If you’ve been wondering how to perform an audit for your WordPress site without drowning in technical jargon, you’re in the right place.

In this 11-step guide, we’ll break it down SEO auditing so you can identify issues, fix them, and set your site up for success in 2025.

Why 11 and not 10? Apollo 11 was the first rocket to land people on the moon. 11: it’s a rocket thing!

Think of Your Website as Your Car — It Needs Regular Maintenance

Imagine your website is your car. If you’ve got a clunker, imagine your website is a Ferrari. You wouldn’t drive for years without checking the engine or changing the oil, right?

Just like that Ferrari, your WordPress site needs periodic audits to ensure it’s running smoothly. A well-maintained site is faster, more secure, and better optimized for search engines. 

If your website doesn’t work, you can’t make any sales. A well-maintained website doesn’t break down. A well-maintained website is better.

The most successful SEO strategies aren’t about chasing algorithms. They’re about building a strong technical foundation and creating content that serves your audience’s needs.

Tools You’ll Need for Your WordPress Site Audit

Before diving into the nitty-gritty, let’s gather some essential tools. Many are free and beginner-friendly. Here are some of our faves:

Google Search Console and Microsoft Webmaster Tools: These are your go-to tools for understanding how search engines view your site. They highlight indexing issues, performance metrics, and more. Both tools are free. Google only has 85% of the market in the US, so use both of them.

WordPress Plugins: Plugins like Yoast and Rank Math are invaluable for spotting SEO and performance issues. WP-Optimize can help you with core web vitals. Antispam Bee helps keep the paparazzi away from that Ferrari you’re driving.

Screaming Frog SEO Spider: This is a powerful tool for crawling your website and uncovering technical issues from missing H1s to misplaced canonical tags. The free version does a lot!

PageSpeed Insights: Google’s free tool to analyze your site’s speed and suggest optimizations.

Semrush: Both paid and free versions are perfect for keyword research, site audits, and competitive analysis. The free version allows you one project so it’s a good place to start.

While paid tools can offer deeper insights, the fundamental health of your website can be assessed using free tools. Start there.

Step 1: Check Your Website’s Speed

No one likes being stuck in the slow lane. A slow website can frustrate visitors and hurt your search rankings. Use tools like PageSpeed Insights to assess your loading times. Focus on three things to start:

• Enabling Caching: Plugins can speed up your site by caching pages. We include WP-Rocket for free!
• Minimizing Code: Compress and clean up your CSS, JavaScript, and HTML.

Speed matters. A delay of even a few seconds can significantly impact user experience and conversions.

“Rocket.net handles the speed of the server. Caching plugins handle the experience, and how the browser is instructed to handle loading as your page is rendered.”

Rocket.net – Rocket Still Recommends Caching Plugins – Though It’s Really About Optimization

Step 2: Test Your Website’s Core Web Vitals

Google’s Core Web Vitals are about more than speed. They focus on the user experience. Once your page has loaded, make sure people stay for a while.

“Core Web Vitals are about more than just fast-loading websites – they are about websites that deliver. It all comes down to UX — having your websites load quickly so people can do what they need to.”

Rocket.net – Significance Of TTFB – The Most Important Metric That Nobody Thinks Of For Core Web Vitals

Step 3: Secure Your WordPress Site

Website security isn’t an option — it’s essential. Think of security as locking your car’s doors and taking the keys before leaving it in the parking lot. Here’s what to check:

Update Everything: Regularly. Keep your WordPress version, themes, and plugins up to date. Out-of-date software is a security risk.

Install a Security Plugin: Use plugins to scan for vulnerabilities and block threats. Ensure your hosting provider prioritizes security, too.

Use Strong Passwords: Ensure all users have secure, unique passwords that are regularly changed. Enable HTTPS: If you haven’t (really?) already, install an SSL certificate to encrypt data.

“Choose a website host who prioritizes security and protects your clients out of the box without any special configurations needed.”

Rocket.net – How To Ensure Security With Your Agency’s WordPress Hosting

Step 4: Review Your Website’s Structure

A well-organized website is easier for people to use. A well-structured website is at the heart of good SEO. It’s a win-win. Start with these basics:

Permalink Settings: Ensure your URLs are clean and descriptive (e.g., “/blog/seo-tips” instead of “/?p=123”).

Sitemaps: Use plugins like Yoast or Rank Math to generate an XML sitemap and submit it to Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools. Indexing changes daily. Don’t submit and forget. Check-in once a week to see if pages need to be manually submitted.

Breadcrumbs: Enable breadcrumbs for better navigation and SEO benefits.

Orphans in the Storm: Are all your pages (except for Landing Pages) connected to another page?

Step 5: Evaluate (Mobile) Usability

With most users browsing on mobile devices, ensuring your site is mobile-friendly is non-negotiable. It’s 2025. The “mobile moment” happened a decade ago.

• Responsive Design: Your site should look good and function properly on all screens.
• Tap Targets: Buttons and links should be easy to click with a finger.
• Readability: Ensure fonts are large enough, content is spaced well, and contrast is user-friendly.
• Overall Accessibility and Sustainability: How does your site measure up?

“Web accessibility means ensuring everyone can access and use your website. It’s a legal requirement in many places. The ADA requires many websites to be accessible. An accessible website benefits everyone.”

Rocket.net – Comprehensive Accessibility for WordPress Agencies

Step 6: Audit Your Plugins and Themes

While plugins and themes add functionality, they can also slow down your site or introduce vulnerabilities. Review:

• Inactive Plugins: Delete plugins you’re not using.
• Quality Over Quantity: Avoid bloating your site with unnecessary plugins.
• Theme Updates: Use a reliable, well-supported theme and keep it updated.
• Page Builders: Are you using a page builder where blocks would do the same job? Why?

“WordPress is a platform for various websites, including niche blogs, online shops, portfolios, and lifestyle magazines. Each theme is tailored to cater to specific markets, and your selected theme should enhance your website’s content – not compete with it.”

Rocket.net – Top 5 Considerations For Picking The Best WordPress Theme

Step 7: Check for Broken Links

Broken links frustrate users and harm your SEO. Use tools like Broken Link Checker or Screaming Frog to identify where you’re bleeding traffic.

Internal Links: Fix or redirect broken links within your site. Internal links are SEO gold.

External Links: Replace or update outdated links to other websites.

“A quarter of all webpages that existed at one point between 2013 and 2023 are no longer accessible, as of October 2023.”

Pew Research

Step 8: Monitor Analytics

Data is your best friend when auditing a website. Use tools like Google Analytics or Matomo to understand who visits your website and what they do.

• Traffic Sources: Where are your visitors coming from?
• Behavior: Which pages are they visiting and how long do they stay?
• Conversions: Are users taking desired actions, like filling out a form or making a purchase?

Step 9: Assess Your Content

Content is the heart of your website. But is it working for you? Here’s how to find out:

• Check for Duplicate Content: Tools like Screaming Frog can identify duplicates that might confuse search engines. That said, duplicate content is better than no content.
• Review Metadata: Ensure each page has a unique title tag and meta description that includes relevant keywords. Hot tip: Bing still uses the meta keywords tag. You should, too.
• Update Old Posts: Refresh outdated content to keep it relevant.

Content isn’t just about keywords. It’s about creating value for your audience.

“Google is prioritising high-quality, original content over low-quality, unoriginal content. Websites that produce informative, in-depth, and trustworthy content are being rewarded, while those relying on thin, keyword-stuffed, or AI-generated content are being penalised.”

Rocket.net – What the Google March 2024 Core Update Taught Everyone

Step 10: Optimise Your Website for Keywords

Your keywords guide search engines to understand your content. They are kind of a big deal for your SEO, but they’re not the A&O of SEO. Don’t panic. Here’s how to incorporate keywords into your audit:

• Keyword Placement: Use keywords naturally in titles, headers, and content.
• Focus on Intent: Prioritise terms that align with what your audience is searching for.
• Track Performance: Monitor keyword rankings to see what’s working and where you can improve.

The best keywords aren’t always the most obvious ones. Think about how your customers actually talk about their problems.

Step 11: Checking Your Site’s Visibility

Now that your website is ready, check to see if search engines can see it. For that, your sitemaps can help. Step 11 is the longest, because, well, visibility is kind of a big deal, right?

Create both XML and HTML sitemaps. The XML sitemap is like a blueprint for search engines, while the HTML sitemap helps human visitors find their way around. Make sure to:

• Submit your XML sitemap to Google Search Console and Bing.
• Keep your sitemaps updated as your site grows.
• Include all important pages but exclude unnecessary ones.

The robots.txt File: Your Digital Welcome Mat

Think of robots.txt as instructions for search engine visitors. It tells them which rooms (pages) they can enter and which ones are off-limits. Place it in your root directory and keep it simple:

• Block access to private areas.
• Guide crawlers to your important content.
• Point to your sitemap location.

Finding those Pesky Indexing Issues

Just because you published a page doesn’t mean it’s in Google’s or Bing’s index. Check your coverage and look for:

• Pages marked as “not indexed”
• Redirect chains that need cleaning up
• Duplicate content issues
• Mobile usability problems

Don’t panic if you see indexing issues — they’re normal. Focus on fixing the most important pages first and work your way down the list.

Wrapping Up Your WordPress Website Audit

Conducting an audit might seem daunting but breaking it into manageable steps makes it straightforward. Spend ten minutes daily, and you’ve done a weekly hour-long audit before you know it.

By addressing speed, security, structure, content, and usability, you’ll create a WordPress site that’s both user-friendly and search-engine ready. Now, that’s what we call SEO Auditing.

An SEO audit isn’t a one-time task. Regular checkups are key to maintaining a healthy, high-performing website.

Fast & Secure Hosting? Yes, Please!

Grow your business with lightning-fast, secure, and optimized websites that are easy to set up & manage. Top-tier agencies and online businesses choose Rocket.net as their trusted managed WordPress hosting provider – why shouldn’t you, too?

To add to the good news, this isn’t a problem with your entire website; rather, content decay is a page-by-page problem. (You can breathe a sigh of relief now.) Remember, Google and Bing don’t index websites; they index pages.

Content decay can happen for many reasons: changing search intent, a change in your content focus, increased competitor content, and generally evolving user needs. It needn’t be your fault but becomes your fault if you don’t fix the problem. And, like neglected tooth decay, fixing it becomes more expensive.

Think of content like your backyard deck that you post on Instagram. It will fall apart if you don’t maintain the wood, paint, and joints every year. That’s not climate change destroying your deck; that’s the result of you ignoring your property. 

Fighting content decay isn’t rocket science; it’s just work. The good thing is that WordPress makes content updates easier and faster, so you can concentrate on the writing.

WordPress 6.7 was a game changer for content creation which helps tremendously with content decay. We’d like to point out that updating content isn’t just about the main article. Updating content includes changing your featured image, rewriting the meta description, adding captions and alt text for images, and checking for broken links.

If you’re not doing all of the following to fix content decay and maintain your ranking and traffic, then you should read on. We’ve got you covered!

TL;DR: 6 SEO Fixes for Content Decay

1. Updating existing content
2. Adding new, relevant information
3. Optimizing for current SEO standards
4. Improving user engagement
5. Staying on top of current search intent
6. Using a great CMS, like WordPress

“The ability to add, rearrange, and edit patterns more efficiently enables you to update your content more frequently, keeping it fresh and relevant. (WordPress) lets you focus on broader content updates without getting bogged down in individual block edits.”

Rocket.net – WordPress 6.7 – A New Era of Content Creation and Design

What is Content Decay and How Does it Happen?

The content lifecycle typically follows a predictable pattern, beginning with an initial period of attention. 

• Initial indexing and algorithm analysis
• Sporadic traffic spikes in the first weeks
• Possible short-term boost from social media and newsletters

As your content gains backlinks and rankings improve, it enters a growth phase. 

• Steady increase in organic traffic
• Accumulation of backlinks (hopefully!)
• Improved rankings for more search queries

Eventually, your content reaches its peak performance, depending on varying factors. 

• Growth plateaus due to reaching a ranking ceiling
• Duration varies from days to months
• This can occur from maxing out rankings or facing new competition

Finally, your content enters a period of decay. This is what we want to help you fix.

• Performance decline begins
• Usually happens faster for competitive topics
• Caused by decreased relevance or freshness
• Can affect relatively new content in competitive spaces

When Does Your Content Begin to Decay?

Despite what fancy salespeople like to pitch, there is no magic shelf life for content. It’s not yogurt. Search for a topic in Google or Bing and you still find articles from top brands stretching back to the early 2000s. When does your content expire? As they say in SEO, “It depends.” 

Check your sitemap.xml quarterly to see how old articles and pages are. As a rule, you should take another look at any content that hasn’t been updated in the last six months.

• News: Hours. Days to weeks.
• Tech/Trends: Months.
• SEO Content: 6-12 months.
• Technical: Months to years for links, years for code.
• Engagement: Months for popular, years for niche.
• Accuracy: 1 year (or less in fast-evolving fields).

“What people mean when they talk about Content Decay is a slow drop in search traffic. But a slow drop in traffic is not a definition, it’s just a symptom of the problem of declining user interest.”

searchenginejournal.com

How to Find Content Decay on Your Website

To find content decay on your website, monitor drops in organic traffic and keyword rankings. Use your analytics tool and SEO plugin in combination with Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools performance reports. 

Other tools like Semrush, Sistrix, and Ahrefs provide you with similar reporting. If you can’t measure it, you can’t use it. Find a tool that fits your needs. 

If you still aren’t using an SEO plugin, WPMarmite has you covered with a review of the best ones. 

Regardless of your tool of choice, you should be looking at two things: a report of your content performance and a report of your keyword rankings.

Analyze engagement metrics such as bounce rates and time on page to help you identify underperforming content. You want time on page to be 2 minutes or more on average. Check for outdated information, ensure relevance to current trends, and address technical issues like broken links or slow load times. Most important of all is to watch out for content people are looking for.

Regular audits help keep your content fresh, accurate, and aligned with user intent. That gets you visits.

Tip 1: Updating Your Content to Get Google and Bing’s Attention

Freshen those stats, swap out old examples, and add the latest industry buzz. Are you still optimizing for 2023 keywords in 2025? 

Google and Bing love to see that you’re keeping things current. And, if you’re focused on AI citations, your content needs to be better than even the big two search engines. When you edit and refresh articles on your website, don’t forget to request reindexing on Google Search Console. This is an important step that many people forget.

If Google and Bing are still important to your game plan, then here’s a good old basic SEO reminder:

• Create comprehensive, original content – that means first-hand (think Reddit).

• Add new insights and current data and remove outdated information.
• Are you using schema markup? Really? To the max?

• Improving page loading speed is often the same thing as updating your content.
• Credibility Boosters: case studies are fine, but short podcasts with guests are better. 

• Use Google Search Console. Use Bing Webmaster Tools.
• Continuously refine your content strategy. That alone can help stop decaying content.

Tip 2: Adding Search-Friendly Content

What does that even mean? It’s 2025, and people are asking Alexa and Siri for recommendations. We’re using AI for informational search queries. That’s 90% of SEO outside of the big two search engines. We haven’t even mentioned Amazon, Etsy, or YouTube. Want to talk about TikTok search for a moment?

Search-friendly doesn’t mean just Google or Bing. Not anymore. Search-friendly means wherever your customers are searching. It could be the local paper. Yes, it could be X, Google Maps, and Yelp.

Don’t just stick to surface updates of your content. Think out of the box. Look at your customer insights from support tickets, emails, and even replies on social. Watch the conversations on X. Weave in new research and emerging trends. Updating content is like adding new ingredients to keep your recipe exciting and relevant. 

While you’re at it, don’t be afraid to prune away anything that’s past its prime. Saying goodbye to your number one post can be hard, but if people love it, they will return.

Tip 3: Absolutely Nothing New to Write or Optimize in Your Content? Try Chunking.

We wrote about content chunking in a recent post. Think of chunking as revamping your kitchen. Everything is perfect, but you could find your favorite spices a little easier, right? (And get rid of the expired ones, gross!)

Chunking out your content for AI and search engines is like rearranging your spice rack. Not a hobby chef? Then, think of it as rearranging the tools in your workshop.

Content chunking breaks long-form content into focused, digestible sections to improve SEO performance and user experience. You can enhance visibility and engagement in AI citations and search engines by simply restructuring your content for specific search intents. No new content is required!

Let’s say we have an article about recovering organic website traffic that is six months old. We’re losing visibility but don’t have time to write a new article. You can go in and chunk out two pieces in the same article. It’s like a new layer of paint on your deck. Don’t work harder; work smarter

Example: AI Search Citation Chunk

SEO fundamentals remain unchanged: create high-quality, user-focused content that answers audience questions. Focus on semantic HTML for better structure and accessibility, benefiting users and search engines. Craft compelling headlines and opening paragraphs to increase engagement. Use keywords to guide content creation, prioritizing user intent over keyword density. Effective SEO is about making valuable content easily discoverable by people who need it, not outsmarting search algorithms.

Example: Featured Snippet Chunk

How to rediscover SEO and recover organic traffic:

• Create high-quality, user-focused content.
• Implement semantic HTML for better structure.
• Craft compelling headlines and opening paragraphs.
• Use keywords to guide content, focusing on user intent.
• Prioritize simple, well-structured content over complex SEO strategies.

Effective SEO focuses on making valuable content easily discoverable by people who need it, rather than trying to outsmart search algorithms.

See what we did there? We optimized the content in a much quicker and more useful way than a complete rewrite would have accomplished. Content decay avoided!

“Featured Snippets benefit from smaller chunks of content. AI Search Citations benefit from bigger chunks of content.”

Rocket.net – Why Content Chunking For Ranking AI Overviews Makes Sense

Tip 4: Quick Wins to Improve Use Engagement

To keep readers engaged, you have to keep their attention. A video here, an interactive poll there. Learn from social media. Watch your analytics, too. Where are readers dropping off? 

Holding onto your rankings and page traffic is more than adding attention-grabbing content. Your website isn’t a circus. People need to trust your website in order to trust you with their business. Add relevance and value to your content with videos, infographics, and downloadable content.

Here is an out-of-the-box idea:

Create a “living” content hub. This goes beyond a static blog by transforming yours into a dynamic, continuously evolving resource. Integrate regularly updated sections like “What’s New in Digital Marketing for 2025.” Embed live Q&A sessions and utilize webhooks to display real-time industry trends. 

You’ll keep your content fresh and search-engine friendly while building an interactive experience that encourages users to return. Your content goes from a one-time read into an ongoing conversation.

The Ultimate Guide to Digital Marketing Trends (2025 Edition)

Dynamic Features:

1. Regularly Updated Trends Section:
   • A dedicated area at the top titled “What’s New in Digital Marketing” updates weekly with the latest insights (e.g., “AI-Powered SEO Tools Are Redefining Search Strategies”).
   • Use APIs to pull real-time data, such as trending keywords, analytics, or case studies.
2. Live Q&A Widget:
   • Embed a chat or forum where users can ask questions (e.g., “How do I adapt my strategy to algorithm changes?”) and receive answers from experts or AI.
   • Archive the Q&A responses as mini-blog entries to build an evergreen FAQ section.
3. Industry Updates Feed:
   • A sidebar showing live stats (e.g., “Today’s Most Googled Marketing Buzzwords”).
   • Use a service like Zapier to pull data from relevant industries or even a service like UpContent to enhance content on your site.
4. Community-Driven Spotlight:
   • Showcase top comments from users, like “Top Marketing Hacks from Our Readers.”
   • Add support ticket queries or chatbot chats; this spotlights your expertise!
   • Allow users to upvote or share their favorite ideas.

Why It Works:

• Regular updates signal freshness to search engines, improving ranking.
• User interaction increases dwell time and pages per session.
• Real-time relevance builds authority and encourages backlinks.

Tip 5: Is Search Intent Obvious or Are You Missing Something?

Search intent is often not as obvious as we would like it to be. Search intent is simply understanding exactly what someone is trying to find. Do they want to purchase, learn something, find a specific website, or solve a problem?

However, as search habits change, there is a lot we could be missing. That is a good chance to update content and win some clicks.

The Intent You Might Be Missing

Search intent can sometimes seem obvious, but some nuances can be missed. Can your content be optimized for any of the following?

Explicit vs. Implicit Intent:

• Explicit Intent: The user clearly states what they are looking for. For example, “Best Smartphones 2025” shows a clear intent to find information on the best smartphones of that year.
• Implicit Intent: The user might not directly state their need; for instance, “how to make a smartphone last longer” could relate to battery life, durability, or software maintenance.

Contextual Clues:

• Keywords: The choice of words can reveal intent. “Buy” or “purchase” suggests transactional intent, while “how to” indicates informational.
• User Behavior: Previous interactions, click patterns, and session history can also provide insight into what the user might be looking for.

User Demographics and Location:

• Even if you know the user is from Canada, don’t assume their current location without confirmation. Ask for more details if the search intent seems location-specific.

Ambiguity and Multi-Intent Queries:

• Some queries can have multiple intents. “Apple” could refer to the fruit, the company, or even a record label. Recognizing this requires understanding the broader context of the search.

Feedback and Iteration:

• If you’re in a position to interact with users, feedback can be invaluable. Adjust your interpretation based on user reactions or further queries. Build a FAQ from all those emails and phone calls you receive.

Tip 6: Use the Tools You Have. AKA Build Better.

WordPress. Your trusty Swiss Army knife. Your CMS has all the tools you need to keep your content sharp and performing well. When was the last time you used 100% of your CMS?

Don’t forget those SEO plugins and scheduling features to maintain your content; they make your website much less work than maintaining your deck!

“Your purpose is to create content that educates and helps people – content that showcases your expertise. That’s what clients are looking for. No one is looking to buy a thousand words – they’re looking to buy a message.”

Rocket.net – Still Thinking About Using AI Content on Your Website?

Fast & Secure Hosting? Yes, Please!

Grow your business with lightning-fast, secure, and optimized websites that are easy to set up & manage. Top-tier agencies and online businesses choose Rocket.net as their trusted managed WordPress hosting provider – why shouldn’t you, too?

Whether you’re a pro content creator or a rookie, understanding content chunking could be a game-changer in 2025 – so read on!

What Exactly Is Content Chunking (And Why Should You Care)?

Content chunking is your website’s secret weapon for SEO in the age of AI. Long articles are great for subscriber content, but not for grab-and-go visibility. Instead of layers, breaking your content into focused, digestible chunks can help you rank in search results.

Think about it. When was the last time you read an entire article from start to finish? Most people scan for specific information that solves a particular need. 

Content chunking isn’t just about SEO; it’s about giving your readers exactly what they want – when and how they want it.

Here’s why content chunking works:

• It aligns perfectly with AI search
• It’s ideal for voice search and featured snippets
• People find information faster and stay engaged longer
• Your content becomes more discoverable for queries across multiple channels

Who’s Crushing It with Content Chunking?

“Content chunking?” We’re not making this up. Platforms with the best social and search visibility have been chunking their content for years – and getting eyes!

Here are some examples of content chunking done right:

The New York Times has mastered breaking down complex stories into scannable sections. Each section answers specific questions while maintaining narrative flow. This is exactly what readers (and search engines) love. But hey, they’re a newspaper and that’s how journalists write.

Closer to how most of us write is HubSpot. Their blog posts are master works in content chunking. They use clear headings, FAQ sections, infographics, and structured data to maximise visibility for multiple search queries.

If we’re talking about SEO, then we need to talk about Ahrefs. Their comprehensive guides are perfectly chunked with anchor links, accessible sections, and optimised subheadings. It’s no wonder they dominate SEO-related searches.

Finally, eCommerce plays a huge part in SEO, so Amazon must be mentioned. They chunk product descriptions, FAQs, and reviews to capture attention for specific search intents.

“‘Chunk SEO’ is here to stay! Think smaller to rank bigger! SEO in 2025 will be all about optimising bite-sized content chunks, not whole pages — because that’s how AI-powered search works!”

Pam Aungst Cronin

Content Chunking for Featured Snippets vs AI Search Citations

Let’s face it — content creators face two challenges. First, you need content to resonate with human readers, and second, you need to gain visibility through those pesky algorithms. How do you accomplish both?

If you plan to chunk your content for SEO, you need a two-pronged approach. Your content structure must be similar for featured snippets and AI search citations, but it will differ based on goals and presentation.

What? That was a mouthful; but here is what we mean:

• Featured Snippets on search engines benefit from small, concise chunks designed for clarity and immediate user needs. Content comes from one website. Think about how you used to write to be “tweetable.” We’re talking about the AI version of soundbites.
• AI Search Citations require detailed, authoritative chunks that give context and value over a broader narrative. Content is derived from various websites. This is where your authority and expertise come to play.

What to remember: Featured Snippets benefit from smaller chunks of content. AI Search Citations benefit from bigger chunks of content.

“Use AI as a collaborative tool to assist with research, analysis, and idea generation, but maintain your oversight and finalization. Don’t forget to maintain your brand voice.”

Rocket.net – Still Thinking About Using AI Content on Your Website?

Let’s Compare Search Engine Chunks with AI Chunks

Chunking for Featured Snippets

Your Goal: Break content into easily digestible, search-engine-friendly snippets.

Key Features of Your Chunk:

• Small paragraphs (2-3 sentences), bullet points, or numbered lists.
• Start each chunk with the most relevant information. Solution first.
• Each chunk aligns with a specific query or subtopic.
• Examples: FAQs, step-by-step guides, and definitions.

Example: Content Chunk Optimized for Featured Snippets

How to Improve Website Speed for SEO

• Compress images using tools like TinyPNG to reduce file size.
• Cache static files locally to reduce load times.
• Minimize your HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
• Distribute content across multiple servers for faster delivery via a CDN.
• Choose a host with faster server response times.

Chunking for AI Search Citations

Your Goal: Create detailed, authoritative sections for AI systems to extract context-rich citations.

Key Features of Your Chunk:

• Paragraphs with comprehensive explanations (5-7 sentences).
• Each chunk expands on a subtopic with supporting details.
• Connect chunks with transitions to ensure readability and flow.
• Examples: In-depth guides, case studies, and research-backed articles.

Example: Content Chunk Optimized for AI Search Citations

Strategies to Improve Website Speed for SEO

Website speed is still a critical factor for SEO. It can affect both user experience and search engine rankings. Here are some ways you can push the pedal to the metal:

• Optimize Images: Large image files slow down page loading. Use tools like TinyPNG  to compress images without losing quality. You can also serve images in next-gen formats like webp for better performance.

• Enable Browser Caching: Browser caching stores static assets (e.g., images, CSS) locally on users’ devices, reducing load times for returning visitors. Implement caching via your server settings or WordPress plugin.

• Minify Code: Streamline HTML, CSS, and JavaScript by removing whitespace and redundant comments. Tools like Page Speed Insights recommend specific files to optimize.

• Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN): CDNs store and deliver content from servers closest to the user. Platforms like Cloudflare improve load times, especially for global audiences.
  
• Upgrade Hosting: Slow servers cause bottlenecks in website performance. Choose hosting providers known for speed like rocket.net, or switch to a dedicated server or VPS for better scalability.

“A satisfied search engine and happy visitors are not achieved with fly-by-night content. You can either invest time learning SEO copywriting or get your website copy written by a professional.”

Rocket.net – Why Good Content Is Still King For SEO. What Is E-A-T?

How to Implement Content Chunking on Your Site in 3 EZ Steps

Ready to start chunking your content? Here are the elements to remember:

Step 1: Plan Your Structure

• Start by outlining your main topics and breaking them into subtopics.
• Use tools like Google’s People Also Ask or keyword research tools like SISTRIX and Semrush to identify user queries.

Step 2: Optimize Each Section

• Focus each chunk on one query. Keep it concise and actionable.
• Use structured data to help search engines understand your content hierarchy.

Step 3: Add Navigation Features

• Use anchor links and tables of content for enhanced user experience.
• Test navigation elements to ensure they’re intuitive and functional.

Ready to Transform Your Content?

Remember, content chunking isn’t just another SEO tactic – it’s a fundamental shift in creating and organizing content for people and algorithms. The best part? You can start implementing these changes right away.

What creative ways are you planning to chunk your content? Jump on over to X (Twitter) and let us know what you’re doing!

Choose The Future of WordPress Hosting!

By investing in WordPress hosting, you’re equipping yourself with the tools and resources necessary to build a robust, secure, and high-performing online presence. Spend your time captivating and engaging with your audience. Let your hosting take care of the rest!

Say what? That’s right. Google is offering up your web content in rich search results for everyone to see without a click while AI delivers your content, free of charge, as if your content were its own. The challenge is real.

“Google is testing placing a ‘quick view’ button overlayed on the images on recipes within Google Search. The crazy part is that clicking on “Quick view” keeps you on Google while giving you a snapshot of the content from the publisher, without sending that traffic to the publisher.”

seroundtable.com

Your Content Has Left the Building

Your content contributes to your profits. And you need those profits. Can we get an amen?! Thank you. Generative Search is a problem.

For the little people, and we are all little people, profits are more than a Lambo you can splash on X; profits enable you. 

Profits allow you to grow, hire more people, and donate more time to your community. Profits are good. AI doesn’t need profits. Algorithms don’t need profits. People need profits.

We called it back in January: social search, the importance of UX, and the rise of the machines.

“Here Are Our Four SEO Predictions for 2024: 1. The Growing Importance of AI in SEO. From voice search to personalized search results, you can bet that AI and machine learning will play an even greater role in SEO than it already has.”

Rocket.net – Our Top 2024 SEO Predictions. Is SEO Really Doomed?

Let’s look at how you can rein in your free-floating content and take back some of your profits. Let’s make a new prediction for 2025: “The Growing Importance of Niche Content in SEO.”

What Are Zero-Click Searches?

Zero-click searches occur when users get their answers directly from the SERPs  without clicking through to any website. While Google displays our content, AI integrates our content into its results. 

SEO means getting seen, so in many ways, zero-click is not so bad. Your cheesecake recipe is getting exposure. Visibility is a very good thing. That is one way of looking at it.

On the other hand, zero-click means your recipe can be seen and used and you get no click. You get no ad revenue from display ads on your website. You receive no comments and there is a little-to-no chance of a social share.

Zero-click answers appear in various SERP features, including:

• Featured snippets (Position 0)
• Knowledge panels and Google Business Profile
• People Also Ask boxes
• Local packs
• Direct answers
• AI Overview (SERPs) and AI Citations

SparkToro brought zero-click to our attention back in 2019 and since then the only thing that has changed is AI. 65% and ⅔ are near enough to one another, but the tendency is growing. When you add AI results, then it’s growing a lot.

“64.82% of searches on Google (desktop and mobile combined) ended in the search results without clicking to another web property.” (2020)

sparktoro.com

The Zero-Click Challenge for Organic Search

The key to SEO success hasn’t changed. It still lies in optimizing your content for SERP features. In short, Master SERP features. 

• Create content that targets featured snippets. Snippets are teasers. In other words, give people reasons to click.
• Structure content with clear headings and concise answers to common questions in your industry. 
• Implement schema markup to give search engines more context about your content.

The best tip we can offer remains: don’t forget your long-tail keywords. LTKs require detailed explanations and are often calls to action. They present opportunities for in-depth content that can’t be fully answered in a simple snippet. Result: people want to click through to your site for more information.

Content Marketing: Go Beyond the Basics

Content Marketing isn’t just about the swag; it’s about using your content as a marketing tool. So ask yourself: Is my content just helpful for my visitors, or does it also help my business?

• Embrace Local SEO to get those Local Pack clicks
• (Really) understand the User Intent behind the search terms
• Enhance UX with first-hand content
• Revisit E-E-A-T

E-E-A-T isn’t about bite-size content people can consume on the go. Your content should provide value. It should be something people stop and want to savor. Go beyond the SERP. 

Develop comprehensive resources that include unique insights, case studies, and expert opinions. Be a hero and offer trademark content. E-E-A-T establishes your authority and gives users a reason to visit your site for the full picture.

Niche Blogger Tip: Add infographics and other free downloads to your content These elements can’t be easily replicated in SERP features and offer a reason for people to click.

The Zero-Click Challenge for Niche Bloggers: Get Social

Do you have a blog? Then zero-click searches present several challenges for you. However, as a blogger, social media plays a more important role in your ecosystem than search. 

When you’re facing challenges from zero-click results and AI-generated content, look to your community. 

Let’s look at what you can do to recapture some of that lost traffic and revenue using your social channels:

Reduced Organic Traffic: When readers find answers without visiting your site, you lose potential visitors.

Social media is a great channel for distributing content and driving traffic back to your blog. That can potentially offset the losses you have from reduced search visibility.

Lower Ad Revenue and Diminished Affiliate Opportunities: Fewer pageviews mean decreased advertising income. Less traffic results in fewer chances to convert visitors into affiliate sales.

Some bloggers are shifting focus to social media-based monetization strategies, like sponsored posts or affiliate marketing through platforms like Instagram or TikTok.

Brand Recognition Issues: Users may get information without knowing its source.

A strong social media presence helps your content stand out amidst the noise of AI-generated content.

As website traffic decreases due to zero-click results, social media becomes an increasingly important way to engage with your audience. A click from Google is just a click; a conversation on social media is a potential sale.

Mastering the Art of AI-Friendly Content

You’re probably wondering, “How do I make my content stand out in AI results?” Enter Generative Engine Optimization or GEO.

SEO focuses on pleasing traditional search engines. GEO is all about making your content irresistible to AI. It’s about creating content that AI can easily understand, reference, and even cite. It’s like a Featured Snippet – but you are cited in a document. Pretty sweet.

Key GEO Content Strategies

How do you make your content AI-friendly? At its core, GEO content is all about three things: clarity, structure, and authority.

• Clarity:  Use clear, descriptive headings to guide people and AI through your content. Write as you would when you’re aiming to land a Featured Snippet.
• Structure: Revisit your semantic SEO structure and create a logical flow of information. Create headlines that lead readers from one connecting point to another.
• Authority: Everyone is an expert. Don’t be shy about your credentials. Back up your claims with data and links to reputable sources. But ask yourself – is your content worth referencing?

Mastering GEO doesn’t happen overnight. Neither does SEO. AI is evolving, and so should your strategies. Stay curious, keep experimenting, and don’t be afraid to adapt. 

Search machines have evolved into answering machines. AI is that out of the box.

“Google Search will continue to evolve in the direction of Search Generative Experience.”

searchengineland.com

Get Your Profit On!

Zero-click searches present challenges, but they also create opportunities. The search game hasn’t really changed: your content should provide value beyond basic information. 

Like core Google updates, zero-click and AI results are a wake-up call; you need to remain agile. 

Diversify your revenue streams, become an expert, grow your community, and keep up the good work of building a strong brand. You’ve got this!

Choose The Future of WordPress Hosting!

By investing in WordPress hosting, you’re equipping yourself with the tools and resources necessary to build a robust, secure, and high-performing online presence. Spend your time captivating and engaging with your audience. Let your hosting take care of the rest!

The bedrock of great SEO hasn’t changed much: get yourself in front of people who don’t know your name. So, save the bulk of your energy for closing sales after people find you.

It’s easy to follow slick salespeople and trends, but the truth is that we don’t need to reinvent search engine optimization but to rediscover the timeless principles that have always worked.

Rediscover SEO: Keep It Simple

The most effective strategies are often the simplest ones. SEO is no different. Search engines, at their core are answering machines. You ask a question, they answer. Remember Ask Jeeves? Even ChatGPT is just really answering questions. Answering machines aim to connect people with the most relevant, useful content that solves their problems.

While technical optimization of your website matters, nothing beats high-quality, well-structured content that these answering machines can queue up and display as the answer.

So the real gem of SEO is how to create the best answer. What makes a complete and trustworthy answer to a user’s query? Content from firsthand experience. Content that genuinely answers users’ questions. Stop trying to outsmart search algorithms. In fact, stop thinking about Google’s latest updates altogether.

Focus on creating content that serves your audience’s needs.

Complex SEO strategies fall apart when algorithms update, but clear, informative content maintains its value. Think of your content as a conversation with your readers rather than a puzzle to solve for search engines.

“There is no fixed framework for developing an SEO strategy – too many variables exist … (but) You would be surprised how many ideas present themselves if you just carefully review everything that ranks high on the SERPs for your dream keywords.”

searchengineland.com

Semantic HTML for the Win

At its very core the word semantic means, well, meaning. And you may be familiar with the term “semantic” in the SEO context – i.e. Google loves semantic SEO. Bringing meaning and context to search is the general idea of “semantic SEO.” Here’s how it works:

Without semantic search, “vegan diet and health” would just deliver all results containing any of those terms. You’d get results that include “health” but not “diet” or “vegan.” You’d see results promoting beef for heart health. How irrelevant, and possibly offensive, might that be? Semantic search, on the other hand, includes all of those terms, “vegan diet and health,” and delivers better results for the user.

Semantic HTML goes along the same vein with context and meaning. While Google is a black box (no one really knows how it works), semantic HTML is uncomplicated. Semantic HTML basically refers to the best practices of heading structure and context to links and buttons. Semantic HTML (or some people would just say “good HTML”) increases the accessibility of your website; and actually, helps make your site more sustainable.

Semantic HTML elements like <article>, <section>, <nav>, and <header> provide context that search engines use to determine the relevance and importance of your content. Just like we scan articles to find those highlights and subheadings, so do crawlers.

Using proper heading hierarchy (<h1> through <h6>), meaningful alt text for images, and appropriate meta descriptions help SEO, too. They aren’t just good practice — they’re essential for accessibility. It turns out that any good accessibility moves are also good for SEO. Why? The internet is all about words. So giving meaning to those words is key.

Semantic HTML elements create a clear content hierarchy that both search engines and users can easily navigate and understand.

HTML isn’t just about making your website look good—it’s about helping search engines understand your content’s structure and meaning. In short, HTML is good for SEO.

“Ensure your website is not only mobile-responsive but also accessible to users with special needs. Use semantic HTML, provide alt text for images, and ensure proper colour contrast. Test your site using tools like Lighthouse to identify accessibility issues. That helps your visitors and your SEO!”

Rocket.net – Top 5 Ways to Improve the CTR on Your Website

Your Page Headline is 80% of the Article

If you think about the headline in the context of semantic search, you’ll be nodding your head thinking “oh! That’s why Google dings clickbait.” A headline should do more than catch attention. It’s not just the hook that matters, but what it’s attached to. That said, your page title (SEO Title) is one of the most important factors in whether someone clicks on your content in the SERPs.

The headline of a blog article is not the same as that of a social media post. It’s different from an advertisement, too. The headline matches the intent of the content. It’s a shortened, thesis if you will. 

A well-crafted headline should do three things:

• clearly communicate the content and value proposition
• naturally incorporate keywords and intent
• spark curiosity to encourage a click

It’s worth spending as much time on your headline as you do on the rest of your content. Write your headline first but go back after you have written your article. Can you improve on your original headline? Probably!

How does your headline stand up? You can score your headlines for free with Sharethough. The headline for this article is 85%.

“Great titles are clear and compelling. They reveal what the content is about but also entice the searcher to click for more.”

semrush.com

The First Paragraph is Your Elevator Speech

A headline may be what gets people clicking on your website, but your opening paragraph is what will decide if they stay there. Think about those first ten seconds of an interview. It’s all decided then. Treat your opening paragraph with the same preparation and respect.

Your opening paragraph is also prime real estate for SERPs, your meta description, your pay-per-click ad – and much more.

If you can’t sell me your product in ten seconds, you won’t sell me your product.

• Seconds 1-3 Explain my problem (aha you “get me”)
• Seconds 4-7 Tell me how it can be solved (aha, you DO “get me”)
• Seconds 8-10 Show me how you did this for someone else (where do I sign?)

Your opening paragraph cuts through the noise. If people aren’t convinced, they won’t read the rest of your content. You need to deliver on your headline’s promise and convince readers they’ve found what they’re looking for.

If readers can’t understand your main point from the first paragraph, you’re likely losing both engagement and search visibility.

“By relying solely on Google for website traffic, you’re vulnerable to algorithm changes, ranking fluctuations, and increased competition for dwindling space in the SERPs. You’re competing against AI now, too.”

Rocket.net – Why You Can’t Rely Just on Google for Website Traffic Anymore

Keywords Keep Your Article Focused

Keywords remain fundamental to SEO, but their role has evolved. Google looks at topic clusters around search terms. AI doesn’t interest itself with keywords at all. This is a game changer because more and more people are using AI for informational searches.

Informational searches (why is the sky blue?) account for 80% of all searches. How many more years will we use Google as an answering machine? Not many.

Rather than stuffing content with repeated phrases, use keywords as a compass to keep your content focused and relevant. Keywords should guide your writing, not define it.

Here is an exercise: “Organic fish, couscous cooking time, vegan tofu, best Italian white wines.” Write a paragraph around these keywords. 

What did you come up with? 

Keywords are about intent. You probably didn’t write a story about the keywords on the list; you probably wrote a paragraph around the intent behind them.

Intent is everything. Keywords are fine for a shopping list, but not very helpful for helping your readers cook a meal.

Keeping your content focused makes it faster and more accessible. Faster wins and accessibility means you’re reaching more people — and machines. That’s the post.

“While keywords are essential for SEO, prioritize high-quality, informative content above all else. Don’t make your content read unnatural or too long by cramming in keywords. This won’t help you rank and will decrease content quality.”

ahrefs.com

Let’s Wrap This Up and Get Back to Basics

The most successful SEO strategies aren’t the most complicated ones. Get back to the basics: simple, well-structured content, strong headlines, focused topics, and clear organization. 

Content that best serves your audience’s needs, performs well in search results.

SEO isn’t about search engines; it’s about making your valuable content easily discoverable by the people who need it. Core SEO practices naturally align with good content creation practices.

The next time you’re tempted to chase the latest SEO trend, don’t. Take a step back and consider whether you’re making things more complicated than they need to be. The best approach is to rediscover what has always worked: creating valuable, well-structured content that serves your audience’s needs.

Choose The Future of WordPress Hosting!

By investing in WordPress hosting, you’re equipping yourself with the tools and resources necessary to build a robust, secure, and high-performing online presence. Spend your time captivating and engaging with your audience. Let your hosting take care of the rest!

Google finished rolling out the update on April 19, 45 days after starting. They described the update as particularly complex, involving changes to multiple core systems. It also marked the end of the separate helpful content update from August 2023.

Now that the smoke has cleared, the question is, is this a new golden age for quality content dawning, or a secret Google plot? Should you be sticking with Google, or focusing on other ways to be found? Let’s look at what we know.

“Which sites have benefited the most (from the Google “Big Brand” Update)? The winners have been the brands’ sites, such as Nike, or Gymshark. Google is ranking the brands directly instead. Also, smaller but authoritative niche brands for the relevant sector.”

@aleyda

Google March 2024 Core Update in a Nutshell

Our biggest takeaway from the last month is Google is saying, raise your content standards. Considering YMYL and EEAT standards, really, nothing new, right? And it was a long update. This is why we love WordPress so much – updates are way faster!

Google primed us for the March update with these words: “We’re enhancing Search, so you see more useful information, and fewer results that feel made for search engines.”

Officially that reads: “Reducing low-quality, unoriginal results Keeping more spam out of your results.” Translated that doesn’t seem much like news: Ditch the fluff, fight the spam! Google’s got your back with a focus on high-quality content.

Call me a dreamer, but wasn’t that always what we expected from Google? So maybe Google is cleaning house. We’re using AI tools more for our informational search, and Google is feeling the pinch. People are even talking a lot more about the benefits of Bing. Bing-bling. Maybe Google has read the writing on the wall and is going to get real.

What We Learned from the Core Update

Three things:

1. Deindexing is real: websites were completely removed from search results!
2. Content matters (more than ever): high-quality, user-centric content that provides value wins.
3. The user reigns supreme: fast loading times, clear navigation, and mobile friendliness still matter.

Our Main Takeaway: Was Google’s Update a Spam Fight?

Nobody likes spam unless it’s fried on a plate with some eggs, and we don’t like clicking on it. However, with the rise of AI-generated content, spam content has been on the rise.

Addressing the increase in content powered by generative AI, as not all AI-generated content meets Google’s quality standards, was really at the heart of the March 2024 core update.

The update targeted webpages that felt like they were created for search engines rather than people, including those designed solely to match specific search queries. Talk about nuance. But Google’s in the business of intent.

The March 2024 Google Core Update marks an evolution in how Google identifies the helpfulness of content, using a variety of innovative signals and approaches rather than relying on a single system.

“We believe these updates will reduce the amount of low-quality content on Search and send more traffic to helpful and high-quality sites. Based on our evaluations, we expect that the combination of this update and our previous efforts will collectively reduce low-quality, unoriginal content in search results by 40%.”

Google

Note: Google actually reached a 45% reduction by the end of the update.

Sticking with Google After the Update? What You Should Be Doing

The March Google update is a call to action for content creators to publish unique, valuable content that enriches our online experiences. That’s what we all try to do, right? A good user experience is about more than just content, so here’s what you should be doing post-update:

1. Assess the Impact on Your Sites
2. Optimise Content and Relevance
3. Revisit Technical SEO Basics
4. Evaluate the Market and Industry Trends
5. Stay Calm and Monitor Progress

“There’s nothing new or special that creators need to do for this update as long as they’ve been making satisfying content meant for people. For those that might not be ranking as well, we strongly encourage reading our creating helpful, reliable, people-first content help page.”

Google

1.   Assess the Impact on Your Sites

First up, determine how the latest update has affected your site. Look at search visibility. Monitor changes in rankings, traffic, clicks, impressions, and conversions. Analyze Google Search Console data for any manual actions or significant changes in impressions, clicks, or average position.

You should pay special attention to the GSC Performance report. A drop in impressions may mean your pages appear less frequently, possibly due to the update. Look to distinguish the impact of the update from normal traffic fluctuations. Don’t fall for the causation/correlation trap.

2.   Optimize Content and Relevance

The core update made it clear that Google is prioritizing high-quality, original content over low-quality, unoriginal content. Websites that produce informative, in-depth, and trustworthy content are being rewarded, while those relying on thin, keyword-stuffed, or AI-generated content are being penalized.

Take Another Look at Your Content: Focus on Quality, Not Quantity

Identify problem pages that were recently negatively impacted. Is there a way to improve their relevance by aligning content with user intent?

• You can strengthen the authority of problem pages by acquiring some high-quality backlinks. Just remember that link quality matters more than link quantity. The update reduced the importance of links as a ranking factor, shifting the focus away from acquiring as many links as possible and towards obtaining high-quality, relevant links. Or, “less is more.”
• Create a content hub with your authority pages to increase the value of your internal links.
• Perform a content audit to identify and eliminate thin, irrelevant content.
• Refresh outdated content and focus on in-depth guides, user testimonials, and data-driven pieces.

Suggest collaborating with clients to showcase their expertise through author bios, case studies, and guest posts on relevant, ranked sites.

“Still thinking about using AI content on your website? while AI tools can be helpful for content creation, they shouldn’t replace human expertise. Focus on using AI to assist you, not create content entirely on its own.”

Rocket.net – Still Thinking About Using AI Content on Your Website?

3.   Revisit Technical SEO Basics

User experience is crucial. The update also emphasized the importance of providing a positive user experience. Websites with fast loading times, mobile-friendly designs, and intuitive navigation are seeing ranking boosts, as Google aims to surface content that is easy for users to engage with.

• Ensure your technical SEO elements are in good shape. Check for crawl errors, broken links, and mobile friendliness. It’s 2024.
• Optimize your website’s performance, including page load speed and other core web vitals.

4.   Evaluate the Market and Industry Trends

The update targeted various spam and manipulation tactics. Don’t rely on expired domain abuse, scaled content abuse, and site reputation abuse for your SERP visibility. Google is cracking down on these practices and rewarding websites that follow its guidelines.

• Review changes in search engine results pages (SERPs) for your key terms.
• Understand what else has happened in your industry. Consider the bigger picture.
• Competitor analysis can provide valuable insights into how others are adapting to the update.

5.   Stay Calm and Monitor Progress

Adaptability and continuous improvement are key. So, don’t panic. Updates happen, and recovery takes time. Be patient while waiting for the update to settle.

In the meantime, regularly monitor your site’s performance, adjust strategies as needed, and stay informed about any further updates.

The volatile nature of the update and the ongoing changes to Google’s algorithms underscore the need for website owners and SEOs to remain adaptable and continuously improve their content and strategies.

Monitoring performance, conducting audits, and staying up to date with Google’s guidance are still essential for long-term success.

“The best cure is prevention, which is true both in medicine and in surviving a Google update. Here’s another cliché: the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. Learn the cycles to predict corrections and updates, stay with the basics of search engine optimization, and ditch hacks.”

Rocket.net – How to Recover From A Google Algorithm Update

Is Google Becoming Too Much of a Distraction? What You Should Be Doing Instead

Not everyone has the resources to fight for visibility. If you want to reach your target group, you can often do this more effectively over social media, or in a forum. Just look at what’s happening over at Reddit lately. Even year-old threads are ranking better than some website content from yesterday.

You may be a niche blogger, or even a mom-and-pop local business using WooCommerce to sell to your customers. How can you effectively increase the visibility and reach a wider audience without heavily competing for search engine dominance? We have some suggestions.

“Niche marketing is the boujie term for segment marketing. It’s a strategy focusing on a specific, narrowly defined target market instead of reaching a broad, general audience.”

Rocket.net – 10 Reasons Why Niche Marketing Can Scale Your Agency

Use Search Engine’s Strengths to Your Advantage

Google Business Profiles, and Bing Places, offer smaller businesses a big chance to be found in the SERPs. Both services are free of charge and support both your organic and paid search engine marketing. Take advantage of both!

Leverage Social Media and Forums to Generate Leads

Use social media platforms to distribute your content, connect with potential customers, and foster a community around your niche. Use social media platforms that cater to your niche, such as specialized forums or specific social networks. 

Consistently providing value through social media interactions can help you attract a loyal following and drive traffic to your blog or online shop. Don’t forget to add a Facebook Business Page to your account. It’s another free tool that is indexed by Google & Bing.

As a niche blogger, you can leverage forums and social media to increase your online visibility to reach your target audience.

• Offer Unique Perspectives: Differentiate yourself by providing unique insights, perspectives, and solutions that cater to your target audience. This can help you stand out in a crowded online landscape. Answer questions and get into a conversation. You can’t sell anything without a dialogue. 
• Engage in Niche-Specific Forums: Actively participate in forums related to your niche. Share your expertise, engage with your audience, and build credibility within the community. This can help you reach a new audience and drive traffic to your blog.

As a local business with a small online shop, you can benefit in several ways by leveraging both Google and forums/social media to increase your visibility.

• Offer Personalized Service: As a local business, you can leverage your personal connection with the community and provide exceptional customer service. This can set you apart from larger online retailers and create a more enjoyable shopping experience for your customers.
• Engage in Industry Forums: Actively participate in relevant industry forums, where you can share your expertise, engage with your audience, and build credibility. This can help you reach a new audience and drive traffic to your online shop. Engage with people by answering their questions and sparking conversations. You can’t sell if you’re not talking with people.

By balancing your efforts between SEO in Google, actively participating in forums, and strategically engaging on social media, you can effectively increase visibility and reach a wider audience without heavily competing for search engine dominance.

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If you’ve been in the business of search for the last twenty years, you’ve seen the headlines predicting the end of SEO before. However, the reports of the death of SEO, as they say, have been greatly exaggerated. You only need to Google back a few years.

• 2005: Backlinks are losing their significance.
• 2006: Personalized search is killing SERPs
• 2007: The semantic web is dead
• 2008: SEO has no future

Many will point out that 2023 was maybe one of the most challenging years for publishers to date with struggling to recover from multiple Google Algorithm Updates, the continued shift on the importance of making sure your content complies with E-E-A-T principles, and the invasion of ChatGPT AI content that is being produced at an astonishing rate.

If we wanted to concentrate on more technical SEO aspects, Semrush just posted a new search ranking factor study for 2024 that analyzed 300K results to see what factors contributed to higher search engine rankings.

So where exactly IS SEO headed, and with everyone asking their favorite chatbot for answers, do search engines have a future? We looked at some of the top predictions out there, then predicted for ourselves the big “four for 2024” SEO changes we can look forward to.

What the Soothsayers Say: SEO Predictions for 2024

Tech is changing so quickly, that it is often outpacing even the quickly changing demands of our customers. Combined, they make for a difficult-to-read crystal ball. What will happen to search in the next year? Here’s one answer we can give you with 100% confidence: “It Depends.”

Moz’s SEO Trends and Predictions from Industry Experts focused on several interesting topics including Google updates and the changing SERP landscape, thought leadership in our content strategy, and the importance of user experience. Not surprisingly, the impact of AI featured heavily in the many predictions.

Where Should You Aim Your Rocket? Here Are Our Four SEO Predictions for 2024

1. The Growing Importance of AI in SEO

You don’t have to like it, but people and businesses – yes even Google and Bing – are investing time and money in artificial intelligence. From voice search to personalized search results, you can bet that AI and machine learning will play an even greater role in SEO than it already has.

As search engines become more sophisticated, they will increasingly rely on AI and machine learning to understand user intent and rank websites. Take, for example, Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) – its an AI-driven search encounter, and not all of it are sending positive signals for what the future may hold for website owners.

“By 2028, brands’ organic search traffic will decrease by 50% or more as consumers embrace generative AI-powered search.”

Gartner

SGE allows Google to furnish AI-generated outcomes for numerous search inquiries, prominently featured at the pinnacle of search engine results pages (SERPs). As it gains widespread usage, it is poised to revolutionize user interactions with the search engine, inevitably reshaping the landscape of site optimization for impression and traffic generation.

“As AI evolves to improve its ability to create content, it makes sense that Google’s own algorithmic AI improves right alongside these developments. With AI’s growing capability of understanding audio, video, and images, Google’s algorithm will get better at accurately indexing and serving multimedia content. This will add competitive pressure to SEO …”

Katie Morton, Senior Managing Growth Editor, Search Engine Journal

2. An Oldie but a Goldie: UX for SEO

Whether you’re talking about Google’s Core Web Vitals or simply a website that offers added value, User experience (UX) has always been a sort of “silent partner” in SEO, but it will become even more important in 2024. Google has said that UX is a ranking factor, and this is only going to become more important in the future. “Loading fast” is almost your Mom and Dad’s UX.

Does this mean that SEOs will need to focus on creating websites that are even more easy to use, mobile-friendly, and visually appealing? Sure. Even more important, however, will be helpful content, easy to read and to share, that is optimized for the user’s specific needs and context. It’s not keyword-stuffed content. It’s almost personalized content.

“Visitors aren’t impressed by bells and whistles; instead, focus on a great user experience. Produce quality content that engages your audience, and give them reasons to stick around on your site longer. A great user experience is what really scores points with people, it’s also the same considerations that help with your Core Web Vitals scores too.”

Rocket.net

3. New Venues for Search like Social Media and Video Content

From news to shopping, TikTok is becoming one of the more important social media channels — and not just with youngsters. A recent Pew Research study showed that a growing number of adults now get their news from their favorite social media channels. With TikTok and company in the search mix (1 in 3 people use social media to discover new products and brands), you have an exciting new SEO flavor that goes beyond simple blog posts.

Add to that the growing acceptance of vertical video formats and you have people spending more time on social media than ever before. The importance of video content will continue to grow in 2024. As video increases in popularity, search engines will continue to reward those websites that integrate it into their content strategy.

“Google might introduce new tools encouraging user-generated content (UGC) and social interactions. This move could attempt to reclaim the audience drawn to platforms like TikTok. … (their) updated SGE experience will likely change how we optimize content and engage with customers throughout their search journey.”

Aleyda Solis, Google SGE Predictions

4. Local Search, eCommerce, and Mobile

From niche keywords to local businesses, to mobile shopping, evolving mobile-first search trends will continue to gain traction. Customer journeys will become more granular too, which means your small biz will have opportunities to compete in search like never before.

With more and more people using their mobile devices to search the web (almost half of those asked said they used their phone to source information or make purchases while in a shop), SEOs will need to prioritize the mobile-friendliness of their content even more. This means more than just ensuring that websites are optimized for smaller screens, fast loading speeds, and responsive designs.

Whatever you call it — local, mobile, shopping, or voice search — succeeding here means understanding where your customers “are” physically, in their buyer’s journey as well as the context of their search. It really means knowing their favorite color sneakers and handing them over unlaced. From keywords to processes to content that changes the search game completely.

“Google’s recent Helpful Content Update shows that they’re serious about user experience. And that the bar for quality is only going to go up. That just means that people that produce the best stuff will eventually win out.”

Brian Dean

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These blogging clubs are sometimes referred to as PBNs. We’re not talking about Peanut Butter Nutella sandwiches. We’re talking about an old-school, black-hat SEO hack. Private Blog Networks. Once a darling of SEO agencies, they’re shady and we recommend steering clear of them – if you care about your long-term reputation.

What Are Private Blog Networks (PBNs)

Essentially private blogging networks are a series of websites set up with articles that link to one another. PBNs can be owned and operated by one agency in order to get leads or they can simply be a co-op of sorts between agencies that work together. There were much simpler days in the past where you could buy a pre-owned domain with a history of some domain authority and usually get away with it, but Private Blogging Networks are now considered 100% black-hat SEO and Google actively works against ignoring or penalizing these types of links on your website.

Why Can’t You Exchange Links?

It’s not that you can’t exchange links, it’s just that you can’t exchange links just to exchange links. (Wait. What?) Meaning, exchanging a link just to exchange a link tends to lower the quality of the writing. People will work in a phrase just to get the words in. With Google’s Content Quality (E-E-A-T) requirements, links must be natural and supportive of the overall thesis.

In other words, write your articles like a 7th grade persuasive essay, and you’re likely to be on the right track.  

And, heads up to affiliate marketers: if you’re paid to include a link, you must include a rel=sponsored attribute tag. Otherwise, rel=nofollow is the way to go. 

How Do I Get Backlinks Then?

Backlinks must be earned to be valuable. It’s like diamonds that are mined versus lab created diamonds. If you didn’t find it in the ground, it’s just not as valuable. People must link to your content because of the value you’re giving, not because you’re part of a PBN or link exchange. 

What’s the solution? Write good content. It takes work but it’s worth it. Take a stand. Make your opinions known. We have done this by stating we’re the fastest WordPress host. That’s a statement we can back up. We’ve taken a stand on cheap $3 hosting for agencies as well. Don’t be afraid to have a personality. 

Does Google’s Spam Update Make Guest Blogging Obsolete?

Google’s Spam Update doesn’t make guest blogging obsolete because it’s always a good thing to publish new perspectives and raise up voices. Co-marketing (influencer or brand marketing) isn’t bad. Random guest posts from people without a high author score (experience, expertise) is what’s bad. 

Instead of cheating with PBNs, interview your clients. Be on a podcast. Don’t worry about whether it’s a follow or nofollow backlink, those will be natural backlinks at least.

Reach out to people you know have expertise to bolster up your own content. They’re more likely to share it and you can show your audience that you’re open minded. Make a video (backlink from YouTube). Sell a WordPress plugin (backlink from WordPress.org). Write a book (backlink from Amazon.com). You get the point, but recovering from a Google Algorithm Update is usually pretty painful and not worth the risk.

Makes Sense. I’m Not Part of a PBN.

You may have been nodding your head this whole time seeing how this is pretty obvious that PBNs are spammy. Hiring a content marketing agency isn’t so easy because what’s not obvious is the scores of SEO and marketing agencies who still use these shady tactics to “deliver” stunning results to their clients – albeit very temporary before it eventually blows up in complete disaster.

“Google does its best to fight unnatural links by constantly improving its algorithms. However, black-hat communities show a lot of evidence that PBNs still work for many websites.”

Ahrefs

SEO takes time. Why? Because good SEO has to do with how people find you. SEO is affected by the volume of published words. Words on your website. Words describing images. Words on directory listings. Words on social media. Words in reviews. And then there’s the technical aspects of SEO – speed, security, accessibility – good code. Words take work. 

And don’t forget that good SEO should be tied to the business’s goals (revenue). You’ll want realistic expectations with your content budget, ad budget, and off-page SEO budget. Having a backlink to your site from a random food blog just doesn’t make sense when you’re a roofer. People can spot fake.

Choose The Future of Website Hosting

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When it comes to pre-owned domains, don’t let yourself be taken for a ride. Investigate the current usage of any domain you’re eyeballing, identify the owner of the domain, and decide on the maximum amount you are willing to pay for it. Sounds easy enough, right? Well, let’s dive deeper so you don’t buy a domain clunker.

Navigating the World of Pre-Owned Domains: An SEO Perspective

Anyone who’s navigated the choppy waters of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) knows it’s not just about creating killer content and hoping for the best. It’s a complex dance of keywords, getting backlinks, and, surprisingly, domain history. Everyone has a history, right?

Welcome to the intriguing world of pre-owned domains and their potential SEO goldmines.

Picture this: You’re browsing through the digital marketplace, and you stumble upon a domain name that’s not only catchy, but also has a rich SEO history. It’s like finding a hidden treasure in a sea of internet chaos. But, like any savvy marketer, you wonder, “Is this too good to be true?”

What’s the Big Deal with Pre-Owned Domains?

In the world of SEO, a domain’s history is like its digital resume. A domain with a strong backlink profile, age, and keyword relevance can be a game-changer for your SEO efforts. It’s like starting a race halfway down the track. However, not all that glitters is gold.

And, for the record, Rocket bought the rocket.net domain.

“After rebranding to Rocket.net, things really started to pick up with some big influencer wins in early 2022. In one month we more than 10x the size of the business and got beyond the first 100 customers. This is crucial because this was now 100+ people talking about Rocket.net.”

Ben Gabler, CEO

It’s up to You to do Your Homework

Before you dive headfirst into purchasing a pre-owned domain, you need to play the domain detective. A bit of time invested, sure, but crucial nonetheless.

This process is a lot more involved thinking a domain has magic powers and adding a bunch of ChatGPT AI content is going to bring you success. It doesn’t work that way..

What skeletons could a domain have in its closet, you ask? 

Here are a few things to look out for:

• Poor domain history: Was the domain previously used for spam or unethical practices, potentially harming reputation and SEO?
• Legal risks: Previous illegal activities or trademark infringement on the domain could cause issues for you as the new owner.
• Potential for poor backlink profile: A low Domain Authority could negatively affect SEO and website traffic.

Tools like Wayback Machine allow you to take a peek into the domain’s past life. Were the previous owners upstanding digital citizens, or was the domain part of the dark and spammy corners of the internet? Check the WHOIS History Lookup, too. It’s like CARFAX for Domain Names.

Looking for a Premium tool? Then you should check out Domain Tools.

If the domain you’re looking at is all clear, you’re good to go. If not, it might be time to say, “Ain’t nobody got time for this” and move on.

“Your domain likely has some history from previous owners. But can domain history impact your Google search rankings? … Google has … consistently stated that how a domain was used in the past can be a factor in how Google treats it today.”

Search Engine Journal

Navigating the Purchase: The Nitty-Gritty Details

Have you found a clean, penalty-free domain? Now onto the transaction. 

Platforms like GoDaddy Auctions or Sedo provide a marketplace for buying pre-owned domains. But, much like any purchase, it’s important to ensure everything is above board.

Double-check the domain’s history, ensure the seller is reputable, and, if possible, use an escrow service to protect your investment.

It’s Not Just About the SEO: Branding and Relevance Matter, Too

While the SEO benefits of a pre-owned domain are as tempting as a siren’s song, don’t forget the importance of branding and relevance. Does the domain align with your brand? Is it easy to remember? 

If not, you might find yourself with an SEO powerhouse that confuses your audience more than it helps your rankings. If you are looking to build a profitable niche website, does the domain name align well with other competitive sites?

And remember, like any good relationship, it takes time and effort. A pre-owned domain might give you a head start, but consistent, quality content and a solid SEO strategy are what will take you across the finish line.

“While your domain name itself isn’t considered to be a direct Google ranking factor, elements of your domain name may play into your overall SEO success. These include elements such as memorability, length, keyword usage, brand-ability, and more.”

Moz.com

Are You Ready to Take the Plunge?

If a pre-owned domain sounds like the right move for your SEO strategy, then dive in with your eyes wide open. Do your homework, ensure the domain is clean and penalty-free, and remember that while the SEO benefits are significant, branding and relevance are the cherries on top you don’t want to miss.

Let’s start the conversation.

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Good job spending top dollar on that quality domain name. Now you need to protect it with quality hosting that has your back with performance, security, and support by humans.

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Learn the cycles to predict corrections and updates, stay with the basics of search engine optimization, and ditch hacks. 

TL:DR – Recover from a Google Algorithm Update by being prepared and professional. Don’t be spammy and you won’t be dinged.

Understand Google’s Algorithm Update Cycle

Understanding release cycles shouldn’t be a new thing for WordPress Developers. We have to pay attention to our 3-4 release cycles for WordPress Core (6.4 will be released November 7), plus plugins and themes. Oh, and PHP updates, too – which always seem to be released on American Thanksgiving. And yes, PHP 8.3.0 will be released on November 23, 2023. Imagine that!

By analyzing the past update cycles for Google Search, you can predict what subject Google Search will focus on next. This is what Julian Goldie mentioned in his recent quick video. 

• Oct 2023: Core
• Oct 2023: Spam
• Sep 2023: Helpful Content
• Aug 2023: Core
• Apr 2023: Reviews
• Mar 2023: Core
• Feb 2023: Product Reviews
• Dec 2022: Link Spam
• Dec 2022: Helpful Content
• Oct 2022: Spam
• Sept 2022: Product Reviews
• Sept 2022: Core
• Aug 2022: Helpful Content

What would be your guess at the next focus, maybe for December 2023? We’re thinking Product Reviews since it was last updated in February of 2023.

Should I Worry About Google’s October 2023 Spam Update?

For our clients, we recommend focusing on automatic translation tools as a potential for being hit by the October update. Otherwise, avoid spammy tactics. 

Google’s Spam Policy Fights Against:

• Cloaking
• Doorways
• Hacked Content
• Scraped Content
• Janky Redirects
• Hidden Links
• Keyword Stuffing 
• Buying Links Without rel=sponsored, etc.
• Auto Generated Content

There’s so much to read in Google’s Spam Policy, that it would be a good idea to refresh your memory on Google’s policies. Pay attention to nuance. For example, you’ve got your RankMath settings for auto “nofollow” turned off but you buy links or have a lot of anchored text links. Now’s a good time to change those settings. 

As with every update, it’s a good idea to wait a week or so to see what your specific fallout is. Maybe you forgot you published an article for a link exchange. No worries, just unpublish it.

Step 1: Review The Update Focus

When you look at the list of items that Google is focusing on, you have a Google Update Checklist. This will give you areas to focus on as you self-audit your website. It will take a few days for this update to roll out so you have time to recover from Google’s Algorithm update.

October 2023’s Top 5 Update Checklist

• Automatic text translation. This may be a WordPress plugin like WPML or WP Translate. Fluent speakers should always edit machine translations.
• Anchored text links without “nofollow” or “sponsored.” Change your settings in your SEO plugin or edit to remove links altogether.
• Affiliate links shouldn’t appear on “thin pages” as Google mentions. Basically, add value to your affiliate links pages; don’t just copy and paste from the vendor.
• Comment Spam. It’s possible you have comments turned on but never review or approve comments. Check your settings. Perhaps turn commenting off if you’re going to ignore it on your site. Be sure you have Akismet or another commenting spam plugin installed.

Keyword Stuffing. This isn’t the “Justin Bieber” link spam from the early 2000s either. It can easily happen with a block of text that lists service areas for a general contractor, for example. So think about how you’d create a page just for certain cities instead of grouping them all on a “services” page.

“Wait for the updates to hit and then go through the list.”

Julian Goldie

Step 2: Get Back to Basics

Maybe you’ve overly relied upon ChatGPt lately. Now, you’re reeling from September’s update – which eased up on AI content but still hurt you. Maybe you were refreshing old content and changing the publish date (a no-no, but people do it). Maybe you had an army of writers from third-world countries producing content. 

Get back to the basics of findability. Who do you want to find you? What terms will they use to find your products? Where do you want to be seen as an expert? What topics have you shied away from? On what platform will your current and potential customers communicate? 

Step 3: Forget the Hacks – Do the Work

With SEO, you’re playing on Google’s Turf. It’s their ball, their field, their vendors in the stand. Trying to short-cut or hack a way for them to best serve their customers (advertisers and users) is never going to help you in the long run. 

Google wants to serve its customers content that serves to answer the question. That makes it high quality. These blog posts should show your Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trustworthiness. That’s the entire reason for creating content in the first place. Barfing out AI content just to have something to publish might fool some people some of the time, but it won’t fool all people all of the time. It definitely won’t fool Google’s Army of Spider Bots

Instead of feeding ChatGPT random prompts, for example, use commonly asked questions from your customers as blog fodder. Answering questions from your customers is always unique and helpful content. Your customers will appreciate it and Google will reward it.

Choose The Future of Website Hosting

Want white glove service? No problem. Regardless of the plan you choose, we help you migrate your website. Need to migrate several? We got you. 

Streamline your workflow by choosing a reliable, performant platform for websites of all sizes. The only question is when you’d like to get going.

Further Reading

• https://www.searchenginejournal.com/google-september-2023-helpful-content-update-changes-to-the-algorithm/496454/
• https://searchengineland.com/google-unleashes-october-2023-spam-update-432881
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_MKPAbL5t0
• https://status.search.google.com/products/rGHU1u87FJnkP6W2GwMi/history
• https://rocket.net/blog/what-is-e-a-t-content/
• https://rocket.net/blog/google-helpful-content-update/
• https://rocket.net/blog/should-you-use-chatgpt-ai-content-on-your-blog/
• https://rocket.net/blog/top-5-ways-to-get-backlinks-to-your-website/