Search Engine Land

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2021/10/hiring-in-search-marketing-800x450.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2021/10/hiring-in-search-marketing-800x450.jpg 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2021/10/hiring-in-search-marketing-600x338.jpg 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2021/10/hiring-in-search-marketing-200x113.jpg 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2021/10/hiring-in-search-marketing-768x432.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2021/10/hiring-in-search-marketing-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2021/10/hiring-in-search-marketing-150x84.jpg 150w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2021/10/hiring-in-search-marketing-550x310.jpg 550w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2021/10/hiring-in-search-marketing.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>Land your next job in SEO or PPC. These brands and agencies are hiring to fill open search marketing positions right now.

Looking to take the next step in your search marketing career? 
Below, you’ll find the newest jobs at brands and agencies in SEO, PPC and digital marketing – as well as positions we’ve shared in previous weeks that are still open. 
Newest jobs in SEO, PPC and digital marketing
Senior SEO Strategist, Webify (Remote)
Salary: $70,000 – $90,000
Client strategy planning and prioritizing, including: technical roadmap, content strategy, clients’ competitive landscape, link building/data-oriented PR, product/features – including building specs
Client engagement growth and extension
SEO Specialist, ABA Therapy Industry (Remote)
Salary: $130,000 – $200,000
Develop and implement SEO strategies to improve organic search rankings.
Conduct keyword research and analysis.
Associate Director, SEO, 85Sixty (Remote)
Salary: $90,000 – $110,000
Managing client portfolios across Travel, Tourism & Hospitality to targeted goals and objectives.
Cultivating and maintaining successful client relationships through progressive SEO strategies, quality deliverables, insightful reporting and engagement of team members where applicable to drive cross-functional opportunities.
SEO Account Manager, Location3 Media (Remote)
Salary: $60,000 – $70,000
Responsible for determining client SEO strategy and identifying tactics across multiple search engines to ensure client goals are met and exceeded
Daily monitoring and management of SEO campaigns
SEO Manager, Orderful (Remote)
Salary: $107,000 – $132,000
Utilize SEO tools and analytics platforms to monitor daily, weekly, and monthly performance metrics, including organic traffic, rankings, click-through rates (CTR), and conversion rates.
Perform competitor analysis to understand market trends, benchmark our performance, and identify opportunities for growth.
Lead Performance Marketer – Well-Funded Consumer Startup, Stealth consumer startup (Onsite, Solana Beach, CA)
Salary: $100,000 – $150,000
Strategically manage large-scale Google Ads campaigns across various campaigns.
Analyze campaign performance and adjust strategies to maximize conversion rates and ROI.
Senior Paid Search Manager, Gusto (Hybrid, New York, NY)
Salary: $140,000 – $180,000
Bring your successful experience growing businesses through advertising and innovative thinking together to create break-out successes
Scale and optimize best-in-class paid search campaigns to drive high-value customer acquisition across brand and non-brand keywords
Digital Paid Media Manager, 24 Seven Talent (Remote)
Salary: $80,000 – $90,000
Be the in-house search, social, demand-side platform, and Google Tag Manager expert.
Owner and executor of platform strategy development, setup, technical implementation, and campaign stewardship.
Paid Search Manager, Realtime Agency (Hybrid, Denver, CO)
Salary: $70,000 – $75,000
Oversee the planning, execution, optimization, and reporting of large-scale paid search campaigns across multiple platforms, targeting client KPIs.
Manage client communications across key accounts, and effectively present the current campaign performance and strategic vision at regular client meetings.
Digital Paid Media Planning Manager, Sud Recruiting (Hybrid, Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex)
Salary: $100,000 – $150,000
A pivotal member of the Digital Marketing team: responsible for spearheading paid media strategic planning and enhancing the performance of paid media campaigns
Develop a performance based digital media strategy





More SEO jobs
SEO Manager, Honeybook (New York, NY)
Salary: $140,000 – $160,000
Develop and implement comprehensive SEO strategies to increase organic traffic and improve keyword rankings across major search engines
Influence cross-functional decision makers to drive an impact on growth. Present growth opportunities to stakeholders and decision makers and improve processes to maximize growth impact from SEO activities.
SEO Strategist, Scaled Agile (Remote)
Salary: $90,000 – $115,000
Develop and execute successful SEO strategies to increase the visibility and effectiveness of Scaled Agile’s digital content across multiple business segments.
Conduct keyword research to guide content teams and ensure alignment with SEO goals and business objectives.
SEO Engineer, Pulumi (Remote)
Salary: $170,000 – $190,000
Develop a strategy and create content for the most valuable search terms.
Execute projects that can expose and scale with the exponential surface area of Pulumi’s supported cloud and language ecosystems
Senior Manager, Search Engine Optimization, Macy’s, New York, NY
Salary: $100,900 – $168,200
Develop and implement comprehensive PPC strategies for retail products to drive sales and revenue growth, leveraging industry experience
Manage and optimize campaigns, including feeds across various platforms, including Google Ads, Bing Ads, with a deep understanding of each platform’s unique features and nuances
SEO Analyst, Greenlight (Remote)
Salary: $80,000 – $100,000
Perform comprehensive keyword research and identify high-value keywords relevant to our industry and target audience to guide content and optimization strategies
Partner with SEO Manager and Content Manager to create a always-on content calendar to teach kids and parents about the world of money & beyond
SEO Manager, Upgrow (Remote)
Salary: $70,000 – $80,000
As an SEO Manager, you will be the main point of contact for 4-6 client accounts, handling account management, strategy, and project management.  
After studying each client and their industry, you’ll develop a strategy to achieve their performance goals, not just traffic but, more importantly, conversions.
SEO Content Manager, Black & White Zebra (Remote)
Salary: $90,000 – $100,000
Meticulously plan and prioritize the cluster development for specific publications
Develop, execute and map keyword plans for those clusters that map to our internal customer journeys
Search Engine Optimization Manager, Covert Recruiting (Remote)
Salary: $110,000 – $130,000
Drive the SEO program including the strategy, implementation, reporting, consulting and daily communications.
Develop and execute comprehensive SEO strategies that drive consistent revenue growth through organic search.





Digital Content Strategist – Ads Expert, Cornershop Creative (Remote)
Salary: $65,000
Google Ads management, specifically the nuances that come with managing Nonprofit Ad Grant accounts to optimize their spend within the limitations of the grant
Create and implement SEO strategies, including performing keyword research (using Moz and other tools) to optimize web content for SEO
Sr SEO Specialist, Winston Digital Marketing, (Remote)
Salary: $65,000
Independently execute strategies, deliverables, and communication for client accounts.
Collect and analyze website data to create campaign insights based on client goals, resources, and SEO best practices.
Search Engine Optimization Manager, Previsible.io, (Remote)
Salary: $85,000
Identify site opportunities and potential limitations impacting organic search performance
Prioritize SEO initiatives and work hands-on with companies to implement
SEO & Social Content Manager, Bloomfield Growth Agency (Remote)
Salary: $65,000
Technical SEO: Must hold relevant certifications from Google and have a strong grasp of technical SEO to draft clear requirements for technical changes that developers can implement.
Keyword Strategy: Ability to conduct in-depth keyword research, analyze current keyword performance, identify high-impact keywords, understand competitive keyword landscape, and provide actionable insights on client ranking within the industry.
SEO Account Manager, Clearscope (Remote)
Salary: $60,000 – $80,000
Quality content is the cornerstone of a winning SEO strategy. You will walk prospects and customers through how to make the most out of the Clearscope platform to create and maintain content that meets searcher needs.
 We believe all Clearscope customers should have a point-of-contact when Clearscope or SEO-related issues arise. You will build customer trust with your in-depth knowledge of search trends and our platform.
SEO Manager, Zocdoc (New York, NY)
Salary: $100,000 – $145,000
Leading a continuous process to identify product, content, UX, and technical SEO projects to grow Zocdoc’s organic search audience
Conducting audits and research to pinpoint growth opportunities
SEO Consultant, Botify (Remote)
Salary: $130,000 (annual)
Engage in discovery sessions to learn about customers’ businesses, their strategic initiatives, goals, and progress towards achieving the goals
Carry out detailed site audits and propose and present SEO strategies and roadmaps
Principal SEO, GoodRX (Remote)
Salary: $135,000 to $288,000 (annual)
Influence the SEO strategy for the business at large and generate buy-in from executive leadership.
Highlight trends and competitor movement within the rapidly evolving health vertical.
SEO Specialist, Pure Visibility (Remote)
Salary: $58,000 to $65,000 (annual)
Work with the SEO director to perform in-depth visibility audits for new clients and compile the results along with prioritized recommendations.
Work with the SEO director to analyze and create action plans around common technical SEO components (canonicalization, sitemaps, crawl budget, schema, hreflang).
More PPC jobs
Manager, Paid Search/SEM, Digital Matter (Hybrid, New York/NY)
Salary: $87,000 – $106,000
Manage execution and performance of search, shopping, display, and video advertising campaigns through the full account management life cycle.
Serve as a supporting player in kick-off meetings, client relationship management, ad-serving, tech stack implementation, campaign optimization, and quarterly business planning.
Senior Paid Search Manager, MVF (Hybrid, Austin, TX)
Salary: $135,00 – $150,000
Line managing a team of Paid Search executives and specialists. You will be responsible for the personal development of the people you manage, including performance management and salary review and will provide ongoing feedback and support as required.
Hands on campaign management of some of our highest spending campaigns, working closely with the strategy team to grow your own portfolio and deliver against US growth plans.
Paid Media Manager, Qualcomm, (San Diego, CA)
Salary: $125,000 – $187,000
Strategy Development: Align with various business stakeholders to understand the business need and craft a well thought-out media brief for media agency.
Campaign Management: Oversee the entire campaign lifecycle from concept to execution, including media brief development, user journey mapping and budget management.
Sr. Manager, Performance Marketing, CLEAR (Hybrid, New York, NY)
Salary: $120,000 – $150,000
Develop and implement comprehensive performance marketing strategies to achieve CLEAR’s business objectives.
Manage and optimize performance marketing campaigns across platforms such as Google Ads, Facebook Ads, LinkedIn, and others.
Search Engine Marketing Manager (SEM), Yelp (Remote)
Salary: $89,000 – $150,000
Manage the day-to-day operations for our paid search marketing strategy, setting up campaigns, optimizing bids, ad copy, landing pages and more.
Analyze performance metrics from internal database tools, third party systems, APIs, and data feeds to drive growth in profit. 
Paid Search Marketing Manager, Vanta, (Remote)
Salary: $105,000
Analyze global paid search campaigns and drive daily optimizations as needed across bids and keywords.
Drive short, medium, and long-term workstreams to optimize ad copies, sitelinks, and landing page content for evergreen campaigns and product or campaign expansions.
Sr. Marketing Manager, Paid Search, Search Marketing, Amazon, (Seattle, WA)
Salary: $114,300 – $212,600
Develop deep search channel insights and understanding in partnership with retail teams, other marketing channel teams, and international stakeholders
Translate channel insights into test plans, product/feature proposals, and opportunities for optimization
Performance Marketing Manager, R2 Global, (Miami Gardens, FL)
Salary: $75,000 – $90,000
Develop and implement comprehensive performance marketing strategies to drive traffic, engagement, and conversions across Google Ads, Meta Ads, SEO, email, and SMS channels.
Manage and optimize PPC campaigns on Google Ads and Meta Ads, ensuring maximum ROI and alignment with business objectives.





Director, Paid Search, GroupM, (New York, NY)
Salary: $100,000
Act as the chief architect of the delivery strategy, testing strategy, forecast, and plan for key accounts within your category, ensuring all search deliverables are met on time and of the highest quality.
Develop strong relationships with the search community, vendors, Group Directors and Digital Leads.
Head of Paid Media, Earnest (Remote)
Salary: $140,000
Be responsible for the strategy, planning, execution, and measurement of our paid media channels
Be responsible for managing our paid advertising campaigns, including both online and offline channels, such as TV/CTV, search, social, display, and programmatic advertising
Senior SEM Strategist, NKP Medical Marketing, Inc.
Salary: $65,000 – $80,000
Strategic SEM Development: Collaborate with the NKP Leadership Team to create a scalable SEM process for our agency and clients.
Client-Focused Solutions: Translate clients’ business goals into measurable paid media strategies, driving leads and patient acquisitions.
Paid Search Marketing Manager, Vanta (Remote)
Salary: $109,000 – $128,000
Analyze global paid search campaigns and drive daily optimizations as needed across bids and keywords.
Drive short, medium, and long-term workstreams to optimize ad copies, sitelinks, and landing page content for evergreen campaigns and product or campaign expansions.
Digital Marketing Manager (Paid Media / SEO), Creative Circle, (New York, NY)
Salary: $90,000 – $110,000
Manage paid media + SEO channels to reach small business owners across the US
Develop / execute digital ad campaigns across Google Ads, Meta Ads, LinkedIn Ads, etc.
Director, Paid Search, Digital Matter (New York, NY)
Salary: $136,000 to $165,000 (annual)
Manage execution and performance of search, shopping, display, and video advertising campaigns through the full account management life cycle
Serve as the key player in kick-off meetings, client relationship management, ad-serving, tech stack implementation, campaign optimization, and quarterly business planning.
Other SEM and digital marketing jobs
Digital Marketing Manager, Revelwood (New Jersey, NJ)
Salary: $90,000 to $100,000 (annual)
Research, develop and execute an annual strategic digital marketing plan.
Increase MQLs with a high conversion rate.
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Land your next job in SEO or PPC. These brands and agencies are hiring to fill open search marketing positions right now.

The latest jobs in search marketing

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2022/10/Shutterstock_788154133-800x450.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2022/10/Shutterstock_788154133-800x450.jpg 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2022/10/Shutterstock_788154133-600x338.jpg 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2022/10/Shutterstock_788154133-200x113.jpg 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2022/10/Shutterstock_788154133-768x432.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2022/10/Shutterstock_788154133-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2022/10/Shutterstock_788154133-150x84.jpg 150w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2022/10/Shutterstock_788154133.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>Lead Generation Ads let you capture leads directly on Reddit, potentially improving conversion rates across various industries.

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2022/10/Shutterstock_788154133-800x450.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2022/10/Shutterstock_788154133-800x450.jpg 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2022/10/Shutterstock_788154133-600x338.jpg 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2022/10/Shutterstock_788154133-200x113.jpg 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2022/10/Shutterstock_788154133-768x432.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2022/10/Shutterstock_788154133-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2022/10/Shutterstock_788154133-150x84.jpg 150w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2022/10/Shutterstock_788154133.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>
<p>Reddit has launched Lead Generation Ads in public beta, available globally for advertisers working directly with the platform.</p>



<p><strong>Why we care.</strong> Reddit&#8217;s new ad format allows advertisers to collect user information directly on the platform, potentially improving lead quality and campaign performance for businesses across various industries.</p>



<p><strong>Key features:</strong></p>



<ul>
<li>Mobile-optimized design with auto-populating email fields.</li>



<li>Privacy-focused approach for secure data handling.</li>



<li>Integration with Zapier for direct CRM connectivity.</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>By the numbers:</strong></p>



<ul>
<li>75% of B2B decision-makers say Reddit has the most influential perspectives on business products.</li>



<li>28% of redditors researched online education programs in the past 6 months.</li>



<li>93% of redditors say the platform helps them make informed tech upgrade decisions.</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>What they&#8217;re saying.</strong> LaunchDarkly, a feature management platform, reported a 30% decrease in cost per lead and a 25% increase in lead submission rates during beta testing.</p>



<p><strong>Between the lines.</strong> The Zapier integration allows advertisers to streamline lead management by automating the process of sending leads directly to their CRM systems.</p>



<p><strong>Bottom line.</strong> <a href="https://www.business.reddit.com/blog/reddit-launches-lead-generation-ads-powered-by-zapier-integration">Reddit&#8217;s new ad format</a>, combined with its engaged user base and Zapier integration, could make it a more attractive platform for businesses looking to generate high-quality leads efficiently.</p>



<ul>
<li>Reddit&#8217;s move into lead generation ads, represents a significant step in bridging the gap between user engagement and advertiser needs, potentially reshaping how businesses approach lead acquisition in online communities.</li>
</ul>


Reddit has launched Lead Generation Ads in public beta, available globally for advertisers working directly with the platform.
Why we care. Reddit’s new ad format allows advertisers to collect user information directly on the platform, potentially improving lead quality and campaign performance for businesses across various industries.
Key features:
Mobile-optimized design with auto-populating email fields.
Privacy-focused approach for secure data handling.
Integration with Zapier for direct CRM connectivity.
By the numbers:
75% of B2B decision-makers say Reddit has the most influential perspectives on business products.
28% of redditors researched online education programs in the past 6 months.
93% of redditors say the platform helps them make informed tech upgrade decisions.
What they’re saying. LaunchDarkly, a feature management platform, reported a 30% decrease in cost per lead and a 25% increase in lead submission rates during beta testing.
Between the lines. The Zapier integration allows advertisers to streamline lead management by automating the process of sending leads directly to their CRM systems.
Bottom line. Reddit’s new ad format, combined with its engaged user base and Zapier integration, could make it a more attractive platform for businesses looking to generate high-quality leads efficiently.
Reddit’s move into lead generation ads, represents a significant step in bridging the gap between user engagement and advertiser needs, potentially reshaping how businesses approach lead acquisition in online communities.

Lead Generation Ads let you capture leads directly on Reddit, potentially improving conversion rates across various industries.

Reddit launches Lead Generation Ads

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/How-blogging-builds-trust-and-brand-loyalty-800x450.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="How blogging builds trust and brand loyalty" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/How-blogging-builds-trust-and-brand-loyalty-800x450.png 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/How-blogging-builds-trust-and-brand-loyalty-600x338.png 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/How-blogging-builds-trust-and-brand-loyalty-200x113.png 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/How-blogging-builds-trust-and-brand-loyalty-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/How-blogging-builds-trust-and-brand-loyalty-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/How-blogging-builds-trust-and-brand-loyalty.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>Is business blogging truly dead? Learn why and how every business should integrate blogging into their digital marketing strategy.

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/How-blogging-builds-trust-and-brand-loyalty-800x450.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="How blogging builds trust and brand loyalty" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/How-blogging-builds-trust-and-brand-loyalty-800x450.png 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/How-blogging-builds-trust-and-brand-loyalty-600x338.png 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/How-blogging-builds-trust-and-brand-loyalty-200x113.png 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/How-blogging-builds-trust-and-brand-loyalty-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/How-blogging-builds-trust-and-brand-loyalty-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/How-blogging-builds-trust-and-brand-loyalty.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>
<p>Some so-called digital marketing experts have said “blogs are dead,” especially in big business.</p>



<p>This couldn’t be further from the truth, especially with changes in search like <a href="https://searchengineland.com/google-ai-overviews-visibility-new-low-444048">AI Overviews</a> and the endless flow of <a href="https://searchengineland.com/seo-creating-trust-394399">trust customers now require</a>.</p>



<p>Blogs build trust gradually, contrary to what shady marketers claim. Results aren’t instant. It&#8217;s a long-term strategy that grows over time. If Warren Buffett were a marketer, he’d be a blogger.</p>



<p>Over time, blogs enhance brand awareness, attract qualified leads and ultimately strengthen the bottom line.</p>



<p>Many ecommerce and service-based business leaders view blogging as unnecessary, which reflects an outdated attitude. As audiences evolve and AI changes how we search for products, content becomes crucial for reaching new customers and nurturing existing ones.</p>



<p>Blogging is far from dead and has never been more vital for brands and business leaders.</p>



<p>Here’s why every business should focus more on their blog during a time when AI continues to rule search and attention spans get smaller and smaller.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-way-we-shop-online-is-changing">The way we shop online is changing</h2>



<p>The latest data from Google shows that roughly <a href="https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/consumer-insights/consumer-trends/shopping-research-before-purchase-statistics/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">53% of customers</a> conduct online research before purchasing a product or service.</p>



<p>Informative content can help influence users&#8217; purchasing decisions or even empower users to make the right decisions. That much is obvious.&nbsp;</p>



<p>But, in competitive keyword searches where your result is not on top, there is a great opportunity to still reach customers with your brand using content. This may appear under People Also Ask or as an organic blue link under the Shopping Carousel.&nbsp;</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" width="1600" height="1497" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Google-search-fender-flares-for-f150.png" alt="Google search - fender flares for f150" class="wp-image-444396" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Google-search-fender-flares-for-f150.png 1600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Google-search-fender-flares-for-f150-361x338.png 361w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Google-search-fender-flares-for-f150-641x600.png 641w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Google-search-fender-flares-for-f150-121x113.png 121w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Google-search-fender-flares-for-f150-768x719.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Google-search-fender-flares-for-f150-1536x1437.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px" /></figure></div>


<p>Likewise, creating content with referral links to your products or store is also a great way to reach customers who are still in the research stage. Check out how Casper uses content to make customers aware of their mattresses and pillows.&nbsp;</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" width="1600" height="1147" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Google-search-size-of-a-twin-bed.png" alt="Google search - size of a twin bed" class="wp-image-444397" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Google-search-size-of-a-twin-bed.png 1600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Google-search-size-of-a-twin-bed-471x338.png 471w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Google-search-size-of-a-twin-bed-800x574.png 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Google-search-size-of-a-twin-bed-158x113.png 158w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Google-search-size-of-a-twin-bed-768x551.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Google-search-size-of-a-twin-bed-1536x1101.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px" /></figure></div>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-content-will-help-you-weather-generative-search">Content will help you weather generative search</h2>



<p>It’s not just customers changing their behaviors, but also Google itself.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Google’s foray into AI is now a reality. AI Overviews radically promises to shift the way we search for products.&nbsp;</p>



<p>AI-generated results will use a mix of products, blogs and local-pack results to offer customized and personalized results.&nbsp;</p>



<p>While it’s difficult to influence what products Google displays for its AI-powered results, you may have some luck by writing custom content for longer-tail keyword searches.&nbsp;</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" width="1600" height="908" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Google-search-Best-frame-for-a-12x16-picture.png" alt="Google search - Best frame for a 12x16 picture" class="wp-image-444398" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Google-search-Best-frame-for-a-12x16-picture.png 1600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Google-search-Best-frame-for-a-12x16-picture-596x338.png 596w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Google-search-Best-frame-for-a-12x16-picture-800x454.png 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Google-search-Best-frame-for-a-12x16-picture-200x113.png 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Google-search-Best-frame-for-a-12x16-picture-768x436.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Google-search-Best-frame-for-a-12x16-picture-1536x872.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px" /></figure></div>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-brand-ethics-are-more-important-than-ever">Brand ethics are more important than ever</h2>



<p>Studies show that <a href="https://www.vericast.com/insights/blog/the-increasingly-socially-conscious-consumer/#:~:text=People%20have%20become%20more%20sensitive,sustainable%20and%20ethical%20business%20practices." target="_blank" rel="noopener">most consumers</a> are more likely to be loyal to brands that practice sustainability or ethics. This is especially true of younger generations who prioritize corporate responsibility more than older generations.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Creating blog content around your business&#8217;s various initiatives is a great way to tell a story and engage with users.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Nordstrom has an ongoing blog called Nordstrom Now, which details its corporate initiatives. Kohl&#8217;s and many other brands do the same.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-blogging-builds-brand-loyalty">Blogging builds brand loyalty</h2>



<p>One fast track to brand loyalty may, surprisingly, be content marketing.</p>



<p>A study out of <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23311886.2023.2225835" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vietnam</a> found that relatable digital content marketing increased perceived brand loyalty among customers. Another from the <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/372237375_Effects_of_Content_Marketing_on_Customer_Satisfaction_and_Brand_Loyalty" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences</a> found a similar relationship.</p>



<p>Blogs are the ultimate way to reach your customers and also influence their perception of your brand.</p>



<p>Some examples of power content to experiment with include:</p>



<ul>
<li>Content that shows the human side of a brand.</li>



<li>Content that entertains and relates to its audience through storytelling.</li>



<li>Educational content that instructs and empowers customers to make active decisions.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-authorship-is-powerful-for-branding">Authorship is powerful for branding</h2>



<p>People are more likely to link to and share content from people they trust. Building authorship on your platform is an easy way to develop that trust.&nbsp;</p>



<p>I’ve worked with a remarkable number of C-level executives who never considered sharing their knowledge on a blog or any platform.</p>



<p>There is so much value to be had in developing authority and reputation for your business and personal brand by sharing first-hand knowledge from your industry in a blog.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Encourage more company leaders to write for your blog and share it with their social media networks to develop greater buzz and loyalty toward your business.&nbsp;</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-blogs-can-aid-in-conversion-optimization">Blogs can aid in conversion optimization</h2>



<p>Blog content is a powerful tool across all areas of your sales funnel.</p>



<p>At the top end of the funnel, informative content is a great, free resource to attract visitors to your site. Once on your website, offer incentives that force people to give you contact information for lead follow-up, such as signing up for a newsletter.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Then, once leads are further inside your funnel, you can use content to help influence leads to decide on a purchase.</p>



<p>My digital marketing company uses technical SEO checklists and evergreen guides straight from our blog to help customers make decisions. These blogs also provide them with standalone value, earning our brand more authority.&nbsp;</p>



<p>You can even repurpose evergreen content into aesthetically pleasing ebooks or downloadables that make your company look even more authoritative.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-blogs-can-be-repurposed-across-multiple-channels">Blogs can be repurposed across multiple channels</h2>



<p>Blog content can <a href="https://searchengineland.com/repurposing-content-assets-443562">easily be repurposed </a>across multiple channels to reach even more customers outside your orbit.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Consider repurposing existing blogs to create:</p>



<ul>
<li>Email newsletters.</li>



<li>Social media posts.</li>



<li>LinkedIn newsletters.</li>



<li>Webinars.</li>
</ul>



<p>Blog topics and information can also be repurposed into other digital mediums, such as video or audio, to put on any other platforms your company already uses.&nbsp;</p>



<p>On the flip side, it’s always good practice to post anything you share externally on your blog so you can build a second-traffic source. For example, post videos you share on YouTube on your blog with a small informative post to help it rank even higher in Google’s algorithm.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-business-blog-guidelines">Business blog guidelines</h2>



<p>I&#8217;ve written extensively about blog strategy over the years. Here&#8217;s a quick summary of the essentials:</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-step-by-step-guide-to-developing-a-content-strategy">Step-by-step guide to developing a content strategy</h3>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://searchengineland.com/content-strategy-goals-394472"><strong>Define your goals</strong></a><strong>:</strong> Clearly define what you want to achieve with your content. This could be increasing brand awareness, generating leads or improving customer engagement. Make sure these goals are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound (<a href="https://searchengineland.com/smart-goals-seo-288724">SMART</a>).</li>



<li><a href="https://searchengineland.com/seo-guide-audience-research-content-analysis-385055"><strong>Understand your audience</strong></a><strong>:</strong> Gather data on your audience’s demographics, preferences and pain points to develop detailed <a href="https://searchengineland.com/content-marketing-personas-394132">buyer personas</a>. Refine these personas using surveys, social media analytics and customer feedback.</li>



<li><a href="https://searchengineland.com/content-audit-guide-388695"><strong>Conduct a content audit</strong></a><strong>:</strong> Review your existing content to identify what’s working and what’s not. This helps you understand gaps and plan future content that fills these gaps and aligns with your audience&#8217;s interests.</li>



<li><strong>Plan your content:</strong> Based on your audit, plan a variety of content types that cater to <a href="https://searchengineland.com/content-mapping-who-what-where-when-why-and-how-427777">different stages of the buyer’s journey</a>. Incorporate <a href="https://searchengineland.com/how-to-write-a-blog-post-391760">blog posts</a>, <a href="https://searchengineland.com/video-content-guide-examples-393269">videos</a>, infographics and <a href="https://searchengineland.com/podcasts-a-content-guide-for-beginners-392881">podcasts</a> to diversify your approach.</li>



<li><strong>Schedule and manage:</strong> Use a content calendar to effectively schedule your content. This helps maintain a consistent publishing schedule that keeps your audience engaged.</li>



<li><strong>Measure and optimize:</strong> Continuously track your content’s performance using key performance indicators (KPIs) like traffic, engagement rates and conversion rates. Use this data to tweak and optimize your strategy over time.</li>
</ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-always-think-of-seo">Always think of SEO</h3>



<ul>
<li><strong>Focus on user intent:</strong> Tailor your content to match your audience&#8217;s queries and needs. This involves understanding the intent behind search terms and providing comprehensive answers.</li>



<li><strong>Optimize for voice search:</strong> With the rise of digital assistants, optimize your content for conversational queries. This means using natural language and question-based keywords.</li>



<li><strong>Leverage AI and machine learning:</strong> Use AI-driven tools to analyze the success of your content and to personalize content offerings based on user behavior.</li>
</ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-enhancing-engagement-with-interactive-blog-features">Enhancing engagement with interactive blog features</h3>



<ul>
<li><strong>Polls and surveys:</strong> Embed interactive polls to engage readers and collect their opinions on various topics.</li>



<li><strong>Infographics and visual data: </strong>Use tools like Canva or Venngage to create eye-catching infographics that simplify complex data.</li>



<li><strong>Downloadable resources:</strong> Offer downloadable ebooks, white papers or checklists that provide added value in exchange for email addresses, aiding in lead generation.</li>
</ul>



<p>By implementing these guidelines and utilizing the recommended tools, you can significantly enhance your blogging strategy, making it more aligned with your business objectives and responsive to your audience&#8217;s needs.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-business-blogs-your-world-of-untapped-opportunity">Business blogs: Your world of untapped opportunity</h2>



<p>In the ecommerce space, where brands compete for a small share of digital real estate, blogs open up a whole other stream of traffic that can be just as valuable to your business.</p>



<p>I’ve seen businesses scale in the ecommerce space, writing blogs on everything from aftermarket truck parts to fitness products you can use at home.</p>



<p>The best part of a business blog is that you can write at your own pace or hire a team of specialized writers. Notice I say specialized. You wouldn’t want your trained pest expert blogger writing content for lawyers and vice versa to offer a simple explanation.</p>



<p>Plus, unlike ads, the traffic doesn’t go away as soon as you turn off the money tap. It compounds, helping build your authority, rankings and, ultimately, your bottom line.</p>

Some so-called digital marketing experts have said “blogs are dead,” especially in big business.
This couldn’t be further from the truth, especially with changes in search like AI Overviews and the endless flow of trust customers now require.
Blogs build trust gradually, contrary to what shady marketers claim. Results aren’t instant. It’s a long-term strategy that grows over time. If Warren Buffett were a marketer, he’d be a blogger.
Over time, blogs enhance brand awareness, attract qualified leads and ultimately strengthen the bottom line.
Many ecommerce and service-based business leaders view blogging as unnecessary, which reflects an outdated attitude. As audiences evolve and AI changes how we search for products, content becomes crucial for reaching new customers and nurturing existing ones.
Blogging is far from dead and has never been more vital for brands and business leaders.
Here’s why every business should focus more on their blog during a time when AI continues to rule search and attention spans get smaller and smaller.
The way we shop online is changing
The latest data from Google shows that roughly 53% of customers conduct online research before purchasing a product or service.
Informative content can help influence users’ purchasing decisions or even empower users to make the right decisions. That much is obvious. 
But, in competitive keyword searches where your result is not on top, there is a great opportunity to still reach customers with your brand using content. This may appear under People Also Ask or as an organic blue link under the Shopping Carousel. 

Likewise, creating content with referral links to your products or store is also a great way to reach customers who are still in the research stage. Check out how Casper uses content to make customers aware of their mattresses and pillows. 

Content will help you weather generative search
It’s not just customers changing their behaviors, but also Google itself. 
Google’s foray into AI is now a reality. AI Overviews radically promises to shift the way we search for products. 
AI-generated results will use a mix of products, blogs and local-pack results to offer customized and personalized results. 
While it’s difficult to influence what products Google displays for its AI-powered results, you may have some luck by writing custom content for longer-tail keyword searches. 

Brand ethics are more important than ever
Studies show that most consumers are more likely to be loyal to brands that practice sustainability or ethics. This is especially true of younger generations who prioritize corporate responsibility more than older generations. 
Creating blog content around your business’s various initiatives is a great way to tell a story and engage with users. 
Nordstrom has an ongoing blog called Nordstrom Now, which details its corporate initiatives. Kohl’s and many other brands do the same. 
Blogging builds brand loyalty
One fast track to brand loyalty may, surprisingly, be content marketing.
A study out of Vietnam found that relatable digital content marketing increased perceived brand loyalty among customers. Another from the Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences found a similar relationship.
Blogs are the ultimate way to reach your customers and also influence their perception of your brand.
Some examples of power content to experiment with include:
Content that shows the human side of a brand.
Content that entertains and relates to its audience through storytelling.
Educational content that instructs and empowers customers to make active decisions.
Authorship is powerful for branding
People are more likely to link to and share content from people they trust. Building authorship on your platform is an easy way to develop that trust. 
I’ve worked with a remarkable number of C-level executives who never considered sharing their knowledge on a blog or any platform.
There is so much value to be had in developing authority and reputation for your business and personal brand by sharing first-hand knowledge from your industry in a blog. 
Encourage more company leaders to write for your blog and share it with their social media networks to develop greater buzz and loyalty toward your business. 

					
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See terms.
Blogs can aid in conversion optimization
Blog content is a powerful tool across all areas of your sales funnel.
At the top end of the funnel, informative content is a great, free resource to attract visitors to your site. Once on your website, offer incentives that force people to give you contact information for lead follow-up, such as signing up for a newsletter. 
Then, once leads are further inside your funnel, you can use content to help influence leads to decide on a purchase.
My digital marketing company uses technical SEO checklists and evergreen guides straight from our blog to help customers make decisions. These blogs also provide them with standalone value, earning our brand more authority. 
You can even repurpose evergreen content into aesthetically pleasing ebooks or downloadables that make your company look even more authoritative. 
Blogs can be repurposed across multiple channels
Blog content can easily be repurposed across multiple channels to reach even more customers outside your orbit. 
Consider repurposing existing blogs to create:
Email newsletters.
Social media posts.
LinkedIn newsletters.
Webinars.
Blog topics and information can also be repurposed into other digital mediums, such as video or audio, to put on any other platforms your company already uses. 
On the flip side, it’s always good practice to post anything you share externally on your blog so you can build a second-traffic source. For example, post videos you share on YouTube on your blog with a small informative post to help it rank even higher in Google’s algorithm. 
Business blog guidelines
I’ve written extensively about blog strategy over the years. Here’s a quick summary of the essentials:
Step-by-step guide to developing a content strategy
Define your goals: Clearly define what you want to achieve with your content. This could be increasing brand awareness, generating leads or improving customer engagement. Make sure these goals are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound (SMART).
Understand your audience: Gather data on your audience’s demographics, preferences and pain points to develop detailed buyer personas. Refine these personas using surveys, social media analytics and customer feedback.
Conduct a content audit: Review your existing content to identify what’s working and what’s not. This helps you understand gaps and plan future content that fills these gaps and aligns with your audience’s interests.
Plan your content: Based on your audit, plan a variety of content types that cater to different stages of the buyer’s journey. Incorporate blog posts, videos, infographics and podcasts to diversify your approach.
Schedule and manage: Use a content calendar to effectively schedule your content. This helps maintain a consistent publishing schedule that keeps your audience engaged.
Measure and optimize: Continuously track your content’s performance using key performance indicators (KPIs) like traffic, engagement rates and conversion rates. Use this data to tweak and optimize your strategy over time.
Always think of SEO
Focus on user intent: Tailor your content to match your audience’s queries and needs. This involves understanding the intent behind search terms and providing comprehensive answers.
Optimize for voice search: With the rise of digital assistants, optimize your content for conversational queries. This means using natural language and question-based keywords.
Leverage AI and machine learning: Use AI-driven tools to analyze the success of your content and to personalize content offerings based on user behavior.
Enhancing engagement with interactive blog features
Polls and surveys: Embed interactive polls to engage readers and collect their opinions on various topics.
Infographics and visual data: Use tools like Canva or Venngage to create eye-catching infographics that simplify complex data.
Downloadable resources: Offer downloadable ebooks, white papers or checklists that provide added value in exchange for email addresses, aiding in lead generation.
By implementing these guidelines and utilizing the recommended tools, you can significantly enhance your blogging strategy, making it more aligned with your business objectives and responsive to your audience’s needs.
Business blogs: Your world of untapped opportunity
In the ecommerce space, where brands compete for a small share of digital real estate, blogs open up a whole other stream of traffic that can be just as valuable to your business.
I’ve seen businesses scale in the ecommerce space, writing blogs on everything from aftermarket truck parts to fitness products you can use at home.
The best part of a business blog is that you can write at your own pace or hire a team of specialized writers. Notice I say specialized. You wouldn’t want your trained pest expert blogger writing content for lawyers and vice versa to offer a simple explanation.
Plus, unlike ads, the traffic doesn’t go away as soon as you turn off the money tap. It compounds, helping build your authority, rankings and, ultimately, your bottom line.

Is business blogging truly dead? Learn why and how every business should integrate blogging into their digital marketing strategy.

How blogging builds trust and brand loyalty in the age of AI

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/DIY-reactive-digital-PR-How-to-earn-media-coverage-on-a-budget-800x450.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="DIY reactive digital PR: How to earn media coverage on a budget" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/DIY-reactive-digital-PR-How-to-earn-media-coverage-on-a-budget-800x450.png 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/DIY-reactive-digital-PR-How-to-earn-media-coverage-on-a-budget-600x338.png 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/DIY-reactive-digital-PR-How-to-earn-media-coverage-on-a-budget-200x113.png 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/DIY-reactive-digital-PR-How-to-earn-media-coverage-on-a-budget-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/DIY-reactive-digital-PR-How-to-earn-media-coverage-on-a-budget-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/DIY-reactive-digital-PR-How-to-earn-media-coverage-on-a-budget.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>Implement these DIY reactive PR strategies to share your expertise and build media relationships without breaking the bank.

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/DIY-reactive-digital-PR-How-to-earn-media-coverage-on-a-budget-800x450.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="DIY reactive digital PR: How to earn media coverage on a budget" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/DIY-reactive-digital-PR-How-to-earn-media-coverage-on-a-budget-800x450.png 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/DIY-reactive-digital-PR-How-to-earn-media-coverage-on-a-budget-600x338.png 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/DIY-reactive-digital-PR-How-to-earn-media-coverage-on-a-budget-200x113.png 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/DIY-reactive-digital-PR-How-to-earn-media-coverage-on-a-budget-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/DIY-reactive-digital-PR-How-to-earn-media-coverage-on-a-budget-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/DIY-reactive-digital-PR-How-to-earn-media-coverage-on-a-budget.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>
<p>Unlike big proactive PR campaigns, where working with professionals can prevent you from wasting a huge amount of time and money, reactive <a href="https://searchengineland.com/what-is-digital-pr-seo-437216">digital PR</a> is usually something that you can bootstrap with a bit of time and effort.</p>



<p>As long as you follow a few basic rules, you can earn yourself a handful of foundational links early on in your brand&#8217;s life without having to pay for an agency or consultant to do digital PR for you.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-get-to-know-the-key-writers-in-your-niche">Get to know the key writers in your niche</h2>



<p>If PR isn’t your full-time role, you likely don’t want to monitor every single journalist in the land, their likes and dislikes and who they work for. </p>



<p>It’s a long process, and there is a reason PR professionals pay good money for expensive journalist databases to keep track of them all.</p>



<p>Instead, with some initial research, you can find the top journalists in your niche and the publications you wish to appear in. Stick with a handful, maybe 4-5 at most.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Follow them on X and connect with them on LinkedIn. Read what they write about your industry, and then send an email to introduce yourself. </p>



<p>Clearly mark in your subject line what type of expert you are. It doesn’t matter if you’re an architect or a dermatologist.</p>



<p>At some point, a journalist may need your expertise and search their inbox. You want to be findable when that happens. </p>



<p>Keep a spreadsheet with their email addresses in case there is a breaking news story in your niche that you want to comment on. You don’t want to be scrambling around looking for their emails when time is of the essence.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-timing-is-everything">Timing is everything</h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-once-the-article-is-published-it-s-too-late">Once the article is published, it’s too late</h3>



<p>This is not <a href="https://searchengineland.com/modern-link-building-starter-guide-431548">link building</a>; you cannot email a journalist two months after an article in your niche has been published and ask to insert your expert opinion (and link) into the article.</p>



<p>This is just not how journalism works. </p>



<p>At best, you’ll get a confused response; at worst, you’ll get called out for it on X.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-if-the-news-happened-yesterday-it-s-too-late">If the news happened yesterday, it’s too late</h3>



<p>Earlier this month, I woke up to a dozen news alerts. There had been a massive IT outage affecting everything: doctors, planes, Gail&#8217;s Bakery.</p>



<p>I knew then that my software client could comment on this, but I also knew that everyone else’s software clients could. I opened my laptop and contacted my client right away to get a comment put together.</p>



<p>We moved quickly. I then emailed it to the key writers in our niche before lunchtime. This meant we secured coverage across both tech blogs and the national and international press.</p>



<p>Was ours the best comment? Maybe, maybe not, but what we were is quick. And that, when it comes to newsjacking, is the secret sauce.</p>



<p>If I had to go through an arduous sign-off process with multiple people making edits and wanting to check the comments, we would have missed out on those links.</p>



<p>When DIY-ing your reactive PR, your superpower is speed. You can write a comment and email it to your key writers straight away, while bigger competitors have to work through layers of corporate red tape to get a comment out the door.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-if-the-holiday-awareness-day-event-is-happening-tomorrow-it-s-too-late">If the holiday/awareness day/event is happening tomorrow, it’s too late</h3>



<p>If you run a floristry website and want to talk about the top flower trends for Valentine’s Day, you don’t want to send that out on Feb. 13.</p>



<p>Google Search data, according to its own AI overview, suggests that searches for Valentine’s Day may start as soon as Christmas is over and build through January.</p>



<p>Therefore, journalists will be looking to write about Valentine’s Day, populate gift guides and get expert views on the year&#8217;s Valentine&#8217;s Day trends at this time.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-share-your-expertise-and-experience">Share your expertise and experience</h2>



<p>It’s all good to be told to share your expertise with the press, but what does that mean? </p>



<p>Let&#8217;s break it down into three approaches:</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-newsjacking">Newsjacking</h3>



<p>A big news story breaks in your industry and journalists need expert comment and analysis. </p>



<p>This one can be a little tricky. It’ll take you a few tries to get it right and that’s OK. </p>



<p>Essentially, a big news story has broken in your niche, and journalists want experts to give their opinions. In many cases, they will be looking to:</p>



<ul>
<li>Understand why something has happened.</li>



<li>Gather some wider background or context.</li>



<li>Establish what this might mean for those affected by the story.</li>



<li>Predict what is likely to happen next.</li>
</ul>



<p>If you’re a cybersecurity brand and a data breach has happened, you might be able to tell the journalist what caused it (e.g., people sharing passwords or a vulnerability in the system). </p>



<p>The wider background might be that this has happened before. What this might mean for those affected could be that they need to change their passwords or contact their banks.&nbsp;</p>



<p>What is likely to happen next is that the company will release a statement, tighten up its processes, or even potentially be fined.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-journo-requests">Journo requests</h3>



<p>This is when a journalist puts out a request on a journo request platform (we’ll cover the best ways to find these below).&nbsp;</p>



<p>This is perhaps the easiest for beginners, as you simply need to answer the questions the journalist has provided.&nbsp;</p>



<p>When you do this, remember to add color to what you are saying. Let&#8217;s be honest: they’re likely going to receive a bunch of bland, ChatGPT-written responses.&nbsp;</p>



<p>If you want to stand out, then provide answers that showcase your opinions and expertise.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Use examples if possible and don’t try to hide your personality. Journalists want answers from humans, not large language models, so lean into being human.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-seasonal-trends-and-evergreen-expertise">Seasonal trends and evergreen expertise</h3>



<p>Some examples include summer or winter skincare for beauty brands, advice on moving house, removing red wine stains from carpets, drying laundry inside or using compost in the garden.&nbsp;</p>



<p>We Google these things when we want to know the best way to do something. Lifestyle content is constantly seeking tips and hacks from experts to answer its readers&#8217; questions. </p>



<p>Unsure of the questions in your niche?</p>



<p>Use tools such as AlsoAsked (other tools are available, but this is the one I find most user-friendly) to find out what people are asking in your niche.</p>



<p>If you have a site with plenty of informative content, where you’ve already done the hard work, you might be able to work smarter, not harder, with some clever repurposing.</p>



<p><strong><em>Dig deeper: <a href="https://searchengineland.com/how-seo-and-digital-pr-can-drive-maximum-brand-visibility-434874">How SEO and digital PR can drive maximum brand visibility</a></em></strong></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-repackage-your-on-site-content-and-your-social-content">Repackage your on-site content (and your social content)</h2>



<p>You have likely spent a lot of time and money creating on-site content to help your page rank.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This content will be designed to showcase your authority in your niche, detailing your expertise and trustworthiness.</p>



<p>Hopefully, Google will recognize this hard work, but here is how you can make it work harder for you.</p>



<p>If you&#8217;re a florist, you might have informational content on your site that explains how consumers can increase the longevity of their flowers once in a vase. This could easily be repackaged and outreached to journalists ahead of Valentine&#8217;s Day.&nbsp;</p>



<p>As a skincare brand, you probably have a page that details how to choose the best SPF and sunscreen for your skin type.&nbsp;</p>



<p>If the weather office is predicting a heatwave next week, it might be worth taking this and repackaging it for the press. Send it out to lifestyle writers who cover skincare ahead of the hot weather.</p>



<p>This definitely makes things quicker and easier, but you can’t just copy and paste the content.</p>



<p>Rewrite it to be fresh, topical and designed for the publication&#8217;s audience. It’s definitely quicker than writing content from scratch.</p>



<p>You might then want to include the link back to that page in your outreach, explaining that they can get further information there.</p>



<p>A similar approach works with social content. If your brand has a product that goes viral on TikTok, compile the video link, key stats (views, shares, etc.), product info, purchase link and standout comments into an email.</p>



<p>You can then send it to journalists who cover these products. “TikTok users are going WILD for this new mascara” is a headline we see more and more.&nbsp;</p>



<p>If your product causes a stir on socials, make sure to alert the press to compound that success.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ease-into-reactive-pr-with-journalist-requests">Ease into reactive PR with journalist requests</h3>



<p>If cold outreach and newsjacking seem a bit too brave an option, the journalist requests are the perfect place to try your hand at reactive PR.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Journalists nearly always need experts and case studies to bring their reporting to life and give it the gravitas it needs.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Whether they are writing lifestyle content on interior trends or hard news about a cybersecurity breach, they will undoubtedly need to hear from experts.</p>



<p>One way they connect with experts is via journalist requests. If you know where to find these – particularly in your niche – then it can be an easy way to get your foot in the door and begin building your first digital PR links.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Some of these are free, like the #JournoRequest hashtag on X, and some offer a freemium model. The ones below are the ones I have used successfully.</p>



<ul>
<li><strong>#JournoRequests on X:</strong> The original and still the best despite Elon Musk’s best attempts at making the platform less user-friendly to everyone and the influx of spam. To make this more manageable, you can use your search bar to type in the hashtag and keywords related to your industry, e.g., ‘#JournoRequest Plumber.’</li>



<li><strong>Qwoted:</strong> Qwoted operates a freemium model, but the basic account is worth paying for if you find initial success with a free account. Qwoted is particularly good for U.S. brands and publications, but it’s also starting to get better for the UK and Europe. Its UX lets you search and submit quotes and comments easily.</li>



<li><strong>SOS:</strong> The new HARO. It’s early days, and while it may take time to build up to the success of its predecessor HARO, now is a great time for brands to use it to build relationships with journalists before it becomes overrun.</li>



<li><strong>ResponseSource:</strong> This is great for the UK market, but it’s not cheap and provides plenty of excellent press opportunities. ResponseSource is a great thing to build up to, and if you’re doing digital PR yourself and only need journalist requests in your niche, you may find an account more cost-effective than outsourcing your digital PR.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-effective-reactive-pr-strategies-for-building-brand-visibility">Effective reactive PR strategies for building brand visibility</h2>



<p>Everything I’ve explained above will help you build relationships with journalists in your niche, increase awareness of your brand and hopefully build some links. It is crucial to remember that this is a long game.</p>



<p>These tools will help you build foundational links and initial awareness of your brand in the press and build relationships with key journalists in your industry. However, they won’t equate to overnight success in the SERPs.</p>



<p>When it comes to digital PR links, no matter what some impressive-sounding agencies might tell you, it really is quality over quantity.</p>



<p>A little and often approach to digital PR to help you build sustainable growth is fine at the beginning. As your brand and business develop, you may want to bring in a digital PR freelancer or agency to scale up these efforts.</p>



<p>But you’ll already be ahead of the game and you’ll know how it works and be less easily impressed by promises of hundreds of low-quality links.</p>



<p>Lastly, remember journalists don’t owe you links or coverage. All you can do is be willing to put yourself out there and share your knowledge and expertise.</p>



<p>If you do this consistently enough, it will nearly always lead to coverage and links over time, but they are not guaranteed in digital PR.</p>



<p><strong><em>Dig deeper: <a href="https://searchengineland.com/digital-pr-underrated-skills-438974">5 underrated skills you need to be a good digital PR – and how to master them</a></em></strong></p>

Unlike big proactive PR campaigns, where working with professionals can prevent you from wasting a huge amount of time and money, reactive digital PR is usually something that you can bootstrap with a bit of time and effort.
As long as you follow a few basic rules, you can earn yourself a handful of foundational links early on in your brand’s life without having to pay for an agency or consultant to do digital PR for you.
Get to know the key writers in your niche
If PR isn’t your full-time role, you likely don’t want to monitor every single journalist in the land, their likes and dislikes and who they work for. 
It’s a long process, and there is a reason PR professionals pay good money for expensive journalist databases to keep track of them all.
Instead, with some initial research, you can find the top journalists in your niche and the publications you wish to appear in. Stick with a handful, maybe 4-5 at most. 
Follow them on X and connect with them on LinkedIn. Read what they write about your industry, and then send an email to introduce yourself. 
Clearly mark in your subject line what type of expert you are. It doesn’t matter if you’re an architect or a dermatologist.
At some point, a journalist may need your expertise and search their inbox. You want to be findable when that happens. 
Keep a spreadsheet with their email addresses in case there is a breaking news story in your niche that you want to comment on. You don’t want to be scrambling around looking for their emails when time is of the essence. 
Timing is everything
Once the article is published, it’s too late
This is not link building; you cannot email a journalist two months after an article in your niche has been published and ask to insert your expert opinion (and link) into the article.
This is just not how journalism works. 
At best, you’ll get a confused response; at worst, you’ll get called out for it on X.
If the news happened yesterday, it’s too late
Earlier this month, I woke up to a dozen news alerts. There had been a massive IT outage affecting everything: doctors, planes, Gail’s Bakery.
I knew then that my software client could comment on this, but I also knew that everyone else’s software clients could. I opened my laptop and contacted my client right away to get a comment put together.
We moved quickly. I then emailed it to the key writers in our niche before lunchtime. This meant we secured coverage across both tech blogs and the national and international press.
Was ours the best comment? Maybe, maybe not, but what we were is quick. And that, when it comes to newsjacking, is the secret sauce.
If I had to go through an arduous sign-off process with multiple people making edits and wanting to check the comments, we would have missed out on those links.
When DIY-ing your reactive PR, your superpower is speed. You can write a comment and email it to your key writers straight away, while bigger competitors have to work through layers of corporate red tape to get a comment out the door.
If the holiday/awareness day/event is happening tomorrow, it’s too late
If you run a floristry website and want to talk about the top flower trends for Valentine’s Day, you don’t want to send that out on Feb. 13.
Google Search data, according to its own AI overview, suggests that searches for Valentine’s Day may start as soon as Christmas is over and build through January.
Therefore, journalists will be looking to write about Valentine’s Day, populate gift guides and get expert views on the year’s Valentine’s Day trends at this time.

					
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See terms.
Share your expertise and experience
It’s all good to be told to share your expertise with the press, but what does that mean? 
Let’s break it down into three approaches:
Newsjacking
A big news story breaks in your industry and journalists need expert comment and analysis. 
This one can be a little tricky. It’ll take you a few tries to get it right and that’s OK. 
Essentially, a big news story has broken in your niche, and journalists want experts to give their opinions. In many cases, they will be looking to:
Understand why something has happened.
Gather some wider background or context.
Establish what this might mean for those affected by the story.
Predict what is likely to happen next.
If you’re a cybersecurity brand and a data breach has happened, you might be able to tell the journalist what caused it (e.g., people sharing passwords or a vulnerability in the system). 
The wider background might be that this has happened before. What this might mean for those affected could be that they need to change their passwords or contact their banks. 
What is likely to happen next is that the company will release a statement, tighten up its processes, or even potentially be fined.
Journo requests
This is when a journalist puts out a request on a journo request platform (we’ll cover the best ways to find these below). 
This is perhaps the easiest for beginners, as you simply need to answer the questions the journalist has provided. 
When you do this, remember to add color to what you are saying. Let’s be honest: they’re likely going to receive a bunch of bland, ChatGPT-written responses. 
If you want to stand out, then provide answers that showcase your opinions and expertise. 
Use examples if possible and don’t try to hide your personality. Journalists want answers from humans, not large language models, so lean into being human.
Seasonal trends and evergreen expertise
Some examples include summer or winter skincare for beauty brands, advice on moving house, removing red wine stains from carpets, drying laundry inside or using compost in the garden. 
We Google these things when we want to know the best way to do something. Lifestyle content is constantly seeking tips and hacks from experts to answer its readers’ questions. 
Unsure of the questions in your niche?
Use tools such as AlsoAsked (other tools are available, but this is the one I find most user-friendly) to find out what people are asking in your niche.
If you have a site with plenty of informative content, where you’ve already done the hard work, you might be able to work smarter, not harder, with some clever repurposing.
Dig deeper: How SEO and digital PR can drive maximum brand visibility
Repackage your on-site content (and your social content)
You have likely spent a lot of time and money creating on-site content to help your page rank. 
This content will be designed to showcase your authority in your niche, detailing your expertise and trustworthiness.
Hopefully, Google will recognize this hard work, but here is how you can make it work harder for you.
If you’re a florist, you might have informational content on your site that explains how consumers can increase the longevity of their flowers once in a vase. This could easily be repackaged and outreached to journalists ahead of Valentine’s Day. 
As a skincare brand, you probably have a page that details how to choose the best SPF and sunscreen for your skin type. 
If the weather office is predicting a heatwave next week, it might be worth taking this and repackaging it for the press. Send it out to lifestyle writers who cover skincare ahead of the hot weather.
This definitely makes things quicker and easier, but you can’t just copy and paste the content.
Rewrite it to be fresh, topical and designed for the publication’s audience. It’s definitely quicker than writing content from scratch.
You might then want to include the link back to that page in your outreach, explaining that they can get further information there.
A similar approach works with social content. If your brand has a product that goes viral on TikTok, compile the video link, key stats (views, shares, etc.), product info, purchase link and standout comments into an email.
You can then send it to journalists who cover these products. “TikTok users are going WILD for this new mascara” is a headline we see more and more. 
If your product causes a stir on socials, make sure to alert the press to compound that success.
Ease into reactive PR with journalist requests
If cold outreach and newsjacking seem a bit too brave an option, the journalist requests are the perfect place to try your hand at reactive PR. 
Journalists nearly always need experts and case studies to bring their reporting to life and give it the gravitas it needs. 
Whether they are writing lifestyle content on interior trends or hard news about a cybersecurity breach, they will undoubtedly need to hear from experts.
One way they connect with experts is via journalist requests. If you know where to find these – particularly in your niche – then it can be an easy way to get your foot in the door and begin building your first digital PR links. 
Some of these are free, like the #JournoRequest hashtag on X, and some offer a freemium model. The ones below are the ones I have used successfully.
#JournoRequests on X: The original and still the best despite Elon Musk’s best attempts at making the platform less user-friendly to everyone and the influx of spam. To make this more manageable, you can use your search bar to type in the hashtag and keywords related to your industry, e.g., ‘#JournoRequest Plumber.’
Qwoted: Qwoted operates a freemium model, but the basic account is worth paying for if you find initial success with a free account. Qwoted is particularly good for U.S. brands and publications, but it’s also starting to get better for the UK and Europe. Its UX lets you search and submit quotes and comments easily.
SOS: The new HARO. It’s early days, and while it may take time to build up to the success of its predecessor HARO, now is a great time for brands to use it to build relationships with journalists before it becomes overrun.
ResponseSource: This is great for the UK market, but it’s not cheap and provides plenty of excellent press opportunities. ResponseSource is a great thing to build up to, and if you’re doing digital PR yourself and only need journalist requests in your niche, you may find an account more cost-effective than outsourcing your digital PR.
Effective reactive PR strategies for building brand visibility
Everything I’ve explained above will help you build relationships with journalists in your niche, increase awareness of your brand and hopefully build some links. It is crucial to remember that this is a long game.
These tools will help you build foundational links and initial awareness of your brand in the press and build relationships with key journalists in your industry. However, they won’t equate to overnight success in the SERPs.
When it comes to digital PR links, no matter what some impressive-sounding agencies might tell you, it really is quality over quantity.
A little and often approach to digital PR to help you build sustainable growth is fine at the beginning. As your brand and business develop, you may want to bring in a digital PR freelancer or agency to scale up these efforts.
But you’ll already be ahead of the game and you’ll know how it works and be less easily impressed by promises of hundreds of low-quality links.
Lastly, remember journalists don’t owe you links or coverage. All you can do is be willing to put yourself out there and share your knowledge and expertise.
If you do this consistently enough, it will nearly always lead to coverage and links over time, but they are not guaranteed in digital PR.
Dig deeper: 5 underrated skills you need to be a good digital PR – and how to master them

Implement these DIY reactive PR strategies to share your expertise and build media relationships without breaking the bank.

DIY reactive digital PR: How to earn media coverage on a budget

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/searchgpt-800x450.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/searchgpt-800x450.jpg 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/searchgpt-600x338.jpg 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/searchgpt-200x113.jpg 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/searchgpt-768x432.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/searchgpt-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/searchgpt.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>SearchGPT is a temporary prototype. ChatGPT plans to integrate search features from SearchGPT into ChatGPT in the future.

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/searchgpt-800x450.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/searchgpt-800x450.jpg 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/searchgpt-600x338.jpg 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/searchgpt-200x113.jpg 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/searchgpt-768x432.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/searchgpt-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/searchgpt.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>
<p>OpenAI today announced SearchGPT, its long-awaited search product.</p>



<ul>
<li>SearchGPT is a &#8220;temporary prototype&#8221; and limited to just 10,000 users and publishers at launch.</li>



<li>OpenAI plans to integrate the &#8220;best&#8221; parts of the new search features directly within ChatGPT in the future.</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>How SearchGPT works.</strong> SearchGPT responds to queries using its AI models plus information pulled from the web. It will include links to relevant sources, OpenAI explained in a <a href="https://openai.com/index/searchgpt-prototype/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">blog post</a>.</p>



<p>OpenAI is teasing SearchGPT like this:</p>



<ul>
<li>&#8220;A prototype of new search features, using the strength of our AI models to give you fast answers with clear and relevant sources.&#8221;</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>What SearchGPT looks like.</strong> It looks fairly similar to what it has been doing since the arrival of GPT-4o –&nbsp;what is known as &#8220;browse mode.&#8221; OpenAI shared some videos of the &#8220;faster and easier&#8221; SearchGPT experience:</p>



<ul>
<li>It starts with a search box asking you, &#8220;What are you searching for.&#8221; </li>



<li>After entering your query, SearchGPT will provide an answer that includes links to sources within the text answers and shows sources beneath the answer. </li>



<li>Additional results will be shown in a sidebar.</li>
</ul>



<p>Here&#8217;s a search for [music festivals in Boone, NC in August 2024]:</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/SearchGPT-music-festivals-scaled.webp"><img decoding="async" width="2048" height="1152" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/SearchGPT-music-festivals-scaled.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-444400" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/SearchGPT-music-festivals-scaled.webp 2048w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/SearchGPT-music-festivals-600x338.webp 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/SearchGPT-music-festivals-800x450.webp 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/SearchGPT-music-festivals-200x113.webp 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/SearchGPT-music-festivals-768x432.webp 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/SearchGPT-music-festivals-1536x864.webp 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px" /></a></figure></div>


<p>Here&#8217;s a search for [best tomatoes to grow in Minnesota]:</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" width="952" height="895" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/searchgpt-tomatoes-1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-444403" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/searchgpt-tomatoes-1.jpg 952w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/searchgpt-tomatoes-1-360x338.jpg 360w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/searchgpt-tomatoes-1-638x600.jpg 638w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/searchgpt-tomatoes-1-120x113.jpg 120w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/searchgpt-tomatoes-1-768x722.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 952px) 100vw, 952px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" width="989" height="974" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/searchgpt-tomatoes-2.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-444404" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/searchgpt-tomatoes-2.jpg 989w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/searchgpt-tomatoes-2-343x338.jpg 343w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/searchgpt-tomatoes-2-609x600.jpg 609w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/searchgpt-tomatoes-2-115x113.jpg 115w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/searchgpt-tomatoes-2-768x756.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/searchgpt-tomatoes-2-95x95.jpg 95w" sizes="(max-width: 989px) 100vw, 989px" /></figure>



<p><strong>For publishers. </strong>OpenAI is &#8220;launching a way for publishers to manage how they appear in SearchGPT, so publishers have more choices. Importantly, SearchGPT is about search and is separate from training OpenAI’s generative AI foundation models. Sites can be surfaced in search results even if they opt out of generative AI training.&#8221;</p>



<p><strong>Coming soon.</strong> OpenAI said it plans to improve searches related to&nbsp;local information and commerce.</p>



<p><strong>Waitlist.</strong> You can join the SearchGPT waitlist <a href="https://chatgpt.com/search" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</p>



<p><strong>The OpenAI search story so far.</strong> We first heard about <a href="https://searchengineland.com/open-ai-search-product-437563">OpenAI&#8217;s plan for a search product</a> in February. <a href="https://searchengineland.com/chatgpt-search-feature-rumors-heating-up-440337">Rumors heated up</a> in May –&nbsp;but OpenAI didn&#8217;t launch its search product (<a href="https://martech.org/openai-unveils-its-new-flagship-chatgpt-4o/">GPT-4o launched</a> instead). Then, earlier this month, The Atlantic CEO confirmed that <a href="https://searchengineland.com/openai-search-product-atlantic-444089">OpenAI was &#8220;going to build a search product.&#8221;</a></p>



<p><strong>Why we care.</strong> The next Google won&#8217;t do what Google does, as ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt once said. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has made it clear he has no interest in copying Google Search – but creating a new user-friendly search that combines LLMs and search without drowning you in advertising. While it&#8217;s too early to know whether <a href="https://searchengineland.com/is-chatgpt-google-search-killer-438643">ChatGPT will become a Google Search killer</a>, this is clearly a story we&#8217;ll be watching closely over the coming months and years.</p>



<p><strong>Update: OopsGPT.</strong> Well, it turns out that SearchGPT had an &#8220;oopsie moment&#8221; in one of its demo videos, much like <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2023/2/8/23590864/google-ai-chatbot-bard-mistake-error-exoplanet-demo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Google&#8217;s infamous Bard demo</a>. The SearchGPT error happened on a search for [music festivals in boone north carolina in august], as The Atlantic (one of OpenAI&#8217;s big partners) pointed out in an article:</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
<p>&#8220;The tool then pulls up a list of festivals that it states are taking place in Boone this August, the first being An Appalachian Summer Festival, which according to the tool is hosting a series of arts events from July 29 to August 16 of this year. Someone in Boone hoping to buy tickets to one of those concerts, however, would run into trouble. In fact, the festival started on June 29 and will have its final concert on July 27. Instead, July 29–August 16 are the dates for which the festival’s box office will be officially closed. (I confirmed these dates with the festival’s box office.)</p>
</blockquote>


OpenAI today announced SearchGPT, its long-awaited search product.
SearchGPT is a “temporary prototype” and limited to just 10,000 users and publishers at launch.
OpenAI plans to integrate the “best” parts of the new search features directly within ChatGPT in the future.
How SearchGPT works. SearchGPT responds to queries using its AI models plus information pulled from the web. It will include links to relevant sources, OpenAI explained in a blog post.
OpenAI is teasing SearchGPT like this:
“A prototype of new search features, using the strength of our AI models to give you fast answers with clear and relevant sources.”
What SearchGPT looks like. It looks fairly similar to what it has been doing since the arrival of GPT-4o – what is known as “browse mode.” OpenAI shared some videos of the “faster and easier” SearchGPT experience:
It starts with a search box asking you, “What are you searching for.” 
After entering your query, SearchGPT will provide an answer that includes links to sources within the text answers and shows sources beneath the answer. 
Additional results will be shown in a sidebar.
Here’s a search for [music festivals in Boone, NC in August 2024]:

Here’s a search for [best tomatoes to grow in Minnesota]:








For publishers. OpenAI is “launching a way for publishers to manage how they appear in SearchGPT, so publishers have more choices. Importantly, SearchGPT is about search and is separate from training OpenAI’s generative AI foundation models. Sites can be surfaced in search results even if they opt out of generative AI training.”
Coming soon. OpenAI said it plans to improve searches related to local information and commerce.
Waitlist. You can join the SearchGPT waitlist here.
The OpenAI search story so far. We first heard about OpenAI’s plan for a search product in February. Rumors heated up in May – but OpenAI didn’t launch its search product (GPT-4o launched instead). Then, earlier this month, The Atlantic CEO confirmed that OpenAI was “going to build a search product.”
Why we care. The next Google won’t do what Google does, as ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt once said. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has made it clear he has no interest in copying Google Search – but creating a new user-friendly search that combines LLMs and search without drowning you in advertising. While it’s too early to know whether ChatGPT will become a Google Search killer, this is clearly a story we’ll be watching closely over the coming months and years.
Update: OopsGPT. Well, it turns out that SearchGPT had an “oopsie moment” in one of its demo videos, much like Google’s infamous Bard demo. The SearchGPT error happened on a search for [music festivals in boone north carolina in august], as The Atlantic (one of OpenAI’s big partners) pointed out in an article:
“The tool then pulls up a list of festivals that it states are taking place in Boone this August, the first being An Appalachian Summer Festival, which according to the tool is hosting a series of arts events from July 29 to August 16 of this year. Someone in Boone hoping to buy tickets to one of those concerts, however, would run into trouble. In fact, the festival started on June 29 and will have its final concert on July 27. Instead, July 29–August 16 are the dates for which the festival’s box office will be officially closed. (I confirmed these dates with the festival’s box office.)

SearchGPT is a temporary prototype. ChatGPT plans to integrate search features from SearchGPT into ChatGPT in the future.

OpenAI starts testing SearchGPT prototype, here’s what it looks like

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/How-to-manage-SEO-campaigns-during-economic-downturns-800x450.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="How to manage SEO campaigns during economic downturns" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/How-to-manage-SEO-campaigns-during-economic-downturns-800x450.png 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/How-to-manage-SEO-campaigns-during-economic-downturns-600x338.png 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/How-to-manage-SEO-campaigns-during-economic-downturns-200x113.png 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/How-to-manage-SEO-campaigns-during-economic-downturns-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/How-to-manage-SEO-campaigns-during-economic-downturns-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/How-to-manage-SEO-campaigns-during-economic-downturns.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>Keep your marketing strong in tough economic times with insights on consumer behavior, market analysis and long-term positioning.

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/How-to-manage-SEO-campaigns-during-economic-downturns-800x450.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="How to manage SEO campaigns during economic downturns" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/How-to-manage-SEO-campaigns-during-economic-downturns-800x450.png 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/How-to-manage-SEO-campaigns-during-economic-downturns-600x338.png 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/How-to-manage-SEO-campaigns-during-economic-downturns-200x113.png 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/How-to-manage-SEO-campaigns-during-economic-downturns-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/How-to-manage-SEO-campaigns-during-economic-downturns-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/How-to-manage-SEO-campaigns-during-economic-downturns.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>
<p>Economic downturns create uncertainty and changes in user behavior that impact markets and forecasts. They also affect the approach and resources allocated to marketing activities.</p>



<p>Because no two recessions or economic downsturns are the same, marketers operate in uncharted waters every time one occurs.</p>



<p>This article can help marketers manage <a href="https://searchengineland.com/guide/what-is-seo">SEO</a> campaigns and show the value of their efforts despite a recession, during periods of market uncertainty, or during periods when external factors greatly change your target consumer’s behaviors.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-doing-business-during-a-recession">Doing business during a recession</h2>



<p>Consumers will naturally reduce their spending during economic downtimes and establish more stringent priorities.&nbsp;</p>



<p>When sales decline, businesses begin to reduce expenses, lower prices and delay making new investments. Unfortunately, marketing expenditures are often the first to get cut. This approach to cost reduction is ineffective and should be avoided.</p>



<p>Clients often judge SEO and paid search as independent channels. SEO can be seen as “OK to turn off for a bit,” while a brand rests on its laurels, assuming that the current performance won’t worsen during the downturn.</p>



<p>But SEO isn’t the only channel that may see issues here. In 2009, the entire U.S. ad market <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2009/07/30/nothing-to-shout-about" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saw a decline of 13%</a>. This was predominantly driven by radio and magazines, which saw declines of 22% and 18%, while “online” only declined by 2%.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-argument-for-not-reducing-spending">The argument for not reducing spending</h2>



<p>It might be a good idea to keep costs down when entering a recession. But if you fail to support brands or examine how your core customers’ needs evolve, you will likely jeopardize your medium to longer-term performance.</p>



<p>Organizations and trade bodies such as the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) refer to this as losing the “share of mind.” In the United Kingdom, the IPA has <a href="https://twitter.com/Campaignmag/status/1253069840627257349">publicly advertised</a>, warning brands not to reduce marketing spend in the months ahead.</p>



<p>It’s also worth highlighting that sometimes a plateau or deceleration in marketing spend can feel regressive.</p>



<p>In 2024, it is estimated that overall advertising spending growth in the U.S. will increase by approximately <a href="https://www.statista.com/outlook/dmo/digital-advertising/united-states#ad-spending" target="_blank" rel="noopener">10%</a>. Compare this to an average growth of 23.3% prior to 2020.</p>



<p>These year-on-year spending patterns can be down to various reasons, including:</p>



<ul>
<li><strong>Market saturation</strong>: The level of investment has reached a point in which further investment would yield diminishing returns against the current consumer market.</li>



<li><strong>Pricing pressures</strong>: As consumers go through times of economic uncertainty, consumer confidence and priorities in spending disposable income change. As a result, organizations look to maintain their advertising/marketing effectiveness without increasing spend.</li>



<li><strong>Market consolidation</strong>: As consumers reduce spend, smaller organizations or those unable to compete effectively may exit certain markets. This often leads to fewer but stronger organizations still in the market, making it a more competitive environment with less competition for mental availability.</li>
</ul>



<p>Reading through research papers and thought leadership content from the International Journal of Business and Social Science, Harvard Business Review and specialists from the Economist and Financial Times, five key marketing objectives for a recession begin to emerge.</p>



<ul>
<li>Smarter spending and investment.</li>



<li>Retention of the existing customer base should be prioritized.</li>



<li>Leverage your competitor’s weaknesses.</li>



<li>Monitor the market and adjust spend targeting segments based on their behaviors.</li>



<li>Maintain your current spending at a minimum, just spend smarter.</li>
</ul>



<p><strong><em>Dig deeper: <a href="https://searchengineland.com/seo-user-activation-retention-community-437654">SEO for user activation, retention and community</a></em></strong></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-to-keep-your-seo-efforts-going-during-a-downturn">How to keep your SEO efforts going during a downturn</h2>



<p>The general message is “do not reduce spending.” That’s great.&nbsp;</p>



<p>But when defending our retainer or contract renewal, businesses want to know how their SEO spend will tangibly impact the bottom line.</p>



<p>To address this, we can look to the 2008 recession and the recent pandemic – when other <a href="https://searchengineland.com/adaptability-new-competitive-advantage-seo-386278">businesses pivoted</a> and changed messaging across their digital marketing.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Let’s apply the learnings to help our clients or employers power through an economic downturn without pausing their SEO efforts.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-review-your-tam-and-messaging">Review your TAM and messaging</h3>



<p>A total addressable market, or TAM, can be defined in several ways.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The most common definition is the total number of people who could possibly use a product or service. For example, the TAM for a new smartphone might be the total number of people who own a cell phone.</p>



<p>Despite its limitations, TAM can be a helpful metric for investors to assess a company’s growth potential. Companies with large TAMs can be desirable to investors because they have the potential to generate a lot of revenue.</p>



<p>During a recession, businesses (in B2B) and consumers will react differently depending on their economic stability.</p>



<p>Depending on your TAM, you may need to <a href="https://searchengineland.com/seo-during-global-disruption-387218">pivot your messaging and value propositions</a>. This then ties into your SEO strategy. Align activities to these messaging goals, depending on whether your product is deemed essential, luxury, postponable or expendable.</p>



<p>Essential products are often price-sensitive during a downturn. You may want to highlight the value proposition further for less economically stable consumers.</p>



<p>For those in your TAM who are better off, you should continue awareness campaigns (i.e., top and middle-of-the-funnel activities).</p>



<p>By comparison, luxury products can be communicated as precisely that – a luxury/treat to be consumed as a reward for austerity in other areas. They can also induce dopamine reactions and raise morale.</p>



<p>The other two categories, postponables and expendables, are the most difficult to pivot for.</p>



<p>An example of a postponable is a TV streaming service or magazine subscription. Users ahead of postponing may research cheaper alternatives to avoid missing out. During this research phase, you must be visible and fight to retain your existing users.&nbsp;</p>



<p>For other goods that can be postponed (such as servicing a vehicle, replacing a tire, or updating home security systems), messaging should focus on the long-term financial and opportunity costs of not performing these actions now and providing support messaging.</p>



<p>Expendable products and services will likely impact local SEO more than other sectors. Rather than hire a gardener or decorator, consumers will choose to perform the maintenance and upgrades themselves.</p>



<p>This is both an opportunity and a threat to sell to consumers by enabling them or working to remain visible as a company and build trust.</p>



<p>To do this, you need to understand the overall confidence of your target consumers.</p>



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<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-your-consumer-confidence">Understanding your consumer confidence</h3>



<p>In addition to reviewing your TAM, you need to review the confidence of consumers within your SOM (serviceable obtainable marketing) and SAM (serviceable addressable market).</p>



<p>Consumer confidence is a measure that gauges the optimism of households and how they feel about their financial stability at present and in the coming months.</p>



<p>Two common sources of this information at a macro level are the <a href="http://www.sca.isr.umich.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index (MCSI)</a> and the <a href="https://www.conference-board.org/topics/consumer-confidence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Consumer Confidence Index (CCI)</a>.</p>



<p>When consumers are confident, disposable income is more likely to be spent on luxury, postponable and expendable products/services. When it’s low, there is a stronger focus on essential products/services.</p>



<p>You can collect your own data for this through surveys and engagement with your own community.</p>



<p>Talk to your sales team regularly. They speak with customers and potential buyers often. This can give you valuable insights into:</p>



<ul>
<li>What frustrates your target audience.</li>



<li>What objections they have.</li>



<li>How they view their own finances.</li>



<li>Their perspective on your market.</li>
</ul>



<p>These insights can help you understand your customers better, even if you can&#8217;t create your own economic index.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smarter-opportunity-analysis-and-competitor-targeting">Smarter opportunity analysis and competitor targeting</h3>



<p>Most businesses are focused on maintaining and retaining market position during a recession. </p>



<p>It’s an excellent time to identify consumers they currently hold and work to leverage them toward your products and services. Competitive targeting should be a staple of an SEO campaign anyway.</p>



<p>However, during a downturn, when sensitivity to price and value is heightened, your messaging and content can focus on pain points that consumers may have with competitor products and services.</p>



<p>Turn these into a competitive advantage to create a conversation with new prospects. You can produce competitor comparison content and highlight the competitor’s weak spots as non-issues or strengths with your product.</p>



<p>For example, if you’re providing a rotating proxy service and you know that your competitor, Bob’s Proxies, has issues with uptime, then make sure your content highlights that your service has no such problems.</p>



<p><strong><em>Dig deeper: <a href="https://searchengineland.com/seo-swot-analysis-focusing-efforts-improve-results-287197" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SEO SWOT analysis: How to optimize where it counts</a></em></strong></p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-positioning-for-post-recession">Positioning for post-recession</h3>



<p>SEO is a long-term strategy, but during an economic downturn, you must balance the longer term and the short term.</p>



<p>Typically, consumer trust and spending recover within one to two years of a recession. When consumers return to post-downturn spending levels (or establish new market norms), you want to ensure you’re prominent and visible in the vertical.</p>



<p>You can do so by maintaining a certain level of activity toward establishing and maintaining top-of-vertical awareness and remaining competitive for bottom-of-funnel, conversion-focused queries.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-maintaining-seo-momentum-during-uncertain-economic-climates">Maintaining SEO momentum during uncertain economic climates</h2>



<p>Marketing may seem more challenging during an economic downturn. Customers’ spending habits often change, and you may have to go against your instincts.</p>



<p>Optimizing your budget and being strategic about your priorities is essential. This will allow you to continue marketing your products or services while meeting your customers’ needs.</p>



<p>A recession can be an opportunity to build customer loyalty and mental availability with your overall SAM and TAM. During a downturn, SEO can alleviate direct cost channels (such as paid) and offer long-term benefits and short-term stability.</p>



<p>Google and the other search engines will continuously update during this period. Competitors who remain stagnant and withdraw resources will suffer in the medium to long term, costing more in the future to regain lost performance and the opportunity cost of lost visibility.</p>

Economic downturns create uncertainty and changes in user behavior that impact markets and forecasts. They also affect the approach and resources allocated to marketing activities.
Because no two recessions or economic downsturns are the same, marketers operate in uncharted waters every time one occurs.
This article can help marketers manage SEO campaigns and show the value of their efforts despite a recession, during periods of market uncertainty, or during periods when external factors greatly change your target consumer’s behaviors.
Doing business during a recession
Consumers will naturally reduce their spending during economic downtimes and establish more stringent priorities. 
When sales decline, businesses begin to reduce expenses, lower prices and delay making new investments. Unfortunately, marketing expenditures are often the first to get cut. This approach to cost reduction is ineffective and should be avoided.
Clients often judge SEO and paid search as independent channels. SEO can be seen as “OK to turn off for a bit,” while a brand rests on its laurels, assuming that the current performance won’t worsen during the downturn.
But SEO isn’t the only channel that may see issues here. In 2009, the entire U.S. ad market saw a decline of 13%. This was predominantly driven by radio and magazines, which saw declines of 22% and 18%, while “online” only declined by 2%.
The argument for not reducing spending
It might be a good idea to keep costs down when entering a recession. But if you fail to support brands or examine how your core customers’ needs evolve, you will likely jeopardize your medium to longer-term performance.
Organizations and trade bodies such as the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) refer to this as losing the “share of mind.” In the United Kingdom, the IPA has publicly advertised, warning brands not to reduce marketing spend in the months ahead.
It’s also worth highlighting that sometimes a plateau or deceleration in marketing spend can feel regressive.
In 2024, it is estimated that overall advertising spending growth in the U.S. will increase by approximately 10%. Compare this to an average growth of 23.3% prior to 2020.
These year-on-year spending patterns can be down to various reasons, including:
Market saturation: The level of investment has reached a point in which further investment would yield diminishing returns against the current consumer market.
Pricing pressures: As consumers go through times of economic uncertainty, consumer confidence and priorities in spending disposable income change. As a result, organizations look to maintain their advertising/marketing effectiveness without increasing spend.
Market consolidation: As consumers reduce spend, smaller organizations or those unable to compete effectively may exit certain markets. This often leads to fewer but stronger organizations still in the market, making it a more competitive environment with less competition for mental availability.
Reading through research papers and thought leadership content from the International Journal of Business and Social Science, Harvard Business Review and specialists from the Economist and Financial Times, five key marketing objectives for a recession begin to emerge.
Smarter spending and investment.
Retention of the existing customer base should be prioritized.
Leverage your competitor’s weaknesses.
Monitor the market and adjust spend targeting segments based on their behaviors.
Maintain your current spending at a minimum, just spend smarter.
Dig deeper: SEO for user activation, retention and community
How to keep your SEO efforts going during a downturn
The general message is “do not reduce spending.” That’s great. 
But when defending our retainer or contract renewal, businesses want to know how their SEO spend will tangibly impact the bottom line.
To address this, we can look to the 2008 recession and the recent pandemic – when other businesses pivoted and changed messaging across their digital marketing. 
Let’s apply the learnings to help our clients or employers power through an economic downturn without pausing their SEO efforts. 
Review your TAM and messaging
A total addressable market, or TAM, can be defined in several ways. 
The most common definition is the total number of people who could possibly use a product or service. For example, the TAM for a new smartphone might be the total number of people who own a cell phone.
Despite its limitations, TAM can be a helpful metric for investors to assess a company’s growth potential. Companies with large TAMs can be desirable to investors because they have the potential to generate a lot of revenue.
During a recession, businesses (in B2B) and consumers will react differently depending on their economic stability.
Depending on your TAM, you may need to pivot your messaging and value propositions. This then ties into your SEO strategy. Align activities to these messaging goals, depending on whether your product is deemed essential, luxury, postponable or expendable.
Essential products are often price-sensitive during a downturn. You may want to highlight the value proposition further for less economically stable consumers.
For those in your TAM who are better off, you should continue awareness campaigns (i.e., top and middle-of-the-funnel activities).
By comparison, luxury products can be communicated as precisely that – a luxury/treat to be consumed as a reward for austerity in other areas. They can also induce dopamine reactions and raise morale.
The other two categories, postponables and expendables, are the most difficult to pivot for.
An example of a postponable is a TV streaming service or magazine subscription. Users ahead of postponing may research cheaper alternatives to avoid missing out. During this research phase, you must be visible and fight to retain your existing users. 
For other goods that can be postponed (such as servicing a vehicle, replacing a tire, or updating home security systems), messaging should focus on the long-term financial and opportunity costs of not performing these actions now and providing support messaging.
Expendable products and services will likely impact local SEO more than other sectors. Rather than hire a gardener or decorator, consumers will choose to perform the maintenance and upgrades themselves.
This is both an opportunity and a threat to sell to consumers by enabling them or working to remain visible as a company and build trust.
To do this, you need to understand the overall confidence of your target consumers.

					
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Understanding your consumer confidence
In addition to reviewing your TAM, you need to review the confidence of consumers within your SOM (serviceable obtainable marketing) and SAM (serviceable addressable market).
Consumer confidence is a measure that gauges the optimism of households and how they feel about their financial stability at present and in the coming months.
Two common sources of this information at a macro level are the Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index (MCSI) and the Consumer Confidence Index (CCI).
When consumers are confident, disposable income is more likely to be spent on luxury, postponable and expendable products/services. When it’s low, there is a stronger focus on essential products/services.
You can collect your own data for this through surveys and engagement with your own community.
Talk to your sales team regularly. They speak with customers and potential buyers often. This can give you valuable insights into:
What frustrates your target audience.
What objections they have.
How they view their own finances.
Their perspective on your market.
These insights can help you understand your customers better, even if you can’t create your own economic index.
Smarter opportunity analysis and competitor targeting
Most businesses are focused on maintaining and retaining market position during a recession. 
It’s an excellent time to identify consumers they currently hold and work to leverage them toward your products and services. Competitive targeting should be a staple of an SEO campaign anyway.
However, during a downturn, when sensitivity to price and value is heightened, your messaging and content can focus on pain points that consumers may have with competitor products and services.
Turn these into a competitive advantage to create a conversation with new prospects. You can produce competitor comparison content and highlight the competitor’s weak spots as non-issues or strengths with your product.
For example, if you’re providing a rotating proxy service and you know that your competitor, Bob’s Proxies, has issues with uptime, then make sure your content highlights that your service has no such problems.
Dig deeper: SEO SWOT analysis: How to optimize where it counts
Positioning for post-recession
SEO is a long-term strategy, but during an economic downturn, you must balance the longer term and the short term.
Typically, consumer trust and spending recover within one to two years of a recession. When consumers return to post-downturn spending levels (or establish new market norms), you want to ensure you’re prominent and visible in the vertical.
You can do so by maintaining a certain level of activity toward establishing and maintaining top-of-vertical awareness and remaining competitive for bottom-of-funnel, conversion-focused queries.
Maintaining SEO momentum during uncertain economic climates
Marketing may seem more challenging during an economic downturn. Customers’ spending habits often change, and you may have to go against your instincts.
Optimizing your budget and being strategic about your priorities is essential. This will allow you to continue marketing your products or services while meeting your customers’ needs.
A recession can be an opportunity to build customer loyalty and mental availability with your overall SAM and TAM. During a downturn, SEO can alleviate direct cost channels (such as paid) and offer long-term benefits and short-term stability.
Google and the other search engines will continuously update during this period. Competitors who remain stagnant and withdraw resources will suffer in the medium to long term, costing more in the future to regain lost performance and the opportunity cost of lost visibility.

Keep your marketing strong in tough economic times with insights on consumer behavior, market analysis and long-term positioning.

How to manage SEO campaigns during economic downturns

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/START-building-a-modern-digital-marketing-plan-800x450.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="START building a modern digital marketing plan" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/START-building-a-modern-digital-marketing-plan-800x450.png 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/START-building-a-modern-digital-marketing-plan-600x338.png 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/START-building-a-modern-digital-marketing-plan-200x113.png 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/START-building-a-modern-digital-marketing-plan-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/START-building-a-modern-digital-marketing-plan-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/START-building-a-modern-digital-marketing-plan.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>Learn how to craft a robust digital marketing plan using the START framework to stay focused and adaptable.

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/START-building-a-modern-digital-marketing-plan-800x450.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="START building a modern digital marketing plan" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/START-building-a-modern-digital-marketing-plan-800x450.png 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/START-building-a-modern-digital-marketing-plan-600x338.png 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/START-building-a-modern-digital-marketing-plan-200x113.png 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/START-building-a-modern-digital-marketing-plan-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/START-building-a-modern-digital-marketing-plan-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/START-building-a-modern-digital-marketing-plan.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>
<p>It doesn’t take a lot of sentences to cover the number of disruptions in search marketing in the season (or era?) that we’re in.</p>



<p>Right now, Google is rapidly changing organic and paid search, causing excitement and confusion. New <a href="https://searchengineland.com/google-ai-overviews-visibility-new-low-444048">AI Overviews</a>, <a href="https://searchengineland.com/google-search-document-leak-ranking-442617">leaked information</a> and <a href="https://searchengineland.com/openai-search-product-atlantic-444089">potential OpenAI search engines</a> are creating distractions in our careers. Additionally, changing privacy laws and attribution challenges add to the complexity.</p>



<p>With so much happening, it can be overwhelming to keep up. It&#8217;s crucial to have a clear plan linked to your strategy so you don&#8217;t get distracted by new trends like AI or ignore changes and fall behind. While &#8220;plan&#8221; may sound boring, it&#8217;s essential for a solid digital strategy.</p>



<p>To help with the topic, I recently published my first book, “<a href="https://thedmsp.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Digital Marketing Success Plan</a>.” In it, I go into granular detail with personal stories, processes and “how to” content centered on what I call the “START” planning process, and I will unpack those five steps to follow.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-strategy">1. Strategy</h2>



<p>The first phase of START planning is <a href="https://searchengineland.com/seo-strategy-strategic-seo-planning-437603">strategy</a>. This is where you understand the business&#8217;s current state and what goals to reasonably set and achieve with <a href="https://searchengineland.com/digital-marketing-primer-strategies-measuring-success-444311">digital marketing</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Here, you’ll tackle everything, including setting goals, mapping marketing metrics to business outcomes and reviewing all past marketing efforts and our expectations before proceeding to the subsequent phases of the planning process.</p>



<p>In some companies, this step is completed with exhaustive research, business intelligence data and financial information backed up end-to-end through CRM or other platforms.</p>



<p>In other cases, businesses started adding digital marketing channels to the mix over the years (with good intentions) but don’t have all the dots connected for attribution and ROI.</p>



<p>Regardless of where your company is on the scale, there’s never a better time to ensure that all levels, teams and stakeholders are aligned on the end goals for digital marketing (and maybe marketing more broadly). </p>



<p>Then, you can work backward from there when you explore all possible tactics and ways to achieve your defined goals and strategy overall.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-tactics">2. Tactics</h2>



<p>The next phase is tactics. This is where you explore all potential avenues to reach goals, map out business outcomes and be open-minded about how to achieve them.&nbsp;</p>



<p>You’ll evaluate all potential channels and networks (e.g., <a href="https://searchengineland.com/guide/what-is-seo">SEO</a>, <a href="https://searchengineland.com/google-ads-account-set-up-390184">Google Ads</a>, <a href="https://searchengineland.com/linkedin-advertising-a-comprehensive-guide-439831">LinkedIn sponsored content</a>) you can leverage using leading research and estimation tools to uncover opportunities to reach our target audiences.</p>



<p>This is how the strategy comes to life. You never want tactics to “be” the strategy or be more important than the strategy. These are the actions that drive us toward meeting and exceeding our goals.</p>



<p>You also have to consider your own biases toward certain channels based on your experiences, expertise or personal feelings about them.&nbsp;</p>



<p>In some cases, LinkedIn may beat Google Ads. Or, programmatic display is required to support the customer journey in a hidden way you don’t realize.</p>



<p>Be open to exploring all channels and opportunities, and do the necessary research and projections to ensure they align with your strategy and goals.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-application">3. Application</h2>



<p>The third phase of the START planning approach is application. This is the time to map out the assets, large and small, that you need to get our house in order – or to build it.</p>



<p>Develop the inventory list you’ll need for all desired or defined tactics. This includes creating ads, graphics, webpages, copy and other necessary assets for a successful campaign.</p>



<p>At this point, it is tempting to start creating new ads or landing pages or examining your creative with a defined strategy and set of tactics.&nbsp;</p>



<p>I will warn you to stick with identifying things at this stage and not start creating new things. This is where many great strategies get stalled out, and plans don’t come to fruition.</p>



<p>Getting the assets you need to launch or amplify your plan requires time and money. Suppose you dive right into designing or creating new things without properly identifying what you’re doing and connecting back to the “why” (Strategy and Tactics phases). In that case, you can do some expensive things quickly or push out the launch of your plan indefinitely.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-review">4. Review</h2>



<p>The fourth phase is review. Here, you’ll define the aspects needed to manage and measure the successes and provide accountability for the plan.&nbsp;</p>



<p>That means creating performance measurement dashboards and systems tied to the ultimate ROI equation, roll-up performance, channel performance and resource measurement.&nbsp;</p>



<p>At this phase, you’re also setting up our project management system or aligning resource planning platforms to manage the work. Ultimately, you’re arriving at the benchmarks, budgets, reports and roles overall.</p>



<p>This phase may seem obvious, but I have seen a number of systems over the years, including dashboards and resource managers. Some are totally custom, and others are right out of the box.&nbsp;</p>



<p>No matter what, they often miss out on tracking a full picture of digital marketing ROI and leave gaps that have to be filled with assumptions or cross-checking investment numbers by a CFO.</p>



<p>You don’t want gaps and want to make sure that our systems account for the full cost of digital marketing. That includes internal people, contractors, agencies, software, advertising spends and possibly more.&nbsp;</p>



<p>If you aren&#8217;t accounting for those, then you could have rough meetings with the C-suite or investors down the road when they don’t see the full ROI that you might be calculating.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-transformation">5. Transformation</h2>



<p>The last phase of START planning is transformation. In this final phase, you schedule the tactics so they stay subordinate to the overall strategy.</p>



<p>You’ll craft a comprehensive calendar of tactics, optimization processes, agile strategy and reporting cycles. You will also map out the milestones, flights and content pushes, experiments, tasks and assignments overall.</p>



<p>Again, you might have a long history of SEO, Google Ads, social media marketing, email marketing, programmatic and more. You might have some great success stories in them or even with integrated, cohesive results. I love hearing those stories!</p>



<p>However, I would challenge you to consider that if you’re seeing positive results, they have likely come from focused efforts and not sporadic drop-ins to manage and see it through.</p>



<p>Regardless of your position, make sure you have resources planned, tactics and action plans scheduled and control of the plan.</p>



<p>Things will happen in your company, like new products/services, new audience focuses and new competitors. Things will also happen, such as new industry tech, changes in search engines, AI emergence and more.</p>



<p>Have a documented plan that also allows for agility and enough flexibility to be revisited and adapted at multiple levels so it doesn’t get obsolete or abandoned just a few months into the effort.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-start-your-way-to-digital-marketing-success">START your way to digital marketing success</h2>



<p>Whether you follow the steps in START planning or adapt them to your own strategy and planning process, I strongly encourage you to revisit your current plan. Make sure that it is objective, specific, actionable and accountable.</p>



<p>A plan isn’t a plan if it is in one person’s head or if it is understood differently by multiple people. Things are changing really fast. Have a plan that can keep you on track, adaptable and up to date with changes.</p>



<p>My key goal is to ensure that you make wise, ROI-driven and accountable investments, whether you’re a business doing digital marketing or an agency doing it on behalf of your clients.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Google, software, agencies and employees will get paid or take your money whether your digital marketing is working or not, and I hope that you see success in your digital marketing driven by a solid plan.</p>



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It doesn’t take a lot of sentences to cover the number of disruptions in search marketing in the season (or era?) that we’re in.
Right now, Google is rapidly changing organic and paid search, causing excitement and confusion. New AI Overviews, leaked information and potential OpenAI search engines are creating distractions in our careers. Additionally, changing privacy laws and attribution challenges add to the complexity.
With so much happening, it can be overwhelming to keep up. It’s crucial to have a clear plan linked to your strategy so you don’t get distracted by new trends like AI or ignore changes and fall behind. While “plan” may sound boring, it’s essential for a solid digital strategy.
To help with the topic, I recently published my first book, “The Digital Marketing Success Plan.” In it, I go into granular detail with personal stories, processes and “how to” content centered on what I call the “START” planning process, and I will unpack those five steps to follow.
1. Strategy
The first phase of START planning is strategy. This is where you understand the business’s current state and what goals to reasonably set and achieve with digital marketing. 
Here, you’ll tackle everything, including setting goals, mapping marketing metrics to business outcomes and reviewing all past marketing efforts and our expectations before proceeding to the subsequent phases of the planning process.
In some companies, this step is completed with exhaustive research, business intelligence data and financial information backed up end-to-end through CRM or other platforms.
In other cases, businesses started adding digital marketing channels to the mix over the years (with good intentions) but don’t have all the dots connected for attribution and ROI.
Regardless of where your company is on the scale, there’s never a better time to ensure that all levels, teams and stakeholders are aligned on the end goals for digital marketing (and maybe marketing more broadly). 
Then, you can work backward from there when you explore all possible tactics and ways to achieve your defined goals and strategy overall.
2. Tactics
The next phase is tactics. This is where you explore all potential avenues to reach goals, map out business outcomes and be open-minded about how to achieve them. 
You’ll evaluate all potential channels and networks (e.g., SEO, Google Ads, LinkedIn sponsored content) you can leverage using leading research and estimation tools to uncover opportunities to reach our target audiences.
This is how the strategy comes to life. You never want tactics to “be” the strategy or be more important than the strategy. These are the actions that drive us toward meeting and exceeding our goals.
You also have to consider your own biases toward certain channels based on your experiences, expertise or personal feelings about them. 
In some cases, LinkedIn may beat Google Ads. Or, programmatic display is required to support the customer journey in a hidden way you don’t realize.
Be open to exploring all channels and opportunities, and do the necessary research and projections to ensure they align with your strategy and goals.
3. Application
The third phase of the START planning approach is application. This is the time to map out the assets, large and small, that you need to get our house in order – or to build it.
Develop the inventory list you’ll need for all desired or defined tactics. This includes creating ads, graphics, webpages, copy and other necessary assets for a successful campaign.
At this point, it is tempting to start creating new ads or landing pages or examining your creative with a defined strategy and set of tactics. 
I will warn you to stick with identifying things at this stage and not start creating new things. This is where many great strategies get stalled out, and plans don’t come to fruition.
Getting the assets you need to launch or amplify your plan requires time and money. Suppose you dive right into designing or creating new things without properly identifying what you’re doing and connecting back to the “why” (Strategy and Tactics phases). In that case, you can do some expensive things quickly or push out the launch of your plan indefinitely.

					
Get the newsletter search marketers rely on.
Business email address
							
						

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See terms.
4. Review
The fourth phase is review. Here, you’ll define the aspects needed to manage and measure the successes and provide accountability for the plan. 
That means creating performance measurement dashboards and systems tied to the ultimate ROI equation, roll-up performance, channel performance and resource measurement. 
At this phase, you’re also setting up our project management system or aligning resource planning platforms to manage the work. Ultimately, you’re arriving at the benchmarks, budgets, reports and roles overall.
This phase may seem obvious, but I have seen a number of systems over the years, including dashboards and resource managers. Some are totally custom, and others are right out of the box. 
No matter what, they often miss out on tracking a full picture of digital marketing ROI and leave gaps that have to be filled with assumptions or cross-checking investment numbers by a CFO.
You don’t want gaps and want to make sure that our systems account for the full cost of digital marketing. That includes internal people, contractors, agencies, software, advertising spends and possibly more. 
If you aren’t accounting for those, then you could have rough meetings with the C-suite or investors down the road when they don’t see the full ROI that you might be calculating.
5. Transformation
The last phase of START planning is transformation. In this final phase, you schedule the tactics so they stay subordinate to the overall strategy.
You’ll craft a comprehensive calendar of tactics, optimization processes, agile strategy and reporting cycles. You will also map out the milestones, flights and content pushes, experiments, tasks and assignments overall.
Again, you might have a long history of SEO, Google Ads, social media marketing, email marketing, programmatic and more. You might have some great success stories in them or even with integrated, cohesive results. I love hearing those stories!
However, I would challenge you to consider that if you’re seeing positive results, they have likely come from focused efforts and not sporadic drop-ins to manage and see it through.
Regardless of your position, make sure you have resources planned, tactics and action plans scheduled and control of the plan.
Things will happen in your company, like new products/services, new audience focuses and new competitors. Things will also happen, such as new industry tech, changes in search engines, AI emergence and more.
Have a documented plan that also allows for agility and enough flexibility to be revisited and adapted at multiple levels so it doesn’t get obsolete or abandoned just a few months into the effort.
START your way to digital marketing success
Whether you follow the steps in START planning or adapt them to your own strategy and planning process, I strongly encourage you to revisit your current plan. Make sure that it is objective, specific, actionable and accountable.
A plan isn’t a plan if it is in one person’s head or if it is understood differently by multiple people. Things are changing really fast. Have a plan that can keep you on track, adaptable and up to date with changes.
My key goal is to ensure that you make wise, ROI-driven and accountable investments, whether you’re a business doing digital marketing or an agency doing it on behalf of your clients. 
Google, software, agencies and employees will get paid or take your money whether your digital marketing is working or not, and I hope that you see success in your digital marketing driven by a solid plan.

					
Get the newsletter search marketers rely on.
Business email address
							
						

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Learn how to craft a robust digital marketing plan using the START framework to stay focused and adaptable.

How to START building a modern digital marketing plan

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Adthena-July-2024-SEL-Header-Image-800x450.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Adthena-July-2024-SEL-Header-Image-800x450.png 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Adthena-July-2024-SEL-Header-Image-600x338.png 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Adthena-July-2024-SEL-Header-Image-200x113.png 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Adthena-July-2024-SEL-Header-Image-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Adthena-July-2024-SEL-Header-Image-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Adthena-July-2024-SEL-Header-Image.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>Discover essential tactics to catch click theft, protect brand integrity and maximize ROI.

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Adthena-July-2024-SEL-Header-Image-800x450.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Adthena-July-2024-SEL-Header-Image-800x450.png 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Adthena-July-2024-SEL-Header-Image-600x338.png 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Adthena-July-2024-SEL-Header-Image-200x113.png 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Adthena-July-2024-SEL-Header-Image-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Adthena-July-2024-SEL-Header-Image-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Adthena-July-2024-SEL-Header-Image.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div><div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img decoding="async" width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Adthena-July-2024-SEL-Header-Image-800x450.png" alt="" class="wp-image-444345" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Adthena-July-2024-SEL-Header-Image-800x450.png 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Adthena-July-2024-SEL-Header-Image-600x338.png 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Adthena-July-2024-SEL-Header-Image-200x113.png 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Adthena-July-2024-SEL-Header-Image-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Adthena-July-2024-SEL-Header-Image-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Adthena-July-2024-SEL-Header-Image.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></figure></div>


<p>The strongest paid search strategy builds on your brand&#8217;s unique value. Here, you control the customer experience and messaging, driving traffic that converts from search, via Google Ads.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Your brand terms, message and unique selling points are yours to leverage – and in paid search, they should be your safe haven.</p>



<p>But with fierce competition, protecting your brand in paid search is crucial. Let&#8217;s unlock the secrets of brand protection, safeguard your reputation and optimize your campaigns for success.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-brand-protection">What is brand protection?</h2>



<p>Your brand deserves to be in control. But competitors, resellers and affiliates can exploit your brand for their own gain in paid search. How?</p>



<ul>
<li><strong>Keyword bidding: </strong>They might bid on your brand terms, causing your ads to drop in search results.</li>



<li><strong>Trademark misuse: </strong>They could use your brand name or trademarks in their ads, misleading customers and diverting traffic.</li>
</ul>



<p>Brand protection is your shield. It safeguards your online presence and reputation by:</p>



<ul>
<li>Keeping your brand front and center in search engines.</li>



<li>Protecting hard-earned brand equity.</li>



<li>Ensuring your customers find you first.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-brand-protection-is-important">Why brand protection is important</h2>



<p>Brand protection is an essential part of paid search. it helps safeguard your brand from competitors, affiliates and resellers capitalizing on your brand&#8217;s equity, potentially damaging its reputation and driving up costs.</p>



<ul>
<li><strong>Trademark infringements</strong> divert as much as 21.5% of a typical brand’s clickshare to competitors. They’re stealing clicks that are rightfully yours.</li>



<li><strong>Search is a critical part of the funnel</strong> and can be the single point of failure for your entire investment if you let rivals steal demand.</li>



<li><strong>One lost customer </strong>(and associated data) can snowball into tens of thousands of dollars over that customer’s lifetime.</li>
</ul>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" width="768" height="143" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Adthena-July-2024-Average-clicks-768x143-1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-444349" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Adthena-July-2024-Average-clicks-768x143-1.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Adthena-July-2024-Average-clicks-768x143-1-600x112.png 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Adthena-July-2024-Average-clicks-768x143-1-200x37.png 200w" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /></figure></div>


<p><em></em><em>*Adthena industry average data taken from 450+ businesses’ text ads across the EU, U.S. and Australia. Includes brand terms and brand generic terms.</em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protect-your-brand-from-affiliate-ad-hijacking">Protect your brand from affiliate ad-hijacking</h2>



<p>Affiliate ad-hijacking is the process of affiliates creating fake ads that look like yours, using your brand name and targeting relevant search queries. Traffic is funneled to your website using UTM parameters, giving them credit for the sale, even though the customer landed on your site. This way, they essentially steal commissions unrightfully.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-are-the-risks-of-affiliative-ad-hijacking">What are the risks of affiliative ad-hijacking?</h3>



<p>Ad hijacking in paid search can be a real headache for businesses, leading to several risks and consequences:</p>



<ul>
<li><strong>Wasted ad spend: </strong>Hijackers might outbid you on your own brand keywords, forcing you to pay more just to appear in search results for your own brand name. This eats away at your budget and reduces the effectiveness of your campaigns.</li>



<li><strong>Lost traffic and sales: </strong>If hijackers&#8217; ads are displayed instead of yours, potential customers could be directed to the wrong website. This means lost traffic, leads and sales.</li>



<li><strong>Brand damage and confusion: </strong>Hijackers might use misleading ad copy or even impersonate your brand entirely. This can confuse customers and damage your brand reputation.</li>



<li><strong>Channel conflict: </strong>If unauthorized affiliates are hijacking your brand terms, it can create conflict with your other marketing channels.  Customers might get mixed messages or have a negative experience, hindering your overall marketing efforts.</li>



<li><strong>Reduced click-through rates (CTR): </strong>Even if your ads appear, hijackers might use tactics that make their ads more appealing, leading to a lower click-through rate for your legitimate ads.</li>



<li><strong>Erosion of brand trust: </strong>Repeated exposure to hijacked ads can make customers wary of clicking on your ads in the future, impacting brand trust.</li>
</ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-strategies-to-protect-your-brand-from-ad-hijacking">Strategies to protect your brand from Ad-hijacking </h3>



<ul>
<li><strong>Set boundaries: </strong>Agree to codes of conduct that specify what terms your partners can use and how you want your brand to be represented. Include search terms you don’t want to be associated with and consider alternative terms of value to whitelist so you’re not competing for the same clicks.</li>



<li><strong>Prove it and don’t over pay: </strong>Make sure you’re only paying for traffic that you wouldn’t win otherwise. Capture evidence to enforce your contractual terms.</li>



<li><strong>Use Adthena’s Ad Hijacking Detection solution: </strong>Monitor and report thousands of instances of affiliate ad hijacks across hundreds of affiliate networks with Adthena’s <a href="https://www.adthena.com/solutions/brand-protection/?utm_campaign=FY24.3rd.Party.Articles&amp;utm_source=SEL%20BP" target="_blank" rel="noopener sponsored nofollow">Ad Hijacking Detection</a>. Automatically detect when an affiliate impersonates your ad and get evidence of fraud including ad screenshot and affiliate ID.</li>
</ul>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" width="801" height="213" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Adthena-July-2024-Ad-hijacking.png" alt="" class="wp-image-444346" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Adthena-July-2024-Ad-hijacking.png 801w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Adthena-July-2024-Ad-hijacking-600x160.png 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Adthena-July-2024-Ad-hijacking-200x53.png 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Adthena-July-2024-Ad-hijacking-768x204.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 801px) 100vw, 801px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><a href="https://adthena.storylane.io/share/shrqctd1pckm?utm_campaign=FY24.3rd.Party.Articles&amp;utm_source=SEL%20BP" target="_blank" rel="noopener sponsored nofollow">Take an interactive platform tour of Adthena Ad Hi-Jacker Detection</a></figcaption></figure></div>

<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" width="768" height="137" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Adthena-July-2024-Competitor-bidding-2.png" alt="" class="wp-image-444347" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Adthena-July-2024-Competitor-bidding-2.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Adthena-July-2024-Competitor-bidding-2-600x107.png 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Adthena-July-2024-Competitor-bidding-2-200x36.png 200w" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /></figure></div>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protect-your-brand-from-trademark-infringements-in-paid-search">Protect your brand from trademark infringements in paid search</h2>



<p>Trademark infringement in paid search happens when a competitor or another advertiser uses your legally protected trademarks in a way that&#8217;s likely to confuse customers about the source of a product or service. Here&#8217;s a breakdown of the key points:</p>



<ul>
<li><strong>Trademarks:</strong> These are unique words, symbols or phrases that identify the source of your goods or services. They help distinguish your brand from competitors.</li>



<li><strong>Using your trademark:</strong> In paid search, infringement can occur when someone uses your trademark in several ways:
<ul>
<li><strong>Bidding on your brand terms:</strong> This involves using your brand name or related keywords in their ad campaigns. While some platforms allow bidding on competitor terms, the focus shouldn&#8217;t be on misleading customers.</li>



<li><strong>Trademark in ad copy:</strong> They might directly include your trademark within the ad text itself, creating the impression that their product or service is affiliated with yours.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>



<p>It&#8217;s important to note that the laws around trademark infringement can vary depending on your location. However, most search engine platforms have policies in place to prevent advertisers from misleading users through trademark misuse.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-are-the-risks-and-consequences-of-trademark-infringement-in-paid-search">What are the risks and consequences of trademark infringement in paid search?</h3>



<p>Infringement carries significant risks for both the infringer and the brand whose trademark is being misused:</p>



<ul>
<li><strong>Legal trouble:</strong> Trademark infringement is a serious offense. If another advertiser misuses your trademark and you take legal action, they could face significant financial penalties and be forced to stop using your trademark.</li>



<li><strong>Brand damage:</strong> Confusion caused by trademark infringement can erode your brand reputation. Customers who click on a misleading ad might feel frustrated or deceived, potentially damaging your brand&#8217;s trust.</li>



<li><strong>Wasted resources:</strong> If customers are directed to a competitor&#8217;s site due to trademark infringement, you lose valuable leads and potential sales. This can negatively impact your marketing ROI.</li>



<li><strong>Account suspension:</strong> Most search engine platforms have strict policies against trademark infringement. If you&#8217;re found to be infringing on another brand&#8217;s trademark, your ad account could be suspended, hindering your online marketing efforts.</li>



<li><strong>Negative customer perception:</strong> Even if you aren&#8217;t the one infringing, being associated with such tactics can paint a negative picture of your brand to potential customers.</li>



<li><strong>Reputational hit:</strong> Engaging in trademark infringement yourself can seriously damage your brand&#8217;s reputation. It can portray you as unethical and untrustworthy.</li>
</ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-strategies-to-protect-your-brand-from-trademark-infringement">Strategies to protect your brand from trademark infringement</h3>



<p>Don’t get sucked into bidding wars on your own search terms. The most effective long-term strategy against competitors infringing on your brand is to harness the power of search intelligence to understand their Google Ads strategies on a granular and continual basis. Then you can take action with <a href="https://www.adthena.com/solutions/brand-protection/?utm_campaign=FY24.3rd.Party.Articles&amp;utm_source=SEL%20BP" target="_blank" rel="noopener sponsored nofollow">Adthena’s Infringement Tracker</a>.</p>



<p><strong>Monitor bids and infringements on your branded search terms:</strong></p>



<ul>
<li>Make informed budget decisions on your brand terms.</li>



<li>Proactively monitor your entire digital brand landscape.</li>



<li>Prevent partners and affiliates from cannibalizing clicks.</li>



<li>Spot infringements and protect your brand value.</li>
</ul>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" width="801" height="315" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Adthena-July-2024-Infringement.png" alt="" class="wp-image-444348" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Adthena-July-2024-Infringement.png 801w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Adthena-July-2024-Infringement-600x236.png 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Adthena-July-2024-Infringement-200x79.png 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/Adthena-July-2024-Infringement-768x302.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 801px) 100vw, 801px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><a href="https://adthena.storylane.io/share/p24gyjcmzzsz?utm_campaign=FY24.3rd.Party.Articles&amp;utm_source=SEL%20BP" target="_blank" rel="noopener sponsored nofollow">Take an interactive platform tour of Adthena’s Infringement Tracker </a></figcaption></figure></div>


<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-map-and-monitor-competitive-and-partner-activity-around-your-brand-terms">Map and monitor competitive and partner activity around your brand terms</h3>



<p>Search marketers experience many challenges when it comes to controlling the use of their trademarks. The two themes we hear most often:</p>



<ul>
<li>“Trying to control the use of trademarks is tedious and time-consuming.” </li>



<li>“Finding real-life trademark infringement examples is too difficult to do manually.” </li>
</ul>



<p>Manually collecting and processing the trademark violation data required to submit Google complaints properly can take up to eight hours each month.&nbsp;</p>



<p>By automating aggregation and submission of infringements across devices at scale, you can confidently protect your brand and save time and effort.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-take-control-with-adthena-s-auto-takedown"><strong>Take control with Adthena’s Auto Takedown</strong></h3>



<p><a href="https://www.adthena.com/solutions/brand-protection/?utm_campaign=FY24.3rd.Party.Articles&amp;utm_source=SEL%20BP" target="_blank" rel="noopener sponsored nofollow">Adthena’s Auto Takedown </a>allows you to map and monitor all competitive and partner activity around your brand terms. This lets you efficiently respond to trademark infringements and report examples directly to Google for removal. </p>



<p>With the simple push of a button, you can:</p>



<ul>
<li>Automatically monitor your brand trademark search terms at scale, 24/7.</li>



<li>Automatically submit evidence of trademark violations directly to Google. Adthena will also keep track of the responses from Google.</li>



<li>Save up to eight hours per month in manual monitoring</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-measure-the-success-of-your-brand-protection-strategy">Measure the success of your brand protection strategy </h2>



<p>Now that you&#8217;ve implemented your brand protection strategy, it&#8217;s crucial to track its effectiveness. By tracking these metrics and focusing on both preventative and reactive measures, you can effectively gauge the success of your brand protection strategy in paid search and ensure your brand maintains control over its online presence.</p>



<p><strong>Reduced infringement:</strong></p>



<ul>
<li>Manually track brand mentions in search results for potential trademark misuse. A decrease shows success.</li>



<li>Use automated tools like <a href="https://adthena.storylane.io/share/p24gyjcmzzsz?utm_campaign=FY24.3rd.Party.Articles&amp;utm_source=SEL%20BP" target="_blank" rel="noopener sponsored nofollow">Adthena’s Infringement Tracker </a>to detect infringement alerts. Fewer alerts indicate a winning strategy.</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>Metrics showing control:</strong></p>



<ul>
<li>Look for increasing brand search share, pushing out hijackers.</li>



<li>Maintain a healthy click-through rate for your brand terms.</li>



<li>Ideally, your cost-per-click for brand terms should decrease as competition lessens.</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>Indirect benefits:</strong></p>



<ul>
<li>A strong brand protection strategy can enhance brand image and awareness.</li>



<li>Prevent hijacking to improve conversion rates for your paid search campaigns.</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>Key considerations:</strong></p>



<ul>
<li>Integrate search engine and website data to identify user behavior discrepancies.</li>



<li>Brand protection is continuous, so regularly monitor metrics and adapt your strategy.</li>



<li>Focus on preventing infringements, not just reacting to them.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protect-your-ppc-brand-terms-with-adthena-s-brand-protection-solution">Protect your PPC brand terms with Adthena’s Brand Protection solution</h2>



<p>Take a quick platform tour of Adthena’s award-winning Brand Protection solution and see how you could safeguard your brand.</p>



<p><a href="https://adthena.storylane.io/share/gmjlxexe282l?utm_campaign=FY24.3rd.Party.Articles&amp;utm_source=SEL%20BP" target="_blank" rel="noopener sponsored nofollow">Get started now!</a></p>


The strongest paid search strategy builds on your brand’s unique value. Here, you control the customer experience and messaging, driving traffic that converts from search, via Google Ads. 
Your brand terms, message and unique selling points are yours to leverage – and in paid search, they should be your safe haven.
But with fierce competition, protecting your brand in paid search is crucial. Let’s unlock the secrets of brand protection, safeguard your reputation and optimize your campaigns for success.
What is brand protection?
Your brand deserves to be in control. But competitors, resellers and affiliates can exploit your brand for their own gain in paid search. How?
Keyword bidding: They might bid on your brand terms, causing your ads to drop in search results.
Trademark misuse: They could use your brand name or trademarks in their ads, misleading customers and diverting traffic.
Brand protection is your shield. It safeguards your online presence and reputation by:
Keeping your brand front and center in search engines.
Protecting hard-earned brand equity.
Ensuring your customers find you first.
Why brand protection is important
Brand protection is an essential part of paid search. it helps safeguard your brand from competitors, affiliates and resellers capitalizing on your brand’s equity, potentially damaging its reputation and driving up costs.
Trademark infringements divert as much as 21.5% of a typical brand’s clickshare to competitors. They’re stealing clicks that are rightfully yours.
Search is a critical part of the funnel and can be the single point of failure for your entire investment if you let rivals steal demand.
One lost customer (and associated data) can snowball into tens of thousands of dollars over that customer’s lifetime.

*Adthena industry average data taken from 450+ businesses’ text ads across the EU, U.S. and Australia. Includes brand terms and brand generic terms.
Protect your brand from affiliate ad-hijacking
Affiliate ad-hijacking is the process of affiliates creating fake ads that look like yours, using your brand name and targeting relevant search queries. Traffic is funneled to your website using UTM parameters, giving them credit for the sale, even though the customer landed on your site. This way, they essentially steal commissions unrightfully.
What are the risks of affiliative ad-hijacking?
Ad hijacking in paid search can be a real headache for businesses, leading to several risks and consequences:
Wasted ad spend: Hijackers might outbid you on your own brand keywords, forcing you to pay more just to appear in search results for your own brand name. This eats away at your budget and reduces the effectiveness of your campaigns.
Lost traffic and sales: If hijackers’ ads are displayed instead of yours, potential customers could be directed to the wrong website. This means lost traffic, leads and sales.
Brand damage and confusion: Hijackers might use misleading ad copy or even impersonate your brand entirely. This can confuse customers and damage your brand reputation.
Channel conflict: If unauthorized affiliates are hijacking your brand terms, it can create conflict with your other marketing channels.  Customers might get mixed messages or have a negative experience, hindering your overall marketing efforts.
Reduced click-through rates (CTR): Even if your ads appear, hijackers might use tactics that make their ads more appealing, leading to a lower click-through rate for your legitimate ads.
Erosion of brand trust: Repeated exposure to hijacked ads can make customers wary of clicking on your ads in the future, impacting brand trust.
Strategies to protect your brand from Ad-hijacking 
Set boundaries: Agree to codes of conduct that specify what terms your partners can use and how you want your brand to be represented. Include search terms you don’t want to be associated with and consider alternative terms of value to whitelist so you’re not competing for the same clicks.
Prove it and don’t over pay: Make sure you’re only paying for traffic that you wouldn’t win otherwise. Capture evidence to enforce your contractual terms.
Use Adthena’s Ad Hijacking Detection solution: Monitor and report thousands of instances of affiliate ad hijacks across hundreds of affiliate networks with Adthena’s Ad Hijacking Detection. Automatically detect when an affiliate impersonates your ad and get evidence of fraud including ad screenshot and affiliate ID.
Take an interactive platform tour of Adthena Ad Hi-Jacker Detection

Protect your brand from trademark infringements in paid search
Trademark infringement in paid search happens when a competitor or another advertiser uses your legally protected trademarks in a way that’s likely to confuse customers about the source of a product or service. Here’s a breakdown of the key points:
Trademarks: These are unique words, symbols or phrases that identify the source of your goods or services. They help distinguish your brand from competitors.
Using your trademark: In paid search, infringement can occur when someone uses your trademark in several ways:

Bidding on your brand terms: This involves using your brand name or related keywords in their ad campaigns. While some platforms allow bidding on competitor terms, the focus shouldn’t be on misleading customers.
Trademark in ad copy: They might directly include your trademark within the ad text itself, creating the impression that their product or service is affiliated with yours.
It’s important to note that the laws around trademark infringement can vary depending on your location. However, most search engine platforms have policies in place to prevent advertisers from misleading users through trademark misuse.
What are the risks and consequences of trademark infringement in paid search?
Infringement carries significant risks for both the infringer and the brand whose trademark is being misused:
Legal trouble: Trademark infringement is a serious offense. If another advertiser misuses your trademark and you take legal action, they could face significant financial penalties and be forced to stop using your trademark.
Brand damage: Confusion caused by trademark infringement can erode your brand reputation. Customers who click on a misleading ad might feel frustrated or deceived, potentially damaging your brand’s trust.
Wasted resources: If customers are directed to a competitor’s site due to trademark infringement, you lose valuable leads and potential sales. This can negatively impact your marketing ROI.
Account suspension: Most search engine platforms have strict policies against trademark infringement. If you’re found to be infringing on another brand’s trademark, your ad account could be suspended, hindering your online marketing efforts.
Negative customer perception: Even if you aren’t the one infringing, being associated with such tactics can paint a negative picture of your brand to potential customers.
Reputational hit: Engaging in trademark infringement yourself can seriously damage your brand’s reputation. It can portray you as unethical and untrustworthy.
Strategies to protect your brand from trademark infringement
Don’t get sucked into bidding wars on your own search terms. The most effective long-term strategy against competitors infringing on your brand is to harness the power of search intelligence to understand their Google Ads strategies on a granular and continual basis. Then you can take action with Adthena’s Infringement Tracker.
Monitor bids and infringements on your branded search terms:
Make informed budget decisions on your brand terms.
Proactively monitor your entire digital brand landscape.
Prevent partners and affiliates from cannibalizing clicks.
Spot infringements and protect your brand value.
Take an interactive platform tour of Adthena’s Infringement Tracker 
Map and monitor competitive and partner activity around your brand terms
Search marketers experience many challenges when it comes to controlling the use of their trademarks. The two themes we hear most often:
“Trying to control the use of trademarks is tedious and time-consuming.” 
“Finding real-life trademark infringement examples is too difficult to do manually.” 
Manually collecting and processing the trademark violation data required to submit Google complaints properly can take up to eight hours each month. 
By automating aggregation and submission of infringements across devices at scale, you can confidently protect your brand and save time and effort. 
Take control with Adthena’s Auto Takedown
Adthena’s Auto Takedown allows you to map and monitor all competitive and partner activity around your brand terms. This lets you efficiently respond to trademark infringements and report examples directly to Google for removal. 
With the simple push of a button, you can:
Automatically monitor your brand trademark search terms at scale, 24/7.
Automatically submit evidence of trademark violations directly to Google. Adthena will also keep track of the responses from Google.
Save up to eight hours per month in manual monitoring
Measure the success of your brand protection strategy 
Now that you’ve implemented your brand protection strategy, it’s crucial to track its effectiveness. By tracking these metrics and focusing on both preventative and reactive measures, you can effectively gauge the success of your brand protection strategy in paid search and ensure your brand maintains control over its online presence.
Reduced infringement:
Manually track brand mentions in search results for potential trademark misuse. A decrease shows success.
Use automated tools like Adthena’s Infringement Tracker to detect infringement alerts. Fewer alerts indicate a winning strategy.
Metrics showing control:
Look for increasing brand search share, pushing out hijackers.
Maintain a healthy click-through rate for your brand terms.
Ideally, your cost-per-click for brand terms should decrease as competition lessens.
Indirect benefits:
A strong brand protection strategy can enhance brand image and awareness.
Prevent hijacking to improve conversion rates for your paid search campaigns.
Key considerations:
Integrate search engine and website data to identify user behavior discrepancies.
Brand protection is continuous, so regularly monitor metrics and adapt your strategy.
Focus on preventing infringements, not just reacting to them.
Protect your PPC brand terms with Adthena’s Brand Protection solution
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<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2020/03/Reddit_1920-800x450.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2020/03/Reddit_1920-800x450.jpg 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2020/03/Reddit_1920-600x338.jpg 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2020/03/Reddit_1920-200x113.jpg 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2020/03/Reddit_1920-768x432.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2020/03/Reddit_1920-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2020/03/Reddit_1920-150x84.jpg 150w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2020/03/Reddit_1920-550x310.jpg 550w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2020/03/Reddit_1920.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>Reddit updated its robots.txt file prohibiting Bing and some other search engines from crawling its site.

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2020/03/Reddit_1920-800x450.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2020/03/Reddit_1920-800x450.jpg 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2020/03/Reddit_1920-600x338.jpg 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2020/03/Reddit_1920-200x113.jpg 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2020/03/Reddit_1920-768x432.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2020/03/Reddit_1920-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2020/03/Reddit_1920-150x84.jpg 150w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2020/03/Reddit_1920-550x310.jpg 550w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2020/03/Reddit_1920.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>
<p>Reddit has updated its robots.txt file, preventing Bing and many other search engines from crawling the site.  &#8220;Bing stopped crawling Reddit after they implemented their updated robots.txt file on July 1, which prohibits all crawling of their site,&#8221; a Microsoft representative told Search Engine Land.</p>



<p><strong>What happened. </strong>On July 1, 2024, Reddit updated its robots.txt file preventing many search engines and AI tools from crawling the site.  <a href="https://www.seroundtable.com/reddit-it-not-blocking-google-search-37671.html">Reddit did not prevent Google</a> from crawling the site, despite what some people may have thought earlier this month.  But Reddit did prevent most other crawlers from crawling the site.</p>



<p>Earlier this morning, Mark Williams-Cook <a href="https://x.com/thetafferboy/status/1816112568722731499">notified</a> me that Reddit results were dropping out of the Bing Search index. Then <a href="https://www.techmeme.com/240724/p29#a240724p29">several media outlets</a> began covering the news.  I wanted to confirm that Bing&#8217;s crawlers were indeed blocked, because Reddit was using IP detection to show search engines one version of its robots.txt file and humans another version of the robots.txt file &#8211; as I <a href="https://www.seroundtable.com/reddit-it-not-blocking-google-search-37671.html#:~:text=I%20mean%2C%20at%20first%20glance%2C%20it%20does%20look%20like%20Reddit%27s%20robots.txt%20file%20is%20blocking%20all%20search%20engines%2C%20including%20Google%20Search%3A">explained</a> earlier this month.</p>



<p>Bing has thus stopped crawling new content on Reddit, which is why when you filter Reddit results in Bing Search for the last week, <a href="https://www.bing.com/%2fsearch%3fq%3dsite%253areddit.com%26filters%3dex1%253a%2522ez5_19918_19928%2522%26FORM%3d000017%26sp%3d-1%26ghc%3d1%26lq%3d0%26pq%3dsite%253areddit.com%26sc%3d11-15%26qs%3dn%26cvid%3d8B90B38FB7E7439EB492A337ED92C0FD%26ghsh%3d0%26ghacc%3d0%26qpvt%3dsite%253areddit.com">you see nothing</a>:</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" width="1744" height="656" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/bing-reddit-index-last-week.png" alt="" class="wp-image-444386" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/bing-reddit-index-last-week.png 1744w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/bing-reddit-index-last-week-600x226.png 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/bing-reddit-index-last-week-800x301.png 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/bing-reddit-index-last-week-200x75.png 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/bing-reddit-index-last-week-768x289.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/07/bing-reddit-index-last-week-1536x578.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1744px) 100vw, 1744px" /></figure>



<p><strong>Microsoft confirmed. </strong>A Microsoft spokesperson told Search Engine Land:</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
<p>&#8220;Microsoft respects the robots.txt standard and we honor the directions provided by websites that do not want content on their pages to be used with our generative AI models. Bing stopped crawling Reddit after they implemented their updated robots.txt file on July 1, which prohibits all crawling of their site.&#8221;</p>
</blockquote>



<p><strong>Reddit statement. </strong>Reddit spokesperson Tim Rathschmidt says in a statement to The Verge:</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
<p>&#8220;This is not at all related to our recent partnership with Google. We have been in discussions with multiple search engines. We have been unable to reach agreements with all of them, since some are unable or unwilling to make enforceable promises regarding their use of Reddit content, including their use for AI.&#8221; </p>
</blockquote>



<p><strong>Why we care. </strong>With <a href="https://searchengineland.com/reddit-google-ai-content-licensing-deal-437782">Reddit securing a licensing deal with Google</a>, Reddit is able to play hardball with other search engines and AI tools.  So Reddit has blocked most other search engines from crawling its content.  Meanwhile, <a href="https://searchengineland.com/article-complaining-about-being-outranked-on-google-being-outranked-by-reddit-437736">Google is driving insane traffic to Reddit</a> these days, including testing <a href="https://searchengineland.com/google-is-testing-special-snippet-treatment-for-reddit-search-results-440729">special treatment</a> in its search results for them.</p>



<p>It makes you wonder if other large websites can try to go down this route and where that might leave smaller publishers and content producers.</p>



<p>Meanwhile, don&#8217;t expect to see much new Reddit content being surfaced on Bing in the near future.</p>


Reddit has updated its robots.txt file, preventing Bing and many other search engines from crawling the site.  “Bing stopped crawling Reddit after they implemented their updated robots.txt file on July 1, which prohibits all crawling of their site,” a Microsoft representative told Search Engine Land.
What happened. On July 1, 2024, Reddit updated its robots.txt file preventing many search engines and AI tools from crawling the site.  Reddit did not prevent Google from crawling the site, despite what some people may have thought earlier this month.  But Reddit did prevent most other crawlers from crawling the site.
Earlier this morning, Mark Williams-Cook notified me that Reddit results were dropping out of the Bing Search index. Then several media outlets began covering the news.  I wanted to confirm that Bing’s crawlers were indeed blocked, because Reddit was using IP detection to show search engines one version of its robots.txt file and humans another version of the robots.txt file – as I explained earlier this month.
Bing has thus stopped crawling new content on Reddit, which is why when you filter Reddit results in Bing Search for the last week, you see nothing:




Microsoft confirmed. A Microsoft spokesperson told Search Engine Land:
“Microsoft respects the robots.txt standard and we honor the directions provided by websites that do not want content on their pages to be used with our generative AI models. Bing stopped crawling Reddit after they implemented their updated robots.txt file on July 1, which prohibits all crawling of their site.”
Reddit statement. Reddit spokesperson Tim Rathschmidt says in a statement to The Verge:
“This is not at all related to our recent partnership with Google. We have been in discussions with multiple search engines. We have been unable to reach agreements with all of them, since some are unable or unwilling to make enforceable promises regarding their use of Reddit content, including their use for AI.” 
Why we care. With Reddit securing a licensing deal with Google, Reddit is able to play hardball with other search engines and AI tools.  So Reddit has blocked most other search engines from crawling its content.  Meanwhile, Google is driving insane traffic to Reddit these days, including testing special treatment in its search results for them.
It makes you wonder if other large websites can try to go down this route and where that might leave smaller publishers and content producers.
Meanwhile, don’t expect to see much new Reddit content being surfaced on Bing in the near future.

Reddit updated its robots.txt file prohibiting Bing and some other search engines from crawling its site.

Microsoft confirms Reddit blocked Bing Search

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/Live-webinar-Save-your-spot-today-800x450.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Live webinar-- Save your seat!" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/Live-webinar-Save-your-spot-today-800x450.jpg 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/Live-webinar-Save-your-spot-today-600x338.jpg 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/Live-webinar-Save-your-spot-today-200x113.jpg 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/Live-webinar-Save-your-spot-today-768x432.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/Live-webinar-Save-your-spot-today-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/Live-webinar-Save-your-spot-today.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>Discover how predictive analytics and AI convert raw data into actionable insights, eliminate data noise and forecast emerging trends.

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/Live-webinar-Save-your-spot-today-800x450.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Live webinar-- Save your seat!" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/Live-webinar-Save-your-spot-today-800x450.jpg 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/Live-webinar-Save-your-spot-today-600x338.jpg 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/Live-webinar-Save-your-spot-today-200x113.jpg 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/Live-webinar-Save-your-spot-today-768x432.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/Live-webinar-Save-your-spot-today-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/Live-webinar-Save-your-spot-today.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://www.bigmarker.com/third-door-media/Unlocking-Customer-Lifetime-Value-Data-Strategies-and-Technologies?utm_bmcr_source=sel-post&amp;utm_source=sel&amp;utm_medium=post"><img decoding="async" width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/Live-webinar-Save-your-spot-today-800x450.jpg" alt="Live webinar-- Save your seat!" class="wp-image-440182" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/Live-webinar-Save-your-spot-today-800x450.jpg 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/Live-webinar-Save-your-spot-today-600x338.jpg 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/Live-webinar-Save-your-spot-today-200x113.jpg 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/Live-webinar-Save-your-spot-today-768x432.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/Live-webinar-Save-your-spot-today-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/Live-webinar-Save-your-spot-today.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></a></figure>



<p>Imagine a world where your marketing efforts go beyond short-term gains. A world where you can predict customer behavior, personalize experiences, and foster long-lasting loyalty. This world is within reach by harnessing the power of Customer Lifetime Value (CLV).</p>



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