SEO
How to Build a Fandom by Talent-Scouting Great Content
At a time when anyone can create content, the real challenge—and opportunity—is in saying something new.
I think content curation can help with that.
Curation is all about finding undiscovered stories and repackaging ideas in ways your audience really respond to.
In this article, you’ll learn why content curation is great for growth, and how to talent scout quality underground or left-field content.
Gathering and sharing content is a popular social media tactic, but content curation extends to mediums and channels far beyond social.
Let’s take a look at some examples:
| Example | Type | What is it? |
|---|---|---|
| The Pudding | Article | A data journalism publication that curates a range of rich media (e.g. social comments, headline snippets, literature reviews) to tell compelling visual stories – like this one. |
| Ahrefs’ digest | Newsletter | Our Senior Content Marketing Manager, Si Quan Ong (SQ), curates key SEO/marketing news, accompanied by snappy annotations. |
| Near Media Memo | Podcast | Conversations at the intersection of search, social, and commerce. Hosts curate and discuss the latest industry content. |
| KFC’s “Bucket Bangers” Spotify Playlist | Playlist | A playlist curated by KFC as part of a PR campaign, containing 46 tracks that name drop the brand. |
| Campaign Inspiration | Image carousel | This LinkedIn page curates visual examples of existing PR campaigns to inspire marketers. |
Newsletters, in particular, have become the go-to platform for curation, since they’re fairly cheap to run and easy to set up.
The numbers back this up. A quick look at Site Explorer shows newsletter platform Substack experiencing a 373% leap in organic traffic from September 5th, 2023 to September 5th, 2024.
You can see some great examples of curated SEO newsletters here: I Subscribed to 72 SEO Newsletters. Here Are My 11 Favorites.
Now you know about content curation in all its forms and guises, let me tell you what’s so great about it…
From saving money, to building traffic, and cementing your authority, content curation comes with plenty of benefits.
1. Content curation saves time and money
At Ahrefs, we follow The Pareto Principle: the idea that 80% of the reward comes from 20% of the effort.
If you want to improve your effort:reward ratio, curation is a great option.
I asked SQ about the benefits of content curation, and he had this to say:
“One benefit is that I don’t have to write an essay from scratch each week (which is what most newsletters are).”
While content curation has the potential to save you time, resources, and money, I do want to add two important caveats:
- Curating niche, underground content examples can still take time – especially when you’re first finding your sources.
- If you’re doing deep-dive investigations into those examples, you may spend just as long curating as you would creating.
2. Curation helps you build links, traffic, and engagement
Marketing Examples is a goldmine of curated marketing snippets.
Founder, Harry Dry, doesn’t just gather content — he dissects real-world marketing copy, name drops the creator, and breaks down their winning formulas, making it easy for readers to replicate that success.
As a result, his site has earned fairly consistent links and traffic over time, growing organically by 88% in the last two years.
Curating content is an example of what I call “awareness you prepared earlier”. Your chances of driving traction are vastly improved when you crowdsource ideas.
Not only do your audience consume your curated content, they publicize it to their own network via social posts or reciprocal links when they get featured.
Some refer to this as “ego bait”. Obviously there’s an element of flattery involved, but in my experience, the top curators prioritize content that genuinely helped or inspired them, rather than chasing big names with the widest reach.
3. Curating content is great for EEAT
Few people have direct experience with every topic they’ve ever written about.
But, since 2022, first-hand experience has become a prerequisite for ranking in Google.
Curating others’ lived experiences and knowledge in your content is a powerful way to build your EEAT and improve your rankings.
4. You become credible by association
We tend to categorize people according to their social group memberships – this is known as social categorization.
If you’re regularly associating yourself with respected thought leaders, your audience is more likely to group you with them, and hold you in higher regard as a result.
Mixing in your own content and opinion is important for building credibility, but be careful not to overdo the self-promotion.
Back to SQ:
“I don’t tend to include all of the blog posts we publish on our blog.“
5. You get closer to your customers and community
When you curate, you consume content holistically –like your customers– and stop being so introspective.
If you’re only consuming content from your brand or brand “friends”, there’s a limit to the value you can bring to your audience.
Content curators turn to their community to source content, so curating bridges the gap in two ways: by helping them consume like their customers, and by giving them a reason to connect.
6. When you curate, your content gets better
To create is to curate. All ideas are shaped and borrowed from somewhere – that’s how knowledge is acquired.
If I don’t curate, I tend to find my own content stagnates.
Curation introduces me to new ideas, reminds me of the things I have forgotten, allows me to build deeper, more informed arguments, and ultimately helps me produce better content – with a lot more in the way of information gain.
For instance, this blog started out as a simple list of content curation benefits, thunk up by yours truly.
But as I came across cool examples of novel content curation, it evolved into a more comprehensive (and hopefully, more interesting) guide.
“Another benefit of content curation is that I get to keep abreast of anything new in SEO and marketing, which informs my own work”
7. You build your personal “brand”
Curation gives you the chance to platform your own expertise and assert yourself as a thought leader.
Take a look at the search volume for one of the most prolific curators in SEO: Aleyda Solis.
Aleyda curates SEO news and insights across her newsletter, SEOFOMO, her podcast, Crawling Mondays, her owned social media channels, and industry talks.
As a result, her name now drives ~600 monthly organic searches, according to Site Explorer.
And over 19K “in content” mentions, according to Content Explorer.
Curation is about piecing together unrelated content to reveal new ideas and information.
You’re giving someone else’s content another shot at engagement – sometimes after a “failure” to launch.
“The same core information can be made more or less valuable by changing its format. Great ideas are sometimes locked away in places that render them inaccessible to people that would benefit from them.”
Here are 9 ways you can “talent scout” novel content, and carve out your own curation USP.
1. Pay attention to lesser-known voices
In every industry there are sources that audiences defer to for information and ideas.
Look beyond them.
Scout for “rising stars” and underground sources to give your curation exclusivity.
Mark Williams-Cook, Director at Candour and Founder of AlsoAsked, does just this when curating his newsletter: Core Updates.
“I’ve made a conscious effort not just to follow the ‘big names’, as there are some truly excellent SEOs that are very quiet on social media. I’d always recommend following someone if you see them putting out solid advice, even if you’ve never heard of them. I’ve made some good friends and excellent connections that way!”
This is probably something you’ll have to do manually at first.
I try to pay close attention to people leaving savvy comments on social media posts and industry communities.
2. Build an X list of “ones to watch”
Once you’ve found the right “ones to watch”, you can start building a list to refer back to whenever it’s time to curate.
SQ uses X lists and subscribes to others’ Substacks:
“I have my own Twitter list of marketers (getting poorer these days sadly) and follow other people’s substacks/newsletters and see if there are any links they recommend.”
3. Mine niche and atypical sources of information
Nicole DeLeon, Ed Zitron, Marie Haynes and other tech curators recently mined Google’s DoJ trial documentation to investigate “buried” information on how the search engine ranks content.
Search Engine Roundtable founder, Barry Schwartz, is always extracting content from Google rep social comments, Google developer docs, and Google’s Office Hours video series to curate hot-off-the-press news.
Techemails mines leaked tech company emails from court filings and curates them across social media and their website (p.s. they are preeetty eye-opening).
Finding and teasing out obscure information is a great skill to have when it comes to content curation.
Here are some more ways you can do that:
- Track updates in company documentation (e.g. brand Ts & Cs, Google Developer Docs, Anthropic Release Notes)
- Mine Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request databases
- Monitor government data via fact finding bodies (e.g. Indeed curates content from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to inform content in their Hiring Lab)
- Study public datasets released by research institutions (e.g. Harvard Dataverse)
- Mine “hidden” or ephemeral content (e.g. podcasts, webinars, industry talks, seminars etc.) to curate quotes and promote relatively unheard information
- Monitor public announcements and press releases from organizations
4. Track down new and trending content
Be the first to break and curate news in your industry. Start by searching for industry-specific keywords in Content Explorer.
Then add filters to make sure you’re seeing the freshest and highest quality content.
In my experience, I find that:
- Adding a minimum Referring Domain of “30”
- Adding a minimum word count of “300”
- Sorting by “Date: newest first”
…shows me the newest and best SEO related content, but you should play around until you find what works in your industry.
Tip
When it comes to filtering, don’t get too prescriptive about it – remember, you want to find novel content that usually flies under the radar, so avoid being overly strict with minimum thresholds.
This next part is really important. Once you’re happy with your configuration, hit “Save filters” so that you can repeat this analysis for the next instalment of your newsletter, podcast, social post, article, or whatever else you might be curating.
With the Content Explorer, you’re searching for instances of a keyword in the title, content, URL or all of the above.
But relevant content won’t always contain the exact keywords or topics you’re searching for.
In which case, try searching for keywords in the anchor text linking to that content.
There’s a preconfigured search for this in Ahrefs’ Web Explorer. Just hit the “examples” tab, and select “Most quoted newly published pages about ChatGPT”:
This will load a full report of the most linked to pages about the topic “ChatGPT” over the last week. Then all you need to do is update the report with your chosen topic, and adjust any filters.
And hit “Save report”.
Another tip for breaking news was recently disclosed by SEO expert and founder of SEO blog Detailed, Glen Allsopp, on the Ahrefs Podcast (it’s a great episode – I highly recommend a full listen!)
He spoke about a technique that he refers to as the “iPhone Link Building” method.
“The reason I call it this, because it doesn’t matter who you are, it doesn’t matter how old your website is, it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been around. If you have a photo of the iPhone 16 before anyone else and you put that on [your site], the whole tech world is going to talk about it, right? You’re going to get links from every tech website on the planet. Doesn’t matter that [your site] has nothing to do with tech and gadgets. You’ve got the first iPhone link. People are going to talk about it. So I refer to it as the iPhone link building.“
To carry out “iPhone link building”, Glen sets up an alert using Visual Ping. This sends him a notification as soon as there’s an update on one of the webpages he’s tracking. If something new or interesting has changed, he’ll work this into his next piece of content.
5. Ask your network
Turning to your social network for examples of existing content is a great way to curate.
Here’s Chris Haines, Ahrefs’ Senior SEO Specialist, doing just this on LinkedIn…
And here I am posting in Women In Tech SEO (my #1 community) for contributions to my article: So You’ve Been Asked To Humanize AI Content
Often, Slack communities will dedicate a channel to self-promotion. This is another handy way to find new content to curate.
“In the Women in Tech SEO Slack group, we have a hashtag channel (#wts-amplify-me) that serves as a space for members to promote their work, and it’s wholesome to see lots of our members use it to highlight the work of others! This channel helps me curate content for our weekly WTSNewsletter. As newsletter creators, we are responsible for amplifying diverse voices, which was the driving force behind starting WTSNewsletter. The lack of diversity in industry newsletters motivated me to create our very own weekly newsletter that showcases the brilliant work of underrepresented individuals.”
Community content sourcing doesn’t begin and end with LinkedIn or Slack. Check out other pockets of the internet, including niche forums, Subreddits, Facebook groups, and Mastodon instances.
6. Bookmark everything
Some of my best articles have been inspired by the posts I’ve bookmarked.
Here are my top tips for bookmarking curated content:
Use web highlighters
Use a web highlighter plugin to bookmark interesting content for future curation.
Organize examples in a note taking app
Use a note taking app like Notion or Obsidian to organize your content examples.
Bookmark your saved social media content
You’ll undoubtedly have banked some great content on social media over the years, but navigating back to those archives can be a bit of a faff.
I bookmark mine to my browser so I can easily jump back in (e.g. LinkedIn “Saved”, X bookmarks, X advanced searches, TikTok saved, Instagram saved etc.)
7. Set up author notifications
Follow creators and journalists that inspire you. Subscribe to their channel, turn on notification bells on LinkedIn and X, and set up RSS feeds to get alerted whenever they push out new content.
Tip
When you’re searching for new content in the Content Explorer, check out the Authors tab for ideas on which thought leaders to follow in your industry.
8. Set up keyword alerts
Get notified as soon as on-topic content is published, with Ahrefs “Mention” alerts.
9. Use AI to extract and annotate content
AI broadly summarizes outdated content, and has a habit of forgoing (or entirely fabricating) references. In other words, it’s pretty terrible for curating unique content.
Instead, use it to extract, summarize, and investigate the content you’ve selectively curated.
Extract nuggets from “hidden” content
I used AI to extract quotes and insights from webinars, interviews, and YouTube videos. The post I wrote for SpinSucks was inspired by content mined from interview transcripts and bookmarked social media content, using Claude AI.
Reverse-engineer successful content formulas
I fed ChatGPT examples of top-performing blogs to understand patterns of success, and inform my opinion of what “good” content looks like, while updating the post: 6 Simple Blog Post Templates (Download & Edit Along.
We’ve covered a lot of ground, but there are a few extra details worth mentioning before you jump into curation.
Make sure you have a clear theme
Curation isn’t just about sourcing and presenting the most unique content you can find.
Value also comes from carefully selecting content that fits a central concept or theme.
“[Content curation] helps build my taste, which in my opinion, is the hardest part of curation, because most people don’t seem to understand the concept of “curation”, i.e. selecting the best, or what fits a theme. They just seem to shoehorn every article on the internet.”
Build your exclude list
Be discerning about the content you create. Set out rules as to the content or people you will/won’t include, using your brand guidelines for inspiration.
Repurpose your knowledge
Content curation is usually cheaper and easier to produce, but don’t treat it as a “one and done” activity. Repurpose the things you learn both internally and externally.
“We actually use the news – that Jack (Chambers-Ward) and I curate for the Core Updates newsletter – internally at Candour during one of our weekly meetings when we are discussing changes in the industry. So it’s been a helpful task to make sure the agency is always up to date!”
Final thoughts
Content curation isn’t a “set it and forget it” tactic. It’s an ongoing process that demands a reasonable amount of effort, but the payoff is worth it. That’s because:
- It’s a traffic magnet: Curated content can outperform original content in terms of organic traffic, because you’re cherry-picking the best ideas.
- It builds your E-E-A-T: By sharing valuable experiences, you’re signaling to users and search engines that you know your stuff. This can boost your rankings across the board.
- It’s a networking opportunity: When you share others’ content, they notice. We’ve built relationships with industry giants simply by featuring their work on our blog or weekly digest.
Great curation is about adding value. You can just reshare content verbatim, but you’re missing out on a valuable opportunity to add your own insight, and explain why the content you’ve painstakingly curated matters to your audience.
In a world where 70 million blog posts are published every month, skilled curators stand out. They don’t just share content – they build communities, spark discussions, and become go-to resources in their niches.
If you’re giving content curation a try, experiment with different formats and track what resonates (our Content Explorer can help with that too), then watch your influence grow.
SEO
16 Essential Paid SEO Tools That Are Worth the Money
SEO professionals know the value of investing in the right tools. While free SEO tools have their place, some paid options offer more features and deeper insights.
This article examines 16 paid-for SEO tools that we think you may find are worth the investment, depending on your needs. We’ll highlight key features, discuss use cases, and offer tips to make the most of them.
Our Top 16 Paid SEO Tools
1. Semrush
Semrush is an all-in-one SEO toolkit ideal for handling large amounts of data.
In practice, we’ve used Semrush for keyword research. The Keyword Magic Tool helped surface long-tail phrases with lower competition.
It also assists with competitor analysis, making it possible to reverse engineer top-ranking pages.
Semrush is a valuable tool for SEO professionals due to its comprehensive features and extensive data. Its keyword database is among the largest in the industry, providing users with a wealth of information for content and optimization strategies.
One of Semrush’s key strengths lies in its competitive analysis capabilities. You access data on rivals’ top-performing pages, target keywords, and backlink profiles.
The platform’s intuitive design ensures that even those new to SEO can navigate its various tools and features, making it accessible to professionals at different experience levels.
Potential Drawbacks:
- Higher price point compared to other tools.
- It can be overwhelming for beginners due to the wealth of data and features.
Tips And Tricks:
- Use the Keyword Magic Tool’s “Questions” filter to find long-tail keyword opportunities.
- Set up weekly site audits to stay on top of technical SEO issues.
- Leverage the “Backlink Gap” tool to uncover link building opportunities based on competitor analysis.
Best Hack:
- Create a custom “Content Template” in Semrush’s Content Marketing Toolkit. Enter your target keyword, and Semrush will analyze top-ranking pages to provide recommendations.
Price Range:
- $139.95 – $499.95 per month.
2. Ahrefs
Ahrefs is known for its extensive backlink database, which is updated every 15 minutes.
We find Ahrefs shines at link building, and regularly use Site Explorer to analyze competitors’ backlinks and identify new opportunities.
Screenshot from Ahrefs, September 2024We also appreciate the “Link Intersect” feature, which shows sites that link to multiple competitors but not to you (yet).
Ahrefs has established itself as a go-to SEO tool, renowned for its backlink database. This resource is considered one of the best in the industry.
The platform’s Site Explorer feature offers a comprehensive view of any website’s SEO performance. This tool allows for in-depth analysis of various metrics, helping professionals understand both their sites and those of competitors.
Ahrefs’ Keywords Explorer is another standout feature, offering robust keyword research capabilities. This tool lets you uncover keyword opportunities, analyze search trends, and refine content strategies.
Potential Drawbacks:
- Steeper learning curve compared to some other tools.
- Higher price point.
Tips And Tricks:
- Use Content Explorer to find top-performing content in your niche and analyze what makes it successful.
- Filter for followed links in Site Explorer to focus on the most valuable backlink opportunities.
- Set up Rank Tracker to monitor your target keywords and get alerted to position changes.
Best Hack:
- Leverage Ahrefs’ “Content Gap” feature to find keywords your competitors rank for but you don’t. Plug in multiple competitors to surface keyword opportunities you may be missing.
Price Range:
- Starter plan for $29 per month.
- $129 – $449 per month.
3. Moz Pro
Moz Pro is an SEO platform offering keyword research, link analysis, site audits, rank tracking, and on-page optimization.
We’ve used Moz Pro for on-page SEO. The On-Page Grader provides actionable recommendations, ensuring pages are optimized for search engines and users.
Screenshot from Moz Pro, September 2024Moz Pro has carved out a niche in the SEO industry by offering a user-friendly platform catering to beginners and experienced professionals.
One of Moz Pro’s standout features is its comprehensive on-page optimization toolkit. It provides insights and recommendations for improving your website’s content, structure, and overall SEO performance.
The platform is also known for providing reliable and accurate data. Moz Pro’s metrics and reports are widely trusted within the industry.
Potential Drawbacks:
- Some features aren’t as comprehensive as specialized tools (e.g., backlink data vs. Ahrefs).
- Monthly limits on certain features like keyword queries.
Tips And Tricks:
- Use MozBar (free Chrome extension) for on-the-go metrics while browsing the web.
- Leverage the “SERP Analysis” feature in Keyword Explorer to understand the competitive landscape for target keywords.
- Set up custom reports to track key metrics like keyword rankings, link growth, and site crawl issues.
Best Hack:
- Run your site through Moz Pro’s “Site Crawl” and prioritize the identified issues by “High,” “Medium,” and “Low” impact. Focus on resolving the “High” impact issues first.
Price Range:
4. Majestic
Majestic is renowned for its backlink database, making it a go-to tool for link analysis and acquisition.
We’ve used Majestic for backlink audits. The “Backlinks” tab in Site Explorer shows your site’s link profile, allowing you to identify potentially toxic links and spot opportunities.
Screenshot from Majestic, September 2024Majestic has made a name in the SEO industry primarily due to its extensive backlink database. This resource provides current link data and offers historical information.
The platform stands out with its proprietary link quality metrics: Trust Flow and Citation Flow. These unique indicators offer a nuanced view of a website’s link profile quality.
Majestic also excels in comparative analysis. Its tools let you compare link profiles of multiple websites side by side.
Potential Drawbacks:
- User interface can be less intuitive compared to some other tools.
- Primarily focused on link data.
Tips and Tricks:
- Use the “Clique Hunter” to find sites that link to multiple competitors but not to you.
- Analyze linking sites’ “Topical Trust Flow” to ensure relevance and authority.
- Set up the “Link Alerts” feature to be notified of new backlinks to your site (or your competitors).
Best Hack:
- Use Majestic’s “Link Context” feature to see a backlink’s exact placement and surrounding text. This can provide valuable insights and help you craft pitches for outreach emails.
Price Range:
- $49.99 – $399.99 per month.
5. Screaming Frog SEO Spider
Screaming Frog is a tool for crawling websites and uncovering technical SEO issues.
It’s ideal for site audits. By crawling a site and exporting the data to Excel, you can spot and fix technical SEO issues at scale.
Screenshot from Screaming Frog, September 2024Screaming Frog is recognized for its powerful site crawling capabilities. Its speed and efficiency make it an invaluable asset for technical SEO audits and routine site checks.
The software excels in delivering comprehensive analysis of on-page SEO elements. It examines factors such as meta tags, headings, content, and internal linking structure.
One of Screaming Frog’s key strengths is its high level of customization. You can tailor crawl settings, configure custom extraction rules, and set up specific filters to focus on particular aspects of the website.
Potential Drawbacks:
- Requires some technical knowledge to leverage its capabilities fully.
- It can be resource-intensive for very large sites.
Tips And Tricks:
- Use the “Custom Extraction” feature to pull specific data points at scale.
- Integrate with Google Analytics to pull performance metrics into your crawl data.
- Leverage the “Visualization” feature to generate sitemaps and spot orphaned pages.
Best Hack:
- Set up a custom “Search” filter to identify pages with specific issues (e.g., missing meta descriptions, duplicate page titles). Export this list and use it as a prioritized action plan for your on-page optimizations.
Price Range:
6. Serpstat
Serpstat is an all-in-one SEO platform with features for keyword research, competitor analysis, backlink analysis, and site audits.
We found Serpstat effective for keyword clustering and topic modeling. By analyzing semantically related keywords and their search intent, you can create targeted content that better answers user queries.
Screenshot from Serpstat, September 2024Why It’s Good For SEO:
- Broad feature set covering multiple aspects of SEO.
- Strong keyword research capabilities, including related questions and search suggestions.
- Affordable pricing compared to some other all-in-one platforms.
Potential Drawbacks:
- User interface can be overwhelming initially due to the many features.
- Some advanced features (e.g., API access) are limited to higher-tier plans.
Tips And Tricks:
- Use the “Tree View” in Keyword Research to visualize keyword relationships and create topic clusters.
- Leverage the “Missing Keywords” feature in Competitor Analysis to identify quick-win opportunities.
- Set up regular “Site Audits” to monitor your technical SEO health over time.
Best Hack:
- Use Serpstat’s “Content Marketing” tool to analyze top-ranking pages to inform your own content creation and optimization.
Price Range:
7. CognitiveSEO
CognitiveSEO is a tool suite focusing on backlink analysis and link building.
In practice, we found CognitiveSEO helpful for link profile cleanups. The “Unnatural Link Detection” feature uses machine learning to identify potentially toxic links, saving time in the disavow process.
Screenshot from CognitiveSEO, September 2024Serpstat’s all-in-one approach allows users to manage multiple SEO tasks within a single tool, from keyword research to competitor analysis and rank tracking.
The platform’s keyword research capabilities are noteworthy. Serpstat provides extensive data on search terms, including related questions and search suggestions.
One of Serpstat’s key selling points is its competitive pricing structure. The tool offers a robust feature set at a more affordable price than other all-in-one platforms.
Potential Drawbacks:
- The primary focus is on link analysis (less comprehensive for technical SEO or content optimization).
- Higher price point compared to some other specialized link analysis tools.
Tips And Tricks:
- Use the “Link Velocity” graph to spot unnatural spikes in link acquisition that could trigger a manual review.
- Leverage the “Link Juice” metric to prioritize high-impact link opportunities.
- Set up alerts for new and lost links to your site (and competitors).
Best Hack:
- Take advantage of CognitiveSEO’s “Link Explorer” bookmarklet. When browsing the web, you can quickly analyze any page’s backlink profile without manually entering the URL into the tool.
Price Range:
- $129.99 – $499 per month.
8. Advanced Web Ranking
Advanced Web Ranking (AWR) is a rank-tracking and reporting tool that helps you monitor your search engine positions across multiple locations and devices.
AWR is used extensively for tracking and reporting client rank. The tool’s ability to track rankings at a granular level (e.g., by city or zip code) and generate custom-branded reports help demonstrate SEO progress and value.
Screenshot from Advanced Web Rankng, September 2024AWR is known for its precise and dependable rank tracking capabilities, allowing users to monitor their SEO performance confidently.
AWR excels in tracking rankings across various geographical locations and search engines.
The platform’s integration with Google Analytics and Google Search Console allows users to create comprehensive reports that combine ranking data with website traffic and performance metrics.
Potential Drawbacks:
- Primarily focused on rank tracking.
- Higher price point compared to some other rank tracking tools.
Tips And Tricks:
- Use the “Keyword Groups” feature to organize your tracked keywords by theme or strategy.
- Set up automated reports to inform clients or stakeholders of ranking progress.
- Leverage the “Competitor Benchmarking” feature to identify opportunities and threats.
Best Hack:
- Use AWR’s landing page report to identify which pages drive the most organic traffic and rankings. This can help prioritize your SEO efforts and replicate success across other pages.
Price Range:
9. Mangools
Mangools is a suite of SEO tools designed for simplicity and ease of use.
While it may lack some of the advanced features of other platforms, its intuitive interface makes it a great option for beginners or those who prefer a more streamlined toolkit.
Mangools is particularly useful for local SEO. KWFinder’s location-based keyword suggestions and SERP analysis make it easy to identify local search opportunities and optimize for regional keywords.
Screenshot from Mangools, September 2024Mangools offers a suite of straightforward features designed to be accessible to users of all skill levels.
One of Mangools’ standout offerings is KWFinder, its keyword research tool. KWFinder discovers and analyzes keywords, helping users identify valuable content creation and optimization opportunities.
Mangools sets itself apart with its competitive pricing structure and flexible plans. The platform offers various subscription options to suit different needs and budgets.
Potential Drawbacks:
- Fewer advanced features compared to more comprehensive SEO platforms.
- Limited data for certain tools (e.g., backlink database not as extensive as some competitors).
Tips And Tricks:
- Use KWFinder’s “Autocomplete” and “Questions” features to uncover long-tail keyword opportunities.
- Leverage SERPChecker’s “Domain Strength” metric to gauge the competitiveness of a SERP.
- Set up automated reports in SERPWatcher to keep stakeholders informed of ranking progress.
Best Hack:
- Utilize Mangools’ “SEO Browser Extension” to get quick, on-the-fly metrics while browsing the web. You can see key data points like search volume, CPC, and SERP snapshot for any keyword, right from your browser.
Price Range:
10. Conductor
Conductor is an enterprise SEO and content marketing platform that expanded its capabilities in 2023 by acquiring European competitor Searchmetrics. The combined company provides a comprehensive SEO solution on a global scale.
Screenshot from Conductor, October 2024.The core Conductor platform offers tools for keyword research, rank tracking, site auditing, and performance reporting.
Searchmetrics bolstered Conductor’s feature set with additional capabilities such as content optimization insights and backlink data.
In practice, the unified platform can assist throughout the full optimization workflow.
Potential Drawbacks:
- Higher price point befitting an enterprise-grade platform.
- Initial learning curve due to the breadth of features.
Tips and Tricks:
- Leverage Searchmetrics’ content optimization tools to reverse-engineer top results.
- Set up Insights Streams for automated issue monitoring and alerts.
- Use the unified platform to seamlessly move between keyword research, content planning, technical audits, and reporting.
Best Hack:
- Connect Conductor’s API to your business intelligence tools, surfacing SEO insights across the organization to better inform marketing and product decisions.
Price Range:
- Varies by usage (free trial available).
11. Yoast SEO (Premium)
Yoast SEO is a popular WordPress plugin that helps optimize your website’s content for search engines and readability. While the plugin offers a free version, the Premium version includes additional features.
Yoast is invaluable for optimizing blog posts and landing pages.
The Premium version’s ability to optimize for multiple keywords and provide internal linking suggestions has helped us create more comprehensive content.
Screenshot from Yoast SEO, September 2024Due to its seamless integration, Yoast SEO has become a staple tool for WordPress users. This plugin offers on-page optimization features directly within the WordPress interface.
One of Yoast SEO’s key strengths is its dual focus on SEO and content readability. The tool provides real-time feedback on SEO factors while offering suggestions to improve readability.
The plugin offers specific, easy-to-implement suggestions for improving various aspects of on-page SEO, making it easy to use regardless of skill level.
Potential Drawbacks:
- Limited to WordPress websites.
- Some advanced SEO tasks may require additional tools.
Tips And Tricks:
- Use the “Readability Analysis” to ensure your content is engaging and easy to read.
- Leverage the “Internal Linking Suggestions” to boost your site’s link equity and topical relevance.
- Optimize for semantic variations by using the “Multiple Focus Keywords” feature.
Best Hack:
- Use Yoast’s “Schema” feature to add structured data markup to your content. This can help your pages stand out in the search results with rich snippets.
Price Range:
12. Woorank
Woorank is a web-based SEO audit and monitoring tool that provides insights and recommendations for improving your website’s search visibility.
Woorank excels at quick, high-level SEO audits. The tool’s user-friendly interface and actionable recommendations make it easy to identify and prioritize key SEO tasks, even for newcomers.
Screenshot from Woorank, September 2024Woorank presents complex SEO concepts in a digestible format, providing straightforward recommendations you can readily understand and implement.
The tool provides a holistic view of a website’s SEO performance, allowing you to identify and address various aspects of your strategy.
Woorank’s pricing structure is designed to accommodate different needs and budgets. The platform offers flexible plans, making it accessible to small businesses and individual users.
Potential Drawbacks:
- Audit insights may not be as in-depth as some other specialized audit tools.
- Keyword data and backlink analysis may be less comprehensive than standalone tools.
Tips And Tricks:
- Use the “Priorities” feature to focus on the highest-impact optimization opportunities first.
- Leverage the “Keyword Tool” to identify long-tail keywords and content gaps.
- Set up weekly or monthly reports to track progress over time.
Best Hack:
- Utilize Woorank’s “Page-Level Analysis” to examine specific pages on your site to uncover opimization opportunities.
Price Range:
- $19.99 – $199.99 per month.
13. Ubersuggest
Ubersuggest is an affordable, all-in-one SEO tool that provides keyword suggestions, competitor analysis, and content ideas.
The tool aims to make SEO accessible to businesses of all sizes.
Screenshot from Ubersuggest, September 2024Ubersuggest has gained popularity in the SEO community largely due to its competitive pricing structure.
Despite its affordability, Ubersuggest delivers comprehensive SEO data and insights. Users can access information on keywords, backlinks, content ideas, and competitor analysis, all within a single platform.
One of Ubersuggest’s strengths lies in its ability to provide actionable recommendations. The tool doesn’t just present data; it offers specific suggestions for improving various aspects of SEO performance.
Potential Drawbacks:
- Data may not be as extensive or up-to-date as some other tools.
- Limited advanced features compared to more comprehensive platforms.
Tips And Tricks:
- Use the “Keyword Ideas” feature to uncover long-tail opportunities and content gaps.
- Leverage the “Top Pages” analysis to identify competitor content that’s performing well.
- Check the “SEO Analyzer” for quick, actionable insights on improving your pages.
Best Hack:
- Utilize Ubersuggest’s “Content Ideas” feature to generate blog post topics and outlines. The tool analyzes top-ranking content for your target keywords and provides suggestions for headings, word count, and related keywords to include.
Price Range:
14. Raven Tools
Raven Tools is an all-in-one SEO and digital marketing platform offering research, analysis, and reporting tools.
Raven Tools is particularly useful for SEO reporting. The custom report builder lets you pull data from multiple sources (e.g., Google Analytics, Google Search Console, social media) into a single, branded report, saving time and effort.
Screenshot from Raven Tools, September 2024Raven Tools covers various aspects of online marketing, including pay-per-click advertising, social media management, and content marketing. This all-in-one approach allows you to manage multiple facets of your digital strategy within a single platform.
Raven Tools integrates with a wide range of third-party tools and platforms. By centralizing information from different tools, Raven Tools helps streamline workflows and improve efficiency.
Potential Drawbacks:
- Some advanced features (e.g., competitor analysis) may not be as robust as standalone tools.
- Reporting features may be overkill for smaller teams or clients.
Tips And Tricks:
- Use the “Site Auditor” to regularly monitor your site for technical SEO issues and prioritize fixes.
- Set up “Automated Reports” to inform clients or stakeholders of key metrics and progress.
- Leverage the “Research Central” tool to access key SEO metrics while working on the platform.
Best Hack:
- Take advantage of Raven Tools’ integration of Google Analytics goals. You can report how your SEO efforts impact bottom-line metrics like conversions and revenue by syncing your GA goals with Raven.
Price Range:
15. Lumar
Lumar, previously known as Deepcrawl, focuses on website crawling and monitoring.
The tool identifies various technical SEO issues, including broken links, redirect chains, indexability problems, and other factors impacting search engine performance.
It also excels in accurately rendering and crawling JavaScript-heavy websites.
The platform offers customizable data extraction and reporting features, allowing you to tailor your analyses and reports to specific needs.
Screenshot from Lumar, October 2024.In practice, Lumar is considered invaluable for large-scale technical SEO audits. The automated crawling surfaces issues that would be difficult to catch manually, while monitoring ensures new problems are flagged as they pop up.
Potential Drawbacks:
- More narrow focus on technical issues compared to all-in-one SEO platforms.
- Higher pricing for an enterprise-grade crawling solution.
Tips and Tricks:
- Set up custom checks and extractions to hone in on your biggest tech SEO concerns.
- Integrate with analytics tools to correlate technical issues with performance impacts.
- Use the automated monitoring to validate fixes were implemented correctly.
Best Hack:
- Take advantage of Lumar’s data extraction capabilities. You can extract key page elements like titles, meta descriptions, etc. to cross-reference against SEO checklists or revise optimizations.
Price Range:
16. Sitebulb
Sitebulb is a desktop SEO tool that excels at in-depth technical audits and site crawls. It’s a go-to for agencies and freelancers needing detailed website analysis.
It extracts key page elements, integrates with analytics and rank tracking tools, and offers flexible reporting options.
Screenshot from Sitebulb, October 2024.Sitebulb’s real strength is its ability to present complex site issues in an accessible format, making it invaluable for pros conducting thorough website audits.
Its user-friendly interface coupled with powerful analysis capabilities makes it a standout choice for technical SEO work.
Potential Drawbacks:
- Desktop software requires local installation.
- More narrow specialization in technical crawling vs all-in-one SEO platforms.
Tips and Tricks:
- Leverage Sitebulb’s data extraction for exports of key on-page elements.
- Integrate with third-party tools for added context (e.g., rankings, analytics).
- Use the Project Comparison mode to track changes between crawls over time.
Best Hack:
- Take advantage of Sitebulb’s custom extraction hooks to pull in data from your own databases or APIs, enriching the crawl analysis.
Price Range:
- $13.50 – $245 per month.
What To Avoid When Choosing A Paid SEO Tool
When picking a paid SEO tool, keep an eye out for these potential issues:
- Don’t fall for tools that do everything but excel at nothing. Focus on those that nail the features crucial to your SEO game plan.
- Your tool should be easy to grasp. It’ll slow you down if it’s a pain to learn or navigate. Take advantage of free trials to test-drive before buying.
- The tool’s value lies in its data quality. Be skeptical of inconsistent or outdated info. Look for transparency about data sources and update schedules.
- Your SEO tool should be compatible with your other marketing tools. To streamline your workflow, check for compatibility with platforms like Google Analytics, Search Console, or WordPress.
- Even top-notch tools can be tricky sometimes. Aim for providers with responsive, knowledgeable support teams. Read reviews or ask fellow SEO pros for their take.
By sidestepping these pitfalls and identifying tools that fit your needs, you’ll make a smart investment.
Remember, tools are just part of the equation – your SEO know-how is what really drives results. Combine solid tools with your expertise, and you’ll be set for improved rankings and traffic.
Why Paid SEO Tools Might Be Worth The Investment
Paid tools offer key advantages:
- Paid tools have larger databases and provide more comprehensive data on keywords, backlinks, and competitor insights.
- Many paid tools include features like site audits, rank tracking, and content optimization that can elevate your SEO.
- Paid tools can reduce your time on manual SEO work by automating tasks.
- With access to the same tools as top SEO professionals, you can gain a competitive advantage and level the playing field.
The Right Tool Depends On Your Needs
Paid SEO tools can provide a competitive advantage over free tools. The right one depends on your needs, budget, and focus areas.
All-in-one suites like Semrush, Ahrefs, and Moz are ideal for agencies and in-house teams that need a comprehensive solution.
Specialized tools like Ahrefs, Majestic, and CognitiveSEO are valuable for focused link analysis and acquisition.
Technical SEO specialists should consider site crawling tools like Screaming Frog, while content teams may benefit from tools like Semrush and Searchmetrics.
With the many quality options available, investing in paid tools is often well worth the cost for serious SEO professionals.
More resources:
Featured Image: Nagy-Bagoly Arpad/Shutterstock
SEO
Reddit Makes Game-Changing Updates to Keyword Targeting
In a big move for digital advertisers, Reddit has just introduced a new Keyword Targeting feature, changing the game for how marketers reach their target audiences.
This addition brings fresh potential for PPC marketers looking to tap into Reddit’s highly engaged user base.
With millions of communities and conversations happening every day, Reddit is now offering advertisers a more precise way to get in front of users at the perfect moment.
The best part? They’re leveraging AI to make the process even more powerful.
Let’s break down why this is such an exciting development for digital advertisers.
Keyword Targeting for Conversation and Feed Placements
Reddit has always been about its vibrant communities, or “subreddits,” where users connect over shared interests and discuss a wide range of topics.
Until now, keyword targeting has only been available on conversation placements. Starting today, advertisers can use keyword targeting in both feed and conversation placements.
The targeting update allows advertisers to place ads directly within these conversations, ensuring they reach people when they’re actively engaged with content that’s related to their products or services.
For PPC marketers, this level of targeting means a higher chance of delivering ads to users who are in the right mindset.
Instead of serving ads to users scrolling passively through a general feed, Reddit is giving you the tools to place your ads into specific conversations, where users are already discussing topics related to your industry.
According to Reddit, advertisers who use keyword targeting have seen a 30% increase in conversion volumes. This is a significant lift for marketers focused on performance metrics, such as conversion rates and cost per acquisition.
Scaling Performance with AI-Powered Optimization
While precision is key, Reddit knows that advertisers also need scale.
Reddit mentioned two AI-powered solutions to help balance keyword targeting and scalability within the platform:
- Dynamic Audience Expansion
- Placement Expansion
Dynamic Audience Expansion
This feature works in tandem with keyword targeting to help advertisers broaden their reach, without sacrificing relevance.
Reddit’s AI does the heavy lifting by analyzing signals like user behavior and ad creative performance to identify additional users who are likely to engage with your ad. In essence, it’s expanding your audience in a smart, data-driven way.
For PPC marketers, this means more exposure without having to rely solely on manually selecting every keyword or interest.
You set the initial parameters, and Reddit’s AI expands from there. This not only saves time but also ensures that your ads reach a broader audience that’s still relevant to your goals.
Reddit claims campaigns using Dynamic Audience Expansion have seen a 30% reduction in cost per action (CPA), making it a must-have for marketers focused on efficiency and budget optimization.
Placement Expansion
Another standout feature is Reddit’s multi-placement optimization. This feature uses machine learning to determine the most effective places to show your ads, whether in the feed or within specific conversation threads.
This multi-placement strategy ensures your ads are delivered in the right context to maximize user engagement and conversions.
For PPC marketers, ad placement is a critical factor in campaign success. With Reddit’s AI optimizing these placements, you can trust that your ads will appear where they have the highest likelihood of driving action—whether that’s getting users to click, convert, or engage.
Introducing AI Keyword Suggestions
Reddit’s new AI Keyword Suggestions tool helps with this by analyzing Reddit’s vast conversation data to recommend keywords you might not have thought of.
It allows you to discover new, high-performing keywords related to your campaign, expanding your reach to conversations you might not have considered. And because it’s powered by AI, the suggestions are always based on real-time data and trends happening within Reddit’s communities.
This can be particularly helpful for marketers trying to stay ahead of trending topics or those who want to ensure they’re tapping into conversations with high engagement potential.
As conversations on Reddit shift, so do the keywords that drive those discussions. Reddit’s AI Keyword Suggestions help keep your targeting fresh and relevant, ensuring you don’t miss out on key opportunities.
New Streamlined Campaign Management
Reddit has also made strides in simplifying the campaign setup and management process. They’ve introduced a unified flow that allows advertisers to combine multiple targeting options within a single ad group.
You can now mix keywords, communities, and interests in one campaign, expanding your reach without overcomplicating your structure.
From a PPC perspective, this is huge. Simplifying campaign structure means you can test more variations, optimize faster, and reduce time spent on manual adjustments.
In addition, Reddit has enhanced its reporting capabilities with keyword-level insights, allowing you to drill down into what’s working and what’s not, giving you more control over your campaigns.
The Takeaway for PPC Marketers
For marketers working with Google Ads, Facebook, or Microsoft Advertising, this new update from Reddit should be on your radar.
The combination of keyword targeting, AI-driven audience expansion, and multi-placement optimization makes Reddit a serious contender in the digital advertising space.
If you’re looking to diversify your PPC campaigns, drive higher conversions, and optimize costs, Reddit’s new offerings provide a unique opportunity.
You can read the full announcement from Reddit here.
SEO
What The Google Antitrust Verdict Could Mean For The Future Of SEO
In August 2024, Google lost its first major antitrust case in the U.S. Department of Justice vs. Google.
While we all gained some interesting insights about how Google’s algorithm works (hello, NavBoost!), understanding the implications of this loss for Google as a business is not the easiest to unravel. Hence, this article.
There’s still plenty we don’t know about Google’s future as a result of this trial, but it’s clear there will be consequences ahead.
Even though Google representatives have said they will appeal the decision, both sides are already working on proposals for how to restore competition, which will be decided by August 2025.
My significant other is a corporate lawyer, and this trial has been a frequent topic at the dinner table over the course of the last year.
We come from different professional backgrounds, but we have been equally invested in the outcome – both for our respective careers and industries. His perspective has helped me better grasp the potential legal and business outcomes that could be ahead for Google.
I will break that down for you in this article, along with what that could mean for the SEO industry and Search at-large.
Background: The Case Against Google
In August 2024, Federal Judge Amit Mehta ruled that Google violated the U.S. antitrust law by maintaining an illegal monopoly through exclusive agreements it had with companies like Apple to be the world’s default search engine on smartphones and web browsers.
During the case, we learned that Google paid Apple $20 billion in 2022 to be the default search engine on its Safari browser, thus making it impossible for other search engines like DuckDuckGo or Bing to compete.
This case ruling also found Google guilty of monopolizing general search text advertising because Google was able to raise prices on ad products higher than what would have been possible in a free market.
Those ads are sold via Google Ads (formerly AdWords) and allow marketers to run ads against search keywords related to their business.
Note: There is a second antitrust case still underway about whether Google has created illegal monopolies with open web display ad technology as well. Closing arguments will be heard for that in November 2024 with a verdict to follow
Remedies Proposed By The DOJ
On Oct. 8, 2024, the DOJ filed proposed antitrust remedies for Google. Until this point, there has been plenty of speculation about potential solutions.
Now, we know that the DOJ will be seeking remedies in four “categories of harm”:
- Search Distribution and Revenue Sharing.
- Accumulation and Use of Data.
- Generation and Display of Search Results.
- Advertising Scale and Monetization.
The following sections highlight potential remedies the DOJ proposed in that filing.
Ban On Exclusive Contracts
In order to address Google’s search distribution and revenue sharing, it is likely that we will see a ban on exclusive contracts going forward for Google.
In the Oct. 8 filing, the DOJ outlined exploring limiting or prohibiting default agreements, pre-installation agreements, and other revenue-sharing agreements related to search and search-related products.
Given this is what the case was centered around, it seems most likely that we will see some flavor of this outcome, and that could provide new incentives for innovation around search at Apple.
Apple Search Engine?
Judge Mehta noted in his judgment that Apple had periodically considered building its own search technology, but decided against it when an analysis in 2018 concluded Apple would lose more than $12 billion in revenue during the first five years if they broke up with Google.
If Google were no longer able to have agreements of this nature, we may finally see Apple emerge with a search engine of its own.
According to a Bloomberg report in October 2023, Apple has been “tinkering” with search technology for years.
It has a large search team dedicated to a next-generation search engine for Apple’s apps called “Pegasus,” which has already rolled out in some apps.
And its development of Spotlight to help users find things across their devices has started adding web results to this tool pointing users to sites that answer search queries.
Apple already has a web crawler called Applebot that finds sites it can provide users in Siri and Spotlight. It has also built its own search engines for some of its services like the App Store, Maps, Apple TV, and News.
Apple purchased a company called Laserlike in 2019, which is an AI-based search engine founded by former Google employees. Apple’s machine learning team has been seeking new engineers to work on search technologies as well.
All of these could be important infrastructure for a new search engine.
Implications For SEO
If users are given more choices in their default search engine, some may stray away from Google, which could cut its market share.
However, as of now, Google is still thought of as the leader in search quality, so it’s hard to gauge how much would realistically change if exclusive contracts were banned.
A new search engine from Apple would obviously be an interesting development. It would be a new algorithm to test, understand, and optimize for.
Knowing that users are hungry for another quality option, people would likely embrace Apple in this space, and it could generate a significant amount of users, if the results are high enough quality. Quality is really key.
Search is the most used tool on smartphones, tablets, and computers. Apple has the users that Google needs.
Without Apple’s partnership with Google, Apple has the potential to disrupt this space. It can offer a more integrated search experience than any other company out there. And its commitment to privacy is appealing to many long-time Google users.
The DOJ would likely view this as a win as well because Apple is one of the few companies large enough to fully compete across the search space with Google.
Required Sharing Of Data To Competitors
Related to the accumulation and use of data harm Google has caused, the DOJ is considering a remedy that forces Google to license its data to competitors like Bing or DuckDuckGo.
The antitrust ruling found that Google’s contracts ensure that Google gets the most user data, and that data streams also keep its competitors from improving their search results to compete better.
In the Oct. 8 filing, the DOJ is considering forcing Google to make: 1) the indexes, data, fees, and models used for Google search, including those used in AI-assisted search features, and 2) Google search results, features, and ads, including the underlying ranking signals available via API.
Believe it or not, this solution has precedent, although certainly not at the same scale as what is being proposed for Google.
The DOJ required AT&T to provide royalty-free licenses to its patents in 1956, and required Microsoft to make some of its APIs available to third parties for free after they lost an antitrust case in 1999.
Google has argued that there are user privacy concerns related to data sharing. The DOJ’s response is that it is considering prohibiting Google from using or retaining data that cannot be shared with others because of privacy concerns.
Implications For SEO
Should Google be required to do any of this, it would be an unprecedented victory for the open web. It is overwhelming to think of the possibilities if any of these repercussions were to come to fruition.
We would finally be able to see behind the curtain of the algorithm and ranking signals at play. There would be a true open competition to build rival search engines.
If Google were no longer to use personalized data, we might see the end of personalized search results based on your search history, which has pros and cons.
I would also be curious what would happen to Google Discover since that product provides content based on your browsing history.
The flip side of this potential outcome is that it will be easier than ever to gamify search results again, at least in the short term.
If everyone knew what makes pages rank in Google, we would be back in the early days of SEO, when we could easily manipulate rank.
But if others take the search algorithm and build upon it in different ways, maybe that wouldn’t be as big of a concern in the long term.
Opting Out Of SERP Features
The DOJ filing briefly touched on one intriguing remedy for the harm Google has caused regarding the generation and display of search results.
The DOJ lawyers are proposing that website publishers receive the ability to opt out of Google features or products they wish to.
This would include Google’s AI Overviews, which they give as an example, but it could also include all other SERP features where Google relies on websites and other content created by third parties – in other words, all of them.
Because Google has held this monopoly, publishers have had virtually no bargaining power with Google in regards to being included in SERP features without risking complete exclusion from Google.
This solution would help publishers have more control over how they show up in the search results.
Implications For SEO
This could be potentially huge for SEO if the DOJ does indeed move forward with requiring Google to allow publishers to opt out of any and all features and products they wish without exclusion in Google’s results altogether.
There are plenty of website publishers who do not want Google to be able to use their content to train its AI products, and wish to opt out of AI Overviews.
When featured snippets first came about, there was a similar reaction to those.
Based on the query, featured snippets and AI Overviews have the ability to help or harm website traffic numbers, but it’s intriguing to think there could be a choice in the matter of inclusion.
Licensing Of Ad Feeds
To address advertising scale and monetization harm caused by Google, the DOJ filing provided a few half-baked solutions related to search text advertising.
Because Google holds a 91% market share of search in the U.S., other search engines have struggled to monetize through advertising.
One solution is to require Google to license or syndicate its ad feed independent of its search results. This way, other search engines could better monetize by utilizing Google’s advertising feed.
It is also looking at remedies to provide more transparent and detailed reporting to advertisers about search text ad auctions and monetization, and the ability to opt out of Google search features like keyword expansion and broad match that advertisers don’t want to partake in.
Implications For SEO
I don’t see obvious implications for SEO, but there are plenty for our friends in PPC.
While licensing the Google ad feed is intriguing in order to help other search engines monetize, it doesn’t get at the issue of Google overcharging advertisers in their auctions.
More thought and creativity might be needed here to find a solution that would make sense for both creating more competition in search and fairness for advertisers.
They are certainly on the right track with more transparency in reporting and allowing advertisers to opt out of programs they don’t want to be part of.
Breaking Up Of Google
The DOJ lawyers are also considering “structural remedies” like forcing Google to sell off parts of its business, like the Chrome browser or the Android operating system.
Divesting Android is the remedy that has been discussed the most. It would be another way to prevent Google from having a position of power over device makers and requiring them to enter into agreements for access to other Google product apps like Gmail or Google Play.
If the DOJ forced Google to sell Chrome, that would just be another way to force them to stop using the data from it to inform the search algorithm.
There are behavioral remedies already mentioned that could arguably accomplish the same thing, and without the stock market-shattering impact of a forced breakup.
That said, depending on the outcome of the U.S. election, we could see a DOJ that feels empowered to take bigger swings, so this may still be on the table.
The primary issue with this remedy is that Google’s revenue largely comes from search advertising. So, if the goal is to reduce its market share, would breaking up smaller areas of the business really accomplish that?
Implications For SEO
If Android became a stand-alone business, I don’t see implications for SEO because it isn’t directly related to search.
Also, Apple controls so much of the relevant mobile market that spinning Android off would have little to no effect in regards to addressing monopolistic practices.
If Chrome were sold, Google would lose the valuable user signals that inform Navboost in the algorithm.
That would have some larger implications for the quality of its results since we know, through trial testimony, that those Chrome user signals are heavily weighted in the algorithm.
How much of an impact that would have on the results may only be known inside Google, or maybe not even there, but it could be material.
Final Thoughts
There is so much to be decided in the year (potentially years) to come regarding Google’s fate.
While all of the recent headlines focus on the possibility of Google being broken up, I think this is a less likely outcome.
While divesting Chrome may be on the table, it seems like there are easier ways to accomplish the government’s goals.
And Android and Google Play are both free to customers and rely on open-source code, so mandating changes to them doesn’t seem the most logical way to solve monopolistic practices.
I suspect we’ll see some creative behavioral remedies instead. The banning of exclusive contracts feels like a no-brainer.
Of all the solutions out there, requiring Google to provide APIs of Google search results, ranking signals, etc. is by far the most intriguing idea.
I cannot even imagine a world where we have access to that information right now. And I can only hope that we do see the emergence of an Apple search engine. It feels long overdue for it to enter this space and start disrupting.
Even with Google appealing Mehta’s decision, the remedy proposals will continue ahead.
In November, the DOJ will file a more refined framework, and then Google will propose its own remedies in December.
More resources:
Featured Image: David Gyung/Shutterstock
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