We’re excited to announce that Search Central Live is coming to New York City for the first time on March 20, 2025.
The Google Search team has organized events in the city several times, but this time we’re bringing our main Search event to the city that never sleeps.
Come and join us for a day of discussion, listening, and meeting new people.
Read more at Read More
Google Ads is launching a new video enhancement feature for Demand Gen campaigns. The update automatically creates shorter versions of existing video ads to better engage diverse audiences.
Details:
Why we care. Short-form content consistently captures higher engagement, especially on mobile and social platforms. By automatically generating shorter video versions, this could aid in reaching diverse audiences without the added cost or effort of creating new content. This update is a low-effort way to maximize ad performance and stay competitive in an increasingly fast-paced digital landscape.
However, it may be so low effort that quality would need to be closely monitored. Be open to test but ensure the outputs match the message your original video is trying to send across.
How it works. You can manage the enhancement through ads.google.com or by working with their Google sales representatives.
First seen. This update was first brought to our attention by PPC expert Julie Friedman Bacchini, who shared the message she received from Google about this message on X:
What’s next. You have approximately one month to evaluate the feature and decide whether to keep it enabled for your campaigns.
The big picture. The feature arrives as social media platforms and advertisers increasingly pivot toward short-form video content to capture fleeting consumer attention spans.
Between the lines. This move signals Google’s growing investment in AI-powered advertising tools, helping advertisers maximize reach without increasing creative production budgets.
Read more at Read More
With marketing spending down and Google reporting higher earnings, we know that SEO is a tough sell.
Below are seven proven methods to increase clients’ payments for SEO (and the value they receive).
Before I provide solid ways to increase revenue, we need to discuss value and price.
Humans are hard-wired to fear and avoid loss.
Loss aversion is heavily linked with SEO because it’s the “pay now, might gain later” of the marketing world.
So, as an offer, SEO is automatically less appealing than 99.9% of other marketing activities.
Knowing this, SEOs need to understand value like the back of their hands.
There are two components to price value:
Research shows that losing money triggers the same area of the brain as physical pain, making financial loss feel psychologically distressing.
This is a key challenge for SEO as a service. Clients are naturally cautious, which affects how they perceive its value.
As a result, SEO pricing tends to remain low across the industry.
I’d say businesses spend more on their Christmas party than they do their SEO.
That’s not to say we can’t increase the price we charge and earn from SEO.
It’s a gentle reminder that SEO often scares clients, especially if they are not the business owner.
Staff put their professional reputation on the line when choosing an SEO agency.
Knowing all the above, here are seven tried-and-tested methods to increase your revenue from clients.
All agencies want to have retainers, but this can create barriers.
When you ask the client to commit to a large sum but to spread that money out, this can raise alarm bells.
The compound cost of retainers can add up, and prospects look at cancellation clauses and think, “I could sink $15,000 on you and have nothing to show for it.”
To avoid this, the first concept to cover is splitting services.
Service splitting involves breaking what you do into core deliverables or projects.
This means that clients are only on the “hook” for specific elements, and they can leave at any time they wish.
Sadly, this makes forecasting hard for agencies as payments are not monthly.
Still, it can increase conversion rates, and if you price differently, you can make more revenue in stages.
The next key aspect to consider is separating SEO strategy and selling it as its own service.
Many agencies rush this process, often reducing strategy to nothing more than a basic to-do list with little competitive analysis or critical thinking.
By offering strategy as a standalone service, you can price it higher – charging for your time, expertise, and insights.
Dig deeper: 8 SEO costs that impact your ROI
Many SEO retainers are built with links included in the retainer. This makes your retainers seem more valuable (SEO service + links).
But by selling links as a separate service, you can price at a higher additional level.
This isn’t about delivering less value for a higher price; it’s about offering more value at a higher price and giving clients options.
Selling digital PR has taken off over the last few years, and for good reason. It works.
While I don’t want to flood the industry with fake PRs dressed as SEOs, digital PR is a good service to offer clients alongside your SEO deliverables.
Most people will do reporting as standard, but much data and insights go unreported.
You can offer advanced analytics services, from set-up to detailed reporting and, more importantly, insight.
Because it’s the insight that people are often interested in the most.
One agency I know charges $2,000 for analytics reports on top of the SEO work.
SEO sprints allow clients to see results quickly by focusing on intensive, short-term efforts.
While they are less common in the age of AI, some agencies still offer them.
How does it work?
Clients pay a fixed fee for a large body of work to be completed as quickly as possible.
This can include technical sprints, content sprints, or other focused projects – all designed to deliver significant progress quickly.
Selling sprints can be an effective way to generate additional revenue while providing high-impact results.
Pricing is the most significant factor, which is why I’ve saved it for last.
There are many ways to approach it – the simplest is to boost revenue by increasing your prices.
But how?
Over the years, I’ve heard many ways to do this, but here are some solid methods.
Many struggle with imposter syndrome, which can hold back their confidence in pricing higher.
To defeat this, increase your prices by 10% each time you pitch until someone says no.
Once they say no, ask why, and then reduce by 10%.
The aim is to continue doing this until you reach your highest price and know the market cannot tolerate any higher.
This is a big subject that we don’t have time to go into detail, but essentially offer more than one price and offer.
Often seen in the SaaS market, you combine offers and pricing to create a tiered system.
Call it bronze, silver, or gold service levels if you like.
The point is that the client can pick an option that suits them but is designed to suit them.
Again, this is a version of price architecture.
But here, you have an ultra-high premium offer designed to make your other offer seem more reasonable.
You can have a “deluxe SEO service” at a high cost. But you show them your standard offer next to the deluxe option you give clients.
This gives them a choice, making your standard offer more appealing.
The battle in SEO will involve pipeline and sales for the next year or so.
As the economy continues to grow at a snail’s pace, or worse, possibly contract. You will need methods to increase revenue.
Using any or a combination of the tactics above can yield more profit, which you can then invest back into pipeline development.
Because without increased profit, pipeline development can be a challenge.
Dig deeper: How much does SEO really cost
Read more at Read More
As third-party cookies phase out, measuring marketing performance is becoming more complex.
Advertisers rely on various attribution methods, each with strengths and limitations. Choosing the right one requires understanding their differences.
For instance, Google Analytics doesn’t capture LinkedIn lead gen forms, while multi-touch attribution (MTA) does.
MTA, however, misses YouTube views and other upper-funnel initiatives MMM accounts for.
This article breaks down the pros and cons of:
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
The cons
Dig deeper: Your guide to Google Analytics 4 attribution
PPC platforms like Google Ads and Facebook Ads attribute conversions to clicks or impressions tied to their specific ads.
The pros
The cons
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
The cons
Dig deeper: How to evolve your PPC measurement strategy for a privacy-first future
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
The cons
Dig deeper: Advanced analytics techniques to measure PPC
Shopify tracks customer interactions and sales on its platform, offering insights into purchase behavior and campaign performance.
The pros
The cons
This approach uses statistical models to analyze the relationship between marketing spend and business outcomes (e.g., sales).
The pros
The cons
Dig deeper: Why marketing mix modeling is crucial in 2025 and beyond
No single attribution model is perfect.
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:
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.
Dig deeper: 5 PPC measurement initiatives to set yourself up for 2025 success
Read more at Read More
Want more traffic to your Shopify store?
Start a blog. Why?
Look at Gymshark.
Its blog ranks for over 174K niche-related keywords and brings in over 673.1K visitors every month.
That’s high-value SEO traffic it can funnel to its product pages. All without relying on ads.
And here’s the thing:
If you’re not blogging, you’re missing more than search traffic.
You’re walking away from opportunities to connect with your audience and position yourself as a leader in your industry.
Let’s fix that.
Here are 9 Shopify blog examples to inspire your own blog (plus practical tips to steal).
Gymshark’s blog, Gymshark Central, pairs high-quality content with a sleek design.
It’s one of the best Shopify blog examples I’ve seen. Because it focuses on what actually works:
And it does all this while staying SEO-friendly.
It all starts with its optimized website architecture. This includes well-thought-out categories such as:
Plus, the blog covers a wide range of topics in different content formats.
For instance, it has detailed guides for workout routines and inspirational lifestyle content.
And these aren’t quick throwaway articles, either.
They’re highly engaging content that captures attention and ranks well.
Case in point:
The article “The Six Best Bicep Exercises For Mass.”
It’s a 4,000-word guide that goes deep.
Each exercise comes with highly detailed instructions.
Every step includes a GIF showing how to do each exercise. (And features models decked out in Gymshark gear, of course.)
And it’s not just filler.
The step-by-step guide, along with the visuals, works like your very own personal trainer.
Everything you need about proper form and technique is right there.
It’s the kind of post you bookmark and come back to again and again.
The best part?
This post ranks high in search, bringing in highly qualified organic traffic every month.
It’s getting visitors for keywords such as “bicep workouts,” and “best bicep exercises.”
People searching for these terms are likely gym-goers—Gymshark’s target audience.
Sure, they might not be ready to buy yet. But these searches act as entry points into Gymshark’s funnel.
That biceps article shows all the hallmarks of content that rank well in organic search.
It breaks down each exercise with easy, step-by-step instructions.
Plus, it includes GIFs of each move, so it’s easier for readers to follow along.
This depth keeps readers engaged.
So, they spend more time on the page—a signal Google uses to measure quality content.
What’s more, the blog post follows basic search engine optimization.
For instance, meta tags use the target keyword:
Plus, the title is in an H1 tag:
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.
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?
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.
Darn Tough Vermont’s blog stays true to its roots.
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.
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.”
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:
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.
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:
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 even in Google’s AI overviews.
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.
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.
Press London makes its blog work harder by using strategic internal links to drive sales.
It uses links to:
Look at these examples:
In “The 70/30 Rule: Is This the Secret to Weight Loss?” the article ends with a call to action to a product category page.
Perfect timing.
That’s because after readers learn about a helpful approach to weight loss, they’re ready to see products that support their new world view.
Now, in “How to Stay on Track After a Meal Plan,” it uses keyword-optimized links to product pages.
This helps readers find the exact products they need when they’re most interested.
(And it passes valuable SEO link juice, too.)
Lastly, in “Vitamin D: Benefits: The Signs of Deficiency, and How to Get More,” it includes a link to a related article.
This keeps readers engaged, exploring connected topics they care about.
Here’s the takeaway:
Internal links aren’t just navigation tools.
You can use them to guide readers to product pages so your Shopify blog becomes another sales channel.
And here’s the bonus:
Strategic internal linking also helps search engines crawl your site more efficiently.
It’s not a magic bullet for rankings, but it strengthens your SEO foundation.
Further reading: Internal Linking for SEO: The Complete Guide
Game of Bricks sells Lego lighting kits and accessories.
And its blog is unmistakably made for Lego fans.
The content is diverse and perfectly targeted to their interests.
From product-focused posts to gift guides, it covers a wide range of topics, such as:
This variety means it’s got something for everyone:
Parents can get ideas for gifts, and collectors can learn more about rare and retired sets.
Game of Bricks focuses on providing educational content.
Product mentions often feel secondary.
Take the blog post “The Best LEGO Brickheadz Sets to Collect.”
It starts by giving readers what they’re searching for: a list of LEGO Brickheadz sets.
As the article continues, it casually introduces Game of Bricks’ lighting kits.
This builds product awareness without making it sound too salesy.
It’s a great strategy that builds product awareness, encouraging readers to think:
“Maybe I could use that for my set.”
(Even if a lighting kit wasn’t something they had in mind when they started reading.)
Ruggable’s blog, Into the Wash, is more like a home and lifestyle magazine. Not a blog about rugs.
Every post takes you into living spaces where rugs are the secret ingredient for Instagram-worthy homes.
And in every shot, you’ll find Ruggable’s rugs.
What’s more, the blog layout is clean and minimalist. And the single-column design works beautifully on mobile.
But the real star is the visually rich lifestyle content.
The posts feature high-quality photography that makes you dream about turning your space into a Pinterest-worthy haven.
If you love great design, these photos will have you dreaming of creating your own picture-perfect space. #lifegoals
Look at Ruggable’s blog categories. And you’ll see it narrowed down to just three, catering to different audience interests.
The first category: “Home Design Ideas.”
This is where Ruggable goes broad.
It’s the bucket for inspiration on styling your living space. Like a mood board in blog form.
Want Bridgerton-inspired decor ideas? This is your stop.
Then, there’s “Behind the Collection.” The product-focused category.
It offers readers a deeper look at the products.
It’s the get-to-know-us category where you’ll discover its process, design partnerships, and the inspiration fueling its collections.
And finally, the “Rug Guide.”
It’s a category for the practical stuff, like how to layer rugs.
By sticking to these three categories, the blog is easy to navigate while catering to different reader needs, including:
This structure boosts the reader experience.
And with clear, organized content for different search intents, it also improves search engine rankings.
The result?
The blog ranks well for a variety of keywords.
According to Semrush, the blog attracts visitors through both brand-related keywords, like “how to wash a Ruggable.”
And also for broader, non-brand terms such as “dining room rug ideas.”
Quite impressive.
Note: Want to know what keywords your Shopify blog ranks for? You can use this link to access a 14-day trial on a Semrush Pro subscription.
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:
And it’s working for the blog.
It attracts over 67K monthly visits for various relevant keywords such as:
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:
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.
Lovevery keeps things simple with a clean, focused structure.
It groups its entire blog content under four main categories:
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:
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.
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:
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.
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.
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.
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:
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.
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:
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.
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:
But don’t stop there.
Give your older blog posts a refresh, too. You can:
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.
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.
Further reading: What Is Repurposing Content?
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:
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.
Visuals are essential for engaging blog content. They help:
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.
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:
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.
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.
Shopify SEO: The Complete Beginners Guide – Discover the SEO tactics to drive traffic and boost your visibility.
Content Marketing Strategy: 10 Steps to Build a Results-Driven Plan – Master the 10-step framework to create content that turns readers into customers.
The post 9 Shopify Blog Examples You Need to See (+ Pro Tips) appeared first on Backlinko.
Read more at Read More
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.
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:
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.
Dig deeper: Website migration checklist: 11 steps for success
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.
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.
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:
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:
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:
Dig deeper: How to run a successful site migration from start to finish
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:
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.
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.
Dig deeper: A guide to diagnosing common JavaScript SEO 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.
Dig deeper: 12 SEO pitfalls to avoid during a website platform migration
This case is a perfect example of why having pre-migration data is crucial.
Everything appeared flawless during testing.
The site functioned as expected on staging and even in production with internal DNS switched.
But as soon as external DNS was activated, a third of the blog posts disappeared.
The rest of the site remained intact, making the issue easy to overlook.
With all teams focused on testing tracking, forms, redirects, hreflang tags, and canonicals, no one initially noticed the missing pages.
Ironically, it wasn’t an SEO tool or a developer check that caught the problem, but a regional manager.
A few days before migration, she updated a blog image and wanted to verify that the change had transferred.
Not only was the image missing, but the entire blog post was gone.
I’ll admit, I can’t explain exactly what caused this from a technical perspective.
But the takeaway is clear: always conduct a full audit before migration begins.
Using a crawler’s comparison mode can quickly highlight discrepancies like this before they become major problems.
Not every issue affects SEO, but that doesn’t mean it won’t cause problems.
During a backend update, we encountered an unexpected challenge: Lumar and Screaming Frog were overwhelming the CMS admin panel.
Each time a crawl was initiated, the surge in requests made it nearly impossible for editors to update content or make changes.
It’s important to remember that you’re not the only one using these tools.
Crawlers are frequently employed for competitor analysis, meaning your website and CMS must function properly even under heavy crawling pressure.
In some organizations, SEO teams don’t have direct access to the CMS or manage content updates.
If that’s the case, ensure content teams go through their usual workflows with test pieces after migration.
Coordinating this with SEO crawls helps assess how resilient your system truly is.
Website migrations, revamps, redesigns, updates. Whatever you call them, they’re always complex.
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is underestimating the challenges involved.
Any change carries the risk of something going wrong.
Some errors, like broken redirects or missing pages, are immediately noticeable.
Others, such as tracking failures or JavaScript rendering issues, may take time to detect.
That’s why post-migration monitoring is just as critical as the migration itself.
The best way to mitigate these risks is to:
A successful migration isn’t just about making the switch; it’s an ongoing process of monitoring, testing, and improving.
Dig deeper: How to speed up site migrations with AI-powered redirect mapping
Read more at Read More
If you noticed that your local business listing on Google is showing fewer reviews, you are not alone. Since Friday, tons of reviews have been disappearing from the local listings within Google Search and Google Maps.
More details. On Friday, I reported on the issue on the Search Engine Roundtable, not knowing if it was a bug or a feature. I noticed dozens and dozens of complaint threads popping up in the Google Business Profiles forums from concerned small businesses and local SEOs.
Some businesses say they lost only a few reviews, while others say they lost dozens of positive reviews.
Some say the count of reviews is not adding up and the reviews themselves are not missing.
Likely a bug. Joy Hawkins, a local SEO and Google top contributor, later said this is a bug that Google is working to fix.
Why we care. If you noticed that you lost a lot of reviews on your local listing, you should know that you are not alone. It seems to be impacting many Google Business Profile listings and hopefully Google will restore those reviews soon.
Google has not commented on the issue.
Update – Google comment. Victoria Kroll from Google posted a statement in the forums saying:
We’re aware of an issue affecting some Google Business Profiles, causing some profiles to show lower-than-actual review counts due to a display issue. The reviews themselves have not actually been removed. We’re working hard to resolve this and restore accurate review counts as quickly as possible. We appreciate your patience and will share updates on this thread as they become available.
Before reporting missing reviews, please note that there are several reasons why reviews may be removed from maps. Usually, missing reviews are removed for policy violations like spam or inappropriate content. Read more about our Review policy guidelines here before proceeding. You can also refer to the Help Center Article for more information.
Read more at Read More
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.
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.
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:
The problem with all of this? Because this evidence was mainly hearsay, opinions were split like a Rorschach test.
Conservatives, including members of Congress, pointed to them as definitive proof of Google’s bias, while many in the mainstream media dismissed them as conspiracy theories.
Let’s take a step back and look at objective facts:
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.
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).
My goal here was to see whether Google organic search favored sites of a particular political persuasion. Here’s what the results were.
To double-check, I cross-referenced the list against Ad Fontes Media’s Static Media Bias Chart.
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).
I’m going to get half of America mad at me now.
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.
Today, 92% of their Google traffic comes from branded searches.
Contrast that to The Atlantic, where 78.4% of SEO traffic is unbranded.
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.
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.
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 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.
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 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.
We’ve already seen DeepSeek censor viewpoints that conflict with the Chinese government, as well as how trying to solve for “algorithmic unfairness” made Google Gemini look silly.
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?
We’ll find out in four years.
Read more at Read More
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.
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:
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.
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:
Managed WordPress hosting providers like Kinsta offer additional layers of security by performing regular plugin scans, flagging vulnerabilities, and making plugin updates easier.
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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.
Read more at Read More
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.
Sr. SEO Strategist/Account Manager, PureSEM (Remote)
SEO Lead, Fella Health (Remote)
SEO Associate, Merkle | Cardinal Path (Remote)
SEO Director, Constant Contact (Remote)
SEO Manager, Cars.com (Remote)
Search Engine Marketing Manager, Edmunds (Santa Monica, CA)
Director of Performance Marketing, Primis (Remote)
Performance Marketing Lead (Mobile-App Growth), Storm4 (Remote)
VP of Digital Marketing, Onward Search (Hybrid, San Diego County, CA)
Sr. Marketing Manager, Paid Advertising, Pilot (Remote)
Sr. SEO Manager, Okta (Remote)
Sr. SEO Director, Ignite Visibility (Remote)
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