Tag: Client Relationships

Use Google Documentation to Win SEO Buy-In With Proof
Let me be blunt: SEO advice can sound completely made up to people who do not live in search every day.

When I say things like “change this canonical,” “don’t block that resource,” or “we need this content exposed in the rendered HTML,” I understand why someone outside SEO might hear it and wonder whether I am inventing rules on the spot.

That is one reason SEO still gets treated like black magic inside many organizations.

I have been pushing the idea of “un-nerding SEO” for years, but this is about something very practical: I use Google’s own documentation to earn approval, build trust, and help SEO work get prioritized.

Not because Google tells us everything. Not because every sentence in its documentation should be treated as gospel. I use it because documented evidence is much harder to dismiss than personal opinion.

When I need buy-in, the strongest argument is rarely “trust me.”

It is usually something closer to: “Google has already documented how this should be approached.”

The buy-in problem is usually not the recommendation itself

In my experience, most SEO recommendations do not die because they are wrong. They die because they are competing with everything else happening inside the business.

Dev sprints, product timelines, CMS limitations, legal concerns, brand standards, executive assumptions, and the classic “we’ve always done it this way” all have a seat at the table. SEO is rarely the only priority in the room, even when the recommendation is technically correct.

That is why I do not rely on “best practice says” or “from an SEO perspective” when I am trying to move work forward. Those phrases sound optional, especially to teams already balancing risk, deadlines, and competing requests.

But “Google has official documentation that supports this recommendation” lands differently.

It may not automatically win the argument, and it definitely does not mean the work will be prioritized tomorrow. But it changes the conversation from “the SEO person said so” to “we have official Google documentation explaining why this matters.”

Google documentation is not gospel

I know the objection already: “Are we really pretending Google tells us the full truth about how search works?”

Absolutely not.

Google’s documentation is not the complete truth of search. It has omissions. It simplifies complex systems. Sometimes it explains how Google wants site owners to behave, not every technical factor that influences organic visibility.

Google also writes for a broad audience, which means nuance gets smoothed out, edge cases get skipped, and the answer can be technically true without being the entire story.

So no, I am not treating every Google statement as if it were carved into stone and carried down from Mountain View.

But that does not make the documentation useless.

It makes it a starting point. A receipt. An official reference point.

It moves the discussion away from “I think this matters” and toward “Google has explicitly documented why this matters.” That distinction matters when I am asking someone else to approve and prioritize the work.

Documentation is especially useful with developers

This is where Google documentation often earns its keep the fastest. SEOs need developers, and I have learned that the quickest way to lose developer support is to treat every recommendation like a command instead of a requirement that needs to be implemented thoughtfully.

And yes, just in case it ever works, I still wish I could run this:

google.exe /disable-ai-overviews /please

Bummer. No dice.

Developers are not wrong just because they disagree with an SEO recommendation. Most of the time, they are optimizing for completely valid priorities: performance, code quality, technical debt, security, and avoiding the kind of production mistake that can take a whole site down.

But sometimes developers are wrong about how Google discovers, crawls, renders, indexes, or interprets content.

And telling a developer “you’re wrong” is a great way to make sure my ticket never sees the light of day.

This is where documentation helps. It removes some of the subjectivity and shifts the discussion toward how to implement the requirement inside the existing technical environment.
The point is never “SEO wins and dev loses.”

The point is that I now have an external source of truth to discuss. That is a much better conversation than two teams arguing from preference.

Documentation is also a client management tool

For client-facing SEO work, documentation helps me separate serious recommendations from “trust me, bro, I have a contact at Google” consulting.

Rows of illuminated data cabinets and paper files stretch into the distance, capturing the pressure on marketers to turn fragmented customer data into a smarter performance engine.

That matters even more when a client has been burned by bad SEO advice before.

Instead of saying, “We need to change this because it’s better for SEO,” I can frame the recommendation with evidence.

“Here’s what Google documents. Here’s where your current setup conflicts with that. Here’s the risk. Here’s the recommendation. Here is the estimated reward.”

That framing builds trust because it shows the recommendation is not relying on blind faith.

It also makes the SEO look less like a magician and more like an interpreter.

That is how I see the real role of SEO: translating Google’s documented needs into business and technical decisions that a team can actually act on.

Less black magic, more receipts

SEO has a reputation problem, and some of it is earned.

Too much SEO work is still explained with vague phrases and shaky confidence. I hear people say things like “Google likes this” or “this needs to exist for the bots” when the stronger version is: “Google documents this behavior here, and here is how it applies to our situation.”

That does not mean documentation alone creates buy-in.

Dropping a Google link into a ticket or Slack thread is not a strategy. I still have to translate what it means, explain the risk, connect it to business outcomes, and help the team understand why the recommendation deserves attention.

Google documentation will never replace experience, testing, or judgment. It will not tell me everything, and I should not treat it like the final answer to every SEO debate.

But it can make SEO easier to defend, easier to prioritize, and much harder for leaders to dismiss.

The best SEOs are not just the ones who know what to recommend. They are the ones who can prove why the recommendation deserves to be taken seriously.

Less black magic. More receipts. More results.

Google documentation may not be the whole truth, but I would rather show up to a buy-in conversation with official references than with “my buddy from Google told me.” Suuuure they did.

This post first appeared on the author’s website and is republished here with permission.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.
July 9, 2026
How One Broken PPC Form Cost Months of Valuable Leads
I think every PPC professional has at least one mistake they wish they could erase. For Danny Gavin, founder of Optidge, it was not a failed bidding strategy, a blown budget, or a campaign that never found its footing. It was something much simpler, and in many ways, much more painful.

When Danny joined me on PPC Live The Podcast, he shared the story of a technical issue that kept landing page leads from reaching the client. For one to two months, the campaigns were still generating qualified prospects, but the client believed nothing was working because those enquiries never appeared in their inbox.

The mistake that no one spotted

At the time, Danny’s agency was still small, with only a handful of people managing client accounts. One client, an autism therapy provider, appeared to be getting strong results inside Google Ads.

Clicks were rising. Cost per lead looked healthy. From inside the ad platform, everything pointed to success.

But the client was growing more frustrated because no enquiries were coming through.

The problem was not Google Ads.

It was not the landing page.

It was the email notification system.

Every form submission was being stored correctly in the database, but a technical failure stopped the notification emails from reaching the client. Because neither side realized those emails had failed, the issue went unnoticed for weeks.

By the time the problem was found, dozens of leads had already gone cold.

Why the emotional impact was worse than the technical problem

What stood out to me was that the financial loss was not the part Danny remembered most. The harder part was the feeling that his agency had let the client down. Because he knew the client personally, the mistake felt even more personal.

His team had spent weeks reporting positive campaign performance while the client saw no return from their investment. That disconnect created guilt, regret, and a real sense of helplessness.

As Danny explained it, the agency felt as if it had taken the client’s money without delivering value, even though the campaigns themselves were actually working.

Honesty became the first step

Once the problem became clear, Danny did not try to hide it. His view is straightforward: when mistakes happen, honesty is the only response that gives you any chance of repairing trust.

Instead of making excuses, the agency investigated immediately, exported every lead stored in the database, and gave the client everything they could recover. Many of those opportunities had already gone cold, but at least the client had access to the data that still existed.

From there, the focus had to move from blame to prevention.

Building systems that stop the same mistake happening twice

That experience changed the agency’s processes in a lasting way.

Instead of relying on one notification email, Danny’s team introduced multiple safeguards:
- CC’ing the agency on every lead notification.
- Automatically logging every lead into a shared Google Sheet.
- Testing forms regularly to confirm submissions and notifications both work.
- Checking with clients routinely to confirm leads are actually being received.
Those checks are now part of the agency’s standard operating procedures. They are no longer assumptions about technology working in the background.

Why communication matters as much as optimisation

Looking back, Danny sees the technical failure as only part of the issue. Communication failed too. No one had asked the simple question: “Are you actually receiving the leads?”

Today, communication is one of Optidge’s core values.

Rather than expecting PPC specialists to manage constant client communication while also running campaigns, the agency brought in dedicated account managers whose primary role is to keep clients informed.

The lesson I took from this is simple: campaign metrics alone do not define success.

Success only happens when the client experiences the results you are reporting.

Sometimes clients remember how you responded

At first, the relationship with the client ended. Danny assumed the mistake had permanently damaged the trust they had built.

Years later, though, that same client reached out again about potentially working together. In her email, she described Optidge as the most professional agency she had worked with. For Danny, it was a reminder that clients do not forget mistakes, but they also remember how agencies respond to them.

Transparency, professionalism, and a genuine effort to improve can leave a stronger impression than perfection.

Common PPC mistakes Danny still sees today

Although this happened years ago, Danny still sees agencies making similar mistakes today.

One of the biggest is focusing only on traffic instead of business outcomes. Sending visitors to a page is no longer enough.

Strong lead generation requires understanding what happens after someone clicks.

When Danny audits accounts, he often finds agencies failing to:
- Feed qualified lead data back into advertising platforms.
- Review search terms thoroughly and maintain negative keywords.
- Build landing pages that match campaign intent.
- Measure lead quality instead of simply counting conversions.
Without those fundamentals, campaign optimisation is based on incomplete information.

Where AI is genuinely helping lead generation

Danny believes AI has real potential in lead generation, but not always in the way marketers expect.

One of the most useful opportunities is phone call analysis.

Instead of manually listening to every conversation, AI can now help agencies:
- Generate call transcripts.
- Categorise calls by quality.
- Identify whether a call became a genuine sales opportunity.
- Feed qualified conversion data back into Google Ads.
That makes it possible to optimise around real business outcomes instead of surface-level metrics.

Why AI still needs human oversight

Even though Danny is using AI, he does not treat it as an infallible system.

Like automation inside advertising platforms, AI can make mistakes, miss context, and confidently reach the wrong conclusion.

For industries with strict privacy requirements, such as healthcare, AI may not be appropriate for handling sensitive customer information at all.

His advice is to trust AI enough to improve efficiency, but always verify the work.

Human expertise still matters.

The biggest lesson

I do not think any PPC professional can avoid mistakes completely.

What defines a strong agency is how it responds when something goes wrong.

That means being honest, fixing the immediate problem, building safeguards, and making sure the same issue does not happen again.

As Danny puts it, a mistake only becomes valuable when you have genuinely learned from it.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.
July 3, 2026
Why One Client Led Me to Quit Google Ads and Trust My Instincts

When it comes to PPC, some of the toughest lessons aren’t about bidding strategies or keywords. It’s about knowing when to walk away from a client. On a recent episode of PPC Live The Podcast, I, Laura Abreu, a performance marketing strategist, shared a pivotal experience from early in my career that taught me invaluable lessons.

My first client was launching an ecommerce store featuring beauty products from well-known brands. On paper, it looked promising, but deep down, something felt off. The products were available at the same price elsewhere, giving consumers little reason to choose our store. Despite this, I ignored my instincts and accepted the project.

Despite our team’s best efforts with search campaigns, Meta ads, seasonal offers, and product bundles, we didn’t manage a single sale over three months. The issue wasn’t with our marketing strategies—it was the lack of a unique value proposition in the business model itself.

I’ve learned that great marketing won’t fix a weak business proposition. Engaging with a new client now involves ensuring they’ve done market validation before investments in advertising.

This experience also revealed the importance of not letting personal preferences cloud judgement in marketing. We focused heavily on creating visually appealing content without realizing that resonating with customer needs and desires is what truly drives sales.

The emotional turmoil from this misstep was profound, affecting my confidence to the point where I took a break from PPC clients. I realized I was unfairly shouldering the blame for a structural business issue beyond my control.

Setting clear expectations from the start with every client has become another cornerstone of my practice. I ensure advertising is positioned as a way to test assumptions instead of promising immediate growth. This approach helps in maintaining honest conversations and prevents misunderstandings.

I’ve also decided never to mix business with personal relationships. Working with friends and family often involves emotional challenges that can interfere with objective decision-making.

Protecting one’s reputation is crucial, especially when campaigns don’t meet expectations. Honest dialogue, even if it means discussing failures or refunding fees, is necessary to build trust, which is invaluable in our referral-driven industry.

Through auditing various PPC accounts, I often encounter the mistake of treating campaigns as “set and forget.” It’s vital to constantly refresh ad copy, scale winning creatives, and streamline lead-generation processes for better conversion rates.

AI has become a significant asset in automating routine tasks, allowing more time for strategic thinking and client interactions. However, I advise marketers to maintain human oversight to avoid the pitfalls of poor-quality AI outputs.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

June 19, 2026
How a Budget Blunder Reinforced the Basics of Success

While working with a major B2B SaaS account, I learned a valuable lesson about fundamentals through a €30,000 underspend. I initially tightened a target CPA to boost efficiency but neglected to monitor the consequences closely. This oversight resulted in the account falling short of its monthly budget target.

Underspending isn’t merely a media issue—it can affect future budget allocations. The unspent funds had to be returned to finance, making it challenging for the marketing team to justify similar investment levels in upcoming cycles.

The toughest part wasn’t the monetary mistake, but owning up to it. I had to personally explain the situation to the client, taking full responsibility without making excuses.

Even though the client was understanding, trust was undoubtedly shaken. To rebuild confidence, I introduced weekly budget pacing updates to demonstrate transparency and assure them that such an issue would not recur.

Throughout this experience, I realized the enduring importance of fundamentals like budget pacing, account monitoring, and conversion tracking. These basics are crucial, regardless of how advanced our advertising platforms become.

Reflecting on what I would do differently, I underestimated how impactful a target CPA change could be. Now, I consider any spend-related adjustment as a significant account change necessitating careful observation.

While I support using AI-powered tools, I’ve learned to be cautious about adopting every new feature indiscriminately. Balancing experimentation with human insight and strategic oversight is essential to me.

One of the industry’s recurring blind spots is conversion tracking, often flawed due to poor implementation. Accurate data is essential, as it drives optimization decisions and performance.

Building strong client relationships is also pivotal. When mistakes happen, open communication and honesty can be just as critical as producing solid performance results.

Ultimately, mistakes in PPC are unavoidable, but how we handle them defines our success. This experience reminded me that mastering the basics and maintaining trust lay the groundwork for enduring success.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

June 15, 2026
Responding Gracefully: Handling AI-Driven SEO Suggestions

When I receive emails like, “Hi Frank, I had ChatGPT look at our SEO and it has a bunch of recommendations. Can you take care of this for us?” I know I’m not alone. Many of us are facing similar queries from clients and managers.

The challenge lies in responding effectively without appearing defensive. We need to guide through what’s pertinent, what’s generic, and what’s simply off the mark.

Mastering SEO is one thing; communicating about AI-generated insights is another. Here’s how I’ve learned to handle AI suggestions tactfully.

Resist the Urge to Simply State, ‘ChatGPT is Wrong’

Although it might be tempting to outright dismiss the AI output, doing so can often backfire, leading to perceptions of being territorial instead of collaborative.

Rather than debating the AI, I focus on demonstrating my ability to assess AI output objectively and effectively.

My first step always involves acknowledging the effort behind the suggestions before diving into their evaluation.

Validate the Effort

I start with gratitude: thanking them for their input. It’s crucial to remember that these suggestions are usually a genuine attempt to contribute.

Rushing to critique AI recommendations can make them feel their effort is undervalued.

For instance, recently, my response was:

“Hi Dr. _______, thanks for sending this over. There are a few ideas worth considering. I also have thoughts on enhancing the model’s context with additional data. I’ll dive into it and update you.”

This approach shows appreciation, signifying my willingness to consider their suggestions earnestly.

Follow Up with What’s Worth Exploring

Begin by identifying the suggestions that hold potential value. This demonstrates a balanced view rather than outright rejection.

I often find value in AI suggestions, which can serve as a starting point for deeper analysis and refinement.

For example, if I receive AI feedback on page content, I review it to identify enhancements while ensuring alignment with our goals.

Let Them Realize When ChatGPT is Off

After exploring valuable insights, I walk clients through weaker points, encouraging them to understand the discrepancies independently.

We once had a client misled by AI into thinking competitors focused solely on one procedure. Through analysis, we revealed they covered diverse topics, allowing the client to recognize AI’s oversights.

Improve the Analysis, Don’t Debate Output

I explain that AI outputs reflect the input quality. When context or guidance is lacking, AI’s conclusions can be skewed.

For example, AI suggested 3,000+ word procedure pages. However, top-ranking pages were shorter, affirming my experience that word count alone doesn’t influence rankings.

Thus, refining prompts, not necessarily dismissing AI, is where the focus should be.

Embrace and Master AI-Related Emails

Such emails are inevitable, and learning to address them efficiently strengthens our role as marketing leaders.

Mastering this skill means keeping clients engaged, bolstering our expertise, and managing time efficiently.

The next time you’re on the receiving end, remember to blend professionalism with collaboration and expertise.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

May 14, 2026
Mastering the Art of Delivering Tough SEO News to Executives

I’ve learned that executives don’t crave SEO jargon. What they need is clarity, honesty, and a clear path forward. Here’s how I deliver just that when faced with disappointing results.

Traditional SEO metrics haven’t been reassuring, and while more studies could affirm this, the existing data already does. Organic traffic is dropping for many of my clients, with studies like Seer Interactive’s showing a 61% drop in CTR for queries with AI Overviews. Executives notice these downward trends on their dashboards, often for extended periods.

Many consultants I’ve spoken with find themselves unprepared for these tough conversations. Diagnosing the traffic drop is one thing, but sitting across from a CMO and explaining not just what’s happened, but why it happened and what you propose to do about it, requires a whole different skill set. This skill is crucial, yet often overlooked.

Having spent 13 years in SEO and the last six managing an agency, where I personally lead strategy and present to senior executives, I’ve discovered five key lessons on breaking bad news in what I consider one of the most challenging times to be an SEO consultant.

1. Executives are more predictable than you think

A while back, a client expressed concerns after isolating our SEO work from the rest of their site’s organic traffic. Our reported overall numbers looked fine, but the performance of our specific work hadn’t improved over eight months.

Upon reviewing, I found my team indeed avoided acknowledging the underperformance, opting instead to present only the numbers that looked good. No one wants to admit failure in a meeting, yet concealing it often proves more damaging.

The client eventually finds out, and it’s not the underperformance that breaches trust, but the omission. Revealing issues early allows us to address what executives value most: problem-solving capability, diagnosis, and a strategic plan for recovery.

This experience transformed our client engagement approach. We now rigorously separate and analyze our work’s performance, ensuring any underperformance is flagged early along with a proposed solution. Every executive I’ve met has been burned by vendors hiding results; they value the rare consultant who promptly addresses and plans for solutions.

2. Diagnose before you communicate

A prospect once approached me about a traffic decline, assuming AI Overviews were to blame. Instead of presuming, I thoroughly diagnosed the issue. My investigation revealed a PR-induced traffic spike had skewed the comparison, and once adjusted, current performance was actually solid growth.

This diagnosis turned the discussion from a crisis into a positive affirmation of growth—within minutes. Conversely, I’ve also encountered genuine issues. For example, technical errors causing crawl waste impacted a client’s performance. Recognizing the pattern from past experience, I proposed a tried-and-tested solution.

Executives don’t need to understand every technical detail; they need assurance of a diagnosed problem and a plan. Confidence stems from the quality of diagnosis and the specificity of the corrective plan, not the delivery itself.

3. Surprise bad news and failed experiments are different conversations

Surprises

The worst kind of bad news, surprises arise from work done without strategic anchoring. Without a defined plan, diagnosing a traffic dip becomes impossible, as no hypotheses were being tested—only tasks executed.

Failed experiments

In contrast, a failed experiment implies a deliberate strategy and defined expectations. While outcomes may disappoint, assessing performance and proposing informed next steps provides clarity and direction.

Organizing work into structured cycles with specific bets and outcomes avoids surprise dips, fostering a culture of planned experiments. Clients are then prepared for any result, seeing it as a learning opportunity rather than an unexpected issue.

4. Never arrive without a recommendation

When clients ask, “What’s next?” after receiving bad news, an immediate, concrete recommendation is crucial. Lack of one heightens the perceived severity of issues. A seamless answer shows preparedness and instills confidence.

I ensure thorough diagnostic and recommend two realistic paths, helping clients choose solutions rather than dwell on problems. This proactive approach shifts focus to resolution rather than dissatisfaction with setbacks.

5. The tough conversation builds the relationship

Strong client relationships often stem from overcoming difficulties, demonstrating capability under pressure. Being upfront and strategic when challenges arise consolidates trust more than perpetual smooth sailing.

Clients appreciate honest, smart communication over avoiding tough topics. I’ve found that taking ownership of mistakes, providing diagnoses, and recommending solutions earns more respect and confidence.

The conversation is part of the work

As SEO becomes more challenging and results fluctuate, my conversations with clients have grown in importance. Providing clear diagnoses, backed by actionable plans, ensures we manage setbacks effectively.

Clients now assess not just outcomes, but how I handle them, emphasizing the role of strategic, honest communication as an indispensable element of effective SEO consultancy.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

April 23, 2026
Mastering Data Storytelling: The Three-Act Structure

When I first analyzed my client’s website, I collected all performance data, pinpointed the successes, identified areas for improvement, and laid out my recommendations. However, transitioning this data into a compelling and trustworthy presentation required more than just numbers—it needed a narrative.

Storytelling proved to be the key. It is not solely for entertainment but is a fundamental tool for making sense of data, making it indispensable for effectively presenting insights.

One framework I found remarkably effective is the classic three-act structure, famously applied in everything from Aristotle’s Poetics to modern blockbusters like Star Wars.

This three-act structure allows me to guide my client’s journey from initial insights to actionable conclusions, positioning them as the story’s hero who overcomes challenges.

It’s similar to a narrative arc, but segregated neatly into three parts: the setup, the confrontation, and the resolution.

Act 1 sets the stage, spotlighting the status quo and the emerging challenge—the antagonist to our protagonist, the client.

Act 2 introduces rising action as conflicts and obstacles emerge, demanding strategies to navigate them.

Act 3 brings the climax and resolution, depicting how the applied strategies overcome obstacles and pave the path for future success.

This method offers a deeper understanding of data and transforms mere analysis into a strategic journey that places the client at its heart.

In essence, embracing the three-act structure for data storytelling fosters transparency and cooperation, aligning our goals with those of our clients for mutual success.

Step 1 involves revisiting past strategies and successes to establish the baseline of Act 1.

Step 2 follows suit by dissecting current challenges, mirroring the conflict escalation of Act 2.

Finally, Step 3 proposes solutions that serve as the resolution in Act 3, captaining the client’s progression towards their goals.

Imagine carving the path of this narrative like charting a hero’s journey. With every data set unfolds a chapter where I play the guide, bridging insights with impactful actions.

But just as with any story, reaching our conclusion doesn’t signify the end. It marks the dawn of new strategies, fresh collaborations, and continued growth.

This is how I not only deliver insights but foster trust and clarity in my partnerships, ensuring that both the successes and challenges of data transform into a compelling narrative.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

April 20, 2026
Transform Your SEO with AI: 20 Practical Applications

After almost two decades in digital marketing, AI significantly impacted how I work. It’s been a game-changer by saving time, cutting down on repetitive tasks, and speeding up challenging ones.

However, AI doesn’t operate as a magic wand. It won’t do the entire job for you or transform everything overnight. In the hands-on world of SEO, armed with real clients and deadlines, AI serves as a handy tool to ease workloads but doesn’t eliminate the necessity of hard work.

Below are 20 ways I’ve integrated AI into my SEO strategies. Some are specific to SEO, while others benefit anyone in the industry. Each usage is practical, tested, and transparent about its constraints.

Content creation and copywriting

1. Writing first drafts

The best way to leverage AI in content is to see it as a rapid first-draft creator rather than expecting it to deliver polished, ready-to-publish pieces. Provide it with your brief, target keywords, audience, and angle to get a structured draft.

Focus on rewriting this draft in your voice by injecting your unique expertise. Enhance AI-generated content with personal stories, case studies, stats, and your professional insights.

AI helps avoid the daunting starting point of a blank page, saving valuable time.

2. Generating meta title and description variations

Provide your target keyword, page topic, and character limits to Claude or ChatGPT, and request 10 variations for your meta titles and descriptions. You might choose one or mix two for the best effect, reducing creation time from 20 minutes to just two!

Many tools will let you upload CSVs, add AI-generated suggestions, and download them for review. However, always ensure a human review for optimal results.

3. Refreshing underperforming content

If a page or blog post is underperforming, paste it into an AI tool to get feedback on missing elements, extensible parts, and outdated information. Although not always perfect, it offers a fresh perspective without needing to reread everything yourself.

Detailed prompts with context yield better results than simply pasting content cold.

4. Generating FAQ sections

Ask AI to generate the top 10 questions around your target keywords and check them against ‘People Also Ask’ and your research. By providing well-crafted answers, you get an FAQ section, potential featured snippets, and a content gap analysis in around 10 minutes.

5. Writing alt text at scale

Crafting alt text for numerous images can be a tedious task. Describe the image, its page context, and include the target keyword for AI to generate appropriate alt text descriptions. While not glamorous, it’s essential and much faster.

Running a site through Screaming Frog, exporting it, and using AI to write alt text can quicken the process if file names are descriptive. Human oversight remains a necessity, focusing on speed rather than full automation.

Dig deeper: How to use AI for SEO without losing your brand voice

Technical SEO

6. Understanding error messages and log files

AI proves invaluable for those without a developer background by translating technical error messages, interpreting server logs, and identifying why a page isn’t being indexed. Paste in your output, ask for explanations and recommended fixes, verifying the insights before implementation.

7. Writing schema markup

Schema markup can be tedious. Provide AI with page content descriptions and schema type (like FAQ or Article), and let it generate the JSON-LD code. Always verify it with Google’s Rich Results Test to ensure correctness. The process now takes me only five minutes per page type!

8. Creating regex for Google Search Console

If you’re utilizing regex in GSC filters and aren’t an expert, AI can lend a hand. Describe what you need to filter and request the regex string. It usually gets it right and can even explain the logic for your understanding.

9. Analyzing crawl data with prompts

Export crawls from Screaming Frog or Sitebulb. If you’re uncertain what to prioritize, input the data into an AI tool and receive guidance on the highest-priority issues for site goals. It’s a great assistance when diagnosing plenty of issues under tight timings.

Dig deeper: 6 tactical ways to responsibly use AI for everyday SEO

Reporting and analysis

10. Writing the narrative around the numbers

One underrated AI use in SEO work involves creating narratives around the data. You have the facts, but forming a coherent narrative explaining fluctuations and future expectations takes effort. Share your key metrics, contextual events, and have AI draft the narrative for you to refine and enhance.

This method helps blend information from multiple sources. I save hours monthly while compiling reports.

11. Summarizing long reports for clients

Not every client wishes to examine a 12-page report. Task AI with summarizing it into an executive five-bullet summary for better engagement. The comprehensive report remains optional for those who seek details.

Providing a simple, easy-to-understand executive summary bridges understanding gaps for clients not familiar with SEO intricacies.

12. Identifying anomalies in data

Input your keyword rankings or traffic data and let AI detect unusual trends or patterns that deviate from expectations, such as drops or unexplained gains.

While it won’t replace comprehensive analysis, it is beneficial for a preliminary review when overwhelmed by data.

Dig deeper: How to build AI confidence inside your SEO team

Research and competitor analysis

13. Conducting competitor content gap analysis

List your top competitors and yourself, asking AI to identify potential content gaps based on competitors’ strategies and positioning.

Use AI-generated insights to guide targeted keyword research, starting the manual process with hypothesis-generating edge.

14. Understanding a new industry quickly

For unfamiliar industries, rely on AI to guide you with key terminology, major players, buying cycles, search habits, and common pain points. This approach saves you time on initial discovery calls.

15. Identifying search intent mismatches

Ask AI to categorize your target keywords by search intent, then check for disparities in your current page targeting approach. It’s straightforward yet tedious when dealing with numerous keywords.

Dig deeper: How to use AI response patterns to build better content

Client communication and account management

16. Drafting difficult client emails

AI eases the burden of crafting challenging emails, whether explaining dropped rankings or missed deadlines. Provide situation details, needed actions, and let AI draft a professional message to edit and send, saving emotional energy.

17. Writing SOPs and process documentation

To document processes, verbalize or note down rough steps and let AI turn them into structured SOPs. This approach helps overcome procrastination, offering a framework to refine further.

18. Preparing for client calls

Before client calls, recap recent report data, outstanding issues, and planned agenda with AI assistance for structuring and anticipating potential client queries. This primes you for a well-prepared meeting experience.

Productivity and admin

19. Processing your own thinking

I frequently turn to AI when grappling with strategic or creativity blocks. I discuss challenges aloud and AI helps clarify thoughts, aiding in quicker and easier decision-making processes.

Ask AI for honest feedback to bypass mere agreement, ensuring you receive pertinent, challenging insights.

20. Building prompts you actually reuse

The greatest productivity surge from AI arises by crafting a repository of tailored prompts for your workflow. Save successful prompts to establish a library, avoiding the need to reinvent each time. Consistent reuse of effective prompts compounds productivity gains over time.

Top tip: Many premium AI tools permit project creation with specified instructions, saving time spent repeatedly inputting detailed information for prompts.

Dig deeper: Why SEO teams need to ask ‘should we use AI?’ not just ‘can we?’

What these use cases don’t replace

These AI tips augment, but do not replace, the expertise and relationships crucial to excellent SEO practice. AI lacks nuanced understanding of business intricacies, account histories, and client relationships.

By lessening time spent on monotonous tasks, AI allows more room for expert work. Always employ AI as a tool, remain cautious of the hype, and ensure to personally review content before presenting to a client.

Dig deeper: Could AI eventually make SEO obsolete?

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

April 1, 2026
Mastering Google Ads: Avoid Costly Pitfalls & Optimize Performance

I recently had an enlightening chat with Chloe Varnfield, a seasoned digital marketer from Atelier Studios with nearly eight years of PPC experience. She shared invaluable insights on avoiding hidden Google Ads settings, steering clear of Friday mishaps, and the dangers of following Google rep advice blindly. These hard-learned lessons resonated with me deeply.

One of Chloe’s early eye-openers involved Google’s elusive account-level automated assets setting. It’s tucked away so deeply that I didn’t even realize it existed until I got an unexpected client message questioning a bizarre headline in their ad. It turns out Google had generated it automatically. This experience taught me the importance of auditing account-level settings and being proactive about Google updates.

Another lesson Chloe swears by is to never implement significant changes on a Friday. Once, she adjusted a campaign’s geographic targeting mid-conversation, only to accidentally exclude the UK. Recovery took three bewildering days. The rule I learned? Avoid major changes on a Friday and promptly audit your campaigns when things go awry.

Chloe’s most costly mistake unfolded when she followed a Google rep’s suggestion to switch bid strategies. What seemed like solid advice plummeted her campaign’s performance. It was a stark reminder of the high stakes involved in altering bid strategies, especially for businesses not hitting conversion volume thresholds. Patience and trusting my judgment emerged as crucial takeaways.

While auditing inherited accounts, Chloe often finds recurring issues like broken conversion tracking and brand-broad match campaigns—challenges that skew performance data and waste precious budget. These insights made me acutely aware of consistently vigilant account management.

Transparency in client relationships plays a pivotal role in Chloe’s success. Honest communication—explaining issues, solutions, and next steps—has shielded her from losing client trust. Her advice? Stay calm, be kind to yourself, and remember every problem offers a chance for growth.

Lastly, Chloe emphatically warns against over-relying on AI for generating ad copy without thorough review. AI should be a tool to enhance speed, not replace meaningful human oversight. It reinforced my commitment to always infuse my unique voice and critical review into AI outputs.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

March 13, 2026
Surviving the Loss: Lessons from Letting Go of a Major Client

In a recent episode of PPC Live The Podcast, I got the chance to sit down with Emina Demiri Watson, the Head of Digital at Vixen Digital based in Brighton. She opened up about one of the more challenging experiences an agency can face: choosing to let go of a client who made up a significant portion of their revenue. Imagine a client that accounts for 70% of your income, and then having to say goodbye. This is what Emina bravely tackled.
Over approximately three months, it became clear that the relationship with this client was worsening. It wasn’t an overnight decision; it evolved from a once-healthy dynamic to something toxic. The leadership team at Vixen made the tough call to prioritize their company culture over the immediate financial gain provided by this client. It was a decision not driven by a difficult client but by a deteriorating relationship that impacted the entire team.
When they finally analyzed the situation, the reality hit hard. Vixen discovered they had a serious issue with client concentration — one client dominated their revenue structure. This wasn’t apparent until they examined the figures closely, underscoring the importance of having well-organized financial tracking systems.
Emina also highlighted several red flags agencies should watch for in client relationships. It’s not just about declining campaign performance; watch for shifts within the client’s business, such as restructuring, team changes, or security breaches that can impact lead conversions. It’s crucial to understand what’s happening on the client’s end to maintain a healthy partnership.
The road to recovery for Vixen Digital involved three key strategies: properly monitoring client concentration, adhering to their core values, and being patient with rebuilding revenue. Losing the client allowed them to re-focus on pitching new business and reconnecting with the industry, activities that had previously been sidelined.
In discussing mistakes observed during account audits, Emina noted common issues such as using broad match without adequate audience safeguards and neglecting negative keyword lists. These errors often lead to ineffective targeting, especially problematic for businesses targeting niche, high-value audiences.
Emina’s view on AI is refreshingly realistic: the key misstep is overhyping it. In the PPC world, we’ve been navigating automation for years, which positions us well to question AI’s supposed magic. Her advice to the team is to use AI tools like Claude for preliminary research but never to replace critical thinking.
If you’re grappling with the idea of ending a deteriorating client relationship, Emina’s straightforward advice is to return to your values. Prioritize commercial goals if that aligns with your mission, but if preserving company culture and team morale are paramount, it may be time to let go.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

February 20, 2026