Search Engine Land

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2018/05/google-legal1-fade-ss-1920-800x450.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2018/05/google-legal1-fade-ss-1920-800x450.jpg 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2018/05/google-legal1-fade-ss-1920-600x338.jpg 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2018/05/google-legal1-fade-ss-1920-200x113.jpg 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2018/05/google-legal1-fade-ss-1920-768x432.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2018/05/google-legal1-fade-ss-1920-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2018/05/google-legal1-fade-ss-1920-150x84.jpg 150w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2018/05/google-legal1-fade-ss-1920.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>The stage is set for a monumental court decision that could shake up the search industry – or result in status quo.

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2018/05/google-legal1-fade-ss-1920-800x450.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2018/05/google-legal1-fade-ss-1920-800x450.jpg 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2018/05/google-legal1-fade-ss-1920-600x338.jpg 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2018/05/google-legal1-fade-ss-1920-200x113.jpg 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2018/05/google-legal1-fade-ss-1920-768x432.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2018/05/google-legal1-fade-ss-1920-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2018/05/google-legal1-fade-ss-1920-150x84.jpg 150w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2018/05/google-legal1-fade-ss-1920.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>
<p>Google and the Department of Justice are presenting their closing arguments today and tomorrow in the government&#8217;s landmark antitrust case against the company that owns a global search monopoly.</p>



<p><strong>Rewind.</strong> The 10-week, high-stakes legal battle probed the business practices of Googe Search last fall. </p>



<ul>
<li>Catch up on all the issues at play in <a href="https://searchengineland.com/google-search-antirust-trial-hearing-updates-431977">U.S. vs. Google antitrust trial: Everything you need to know</a>.</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>Why we care: </strong>The outcome of this case could forever change how Google operates, which would have downstream impacts on search marketers. The ruling could lead to a leveling of the advertising market, meaning lower costs and more choice.</p>



<p><strong>What to watch:</strong> The DOJ will summarise its significant allegations against Google on Thursday and Friday. Allegations come down to these three main points:</p>



<ul>
<li>Google used lucrative deals with partners like Apple to cement itself as the default search engine across devices and platforms.</li>



<li>Google paid billions annually to secure those default positions – $26 billion in 2021 alone. (This includes $20 billion alone to be the <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-01/google-s-payments-to-apple-reached-20-billion-in-2022-cue-says?embedded-checkout=true">default on Apple&#8217;s Safari browser</a>, according to newly unsealed court records.)</li>



<li>Google failing to justify why it pays so much beyond stifling competition</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>The other side</strong>: Google rejected accusations of anticompetitive conduct, asserting that users prefer its best-in-class search engine and that its dominance is not due to any alleged monopolistic tactics.</p>



<ul>
<li>&#8220;We are working very, very hard; for any given query we provide the best experience,&#8221; CEO Sundar Pichai testified. &#8220;That&#8217;s always been our true north.&#8221;</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>Bottom line:</strong> This landmark case carries existential implications for Google&#8217;s core search business if the DOJ prevails.&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong>What&#8217;s next: </strong>After closing arguments, Judge Amit Mehta will weigh the liability case before him. One potential (though unlikely) outcome could be a breakup of Google, which will be determined later if he rules against the company.</p>


Google and the Department of Justice are presenting their closing arguments today and tomorrow in the government’s landmark antitrust case against the company that owns a global search monopoly.
Rewind. The 10-week, high-stakes legal battle probed the business practices of Googe Search last fall. 
Catch up on all the issues at play in U.S. vs. Google antitrust trial: Everything you need to know.
Why we care: The outcome of this case could forever change how Google operates, which would have downstream impacts on search marketers. The ruling could lead to a leveling of the advertising market, meaning lower costs and more choice.
What to watch: The DOJ will summarise its significant allegations against Google on Thursday and Friday. Allegations come down to these three main points:
Google used lucrative deals with partners like Apple to cement itself as the default search engine across devices and platforms.
Google paid billions annually to secure those default positions – $26 billion in 2021 alone. (This includes $20 billion alone to be the default on Apple’s Safari browser, according to newly unsealed court records.)
Google failing to justify why it pays so much beyond stifling competition
The other side: Google rejected accusations of anticompetitive conduct, asserting that users prefer its best-in-class search engine and that its dominance is not due to any alleged monopolistic tactics.
“We are working very, very hard; for any given query we provide the best experience,” CEO Sundar Pichai testified. “That’s always been our true north.”
Bottom line: This landmark case carries existential implications for Google’s core search business if the DOJ prevails. 
What’s next: After closing arguments, Judge Amit Mehta will weigh the liability case before him. One potential (though unlikely) outcome could be a breakup of Google, which will be determined later if he rules against the company.

The stage is set for a monumental court decision that could shake up the search industry – or result in status quo.

Google, DOJ make closing arguments in antitrust trial

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2017/01/angry-man-computer-200466014-ss-1920-800x450.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2017/01/angry-man-computer-200466014-ss-1920-800x450.jpg 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2017/01/angry-man-computer-200466014-ss-1920-600x338.jpg 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2017/01/angry-man-computer-200466014-ss-1920-200x113.jpg 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2017/01/angry-man-computer-200466014-ss-1920-768x432.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2017/01/angry-man-computer-200466014-ss-1920-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2017/01/angry-man-computer-200466014-ss-1920-150x84.jpg 150w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2017/01/angry-man-computer-200466014-ss-1920.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>Google's search results are dominated by big brands. SEOs for smaller sites are complaining. It's like 2003 all over again.

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2017/01/angry-man-computer-200466014-ss-1920-800x450.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2017/01/angry-man-computer-200466014-ss-1920-800x450.jpg 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2017/01/angry-man-computer-200466014-ss-1920-600x338.jpg 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2017/01/angry-man-computer-200466014-ss-1920-200x113.jpg 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2017/01/angry-man-computer-200466014-ss-1920-768x432.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2017/01/angry-man-computer-200466014-ss-1920-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2017/01/angry-man-computer-200466014-ss-1920-150x84.jpg 150w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2017/01/angry-man-computer-200466014-ss-1920.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>
<p>HouseFresh, a small, independent product review website that called out Google after being consistently <a href="https://searchengineland.com/article-complaining-about-being-outranked-on-google-being-outranked-by-reddit-437736">outranked by larger publishers</a> – has lost 91% of its Google traffic following the March 2024 core update.</p>



<p>In a new blog post, <a href="https://housefresh.com/how-google-decimated-housefresh/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HouseFresh has virtually disappeared from Google Search results. Now what?</a>, Gisele Navarro highlighted ongoing issues with Google&#8217;s product search results favoring &#8220;affiliate-focused SEO content&#8221; from big media brands, what they&#8217;ve learned and what&#8217;s next for the site.</p>



<p><strong>Why we care.</strong> There has been a lot of anger about Google killing websites and industries in the wake of the March 2024 core update – and more is on the way in the form of Google&#8217;s new <a href="https://searchengineland.com/google-search-reputation-abuse-policy-coming-soon-440086">reputation abuse policy</a>, which goes into effect after May 5. </p>



<p><strong>Keyword swarming.</strong> Big media brands (e.g., Dotdash Meredith, Forbes) are using a tactic called &#8220;keyword swarming&#8221; and flooding the web with subpar content, yet dominating Google&#8217;s search results. </p>



<ul>
<li>Meanwhile, hollowed-out carcasses of legacy brands (e.g., DeadSpin and Money) pump out commercial (sometimes AI-generated) content, all designed to drive affiliate revenue while squeezing out every ounce of brand value that remains.</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>Traffic loss.</strong> HouseFresh also revealed how much traffic it has lost since October:</p>



<ul>
<li>&#8220;Since October 2023, we’ve gone from welcoming 4,000 people from Google Search each day to just receiving 200. And of those 200, most are adding &#8216;HouseFresh&#8217; to their searches to find us specifically.&#8221;</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>Google doesn&#8217;t owe HouseFresh traffic.</strong> Navarro acknowledged that &#8220;Google doesn’t owe us anything. We don’t simply deserve to get search traffic because we exist or because we say we should.&#8221;</p>



<ul>
<li>She also hit back at people for &#8220;gaslighting us into thinking that our content is not helpful enough for readers.&#8221; (However, from what I saw, this was an honest critique, not gaslighting).</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>History repeats itself (again)</strong>. SEO pioneer <a href="https://searchengineland.com/author/mike-grehan">Mike Grehan</a> discussed a similar experience that occurred at a search conference right after Google&#8217;s huge Florida update in 2003:</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">
<p>&#8220;So many attendees &#8230; felt that Google was putting them out of business.</p>



<p>One guy &#8230; explained loudly to the packed room that he had been the number one result at Google in his niche for two years, and his business was booming. Then, after the update, there was no sign of him in the SERP.&nbsp;</p>



<p>I suggested that he, perhaps, should not have &#8216;bet the farm&#8217; on this one source of revenue to sustain his business. I also suggested that, yes, we should go to Mountain View and visit Google. And when we see either [Larry] Page or Sergey Brin come through the reception, he should walk right up to whichever one it was, kneel down and kiss his ass &#8216;because he’s been sending you free customers for two years!'&#8221;</p>
<cite><a href="https://searchengineland.com/google-florida-update-434540">Google’s Florida update: 20 years since the SEO ‘volcanic eruption’</a>,</cite></blockquote>



<p><strong>None of this is new.</strong> People have complained about Google driving them out of business for 20+ years. That won&#8217;t make HouseFresh feel better –&nbsp;but the reality is Google doesn&#8217;t owe you traffic, rankings or a living.</p>



<p><strong>What&#8217;s next for HouseFresh.</strong> Navarro promises to be &#8220;relentless&#8221; on every platform where it makes sense for them to be. Sounds a bit like diversification, doesn&#8217;t it?</p>


HouseFresh, a small, independent product review website that called out Google after being consistently outranked by larger publishers – has lost 91% of its Google traffic following the March 2024 core update.
In a new blog post, HouseFresh has virtually disappeared from Google Search results. Now what?, Gisele Navarro highlighted ongoing issues with Google’s product search results favoring “affiliate-focused SEO content” from big media brands, what they’ve learned and what’s next for the site.
Why we care. There has been a lot of anger about Google killing websites and industries in the wake of the March 2024 core update – and more is on the way in the form of Google’s new reputation abuse policy, which goes into effect after May 5. 
Keyword swarming. Big media brands (e.g., Dotdash Meredith, Forbes) are using a tactic called “keyword swarming” and flooding the web with subpar content, yet dominating Google’s search results. 
Meanwhile, hollowed-out carcasses of legacy brands (e.g., DeadSpin and Money) pump out commercial (sometimes AI-generated) content, all designed to drive affiliate revenue while squeezing out every ounce of brand value that remains.
Traffic loss. HouseFresh also revealed how much traffic it has lost since October:
“Since October 2023, we’ve gone from welcoming 4,000 people from Google Search each day to just receiving 200. And of those 200, most are adding ‘HouseFresh’ to their searches to find us specifically.”
Google doesn’t owe HouseFresh traffic. Navarro acknowledged that “Google doesn’t owe us anything. We don’t simply deserve to get search traffic because we exist or because we say we should.”
She also hit back at people for “gaslighting us into thinking that our content is not helpful enough for readers.” (However, from what I saw, this was an honest critique, not gaslighting).
History repeats itself (again). SEO pioneer Mike Grehan discussed a similar experience that occurred at a search conference right after Google’s huge Florida update in 2003:
“So many attendees … felt that Google was putting them out of business.
One guy … explained loudly to the packed room that he had been the number one result at Google in his niche for two years, and his business was booming. Then, after the update, there was no sign of him in the SERP. 
I suggested that he, perhaps, should not have ‘bet the farm’ on this one source of revenue to sustain his business. I also suggested that, yes, we should go to Mountain View and visit Google. And when we see either [Larry] Page or Sergey Brin come through the reception, he should walk right up to whichever one it was, kneel down and kiss his ass ‘because he’s been sending you free customers for two years!'”
Google’s Florida update: 20 years since the SEO ‘volcanic eruption’,
None of this is new. People have complained about Google driving them out of business for 20+ years. That won’t make HouseFresh feel better – but the reality is Google doesn’t owe you traffic, rankings or a living.
What’s next for HouseFresh. Navarro promises to be “relentless” on every platform where it makes sense for them to be. Sounds a bit like diversification, doesn’t it?

Google's search results are dominated by big brands. SEOs for smaller sites are complaining. It's like 2003 all over again.

Small review site lost 91% of its Google traffic to affiliate-focused SEO content

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/10/shutterstock_1169319058-800x450.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Google Ads" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/10/shutterstock_1169319058-800x450.jpg 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/10/shutterstock_1169319058-600x338.jpg 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/10/shutterstock_1169319058-200x113.jpg 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/10/shutterstock_1169319058-768x432.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/10/shutterstock_1169319058-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/10/shutterstock_1169319058-150x84.jpg 150w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/10/shutterstock_1169319058.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>These restrictions now apply to Shopping ads and will be enforced across all types of ads after May 30.

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/10/shutterstock_1169319058-800x450.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Google Ads" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/10/shutterstock_1169319058-800x450.jpg 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/10/shutterstock_1169319058-600x338.jpg 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/10/shutterstock_1169319058-200x113.jpg 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/10/shutterstock_1169319058-768x432.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/10/shutterstock_1169319058-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/10/shutterstock_1169319058-150x84.jpg 150w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/10/shutterstock_1169319058.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>
<p>Google introduced <a href="https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/14754454">new restrictions on deep fake sexual content</a> for Shopping ads. Google also updated its general content policy <a href="https://support.google.com/adspolicy/answer/14720423?hl=en">prohibiting promoting synthetic content</a> that has been altered or generated to be sexually explicit or contain nudity</p>



<p><strong>Why we care.</strong> Google will issue a warning to advertisers if they violate this policy. Continued violations could result in an account suspension.</p>



<p><strong>What changed.</strong> Google advertisers can no longer use Shopping ads to:</p>



<ul>
<li>Promote services that generate, distribute or store synthetic sexually explicit content or synthetic content containing nudity. This includes services that create &#8220;deepfakes&#8221; and other manipulated imagery.</li>



<li>Create ads for content that provides instructions on the creation of synthetic sexually explicit content or synthetic content with nudity.</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>Enforcement.</strong> The enforcement started yesterday (May 1) for Shopping ads. For all other ad types, advertisers have until May 30 to make all necessary changes to ensure their ads fall within the scope of the policy.</p>


Google introduced new restrictions on deep fake sexual content for Shopping ads. Google also updated its general content policy prohibiting promoting synthetic content that has been altered or generated to be sexually explicit or contain nudity
Why we care. Google will issue a warning to advertisers if they violate this policy. Continued violations could result in an account suspension.
What changed. Google advertisers can no longer use Shopping ads to:
Promote services that generate, distribute or store synthetic sexually explicit content or synthetic content containing nudity. This includes services that create “deepfakes” and other manipulated imagery.
Create ads for content that provides instructions on the creation of synthetic sexually explicit content or synthetic content with nudity.
Enforcement. The enforcement started yesterday (May 1) for Shopping ads. For all other ad types, advertisers have until May 30 to make all necessary changes to ensure their ads fall within the scope of the policy.

These restrictions now apply to Shopping ads and will be enforced across all types of ads after May 30.

Google restricts promotion of deep fake sexual content

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/7-ways-to-use-the-‘inspect-element-tool-for-SEO-800x450.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="7 ways to use the ‘inspect element’ tool for SEO" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/7-ways-to-use-the-‘inspect-element-tool-for-SEO-800x450.png 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/7-ways-to-use-the-‘inspect-element-tool-for-SEO-600x338.png 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/7-ways-to-use-the-‘inspect-element-tool-for-SEO-200x113.png 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/7-ways-to-use-the-‘inspect-element-tool-for-SEO-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/7-ways-to-use-the-‘inspect-element-tool-for-SEO-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/7-ways-to-use-the-‘inspect-element-tool-for-SEO.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>Learn how to use this browser tool for SEO tasks like link analysis, code troubleshooting, schema validation and more.

The Inspect feature on Chrome (also called “inspect element”) lets you check under the hood of any page or website. You can use it to diagnose problems, test changes on your site and even spy on your competitors.
Right-click on any page and scroll down to Inspect to see the code with which the site is built. 
You’ll see the page on the left window and different tabs on the right with all the site’s code. You can expand and collapse elements to browse that page’s code. 

From the Elements tab, you can see what the page would look like if you edited, removed or added elements. You can also find information about how a website is set up. The Console, Sources, Network and other tabs can also help with more advanced technical audits.
It helps to know basic HTML and CSS, but you can answer many basic questions just from the Elements tab if you know what kind of code to look for.
1. What color is that?
Find the unique hex code for any color on the web by using Inspect. 
Right-click on the element you want to see.
Scroll down to find the color swatch and hex code.
Click the swatch to play around with different colors for that element.


Every color has a unique hex code or a universal 6-digit code combo that represents the color. For example, pure white is #FFFFFF, pure black is #000000 and mint green is #98FF98.
If you don’t see the color you’re looking for, check for any parent element color settings that might override the child elements.
This is handy for solving questions like:
What colors do users prefer? Can I find a fresh color to try?
What color is my competitor testing for their call to action?
Are my site colors following brand guidelines?
Does that color combo follow usability guidelines?
2. What font is that?
Serif fonts are hot right now. You can find new fonts on any site by right-clicking the element and looking for the font CSS.
Right-click the copy.
In the Styles tab at the bottom, look for the same tag.
Scroll down to the font tags.

If you see multiple fonts listed in the code, those are backup fonts. The first font is the default, which will appear if the user’s browser has access to that font. If that font isn’t available for some reason, the browser will fall back to the second font listed and so on through the list.
You can also check the font size and line height too.

Choosing a good font size depends on the font, line height and boldness. A good rule of thumb is to aim for a minimum of 14 pixels for body copy and 20 pixels for header fonts.
H1: 30-34 pixels
H2: 28-30 pixels
H3: 24-26 pixels
H4: 20-22 pixels
Body: 16-18 pixels
3. Will that content change look good?
Use Inspect to see what a change will look like before going live. This is especially helpful if you need to take a screenshot to get approval before or after you go live with a page edit or if you want to check how a change will look on desktop and mobile first.
Inspect the element you want to change.
Double-click the copy you want to edit. 
Edit the copy.
Click outside the element.
Make tweaks until you’re happy with it.


If the element you’re editing has multiple pieces of code within the element, like a link within a paragraph, you can right-click the copy and choose Edit as HTML to edit the entire selection.



					
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See terms.
4. What image is that?
Find an image link, size and alt text by right-clicking to Inspect any image. 
Answer basic technical questions about any image:
Does my image have good alt text?
Is that image a duplicate?
Is the image size too large?
Could the image size impact page speed?
Where is the original image source?
What kind of image is my competitor using?

This works for any kind of image, including icons and background images. If you don’t see the image you want, look for phrases in the code like image, background, src, img, jpg, png or carousel.





5. What kind of link is that?
Use Inspect to check to see if your links are set up the way you want without actually clicking any links. Test whether links are set to nofollow or follow and if they open in the same or a different tab. Or use Inspect to find a redirect chain or 301.
Right-click any link.
Find the <a href> tag.
Check what URL the target is linking to.
Look for a tag like rel=“nofollow”, which tells Google to ignore that link for ranking purposes.
Look for a tag like target=“_blank”, which tells the browser to open the link in a new/blank tab.

You can also confirm whether you got a new follow or nofollow backlink on another site. This is handy if you just want to check one link instead of running a check in a backlink tool like Ahrefs or Semrush.
If you check links often, you can also use browser extensions to automatically highlight different types of links depending on their tags.
6. Which piece of code is broken?
Troubleshoot issues with your site elements using Inspect. Once you figure out which piece of code is causing an issue, you can solve the problem. 
If you need to work with your developers or technical team to fix the problem, it’s easier to be able to highlight exactly what you need within the code.
Right-click anywhere on the element.
In the Elements sidebar, hover over each HTML element to find the one you want.
Use the arrows to expand sections to see child code elements.
The element that the code corresponds to will be highlighted on your site in the left window. Keep hovering and expanding until you find it.


7. What kind of schema is that?
Most sites let you check their site schema using Schema Validator. However, some sites block the Schema Validator bot from using the Fetch URL option directly. 
You can still check your competitors’ site schema with this tool or directly into the code.
Go to the page you want to check.
Right-click anywhere on the page and click View Page Source.
Select all the page code (Ctrl+A and Ctrl+C).
Go to https://validator.schema.org/.
Click Code Snippet.
Paste all the code (Ctrl+V).
Click Run Test.
You’ll see all the detected schema elements for that page.


If the validator tool seems incorrect or flags broken schema, you can check for any schema-like code directly in the markup. This is helpful if you’re trying to troubleshoot schema fields or discover why your schema isn’t appearing in the SERP.
Right-click anywhere on the page.
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<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/How-to-overcome-the-top-3-objections-to-YouTube-video-ads-800x450.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="How to overcome the top 3 objections to YouTube video ads" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/How-to-overcome-the-top-3-objections-to-YouTube-video-ads-800x450.png 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/How-to-overcome-the-top-3-objections-to-YouTube-video-ads-600x338.png 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/How-to-overcome-the-top-3-objections-to-YouTube-video-ads-200x113.png 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/How-to-overcome-the-top-3-objections-to-YouTube-video-ads-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/How-to-overcome-the-top-3-objections-to-YouTube-video-ads-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/How-to-overcome-the-top-3-objections-to-YouTube-video-ads.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>Don't let budget constraints, past failures or lack of know-how stop you from taking advantage of YouTube video advertising.

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/How-to-overcome-the-top-3-objections-to-YouTube-video-ads-800x450.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="How to overcome the top 3 objections to YouTube video ads" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/How-to-overcome-the-top-3-objections-to-YouTube-video-ads-800x450.png 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/How-to-overcome-the-top-3-objections-to-YouTube-video-ads-600x338.png 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/How-to-overcome-the-top-3-objections-to-YouTube-video-ads-200x113.png 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/How-to-overcome-the-top-3-objections-to-YouTube-video-ads-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/How-to-overcome-the-top-3-objections-to-YouTube-video-ads-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/How-to-overcome-the-top-3-objections-to-YouTube-video-ads.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>
<p>When I audit the Google Ads programs of new and prospective clients, I still find some without a <a href="https://searchengineland.com/youtube-advertising-the-ultimate-guide-436845">YouTube advertising</a> component. This is surprising, given YouTube&#8217;s continued growth in popularity.&nbsp;</p>



<p>We can look at YouTube ad revenue to measure the platform’s dominance. In 2023, <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/289658/youtube-global-net-advertising-revenues/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">YouTube’s global advertising revenues</a> rose to $31.51 billion, up by almost 8% from the previous fiscal period – an indicator that more and more advertisers are adding YouTube ads to their marketing mix. </p>



<p>Yet when I ask new clients and prospects why they don’t have YouTube video ads, they usually give one or more of the following reasons:</p>



<ul>
<li>They don’t have the budget.</li>



<li>They tried YouTube video ads once and didn’t see the value.</li>



<li>They’re not sure how to get started.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>



<p>Let’s tackle these objections in turn, and I’ll provide you with some strategies to overcome them.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-objection-1-you-don-t-have-the-budget">Objection 1: You don’t have the budget</h2>



<p>YouTube video ads often come second to other types of digital advertising in priority, especially when budgets are limited. Many paid search managers max out on search campaigns before tackling video. In some limited cases, this is a sensible approach.&nbsp;</p>



<p>However, I would say that this “search campaigns first, video campaigns later” stance is widely overused. I strongly encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and implement YouTube video ad campaigns in parallel with your search campaigns.</p>



<p>When you do so, you may find that sales via your video campaigns aren’t as strong as your search campaigns – and that’s OK. You’re still seeding valuable brand awareness that will pay dividends down the road.&nbsp;</p>



<p>You may also find that YouTube ads reach a different audience than your search ads, a valuable way of expanding your reach and future-proofing your marketing.&nbsp;</p>



<p>You may also benefit from the “halo” effect of having concurrent search and YouTube ad campaigns. Time and time again, we’ve seen that having a well-rounded Google Ads program that includes YouTube ads delivers a nice lift across the board.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Proof of this “the whole is more than the sum of its parts” phenomenon is most evident when YouTube and other “non-search” campaigns are removed from the mix. Often, we witness a degradation in net new traffic even when workhorse search campaigns are left in place.</p>



<p>We’re hoping this degradation in net-new traffic won’t occur for one of our clients. For years, our client spent $3,500 in video advertising every month. Last July, they cut that spend to $1,000. </p>



<p>Right now, we’re holding our breath (and monitoring closely) to see the impact of that budget cut and ascertain the degree of any degradation in traffic and conversions as a result.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Already, we can see a downward trend in volume on their branded campaign:</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" width="1600" height="480" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/Branded-campaign-downward-trend.png" alt="Branded campaign downward trend" class="wp-image-440104" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/Branded-campaign-downward-trend.png 1600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/Branded-campaign-downward-trend-600x180.png 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/Branded-campaign-downward-trend-800x240.png 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/Branded-campaign-downward-trend-200x60.png 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/Branded-campaign-downward-trend-768x230.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/Branded-campaign-downward-trend-1536x461.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px" /></figure></div>


<p>We can also see a drop in volume for their flagship product:&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" width="1600" height="452" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/Flagship-product-Drop-in-search-volume.png" alt="Flagship product - Drop in search volume" class="wp-image-440105" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/Flagship-product-Drop-in-search-volume.png 1600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/Flagship-product-Drop-in-search-volume-600x170.png 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/Flagship-product-Drop-in-search-volume-800x226.png 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/Flagship-product-Drop-in-search-volume-200x57.png 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/Flagship-product-Drop-in-search-volume-768x217.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/Flagship-product-Drop-in-search-volume-1536x434.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px" /></figure>



<p>Market trends are also at play here, but the main change was the decrease in the video campaign. We’re working closely with our client to identify relevant market and search trends before drawing firm conclusions. </p>



<p><strong><em>Dig deeper: <a href="https://searchengineland.com/youtube-ads-lessons-learn-413480">7 important YouTube Ads lessons you need to learn</a></em></strong></p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-objection-2-you-tried-it-once-and-didn-t-see-the-value">Objection 2: You tried it once and didn’t see the value</h2>



<p>You may have tried video ads, looked at the metrics for those campaigns, and concluded that video ads were a dud.&nbsp;</p>



<p>But to fully evaluate the value of video ads, you need to go beyond campaign-level metrics.&nbsp;</p>



<p>And the best place to start is to make sure you’re working towards the right campaign goals.</p>



<p>Google Ads has several <a href="https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/10197127?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">campaign subtype options</a> to choose from, including “Efficient reach”<em> </em>and<em> </em>“Drive conversions<em>.</em>”<em> </em></p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img decoding="async" width="1156" height="1398" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/YouTube-Ads-campaign-subtype-options.png" alt="YouTube Ads campaign subtype options" class="wp-image-440106" style="width:539px;height:auto" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/YouTube-Ads-campaign-subtype-options.png 1156w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/YouTube-Ads-campaign-subtype-options-279x338.png 279w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/YouTube-Ads-campaign-subtype-options-496x600.png 496w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/YouTube-Ads-campaign-subtype-options-93x113.png 93w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/05/YouTube-Ads-campaign-subtype-options-768x929.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1156px) 100vw, 1156px" /></figure></div>


<p>When you select <em>Efficient reach</em> as your goal, the focus is on targeting new people.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Video ads are a great low-cost, high-impact way to engage new people. They’ll spend time with your brand in a way that’s much more than you can get with a text or image ad.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Almost inevitably, we see brand lift with <em>Efficient reach</em> video ad campaigns, manifesting as a steady increase in traffic via Google search and social platforms.</p>



<p>When you select <em>Drive conversions</em> as your goal, you need to consider what you want your audience to do. Do you want them to take a test, make a purchase or do something else?</p>



<p>Once you have the right goals in place, you need to look beyond campaign-level metrics to assess the success or failure of these campaigns.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Try to adopt a growth mindset when you make this assessment. Don’t just look at the revenue generated by these campaigns but also how these campaigns support your other marketing campaigns, such as your branded efforts. When you do that, you get a much more accurate picture of what video campaigns bring to the table.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Video campaigns don’t exist in a vacuum. If you look carefully, you can see their impact across all your marketing channels. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-objection-3-you-re-not-sure-how-to-get-started">Objection 3: You’re not sure how to get started</h2>



<p>Most of our clients have in-house creative teams that can produce assets for video ads.&nbsp;</p>



<p>But even so, our clients often need help putting those assets together into a compelling video ad.&nbsp;</p>



<p>What’s missing is a good storyline that captures the viewers&#8217; attention and aligns with the ad&#8217;s goal – which is where storyline templates are useful.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Fortunately, templates aren’t hard to find. Many companies in the video production space have them available online.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Storykit, a video creation tool, is just one example. If the goal of your ad is to establish your company as a thought leader, then you can follow <a href="https://storykit.io/video-script-templates/thought-leader" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this template</a>. If you want to show your company’s ability to solve a specific problem, then there’s <a href="https://storykit.io/video-script-templates/problem-solution-actor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this template</a>. </p>



<p>YouTube itself has many resources to help get you started with video ads. Their “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/intl/ALL_uk/ads/abcds-of-effective-video-ads/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABCDs of Creating Effective Video Ads</a>” provides great advice on grabbing and holding attention, branding, building connections, and providing direction. </p>



<p>And if you don’t have an in-house creative team to provide you with assets you can use, you can <a href="https://www.youtube.com/intl/ALL_uk/ads/how-it-works/create-a-video-ad/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">create a video ad</a> within your Google Ads account. The resulting video ad will be simple but can do the job in a pinch. </p>



<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/intl/ALL_uk/ads/how-it-works/create-a-video-ad/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This guide</a> walks through YouTube’s many video creation tools that you can use. If you’re truly starting from square one, check out Google Ads info on <a href="https://support.google.com/google-ads/topic/10513839" target="_blank" rel="noopener">video campaigns in general</a> and how to <a href="https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/9424882" target="_blank" rel="noopener">optimize your video campaigns</a>. </p>



<p><strong><em>Dig deeper: <a href="https://searchengineland.com/youtube-ads-unlocking-high-impact-minimal-cost-428567">YouTube Ads: Unlocking high impact at minimal cost</a></em></strong></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-it-s-not-too-late-to-include-video-ads-in-your-marketing-portfolio">It’s not too late to include video ads in your marketing portfolio</h2>



<p>Given all of the resources available to marketers today, there’s no good reason not to have video advertising in your portfolio.</p>



<p>If you haven’t started testing video ads yet, don’t delay any further. Video advertising&#8217;s importance is only going to grow, and the sooner you get onboard, the better.&nbsp;</p>

When I audit the Google Ads programs of new and prospective clients, I still find some without a YouTube advertising component. This is surprising, given YouTube’s continued growth in popularity. 
We can look at YouTube ad revenue to measure the platform’s dominance. In 2023, YouTube’s global advertising revenues rose to $31.51 billion, up by almost 8% from the previous fiscal period – an indicator that more and more advertisers are adding YouTube ads to their marketing mix. 
Yet when I ask new clients and prospects why they don’t have YouTube video ads, they usually give one or more of the following reasons:
They don’t have the budget.
They tried YouTube video ads once and didn’t see the value.
They’re not sure how to get started. 
Let’s tackle these objections in turn, and I’ll provide you with some strategies to overcome them.
Objection 1: You don’t have the budget
YouTube video ads often come second to other types of digital advertising in priority, especially when budgets are limited. Many paid search managers max out on search campaigns before tackling video. In some limited cases, this is a sensible approach. 
However, I would say that this “search campaigns first, video campaigns later” stance is widely overused. I strongly encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and implement YouTube video ad campaigns in parallel with your search campaigns.
When you do so, you may find that sales via your video campaigns aren’t as strong as your search campaigns – and that’s OK. You’re still seeding valuable brand awareness that will pay dividends down the road. 
You may also find that YouTube ads reach a different audience than your search ads, a valuable way of expanding your reach and future-proofing your marketing. 
You may also benefit from the “halo” effect of having concurrent search and YouTube ad campaigns. Time and time again, we’ve seen that having a well-rounded Google Ads program that includes YouTube ads delivers a nice lift across the board. 
Proof of this “the whole is more than the sum of its parts” phenomenon is most evident when YouTube and other “non-search” campaigns are removed from the mix. Often, we witness a degradation in net new traffic even when workhorse search campaigns are left in place.
We’re hoping this degradation in net-new traffic won’t occur for one of our clients. For years, our client spent $3,500 in video advertising every month. Last July, they cut that spend to $1,000. 
Right now, we’re holding our breath (and monitoring closely) to see the impact of that budget cut and ascertain the degree of any degradation in traffic and conversions as a result. 
Already, we can see a downward trend in volume on their branded campaign:

We can also see a drop in volume for their flagship product: 




Market trends are also at play here, but the main change was the decrease in the video campaign. We’re working closely with our client to identify relevant market and search trends before drawing firm conclusions. 
Dig deeper: 7 important YouTube Ads lessons you need to learn

					
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Objection 2: You tried it once and didn’t see the value
You may have tried video ads, looked at the metrics for those campaigns, and concluded that video ads were a dud. 
But to fully evaluate the value of video ads, you need to go beyond campaign-level metrics. 
And the best place to start is to make sure you’re working towards the right campaign goals.
Google Ads has several campaign subtype options to choose from, including “Efficient reach” and “Drive conversions.” 

When you select Efficient reach as your goal, the focus is on targeting new people. 
Video ads are a great low-cost, high-impact way to engage new people. They’ll spend time with your brand in a way that’s much more than you can get with a text or image ad. 
Almost inevitably, we see brand lift with Efficient reach video ad campaigns, manifesting as a steady increase in traffic via Google search and social platforms.
When you select Drive conversions as your goal, you need to consider what you want your audience to do. Do you want them to take a test, make a purchase or do something else?
Once you have the right goals in place, you need to look beyond campaign-level metrics to assess the success or failure of these campaigns. 
Try to adopt a growth mindset when you make this assessment. Don’t just look at the revenue generated by these campaigns but also how these campaigns support your other marketing campaigns, such as your branded efforts. When you do that, you get a much more accurate picture of what video campaigns bring to the table. 
Video campaigns don’t exist in a vacuum. If you look carefully, you can see their impact across all your marketing channels. 
Objection 3: You’re not sure how to get started
Most of our clients have in-house creative teams that can produce assets for video ads. 
But even so, our clients often need help putting those assets together into a compelling video ad. 
What’s missing is a good storyline that captures the viewers’ attention and aligns with the ad’s goal – which is where storyline templates are useful. 
Fortunately, templates aren’t hard to find. Many companies in the video production space have them available online. 
Storykit, a video creation tool, is just one example. If the goal of your ad is to establish your company as a thought leader, then you can follow this template. If you want to show your company’s ability to solve a specific problem, then there’s this template. 
YouTube itself has many resources to help get you started with video ads. Their “ABCDs of Creating Effective Video Ads” provides great advice on grabbing and holding attention, branding, building connections, and providing direction. 
And if you don’t have an in-house creative team to provide you with assets you can use, you can create a video ad within your Google Ads account. The resulting video ad will be simple but can do the job in a pinch. 
This guide walks through YouTube’s many video creation tools that you can use. If you’re truly starting from square one, check out Google Ads info on video campaigns in general and how to optimize your video campaigns. 
Dig deeper: YouTube Ads: Unlocking high impact at minimal cost
It’s not too late to include video ads in your marketing portfolio
Given all of the resources available to marketers today, there’s no good reason not to have video advertising in your portfolio.
If you haven’t started testing video ads yet, don’t delay any further. Video advertising’s importance is only going to grow, and the sooner you get onboard, the better.

Don't let budget constraints, past failures or lack of know-how stop you from taking advantage of YouTube video advertising.

How to overcome the top 3 objections to YouTube video ads

<div><img width="800" height="457" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/05/bing-vs-google-robots-arm-wrestle-800x457.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Bing vs Google" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/05/bing-vs-google-robots-arm-wrestle-800x457.jpg 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/05/bing-vs-google-robots-arm-wrestle-592x338.jpg 592w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/05/bing-vs-google-robots-arm-wrestle-198x113.jpg 198w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/05/bing-vs-google-robots-arm-wrestle-768x439.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/05/bing-vs-google-robots-arm-wrestle-1536x878.jpg 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/05/bing-vs-google-robots-arm-wrestle-150x86.jpg 150w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/05/bing-vs-google-robots-arm-wrestle.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>Google has lost search market share in the U.S., North America, globally and elsewhere. Meanwhile Bing and Yahoo grew. Is the data accurate?

<div><img width="800" height="457" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/05/bing-vs-google-robots-arm-wrestle-800x457.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Bing vs Google" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/05/bing-vs-google-robots-arm-wrestle-800x457.jpg 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/05/bing-vs-google-robots-arm-wrestle-592x338.jpg 592w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/05/bing-vs-google-robots-arm-wrestle-198x113.jpg 198w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/05/bing-vs-google-robots-arm-wrestle-768x439.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/05/bing-vs-google-robots-arm-wrestle-1536x878.jpg 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/05/bing-vs-google-robots-arm-wrestle-150x86.jpg 150w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/05/bing-vs-google-robots-arm-wrestle.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>
<p>Statcounter has updated its search engine market share stats for April – and the results are shocking. If they&#8217;re true. I&#8217;m doubtful –&nbsp;but hoping Statcounter will confirm whether these numbers are indeed accurate.</p>



<p><strong>By the numbers. </strong>Google&#8217;s U.S. search market share in the U.S. fell to 77.52% in April, down from 86.94% in March and down from 88.8% in April 2023. Meanwhile:</p>



<ul>
<li>Microsoft Bing grew to 13.05% in April, up from 8.04% in March.</li>



<li>Yahoo (!) grew to 7.3%, up from 2.48% in March.</li>
</ul>



<p>See why I&#8217;m skeptical yet? How are Microsoft Bing and Yahoo growing that much in one month? </p>



<p>But wait, there&#8217;s more.</p>



<p>Google&#8217;s global search engine market share dropped from 91.38% in March to 86.99% in April. Meanwhile:</p>



<ul>
<li>Microsoft Bing grew to 5.8% in April, up from 3.35% in March. </li>



<li>Yahoo grew to 3.06% in April, up from 1.1% in March.</li>
</ul>



<p>There are other unexplainable swings –&nbsp;some bigger than others – found in other regions as well, based on Statcounter&#8217;s data.</p>



<p><strong>But. </strong>Before you start cheering, the data seems suspect. Some are expecting Statcounter to &#8220;correct&#8221; these figures because these sorts of big swings seem impossible and unprecedented.</p>



<p>About the data. How does Statcounter get this data? According to its <a href="https://gs.statcounter.com/about">About page</a>: </p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">
<p>Stats are based on aggregate data collected by Statcounter on a sample exceeding 5 billion pageviews per month collected from across the Statcounter network of more than 1.5 million websites. Stats are updated and made available every day, however are subject to quality assurance testing and revision for 45 days from publication.</p>
</blockquote>



<p>Based on this explanation, it&#8217;s entirely possible that at some point in the next 45 days Statcounter&#8217;s search market share data could change. </p>



<p><strong>Why we care.</strong> My first thought after seeing these numbers was: <em>they seem wrong</em>. User behavior doesn&#8217;t change this rapidly. While SEOs and others have been heavily critical of Google over the past few years, often with good reason, I&#8217;ve never seen market share figures swing like this in one month unless there was a change to how the data was collected or there is some sort of issue with the data.</p>



<p><strong>What Statcounter is saying. </strong>I&#8217;ve emailed the company to get some insight into whether these numbers are accurate. I&#8217;m told their staff is &#8220;checking things out.&#8221;</p>


Statcounter has updated its search engine market share stats for April – and the results are shocking. If they’re true. I’m doubtful – but hoping Statcounter will confirm whether these numbers are indeed accurate.
By the numbers. Google’s U.S. search market share in the U.S. fell to 77.52% in April, down from 86.94% in March and down from 88.8% in April 2023. Meanwhile:
Microsoft Bing grew to 13.05% in April, up from 8.04% in March.
Yahoo (!) grew to 7.3%, up from 2.48% in March.
See why I’m skeptical yet? How are Microsoft Bing and Yahoo growing that much in one month? 
But wait, there’s more.
Google’s global search engine market share dropped from 91.38% in March to 86.99% in April. Meanwhile:
Microsoft Bing grew to 5.8% in April, up from 3.35% in March. 
Yahoo grew to 3.06% in April, up from 1.1% in March.
There are other unexplainable swings – some bigger than others – found in other regions as well, based on Statcounter’s data.
But. Before you start cheering, the data seems suspect. Some are expecting Statcounter to “correct” these figures because these sorts of big swings seem impossible and unprecedented.
About the data. How does Statcounter get this data? According to its About page: 
Stats are based on aggregate data collected by Statcounter on a sample exceeding 5 billion pageviews per month collected from across the Statcounter network of more than 1.5 million websites. Stats are updated and made available every day, however are subject to quality assurance testing and revision for 45 days from publication.
Based on this explanation, it’s entirely possible that at some point in the next 45 days Statcounter’s search market share data could change. 
Why we care. My first thought after seeing these numbers was: they seem wrong. User behavior doesn’t change this rapidly. While SEOs and others have been heavily critical of Google over the past few years, often with good reason, I’ve never seen market share figures swing like this in one month unless there was a change to how the data was collected or there is some sort of issue with the data.
What Statcounter is saying. I’ve emailed the company to get some insight into whether these numbers are accurate. I’m told their staff is “checking things out.”

Google has lost search market share in the U.S., North America, globally and elsewhere. Meanwhile Bing and Yahoo grew. Is the data accurate?

Did Google really lose search market share to Microsoft Bing in April?

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/live-webinar-multiple-people-orange-banner-800x450.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/live-webinar-multiple-people-orange-banner-800x450.jpg 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/live-webinar-multiple-people-orange-banner-600x338.jpg 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/live-webinar-multiple-people-orange-banner-200x113.jpg 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/live-webinar-multiple-people-orange-banner-768x432.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/live-webinar-multiple-people-orange-banner-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/live-webinar-multiple-people-orange-banner.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>Learn how a strategic approach to social media can help brands drive significant bottom-line results

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/live-webinar-multiple-people-orange-banner-800x450.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/live-webinar-multiple-people-orange-banner-800x450.jpg 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/live-webinar-multiple-people-orange-banner-600x338.jpg 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/live-webinar-multiple-people-orange-banner-200x113.jpg 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/live-webinar-multiple-people-orange-banner-768x432.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/live-webinar-multiple-people-orange-banner-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/live-webinar-multiple-people-orange-banner.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://www.bigmarker.com/third-door-media/Social-means-business-Serious-business?utm_bmcr_source=selpost"><img decoding="async" width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/live-webinar-multiple-people-orange-banner-800x450.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-440090" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/live-webinar-multiple-people-orange-banner-800x450.jpg 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/live-webinar-multiple-people-orange-banner-600x338.jpg 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/live-webinar-multiple-people-orange-banner-200x113.jpg 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/live-webinar-multiple-people-orange-banner-768x432.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/live-webinar-multiple-people-orange-banner-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/live-webinar-multiple-people-orange-banner.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></a></figure>



<p>Is your social media strategy keeping pace with the latest industry trends and innovations?</p>



<p>Deloitte&#8217;s comprehensive &#8220;State of Social Media&#8221; report reveals that social-first brands are achieving remarkable outcomes &#8211; including an average 10.2% revenue increase &#8211; by repositioning social at the core of their entire brand and customer experience.</p>



<p>In this can&#8217;t miss <a href="https://www.bigmarker.com/third-door-media/Social-means-business-Serious-business?utm_bmcr_source=selpost">MarTech webinar</a>, attendees will learn directly from two of Deloitte&#8217;s top social media and innovation experts who will share eye-opening insights from the &#8220;State of Social Media&#8221; report, including:</p>



<ul>
<li>The new &#8220;Share of Culture&#8221; approach driving vibrant social communities</li>



<li>How leading brands are unleashing the power of creator partnerships through &#8220;Co-Creation&#8221;</li>



<li>Why the future of search &#8211; and commerce &#8211; is inherently social</li>
</ul>



<p>RSVP today for &#8220;<strong><a href="https://www.bigmarker.com/third-door-media/Social-means-business-Serious-business?utm_bmcr_source=selpost">Social Means Business, Serious Business&#8211;Driving Resilience Through Social Business Transformation</a></strong>&#8221; and get up to date on the latest trends and tactics driving real results.</p>


Is your social media strategy keeping pace with the latest industry trends and innovations?
Deloitte’s comprehensive “State of Social Media” report reveals that social-first brands are achieving remarkable outcomes – including an average 10.2% revenue increase – by repositioning social at the core of their entire brand and customer experience.
In this can’t miss MarTech webinar, attendees will learn directly from two of Deloitte’s top social media and innovation experts who will share eye-opening insights from the “State of Social Media” report, including:
The new “Share of Culture” approach driving vibrant social communities
How leading brands are unleashing the power of creator partnerships through “Co-Creation”
Why the future of search – and commerce – is inherently social
RSVP today for “Social Means Business, Serious Business–Driving Resilience Through Social Business Transformation” and get up to date on the latest trends and tactics driving real results.

Learn how a strategic approach to social media can help brands drive significant bottom-line results

The future of search is social by Edna Chavira

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/6-ways-to-use-AI-for-paid-search-account-restructuring-800x450.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="6 ways to use AI for paid search account restructuring" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/6-ways-to-use-AI-for-paid-search-account-restructuring-800x450.png 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/6-ways-to-use-AI-for-paid-search-account-restructuring-600x338.png 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/6-ways-to-use-AI-for-paid-search-account-restructuring-200x113.png 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/6-ways-to-use-AI-for-paid-search-account-restructuring-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/6-ways-to-use-AI-for-paid-search-account-restructuring-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/6-ways-to-use-AI-for-paid-search-account-restructuring.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>Embracing AI is key to smarter PPC management. Let AI do the heavy lifting on these key tasks, from keyword research to bidding strategy.

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/6-ways-to-use-AI-for-paid-search-account-restructuring-800x450.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="6 ways to use AI for paid search account restructuring" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/6-ways-to-use-AI-for-paid-search-account-restructuring-800x450.png 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/6-ways-to-use-AI-for-paid-search-account-restructuring-600x338.png 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/6-ways-to-use-AI-for-paid-search-account-restructuring-200x113.png 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/6-ways-to-use-AI-for-paid-search-account-restructuring-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/6-ways-to-use-AI-for-paid-search-account-restructuring-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/6-ways-to-use-AI-for-paid-search-account-restructuring.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>
<p>As the paid search advertising landscape evolves, AI and language model tools are gaining traction in streamlining and optimizing campaign restructuring processes. </p>



<p>Some paid search specialists are no longer content with the status quo. Others argue that our industry has been using AI all along and that the AI revolution is only a shift in terminology.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" width="604" height="105" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Jon-Kagan-on-X.png" alt="Jon Kagan on X" class="wp-image-440052" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Jon-Kagan-on-X.png 604w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Jon-Kagan-on-X-600x104.png 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Jon-Kagan-on-X-200x35.png 200w" sizes="(max-width: 604px) 100vw, 604px" /></figure></div>


<p>Many favor chatbots for answers, driven by a quest for efficiency, creativity and staying current. <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/neptunemoon/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Julie F. Bacchini</a>, managing director of the PPC Chat community, emphasized the last point during her weekly Slack chat on &#8220;Diversification in PPC.&#8221; </p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" width="442" height="319" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Julie-F.-Bacchini-on-PPC-Chat.png" alt="Julie F. Bacchini on PPC Chat" class="wp-image-440054" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Julie-F.-Bacchini-on-PPC-Chat.png 442w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Julie-F.-Bacchini-on-PPC-Chat-157x113.png 157w" sizes="(max-width: 442px) 100vw, 442px" /></figure></div>


<p>One area where AI shines is streamlining the often tedious and time-consuming process of account restructuring.</p>



<p>Below are six practical ways AI can assist <a href="https://searchengineland.com/guide/what-is-paid-search">PPC</a> managers when restructuring ad accounts.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-finding-new-keyword-ideas-for-accounts">1. Finding new keyword ideas for accounts</h2>



<p>Keywords are the cornerstone of an ads account.&nbsp;</p>



<p>To reorganize ad accounts effectively, you need to analyze the search term reports and identify fresh keywords to incorporate into ad groups or campaigns.</p>



<p>While necessary, this process can be time-consuming in large accounts. It’s especially confusing for B2B accounts, where separating consumer intent from commercial intent is key.</p>



<p>Here&#8217;s where AI can assist. There are tools in the market to help you:</p>



<ul>
<li><strong>Analyze datasets:</strong> AI can identify new and valuable keywords that might have been overlooked.</li>



<li><strong>Surface statistically significant opportunities:</strong> Some search terms need more data before they are actionable.</li>
</ul>



<p>AI tools don&#8217;t just identify new terms; they also assess statistical significance. This ensures you focus on terms with a proven track record of driving conversions.</p>



<p>Consider Optmyzr, a popular AI-powered tool that seamlessly integrates with platforms like Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising and automatically analyzes your search terms report.</p>



<p>Based on its analysis, it recommends relevant keywords for inclusion in existing ad groups or the creation of new ones.</p>



<p>This eliminates the need for manual data downloads, spreadsheet analysis and filtering.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" width="485" height="282" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Optmyzr-for-account-management.png" alt="Optmyzr for account management" class="wp-image-440055" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Optmyzr-for-account-management.png 485w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Optmyzr-for-account-management-194x113.png 194w" sizes="(max-width: 485px) 100vw, 485px" /></figure></div>


<p>Most importantly, Optmyzr utilizes statistical significance to ensure its recommendations are impactful.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-categorizing-keywords-by-theme">2. Categorizing keywords by theme</h2>



<p>Effective paid search campaigns rely on well-organized ad groups with thematically related keywords.</p>



<p>Another reason to restructure is if a previous ad manager accidentally added thousands of keywords from auto-recommendations or didn&#8217;t understand the importance of keeping ad groups tightly themed.</p>



<p>Grouping keywords by theme ensures your ads resonate with user search terms. This is where large language models like ChatGPT and Google&#8217;s Gemini come into play.</p>



<p>Imagine this:</p>



<p>You can effortlessly paste thousands of keywords in a chatbox and ask the tool to organize all the keywords by theme.</p>



<p>Manually grouping thousands of keywords by theme can be an overwhelming task.</p>



<p>Enter large language models. By feeding these models your keyword list (even exceeding 2,000 keywords), they can identify and categorize themes with remarkable speed and accuracy.</p>



<p>Checking for duplicates is crucial because ad groups often have overlapping keywords. Keep refining the themed keyword list until it&#8217;s more manageable to reduce redundancy.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-tailoring-ads-more-closely-to-the-user-s-search-query">3. Tailoring ads more closely to the user&#8217;s search query</h2>



<p>This translates to improved ad relevance, higher quality scores and increased campaign effectiveness.</p>



<p>Once you have thematically grouped keywords, writing ad copy becomes a necessity.</p>



<p>You need to tailor your ad copy to the specific theme of each ad group, ensuring a more relevant and impactful message for users.</p>



<p>Restructuring often involves creating new ad groups.</p>



<p>Writing <a href="https://searchengineland.com/elevate-responsive-search-ads-439734">responsive search ads</a> (RSAs) can be arduous because of the many headlines and descriptions needed. However, AI can help.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" width="605" height="125" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/sclbeauty-on-X.png" alt="sclbeauty on X" class="wp-image-440056" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/sclbeauty-on-X.png 605w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/sclbeauty-on-X-600x124.png 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/sclbeauty-on-X-200x41.png 200w" sizes="(max-width: 605px) 100vw, 605px" /></figure></div>


<p>Let&#8217;s consider ChatGPT and the following prompt:</p>



<ul>
<li><em>&#8220;Write me 15 different headlines that are 30 characters or less for a Google Search Ad for my gourmet cookie business.&#8221;</em></li>
</ul>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" width="355" height="460" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/ChatGPT-headlines-for-gourmet-cookie-business.png" alt="ChatGPT headlines for gourmet cookie business" class="wp-image-440057" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/ChatGPT-headlines-for-gourmet-cookie-business.png 355w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/ChatGPT-headlines-for-gourmet-cookie-business-261x338.png 261w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/ChatGPT-headlines-for-gourmet-cookie-business-87x113.png 87w" sizes="(max-width: 355px) 100vw, 355px" /></figure></div>


<p>Remember that human oversight is still important. While AI can certainly spur creativity, the human factor remains irreplaceable. In the example above, some AI-generated headlines might exceed the character limit or lack the desired punch.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" width="333" height="325" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/ChatGPT-headlines-for-gourmet-cookie-business-character-count.png" alt="This example highlights the importance of human oversight and refinement." class="wp-image-440058" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/ChatGPT-headlines-for-gourmet-cookie-business-character-count.png 333w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/ChatGPT-headlines-for-gourmet-cookie-business-character-count-116x113.png 116w" sizes="(max-width: 333px) 100vw, 333px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em><em>This example highlights the importance of human oversight and refinement.</em></em></figcaption></figure></div>


<p>The best approach is to leverage AI for initial brainstorming and then refine the generated content with your unique human touch.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-assisting-with-image-creation">4. Assisting with image creation</h2>



<p>Google Ads’ AI-powered image generation tool accelerates the testing process and economizes time and resources by generating fresh imagery.</p>



<p>Reducing time and cost is particularly impactful for brands operating on limited budgets competing in a platform where images are an important tool.</p>



<p>Also, there&#8217;s a theory that platforms might prioritize content created with new features like AI generation. This could temporarily boost your ads while the platform gathers data on its tool.</p>



<p>While the exact impact is unclear, some advertisers can benefit from AI-generated images.</p>



<p>Take an online-only gourmet soup shop, for example. Unlike clothing with distinct styles, soup bowls can look similar across brands. This is where AI shines.</p>



<p>It can create unique and appetizing visuals for your soup, freeing you from reliance on seasonal photoshoots.</p>



<p>These images can offer variety for testing in an account that otherwise wouldn’t have many images.</p>



<p><strong><em>Dig deeper: </em></strong><a href="https://searchengineland.com/google-ads-gemini-conversational-ai-438289"><strong><em>Creating Google Ads campaigns with Gemini conversational AI: How good is it really?</em></strong></a></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-predictive-modeling-in-google-s-performance-planner">5. Predictive modeling in Google’s Performance Planner</h2>



<p>Google&#8217;s Performance Planner is an example of AI-driven predictive modeling.</p>



<p>It allows advertisers to forecast how changes in campaigns could affect key metrics like conversions and clicks.</p>



<p>Leveraging the Google Performance Planner both before and after an account reorganization is an excellent method to showcase scalability.</p>



<p>It helps make informed decisions about budget adjustments and optimize campaigns for better results. </p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" width="1591" height="506" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Sample-estimates-of-the-performance-planner.png" alt="Sample estimates of the performance planner" class="wp-image-440059" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Sample-estimates-of-the-performance-planner.png 1591w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Sample-estimates-of-the-performance-planner-600x191.png 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Sample-estimates-of-the-performance-planner-800x254.png 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Sample-estimates-of-the-performance-planner-200x64.png 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Sample-estimates-of-the-performance-planner-768x244.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Sample-estimates-of-the-performance-planner-1536x489.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1591px) 100vw, 1591px" /></figure></div>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-6-automatic-bidding-in-ad-platforms">6. Automatic bidding in ad platforms</h2>



<p>When reorganizing ad campaigns and centralizing data, the reasoning is often to allow campaigns to leverage larger datasets and automatic bidding strategies to work effectively.</p>



<p>Bid strategies are not always considered AI but rather machine learning.</p>



<p>However, bid strategies use machine learning to automatically adjust bids based on various factors, such as the likelihood of a conversion or the competitiveness of an auction. So, in that sense, bid strategies can be considered a form of AI. </p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" width="599" height="143" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Google-AI-bidding-tweet.png" alt="Google AI bidding tweet" class="wp-image-440060" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Google-AI-bidding-tweet.png 599w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/Google-AI-bidding-tweet-200x48.png 200w" sizes="(max-width: 599px) 100vw, 599px" /></figure></div>


<p><strong><em>Dig deeper: <a href="https://searchengineland.com/google-ads-bid-strategy-campaign-success-437448">How each Google Ads bid strategy influences campaign success</a></em></strong></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ai-powered-ppc-optimization-boosting-efficiency-and-strategy">AI-powered PPC optimization: Boosting efficiency and strategy</h2>



<p>Despite being available for years, AI tools like Optimzr and various in-platform features frequently go unrecognized as AI, largely because the prevailing perception equates AI with chatbots.</p>



<p>However, AI encompasses more than just chatbots; it involves computers making decisions rapidly.</p>



<p>These technologies offer options for advertisers, encompassing everything from keyword research and ad group organization to writing RSA ad copy and generating images.</p>



<p>Predictive modeling and automatic bidding strategies enhance campaign optimization and save paid search managers valuable time, fitting perfectly within the broad definition of AI tools.</p>



<p>AI integration enables paid search managers to be more effective in building campaigns and changing accounts. This lets you transition into a more strategic role, moving beyond merely executing tasks to shaping strategies and outcomes.</p>

As the paid search advertising landscape evolves, AI and language model tools are gaining traction in streamlining and optimizing campaign restructuring processes. 
Some paid search specialists are no longer content with the status quo. Others argue that our industry has been using AI all along and that the AI revolution is only a shift in terminology.

Many favor chatbots for answers, driven by a quest for efficiency, creativity and staying current. Julie F. Bacchini, managing director of the PPC Chat community, emphasized the last point during her weekly Slack chat on “Diversification in PPC.” 

One area where AI shines is streamlining the often tedious and time-consuming process of account restructuring.
Below are six practical ways AI can assist PPC managers when restructuring ad accounts.
1. Finding new keyword ideas for accounts
Keywords are the cornerstone of an ads account. 
To reorganize ad accounts effectively, you need to analyze the search term reports and identify fresh keywords to incorporate into ad groups or campaigns.
While necessary, this process can be time-consuming in large accounts. It’s especially confusing for B2B accounts, where separating consumer intent from commercial intent is key.
Here’s where AI can assist. There are tools in the market to help you:
Analyze datasets: AI can identify new and valuable keywords that might have been overlooked.
Surface statistically significant opportunities: Some search terms need more data before they are actionable.
AI tools don’t just identify new terms; they also assess statistical significance. This ensures you focus on terms with a proven track record of driving conversions.
Consider Optmyzr, a popular AI-powered tool that seamlessly integrates with platforms like Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising and automatically analyzes your search terms report.
Based on its analysis, it recommends relevant keywords for inclusion in existing ad groups or the creation of new ones.
This eliminates the need for manual data downloads, spreadsheet analysis and filtering.

Most importantly, Optmyzr utilizes statistical significance to ensure its recommendations are impactful.
2. Categorizing keywords by theme
Effective paid search campaigns rely on well-organized ad groups with thematically related keywords.
Another reason to restructure is if a previous ad manager accidentally added thousands of keywords from auto-recommendations or didn’t understand the importance of keeping ad groups tightly themed.
Grouping keywords by theme ensures your ads resonate with user search terms. This is where large language models like ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini come into play.
Imagine this:
You can effortlessly paste thousands of keywords in a chatbox and ask the tool to organize all the keywords by theme.
Manually grouping thousands of keywords by theme can be an overwhelming task.
Enter large language models. By feeding these models your keyword list (even exceeding 2,000 keywords), they can identify and categorize themes with remarkable speed and accuracy.
Checking for duplicates is crucial because ad groups often have overlapping keywords. Keep refining the themed keyword list until it’s more manageable to reduce redundancy.

					
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3. Tailoring ads more closely to the user’s search query
This translates to improved ad relevance, higher quality scores and increased campaign effectiveness.
Once you have thematically grouped keywords, writing ad copy becomes a necessity.
You need to tailor your ad copy to the specific theme of each ad group, ensuring a more relevant and impactful message for users.
Restructuring often involves creating new ad groups.
Writing responsive search ads (RSAs) can be arduous because of the many headlines and descriptions needed. However, AI can help.

Let’s consider ChatGPT and the following prompt:
“Write me 15 different headlines that are 30 characters or less for a Google Search Ad for my gourmet cookie business.”

Remember that human oversight is still important. While AI can certainly spur creativity, the human factor remains irreplaceable. In the example above, some AI-generated headlines might exceed the character limit or lack the desired punch.
This example highlights the importance of human oversight and refinement.
The best approach is to leverage AI for initial brainstorming and then refine the generated content with your unique human touch.
4. Assisting with image creation
Google Ads’ AI-powered image generation tool accelerates the testing process and economizes time and resources by generating fresh imagery.
Reducing time and cost is particularly impactful for brands operating on limited budgets competing in a platform where images are an important tool.
Also, there’s a theory that platforms might prioritize content created with new features like AI generation. This could temporarily boost your ads while the platform gathers data on its tool.
While the exact impact is unclear, some advertisers can benefit from AI-generated images.
Take an online-only gourmet soup shop, for example. Unlike clothing with distinct styles, soup bowls can look similar across brands. This is where AI shines.
It can create unique and appetizing visuals for your soup, freeing you from reliance on seasonal photoshoots.
These images can offer variety for testing in an account that otherwise wouldn’t have many images.
Dig deeper: Creating Google Ads campaigns with Gemini conversational AI: How good is it really?
5. Predictive modeling in Google’s Performance Planner
Google’s Performance Planner is an example of AI-driven predictive modeling.
It allows advertisers to forecast how changes in campaigns could affect key metrics like conversions and clicks.
Leveraging the Google Performance Planner both before and after an account reorganization is an excellent method to showcase scalability.
It helps make informed decisions about budget adjustments and optimize campaigns for better results. 

6. Automatic bidding in ad platforms
When reorganizing ad campaigns and centralizing data, the reasoning is often to allow campaigns to leverage larger datasets and automatic bidding strategies to work effectively.
Bid strategies are not always considered AI but rather machine learning.
However, bid strategies use machine learning to automatically adjust bids based on various factors, such as the likelihood of a conversion or the competitiveness of an auction. So, in that sense, bid strategies can be considered a form of AI. 

Dig deeper: How each Google Ads bid strategy influences campaign success
AI-powered PPC optimization: Boosting efficiency and strategy
Despite being available for years, AI tools like Optimzr and various in-platform features frequently go unrecognized as AI, largely because the prevailing perception equates AI with chatbots.
However, AI encompasses more than just chatbots; it involves computers making decisions rapidly.
These technologies offer options for advertisers, encompassing everything from keyword research and ad group organization to writing RSA ad copy and generating images.
Predictive modeling and automatic bidding strategies enhance campaign optimization and save paid search managers valuable time, fitting perfectly within the broad definition of AI tools.
AI integration enables paid search managers to be more effective in building campaigns and changing accounts. This lets you transition into a more strategic role, moving beyond merely executing tasks to shaping strategies and outcomes.

Embracing AI is key to smarter PPC management. Let AI do the heavy lifting on these key tasks, from keyword research to bidding strategy.

6 ways to use AI for paid search account restructuring

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/How-to-boost-your-marketing-revenue-with-personalization-connectivity-and-data--800x450.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="How to boost your marketing revenue with personalization, connectivity and data" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/How-to-boost-your-marketing-revenue-with-personalization-connectivity-and-data--800x450.png 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/How-to-boost-your-marketing-revenue-with-personalization-connectivity-and-data--600x338.png 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/How-to-boost-your-marketing-revenue-with-personalization-connectivity-and-data--200x113.png 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/How-to-boost-your-marketing-revenue-with-personalization-connectivity-and-data--768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/How-to-boost-your-marketing-revenue-with-personalization-connectivity-and-data--1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2024/04/How-to-boost-your-marketing-revenue-with-personalization-connectivity-and-data-.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>Here’s how to leverage AI, unified customer data and connected journeys to meet searchers’ expectations for tailored experiences.

Personalization is rapidly becoming essential for businesses to drive engagement, loyalty and revenue growth. 
With declining website traffic from search and the phase-out of third-party cookies, companies must find new ways to maximize every visitor interaction. 
Consumers now expect personalized, tailored experiences across all touchpoints, just as they receive on social media.
This article explores the foundational pillars of effective personalization, the role of AI in identifying segments and predicting journeys and real-world examples of how brands have boosted conversions through location-based, channel-based, behavioral and customer data-driven personalization tactics.
Why personalization is vital for marketing strategies
Two primary contributing factors are making personalization a vital component of the marketing strategy for businesses:
As click-through rates from organic search drop – especially from top-of-the-funnel information-seeking queries – website traffic likewise declines. You need to engage every visitor because website visitors are even more important now than before. 
The pending deprecation of third-party cookies has significantly challenged marketers to offer personalized experiences. Marketers should focus on first-party data collection and activation and onboarding a CDP to remove data silos and create a single unified view of the customer. 
Google CEO Sundar Pichai said last year that search will be much more personalized and ultimately about understanding what users want and helping them accomplish it. He also said AI has been transforming Google Search for years. 
It is not about 10 blue links but the most meaningful, rich answers. Two-thirds of consumers prefer these tailored interactions, indicating a trend toward more intimate and user-centric search experiences.
Consumers today are already used to content tailored to their interests. Social media feeds respond to what engaged users in the past. As search also gets more personalized, consumers will expect personalized experiences at every touchpoint – even the websites they visit.
Personalizing the experience is complex. It necessitates a comprehensive customer data platform (CDP) that maintains unified and actionable customer profiles. 
Brands must urgently connect their CDP with their CRM and CMS to create personalized experiences. For meaningful personalization, three things need to come together.
3 foundational pillars of personalization 

1. Harness your customer data
Implementing data-driven personalization can be challenging. Harnessing data effectively requires a sophisticated CDP capable of processing real-time information to craft diverse personalized experiences across the site. It also requires specialized data analysis skills and the creation of a comprehensive, unified customer profile. 
With sophisticated data processing capabilities, you can collect real-time data and leverage it to deliver diverse personalized experiences that matter most to your customers. 

Unify customer profile: Unify data from various sources, creating a single, comprehensive profile for personalized experiences in the Customer Data Platform (CDP).
⁠Customer segmentation: Segment your customers by analyzing geolocation, browsing behavior and demographic data stored in the CDP.
⁠Target cohorts: Identify cohorts to target out of the segmentation, such as high-converting, high-revenue and high-LTV segments to target for personalization campaigns.
Predict user journey: Predict users’ next actions and journey based on past actions for the target cohort. Analyze the probability of conversion for these users.
Real-time personalization: Create personalized content for each target cohort based on the predicted user journey and conversion probability to deliver real-time personalization.
Enrich customer data: Continue to enrich customer profiles in the CDP with real-time personalization data. This helps optimize segments and journey predictions.
2. Connectivity/journey
Connecting the omnichannel purchase journey with customer data and intent is challenging. However, ensuring a seamless, tailored experience across all channels, both now and in the future, is essential for keeping customers happy. 
This requires fluid connections across various touchpoints to foster loyalty and revenue growth. As brands, we must ensure that simple workflows are defined for the most common use cases. 
3. Personalizing content and distribution workflows
Content strategy is a major hurdle for many organizations, with 90% finding it challenging to produce content that aligns with user intent. Brands must define content creation and distribution workflows to ensure the content reflects customers’ intentions. 
Establishing streamlined workflows, utilizing design systems, centralizing digital assets and deploying AI for content customization are key steps toward achieving this. Aligning imagery across touchpoints and using analytics to capture genuine insights are vital for meaningful engagement.
Types of personalization to consider
There are typically four types of personalization, all enhanced by AI-driven strategies and insights. 

Location-based personalization
Refers to the customization of content, services or offers based on the user’s physical location. 
Utilizes geographic data such as GPS coordinates, IP addresses or user-provided location information to deliver relevant and tailored experiences to individuals in specific locations. 
Enables businesses to target users with location-specific content, promotions or recommendations, enhancing user engagement and satisfaction.
Channel-based personalization
Involves tailoring content, campaigns, promotions or experiences to suit specific communication channels or platforms where users interact with a business. 
Encompasses optimizing content for various channels such as websites, mobile apps, email, social media or messaging platforms to deliver a consistent and seamless experience across different touchpoints. 
Aims to cater to the unique preferences and behaviors of users on each channel, ultimately enhancing engagement and driving desired actions.
Behavioral personalization
Refers to customizing content, recommendations or experiences based on the past behaviors and interactions of users with a website, app or brand. 
Utilizes data such as browsing history, purchase behavior, search queries and engagement patterns to deliver tailored content and recommendations that align with the user’s interests and preferences. 
Aims to anticipate the needs and desires of users based on their actions, ultimately enhancing user engagement, satisfaction and conversion rates.
Explicit, customer data-based personalization
Relies on information voluntarily provided by users, including user preferences, interests, demographics and past interactions with the brand. 
Involves leveraging the direct input and explicit consent of users to tailor content, offers and experiences to their specific needs and preferences. 
Utilizing first-party data lets you create highly targeted and relevant messaging that resonates with your audience, leading to improved engagement, loyalty and conversion rates.

					
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AI’s role in personalization
AI-driven personalization tailors experience for everyone by analyzing their interactions and preferences, avoiding the one-size-fits-all approach. 
AI personalization significantly improves decision-making, reduces business risks and fosters brand loyalty. Here are three use cases for AI and how it plays a significant role. 

Identifying visitor segments to target
AI plays a pivotal role in dissecting visitor data to uncover meaningful segments. By analyzing visitors’ locations, devices, channels, browsing behaviors and interactions, AI models automatically group visitors into meaningful clusters. 
Brands can then target these segments for personalized experiences and connected journeys. AI-driven segmentation empowers businesses to allocate resources effectively, optimize marketing efforts and enhance customer experiences.
Use AI for visitor journey prediction and optimization
Visitor journey stages represent the sequence of interactions a user has with a brand, from initial awareness to conversion and beyond. AI models meticulously analyze user behavior data, including website visits, clicks and session duration. 
By discerning patterns, these models categorize visitors into relevant stages, such as “Ready to buy,” “High LTV” (Lifetime Value) or “Dormant.” Brands can then strategically deliver personalized content tailored to each visitor’s specific journey stage.
AI-powered content creation/selection 
AI dynamically creates personalized content, ensuring relevance. It continuously learns from user interactions and precisely selects content for visitor segments. A/B testing and sentiment analysis aid in iterative learning and content optimization. 
Ultimately, AI-driven content personalization ensures that each visitor receives relevant, engaging, timely information, fostering stronger connections and driving conversions. 
How brands can leverage personalization to boost revenue 
Here are two real-life examples where behavioral and channel-based personalization helped increase RFP submissions and conversions for a brand:
Goal: Increase ROI from the paid and email ‘spring campaign’
How we solved with channel-based personalization:
Created a segment to identify visitors who are landing on the Spring campaign page from specific paid and email campaigns.
Personalized the homepage to highlight the spring campaign details and send visitors to the spring campaign page.
Impact: 2X conversion rate for visitors from paid/email spring campaign.
Goal: RV resort wanted to drive more bookings from customers interested in long-term stays 
Steps we deployed: 
Analyzed user flow on the website and identified visitor touchpoints to book long-term stays.
Created a segment to identify visitors who are interested in long-term stays by looking at their page views on long-term stay pages.
Personalized the homepage to highlight long-term stay-related content.

Impact: The customer witnessed 55% increase in conversion rate within a month from implementing behavioral personalization for the visitors interested in long-term stay.
Personalization, connectivity and data: The triad strategy for boosting revenue
AI is here to stay. Platforms will continue to leverage AI to deliver personalized experiences to their customers. By extension, personalization could soon become as essential as having a website.
Early movers that invest in the trifecta of personalization, connectivity and data will have the advantage over their competitors today and beyond.

Here’s how to leverage AI, unified customer data and connected journeys to meet searchers’ expectations for tailored experiences.

How to boost your marketing revenue with personalization, connectivity and data 

<div><img width="800" height="457" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/07/broken-google-robot-800x457.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/07/broken-google-robot-800x457.jpg 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/07/broken-google-robot-592x338.jpg 592w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/07/broken-google-robot-198x113.jpg 198w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/07/broken-google-robot-768x439.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/07/broken-google-robot-1536x878.jpg 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/07/broken-google-robot-150x86.jpg 150w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/07/broken-google-robot.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>Google's new Search spam policy related to reputation abuse (or parasite SEO) will take effect in just a few days, after May 5. 

<div><img width="800" height="457" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/07/broken-google-robot-800x457.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/07/broken-google-robot-800x457.jpg 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/07/broken-google-robot-592x338.jpg 592w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/07/broken-google-robot-198x113.jpg 198w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/07/broken-google-robot-768x439.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/07/broken-google-robot-1536x878.jpg 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/07/broken-google-robot-150x86.jpg 150w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/07/broken-google-robot.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>
<p>Google&#8217;s new Search spam policy around reputation abuse – or what SEOs have referred to as &#8220;parasite SEO&#8221; – will take effect &#8220;after May 5,&#8221; according to Google. May 5 is this Sunday.</p>



<p><strong>We knew this was coming.</strong> Google told us this change was coming in March, when <a href="https://searchengineland.com/google-released-massive-search-quality-improvements-with-march-2024-core-update-and-multiple-spam-updates-438144">Google announced multiple search enhancements</a>, which also included the March 2024 core update (which <a href="https://searchengineland.com/google-march-2024-core-update-rollout-is-now-complete-438713">completed April 19</a>) and spam updates (which <a href="https://searchengineland.com/google-march-2024-spam-update-done-rolling-out-438505">completed March 20</a>).</p>



<p><strong>Google&#8217;s reminder.</strong> Google Search Central <a href="https://twitter.com/googlesearchc/status/1785372945184964816" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted on X</a>:</p>



<ul>
<li>&#8220;As a reminder, the last part of the March 2024 announcements, the new Google Search spam policies about reputation abuse, take effect after May 5, 2024. Find out more about these changes in the blog post <a href="https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2024/03/core-update-spam-policies#site-reputation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2024/03/core-update-spam-policies#site-reputation</a> and in our policies at <a href="https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies#site-reputation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies#site-reputation</a>.&#8221;</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>What is site reputation abuse?</strong> When third-party sites host low-quality content provided by third parties to piggyback on the ranking power of those third-party websites. As Google told us in March:</p>



<ul>
<li>“A third party might publish payday loan reviews on a trusted educational website to gain ranking benefit from the site.”</li>



<li>“Such content ranking highly in Search can confuse or mislead visitors who may have vastly different expectations for the content on a given website.&#8221;</li>
</ul>



<p>Under Google&#8217;s new policy, site reputation abuse is defined as “third-party content produced primarily for ranking purposes and without close oversight of a website owner&#8221; and &#8220;intended to manipulate Search rankings&#8221; will be considered spam. </p>



<p><strong>But.</strong> Not all third-party content will be considered spam, as Google explained:</p>



<ul>
<li>“Many publications host advertising content that is intended for their regular readers, rather than to primarily manipulate Search rankings. Sometimes called ‘native advertising’ or ‘advertorial,’ this kind of content typically wouldn’t confuse regular readers of the publication when they find it on the publisher’s site directly or when arriving at it from Google’s search results.”</li>
</ul>



<p>Google said in March that it would start to take both automated and manual actions on this abuse starting May 5. Now that time is just a few days away.</p>



<p><strong>Why we care.</strong> Many SEO have been complaining about the harm and unfairness that comes from parasite SEO. With so many complaints about the quality of Search results lately, we&#8217;ll see whether this helps deal with the problem. </p>


Google’s new Search spam policy around reputation abuse – or what SEOs have referred to as “parasite SEO” – will take effect “after May 5,” according to Google. May 5 is this Sunday.
We knew this was coming. Google told us this change was coming in March, when Google announced multiple search enhancements, which also included the March 2024 core update (which completed April 19) and spam updates (which completed March 20).
Google’s reminder. Google Search Central posted on X:
“As a reminder, the last part of the March 2024 announcements, the new Google Search spam policies about reputation abuse, take effect after May 5, 2024. Find out more about these changes in the blog post https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2024/03/core-update-spam-policies#site-reputation and in our policies at https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies#site-reputation.”
What is site reputation abuse? When third-party sites host low-quality content provided by third parties to piggyback on the ranking power of those third-party websites. As Google told us in March:
“A third party might publish payday loan reviews on a trusted educational website to gain ranking benefit from the site.”
“Such content ranking highly in Search can confuse or mislead visitors who may have vastly different expectations for the content on a given website.”
Under Google’s new policy, site reputation abuse is defined as “third-party content produced primarily for ranking purposes and without close oversight of a website owner” and “intended to manipulate Search rankings” will be considered spam. 
But. Not all third-party content will be considered spam, as Google explained:
“Many publications host advertising content that is intended for their regular readers, rather than to primarily manipulate Search rankings. Sometimes called ‘native advertising’ or ‘advertorial,’ this kind of content typically wouldn’t confuse regular readers of the publication when they find it on the publisher’s site directly or when arriving at it from Google’s search results.”
Google said in March that it would start to take both automated and manual actions on this abuse starting May 5. Now that time is just a few days away.
Why we care. Many SEO have been complaining about the harm and unfairness that comes from parasite SEO. With so many complaints about the quality of Search results lately, we’ll see whether this helps deal with the problem.

Google's new Search spam policy related to reputation abuse (or parasite SEO) will take effect in just a few days, after May 5.

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