AI isn’t just tweaking paid media – it’s transforming it.  What was once background automation is now driving entire campaign types and reshaping how users discover brands. From incremental optimization to transformation AI has, in some ways, always been part of paid media.  Smart Bidding, responsive search ads, and other machine learning tools quietly optimized […]

In a Friday court filing, Google’s lawyers wrote: “The fact is that today, the open web is already in rapid decline.” That line directly contradicts what Google executives and representatives have been saying for months. CEO Sundar Pichai (May, The Verge interview): “When we crawl, when we look at the number of web pages available […]

Over the past two years, AI and LLMs have stepped out of the shadows and into public consciousness.  Not long ago, most people’s understanding of AI was limited to sci-fi references or the occasional nightmare about machines taking over. Now, everyone seems to be talking about it – and naturally, marketers have jumped right in.  […]

Logan Kilpatrick, lead product manager for Google, said on Friday that Google’s AI Mode will be the “default” search experience for Google Search “soon.” We know Google said AI Mode is the future of Google Search, Liz Reid, the head of Google Search announced that in May 2025. And now that may be happening soon. […]

Generative AI has quickly shifted from experimental novelty to everyday utility – and with that shift comes growing scrutiny.  One of the most pressing questions is how these systems decide which content to trust and elevate, and which to ignore. The concern is real: a Columbia University study found that in 200 tests across top […]

For years, I’ve updated my working definition of SEO to capture how the discipline has evolved.  Here’s how those definitions have changed over time: 1998 to 2023 SEO is “the art and science of persuading search engines such as Google, Bing, and Yahoo to recommend your content as the best solution to a user’s problem.” […]

Google will switch to a monthly release cycle for the Google Ads API release schedule. This will result in more frequent releases, with more updates more often. This new release schedule begins in 2026. The new schedule. The new schedule will have three to four major releases and several minor releases. This is the new […]

Winning an industry award can seriously impact how customers, clients, and colleagues regard your brand. Showcase your achievements and celebrate your professional excellence by entering the Search Engine Land Awards – the highest honor in search marketing! For the past 10 years, the Search Engine Land Awards have honored some of the best in the […]

The search marketing community today is remembering Alan Bleiweiss, a veteran SEO consultant known for his detailed forensic site audits, sharp wit, and tireless mentorship. Bleiweiss passed away Aug. 22, but news of his death was only revealed publicly last night. As I’ve written before about Bleiweiss, he was known for being selfless, friendly, insightful, […]

For as long as marketers have been chasing leads online, the debate over gated versus ungated content has raged.  Entire conference sessions, whitepapers, and LinkedIn flame wars have been dedicated to the question: Should you hide your best stuff behind a form fill, or give it away for free to maximize search rankings and reach? […]