Dissecting Google's latest moves in the advertising world, from expanding its ad opportunities to embracing dynamic pricing on YouTube. Also, Google's all-new updates on its indexing API, which now comes with a big dose of spam-detection rigor. Who knew indexing could be this thrilling?

Have you ever wondered if AI could help rake in millions with fake music? Well, a certain North Carolinian named Michael Smith did just that and found himself $10 million richer—but now he’s about to face the music.

Plus: a debate on whether AI can truly capture the essence of human dialogue or if it's just treating us like gullible toddlers.

Join us for some good vibes—or, as Mordy might say, forget the vibes and tune in for the tangible, substantial, and downright entertaining breakdown of the latest web trends. Stay safe, stay well, and avoid being a piece of vibing cyber driftwood.

News from the EDGE:

[00:02:31] Google Expands Ad Opportunities with YouTube First Position Availability

[00:05:29] EDGE of the Web Sponsor: SE Ranking

[00:07:16] Google Indexing API Now Enforces Rigorous Spam Detection for Submissions

[00:09:47] How Google Managed to Charge Publishers Higher Fees Than Competitors

Captain Obvious:

[00:13:29] Brands and their “Good Vibes”

[00:17:43] EDGE of the Web Sponsor: Inlinks

AI Blitz:

[00:19:06] AI and bots allegedly used to fraudulently boost music streams

AI Tools:

[00:21:50] Google Illuminate

[00:00:00] EDGE of the Web Title Sponsor: Site Strategics

Barry Blast from Search Engine Roundtable:

[00:32:23] Google Reviews Restrictions For Business Profile Policy Violations

[00:33:23] Google Asks On Social If You Will Use Gemini AI For SEO

Thanks to our sponsors!

Site Strategics https://edgeofthewebradio.com/site

Inlinks https://edgeofthewebradio.com/inlinks

Follow Us:

X: @ErinSparks

X: @MordyOberstein

X: @TheMann00

X: @EDGEWebRadio

#StandwithUkraine edgeofthewebradio.com/ukraine

In episode 714 of EDGE of the Web, Kristine Schachinger shares her thoughts about the recent leak of Google's internal documents and its implications for SEO professionals. With 2500 pages of documentation now public, the SEO community is abuzz with speculation, curiosity, and anger. We cover the ground around the role of user engagement and click signals, addressing misconceptions and the importance of long-term data and context in Google's ranking algorithms.

Key Segments:

[00:03:38] Introducing Kristine Schachinger

[00:07:59] Massive Google Search Algorithm Leak Shocks Community

[00:11:46] Read Foundational Texts First, Not Document Fragments

[00:15:54] DOJ Documents Differ From Community Claims about SEO

[00:19:32] EDGE of the Web Sponsor: SE Ranking

[00:22:40] Rankbrain Uses User Engagement To Determine Relevance

[00:29:02] How Do You Optimize Toward Navboost

[00:33:37] EDGE of The Web Sponsor: Wix

Thanks to Our Sponsors!

Site Strategics: http://edgeofthewebradio.com/site

SE Ranking: https://edgeofthewebradio.com/seranking

Wix: http://edgeofthewebradio.com/wix

Follow Our Guest

Twitter: https://x.com/schachin

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kschachinger-seo

This week Erin is joined by the Chief Marketing Officer of SE Ranking, Bogdan Babiak, to discuss the SEO platform’s new brand evolution. Since its founding in 2013, SE Ranking has been a trusted tool for SEO professionals throughout the industry, and now, they are bridging the gap between SEO and innovation with a whole new look. Bogdan shares the vision behind SE Rankings brand evolution, discussing integral pieces such as AI and ML solutions behind their growing mission. Bogdan and Erin discuss how this evolution will reshape SE Rankings relationship with consumers and how this transition affects SE Rankings position in the SEO tool market. We evaluate the ways that this rebrand distinguishes SE Ranking while maintaining a commitment to its vision of empowering businesses and SEOs to succeed in the digital landscape. Get a first-hand look into the history of the platform as we dig into SE Rankings brand evolution from a rank-tracking tool into a fully comprehensive SEO ecosystem this week on the EDGE of the Web!

Key Segments:

[00:03:44] Introducing Bogdan Babiak

[00:10:15] Bogdan’s Experience Taking Over Marketing for SE Ranking

[00:13:18] How Did The Relationship With Consumers Change After Covid?

[00:18:28] Integrating AI into SE Ranking

[00:22:34] EDGE of the Web Sponsor: SE Ranking

[00:27:02] How Does SE Ranking Demonstrate ROI For Customers?

[00:35:20] EDGE of the Web Title Sponsor: Site Strategics

[00:41:07] Bogdan’s Vision of SE Ranking Moving Forward

[00:45:40] EDGE of The Web Sponsor: Wix Studio

[00:50:08] How Does a Brand Evolution Impact SE Rankings Position in the SEO Tool Market?

[00:54:41] How Do You Communicate The Improvements Made in SE Ranking to Consumers?

[00:59:34] Future Goals of SE Ranking

[01:03:57] Is There a Responsibility to Give Feedback to Google in the SEO Space?

[01:10:25] Final Thoughts From Bogdan

Thanks to Our Sponsors!

SE Ranking: https://edgeofthewebradio.com/seranking

Site Strategics: https://edgeofthewebradio.com/site

Wix: https://edgeofthewebradio.com/wix

Follow Our Guest

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bogdan-babiak

Resources

https://edgeofthewebradio.com/seranking

Google is trying out a new product categories tab in search results, intended to offer more tailored suggestions in product searches. The new tab is driven by performance insights, demand trends, and actionable recommendations

Yelp is hitting Google with a lawsuit, claiming that the search leader is illegally dominating local search markets. Following the recent and impactful DOJ antitrust lawsuit, Google may have a target on their back as the lawsuits pile up.

You can now create specific remarketing audiences based on individual YouTube channel videos. Google and YouTube have released creator-based audience targeting that allows advertisers pick and choose remarketing lists based off of specific creators. This addition will presumably expand targeting opportunities for YouTube advertisers.

Be sure to join us as we cover everything that happened last week in SEO, tune in here on EDGE of the Web!

News from the EDGE:

[00:06:12] Product Categories Tab added for Google Ads

[00:07:39] Yelp is suing Google, citing dominance with local search

[00:13:39] EDGE of the Web Title Sponsor: Site Strategics

[00:14:36] YouTube is adding creator-based audience targeting

Captain Obvious:

[00:17:49] Don’t Take Brand Identity Advice From AI

AI Blitz:

[00:20:45] Google Gemini Now Accessible From Chrome Address Bar

[00:23:01] California Assembly passes controversial AI safety bill

AI Tools:

[00:24:24] Automate phone calls with AI

[00:27:07] EDGE of the Web Sponsor: Inlinks

Barry Blast from Search Engine Roundtable:

[00:28:50] New Google Analytics 4 Benchmarking Data

[00:30:21] Google Tests New Shopping Search Design

[00:32:14] Google Trends Email Subscriptions Going Away Next Month

Thanks to our sponsors!

Site Strategics https://edgeofthewebradio.com/site

Inlinks https://edgeofthewebradio.com/inlinks

Follow Us:

X: @ErinSparks

X: @MordyOberstein

X: @TheMann00

X: @EDGEWebRadio

Resources:

• Product Categories Tab added for Google Ads
• Yelp is suing Google, citing dominance with local search
• YouTube is adding creator-based audience targeting

• Google Gemini Now Accessible From Chrome Address Bar
• California Assembly passes controversial AI safety bill
• Automate phone calls with AI
• New Google Analytics 4 Benchmarking Data
• Google Tests New Shopping Search Design
• Google Trends Email Subscriptions Going Away Next Month

#StandwithUkraine edgeofthewebradio.com/ukraine

The newest tech SEO conference is coming to Raleigh, North Carolina, this fall! Guests JR Oakes, Patrick Stox, and Matthew Kay have come together to create an all-new SEO experience, Tech SEO Connect, coming to Raleigh on October 17th & 18th. Don’t miss the heavy list of speakers covering core web vitals, Ahrefs Lang, data warehousing, BigQuery, machine learning, and more. In this show, we discuss the origin of Tech SEO Connect with the founders themselves. Learn what makes Tech SEO Connect different from the rest with a diverse content lineup made by technical SEOs for technical SEOs. Get your tickets and mark your calendar as we are all gearing up for the inaugural Tech SEO Connect conference coming this fall. See you there!

Key Segments:

[00:01:00] Introducing Panelists

[00:03:04] The All New TechSEOConnect Conference

[00:07:18] Who is TechSEOConnect Designed For?

[00:12:29] Speakers on the Ballot for Tech SEO Connect

[00:13:40] EDGE of the Web Title Sponsor: Site Strategics

[00:21:40] Featured Sponsors to Expect at the Conference

[00:23:48] What Challenges Arise While Planning an Industry Conference?

[00:24:00] EDGE of The Web Sponsor: Wix

[00:25:47] Unexpected Benefits to Planning Tech SEO Connect

[00:28:06] Tech SEO Connect’s Venue

Follow Our Guests

JR Oakes

JR Oakes GitHub

Patrick Stox

Matthew Kay

TechSEOConnect

Resources:

Tech SEO Connect (Tickets Here)

A recent survey launched by Aleyda Solis highlights key SEO threats, with Google's updates, self-preferencing, and AI Overviews at the top of the list. The study reveals that AI advancements are reshaping search engine dynamics, and SEO is more difficult than ever.

Google declares that low-quality traffic will not impact search rankings. The company affirms that links and site traffic do not negatively influence a site's trustworthiness but that ranking factors prioritize valuable, relevant content over traffic metrics.

Google’s Senior Search Analyst, John Mueller, confirmed that core algorithm updates do impact AI Overviews, giving us a better understanding of how AI is being incorporated into Google’s search results.

Be sure to hit that play button for our in-depth analysis of this week’s news and latest insights into the world of search here on the EDGE of the Web!

News from the EDGE:

[00:04:31] According to a Survey: Top SEO threats include Google updates, self-preferencing, and AI overviews

[00:15:53] Google Explains Why Site Traffic Doesn't Impact Rankings

[00:19:16] EDGE of the Web Title Sponsor: Site Strategics

[00:20:05] Google Confirms Core Updates Affect AI Overviews

Captain Obvious:

[00:21:43] AI Empathy

AI Blitz:

[00:26:09] Reports: Perplexity ads to launch in Q4

[00:27:18] OpenAI warns California’s AI bill threatens US innovation

AI Tools:

[00:30:09] Evaluating 7 AI video generators while waiting for OpenAI’s Sora

[00:31:17] EDGE of the Web Sponsor: Inlinks

Barry Blast from Search Engine Roundtable:

[00:32:49] Google August Core Update Helpful Content Surge Charts

[00:34:52] Hardbacon Announced Closure Day Before August Core Update, Then Sees Traffic Surge

[00:36:57] Google Overhauls Video SEO Docs With More Details

Thanks to our sponsors!

Site Strategics https://edgeofthewebradio.com/site

Inlinks https://edgeofthewebradio.com/inlinks

Resources:

• According to a Survey: Top SEO threats include Google updates, self-preferencing, and AI overviews
• Google Explains Why Site Traffic Doesn't Impact Rankings
• Google Confirms Core Updates Affect AI Overviews

• Reports: Perplexity ads to launch in Q4
• OpenAI warns California’s AI bill threatens US innovation
• Evaluating 7 AI video generators while waiting for OpenAI’s Sora
• Google August Core Update Helpful Content Surge Charts
• Hardbacon Announced Closure Day Before August Core Update, Then Sees Traffic Surge
• Google Overhauls Video SEO Docs With More Details

Follow Us:

X: @ErinSparks

X: @MordyOberstein

X: @TheMann00

X: @EDGEWebRadio

#StandwithUkraine edgeofthewebradio.com/ukraine

We have the CEO of Team Odeon, Ori Zilbershtein, back for his second interview this week. In this episode, we explore the growing threat of negative SEO and fraudulent DMCA case claims, which are growing at a staggering rate. Learn what’s causing the spike in SEO scams as we dive into the scammers' minds in an attempt to understand their motives. Finally, we look at the steps Google has taken to mitigate negative SEO. Join us on episode 708 as we address the increasing number of SEO scams you must look out for here on the EDGE of the Web!

[00:03:48] Reintroducing Ori Zilbershtein

[00:04:57] Fake DMCA Case Claims

[00:15:09] How AI Has Progressed the Scale of DMCA Scams

[00:16:50] EDGE of the Web Title Sponsor: Site Strategics

[00:23:29] What Google is Doing to Combat Negative SEO

[00:27:46] EDGE of The Web Sponsor: Wix

Thanks to Our Sponsors!

Site Strategics: http://edgeofthewebradio.com/site

Wix: http://edgeofthewebradio.com/wix

Follow Our Guest

Twitter: https://x.com/OriZilbershtein

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/orizilbershtein

Resources

Team Odeon

Ars Technica Article