It's Core Update time + Featured Snippet tactics.

Pro Snippet "Our selection this week is a mix of industry news, tactical advice, and local SEO spam problems. The big news on many SEOs' minds is the August Core update, but as usual we caution against jumping to conclusions, especially whilst the update is still ongoing. There are a lot of rumours about partial reversal of the September and March updates, and that could be good news, but it's too early to be sure right now." - Tom Capper, Senior Search Scientist, Moz What We're Reading:   How to Optimize for Google's Featured Snippets [Updated for 2024] Google's featured snippets started as an experiment almost a decade ago. They have since become integral to Google SERPs, especially for informational queries. Find out how to structure and iterate your content to secure that #1 position. What to Know About Our August 2024 Core Update Another one of Google's feared Core Updates is currently underway. Few sites move in the same direction in successive updates, so many SEOs speculate this could be the moment of recovery for March's victims... Google AI Overviews In Incognito Mode (Not Signed In) This change has significant implications for rank tracking and shows that Google is continuing to advance the rollout of these highly contentious features. How Extra HTML Attributes in Canonical Tags Impact Search Engines This useful experiment documents some otherwise ambiguous canonical behavior, and the lesson is simple - don't overcomplicate your canonicals. How To Plan and Run a Successful Client Meeting – Next Level Effective SEO consulting is not only (perhaps even mostly not) about SEO. Communication is key. Meghan outlines a useful framework for a key part of that picture: effective meetings. The SEOFOMO State of SEO Consulting – Survey 2024 Results Speaking of which - this survey by Aleyda shows a useful state of the industry snapshot. If you're a consultant yourself, or considering hiring one, you might be curious to see how you compare. Perplexity AI Plans To Start Running Ads in Fourth Quarter As AI-Assisted Search Gains Popularity In the aftermath of US v. Google, many have suggested that Google's real moat is not search quality but search monetization. Indeed, Apple pointed to this as a key reason they didn't want to use Bing. So, this will be a critical test of Perplexity's viability in search. FTC Finalizes Rule To Combat Fake Reviews, Testimonials It's interesting to see regulators looking closely at review manipulation, but it's not yet clear how this will play out in practice. Does Having an Address on Your Website Impact Your Ranking on Google? Another quick case study from SterlingSky - this time confirming the importance of addresses to organic rankings, as well as the more obvious local map ranking impact. Hacking a Business Phone Number on a Google Listing Is (Still) Easy Mike hijacks a Google Business listing's telephone number in about 20 minutes, highlighting Google's surprising toothlessness in combatting the issue.       Products  |   Learn  |   Community  |   Blog  |   About . Moz, 720 Robson St, 400  Vancouver, BC V6Z 1A1 Canada You received this email because you are subscribed to The Moz Top 10 newsletter from Moz. Update your email preferences.  Unsubscribe from all future emails.

Google is a monopolist + AI not so disruptive

Pro Snippet "Google is a monopolist. That's the ruling of U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta, and the biggest piece of SEO news since our last newsletter. Dr. Pete weighs in on the Moz blog, and I discuss with Mike King on the Clearscope Webinar Series in some of this issue's top picks. Elsewhere, AI is not the panacea we thought, either for marketing copy, or web search market share." - Tom Capper, Senior Search Scientist, Moz What We're Reading:   How Will Google's Antitrust Ruling Affect You? What does the recent Google antitrust ruling mean for us as search marketers? What happened and where do we go from here? Dr. Pete Meyers walks through the TL;DR of the ruling and what that may mean for the marketing industry. AI In Marketing Copy: A Surprising Sales Killer, Study Finds Could mentioning AI in product marketing copy impact consumer trust? A new WSU-led study was performed to find out and the results may surprise you. How to Easily Find Backlink Opportunities With Moz — Next Level Learn how to discover new backlink opportunities by analyzing and comparing your backlink profile with your competitors with the Link Intersect tool to maximize the efficiency of your link prospecting workflow. New Research: So Far, AI is Not Disrupting Search or Making a Dent in Google Rand digs into new data around the competition between AI and search. He also discusses his thoughts on how this should impact your marketing strategy. What's Going on in SEO with Mike King of iPullRank and Tom Capper of Moz Tom Capper and Mike King join Bernard Huang to answer all your burning questions about the SEO industry today. Site Migrations for Publishers: Best Practices and Pitfalls Site migrations can feel like navigating a digital minefield, especially for publishers, but fear not! This guide breaks down the process into four key types: redesign, restructure, re-platforming, and relocation—each with its own challenges and secrets to success. Sitebulb JavaScript SEO Report 2024 In a world where websites are more complex and reliant on JavaScript, SEOs have to adapt. With insights from experts and unique data, Sitebulb's JavaScript SEO Report showcases the industry's current state and hints at the future direction needed for effective optimization. The Easiest (Advanced) Way To Claim A Service Area Business Listing On Google Joy walks us through a workaround for claiming service area businesses on Google that are already showing as "claimed." Case Study: Vega Wins New Business With Data-driven SEO Recommendations Learn how this digital marketing agency leverages granular local SERP data to pitch new clients with precise recommendations. New Google Business Profile AI Tool Creates a Menu from an Image Google's new AI-powered feature lets you magically transform a photo of your menu into a detailed digital version for your Google Business Profile. Save a few quirks, it's quick, it's easy, and it even recognizes headers and prices.       Products  |   Learn  |   Community  |   Blog  |   About . Moz, 720 Robson St, 400  Vancouver, BC V6Z 1A1 Canada You received this email because you are subscribed to The Moz Top 10 newsletter from Moz. Update your email preferences.  Unsubscribe from all future emails.