Edge Of The Web - An Seo Podcast For Today's Digital Marketer

We’re back from Tech SEO Connect! And we brought Mark Williams-Cook to pinch-hit for Mordy while he was on holiday….and last minute, so there’s that. We dialed into some things that we missed while we were away. For starters, the Semrush buyout of Search Engine Land is huge news, and we have even bigger news! Marc Sirkin, Danny Goodwin, and Barry Schwartz will be on the show soon to discuss the event. Matt Mullenweg seems to be melting down about First Amendment claims against WP Engine. The WordPress community seems to be up in arms, at least in our “bubble.” Deep dive there! Google's leadership shuffle and what Kevin Indig had to say about it.  AI News and a really cool, we think, AI Tool for this episode. Check it out. Plus, hear about our media partnership with Brighton SEO USA and your chance to snag a ticket to the event in San Diego. Go to https://edgeofthewebradio.com/brightonseo! News from the EDGE: [00:04:19] Mullenweg Criticized for 1st Amendment Claims [00:12:36] Wrong Direction: Google’s Leadersh

In this episode of EDGE of the Web, Erin welcomes the talented Akvile DeFazio to discuss the exciting world of AI in marketing. Akvile shares advice for small businesses looking to harness the power of AI, emphasizing the importance of beginner AI courses and webinars. Akvile shares her thoughts about the dynamic nature of marketing, the intricate balance between AI tools and human creativity, and the necessity of human oversight in AI-generated content. Akvile also announces her upcoming free webinar on Black Friday and Cyber Monday ad strategies, co-hosted with Mikhail Alfon on September 10. She provides an engaging look at AI's evolving role in advertising, discussing creative tools like Canva's plugin with ChatGPT, and emphasizing the importance of strategic thinking and empathy in crafting impactful ads. [00:10:37] AI Exploits Human-Like Errors For Authentic Advertising [00:13:30] Creative Tools For Marketing [00:14:17] Exploring AI Tools For Creative Design Solutions [00:16:01] EDGE of the Web Title Spo

Erin Sparks interviews Akvile DeFazio, founder and president of Akvertize Inc., an award-winning agency specializing in paid social media advertising. Akvile shares her rich experience managing social media adverts across various sectors, including e-commerce, events, and apps, leveraging platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and TikTok. Key discussion points include: Ad Strategies and Targeting Changes in Consumer Behavior Importance of Conversion Tracking AI and Advertising User Experience Meta Ads for E-commerce Advertising Landscape Changes Akvile also shares the importance of mentorship, ongoing learning, and adaptation in the ever-changing landscape of digital marketing. Listen about her own journey, the role mentors played in her success, and her commitment to paying it forward by mentoring college students. We sure to check her presentation out at BrightonSEO US in November! Hey! BrightonSEO US is THE event where the brightest minds in the industry share their insights, and we’re

Yes, sometimes it happens. We don’t get through all of the news prepped. Mordy, Erin and Jacob take on the WordPress vs WP Engine scenario with a bit of fervor that really tanked the rest of the news, honestly. Which side do you fall on, the WordPress argument is that WP Engine hasn’t been “contributing” their fair share, so they banned all customers of WP Engine from updating or adding plugins from the WordPress library. WP Engine, however, seems to have to pay to play as a WordPress hosting environment. Customers, unaware of the WordPress requirements, are caught up in the mix. Seems like an unfair and very heavy-handed approached to an internal licensing issue. Forbes was also subject of the news this week - did ONE article affect the visibility of Forbes? Seems that the timing was a bit ‘sus’. Check out the show to get a deeper dive than regular on three articles. The third? Governor Gavin Newsom just vetoed some major AI safety legislation. Not playing to big tech business in the state, right? News from

What is the future of Large Language Models and Search? Kristine Schachinger, SEO consultant at Sites Without Walls, joins us for another episode to discuss the intricacies of Navboost and its ramifications for SEO. Drawing insights from the recent Google versus DOJ court documents, she unpacks this misunderstood “ranking signal.” Continuing the conversation, Kristine shares the concept of “summarization engines” in replacement of AI Search - as she weighs into what the future of search may be and most likely won’t be. Large language models aren’t all what they are cracked up to be. What is the real scenario, with worsening quality, exploding costs, and unsustainable investments? [00:05:52] Ensuring Factual Information To Protect Clients. [00:10:24] Google's Monopoly Deemed Illegal; Future Uncertain. [00:14:17] EDGE of the Web Sponsor: Site Strategics [00:18:36] Could AI Become The Default Search Engine? [00:22:09] Language Models: Quality, Costs, Investment. [00:27:40] AI Models Decentralized [00:34:06] EDGE

Is Generative AI causing seismic shifts in the search engine landscape? Surveys by The Information and Barry Schwartz reveal users are “turning away” from traditional search engines like Google, but how far are they actually turning?  A slew of news from the digital marketing space, including AI-powered video ads on Amazon, Google's Merchant Center Next is pushing for optimized structured data, and a great Kevin Indig article studying over ½ million AI Overviews. Plus, hear about our media partnership with Brighton SEO USA and your chance to snag a ticket to the event in San Diego. And Mordy crapped on our lawn…..again. Barry Blast from Search Engine Roundtable: [00:06:36] 55% Are Using Traditional Search Like Google Less Since Gen AI Products [00:09:15] Google Search Ranking Volatility Continue With Big Movement Again 9/18 [00:12:06] Google Search Ranking Increases During Core Update Wiped Out Post Update [00:17:54] EDGE of the Web Ranking: SE Ranking News from the EDGE: [00:20:02] New Data Shows That X is L

Anastasia Kotsiubynska, Head of SEO at SE Ranking, joins the EDGE to discuss the latest SE Ranking AI Overview studies. This episode focuses on the impact of AI overviews in Google's search results and what this means for SEO strategies. Anastasia sheds light on how these AI overviews have changed over the last five months since their release in April 2024. While this technology offers impressive efficiency, it also poses significant challenges, such as a potential 25% drop in organic traffic by 2026 due to the "zero-click" trend. With over 100,00 keywords analyzed, the findings are compelling: a 5% increase in AI overview usage from June to August, with 12% of searches now triggering these overviews. Additionally, approximately 56% of links in AI overviews match the top 100 organic links, while 73% match the top 10, raising concerns about content accuracy and reliability. The research also highlighted that 46% of relationship queries, 33% of food and beverage queries, and 23% of business queries trigger AI o

Dissecting Google's latest moves in the advertising world, from expanding its ad opportunities to embracing dynamic pricing on YouTube. Also, Google's all-new updates on its indexing API, which now comes with a big dose of spam-detection rigor. Who knew indexing could be this thrilling? Have you ever wondered if AI could help rake in millions with fake music? Well, a certain North Carolinian named Michael Smith did just that and found himself $10 million richer—but now he’s about to face the music. Plus: a debate on whether AI can truly capture the essence of human dialogue or if it's just treating us like gullible toddlers. Join us for some good vibes—or, as Mordy might say, forget the vibes and tune in for the tangible, substantial, and downright entertaining breakdown of the latest web trends. Stay safe, stay well, and avoid being a piece of vibing cyber driftwood. News from the EDGE: [00:02:31] Google Expands Ad Opportunities with YouTube First Position Availability [00:05:29] EDGE of the Web Sponsor: SE

In episode 714 of EDGE of the Web, Kristine Schachinger shares her thoughts about the recent leak of Google's internal documents and its implications for SEO professionals. With 2500 pages of documentation now public, the SEO community is abuzz with speculation, curiosity, and anger. We cover the ground around the role of user engagement and click signals, addressing misconceptions and the importance of long-term data and context in Google's ranking algorithms. Key Segments: [00:03:38] Introducing Kristine Schachinger [00:07:59] Massive Google Search Algorithm Leak Shocks Community [00:11:46] Read Foundational Texts First, Not Document Fragments [00:15:54] DOJ Documents Differ From Community Claims about SEO [00:19:32] EDGE of the Web Sponsor: SE Ranking [00:22:40] Rankbrain Uses User Engagement To Determine Relevance [00:29:02] How Do You Optimize Toward Navboost [00:33:37] EDGE of The Web Sponsor: Wix Thanks to Our Sponsors! Site Strategics: http://edgeofthewebradio.com/site SE Ranking: https://edgeoftheweb

In a recent announcement, Google stated that they will be phasing out bid strategy enhanced cost-per-click (eCPC) from Google Ads. The company says they will be replacing eCPC with manual CPC starting in October. Meta is updating business tools, announcing they will be increasing data restrictions as ongoing attempts to prioritize privacy continue. Meta explains the restrictions are set to automatically restrict certain data, including URLs and custom parameters. If one wasn’t enough, here's another. The DOJ has filed yet ANOTHER lawsuit against Google. The Justice Department says Google has used anticompetitive strategies to unjustly achieve its staggering 91% market share in the digital advertising market. As always, tune in to see what’s going on in the digital world so you can stay ahead of the SEO curve here on the EDGE of the Web!  News from the EDGE: [00:06:09] Google Ads to phase out enhanced CPC for Search and Display [00:08:03] EDGE of the Web Sponsor: SE Ranking [00:09:57] Meta reveals updates to b

This week Erin is joined by the Chief Marketing Officer of SE Ranking, Bogdan Babiak, to discuss the SEO platform’s new brand evolution. Since its founding in 2013, SE Ranking has been a trusted tool for SEO professionals throughout the industry, and now, they are bridging the gap between SEO and innovation with a whole new look. Bogdan shares the vision behind SE Rankings brand evolution, discussing integral pieces such as AI and ML solutions behind their growing mission. Bogdan and Erin discuss how this evolution will reshape SE Rankings relationship with consumers and how this transition affects SE Rankings position in the SEO tool market. We evaluate the ways that this rebrand distinguishes SE Ranking while maintaining a commitment to its vision of empowering businesses and SEOs to succeed in the digital landscape. Get a first-hand look into the history of the platform as we dig into SE Rankings brand evolution from a rank-tracking tool into a fully comprehensive SEO ecosystem this week on the EDGE of the

Google is trying out a new product categories tab in search results, intended to offer more tailored suggestions in product searches. The new tab is driven by performance insights, demand trends, and actionable recommendations  Yelp is hitting Google with a lawsuit, claiming that the search leader is illegally dominating local search markets. Following the recent and impactful DOJ antitrust lawsuit, Google may have a target on their back as the lawsuits pile up.  You can now create specific remarketing audiences based on individual YouTube channel videos. Google and YouTube have released creator-based audience targeting that allows advertisers pick and choose remarketing lists based off of specific creators. This addition will presumably expand targeting opportunities for YouTube advertisers.  Be sure to join us as we cover everything that happened last week in SEO, tune in here on EDGE of the Web! News from the EDGE: [00:06:12] Product Categories Tab added for Google Ads [00:07:39] Yelp is suing Google, citi

The newest tech SEO conference is coming to Raleigh, North Carolina, this fall! Guests JR Oakes, Patrick Stox, and Matthew Kay have come together to create an all-new SEO experience, Tech SEO Connect, coming to Raleigh on October 17th & 18th. Don’t miss the heavy list of speakers covering core web vitals, Ahrefs Lang, data warehousing, BigQuery, machine learning, and more. In this show, we discuss the origin of Tech SEO Connect with the founders themselves. Learn what makes Tech SEO Connect different from the rest with a diverse content lineup made by technical SEOs for technical SEOs. Get your tickets and mark your calendar as we are all gearing up for the inaugural Tech SEO Connect conference coming this fall. See you there! Key Segments: [00:01:00] Introducing Panelists [00:03:04] The All New TechSEOConnect Conference  [00:07:18] Who is TechSEOConnect Designed For?  [00:12:29] Speakers on the Ballot for Tech SEO Connect [00:13:40] EDGE of the Web Title Sponsor: Site Strategics [00:21:40] Featured Spons

A recent survey launched by Aleyda Solis highlights key SEO threats, with Google's updates, self-preferencing, and AI Overviews at the top of the list. The study reveals that AI advancements are reshaping search engine dynamics, and SEO is more difficult than ever.  Google declares that low-quality traffic will not impact search rankings. The company affirms that links and site traffic do not negatively influence a site's trustworthiness but that ranking factors prioritize valuable, relevant content over traffic metrics. Google’s Senior Search Analyst, John Mueller, confirmed that core algorithm updates do impact AI Overviews, giving us a better understanding of how AI is being incorporated into Google’s search results.  Be sure to hit that play button for our in-depth analysis of this week’s news and latest insights into the world of search here on the EDGE of the Web! News from the EDGE: [00:04:31] According to a Survey: Top SEO threats include Google updates, self-preferencing, and AI overviews [00:15:53]

We have the CEO of Team Odeon, Ori Zilbershtein, back for his second interview this week. In this episode, we explore the growing threat of negative SEO and fraudulent DMCA case claims, which are growing at a staggering rate. Learn what’s causing the spike in SEO scams as we dive into the scammers' minds in an attempt to understand their motives. Finally, we look at the steps Google has taken to mitigate negative SEO. Join us on episode 708 as we address the increasing number of SEO scams you must look out for here on the EDGE of the Web! [00:03:48] Reintroducing Ori Zilbershtein [00:04:57] Fake DMCA Case Claims [00:15:09] How AI Has Progressed the Scale of DMCA Scams [00:16:50] EDGE of the Web Title Sponsor: Site Strategics  [00:23:29] What Google is Doing to Combat Negative SEO  [00:27:46] EDGE of The Web Sponsor: Wix Thanks to Our Sponsors! Site Strategics: http://edgeofthewebradio.com/site Wix: http://edgeofthewebradio.com/wix Follow Our Guest Twitter: https://x.com/OriZilbershtein LinkedIn: https://www.l

Welcome back to another episode of news from the EDGE! The August 2024 core update has been rolled out! Primary intentions of the update are to reward high quality content and diminish low-value ranking based SEO content.  In light of the August 2024 core update, a ranking bug affecting search results has emerged. Google claims the bug is unrelated to the update and confirms the issue is resolved and search performance should be stabilizing back to normal.  Will the Google empire crumble? The DOJ and U.S government are considering a dismantling of the tech giant due to ongoing antitrust violations. Other penalties Google could potentially face are fines, privacy restrictions, and other financial constraints. Although a complete breakup is unlikely, the potential risk to SEO is monumental.  It’s a roller coaster this week folks so strap in and get ready for everything that happened this past week in SEO here on EDGE of the Web! News from the EDGE: [00:03:55] The Google Search Bug has been resolved! [00:06:11]

This week's guest is the CEO of Team Odeon, Ori Zilbershtein. With a diverse background in business spending development, marketing technology, and SEO, Ori specializes in finding ways to elevate those around him. In this episode, we dive into Google’s Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Learn how the DMCA can be exploited by competitors to destroy your business rankings. We discuss the problem as a whole and evaluate potential solutions Google could put in place to stop this scam from hurting so many websites this week on the EDGE of the Web! Key Segments: [00:00:58] Introducing Ori Zilbershtein  [00:09:38] What is the DMCA?  [00:21:01] EDGE of the Web Title Sponsor: Site Strategics [00:22:29] Does DMCA manipulation hurt the reputation of Google?  [00:26:27] Why in the world is Google letting outsiders move the pin on a Business Profile? [00:30:18] EDGE of The Web Sponsor: Wix  [00:37:03] Final Pieces of Advice Thanks to Our Sponsors! Site Strategics: http://edgeofthewebradio.com/site Wix: http://edgeof

Google is upgrading its Local Service Ads, introducing an auto-select photos feature to display in businesses ads, with aims to enhance effectiveness and rankings. To fully take advantage, advertisers should start updating their LSA profile photos. Google says URL parameters can create crawl and indexing inefficiencies. The issue is most common among e-commerce websites that use URL parameters to filter, sort, and specify items.  Last Monday, a federal judge ruled that Google is an illegal monopoly, but rivals say a slap on the wrist won’t cut it. Google competitors Yelp and DuckDuckGo push for the DOJ to enforce tougher action to break up the search monopoly.  As always, be sure to tune in for the latest in SEO here on the EDGE of the Web!  News from the EDGE: [00:03:05] Google Upgrades Local Services Ads with Automated Photo Selection [00:04:56] Google Alerts: URL Parameters Causing Crawling Problems [00:09:15] EDGE of the Web Title Sponsor: Site Strategics [00:10:45] What Competitors Seek After Google’s DO

Welcome back Founder of Flying Cat, Maeva Cifuentes. Maeva and Flying Cat recently published a report analyzing the extent to which different levels of AI-generated content impact content performance. The study takes metrics from 150 global content leaders, and today we dive into the aggregated results. AI content, SME processes, and confirmation bias… we take a look at the most significant factors when it comes to creating the best content. Tune in this week because, thanks to Maeva, we have tangible data to finally answer the question; Should you use AI to create SEO content? Key Segments:  [00:03:57] Reintroducing Maeva Cifuentes [00:07:27] AI Content Performance  [00:15:44] EDGE of the Web Title Sponsor: Site Strategics [00:18:00] SME Processes [00:22:57] The Importance of Using AI in Creating Content For SEO [00:25:05] EDGE of The Web Sponsor: Wix  [00:26:16] Confirmation Bias in AI Content [00:30:19] Navigating The Industry as a Fully Remote Agency [00:39:26] Final Advice From Maeva Thanks to Our Sponso

Google announces they will be hitting advertisers with a 2.5% service fee for ads run in Canada starting in October. Advertisers, be sure to keep an eye on your geographic targets to avoid these fees in certain jurisdictions. Advertisers beware! Google Ads hit with major outage on August 1st, leaving advertiser information exposed to competitors! The data breach left merchant center information openly visible, raising major privacy concerns.  Lastly, Google confirms that the Robots.txt file does not meet necessary security standards. The file, intended to guide search engine crawlers, fails to restrict unauthorized users from accessing sensitive information.  As always, tune in for all the latest news to know what’s happening in SEO, as we ease into the 7th century of the EDGE of the Web! News from the EDGE: [00:02:54] Google Ads has new surcharges in certain regions [00:06:07] Major glitch in Google Ads exposes competitor data [00:11:06] EDGE of the Web Title Sponsor: Site Strategics [00:12:26] Google says-