Search Engine Marketing Chicago

April 1, 2025April 1, 2025

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) from sem[c]

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is the strategy of optimizing content for visibility in AI-generated search results, rather than traditional search engine results, focusing on how AI models process and prioritize information. [1, 2, 3]

Here’s a more detailed breakdown: [4, 5, 6]

What is GEO? [4, 5, 6]

A New Approach to Search Visibility: GEO is emerging as a crucial strategy for businesses to ensure their content is prominent in AI-driven search engines like Google’s AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity. [4, 5, 6]
Beyond Traditional SEO: While traditional SEO focuses on ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs), GEO aims to influence how AI models generate responses and cite sources. [2, 7]
Optimizing for AI: GEO involves understanding how AI models process and prioritize content, and then tailoring content to be more appealing and relevant to these models. [2, 3]
Examples of AI-driven search engines: Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google Gemini. [4, 5, 6]

Key Principles of GEO: [1, 8]

Content Quality and Relevance: Similar to traditional SEO, GEO emphasizes creating high-quality, relevant, and engaging content that directly addresses user intent. [1, 8]
Structured Data: Utilizing AI-friendly structured data can help AI models understand and process content more effectively. [8, 9]
Conversational Language: Employing conversational language and providing direct answers, lists, and actionable advice can improve the user experience and make content more appealing to AI. [9, 10]
Long-Tail Keywords: Focusing on long-tail keywords that reflect user intent can help AI models understand the context of a query and prioritize relevant content. [9, 10]
Citations and Authority: Referencing credible sources and incorporating authoritative quotes can help establish credibility and make content more trustworthy in the eyes of AI. [9]
Content Freshness: Regularly updating content to ensure it remains current and relevant is important for both SEO and GEO. [9]

Benefits of GEO: [4, 7]

Increased Visibility in AI-Generated Responses: By optimizing content for AI, businesses can increase their chances of being featured in AI-generated responses and recommendations. [4, 7]
Enhanced User Experience: GEO can help provide personalized, context-rich content that meets user needs, leading to better engagement and a more satisfying user experience. [1, 9]
Improved Brand Authority: By creating high-quality, data-driven content and optimizing for search visibility, brands can enhance their relevance and authority in the new search ecosystem. [11]
Targeted Traffic: GEO can help attract more targeted traffic to a website by ensuring that content is visible to users who are actively searching for information related to a specific topic. [4]

GEO vs. SEO: [12, 13]

SEO: Focuses on optimizing content for traditional search engines like Google and Bing, aiming to improve ranking in SERPs.
GEO: Focuses on optimizing content for AI-driven search engines and AI-generated responses, aiming to increase visibility in these new search ecosystems.
Complementary Strategies: While SEO remains crucial for traditional search visibility, GEO is becoming increasingly important for AI-driven searches, and both strategies can be used in conjunction to maximize online visibility. [12, 13]

sem[c] will always use the latest techniques to make your business show up online.

[1] https://mailchimp.com/resources/generative-engine-optimization/

[2] https://searchengineland.com/win-generative-engine-optimization-seo-443965

[3] https://responsory.com/blog/what-is-generative-engine-optimization/

[4] https://martech.org/generative-engine-optimization-what-you-need-to-know/

[5] https://www.seerinteractive.com/insights/what-is-generative-engine-optimization-geo

[6] https://exposureninja.com/blog/generative-engine-optimisation/

[7] https://foundationinc.co/lab/generative-engine-optimization

[8] https://surferseo.com/blog/generative-engine-optimization/

[9] https://searchengineland.com/generative-engine-optimization-strategies-446723

[10] https://aioseo.com/generative-engine-optimization-geo/

[11] https://builtin.com/articles/generative-engine-optimization-new-seo

[12] https://seo.ai/blog/generative-engine-optimization-geo-vs-search-engine-optimization-seo[13] https://writesonic.com/blog/geo-vs-seo

January 14, 2025January 15, 2025

What Happened to Google?

A study titled “Is Google Getting Worse? A Longitudinal Investigation of SEO Spam in Search Engines” was conducted by Janek Bevendorff, Matti Wiegmann, Martin Potthast, and Benno Stein, researchers sought to address this growing awareness of a perceived decline in search result quality.

Their answer to their titular question is “Yes.”

People have noticed. Google’s share of all searches has dropped below 90% for the first time since 2015.

Interestingly, even though the quality of search returns was declining the study wound up validating some of basic tenets of traditional SEO.

The research team, spread across Leipzig University, Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, and ScaDS.AI in Germany, produced a year-long empirical analysis to study how SEO-affiliated content affects the performance of three major search engines: Google (proxied by Startpage), Bing, and DuckDuckGo.

Main conclusion; Google is infected with SEO spam

Search results are showing a disproportionate amount of SEO spam content including affiliate links. And it’s getting harder to tell real content from spam, especially with AI-generated content. Even though search engines update their algorithms to fight SEO spam, the improvements are temporary.

The main takeaways outlined by the research team are:

Search Engines Struggle with SEO Spam
Prevalence of Affiliate Content is apparent especially in project search returns.
Amazon Associates Domination in product reviews.
An inverse Relationship can be seen between the use of affiliate marketing and the complexity of the content.
The study finds that the text complexity and quality of top-ranking pages might be declining, with trends suggesting simplified, repetitive, and potentially AI-generated content.
The continuous adjustments by search engines to combat SEO spam portray an ongoing, dynamic adversarial relationship. SEO practitioners adapt rapidly to algorithm changes, making permanent improvements difficult to maintain.
Search engine updates do affect the rankings of SEO-optimized content temporarily, demonstrating momentary improvements in search quality. However, these gains are usually short-lived as SEO tactics evolve.
The search engines display vulnerability to large-scale spam campaigns, especially those involving extensive affiliate links which blur the line between quality content and spam.

AI search is being utilized by end-users to combat the poor quality of major search engines like Google. However, the usage statistics are still quite low.

The study did validate the concept that traditional SEO tactics and metrics do still work:

Keyword Optimization: The research indicated that higher-ranking pages seem to have a strategic use of keywords, especially in headings and titles. This suggests that careful keyword optimization might influence visibility in search rankings.
Content Structure: The study showed that pages that rank better are often more structured with a proper use of headings and shorter URL paths, which could signal higher content quality to search engines.
Text Complexity: Interestingly, the research observed that top-ranking pages tended to have lower text complexity, which might infer that simpler, more straightforward content could be more favorable in search rankings.
Frequent Content Updates: The study noted fluctuations in rankings in response to search engine updates. This suggests that continually updating content to align with the latest SEO trends could be a tactic to maintain or improve rankings.

No matter how people search SEO practices have never been more important. Contact us to find out how we can help you.

April 10, 2024April 10, 2024

Intentions – good or otherwise?

Despite all the chatter about AI and big data a lot of the basis for success in online marketing comes down to sussing out your prospects’ intentions. This is a very human process.

People can be characterized into a number of personality types. There are a number of well-defined systems for analyzing these types. One is the DISC system.

This system is useful both for its simplicity and accuracy even when you have little observational data to work with.

Your online presence can satisfy the needs of all of the different personality types with the proper strategic planning. Carefully oversimplifying would mean: Be succinct and clear about benefits everywhere for D types. Be upbeat for I types. Cultivate your business on social media for S types. Provide information about your business with microscopic granularity buried on your website.

How do you gauge your prospects’ response to these items?

Website analytics: Look at the webpages your visitors visit, how long they stay on, and their activities. Patterns and trends can indicate your visitor’s goal. For example, pages with high bounce or exit rates may indicate a mismatch between content and visitor expectations.
Surveys and market research: Ask questions about customer preferences, needs, and motivations.
Customer interactions: Analyze customer service logs, call center recordings, and online chat sessions.
Visitor identification data: See who’s visiting your website and what they’re doing there.
Buying signals: For example, when prospects sign up for a free trial or complementary offerings, it’s a clear sign of their interest in the product.
Clicks a link in your email: Analytics of their behavior on where your link directed them to can show their buying intent. For example, if they click on a link like the content of your email but may want some time to do some research on their own before speaking with a sales rep, you can follow up with them relatively quickly while their attention is focused on you.

This is an overview of the process that we follow at sem[c].

December 5, 2023December 6, 2023

The Importance of Technical SEO for Business Growth

Technical SEO Overview

In today’s digital landscape, a business’s online presence is crucial for success. A well-optimized website can attract potential customers, increase brand awareness, and generate leads. However, without proper technical SEO, a website may struggle to achieve its full potential. Most frequently when we begin an SEO project at sem[c] we find that we are working with a slowly loading website. This is true regardless of what platform the site is built upon. Technical SEO focuses on whatever the underlying infrastructure of a website might be, ensuring that it is easy for search engines to crawl and index. One of the most critical aspects of technical SEO is site loading speed. A slow-loading website can lead to a higher bounce rate, reduced user engagement, and ultimately, lost revenue.

Five Benefits of Improved Technical SEO and Site Loading Speed

Improved Search Engine Rankings: Search engines prioritize websites that load quickly and provide a positive user experience. By optimizing site loading speed, businesses can improve their website’s rankings in search results, leading to increased organic traffic.
Enhanced User Experience: A fast-loading website provides a seamless user experience, keeping visitors engaged and reducing bounce rates. When users can access information quickly and easily, they are more likely to return to the website and make a purchase.
Increased Conversion Rates: A study by Google found that the probability of bounce increases 32% as page load time goes from 1 second to 3 seconds. In addition, a one-second delay in page load time can lead to a 7% decrease in conversions. By improving site loading speed, businesses can increase the likelihood of visitors converting into customers.
Reduced Bounce Rates: A bounce rate is the percentage of visitors who leave a website after viewing only one page. Slow loading times are a major contributor to high bounce rates. By optimizing site loading speed, businesses can reduce bounce rates and keep visitors engaged for longer.
Improved Mobile Friendliness: With the increasing prevalence of mobile devices, it is essential for websites to be mobile-friendly. Site loading speed is particularly important for mobile users, who may have slower internet connections. By optimizing site loading speed for mobile devices, businesses can ensure that their website provides a positive user experience for all visitors.

Optimizing Site Loading Speed for Technical SEO Success

There are several techniques that businesses can use to optimize site loading speed:

Image Optimization: Optimize images by reducing their file sizes without compromising quality. Use appropriate image formats and dimensions for the intended use.
Minify Code: Minify code to remove unnecessary whitespace, comments, and characters. This can significantly reduce page load times.
Leverage Browser Caching: Enable browser caching to store static content, such as images and CSS files, on the user’s device. This can reduce the amount of data that needs to be downloaded each time the page is visited.
Utilize a Content Delivery Network (CDN): A CDN distributes website content across multiple servers worldwide, reducing latency and improving page load times for users across different geographic locations.
Choose a Reliable Hosting Provider: Select a reliable hosting provider that can handle the traffic demands of your website and provide adequate bandwidth and server resources.

Conclusion on the Importance of Technical SEO for Your Website

Technical SEO is essential for businesses that want to maximize their online presence and achieve their business goals. By optimizing site loading speed and addressing other technical SEO issues, businesses can improve their search engine rankings, enhance user experience, increase conversion rates, reduce bounce rates, and ensure that their website is mobile-friendly. In today’s competitive digital landscape, investing in technical SEO is a wise investment in the future of your business. Your best choice in improving your site’s technical SEO is sem[c] so contact us today.

November 8, 2023November 8, 2023

Introduction to Google’s Generative Search Experience

Google’s Generative Search Experience (SGE) is a new feature that uses artificial intelligence to generate informative answers to search queries. It is still in beta testing, but it has the potential to revolutionize the way people search the web. You will see it in some results, be given the opportunity to generate in other circumstances or you might see a more traditional search return. This will change as the feature gets more fully deployed which is expected to happen sometime in 2024.

For businesses’ search presence, SGE presents both opportunities and challenges. On the one hand, it could make it more difficult for websites to rank for high-volume keywords, as Google may be able to provide users with the information they need without them ever having to click on a search result. On the other hand, SGE also creates new opportunities for websites to be featured in Google’s search results, and to provide users with more value.

How SGE Works

SGE uses a variety of AI techniques to generate answers to search queries. These techniques include:

Natural language processing: SGE is able to parse and understand the meaning of search queries, even if they are complex or ambiguous.
Machine learning: SGE has been trained on a massive dataset of text and code, which allows it to generate answers that are both informative and accurate.
Knowledge graphs: SGE uses knowledge graphs to understand the relationships between different entities, such as people, places, and things. This allows it to generate answers that are more comprehensive and informative.

How SGE Impacts SEO

SGE has a number of potential impacts on SEO, including:

Increased competition for high-volume keywords: As Google is able to provide users with the information they need without them having to click on a search result, there will be increased competition for high-volume keywords. This means that websites will need to produce high-quality content that is more informative and engaging than ever before.
New opportunities for visibility: SGE also creates new opportunities for websites to be featured in Google’s search results. For example, websites may be featured in SGE’s answer boxes, even if they do not rank for the specific keyword that the user searched for.
A greater emphasis on quality content: As SGE is able to generate answers to search queries, Google will place a greater emphasis on the quality of websites’ content. Websites that produce high-quality, informative, and engaging content will be more likely to be featured in SGE’s results.

What sem[c] Is Doing to Help Our Clients Get Ready

Some best SEO practices will continue to be important for SGE:

Produce high-quality content: This is more important than ever before, as SGE is able to generate answers to search queries without requiring users to click on a search result. Websites need to produce content that is informative, engaging, and relevant to the needs of their target audience.
Use structured data: Structured data helps Google to understand the content on websites. This can make it more likely that websites are featured in SGE’s results. SEO consultants can help their clients to implement structured data on their websites. Google has recently stated that this will not be a determining factor by itself.
Optimize for conversational search: SGE is designed to answer natural language queries. This means that we will help our clients to optimize their websites for conversational search. This can be done by using natural language keywords and phrases in website content, and by creating content that is structured in a way that makes it easy for Google to understand. AIs like Google’s Bard, Bing GPT4 Chat and ChatGPT are helpful in this proces.

Conclusion

Google’s Generative Search Experience is a powerful new feature that has the potential to revolutionize the way people search the web. sem[c] is staying on top of the potential impacts of SGE, and we are prepared to help their clients prepare for it. By producing high-quality content, using structured data, and optimizing for conversational search, sem[c] is helping our clients to succeed in this new era of search.

If you have any questions about SGE and the impact of AI on search returns please contact sem[c]

September 13, 2023September 13, 2023

Google’s SGE – What is it and how will it affect SEO?

The Google search returns page has a new addition at the top as illustrated in the screenshot of its search return for “best delis in Manhattan” on this page. It is referred to as SGE for “Search Generative Experience.” In some cases it appears automatically, sometimes there is a prompt asking you if you would like to see it. This one of the most radical additions to the Google search returns page and is just rolling out. It won’t be fully deployed until 2024.

It significantly changes the was search results are displayed and, consequently, will have an effect on SEO.

Google’s use of its Search Generative Experience (SGE) will affect SEO in a number of ways.

It will place more emphasis on user experience and engagement. SGE will be designed to provide users with the most relevant and helpful information, even if it is not from a traditional search result. This means that websites that focus on providing high-quality, engaging content will be more likely to be featured in SGE snippets.
It will require a more holistic approach to SEO. Traditional SEO techniques, such as keyword research and link building, will still be important, but they will not be enough to guarantee success. SEO professionals will need to focus on creating content that is both informative and engaging, and that provides a good user experience.
It will make it more difficult to rank for competitive keywords. SGE snippets will often be the first thing that users see when they search for a particular keyword. This means that it will be more difficult to rank for those keywords, as users are less likely to click through to the actual website.
It will create new opportunities for businesses. SGE can be used to promote businesses in a number of ways. For example, businesses can create content that is targeted to specific SGE snippets, or they can use SGE to generate leads and sales.

Overall, Google’s use of SGE will have a significant impact on SEO. Businesses that want to stay ahead of the curve will need to adapt their SEO strategies to focus on user experience, engagement, and creating high-quality content.

Here are some specific things that businesses can do to optimize their websites for SGE:
- Create content that is informative, engaging, and well-written.
- Use keywords throughout your content, but don’t overdo it.
- Promote your content on social media and other channels.
- Build links to your content from other high-quality websites.
- Make sure your website is mobile-friendly.
- Track your results and make adjustments as needed.

It is still early days for SGE, and Google is constantly evolving the technology. However, by following these tips, businesses can position themselves to take advantage of this new search feature.

Search Engine Marketing Chicago is working with SGE every day and developing procedures to be ready for Google’s full deployment of the technology. Contact us with any questions about the future of SEO.

June 9, 2023September 6, 2023

What’s the difference between SEO and SEM?

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a service that helps businesses improve their online visibility and ranking on search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo! SEM (Search Engine Marketing) is a paid method of driving traffic, such as buying ads against target keyword searches.

SEM is a great way to get quick results and drive traffic to your website. However, it can be expensive and requires ongoing investment. SEO is a more long-term strategy that focuses on optimizing your website to rank higher in organic search results.

SEM can be used in conjunction with SEO to maximize your online visibility. By using both methods together, you can drive more traffic to your website and increase your chances of converting visitors into customers.

When it comes to choosing between SEO and SEM, it’s important to consider your business goals and budget. If you’re looking for quick results and have the budget for it, SEM may be the way to go. However, if you’re looking for a more long-term strategy that will help you build your online presence over time, SEO is the better choice.

At sem[c] we offer a range of digital marketing services including SEO and SEM. Our SEO services include keyword research, on-page optimization, link building, and content creation. Our SEM services include paid search advertising, display advertising, and social media advertising.

May 19, 2023

Have you ever worked with an SEO provider and been disappointed?

We have a proven track record of successfully assisting clients who have experienced poor service from their previous suppliers, which is a situation we often encounter. Unlike their previous provider, our approach to administering Google Ads goes beyond simply setting things up and leaving it at that. We understand the importance of daily maintenance to ensure an effective Google Ads campaign that minimizes the cost per click and maximizes the number of genuine conversions. This approach is an integral part of our sem[c] strategy for SEO.

Speaking of conversions, it is essential to differentiate between merely reaching the landing page of an ad and a true conversion. While the previous provider mistakenly considered page views as conversions, we recognize that a genuine conversion signifies a meaningful step towards a purchasing decision, such as filling out a form or making a call. To compound their error, this provider insisted on setting up Google Ads to generate more conversions without accurately identifying true conversions. Consequently, Google’s algorithms were simply targeting more people similar to those who visited the landing pages due to irrelevant searches, leading to further unfavorable search results.

By partnering with us, you can expect a comprehensive approach to Google Ads management that includes continuous maintenance, accurate conversion tracking, and a focus on driving genuine results for your business.

Establishing the definition of a conversion is an important part of the sem[c] Onboarding procedure which is the starting point of the sem[c] SEO Process illustrated below:

SEO is serious business and we do it the way it should be done.

Call us, email us or reach out on social media to find out more about how sem[c] can make SEO work for you.

February 6, 2023February 6, 2023

Latent semantic indexing and your business’ SEO

Latent semantic indexing, also known as LSI, is a technique that helps search engines understand the context and meaning of the content on your business’ website. If you’re looking to improve your search engine rankings and drive more traffic to your site, incorporating LSI keywords into your content is an SEO crucial step.

First, let’s define what LSI keywords are. These are words or phrases that are semantically related to your primary keyword. For example, if your primary keyword is “dog food,” LSI keywords might include “pet nutrition,” “canine diet,” and “best dog food brands.” By including LSI keywords in your content, you’re giving search engines additional context and information about your business.

Your business’ brand is your company name and what it is. You can think of LSI keywords as your company’s “non-brand” which is to say what your company offers its clients in the words that they think of when thinking about what your business does.

Now, why is this important for SEO? Search engines use LSI keywords to determine the meaning and relevance of your content. If you have a page about “dog food” but only mention that keyword a few times, search engines might have a hard time understanding the topic of your page and ranking it for relevant searches. However, if you include LSI keywords that are related to “dog food,” search engines will have a better understanding of the content and be able to match it with relevant searches.

So, how can you incorporate LSI keywords into your content? There are several ways to do this:

Use synonyms: Instead of repeating your primary keyword over and over, try using synonyms that are related to the topic.
Use related phrases: Write about topics that are related to your primary keyword. For example, if your primary keyword is “dog food,” you could write about “dog nutrition,” “best dog food,” and “dog food brands.”
Use related questions: Answer questions that are related to your primary keyword. For example, if your primary keyword is “dog food,” you could answer questions like “What is the best dog food?” and “What are the ingredients in dog food?”

By incorporating LSI keywords into your content, you’re helping search engines understand the context and meaning of your content. This, in turn, can improve your organic search engine rankings and drive more relevant traffic to your site.

Another of the many benefit of working with sem[c] is because we do this really well, you don’t have to. Contact us for more info.