Google Updates | ROAR Digital Marketing https://roardigitalmarketing.co.uk/category/google-updates/ Newcastle's Data-Driven Digital Marketing Agency Mon, 06 Oct 2025 09:51:57 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://roardigitalmarketing.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/cropped-new-favicon-32x32.webp Google Updates | ROAR Digital Marketing https://roardigitalmarketing.co.uk/category/google-updates/ 32 32 Google Search Experiencing Ongoing Service Disruption October 2025 https://roardigitalmarketing.co.uk/blog/october-2025-google-search-service-disruption/ Mon, 06 Oct 2025 09:23:08 +0000 https://roardigitalmarketing.co.uk/?p=11252 Google Search is currently experiencing an ongoing service disruption affecting visibility and performance for some pages across

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]]> Google Search is currently experiencing an ongoing service disruption affecting visibility and performance for some pages across certain regions. The disruption began on 3 October 2025 around 1:00 PM PT and has been confirmed by Google via its official Search Status Dashboard.

What Google Has Said

Google stated that the issue is linked to a data centre problem and affects “some pages in some locales.” The company has not provided full details on which regions or query types are impacted, but early reports suggest intermittent issues with ranking stability and indexing.

Search Engine Journal first reported the disruption, noting that it is not a full outage and does not appear to be related to a core or spam update. The disruption instead stems from infrastructure issues that are temporarily affecting how results are served.

Google → confirmed → ongoing service disruption.
Disruption → caused by → data centre issue.
Disruption → affects → some pages and locales.

 

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]]> Why A Strategic SEO Agency Is Essential When Google Ranking Suddenly Dropped https://roardigitalmarketing.co.uk/blog/why-a-strategic-seo-agency-is-essential-when-google-ranking-suddenly-dropped/ Thu, 31 Jul 2025 08:00:46 +0000 https://roardigitalmarketing.co.uk/?p=10866 When your SEO rankings suddenly plummet, it’s easy to panic. But the truth is, in the world

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]]> When your SEO rankings suddenly plummet, it’s easy to panic. But the truth is, in the world of algorithm updates and search volatility, sudden drops are often temporary. What matters most isn’t just reacting quickly… It’s responding smartly.

At ROAR, we’ve helped countless clients with their SEO concerns using a strategy rooted in data, not drama. That’s how we’ve not only recovered lost rankings but driven long-term growth, even during major Google updates.

If your SEO performance just took a hit, here’s what a calm, proven SEO agency like ROAR can do to help, without making things worse.

The Truth About Sudden SEO Ranking Drops

You’re not alone. When Google rolls out an update, SERP volatility is not just common, it’s expected. But rash decisions in this phase often backfire.

Want to learn more about core algorithm updates? Read our Broad Core Algorithm Update Survival Guide

 

Why SEO Dips Happen, and Why Panicking Is a Mistake 

Google’s algorithm updates often take days or even weeks to roll out fully. Early changes in ranking can be misleading. Making rapid edits to pages, switching strategies, or overhauling site content based on a 24-hour drop can damage performance in the long term.

We’ve seen this firsthand:

  • A recent software client saw a dramatic drop overnight. Instead of jumping to conclusions, we monitored analytics, waited for the dust to settle, and spotted that competitors dropped even further.
  • Within one week, rankings recovered stronger than before. With just two small, strategic page adjustments, we improved performance inside 72 hours.

 

Want to see results like this? Book a free SEO review with ROAR

 

The 4-Step Framework We Use to Handle Sudden SEO Drops

Not only does this approach work, but it’s repeatable. Here’s our proven process when rankings take a hit:

  1. Monitor Analytics, Don’t React Immediately

Data first, always. We set up tracking to identify what changed, where, and when. Sudden dips can often reverse just as quickly.

  1. Wait for the Algorithm Rollout to Complete

Google doesn’t flip a switch overnight. We resist the temptation to change anything until we know what’s happening.

  1. Benchmark Against Competitors

If your competitors are also seeing volatility, that’s a key signal. It’s likely not your site, it’s the algorithm at work.

  1. Review Affected Pages After Stabilisation

Only once rankings settle do we make precise changes to specific pages, informed by real data, not guesswork.

 

When a Temporary Drop Isn’t Temporary 

If rankings have been falling for weeks or months, or traffic is flatlining, that’s not a blip, it’s a red flag.

This is where our team steps in to conduct comprehensive technical audits, content performance reviews, and backlink profile checks, uncovering any deeper issues that may be holding your site back. We then create a clear action plan to reverse the trend, fast.

Whether it’s Core Web Vitals, poor crawlability, toxic backlinks or outdated content — we know where to look, and how to fix it.

Our final thoughts

At ROAR, we don’t chase vanity metrics. We don’t make guesses. We don’t panic.

Instead, we focus on long-term search health, data-led decision making, and keeping you informed at every stage.

We’ve helped brands across SaaS, industrial, retail, and service sectors recover from dips and outperform their pre-update benchmarks — all with clear communication and full transparency.

 

Ready to Turn That SEO Dip Into Growth? If your site’s rankings are fluctuating, don’t risk making it worse. Request a Free SEO Audit and we’ll help you understand what’s really happening, and what needs to happen next.

Let’s get your search performance moving in the right direction — with calm, clear, confident strategy.

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]]> Your Broad Core Algorithm Update Survival Guide https://roardigitalmarketing.co.uk/blog/broad-core-algorithm-update-survival-guide/ Mon, 16 Dec 2024 09:45:26 +0000 https://roardigitalmarketing.co.uk/?p=2870 Google has recently announced the rolling out of their Broad Core Algorithm update for December 2024. Is

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]]> Google has recently announced the rolling out of their Broad Core Algorithm update for December 2024. Is anyone else’s palms getting REAL sweaty?

You might think October is spooky season, but for SEOs, any month that Google roll out their next broad core algorithm update is our spooky season. This latest update, the December 2024 core update, has the potential to make changes to your site performance in search engine results. 

Don’t worry, Private; we’re here to get you suited and booted before the assault begins! 

 

What is a Google Broad Core Algorithm Update?

Google makes regular changes to their search engine algorithms, often several times a year. These changes are grouped into something called ‘broad core updates’ or simply ‘core updates’. These updates contain substantial improvements to Google’s ranking processes, or in simple terms, they change how websites rank within search results. Potentially affecting some ranking factors and your current search rankings. 

Google updates a lot of their services and products, a lot, like a lot. For instance, there have been seven core updates prior to this since the start of 2023, and that’s just their search algorithm. Who would’ve thought something as every day as search queries would cause so much bother?!

Google roll out broad core updates to increase the relevance of search results and search quality. As we all know, the user always comes first for Google, which is why they have these regular updates. The more helpful and useful Google is with user search results, the longer it will continue to dominate search across the internet. 

When a core update is announced, it typically takes between 1–2 weeks to roll out fully, across the vastness of the web. Following the announcement, we often get a very familiar message about expecting changes to site performance in search engine results pages following the announcement. 

You can learn more about these updates from the Google Search Central blog, it’s definitely worth bookmarking their blog and checking in every once in a while. 

 

Do you need to panic?

No, you don’t need to panic. An update has probably rolled out in the past, and you have been none the wiser. This does not mean you can ignore it completely; you should remain vigilant in analysing keyword rankings and website performance. So, if your performance drops, you know a potential reason as to why.

Google have the following to say about their core updates:

“While nothing in a core update is specific to any particular site, these updates may produce some noticeable changes to how sites perform.”

There have been three previous broad core updates in 2024, and in the time between, your rankings may have been a bit all over the place. You can expect similar with this latest broad core algorithm update, especially if you have not been working on your site content since the last update. On the other hand, you might get off lightly if you have ramped up your content strategy this year. 

 

Your Survival Guide

 

salute, Your Broad Core Algorithm Update Survival Guide for 2022

 

As previously mentioned, Google generally advises the same thing each time they roll out a core search algorithm update. So, for your ease, we’ve summed up their advice into a neat little survival guide.

So get ready for your brief, Private! 

Rule #1:  Expect Changes

Officially, Google has told us to expect widely noticeable changes. That means spikes in rankings and also drops in keyword rankings. So, prepare for changes — it might be worth creating some alerts in Google Analytics if you haven’t already! 

 

Rule #2:  Be Broad

They’re called broad core updates for a reason! Expect the update to be ruthless, it has no target, and it fires at will! Google’s main goal is to improve its search algorithm as a whole, so it will be making changes to anything and everything. 

 

Rule #3:  Don’t Take it Personally

If your pages begin to drop, don’t worry, Google doesn’t hate you. Like with Rule #2, it’s a broad update; they’re casting a wide net to make sure they catch everything. Since the last core update, your website pages are simply being reassessed against your competitors and other web content. 

 

Rule #4:  Don’t Wait for Rescue

A Google core update can roll out several times a year, so inaction hoping that Google does the right thing for your website is fruitless. Take action when these updates are rolled out and don’t watch your rankings drop and wait for Google to rescue you.

 

Rule #5:  Content is King

Google loves content, and if you write good quality, original content, then Google will love you. Google recommends creating the best possible content as the ideal way to deal with core updates. 

 

Rule #6:  Remain Vigilant

If you get hit, hit ’em’ back. If you get killed, walk it off. Core updates like this one in December roll out several times per year, so it’s best to remain vigilant. Your website might not fully recover between two updates, that’s just the way the SEO cookie crumbles. 

In closing, as the core update rolls out, create good quality content, be proactive, expect change and don’t give up. Capiche, Private?

 

Military jargon aside, an SEO specialist could be your salvation in these trying times! Find out more about our managed SEO services, or get in touch with us to book some time in with one our of specialists! 

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]]> June 2024 Spam Update and Serving Issues https://roardigitalmarketing.co.uk/blog/june-2024-spam-update-and-serving-issues/ Fri, 21 Jun 2024 09:55:35 +0000 https://roardigitalmarketing.co.uk/?p=7907 It felt like we’d been riding a veritable tsunami of SERP volatility for about a month that

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]]> It felt like we’d been riding a veritable tsunami of SERP volatility for about a month that ended after a short few days of normality. Now, we know that week was just the calm before the storm as the June 2024 spam update rolls out, rather lovingly, at the same time as major serving and indexing issues on Google SERPs. 

The update has been rolled out aiming at combating spam across its search engine. We have already seen a notable impact on the way search results are currently being generated and served. More than likely drastically impacted by the serving and indexing issues. Here’s a short look into how this can affect your website. 

 

The June 2024 Spam Update

As I’m sure you’re aware, Google updates its algorithm quite frequently to ensure quality and relevance in its search results. This latest effort from Google should take only a week to roll out, but the impact is already being felt internationally. 

The June 2024 spam update is another in line with ongoing changes to help target spammy practices that attempt to manipulate search engine rankings. Let’s have a look at the key elements of this update:

 

Smarter Algorithms

The wizards over at Google are constantly making their algorithms smarter, with the overall goal of making them better at identifying and devaluing websites that use spammy tactics. 

 

Strong Focus on the User

By bringing the hammer down on harmful and spammy sites, Google is showing us their commitment to providing more accurate results and a more trustworthy search experience. 

 

Helpful, Quality Content

Standing as the opposite of spammy and dangerous websites, those with helpful and quality content that adheres to Google’s Search Essentials will more than likely benefit from this update. 

 

More Volatility and Penalties

If you have engaged in any behaviour that Google would define as spam, you may face harsher penalties. We’ve seen some websites removed entirely from Google search after a Google update. 

 

Have you been hit by the recent spam updates? Contact ROAR, we’re specialists in helping revive SEO after Google penalty. 

 

Recent Google Search Serving Issues

We saw a quite drastic impact on serving search results almost immediately after announcing the update. When we say serving, we mean Google’s ability to actually present websites to users after they search for something. 

These issues appear to have been temporarily resolved, but the impact this has had on current search results is largely unknown right now. We’re in the process of assessing the impact now. 

Here’s roughly what happened:

  • Outages: Some users reported intermittent outages during which search results were not being served correctly. This caused obvious frustration from both website owners and Google’s users. 
  • Delays: Websites received a significant delay in indexing new content. This means that all new content is not being crawled or shown to users in Google search results. 
  • Votalitliy: Drastic fluctuations in keyword positions were observed by a number of people. An obvious concern to SEOs and website owners about the stability of positions in search results. 

 

 

So, while the June 2024 update is a leap forward in the right direction in the battle against spam, concurrent issues with serving and indexing have caused major instability for many websites. Stay updated, and informed, and adhere to best practices to help you navigate these changes in the best way possible. 

 

Conclusion

  • A new spam focussed algorithm update was rolled out on 20th June 2024
  • There has been significant keyword position turbulence
  • Along with the update, Google has also experienced issues with serving and indexing content. 
  • The update and serving issues have created instability, stay updated and adhere to best practices. 

 

Is your website struggling with the recent June 2024 Spam Update and serving issues on Google? Don’t let your rankings and traffic suffer! Reach out now for a consultation and take the first step towards reclaiming your online presence.

 

Photo © by Mikhail Nilov from Pexels.

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]]> Google Internal Search Leak: Source Shares 1000’s of Google API Documents https://roardigitalmarketing.co.uk/blog/the-google-internal-search-leak-source-shares-thousands-of-google-api-documents/ Tue, 28 May 2024 14:31:39 +0000 https://roardigitalmarketing.co.uk/?p=7859 On Friday, May 24th 2024, Rand Fishkin, the co-founder of SparkToro & Snackbar Studio, was invited to

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]]> On Friday, May 24th 2024, Rand Fishkin, the co-founder of SparkToro & Snackbar Studio, was invited to a Zoom call with an anonymous individual who claimed they had access to API documentation leaks from inside Google’s Search Division. This article was informed by Rand Fishkin’s blog post; you can read it here. 

 

The Google Internal Search Leak

The email sent from an anonymous source to Rand Fishkin claims that ex-Google employees and many others have confirmed the documents as authentic. The document claims directly contradict public statements made by Google over the years. 

This includes the fact that click-centric user signals are employed, denial that subdomains are considered separately in rankings, denials of a sandbox for newer websites, denials that a domain’s age is collected or considered, and more.

Rand talked to the source, and to verify the legitimacy, he discussed mutual ex-colleagues and events that both parties had previously attended before the contact showed 2,500 pages of API documentation.

This contained 12,014 attributes allegedly from Google’s internal content API warehouse. The API warehouse hosts documentation like this in almost every Google team, which explains various API attributes and modules to help familiarize those working on a project with the available data elements.

The leak matches other published GitHub entries and reposts on Google’s Cloud API documentation, which uses the same notation style, form, process/module/feature names and references. Think of it as instructions for members of Google’s search engine team. 

The document’s commit history code was uploaded to GitHub on March 27th, 2024, and will not be removed until May 7th, 2024. The documents in question do not show the weight of the particular elements in the search ranking algorithm, nor does it prove which elements are used in the ranking systems. 

“Some of the claims made by the anonymous source were: 

  • In their early years, Google’s search team recognised a need for full clickstream data (every URL visited by a browser) for many web users to improve their search engine’s result quality.
  • A system called “NavBoost” initially gathered data from Google’s Toolbar PageRank, and the desire for more clickstream data served as the key motivation for the creation of the Chrome browser (launched in 2008).
  • NavBoost uses the number of searches for a given keyword to identify trending search demand, the number of clicks on a search result and long clicks versus short clicks.
  • Google utilises cookie history, logged-in Chrome data, and pattern detection (referred to in the leak as “unsquashed” clicks versus “squashed” clicks) as effective means for fighting manual & automated click spam.
  • NavBoost also scores queries for user intent. For example, certain thresholds of attention and clicks on videos or images will trigger video or image features for that query and related NavBoost-associated queries.
  • Google examines clicks and engagement on searches both during and after the main query (referred to as a “NavBoost query”), boosting subsequent clicked search results for the previous keyword. 
  • NavBoost’s data is used at the host level to evaluate a site’s overall quality. This evaluation can result in a boost or a demotion.
  • Other minor factors such as penalties for domain names that exactly match unbranded search queries (e.g. mens-luxury-watches.com or newcastle-homes-for-sale.net), a newer “BabyPanda” score, and spam signals are also considered during the quality evaluation process.
  • NavBoost geo-fences click data, considering country and state/province levels and mobile versus desktop usage. However, if Google lacks data for certain regions or user agents, they may apply the process universally to the query results.
  • During the Covid-19 pandemic, Google employed whitelists for websites that could appear high in the results for Covid-related searches
  • Similarly, during democratic elections, Google employed whitelists for sites that should be shown (or demoted) for election-related information.”

 

Is it Legit?

Throughout this process, Rand took it upon himself to look further into the API lead, its authenticity and whether we can trust it. So he used his network and reached out to some ex-Google friends, showed them the document and asked them what they thought.

Three ex-Googlers wrote back: one said they felt uncomfortable looking at or commenting on it. The other two shared the following anonymously:

  • “I didn’t have access to this code when I worked there. But this certainly looks legit. “
  • “It has all the hallmarks of an internal Google API.”
  • “It’s a Java-based API. And someone spent a lot of time adhering to Google’s own internal standards for documentation and naming.”
  • “I’d need more time to be sure, but this matches internal documentation I’m familiar with.”
  • “Nothing I saw in a brief review suggests this is anything but legit.”

 

What Now? Does Google Use Everything in the API Docs?

The simple answer is it’s up for debate. Google could have retired some of these, used some just for texting or internal projects or possibly could’ve made API features available that have never been employed.

The documentation references deprecated features and s[ecofoc mtes], some of which explicitly say they should no longer be used. This suggests that those not marked with such details were still in use as of March 2024, when the leak occurred. 

Rand has also investigated the recency of the documentation, and the most recent date referenced in the API docs is August 2023. It is worth considering that Google changes yearly with new updates, and their famous AI updates and considerations do not appear in this leak. So, which of the items are actively used today in Google’s ranking systems? It’s all speculative. Although this leak contains some pretty juicy information, it is impossible to know. 

 

 

ROAR is committed to discovering and studying the latest developments within the SEO industry. If you’re looking for a data-driven strategic SEO agency to help you turn clicks into customers, contact our team of specialists. 

 

Photo © by Kaboompics.com from Pexels.

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]]> The Future of SEO: Can AI Content Rank on Google? https://roardigitalmarketing.co.uk/ai/the-future-of-seo-can-ai-content-rank-on-google/ Thu, 21 Mar 2024 09:00:10 +0000 https://roardigitalmarketing.co.uk/?p=7680 Artificial intelligence is everywhere. Nowadays, it’s nearly impossible to scroll through a LinkedIn feed without spotting a

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]]> Artificial intelligence is everywhere. Nowadays, it’s nearly impossible to scroll through a LinkedIn feed without spotting a post that claims AI is either taking over the world of content or destroying it. We disagree with both. For some, deciphering whether integrating AI into your content creation strategy comes with an immense fear of penalisation from Google and other search engines. In today’s blog, ROAR will decipher ‘Can AI content rank on Google?’.

 

What is AI Content?

AI content is written and created using artificial intelligence tools to generate all types of content, including social media posts, website copy, blog posts, paid search copy, and even visual content such as images and videos.

Artificial intelligence creates content based on a user’s prompt. A prompt should provide the AI bot with enough information to provide a cohesive and fitting response to the type of content you are requesting.

We decided to put one of the most well-known AI tools (ChatGPT) to the test to describe what AI content is accurately.

Our prompt: “Please explain ‘what is AI content’ in less than 100 words, using an informative but casual tone for the readers of a search engine marketing blog.”

ChatGPT response: “AI content refers to digital material created or enhanced with artificial intelligence technology. It can involve various AI tools like natural language processing or machine learning to generate, curate, or Optimise content.

“This includes automated content creation, Personalised recommendations, and content analysis for better audience engagement. AI content helps marketers streamline processes, improve content quality, and tailor it to specific audiences, ultimately boosting search engine visibility and user experience. 

So, if you want to level up your search engine marketing game, AI content is definitely something to explore!”

Screenshot of a CHATGPT response describing 'what is AI?'

Their response was concise and clear and only took 20 seconds to generate. It accurately describes AI content and even includes some benefits, including streamlining the marketing process, improving content quality and tailoring it to different audiences.

Although this response is well structured and explains the topic well, it’s quite robotic and general. It also uses American English, which we, and other AI users, consider when prompting artificial intelligence tools to give them the best possible chance of creating helpful content.

 

Is AI content good for SEO?

Artificial intelligence has completely revolutionised the way marketers create content and complete tasks. The ease and efficiency of AI have opened up a wide debate within the search engine marketing industry about whether AI content is good or bad for SEO.

Let’s break it down into how AI-generated content can help and harm your online performance, including SEO and search rankings.

 

How AI Content Can Hurt Your SEO

Unfortunately, AI still has some kinks that need to be worked out, the main one being quality. AI generators are using a wealth of information from different sources on the web and throwing it together to respond well to your queries hopefully. However, without a human touch, it can struggle to coherently create sentences with a strong structure, leaving its responses poorly written, unoriginal and, in some cases, completely inaccurate. Inaccurate, poorly written, and unoriginal content does not provide a positive experience for users on your website, which is a red flag for search engines.

Duplicate content is an absolute no-go for search engines like Google and Bing because search engines do not want to show users multiple pages with the same content, so they must decide which page best fits a search query. Unfortunately, AI content generators use the information they have found online to craft their responses to prompts; duplicate content is a considerable risk with AI-generated content. Duplicate content = a red flag for search engines!

 

How AI Content Can Help Your SEO

AI content can create a wealth of positive benefits for marketers by shortening the generation of ideas and the creative process. This means that AI content generators can help create bulk content faster and more regularly, which is a green flag for search engines.

Additionally, AI can help create highly personalised content for your audience, allowing you to create a better, more targeted user experience on your site, which can increase engagement rate and is another green flag for search.

 

Can AI Content Rank on Google?

You will be thrilled to discover that AI-generated content can rank on Google and, in fact, can rank well. However, the content needs to be of a particular standard regarding its overall quality and relevance for search terms. Google is committed to providing a seamless and satisfying experience for its users, which means providing users with the correct search results regarding their queries is a priority for the search engine.

Regarding AI written content, we recommend proofreading, proofreading and more proofreading. You must clarify the facts within your content and ensure it reads well. Most of all, you should consider your target audience and determine whether the AI-written content is in the right tone and written in a way your audience can understand. 

In February of 2023, Google released its official guidance regarding AI-generated content. They stated that they have: “long believed in the power of AI to transform the ability to deliver helpful information.”

In recent years, Google has also provided a lot of guidance regarding what types of content it deems helpful, of good quality, and relevant for its users. This was in the form of the Google Helpful Content Update in August of 2022.

For more information, see our blog post, ‘Does AI Content Rank in Google Search: Google’s Verdict‘.

 

Does Google Down Rank AI content?

Google has expressed its strong belief in the power of AI to completely transform the ability that we humans have to create informative and helpful content. 

Google aims to reward high-quality content, no matter how it is produced, using their ranking system E-E-A-T: expertise, experience, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness.

The search engine giant is particularly committed to providing quality content to its audience and acknowledges how AI can create this content. 

Google states: “Using automation—including AI—to generate content with the primary purpose of manipulating ranking in search results is a violation of our spam policies.“

 

Google states: "Using automation—including AI—to generate content with the primary purpose of manipulating ranking in search results is a violation of our spam policies."

However, not all automation is considered spam, including AI generation. Automation is used across various industries to automate tasks, including things like automating sports scores, weather forecasts and transcripts. 

Google advises creators considering AI generation to ensure that the content you are producing and publishing is original, high-quality, and speaks directly to your audience. You can do this by providing AI-generation tools with in-depth prompts, proofing the content, adding your own research, and building on the output from AI-generated content. 

 

The Google Core Algorithm Update 2024

What a curveball eh? In March of 2024, Google announced its latest Core Algorithm Update, a significantly more complex core update than Google’s normal standards. 

Google uses multiple systems to determine the reliability of the information on the web; they have enhanced their core systems to provide users with more relevant and helpful search results by incorporating various innovative approaches and signals. 

The rollout of this update could take up to a month, and we have already seen websites completely assassinated on search engines. Google has stated that there will likely be a ‘fluctuation’ in rankings, which is more than the usual core update would cause.

This is due to different systems updating and reinforcing each other; you can stay updated with the rollout by visiting the Google Search Status Dashboard.

Why not read your broad core algorithm update survival guide.

 

Our Final Thoughts

The integration of AI into content creation on websites has sparked lengthy debates and concerns among those within the search engine marketing community and beyond. However, after some research, it is evident that AI-generated content can significantly impact SEO if executed correctly while adhering to Google’s guidelines and FAQs.

In addition, having an SEO content strategy can improve your rankings.

AI content is still evolving and will see various changes throughout the years, presenting many new opportunities for marketers. On the one hand, many people within the industry have expressed concerns that AI-generated content lacks integrity, coherence, originality and, above all, accuracy without the assistance of human writers.

Conversely, AI can streamline content generation processes, enabling marketers to efficiently produce large volumes of personalised content. AI content can enhance user engagement and improve search rankings when executed carefully.

Google’s stance on AI-generated content emphasises the search engine’s commitment to quality and relevance. The search engine giant values helpful and original content, regardless of its production method. While Google discourages using AI solely for manipulating rankings, it recognises and praises its potential to streamline content creation.

In navigating the future of SEO amidst AI advancements, marketers must prioritise quality, relevance, and user experience to maintain visibility and credibility in the ever-evolving digital landscape. 

 

 

Visit our content writing and optimisation webpage and discover how content creation can increase your website’s visibility and attract more targeted traffic!

 

Photo © by PeopleImages from Getty Images Signature.

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]]> Are Core Web Vitals a Ranking Factor? https://roardigitalmarketing.co.uk/blog/are-core-web-vitals-a-ranking-factor/ Thu, 14 Mar 2024 09:26:30 +0000 https://roardigitalmarketing.co.uk/?p=7691 ‘Are Core Web Vitals a Ranking Factor’ is a question that has plagued the industry for a

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]]> ‘Are Core Web Vitals a Ranking Factor’ is a question that has plagued the industry for a while now. Recently, Google has released updated documentation to acknowledge that core web vitals are used in their ranking systems, but it remains unclear whether it is a strict ranking factor.

The Page Experience Documentation has been updated to make clear that core web vitals are used in Google’s ranking systems. However, the search engine company cannot say Core Web Vitals is a ranking factor.

To develop your understanding, check out our blog ‘Google Core Web Vitals – Made Simple‘ for more information.

What are Core Web Vitals?

Core Web Vitals (CWV) is a set of metrics used to measure the user experience of a website when it comes to website loading performance, interactivity and the visual stability of a webpage. Google recommends that website owners aim for a good Web Core Vitals score to achieve a good user experience for their audience.

Screenshot of Google Core Web Vitals for the blog post are core web vitals a ranking factor?

Are Core Web Vitals a Ranking Factor?

Google’s response to this has heavily fluctuated over the years. In the past, John Mueller has publicly said that Core Web Vitals is, in fact, a ranking factor, previously on Reddit, but Google’s Page Experience In Search Results explainer never actually says that they are.

So, in February of 2024, Google’s SearchLiaison caused quite a ruckus when he tweeted that Googl’es official documentation did not say that CWV (Core Web Vitals) was a ranking factor or a signal.

 

One day later, the following tweet was made: 

 

What SearchLiaison tweeted was correct. The Page Experience In Search Results Explainer Document didn’t confirm that Core Web Vitals is a ranking factor, not even in 2022 at its first publish. 

 

It Might be, It Might Not

After a lengthy period of not acknowledging whether Core Web Vitals is, in fact, a ranking factor, Google had a change of heart and updated its documentation to say that Core Web Vitals is, in fact, a ranking factor.

Here is what they said:

“What aspects of page experience are used in ranking?
Core Web Vitals are used by our ranking systems. We recommend site owners achieve good Core Web Vitals for success with Search and to ensure a great user experience generally.

Keep in mind that getting good results in reports like Search Console’s Core Web Vitals report or third-party tools doesn’t guarantee that your pages will rank at the top of Google Search results; there’s more to great page experience than Core Web Vitals scores alone. These scores are meant to help you to improve your site for your users overall, and trying to get a perfect score just for SEO reasons may not be the best use of your time.”

This new update still doesn’t provide full clarity as it does not use the phrase ‘ranking factor’ or ‘ranking signal’ at all.  However, it does completely acknowledge that CWV is used by Google’s ranking systems, which previously was unclear and undecided. Google does like to keep us on our toes, doesn’t it?

 

 

Ready to dominate the search engine rankings? Contact ROAR and let our SEO specialists curate a seamless strategy designed for success.

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]]> Your Cheat Sheet for Google Ads AI https://roardigitalmarketing.co.uk/ai/your-cheat-sheet-for-google-ads-ai/ Mon, 16 Oct 2023 08:00:55 +0000 https://roardigitalmarketing.co.uk/?p=6716 Artificial intelligence is a widely understood term across various industries; the likelihood of anyone not having heard

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]]> Artificial intelligence is a widely understood term across various industries; the likelihood of anyone not having heard the term ‘AI’ in the last year is slim to none. It is a powerful force of machine learning technology that can create, inform and produce content in various forms. In this blog, we will be dissecting the current possibilities through Google Ads AI. 


Nick Bostrom, the Swedish philosopher at the University of Oxford, said, ‘Machine intelligence is the last invention that humanity will ever need to make.’ 

Before we jump in, if you want more information about outsourcing your PPC efforts and working with a dedicated Google Ads agency, download our free helpful guide here. 

 

What is AI

AI or artificial intelligence is a machine’s ability to perform the same actions and functions commonly associated with the human mind. It is a science that instructs machines to think like humans do and subsequently do things considered ‘smart’. AI technology can uniquely process a large amount of human data and information differently from humans. 

Ultimately, AI has set its own goals: to do things, make decisions, form opinions and create as humans do. Although it is common knowledge that AI is not entirely there yet. AI requires more work to reach the intense level of human thought and ability that is regarded as more reliable. According to research, About 28% of people fully trust AI, while 42% claim to generally accept it. 

Google may be the largest search engine globally, but even its AI tools are not completely doubt free yet.

Some users have been recently exposed to a Google Ads AI assistant in beta in the help section. 

The chatbot disclaimer states, “While I know a lot, I’m still learning and may make some mistakes. If I do, please leave feedback so I can learn.”

Julie Bacchin, a PPC Pro and member of the PPC Hero,  25 Most Influential PPC Experts list, challenged this by tweeting, “Presumably, how would someone seeking help know if the help is wrong?”.

Her point acknowledges that although AI is present and moving forward, the information given can be misleading or incorrect. This could be potentially dangerous.

 

 

The Rise of AI in Marketing

A brief history lesson of how AI secured its space in the marketing sphere. AI, although coming to fruition recently, is certainly not new. Its rise is simply due to technology becoming more powerful and accessible in recent years.

The 1950s and 1960s

Researchers used linear programming techniques, games theory and decision trees to optimise marketing mix and pricing strategy. This was the first attempt to use AI in marketing.

The 1970s and 1980s

Expert systems and neural networks allowed marketers to create consumer behaviour and preference models. This led to a more personalised online experience through relevant recommendations and offers. 

The 1990s and 2000s

We’ve reached the rise of the internet. This era exposed new opportunities to collect and analyse data to inform better online advertising and audience targeting. Many marketers began utilising AI tools for search engine optimisation, email marketing strategy, and collecting website analytics to better reach and engage their customers online.

The 2010s and 2020s

Here, we saw the development of data, cloud computing, natural language processing, computer vision and deep learning, which has completely changed our industry. It has unleashed new AI applications into the marketing industry, and marketers can now leverage AI to generate all sorts of marketing material. This includes content, design campaigns, optimising conversions, predicting outcomes and further enhancing the experience for their customers. 

At ROAR, we put together a list of 6 quality AI tools for content creation; check them out here.

Amazon X AI

Ever wondered how leading e-commerce brand Amazon utilises AI to dominate?

  • Amazon uses personalised product recommendations as part of its marketing strategy to increase sales and streamline the audience’s purchasing journey. 
  • They do this by using big data to tailor an audience’s experience using information from the customers buying behaviour, products they have added to their cart, items they have viewed, and what items they have searched for the most. 
  • Using this data, leading E-commerce giant Amazon can provide customers with product recommendations for what they are most likely to buy. This creates a human emotion of temptation and provides a little nudge to the customer to make them buy.
  • Personalised product recommendations have informed 35% of what consumers purchase on Amazon.

 

What is AI in Google Ads in 2023?

In 2023, one of the most impressive developments within Google Ads and their implementation of AI features is their AI-powered search ads. 

  • This feature allows users to adopt a multi-search approach like lense to discover the products they seek. 
  • Users can also use voice search to converse with Google and find answers to search queries. 
  • Through advanced natural language, Google is able to deliver the correct results right when a user needs them.

 

Many of these search features are new, but they offer unprecedented opportunities to analyse data and tailor the future offerings of Google and AI. 

Many PPC and Google Ads experts say that ignoring AI in 2023, will see you fully left behind by the industry.

BROAD MATCH, VALUE BASED BIDDING, RSA, Your Cheat Sheet for Google Ads AI

  • Broad Match

Broad match search queries offer a broader set of search results that could all possibly be relevant to the user. Think ‘casual workwear’. Broad match leverages Google’s AI and state-of-the-art language models in order to increase the reach of ads. 

Google is becoming more intelligent when it comes to understanding them. It will look at user signals and match the user intent with advertising intent, connecting them and providing a more tailored end experience for the user. It is then up to the advertiser to consider what advertisements the user sees. 

 

  • RSA (Responsive Search Ads)

An RSA takes all the high-quality images, business information, and website links a marketer provides, turning them into stand-out, high-intent ads. RSAs can automatically create assets within a campaign operation feature to generate headlines and descriptions tailored to generate performance. Research has shown that RSAs have a 5 – 15% higher CTR than static search ads.

Google’s AI uses these assets and a deeper understanding of the user’s search intent to assemble responsive search ads that are correctly optimised for the search query. This aims to improve conversion predictions or conversion value through smart bidding.

 

  • Smart Bidding

Google’s AI uses the context from search query intent, user intent and advertisement composition to help inform bids by predicting future ad conversions and their value. With value-based bidding, Google’s AI connects seamlessly to marketing data and uses this to inform ad placement, ensuring your ads are presented to the most valuable customers of your business.

The above all compliment each other. As a result, it’s critical to utilise all of Google’s AI features to multiply your expertise, unlock new business demand, and drive and increase meaningful results from your ads.

 

Why is AI important in Google Ads Campaigns?

AI is critical to improving a users search experience and increasing the opportunities advertisers have on the platform.

Google is dedicated to creating a seamless experience for users. Google’s chief executive Eric Schmidt says, “We are very clear, and I want to be clear, and on the record, we run the company [Google] for the benefit of our end-users globally.”

"We are very clear, and I want to be clear, and on the record, we run the company [Google] for the benefit of our end-users globally." Eric Schmidt, Google’s Chief Executive , Your Cheat Sheet for Google Ads AI

Below are some of the most notable benefits of including and increasing AI technology in Google Ads:

  • More Relevant Ads

AI allows Google to analyse landing pages and advertising copy to match them with search queries. This means that more users can see the most relevant ads available to them, increasing website traffic and conversion rate as you provide users with exactly what they were searching for. More relevant ads also mean a better user experience and optimum usage of your advertising budget.

  • Better Creativity

We marketers are fully aware that AI is not on the same level as humans yet regarding thoughts and emotions. However, it has a pretty good level of creativity and can  create meaningful ad copy, including headlines and descriptions, with images that correlate. This allows your business to save money outsourcing creative assets and better optimise your Google Ads campaigns for the end user. 

  • Better Targeting

AI is all about analysis and doing. Using AI, Google Ads can dissect search data like search queries, user behaviour and previous browsing history. AI uses this data to compile user profiles that inform ad placement strategy delivering the right ads to the right people, whether they are existing customers or not. 

  • Better User Experience

Overall, AI within Google Ads works directly for the search user, working to produce a more relevant and seamless search experience. AI Google Ads allow businesses to understand their audience better and provide a more tailored experience giving the user exactly what they were searching for. This creates a better relationship between consumer and business, increasing brand credibility, loyalty and reputation.

  • Cost Effectiveness 

AI erases the need for outsourcing too many extra hands, but before you go firing your whole marketing department – remember AI is nowhere near their level yet. We’re saying that AI can spot any weaknesses within your established ad campaigns based on an analysis of data and campaign performance. As a result, businesses can reduce their cost per click and cost per conversion by adjusting keywords, targeting, and bidding strategy.

 

How Will AI Affect Google Ads in the Future?

Larry Page, the co-founder of Google, said: “Artificial intelligence would be the ultimate version of Google. The ultimate search engine that would understand everything on the web.

It would understand exactly what you wanted and give you the right thing. We’re nowhere near doing that now. However, we can get incrementally closer to that, and that is basically what we work on.”

"Artificial intelligence would be the ultimate version of Google. The ultimate search engine that would understand everything on the web." Larry Page, Co-Founder of Google quote, Your Cheat Sheet for Google Ads AI

In May 2023, Google announced it was entering an entirely new era of AI-powered advertisement. 

Here’s how Google acknowledges AI advancements to support marketers when making decisions, solving problems and embracing their creativity. 

 

Jumpstart Campaign Creation Through Chat

Google introduced a new natural-language conversation experience within Google Ads. It is designed to make the beginning of any campaign easier and simplify search ads through a combination of your existing knowledge and Google AI. 

This technique works by adding your landing page, for which Google will then summarise and generate; relevant keywords, headlines, descriptions, images and other related assets. You and your team then review these, and you can edit Google AIs suggestions before setting these live. Think of it as chatting to Google like you would a colleague and asking for support/ideas.

 

Creativity Boosts in Performance Max

One of the better-known AI-powered functions of Google is its efforts during performance max campaigns to drive business growth. Advertisers and marketers who use performance max within Google Ads are likely to achieve more conversions, on average 18% more conversions at a similar cost per action. 

Provide your website, and Google AI will begin educating itself on your brand. This is to create and populate your ad campaign with relevant text and assets. Google also suggests new images generated just for your business based on its machine learning, which makes your ad campaign unique and helps you stand out amongst competitors. 

 

 

If you’re looking for a PPC and ad-management team with years of enterprise-level experience across the paid search spectrum, look no further than ROAR! Our talented team of specialists are ready to take on your challenge; get in touch today!

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]]> Elon Recruits Google to Save Twitter Ad Revenue https://roardigitalmarketing.co.uk/blog/elon-recruits-google-to-save-twitter-ad-revenue/ Mon, 25 Sep 2023 14:52:44 +0000 https://roardigitalmarketing.co.uk/?p=6909 Twitter has never been the go-to advertising platform. Still, as Elon Musk continues to roll out his

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]]> Twitter has never been the go-to advertising platform. Still, as Elon Musk continues to roll out his exciting changes and developments to social media, he’s now looking at Google to increase its advertising revenue.

 

Twitter (X) Teams Up With Google

The bold move comes as Twitter aims to boost its advertising revenue and reach a broader audience of advertisers.

Musk claims that Twitter’s ad revenue is down 60%, and Musk, accompanied by former NBC ad sales chief, now CEO at X (Twitter), Linda Yaccarino, is looking to auction off ad space to third-party vendors.

In May of this year, Twitter began selling its inventory through the Indian ad marketplace in Mobi. Just last week, Google confirmed it has also secured a deal to sell ad space for Twitter.

Elon Musk has made his feelings about advertising pretty clear, stating that he, in fact, “hates advertising”. 

However, when Musk first took over the social media platform, Twitter brought in 92% of its total revenue from advertising, which Elon has brushed aside. When Elon bought Twitter, many advertisers jumped ship amid content moderation and brand safety concerns.

Focus has shifted from Musk to his newest subscription offering, once known as Twitter Blue, now dubbed ‘X Premium’.

X (formerly Twitter) has recently started using Google Ad Manager, a platform allowing publishers to serve ads programmatically. The ads served via Google will only appear on X’s home feed.

Now, Twitter advertising has never been smooth sailing, and before Elon Musk’s ownership, advertisers were apprehensive about advertising on Twitter. This resulted from the intense political and social debates on the app and breaking news events – subjects advertisers would prefer not to advertise against.

 

What Does Teaming up With Google Bring to Twitter?

This announcement means one thing: Twitter needs help to win back advertisers, and if they do not see an improvement soon, their revenue in 2023 could be severely impacted.

Although it seems desperate and a last chance at bringing back those uninterested publishers, the decision will give users more confidence in Twitter (X) as an advertisement platform. This is because of the sheer popularity of Google Ads, Ads Manager and its subsequent analytics platform.

It also produces an opportunity for advertisers to learn and increase the suitability of their ads using Google and its setup/pointers to create better ads that only appear on X’s homepage. Their ads and ad placement can improve the results of previous ad setups.

 

 

Struggling like Elon? Don’t. ROAR uses intricate data to captivate an audience and drive an increase in revenues for small to enterprise-level businesses. See our PPC Management Services page for more.

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]]> Greedy Google: CPC Increase Confirmed https://roardigitalmarketing.co.uk/blog/greedy-google-cpc-increase-confirmed/ Wed, 20 Sep 2023 13:38:53 +0000 https://roardigitalmarketing.co.uk/?p=6894 Google’s Global search engine recently sent shock waves through the digital marketing community. Is it abnormal? Certainly

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]]> Google’s Global search engine recently sent shock waves through the digital marketing community. Is it abnormal? Certainly not, but sneaky nonetheless.

Google has announced that they have quietly increased the cost per click (CPC) price to 10%. This is to meet their revenue targets. 

 

What is CPC?

CPC, or cost per click, is a well-known digital marketing metric that is used within PPC (pay per click) advertising campaigns. It measures how much an advertiser will spend on each click received on their ads.

During the setup of a PPC campaign, advertisers will select the specific keywords they would like to bid on. This means their advertisements would trigger each time this keyword is used to search on Google. Google will then charge the advertiser a certain amount per click on your ad. 

 

What is Google doing to CPC?

Google has announced that the Google CPC price has been quietly increased up to 10% without informing any advertisers. This has sparked major controversy as advertisers have left feeling blindsided by Google’s greed. 

So, what is Google doing when it comes to CPC?

Well, they recently announced that the keywords and ad campaigns have increased their CPC to 10%. They have initiated this change without informing advertisers. This has sparked significant controversy within the industry as advertisers have been left blindsided by Google’s greed.

 

Why Are They Raising the Prices of CPC?

According to Google Ads Executive Jerry Dischler at the federal antitrust trial, Google has been raising the CPC price to meet its revenue goals. There has been evidence to show that revenue goals have been slipping away from Google since 2019. This is according to an email from Google’s Chief Financial Officer: 

“If we don’t meet quota for the second quarter in a row…we will get punished pretty badly in the market. I care more about revenue than the average person.” A quick Google search will show you the revenue Google brings in. For example, their ads revenue was $59 billion in Q4 2022.

 

How Does This Affect Your Google Ads Campaigns?

The Google CPC Pirce increase has affected multiple industries. As a result, advertisers operating on a tight budget may see a significant drop in conversion rate. With the increasing CPC, advertisers will likely see no choice but to increase their ad budget. 

Let’s add some context to this:

Say $100 of ad spend returned 10 conversions. Because of the Google CPC price increases, that same $100 will no longer return the same conversion rate. This will lead to a significant drop-off in ad performance for many advertisers. 

 

Is Google Being Sneaky, Or Is This Justified? 

The consensus from marketers is that Google CPC prices have been increasing steadily, with little repercussion seen by the naked eye. However, looking into this and seeing the facts in black and white has caused a lot of controversy. 

When you combine the factors, Google has wholly left advertisers in the dark. This is a sneaky move from Google, and it’s not painting the search engine in the best light. This is further confirmed when you consider that Google is already under investigation. This is for using underhand tactics to retain their title as the world’s leading search engine. 

At ROAR, our philosophy is centred around doing right by our clients. Amid this Google controversy, having an honest, straight-talking agency that does what it says it can do might mean all the difference for your PPC campaigns. 

 

 

Get in touch today and set up a free exploratory call with a member of PPC team today!

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