, flexibility, and true ownership of your notes. Additionally, these apps are often free, highly customizable, and backed by passionate communities that continually refine and improve them. They also give …
Google returns to court on Monday for the remedies phase of the Department of Justice’s ad-tech antitrust case, where the government is asking the judge to order a divestiture of Google Ad Manager. The remedies trial follows a ruling that found Google illegally monopolized the publisher ad server and ad exchange markets, while rejecting claims …
When was the last time you actually used your browser bookmarks? If you’re like me, the answer is “not recently.” It’s not because we don’t want to save useful pages—it’s because bookmark systems are clunky, hard to search through, and suffer from usability problems that most people either ignore or work around with various hacks. …
An internal dispute within the WordPress core contributor team spilled into the open, causing major confusion among people outside the organization. The friction began with a post from more than a week ago and culminated in a remarkable outburst, exposing latent tensions within the core contributor community. Mary Hubbard Announcement Triggers Conflict The incident seemingly …
I gave up on carrying bulky textbooks, binders, and an endless supply of pens and pencils almost two years ago. Like many of my friends and countless people online, I made the switch to digital note-taking. I started out typing everything in Apple Notes, but it didn’t take long to realize typed notes just don’t …
The next SEO For Paws will be held on Sept. 25, 2025. The live stream features a stellar speaker list that includes some of the industry’s best SEO professionals and personalities, including Andrey Lipattsev, David Carrasco, Judith Lewis, and Jamie Indigo. SEO for Paws, is a live-streamed fundraiser founded by Anton Shulke, an expert at …
I never thought of my phone as a place to write. It was mostly for quick tasks and looking things up on the go, not for sitting down to write. But that changed when I started using PenCake. The app is simple and free of clutter. It opens to a clean page and keeps other …
Newsjacking has two paths: planned reactive (e.g. budget announcements) and breaking reactive (e.g. heatwaves, celebrity feuds). Think like a journalist: anticipate story evolutions, focus on audience interest, and aim to move the narrative forward. Build case study content: use brand spokespeople or real customers to add credibility and increase media pickup. Evolve with media consumption: …
Before we dig in, some context. What follows is hypothetical. I don’t engage in black-hat tactics, I’m not a hacker, and this isn’t a guide for anyone to try. I’ve spent enough time with search, domain, and legal teams at Microsoft to know bad actors exist and to see how they operate. My goal here isn’t …
Staring at endless text-based lists and bullet points was killing my motivation to track anything consistently in Obsidian. My habit logs looked like boring spreadsheets, my project updates felt like homework, and my personal goals disappeared into walls of text. Then, I discovered how to transform my Obsidian notes into visual progress charts, and everything …
Reddit and Wikipedia dominate ChatGPT visibility across nearly all major datasets analyzed. Forbes, TechRadar, and Business Insider consistently appear, suggesting strong domain authority and topical relevance. OpenAI data partnerships don’t guarantee increased visibility in ChatGPT outputs. Query type and dataset design dramatically influence which sites are surfaced by AI. Sites with a strong presence on …
Brand marketing is often the silent driver behind successful digital campaigns. People are far more likely to read, watch, click, and ultimately buy from a brand they already know and trust. That’s why doing the harder, slower work of building a strong brand pays dividends when it comes to performance marketing efforts like SEO and …
When Google finally rolled out tables in Sheets back in mid-2024, there wasn’t so much buzz. Maybe it was because the feature felt long overdue, or because Excel has long dominated the conversation around serious data handling. Either way, the update slipped largely under the radar, leaving many people convinced that Sheets still can’t hold …
Prioritize topical authority: deep, complete content clusters outperform scattershot posts in AI search and SGE results. Reinforce clusters with intelligent internal linking; anchor text and contextual passages strengthen entity signals that Google’s embedding models trust. Earn authoritative backlinks and brand mentions—traffic-driving links remain a top ranking multiplier despite algorithm turbulence. Prune low-value or off-topic pages; …
Boost your skills with Growth Memo’s weekly expert insights. Subscribe for free! Here’s what I’m covering this week: How to build user personas for SEO from data you already have on hand. You can’t treat personas as a “brand exercise” anymore. In the AI-search era, prompts don’t just tell you what users want; they reveal …
An iPad is a handy tool to have around, but it always played second fiddle to my MacBook Pro for work and creative purposes. Don’t get me wrong; it makes for a useful backup laptop, it’s perfect for travel entertainment, and I love using it with the Apple Pencil for its sheer versatility. However, it …
Over 85% of guest post sites are low-quality, with poor traffic and DR, yet still command premium prices. High-quality guest posts (DR 71+ & 50K+ traffic) make up just 4.6% of the marketplace. Average guest post costs $365—but quality posts range $692–$957 before vendor markup. The average cost of a guest post through a vendor …
Google appears to have disabled or is testing the removal of the &num=100 URL parameter that shows 100 results per page. Reports of the change began around September 10, and quickly spread through the SEO community as rank-tracking tools showed disruptions. Google hasn’t yet issued a public statement. What’s Happening The &num=100 parameter has long …
When you’re working with data in Excel, certain tasks can feel unnecessarily tedious. Maybe you need to split a column of full names into separate first and last name columns, or combine text from multiple cells with specific separators. These aren’t complex analytical challenges—they’re basic data manipulation tasks that come up regularly. The good news …
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is emerging as the key framework for increasing brand visibility in AI-generated search results. Brand mentions without links are critical for GEO—AI models weigh context-rich mentions in training data, not just backlinks. Context wrapping (ensuring surrounding text reinforces brand expertise) boosts chances of being cited by AI models. AI visibility is …
The Core Web Vitals Technology Report by the open source HTTPArchive community ranks content management systems by how well they perform on Google’s Core Web Vitals (CWV). The July update shows that every major platform has improved since June, but not all gains were equal. Joomla posted the largest month-over-month increase, while Duda ranked first …
When I first unboxed my gaming mouse, I was thinking about headshots, not spreadsheets. The high-precision sensor, programmable buttons, and RGB lighting—it all screams gaming. This is not a mouse you’ll often find at an office desk. But after years of using various gaming mice daily, I’ve discovered something unexpected. I mapped shortcuts to mouse …
I reached out to Shane Dutka of SiteCurve after I realized that both he and I share a passion for deriving strategic insights from competitors. It’s an undervalued skill in the industry, but a glance at Shane’s content reveals that he’s a pro, which is why he built SiteCurve. So, given there was so much …
Google published a new edition of its Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines. The update clarifies that the Your Money Your Life (YMYL) category now covers election and voting information, along with other government and civics topics that affect people’s lives. What’s New The YMYL framework now uses the label “YMYL Government, Civics & Society,” with the …
On my iPhone, I use Apple Mail. On my Nothing Phone, Gmail. On my MacBook, Apple Mail again. They work fine. But most of my emailing happens on my Windows PC—and that’s where I’ve been miserable. I really don’t like Outlook. Windows Mail was okay, but it’s now part of the long list of apps …
You don’t need to post daily — showing up on LinkedIn once a week already makes you more active than 97% of users. Thoughtful engagement is powerful — consistent comments on others’ posts can grow your visibility just as much (if not more) than creating new content. Your personal brand helps your company too — …
One of the strengths of WordPress is its extensibility. You can run everything from e-shops and booking systems to massive WordPress multisites from one instance of WordPress. Another is that it’s a database and robust PHP-based programming language, which means that running a bunch of updates on a site is remarkably straightforward. In this post, …
Creating a work-from-home setup can seem simple at first. All you need is a desk, a couple of monitors, some peripherals, and you’re good to go, right? It gets a bit more complicated than that. There are dozens of options to choose from, and plenty of considerations to make, which can make building your setup …
DR/DA are “vanity metrics” and useful for quick validation, but they can be easily gamed. Spammy link tactics (like DR-boosting and HARO overuse) lead to poor keyword relevance, traffic drops, and risk of manual penalties. Google’s SpamBrain evaluates link context and relevance, not just volume. Engagement-driven links hold more value, especially as AI-powered search increasingly …
Bias in search isn’t always negative. It’s easy to frame it as something sinister, but bias shows up for structural reasons, behavioral reasons, and sometimes as a deliberate choice. The real task for marketers and communicators is recognizing when it’s happening, and what that means for visibility, perception, and control. Two recent pieces got me …
Security is the most crucial aspect of any operating system. It’s the difference between privacy and data breaches. For this reason, many people use antivirus programs or update certain built-in security settings to improve security. However, Windows 11 comes with a set of built-in security features that help ensure your computer is less prone to …
Backlinks and referring domains still strongly correlate with top SERP rankings, per Ahrefs and Backlinko 2025 studies. Digital PR now outperforms traditional link tactics, earning authoritative links and unlinked mentions from trusted publications. Top 10 Google rankings heavily influence AI Overview citations—over 90% include at least one top-ranking page. Unlinked brand mentions outperform backlink quantity …
I’ve been extremely antsy to publish this study. Consider it the AIO Usability study 1.5, with new insights. You also want to stay tuned for our first AI Mode usability study! It’s coming in a few weeks (make sure to subscribe not to miss it). Boost your skills with Growth Memo’s weekly expert insights. Subscribe …
Excel has thousands of functions, but most people stick to the basics, like SUM and AVERAGE. While those work fine for simple tasks, there are three functions that handle more complex scenarios with much less effort. SEQUENCE, LET, and LAMBDA aren’t commonly used, but they solve specific problems that would otherwise require awkward workarounds or …
Figurehead credibility and niche relevance are critical for successful quote placements on HARO-style platforms. Diversify outreach with platforms like Featured, Qwoted, Source of Sources, and direct journalist pitching. Use AI-resistant tactics: human voice, personal anecdotes, and original perspectives to cut through the noise. Aim for broader thought leadership—leverage founder expertise beyond the core business offering. …
The way people find and consume information has shifted. We, as marketers, must think about visibility across AI platforms and Google. The challenge is that we don’t have the same ability to control and measure success as we do with Google and Microsoft, so it feels like we’re flying blind. Earlier this year, Google, Microsoft, …
Walk into almost any café or restaurant, and you’ll immediately see rows of glowing rectangles that all look nearly identical. We spend hundreds, sometimes thousands, on these devices, since cheaper ones can come with some serious privacy risks. Yet, most of us leave them looking exactly the way they did the moment we opened the …
When Judge Amit P. Mehta issued his long-awaited remedies decision in the Google search antitrust case, the industry exhaled a collective sigh of relief. There would be no breakup of Google, no forced divestiture of Chrome or Android, and no user-facing “choice screen” like the one that reshaped Microsoft’s browser market two decades ago. But …
Email stands at the center of my online life and, like most of the world, this has meant Gmail. Of all the options, Gmail is one of the most convenient choices since it integrates with many other services I often use. But since I’ve been seeking ways to de-Google my life, I started searching for …
New research examining 16 million URLs aligns with Google’s predictions that hallucinated links will become an issue across AI platforms. An Ahrefs study shows that AI assistants send users to broken web pages nearly three times more often than Google Search. The data arrives six months after Google’s John Mueller raised awareness about this issue. …
Samsung DeX promises the ability to replace your laptop: plug in a monitor, keyboard, and mouse, and your phone instantly becomes a full desktop computer. On paper, it sounds perfect. Modern smartphones are incredibly powerful, so why shouldn’t they be able to double as laptops? That’s exactly what I was curious about when I switched …
Google’s Search Relations team says generic login pages can confuse indexing and hurt rankings. When many private URLs all show the same bare login form, Google may treat them as duplicates and show the login page in search. In a recent “Search Off the Record” episode, John Mueller and Martin Splitt explained how this happens …
It’s rare that I’m actually blown away by a new laptop, but Acer’s new Swift Air 16 is almost unbelievable. It’s a full-sized 16-inch laptop that somehow weighs less than a 13-inch MacBook Air, and looks absolutely fantastic while doing so. Acer launches a ridiculously lightweight 16-inch laptop Gavin Phillips / MakeUseOf This ultra-lightweight laptop …
There’s a lot that goes into SEO. And, now, more broadly into being found online and online visibility overall, whether we’re talking about an organic result in a search engine, an AI Overview, or through a large language model (LLM). With SEO being a discipline that often takes a long time (compared to ads and …
All of us finish a great book and wish we could ask the author just one question. What did they really mean? How would they apply their advice today? With ChatGPT, I found a way to make that a reality. By uploading a book as a PDF or ePub and setting a few simple prompts, …
Figurehead credibility and niche relevance are critical for successful quote placements on HARO-style platforms. Diversify outreach with platforms like Featured, Qwoted, Source of Sources, and direct journalist pitching. Use AI-resistant tactics: human voice, personal anecdotes, and original perspectives to cut through the noise. Aim for broader thought leadership—leverage founder expertise beyond the core business offering. …
Ask a question in ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, or Copilot, and the answer appears in seconds. It feels effortless. But under the hood, there’s no magic. There’s a fight happening. This is the part of the pipeline where your content is in a knife fight with every other candidate. Every passage in the index wants to …
I love books, but I rarely finish them these days. My attention span is losing out to 300-page nonfiction doorstoppers. So, to keep learning, I snack on book summary apps and websites. They distil the key ideas in minutes. Saikat Basu/MakeUseOf Littler Books is one of the simpler and smaller players. Instead of sprawling libraries, …
Some of the critical questions that are top of mind for both SEOs and CMOs as we head into a multi-search world are: Where is search going to develop? Is ChatGPT a threat or an opportunity? Is optimizing for large language models (LLMs) the same as optimizing for search engines? In this two-part interview series, …
There’s no shortage of third-party apps and tools that can enhance your Windows experience. But among them, a few stand out as absolute essentials for me because they streamline my workflow, save time, and make daily tasks much more efficient. 6 QuickLook One of the first things I install on any PC is QuickLook. If …
Let’s reminisce for a moment. Do you remember how, back in 2020, we all obsessed over “link juice” and PageRank flow as far as internal links are concerned? In 2025, what matters more is how your internal links define the entities and relationships on your site. Internal linking is no longer just about distributing authority. It’s about: …
ChatGPT isn’t perfect, but it has several features that genuinely make it more useful for everyday tasks. Rather than replacing my workflow entirely, these tools complement my existing work process. 4 Study and Learn Makes ChatGPT a friendly tutor I like ChatGPT’s study feature as it doesn’t simply answer but acts more like a tutor. …
“Stop trying to make GEO happen. It’s not going to happen.” With apologies to Gretchen Wieners and the writers of “Mean Girls,” the line feels like the only way to start this conversation about a buzzword making the rounds: GEO (which is now, allegedly, supposed to mean Generative Engine Optimization). This article grew out of …
Deleting images and videos from your overflowing camera roll is never fun. It’s time-consuming and, simply… boring. I used to think that too, until I found a weird app that lets me delete images in Tinder-like fashion. Swipewipe fixes the biggest issue I have with deleting photos I’m the type of person whose camera roll …
A vulnerability in the TablePress WordPress plugin enables attackers to inject malicious scripts that run when someone visits a compromised page. It affects all versions up to and including version 3.2. TablePress WordPress plugin The TablePress plugin is used on more than 700,000 websites. It enables users to create and manage tables with interactive features …
Movie sequels typically have one main goal: to match or surpass the box office performance of the movie that preceded it—and these are the films that did it. 5 Top Gun: Maverick (2022) Stream Top Gun: Maverick on Paramount+ The original Top Gun (1986) was one of the best films of the 1980s, and when …
Google is apparently having trouble identifying paywalled content due to a standard way paywalled content is handled by publishers like news sites. It’s asking that publishers with paywalled content change the way they block content so as to help Google out. Search Related JavaScript Problems Google updated their guidelines with a call for publishers to …
The horror genre tends to get oversaturated due to how cheap movies are to produce and how profitable they are. And a lot of terrifying films fall out of popular conversation quickly, but luckily, streaming services like Netflix are a great place for these films to be rediscovered. Based on Stephen King’s novella of the …
WordPress is still the most popular open-source content management system (CMS) – by far – powering 43.5 % of all websites on the web, and still in my opinion the most adaptable CMS to work with. However, WordPress isn’t just a plug-and-play CMS. If you’re in the marketing team or the CMO, you may find …
I have used too many browsers to count, and among them are several I will never try again. However, there are a few obscure browsers I would not use as a daily driver, but I still keep them handy because I find them interesting and uniquely useful. A browser that doesn’t care about tabs The …
For as long as I’ve been in this industry, there’s been debate about whether SEO is strategic or tactical. Most SEOs would like to believe their work is strategic. Many executives see it as tactical. The truth is somewhere in between, and the arrival of generative AI is forcing a new level of clarity. This …
My Edge browser was a productivity disaster. Twenty tabs, three social media accounts, and endless news feeds all competing for attention. I finally fixed it—and didn’t need a single browser extension to do it. 5 Use a Separate Profile for Work If you’re anything like me, you probably use the same browser profile for everything—work …
Rankings don’t guarantee traffic anymore. Here’s how to optimize for AI visibility and brand mentions in a zero-click world. The post What To Do When the Click Disappears: Surviving SEO In The AI-Driven SERP appeared first on Search Engine Journal. [ad_2] Source link
Many documentaries fail to convey the high-octane drama, tension, and danger involved in motor racing, but some manage to hit the mark perfectly. If you consider yourself to be a true fan of the genre, then the following are essential viewing. 8 TT3D: Closer to the Edge (2011) Watch TT3D: Closer to the Edge on …
Boost your skills with Growth Memo’s weekly expert insights. Subscribe for free! More data shows ChatGPT isn’t taking market share away from Google. Instead, it’s expanding the range of use cases and blurring the line between searching for information and performing tasks. I looked at Similarweb data to understand how this affects four different stages …
Sometimes I just need a free movie to feel alive again, and to cut down on the always-rising cost of streaming services. Luckily for everyone, Tubi actually has a surprising number of quality movies on offer. It may have come out back in 2021, but Godzilla vs. Kong is the kind of big-budget fare that …
Many agencies and marketers believe that success in paid media is primarily down to the quality of your ads or the specificity of your landing pages. While those elements are important, they’re meaningless unless they sit on a foundation of alignment with client needs. The cleanest account structure and flawless creatives may hit every platform …
While browsing my TV’s settings, I realized its microphone was always listening even when I wasn’t talking to it. That didn’t sit right with me, so I switched it off and didn’t look back. Why Smart TVs Have Always-Listening Mics Smart TVs today are built with microphones that are always listening for voice commands. That …
Google just announced a new unifying identity for its Local Services Ads (LSAs) verification badges. Called Google Verified, the badge will replace several different trust signals that advertisers and consumers have been seeing over the years. This includes the Google Guaranteed, Google Screened, License Verified by Google, and the Money Back Guarantee program. Starting in …
Blurry and out-of-focus photos are part and parcel of wildlife photography. Yet the frustration seems the same every time it happens. I enhanced one of my photos with AI and was blown away by the result. The Problem: Soft Focus and Small Resolution Recently, I was on a hike when I stumbled upon a gorgeous …
In a recent episode of Google’s Search Off the Record podcast, Martin Splitt and John Mueller discussed when lazy loading helps and when it can slow pages. Splitt used a real-world example on developers.google.com to illustrate a common pattern: making every image lazy by default can delay Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) if it includes above-the-fold …
If you think of Google Photos as just an app for viewing and backing up media, that’s likely because you haven’t explored all it offers. It’s packed with features that make finding, editing, and sharing your photos and videos more fun. 8 Share Albums in Seconds With a QR Code Creating a shared album in …
Paid search professionals constantly debate the merits of running paid search campaigns bidding on competitor brand names. Questions such as the following may arise: Is bidding on your competitors ethical? Are the high costs-per-click (CPCs) worth spending the budget on? Are you actually reaching people with buying intent? In this article, I’ll talk through answers …
Your wallet doesn’t need to suffer every time you want a good book. I’ve assembled a collection of ten sites that keep my Kindle full without costing me anything. I didn’t even have to dip into piracy or “gray area” sources, as these ten free book sites are perfectly legitimate. Saikat Basu/MakeUseOf Project Gutenberg has …
Backlinks and referring domains still strongly correlate with top SERP rankings, per Ahrefs and Backlinko 2025 studies. Digital PR now outperforms traditional link tactics, earning authoritative links and unlinked mentions from trusted publications. Top 10 Google rankings heavily influence AI Overview citations—over 90% include at least one top-ranking page. Unlinked brand mentions outperform backlink quantity …
Google is adding agentic booking features to AI Mode in Search, beginning with restaurant reservations for U.S. Google AI Ultra subscribers enrolled in Labs. What’s New Booking Reservations AI Mode can interpret a detailed request, check real-time availability across reservation sites, and link you to the booking page to complete the task. For businesses, that …
Spreadsheet data never arrives clean. Between missing values, inconsistent formatting, and merged cells, I used to spend hours wrestling with messy datasets. Then I stumbled into Power Query, and suddenly those boring cleanup tasks felt less like punishment and more like flipping switches. Power Query Makes Data Cleaning Effortless Power Query is Excel’s built-in data …
You don’t need to post daily — showing up on LinkedIn once a week already makes you more active than 97% of users. Thoughtful engagement is powerful — consistent comments on others’ posts can grow your visibility just as much (if not more) than creating new content. Your personal brand helps your company too — …
In B2B SEO, typically, the ultimate goal is to attract high-intent searchers who convert into qualified leads. But, not all high-intent visibility translates to sales-ready traffic, especially in long sales cycles or complex buying journeys. As we get deeper into an era of diminishing importance of keywords that translate directly into attributable clicks, a focus …
I’ve tried more Obsidian themes than I care to count. Every time, I end up switching after a few weeks in search of something better. But this one—this one feels different. I don’t think I’ll be switching away from it. Baseline Is Effortlessly Minimal When I first came across Baseline, its slogan was “effortlessly minimal.” …
Google’s AI-generated results reshape how people search, and Google has said that websites should expect traffic fluctuations and that prior success in organic Search does not guarantee future success in the new ecosystem. This is a big claim, and it’s been debated whether “Hidden Gems” are getting more visibility in modern Search and I’m doing …
With AI-generated and SEO-driven content flooding the internet, people are turning to Reddit to seek authentic, real-world perspectives. Reddit Answers—currently in beta—streamlines this search experience, and in many ways, outdoes Google Search. Finding unfiltered, lived experiences on the internet can be a bit of a hassle. You need to append search operators, such as “reddit” …
If you lead a marketing team, chances are you’ve had this conversation: “How are the campaigns doing?” “Well, our ROAS is 4:1.” The room breathes a collective sigh of relief. The good news: the marketing budget is justified (for the time being). But here’s the problem: that number might not actually tell you anything useful. …
I’ve lost count of the ways my AI chatbot has slipped into my daily life. Some are practical, some are creative, and all of them show just how flexible the technology can be. 6 Brainstorming Partner for Big (and Small) Ideas Sometimes you just need someone to bounce ideas off, but everyone else is busy …
Someone posted details of a novel negative SEO attack that they said appeared to be a Core Web Vitals performance poisoning attack. Google’s John Mueller and Chrome’s Barry Pollard assisted in figuring out what was going on. The person posted on Bluesky, tagging Google’s John Mueller and Rick Viscomi, the latter a DevRel Engineer at …
Your AI is only as good as your prompt. I’ve been using ChatGPT for studying ever since its release, but it wasn’t until I tried this one prompt that it completely changed the way I learn. 1 Give ChatGPT the Right Starting Point I still use NotebookLM, but only for its Audio Overview podcasts and …
A new Yext analysis of 8.7 million Google search results suggests many common local SEO tactics don’t perform the same across industries and regions. The dataset, drawn from the company’s Scout Index, focuses on what correlates with visibility in Google’s Local Pack, not just overall map presence. What Yext Found Review Management Emerges As The …
With AI now, the back-to-school season feels a lot different than it used to, in the best way possible. There are a bunch of free AI tools out there that you should be using for studying smarter, and there’s no better time to start exploring them than right now. 5 NotebookLM My favorite AI tool …
Using outdated and traditional SEO tactics centered around keywords and backlinks is not moving the needle anymore, as Google shifts toward AI-driven answers. Organic clicks are going down as a result of Google AI Overviews and the rise of zero-click searches, where users get answers directly on Google’s search results page without clicking through to …
Staying focused during exam prep felt impossible until I started using these tools. They help me lock in, pace myself, and actually retain what I study without burning out. 5 Notion If you’re a student, I’m pretty sure you already know about Notion. But if you don’t, you’re really missing out. Notion is basically an …
For years, marketers built their strategies around a clear and visible funnel: awareness, consideration, conversion. It worked well in a web where behaviors were traceable, people clicked links, visited pages, signed up, bought a product, or bounced. We were able to track almost all of it, and we had attribution models that helped show return …
Shopping for a laptop for school shouldn’t drain your bank account, but it’s easy to get overwhelmed by flashy specs and sales pitches. Most students don’t need the expensive options—just the right one for their specific needs and budget. 5 Specs That Actually Matter for Students Students buying laptops often focus on the wrong things. …
I reached out to Shane Dutka of SiteCurve after I realized that both he and I share a passion for deriving strategic insights from competitors. It’s an undervalued skill in the industry, but a glance at Shane’s content reveals that he’s a pro, which is why he built SiteCurve. So, given there was so much …
Since the turn of the Millennium, marketers have mastered the science of search engine optimization. We learned the “rules” of ranking, the art of the backlink, and the rhythm of the algorithm. But, the ground has shifted to generative engine optimization (GEO). The era of the 10 blue links is giving way to the age …
Your student laptop should power through packed days, hectic commutes, and those urgent dashes across campus. Forget the marketing hype—choose the laptop specs that let you get things done, hassle-free. 5 Lightweight and Portable A laptop you can actually carry all day makes a big difference. When you add schoolbooks, notepads, water bottles, and chargers, …
This week’s Ask an SEO question comes from Zahara: “What metrics should small businesses actually care about when measuring content strategy success? Everyone talks about different KPIs, but I need to know which ones truly matter for growth.” The metrics to measure for growth with a content strategy change by company and industry, and the …
If you’re a student, you’re sitting on a goldmine of tech discounts since major brands slash prices just for you. Take full advantage while you can, because most of these perks expire after graduation or are only offered for a limited period. Spotify is one of the best music streaming services around, and it offers …
For decades, the digital world has been defined by hyperlinks, a simple, powerful way to connect documents across a vast, unstructured library. Yet, the foundational vision for the web was always more ambitious. It was a vision of a Semantic Web, a web where the relationships between concepts are as important as the links between …
After 34 long and (mostly) fruitful years, AOL is finally shutting down its dial-up internet service. And while this could leave some users in parts of rural America struggling to connect to the internet, the end of AOL’s dial-up service is probably well overdue. A Dial-Up Explainer for Younger Readers… For the uninitiated (likely, anyone …
Google’s John Mueller says small businesses may be hurting their search visibility by choosing generic keyword domains instead of building distinctive brand names. Speaking on a recent episode of Search Off the Record, Mueller and fellow Search Advocate Martin Splitt discussed common challenges for photography websites. During the conversation, Mueller noted that many small business …
Watching Netflix on your smartphone is convenient since you can even do it offline while on the go. Still, I avoid it for a few good reasons, and once you see them, you might too. 5 It Destroys Your Battery Streaming Netflix on your phone may seem harmless, but it’s one of the fastest ways …
Content marketers’ patience and performance are being tested as AI infiltrates every tech stack, which has been both a blessing and a curse. Creating content has never been simpler, given the rise of AI, upending content creation, distribution, and discovery. At the same time, writing original content has never been more paramount, given the vast …
Although I love adding more of my physical media to my Plex server, sometimes I just want to kick back and watch television. With over a thousand live TV channels on Plex, only a handful come out on top. 10 At the Movies While I hesitate to call myself a film buff, I do watch …
Are your Instagram posts struggling to gain traction? With over 2 billion monthly active users, standing out on the platform requires strategy and content planning. A content plan is an essential blueprint to help you keep your posts aligned with your strategy and your overall marketing goals. Posting without a plan can just be a …
Amazon Prime has a huge selection of movies and shows, but it’s easy to overlook the best options if you’re only browsing what’s trending. These hidden gems might not be mainstream, but they’re absolutely worth your time this weekend. I find movies about space exploration fascinating, so I was immediately drawn to First Man, and …
Over 85% of guest post sites are low-quality, with poor traffic and DR, yet still command premium prices. High-quality guest posts (DR 71+ & 50K+ traffic) make up just 4.6% of the marketplace. Average guest post costs $365—but quality posts range $692–$957 before vendor markup. The average cost of a guest post through a vendor …
There’s nothing worse than watching your own products compete against each other. When your paid media strategy starts pitting your product lines against one another, you’re not just inflating costs; you’re undercutting your own chances at conversion. That’s the question this month’s “Ask A PPC” will tackle: “I work for a company that has three …
Google Calendar is great—until you’re stuck clicking endlessly to get where you need. I didn’t realize a simple shortcut could speed up everything, but now I use it constantly. There’s a Quicker Way to Quick Add Events It takes three clicks to create a new Google Calendar event, and that’s when the website is loaded …
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is emerging as the key framework for increasing brand visibility in AI-generated search results. Brand mentions without links are critical for GEO—AI models weigh context-rich mentions in training data, not just backlinks. Context wrapping (ensuring surrounding text reinforces brand expertise) boosts chances of being cited by AI models. AI visibility is …
Global companies today face a paradox. Search is more important than ever, yet how it’s managed across markets is often inconsistent, inefficient, and misaligned with broader digital goals. Too often, SEO is seen as a localized effort, tactically delegated to regional teams or outsourced agencies. While local knowledge is critical, international SEO success demands structure, …
Nothing ruins a workflow like inserting new data and realizing your Excel table isn’t big enough. I used to drag those edges constantly—until I learned this simple trick that makes my tables expand on their own. Excel’s Dynamic Arrays Are the Right Way to Expand Tables Instead of returning a single value, dynamic arrays spill …
This week’s question comes from Xaris, who asks: “Why, even though I have correctly composed and linked the sitemap to a client’s website, and I have checked everything, am I having indexing problems with some articles, not all of them, even after repeated requests to Google and Google Search Console. What could be the problem? …
I used to love reading. I’d read multiple books in a day, and the library was practically my second home. But somewhere along the way, I just… stopped. I tried to get back into it more times than I can count, but nothing quite stuck. Turns out, all I was missing was an eReader. My …
You’ve probably seen the headlines like: “AI will kill SEO,” “AI will replace marketing roles,” or the latest panic: “Is your digital marketing job safe?” Well, maybe not those exact headlines, but you get the idea, and I’m sure you have seen something similar. Let’s clear something up: AI is not making SEO irrelevant. It’s …
Windows has a built-in Credential Manager, but it’s not what you think—and certainly not a replacement for your password manager. What Windows Credential Manager Actually Does As the name suggests, Credential Manager is a built-in password manager, but one focused on system-level credentials. It stores usernames and passwords for things like network shares, Remote Desktop …
Google’s Gary Illyes answered questions during the recent Search Central Live Deep Dive in Asia about whether or not they use the new Multi‑Vector Retrieval via Fixed‑Dimensional Encodings (MUVERA) retrieval method and also if they’re using Graph Foundation Models. MUVERA Google recently announced MUVERA in a blog post and a research paper: a method that …
Before the advent of streaming services, summer was a quiet time on the TV series front, but not anymore. Today, there are numerous new and returning series seeking viewers. These are the best of the bunch. 8 The Bear (Season 4) Watch The Bear on Hulu and Disney+ FX Season three of The Bear wasn’t …
Google announced that they will continue to support some links created by the deprecated goo.gl URL shortening service, saying that 99% of the shortened URLs receive no traffic. They were previously going to end support entirely, but after receiving feedback, they decided to continue support for a limited group of shortened URLs. Google URL Shortener …
I’ve spent hours tweaking clips in editing apps, but AI video generation promises to skip all that—just describe your idea, and get a finished video. So I tried a premium one to see if it delivers on that promise. I Got a Veed.io Subscription to Make Videos Veed.io is an online video platform where you …
New AI platforms, powered by generative technologies like Google’s Gemini, Microsoft’s Copilot, Grok, and countless specialized chatbots, are rapidly becoming the front door for digital discovery. We’ve entered an era of machine-led discovery, where AI systems aggregate, summarize, and contextualize content across multiple platforms. Users today no longer follow a linear journey from keyword to …
Habit trackers wore me out. I replaced their streak anxiety with a three-step routine that tacks tiny habits onto things I already do, nudged by gentle tech cues. With time, I am reaping the benefits of stress-free consistency. Why Habit Trackers Burned Me Out There are many excellent habit trackers, but they may not work …
Prioritize topical authority: deep, complete content clusters outperform scattershot posts in AI search and SGE results. Reinforce clusters with intelligent internal linking; anchor text and contextual passages strengthen entity signals that Google’s embedding models trust. Earn authoritative backlinks and brand mentions—traffic-driving links remain a top ranking multiplier despite algorithm turbulence. Prune low-value or off-topic pages; …
How users are starting to interact with the internet has changed and soon will be unrecognizable from the internet we’ve grown comfortable with. With Google integrating AI-powered features into Search, and the rise of third-party large language models (LLMs), it’s a different search experience. Over the past few months, many CMOs I’ve spoken with, as …
You can plug more than just Ethernet cables into the back of your router. Most modern routers have a USB port on the back, which can turn them into the ultimate backup hub for your home. You Can Plug USB Storage Into Your Router Depending on your router’s make and model, its USB port likely …
A few weeks ago, I fell down a rabbit hole of cottagecore TikTok and Japanese jazz-funk from the ’70s. I didn’t search for it. I didn’t ask for it. But, somehow, my For You Page and Spotify knew. They knew before I did. That’s the power of what I call B2Me, from broad strokes to …
OLED laptops look gorgeous, but all that visual fidelity comes at a cost. OLED burn-in can hit your laptop hard, so it’s best to take preventive action before your panel kicks the bucket. What Is OLED Burn-In and Why You Should Care Unlike LCD panels that require a backlight, OLED or Organic Light-Emitting Diode panels …
This week’s Ask An SEO question comes from an ecommerce business that followed best practices, but still lost traffic after migrating to a new platform. “We recently migrated our ecommerce store to a new platform, and despite following all the recommended SEO practices, our organic traffic dropped by 30%. What recovery strategies should we prioritize, …
After feeling disconnected from most modern games, I decided to bring back a piece of my childhood. So I built a retro gaming setup on my PC that finally feels like home again I Built a Retro Console With RetroArch I grew up playing the PlayStation 2, PSP, and Game Boy Advance, and I still …
You’ve heard the predictions: AI will replace SEO, generative search will eliminate organic traffic, and marketers should start updating their resumes. With 73% of marketing teams using generative AI, it’s easy to assume we’re witnessing SEO’s funeral. Here’s what’s actually happening: AI isn’t replacing SEO. It’s expanding SEO into new territories with bigger opportunities. While …
Writing means facing creative blocks constantly. I write a lot, so I know the feeling. Obsidian is my go-to for all of it, and with a few tweaks, it actually makes me want to write more. Where You Write Matters I use two Obsidian vaults: one dedicated to university work and another for everything else, …
A new SEO plugin called SureRank, by Brainstorm Force, makers of the popular Astra theme, is rapidly growing in popularity. In beta for a few months, it was announced in July and has amassed over twenty thousand installations. That’s a pretty good start for an SEO plugin that has only been out of beta for …
Most people never venture beyond Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V in Google Docs. But the real time-savers are the shortcuts nobody talks about—especially for navigating long docs or fixing formatting fast. Once you use them, you’ll wonder how you ever managed without. 1 Paste Without Formatting Makes Everything Cleaner This is my favorite shortcut—and for good reason. …
A company founder shared their experience with programmatic SEO, which they credited for initial success until it was deindexed by Google, calling it a big mistake they won’t repeat. The post, shared on LinkedIn, received scores of supportive comments. The website didn’t receive a manual action, Google deindexed the web pages due to poor content …
Spreadsheets are supposed to save time, but sometimes they just make things messier. I hated digging through endless menus until I found a handful of formulas that do the heavy lifting for me. 8 VLOOKUP VLOOKUP searches for a specific value in the first column of a range and returns a corresponding value from another …
Too often in our content and messaging, we default to listing features in a succession of brief, disconnected claims rather than showing readers how those features will make a genuine difference in their lives. As a result, they are left to fill in the gaps themselves, often choosing to skim and move on rather than …
Google Drive is great—but “great” can always be better. If you spend a lot of time saving files to Drive, searching through folders, or transferring files from it, installing the right browser extensions can make your job much easier. While browsing the web, you’re bound to come across a useful article, an interesting image, or …
AI-generated content is reshaping digital PR, making brand mentions, expert commentary, and sentiment critical for LLM visibility. Brand mentions now outperform backlinks in AI Overviews, according to studies by Ahrefs and other industry tools. Relevance and positive sentiment directly impact visibility, both in traditional search (Google) and AI-generated results (like ChatGPT). Diversify PR beyond backlinks—use …
If you spend time in SEO circles lately, you’ve probably heard query fan-out used in the same breath as semantic SEO, AI content, and vector-based retrieval. It sounds new, but it’s really an evolution of an old idea: a structured way to expand a root topic into the many angles your audience (and an AI) might explore. …
We toss photos into group chats all the time without thinking twice—yet none of us would ever post our full address for everyone to see. After all, what harm could a random photo really do? But what if sharing an innocent snapshot was basically the same as handing out your live location? Could ChatGPT really …
LinkedIn surpassed Twitter/X as the top social platform for journalists, making it a key platform for PR relationship-building in 2025. Email remains the dominant marketing method (96% preference), despite a slight increase in DM-based outreach. Journalists now prefer exclusives over original research, signaling a shift in what drives coverage. Providing access to credible sources is …
In a recent SEO Office Hours video, Google addressed whether businesses can show different product prices to users in different U.S. states, and what that means for search visibility. The key point: Google only indexes one version of a product page, even if users in different locations see different prices. Google Search Advocate John Mueller …
Open-source PDF tools give you powerful features without subscription traps or licensing headaches. While proprietary options exist, these free alternatives handle everything from basic edits to advanced workflows. 6 LibreOffice Draw While LibreOffice is an excellent Office 365 alternative, it also doubles as a nifty PDF editor with Draw. It’s part of the LibreOffice suite, …
ListIQ builds targeted media lists directly from Google News using AI-powered journalist research. Avoids outdated databases and unreliable email finders with vetted, publication-specific contacts. Filters out low-value sources automatically, saving time and improving list quality. Activity Check” ensures journalists are still active at listed publications. New Sheets™ enrichment updates old lists or turns URL exports …
WP Engine announced the release of its AI Toolkit, a way to easily integrate advanced AI search and product recommendations into WordPress websites, plus a Managed Vector Database that enables developers to easily integrate AI features directly into websites. Smart Search AI WP Engine’s AI Toolkit helps WordPress site owners improve search and content visibility …
Windows File Explorer does the job, but just barely. No quick previews, clunky cloud access, and tedious bulk operations mean daily file management is harder than it needs to be. These free add-ons fix that. 6 Listary I have tried numerous File Explorer search hacks over the past decade, but they’ve still been disappointing for …
There was a post on social media about so-called hustle bros, and one on Reddit about an SEO who lost a prospective client to a digital marketer whose pitch included a song and dance about AI search visibility. Both discussions highlight a trend in which potential customers want to be assured of positive outcomes and …
Short URLs are handy for cleaning up long links, but they also hide the true destination. If you want to avoid malware or a phishing scam, blindly clicking that link isn’t your best bet—there are better and safer options! Why Short URLs Are a Security Nightmare The biggest problem with short URLs is simple: you …
There are many businesses relatively new to SEO that eventually face the decision to build or buy links because they are told that links are important, which, of course, links are important. But the need to buy links presupposes that buying them is the only way to acquire them. Links are important, but less important …
Habit tracking felt like a chore until I tried a simple paper-based system that breaks goals into two-week cycles. Now, slip-ups feel normal instead of fatal, and for once, I’m actually sticking with it. My Failed Attempts With Habit Apps I find that installing every shiny new habit app is in itself a bad habit. …
Google’s John Mueller and Martin Splitt discussed making changes to a web page, observing the SEO effect, and the importance of tracking those changes. There has been long-standing hesitation around making too many SEO changes because of a patent filed years ago about monitoring frequent SEO updates to catch attempts to manipulate search results, so …
Google Sheets can do a lot—but with Apps Script, it does everything. I’d been using Sheets for years without touching this feature. Once I did, I started automating the chores I didn’t even realize were slowing me down. Automating Boring Tasks If you’re tired of repeating the same task over and over again in Google …
Qwoted dominates for volume and quality, offering the most media requests and the highest share of DR 80+ opportunities. Twitter/X and LinkedIn have 82% outlet overlap, making it redundant to monitor both for journalist requests. HARO has the highest cross-platform overlap, underscoring its influence despite a decline in request quality in the past. Home & Lifestyle …
Google’s June 2025 Core Update just finished. What’s notable is that while some say it was a big update, it didn’t feel disruptive, indicating that the changes may have been more subtle than game changing. Here are some clues that may explain what happened with this update. Two Search Ranking Related Breakthroughs Although a lot …
I always used to think that goal-tracking apps were a no-go for me because they caused more confusion than clarity. However, I changed my mind after I started using Griply. Of the countless tools I have tried, this is the only one in which I have seen tangible progress. Setting Up Griply Griply was very …
AI Overviews are reshaping search, reducing traffic to news sites, and favoring well-known brands in both visibility and citations. Brand mentions now matter more than backlinks in AI-generated content, shifting PR strategy toward brand visibility and authority. News publishers must diversify traffic and revenue, prioritizing direct audience relationships via newsletters, apps, and communities. Google Discover …
Average position has been a cornerstone metric in SEO reporting for years. It provides a simple, at-a-glance sense of where a site typically ranks in Google’s search results. That sense is growing increasingly misleading as Google layers generative AI features, such as AI Overviews and AI Mode, on top of traditional blue link results. Search …
Your phone’s battery is one of the first components to show its age, but it doesn’t have to wear out so quickly. While there’s no magic fix, small changes in how you charge, use, and care for your device can make a big difference in slowing down battery degradation. 6 Ignoring Battery Protection Features Primakov/Shutterstock …
I was asked recently to take a closer look at the data for a website in Google Analytics 4 (GA4). This was for “Measurement Queen” Katie Delahaye Paine, a pioneer with over 30 years of experience in communications research and measurement, who now feels like she is flying blind. From looking at her data in …
You’ve probably used SUM a thousand times. Everyone has. SUM is fine for school assignments and tiny tables, but in the real world, it’s a blunt instrument. If you want totals you can actually trust, there’s a better way—one that I wish I’d found years (and headaches) ago. What’s Wrong With SUM? SUM adds everything, …
Google’s John Mueller and Martin Splitt discussed the question of whether AI will replace the need for SEO. Mueller expressed a common-sense opinion about the reality of the web ecosystem and AI chatbots as they exist today. Context Of Discussion The context of the discussion was about SEO basics that a business needs to know. …
Need an extra monitor but don’t want to buy one? Your phone or tablet is already the perfect second screen—you just need the right app to make the most out of it. Meet GlideX and Set It Up GlideX is a cross-device utility that lets you connect your Android device, iPhone, or iPad to a …
WordPress security company Patchstack published an advisory about a serious vulnerability in Gravity Forms caused by a supply chain attack. Gravity Forms responded immediately and released an update to fix the issue. Supply Chain Attack Patchstack has been monitoring an attack on a WordPress plugin in which the attackers uploaded an infected version of the …
I have Microsoft 365 Basic and a full desktop license, so I get all the relevant PowerPoint features. It’s clearly the better tool. Yet every time I need to make a presentation, I find myself opening Google Slides. 5 My Brain Doesn’t Stall When I Open Google Slides Google Slides gives me fewer than 30 …
WordPress is the most popular content management system in the world, arguably because of its ability to become virtually any kind of website users want it to be. This flexibility is made possible by thousands of third-party plugins that add the features needed to turn ideas into functioning businesses and platforms. The WordPress plugin community …
My smart TV has plenty of streaming apps for my entertainment, but did you know there are heaps of apps you can install that aren’t about watching movies and shows? You can get so much more out of your smart TV with these apps. 6 Capsule Podcasts I listen to podcasts on my smart TV …
Google’s Search Off The Record podcast discussed when a business should hire an SEO consultant and what metrics of success should look like. They also talked about a red flag to watch for when considering a search marketer. Hire An SEO When It Becomes Time Consuming Martin Splitt started the conversation off by asking at …
Digital calendars can be an amazing way to keep work and personal lives organized, but more often than not, they’re also easy to overcomplicate. After years of refining systems and experimenting with various approaches, I finally discovered a way to leverage these tools to my advantage. 6 Having Separate Personal and Professional Calendars I like …
Google’s martin Splitt and John Mueller discussed how long it takes for SEO to have an effect. Google’s John Mueller explained that there are different levels of optimization and that some have a more immediate effect than other more complex changes. Visible Changes From SEO Some SEOs like to make blanket statements that SEO is …
Making slides can eat up way too much time, especially if you’re only using the basics. PowerPoint is so feature-rich that it’s easy to overlook the most useful ones. Once you know them, you’ll wonder how you ever did slides the hard way. Slide creation would be quicker if you had easy access to your …
Credible rumors are circulating that OpenAI is developing a browser. However, the timing of the anonymous tip is curious, because Perplexity coincidentally announced they are releasing a browser named Comet. It’s a longstanding tradition in Silicon Valley for competitors to try to overshadow competitor announcements with competing announcements of their own, and the timing of …
AI-generated artists are gaining popularity on streaming services, to the point that you’re probably listening to AI artists without even realizing it. Thankfully, however, there are ways to spot AI artists. AI Bands Such as The Velvet Sundown Are Increasing in Popularity In case you missed it, a band called The Velvet Sundown has been …
Traditional SEO isn’t dead. But Google is layering new signals, such as brand and business model, on top of existing ones. Successful affiliate sites now require original research, testing, and in-depth topical authority, rather than generic review content. Branded anchor text and unlinked brand mentions strongly correlate with post-HCU SEO winners. Link-building efforts should prioritize …
For all the noise around keywords, content strategy, and AI-generated summaries, technical SEO still determines whether your content gets seen in the first place. You can have the most brilliant blog post or perfectly phrased product page, but if your site architecture looks like an episode of “Hoarders” or your crawl budget is wasted on …
Even the simplest spreadsheets—budgets, lists, trackers, and the like—can benefit from the powerful features in Excel that you’d typically avoid because they seem too complicated. They’re actually easier than you think, and they can save you hours. 6 Quick Analysis Let’s say you have a spreadsheet containing records of your sales. When you highlight some …
A large-scale analysis by Ahrefs of 600,000 webpages finds that Google neither rewards nor penalizes AI-generated content. The report, authored by Si Quan Ong and Xibeijia Guan, provides a data-driven examination of AI’s role in search visibility. It challenges ongoing speculation that using generative tools could hurt rankings. How the Study Was Conducted Ahrefs pulled …
With every Android update, Google adds a host of new features and optimizations to the platform. And while Android 16 hasn’t introduced any major changes (yet), it does bundle several important new security features that you should take a look at ASAP. What Is Advanced Protection in Android 16? Sanuj Bhatia / MakeUseOf With Android …
The Movement For An Open Web and other organizations filed a legal challenge against Google, alleging harm to UK news publishers. The crux of the legal filing is the allegation that Google’s AI Overviews product is using news content as part of its summaries and for grounding AI answers, but not allowing publishers to opt …
The truth is finally out: everyone’s favorite new Spotify band is absolute generative AI, just as most of us had suspected all along. Who or What Are The Velvet Sundown? If you’ve still not heard about The Velvet Sundown, they’re a new musical group taking Spotify by storm, racking up a truly astonishing one million …
No ranking data. No impression data. So, how do you measure success when AI-generated answers appear and disappear, prompt by prompt? With these significant changes to how we optimize for search, many brands are seeking to understand how to achieve SEO success. Some Brands Are Winning in Search. Others? Invisible. If your content isn’t appearing …
I was a longtime fan of the Google Chromecast, having owned one since the first iteration in 2013. However, its 2024 discontinuation forced me to move over to Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4K—and it’s been a surprisingly great upgrade! 6 An Intuitive and Feature-Rich Interface Jack Mitchell/MakeUseOf Having not owned an Amazon streaming device since …
Paid media is often treated like a checklist item in a marketing plan: launch a few search ads, run a Meta campaign, maybe test YouTube if there’s budget left. But not all paid media is created equal, and treating every channel the same is a fast way to burn through budget with little to show …
Chrome on Android is a great browser out of the box, but you can make it so much better. These tips and features will supercharge how you browse. 11 Unlock Experimental Features With Chrome Flags While you may already be familiar with many of Chrome’s great features, there are plenty of lesser-known ones hidden under …
An SEO shared on social media that his SEO tests proved that not using a meta description resulted in a lift in traffic. Coincidentally, another well-known SEO published an article that claims that SEO tests misunderstand how Google and the internet actually work and lead to the deprioritization of meaningful changes. Who is right? SEO …
Your 5GB of free iCloud storage probably didn’t last long; even with a paid iCloud plan, you can find your storage filling up faster than you expected. As it turns out, some of your iPhone’s default settings are to blame for this. 6 Backups From Messages While keeping your old conversations backed up is a …
WordPress is the most popular content management system in the world, arguably because of its ability to become virtually any kind of website users want it to be. This flexibility is made possible by thousands of third-party plugins that add the features needed to turn ideas into functioning businesses and platforms. The WordPress plugin community …
Windows 11 may look pretty, but Microsoft’s design choices often frustrate rather than make your life easier. These free mods address those shortcomings, turning a barely functional system into a productive powerhouse. 8 Fences Stardock A cluttered desktop can slow you down and make your computer feel overwhelming to use. While organizing files into folders …
A discussion on LinkedIn about LLM visibility and the tools for tracking it explored how SEOs are approaching optimization for LLM-based search. The answers provided suggest that tools for LLM-focused SEO are gaining maturity, though there is some disagreement about what exactly should be tracked. Joe Hall (LinkedIn profile) raised a series of questions on …
On top of Android, Samsung’s One UI adds its own layer of software and services, each with separate settings, permissions, and default data-sharing options. So even if you’ve already tightened the Android’s core privacy controls on your Samsung phone, there’s still more to do. 6 Turn Off Samsung’s Diagnostic Data Collection By default, Google collects …
Google long ago filed a patent for ranking search results by trust. The groundbreaking idea behind the patent is that user behavior can be used as a starting point for developing a ranking signal. The big idea behind the patent is that the Internet is full of websites all linking to and commenting about each …
If you still think a powerful PC means a giant tower under your desk, think again. Modern mini PCs are nothing like their older counterparts, which means it’s time to say goodbye to those big, old tower PCs. 4 Mini PCs Are Powerful Enough for Most Tasks Don’t let their small size fool you; modern …
YouTube is rolling out two AI-driven features designed to enhance content discovery and deepen user engagement. The experimental tools include an AI-powered search results carousel for Premium users and a conversational AI assistant now expanding to some non-Premium accounts in the U.S. AI Search Results Carousel (Premium Only) Premium subscribers in the U.S. can now …
When your PC encounters a problem, seeing how everything is running can help you troubleshoot the issue. And when all is well, this information can also help you optimize your system. It’s all available in the Task Manager’s Performance tab—as well as a more advanced option. What Is the Performance Tab in Task Manager? The …
Paid media offers one of the fastest ways to promote a business event and get the right people to take action. Event campaigns are not just regular ads with a date added. They need a dedicated strategy, setup, budget, and audience targeting to succeed. From webinars and product launches to open houses and local promotions, …
Sometimes, it can feel like ChatGPT is trying to be your biggest cheerleader rather than offering balanced opinions. While sometimes nice, this can cause problems when trying to plan something or trying to get an unbiased response. To combat this, I made ChatGPT as brutally honest as possible. 6 Speaking to ChatGPT Like I Would …
Google announced a new multi-vector retrieval algorithm called MUVERA that speeds up retrieval and ranking, and improves accuracy. The algorithm can be used for search, recommender systems (like YouTube), and for natural language processing (NLP). Although the announcement did not explicitly say that it is being used in search, the research paper makes it clear …
I’m sure I’m not alone in often struggling to make decisions. It’s not just the big decisions, such as whether to move house or change jobs, but also everyday minutiae, like what to eat for dinner or what to watch on TV. Our lives are all punctuated by a never-ending succession of decisions, both big …
Google is testing a new feature that allows you to customize the Top Stories section in search results by selecting preferred news sources. Currently available through Search Labs in the U.S. and India, the experiment gives people more influence over which publishers appear in their news-related queries. How It Works Those who opt into the …
Lately, I’ve caught myself looking at my current smartphone and realizing how far we’ve come from what was once my favorite device, back in 2009. I used to rely on a BlackBerry Bold 9700, and the contrast between that focused, utilitarian experience and today’s everything-in-one devices has become hard to ignore. I Miss the Tactile …
A journey into innovative design awaits, where your creative ideas can flourish—discover the secrets to transforming visions into reality. What will you create next?
To my fellow marketers, I first wrote this title in the summer of 2020, back when I thought, “Wow, surely things couldn’t get worse.” Needless to say, I was wrong. Here’s the actual quote I started with last time: “If you’re reading this, then it is early July, you’ve made it this far in the …
WhatsApp just got a shiny new trick: Meta AI will now peek at your unread messages and spit out a quick summary. Meta is pitching it as an optional feature that lives in the cloud but somehow stays private thanks to “Private Processing.” Sounds neat, but it also means Meta AI is technically reading your …
AI is being rapidly implemented, but that doesn’t mean it’s being used effectively. The current lack of clear benchmarks and data about AI usage has meant that everyone has been operating in the dark. This led us to create our first State Of AI In Marketing report, so that chief marketing officers and marketing decision-makers …
Google Earth now lets you step back in time at street level, thanks to the launch of historical Street View imagery. The feature arrives for the platform’s 20th anniversary and brings new AI-powered tools for professional users (like urban planners) in the U.S. Explore the Past in Google Earth Google Earth has always helped everyone …
As publications continue to cut staff and more SEOs flock to digital PR, the competition for journalists’ attention is fierce. Even if you are newsjacking a trending topic, chances are several PR teams are doing the same. To put yourself in the best position to succeed, you need data to inform your decisions. To get to …
This post was sponsored by InMotion Hosting. The opinions expressed in this article are the sponsor’s own. We’ve all felt it, that sinking feeling in your stomach when your site starts crawling instead of sprinting. Page speed reports start flashing red. Search Console is flooding your inbox with errors. You know it’s time for better …
Windows Security does more than just basic virus protection. It guards against phishing, blocks ransomware, and prevents malicious apps from running. However, these features aren’t easy to spot—they’re hidden behind layers of menus. Protect Sensitive Files from Ransomware Downloading files or opening unknown attachments always carries some risk, especially if one turns out to be …
Marketers and business owners are spoiled for choice when it comes to the many social media platforms available for growing an online audience. From BlueSky to TikTok, LinkedIn to Patreon, social media marketing has never been more robust, or, arguably, time-consuming. But it doesn’t have to be. Fortunately, you don’t have to be everywhere at …
Testing your internet speed is a smart way to check you’re getting what you pay for. But if the results seem slower than expected, don’t rush to blame your ISP—testing mistakes could be skewing your numbers. 1 Running Other Apps or Devices Simultaneously One of the most common mistakes when testing internet speed is leaving …
If your brand doesn’t resonate on a deep level with your target audience, then pouring time and energy into aesthetics and clever messaging is a waste of resources. Real brand power is based on your brand’s identity: knowing who you are as a company, and how your ideal customer experiences life in relation to your offering. …
If you’re spending way too long on repetitive data tasks in Google Sheets, you’re not alone. I used to lose hours every week to the same old steps—until I stumbled on a single function that did the heavy lifting for me. Let me introduce you to the QUERY function. 5 Automated Sorting That Updates Itself …
Google’s Martin Splitt and Gary Illyes recently addressed a common question in search marketing: how technical do SEO professionals need to be? In a Search Off the Record podcast, they offered guidance on which technical skills are helpful in SEO and discussed the long-standing friction between developers and SEO professionals. Splitt noted: “I think in …
I’m a big fan of Apple and its software. I have an iPhone and a MacBook, and use Apple’s huge range of excellent apps because, let’s face it, why wouldn’t you? But there is one issue among Apple’s fantastic hardware and software: Safari. 1 Extensions Not Working as They Should Perhaps my biggest gripe with …
TikTok will remain operational in the U.S. through September 17, as negotiations over a potential ownership deal continue. President Donald Trump issued a third executive order delaying enforcement of the TikTok ban, giving the Chinese-owned platform another 90 days to operate in the U.S. The move was confirmed in a White House briefing and TikTok’s …
Most modern apps often track your activity, location, and even habits. The best way to stop this is to switch to privacy-first alternatives that don’t harvest your data. User tracking and data collection have become the standard for most modern apps, even if you don’t always agree to it. 6 Tor Browser Tor Browser is …
Digital PR in the U.S. is still evolving: Unlike the U.K., where digital PR is saturated and well-defined, the U.S. market offers untapped opportunities and diverse terminology. Story-first approach drives results: Strong, relevant stories outperform tactics; success hinges on cultural relevance and newsworthiness over media connections. AI and SERP changes demand strategic PR shifts: Brands …
Keeping up-to-date on industry Google Ads benchmarks is crucial to help answer questions you might get from clients or exec such as: “Is this a good CTR?” “Why is our CPA so high?” “What’s a good conversion rate, anyway?” Questions like these come up all the time, especially when budgets are tight and performance dips …
NVMe SSDs offer blazing-fast performance that makes the computing experience faster, but sometimes, we don’t tap their full potential. With a few tweaks and adjustments to settings, your SSD can deliver improved performance and a longer lifespan—so, don’t settle for less than what your hardware can deliver. 6 Update the Drivers and NVMe Firmware Outdated …
Use Google News to assess site fit, focusing on original content and DA/DR 70+ for credible media coverage. Confirm article originality by checking syndication status, press release formatting, and whether the author is in-house. Evaluate journalist fit by verifying recent activity, topic relevance, and history of writing true news stories. Prioritize outlets that include external, …
Yoast announced the addition of llms.txt capability to both the premium and free versions of their SEO plugin. Users can now add llms.txt files to their sites to future-proof them for AI search engines. LLMS.Txt llms.txt is a proposal for a new standard that will enable large language models (LLMs) to access a publisher’s content …
Ancestry services can tell you a lot, but you also have to hand over some very sensitive personal data to them. Your genetic data being sold on the dark web is no joke, and thanks to this ancestry service’s data breach, that’s exactly what’s happening. Your Genetic Data Is Being Sold Online DNA testing firm …
Google has updated its Search Console documentation, confirming it includes AI Mode data in Performance reports. This is a change to note when reviewing your metrics, as it may impact traffic reporting patterns. Understanding AI Mode and What’s Changed AI Mode is Google’s interactive AI-powered search experience, which builds on AI Overviews to provide more …
Curious about online anonymity, I ditched my usual browser and spent a week exclusively using the Tor Browser. While its privacy protections are impressive, I didn’t expect how much it would change my perception of the internet itself. What Tor Changed About My Browsing Tor is easy to set up and use, just like Chrome …
Keywords that contain recipe intent are triggering Google AI Overviews; however, keyword phrases that expressly ask for recipes are triggering the normal recipe rich results. SEOs on social media are reporting that recipe-related queries are triggering AI Overviews, so it may very well be that these are now officially rolled out. Tom Critchlow (LinkedIn profile) …
Asking ChatGPT general questions works well for basic queries, but I got tired of being left in the dark when I needed something more complex. That’s where ChatGPT’s special tools for image creation, web search, research, and coding are super useful—and I know just when to use them. Creating an Image ChatGPT’s ability to create …
Marketers and business owners are spoiled for choice when it comes to the many social media platforms available for growing an online audience. From BlueSky to TikTok, LinkedIn to Patreon, social media marketing has never been more robust, or, arguably, time-consuming. But it doesn’t have to be. Fortunately, you don’t have to be everywhere at …
If you only use burner emails for spam, you’re missing out. They’re surprisingly useful for testing apps, managing free trials, protecting your identity on public Wi-Fi, and keeping your inbox focused on what actually matters. 6 One-Time Account Verification Writing software reviews means I’m constantly downloading and testing new tools, sometimes even 10 or 15 …
Google has launched Audio Overviews, a new test feature in Search Labs. It creates audio summaries of search results using Google’s latest Gemini AI models. How Audio Overviews Work Audio Overviews turn Google Search results into audio content. When Google thinks an audio overview might help, you’ll see an option to create a short audio …
Hotel Wi-Fi often limits the number of devices, shared networks are insecure, and the signal can be weak or come with bandwidth restrictions. If you travel with several gadgets or work on the go, these solutions could save you a major headache. Use a Travel Router to Create a Secure Network Gavin Phillips/MakeUseOf A travel …
Google retires seven structured data features including Book Actions, Course Info, and Claim Review to streamline search results. Rankings unaffected. Google is removing seven structured data features from search results. This change will not affecting rankings. There’s no immediate action needed. [ad_2] Source link
Apple’s upcoming iOS 26 update promises more than just a visual refresh with its sleek new Liquid Glass look. It’s also playing catch-up, finally adding some of the best features Android users have had for years. 6 Call Screening If you’ve ever been caught off guard by a call from an unknown number, only to …
Freelancer emails have low open rates but the highest reply rates, especially Gmail, at 4.88%. National news outlets dominate outreach but have lower engagement due to inbox saturation. Australian and UK journalists reply more often – local relevance and exclusivity increase success. US journalists open more PR emails, but UK journalists may source stories more creatively …
This post was sponsored by Cloudways. The opinions expressed in this article are the sponsor’s own. Have you ever woken up to a 3 AM client website panic? Did your client’s ecommerce site crash during a flash sale? Has another client asked why their site is slow, “even though we’re paying for premium hosting.” This …
Android 16 is finally here, and it’s a few months early. The update has only arrived on Pixel devices and isn’t very significant, but it does lay the groundwork for some big changes Google has planned in the future. Small Tweaks Over Big Features This initial update seems to be focusing more on adding smaller, …
Google is offering voluntary buyouts to employees across several of its core U.S.-based teams, including Search, Ads, engineering, marketing, and research. The offer provides eligible employees with at least 14 weeks of severance and is available through July 1, according to reporting from The Verge and The Information. The buyouts are limited to employees in …
This week, my Mum messaged me asking if a message she’d received from a delivery service was real or not. Now, I’m lucky that she’s pretty savvy when it comes to spotting scams and knows what to look for. It’s just useful to have a son who’s the Security Editor for a leading tech website …
Affiliate SEO is essentially dead following the Helpful Content Update, as the focus has shifted to AI-driven and brand-focused strategies. Passive link building using original survey data and “statistics” pages remains a top ROI tactic. AI-powered coding now enables cost-effective creation of interactive content for digital PR campaigns. Full-funnel link building can be automated using …
Google’s John Mueller answered a question about a site that received millions of Googlebot requests for pages that don’t exist, with one non-existent URL receiving over two million hits, essentially DDoS-level page requests. The publisher’s concerns about crawl budget and rankings seemingly were realized, as the site subsequently experienced a drop in search visibility. NoIndex …
Fake Android apps aren’t just found on shady, third-party app stores. Sometimes, they manage to find their way to the Play Store as well. And if you’ve got any of these apps installed, your crypto wallet is at risk. Fake Wallet Apps Are Stealing Your Crypto Researchers at Cyble Research and Intelligence Labs (CRIL) have …
Every tweet, direct message, and comment holds weight. Social media has long been a connectivity platform, where users engage with friends, colleagues, and family. In recent years, it’s also evolved to become a feedback mechanism for businesses. In many industries, customers are communicating with a business on social media. It’s a key customer service channel, …
The dark web is rammed full of illegal and dangerous content—but chances are you won’t encounter it unless you go looking. However, even if you’re not actively looking for trouble, there are still plenty of risks you need to avoid. 7 Accidental Exposure to Disturbing or Illegal Content insta_photos/valterdesign/Shutterstock Exploring the dark web with good …
If you’ve followed my writing lately, you’ll know that I think the US digital PR space still has lots of untapped potential in local news. So, I contacted Collin Czarnecki, a former local journalist who now owns Noble, a digital PR and content strategy agency based in the US. Collin graciously shared his tips and tricks for …
BrightEdge Enterprise SEO platform released new data showing distinctive patterns across major AI search and chatbot platforms and also called attention to potential disruption from Apple if it breaks with Google as the default search engine in Safari. Desktop AI Traffic Dominance One of the key findings in the BrightEdge data is that traffic to …
You don’t need a fancy app or pro camera to make your photos stand out—just a setting buried in your phone’s menus. Most people never touch it, but it’s the quickest way I’ve found to go from bland to eye-catching in seconds. What Spot Color Actually Does and Why It Works Spot Color is a …
Unsubscribe links are legally required in most unsolicited commercial emails, including for link building and digital PR outreach. Reply rates drop slightly in small campaigns with unsubscribe links, but volume—not the link—is the bigger factor. Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft mandate unsubscribe links for senders exceeding 5,000+ daily emails to consumer inboxes. One-click unsubscribe is required …
Google updated the Recipe Schema.org structured data documentation to reflect more precise guidance on what the image structured data property affects and where to find additional information about ranking recipe images in the regular organic search results. Schema.org Structured Data And Rich Results The SEO and publisher community refers to the text results as the …
After 17 years of service, Pocket, the beloved popular read-it-later service, will cease operations on July 8, 2025. As such, you must migrate your data to another read-it-later or bookmarking service. While there are plenty of apps to choose from, these are your five best Pocket alternatives. 5 Instapaper Instapaper is one of the best …
Most replies come fast: 57% of link-building replies and 69.4% of digital PR replies happen within 6 hours. Average response times are 12.85 hours for link builders, 11.4 hours for digital PRs. Education, Fashion & Beauty had the fastest link building reply times. Fashion & Beauty, Home & Lifestyle were the quickest for digital PR. Travel-related pitches are the slowest to get replies for link building …
Google has started rolling out interactive charts in AI Mode through Labs. You can now ask complex financial questions and get both visual charts and detailed explanations. The system builds these responses specifically for each user’s question. Visual Analytics Come AI Mode Soufi Esmaeilzadeh, Director of Product Management for Search at Google, explained that you …
One of the primary reasons not to pirate software is that hackers often upload legitimate software with malicious malware attached. There is a similar malware circulating, targeting video games this time. Your Pirated Game Comes With a Side of Malware GamesBeat reports that security researchers have discovered a new infostealer malware called Myth Stealer. This …
Emails under 300 words get the highest open and reply rates—brevity significantly boosts engagement. Including full press releases or long intros may lower pitch effectiveness; link out to details instead. Focus on journalist relevance—tailor pitches to their beat, not just broad verticals. Authentic personalization beats generic flattery—avoid space-wasting compliments. Use Dropbox or Google Drive links …
Microsoft Clarity announced their new Model Context Protocol (MCP) server which enables developers, AI users and SEOs to query Clarity Analytics data with natural language prompts via AI. The announcement listed the following ways users can access and interact with the data using MCP: Query analytics data with natural prompts Filter by dimensions like Browser, …
Samsung is looking to clean up the list of inactive accounts under its belt. The company recently sent out a notice to customers with a Samsung account that hasn’t been used in 24 months, noting that any inactive accounts will be deleted come July 31,2025. 8 Weeks Left to Save Your Samsung Account There was …
It’s been an exciting time here at BuzzStream since we’ve launched our new media list building tool, ListIQ. So, I thought it would be helpful to get the full story from our CEO, Paul May on why we built the tool, what problems it solves for digital PRs today, and what the future holds for …
Is AI Changing How Local Customers Find You? If your clients rely on local search to drive business, the landscape is shifting faster than ever. AI-driven updates are changing how users see results, how trust is built online, and how businesses get chosen in 2025. The real question is, will your local SEO strategy keep …
Android security updates are important, and you should install them as soon as they’re available. If you’re using a Samsung phone, even the government is asking you not to ignore this latest update. Google has consistently been hard at work improving Android with new security features every now and then. Samsung is doing its best …
Want to rank in local search? Start thinking like a brand, not just an SEO. I brought in Chris Brencans, CEO/founder of OntheMap.com, a local search digital marketing agency specializing in local SEO for industries like legal, medical, and home services. In this episode, Chris explains how smaller businesses can use digital PR to punch …
WordPress announced the formation of an AI Team that will focus on coordinating the development and integration of AI within the WordPress core. The team is to function similarly to the Performance Team, focusing on developing canonical plugins that users can install to test new functionality before a decision is made about whether or how …
In September 2024, Google took manual action against Forbes Advisor for site reputation abuse, rocking the SEO world. This drop led to rampant theories and posts about their actions, why, and how. Unfortunately, around 25 great digital PRs on the Forbes Advisor team who were doing great work were also let go (as were many …
Out of the box, your Android phone leaves way too many doors open for data collection. The good news is it only takes a few minutes to change that and start protecting your privacy without affecting how your phone works. 7 Hide Notifications on Lock Screen You probably don’t think twice when a notification pops …
Reddit Karma has evolved far beyond a simple upvote tally. It plays a central role in how content spreads, how trust is earned, and how visibility is gained, especially for brands. With Reddit’s monetization programs and algorithmic surfacing now tightly tied to karma, it has become a built-in vetting system that shapes who gets seen, …
Redirects are essential to every website’s maintenance, and managing redirects becomes really challenging when SEO pros deal with websites containing millions of pages. Examples of situations where you may need to implement redirects at scale: An ecommerce site has a large number of products that are no longer sold. Outdated pages of news publications are …
WordPress has dominated the content management system (CMS) space since launching in 2003, and while it’s still the leader, the market is shifting in ways worth paying attention to. As of May 2025, WordPress powers 43.5% of websites surveyed and holds a 61.2% share among sites that use a CMS, according to W3Techs. That’s still …
[ad_1] When I think about the people shaping the future of PR and marketing, Gini Dietrich is always at the top of the list. She’s the founder of Spin Sucks, creator of the PESO Model, and one of the most consistent voices advocating for an integrated, outcome-driven communication strategy within marketing. And yet, I’ve noticed …
[ad_1] What’s one thing that will keep your campaigns successful? Relevance. In this podcast, I speak with Olivia Bence, Head of Digital PR with Bring Digital. I met during a panel at BrightonSEO in 2024 where she dropped some tips on the subject. Since then, relevance continues to be a buzzword in the industry. So …
[ad_1] BuzzStream email data tells us that follow-ups are effective, but only a point. Email follow-ups are almost universally used in PR campaigns. When we polled PRs about their use of follow-up emails in our 2025 State of Digital PR Report, only 2 out of 100 said they don’t use follow-ups. Muck Rack’s State of …
I hate typing “procrastination” or even “productivity” repeatedly. Then, I often misspell “accommodate.” If you’re tired of tedious typing or other typing misadventures, Text Blaze for Chrome can save you hours every week. Use this text expansion tool to mow down your everyday annoyances. What Is Text Blaze and How Does It Work in Chrome? …
An International Driving Permit (IDP) is vital for accessing the adventure of driving in Spain. It translates a driver’s license and is recognized in 180 countries, easing communication with local authorities. With important driving regulations, like speed limits and parking rules, knowing how to obtain an IDP guarantees a smoother experience. This permission not only …
[ad_1] Cinco de Mayo, (Spanish: “Fifth of May”) also called Anniversary of the Battle of Puebla, holiday is celebrated in parts of Mexico and the United States in honour of a military victory in 1862 over the French forces of Napoleon III. Cinco de Mayo is celebrated on Wednesday, May 5, 2021. When in 1861 …
Ultimate Guide: Importing From China to UK Importing from China to the UK involves several critical steps. First, collaborate with a reliable import agent and conduct thorough market analysis. Ensure that suppliers have valid certifications such as ISO or CE, and conduct on-site inspections to verify quality. Products must comply with UK standards and regulations. …
Discover a unique celebration where kids aged 6+ become street artists for the day, guided by a private artist who introduces them to the world of urban art. The party begins with a design phase, where young creatives express themselves on paper, before transforming their ideas into vibrant graffiti panels. Unleash Creativity at Graffiti Kids …
I can’t wait to introduce you to a world of unique dreadlocks and accessories that’ll transform your style. At Dreadshop, I found stunning premium dreadlock extensions that look natural and feel amazing. Plus, they offer various colors, so I could customize them just for me. I also discovered essential care products that are perfect for …
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[ad_1] Adrian Everett and Ben Becton, the duo behind the ultra-exclusive London House, have revised their initial modek to be a private, members-only club, choosing to transition to a hybrid model with restaurants accessible to the public. The venue will inaugurate a new experimental fine dining restaurant Immersion and cocktail lounge on Friday, May 20 …
[ad_1] Christner’s Prime Steak and Lobster is preparing to host a special wine dinner on May 20 at 7 PM. The dinner will showcase Frank Family Vineyards. The dinner comes with Carneros Pinot Noir, a Henning Cheese Plate, a Caesar Salad, Napa Valley Merlot, USDA Prime Filet Mignon, Fried Shrimp, Creamed Corn and Asparagus, RHF …
[ad_1] The Land of Hope and Glory may lie some 4,000 miles away from Orlando, but that didn’t stop London House owners Adrian Everett and Ben Becton from bringing all the bits and bobs of high society Britain to life in their newly rechristened club– now open to the public in Dr. Phillips’ Dellagio. Once …
[ad_1] Christner’s Prime Steak and Lobster passed a major milestone yesterday, celebrating 29 years of service to the community in the restaurant business. An official celebration will take place on June 24th of this year. he winner of The Orlando Local News Best Steakhouse Award, Christner’s 1800 degree furnace cooks your steak to sizzling and …
[ad_1] At UCF’s new Collegiate housing students enjoy a wide array of dining and activities but none perhaps more savory than the development’s latest newcomer: Fat Shack. The Fat Shack was created in February of 2010 by Tom Armenti. After graduating with a degree in Marketing from The College of New Jersey, Tom set out …
[ad_1] Dexter’s, the former aught-era chain once thriving in Dr. Phillips and Winter Park will reopen as Fredster’s thanks to the work of Fred Badalli (leader and drummer of local band Soul Funktion) and Adrian Mann, who, along with Dexter Richardson, owned Dexter’s of Winter Park. While a number of Fredster’s dishes will come from …
[ad_1] A new “Bacon Bitch” restaurant will soon be coming to UCF at Collegiate Village leased by Demetree Global. First opened in 2017 on South Beach, Bacon Bitch has been serving classic American breakfast items with an innovative, bacon infused twist since 2017. The humorously named restaurant offers an equally jovial experience inside, with each …
[ad_1] A Mochinut restaurant is coming to Demtree Global’s Collegiate Village at the entrance of UCF, and mouths are already watering. But for those who don’t know already: what the heck is a mochinut? A Mochinut is a donut that originated from Hawaii combining American doughnuts and Japanese mochi. Mochi Donuts are made with rice …
[ad_1] Sizzle Korean BBQ will be opening at Semoran Shopping Center on the intersection of Aloma and Semoran Blvd, and the savory taste of Hyunwook Lee’s cuisine is already abuzz with anticipation in Central Florida’s foodie community. The restaurant originally hails from Arizona with two locations in the state. Founder Hyunwook Lee was born with …
[ad_1] Florida Guide > Travelling Tallinn: Old Town in Depth – Part 15 Patkuli Viewpoint After you have spent time just looking at the view you will want to identify what you can see. On the far left is the neoclassical facade of the executive branch of Estonia’s government enjoys. Below you, a bit of …
[ad_1] Florida Guide > Travelling Florida Trip 2017 Day 9, Part 1 We had already decided yesterday that we would visit Islands of Adventure today so we were up pretty early for a holiday day and had some breakfast at the villa, some nice croissant and jam followed by lovely fresh fruit. The weather was …
[ad_1] Florida Guide > Travelling Florida Trip 2017 Day 9, Part 2 After the Spiderman ride, Will and Karlie headed off to the Hulk roller coaster as this seems to be their number one favourite roller coaster and once again there was a long wait for it but it was getting pretty hot by now …
[ad_1] Florida Guide > Travelling Florida Trip 2017 Day 10 Yesterday had been a very long day in the parks the weather was very hot and humid so once we were all up and had had a few coffees and breakfast we all sat around discussing what we were going to do today. It didn’t …
[ad_1] Divina Carne, a Brazilian steakhouse based in Cancun, Mexico, will be opening doors in Orlando this year. The steak joint is upscale and will rival many of Central Florida’s finest dining establishments, both in terms of quality and service. Despite opening their original location in Cancun during the 2020 pandemic, the restaurant has experienced …
[ad_1] Florida Guide > Travelling Florida Trip 2017 Day 11 I woke up this morning feeling a little unwell, earlier in the week Will had had a stomach bug and it lasted for a few days and now it was my turn I had a little toast for breakfast but felt quite queasy and need …
[ad_1] Florida Guide > Travelling Florida Trip 2017 Day 12, Part 1 Now today was to be a Marathon day we had found we had a few days left on our old Disney tickets and so we decided to make our first and only visit to Disney as we had bought 2 week tickets to …
[ad_1] Florida Guide > Travelling Florida Trip 2017 Day 12, Part 2 After we had finished our visit to Italy we came to the halfway point on the world showcase America, there was lots of work going on the American Adventure and so we didn’t really visit as it is being remodelled. Next along is …
[ad_1] Florida Guide > Travelling Florida Trip 2017 Day 13 We got home pretty late the previous night as we had to catch the monorail back from the Magic Kingdom and then catch the other monorail back to Epcot to pick up the car and then drive home in the traffic, there was a problem …
[ad_1] Winter Park residents can’t stop flocking to Hannibal Square’s latest addition. Café-Boutique PIANO opened on July 28th and brings the sound of jazz, classic rock and even classical music to the popular district. Polina Kaz, director of operations and the daughter of Café-Boutique PIANO’s owners, said Winter Park fit perfectly with the European character …
[ad_1] Florida Guide > Travelling Florida Trip 2017 Day 14 So after the chill out day yesterday today we had decided to visit the parks Karlie and will have made a list of rides they wanted to vast one last time before we had to fly home to the UK, the list was extensive and …
[ad_1] Florida Guide > Travelling A1A Scenic & Historical Coastal Routes Byway If you are heading towards the northeast of Florida, St Augustine, Jacksonville or Amelia Island, from the Orlando area, the quickest way is via I4 and I95, which will take about 2 and a half hours to get to St Augustine. However, it …
[ad_1] Florida Guide > Travelling St Augustine Lighthouse & Jail If you have a couple of days spare on your Orlando holiday, we can thoroughly recommend a trip to St Augustine; Florida’ s oldest continuously settled town. Start off in the holiday mood by heading up to Daytona Beach and taking the A1A route up …
[ad_1] Florida Guide > Planning your Trip The Healthy Travel Checklist – Part 1 After the excitement of booking a trip or even bore your thoughts should turn to your health your health. Here are some handy pointers on how to prepare for an adventure to a different country. MAKE A PLAN It always pays …
[ad_1] La Hacienda means “the ranch” in Spanish, and you’ll feel right at home on the Mexican range with their economical prices and delicious traditional food. Located at the Cimmaron shopping center on the corner of Aloma and State Road 436, the restaurant is perfect for family gatherings, a special date, a night with friends, …
[ad_1] Florida Guide > Planning your Trip The Healthy Travel Checklist – Part 2 REGULAR MEDS If you often have a need to take prescription medicines, such as a course of antibiotics for an infection, you may want to bring a just-in-case course. If you have been asthmatic in the past, consider packing an inhaler …
[ad_1] Florida Guide > Dining Orlando Magical Dining Month Why didn’t I know about this annual event? We have owned our own villa for over 15 years now and it wasn’t until I was planning this year’s holiday that I started to read about Orlando Magical Dining Month. I soon realised we had been missing …
[ad_1] Florida Guide > Dining First Watch – Champions Gate The Champions Gate Area has been calling out for more restaurants for some time now and I am pleased to say that we now have a First Watch restaurant. First Watch serves Breakfast, Brunch and Lunch opening at 7am and closes at 2.30pm. The menu …
[ad_1] Florida Guide > Dining The Melting Pot Our recent visit to Orlando was during the annual Magical Dining Month where over 100 local restaurants offered a 3-course prix fixe menu for $35. The 3-course dinner includes the choice of appetiser, entrée and dessert. Drinks, tax and gratuity are extra. $1 from each meal goes …
[ad_1] For most boaters and water lovers, red tide means one thing: bad news. But at Atlantic Beer and Oyster (ABO) in Winter Park, red tide is where the fun begins. Nicole, an accounting student at Polk State College who currently bartends part time at the restaurant, recently concocted a unique beverage of the same …
[ad_1] Florida Guide > Dining Island Grove Wine Company – Formosa Gardens, Kissimmee Fl 34747 I suppose by saying it was like a Phoenix rising from the ashes sounds a bit dramatic but. . . . . where once stood an old shed on a neglected, overgrown piece of land, we watched it all flattened …
[ad_1] Florida Guide > Shopping Lake Buena Vista Outlet – Bargain Shopping Lake Buena Vista Outlet is not one of the main shopping destinations for tourists, but we would heartily recommend a visit. It’s not as fancy as the more upmarket premium outlet places on Vineland road and the top of International drive, but there …
[ad_1] Florida Guide > Universal Parks Volcano Bay This article is not aimed at describing the rides, but rather the basics of getting in and around the park. Getting there:- a) If you are staying at one of the Universal resorts hotels, you can make full use of the free buses that run to Volcano …
[ad_1] President Jimmy Carter signed a federal law making homebrewing legal in 1978 tucked into a transportation bill to “avoid scrutiny,” according to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. Now brewers and local business owners are raising their glasses in a toast to the man who made it all possible as the former President …
[ad_1] Florida Guide > Dining The Boathouse at Disney Springs On a recent trip over to our villa, we decided on a trip to The Boathouse at Disney Springs. It was a beautiful sunny December day and we chose a table at the Dockside Bar, overlooking the lake and the views were just wonderful. There …
[ad_1] Florida Guide > Miscellaneous Countdown to Christmas On a recent pre-Christmas trip to our villa at Highlands Reserve, we took the opportunity to visit the Now Snowing Event at Celebration. The event is held every year between late November and the end of December and we have always been there just too soon or …
[ad_1] Florida Guide > Animal Kingdom How to ride Flight of Passage Animal Kingdom without a Fast Pass in less than 30 minutes We spent Christmas and New Year 2018/2019 in Orlando at our house in Tuscan Ridge, Davenport. We were 2 families 4 adults and 3 children aged 11, and 13, We knew that …
[ad_1] Florida Guide > Dining About Those Chain Restaurants…. There is a building boom along Hwy 192 just west of Disney…a boom of restaurants, with many of them being chain restaurants. Realizing that not all these chains exist or are plentiful outside of the USA, here is some opinion and information about them. There are …
[ad_1] Stoneybrook West Village will soon welcome Beth’s Burger Bar. The company has erected a “coming soon” sign at the former address of The Big Easy, located at 15502 Stoneybrook West Parkway, Suite 120. Beth’s Burger Bar, owned by Beth Steele’s, began with a love for burgers and beer at the age of 16. Steele experimented …
[ad_1] Park Avenue Tavern is set for a public grand opening Friday, March 3rd. The restaurant recently soft opened in Dexter’s former location in Winter Park neary Hannibal Square. The restaurant/bar concept, by New York-based In Good Company (IGC) Hospitality Group, features Contemporary American fare with daily specials, brunch, and a drink menu that includes …
[ad_1] Florida Guide > Disney Parks Disney Skyliner The Newest Way for Guests to Travel Around Walt Disney World Resort Disney Skyliner is the latest way you can travel around Walt Disney World adding to the Disney magic. The gondolas join other transportation ways like Walt Disney World monorail system, the ferry boats, water taxis, …
[ad_1] Florida Guide > Places to Visit International Drive WonderWorks WonderWorks is an amusement park for the mind with 35, 000 square feet of “edu-tainment”. The attraction combines education and entertainment with more than 100 hands on exhibits that challenge the mind and spark the imagination. WonderWorks is an amusement park for the mind with …