2023 SEO Lessons and Forward View
From multiple core updates to the arrival of generative AI, 2023 was a year that reshaped the digital landscape. We learned that search engines value…
2024 Algorithm Updates – Navigating a Year of Core Changes and Spam Crackdowns
Search marketers entered 2024 knowing that Google’s algorithms were in a constant state of evolution, but few expected the pace and complexity of updates that…
A Practical Plan for AI‑Driven Search – A Ninety Day Playbook
A deliberate approach to AI‑driven search begins with research. In the first four weeks, define the main topics and questions your audience is asking. Conduct…
A Year of Change: Google’s 2021 Algorithm Updates
If 2022 and 2023 felt like roller coasters, 2021 was the year that set the stage. Google rolled out three broad core updates—in June, July…
AI and Augmented Reality in Search
In 2020, search engines began experimenting with augmented reality (AR) and interactive features. Google introduced 3D models of animals, objects and even skeletons that users…
AI in Search – The Rise of Generative Experiences
One of the most disruptive introductions of 2024 was Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE). Instead of presenting a list of blue links, SGE delivers a…
Aligning SEO with Revenue Goals in 2025
SEO and revenue were intimately linked in 2025. Understanding how potential customers move from awareness to purchase—across AI summaries, social platforms, email and your website—was…
BERT Expansion and Passage Indexing
By 2020, Google’s BERT algorithm—originally introduced in 2019 to better understand natural language—expanded to nearly all English queries. BERT helps Google grasp the context and…
Building Structured Data and Schema Markup
Structured data provides search engines with context about your content, enabling them to create rich results like star ratings, FAQs, recipe cards and product carousels.…
Connecting SEO to Revenue in an AI‑Influenced World (Revision)
Many marketers wondered how to measure the true value of search‑optimised content. To connect search engine optimisation to revenue, start by mapping the buyer’s journey…
Data‑Driven Decisions – Leveraging GA4 for SEO Success
When Google Analytics 4 (GA4) became the default analytics platform in 2024, many marketers found themselves learning an entirely new system. GA4 shifts from the…
Decoding Google’s 2022 Algorithm Updates
In 2022, Google confirmed ten algorithm updates, matching the pace of 2021. These included broad core updates in May and September, three product reviews updates,…
Emerging SEO Specialties – AEO, GEO and Beyond
As AI‑powered summaries grew in prominence, Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) emerged as a distinct discipline. AEO focuses on formatting content so that answer engines can…
Enterprise SEO and Collaboration
As search matured, enterprise SEO grew from a technical speciality into a strategic business function. Companies realised that organic visibility influences not just web traffic…
E‑A‑T and the Evolution of Content
Google’s emphasis on Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness (E‑A‑T) only grew stronger in 2021. Many updates focused on rewarding sites that demonstrate credibility, particularly in sensitive…
E‑E‑A‑T and Content Quality
Search quality raters evaluate pages based on Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness—collectively known as E‑E‑A‑T. The “experience” component was formally introduced in December 2022, highlighting…
First‑Party Data and Privacy
Digital marketing in 2022 was shaped by increasing privacy regulations and the gradual phase‑out of third‑party cookies. Browsers and platforms began limiting or removing the…
Generative AI and Content Creation – Balancing Automation and Authenticity
Generative AI tools became mainstream in 2024, offering the ability to produce outlines, draft paragraphs and even generate full articles with a click. For time‑pressed…
Generative AI’s Role in Search in 2023
One of the most fascinating developments of 2023 was Google’s introduction of an experimental feature known as the Search Generative Experience. This feature harnesses generative…
Google’s 2020 Core Updates and Their Impact
In 2020, Google released three major core updates—in January, May and December—that collectively reshaped search results. The May update was particularly impactful, widely described by…
Hidden Gems and Topic Authority
In 2023, Google launched an update informally dubbed the “hidden gems” update. This system aims to bring lesser‑known websites with unique perspectives to the forefront…
IndexNow and Instant Indexing
IndexNow is an open protocol designed to allow websites to instantly notify search engines when content is created, updated or deleted. By sending a simple…
Introduction of MUM and Passage Ranking
In 2021, Google announced the Multitask Unified Model (MUM), an advanced algorithm designed to understand information across multiple modalities—text, images, and eventually video and audio.…
January 2025 – Quiet Month, Big Insights
The start of the year often sets the tone for what follows, and January 2025 was no exception. On the surface, it looked like an…
Lessons and Predictions for 2022
The events of 2021 highlighted the need for ongoing vigilance and adaptation. We learned that algorithm updates are inevitable and often unpredictable, emphasising the need…
Lessons from Google’s 2025 Algorithm Updates
When SEOs look back on 2025, they may remember it as a year with fewer confirmed core updates yet persistent volatility. Google announced only a…
Local SEO Enhancements in 2023
Businesses that depend on local customers saw several notable changes in 2023. Google continued refining its local search algorithm to highlight businesses that provide accurate,…
Local SEO and AI – Optimising for Voice and Community
For local businesses, 2024 ushered in significant changes. Traditional local SEO relied heavily on the Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) and localised keyword…
Local SEO and the Consumer Journey
As communities adapted to pandemic restrictions and shifts in consumer behaviour, local search became more important than ever. People sought out businesses close to home,…
Local SEO in 2022
Local search continued to evolve in 2022 with new features in Google Business Profile, changes to local ranking factors, and updates to local service ads.…
Local Search in 2025 – Personalisation and Contextual Relevance
Local search in 2025 leveraged AI to deliver highly personalised results. Search engines considered factors like the user’s exact location, past preferences and current context…
Looking Ahead – Lessons from 2024 for the Future
By the end of 2024, it was clear that the landscape of search had fundamentally shifted. AI‑powered summaries became mainstream, core algorithm updates rewarded genuine…
Mobile and Core Web Vitals in 2023
Google’s focus on user experience reached new heights in 2023, particularly with the rollout of the Interaction to Next Paint (INP) metric. INP measures how…
Mobile‑First Indexing Gains Pace
Google announced that it would switch to mobile‑first indexing for all sites by the end of 2020, signalling its commitment to prioritising mobile experiences. This…
Mobile‑First Indexing and Page Experience
Although mobile‑first indexing was announced years earlier, 2021 marked the completion of Google’s transition to primarily crawling and indexing the mobile version of websites. This…
Multi‑Format Content and Diversified Channels
In 2025, users consumed content across a wide range of formats—text, audio, video, interactive tools and augmented reality. Search algorithms integrated these formats into AI…
Navigating Google’s 2023 Core and Spam Updates
Throughout 2023, website owners felt the push and pull of search engine updates more keenly than in previous years. Despite having one fewer confirmed update…
November 2025 Digital Marketing Trends to Watch
As 2025 progressed, AI‑powered summaries became a fixture on search and content platforms. These short paragraphs answer common questions directly in the results, reducing the…
Omnichannel and Social Search
The Blurring Lines Between Search and Social
People‑First Content vs Search Engine‑First
In 2023, Google’s helpful content system sent a clear message: content created primarily for search rankings is no longer tolerated. While optimisation techniques remain important,…
Preparing for 2021: Lessons from 2020
The events of 2020 underscored the importance of adaptability and user focus. We learned that core updates would continue to shape rankings, demanding high‑quality content…
Product Reviews and Algorithm Updates
In an effort to surface the most useful product information, Google rolled out multiple updates targeting review content throughout 2023. Each iteration built on the…
Protecting Against Spam and Algorithmic Penalties
In 2021, Google released a series of spam updates designed to combat various manipulative techniques, including hidden text, auto‑generated content, cloaking and unnatural link schemes.…
Quality Content and E‑E‑A‑T – Raising the Bar for Trust
Google’s emphasis on Experience, Expertise, Authority and Trustworthiness (E‑E‑A‑T) gained greater prominence in 2024. The concept evolved from simple metrics like backlinks and on‑site credentials…
Rethinking SEO for 2025 – Putting People Before Keywords
Search is no longer confined to a single set of blue links. People now bounce between chatbots, social feeds, video platforms and traditional search engines.…
Search in a Pandemic: Changing User Behaviour
The COVID‑19 pandemic transformed search behaviour in unprecedented ways. Lockdowns and remote work increased dependence on digital services for shopping, education, entertainment and social interaction.…
Structured Data and Rich Results
As search evolved, structured data became a critical tool for standing out on crowded results pages. Schema markup helps search engines interpret the content of…
Tackling Zero‑Click Searches – Turning Visibility into Value
Zero‑click searches are queries where the answer appears directly on the search results page, freeing the user from the need to click a link. In…
The Advent of Zero‑Click Results
Zero‑click searches became more prevalent in 2020 as Google expanded features like People Also Ask boxes, knowledge panels, and quick answers. These results allow users…
The Rise of Brand SEO – Building Authority for 2025
In 2025, the lines between brand marketing and performance marketing blurred further. Users’ trust in a brand influenced whether they clicked a link in an…
The Rise of Core Web Vitals and Page Experience
Google announced the Core Web Vitals initiative in 2020, preparing site owners for a major shift in ranking factors. The metrics—Largest Contentful Paint, First Input…
The Rise of the Helpful Content Update
One of 2022’s most consequential introductions was the helpful content update. Announced in August and enhanced later in the year, this system signals Google’s intent…
User Experience Takes Centre Stage – Core Web Vitals 2.0 and Beyond
Prior to 2024, the conversation around site performance focused on metrics like Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), First Input Delay (FID) and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS).…
User Experience and Core Web Vitals in 2022
In 2022, user experience became a critical ranking factor with the rollout of Google’s page experience update. Core Web Vitals measure crucial aspects of page…
Video and Visual Search
During 2021, video consumption surged as remote work and social distancing kept people at home. Platforms like YouTube, TikTok and Instagram became primary sources of…
Voice Search and Conversational Content
While voice search didn’t explode in 2021 as some predicted, it continued to gain traction, particularly among younger demographics and busy professionals. Users discovered the…
Voice Search and Conversational Queries in 2023
Although voice search did not overtake traditional search in 2023, it continued to grow steadily as smart speakers and voice assistants became more integrated into…
Voice and Conversational Search
Voice search continued its steady ascent in 2020, driven by smart speakers and virtual assistants. While adoption rates were not as explosive as some predicted,…
Volatility and Algorithm Resilience
With ten confirmed updates, 2022 proved that volatility is the new normal. Frequent shifts in ranking factors can be frustrating, but they also emphasise the…
Zero‑Click Searches and Data Analytics
Zero‑click searches refer to queries where users find the information they need directly on the results page without clicking through to a website. Features like…