Guest talks [note; not lectures - see below]. It is common practice for authors of business books to use their publication[s] as a route to increased income on the presentation circuit. That was never my aim - my income came from the university I worked for. However, I have now retired and not only do I have some time on my hands, but I travel around the country for leisure purposes ... or following my football team. I also know that universities do not normally pay for guest lecturers - or even expenses. So, if you would like me to come and talk to your students drop me an email [the address is on my profile page] and we'll see if something can be arranged.
Here's some books on digital marketing that I would recommend. Most are not new - but that is where their value lies.
The publishers tell me I must have a deck of PowerPoint slides available for the book. This is problematic for me. You see, I gave up on lectures for my modules in around 2005 - they did not suit my style of teaching. I have used slides for talks/speeches, but they are - in effect - simply prompts to remind me what subject I'm covering next. At the other end of the scale are those presenters whose lectures consist of them reading out the contents of their slides [I once stood in for an ill colleague - I was given her ppt for the one hour lecture ... it consisted of 47 slides]. So for this book, a compromise: a deck of slides which are made up of the subjects covered in each chapter. You are quite welcome to use them as is - or add/delete content as best suits your delivery style.
Chapter one
Chapter two
Chapter three
Chapter four
Chapter five
Chapter six
Chapter seven
Chapter eight
Chapter nine
Chapter ten
Chapter eleven
Throughout the book case studies are used as both examples of how theory might be practiced and as exercises for readers to complete. Although the case studies are fictional, they all characterize real life situations. The cases are not intended to be comprehensive or exhaustive - merely a snap shot of a particular state of affairs within what is normally a complex environment. Although all of the case studies are UK based, their geographic location could be changed to suit readers' needs - as could any of the details. They're all listed on the case study page.
When I was teaching - I've retired - a quote from Socrates [the Greek philosopher, not the Brazilian footballer] at the beginning of my module guides reflected the way the module was to be delivered:
I cannot teach anybody anything. I can only make them think.
I have tried to continue that philosophy in my books - particularly the exercises. In the classroom I liked to pose questions that had no single right answer. When teaching marketing that is easy because there is never a single right answer. What is right in one scenario or context is not so in another. Students will find that is true when they get a job - I liked to prepare them for that time. I wanted to help them learn how to find the right answer, not simply give them an answer.
I find it pointless to ask a question whose answer can be found within the text [e.g. what are the 4 elements of what's-his-name's model?] ... hence, the exercises for this book. They are designed to prompt students into thinking. Hopefully, I might challenge some of their preconceived ideas on the subject. They might not realise it, but the questions sometimes act as a kind-of devil's advocate. I make no apology for there not being the same number of exercises for each chapter - but some chapters are shorter than others - and their subject not so open to debate.
If, by chance, you're short of reading or discussion points for classes many of the articles I've added links to in the chapter pages of this site will serve that purpose very well.
Page 2 MINI EXERCISE The answer revolves around the marketing of the book :-)
Page 3 DISCUSSION A bit of recent research will help here – but students’ own experiences will be relevant.
Page 4 MINI EXERCISE You might need to adopt a flexible approach to definitions to take my side on this. For example, AI might be new, but its use isn’t e.g. to develop content.
Page 10 JUST SAYIN’ Do students agree with this – again, some flexibility is required to meet my argument.
CHAPTER EXERCISE The answer to this lies in the students’ opinions on integrity and the environment. I suspect they will be very pro the notion – but would their employers agree with them if incomes/profits are affected?
Page 34 EXERCISE It might be worth re-visiting this question towards the end of the book to see if students’ views have changed. The key to the exercise is that none of the products are like FMCGs – and so their marketing is very different. When I did these exercises in class I found that students had little idea of the cost of these products – something that impacts massively on their marketing.
Page 38 EXERCISE I would expect marketing students to generally agree with my notion, but any that have read the likes of ‘Marketing Twitter’ may offer a different opinion.
Page 39 JUST SAYIN’ This may be an extension of the previous exercise – can techies [who set up the automation] set up software that automates a personalized service better than a person could offer that service?
Page 41 Viral marketing – is this term still used [by students] by the time they read the book? Will there need to be a section on it in the next edition?
Page 58 EXERCISE Some of these will be obvious to students [e.g. the Merchant Model] others not so if only for the reason they have not had a need to access such sites. There may also be an issue with some sites encompassing of several of the models.
CHAPTER EXERCISE
1 Students should easily come up with the ‘usual subjects’, particularly for the ‘foremost’ category. The ‘no part’ category might be trickier – though they should be obvious [corner shops and sugar were always my go-to answers].
2 I think this is a valid exercise in its own right – though a problem might be students going through it like a yes/no questionnaire rather than something that needs consideration for each answer. However, I used it as an introduction to the case studies so additional time is required for the exercise to be completed.
Page 72 EXERCISE Students will generally find the organizations that go on the top pretty easily. The bottom one is also relatively straight forward [if a business does no marketing, it does not need SEO], but putting the rest in order is problematic. The most likely solution is a group that goes at the top, a group that goes at the bottom and a group that sits in the middle – but arguing over 1 to 12 could take forever.
Page 77 EXERCISE It’s likely that the two lists will be 50 to 75% the same – with a number of obvious keywords prominent. The differences are likely to come from [a] the use of terminology learned after becoming a student, and [b] if multiple nationalities are represented in the students. It is also likely that some students – if they’re brave/confident enough – will say they did not use a search engine in seeking their course [I spent several years on student recruitment, many students do not start their programme search on a search engine – or even online]. If so, emphasis should be given to the fact that in a working environment they may well have to identify keywords for a product they have little knowledge of. If any student has a part time job, their employer is another good subject as the employed student may have inside knowledge on appropriate keywords whilst the others will not.
Page 82 EXERCISE Some students will find this easy – others not so. The doing exercise will benefit them in their working life. European and overseas students should be encouraged to participate – their input on how English is interpreted can be instructive.
Page 86 EXERCISE With perhaps the exception of the Tourist Information office, all will be difficult – and some impossible [universities will not normally add links from their website – it is beneficially to me that most digital module guides will include a link to this site]. If students suggest it is an easy task, push them to say exactly [e.g. if they say ‘email’ ask which address] how they will achieve it – then play devil’s advocate in acting as the recipient of their approaches.
Page 88 EXERCISE Generally, the smaller, local organizations may be better using third-party listings. Whatever their answers, they must be able to justify them. There is, of course, one for which third-party is the best option … the one that does no marketing but will listed on the likes of Yellow Pages.
Page 91 EXERCISE The significant issue for universities is that they are made up of several schools [e.g. Business, Education, History etc] and each of those school may have sub-departments [Business may have Marketing, Finance, HR etc] which each have web page for their own programmes and courses. Plus, there are web pages that are generic to the university [student support, accommodation etc] and some for different departments [e.g. library services]. Realistically, the exercise on page 77 must be completed for each page. Good luck with that :-)
CHAPTER EXERCISE Essentially, this is the same question as that in the earlier exercise on page 72 – but with, perhaps, a more strategic consideration [e.g. will the cost of doing SEO properly be worth the investment?]
Page 102 EXERCISE This exercise requires students to conduct a critical analysis of a university’s website with a view to assessing its management i.e. not necessarily the website itself. Considering the site’s ethos will be a more subjective exercise – different students may perceive the content differently. It is highly likely that given the issues raised in the exercise in the last chapter on page 91 [i.e. fragmented content across departments] the ethos will vary across the entire site. Sometimes this will acceptable – the description of a social media management course could easily have a different tone to that for, say, a law or medical degree. However, all the generic pages should have the same ethos.
Page 112 EXERCISE There is an argument that because its users [students and potential students] are digital natives they will be able to make their way around any website. It’s also the case that they may be very keen to find their way around the site because their future may depend on its contents. That said, that is not an excuse – and as the exercise questions, might the potential student judge a university by the usability of its website?
Page 122 EXERCISE Some [most?] students will simply copy the framework of an existing site – particularly for the Phelps store. This rather defeats the object of the exercise in that they learn nothing – but also because the copied website might not be perfect. Important for any site architecture is to identify the objects of the site and what visitors might be at the site for.
Page 137 EXERCISE This builds on a previous exercise where the usability of a university website is examined. Arguably the content – no matter how good – might not be reached if the usability is poor, but this exercise assumes the content is findable and so questions its influence on a customer. Essentially it should address – in a language they understand – all the questions a potential student might seek an answer to. On a university website the visitor has arrived there for a reason, and so the content will almost certainly impact on the buying decision. A clear case of you are your website. With regard to a relationship between usability and content – I’m not sure there is one, except to say that if one is executed particularly well or badly then that reflects good management and so the other is likely to be equally good or bad.
Page 140 EXERCISE As well as the usual problems in translating text, a further issue is that of medical terminology, which is based on Latin – a language not recognised in many countries. Problems with images and video might include such things as showing mixed male and female doctors/nurses and patients in countries where this would not be accepted. Having overseas students in the class will help with the discussion of this exercise.
CHAPTER EXERCISE Another exercise where students should be discouraged from simply performing a tick-box process. There are examples where clear textual content is vital [e.g. the university] and others where images hold sway [e.g. the women’s clothes shop]. For others, some elements will carry little or no relevance [e.g. translation]
Page 147 EXERCISE The answers to this exercise will depend on when the chapter is read. At the time of publication [November 2022] it seemed as though the pandemic-induced spike in online shopping was just that – a spike, with sales returning to pre-pandemic levels. However, this may prove to be a reaction to lock downs with shoppers wishing to get back out to shops and online sales may return to growth.
Page 150 EXERCISE Lists produced will probably be divided into two categories; channels that students have experienced, and channels that are rather fanciful e.g. Google’s much-hyped drone deliveries.
Page 157 EXERCISE
1 This exercise will test students’ understanding of the business models used by hotel chains.
2 Insurance is an obvious answer – older students may offer a better insight as they will remember life before the Internet. Asking younger students to source services – like insurance – without the Internet can be amusing.
Page 160 EXERCISE It is possible – if not likely – that students have never used a genuine DTC seller, though some will name purchases the identify as DTC, but it isn’t.
Page 169 EXERCISE Discussion on this exercise should consider the products sold on the various sites e.g. expectations for a fashion site would be plenty of pictures – but is this the same for basic white goods? Also, students are asked to visit their favourite sites – perhaps they are favourite sites because they meet student’s requirement.
Page 176 EXERCISE This should prompt discussion, but the objective is to assess the impact of fulfilment and returns on customer loyalty.
CHAPTER EXERCISE This is another exercise that is business-oriented rather than digital-marketing specific. Ultimately, it should be identified that a local store can go online relatively easily and inexpensively [using WYSIWYG-style software], but for a chain to develop an e-commerce is very expensive. Management for both is important.
Page 184 EXERCISE Rather than identifying specific periods of time, the objective of this exercise is to encourage students think about – and so become aware – of lead times. Needless to say, the answers spread from days [a small number of polo shirts] to years [parts for a new car], with the answers also varying by customer, seller and market.
Page 191 EXERCISE Essentially the sites should be very similar – they’re both self-service shops. The key differences will be in methods of payments and delivery.
Page 193 EXERCISE Easy answer to this one … a lot! If the content of this site is not professionally written by industry experts its credibility will be vastly reduced.
CHAPTER EXERCISE Once again, it is the process of arriving at the answers that is more important the answers themselves. Hopefully, students will appreciate that there is more to marketing than the likes of Nike, Coca Cola, TikTok and influencers.
Page 202 EXERCISE
1 This should be relatively easy to marketing students [who may well have studied advertising as a separate subject]. Generally, a positive message is branding and a call-to-action [of any kind] means it is direct response.
2 Another exercise where a class discussion on students’ responses, with the make up of the group determining any disparity in answers. Note that the question doesn’t make clear whether SERP ads are included – I would let students raise the issue. It’s likely that many have clicked on search engine ads, but not so many on others forms of ad. Also, it’s not covered until chapter 10, but influencer ‘advice’ is an ad.
Page 207 EXERCISE This is too expansive a question to cover all potential answers. Any discussion could take a whole session because it should include all the issues covered so far.
Page 213 EXERCISE Students may be tempted to leap straight in with images and video here – and to a degree they may have a point. However, I have chosen a holiday resort deliberately and students will naturally apply the question to themselves. Older holiday makers may prefer more text describing what is seen in images and/or video. For example ‘that hill at the end of the beach seems steep’.
Page 221 EXERCISE
1 Two key issues would be [a] as per the previous exercise on university website development, there are multiple schools/departments with their own keywords, and [b] universities offer very similar products [courses/programmes] and so they will all be competing for the same keywords.
2 Students will get out of this exercise what they put in [as should be the case with all the exercises], but it is just the kind of task they might be asked to complete in an employment scenario. It might also be worth asking students to look at the web page for a programme in a different school.
Page 224 EXERCISE
1 Simply a quantitative exercise – it would not be unusual for students to get two, one or even nil out of 10. Whatever the result – good or bad – it will reflect the skills of the advertisers.
2 A subjective assessment – but the student is representing a potential customer, so their opinion is valid.
3 Ask students to be specific e.g. rewrite the copy on the landing page.
Page 224 MINI EXERCISE A good discussion-started – but make sure students consider the views of people not in their demographic e.g. what do their siblings, parents or grandparents think? International students may also offer a different opinion.
Page 233 EXERCISE This is – effectively – a follow up to the previous exercise, but with a wider context e.g. is it possible that the general public do not even notice these issues?
Page 236 EXERCISE Students will have a more informed view on this subject if they have followed the links on the web page which covers this issue.
CHAPTER EXERCISE I make no apology for the similarity of this task to previous exercises. Too many articles and stories on the subject of online advertising are about global brands in the FMCG market. The case studies – deliberately – present organizations that are different to this and represent the type students are likely to find employment in. This exercise should make them think about real-life advertising issues.
Page 246 EXERCISE
1 Another exercise that requires students to question their own behaviour. Encourage students to be specific – if they say ‘because I like them’ question why they like them.
1 Again, try to get students to be specific – perhaps one day they’ll be on the sending side of the problem, and this will help them,
Page 250 EXERCISE Writing good copy is often a case of ‘you can do it or you can’t’, but students should practice so when they are asked to do so in a work environment they have a chance of completing the task.
Page 254 EXERCISES
1 More doing. Students will be tempted to choose a retailer they know and like [try to discourage them from picking one they get a newsletter from]. Retailers of products that solve problems could be the better choice, e.g. ‘how to …’
2 Try to steer students away from FMCG-related industries, this includes service industries.
CHAPTER EXERCISE By now students will be used to this type of exercise – and know the organizations pretty well. Top and bottom of the league should be obvious, but not so the others. Thinking outside the box should be encouraged.
Page 266 EXERCISE Answers will vary from class to class – it’s the ‘whys’ that may create discussion.
Page 271 EXERCISES
1 Reviews could make or break the business.
2 This does not mean marketers should write their own reviews! Instead, there should be a concentration on marketers being involved with the service offered, plus influencing visitors to complete reviews [on- or offline].
Page 277 EXERCISE This is not Facebook and Twitter! Tech/software companies are one source of private social media, also gaming sites.
Page 280 EXERCISE It is likely that students will refer to organizations they like or dislike as examples. Discussion should be around what is good and bad e.g. how long is acceptable for responses to questions.
Page 291 GROUP EXERCISE Hopefully your class will have students who follow influencers. Discussion may become a debate between followers and non-followers.
Page 298 EXERCISE As I allude to at the end of this exercise, this is the kind of analysis that managers should expect to be completed before investing in marketing on social media. Although the examples offered are on Pinterest, students could use other social media platforms.
Page 316 EXERCISE Results will vary depending on the class – but it is unlikely to match the presented data exactly. Discussion will come when students’ opinions vary.
CHAPTER EXERCISE I make no apologies for presenting another league table – but the objective is to have students assess the advantages and limitations of marketing on social media against real-world examples which differ from those usually presented as examples of good practice.
Page 338 EXERCISE There are a number of examples presented throughout the book [e.g. likes and followers in social media], but students should be encouraged to think of others. If offline examples are suggested it would help students to understand the issues.
Page 347 EXERCISE All presented metrics and analytics should be considered, but the purposes – that is, objectives – are key. If the data can’t be used to increase sales, collecting and analysing it is a waste of time. Other considerations will include either/or decisions. For example, if sales are low in a country should marketing be increased or abandoned?
Page 351 EXERCISE In general, I tend to agree with Scott’s assertions – I prefer to call them pragmatic rather than negative. I would encourage students to disagree, or if they agree parrot fashion, ask them to explain why. Perhaps Scott and I are wrong?
CHAPTER EXERCISE Well, you just knew there would be another league table to end up with ... but I feel it is the best way to assess students’ understanding of all aspects of the chapter is through application of theory into real-life practice.
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' ;-)