<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/11/Google-Local-Services-Ads-vs.-Search-Ads-Which-drives-better-local-leads.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Google Local Services Ads vs. Search Ads- Which drives better local leads?" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/11/Google-Local-Services-Ads-vs.-Search-Ads-Which-drives-better-local-leads.jpg 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/11/Google-Local-Services-Ads-vs.-Search-Ads-Which-drives-better-local-leads-768x432.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/11/Google-Local-Services-Ads-vs.-Search-Ads-Which-drives-better-local-leads-1536x864.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>Google’s new merchant location labels in Shopping ads give retailers a visibility boost by highlighting their city or town, helping drive more local foot traffic.

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/11/Google-Local-Services-Ads-vs.-Search-Ads-Which-drives-better-local-leads.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Google Local Services Ads vs. Search Ads- Which drives better local leads?" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/11/Google-Local-Services-Ads-vs.-Search-Ads-Which-drives-better-local-leads.jpg 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/11/Google-Local-Services-Ads-vs.-Search-Ads-Which-drives-better-local-leads-768x432.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/11/Google-Local-Services-Ads-vs.-Search-Ads-Which-drives-better-local-leads-1536x864.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>
<p>Google is quietly testing a new way to make Shopping ads feel more local. Select ads using local inventory feeds now display the merchant’s city or town directly above the product title — think “London” or “Tonbridge” — giving shoppers a clearer sense of where the store is based.</p>



<p><strong>Why we care. </strong>The new location labels make Shopping ads feel more local and trustworthy, helping nearby retailers stand out in crowded results. Clear city or town indicators can increase click-through rates and drive more in-store visits from shoppers who prefer buying close to home. </p>



<p>It also gives merchants using local inventory feeds a competitive edge by highlighting proximity without needing new ad formats or extra setup.</p>



<p><strong>How it works</strong>. The label appears within Shopping ads that already use local inventory data. It joins existing formats like:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>In-store</li>



<li>Pickup later</li>



<li>Curbside pickup</li>
</ul>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" width="1280" height="720" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/location-shopping-ads.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-465808" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/location-shopping-ads.jpg 1280w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/location-shopping-ads-768x432.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px" /></figure>



<p>But unlike those, this label focuses purely on the store’s location, not fulfillment options.</p>



<p><strong>The catch</strong>. Google hasn’t officially announced the feature. Details on rollout, eligibility, and technical requirements remain unknown.</p>



<p><strong>Between the lines</strong>. Merchants using local inventory feeds may get a visibility boost if they operate in recognisable or high-trust locations. For users, it’s another nudge to choose nearby retailers over marketplace or long-distance sellers.</p>



<p><strong>First seen.</strong> This update was spotted by PPC News Feed founder <a href="https://ppcnewsfeed.com/ppc-news/2025-12/google-shopping-ads-now-show-merchant-location-labels/">Hana Kobzová.</a></p>



<p></p>


Google is quietly testing a new way to make Shopping ads feel more local. Select ads using local inventory feeds now display the merchant’s city or town directly above the product title — think “London” or “Tonbridge” — giving shoppers a clearer sense of where the store is based.
Why we care. The new location labels make Shopping ads feel more local and trustworthy, helping nearby retailers stand out in crowded results. Clear city or town indicators can increase click-through rates and drive more in-store visits from shoppers who prefer buying close to home. 
It also gives merchants using local inventory feeds a competitive edge by highlighting proximity without needing new ad formats or extra setup.
How it works. The label appears within Shopping ads that already use local inventory data. It joins existing formats like:
In-store
Pickup later
Curbside pickup




But unlike those, this label focuses purely on the store’s location, not fulfillment options.
The catch. Google hasn’t officially announced the feature. Details on rollout, eligibility, and technical requirements remain unknown.
Between the lines. Merchants using local inventory feeds may get a visibility boost if they operate in recognisable or high-trust locations. For users, it’s another nudge to choose nearby retailers over marketplace or long-distance sellers.
First seen. This update was spotted by PPC News Feed founder Hana Kobzová.

Google’s new merchant location labels in Shopping ads give retailers a visibility boost by highlighting their city or town, helping drive more local foot traffic.

Google Shopping Ads now show merchant location labels

<div><img width="1780" height="1001" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/ai-and-state-of-seo-featured-image.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="AI and State of SEO – Featured image" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/ai-and-state-of-seo-featured-image.png 1780w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/ai-and-state-of-seo-featured-image-768x432.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1780px) 100vw, 1780px" /></div>Feeling overwhelmed by AI buzz? Learn what matters, what’s noise, and how to stay ahead when it comes to AI, LLMs, and generative tools.

If it feels like the entire internet woke up one day and decided to start every sentence with “AI,” you’re not wrong.
Marketers are being hit with a daily wave of LinkedIn thought leaders, half-baked prompt hacks, and promises that ChatGPT is either going to 10x your productivity or take your job entirely.
And in the middle of all this? You (the digital marketer).
Marketers are trying to figure out if this is just another buzzword cycle or the beginning of a complete rewrite of how we do content, SEO, PPC, reporting, and, well, everything.
So let’s break it down. 
Consider this your AI starting guide, written for marketers who are tired of needing a younger person to translate all the jargon the way we once had to help our parents get the internet working or open an AOL chat window back in the day.
Defining AI and LLMs (and why they matter)
I promise I’m not asking “what is AI” to hit a perfect keyword density. I want to establish a common ground so that we’re all aligned moving forward on what I refer to as “AI.” 
You’ll see below that many of these terms are used interchangeably and even inappropriately. You want to sound smart in front of your friends, right? Right!  
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At its core, artificial intelligence refers to machines performing tasks that typically require human intelligence: understanding language, recognizing patterns, making decisions, and yes, even generating content.
The type of AI that is making everyone excited right now is generative AI—models that can produce text, images, code, and more, based on patterns they’ve learned from enormous datasets. 
Tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude don’t “think” the way humans do—they predict the next most likely word or phrase based on what they’ve been trained on.
Despite what people want it to be, AI is not a silver bullet solution to getting rich quickly. It’s not going to automate everything overnight or instantly reduce headcount to make that profit and loss look even better. 
It’s data aggregation, at scale. Large Language Models (LLMs) aren’t producing net new data. They are simply processing the data across the web to provide a solution strictly based on internet consensus. 
Generative AI and LLMs represent a massive shift for content creators and marketers. You’re no longer just optimizing for a classic search engine click—the goal now is to create content that can be effectively interpreted and summarized by machines. 
The critical implication is the rise of zero-click search results: AI systems can summarize, cite, and present your content directly to users, often answering their queries without requiring them to visit your website. (Examples include Google’s AI Overviews and ChatGPT answers.)
This fundamentally shifts the SEO landscape away from a traffic game to an authority and data-ingestion game.
That’s why understanding how AI works and what it doesn’t do well is critical before deciding where it fits into your overall marketing strategy.
AI jargon you need to know
Before we get into the details, it’s worth noting that many people use terms like “AI,” “machine learning,” “LLM,” and “generative AI” interchangeably. While they’re all related, they’re not the same.
Understanding the differences between each will not only make you the cool kid at the lunch table, but it will also help you make smarter decisions about how to leverage them in your marketing strategy.
The table below (and downloadable PDF) will keep you sharp and ensure you’re talking about LLMs correctly and authoritatively.

Artificial intelligence (AI)
Let’s start with the umbrella term. Artificial intelligence refers to the broad concept of machines being able to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence. This includes skills such as problem-solving, learning, speech recognition, and decision-making.
It has become a catch-all buzzword that gets thrown around the search industry and in headlines, but in practice, most of what marketers interact with falls under more specific subsets that we’ll get into in a second.
Example of AI:
Tools like Siri or Google Assistant use AI to interpret voice commands and respond contextually.
Smart speakers were an early adopter of AI.
Machine learning (ML)
Machine learning is a subset of AI—it’s a process that feeds machines data and lets them learn from it. Instead of being explicitly programmed with instructions, machines learn using algorithms that find patterns and make predictions based on that data. (Sorry, it still doesn’t predict the future, yet!)
In marketing, this powers many things, such as ad targeting, customer segmentation, and predictive analytics.
Example of machine learning:
Netflix uses machine learning to suggest shows based on your watch history.
Netflix uses ML to give recommendations to its users.
Natural language processing (NLP)
Natural language processing bridges the gap between raw text and machine-readable intent. 
NLP allows machines to understand, interpret, and generate human language. It’s the reason tools like ChatGPT can have a conversation, and why Google can know that “cheap running shoes” means the same thing as “affordable sneakers.”
Example of natural language processing:
Google Translate uses NLP to understand and convert languages in real time.
NLP process explained, from Grammerly.
Generative AI
When people say “AI,” they usually mean generative AI, a branch of artificial intelligence that creates new content rather than just analyzing existing data.
At its core, it’s a type of computer model (built from algorithms and code) trained on massive datasets to learn patterns in language, visuals, or sound. Then it uses those patterns to generate something new, like text, images, code, or even video. (Google and Reddit’s partnership makes a ton of sense, now, right?)
However, it’s important to remember that it doesn’t “think” like a human. Instead, it predicts the most likely next word, pixel, or line of code based on probabilities, one step at a time.
That’s also why it occasionally goes off the rails.
These misfires, called hallucinations, are when the AI confidently makes something up. And they’ve become legendary. 
Among the most infamous examples: A chatbot recommending you eat at least one small rock per day, or that you use glue to keep the cheese on your pizza.
Examples of generative AI:
ChatGPT writes articles and emails
Midjourney and DALL·E create images
Claude writes code for your WordPress plugin (I used Claude to write/build the entire SEO interview simulator on SEOjobs.com this way!)
And lets not forget Sora, which I would never utilize to portray that I own a Ferrari 458 let alone do epic donuts. 





Large language models (LLMs)
Large language models are a specialized type of generative AI trained on massive datasets (think books, websites, code, and, yes, even Reddit) to understand and generate human-like responses. The bigger and better-trained the model, the more useful the output.
Think of LLMs as the engine behind your favorite chatbot, the part that responds to what you type.
When I first started using ChatGPT, one of the first things I did was upload years of my own writing: blog posts, newsletters, and articles on industry publications (like here on Search Engine Land). That context helped the model learn and respond in my voice, matching my tone and phrasing more naturally.
I still do the writing. The model just helps refine it by offering suggestions, rewording ideas, or polishing my draft based on the examples I’ve given it.
In short: LLMs don’t act on their own, they react to your input. That’s what separates them from AI agents, which can actually take action on your behalf.
Examples of large language models:
GPT-4 (OpenAI, used for ChatGPT)
Claude (Anthropic)
LLaMA (Meta) 
AI agents
While LLMs simply respond to prompts, AI agents execute complex tasks—they navigate websites, fill out forms, call APIs, and complete multi-step tasks without hand-holding. They’re still powered by LLMs under the hood, but now they’ve got goals, tools, and autonomy. 
In other words, AI agents aren’t just talking, they’re working. 
And yes, these are what everyone’s afraid will steal their job.
Examples of AI agents:
ChatGPT (Web searching and analyzing code)
Google Gemini, Google Workspace (Gmail reply suggestions and email thread recaps)
Copilot, Microsoft 365 (Microsoft’s version of Gemini+Workspace)
AI Agents are used within Gmail to provide summaries.
How AI impacts marketing today
Now that we’re all speaking the same AI language, let’s talk about how these tools are collectively disrupting marketing and the way businesses operate.
People have been claiming SEO is dying for over a decade, but this time, the anxiety is a little more concrete. And saying SEO is merely “changing” is an understatement. 
But we’re not facing death, we’re in the middle of a massive, industry-wide pivot, and AI is undeniably at the center of it all.
Let’s look at a few issues. 
Organic traffic is getting cannibalized
AI Overviews are Google’s automated summaries that appear at the top of search results, often pulling from multiple sources. 
Think of them as Featured Snippets on steroids—except they don’t just quote one site and link back. They blend multiple sources, rewrite them in Google’s own voice, and often bury attribution below the fold.
That means for broad informational queries, the first thing people see is Google’s answer, not your blue link. This leads to a much lower click-through-rate (CTR), which in turn reduces clicks to your website. 
Before AI Overviews, queries used to be a great way to introduce your brand to people early in their research, but now the answer and trust goes directly to Google. Sigh.
Claim: AI Overviews only show up for fluff queries, so my traffic is safe.
Reality: Google is already testing AI Overviews for YMYL, product, and B2B queries. It’s expanding, not shrinking.
Google showing AI Overview for a mid funnel shopping query. 
Actionable next steps:
Stop chasing every click. Focus on being the trusted source people remember when they’re ready to act. 
Measure success by visibility, influence, and conversions, not just raw traffic.
Double down on topical authority so you’re the brand cited in AI answers.
Content creation is exploding (and so is the noise)
Generative AI has removed one of the biggest bottlenecks in content marketing: time. What used to take a team of writers a month can be done by one marketer in a week. 
That’s not inherently bad, but when everyone can flood the internet with good-enough content, the signal-to-noise ratio tanks.
Claim: More content = more traffic.
Reality: This was shaky even pre-AI. Now, search algorithms are actively throttling quickly produced, low-value content. 
Google’s Helpful Content update, Bing’s SpamBrain improvements, and even LinkedIn’s recent feed tweaks are all aimed at burying generic, low-quality content.
Actionable next steps:
Focus on authority-driven content: case studies, data analyses, and proprietary insights.
Publish less, promote more. Distribution is more important now than ever before.
Use AI for research, outlining, and refreshing content, rather than just producing more. 
Search results are becoming deeply personalized
Traditional SEO has dealt with personalization for years (e.g., local search, logged-in history), but LLM-powered platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini are taking it to a whole new level.
The same question can return completely different answers depending on the user, their history, their prompts, or even how the model is trained. That means the idea of a “universal ranking” for all users is disappearing fast, and so is our ability to reverse-engineer it.
Example of personalization:
Here’s how an LLM might respond to two different users querying, “What is the outlook for Tesla?”
Financial analyst: The LLM may provide a detailed stock performance summary and recent SEC filings, drawing from the user’s history of researching finance.
New driver: The LLM may focus on new car models, battery life, and charging infrastructure, inferring an interest in buying a vehicle.
Claim: We’ll just optimize for the top answer in ChatGPT like we do for position #1 in Google.
Reality: The universal ranking is dead. The assumption that there’s one top answer to optimize for is flawed because personalization destroys the concept of a “top” answer. 
In classic SEO, Position #1 was a fixed, measurable target based on a universal algorithm (even if local user factors slightly adjusted the result). Optimization strategy was entirely built on this universal ranking model.
Actionable next steps:
Track visibility, not just rankings—how often you’re mentioned, cited, or linked across different LLMs in addition to search engines.
Build recognizable, credible brand entities that AI models can confidently cite.
Invest in content variety (articles, podcasts, videos, datasets) to give models multiple ways to access your information and understand your topics deeply. This includes using structured data and creating definitive, citable answers that are easily ingested by LLMs.
Semrush Enterprise AI displays mentions as a trackable trend chart.
Attribution is breaking
When Google, Bing, or Perplexity answer a user’s question directly—possibly using product comparisons, summaries, or “best of” lists—those users are likely to never visit your site, thanks to AI Overviews. Even if they do, their journey may start in an AI platform, jump to another search, and only then hit your site. 
This path shatters the neat channel → click → conversion path marketers have traditionally relied on, making companies rethink how to track attribution.
Claim: We’ll measure traffic and users from the LLMs directly in our analytics.
Reality: This claim is making a huge assumption that users are clicking to your site—they aren’t!
Actionable next steps:
Shift from last-click attribution to assisted conversion thinking—last-click attribution gives 100% of the credit to the final channel before a conversion. Start looking at assisted conversions and multi-touch models so you can see which channels regularly show up earlier in the journey.
Measure how people interact with your brand as a whole—instead of obsessing over a channel’s ROI, start tracking indicators of overall brand demand. A few concrete signals:

Direct traffic trends
Branded search volume
“How did you hear about us?” fields in lead/purchase forms 
Budget for off-site influence that is hard to perfectly track, for example:

Podcast sponsorships
PR initiatives
Thought leadership that gets covered in news
Semrush Enterprise AI displaying brand sentiment.
Clients and bosses expect magic
Thanks to hype, stakeholders expect AI to do everything faster, cheaper, and better, often without understanding the risks, the learning curve, or the human oversight required.
Claim: We can replace our SEO/content team with AI tools and get the same results.
Reality: AI can accelerate tasks, but it’s not a replacement for strategy, judgement or truly understanding customers needs.
Actionable next steps:
Set expectations early. AI can make some things faster and cheaper, but it’s not a push-button solution.
Show stakeholders the hidden work: prompt refinement, editing, fact-checking, and compliance. (And that it’s not magic).
Use AI’s wins to free up human bandwidth for the high-impact strategic work. The landscape is shifting fast and marketers will have to adapt to thrive. 
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Search is evolving
I’m not here to argue about Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) vs. Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) or dive into the alphabet soup of SEO acronyms. What matters is this: Search today is not what it was yesterday.
Organic traffic isn’t just about ranking in Google anymore. The definition of “search” has expanded, and your strategy needs to keep up. If you’re not thinking beyond the search bar (YouTube, Reddit, newsletters, communities), you’re already falling behind.
The good news? We’re here to help. We’re publishing insights from industry veterans focusing on what to try, what to avoid, and how to actually talk about AI and search in your org without getting lost in the hype.

Feeling overwhelmed by AI buzz? Learn what matters, what’s noise, and how to stay ahead when it comes to AI, LLMs, and generative tools.

What is AI, actually, and how is it affecting SEO?

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/LLM-perception-drift-2026s-key-SEO-metric.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Why LLM perception drift will be 2026’s key SEO metric" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/LLM-perception-drift-2026s-key-SEO-metric.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/LLM-perception-drift-2026s-key-SEO-metric-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/LLM-perception-drift-2026s-key-SEO-metric-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>New data shows how AI models are reshaping B2B brand hierarchies through rapid month-to-month shifts in unaided recall.

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/LLM-perception-drift-2026s-key-SEO-metric.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Why LLM perception drift will be 2026’s key SEO metric" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/LLM-perception-drift-2026s-key-SEO-metric.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/LLM-perception-drift-2026s-key-SEO-metric-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/LLM-perception-drift-2026s-key-SEO-metric-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>
<p>LLMs like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude now sit across search, content generation, and recommendations.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>Now, <a href="https://www.responsive.io/resources/whitepapers/inside-the-b2b-buyers-mind-2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">80% of tech buyers</a> rely on generative AI at least as much as traditional search to research vendors, according to a Responsive survey of B2B buyers. </p>



<p>This effective transfer of trust in AI discovery has become an enablement tool for B2B buyers, quietly deciding which brands get remembered and which get ignored.&nbsp;</p>



<p>And those decisions, once invisible, are now measurable.</p>



<p>Previsible has been studying this shift through a new lens called LLM perception drift, the month-over-month change in how AI models reference and position brands inside a given category. <em>(</em><strong><em>Disclosure</em></strong><em>: I’m the CEO and co-founder of Previsible.)&nbsp;</em></p>



<p>Using recent data from Evertune, which tracks brand visibility within model outputs, we focused on a single case study: the project management software space, comparing September 2025 to October 2025.</p>



<p>The results show how rapidly AI brand perception is evolving, and why that volatility is about to become the next major SEO metric.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-insights">Key insights</h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>LLM perception drift is solidifying as a new visibility metric for SEO and B2B marketing.</li>



<li>Project management and adjacent enterprise brands saw meaningful movement, with tools like Atlassian surging while Trello, Slack, and Monday.com posted notable drops, according to recent data from Evertune.</li>



<li>These movements reveal that AI brand perception is dynamic and measurable, reshaping how marketers understand authority and semantic relevance inside large language models.</li>



<li>In 2026, AI brand signal stability will become central to maintaining digital relevance as LLMs evolve and retraining cycles accelerate.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-subtle-shake-up-inside-the-ai-mind">A subtle shake-up inside the AI mind</h2>



<p>Evertune’s AI brand score tracks how likely a large language model is to recommend a brand without being prompted by name.</p>



<p>The score captures two things: how often the brand appears in AI responses (visibility) and where it ranks when it does (average position).</p>



<p>Between September and October, project management brands saw big swings in their scores, signaling real shifts in the AI’s internal brand landscape.</p>



<p>Some of the more striking movements:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Slack saw one of the most dramatic drops (-8.10).</li>



<li>Trello fell sharply (-5.59).</li>



<li>Monday.com (-0.78) and ClickUp (-0.74) also declined.</li>
</ul>



<p>Meanwhile, gains concentrated around ecosystem and enterprise-connected brands:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Atlassian jumped (+5.50).</li>



<li>Microsoft (+2.08).</li>



<li>Google (+3.62).</li>



<li>Professional services firms like Deloitte (+5.00), KPMG (+4.00), PwC (+2.45), and EY (+2.75) also climbed.</li>
</ul>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img decoding="async" width="1080" height="1350" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/AI-brand-score-volatility.png" alt="AI brand score volatility" class="wp-image-465679" style="width:656px;height:auto" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/AI-brand-score-volatility.png 1080w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/AI-brand-score-volatility-768x960.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px" /></figure></div>


<p>At face value, it looks like a leaderboard reshuffle.&nbsp;</p>



<p>But beneath the surface, the shift reflects something deeper – a measurable change in the AI’s unaided brand awareness, a drift in how the model perceives and prioritizes brands, even when nothing visible changed in the market itself.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-meaning-behind-the-drift">The meaning behind the drift</h2>



<p>The data suggests two overlapping forces driving the change.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-category-entanglement">Category entanglement</h3>



<p>Rather than declining, the category is becoming blurrier.</p>



<p>LLMs are increasingly pulling project management tools into broader conceptual neighborhoods:&nbsp;</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Operations.</li>



<li>Digital transformation.</li>



<li>Workflow orchestration.</li>



<li>Enterprise productivity.</li>



<li>IT consulting.</li>
</ul>



<p>That’s why names like Deloitte, KPMG, and Amazon rise alongside Smartsheet and Atlassian.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ecosystem-advantage">Ecosystem advantage</h3>



<p>Multi-product ecosystems are gaining attention more reliably.</p>



<p>Atlassian’s +5.50 lift is a prime example: strong documentation, cross-product integrations, and high contextual density drive richer model associations.</p>



<p>Similarly, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and Adobe all saw upward movement.</p>



<p>Models favor brands that live across multiple contexts. This is the same pattern entity-based SEO taught us, but happening faster and with more volatility.</p>



<p>The more interconnected the brand, the more persistently it appears in AI-generated discourse.</p>



<p><strong><em>Dig deeper: <a href="https://searchengineland.com/llm-visibility-alignment-464073">Alignment for LLM visibility is incredibly complex, but doable</a></em></strong></p>



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			<p class="text-center mb-0" style="font-size: .75rem;"><a class="nl-terms" href="https://searchengineland.com/termsofuse" target="_blank" aria-label="opens in a new tab">See terms.</a></p>
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-entrants-new-patterns">New entrants, new patterns</h2>



<p>The long tail continues to reveal emerging signals.</p>



<p>Brands like Celoxis (+5.17), Workfront (+2.38), TeamGantt (+0.92), LiquidPlanner (+1.40), Podio (+1.65), and GanttProject (+0.45) grew during the period.</p>



<p>This reflects how LLM fine-tuning and retrieval-augmented systems pull in broader datasets:&nbsp;</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>SaaS directories.</li>



<li>GitHub repositories.</li>



<li>Technical documentation.</li>



<li>Reviews.</li>



<li>Community content.</li>
</ul>



<p>For smaller B2B brands, this is a key unlock: you can surface in model responses without dominating classic SEO.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-this-shift-matters-for-b2b-discovery-and-why-it-s-speeding-up">Why this shift matters for B2B discovery – and why it’s speeding up</h2>



<p>Traditional SEO metrics measure what search engines decide to display. But LLMs don’t index, they synthesize.</p>



<p>That means brand memory inside AI systems is built from associations, context, and semantic density – it goes beyond authority signals or link structures.</p>



<p>The data shows these associations can swing several points in a single month, even for established brands.</p>



<p>That volatility is LLM perception drift, the difference between being surfaced consistently in model outputs versus quietly disappearing from unaided recall.</p>



<p><strong><em>Dig deeper: <a href="https://searchengineland.com/ai-availability-brands-battleground-464484">Why AI availability is the new battleground for brands</a></em></strong></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-new-ai-optimization-kpi-ai-brand-signal-stability">A new AI optimization KPI: AI brand signal stability</h2>



<p>In our work with B2B clients, we’re increasingly tracking AI brand signal stability, the consistency of a brand’s presence and positioning across LLM outputs over time.</p>



<p>If your score fluctuates sharply, the model’s understanding is fragile, influenced by retraining cycles, data sparsity, or competitive content expansion.</p>



<p>If it remains stable, you have strong semantic anchoring: the model “knows” you belong to the category.</p>



<p>By 2026, AI brand signal stability will sit next to share of voice and keyword rankings as a core visibility metric.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-project-management-to-every-b2b-vertical">From project management to every B2B vertical</h2>



<p>What’s happening in project management is also happening across different verticals – from CRM to HR tech, analytics, cybersecurity, and every other B2B category.</p>



<p>LLMs are constantly recalibrating which brands belong in which contexts.</p>



<p>As models reinterpret category boundaries, they also reshape buying journeys.&nbsp;</p>



<p>A small dip or surge in model attention can shift which brands appear in summaries, comparisons, and decision-support workflows.</p>



<p>What looks like a few points of movement today is a glimpse into the next marketing battlefield: AI memory.</p>



<p><strong><em>Dig deeper: <a href="https://searchengineland.com/llm-perception-match-hurdle-before-fanout-458803">LLM perception match: The hurdle before fanout and why it matters</a></em></strong></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-next-frontier-of-optimization">The next frontier of optimization</h2>



<p>This shift represents the natural evolution of SEO, moving from optimizing for search indices to optimizing for model memory.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The focus is increasingly on:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Measuring and influencing how brands exist inside AI ecosystems.</li>



<li>Tracking their representation.</li>



<li>Reinforcing their associations.</li>



<li>Ensuring they remain contextually relevant as models retrain.</li>
</ul>



<p>We’re moving from “How do we rank higher?” to “How do we make sure AI responds correctly?”</p>



<p>That requires new tools, new data pipelines, and a mindset shift: treating LLMs as dynamic perception systems, not static endpoints.</p>



<p>Evertune’s latest dataset reveals something bigger than the month-to-month shifts of Asana, Trello, or Monday.com.&nbsp;</p>



<p>It captures the early signs of how quickly an AI system’s sense of a category can change.&nbsp;</p>



<p>These shifts are now visible enough to track, steady enough to analyze, and influential enough that marketing teams will soon watch them as closely as any core marketing metric.</p>



<p>By 2026, a brand’s presence inside AI-generated summaries and comparisons will shape decision-making more than pageviews or clicks ever did.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Companies that track how they show up in these model-driven moments – and learn to strengthen those signals – will gain a real edge as AI becomes the primary layer of digital research.</p>

LLMs like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude now sit across search, content generation, and recommendations.  
Now, 80% of tech buyers rely on generative AI at least as much as traditional search to research vendors, according to a Responsive survey of B2B buyers. 
This effective transfer of trust in AI discovery has become an enablement tool for B2B buyers, quietly deciding which brands get remembered and which get ignored. 
And those decisions, once invisible, are now measurable.
Previsible has been studying this shift through a new lens called LLM perception drift, the month-over-month change in how AI models reference and position brands inside a given category. (Disclosure: I’m the CEO and co-founder of Previsible.) 
Using recent data from Evertune, which tracks brand visibility within model outputs, we focused on a single case study: the project management software space, comparing September 2025 to October 2025.
The results show how rapidly AI brand perception is evolving, and why that volatility is about to become the next major SEO metric.
Key insights
LLM perception drift is solidifying as a new visibility metric for SEO and B2B marketing.
Project management and adjacent enterprise brands saw meaningful movement, with tools like Atlassian surging while Trello, Slack, and Monday.com posted notable drops, according to recent data from Evertune.
These movements reveal that AI brand perception is dynamic and measurable, reshaping how marketers understand authority and semantic relevance inside large language models.
In 2026, AI brand signal stability will become central to maintaining digital relevance as LLMs evolve and retraining cycles accelerate.
A subtle shake-up inside the AI mind
Evertune’s AI brand score tracks how likely a large language model is to recommend a brand without being prompted by name.
The score captures two things: how often the brand appears in AI responses (visibility) and where it ranks when it does (average position).
Between September and October, project management brands saw big swings in their scores, signaling real shifts in the AI’s internal brand landscape.
Some of the more striking movements:
Slack saw one of the most dramatic drops (-8.10).
Trello fell sharply (-5.59).
Monday.com (-0.78) and ClickUp (-0.74) also declined.
Meanwhile, gains concentrated around ecosystem and enterprise-connected brands:
Atlassian jumped (+5.50).
Microsoft (+2.08).
Google (+3.62).
Professional services firms like Deloitte (+5.00), KPMG (+4.00), PwC (+2.45), and EY (+2.75) also climbed.

At face value, it looks like a leaderboard reshuffle. 
But beneath the surface, the shift reflects something deeper – a measurable change in the AI’s unaided brand awareness, a drift in how the model perceives and prioritizes brands, even when nothing visible changed in the market itself.
The meaning behind the drift
The data suggests two overlapping forces driving the change.
Category entanglement
Rather than declining, the category is becoming blurrier.
LLMs are increasingly pulling project management tools into broader conceptual neighborhoods: 
Operations.
Digital transformation.
Workflow orchestration.
Enterprise productivity.
IT consulting.
That’s why names like Deloitte, KPMG, and Amazon rise alongside Smartsheet and Atlassian.
Ecosystem advantage
Multi-product ecosystems are gaining attention more reliably.
Atlassian’s +5.50 lift is a prime example: strong documentation, cross-product integrations, and high contextual density drive richer model associations.
Similarly, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and Adobe all saw upward movement.
Models favor brands that live across multiple contexts. This is the same pattern entity-based SEO taught us, but happening faster and with more volatility.
The more interconnected the brand, the more persistently it appears in AI-generated discourse.
Dig deeper: Alignment for LLM visibility is incredibly complex, but doable
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See terms.
New entrants, new patterns
The long tail continues to reveal emerging signals.
Brands like Celoxis (+5.17), Workfront (+2.38), TeamGantt (+0.92), LiquidPlanner (+1.40), Podio (+1.65), and GanttProject (+0.45) grew during the period.
This reflects how LLM fine-tuning and retrieval-augmented systems pull in broader datasets: 
SaaS directories.
GitHub repositories.
Technical documentation.
Reviews.
Community content.
For smaller B2B brands, this is a key unlock: you can surface in model responses without dominating classic SEO.
Why this shift matters for B2B discovery – and why it’s speeding up
Traditional SEO metrics measure what search engines decide to display. But LLMs don’t index, they synthesize.
That means brand memory inside AI systems is built from associations, context, and semantic density – it goes beyond authority signals or link structures.
The data shows these associations can swing several points in a single month, even for established brands.
That volatility is LLM perception drift, the difference between being surfaced consistently in model outputs versus quietly disappearing from unaided recall.
Dig deeper: Why AI availability is the new battleground for brands
A new AI optimization KPI: AI brand signal stability
In our work with B2B clients, we’re increasingly tracking AI brand signal stability, the consistency of a brand’s presence and positioning across LLM outputs over time.
If your score fluctuates sharply, the model’s understanding is fragile, influenced by retraining cycles, data sparsity, or competitive content expansion.
If it remains stable, you have strong semantic anchoring: the model “knows” you belong to the category.
By 2026, AI brand signal stability will sit next to share of voice and keyword rankings as a core visibility metric.
From project management to every B2B vertical
What’s happening in project management is also happening across different verticals – from CRM to HR tech, analytics, cybersecurity, and every other B2B category.
LLMs are constantly recalibrating which brands belong in which contexts.
As models reinterpret category boundaries, they also reshape buying journeys. 
A small dip or surge in model attention can shift which brands appear in summaries, comparisons, and decision-support workflows.
What looks like a few points of movement today is a glimpse into the next marketing battlefield: AI memory.
Dig deeper: LLM perception match: The hurdle before fanout and why it matters
The next frontier of optimization
This shift represents the natural evolution of SEO, moving from optimizing for search indices to optimizing for model memory. 
The focus is increasingly on:
Measuring and influencing how brands exist inside AI ecosystems.
Tracking their representation.
Reinforcing their associations.
Ensuring they remain contextually relevant as models retrain.
We’re moving from “How do we rank higher?” to “How do we make sure AI responds correctly?”
That requires new tools, new data pipelines, and a mindset shift: treating LLMs as dynamic perception systems, not static endpoints.
Evertune’s latest dataset reveals something bigger than the month-to-month shifts of Asana, Trello, or Monday.com. 
It captures the early signs of how quickly an AI system’s sense of a category can change. 
These shifts are now visible enough to track, steady enough to analyze, and influential enough that marketing teams will soon watch them as closely as any core marketing metric.
By 2026, a brand’s presence inside AI-generated summaries and comparisons will shape decision-making more than pageviews or clicks ever did. 
Companies that track how they show up in these model-driven moments – and learn to strengthen those signals – will gain a real edge as AI becomes the primary layer of digital research.

New data shows how AI models are reshaping B2B brand hierarchies through rapid month-to-month shifts in unaided recall.

Why LLM perception drift will be 2026’s key SEO metric

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/chatgpt-ads-1920.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="ChatGPT ads" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/chatgpt-ads-1920.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/chatgpt-ads-1920-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/chatgpt-ads-1920-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>ChatGPT execs said the ads were 'either not real or not ads' before admitting the company 'fell short' with an app suggestion feature.

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/chatgpt-ads-1920.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="ChatGPT ads" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/chatgpt-ads-1920.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/chatgpt-ads-1920-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/chatgpt-ads-1920-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>
<p>OpenAI is trying to reassure paying users after ChatGPT surfaced what looked like ads from brands like Target and Peloton – and said those prompts weren’t ads at all.</p>



<p><strong>What happened.</strong> Paying ChatGPT users shared screenshots of promotional-style prompts, including a message urging them to “Shop for home and groceries. Connect Target.” </p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>In response, OpenAI said those prompts were recommendations for apps built on the ChatGPT platform, with “no financial component.” </li>



<li>Users saw a brand logo and a call to action – and drew the obvious conclusion: these were ads.</li>



<li>Users were not pleased. One <a href="https://x.com/BenjaminDEKR/status/1996274293962142177" target="_blank" rel="noopener">response</a>: “Bruhhh… Don’t insult your paying users.”</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>What OpenAI is saying. </strong>OpenAI leaders moved quickly to clarify:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>“No ads.”</strong> ChatGPT head Nick Turley said there are “no live tests for ads” and claimed the screenshots were “either not real or not ads.”</li>



<li><strong>Not an ad, but</strong>&#8230; Chief research officer Mark Chen struck a more apologetic note, admitting OpenAI “fell short” and that anything that feels like an ad must be “handled with care.”</li>



<li><strong>Feature off.</strong> Chen said OpenAI has disabled these app suggestions while it sharpens the model’s precision and adds controls so users can dial them down or turn them off.</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>Ads on hold. </strong>Despite all the discussion about ChatGPT ads, OpenAI paused its advertising plans. CEO Sam Altman <a href="https://searchengineland.com/openai-code-red-pause-chatgpt-ads-465542">declared a companywide “code red”</a> to rapidly improve ChatGPT’s quality, according to an internal memo. That push is delaying several initiatives, including advertising.</p>



<p><strong>Why we care.</strong> We thought we were seeing the first ChatGPT ads, but that wasn’t the case. So for now, we wait until ChatGPT comes out of its “code red” status with its new and improved product experience.</p>



<p><strong>More coverage.</strong> See <a href="https://www.techmeme.com/251206/p9#a251206p9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Techmeme</a></p>


OpenAI is trying to reassure paying users after ChatGPT surfaced what looked like ads from brands like Target and Peloton – and said those prompts weren’t ads at all.
What happened. Paying ChatGPT users shared screenshots of promotional-style prompts, including a message urging them to “Shop for home and groceries. Connect Target.” 
In response, OpenAI said those prompts were recommendations for apps built on the ChatGPT platform, with “no financial component.” 
Users saw a brand logo and a call to action – and drew the obvious conclusion: these were ads.
Users were not pleased. One response: “Bruhhh… Don’t insult your paying users.”
What OpenAI is saying. OpenAI leaders moved quickly to clarify:
“No ads.” ChatGPT head Nick Turley said there are “no live tests for ads” and claimed the screenshots were “either not real or not ads.”
Not an ad, but… Chief research officer Mark Chen struck a more apologetic note, admitting OpenAI “fell short” and that anything that feels like an ad must be “handled with care.”
Feature off. Chen said OpenAI has disabled these app suggestions while it sharpens the model’s precision and adds controls so users can dial them down or turn them off.
Ads on hold. Despite all the discussion about ChatGPT ads, OpenAI paused its advertising plans. CEO Sam Altman declared a companywide “code red” to rapidly improve ChatGPT’s quality, according to an internal memo. That push is delaying several initiatives, including advertising.
Why we care. We thought we were seeing the first ChatGPT ads, but that wasn’t the case. So for now, we wait until ChatGPT comes out of its “code red” status with its new and improved product experience.
More coverage. See Techmeme

ChatGPT execs said the ads were 'either not real or not ads' before admitting the company 'fell short' with an app suggestion feature.

OpenAI says ChatGPT ‘ads’ weren’t ads

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2019/02/google-search-console-interface-ss-1920-800x450.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Screenshot of Google Search Console" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2019/02/google-search-console-interface-ss-1920-800x450.jpg 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2019/02/google-search-console-interface-ss-1920-600x338.jpg 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2019/02/google-search-console-interface-ss-1920-200x113.jpg 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2019/02/google-search-console-interface-ss-1920-768x432.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2019/02/google-search-console-interface-ss-1920-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2019/02/google-search-console-interface-ss-1920-150x84.jpg 150w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2019/02/google-search-console-interface-ss-1920.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>This is currently an experiment and rolling out to a limited number of sites.

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2019/02/google-search-console-interface-ss-1920-800x450.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Screenshot of Google Search Console" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2019/02/google-search-console-interface-ss-1920-800x450.jpg 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2019/02/google-search-console-interface-ss-1920-600x338.jpg 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2019/02/google-search-console-interface-ss-1920-200x113.jpg 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2019/02/google-search-console-interface-ss-1920-768x432.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2019/02/google-search-console-interface-ss-1920-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2019/02/google-search-console-interface-ss-1920-150x84.jpg 150w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2019/02/google-search-console-interface-ss-1920.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>
<p>Google Search Console will be gaining social channel data in the Insights report tab. This is a new &#8220;experiment&#8221; that &#8220;unified view of their Google Search performance across their websites and social channels,&#8221; Google <a href="https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2025/12/social-channels-search-console">wrote</a>. The Insights report will show performance data for some of your social channels, including YouTube, Tiktok and Instagram.</p>



<p><strong>What Google said. </strong>Google said:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>&#8220;Today, we are excited to announce a new experiment in Search Console that offers site owners a unified view of their Google Search performance across their websites and social channels.&#8221; </li>



<li>&#8220;With this update, we are expanding the Search Console Insights report to include performance data not only for your website, but also for some of your social channels.&#8221; </li>



<li>&#8220;This new integration lets you review Search performance of social channels associated with your website directly within Search Console.&#8221;</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>Who will see this. </strong>Not all sites will see this experiment yet, it is an &#8220;experiment&#8221; and is a limited roll out. Google wrote:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>&#8220;We are rolling out these new insights for a limited set of websites.&#8221;</li>



<li>&#8220;At this first stage, the insights are available only for sites and channels that Search Console has identified automatically. On the Search Console Insights report, you will be prompted to add the social channels that Search Console has automatically identified and associated with your website.&#8221;</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>What it looks like. </strong>Here is a screenshot of this report with social channel data, specifically your YouTube channel data:</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" width="2048" height="1336" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/youtube-social-search-console-scaled.png" alt="" class="wp-image-465777" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/youtube-social-search-console-scaled.png 2048w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/youtube-social-search-console-768x501.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/youtube-social-search-console-1536x1002.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px" /></figure>



<p><strong>What data it shows. </strong>Google said the &#8220;new view will display familiar performance insights for each channel, including:&#8221;</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>Additional traffic sources:</strong> total clicks your site receives from additional sources such as Image Search, Video Search, News Search, and Discover.</li>



<li><strong>Total reach:</strong> total clicks and impressions driving traffic from Google to your social channel.</li>



<li><strong>Content performance:</strong> top social channel pages, as well as those trending up or down.</li>



<li><strong>Search queries:</strong> top and trending queries leading users to your social profiles.</li>



<li><strong>Audience location:</strong> top countries where users are clicking on your social channel in Search results.</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>How do you add this data.</strong> Again, it is a limited roll out so you might not see it. But if you do, Google will prompt you to add the social channels that Search Console has automatically identified and associated with your website. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" width="1964" height="826" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/search-console-insights-social-channels.png" alt="" class="wp-image-465778" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/search-console-insights-social-channels.png 1964w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/search-console-insights-social-channels-768x323.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/search-console-insights-social-channels-1536x646.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1964px) 100vw, 1964px" /></figure>



<p><br><strong>Why we care. </strong>More data is great, but currently, several of the Search Console reports are super <a href="https://searchengineland.com/google-search-console-index-coverage-report-delayed-465464">delayed</a>. But when the reports are not delayed, this data and additional information can be useful.</p>



<p>&#8220;We hope these insights will give you a better understanding of your combined performance in the insights report,&#8221; Google wrote.</p>


Google Search Console will be gaining social channel data in the Insights report tab. This is a new “experiment” that “unified view of their Google Search performance across their websites and social channels,” Google wrote. The Insights report will show performance data for some of your social channels, including YouTube, Tiktok and Instagram.
What Google said. Google said:
“Today, we are excited to announce a new experiment in Search Console that offers site owners a unified view of their Google Search performance across their websites and social channels.” 
“With this update, we are expanding the Search Console Insights report to include performance data not only for your website, but also for some of your social channels.” 
“This new integration lets you review Search performance of social channels associated with your website directly within Search Console.”
Who will see this. Not all sites will see this experiment yet, it is an “experiment” and is a limited roll out. Google wrote:
“We are rolling out these new insights for a limited set of websites.”
“At this first stage, the insights are available only for sites and channels that Search Console has identified automatically. On the Search Console Insights report, you will be prompted to add the social channels that Search Console has automatically identified and associated with your website.”
What it looks like. Here is a screenshot of this report with social channel data, specifically your YouTube channel data:




What data it shows. Google said the “new view will display familiar performance insights for each channel, including:”
Additional traffic sources: total clicks your site receives from additional sources such as Image Search, Video Search, News Search, and Discover.
Total reach: total clicks and impressions driving traffic from Google to your social channel.
Content performance: top social channel pages, as well as those trending up or down.
Search queries: top and trending queries leading users to your social profiles.
Audience location: top countries where users are clicking on your social channel in Search results.
How do you add this data. Again, it is a limited roll out so you might not see it. But if you do, Google will prompt you to add the social channels that Search Console has automatically identified and associated with your website. 





Why we care. More data is great, but currently, several of the Search Console reports are super delayed. But when the reports are not delayed, this data and additional information can be useful.
“We hope these insights will give you a better understanding of your combined performance in the insights report,” Google wrote.

This is currently an experiment and rolling out to a limited number of sites.

Google Search Console Insights integrating social channels

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/How-to-use-proxy-metrics-to-speed-up-optimization-in-complex-B2B-journeys.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="How to use proxy metrics to speed up optimization in complex B2B journeys" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/How-to-use-proxy-metrics-to-speed-up-optimization-in-complex-B2B-journeys.jpg 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/How-to-use-proxy-metrics-to-speed-up-optimization-in-complex-B2B-journeys-768x432.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/How-to-use-proxy-metrics-to-speed-up-optimization-in-complex-B2B-journeys-1536x864.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>Use high-fidelity micro-conversions to tighten feedback loops, sharpen bidding, and keep long-cycle campaigns from drifting off course.

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/How-to-use-proxy-metrics-to-speed-up-optimization-in-complex-B2B-journeys.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="How to use proxy metrics to speed up optimization in complex B2B journeys" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/How-to-use-proxy-metrics-to-speed-up-optimization-in-complex-B2B-journeys.jpg 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/How-to-use-proxy-metrics-to-speed-up-optimization-in-complex-B2B-journeys-768x432.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/How-to-use-proxy-metrics-to-speed-up-optimization-in-complex-B2B-journeys-1536x864.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>
<p>Long sales cycles, low conversion volume, and multi-stage purchase journeys make measurement and attribution harder, creating real obstacles to campaign optimization.</p>



<p>For B2Bs and brands selling high-ticket items, this is the reality. </p>



<p>A campaign launched today may take weeks or even months to show revenue, retention, or lifetime value – delaying your ability to use those measurements to refine bidding and targeting.</p>



<p>That’s where proxy metrics – also known as soft metrics, or micro-conversions – can come into play.</p>



<p>Let&#8217;s dig into proxy metrics.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-are-proxy-metrics">What are proxy metrics?</h2>



<p>Proxy metrics are early indicators of future outcomes.</p>



<p>They give you a way to measure momentum before final – or more downstream – results show up.</p>



<p>Some examples:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Engagement rate on ads can foreshadow conversions.</li>



<li>Add-to-cart events often predict sales.</li>



<li>First-week retention can predict long-term customer value.</li>
</ul>



<p>Leveraging proxy metrics can help teams:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Course-correct campaigns earlier.</li>



<li>Optimize budget allocation faster.</li>



<li>Avoid waiting for lagging outcomes.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>



<p>They help you move quickly <strong>and</strong> de-risk decisions when used effectively.</p>



<p>In some cases (e.g., when purchase cycles stretch beyond Google Ads’ 90-day latency window), you’re forced to find alternative ways to track performance.</p>



<p>Here, I look for the best predictors that occur within the first 90 days after a click and use those instead of the longer-term activity that won’t be recorded within Google’s limits.</p>



<p><strong><em>Dig deeper: <a href="https://searchengineland.com/how-to-use-ga4-predictive-metrics-for-smarter-ppc-targeting-457373">How to use GA4 predictive metrics for smarter PPC targeting</a></em></strong></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-do-proxy-metrics-power-algorithmic-bidding">How do proxy metrics power algorithmic bidding?</h2>



<p>The powerhouse digital ad platforms, Google and Meta, use machine learning to optimize campaign performance.&nbsp;</p>



<p>But algorithms need signals.</p>



<p>When businesses optimize only for end conversions that occur weeks later, the system struggles to learn, and “conversion”-focused goals end up harvesting cheap, low-quality users.</p>



<p>Proxy metrics bridge that gap.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Feeding the algorithm with earlier signals enables some important things to happen:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Micro-conversions (such as email or free trial signups) can act as training signals for the bidding algorithm.</li>



<li>Quality indicators (such as time on site or scroll depth) can refine targeting when conversion data is sparse.</li>



<li>Predictive scoring models can translate raw behaviors into weighted signals that approximate revenue likelihood.</li>
</ul>



<p>This approach helps algorithms learn who’s likely to convert and, with some <a href="https://searchengineland.com/advanced-analytics-techniques-measure-ppc-smx-444579">proportion-based calculations</a>, lets you bid according to the relative value of the proxy metrics you’re using.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-to-use-proxy-metrics-to-build-audiences-and-enrich-insights">How to use proxy metrics to build audiences and enrich insights</h2>



<p>Beyond bidding, proxy metrics unlock smarter audience building and deeper insights.</p>



<p>Let’s start with audience building.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Segmenting users based on early behaviors (e.g., engaged video viewers, repeat site visitors, high click-through engagers) allows you to create lookalike audiences that align with future high-value customers.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Basically, instead of targeting “everyone who clicked,” proxy metrics can shift your focus to “everyone who looks like people who eventually bought.”</p>



<p>On the data front, proxy metrics help analysts run faster tests.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Instead of waiting months for LTV data, you can validate hypotheses using leading indicators.&nbsp;</p>



<p>For example, if an experiment shows a 20% lift in proxy metrics that historically correlate with revenue, you can make earlier investment decisions with confidence.&nbsp;</p>



<p>It’s the same principle when you’re running an <a href="https://searchengineland.com/incrementality-testing-advertising-winners-losers-442852">incrementality test</a> or media mix modeling (MMM).</p>



<p>In many cases, proxy metrics deliver stronger statistical significance or better model accuracy than long-term business metrics.&nbsp;</p>



<p>If your data is too thin to run incrementality tests or MMM with confidence, pick proxy metrics with enough volume and close proximity to your conversion event, and build from there.</p>



<p><strong><em>Dig deeper: </em></strong><a href="https://searchengineland.com/mta-vs-mmm-which-marketing-attribution-model-is-right-for-you-452368"><strong><em>MTA vs. MMM: Which marketing attribution model is right for you?</em></strong></a></p>



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<hr class="wp-block-separator has-text-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-css-opacity has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-background"/>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-to-assess-the-reliability-of-proxy-metrics">How to assess the reliability of proxy metrics</h2>



<p>Proxy metrics can vary wildly in quality and reliability.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Some are high-fidelity predictors. Others are simply prerequisites that don’t always guarantee downstream success.&nbsp;</p>



<p>(<strong>Important note</strong>: Going too far up the funnel for your proxy metrics gives the algorithm license to prioritize lower-value activity.)&nbsp;</p>



<p>For example:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Newsletter sign-ups often signal genuine interest and correlate strongly with future engagement or purchases, making them a dependable early indicator.&nbsp;</li>



<li>In contrast, add-to-cart events are necessary before a purchase, but are notoriously leaky, as many shoppers abandon their carts without checking out.&nbsp;</li>



<li>Similarly, a video view might suggest curiosity, but it&#8217;s a weaker proxy for revenue than a trial activation. </li>
</ul>



<p>It’s critical to:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Rigorously validate which proxies have a consistent relationship with long-term outcomes.</li>



<li>Calculate a ratio of proxy events to desired events that can be used in assessing the value of proxy metrics.</li>



<li>Continuously revisit these assumptions as markets and customer behavior evolve.</li>
</ul>



<p>To choose the right proxies, consider these four factors:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>Correlation strength</strong>: Does the metric consistently correlate with the desired business outcome (e.g., revenue, retention, LTV)? Test this historically with data and strike a balance between metrics with sufficient volume to be useful and proximity to the ultimate purchase event.</li>
</ul>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img decoding="async" width="1024" height="1536" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/Correlation-funnel.png" alt="Correlation funnel" class="wp-image-465699" style="width:701px;height:auto"/></figure></div>


<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>Timeliness</strong>: How quickly does the metric show up relative to the final outcome? Strong proxies deliver early signals that shorten feedback loops.</li>



<li><strong>Actionability</strong>: Can the team act on this metric? A good proxy should inform bidding strategies, audience creation, or campaign optimization.</li>



<li><strong>Stability</strong>: Does the proxy remain predictive across campaigns, segments, and time periods? Or does it fluctuate too much to be reliable?</li>
</ul>



<p>Metrics that score well on all four dimensions (e.g., trial-to-paid conversions in SaaS, newsletter signups in ecommerce) can be safely used as guiding signals.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Metrics that are weak in correlation or stability should be treated with caution. They may be useful for contextual insight, but should not be relied upon as a bedrock for optimization.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-putting-proxy-metrics-to-work">Putting proxy metrics to work</h2>



<p>Proxy metrics aren’t foolproof, but with strategic use and a few advanced calculations, they can be a powerful tool in hard-to-measure campaigns.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Their benefits – more precise bidding, sharper insights, and larger audience segmentations – make the work of identifying and applying the right metrics well worth it.</p>

Long sales cycles, low conversion volume, and multi-stage purchase journeys make measurement and attribution harder, creating real obstacles to campaign optimization.
For B2Bs and brands selling high-ticket items, this is the reality. 
A campaign launched today may take weeks or even months to show revenue, retention, or lifetime value – delaying your ability to use those measurements to refine bidding and targeting.
That’s where proxy metrics – also known as soft metrics, or micro-conversions – can come into play.
Let’s dig into proxy metrics.
What are proxy metrics?
Proxy metrics are early indicators of future outcomes.
They give you a way to measure momentum before final – or more downstream – results show up.
Some examples:
Engagement rate on ads can foreshadow conversions.
Add-to-cart events often predict sales.
First-week retention can predict long-term customer value.
Leveraging proxy metrics can help teams:
Course-correct campaigns earlier.
Optimize budget allocation faster.
Avoid waiting for lagging outcomes. 
They help you move quickly and de-risk decisions when used effectively.
In some cases (e.g., when purchase cycles stretch beyond Google Ads’ 90-day latency window), you’re forced to find alternative ways to track performance.
Here, I look for the best predictors that occur within the first 90 days after a click and use those instead of the longer-term activity that won’t be recorded within Google’s limits.
Dig deeper: How to use GA4 predictive metrics for smarter PPC targeting
How do proxy metrics power algorithmic bidding?
The powerhouse digital ad platforms, Google and Meta, use machine learning to optimize campaign performance. 
But algorithms need signals.
When businesses optimize only for end conversions that occur weeks later, the system struggles to learn, and “conversion”-focused goals end up harvesting cheap, low-quality users.
Proxy metrics bridge that gap. 
Feeding the algorithm with earlier signals enables some important things to happen:
Micro-conversions (such as email or free trial signups) can act as training signals for the bidding algorithm.
Quality indicators (such as time on site or scroll depth) can refine targeting when conversion data is sparse.
Predictive scoring models can translate raw behaviors into weighted signals that approximate revenue likelihood.
This approach helps algorithms learn who’s likely to convert and, with some proportion-based calculations, lets you bid according to the relative value of the proxy metrics you’re using.
How to use proxy metrics to build audiences and enrich insights
Beyond bidding, proxy metrics unlock smarter audience building and deeper insights.
Let’s start with audience building. 
Segmenting users based on early behaviors (e.g., engaged video viewers, repeat site visitors, high click-through engagers) allows you to create lookalike audiences that align with future high-value customers. 
Basically, instead of targeting “everyone who clicked,” proxy metrics can shift your focus to “everyone who looks like people who eventually bought.”
On the data front, proxy metrics help analysts run faster tests. 
Instead of waiting months for LTV data, you can validate hypotheses using leading indicators. 
For example, if an experiment shows a 20% lift in proxy metrics that historically correlate with revenue, you can make earlier investment decisions with confidence. 
It’s the same principle when you’re running an incrementality test or media mix modeling (MMM).
In many cases, proxy metrics deliver stronger statistical significance or better model accuracy than long-term business metrics. 
If your data is too thin to run incrementality tests or MMM with confidence, pick proxy metrics with enough volume and close proximity to your conversion event, and build from there.
Dig deeper: MTA vs. MMM: Which marketing attribution model is right for you?
Get the newsletter search marketers rely on.
  
				
								
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See terms.
How to assess the reliability of proxy metrics
Proxy metrics can vary wildly in quality and reliability. 
Some are high-fidelity predictors. Others are simply prerequisites that don’t always guarantee downstream success. 
(Important note: Going too far up the funnel for your proxy metrics gives the algorithm license to prioritize lower-value activity.) 
For example:
Newsletter sign-ups often signal genuine interest and correlate strongly with future engagement or purchases, making them a dependable early indicator. 
In contrast, add-to-cart events are necessary before a purchase, but are notoriously leaky, as many shoppers abandon their carts without checking out. 
Similarly, a video view might suggest curiosity, but it’s a weaker proxy for revenue than a trial activation. 
It’s critical to:
Rigorously validate which proxies have a consistent relationship with long-term outcomes.
Calculate a ratio of proxy events to desired events that can be used in assessing the value of proxy metrics.
Continuously revisit these assumptions as markets and customer behavior evolve.
To choose the right proxies, consider these four factors:
Correlation strength: Does the metric consistently correlate with the desired business outcome (e.g., revenue, retention, LTV)? Test this historically with data and strike a balance between metrics with sufficient volume to be useful and proximity to the ultimate purchase event.

Timeliness: How quickly does the metric show up relative to the final outcome? Strong proxies deliver early signals that shorten feedback loops.
Actionability: Can the team act on this metric? A good proxy should inform bidding strategies, audience creation, or campaign optimization.
Stability: Does the proxy remain predictive across campaigns, segments, and time periods? Or does it fluctuate too much to be reliable?
Metrics that score well on all four dimensions (e.g., trial-to-paid conversions in SaaS, newsletter signups in ecommerce) can be safely used as guiding signals. 
Metrics that are weak in correlation or stability should be treated with caution. They may be useful for contextual insight, but should not be relied upon as a bedrock for optimization. 
Putting proxy metrics to work
Proxy metrics aren’t foolproof, but with strategic use and a few advanced calculations, they can be a powerful tool in hard-to-measure campaigns. 
Their benefits – more precise bidding, sharper insights, and larger audience segmentations – make the work of identifying and applying the right metrics well worth it.

Use high-fidelity micro-conversions to tighten feedback loops, sharpen bidding, and keep long-cycle campaigns from drifting off course.

How to use proxy metrics to speed up optimization in complex B2B journeys

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2020/02/MSR_SMX_DCM_1920_2-800x450.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2020/02/MSR_SMX_DCM_1920_2-800x450.jpg 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2020/02/MSR_SMX_DCM_1920_2-600x338.jpg 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2020/02/MSR_SMX_DCM_1920_2-200x113.jpg 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2020/02/MSR_SMX_DCM_1920_2-768x432.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2020/02/MSR_SMX_DCM_1920_2-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2020/02/MSR_SMX_DCM_1920_2-150x84.jpg 150w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2020/02/MSR_SMX_DCM_1920_2-550x310.jpg 550w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2020/02/MSR_SMX_DCM_1920_2.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>SMX Advanced returns June 3-5. Learn what we’re looking for in session pitches, and how to submit a compelling session proposal.

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2020/02/MSR_SMX_DCM_1920_2-800x450.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2020/02/MSR_SMX_DCM_1920_2-800x450.jpg 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2020/02/MSR_SMX_DCM_1920_2-600x338.jpg 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2020/02/MSR_SMX_DCM_1920_2-200x113.jpg 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2020/02/MSR_SMX_DCM_1920_2-768x432.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2020/02/MSR_SMX_DCM_1920_2-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2020/02/MSR_SMX_DCM_1920_2-150x84.jpg 150w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2020/02/MSR_SMX_DCM_1920_2-550x310.jpg 550w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2020/02/MSR_SMX_DCM_1920_2.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>
<p>SMX Advanced – the premier conference for senior-level search marketers – returns to Boston June 3 to 5, 2026 at the Westin Boston Seaport.</p>



<p><strong>We want to bring the most advanced strategies in SEO, PPC, and AI to our community – and we need your help to make it happen.</strong></p>



<p>Search is changing faster than ever. </p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>SEOs are scrambling to master AI SEO, navigate a SERP now dominated by AI Overviews, and make sense of Google volatility and algorithm updates. </li>



<li>For PPC advertisers, making smart, data-driven decisions is getting harder. And on top of that, you’re expected to adopt new AI tools while still applying the right human touch.</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>SMX Advanced is looking for speakers who can offer real insight into these tough challenges.</strong></p>



<p>If you have high-level, proven strategies for today’s environment, now’s the time to submit your session idea. Even if you’ve never spoken at SMX – in person or online – we encourage you to pitch. We’re always looking for new speakers with diverse perspectives.</p>



<p>The deadline for SMX Advanced pitches is Jan. 30. The sooner you submit, the better – spots fill up fast.</p>



<p><strong>Here are a few tips for submitting a strong session proposal:</strong></p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Make sure it is a truly advanced topic geared toward intermediate to advanced search marketing professionals.</li>



<li>Present an original idea and/or unique session format.</li>



<li>Include a case study or specific examples.</li>



<li>Be realistic about what you can present in 20 minutes.&nbsp;</li>



<li>Provide tangible takeaways and a plan of action.</li>



<li>Include what an attendee will be able to do better as a result of attending your session.</li>
</ul>



<p>Read our <a href="https://searchengineland.com/smx/submit-speaking-pitch">guide to speaking at SMX</a> for more details on how to submit a session idea. When you&#8217;re ready, <a href="https://thirddoorevents.com/login">create your profile</a> and send us your session pitch.</p>



<p>If you have questions, feel free to reach out to me at kathy.bushman@semrush.com. I’m looking forward to reading your proposals!</p>


SMX Advanced – the premier conference for senior-level search marketers – returns to Boston June 3 to 5, 2026 at the Westin Boston Seaport.
We want to bring the most advanced strategies in SEO, PPC, and AI to our community – and we need your help to make it happen.
Search is changing faster than ever. 
SEOs are scrambling to master AI SEO, navigate a SERP now dominated by AI Overviews, and make sense of Google volatility and algorithm updates. 
For PPC advertisers, making smart, data-driven decisions is getting harder. And on top of that, you’re expected to adopt new AI tools while still applying the right human touch.
SMX Advanced is looking for speakers who can offer real insight into these tough challenges.
If you have high-level, proven strategies for today’s environment, now’s the time to submit your session idea. Even if you’ve never spoken at SMX – in person or online – we encourage you to pitch. We’re always looking for new speakers with diverse perspectives.
The deadline for SMX Advanced pitches is Jan. 30. The sooner you submit, the better – spots fill up fast.
Here are a few tips for submitting a strong session proposal:
Make sure it is a truly advanced topic geared toward intermediate to advanced search marketing professionals.
Present an original idea and/or unique session format.
Include a case study or specific examples.
Be realistic about what you can present in 20 minutes. 
Provide tangible takeaways and a plan of action.
Include what an attendee will be able to do better as a result of attending your session.
Read our guide to speaking at SMX for more details on how to submit a session idea. When you’re ready, create your profile and send us your session pitch.
If you have questions, feel free to reach out to me at kathy.bushman@semrush.com. I’m looking forward to reading your proposals!

SMX Advanced returns June 3-5. Learn what we’re looking for in session pitches, and how to submit a compelling session proposal.

Elevate your expertise: Submit a compelling session proposal for SMX Advanced

<div><img width="1600" height="900" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/PLTP-Image.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/PLTP-Image.png 1600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/PLTP-Image-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/PLTP-Image-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px" /></div>PPC automation expert Nils Rooijmans shares how dismissing Google's consent mode warnings as routine noise led to zero conversions and plummeting traffic.

<div><img width="1600" height="900" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/PLTP-Image.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/PLTP-Image.png 1600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/PLTP-Image-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/12/PLTP-Image-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px" /></div>
<div style="padding:56.25% 0 0 0;position:relative;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/1143980675?badge=0&amp;autopause=0&amp;player_id=0&amp;app_id=58479" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" title="riverside_pltp_ft nils _ dec 02, 2025 001_anu_adegbola's stud"></iframe></div><script src="https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js"></script>



<p>On episode 333 of PPC Live The Podcast, I speak to Nils Rooijmans, a renowned Google Ads script expert and top 10 PPC influencer, where she shares the experience of a costly error that serves as a valuable lesson for anyone managing paid search campaigns.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-setup-a-quick-account-onboarding-gone-wrong">The Setup: A quick account onboarding gone wrong</h2>



<p>The trouble began when one of Rooijmans&#8217; existing clients acquired another company in the airport parking services industry. The acquired company was already running a small Google Ads account, and the client wanted Rooijmans to manage it without paying additional fees for proper onboarding.</p>



<p>Against his better judgment, Rooijmans agreed to a compromise: they would slowly migrate the new account to their existing setup over time. The new account would be left largely unmonitored during this transition period.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-fatal-mistake-ignoring-google-s-warnings">The fatal mistake: Ignoring Google&#8217;s warnings</h2>



<p>After six weeks of minimal attention, disaster struck. Clicks and conversions dropped dramatically, eventually falling to zero. When investigating, Rooijmans discovered that Google had sent multiple emails warning that the consent management platform wasn&#8217;t implemented correctly. The emails threatened to stop allowing conversion tracking if the issue wasn&#8217;t resolved.</p>



<p>&#8220;We were very ignorant. We didn&#8217;t read the emails from Google, and we were relatively slow in responding to the issue,&#8221; Rooijmans admitted. The result? Google stopped processing conversion tracking data for that specific domain entirely.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-cascading-effect-of-lost-conversion-data">The cascading effect of lost conversion data</h2>



<p>Without conversion data, Google&#8217;s smart bidding algorithm made a logical but devastating decision: if clicks aren&#8217;t converting, reduce CPC bids to avoid wasting budget. Traffic gradually decreased, actual conversions were still happening but going unrecorded, and the campaigns scaled down to nearly nothing.</p>



<p>The website continued to receive bookings from other sources, which initially masked the severity of the problem. By the time the issue was fully identified, significant revenue opportunities had been lost.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-root-cause-skipping-proper-onboarding">The root cause: skipping proper onboarding</h2>



<p>Through a detailed root cause analysis, Rooijmans identified the fundamental problem: allowing a client to bypass the standard onboarding process. Without proper setup, several critical safeguards were missing, including monitoring scripts for conversion tracking, assigned team members to check account emails, and standard processes for account health checks.</p>



<p>&#8220;During this root cause analysis, I always ask myself the why question five times,&#8221; Rooijmans explained. This technique, borrowed from quality management practices, helps identify the underlying cause rather than just treating symptoms.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-client-conversation-managing-expectations">The client conversation: managing expectations</h2>



<p>Breaking the news to the client proved complicated. The business owner, Rooijmans&#8217; primary contact, was relatively understanding since ad spend had also decreased. However, a meeting with the company&#8217;s CFO took a different turn.</p>



<p>The financial executive expected compensation for the lost revenue opportunity, even though actual bookings were still occurring and not all revenue was truly lost. To maintain the relationship, Rooijmans reduced his invoice, though he noted that the client had agreed to a slower migration process with limited oversight.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-technical-fix-working-around-google-s-limitations">The technical fix: Working around Google&#8217;s limitations</h2>



<p>Fixing the conversion tracking proved surprisingly challenging. Google support couldn&#8217;t resolve the issue despite multiple contacts with different departments. The problem was technical: Google had flagged the specific domain name, returning HTTP 400 errors for all conversion tracking requests instead of the normal HTTP 200 responses.</p>



<p>The workaround involved either importing conversions from Google Analytics (GA4) or setting up new conversion tracking through the manager account. &#8220;Don&#8217;t expect any help from Google,&#8221; Rooijmans warned based on this experience.</p>



<p>In the short term, switching from smart bidding to manual CPC bidding restored traffic levels while the conversion tracking issue was being resolved.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-lessons-for-ppc-professionals">Key lessons for PPC professionals</h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-never-skip-onboarding">Never skip onboarding</h3>



<p>Regardless of client pressure or budget constraints, proper account onboarding is non-negotiable. Standard processes exist for good reason and protect both the agency and the client.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-monitor-conversion-tracking-religiously">Monitor conversion tracking religiously</h3>



<p>Rooijmans runs automated scripts that monitor conversions and conversion values, alerting him immediately to significant changes. In the era of smart bidding, conversion tracking is the foundation of account performance.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-don-t-be-arrogant-about-google-communications">Don&#8217;t be arrogant about Google communications</h3>



<p>While many Google emails are promotional or contain unhelpful suggestions, some contain critical compliance information. The challenge is distinguishing between noise and genuine warnings.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implement-the-fail-fast-fix-fast-culture">Implement the &#8220;Fail Fast, Fix Fast&#8221; culture</h3>



<p>When mistakes happen, the priority sequence should be: take a deep breath and assess the situation calmly, fix the immediate issue to restore performance, communicate transparently with the client, perform root cause analysis, and document learnings in a post-mortem.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-use-the-five-whys-technique">Use the five whys technique</h3>



<p>Asking &#8220;why&#8221; repeatedly helps uncover root causes rather than surface-level symptoms. This prevents the same mistake from occurring in different forms.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-additional-common-ppc-mistakes-to-avoid">Additional Common PPC Mistakes to Avoid</h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-black-friday-budget-management">Black Friday budget management</h3>



<p>During high-traffic events like Black Friday, Google may spend significantly more than usual. While the platform allows spending up to twice the daily budget, exceptional circumstances can push spending even higher. Monitor spend closely during peak periods and be prepared to adjust budgets to capture opportunities.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-double-counting-conversions">Double-counting conversions</h3>



<p>One audit revealed a freelancer had set up both imported Google Analytics conversions and native Google Ads conversion tracking, both marked as primary. This inflated reported results by roughly 100%, creating unrealistic expectations that had to be carefully managed when corrected.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-building-a-mistake-tolerant-team-culture">Building a mistake-tolerant team culture</h2>



<p>For agencies and teams, Rooijmans recommends several practices including implementing a second pair of eyes to review all work, encouraging experimentation with clear hypotheses and measurement plans, anticipating both positive and negative outcomes before testing, and maintaining detailed documentation of lessons learned.</p>



<p>&#8220;We learn through mistakes, and that&#8217;s part of the process,&#8221; he emphasized. The key is creating systems that catch errors quickly and turn them into learning opportunities.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-bigger-picture-remote-work-and-ppc-success">The bigger picture: Remote work and PPC success</h2>



<p>Interestingly, Rooijmans credits his PPC career with enabling his digital nomad lifestyle. Working from locations like Curaçao in the Caribbean or his Amsterdam houseboat, he&#8217;s built what he calls a &#8220;10-hour PPC week&#8221; through extensive automation and systematization.</p>



<p>This lifestyle was inspired by Tim Ferriss&#8217;s &#8220;The Four Hour Work Week,&#8221; which Rooijmans discovered at a conference in 2004. The lesson? Proper systems and automation not only prevent mistakes but also create freedom.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-final-thoughts">Final thoughts</h2>



<p>Even experts who have built their careers on automation and efficiency make mistakes. The difference between a career-ending error and a learning opportunity often comes down to how quickly problems are identified, how transparently they&#8217;re communicated, and how thoroughly the root causes are addressed.</p>



<p>For PPC professionals at any level, Rooijmans&#8217; experience offers a clear reminder that shortcuts in processes eventually become obstacles to success. Whether it&#8217;s ignoring certain types of emails, skipping onboarding steps, or failing to monitor conversion tracking, these seemingly small oversights can cascade into significant problems.</p>



<p>The good news? With the right monitoring tools, clear processes, and a culture that treats mistakes as learning opportunities, even serious errors can be resolved while maintaining client relationships and professional growth.</p>


On episode 333 of PPC Live The Podcast, I speak to Nils Rooijmans, a renowned Google Ads script expert and top 10 PPC influencer, where she shares the experience of a costly error that serves as a valuable lesson for anyone managing paid search campaigns.
The Setup: A quick account onboarding gone wrong
The trouble began when one of Rooijmans’ existing clients acquired another company in the airport parking services industry. The acquired company was already running a small Google Ads account, and the client wanted Rooijmans to manage it without paying additional fees for proper onboarding.
Against his better judgment, Rooijmans agreed to a compromise: they would slowly migrate the new account to their existing setup over time. The new account would be left largely unmonitored during this transition period.
The fatal mistake: Ignoring Google’s warnings
After six weeks of minimal attention, disaster struck. Clicks and conversions dropped dramatically, eventually falling to zero. When investigating, Rooijmans discovered that Google had sent multiple emails warning that the consent management platform wasn’t implemented correctly. The emails threatened to stop allowing conversion tracking if the issue wasn’t resolved.
“We were very ignorant. We didn’t read the emails from Google, and we were relatively slow in responding to the issue,” Rooijmans admitted. The result? Google stopped processing conversion tracking data for that specific domain entirely.
The cascading effect of lost conversion data
Without conversion data, Google’s smart bidding algorithm made a logical but devastating decision: if clicks aren’t converting, reduce CPC bids to avoid wasting budget. Traffic gradually decreased, actual conversions were still happening but going unrecorded, and the campaigns scaled down to nearly nothing.
The website continued to receive bookings from other sources, which initially masked the severity of the problem. By the time the issue was fully identified, significant revenue opportunities had been lost.
The root cause: skipping proper onboarding
Through a detailed root cause analysis, Rooijmans identified the fundamental problem: allowing a client to bypass the standard onboarding process. Without proper setup, several critical safeguards were missing, including monitoring scripts for conversion tracking, assigned team members to check account emails, and standard processes for account health checks.
“During this root cause analysis, I always ask myself the why question five times,” Rooijmans explained. This technique, borrowed from quality management practices, helps identify the underlying cause rather than just treating symptoms.
The client conversation: managing expectations
Breaking the news to the client proved complicated. The business owner, Rooijmans’ primary contact, was relatively understanding since ad spend had also decreased. However, a meeting with the company’s CFO took a different turn.
The financial executive expected compensation for the lost revenue opportunity, even though actual bookings were still occurring and not all revenue was truly lost. To maintain the relationship, Rooijmans reduced his invoice, though he noted that the client had agreed to a slower migration process with limited oversight.
The technical fix: Working around Google’s limitations
Fixing the conversion tracking proved surprisingly challenging. Google support couldn’t resolve the issue despite multiple contacts with different departments. The problem was technical: Google had flagged the specific domain name, returning HTTP 400 errors for all conversion tracking requests instead of the normal HTTP 200 responses.
The workaround involved either importing conversions from Google Analytics (GA4) or setting up new conversion tracking through the manager account. “Don’t expect any help from Google,” Rooijmans warned based on this experience.
In the short term, switching from smart bidding to manual CPC bidding restored traffic levels while the conversion tracking issue was being resolved.
Key lessons for PPC professionals
Never skip onboarding
Regardless of client pressure or budget constraints, proper account onboarding is non-negotiable. Standard processes exist for good reason and protect both the agency and the client.
Monitor conversion tracking religiously
Rooijmans runs automated scripts that monitor conversions and conversion values, alerting him immediately to significant changes. In the era of smart bidding, conversion tracking is the foundation of account performance.
Don’t be arrogant about Google communications
While many Google emails are promotional or contain unhelpful suggestions, some contain critical compliance information. The challenge is distinguishing between noise and genuine warnings.
Implement the “Fail Fast, Fix Fast” culture
When mistakes happen, the priority sequence should be: take a deep breath and assess the situation calmly, fix the immediate issue to restore performance, communicate transparently with the client, perform root cause analysis, and document learnings in a post-mortem.
Use the five whys technique
Asking “why” repeatedly helps uncover root causes rather than surface-level symptoms. This prevents the same mistake from occurring in different forms.
Additional Common PPC Mistakes to Avoid
Black Friday budget management
During high-traffic events like Black Friday, Google may spend significantly more than usual. While the platform allows spending up to twice the daily budget, exceptional circumstances can push spending even higher. Monitor spend closely during peak periods and be prepared to adjust budgets to capture opportunities.
Double-counting conversions
One audit revealed a freelancer had set up both imported Google Analytics conversions and native Google Ads conversion tracking, both marked as primary. This inflated reported results by roughly 100%, creating unrealistic expectations that had to be carefully managed when corrected.
Building a mistake-tolerant team culture
For agencies and teams, Rooijmans recommends several practices including implementing a second pair of eyes to review all work, encouraging experimentation with clear hypotheses and measurement plans, anticipating both positive and negative outcomes before testing, and maintaining detailed documentation of lessons learned.
“We learn through mistakes, and that’s part of the process,” he emphasized. The key is creating systems that catch errors quickly and turn them into learning opportunities.
The bigger picture: Remote work and PPC success
Interestingly, Rooijmans credits his PPC career with enabling his digital nomad lifestyle. Working from locations like Curaçao in the Caribbean or his Amsterdam houseboat, he’s built what he calls a “10-hour PPC week” through extensive automation and systematization.
This lifestyle was inspired by Tim Ferriss’s “The Four Hour Work Week,” which Rooijmans discovered at a conference in 2004. The lesson? Proper systems and automation not only prevent mistakes but also create freedom.
Final thoughts
Even experts who have built their careers on automation and efficiency make mistakes. The difference between a career-ending error and a learning opportunity often comes down to how quickly problems are identified, how transparently they’re communicated, and how thoroughly the root causes are addressed.
For PPC professionals at any level, Rooijmans’ experience offers a clear reminder that shortcuts in processes eventually become obstacles to success. Whether it’s ignoring certain types of emails, skipping onboarding steps, or failing to monitor conversion tracking, these seemingly small oversights can cascade into significant problems.
The good news? With the right monitoring tools, clear processes, and a culture that treats mistakes as learning opportunities, even serious errors can be resolved while maintaining client relationships and professional growth.

PPC automation expert Nils Rooijmans shares how dismissing Google's consent mode warnings as routine noise led to zero conversions and plummeting traffic.

Nils Rooijmans speaks on when ignoring Google emails can cost you

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2021/10/hiring-in-search-marketing-800x450.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Search marketing jobs" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2021/10/hiring-in-search-marketing-800x450.jpg 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2021/10/hiring-in-search-marketing-600x338.jpg 600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2021/10/hiring-in-search-marketing-200x113.jpg 200w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2021/10/hiring-in-search-marketing-768x432.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2021/10/hiring-in-search-marketing-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2021/10/hiring-in-search-marketing-150x84.jpg 150w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2021/10/hiring-in-search-marketing-550x310.jpg 550w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2021/10/hiring-in-search-marketing.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>Land your next job in SEO or PPC. These brands and agencies are hiring to fill open search marketing positions right now.

Looking to take the next step in your search marketing career? 
Below, you will find the latest SEO, PPC, and digital marketing jobs at brands and agencies. We also include positions from previous weeks that are still open.
Newest SEO Jobs 
.wp-block-rss__item-title{padding-top:20px;}



(Provided to Search Engine Land by SEOjobs.com) 

Technical SEO Lead ~ Terakeet ~ $91,000 – $138,000 ~ Remote (USA)
December 8, 2025 
Why Terakeet? At Terakeet, we’re comfortable with the uncomfortable. We live in the future of marketing and are revolutionizing how the world’s most valuable brands connect and build trust with their audiences. We are experts who deliver exceptional outcomes. Together, we win. What We Do Terakeet controls online reputation and visibility for global brands. We […]

SEO Specialist ~ Rank Friendly ~ $60k-70k USD ~ Remote (WW)
December 7, 2025 
We are hiring a motivated SEO Specialist to join our remote team! If you combine technical SEO knowledge with strong content skills, we want to hire you. The Role: Optimize: Research keywords and fine-tune website content/metadata. Create: Write and edit SEO-friendly blog posts and service pages. Analyze: Use Search Console, Analytics, and SEMrush to guide […]

SEO Specialist – Part-Time/Contract ~ Elevated Third ~ $50/hr. ~ Remote (USA)
December 5, 2025 
This is a part time contract position (approximately 10–20 hours per week). Elevated Third is a global B2B digital agency and Drupal expert. We design, build, and optimize complex digital experiences that drive measurable growth for enterprise and mid market clients. We are looking for an experienced SEO Specialist to support analytics, reporting, and insight […]

Head of SEO ~ 12100 Collective ~ $150,000 – $225,000 ~ Remote (USA)
December 4, 2025 
Overview 12100 Collective is a new growth marketing agency based in NYC, founded by an alumnus of Meta’s growth team and servicing clients with >$100M in annual revenue across industries. We pride ourselves on being world-class at our craft, pairing data-driven strategies with excellent creative to drive measurable growth.This role is responsible for leading performance-focused […]

SEO Manager ~ MarketDing.ai ~ $60,000/year ~ Remote (WW)
December 3, 2025 
Role details: Full-time • Remote • Long-term • $60,000/year MarketDing.ai is an AI-powered marketing company focused on search growth for healthcare, SaaS, and ecommerce brands. We’re building a serious agency with serious standards. We don’t do cookie-cutter SEO, we don’t chase vanity rankings, and we don’t touch spam. We build clean, scalable search systems that […]

SEO Innovation Content Specialist (Sports & iGaming Focus) ~ Advision Development Jobs ~ $65,000-$75,000 ~ Remote (USA)
December 3, 2025 
About the Role Advision Development is looking for a strategic, detail-oriented SEO Innovation Content Specialist with a strong background in sports, sports betting, and iGaming to join our growing SEO innovation team. You’ll play a key role in driving organic growth through smart SEO strategies, high-quality content execution, and editorial leadership across various websites and […]

SEO Manager ~ Rocket Clicks ~ $75,000-$90,000 ~ Remote (USA)
December 3, 2025 
The Ideal Candidate You actually read the instruction manual — not to follow rules, but to understand how things work. When your friend has a problem, you take that as a personal challenge to help them figure it out. You love puzzles that have both logic and creativity. Getting your spreadsheet tabs organized puts a […]

SEO/PPC Marketing Manager ~ JBA International ~ $100K – $160K ~ Hybrid (Burbank, CA, United States)
December 2, 2025 
Job Description LOCATION: Burbank, CA (Hybrid available) PAY RANGE: $100K – $160K QUALIFICATIONS/REQUIREMENTS: Manage, review, and perform daily account responsibilities associated with Google AdWords, Yahoo, Bing and other search platforms for a variety of clients. Maintain and monitor keyword bids, account daily and monthly budget caps, impression share, quality score and other important account metrics.  Manage the […]

Content Coordinator ~ Black & White Zebra ~ 55,000 – 65,000 CAD ~ Remote (CAN)
December 2, 2025 
As a Content Coordinator, you’ll power BWZ’s content engine—the core of our business— by directly producing new content and updates using our in-house AI and automation technology. Reporting to the SEO Content Manager, you’ll work inside systems to generate, refine, and QA content across multiple publications, ensuring every piece is accurate, helpful, SEO-optimized, and delivered […]

Inbound Marketing Strategist ~ Geear ~ $69,000 – $73,000 ~ Remote (USA)
December 1, 2025 
Job Description About the Job Geear is a HubSpot Diamond Partner and has repeatedly been voted one of the Best Places to Work in Virginia. We’re a remote-first digital marketing agency that helps credit unions and community banks grow through smarter marketing — and we want you to grow with us. We’re looking for a […]

Newest PPC and paid media jobs
(Provided to Search Engine Land by PPCjobs.com) 
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Associate Paid Media Director (Midwest + Mid-Atlantic) ~ Madden Media ~ $82,000-$87,000 per year ~ Remote (USA)
December 8, 2025 
Please Note: To best support our clients and teams, this role is open to candidates who live in the Central or Eastern Time Zones. Because we work closely with partners in these regions, being in closer proximity helps us stay connected and collaborative. Occasional travel to client locations or team events may also be part […]

SEM Manager ~ GE HealthCare ~ $101,760-$152,640 annual ~ Remote (USA)
December 8, 2025 
Job Description Summary As the SEM Manager for USCAN, this role will be responsible for leading, coordinating and/or managing the development and execution of search marketing plans, including traditional search engines as well as AEO and GEO, and identifying and executing opportunities to drive growth. GE HealthCare is a leading global medical technology and digital […]

Paid Media Specialist ~ Catalyst ~ $70K -$90K ~ Hybrid (Austin, TX, United States)
December 7, 2025 
Job Description Company: Catalyst Location: Austin, TX / In-Person / Hybrid Compensation: $70K -$90K base Position Type: Full-time / Exempt / Salaried Reports to: VP of Client Strategy What’s the job? We are looking for a talented, data-driven Paid Media Specialist to manage, optimize, and strategize paid advertising campaigns across platforms like Google Ads, Meta […]

Senior Manager, Paid Media ~ CoreWeave ~ $135,000 to $198,000 ~ Remote (USA)
December 6, 2025 
Job Description CoreWeave is The Essential Cloud for AI. Built for pioneers by pioneers, CoreWeave delivers a platform of technology, tools, and teams that enables innovators to build and scale AI with confidence. Trusted by leading AI labs, startups, and global enterprises, CoreWeave combines superior infrastructure performance with deep technical expertise to accelerate breakthroughs and […]

Paid Social Manager ~ Dandy ~ $127,500-$150,000 ~ Remote (USA)
December 5, 2025 
Dandy is transforming the massive and antiquated dental industry—an industry worth over $200B. Backed by some of the world’s leading venture capital firms, we’re on an ambitious mission to simplify and modernize every function of the dental practice through technology. As we expand our reach globally, Dandy is building the operating system for dental offices […]

Other roles you may be interested in
Senior PPC Manager / Lead Gen (on-site, downtown LA, direct hire), Onward Search (Los Angeles, CA)
Salary: $130,000 – $160,000
Proven track record improving CPL, ROAS, cost-per-case, lead quality, and full-funnel performance
Expert-level proficiency with Google Ads, Performance Max, YouTube Ads, Microsoft Ads, smart bidding strategies, and audience segmentation
Lead Generation Manager, Mondo (Hybrid, Charlotte, NC)
Salary: $70,000 – $100,000
Analyze the total addressable market (TAM) of current customers to identify whitespace and expansion opportunities.
Build and execute multi-touch nurture campaigns across Salesforce and HubSpot (email, sequences, newsletters, content, AI-generated assets, etc.).
Search Engine Optimization Manager, NoGood (Remote)
Salary: £80,000 – $100,000
Act as the primary strategic lead for a portfolio of enterprise and scale-up clients.
Build and execute GEO/AEO strategies that maximize brand visibility across LLMs and AI search surfaces.
Growth Marketing Manager, The Alliance Group (Boca Raton, FL)
Salary: $140,000 – $150,000
Swiftly develop and execute growth marketing strategies for diverse clients
Lead end-to-end demand generation and optimize existing channels to drive qualified traffic, conversions and efficient CAC.
Paid Media Manager, HawkSEM (Remote)
Salary: $80,000 –  $90,000
Perform in a dual role as both the paid media strategist and account manager/point of contact for your assigned accounts, focusing on client gross profit growth.
Manage and maintain daily/monthly paid media budgets for multiple clients to ensure each campaign meets the desired performance metrics.
Search Engine Optimization Manager, Pump.co (San Francisco)
Salary: $115,000 – $130,000
Develop and execute a comprehensive SEO strategy to drive organic traffic and increase visibility in key AI and cloud cost-related search results.
Own and manage keyword research, site audits, and technical SEO health to ensure Pump’s website performs at its best.
Marketing Manager – North America, The Carlisle Group (Remote)
Salary: $130,000 – $150,000
Lead development and execution of the North American marketing strategy aligned with business goals and global strategy.
Identify and drive business growth through market mapping and research, serving as the ‘voice’ for North America to the global team.
Senior Content Manager, TrustedTech (Irvine, CA)
Salary: $110,000 – $130,000
Develop and manage a content strategy aligned with business and brand goals across blog, web, email, paid media, and social channels.
Create and edit compelling copy that supports demand generation and sales enablement programs.
Senior Manager, SEO, Kennison & Associates (Hybrid, Boston, MA)
Salary: $150,000 – $180,000
The ideal candidate brings deep SEO expertise, strong analytical instincts, proven leadership experience, and excellent communication skills.
Using rigorous testing and analysis, you’ll measure impact, communicate insights to stakeholders, and oversee reporting and forecasting across all of the company’s markets.
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Salary: $180,000 – $220,000
Lead our Product-Led Growth (PLG) strategy and roadmap
Build viral loops, retention drivers, and onboarding magic
Run experiments, crunch funnels, and live in the data
Note: We update this post weekly. So make sure to bookmark this page and check back.

Land your next job in SEO or PPC. These brands and agencies are hiring to fill open search marketing positions right now.

The latest jobs in search marketing

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/05/Google-Shopping-Ads-Google-Ads.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Google Shopping Ads - Google Ads" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/05/Google-Shopping-Ads-Google-Ads.jpg 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/05/Google-Shopping-Ads-Google-Ads-768x432.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/05/Google-Shopping-Ads-Google-Ads-1536x864.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>Google is testing a new Shopping ads beta that lets merchants show region-specific loyalty prices, helping retailers localize promotions.

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/05/Google-Shopping-Ads-Google-Ads.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Google Shopping Ads - Google Ads" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/05/Google-Shopping-Ads-Google-Ads.jpg 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/05/Google-Shopping-Ads-Google-Ads-768x432.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/05/Google-Shopping-Ads-Google-Ads-1536x864.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>
<p>Google released a beta feature that allows merchants to display region-specific loyalty prices in Shopping ads. This gives retailers a new way to localize promotions without managing separate offers.</p>



<p><strong>Why we care. </strong>The feature gives merchants more flexibility to tailor prices to local markets and spotlight loyalty perks directly in ads, which can boost conversions and drive more sign-ups.</p>



<p><strong>How it works</strong>. Merchants must join Google’s loyalty add-on, set up regions in Merchant Center, and add loyalty_program attributes – including program label, tier, and price – to their regional inventory feed.</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>When a shopper clicks an ad, Google appends a region ID to the URL, and the merchant’s landing page must dynamically show the matching member price.</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>The catch</strong>. The feature is still in beta with limited visibility, and it’s only available in markets that support both RAAP (regional availability and pricing) and loyalty programs.</p>



<p><strong>Bottom line. </strong>By enabling region-specific member pricing, Google gives retailers a more targeted way to localize incentives and differentiate value across markets – without creating separate promotions for each region.</p>



<p><strong>The announcement.</strong> <a href="https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/16388178" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Set up regional member pricing (in beta)</a></p>


Google released a beta feature that allows merchants to display region-specific loyalty prices in Shopping ads. This gives retailers a new way to localize promotions without managing separate offers.
Why we care. The feature gives merchants more flexibility to tailor prices to local markets and spotlight loyalty perks directly in ads, which can boost conversions and drive more sign-ups.
How it works. Merchants must join Google’s loyalty add-on, set up regions in Merchant Center, and add loyalty_program attributes – including program label, tier, and price – to their regional inventory feed.
When a shopper clicks an ad, Google appends a region ID to the URL, and the merchant’s landing page must dynamically show the matching member price.
The catch. The feature is still in beta with limited visibility, and it’s only available in markets that support both RAAP (regional availability and pricing) and loyalty programs.
Bottom line. By enabling region-specific member pricing, Google gives retailers a more targeted way to localize incentives and differentiate value across markets – without creating separate promotions for each region.
The announcement. Set up regional member pricing (in beta)

Google is testing a new Shopping ads beta that lets merchants show region-specific loyalty prices, helping retailers localize promotions.

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Read the Latest Trends and Headlines in Digital Marketing.

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