| | What we're reading this Friday
Do Google ‘secrets’ really move the needle in SEO?
The SEO community has been buzzing this week over leaked Google documentation that some would say upends what we thought we knew about ranking factors, although others find the information less than shocking.
After the leak was originally revealed by Rand Fishkin, formerly of Moz, and analysed by technical SEO specialist Mike King, Google responded via Search Engine Roundtable to stress that the leaked information lacked context. Google did confirm, however, that it was genuine.
One balanced take came from SEO consultant Carl Hendy, who noted on LinkedIn that, "Leaks, shortcuts, and ‘secrets’ really don’t move the needle in client SEO. Yeah, it might be cool to take a look and collect a bit of ‘insider’ terminology, but the reality is ... SEO issues lie with product, people, and brand."
For practical advice on SEO, Econsultancy members can consult our Best Practice Guides.
Google makes changes to limit unhelpful AI overviews
Google is also busy responding to the viral screenshots of its AI overviews circulating online (search for ‘glue pizza’ if you somehow haven’t seen this story). The company published a blog post discussing what went wrong (often a result of ‘data voids’ or sarcastic content) and how Google is rectifying the issues, including: “better detection mechanisms for nonsensical queries” and limiting “the inclusion of satire and humor content”; limiting “the use of user-generated content in responses that could offer misleading advice”; and for searches on the topic of health, launching “additional triggering refinements to enhance our quality protections”. What’s interesting in the blog post is the comparison of the ‘accuracy rate’ of AI overviews and featured snippets, which are said to be “on par”. Accordingly, Liz Reid, VP, Head of Google Search, writes that “AI Overviews generally don't “hallucinate” or make things up in the ways that other LLM products might. When AI Overviews get it wrong, it’s usually for other reasons: misinterpreting queries, misinterpreting a nuance of language on the web, or not having a lot of great information available.”
This may be the case, but for the user the end result when things go awry is arguably the same. And if users feel they are being invited to trust position zero results implicitly (even if Google talks about them as “a jumping off point to visit web content”), then an inaccurate result here is arguably more concerning than a less-than-relevant link in the results below.
On this topic, there’s a very quotable piece by John Herrman in Intelligencer – 'Why AI search blew up in Google’s face.'
Herrman argues that using Google search requires work on the user’s part (examining and vetting sources, distinguishing ads, etc.) and “By attempting to automate this job, Google has revealed — and maybe discovered — just how hard it is and how alien its understanding of its own users has become.”
Related viewing for members: How organic search is changing
Former OpenAI board member says “we learned about ChatGPT on Twitter”
Helen Toner, a former OpenAI board member, recently appeared on The TED AI Show podcast and discussed Sam Altman and events at the storied company.
Speaking on the topic of board oversight, Toner says, “When ChatGPT came out November 2022, the board was not informed in advance. We learned about ChatGPT on Twitter.” More from The Verge.
The Meta Ads Library and what it reveals about the UK election campaign
If you’re following the UK general election and work in marketing or advertising, Jon Norris of ImaginarioAI provided a helpful reminder in his post on LinkedIn that the Meta Ads Library is publicly available and can provide useful context.
Norris highlighted one ad for the Conservatives' much-debated new policy of national service (see their ads here), which included copy saying, “Giving young people valuable life skills”. The policy may be aimed at young people but, as the ads library shows, the majority of ad impressions in this case were served to users over the age of 45. |
Loyalty programmes will increasingly ‘hinge on personalisation’: Eagle Eye’s Sarah Jarvis
Sarah Jarvis is Communications and Propositions Director at Eagle Eye, a software-as-a-service loyalty specialist working with retail, travel, and hospitality brands.
Having spent more than a decade and a half working in retail marketing and loyalty, Jarvis has well-formed opinions on what makes a great, and not-so-great, loyalty scheme – and the experience to back them up. We spoke to her about her favourite loyalty propositions, her loyalty bugbears, and whether consumers might be suffering from “loyalty fatigue”. |
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| | Difficult times have impacted various sectors in a myriad of ways - read more from Oystercatchers latest Club Evening where top marketers from Guinness, Three UK, Warner Music and Dentsu shared how they thrive in a low growth environment. |
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The Marketing Capability Leaders Forum, May 16th
Waterloo, London, 9am GMT
At Econsultancy HQ, we’ll be hosting our Q2 meet-up for senior leaders in marketing and ecommerce. You’ll hear from a panel of marketing leaders as they reveal how they have navigated transformation, placing capability at the heart of their strategies.
Please note, the forum is invite-only, so registrations are subject to approval. |
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Effective Leadership in the Digital Age
This report draws on Econsultancy’s years of research into how leadership is changing in a digital world and offers useful insights and practical models for navigating the evolving landscape. |
The Future of Marketing: The AI Opportunity
Throughout this year’s Future of Marketing survey, AI was a consistent theme. As one respondent put it, “There is excitement and also anxiety…”
But precisely how many marketers are using generative AI, and where do they believe its value lies? |
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