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  • AI Search Optimization for Graduate Education Marketing in 2026

    What 2025 Research Tells Us About AI Visibility, Zero-Click Search, and Enrollment Strategy

    Executive Summary

    Here’s the reality: the way prospective graduate students find and evaluate programs has changed faster than most of us anticipated. Research from across 2025 — including original survey data from UPCEA and Search Influence (n=705) — shows that half of all prospects now use AI tools weekly, while 82% are more likely to consider programs appearing on page one of search results. Zero-click searches have climbed to 69% of all Google queries. AI Overviews now appear on nearly half of search results.

    And this is just where we are today. The trajectory for 2026 is clear.

    Key Findings at a Glance

    Metric 2025 Finding Implication for 2026 Source
    AI tool usage (weekly+) 50% of prospects Expect 60%+ as tools improve UPCEA/Search Influence
    Page one consideration 82% more likely AI citations become equally critical UPCEA/Search Influence
    Zero-click searches 69% of queries Will exceed 75% for informational Similarweb/SparkToro
    AI Overview reach 1.5B monthly users Expanding to 80%+ of queries Google Q1 2025
    ChatGPT weekly users 800 million Continued exponential growth OpenAI September 2025
    AI in college search 23% (6x from 2023) 35-40% projected Carnegie 2025

    So what does this mean for 2026? Traditional higher education SEO and paid search remain foundational—that hasn’t changed. But they’re no longer sufficient on their own. Institutions that fail to invest in AI search optimization and AI visibility strategy risk disappearing from the consideration set entirely, before prospects ever visit a website.

    The institutions that act now on GEO for higher education will have a 12-month head start on those still debating whether this matters.

    The State of AI Search: Where We Are and Where We’re Headed

    The Adoption Curve Has Been Steeper Than Anyone Expected

    I’ll be honest: when we started tracking AI adoption in college search two years ago, I didn’t expect to see numbers like these so quickly.

    According to Carnegie’s 2025 Summer Research Series, AI usage in the college search process jumped from 4% in 2023 to 10% in 2024 to 23% in 2025—nearly 6x in two years. Rising students show even higher adoption at 25%, while parents trail slightly at 21%.

    If this trajectory holds—and there’s no indication it won’t—we’re looking at 35-40% AI usage in college search by the end of 2026. For graduate and professional programs, where prospects skew older and more research-oriented, adoption may be even higher.

    The UPCEA/Search Influence study of 705 qualified respondents (March 2025) digs deeper into professional and continuing education prospects specifically:

    • 24% use AI-powered tools daily
    • 26% use them weekly
    • 18% use them a few times per month
    • 17% never use AI tools for search

    Younger prospects show higher daily and weekly usage, which isn’t surprising. But here’s what caught my attention: even among older demographics, the “never use” category is a minority. This isn’t a Gen Z phenomenon anymore. By 2026, the “never use” segment will likely shrink to single digits.

    Search Engines Still Dominate—But the Picture Is Getting More Complicated

    When researching professional and continuing education programs, prospects use multiple platforms, often in the same search session:

    Platform Usage for PCE Program Research (UPCEA/Search Influence 2025)

    Platform Extremely/Very Likely to Use
    Traditional search engines 84%
    University/college websites 63%
    AI chatbots (ChatGPT, Gemini) 36%
    AI search engines 35%
    Social media platforms 34%

    Here’s the number that should get your attention: AI-assisted tools now warrant the same strategic investment as social media, where institutions spend an average of $166,303 annually on advertising, according to UPCEA’s 2024 Marketing Survey. Are you spending proportionally on AI visibility for your university? Most graduate enrollment marketing teams aren’t—yet. By 2026, that gap will separate the visible from the invisible.

    The Lines Between “Search” and “Browse” Have Blurred Permanently

    We asked respondents which platforms they use “in a way similar to how you would use a traditional search engine.” The results tell us something important about how prospects actually behave:

    • YouTube: 61%
    • AI-powered search tools: 50%
    • Amazon: 32%
    • Instagram: 28%
    • Reddit: 28%

    Prospects don’t distinguish between “search” and “browsing” the way we do in marketing meetings. YouTube is a search engine to them. ChatGPT is a search engine. Instagram is a search engine. Your content has to work across all of them, or you’re only reaching part of your audience.

    For 2026 planning, this means content strategy can’t be siloed by platform. The same information needs to exist in formats optimized for each discovery channel.

    The Zero-Click Search Reality: Planning for a Post-Click World

    Most Searches Don’t Result in Clicks Anymore

    Zero-click searches—queries where users get answers directly from search results without visiting a website—have reached a tipping point:

    • 69% of Google searches ended without a click (May 2025), up from 56% in May 2024
    • 60-63% of all Google searches result in zero clicks according to SparkToro/Similarweb
    • 70-90% click-through rate decline when AI Overviews appear

    Google’s AI Overviews now reach 1.5 billion monthly users as of Q1 2025. The feature appears on 47% of searches today, with Google’s internal testing suggesting this will exceed 80% for informational queries in the near future.

    For 2026 planning: Assume zero-click will exceed 75% for the informational queries that drive graduate program research. Questions like “What are the admission requirements for [Program X]?” or “How much does an MBA cost?”—exactly the queries your prospects are typing—will increasingly be answered without a click.

    What Zero-Click Search Means for 2026 Graduate Enrollment Marketing

    The implications for university marketing teams are significant, and I don’t think we should sugarcoat them:

    1. Traditional funnel metrics are becoming less reliable.

    If prospects get answers about tuition, deadlines, and program details from AI summaries, they may form opinions about your institution without ever reaching your website. Your analytics won’t capture that interaction. You’ll have incomplete data on what’s actually influencing enrollment decisions.

    2026 action: Build brand visibility metrics alongside click metrics. Track AI citations, brand mentions, and sentiment—not just traffic. This requires a different approach to higher education analytics.

    1. You’re paying more for declining performance.

    Everspring reports that the average cost-per-click for higher education terms has increased 45% year-over-year, while performance has declined. That’s a rough combination that will only intensify.

    2026 action: Rebalance paid media budgets. The ROI calculus on traditional higher education PPC is shifting. Organic AI visibility may deliver better long-term value.

    1. This is already disrupting adjacent industries.

    Learning platform Chegg reported a 49% decline in non-subscriber traffic between January 2024 and January 2025, coinciding with AI Overviews answering homework and study questions that previously drove site visits. Graduate enrollment marketing isn’t immune to the same dynamics.

    2026 action: Don’t wait for disruption to hit your specific program category. Invest in zero-click search strategy now.

    The Trust Signal Hidden in AI Overviews

    Here’s where the data gets interesting. The UPCEA/Search Influence study shows how prospects actually interact with AI Overviews:

    • 79% read the AI-generated overview when it appears
    • 51% click on sources most of the time or always
    • 43% click occasionally
    • 56% are more likely to trust brands/websites cited in AI Overviews

    That last number matters enormously for 2026 strategy. Being cited in AI Overviews isn’t just about visibility—it’s a credibility signal. When prospects see your institution referenced in AI-generated content, they’re more likely to view you as trustworthy. Absence from those results may communicate the opposite.

    Rethinking Optimization: From Higher Education SEO to GEO

    SEO vs. GEO for Universities: A Different Kind of Target

    Here’s a useful way to think about the shift we’re navigating:

    Traditional SEO feels like optimizing for an algorithm—a system that scores and ranks based on signals (keywords, links, technical factors). It’s mechanical, pattern-matching. You’re essentially optimizing for a librarian: cataloging, indexing, and retrieval.

    GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) feels fundamentally different. It feels like optimizing for a reader who happens to have perfect memory and infinite patience—an entity that’s actually trying to understand what you do, synthesize it, and explain it to someone else. You’re optimizing for a research assistant: understanding, synthesizing, recommending.

    Put more directly: with GEO, you’re writing content that helps an AI form an accurate opinion about your institution—because that’s what it’s going to share with prospects.

    The practical difference:

    • SEO rewards structure and signals
    • GEO rewards clarity, accuracy, and citable claims

    You’re not just trying to rank anymore. You’re trying to be the source an AI would quote if it were writing an article about your program category.

    What This Means for University Content Strategy in 2026

    For 2026, your higher education content strategy needs to serve two masters simultaneously:

    1. Traditional search engines that still drive significant traffic and still reward keyword optimization, technical SEO, and backlink profiles
    2. AI systems that are reading your content to form an understanding of who you are, what you offer, and whether you’re worth recommending

    The good news: these aren’t entirely at odds. Clear, factual, well-structured content performs well for both. But the emphasis shifts. AI systems don’t care about keyword density—they care about whether they can extract accurate, citable information. This is the core of AI-ready website optimization for higher education.

    What Prospects Trust—and Don’t Trust

    The Trust Hierarchy Is Clear (and Stable)

    When searching for professional and continuing education programs, prospect trust varies dramatically by source:

    Trust Levels by Platform (UPCEA/Search Influence 2025)

    Source Extremely/Very Trustworthy
    University/college websites 77%
    Traditional search engines 66%
    AI chatbots 33%
    Social media platforms 20%

    University websites are still the most trusted source by a wide margin. That’s actually good news for 2026. While AI tools are gaining usage, the destination of trust remains institutional websites. The challenge is making sure AI tools surface and cite your content accurately—so prospects who trust AI still end up trusting you.

    Think of it this way: AI is becoming the intermediary, but your website is still the authority. You need AI to accurately represent what’s on your site.

    Not Everyone Is Worried About AI Accuracy

    This surprised me a bit: nearly a third (32%) of respondents have no concerns whatsoever about using AI search tools for researching professional and continuing education programs.

    Among those who do have concerns:

    • 28% worry about validity, reliability, or accuracy
    • 7% cite privacy or security concerns
    • The remainder mention environmental impact, bias, and relevance

    So while accuracy concerns exist, a substantial portion of your prospect pool is comfortable taking AI recommendations at face value. That makes your AI presence even more critical—if AI gets your information wrong, a third of prospects won’t question it.

    What Would Build More Trust?

    When asked what features would be most valuable in AI-generated search results:

    1. Transparent sources for AI-generated recommendations: 51%
    2. AI-generated side-by-side comparisons of programs: 50%
    3. Emphasis on accredited institutions: 39%
    4. AI personalization based on interests: (favored by younger prospects)

    Prospects want AI to show its work. Transparent sourcing and comparison tools matter more than fancy personalization for most age groups.

    2026 implication: Structure your content with clear, citable claims. Include specific data points, credentials, and outcomes that AI can reference. Make it easy for AI to cite you accurately.

    Search Query Patterns: How Behavior Differs by Platform

    People Talk to AI Differently Than They Talk to Google

    This is one of the more actionable findings from the research. The UPCEA/Search Influence study asked respondents what they would type when searching for an MBA program across different platforms. The patterns are distinct:

    Query Type by Platform

    Query Type Traditional Search AI Search Engine AI Chatbot Social Media
    Phrase 80% 64% 55% 71%
    Question 12% 16% 23% 8%
    Command 1% 8% 9% 2%
    One-word 6% 6% 7% 9%
    Wouldn’t use 1% 5% 6% 10%

    On traditional search, 80% of prospects type phrases like “MBA programs near me.” On AI chatbots, that drops to 55%, while questions jump to 23% and commands to 9%.

    What this means for 2026 content: If you’re only optimizing for keyword phrases, you’re missing the conversational queries that dominate AI interactions. Content that answers questions directly—”What is the best MBA program for working professionals?” “Compare online vs. in-person MBA programs”—will perform better in AI contexts.

    The Core Keywords Still Matter

    Across all platforms, the most common search approaches for MBA programs included:

    • “MBA programs/degrees/courses/education” (27-31%)
    • “Best MBA programs/schools” (8-11%)
    • “MBA programs near me” (8-12%)

    The consistency across platforms tells us that core keyword targeting still matters. People are looking for the same information—they’re just asking for it differently depending on where they’re searching. Your content needs to address both the keyword and the question.

    Platform-Specific Behaviors: What to Prioritize for 2026

    ChatGPT Is the Default, But Don’t Ignore the Others

    Among prospects likely to use AI platforms for program research:

    AI Platform Would Use
    ChatGPT 78%
    Gemini 56%
    Perplexity 20%

    Here’s an interesting wrinkle: older age groups were more likely to use Gemini and Perplexity than younger prospects. My guess is this reflects different adoption pathways—Gemini through the Google ecosystem that older users are more embedded in, Perplexity through professional and research applications.

    2026 consideration: Your AI visibility strategy can’t focus on ChatGPT alone. Gemini is integrated into Google’s ecosystem (where 84% of your prospects still search), and Perplexity is growing fast among research-oriented users—exactly your graduate prospect demographic.

    The Scale of ChatGPT Is Hard to Overstate

    As of late 2025, ChatGPT’s numbers are staggering:

    • 800 million weekly active users (September 2025)
    • 190 million daily active users
    • 5.72 billion monthly visits
    • 77.2 million monthly active users in the US alone
    • 46.7% of users are aged 18-24

    For context, Perplexity AI processes 780 million monthly queries with 22 million monthly active users—substantial and growing fast, but still an order of magnitude smaller than ChatGPT.

    Social Media Platform Preferences Vary by Age

    Among prospects likely to use social media for program research:

    Platform Would Use
    YouTube 57%
    LinkedIn 49%
    Facebook 43%
    Instagram 35%
    Reddit 31%

    The age patterns are predictable:

    • YouTube, Instagram, TikTok: Skew younger
    • LinkedIn, Facebook: Skew older
    • Reddit: Relatively consistent across age groups

    What Actually Works on Social

    When using social media to research programs, prospects find these content types most helpful:

    1. Program summaries or descriptions: 65%
    2. Career advice related to education choices: 54%
    3. Student testimonials: 50%

    One exception worth noting: for 18-22-year-olds, university/college advertisements ranked as the most helpful content type. Traditional advertising still resonates with the youngest prospects in ways it doesn’t with older demographics.

    The AI Tools Landscape: A Quick Reference

    Major AI Platforms by the Numbers (Late 2025)

    Platform Monthly Active Users Monthly Queries Key Demographics
    ChatGPT 800M weekly / 190M daily 5.72B visits 46.7% aged 18-24
    Google Gemini 284M monthly visits — 18% education sector
    Perplexity AI 22M MAU 780M queries 57% aged 18-34
    Claude ~3.2% US market share — Professional/technical skew

    US Market Share Context

    • ChatGPT: 59.5%
    • Microsoft Copilot: 14%
    • Google Gemini: 13.4%
    • Perplexity: 6.2%
    • Claude: 3.2%

    Strategic Roadmap: AI Search Optimization for Higher Education in 2026

    The Shift Is Structural, Not Tactical

    Let me be direct about what the data is telling us about graduate enrollment marketing:

    1. Search behavior has diversified permanently.

    Prospects use 5+ platforms interchangeably for program research. If you’re only optimizing for Google, you’re reaching a shrinking portion of your audience. Single-platform strategies are increasingly risky.

    1. AI is compressing your funnel.

    Generative AI tools deliver answers about your institution—and your competitors—before prospects visit any website. The traditional “awareness → consideration → decision” funnel is collapsing. Prospects may move from “never heard of you” to “crossed you off the list” without a single website visit.

    1. Citation is the new ranking.

    Being referenced in AI Overviews and AI tool responses builds credibility. Absence from these results may signal irrelevance. For a generation that trusts AI to give them straight answers, not appearing in those answers is a problem.

    1. Your metrics are incomplete.

    Website traffic and click-through rates don’t capture AI-mediated discovery. Brand visibility and AI citation frequency matter, but most institutions aren’t tracking them yet.

    Your 2026 Action Plan for Graduate Enrollment Marketing

    Q1 2026: Foundation—AI Visibility Audit and Technical SEO

    1. Conduct an AI visibility audit. Query ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews with the exact phrases your prospects use. Screenshot what appears. Document what’s missing or inaccurate. This is your baseline for AI search optimization.
    2. Review your website’s structure for AI readiness. AI tools favor content with clear headings, factual statements, and authoritative data that they can easily extract and cite. Does your program content deliver that, or is it buried in marketing language? An AI-ready website audit should be your first step.
    3. Check your technical SEO fundamentals. Crawlability and site speed matter more than ever for higher education SEO. AI engines are less patient than traditional crawlers. If they can’t see your content, they can’t cite it.

    Q2 2026: Content Development—GEO and Multi-Platform Strategy

    1. Develop a YouTube strategy if you don’t have one. 61% of prospects use YouTube like a search engine. Program overviews, student testimonials, and career outcome videos aren’t optional anymore for graduate enrollment marketing.
    2. Create content in multiple formats for AI optimization. AI chatbots favor Q&A formats. Traditional search favors keyword phrases. Social favors summaries and testimonials. The same information needs to exist in multiple expressions optimized for each platform.
    3. Build FAQ and comparison content. These formats are highly citable by AI systems and directly address how prospects query AI tools. This is core GEO for universities.

    Q3-Q4 2026: Infrastructure and Measurement Evolution

    1. Implement structured data and schema markup. Help AI tools understand your programs, faculty, outcomes, and accreditations through proper technical implementation. This is table stakes for AI visibility in higher education.
    2. Distribute content through authoritative channels. AI tools favor citations from recognized sources. Publishing through professional associations, research outlets, and established media increases the likelihood of AI citation—a key component of any higher education SEO strategy.
    3. Evolve your measurement approach. Start tracking brand mentions, AI citations, and sentiment alongside traditional metrics. The full picture of enrollment marketing visibility now extends well beyond clickable results.

    Methodology

    UPCEA/Search Influence Study (2025)

    Survey period: March 11-13, 2025

    Sample:

    • Total participants: 1,061 individuals
    • Qualified respondents: 760 (met all criteria)
    • Completed surveys: 705

    Qualification criteria:

    • Adults aged 18-60
    • Minimum high school diploma
    • Not currently enrolled in a PCE program
    • Interested in advancing skills through professional/continuing education

    Respondent demographics:

    • 55% female, 45% male
    • 68% employed full-time
    • Education: 32% bachelor’s degree, 19% some college, 18% master’s degree
    • Age: 25% ages 46-54, 19% ages 55-60, 17% ages 35-40

    Distribution: Internet panel

    Conducted by: UPCEA and Search Influence

    Carnegie Summer Research Series (2025)

    Sample: 3,400+ prospective students and parents

    Focus: College choice trends, AI usage in admissions, personality-driven communication

    Key longitudinal finding: AI usage in college search: 4% (2023) → 10% (2024) → 23% (2025)

    Additional Data Sources

    Platform statistics compiled from company announcements, third-party tracking services (Similarweb, SparkToro, Semrush), and industry research reports. All figures represent the most recent publicly available data as of November 2025.

    Glossary of Key Terms

    AI Overview: Google Search feature providing an AI-generated summary at the top of results, synthesizing information from multiple sources. Previously called Search Generative Experience (SGE).

    Zero-click search: A query where users find their answer directly in search results (featured snippets, AI Overviews, knowledge panels) without clicking to any website.

    Generative Engine Optimization (GEO): Optimizing content and digital presence to appear in AI-generated responses from tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s AI Overviews. Unlike traditional SEO (optimizing for algorithms), GEO focuses on helping AI systems accurately understand and represent your institution.

    Professional and Continuing Education (PCE): Post-secondary programs for working adults seeking to advance skills, change careers, or earn credentials—including graduate degrees, certificates, professional development, and continuing education.

    AI chatbot: Conversational AI interface (ChatGPT, Gemini) responding to queries in natural language, often synthesizing information from training data and/or real-time web search.

    AI search engine: Search tool (Perplexity, SearchGPT) providing direct answers by searching the web and synthesizing results, rather than returning a list of links.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How are prospective students using AI tools in their program search?

    Half of prospects (50%) use AI-powered tools at least weekly for general information search. For program research specifically, 36% are extremely or very likely to use AI chatbots, and 35% likely to use AI search engines. ChatGPT dominates (78% of AI users would use it), followed by Gemini (56%) and Perplexity (20%).

    Do prospects trust AI-generated information about educational programs?

    It’s complicated. Only 33% rate AI chatbots as extremely or very trustworthy for program research, compared to 77% for university websites. But 32% have no concerns whatsoever about using AI for this purpose, and 56% say they’re more likely to trust brands cited in Google’s AI Overviews. Trust in AI is lower than traditional sources, but AI citations boost trust in the sources cited.

    What percentage of searches result in zero clicks?

    As of May 2025, roughly 69% of Google searches end without a click to any website, up from 56% a year earlier. When AI Overviews appear, click-through rates to top-ranking websites decline by 70-90%.

    Which platforms do prospects use to research graduate programs?

    Search engines dominate (84% extremely/very likely), followed by university websites (63%), AI chatbots (36%), AI search engines (35%), and social media (34%). But 61% also use YouTube “like a search engine,” and 50% use AI tools the same way. Platform diversification is the new normal.

    How do search queries differ between traditional search and AI tools?

    On traditional search, 80% use phrase-based queries. On AI chatbots, only 55% use phrases while 23% ask questions and 9% use commands. AI-optimized content should address conversational queries and direct questions—not just keyword phrases.

    What content types work best on social media for program discovery?

    Program summaries and descriptions (65%), career advice (54%), and student testimonials (50%) rate highest. Exception: for 18-22 year-olds, university advertisements were actually rated most helpful.

    What’s the difference between SEO and GEO?

    Traditional SEO optimizes for search algorithms—systems that score and rank based on signals like keywords and links. GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) optimizes for AI understanding—helping AI systems accurately comprehend and represent your institution so they can recommend you to prospects. SEO is like optimizing for a librarian; GEO is like optimizing for a research assistant who needs to explain you to someone else.

    About This Report

    This analysis synthesizes original research from the UPCEA/Search Influence study with data from Carnegie Higher Education, Everspring, EAB, and platform-specific metrics to provide a forward-looking view of how AI search optimization is reshaping program discovery in graduate education.

    The report is designed to help enrollment marketing leaders, higher education SEO professionals, and university marketing teams understand the AI visibility landscape and develop effective GEO strategies for 2026.

    Primary research sponsor: Search Influence

    Research partner: UPCEA (University Professional and Continuing Education Association)

    Report date: November 2025

    Sources and Citations

    Primary Research

    1. UPCEA and Search Influence. “AI Search in Higher Education: How Prospects Search in 2025.” Survey conducted March 11-13, 2025. n=705 qualified respondents.
    1. Carnegie Higher Education. “2025 Summer Research Series: AI Use in the College Search.” Survey of 3,400+ prospective students and parents.

    Industry Reports

    1. Everspring. “AI and the Collapse of Student Search: 2025 Higher Ed Trend Report.” May 2025.
    1. EAB. “Is Your College Website AI-Ready and Built to Drive Enrollment?” July 2025.
    1. EAB. “How Graduate Enrollment Leaders—and Prospective Students—Are Using AI.”
    1. Semrush. “AI Overviews Study: What 2025 SEO Data Tells Us About Google’s Search Shift.” May 2025.
    1. SparkToro and Similarweb. Zero-click search analysis, May 2025.
    2. EducationDynamics. “Engaging the Modern Learner: 2025 Report on the Preferences & Behaviors Shaping Higher Ed.”

    Platform Statistics

    1. OpenAI. ChatGPT usage statistics, August-September 2025.
    1. DemandSage. “ChatGPT Statistics” (November 2025).
    1. DemandSage. “Perplexity AI Statistics” (November 2025).
    1. Business of Apps. “ChatGPT Revenue and Usage Statistics” (2025).
    1. Business of Apps. “Perplexity Revenue and Usage Statistics” (2025).

    Additional Sources

    1. ICEF Monitor. “Students are switching to AI for search. Are you ready?” August 2025.
    1. EdTech Innovation Hub. “Universities face digital visibility crisis as students shift to AI search tools.”
    1. Search Engine Journal. “Google AI Overviews Impact On Publishers & How To Adapt Into 2026.”
    1. Bruce Clay. “How Google’s AI Overviews Are Changing Click Behavior and SEO Metrics.”
    1. Pew Research Center. AI usage survey, 2024-2025.
    1. McKinsey & Company. “The State of AI.”
    1. UPCEA. “2024 Marketing Survey Results.” (Social media advertising spend data—available to UPCEA members)
    2. Statista. “Share of Adults Who Would Switch to an AI-Powered Search Engine by Generation.”

    The landscape described here is evolving quickly. The 2025 data establishes clear trajectories, and the institutions that invest in AI search optimization and GEO for higher education now will have a meaningful advantage heading into 2026. AI-mediated discovery is becoming the norm, not the exception. The question for graduate enrollment marketing isn’t whether to adapt—it’s how quickly you can move.

  • Read This Before You Switch to Google Analytics 4

    Read This Before You Switch to Google Analytics 4

    Key Insights

    • A new version of Google Analytics is available and comes with some major changes.
    • The Google Analytics 4 release is the largest update in the last decade or more to Google Analytics. It impacts the way users are tracked and the way their behavior is reported to us as marketers.
    • Google hopes to future proof and improve user analytics by updating to tracking technology that doesn’t rely on browser cookies.
    • Google Analytics 4 includes changes to both reporting and measurement – which are currently still a work-in-progress, by our assessment.

    Google Analytics data being displayed on a tablet

    There’s no doubt 2020 was a whirlwind for many reasons. Adding to the chaos for digital marketers everywhere, Google snuck in a major update for Google Analytics, with the official rollout of Google Analytics 4 (GA4) in late 2020.

    Chances are, you probably depend on Google Analytics to understand your website traffic and user experience, track your digital campaigns and make decisions. W3 Techs reports that Google Analytics is used by “86.1% of all the websites whose traffic analysis tool we know.” So, major updates to Google Analytics naturally have sweeping impacts for marketers. Adapting (or not) to the new technology could impact your long-term ability to analyze the success of your marketing.

    Google rolls out updates and changes to Google Analytics over time, and in some cases, users continue to track their data with past versions. The GA4 release is the largest update in the last decade or more to Google Analytics. It impacts the way users are tracked and the way their behavior is reported to us as marketers.

    We expect websites will be forced into switching at some point. That said, there are considerations to adopting early. On one hand, it’s recommended to begin collecting data via the new technology so that when you are required to switch, your historical data is built out. On the other hand, you don’t want to solely rely on GA4 just yet. This post will review what makes GA4 notable and provide some guidance (in layman’s terms) on whether or not you need to consider switching.

    If you’re a developer or looking for a more in-depth technical perspective, check out “Should You Switch To Google Analytics 4” by my colleague David, our resident conversion tracking authority.

    What is Google Analytics 4?

    Google Analytics 4 is effectively an entirely new form of Google Analytics which makes “App + Web” configuration standard for all online properties. The foundational metric of reporting has changed from Pageviews within a Session to Events. This means it’s better designed for those who have both an app and website and who want to more seamlessly track and understand individual behavior across those platforms.

    How is Google Analytics 4 different from Universal Analytics? What are the key reporting differences?

    Usually, Google Analytics updates are just code updates in the background and no change to the reporting user interface. But this update is significantly different.

    There are some benefits to the reporting changes, but since GA4 is still a work-in-progress, there are some significant differences that may present challenges to the typical Universal Analytics user. Bounteous covers them in-depth here. Here are a few key points:

    • Reporting dashboard differences
      • No e-commerce reports
      • No available cost data from ads
      • Marketing channels are associated with conversion events rather than visitor sessions
    • Currently, there are very few pre-built reports, filters, and views. For example, you cannot exclude internal traffic.

    Should I switch to Google Analytics 4?

    The short answer to “Should I switch to Google Analytics 4?” is… maybe. The answer depends largely on what type of web/app properties you have and want to track, among other considerations. Keep in mind that the analytics community as a whole expects there could be significant progress and updates to GA4 as time goes on. GA4 will eventually replace Universal Analytics as the standard, so it is appropriate to be paying attention and considering how you may transition.

    So what are the considerations for switching to GA4 now? Here are the things you should consider:

    • Do you have a website and an app?
    • How dependent are you on your current Analytics reporting metrics and data?
    • Do you have the bandwidth to manage the switch, learn and understand the differences in reporting metrics and rework existing reports?
    • Do you work with an outside agency or other third parties on marketing efforts? What do they recommend?
    • Do you use any other application to tie into Google Analytics (like Google Data Studio or a custom reporting dashboard)? If yes, are you prepared to update those connections?

    Our recommendations for switching to GA4 now:

    • If you only need to track behavior on a website (not an app), the short-term benefits of transitioning to GA seem insignificant and will likely demand a lot of resources to adjust to the new configurations, reporting, etc.
    • If you want to unify reporting and improve tracking across apps and websites you manage, some of the immediate benefits may make the transition worth your while.

    Regardless of which boat you are in, we recommend to track Universal Analytics properties and GA4 properties concurrently for now.

    Using a tablet to evaluate Google Analytics data

    Can I use both Google Analytics 4 and Universal Analytics?

    Yes, you can use both Google Analytics 4 and Universal Analytics at the same time, and we recommend it as the immediate option to set you up for a long-term successful transition.

    If it excites you to adopt “the new thing” but want to play things safe, you can install both tracking codes and check out the differences yourself. Since these are separate properties, they don’t interfere with one another, and per our testing, we can set up both to work simultaneously without any conflicts.

    An important note is that historical data from Universal Analytics will not be available in Google Analytics 4, so you might consider installing it alongside Universal Analytics to begin to collect data in the new landscape.

    For more information about running GA4 and Universal Analytics parallel, check out this blog written by our CEO Will Scott

    Do I Have to Switch Now?

    If you walk away with nothing else, here’s what I hope you gained from reading this post:

    • It’s new, it’s developing, and we’ll be watching along the way. It’s generally expected that Google will continue to iterate and improve on GA4 in the upcoming year.
    • If your goal is to track both an app and website, an early adoption plan for GA4 is a good idea to explore.
    • You don’t have to switch yet! There’s no risk in setting up GA4 to work concurrently with Universal Analytics and begin collecting data so that you are ready in the future for a transition. In fact, we recommend it.

    Do you want advice specific to your situation on Google Analytics 4 or any other tracking and analytics challenges? Reach out to our expert team at Search Influence through our site form and let’s discuss how we can help you begin tracking your website performance accurately!

  • SEO News: Data Aggregator Factual Now a “Submission Only” Source for TDCs

    SEO professionals who deal with clients’ backlink profiles and citation distribution on a daily basis are likely familiar with Factual, one of the largest data aggregators in the local search space. Factual does not accept listing submissions or edits from individual users; rather, they utilize trusted data contributors (more on that later) to help collect, validate, and then disseminate what they describe as “the ongoing accuracy of core business attributes.” In basic terms, you want to have your business listed on Factual as a platform because it helps push that data to other data collecting websites, expanding your digital reach across the internet.

    What Does Factual Moving to Submission Only Mean?

    Factual going to submission only means that third-party trusted data contributors (TDCs) can no longer guarantee that these data submissions will be accepted on Factual’s end. In TDCs like Yext or Moz, users can submit their business data, and the TDCs will push that information all at once to data aggregators, of which Factual is just one. Some other examples of data aggregators would include Acxiom, Neustar/Localeze, and Infogroup. TDCs help SEO professionals by guaranteeing that accurate listings will populate on these very important aggregators. 

    Yext logo


    This helps SEO professionals save a lot of time because it allows them to manage a client’s core data, have the data sent to these aggregators, which then send the data to more sources. Additionally, these tools help measure the accuracy of the listings, telling you if there is a discrepancy in name, address, phone number, or other attributed data. There is tremendous value in having accurate data for these reasons:

    • The data gets pushed from these four aggregators to numerous other internet sources.
    • Having consistent data for your name, address, phone number, and website adds authority to your business, in terms of SEO.

    Why Does Factual Going Submission Only Matter?

    Data aggregators that are willing to accept data from third-party tools as well as measure their accuracy help SEO and/or link builders tremendously in terms of time saved. For those at an agency or juggling numerous clients, monitoring these listings individually and having them edited is a gigantic time suck and oftentimes can be less than effective.

    By eliminating Factual from the equation, there is one less data aggregator that you can manage en masse via third-party tools. Factual will remain an important directory and aggregator, but you have to manage the data in a different way; more than likely, manual review on the physical listings will the best way to ensure accuracy. If there are inaccuracies, the best course of action would be to follow the guidance on how to make edits on their FAQ page.

    Why Did Factual Go to Submission Only for TDCs?

    This is a bit unclear, but Factual made this decision across all platforms. They did not cherry pick the sources that they would allow to guarantee submission or measure accuracy, but rather decided to limit the functionality available to the TDCs. 

    Factual’s next steps might be indicative of a larger trend industry-wide, or it might be just an internal decision based on factors we are not aware of. Regardless, this is worthy of monitoring going forward, because if more TDCs follow suit, local listing and data distribution management might be a bit more challenging in the near term.

    Even though the SEO industry is always changing, the marketing experts here at Search Influence are always keeping up with industry trends to optimize our clients’ SEO campaigns. If you think your business could use help with listing management or other SEO strategies, contact us today to start a conversation.

    Images

    Whitespark

    Yext

  • 5 Things American Businesses Need to Know About GDPR

    In the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal here in the U.S., the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was established by the European Union in May to give users complete transparency on how their data is or will be used. Here’s everything you need to know about GDPR and how it will affect marketers not just in Europe but here at home as well.

    1. Why Did the EU Create GDPR?

    GDPR went into effect on May 25, 2018. It was initially approved by the EU in 2016, well before the news of the Cambridge Analytica data misuse broke. However, it’s hard not to associate one with the other because of the timing. To provide a bit of context, I will quickly outline the details of the Cambridge Analytica case. The data of an estimated 80 million Facebook users was sold and then used to create “psychographic” profiles of American voters. This data was collected through a seemingly harmless personality test called “thisisyourdigitallife.” The test filed away the data of participants and their Facebook friends. The participants unwittingly gave the app’s developers access to this data because by opting to take the test, they agreed to the test’s terms of service, which granted the test access to their information as well as their friends’.

    Though this example of misuse has brought personal data protection to the forefront of the world’s attention, this is not a new practice. The personality test in question was launched in 2014, and people have been using similar techniques to acquire user data for years. The difference is that we rarely questioned the terms of service we agreed to for things like apps, free wifi, and other services in the past.

    2. What Does GDPR do?

    GDPR aims to give users more information on how their data will be used. Its central goals are to keep users informed and to require their consent. The exchange of data for free services such as Facebook and Google can be a fair one. The text of the GDPR legislation is a decent read and is broken into chapters here. Any sites or services attempting to collect data must do so transparently, with “unambiguous” and “specific” purposes. “Data subjects” must be able to request logs of all of the data collected about them and then allowed to ask for the data to be corrected or deleted (appropriately named the “right to rectification” and the “right to be forgotten,” respectively). Also, businesses cannot deny or restrict services to users who opt out of data collection.

    EEA payment map - Search Influence

    3. Does GDPR Apply to US Businesses?

    Strictly speaking, GDPR applies only to EEA (European Economic Area, see image) citizens while they are in EEA countries, so one might expect that it won’t have a huge effect on American companies that only operate within the United States. However, because the internet is global in nature, it’s rarely that simple. Websites run by American businesses are frequently visited by people around the world.

    Tourism is one of the industries that will be most affected. 39.4 percent of the American tourism market is comprised of European travelers. Zoos, museums, aquariums, and other attractions should review their data and cookie collection methods.

    Also, American businesses must ensure that data they receive or purchase about EEA citizens were collected using techniques aligned with GDPR’s regulations.

    4. What Can You Do to Make Sure Your Business Is Compliant?

    GDPR isn’t intended to stop all data collection or to make targeted marketing less effective. On the front end, the main changes businesses would need to make to adhere to GDPR are stating that they are tracking user data and then how they plan to use the data, whether it’s cookies for remarketing, user session data for site analytics, or other reasons. Further down the line, companies would need to ensure that their records are well-maintained so that they can provide users with their data should there be a need to review or delete them. The key is transparency. As long as you let users know what you’re doing and why, there shouldn’t be any issues.

    Mark Zuckerberg sitting before Congress - Search Influence

    5. Will the U.S. Adopt Similar Policies?

    Anyone who watched Mark Zuckerberg’s testimony to Congress in April might not think there will be changes in US data privacy laws anytime soon. The questions some congressmen and women asked revealed a lack of technical knowledge, as noted by Vox. However, on May 22 Vermont passed the nation’s first data privacy law. Vermont’s legislation focuses on “data brokers,” companies that sell or license data about their consumers to third-party companies that do not have a direct relationship with the consumer whose data they are purchasing.

    A few weeks ago California passed a law that is more all-encompassing than Vermont’s. Similar to GDPR, the law requires businesses to state the type of data they are collecting and how they plan to use it. These changes will not go into effect until 2020, but the process was pushed along because Californian lawmakers were pressured by a grassroots ballot initiative with measures even more stringent than the bill the state passed.

    Due to public outcry and interest, other states are bound to follow suit, so there’s never been a better time to review your data collection practices and consider how easily they can be adjusted to fit the level of transparency that is becoming the new standard.

    Consult With Experts Who Are Up to Industry Standards

    At Search Influence, we consistently stay apprised of new industry standards and regulations regarding how our client’s information is disseminated, including GDPR. Our goal is to help your business grow and optimize your potential online, all while making sure your business is in compliance with data protection laws. If you’d like professional insight into how we can help your business thrive, call 504-336-3422 or request a proposal online today.

    Images:

    EEA Map

    Mark Zuckerberg

  • The Rise of the Silver Surfers: Engaging Older Americans Online

    Mini Infographic Silver Surfers Older Americans Month - Search Influence

    In honor of Older American’s Month, let’s take a look at the latest trends and talk about engaging this audience!

    “So, who exactly is considered an older American?” you might ask yourself. Well, based on the Older Americans Act of 1965, you could say anyone over 60, basically Baby Boomers and older. These are the people who were working in businesses and actively using technologies like PalmPilots and beepers/pagers during the early stages of the rapid technology growth in the 20th and 21st centuries. You may have also previously heard the term “silver surfer” used to refer to anyone over the age of 50 who is an avid internet user.

    According to 97 surveys conducted by Pew Research over the past 15 years (2000-2015), internet usage gaps between older and younger Americans still persist, though they’re lessening. Now about six in ten seniors go online. While adults 65 and older rank the lowest in internet usage between age groups, the number of older Americans online has grown in the past 15 years and will continue to grow in the coming years.

    Another report from Pew Research digs deeper into technology usage trends by analyzing seniors within their age group. Among the older Americans who currently go online, about three-quarters of them go online every day. Just over a quarter of seniors use online social networks.

    The Stat:

    “Older adults have lagged behind younger adults in their adoption, but now a clear majority (58%) of senior citizens use the internet.” — Pew Research Center

    What It Means for Marketers:

    While the previous usage numbers and perceptions would’ve indicated to online marketers that the older age groups aren’t very active online, that is definitely no longer the case. As of 2012, more than half of the senior population is online, and you can bet that number will continue to grow. The silver surfers are now an important and very present audience to consider when marketing online.

    The Stat:

    Seniors have the largest adoption rate change from 2000 to 2015 of any age group (14% to 58% respectively). — Pew Research Center

    What It Means for Marketers:

    This rapid increase in adoption rates shows an increase in technological intelligence among this age group. The previous parallels between chronological age and cognitive age are shifting and advertisers would do well to adjust accordingly. While practicing “ageless” marketing is all well and good, when trying to target this specific audience, be authentic and thoughtful of “the new 65,” a more-tech savvy and a now younger cognitive age group.

    The Stat:

    77% of older adults have a cell phone, but just 18% are smartphone owners. — Pew Research Center

    What It Means for Marketers:

    As many of you reading this know, mobile marketing is quite the focus of today. While a little less than a quarter of older adults have smartphones, over a quarter own tablets or e-book readers. This means that mobile searching and browsing is highly likely for this audience. Consider your potential to reach these seniors when optimizing your website and its content.

    Seniors Older Americans Online Using Social Networking Sites - Search Influence

    The Stat:

    “Today 46% of online seniors (representing 27% of the total older adult population) use social networking sites such as Facebook.” — Pew Research Center

    What It Means for Marketers:

    These silver surfers aren’t just surfing the web; they’re socializing, too! About one in five Twitter users are 50 years old or older, and almost half of online seniors have a Facebook account. Engage with the older American audience to help grow your brand online.

    Biggest Takeaway:

    When you think older Americans, you shouldn’t think, “my grandma who makes me fix her Wi-Fi router and doesn’t understand smartphones.” Instead, think of the generations before you who were in their prime for the technological boom that gave us the first cellphones, computers, and video games. These generations were the first to experience technology and were fortunate enough to grow and adapt with it. So, in reality, they’re part of your market and audience whether or not you realize it. The silver surfers are here and growing, so don’t discount them when you’re planning your marketing campaigns!

    All data and stats came from the following sources:
    http://www.pewinternet.org/2014/04/03/older-adults-and-technology-use/
    http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/06/26/americans-internet-access-2000-2015/
    http://blogs.forrester.com/gina_sverdlov/12-06-08-the_data_digest_digital_seniors

  • Five For Friday: Backlinks Back, Alright! The Missing Linkjuice & More

    5PoolBallImage

    1. Blogs on Blogs
    – Moz

    Recently, Isla McKetta wrote an entry on The Moz Blog entitled “When Is a Blog the Right Form of Content Marketing?” Blogs have been championed as sure shots for improving online traffic and increasing a company’s influence. McKetta, however, argues that blogs are often overrated, and whether or not a business needs a blog depends on the type of business it is. The article provides concrete examples of when blogs are superfluous and marketing efforts would be better spent on other areas. It’s definitely worth reading.

    2. Link Trouble
    – Search Engine Land

    Julie Joyce wrote a piece on why a website might not be as “linkworthy” as it could be. It’s common knowledge within the SEO realm that having other websites link to yours is vital. There are many steps that can be taken to optimize your site’s linking potential. While some of Joyce’s examples are somewhat obvious, such as including social sharing buttons, there are some important points that could be overlooked. For example, if your site has “atrocious writing,” it’s very unlikely that anyone will link to it.

    3. Backlinks Matter
    – Search Engine Watch

    Adam Stetzer posted an article concerning why backlinks matter for small businesses. Stetzer argues that while small companies can’t afford to overlook backlinks when trying to rank higher on Google, they can’t take an easy way out either. According to Stetzer, low-cost deals offering “500 backlinks for $79” are actually dangerous for businesses because Penguin will view those links as spam and therefore suppress the business’ ranking. The article also discusses the relatively new concern of “Negative SEO” and how to avoid it.

    4. How to Verify Apple Maps Listings Faster
    – Mike Blumenthal

    It has happened to just about everyone working in Internet marketing – while trying to verify a listing on Google or Apple Maps you’re forced to spend extraneous amounts of time retrieving a verification code over the phone and enter it in online. It seems as if these directories are trying their hardest to prevent you from taking control of the listing. Arbitrary factors, such as using a specific phone number too many times, can delay this process from anywhere between 5 minutes to an hour. Luckily, Justin Moseback of blumenthals.com has a trick to curb your time (and anger) spent on getting this task done.

    5. Stuff: Where Should You Put it?
    – Matt Cutts

    TypingOnLaptopImage

    When working within SEO, copious amounts of data are used every day. Therefore, it’s important to know where and how to store it most effectively. Matt Cutts has posted an in-depth article that explores the pros and cons of various data ecosystems. Ultimately, it seems, the best option is the one that molds the best to your business’ needs. However, there are some very convincing arguments for a few of them!

    Image Sources:
    Thanks to Dricker94 for the #5 pool ball image, and to Ministerio TIC Colombia for the typing image.

  • 5 for Friday — Links, Stories, & Posts for Your Weekend

    five1. Google Acquires Waze to Improve Local Search Experience – Brafton

    On June 13, Google announced that it had acquired Waze, a social-sharing platform that uses crowdsourcing to gather real-time information about road closures and traffic jams to give mobile searchers accurate, up-to-the-minute directions. The deal will provide new data for Google Maps that might improve local search capabilities and help fuse online content marketing with in-store sales.

     

    2. Apple Makes Bing The “Default Search Engine” For Siri – Search Engine Land

    Apple announced this week that when iOS 7 comes out this fall, Siri will have a new integrated web search feature powered by Bing. This update could go a long way toward making the voice activated virtual assistant a better web search option for iPhone users, and could potentially drive a lot of new traffic to Bing.

     

    3. Twitter Offers Free Analytics For All Users – Search Engine Watch

    New analytics are available on Twitter to help users identify trends in their accounts without having to go to a third-party tool. While the data is basic, it may provide marketers and small businesses with valuable insights into the behavior of their followers.

     

    4. Marketers See Big Data Analysis As Critical Skill for Success – Marketing Pilgrim

    A recent study shows that the “ability to use data analysis to extract predictive findings from big data” is the most prized skill for a marketer to have. You might be surprised by which skill ranked second. Overall, the list shows that some “old school” skills still have a lot of value.

     

    5. How to Build Links to Your Blog – A Case Study – Moz

    Proper link building is a key ingredient in developing a successful blog. Paid advertising and social media strategies will only take so far. This author shares the story of how he got the links he needed to get his travel blog out to a wide audience.

  • Keyword Rankings are Important … Just Maybe Not as Important

    I have always been hesitant to use keyword ranking reports as the focus for a successful SEO campaign. They are a useful measure, but they aren’t the most important, nor are they reliable and trustworthy. Don’t get me wrong.  Ranking reports have value.  Just not as the primary reporting standard.

    The prescription for success is focusing on the website performance rather than obsessively watching over the rankings. This image shows this client hit the #1 spot in April then again in May, and within that time the #1 spot garnered them 8 visits.

    A website needs to be a dynamic living entity. Google respects business owners who take care of their website properties and make those sites engaging, interesting places to visit.  Website owners need to be mindful of which pages on the website are the strongest and most visited.  What pages have the highest and lowest Bounce rates, and why?  Which pages have the highest and lowest time spent on page – is there room for improvement?

    A positive user experience is influential to the site strength.  Quality backlinks.  Author trust.  Engagement in the industry discussions online.  These are the things that will make a site strong, and from that strength, the site will show up in the SERPs, but maybe not for the phrases you want or expect.

    Things ain’t what they used to be

    A brief blog post  in mid-May says it very succinctly:

    “Keyword ranking as a metric is diminished in importance and relevance as performance metrics are starting to replace it.”

    “Performance” encapsulates so many details. It’s a lot of what is already mentioned: the behavior of the visitor once they land on your site.

    • If they are digging around to other pages,
    • reading more information,
    • spending time on the site,
    • taking the quizzes sitting in the sidebar,
    • watching the videos embed on the page,

    – if they are doing these things, Google is rewarding that site as being trusted as a resource.

    An excellent Bounce rate, not seen very often in this client's industry.
    An excellent Bounce rate, not seen very often in this client’s industry.

    If visitors land on a page and immediately see the content is not rich enough, there is no multi-media experience, there are no big happy buttons encouraging that visitor to go read about the doctor or lawyer, baker or candle stick maker, it’s boring.  And they will leave.  When visitors Bounce,

    • you lose a potential customer,
    • and it sends signals to Google that your page has little value.

    In Wasting Time Worrying About Keywords,  the blogger asks:

    “If Not Keywords, What SHOULD you be looking at?” Well, it depends on your business and your goals, but traffic and conversions are going to be more useful than keyword rankings alone.”

    I’m not drawing a line in the sand saying that ranking reports no longer have any value.  What I am saying is for years we used rankings as the thumbnail data for reporting.  Rankings were the first thing discussed in new client kick-off calls and the first thing addressed in monthly conference calls.

    However, keyword ranking reports are flawed.  They have been since the beginning of keyword ranking reports.  But they were, and still ar,e one measurement to use; one that is becoming a little less relevant.

    Rankings are always moving around.  How many times have I said “The keyword rankings are simply a snapshot in time.  The report is not reflective of reality for all searchers all of the time.”  I have said that a LOT.

    Ranking reports tell a very specific story.  You’ve chosen keyword A, B, and C, and that’s what you will be chasing.   But what if your site ranks for X, Y, and Z?  You won’t necessarily know it because those phrases aren’t in your list.  This is bad tunnel vision.

    Google is showing us with every algo update, that what the business owner or the SEO thinks that a website should rank for is not necessarily what it will rank for.

    A ranking report can’t predict the success or failure of a business online; it can absolutely help guide decision making and improving the website property, but it is not the definitive measure telling us that we have achieved the #1 spot and can now expect to dominate.

    So What’s Important Now?

    Rankings are still important. We still use rankings as a weather vane. But we have to remember that between the increasing personalization of search results and the localization of search results, rankings data is skewed.  We have to recognize that.

    I am quoting 4 bullet points from Why You Shouldn’t Worry About SEO Ranking Reports:

    • Search results are personalized, based on website browsing history in some cases

    • Results are location based, so if you live in town A you will see something different if you move to town B

    • Previous search history is used to predict the most relevant links

    • People use different devices to search–although as people increasingly sync their smartphones, laptops, and tablets with each other, this may become less of a factor in the future

    Or in Keyword Rankings are Dead: Long Live the ROI:  “A keyword searched in New York by a logged-in Google account user showed different results than those done by a first-time user in Baltimore.  A surfer searching on Google in Montana displayed different results than one in Texas.  The more we searched, the more we realized Google has taken the rankings game one step further and personalized it based on a visitor’s search history, along with other important geographical and demographical information.”

    This is simply more background as to why ranking reports are flawed data, and more evidence why we cannot rely on these as our primary gauge of achievement.

    Search Engine Land posted 5 Reasons Why Rankings are a Poor Measure of Success, suggesting among other things:  “start measuring the things that matter.”

    Our team here has had some fairly intense discussions on improving Bounce rates on select pages and strategies around increasing conversions.  Looking at length of page visits and flow of site visits. Trying to pinpoint ways to improve the user experience and help them stick around longer on site.  These are the things we are talking about and measuring and testing.

    In Rankings are dead – long live conversion!: “With Google’s continued focus on location based rankings, we strongly believe that rankings are becoming much more dependent on their specific location. For example, one keyword could rank much higher in Scotland than it does in Brighton. Even today when our clients mention that their highest paid person in office spots that their website isn’t ranking high for a particular ‘money word’, it can be tempting to scream at nobody in particular “It’s not just about rankings!!”.”