Google AI Mode is getting more visual by providing a more graphical response to some of your queries, including your shopping search queries. Google can do this by using its new visual version of the query fan-out technique it has used with AI Overviews and AI Mode.
Google AI Mode, for certain queries, particularly those related to shopping, will respond with images and graphics. These are aimed at sparking inspiration, Robby Stein, VP of Product Management at Google Search, told Search Engine Land.
AI Mode will be able to not just understand your query in a text-based manner, but also understand your query visually and respond with both textual and visual responses. It is a new and updated fluid, ongoing conversation in AI Mode that “sparks inspiration,” Google said.
Visual search fan-out technique. Google’s fan out technique is able breaking down your question into subtopics and issuing a multitude of queries simultaneously on your behalf. Now, Google can also do this visually by looking at the image and text query input for query analysis and various image region analysis, including meta data and context around the image. Then Google AI Mode can render a visual grid of responses to your query.
“This means AI Mode can perform a more comprehensive analysis of an image, recognizing subtle details and secondary objects in addition to the primary subjects – and then runs multiple queries in the background. This helps it understand the full visual context and the nuance of your natural language question to deliver highly relevant visual results,” Google wrote.
AI Mode is more visual. Now when you search for some queries in AI Mode, the responses will be much more graphical and visual, right up front. Yes, AI Mode may have responded with images before, but now the images are higher and more prominent in some of the responses.
Plus, you can conduct follow up questions on the visual responses.
“You’ll see rich visuals that match the vibe you’re looking for, and can follow up in whatever way is most natural for you, like asking for more options with dark tones and bold prints. Each image has a link, so you can click out and learn more when something catches your eye. And because the experience is multimodal, you can also start your search by uploading an image or snapping a photo,” Google added.
Shopping in AI Mode. Lilian Rincon, VP Product Management Google Shopping, told us one of the best places for a visual experience is with shopping in Google Search. A more visual AI Mode helps you shop conversationally with fresh shopping data, can lead to a better shopping experience.
With the addition of Google’s Shopping Graph of 50 billion product listings, where 2 billion products are refreshed daily every hour, the responses are not just inspirational but detailed and helpful.
AI Mode for Shopping can not just give you ideas on what to put in your living room but also help you find the perfect article of clothing, in your color, style and fit.
Here is a video of this in action:
More details. This is launching today in Google AI Mode in the US in English. These are free listings, not shopping ads, and currently have no paid model, including no affiliate model. While Google has ads in AI Overviews, Google is only experimenting with ads in AI Mode, and there are no more details on ads right now for this experience.
Agentic experiences, like helping you buy and find what your looking for, is here for some areas now in Search Labs. But Google said they want the final purchase to happen directly on the retailer’s site.
Why we care. A new, more visual and graphical experience in AI Mode, may be a better search experience for some searchers and for some queries. Google is experimenting with a lot of changes to Google Search and is rapidly trying new interfaces and technologies.
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Engineering teams usually have a quality assurance (QA) process.
Without it, they risk releasing work that hurts the user experience and creates unforeseen technical issues – including major SEO problems.
That’s where SEO QA comes in. Adding SEO-specific checks to existing QA protocols helps teams catch and fix issues before they go live.
But this step is less common than you’d think. Too often, it’s overlooked.
This article outlines what it takes to build an effective SEO QA discipline and provides a checklist SEOs and QA engineers can use to cover their bases.
Why SEO QA gets overlooked
Unless SEO is fully integrated with engineering, SEO-specific QA often gets overlooked.
As a result, SEOs may not flag problems until a tech audit – or worse, when they show up as organic KPI declines.
This is especially common when SEO teams sit under marketing instead of product or engineering, since they’re excluded from regular milestones and lifecycle meetings.
That makes it harder to communicate SEO’s importance, win buy-in, and establish it as part of everyday development.
Having a QA team within engineering is also no longer a given.
In agile environments, some teams prioritize speed over fully clean rollouts.
Others rely on AI tools to automate QA or monitor for technical issues, instead of employing dedicated QA engineers.
In short, there are plenty of reasons many teams lack a well-developed SEO QA practice.
What are the benefits of SEO QA?
For SEOs to be able to proactively find and resolve issues before they go out into the world, they need two things on a regular basis:
Opportunities to view upcoming engineering tickets and flag any that may have potential SEO impact. (A great reason for an SEO representative to be a part of sprint planning meetings.)
A chance to QA any of the flagged tickets before they hit production.
This has a few key benefits for the business:
Minimize the chances of deploying code that hurts SEO.
Catch and correct errors that hit production before they register with search engines.
Capitalize on SEO opportunities related to engineering work that’s already slotted for development.
The last bullet is just as much of a reason to implement SEO QA as the first two.
It’s not just about catching bugs, it’s about maximizing value while minimizing resources.
When SEOs have a chance to see what’s coming up, it allows them to connect the dots between SEO roadmap items and upcoming engineering initiatives to find potential areas of overlap.
In turn, the business reaps the SEO benefits of work that’s already in motion, rather than spending additional resources to achieve the same goal later.
Best practices: The 4 Ws of SEO QA
Alright, now that we’ve established why brands need SEO QA, let’s get into the logistics.
Structured data: Is it crawlable, parsable, accurate, and reflecting visible information on the page? (Note: Google’s Schema Markup Testing Tool won’t work on staging URLs since crawlers are (hopefully!) blocked.)
You can see CSS issues because they visually impact the page.
For JavaScript issues, you’ll need tools to understand whether crawlers can access critical content.
Unless you’re already running a sitewide crawl with JavaScript enabled, test one or two pages from the affected template (i.e., blog, listing, product detail) using a tool like Rendering Difference Engine.
Page elements applicable to the template are available and functioning as intended, including pop-outs, filtering, sort function, and pagination.
Even worse, until it’s fixed, that’s historical data that you won’t get back.
Before launch on staging, check if:
All pages and templates have tracking code available.
The day after launch, verify that:
Internal analytics platform doesn’t show significant declines in KPIs or discrepancies with external reporting tools (e.g., GSC).
Optional: A/B testing
Not all A/B testing tools distinguish the control and variant for crawlers.
They’re usually served one or the other version of the page randomly, which means your variant could impact SEO.
Aside from the variable, the pages should be identical to a crawler.
Refine over time
With every round of QA, engineers and SEOs will learn nuances and find new connections.
You’ll discover that certain types of updates are more likely to cause certain types of SEO issues, certain plugins are linked to certain types of problems, etc.
Your SEO QA checklist is a living, breathing document and a place to document all of this to make SEO QA more effective – and avoid repeating mistakes – no matter who’s carrying it out.
Start with the list below and make it your own over time.
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We know that most readers skim. We also know that search engines prefer clear and easy-to-understand content. Luckily, a good summary can help with both. A summary gives your reader the core ideas quickly, while also helping your chances of ranking your content. Learning how to write a summary helps you give your content the love it needs.
A summary provides a concise overview of your content, helping readers and boosting SEO.
Effective summaries improve readability and help readers quickly determine content value.
To write a strong summary, identify key points, use clear language, and integrate keywords naturally.
Summaries differ from titles, introductions, and conclusions as they target readers already engaged with the content.
AI can assist in generating summaries, but always review and refine to ensure clarity and accuracy.
What is a summary?
If we are looking for the definition, we can say a summary is a short and focused overview of your content’s main points. A good summary answers three questions:
What is this text about?
Why should I care about it?
What will I learn from reading it?
Keep in mind, a summary is not a sales pitch or something in-depth. You need to strip it down and offer just the essentials for readers to understand in seconds.
Expert insights
Agnieszka Szuba: Yoast developer and researcher on summaries
“Summaries can provide a lot of value to both human readers and bots. And with the help of AI features like Yoast AI Summarize, they can be created very easily. So adding a summary can be a quick way to boost the readability and engagement of your content.”
Why are summaries important?
Now that we know what summaries are, let’s answer the question of why they are so important. There are many answers to that question, but we’ll answer that here.
Improves readability
One of the main aspects of a good text is its readability, but it’s hard to judge a book by its cover. Before readers decide to invest their precious time in reading your content, they need to know if it is worth it. A well-written summary helps them understand the value of your content in seconds. They’ll also get an idea of how your writing is.
Helps readers decide fast
As we mentioned, the time aspect is very important today. Everyone is busy, and people need to know whether your content is worth their time. So busy visitors want to know: “Is this worth my time?” A clear summary can help speed up that decision process.
Enhances SEO
Not only readers but also search engines are looking to understand your content. Search engines see if content matches user intent, and a good summary can help them figure that out.
A well-written summary mentions your target keywords naturally. Good ones increase the chance of your content appearing in highlighted search results like featured snippets. In addition, summaries may help reduce bounce rate because they can manage and set expectations for readers.
How to write an effective summary
Now that you know why summaries can be so helpful, let’s find out how to write effective ones.
Identify the main points
The most important thing is to identify the main points of the content that need to feature in the summary. To help you do this, ask yourself the following questions:
What’s the primary message of the content?
What are the two or three key takeaways?
What does the reader need to know?
Remember, keep it clean and simple. Avoid using examples, anecdotes, or secondary details that muddy the point you are trying to make.
Be concise and clear
Your summary needs to be as easy to understand as possible. Try to aim for three to five sentences (or 50 to 100 words). Cut filler words. Here’s an example:
Wrong:“In this article, we’re going to be talking about some of the most important aspects of writing summaries, which can really make a big difference.”
Right:“This guide covers three key rules for writing summaries: clarity, brevity, and keyword placement.”
Use simple, direct language
We’ve always been big fans of writing as clearly and simply as possible. One of those things to consider is jargon. Whenever you can, try to avoid using jargon. Write like you’re explaining it to a colleague over coffee.
Integrate keywords naturally
Your summary should include the main keywords of your article. For a summary of the article you’re reading now, the focus keyphrase would be “how to write a summary”. Also, try to fit in one or two related terms, but don’t force them. Always prioritize readability.
Match your content’s tone
The next thing to think about is making sure that the summary’s tone matches the content’s tone. For instance, a summary for a technical guide should be precise, while one for a lifestyle blog can be more conversational. Keep it consistent.
Dos and don’ts of writing summaries
For this article, we’ve created a helpful table that quickly outlines the main rules of writing summaries. Remember these!
Do
Don’t
Focus on key takeaways only
Add extra details or tangents
Keep it short and scannable
Write dense paragraphs
Use keywords naturally
Stuff keywords awkwardly
Match the tone of your content
Switch to a different style
Test if it stands alone
Assume readers know the context
Examples of weak vs. strong summaries
We’ve shown you the theory of good and bad summaries, but now let’s review a couple of examples to see it in practice.
A blog post (how-to guide)
Topic:“How to Start a Podcast in 2025”
Weak:“Starting a podcast can be hard, but this post gives you some tips on equipment, topics, and editing to help you get going.”
Strong:“Launch your podcast in 5 steps: Choose a niche, pick budget-friendly gear (under $200), record like a pro, edit with free tools, and grow your audience. Avoid rookie mistakes with our checklist.”
Why it works:
Numbers (“5 steps”) set clear expectations
Specifics (“budget-friendly gear,” “free tools”) add value
Actionable (“avoid rookie mistakes”) hints at practical advice
A product page (e-commerce)
Product:“Ergonomic Office Chair – Model X200”
Weak:“The Model X200 is a great chair for people who sit a lot. It has features that make it comfortable and good for your back.”
Strong: “Reduce back pain with the Model X200: Adjustable lumbar support, breathable mesh, and 360° armrests. Rated #1 for home offices under $300. Free shipping + 30-day trial.”
Why it works:
Highlights benefits (not just features)
Includes social proof (“Rated #1”)
Adds urgency (“30-day trial”)
A research report (B2B)
Topic:“2025 Digital Marketing Trends: AI and Automation”
Weak:“This report looks at how AI is changing marketing. It covers trends and stats that businesses should know about.”
Strong:“78% of marketers now use AI for content creation (up from 42% in 2023). This report breaks down:
Top AI tools for ROI in 2025
How automation cuts campaign costs by 30%
Case studies from brands like Nike and HubSpot.”
Why it works:
Leads with a stat to grab attention
Bullet points improve scannability
Names brands for credibility
News article
Topic:“New Study Links Screen Time to Sleep Disorders in Teens”
Weak:“A new study shows that teens who use screens before bed might have trouble sleeping. Researchers say this is a growing problem.”
Strong:“Teens with 3+ hours of nightly screen time are 5x more likely to develop insomnia, per a Harvard Medical School study. Key findings:
Blue light delays melatonin by 90 minutes.
Social media (not gaming) is the worst offender.
Solutions: ‘Screen curfews’ and orange-light filters.”
Why it works:
Quantifies risk (“5x more likely”)
Debunks myths (“social media vs. gaming”)
Offers solutions (not just problems)
Case study
Topic:“How Company Z Increased Sales by 200% with Email Marketing”
Weak:“Company Z used email marketing to grow their sales. This case study explains what they did and the results they got.”
Strong:“Company Z turned $5K/month into $15K/month in 6 months using:
Segmented lists (3x higher open rates)
Abandoned-cart emails (recovered 12% of lost sales)
Start with the most valuable info (stats, results, or a bold claim).
Use numbers (steps, percentages, time) to add credibility.
Match the format to the content type (bullets for reports, emojis for social media).
Avoid vague language (“some tips” → “3 proven strategies”).
Here’s a pro tip for you: Test your summary by asking yourself if it would make you click/read more. Does it work even if you skip the full content?
Summaries vs. intros, conclusions, titles, and meta descriptions
There are other options to help readers and search engines quickly understand your content. What’s the difference between these? Titles and meta descriptions are for getting people to click from the SERP, while summaries are for readers already on your content.
Element
Purpose
Length
Audience
Example
Title
Grabs attention; tells readers (and search engines) what the content is about.
50-60 chars (SEO ideal)
Searchers + readers
“How to Write a Summary in 5 Steps (With Examples)”
Introduction
Hooks the reader; sets up the topic and why it matters.
1-3 paragraphs
Readers (and search engines)
“Struggling to keep readers engaged? A strong summary can double your content’s impact—here’s how to write one.”
Summary
Condenses main points for quick understanding.
3-5 sentences
Readers who skim
“Learn the 5 rules for summaries: cut fluff, lead with key points, use keywords, and match your content’s tone.”
Conclusion
Wraps up; often includes a CTA or final thought.
1 paragraph
Readers who finish the piece
“Now that you know how to summarize effectively, try rewriting an old post’s summary and track the difference in engagement.”
Meta desc.
Encourages clicks from search results.
~150-160 chars
Search engines + potential visitors
“Master the art of writing summaries with this step-by-step guide. Improve readability, SEO, and reader retention in minutes.”
Benefits and pitfalls of using AI for summaries
One of the best ways of using AI in your work is to use it to summarize content. It’s almost what it was designed to do. AI tools like Yoast AI Summarize can draft summaries in seconds. Of course, you need to keep an eye on the outcome and adjust where needed.
Benefits
There are many benefits to using AI to generate summaries.
The AI is fast: AI can generate a summary almost instantly
It’s consistent: The AI works very consistently based on your rules
It’s an additional content check: If it stumbles, your content’s points are not clear
Pitfalls
Using AI has a lot of benefits, but also risks.
Results might lack nuance or miss a certain emphasis or humor
It can also come out sounding very robotic or boring
It might focus on the wrong things, so it could highlight minor points instead of critical ones
Best practices for using AI to generate summaries
Always use AI as a starting point, then compare the AI summary to your key messages. If it needs adjusting, edit the summary for accuracy, tone, and flow. Then test it to learn if it makes sense alone.
In the real world, this would mean installing an AI plugin on your WordPress site or using Yoast SEO’s AI Summarize feature. Open an article on your site and add the Yoast AI Summary block. Have it generate a summary based on your article. Check the outcome and refine it to sound human and align with your goals.
Key takeaways generated by Yoast AI Summarize
Conclusion
A strong summary aims to please two different consumers: first, the readers who want quick answers and search engines that reward clarity and readability. Writing a good summary is all about keeping it short, direct, and keyword aware. Avoid fluff and focus on the key takeaways.
Today, it’s fine to use AI to help you with summaries, but always check them. If you are not happy, edit them.
Here’s a nice exercise: Find an old post, write a new summary based on these learnings, and see if engagement picks up. Often, it’s the small tweaks that have the biggest impact.
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Pinterest is rolling out Top of Search ads, a new ad format that places brands directly in the first 10 slots of search results and Related Pins, where nearly half of user clicks occur.
Shopping on Pinterest is inherently visual, and most searches on the platform (96%) are unbranded according to Pinterest. That makes the top of search results a prime spot for discovery – and for brands to reach consumers who are open to new products.
Why we care. Pinterest’s Top of Search ads put your products in front of shoppers at the most valuable moment: when they’re actively browsing but not yet brand-committed. With nearly all searches unbranded, the format offers a powerful way to win new customers and outperform competitors. Early testing shows significant performance lifts, making it a high-return opportunity for brands looking to drive both visibility and conversions.
How it works. Top of Search ads ensure a brand’s products are featured where shopping journeys often begin. The new format also includes a brand-exclusive ad unit that highlights an advertiser’s catalog, giving products prominent placement over competitors.
Early results. According to Pinterest:
Top of Search ads have driven a 29% higher average CTR compared to standard campaigns.
Top of Search ads are 32% more likely to attract new clickers.
Wayfair, an early tester, reported a 237% CTR lift in just two weeks compared to its typical campaigns.
Between the lines. For advertisers, Top of Search ads offer a way to intercept undecided shoppers earlier in their journey, effectively turning Pinterest’s visual-first search into a new performance channel.
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Wondering why your site’s not ranking or showing up in large language model (LLM) results, even though your content is solid?
The answer might be backlinks. Specifically, the lack of high-quality ones.
Tools like ChatGPT and Google’s AI Overviews are starting to summarize answers without always linking to a source. That means fewer clicks, more brand mentions, and a big shift in how SEOs need to think about authority.
It’s important to remember, though, quality backlinks are still one of the strongest signals of trust and relevance even as search evolves. They play a key role in how Google evaluates which brands earn visibility and can increase the chances of a source being cited or surfaced in AI-generated answers.
If you want to show up in AI Overviews, earn brand mentions, or rank higher in organic search, you need a solid backlink strategy: one that’s built on quality, not shortcuts.
Let’s break down what that looks like in 2025, and exactly how to do it.
Key Takeaways
High-quality backlinks still matter, even in an AI-driven search world.
One link from a trusted, relevant source beats 100 weak ones.
Quantity and quality both have a place in your strategy, but quality should lead.
You can earn strong links through content, partnerships, and digital PR.
Smart SEO means earning links by adding value, not tricking Google.
Why Building Backlinks Is Important
Backlinks are votes of confidence for your site. Each tells Google, “Hey, this content’s worth checking out!”
Sites with more (and better) backlinks tend to rank higher. In fact, a study from last year noted that over 96% of websites ranking in Google’s top 10 positions had more than 1,000 backlinks from unique domains.
But—and this is a big one—not all backlinks are created equal.
Low-quality links from shady sites can hurt your content more than help. What you want are editorial, relevant, and trusted backlinks that align with your content and brand. These quality links can:
With that in mind, how do you know the difference between a high-quality backlink and a poor one?
What Makes A Quality Backlink?
High-quality backlinks check three boxes:
Relevance: The linking site is topically related to yours. Backlinks from respected tech blogs to your AI tool are good as gold.
Authority: The linking domain has strong credibility and trust. Think of industry publications, .edu sites, or even top-ranking competitors.
Natural placement: You’ve earned this link editorially. No one paid for it or jammed it into a comment thread.
As Alex Horowitz, Digital PR Specialist at NP Digital, explains: “A good backlink comes from a site with solid domain authority (DA 35+), consistent organic traffic of at least 1,000 visitors a month, and content that’s trustworthy and relevant to the client. A poor backlink opportunity usually is on sites with little to no traffic, low authority, or content that feels spammy or off-topic. If the link won’t add value for readers or align naturally with the brand, it’s likely not worth pursuing.”
There are other bonus factors to consider, too. Keyword-rich anchor text, used sparingly, can help. So does placement high in the page’s content. The signals are even better if the page linking to you has strong traffic or links.
Getting these links takes work, but the payoff lasts for a long time.
The Quality vs Quantity Backlink Debate
How many backlinks do you need? This is a common question, and the answer is every SEO’s favorite:
“It depends.”
Do you need hundreds of backlinks? Not really.
Would you like to earn hundreds of great backlinks? Absolutely.
Quality and quantity both matter, but quality always wins. Quantity helps build a diverse link profile, especially from mid-tier, niche, or enthusiast sites. Quality delivers the real authority, trust, and rankings boost.
The problem is when people and marketers chase quantity for the sake of it by buying links, trading links, or spamming blog comments. That behavior isn’t just unsustainable, it’s unwelcome. It’ll tank your reputation among those sites you want cachet from and won’t help your rankings long-term.
Tips to Build Quality Backlinks
We know backlinks matter. We know good backlinks matter. How do we get them?
Never fear. These 14 tried-and-true strategies can help you earn high-quality backlinks in 2025 and beyond.
1. Emphasize What Benefits the Site Gets
Asking specific sites to link to you can work, but it requires being strategic. When reaching out, make it about them, not you. Instead of asking, “Can you link to my blog post?” you might try a message like,
“Your readers might find this guide helpful. It includes a breakdown that expands on your section about [topic].”
Show them the value their audience will get. If it plugs into content already performing well for them, even better.
2. Write Relevant and Competitive Content
People don’t link to average content. They link to the best. That means standing out among the crowded pack. What does that look like?
Go deep. Cover the topic more thoroughly than your competitors.
Add visuals, statistics, and original research.
Include expert quotes or insights.
Match search intent. Don’t write a blog post when searchers want a product comparison.
No matter what you create, ensure your content reflects E-E-A-T: experience, expertise, authority, and trustworthiness.
You should be able to find several ways to make your content stand apart from the existing results, whether that’s creating a more in-depth and actionable article or citing research no one else has.
That’s the exact approach my digital marketing agency used to get 20 top-tier media links like CNBC and Retail Wire for one of our clients in the personal finance industry.
We created a data-driven asset that resonated with a large audience and was different from anything else out there. This allowed us to pitch to dozens of relevant media outlets that were more than happy to give us a link in return for a good story.
3. Prove Your Site Is Legitimate
Getting links is a lot easier if your website positions you as a professional, trustworthy, and legitimate organization.
There are several elements that signify trust, and I recommend including as many of them as possible:
HTTPS certification (as well as other certificates)
A branded domain
High-quality web design
Links to your social profiles
Contact information, including the address of your company
E-E-A-T signals like an about page, editorial standards, and author bios.
You can see I’ve got almost all of these elements in place in my website’s footer:
4. Make Your Pitches Short
Want to increase the response rate of your pitches? Practice brevity to make it easy for recipients to understand your pitch.
There are many single lines, and it’s easy to find and click on the links. The email is to the point, and there’s no question what it’s about.
Here’s my advice for making your pitches concise and clear:
Keep paragraphs to two sentences or fewer
Write no more than five sentences
Use bullet points and bold font to make it easy for readers to spot the key points
State what you are asking for clearly
5. Leverage Digital PR
Digital PR (DPR) may initially feel like a focus on building a personal brand, but that’s not the real focus. Instead, consider creating newsworthy stories for journalists, bloggers, and industry outlets to cover and link to.
This matters because PR campaigns can often land backlinks from the highest-authority sites; places like Forbes, TechCrunch, or industry trade publications are significant wins. Those links carry way more weight than dozens of smaller blogs.
Here’s how to use it:
Data-driven stories: Package up survey results or industry insights. Journalists love citing fresh numbers.
Expert commentary: Offer quick takes on trending news. Tools like HARO or Qwoted connect you with reporters in real time.
Unique hooks: Tie your brand to bigger conversations. For example, a fintech startup might publish a “State of Student Debt in 2025” report.
High-quality backlinks come when your story provides genuine value to readers and publishers. A strong DPR campaign earns more than mentions. You get citations that boost rankings.
6. Do an Original Study
Original research is often a backlink magnet. Why? Because everyone needs data to support their content, and they’d rather cite your study than come up with their own.
You don’t need to be a research firm to pull this off, though. Here’s how:
Run a survey with your customers or audience.
Use public datasets and analyze them in a new way.
Combine anonymized data from your own tools (if applicable).
For example, look at my agency’s route when building links for a logistics client. We used multiple, varying datasets to see how different roadside restaurants in America compared to one another for truck drivers and roadtrippers.
The trick is to tell a compelling story with your data, the kind journalists will want to write about. In our case, every driver wants to know the best place to stop, and the geo-specific nature of the report meant local news outlets could report on truck stops in their state.
As a result, we garnered over 1,400 shares, likes, and comments across social media, a massive amount for such a niche industry. We also won a host of new rankings like “best truck stop food”.
7. Create an Infographic or Original Image
Infographics aren’t dead. They’re just evolved. In 2025, they’re bite-sized knowledge hubs that provide real value to readers.
These visuals are often easier to share, embed, and link to than walls of text. A great infographic travels across social media and blogs and can even get picked up by news outlets.
Here’s how to do it right:
Use tools like Canva or Venngage to create professional designs.
Focus on one core statistic, process, or concept. Don’t cram everything in.
Include embed codes so other sites can easily share and link back.
Look at this infographic example from Venngage that talks about the psychological impact of font choices on audiences. It’s a pretty robust dive into the typography of several popular Netflix shows and how title choices can play with mood and genre:
This one’s simple, but it works. Companies love showcasing happy customers. When they feature your testimonial on their site, they usually link back to you. Here’s how to make it happen:
Reach out to SaaS tools, agencies, or vendors you use.
Offer a detailed testimonial that highlights specific results.
Make sure to include your full name, role, and website.
See examples below from MarketHire:
These links aren’t just filler. They come from trusted, established brands that want to show off real customer success. That credibility makes them high-value backlinks, and all you did was share your experience.
9. Link Externally and Then Reach Out
Linking out to other sites doesn’t mean you’re giving away visibility. The trick is to follow through. Here’s how this works:
Write a blog post and naturally link to a relevant site, tool, or expert.
Reach out to the site or personality and tell them they’ve been included.
Start a conversation. Eventually, they may return the favor with a backlink.
You can strengthen this strategy with your own internal linking. Google sees that your page is well-connected both internally and externally, boosting your crawlability and authority.
This is not an overnight backlink hack. Instead, it’s a trust-building move that snowballs into collaborations, mentions, and citations from quality sites.
10. Comment on Other Relevant Blog and Social Posts
Comments on blogs and social media posts are a great way to build relationships with people in your industry and occasionally snag yourself a backlink.
But before you start passionately commenting on posts and throwing out backlinks everywhere, let me explain something.
You might occasionally have an opportunity to include a backlink in your comment. However, the comment should primarily focus on building a mutual relationship with the author:
If you don’t know what to say, make the author’s day.
If you want to share a bit more, you can add some meaningful insight into the topic at hand.
If you want to craft a comment that merits a response from the author and helps build the relationship, add your own commentary to the discussion.
Here’s an example from Leanne Wong on how a comment can start a conversation that might lead to a backlink:
Whatever you do, add value with your comment. The more value you can add, the stronger your relationship will become— and that’s a recipe for a future backlink if ever I saw one.
11. Align Social Signals
If you’re serious about building out your link building strategy and rising through the ranks, then aligning social signals is a must.
Social signals communicate to search engines how active and updated your website is. The more active your website, the better your rankings. You’ll notice I link to all of my social profiles in the footer of this website and keep them all updated:
You may not have the time to leverage every single social platform. In that case, choose one or two that you can keep up with, and post at least once a day on the platforms you’ve chosen.
Check that all of the information on your social profiles matches the information on your website. The company name, address, and phone number need to be aligned to communicate to search engines that your website is up to date.
This is a simple but effective way to build your rankings with very little extra work.
12. Find What’s Newsworthy
Timing is everything. If you can tie your content to breaking stories or trends, you can increase your odds of earning backlinks from journalists and bloggers covering it. Seek out opportunities in the following spots:
Picture this: Google rolls out a major algorithm update, and an SEO agency could publish a quick analysis within 24 hours. Journalists writing about the update may cite that content, earning authoritative backlinks.
Prefer a real life example?
My agency used this tactic to get backlinks from sites like The New York Times and The Atlantic for our client in the entertainment industry. Competitor research told us that a rival website had a lot of high authority backlinks to a page where fans could watch a trending television show from our client. But the link sent users to a broken page.
Our strategy was simple. We contacted every linking publisher and asked them to swap the broken link for our client’s, letting fans actually watch the show.
13. Find Brand Mentions
People may already be talking about your brand but not linking to it. That’s low-hanging fruit.
“Hey [Name], thanks for mentioning us in your piece on [Topic]. Would you mind adding a link so readers can easily find the resource?”
These links are easy wins. The writer already trusts you enough to mention your brand—now you’re just helping readers (and your SEO) with a clickable source.
14. Look At Competitor Backlink Profiles
Your competitors’ backlinks are a roadmap for your strategy. If it’s working for them, it could work for you. But how do you start and what should you look for?
Use Ubersuggest, Ahrefs, or Semrush to pull competitor backlink reports.
Examine their homepage links, most-linked blogs, and referral domains.
Identify patterns: Are they earning links from industry directories? Guest posts? Data-driven reports?
Once you know what they’re doing, ask the big question:
Can I create something better?
If your competitor earned a link for “2024 Social media Trends,” why not publish a deeper “2025 Social media Playbook?” Provide more value. Pitch it to the same sites.
Competitor backlinks are more than insights. Use them as valuable opportunities for growth and wins.
Writing the Pitch to Get Your Backlink
Your content or idea may be strong, but the pitch determines whether you actually earn that backlink.
Today’s editors, journalists, and site owners are bombarded with outreach. Generic templates don’t cut it. A valuable pitch is:
Short and personal: Under 100 words, customized for the recipient.
Value-driven: Show how your resource improves their article or helps their readers.
Clear: Include the exact link and context—don’t make them dig.
Credible: Reference your expertise, unique data, or why you’re a trusted source.
Timely: Tie your pitch to something current—like a trending topic or recent update.
Here’s an example of a pitch that works in 2025:
Hi [Name], I really enjoyed your recent piece on [Topic]. I noticed you mentioned [related stat], and we just released a new study with fresh data on this in 2025. I thought it might add value for your readers. Here’s the link: [URL]. Would you consider including it?
This kind of outreach blends relevance, authority, and timeliness: the same qualities that make backlinks valuable in the first place.
FAQs
How to get quality backlinks?
Use digital PR, original studies, expert content, and smart outreach strategies. Focus on building real relationships and offering value, not tricks.
How many high quality backlinks do I need?
For those in competitive spaces like finance or software, more high-quality backlinks will help you stand out. But it’s not just about the overall total. A good benchmark for many key pages is 20-30 strong backlinks. This number can make a real difference. Even five to 10 backlinks from top-tier domains can beat out hundreds from low-authority sources.
What is a high quality backlink?
It’s a link from a trusted, authoritative site relevant to your content and placed editorially.
How can I leverage social media to build backlinks?
Promote your content, join conversations, and tag influencers. When people see and share your content, backlinks tend to follow.
Is it okay to pay for backlinks?
Technically, it’s against Google’s guidelines. Tread carefully and focus on sponsored content, not spammy link buys.
How do I approach website owners to request backlinks ethically?
Be personal, brief, and helpful. Show them why linking to your resource benefits their readers.
How can I identify websites that are relevant and authoritative for link building?
Look for sites in your niche with real traffic, strong content, and domain authority (DA). Tools like Ubersuggest or Ahrefs help.
Conclusion on How to Get Backlinks
If you focus on creating content worth linking to and getting it in front of the right people, you’ll earn links that matter. These links improve rankings, boost traffic, and build long-term authority.
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OpenAI is launching Instant Checkout inside ChatGPT to Plus, Pro, and Free users in the U.S.
Users will be able to buy products from Etsy sellers.
Purchases are powered by the new Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP), co-developed with Stripe.
How it works. Users search in plain language (e.g., “gifts for a ceramics lover”). Then:
ChatGPT returns product recommendations ranked by relevance, not payment.
If an item supports Instant Checkout, users tap “Buy,” confirm shipping and payment details, and complete the order without leaving chat.
Orders, payments, and fulfillment run through the merchant’s existing systems; ChatGPT passes information securely.
Merchants pay a small transaction fee; shoppers pay no extra cost.
Between the lines. OpenAI said products are ranked only by relevance – not sponsorship or whether Instant Checkout is enabled. Merchants remain the merchant of record, keeping control over fulfillment and customer relationships.
What’s next. Coming soon, according to OpenAI:
Multi-item carts.
Expansion to Shopify’s million-plus merchants (e.g., like Glossier, SKIMS, and Spanx)
More regions beyond the U.S.
Why we care. If AI chat becomes a mainstream way for people to discover products, OpenAI is now at the start of that purchase journey. For brands or businesses selling products, this could mean a new channel to optimize for – one that bypasses traditional search and funnels discovery straight into checkout.
How to sign up. Merchants can apply to have their products included in ChatGPT search results and enable Instant Checkout via ACP.
Etsy and Shopify sellers are already eligible and don’t need to apply.
OpenAI is onboarding merchants on a rolling basis through an online application form.
Different from Google. OpenAI is taking a different approach than Google’s agentic search capabilities. Whereas OpenAI is going all the way to completing purchases on behalf of users, Google (for now at least) is letting users take the final conversion action.
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TikTok is introducing a new ad solution, Travel Ads powered by Smart+, designed to help brands connect with travelers during the discovery and booking phases.
Why now. Travel is one of TikTok’s fastest-growing verticals. According to internal TikTok data:
66% of users say the app is their most helpful source of travel inspiration.
Users are 2.6x more likely to book after searching on TikTok.
How it works. Travel Ads leverage TikTok’s travel intent model and catalog integration to automatically serve personalized creatives at scale. Smart+ AI powers campaign setup, creative generation, and delivery optimization, aiming to convert discovery into bookings seamlessly.
Why we care. TikTok Travel Ads put hotels, flights, and destinations in front of a massive audience already using the app for trip planning, with two-thirds calling it their top source of travel inspiration. Smart+ AI tools then streamline setup and optimization, helping brands scale personalized ads that influence bookings at the earliest, most impactful stage.
The details:
Ads can showcase hotels, flights, and destinations using dynamic, visually rich formats.
Advertisers can choose among:
Single video ads: A hero video paired with personalized travel cards (hotel name, flight route, price).
Catalog video ads: Auto-built from product catalogs with tailored calls to action.
What they’re saying. David Hoctor, TikTok’s head of US verticals for travel and gaming, said:
“Travel on TikTok goes beyond the For You feed, unlocking real-life travel experiences. Every swipe can be a step toward conversion.”
Between the lines. By integrating catalog feeds with intent signals, TikTok is pitching Travel Ads as a direct competitor to Google and Meta in the lucrative travel advertising market, where inspiration and conversion increasingly overlap.
In episode 325 of PPC Live The Podcast, I sat down with Inderpaul “Indi” Rai, group account director at WeDiscover, to explore the lessons learned from mistakes, team dynamics, and the evolving role of automation and AI in paid search.
Indi, a veteran with over a decade of experience in AdTech, MarTech, SEO, analytics, and multilingual paid search, shared candid insights on how errors can shape careers and client relationships.
Embracing mistakes to grow
Indi opened up about one of the most significant mistakes in his career: an automated budget feature in Search Ads 360 went unchecked during his holiday, resulting in the U.S. account overspending by a substantial amount.
Despite the magnitude of the error, the client’s response was surprisingly supportive – they recognized it as an honest mistake and collaborated to mitigate the impact.
Key takeaway. Mistakes are inevitable, but transparency, a calm response, and collaborative problem-solving can turn potential disasters into learning opportunities. Indi emphasizes that experiencing and managing errors is essential for personal and professional growth.
The importance of team communication and handover
Indi reflected on how the overspend could have been avoided with better team preparation:
Ensuring critical information isn’t solely in the manager’s head.
Documenting handovers thoroughly and leaving room for junior team members to step in effectively.
Establishing multiple layers of oversight to prevent single points of failure.
He stressed that team members should feel empowered to act and communicate when issues arise, even if the manager is unavailable. In his experience, the junior team caught the overspend themselves and waited for Indi’s return rather than panicking – a testament to clear communication and a supportive team culture.
Lesson for managers: Maintain composure during crises, focus on solutions over blame, and ensure your team knows their role in resolving issues.
Automation and AI: Tools, not crutches
The discussion turned to automation and AI, where Indi shared practical advice:
Treat AI as an assistant, not a replacement. Blind reliance on AI can lead to errors, especially if users don’t understand the subject matter.
Always validate outputs and run rigorous testing before implementing AI-driven changes. He cited an example from his past work rewriting product descriptions: AI produced repetitive, generic content that wasn’t an improvement over the original, highlighting the need for careful oversight.
Automation can enhance efficiency but requires clear rules, regular checks, and accountability to prevent mistakes like unmonitored budget overspend.
Insight. Automation amplifies efficiency but cannot replace thoughtful human oversight and strategic decision-making.
Client relationships matter
A recurring theme in Indi’s story was the importance of cultivating strong client relationships. The supportive response of a previously “difficult” client revealed that mutual respect, trust, and proven value can turn challenging situations into opportunities for stronger partnerships.
Lessons in leadership and mindset
Indi also shared broader reflections applicable beyond PPC:
Resilience matters: he likened his career journey to Rocky, emphasizing that success isn’t about avoiding hits but about how you respond and keep moving forward.
Learning through experience: setbacks are essential; they teach you to handle pressure, improve processes, and grow professionally.
Balanced guidance: leaders should manage crises calmly, focus on facts, and support their teams without panicking.
From mistakes to momentum
The conversation underscores that mistakes are not the end – they are a catalyst for learning, collaboration, and improvement.
From automation missteps to client communication, Indi’s insights provide a roadmap for PPC professionals aiming to thrive in a fast-evolving industry.
Whether refining handovers, managing automation, or responsibly leveraging AI, the core lesson remains the same: anticipate errors, respond calmly, communicate clearly, and use each experience to build stronger teams and smarter processes.
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Thanks to AI-generated answers, CTRs are failing fast, and even page-one rankings no longer guarantee clicks. Google’s top organic results saw a 32% CTR drop after AI Overviews launched, plummeting from 28% to 19%. Position #2 fared even worse, with a 39% decline. Meanwhile, 60% of searches in 2024 ended without clicks; also, the projections show zero-click searches could surpass 70% by 2025. What does this mean for measuring success?
AI-generated answers are drastically reducing CTRs, with top rankings seeing significant declines in clicks.
Traditional SEO metrics are no longer sufficient; marketers should adopt AI-powered SEO metrics to measure influence and visibility.
Six new metrics, including AI brand mention rate and semantic relevance score, provide insights into AI-driven search success.
Businesses must optimize for Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) by ensuring content clarity and authority for AI responses.
Tracking AI visibility and implementing structured data are essential for maintaining brand relevance in an AI-first search landscape.
The era of measuring SEO success purely through traffic metrics is coming to a standstill. AI systems like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s AI Overviews and AI Mode deliver instant answers; therefore, brand visibility increasingly happens without clicks. Marketers will turn to AI-enabled discoverability metrics that capture actual influence.
This guide explains why it’s important to go beyond CTR. It reveals six AI metrics that predict success in AI-driven search, plus strategies to measure and optimize your visibility when clicks disappear.
How does this disrupt traditional SEO?
Google’s AI Overviews (and similar features on Bing, etc.) generate a concise, multi-sentence answer at the top of the results page. These summaries cite source links, pulling content from high-ranking pages and knowledge panels. To the user, this is convenient: you get an instant answer without scrolling.
For marketers, however, it means the user’s query can be resolved on-page. From the publisher’s standpoint, these overviews satisfy search intent without generating a click, effectively extending the trend of zero-click searches. In other words, the page may be used (quoted in the answer) but not clicked.
AI Overviews significantly accelerate zero-click behavior. A finding suggests that zero-click searches jumped from ~24% to 27% year-on-year in early 2025. A Bain survey reports that about 60% of searches end without users clicking through to another site.
In practice, organic listing CTRs are under siege. Top-ranked pages are losing share because AI answers capture attention. We see that Google’s new summarization features are faster and more convenient, which might mean that these become the default way people search, shifting discovery away from traditional blue links.
Evidence of a drastic CTA decline
Multiple independent studies show massive CTR drops wherever AI summaries appear. Recent industry data paints a stark picture of CTR decline across prominent search positions:
Position
2024 CTR
2025 CTR
Decline
1
28.0%
19.0%
-32%
2
20.8%
12.6%
-39%
3-5 Average
15.2%
12.5%
-18%
This data, compiled from over 200,000 keywords across 30+ websites, coincides directly with Google’s aggressive AI Overview expansion. From just 10,000 triggering keywords in August 2024, AI Overviews now appear for over 172,000 queries by May 2025. In practical terms, a top-ranking page that used to draw nearly three out of 100 searchers now gets under one.
Paid search is hit, too. In one study, paid CTR roughly halved in queries with AI Overviews: dropping from 21.27% without an AIO to 9.87%. In other words, even ads share the fate of organic results, AI answers grab a lot of the click-through “real estate.”
These shifts mean many queries that once sent healthy website traffic now keep users on the SERP. In short, AI Overviews are dragging down CTRs significantly across positions and query types.
AI Overviews are the zero-click accelerator
Google’s AI Overviews represent more than a UI change because they reshape user search behavior. When AI Overviews appear:
Organic CTR drops 70% (from 2.94% in the previous year to 0.84% in 2025)
Paid CTR falls 54% (from 21.27% to 9.87%)
Featured content gets answered directly without requiring website visits
Major publishers report even more dramatic impacts. MailOnline found that CTRs plummeted to under 5% on desktop and 7% on mobile when AI Overviews were present, a blow to traffic-dependent business models.
These drops aren’t limited to one sector. Industries heavily reliant on informational queries (health, science, how-to guides, etc.) report the biggest hit. For instance, Semrush notes that sites in health and science categories see the most AI Overview inclusion and significant organic traffic losses.
AI Overviews primarily trigger informational and long-tail queries (definitions, tutorials, general knowledge), precisely the traffic that blogs, knowledge bases, and affiliate sites depend on.
The evidence is clear. Zero-click search is rapidly rising, and organic CTRs are falling wherever AI-powered answers are available.
What CTRs miss in the AI search era?
Traditional CTR metrics miss a big part of the picture: invisible brand exposure. Your brand may be mentioned in AI responses without generating a single click, highlighted in knowledge panels without direct attribution, or recommended through voice search on smart devices. Even AI-generated summaries from platforms like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Gemini draw on your content. These shape user perception without leaving a measurable trail.
The false correlation problem
High CTR no longer equals high visibility in AI systems. Consider this example:
Brand A ranks #1 organically, receives 500 monthly clicks
Brand B gets cited in 50 AI Overview responses, receives 50 clicks
Traditional metrics favor Brand A, but Brand B influences thousands more users through AI
This disconnect means businesses optimizing solely for CTR may miss massive audience reach in AI environments.
These numbers confirm the trend. A large (and growing) chunk of search queries never leads to an external click, instead being resolved by AI/Google. This doesn’t mean all organic traffic is lost; many queries (mainly transactional, local, or brand-specific) still send clicks, but the landscape is clearly shifting toward answering directly.
Six AI LLM optimization metrics
With traditional click metrics weakening, SEO must evolve. CTRs and ranks still matter, but they’re incomplete indicators now. We must measure how content performs within AI-generated answers, even when no one clicks. As Cyberclick observed, your content might be “cited, referenced, or sourced by AI systems”, which they call zero-click visibility, yet none of that shows up in Google Search Console or analytics. In other words, your page could be the knowledge behind an answer, building authority, without any direct traffic trace.
To account for this, experts recommend new AI metrics:
1. AI brand mention rate
Definition: Frequency of brand appearances in AI-generated responses across major platforms (ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews).
This metric is critical because it has the strongest correlation with AI Overview visibility. The top 25% of brands receive over 169 monthly AI mentions, compared to just 14 for the next tier. Meanwhile, 26% of brands have zero AI mentions at all, revealing massive gaps and untapped opportunities in brand visibility.
How to measure:
Manual query testing across LLM platforms using brand-related searches
Custom monitoring scripts to track brand mentions in AI responses
Competitive benchmarking against industry leaders
Optimization tactics:
Create quotable, cite-worthy statistics and insights that AI systems prefer
Build topical authority through comprehensive content coverage
Increase web mentions across trusted, high-authority sources
Develop thought leadership content that positions your brand as an expert source
Pro tip: Yoast AI Brand Insights can help track and optimize your brand’s visibility across AI platforms, giving you actionable data to improve mention frequency and context.
2. Semantic relevance score
Definition: Measurement of content alignment with search intent through vector embeddings rather than keyword matching
This metric is critical because AI systems rely on semantic similarity rather than exact keyword matches when selecting content. It predicts the likelihood of being included in AI-generated answers across different platforms and measures how accurately content aligns with queries beyond surface-level optimization.
How to measure:
OpenAI Embedding API for content-query similarity scoring
Go Fish Digital’s Embedding Relevance Score tool for automated analysis
A/B testing content variations to identify the highest-scoring approaches
Topic clustering analysis to understand semantic relationships
Optimization tactics:
Focus on comprehensive topic coverage rather than keyword density
Use entity-based content strategies that connect related concepts
Optimize for question-answer formats that AI systems prefer
Create contextually rich content that covers user intent fully
Advanced strategy: Implement structured content hierarchies using clear H2/H3 sections that mirror how AI systems process information for responses.
3. Structured data implementation score
Definition: Percentage of pages with proper schema markup and AI-readable formatting
This is critical because AI systems strongly favor structured, machine-readable data over plain text. Schema markup improves AI comprehension, boosts the chances of being cited, and enables rich snippet appearances that reinforce visibility alongside AI Overviews.
How to measure:
Schema markup validation tools to audit implementation coverage
Percentage of key pages with relevant structured data types
Rich snippet appearance tracking across target queries
Technical SEO audits focusing on markup completeness
Optimization tactics:
Implement FAQ and HowTo schemas for informational content
Use comprehensive schema types (Organization, Product, Service, Review)
Create clean, markdown-friendly content formats that AI can easily parse
Optimize internal linking structure to support entity relationships
Note: Yoast SEO Premium includes advanced schema implementation features that can automate much of this optimization process.
4. Citation quality index
Definition: Quality weighting of attributed mentions and source links in AI responses
This index is critical because it fuels both traffic and trust within AI recommendation systems. Quality citations strengthen brand authority in LLM training, while linked references deliver three times more value than unlinked mentions.
How to measure:
Track citations with proper source attribution across AI platforms
Monitor the authority scores of sites that cite your content
Measure click-through rates from AI citations when available
Create authoritative, research-backed content that merits citation
Build relationships with industry publications and thought leaders
Optimize content for “cite sources” inclusion with clear attribution
Develop proprietary data and insights that become go-to industry references
Advanced tracking: Use tools like Brand24 or Mention.com to monitor unlinked brand citations that may influence AI training without generating trackable links.
5. Query match coverage
Definition: Breadth of related queries where your content appears in AI responses
Query match coverage is essential because AI systems favor comprehensive topical coverage over a narrow focus. And broader query coverage indicates higher entity authority. It also predicts inclusion across multiple AI response types and platforms
How to measure:
Topic clustering analysis to map query coverage
Competitive content gap analysis to identify opportunities
Query coverage mapping across your content portfolio
Definition: Average placement position of your brand/content within AI-generated responses
AI positioning score matters because earlier placement in AI responses gets far more attention. First-position mentions see up to three times higher engagement, and strong positioning directly boosts perceived brand authority.
How to measure:
Track the mention position across AI responses manually
Calculate the average placement across multiple queries over time
Monitor position trends to identify optimization success
Benchmark positioning against direct competitors
Optimization tactics:
Optimize content for primary source citation by AI systems
Build first-party research and proprietary data that AI prefers
Create definitive resources that become category authorities
Focus on expertise signals (author credentials, source authors)
Why CTR still matters (and how to optimize it)
Even as AI visibility metrics rise in importance, CTR still plays a crucial role. Clicks directly drive conversions and sales, making them essential for revenue. A strong CTR also signals clear content-query alignment, which boosts overall visibility. Over time, pages with consistently higher CTR often gain better placement in AI-generated citations, which creates an advantage.
CTR optimization in the AI era
Write for click-desire, not just keywords
Today, writing for click desire is more important than ever. Instead of focusing only on keywords, craft curiosity-driven headlines that promise insights users won’t find in AI summaries. Pair these with benefit-focused meta descriptions that highlight exclusive value, and tease proprietary data or tools that can only be accessed on your site.
Enhanced SERP presentation
Equally important is how your content presents itself in the SERPs. Comprehensive schema markup can unlock rich snippets, while optimized title tags and emotionally engaging meta descriptions help your results stand out. Structured snippets are also powerful for showcasing your unique selling propositions directly on the results page.
Mobile optimization
Finally, mobile optimization ensures that once users click, they stay engaged. Fast page load speeds provide immediate satisfaction, while scannable content structures make information easy to digest on smaller screens. Queries here often carry higher intent, making them a valuable source of qualified clicks.
Curious to know how AI sees your brand?
Unlock instant AI brand visibility insights, track mentions, and boost your authority with our Yoast SEO AI+ package.
Traditional SEO is shifting fast. With AI-driven search platforms like Google’s AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity shaping results, businesses now need to optimize for Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) or Answer Engine Optimization (AEO).
In simple terms: Instead of fighting for clicks on SERPs, the new goal is to have your content chosen as trusted source material in AI-generated answers.
What GEO/AEO means for your content
AI-powered search engines “read” and select content differently from Google’s classic algorithm. They prioritize:
Clarity & structure → short, factual sentences
Explicit answers → direct responses to common queries
Scannable formats → helpful headings, bullet lists, and one idea per paragraph
Here’s what many miss: AI Overviews strip away logos, design, and slogans. All that remains is text. That means your brand identity must live in your words.
To stand out in AI-generated answers:
Use brand-specific language and stories
Strengthen authority with schema markup and citations
Make sure your brand’s voice and expertise come through clearly
This is where AI Brand Insights comes in. This feature will:
Track how AI assistants mention your brand.
Show how your business is represented in AI-generated answers.
Help refine your brand narrative in the age of AI search.
In short: GEO isn’t about SERP position alone; it’s about what AI “knows” and shows about your brand.
See how visible your brand is in AI search
Track mentions, sentiment, and AI visibility. With Yoast AI Brand Insights, you can start monitoring and growing your brand.
CTRs remain essential but insufficient for measuring true search success
AI brand mentions and citation quality predict long-term visibility better than traditional rankings
Structured data and semantic optimization determine inclusion in the AI-generated responses
Multi-platform visibility tracking is essential as search behavior fragments across AI tools
Ready to optimize visibility in AI search?
The transformation to AI-powered search is already here. Early adopters who implement comprehensive AI visibility measurement today will establish competitive advantages that build over time.
Start tracking your AI mentions immediately using the frameworks outlined above. Audit your content for AI-friendliness and implement structured data optimization. Most importantly, build authority through comprehensive topic coverage and citation-worthy insights that position your brand as an industry authority across traditional search and AI platforms.
The brands that thrive in the next decade will not be those with the highest CTRs; they will be the ones that understand how to build influence and visibility in an AI-first search world.
September marked seismic shifts for digital marketers. Google launched user-controlled preferred sources. TikTok’s search ads started delivering 2x purchase lift. AI tools cited Reddit more than Wikipedia. Meta rolled out culture-first targeting that actually works.
These aren’t incremental tweaks but major changes with how visibility works across every platform that matters.
Key Takeaways
Google’s “Preferred Sources” changes mean visibility now depends on user opt-in, not just algorithmic SEO.
Community platforms like Reddit are leading the way in LLM citations, AI trusts people more than publishers.
TikTok is officially a bottom-funnel platform. Search ads are driving 2x purchase lift.
Influencer marketing is evolving, from content partners to product creators and campaign co-leads.
LinkedIn is now delivering measurable B2B ROI and rewarding volume with visibility.
Generative SEO requires structured, comprehensive content and strong off-site signals to earn citations.
Google Gives Users More Control—And Publishers More Uncertainty
Google’s new “Preferred Sources” feature lets users choose which publishers they want to see in their Top Stories feed. Right now it’s only live in the U.S. and India, but the ripple effect could be global.
Why it matters: Google just changed the rules. Algorithm optimization isn’t enough anymore, users decide who gets seen. Publishers banking on SEO alone will lose traffic to brands that earn the opt-in.
What to do:
Add a “Make us your preferred source on Google” CTA to blogs, email footers, and resource pages.
Incentivize returning users through newsletters or community content.
Don’t assume visibility is earned by merit alone anymore. Earn the opt-in.
Google’s Spam Update Tightens the Screws
The August 2025 spam update started rolling out late in the month, and it’s still shaking things up. Cloaked content, hacked sites, thin AI pages, Google’s targeting them all.
Why it matters: Google’s first spam update in eight months targeted the obvious stuff, which isn’t a surprise. But I’m seeing legitimate sites get hit for “over-optimization.” Google’s tolerance for search-first content is shrinking fast.
What to do:
Audit your thin content and internal links for anything that feels “search-first.”
Replace AI filler with genuine perspective or proprietary data.
Watch for ranking drops that point to a need for quality upgrades, not technical fixes.
Why it matters: Meta isn’t hiding its priorities. This signals a possible shift to Reels-first UX across all devices. If it performs well on tablet, expect mobile and desktop to follow. Short-form video is becoming Instagram’s front door.
What to do:
Monitor Reels metrics for signs of boosted distribution.
Prioritize thumb-stopping video formats with strong hooks.
Keep visuals mobile-first, but prep higher-res assets for larger screens.
Focus Friend Hits #1—Influencer-Built, Not Just Backed
Hank Green’s Focus Friend, an ADHD productivity app, soared to #1 on the App Store—outranking ChatGPT, Threads, and Google itself.
Why it matters: This goes beyond just influencer reach. It’s a blueprint for product-led storytelling. When creators build tools rooted in their audience’s needs, they win big.
What to do:
Co-create with creators early, ideally pre-launch.
Think of influencers as collaborators, not just promoters.
Build products with shareability and emotional design.
Meta Leans Into Culture-Led Ad Targeting
Meta is expanding Reels trending ads, rolling out new Threads formats, and extending value-based bidding rules to brand campaigns.
Why it matters: Meta’s new targeting focuses on trending topics and cultural moments, not just age and location data.
What to do:
Build creative that aligns with trending topics or cultural moments.
Use value rules to allocate budget based on predicted conversion quality.
Test Threads ad formats before competition drives up CPMs.
Reddit is AI’s Most Cited Source
SEMrush analyzed 150,000 AI-generated responses and found Reddit is cited more than Wikipedia, YouTube, and traditional websites combined.
Why it matters: Generative AI tools trust communities over content farms. If you’re ignoring Reddit, you’re invisible to AI discovery tools.
What to do:
Audit where your brand shows up in Reddit conversations.
Engage authentically in niche threads—don’t spam.
Use Reddit as a visibility play for both SEO and LLM inclusion.
Top Strategies for LLM Visibility: Structure, Schema, Mentions
Organic Labs analyzed over 10,000 LLM responses to crack the code on AI citations. The winning formula: clear content structure (FAQs, bullets), schema markup, and consistent brand mentions across the web.
Why it matters: This moves generative SEO (GEO) out of theory and into actionable strategy. We have data-backed tactics now that marketers can start putting into action.
What to do:
Add FAQs, bullets, and concise summaries to long-form content.
Use schema to identify key entities and page context.
Build brand mentions through digital PR, digital citations, and guest content.
TikTok Search Ads Deliver 2x Purchase Lift
TikTok isn’t just an awareness tool anymore. Their Search Ads are now driving 2.2x lift in purchases for enterprise advertisers, with 86% of Gen Z searching on the platform weekly.
Why it matters: Search volume is up 40% year-over-year. TikTok has become a discovery engine where intent meets inspiration—users search out of curiosity and convert through creativity.
Target curiosity-driven keywords, not just branded terms
Create discovery-moment content that answers “how” and “why” questions
Influencers Join Super Bowl Creative Teams
Brands are integrating creators into Super Bowl 2026 campaigns, not just for amplification, but for strategy, storytelling, and on-site activation.
Why it matters: Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that creators are just media buys. They’re narrative architects who bring human relevance to big-budget campaigns.
What to do:
Involve influencers in campaign strategy and creative development, not just content promotion
Use them across the full event cycle: pre-launch buzz, live coverage, and post-event storytelling
Think bigger than social amplification. Creators can handle on-site activation and audience engagement
AI Still Sends Users to Broken Pages
Ahrefs found that 1% of AI-recommended URLs lead to 404s. Google’s rate? Just 0.15%. AI assistants account for just 0.25% of site traffic compared to Google’s 39%, but their error rate is six times higher.
Why it matters: AI tools are already crawling and citing your content, whether you know it or not.
What to do:
Optimize your 404 page like it’s a landing page.
Create a comprehensive sitemap that helps AI tools find and reference your best content.
Don’t sleep on technical SEO, as it could be your AI safety net.
LinkedIn Rewards Brands That Show Up
Buffer analyzed 2 million posts and found that companies posting 11+ times a week get 16,000+ more impressions. But there’s bigger news: LinkedIn Ads now show 113% ROAS—the only platform delivering positive returns across the board.
Why it matters: Frequency doesn’t just maintain reach—it multiplies it. But quantity only works when paired with quality.
What to do:
Post 3–5 times weekly at minimum.
Blend thought leadership, employee advocacy, and industry reaction.
Prioritize value, not volume.
LinkedIn’s new CAPI integration and advanced conversion tracking let B2B marketers prove pipeline impact like never before. The platform rewards volume with visibility, but only if your content sparks professional conversations.
Final Word: Visibility Is About Trust, Not Just Tactics
It’s not enough to rank. Or go viral. Or show up in someone’s inbox.
The playbook changed in September. Visibility now spans platforms, algorithms, user preferences, and AI models. And each one has its own logic, signals, and expectations.
Google wants trust. LLMs want structure and mentions. Social wants stories. Users want relevance. None of it works in isolation.
Start with three moves: Set up Preferred Sources CTAs this week, audit where your brand appears in Reddit discussions, and test TikTok Search Ads if you’re in retail or direct-to-consumer. The brands moving first on these changes will own the advantage while others catch up.
This is the new search. It’s happening everywhere. And your brand needs to be ready for it.
http://dubadosolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/dubado-logo-1.png00http://dubadosolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/dubado-logo-1.png2025-09-25 19:00:002025-09-25 19:00:00September 2025 Digital Marketing Roundup: What Changed and What You Should Do About It
