Google has just started testing a new rewarded ad beta program for publishers to serve their players long-form, playable ads. How it works. As described by WebmasterWorld.com, “The Rewarded Ad Gate beta program will give you an opportunity to monetize your most engaged users. If a user frequently visits your site, you’ll have a way to collect additional ad revenue.” 1. The Rewarded Ad Gate will be displayed to a visitor on their fifth-page view of each month. Dig deeper. There is no info from Google on the new test, but you can read the post from WebmasterWorld.com here. Why we care. If you’re a publisher, the new feature could be another option for you to further monetize your content. We’ll update this article with more information as soon as it becomes available. The post Google is testing new Rewarded Ad Gate beta program for publishers appeared first on Search Engine Land. via Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/cOHTAYZ
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Even in boom times, marketing budgets are divided among a range of teams, channels, and initiatives. Going into 2023, with a shaky economy likely to cap many budgets and headcounts far below optimal levels, it will be especially important for marketers to articulate a compelling case for why their area of expertise should get a fair share of resources. In other words: forecasting how X resources will achieve Y growth is going to be vital. Because of this, I frequently get the following questions from clients (and prospective clients):
The beauty and unique challenge of SEO is its blend of art and science. Unlike paid performance channels, where you have CPC and CPM benchmarks that tell you how many clicks and impressions you’ll get for a specific amount of spend, SEO doesn’t have a clear, quantifiable path to cause/effect. That said, you can do SEO forecasting to give some directional answers to these questions and set traffic expectations for the year (or any specified time frame) ahead. In this article, I’ll explain my approach. SEO forecasting template for 2023: How to use the toolWe’ve built a forecasting template that I’m happy to share with you here. Before we get started, note that:
Let’s break down how the tool works. Benchmarking your growth dataIn this SEO forecasting doc, rows 3-14 give you a year’s worth of monthly traffic history. For the purpose of forecasting a full year to come, you should be able to reference at least a year of historical data for benchmarking. It’s important to note, though, that reliable forecasting depends on having mature data as a benchmark. Extrapolating growth rates from, say, the first 12 months of a website’s traffic will yield highly skewed projections. Pick a time period that makes sense for your brand’s traffic history. Make sure you’re accounting for factors that artificially spiked or depressed any particular month’s search:
Once you have your benchmarking data selected, take those numbers and calculate an average month-over-month growth rate (and add to cell L5); this smooths out factors like seasonality. Forecasting baseline growth (with no resources)Your next 12 rows after the historical benchmarking data are where the forecasting begins. Starting with row 15, Column B takes your benchmarked traffic and simply applies the average growth rate (in L5) over the next year to get a forecasting baseline. Column D takes the previous year's data and applies the Google Sheets “forecast” formula, which you can get by entering This formula does not produce a flat month-over-month growth rate; as Google describes the formula, it "calculates the expected y-value for a specified x based on a linear regression of a dataset." The values in columns B and D are forecasting models for your growth if you applied no SEO resources at all and simply let your growth momentum continue on its own. Forecasting growth with resourcesWe really get to the good stuff with Column E, which takes your historical, known SEO data (rows 3-14) and applies a range of expected % of growth given whatever SEO resources you're projected to have on hand. It's up to you to set the two ranges we'll describe below (which are only included as examples and not as recommendations in the forecasting doc). To calculate the expected growth ranges:
Create two ranges: one conservative range for the first three months (to allow momentum to build for newly in-focus keywords) and a more aggressive range for the following nine months. Once you have your conservative range, add the low end to L6 in the sheet and the high end to M6. Paste the formula Once you have your aggressive range, add the low end to L7 in the sheet and the high end to M7. Paste the formula Now you have your forecasts for traffic without SEO resources (Column D) and traffic with SEO resources (Column E). Note: I recommend using Column D, not Column B, for comparison purposes because you'll likely report to your team by month, not by year, and should therefore reference the more accurate monthly forecasts. Subtract the number from Column D from the number in Column E, and you'll have estimates for SEO growth that you can share with your stakeholders. Using SEO forecasting to gain directional insightsThis is not an exact science because of the nature of SEO. With frequent algorithm and SERP updates that can swing your traffic one way or another, this data will be directional. It also won't account for external factors like a planned site relaunch, cuts in top-of-funnel ad spend that may stunt organic growth for brand keywords, etc. That said, it is a reference point for what's at stake for teams weighing whether to invest in SEO in the coming months. All good SEO professionals know how to paint a picture with some data ambiguity, so use those storytelling skills and some Excel formulas to support your cause. The post Use this SEO forecasting template to gain insights for 2023 appeared first on Search Engine Land. via Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/dH5ZzsB In an ideal world, guarding your most valuable asset, your brand, would be effortless. But take off those rose-tinted glasses, and you wake up to the reality that competitors are posing threats to your brand in search every day of the week. You’ve risen to the top of the search rankings. Hurray! But realize your trademarks and brand equity aren’t protected in search. Booo! Thus, competitors can steal valuable clicks from you, diminish your Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) and threaten future budgets. Does this sound familiar? Are you finding it hard to fend off brand infringements? You are not alone. Many companies find it increasingly difficult to fend off rivals using their branded terms, trademarks and ad copy in search. For example, software company Sage had over 89,000 infringements from one single partner in one year. The repercussions were more than undesirable, as they inflated CPCs and impressions and damaged the brand. The results tend to be synonymous among all industries. This article will cover how you could automatically monitor all infringements, guard against competitors and maximize ROAS. Sounds good, right? Before we get into the technicalities, let’s dive into the problems you may be struggling with in more detail. What seems to be the problem, marketer?Adthena’s customer research has revealed that search marketers are experiencing countless challenges in controlling the use of their trademarks. Two common themes are:
Our research shows that you could waste around eight hours a month on collecting and processing the trademark violation data required to send to Google, as it takes around five minutes to fill out each Google complaint form. However, there is a way to automate the aggregation and submission of specific infringements across devices at scale, allowing you to confidently protect your brand and save time and effort to boot. We can sense you edging to the front of your chair, so let’s get to the fun part. What’s the solution?Automation is at the forefront of the world of paid search, with Google’s Performance Max solution heading the charge. New products are continually being developed, including a new tool from Adthena called Auto Takedown. It allows you to map and monitor all competitive and partner activity around your brand terms. You can efficiently respond to trademark infringements and report those examples directly to Google for removal. All with the push of a button inside the Adthena app. Time and effort: saved. What value does Auto Takedown bring to the table?The tool adds value in three key ways:
After just five days of using Adthena’s Auto Takedown, Sage saw a 75% decrease in CPCs for brand terms and a 33% decrease in partner impression share. Protect your trademark todayWhen the clicks are down, and you know why, take back control and fend off unwanted competitors to protect your valuable assets. Check out this easy guide, Brand Crashers: 5 steps to optimize your brand in search to get started. The post Guard your most valuable asset against pesky competitors appeared first on Search Engine Land. via Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/IOpByd7 Agencies can often fall into the trap of thinking that clients are happy if they increase their marketing investment. Similarly, we assume that employees are happy if we’re focusing on culture and trying to do the right thing. But are those things really true? Our agency uses two simple metrics to gather objective data – Net Promoter Score (NPS) and Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS). Net Promoter Score for agenciesEven if you’ve never heard of NPS, you’ve probably received an email or text that asks a simple question: “Would you recommend us to a friend, family member, or colleague?” That single question helps companies measure client satisfaction and can help your agency understand if clients are delighted or simply comfortable. Those who give you a 9 or 10 are considered “promoters” and are your biggest advocates. They not only tend to stick with you, but they are also likely to evangelize for you internally and externally. Anyone who gives you a score of 6 or lower is a detractor. That means that they not only aren’t fans of yours, but they generally aren’t willing to defend their relationship with you or your firm either. Scores of 7 or 8 are considered passive and are not counted toward your NPS. The Net Promoter calculation requires adding up the survey responses and subtracting the percentage of detractors from the percentage of promoters. The delta is your Net Promoter Score. For example, let’s say:
In this case, your NPS would be 65-25=40. An NPS score above 70 is world-class, and the benchmark for digital marketing agencies is 68. The reason that the benchmark is so high for digital marketing agencies is that dissatisfied clients tend to take their business elsewhere if they aren’t happy. Net Promoter Scores can help you understand how the overall health of your agency is likely to trend and may help you predict (or stop) upcoming client churn. I’d recommend capturing the score on a quarterly or semi-annual basis since perceptions can change – not only based on results but external factors and feelings. We use a tool called AskNicely that allows us to ask follow-up questions after receiving the score, and also lets us trigger different workflows based on responses. We can understand if clients are delighted by technical knowledge, communication, or a different factor. Similarly, we can understand any causes of dissatisfaction. In addition, we can slice data based on the person working with the client to understand if there’s risk based on one of our employees or by the line of service (e.g., SEO, PPC, strategy). The additional feedback complements the score itself and allows us to dig into the “why” behind a rating, and course correct anywhere needed. The flip side: Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS)As all agency leaders know, the market for digital marketing talent is exceptionally hot, especially with so many remote roles. This remote shift has made the barrier to switching jobs extremely low, so managers must have a pulse on employee satisfaction. The eNPS question is very similar to the one for NPS, "On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend our organization as a place to work to others?" Although you likely have some raving fans, eNPS tends to have more "passive" or neutral scores than a traditional NPS score for your service offering. Employees likely won't feel bad about giving you an 8, a score that ultimately gets discarded since it's considered a neutral sentiment. An eNPS score of 40 or greater is considered excellent. Employees tend to hold companies to a very high standard – often higher than clients. Similar to NPS, it's important to trend this score either quarterly or semi-annually for various reasons:
In addition to tracking the eNPS score itself, I also recommend that smaller firms look at the average of the scores. For example, perhaps your agency has a lot of 9 and 10s, but there are just a couple of people giving you detractors, your overall satisfaction may be strong. Sample size can have a big impact on smaller firms, especially if you don’t get a 100% response rate. Why should your agency careClient and employee churn is part of running an agency, but by capturing these two objective metrics, you can try to get ahead of it. Reach out quickly to clients that give you anything outside of a 9 or 10, and even those who drop from a 10 to a 9. Ask them for candid feedback about what you can do to turn them into promoters and improve the business relationship. To get the most accurate feedback from employees, you'll need to gather the data anonymously. This makes gathering actionable insights a bit more difficult. However, if you receive a lower than optimal score, you can follow up eNPS with another anonymous survey asking employees what their favorite and least favorite parts of working for your agency are. Getting startedSince NPS and eNPS are based on one question, it's easy to start. For a free solution, you can try SurveyMonkey or Typeform. However, several solution providers specialize in capturing satisfaction feedback such as Delighted, AskNicely, Survey Sparrow and Retently. These SaaS companies can help you extract more details than a simple form. For more advanced analysis, you'll want to find a solution that connects to your other data sources (such as your CRM), but it ultimately has to meet the pricing and features required for a business of your size. Get started today and understand if your agency is on the right track. The post NPS for agencies: How to capture client and employee satisfaction appeared first on Search Engine Land. via Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/yHU2B6M Google has added a new spam policy to its search spam policies today, the new spam policy is named “Policy circumvention.” In short, if you find ways to get around the current spam prevention measures, Google may take action on your content, site, or account. The new policy. Google posted the new policy over here, it reads:
The penalty. Google said if you violate this new policy, Google may restrict or remove the content from showing up in search or for some search features. What is a policy circumvention? In short, it sounds like any action you take to bypass the other Google Search spam or content policies. This includes creating new sites, using other sites or other methods to distribute that content, maybe on third-party sites or other avenues. Why we care. Knowing Google’s spam and content policies is a prerequisite for performing SEO services and other marketing services on Google Search. This is a new policy but the fundamentals of logic behind the policy match most of the already published Google Search spam policies. In short, don’t try to manipulate Google Search’s ranking algorithms and if you do, you run the risk of having your site removed or downgraded in Google Search. The post Google Search adds new spam policy: Policy circumvention appeared first on Search Engine Land. via Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/jzRxVFH Facebook and Instagram parent Meta has just rolled out new privacy updates for everyone under the age of 16, or 18 in some countries. New privacy defaults. Starting today, teens will default to more private settings when they join Facebook. For teens already on the platform, Meta recommends making these changes manually. The new privacy settings affect:
Restricting connections. Meta is testing ways to protect teens from messaging suspicious adults they aren’t connected to, and those adults won’t be shown in teens’ People You May Know recommendations. Meta further clarifies that a “suspicious” account is one that belongs to an adult that may have recently been blocked or reported by a young person, for example. As an added layer of protection, Meta is also testing removing the message button on teens’ Instagram accounts when they’re viewed by suspicious adults altogether. New safety tools. Meta is also developing new tools to report anything that makes them feel uncomfortable. On their blog, Meta says, "we’re prompting teens to report accounts to us after they block someone, and sending them safety notices with information on how to navigate inappropriate messages from adults. In just one month in 2021, more than 100 million people saw safety notices on Messenger. We’ve also made it easier for people to find our reporting tools and, as a result, we saw more than a 70% increase in reports sent to us by minors in Q1 2022 versus the previous quarter on Messenger and Instagram DMs." Stopping the spread of sensitive images. Meta is also working on new tools to help stop the spread of teens' intimate images online. Meta says:
Dig deeper. Meta says that anyone seeking support and information related to sextortion can visit their education and awareness resources, including the Stop Sextortion hub on the Facebook Safety Center. You can also read this announcement from Meta on their blog. Why we care. It's hard to criticize Meta for taking steps to protect and prevent harm to teens. Though teens will default to the new settings once they sign up, they can still opt out if they choose. And teens already on the platform will have to manually select the new options, which many of them may not do. At least parents of teens can now be aware of the new changes and take the appropriate steps to help protect them. The post New Meta privacy updates for teens appeared first on Search Engine Land. via Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/bY9dkjp Google has published a new help document that talks about the more “notable” ranking systems Google has deployed over the years that are both currently in use and no longer in use in Google Search. The document is named a guide to Google Search ranking systems. Ranking systems in use. The document specifies that these are the ranking systems that are currently in use at Google Search. Google also provides a brief explanation of each ranking system. Note, some of these are multiple systems and some are single systems
Retired ranking systems. Here are some of the old ranking systems that are either no longer in use, or incorporated into new systems. Such as the page experience system replaced the old page speed system:
Why we care. This is super useful to see what larger ranking systems are still in use and what is no longer in use. This list is also useful to see how Google defines each system, how it is used and what it means for Google Search. The post Google publishes document on more notable ranking systems appeared first on Search Engine Land. via Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/AHl2JoT Google may have a new shopping competitor on its hands. Shopify is testing a new feature in its app that allows customers to search across all merchants on the platform. How it works. The new “Search for anything” search box enables you to search for items previously purchased, merchants matching the search term, and products sold by any Shopify merchants. Thanks to Glen Gabe for pointing this out to us on Twitter. The new Shopify marketplace. It seems that Shopify has changed its viewpoint on whether or not to become a marketplace. In 2021, Shopify’s president Harley Finkelstein said it did not have plans to be a marketplace. But with their new search test, they are, in fact, becoming a marketplace. The test is rolling out to a limited number of users. We have no word on who will have access to the search feature, how long it will run, or if it will ever be released globally. “Current and former Shopify employees said it was unclear whether the company would ever roll it out to a wider audience, as internal debate continues about whether the feature would hurt merchants,” says Madeline Stone at Business Insider. Why we care. The new universal search feature could mean that Shopify merchants will need to start paying to appear first in search results or start planning their SEO strategy. Furthermore, app users and shoppers will only see results from stores on the app, which could limit the options shown for certain products. This may not be an issue, though, since there are over 4 million stores built on the platform. It may also entice sellers to move their stores from other ecommerce platforms. The post Shopify is testing a new universal search feature appeared first on Search Engine Land. via Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/mEDkuRW As a marketer, SEO or web developer, you know how important it is to keep your WordPress site secure. From using strong passwords and updating plugins to installing a security plugin and monitoring traffic, these tips will help you keep your site safe from hackers. Why security matters for SEOWebsite security is often overlooked. However, site security is essential for SEO and digital marketing. WordPress is the most popular content management system (CMS), powering millions of websites. However, WordPress sites are also susceptible to attacks which can lead to:
All of these can damage your reputation, hurt your SEO, and cost you money. That’s why it’s important to take proactive steps to secure your WordPress site. There are a number of reasons why WordPress is a target for hackers.
As a result, hacked WordPress sites are a major source of malware and spam. Why security matters for WordPressWordPress’s large user base makes it a prime target for hackers. Malware, backdoor and SEO spam issues account for the leading types of attacks across WordPress, according to Sucuri. What’s most relevant to SEO is how attackers are using WordPress websites to steal traffic for their own nefarious means. Typically, the methodology is to redirect traffic away to a malicious website or inject spam links on your website. This not only benefits the attacker but can also damage your website’s reputation and potentially harm your user base. How to secure your WordPress siteLet’s dive right into the fun bits of how you can get right into securing your WordPress site. The majority of these tactics are completely free and require minimal technical expertise.
1. Add a CDN-level firewallAny website is susceptible to attack from bots and other malicious actors. A distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack can overload a server with requests, causing it to crash and making the site inaccessible. A CDN-level firewall adds an additional layer of security by identifying and filtering out suspicious traffic before it reaches the server. This can help to protect your site from DDoS and other bot attacks. In addition, a CDN-level firewall can also improve the performance of your website by caching static content and delivering it more quickly to visitors. As a result, adding a CDN-level firewall is an effective way to secure your website and improve its performance. 2. Change your login page URL regularlyRegularly changing your login URL may seem like a small security measure, but it can actually deter hackers from finding easy access to your website. By constantly changing your login URL, you make it more difficult for hackers to guess or brute force their way into your site. There are ways to change the URL manually, but most hosting providers recommend using plugins to manage this. 3. Add a JavaScript challenge to your login pageAdding a JavaScript (JS) challenge to your login page will help ensure that only authorized users, not bots, are able to access your site. When enabled on the page, it serves as a security check to validate that the request is coming from a browser capable of executing JavaScript. The challenge requires no interaction from the user but adds a short delay (less than five seconds) until the browser finishes processing the JavaScript. 4. Limit login attemptsIt is crucial to limit the number of allowable login attempts to deter hackers from using brute force methods and gaining access to accounts. Doing so makes it more difficult for hackers to guess your password and prevent them from accessing your account even if they have your username. In addition, limiting login attempts helps to protect your account from being locked out if someone else tries to guess your password. 5. Secure all passwords and enable two-factor authenticationAnother way to make your WordPress site more secure is to improve the difficulty of your passwords and enable two-factor authentication. Passwords are often the first line of defense against hackers, so it’s important to choose ones that are hard to guess. A good password should be at least eight characters long and include a mix of letters (uppercase and lowercase), numbers, and symbols. Avoid using easily guessed words like “password” or your birthdate. Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds an extra layer of security by requiring a second form of identification, such as a code sent to your mobile phone, email address or authenticator app before you can log in. This makes it much harder for hackers to gain access to your site even if they know your password. 6. Remove XML-RPC.phpA simple measure to secure your WordPress site is to remove the XML-RPC.php file. This file allows anyone to remotely access your WordPress site, which can give hackers the ability to inject malicious code or take over your site entirely. Additionally, attackers can conduct brute-force login attempts through this file, so even if you secure your login page, attackers can gain access through it. Fortunately, removing the XML-RPC file is a relatively straightforward process. Simply connect to your site via FTP and delete the file from your server. Once you have done this, be sure to update your .htaccess file to prevent any further access to the file. 7. Remove WP and plugin versionsHackers are always finding new ways to exploit vulnerabilities and break into websites. That includes looking at the WordPress and plugin versions you are using. If you are running an outdated version, it may have known security issues that can easily be exploited. That's why you must keep your WordPress installation and all plugins up to date. That said, zero-day exploits exist and knowing which version of a plugin or WordPress core you’re using can clue in hackers how to gain access to your website. 8. Disable commentsThe comment section is among the most vulnerable parts of any website. As this section is often left unmoderated, it can be easy for hackers to insert malicious code into otherwise innocent-looking comments. As a result, website owners need to be vigilant in moderating the comment section and ensuring that only safe content is allowed. 9. Reduce pluginsHaving too many plugins – or worse, unused and duplicate plugins – can actually jeopardize the security of a WordPress site. That's because each plugin represents a potential point of entry for hackers. By reducing the number of plugins on a WordPress site, owners can help to reduce security risks. It can also help to improve site performance by reducing the number of requests that the server has to process. 10. Set up auto-update on pluginsUsing WordPress's native auto-update feature is a straightforward way to ensure that all installed plugins and themes are up to date. This is especially important for plugins and themes that handle sensitive data, such as credit card information or personal records. In addition to security benefits, auto-updates also ensure that all installed software is compatible with the latest version of WordPress – improving your site’s stability. 11. Check open ports on the serverWhile open ports on a web server may offer some advantages, they also create security vulnerabilities that can be exploited by hackers. To determine if there are any vulnerable ports on your server, run an Nmap scan. If you discover any open ports, work with your web hosting provider to close or filter them. A safer option would be to work with a notable WP-managed hosting provider who locks down their ports. 12. Ensure SSL is set up properlySSL certificates are an important part of website security. They encrypt communication between a website and its visitors, making it difficult for hackers to intercept data. However, SSL certificates can be vulnerabilities in themselves if not properly configured. Outdated or unpatched SSL certificates can be exploited by hackers, allowing them to gain access to sensitive information. Renewing SSL certificates regularly ensures that they are up to date and less likely to be exploited. In addition, setting up SSL certificates properly in the first place can prevent potential vulnerabilities. For example, ensuring that only strong cipher suites are used can make it more difficult for hackers to crack the encryption. 13. Add security headersSecurity headers prevent malicious code injection and mitigate the risk of cross-site scripting attacks. Adding them also helps block payload-based attacks and reduce the chances of your site being compromised by malware. Some types of security headers I recommend adding to your website include:
14. Set up daily backupsAny website owner knows that there is always a risk of data loss due to hacking, power outages, or other unexpected events. That's where daily backups come in handy. If your site does get compromised, you will have a fallback option that you can use to restore your site. There are many different ways to create backups, but a popular method is to use a WordPress plugin. However, I recommend working with a web host that takes automatic daily backups for you as part of their core services. 15. Run final security testsBefore you can relax and enjoy your newly secured WordPress website, there's one last step you need to take: run a final security scan to check for any vulnerabilities that might have been missed. There are many different security scans available, both free and paid. Which one you choose is up to you, but it's crucial to make sure the scan you choose is comprehensive. Once the scan is complete, take a close look at the results. If any vulnerabilities were found, take steps to fix them right away. Secure your WordPress site for better search performanceBy following these 15 steps, you can help to secure your WordPress website and protect your data. While no system is 100% secure, these steps will make it much harder for hackers to gain access to your site. In addition, be sure to keep all software up-to-date, as security patches are released regularly. Finally, run regular security tests on your site to ensure that new vulnerabilities have not been introduced. By taking these precautions, you can help keep your website safe from attack. The post 15 ways to secure your WordPress site appeared first on Search Engine Land. via Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/EeWNsr7 Having first-party data is only half the battle for marketers. As you consider the 2023 roadmap, it’s critical to understand what’s possible with the customer data you do have, which partners add measurable value and how to implement successful data strategies. Register today for Lotame Accelerate: The (R)evolution of Customer Data in 2023 to learn from experts about how to connect your own customer data dots and build a winning product roadmap. In this inaugural Lotame Accelerate webinar series, you’ll:
Speakers include:
Join Lotame on Wednesday, November 30, at 11:30 a.m. EST for the live webinar or access the recording following the event. If your timezone is not compatible, register anyway to automatically receive the recording! The post Join the webinar: “Lotame Accelerate: The (R)evolution of Customer Data in 2023” appeared first on Search Engine Land. via Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/NTVYKHy |
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