In the last few months, I’ve seen a lot of confusion around Meta Ads’ health restrictions – frightened health marketers and scare tactics from some uncool people.
This article aims to set the record straight.
Meta Ads 2025 health restrictions: Context and regulations
Meta is doing its best to comply with regulations (think HIPAA in the U.S., etc.) to avoid fines.
Make sure you’re not sharing protected health information (PHI) directly or indirectly with Meta.
First, let’s remember that ad networks have always scrutinized health-related advertisers—not just Meta Ads.
The upside? Meta provides all the information you need but it’s scattered. So, I’ve done my best to summarize it below:
“You must not share […] with Meta […] data that is based on or includes, directly or otherwise, health […] information about people, including information defined as sensitive under applicable laws, regulations and industry guidelines […] Examples of data that are not approved for sharing include […] information about an individual’s physical or mental health, such as: Diseases, medical conditions and injuries, sexual and reproductive health, mental health and psychological states […]”
This is basically Meta saying they don’t want to collect data that could imply a user has a specific medical condition, as that user did not provide consent.
Specifically, tracking the purchase of a hair loss product and sending it back to Meta Ads is not OK because it strongly suggests private health information about Meta’s users.
By blocking tracking on sensitive health-related websites, Meta is reducing the risk of storing and using health data without user consent.
Meta goes on:
“While Meta’s systems are designed to filter out potentially prohibited information they detect, you are ultimately responsible for the data you share with Meta. You are in the best position to ensure your integration does not send prohibited information to Meta. Meta’s systems are not a substitute for your own compliance mechanisms.”
In other words, Meta Ads will restrict your account if it detects it’s putting them at risk.
How Meta Ads’ restrictions system work
Tracking, optimization, and reporting limitations will apply if an account is restricted.
Meta Ads has started rolling out a three-tier restrictions system for health and wellness advertisers to enforce these rules.
Core setup
Impacted items include:
Ad delivery: Cannot share custom parameters and URL parts with Meta. As a result, custom audiences may decrease and stop working altogether if they rely on those.
Ad content: Adding items to a catalog via Meta Pixel may no longer work.
Reporting: Information may be unavailable in Meta Events Manager and other surfaces (e.g., sampled activities and the test events tool).
Tracking: Automatic advanced matching may not be available.
Restriction on certain standard events
This level prevents the account from optimizing toward mid- and lower-funnel events (add to cart, purchase, etc.).
However, upper-funnel events (landing page view, view content, etc.) and custom events are still available.
Full restrictions
“We [Meta] may fully restrict all events in specific regions or all regions. In these circumstances, Meta Business Tools cannot be used for campaign optimization where restrictions are in place.”
In other words, an account hit with full restrictions will no longer be able to use bidding algorithms.
It would be forced to rely on:
Old-school targeting.
Trimmed reports.
ToFu optimization events.
Other limited capabilities.
You don’t want this.
Note that the above may vary across different countries or regions – or could be applied globally. It depends on local regulations.
If one of your accounts is hit with restrictions, segment your impression and conversion data to pinpoint where you’re most affected. Then, refer to the relevant regulations.
Who’s impacted by Meta Ads restrictions?
If you’ve been following closely, you’ll understand that the impact varies dramatically depending on whether you sell supplements, run a telemedicine platform, develop a fitness app, work as a wellness coach, or operate a personal injury law firm.
The good news is that:
In-app lead generation advertisers will not be impacted (beyond Core Setup).
ToFu/brand campaigns are not affected.
Even if you sell health and wellness products directly on your website, there are a couple of obvious solutions (which we’ll dive into below):
Ensure you don’t send PHI-like data to Meta Ads. For example, remove your Meta Ads pixel from your patient portal.
Turn Standard Events into Custom Events with coded names so Meta Ads cannot differentiate between a purchase and a page view.
However, there’s bad news:
If your account is even remotely related to health and wellness, expect some restrictions – or the joy of appeals. (We all know Meta is super easy to deal with, right?! )
Some restrictions will apply no matter what. But look on the bright side – it’s not (yet? ) a Special Ad Category.
(Disclaimer: I co-founded Quantads, an agency that partners with many health clients. However, I don’t claim to be an absolute expert on this topic – because, honestly, who can? These changes are still recent, and there’s plenty of room for interpretation and experimentation. The solutions below are based on our experience and our interpretation of Meta’s documentation.)
Step 1: Act fast
Being stuck in Core Setup isn’t ideal, but Full Restrictions? That’s a nightmare. You don’t want to get there.
If you’ve received multiple notifications that the data you’re sharing may violate the Meta Business Tools Terms, don’t wait. Act now! Delays are not documented, so this should be your top priority.
Check the Settings tab in Meta Events Manager to assess the damage. In the example screenshot below, only Core Setup (so far!) has been activated.
Step 2: Audit your data sources and pipelines
In-platform notifications
In Meta Events Manager, check the Diagnostics tab for notifications stating that prohibited information has been removed from your data.
If flagged, investigate which data caused the issue and fix it immediately. Remember: “Meta’s systems are not a substitute for your own compliance mechanisms.”
Pixels
Review the specific pages where your Meta Pixel is placed.
Assess whether those pages – or their URLs – contain data that might be considered prohibited. If necessary, remove the Meta Pixel from those pages.
Events
Name your custom events/conversions so they do not reflect, imply, or reference any prohibited health-related information.
Review custom and offline events. You can block specific events in Meta Events Manager if adjusting them takes too long.
First-party data
One of the worst implementations I’ve seen was a Meta Ads pixel placed on a patient portal. That’s a huge mistake because a patient portal contains first-party data.
Instead, those advertisers should have used their CRM to send offline conversions (with coded event names). Don’t make that mistake – integrate with your CRM.
Additional considerations for Meta Ads compliance
Once you’ve handled the above, you should be in a solid position. However, a few “evergreen” best practices are worth mentioning.
Review ad copy and landing pages
Restrictions can be triggered indirectly by ad copy and landing page content.
While I understand that website content can be tough to change, advertisers need to ensure they do not name specific health conditions (as this indirectly provides Meta with PHI).
Generally, you also don’t want to “make people feel negatively…”
For example:
OK: “Better mental health awaits.”
Not OK: “Do you suffer from bipolar disorder?”
Diversify channels
This might seem obvious, but I’ve seen far too many health advertisers who think Meta Ads is the only viable channel.
Because they’ve focused so much on Meta in the past, they’ve created a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Meta Ads is a fantastic platform. But putting all your eggs in one basket is a terrible idea, especially now.
Expanding to paid search, display, video, Pinterest, TikTok, X, etc. is crucial for long-term stability.
Staying compliant with Meta Ads guidelines
Meta Ads’ 2025 health restrictions make compliance more critical than ever.
Meta is tightening policies to avoid handling protected health information.
Failure to adapt could result in tracking, optimization, and reporting restrictions – or even full account limitations.
Make sure to:
Act fast if you receive compliance warnings.
Audit your Meta Pixel implementation.
Avoid sending health-related data (directly or indirectly).
Use coded event names where necessary.
Review ad copy and landing pages to prevent unnecessary flags.
Diversify your channels to reduce reliance on Meta Ads.
Staying ahead of these changes will help protect your campaigns, maintain performance, and continue effectively reaching your audience.
https://i0.wp.com/dubadosolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Meta-Ads-Data-sources-8JV13Y.png?fit=1600%2C629&ssl=16291600http://dubadosolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/dubado-logo-1.png2025-03-11 12:00:002025-03-11 12:00:00How to prevent Meta Ads restrictions on health and wellness campaigns
SEO is a fast-moving, marketing-centric industry that will always keep you on your toes.
If you’re just getting started, it can be overwhelming without a guide.
There are many facets and specializations in SEO that come later in a career – local, technical, content, digital PR, UX, ecommerce, media – the list goes on.
However, that level of specialization isn’t something a junior professional needs to focus on right away.
Much like a liberal arts degree or an apprenticeship, a newcomer to SEO should first develop a broad understanding of the entire discipline before choosing a specialty.
This article covers several ways to build that foundational knowledge of search engine optimization.
1. Start with the business
Whether you’re in-house or at an agency, resist the urge to jump straight into “solution mode” when beginning an SEO project.
Instead of immediately focusing on meta tags, keywords, backlinks, or URL structure, start by understanding the business itself.
Here are some key questions to consider as you browse the website:
What product or service is being sold?
Who is the target audience? (If you’re in-house, who is your company trying to sell to?)
Why does the company believe customers should choose them over competitors? (Common differentiators include price, unique features, or benefits.)
If you have the time or opportunity, dig deeper by asking your boss or client these business-focused questions:
What are the company’s goals and targets?
What is the three- to five-year plan for the business? (Are there plans to launch new products or expand into new markets?)
Who are the main competitors, and what are they doing?
A sample of onboarding business questions from Building a Business Brain by FLOQ Academy
Even without that level of detail, the first three questions provide a useful frame of reference for determining the best SEO approach.
Because of that, SEOs often become social butterflies, regularly collaborating with other departments and specialties.
I’ve been in SEO for 15 years now (which makes me feel old), but I continue to ask my clients questions every day.
This field encourages curiosity, so rather than feeling frustrated by what you don’t fully understand, embrace being the one to ask the “dumb questions.”
There’s no such thing as a dumb question, by the way.
As mentioned earlier, SEO has many specializations. Some, like video or local SEO, are referred to as “search verticals.”
If you’re new to the field, start with the basics: the website and how Google presents search results.
Once you understand the business, try a simple exercise to analyze your site’s optimization.
Open a key product, category, or service page in one window. In another, search for a term you think users would enter to find that page.
Compare what appears in the search results with your own page and the pages that rank for that term.
For example, in a search for “running shoes,” a few things stand out:
The intent is somewhat mismatched. Nike’s category page targets users who are researching with intent to buy or are already planning a purchase. However, the search results display articles comparing different running shoes.
Scrolling down, you might see an image carousel, a “Nearby Stores” section, and “People Also Ask” results.
If I were a new SEO at Nike and assumed the “running shoes” category page could rank for the “running shoes” query, I would rethink that after reviewing the search results.
If ranking for that broad term were a priority, I would create a running shoe comparison article featuring high-quality images of real people using the shoes – maybe even a video, if budget allowed.
If your page aligns more closely with the search results, analyze the top-ranking pages and adapt successful elements to your own site.
Do most of them have an on-page FAQ while yours doesn’t?
A product video? Detailed specs? User reviews?
Be critical and specific about what you can improve. (Never copy content directly.)
At its core, SEO is about identifying what Google deems important for a given product or service, then doing it better than the competition.
Many SEOs get caught up in tools and tactics and forget to examine the search results themselves.
Break that habit early and make reviewing Google’s search results a key part of your research process.
4. Dabble in the technical side and build relationships with your developers
Technical SEO is one of the more complex specializations in the field and can seem intimidating.
If you’re using a major CMS, your technical foundations are likely solid, so today, much of technical SEO focuses on refinements and enhancements.
While it’s important to develop technical knowledge, a great way to start is by building relationships with your development team and staying curious.
Asking questions makes learning more interactive and immediately relevant to your work.
Exploring coding courses or creating your own website can also help you develop technical skills gradually instead of all at once.
Some argue that you can be a good SEO without technical expertise – and I don’t disagree.
However, understanding a website’s inner workings, how Google operates, and even how large language models (LLMs) function can help you prioritize your SEO efforts.
Code is Google’s native language, and knowing how to interpret it can be invaluable when migrating a site, launching a new one, or diagnosing traffic drops.
5. Learn the different types of information Google shows in search results
The way search results are presented today vastly differs from 10 or 15 years ago.
Those who have been in the industry for a while have had the advantage of adapting gradually as Google has evolved.
Newcomers, on the other hand, are thrown into the deep end, facing a wide range of search features all at once – some personalized, some not, and some appearing inconsistently.
This can be challenging to grasp, even for experienced SEOs.
Google has invested heavily in understanding user intent and presenting search results in a way that best addresses it.
As a result, search results may include:
Videos.
Images.
People Also Ask.
Related Searches.
AI Overviews.
AI-organized search.
Map results.
Nearby shopping options.
Product listings.
People Also Buy From.
News
Building visibility for each of these features often requires a unique approach and specific considerations.
These search result types are now industry jargon, so a glossary can help you learn SEO terminology.
6. Learn the different types of query intent classifications
Google’s mission is to “organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.”
As part of this, Google works to understand why people search for something and provides the most relevant results to match that intent.
To do this, they classify queries based on intent.
The Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines, a handbook Google provides to evaluators who manually assess website and search result quality, also touches on understanding user intent:
“It can be helpful to think of queries as having one or more of the following intents.
Know query, some of which are Know Simple queries.
Do query, when the user is trying to accomplish a goal or engage in an activity.
Website query, when the user is looking for a specific website or webpage.
Visit-in-person query, some of which are looking for a specific business or organization, some of which are looking for a category of businesses.”
When conducting keyword research, it’s helpful to analyze both your site and the queries you’re targeting through this lens.
Many SEO professionals also use these broader, traditional intent categories, though they don’t always align perfectly with Google’s classifications:
Informational: Who, what, when, where, how, why.
Commercial: Comparison, review, best, specific product.
Transactional: Buy, cheap, sale, register.
Navigational: Searching for a specific brand.
Rather than focusing solely on keywords, take a step back and consider the intent behind the search. Understanding intent is essential for SEO success.
However, if you’re new to SEO, I strongly recommend completing at least one full project using tools like Google Search Console, Semrush, or Ahrefs without LLM support.
While AI can speed up the process, relying on it too early has drawbacks:
Slower learning curve: If an LLM does the heavy lifting, you miss the experience of making strategic trade-offs, such as choosing a low-volume, mid-competition keyword over a high-volume, high-competition one.
Lack of instinct for accuracy: Without firsthand research experience, it’s harder to recognize when an LLM generates inaccurate information or pulls from an unreliable source.
Reduced impact: Google is increasingly sophisticated in detecting “repetitive content.” Relying too much on LLMs for mass content creation could hurt performance, whereas a more focused, strategic approach might yield better results.
While it may be tempting to jump straight into strategy rather than hands-on execution, senior SEOs develop their strategic mindset through years of practical work across different clients and industries.
Skipping this foundational experience could make it harder to recognize large-scale patterns and trends.
https://i0.wp.com/dubadosolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/A-sample-of-onboarding-business-questions-from-Building-a-Business-Brain-by-FLOQ-Academy-LkMOlv.png?fit=1270%2C1020&ssl=110201270http://dubadosolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/dubado-logo-1.png2025-03-04 15:00:002025-03-04 15:00:007 tips for SEO newbies
Google Business Profiles has added a new QR code you can use to make it easier to get reviews on your Google local listing within Google Maps and Google Search. The QR code, when accessed, jumps the user directly to the add review form, so there is little distraction to read other reviews or difficulty finding the form.
How to access it. You can access the new QR code on desktop by searching for your business, then clicking on “Ask for reviews” or by going to your reviews and clicking on “Get more reviews.” This can be found in your Google Business Profile within Google Search on desktop.
What it looks like. Here is an example of my QR code for my business that I shared:
What does it do. When you scan the code, you are taken directly to the add review form for that business. You can post this QR code in your store, add it to your website, email signature or other areas so your customers can quickly scan it and leave you a review. You can also just link to the page using the review link listed above the QR code.
Why we care. Reviews on your Google Business Profile can help you stand out from your competitors. So you should aim to get more positive reviews from happy customers, whenever possible. Just make sure those reviews and how you obtain them comply with Google’s policies.
https://i0.wp.com/dubadosolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/google-business-profiles-get-reviews-qr-code-1741044956-9MkFVs.png?fit=1916%2C1234&ssl=112341916http://dubadosolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/dubado-logo-1.png2025-03-04 14:20:562025-03-04 14:20:56Google offers QR codes to get reviews from customers
Google vehicle ads now accept listings for recreational vehicles (RVs) and campers. This broadens the scope beyond traditional automobiles.
The details. The expansion, announced Feb. 28, allows RV and camper dealers to showcase their inventory directly in Google search results, similar to how car dealerships have been using the platform.
The catch. Dealers must maintain valid dealership licenses in all states, territories, or provinces where their RVs and campers are located or offered for sale – the same requirement that applies to other vehicle categories.
Why we care. Dealerships can now reach potential buyers searching for recreational vehicles directly through Google’s vehicle ad format, expanding their reach.
What’s next. Interested dealers should review Google’s Vehicle ads policies (Beta) to ensure their RV and camper inventory meets all eligibility requirements before listing.
Bottom line. This expansion gives dealers a new way to connect with potential buyers actively searching for RVs and campers.
https://i0.wp.com/dubadosolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/google-car-salesman-1920-800x457-gPdEdk.jpeg?fit=800%2C457&ssl=1457800http://dubadosolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/dubado-logo-1.png2025-03-03 17:42:262025-03-03 17:42:26Google expands Vehicle ads to include RVs and campers
Paid plans start at $139.95 and go up to enterprise solutions. Not to mention the various add-ons and apps.
You don’t want to overpay for features you don’t need. Or pick a cheaper plan that limits your ability to grow.
In this guide, you’ll learn which Semrush plan matches your needs, whether you’re a solo blogger tracking 100 keywords or an agency managing 40+ client websites.
Semrush’s Core Pricing Plans Explained
Semrush offers four main subscription tiers:
Pro plan at $139.95/month: Best for freelancers and startups
Guru plan at $249.95/month: Caters to growing businesses and small agencies
Business plan at $499.95/month: Serves larger agencies and enterprises
Enterprise plan (custom pricing): For organizations that need custom solutions
Beyond these core plans, Semrush also offers a range of other tools through the App Center. This is where you can add specialized tools for needs like local SEO and social media management.
There’s also a free plan, and you can get a free trial of the Pro and Guru subscriptions too.
Semrush’s Pro plan offers a wealth of keyword research, backlink analysis, and competitor research features.
At $139.95/mo, it’s Semrush’s cheapest plan, and is ideal for freelance SEOs, bloggers, and small business owners.
The Pro plan lets you set up 5 projects and track up to 500 keywords with Position Tracking.
But these limits don’t apply to things like keyword and competitor research. Instead, you’re limited in the number of daily “requests” you can make.
This is the number you’ll want to pay attention to if you plan to use the tool suite for more than just tracking your own projects.
With the Pro plan, you can generate up to 3,000 reports per day across various analytics tools, with each report showing up to 10,000 results.
For example, in the Keyword Magic Tool to generate thousands of keyword ideas:
You won’t have access to historical data in these reports. But you’ll still be able to filter for metrics like search volume, keyword difficulty, search intent, and more.
In terms of technical SEO, Pro plan users can crawl up to 100,000 pages with Site Audit. This is enough for beginners and owners of smaller sites. But it can be a bit limiting for large ecommerce stores or agencies managing massive sites.
You won’t get API access with the Pro plan (probably not a concern for most people). You also won’t get access to some content marketing features (see the Guru plan section below).
Pro Plan Limits
5 projects
500 keywords to track
3,000 daily reports
100,000 pages to crawl
10,000 results per report
250 keyword metrics updates per month
500 SEO Ideas Units (used in tools like the On Page SEO Checker)
5 scheduled PDF reports
Guru Plan ($249.95/month): Advanced Features for Growing Teams
Semrush’s Guru plan significantly expands on the Pro plan’s capabilities.
At $249.95/mo, it’s ideal for growing marketing teams and small agencies that need more comprehensive tools and data access.
The plan increases your project limit to 15 and lets you track up to 1,500 keywords.
Other limit increases over the Pro plan include:
5,000 reports per day (vs. 3,000)
30,000 results per report (vs. 10,000)
1,000 keyword metrics updates per month (vs. 250)
300,000 Site Audit URL crawls (vs. 100,000)
You’ll also get access to tools like:
Topic research, for finding and prioritizing new content ideas:
Content Marketing Template, to streamline your optimizations:
You’ll also be able to integrate with Looker Studio, which further expands your reporting capabilities.
And you’ll get access to historical data within Semrush itself—all the way back to 2012:
The Guru plan gives you access to the essential Semrush toolkit. And its limits are likely enough for most SEOs and business owners, with the exception of large agencies, big ecommerce stores (300K+ pages), and enterprises.
Guru Plan Limits
15 Projects
1,500 keywords to track
5,000 daily reports
300,000 pages to crawl
30,000 results per report
1,000 keyword metrics updates per month
800 SEO Ideas Units
20 scheduled PDF reports
Business Plan ($499.95/month): Enterprise-Grade Capabilities
The Business plan, at $499.95/mo, targets larger agencies and marketing teams that need extensive data access and advanced features.
This plan also offers much higher limits than the Pro and Guru plans across the board.
Business plans allow for 40 projects, 5,000 keywords to track, and 10,000 daily reports.
You can use Semrush’s most advanced features, including API access, extended limits for site audits, and white-label reporting options.
You’ll also get access to new metrics, like Share of Voice for tracking your overall online presence compared to your competitors:
And for PPC optimization, you’ll also be able to see up to 50,000 results per PLA listings report (as opposed to 10 on the Pro and Guru plans):
These capabilities make it particularly valuable for agencies managing multiple client accounts. It’s also ideal for large in-house teams coordinating complex marketing campaigns.
For example, the API access allows teams to integrate Semrush data directly into their custom reporting dashboards or internal tools. This can streamline workflows and provide more customizable (and therefore more impactful) data analysis.
Business Plan Limits
40 projects
5,000 keywords to track
10,000 daily reports
1,000,000 pages to crawl
50,000 results per report
5,000 keyword metrics updates per month
2,000 SEO Ideas Units
50 scheduled PDF reports
Enterprise Plan: Custom Solutions for Large Organizations
The Enterprise tier moves beyond Semrush’s standardized pricing to offer customized solutions for large organizations with complex needs.
Unlike the fixed-price plans, Enterprise solutions are tailored to each organization’s specific requirements and scale.
The Semrush Enterprise platform is an entirely separate solution from the “core” Semrush platform. You get access to everything in the Business tier, but you also get a completely new dashboard with enterprise-level SEO and automation tools and capabilities.
You’ll also get access to vetted SEO experts, seamless document sharing functionality, and extensive reporting and automation features.
It’s designed for enterprise-level businesses (think Samsung, Salesforce, and SAP). This means it’s way beyond what the average person needs.
But for those with huge data, automation, and optimization requirements, Semrush Enterprise is an incredibly powerful platform.
Free Plan vs. Free Trial
Semrush’s free plan offers a solid introduction to the platform’s capabilities. You can access basic keyword research, site auditing, and competitive analysis features
for free.
This makes it an excellent option for those just starting their SEO journey or wanting to test the platform before committing.
However:
The free plan comes with significant limitations in terms of the number of reports you can generate and the depth of data you can access.
You’re limited to:
10 daily requests in many of the tools
1 project
100 URL crawls per month
Arguably, the most notable restriction is that you can only track 10 keywords. So you can’t monitor a full SEO campaign effectively.
That’s why the free trial of Semrush’s paid plans offers a better way to evaluate Semrush’s full capabilities.
For 7 days, you can access all features of your chosen plan, helping you make an informed decision about whether the investment makes sense for your needs.
Semrush offers a range of add-ons you can tag onto your subscription. These include local SEO packages, the .Trends suite for market research, and a social media management platform.
Here’s a breakdown of the add-ons and their pricing:
Add-on
Pricing
Key Features
Extra users
$45-$100/month, depending on plan
Add extra users to your plan (with shared limits)
Local Essential/Advanced
$50-$60/month
Listing management, GBP optimization, and map rank tracker
.Trends
$289/month per user
Consumer trends and market research tools
Social Media Management
$19.99-$39.99/month
Social posting, tracking, and analytics
Agency Growth Kit
$69-$249/month
Lead management, CRM, and client portal
ImpactHero
$200/month
Buyer journey optimization
Semrush also has an extensive App Center. Here, you’ll find apps to help with pretty much every aspect of SEO and digital marketing.
You can get free trials of many apps, and their prices vary.
Semrush Pricing Plans Compared to Competitors
Semrush is often a bit pricier than some of its competitors, at least at some of the plan levels.
But price isn’t everything, and it’s worth comparing the different platforms in detail to understand the value each one can provide for YOUR specific situation.
Semrush vs. Ahrefs Pricing
Semrush and Ahrefs have fairly similar pricing structures. Semrush is slightly more expensive in each of the three pricing brackets, but notably only by $0.95 in the middle tier (Guru/Standard).
On the face of it, the two options in all three cases are fairly similar:
Semrush offers 5, 15, and 40 projects, while Ahrefs offers 5, 20, and 50 projects
While Semrush lets you track 500, 1.5K, and 5K keywords, Ahrefs lets you track 750, 2K, and 5K
Semrush lets you audit 100K, 300K, and 1M URLs, while Ahrefs’ limits are 100K, 500K, and 1.5M
But it’s worth noting that Ahrefs’ cheapest (Lite) plan limits you to just 500 credits across various tools per month.
With a Semrush Pro subscription (the cheapest one Semrush offers), the limits are 3,000 reports/requests per day.
But the numbers aren’t everything. There are other differences between the two tools that you’ll need to factor in when making your choice.
Moz offers two cheaper pricing plans than both Semrush and Ahrefs. These are pretty limited (with the cheapest only letting you track 50 keywords per month).
But they’re still viable options for those on a budget that are just starting out with their first SEO tool.
Moz does offer feature-rich plans at higher price points, but often with lower limits than Semrush plans.
For example, the most expensive Moz plan still only lets you track 25 sites (compared to 40) and 3,000 tracked keywords (vs. 5,000 on a Semrush Business plan).
It’s also worth noting that beyond the pricing plans, the two platforms are very different. For example, Semrush’s database has more than 26.4 billion keywords compared to Moz’s 1.25 billion.
The most basic way to choose between the different Semrush pricing plans is to consider your budget and your reporting needs.
If you have a limited budget, the free and Pro plans are going to be the obvious choice. But once you start needing larger reports or to track 1500+ keywords, the Guru and Business plans are the ones to go for.
But let’s see which plans are best for which types of business and website owners.
Solopreneurs and Bloggers
For solopreneurs and blog owners, the Pro plan is usually going to be enough. You can manage up to 5 projects, and 500 keywords will be enough tracking capabilities for most small sites.
The reporting limits are generous enough too, and most beginners won’t max out on them.
But many people will be fine with the free Semrush plan—particularly if you have pretty limited keyword research needs and your site is smaller than 100 pages. It’ll give you a good feel for the platform’s core features before you sign up for a subscription.
You’ll want to upgrade to the Pro plan when you:
Track more than 10 keywords
Need daily position monitoring
Have a site that grows beyond 100 pages (for Site Audit crawls)
Small businesses typically find the sweet spot with the Guru plan. The additional keyword tracking and content marketing features make it ideal for sites of all sizes with moderate content production workflows.
The Pro plan suits you if:
You manage a single business website
You need basic competitive analysis
Content creation isn’t your primary focus
The Guru plan becomes a better option when:
You manage multiple business websites, or multiple client sites
Content marketing is a key part of your strategy
You need access to historical data
You need to crawl up to 300K pages per month (Site Audit)
Medium-Sized Businesses and Ecommerce Stores
Mid-sized companies often benefit most from the Business plan—particularly if they’re managing multiple websites or serving many clients.
The Guru plan becomes essential for teams or individuals that:
Create 10+ pieces of content per month
Require advanced topic research tools
Send lots of reports to stakeholders or clients
Manage multiple sites or brands
Agencies
Agencies are going to be better off with the Business plan in most cases. The limits of the lower plans are just unlikely to be enough for agencies with many clients.
However, if your agency is just starting out, the Guru plan offers a cost-effective way to serve up to 15 clients with some powerful tools.
Note: If you need to increase any particular limit, you can contact the sales team or pay for more via your subscription dashboard.
Start with Guru if you:
Serve up to 15 clients
Need white-label reports
Require content marketing tools
Want historical data access
Choose the Business plan when you:
Manage 15+ client accounts
Need API access
Require advanced white-labeling
Share reports across large teams
Semrush also offers the Agency Growth Kit. This starts at $69/month (on top of your subscription) for a CRM, client portals, and white-lable PDF reports.
But for those who want to boost their visibility on the Agency Partners platform or who need unlimited client portals, pricing increases to $149 and then $249 per month.
Enterprise Businesses
Enterprise organizations should consider the custom Enterprise tier. This platform was built from the ground up for enterprise-scale operations.
The platform offers a range of enterprise-specific solutions and features the core subscriptions don’t offer. You can read more about Semrush Enterprise here.
The Business plan is the best of the three core plans if your business isn’t quite ready for the enterprise offering. Its generous limits, integration capabilities, and API access mean it’s a cost-effective choice for many big brands and businesses.
Still Not Sure Which Plan to Choose?
Choosing the right Semrush plan ultimately depends on your specific marketing goals and resources.
http://dubadosolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/dubado-logo-1.png00http://dubadosolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/dubado-logo-1.png2025-02-27 14:04:082025-02-27 14:04:08Semrush Pricing: How to Choose the Right Plan
Budgeting for paid ad campaigns has long been a static process – set a monthly budget, monitor spending, and adjust incrementally as needed.
This method works for industries with stable demand and predictable conversion rates but falls short in dynamic, competitive markets.
Still, static budgets aren’t obsolete. In industries with long sales cycles, consistent conversion trends, or strict financial planning – like B2B SaaS and healthcare – planned budgets remain essential.
The key isn’t choosing between static and dynamic budgeting; it’s knowing when and how to adjust PPC spend using data-driven signals.
The role of Smart Bidding and Performance Max in budgeting
Automation has changed our budgeting strategies, but it hasn’t eliminated the need for human oversight.
While Google’s Smart Bidding and Performance Max (PMax) campaigns help optimize performance, they do not fully control budget allocation the way some advertisers may assume.
Smart Bidding: What it does (and doesn’t do) for budgeting
Smart Bidding (i.e., Target ROAS, Target CPA, Maximize Conversions, and Maximize Conversion Value) uses real-time auction signals to adjust bids but does not shift budgets between campaigns.
If a campaign has an insufficient budget, smart bidding won’t automatically pull spend from another campaign; this still requires manual adjustments or automated budget rules.
To overcome the budget allocation limitations of Smart Bidding, use:
Portfolio bidding strategies: Setting bid strategies at the campaign level lets you use a common bidding approach (e.g., Target ROAS or Target CPA) across multiple campaigns. This enables more efficient spending across campaigns with similar goals without manual adjustments.
Shared budgets: Assigning a single budget across multiple campaigns ensures high-performing campaigns receive adequate funding while preventing overspending on lower-performing ones.
Performance Max: A black box for budget allocation?
PMax automates asset and bid optimization across multiple Google properties (Search, Display, YouTube, Discovery, etc.), but you don’t control which channel yorur budget goes to.
Google’s algorithm decides how much to allocate to each network, which can sometimes result in excessive spend on lower-performing placements like Display rather than Search.
Instead of relying solely on PMax, run separate Search campaigns alongside it to ensure an adequate budget is allocated to high-intent traffic.
When setting a tCPA or tROAS, allow a 10-20% margin for flexibility to help Google’s algorithm optimize effectively.
For example, if your ideal tCPA is $100, setting it to $115 gives Google room to secure conversions that may exceed your target while still delivering strong performance.
Since tCPA operates as an average, not every lead will cost the same amount.
Once you are consistently hitting your target, gradually lower the tCPA (or raise the tROAS) to improve budget efficiency without restricting conversions.
Underfunding efficient campaigns
If a campaign has a long conversion delay (i.e., B2B lead gen), Smart Bidding may incorrectly shift the budget elsewhere before enough data accumulates.
Solution
Extend conversion windows in Smart Bidding settings. The default is 30 days, but advertisers can adjust the window from one day up to 90 days.
Manually monitor lagging conversions and adjust budgets proactively.
Lack of budget control in PMax campaigns
Performance Max doesn’t allow advertisers to set separate budgets for Search, YouTube, and Display.
As a result, Google may (advertiser sentiment is that they do) favor low-cost clicks from Display rather than higher-intent Search traffic.
Solution
Run branded and high-intent non-branded Search campaigns separately to control budget spend on direct-response traffic.
Apply negative keywords via account-level negatives. While PMax doesn’t allow campaign-level negatives, account-level negative keyword lists can help block irrelevant or redundant queries. The maximum number of negative keywords allowed to be applied is 100. Google has stated that it created this limit because PMax isn’t meant to be a heavily restricted campaign type.
By monitoring your search impression share, you can identify when branded queries are slipping into PMax instead of the dedicated Search campaign. This will allow you to adjust bid strategies and audience signals accordingly.
Use audience exclusions in PMax to prevent excessive Display spend on irrelevant audiences.
Advanced tip
Tools like Optmyzr can help advertisers determine how their budget is allocated in PMax with the PMax Channel Distribution feature.
Although we may not have much control over the allocation, we can at least be aware of it.
How to use first-party data to improve budget allocation
An underutilized strategy for improving budgeting is leveraging first-party data to allocate spend toward high-value audiences.
As privacy restrictions tighten and tracking capabilities decline, it’s important to shift your focus from broad automated bidding to first-party audience targeting.
Use customer match to prioritize high-value audiences
Instead of spending equally across all users, advertisers can upload Customer Match lists (based on past purchasers, high-LTV customers, or CRM data) and adjust budgets accordingly.
Example
If historical data shows that repeat customers generate a higher ROAS than new users, more budget should be allocated to remarketing campaigns targeting Customer Match audiences.
Advanced tip
To maximize campaign efficiency, consider using value-based bidding (VBB) to ensure your budget prioritizes high-value conversions rather than just the volume of leads.
By assigning different conversion values based on customer lifetime value (LTV), using Customer Match, GA4 insights, or CRM data, you can direct more spending toward audiences that generate the highest long-term revenue.
Changes to customer match lists
Google recently introduced two key updates to Customer Match lists that will impact how advertisers manage audience data.
As of Jan. 13, stricter policy enforcement means you must comply with Google’s advertising standards. Violations could lead to restricted access or account suspension after a seven-day warning.
To stay compliant and maximize audience targeting, be sure to regularly refresh your lists and align your data collection with Google’s updated policies.
Apply GA4 data for smarter budget scaling
Google Analytics 4 (GA4) provides insights into conversion paths, high-value audience segments, and multi-channel attribution.
Instead of relying solely on Google Ads conversion tracking, use GA4 to determine which audience segments should receive higher budgets.
Best practice
Create custom lists/audiences around users with high engagement signals (repeat visits, add-to-cart actions, lead form interactions) and allocate more budget toward these users.
Create custom lists/audiences around low-intent users who bounce after viewing one page. To reduce wasted ad spend, decrease your bids or exclude them.
Instead of distributing the budget equally across all hours, allocate more to high-converting time periods.
Example
If the lead volume is highest between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m., increase bids and budget during these hours.
If your business hours are from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m., lower your bids during the hours you aren’t operating to prevent unnecessary ad expenses.
Industry-specific budgeting approaches
As we all know, no two industries are the same, so the approach to budgeting should also be different. Here’s how different business models should think about budget allocation:
B2B lead generation
Budgeting for B2B lead generation requires a long-term view.
As such, budget pacing should be planned over months. Don’t make frequent (i.e., daily or weekly) adjustments that could cause instability in the account.
Because the cycle is longer, conversions often take some time to materialize, so conversion delays should be considered when evaluating Smart Bidding performance.
If budgets are adjusted too soon based on incomplete data, campaigns may be underfunded before the true impact of conversions is realized.
Seasonality plays a large role in budgeting decisions for ecommerce brands.
Aggressively increase budgets ahead of major sales events, like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and holiday shopping, to capitalize on higher purchase intent.
Reacting to performance mid-season will likely result in missed opportunities if the budget is exhausted too early.
Also, rather than spreading spend evenly across all potential buyers, prioritize high-LTV customers using Customer Match lists and past purchase data.
This ensures that ad spend is directed toward audiences likely to generate repeat purchases and higher average order values (AOVs).
Budget allocation for local businesses should be narrowly geo-targeted.
Instead of distributing spend evenly across an entire service area (although you should have some presence in the area), analyze past geographic conversion data to determine which locations typically generate the highest return.
The budget should then be allocated accordingly, ensuring that high-performing areas receive the majority of ad spend.
Another important factor is setting up call tracking.
Since many conversions happen over the phone rather than through online forms, integrate call-tracking data to identify which campaigns generate high-quality leads.
By analyzing call duration, lead quality, and customer inquiries, you can refine budget allocation to optimize for calls that convert into sales or appointments.
Each industry requires a different budgeting approach tailored to its sales cycles, customer behavior, and conversion patterns.
Understanding these nuances ensures that your PPC budgets are allocated strategically for maximum impact, whether it’s long-term pacing for B2B, seasonal surges for ecommerce, or localized targeting for service-based businesses.
A smarter approach to budgeting
Budgeting for your PPC campaigns doesn’t involve choosing between static and dynamic models; it involves strategically using both.
Smart Bidding and PMax improve efficiency but require human oversight.
First-party data should play a bigger role in spend allocation.
Budget scaling should be incremental and structured.
Industry-specific needs should dictate budget pacing strategies.
The best budgets are adaptable, data-driven, and aligned with long-term profitability rather than short-term spend fluctuations.
Those who master this approach will gain a competitive advantage in an increasingly automated advertising landscape.
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Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) is one of Google’s three Core Web Vitals.
Like the other two (Cumulative Layout Shift and Interaction to Next Paint), it’s not exactly clear what it means.
Lots of tools can show your LCP score and outline ways to improve it. But their tips are often generic, and lack the detail you need to actually take action.
So, in this guide I’ll walk you through actionable steps to improve your LCP. I’ll separate them by:
Their potential impact
The effort required to make the fix
Which specific aspect of your LCP score they help with
But first, let’s talk about what LCP actually means for your website (jump to this part for the fixes).
What Does Largest Contentful Paint Even Mean?
Largest Contentful Paint measures how long it takes for the main content of your webpage to appear on your user’s screen—whether that’s a hero image, heading, or block of text.
It’s not the most intuitive phrase, so let’s break it down word by word:
Largest: The biggest piece of visible content on the screen. This could be a large image, a big headline, or any major element that stands out.
Contentful: It’s something that has actual content—like text or an image—and isn’t just a background or frame.
Paint: This refers to how your browser “draws” (or renders) that element on your screen.
For example, imagine clicking a link to read a news article.
The page might load various elements quickly, like the header menu at the top and placeholders for ads.
But if the article text takes five seconds to show up, that’s a poor experience. That delay is what LCP measures.
When you think about LCP, think about your visitors. It’s the difference between someone seeing your main product image or headline right away versus waiting and possibly leaving.
A faster LCP generally means a better user experience. And a better experience means happier visitors who trust your site and want to hang around (and potentially buy from you).
Further reading: For more on how loading speed can affect your website experience and optimization, check out our full guide to page speed and SEO.
These benchmarks serve as useful guidelines, but your users’ actual experience matters most.
A visually rich photography portfolio might take longer to load but still satisfy visitors. Meanwhile, a simple text-based article that loads in three seconds might frustrate users who
expect instant access.
So, focus on your audience’s expectations and behavior. Check your analytics to see if slower LCP correlates with higher bounce rates or lower conversion rates.
These numbers tell you more about your site’s real performance than any benchmark can.
If your conversion rate is 10x the industry average, it likely won’t make a massive dent in your bottom line if you improve your LCP score.
But if people aren’t staying long on your important pages, improving your LCP score could help boost your site’s performance. This, in turn, can lead to better results for your business.
How to Measure Your LCP Score
There are lots of tools you can use to measure your LCP. But you don’t want to just get your score.
You also want to learn these two things:
What your LCP element is
Which stage of your LCP is longest
Finding these two pieces of information is key for prioritizing which methods you should use to improve your LCP.
For example, you could spend hours minifying your code, inlining your CSS, and deferring JavaScript. But it won’t make much of a difference if your LCP element is a hero image you just
haven’t optimized yet.
As for the stages:
LCP is made up of four stages:
Time to First Byte (TTFB)
Resource load delay
Resource load time
Element render delay
Each stage is affected by different factors (and methods of optimization). So, if you can identify which stages of your LCP are taking the longest, you can prioritize your fixes accordingly.
Here are two ways to find this information.
Note: With many tools, you’ll get different LCP scores depending on whether you check the mobile or desktop version of your site. Optimizing for both helps improve your experience for all users.
Google PageSpeed Insights
Google’s PageSpeed Insights (PSI) is a popular choice if you want a simple, web-based report.
Just plug in your URL, and you’ll get a quick overview of your Core Web Vitals, including LCP.
PSI is great if you’re not a big fan of digging around in complex dashboards. It gives you clear visuals and actionable tips without much fuss.
It also has a handy diagnostics section which tells you some of the main ways you can reduce your score. Just make sure you select the “LCP” option next to “Show audits relevant to.”
Click the “Largest Contentful Paint element” option to see which element on that page is the LCP element.
It also shows you the breakdown (as a percentage) of each stage of your LCP. From the example above, you can see the vast majority (88%) of our LCP time comes from the render delay stage.
Knowing this lets us focus our efforts on the methods in the next section that specifically help reduce that stage of the LCP score.
Chrome DevTools
Chrome’s DevTools can give you detailed, real-time feedback on various aspects of your page’s performance.
It’s especially useful for testing changes on the fly, but it might feel a bit overwhelming if you’re completely new to web development.
Access it in Chrome on any webpage by right clicking and selecting “Inspect.”
In the interface that appears, head to the “Performance” tab.
(You can select the three dots next to the cog icon and change where the dock goes—I find horizontal is best for analyzing LCP.)
This view shows your LCP score. If you hover over the “LCP element” underneath the score, you’ll see which part of the content is the largest contentful element.
Then, get a breakdown of the LCP stages by clicking the “Record and reload” button. This will run the performance checks again on the page, and you’ll see more information along with a
waterfall chart.
Ignore that for now, and instead click the “LCP by phase” drop-down. This breaks the LCP down into its four constituent parts, showing the actual time for each stage along with a percentage.
As before, you can use this information to prioritize your optimization efforts and more effectively improve your LCP.
How to Improve Your LCP
You can improve your LCP in several ways, and some methods will help you more than others.
The table below sorts the methods by impact, also indicating the effort level each one requires and which stage of your LCP it’ll help reduce.
Your own skill level, your website’s setup, and your budget will affect how easy or cost-effective these changes are for you.
I’ve taken each method in isolation, as the relative impact of each fix may decrease as you implement each one.
For example, if you implement lots of these methods but don’t use a CDN, your LCP score will likely improve to the point that using a CDN might not make much difference to the score
(although it may still improve your user experience).
Finally, a few of these might help reduce different stages of your LCP. As with every change you make to your website, there’s usually a bit of overlap in terms of what it’ll affect.
I’ll explain more of the nuances and who each fix is best suited to below.
Impact: High | Effort: Low | Helps Reduce: Resource Load Time
A Content Delivery Network (CDN) stores (cached) copies of your content across servers around the world. When people visit your site, they’re served files from the closest server to them.
That means faster load times for your users.
If you’re running a small local blog, you might not absolutely need a CDN. But if you have visitors from all over, a CDN can boost your LCP by reducing the travel time for your data.
This is most impactful for:
Websites with visitors from multiple regions
Sites with lots of large images or media files
Anyone wanting to improve global load times without lots of coding
How to Implement This
You can sign up for a CDN service like Cloudflare, KeyCDN, or StackPath. They’ll provide instructions for changing your domain’s settings to route traffic through their servers.
Once set up, the CDN will serve your website files to users from the server that’s physically located closest to them.
There are cheap and free options, but it can get expensive for larger sites with lots of traffic.
If you use WordPress or a similar content management system (CMS), there are often plugins that make the setup process even smoother.
Optimize Your Images
Impact: High | Effort: Medium | Helps Reduce: Resource Load Time
Large image files are a common reason for poor LCP scores. This is especially true if you use a large hero image at the top of your pages or blog posts.
By compressing images before uploading them, you reduce their file size to make them load faster.
This is most impactful for:
Sites with lots of large product or blog images
Photographers or ecommerce stores with high-res visuals
Anyone looking for a straightforward way to speed up load times
How to Implement This
You can optimize your images using online tools, and there are lots of free options. Or you can use plugins that auto-compress images when you upload them to your content management system.
Squoosh is a free tool that lets you tweak the optimization settings, choose a format to convert to, and resize the image:
To do this in bulk, you can also use a tool like TinyPNG:
Just keep an eye on quality—if you compress too much, your images might look blurry. But most of the time, you can shrink them a lot without anyone noticing.
Pro tip: Beyond images, it’s usually best to avoid having a video above the fold. This can lead to poor LCP scores.
Use WordPress Plugins
Impact: High | Effort: Low | Helps Reduce: Potentially all stages
For many WordPress users, plugins are the easiest way to speed up your site and fix LCP issues with minimal effort. They can handle image optimization, caching, code minification, and
more—all from a simple dashboard.
The caveat is that the best ones aren’t always free. So you’re often paying a convenience cost. But there are still some unpaid options out there.
Another downside is the risk of plugin “bloat,” which can slow your site if you install too many or choose poorly optimized ones.
Compatibility issues may also pop up, especially if you try to use multiple optimization plugins at one time.
But as long as you don’t have hundreds of plugins, and check for compatibility, I find the benefits typically outweigh the downsides here.
Note: If you use a different CMS, like Shopify, there are likely apps or add-ons that can help with your LCP score.
This is most impactful for:
WordPress users without technical know-how
Anyone who wants a quick fix for multiple performance issues
Those willing to spend a bit of money to solve a lot of issues at once (although there are free options)
How to Implement This
There are lots of WordPress plugins that are great for improving your LCP in particular, and your page speed in general.
One example is WP Rocket. It’s a paid WordPress optimization plugin that does a lot of the things on this list for you.
Including:
Image optimization
Code minification
Preloading/prefetching resources
CDN implementation
Caching
There are lots of customization options, making this a useful plugin a quick and fairly easy solution to improve your LCP.
Autoptimize is a free WordPress plugin that does a lot of the same things as WP Rocket.
It does lack a few features, like generating critical CSS and caching. But it’s a good starting point for beginners on a budget with a WordPress site.
Implement Caching
Impact: High | Effort: Low | Helps Reduce: Time to First Byte
Caching stores parts of your site on your user’s browser so it doesn’t have to request them from scratch every time they visit the site.
This can speed up your LCP because your server won’t need to work as hard to deliver the key page elements the next time the user visits.
Many hosting providers include caching by default.
You can also install plugins that handle caching for you.
This is most impactful for:
Sites with repeat visitors (e.g., blogs, online magazines)
Websites on platforms that generate pages dynamically (like WordPress)
Sites experiencing slow server response times
How to Implement This
If your host offers caching, enable it in your hosting dashboard. Otherwise, consider a caching plugin.
If you use a CDN, it already relies on caching to serve your content to users with faster load times.
Note: You only need to use one effective caching setup or plugin at a time. Using multiple can lead to no performance improvements at best, and various compatibility issues at worst.
Use a Faster Web Host
Impact: High | Effort: Low | Helps Reduce: Time to First Byte
Switching to a more powerful hosting plan or provider can make a big difference in how quickly your site’s main content loads.
That’s because your web host’s speed is going to have the largest impact on your Time to First Byte.
This is often the simplest route if you don’t want to tinker with technical details. However, premium hosting can be expensive.
If you have a small site or a tight budget, you might find it hard to justify the cost for LCP gains alone. But for large businesses or sites that generate a lot of revenue, investing in better hosting can pay off.
Note: This is also unlikely to put a dent in your LCP if your host is already pretty quick. I’d generally only recommend considering this option if your Time to First Byte is exceptionally long. Or if you’re noticing other performance issues or extended periods of website downtime.
This is most impactful for:
High-traffic sites that need consistent speed
Businesses with a budget to invest in premium hosting
Sites that have outgrown their current hosting plan
How to Implement This
When upgrading your web host, look for:
Reliable uptime
Scalability
Good support
Security features
Robust backup options
Migrating your site can be as simple as using a migration plugin if you’re on WordPress, or asking your new host for help.
It’s usually fairly straightforward if you’re staying with your current host and just upgrading your plan. But moving hosts can be a little more effort-intensive.
Impact: Medium | Effort: Low | Helps Reduce: Resource Load Time
Minifying code involves stripping out anything “unnecessary,” like extra spaces or new lines, from your site’s HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files. This makes them smaller and faster to load.
If you’re not a developer, you can still do this using tools or plugins that automate the process (like WP Rocket mentioned above).
Just be sure to back up your site or test it in a staging environment. Sometimes, minification can cause layout or script issues.
This is most impactful for:
Sites with lots of CSS and JavaScript files
Pages that rely on multiple libraries or frameworks
How to Implement This
You can minify your code with free tools like Minifier:
If you use a CMS like WordPress, use plugins (e.g., WP Rocket, Autoptimize) that automatically shrink your CSS, JS, and HTML.
Here’s how it looks in the “File Optimization” screen of WP Rocket:
Most plugins let you choose which files to minify, so if you see any issues, uncheck or exclude the problematic file and test again.
Alternatively, reach out to a developer to help with this instead.
Optimize Your Fonts
Impact: Medium | Effort: Medium | Helps Reduce: Resource Load Time
Fancy fonts can look great, but they can also slow down your page.
Custom fonts often have to be downloaded from a separate server. If you optimize or host them locally, you reduce delays that stop your text (like big headlines) from being visible.
You do want to maintain your site’s style, so it’s a balance between looking good and loading fast. Some sites solve this by using system fonts that don’t need extra downloads.
This is most impactful for:
Sites using multiple custom fonts or large font families
Design-heavy pages with fancy typography
Anyone noticing a “flash of invisible text” when pages load
How to Implement This
Hosting fonts locally is often faster than pulling them from external servers. If you use Google Fonts, you can download them and serve them from your own domain.
But honestly, this just won’t be necessary for most site owners. While it might reduce your LCP, it’s unlikely to be a massive gain and may not be worth the effort.
Alternatively, let a plugin handle font optimization for you. Minimize the number of font weights you use—if you only need bold and regular, don’t load the entire family.
Lazy loading is a feature that only loads images when you scroll down to them. In other words, images only load when they’re in the user’s “viewport” (on their screen).
It’s great for boosting page load time, and is typically regarded as a best practice for fast websites.
But if you lazy load images that are right at the top of your page, your visitors will see a blank space before anything else pops in. That can really hurt your LCP.
The idea behind lazy loading is to not load images the user doesn’t need to see yet. But when it’s the first image you want a user to see as soon as they land on your page, clearly you don’t want to delay loading at all.
So, it’s usually best to load above-the-fold content right away, then lazy load what’s below.
This is most impactful for:
Sites that lazy load everything by default
Above-the-fold areas with key images or banners
Pages where the main header image is crucial for user engagement
How to Implement This
Many lazy-loading tools let you exclude certain images. Find the settings or plugin option that specifies “above the fold” or “first contentful paint” images, and disable lazy loading for those.
In WP Rocket, you do that in the “Media” area:
If you’re not using a CMS like WordPress, just make sure the LCP image’s HTML looks like this, with either loading=“eager” or no loading attribute (“eager” is the default):
Rather than like this, with the loading=“lazy” attribute:
Remove Elements You Don’t Need
Impact: Medium | Effort: Medium | Helps Reduce: Element Render Delay
Every script, image, or widget on your site adds to the time it takes for your page to fully load. So you need to think carefully about what appears above the fold.
If there’s a huge banner, multiple images, or extra code that doesn’t add real value, consider removing it or placing it below the fold.
Just make sure you don’t strip away elements that are crucial for your users or your brand message.
This is most impactful for:
Content-heavy sites filled with widgets or ads
Homepages stuffed with multiple banners, slideshows, or animations
Anyone looking to simplify their design without sacrificing core features
How to Implement This
Audit your site’s above-the-fold area and ask, “Does this element help my user right away?”
If not, move it below the fold (or remove it entirely).
Think about collapsing large sign-up forms or extra images.
Removing unnecessary scripts, like old tracking codes, can also help. To pinpoint snippets you might want to remove, look out for the “Reduce unused JavaScript” opportunity in PageSpeed Insights:
Use Defer/Async for JS
Impact: Medium | Effort: Medium | Helps Reduce: Element Render Delay
JavaScript files can block the rendering of your page if they load first. By deferring or asynchronously loading scripts, you let your main content appear before any heavy scripts run.
This helps your LCP because the biggest chunk of your page shows up without waiting for all your JS to finish loading.
The main reason you’ll likely want to look into async and defer is if the tool you’re measuring your LCP with says you have render blocking resources.
Like this:
Basically, without any attributes, the browser will attempt to download and then execute your JavaScript as it encounters it. This can lead to slower load times, and longer LCP times if it blocks the LCP element from loading.
With async, it won’t pause parsing (breaking down and analyzing) of the HTML during the download stage. But it still pauses as the script executes after downloading.
With defer, the browser doesn’t pause HTML parsing for the download or execution of your JavaScript. This can lead to lower LCP scores, but it means your JavaScript won’t execute until the browser has finished parsing the HTML.
You might need a developer’s help if you’re not sure which scripts to defer or load asynchronously, or how to do it.
Some optimization plugins for platforms like WordPress can also handle this for you.
This is most impactful for:
Sites that rely on several JavaScript libraries
Pages slowed down by loading scripts too early
Website owners looking for a middle-ground solution without full SSR (more on that below)
How to Implement This
If you’re on WordPress, look for an optimization plugin that includes deferring or async-loading scripts.
In custom setups, you’d add attributes like “defer” or “async” to your script tags in the HTML.
Just make sure you don’t delay any critical scripts (like core functionality) too much.
Inline Critical CSS
Impact: Medium | Effort: High | Helps Reduce: Element Render Delay
Inlining CSS means putting small blocks of CSS code right into your HTML, so your page doesn’t need to fetch a separate file for that part.
It can speed up how quickly your main elements appear. But you can’t inline everything, or you’d end up with a massive HTML file that defeats the purpose.
This method can be helpful for critical (above-the-fold) styles, but it shouldn’t replace your entire stylesheet.
“In general, inlining your style sheet is only recommended if your style sheet is small since inlined content in the HTML cannot benefit from caching in subsequent page loads. If a style sheet is so large that it takes longer to load than the LCP resource, then it’s unlikely to be a good candidate for inlining.”
This is most impactful for:
Sites with a small amount of critical CSS for the header area
Minimalist designs that don’t rely on big external stylesheets
Anyone looking to shave off small load delays
How to Implement This
Identify the essential CSS you need to style your page’s top section, and place it directly in the HTML <head>. This can reduce the time it takes to render the crucial above-the-fold part.
Keep the rest of your CSS in external files to avoid bloating your HTML. Some performance plugins can automate this “critical CSS” approach for you.
Autoptimize offers a cheap solution, while it’s baked into plugins like NitroPack and WP Rocket.
While there are also dedicated critical CSS plugins, I’d generally recommend going for a more feature-rich option for a bit of extra money (if you have the budget). You’ll typically get more value than spending $10 a month on one feature that may have limited impact on your LCP.
Switch to SSR
Impact: Medium | Effort: High | Helps Reduce: Element Render Delay
CSR (Client-Side Rendering) means your user’s browser does a lot of the work to build the page.
SSR (Server-Side Rendering) means most of the work happens before the page hits the user’s browser.
SSR can help LCP for sites heavy in JavaScript, because the biggest content is already “pre-built” for the user. But switching from CSR to SSR can be a big project if you’re not familiar with it.
For some sites, it’s overkill. For others, it’s the key to big performance gains.
This is one method where you really need to weigh up the benefits and how they might apply to your specific situation:
Run a fairly standard blog, service website, or ecommerce store? Switching to SSR might bring noticeable performance gains.
Got a highly interactive web app? You might want to stick with CSR for a better user experience.
Generally, if you implement other methods like caching and using a CDN, you’ll see performance benefits with SSR that outweigh the potential server load increase.
This is most impactful for:
JavaScript-heavy web apps (e.g., React, Vue)
Sites noticing a significant delay before content appears
Advanced users or teams that can handle more complex architecture
How to Implement This
Switching from Client-Side Rendering to Server-Side Rendering (or a hybrid approach) typically involves using frameworks (like Next.js for React) that pre-render your content on the server.
This can speed up LCP since the browser receives a ready-made page. However, it’s a bigger project requiring code changes and a good understanding of your tech stack.
If you’re not comfortable with that, you might need to hire a developer or agency.
Preload Important Resources
Impact: Medium | Effort: Medium | Helps Reduce: Resource Load Delay
Preloading tells the browser which files it should grab or prepare in advance.
It can shave off a bit of loading time and help your main content appear slightly faster. For many small sites, these optimizations won’t create dramatic changes.
But on bigger sites or those with lots of images and unique fonts, it can make a difference.
This is most impactful for:
Sites that rely on off-site resources (e.g., fonts or images)
Those comfortable editing HTML headers or using plugins that can do this at scale
How to Implement This
You can preload fonts and images by adding special link tags in your site’s <head>. They tell the browser to grab or prepare certain resources before they’re actually needed.
You simply add rel=“preload” to the <link> tag. Like this:
How much effort this requires depends on your specific setup and how many pages you want to deploy it on. But it’s a fairly simple process that can help reduce your LCP score.
Note: As with a lot of the other methods on this list, WordPress plugins can help here too.
Boost Your Rankings by Improving Your Page Experience
Improving your LCP is one way to boost your overall page experience for users.
In turn, this can actually end up having an impact on your rankings beyond Google’s page experience signals.
Check out our guide to user behavior and SEO to learn how the way your users behave on your website could potentially impact how Google ranks your site.
(It makes optimizing for factors like LCP and the other Core Web Vitals A LOT more important.)
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Not all PPC strategies work across every industry.
Look for agencies that have experience managing campaigns in your specific vertical.
Ask for case studies or examples of past success in your industry, especially in:
Ecommerce.
Local services.
B2B lead generation.
SaaS.
Healthcare.
Finance.
Agencies with industry expertise will understand common challenges and effective strategies unique to your business type.
They should also demonstrate an ability to adapt to changes in industry regulations and trends.
3. Understand their approach to strategy and optimization
A good PPC agency should have a structured approach to campaign strategy, including:
Account structure: How do they build and organize campaigns?
Keyword strategy: Do they effectively use broad, phrase, and exact match?
Bid management: Are they using automated bidding, manual strategies, or a hybrid approach?
Ad copy and creative: How do they optimize messaging and testing?
Landing page optimization: Do they provide insights or recommendations?
Conversion tracking and attribution: Can they track conversions accurately and integrate with your CRM?
A truly data-driven agency should also be A/B testing different elements, using insights from past campaigns to improve performance, and continuously optimizing for better results.
4. Ask about their reporting and transparency
A top-tier PPC agency should provide clear and actionable reporting. Look for:
Regular reports: Weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly reporting with key performance indicators (KPIs).
Transparency: Do they provide full access to the ad accounts, or do they keep you in the dark?
Actionable insights: Reports should not just be data dumps but should include insights and recommendations.
Real-time dashboard access: Can you see your ad performance whenever you like?
Additionally, ensure they use third-party analytics tools like Google Analytics 4 or other attribution models to verify data accuracy and avoid misrepresenting results.
A smooth onboarding process sets the foundation for a successful agency partnership. Ask:
What does the onboarding process look like?
What information and assets will they need from you?
How long does onboarding usually take?
What key milestones should you expect in the first 30, 60, and 90 days?
A well-structured onboarding should include an initial strategy session, access setup (Google Ads, analytics, CRM), and alignment on key metrics and reporting expectations.
Understanding who will manage your account is critical for a long-term, successful relationship. Ask:
Who will be directly managing your PPC campaigns?
How is their PPC team staffed?
What level of experience do their account managers have?
What is their turnover rate? How often do they replace account managers?
A high staff turnover can lead to inconsistencies in account management, so it’s important to partner with an agency that retains experienced professionals.
10. Request case studies and references
A reputable agency should have a portfolio of successful campaigns. Ask for:
Case studies: Examples of past campaigns, including challenges and results.
References: Client testimonials and contacts for past or current clients.
Look for verifiable success stories that align with your industry and goals.
If possible, reach out to their past clients to gain insight into their experience with the agency.
11. Test with a trial or audit
If you’re unsure about committing, consider starting with a:
Short-term contract: A three-month trial period to assess performance.
PPC audit: Have them audit your existing campaigns and provide recommendations.
An audit should provide a comprehensive analysis of campaign structure, keyword effectiveness, ad performance, and tracking setup.
The agency’s recommendations should be data-driven and actionable.
12. Ensure cultural and goal alignment
Choose an agency that aligns with your company’s values, communication style, and growth objectives. A strong partnership is key to long-term PPC success.
Consider factors like:
Do they understand your brand’s mission and voice?
Are they flexible and open to collaboration?
Do they have a track record of long-term client relationships?
An agency that shares your vision and integrates well with your team will be more effective in achieving your marketing goals.
Evaluating a PPC agency takes time, but choosing the right partner will maximize your advertising investment.
By focusing on experience, strategy, transparency, and results, you’ll be well-equipped to make an informed decision and drive meaningful business growth through paid search and social campaigns.
The right agency does more than manage your PPC campaigns.
They act as an extension of your team, providing expert insights and continuously optimizing for long-term success.
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This guide will help you recognize the warning signs of PPC cannibalization, test its impact, and implement strategies to ensure both channels work together for optimal results.
Signs your PPC campaigns are cannibalizing your SEO rankings
Declining organic click-through rates
If your organic rankings remain stable but CTRs are dropping, your paid ads might be stealing traffic from your organic listings.
This is usually the result of branded or high-ranking keywords being simultaneously targeted in PPC campaigns.
It’s also important to note that additional SERP features, ad placements, and AI-driven search results have contributed to a general decline in organic CTRs across the board.
Increased PPC clicks with no overall traffic growth
If PPC campaigns drive more paid traffic, but total website visits remain unchanged, your ads may be diverting clicks that would have otherwise come from organic search.
Google Analytics 4 (GA4)’s Traffic Acquisition Report makes identifying this issue easier. You can compare period-over-period traffic changes by channel side by side.
Organic conversions declining while paid conversions increase
If paid search conversions are rising but overall conversions remain flat or decline, PPC may be cannibalizing organic conversions rather than expanding your reach.
This is especially common with Performance Max (PMax) campaigns, which often prioritize branded terms for their higher ROI. More on that later.
3 steps to prevent PPC from cannibalizing your SEO
1. Audit PPC and SEO keyword overlap
Not all overlapping PPC and SEO keywords cause cannibalization.
However, to safeguard your top-ranking keywords, exclude them from your PPC campaigns.
To speed up your analysis, filter organic search terms where your website ranks position 4 or below – since most clicks go to pages ranking in positions 1-3.
Additionally, sort search terms by click volume to identify phrases most susceptible to cannibalization.
Then, cross-reference your organic search terms with your Google Ads Search Terms report to pinpoint where you’re paying for traffic you’d otherwise get for free.
2. Use negative keywords to exclude strong SEO performers
If certain terms already perform well organically, you can use negative keywords to prevent them from triggering paid ads.
By applying exact-match negative keywords, you avoid cannibalization while still targeting related peripheral phrases in your ads.
3. Refine brand bidding strategies and implement brand exclusion lists
Bidding on branded terms is often unnecessary since users searching for a brand already intend to visit its website.
Paying for traffic that would otherwise be free is rarely a good investment.
However, PPC brand bidding becomes essential when competitors target your brand.
In such cases, recapturing your brand space is a necessary expense – but fortunately, it’s much cheaper than bidding on a competitor’s brand.
The importance of brand exclusion lists
Brand exclusion lists help prevent wasteful spending on branded queries where organic listings already dominate.
This ensures PPC budgets are focused on non-branded, high-intent searches rather than duplicating organic traffic.
This is especially critical for PMax campaigns, which aim to drive positive ROI, often through low-cost branded visibility with high conversion potential.
One example of branded cannibalization my team identified involved a branded PMax campaign that inadvertently paid for an estimated $500,000 in organic revenue.
Since PMax campaigns receive premium visibility – even in areas where results may not be highly relevant – this campaign bid on nearly every branded term, running unchecked.
A major issue arose when a shopping carousel for the company’s two most-searched branded phrases appeared above all other SERP features.
This pushed the usual search ad lower on the page and forced the organic homepage listing completely out of view without scrolling.
As a result, impressions dropped by 12%, and organic clicks fell by 33%.
If you haven’t yet taken steps to prevent your campaigns from bidding on your brand, make sure to check Google’s guide to brand exclusions.
Benchmark your SEO performance on branded terms before launching PMax campaigns to make identifying cannibalization easier.
Special considerations for Performance Max campaigns and targeting options
PMax campaigns use AI-driven automation to serve ads across Google’s entire inventory, including Search, Display, YouTube, Discover, Gmail, and Maps.
Unlike traditional PPC campaigns, PMax lacks detailed keyword-level control, making it difficult to prevent overlap with organic rankings.
How PMax can cannibalize SEO traffic
Broad matching across multiple channels: PMax may automatically target keywords where your brand already ranks well organically, leading to unnecessary ad spend.
Limited transparency on search terms: Without keyword-level reports, identifying overlap with organic rankings is challenging.
Competing with organic listings: PMax can push organic results further down by occupying both paid search and shopping ad placements.
Use account-level negative keywords: Google now allows negative keywords for PMax – exclude high-performing organic keywords to reduce redundancy.
Optimize asset groups and search themes: If certain categories already perform well organically, ensure PMax focuses on different product lines or services. Since PMax is designed for maximum reach, precise targeting is essential.
Tests to confirm PPC is cannibalizing SEO
Run a PPC pause test: Temporarily pause PPC ad groups or use exact-match negative keywords for strong organic terms. If organic traffic, CTR, and conversions improve, PPC may be cannibalizing SEO.
Compare pre- and post-bid adjustments: Lower PPC bids on high-ranking organic keywords and track shifts in paid and organic performance.
Analyze assisted conversions in Google Analytics: Determine whether PPC ads drive conversions that organic search alone wouldn’t achieve. If not, adjustments may be needed.
Monitor organic CTR changes: Use Google Search Console to analyze CTR fluctuations for top organic keywords before and after PPC campaigns launch.
Aligning PPC and SEO requires careful keyword management and strategic bidding
Reduce ad spend where possible and avoid paying for traffic that would otherwise be free.
For Performance Max campaigns, mitigating SEO cannibalization through negative keywords and refined targeting ensures a balanced approach.
A well-coordinated PPC-SEO strategy improves efficiency and maximizes the value of digital marketing investments.
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After 25 years of working in SEO, I’ve seen firsthand how traditional keyword research methods fail to keep up with Google’s advancements.
In my SMX Next presentation, I challenged SEOs to go beyond outdated keyword methodologies and embrace an intent-driven approach.
Here are six key insights from that session.
1. Traditional keyword research is failing us
Traditional keyword research is no longer enough.
We’ve relied on tools that provide data on competition, search volume, and relevance, but they don’t uncover the hidden context behind searches.
For years, SEOs have prioritized high-volume, low-competition keywords, assuming this would drive results.
While this may have worked for the simpler, lexical-based Google algorithm of the early 2000s, this approach falls short because it ignores search intent.
For example, a keyword like “solar panels” may have high search volume.
But without context, it’s impossible to determine whether users are looking for products, financing options, or general information.
Without understanding intent, marketers risk attracting traffic that never converts.
Today, success depends on moving beyond search volume and focusing on search intent.
The number one way to understand search intent is to study the search engine results pages (SERPs).
Rather than guessing what a keyword means, analyzing what Google is already ranking provides a clear picture of the dominant intent behind a query.
For example, I once worked with an ecommerce company selling biscotti cookies.
Initially, they targeted high-volume keywords like “chocolate biscotti,” expecting strong results.
However, a quick SERP analysis revealed that most top-ranking results were recipes, not product listings.
This indicated that searchers weren’t looking to buy biscotti – they wanted to bake it.
Instead of chasing high-volume terms with mismatched intent, the company shifted its focus to lower-volume keywords with strong purchase intent, ultimately improving conversions.
Blindly following keyword tools without SERP analysis can lead to content that attracts traffic but fails to convert.
The real question isn’t just what keywords people are searching for – it’s why they’re searching.
As Google increasingly prioritizes intent over keywords, SEO strategies must evolve accordingly. A three-step process can help align keyword research with search intent:
Identify target intents
Before diving into keyword research, define 5-6 core search intents that align with business goals. Examples include:
“Compare mortgage rates” (for financial services)
“Best protein powders for weight loss” (for fitness brands)
Filter keywords by intent
Rather than focusing solely on search volume and competition, filter keywords based on clear purchase or action intent.
This approach refines traditional keyword research to focus on what actually drives conversions.
Choose content formats that match intent
Content should match the searcher’s intent, which often requires moving beyond standard blog posts. Some high-performing content formats include:
Comparison articles (“Best budget vs. premium running shoes”)
Niche buying guides (“How to choose an ergonomic office chair”)
Middle-of-the-funnel content – like comparison pages, niche buying guides, and Q&A pages – tends to rank better and convert more effectively than generic blog content.
With AI-driven search results delivering direct answers, traditional educational blog posts are losing traction.
To stay competitive, marketers must create high-value content that serves the searcher’s next step.
Some of the best-performing content types include:
Comparison content (“Best DSLR cameras under $1,000”).
Niche buying guides (“Ultimate guide to ergonomic keyboards”).
6. Use AI wisely, but prioritize customer insights
AI tools are valuable for analyzing SERPs and understanding search intent, but they are not a substitute for real customer insights.
The best way to understand what searchers want is to talk to actual customers. Conversations, chat logs, and feedback from sales teams offer deeper intent insights than AI alone.
For those who don’t have direct access to customers, speaking with sales representatives can be just as effective.
Sales teams repeatedly hear the same customer questions, making them an excellent source of content ideas and keyword strategy insights.
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)
) a Special Ad Category.
