Mordy Oberstein, a search marketing professional whom I hold in high esteem, recently shared the provocative idea that referral traffic is not a brand’s friend and that every brand, as it matures, should wean itself from it. Referrals from other websites are generally considered a sign of a high-performing business, but it’s not a long-term … Read more
Let’s take a moment to commiserate, marketers. Google is sending the whole planet to Reddit; your favorite social platforms are getting bought, banned, or abandoned; and your carefully crafted email just got pushed to a new category at the back of the inbox. Oh, and have you heard of this little thing called AI that … Read more
TikTok hashtags aren’t a one-way ticket to virality — but they can absolutely help boost visibility. When done right, TikTok hashtags help categorize your content, enable the algorithm to understand what your content is about, and boost your discoverability through TikTok SEO. In this article, we’ll explore everything there is to know about TikTok hashtags: What … Read more
2024 was the year of AI tools. Thousands of new apps launched — some just photo generators and gimmicks, others much more useful. What stood out to me were the tools that actually helped you get things done. This list comes from a16z’s AI Unwrapped, which largely features consumer apps for personal use. I’m calling … Read more
Once upon a time, SEO was just SEO. (Cue Mr. Incredible meme.) Whether you were a billion-dollar national brand or a teen with a Spice Girls Tumblr, you played the same game: Trying to get your page in those ten blue links. Now, two marketers might not even be playing the SEO game on the … Read more
Over the last year, I’ve seen AI tools like Claude and ChatGPT transform from cool tech novelties into total game-changers. These technologies are no longer nice-to-haves — they’re critical for any organization looking to stay competitive. Of course, implementing new AI-powered tools is often easier said than done. In this article, I’ll share some common … Read more
Ready to turn your site into a powerful growth engine in 2025? Watch on-demand as we unpack the strategies top brands use to optimize their sites for better search performance and more conversions in our exclusive webinar. You’ll learn: A comprehensive look at the five core focus areas of website optimization, and why they matter. … Read more
With the increase in AI-generated search results and the growing popularity of answer engines, multinational businesses experience declining organic traffic and revenue from organic searches in more established markets. It might be time to take a page from the investment market’s playbook and focus resources to target emerging markets. Market Opportunity Market volatility in the … Read more
If your SEO rankings are slipping, ad costs keep rising, and social media engagement is flat, you’re not alone The digital landscape is noisier than ever, flooded with AI-generated content, generic messaging, and short-lived trends. The question is: How do you stand out and drive real, lasting results? That’s exactly what Katie Morton, Editor-in-Chief of … 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
I’m a former NBCUniversal Page, and I will always remember how thorough the application and interview process for the program was. Most importantly, it taught me a valuable lesson: soft skills can be equally as — if not more coveted — than hard skills. In my experience, soft skills development is seen as a sign … Read more
This post was sponsored by “Skynet Technologies USA LLC”. Did you know that 1 billion people have not reached you or your customers’ websites yet. 1 billion potential customers are waiting for businesses to step up and do what’s right. Find out if your website is accessible to 1 billion people >>> Accessibility isn’t just … Read more
SEO for startups can be overwhelming — but don’t let it keep you from getting started. Contrary to what you might think, startups have many SEO advantages. Thanks to lean processes, startups can be reactive and publish faster. I’m an SEO consultant, and one of my clients (a startup) began working with me when they … Read more
The SEO landscape has been a rollercoaster lately, and many marketers and SEO specialists are doing their best to hold on. However, HubSpot’s Senior Director of Global Growth, Aja Frost, remains optimistic about the future of SEO as new competitors enter the arena. “In fact, I think the arrival of new competitors is one of … Read more
Return on ad spend (ROAS) has become the default metric for many marketing teams. It’s clean, precise, and makes CFOs happy. Spend X dollars, get Y dollars back. Simple … right? Not quite. Here’s the issue: The more exact a marketing metric is, the easier it is to manipulate. Want a 2x ROAS? You can … Read more
“Just GPT it” is all the rage right now. (Okay, okay. It hasn’t caught on just yet. But my Uber driver said it, and I hope it sticks.) But our marketing leader this week isn’t sweating it. She doesn’t think SEO is going anywhere. “I remember when people were saying up to 50% of queries … Read more
How does the rapid growth of bots change the open web? More than half of the web’s traffic comes from bots: Imperva’s Bad Bot Report 2024 reveals that almost 50% of total internet traffic wasn’t human in 2024. Trend: declining. Cloudflare’s Radar shows ~70% human traffic and 30% from bots. Akami reports that 42% of … Read more
Welcome to Creator Columns, where we bring expert HubSpot Creator voices to the Blogs that inspire and help you grow better. Brands in ecommerce have the wonderful advantage of having access to a broader number of consumers than their local counterparts. Before you can woo a broader base of consumers, it is important to recognize … Read more
