Welcome to episode #77 of the SEO Newsletter by #SEOSLY!
My favorite month has just started and I am super pumped to share with you what’s been going on in the world of SEO this week.
Just like last week, in this episode, I am also mostly focusing on SEO news, but I don’t specifically avoid AI stuff anymore.
I am working on a curated list of SEO tips I brought from Brighton SEO and I hope to have it ready soon.
Follow me to always stay up-to-**** with the world of SEO:
The SEO Newsletter by #SEOSLY is sponsored by JetOctopus
JetOctopus is a cloud-based website crawler and SEO log analyzer. The tool allows you to analyze your website structure, check for broken links, detect technical SEO issues, and monitor your website’s ranking in search engines.
JetOctopus is the fastest and most affordable SaaS crawler and logs analyzer without limits.
Join me LIVE on May 11th @ 3 PM CEST at the Duda webinar on AI transforming SEO
Top SEO & AI news
Here is the latest and hottest SEO news. I also covered a lot of important SEO & AI news in the previous episode and shared my first impressions from Brighton SEO.
Google April 2023 Reviews Update Done Rolling Out
The Google April 2023 reviews update finished rolling out on April 25, 2023. It took 13 days and two hours to roll out this expanded reviews update, which goes beyond products, that initially kicked off on April 12, 2023.
Google’s April 2023 reviews update was more volatile than the previous product reviews update, data providers say
This update was more widespread than previous updates because it targets more than just product reviews. The April 2023 reviews update created more volatility in Google’s search results than past versions of the update, including the February 2023 product reviews update, according to Semrush and Rank Ranger data.
Google updates site names in search results after numerous complaints
The fix is rolling out and while it does fix a number of inappropriate site names, it does not resolve all the reported issues.
Google UA historical data will be available until July 1, 2024
Good news for those behind on exporting their Universal Analytics (UA) data. Google said yesterday that users will have access to their data until July, 2024. The company said data collection will end on July 1, 2023, and it will create Google Analytics 4 accounts for those on UA who have not created them yet.
New Google Business Profiles Tips To Avoid Bulk Verification Delays
Google has a help document on “Common issues that delay bulk verification” that it updated to add more tips on avoiding delays with Google Business Profile bulk verification.
Unleashing an SEO Obsession with Olga Zarr
Check this video where I become a guest to my friend, Doug. We discuss my obsession with SEO, how I leverage ChatGPT, and my plan to cash in on affiliate programs she is already using.
Other SEO & AI News
And here is less breaking but still important SEO news.
Bing Chat Reduces Disengagement By Over 3X For Most Egregious Category
Microsoft has reduced the number of disengagements in Bing Chat by over three times for its most egregious category, said Mikhail Parakhin, the CEO of Microsoft Bing. He shared this chart on Twitter, showing the reduction in disengagement for that category. I did ask which category it was, but I did not hear back.
Inside the secret list of websites that make AI like ChatGPT sound smart
AI chatbots have become increasingly popular due to their advanced capabilities, but their understanding is limited to the vast amount of text data they’ve ingested. The Washington Post analyzed Google’s C4 dataset to reveal the diverse and often controversial sources that contribute to AI training data.
Google Knowledge Local Panel “Often Searched Together” Section
Google seems to be testing a new section on the local knowledge panels named “often searched together.” Mordy Oberstein found this and said on Twitter that it is a “great way to see who your local competitors really are.”
SEO X-Ray #4: Site Audit in Less Than 40 Minutes with JetOctopus
I invite you to check out the new series of live SEO audits – SEO X-Ray – on my YouTube SEO channel.
Here is the latest SEO X-Ray episode where I show you how to use JetOctopus to audit a website in less than 40 minutes.
Recent SEO interviews
My most recent interview is with Gus Pelogia, an SEO Product Manager at Indeed. I had a chance to meet Gus in person and he is such a great guy. Don’t miss the episode with him
I have also recently had three wonderful conversations with awesome women you may know from the Women in Tech SEO. They are Adriana Stein, Natalie Arney and Adrijana Vujadin. Make sure to follow them all!
Interview with an SEO Product Manager at Indeed
In this exclusive interview, we dive into the fascinating story of Gus Pelogia, an accomplished SEO expert with a unique background in journalism. Gus shares his journey from his beginnings as a journalist in Brazil, working for major entertainment media outlets such as MTV, Terra, and R7, to his transition into the world of SEO in 2011.
How It’s Like To Be A Woman SEO Agency Owner
In this episode of the SEO Podcast by #SEOSLY, I had the incredible opportunity to interview Adriana Stein, the CEO and Founder of AS Marketing. We delved into her fascinating journey from learning German to discovering the world of SEO and ultimately starting her own agency.
How To Become SEO Confident & Gain SEO Confidence
In this video, I had the incredible opportunity to sit down and interview Adrijana Vujadin, an SEO specialist and host of the SEO Confident podcast.
How it’s like to be an SEO consultant (Olga Zarr vs Natalie Arney)
In this fascinating conversation, Natalie shares her journey and insights into the world of SEO consulting, working with a wide variety of brands to help them grow their online presence.
Top SEO Tips
And here are the Google SEO tips for you.
#1: Google: Page Experience Is A Ranking Signal, Not A Ranking System
Google is now saying that page experience, mobile-friendliness, page speed, and secure site are ranking “signals” but were never ranking “systems.” “It just meant these weren’t ranking *systems* but instead signals used by other systems,” Danny Sullivan, Google’s Search Liaison, said this morning on Twitter.
Videos to watch this week
And here are the videos you don’t want to miss this week.
Learn how I was able to replace 12+ SEO tools with one Ahrefs SEO Toolbar
I’m not kidding! Check the video below and read my entire review of the Ahrefs SEO Toolbar.
How to use Google Search Console for SEO
Here is my latest video where I do a quick (40-minute) walk through Google Search Console and how I use it for SEO (and how you can use it too).
P.S. I recorded this video a month or so ago (sorry about the quality) and the most recent Google announcement made it obsolete, so I will be reshooting it soon. But I still think it contains useful tips, especially for newer SEOs, so here it is!
Glenn Gabe On Bing Chat & Google Bard & AI Generated Content
Awesome chat between Glen Gabe and Barry Schwartz on Big Chat, Google Bard, and AI generated content.
SEO Auditing Large Websites
You cannot miss this from Aleyda.
Google Reviews Update Done, Page Experience, Site Name Fixes, Google Texting Businesses & More
Essential weekly recap of news by Barry Schwartz.
Other articles & resources to read
And you need to allocate some time to read these articles from other SEOs. They are brilliant.
I bought a website, now what? – SEO Strategy Blueprint
This 9,000+ words beast post, readers can learn about the steps and choices they should take after purchasing a new website. Even though it sounds like it’s directed at site buyers, it actually is for everyone. The content includes a lot of really useful details around getting to know the site, auditing it and optimizing technical elements as well as content.
+689,135 visitors YoY – FinTech SaaS Case Study
Great storytelling meets exquisite SEO tactics. This content piece walks you through a website in trouble of Google algo devaluation, struggle to save the revenue and finally, reaching the very all time highs. The content shares deliverables the client received, a full, detailed process of analyzing and finding solutions post-algo devaluation and then some. In short – very practical.
ChatGPT fails: 13 common errors and mistakes you need to know
Learn ChatGPT’s limitations so you can establish guardrails for using the tool and leverage its benefits while avoiding the negatives. By Tom Demers.
Where traditional search and AI chatbots excel: A closer look
Learn key areas where traditional search engines like Google and AI chatbots like ChatGPT have the upper hand. By Jason Tabeling.
The SEO hierarchy of needs for local businesses on a budget
Focus on the local SEO hierarchy of needs, and get the right foundations in place for a chance to compete in the SERPs. Here’s how. By Bruce Clay.
BrightonSEO April 2023 Recap & Highlights
It’s that time of year again, the Oncrawl team just came back from the BrightonSEO conference. FOMO is real, so for those that weren’t there, we’re here to give you a few highlights from the conference.
BrightLocal Makes Waves at BrightonSEO April 2023
As always, BrightonSEO was full of SEO experts delivering talks on a variety of topics. Between us, we went to a number of inspiring talks and came out of the event having learned something new and practical to input into our daily marketing activity. Here are some of our favorite talks, why we loved them, and why we think you will, too.
How Content Is Evolving Thanks to AI — Whiteboard Friday
There’s no question that AI has already started to have a meaningful impact on organizations that create content every single day. In this video, Ross Simmonds shares how our workflows, processes, and content creation will positively evolve thanks to AI.
Taxonomy SEO, knowledge graph, and ChatGPT go hand in hand. Here’s why.
Build a resilient taxonomy SEO by combining it with ChatGPT and Knowledge Graph to drive more online sales. By Emilia Gjorgjevska.
How to Use BigQuery with Google Search Console
In this guide, we’ll go over BigQuery, how to get it set up, and how you can use it with Google Search Console. By Jake Peterson.
Google’s Newest Reviews Update Elevates Real-Life Experience
The essential analysis of the latest Google Reviews update by Lily Ray.
How to Get on the First Page of Google in 2023
If you rank on page two of Google or beyond, you’re practically invisible. Unfortunately, nobody can guarantee first-page Google rankings. But you can improve your chances of getting them by following a logical process. By Joshua Hardwick.
SEO Twitter threads from me for you
And before we end, here are a few Twitter nuggets for you.
Thank you for reading my newsletter! I hope you found the information useful. If you enjoyed this issue, be sure to check out the next one next week.
I can help you with SEO.