Google has launched Meridian, an open-source marketing mix model (MMM) that helps marketers improve their advertising budgets. It uses Bayesian causal inference methods to offer better insights into online and offline media channels. In an announcement, Google highlights how older MMMs focused on offline media and branding, often missing the complexities of performance media like … Read more
In an increasingly data-driven advertising world, getting your ads in front of the right people can make all the difference. One powerful way to achieve that is through audience layering in Google Ads. By stacking multiple audience signals like remarketing lists, in-market segments, and more, you can deliver highly relevant ads and zero in on … Read more
Write a summary for this article using no more than 20 words that would be suitable for a news publication A new report shows that AI Overviews (AIOs) in Google’s search results are uncommon but significantly affect visibility and user engagement. Authoritas’s study examines how generative AI Overviews impact organic search performance. In December, the … Read more
Google’s John Mueller shared Jeffrey Zeldman’s Bluesky post reminding publishers and SEOs of proper alt text usage, including a link to the W3C decision tree for guidance. The most important takeaway is that the decision process for alt text is not primarily an SEO decision. The W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) is an international standards … Read more
Imagine running campaigns that adjust bids perfectly for every auction, targeting the right user at the right moment. That’s the promise of Smart Bidding in Google Ads. For PPC marketers, especially for beginners, Smart Bidding can feel like an enticing but sometimes overwhelming tool. Between algorithm updates, new automation options, and ever-changing PPC best practices, … Read more
Google has released its first major update to the Search Quality Rater Guidelines since March. Human evaluators use the Search Quality Rater Guidelines (PDF link) to assess the quality of search results. Although these guidelines don’t directly affect rankings, they provide useful insights into what Google views as high-quality content. This update reflects Google’s evolving … Read more
Google’s John Mueller shared his insights on how to approach SEO for AI Search in an interview published on YouTube. The discussion also touched on what SEOs should do in 2025 given the realities of what users want. The video discussion was hosted by Mike Grehan on his new marketing podcast titled, Inside Marketing With … Read more
![Does Google Favor UGC? Reddit Leads In Search Growth [STUDY]](https://nicheplrnewsletter.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Does-Google-Favor-UGC-Reddit-Leads-In-Search-Growth-STUDY.jpg "Does Google Favor UGC? Reddit Leads In Search Growth [STUDY]")
This past year was a big one for SEO, with major changes in how Google ranks content. According to SISTRIX’s latest IndexWatch report, the year’s biggest winners were platforms focused on user-generated content (UGC), AI-powered tools, and large ecommerce brands. Reddit emerged as the leader among standout performers, but its dominance raises questions about Google’s … Read more
Google Ads updates Performance Max with advanced controls, improved reporting, and smarter targeting to optimize campaign performance. Advertisers get more control over AI with new targeting and exclusion tools. Improved reporting provides clearer insights into search and asset performance. Updates focus on transparency, actionable data, and high-value customer targeting. Source link
Google removes breadcrumbs from mobile search results, simplifying URLs to show only domains while keeping breadcrumbs on desktop. Google removed breadcrumbs from mobile search results. Only the domain will show on mobile, but breadcrumbs stay on desktop. No changes are needed for sites using breadcrumb markup. Source link
Google has continued evolving its ad targeting systems, emphasizing AI-driven, intent-based matching that connects ads to user searches more flexibly. With this shift, Google Ads aims to give advertisers a balance between reach and control – where phrase match keywords can now capture broader, intent-aligned search terms. Recent updates focus on “relevant variations” of search … Read more
Google is rolling out updates to the “Circle to Search” tool, making it more helpful for marketers, businesses, and Android users. Circle to Search lets you circle, scribble, or tap on anything visible on your phone screen to instantly search the web without switching apps. With expanded AI Overviews, the tool is better equipped to … Read more
With the punishment for Google’s first search antitrust case expected to be delivered in August 2025, the looming question is what will happen now with a new U.S. President and a new set of Department of Justice (DOJ) appointees. Early signs suggest the Trump administration will largely stay the course of the Biden administration when … Read more
Google has updated its documentation to provide clearer guidance on its site reputation abuse policy. The changes are meant to you better understand what qualifies as a violation and how to stay compliant. While the updates don’t change how the policy is applied, they make the rules easier to follow by incorporating more detailed explanations … Read more
Google has made a change to how it’s search results are served which will also help to secure it against bots and scrapers. Whether this will have further effect on SEO Tools or if they can use a headless Chrome that uses JavaScript remains an open question at the moment but it’s likely that Google … Read more
Google has made its AI-powered features in Gmail, Docs, Sheets, and Meet free for all Workspace users, but questions remain around pricing adjustments and feature visibility for specific accounts. AI Now Included Without Extra Cost Google announced that its full suite of AI tools, previously available only through the $20-per-user-per-month Gemini for Workspace plan, is … Read more
Google cracked own on web scrapers that harvest search results data, triggering global outages at many popular rank tracking tools like SEMRush that depend on providing fresh data from search results pages. What happens if Google’s SERPs are completely blocked? A certain amount of data provided by tracking services have long been extrapolated by algorithms … Read more
A new Google-Ipsos report shows AI adoption is increasing globally, especially in emerging markets. However, the study reveals challenges like regional divides, gender disparities, and slower adoption in developed countries. Critics, including Nate Hake, founder of Travel Lemming, point out how Google overlooks these challenges in its report coverage. Takeaways of Google’s AI Ipsos survey … Read more
