Howdy friends,

Let’s get down to digital marketing business!

• SEO is not dead but rather the 2015 version of SEO has died and has evolved into the AI-era, as WordStream states. (Note: we already covered this “evolution” story in our recent blog). Here are some of the trends Wordstream covered:
  • Answer engines may become top non-Google traffic sources.
  • Optimizing for sales in SEO will be more important (i.e., targeting lower funnel, conversion-oriented keywords).
  • First-hand experience is becoming a critical SEO trend in 2025. (It is one of the E’s in Google’s E-E-A-T good content quality rater guidelines.)

• Where E-E-A-T may be integral for SEO success, this article suggests “Relevance is the new ranking signal” for AI-driven search optimization. Maybe we should look at adding the “R” for relevance to make the acronym “E-E-A-R-T”? And given that the E for experience has always been seen as short-hand to demonstrate “human” experience, why not go all the way to “H-E-E-A-R-T”? Got to say, it has a nice ring to it — DBE H-E-E-A-R-T’s SEO! (Credit for this awesome acronym and proceeding pun are awarded to Marc Engelman. Well done! 👏)

• Why SEO ROI Feels Like a Mirage (And How to Prove It Anyway) is a must-read article from Stephan Bajaio, co-founder of Conductor and formerly on the SEMPO Board of Directors with our own Marc Engelsman. He points out that it is a mistake to look at investments and ROI from PPC and SEO the same way. “PPC is like daytrading. Whereas SEO is more of a 401K approach.” They have different timelines, goals, and require separate measurement strategies. If you’re responsible for demonstrating the value of your SEO initiatives, read and share this perspective to provide context for your results.

• Google officially launched its stand-alone AI Mode platform to much fanfare. Read perspectives on the announcement and its potential significance from a variety of sources. Even if you don’t read the stories, the headlines provide a good idea of where AI Mode is going and you can be sure we’ll keep you up-to-date on its progress:
  • Google: AI in Search: Going beyond information to intelligence
  • The New York Times: Google Unveils A.I. Chatbot, Signaling a New Era for Search
  • Wired: With AI Mode, Google Search Is About to Get Even Chattier
  • Search Engine Land: Google launches AI Mode to all U.S. searchers with new features
  • EMARKETER: Google’s new AI Mode aims to reshape the shopping experience from discovery to purchase
  • TechCrunch: Google’s AI Mode rolls out to US, will add support for deeper research, comparison shopping, and more

• Meta plans to have fully automated ad campaigns by next year. The company said human-created ads won’t be going away. Author Andrew Hutchinson leaves us off with, “Machines can create effective ads, yes, but they have no creative sensibilities, which is where real human input will remain critical.” Advertisers will have to learn how to best optimize these tools for the best results in budget.

• Have you heard of LinkedIn’s AI-powered Accelerate campaigns? Like Meta, LinkedIn is trying to automate its advertising process by predicting audiences, optimizing bidding, placements, and ad copy. While we see these campaigns boast 42% higher cost per action, note that you’re giving up brand control to see that result. It may be great for smaller businesses, but make sure you know what you’re getting into before you dive in.

The vision? Provide bags of essential items to underserved communities. Whether giving kids school supplies, new moms with necessities, or high school grads with what they need for their post-grad dreams, Bags Without Barriers serves underserved communities in a unique and loving way!

Thoughts to Take With You… 💞

Why does kindness feel like an all-or-nothing trait?

If we can’t totally dedicate ourselves to righteous causes and saving the world like the super kind people of the world, can we really own that trait?

I say yes. You may not be able to volunteer every week, but perhaps you can cook a meal for a loved one. Instead of donating hefty sums of money you may not have, maybe you donate some clothing. Viewing kindness as a near-unclimbable mountain is discouraging, so try approaching it like a series of small steps. I believe a lot of little acts of kindness will drive humanity forward faster than the gigantic one-off acts will.

Enjoy your week!

Natalie

On the note of kindness, have you read HumanKind by Brad Aronson? If you love hearing about the good being done in the world, this should be on your reading/listening list!

P.S. to the P.S. Stay tuned for a podcast on kindness from A Better Paradigm!