This guide gives you a clear framework to track, measure, and optimize every lead source so you can double down on what works and cut what doesn’t.
Join Kevin Rowe, Founder & Head of Digital PR Strategy at PureLinq, as he gives you his exact playbook on how to increase your citations and visibility in AIO, SEO, and GEO.
Join Kevin Rowe, Founder & Head of Digital PR Strategy at PureLinq, as he gives you his exact playbook on how to increase your citations and visibility in AIO, SEO, and GEO.
Learn how to craft better prompts, choose topics that rank, and infuse every AI-assisted piece with authority and trust.
Learn how to craft better prompts, choose topics that rank, and infuse every AI-assisted piece with authority and trust.
Join Kevin Rowe, Founder & Head of Digital PR Strategy at PureLinq, as he gives you his exact playbook on how to increase your citations and visibility in AIO, SEO, and GEO.
Which content metrics actually drive growth? Here’s how to align KPIs with business goals, from email opt-ins to branded search and conversions.
This week’s Ask an SEO question comes from Zahara:
“What metrics should small businesses actually care about when measuring content strategy success? Everyone talks about different KPIs, but I need to know which ones truly matter for growth.”
The metrics to measure for growth with a content strategy change by company and industry, and the type of business you run.
Publishers, for example, make their money by selling ad impressions and repeat content to consumers.
Ecommerce stores rely heavily on direct conversions and subscribers, while service-based and SaaS companies need leads and to scale remarketing groups.
There’s no shortage of ways to twist data, but there are certain key performance indicators (KPIs) and conversion items I measure based on what the goal of the client is, their current and future marketing capabilities as they grow or shrink, and things that I like to use as a measure of success when talking to the C-suite vs. day-to-day workers.
Here are some of the metrics or KPIs I measure from content marketing campaigns, and when I apply them to different clients.
These are the unsung heroes of the marketing world. They’re people with enough of an interest in your company that they want to get marketing messages from you.
They sign up from blog content, whitepapers, and all other channels. Yet, most companies segment them without considering where the opt-in originated from.
The metrics here are:
By tracking how many email and SMS opt-ins you get from content, and then the conversions and LTV metrics, you can tie revenue directly to the type of content on your site and how valuable each customer is based on the type of content you produce.
A comparison guide between two compatible electronic accessories for a camera may bring a photographer in; they liked the content, so they subscribed.
Six months later, they need to replace their computer. There’s a new version of editing software, so they get your message saying there is a sale, and this conversion happened because of your comparison content.
The email team would not have had the opt-in if you hadn’t created your guide.
The same can be said for companies that sell cookware.
The recipes you produce for their cooking blog or the recipe books you use as a lead gen get the SMS and email opt-in, so that when you’re having a sale or deal, the SMS and email teams have active lists to drive revenue.
Without your content, the customers would not be on your list, and the email or SMS team would not be able to do their jobs.
The next metric we track from content marketing is the total traffic increase year-over-year.
Showing an increase in non-branded and branded traffic displays:
One metric we use with some of our clients is when non-branded search rises and people come back to visit the site again for more content and to shop.
One of our current clients requires seven website visits before a conversion happens, and as we show up for high-volume “newbie” phrases, we notice an increase in branded search.
We then tracked the pathways for the users who came back for more research questions, and when they eventually converted.
The finance team was then able to calculate the value for the cold topics. On top of that, we learned where people are who have never heard of the company before, but were in a mid-funnel stage.
By creating copy at this touch point, we have been able to reduce the seven visits to four or five in some cases.
The biggest benefit here was the branded search building. As branded searches increased, the site started to appear for high-volume and topically relevant product and shopping queries.
Examples (not from this client) could be a funny t-shirt company that now shows up for “t-shirts” and “graphic t-shirts” vs. only specific ones like “vintage 90’s cartoon t-shirts,” which has a lower search volume and is less competitive.
One of the easiest content KPIs to measure is direct conversions.
These could be completed sales, completed form fills with or without identifiable and financial information (credit cards or social security numbers), and sign-ups for petitions, non-profits, and parties or events.
The reason this is the easiest content KPI is because you can track the conversion from a piece of content, and the system records it on the thank you or confirmation page.
Publishers need page views to make money, and analytics packages make it easy to monitor how many page views each topic and content type gets on average.
By using internal links, an educational series, and content that makes sense to read as a follow-up, you can measure how the content you’re creating increases the amount of pageviews per visit, so you can increase your company’s overall revenue.
This also helps you find opportunities to promote similar articles, adding better internal links, and creating more guides when you notice people leave to do another search, and then come back to finish the article when there weren’t enough examples on your current site.
These are people who come back for more content, whether it is a direct type-in, a new non-branded phrase from a different keyword in search results because they enjoyed your previous content, or from a different marketing team sharing content that is interesting to the audience.
By seeing which visitors come back from what efforts, you can better segment who gets what type of content and the types of content that move the needle.
There is no shortage of KPIs you can track from content marketing. It’s a matter of matching them to the people you report to.
HR may want more job applicants, while the sales team wants leads. Marketing and advertising want direct conversions and subscriber list growth, while the C-suite wants to know market share and reach.
As a content marketer, you can fine-tune your tracking and reporting to meet each stakeholder’s needs and become the star of the company by keeping everyone informed on how your efforts are growing their parts of the company, and that is how we decide which KPIs to monitor and report on, based on the client.
More Resources:
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Adam Riemer is an award winning digital marketing strategist, keynote speaker, affiliate manager, and growth consultant with more than 20+ …
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Google Updates JavaScript Paywall Guidelines for SEO Optimization – WebProNews
/in AI Search, website SEO, Website Traffic/by Team ZYTIn the evolving world of digital publishing, where content monetization clashes with search engine visibility, Google has recently updated its guidelines to address a persistent challenge: JavaScript-based paywalls. These dynamic barriers, which restrict access to premium content unless users subscribe or pay, have long posed dilemmas for publishers aiming to balance revenue generation with organic traffic. According to a recent post on Search Engine Roundtable, Google now explicitly advises on how to implement these paywalls without derailing search rankings, emphasizing the need for crawlers to access content effectively.
This guidance comes amid broader concerns about how paywalls affect SEO. Publishers have reported traffic dips when paywalls obscure content from Google’s bots, potentially leading to lower rankings. The update highlights that JavaScript-reliant paywalls can prevent proper indexing if not handled correctly, as bots may not execute the scripts needed to reveal the full article.
Navigating SEO Risks with Structured Data
To mitigate these issues, Google recommends using structured data markup for subscription and paywalled content, as detailed in its developer documentation on Google Search Central. This markup allows publishers to signal to Google that content is behind a paywall while still providing enough information for indexing and snippet generation. Industry experts note that without this, sites risk being penalized in search results, especially following updates like the August 2025 Helpful Content Update, which prioritizes user-centric experiences, per insights from Black Bear Media.
Posts on X (formerly Twitter) from SEO professionals underscore the urgency, with users like Barry Schwartz highlighting Google’s new advice on JavaScript paywalls, warning that improper implementation could lead to “Google Zero” scenarios where traffic plummets. This sentiment echoes broader discussions on the platform, where publishers lament AI-driven overviews reducing clicks to original content by up to 10% year-over-year in markets like the UK and US.
Balancing Monetization and Accessibility
Beyond SEO, JavaScript-based paywalls raise questions about digital content accessibility. While they enable publishers to monetize high-quality journalism, they can inadvertently exclude users who bypass them through tools like VPNs or extensions, as outlined in a 2025 guide from All About Cookies. This cat-and-mouse game not only affects user experience but also influences how Google evaluates site authority, a factor confirmed in leaked internal documents analyzed by SEO consultant Aleyda Solis on X.
Experts from Poool’s blog suggest best practices like allowing a metered number of free views or using soft paywalls that reveal partial content. These strategies help maintain search visibility while driving subscriptions, aligning with Google’s push for accessible web experiences in its 2025 algorithm updates, as reported by LogiDuck.
Implications for Publishers in 2025
As paywalls become more sophisticated, their JavaScript foundations demand careful optimization. A report from State of Digital Publishing warns that without a solid SEO strategy, publishers risk diminished discoverability and conversion rates. This is particularly critical in an era where Core Web Vitals, including page speed impacted by paywall scripts, factor into rankings, per Subscription Publishing Toolkit.
Looking ahead, the integration of AI in search, as discussed in recent X threads, could amplify these effects. Publishers must adapt by ensuring JavaScript paywalls are bot-friendly, perhaps by server-side rendering or alternative content delivery methods. Insights from SEO for Google News by Barry Adams emphasize that while paywalls are essential for revenue, mishandling them invites SEO pitfalls. Ultimately, Google’s latest guidance serves as a roadmap for publishers to thrive without sacrificing visibility or accessibility in the competitive digital arena.
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How AI is Revolutionizing Backlink Building and SEO Strategies in 2025 – Siliconindia
/in AI Search, website SEO, Website Traffic/by Team ZYTIntroduction: The AI-SEO Shift in 2025
As we navigate 2025, it is not just automation but artificial intelligence that will be seen as a very important factor for making key decisions in SEO. The evolution started off from simple tools that could enhance task efficiency into complex systems that are capable of predicting changes, offering customized services while at the same time encouraging development which can be upheld over a long period.
A Recent report from Superlinks shows that 47.33% SEO specialists have an intention of incorporating AI into their link-building process and another report by SEOClarity shows that about 86% already use it for automation hence saving up to three-quarters of their total working hours and most importantly getting 65% better results.
With over 45 billion searches each day on various platforms across the globe, SEO now inclines towards “search everywhere optimization” such as Google, ChatGPT, YouTube, or even Reddit based on available information. Due to this, businesses are turning towards specialized SEO services in India that can offer them customized solutions that mix technology and local knowledge effectively.
AI in Backlink Building: Smarter, Faster, Scalable
Backlink building is being transformed by AI tools that analyse competitor profiles, forecast link worth as well and effectively scale the efforts. Machine learning is able to identify some of the best high authority backlinks from loads of data across the web and such links are evaluated in terms of domain authority, relevance and toxicity as ranking factors. With the help of tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush Link Building Tool and LinkHunter, you can find sites that have a DA 50+ because they experience a higher percentage of success rate estimated at 40%.
Example: a SaaS business witnessed an increase of 15% in traffic after receiving over 200 weekly backlinks through AI automation. These can be managed easily even by small teams thanks to scalability; however, hybrid models, that is 80% tasks done by artificial intelligence and 20% by humans, guarantee better outcomes. Choose an experienced backlink building service provider that can integrate artificial intelligence into its strategies.
AI Tool
Function
Benefits
Example Use
Ahrefs
Competitor analysis, toxic link detection
Scales identification, predicts value
Targeting DA 50+ sites
SEMrush
Outreach automation, tracking
37% higher responses, real-time monitoring
Guest post emails
LinkHunter
Opportunity scouting, quality assessment
Identifies gaps, mitigates risks
Simulating impacts
Surfer SEO
Content-link synergy
Boosts natural links
Optimizing for attraction
MarketMuse
Pattern detection
Data-driven targeting
Competitor gap analysis
Personalized Outreach with AI: Beyond Templates
AI's usage of NLP and behavioral data is highly essential since it helps make emails that are incredibly personal. A report by All About AI says that the use of AI has helped raise the response rate by 37% and the placement rate by 28%. For instance, technologies like ChatGPT with WebPilot can make messages that are particular to a certain context. These messages might be used to turn brand mentions that aren't linked into inbound links when they are used in guest blogs or podcast mentions.
Fixing Broken Links with Intelligence
In the past, people used to manually scan websites and then look for a way to repair any broken links, although this was not always effective. With AI, dead links can be detected and appropriate ones recommended based on NLP analysis. Tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush can identify problems immediately, reducing monitoring time and preventing traffic loss. AI easily copes with large amounts of work unlike humans; it flags toxic links calling for action while at the same time enhancing the website’s trustworthiness through relevant link-building approaches.
AI-Powered Content Optimization for Link Attraction
Artificial Intelligence is used in optimizing content so that it can naturally attract links, through assessing structure, keyword integration and relevance. With several of the new web pages having AI improvements, tools such as Surfer SEO or MarketMuse employ AI to come up with drafts that are able to secure backlinks by providing value. The scoring mechanisms assess how easy a text is understood by humans and to what extent it follows a given purpose; special attention is paid to infographics or videos, which have become more link-friendly than before. This represents a move towards earned links over forced ones, with an increased ROI.
Keyword Research: From Guesswork to Precision
Keyword research has been completely changed by AI through its ability to predict the future, identify patterns and understand user intent at a much higher level. Unlike manual tools, AI can interpret the semantics of both textual and voice data in every search engine. When using SEMrush or Ahrefs, you will see some dashboards having predictive charts about trends, competition as well as volume. Now picture an elegant UI including some filters where one can choose between informational or transactional types of intent followed by immediate refreshes. As a result, guesses are minimized and this has led to increased rankings within a short span.
UX-Driven SEO: AI's Role in User-Centric Rankings
User experience factors such as dwell time, bounce rates, and CTR are evaluated by AI in order to recommend improvements that are in line with the user-centric algorithms. Artificial intelligence also recommends some design changes for improving engagement based on behavioral information analysis; this has been seen to improve scalability among users. This holistic approach goes further than just keywords in improving ranking.
Predictive Content and Personalization at Scale
Predictive analytics are used by AI to personalize content through custom digital paths. Through the use of workflows, these tools create over two hundred pages on a daily basis; they concentrate more on multimodal forms meant for AI platforms that are accessed by two billion people. By doing this, it is possible to scale up engagement without forgetting about homogenizing hazards.
Staying Ahead of Search Algorithm Changes
The quick adjustments are possible with AI that can swiftly interpret updates similar to Google’s RankBrain or Helpful Content. These predictive tools keep track of any changes and therefore ensure that the ranking is maintained even in zero-click environments.
Future-Proofing SEO with AI Skills
Here is a simple plan: Learn the fundamentals (ChatGPT), move on to data analysis (Ahrefs), and finally study ethical AI (GEO/AEO). Work with AI SEO specialists such as Supramind Digital to get effective services from experienced professionals.
Summary: Key Takeaways
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can AI completely automate link building in 2025?
A: Hybrid models yield the best results since AI is responsible for most activities such as prospecting. There is a need for human oversight on matters relating to ethics and client relationships to avoid penalties.
Q: What are the best AI-powered tools for SEO in 2025?
A: Some of the top tools are Ahrefs used in analysis, SEMrush in outreach, ChatGPT in content creation, Surfer SEO for optimization and MarketMuse for patterns
Q: How does AI improve the success rate of backlink outreach?
A: By using NLP, AI creates personalized emails that receive many responses and placements because they are based on data-driven templates and behavioral insights.
Q: Is AI-generated content safe for SEO and Google compliance?
A: Certainly, it should be original and add value after passing through the quality control test; also comply with the new Helpful Content algorithm updates by focusing on human-edited work not just pure AI.
Q: How can small businesses leverage AI for affordable SEO success?
A: For scalability at no cost use free tools like ChatGPT for reaching out and HARO for high DR links; automate common tasks.
Read More News :
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SEO Startup Companies – Vocal
/in AI Search, website SEO, Website Traffic/by Team ZYTSEO Startup Companies Vocal
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Google Play Store is making the move to your Pixel 10 a bit less chaotic – Android Authority
/in AI Search, website SEO, Website Traffic/by Team ZYTAffiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission. Learn more.
51 minutes ago
If you’ve just picked up a new Pixel 10 or any other Android phone, you’ll know the chaos of transferring everything from your old handset. Restoring dozens or hundreds of apps through the Play Store can mean they end up jumbled together with app updates, making it hard to see what’s what as you set up your new device. But it seems that might be getting easier.
Don’t want to miss the best from Android Authority?
As spotted by Artem Russakovskii on X, the Play Store’s Downloads list is now split into two sections: “From previous device” and “Updates.” He noticed the change while restoring nearly 400 apps on his new Pixel 10 Pro XL, but it appears to be a Play Store tweak rather than a Pixel-specific feature.
The screenshot he shared shows the two categories stacked in the Play Store Downloads tab, with the restore queue separated from the updates list. The observation was part of a longer thread as Russakovskii’s set up his new Pixel, noting also that it hit over 100 degrees during the process.
Google often introduces Play Store changes to little fanfare, like the app auto-open feature that started reaching phones earlier this week. This small tweak could make the transition to a new phone ever so slightly less overwhelming.
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Netflix Lays Out Guidance for Using Generative AI in Content Production – TVTechnology
/in AI Search, website SEO, Website Traffic/by Team ZYTNetflix Lays Out Guidance for Using Generative AI in Content Production TVTechnology
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W3era Launches Its Repositioning as a Search Engine Marketing Powerhouse for Global Brands – GlobeNewswire
/in AI Search, website SEO, Website Traffic/by Team ZYT| Source: W3era W3era
Jaipur, Rajasthan, Aug. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — W3era, a leading name in digital marketing, has unveiled its redefined brand focus as a performance-first Search Engine Marketing (SEM) agency, specializing in SEO and Google Ads solutions for global businesses. This strategic repositioning reflects the company’s long-standing commitment to delivering measurable ROI through smarter, more integrated search campaigns.
After helping over 10,000 clients scale their digital presence since 2008, W3era is now doubling down on the one channel that consistently delivers Search.
“In today’s landscape, visibility without results is not enough. We exist to drive performance, and that means blending the best of organic and paid search strategies,” said Vikash Bharia, Head of Digital Marketing.
Why the Shift to Performance-Driven SEM?
The marketing world is no longer about choosing between SEO or PPC. W3era has recognized the need to unify them. This transition allows businesses to tap into complete search visibility, from top rankings to top ad spots.
Key Focus Areas:
SEO Services in the USA
To strengthen its global footprint, W3era is now extending specialized SEO services for businesses in the USA. With proven expertise in local SEO, enterprise SEO, and technical SEO, the agency helps American brands capture top search rankings and convert visibility into measurable growth. From keyword research tailored to U.S. markets to Google Ads campaigns optimized for higher ROI, W3era ensures that businesses can compete effectively in one of the world’s most competitive digital landscapes.
Meet WRanker: W3era’s Free SEO Toolkit
As part of the rebrand, W3era introduces WRanker, a powerful set of SEO tools designed to simplify optimization for marketers, agencies, and business owners. The toolset includes:
USP: One dashboard. Real-time metrics. Zero cost.
“WRanker was born from our internal SEO needs. Today, it serves thousands of users with clarity, convenience, and cost-efficiency,” added Ashwini Rao.
Real Results, Real Clients
W3era’s clients have seen dramatic results:
Recognized by the Industry
W3era is not just a service provider—it’s a trusted partner. The agency has been recognized with awards such as:
Certified with:
About W3era
W3era is a performance-driven SEM agency based in India, serving clients worldwide with scalable strategies in SEO and PPC. With a team of 150+ experts, W3era simplifies search marketing for SMBs, enterprises, and startups alike.
Website: www.w3era.com
Email: sales@w3era.com
Phone: +91-7073-197-281
Press Contact: Ashwini Rao
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New AI-powered live translation and language learning tools in Google Translate
/in Google, Online Marketing, website SEO/by Team ZYTEvery month, people translate around 1 trillion words across Google Translate, Search and in visual translations in Lens and Circle to Search. Now, thanks to AI, we’re making it even more effortless to overcome language barriers. Using the advanced reasoning and multimodal capabilities of Gemini models, we’re bringing two new features to Translate to help with live conversations and language learning.
Live conversations translated in real time
Exploring the world is more meaningful when you can easily connect with the people you meet along the way. To help with this, we’ve introduced the ability to have a back-and-forth conversation in real time with audio and on-screen translations through the Translate app. Building on our existing live conversation experience, our advanced AI models are now making it even easier to have a live conversation in more than 70 languages — including Arabic, French, Hindi, Korean, Spanish, and Tamil.
To try it out, open the Translate app for Android or iOS, tap on “Live translate,” select the languages you want to translate and simply begin speaking. You’ll hear the translation aloud and see a transcript of your conversation in both languages on your device. Translate smoothly switches between the two languages you and your language partner are speaking, intelligently identifying conversational pauses, accents and intonations. This allows you to have a natural conversation with just a single tap.
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The Complete Guide to SEO for Small Businesses (2025) – Exploding Topics
/in AI Search, website SEO, Website Traffic/by Team ZYTBlog > The Complete Guide to SEO for Small Businesses (2025)
Contents:
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In my work as a consultant, I talk to many small business owners who feel overwhelmed by the idea of tackling website SEO improvements. The reasons for this overwhelm are myriad, but usually boil down to two key things:
If you identify with either of those statements, you’re in the right spot. This guide is for small business owners who want to improve their SEO in a manageable, maintainable way.
SEO, or search engine optimization, is the process of improving a website’s position in search results. This can involve a few different steps including:
Today, this process also includes improving how your website appears in AI-generated search results like ChatGPT conversations and Google’s AI Overview or AI Mode. When you do SEO for AI tools, it’s called generative engine optimization (GEO).
Get a complete view of your competitors to anticipate trends and lead your market
SEO is important for small businesses because it’s a good way to improve traffic to your business, either online or on foot if you have a brick-and-mortar store.
The companies that appear at the top of search results (or around you on a map) get there through optimization. If you want to appear when your customers search for information, then you need to focus on SEO too.
Tip: Check out our free SEO checklist to make sure you don’t miss anything when working on your website optimization!
While SEO is a type of digital marketing, it’s not a form of paid advertising. (Advertising is marketing, but not all marketing is advertising).
Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is a complementary type of digital marketing that does involve paying for ad space in search engine results.
Search engine advertising requires a slightly different strategy than SEO, so we aren’t covering PPC in this guide.
You don’t have to pay for ads to improve your SEO, but that doesn’t mean the process is entirely free, either.
There can be several costs associated with SEO, including:
Luckily, there’s a big range of SEO strategies and tasks—from simple implementations you can do yourself to more complex, technical activities that might require the help of an expert.
You can decide how much you want to do yourself and what your budget is for additional help or tools.
There are several terms that you’ll want to familiarize yourself with before diving into more resources and learning about SEO.
Technical SEO
Technical SEO involves several processes that change how computers (including Google’s search engine crawlers) read and understand your website. Regular technical SEO maintenance can improve the way your site loads for human users, too.
On-Page SEO
On-page SEO refers to actions that you take on your own website pages. This can include writing content, updating images, creating funnels, and more.
Tip: Download our free content audit template to keep track of each page as you review and optimize your site.
Off-Page SEO
Off-page SEO is the process of improving how your brand appears on other websites, such as through local listings and citations, backlinks, and more.
Keywords
Keywords are the terms that people type into search engines to find information. These can range from one word (“shoes”) to entire sentences (“Hey ChatGPT, I need new running shoes, what should I buy?)
Use trending keywords to create content your audience craves.
Keyword Volume
Keyword volume refers to the number of people that searched for a particular keyword. This is usually expressed as a total per month and can be global or the amount for a specific country.
Keyword Difficulty
Keyword difficulty is a measure of how hard it will be for you to rank highly for a given term. Difficulty is scored on a scale of zero to 100%, with 100% being the hardest due to lots of other companies focusing on that keyword, too.
Search Intent
Search intent refers to the why behind someone’s keyword. It’s a descriptor of what a searcher wants to find or get out of a search result. The most common types of search intent are:
SERP
SERP stands for search engine results page, i.e. what you see when you Google a keyword.
Meta Title and Description
Meta titles and descriptions are what appear on a SERP and tell you the name of a website and what the listed page is about.
The best SEO strategy for a small business depends on the type of business that you operate. Many people think that a small business always needs a local SEO strategy, but that’s not true.
Take me as an example — I run a small business that’s entirely online and service-based. For me, it makes more sense to spend my time creating blog posts that answer my customer’s questions vs. optimizing map listings for an office location that people can’t access.
If you don’t already have a website for your business, start here. A website that you own is a must for SEO and GEO. It’s important that your site:
If your budget for digital marketing is limited, prioritize having a dedicated website for your business above all else.
Tip: Putting blog and resource content on your site can help you rank in both traditional and AI search, no matter how large your company is. Check out our list of strategies to rank in ChatGPT search to improve your rank!
When you have a website for your business, you can set up Google Search Console and Google Analytics — two free and useful tools for understanding how people find you online.
Google Search Console shows you what keywords people type in when they find your site in search results. You can also do things like:
Google Analytics is a useful tool for analyzing how people arrive on your site, whether it’s through search results, a link on another site, through social media, or something else. And once someone lands on your site, you can see information about:
Tip: While Google does walk you through the process of creating both a Google Search Console account and a Google Analytics account, I like Semrush’s detailed guides to the process:
Google Business Profiles are a useful tool for businesses that:
(Online-only businesses can skip this step, but it doesn’t hurt to set up a profile either way.)
Like Google Search Console and Analytics, Google Business Profiles are free. You can claim your profile by visiting the Google Business Profile management portal and entering your business name.
Once claimed, you’ll be able to add photos, contact information, hours of operation, and more to your profile. Your customers can leave reviews that will be visible in Google search results, too.
Having control over your Google Business Profile is important, as it lets you:
When you have your website and online profiles squared away, it’s time to begin the process of actively optimizing your website and its content.
To do this, you’ll need a reliable SEO tool. I like to use Semrush as an all-in-one SEO platform for:
While I do recommend purchasing a paid Semrush plan due to the incredibly broad array of features it provides, you can absolutely do essential small business SEO tasks with the free plan.
A free Semrush account will allow you to:
Now for the tricky part of the process: conducting keyword and competitor research.
I like to start by researching my top competitors to see what keywords they’re ranking for and how well they’re represented across Google and AI search. Here’s how I do it:
Once I’ve got my keywords selected and grouped, I can begin creating content around the terms and tracking my progress.
Tip: If a full SEO tool isn’t in your budget or feels overwhelming, you can get started with our suite of free SEO tools for keyword research, rank tracking, competitor analysis, and more.
Estimate the potential traffic impact of updating your content
Monthly search volume for your target keyword
When was this content last significantly updated?
If you want your website to rank for specific keywords, you need to use them on your website—both on landing pages (like “Home” and “About”) as well as in blog posts that provide useful information to your audience.
You can track how well your efforts are paying off by setting up a series of SEO reports. When using Semrush, I like to get the following reports delivered on a weekly basis:
If you simply don’t have the time or inclination to DIY your SEO, that’s okay. You can always hire an SEO consultant to help. In fact, I recommend hiring an expert any time you:
AI apps like ChatGPT aren’t built for SEO, so you might not get accurate information about keywords and competitors out of a standard chat. You need a purpose-built SEO tool.
Semrush is my choice for an all-in-one SEO platform. You can try the full suite of tools out for two weeks, for free, using our exclusive Semrush promo code. And if you want to stick with the free version, be sure to pair it with the Exploding Topics library of free SEO tools, too—we’re adding more on a regular basis!
Use real-time topic data to create content that resonates and brings results.
Exploding Topics is owned by Semrush. Our mission is to provide accurate data and expert insights on emerging trends. Unless otherwise noted, this page’s content was written by either an employee or a paid contractor of Semrush Inc.
Use real-time topic data to create content that resonates and brings results.
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Which content metrics actually drive growth? Here’s how to align KPIs with business goals, from email opt-ins to branded search and conversions.
This week’s Ask an SEO question comes from Zahara:
“What metrics should small businesses actually care about when measuring content strategy success? Everyone talks about different KPIs, but I need to know which ones truly matter for growth.”
The metrics to measure for growth with a content strategy change by company and industry, and the type of business you run.
Publishers, for example, make their money by selling ad impressions and repeat content to consumers.
Ecommerce stores rely heavily on direct conversions and subscribers, while service-based and SaaS companies need leads and to scale remarketing groups.
There’s no shortage of ways to twist data, but there are certain key performance indicators (KPIs) and conversion items I measure based on what the goal of the client is, their current and future marketing capabilities as they grow or shrink, and things that I like to use as a measure of success when talking to the C-suite vs. day-to-day workers.
Here are some of the metrics or KPIs I measure from content marketing campaigns, and when I apply them to different clients.
These are the unsung heroes of the marketing world. They’re people with enough of an interest in your company that they want to get marketing messages from you.
They sign up from blog content, whitepapers, and all other channels. Yet, most companies segment them without considering where the opt-in originated from.
The metrics here are:
By tracking how many email and SMS opt-ins you get from content, and then the conversions and LTV metrics, you can tie revenue directly to the type of content on your site and how valuable each customer is based on the type of content you produce.
A comparison guide between two compatible electronic accessories for a camera may bring a photographer in; they liked the content, so they subscribed.
Six months later, they need to replace their computer. There’s a new version of editing software, so they get your message saying there is a sale, and this conversion happened because of your comparison content.
The email team would not have had the opt-in if you hadn’t created your guide.
The same can be said for companies that sell cookware.
The recipes you produce for their cooking blog or the recipe books you use as a lead gen get the SMS and email opt-in, so that when you’re having a sale or deal, the SMS and email teams have active lists to drive revenue.
Without your content, the customers would not be on your list, and the email or SMS team would not be able to do their jobs.
The next metric we track from content marketing is the total traffic increase year-over-year.
Showing an increase in non-branded and branded traffic displays:
One metric we use with some of our clients is when non-branded search rises and people come back to visit the site again for more content and to shop.
One of our current clients requires seven website visits before a conversion happens, and as we show up for high-volume “newbie” phrases, we notice an increase in branded search.
We then tracked the pathways for the users who came back for more research questions, and when they eventually converted.
The finance team was then able to calculate the value for the cold topics. On top of that, we learned where people are who have never heard of the company before, but were in a mid-funnel stage.
By creating copy at this touch point, we have been able to reduce the seven visits to four or five in some cases.
The biggest benefit here was the branded search building. As branded searches increased, the site started to appear for high-volume and topically relevant product and shopping queries.
Examples (not from this client) could be a funny t-shirt company that now shows up for “t-shirts” and “graphic t-shirts” vs. only specific ones like “vintage 90’s cartoon t-shirts,” which has a lower search volume and is less competitive.
One of the easiest content KPIs to measure is direct conversions.
These could be completed sales, completed form fills with or without identifiable and financial information (credit cards or social security numbers), and sign-ups for petitions, non-profits, and parties or events.
The reason this is the easiest content KPI is because you can track the conversion from a piece of content, and the system records it on the thank you or confirmation page.
Publishers need page views to make money, and analytics packages make it easy to monitor how many page views each topic and content type gets on average.
By using internal links, an educational series, and content that makes sense to read as a follow-up, you can measure how the content you’re creating increases the amount of pageviews per visit, so you can increase your company’s overall revenue.
This also helps you find opportunities to promote similar articles, adding better internal links, and creating more guides when you notice people leave to do another search, and then come back to finish the article when there weren’t enough examples on your current site.
These are people who come back for more content, whether it is a direct type-in, a new non-branded phrase from a different keyword in search results because they enjoyed your previous content, or from a different marketing team sharing content that is interesting to the audience.
By seeing which visitors come back from what efforts, you can better segment who gets what type of content and the types of content that move the needle.
There is no shortage of KPIs you can track from content marketing. It’s a matter of matching them to the people you report to.
HR may want more job applicants, while the sales team wants leads. Marketing and advertising want direct conversions and subscriber list growth, while the C-suite wants to know market share and reach.
As a content marketer, you can fine-tune your tracking and reporting to meet each stakeholder’s needs and become the star of the company by keeping everyone informed on how your efforts are growing their parts of the company, and that is how we decide which KPIs to monitor and report on, based on the client.
More Resources:
Featured Image: Paulo Bobita/Search Engine Journal
Adam Riemer is an award winning digital marketing strategist, keynote speaker, affiliate manager, and growth consultant with more than 20+ …
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