Google's AI Search features are sending billions of clicks to websites every week, debunking claims that Search is dying. This update has significant implications for local businesses trying to get discovered and cited by AI search. As Google continues to emphasize the importance of sending clicks to the open web, businesses must adapt to the changing landscape of AI search and optimize their online presence accordingly.

Google has rolled out a major update to its AI Overviews feature, now displaying top stories and news updates for relevant searches. This change is expected to increase clicks to news publishers and improve their visibility in AI search results.

Content decay is a sustained loss of organic clicks and impressions over time, and it's not just one problem, but four. Identifying the type of decay is crucial to fixing it. With the rise of AI Overviews, the traditional content decay playbook is no longer enough. Businesses must adapt to the changing search landscape to stay visible.

The European Commission is expected to rule that Google unfairly favors its own services in search results, potentially leading to significant fines and changes in how Google displays search results.

A recent shift in consumer behavior sees people discovering brands on TikTok before actively searching for them on Google. This change has significant implications for SEO, local visibility, and content strategy.

Rising paid search costs are not just due to increased competition, but also a result of pre-auction dynamics, including AI Overviews, shrinking organic click volume, and stronger brands competing for commercial traffic.

OpenAI expands ChatGPT Ads' conversion capabilities with new campaign types, measurement integrations, and optimization tools, benefiting ecommerce advertisers with improved conversion tracking, automated campaign creation, and scaled advertising.

As AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude integrate into marketing systems, concerns are growing that traditional CRMs may become obsolete. However, these AI assistants function as reasoning engines that depend on structured business data to deliver accurate recommendations, emphasizing the continued importance of a solid CRM foundation for local businesses to enhance their visibility in AI search results.

Google's limited test of a sign-in feature could significantly impact local businesses' online visibility, as users may be discouraged from accessing more search results, leading to a decrease in traffic to websites that rely on organic search.

Recent research reveals that ChatGPT and other leading AI platforms populate product recommendation carousels directly from Google Merchant Center feeds rather than scraping traditional web pages. With up to 83% of AI product recommendations mirroring top Google Shopping organic results, feed optimization has quickly become the primary battlefield for AI visibility. For e-commerce brands and local retailers, feed quality now determines whether your products get recommended—or overlooked.

Google's introduction of Platform Properties in Search Console bridges the gap between search engine optimization (SEO) and social media marketing. This feature allows businesses to track YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram search performance directly, exposing massive, previously invisible search traffic. To dominate modern search and earn citations in AI engines, businesses must build a unified social topical map.

OpenAI is experimenting with a new ChatGPT advertising format that replaces traditional destination websites with conversational AI agents tailored to each business, potentially revolutionizing the way businesses interact with customers online.

Discover how SEO can optimize your acquisition system, reduce blended customer acquisition costs, and drive business efficiency. Learn the importance of measuring customer acquisition costs (CAC), the challenges of attribution, and how SEO can influence other channels. With the rise of AI-powered search engines, understanding CAC is crucial for businesses to stay ahead of the competition.

Google Ads AI Max can generate customized ad copy across individual ad groups, reducing the manual workload on your PPC team. However, testing shows that auto-generated copy requires strict guardrails to prevent off-brand messaging or false promotional claims. Here is how to apply messaging restrictions so you can scale ad performance while protecting your brand.

For the first time in its 20-year history, SMX Advanced is expanding to a two-event schedule in 2027. The premier search marketing conference will host a West Coast edition in San Diego this March and an East Coast gathering in Boston come September, giving senior search practitioners easier access to advanced tactics and networking.

Understanding the historical context of your Google Business Profile address is vital for maintaining your local rankings. Changes to your address can have significant effects on visibility, particularly for service-based businesses where address accuracy is a key component of strategy.

ChatGPT Ads has introduced several new tools aimed at improving advertising performance, conversion optimization, and campaign management. These updates bring ChatGPT Ads closer to the level of more mature ad platforms.

Learn how to identify and fix common mistakes that can undermine your SEO experiments, ensuring reliable and actionable results. Discover the importance of choosing the right testing methodology and avoiding flaws in your testing framework. Improve your SEO testing programs with a 70% average success rate.

Expert SEO guidance on navigating technical debt in SEO, including when to fix issues, when to monitor them, and when to leave them alone. Get a clear understanding of what technical debt means in SEO and how to prioritize it effectively.

The European Commission has fined Google €890 million under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) for its anti-competitive practices with Google Search and Google Play. This move aims to promote fairness in search results and app stores, impacting local businesses' online strategies. Local businesses should adapt to the changes and ensure they are not unfairly competing with Google's own services.