Google Analytics focuses on user sessions and uses different attribution models (e.g., last-click, first-click, or data-driven) to assign credit within a session.
The pros
Granular data: Provides detailed insights into user behavior at a session level.
Customizable models: Allows marketers to choose or customize attribution models to fit their business needs.
Real-time tracking: Captures real-time user interactions, offering immediate feedback on performance.
Cross-channel insights: Integrates data from multiple channels (organic, paid, referral, etc.), enabling better cross-channel analysis.
The cons
Limited to owned data: Relies on first-party data, making it less effective in environments with poor tracking (e.g., cookie restrictions, blocked JavaScript).
Bias toward measurable interactions: Doesn’t account for offline or untrackable influences (e.g., word of mouth).
Session-centric focus: May overlook the broader customer journey, especially for longer purchase cycles.
2. Advertising platforms (click and impression-based attribution)
PPC platforms like Google Ads and Facebook Ads attribute conversions to clicks or impressions tied to their specific ads.
The pros
Channel-specific insights: Provide detailed performance metrics for individual ad platforms.
Immediate ROI tracking: Excellent for tracking direct-response campaigns and performance-based advertising.
Impression data: Includes visibility data even if the user doesn’t click, allowing for broader analysis of brand awareness.
The cons
Walled gardens: Each platform operates within its ecosystem, often overstating its role in conversions because of a lack of cross-platform visibility.
Overlapping attribution: Different platforms may claim credit for the same conversion, leading to double-counting.
Short-term focus: Often overemphasizes direct clicks and conversions, neglecting long-term brand effects or multi-touch journeys.
3. Multi-touch attribution
MTA assigns credit to multiple touchpoints leading to a conversion rather than just the first or last interaction.
It’s typically based on clicks (sometimes impressions) but does not account for branding initiatives.
The pros
Comprehensive view: Captures the contribution of each touchpoint in the customer journey.
Optimizes campaigns: Enables better budget allocation by highlighting impactful channels.
Customizable models: Supports various methods like linear, time decay, or algorithmic models.
The cons
Complex implementation: Requires advanced tracking and integration across channels.
Tracking limitations: Cookie restrictions and data silos can hinder accuracy.
Data overload: Processing and interpreting the vast amount of data can be challenging for smaller teams.
Branding blindness: As noted above, branding campaigns without measurable clicks or impressions (think: anything analog, out-of-home, etc.) aren’t included in the analysis.
Salesforce uses CRM data to track the entire customer lifecycle, from lead generation to sales and retention, offering attribution for both online and offline interactions.
The pros
Full-funnel view: Tracks interactions across sales, marketing, and customer service.
Offline and online integration: Combines offline (e.g., in-person sales) and online data.
Custom reporting: Highly customizable to align with specific business goals.
Retention and LTV insights: Tracks post-conversion metrics like customer lifetime value (LTV).
The cons
Data dependency: Relies heavily on accurate and comprehensive data entry and segmentation across departments.
Complexity: Requires integration with other systems and significant setup effort.
Delayed feedback: May not be as real-time as tools focused on web analytics.
The best approach is to understand what each model captures (and what it doesn’t) so you can combine them strategically.
Here’s a quick breakdown of when each model works best:
Google Analytics is great for overall session-based behavior insights.
Ad platforms are ideal for optimizing campaigns within their ecosystems – all the way to the ad level.
MTA provides a nuanced view of the digital customer journey, and helps mitigate overlapping attribution across channels.
Salesforce is powerful for tracking the customer journey, including offline interactions and evaluating lead quality.
Shopify excels in ecommerce-specific insights for merchants within its platform, such as distinguishing one-time purchases and subscriptions.
Media mix modeling is suited for strategic, omnichannel decision-making and accounts for the entire customer journey, from branding to down-funnel activities.
The best attribution strategy: A balanced approach
At my agency, we love to run MMM regularly to give branding initiatives the credit they deserve, helping to fine-tune marketing strategies for long-term success.
However, no single model is sufficient on its own.
The best approach is integrating multiple attribution tools for a more complete view of marketing performance across platforms and touchpoints.
Attribution is an inexact science. It requires ongoing testing and adjustments.
Start by aligning on the KPIs that matter most to your marketing team, then choose the models that best assess your campaign success.
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And the internal links guide readers and search engines through a logical path:
These are SEO best practices that help rank blogs for relevant keywords.
And the results speak for themselves.
The bicep blog post ranks for over 18K keywords and gets roughly 78K organic traffic every month.
That’s the power of pairing high-quality content with smart SEO.
2. Stanley: Adventure & Lifestyle Blog
Stanley’s blog goes beyond just talking about its products. Instead, it paints a picture of an adventurous lifestyle.
This helps the business tap into its audience’s adventurous spirit.
The strategy is clear:
By focusing on broader experiences, Stanley anchors its brand in universal experiences.
And embeds its products into these stories.
The result:
Stanley becomes a must-have for life’s memorable moments. Like brewing coffee outdoors, for example.
This works because it transforms Stanley from a simple purchase into a lifestyle choice.
Readers start seeing Stanley products as part of the experiences they want to have. And this creates an emotional connection that goes beyond the product’s practical use.
It’s no longer about selling drinkware.
It’s about selling a lifestyle, with Stanley a key part of achieving it.
How’s that for selling without selling?
How Stanley’s Blog Strategy Drives Marketing Success
The brilliance of Stanley’s blog is that it works as a key part of how the brand connects with people online.
It speaks to people at every stage:
Whether they’re just learning about the brand, comparing options, or ready to buy.
For example:
For existing fans, you’ll see posts like “Give the Gift of Stanley Personalization.”
These readers already know and love Stanley products. They’re just looking for what’s new.
For visitors who aren’t shopping yet, Stanley shares stories like “Women in Conservation: Jennifer Schall.”
These posts build connections through shared values before any product pitch.
Finally, for current customers, it offers practical content like “How to Properly Clean Your Stanley Gear.”
These helpful guides keep customers coming back.
Because the blog has different types of content for different customers, it’s not just a content hub.
It’s a relationship-building tool.
And in ecommerce, this is a great foundation for channeling buyers to product pages, and driving repeat sales.
It has the same down-to-earth, community-first vibe that fans of the brand love.
How does this manifest?
First of all, the blog prominently features on the homepage
(Unlike many ecommerce stores that hide their blogs in the footer. As if they don’t really want you to find it.)
Here’s what this tells us:
The blog isn’t just an afterthought.
It’s part of the website experience and shows that Darn Tough is more than a store—it’s a community.
This sense of community comes through in how its blog invites readers to explore.
For starters, it’s easy to navigate.
There are two well-organized drop-down menus for blog categories.
One organizes content by topics like “Sock 101” and “Merino Wool.”
The other lets you filter by activity, like “Hiking” or “Snow Sports.”
It’s a sign that it’s considered the diverse interests of its readers.
Even the design reinforces this welcoming feel.
The clean, 3-column blog design is easy on the eyes.
And the search bar shows attention to detail.
Why?
It doesn’t just shove products in your face. You can filter specifically for blog posts, too.
It’s a small touch, but it makes browsing smoother. And honestly, more enjoyable.
And all this work is paying off.
The blog gets traffic from general search queries like “best socks for sweaty feet” and “ski socks.”
These non-branded keywords are incredibly valuable.
People searching for them aren’t focused on a specific product. And they likely haven’t formed strong brand preferences yet.
Reaching them at this stage gives Darn Tough the chance to guide their buying decisions.
Side note: Thoughtful design also keeps people on the site longer and encourages them to engage. These are signals of high-quality content. Exactly what you need to align with Google’s ranking factors.
How Darn Tough Engages Readers With Stories That Sell
Darn Tough knows how to hook readers still in the research phase.
It uses a storytelling framework that subtly primes people to buy. Without being pushy.
Take the article “Best Socks for Sweaty Feet.”
It follows a blog post template that informs and engages readers.
For example, it uses a first-person voice, which immediately lowers the reader’s defenses (because it doesn’t sound like a sales pitch.)
Then, there are the visuals:
Real-life images that feel authentic, not staged stock photos.
These make the content relatable and help boost credibility.
Finally, the product links fit naturally into the text.
All these subtle, non-intrusive elements leave a lasting impression.
Even if readers don’t buy right away, they’re likely to think of Darn Tough when it’s time to buy premium socks.
That’s how storytelling turns “just researching” to “I only buy Darn Tough.”
4. Taut: Health Blog
Taut’s blog is an extension of its premium anti-aging supplements.
It educates with content focused on its audience’s needs. And positions Taut as an authority in this competitive niche.
The blog design echoes the brand’s high-end positioning:
It features bright, engaging visuals—many showcasing women, its target audience.
And it pairs this with a light color palette and clean, modern typography.
The blog homepage sets the tone instantly.
Above the fold, a full-width section grabs attention with a bold image and a strong blog post title and description.
Scroll down, and you’ll find the latest posts. With topics that align with its products, such as:
The role of collagen in skincare
Solutions for brittle nails
Collagen pills vs. powders
These posts go beyond surface-level content.
For example, the article on ingredients you can’t mix in skincare provides detailed advice.
It breaks down exactly which ingredients to avoid mixing. Plus, the information is easy to skim, making it easy to see at a glance.
This helps readers make smarter choices. And shows them the brand knows its stuff.
And you know what?
When people see you as knowledgeable, they start to trust you. That trust positions your brand as an expert in your niche.
How Taut Builds Topical Authority
Taut shows it gets the SEO game by focusing on topical authority: a key strategy for dominating your niche in the SERPs.
Look through its content, and you’ll notice multiple posts on the same topic.
This creates a web of content that Google loves.
Take collagen, for example.
It has various articles on this topic, such as:
Collagen Pills vs Powders: Which Is Better, Peptides or Capsules?
Best Collagen Drink & Water: Which Brand Is Best for the Skin?
Collagen for Face: How to Increase Face Collagen When Losing It
Covering different angles of the same topic signals to search engines that the blog is an authoritative resource on the subject.
And it helps readers, too.
They can explore a topic in depth without leaving the site. This lowers bounce rates and increases engagement.
The cherry on top?
Many of its blog posts rank in various SERP features.
For instance:
It’s on the first page of Google for terms like “collagen facial.”
It also appears in the “People Also Ask” section for queries like “super collagen.”
It’s hard to quantify exactly how much traffic this strategy drives without internal data.
But one thing is clear.
Creating topic clusters works.
Side note:Topic clusters help Google see how well your content covers a subject. Want to rank higher? Prove you’re the expert with topic clusters. We’ve got a free topical authority analysis tool to help you identify and optimize your keyword clusters.
5. Press London: Food Blog
Press London’s “The Squeeze Magazine” doesn’t feel like a traditional blog.
It looks and reads more like a wellness publication. Just the perfect fit for its health-conscious audience.
Notice the magazine-style layout that draws you in:
And the sharp curated photos that bring the content to life:
Plus, the zero clutter that creates a polished vibe:
Together, they complement the brand’s simplicity and wellness.
But it’s not just about looks.
The content also focuses on practical wellness advice its readers need.
And then smoothly connecting them to helpful products when relevant.
Take the article about hydration in winter.
Notice how it mentions its products naturally within the content.
This feels more like getting tips from a friend than a sales pitch.
And when people feel that way, trust builds and skepticism fades—a step that needs to happen before anyone decides to buy.
How the Squeeze Magazine Turns Blog Content Into Sales
Press London makes its blog work harder by using strategic internal links to drive sales.
It uses links to:
Take you to products that fit what you’re reading about
Beardbrand’s Urban Beardsman blog features more than 1,000 articles.
And because of this large library of content, its minimalist design makes sense.
Instead of a flashy layout, it goes for straightforward, prioritizing ease of navigation.
On the blog homepage, big, eye-catching images direct readers to categories like “Beard” and “Mustache.”
When you click one of these links, you’ll find a simple category page structure.
There’s a short description at the top of the page.
Plus, a straightforward list of article links below.
No fancy layouts. No complex navigation.
As a result:
Readers easily find what they’re looking for
Search engines know which pages to prioritize for crawling and indexing
And it’s working for the blog.
It attracts over 67K monthly visits for various relevant keywords such as:
Mustache styles
Beard trimming
Sea salt spray for hair
How Beardbrand’s Shopify Blog Connects With Its Audience
Beardbrand’s blog speaks directly to the “urban beardsman” persona.
Each blog post makes them feel seen and understood, whether the post is a grooming guide or a personality profile.
Read the blog posts, and you’ll notice that product pitches are rare.
When product links do appear, it’s subtle and natural. And often, it’s left out completely.
The only thing that’s always constant (and takes you back to its ecommerce store) is the navigation menu bar.
This approach builds trust in two ways:
It shows it cares about helping its community
It positions Beardbrand as an authority in the beard care space
The content strategy is clear:
Build a community first. Sell products second.
And that’s the thing about a blog.
It can be a great sales driver. But it’s also a great asset for building trust and earning loyalty over time.
Expert Tip: Every blog post takes time, money, and effort. So make each one count. One of the easiest ways to get more out of your content is to use SEO best practices, like internal linking.
Take Beardbrand, for example. It could improve its rankings and site crawlability by adding links to relevant product pages.
The trick? Make the links feel natural and true to the brand. It’s a small tweak that can make a big difference.
9. Lovevery: Parenting Blog
Lovevery keeps things simple with a clean, focused structure.
It groups its entire blog content under four main categories:
By Age
Skills & Stages
Playtime & Activities
Podcast
This streamlined approach works well.
While it covers countless parenting topics, these four clear sections help readers instantly know where to go.
It shows how thoughtful organization makes navigation easier.
But how does it fit dozens of articles into just four categories?
Through smart subcategories.
Each main category branches into specific topics.
Take “Skills & Stages,” for example. It branches into specific areas like “Motor Skills,” “Tummy Time,” and “Social Skills.”
The “Playtime & Activities” category goes even further, organizing topics by both age ranges and themes.
This clear structure helps parents find content based on:
Their child’s age
Specific skills they want to develop
Activities they want to try
And there’s a bonus:
Search engines love this clear organization, too.
Why?
This clear hierarchy of categories and subcategories helps search engines understand how different pages relate to each other.
No wonder Lovevery attracts tens of thousands of monthly organic visits.
How Lovevery Uses Sitemaps to Boost SEO Rankings
Lovevery takes its website organization one step further using its sitemaps.
The main sitemap acts as an index, linking to individual sitemaps organized by content type, such as by:
Age Range
Skills & Stages
Posts
Each sitemap serves a specific purpose.
For example, the “Age Range” sitemap links to hub pages for specific age ranges, like “43-45 months” or “4 years old.”
These hub pages list articles and resources for each developmental stage.
(Below is an example of what this hub page looks like on the site.)
Meanwhile, the “Skills & Stages” and “Posts” sitemaps link to the category page and individual blog posts within that category.
This sitemap organization is a textbook SEO strategy.
It helps search engines understand the hierarchy and relationships between pages. That way, they know which content to index and rank.
Best Practices to Steal From These Shopify Blog Examples
The Shopify blog examples above show how your site can boost traffic with a well-executed blog.
But none of this happens by accident. Their success comes from doing the right things well.
Want to do the same for your blog?
Here are eight essentials to get you started.
1. Write Posts That Actually Help Your Customers
Create blog content your customers care about.
Not sure where to start?
Use tools like Semrush’s Topic Research tool or Answer the Public to uncover topics your audience is looking for.
For example, in Semrush, you enter your product.
And it’ll instantly generate a list of topic ideas.
If you need help framing those topics for your blog posts, check out our proven blog post templates.
These are the same templates we use that helped us grow our blog to over 770K monthly unique visitors.
Note: Want to explore Semrush’s topic research tool? Try Semrush Pro free for 14 days with this exclusive trial link.
2. Create Content for Window Shoppers and Regular Customers
Ecommerce product pages work well for people ready to buy. But what about window shoppers who aren’t ready yet?
That’s where your blog helps.
It can attract different types of potential customers:
People who are just learning what you sell and exploring their options
Those comparing your products with alternatives
Shoppers who are almost ready to buy but need that final bit of reassurance
For example, Beardbrand attracts top-of-funnel readers with the article “How to Deal with Unruly Coarse Hair.”
These people know they have a problem but aren’t aware of a product that can help them.
So, they’re searching for solutions, which gives you a chance to catch them early on.
In contrast:
Stanley uses the blog post “Level Up Your Hydration With The New IceFlow™ Flip Straw Collection” for readers who already know its brand.
These are often people who’ve interacted with the brand before. Like those who’ve bought a Stanley product or are specifically looking for one.
So, the focus shifts from introducing the brand to keeping them engaged with updates and new offerings.
By creating different types of content, you engage a wider audience.
That’s how you make your blog work hard and turn it into a tool for growing your business.
Top tip: Wondering how to start and scale your blog? We’ve got you covered. Get practical tips straight from our Lead Editor, Michael Ofei, on how to scale content. And finally, learn strategies that many content marketing agencies keep to themselves.
3. Help People Find Your Blog on Google
Ranking for organic keywords and getting search engine traffic is one of the biggest perks of a well-optimized blog.
Take Lovery, for example. It gets over 64K monthly visitors from organic searches.
Yes, it takes time and effort.
And no, it’s not completely free (think writers, SEOs, hosting).
But when you do it right, it’s one of the most cost-effective ways to drive long-term, sustainable traffic.
So, how do you make sure your blog is set up correctly?
Start with basic SEO practices like:
Setting up proper analytics to track performance
Conducting keyword research effectively
Optimizing your content for SEO and visitors
Then, use our SEO checklist to stay on track so you don’t miss a thing.
It covers everything from SEO basics to link building.
4. Stick to a Regular Posting Schedule
When it comes to blogging, consistency is the name of the game.
It signals to Google your blog is active, which helps with rankings.
Even better?
The more you post, the more chances you get to:
Rank for different keywords
Link internally to other blog posts or product pages
But don’t stop there.
Give your older blog posts a refresh, too. You can:
Update outdated information
Add new valuable insights
Tweak blog titles and headings
We’ve seen this strategy work wonders.
In fact, using this content refresh strategy, Brian Dean increased organic traffic to a blog post by 22%.
That’s the power of a content refresh.
5. Get Your Posts in Front of More People
You’ve already done the hard work to create one piece of content.
Now, make it pull double (or triple) duty.
Repurpose it into different formats for multiple traffic channels.
It’s the quickest way to get your message in front of more people without starting from scratch.
For example, Huel turned its blog post “Simple Ways to Meet Your Daily Fiber Intake Goals” into a carousel post on Instagram.
And Darn Tough Shared a Facebook post linking to its latest blog article.
Want more ways repurpose your content?
Here you go.
Create infographics to highlight key points
Transform blog images into graphics for social media
Turn posts into short videos for YouTube, Instagram Reels, or TikTok
Potential customers need 7 interactions with a brand before they decide to make a purchase.
This means the longer readers stay on your site, the more likely they will convert.
So, make the most of their time by encouraging them to explore more.
Guide them with clear calls to action (CTAs) that prompt interaction. And use sales-focused CTAs where the natural next step aligns with a purchase.
For example, Everlane’s blog post “Going Western” links directly to product pages featured in the article and images.
And Beardbrand takes a more direct approach with a prominent CTA button linking to its “Eau de Parfum” product page in its blog post, “The Complete Guide to Men’s Cologne.”
But not every CTA has to push a sale.
CTAs can also build trust and engagement by encouraging actions like:
Reading another article
Signing up for your email list
Downloading a helpful resource
Joining your community
Subscribing to your newsletter
Following or engaging on social media
For example, Gymshark’s post “What Is #Gymshark66?” doesn’t link to a product page.
Instead, it features a bold banner inviting readers to apply for its athlete search.
7. Use Images That Catch Attention
Visuals are essential for engaging blog content. They help:
Break up long sections of text
Illustrate complex concepts
Make content more shareable on social media
Improve the user experience
So, use them to your advantage.
Create high-quality visuals to grab attention and improve readability and engagement.
And as a bonus:
Those same images can boost your search engine rankings, too.
Not sure how to get started? Check out our image SEO guide for everything you need.
8. Design Your Blog for Mobile Users
With most internet searches happening on mobile, it’s a cardinal sin to ignore mobile optimization.
Google recommends asking the questions below to check if your site is mobile-friendly:
Does your site load quickly?
Is it easy to navigate?
Is it easy to take action?
Here’s the thing about mobile optimization:
When you get it right, the benefits are huge.
Readers will appreciate the smooth experience (and stick around longer).
Plus, search engines reward mobile-friendly sites with higher rankings.
It’s a win-win for your audience and your SEO.
Further reading: Learn everything you need to know about mobile SEO with our comprehensive guide.
Turn Insights from These Shopify Blog Examples into Your Store’s Success
You’ve seen what works through these Shopify blog examples.
Now, it’s time to take action and create a blog for your Shopify store.
Sure, it takes effort. But the rewards—more traffic, stronger customer connections, and increased sales—are worth it.
And with the right tools and guidance, you can get it right from day one.
Here are the resources you need to get started:
How to Design a Blog – Learn the exact steps to create a stunning, user-friendly blog.
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Last week, Avinash Kaushik said, “The best way to make a Super Bowl ad effective is through ‘spike and sustain’ marketing.”
He also explained that releasing teasers, ads, and extended versions before the Big Game is part of the “sustain” strategy, building momentum ahead of the “spike” in viewership.
Super Bowl LIX drew 113 million viewers, according to Nielsen.
Many brands embraced this strategy, unveiling their commercials early to build buzz and maximize exposure.
By midday Sunday, more than 40 ads had already been released, and several organizations had analyzed those aired before Feb. 9.
Pre-game Super Bowl ads that made an impact
For example, iSpot.tv identified “Budweiser | Super Bowl LIX ‘First Delivery’” as the early winner based on consumer surveys.
A young Clydesdale foal, eager to join the Budweiser delivery team, is told he’s too young. While the other horses depart, a keg falls off the wagon unnoticed.
The foal, determined to prove himself, embarks on a long journey, pushing the keg through various obstacles.
He successfully delivers the keg to the bar, interrupting a “horse walks into a bar” joke and impressing the driver who had dismissed him earlier.
The foal is rewarded with recognition and a sense of accomplishment.
“Somebody | It Takes All of Us SB LIX,” which features players mentoring kids, was the most emotionally resonant and attention-grabbing Super Bowl ad released before the Big Game, according to DAIVID.
It evoked intense positive emotions in over half of viewers, particularly feelings of warmth, inspiration, and pride, all significantly higher than the U.S. average.
The ad also held viewers’ attention better than average ads, both at the beginning and the end.
And Sprout Social‘s social media analysis showed strong performance for “A Century of Cravings | Uber Eats.”
Their successful celebrity-filled advertisement features Matthew McConaughey, Charli XCX, and Martha Stewart and cleverly incorporates the stadium’s name into a joke about Stewart’s Caesar salad.
The best Super Bowl ads released during the Big Game
Some of the roughly 80 Super Bowl spots cost a record $8 million for 30 seconds this year, per the Associated Press.
The granddaddy of rating TV commercials during the Big Game, “Budweiser | Super Bowl LIX ‘First Delivery’” ranked no. 1 with a score of 3.56 out of 5, according to USA Today’s Ad Meter. (Kudos to iSpot.tv for picking this winner ahead of time.)
In second spot was “LAY’S | The Little Farmer | :60,” with a score of 3.55. As the video’s description says, “One little potato. One big dream.”
In third place was “The ULTRA Hustle | Super Bowl LIX | Michelob ULTRA” with a score of 3.52.
As the ad’s description declares, “You can’t out-hustle a hustler. Willem Dafoe, Catherine O’Hara, Sabrina Ionescu, Randy Moss, and Ryan Crouser.”
In fourth position was “Stella Artois | David & Dave: The Other David” with a score of 3.51.
So, David Beckham goes to meet his long-lost twin, played by Matt Damon.
What do they have in common? “A love for Stella? Fancy footwork?”
Ranked fifth with a score of 3.49 was “Somebody | It Takes All of Us SB LIX.” Congrats to DAIVID for picking this winner ahead of time.
It’s also worth noting that “A Century of Cravings | Uber Eats” finished no. 8 in the USA Today Ad Meter rankings. Sprout Social’s analysis of social media was in the ballpark.
There are other ways to measure the top ads released during Super Bowl 2025.
For example, DAIVID used its AI-powered platform to analyze 65 Super Bowl ads aired Sunday night, predicting their emotional impact and effectiveness.
Their AI models combine facial coding, eye tracking, survey data, computer vision, and even listening APIs.
“Somebody | It Takes All of Us SB LIX” was not only the most emotionally engaging ad of the 40+ spots released before the Big Game, but it also generated the most intense positive emotions of the 65 ads shown during Sunday’s Super Bowl broadcast.
The ad attracted the highest attention levels of any spot shown.
In second place was “Jeep | Big Game | Harrison Ford x Jeep | Owner’s Manual.”
As the video’s description acknowledges:
“Life doesn’t come with an owner’s manual – you have to write your own. And no one knows this better than Harrison Ford.”
The ad attracted an intense positive emotional response from 54.2% of viewers, according to DAIVID.
In third was “What is Greatness?” from He Get Us.
The video’s description asks:
“Is being great, as our society defines it, really that great? Or is greatness quite the opposite of what we think it is? In this video, we explore how Jesus redefined true greatness and what it might mean for us. All of us.”
And 53.3% of people had intense positive emotional responses.
“Own the Dream | Rocket” ranked fourth. The video’s description clearly states:
“Everyone deserves their shot at the American Dream.”
This generated intense positive emotional responses with 52.6% of people.
In fifth place was “Pfizer | Big Game Commercial 2025 | Knock Out.”
As the video’s description explains, “Pfizer is fighting for 8 cancer breakthroughs by 2030.” This triggered intense positive emotional responses from 52.3% of people.
It’s also worth noting that “LAY’S | The Little Farmer | :60” ranked no. 8 and “Budweiser | Super Bowl LIX ‘First Delivery’” ranked no. 10 in DAIVID’s list of Top 10 Most Emotionally Engaging Super Bowl 2025 ads.
Different methodologies can still yield similar results.
However, DAIVID’s post-game analysis yielded significantly different insights than USA Today’s.
Super Bowl 2025 ads were the least effective in five years, per DAIVID’s Creative Effectiveness Score.
The average ad scored 6.2 out of 10, the lowest since 2020, generating less attention and positive emotion than previous years.
While many advertisers aimed for humor, serious and purpose-driven ads dominated the top 10, with the NFL’s “Somebody” ad being the most emotionally engaging.
Ian Forrester, DAIVID’s CEO and founder, observed:
“With the vast majority of Super Bowl advertisers trying to make us laugh this year, it’s interesting that brands that stepped away from the usual Super Bowl celebrity/humor trope have attracted the most positivity. It shows just how hard it is to cut-through when so many are trying the same approach. With overall effectiveness also down, maybe it’s time brands tried something different to get people’s attention on game day.”
What’s next: Insights beyond the Big Game
In the coming days, digital marketers can expect more rankings from Kantar, System1, and other organizations analyzing the impact of Big Game ads on both performance and branding.
These insights matter because metrics like Brand Life and Engaged-View Key Events can serve as KPIs for “spike and sustain” campaigns beyond the Super Bowl – whether for back-to-school season, Thanksgiving, or a major product launch.
https://i0.wp.com/dubadosolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/k0ikgjxy_gk-CRK4yW.jpeg?fit=1280%2C720&ssl=17201280http://dubadosolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/dubado-logo-1.png2025-02-10 17:47:222025-02-10 17:47:22The top Super Bowl 2025 ads released before and during the game
Website migrations are one of the most challenging aspects of SEO.
No matter how much experience you have in technical SEO, how detailed your plan is, or how thorough your checklist may be, unexpected issues can still arise.
That’s why post-migration monitoring is just as crucial as the migration itself – especially in the first month when hidden problems are most likely to surface.
This article tackles some of the most surprising post-launch errors I’ve encountered, along with practical tips on how to identify and resolve them before they cause serious damage.
Random 404 pages
This issue drove me crazy. It’s a nightmare for SEO testing because it skews every tool and report we rely on.
When you can’t trust the data, it’s impossible to know what’s actually broken or how it impacts performance.
During the post-migration phase of updating our JavaScript library, we noticed random 404 errors in our SEO tools and Google Search Console.
The strange part?
The affected pages weren’t consistent, and every time we checked manually, they loaded fine with a 200 status.
As a result, all other reports became unreliable, making proper analysis nearly impossible.
These random 404s often stem from server-side issues such as rate limiting, where the server denies access to bots after too many requests.
Other potential causes include:
Misconfigured caching.
Inconsistent DNS resolution.
Load balancer errors that occasionally route requests to an unavailable server.
Identifying the root cause requires detailed server log analysis to track bot request and response patterns.
And here’s the biggest lesson I learned: Without access to server logs, you’re fighting this battle blind.
Ensure your SEO team has access to the necessary server log tools and, at the very least, understands the basics of how they work.
Monitoring bot activity logs can help you demonstrate the issue to developers. Without them, you risk getting stuck in endless debates over the accuracy of SEO tools.
At first glance, this error looks similar to random 404s, but the cause is usually entirely different and just as difficult to diagnose.
Even SEO tools like Lumar and Screaming Frog can inadvertently trigger these 500 errors while crawling.
Years ago, one of the websites I worked on had a strict rule: no crawling on weekends and no exceeding three URLs per second.
Every time we increased our crawling limits, the database server struggled, slowing down the entire site – or worse, crashing it.
These errors often result from complex database queries overloading the server or improperly configured caching.
Without proper caching, each request is processed individually, compounding the strain and leading to slow load times or intermittent crashes.
And once again, the solution starts with server log access. Without it, you’re just guessing.
Incorrect resource loading
This was one of those moments where I felt like a digital Sherlock Holmes.
The migration had been completed before I joined the company, and I first noticed the issue during an initial technical audit.
The first clue?
A mysterious drop in rankings and traffic shortly after the migration.
There had been a Google update around the same time, so I couldn’t immediately link the decline to the migration.
To complicate things further, this wasn’t a full migration, just a design revamp.
On the surface, everything seemed fine. Pages loaded correctly, and styles and JavaScript worked perfectly for users.
Yet, in Google Search Console’s inspection tool, the same pages often appeared broken and unstyled.
The issue was inconsistent, making it nearly impossible to replicate in front of the dev team.
As a new team member still building trust, convincing them there was a deeper problem wasn’t easy.
In hindsight, my mistake was not checking the browser console earlier.
Three months later, a single browser console message finally revealed the root cause: a script was loading out of order.
Due to caching, Googlebot sometimes saw the website correctly and other times didn’t, explaining the erratic behavior.
It was a tough reminder that small technical details – like the sequence of resource loading – and overlooking an obvious diagnostic step can significantly impact SEO performance.
My key tip: Check your website in different browsers and carefully review the error and warning messages in the console.
If you’re unfamiliar with developer terminology, consult an independent expert or even multiple AI tools for explanations.
Non-existent URLs
While investigating those frustrating random 404 errors, I stumbled upon another issue almost by accident.
While reviewing Google Search Console’s report on pages discovered but not indexed, I noticed an unusual pattern – several non-existent URLs appearing under certain sections, marked as duplicate content.
Instead of returning 404 errors as expected, these URLs resolved as normal pages with a 200 status code.
This type of error presents two major risks:
From an SEO perspective, search engines treat these URLs as legitimate, potentially indexing irrelevant or duplicate pages, wasting crawl budget, and harming rankings.
From a security standpoint, it creates a vulnerability – malicious actors could generate thousands of random URLs, overloading the server.
Unfortunately, this issue is difficult to detect before it becomes a real problem. In my case, I was just lucky.
Don’t wait to stumble upon it. Make sure to:
Regularly check whether sections of your site allow non-existent URLs to resolve with a 200 status.
Build a list of key sections and test them monthly with your crawler. Even minor backend changes – not just full migrations – can trigger this issue.
Prioritize pages generated programmatically or dynamically, as they are the most common culprits.
Hreflang tags or canonical tags to non-existing URLs
Managing hreflang tags on a multilingual website is challenging, and even small mistakes can cause big issues.
On one website I worked on, we typically created pages in English first and then localized them.
However, in some cases, only a local version existed, and the hreflang x-default was mistakenly set to an English page that didn’t exist.
Incorrect hreflang tags confuse search engines, which rely on them to identify the correct language or regional version of a page.
When these tags are wrong, search engines may struggle to understand the site’s structure or ignore the hreflang implementation entirely.
Normally, we would have caught this in our migration checks.
But at the time, we were buried in troubleshooting random 404 errors.
We also made the mistake of not manually testing localized pages across different templates.
To prevent this in future migrations:
Make a detailed list of site-specific checks. Generic migration checklists are a good starting point, but they need to be customized for the website and CMS.
Manually test localized pages across different templates to ensure correct hreflang and canonical tag implementation.
JavaScript-driven content that users can see but search bots can’t is a common and often overlooked issue.
This typically happens when widgets or content sections rely on JavaScript to render, but the scripts aren’t fully crawlable or properly executed by search engine bots.
(Google offers a great resource to help you understand JavaScript basics.)
If you’re unsure how a widget works, use this simple test:
Does it display the full content immediately, or does it require user interaction?
If it’s the latter, it likely relies on JavaScript, meaning search and AI bots might not see everything.
To catch this issue, run both a JavaScript-enabled crawl and a pure HTML crawl, then compare the results.
A quick manual test can also help.
Search for a specific sentence or element from the widget in your rendered HTML source.
If it’s missing, search bots are probably missing it too.
Resolving this often requires improving server-side rendering or ensuring that scripts load properly for both users and crawlers.
Since website migrations often leave little time for testing, make it a priority to run these two crawls post-migration to identify and fix any rendering issues.
Tracking data loss can be a subtle yet costly post-migration issue.
In one real-world case, everything initially appeared fine. Analytics data was flowing and visits were being logged.
However, after a few days, it became clear that users arriving via paid ads were losing their tracking parameters as they navigated the site.
This meant subsequent pageviews within the same session were no longer attributed to the original paid campaign, disrupting remarketing efforts.
The cause?
Improper handling of URL parameters during the migration.
Website migrations require cross-team monitoring, not just from the SEO team.
While this issue didn’t directly impact SEO rankings, it still had major consequences.
Before migration begins, triple-check your plan to ensure all relevant teams are involved.
Migration testing should go beyond SEO, incorporating analytics, development, and marketing teams to safeguard tracking parameters and user attribution.
Each team should have pre-migration reports for comparison after launch.
While planning may not fall under SEO’s direct responsibility, identifying gaps in the project plan and raising concerns is essential.
https://i0.wp.com/dubadosolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Technical-SEO-post-migration-How-to-find-and-fix-hidden-errors-800x450-Ju9Kud.png?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1450800http://dubadosolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/dubado-logo-1.png2025-02-10 14:00:002025-02-10 14:00:00Technical SEO post-migration: How to find and fix hidden errors
One question that we’ve been hearing over and over again since the 2016 election is:
Is Google biased?
There are no shortages of opinions.
Sundar Pichai went before Congress in 2018 and swore under oath, “I’m confident we don’t approach our work with any political bias.”
He also sent an internal memo to staff warning them against letting their personal politics affect their work.
Elon Musk, on the other hand, posted to X, “Google is controlled by far left activists.”
A conservative organization, the Media Research Center, routinely posts articles that show supposed “proof” of Google’s political bias, while left-leaning Vox posted an article mocking conservatives for not understanding how SEO works.
If you’re like me, you’re just reading all the back-and-forth and getting tired of it.
Too many opinions on both sides are based on confirmation bias, sensationalism, or a fundamental misunderstanding of how SEO really works.
And so I thought I’d jump into this hornet’s nest.
Like everyone else, I have my own biases but I’m going to do my best to keep them at bay.
Instead, let’s use SEO tools and techniques to see if we can come to a definitive answer.
‘Google bias’ in the 2024 election?
Throughout the 2024 election, there were many stories about Google’s supposed “bias.”
Let’s take a look at some of the more prevalent ones.
In June, the Media Research Center accused Google of “blacklisting” President Trump’s official campaign website because it wouldn’t rank for [donald trump presidential race 2024] and [republican party presidential campaign websites].
The problem with this is that even a junior SEO could have seen that Donald Trump’s website was pretty horrifically optimized.
Their home page title tag read Home | Donald J. Trump, and most of their substantive content was hidden in a PDF.
In July, many people including Donald Trump, Jr. accused Google of “election interference” because Google autocomplete would not suggest President Trump’s name when someone typed in “assassination attempt on…”
Google’s official explanation was that they have “protections in place against autocomplete predictions associated with political violence.”
To be honest, I didn’t buy that (I could see autocomplete for other contemporary figures), but I just chalked it up to Google autocomplete was embarrassingly slow to update.
The third incident to make waves was on Election Day, when searches for [how to vote harris] spawned a box that told people where to go for their nearest polling place, while [how to vote trump] did not.
Google PR explained that this was because “Harris” is also the name of a county in the U.S., while “Trump” is not.
Again, a perfectly plausible explanation.
Thousands of conservative accounts jumped on these incidents as definitive proof of Google interfering in the election.
The mistake they made was assuming that Google is infallible.
In reality, anyone with a passing understanding of Hanlon’s Razor – which suggests we should not attribute to malice what can be explained by incompetence – would see that it applied in all three cases.
Accusations of Google bias
The problem with focusing on noise like this is that it detracts from the real question.
Do Google search results have bias, and is that bias enough to unduly influence people?
Through the years, a number of whistleblowers and researchers came forward with supposed proof of Google bias. Some highlights:
In November 2016, following the presidential election, an anonymous source within Google sent a leaked video to the conservative outlet Breitbart showing Google executives’ and employees’ negative reaction to the election results.
In subsequent years a number of whistleblowers from within Google came out to provide their reports of bias that they perceived within Google.
In July 2019, senior engineer Greg Coppola came forward to publicly disagree with his CEO’s claim that searches were unbiased.
One of the more interesting presentations was about “algorithmic unfairness,” which discussed the need for search results to reflect a desired state, even if it didn’t reflect current realities.
While not a Google employee, Robert Epstein was a research scientist who went on a number of conservative outlets with research purporting to show Google manipulating public opinion.
The problem with all of this? Because this evidence was mainly hearsay, opinions were split like a Rorschach test.
Let’s take a step back and look at objective facts:
From 1998 to 2018, Google was powered by their original algorithm based mainly on PageRank. That worked really well in the beginning but as more people understood Google’s algorithm, poor quality sites began to rank. Despite their efforts with Panda and Penguin, it became clear that too many legitimately dangerous sites were making their way into Google’s results.
The Aug. 1 2018 broad core update (a.k.a., the Medic Update) was Google’s first big attempt to go beyond reactively fighting content and link manipulation and proactively combat this, starting with financial and medical topics (YMYL).
Most of us in the SEO space had our suspicions that Google was putting its finger on the scales for other types of searches. In May 2024, leaked documents from Google confirmed that Google’s organic algorithm indeed treated COVID and election-related searches differently than others through two factors called IsCovidAuthority and IsElectionAuthority, respectively.
None of this is a smoking gun either.
Those who attack Google say this circumstantial evidence is enough to prove Google’s bias.
Defenders of Google will say that all of these steps were necessary to fight the real problem of bona fide misinformation and scams.
The data
So, is Google biased?
Instead of giving you my opinion, I’m going to show you how you can use SEO tools and techniques to figure it out for yourself.
The two tools I use most often for my SEO work are Semrush and Ahrefs. Both of them have a useful feature: the ability to go back in history and see historical SERPs.
For example, these are the top 10 organic results for searches on “donald trump” that Semrush reports from October 2024, one month before Election Day.
And here’s what Ahrefs reports for October 15, 2024.
Both are similar.
The slight variations are due to variations in the way that Semrush and Ahrefs obtain their Google results.
We’re still in Rorschach test territory.
Those who accuse Google of bias will look at the results and cry foul because CNN, AP, Wikipedia, and The Guardian – all known for being left-leaning – are showing up.
Those defending Google will point to Donald Trump’s website and his multiple social media accounts showing up as proof that Google is unbiased.
What if we could take a look at every question that people asked about Donald Trump and Kamala Harris during the election, take the top 10 results for each, and run an analysis of which media outlets are cited most often?
We can. Here’s how.
For this one I’m going to use Ahrefs (which allows me to output 1,000 queries and their top 10 positions and to filter based on date).
I searched for “Questions” that people ask about “donald trump.” I filtered on searches that were seen before Election Day 2024.
Next, I exported the top 1,000 questions with the top 10 positions for each.
I uploaded the CSV file to ChatGPT and asked it to go through the list and tally up how often each news outlet or website appeared.
I repeated the process for questions containing “kamala harris” and tallied everything up. At this point I had a list of all sites that ranked in the top 10 for the top 1,000 questions about Trump and Harris.
I took every site they listed in this chart that was rated 24.0 and above in News Value and Reliability.
Neither AllSides nor Ad Fontes are perfect.
For example, the left will likely disagree with AllSides’s characterization of AP as “left,” while the right will likely disagree with Ad Fontes’s characterization of RealClearPolitics as “strong right.”
But on the whole, these are the best out there (at least as far as Google is concerned).
Yes, there is pretty clear evidence that Google’s organic results demonstrate bias when it comes to political searches.
But don’t take my word for it. Repeat the process above for any political phrase you can think of.
Note that Google is not “censoring” conservative and right-leaning outlets – you can still find them in search results if you search on their brand name.
But do any kind of non-branded search and you’ll be hard-pressed to find them ranking.
It wasn’t always this way.
Note in this screenshot how in August 2016 it was fairly common to see centrist outlets like RealClearPolitics and right-leaning outlets like the Washington Times alongside left-leaning outlets like CNN and The Atlantic for searches for “donald trump.”
You can see from this chart of SEO traffic and keywords what happened to RealClearPolitics.
Somewhere around April 2020, their SEO traffic and keywords fell off a cliff.
Semrush chart of SEO performance for RealClearPolitics.com
Today, 92% of their Google traffic comes from branded searches.
Contrast that to The Atlantic, where 78.4% of SEO traffic is unbranded.
Semrush chart of Branded vs. Non-Branded Traffic for RealClearPolitics.com
You can see similar patterns around that time with other right-leaning sites like The Blaze, The Federalist, and Breitbart, as well as left-leaning sites like Mother Jones and HuffPost.
While those sites flailed in SEO, mainstream news sites like The New York Times and CNN skyrocketed.
Semrush chart of SEO performance for NYTimes.com
What happened?
In 2020, Google likely implemented changes similar to those in its 2018 Medic update.
The Medic update aimed to protect users from harmful health and finance content.
At the time, black hat SEO tactics allowed fraudulent sites to outrank legitimate ones, leading to financial scams and misinformation, in thousands of cases harming the most vulnerable populations.
Many elderly and low-income individuals were defrauded, and those with serious illnesses were misled by false medical claims.
To counter this, Google manually boosted high-authority sites to ensure reliable information surfaced.
Internally, many within Google likely viewed political content as an extension of the “Your Life” portion of YMYL.
This likely led to the creation of a list of trusted and untrusted sources.
While that information isn’t public, it’s not a stretch to assume it’s similar to the one maintained by Wikipedia editors, one which left-leaning individuals may find reasonable and right-leaning individuals would find extremely biased.
How one-sided news can affect public opinion
Here’s an example of how a lack of diverse perspectives can create a one-sided narrative.
In April 2020, during the COVID-19 lockdown, the virus was spreading rapidly, especially affecting the elderly, with no vaccine or cure in sight.
On April 23, the White House held a press conference where William Bryan from DHS shared promising research updates. (You can read the full transcript here.)
Specifically, he discussed the effects of sunlight and UV rays on the coronavirus and briefly mentioned the effectiveness of isopropyl alcohol in killing the virus on surfaces.
Following Bryan’s remarks, President Trump asked about potential clinical applications of the findings.
I think most would agree his wording was inartful and a bit bombastic, but fact-checking organizations would go on to conclude that he never suggested drinking or injecting household bleach.
A year later, peer-reviewed studies confirmed UV light as a viable concept.
However, a Google search for “trump bleach” immediately after the press conference presented a different picture:
The BBC ranked No. 1 with the headline: “Coronavirus: Trump suggests injecting disinfectant as treatment.”
The New York Times was No. 2 with: “Trump’s Suggestion That Disinfectants Could Be Used to Treat Coronavirus Prompts Aggressive Pushback,” accompanied by a stock photo of household bleach.
The Washington Post was No. 3 with: “Trump asked if disinfectants could be injected to kill coronavirus inside the body. Doctors answered: ‘People will die.’”
The rest of the top results followed the same narrative – mocking or criticizing Trump for allegedly encouraging Americans to ingest or inject household bleach.
This could be attributed to the “fog of war,” but independent and conservative outlets provided alternative perspectives that were virtually invisible in search results.
For instance, RealClearPolitics published the full video and transcript on the day of the press conference, allowing readers to judge for themselves – yet it didn’t even rank in the top 100.
Did Google do anything wrong?
Now I’m going to upset the other half of America.
Did Google do anything wrong?
Not really.
Yes, Google likely tilts the scales – especially in amplifying smaller left-leaning sites over their right-leaning counterparts.
But even if Google didn’t interfere, the mainstream media would still dominate the top 10 rankings for most searches.
Most of us in SEO have experienced the frustration of seeing a niche site with outstanding content outranked by lower-quality content from an “authority” like Reddit or YouTube.
Similarly, major outlets like CNN and The New York Times have far more links and traffic than any conservative or progressive news site.
Big brands dominate the top results, while smaller sites fight for long-tail visibility. That’s how it’s been for a long time.
It’s also worth noting that Google is a private company.
The First Amendment protects speech from government interference – it doesn’t apply to private entities.
Unless the government is compelling Google’s actions, the company is free to serve up whatever results it wants.
Conservatives who cry foul at Google’s dominant position might want to remember how they pushed back in the 1990s against those who wanted to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine when conservative talk radio gained influence.
Their argument back then was that the free market of ideas would self-correct.
This worked to some extent in broadcast and cable news.
MSNBC emerged as a counterbalance to Fox News.
Podcasters like Joe Rogan and the social media platform X attracted audiences seeking more transparency and alternative perspectives outside mainstream media and Google News.
In August 2024, Judge Amit Mehta issued a ruling confirming what many in SEO had long anticipated: Google had maintained a monopoly in General Search Services, covering both paid and organic search.
Evidentiary hearings are set for April 2025, with a final ruling expected by August 2025.
Whether these remedies will – or even can or should – compel Google to present a more diverse range of opinions remains uncertain.
But in my view, a bigger threat to Google is on the horizon.
The future of news
The bigger threat to Google is people realizing that there is a powerful alternative to their curated political content: AI.
Here’s an example: I asked xAI’s Grok to present both perspectives of a highly contentious political question.
You’ll find similar responses on ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and others.
For the first time in eight years, I finally received a balanced answer – one that represents both sides fairly (or, if you prefer, equally unfairly).
Last year, I predicted that people would gradually shift to AI chatbots for search. I began that article predicting it would take three years.
But less than a year later, I find the majority of my own “searches” now happen on ChatGPT and Grok.
This shift reminds me of the search landscape in the late 1990s, when companies like Excite, Lycos, AltaVista, Yahoo, and Google were competing to be the top search engine.
Google won by offering the best experience.
It took years before content manipulation and link schemes forced algorithm updates like Panda and Penguin.
Today, a similar race is underway. ChatGPT, Gemini, DeepSeek, Claude, and Grok are vying to become the new search standard.
Unlike Google, searches won’t take the form of one or two keywords, but detailed questions unlocking an expansive long-tail of search queries.
Many assume the U.S. political landscape consists of two sides, but in reality, there are 335 million perspectives – each shaped by unique experiences and biases.
Since 1998, we’ve been conditioned to search for head terms and accept Google’s 10 organic results as the authoritative answer.
But I continue to believe that the winner of the AI wars will be the platform that, like early Google, embraces free speech and classical liberalism.
That means using training data that reflects all viewpoints – even those that company insiders might find uncomfortable – and allowing AI to answer questions honestly.
Can any American AI companies resist the temptation to limit AI’s knowledge by limiting its access to information and forcing it to follow their internal bias rather than objective truth?
https://i0.wp.com/dubadosolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Semrush-top-10-organic-results-for-searches-on-donald-trump-hcYcYC.png?fit=1140%2C902&ssl=19021140http://dubadosolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/dubado-logo-1.png2025-02-10 13:00:002025-02-10 13:00:00Is Google biased? An SEO veteran’s perspective
Your WordPress site might be packed with great content and stunning visuals, but without proper search engine optimization (SEO), it could be hard to find.
SEO ensures your site gets noticed, eventually driving traffic to your content and boosting engagement.
Thankfully, SEO doesn’t have to be complicated.
Many WordPress plugins simplify key tasks like optimizing content, structuring your site, and improving performance, all of which contribute to better rankings.
Below, we’re exploring reliable and widely used SEO plugins that can help your site stand out and attract the audience it deserves.
Here at Kinsta, ranked as G2’s top WordPress hosting provider, we have a unique perspective on plugins favored by our customers in the premium hosting space and installed on more than 120,000 websites. So, we’ll include some data on our own customers’ SEO preferences in this overview.
Why the right SEO plugin makes a big difference
SEO plugins can simplify tasks that would otherwise require significant effort and offer features that address key aspects of optimization.
You can expect to find features like these in high-quality SEO plugins:
On-page optimization: Some plugins help you fine-tune meta tags, analyze keywords, and improve readability. That way, each page meets search engine standards.
Site structure improvements: Automatically generate XML sitemaps, add breadcrumbs, and optimize navigation.
Integration with search engine tools: Connect your site with Google Analytics and Search Console to track performance and gain insight into what needs fixing.
Enhance page speed and performance: Some plugins include features like caching or image optimization, which indirectly improve SEO by boosting load times and user experience.
When choosing the right SEO plugin, consider your site’s needs and the skill set you’re bringing to the table. Beginners may prefer tools with simpler interfaces, while advanced users might want more customization options.
Focus on essentials to prevent your site from slowing down or becoming overly complex. If one plugin does the job of three, then it’s usually best to go with the single plugin.
The importance of plugin security
Security might not be the first thing you think of when choosing an SEO plugin, but it plays a vital role in maintaining your site’s search engine rankings and overall health. Poorly secured plugins can open the door to vulnerabilities that expose your site to threats.
Here’s a quick look at why plugin security matters:
Outdated plugins create vulnerabilities: Hackers often target outdated or poorly maintained plugins. Once compromised, your site could be infected with malware, phishing scripts, or other malicious code.
Hacked sites face SEO penalties: Search engines prioritize safe browsing experiences. If your site gets flagged for malicious activity, it could be removed from search results or labeled as unsafe, resulting in a sharp drop in traffic.
Proactive protection is essential: Regularly updating your plugins and choosing ones from reputable developers help reduce risks. Look for plugins with consistent updates and strong user reviews.
Managed WordPress hosting providers like Kinsta offer additional layers of security by performing regular plugin scans, flagging vulnerabilities, and making plugin updates easier.
Top 9 SEO plugins for WordPress
Choosing the right SEO plugin requires more than just downloading the first highly-rated option you find. For this list, we’ve evaluated plugins based on the following criteria:
Popularity: Plugins with high ratings and a significant number of global installations are often trusted by the WordPress community.
Features and ease of use: Whether you’re managing on-page optimization, generating sitemaps, or improving site speed, the plugins listed here offer useful features without unnecessary complexity.
Regular updates and compatibility: Plugins that receive frequent updates are more likely to remain secure, compatible with the latest version of WordPress, and equipped with new features.
Let’s explore the SEO plugins we recommend and see how they can elevate your WordPress site in search.
Global installations: Over 10 million Average rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars Footprint on Kinsta-hosted sites: 51%
Yoast SEO is one of the most popular SEO plugins (and used by fully half of Kinsta’s customers), offering a comprehensive set of tools to improve your site’s on-page SEO. Known for its beginner-friendly traffic light system, it evaluates your content’s readability and optimization levels so you can create pages that real human beings and search engines enjoy.
Features:
Traffic light system for on-page optimization.
XML sitemap generation for better site indexing.
Schema.org integration to enhance search visibility.
Global installations: Over 3 million Average rating: 4.9 out of 5 stars Footprint on Kinsta-hosted sites: 18%
Rank Math is the only SEO plugin that comes close to Yoast SEO’s popularity among Kinsta’s sophisticated customers. It’s a growing choice because of its advanced features and lightweight design. Rank Math offers powerful tools like rich snippet support, keyword analysis, and Google Search Console integration.
Features:
Detailed keyword optimization with support for multiple keywords.
Rich snippet integration for better SERP visibility.
404 error monitoring and redirection tools.
Easy integration with Google Search Console.
Setup wizard for a hassle-free configuration process.
Global installations: Over 3 million Average rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars Footprint on Kinsta-hosted sites: 3.4%
All in One SEO has been a trusted SEO plugin for over a decade, known for balancing ease of use with useful features. It’s designed to meet the needs of everyone and offers tools for meta tag management, sitemaps, and even WooCommerce optimization.
Features:
Meta tag customization for improved on-page SEO.
Support for XML and RSS sitemaps.
Built-in tools for social media integration.
Advanced options for WooCommerce SEO.
Local optimization for businesses targeting specific regions.
Global installations: Over 300,000 Average rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars Footprint on Kinsta-hosted sites: 2.7%
SEOPress offers a clean, ad-free interface while packing advanced features that appeal to advanced users. It includes everything from unlimited keyword optimization to redirection management, making it a strong contender for anyone looking to enhance their site’s SEO.
Features:
Unlimited keyword optimization to target multiple phrases.
Redirection management to fix broken links and improve SEO.
Integration with Google Analytics for better performance tracking.
Global installations: Over 200,000 Average rating: 4.9 out of 5 stars Footprint on Kinsta-hosted sites: 1.8%
The SEO Framework is a minimalist plugin that focuses on automation and simplicity. Unlike other plugins, it’s ad-free and offers pre-configured settings, so those who want powerful SEO features without unnecessary distractions will benefit the most.
Features:
Automated SEO settings for hassle-free optimization.
Local SEO options for businesses targeting specific areas.
Built-in spam comment protection to safeguard site health.
Extension manager for adding specific functionality as needed.
Global installations: Over 100,000 Average rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars Footprint on Kinsta-hosted sites: 0.1%
Squirrly SEO is perfect for beginners who want guided assistance with their SEO efforts. It provides real-time suggestions and detailed advice while creating content, making the optimization process feel intuitive and approachable.
Features:
Real-time SEO advice during content creation.
Keyword research tool to identify high-value phrases.
Weekly SEO audit reports for ongoing improvements.
SERP checker to monitor your rankings over time.
Integration with popular tools like Google Analytics.
Global installations: Over 600,000 Average rating: 3.8 out of 5 stars Footprint on Kinsta-hosted sites: 2.2%
Broken Link Checker helps maintain your site’s SEO health by identifying and managing broken links. Broken links make for an unpleasant user experience and can damage your SEO.
Features:
Monitors for broken links and missing images.
Prevents search engines from following bad links.
Allows you to edit links directly from the plugin dashboard.
Global installations: Over 1 million Average rating: 4.4 out of 5 stars Footprint on Kinsta-hosted sites: 0.47%
W3 Total Cache isn’t a traditional SEO plugin but can help improve your site speed. Faster load times can lead to a better user experience and search engine rankings, making it an essential plugin for performance optimization.
Features:
Page and database caching for faster load times.
CDN integration to deliver content quickly to global audiences.
Minification of CSS, JavaScript, and HTML files.
Browser caching to improve repeat-visitor load times.
W3 Total Cache and other plugins in this category are rarely used by Kinsta customers because our own Cloudflare integration provides CDN, edge caching, and one-the-fly image optimization for free.
Global installations: Over 60,000 Average rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars Footprint on Kinsta-hosted sites: 0.26%
Internal Link Juicer is a specialized plugin that automates internal linking. This improves your site structure and can help search engines better understand your content.
Features:
Automates internal linking based on keywords.
Customizable anchor text options for better targeting.
Link statistics to track performance.
Blacklist and whitelist features to control link placements.
Summary
SEO plugins do the heavy lifting to help your WordPress site rank higher, load faster, and stay optimized. Whether you’re fine-tuning a growing site or just getting started, the right plugin makes all the difference. Check out the options listed here to find the best fit.
And if you want a hassle-free experience with top-tier security and performance, Kinsta’s managed hosting ensures your site is running at its best.
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Looking to take the next step in your search marketing career?
Below, you will find the latest SEO, PPC, and digital marketing jobs at brands and agencies. We also include positions from previous weeks that are still open.
You’ll be responsible for driving strategy and communications for 5-7 clients and will manage a team of SEO specialists to deliver the work driving their continued success.
Your growing team will include a technical analyst, content manager, tracking specialist, multiple writers, and link developers.
You’ll work closely with our Head of Growth to pioneer an AI-enhanced SEO strategy that drives exponential organic growth across our brands (Fella and Delilah).
You’ll take full ownership of our SEO function, using AI tools and automation to supercharge our capabilities across technical audits, content creation, and link building.
Develop and execute a comprehensive global SEO strategy to increase organic traffic, user engagement, and conversions across the US, UK, Canada, and Australia.
Identify and prioritize opportunities to target SMBs in each region based on market trends, verticals, search behavior, and competitive analysis.
Conduct a monthly review of Accounts KPIs, strategies and deliverables to ensure they’re up to the highest possible standards of excellence, providing feedback to Strategists on areas of growth or opportunities.
Serve as second escalation step for client issues, concerns or other account-related critical situations, exercising sound judgement in communication, response and escalation.
Own Paid Media Strategy: Develop and execute a comprehensive paid advertising strategy across platforms like Google and Bing Ads, LinkedIn, Meta and Reddit to drive leads and revenue.
Campaign Management & Optimization: Launch, monitor, and optimize campaigns to hit performance goals, staying within budget and maximizing ROI.
Help to define and execute Smartsheet’s global SEO strategy.
Conduct comprehensive opportunity analyses, including keyword research, query intent mapping, competitive assessments, and SERP landscape evaluations, to prioritize initiatives that drive traffic and conversions.
Lead the development, execution, and optimization of sophisticated SEO campaigns, from initial research and strategy through implementation and analysis.
Oversee all aspects of on-page, off-page, and technical SEO to achieve and exceed client objectives.
Defines the go-to market performance strategy cross-channel to drive accelerated growth and how we implement a rigorous test & learn agenda to refine and enhance media
Define how we stay abreast of the latest trends & advancements to maintain a competitive edge
Campaign Management & Optimisation: Manage and optimize SEM campaigns—analyzing performance data, writing ad copy, reviewing search term reports, and more.
Take ownership of global SEM projects in close collaboration with cross-functional teams, stakeholders, and external partners.
Oversee and manage all paid media efforts across Meta, TikTok, and Google platforms to drive customer acquisition and revenue growth. Ensure efficient allocation of budget across channels.
Lead and manage the overall paid media content strategy, collaborating with internal production teams and external content agencies
Manage our digital advertising platforms such as Google Ads, Linkedin, 6Sense, and more: Includes in-platform management and optimization such as keyword research, ad copy writing, campaign creation, budgeting, pacing, optimization, assistance in tagging management and more
Collaborate with the organic content team to build and evolve the keyword strategy for both paid and organic
Own Paid Media Strategy: Develop and execute a comprehensive paid advertising strategy across platforms like Google and Bing Ads, LinkedIn, Meta and Reddit to drive leads and revenue.
Campaign Management & Optimization: Launch, monitor, and optimize campaigns to hit performance goals, staying within budget and maximizing ROI.
Paid Search Strategic Planning: Develop long-term execution plans that align with client business and agency objectives. Implement these plans and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure success.
Paid Search Data Analysis: Demonstrate analytical skills to extract meaningful insights from data. Relate these insights back to business goals and identify actionable recommendations.
Oversee the entire paid media campaign process, from concept development, creative ideation, and audience targeting, to execution, launch, and proactive optimization.
Monitor campaign spending and performance metrics to ensure campaigns meet or exceed key metrics such as ROAS, CPA, and conversion rates.
Manage execution and performance of search, shopping, display, and video advertising campaigns through the full account management life cycle
Serve as the key player in kick-off meetings, client relationship management, ad-serving, tech stack implementation, campaign optimization, and quarterly business planning.
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Competitive intelligence (CI) gives you the clarity to make the right moves for your business—whether that’s meeting customer needs, finding new opportunities, or outsmarting competitors.
Marketing agency Thrive proves this perfectly.
I spoke to Aaron Whittaker, the VP of Demand Gen and Marketing at Thrive, to understand how they use CI.
His team gathered intel to solve a specific challenge. Prospects were choosing AI marketing solutions over traditional agencies.
“We monitored our competitors’ customer reviews and social media mentions. Our takeaway was that clients often felt disconnected with AI-based marketing strategies. This insight led us to develop what we call “Transparent Strategy Sessions.” This is unique to us since we combine AI efficiency with human strategic oversight.”
The team used these insights to create battlecards, increasing the win rate by 35%.
In this article, I’ll explain the key components of a competitive intelligence framework.
I’ll also break down four phases for conducting competitive intelligence research.
Competitive intelligence is the process of turning raw competitor data into actionable insights.
This helps your business make strategic decisions and stay ahead in the market.
A competitive intelligence report helps you answer three critical questions:
Where are your competitors heading?
Why and how are they making these moves?
How can you respond effectively to stay ahead?
CI research works on two levels: tactical and strategic.
Tactical intel focuses on improving your short-term strategy.
This includes decisions related to new launches, marketing campaigns, and more.
Strategic intel shapes your overall business strategy.
It helps you understand your market better, so you can make smart choices about where to focus and how to stand out.
Competitive Intelligence vs. Market Research
Competitive intelligence and market research are both important methods of gathering data to make smarter business decisions. But they work in different ways and have unique goals.
CI research tracks your competitors to find growth opportunities and predict market shifts.
The goal?
To strategically gain an advantage and stay ahead in a rapidly changing market.
On the other hand, market research studies:
Consumer behavior
Market conditions
Demand patterns
Growth trends
It analyzes the current market to discover gaps you can fulfill.
These insights support tactical decisions in product development, marketing, and other goals.
Here’s how competitive intelligence differs from market research:
3 Key Components of a Competitive Intelligence Framework
A strong competitive intelligence framework boils down to three essentials: find the right data, analyze it effectively, and put it into action.
Let’s discuss each component in detail.
Data
Collecting relevant, targeted data is the first step in CI research.
Start with secondary sources to get a broader view of the competitive landscape.
Check out competitor websites, help portals, and industry reports.
I chatted with Stanislav Khilobochenko, the VP of Customer Services at Clario, about CI data sources.
He explains how he uses platforms like G2 and Trustpilot to capture the voice of the customer:
“Monitoring customer reviews highlighted how a competitor’s customers complained about hidden subscription fees. This insight led us to emphasize transparent pricing in our marketing campaigns. We saw an increase in our new customer acquisition rate.”
Analysis
Look closely at your data to extract meaningful insights and find growth opportunities. This can help you confidently choose the right next steps for your business.
The real value is in analyzing multiple data sources in parallel. Think web research, customer feedback, and sales conversations.
Each source provides a different perspective, and combining them creates a fuller picture.
Here’s how the process might look if you own a project management platform:
Goal: Help sales reps close more deals
Analytical insight: Customer reviews reveal a need for niche integrations, while sales conversations highlight lost deals due to limited integrations
Business decision: Plan your product roadmap to build more integrations
So, your sellers can use this information to attract more customers. Information they wouldn’t be able to use without analyzing the right data.
Activation
Once you complete your analysis, share your findings with relevant stakeholders.
You can choose different formats, such as battle cards, competitor profiles, and meetings. More on that later.
The activation phase is all about using competitive intel to plan ahead.
I wanted to understand this phase better, so I spoke to Federico Jorge, the founder of Stack Against. He creates search-optimized comparison pages for SaaS companies based on in-depth competitive intel.
In one of his projects, he helped a client gather intel on a small competitor that was acquired by a large company.
Overnight, this competitor went from being an ankle biter to a huge threat that started to go after his client’s share of the market.
“One of the main assets we built was a battlecard to arm sales with new talk tracks whenever they went against this competitor in a new deal or a renewal project. The battlecard proved effective to position my client’s product in a more favorable light, after the acquisition. It also increased seller confidence by giving account executives an updated understanding of the competitor’s strengths and weaknesses.”
How to Collect Competitive Intelligence in 4 Phases
Along with your goals, think of specific questions you want to answer with this data. Also define the key stakeholders who will use this intel.
For example, let’s say you want to finalize a new pricing structure for your software product.
Poor goal-setting:
“We need to know how our competitors are pricing their products.”
Good goal-setting:
Goal: Build a well-informed pricing strategy
Questions: How have our top three competitors priced their enterprise plans? What changes have they made to their plans in terms of price point and capabilities?
Stakeholders: Product and sales leadership
Map Your Competitive Landscape
With your goals in place, you now need to identify:
Direct competitors: Businesses offering the same products or services as you
Indirect competitors: Businesses offering products or services that act as a substitute for yours
Start with a simple Google search to find your direct competitors.
Let’s say you run a local bakery.
Search for keywords like “custom cakes near me,” “wedding cake shops,” or “best bakeries in [your city].”
You’ll find direct competitors ranking well in organic search, like the ones visible here:
Then, go a step further with a tool like Semrush’s Organic Research to find more competitors.
Add your domain (or a competitor’s website) and hit “Search.”
In the “Competitors” tab, you’ll find the Competitive Positioning Map.
It highlights your biggest competitors based on traffic volume and number of keywords.
Scroll down to see a more extensive list of organic competitors.
You can analyze competitors with metrics like competition level, shared keywords, and organic traffic.
Use this exercise to prepare and maintain an active list of your primary competitors.
Expand this database with indirect competitors and create these tiers:
Primary: Direct head-to-head competitors
Secondary: Occasional overlap in market/customers
Tertiary: Indirect competitors with substitute solutions
Phase 2: Collect Data Systematically in Stages
Once you have locked in your list of competitors, it’s time to collect data.
Here are some of the most popular data sources you can use:
But random data won’t cut it.
I chatted with experts, and they recommend collecting data systematically in four stages.
Stage 1: Analyze Online Presence
Start with the easiest layer—your competitors’ online presence.
You can use tools to see exactly what’s working for your competitors online, from their top pages to their content strategy.
Edward White, Beehiiv’s Head of Growth, shared how he used Semrush to perform an SEO competitive analysis:
“We undertook an initiative to analyze 3,000 articles from 9 competitor blogs. We aimed to reverse-engineer the SEO strategy within a competitive mature market. I used Semrush to dig deeper into these competitors and evaluate each blog.”
24 months later, Beehiiv’s website went from ~0 to 1 million clicks/year.
To get started with your own similar analysis, go to Semrush’s Domain Overview and add one of your competitors’ websites.
(I’ll use the furniture rental site Fernish as an example.)
The Domain Overview report shows this site has an authority score of 31 and nearly 12K backlinks.
The tool also reveals Fernish’s organic and paid traffic over the past two years.
It also shows me that the majority of Fernish’s traffic comes from the U.S., followed by Indonesia and Canada.
Lots of useful data, but we want to go deeper.
The “Compare domains” tab provides a deeper analysis of Fernish’s top four competitors.
I compared three competitors on their authority score, traffic, and backlinks.
The report also showed the traffic share among the four brands, with Fernish getting 13% of the total traffic.
Once you’ve identified your top competitors in organic search, go to the Organic Research tool to find more information about each competitor.
I focused on this report for Inhabitr, one of Fernish’s top competitors.
This report tells me the keywords where Inhabitr is ranking well and attracting organic traffic.
It also categorizes these keywords by search intent to help me understand Inhabitr’s SEO strategy.
I can see the top pages driving the most traffic to this site.
This report also shows the type of keywords each page targets and how much traffic it gets.
Looking at the SERP Features Trend report, I realized that Inhabitr’s content strategy focused mostly on local SEO.
However, the brand now also seems to be leveraging image SEO to improve its organic search performance.
These kinds of competitive insights can help you adapt your own strategies based on what’s working well for your rivals.
Learn how the market perceives your competitors with:
Social listening tools: to monitor brand mentions and perform a social media competitor analysis
Analyst reports: to understand how competitors fit into the broader competitive landscape
Review platforms: to collect customer feedback and discover their challenges and unmet needs
For public companies, annual reports provide valuable insights into operations and financials.
Aaron Whittaker of Thrive Internet Marketing Agency shared an interesting insight to expand your research scope.
He explained how his team went beyond visible metrics (like pricing and features) to gain an edge over competitors.
“Our breakthrough came when we started mapping less obvious patterns. For example, we tracked a competitor’s job postings over six months. It revealed they were quietly building an AI team. This gave us early insight into their future direction.”
Stage 3: Conduct Field Research
Use hands-on research to find insights that aren’t available through external analysis.
Sign up for trials, purchase products, and document the entire marketing funnel.
Pay attention to your competitors’ sales process, customer support, and overall user experience.
This is where you’ll find opportunities for differentiation.
Stage 4: Gather Network Intelligence
Collect data through a network of buyers, employees, and vendors.
Check your win/loss reports or sales calls. They’ll show you the competitors you’re losing to.
Interview these buyers to find out why they chose a competitor over you.
Sam Niro, Senior Manager of Competitive Intelligence at Talkdesk, shares her best practice:
“I review press release feeds, social media, and industry media outlets to keep up with bigger storylines. However, my “secret weapon” is buyer interviews. They show the customer’s unfiltered voice. Use them to validate your differentiators, pricing, and sales process.”
Consider historical context throughout your data collection process.
Pro tip: Look at your competitors’ performance when they were at the same stage as your company.
If you’re a two-year-old company competing with a five-year-old brand, check their metrics from three years ago.
This provides more relevant benchmarks for your growth trajectory than their current performance might suggest.
Phase 3: Analyze Data and Extract Meaningful Insights
Now, you’re ready to dig into the data and connect the dots to find actionable insights about your competitors.
Data Organization
Raw data alone doesn’t drive decisions—analysis does.
You have to clean, organize, and validate data before extracting actionable insights.
I asked Federico Jorge, the founder of Stack Against, to share his best advice for this phase of CI research.
He emphasized the importance of keeping the bigger picture in mind during analysis:
“It’s critical to see through individual intel to form a bigger idea that’s sustainable for your product in the long-term. Before acting on any piece of intel, evaluate how it fits into your broader market strategy and customer needs.”
Data Analysis
Let’s break down three methods to analyze data:
Trends Analysis
Analyze your competitors’ actions over time to find patterns in their behavior. Like product launches, pricing changes, positioning changes, and more.
As trends emerge, you can predict your competitors’ next moves and adapt your strategy.
It also allows you to spot gaps and undiscovered opportunities in the market.
Picture this:
You run a meal-delivery business.
Trend analysis tells you:
Two competitors added plant-based options in the last quarter
Five of them started a weekend-only delivery service
Many highlight “locally sourced” in their content
These patterns indicate customers prefer plant-based options and care about food sourcing. There’s also a demand for weekend-only plans.
You can use this information to add to or improve your own services. And reduce the risks of being left behind in the market.
Strategic Group Analysis
Use strategic group analysis to understand the competitive landscape at a macro level.
In other words: don’t view each competitor in isolation.
Instead, find the challenges and opportunities for each group.
It reveals what makes each competing group successful or vulnerable.
For example, the analysis below covers different types of competitors for the coffee brand, Starbucks.
I analyzed each group’s varying tactics, strengths, and vulnerabilities.
Group
Competitors
Key Tactics
Strengths
Vulnerabilities
Premium Cafes
Starbucks, Blue Bottle
High-quality beans, customized drinks
Brand recognition, customer loyalty
High prices limit customer base
Fast Food Coffee
McDonald’s, Dunkin’
Convenient locations, low prices
Speed, affordability
Lower perceived quality
Local Independent Cafes
John’s Cafe, The Bean Lounge
Community focus, unique atmosphere
Personal service, local loyalty
Limited resources for growth
SWOT Analysis
SWOT analysis adds more depth by examining a company’s:
Strengths: What they do well
Weaknesses: Where they struggle
Opportunities: External factors they could use to grow
Threats: External factors that could harm them
Here are some questions to consider for applying this method (you can perform this on your own business/website and on your competitors):
This approach gives you a complete picture of your competitors’ positions.
Use these insights to make smart decisions for investing your resources.
Here’s an example SWOT analysis of automotive brands:
Brand
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats
Toyota
Strong global presence; Leader in hybrid technology
Dependent on global supply chains
Increasing demand for EVs
Intense competition in EV market
Ford
Strong brand recognition in America; Investments in autonomous vehicles
Struggles with profitability internationally
Growth in EV and autonomous vehicle sectors
Competition from traditional and new auto manufacturers
Volkswagen
Strong focus on R&D; Significant global footprint
Emissions scandal has damaged reputation
Growth opportunities in new markets like Africa
Regulatory challenges and fines
The real value comes from connecting these analyses to action.
This phase should tell you where competitors are today and where they’re heading.
Phase 4: Activation and Implementation
In the final phase, you have to convert insights into meaningful resources for all stakeholders.
You also need to plan the way forward and decide the next steps to update this intel.
Create Useful Deliverables
Here are a few deliverables to create to share your CI findings with relevant stakeholders:
Battle Cards
Prepare visual one-pagers to emphasize areas where you outshine the competition.
Add talking points to counter each competitor and help sellers confidently handle objections.
Here’s a battle card template to follow:
Centralized Hub
Document all of your CI findings on platforms like Notion or Confluence.
Categorize the resources by teams and make this hub searchable for easy access.
Competitor profiles
Create in-depth profiles analyzing a competitor from all aspects.
Marketing and product teams can use them to plan their campaigns and plan the roadmap.
Here’s an example of the beauty brand Glossier’s competitive profile:
Implement a Distribution Plan
Create a dedicated Slack channel to share real-time insights. It helps in quickly sending updates about competitor moves to plan ahead.
Here are a few other ways to effectively distribute your research insights:
Weekly messages with updates from social media and your competitors’ latest campaigns
Monthly emails reviewing intel related to changes in pricing, features, and more
Quarterly meetings with each department to discuss key intel and reassess key competitors
You can also set up alerts about significant events, like acquisitions, leadership changes, and more.
Monitor and Update Your Strategy
Remember that markets and competitors constantly evolve.
Don’t take a one-and-done approach to competitive intelligence research.
Instead, you need workflows to regularly monitor and update your intel.
Schedule regular check-ins with your sales, marketing, and customer success teams to get constant feedback about your competitors.
Key Applications of Competitive Intelligence
Ready to see competitive intelligence in action?
Here’s how different teams can use competitive intelligence research.
Sales Enablement
Sales teams use CI to study competitors’ sales tactics and buying experience.
78% of CI pros translate these insights into battle cards.
As a result, sellers can deliver a strong pitch, handle objections effectively, and present social proof.
This intel also highlights key differentiators against every competitor.
Product Development
CI data helps product teams keep tabs on competitors’ new launches. It also collects customer feedback to map user expectations.
These insights help teams prioritize new features to outpace the competition.
You can also use this data to plan your product roadmap based on unmet customer needs.
Aaron Whittaker (Thrive) shared a great example of using CI data for product development:
“Competitive intelligence helped us spot a gap in the market. As competitors rushed to add AI features, we saw a demand for simpler, human-readable reports. This led us to develop streamlined dashboards that became a major selling point.”
Market Positioning and Strategy
Competitive intelligence research examines a competitor’s positioning, target audience, and overall marketing strategy.
You can learn how competitors position and differentiate themselves in the market.
Use this analysis to take a fresh approach in your messaging and resonate with your buyers.
It also helps identify underserved markets that you should target.
Pricing and Revenue Optimization
Pricing intelligence data goes a long way in building your pricing strategy.
Collect intel about competitors’ pricing models to optimize your pricing structure.
Check this data against factors like perceived value and customer loyalty. Then, plan your pricing model to maximize revenue.
Use Competitive Intelligence to Stay Ahead of the Curve
Competitor intelligence turns data about your competitors into strategic decisions for business growth.
As you build your CI research process, keep three principles in mind:
Set clear goals before collecting data
Focus on actionable insights rather than random data
Share findings in relevant and easily accessible deliverables
The real value of competitive intelligence comes from studying the right competitors.
Before diving into research, do a thorough market analysis to find which brands impact your market.
http://dubadosolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/dubado-logo-1.png00http://dubadosolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/dubado-logo-1.png2025-02-07 12:13:272025-02-07 12:13:27How to Build a Competitive Intelligence Strategy from Scratch
A website audit helps you find what’s holding your site back. It highlights technical issues that affect your rankings and UX problems that hurt conversions.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through five essential steps to maximize your site’s performance.
And to make it easier, I’ve created a free website audit checklist that you can refer to as you follow along.
Note: This post covers the fundamentals of website audits for small to medium sites. Enterprise sites have extra considerations and may need specialized tools and processes.
Step #1: Review Your Site Architecture and Navigation
A clear site structure and intuitive navigation help both users and search engines find what they’re looking for. This means it can affect your rankings AND your bottom line.
After all, if your visitors can’t find your products or services, how will they buy them?
Here’s how to audit your site’s architecture:
Analyze Your Site’s Navigation
Check how easily users can move through your site. Your navigation menu structure should be intuitive, and your site architecture should be logical.
Here are some questions to ask about key areas of your navigation:
Is your main navigation easy to find, and do the labels clearly describe where they lead?
Does your site search function return accurate, relevant results?
Do you use internal linking for related content to help users naturally explore your site?
For example, this furniture store, Terra Outdoor, ticks all the boxes:
What do they do right?
The site has a clean drop-down design that organizes items by product groups, materials, and collections.
This kind of organization lets shoppers easily browse the products they’re looking for.
Useful resource: Use this menu design checklist to make your site’s navigation more user-friendly.
Map Your Site Structure
Your content needs proper organization on each page so readers AND search engines can understand it easily.
Start with your heading hierarchy:
Your H1 tag is the main title of your page. So it should be unique and properly describe the content of each specific page.
Here’s how an H1 tag appears on your page:
Meanwhile, H2s and H3s should logically break down your topic.
Further reading: Learn more about creating a user-friendly site structure with our website architecture guide.
Check Your Internal Links
Internal links help readers navigate your site. They also signal to search engines that your content is all connected.
That’s why proper internal linking can help boost your topical authority.
So, check if you link to:
Important product/service pages
Related blog posts
High-converting pages
One thing to consider: do you use descriptive anchor text that includes relevant keywords naturally?
This tells readers where your link will take them. Plus, it gives Google helpful context about that page.
With a technical site audit, you can check how easily search engines can access, crawl, and index your pages.
You could have the best content in the industry, but technical issues could still hold your rankings back.
For example, a technical SEO audit helped BetterVet, a mobile veterinary service, fix critical site errors affecting the crawling and indexing of their content. Which resulted in a 2,002%boost in organic traffic.
So this kind of audit can get REAL results for your business.
Here’s how to do it:
Check Your Site’s Indexability
First, you need to know if search engines can actually find and understand your pages.
To check this, head over to Google Search Console and check if Google is indexing your important pages. You’ll see this under “Indexing” > “Pages.”
A page speed audit helps you identify exactly what’s slowing down your site and how to fix it.
Improving your site speed can potentially help you convert more customers.
How?
It’s simple: a fast-loading website creates a smooth user experience.
When your site loads quickly, visitors can easily explore your content, interact with your site, and complete actions—like clicking the buy button.
Want to see the real impact?
Take Agrofy, an agricultural marketplace. After identifying and fixing their performance issues through a page speed audit, their cart abandonment rate dropped by 76%:
Here’s how to check if your site is as fast as it could be:
Measure Your Page Performance
Start by checking your page speed using Google’s free PageSpeed Insights tool.
This tool shows you detailed performance data and actionable insights, which can help you identify areas that you need to improve.
These are part of Google’s page experience ranking factors.
Here’s why they matter and how to improve them:
Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) reflects how quickly your main content loads for users. A good LCP score (under 2.5 seconds) means your visitors are less likely to abandon your page before it loads.
To improve your LCP, compress bulky resources like hero images or animations.
Interaction to Next Paint (INP) measures how quickly your site responds when users interact with it.
Keep INP under 200 milliseconds by minimizing JavaScript execution time. Also remove unnecessary third-party scripts that could slow down interactions.
Cumulative layout shift (CLS) tracks the visual stability of your page as it loads. For example, if ads load in and push content down the page as they do so, that will affect your CLS score.
Aim for a CLS score below 0.1 by setting proper image dimensions, reserving space for ads, and using consistent fonts.
Prioritize High-Impact Fixes
When auditing your site’s page speed, focus on changes that can bring the biggest improvements, like:
Compressing and properly sizing all images
Minifying and combining CSS and JavaScript files
Removing unnecessary code and plugins
If you’re not sure where to start, follow the list of issues and fixes PageSpeed Insights suggests.
Next steps: Learn all about why this matters in our guide to page speed and SEO.
Step #3: Analyze Your Backlink Profile
A backlink audit helps you understand your site’s backlink profile and identify opportunities for improvement.
Strong backlinks from reputable sites can boost your rankings, while poor quality links (or a lack of links) might hold you back.
Let me show you how to evaluate your link profile:
Check Your Backlink Profile
First, get an overview of your backlink profile with a tool like Semrush’s Backlink Analytics.
Take a look at the total number of backlinks, referring domains, and overall toxicity score:
Watch out for any sudden spikes in new, low-quality backlinks. This could signal that you’ve been attacked by spam, which could harm your SEO.
Free tool: Use our free backlink checker to quickly analyze your site’s links (or your competitor’s).
Analyze Link Quality
Next, use the Backlink Audit tool to get a clear picture of your link profile’s health.
Click through the numbers shown in red (toxic), orange (potentially toxic), and green (non-toxic) to review each category of backlinks:
This breakdown helps you spot opportunities in two ways:
You can analyze your healthy backlinks and find similar link-building opportunities
You can identify toxic links and send removal requests
Having a few toxic backlinks isn’t necessarily alarming, and it’s almost inevitable as your site grows. What does matter is the ratio between good and toxic links in your profile—you want the vast majority to be high-quality links.
Regularly monitor your backlink profile to maintain it in a healthy state.
Schedule monthly checks to catch harmful links before they tank your rankings.
Tool recommendation: Use Semrush’s Link Building Tool to monitor your link building efforts. You can manage your outreach and monitor your results in one place:
Step #4: Evaluate Your Content
A content audit will uncover pages you need to update if you want to boost their traffic.
It reveals three key things:
Which pages drive the most value
Which pages you need to improve
Which pages you should remove or consolidate
Here’s how to audit your content:
Evaluate the Quality of Your Content
High-quality content keeps readers engaged and signals to search engines that your page is valuable and deserving of higher rankings.
But how do you evaluate content quality?
High-quality content is generally well-researched, up to date, and provides unique insights.
Other elements of high-quality content include:
Clear language
Easy-to-follow format
Short paragraphs
Relevant images, charts, and videos
Pro tip: Use our guide to quality SEO content to learn what it takes to create truly great content (that also ranks well)
Review Your Meta Elements
Your title tags and meta descriptions are your first chance to impress people in search results.
These elements can determine whether someone clicks through to your content—or scrolls past it.
Here’s what they look like in search results:
But what should you look out for when auditing your titles and descriptions?
Great titles should:
Include target keywords near the start
Stay under ~60 characters (or 600 pixels—use a tool like Mangools to check)
Use compelling language that makes people want to click
Follow a consistent format across your pages
And your meta descriptions should:
Include relevant keywords naturally
Accurately describe the page content
Stay under 155 characters/960 pixels (or ~120 characters/680 pixels on mobile)
Have a clear call to action (CTA)
Use Google Search Console to see which pages get the most clicks from search. Then, analyze their meta elements to understand what’s working well.
Look for pages with lots of impressions but not many clicks. These are pages with low click-through rates (CTRs), and likely ones you could optimize for better performance.
Next steps: You need people to click on your site if you want them to turn into customers. Check out our guide to click-through rate to find out how to further optimize your website content to get more clicks.
Step #5: Assess the User Experience
The goal of auditing your site’s user experience (UX) is to identify friction points and optimize them so users can effortlessly find what they’re looking for.
A great UX keeps visitors engaged with your content and encourages them to take action (like making a purchase).
Plus:
Intuitive experiences also signal to search engines that your site is valuable to users. In fact, page experience is a key ranking factor.
Here’s how to audit your site’s UX:
Check the Mobile Experience
More than 60% of website traffic comes from mobile devices.
So, test your site on different screen sizes to ensure you provide a consistent experience.
Focus on the following:
Are your buttons and links large enough to tap without zooming?
Do your images scale properly on smaller or larger screens?
Is your text readable without pinching to zoom?
Does your navigation menu work smoothly on mobile?
Auditing what’s on your website is just part of the overall process.
To find out what the best next steps are, you need to look at the data.
Analyze Search Performance
Open Google Search Console to check your content’s performance metrics.
Identify the following:
Pages with zero traffic
Content with low click-through rates
Pages ranking on page 2-3
Like Brian Dean suggests:
“Start by identifying content that gets zero traffic and zero sales. With lots of published content, there’s just too much to analyze at once. When you clear out the junk first, you can focus your energy on content worth improving.”
Once you get rid of the junk content, check how other pieces are performing.
Brian Dean suggests focusing on one key metric: traffic. It reflects whether or not a piece of content is attracting an audience.
Look for content with declining traffic trends.
Here’s how:
Open the “Performance” tab from the left side menu
Scroll past the main performance chart and open the “Pages” tab
Select 12-month period (or longer) to clearly show traffic patterns
Select one page to see its individual performance graph
When looking at the traffic graph for each individual page, watch for these patterns:
Consistent downward trend over several months
Sudden drops that haven’t recovered
Previously high-performing content that’s lost momentum
That means there’s an opportunity to update it and regain the traffic.
Next steps: Boost your numbers with our guide to driving more traffic to your blog (you can use the tips for other types of websites too).
Take Action on Your Website Audit Findings
After completing your website audit, you’ll likely have a long list of potential fixes.
But how do you take action on these? And how can you best prioritize your resources so you make the highest impact fixes first?
Here’s how you turn these findings into actual improvements:
Prioritize Your Fixes
Start with issues that have the biggest impact on your SEO and user experience.
Such as:
Critical technical issues like crawlability and indexing problems
Missing meta information on key pages
Slow loading pagesNon-intuitive navigation
Poor mobile experience
High number of toxic backlinks
Create an Action Plan
Looking at a long list of issues can feel overwhelming. To make things easier, break them down into manageable chunks based on how quickly you can implement them.
For example, your breakdown might look like this:
Timeline
Action Items
Quick wins (tasks requiring little effort and less than an hour)
Add missing meta descriptions
Fix broken internal links
Compress large images
Medium-term (tasks that need more planning and resources)
Improve site structure
Rewrite underperforming content
Fix Core Web Vitals issues
Long-term (major changes requiring significant time and effort)
Site redesign for better UX
Migration to faster hosting
This helps you tackle high-impact quick wins immediately, while planning for bigger projects.
Plus, you won’t feel paralyzed by a massive to-do list.
Pro tip: Set up regular monitoring in tools like Semrush’s Site Audit to catch new issues early and make timely improvements.
Ready to Do Your Own Website Audit?
When doing your first website audit, start small. Pick the SEO aspects or areas of your site that resonate with the biggest challenges you currently face.
For example:
If your rankings are falling, focus on an on-page SEO audit to find out how you can boost their performance.
If your bounce rate is high, do a UX audit to find out why people might be leaving your site without taking action.
Before, during, and after your audit, use our complete SEO checklist to keep your optimization efforts on the right track.
http://dubadosolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/dubado-logo-1.png00http://dubadosolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/dubado-logo-1.png2025-02-06 01:01:312025-02-06 01:01:31How to Do a Website Audit in 5 Steps (+ Checklist)
Keyword research reveals what your audience wants to watch and helps your videos appear in search results.
This is why it’s a vital step in growing your channel’s reach and engagement.
Decode Audience Search Intent
On YouTube (and search engines), people search with different goals in mind. They might want to learn something, compare options, or find entertainment. This is called search intent.
Keyword research lets you match your content to your audience’s search intent to attract engaged viewers that turn into subscribers.
For example, informational searches like “how to deadlift” show viewers want to learn specific skills, while commercial searches like “best home gym equipment” indicate they’re comparing different options.
Matching your content to these search patterns helps you attract more engaged viewers.
Find High-Performing Keywords
Smart keyword research helps you discover topics with high search volume but low keyword difficulty—the sweet spot for growing channels.
For example, instead of competing for overcrowded terms like “gardening tips,” more specific searches like “apartment gardening” can be easier to rank for but still drive significant traffic.
Identify Trends to Maximize Discoverability
Popular YouTubers anticipate viewer demand—and keyword tools reveal exactly when that demand is building.
Using keyword research tools helps you:
Spot rising topics before they peak
Create timely content when search interest is growing
Build momentum from trending searches
For example, when the TV show “Squid Game” announced its second season, keyword tools showed surging searches for “squid game season 2” and “squid game season 3″—revealing perfect opportunities to create videos before peak interest.
Now that you know why keyword research is important, let’s explore the best tools for it.
5 Best YouTube Keyword Tools (Free & Paid)
I tested the most popular YouTube keyword tools to see which ones performed best at keyword analysis, competitive intelligence, and trend spotting.
Here’s what I discovered.
1. VidIQ: Best for Deep Keyword Intelligence
VidIQ helps YouTube creators find content ideas and maximize their reach organically.
Its helpful browser extension lets you perform keyword research, audit your channel, track competitors, and more.
Conduct Keyword Research
VidIQ’s keyword analysis stands out as the most detailed of the tools I reviewed.
It provides:
An overview with key metrics
Related keywords
Matching terms
Trending videos
For example, when I searched for “affiliate marketing,” I could see its SEO score, search volume, and competition level, along with multiple other helpful metrics.
This includes long-tail keywords, relevant questions, and variations containing my primary keyword.
This information will allow me to focus on niche topics that tend to attract smaller but highly engaged audiences.
Like “Amazon affiliate marketing,” which gets fewer searches than “affiliate marketing” but has lower competition, too.
When you search for a keyword, VidIQ highlights the top 10 trending videos for that term so you know what you’re up against.
It also tells you how many views each one has and its engagement rate.
For example, I clicked on one of these videos, and the tool revealed it was performing 15 times better than this channel’s average video engagement.
This tells me I should investigate further to find out why it’s doing so well—whether it’s niche keywords, quality content, a trending topic, eye-catching visuals, or something else.
I recommend repeating this process for five or so competitor videos to gain valuable insights you can use to improve your own video’s optimization and performance.
Create and Track Keyword Trends
Trends move fast on YouTube—what’s viral today might be forgotten tomorrow.
VidIQ’s real-time trend tracking keeps you ahead of the competition.
Set up custom trend alerts to discover hot topics in your niche before they explode.
Here’s how:
Give your alert a relevant name
Add target keywords and competitors
Set a views-per-hour (VPH) threshold as your benchmark
Choose how often you want to receive email notifications
Click “Update alert” to go live
Outperform the Competition
Use VidIQ’s competitor analysis tools to find keywords and content types that drive the highest traction in your niche.
Track your competitors’ content performance through:
Engagement rate
Views per hour
View velocity
For example, I noticed a competitor’s video gained over 400,000 views with a 3.9% engagement rate and over 100 views per hour.
So, I exported its keywords to see which terms the YouTuber used to drive this impressive traffic and growth.
I also learned when the video was published and how many subscribers it attracted.
Data like this reveals exactly which topics and search terms drive the most views in your niche, giving you a clear strategy for your own videos.
2. Keyword Analytics for YouTube: Best for Finding Popular Seed Keywords
Keyword Analytics for YouTube is a Semrush app (available without a subscription) that lets you research seed keywords, top-ranking videos, and trends in your niche.
Fine-tune your search by time period and location to zero in on the most relevant data for your content strategy.
Identify Popular, Low-Competition Keywords
Search any term in Keyword Analytics for YouTube to learn its search volume and competition.
For example, I searched “learn Spanish.”
This keyword gets 140K monthly searches and has a 67 competitive rate in YouTube search.
Hover over the competitive rate for any term for more context.
For instance, “learn spanish” has an “average” level of competition in YouTube search.
This means it’s ideal for channels with 1M+ subscribers.
To find less-competitive keywords, scroll through the list.
This helped me find terms like:
“Learn spanish for beginners”: 13K search volume; 56 competitive rate
The tool integrates directly into your YouTube dashboard.
So, you can take advantage of its features without leaving your channel.
Get Actionable Keyword Insights
Analyze any keyword in TubeBuddy’s Keyword Explorer to see important metrics like search volume and keyword difficulty.
For example, I searched “how to make pasta” in the tool and learned this keyword gets 782K monthly searches but is surprisingly not overly competitive.
It also revealed videos currently ranking on YouTube for this topic have “excellent” optimization.
This tells me something crucial: I’ll need to focus heavily on optimization to give my video a good shot at ranking.
Another cool feature is the overall SEO score, which factors in multiple ranking signals.
This helps you gauge the potential of a keyword.
Not sure which keyword to use? The tool lets you compare two options.
To test this out, I evaluated “how to make pasta” and “homemade pasta recipe.”
Keyword Explorer shows that “homemade pasta recipe” has an SEO score of “Good” and a “Very Good” search volume of 156K.
It’s also a fairly low-competition keyword, making this term promising.
In comparison, “how to make pasta” has a much higher search volume (782K), a “Very Good” SEO score, and a “Fair” competition level.
This indicates even stronger potential—voilà, I’ve found a winner!
Generate and Optimize Titles and Descriptions
TubeBuddy’s SEO Studio lets you instantly generate AI-powered titles and descriptions for your videos.
Improve your SEO score by following the tool’s optimization recommendations, such as “include your target keyword naturally in the title.”
Spy on Your Competitors
Next, I used TubeBuddy’s Videolytics tool to evaluate competing videos and identify keyword opportunities.
This powerful tool shows you why videos succeed or struggle by revealing:
Performance metrics: Views, likes, comments, and social shares
SEO insights: Optimization scores and which tags drive traffic
Competitor strategies: What top channels do differently
Improvement tips: Recommendations to boost your video’s visibility
This data helps you create better content and get more views by understanding exactly what works in your niche.
4. Keywords Everywhere: Best for Analyzing Competitors’ Keywords
Keywords Everywhere is a handy browser extension and keyword tool for YouTube.
It lets you analyze every keyword through data-packed widgets like trend charts, popular tags, and engagement scores.
Get Detailed Keyword Insights
Keywords Everywhere taps into Google Keyword Planner data to show you real-time search volume, competition, and cost-per-click (CPC).
For example, when I searched “weight loss,” the tool suggested related terms like “weight loss diet” that had lower competition.
This instant insight helps you pick keywords that will rank higher and attract more views.
Keywords Everywhere also breaks down exactly what makes videos successful.
For example, I found that videos about “weight loss” have 3.35 million views on average.
60% of these videos contain “weight loss” in the title, and 50% contain the keyword in the description.
This data shows you how to optimize your content by strategically placing keywords where they matter most to boost your visibility.
Analyze Top-Ranking Competitors
Keywords Everywhere also tells you what’s working for your competitors.
I looked at an in-depth breakdown of the top 20 videos for the keyword “weight loss.”
And learned metrics like view count, views per day, ranking difficulty, and SEO score.
But the one that stood out to me the most was “Age.”
This metric tells you how long ago a video was published.
For example, most of the videos for my keyword are at least a year old (and likely outdated).
So, now I know there’s a good chance I can outrank the existing content by sharing fresh perspectives.
Besides this detailed top-20 breakdown, you’ll also find a summarized analysis of all search results for a given keyword.
This overview tells you helpful info, like how many subscribers and views each video has.
But it also analyzes video titles and descriptions for length and quality.
Generate Keywords in Bulk
I also experimented with the Bulk Keywords Data Tool to expand my initial keyword list.
A bulk keyword tool saves hours by analyzing hundreds of terms instantly instead of one by one.
Seeing all keywords together also reveals valuable patterns in viewer search behavior.
Once you add your seed keywords, the tool suggests related terms.
Use these insights to naturally weave relevant keywords into your video description and transcript—helping YouTube better understand and recommend your content to interested viewers.
Keywords Everywhere Pricing
Bronze: $2.25/month
Silver: $6/month
Gold: $25/month
Platinum: $80/month
5. Google Trends: Best for Real-Time Keyword Trend Tracking
Google Trends reveals real-time search patterns across web, image, and YouTube searches, helping you spot opportunities others miss.
Compare keywords, track trends, and discover what’s hot in specific regions—all for free.
Find Keywords for Specific Locations
Want to know where your content will resonate the most?
Google Trends can show you.
For example, when I searched for “travel destinations,” it revealed unexpected hotspots in Idaho, Connecticut, and Kansas.
I can turn this insight into targeted content like “Best travel destinations in Idaho” to reach a local audience.
Discover Related and Trending Topics
Google Trends shows you related topics for every search, so you can add relevant keywords and subtopics to your videos.
But it doesn’t just show you what’s popular—it reveals what’s about to be big.
For example, a search for “coffee makers” uncovers emerging trends like “coffee makers that use k cups,” which recently increased in interest by 350%.
For each trending term, you’ll learn:
Search volume
When the term started trending
Specific queries fueling its popularity
Create content around these rising topics, and you’ll catch viewer interest at the perfect moment.
Compare Keywords to Find the Best Opportunities
Google Trends lets you compare keywords head-to-head to see which ones truly resonate with viewers.
When I compared “vegan meal prep” versus “quick vegan recipes,” the data revealed “vegan meal prep” consistently attracts more interest.
These direct comparisons help you focus your efforts on topics viewers are actively searching for rather than guessing what might work.
Google Trends Pricing
Google Trends is free to use.
Fast-Track Your YouTube Channel’s Growth
Want your YouTube channel to get more views and subscribers?
You need to target the right keywords.
And to find those keywords, you need the right Youtube keyword tools.
Whether you use TubeBuddy to optimize videos or Semrush for deeper analysis (or both), keyword research can set your channel up for long-term growth and success.
For best results, combine keyword research with a strong promotion strategy.
