EDGE of the Web - An SEO Podcast for Today's Digital Marketer

Keep Calm and Carry On! Google’s Latest Core Update The full effect may not be felt for another week, but by all indications this was a very significant update. Lily Ray on the May 2020 Google Core Update Her analysis of 550 domains through the Sistrix US visibility index. As with other recent Google updates, YMYL websites were once again a major focus. Omni-Channel Updates in a Time of Coronavirus Shopify and Yelp rolled out updates to help SMBs up their omni-channel marketing game.

Every time Google rolls out a new core update, as they did earlier this month, it unleashes a storm of panic and frustration as people try to figure who are the winners and who are the losers. This week’s special guest is Mordy Oberstein, Chief Marketing Officer at Rank Ranger. Mordy’s expertise in this field comes from his experience writing original SEO insights and analysis. He also is a Search Engine Land author, industry speaker, and host of The In Search SEO Podcast.

Online Meeting Services are Collecting More Data Than You Think An analysis of the privacy policies of major video platforms show that they are collecting call length and IP addresses. Has Google Slowed Web Crawling Because of the Pandemic? John Mueller of Google has now announced again that crawling has not been slowed down at all. The Pandemic’s Impact on Digital Marketing May Have Bottomed Out The latest earnings reports and media buyer data seem to be signaling the worst is over...

This week’s special guest is Bill Sebald, Managing Partner of Greenlane Marketing. He has always approached SEO work like a detective trying to solve a complex mystery. During episode 353 of EDGE of the Web we deep dive into how SEO agencies have been responding to the changes within the digital marketing industry from COVID-19. Whether you are an SEO agency or a client of an SEO agency, gain some knowledge of what you need to be doing during this time to keep business flowing.

Work from Home Content Engagement Spikes on LinkedIn The biggest rise in people engaging with remote working content on LinkedIn is in the US. Facebook Expands Video Chat Capabilities with Messenger Rooms The sudden huge rise in Zoom users is prompting Facebook to up its game with Messenger Rooms that can handle up to 50 participants. When Search Results are Disappointing, Google will Offer Query Tips The new feature in Google Search will be triggered when the search engine can’t find good result

Devaluations from Google updates and manual actions can feel like the end of the world but Kristine Schachinger of Sites Without Walls has advice.  Kristine has spent years helping companies through the post-update recovery process. She also has 17 years of digital experience including a focus on website design and implementation, accessibility standards, and all aspects of website visibility involving SEO, social media, and strategic planning.

Will the Pandemic Change SERP Permanently? Google’s coronavirus search results now has a “sticky” menu to give a pandemic-related set of topic categories. Google Gives a Break to News Publishers by Waiving Ad Serving Fees For five months, those publishers will not pay ad serving fees. Was There a Google Algorithm Update in Mid-April? There’s a lot of chatter out there about this one and people describing impacts they saw, but if there was an update, it was pretty minor.

Search behavior is something that has always been changing over time, but there have been unprecedented shifts caused by the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. Google continues its focus on E-A-T and page quality, but how a global pandemic impacts search behavior also has to be factored in. This week’s special guest Lily Ray, SEO Director at Path Interactive, will shed some light on how digital marketing should respond to changes in search behavior.

Both Apple and Google are Mapping Social Distancing Performance The best weapon to battle COVID-19 is social distancing. How well are we doing? Google and Apple weigh in with mapping data. Need work? Amazon is Hiring Amazon wants to hire 75,000 more people, even amidst criticism from many that it’s not doing enough to protect workers. How the Pandemic is Affecting Search Behavior Google provides bits of advice for how to respond to emerging trends.

Change is the name of the game in digital marketing, and while many times the changes can be good, sometimes they’re not. Change has been especially rapid during the pandemic, and that includes PPC and paid social. Episode 350 of EDGE of the Web's featured guest Amy Bishop, Owner of Cultivative Marketing has been seeing a lot of change happening in PPC and paid social during the pandemic, including shifts in Google Ads Benchmarks by industry and Google PPC Credits.

The Economic Slowdown Hits Yelp Hard The coronavirus pandemic’s economic impact has forced Yelp to lay off 1,000 of its workers and furlough another 1,100. During a Recession, SEO More Important than Ever Survey reveals SEO can and should be maintained as a high priority moving forward through the recession. New Google Blog Series on SEO Value with Case Studies Questioning SEO's value as an investment among competing priorities for scarce resources. Google’s wants to change that.

Nearly 17 million have filed for unemployment in the past three weeks. The economy has come to an abrupt hard stop. What should digital marketing professionals focus on during an unprecedented crisis like the one we’re now experiencing? This week’s featured guest Jon Henshaw, Founder of Coywolf, has been in the SEO space for a long time now! He joins the show to share his knowledge of what digital marketers should be doing to help their clients during this time.

New Smart Speaker Integrations for Google Podcasts Google has been behind the curve on podcast integrations, but is finally catching up with queues, auto-downloads, and more.  2020 Ad Spend Projections on the Decline Projections for worldwide ad spending has been reduced by 3% thanks to the new coronavirus and COVID-19 global pandemic. Google My Business Stops Reviews Since many businesses are supposed to be closed, Google decided to remove the ability for users to post reviews.

Too many companies have SEM strategies entirely focused on keywords or what's “most likely to convert” according to Google, as opposed to what makes the most sense to the real customers on the other side of the marketing equation. Especially in a time of crisis, it makes even more sense to use smart automation and data analytics in your SEM work. This week’s special guest Aaron Levy, Group Director of SEM at Tinuiti, will share his insights for making it happen.

Need Support for Google Ads or Google My Business? Be Prepared to Wait. Google has said users seeking support will experience delays. How Much Will Digital Marketing Suffer from the COVID-19 Pandemic? Many businesses are putting the brakes on all kinds of spending, including digital marketing. What are Marketers Doing to Deal with the COVID-19 Pandemic? Marketers must look at how they can pivot strategies quickly to adapt to the rapidly-evolving situation.