How to create a resource page

If you’re interested in creating helpful content for your audience (and you should be), you should consider making a resource page.

It’s the best way to collect your top recommendations for products or services and promote the tools and resources you love and use in your business.

And as part of your content strategy, a resource page can add depth and value to your website.

Let’s go deeper into what a resource page is, why you should create one, and how to do it, plus resource page examples.

What is a resource page?

A resource page is a curated page that links to helpful resources, tools, apps, products, services, media, or websites that your audience may find useful.

(You may also know this page as a “recommended tools” page, an affiliate links page, or even a brand “toolbox.”)

A resource page is a one-stop shop for finding a brand’s recommended resources, including the tools or products its staff uses and loves in the company’s day-to-day business.

If you’re a solopreneur or freelancer, your resource page can be very personal and reflect your expertise. And, if you’ve built a following and an engaged audience, your resource page will be valuable for the people who trust your guidance.

There are three ways to approach a resource page:

• Use affiliate links. (This means you and the company of the product you recommend have an agreement – you earn a small commission from people who click your affiliate link and engage with that company.)
• Link to resources organically (because you love them and for no other reason).
• Include a mixture of affiliate and organic links.

Why you should create a resource page

The first and most important reason to create a resource page is the helpfulness factor.

• A resource page curated by you can help your audience discover tools, websites, and resources to help them solve problems they face. 
• The resource page you create can be personalized with hand-picked links that you actually use, enjoy, or get value from – and since your expert opinion matters to your audience, they’ll care about the resources you recommend.

The second reason to create a resource page is if you’re involved with affiliate programs and want to maximize your income.

Including your links on a dedicated resource page in your top navigation gives your readers an easy way to find and engage with them.

But, remember – never create a resource page just to get people to click your affiliate links.

Instead, create this type of content to help your audience connect with great resources that have aided you during your own journey in your niche.

How to create a resource page with value

Anyone can throw together a list of links. To avoid the plague of thin, useless content, follow these steps to create a resource page with real value for your readers.

1. Gather links to your most trusted resources for your niche

This initial step in creating a resource page should be the easiest.

You simply need to gather a list of links to your favorite, most trusted tools, websites, products, services, etc. that relate to what you do in your niche.

For example, if you’re an expert baker who posts recipes, your resource page might be full of the baking tools you trust and use daily, like on this baking website:

Similarly, if you sell content marketing courses, your resource page would likely include a list of tools you use to make content marketing easier.

(Think SEO tools, content creation tools, your favorite website host, and the content calendar tool you depend on.)

Don’t include just any resources. Think about what would be most beneficial for your audience.

Finally, never recommend anything you haven’t actually used or liked. Honesty and transparency are essential for maintaining the trust between you and your audience.

2. Including affiliate links? Add a disclosure

If you plan to include affiliate links on your resource page, add a clear disclosure that you may earn a commission when your visitors click those links.

This isn’t just good practice for ethics and transparency – it’s also a requirement of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

The FTC considers linking to affiliate sites without disclosure to be deceptive advertising.

Luckily, the disclosure itself doesn’t have to be a big deal. A simple, clear statement at the top of your page will suffice. Here’s a great example from a photography website:

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3. Describe each resource and why you included it

Now we can start beefing up your resource page with useful content.

What will make your page useful beyond the links themselves?

Helpful descriptions that explain why you're recommending each product, service, tool, etc., and why they're valuable.

Here's a good formula for describing the resources on your page:

• Introduce the product/service/tool/resource and explain what it does.
• Explain why you use it and trust it.
• List at least one way it could improve your reader's life.

Your descriptions don't have to be long, either. You can summarize each of the above points in one or two sentences. Here's an example from Smart Passive Income:

Ultimately, this list of recommended tools is much more valuable because SPI describes how and why each tool is trustworthy and effective.

If, on the other hand, they just provided a list of links, you wouldn't understand the value of any of them.

4. Organize and optimize your resource page

Again, don't just throw a list of links on a page. Put some effort into organizing and optimizing your resource page so the most visitors will get the most use out of it.

Particularly, organize your resources into categories and add a heading (an H2 or an H3) to each one.

For example, if you have a list of media to consume to learn more about a topic, you could categorize the links by type of media, e.g., books, podcasts, videos, blog posts, courses, etc.

This wellness center, for instance, has a resource page for employees and their families that includes online fitness resources categorized by workout type:

Another option: If you regularly blog about great industry resources, collect them on one resource page, like Learn to Code With Me did:

5. Link to relevant content on your site

Yes, you can include your own content on your resource page, but take care – adding too much of your content can look a bit too self-promotional.

Instead, look for ways to mention or link to your content organically.

For instance, this travel blog includes their in-house tour company as one of the resources under their “tour companies” category.

However, the mention isn't overtly salesy and looks even less so next to their other recommendations.

Another way to include your content on your resource page is to link to related blog posts.

Add these links in the descriptions for each category, such as, "Want to learn more about choosing a travel company? Check out our guide.”

6. Update your resource page regularly

Next, since your resource page is essentially a page full of links, you'll want to make sure the links are working and accurate regularly.

For example, this can be a task you set as part of your regular website or content audit.

A quick way to check all the URLs on the page for dead links is to use a broken link checker.

Lastly, ensure your affiliate links are all accurate and working so it's tracked each time someone is referred through your page to a product.

7. Link to your resource page in your other content

Once your resource page is created, link to it in your other content, including blogs and core site pages like your About Us page.

For example, a baking blog could link to its resources page whenever they talk about baking equipment. E.g., “The right size mixing bowl is essential to creating this recipe. Check out my resource page to see the large mixing bowls I use and love.”

Essentially, any “learn more” opportunity or mention in a blog could connect back to your resource page.

Of course, another great place to include a link to this content is right in your main menu. Learn to Code With Me does this well – its resource hub is located in the top menu under the heading “Where to learn.”

Those aren't the only possibilities. Here are some other suggestions for linking to your resource page in your other content:

• Include a link in your site's footer menu.
• Create a call-to-action banner or graphic to place strategically inside blogs.
• Add a link to your lead magnets, ebooks, or freebies.
• Create a perpetual link for your blog sidebar.
• Link to and promote your resource page in social media posts.

A resource page is helpful content

Correction: A resource page can be helpful content if you create it with the above steps in mind.

And that's important because helpful content matters to your audience as part of their overarching experience of your brand. It also matters to Google, because the search engine wants to serve searchers content that helps them.

As you'll remember, helpful content is:

• Created with a specific audience in mind.
• Has trust and credibility markers.
• Includes expertise from the creator(s).
• Meets the needs of the audience.

Created with care, your resource page can add value to your content strategy by educating your audience and strengthening your website. And those are worthy goals.

The post How to create a resource page appeared first on Search Engine Land.

New update to Google’s Dangerous products or services policy

In July 2023, Google Ads will update its Dangerous products and services policy to encompass advertisements for items that pose an imminent, proven, and unresolved risk of death or severe bodily harm, particularly if they have been the subject of consumer advisories or product recalls. Enforcement of this policy update will commence on July 3.

Violations. Accounts found to be in violation of this policy will not face immediate suspension without prior warning. Instead, a warning will be issued at least seven days before any account suspension takes place.

What to do. It is recommended that advertisers review this policy update to determine if any of your ads fall within the scope of this policy. If so, remove the ads in question before July 3, 2023.

Why we care. By proactively reviewing and removing any ads that fall within the scope of this policy, advertisers can maintain their online presence, protect their brand reputation, and continue to reach their target audience effectively.

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Discover the ultimate marketing strategy for increased ROI and lead generation by Cynthia Ramsaran

Virtual events are great for education, global outreach and strengthening your brand awareness. But what they’re especially fantastic at is lead generation.

In this webinar, you’ll get the perfect cut-and-paste formula for turning your events into lead-generating machines.

Register and attend “Maximize ROI and Lead Gen With This Virtual Events Marketing Formula,” presented by Kaltura.

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Google’s April 2023 reviews update was more volatile than the previous product reviews update, data providers say

The April 2022 reviews update created more volatility in Google’s search results than past versions of the update, including the previous February 2023 product reviews update, according to Semrush and Rank Ranger data.

About the Google April 2023 reviews update. Google released the April 2023 reviews update started to roll out at about 12 p.m. ET on April 12. This update took 13 days to roll out and completed on April 25, 2023.

This was the seventh reviews update and the first Google update that targeted more than just product reviews. Yes, this version went beyond Google’s prior product reviews updates to evaluate reviews of any topic that is reviewable, including:

• Services and businesses.
• Destinations.
• Media (e.g., games, movies).

Google has changed the name of its “product reviews system” to “reviews system” and has altered the language in multiple parts of its guidance documentation around product reviews to now apply to all types of reviews.

Data providers show the April 2023 update was more significant

Semrush. Semrush data showed that the April 2022 reviews update was more volatile than the previous reviews update, the February 2023 product reviews update.

“Overall, comparing the baseline to the update periods the April 2023 reviews update was slightly more volatile than the February 2023 product reviews update,” Mordy Obersterin, from Wix and Semrush told us.

Here is a look at thre Semrush sensor, showing the volatility it tracked over the past few weeks. You can see most of that volatility was during the last week of the update.

This chart shows the break down by vertical, comparing April 2023 to February 2023:

If you look at the peak of the volatility, you will notice that the February spiked higher than the highest peak we saw in the April 2023 update:

Semrush also showed how there were more URLs newly ranking among the top ten results that prior to the update ranked 20+ back in February:

Rank Ranger. Rank Ranger showed a similar story with the April 2022 reviews update was more volatile than the previous reviews update, the February 2023 product reviews update.

“Although the update rolled out on April 12th, the Rank Risk Index reported high levels of fluctuations on April 20th, peaking on April 25th. This analysis is based on the fluctuations on April 25.,” Darrell Mordecai from Rank Ranger told us.

Here is what the Rank Ranger Rank Risk Index showed over the past few weeks. Again, you can see most of that volatility was during the last week of the update. There is still volatility shown today, the day two-days after the update was completed.

Here is a chart comparing the two past updates, showing the April 2023 update to be more volatile than the February 2023 update. “April update made significantly more impact than the February update. This could possibly be explained by the fact that the April update has been extended to include all reviews and not just product reviews,” Mordecai added.

Also, the top 3, top 5 and top 10 Google search results showed a substantial increase in volatility in the top 5 results when compared to the previous update. The top 3 results was more volatile as well, but not the top 10 results.

And looking at it by industry or niche, you see which verticals were more volatile as you break it down by top 3, top 5 and top 10 results.

Community. The SEO community chatter was pretty limited and low relative to other updates during the first week of the update. It heated up in the second week of the update, until it was announced as being completed by Google.

In short, the SEO community chatter about this update, followed the spikes you saw in volatility as reported by these two toolsets.

More on the April 2023 reviews update

Previous product review updates. This is the seventh release of the formerly known as product reviews update, now the reviews update and was released on April 12 at about 12 pm ET. The first product reviews update was launched on April 8, 2021, the second was launched on December 1, 2021, the third has been released on March 23, 2022, and the fourth was released on July 27, 0222, and the fifth was released on September 20, 2022 and the sixth was released on February 21, 2023.

Google’s updated advice. Here is the updated advice Google published related to this update:

• Evaluate from a user’s perspective.
• Demonstrate that you are knowledgeable about what you are reviewing—show you are an expert.
• Provide evidence such as visuals, audio, or other links of your own experience with what you are reviewing, to support your expertise and reinforce the authenticity of your review.
• Share quantitative measurements about how something measures up in various categories of performance.
• Explain what sets something apart from its competitors.
• Cover comparable things to consider, or explain which might be best for certain uses or circumstances.
• Discuss the benefits and drawbacks of something, based on your own original research.
• Describe how a product has evolved from previous models or releases to provide improvements, address issues, or otherwise help users in making a purchase decision.
• Focus on the most important decision-making factors, based on your experience or expertise (for example, a car review might determine that fuel economy and safety are key decision-making factors and rate performance in those areas).
• Describe key choices in how a product has been designed and their effect on the users beyond what the manufacturer says.
• Include links to other useful resources (your own or from other sites) to help a reader make a decision.
• Consider including links to multiple sellers to give the reader the option to purchase from their merchant of choice.
• When recommending something as the best overall or the best for a certain purpose, include why you consider it the best, with first-hand supporting evidence.
• Ensure there is enough useful content in your ranked lists for them to stand on their own, even if you choose to write separate in-depth single reviews.

Why we care. If your website offers general review content, you will want to check your rankings to see if you were impacted. Did your Google organic traffic improve, decline or stay the same?

Long term, you are going to want to ensure that you put a lot more detail and effort into your review content. Make it unique so it stands out from the competition on the web.

This shows you that a lot of sites saw some big changes to your rankings and if you did as well, you are not alone.

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5 new changes to the Google Ads API

Google has just announced the v13_1 release of the Ads API.

In order to utilize some of the v13_1 features, users will need to update their client libraries and client code. There are no breaking changes in this version.

What’s new. The highlights of the release are as follows:

1. Bid simulations can now be obtained at a campaign level for Performance Max via campaign_simulation.
2. Several recommendation types related to Shopping campaigns have been added, including suggestions for migrating to Performance Max and resolving a Merchant Center account suspension.
3. Google Ads now supports SKAdNetwork conversion value schemas for iOS App campaigns. Information on setting up schemas and best practices for iOS campaigns can be found here.
4. The LeadFormField.has_location_answer has been added to indicate whether the locations of location assets at the campaign or customer level should be displayed with a lead form.
5. (Allowlisted feature) Performance Max campaigns now feature a VEHICLES listing type in the new Campaign.listing_type field, replacing ShoppingSetting.use_vehicles_inventory, which will be designated for Smart Shopping campaigns.

Dig deeper. Learn more about the change on the Google Ads Developer Blog.

Why we care. API v13_1 introduces new features and improvements that can enhance campaign management and performance. The update includes new recommendation types for Shopping campaigns, support for SKAdNetwork conversion value schemas in iOS App campaigns, and additional functionality in Performance Max campaigns.

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Where traditional search and AI chatbots excel: A closer look

Marketing conversations nowadays almost always involve artificial intelligence, particularly when it comes to the future of search. 

Will AI chatbots powered by large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT and Bard ultimately replace “traditional” search as we know it? 

Generative AI brings a meaningful shift with vast possibilities for the future of search. The potential for disruption makes it an exciting time for the industry. 

Curious about the strengths and weaknesses of traditional search engines versus AI chatbots, I ran 100 identical queries in both Google search and ChatGPT. The results revealed that each approach has its own advantages in certain situations.

This article covers key areas where traditional search engines and AI chatbots like ChatGPT have the upper hand.

Advantages of traditional search

Where do search engines have the edge? Four areas will be hard to shake from consumers’ minds.

Facts and figures (birthdays, ages and math problems)

When you search on Google, it does not only suggest and anticipate the full query. 

In most cases, it also provides the answer without hitting enter. 

This applies to queries where the answer is specifically a number result.

Integrations

If you want anything visual, traditional search is the way to go. 

While ChatGPT may eventually catch up in this area, Google’s vast ecosystem is currently a major advantage. 

With access to Maps, YouTube, and Gmail, Google has a wealth of knowledge about its users. 

For example, you can simply tell Maps to navigate from “home” to a specific location like Progressive Field.

YouTube is another powerful tool, particularly for “how to” searches. Google can quickly pull up relevant YouTube videos and take users directly to the section of the video that answers their query. 

Images

Similar to the integrations point above, Google’s ability to identify the contents of an image and provide users with relevant results is a valuable use case for search. 

As AI chatbots evolve, they will have the ability to integrate with multiple components and absorb even more images to understand them. 

Google Lens is already using AI to decode images, and the next step is to apply this to AI chatbots.

But for now, image searches for products, plants, animals and more remain a key differentiator, adding value to users.

Opinion and nuance

Having the ability to choose the source to get your answer or opinion is important. 

For example, you might be seeking a restaurant recommendation and want to see if multiple sources agree on the same spot. Or perhaps you want to compare Fox News and CNN’s takes on a particular story. 

With an AI chatbot, you’ll only receive one viewpoint without the ability to access a range of opinions.

Whether it’s a debate about the best Wu-Tang Clan rapper or a contentious political issue, gathering information from various sources can help you develop a well-rounded opinion. 

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Advantages of ChatGPT

Here are four areas where AI chatbots like ChatGPT shine.

Content creation

ChatGPT has the ability to generate copy at lightning speed, whether it's a poem, blog post, email, or even a script. 

This has significantly reduced content creation time, putting pressure on marketers to evolve their writing and creativity. 

Imagine the possibilities for your brand. You could quickly generate engaging blog posts or craft personalized emails for your customers.

While this is a nice poem, I did not use it for my anniversary. My wife still appreciated the personal poem I wrote (at least, that’s what she told me).

Creativity

Similar to content creation, AI is transforming the creative process. You can now easily create everything from images and jokes to screenplays and songs. 

While this technology is still being refined, it is set to change how we approach creativity – from ideation to execution. 

'How to' tasks and recipes

Have you ever found yourself wading through endless ads and scrolling through cluttered websites when you only need a simple answer?

This may be more of a problem for the ad ecosystem overall, but AI chatbots do better when you just need straightforward answers to your queries. 

Case in point: recipe websites.

They often provide a poor user experience, with too much fluff, numerous ads and the need for endless scrolling – even if you only really wanted a simple recipe for chocolate chip cookies.  

On the other hand, ChatGPT simply gives you an answer. It takes you step by step and keeps the answer straightforward in a bulleted list.

Support (coding and problem-solving)

“Everyone can be a 10x engineer.” 

I’ve heard this statement many times since ChatGPT rolled out. 

AI chatbots help support various tasks, such as summarizing meeting minutes, finding errors in code or helping solve math problems. 

These tools enable users to expedite tasks that were previously tedious or time-consuming. 

Search helped us find answers, but AI chatbots can become personal support agents.

They go beyond seeking answers and surface the answer with the solution already completed for us.

Riding the crest of change in search

We are witnessing the early days of a significant change in the industry. It's a thrilling time for digital marketers since the rise of social media during the Web 2.0 era. 

However, this change is much more consequential because AI has quickly disrupted the way we work. This will put pressure on existing business models, ultimately benefiting consumers. 

Despite this, some critical use cases are still not yet accessible in AI chatbots. Thus, we'll still need to rely on traditional search engines for now. 

Strap in, keep testing and enjoy the ride.

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A quick guide to managing your online reputation

With the prevalence of social media and online review platforms, what people say about you online can make or break your personal brand or small business. 

This article covers best practices for managing your online reputation so you can set your brand up for success both online and in the real world.

Why does my online reputation matter?

Online reputation consists of the overall perception of a brand based on the information available to your audience. 

A positive online reputation can help attract business partners and customers, build trust, and improve the overall public perception of your brand. 

Your online reputation consists of brand-related information, including:

• Reviews.
• Social media content.
• Articles.
• Anything else that appears in the search engine results when someone searches for your brand. 

Your reputation can make or break your brand, and managing it appropriately is imperative.

Set SMART goals

Before anything else, establish what you’re working toward. 

What are your goals for your online presence? How can they help contribute to your brand’s success? 

Set SMART goals, ensuring they’re specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-based. The clearer and more well-defined, the better. 

Setting one or two overall brand goals in addition to more granular goals for specific campaigns allows you to focus on long and short-term goals simultaneously. 

Brand goals should not be altered often unless your business model changes. 

Campaign goals, however, can rotate more frequently depending on your brand’s needs. 

Identify your strengths and weaknesses

Where do you excel? Where are you weakest? 

There’s a reason interviewers ask these questions. 

Knowing your weaknesses helps you work to strengthen them and keeps you from being blindsided by an attack. 

Strong leaders understand that weaknesses can be exploited or used for growth and turned into strengths.

Highlight your superpowers

Where do you have an edge over the competition? What can you do better than anyone else? 

Let’s say you provide excellent customer service in an industry known for being unreliable.

Use that to show your potential customers how much better their experience can be if they choose you.

Address your roadblocks

Do you have a small budget? Fear of negative reviews? Lack of buy-in from leadership? Is a disgruntled former employee or customer trying to take you down? 

Identifying your setbacks is the first step in conquering them. Typically, small businesses report time and budget as their biggest roadblocks.

Know your audience

A deep understanding of your customers, peers, and competition is key to reputation success. 

You need to have your finger on the pulse of what is happening in your industry. If you don’t know who you’re talking to, how will you know how to speak to them? 

Successful brands understand precisely what feelings and perceptions their logos and communication evoke with their audience and what their customers expect of them. 

Remember, not everyone is your target audience. If you try to reach everyone, you will not connect with anyone. 

Find your voice on social media and create content that connects

Social media is a great place to develop your brand voice. This is not the place to start pushing hard selling. 

Earn the trust of your audience by getting to know them without asking anything in return.

Transparency is critical, with consumers regularly reporting that honesty, friendliness, and helpfulness are top behaviors consumers want to see from brands on social media. 

Do you know what never makes the list? Sales pushes. 

Be careful not to turn your audience against you by misusing your platforms. 

Earning your audience’s trust must come before overly promotional posts, especially if you want them to become strong brand advocates.

Pro tip: Be particularly careful about edgy humor and snarkiness on social. Brands often miss the mark or end up offending users. 

Content strategy

Once you’ve determined your goals, you can map your content strategy. Don’t skip this step, you won’t get far without a plan. 

One of the easiest ways to do this is to create a site plan. 

For existing content, keep a sheet with current pages and posts on your site and the targeted keywords for each page. 

Create another sheet with a prioritized list of content that you need to create. 

This will keep you on track and ensure you’re setting yourself up to rank for keywords and topics relevant to your brand’s success.

Not sure where to start? Take a look at your competition. 

You want to show up everywhere they are and anywhere they’re not. 

Providing valuable information on your site helps with optimization efforts. It also builds trust with your audience as they learn you provide helpful, valuable, and reliable information.

Own your name

Prevention is worth an ounce of cure. Claim your username across all channels. 

You’ll be much more able to weather an attack if you’ve built a strong foundation to stand on. 

One bad review in a list of hundreds is far less believable than one bad review out of two or three.

When creating content, utilize third-person and descriptive language to assist in SEO efforts. 

Use consistent, descriptive handles and names on social sites, blog posts, and earned media.

See what ranks for your name, and make sure you have a positive presence there.

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SEO

Leverage owned content to control the information about your brand online. 

One of the most effective and reliable ways to do this is via search engine optimization (SEO). 

Optimizing your website and other online profiles to rank higher in search engine results lets your customers find information about your brand online and insulate you against a reputation attack. 

If you can own all of the results on the first page of the SERP for your brand name, it is much harder for someone to get negative information to rank for your name in an attempt at a reputation attack.

Keep up with SEO best practices to ensure your site ranks well for your key brand terms.

Congruence

Your online reputation is closely tied to your personal or professional brand. 

Whether you're a freelancer, entrepreneur, or small business owner, it's essential to establish a consistent brand image across all online platforms. 

Congruence across familiarity in tone, voice, look, and feel of what you share across different channels is essential. 

Of course, you'll need to customize based on limitations and audiences of individual channels, but give the same customer experience at all touchpoints. 

If you look at a major brand's social profiles, you'll notice that they typically have consistency from site to site, both with visuals and written content. 

You want your customers to feel comfortable if they jump from your website to your Facebook page and then to Twitter. 

If they have to stop and think about if they’re still with the same brand as they move from channel to channel, you have a larger chance of losing them in the journey.

Set clear expectations

The perceived success or failure of a project or experience depends greatly on that project's expectations. 

You expect a different level of service when you enter a five-star resort than you do from a roadside motel. What do you want your customers to expect from you? 

Decide, and then deliver. Be authentic, and be helpful wherever you can. 

Being helpful and meeting expectations will increase customer satisfaction, resulting in more positive reviews and social media engagement, which will improve your overall reputation and revenue.

Use reviews to build your brand

Let reviews help you get better. Positive reviews are great to have, but the bad ones are what assist you in improving.

Respond to every review you get. Saying “thank you” when someone leaves a positive comment or review is an easy win. Every brand should do this, but many don't.

More importantly, own your mistakes. If someone leaves a negative review, address the problem.

Monitor what is being said about you online

Monitoring your reputation will allow you to know your audience's perception of your brand and alert you to potential problems before they get out of hand. 

Track news and earned media mentions, social media platforms, online reviews, forums, and any other platforms where your brand's audience may be active. 

This way, you can uncover potential opportunities for building your brand.

Be consistent

Managing your online reputation is a continual process that requires time, strategy, and consistent attention. 

A good reputation indicates trustworthiness and reliability to potential customers and business partners. 

Knowing your audience – and ensuring they know you – will help you build a positive reputation and guarantee your customers and colleagues are loyal advocates of your brand.

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TikTok Shop launches in Beta

TikTok sellers are being invited to be the first to sign up and try out TikTok Shop before its public release.

Now open in Beta. I received the email below this afternoon. Though I’m not a seller, nor do I manage any TikTok ecommerce accounts.

What is TikTok Shop. TikTok Shop is an ecommerce solution designed to boost sales and brand growth on TikTok. It allows users to discover and purchase products from their favorite creators and brands in a single, smooth experience.

Those who join as beta sellers will gain exclusive access to TikTok Shop and have the opportunity to provide valuable feedback for product improvement. Moreover, for a limited time, they will be able to take advantage of an exclusive promo offering 0% Referral Fees for the next 90 days.

Sign up. To participate in TikTok Shop, sellers need only click the link in your email invitation. But if you didn’t receive an invitation, then you can access the Beta signup here.

Why we care. TikTok Shop presents a unique opportunity to tap into the rapidly growing TikTok community, where 83% of users say the platform influences their purchasing decisions. TikTok Shop allows users to discover and purchase products from their favorite creators and brands. Additionally, advertisers and brands can make their products and services easily discoverable to a highly engaged audience, ultimately maximizing their ROI.

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From clicks to conversions: Drive performance with marketing AI by Cynthia Ramsaran

With changes happening to measurement and attribution, many advertisers are examining the effectiveness of their ad placements and casting a critical eye on the reliability of the systems they have in place to properly measure their marketing efforts.

Join industry experts Bhanu Bhardwaj, media and data science leader at Meta, Bryan Karas, CEO of Playbook Media and Yehonathan Barnea, VP of customer success at Pecan AI, as they discuss how AI unlocks customer potential and campaign performance.

Register today for From “Clicks to Conversions: Drive Performance with Marketing AI,” presented by Pecan.

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Google Ads is testing a gold verification badge

No, your eyes aren’t deceiving you. This isn’t Twitter. It’s Google and they’re testing a new gold verification badge.

The badge was noticed by Alex Kubica who posted about it on Twitter.

Just saw a gold badge https://t.co/EL0nQcDhNu pic.twitter.com/Zsbc4oHShT

— Alex Kubica אלכס קוביצה (@alexkubica_eth) April 24, 2023

Other advertisers noticed it, too.

@rustybrick yellow check marks! is this new? pic.twitter.com/AGiP8pokG5

— Alex Melen (@amelen) April 24, 2023

What’s going on. Previously, we noticed a blue verification marker and a blue badge-like label, and now a gold version has emerged. It is important to note that this development is part of Google’s ongoing advertiser verification initiative, and we are now witnessing Google implementing small blue checkmarks for advertisers who have been verified.

Image courtesy of Barry Schwartz at Search Engine Roundtable

Why we care. These verification badges signal that an advertiser has been vetted and approved by Google, which can lead to increased click-through rates and overall ad performance. In a competitive digital advertising landscape, leveraging the added trust provided by these labels can help advertisers stand out from the crowd and improve their ROI.

The post Google Ads is testing a gold verification badge appeared first on Search Engine Land.

Google updates site names in search results after numerous complaints

Google has pushed out a fix to resolve some of the inappropriate or unexpected site names selections displayed in the Google Search results. This comes days after Google posted a web form asking for user feedback about site names that were inaccurate, inappropriate, or wrong, as we reported earlier this week.

As a reminder, Google added site names months ago on desktop and last year on mobile search.

The issue. Google can sometimes disregard the specified site name and replace it what it thinks the site name should be. For example, when it came to searching for [salesforce], Google was showing a space between “sales” and “force,” and the CMO of Salesforce called it “extremely damaging to our brand.”

The fix. Google’s Search Liaison, Danny Sullivan, posted an update in the Google support forms saying a fix was pushed out that resolves some of the issues. He wrote, “We recently rolled out a change that seems to be helping with some of the cases reported here and through our form (and likely some others that weren’t reported).” “This change may take time to populate so that internal pages also reflect updated sitenames,” Sullivan added.

It resolved the issue for Salesforce, as you can see from this screenshot below:

Not fixed for all. However, this did not resolve all the issues reported by all users. Glenn Gabe shared some examples of site names not resolved by this fix on Twitter. “Here are 3 examples of site name problems that were not fixed with the changes rolled out by Google yesterday. The worst is DNN Software that says “Weight Loss Forum”. The others are just wrong & one is causing legal issues,” he wrote:

Controlling site names. Google back in October explained that Google Search uses a number of ways to identify the site name for the search result. But if you want, you can use structured data on your home page to communicate to Google what the site name should be for your site. Google has specific documentation on this new Site name structured data available over here.

Upgrading the favicon. Google also recommended revisiting the documentation for favicons for the latest best practices. Google is now also suggesting you provide an icon that’s at least 48 pixels and follows the existing favicon guidelines.

Ads. This is also rolled out to the Google search ads on desktop, so the size of the site name, favicons, and also the ad label will be more prominent in mobile search. In fact, Google rolled out the “Sponsored” label in mobile search last October and today on desktop, officially replacing the “Ads” label from January 2020.

Why we care. When Google gets your site name, it can not only be upsetting and unprofessional, but it can also cause confusion and legal issues for some businesses.

It is good that Google is collecting feedback about the issues and working to address most, if not, all the reported issues.

The post Google updates site names in search results after numerous complaints appeared first on Search Engine Land.

How to uncover the root cause of PPC performance changes

At some point, your PPC performance will take a nose-dive. Once you’ve managed PPC campaigns long enough, you will likely navigate numerous crises. 

Pinpointing the source of a specific issue can be challenging. Here’s how PPC managers can embrace root cause analysis to mitigate performance issues and get things back on track.

Root cause analysis for PPC accounts

Root cause analysis is necessary to identify the underlying factors impacting PPC account performance.

The process involves a systematic approach to identifying the problem, collecting data, analyzing the data, and determining the root cause of the issue.

For reference, here is a quick list of the steps you should follow to conduct root cause analysis within your PPC account:

Define the problem

Clearly state the problem and its impact on your PPC campaigns. Make sure everyone involved understands the issue.

Gather data

Collect relevant data about the problem, such as when it started, how often it occurs, and what factors are involved.

Identify potential causes

Brainstorm all possible causes of the problem. Use fishbone diagrams or the “Five Whys” technique to identify the root cause.

Test the cause

Analyze the data to see which potential reason is most likely to be the root cause. Test your hypothesis by implementing a solution and measuring its effectiveness.

Implement a solution

Develop and implement a solution that addresses the root cause. Monitor the results in your PPC account and adjust the solution as needed.

Finally, document the process so you can learn from it and prevent similar issues in the future.

This process can be applied to almost any business challenge. However, this process is highly relevant when diagnosing a PPC account. 

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Getting to the core issue of your PPC account

The third step in our root cause analysis process mentioned the "Five Whys Technique," a tool used to identify the underlying cause of a problem. It's a general principle that is relevant to our PPC analysis process. 

The technique involves asking "why" five times to drill down to the root cause of the issue, based on the idea that there is always a deeper cause to every problem. 

For example, here is a thought exercise when analyzing a PPC account: 

• Conversions dropped by 25% between April 15 and April 18. Why? 
• Let's analyze PPC traffic first. Traffic remained steady, and other metrics appeared stable, but the average conversion rate dropped. Also, there were no significant changes to targeting, bid algorithm, or audience signals. Why else?  
• Website traffic isn't an issue. Let's look at the website. Engagement metrics such as bounce rate and time on site look stable. Site engagement was steady, but purchase rates declined. Why? 
• Let's ask the website team if any site changes were made. Yes, they did make changes to the site during that. Why? 
• The development team removed a series of popular products due to low inventory. They still needed to have a chance to notify all the teams. 

Of course, diagnosing a PPC account can take many different routes. But you can see how this process pushes account managers to continue digging for the right solution.

Isolating the impacted timeframe

The first step in identifying and analyzing an issue within a PPC account is isolating the timeframe where a change occurred.

This makes it easier to pinpoint the root cause of the problem and develop an effective strategy to address it. 

Account managers can thoroughly analyze the data by narrowing down the period, including the keywords, landing pages and ad copy, to identify the factors contributing to the decline.

This analysis can help account managers develop a tailored strategy to improve performance and prevent future declines. 

Additionally, isolating the timeframe allows search marketers to measure the effectiveness of any implemented solutions and ensure performance remains stable and positive going forward.

Determining macro and micro issues

When analyzing account performance, it is crucial to differentiate between macro and micro issues. 

Macro issues affect the entire account and can result from external factors such as changes in search algorithms or the introduction of new competitors. Examples of macro issues include:

• Problems with targeting or ad messaging.
• Lack of budget.
• Issues with landing pages. 

Resolving macro issues can lead to significant improvements in account performance. 

External factors such as changing search algorithms, user behavior, or seasonal changes can also affect account performance. 

Therefore, teams should consider these factors to develop an effective root cause analysis process to determine potential issues within a PPC account.

On the other hand, micro issues are specific to individual campaigns and require a different level of attention. Examples of micro issues include:

• Low click-through rates.
• High bounce rates.
• Low conversion rates. 

Nevertheless, identifying and addressing micro matters can significantly improve campaign performance. 

Tools for PPC root cause analysis

Root cause analysis is an excellent framework for diagnosing your PPC campaigns. However, you will need tools to help activate this process. 

Below are a few tools that can help you analyze issues as they arise within PPC.  

Account change history

A performance change in your PPC account can often be traced back to a specific campaign change. The account change history log is the first place you conduct your analysis within Google and Bing. 

Account reporting

As mentioned in our five-step process, isolate the timeframe and affected campaigns. 

Your Google and Bing advertising accounts contain the data and the reports you need to get you started (and perhaps finished) with your root cause analysis. 

Pair your account report to isolate the time and campaigns with your change history log to understand if a specific change is the cause of your issue. 

Google Analytics

As part of your root cause analysis, you should also look at how all digital channels are trending. Google Analytics helps analyze traffic sources, including paid, organic, social, and referral. 

If you need to diagnose a performance issue, you first isolate the impacted timeframe and then review Google Analytics to understand if multiple channels have been affected. 

Google Trends

We have discussed macro-trends influencing account performance. Google Trends helps understand high-level trends within your industry/vertical. 

This tool varies in its usefulness. Google Trends is the highest level of data you can review and the least personalized to your specific account. 

Still, it can provide industry trends as you conduct your analysis. 

A systematic approach to analyzing PPC issues

A robust root cause analysis process is critical to identifying the underlying factors affecting PPC account performance. 

By following a systematic approach to identifying the problem, gathering relevant data, analyzing it, and determining the root cause of the issue, PPC marketers can develop a tailored strategy to improve performance and prevent future declines. 

When performance fluctuations arise (and they will), remember not to panic and take a methodical approach to solve the problem.

The post How to uncover the root cause of PPC performance changes appeared first on Search Engine Land.