How semantics and topical authority improve local SEO
Creating fewer, more purposeful pages can improve relevance, reduce duplication, and strengthen local search performance.
Topic: Houston
Visual semantics: The missing piece of topical authority
Patents, research, and case studies suggest Google looks beyond text. Learn how page design influences search visibility.
Law firm PPC: How to optimize for signed cases instead of leads
Learn how to identify leaks between the ad click and signed retainer, and make smarter budget decisions based on case outcomes.
How to build SEO agent skills that actually work
Most AI SEO “skills” are just prompts. Learn the system behind reliable agents: tools, memory, templates, and a built-in review layer.
If your local rankings are off, your map pin may be the reason
Your rankings depend on where Google places your business on the map. Learn how hidden addresses and setup issues can hurt local visibility.
Google Business Profiles What’s happening feature expands
It is now available for multi-location restaurants, not just single-location restaurants.
People Also Ask: The obvious opportunity most SEOs are missing
Boost visibility with Google’s People Also Ask boxes. Learn how PAA works, why it matters for SEO, and tips to get your content featured.
How to expand your reach with reverse location targeting in Google Ads
Not all searches come from locals. Here’s how to reach out-of-area users already looking for what you offer with smarter Google Ads targeting.
How to craft search ads that stand out
Most search ads blend in – yours shouldn’t. Create campaigns that speak to your audience, boost clicks, and deliver better conversions.
How to use negative keywords in PPC to maximize targeting and optimize ad spend
Improve your PPC performance with a strong negative keyword strategy. Learn insights to reduce wasted ad spend and target the right audience.
Key PPC ad strategies for home services
Optimize your PPC budget and get high-quality leads in this competitive niche using strategies tailored to short and long sales cycles.
Craft winning paid search ads in 2024: 4 best practices
Stay ahead of the curve in paid search advertising. Learn how to create compelling ads that resonate with your audience and drive conversions.
Google rolling out LSAs and ‘Google Screened’ to select professional services nationally
After successful test, the program goes into general availability.
The big list of Google My Business changes, upgrades and tests in 2019
The key GMB updates of 2019 with local experts’ perspective on what's most significant.
What is ‘Google Screened’ and how does it differ from ‘Google Guaranteed’?
The company introduces a second screening program for professional services.
SMX Overtime: The new realities of local search
SEO expert Damian Rollison offers insights into the sites that matter for local search and ranking besides Google My Business, and why you should put some time into managing all of them.
The 2018 Search Engine Land Awards Shortlist
Congratulations to all of the individuals, agencies and internal brand teams that have been named to this year's shortlist of finalists. Over 600 members of the search community are expected to celebrate at the awards ceremony and afterparty during SMX Advanced in Seattle.
SearchCap: Google News AMP, LSA survey & Google doodle
Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web. From Search Engine Land: Report: Google AMP results in Google News more than doubleJan 30, 2017 by Barry Schwartz Want your content to be found by mobile users in Google News? Well, it seems like […]
Google Maps will tell you how hard it will be to find parking
Now you can plan enough time not just for driving to your destination but also the time it takes to park at your destination with the Google Maps app.
Facebook Launches Events Discovery To Help iOS Users Find Nearby Events
The new mobile feature, available for people in 10 major US cities, is the leading edge of Facebook's effort to improve the Events product.
Bing Predictions Tackles The NFL, Likes The Broncos, Colts, Packers & Seahawks
Having done pretty well with predictions for basketball, tennis and soccer, Bing turns its prediction engine loose on the upcoming NFL season.
Bing Maps Adds Hundreds Of Streetside & 3D City Images; Plus New HD Aerial Images
Bing announced a large maps update today, where they have added hundreds of Streetside images, 3D city images and new high resolution aerial images. Bing Maps now has over a 100 cities that support Streetside imagery available across America. The images are available in these cities: Alameda County, CA Fresno, CA Richmond, VA, Anaheim, CA […]
SearchCap: Ripoff Report Returns In Yahoo, Google Shopping Campaigns, Bing Webmaster Roadshow
Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web. From Search Engine Land: Bing Webmaster Roadshow 2014 Takes Search Experts On 4-City Tour This Summer Bing announced today it will be hosting the Bing Webmaster Roadshow 2014 starting next month, with stops in four […]
Bing Webmaster Roadshow 2014 Takes Search Experts On 4-City Tour This Summer
Bing announced today it will be hosting the Bing Webmaster Roadshow 2014 starting next month, with stops in four cities including Chicago, Atlanta, Boston and Houston. In partnership with Inc. Magazine, the events will include panel discussions with Message Medium’s Maisha Walker, Bruce Clay of Bruce Clay Inc., aimClear founder Marty Weintraub, along with Bing […]
How Latvia Teaches Us That “Think Global, Act Local” Is No Longer Useful In Search Marketing
Last week, I was lucky to join a number of great speakers at the iLive conference in Riga, Latvia. As with all conferences, I learned a lot. (I simply can’t relate to those who go to a conference and say they’ve heard it all before.) I learned at least as much from the people I met […]
SearchCap: The Day In Search, November 9, 2011
Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web. From Search Engine Land: ‘Think Insights’: Google’s New Research Hub Offers Data Porn For Marketers Lest you think that Google’s product streamlining has completely stifled any new developments, the company has announced a new research […]
Google Expands Offers To Five New Markets
This morning Google is announcing that its Offers product is coming to five more US cities: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles and Brooklyn (NY). That brings to 24 the number of live Offers locations (although New York City is divided into three distinct areas). Google recently incorporated a broad range of other inventory sources and […]
Google, Bing & Searching For The New Wikileaks Website
Looking for the Wikileaks website? Having lost one domain, and having its second site going down temporarily, it’s a challenge, even for the search engines.
Local Search: Fish Where The Other Fishermen Aren’t
Most businesses tend to focus on the big channels when it comes to local SEO efforts. While it makes sense to optimize your Google Place Page and pay attention to your presence on other big local search services (e.g. Bing Local, CityGrid, DexKnows, Insider pages, Local.com, Merchant circle, Superpages, Yahoo Local, Yellow book, Yelp, YP.com, […]
SearchCap: The Day In Search, October 26, 2010
Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web. From Search Engine Land: Canada’s Yellow Pages Group Acquires Enquiro Canada’s Yellow Pages Group has acquired the well-known search marketing agency Enquiro and folded it into a new entity known as Mediative. As explained in […]
Google Boost Ads: Automated AdWords For Small Businesses
Several years ago Google was working on a radically simplified approach to AdWords called “Simple Ads.” It was supposed to totally automate AdWords creation and campaign management for small businesses. Google worked on that product for a long time and didn’t seem to be able to create a product it was satisfied with. In the […]
SearchCap: The Day In Search, June 11, 2010
Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web. From Search Engine Land: Time To End The Bullshit Search Engine Share Figures? Yahoo’s up again in comScore’s latest search rankings. Reason? It seems largely due to non-search “slideshow” activity. Solution? Time to end the […]
Google Expanding Local Tags, Pushing Them Into Mobile
Google announced that it’s rolling out its fixed-fee local ad product “Tags” (formerly “enhanced listings“) nationally. It also announced that Tags will be showing up in mobile search results. Tags offers local businesses (or locations) a way to make their listings in the map-related 7-Pack “pop.” Here’s an example for “massage, Houston“: Businesses can highlight […]
Google Local Business Center Becomes “Google Places”
Google has decided to change the name of what was called the “Google Local Business Center” to “Google Places.” The rationale, according to the press release, is to better connect Google Place Pages with the place where local business information is claimed, entered and enhanced: Why? Millions of people use Google every day to find […]
Google Blurs The Line Between Paid & Unpaid Results Again
Google has a new program that allows local businesses to get paid listings that appear within what’s known as the 7-pack of local listings. But do those listings violate the Federal Trade Commission’s guidelines about proper disclosure of paid search ads? Probably not, but they do seem confusing. The New York Times had a good […]
Google New Local Ad Category Invades The “7 Pack”
It doesn’t in any way affect a local business ranking in the so-called “7 pack” or on the subsequent Google Maps page. However Google is introducing a new local business ad (“enhanced listings“) that allows a business to stand out with an “enhanced” presence on the map or in the map-related listings on the SERP. […]
SearchCap: The Day In Search, January 25, 2010
From Search Engine Land: Playing Games With Customers: Is Foursquare The Future Of Local Search? Congratulations! You are now the Mayor of Search Engine Land! If that sounds familiar you are one of the growing number of people using/playing Foursquare, a mobile app that uses the location of your mobile device to encourage users to […]
Ballmer Critical Of Google’s China Decision
At a conference in Houston on Thursday, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer spoke critically of Google’s recent decision to stop censoring its search results in China. Paraphrasing some of Ballmer’s statements, Forbes says Ballmer called it an “irrational business decision” on Google’s part. Ballmer suggested that Google’s decision to no longer filter out internet searches objectionable […]
Google Doesn’t Want Searchers To Find SEOs & Web Designers
If you go to Google.com and type “hamburgers,” “shoes,” “candy,” “grills,” “beer,” and hundreds of other terms of ambiguous local intent, Google will almost always show you local results on a map that’s tied to your IP address. But type in “seo,” “seo company,” “web design company” and several terms related to these two types […]
Google, Bing & Yahoo Bribe Users With Free WiFi
Who expected the search wars to open a new front involving WiFi? Google, Bing & Yahoo have each just announced free WiFi promotions of various sorts. Google, which previously said it would provide free WiFi on all Virgin America flights through early next year, is now going to provide it at 47 US airports through […]