As a reminder, here’s a screenshot of HubSpot’s organic traffic drop, based on Semrush data:
Among the endless reactions and perspectives, two former HubSpot employees shared five good reminders about SEO strategy.
1. SEO takes time
Pruning content and focusing on E-E-A-T were among the many obvious remedies SEOs pointed out following the news of HubSpot’s apparent organic traffic decline.
Well, these aren’t simple tweaks for a brand the size of HubSpot. They’re massive undertakings, according to this LinkedIn post by Bianca Anderson, HubSpot’s former SEO strategist (who is now manager, organic growth for hims and hers):
“When HubSpot began optimizing for EEAT, it required overhauling processes in a way that significantly slowed the output of net-new content AND optimizations. Additionally, pruning a blog at HubSpot’s scale, with thousands of articles, is no small task and takes extensive effort to execute effectively (and SMARTLY).
“…fixing this kind of thing isn’t an overnight process. It’s not as simple as mass redirects. This type of work can take YEARS to properly execute.”
This may feel like an obvious observation for many of you reading, but Anderson made an important point about how volatile Google’s algorithm has been lately:
“Algorithm updates over the past two years have been unprecedented in their volatility (I know we all know this, but just want to emphasize) — it’s been an onslaught. Major brands like HubSpot and WordStream, are feeling these changes deeply.”
3. There is no shared definition of ‘content quality’
Google is not the sole arbiter of quality, according to this LinkedIn post by Braden Becker, former principal growth marketing manager at HubSpot (who is now the global SEO lead for Faire):
“I believe their quality standards are vastly more sophisticated than they were when I was working on the HubSpot Blog, and the company is surely paying a little for that. But just because Google makes a grand decision on a big website doesn’t mean the victim objectively deserved it.”
Becker highlighted another key point about quality:
“There’s a difference between ‘quality’ and ‘the most helpful answer’ to a given search term. I think Google consistently focuses on the latter, despite not always being clear about that.”
“You try to do what’s right for the business at the time. What worked, we kept doing. And what didn’t work, we stopped doing.”
Anderson added:
“From what I’ve seen, TOFU (top-of-funnel) non-ICP (Ideal Customer Profile) targeting content seems to be the most impacted. Is this partly the result of a wide-scale strategic de-prioritization? Maybe. I don’t know.
“What I do know is this: HubSpot has been actively working on this long before these traffic declines became more publicly known.”
Traffic and revenue are not the same thing, as Anderson pointed out:
“Traffic is cool, but it should rarely be a leading metric of success (especially now). Conversions or other core KPIs that drive business matter far more.”
Bottom line. Peter Rota, senior technical SEO manager, HUB International, made several great points in this LinkedIn post. Of note:
We can only see a portion of what happened – we don’t have Google Analytics or Google Search Console data.
We don’t know how many of these keywords brought meaningful visitors.
We don’t know whether any of this lost traffic impacted their sales/revenue. We might get more insight Feb. 12 – that’s the date when HubSpot is expected to release its Q4 results.
Rota added:
“In SEO, you can literally do everything right, and one day, Google could be like know what, we’re changing things. No site is truly ‘white hat,’ and everyone thinks they’re doing amazing SEO until you get hit.
“We all have access to the same public data, but the reality is that the SEOs who are working/ worked at HubSpot only know the true story of what happened.
“So, stop giving advice, stop thinking you know better. They literally wrote the book on inbound marketing and have taught many of us SEO or we’ve learned something from them.”
Google Ads recommendations often spark debate among advertisers.
While some are highly situational and require careful consideration, others can actively harm your account’s performance.
However, some recommendations offer valuable insights or significantly improve results when applied effectively.
This article explores the most common recommendations:
Those that should be ignored because they typically do more harm than good.
Those worth evaluating for the insights they provide.
Those that are almost always worth using to optimize your campaigns.
Recommendations I always ignore
Some recommendations are so poor that they are instant dismissals.
On rare occasions, one might be useful. However, spending hours looking through them all to find a single good one is a waste of time.
Optimize your budgets
Google is good at math. Their automated bidding generally works well. However, it seems they can’t do math regarding budgets.
Raising your budget by $46,200 per week to receive $35,600 more in conversion value is a quick way to go out of business.
After reviewing all 50 of these recommendations, I found that every single one would have caused a significant drop in ROAS or doubled the CPAs. In some cases, the CPAs were 10 times higher.
That’s why I always ignore budget recommendations.
Add broad match keywords
Broad match has its place, but only after carefully evaluating your account.
No one should blindly use this match type because it was a recommendation.
If your lost impression share budget is greater than 10%, and you primarily use exact and phrase match, adding broad match usually worsens your performance.
Your bid strategy dictates how well broad match will work for a campaign. You must evaluate your bid strategy before using broad match.
Some Google Ads recommendations are always worthy of evaluation.
These are my favorite recommendations that cause me to examine the account in more detail.
Remove conflicting negative keywords
Keyword conflicts occur when one of your negative keywords is blocking one of your keywords from showing.
These are always worth fixing, though fixing doesn’t always mean removing the negative keyword. Sometimes, it involves pausing the keyword instead.
Unfortunately, Google doesn’t check negative keyword lists for conflicts.
In about 90% of accounts I review, lists older than five years contain at least one conflict, and sometimes even thousands.
Many people ignore this recommendation because they want to temporarily block a keyword or aren’t sure if they want to show for it or not.
However, these keywords can still receive impressions and clicks.
If the search term matches your keyword and the negative keyword isn’t in the search term, the keyword can still show an ad.
This means you are showing for keyword variations but not the keyword itself.
These should always be examined and action taken to pause the keyword or remove the negative keyword.
Make your headlines and description more unique
I don’t care about ad strength since lower ad strength ads often outperform higher ad strength ads. I also ignore the recommendation to add more headlines.
Fewer headlines reduce the potential combinations, increase the data for each ad combination, and often improve your CTR and conversion rates.
However, most of the RSA recommendations are useful.
The recommendation to make your headlines and descriptions more unique often means you:
Have too many headlines related to the keywords in the ad group.
Don’t have enough CTAs, USPs, or benefit statements in your ads.
Adding a variety of assets generally improves both CTR and conversion rates.
When you see the recommendation to make your headlines more unique, examine your headline assets.
Then, make the necessary adjustments to ensure you are using a variety of headlines and not just headlines related to your keywords.
If you get a recommendation to include popular keywords in your headlines but already have two or three headlines with keywords from your ad group, it may indicate your ad group has too many disparate keywords.
In this case, consider splitting your ad group into smaller ones.
Review your keywords and check if your headlines match them well. If some keywords aren’t well represented in the ad, move them to a new ad group with more relevant headlines.
Always use
Some recommendations are always worth using. These are usually related to missing keywords, ads, or extensions.
Add extensions to your ads
Accounts grow and change, and it’s easy to miss something.
Almost everyone wants to use the sitelink and callout ad assets.
When I see this recommendation, I generally add the appropriate ad extension.
There are some exceptions, such as a recommendation to add the call extension to an ecommerce account.
Most accounts want to use several extensions, so it’s worth examining when you see a missing extension recommendation.
Disapprovals
Ad extensions or ads that have been disapproved don’t show. It’s a good idea to examine your disapprovals and fix them so they can be displayed.
These are straightforward recommendations. View what is disapproved, fix it, and resubmit it for approval.
The best way to see your top recommendations
The repair category offers the most useful recommendations, but the card view makes it difficult to identify which campaigns or accounts need the most attention.
Switching to the table view provides a clearer, at-a-glance overview of all your campaigns or accounts.
The table view will show your campaign or account and the number of ad groups without ads, keywords, or other disapprovals.
The table is highly efficient, allowing you to spot issues, address them, and move on to the next campaign.
Among Google’s recommendations, the repair category is the most valuable to review regularly.
Decoding Google Ads recommendations for smarter ad management
Overall, Google Ads recommendations often have a poor reputation, as many seem designed to push advertisers to spend more or surrender control over their accounts.
This has led many advertisers to tune them out entirely.
However, hidden within these recommendations are valuable insights that can genuinely improve performance.
The next time you encounter a recommendation, don’t dismiss it outright.
Instead, evaluate it carefully to see how it could benefit your account.
https://i0.wp.com/dubadosolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Google-Ads-Optimize-your-budgets-kDAe7s.jpeg?fit=669%2C539&ssl=1539669http://dubadosolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/dubado-logo-1.png2025-01-27 14:00:002025-01-27 14:00:00Top Google Ads recommendations you should always ignore, use, or evaluate
Yahoo appears to be testing some new AI related features within Yahoo Search. In fact, some are seeing Yahoo show a banner at the top of Yahoo’s home page that says, “We’re building a new yahoo.com to show more of what’s interesting to you.”
The new search features include:
AI powered chat
AI generated answers within search
Note, you need to login to Yahoo to see the new Yahoo Search features.
AI chat in Yahoo. For the past week or so, we’ve been seeing signs of Yahoo incorporating AI Chat features in Yahoo Search. Now, we are seeing that more prominently in the Yahoo Search interface.
Here is a screenshot of the message about the new Yahoo and I am told the try now link goes to Yahoo Search:
Here is the Yahoo Search home page:
The Yahoo Search bar with AI elements built within it:
Here are what these AI Chat answers look like:
Yahoo AI Generated Answers. Yahoo Search is also incorporating AI generated answers directly in the Yahoo Search results. These seem to be powered by OpenAI and show directly in Yahoo Search, where you see a snippet of the AI generated answer and then can click to expand the answer to show more:
Here are more screenshots:
Yahoo has introduced AI overviews, but there are no links in the AI overview. They simply provide an answer for users to read. They’ve also added a feedback option—users can like the answer, but if they dislike it, they’re asked to provide feedback.@rustybrickpic.twitter.com/LAsMqOb7kw
More information. Is this part of Yahoo’s renewed return to Search from 2023, which we were expecting in 2024. Or is this just some more basic AI licensed services within Yahoo Search. It is hard to tell but we will be watching.
Why we care. With all these new AI elements that everyone is rolling out, differentiating search features can be easier than ever before. Here are signs of Yahoo making some of these efforts.
As I said, we have been expecting Yahoo to make its comeback to search for a while now and it seems we may be seeing some elements of that.
I for one am looking forward to a new Yahoo Search experience.
https://i0.wp.com/dubadosolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/new-yahoo-xK7o20.jpeg?fit=1737%2C476&ssl=14761737http://dubadosolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/dubado-logo-1.png2025-01-27 13:17:442025-01-27 13:17:44Yahoo testing new AI Search features
Many ecommerce websites obsess over flashy designs and trendy layouts.
Big mistake.
Instead, you should focus on conversion-centered design.
That’s the blend of buyer psychology, user experience, and strategic design working together to turn visitors into customers.
Doing this can get you:
More sales
Higher average order values
Better conversion rates
Below, I’ve handpicked nine effective ecommerce website examples that follow a conversion-focused design. Use them as a blueprint to create your own online store that converts.
Crème de la Crème: Our Favorite Ecommerce Website Examples
Short on time to review every ecommerce website example on this list?
Focus on these three.
Study them. Use them as a template for your store. And watch your conversion rates improve.
1. Crutchfield
Crutchfield is a large electronics retailer specializing in audio, video, and car tech.
The company grew its business on expert product knowledge and top-tier customer service.
Their website stays true to this focus.
They have designed it with the customer experience in mind.
Despite offering thousands of products, the layout is clean, organized, and easy to navigate.
Take the homepage, for example.
It provides links only to popular products and categories.
By limiting the options to these key choices, it avoids overwhelming shoppers. (While also letting them dive deeper to find exactly what they need.)
Click one of these product category links, and you’ll find the pages are just as well-organized.
Take the “Smart Home” category, for example.
Easy-to-read text and clear images make sure you move through the site with ease.
The content is also easy to skim, which simplifies browsing and finding information.
Scroll down the page, and you’ll see options to search for products in different ways:
By use
By brand
By compatibility
By subcategory
This lets you shop in the way that works best for you.
You can either search for a specific product or browse through the available options.
Now, check out the navigation bar.
The mega menu is clear and simple, with dropdowns that guide you to the right section.
But what if you already know the specific product you’re looking for?
The intuitive search bar helps you with that.
It gives suggestions as you type—aka predictive text—to speed things up.
Once you’ve searched, narrowing the results is just as easy.
You can filter with options like:
Price
Features
Availability of virtual audio demo
Select the filters you want, and voilà, you customize your search results.
And you know what that means:
The quicker you can find a product, the more likely you are to buy.
Now, let’s look at the product pages.
They’re a perfect mix of SEO and user experience (UX).
For example, breadcrumbs show exactly where you are on the site and make it easy to go back a step.
And the product names and descriptions are also clear and easy to understand. They even include target keywords to help with search rankings. A nice touch.
What’s more, the reviews and testimonials are right where you can see them.
These help build credibility as you read more about the product.
Then, to make it easier for potential customers to click the buy button, Crutchfield uses “anxiety reducers” in strategic locations.
For example, near the “add to cart” button, microcopy highlights benefits such as:
Free lifetime tech support
60-day price-drop protection
60-day returns
Smart move. Why?
Asking someone to take action, like adding to cart, can trigger hesitation.
These anxiety reducers help ease buyer concerns and make the next step feel safer.
But what really sets Crutchfield’s website apart is how clear their focus on customer service is.
(After all, that’s their brand differentiator.)
On every page, they make it clear how quickly you can reach them.
First, their phone number is always visible at the top of every page.
And no matter where you are—homepage, category page, or product page—they always feature tech experts.
This reassures shoppers that a real, knowledgeable human is always ready to help.
These elements build trust in their business while making the shopping experience stress-free.
That’s why they top my list of ecommerce sites with conversion-focused designs.
How Crutchfield Looks on Mobile
Crutchfield’s mobile site is just as user-friendly as the desktop version. It ticks all the big mobile SEO boxes.
Pages load fast, and the search and filter options are clear, simple, and easy to tap.
All the trust signals are still there, too.
And here’s a superb touch:
The PayPal “Buy now” button gets prime placement on mobile, unlike the desktop version.
(While we obviously don’t know for sure, the team likely tested this and found it boosted mobile sales.)
Takeaways
Prioritize user experience: Focus on customer needs to help boost conversions and SEO.
Make your value proposition obvious: What makes your store and products different? Make sure visitors see that on every page.
Design product pages for people AND search engines: They should load fast, give clear details, and guide shoppers to buy.
Bang & Olufsen is a global leader in luxury audio and visual technology.
They’re known for sleek design features, cutting-edge sound, and refined Scandinavian craftsmanship.
Their website matches their brand, as the minimalist design oozes elegance.
Plus, the generous white space makes each product look like a museum piece.
The clean layout and modern font (Beosupremen) complete the Scandinavian aesthetic.
Browsing the site feels less like online shopping and more like exploring an art exhibit.
Now, check out the product pages.
It feels like something out of a premium lifestyle magazine.
High-resolution images capture your attention immediately.
Plus, the detailed, well-crafted descriptions speak to reason AND emotion.
The best part?
B&O have managed to do all this while optimizing for SEO.
For example, their product pages use keywords in the H1 tag instead of just the product name.
(In this case, “portable speaker.”)
They also use the keyword naturally throughout the page a few times.
Side note: H1 tags are the main headings on a webpage. Adding target keywords here can boost your SEO and make the page’s purpose clear to visitors.
And there’s more:
Bang & Olufsen’s website does a great job of linking online browsing with in-store visits.
Their homepage displays a call to action encouraging shoppers to “Experience in store.”
The same CTA copy also appears on product pages reinforcing B&O’s physical presence.
And here’s why that matters:
It shows they’re more than an online retailer.
This adds credibility and sophistication to the brand. It also helps boost buyers’ confidence in the brand’s legitimacy.
How Bang & Olufsen Looks on Mobile
Bang & Olufsen’s mobile site keeps the same luxury vibe.
The minimalist design stays the same, with clean layouts and space for products to stand out.
The high-quality images load quickly and look stunning.
Navigation is just as smooth.
The large, clear buttons are easy to tap, and everything responds quickly to your touch.
All this comes together to create the premium, elegant feel you’d expect from B&O.
Takeaways
Speak luxury through subtlety: Skip the loud banners and hard-sell tactics. They create a salesy feel that cheapens a premium brand.
Balance image quality with page speed: Showcase your products with high-quality images. Also compress them so they load fast and stop visitors from bouncing.
Create a seamless shopping experience: Link your website to your offline stores. This makes everything feel more cohesive.
3. Misen
Misen sells high-quality cookware for home chefs and hobby cooks.
They transform everyday kitchen tools into aspirational must-haves.
Their website fully reflects this goal.
Bold typography and bright colors grab your attention.
And the compelling copy inspires you to level up your cooking skills.
What sets Misen’s website apart?
It speaks to four distinct decision-making styles.
Just look at their product pages to see this at work.
First, Misen wins over methodical buyers with:
Detailed specs
Material breakdowns
Clear explanations
This gives these logic-driven shoppers the data to make a confident purchase.
For emotion-driven buyers, Misen uses vivid images and GIFs, like the knife slicing through a grape.
These visual elements spark desire and help you imagine using the product yourself.
To attract competitive buyers, Misen uses bestseller badges and review counts.
These elements trigger FOMO and appeal to the desire to choose the best product.
Finally, for practical buyers, Misen features close-up shots of knives in action.
You’ll see hands gripping tools, before-and-after cooking shots, and precise cuts.
This gives practical buyers proof that the product delivers on its promises.
So go visit Misen’s product pages.
Study them. Copy what works. And your conversions will thank you.
How Misen Looks on Mobile
Misen’s mobile site proves that rich content and video can work on smaller screens.
They also embrace long copy, pairing text and visuals with precision.
Images appear right where they’re needed, making browsing smooth and intuitive.
But that’s not all.
Social proof, like user-generated content (UGC), appears at just the right moments to nudge shoppers to buy.
Misen’s mobile pages make it clear:
Premium design and performance can work perfectly even on smaller screens.
Takeaways
Design for different buyer mindsets: Show your product working in multiple ways to appeal to different buyer types.
Make images tell stories: Skip stock images and basic product photos. Show your products in action to evoke curiosity and desire.
Keep mobile fast but premium: Compress images to load high-res product shots and videos quickly. This keeps the premium feel while boosting performance.
Top tip: Want to know if images are slowing down your site? Run Semrush’s Site Audit. It flags issues like uncompressed images and slow-loading pages. Fixing these can help keep your site fast.
Managing thousands of products while staying fast and user-friendly.
The best sites drive conversions by focusing on key elements like:
Fast load times
Simple navigation
Streamlined checkout processes
These elements aren’t optional. They directly impact conversions, user experience, and customer satisfaction.
4. Sephora
Sephora is a global beauty retailer with a wide selection of products.
The website feels like browsing a sleek, organized beauty aisle (without the crowds).
One of Sephora’s smartest conversion plays is “Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store (BOPIS).”
It’s a way to reduce cart abandonment, and Sephora makes it impossible to miss.
But that’s just the start of their user-friendly design.
Their intuitive navigation menu makes browsing simple.
The menu dropdown appears instantly when you hover, and categories are easy to find.
Bold fonts highlight main categories, while subcategories use lighter fonts.
This makes scanning super easy, so you can easily find what you’re looking for in the mega menu.
The category pages keep this same attention to detail.
Popular filters like “Vegan” and “Clean” sit right at the top, making it easy to sort by preference.
The site also uses faceted navigation. This lets shoppers filter results based on specific criteria, like price or brand.
It’s especially helpful for large ecommerce sites with extensive product catalogs.
Now, let’s look at Sephora’s product pages.
Key product details like price, availability, and shipping info are clearly displayed.
This gives potential customers the details they need to make a confident purchase decision.
The product photos do some heavy lifting, too.
First, Sephora uses unedited images to show real results.
It also includes influencer videos that show real people using the product.
Then, there are photos with ingredient callouts that highlight key benefits.
As you can see, everything about Sephora’s product pages encourages action:
Clear product details help visitors understand the value
Social proof like unedited photos and videos builds trust in the products
These elements work together to make it easy for visitors to take the next step and buy.
Side note: Images can have a huge impact on conversions. But don’t rely on standard shots. Mix in other types of visuals, such as influencer content and action shots, to bring the product to life. And make sure to pair them with conversion-focused copy that drives home the product’s benefits.
How Sephora Looks on Mobile
The mobile experience on Sephora is just as user-friendly.
But you’ll notice one big difference from many ecommerce site designs:
The hamburger menu is missing.
Instead, Sephora uses a scrollable text-based menu at the top.
And a bottom navigation bar that pops up when tapped.
This design isn’t typical, but it reflects Sephora’s customer-first approach.
How so?
Their customer research has shown that the hamburger menu was causing friction. So they removed it.
“We (also) discovered that a bottom navigation helps users quickly orient themselves in the app and allows them to multitask.
The changes we made were good for our users—and for our business. We saw immediate improvements in app engagement, satisfaction, and perception of speed, which ultimately led to increases in conversion and revenue that surpassed our expectations.”
Takeaways
Bridge online business and in-store shopping: If you offer in-store pickup, make it impossible to miss. Don’t bury it in the checkout process.
Simplify navigation: Use scrollable menus with clear, readable labels that guide customers naturally.
Make data-driven decisions: Ask your customers what they like and don’t like about your site and make changes based on these insights. And use tools like heatmaps to find out what elements of your site are acting as stumbling blocks.
They offer a range of products from riding gear to bike parts.
A big part of their conversion strategy?
Building a community.
Their “Riders Preferred Membership (RPM)” offers members exclusive perks and benefits.
The moment you land on the site, it’s clear that members get special treatment.
This taps into a powerful psychological driver: the need to belong.
But RevZilla’s strategy goes beyond community.
The site is also filled with customer-centric features that speed up the buying process.
Just look at the header.
You’ll find a search bar and the “SHOP YOUR RIDE” button.
The search bar supports average users just browsing the site. These are the shoppers casually exploring options or researching gear.
But “SHOP YOUR RIDE?”
It’s for riders who know what they’re looking for and want to find products fast.
Just enter your bike’s make, model, and year…
…and the search results instantly filter into products that fit your ride.
How about that for search personalization?
RevZilla also uses dynamic personalization.
It detects the customer’s location and updates shipping details automatically.
It’s a small touch, but it makes customers feel seen.
And the customer-focused design elements don’t stop there.
Check out their “Find Your Perfect Helmet” tool:
It’s an interactive product quiz that asks simple questions to match users with the right helmet.
This interactive element boosts engagement.
It also reduces decision fatigue, making it easier for customers to buy.
This is exactly the kind of thoughtful design that makes shoppers feel like the entire site was built just for them.
How RevZilla Looks on Mobile
RevZilla’s mobile site is perfectly adapted for mobile users.
The sticky header keeps essential navigation tools within reach at all times.
This includes the search bar and the “SHOP YOUR RIDE” feature.
Navigation on mobile is also smooth and responsive.
Filters, buttons, and dropdowns are perfectly sized for touch, and navigation paths are simple and clear.
The checkout process is just as thoughtful. It’s designed for speed and simplicity.
There are also progress indicators that show you where you are in the process. And form fields are kept to a minimum.
Plus, RevZilla offers guest checkout, which is a way to reduce cart abandonment.
Takeaways
Build a community, not just a customer base: When customers feel seen, heard, and valued, they’re more likely to stick around and spend more.
Personalize the shopping experience: The more personalized the experience, the more engaged users become—and engaged users convert. Could your ecommerce website emulate the “Shop Your Ride” feature?
Optimize the checkout process: Guest checkout, clear next steps, and fewer form fields remove friction. This makes it easier for users to complete their purchases.
Luxury Ecommerce Websites
Luxury ecommerce sites need to radiate sophistication and exclusivity on screen.
Not an easy task.
So, how do they create that kind of experience?
With:
High-quality visuals that capture the product’s exclusivity
Minimalist layouts that create a refined and polished aesthetic
Curated design elements that reflect the brand’s elegance
But here’s the real challenge:
How do they exude elegance without slowing the site down?
And if that’s not tricky enough, they also have to nudge customers toward a purchase.
In a subtle way, of course.
6. Tiffany & Co.
World-renowned luxury jewelry store, Tiffany & Co. transforms online shopping into a refined experience.
The site carries the same aura of exclusivity as stepping into one of their flagship stores.
The moment you land on the site, you’re unmistakably in Tiffany’s world.
The iconic Tiffany blue frames every page. And you can feel the elegance in every detail.
The typography is subtle and unobtrusive.
(Just like a butler. Always present but never in the way.)
Then, there are the visuals.
High-resolution images take center stage, showcasing the craftsmanship of each product.
Even the mega menu exudes refinement.
Generous white space, carefully chosen fonts, and a clean layout come together to create a truly luxurious feel.
And here’s something that goes against typical ecommerce best practices:
You won’t find star ratings, review snippets, or social proof bars anywhere on the site.
What’s more, the luxury feel goes beyond design choices.
Tiffany & Co. doesn’t rush you into a purchase.
Instead, they make it clear that a slower, more personal shopping experience is an option if you want it.
For example, they offer virtual consultations with jewelry specialists.
This helps customers make better decisions through one-on-one advice.
Then, for diamond purchases, experts are readily available for personalized guidance.
And for customers who want to see and feel the pieces in person, they can easily book in-store appointments.
Yes, these paths to purchase may take longer.
But they make the target audience feel seen and valued.
After all, when you’re spending thousands on jewelry, the experience matters as much as the product.
How Tiffany & Co. Looks on Mobile
The mobile experience keeps Tiffany & Co’s signature elegance intact.
A standout feature is the “Mobile Virtual Try-On” tool.
It uses augmented reality (AR) to let customers see how jewelry looks on them using their phone’s camera.
This feature reduces purchase anxiety and gives customers the confidence to move forward.
Takeaways
Make your site look the part: Prioritize minimalist design, lots of white space, and uncluttered layouts.
Skip the hard sell: People don’t generally buy luxury items on impulse. Embrace a slow, thoughtful approach and do away with urgency tactics.
Break best practices if they don’t fit your brand: Skip review stars and ratings if they feel off-brand. But make sure you replace them with stronger conversion triggers like brand authority. Or, say, Anya Taylor-Joy’s face on your homepage.
7. Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton is one of the most iconic and recognized names in fashion.
Its website carries the same confidence and authority that only a legacy brand can.
The colors are rich and striking.
And the oversized product images command attention.
Then, there’s the iconic LV monogram which signals status and quality.
Head to one of their product page, and you’ll see something unique.
The first image is often a lifestyle shot.
It’s like seeing the product on the runway which helps reinforce the brand’s aspirational nature.
Next, check out the unique navigation menu.
Click the hamburger icon, and a list of product categories slides in.
Click one of the product categories and a subcategory appears.
Choose one and click. And yet, another subcategory slides in.
It’s an approach that’s visually clean and easy to follow, thanks to the ample white space.
And if you use the search function, a full-screen window will appear with images of trending products and bestsellers.
As you type, search is predictive, and results populate instantly.
No need to hit enter. Everything happens in real time.
All these design elements make the site feel like LV truly understands its customers.
And that’s exactly how you want your customers to feel—luxury site or not.
How Louis Vuitton Looks on Mobile
Louis Vuitton’s mobile site keeps the same smooth, refined experience.
For example, the “Find in Store” option is easily accessible.
And search works just as beautifully as it does on desktop.
Predictive search offers instant results that make browsing fast and easy.
Takeaways
Create a great search experience: Use predictive search or quick links to trending products. These can make browsing easier and more engaging.
Offer omnichannel flexibility: Add features like “Find in Store” to improve user experience. These give customers more control over how they shop, which helps increase sales.
Subscription-Based Sites
Subscription ecommerce sites have one job:
Convince people to pay every month.
Tough business.
To do that, they must clearly show value and build trust.
Key elements include clear pricing, smooth signups, and risk-free trials.
The goal? Make it feel easy to start and enticing to stay.
Side note: The FTC’s “Click-to-Cancel” rule requires subscription sites to make a cancellation as simple as signing up. So your website should make it just as easy to cancel as it is to join.
8. HelloFresh
HelloFresh is a major name in the meal kit delivery space.
Its website has a clear focus:
Stand out in a crowded market.
Here’s how they do this.
The homepage makes their unique selling points clear.
It starts with a bold value proposition for why visitors choose them:
15-minute meals (for people looking for speed and convenience)
America’s #1 meal kit (social proof)
Up to 10 free meals + free breakfast for life (attention-grabbing incentives)
The “Get Started” CTA is perfectly placed for warm visitors ready to buy.
And the image next to it isn’t just eye candy—it’s functional.
Each image is paired with text, making it easy for visual scanners to find key information.
Plus, to make the subscription even more appealing, HelloFresh emphasizes control and choice.
For example, customers can browse menus before committing.
This makes the process feel flexible and low-pressure.
Plus:
Key features and benefits are clear throughout the site.
You’ll see images that show just how easy the meals are to prepare—kids can even get involved.
And the onboarding process?
It’s friction-free.
The first step is simple: enter your zip code to confirm deliverability.
This way, customers immediately know if HelloFresh delivers to their area.
(So they don’t waste time going through the process only to find out it’s unavailable.)
From there, the entire process is busy-user-friendly, with minimal typing required.
This keeps the experience effortless—exactly what customers want when signing up for a subscription.
How HelloFresh Looks on Mobile
Unfortunately, HelloFresh’s mobile site doesn’t match the sleekness of its desktop version.
For example, some text in the hero section of the homepage is hard to read.
One smooth aspect, however, is the signup process.
The same progress indicators show the steps you need to take.
And moving from step to step feels intuitive and smooth.
It’s the kind of signup you can complete while watching a Netflix show on your couch.
This low-friction process makes it so much easier to complete the signup process.
Takeaways
Lead with your differentiators: Show visitors why you’re better than the competition as soon as they arrive.
Don’t make signups a chore: When shoppers are ready to commit, make it quick and easy.
9. First Day
For our last ecommerce website example, let’s look at First Day—a store that sells supplements.
Unlike HelloFresh, they offer many products with both one-time payment and subscription options.
If you look closely, it’s clear that getting people to subscribe is a major focus.
The navigation menu, for example, includes only three links:
Shop
Learn
Subscribe and Save
The “Subscribe & Save” link takes you to a dedicated page explaining a First Day subscription.
Giving the page its own spot in the nav bar underscores its importance.
But here’s the best part:
First Day doesn’t rely solely on this page to sell subscriptions.
Instead, they integrate subscription nudges throughout the site.
It’s on the hero section of the homepage, for example:
And the product pages also reinforce the subscription as the preferred option:
Yes, a “One-Time Purchase” is available. But it’s downplayed compared to the subscription.
Now, you might think all these subscription nudges would feel overwhelming or pushy.
But here’s the thing:
First Day’s site integrates them so naturally that they don’t ruin the shopping experience.
And that’s the key for subscription sites like this: aligning business goals with a user-friendly experience.
How First Day Looks on Mobile
First Day’s mobile site keeps the subscription focus.
For example, when you click the navigation icon, the first button takes you to the “Subscribe & Save” page.
The product pages also maintain its emphasis on subscriptions as the preferred option.
But what’s even more impressive is how the site seamlessly integrates this focus.
For example, the product pages continue to use conversion-focused design best practices.
Look at the product descriptions. They’re laid out for easy scanning.
This helps users quickly absorb important information.
Plus, the site reinforces trust with credibility boosters.
You’ll see customer reviews all throughout, for example.
And there’s even a section for media mentions.
Together, these features create an experience that draws visitors in and keeps them informed.
And they’ve managed to do all this while consistently promoting their subscription option throughout.
The result?
Visitors have plenty of chances to see the value of subscribing—a must for any subscription website.
Takeaways
Design with your subscription goals in mind: If your goal is to get more subscriptions, ensure visitors see the benefits clearly. And don’t be afraid to nudge them towards subscribing (naturally) across your site.
Balance business goals with UX: Design your site to guide customers toward goals like subscribing or purchasing. But make sure it doesn’t ruin the shopping experience.
How to Create a Conversion-Focused Ecommerce Website
1. Optimize for User Experience
Make it easy for visitors to find what they came for, fast.
Here are some areas to prioritize:
Simplify navigation so users can browse with ease
Structure category pages to make product discovery simple
Streamline the checkout process to reduce friction and speed up purchases
Create persuasive product pages that highlight key benefits and drive action
“Design your processes for what you perceive to be a busy, lazy, drunk, amnesiac idiot—what lawyers call a “moron in a hurry” (really). Even geniuses with time on their hands will be grateful that you did.”
2. Speed Up Your Site
Page speed affects everything: SEO, conversions, and brand perception.
And so speeding up your site is one of the most impactful changes you can make.
For example, Vodafone ran an A/B test focusing only on page speed improvements.
Want more buyers and sellers from Google without relying on Zillow or Redfin?
Or more leads for listings that support your cold-calling and door-knocking efforts?
Then, become skilled at real estate SEO.
SEO is about ranking your site in search engine results pages (SERPs). This will attract qualified buyers and sellers to your agency.
Just look at Campion & Company, a small real estate agency in Boston. They outrank Zillow for high-value property searches like “Burrage Mansion.”
And that’s just one keyword.
This agency ranks for 19K different search terms on Google—all driving potential buyers directly to their listings.
All thanks to SEO.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to conduct keyword research for high-intent terms, create lead-generating content, and dominate the local SERPs.
But first, let’s take a closer look at the benefits of SEO.
Why Is SEO Important for Real Estate Sites?
Real estate SEO helps your listings show up in search results when people look for homes online.
This includes Google Maps when people search for things like “realtor” in your area.
Why does this matter?
According to a study by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), 100% of Americans who bought a house in 2024 used the internet to search for a home.
And more than half (52%) of recent buyers found the home they ultimately purchased online.
SEO lets you reach these buyers when they’re actively looking to buy.
But it’s also a cost-effective way of capturing online demand.
For example, the cost-per-click of a Google ad for the keyphrase “real estate companies in West Palm Beach Florida” is $5.67.
But SEO can get your business to appear directly under those ads without spending a dime.
This puts you in direct control of lead generation. Which means no more relying on expensive ads or third-party directory sites.
Sounds ideal, right?
Now that you’ve seen what real estate SEO can do for your business, let’s start with the most important first step:
Conducting a quick technical audit to see if Google can actually find your website.
(Because if it can’t, other SEO strategies don’t matter.)
Step 1: Make Sure Google Can Find Your Property Listings
The best way to check if Google knows your site exists?
This will tell you which pages from your site are in Google’s index, which aren’t, and why.
Some red flags to watch out for:
Your indexed pages WAY outnumber your actual pages (this usually means Google’s finding pages it shouldn’t)
Google’s only indexed a fraction of your pages (meaning potential clients can’t find most of your listings and services)
Important pages show up under “Error,’” “Valid with warnings,” or “Excluded”
Not sure why Google isn’t indexing your pages?
The “Why pages aren’t indexed” report is your friend here.
It’ll tell you exactly what’s wrong—like a redirect error or improper canonical tags—and how to fix it.
If you have unindexed pages, you can manually request indexing.
This is super helpful for new listings you want to appear ASAP.
Pro tip: Don’t have the time or desire to handle SEO issues? Delegate them to a pro. A skilled website manager can tackle indexing issues, implement fixes fast, and keep your site climbing the rankings—while you focus on closing deals.
Step 2: Find Keywords That Drive Leads
To increase leads, you need to show up on Google for the terms homebuyers search for in your area.
But it’ll take a strategic plan to beat the big real estate directory sites.
For example, here’s what the search results look like for “Raleigh homes.”
Directory sites dominate the SERPs, including Zillow, Realtor.com, and Redfin.
Enter a neighborhood into the search bar and click “Search.”
The tool will return a list of keywords and important metrics for each one.
This includes:
Search volume: The average number of monthly searches for a specific keyword in Google
Keyword difficulty (KD): A score from 0-100 that estimates how hard it would be to rank on the first page of Google for that keyword
Search intent: The primary purpose or goal behind a user’s search query—informational (learn), commercial (compare/buy), navigational (find site), or transactional (take action)
While the list will typically include some long-tail keywords already, you can add filters to narrow it even further.
Here’s how:
Select the “KD %” filter and type “0-50” in the custom range.
Then, click the “Intent” filter and select “Transactional” and “Commercial.”
Filtering this list for “Commercial” and “Transactional” will limit the list to terms people search when they’re looking to buy a home.
Now, you have a list of long-tail keywords you can use to optimize your property page.
For example, “boylan heights raleigh homes for sale” receives 40 searches a month and has a keyword difficulty score of 3, meaning it should be super easy to rank for.
It also has transactional intent, which tells you these searchers are ready to buy.
Even better?
The SERP for this keyword is a mix of directory sites and local realtors, so you know you’ve got a shot at ranking.
Now that you’ve got your target keywords, it’s time to use them strategically on your property pages.
Step 3: Optimize Your Property Pages for Conversions
It should describe the page’s contents and include the main keyword.
It doesn’t have to be the exact keyphrase—you can use a variation of your target keyword in your H1 like We Know Boise Real Estate did.
H2s are the main subheadings that go underneath your H1 to organize your content and make it easy for readers to find what they’re looking for.
Include the location name in some of your page’s H2’s as well:
This makes it crystal clear to search engines exactly what this page is about, which increases your chances of ranking.
Just ensure your page headings read naturally and avoid keyword stuffing.
Include Internal Links
Internal linking connects your location pages together, helping you rank higher in search results.
It also keeps website visitors engaged longer as they explore other pages on your site.
For example, We Know Boise’s Barber Valley page includes hyperlinks to every other neighborhood in East Boise:
When you click a neighborhood, it takes you to a dedicated page on We Know Boise’s site for that location.
This lets Google understand the relationship between these pages on your site.
Which will help you rank for your target keywords—and ultimately land more leads.
Pro tip: Don’t gate your content. Requiring visitors to provide personal details to view property listings can negatively impact your SEO efforts. Many potential clients will hit the “back” button and head to one of your competitor’s sites instead, reducing your chances of ranking.
Create Detailed Listing Pages That Convert Browsers into Buyers
The more information you provide on your property pages, the more likely visitors are to book a viewing.
It also helps with lead qualification, as they’ll know upfront if the listing is likely to be a fit.
Include:
A detailed description of the property
A description of the local amenities
High-quality images of the entire property
A map showing the property’s location
Look at the big directory sites for inspiration when creating your listings.
For example, Trulia includes high-quality images and essential information like address and price prominently at the top of the listing.
They follow this up with a “Local Information” section that includes a map, description of the area, and information on local restaurants, shopping, and schools.
Next, comes the “Home Highlights” at a glance, such as the HOA fee, price per square foot, and how long the property has been listed.
Then, an expandable drop-down menu with even more details like the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, and more:
Trulia also showcases what locals say about the area to give prospective buyers an inside look into the area:
Notably, they also include an interactive mortgage calculator set to the home’s listed price.
Doing something similar will help you get more leads from your property pages.
Step 4: Dominate Local Search Results with Your Google Business Profile
Search “[your location] real estate agents” in Google.
The top organic result is almost certain to be a Google Local Pack—a SERP feature that appears for location-specific searches—featuring three local realtors:
It goes without saying that you should prioritize landing in one of those three spots through your real estate SEO strategy.
This is especially vital for a local realtor since the rest of the organic results are likely to be dominated by directory sites:
Here’s how to optimize your site to appear in the Local Pack for your area:
Enter your business name, category, location, and contact information
Verify your business by the method offered to you by Google (usually by a phone call or a postcard sent to your business’s address)
Fill Out and Optimize Your Google Business Profile
Once your Google Business Profile is verified, fill it out with as much information as possible—including all the areas you have listings:
Add plenty of high-quality photos of your team, current listings, and properties sold.
Do this regularly to show Google you’re a legitimate business worthy of ranking at the top of the Local Pack.
Plus, it’ll help sell your company to potential clients—and agents who might be looking for a new agency.
You also have the option of writing a brief description of your business, which will appear under the heading “From [your business’s name]’:
Include target keywords in this section.
Things like:
[Your area] real estate
[Your area] homes for sale
[Your area] real estate agent
[Your area] realtor
Encourage and Respond to Customer Reviews
It’s good practice to ask all your customers to leave you a review on Google.
After all, 35% of people say a real estate agent’s reputation is the most important factor when they’re choosing a realtor to sell their home, according to NAR’s study.
Plus, the more positive reviews you receive on Google, the more likely you are to appear in the Local Pack for relevant searches.
Your business’s overall rating and review highlights will appear on your Google Business listing:
As a best practice, respond to every review you receive on Google.
This includes the positive ones:
And the not-so-positive ones:
This will show potential clients that you care what people have to say about your business and respond to their feedback.
It’s also another signal to Google that you’re a well-run business that deserves to sit at the top of its local results.
Get as Many NAP Citations as You Can
NAP (name, address, and phone number) citations are a huge deal when it comes to local SEO.
The more websites that list your company’s NAP correctly, the more confident Google is that those details are correct—and that you’re a legitimate business worth sending searchers to.
But manually adding and updating citations isn’t a good use of anyone’s time.
Instead, use a tool like Semrush’s Listing Management, which automates the process.
By connecting your Google Business Profile, the tool will automatically distribute your details to vital directories for your industry.
Search your business to find out how many correct NAP citations it has online:
The tool will show you where your NAP details are listed incorrectly—or not at all to help you improve and expand your presence.
Use Google Posts to Advertise Property Listings
Google Posts are updates that appear at the bottom of your Google Business Profile.
They’re the perfect place for you to advertise your latest listings.
Plus, Google is less likely to display your Business Profile at the top of local search results if it’s inactive. Which means making a Google Post about each of your new listings will help you rank in the Local Pack.
Create a Google Post by clicking “Add update” in your dashboard:
Step 5: Start a Blog to Establish Your Agency as an Industry Leader
Rank for more keywords and strengthen your site’s authority by creating a blog.
Write High-Quality Blog Content
Blog content can drive highly relevant traffic to your site.
The key is finding topics homebuyers are actively searching for online.
Search for your service area in the tool, such as “Cambridge MA.”
You’ll see an Overview report with keyword data.
Click “View all keywords” under the “Questions” report.
Now, you’ll see a list of questions people ask Google about this area.
Including the search volume for each term, intent, and keyword difficulty.
Review the list to find questions that would make great blog post topics.
Ensure they’re relevant and aim for low difficulty and moderate search volume.
For example, “What is there to do in cambridge ma” gets 320 searches per month and has a low keyword difficulty score of 20.
This means it should be fairly easy to rank for, which is especially important if you have a new site or one that lacks authority.
Create Neighborhood Guides
Neighborhood guides are a tried-and-true way to rank in the SERPs. (Note: these can work well as site pages or blog content.)
For example, Trulia created a neighborhood guide for every neighborhood where they have listings.
That subfolder drives 611.2K visits to the Trulia site each month.
And it has 11K backlinks:
These pages work.
And your content marketing strategy should revolve around them.
But how can you compete with Trulia, Zillow, and Redfin’s neighborhood pages?
With high-quality, comprehensive content that highlights your local expertise.
For example, New Orleans real estate agency Crescent City Living has a neighborhood guide that outranks all the directory sites for “Seventh Ward New Orleans”:
How’d they do it?
Well, compare Crescent City Living’s guide to Trulia’s, and you’ll see significant differences:
Crescent Living’s page was clearly written by someone who knows the area.
It describes Seventh Ward’s colorful Creole cottages and beloved Marching 100 band.
http://dubadosolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/dubado-logo-1.png00http://dubadosolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/dubado-logo-1.png2025-01-23 12:01:282025-01-23 12:01:286 Steps to Win at Real Estate SEO
Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is one of the most effective paid channels helping businesses increase visibility and build awareness.
If you’d like to learn about the state of PPC in 2025, find the latest data on PPC usage, most used ad platforms, and PPC benchmarks, we’ve curated a list of 24 essential PPC statistics to help you answer these questions.
General PPC Statistics
Among surveyed pay-per-click (PPC) marketers, Google (98%), Facebook (76%) and Instagram (70%) are the most widely used advertising platforms (Statista)
Here’s a full breakdown:
Digital Advertising Platform
Share of PPC Professionals
Google (excluding YouTube)
98%
Facebook
76%
Instagram
70%
Microsoft (Bing)
67%
YouTube
67%
LinkedIn
48%
TikTok
31%
Pinterest
24%
Amazon
17%
X (Twitter)
15%
Reddit
11%
Apple Search
11%
Snapchat
9%
Quora
4%
Yandex
2%
Baidu
1%
Yahoo! Japan
1%
Other
6%
Among PPC practitioners with a monthly budget between $50K and $500K, Google, Facebook, and YouTube are the top 3 most used advertising platforms (PPCsurvey)
Here are the exact numbers:
Ad Platform
Adoption ($50K – $500K PPC budget)
Google (excluding YouTube)
99%
Facebook
79%
YouTube
75%
Instagram
74%
Microsoft (Bing)
73%
LinkedIn
46%
TikTok
28%
Pinterest
20%
Amazon
15%
X (Twitter)
11%
Reddit
10%
Apple Search
7%
Snapchat
6%
Quora
4%
Yandex
1%
Baidu
1%
Yahoo! Japan
1%
Other
8%
73% of B2C marketers stated their organization used PPC advertising in the last 12 months (Content Marketing Institute)
64% of B2B marketing professionals say they used PPC advertising at their organization in the past year, which is only behind the usage rate of social media advertising at 73% (Content Marketing Institute)
93% of marketers say pay-per-click (PPC) as a marketing channel is “effective” or “highly effective”, making it the 2nd most effective channel after content marketing (96%) (eMarketer)
Only 10% of surveyed marketing professionals identify PPC as a primary focus for their budget allocation (eMarketer)
Among surveyed marketing specialists worldwide, 49% claim it became harder managing PPC campaigns today than 2 years ago (PPCsurvey)
Among in-house teams, the average monthly PPC spend is $950,000, while freelancers usually manage an ad budget of around $575,000 per month (PPCsurvey)
Here are the exact numbers:
Monthly PPC spend
In-house
Freelancer
More than $3M
5%
3%
Between $500K and $3M
14%
10%
Between $50K and $500K
41%
38%
Between $5K and $50K
29%
33%
Under $5K
11%
16%
According to surveyed B2B marketers, PPC advertising ranks as the most effective paid channel for content marketing activities, with 61% of respondents citing it as effective, followed by social media advertising (49%), and sponsorships (48%) (Content Marketing Institute)
Search Ads Statistics
Paid search spending in the US is estimated to reach $124.59 billion in 2024, showing an 11.1% year-over-year increase (eMarketer)
The average cost-per-click for advertisements on Google ads stood at $1.16 (eMarketer)
The average cost per click for search ads across multiple industries on Amazon was $1.50 (eMarketer)
The average benchmark bounce rate for paid search is 43.9% (Contentsquare)
The average click-through rate for Google search ads is 3.17%, based on data collected from multiple industries (WordStream)
On average, paid search campaigns are reported to generate a conversion rate of 2.55% (Contentsquare)
Paid search accounts for 29.7% of total media ad spending in the US (eMarketer)
Analysis of over 43 billion website visits found that paid search accounts for 23% of traffic share, behind direct (27.6%) and organic search (26.7%) (Contentsquare)
The share of new visitor traffic attributed to paid search is 27.6%, which is more than any other marketing channel (Contentsquare)
Paid search accounts for 39.5% market share of digital advertising, more than any other advertising format (display, video or audio) (IAB)
In the US, Google dominates the search advertising market, accounting for 50.5% of the total search ad spending (eMarketer)
Amazon’s share of the overall search ad spending in the US is 22.3% (eMarketer)
75.78% of Google’s revenue came from advertising in Q1-Q3 2024 (Alphabet)
AI Use for PPC Statistics
75% of PPC professionals say they use generative AI at least “sometimes” for writing ads. Other common use cases include keyword research (60%) and writing emails (52%) (PPCsurvey)
Here are the exact numbers:
Use Case
Share of PPC Professionals Who Use AI at Least “Sometimes”
Writing ads
75%
Keyword research
60%
Writing emails
52%
Audience research/analysis
48%
Writing/editing scripts
45%
Landing page optimization
41%
Generating insights and suggestions
41%
Strategy
38%
Campaign creation
38%
Reporting
31%
Among PPC professionals that use AI at least “sometimes” for writing emails, 71% claim they’re satisfied with results generated by AI (PPCsurvey)
Use Case
Share of PPC Professionals Satisfied with AI Results
It provides data and insights that will help you target the right keywords for your audience.
More data isn’t always better.
So, focus on the key metrics: search volume, keyword difficulty, and search intent.
Search Volume: The average monthly searches for a keyword
Keyword Difficulty (KD%): A measure of how hard it is to rank for a keyword. It’s based on the link profiles of the top 10 ranking pages.
Search Intent: The purpose behind a user’s search query. It’s categorized as transactional, informational, commercial, or navigational.
Stick to these essentials to guide your keyword strategy effectively.
Define Commercial Opportunities
The commercial value of a keyword varies for each business.
What may be a high-value commercial keyword for a competitor might not be for you.
For example, let’s say you have top-rated resorts in Mexico. You might see “all-inclusive resorts in Mexico” as a valuable keyword.
Now, imagine you manage one outdated, overpriced resort there. Your chance to profit from this keyword is likely much weaker.
When evaluating a commercial opportunity, ask: Will this page convert visitors?
Categorize each keyword into the following:
0. Not Likely: We don’t offer anything related to the user’s intent
1. Unlikely: We offer something related to the user’s intent, but it doesn’t directly address the user’s needs
2. Potential: We offer a solution that could meet the user’s intent
3. Likely: We provide the best solution for the user’s intent
This approach helps focus your efforts on the most commercially valuable keywords.
Pro tip: Before using a keyword, check its intent. Analyze the top-ranking content in the search results. A keyword like “Mexico vs. Ecuador” might seem perfect for a travel site selling flights to both. However, a quick Google search may reveal that the user intent is related to soccer, not travel.
By knowing what users want, you can avoid irrelevant keywords. This will ensure your content matches user intent.
It also increases your chances of ranking and converting.
Step 3: Create a Keyword Map
Once you’ve gathered your keywords, the next step is to build an SEO keyword map.
Here’s how:
List existing pages: Use an SEO spider tool like Screaming Frog. It will list all existing pages.
Filter irrelevant pages: Remove any pages that won’t serve as SEO landing pages. Focus only on those that have the potential to drive organic traffic.
Pair pages with keywords: Use Google Search Console (GSC) to find queries that generate the most clicks for each page.
Assign target keywords: Assign one keyword from your research to each relevant page.
Avoid keyword cannibalization: Target each keyword with only one page. This prevents competition between your own pages for the same search query.
SEO for travel websites often involves optimizing destination-specific and service-related keywords.
These efforts help drive organic traffic to your site.
By mapping keywords to pages, you’ll have a clear strategy. It’ll help you optimize existing content and find gaps for new content.
Step 4: Form a Content Strategy
With your keyword research and keyword map in place, it’s time to create an SEO content strategy.
To maximize organic revenue, prioritize content targeting bottom-of-the-funnel keywords.
These are high-intent keywords where users are closest to making a booking decision.
By focusing on this stage first, you’ll drive more immediate conversions and revenue.
Target Commercial Keywords
In your keyword sheet, filter for keywords with commercial scores of two or three.
This filter will give you keywords with high commercial intent. They’ll match what you offer.
Think “Cancun resorts,” “flights to Hawaii,” “Las Vegas hotels,” or “Punta Cana excursions.”
For each keyword:
If a landing page is ranking, optimize its content to boost performance
If none of your pages are ranking, decide whether to create a new landing page or optimize an existing one
Finally, create a timeline and roadmap for implementing these optimizations.
This helps ensure steady progress toward your content goals.
Build Topical Authority
After covering your commercial keywords, it’s time to move up to the middle of the funnel.
Focus on keywords like “things to do in Miami,” “best time to visit Japan,” and “best beaches in Puerto Rico.”
These keywords are primarily informational and have lower conversion rates.
Cluster these topics to help search engines understand your content.
You’ll signal to search engines that your site is a trusted travel resource.
Blog pages often cover these topics best. But you can use landing pages if they fit your strategy.
Create a Topic Map
Up to this point, your SEO content strategy has been based on keyword data.
Now, it’s time to explore new topic ideas by leveraging topic maps.
To do this, use an AI tool like Claude or Chat GPT to uncover relevant topics for specific destinations.
Here’s an example of a prompt you can use:
“Please provide a table listing the key topics related to travel in Mexico. The table should have three columns: categories, subcategories, and subtopics. Each subtopic should have its own row.”
Then, copy your topic map to a sheet. Use a ChatGPT plugin like Whimsical Diagrams to visualize it.
Use the following prompt: “Generate a mind map from this table: {paste table}.”
Repeat this process for each destination you serve.
Add any new topics to your content roadmap.
Cover a wide range of content that appeals to search engines and your audience.
This approach fills gaps in your strategy. It keeps your content fresh and competitive.
Tap Into the Travel Content Loop
The travel experience is cyclical.
Here’s how the journey typically unfolds:
Inspiration: “That’s beautiful, where is that place?”
Education: “Tell me more about this place”
Booking: “Let’s go there”
Inspiration again: After the trip, the traveler dreams of new adventures. This sparks the loop once more.
Travelers constantly seek beauty, adventure, and new connections.
Your content strategy should reflect this ongoing loop.
To build a successful travel content strategy off the back of this loop, think beyond SEO. This is especially true for inspiration, where social media is vital.
SEO is about fulfilling a need for information.
So, focus on education and answering users’ specific questions.
Inspiration, however, often comes to people when they’re not actively searching for it.
That’s why inspirational content must be:
Visual and destination-focused
Pushed to users, igniting wanderlust
Once the audience is captivated by a destination, they might seek more information. That’s where SEO comes in to guide them further down the funnel.
When planning content, ensure synergy between inspirational and informational content.
For example, let’s say you publish an SEO-optimized article like “The Best Time to Visit Costa Rica.”
Coordinate with your social media team to release visual, inspirational content.
This integrated approach keeps your audience engaged at every stage of their journey. Whether they’re exploring on social media or searching for information online.
Step 5: Establish a Content Creation Process
Your content strategy is ready.
Now it’s time to establish a streamlined content creation process.
Here’s how that might look:
Keyword selection: Choose primary and secondary keywords based on your content calendar
Writer briefing: Provide clear, detailed briefs for high-quality content
Write: Focus on comprehensive, unique content that goes beyond top-ranking pages
Edit: Align with the brand’s tone and ensure scannability
Optimize: Fine-tune for SEO—headings, body content, internal links, and meta
Add photography: Use images that follow guidelines and enhance user experience
Publish and promote: Share across social, email, and other channels to maximize reach
Translate: Expand reach by targeting non-English keywords
Pro tip: After headlines, image captions are the most read by users. Add a commercial message or a call to action to your image captions. It will help boost engagement.
To AI or Not AI?
When it comes to your content creation process, a key question is how much of it should involve AI.
The answer depends on your goals.
One thing is certain—it’s tough to stand out in a sea of mass-produced AI content by just publishing more AI content.
Craftsmanship and authenticity are what make content truly stand out.
“To beat AI, become more human.” – Wesley van der Hoop, PPC + SEO at Unique Vacations Ltd.
For example, let’s say you’re writing about “the best restaurants in Amsterdam.”
Instead of simply copying the list from TripAdvisor, go beyond the surface:
Experience the destination firsthand
Talk to locals and uncover hidden gems that aren’t widely covered
Engage with restaurant owners. Try their signature dishes. Share deeper insights than current online articles.
AI should play the role of an assistant, not the solution.
That said, AI can still assist in the content creation process.
It can help create content briefs, structure the content, and suggest data points.
This lets writers focus on the human elements. They can craft unique, authentic content that AI cannot replicate.
In this hybrid approach, AI handles repetitive tasks.
Meanwhile, your team focuses on insights, experiences, and personal connections.
Step 6: Set Up Tracking and Measuring
Begin by measuring your current performance to understand where you stand.
Define and track both macro and micro conversions. Use your travel site’s analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics 4).
For most travel websites, the macro conversion will be bookings and revenue.
Micro conversions may include actions like account creation or requests for more information.
They can also involve newsletter sign-ups, brochure requests, and travel guide downloads.
Once tracking is set up, integrate SEO tools like Google Search Console (GSC).
Use a rank tracker to gain deeper insights into what’s happening on the SERPs.
Finally, create easy-to-understand dashboards that blend different data sources. They let you track progress and show results to stakeholders at performance meetings.
Step 7: Optimize Your Google Business Profile
Local SEO is essential for improving visibility.
It’s particularly important for attractions, restaurants, bars, and accommodations at popular destinations.
Google can struggle to determine which of your pages to prioritize.
It can also lead to crawling, indexing issues, and loss of link equity.
In severe cases, it can also trigger manual penalties.
The seven most common types of duplicate content on travel websites are:
Destination descriptions: Frequently reused descriptions of popular travel destinations across multiple accommodation pages
URLs with filtering parameters: Filtering options (e.g., “?sort=price”) generate different URLs. These may show similar content.
Pagination: Ensure paginated lists of destinations or accommodations are distinct or canonicalized
URLs with UTM parameters: Parameters like “?utm_source=social-media” track traffic. But they can also create duplicate content issues.
Split URL tests: A/B testing may create duplicate content. It does this by generating alternative versions of the same page.
Dynamic URLs with session IDs: When indexed, they can cause duplicate content issues
M-dot URLs: They’re rare today. But if used, link them to their desktop versions.
Use Semrush’s Site Audit tool to identify duplicate content. Mitigate it by implementing canonical tags.
Use Structured Data
Structured data helps search engines better understand and display your content.
For travel websites, this can lead to rich results like pricing and star ratings.
These features can help boost click-through rates.
Structured data can also improve your site’s rankings.
How?
By providing search engines with clearer context for your content.
Pro tip: To further enhance SEO, implement structured data using the LocalBusiness schema. This helps search engines understand and validate your business information. It includes key details like category, location, and operating hours. Properly structured data can positively impact your rankings in local searches.
Step 9: Optimize UX with a Mobile-First Approach
Users have been living in a mobile-first world for some time, and Google was quick to follow.
Travelers may book on desktop. But they often make the decision to book on mobile.
Focus on quick load times and ensure strong Core Web Vitals performance.
Search engines like Google favor fast-loading content.
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Search engines want to show users the most accurate, up-to-date information possible, which may lead to changing the order of search results.
For example, “best restaurants near me,” results change as you move locations, new restaurants open in your area, or customer reviews change.
Also, changes to ranking algorithms may reorder search results drastically.
When Google updates its algorithms, it usually offers guidance to site owners in its Search Central Blog.
Presenting the Best Answers
Search engines show more than simple links.
They display special SERP features to present answers quickly and enhance the user’s experience.
For example, a user searching for “sugar cookies” may be looking for recipes, nutritional facts, or a list of ingredients.
Google returns varied results to satisfy all of these potential intents.
But a user searching for “buy sugar cookies” has transactional intent.
Google returns product results to make it easier for users to locate key information about the product.
SERP features can make the search experience more enjoyable for users.
Common types include:
Popular Products: A list of products with key information like price, reviews, and shipping information
Organization: A knowledge panel with key information about a business like founders, history, social media profiles, and more
Local Business: A knowledge panel featuring key information about a local business like address, phone number, and hours of operation
FAQs: A list of questions and answers about a topic
Paid search results may also appear at the top of the SERPs.
To qualify, sites need to set up Google Ads campaigns and bid for specific keywords.
AI Overviews, featured snippets, and People Also Ask boxes often appear for informational searches.
Like this:
These features deliver quick answers and can increase visibility for pages that earn these placements.
Turn Your Search Engine Knowledge into Rankings
While many factors could be at play, understanding how search engines work is an essential first step to helping your content rank higher for the keywords that matter most to your audience.
Armed with this knowledge, you can boost your site’s visibility and get your pages in front of the right people.
The next critical step?
Making sure your website’s technical foundation helps search engines efficiently crawl, index, and rank your content.
Check out our technical SEO guide to optimize your site for better search visibility.
As you set your 2025 professional goals, why not add one more—elevating your advertising creative? A fresh, intentional approach can be the key to standing out in an increasingly competitive landscape.
Connected TV (CTV) is the perfect platform to make it happen, combining the precision of digital targeting with the storytelling power of high-quality video. Whether you’re already using CTV or exploring it for the first time, the right creative strategy can make all the difference.
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A new “Used since” column reveals when assets were added to Google Ads accounts, giving advertisers crucial historical context for managing their creative assets.
The addition of this timestamp feature addresses a common pain point for digital marketers who inherit or audit accounts, as they previously had no easy way to determine how long specific assets had been in use.
Details. The new column appears at the asset level within Google Ads accounts, providing a clear date stamp for when each creative element was implemented.
Why we care. Understanding the timeline of asset implementation helps you track performance over time and maintain fresh, relevant creative content.
First seen. This update was first seen on PPC News Feed.
What’s next. This feature could signal Google’s broader commitment to increasing transparency and giving advertisers more tools for historical analysis of their accounts.
Bottom line. For agencies and in-house teams managing multiple accounts or transitioning between account managers, this feature streamlines the process of understanding asset history and planning creative refreshes.
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