Darren Shaw of Whitespark.ca joins the EDGE in the second of two parts as we dive into the persistent Local SEO Myths. We covering a great deal that Darren has seen for years and we kill them off, one by one. Darren is a fantastic resource for understanding the true impact that Google My Business (now Google Business Profile) has on a local service company’s customer relationship and conversions… today on the EDGE.

[00:02:33] Local SEO Myth: Does everything have to be perfect for Google?
[00:05:26] Local SEO Myth: Using a Call Tracking Number Negatively Impacts Rankings
[00:07:22] Local SEO Myth: Setting Service Area in Google My Business Impacts Ranking
[00:09:24] Local SEO Myth: Keywords in the Business Description
[00:12:53] The Absolute, Most Important Thing to Convey: Trust
[00:13:52] Local SEO Myth: Geotagging Images
[00:18:16] Google Knows Your Space, Knows Your Brand, Knows Your Business
[00:19:27] Local SEO Myth: No One Reads Reviews Anymore
[00:25:25] Consumer Reviews Are A Conversion Step
[00:34:35] Shoppers Are Not Clicking Through to Websites Anymore

The end of the year is here and we covered so much on today’s show.  Not really - it was a Matrix 4 bashfest.  A couple of news items, yadda yadda and how bad could a movie suck?  Truly?  Thanks to Barry Schwartz, Matt Southern, Kevin Indig and Garret Sussmann for their articles, but the thanks really goes to Warner Brothers for making the Matrix 4, what a great gift to end the year with.  

Special thanks to our title sponsor Ahrefs - check out their free SEO audit tool at www.edgeofthewebradio.com/AWT

[00:00:54] Our Matrix4 reviews/bashing 

[00:08:20] TikTok takes the crown of WORLD’S MOST POPULAR DOMAIN from Google

[00:11:31] G-Rated sounding domains that lead to not-so-G-rated sites don’t show up in Google Search… unless you pay for ads.

[00:19:28] We’ve got your Predictions, YOU’RE PREDICTIONS HERE!

See you next year!

We welcome our new title sponsor, Ahrefs as part of the EDGE team.  Welcome back!  We’re coming in for a landing of this year’s news items with UPDATES!  Get your UPDATES here!  

[00:02:47] Updates…get your updates here! You know what would make the holiday week even better? Product review updates from Google!

[00:10:00] John Mueller says you can’t even tell which SEO efforts have changed your rankings

[00:17:50] YouTube is going to be adding automatic links to places mentioned in videos…

Mordy’s back with the EDGE team, talking about the news of the day.  We covered stories from Roger Montti, Barry SChwartz and Patrick Stox of Ahrefs. Really interesting one there - pretty bold move to disavow ALL links to 3 of your top articles to see if links do, in fact, mean what we think they mean to SEO.  Let’s all pull a Mordy and listen now to the EDGE!

[00:04:17] Hey Alexa, do you now that Amazon is shutting you down?

[00:08:15] Google’s December update was a big one

[00:18:55] Do inbound links even matter anymore?

Andrew “Optimisey” joins the EDGE team this week, covering just a fraction of the hot digital marketing news.  There’s so much happening, it was tough to pick but we settled on these headlines to get to you.  Covering news from Search Engine Roundtable and Brodie Clark, with a hot take on Google’s playground, we finished with a hearty Happy Birthday to an 18-year-old SER! 

Thanks, Barry, for these past 18 years of reporting!

[00:02:01] Political ad changes at Google for 2022

[00:08:20] Google is testing a lot of their own real estate on the SERP

[00:14:40] The Volatility of the Dec 2021 Product Reviews update continues 

[00:21:04] Happy 18th Birthday to Search Engine Roundtable

[00:24:37] #SEOChat 1 PM EST - Products, Reviews, and your GBP: Hosted by: Riley Hope @reillyhope13

[00:25:17] WEIRD SEO: John Mueller on SEO to quote Jurassic Park: Just because you can, should you?

Mordy's back from vacation and we're covering his review of the November Core Algorithm update from Semrush. We're back to trolling each other with the regular jabs. Covering news from Search Engine Journal and Search Engine Land this week.

[00:04:21] The Mobile-First Indexing Deadline is Gone. 

[00:09:12] How Does One’s Site “Fit Into the Internet”

[00:21:57] Discussing the November 2021 Core Update with Mordy

Darren Shaw of Whitespark.ca joins the EDGE again (been a while) to discuss Local SEO, Google Business Profile as well as his annual Local Search Ranking Factors survey from 40 of the top Local SEO professionals in the business. Get up to date on what affects local search engine optimization and where Entity SEO works into the Local SEO concepts, today on the EDGE.

[00:05:02] What Does Whitespark Do for Companies?

[00:07:05] QR codes are back!

[00:08:52] Stats on Local Search

[00:10:43] In some industries, Google drives upwards of 90% of all of their business.

[00:13:12] Google as your new homepage, care of Mike Blumenthal 

[00:15:17] In the past 6 years, Google has been rolling out a ton of incredible features

[00:17:51] What are the first steps you help a business owner understand in Local SEO?

[00:18:52] What is the top local search ranking factor?

[00:21:29] Three Pillars of Local Search

[00:23:04] What are citations?

[00:26:14] Consistency is a myth in Local SEO

[00:28:08] Local SEO = Entity SEO

[00:30:02] Get the keywords in the review!

[00:31:57] The Local Search Ranking Factor Survey

[00:39:02] Keywords in the Business Name?  Seriously, Google?

Jason Barnard and Lily Ray join Erin Sparks on an EDGEFlash - a breaking digital marketing news episode.  When it happens, we will get it to you as soon as possible!  We uncovered a relationship of factors that lead us to believe that this is not just another core update!  Breaking news, here on the EDGE!

[00:02:24] The social media outcry regarding the November Google Core Algorithm updates

[00:03:32] Ray: This is a tricky update due to the holiday season

[00:05:28] Ray: How the Volatility Tools Work

[00:06:39] Barnard: Does Dictionary site visibility increase = new entity knowledge?

[00:09:08] Barnard: Completely new: core algorithm updates and knowledge graph update together

[00:10:52] Barnard: 8% rise in the number Rich Elements

[00:11:43] Increase in "People Also Search For" to 21%

[00:12:34] BREAKING NEWS:  People Also Search For + Dictionary ranking spikes + Knowledge Graph Entity growth….Google’s more confident, folks!

[00:14:57] Ray: Intense shifts can change because of current events

[00:17:57] Words of advice from Ray and Barnard

Covering a lot of (Site)Ground here on the show today with Erin Sparks and Mordy Oberstein.  Learning about the carbon emission expense of IndexNow, SiteGround sites being deindexed from a 4-day DNS outage and how machine written content may not be so bad in the future.  Bonus on this episode: see Erin lose it when Mordy calls our toll-free number for the podcast. That’s conversion optimization, baby!

[00:06:11] Will Google use Microsoft’s new IndexNow protocol?

[00:11:30] A four-day outage at SiteGround is over, but still recovering. But Google dropping indexing in that short of time?

[00:18:15] So Google has talked about how machine written content is currently against Google's guidelines, but someday it might not be. 

[00:23:14] Bonus: Mordy dials our toll-free number and we discover that it is taking faxes…...only faxes.  Listen to Erin lose it…..

Mordy missed this episode!  Please publicly shame him, if you would!  We covered pretty important news - GMB is gone!  What’s in a name, really.  The news is really about the changing way to edit your Google Business listing, and what is going away.  More news to check out from Search Engine Land and Search Engine Journal today on the EDGE.

[00:03:15] Goodbye Google My Business! 

[00:07:42] Google tells us where we should put our videos for maximum exposure

[00:14:25] We’ve got a new Page Speed Insights version and 

[00:18:14] Incoming is a Page Experience Update coming to Desktop!

In our second segment of our Victor Zhitomirsky interview, we unpacked the caching and optimization tools available to help speed up your websites.  Understanding the part that JavaScript plays in the rendering speed is a must.  We dive into difference caching systems and hosting providers, arming you with an incredible set of options to future-proof your site speed.

[00:07:12] Caching and Optimization tools for your WordPress site

[00:08:30] What to look for in optimization and Javascript delay tools

[00:09:17] Branching Javascript loading is the future of the Wordpress ecosystem

[00:10:44] Page build platforms: which are the heaviest JavaScript load?

[00:14:30] Will speed be a ranking signal in the future?

[00:16:12] The new ecosystem of page-builder tools & Google’s reward.

[00:17:59] If we can’t rebuild, what should we be looking for in caching tools?

[00:22:11] Caching is not caching anymore

[00:25:35] Comparing hosting providers

We go “Meta” on today’s episode.  Mordy wants to rename our firm’s name, Jacob wants to rename Indianapolis, Erin renames Morday, it’s all-Meta All-the-time today on the EDGE.  Find out our take on Facebook-to-Meta, Google’s evaluation on spammy links and domains and, yup - a take on the AMP debacle, yet again. Stories covered from SEL, The Verge and SER today on the EDGE.

[00:04:57] What if the meaning of a name, was the meaning of the name? Facebook is now Meta.

[00:12:33] Is Google ignoring spammy links? Or not…?

[00:21:16] We’re re-evaluating usage of AMP- Maybe you should too.

With Core Web Vitals prominent in the SEO community dialogue, we wanted to take a moment to dive deep into understanding the issue.  We researched and found a world of caching and optimization tools, and then tripped across and tested one that had somewhat of a contentious discourse in the public square.  We reached out to the author of an article crying “FOUL!”.  Let's learn about the CWV issue and find out about Black Hat Core Web Vitals today on the EDGE.

[00:08:04] What is the problem with WordPress sites?

[00:11:14] Google has a history of trying to help people recognize the speed problem

[00:14:29] The difference between PSI scores and Core Web Vitals 

[00:18:58] Google understands that the time of the hand-coded websites is finished and we're in the era of bloat

[00:23:31] It's simple: You have to make sure that JavaScript is not render-blocking

[00:26:19] What about shared hosting applications and platforms?

[00:30:48] The new world of caching tools in the battle for speed

[00:31:50] Field Data and Lab Data

[00:35:34] A New Solution: Nitropack?
[00:38:35] Of course your site will be lighter if you remove ALL JavaScript!
[00:44:13] Nitropack's Response

[00:45:53] Be prepared for a penalty from Google, because you're cheating.

It was an all-skate for Google topics this week on the EDGE.  The EDGE team covered articles from Search Engine Land and Search Engine Journal with a sidebar regarding Shaquille O’Neal’s appearance without podium on a Formula 1 race (serious squirrel chasing). Dive into the potential serious connotations of alleged ad throttling from Google related to AMP.  Find about this and Mordy’s helpful tips on how to pace one’s own liquid intake on this episode of the EDGE.

[00:04:00] Up and down, up and down- More Volatile search results this year

[00:09:51] Quality Rater Guidelines add 5 new important updates

[00:24:06] Could there be Corruption and Anti-trust at Google?

Rollin, rollin, rollin...keep that mobile search rolling!  Mordy, Jacob and Erin review the biggest news from last week - the Infinite Scroll on Google’s mobile search:  did we just lose a psychological barrier that kept us in query revision mode?  Are long tail phrase optimization strategies going to lose here?  Also covered in our episode this week is the low performance of WordPress in Core Web Vitals and Google’s podcast knowledge panels discoveries!  Yup - we’re in there.  Have a seat around the campfire and listen in.

[00:03:55] WordPress Proposes Team to Improve Core Web Vitals

[00:13:16] Podcast knowledge panels go live in Google Search

[00:17:38] Google rolling out continuous scroll on mobile

Mordy’s back in the second chair to discuss Google’s SearchOn event from last week and join Erin in basking in all of the great reveals that Google had in store for us.  We cover articles from Search Engine Land and The Verge, deep diving into the challenge that Google has as it tries to move users away from the Ten Blue Links.

[00:06:26] MuM’s the word at Google’s SearchOn event last week

[00:17:47] Google search gets larger images, enhances so much.

[00:22:33] Google wants to bring a richer, deeper search experience to its users. 

George Nguyen of Search Engine Land joined Erin on the show this week to cover the news this week in Mordy’s absence. We always love George’s take on the digital marketing fronts. This show focused on an article that PPC marketers need to pay very close attention to. Check your match types, everyone, things are changing.

[00:03:15] Ad Transparency from Google Ads by way of the “About This Advertiser” page
[00:12:08] Google Ads also now preferring phrase match or broad match keywords that are identical to a query
[00:20:44] TikTok and Instagram might get indexed by Google

News from Search Engine Land
[00:28:05] SMX Next: November 20-22nd, 2021
[00:31:12] Search Engine Land Award for Diversity and Inclusion in Search Marketing

Mordy gave the 450 episode his own 450 response code (yes, check out server codes all of you SEO geeks)!  He’s away on holiday and we brought it to the pre-eminent SEO auditor, Andy Drinkwater to come alone side Erin to discuss the news of the week.  We’re talking Title tags yet again, but there’s much more in this episode.  450 episodes and still going strong!

[00:06:14] Google speaks out about recent title changes, it’s not nearly as bad as we think it is….

[00:19:45] Are your website redirects a ranking factor?

[00:27:02] What should you be aware of for eCommerce websites into next year?

Olga Zarzeczna appears on the EDGE for her second segment as we discuss her recent articles, a list of 52 SEO tools from Google and 79 Best Chrome Extensions for SEO as well as the incredible success she has had with your consultancy, being that her site has only been indexed for a year.  This is how you do content, folks!  Providing value every step of the way, here on the EDGE.

[00:07:28] What spurred you to actually start your own business? 

[00:09:26] Olga’s initial strategy for her site. The uniqueness of her content.

[00:16:30] How she’s keeping her knowledge sharpened.

[00:24:06] Google Tools: Google Search Console Insights

[00:25:19] Google Tools: Core Web Vitals

[00:31:25] Google Tools: Page Speed Insights and Lighthouse

[00:35:05] Google Tools: Google Chrome Dev tools

[00:36:47] Google Tools: Data Highlighter

[00:38:48] SEO Chrome Extensions: Olga’s Best Pics!

Let’s regroup. Erin Sparks, Mordy Oberstein and Andrew “Optimisey” Cock-Starkey hold the first EDGE of the Web SCRUM to discuss the growing concern of Google Search dominance and content aggregation overreach.  Is Google taking too much of our own content for its uses?  Where do we, as content providers, stand when it comes to our goals of visits to our websites as opposed to data purveyors to Google?  Is there a Plan “B”? Welcome to the SCRUM!

[00:05:48] Perspectives of Google domination

[00:09:40] Taking you away from websites and keeping you on the SERP itself.

[00:14:28] An old media consumption pattern

[00:16:10] Is Google taking too much? 

[00:19:44] Google Ads eroding away the separation of Ad versus Organic

[00:26:35] Are they giving us what we’re asking for?

[00:29:45] Can Google be replaced?

Mordy and Erin tear into the topics this week (except for the Google Algorithm changes this weekend...missed that). We even got Mordy to pipe in about Google Ads, great info about impression-only data from your ads.  The State of SEO 2021 from Search Engine Journal was The guys cut up again, so dive in today!

[00:03:23]

Twitter’s Communities might be different - and have better context

[00:08:37]

Historical Query Data without Clicks from Google’s Search Terms report

[00:15:34]

Search Engine Journal’s State of SEO 2021 Report

We continue our conversation with Kristina Azarenko, educating people through her SEO Challenge (#SEOChallenge). We break down some of the learning blocks when it comes to SEO and how to navigate your continued education inside of the organization you work for.  Improving the value or your own SEO skill sets is just as important as the SEO talent you bring to your company.

[00:03:08] The John Mueller tweet that should be heard around the SEO world. SEO audit tools create “Hundreds of Recommendations. Most of these are not going to be relevant to your sites”

[00:07:32] Do we need to shield our clients from spam notifications of SEO issues?

[00:14:05] Lack of Structure is your enemy.

[00:18:17] SEO knowledge structure should be like shelves

[00:21:29] How do you keep learning a priority, in an agency or organization

[00:27:40] Bringing value to yourself, not just the company you work for.

Carolyn Lyden drops in on the EDGE team to discuss her recent article that has the SEO industry looking at our relationship with Google. We’re part of the business model, right? We continue to talk about the Google SERP Title debacle as well as other news items of the week.

[00:02:36]
GMB posts can actually now appear on third party sites without your knowledge.
[00:04:17]
Google dropped HTML title tags usage by 77%! Analysis from Mordy of Semrush.
[00:11:32]
Carolyn Lyden chimes in on her own article. Discussing the Google/SEO relationship.

In this episode, of which the SERP Title is yet to be determined by Google, we have a special guest with us to interpret the hot mess of Title replacements by Google.  Lily Ray, Senior Director, SEO & Head of Organic Research at Amsive Digital reviews her recent article, her observations and the SEO climate at hand.  This is NEW, folks. And it is an Earthquake.

• [00:02:55] Holy Jumbled Titles, Batman! What is Google doing?!
• [00:19:01] Google Search Console has Cross-Language Results
• [00:20:36] Timestamp Previews and Translated Captions coming to YouTube