Tag: 2019
2019 Google core algorithm updates: Lessons and tips to future-proof your SEO
There’s nothing that beats that organic #1 position in Google’s SERPs when it comes to brand visibility, increase in traffic, trust factor boost, reduction in cost per lead, and so on.
Everyone who’s anyone in online business knows this, which is why the struggle to grab that marketer’s Holy Grail can look like a cut-throat business to many SEO novices.
However, even SEO pros get confused when Google throws a wrench into the intricate workings of the rankings machine. Google’s core algorithm updates can mess up even the best SEO strategies, especially if you react in a panic to a drop in the rankings.
Today, I’ll share with you the three things I’ve learned from 2019 Google algorithm updates that will help you future-proof your SEO. First, however, take a look at the hints that Google rolled out alongside those updates to see if you’re building your SEO strategy on a healthy foundation.
2019 Google core algorithm updates and what they tell us
In 2018, Google reported 3234 algorithm updates.
That’s just a bit shy of 9 updates per day.
All of them change how the algorithm evaluates a website and its rankings (most just slightly, though).
However, three of them were so-called ‘core algorithm updates’ – meaning that their impact on the rankings was likely significant for most indexed websites. Google announced these (in March, June, and September of 2019), which is not something that they normally do. This should give you an idea of how important they were in the grand scheme of all things SEO-related.
Websites were affected differently, with some seeing increases in their rankings and traffic, and others plummeting to Google’s page #3. Many of the sites that experienced significant drops are in the Your Money, Your Life (YMYL) niche.
(Verywellhealth.com shows a significant drop after the March core update)
“The sensitive nature of the information on these types of websites can have a profound impact on peoples’ lives,” says Paul Teitelman of Paul Teitelman SEO Agency. “Google has long struggled with this and at least one of these core algorithm updates was designed to push trustworthy YMYL content to the top while sinking those websites that contain dubious and untrustworthy information.”
Google signaled a path forward with these updates. If you were not paying attention, here are the key takeaways:
- Google signals an intent to keep rewarding fresh, complete, and unique content. Focus on answering the searcher’s questions thoroughly and precisely.
- E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) guidelines are more important than ever. Things like backlinks from reputable websites, encryption, and who authors your posts can make or break your organic rankings.
- Google wants to see you covering a wide range of topics from your broader niche. Increase your relevance with content that establishes you as the go-to source in your niche.
SEO is far from an exact science.
If anything, it’s educated guesswork based on countless hours of testing, tweaking, and then testing again.
Still, there are things that you can do to future-proof your SEO and protect your websites from reacting too violently to core algorithm updates.
Based on Google’s recent hints, here are three things that you should focus on if you’re going after those page #1 rankings in the SERPs.
Three tips to future-proof your website’s SEO
Keep the focus on high-quality, actionable content
I know you’re annoyed with hearing it by now but high-quality content is a prerequisite to ranking at the top of the SERPs and staying there.
This means that you need to pin-point a specific question that the searcher wants answers to and then write a piece of content that provides a detailed clarification of the issue. Does it need to be 5,000 words long? That depends on the question but, in most cases, it doesn’t. What it needs to be is concise and thorough, and clarify any and all questions that the searcher might have while reading it.
Ideally, you will want your content to be 1500+ words. According to Backlinko’s Brian Dean and his research, Google tends to reward longer content.
Source: https://backlinko.com/search-engine-ranking
My advice is to ask yourself the following questions when you’re writing:
- Am I providing the reader with a comprehensive answer to their question?
- Is my content more thorough than what’s already on the #1 page of the SERPs?
- Am I presenting the information in a trustworthy way (citing sources, quoting experts)?
- Is my content easy to understand, and free from factual, stylistic, and grammar errors?
If your answer to these questions is a yes, you’re already doing better than (probably) 95% of your competitors.
Improve the E-A-T score of your website
In SEO, E-A-T stands for Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness.
In other words – who is authoring blog posts and articles that are published on your website? Are they penned by an expert in the field or by a ghostwriter?
Why should people trust anything you (or your website) have to say? That’s the crux of E-A-T.
The concept appears in Google’s Quality Raters’ Guidelines (QRG), and SEO experts have debated for years whether or not it has any bearing on the actual organic rankings.
In 2018, Google cleared all doubts around it, announcing that QRG is, in fact, their blueprint for developing the search algorithm. “You can view the rater guidelines as to where we want the search algorithm to go,” Ben Gomes, Google’s vice president of search, assistant and news, said in a CNBC interview.
Here’s what the QRG has to say about E-A-T
We have no idea if Google’s core algorithm can evaluate E-A-T parameters as well as an actual human rater. Still, if that’s Google’s end goal, it’s a good idea to pay attention to it now, regardless of whether it’s implemented or not. It most certainly will be at one point in the future.
To improve your E-A-T score, focus on the following
- Add an author byline to your posts – every post that you publish should be authored by someone. Use your real name (or your author’s real name), and start building a reputation as an expert in the field.
- Create your personal website – even if you’re trying to rank your business site, make sure to have a personal branding website of your own (and of any regularly contributing authors). Those websites should be maintained – you don’t need to SEO the heck out of them but you should publish niche-relevant content regularly.
- Get featured on Wikipedia and authority websites – QRG clearly instructs raters to check for author mentions on Wikipedia and other relevant sites. That stands to reason because experts in the field will often be quoted by other publications.
(Image source: https://static.googleusercontent.com/media/guidelines.raterhub.com/en//searchqualityevaluatorguidelines.pdf)
- Get mentions on forums – same goes for forum mentions. If people name-drop you on relevant forums, that means that they feel you have something important to say.
- Secure your site with HTTPS – security is an important E-A-T factor, especially if you’re selling something via your website. An unsecured website will have a low E-A-T score so make sure to invest in encryption to boost trustworthiness.
Build quality backlinks and establish a social presence
Quality backlinks are still a very important ranking factor.
However, according to a report released by Backlinko, it’s not about one or two backlinks, regardless of how strong they are.
What moves the ranking needle are sustainable, evergreen link-building strategies – backlinks from trusted, niche-related websites that are acquired by white hat SEO methods such as blogger outreach, guest posting, and collaborations with other influencers in the niche. The more of these types of backlinks you get, the better your organic rankings.
Additionally, getting backlinks from a greater number of referring domains ensures that your rankings are protected if, for example, a couple of those websites get shut down or penalized in the future. When you’re playing the link-building game, it pays to think ahead.
(Image Source: https://backlinko.com/google-ranking-factors)
And, while they don’t carry the same weight as true backlinks, you’d be wrong to underestimate the value Google’s ranking algorithm places on social media signals.
A truly authoritative website – and all the authors that write for it – will have a strong social media presence. They will use it to amplify their message, build additional authority, and drive traffic to their website. Ahrefs’ Tim Soulo does this better than any other SEO expert that I know.
All of this will affect the aforementioned E-A-T parameters. If nothing, it will distribute your name far and wide, signaling to Google that you’re not a complete nobody that just happens to run a website or write a blog about a certain topic. The stronger your social media presence; the more followers, comments, and shares you end up earning – the better it is for your E-A-T.
Get people to trust you and the algorithm will follow
Pretty soon, the key to top rankings will be how believable and trustworthy you are. Google’s current insistence on E-A-T parameters clearly demonstrates that. Everything else will be just the icing on the cake after that – the fancy schema you’re using, the on-page SEO gimmicks, and all the other loopholes SEO experts are now using to rank their websites.
I’m interested to hear what you think about the direction that Google is taking with this year’s algorithm updates. Have any of your websites been affected? Leave a comment below and let’s discuss.
The post 2019 Google core algorithm updates: Lessons and tips to future-proof your SEO appeared first on Search Engine Watch.
Want a free Innovator pass to Disrupt Berlin 2019? Apply to volunteer
If your budget simply can’t manage a line item for a ticket to Disrupt Berlin 2019, we have exciting news for you. Volunteer for our work exchange program, and we’ll give you a free Innovator pass good for both days of the show (11-12 December). We have a limited number of volunteer positions, and applications close Thursday, 31 October.
Don’t wait — apply to our volunteer work exchange and attend Disrupt Berlin for free.
It takes a lot of hands and a lot of work to produce a world-class tech event, and you’ll have a front row seat to how it all gets done. You’ll also be a big part of making Disrupt an outstanding experience for all attendees.
We might ask you to wrangle speakers, register attendees, scan tickets, stuff goodie bags, assist with other marketing activities, direct attendees, place signage or something else entirely. You’ll work hard, but you’ll also have plenty of time to enjoy that Innovator pass access.
Ready for the fine print? Here’s what you need to know. The Disrupt Berlin volunteer dates are 10-12 December. To be considered, all volunteers must
- Be at least 18 years old
- Submit an application by Thursday, October 31
- Attend a mandatory orientation training on Tuesday, 10 December at Arena Berlin
- Be available for a total of 10 hours over the course of all three days Shifts range between 2 to 5 hours and may start as early as 6 a.m. or end as late as 11 p.m.
- Provide your own travel, lodging and meals
We’ll assign volunteer schedules 2-3 weeks before the event, and we’ll notify you — whether we accept your application or not — by Wednesday, 6 November.
We keep dangling the free Innovator pass and for good reason. With it, volunteers have access to the full Disrupt agenda, all stages — including the Startup Battlefield competition — exclusive video content access after the event ends, interactive workshops, more than 400 startups and sponsors in Startup Alley, networking events, the full attendee list via Disrupt Mobile App and CrunchMatch, the attendee networking platform.
As a volunteer at Disrupt Berlin 2019, you’ll see everything that goes into producing a large-scale tech event, meet great people and still have time to explore and network. Applications close on 31 October, so apply to volunteer today!
Is your company interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at Disrupt Berlin 2019? Contact our sponsorship sales team by filling out this form.
Fall 2019 Updates to Google Merchant Center
Get a recap of the Fall 2019 updates to Google Merchant Center including updated diagnostics, design, navigation, and much more.
Read more at PPCHero.com
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The State of SEO 2019 – Infographic
Zazzle Media’s second annual “State of SEO survey” has assessed the value and ROI of SEO, looking at its impact in securing funds or resources.
The data suggested that 60% of marketers find that resources and a shortage of budget are the main reasons they don’t spend more on organic search activity. However, almost a third of surveyed marketers still don’t know how to measure the impact of SEO on their results.
The survey reviewed 70% of in-house marketers and 30% of agency heads from various companies. It called for marketers to develop a better understanding of attribution models, measurement tools, brand value, and purpose when it comes to spending more on SEO.
The main reasons cited for marketers struggling to secure investment are competitor awareness, revealing that marketers are too aware of their competitor’s activity, even noting that their branded keywords were being targeted by their competitors.
The report noted that data-led objectives can act as investment enablers as they can easily quantify and measure consumer traffic. They also help marketers prove ROI, by reviewing how marketing practices are improving year on year.
Yet the survey revealed that there is still a lack of understanding around best practices for marketers to use. A quarter of those surveyed called for clearer guidelines on best practice from Google Webmasters, revealing that there is, in fact, a knowledge and skills gap around SEO.
Zazzle Media’s head of search and strategy, Stuart Shaw, said
“As an industry, we’ve needed to educate, educate, educate – at almost every level of client infrastructure. That challenge still remains, in fact, it probably changes monthly but now with more noise than ever.
However knowledge has always been power in this industry, keeping up with updates, marketing news and best practice guidelines across Google and Bing can be the difference in the results marketers need to secure that extra budget.”
You can download the full results of The State of SEO here, and check out the top-line stats on the infographic below.
The post The State of SEO 2019 – Infographic appeared first on Search Engine Watch.
3 days left to save on passes to Disrupt Berlin 2019
What does Disrupt Berlin 2019 have in common with the movie “Three Days of the Condor?” Frankly, not much, except that there are only three days of the super early-bird special left before prices go up. The analogy may be a stretch, but the facts are real. Right now, you can save up to €600 depending on the pass you buy.
Remember, the super early-bird is an endangered species. Once the clock strikes 11:59 p.m. (CEST) on Friday, 11 October, the super early-bird pricing goes extinct. And who wants to pay more than necessary? Extinction will cost you, so don’t wait. Buy your passes to Disrupt Berlin today.
Once you secure your pass, you can start thinking about all the ways you want to experience Disrupt Berlin. Join an audience of thousands to watch some of the world’s top early-stage startups go head-to head in the Startup Battlefield. Between 15-20 teams will take the Main Stage to deliver a six-minute product pitch and demo to a panel of expert tech and VC judges.
It’s a fast, furious and epic pitch competition that culminates with one outstanding startup claiming the Disrupt Cup and the $ 50,000 equity-free prize. And all the participants get to bask in the warm, possibly life-changing spotlight of media and investor attention.
You’ll find even more early-stage startups exhibiting a wide range of technologies in Startup Alley, our expo floor and networking paradise. Among the hundreds of exhibitors, be sure to check out the TC Top Picks. TechCrunch editors hand-picked this cohort to find up to five of the best startups representing these tech categories: AI/Machine Learning, Biotech/Healthtech, Blockchain, Fintech, Mobility, Privacy/Security, Retail/E-commerce, Robotics/IoT/Hardware, CRM/Enterprise and Education.
Have you heard about our Extra Crunch Stage? That’s where you’ll find fireside chats and panel discussions focused on founder and investor success. Plus, it’s the place to go for practical insights and how-to content. We’re talking advice you can take home and put to work in your business — straight from the mouths of the people who’ve done the hard work and earned their success.
So much to do and see at Disrupt Berlin 2019 and just three days of the super early-bird pricing left. The savings go extinct at 11:59 p.m. (CEST) on Friday, 11 October. Buy your passes to Disrupt Berlin, save a bundle, and we’ll see you in December!
Is your company interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at Disrupt Berlin 2019? Contact our sponsorship sales team by filling out this form.
Optimizing for voice search in 2019: Q&A with Amine Bentahar
As we gear up for The Transformation of Search Summit at the end of October, we have another speaker Q&A. This time we’re hearing from Amine Bentahar about his upcoming session on voice search optimization.
Amine Bentahar is the Chief Digital and Operating Officer at Adantix Digital. He’s also an author and member of the Forbes Agency Council.
Amine’s session will be about “Optimizing for position 0: Everything you need to know about voice search.”
Tell us about your current work
Amine Bentahar: I’m the Chief Digital & Operating Officer at Advantix Digital. I’m in charge of operations and ensuring that we are delivering the best quality work and exceptional results for our clients.
I’m also responsible for the overall digital and marketing strategy for many of our key clients which includes publicly traded companies, companies backed by major VC and PE firms, and mid-sized companies from various industries.
What are your key priorities over the next twelve months?
AB: Implement a voice search strategy for all of our B2C and B2B clients, and continue to leverage voice search as a channel to drive new customer acquisitions for our clients.
What is your biggest challenge in achieving those?
AB: Most companies haven’t allocated a budget specific to just voice search, and aren’t taking the time to truly understand how their customers are either looking for information or shopping through voice.
Because of this, we are having to spend a lot of time educating companies about the importance of having a voice search strategy and budget.
What’s your advice to others who may be facing similar challenges?
AB: Educate your teams or clients on voice search and how it’s changing the way customers are shopping or looking for information.
What’s an interesting trend you’re seeing in the market right now?
AB: The integration of voice search technology in cars, TVs, appliances and other devices.
How do you expect it will change in the next 6-12 months?
AB: With all the money being invested in R&D by the big players (Amazon, Google, Apple and Microsoft), I would expect to see this trend to continue growing, and for voice search technology to be available on even more devices.
Tell us a bit about your session at the Search Summit?
AB: My session will be about optimizing for voice search and more specifically about the steps companies must take to rank for position 0. We will help attendees understand how voice search works and how to develop organic content to be “read” by Alexa or Google Home.
What are you looking forward to most at the Summit?
AB: I’m looking forward to meeting other thought leaders and marketers and learning from their experiences about things that are disrupting the search world.
What’s one of your favorite search technologies and why?
AB: Voice search as I find it somewhat amazing especially when you see the fast adoption rate of the technology and how it’s impacting the way customers are now searching.
What’s something you do every day that helps you be more successful or productive?
AB: I do my best to exercise everyday and also I take at least 30 minutes of my day to read either about marketing or management.
The post Optimizing for voice search in 2019: Q&A with Amine Bentahar appeared first on Search Engine Watch.
The Transformation of Search Summit 2019: Speakers, agenda, FAQ
On October 25, 2019, Search Engine Watch will host the second annual Transformation of Search Summit, in partnership with ClickZ. The event will take place at Convene in Midtown, New York City.
To see highlights from last year’s event, check out this roundup of the sessions or these presentations.
Transformation of Search Summit 2019 speakers + agenda
We’ve gathered a great list of search marketing pros to share their knowledge and experience at this event.
Carolyn Shelby from the Walt Disney Company will kick off the morning sharing insights from her work as SEO Manager of Audience Development. She’ll explore overarching trends in search and what we can expect to change in the next year. From the shift from search to discovery to the changing balance of paid versus organic, from data concerns to the changing consumer journey, this session will touch on key themes all marketers should keep top of mind.
Michael Akkerman of Pinterest will follow with Dave Fall of BrandNetworks in a session titled “You’ll Know it When You See it: The Future of Ecommerce is Visual.” Together, they’ll discuss how marketers can inspire consumers and bring magic back to sometimes impersonal online experiences. What options exist for brands looking to create more visual discovery of their products and services?
Courtney Messerli of Goop will give expertise on optimizing for YouTube. As the second largest search engine with more than 1.9 billion monthly users, YouTube offers a huge opportunity for brands to expand their reach. She’ll give insight on video optimization as well as expectations for the role of video in the future of search.
Other speakers include:
- John Shehata, VP of Audience Development Strategy at Conde Nast
- Noël Reilly, Strategic Account Director at Microsoft
- Guillaume Conteville, SVP, Global Digital Marketing at Mastercard
- John Denny, VP Ecommerce & Digital Marketing at CAVU Venture Partners
- Allen Hammock, Global Strategist for Search at Kenshoo
- Kerry Curran, Managing Partner, Marketing Integration, Catalyst (GroupM)
- Stephen Kraus, Head of Digital Insights at Jumpshot
Why should you attend this event?
What makes the Transformation of Search Summit special, you ask?
By attending this event, you’ll be able to:
- Connect with 350+ senior search, digital, and ecommerce marketers from global brands
- Hear from renowned experts from across the industry
- Participate in an unparalleled, unique platform to dissect the current landscape
- Be immersed into a strategic deep-dive into the future of search marketing
- Share actionable search tactics on how you can capitalize on and protect your business from digital advances
- Collaborate with your peers about where the industry predicts search is heading
- Take away real insights designed to address your business needs
Last year, 59% of attendees were business leaders (C-level, partner, VP) and directors from across four continents.
To view a sample of this year’s delegate list, see here.
Who should attend?
We’ve designed this event to be equal parts strategic and tactical, designed for senior leaders as well as practitioners.
This might include:
- C-suite leaders looking to understand the changing role that search plays within their organizations
- Head/Director/SVP/VP of Marketing looking to understand the changing role of search in customers’ paths to purchase, impact of technologies on performance, spend, ROI, budgeting, etc.
- Head/Director/SVP/VP of Search/SEO/PPC looking to understand the impact of new technologies and consumer trends on how to best evolve their search marketing strategies
Industries represented span publishing, retail/ecommerce, SaaS, agencies, consultancies, financial services, and more.
Last year saw attendees from brands including Amazon, Sprint, Adobe, L’Oreal, Yext, KPMG, J.P. Morgan, Xerox, Bloomberg, and Wunderman, among many others:
When / where?
This one-day event will take place at a lovely venue called Convene, located in Midtown Manhattan at 46th St and 6th Ave.
Sessions will run from 9am to 5pm, and will be followed by a drinks reception.
Lunch, snacks, coffee, etc. will be served throughout the day.
Thank you to our partners
This event wouldn’t be what it is without the support of our partners:
- Catalyst
- Fospha
- Kenshoo
- Jumpshot
- SEOClarity
- Synup
And we’d like to extend a big thank you to each of them.
Where can I learn more about the event?
To see a full rundown of agenda, speakers, sponsors, and tickets, check out the Transformation of Search Summit website.
We look forward to seeing you there!
The post The Transformation of Search Summit 2019: Speakers, agenda, FAQ appeared first on Search Engine Watch.
Dell XPS 13 (2019) Review: A Great Compact Laptop
With that dreaded nose cam fixed, the Dell latest XPS 13 is an ultraportable delight to use. Read our full laptop review.
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Only 48 hours left for early-bird tickets to TC Sessions: Enterprise 2019
If enterprise software makes your entrepreneurial heart beat faster, you do not want to miss TC Sessions: Enterprise 2019 on September 5 in San Francisco. And if you really want to make your heart sing, buy an early-bird ticket and save $ 100. But act quickly, because that deal disappears in just 48 hours on August 9 at 11:59 p.m. (PT).
Join more than 1,000 enterprise software experts and aficionados — leaders, rising founders and VCs — to discuss, explore and gain insight into the current and future state of enterprise companies, trends and technology.
This day-long conference features more than 20 sessions on the Main stage including interviews, panel discussions, plus separate speaker Q&As and breakout sessions. You’ll hear from industry giants like these (to name just a few):
- George Brady, CTO at Capital One
- Jim Clarke, Intel’s director of Quantum Hardware
- Scott Farquhar, co-founder and co-CEO at Atlassian
- Aaron Levie, Box co-founder and CEO
- Aparna Sinha, Google’s director of product management for Kubernetes and Anthos
Our presentations cover a wide range of crucial topics — like this one featuring Martin Casado (Andreessen Horowitz) and Wendy Nather (Duo Security):
Keeping the Enterprise Secure: Enterprises face a litany of threats from both the inside and outside the firewall. Now more than ever, companies — especially startups — have to put security first. From preventing data from leaking to keeping bad actors out of your network, enterprises have it tough. How can you secure the enterprise without slowing growth? We’ll discuss the role of a modern CSO and how to move fast… without breaking things.
You’ll find the lineup of events in the agenda, and we might even add a few surprises between now and September.
No TechCrunch Session would be complete without world-class networking, and you’ll have plenty of opportunities to build new connections. Even better, you’ll have CrunchMatch at your disposal. Our free business match-making platform helps you cut through the noise, zero in on the right people and produce better results.
You can’t clone yourself (yet), but you can bring your team and cover more ground. Take advantage of our group discount and save 20% when you purchase four or more tickets at once.
One more ROI checkpoint. For every ticket you buy to this Session, we’ll register you for a free Expo-only pass to TechCrunch Disrupt SF 2019.
TC Sessions: Enterprise takes place in less than one month, but the early-bird price evaporates in just 48 hours. Buy your early-bird ticket before the deadline — August 9 at 11:59 p.m. (PT). Save $ 100 and make your heart sing.
Is your company interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at TC Sessions: Enterprise? Contact our sponsorship sales team by filling out this form.