Rank Ranger Blog

May 2020 has come and gone and so has another core update. Google's May 2020 Core Update brought a blast of rank volatility to the SERP the likes of which we have not seen for some time. A lot to talk about here from the update's timeline to who and what were most impacted. Beyond algorithmic changes, Google's adjustments to the ever-evolving COVID-19 pandemic continues as a few curious tests and updates made their way to the SERP recently.

Get ready to explore a month of Google SERP intrigue.... This is the June 2020 edition of the SERP News!

Kevin Indig is here to work your brains with a SERP feature deep dive! We’ll get into:

• SERP features and the notion that they are organic
• The topic layer, what is & why you should care
• Google's targeting users via SERP features

Plus, we ask if the ranking signal is a thing of the past (relatively speaking)!

Getting a clear and easy understanding of your website's organic performance at the local level can get complicated really quickly. If you're looking for something a bit more accessible than extrapolating data from a series of tables and graphs then do I have a treat for you... Rank Ranger's Geo Insights report!

Here's how you can survey your site's performance across local markets around the world from multiple perspectives without driving yourself nuts in the process.

Deepak Shukla of Pearl Lemon stopped by to talk about targeting new SEO clients.

We get into:

• How to find more good leads for more good SEO clients
• Has the market shifted? Is SEO passé and should you be peddling "organic growth?”
• How to push hard to get those new clients without coming off as spammy

Plus, we show why you should not take a new course of action based solely on trends data!

Back in December 2019, Google's BERT algorithm made its way to the Top Stories Carousel. Ever since then I've been dying to get my hands on the newly segmented carousels to see what makes them tick, where they hit the mark, and where they fall a bit short. It's only taken me a few months, but here's a bit of thematic analysis on what's happening with the Top Stories carousel now that BERT is part of the picture.

Rich Tatum joins us to talk about something very important for your career… your reputation!

In this episode we cover:

• How to build sustained credibility in the SEO sphere
• How to leverage your SEO credibility to the benefit of your career
• How being a specialist or generalist plays into your reputation within the SEO community

Plus, we go deep into what Google may have been looking for during the May 2020 Core Update. That’s right… site-level patterns from the core update!

It’s hard to believe we’re already into Q2 of 2020. How time flies when you’re in quarantine! While we release dozens of updates over the course of a quarter, we figured we’d highlight the biggest product releases of Q1.

Here are the most notable SEO tools and reports we’ve released during the first four months of 2020!

While the May 2020 Core Update is certainly not the first core update we've seen, it might just be one of the most unique. For Google's second core algorithm update of 2020, we were delivered one of the strongest and most impactful updates we've seen in quite some time. Throw in the fact that the update rolled-out in the middle of a global pandemic and we're left with a lot of data, patterns, and insights to chew on.

In this post we'll:

• Analyze the way the update rolled-out
• Break down rank volatility increases per niche
• Dive into some of the site-level patterns embedded within the update
• Look at what role COVID-19 may have played

Matthew Tenney of GlassesUSA joins us to talk about all things SEO audit!

• When and how to run the most efficient SEO audit possible
• From among the piles of data, how to know what to focus on when doing an SEO audit
• How to best qualify the data you get back from an SEO audit

Plus, we go into the May 2020 Core Update... its roll-out, its impact, its scope and size, etc!

As COVID-19 continues to rage on Google has been quite adept at updating the SERP accordingly. While March saw the introduction of major COVID-19 elements to the SERP, this past month saw Google refine the way it handles the pandemic.

But wait, that's not all. April also saw Google set its shopping experience free... literally. Add on a few notable tests and changes and you have yourself quite the brimming month on the Google SERP.

This is the May 2020 edition of the SERP News!

The podcast welcomes Simon Cox who shares how he’s handled sites in the wake of COVID-19:

• What changes have COVID-19 brought to both local and non-local sites?
• How to approach content generation during COVID-19 as intent has changed so drastically
• What to consider about working on your site’s optimization post-crisis

Plus, how to stay in touch with what Google’s up to… tips on keeping your ear to the SEO ground!

As someone constantly immersed in SEO questions, audits, implementation, and troubleshooting all day, every day, I think many SEO specialists often forget that what seems like basic, general knowledge to us is often completely foreign to small businesses (SMBs).

This is especially true as they’re often juggling many things like running their businesses, managing finances, marketing, hiring, and much more. Here are the top questions that local SEO agencies and consultants should make sure to answer for prospects and clients.