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How to perform an SEO audit (with checklist)

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An SEO audit is a health checkup of your site. It allows you to know what works and what does not, and it allows you to make improvements based on what you find. This can lead to improved performance — both on the search results pages and how visitors engage with your website.

Table of contents

What is an SEO audit?

An SEO audit looks at how well a website performs in search results to find areas that need work. It helps find technical SEO problems, analyze on-page elements, evaluate Core Web Vitals and site speed, and analyze user experience and content quality. An SEO audit also looks at outside variables like backlinks and rival tactics to identify areas for improvement. Making sure your website is optimized for users and search engines can help it rank better and attract more organic traffic.

A helpful guide

An SEO audit checklist

Read on below for the step-by-step process, but here is an SEO audit checklist that will help you get started quickly.

⬜ Crawl your website using Screaming Frog (or similar tools)

⬜ Analyze your site with an SEO tool (e.g., Semrush or Ahrefs)

⬜ Pull reports from Google Analytics and Search Console

⬜ Create a centralized spreadsheet for findings

⬜ Check the user experience (check CTAs, menus, etc)

⬜ Audit website content (duplicate and thin content)

⬜ Optimize internal linking

⬜ Optimize page titles and meta descriptions

⬜ Improve content with proper headings (H1 to H6)

⬜ Ensure the correct use of canonical tags

⬜ Add and validate Schema markup

⬜ Monitor and improve Core Web Vitals

⬜ Improve general site performance

⬜ Improve mobile responsiveness

⬜ Boost user engagement

⬜ Track metrics regularly

⬜ Check Search Console reports

⬜ Schedule regular check-ins

Step 1: Preparing an SEO audit

To make your site audit a success, you must prepare well. You need to collect the right information about your website using SEO tools, understand how to diagnose issues and prioritize fixes.

Crawl your website with Screaming Frog (or something similar)

The first step is crawling your website with crawler software. This helps find technical SEO issues that otherwise wouldn’t be so visible. Screaming Frog is one of the most trusted names in this, but Sitebulb is another highly recommended one. The free version of Screaming Frog crawls 500 URLs, but you can upgrade if needed. 

Crawling your site is easy; simply download and install Screaming Frog. Open the tool and enter your site’s homepage URL. Then, hit Start, and the crawl will run. Once the scan is complete, export the data into a CSV file for further sorting and prioritization.

the seo audit overview of screaming frog showing the export options
Screaming Frog gives you a ton of data that you can export to sheets quickly

What to look for?

Screaming Frog generates a ton of data, so it’s good to prioritize the outcome. Scan for missing, duplicate, or overly long titles and descriptions. Each page should have unique, targeted metadata. Find pages or links that return (404) errors as broken links frustrate users and hurt SEO. Then, identify oversized assets that slow your page load time, such as images, JavaScript, and CSS files. Last but not least, make sure that canonical URLs are properly implemented to avoid duplicate content issues.

Use an all-in-one SEO tool (Semrush or Ahrefs)

In addition to a technical crawl, you can use tools like Semrush or Ahrefs to conduct a detailed SEO audit. These tools provide many insights, including keyword rankings, backlink health, and competitor performance. 

These tools also let you run a site audit, which gives you a technical health score. You’ll find many improvements to make, like pages blocked by robots.txt or issues with internal linking. The tools also review the quality and relevance of your backlinks and give you ideas on how to get high-quality new links. You’ll also get keyword rankings to track how individual pages perform for target keywords. Identify opportunities to refine content or target new search terms.

Download the most important reports and cross-reference them with your Screaming Frog export.

Pull data from Google Analytics and Search Console

Combining all these insights with your site’s user behavior and engagement data will make your SEO audit come alive. It helps you understand how people use your site and how they experience it to pinpoint pages to improve. Export your findings from Google Analytics and Search Console to include in your audit comparisons.

Check the top-performing landing pages in Google Analytics and their engagement rates. Pages with low engagement rates may have poor content or a disconnect between user expectations and page design. Also, look at session duration and exit rates to find pages where people quickly leave your site.

Use the Performance Report in Search Console to see which pages and queries drive the most clicks and impressions. This will also highlight low CTR pages — ranking well but failing to attract searchers. Then, check the Page Indexing Report for crawl errors, warnings, or blocked pages and review the Core Web Vitals Report to find pages failing on speed or usability metrics.

Google Search Console is an essential tool for SEO audits, here we see the perfomance report
Google Search Console is an essential tool for SEO audits

Create a centralized spreadsheet

Once you have all the data, please combine everything in a big spreadsheet. How you set this up is up to you, as everyone uses something different. But you could use something like this:

  • Page URL
  • Technical issues (e.g., broken links, slow load speed)
  • Engagement metrics (e.g., engagement rates, time on page)
  • Keyword rankings
  • Optimization notes (e.g., missing metadata, duplicate content)
  • Priority (High, Medium, Low)

This spreadsheet will guide your fixes throughout the audit process.

Minimal SEO audit (optional)

Not every audit needs to be a deep dive into your site. Sometimes, you don’t have the time but still feel the need to work on your site. In this case, you could do a simpler, quicker health check and evaluate specific regions of your site to see if these perform well. Such a minimal SEO audit is a streamlined version of a full audit to find and fix critical performance issues.

Here’s a basic framework for a quick audit:

  1. Check that your site is indexed by searching site:yourdomain.com in Google.
  2. Run a Google PageSpeed Insights test for slow-loading pages.
  3. Examine the titles and meta descriptions of your most important pages (e.g., homepage, service pages, and key sales pages).
  4. Fix broken links using Screaming Frog or a quick manual check in your navigation.

This lightweight SEO audit still finds high-priority issues without the time commitment of a full review.

Step 2: User experience & content SEO

The next step is to see how people perceive and interact with your site. Look at the user experience and see if you can find things to improve. You can get people to your site by using high-quality content aimed at the right search intent and audience. Not only that, because you want to have them returning. 

Improving the user experience

Do you know if your users can find what they need quickly? If not, they might leave your site quickly. Giving them a good experience will do wonders in the long run. In your SEO audit, start by diagnosing these common UX factors:

Make sure the colors match your branding and are easy to read. Look at contrast, as this is especially important for buttons and links. Make CTAs (like “Buy now” or “Learn more”) stand out visually.

Check if the most important design elements are above the fold. Key messages and CTAs should be visible without scrolling. Think of this as the headline act—it must grab attention immediately. Add customer testimonials, third-party endorsements, and security badges (e.g., SSL or payment protection signs) to build credibility.

Give special attention to your menus. Test menus, drop-downs, and search functions. Breadcrumbs also help users see where they are within the site hierarchy.   

Audit website content

SEO is largely about content, so review its quality and improve where necessary. The Semrush/Ahrefs site audit should have given you many pointers. With this list, start working on the following.

Check the keyword targeting of your content. Make sure that each page represents a primary keyword. Ahrefs and Semrush show which keywords your pages rank for and identify gaps.

Check for duplicate or thin content. Avoid weak, duplicate, or low-value content. Where necessary, merge similar pages into one in-depth article. Provide actionable, valuable content.

Remember Google’s Helpful Content standards. Create content that delivers real value and focuses on user intent. Your content should answer questions with actionable, audience-focused solutions. Last, you demonstrate Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T): Add author bios, cite reliable sources, and link references where necessary to develop expertise and trustworthiness.

Internal linking and related content

SEO is not just about getting users and search engines to your site —it’s also about keeping and showing them around. One of the most powerful ways to do this is through internal linking, so be sure to include this in your SEO audit. 

Check how you link your most important pages, like cornerstone articles or product categories. Your content should have a couple of links based on relevance and importance, but not too many. In addition, you should include a related content section on your pages to encourage further reading.  

Anchor text should include relevant keywords or describe the linked page and try to avoid generic phrases like “click here”. 

An internal search feature is another important aspect of showing people around your site. Make sure that your search bar provides relevant results, especially on large websites. Monitor what people search for to inform your content strategy.

Step 3: General on-page SEO

On-page SEO concerns the technical and content improvements you make on specific pages. This helps search engines understand your pages. It also helps your readers to find what they want. 

Optimize page titles and meta descriptions

Page titles and meta descriptions are the first things a visitor sees in search results. While search engines like to generate these based on relevance, you can still influence how you’d like these to appear for maximum CTR. 

For your page titles, make sure that every page on your site has a unique title. Duplicate titles confuse search engines, which is something you don’t want. And while there’s no limit to how long titles can be in the SERPs, they get cut off visually after a set number of characters. Try to find the sweet spot.

Incorporate your primary keyword close to the beginning of the title, but avoid keyword stuffing. For example, instead of “SEO tips SEO tips SEO tips,” use “10 SEO tips for beginners – Step-by-step guide.” Don’t forget to add your brand name at the end of the title, e.g., “How to do an SEO audit – Your Brand”

For your meta descriptions, make sure that they concisely explain what the page is about. You should also include the primary keyword while making sure the text flows naturally. Don’t forget to encourage action. Incorporate a call-to-action (CTA), such as “Learn more,” “Discover how,” or “Start now.”

Optimize heading structures (H1 to H6)

Headings are excellent tools for structuring and making your content easier to read. They also assist search engines with recognizing how important the information is on each page.

  • Start with one H1: The H1 is the main heading for the webpage, and it should contain your targeted keyword. Each page should have a single H1 tag.
  • Use H2s for major sections: Use H2 tags to break up content into logical sections. Consider these the main subheadings of your article.
  • Add H3s or H4s for subsections: You can have more subsections under H2s if you want to break it down further using H3 or H4 for better structuring.
  • Keep it logical: Don’t skip heading levels (e.g., jumping from H1 to H4) or use headings only for styling.
  • Be descriptive: Write headings describing the section’s content. For example, instead of “Step 1,” use “Step 1: Analyze your traffic metrics.”
WordPress has a handy feature to check the heading structure of your articles

Ensure proper use of canonical tags

Canonical tags show a search engine which version of a page to prioritize when duplicates or near-duplicates of the same page are available on your site. This is especially important for online stores, as these have many variations of the same products due to filtering or session-based URLs. 

You should always choose one canonical version for a page. For example, if both https://example.com and https://www.example.com exist, set one canonical URL to prevent duplicate content issues. Don’t forget to add the canonical tag in each page’s HTML <head> section and be consistent in your internal linking. For instance, always link to one version of the URL rather than switching between http and https.

Regularly check for issues using Screaming Frog or Semrush to find pages missing canonical tags or ones with conflicting canonicals.

Add and test schema markup

Structured data in the form of Schema markup helps make your site more understandable for search engines. The code you add to your site helps structure and identify your content in a way that search engines can easily consume. In some cases, this can even lead to highlighted search results, for instance, for products or ratings and reviews. 

Yoast SEO drastically simplifies adding schema for WordPress, WooCommerce and Shopify users. The SEO plugin outputs JSON-LD (the format preferred by Google) to add schema markup directly to your page’s HTML.

There are many options for adding Schema, but you should start with the basics and things relevant to your site. For instance, you should use the Article schema for articles and blog posts and highlight publication dates, images, authors, and headlines. 

Ecommerce businesses should use Product structured data. This data should highlight pricing, stock availability, ratings, and reviews. If it makes sense, you can also markup your FAQ pages, which will no longer be highlighted in Google’s SERPs.

There are many other options, so you must check what makes sense for your situation. For instance, if you run a recipe site, you can add Recipe structured data, or if you publish events on your site, use Events. 

Don’t forget to test your structured data. Use Google’s Rich Results Test Tool to check if your structured data is correct and valid. Also, check Search Console for errors under the “Enhancements” tab.

the google rich results test shows seven valid items for rich results
Yoast SEO makes it easy to add essential structured data

Audit and improve your backlinks

Backlinks are as important as ever. Every link from a relevant, high-quality source counts towards your authority. These links prove to search engines that your content is valuable and meaningful. Of course, there’s a ton of spamming happening with links.

You can use tools like Moz, Ahrefs, or Semrush to audit your backlink profile. The results show a list of spammy backlinks and links from irrelevant websites with low authority. If spammy websites link to you, there’s an option in Google Search Console to disavow these links. This is only needed in very rare cases, though. Only disavow links you’re sure are harmful — this is a last resort for low-quality links you cannot get removed manually.

It’s more important to focus on earning high-quality backlinks. Create shareable, high-value content like guides, research, or infographics while building relationships with related websites, bloggers, or journalists for natural backlink opportunities.

Step 4: Site speed and engagement

Check your site performance, as site speed and user engagement greatly impact success. Pages that load slowly are annoying for users and can give you a poor score in the eyes of search engines. Low engagement rates can hurt your results, as users might stop visiting your site.

Understanding and improving Core Web Vitals

To underscore the importance of performance, Google launched the Core Web Vitals. These metrics help site owners gain insights into how their sites perform in real life and get tips on improving those scores. The metrics focus on loading times, interactivity and stability. Together, these determine how enjoyable users find your site. 

LCP measures how long your largest asset loads

The Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) measures how long it takes for the largest visible element on the screen (usually an image, video, or headline) to render fully. If performance is bad, you can improve this by optimizing images by compressing them without sacrificing quality. You can use modern file formats like WebP for faster performance and minimize render-blocking resources like heavy CSS or JavaScript files. Defer unnecessary scripts and prioritize above-the-fold content.

INP measures interactivity 

Interaction to Next Paint (INP): INP is the new Core Web Vitals metric from Google that tracks how quickly your site responds to user input clicks, taps, and keystrokes. While FID only reported on the delay for the first interaction, INP evaluates all interactivity events for the session. This ensures a fuller score.

You can improve your performance by minimizing JavaScript execution. Use Screaming Frog or PageSpeed Insights to flag heavy scripts and defer or remove non-critical JavaScript. Use browser caching to cache JavaScript and other assets so they don’t reload unnecessarily and reduce reliance on third-party scripts. You can offload heavy tasks to web workers to free up the main thread and process user interactions faster.

CLS measures stability

Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) measures the stability of a webpage’s visual layout. It checks if the content moves unexpectedly as the page loads (e.g. when an image loads late and pushes buttons elsewhere on the screen).

You can improve this by specifying dimensions (width and height) for all images and videos in your HTML/CSS. This prevents the browser from guessing dimensions and rearranging content. Avoid inserting ads, banners, or other dynamic elements above the fold after loading content. Please preload important assets like fonts or images to ensure they appear quickly and predictably.

Site speed optimization beyond Core Web Vitals

Core Web Vitals should be a main focus, but there are other strategies to implement to improve site speed and page experience. Faster websites equal user satisfaction, reduce bounce rates and make your audience more likely to stick around in the future. 

Start reducing the number of HTTP requests for a faster site. Combine CSS and JavaScript files where practical, or use modern HTTP/3 protocols, allowing browsers to send out multiple requests simultaneously. Also, unused CSS and JavaScript should be eliminated to reduce file sizes and speed up load times. File compression can be used via Gzip or Brotli to compress the assets before serving them to the user. Compressed files load faster without losing quality; most hosting providers or web servers can help you set this up. Tools like Google Lighthouse can also alert you if compression is missing.

Implement lazy loading for images and videos so that only visible content loads immediately while other assets load as needed. WordPress users can easily use plugins like Smush or Lazy Load by WP Rocket to achieve this, or custom JavaScript libraries like lazysizes work on other platforms. Distribute your site’s static assets with a Content Delivery Network (CDN), which delivers files from servers closest to users, improving global load speeds. Popular CDN providers include Cloudflare, Akamai, and Amazon CloudFront. Finally, performance analysis tools such as Google Lighthouse, GTmetrix, or Pingdom analyze bottlenecks, track progress, and ensure your efforts work.

Google's PageSpeed Insights is one of the best tools for an seo audit
Google’s PageSpeed Insights is one of the best tools to understand your site’s real-life performance

Improving mobile performance and responsiveness

Mobile is everything these days. For most websites, this means that most of the traffic will be coming from mobile devices. Search engines like Google consider the quality of your mobile site when ranking your content, so being mobile-friendly should always be on the tip of your tongue.

Run various mobile tests to see how your site performs on phones and tablets. Look for layout issues, problems with interactive elements, or slow-loading pages or assets. Check if your responsive web design works properly so your site dynamically adapts to all device sizes. Also, ensure your CTAs are mobile-friendly, and your forms are accessible from mobile devices. 

Increasing user engagement on your site

Faster pages keep users on your website, but engagement ensures they take meaningful actions. Thanks to better site performance, you’ll get higher engagement rates, which results in better conversions, newsletter signups, product purchases, and more.

Simplify your site’s navigation to make it easy for users to find what they need. Use clear menus with logical structures, such as categories and subcategories, and add breadcrumbs to show users where they are within the site. Dropdown menus should be intuitive, and internal search bars must return accurate, relevant results quickly. Additionally, ensure key Call-to-Actions (CTAs), like “Sign Up” or “Request a Quote,” are prominently placed above the fold or immediately following key content sections. Use descriptive, action-oriented language in your CTAs to make them more compelling and clickable.

Encourage users to explore your site more with internal links and related content suggestions. Add social sharing buttons to blog posts, infographics, or product pages to make it easy for users to share content on platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, or X. If using popups or exit-intent offers (e.g., subscription prompts or discounts), ensure they are thoughtfully designed and minimally intrusive. Poorly timed or aggressive popups risk driving users away, so aim to balance engagement with user experience.

Tools for site speed and engagement improvements

To help optimize, you can utilize Google Lighthouse, which will show you how your Core Web Vitals performs overall, and GTmetrix, which goes in-depth and gives actionable recommendations on improving page speed results.

Hotjar offers insights into where users click, how they scroll, and how they behave overall. WP Rocket is for WordPress users looking to automate technical processes such as caching, lazy loading, and database optimization. Various WordPress plugins add customizable social share buttons to enhance content sharing, making it easier for visitors to share your posts on their favorite platforms.

Step 5: Monitoring and tracking results

SEO is a colossal effort; the process does not end there once that initial effort is made. You must monitor your actions to determine whether those changes work as intended. Regular monitoring is also a great opportunity to find improvements and better calibrate your SEO strategy. Regular monitoring helps you improve your site, adjust to the latest algorithm updates, and retain the course.

Why monitor results?

By tracking results, you can measure the impact of your audit (e.g., increased rankings, traffic, and engagement). It’ll also help spot new issues like broken links, slow pages, or dropped rankings. This will ultimately help you improve your strategy by identifying what’s driving results and where to focus next.

SEO is not something you do in a month or so. It takes time, and you might see the results in many months. Consistently track and analyze.

Metrics to track

Start by looking at traffic metrics. Organic traffic shows how many users find your site through search engines, which you can monitor in Google Analytics under Acquisition > Organic Search. Check referral traffic to see if other backlinks are sending visitors to your site. This data shows how effective your SEO and link-building work is.

Next, evaluate engagement and search performance. Metrics like engagement rates and time on page help you understand how users interact with your content. On the search side, track keyword rankings with tools like Wincher, Ahrefs, or Semrush to see how well your pages are doing in the SERPs.

Use Google Search Console to monitor your CTR and check for indexing issues in the Coverage Report. Make sure that your most important pages are indexed. Monitor loading speed, interactivity, and layout stability in tools like PageSpeed Insights.

Schedule regular check-ins

You need to make monitoring results a regular thing. Review rankings, CTR, and new crawl errors weekly. Each month, check traffic trends, user behavior, and fixes made during the audit. Every quarter, you should run a fresh crawl with Screaming Frog, check competitor performance, and update old pages based on new opportunities.

Conclusion on doing SEO audits

Following these steps will help perform an SEO audit,  from preparing your data to addressing user experience and technical SEO improvements. Make sure each fix you aim to do aligns with your goals and strategy. Auditing regularly keeps your site running at its best and ready to rank in search results.

The post How to perform an SEO audit (with checklist) appeared first on Yoast.

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Google Display & Video 360 API gets major update

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The future of paid search: 3 predictions for Google Ads in 2025

Google announced the public beta of Display & Video 360 API v4 last week, alongside significant updates to v3.

Key changes in v4.

  • Mandatory optimization objective field for new insertion orders
  • Removal of Campaign and InsertionOrder resource targeting management
  • Renaming of FirstAndThirdPartyAudience to FirstPartyAndPartnerAudience

Additional features in v3 and v4.

  • Asset-based creative support
  • Integral Ad Science quality sync integration
  • Expanded geographic region targeting options

Why we care. The beta release of Display & Video 360 API v4 and new v3 features gives advertisers enhanced capabilities for programmatic advertising management.

Between the lines. The mandatory optimization objective requirement suggests Google is pushing for more structured and purposeful campaign setups.

What to watch. Google warns that v4 may undergo breaking changes during the beta period, with updates documented in release notes.

Bottom line. Advertisers need to update their client libraries to access new features and should consider following Google’s migration guide when moving to v4.

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Why you need humans, not just AI, to run great SEO campaigns

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Why you need humans, not just AI, to run great SEO campaigns

“Why can’t we just use AI to do it?”

Whether you’re on the brand or agency side of SEO, I’m guessing you’ve heard some version of this from an exec or a client with little knowledge of AI tools, SEO principles, or both.

I’ve been asked that question multiple times because the other party saw or heard about modest success from LLM-generated content that got some clicks and impressions.

My answer: because thousands of LLM-produced pieces of content do not a successful SEO program make. 

This article dives into the human and AI roles in today’s SEO landscape, including:

  • What people are getting wrong about AI and content.
  • What AI can and can’t do for SEO campaigns.
  • What an expert can tackle with AI tools.
  • The North Star of 2025 SEO (as I see it) and why you need humans to reach it.

(Note: No LLMs were used to write this article.)

What people are getting wrong about AI and content

When people ask, “Can we just have AI write 1,000 blog posts?,” they assume there’s a linear progression. 

For instance, if a blog post gets 100 visits/month, won’t 1,000 blog posts get 100,000 visits? 

  • No, that’s not the way SEO works. It’s not a linear discipline. 
  • More importantly, that approach means you’re just putting crap out there. You’re essentially using AI to build your own content farm of stale, repetitive language. 

There’s no value for the user or positive affinity for the brand.

Now, you could use AI tools and strategic prompts to quickly create a solid base for a piece of content, then apply human editing and a unique POV. 

In most cases, that’s faster than the content process was before AI, and it’ll produce much better content than 1,000 LLM-produced pieces, but it still requires human input.

In short, forget about spamming Google with a ton of poor LLM content. Your users won’t read it, and ultimately, it won’t do anything beyond maybe inflating your vanity metrics. 

And, crucially, Google won’t like it.

Whenever Google deals with an explosion of people doing the same (easy) thing to game the system, you want to zig while others are zagging. 

Don’t be part of the problem that triggers – and gets wiped out by – a huge algo update.

Dig deeper: 3 ways to use AI for SEO wins in 2025

What AI can and can’t do for SEO campaigns

Along with being unable to produce differentiated content, AI is being asked to do things like “come up with keywords” or “do internal links” on its own. 

If you’re just having AI look at your site and update links without careful QA, you’ll just end up with a lot of crappy internal links. 

It’s the same thing with keywords: you might get a huge list, but lots of them will have low volume, be barely relevant, or be straight-up garbage.

Anytime someone says, “Let’s just use AI for [task],” try it once, gauge the output and the time needed to bring it up to anything resembling human baseline, and you’ll have a more nuanced answer.

On the other hand, there are a few proven use cases for AI in SEO – and while they still involve human input, they’re big time-savers that free up the experts to address more strategic initiatives.

For instance, if you have good source data and/or good, well-substantiated original thoughts, AI is great for remixing them into something organized and usable. 

Let’s say you conduct a thorough interview with a solutions engineer. AI can highlight, categorize, and synthesize the most salient parts of the interview, leaving you to QA the output and layer in your own voice. 

Not only does this save you time, it helps surface patterns in big data sets that you might never have spotted on your own – or at least nowhere near as quickly.

Dig deeper: How to optimize your 2025 content strategy for AI-powered SERPs and LLMs

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What an expert can tackle with AI tools

If you approach AI tools with the right expectations, they can be incredibly powerful. 

I often use it for technical content like briefs and concepts – but as part of the drafting process. Draft 0.5 (we’re not talking 1.0) is a ChatGPT remix for me. 

That said, non-technical people using LLMs to help establish a base for technical content is fine, but even after you make it sound good, you still need an expert in the field to review the end product for fact and substance.

As mentioned, AI tools can be great for synthesizing large data sets and producing trend and sentiment analyses. 

If you’ve got a list of keywords, it’s a good practice to ask AI to come up with additional keywords. 

I also like using it for title tag and headline options. 

I’ll write one good headline with a character limit and a target persona and ask an LLM to riff on that version.

Instead of painstakingly writing five, I’ll write one really good one, use an LLM to produce a few more, and let the client choose.

So, sometimes AI is a great starting point, and sometimes it’s a great second step.

It depends on the scenario, and it takes practice to understand where its power is most effectively leveraged. 

But the answer is rarely to let AI run wild and consider the output final.

Dig deeper: 15 AI tools you should use for SEO

Why you need humans to reach the SEO pinnacle in 2025

If we can agree that SEO’s ultimate goal should be to drive down-funnel results like pipeline and sales, I’d like to offer what I see as the best way to get there in 2025: become the primary source for Google and LLMs to cite. 

Use proprietary data and establish a unique POV for your brand, and own the topic by understanding everything the user needs to learn related to the primary keyword (or conversational question).

Becoming a primary reference is fundamentally incompatible with LLMs and AI, which are by nature derivative. (In other words, you can’t be the source by pulling from the source.) 

LLMs and AI, at this point, don’t produce anything new or unique, which is what users crave – hence the rise of TikTok and Reddit search juxtaposed with the emergence of LLM search. 

That means you need human input to truly stand out and engage users by being a trusted reference on Google or LLMs.

Smart SEO uses AI – but still needs people to win

The other day, a colleague asked me what kind of AI tool I wish someone would build for SEO. 

My answer, which is completely wishful thinking, was a tool that would show me a network of connected ideas that haven’t been written about. A content gap analyzer of sorts that identifies what people aren’t saying. 

Given the nature of AI and the way it sources material, though, I think that’s inherently impossible (how can you source a negative?) – at least for now. 

At the rate AI tools are being developed, it’s worth monitoring. 

We’ll be surprised at the use cases that get addressed in the next year alone. 

I’m also guessing that no matter how good the tool, humans will always be needed to operate it. 

Dig deeper: AI can’t write this: 10 ways to AI-proof your content for years to come

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How to find your next PPC agency: 12 top tips

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How to evaluate your next PPC agency

With so many PPC agencies claiming to be experts, how do you separate true performers from the ones who just talk a good game? 

This guide walks you through a no-nonsense evaluation process to find an agency that delivers real results.

1. Define your goals first

Before reaching out to agencies, have a clear understanding of what you want to achieve with PPC. 

Are you looking for lead generation, ecommerce sales, local service inquiries, or brand awareness? 

Knowing your objectives will help you ask the right questions and assess whether an agency is a good fit.

Also, factor in your budget constraints and expected ROI. 

A good agency should work within your financial limits while setting realistic performance expectations.

Dig deeper: How to set and manage PPC expectations for teams and stakeholders

2. Assess their industry experience

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.

Dig deeper: How to approach weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual PPC reporting

5. Understand their pricing model

PPC agencies use different pricing structures, and understanding them is key to making a cost-effective decision. 

Common models include:

  • Percentage of ad spend: Typically 10-20% of your monthly budget. Good for scaling but can lead to overspending if not managed properly.
  • Flat monthly fee: A predictable expense, but ensure they have clear deliverables.
  • Performance-based: Payment is based on lead volume or ROAS. This can align incentives but may not work for all businesses.
  • Hybrid model: A combination of the above.

Ask about additional costs for services like ad creative development, landing page optimization, or advanced analytics to avoid unexpected fees.

6. Check for red flags

Be cautious of agencies that exhibit the following warning signs:

  • Guaranteed results: No agency can guarantee specific PPC results.
  • Lack of transparency: You should have access to your ad accounts and full visibility into performance.
  • Cookie-cutter strategies: Every business is unique. Beware of agencies that use the same approach for all clients.
  • No focus on tracking: They aren’t serious about results if they don’t emphasize accurate tracking and reporting.

Additionally, be wary of agencies that avoid discussing long-term strategies or only focus on short-term wins without considering sustainable growth.

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7. Evaluate their client communication and support

Great PPC management requires ongoing communication. Ask:

  • How often will we have meetings?
  • Who will be our main point of contact?
  • How quickly do they respond to emails or support requests?
  • Will we receive proactive recommendations, or need to ask for updates?

Also, evaluate their level of customer support. 

An agency that prioritizes proactive communication and offers dedicated account managers can be more effective in optimizing your campaigns.

Dig deeper: 8 tips to craft clear and impactful client communication

8. Understand their onboarding process

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.

Dig deeper: Client onboarding and offboarding: The PPC agency’s guide

9. Assess their team structure and stability

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.

Dig deeper: 4 tips to build a data-centric culture in your agency

Final thoughts

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.

Dig deeper: 5 essential PPC skills every agency pro must have

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From search to AI agents: The future of digital experiences

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From search to AI agents- The future of digital experiences

We rely on search engines to find information every day, but what if there was a better way? 

Instead of manually gathering details from multiple sources, AI agents can do the heavy lifting for you. 

They don’t just retrieve information. They analyze, organize, and personalize it in real time.

This article explores:

  • How AI agents help businesses create more personalized customer experiences.
  • The key components and frameworks behind AI-powered agents.
  • How multi-agent systems can collaborate to solve complex tasks.

From information retrieval to intelligent problem-solving

AI agents represent a fundamental shift in how we interact with AI. 

As brands, we are moving beyond passive information retrieval – a slow process of manually collecting data from various websites – to active problem-solving, where multimodal data seamlessly adapts to a preferred interface in real time.

Imagine a world where multiple independent AI agents collaborate to complete complex workflows. 

Industry experts anticipate significant transformation due to AI agents. Here’s what they have to say:

  • Satya Nadella: AI agents will proactively anticipate user needs and assist seamlessly.
  • Bill Gates: AI agents are driving the most significant software transformation since graphical user interfaces.
  • Jensen Huang: IT departments are managing AI agents the way human resources manage employees.
  • Jeff Bezos: AI agents act as digital copilots, enhancing daily interactions.
  • Gartner: Search engine volume will decline by 25% by 2026 as AI chatbots and virtual agents revolutionize customer interactions.

Today, brands have a significant opportunity to leverage AI agents as intelligent virtual teammates, enabling businesses to deliver hyper-personalized experiences.

As AI agents and technology evolve, we are moving away from the time-consuming effort of manually gathering information. 

In the future, AI agents will interact with one another, collect relevant data, organize it to match user preferences, and deliver it seamlessly – creating a faster and more efficient experience.

ai-agents-impact-on-humans.

Dig deeper: Mastering AI and marketing: A beginner’s guide

To understand how AI agents deliver these intelligent, real-time experiences, we need to break down their core components. 

Let’s explore the anatomy of AI agents and how each layer contributes to their functionality.

Anatomy of AI agents 

AI agents are designed to enhance the capabilities of LLMs by incorporating additional functionalities. 

Agents have four layers:

  • Foundation layer.
  • Application layer.
  • Management layer.
  • Data layer. 
anatomy-of-an-agent

An AI agent typically consists of the following components:

  • Memory: Stores past interactions and feedback to provide contextually relevant responses. Memory resides in the data layer.
  • Tools/Platform: Retrieves real-time data and interacts with internal databases. The chosen tools and platforms are part of the application layer.
  • Planning: Uses reasoning techniques to break down complex tasks into simpler steps.
  • Actions: Executes tasks based on insights from LLMs and other sources.
  • Critique: Provides a feedback loop for actions based on different use cases to ensure accuracy.
  • Persona: Adapts to different roles, such as research assistant, content writer, or customer support agent.

Planning, actions, critique, and persona identification occur in the management layer.

Frameworks for building AI agents

There are many frameworks available for building AI agents and multi-agent systems, each catering to a different need:

  • AutoGen (Microsoft): Focuses on conversational AI and automation.
  • CrewAI: Designed for role-playing agents that collaborate effectively.
  • LangGraph: Structures agent interactions in a graph-based model.
  • Swarm (OpenAI): Primarily for educational purposes.
  • LangChain: A popular framework enabling AI agents to work with LLMs and other tools.

Each platform offers unique advantages based on the task’s use case, scalability, and complexity.

Multi-agent AI systems and their importance

multi-agent-application-examples

A multi-agent system consists of multiple AI agents working seamlessly, each performing a distinct function to collaboratively solve problems.

These systems are particularly useful for handling complex scenarios where a single AI agent might struggle. 

Below is a simple example of a multi-agent system:

  • Query processing agent: Breaks the question into multiple parts.
  • Retrieval agent: Fetches relevant data from internal sources.
  • Validation agent: Verifies the response against various parameters such as brand voice and query intent.
  • Formatting agent: Structures the response appropriately.

This structured approach to distributing responsibilities among agents ensures more accurate and intelligent responses while reducing errors.

Before exploring how AI agents deliver real-time personalization, let’s look at why traditional methods are no longer enough.

Dig deeper: AI optimization: How to optimize your content for AI search and agents

Why AI-powered personalization is essential

As data availability declines and user expectations rise, businesses can no longer rely on traditional methods to understand customer intent. 

The shift away from third-party cookies, the rise of zero-click content, and the demand for real-time, tailored experiences have made AI-driven personalization a necessity.

AI enables businesses to analyze behavior, predict intent, and deliver dynamic, personalized experiences at scale – from search and social to email and on-site interactions. 

Unlike static personalization, AI adapts in real time, ensuring relevance across every customer touchpoint.

With traditional strategies losing effectiveness, AI agents offer a smarter, more scalable way to engage and convert audiences.

Dig deeper: How to boost your marketing revenue with personalization, connectivity and data

Delivering personalized experiences with search and chat agents

Modern websites are no longer one-size-fits-all. They provide immersive experiences tailored to each visitor’s intent. 

AI agents enable this through two key approaches:

Search agents 

Traditional site searches relied on keywords and filters, which have limitations with multimodal searches (like voice or visual) and long-tail queries. 

They also require more user clicks, increasing the likelihood of search abandonment. 

AI-powered search agents overcome these challenges by delivering a more intuitive and efficient on-site search experience.

Chat agents

Early AI chatbots responded using pre-programmed scripts or existing website content. 

Today, advanced chat agents offer personalized experiences using audience data. They can:

  • Build detailed user profiles.
  • Understand user intent by analyzing historical interactions and purchase data.
  • Learn from similar interactions to ask relevant follow-up questions.
  • Adapt on-site experiences in real time based on user behavior.
  • Inform cross-channel marketing strategies – such as email, social, paid, and retargeting – using insights gathered from user interactions.

AI agents also offer industry-specific personalization. Brands can implement:

  • Digital marketing automation agents.
  • Customer support chat agents.
  • Specialized solutions, like:
    • Financial risk assessment agents.
    • Automotive inventory management agents.

Personalize or perish

Many businesses still view personalization as optional. 

In reality, without personalized experiences, traffic and conversions will decline, leading to higher marketing costs and lower ROI as more spending is needed to attract, engage, and convert visitors. 

To improve efficiency, AI-powered personalization offers a scalable, intelligent, and adaptive solution.

Dig deeper: Hyper-personalization in PPC: Using data to deliver tailored ad experiences

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How to Leverage Snowflake and OneTrust for Consent Management at Scale by Snowflake

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Join experts from OneTrust and Snowflake for an exclusive look into how modern organizations are integrating privacy and consent management into their data ecosystem. In this session, Snowflake and OneTrust will share real-world use cases and insights into how organizations are activating consent for marketing purposes, all while streamlining compliance at scale.

Tune in on March 4 to learn about:

  • The intersections between consent, privacy, and data governance
  • How enterprise brands integrate privacy and consent management with Snowflake
  • OneTrust’s new Native App for accelerating compliance workflows within Snowflake

This session is perfect for marketers, data governance professionals, and anyone looking to improve their data privacy practices with real-world examples. Here is the link to learn more and register >>

The Details

Webinar:
How Privacy-First Marketers Leverage OneTrust and Snowflake for Consent Management at Scale

Date: March 4, 2025
Time: 10 am PT / 1 pm ET

Link to register: Here!

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Why traditional keyword research is failing and how to fix it with search intent

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Why traditional keyword research is failing (and how to fix it with search intent)

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.

Dig deeper: How to optimize for search intent: 19 practical tips

2. Google is an AI search engine

Google isn’t one monolithic AI algorithm – it’s a collection of AI systems working together to:

  • Understand queries.
  • Classify content.
  • Deliver the best results.

Here’s what’s changed:

  • Google has improved its understanding of keywords and content.
  • There is a strong emphasis on user experience, with Google prioritizing content that is easy for users to consume.
  • Google ranks pages based on relevance to intent, even if the exact keywords are missing.

For SEOs, this means that content must align with search intent – not just keywords. 

Well-structured, high-value content that directly addresses users’ questions will outperform pages optimized solely for keyword density.

Dig deeper: Content mapping: Who, what, where, when, why and how

3. The best way to uncover intent? Read the SERPs

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.

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4. Prioritize search intent over keywords

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”)
  • Interactive tools (e.g., mortgage calculators, pricing estimators)

By aligning keywords with intent and content formats, SEOs can dramatically improve engagement and conversion rates.

Dig deeper: Rethinking your keyword strategy: Why optimizing for search intent matters

5. Invest in content formats that convert better

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”).
  • Interactive tools (e.g., ROI calculators, pricing estimators).
  • Video-first content, which improves engagement and differentiation.

Shifting to intent-driven content formats can significantly boost both rankings and conversions.

Dig deeper: Writing people-first content: A process and template

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.

Dig deeper: How to optimize your 2025 content strategy for AI-powered SERPs and LLMs

[Watch] Next-generation SEO keyword research: Shift from traffic to search intent

Want to take your SEO strategy to the next level? Watch my full SMX Next 2024 session here.

Read more at Read More

Content marketing in 2025: 6 strategies you can’t ignore

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Content marketing in 2025: 6 strategies you can't ignore

As marketers, we love to explore emerging strategies and trends to stay ahead of the curve.

However, what’s relevant and effective is always changing, despite countless case studies and think-pieces predicting the next big trend.

Content marketing, in particular, is highly susceptible to speculation and testing because it is fluid and heavily influenced by consumers’ behaviors and interests at any given moment. 

This makes it interesting, innovative and challenging.

So, what are the predictions for content marketing in 2025? Let’s dive in.

1. Spark inspiration with ‘visionary’ content

Robert Rose recently covered an emerging trend – visionary content.

Inspired by Matthew McConaughey’s TED Talk, where the actor shares his sources of motivation and inspiration, Rose relates these themes to the content.

Specifically, that content should not only appeal to the needs of one’s target audience but inspire, by giving them:

  • Something to look up to.
  • Something to look forward to.
  • A (common) hero to chase.

Whereas much recent content has focused on addressing consumers’ challenges and pain points, visionary content is more aspirational, future-thinking, and goal-oriented. 

It provides users with a vision of the future, an appetite for new ideas, and a call to look beyond their current condition. 

In Rose’s words, visionary content “lights the spark of inspiration.” For example, this could be: 

  • A sustainability brand sharing its vision of a zero-waste future.
  • A financial service company talking about the benefits of decentralized finance and what that might mean for society.

Visionary content allows brands to shape industry conversions rather than react to them. 

It helps nurture a loyal and engaged audience that looks to the brand for innovation, inspiration, and guidance. 

For brands looking to capitalize on visionary content, this means creating content that’s future-thinking, often conceptual and gives users a vision of what’s possible. 

2. Leverage short-form video for maximum reach

Short-form video formats like Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts are nothing new, but their prevalence and importance are expected to ramp up in 2025. 

This is due in no small part to the “fast-paced nature of online consumption,” as highlighted by Forbes. 

Today’s users consume content at a rapid pace, looking for digestible information that’s easy to watch and even easier to share. 

Delivering value in bite-sized videos has allowed brands to reach more eyes in less time and increase the virality of their content. 

An economical way to create more short-form videos at scale is to repurpose long-form videos into soundbites. 

This often involves creating videos for YouTube (where there is evergreen, organic value) and then circulating shorter clips via Shorts, Reels, TikTok, etc.

Industry disruptor Gary Vee is a prime example of this, as he routinely publishes long YouTube videos, cuts clips of these videos, and reposts them on social media. 

If you manage multi-channel campaigns for clients, you can leverage a similar approach without creating unique, short-form videos.

From scriptwriters to video editing software, AI tools will make it easier for brands to generate short video content at scale.  

Dig deeper: The future of SEO content is video – here’s why

3. Optimize content for large language models (LLMs)

Until recently, SEO largely focused on optimizing for search engines like Google. 

However, with the emergence of large language models (LLMs), there’s more “digital real estate” to optimize and maximize organic traffic. 

This shift has given rise to LLM SEO, which focuses on enhancing content visibility and ranking within AI-driven search engines.

The results of LLM SEO mechanics can be seen when you conduct a Google Search and Google Gemini (Google’s AI model) surfaces summarized results. 

These results are pulled from websites that may be purposely (or inadvertently) utilizing LLM SEO.

What does that mean for you?

In addition to traditional SEO efforts, it may be beneficial to deploy LLM-specific strategies. 

While this area of marketing is still in its infancy, some strategies that have emerged include:

  • Implementing structured data markup in website content to help search engines and LLMs better “read” and interpret the information.
  • Incorporating contextual “cues”, via keywords (focus on semantic relevance and authoritativeness), in your content for LLMs to better understand what your content is about and how it relates to a user’s search. 
  • Consistently citing relevant and reputable sources via links, with up-to-date information from legitimate publications. This can increase the “trust” factor in SEO, making it more likely that LLMs will assess your content as reputable. 

Stay attuned to developments in LLM SEO to maximize your content’s ranking and traffic potential.

Dig deeper: Decoding LLMs: How to be visible in generative AI search results 

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4. Build high-performance content teams

The true power of content performance lies in the team. 

Without passionate and experienced people driving the strategy, even the best tactics can fall flat. 

People bring everything together – from conceptualization to execution to measurement and improvement.

Marketers rated having “high-performing team members” as the second leading factor in their content marketing success (second only to “understanding [one’s] audience”), per CMI’s recent report.

CMI survey on content marketing success

The same study reported that 86% of marketers have a dedicated content marketing team or staff person.

Building the right content team is a top priority for marketers and brands heading into 2025. 

Over-reliance on automation, tools, or contracted writers can lead to a fragmented strategy.

It’s essential to have someone steering the content’s focus, goals, and priorities.

What should you be looking for when it comes to building a team?

For one, diversity of experience. 

Look for team members who bring diverse skills, from SEO to copywriting to social media marketing, and can apply this experience to develop a robust content marketing plan.

Additionally, seek out team members who are collaborative and encouraging. 

You will want a content team that feels empowered to share new ideas, support each other, and stay attuned to emerging trends in your space. 

5. Apply psychological concepts to content

Personality psychology has many applications in content creation and marketing. 

By understanding key psychological principles, you can tailor messaging to better meet the needs of specific consumer profiles.

The study of personality types can help predict user motives, understand behavior, and craft more effective messaging. 

This leads to content that resonates more deeply with target audiences, boosting engagement and driving conversions.

In 2025, I expect psychology to play a bigger role in marketing, from analyzing Google search behavior to crafting compelling stories and influencing user actions. 

Explore psychological insights to better understand how users navigate the web and make purchasing decisions – and how to apply this knowledge to content marketing.

Dig deeper: Content creation: A psychological approach

6. Differentiate your brand by balancing AI and human content

AI-generated content has been a hot and controversial topic in recent years.

You’ll find countless technologies that leverage AI-driven algorithms and concepts, expanding across sectors like SaaS, data analytics, and SEO. 

Meanwhile, content purists remain resistant to AI-generated videos, art, blog posts, and more.

And then there’s everyone else in between.

Amid these polarized views, a growing trend is resistance to AI-generated content. 

Some consumers are put off – or even jaded – by AI content that lacks originality, personality, and authenticity. 

Conduct a casual search for conversations around AI, and you’ll find many articles and posts demonstrating the same. 

One report found that half of consumers see the use of AI as a “turnoff.”

AI-assisted content creation isn’t going away. It has its place. 

However, rejecting it could become a competitive differentiator for brands. 

Some may take an ethical stance against AI – promising never to use AI-generated content – which could resonate with audiences who prefer human-created work. 

For example, Dove has stated that they will never use AI to represent human bodies in their ads.

Each brand must decide if this stance aligns with their goals and values, as neither choice is inherently better. 

However, given the ongoing debate, more brands are likely to take a stand on AI content soon.

While these trends are not set in stone, there are clear signs they will be relevant in 2025. Only time will tell how they will unfold. 

Stay curious, keep testing, and listen to real-world conversations – often, the best insights come from the people we aim to serve.

Read more at Read More

Choosing the right platform for your business website

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Every business needs an online presence. Building a business website could be one of your most important decisions. But after that decision comes another question: Which platform should you choose to build your business site on? This depends on what kind of website you need, your resources, and your expertise.

Table of contents

Define your website’s purpose

Before proceeding, begin by describing your website’s goal. What does your website need to do? Do you need an online store, a simple way to present your company, a blog, or a portfolio? Your main goal should influence the rest of your choices and help you find a platform with the features you need.

If you run an ecommerce site, you’ll need great shopping cart functionality, secure payment options, and features to manage your inventory. If you focus on blogging or need a portfolio site, you’ll probably want good content management options, a flexible design, and ease of use. Once you understand your needs, you can narrow down the list of platforms.

Thinking deeply about the purpose of your website can also help you plan for the future. If you think you’ll expand the site with more products or a wider range of services, choosing a platform that can scale and evolve with your business might be a good idea. 

Do you have technical expertise and resources?

One of the most important questions to answer when deciding on a platform for your business website is whether you have technical knowledge. Some of the website builders available right now have an easy-to-use interface that requires little to no coding skills. Some even use AI to help you build a website from scratch by simply describing it. Other platforms and CMSs give you direct influence on the appearance and workings of your website, which needs technical expertise. 

If you’re not technical or don’t have a technical team backing you, looking at online platforms with drag-and-drop editors and pre-designed templates might make sense. With these, you can have a professional-looking website without writing code or understanding backend systems. Brands like Wix, Duda, Web.com, and Squarespace are some options that function like this.

However, if you have the technical resources or plan to hire a developer, a content management system like WordPress gives you more flexibility and customization options. WordPress is a popular option — it powers over 40% of websites. It’s known for its extensive plugin ecosystem — with powerful tools such as Yoast SEO — and a vibrant community. 

Remember, though, that choosing a CMS that requires more technical input also requires maintenance and occasional troubleshooting, which could increase costs in the future. 

There are a couple of things you need to consider when building a website for a business. First, you must understand your skill level. Second, you’ll have to find out if you have resources and support. This helps you decide whether a simple site builder or something more open-ended is the better investment for you.

Types of website platforms

Building a proper website for a business means exploring various options. Experiment and find out which online platform matches your requirements and needs. Just remember that there is not a single “best” platform that works well for all businesses. Every tool has its strengths and weaknesses. 

Consider the  popular options

There are many tools to help you build company websites, but you do not need to try every one. You can probably make do with the most popular options, as these have proven their worth.

WordPress

WordPress is the most popular CMS and offers an amazing selection of themes and plugins. You can customize it in any way you think, giving you great control over the platform. WordPress is a great option if you want to create a website for a business that can adapt over time. The CMS performs well in the search results and can grow with your content needs. WordPress is great for:

  • Best for bloggers and content creators: Ideal for content-rich sites with robust publishing features.
  • Best for customization: Offers extensive themes and plugin support to tailor every aspect of your site.
  • Best for SEO and flexibility: It is highly adaptable for businesses and developers aiming to optimize and expand their online presence.
  • Best for ecommerce: Seamlessly integrate WooCommerce for powerful online store features and e-commerce capabilities.

Read more: 10 reasons why you should use WordPress

Shopify

Shopify is a great all-in-one ecommerce option for companies selling products online. It handles everything from hosting to security and from payments to integration. Shopify makes it easy to build an online store. It has lots of features to help you scale your business. Shopify is good if you want a solid option to get started quickly.

  • Best for online retailers: Ecommerce-friendly, easily set up to manage and grow an online store.
  • Best for secure transactions: Integrated payment gateways and reliable security features ensure peace of mind.
  • Easiest to scale: Intuitive interface helps startups and growing businesses manage stores efficiently.

Read more: Picking an ecommerce platform: WooCommerce or Shopify? 

Wix and Squarespace

These platforms are for users who want simplicity. They come with built-in templates and handy editors. Wix and Squarespace are good options for small businesses, creatives, and professionals who want to build a nice-looking portfolio or simple business website. These are the best options for users who want ease of use over extensive flexibility and customization options. 

Other options

Of the other platforms, Adobe Commerce (formerly Magento), Drupal, or Webflow may also be worth looking at if you have specific needs. Adobe Commerce is useful if you need a large-scale ecommerce environment. Drupal is great for handling larger sites with complex data needs (although the project recently launched a simplified option called Drupal CMS). Webflow is a middle ground with design flexibility and editing capabilities.

While we list several of the best platform options available, you should base your choice on your needs, requirements, security levels, and desired functionality. 

Scalability, customization, and security

Choosing the right platform to build your business site isn’t just about here and now. You should also think about scaling your sites once your business grows. 

Scalability

When selecting a platform, consider whether it can handle increased traffic and additional content you might need. Can you expand your capabilities as your business grows? For example, if you plan to add more products or expand your feature set, you need a website solution that scales without much work. Look for features, services, and plans that support growth.

Customization

Your business is unique, and so should your site reflect your unique brand. The platform you pick should give you plenty of options to customize your business site. It shouldn’t just let you pick from a selection of templates but also offer the options to change design elements, add custom code, and integrate tools you need to build your business. Platforms that offer much flexibility allow you to do what you want. This helps your site feel fresh and aligned with your brand. 

Security

Security is essential for a business website. As we hear more stories about data breaches and online threats, you should choose a platform that values security. You should consider SSL certificates, server security, software updates, and secure payment options for ecommerce sites. A reliable site builder should have proper security protocols to protect customer data. 

Managed hosting services or SaaS platforms like Shopify often handle WordPress security automatically for you, but you should double-check it. If you go the self-hosted route, you should make sure that you have the resources available to manage the security of your business site. 

Budget and cost considerations

For many, cost is the most important factor when choosing a website platform for a business. However, it’s important to consider both the short-term and long-term investments. Make sure that your budget evolves as your site does. 

Upfront and ongoing fees

Site builder platforms all work with subscriptions, but sometimes, one-time costs are involved for themes, plugins, or other features. For example:

  • Subscription fees: Site builders such as Squarespace and Wix charge a monthly fee for hosting the site, accessing features, and support.
  • Hosting and domain costs: If you choose a CMS like WordPress or Drupal, you must budget for web hosting, domain registration, and premium themes and plugins. Investing in a more premium hosting plan often leads to better performance. Of course, you can also have a custom theme built by an agency or solo developer, which would also cost money.
  • Transaction fees: Online stores need payment systems, and some platforms charge money for handling transactions. These costs can add up if you move a lot of volume. 

Value over time

Picking the cheapest option might sound sensible, but you should consider the costs over a longer time. A highly scalable platform with a long list of features and a good support team might cost more initially but could save time and money in the long run. Look at the full package and see which platform offers the best mix of price and functionality. 

Testing and trials

Be sure to try out the different options. Many website builders offer free trials or demo versions. Use these to explore the capabilities before you sign up for a specific plan. Testing the interface and features gives you a better understanding of whether this product meets your wishes. This is a good way to avoid making the wrong decision, which could lead to extra costs or limited growth.

Additional considerations and support

After you’ve crossed off the technical and monetary questions from your list, a few questions still need to be answered. 

Customer support

Your website is central to your business, so keeping it up and running is essential. For this, you need a platform with good support. Access to good customer service is a huge help if you run into issues or you’re trying to implement new things. Look for platforms with various ways of contacting support (email, phone, chat) and ample documentation available. Platforms with proper support can reduce downtime and help you on your way quickly.

Integrations and marketing tools

Websites are the centerpiece of a business strategy, and they should not live alone. Find out if your preferred platform integrates with business tools like CRM systems, email marketing services, and social media platforms. Many site builders now include built-in SEO tools to rank your site in search engines. And if they don’t, Yoast SEO has plugins for WordPress, WooCommerce, and Shopify. Choose something that matches your existing digital strategy.

Analytics and reporting

What would you do without knowing how your site is performing? Data is essential to make informed decisions. Analytic tools show how visitors behave on the site and which pages perform well. Some platforms come with built-in analytics tools, which help see how your site is doing.

Deciding on the business site platform

To recap, you can choose how to build your business website by answering these questions: 

  1. What is the goal of your website?
  2. What technical expertise and resources do you have?
  3. Which site builders have the features and scalability you need?
  4. Do the cost structure and support options fit into your budget?
  5. Can the platform integrate with your marketing and analytics tools?

Take the time to answer these questions. Then, read honest reviews of users of the various platforms and try out the demos — very important. It’s all about getting your hands dirty in this process. You need to determine which platform best fits your business while giving enough flexibility to scale when your business grows. 

We’re saying it again: there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. You should pick the platform that works today and will still work when your business has grown. It doesn’t matter if you pick an easy-to-use website builder or a highly customizable CMS, as long as it makes sense for you and your business — now and in the future. 

Now, choose a platform for your business website

It costs a lot of time and money to build a website for a business. You need to define your goals, evaluate the various platforms, and determine how you want your business to grow. Every decision you make affects how you support your business objectives. When you look at your technical know-how, budget, scalability needs, and support options, you should be able to decide which site builder to choose if you want to succeed.

The most important thing is to sign up for the free trials and demos. Don’t hesitate to contact experts or customer service for tailored advice. You should build a site that is ready for today and prepared for tomorrow. Choosing the right platform for your business helps you set up for success.

The post Choosing the right platform for your business website appeared first on Yoast.

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7 ways to increase SEO revenue without losing clients

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7 ways to increase SEO revenue without losing clients

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).

First, a word on value

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:

  • Acquisition utility: The value you get from the product or service.
  • Transaction utility: How good of a deal you feel you are getting.

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.

1. Break down your services to reduce client risk

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.

2. Sell SEO strategy as a standalone service

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

3. Offer link building as an upsell, not an inclusion

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.

4. Consider digital PR to add more value

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.

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5. Monetize advanced analytics and insights

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.

6. Use SEO sprints to generate quick wins and revenue

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.

7. Implement smart pricing strategies to maximize client spend

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.

Increase pricing by 10% for each pitch

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.

Price architecture

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.

Premium offer

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

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