Category: Internet Marketing

This day in search marketing history: January 1

Happy New Year!

Welcome to the first installment of what will be a daily, ongoing feature here on Search Engine Land in 2023 – This day in search marketing history.

Search Engine Land has been the publication of record for all things search and search marketing since launching in 2006. And the founders of that 2006 team had been reporting on and educating the industry for about a decade prior to that (at Search Engine Watch).

So join us every day, as we rediscover the headlines and history of SEO, PPC and digital marketing from years gone by.

Also on this day 

Happy New Year Google Doodles!

On Jan. 1, every year since 2000, Google has consistently given us Doodles, in lieu of any significant news of note to report on. Hey, it is a holiday after all. The editorial team is getting some much-deserved rest (not counting Barry, who is almost always working) and traffic is pretty dismal on New Year’s Day.

It’s been years since we covered Google’s special logos. But once upon a time, Search Engine Land was competing with countless other publishers in the hopes of driving some insanely huge search traffic by covering these celebratory Google Doodles:

14 “Is Google Evil?” Tipping Points Since 2001

2007: A particular bad week for Google resulted in this look back at a number of “tipping points” that Google had survived in prior years, including the infamous Florida Update of 2003.

Best | top | most popular Search Engine Land stories of the year

Jan. 1 can be a good day to take a final look back at the most popular stories from the past year. Check out what stories earned the most pageviews in prior years:

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Report: Microsoft To Lay Off 15,000 Workers

2009: There were reports that Microsoft was getting ready to lay off 17% of their workforce, on or around Jan. 15.

< Dec. 31 | Search Marketing History | Jan. 2 >

The post This day in search marketing history: January 1 appeared first on Search Engine Land.

Original source: https://searchengineland.com/search-marketing-history-january-1-389505

Is your supplier going to change your energy bill?

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Is your energy supplier making a change to your bill in January? 

According to the BBC, many of the biggest energy suppliers in Britain have contacted customers regarding a minimal price change, which will begin in the new year. These changes come as a price change to the cost per unit of energy from 1st January 2023. 

On average, the typical household energy bills will remain at £2,500. However, the maximum rates suppliers can charge per unit of energy are being updated, meaning your bills may change. However, it seems only pennies will be added to your bill as a result. 

These changes are coming into force at the start of January, affecting 12 energy “regions”. Energy suppliers can put up their prices to the new maximum unit rates for gas and electricity. 

How much will my bill change?

If you have received an email from your supplier, or think you are likely to receive one, don’t panic. The changes are just a fraction of a penny, however there will be minor variations between suppliers and across geographical locations.  

Both gas and electricity unit rates will change in all 12 energy “regions”. The biggest changes will be seen in Merseyside, North Wales and London. In these areas, the unit rate for electricity is increasing by more than 1p per kWh. 

According to the BBC, Merseyside will see the highest billed rate in Britain. The rate will be 38.26p per kWH, more than four pence more than the average price of 34p, which was quoted by the government. 

Electricity rates have also been reduced in some areas, as the result of the maximum charge changing. So, as Merseyside and North Wales see their unit rates increase by 0.4p, some households in the North East of England will see their electricity unit rates decrease by 0.4p. Rates have reduced in eight areas for pre-payment customers. 

Which suppliers are making changes?

  • Scottish Power 
  • Bulb 
  • EDF 
  • British Gas 
  • Shell 

Octopus Energy said they would pass on cuts, but not rises to its customers. It said all increases would be absorbed by the company, bar “Economy 7” customers.  

EON energy has also said changes would be applied to customers who pay via direct debit and those who are billed monthly, but they would not pass changes onto those on pre-payment plans. 

The post Is your supplier going to change your energy bill? appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Original source: https://www.moneymagpie.com/make-money/is-your-supplier-going-to-change-your-energy-bill

VPS Explained: Why It Is a Good Decision for Your Business

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The VPS (virtual private server) allows the creation of a digital and technological infrastructure to lay the foundations of websites and digital businesses. Choosing the right and cheap VPS server can be decisive for the proper functioning of the company.

Today almost any new company, startup or already established has part of its operation, if not all, on the Internet. Many processes such as sales, administration and management, communication and a long etcetera depend on cloud infrastructure for their correct performance. Choosing the technological base for a business is a fundamental task, but it is almost always complicated.

Among all the options and words, there is a solution that adapts to a wide variety of uses, offers low costs and high levels of security.

A VPS is a partition of a real server, which has its own operating system. That is, it is part of a physical machine that is divided into several VPS. They offer more advanced services and security than shared hosting and cost less than dedicated servers, which is especially important for start-up businesses and must control their cost structure. It is a technology that emerged in the 60s and is now booming given the excellent balance between performance and price.

Bet on Security with a VPS

Security is also a basic and fundamental aspect when having a server. There are many providers on the market, but resorting to the lowest price can put security guarantees at risk.

The smartest thing to do is to provide the company with maximum security with IONOS VPS due to its multi-layer security strategy. This model has a multi-layer security strategy and features that draw a scheme of essential requirements to provide guarantees to the system:

  • Certified infrastructure: Your VPS provider’s data centers must be ISO 27001 certified.
  • Firewalls: Something essential to protect yourself from external attacks.
  • Backups: Data backups must be able to be made automatically and stored in physically separate data centers.
  • DDoS Protection: The Internet is full of threats to business. From malicious competitors (they exist) to hackers, it is very likely that an eCommerce will receive more than one attack with the aim of blocking it. Having a VPS capable of resisting these dangers is essential.

Cases of Use of a VPS for Companies

If we move the virtual private server to business reality, we see several real applications of the solution:

Small businesses and ecommerce:

It is unnecessary to talk about the presence of electronic commerce in our lives, but we want to highlight one of the keys to an Internet store the speed of transactions. The loading of the products, the management of the shopping cart, the payment transaction.

These are fundamental elements for the success of an ecommerce store. The faster they are, the better user experience is obtained and the probability of customer loyalty increases. And this is where the role of the VPS comes in — optimal for stores with more than 500 items and medium-high traffic.

Code and app development and testing companies:

A VPS is the perfect testing environment for development processes. It allows you to easily simulate test environments for applications and code.

Corporate applications:

Many of the processes must be executed in a secure environment closed to the outside. We can point out the customer management system (CRM), internal and protected email, employee training platforms, accounting systems, the list of processes that can benefit from a VPS is long.

Game servers: It is one of the most fun uses because it allows games between friends, entire groups (or so-called “clans”) and even eSports, a sector in clear growth. With a very contained cost, players have access to benefits in terms of speed and reliability much greater than those of a home server.

Hosting a website:

Many business projects on the Internet grow to the point of needing more features. For example, a website with a monthly subscription service can experience very high peaks in subscribers or content downloads, and the server must be able to withstand this increase in traffic. This is where using a virtual private server makes sense. They can assume large increases in downloading and uploading data, without the danger of the web starting to fail.

Business analysis:

For those more advanced in programming, there is the possibility of using the Python programming language to develop business intelligence applications and models.

IoT device business:

Internet of Things is another field that has experienced great growth in recent years. It consists of connecting a multitude of devices to each other and through, for example, a VPS that can function as the platform for device management. The data thus managed can be analyzed with different tools.

Creating a company from scratch involves a multitude of decisions, so it is important to highlight the importance of choosing from the beginning a robust, multifunctional and agile technological base with the use of a VPS.

The post VPS Explained: Why It Is a Good Decision for Your Business appeared first on Home Business Magazine.

Original source: https://homebusinessmag.com/businesses/security/vps-explained-why-good-decision-business/

Hardship Grants Available: January 2023

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Lots of us feel the pinch after Christmas. Even if we’ve budgeted really carefully and cut down, January can often be a worrying time.

People often start googling terms such as “get money now” and “get money quick”, and read our many suggestions for often fun ways to make quick cash. However, one thing a lot of people aren’t fully aware of is that there are hardship grants available when times are hard.

Remember if you are really struggling, talk to your local Citizens Advice or contact your local council. There are dedicated teams who can help and advise you.

National Hardship Grants:

Glasspool

Glasspool provide grants to UK residents, there are no restrictions on who they give these to, but they are not able to support everyone who applies. They may provide a small grant for household items and essentials, including but not limited to: beds and bedding, school uniforms, cookers and baby essentials. Access more information here.

Al-Mizan Charitable Trust: General Welfare Fund

The Al-Mizan Charitable Trust provides small grants up to £500 to individuals who are in need due to poverty, deprivation or disadvantage. To be eligible you must be British and be living in the UK. The Fund is available to anyone in need regardless of faith of religious background. For more information click here.

Talisman Charitable Trust

The Talisman Charitable Trust can help with grants for education, health, housing and disability. Applications are considered on a case by case basis and need to be made via your local authority or an organisation like the Citizens Advice. You can find all the information you need on the Talisman website.

Regional Hardship Grants:

Catholic Children’s Society (Plymouth)

The CCS aims to relieve the urgent needs of families by providing them with essential goods that they may not be able to purchase themselves for a variety of reasons. A grant can be awarded for white goods, bedding and clothing among other things. More information is available here.

Emily Bolitho Trust

The trust provides grants of up to £500 to support the wellbeing of individuals living within the old borough of Penzance. They support individuals faced with hardship through poor health or low income. They are offered for many items, from white goods to safety equipment. It has a rolling deadline and more information can be found here.

Cornwall Rural Community Charity

The CRCC provides several different types of grant based on the individuals’ needs. For example, the Carers Resilience Enablement Grant provides aid in unforeseen circumstances that prevent unpaid carers from fulfilling their role. This could range from replacing equipment to respite care. For more information follow the link here.

Greggs Foundation

The Greggs Foundation Hardship Fund operates in in the North-East of England. Applications need to be submitted by a charity or organisation on your behalf. The Foundation can help with anything from white goods to bedding, baby equipment, clothing and flooring. The also offer supermarket vouchers. Click here to find out more.

Family Hardship Grants

Family Fund

UK Charity Family Fund provides assistance to families with disabled children. Grants have been given out for a range of items from sensory toys, family breaks, outdoor play equipment, clothing and more. Their aim is to support families and make a real difference.  The deadline for applications is ongoing and more information can be found here.

 

 

The post Hardship Grants Available: January 2023 appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Original source: https://www.moneymagpie.com/make-money/what-hardship-grants-are-available-this-month-2

Everything Startups Need to Know About Cybersecurity

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Cybersecurity is often a secondary concern for startups and small businesses, but it’s critical to have a comprehensive security strategy that keeps your data secure and your users’ personal information protected. You may have an amazing business idea, but if someone hacks into your company’s computer system and steals customers’ credit card information, then that could all be ruined by one breach of cybersecurity. Here are some key things that every small business should know about cybersecurity:

How to train your staff on cybersecurity

When it comes to training your staff on cybersecurity, the first thing you’ll want to do is start with the basics. Your trainings should cover topics like how to identify phishing emails and what the implications of a data breach could be for your business.

In addition, when choosing a cybersecurity training program for your employees, make sure that it’s relevant to your business and easy-to-understand. Make sure that you’re using an eLearning platform that will allow you to implement these trainings in an effective way — and also track which employees have already completed them!

Beyond these basic training programs, it’s also important to make sure that your staff is aware of the latest threats and vulnerabilities. These are often the result of new technologies being introduced into the market — so it’s important to keep up with this information as it becomes available.

How startups should measure their cybersecurity

The first step to addressing cybersecurity is measuring your vulnerability to attack. You can do this by using one of two methods: either the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) or an alternative method like SANS’s NIST NCSC/NVDs. These numbers will tell you how vulnerable you are and help prioritize efforts for improvement.

If you do find yourself with a low score, don’t panic! There are plenty of ways to improve it — and most of them are free or relatively inexpensive. For example, adding multifactor authentication (MFA) to all accounts that have access to sensitive information would likely bring up the overall score significantly, even if MFA costs money. A great way all startups can add MFA is through Duo Security’s free VPN service which integrates seamlessly into Slack and other communication platforms so employees don’t even realize they’re using it — it doesn’t get any easier than that!

Remember: just because there isn’t an easy fix right now doesn’t mean there won’t be later on down the road; being proactive about cybersecurity means constantly thinking critically about what could happen in order to prevent attacks from ever happening at all instead of relying solely on preventative measures which could potentially leave gaps open for hackers looking for those very same vulnerabilities.

The importance of organizing regular security checks

It’s important to organize regular security checks for your startup. A good reason for this is that it can be difficult to find out if you’ve been hacked until it’s too late. Hacking often happens slowly, over the course of weeks or months, and in many cases there are no obvious signs of hacking until something has gone wrong.

When you do a security check, look at your company’s network and make sure all computers are secure. This includes checking that they have up-to-date software installed and aren’t running on outdated operating systems like Windows XP (which has been known as an easy target). You should also make sure that all passwords have been changed regularly — preferably every 30 days — and avoid using any one computer or device as an administrator account because this makes it easier for hackers to break into your system if they get hold of the password.

The importance of having a secure team collaboration platform

As a startup, you need to ensure that there are no security breaches in your team collaboration platform. A secure platform is one where all the data that is stored and shared remains safe from external threats. This can be achieved by making sure that you choose a secure and reliable team collaboration platform before beginning to use it.

A few things to look out for when choosing a team collaboration tool include:

  • The kind of data being stored on the platform — whether it’s sensitive or not;
  • Who might access this data — employees, third parties etc; and
  • How important this information is for your business — if it’s crucial for daily operations, then make sure you take steps towards securing it properly.
Cybersecurity
Image by Pete Linforth from Pixabay

The importance of choosing the right vendors

When choosing your vendors, it is important to consider the following:

  • If a vendor does not have a security audit program in place, they are unable to adequately assess risk and provide you with the appropriate solutions.
  • If a vendor has an insecure infrastructure, it will be difficult for them to protect your data from cyber attacks. Consider whether their business is built on a solid foundation before working with them.
  • A good reputation goes hand-in-hand with having secure infrastructure; if there have been any breaches in recent history or if there have been major changes in leadership at any point since then (for example, if someone was fired), this could indicate that there were issues that needed addressing within the company itself but were not addressed until later on due to lack of managerial skills or oversight from above management level staff members who had no knowledge about what was happening behind closed doors at all times until such time when something bad happened which forced them into action mode when they realized how bad things had gotten by then already.

Security is important

If you’re a startup founder or executive, security is an important topic for you to understand and keep track of. You don’t have a lot of money to invest in cybersecurity, so you need to be smart about where you spend it.

Security is an issue for all businesses — not just large ones with lots of money and resources. Small businesses are also vulnerable because they may not have the time or money needed to properly protect themselves from hackers trying to steal their data. Many small companies don’t even know that they’re at risk until it’s too late; but there are steps that entrepreneurs can take today which will prevent them from becoming victims tomorrow.

Cybersecurity problems are solvable; it’s just a matter of finding the right solution for your company’s needs. It’s important not only because these kinds of issues affect everyone who owns personal property online (including those without internet access), but also because they could potentially disrupt operations if not taken care of immediately (e.g., leaked information could lead consumers away from buying products). Also, it is worth mentioning that to keep the company safe from fraud activities, business verification services may come in handy as well.

Conclusion

All in all, startups need to be aware of cybersecurity. It’s not only important for their own data and assets, but also for their clients’ as well. If you want to keep your company secure then it is essential that you take these steps towards doing so.

The post Everything Startups Need to Know About Cybersecurity appeared first on Home Business Magazine.

Original source: https://homebusinessmag.com/businesses/security/everything-startups-need-know-about-cybersecurity/

How to Blur the Background of an Image

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Blurring the background is a standard technique used in images to make them look more professional. It’s also used to hide distracting elements in images. Some think blurred backgrounds can make your image look sleeker and more sophisticated. Others use it to cover up mistakes or poor Photoshop skills. You can use any blur background online tool, like this one, https://create.vista.com/features/blur/, to blur the background of your photos.

One of the best is Vista Create. It’s free to use, so it’s perfect for anyone who wants to get started quickly. You can also adjust the intensity of the blurring effect using this tool.

If you’re looking for more manual ways to blur the background of an image, this article will go a long way in helping you do just that. Keep reading to learn how to blur images using Photoshop, Canva, Google Photos, PowerPoint, and Word.

How to Blur an Image’s Background with Photoshop

If you want to blur an image’s background, there are a few different ways to do it in Photoshop.

Blur Tool

You can blur the background of the image by using the Blur tool. Before starting, ensure your image is correctly sized and has no areas of transparency. To start, click on the Blur tool in the toolbar and select a small area of your image.

With the cursor over the area you want to blur, click and hold the mouse button down while dragging outwards toward the edge of your image.

You can also use keyboard shortcuts: Ctrl Alt Shift K (Mac: Command Opt Shift K). When you’re done blurring, release the mouse button or keys.

Gaussian Blur Filter

The second method is to use the Gaussian blur filter. It will only blur the background layer and not affect the other layers in the image.

To use this, first, open Photoshop and create a new document. Next, choose the Rectangular Marquee tool (M) and draw a rectangle around your photo. Click the Add Layer Mask button (layer mask icon with three lines) in the Layers palette to hide the selected area from view.

Next, go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and enter a value of 8 in the radius field. It will create a blurry background around the object or area you want to focus on.

How to Blur the Background of Images Using Canva

Business Person working
Photo by George Milton from Pexels

Canva is a user-friendly online graphic design platform that lets users create professional-looking graphics. With over 1 million templates and tools, it makes it easy for anyone to create beautiful visuals. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced designer, Canva has something for you.

If you want to blur the background of an image using Canva, there are a few things you need to know. First, you’ll need to choose the correct blur option. There are two blur types to choose from, each with specific effects.

Second, you’ll need to decide how blurred you want your background to be. If you want a slight blur, use the Soft Blur option for a more pronounced effect.

Finally, ensure that your image is in focus before blurring it — this will help ensure that the blurred area looks natural and doesn’t look like it was created with a filter.

How to Blur the Background of Images Using Word or PowerPoint

If you want to blur the background of an image in either Word or PowerPoint, a few simple steps are involved. In Word, select the image and then click on the “Blur” option in the toolbar at the top of the window. In PowerPoint, select the image and choose “Blur” from the menu at the bottom of the window.

  • Select a location on your image where you want to start blurring.
  • Click and drag your cursor to another area on your image where you want to end blurring.

How to Blur the Background of Images Using Google Photos

To blur the background of an image using Google Photos, follow these simple steps:

  • Open the image you want to blur in Google Photos.
  • Click the three lines in the bottom left corner of the image window.
  • Select “Blur Background.”
  • Use the slider to adjust how much background you want to be blurred.
  • Click OK when you’re done.

How to Avoid Blurry Edges When Blurring Images

When blurring, it’s essential to keep the background close to the focus of the image so that the edges aren’t blurry. If there is a lot of background noise or other distractions nearby, getting good results with blur will be challenging.

Consider using a higher-quality image if you have options. Quality photos typically have less noise and better colors, which makes them easier to blur without losing detail.

Conclusion

In conclusion, blurry backgrounds are easy to create. They’re a great way to add an extra personality to your photos. So don’t hesitate to try blurry backgrounds — they might become one of your favorite photo editing tricks!

The post How to Blur the Background of an Image appeared first on Home Business Magazine.

Original source: https://homebusinessmag.com/businesses/how-to-guides-businesses/how-to-blur-background-image/

Top 10 SEO expert columns of 2022 on Search Engine Land

Since Search Engine Land launched, we have given SEO experts a platform to share their in-depth knowledge and timely insights – with the goal of helping you solve problems, manage challenges and understand the constantly shifting SEO landscape.

That’s why one of my top priorities this year was to help relaunch the Search Engine Land Subject Matter Expert program, which had been on pause for the most part for the past few years.

Below you’ll find links to the 10 most-read, must-read Search Engine Land SEO columns of 2022 that were contributed by our fantastic group of Subject Matter Experts.

I have to give some recognition to Olaf Kopp, who authored three of the 10 most popular SEO columns of the year. Amazing!

10. How to use 12 micro intents for SEO and content journey mapping

Analyzing the SERPs for these micro intents will help you create the right content that a searcher will want to find. (By Olaf Kopp. Published July 18.)

9. Google search quality rater guidelines update: What has changed

Google has reframed its definition of YMYL, revamped its definition of low-quality pages and more. Here are the details. (By Lily Ray. Published July 28.)

8. 20 advanced Google search operators you need to know

Gain powerful insights to inform your marketing efforts. Use the following advanced Google search operators and commands to your advantage. (By Jon Clark. Published Oct. 3.)

7. Google MUM update: What can SEOs expect in the future?

Is MUM Google’s next step toward becoming a purely semantic search engine? Learn what MUM could mean for the future of SEO. (By Olaf Kopp. Published April 15.)

6. A guide to machine learning in search: Key terms, concepts and algorithms

Want to understand how machine learning impacts search? Learn how Google uses machine learning models and algorithms in search. (By Dave Davies. Published May 2.)

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5. Google’s helpful content update: What should we expect?

SEOs may be in for another shakeup similar to Penguin’s launch 10 years ago. Here’s what you need to know about Google’s new update. (By Marie Haynes. Published Aug. 22.)

4. 12 WordPress site settings that are critical to your SEO success

Want to set up your WordPress site for better traffic and rankings? Make sure you’re following these site settings to improve your SEO. (By John McAlpin. Published Sept. 15.)

3. The by-no-means-definitive keyword size showdown: GSC vs. Ahrefs vs. Semrush vs. Moz

See the results of a comparison of four leading SEO tools’ keyword coverage for domains in the pharmaceutical space. (By Tylor Hermanson. Published Sept. 19.)

2. 14 ways Google may evaluate E-A-T

Learn about some potential signals Google may be using to gauge whether your content and brand have strong E-A-T. (By Olaf Kopp. Published March 18.)

1. 11 Google Sheets formulas SEOs should know

Sometimes the best SEO tools are free. Learn how to use these formulas to save time and reduce manual errors. (By Jackie Chu. Published June 30.)

The post Top 10 SEO expert columns of 2022 on Search Engine Land appeared first on Search Engine Land.

Original source: https://searchengineland.com/top-10-seo-expert-columns-2022-390024

Two-thirds of consumers to cut their spending

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Reports suggest two-thirds of consumers are planning to cut their spending in 2023. This is the result of ever-growing concern about the cost-of-living. Accountancy firm KPMG surveyed 3,000 people, finding that a whopping 61% of respondents said they were preparing to reduce their spending in the new year. 

This, of course, is discretionary spending, and not spending on essentials such as food and bills. Such spending includes going out for dinner, holidays and other non-essentials. This poll highlights the pressure on both families and the wider economy as inflation remains high and wallets are squeezed. 

Overall, 42% of respondents said they would reduce the amount they spend on clothes. 46% said they would reduce the frequency they eat out, and a further 42% said the same for takeaways. 

The survey found that people were concerned over the cost of essentials and basics needed in everyday life. Costs such as food, energy, housing and fuel are deterrents for spending in other areas of life. In fact, one in 10 people surveyed highlighted their concern for energy bill prices after April 2023, when the government’s energy support scheme ends. 

Households have already faced huge bill hikes, as well as food costs soaring and inflation sitting at over 10%. This has caused many to tighten their purse strings and put others into dire financial straits. In fact, official forecasts for the future of the economy show living wages will be reduced by 7% in real terms by the end of March 2024, destroying eight years of continuous growth. 

The poll by KPMG also showed one in 10 adults have no savings, and just 4% of respondents said they would be able to increase their non-essential spending in the new year. One quarter of those polled said their non-essential spending would likely remain the same as in 2022. 

The results of the survey also showed that a third of those surveyed said they would buy more own-brand and value products in 2023, and another third suggested they may buy fewer items altogether. 

43% of those with savings said they were using them to meet everyday costs, rising to a staggering 80% amongst lower-income households. This further highlights the disproportionate impacts the cost-of-living crisis is having on those living on lower incomes. 

Linda Ellett, UK head of consumer markets, retail and leisure at KPMG, said:  

“Current essential costs, fears of how high they’ll rise – including concerns about mortgage rate and energy price changes next year – are all factors in why two-thirds of consumers that we surveyed said they have to reduce their non-essential spending in 2023. 

“To do so, consumers are increasingly changing how they shop to save money – including switching to cheaper retailers, buying more value or promotional produce, and swapping eating out for meals in. Understanding these swaps is critical for brands and retailers looking to still be the first choice for spend.” 

 

Are you planning to cut spending in the new year? Let us know in the comments!

The post Two-thirds of consumers to cut their spending appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Original source: https://www.moneymagpie.com/make-money/two-thirds-of-consumers-to-cut-their-spending

SEO 2022 in review: E-E-A-T, ChatGPT, Search Essentials and more

As 2022 proved once again, SEO is never boring. 

Was 2022 the year of AI – or perhaps the official dawning of the age of AI? For the last month, it’s been hard not to read about or avoid the temptation to spend hours playing with ChatGPT. 

We also had our usual share of algorithm updates, new tools and features, acquisitions, and plenty more changes. 

One constant through it all? For 16 years, Search Engine Land has covered all the biggest stories, just as we did again in 2022. 

Here’s our look back at the biggest SEO news of 2022 – from Google and other search engines, tool providers and the community. 

Google news

Google Search Essentials and more documentation changes

Google did a major refresh of its 20-year-old Webmaster Guidelines and also renamed it to Google Search Essentials. The updated guidelines were streamlined, simplified, and updated “to ensure people have clear guidance for how to build sites that serve people well.”

While Search Essentials was the biggest of Google’s documentation updates in 2022, there were plenty more.

Google updated several Feature Guides help documents:

Google also:

Also, not long after a study by SEO tool company Ahrefs showed half of GSC clicks going to hidden terms, Google removed language in its Performance report (Search) help doc, calling hidden Search Console query data “very rare.”

In other documentation changes, Google:

E-E-A-T and the QRG

Google’s quality rater guidelines (QRG) for search were updated twice this year – once in July and then again in December.

Lily Ray provided her usual excellent breakdowns of what changed in both updates to the QRG.

For the July update (Google search quality rater guidelines update: What has changed), Google reframed its definition of YMYL, revamped its definition of low-quality pages and more

And as Ray covered in the December update (E-E-A-T and major updates to Google’s quality rater guidelines):

“The addition of ‘experience’ indicates that content quality can also be evaluated through the lens of understanding the extent to which the content creator has first-hand experience in the topic.

With this reframing of E-E-A-T, Google also states that “trust” is at the center of this concept and is the “most important member of the E-E-A-T family.” 

Before E-A-T became E-E-A-T – we learned from Google that E-A-T is synonymous with “good content quality.”

“E-A-T is a template for how we rate an individual site. We do it to every single query and every single result. It’s pervasive throughout every single thing we do,” according to Hyung-Jin Kim, VP of Search, Google, who spoke at SMX Next in November. Dig deeper: in 7 takeaways from the SMX Next keynote with Hyung-Jin Kim, VP Search at Google.

While this is decidedly not new, it is always good for SEO professionals to understand why Google does the things it does.

Google is constantly testing its SERPs, all in the name of making sure users have a great experience and find the information or answer they are looking for.

One of the biggest changes was Google bringing continuous scroll (don’t cal it infinite!) to desktop earlier this month. Yes, it’s officially time to retire the term “Page 2 of Google” – and focus on position when talking about rankings. 

Another significant change was multisearch – searching by image and then adding text to that specific image search.

Google played around with featured snippets this year, testing ‘From the web’ and ‘Other sites say’ in featured snippets, as well as showing two or more featured snippets.

For feature snippets, Google now uses MUM to determine whether there is general consensus for information. Google also reported that MUM helped reduce false premise results by 40%

Also of note: a SERP analysis found that People Also Ask appears 10x more than featured snippets. PAA also was in the news because People also ask was showing up half as often in Google Search but it later returned to normal. 

FAQ rich results also gained some significant Google SERP visibility.

Oh and if you ever have trouble keeping track of all the parts that make up Google’s user interface, Google launched a visual gallery documenting 22 elements.

Here’s a look back at even more features that were added or tested in Google’s search results in 2022:

Algorithm updates

In 2022, there were 10 confirmed Google algorithm updates:

At SMX Next, we learned from Google’s Kim that Google’s Panda algorithm evolved into a new algorithm called Coati. Although this was new information about something fairly old in the Google algorithm world, it was still an interesting discovery.

Also, Google’s John Mueller confirmed that Google no longer used the 2010 and 2018 page speed signals. They were replaced by Core Web Vitals. 

We also learned, via a document Google released to the U.S. Copyright Office, that Google’s Pirate Update can cause 89% drop in search traffic for offending sites.

In November, Google published a document on its notable ranking systems, which included algorithms that are no longer used for ranking or have been incorporated into new systems. 

Google also introduced a new “algorithmic improvement” for how it selects titles for the search result snippets for multi-language or transliterated titles or where the title element is written in a different language or script from its content. 

Read Barry Schwartz’s recap to dig deeper into the year in algorithm updates. And make sure to check out our history of Google algorithm updates page for all our latest news and guidance around the latest algorithm updates.

AI & machine learning

ChatGPT was all the talk in the SEO world in the final weeks of 2022. And you can bet we’ll be hearing more about the (and other) exciting AI technologies in 2023, especially with GTP-4 not far away. 

Without a doubt, many sites will attempt to mass produce content using AI tools. Just be careful – earlier this year, Google warned that Google doesn’t want your AI-generated SEO spam content.

Which was a bit ironic, considering you could, theoretically, use Google Docs to write your meta descriptions. And surprisingly, they weren’t all that bad.

Google also detailed how it uses artificial intelligence In Google Search. One other way Google was considering using AI was to update business hours in local listings. Google also formally introduced SpamBrain, its AI-based spam prevention system, which launched in 2018.

And despite the many positive and exciting ways to use AI, there is always a dark side, as we reported in Beware of fake DMCA link requests by AI-generated lawyers.

Lots of local search news in 2022 – new attributes, review issues, Google Business Profile changes, and scams were among the main headlines:

New attributes:

Google Business Profile, Maps and reviews:

Scams:

More Google news

Microsoft Bing 

IndexNow

Microsoft Bing continued to push its IndexNow initiative, adding co-sharing of URLs with Yandex, announcing in August that more than 16 million websites were using it (publishing more than 1.2 billion URLs per day to the IndexNow API), as well as adding multiple new integrations:

More Microsoft Bing news

Analytics, reporting and tools

In case you missed all the thousands of reminders to adopt Google Analytics 4 until now, now is the time to adopt GA4. Because Universal Analytics ceases to exist July 1, 2023. Hope you are ready. 

In an odd bit of rebranding, Google Data Studio was renamed Looker Studio. Google said it was “unifying” the Google business intelligence products – including the popular Google Data Studio product – “under the Looker umbrella.” 

Google Search Console 

Google Search Console had plenty of new additions – tools, features and reporting improvements. Here are links to our coverage:

In December, we reported on an experimental feature called Content ideas. Days later, we learned Question Hub is closing down. Coincidence? Maybe we’ll find out in 2023. 

GSC also had a fair share of reporting bugs and other issues in 2022:

We also said a final farewell to the URL Parameters tool, which Google said had “low value,” the old message panel and the International targeting report.

And did you get one of those intrusive interstitials notices from GSC?

Acquisitions in the SEO space

Early in 2022, it looked like we were in for a busy year of acquisitions. Things slowed down around mid-year, but check out the major changes we saw this year with some of the largest SEO technology companies:

Moz deindexed

A DMCA request removed SEO tool Moz from Google search for just under 12 hours. To be removed from Google search for your branded term is the stuff of SEO nightmares, no matter how long it lasts.

Zero-Clicks: an alternative view

Semrush put out an interesting study on zero-click searches. It found that 25.6% of desktop searches and 17.3% of mobile searches were zero-click, much lower than prior – let’s call it “suspect” – zero-click research.

Other search engines

Ahrefs made big news when it revealed details about its own general-purpose search engine, Yep. While it’s no Google killer, more alternative search engines is a good thing.

Meanwhile, DuckDuckGo, the most well-known privacy search engine, seemed to be continuing its steady growth, finally passing 100 billion searches in January. Until April. That’s when DuckDuckGo fell below 100 million daily average searches per day. And in the months since, DuckDuckGo has been unable to get back to that level. 

In memoriam

In 2022, we lost influential SEO pioneer and expert Bill Slawski on May 17. He was best known for helping the community make sense of search patents, mostly on SEO By The Sea. Thankfully, that treasure trove of information lives on, after it briefly went offline. In the wake of his passing, we also discovered some upsetting Google search results for [bill slawski obituary].

Another incredibly sad loss was that of Tatiana Perebeinis, the chief accountant of SE Ranking, who was one of four people killed in a Russian attack in Irpin, Ukraine.

SMX Advanced & Next

We ran two digital events this year – SMX Advanced in June and SMX Next in November. Both shows were packed full of actionable SEO tips and insights. 

Below are links to our coverage of the SEO track from Advanced. 

And you can expect to read lots of coverage of the SEO track from SMX Next over the coming weeks on Search Engine Land.

SEO in 2023

As we look ahead, here’s what we know:

Unless you plan to abandon Google Analytics, you need to accept and fully adopt GA4 – because the current GA goes away in July. And if you haven’t migrated yet? You’re going to have an extra hard time comparing year-on-year data. Also: make sure you save whatever historical GA data you need, because Google will delete it all. And once it’s gone, it’s gone.

Should be excited or terrified by ChatGPT? Yes. I mean, it depends. Just remember, ChatGPT it’s only useful for things up until 2021. But GPT-4 is coming soon.

With the rise of AI tools, it will be interesting to see how Google responds to what could potentially be a flood of duplicative AI-generated content. If that does happen, spoiler: it won’t go well for those sites. Because there are plenty of tools that are good at detecting AI content – and Google is well aware of what’s happening.

We also know there will be Google algorithm updates. Google has confirmed 10 major updates in 2021 and 2022. We know there will be core updates and probably more coming with the helpful content update. And when it happens, Search Engine Land will be first to report on it.

The post SEO 2022 in review: E-E-A-T, ChatGPT, Search Essentials and more appeared first on Search Engine Land.

Original source: https://searchengineland.com/seo-year-in-review-2022-390384

Top 10 PPC expert columns of 2022 on Search Engine Land

Since Search Engine Land launched, we have given PPC experts a platform to share their in-depth knowledge and timely insights – with the goal of helping you solve problems, manage challenges and understand the constantly shifting landscape of paid search, paid social and display.

That’s why one of my top priorities this year was to help relaunch the Search Engine Land Subject Matter Expert program, which had been on pause for the past few years.

Below you’ll find links to the 10 most-read, must-read Search Engine Land PPC columns of 2022 that were contributed by our fantastic group of Subject Matter Experts.

Before that, I have to give some special recognition to PPC expert Melissa Mackey, who authored the most viewed column of the year, which published Nov. 9 – 10 things to eliminate from your life to be more productive at work. That article isn’t included on our top 10 list because the insights can apply to anyone really – not just search marketers. Regardless, the article did monster numbers – in large part thanks to Google Discover.

Also, congratulations to Anthony Tedesco for authoring three of the top 10 most-read articles this year on Search Engine Land. Amazing.

Onto the list:

10. Shifting to Google Responsive Search Ads: 3 must-know tips

Responsive Search Ads are a huge shift from the ETA format. Learn how RSAs work and get tips on how to get more out of them. (By Mona Elesseily. Published April 14.)

9. 5 ways to get PPC and SEO working together

SEO and PPC are often at odds. Yet the things they “bicker over” are actually areas for improved workflow and channel optimization. (By Navah Hopkins. Published June 29.)

8. Google Responsive Search Ads: What you need to know

Learn the benefits of RSAs, how the transition from ETAs impacts you search strategy and how to write effective RSAs (By Jenny Mallory. Published May 3.)

7. What are Identical Keywords and why they matter for Google Ads

Google Ads has clarified what identical keywords are. But does this tactic go against what Google has been preaching for years? (By Greg Finn. Published June 29.)

6. Excel pivot table best practices for search marketers

Learn how to use Excel pivot tables to QA bulk sheets, plus some tips and shortcuts to enhance your pivot table skills. (By Anthony Tedesco. Published Nov. 7.)

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5. Why you should invest in branded keywords even if your company ranks #1 on Google

Investment in brand keywords is critical because it allows you to directly influence your brand’s presentation on the SERP. (By Anthony Tedesco. Published July 5.)

4. How to maximize insights from Performance Max

Getting data and insights from Performance Max can be frustrating. Here are some tips and tricks that will help. (By Menachem Ani. Published Aug. 19.)

3. 5 things your Google Looker Studio PPC Dashboard must have

Set yourself up for more success. Learn how to take your PPC dashboard from good to great using Google Looker Studio. (By Amy Hebdon. Originally published March 10, updated and republished Oct. 31.)

2. How to set up Performance Max campaigns the right way

Maximize your performance with Google Ads Performance Max. Here’s everything you need to know to set up PMax for success. (By Menachem Ani. Published July 22.)

1. 7 useful Excel formulas and functions for PPC

Use these tips to quickly analyze performance data and identify high-impact PPC optimizations that will move the needle. (By Anthony Tedesco. Published Aug. 24.)

The post Top 10 PPC expert columns of 2022 on Search Engine Land appeared first on Search Engine Land.

Original source: https://searchengineland.com/top-10-ppc-expert-columns-2022-390014