This month's Searchlite intro written by SEO Analyst, Cristiana Hawthorne.
It’s July, and once again, the search industry looks different than it did a month ago. Fast-paced field, indeed! On a micro-level, Uproer had a few fun changes this past month. We moved into our new office, and got to spend time together working in person for the first time in over a year. We also had THREE AdFed 32 Under 32 Winners! A huge congratulations to Abby Reimer, Jess Girardi, and John Smith.
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Taking a macro lens, there’ve also been some shifts in the wider SEO world. We weathered a June Google algorithm update, with the biggest visibility gains going to the food/drink, law/government, and internet/telecom sectors. Meanwhile the biggest visibility drops were in the jobs, education, business/industrial, and again, food/drink.
We also want to recognize a recent loss in our SEO community. We were very sorry to hear of the passing of Russ Jones, Principal Search Scientist at Moz and System1. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones. If you have a moment, read his excellent recent article: “The Maker SERP Squeeze: Why Should SEOs Care?”
Now, on to other search news.
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By Stephen Shankland, for CNet
Key Takeaways:
- Google pushed back the timeline for blocking third-party cookies on its browser, Chrome, until late 2023.
- The company says it is pushing back the timeline to “move at a more responsible pace” and allow “sufficient time for public discussion on the right solutions…”
- Google has gotten push back from other industry players for its proposed replacement for third-party cookies, a process known as Federated Learning of Cohorts (FLoC). The search giant says it is working on revisions to FLoC too, and it will incorporate this feedback in the future.
Why it Matters:
Tracking is a thorny issue in digital marketing. On the one hand, the internet is effectively paid for by advertisers, who demand tracking and granularity. On the other hand, individual searchers have a right to privacy. With the largest share of the search market and one of the most expansive online advertising networks, Google relies heavily on a robust tracking infrastructure.
Any changes to that infrastructure will have wide-reaching implications for searchers, advertisers, and possibly key competitors. This timeline change shows just how fine of a line Google will have to walk to balance those conflicting incentives. And it shows that there is still a lot of work to be done before we see a fully fleshed out replacement for the third-party cookie on Google’s Chrome, Youtube, and partner networks.
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by Kevin Indig
Key Takeaways:
- Google’s increasing level of sophistication may mean it can more easily detect low-quality content
- As a result, content creators should source expert advice throughout the content production phase. Depending on your topic, that person might need a Ph.D., or might just need to have light experience with the topic.
Why it Matters:
Content that is essentially regurgitated from the top 10 search results has historically performed fine in search. Whether or not this will remain the case is yet to be determined.
The real focus should be on your audience - searchers are getting better at assessing content quality. It’s crucial to your site’s performance that content is written and/or reviewed by someone who truly understands the topic.
Focus on giving your audience the most up-to-date, helpful content, and you’ll likely see the performance boost from search as well.
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by Cassandra Naji, for Animalz
Key Takeaways:
- Different industry verticals require different keyword strategies. Rapidly changing verticals require more risky keyword strategies with the ability to pivot. Slow growth verticals rely on slow and steady strategies.
- Volatility, in this case, is determined by the changes in external factors in the industry environment (i.e. innovation and competition intensity)
- Planning keyword strategies based solely on search intent and SERPs is effective, but incorporating potential for volatility into your strategy is crucial.
Why it Matters:
Planning keyword strategy based on the potential for volatility means constantly looking into the future, and reading trends before they occur. Modifying strategies according to the potential for change allows strategists to predict and estimate fluctuations both in the industry and SERPs. This can’t be done by looking at what is happening “right now” in SERPs.
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by Barry Schwartz, for Search Engine Roundtable
Key Takeaways:
- Improvements in the quality of a website can take Google months to process and evaluate
- Stakeholders should calibrate their expectations and emphasize patience when making site improvements aimed at improving SEO
- Rankings often don’t reflect quality improvements until the next algorithm update is released
Why it Matters:
If your website is negatively impacted by a Google algorithm update, your instinct may be to fix any and everything that may be holding your site back as quickly as possible in order to regain your footing. If panic is the motivating factor, it can drive businesses to abandon their long-term SEO strategy in favor of quick “fixes” with little to show for their efforts.
Instead, take a patient and measured approach. If the impact on your site’s performance was significant, critically evaluate what may be the root cause(s). Then, plan to make specific improvements over time in a way that’s realistic.
Finally, remember that the changes that improve SEO performance in the wake of an algorithm update are often changes that should have been made, to begin with. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and it’s better to proactively make improvements to site quality than live in a state of reactivity and “chase the algorithm.”
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Other Interesting Stories:
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Free Tool of the Month:
We’re big fans of Samuel Schmitt’s Thruuu SERP analyzer tool and have shared it in this newsletter before. Recently, Samuel revamped his tool to include a new Topics feature that shows you the most commonly used phrases in top competitors' articles. This allows you to go beyond headings and identify any potential gaps in your own content. Next time you’re doing an outline or doing competitive research, give it a shot!
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