Google is changing their SEO starter guide. They're removing a bunch of content. This episode has visuals. Watch on Youtube:https://youtu.be/we3n9NTeSAUIn this episode we talk about Google's Search off the Record Podcast and I'll share my thoughts on what is most important when it comes to ranking on Google today. We'll go through the latest Google…

This is an impromptu, unscripted episode with Dr. Marie Haynes, recorded because of a recent news headline from Search Engine Roundtable that said, "Google: Author Bylines Don't Help You Rank Better; Google Doesn't Check Credentials. Barry's article was prompted based on comments from Google's Search Liaison Danny Sullivan regarding yet another Ver…

In this episode, we dive deep into Google's revolutionary new language model, Gemini, destined to be the most impactful technological shift of our time. Host Dr. Marie Haynes unravels its capabilities, which extend beyond text to encompass images, video, and beyond.Discover how Gemini's potential to transform information access, problem-solving, an…

Oh boy, finally another podcast episode! This is an unscripted chatting episode where I share the story of what happened to my agency. It formed because of an understanding of AI - except I didn't know that at the time. Imagine my surprise when I realized that wait a second - Panda and Penguin - the Google algorithm shifts that made me obsess over …

Google has confirmed that SGE (Search Generative Experience) is not just an experiment, it is the future of search. Google's CEO Sundar Pichai said the SGE is "the next step in the journey" and also, "over time this will just be how search works."Here's what we know so far about the SGE, including screenshots of it in action.This is primarily a vid…

In this long-awaited return episode of Search News, Dr. Marie Haynes explains how Google's helpful content system has radically changed search rankings.She provides background on her experience studying Google's algorithms for over 16 years, and how the company has shifted to relying more on AI systems like helpful content rather than just links an…

We've had so many updates lately! It's almost impossible to know why your traffic is down. And for many sites traffic *is* down tremendously.In this episode I've discussed the craziness we've seen this year with Google updates. September Core Update. Helpful Content Update. Two spam updates...there are so many things that have happened!On top of th…

I interviewed Charles Floate, an SEO known for ranking websites in ways that go against Google's spam guidelines. We discussed PageRank and the importance of links in Google's algorithms. Charles revealed ways he's been able to manipulate Google's guidelines and succeed, though I don't condone such practices. Our chat helped me reform my thoughts o…

This week we learned from Google's HJ Kim that E-A-T is used for every single query searched on Google! In this episode Dr. Marie Haynes shares advanced information on how to assess E-A-T.Audience questions answered:Does E-A-T matter for tech blogs?Is being mentioned on a big news site good for E-A-T?Does adding expert reviewers help?How would an e…

The October 2022 spam update had a massive impact on many sites. Many of these were "niche sites" - not overtly spammy, but still breaking Google's spam guidelines. With this update, it looks like Google's AI spam fighter - SpamBrain has gotten much better at finding unnatural links - links made for SEO purposes.This is an important listen, even if…

The September Core update feels different to me! In this episode I share my thoughts after analyzing many pages that won and lost following this Google core update. The most important thing a site can work on if hit is ensuring that you are the best option to meet the immediate needs of the searcher. If we thoroughly understand the intent of search…

SEO is changing so much! In this episode Marie shares what SEOs can learn from Google’s Search On 2022 event. Is Google going to replace Amazon as the place where people go to buy online? Google announced many changes coming to shopping. Many of the upcoming changes to search are going to make the life of SEOs difficult. If you want to stay on top …

The September 2022 Core update is live! The helpful content update has finished rolling out. In this episode we discuss:1) How the September Core Update and Helpful content updates may be related2) What to look for in early analytics data to see if you’ve been hit3) Google has told us specifically how to recover - It’s all about content and E-A-T4)…

In this special podcast episode Marie welcomes Alan Kent from Google. Alan is a developer advocate who currently works on communicating changes in regards to Google’s product reviews updates. The product reviews updates are discussed in detail. Alan also shares some very interesting thoughts on how machine learning is used by Google in this type of…

Google added more information to the "About this Result" information in the search results. Their wording on what they've added to this feature is very similar to some that is in the Quality Rater Guidelines. In this episode of Search News You Can Use, Marie discusses how we can possibly use this info to improve E-A-T.Links mentioned in this episod…

In this episode Dr. Marie Haynes discusses five interesting changes Google has made to the Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines, including some information from a new Google document about the raters and the work they do. We’ll learn more about what YMYL is and what Google is looking for in terms of E-A-T for the topics you write on.Links mentioned:…

In this episode Marie discusses the new “pros and cons” SERP annotations you may have seen. These are not produced by structured data! A new Google patent explains how n-grams, terms and phrases can be used to discover attributes about a product or entity and then show those right in the search resultsLinks mentioned in this episode:https://www.mar…

Marie welcomes MHC’s Technical Director, Alec Brownscombe, who also owns and operates the website Mapleleafshotstove.com. In this episode, Marie and Alec both discuss how MHC’s traffic drop assessments have evolved, reasons behind traffic drops, relevance, intent, machine learning, and more! This is an episode you don't want to miss.Newsletter epis…

Has your Google traffic dropped? In this episode Marie goes into great detail describing how you can assess a decline in organic traffic. Your losses may be because of a Google update but there are many other reasons. Marie covers technical issues, core web vitals, competitor research and much more.In the next episode, two weeks from now we will go…

In this episode, Marie Haynes and Lily Ray both discuss the early impact of the May 2022 core update, advice for recovery, a little about how Google handles title tags, and more!Newsletter episode 238https://www.mariehaynes.com/newsletter/episode-238/Subscribe to the newsletter:https://www.mariehaynes.com/seo-newsletter/Links mentioned in this epis…

In this episode, Marie welcomes MHC’s director of products and services, Callum Scott. Callum has incredible knowledge of how Google’s algorithms work. In this episode, he and Marie discuss the following:- May 16-18 - unnamed Google update affecting a large number of affiliate sites.- How MHC’s site reviews developed over the years- How we help sit…

In this episode, search professionals Olaf Kopp and Marie Haynes discuss the concept of Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness in Google’s algorithms in great detail. You’ll learn what E-A-T is and how Google likely uses E-A-T in their algorithms including information on entities, the knowledge graph, the knowledge vault, and more.At the…

In this episode, Marie shares her thoughts on semantic search. Semantic search is search that’s based on understanding the meaning of words and the connections between them. In 2013, the Hummingbird algorithm made it possible for Google to expand their semantic search capabilities. With each new advancement in AI and NLP, they get a little closer. …

In this special episode of Search News You Can Use, we welcome Glenn Gabe to the show! Glenn has been assessing traffic drops in websites for many years. He and Marie discuss the types of issues that can cause a site to see traffic drops in conjunction with a Google core update. Glenn breaks these down into three areas:Relevancy adjustmentsIntent s…

In this episode Marie shares information on how Google’s Hummingbird algorithm dramatically changed search to rely less on PageRank as their algorithms learned how to make use of entities. Understanding Google’s use of entities in their algorithms can help us improve E-A-T. More importantly, understanding how Google uses AI to extract entities from…

In this episode we talk about the latest news on Google’s MUM technology. The “Things to Know” SERP feature has been seen live. It is not yet MUM powered, but soon will be. Marie also does a website review for a small business website offering pressure washing. She shares how small business owners who want to work on SEO can do keyword research, us…

In this episode, Marie discusses the idea of “toxic links” and whether they have the ability to hurt your site’s organic traffic.Discussed in this episode:What are toxic links?Semrush’s toxic links report: “Your risk of penalty is increasing”Google’s documentation on link schemesUnnatural links created by using automated tools to do spam comments, …

In this special episode of Search News You Can Use, Dr. Marie Haynes speaks with Dawn Anderson about Google’s use of AI in search including BERT, RankBrain, Neural Matching and MUM. A lot has changed in Google’s algorithms. PageRank is still important when it comes to ranking, but as Google advances in language understanding, there is much more to …

In this special episode of Search News You Can Use, Marie interviews Lily Ray of Amsive Digital over Zoom. Topics discussed include:- Lily’s articles on the winning and losing sites in Google’s 2021 updates- Some sites affected by Product Reviews update don’t review products- Manual actions for Discover and News sites and what they can tell us abou…

What is YMYL, and does it matter to SEOS? In this episode, Dr. Marie Haynes discusses how Google’s Quality Rater Guidelines and other documentation describe the term YMYL. She shares example websites discussed in the QRG and why they should or should not be considered YMYL. While the QRG do not replicate Google’s algorithms, they show us what Googl…

In this episode Marie discusses what SEO’s should focus on in the new year including - better serving user intent, EAT, getting content indexed, core web vitals, technical SEO changes that can move the needle, web 3.0, link building, MUM and other Google advancements.This episode corresponds with newsletter episode 216:https://www.mariehaynes.com/n…

In this episode Marie recaps a year of algorithm updates giving her thoughts on how Google's algorithms have changed. She discusses how Google may be using machine learning, MUM and other methods to improve their results. Also discussed are Google's most recent algorithm updates - the local "vicinity" update and the newest product reviews update. T…

The podcast is back! In this episode Marie digs into what she is seeing in the wake up the November core and the December product reviews updates. She shares specific examples of the types of content that is performing well from her own website as well as discusses what others in the industry are seeing. This episode corresponds with newsletter epi…

In this episode Marie discusses what SEO experts are saying about the June 2021 core update and a little about the page experience update as well. She shares specific examples of the types of content that performed well with this update and quotes from the Quality Raters Guidelines that help explain those changes.Links mentioned in this episode:Goo…

Google has just announced a core update is live! In this episode Marie shares what we know so far about the June 2021 core update, and also the pre-announced July core update. She discusses how Needs Met is described in the Quality Raters Guidelines and how we can advise clients on creating content that fully meets the needs of searchers.Google’s b…

Links mentioned in this episode:What the Quality Raters’ Guidelines say about scientific consensushttps://www.mariehaynes.com/resources/scientific-consensus/MHC’s White-paper with practical advice to help sites better align with scientific consensus in Google’s eyeshttps://www.mariehaynes.com/product/scientific-consensus-whitepaper/MHC’s advice on …

In this episode, Marie shares her thoughts on Google’s most recent improvements to their algorithms, including the recent news out of Google I/O on MUM, an advancement that will make Google’s algorithms even better at understanding queries and content.In this episode:SERP turbulence seen May 13-15 More on Google’s blog post on core updatesInfo on i…

Starting at the 11 minute mark, Marie dives deep into how MHC views the disavow tool, manual actions and backlink quality in 2021. Links mentioned in this episode:Unnatural Links – A guide to recovery (2020 version)https://www.mariehaynes.com/product/unnatural-links-book/ Hire an MHC link auditor to review your backlink profile: https://www.marieha…

Links mentioned in this episode:Known and suspected Google algorithm updates: https://www.mariehaynes.com/resources/algo-changes-and-more/Google’s blog post on the Product Reviews Update: https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2021/04/product-reviews-updateGoogle’s blog post on what site owners should know about core updates:https://developers.g…

Links mentioned in this episode:Known and suspected Google algorithm updates: https://www.mariehaynes.com/resources/algo-changes-and-more/Google’s blog post on the Product Reviews Update: https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2021/04/product-reviews-updateMHC’s thoughts on scientific consensus and alternative health sites:https://www.mariehayne…

In this episode Marie discusses: What creators should know about Google’s product reviews updatehttps://developers.google.com/search/blog/2021/04/product-reviews-updateThis episode corresponds with newsletter episode 180:https://www.mariehaynes.com/newsletter/episode-180-light-version/Submit a question for the next Q&A: https://Mariehaynes.com/qa-w…

In this episode Marie discusses: What creators should know about Google’s product reviews updatehttps://developers.google.com/search/blog/2021/04/product-reviews-updateGoogle Has Changed Cumulative Layout Shift Metrichttps://www.seroundtable.com/google-cumulative-layout-shift-metric-update-31233.html Improved data filtering and comparison on Perfor…

In this episode Marie discusses: Paul Haahr and Daphne Keller’s twitter threadhttps://twitter.com/daphnehk/status/1377665960622977027What Is a Google Knowledge Panel and How To Get One by Jason Barnardhttps://www.semrush.com/blog/google-knowledge-panel/ This episode corresponds with newsletter episode 178:https://www.mariehaynes.com/newsletter/epis…

In this episode Marie discusses: Semrush to Publicly Sell Shares on New York Stock Exchangehttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/semrush-to-publicly-sell-shares-on-new-york-stock-exchange/397628/Can an FTC warning letter lead to poor rankings for medical sites? And a warning for Amazon affiliates!https://www.mariehaynes.com/ftc-warnings-for-medical-s…

In this episode Marie discusses: Jason Barnard and Bill Slawski on Entities and Knowledge Panelshttps://kalicube.pro/podcast/2021/kalicube-tuesdays-march/entities-and-knowledge-panels/Article from Rand Fishkinhttps://sparktoro.com/blog/in-2020-two-thirds-of-google-searches-ended-without-a-click/Googles Response from Danny Sullivan - Google Search s…

In this episode Marie discusses: Recent Algorithm ChangesAssessing "Needs Met"An article written by Jason Barnard - Tracking Google Knowledge Graph Algorithm Updates & Volatilityhttps://www.searchenginejournal.com/tracking-google-knowledge-graph-algorithm-updates/398296/#closeFluctuations in the number of Featured SnippetsThis episode corresponds w…

In this episode Marie discusses: Possible Algorithm updates and what Google may have changed/tweaked. This episode corresponds with newsletter episode 174:https://www.mariehaynes.com/newsletter/episode-174-light-version/Submit a question for the next Q&A: Mariehaynes.com/qa-with-mhc/Subscribe to the newsletter: Mariehaynes.com/newsletterTwitter: @M…

In this episode Marie discusses: What MHC and clients are seeing in regards to organic traffic changesPassage based rankingWhat does "Needs Met" mean? How do the quality raters assess this?This episode corresponds with newsletter episode 172:https://www.mariehaynes.com/newsletter/episode-172-light-version/Submit a question for the next Q&A: Marieha…

In this episode Marie discusses: Passage based ranking being added to Google's algorithmsJohn Mueller's comments on Manual actions versus algorithmic suppressionThis episode corresponds with newsletter episode 171:https://www.mariehaynes.com/newsletter/episode-171-light-version/Submit a question for the next Q&A: Mariehaynes.com/qa-with-mhc/Subscri…

In this episode:New Manual Actions from GoogleAlgorithm updates in early FebruaryLinks Mentioned: Google’s Guide to doing SEO https://developers.google.com/search/docs/beginner/seo-starter-guide Link Schemes https://developers.google.com/search/docs/advanced/guidelines/link-schemesAhrefs’ Beginner’s guide to SEO https://ahrefs.com/blog/on-page-seo/…