Rank Ranger Blog

In this episode we talk to Brodie Clark and delve into how businesses can best take advantage of Google’s Local SERP features:

• How can a business best leverage some of Google’s latest updates to the Local Panel and Local Pack? 
• Should you opt-in to the message feature in the Local Panel? 
• How can you capitalize on Google Posts and to what extent? 
• How should brands go about product placement in the Local Panel? 

Also, we look at some new and exclusive data on hotel local packs!

Scoring Featured Snippets is just one of those SEO topics that has become almost mythological. Getting your URL into a zero position box is the win of all wins. But while we're all talking about winning, Google is shifting URLs in and out of Featured Snippets much the way a disc jockey switches music tracks during a radio broadcast. This, of course, begs the question... how often does Google change URLs within its Featured Snippets?

This week we interview Andrew Optimisey and get his take on what small brands can do to compete on the SERP:

• What role does a unique selling proposition/point play when competing with a multinational brand?
• How can you keep up with the link building of big brands?
• Where does technical SEO fit into brand competition on the SERP?

Performing a technical site audit doesn't really have to be all that intimidating. To ensure it isn't we went ahead and created an all-new Site Audit Report aimed at simplifying the barrage of data normally associated with technical SEO audits. Here's how to use our new Site Audit to gain straightforward, clear-cut, helpful, and emboldening technical analysis and insights (so that you can breathe easier the next time you need to do a site audit).

This week on the podcast our hosts focus on both user intent and confirmation bias. Specifically,

• Determining Google keyword intent: 3 easy steps to getting a solid intent understanding Google or users?
• Who’s responsible when it comes to confirmation bias? 

What is the intent of a user when they enter a search term? Rather, what are the multiple layers of intent that Google sees in that query? What has Google determined to be important when showing results for a given keyword? Google has gotten far better at parsing search terms according to the multiple intents embedded within them.

But how are you supposed to determine how Google understands intent for a search term? How do you know what content Google thinks is relevant to users? How can you determine how Google understands intent?

Here's a simple method that's worked for me.

This week our hosts Mordy Oberstein and Jacqueline Harkam reflect back on SEO in 2018:

• What were the three most important developments in SEO during 2018?
• Where is SEO heading in 2019?
• How did voice search stack up over the course of the year?

What a year in the world of SEO. Sure, I say that every year, but 2018 certainly had its share of game-changing developments. Predisposed to a high volume of SEO themes, be it mobile-first or Google's new "journey" outlook on search, 2018 has a flavor all unto itself.

Now then, there are just way too many stories for me to cover in one post to catch everything that we saw hit the floor in SEO during 2018. What's to come is my best crack at grabbing all of the major stories, the biggest changes, and the most interesting advancements that came out of the world of search in 2018.

Here we go!

Each and every year we're humbled by the additions we're able to offer to the SEO industry's understanding of the "search environment." Whether it be a deep dive into a Google algorithm update or a case study on Google's use of SERP features, we feel honored to offer a bit of insight into how Google is treating the SERP and so forth. With the year coming to a close, here's a review of the original research Rank Ranger has brought to the forefront of SEO consciousness.

In Episode 08 of the In Search SEO Podcast our hosts Mordy Oberstein & Jacqueline Harkham explore: 

• Big Google Ad and PLA swings (again)! What's going on? 
• Google goes to Washington but did anything come of it? 
• What happens when SEO theory becomes a reality for booking sites? 
• Is blogging still worth it?!

As time has gone on, how we measure effective Google rankings has evolved. We're at one of those moments in time (again) where the ranking paradigm is changing/has changed. As you'll see, ranking above the fold is more important than ever. It's why we created a tool as part of our Beta Blitz SEO reporting initiative that tells you just that: Are you ranking above the fold or can no one see your site despite it ranking so well?

So then, why is ranking above the fold so important and how do you get there? The experts weigh in.

In Episode 07 of the In Search SEO Podcast our hosts Mordy Oberstein & guest host Kim Rognes explore:

• Search filter bubbles & the possibility of Google's approach to search resulting in them
• Huge decreases in ads on the SERP worldwide!
• What happens when Google tries to meet too many user intents on the same SERP?
• Is the Reserve with Google program heading towards monetization?