AI traffic is up 527%. SEO is being rewritten.

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For the past year, we’ve talked about how AI might change search.

That moment is over.

This is no longer a “what if” conversation. We are seeing a measurable shift in web traffic movement.

At Previsible, we analyzed LLM-driven traffic across 19 GA4 properties and found something undeniable: AI platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, Gemini, and Copilot are already influencing how users find and engage with websites.

Not in theory. In actual traffic.

  • In just five months, total AI-referred sessions jumped from 17,076 to 107,100.
    • That’s a 527% increase between January and May 2025.
  • Some SaaS sites are now seeing over 1% of all sessions coming from LLMs.
  • Traffic from ChatGPT, Claude, and others is doubling and tripling across verticals like Legal, Health, and Finance.

If you work in SEO, content, or growth strategy, this moment will feel familiar. Like when mobile-first flipped ranking factors overnight. Or when social transformed from brand garnish into a legitimate acquisition engine.

Every time the rules changed, early adopters won. This time is no different, except it’s moving faster.

So the question isn’t if AI is changing your traffic mix. It’s how much it already has, without you realizing it.

TL;DR: What you need to know about AI search

  • AI discovery is up 527%: Comparing the first 5 months of 2025 with the same time frame in 2024 we see how total sessions from LLMs (like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and, Gemini) surged from 17,076 to 107,100 across 19 GA4 properties.
  •  LLMs are already part of the user journey: Some sites, especially in SaaS, are seeing over 1% of all traffic initiated by AI results. Primarily to the bottom of funnel users and targeted prospects. 
  • High-consultive industries are leading:  Legal, Finance, SMB, Insurance, and Health make up 55% of all LLM-driven sessions, showing that users turn to AI for complex, contextual questions.
  • ChatGPT leads, but the field is widening: ChatGPT still dominates, but Perplexity, Copilot, and Gemini are gaining real traction. 
  • SEO is splitting and speeding up:  It’s no longer just about ranking in Google. You now need to earn visibility in AI assistants, summaries, and conversational UIs, and they prefer content that’s structured, clear, and genuinely helpful.

AI discovery is up 527% – and it isn’t waiting for you to rank

AI is reshaping web traffic at warp speed.

When we compared January-May 2025 to the same period in 2024, we saw total AI-sourced sessions across 19 GA4 properties jump from 17,076 to 107,100.

That’s a 527% year-over-year increase.

In one standout example, ChatGPT went from just 600 visits/month in early 2024 to over 22,000/month by May 2025.

And when you zoom in by industry, the growth in share is just as dramatic:

  • Legal: 0.37% → 0.86% of sessions from LLMs
  • Health: 0.17% → 0.56%
  • Finance and SaaS are showing similar trajectories, in some cases, exceeding 1% of total traffic

LLMs are becoming a legitimate discovery channel, and they’re doing it fast.

Why it matters:

Most SEO strategies are still stuck in the old timeline:

Optimize → Wait → Crawl → Rank → Convert

That playbook was built for Google’s crawling and indexing cycle – a system that rewards patience, backlinks, and slow iteration.

But LLMs don’t care about that process.

They don’t crawl the same way. They don’t rank in the same order. They don’t wait for your canonical tag to propagate.

They surface content immediately if it’s useful.

The only thing that matters is whether your content helps answer the user’s question in a way the model trusts.

No indexing delay. No competition for blue links. No sandbox.

Just: Is this helpful right now?

That rewires everything.

Content doesn’t need to appear at the top of Google’s SERPs to be found. It needs to be clear, structured, and cited by the model – whether in a blog, a help doc, a case study, or a knowledge base.

And it means the old mindset — publish, wait, and hope Google figures it out — is now dangerously outdated.

We’ve entered the “instant surfacing era” of SEO, where content can be discovered before it even ranks.

If your SEO strategy doesn’t account for that, you’re already behind.

Where LLM traffic is actually going: The real breakdown

Not predictions. Not vibes. Actual traffic.

In the 2025 Previsible AI Data Study, we analyzed LLM-driven sessions across 19 GA4 properties to understand where platforms like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot, and Perplexity are already influencing real user behavior.

Here’s what we found:

  • Legal topped the chart, with 0.28% of total traffic from LLMs
  • Finance followed at 0.24%, showing strong traction in regulated markets
  • Health came in at 0.15%, with a mix of ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity sources
  • SaaS showed breakout performance but only in some domains, with a selected few getting 1%+ of total sessions from LLMs

But the most important finding?

Legal, Finance, Health, SMB, and Insurance account for 55% of all LLM-sourced sessions across the dataset.

Why these five?

Because people aren’t using LLMs like search engines.

They’re asking contextual, trust-heavy, consultative questions. The kind they’d normally ask a real expert:

  • “What should I ask a lawyer before signing this contract?”
  • “Is this medication safe with XYZ conditions, XYZ personal information, and XYZ symptoms?”
  • “How do I structure payroll as a small business owner that owns a flower shop with 5 employees, 2 part-time and 3 full-time?”

These are high-context moments, and that’s where LLMs are starting to win.

So if your brand plays in a space where trust, clarity, or expertise matters, and your content isn’t optimized for AI, you’re likely missing the exact kinds of requests these models are built to answer.

Model-level insight: Who’s actually driving the traffic?

It’s not just about how much AI traffic you’re getting, but also about who’s sending it. 

Across nearly every vertical, ChatGPT is the dominant contributor, consistently driving 40–60%+ of all LLM traffic.

But this isn’t a single-player story. Other models are gaining share, especially in specific sectors:

  • Perplexity is surprisingly strong, contributing over 0.073% of Finance traffic, 0.041% in SMB, and 0.041% in Legal.
  • Copilot makes up a meaningful chunk of Legal (0.076%) and Finance (0.036%) sessions. Second only to ChatGPT in both.
  • Gemini is emerging in Insurance (0.0075%) and SMB (0.035%).
  • Claude is still marginal (<0.001% in most industries), but present across the board.

Bottom line: While ChatGPT leads, LLM discovery is becoming a multi-model landscape, and performance is beginning to vary by vertical and use case.

This has two implications:

  1. You can’t just optimize for one model. Visibility across platforms will matter more over time.
  2. Different models favor different formats, sources, and structures. Understanding how each one pulls and presents content is your next strategic edge.

How to adapt to the LLM traffic surge starting now

If you’re still treating LLMs like a 2026 conversation, you’re already behind.

The shift is no longer theoretical; it’s happening in your analytics right now. And the teams that move early will stay visible and build a lasting competitive edge.

Here’s how to respond:

1. Start tracking LLM-driven sessions, even if it’s imperfect

You can’t manage what you don’t measure.

Set UTM parameters for AI platforms. Monitor for unexplained spikes in direct traffic. Annotate content that gets surfaced in ChatGPT or Perplexity.

Look for surges in branded search that coincide with AI exposure. Start tracking mentions, not just clicks.

Attribution won’t be perfect – but waiting for standardized reporting is how you miss the wave.

2. Structure your content for AI interfaces, not just human readers

LLMs favor content that’s clean, clear, and scannable. Think bullet points, tight intros, FAQ sections, and strong summaries.

If featured snippets were SEO 2.0, this is 3.0. Answers need to perform inside a model’s response, not just on a results page.

3. Shift your mindset: from ranking to being selected

It’s not about being in position #1 – it’s about being the answer a model chooses to surface.

That means relevance, clarity, and trust signals matter more than ever.

Audit the content already being cited or linked by AI platforms and build a strategy for becoming the go-to source in your space.

If you don’t, your competitor will.

4. Make your content AI-ready across the entire funnel

This isn’t just about blogs.

Product pages, help docs, onboarding flows – every touchpoint is now eligible to be surfaced in an AI conversation.

You need cross-functional alignment between SEO, content, UX, and product teams to ensure your entire site is conversation-ready.

SEO isn’t dying – it’s evolving

SEO is splitting into two tracks: traditional search and LLM-driven discovery.

The second one is growing faster than anyone expected and it’s already rewriting how users find answers and how brands earn visibility.

Move now. Learn fast. Or get left behind.

Read more at Read More

Why your content strategy needs to move beyond SEO to drive demand

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Why your content strategy needs to move beyond SEO to drive demand

For many years, SEO has been the lifeblood of content marketing.

Keyword research, quality content, blog optimization, and organic traffic became the gospel of lead generation. 

But times have changed.

Take the Great Decoupling of organic impressions from clicks as a result of Google’s AI Overviews. 

Or the shift in user behavior away from Google search and toward LLM-powered engines, like ChatGPT. 

With these changes, and many others, how we think about content needs to change as well.

If your content strategy still relies on keyword lists and Google ranking to move the needle, you risk falling behind. 

Future-forward competitors are learning to adapt to the new landscape of assistive engine optimization, personalization, and immersive content.

This article tackles how to move beyond traditional SEO and build a content engine that powers brand demand across search engines and formats.

What is demand generation content?

Demand generation is an area of marketing focused on generating awareness of and interest in your brand. 

Demand generation content, then, is content that speaks to the needs of your target audience, gets you noticed, and makes people aware of your products or services. 

It isn’t just MQL capture, though. It’s the full system of:

  • Educating buyers.
  • Comparing your brand to competitors.
  • Accelerating prospective buyers through a decision cycle.

The best demand gen content:

  • Provokes curiosity.
  • Answers buyers’ burning questions.
  • Challenges users’ assumptions.
  • Turns competitors on their heads.
  • Offers value (before the “ask”).
  • Addresses purchase-oriented queries, not just informational searches.

The problem with the traditional “SEO-first” approach to content is that this content typically (not always) involves targeting what people are already searching for. 

Which makes sense, because most brands want to capture volume. But this content does little in terms of anticipating users’ questions before they’re asked. 

Content in today’s competitive (and comparative) environment needs to create desire, long before your audience even knows what they’re looking for.

The limitations of traditional SEO in demand gen

Now, SEO still matters. 

Most of the traditional approaches to optimization still apply, and I don’t suspect Google will disappear anytime soon. 

But SEO should not be the sole driver of discovery or your demand gen strategy. 

AI and zero-click searches are changing the SERPs

In 2024, 25.6% of desktop and 17.3% of mobile Google searches ended without a click, according to Semrush data. 

And those numbers are only expected to grow, especially with the growing prevalence of AI Overviews, featured answers, etc.

This shows that ranking near the top of the SERPs isn’t always enough to drive immediate traffic to your site from those searches.

Trying to rank at the top is still a worthwhile endeavor, as it increases your chances of being seen. 

But there are many more pieces of SERP “real estate” for users to see before they ever decide to click on your site.

When users can get answers without having to click through, you lose the ability to move prospective “visits” through the funnel. 

Keyword competition is fierce

Also, the highest value keywords you want to rank for are probably the most competitive. 

Hundreds, if not thousands, of brands are publishing content optimized for the same keywords. And there are only 10 spots to rank. 

Even if your content is technically better, it still might not stand out. You’re competing against the authority and relevance of other domains – often, big players.

Chasing keywords, then, doesn’t quite work as well as it used to. So, your approach to content needs to be revisited.

Buyers don’t just rely on Google anymore

Google is still the leading search engine in town, but the prevalence of LLM-driven engines like ChatGPT and Perplexity is shaking things up. 

Users are now able to ask uber-specific questions, receive personalized answers, and seek further clarification on those answers within the answer engines.

They don’t necessarily need Google or you to tell them what they need to know or want to hear.

Also, there are other channels driving the conversations – Instagram, podcasts, Reddit, YouTube, and forums, just to name a few. 

A growing portion of B2B buyers spend more time on self-directed research across these types of channels, Gartner reports.

This means that you need to engage potential buyers where they actually are, not just where search engines decide to place you. 

From SEO-centric to buyer-centric: How to create content that drives demand

If you want to generate real, tangible demand for your brand, you need to shift your content strategy away from keywords and toward buyer behavior. 

That means creating content in anticipation of buyers’ needs, questions, comparisons, and buying triggers. 

Here’s how to do that.

1. Identify common friction points

Don’t ask “What are people searching for?”

Instead, ask “What are people debating internally before they buy?”

Any SEO tool can surface keywords like “best restaurant POS” or “best POS for cafes,” but they won’t drive the strategy in terms of addressing buyer friction points, comparisons, etc.

And the importance of addressing friction points becomes obvious when you do any LLM search for your keyword…

Best POS for restaurants - ChatGPT

Here, we see ChatGPT’s output for “best POS for restaurants,” where it organizes recommendations by:

  • Business type (e.g., “Enterprise”).
  • Device (e.g., “Mobile/Tablet Use”).
  • Budget (e.g., “Budget-Friendly”).

It then prompts you as to whether you’d like to see a “comparison chart” of these options side-by-side.

ChatGPT - comparison chart

Targeting and ranking for “best restaurant POS” is:

  • Likely not feasible given the high competition.
  • Not sufficient in targeting all of these “comparison”-style queries.

So, instead of creating a “Best Restaurant POS” page or listicle, create content like:

  • Hidden Costs of “Cheap” Restaurant POS Platforms: Toast vs Square vs [our Brand]
  • Best Restaurant POS for Tablet: Streamline Your FOH Tech Stack
  • Your Current Restaurant POS Isn’t Working – X [Competitor] Alternatives to Try
  • When to Use Toast POS for Your Restaurant (and When You Need Something Better)
  • Cloud vs. Legacy POS Systems: Which One Is Right for Your Restaurant?

These topics come from actual buying friction. 

They don’t simply target high-search-volume keywords but contain valuable information that aids the buyer’s decision and can easily be interpreted by LLMs. 

Also, this content tends to work better for cross-channel repurposing, such as in email, paid social, and sales enablement, not just organic search.

Aren’t sure what friction points to address? 

Talk to your sales team and customer success managers.

The phrases buyers use in calls and email threads are content goldmines. 

It’s also worth checking out ChatGPT and the like to find “gaps” that might be missing in your content (e.g., product features and benefits, brand comparisons, pricing tables, etc.)

2. Prioritize first-party data over third-party sources

Traditional SEO often depends on tools like Semrush or Ahrefs to surface content opportunities. 

While this data is certainly valuable, it only really tells you what people are searching for, not what they are actually consuming/interacting with.

First-party data sources, such as Google Analytics 4 or your website’s native analytics, can provide valuable insight into:

  • How users are engaging with your site.
  • What they’re searching for on your site (site search).
  • What’s leading to conversions. 

With this information, you’re better positioned to create content based on what your target audience is most interested in and what will drive them to take action, rather than chasing monthly search volume. 

Here are a few good sources of user behavior data:

  • GA4 for conversions, traffic sources, or pages visited.
  • Your chosen CRM tool (e.g., HubSpot) for lead-to-conversion flow.
  • Social media, for high-engagement and/or high-CTR content.
  • Email analytics, such as CTR or reply rates.
  • Support Center, for customer questions and complaints.

First-party analytics can help guide your demand generation strategy in a few ways. 

For one, it can help you address gaps in your existing content, especially if you see users falling off after a particular page. 

It can also help you better leverage (CRO-wise) the content that’s performing well, to hopefully generate more conversions from your most popular content.

For example, if your GA4 data shows that you have a service page that gets a lot of clicks but few conversions, you might want to add content like:

  • “How to Know if [Service] is Right for You – Weigh Your Options.”

Or, if you see from your CRM that leads often drop off after downloading your gated content, consider following up with a targeted email campaign with a subject line like:

  • “Thinking about [Service]? Read This First…”

Don’t rely solely on search volume to drive your content strategy. Volume without relevance will not generate the results you want!

Get the newsletter search marketers rely on.

See terms.

3. Use content to support the sales process

Demand generation content is not just about lead capture. It’s a tool for generating user interest, addressing friction points, and continuing the sales conversation. 

Who said your best content needs to live on your website? There are many different content formats that can be used to drive sales.

Instead of focusing all of your time on web pages and blogs, think of different content assets your sales team could use to support their conversations with prospective customers.

For example:

  • Objection-handling one-pagers (“Is [Brand] Worth the Cost?”).
  • Client testimonials praising your product/service against your competitors.
  • Competitive battlecards repurposed into comparison guides.
  • Industry-specific guides for different verticals.
  • Short tutorial videos explaining your products or integrations.

It is important to have content that addresses top-of-funnel interests and bottom-of-funnel buying considerations, and your website should include places for this. 

But often, the difference makers occur in the conversations prospective customers have during trials or with your sales team.

Demand generation content should build buyer confidence. Buyer confidence shortens the sales cycle. 

Better content leading to higher impact means a better ROI for your business – and this can happen during Sales, not just through content on your website.

4. Form/communicate a clear point of view

Users are spoiled for choice when it comes to “helpful” content. 

Any Google search is likely to produce a surplus of listicles, guides, videos, etc. 

While “value” may be the goal, this content is often created with SEO in mind – high word count, keyword dense, etc.

But what many brands fail to do is offer a distinct point of view. 

People don’t want to read another article they can find anywhere else (and what Google AI Overviews can summarize for them). 

They want something actionable, unique, thoughtful, etc. – something that will make their lives better!

So, how do you do that in content?

First, you start with a hook. Ideally, one that taps into a tension your audience already feels. It could be:

  • A misconception (“Beauty bloggers say you need this, but you don’t…”)
  • A pain point (“Your skincare routine isn’t doing you any favors…”)
  • A bold opinion (“Your current restaurant POS sucks…”) 

Hooks don’t just grab attention. They immediately communicate the relevance of your content to user interests. 

Then, you make your argument. Instead of regurgitating the same old information, connect the dots your way. 

For example, instead of a boring guide on “How to Create and Send an Invoice,” show a real customer using your platform to create an invoice step by step. 

Something like: 

  • “If you’re a small business owner like me, then you know creating invoices manually is super time-consuming. Here’s what I do to automate my invoicing and get paid faster…”

For another example, a typical “10 Best Summer Dresses for Summer” listicle becomes “10 Girlies Top Picks – What We’re Wearing This Summer,” with reviews from real customers. 

In short, try to:

  • Use real examples from your own customers.
  • Incorporate stories.
  • Inject your unique brand voice.
  • Back up unconventional wisdom with evidence. 

Bring something interesting to the SERPs!

In demand gen, this isn’t about being contrarian for clicks. 

It’s about helping the reader see their problem differently, and how they can find the solution outside traditional methods and in your product/service.

5. Showcase content on the right distribution channels

Now, you’ve created all this good content. That’s great. But you want it to get seen!

The traditional approach to content marketing was to wait for SEO to do its thing. That can take weeks or months. 

Who wants to wait to see results?

Fortunately, there are many platforms available if you want to get your content in front of customers. You just need to identify the right ones. 

For demand generation, these platforms tend to work the best:

  • LinkedIn: B2B buyers, executives, decision-makers, agency leads, founders.
  • YouTube: DIYers, visual learners, problem-aware buyers, comparison shoppers.
  • Meta: Business owners, impulse buyers, local service seekers.
  • Email: Existing leads, subscribers, trial users, pipeline prospects.
  • X: Thought leaders/influencers, early adopters, B2B.
  • TikTok: Impulse buyers, creators, DTC shoppers, SMB founders.
  • Reddit + Facebook Groups: High-intent researchers, skeptics, deep divers, niche hobbyists.

There are others. 

It’s important to narrow your focus to the channels your prospective buyers tend to use most and that align with their shopping behaviors.

Your Google Analytics can be a great source of identifying where your referral or social traffic is coming from. 

Your sales team may also have insight into where you get most of your business.

The misconception that you need to be everywhere is exactly that – a misconception. 

It’s better to create highly targeted content that appeals to the audience on that particular platform, rather than a wide-cast blast of content to every outlet.

Also, you can usually optimize your content for search engines at the same time, for good measure. Long-term potential plus quick gains!

Demand gen example: How Lavender does it right

Lavender is an AI email assistant and sales intelligence platform designed to help reps move faster and close more deals. 

But what really sets them apart isn’t just the product – it’s the content strategy behind it.

While they have a blog, it’s far from your basic “top guide” type content. 

Just take, for example, some of their recent topics: 

  • “11 Reasons NOT to Buy Lavender” 
  • “Lavender’s Secret Sauce for Onboarding New SDRs”
  • “Cold Email Wizardry 101”

Also, their LinkedIn presence is consistently valuable, entertaining, and tactical. 

They have a clear POV and humorous tone of voice and are shaking up online conversations. 

Through this content, prospective customers can discover the brand, engage in conversations, and walk away with something new. 

And in the sea of other AI tools, this differentiation is essential. 

They share this content on the platforms that matter most to them – well before it hits the Google ranks. 

Demand gen content that goes beyond the status quo

SEO content still has its place, but the traditional approach to optimizing content for search engines has been shaken up. 

There are many more “no click” options for users to consider than ever before. 

Ranking at the top isn’t a foolproof strategy.

A more adaptive approach to content creation is needed for brands to generate new demand and customer interest. 

This requires content that addresses user friction, communicates a clear POV, and attracts users at relevant channels. 

It also requires looking outside SEO tools for topic ideas and data. It’s not only about what’s searchable.

The more you can differentiate your brand, the better. 

And the more you can be adaptive to the LLM-dominated landscape, the less dependent you will be on the SERPs to drive your brand’s traffic and sales. 

Read more at Read More

AI ate my traffic by Campaign Monitor

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Campaign Monitor by Marigold

Have you noticed a dip in your organic traffic lately? You aren’t imagining it.

AI-powered search engines, such as Google’s AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity, are transforming the way people discover and consume content. Instead of clicking your link, users are getting instant AI-generated answers – often built from your content – without ever visiting your site.

You’re still publishing and optimizing. But your results are shrinking.

Welcome to the AI discovery era, where your hard-earned traffic is the appetizer on someone else’s plate.

SEO isn’t dead – but it’s no longer yours

Organic rankings no longer guarantee visibility. AI search experiences are removing the middle step between “search” and “solution.” Your website often gets cut out in the process.

If your strategy is solely focused on SEO and attracting clicks, your success depends on platforms you don’t control.

The answer: reclaim what you own

In this new landscape, the smart move isn’t just chasing new traffic – it’s protecting and activating the audience you already have.

That means doubling down on email.

Why? 

Email remains:

  • Direct (no algorithm middleman)
  • Personal (built for 1:1 relationships)
  • Segmentable (think personalize, automate, scale)

In fact, according to Marigold’s 2025 Consumer Trends Index Report, 77% of respondents stated they were likely to engage with an email focused on exclusive VIP offers, while 86% said they would be motivated to engage with sale or holiday promotions.

But here’s the kicker: to segment messaging and remain consistent in your outreach, you need a platform built for fast-moving businesses.

Introducing Campaign Monitor by Marigold – your revival engine

Campaign Monitor isn’t just for sending newsletters. It’s your command center for fostering, rebuilding, and monetizing opportunities.

Here’s how Campaign Monitor helps power your revival:

List management at scale

With traffic declining, your contact and email lists are more valuable than ever, and they are unique to your business. Through Campaign Monitor, you can use your owned lists to:

  • Segment by behavior, purchase history, or engagement.
  • Identify dormant contacts and re-engage them.
  • Clean your list to improve deliverability and performance.

Automation that nurtures (while you sleep)

Don’t send one email and hope. Use Campaign Monitor to:

  • Welcome new subscribers with personalized messages.
  • Deliver value-driven nurture sequences with easy-to-use pre-built journeys.
  • Trigger timely emails based on behavior, like abandoned carts or event registration. With intelligent automation, you can turn a cold list into a steady stream of engaged leads and real conversion opportunities – no late nights required.

Personalization that cuts through the noise

Generic emails are easy to ignore. Campaign Monitor allows you to:

  • Personalize subject lines, product recommendations, and timing.
  • Use dynamic content to deliver the right message to the right person.
  • A/B test and optimize continuously.

Real metrics. Real decisions.

AI platforms don’t share data. Campaign Monitor provides insights into audience engagement and campaign performance, allowing marketers to optimize their strategies:

  • See who’s opening, clicking, and converting.
  • Track revenue generated from each campaign.
  • Attribute performance down to the segment or workflow.
  • No guesswork. Just growth.

So… what now?

AI may have eaten your top-of-funnel traffic, but that doesn’t mean your pipeline is doomed.

Now is the time to:

  • Rebuild your list with intent-driven offers.
  • Modernize your email strategy with segmentation, automation, and personalization.
  • Use Campaign Monitor to make it all scale – without burning out.

Final word

AI isn’t your enemy. Passive marketing is.

The smartest brands are adapting by doubling down on what they can control: their list, their messaging, and their subscriber relationships.

With Campaign Monitor by Marigold, you’re not just surviving the AI age – you’re reviving your funnel for the long haul.

Read more at Read More

AI Max gets new reporting features

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Why campaign-specific goals matter in Google Ads

Google Ads’ AI Max reporting now allows advertisers to view search terms, headlines, and landing pages in a single report, offering a clearer window into how AI-powered campaigns operate.

Why we care. This update means less guesswork and more control. You can now see what users actually searched for, which landing page Google’s AI sent them to, and the headline shown alongside the ad. That’s a big upgrade from the days of Performance Max (PMax), where advertisers waited years for basic visibility into campaign behavior.

The details. Especially useful if you’re using Final URL expansion or Auto-Generated Assets

It also makes it easier to:

  • Spot when a product search lands on a generic category page.
  • Diagnose and fix page mismatch issues.
  • Deactivate Final URL expansion if needed.

“This means more transparency. From Month one. Unlike PMax where we had to wait 4 years,” said Thomas Eccel, head of Google Ads at JvM IMPACT.

Bottom line. Google is giving advertisers a clearer lens into AI Max behavior – allowing for smarter optimization, faster troubleshooting, and a better user experience. This update removes a major blind spot in AI Max reporting.

First seen. The update was mentioned by Eccel who credited senior SEA consultant Jerome Fleck for first spotting it.

Read more at Read More

AI Max experiments arrive in Google Ads: Here’s how they work

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How Google works: Experiments, entities, and the AI layer beneath search

Google Ads rolled out a new AI Max experiment type for Search campaigns, aimed at streamlining how advertisers test AI-powered features – without duplicating campaigns.

Why we care. Traditional experiments require creating campaign copies, adding complexity and delaying results. This new format runs within the original campaign, splitting the budget 50/50 between control and test groups. The goal: faster, statistically valid insights.

How it works:

  • Found under a new Choose a variable to test section, advertisers can now select AI Max for Search campaigns.
  • The experiment auto-enables:
    • Search Term Matching
    • Asset Optimization
  • Advertisers can customize these settings at the campaign or ad group level.
  • By default, results are auto-applied. This can be turned off for more control.

Zoom out. The new setup is already visible in many accounts. For those looking for more details, Google Ads’ help page on AI Max Experiments breaks it down.

First seen. This update was first surfaced by marketing consultant Dario Zannoni.

Read more at Read More

Google Ad spend continues to outpace traffic volume: Report

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Google search ad spending grew 9% year over year in Q1 2025, according to new data from digital marketing agency Tinuiti. Increasing costs, rather than click volume, drove most of that growth.

Google Search overall:

  • Google Search spending grew by 9% YoY in Q1 2025 (down slightly from 10% in Q4 2024).
  • Click growth was stable at 4% YoY.
  • Whilst average cost per click (CPC) increased by 5% YoY.

Google Shopping Ads:

  • Shopping ad had a 8% YoY spending growth (however down from 10% in Q4 2024).
  • Click volume improved by 9% YoY (up from just 1% in Q4).
  • CPC remained stable at 1% YoY decrease.

Competitive landscape.

  • Amazon maintained a strong presence in Google shopping auctions with roughly 60% impression share against the median retailer, similar to Q1 2024 levels.
  • Target held steady at 24% impression share (down marginally from 25% in Q1 2024),
  • Walmart maintained 22% impression share year-over-year
  • Temu dramatically reduced its Google shopping presence in early April following news of U.S. tariff changes, dropping to zero impression share by mid-April.

Performance Max:

  • 93% adoption rate among retailers running Google shopping ads
  • Accounts for 53% of Google shopping ad spending (down from 69% in Q4 2024)
  • Has 10% lower conversion rate than standard Shopping
  • Has 13% higher CPC than standard Shopping
  • Delivers 7% lower ROAS (return on ad spend) than standard Shopping

Microsoft Search:

  • 17% YoY spending growth (up from 7% in Q4 2024)
  • 5% YoY click growth (improved from a 3% decline in Q4)
  • 11% YoY increase in CPC

Brand: Brand keywords saw particularly aggressive CPC increases, with costs for text ads containing an advertiser’s own brand name rising 19% compared to just 3% for non-brand keywords.

Why we care. The latest trends show search platforms continue to extract more revenue per click, putting pressure on advertisers’ margins even as competition ramps up between Google and Microsoft. With Microsoft growth rate (+17% YoY) being higher than Google’s growth (+9% YoY), suggesting Microsoft continues to be a strong contender for marketing strategy.

Political factors have also made a big impact, with Temu dropping out of shopping ads, therefore it’s likely there will be further shifts in Shopping traffic and costs in Q2 of 2025.

What we’re watching: Performance Max adoption remained high at 93% of retailers running Google shopping ads, though its share of spending fell from 69% in Q4 2024 to 53% in Q1 2025 as some advertisers shifted budget back to standard shopping campaigns for greater control.

Key takeaways.

  • Shopping ads demonstrate resilience amongst fluctuating political mandates.
  • PMax adoption remains high despite a decrease in spending due to performance deterioration compared to standard shopping.
  • Major retailers maintain dominant positions in shopping ad impressions.
  • Microsoft is seeing positive growth, which should help improve advertisers’ confidence and add the platform to their marketing strategy.
  • Major retailers maintain dominant positions in shopping ad impressions.

The report. Tinuiti’s Q1 2025 Digital Ads Benchmark Report.

Read more at Read More

ChatGPT search has 41 million average monthly users in EU

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OpenAI’s ChatGPT search had 41.3 million average monthly users across the EU between October and March. That’s nearly 4x growth from the prior six-month stretch, when it reported having 11.2 million users.

Why we care. Brands and businesses need to understand how (or whether) their content is being surfaced in AI-generated responses. ChatGPT search is nowhere near replacing Google Search, but it is an emerging channel for visibility and discoverability.

What ChatGPT reported. According to OpenAI’s EU Digital Services Act (DSA) page:

  • “For the six-month period ending 31 March 2025, ChatGPT search had in combination approximately 41.3 million average monthly active recipients in the European Union.”

What is a recipient. The EU counts a “monthly active recipient” as the number of unique users who engage with an online platform at least once.

Yes, but. Google still dominates search. According to Google’s DSA Disclosure report, Google Search had:

  • 355.7 million average monthly signed-in recipients.
  • 424.4 million average monthly signed-out recipients.

That means, in the EU, Google Search (signed in and out) is nearly 20x bigger than ChatGPT search.

Dig deeper. Google Search is 373x bigger than ChatGPT search

What’s next for OpenAI. ChatGPT search is approaching the EU’s threshold for a “very large online platform” under the Digital Services Act (DSA). That milestone — 45 million monthly active users — would put ChatGPT search under increased scrutiny in the EU.

Read more at Read More

ChatGPT releases Memory with Search

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ChatGPT can now personalize searches using your memories.

Memory with Search is a new addition to ChatGPT search, and was quietly added as an update in its changelog.

What is Memory with Search. ChatGPT said it can “use memories to inform search queries when ChatGPT searches the web using their-party search providers.”

Not a lot of detail there. But OpenAI’s ChatGPT search page offers more information:

‘If you have ‘Memory’ enabled, when ChatGPT search rewrites your prompt into a search query it may also leverage relevant information from memories to make the query better and more useful. For example, if the user has ‘Memory’ turned on and asks ChatGPT ‘what are some restaurants near me that I’d like,’ and has memories is that the user is vegan and lives in San Francisco, then ChatGPT may rewrite the user’s prompt to ‘good vegan restaurants San Francisco.’ You can learn more here about Memory, including how to disable it or control individual memories.

ChatGPT Memory. OpenAI announced the official launch of Memory on April 11. ChatGPT Memory consists of saved memories (memories users ask ChatGPT to remember) and chat history (insights gathered from past chats to improve future ones). Access to ChatGPT Memory is still rolling out now.

Why we care. ChatGPT’s use of memories and rewriting prompts into search queries (to be more nuanced, contextual, and user-specific) means AI search is shifting toward being more deeply personalized. This could impact how and when your brand or business appears in AI-generated answers.

Opt out. Users who don’t want to use Memory can head to Settings > Personalization > Memory and turn off the slider for Reference saved memories.

The announcement. ChatGPT – Release Notes (April 16)

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Video Previews come to Google Business Profile verification

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Google has rolled out a new feature for Google Business Profile verifications. When you verify using video verification, you can now preview that video before you submit the video for review.

Google is calling this “Video Previews.”

Video Previews. Video Previews give you the option to review the video you are about to submit to the Google Business Profile team. This will allow you to ensure that video includes all the necessary elements before you submit it to Google.

Here is what it looks like:

What Google said. Google’s Lisa Landsman wrote on LinkedIn, “Now, you can review your recordings before submitting, ensuring clarity and accuracy – saving you valuable time and reducing the need for resubmissions.”

Why we care. All too often, a business will submit a verification requirement but leave out some important detail. With video previews, you can now preview the video before you submit it, to give you one more chance to ensure that the video you are submitting meets all the requirments you need to verify your business in Google Business Profiles.

Read more at Read More

The complete guide to high-impact educational video content

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The complete guide to high-impact educational video content

Educational videos are among the top 10 most-consumed video content formats globally, according to Statista. 

Most popular video content type

And it makes sense. Video is one of the fastest, most engaging ways to teach, demonstrate, and connect. 

But for creators and businesses alike, making a video that actually works (as in: educates, retains, or converts) requires more than hitting “record.”

I’ve been creating online content for years, so I know what works and what doesn’t. 

  • Our online SEO training has helped thousands of marketers level up their skills through self-paced modules, monthly live Q&A webinars, and on-demand videos. 
  • Our “Ask Us Anything” video series and SEO agency commercials are produced with the help of our award-winning video producer.
  • Our YouTube channel continues to serve as a central hub for sharing educational content.

Whether you’re creating onboarding tutorials, educational content for your audience, or a course you plan to sell, below are tips I’ve seen succeed across every stage of the video creation process, from concept to camera to clicks.

1. Define the purpose and audience through a clear strategy

Every great educational video starts with a clear strategy. 

Before you pick up the camera or open your editing software, you must know who you’re creating for and what you’re trying to achieve. 

Clarify the purpose

Just like SEO, intent is everything in video production, so clarify the purpose upfront.

Are you aiming to solely educate or train, or will your video have an element of conversion? Maybe your education video is meant to retain your existing audience instead.

Whatever the purpose, the objective shapes the video’s content, tone, and structure. 

For instance, an SEO training module will differ significantly from an educational demo intended to convert prospects.​

Understand your audience

Understanding your audience is equally important. Consider their goals, challenges, skill levels, and preferred learning styles. 

Are they beginners looking for foundational knowledge or advanced users looking for in-depth insights? 

Tailoring your content to meet their needs will make your video more effective.​

Free or paid?

Consider whether your content will be free or paid. 

Free videos can build brand awareness and provide value to a broad audience, while paid content often offers in-depth training or exclusive insights. 

Knowing the role of videos within your broader content strategy, SEO initiatives, and customer journey will help you incorporate free and paid content where it makes the most sense.

2. Craft content around in-demand topics and the type of video

Whether you’re creating a one-off tutorial or a full training series, the key is to start with a clear plan of attack for the content.

Coming up with video topics

Your videos should align with either audience intent (what they’re searching for) or a structured curriculum (what they need to learn over time).

Here are some ways to generate topic ideas:

  • If your videos support a product or service, look at keyword intent and customer FAQs to generate topics. What questions are coming up in comments, sales calls or support tickets?
  • If you’re building an online course or internal training program, outline a logical progression. 
  • You can also use keyword tools, YouTube’s autocomplete, or even generative AI to help brainstorm ideas around a theme.
  • For more inspiration, you can spy on competitors’ educational videos. 
  • If you already have blog content or written guides, repurposing those into educational videos is another easy place to start.

Define the video format

Choosing the video format dictates the rest of the video creation process. 

For example, how-to videos are great educational formats that provide step-by-step guidance. 

Plus, you can increase your chances of showing up in the search results for target “how to” queries with YouTube videos. 

In 2023, more than 30% of Google desktop SERPs in the U.S. featured a video carousel, video result or featured video, according to Semrush.

People watch more of a how-to video than any other type of video, per Wistia’s “2025 State of Video Report.”

Average engagement rates by video content type

Another thing to consider is how you’ll deliver the content in the video. 

Some companies prefer talking head videos, which add a personal touch and are a great way to build a brand when internal folks serve as educators on camera. 

Others prefer animations, which can help simplify abstract concepts. 

Webinars ​are another great way to help educate your audience. 

The majority of businesses (60%) use webinars for training or coaching sessions, followed by thought leadership events (50%), per Wistia. 

We’ve seen great success with a monthly live Q&A webinar on my SEO training membership site. 

In fact, many of our students become our clients after spending time with our training videos. 

Structure each video 

Most high-performing videos follow a similar structure: 

  • Hook.
  • Introduction.
  • Main content.
  • Recap.
  • A call-to-action (CTA).

This is true whether you’re publishing on YouTube or delivering a paid course. You’ll need to adjust the pacing for training modules versus a marketing video. 

The hook is especially important. We’ve found the most success when you can capture interest within the first five seconds of the video.

This could be done through a surprising fact, a visual teaser, or a question the viewer wants answered.

From there, keep the pacing tight. Avoid over-explaining and cut the fluff where possible. 

Even long-form training videos should feel intentional and well-paced.

Length matters

Not all videos perform equally – and much of it comes down to how long they are. 

Based on Wistia’s analysis of over 100 million videos (linked earlier), viewer engagement varies significantly by duration.

Average engagement rate by video length

Under one minute

Short videos work – especially on social or as top-of-funnel content – but they need to get to the point fast. 

Wistia found that videos under one minute had the highest average engagement rate at 50%. Short videos can be ideal for quick social snippets or teasers for longer video content. . 

One to five minutes

Videos in this range also held attention fairly well.

  • One to three minutes: 46% average engagement.
  • Three to five minutes: 45% average engagement.

Wistia notes that how-to videos under five minutes were especially strong performers, with viewers watching more than two-thirds of the way through, on average.

Five to 30 minutes

Once videos pass the five-minute mark, engagement starts to dip. 

Wistia’s data shows:

  • Five to 30 minutes: 38% average engagement.
  • 30 to 60 minutes: 25%.
  • 60+ minutes: Just 17%.

That doesn’t mean you should avoid longer videos entirely – just be intentional. 

We have found that shorter videos (like reels) tend to get more views because they’re something somebody can watch quickly. 

But long-form videos tend to have higher conversion rates because they demonstrate more knowledge and authority on a topic.

What about course modules?

The most profitable online courses are typically between 10 to 25 hours in total length, per Thinkific’s data from 40,000 course creators. 

The data suggests that five- to 10-hour courses are about 75% as profitable, and longer courses – 25 to 100 hours – are slightly less profitable than those.

Regardless, the advice is that the ideal course length is the shortest time required to achieve the learning objectives.

Courses that drive the most revenue

Sequence for learning

If you’re creating educational content, sequencing matters. 

Build with progression in mind, with lessons getting slightly more advanced over time.

Use reinforcement techniques like callbacks, visual repetition, or simple recap slides to help learners retain key points. 

The flow should feel intuitive and purposeful.

3. Script and storyboard to ensure clarity of the message

Scripting and storyboarding help you organize your message and plan how it will appear on screen. 

Start with a script

Whether you’re creating a tutorial or building an online course, scripting keeps your message focused and easy to follow.

If the video is structured – like a course module or product walkthrough – a full script is ideal. It helps you stay on track and hit all the key points without rambling.

But not every video needs a word-for-word script. 

If you’re podcasting, recording a founder Q&A, or filming a talking-head update, a loose outline with bullet points works better. 

You still need to know where the conversation is going, but it should feel natural, not rehearsed.

Visual planning

Once you have your script or outline, translate it into a visual plan. This is where storyboarding comes in. 

A storyboard helps you map out what will appear on screen and when. 

It’s helpful if your video includes product walkthroughs, charts, or training steps that build on one another.

This part doesn’t have to be complicated. You’re simply matching the visuals with your message to make the content easier to understand. 

Add visual cues that stick

Visual cues matter more than most people realize. 

On-screen text, callouts, arrows, annotations, and simple scene transitions help guide the viewer’s attention and reinforce key points. 

For most educational videos (excluding longer formats like podcasts or webinars), aim to change the visual every five to 10 seconds. 

That could mean:

  • Switching camera angles.
  • Zooming in slightly at the same angle.
  • Cutting to a supporting visual. 

It might feel like a lot, but those subtle shifts keep viewers engaged. 

Also, this may be obvious, but if you’re including a screen recording with a voice-over, make sure what’s happening on-screen matches what’s being said. 

Use tools to perfect the process

There are plenty of tools out there to help you organize and visualize your ideas before you record.

Tools like Boords and Storyboarder are great for visualizing a scene-by-scene breakdown. 

Even Canva can work well for rough storyboarding if you’re already using it for design.

You don’t need anything fancy, just something that lets you sketch things out before you press record.

And when you’re ready to record, you can use teleprompter apps to help you deliver your message smoothly. 

4. Select the right tech stack for your needs

Whether you’re recording a quick tutorial or producing a full online course, choosing the right gear, software, and hosting platform will save time, improve quality, and keep your process sustainable.

Match the tools to your goals

You don’t need the most expensive gear to make great video content. 

What matters most is choosing tools that match the type of content you’re creating and the audience you’re serving.

  • If you’re a solo course creator, a smartphone camera, lapel mic and natural lighting can go a long way. 
  • For internal training, you can level up with a mirrorless camera and external mic. 
  • For a higher-end effect, invest in a more expensive camera, lighting, audio, and nice backgrounds to create a polished brand experience.

Regardless of the setup, don’t skip a test shoot. 

Check your resolution, depth of field, and lighting to ensure the final result looks the way you intend.

Tools for recording your screen

If you’re doing tutorials or walkthroughs, screen recording software is a must.

  • QuickTime is what we use – it’s quick, easy and does everything we need.
  • Loom is a fast, no-fuss option for quick recordings.
  • Camtasia gives you more robust editing tools for polished content.
  • ScreenFlow is a solid choice for Mac users who want both recording and editing features in one place.

Edit smarter, not harder

Editing doesn’t have to be intimidating. Some tools are built to make this part easier, especially for solo creators.

  • Descript is great if you want to edit your video like a document.
  • Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premiere Pro give you more creative control but come with a steeper learning curve.
  • You can also hire a video editor, especially if you need a high-end result or just want to save time.

Hosting your videos

YouTube is the most widely used video platform globally, making it ideal for reach and search visibility on educational content. 

It’s also the second-most popular social network worldwide, which means a lot of exposure for your brand. 

YouTube videos can be an essential part of an SEO program when targeting certain keywords (like educational and how-to searches). 

But remember, only verified accounts can upload videos longer than 15 minutes. 

Then there are LMS platforms like Thinkific, Teachable, and Kajabi, which are built for structured learning. 

If you’re building a course, these platforms offer features like chaptering, progress tracking, and quizzes to support the full student experience.

Finally, Vimeo and Wistia give you more control over branding, privacy, and analytics. 

They’re especially useful for customer training, B2B product onboarding, or gated video content.

Using AI

AI is quickly changing the video production space. 

About 41% of companies are already using it for video, per Wistia’s most recent data (linked earlier), and another 19% will start using it soon. 

Using AI to create videos

Using AI can be particularly beneficial for short-form content, where speed and efficiency are key. 

Tools like OpusClip use AI to automatically generate short clips from longer videos, optimizing them for platforms such as TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels. 

But AI is also expanding creative possibilities. 

For instance, we’ve successfully used AI to modify our SEO training course online. 

Because SEO is a rapidly changing industry, SEO training can quickly become stale. 

Instead of reshooting whole sections of our training course, we used an AI avatar of me to deliver updated talking points – and it looks surprisingly like me.

However, it’s important to use AI cautiously. 

Love it or hate it, AI is a controversial tool, and some people may be turned off by it. 

That said, overreliance on AI-generated content can lead to videos that feel impersonal or lack authenticity. 

While AI can assist in scripting, editing, and even avatars and visuals, the human touch remains essential to ensure content resonates with viewers.​ 

Stay on top of your video performance with analytics and use your intuition to decide whether AI-generated videos resonate. 

The right balance ensures your videos remain trustworthy.​

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5. Focus on production fundamentals for effective videos

You don’t need a full production crew to make professional-looking videos, but you do need to get the fundamentals right.

Prioritize audio quality

If you’re going to invest in one part of your production setup, start with sound.

Viewers are much more likely to tolerate a slightly grainy video than audio that’s hard to hear.

Multiple studies have found that poor audio quality influences whether people trust what they hear and how they perceive you overall. 

A lav mic or USB condenser mic is an easy and worthwhile upgrade.

Get the basics right

You don’t need a studio setup to get a clear shot. 

Just focus on even lighting (natural light works great), a camera angle that’s eye level or slightly above and a clutter-free background.

If you’re doing a screen recording, make sure the visuals are crisp and readable. 

Zoom in on sections when needed, and don’t clutter the screen with too much at once.

Batch and template your process

The more videos you make, the more it pays to streamline. 

Batching – filming multiple videos in one sitting – helps you stay in flow and save time.

Templating your intros, outros, transitions and even lower-thirds (the graphic overlays that typically appear in the lower third of the screen) can make your content consistent and reduce the decisions you have to make for every single video.

Make it accessible

This isn’t just a “nice to have.” 

Captions help viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing, support people watching in a sound-off environment, and can even boost comprehension for non-native speakers. 

Most video tools now make it easier to autogenerate and edit captions. 

These are key in formal learning environments or when you’re serving global audiences.

Think about the viewer experience

Pacing, tone, and delivery matter. 

What works for an internal training video isn’t the same as a how-to on YouTube.

For instance, in training content, give your viewers time to absorb the information – use pauses, reinforce key points, and keep instructions easy to follow. 

Know when to call backup

Sure, you can technically do everything yourself, but that doesn’t mean you should. 

Even the most experienced video producers hire out when it makes sense. 

Whether you need a motion designer for intro graphics, a video editor to clean up pacing and polish transitions, or a script consultant to help shape the story, know your weaknesses (or resource constraints) and make the call.

6. Optimize for search when visibility is a priority

Up to 82% of marketers say video has helped them increase web traffic. 

Not every video needs to be optimized for search – but when visibility is the goal, it’s worth the effort.

When SEO makes sense

If you’re publishing on YouTube or embedding tutorials on your site, optimization can help your content get discovered. 

Moz data once showed that YouTube videos make up over 94% of all video results in Google. 

If your audience is searching for answers, YouTube is a strong place to meet them.

When it’s not a priority

If your content lives behind a login or paywall – like course modules or internal training – SEO doesn’t need to be part of your workflow. 

In those cases, focus instead on the learning experience and making the video content clear, helpful and well-paced.

Start with keyword research

Google’s Gary Illyes has stated that if you see video results for a keyword, that’s your cue to consider making a video for it. 

Start by targeting topics that already bring up video results in Google or YouTube.

Tools like YouTube’s search predictions, AnswerThePublic, and other keyword tools on the market can help surface what people are actually searching for.

When in doubt, do a search. 

If there’s already a cluster of how-to videos, you’ve got a green light.

Optimize for search

SEO for videos doesn’t have to be complicated. 

However, the approach varies depending on where your video is hosted. Here’s where to focus.

For YouTube-hosted videos

Metadata: Google states that the title, thumbnail, and description are the more important pieces of metadata for video discovery. 

  • Title
    • Write a clear, engaging title that tells viewers exactly what they’ll get. 
    • Include your main keyword near the beginning, and keep it under 60 characters so it doesn’t get cut off in search. 
    • Make sure it reflects the actual content. Clickbait might get the click, but it won’t earn trust. 
    • Use things like all caps or emojis sparingly to highlight the right words. 
  • Thumbnails
    • Design custom thumbnails that are visually appealing and accurately represent the content. 
    • YouTube now has a feature to test your thumbnails. 
  • Description
    • Write a clear, keyword-rich description that tells viewers and YouTube what your video is about. (You have up to 5,000 characters here!) 
    • Include relevant keywords naturally. 
    • Link out to your website, social channels, or other videos when it makes sense. 
    • Use line breaks or bullet points to make it easy to scan.

Dig deeper: The DESCRIBE framework for effective YouTube descriptions

User engagement signals: While metadata is foundational for YouTube SEO, the platform’s algorithm places a lot of emphasis on user engagement and satisfaction. 

YouTube values the following:

  • Click-through rate (CTR): This is where the thumbnail comes into play once again. 
  • Watch time and retention: Videos that hold attention tend to get promoted more.
  • Engagement: Likes, comments, shares and subscribers all tell YouTube your content is valuable.
  • Viewer satisfaction: YouTube looks at behavior after the video ends – like whether someone bounces or keeps watching.
  • Personalization: The algorithm tailors results based on viewer behavior, so understand your audience and create for them.

More optimization tips: Here are additional tips that help optimize videos for YouTube:

  • Timestamps: Break up your video into clear, clickable sections. This is especially helpful in long-form or educational content.
  • Captions: Add closed captions for accessibility and extra context. 
  • End screens and cards: Help people take the next step. Recommend another video, playlist, or even a site link.
  • Group content into playlists: This improves watch time and helps viewers binge your content.
  • Consistent branding: Keep your intros, tone and visual style cohesive so viewers start to recognize your content instantly.
  • Engage in the comments: Respond, ask questions, start conversations. YouTube notices when a video sparks interaction.

For videos hosted on your website

When hosting videos on your own platform, the SEO focus shifts a bit. 

First, understand that self-hosted videos can appear in several key areas on search engines like Google and Bing:​

  • Video search tabs: Both Google and Bing have dedicated “videos” tabs that filter results to show only video content.​ This is a key place to show up.
  • Main search results: Your video might show up as a rich snippet alongside standard web results, complete with a thumbnail, title and description.​
  • Featured video results: For certain queries, Google may highlight a video prominently at the top of the search results.
Google SERPs - Video tab

Key optimization strategies include:​

  • Dedicated video pages: Create individual pages for each video, ensuring that the video is the main content on the page. This allows for more precise optimization.
  • Page title and meta description: Ensure the webpage hosting the video has a clear, keyword-rich title and meta description. This helps search engines understand the page’s content.​
  • Video metadata. This includes things like the video title, description, duration, and thumbnail URL.
  • Structured data: Implement video schema to provide search engines and people with detailed information about your video. You can highlight key moments, live broadcasts, educational content and more. This can enhance your video’s appearance in search results.​ 
  • Transcripts and captions: Including a transcript and/or captions on the page improves accessibility and provides additional content for search engines to index.​
  • Contextual content: On the same note, surround your video with relevant text content on the page to give search engines more context about the video’s subject matter.​
  • Stable video URLs: If your video files or thumbnail URLs change frequently or expire, Google may not be able to index them reliably. So stick with permanent, clean URLs and double-check that they’re not blocked by robots.txt or other restrictions. This is one of those technical details that’s easy to overlook. 
  • Videos above the fold. Put your video front and center on the page – ideally above the fold – so both users and search engines recognize it as the main content. But don’t sacrifice speed to do it. Use lazy loading where possible, and consider lighter formats like WebM to keep load times fast.
  • Video sitemaps: If you’re hosting multiple videos, consider creating a video sitemap. This helps search engines discover and index your video content more efficiently.

Dig deeper: 7 video optimization tips to boost your organic reach in 2025

7. Publish, promote, and measure success to track performance

Creating the video is only half the job. 

To get the most out of it, you need to publish, promote, and pay attention to what happens next.

Publishing and promoting

Whether you are promoting free or paid educational content, don’t just post it and hope for the best.

Publishing with a strategy makes a big difference in who sees your content and how it performs.

Start with your owned channels

Start by embedding videos on your website where it makes sense – on a course landing page, a sales page, or a relevant blog post.

If you have an email list, use it. Email is still one of the most effective ways to get in front of warm leads. 

You can build a short email sequence around a course launch, for instance, or simply drop the video into a newsletter with a clear call to action.

Share where your audience is

Social media can help your video gain traction, especially if your audience already follows you there. 

Don’t just post once – share the video in different formats over time: full video, short clips or even just a quote or takeaway. 

Each platform has its own rhythm and opportunities:

  • Instagram/Facebook: Reels, stories, and carousels can help you showcase educational content in bite-sized ways.
  • LinkedIn: Great for professional or B2B-focused courses. 
  • YouTube: If it’s not your main platform, consider uploading the video as unlisted and embedding it on your course page – or using YouTube Shorts to drive awareness.

Paid promotion

Sometimes organic reach isn’t enough. 

Paid promotion can help you get in front of more of the right people, faster.

YouTube ads, social media boosts, and even Google Ads can support your educational videos. 

Just make sure your landing page is clear, relevant, and compelling when someone clicks.

Tap into your network

If you have relationships with influencers, industry experts, or others in your space, see if they’d be open to collaborating or promoting your educational content in exchange for a commission or cross-promotion.

Look for partnerships that make sense; not just anyone with a following, but people your ideal audience already trusts.

Host live events to build momentum

Webinars, live Q&A sessions, or even a quick Instagram Live can help build buzz around your content. 

These live formats give people a taste of your teaching style and give you a chance to answer objections or highlight what’s inside your paid video content in a more personal way.

For example, we regularly post video content from inside our SEO training membership site to our YouTube channel to give viewers a sneak peek.

Repurpose strategically

Repurposing lets you extend the life of your content without starting from scratch.

Turn long-form videos into short clips for social or YouTube. 

YouTube Shorts has the highest engagement rate across all short video platforms at 5.91% while TikTok was second in line, Statista reports. 

You can also pull out quotes or visuals for blog posts or emails to promote your educational videos. 

Define what success looks like

Before you hit publish, know what you’re aiming for. 

Is it views? Engagement? Course completions? Conversions?

And if the video performs well in one area – even if it’s not the metric you were focused on – that’s still a win. 

For example, maybe conversions were low, but views were through the roof. 

That tells you something’s working, and it might be worth doubling down on similar content.

There’s no shortage of video content online. If something you create breaks through in any way, take that as a signal.

Track performance (and do it often)

Analytics will tell you what’s resonating and what’s not.

You should be checking your analytics regularly – ideally, every day. 

Make sure to use:

  • YouTube Analytics for engagement trends. 
  • Google Search Console to see how your video shows up in search. 
  • LMS analytics for course modules. 
  • Google Analytics 4 for how videos impact user behavior on your site. 

Learn from viewer behavior

Watch for drop-off points. If people keep bailing at the same timestamp, something’s off. 

And check your comments. If people are asking for a follow-up or mentioning another topic they want covered, that’s a content idea handed to you on a silver platter.

If your “How to Make Pizza” video gets many requests for spaghetti, it might be time to make a spaghetti video.

Making videos that teach – and stick

Educational videos work best when they’re built with intention. 

You don’t need a perfect setup or a massive production team, but you need to:

  • Understand your audience.
  • Have a clear message.
  • Stay consistent in how you create your content. 

Whether you’re launching a full course or building out one helpful video at a time, the strategies outlined here are meant to give you a process to start. 

Because when your videos are thoughtful, useful, and well-executed, people notice – and that’s where the real traction starts.

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