CHAPTER 3 THE DIGITAL LANDSCAPE
further reading ...
Although I – and others, of course – had come across her work a few years earlier, it was early in 2010 when Aleks Krotoski presented The Virtual Revolution for BBC Radio that she came to the attention of a wider audience. Although she does not cover digital marketing per se, just about everything she covers is related to the subject. You would do well to seek out anything she has written or broadcast. Ignore the date of any work - it will still be relevant now.
Here's another one from the past. Its author and I were contemporaries in the second half of the 1990s - and so How to Attract Visitors to Your Website is very similar to the kind of advice I was giving out at the time. Take a read to see how some things have changed ... and some haven't [by the way, #5 is what came to be known as social media.
The sub-title to Enshittification’ is coming for absolutely everything is 'the term describes the slow decay of online platforms such as Facebook'. Perhaps it's an age thing ... but I agree with much of the article.
GO ONLINE *page 33* Marketing, for the little guy
According to the US Federal Reserve, folk over the age of 42 have 93.5 per cent of household wealth. At the same time, the Harvard Business Review estimates that only around 5 to 10 per cent of marketing spend is aimed at folk over 50. This is for the US – but I suspect the figure would be the same for most countries. This could have been in just about every chapter of the book, but I’ve included it here as I think that much of the wasted marketing spend will be on digital rather than more suitable traditional stuff. At the beginning of 2023 there was a lot of talk about a report that suggested that most marketers were under 45 years old. I think that goes a long way to explaining the issue of why older folk are neglected in marketing.
I could have put Social Media’s Still Considered the Toughest Channel for Revenue Attribution in several other sections - but I've put it here with the question that if justifying the cost of these digital platforms is so difficult, could the money not be more effectively spent on traditional marketing channels?
‘Innovation, culture, ownership’: How Premier Foods achieved three years of growth is about marketing in its widest sense – but it's here because it is made clear that for some FMCG products digital works – and for others it doesn’t.
Hotel Chocolat dials back ‘digital-led’ strategy to focus on store growth.
This essay - Financial Analysis for Marketers doesn’t really belong in this book, but I think that knowing its subject is essential to all marketers. If you’re doing an UG marketing programme I would hope that you have cover this in a ‘finance’ module. I’ve put the link in this section as ‘non-marketers’ are unlikely have even heard of some of things. Let alone be able to explain them – or use them in a working environment.
GO ONLINE
Tom Roach’s Modern Marketing Myopia: is marketing losing perspective?
The most pertinent paragraph in looking ahead – an article that considers the future of website design – is;
‘Achieving the business goals of our employers while simultaneously improving the lives of our users … will be the Next Big Thing in web design and development’.
I should be pleased at this notion – but I’m not. Sadly, it serves to prove that there always has been a disconnect between website development [techies] and marketers. You see, since 1996 I – and others – have been saying that ‘ACHIEVING THE BUSINESS GOALS OF OUR EMPLOYERS WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY IMPROVING THE LIVES OF OUR USERS’ should be the primary objective of ALL commercial websites.
I could have put Everyone can type, but not everyone can write in a number of chapters, but the sentence ‘It was not written by a copywriter, it was written by a typist with a poor grasp of writing’ inspired me to put it here.
If you think I'm exaggerating this issue, what about Looking for a New CMO? Look No Further Than Your Social Media Manager?
The subject of Is an ‘obsession’ with digital skills excluding talent from the workplace? is not covered in the book, but it is relevant and so I've added it to this section.
Another subject that is beyond the remit of this section is Social media is the most overrated skill by businesses, marketers say - but I think it is relevant. My comment when referring to Twitter was 'Could that be that for the majority of businesses, social media is not a key aspect of its marketing? Or even part of its marketing? Or even a waste of time?'
I recently saw this comment from the CEO of a UK retail chain; “We are very aggressive on social media, which is free, but we don’t spend money on marketing. We create content ... this includes using affiliates and influencers”. I despair – another person who thinks marketing = advertising? Oh - and they think social media is free!
OK, so might be stretching my point a little here - but after a decline in sales Nike 'retired' CEO John Donahoe to end his short stint at the sports apparel brand. The problem - so insiders and commentators identified - was that Donahoe was from a tech background ... and he did not know what he was doing in a marketing environment. You might also want to take a look at my comment in chapter 6.4's web page which starts 'In the book I mention that Nike was going DTC' ... the person responsible for going DTC was Mr Donahoe. Naturally, Mark Ritson has an opinion on the story, see Four big strategic mistakes Nike needs to reverse.
Insourcing vs. outsourcing: The pros and cons for content creation concentrates on content development - but it is an example of some of the issues in out/out sourcing.
In this section of the previous edition [of this book] I included the use of ‘voice assistance’ for search and purchasing. I wasn’t over-enthusiastic then, I I decided not to include it in this edition – it seems my lack of enthusiasm wasn’t misplaced, see Amazon Alexa is a “colossal failure,” on pace to lose $10 billion this year. A key line in the report is ‘Alexa was getting a billion interactions a week, but most of those conversations were trivial commands to play music or ask about the weather." Those questions aren't monetizable.’
Personalization
The title of Forget personalisation, it’s impossible and it doesn’t work is a give-a-way of the view put forward by its author.
Viral marketing
Paid, Earned, Owned (PEO)
Is 2022 the Year You (Finally) Embrace the PESO Model™? is one of the extensions of PEO I mentioned in the book. It could be used as a guide to see if you're ticking the communications boxes - or ignoring them because they're not relevant to a particular organization.
Content marketing [note that some of these links are relevant to developing any online content eg websites, social media]
David Meerman-Scott's blog 15 content strategy myths debunked
You will note that the author of Five content marketing mistakes that will harm your SEO seems to have similar problems to me in differentiating content marketing and SEO.
I think there are some good tips in Forget your content marketing consultant – here are 3 tips for free but I'm not too sure about the statement at the beginning which claims that; 'It’s no secret: content marketing pays. With 82% of marketers leveraging content marketing ... '
How SEO and content marketing work together builds on the point I make in the book.
Podcasts now a top channel for B2B marketing.
Facebook: A content marketing guide could be in the SEO chapter - or that on social media - but its title suggests this is the best place.
Some good sense from Rand Fishkin ... “High Quality Content” is the Most Useless Phrase in Marketing; We Can Do Better.
More of a 'to do' list than strategic advice, but How to optimize your content strategy across the customer journey is still worth reading.
Affiliate marketing
Although How Affiliates Address Google’s Product Review Updates has a focus on reviews, the article gives an insight into how affiliate marketing works.
There is very little written about online affiliates, which is surprising given its size [I suspect it is not trendy enough]. Fraudsters Cheat By Tricking The Reporting To Look Awesome considers one of the down-sides of the practice.
What Are the Perceived Strengths of Affiliate Marketing?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) NOTE: some of these articles are also relevant to other sections [eg AI used in website development] but I've decided to keep all AI stuff in this section.
Although AI evangelists might disagree with some aspects of Why AI is Harder Than We Think if you want an objective review of the subject it is well worth a read. Note that it is about AI in general, not just marketing.
If you want to even begin to understand AI How do we know how smart AI systems are? is a good place to start.
The Future of the Web Is Marketing Copy Generated by Algorithms could be in the section on website content, but as it’s about AI, it’s in here.
Google SpamBrain: AI-based spam prevention system launched in 2018 is another example of how digital marketers have been using AI without realising it.
How to bring AI into your digital marketing strategy looks at AI from a wider perspective - and it supports my contention that AI is used as part of software applications that we might use and not appreciate the role of AI in that software.
The ethics of AI writing and the need for a ‘human in the loop’ is a very reasoned argument on the subject.
Do brands own the copyright on AI-generated ads? focuses on advertising - but what about the copyright on all AI-generated content?
AI in marketing: 7 areas where it shines and struggles.
Timnit Gebru Is Calling Attention to the Pitfalls of AI [note that this guy knows about the subject].
Humans Are More Unique Than the Existential Dread of AI Suggests is an article that I wish I had written.
AI Is a Lot of Work is about how AI data is gathered - but it also explains how AI works ... and how it doesn't work.
I think Tom Goodwin is always worth reading or listen to - so it's no surprise that I've included Special AI Edition; A Deeper Dive into Artificial Intelligence here.
How are beauty and cosmetics companies using generative AI? - sorry [well, actually I'm not] but I find some of this a bit iffy. For example; 'Rembrand analyses videos and digitally inserts photo-realistic product images or animations into the setting' ... why not simply put the product in the background in the first place - you can't get more realistic than that?
AI Improves Employee Productivity by 66% is a very good examination of AI - albeit only one of the case studies is an aspect of marketing. For that particular case, make sure you read the article to the end ... the results are - perhaps - not as good as the '66%' in the title suggest.
Centaurs and Cyborgs on the Jagged Frontier is another article that goes beyond marketing, but it is well worth a read.
Here's a wider context ... Synthetic data is suddenly making very real ripples.
Replacing frontline workers with AI can be a bad idea — here’s why is about a specific case study, but it is also an example that can be applied in a wider context.
Why I'm not afraid of superintelligent AI taking over the world seems - in my opinion - to offer a reasoned argument on the subject.
We mustn’t let the seductive siren call of AI lure the industry back in time is another objective view on the subject.
Ritson shooting from the lip [as usual] ... but there are many - including me - that agree with this sentiment; The internet will soon need warnings for AI-generated content.
The source of When Should We Trust AI? Magic-8-Ball Thinking means it is worth reading.
I've included 6 outdated AI marketing trends you should retire in 2025 as an EXERCISE where you can discuss the opinions offered. However, the discussion - and conclusions - will differ depending on when you read it. One opinion [OK, mine] would be to suggest that some of the trends being abandoned never produced any value in the first place.
AI Features Must Solve Real User Problems ... common sense? Not to many organizations I've come across online [see also previous chapter re non-marketers in marketing].
Who will speak for your company, human or machine? As well as the article - take a look at one of the best cookie warnings around.
Strictly speaking, Artificial intelligence: what five giants of the past can teach us about handling the risks is not about digital marketing - but the 'risks' could apply to individuals or organizations.
Is anyone out there? addresses a bigger picture, but AI is at its heart.
EXERCISE: Take a look at the following lists and analyse the use of AI as described. Consider AI's use in specific scenarios and industries. For example, in the first article, use is identified in periods of time - how many industries actually complete those tasks in those periods eg every day [clue: not many - consider the purchase cycle of products]. In the second article the tasks are rather vague - identify some actual jobs that fit in each task [eg for 'transforming data into actionable insights' what data for the case study examples used in the book can be transformed into actionable insights?]. The top 50 genAI use cases in marketing and 4 marketing ‘jobs to be done’ being transformed by genAI.
AI Will Help Advertisers and Shoppers is another pro-AI article which outlines some ways in which marketers can use AI. What I do find interesting is that AI is used to complete existing marketing practices [eg data analysis] - in my opinion this is the advantage of AI. Four AI Superpowers: Where AI Improves Products follows a similar vain.
ChatGPT and other large language models [LLM]
Around the time the book was published this was making the news. Here’s some of the reports at the time.
ChatGPT’s Fluent BS Is Compelling Because Everything Is Fluent BS.
ChatGPT Is a Tipping Point for AI.
And from Prof Ritson in his usual style - Is ChatGPT the next big threat to Google’s dominance in the AI market? and Brands’ biggest AI opportunity is in making customers believe the bullshit.
Why ChatGPT is not a threat to Google Search.
This Tweet from Samuel Scott sums up my opinion; ‘ChatGPT is the new NFT is the new Clubhouse is the new newsletter is the new podcast is the new personalization is the new brand purpose is the new blockchain is the new chatbots is the new growth hacking is the new agile is the new Pokemon Go is the new QR code.'
ChatGPT fails another test ... I asked ChatGPT to do my work and write an Insider article for me. It quickly generated an alarmingly convincing article filled with misinformation.
What Is ChatGPT Doing … and Why Does It Work? is a simple[ish] explanation of what's going on - you'll see it is more repetition than it is intelligence.
Another considered view from Samuel Scott in AI-Generated Content is the New Floor.
Another issue is that of who owns the IP of AI-generated content ... AI and the Law: What You Need To Know.
A similar subject is that of images being generated by AI. Marketers beware: AI-generated art might be fun, but it presents serious ethical risks covers some of the issues it raises, while China bans AI-generated media without watermarks shows that the Chinese are ahead of the game in addressing potential problems.
An academic paper which seems to talk sense - Beware Of Botshit: How To Manage The Epistemic Risks Of Generative Chatbots.
AI Chat Is Not (Always) the Answer is a reasoned, unbiased, assessment of the situation.
How Do Generative AI Systems Work? will help to understand how large language models (LLMs) work without getting too deep into the maths.
Virtual and augmented reality
There are some of the usual suspects in the examples of How to
leverage AR in your digital marketing strategy - but its still worth a read.
The Internet of things (IoT)
Gaming
OK, In-game advertising: A marketer’s guide should probably be in the advertising chapter, but I've not come across much for this section.
Here’s everything advertisers need to know about in-game advertising.
Mobile applications
The Metaverse
What the Heck is the Metaverse? And Should You Care? is an excellent commentary on the concept.
The metaverse doesn’t exist! You’re talking about gaming is a more subject view (though one I agree with). Here’s the author’s key points:
‘Depending on what you read, who you believe or what color wool is being pulled over your eyes this week (it’s blue, it’s always blue), the metaverse could literally be any number of things. So let’s set some ground rules.
Firstly, the metaverse does not exist. This is abundantly true. Whether you look it up on Wikipedia, read up on the dictionary definition or simply look at a briefing from Cambridge University’s Bennett Institute for Public Policy, they all say the same thing: the metaverse does not exist.
Secondly, people that say the metaverse exists have no idea what they are talking about. Anybody that tells you they’re doing something ‘in the metaverse’ either has no idea what they’re talking about or is being wilfully misleading about something cool in video games.
“But what about Nikeland in Roblox?” you might ask. Well, Roblox is not The Metaverse. Fortnite is not The Metaverse. Animal Crossing is not The Metaverse. Minecraft is not The Metaverse.
I’ll say it again for the people at the back, the metaverse does not exist. The things I’ve listed above are video games (well, all bar one of them). Great video games at that., with pre-existing communities of players of all ages and generational cohorts who are used to socializing, exploring and gaming together in the virtual online worlds where these games take place.’
Note that it was written in May 2022 … as you will be reading this after that date, I wonder how accurate it was when published.
From September 2022 ... The “Meh”-taverse: Americans Not Sold on Virtual Worlds.
I agree with Bob Hoffman when he says about the metaverse: 'I was wrong when I said "nobody's interested in the damn thing except the press." There is another group of dimwits who are interested... marketers. Only marketers are stupid enough to be taken in by every shiny new object and throw money at creating empty idiotic metaverse worlds and stores just to prove how hip they are'.
OK, I'm going to say it - I got this right in the book ... Mark Zuckerberg Quietly Buries the Metaverse. And am I sorry for all the organizations that spent a fortune on any aspect of marketing in the Metaverse? What do you think? :)
I have included Corporate vs. Business Unit Strategy as I think marketing students will benefit from it – but the reason it is here is that it will help students appreciate where digital fits at this level [spoiler; it doesn’t].
Can you achieve long and short at the same time? Usually, no is about marketing in general – but you should see its relevance to my views on strategic digital marketing ... and
Brand-building ads boost short-term sales, and now you can prove it is more on the subject from the same author.
CHAPTER 4 SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION
further reading ...
If you check the bio of the author of Comparing SEO to PPC you will see she is not new to search engine marketing - and so her opinion carries some weight. Note how the articles differentiates SEO from advertising on search engines ... just as I have done in this book - and as I have done since advertising on search engines started.
If you really want to get your head around how Google works, make yourself comfortable and read Google’s Search Quality Rating Guidelines.
These search commands for Google are useful for people searching on Google - but are included here as they can also help search engine optimizers in determining where keywords/search terms can be placed within a site.
Ignore the headline of Half Say Advertising is Important in the Buying Decision – top in the list of shopper’s important purchase information sources is search engines.
If you’re serious about understanding SEO We’ve crawled the web for 32 years: What’s changed? is a must read. Its author, Mike Grehan, worked from the North East of England in the early years of the web and we shared the stage at numerous events telling owners and managers about the Internet and how it was going to change business. From the same author, and also well worth a read is The origins of E-A-T: Page content, hyperlink analysis and usage data.
How Google Trends works is an interesting background on Google Search. Similar in nature in that it offers a background in how search engines developed is What we can learn from past and present Google algorithm updates.
The Open Secret of Google Search is an interesting read on the search giant.
The issue of Why you should invest in branded keywords even if your company ranks #1 on Google has folk who argue for both side of the debate – this one is in favour.
Around the time that the book was going to print a story that Google exec suggests Instagram and TikTok are eating into Google’s core products search and maps made the rounds of SEO commentators. One such response included some different types of search which might be used on social media, see - Nearly 40% of Gen Z prefers using TikTok and Instagram for search over Google. However, Millennials Are Increasingly Using Various Methods to Search for Things Online gives a wider, and more revealing. picture – note that there is no mention of ‘prefer’ as stated in the headline above. Are 40% of Gen Z shunning Google for TikTok? Not exactly is an update [Jan 2024] on the concept.
Personal research into this matches findings by others – we’re talking about ‘lifestyle’ searches only [e.g. “lively bar near me” or “how to apply X brand of makeup"], and mainly female users. I can appreciate that watching a series of short videos of local bars might be easier than reading about them. So - message to bars attracting younger clientele ... encourage customers to post videos on TitTok.
Google is trying to reinvent search — by being more than a search engine.
Just to show that SEO is ongoing - Google helpful content system update rolling out now (December 2022 update).
Welcome to the age of social SEO: how to maximize visibility on TikTok searches.
Google ranking signals: A complete breakdown of all confirmed, rumored and false factors.
ChatGPT has some roles to play for the digital marketer - perhaps the most common/useful will be in SEO, so here's An SEO’s guide to ChatGPT prompts and AI Chat and Keyword Research.
5 Website Performance Benchmarks from Q4 2022 offers some [slightly] different stats to the chart - on website traffic sources - shown in chapter 4, but the issues are generally the same. The 5 key issues are:
1. More Than 1 in Every 3 Sessions Encounters Friction
2. Page Load Speeds Impact Bounce Rates, Page Views
3. Mobile Widens Traffic Share Lead
4. Paid Search Traffic Converts Better Than Paid Social Traffic
5. Desktop Still Boasts Far Higher Conversion Rates Than Mobile
I've included Google releases March 2023 broad core update and Google removes several search ranking algorithm updates from its ranking systems page simply as a reminder that search engines change their algorithm on a regular basis.
Is click-through rate a valuable SEO metric?
I make it clear in the book that I consider SEO and PPC ads to be different things. SEO vs. PPC: Differences, pros, cons & an integrated approach offers a different view - although it also can be read as supporting my opinion.
Brand Visibility Is the New SEO ... caused by AI, apparently.
EXERCISE: Byron Sharp purports that ‘ ... paid search is not advertising (which has as its main job building mental availability). Search is like shelf space. It’s to improve purchase availability.’ Samuel Scott offers more detail, saying that ‘Display on retailer, broker, and review sites is the same as paid search. Paid and organic search are forms of distribution, not parts of promotional marketing communications. Basically, you are getting your product put on Google, Amazon, and others' store shelves like when you pay a store to put your juice in the juice aisle. Same for getting listed on sites like G2. This is fulfilling existing demand and having physical availability. Advertising is about creating more demand and having mental availability.’ Going back in time, when I first got involved in the use of the Internet for business purposes [in 1996] I was frequently asked where the new communication medium sat with regard to the 4Ps ... and I said it was part of distribution. My opinion wasn’t supported by many – any, even – but it seems I may have had a point.
What's your opinion on the views of myself, Sharp and Scott?
50% of product searches start on Amazon includes stuff from this and other chapters - well worth a read. Note that it's from the US, so the stat in the title might not apply to you.
Organic search could be the moat your brand needs is a kind-of strategic view of SEO using quirky analogies - in general, I agree with its basic premise, not least because it syncs with my opinion.
I'm not a fan of SWOT analysis ... just use the issues raised in SEO SWOT analysis: How to optimize where it counts as a kind-of to-do list.
Another example of why SEO is a full time job is Google to fix link report in Search Console. And another... Google releases August 2023 broad core update.
Why are publishers losing traffic from Google? is about online news - but much of is relevant to other kinds of website.
To understand the present and the future - take a look at the past ... Google’s Florida update: 20 years since the SEO ‘volcanic eruption’.
The AI-powered Google apocalypse is heading for your brand is from December 2023 ... who knows how true it will turn out to be?
Google confirms a search ranking bug where sites disappear from search results over the weekend is an example of what is a fairly common problem - if your website relies on search engines for visitors [and so, business] this can hit income.
The Periodic Table of SEO Elements has been around for a few years - this is the 2024 version.
A concern with using third parties - eg Google itself - for SEO purposes is that the third party can change its operating model ... Google is shutting down websites made with Business Profiles is one such example.
And the changes keep on coming ... Google releasing massive search quality enhancements in March 2024 core update and multiple spam updates.
Who Sends Traffic on the Web and How Much? New Research from Datos & SparkToro.
Consumers' online information sources - search remains top.
You can file Small review site lost 91% of its Google traffic to affiliate-focused SEO content under 'don't put all your eggs in one basket' - relying on Google is not a good strategy for a business.
6 unpopular SEO opinions you need to consider raises some interesting and accurate points. But here's a thing I allude to in the book. The first four points are much the same as I - and others - were teaching [or is that 'preaching'] back around 1997 ... that's before the author of the article left school.
The end of May 2024 saw big news about Google's algorithm HUGE Google Search document leak reveals inner workings of ranking algorithm, here's Google's reply ... Google responds to leak: Documentation lacks context - and Unpacking Google’s massive search documentation leak is a review of the happenings. Only time will tell how big a story this was.
As I allude to in the book, I think that knowing what is being searched for in this research is vital to make it relevant ... the what might dictate where the search is started, Also, note above the article which states that 50% of product searches start on Amazon - where does that fit into Almost Half of Gen Zers Opt for Social over Google for Search?
Is The Google Maps pin scam: A new Google Business Profile threat common? I doubt it - but I've included this article because keeping track of scams like it is an example of why SEO is a full time occupation.
Which Topics Are Gen Zers Searching for on Social Media?
In all aspects of digital marketing new terms come and go. I wonder GEO will stay the course, or disappear like so many others? See What is generative engine optimization (GEO)?
Again, it never stops ... Google August 2024 core update rollout is now complete.
Google updates crawl budget docs for large sites with differing mobile and desktop pages and links ...Google said it is best practice to have all links present on both mobile and desktop versions. I would ask; why on earth would you have different differing mobile and desktop pages and links? Maybe another example of non-marketers in marketing? [see chapter 3]
ThatLong-tail keywords: Target lower-competition phrases and attract qualified visitors has been published by [one of] the world's major SEO websites suggests that some folk are not aware of the issue. I and others were writing about it 25 years ago. Ho hum.
I've included How to fix the ‘Page with redirect’ error in Google Search Console simply as an[other] example of some of the stuff that competent SEOs need to know.
Another reminder that SEO doesn't stand still ... Google quietly updated the News and Discover manual action policies.
Although Google’s search market share drops below 90% for first time since 2015, it's still got 90% of the market so me talking about Google so much in the book is still valid.
Another example of the problem of [potentially] putting all your marketing eggs in one basket ... Google bug cause reviews to drop out of local listings.
59% of Americans click on brands they know in Google results: Survey ... also, nearly half of Americans trust organic results more than paid results and Google remains the most trusted source for information.
And again, again, it never stops ... Google March 2025 core update.
In the book I mention the importance of E-A-T, 14 ways Google may evaluate E-A-T is a good guide … but it also shows that SEO isn’t as easy – or quick – as some folk would have you believe.
More on the subject ... E-A-T auditing: How to level up your credibility game
Naturally, just days after the book was published, this happened ... Google doubles up on E with updated search quality raters guidelines (E-E-A-T) - and here's another article, this one with more details ... How Google may identify and evaluate authors through E-E-A-T. And nearly a year later ... Debunking common Google E-E-A-T misconceptions.
The two parts of E-E-A-T Google hasn’t told you about.
Barry Schwartz's list of what is NOT a Google search ranking factor.
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ZERO-CLICK
[April 2023] There is a lot being said about AI-developed content and its impact on SEO - well here's my take. I think that impact will be on zero-click with searches producing more and more SE-developed content ... and that content will be produced by LLMs which will reproduce the content of websites. Furthermore, those websites' owners/publishers will not be compensated [via links] by the search engines.
In the book I suggest that Google was holding the zero-click percentage at around 50% - welllllll, I missed later data from the same researcher that proposed that figure upped it to 65% - around two thirds. In 2020, Two Thirds of Google Searches Ended Without a Click – although note that the research on which this was based does not include the CTR paid links to Google sites.
Google isn’t the only guilty platform to see the value of this strategy; see; Zero-Click Content: The Counter-intuitive Way to Succeed in a Platform-Native World.
More on zero clicks - with Google search study: 25.6% of desktop, 17.3% of mobile are zero-click offering some very different stats to those listed in the book. That said, the research seems to be a bit different. One thing about this research, however, is that the CTR on ads is less than 2%. That seems very low to me.
Nearly 60% of Google searches end without a click in 2024.
As per my comment at the beginning of this section ... 75% of Google AI Overview links come from top 12 organic rankings.
Ex-Google exec: Giving traffic to publishers ‘a necessary evil’ is an article on zero clicks which doesn't use the term.
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Another innovation from Google to keep you on Google - Google Maps adds new store location feature, Locator Plus, Reserve with Google integration, new analytics and more.
A Small Business Guide to Google My Business ... I think there is a reasonable argument that for many small businesses, this could be their web presence.
I’ve included the biggest mystery of Google’s algorithm: Everything ever said about clicks, CTR and bounce rate here as an example of how no one really knows how the Google algorithm works. As if it counts ... I’ve always thought that CTR counted, making it easier to stay in the top spot on a SERP than get to it.
Another version of How Important is The Top Search Result on Google? to the chart shown in the book.
Nothing that's really new in 16 reasons why your page isn’t ranking on Google but it's always good to have a list.
Keyword Research for Product Content
The Search Before the Search: Keyword Foraging.
I’ve put How to do a competitive analysis for local SEO in this section [where local search is covered] but it is relevant to other sections also.
What do you think the Most Searched Consumer Brands in the world in 2022 are? I’m not surprised [I’ve been around a while] but the why still amazes me.
The case of the stealth Google-bomb is about the role of domain names in SEO. You should know most of it if you're to work in SEO. It also kind-of confirms the value of keywords. Find out more about domain names.
YouTube SEO: How to find the best traffic-generating keywords.
Yes, SEO Keywords Remain Important.
SEO: Targeting the Long Tail for More Sales.
Here's a nice - and simply - tip SEO Signals from SERPs.
What Is SEO Writing? How to Be a Better SEO Writer is included in this section as its focus is SEO. However, although it is a reasonable guide to the practice, the article could also be in the section on developing website content and also content marketing. It also offers an insight into the skills, time and application required to get the job right.
I could have put How to attract your ideal customers with quality content in the later chapter on website development, but as it has a SEO focus, I’ve included it here.
Google doesn’t want your AI-generated SEO spam content.
Given the nature of much of this site [this page, for example] Outgoing links: Are they beneficial for your site or not? is something I've taken notice of over the years.
SEO content writing vs. content writing: The key difference.
An SEO’s guide to understanding large language models (LLMs).
This was true in 1996 ... seems it's still true now - 85% of titles feature keywords in Positions 1-5 of Google.
I think this issue - Does HTML structure matter for SEO? - is more important than many folk realise. One thing not covered in this article is that the search engines dislike pages that don't adapt for mobile devices. I found this out for this site and had to accept a PC format I didn't really to meet the mobile requiement.
How to audit your site’s backlink profile Auditing your backlinks is a process that should be part of your regular SEO routine. Here's a guide on how to do it.
I've included How to outsource link building: Benefits and tips to follow not just for the advice it contains, but as another example of the specialized jobs that are out there.
Links are not a top 3 Google Search ranking factor, says Gary Illyes ... 'I think they are important, but I think people overestimate the importance of links'.
Does guest blogging still work for SEO? Pros ... cons and best practices.
SNIPPET
Smile please - Colgate's oral health website
I’m not sure which section using the amazon search engine as marketing belongs in – but as Google may well pick up the Amazon listing, I’ve put it here. Obviously, it’s not for everyone, but for some it could be a really good idea.
Here are a few articles on links that are a bit old - but they will tell you all you need to know. If you take the time to read them all you will come to appreciate that not only is serious link building a strategic concern, but it is very time consuming. However, on the strategic side of things, you will note that some of the suggestions go beyond link building eg developing a competition on your website to encourage links - the competition itself might be considered as a marketing tactic in its own right. In other words, SEO should be a key aspect of the organization's marketing strategy. 50+ More Things Every Link Builder Should Know, 4 Ways to Wash Away The Link Building Hate, 5 Pieces Of Content: 25 Link Ideas, Link to my awesome content, please!, How To Attract Killer Links For E-Commerce Sites and 10 Questions To Ask When Creating A Link Building Campaign does answer some of the basic questions on the issue, and so is useful - however, some of it does seem just a bit creepy to me. Not sure it's the type of job I would enjoy doing every day :)
How to gain value from broken backlinks is perhaps for more serious SEO - but it shows that effective SEO is a full time occupation.
I have to say that I didn't realise this was so big a thing ...‘Link in bio’ platforms: Which is best for SEO?
GO ONLINE *page 91*
Two of the best SEO guides are Search Engine Land‘s Guide to SEO and Ahrefs’ The Beginner’s Guide to SEO.
Enterprise SEO: Lessons from 20 years in the trenches
I’ve put
9 roadblocks to SEO success here rather than in earlier sections because, effectively, it is about strategic SEO.
How to manage and edit your Google Business Profile from Google search.
1 million URLs: How to pivot your SEO strategy when you reach enterprise level
11 enterprise SEO challenges and solutions
How to plan and budget for enterprise SEO
I didn’t mention Negative SEO in the book, but it deserves a mention. I’ve put it in this section as although all websites are susceptible to it, only major websites are likely to be victims. 6 types of negative SEO to watch out for explains what it’s all about and Negative SEO Disavow Lists lets you know the basics.
How one company’s rebrand and domain name change led to SEO disaster details how getting this wrong can mean the end of a business - but in this example the organization failed to follow advice and guides that have been around since the turn of the century.
How to choose an enterprise SEO platform - what you need to know in choosing the right enterprise SEO platform.
7 tips to turn Google’s Search Essentials into strategy covers the key issues.
I could have put SEO and website design: How to build search engine-friendly sites pretty much anywhere on this page - but it's most relevant here.
Beyond SEO: Embracing the future of organic search optimization.
10 simple steps to analyze your brand SERP and build an effective digital strategy is very good ... but remember it is for a brand name - not all key words [though some of the tips could apply to general keyword issues].
Cross-border SEO for Same-language Sites.
I've put How to fix a huge traffic drop after rebranding here as I think
re-branding comes under 'enterprise SEO' ;-)