Surface Optimization It’s been a while since I’ve checked in and written about the state of search. Today, there are a bunch of new acronyms floating around that make it sound a bit like Old MacDonald’s Farm. Me? I’ve been taking the E out of SEO in something I call Surface Optimization. #seo

Surface Optimization - Infinite Visibility Group

Taking the E out of SEO: Surface Optimization looks at every surface where a brand can appear — search, social, email, SMS, apps, and beyond.

infinitevisibilitygroup.com

<tinfoilhat> Nearly every time there's a Google Core Algorithm Update the data in Google Search Console is delayed. Google denies there's any connection. So why is GSC gaslighting us on Last Update when the data has NOT, in fact, been updated past Saturday? 🤔 </tinfoilhat> #seo #google #search

I love seeing the industry hyper focus on AI and GEO. #seo #geo #AI

I don't know who needs to hear this but Google still uses BoW models on a large number of queries because using more sophisticated models like BERT are both expensive and aren't a fit for content on those pages. #seo #search #google

In case you're interested in web crawlers. www.ietf.org/archive/id/d...

This is a great piece by @ichbingisele.bsky.social and if you haven't read it yet ... you should this weekend. housefresh.com/beware-of-th... #seo #google #search #AI

Beware of the Google AI salesman and its cronies

Exposing the overly salesy AI Overviews that will push you to buy bad products and exploring the system making it possible.

housefresh.com

This was the easiest way for me to explain mix-shift issues to a client and why it's dangerous to use rank in Google Search Console for anything outside of a specific query. #seo #googlesearchconsole #analytics

"Sometimes SEOs come to us or like mention that they’ve added EEAT to their web pages. That’s not how it works. Sorry, you can’t sprinkle some experiences on your web pages. It’s like, that’s that doesn’t make any sense." #seo #thankyou #noduh

I'm curious, what percent of your (or client) traffic comes from AI platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity? And how does that compare to the percentage that comes from second-tier search engines like Bing, Yahoo and DuckDuckGo? #SEO #AI #Search

It occurs to me that Google no longer thinks of organic search results as the main content of a SERP. And if you follow that thread of logic it would make the quality of that secondary content less important. #seo #google #deepthoughts

Interesting quote from a teacher. #google #search #seo

There's a small (and petty) satisfaction when I look at a former client and see that the page type I helped them create is up solidly year over year but local search is down strongly after ignoring my recommended changes and ghosting me. #seokarma

Saw a quote recently that is sticking with me that goes something like this. "Generative AI gives companies the access to skills without having to pay for them and skilled workers the inability to benefit from their knowledge."

Brock Purdy ....

There are a lot of interesting points in this expose along with good commentary from a bunch of industry folks. Anyone interested in Google search should give this a read. #seo #google #search wallethub.com/blog/google-...

One of my theories for the declining SERP CTR is that AIOs are training users NOT to click a result but to simply read the answer instead. #SEO #search #google #probablynotwhattheyintended

PSA: You probably don't know why a site has seen a drop (or rise) in organic traffic. Sure, you might be able to put together some reasonable theories but unless you're working on the site you won't have the full picture. So it's not a particularly good sales tactic to claim you know. #SEO

You can tell how difficult it is out there right now based on the volume of cold emails and LinkedIn messages. It's reached a level I haven't seen in a long time. It's both annoying and sad at the same time.

For the love of [insert deity], can we please get a PLAbot user agent for PLA validation crawls? cc: @searchliaison.bsky.social @johnmu.com @methode.bsky.social #Google #SEO

The Google LyricsBox and their scraping pals at LyricFind need to go in the recycle bin. Exhibit A are the lyrics for Suburbia by Kavinsky. I'm not posting them because it contains words that I shouldn't repeat. Sadly, they'll probably scrape Genius for the right lyrics. #Google #SEO #Lyrics

Monday morning. Synthwave turned up to 11. LFG!

This is the Internet I want back.

Bullet Cat@bulletcatmeme.bsky.social · 2y ago

Three things to remember in 2025. (1) It never hurts to ask. This is always true, but remind yourself again that the worst that can happen when you reach out or ask is that they say no. (2) Be generous with referrals and helping out people who need a boost. (3) Do the work and keep going.

Google Discover has seemingly 'discovered' Instagram this weekend.

Thinking that an LLM based AI is going to get to AGI is sort of laughable in my view. The AI apocalypse isn't going to be a nefarious thinking Skynet. It's going to be people blinding listening to the equivalent to a Teddy Ruxpin doll.

This is such a hilarious failure of a product. Consumers both don't know why it exists and hate it at the same time.

Sam Adams@samadams.bsky.social · 2y ago

This is a hilarious way to say “we haven’t figured out how to make AI do anything useful”

One simple GSC optimization would make my life MUCH easier. Just change the Title tags so when I hover over the tab it shows the site. @dannysullivan.bsky.social @searchliaison.bsky.social @methode.bsky.social @johnmu.com #google #search #gsc

Am I the only one who thinks it's funny that one of the newest updates in Google Search Console is to provided additional detail on when it was updated? 3.5 hours ago instead of 3 hours ago - total game changer. #google #GSC #search

Is it my imagination or is there no way to turn these useless insights off in GA4? #analytics #ga4 #google #makeitgoaway

I see a bunch of folks going all in on AI in 2025. And I completely support those people! Because it makes it that much easier to crush the competition with alternate strategies that might seem passé but are fueling real organic growth. #iykyk #seo #google #search