Technology News and Industry Knowledge

Google Chrome is rolling out updates to make changes and improvements to the search suggestions it shows in the search box within its browser. Google will show what others are search for with the “ people also search for ” section. Google will also show image thumbnails for some search suggestions in Chrome. I believe many of these features have been live in the main Google.com search interface for many years. Chrome search suggestions The search box will show you what others are searching for when you are signed into your Google account. Google said , “you’ll see suggestions in the Google Search box related to your previous searches based on similar things others are looking for.” Here is a screenshot Google provided but we’ve seen Google doing this in the main search results page for some time now . More images for search suggestions Google will also show more image thumbnails near the search suggestions. Google said, “Android and iOS, Chrome will now show helpful images for ...

The impact of Google’s Search Generative Experience on ads within Google’s SERPs has been explored in a new study. Research conduct by SEO platform SE Ranking found that: Regardless of SGE snippet presence, ads appear more often at the bottom of search results. Ads at the top of the SERP accompany SGE snippets more often than shopping ads (carousels). Shopping ads (carousels) usually appear above the SGE snippet. Niches like Fashion and Beauty, and Ecommerce and Retail, are more likely to feature shopping ads. Why we care. Understanding the impact SGE has on ads in Google SERPs is crucial for businesses and marketers so that they can make data-led decisions for more effective marketing. The study. SE Ranking examined 100,000 keywords across 20 niches, each with different search intents and volumes. The analysis provided insights into how often Google offers AI-generated responses, the length of content in the Search Generative Experience (SGE), linking patterns, variations a...

In PPC advertising, the skills and knowledge of ad buyers directly impact campaign success and return on investment.  So, what separates good ad buyers from the truly world-class? The journey from a novice to an expert in ad buying is paved with trials, errors and invaluable lessons.  This article delves into personal experiences and industry insights, offering a comprehensive guide to mastering the art of ad buying. 1. Invest your own money in ads The first and most profound lesson in ad buying comes from spending money. The direct correlation between personal investment and the urgency to learn is undeniable.  Firsthand experience lays a solid foundation for understanding the intricacies of ad buying. When your own finances are at stake, you’re propelled to analyze, adjust and optimize your ads to get the most profitable results in the least amount of time.  Nothing will teach you how to maximize what is possible faster than spending your own money and tur...

For years, Google and Bing have dominated paid search. Brands have focused most of their PPC budgets on these two search titans. However, the search landscape is evolving rapidly. Platforms like TikTok, Pinterest, YouTube, Reddit and Instagram offer exciting new opportunities for savvy advertisers looking to expand their reach. These alternative platforms come packed with engaged users actively searching for products, inspiration and information. Each also enables targeting options using keywords, interests and more. This allows you to get your brand and products in front of massive new audiences beyond just Google and Bing. This article explores how to leverage these additional search platforms to complement your existing PPC efforts and connect with customers throughout more touchpoints in their journey.  Redefining search advertising: Other platforms to explore Search advertising is the placement of ads within search engines when a user searches for a particular product or...

Google is facing a $2.27 billion lawsuit by 32 media groups claiming that the company’s digital advertising practices have led to financial losses. The publishers, including Axel Springer and Schibsted, are based in various countries across Europe, such as Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, and Sweden. What the lawsuit is saying . A statement issued by the media groups’ lawyers Geradin Partners and Stek said: “The media companies involved have incurred losses due to a less competitive market, which is a direct result of Google’s misconduct.” “Without Google’s abuse of its dominant position, the media companies would have received significantly higher revenues from advertising and paid lower fees for ad tech services. Crucially, these funds could have been reinvested into strengthening the European media landscape.” What Google is saying. Google denies the allegations and has described th...

Google Analytics 4 introduced a default Google Ads report, now available within your account’s performance reporting section. To access this report, you need to link your GA4 profile with your Google Ads account Why we care . The inclusion of this Google Ads report, formerly found in GA4’s predecessor Universal Analytics, simplifies data access within GA4. It helps you figure out what’s working well and what needs improvement, making it easier to optimize your campaign more effectively. First spotted: The report was first spotted by Senior Performance Marketing Manager and Google Ads expert, Thomas Eccel, who shared a preview on X : To locate this report, go to the Advertising section, navigate to “Performance”, and click on “Google Ads”. What Google is saying. Google confirmed the new report to Search Engine Land, explaining it’s part of its Advertising workspace update. A spokesperson recently confirmed: “If you currently run ads campaigns or monetize your properti...

Brands and businesses must balance optimizing their online presence through SEO with providing an excellent customer experience. This raises the question – can SEO redefine client experience, or does it risk overshadowing other important elements of the customer journey? While SEO is key for visibility and accessibility, companies must be careful not to prioritize it over user experience or broader marketing strategy.  Learn how to balance SEO with other efforts to build brand loyalty and meaningful customer relationships. Balancing SEO with other crucial elements While SEO is crucial in redefining your client experience, finding a balance and avoiding overshadowing other crucial elements in the customer journey is important. Be careful not to prioritize SEO metrics over user experience or other aspects of your marketing strategy.  For example, as you optimize for search engine rankings, you shouldn’t sacrifice the authenticity and relevance of your content.  Mak...

Google’s popular gtag.js library makes collecting data for Google Analytics 4 and Google Ads straightforward. However, it also ties you into Google’s ecosystem. You lose control and flexibility when tracking data. Enter walkerOS. This new open-source tracking library from ElbWalker aims to give you customizable control back. It lets you send data wherever you want, not just to Google. It also claims better performance through a lightweight codebase. This article explores if walkerOS lives up to its promises. We’ll also: Compare its features, flexibility and ease of use vs. the Google tag.  Learn the cases where switching makes sense, along with the potential downsides. What is gtag.js? The Google tag, or gtag.js, is a JavaScript library by Google that tracks and collects data, serving as an all-encompassing link between your site and various Google services, including Google Ads and Google Analytics 4.  As opposed to ga.js and analytics.js, which were only limited t...

The next phase in ChatGPT’s meteoric rise is the adoption of GPTBot . This new iteration of OpenAI’s technology involves crawling webpages to deepen the output ChatGPT can provide.  AI improvement seems positive, but it’s not so clear-cut. Legal and ethical issues surround the technology. GPTBot’s arrival has highlighted these concerns, as many major brands are blocking it instead of leveraging its potential. But I truly believe there’s much more to gain than lose by fully (and responsibly) embracing GPTBot. Why do AI bots like GPTBot crawl websites?  Understanding why bots like GPTBot do what they do is the first step to embracing this technology and leveraging its potential. Simply put, bots like GPTBot are crawling websites to gather information. The main difference is rather than an AI platform passively being fed data to learn from (the “training set,” if you will), a bot can actively pursue information on the web by crawling various pages.  Large language ...

BuzzFeed was one of the first major publishers to adopt heavy AI publishing.  They drew scrutiny when a litany was plagiarized, copy-and-pasted, factually incorrect, awkward and simply poorly written. Most recently, they’ve resorted to shutting down entire business units because of their inability to compete. Sports Illustrated, also an early adopter, suffered from similar issues and is now also laying off staff to stem the bleeding. Notice a pattern here? Using AI to create content isn’t bad in and of itself. But it often produces bad content. And that’s the problem.   This article dissects AI-generated articles and contrasts them with one crafted by a human expert to illustrate the potential pitfalls of relying solely on AI-generated content. Why brands are flocking to AI-written content Look. It makes sense. AI’s promise is incredibly seductive. Who wouldn’t want to automate or streamline or replace inefficiency?!  And I can’t think of a more inefficient...