Author: Ryuzaki

Getting found in all the right places has always meant being early to the next major shift in search. Today, that shift is toward GEO, or generative engine optimization, and SEO redefined as search everywhere optimization.  Both describe the growing need to optimize content for AI-driven discovery.  If YouTube still sits in the “nice-to-have” category of your SEO strategy, you are quietly ceding visibility in both traditional rankings and Google AI Overviews to competitors. YouTube is now core search infrastructure YouTube can’t be relegated to “brand” or “social” anymore because the platform is now core search infrastructure.  YouTube is the…

Google Ads is constantly changing and evolving. With these changes come fresh mistakes PPC advertisers make in optimizing and managing their campaigns.  This article breaks down the most common mistakes of 2026 so you can avoid repeating them this year. Mistake 1: Inconsistent conversion tracking setup Optimization decisions rely on conversion data. If your tracking is inconsistent, your entire account data becomes skewed. When conversions use different attribution methods, count types, and conversion windows, the data applies unevenly across your account, making it hard to judge the value of any click. In rare cases, you may override conversion tracking at…

The Google Ads API will no longer accept new adopters of session attributes or IP address data in conversion imports starting Feb. 2nd. Developers who already use these fields can continue for now, but Google is steering everyone toward the Data Manager API as the primary place to send complex conversion and user data. Zoom out. Google is consolidating richer data ingestion into the Data Manager API, positioning it as the long-term home for session-level attributes and IP-based signals. The Ads API is increasingly focused on core campaign and conversion workflows rather than handling complex data payloads. Why we care.…

Google Search Advocate John Mueller responded to a Reddit user who asked whether SEO is still “enough,” or if marketers now need to think about generative engine optimization (GEO). Mueller’s answer was simple: labels matter less than reality. “If you have an online business that makes money from referred traffic, it’s definitely a good idea to consider the full picture, and prioritize accordingly.” AI isn’t going away. Mueller didn’t get into the name debate or confirm GEO as a new discipline, but he made it clear AI is here to stay: “What you call it doesn’t matter, but ‘AI’ is…

Google’s AI Overviews frequently surface affiliate content without sending traffic or clicks back to publishers. The good news for publishers is that affiliate businesses do not need to rely on Google alone. To kick off the new year, here are other sources of traffic and ways to diversify income while sticking to what you do and love. These are strategies I help partners with regularly.  This article was inspired by a podcast conversation about whether this was the end of affiliate marketing. It isn’t. Affiliate marketing is more than Google, and it will continue to thrive. Skool and educational platforms…

Microsoft is beginning to roll out its first agentic experiences within Copilot, it’s AI answer engine. Copilot Checkout allows shoppers to make purchases directly within Copilot without redirecting to external sites. This is done directly in the Copilot chat experience. Plus, a new feature called Brand Agents is rolling out for Shopify sites, allowing merchants to have an AI chat experience trained on their own product catalog. Microsoft said the AI responses will have your brand’s voice and be “built for fast, scalable adoption.” Copilot Checkout. Copilot Checkout is beginning to roll out in the U.S. on Copilot.com. Copilot Checkout…

Fair warning: This article may make some people who’ve been hyping AI visibility tools uncomfortable. After 18 years in the search industry, however, my professional integrity doesn’t allow me to stay quiet. I have zero agenda here. Many of the misconceptions discussed below actually benefit me, both as the co-founder of an AI visibility tool and as someone who offers GEO services. Over the past few months, many claims have been shared as facts that simply aren’t accurate. Let’s clear things up. 1. AI search didn’t kill Google search Quite the opposite. It doesn’t matter how many news sites publish…

Limited search volume doesn’t mean limited opportunity. Your entire target market might only search for your solution a few hundred times per month. High-volume advertisers can test 50 headline variations in a week, while you’re still waiting for your tenth conversion of the quarter. Most niche advertisers try to use the same strategies that work for high-volume accounts. That’s a mistake. Google’s automation needs data, and niche markets don’t generate enough searches to feed it. This mismatch either kills performance or prevents results altogether. This guide shows what actually works when search volume is low and conversion timelines stretch across…

Google added Call Assets directly into Vehicle Ads, letting shoppers call dealers straight from the ad. Why we care. Vehicle Ads already attract high-intent buyers. Adding click-to-call removes friction at the most critical moment—when users are ready to talk to a dealer. The big picture. Automotive advertising is moving toward immediacy. Buyers don’t want more forms; they want answers, availability, and human confirmation. Call-enabled Vehicle Ads shorten the path from search to conversation. Between the lines. Advertisers now carry more responsibility. When the ad is the point of conversion, call handling, staffing, and response quality directly impact performance. Dealers that…

Google launched a beta integration for Google Tag Gateway that lets advertisers deploy it through Google Cloud Platform (GCP) using a new one-click workflow inside Google Tag Manager and Google tag settings. What’s new. The GCP integration uses Google Cloud’s Global external Application Load Balancer to route tag traffic through an advertiser’s own first-party domain before sending it to Google. The goal is to streamline deployment while improving data signal quality and resilience against ad blockers and technologies like Apple’s Intelligent Tracking Prevention. Why we care. As browsers and platforms continue to limit third-party tracking, advertisers are looking for ways…