<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/smxnow-featured-image-V1.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/smxnow-featured-image-V1.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/smxnow-featured-image-V1-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/smxnow-featured-image-V1-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/smxnow-featured-image-V1-1200x675.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>Join us on August 19th for the latest SMX Now where Reva Minkoff will break down Google's August 17 Smart Bidding changes

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/smxnow-featured-image-V1.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/smxnow-featured-image-V1.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/smxnow-featured-image-V1-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/smxnow-featured-image-V1-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/smxnow-featured-image-V1-1200x675.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Google&#8217;s <a href="https://searchengineland.com/google-expands-smart-bidding-exploration-adds-promotion-mode-480165">upcoming changes to Smart Bidding</a> have sparked one of the biggest debates the PPC industry has seen in years. With the rollout scheduled to begin on August 17, many advertisers are questioning whether long-standing Target CPA and Target ROAS strategies will continue to work the way they always have.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Our latest SMX Now installment won&#8217;t simply recap Google&#8217;s announcement. Instead, it promises to put the update into historical context, explaining why experienced PPC professionals believe this isn&#8217;t the first time Google has fundamentally changed how automated bidding behaves—and what advertisers can learn from previous transitions.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The announcement has generated significant discussion throughout the PPC community, with many questioning whether advertisers will need to rethink years of bidding best practices before the rollout begins.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Whether you agree with Google&#8217;s approach or share the concerns voiced across the PPC community, this is one of the most significant Google Ads changes of 2026.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">If your accounts rely on Target CPA or Target ROAS bidding, this webinar offers an opportunity to understand what&#8217;s changing, why it matters, and how to prepare in its early roll out phase.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Join us August 19th, 1PM EST</p>



<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://www.bigmarker.com/third-door-media/the-target-bidding-apocalypse-and-how-we-ve-been-here-before">Save your spot</a>


Google’s upcoming changes to Smart Bidding have sparked one of the biggest debates the PPC industry has seen in years. With the rollout scheduled to begin on August 17, many advertisers are questioning whether long-standing Target CPA and Target ROAS strategies will continue to work the way they always have.
Our latest SMX Now installment won’t simply recap Google’s announcement. Instead, it promises to put the update into historical context, explaining why experienced PPC professionals believe this isn’t the first time Google has fundamentally changed how automated bidding behaves—and what advertisers can learn from previous transitions.
The announcement has generated significant discussion throughout the PPC community, with many questioning whether advertisers will need to rethink years of bidding best practices before the rollout begins.
Whether you agree with Google’s approach or share the concerns voiced across the PPC community, this is one of the most significant Google Ads changes of 2026.
If your accounts rely on Target CPA or Target ROAS bidding, this webinar offers an opportunity to understand what’s changing, why it matters, and how to prepare in its early roll out phase.
Join us August 19th, 1PM EST
Save your spot

Join us on August 19th for the latest SMX Now where Reva Minkoff will break down Google's August 17 Smart Bidding changes

SMX Now: The Target bidding apocalypse and how we’ve been here before

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/claude-watermarking.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Claude watermarking" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/claude-watermarking.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/claude-watermarking-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/claude-watermarking-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/claude-watermarking-1200x675.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>Anthropic says detection tools and documentation are coming, while warning that watermarks can't confirm authorship or rule out AI use.

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/claude-watermarking.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Claude watermarking" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/claude-watermarking.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/claude-watermarking-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/claude-watermarking-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/claude-watermarking-1200x675.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Anthropic said it will begin embedding machine-readable watermarks into text generated by new Claude AI models worldwide. This fulfills commitments the company made under the European Union&#8217;s AI Act transparency code.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>EU rules, global rollout. </strong>The new requirements apply to Claude models launched in the EU on or after Aug. 2. Anthropic said it will enable the watermarking system everywhere Claude is available, not just in Europe.</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Watermarking will cover output from supported models across Claude, the Claude API, Claude Code, Claude Cowork and Claude Tag.</li>



<li>Anthropic is also working to add watermarking to models released before Aug. 2 during the AI Act&#8217;s transition period.</li>
</ul>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph" id="h-invisible-marks-in-text"><strong>Invisible marks in text. </strong>When a supported Claude model generates text, it embeds an imperceptible, machine-readable watermark into the response. Anthropic said the watermark does not change the meaning, quality or readability of the text.</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Because the watermark is embedded in the text itself, it stays with the content when it is copied and pasted. It may also survive some editing.</li>



<li>Watermarking happens at the model level, so it is included regardless of which Claude product generated the output.</li>



<li>Supported PNG, JPG and SVG files will also receive signed C2PA provenance metadata.</li>
</ul>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph" id="h-detection-has-limits"><strong>Yes, but. </strong>Anthropic said it will provide tools for users and third parties to detect embedded text watermarks and signed provenance metadata. Technical documentation will be released later. The company also cautioned that a detected watermark only shows that the content may have been processed by Claude.</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>It doesn&#8217;t prove Claude created the original ideas or wrote the original text.</li>



<li>Likewise, the absence of a detectable watermark doesn&#8217;t mean content wasn&#8217;t AI-generated.</li>



<li>Older models, heavily edited text, and files with stripped metadata may not contain detectable marks.</li>
</ul>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Why we care. </strong>Claude is widely used to create, edit, and refine marketing content. Anthropic said the watermarks are intended to improve transparency. If AI text watermarking becomes more common, it could change how AI-generated content is identified and disclosed.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Claude&#8217;s support page.</strong> <a href="https://support.claude.com/en/articles/16266773-how-claude-marks-ai-generated-content">How Claude marks AI-generated content</a>


<a href="https://www.semrush.com/ai-seo/overview?utm_campaign=ic_sel_0101ai&#038;utm_source=searchengineland.com&#038;utm_medium=overlay&#038;onboarding=off" target="_blank">
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    <div>
      
      <div id="semrush-one-headline" class="headline-responsive">
        Be the brand <span>AI recommends</span>.
      </div>
      <p id="semrush-one-subhead">
        See where your brand appears in AI search, where competitors are winning, and what it takes to become the answer AI recommends.
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    <div>
      <span id="semrush-one-cta">See your AI visibility</span>
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Anthropic said it will begin embedding machine-readable watermarks into text generated by new Claude AI models worldwide. This fulfills commitments the company made under the European Union’s AI Act transparency code.
EU rules, global rollout. The new requirements apply to Claude models launched in the EU on or after Aug. 2. Anthropic said it will enable the watermarking system everywhere Claude is available, not just in Europe.
Watermarking will cover output from supported models across Claude, the Claude API, Claude Code, Claude Cowork and Claude Tag.
Anthropic is also working to add watermarking to models released before Aug. 2 during the AI Act’s transition period.
Invisible marks in text. When a supported Claude model generates text, it embeds an imperceptible, machine-readable watermark into the response. Anthropic said the watermark does not change the meaning, quality or readability of the text.
Because the watermark is embedded in the text itself, it stays with the content when it is copied and pasted. It may also survive some editing.
Watermarking happens at the model level, so it is included regardless of which Claude product generated the output.
Supported PNG, JPG and SVG files will also receive signed C2PA provenance metadata.
Yes, but. Anthropic said it will provide tools for users and third parties to detect embedded text watermarks and signed provenance metadata. Technical documentation will be released later. The company also cautioned that a detected watermark only shows that the content may have been processed by Claude.
It doesn’t prove Claude created the original ideas or wrote the original text.
Likewise, the absence of a detectable watermark doesn’t mean content wasn’t AI-generated.
Older models, heavily edited text, and files with stripped metadata may not contain detectable marks.
Why we care. Claude is widely used to create, edit, and refine marketing content. Anthropic said the watermarks are intended to improve transparency. If AI text watermarking becomes more common, it could change how AI-generated content is identified and disclosed.
Claude’s support page. How Claude marks AI-generated content



  
AI recommends.
      
See your AI visibility

Anthropic says detection tools and documentation are coming, while warning that watermarks can't confirm authorship or rule out AI use.

Anthropic adds AI text watermarking to Claude models worldwide

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/google-dam.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Google dam" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/google-dam.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/google-dam-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/google-dam-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/google-dam-1200x675.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>Publishers say Google's AI-generated search summaries have reduced referral traffic and may breach a news compensation agreement.

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/google-dam.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Google dam" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/google-dam.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/google-dam-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/google-dam-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/google-dam-1200x675.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Nearly 300 French newspapers filed a complaint today with France&#8217;s competition authority. They accuse Google of violating a compensation agreement by launching AI-generated search summaries without publishers&#8217; consent.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>What&#8217;s happening. </strong>APIG, the Alliance de la Presse d&#8217;Information Générale, filed the complaint after Google launched AI Overviews (the AI-generated summaries that typically appear above traditional organic search results) in France in late July, <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/france/20260811-french-newspapers-target-google-over-ai-summaries">France 24 with AFP</a> reported.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Why it&#8217;s happening. </strong>The publishers say the feature further reduces traffic to their websites. Instead of sending users to original news articles, Google answers their questions directly in Search.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>What they&#8217;re saying. </strong>APIG says Google introduced AI Overviews without publishers&#8217; approval. The group argues this breached commitments Google made under a 2022 agreement on compensation for news content.</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Google says AI Overviews help people ask more complex questions, discover new content, and give publishers tools to manage how their content appears.</li>



<li>&#8220;The editors are not seeking to halt innovation. They are asking for this value to be shared, and for compensation of the use of their content,&#8221; said APIG President Marc Feuillee.</li>
</ul>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>How we got here.</strong> The complaint revives a dispute that has already led to regulatory action.</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>In 2024, France&#8217;s competition authority fined Google €250 million for failing to comply with parts of the 2022 agreement. </li>



<li>Separately, the European Union opened an investigation in December into whether Google used publishers&#8217; content to train, and provide AI services without appropriate compensation.</li>
</ul>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Why we care. </strong>Publishers argue that AI-generated search answers reduce referral traffic while citing their own reporting. The latest complaint adds to growing regulatory scrutiny over whether AI-powered search can use publisher content without violating licensing agreements or competition rules.</p>


Nearly 300 French newspapers filed a complaint today with France’s competition authority. They accuse Google of violating a compensation agreement by launching AI-generated search summaries without publishers’ consent.
What’s happening. APIG, the Alliance de la Presse d’Information Générale, filed the complaint after Google launched AI Overviews (the AI-generated summaries that typically appear above traditional organic search results) in France in late July, France 24 with AFP reported.
Why it’s happening. The publishers say the feature further reduces traffic to their websites. Instead of sending users to original news articles, Google answers their questions directly in Search.
What they’re saying. APIG says Google introduced AI Overviews without publishers’ approval. The group argues this breached commitments Google made under a 2022 agreement on compensation for news content.
Google says AI Overviews help people ask more complex questions, discover new content, and give publishers tools to manage how their content appears.
“The editors are not seeking to halt innovation. They are asking for this value to be shared, and for compensation of the use of their content,” said APIG President Marc Feuillee.
How we got here. The complaint revives a dispute that has already led to regulatory action.
In 2024, France’s competition authority fined Google €250 million for failing to comply with parts of the 2022 agreement. 
Separately, the European Union opened an investigation in December into whether Google used publishers’ content to train, and provide AI services without appropriate compensation.
Why we care. Publishers argue that AI-generated search answers reduce referral traffic while citing their own reporting. The latest complaint adds to growing regulatory scrutiny over whether AI-powered search can use publisher content without violating licensing agreements or competition rules.

Publishers say Google's AI-generated search summaries have reduced referral traffic and may breach a news compensation agreement.

300 French newspapers file complaint over Google AI Overviews

<div><img width="1672" height="941" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/Google-tests-advertiser-list-above-mobile-Search-ads.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/Google-tests-advertiser-list-above-mobile-Search-ads.png 1672w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/Google-tests-advertiser-list-above-mobile-Search-ads-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/Google-tests-advertiser-list-above-mobile-Search-ads-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/Google-tests-advertiser-list-above-mobile-Search-ads-1200x675.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1672px) 100vw, 1672px" /></div>Google's mobile experiment displays participating advertisers' favicons and domain names above sponsored results.

<div><img width="1672" height="941" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/Google-tests-advertiser-list-above-mobile-Search-ads.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/Google-tests-advertiser-list-above-mobile-Search-ads.png 1672w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/Google-tests-advertiser-list-above-mobile-Search-ads-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/Google-tests-advertiser-list-above-mobile-Search-ads-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/Google-tests-advertiser-list-above-mobile-Search-ads-1200x675.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1672px) 100vw, 1672px" /></div>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Google is testing a new mobile Search ad layout that surfaces the advertisers in a sponsored results block before displaying the ads themselves, potentially giving users more context before they click.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">If rolled out more broadly, the change could influence how users scan and interact with paid search results.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>What&#8217;s happening</strong>. The experiment places a list of advertisers—including each advertiser&#8217;s favicon and domain name—at the top of a group of sponsored results on mobile Search.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Instead of seeing the first ad immediately below the &#8220;Sponsored results&#8221; label, users first see the participating advertisers, followed by the individual ads.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" width="1198" height="2048" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/google-ads-sponsored-results-site-name-headers-sOmdNUkw-scaled.png" alt="" class="wp-image-484623" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/google-ads-sponsored-results-site-name-headers-sOmdNUkw-scaled.png 1198w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/google-ads-sponsored-results-site-name-headers-sOmdNUkw-768x1313.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/google-ads-sponsored-results-site-name-headers-sOmdNUkw-898x1536.png 898w" sizes="(max-width: 1198px) 100vw, 1198px" /></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Google has not commented on the experiment, and it remains unclear whether the feature will expand beyond a limited test.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Why we care.</strong> Highlighting advertisers before the ads themselves could increase brand visibility and help users identify the companies featured in the sponsored results block before reading individual ad copy.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">For advertisers with strong brand recognition, the format may improve trust and encourage clicks. Less familiar brands, however, may need to work harder to stand out.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>First spotted. </strong>This update was spotted by Digital Marketer Sachin Patel, who shared his discovery on <a href="https://x.com/SachuPatel53124/status/2087057022105854016">X</a>. </p>


Google is testing a new mobile Search ad layout that surfaces the advertisers in a sponsored results block before displaying the ads themselves, potentially giving users more context before they click.
If rolled out more broadly, the change could influence how users scan and interact with paid search results.
What’s happening. The experiment places a list of advertisers—including each advertiser’s favicon and domain name—at the top of a group of sponsored results on mobile Search.
Instead of seeing the first ad immediately below the “Sponsored results” label, users first see the participating advertisers, followed by the individual ads.




Google has not commented on the experiment, and it remains unclear whether the feature will expand beyond a limited test.
Why we care. Highlighting advertisers before the ads themselves could increase brand visibility and help users identify the companies featured in the sponsored results block before reading individual ad copy.
For advertisers with strong brand recognition, the format may improve trust and encourage clicks. Less familiar brands, however, may need to work harder to stand out.
First spotted. This update was spotted by Digital Marketer Sachin Patel, who shared his discovery on X.

Google's mobile experiment displays participating advertisers' favicons and domain names above sponsored results.

Google tests advertiser list above mobile Search ads

<div><img width="1672" height="941" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/ChatGPT-ICampaign-Data-Import-Validation-Report.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/ChatGPT-ICampaign-Data-Import-Validation-Report.png 1672w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/ChatGPT-ICampaign-Data-Import-Validation-Report-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/ChatGPT-ICampaign-Data-Import-Validation-Report-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/ChatGPT-ICampaign-Data-Import-Validation-Report-1200x675.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1672px) 100vw, 1672px" /></div>Advertisers can now identify missing campaign metrics in imported data, improving the accuracy of cross-channel reporting.

<div><img width="1672" height="941" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/ChatGPT-ICampaign-Data-Import-Validation-Report.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/ChatGPT-ICampaign-Data-Import-Validation-Report.png 1672w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/ChatGPT-ICampaign-Data-Import-Validation-Report-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/ChatGPT-ICampaign-Data-Import-Validation-Report-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/ChatGPT-ICampaign-Data-Import-Validation-Report-1200x675.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1672px) 100vw, 1672px" /></div>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Google has introduced a Campaign Data Import Validation Report, giving advertisers a new way to check the quality of imported campaign data before it impacts reporting.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The report is designed to help identify missing or incomplete data from non-Google advertising platforms.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>What&#8217;s happening</strong>. The new validation report reviews both non-Google campaign data and previously imported campaign data, highlighting campaigns that may be missing key performance metrics.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Specifically, it helps advertisers identify imports that lack essential reporting fields such as cost, clicks and impressions, making it easier to spot gaps before relying on the data for analysis.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Why we care.</strong> Missing or incomplete data can lead to inaccurate reporting, making it harder to compare channels or evaluate marketing performance. The new validation report provides an additional layer of quality control, helping you ensure imported data is complete and reliable.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Bottom line.</strong> <a href="https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/9164320?hl=en#08102026">Google&#8217;s new Campaign Data Import Validation Report</a> helps advertisers identify missing campaign metrics and improve the accuracy of imported marketing data.</p>


Google has introduced a Campaign Data Import Validation Report, giving advertisers a new way to check the quality of imported campaign data before it impacts reporting.
The report is designed to help identify missing or incomplete data from non-Google advertising platforms.
What’s happening. The new validation report reviews both non-Google campaign data and previously imported campaign data, highlighting campaigns that may be missing key performance metrics.
Specifically, it helps advertisers identify imports that lack essential reporting fields such as cost, clicks and impressions, making it easier to spot gaps before relying on the data for analysis.
Why we care. Missing or incomplete data can lead to inaccurate reporting, making it harder to compare channels or evaluate marketing performance. The new validation report provides an additional layer of quality control, helping you ensure imported data is complete and reliable.
Bottom line. Google’s new Campaign Data Import Validation Report helps advertisers identify missing campaign metrics and improve the accuracy of imported marketing data.

Advertisers can now identify missing campaign metrics in imported data, improving the accuracy of cross-channel reporting.

Google adds Campaign Data Import Validation Report

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/12-things-Reddit-needs-to-make-its-ad-platform-more-competitive.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="12 things Reddit needs to make its ad platform more competitive" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/12-things-Reddit-needs-to-make-its-ad-platform-more-competitive.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/12-things-Reddit-needs-to-make-its-ad-platform-more-competitive-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/12-things-Reddit-needs-to-make-its-ad-platform-more-competitive-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/12-things-Reddit-needs-to-make-its-ad-platform-more-competitive-1200x675.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>Reddit has a unique advantage: communities built around real questions and decisions. Its ad platform needs to catch up.

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/12-things-Reddit-needs-to-make-its-ad-platform-more-competitive.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="12 things Reddit needs to make its ad platform more competitive" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/12-things-Reddit-needs-to-make-its-ad-platform-more-competitive.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/12-things-Reddit-needs-to-make-its-ad-platform-more-competitive-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/12-things-Reddit-needs-to-make-its-ad-platform-more-competitive-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/12-things-Reddit-needs-to-make-its-ad-platform-more-competitive-1200x675.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Channels outside of Google and Meta have struggled to get recent headlines in the paid advertising world. But my agency’s performance marketing team has seen one under-the-radar channel — <a href="https://searchengineland.com/reddit-ad-formats-446877">Reddit</a> — introduce a ton of new features and ad types in 2026, making it more viable for our clients.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Between <a href="https://searchengineland.com/reddit-unveils-new-ai-powered-ad-tools-built-on-community-conversations-480734">new ad types and AI-powered functions</a>, <a href="https://searchengineland.com/reddit-collection-ads-deal-overlays-shopify-472399">powerful integrations for shopping</a>, video ad enhancements from late in 2025, and Reddit’s AEO and <a href="https://searchengineland.com/guide/what-is-seo">SEO</a> clout making marketers more aware of the need to engage on the platform, we’ve got more clients active on, or curious about, Reddit than I’ve ever seen.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">That said, Reddit’s ad platform — though much further along than it was a couple of years ago — still needs more features and improvements to existing ones to draw a bigger share of advertising budgets.</p>



<h2 id="h-my-reddit-targeting-and-audience-wishlist" class="wp-block-heading">My Reddit targeting and audience wishlist</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">A huge part of Reddit’s influence comes from the extremely candid and opinionated content its users provide — and users are enabled to be exactly that, in large part, because accounts use usernames rather than real names. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Redditors can be as anonymous as they want, and I don’t wish to change that. Instead, I’d like Reddit to offer the following.</p>



<h3 id="h-1-expand-reach-without-sacrificing-privacy" class="wp-block-heading">1. Expand reach without sacrificing privacy</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Better identity targeting for anonymous or logged-out users in a privacy-safe way would expand our targetable reach, which is a big deal given Reddit’s niche status compared to Google and Meta.</p>


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<h3 id="h-2-bring-b2b-intent-to-reddit" class="wp-block-heading">2. Bring B2B intent to Reddit</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">B2B and firmographic targeting that includes:&nbsp;</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Job title, function, and seniority.</li>



<li>Industry and company size.</li>



<li>Named-company and account-list targeting.</li>



<li>Tech usage and/or professional-interest segments.</li>



<li>Decision-maker and buying-committee audiences.</li>
</ul>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Reddit offers communities, interests, keywords, customer lists, and lookalikes. Adding privacy-safe firmographic data would make the platform more competitive with LinkedIn while preserving Reddit’s differentiated behavioral signals.</p>



<h3 id="h-3-make-purchase-intent-easier-to-target" class="wp-block-heading">3. Make purchase intent easier to target</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Reddit should turn its strongest advantage — people actively researching and discussing decisions — into understandable, scalable “in-market” and journey-stage audiences, including:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Recently researched a category.</li>



<li>Asked a question about a product or problem.</li>



<li>Engaged with comparison or recommendation threads.</li>



<li>Evaluated alternatives.</li>



<li>Repeated recent engagement.</li>
</ul>



<h3 id="h-4-make-existing-audience-signals-more-reliable" class="wp-block-heading">4. Make existing audience signals more reliable</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">As for what we can do on Reddit with the reach we have, I’d like to request stronger retargeting depth, lookalike audiences, CRM integrations, and cross-subreddit behavioral signals. Reddit introduced all those targeting options, but they’re still patchy and unreliable, further eroding scale and performance.</p>



<h3 id="h-5-give-advertisers-more-control-over-who-they-reach" class="wp-block-heading">5. Give advertisers more control over who they reach</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Reddit advertisers need greater confidence that their strategies are hitting the right people. Adding exclusions would help ensure we can eliminate some irrelevant eyeballs, so I’d like to ask for:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Negative keyword and community exclusions.</li>



<li>Current-customer and existing-lead suppression.</li>



<li>Clear control over AND versus OR targeting logic.</li>
</ul>



<h3 id="h-6-make-audience-planning-more-predictable" class="wp-block-heading">6. Make audience planning more predictable</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Last in the audience and targeting category, advertisers need better audience planning and forecasting. Before spending budget, they need to see:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Realistic audience sizes (Reddit currently has ranges that can seem wildly unrealistic).</li>



<li>Demographic and device composition.</li>



<li>Top associated communities and topics.</li>



<li>Estimated CPM, conversion volume, and audience saturation based on budget.</li>
</ul>



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<hr class="wp-block-separator has-text-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-css-opacity has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-background"/>



<h2 id="h-my-reddit-measurement-and-attribution-wishlist" class="wp-block-heading">My Reddit measurement and attribution wishlist</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">With the releases of <a href="https://searchengineland.com/reddit-launches-its-first-ever-first-party-measurement-tools-431120">Brand Lift, Conversion Lift</a>, and CAPI, Reddit measurement took a huge step forward in 2023.&nbsp;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Today, Reddit’s role in the user research and consideration phase is increasingly important as AI search minimizes clicks and pushes performance marketers to focus further up the funnel.&nbsp;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">That means Reddit’s value is increasingly measured through analyses like MMM and MTA rather than through a persistent reliance on last-click attribution.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">All of that is to say that it’s easier to measure Reddit ads’ impact than it was a few years ago. Yet, indicative of a platform that’s still more of a challenger than a powerhouse, it’s falling short on some basics.&nbsp;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">There’s one specific (and persistent) gap that should be table stakes for a serious ad platform: more third-party integrations for dynamic UTM tracking. Beyond that, I’d love to see Reddit introduce the following.</p>



<h3 id="h-7-prove-incremental-value-without-leaving-the-platform" class="wp-block-heading">7. Prove incremental value without leaving the platform</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Reddit is generally considered a test channel, so self-serve incrementality testing — which larger competitors offer — would help demonstrate the incremental value it drives. Specifically, I’d like to see Reddit provide:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Conversion-lift studies.</li>



<li>Randomized audience holdouts.</li>



<li>Geo experiments.</li>



<li>Self-serve brand-lift studies.</li>



<li>Incremental reach and frequency measurement.</li>
</ul>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In aggregate, these tests would help Reddit advertisers defend upper- and mid-funnel investment when last-click reporting underrepresents its influence.</p>



<h3 id="h-8-connect-ad-delivery-to-revenue-outcomes" class="wp-block-heading">8. Connect ad delivery to revenue outcomes</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Reddit has Pixel, CAPI, and omnichannel attribution capabilities. The larger opportunity is to make it easier to pull in offline data from CRMs and other sources, so advertisers can lean into down-funnel and revenue-based optimization.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Native HubSpot, Salesforce, and other CRM integrations would be particularly valuable. Advertisers need to tell Reddit which leads became valuable customers, then allow its delivery system to find more people with similar signals.</p>



<h3 id="h-my-reddit-ad-formats-and-creatives-wishlist" class="wp-block-heading">My Reddit ad formats and creatives wishlist</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">More than on most platforms, it’s critical to make sure your ads appear as native as possible to their context. Redditors turn up their noses at anything inauthentic.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In 2024, Reddit made some <a href="https://searchengineland.com/reddit-unveils-conversation-ads-443281">updates to Conversation ads</a> that gave advertisers a useful option in a native setting, but there are many more native formats they could introduce. I’ll list some of my recommendations below.</p>



<h3 id="h-9-give-advertisers-more-ways-to-fit-into-the-conversation" class="wp-block-heading">9. Give advertisers more ways to fit into the conversation</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Polls, product carousels, and Q&amp;A ad units designed to fit within the Reddit environment would all be good formats for advertisers to test.</p>



<h3 id="h-10-bring-short-form-video-up-to-speed" class="wp-block-heading">10. Bring short-form video up to speed</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Another area of opportunity for Reddit is more competitive short-form video. Yes, they do have short-form video, but introducing vertical formats and optimizing for autoplay would make that format a lot more viable for advertisers (this is kind of in the “table stakes” category).</p>



<h3 id="h-11-put-ads-where-high-intent-reddit-research-happens" class="wp-block-heading">11. Put ads where high-intent Reddit research happens</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://www.reddit.com/answers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reddit Answers</a> was integrated into the broader Reddit search experience in May 2026. Reddit Answers ads in high-intent searches and recommendation questions, with clear sponsorship labeling and strict relevance requirements, would give advertisers another way to reach users close to the purchase decision.</p>



<h3 id="h-12-let-advertisers-learn-from-past-campaigns" class="wp-block-heading">12. Let advertisers learn from past campaigns</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The last big item on my creative list is an ad library that expands to show historical ads, much like Meta’s, where you can see both paused and active ads. That kind of archival reference would be super helpful to have on the back end.</p>


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<h2 id="h-reddit-could-earn-more-of-the-ad-budget" class="wp-block-heading">Reddit could earn more of the ad budget</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">If it’s not obvious, Reddit has taken some significant strides forward over the last few years, to the point where it can be surprising when it hasn’t checked some of the more basic boxes.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">These requests shouldn’t be considered pipe dreams, either. The above list was compiled from situations where my team and I have butted up against limits when running real Reddit campaigns.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Given the way AI search engines have eaten into clicks and made awareness more of a paid media play, and given Google’s heavy-handed move away from control and toward mass automation, we’re very willing to divert budget to Reddit if we can make a solid business case for it.&nbsp;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Reddit’s unique community and research signals would be powerful if the platform figured out how to turn them into targetable audiences using ad formats that enable real conversations throughout the buying journey.</p>

Channels outside of Google and Meta have struggled to get recent headlines in the paid advertising world. But my agency’s performance marketing team has seen one under-the-radar channel — Reddit — introduce a ton of new features and ad types in 2026, making it more viable for our clients.
Between new ad types and AI-powered functions, powerful integrations for shopping, video ad enhancements from late in 2025, and Reddit’s AEO and SEO clout making marketers more aware of the need to engage on the platform, we’ve got more clients active on, or curious about, Reddit than I’ve ever seen.
That said, Reddit’s ad platform — though much further along than it was a couple of years ago — still needs more features and improvements to existing ones to draw a bigger share of advertising budgets.
My Reddit targeting and audience wishlist
A huge part of Reddit’s influence comes from the extremely candid and opinionated content its users provide — and users are enabled to be exactly that, in large part, because accounts use usernames rather than real names. 
Redditors can be as anonymous as they want, and I don’t wish to change that. Instead, I’d like Reddit to offer the following.
1. Expand reach without sacrificing privacy
Better identity targeting for anonymous or logged-out users in a privacy-safe way would expand our targetable reach, which is a big deal given Reddit’s niche status compared to Google and Meta.
your competitors win.
      
Analyze your competitors
    
2. Bring B2B intent to Reddit
B2B and firmographic targeting that includes: 
Job title, function, and seniority.
Industry and company size.
Named-company and account-list targeting.
Tech usage and/or professional-interest segments.
Decision-maker and buying-committee audiences.
Reddit offers communities, interests, keywords, customer lists, and lookalikes. Adding privacy-safe firmographic data would make the platform more competitive with LinkedIn while preserving Reddit’s differentiated behavioral signals.
3. Make purchase intent easier to target
Reddit should turn its strongest advantage — people actively researching and discussing decisions — into understandable, scalable “in-market” and journey-stage audiences, including:
Recently researched a category.
Asked a question about a product or problem.
Engaged with comparison or recommendation threads.
Evaluated alternatives.
Repeated recent engagement.
4. Make existing audience signals more reliable
As for what we can do on Reddit with the reach we have, I’d like to request stronger retargeting depth, lookalike audiences, CRM integrations, and cross-subreddit behavioral signals. Reddit introduced all those targeting options, but they’re still patchy and unreliable, further eroding scale and performance.
5. Give advertisers more control over who they reach
Reddit advertisers need greater confidence that their strategies are hitting the right people. Adding exclusions would help ensure we can eliminate some irrelevant eyeballs, so I’d like to ask for:
Negative keyword and community exclusions.
Current-customer and existing-lead suppression.
Clear control over AND versus OR targeting logic.
6. Make audience planning more predictable
Last in the audience and targeting category, advertisers need better audience planning and forecasting. Before spending budget, they need to see:
Realistic audience sizes (Reddit currently has ranges that can seem wildly unrealistic).
Demographic and device composition.
Top associated communities and topics.
Estimated CPM, conversion volume, and audience saturation based on budget.
Get the newsletter search marketers rely on.
 
				
				
			
See terms.
		
My Reddit measurement and attribution wishlist
With the releases of Brand Lift, Conversion Lift, and CAPI, Reddit measurement took a huge step forward in 2023. 
Today, Reddit’s role in the user research and consideration phase is increasingly important as AI search minimizes clicks and pushes performance marketers to focus further up the funnel. 
That means Reddit’s value is increasingly measured through analyses like MMM and MTA rather than through a persistent reliance on last-click attribution.
All of that is to say that it’s easier to measure Reddit ads’ impact than it was a few years ago. Yet, indicative of a platform that’s still more of a challenger than a powerhouse, it’s falling short on some basics. 
There’s one specific (and persistent) gap that should be table stakes for a serious ad platform: more third-party integrations for dynamic UTM tracking. Beyond that, I’d love to see Reddit introduce the following.
7. Prove incremental value without leaving the platform
Reddit is generally considered a test channel, so self-serve incrementality testing — which larger competitors offer — would help demonstrate the incremental value it drives. Specifically, I’d like to see Reddit provide:
Conversion-lift studies.
Randomized audience holdouts.
Geo experiments.
Self-serve brand-lift studies.
Incremental reach and frequency measurement.
In aggregate, these tests would help Reddit advertisers defend upper- and mid-funnel investment when last-click reporting underrepresents its influence.
8. Connect ad delivery to revenue outcomes
Reddit has Pixel, CAPI, and omnichannel attribution capabilities. The larger opportunity is to make it easier to pull in offline data from CRMs and other sources, so advertisers can lean into down-funnel and revenue-based optimization.
Native HubSpot, Salesforce, and other CRM integrations would be particularly valuable. Advertisers need to tell Reddit which leads became valuable customers, then allow its delivery system to find more people with similar signals.
My Reddit ad formats and creatives wishlist
More than on most platforms, it’s critical to make sure your ads appear as native as possible to their context. Redditors turn up their noses at anything inauthentic.
In 2024, Reddit made some updates to Conversation ads that gave advertisers a useful option in a native setting, but there are many more native formats they could introduce. I’ll list some of my recommendations below.
9. Give advertisers more ways to fit into the conversation
Polls, product carousels, and Q&A ad units designed to fit within the Reddit environment would all be good formats for advertisers to test.
10. Bring short-form video up to speed
Another area of opportunity for Reddit is more competitive short-form video. Yes, they do have short-form video, but introducing vertical formats and optimizing for autoplay would make that format a lot more viable for advertisers (this is kind of in the “table stakes” category).
11. Put ads where high-intent Reddit research happens
Reddit Answers was integrated into the broader Reddit search experience in May 2026. Reddit Answers ads in high-intent searches and recommendation questions, with clear sponsorship labeling and strict relevance requirements, would give advertisers another way to reach users close to the purchase decision.
12. Let advertisers learn from past campaigns
The last big item on my creative list is an ad library that expands to show historical ads, much like Meta’s, where you can see both paused and active ads. That kind of archival reference would be super helpful to have on the back end.
a customer you lose.
      
See who’s stealing your traffic
    
Reddit could earn more of the ad budget
If it’s not obvious, Reddit has taken some significant strides forward over the last few years, to the point where it can be surprising when it hasn’t checked some of the more basic boxes.
These requests shouldn’t be considered pipe dreams, either. The above list was compiled from situations where my team and I have butted up against limits when running real Reddit campaigns.
Given the way AI search engines have eaten into clicks and made awareness more of a paid media play, and given Google’s heavy-handed move away from control and toward mass automation, we’re very willing to divert budget to Reddit if we can make a solid business case for it. 
Reddit’s unique community and research signals would be powerful if the platform figured out how to turn them into targetable audiences using ad formats that enable real conversations throughout the buying journey.

Reddit has a unique advantage: communities built around real questions and decisions. Its ad platform needs to catch up.

12 things Reddit needs to make its ad platform more competitive

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/DMCA-as-a-weapon-How-to-fight-fraudulent-takedown-claims.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="DMCA as a weapon: How to fight fraudulent takedown claims" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/DMCA-as-a-weapon-How-to-fight-fraudulent-takedown-claims.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/DMCA-as-a-weapon-How-to-fight-fraudulent-takedown-claims-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/DMCA-as-a-weapon-How-to-fight-fraudulent-takedown-claims-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/DMCA-as-a-weapon-How-to-fight-fraudulent-takedown-claims-1200x675.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>A fraudulent DMCA notice can cost you search visibility. Here’s what to document, how to file a counter-notice, and when to escalate.


<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/DMCA-as-a-weapon-How-to-fight-fraudulent-takedown-claims.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="DMCA as a weapon: How to fight fraudulent takedown claims" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/DMCA-as-a-weapon-How-to-fight-fraudulent-takedown-claims.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/DMCA-as-a-weapon-How-to-fight-fraudulent-takedown-claims-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/DMCA-as-a-weapon-How-to-fight-fraudulent-takedown-claims-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/DMCA-as-a-weapon-How-to-fight-fraudulent-takedown-claims-1200x675.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Introduced in 1998, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) was designed to solve a specific problem: protecting creators from digital piracy while granting online platforms a &#8220;safe harbor&#8221; from liability.&nbsp;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Under Section 512, search engines and host providers avoid expensive lawsuits as long as they act swiftly to remove content when a copyright holder flags an infringement.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">That &#8220;act swiftly&#8221; requirement creates an unintended vulnerability. Because major platforms rely on automated processing to handle millions of removal requests every month, bad actors can trigger automatic deindexing without human review.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">What was designed as a shield for intellectual property is now a weapon for corporate censorship, reputation management, and competitive sabotage.</p>



<h2 id="h-a-real-world-example-of-dmca-abuse" class="wp-block-heading">A real-world example of DMCA abuse</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In March, a clear demonstration of DMCA abuse played out in full public view. Investigative reporters at Press Gazette published a story examining how a digital media firm, Clickout Media, allegedly acquired established news domains to deploy AI-generated gambling content, a tactic known in SEO circles as site reputation abuse. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Shortly after, Search Engine Land <a href="https://searchengineland.com/google-removes-search-engine-land-article-473007">published a follow-up report detailing the findings</a>.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Within 48 hours, both articles vanished from Google search results worldwide.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" width="2048" height="1117" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/The-weaponization-cycle.png" alt="The weaponization cycle" class="wp-image-484564" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/The-weaponization-cycle.png 2048w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/The-weaponization-cycle-768x419.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/The-weaponization-cycle-1536x838.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px" /></figure>
</div>


<p class="wp-block-paragraph">An entity identifying itself as &#8220;US Webspam&#8221; filed a copyright complaint alleging that Search Engine Land had copied its material word-for-word, including proprietary images.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The claim was fraudulent:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>Zero image match:</strong> The Search Engine Land article contained no images whatsoever.</li>



<li><strong>No direct outreach:</strong> The filing claimed &#8220;multiple good-faith efforts&#8221; had been made to resolve the dispute, yet no communication was ever sent to the editorial team.</li>



<li><strong>Fabricated source:</strong> The complainant pointed to irrelevant third-party domains as the &#8220;original source&#8221; of the reporting.</li>
</ul>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Despite these clear discrepancies, Google&#8217;s automated systems processed the request and deindexed the article.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">It took public pushback from search industry analysts, widespread media attention, and a formal counter-notice before Google reinstated both Search Engine Land and Press Gazette in the search index several days later.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">If an established publication with high domain authority can have its coverage muted overnight, individual creators, niche blogs, and small businesses face an even tougher challenge.</p>


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<h2 id="h-the-mechanics-of-bad-faith-dmca-takedowns" class="wp-block-heading">The mechanics of bad-faith DMCA takedowns</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Understanding why weaponized takedowns succeed requires looking at the incentives of online platforms.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Under U.S. copyright law, platforms like Google, Cloudflare, and major web hosts remain protected from copyright liability only if they act &#8220;expeditiously to remove, or disable access to&#8221; material claimed to be infringing.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Because taking down a page carries virtually zero legal risk for the platform, while ignoring a notice risks a lawsuit, platforms prioritize speed over verification.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Key structural flaw:</strong> Section 512 places the burden of proof on the accused rather than the claimant. The platform shoots first and asks questions later.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Malicious actors exploit this asymmetry using three primary techniques:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>Scraper-and-backdate schemes:</strong> A bad actor scrapes your original article, pastes it onto a disposable site, alters the metadata or timestamp to make it appear published earlier, and files a DMCA claim alleging you stole <em>their</em> work.</li>



<li><strong>Fabricated entities:</strong> Attackers submit takedown claims under fake organization names, such as &#8220;US Webspam,&#8221; or impersonate third-party blogs to hide their true identity.</li>



<li><strong>Reputation suppression:</strong> Individuals or brands facing negative press file dubious claims against investigative pieces, product reviews, or customer complaints to suppress damaging search results during high-impact windows.</li>
</ul>



<h2 id="h-5-steps-to-take-when-your-content-is-unfairly-dmca-d" class="wp-block-heading">5 steps to take when your content is unfairly DMCA&#8217;d</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Discovering that your URL has been de-indexed or pulled down by your host can be alarming. Following a structured procedure helps ensure your content is restored efficiently.</p>



<h3 id="h-1-identify-and-inspect-the-notice" class="wp-block-heading">1. Identify and inspect the notice</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">When Google removes a URL due to a DMCA claim, you&#8217;ll receive a notification in Google Search Console under <em>Security &amp; Manual Actions</em>, along with an email detailing the notice.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Locate the exact complaint in the Lumen Database (lumendatabase.org), a public repository that archives legal requests to remove web content. Examine the filing carefully:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Who is listed as the copyright owner?</li>



<li>What specific URL do they claim is the original source?</li>



<li>What specific text or media is alleged to be copied?</li>
</ul>



<h3 id="h-2-gather-incontrovertible-proof-of-prior-ownership" class="wp-block-heading">2. Gather incontrovertible proof of prior ownership</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Before filing your response, assemble evidence establishing that your content predates the claimant&#8217;s alleged original version:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>CMS timestamp logs:</strong> Export full publish logs from WordPress, Ghost, or your custom database showing creation dates and edit histories.</li>



<li><strong>Wayback Machine archives:</strong> Pull historical snapshots from the Internet Archive showing your page live before the claimant&#8217;s alleged publication date.</li>



<li><strong>RSS feed records:</strong> Retrieve original RSS distribution records, which index publication times down to the second.</li>



<li><strong>Git commit history:</strong> If your site uses static site generators or version control, export commit hashes showing when the file was created.</li>
</ul>



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<h3 id="h-3-file-a-formal-dmca-counter-notice" class="wp-block-heading">3. File a formal DMCA counter-notice</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">To force the platform to restore your content, you must file a formal DMCA counter-notification. Under statutory guidelines, a counter-notice must include:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Identification of the material that was removed and its original location.</li>



<li>A statement under penalty of perjury that you have a good-faith belief the material was removed as a result of mistake or misidentification.</li>



<li>Your full name, physical address, phone number, and email address.</li>



<li>Consent to the jurisdiction of the federal district court for your judicial district (or the district where your host is located if outside the U.S.).</li>



<li>Your physical or electronic signature.</li>
</ul>



<h3 id="h-4-understand-the-statutory-waiting-period" class="wp-block-heading">4. Understand the statutory waiting period</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Once the platform receives your valid counter-notice, the law requires it to forward it to the original claimant. The claimant then has 10 to 14 business days to submit proof that they&#8217;ve filed a formal lawsuit seeking a court order to restrain you from publishing the content.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">If the claimant fails to produce evidence of a court filing within that 10- to 14-day window, the platform is legally obligated to restore your content to its index or server.</p>



<h3 id="h-5-escalate-publicly-and-pursue-section-512-f-remedies" class="wp-block-heading">5. Escalate publicly and pursue Section 512(f) remedies</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In high-stakes situations, such as time-sensitive reporting or ecommerce launch campaigns, waiting two full weeks can cause serious financial damage.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">If your case involves an obvious fraudulent claim (such as alleging image theft on an all-text page), publicize the details on social platforms like X and LinkedIn while tagging the official search representative handles. Search engine teams do occasionally fast-track obvious manual reviews when blatant system gaming is exposed publicly.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Section 512(f) of the DMCA explicitly holds that any person who knowingly materially misrepresents that material is infringing shall be liable for damages, including costs and attorneys&#8217; fees incurred by the alleged infringer. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">While litigation takes time, sending a formal litigation hold letter to a bad actor who used a real legal identity can prompt a swift withdrawal of their claim.</p>



<h2 id="h-proactive-steps-to-safeguard-your-intellectual-property" class="wp-block-heading">Proactive steps to safeguard your intellectual property</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">While you can&#8217;t stop an anonymous actor from filing a fraudulent notice, proactive site hygiene makes resolving disputes far simpler:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>Auto-archive upon publication:</strong> Set up an automated webhook or API connection to archive new articles to the Internet Archive immediately upon publishing.</li>



<li><strong>Maintain clear byline and copyright notices:</strong> Ensure every article includes schema structured data (<code>NewsArticle</code> or <code>Article</code> schema) complete with <code>datePublished</code>, <code>dateModified</code>, and <code>author</code> metadata.</li>



<li><strong>Monitor Search Console alerts:</strong> Ensure Google Search Console notification emails route to a primary inbox that gets checked daily. Missing a notice delays your counter-filing window.</li>



<li><strong>Keep original source files:</strong> Store raw video files, unedited photography, audio recordings, and rough draft revisions safely off-site to demonstrate your creation process.</li>
</ul>


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<h2 id="h-defending-your-content-against-fraudulent-takedowns" class="wp-block-heading">Defending your content against fraudulent takedowns</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The Search Engine Land incident highlights a structural issue in modern web governance: automated copyright tools built to shield giant platforms can easily be turned against legitimate creators.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Until policy revisions require stronger identity verification or impose stiffer penalties for false claims, bad actors will continue to misuse takedown requests to silence competitors and critics. By understanding your rights, documenting your publishing pipeline, and acting quickly with formal counter-notifications, you can defend your work and restore your digital presence.</p>

Introduced in 1998, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) was designed to solve a specific problem: protecting creators from digital piracy while granting online platforms a “safe harbor” from liability. 
Under Section 512, search engines and host providers avoid expensive lawsuits as long as they act swiftly to remove content when a copyright holder flags an infringement.
That “act swiftly” requirement creates an unintended vulnerability. Because major platforms rely on automated processing to handle millions of removal requests every month, bad actors can trigger automatic deindexing without human review.
What was designed as a shield for intellectual property is now a weapon for corporate censorship, reputation management, and competitive sabotage.
A real-world example of DMCA abuse
In March, a clear demonstration of DMCA abuse played out in full public view. Investigative reporters at Press Gazette published a story examining how a digital media firm, Clickout Media, allegedly acquired established news domains to deploy AI-generated gambling content, a tactic known in SEO circles as site reputation abuse. 
Shortly after, Search Engine Land published a follow-up report detailing the findings.
Within 48 hours, both articles vanished from Google search results worldwide.




An entity identifying itself as “US Webspam” filed a copyright complaint alleging that Search Engine Land had copied its material word-for-word, including proprietary images.
The claim was fraudulent:
Zero image match: The Search Engine Land article contained no images whatsoever.
No direct outreach: The filing claimed “multiple good-faith efforts” had been made to resolve the dispute, yet no communication was ever sent to the editorial team.
Fabricated source: The complainant pointed to irrelevant third-party domains as the “original source” of the reporting.
Despite these clear discrepancies, Google’s automated systems processed the request and deindexed the article.
It took public pushback from search industry analysts, widespread media attention, and a formal counter-notice before Google reinstated both Search Engine Land and Press Gazette in the search index several days later.
If an established publication with high domain authority can have its coverage muted overnight, individual creators, niche blogs, and small businesses face an even tougher challenge.
customers find first.
      
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The mechanics of bad-faith DMCA takedowns
Understanding why weaponized takedowns succeed requires looking at the incentives of online platforms.
Under U.S. copyright law, platforms like Google, Cloudflare, and major web hosts remain protected from copyright liability only if they act “expeditiously to remove, or disable access to” material claimed to be infringing.
Because taking down a page carries virtually zero legal risk for the platform, while ignoring a notice risks a lawsuit, platforms prioritize speed over verification.
Key structural flaw: Section 512 places the burden of proof on the accused rather than the claimant. The platform shoots first and asks questions later.
Malicious actors exploit this asymmetry using three primary techniques:
Scraper-and-backdate schemes: A bad actor scrapes your original article, pastes it onto a disposable site, alters the metadata or timestamp to make it appear published earlier, and files a DMCA claim alleging you stole their work.
Fabricated entities: Attackers submit takedown claims under fake organization names, such as “US Webspam,” or impersonate third-party blogs to hide their true identity.
Reputation suppression: Individuals or brands facing negative press file dubious claims against investigative pieces, product reviews, or customer complaints to suppress damaging search results during high-impact windows.
5 steps to take when your content is unfairly DMCA’d
Discovering that your URL has been de-indexed or pulled down by your host can be alarming. Following a structured procedure helps ensure your content is restored efficiently.
1. Identify and inspect the notice
When Google removes a URL due to a DMCA claim, you’ll receive a notification in Google Search Console under Security & Manual Actions, along with an email detailing the notice.
Locate the exact complaint in the Lumen Database (lumendatabase.org), a public repository that archives legal requests to remove web content. Examine the filing carefully:
Who is listed as the copyright owner?
What specific URL do they claim is the original source?
What specific text or media is alleged to be copied?
2. Gather incontrovertible proof of prior ownership
Before filing your response, assemble evidence establishing that your content predates the claimant’s alleged original version:
CMS timestamp logs: Export full publish logs from WordPress, Ghost, or your custom database showing creation dates and edit histories.
Wayback Machine archives: Pull historical snapshots from the Internet Archive showing your page live before the claimant’s alleged publication date.
RSS feed records: Retrieve original RSS distribution records, which index publication times down to the second.
Git commit history: If your site uses static site generators or version control, export commit hashes showing when the file was created.
Get the newsletter search marketers rely on.
 
				
				
			
See terms.
		
3. File a formal DMCA counter-notice
To force the platform to restore your content, you must file a formal DMCA counter-notification. Under statutory guidelines, a counter-notice must include:
Identification of the material that was removed and its original location.
A statement under penalty of perjury that you have a good-faith belief the material was removed as a result of mistake or misidentification.
Your full name, physical address, phone number, and email address.
Consent to the jurisdiction of the federal district court for your judicial district (or the district where your host is located if outside the U.S.).
Your physical or electronic signature.
4. Understand the statutory waiting period
Once the platform receives your valid counter-notice, the law requires it to forward it to the original claimant. The claimant then has 10 to 14 business days to submit proof that they’ve filed a formal lawsuit seeking a court order to restrain you from publishing the content.
If the claimant fails to produce evidence of a court filing within that 10- to 14-day window, the platform is legally obligated to restore your content to its index or server.
5. Escalate publicly and pursue Section 512(f) remedies
In high-stakes situations, such as time-sensitive reporting or ecommerce launch campaigns, waiting two full weeks can cause serious financial damage.
If your case involves an obvious fraudulent claim (such as alleging image theft on an all-text page), publicize the details on social platforms like X and LinkedIn while tagging the official search representative handles. Search engine teams do occasionally fast-track obvious manual reviews when blatant system gaming is exposed publicly.
Section 512(f) of the DMCA explicitly holds that any person who knowingly materially misrepresents that material is infringing shall be liable for damages, including costs and attorneys’ fees incurred by the alleged infringer. 
While litigation takes time, sending a formal litigation hold letter to a bad actor who used a real legal identity can prompt a swift withdrawal of their claim.
Proactive steps to safeguard your intellectual property
While you can’t stop an anonymous actor from filing a fraudulent notice, proactive site hygiene makes resolving disputes far simpler:
Auto-archive upon publication: Set up an automated webhook or API connection to archive new articles to the Internet Archive immediately upon publishing.
Maintain clear byline and copyright notices: Ensure every article includes schema structured data (NewsArticle or Article schema) complete with datePublished, dateModified, and author metadata.
Monitor Search Console alerts: Ensure Google Search Console notification emails route to a primary inbox that gets checked daily. Missing a notice delays your counter-filing window.
Keep original source files: Store raw video files, unedited photography, audio recordings, and rough draft revisions safely off-site to demonstrate your creation process.
before your competitors.
      
Start your free trial
    
Defending your content against fraudulent takedowns
The Search Engine Land incident highlights a structural issue in modern web governance: automated copyright tools built to shield giant platforms can easily be turned against legitimate creators.
Until policy revisions require stronger identity verification or impose stiffer penalties for false claims, bad actors will continue to misuse takedown requests to silence competitors and critics. By understanding your rights, documenting your publishing pipeline, and acting quickly with formal counter-notifications, you can defend your work and restore your digital presence.

A fraudulent DMCA notice can cost you search visibility. Here’s what to document, how to file a counter-notice, and when to escalate.

DMCA as a weapon: How to fight fraudulent takedown claims

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/A-5-layer-framework-for-measuring-AI-search-performance.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="A 5-layer framework for measuring AI search performance" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/A-5-layer-framework-for-measuring-AI-search-performance.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/A-5-layer-framework-for-measuring-AI-search-performance-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/A-5-layer-framework-for-measuring-AI-search-performance-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/A-5-layer-framework-for-measuring-AI-search-performance-1200x675.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>Traditional attribution misses part of the AI buyer journey. Measure access, visibility, demand, referrals, pipeline, and revenue.

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/A-5-layer-framework-for-measuring-AI-search-performance.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="A 5-layer framework for measuring AI search performance" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/A-5-layer-framework-for-measuring-AI-search-performance.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/A-5-layer-framework-for-measuring-AI-search-performance-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/A-5-layer-framework-for-measuring-AI-search-performance-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/A-5-layer-framework-for-measuring-AI-search-performance-1200x675.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">AI search is influencing buying decisions before prospects reach your website, making traditional traffic and attribution metrics less complete.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">A B2B buyer might ask <a href="https://searchengineland.com/what-is-chatgpt-and-why-seos-should-care-392165">ChatGPT</a> for vendor recommendations, use Gemini to compare implementation approaches, turn to Perplexity to validate technical claims, and only then visit the companies that make the shortlist.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://green-hat.com.au/thinking/b2b-marketing-research" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Up to 94%</a> of buying-party members use LLMs during the selection phase to validate, summarize, and confirm decisions, Green Hat’s 2025 B2B Buyer Journey Research found. <a href="https://wynter.com/post/how-b2b-saas-cmos-buy-software-in-2026" target="_blank" rel="noopener">About 84%</a> of CMOs use AI tools during vendor discovery, per Wynter’s 2026 research.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The implication for SEO reporting is straightforward: you need to measure what happens before the website visit, not just what happens after it.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">That means tracking AI access, AI visibility, AI referral traffic, downstream demand, and ultimately pipeline and revenue.</p>



<h2 id="h-building-a-reporting-framework-for-ai-search" class="wp-block-heading">Building a reporting framework for AI search</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">If traffic no longer tells the whole story, what should you measure instead?</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">A single attribution metric won’t solve the problem. The buying journey spans search engines, AI assistants, communities, analyst reports, peer recommendations, and direct interactions, making it difficult to isolate any single touchpoint as the definitive cause of a sale.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Instead of chasing perfect attribution, use a reporting framework that measures influence across the customer journey. Each layer answers a different business question, creating a more complete picture of marketing performance.</p>



<h3 id="h-layer-1-ai-access" class="wp-block-heading">Layer 1: AI access</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Before your brand can be recommended in an AI-generated response, AI systems must first find, crawl, and understand your content.&nbsp;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">If large language models can&#8217;t reliably access your website or don&#8217;t view your content as useful enough to retrieve, your products are unlikely to become part of the conversation.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">AI bot activity is one of the earliest indicators of an AI search program&#8217;s progress. An increase in verified AI bot visits doesn&#8217;t guarantee future visibility, but it does suggest that AI systems are discovering and revisiting the content you&#8217;ve published.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Focus on access rather than visibility. Are AI systems consistently reaching the content you want them to learn from? Monitoring verified AI bot activity, including crawl frequency, crawl depth, and crawl coverage, helps answer that question.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Unlike traditional search engine crawlers, AI bots often receive additional scrutiny because user-agent strings can be spoofed. Wherever possible, validate crawler activity using <a href="https://developers.google.com/crawling/docs/crawlers-fetchers/verify-google-requests">reverse DNS lookups</a>, published IP ranges, or their CDN&#8217;s <a href="https://developers.cloudflare.com/bots/concepts/bot/verified-bots/">verified bot service</a> rather than relying on the user-agent alone.&nbsp;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The objective isn&#8217;t simply to count requests but to establish confidence that legitimate AI systems are accessing the content you&#8217;re investing in.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong><em>Dig deeper: <a href="https://searchengineland.com/guide/measuring-visibility-in-zero-click-world">Measuring zero-click search: Visibility-first SEO for AI results</a></em></strong>


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<h3 id="h-layer-2-ai-visibility" class="wp-block-heading">Layer 2: AI visibility</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Once AI systems can access your content, the next challenge is determining whether they actually use it.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">You can start by measuring mentions, citations, and prompt responses. While these metrics are valuable, they often become noisy when measured inconsistently. Running a handful of prompts after publishing new content may be interesting, but it rarely produces reliable directional data.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Instead, establish a standardized prompt library that reflects the questions prospective customers ask throughout the buying journey. That library should remain relatively stable over time, allowing teams to measure trends rather than isolated wins.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Metrics such as mention rate, citation rate, Google Search Console impressions from AI Overviews, and AI Mode and Bing Webmaster Tools grounding queries each contribute a different perspective on visibility. None of them individually tells the complete story. Together, however, they begin to answer an important question:</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">When buyers ask AI about our market, are we part of the conversation?</p>



<h3 id="h-layer-3-ai-assistants-and-ai-referral-traffic" class="wp-block-heading">Layer 3: AI assistants and AI referral traffic</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">This is the first layer where traditional attribution enters the conversation.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">GA4 can capture AI assistants and AI referral traffic from recognizable LLM sources when a click reaches your website and can be measured in analytics, much like organic search or paid traffic. This gives you a way to track direct-response outcomes from identifiable AI-driven visits.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">But it’s important to be precise about the limits of that measurement. AI Mode and AI Overviews are not included in AI assistants or AI referral traffic. They are generally blended into Google organic search, and in some cases may appear as Direct depending on how the click is passed. That means these experiences may influence discovery and buying behavior, but they are not cleanly attributable as AI traffic in GA4.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">A buyer who discovers your company through ChatGPT may never click the citation. They may search for your brand several days later, revisit your website directly, or return through another marketing channel altogether. None of those scenarios would appear as referral traffic from AI assistants, despite AI playing a meaningful role in the customer&#8217;s decision.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">For that reason, revenue from AI assistant referrals and other identifiable AI-driven visits should be viewed as one component of the reporting framework rather than the definitive measure of AI&#8217;s business impact.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong><em>Dig deeper: <a href="https://searchengineland.com/measure-prompt-level-visibility-ai-search-481577">How to measure prompt-level visibility in AI search</a></em></strong>



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<h3 id="h-layer-4-dark-funnel-and-downstream-demand" class="wp-block-heading">Layer 4: Dark funnel and downstream demand</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">A buyer may first encounter your brand through AI Mode, AI Overviews, ChatGPT, or another AI surface, then return later through branded search, direct traffic, email, or another channel before converting. Those conversions may not be labeled as AI-driven in analytics, but they are still part of the customer journey AI helped shape.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Monitoring branded clicks in GSC alongside branded organic conversions in GA4 provides a practical way to observe whether AI visibility is creating later-stage interest.&nbsp;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">No individual branded conversion proves that AI created the opportunity. When improvements in AI visibility consistently coincide with increases in branded demand, the evidence of AI&#8217;s influence becomes stronger.</p>



<h3 id="h-layer-5-business-outcomes" class="wp-block-heading">Layer 5: Business outcomes</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Clients and executives invest in AI search because they expect marketing to contribute to pipeline growth and revenue.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Pipeline, closed-won opportunities, and revenue remain the metrics that determine whether a marketing strategy is creating value for your organization.</p>


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<h2 id="h-connect-ai-search-measurement-to-business-outcomes" class="wp-block-heading">Connect AI search measurement to business outcomes</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">AI doesn&#8217;t change the business outcomes you need to measure. It changes the evidence you use to demonstrate progress along the way.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Instead of presenting disconnected metrics, you can tell a coherent story: </p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>AI systems accessed your content. </li>



<li>Your visibility within AI experiences increased.</li>



<li>Branded demand grew.</li>



<li>Measurable AI-driven revenue increased.</li>



<li>Pipeline and revenue followed.</li>
</ul>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">No single metric proves causation. Collectively, these signals provide a stronger body of evidence that marketing is influencing buyer behavior across channels that traditional attribution can&#8217;t fully observe.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong><em>Dig deeper: <a href="https://searchengineland.com/the-5-layer-framework-for-measuring-geo-performance-477742">The 5-layer framework for measuring GEO performance</a></em></strong>

AI search is influencing buying decisions before prospects reach your website, making traditional traffic and attribution metrics less complete.
A B2B buyer might ask ChatGPT for vendor recommendations, use Gemini to compare implementation approaches, turn to Perplexity to validate technical claims, and only then visit the companies that make the shortlist.
Up to 94% of buying-party members use LLMs during the selection phase to validate, summarize, and confirm decisions, Green Hat’s 2025 B2B Buyer Journey Research found. About 84% of CMOs use AI tools during vendor discovery, per Wynter’s 2026 research.
The implication for SEO reporting is straightforward: you need to measure what happens before the website visit, not just what happens after it.
That means tracking AI access, AI visibility, AI referral traffic, downstream demand, and ultimately pipeline and revenue.
Building a reporting framework for AI search
If traffic no longer tells the whole story, what should you measure instead?
A single attribution metric won’t solve the problem. The buying journey spans search engines, AI assistants, communities, analyst reports, peer recommendations, and direct interactions, making it difficult to isolate any single touchpoint as the definitive cause of a sale.
Instead of chasing perfect attribution, use a reporting framework that measures influence across the customer journey. Each layer answers a different business question, creating a more complete picture of marketing performance.
Layer 1: AI access
Before your brand can be recommended in an AI-generated response, AI systems must first find, crawl, and understand your content. 
If large language models can’t reliably access your website or don’t view your content as useful enough to retrieve, your products are unlikely to become part of the conversation.
AI bot activity is one of the earliest indicators of an AI search program’s progress. An increase in verified AI bot visits doesn’t guarantee future visibility, but it does suggest that AI systems are discovering and revisiting the content you’ve published.
Focus on access rather than visibility. Are AI systems consistently reaching the content you want them to learn from? Monitoring verified AI bot activity, including crawl frequency, crawl depth, and crawl coverage, helps answer that question.
Unlike traditional search engine crawlers, AI bots often receive additional scrutiny because user-agent strings can be spoofed. Wherever possible, validate crawler activity using reverse DNS lookups, published IP ranges, or their CDN’s verified bot service rather than relying on the user-agent alone. 
The objective isn’t simply to count requests but to establish confidence that legitimate AI systems are accessing the content you’re investing in.
Dig deeper: Measuring zero-click search: Visibility-first SEO for AI results



  
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Layer 2: AI visibility
Once AI systems can access your content, the next challenge is determining whether they actually use it.
You can start by measuring mentions, citations, and prompt responses. While these metrics are valuable, they often become noisy when measured inconsistently. Running a handful of prompts after publishing new content may be interesting, but it rarely produces reliable directional data.
Instead, establish a standardized prompt library that reflects the questions prospective customers ask throughout the buying journey. That library should remain relatively stable over time, allowing teams to measure trends rather than isolated wins.
Metrics such as mention rate, citation rate, Google Search Console impressions from AI Overviews, and AI Mode and Bing Webmaster Tools grounding queries each contribute a different perspective on visibility. None of them individually tells the complete story. Together, however, they begin to answer an important question:
When buyers ask AI about our market, are we part of the conversation?
Layer 3: AI assistants and AI referral traffic
This is the first layer where traditional attribution enters the conversation.
GA4 can capture AI assistants and AI referral traffic from recognizable LLM sources when a click reaches your website and can be measured in analytics, much like organic search or paid traffic. This gives you a way to track direct-response outcomes from identifiable AI-driven visits.
But it’s important to be precise about the limits of that measurement. AI Mode and AI Overviews are not included in AI assistants or AI referral traffic. They are generally blended into Google organic search, and in some cases may appear as Direct depending on how the click is passed. That means these experiences may influence discovery and buying behavior, but they are not cleanly attributable as AI traffic in GA4.
A buyer who discovers your company through ChatGPT may never click the citation. They may search for your brand several days later, revisit your website directly, or return through another marketing channel altogether. None of those scenarios would appear as referral traffic from AI assistants, despite AI playing a meaningful role in the customer’s decision.
For that reason, revenue from AI assistant referrals and other identifiable AI-driven visits should be viewed as one component of the reporting framework rather than the definitive measure of AI’s business impact.
Dig deeper: How to measure prompt-level visibility in AI search




	
	
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Layer 4: Dark funnel and downstream demand
A buyer may first encounter your brand through AI Mode, AI Overviews, ChatGPT, or another AI surface, then return later through branded search, direct traffic, email, or another channel before converting. Those conversions may not be labeled as AI-driven in analytics, but they are still part of the customer journey AI helped shape.
Monitoring branded clicks in GSC alongside branded organic conversions in GA4 provides a practical way to observe whether AI visibility is creating later-stage interest. 
No individual branded conversion proves that AI created the opportunity. When improvements in AI visibility consistently coincide with increases in branded demand, the evidence of AI’s influence becomes stronger.
Layer 5: Business outcomes
Clients and executives invest in AI search because they expect marketing to contribute to pipeline growth and revenue.
Pipeline, closed-won opportunities, and revenue remain the metrics that determine whether a marketing strategy is creating value for your organization.
customers won’t either.
      
See your AI visibility
    
Connect AI search measurement to business outcomes
AI doesn’t change the business outcomes you need to measure. It changes the evidence you use to demonstrate progress along the way.
Instead of presenting disconnected metrics, you can tell a coherent story: 
AI systems accessed your content. 
Your visibility within AI experiences increased.
Branded demand grew.
Measurable AI-driven revenue increased.
Pipeline and revenue followed.
No single metric proves causation. Collectively, these signals provide a stronger body of evidence that marketing is influencing buyer behavior across channels that traditional attribution can’t fully observe.
Dig deeper: The 5-layer framework for measuring GEO performance

Traditional attribution misses part of the AI buyer journey. Measure access, visibility, demand, referrals, pipeline, and revenue.

A 5-layer framework for measuring AI search performance

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/How-to-decide-whether-a-keyword-deserves-its-own-page.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="How to decide whether a keyword deserves its own page" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/How-to-decide-whether-a-keyword-deserves-its-own-page.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/How-to-decide-whether-a-keyword-deserves-its-own-page-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/How-to-decide-whether-a-keyword-deserves-its-own-page-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/How-to-decide-whether-a-keyword-deserves-its-own-page-1200x675.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>Use SERP overlap, content independence, and site structure to determine whether to create a new page, expand an existing one, or consolidate.


<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/How-to-decide-whether-a-keyword-deserves-its-own-page.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="How to decide whether a keyword deserves its own page" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/How-to-decide-whether-a-keyword-deserves-its-own-page.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/How-to-decide-whether-a-keyword-deserves-its-own-page-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/How-to-decide-whether-a-keyword-deserves-its-own-page-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/How-to-decide-whether-a-keyword-deserves-its-own-page-1200x675.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://searchengineland.com/keyword-research-seo-guide-447027">Keyword research</a> tools often split closely related terms into separate opportunities. Once each variation shows its own search volume, it can seem reasonable to create a dedicated page for each.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">That logic becomes harder to defend after publication. Every new URL needs a clear place in the site structure and enough unique value to remain useful over time. When several pages address the same search need, they can start competing for the same queries and divide the visibility the site already has.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">That’s why every new page should earn its place. Before creating one, check whether the site already covers the topic and whether the proposed page can serve a distinct purpose. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">A keyword deserves its own page when it can attract a distinct query set, support genuinely different content, and strengthen the site&#8217;s broader structure.</p>



<h2 id="h-check-whether-the-site-already-owns-the-topic" class="wp-block-heading">Check whether the site already owns the topic</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Before creating a new page, look at how the site already performs for the keyword. In many cases, an existing URL may already be earning impressions for that term or closely related queries.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Start in <a href="https://searchengineland.com/google-search-console-seo-guide-443942">Google Search Console</a> and check which page appears for the keyword, then review other queries associated with that URL. This indicates whether Google already considers the page relevant to the broader topic. It also helps reveal whether multiple pages compete for the same query set.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">For example, a SaaS company may consider creating a new page for “CRM for freelancers.” Its existing “CRM for small businesses” page may already receive impressions for freelancer-related searches. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In that situation, the first step should be to review whether the current page can cover those needs more clearly. Creating another URL too early may divide relevance across two similar pages.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The same check can also uncover cannibalization. If different URLs keep replacing each other for the same queries, the site may already have too much overlap. Adding another page would make the problem harder to resolve.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Once the current coverage is clear, the decision becomes easier. The existing page can be expanded, overlapping pages can be consolidated, or the keyword can move forward for a separate-page review.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong><em>Dig deeper: <a href="https://searchengineland.com/guide/gap-analysis">SEO gap analysis: How to find content and keyword gaps</a></em></strong>


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<h2 id="h-run-the-page-independence-test" class="wp-block-heading">Run the page independence test</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Once you understand how the site already covers the topic, test whether the candidate keyword can support a separate URL.&nbsp;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The decision should rest on three forms of evidence: how Google treats the query, whether the content can stand on its own, and whether the page has a clear place within the website.</p>



<h3 id="h-compare-the-two-serps" class="wp-block-heading">Compare the two SERPs</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Start with the candidate keyword and the primary keyword of the closest existing page. Record the top 10 organic URLs for both searches and compare them side by side.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Look at how many URLs appear in both sets. A high level of overlap suggests that Google relies on similar pages to satisfy both searches. The more URLs the two result sets share, the stronger the evidence that Google treats the queries as closely related. SERP overlap should trigger a closer review, but it should be considered alongside page type, content differences, and the role each page would serve.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Suppose a SaaS company already has a page targeting “invoice software for small businesses” and is considering another for “invoicing software for freelancers.” Seven of the same URLs appear in the top 10 for both searches. This suggests that Google sees considerable overlap between the two needs.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The next step is to examine whether the existing page can cover freelancer-specific requirements without losing focus. These could include recurring invoices, expense tracking, and tax records for solo operators. Expanding the current page may be enough when those needs fit naturally within its scope.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">A separate page becomes easier to justify when the two SERPs contain different ranking URLs and the product supports a clearly distinct freelancer workflow. Relevant customer examples or dedicated features would strengthen the case further.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Don’t stop at counting shared URLs. Review the type of pages Google prefers for each query. One SERP may favor category pages, while the other favors individual product pages. That difference can support separate URLs even when some ranking results overlap.</p>



<h3 id="h-build-the-outline-before-creating-the-page" class="wp-block-heading">Build the outline before creating the page</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">A keyword may look distinct in a research tool but still lead to a page that closely resembles existing content. Creating a rough outline helps expose that overlap before production begins.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Write the proposed headings and compare them with the closest page already on the site. Check whether the new page would address different problems. It should also require its own evidence and examples.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Consider a software company targeting both “CRM for real estate agents” and “CRM for mortgage brokers.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The real estate page could cover lead capture from property portals, buyer and seller pipelines, property matching, and open-house follow-ups. The mortgage broker page could focus on application stages, document collection, and lender communication. It may also need to address compliance workflows.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">These pages can stand separately when the product genuinely supports those different processes. The company should also be able to demonstrate the difference through screenshots, integrations, or relevant customer examples.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The case becomes weaker when both outlines rely on the same features and make the same claims. In that situation, a broader page with dedicated sections for each audience may provide a clearer experience.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The outline should also reveal whether the proposed page needs a different conversion path. A page aimed at mortgage brokers may lead to a demo built around document workflows. A broader CRM page may lead to a general product tour. A distinct next step gives the new page a clearer role.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong><em>Dig deeper: <a href="https://searchengineland.com/how-semantics-and-topical-authority-improve-local-seo-482980">How semantics and topical authority improve local SEO</a></em></strong>



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<h3 id="h-confirm-that-the-page-belongs-in-the-site-structure" class="wp-block-heading">Confirm that the page belongs in the site structure</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">A separate URL also needs support from the rest of the website. Decide where the page will live before production begins.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Identify its parent page and the sections that should link to it. Then check whether a user could discover it through the website without first finding it on Google.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Consider an ecommerce team planning a category page for “women’s waterproof trail running shoes.” The page has a clear role when the store has enough matching products and stable inventory. It should also sit naturally beneath the broader women’s trail running category. Buying guides and related product categories can provide further internal support.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The case becomes weaker when only two products match the category and availability changes frequently. An indexable URL may then create a thin page that’s difficult to maintain. A filtered view within the broader category may be the better choice.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The same principle applies to SaaS landing pages. An industry page should connect naturally to the product and solution structure. It should also be supported by related use cases or customer stories. A page that can receive only one internal link from an old article may sit outside the company’s core commercial focus.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The case for a separate page is strongest when all three checks point in the same direction. Google treats the query separately. The proposed content can stand on its own. The website also has a clear place for the URL. When the evidence remains mixed, test the least disruptive option first and review the results before committing to another permanent URL.</p>



<h2 id="h-choose-the-right-action" class="wp-block-heading">Choose the right action</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Once the page independence test is complete, decide how the keyword should be handled within the site. The evidence may support a new page, an update to an existing URL, or a broader change to the content structure.</p>



<h3 id="h-create-a-separate-page" class="wp-block-heading">Create a separate page</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Create a new page when the keyword shows a distinct search pattern and the proposed page can serve a clear purpose of its own.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">For example, a cybersecurity company may already have a broad page for “penetration testing services” and consider another for “cloud penetration testing.” The second page has a stronger case when the SERP contains specialist cloud security providers and dedicated service pages. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The company should also be able to explain a different testing process, cover cloud-specific risks, and support the page with relevant case studies.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The new URL should sit beneath the broader penetration testing service and receive links from related cloud security pages.</p>



<h3 id="h-expand-an-existing-page" class="wp-block-heading">Expand an existing page</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Expand a current page when it already earns visibility for the candidate keyword and the additional topic fits its existing purpose.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Suppose a payroll platform has a product page that already receives impressions for “payroll software for contractors.” The product supports contractor payments, but this is only one part of the wider payroll workflow. The existing page could be expanded with a section on contractor onboarding, payment schedules, and tax documentation.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">After the update, monitor whether the contractor-related queries continue to stay on that page. A separate URL can be reconsidered later if the query develops a clearer search pattern or the product introduces a dedicated contractor workflow.</p>



<h3 id="h-merge-overlapping-pages" class="wp-block-heading">Merge overlapping pages</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Merge pages when several URLs target the same query cluster and none has a clearly different purpose.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">A software company may have separate pages for “employee onboarding software,” “digital employee onboarding software,” and “online employee onboarding software.” If the SERPs overlap heavily and the same URL keeps replacing another in search results, the pages may be dividing relevance.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Consolidation should preserve the strongest content from each URL. Internal links should point to the final page, and the weaker URLs should redirect to it where appropriate.</p>



<h3 id="h-use-a-scalable-template" class="wp-block-heading">Use a scalable template</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">A template can support repeated demand across integrations, locations, product categories, or structured datasets.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Consider a project management platform creating integration pages for Slack, Salesforce, and Microsoft Teams. Each URL should include details that are specific to that integration. This could include setup instructions, supported workflows, screenshots, and common use cases.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Before scaling the template, launch a small group of pages and review how Google treats them. Check indexing, query coverage, and user engagement. The results can show whether the template creates useful standalone pages before the site expands further.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong><em>Dig deeper: <a href="https://searchengineland.com/keyword-research-prompt-research-prioritize-topics-484128">Keyword research meets prompt research: A smarter way to prioritize topics</a></em></strong>


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<h2 id="h-check-whether-the-page-earned-its-place" class="wp-block-heading">Check whether the page earned its place</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Publishing the page gives you a hypothesis. Search performance shows whether that hypothesis was correct.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Set a review point after the URL has been crawled, indexed, and gathered enough impressions to reveal a pattern. Then check which queries Google associates with the page in Search Console.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">A successful standalone page should begin attracting a recognizable query cluster. Those queries should remain focused on the new URL rather than repeatedly switching between several pages.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Also, compare the new page with the page at the previously used URL that covered the topic. If both pages continue to appear for the same searches, their roles may still be unclear. Review the titles, internal links, and content focus to strengthen the distinction.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Finally, review whether visitors take the action the page was designed to support. That could involve requesting a demo, viewing products, starting a trial, or moving deeper into the site.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">A keyword can look promising during research and still fail to develop an independent role after launch. The decision should remain open to revision. Search Console data, ranking behavior, and user actions will show whether the page deserves to stay separate.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Keyword research will continue to surface more opportunities than a website should pursue. The page independence test helps teams decide which terms deserve permanent URLs and which are better handled through existing content. That decision should remain open to revision when search performance shows that two pages can’t maintain distinct roles.</p>

Keyword research tools often split closely related terms into separate opportunities. Once each variation shows its own search volume, it can seem reasonable to create a dedicated page for each.
That logic becomes harder to defend after publication. Every new URL needs a clear place in the site structure and enough unique value to remain useful over time. When several pages address the same search need, they can start competing for the same queries and divide the visibility the site already has.
That’s why every new page should earn its place. Before creating one, check whether the site already covers the topic and whether the proposed page can serve a distinct purpose. 
A keyword deserves its own page when it can attract a distinct query set, support genuinely different content, and strengthen the site’s broader structure.
Check whether the site already owns the topic
Before creating a new page, look at how the site already performs for the keyword. In many cases, an existing URL may already be earning impressions for that term or closely related queries.
Start in Google Search Console and check which page appears for the keyword, then review other queries associated with that URL. This indicates whether Google already considers the page relevant to the broader topic. It also helps reveal whether multiple pages compete for the same query set.
For example, a SaaS company may consider creating a new page for “CRM for freelancers.” Its existing “CRM for small businesses” page may already receive impressions for freelancer-related searches. 
In that situation, the first step should be to review whether the current page can cover those needs more clearly. Creating another URL too early may divide relevance across two similar pages.
The same check can also uncover cannibalization. If different URLs keep replacing each other for the same queries, the site may already have too much overlap. Adding another page would make the problem harder to resolve.
Once the current coverage is clear, the decision becomes easier. The existing page can be expanded, overlapping pages can be consolidated, or the keyword can move forward for a separate-page review.
Dig deeper: SEO gap analysis: How to find content and keyword gaps



  
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Run the page independence test
Once you understand how the site already covers the topic, test whether the candidate keyword can support a separate URL. 
The decision should rest on three forms of evidence: how Google treats the query, whether the content can stand on its own, and whether the page has a clear place within the website.
Compare the two SERPs
Start with the candidate keyword and the primary keyword of the closest existing page. Record the top 10 organic URLs for both searches and compare them side by side.
Look at how many URLs appear in both sets. A high level of overlap suggests that Google relies on similar pages to satisfy both searches. The more URLs the two result sets share, the stronger the evidence that Google treats the queries as closely related. SERP overlap should trigger a closer review, but it should be considered alongside page type, content differences, and the role each page would serve.
Suppose a SaaS company already has a page targeting “invoice software for small businesses” and is considering another for “invoicing software for freelancers.” Seven of the same URLs appear in the top 10 for both searches. This suggests that Google sees considerable overlap between the two needs.
The next step is to examine whether the existing page can cover freelancer-specific requirements without losing focus. These could include recurring invoices, expense tracking, and tax records for solo operators. Expanding the current page may be enough when those needs fit naturally within its scope.
A separate page becomes easier to justify when the two SERPs contain different ranking URLs and the product supports a clearly distinct freelancer workflow. Relevant customer examples or dedicated features would strengthen the case further.
Don’t stop at counting shared URLs. Review the type of pages Google prefers for each query. One SERP may favor category pages, while the other favors individual product pages. That difference can support separate URLs even when some ranking results overlap.
Build the outline before creating the page
A keyword may look distinct in a research tool but still lead to a page that closely resembles existing content. Creating a rough outline helps expose that overlap before production begins.
Write the proposed headings and compare them with the closest page already on the site. Check whether the new page would address different problems. It should also require its own evidence and examples.
Consider a software company targeting both “CRM for real estate agents” and “CRM for mortgage brokers.”
The real estate page could cover lead capture from property portals, buyer and seller pipelines, property matching, and open-house follow-ups. The mortgage broker page could focus on application stages, document collection, and lender communication. It may also need to address compliance workflows.
These pages can stand separately when the product genuinely supports those different processes. The company should also be able to demonstrate the difference through screenshots, integrations, or relevant customer examples.
The case becomes weaker when both outlines rely on the same features and make the same claims. In that situation, a broader page with dedicated sections for each audience may provide a clearer experience.
The outline should also reveal whether the proposed page needs a different conversion path. A page aimed at mortgage brokers may lead to a demo built around document workflows. A broader CRM page may lead to a general product tour. A distinct next step gives the new page a clearer role.
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Confirm that the page belongs in the site structure
A separate URL also needs support from the rest of the website. Decide where the page will live before production begins.
Identify its parent page and the sections that should link to it. Then check whether a user could discover it through the website without first finding it on Google.
Consider an ecommerce team planning a category page for “women’s waterproof trail running shoes.” The page has a clear role when the store has enough matching products and stable inventory. It should also sit naturally beneath the broader women’s trail running category. Buying guides and related product categories can provide further internal support.
The case becomes weaker when only two products match the category and availability changes frequently. An indexable URL may then create a thin page that’s difficult to maintain. A filtered view within the broader category may be the better choice.
The same principle applies to SaaS landing pages. An industry page should connect naturally to the product and solution structure. It should also be supported by related use cases or customer stories. A page that can receive only one internal link from an old article may sit outside the company’s core commercial focus.
The case for a separate page is strongest when all three checks point in the same direction. Google treats the query separately. The proposed content can stand on its own. The website also has a clear place for the URL. When the evidence remains mixed, test the least disruptive option first and review the results before committing to another permanent URL.
Choose the right action
Once the page independence test is complete, decide how the keyword should be handled within the site. The evidence may support a new page, an update to an existing URL, or a broader change to the content structure.
Create a separate page
Create a new page when the keyword shows a distinct search pattern and the proposed page can serve a clear purpose of its own.
For example, a cybersecurity company may already have a broad page for “penetration testing services” and consider another for “cloud penetration testing.” The second page has a stronger case when the SERP contains specialist cloud security providers and dedicated service pages. 
The company should also be able to explain a different testing process, cover cloud-specific risks, and support the page with relevant case studies.
The new URL should sit beneath the broader penetration testing service and receive links from related cloud security pages.
Expand an existing page
Expand a current page when it already earns visibility for the candidate keyword and the additional topic fits its existing purpose.
Suppose a payroll platform has a product page that already receives impressions for “payroll software for contractors.” The product supports contractor payments, but this is only one part of the wider payroll workflow. The existing page could be expanded with a section on contractor onboarding, payment schedules, and tax documentation.
After the update, monitor whether the contractor-related queries continue to stay on that page. A separate URL can be reconsidered later if the query develops a clearer search pattern or the product introduces a dedicated contractor workflow.
Merge overlapping pages
Merge pages when several URLs target the same query cluster and none has a clearly different purpose.
A software company may have separate pages for “employee onboarding software,” “digital employee onboarding software,” and “online employee onboarding software.” If the SERPs overlap heavily and the same URL keeps replacing another in search results, the pages may be dividing relevance.
Consolidation should preserve the strongest content from each URL. Internal links should point to the final page, and the weaker URLs should redirect to it where appropriate.
Use a scalable template
A template can support repeated demand across integrations, locations, product categories, or structured datasets.
Consider a project management platform creating integration pages for Slack, Salesforce, and Microsoft Teams. Each URL should include details that are specific to that integration. This could include setup instructions, supported workflows, screenshots, and common use cases.
Before scaling the template, launch a small group of pages and review how Google treats them. Check indexing, query coverage, and user engagement. The results can show whether the template creates useful standalone pages before the site expands further.
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Check whether the page earned its place
Publishing the page gives you a hypothesis. Search performance shows whether that hypothesis was correct.
Set a review point after the URL has been crawled, indexed, and gathered enough impressions to reveal a pattern. Then check which queries Google associates with the page in Search Console.
A successful standalone page should begin attracting a recognizable query cluster. Those queries should remain focused on the new URL rather than repeatedly switching between several pages.
Also, compare the new page with the page at the previously used URL that covered the topic. If both pages continue to appear for the same searches, their roles may still be unclear. Review the titles, internal links, and content focus to strengthen the distinction.
Finally, review whether visitors take the action the page was designed to support. That could involve requesting a demo, viewing products, starting a trial, or moving deeper into the site.
A keyword can look promising during research and still fail to develop an independent role after launch. The decision should remain open to revision. Search Console data, ranking behavior, and user actions will show whether the page deserves to stay separate.
Keyword research will continue to surface more opportunities than a website should pursue. The page independence test helps teams decide which terms deserve permanent URLs and which are better handled through existing content. That decision should remain open to revision when search performance shows that two pages can’t maintain distinct roles.

Use SERP overlap, content independence, and site structure to determine whether to create a new page, expand an existing one, or consolidate.

How to decide whether a keyword deserves its own page

<div><img width="1920" height="1097" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/google-search-cards-1920.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/google-search-cards-1920.jpg 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/google-search-cards-1920-768x439.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/google-search-cards-1920-1536x878.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>Google said this is a limited test where they add create images, ask about files and brainstorm buttons under the search box.

<div><img width="1920" height="1097" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/google-search-cards-1920.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/google-search-cards-1920.jpg 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/google-search-cards-1920-768x439.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/google-search-cards-1920-1536x878.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Google is testing new buttons on the Google home page, right beneath the search box, to encourage searchers to try out AI Mode and other AI-powered search features.  The buttons are named create images, ask about files and brainstorm and when clicked on, it takes you into AI Mode.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">I spotted the test this morning and covered it at the <a href="https://www.seroundtable.com/google-home-page-ai-features-41842.html">Search Engine Roundtable</a>, but now Google has confirmed this as a limited test.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Google confirmed the test. </strong> Robby Stein, Google&#8217;s VP of Product, <a href="https://x.com/rmstein/status/2086962143279325487">wrote</a> on X:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>&#8220;This is a small test on desktop to help people find new things they can do with Search.&#8221; </li>
</ul>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">He added that this has no impact on the core search box, he wrote:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>&#8220;No impact to how the core search box works – just add your question and hit enter as usual (which is how most people search anyways!)&#8221;</li>
</ul>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>What it looks like. </strong>Here is a screenshot of the Google home page with these additional buttons:</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" width="1636" height="876" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/google-home-ai-buttons-s2XK7jkQ.png" alt="" class="wp-image-484599" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/google-home-ai-buttons-s2XK7jkQ.png 1636w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/google-home-ai-buttons-s2XK7jkQ-768x411.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/08/google-home-ai-buttons-s2XK7jkQ-1536x822.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1636px) 100vw, 1636px" /></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">I should note that these additional features:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Create images</li>



<li>Ask about files</li>



<li>Brainstorm</li>
</ul>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">These features are under the + sign on the left side of the search box.  I guess Google wants more people to discover and know about these features.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Why we care. </strong>If Google rolls this out to more users, it will likely have an impact on how people find and use AI Mode from Google Search.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">I personally can replicate this and honestly, after 20 years of ignoring the &#8220;I&#8217;m feeling lucky&#8221; button, I might be conditioned to ignore these new additional buttons. </p>


Google is testing new buttons on the Google home page, right beneath the search box, to encourage searchers to try out AI Mode and other AI-powered search features.  The buttons are named create images, ask about files and brainstorm and when clicked on, it takes you into AI Mode.
I spotted the test this morning and covered it at the Search Engine Roundtable, but now Google has confirmed this as a limited test.
Google confirmed the test.  Robby Stein, Google’s VP of Product, wrote on X:
“This is a small test on desktop to help people find new things they can do with Search.” 
He added that this has no impact on the core search box, he wrote:
“No impact to how the core search box works – just add your question and hit enter as usual (which is how most people search anyways!)”
What it looks like. Here is a screenshot of the Google home page with these additional buttons:




I should note that these additional features:
Create images
Ask about files
Brainstorm
These features are under the + sign on the left side of the search box.  I guess Google wants more people to discover and know about these features.
Why we care. If Google rolls this out to more users, it will likely have an impact on how people find and use AI Mode from Google Search.
I personally can replicate this and honestly, after 20 years of ignoring the “I’m feeling lucky” button, I might be conditioned to ignore these new additional buttons.

Google said this is a limited test where they add create images, ask about files and brainstorm buttons under the search box.

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Read the Latest Trends and Headlines in Digital Marketing.

Here are some of the latest headlines on digital marketing insights, search, and ecommerce:

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Reach out with any questions you might have regarding how RSO can help you with digital marketing.

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