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Articles by Jason Tabeling
The PPC marketer’s guide to Google’s Meridian
Google’s Meridian is bringing a new approach to paid search measurement. The open-source marketing mix modeling (MMM) framework helps marketers move beyond last-click attribution to better understand how much incremental revenue their search ads actually drive. Last-click attribution has long made paid search budgets look incredibly efficient. If someone clicked an ad and bought a product, that keyword got 100% of the credit.
Google Ads data shows query length shift post-AI Mode
A year ago, I looked at search term data to see whether the growth of LLMs was changing how people searched. At the time, there was a noticeable shift from short, keyword-based searches to longer, more conversational queries. My initial analysis suggested that the mass adoption of LLMs like ChatGPT was beginning to influence user behavior on “traditional” search platforms like Google.
LLM traffic converts differently — here’s what to do about it
Paid search has long been the workhorse of performance marketing because you can connect a click to a conversion. But AI-driven search is creating a different kind of referral traffic — one that arrives after an AI system has already helped shape the user’s decision. Our data shows LLM referral traffic converts at 20%, making it the highest-converting tactic in our dataset and 61% higher than paid search.
Google’s Universal Commerce Protocol: The SEO implications
As long as I’ve been in search marketing, the path has been simple: search query → click → buy. SEO followed the same model, with organic traffic, impressions, and click-through rate (CTR) serving as its primary measures of success. Google’s Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) signals where search is headed, shifting from a discovery engine to a transaction layer.
How AI prompt patterns vary by industry and shape search visibility
For more than two decades, SEO was built on keywords. But as generative AI, Google’s AI Overviews, and conversational engines like ChatGPT and Perplexity reshape how people find information, prompts are becoming the new unit of search. If you don’t understand the prompts your audience feeds into large language models (LLMs), your content won’t be retrieved to answer them. Here’s how prompt patterns differ across industries and what they mean for search visibility.
How to run prompt-level SEO experiments for AI search
As LLMs continue to grow, optimizing brand visibility in AI-generated responses is becoming increasingly important. Consumers are turning to these models for answers, recommendations, recipes, vacations, and nearly everything else imaginable. But what happens if your brand isn’t included in those responses? Can you influence the outcome? And what are some proven ways to improve your brand’s inclusion and visibility? That’s where structured experimentation comes in.
LLM nudges: The hidden force behind AI-driven journeys
LLMs have become a starting point for nearly everything — work, play, consumerism, health, and more. But one thing gets overlooked: how they finish answering prompts. They don’t — and that matters. They operate in a “no, you hang up first” mentality. The prompts we enter don’t just end. LLMs “nudge” us to continue the conversation, offering to take the next step.
How Google's Universal Commerce Protocol could reshape search conversions
Jason Tabeling As Google rolls out AI Overviews, AI Mode in Search, and the Gemini ecosystem, we face a growing challenge: what happens when users get answers — and soon complete purchases — without leaving Google's interfaces? Enter Google's Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), now in beta. UCP is designed to help brands to sell to consumers without leaving the Gemini or LLM experience. Consumers can check out within the LLM, add rewards points, and fully execute the transaction.
What 13 months of data reveals about LLM traffic, growth, and conversions
LLMs and their influence on traffic to a brand’s website are a major topic in our client conversations. Everyone wants to know what’s happening, how they can do better, and what the best practices are. My recommendation to brands right now is to start with the data and focus on what they can know for sure.
AI for video advertising: 5 best practices for PPC campaigns
In 2026, AI is no longer something marketers are debating. It’s actively shaping nearly every part of digital advertising and creative. Because the human brain processes visuals far faster than text, video ads are becoming more important and more effective, especially as creative costs continue to fall. The question is no longer whether PPC teams should use AI for video advertising.
Black hat GEO is real - Here’s why you should pay attention
In the early days of SEO, ranking algorithms were easy to game with simple tactics that became known as “black hat” SEO – white text on a white background, hidden links, keyword stuffing, and paid link farms. Early algorithms weren’t sophisticated enough to detect these schemes, and sites that used them often ranked higher. Today, large language models power the next generation of search, and a new wave of black hat techniques are emerging to manipulate rankings and prompt results for advantage.
Google Ads copywriting with AI: Getting the prompt right
Creating effective ad copy has always been a critical skill for PPC marketers, especially in Google Ads. In the past, it meant hours of brainstorming, drafting, and A/B testing. Today, LLMs like Google’s Gemini can produce high-quality ad copy in minutes. But the results don’t come from the tool alone – they depend on the prompts you use to guide it.
Measuring GEO: What’s trackable now and what’s still missing
Large language models (LLMs) are transforming how consumers discover brands and find answers to both simple and complex questions. For marketers, this shift demands new ways of measuring visibility and impact. Yet unlike Google search, generative engines reveal far less data to guide strategy. This article outlines the GEO metrics you can track right now and the blind spots that still make optimization a challenge.
How to write high-performing Google Ads copy with generative AI
Producing effective ad copy remains one of the biggest challenges in PPC advertising. It’s expensive, time-consuming, and often a guessing game – especially when scaling campaigns across audiences and formats. Generative AI offers a new solution, already reshaping how brands create and optimize Google Ads across text, video, and display. But while the promise is compelling – faster production, smarter personalization, better performance – results don’t come from automation alone.
Using ChatGPT's Advanced Data Analysis feature for PPC
The world of generative AI is evolving rapidly, with breakthroughs in image and video generation, multimodal capabilities, and – crucially for marketers – data analysis. For PPC professionals, these tools offer a new level of speed and depth in uncovering insights and optimizing performance. One standout capability is ChatGPT’s Advanced Data Analysis, which allows users to upload raw data, ask natural language questions, and receive clear, actionable insights – fast.
LLMs are driving referral traffic - but what about engagement?
From answering complex queries to generating creative content, large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Gemini, and others are becoming integral to how users seek and consume information online. This technology presents a paradox for brands and website owners: the potential for new avenues of traffic generation alongside the growing challenge of zero-click results. The initial excitement surrounding LLMs often focuses on their ability to simplify workflows and provide instant answers.
How BigQuery ML unlocks better targeting, bidding, ROI in Google Ads
Success in Google Ads hinges on how well you use your data. With AI-driven features like Smart Bidding, traditional PPC tactics like campaign structure and keyword selection don’t carry the same weight. However, Google Ads provides a goldmine of insights into performance, user behavior, and conversions. The challenge? Turning that data into action. Enter Google’s BigQuery ML – a powerful yet underused tool that can help you optimize campaigns and drive better results.
LLMs are disrupting search - is your brand ready?
Large language models (LLMs) are changing how people search for information online, challenging traditional search engines and reshaping how brands connect with their audiences. As LLMs like ChatGPT and Google Gemini gain prominence, businesses must adapt to a landscape defined by conversational AI, zero-click results, and new consumer behaviors. Here’s what this shift means for your brand and how to stay ahead.
How does AI work in PPC?
PPC advertising has always been a data-driven field, but artificial intelligence (AI) is taking it to a new level. AI is revolutionizing how marketers reach their target audiences, optimize their campaigns and ultimately drive conversions. From the way consumers experience search with AI Overviews to the way paid search marketers run campaigns with smart bidding, AI is pervasive at this point.
How does AI work in PPC?
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Google’s Ads Data Hub: What you need to know
The Google Ads landscape continues to evolve, with a growing emphasis on data usage that complies with strict privacy guidelines. To support advertisers navigating this environment, Google introduced a robust toolset designed to advance their AI-driven marketing strategies. A key part of this transformation is Ads Data Hub (ADH), a platform built on Google Cloud.
How search query length is shifting in the LLM era: Insights for brands
The advent of large language models (LLMs) marks the most significant shift in the search experience since the rise of mobile technology. Google’s SERPs are evolving beyond the traditional 10 blue links, introducing AI Overviews and other enhanced features. The full impact on brands and consumers is still unfolding This article explores the hypothesis that the integration of LLMs into everyday life will fundamentally change how people search.
Broad vs. deep expertise: How to decide which is right for you
You can either have broad or deep subject matter expertise. The choice is yours. If you’re in the early or middle stage of your career, then this is the perfect time to decide whether you want to go broad or deep. Here’s how to think about this choice and decide what’s best for your search marketing career. I base my approach on the “T-shaped marketer” model: an expert in one area (vertical bar) with broader knowledge across related disciplines (horizontal bar).
Perplexity AI: Exploring AI-powered search beyond Google
The rise of generative AI and large language models (LLMs) has opened the possibility of disrupting Google’s long-standing dominance in the search engine market. One such challenger is Perplexity, an AI-powered search platform that aims to provide users with summarized answers and cited sources instead of the traditional list of web page links.
Search Ads 360: 3 best practices for advanced PPC marketers
While Google Ads has built-in bidding algorithms and optimization features, some PPC marketers and advertisers still rely on Google’s Search Ads 360 (SA360) for managing complex campaigns. This article discusses three key best practices and integrations that can help maximize the value of using SA360: Leveraging data integrations with Google Analytics and BigQuery. Taking advantage of advanced bid optimization features like value-based bidding and custom variables.
Location targeting in Google Ads: Balancing automation and control Original
Google Ads has evolved significantly in recent years, with more automation and artificial intelligence being introduced to simplify campaign management. One area where PPC advertisers now have to make strategic decisions is geotargeting – whether to let Google’s algorithms determine where ads are shown based on performance data or to set specific geographic targets manually. This article explores key considerations for optimizing location targeting in Google Ads campaigns.
Client onboarding and offboarding: The PPC agency’s guide Original
Winning and losing clients is part of the agency business. But with the right processes in place, you can smooth client transitions and maintain positive relationships no matter the outcome. Let’s tackle best practices for onboarding new clients and offboarding those who leave that will improve the client experience, get to work quickly, and enable future referrals. As a search agency, you are always trying to win new business.
Reassessing the role of links in SEO: What data tells us Original
The debate over the significance of links has been a recurring theme in SEO. Recently, Google’s Gary Illyes has once again ignited discussions around the topic when he said that “people overestimate the importance of links,” and it hasn’t been in the top three ranking factors for some time. Such statements from Google have been made in the past, prompting SEO professionals and businesses to reconsider their strategies. This got me thinking about how essential links really are today.
What to do when performance tanks in PPC Original
In any PPC campaign, the ultimate goal is to improve and deliver better results year after year. Ideally, trendlines in your performance charts are going up and to the right. Yet, despite the best of intentions, an account can hit the skids. Results tank and you might not be exactly sure why. I’ve seen this happen too many times: From falling victim to a hacking incident and having a $100,000 budget blown up even before the workday started.
Using the ChatGPT code interpreter plugin for PPC
Code Interpreter in ChatGPT has been a game-changer for many search marketers since its launch in March. John Mcalpin has recently covered how the native OpenAI plugin can be used for several SEO use cases. Code Interpreter also holds significant potential for aiding PPC marketers in swiftly revealing actionable insights. Let’s explore how. Code Interpreter is “an experimental ChatGPT model that can use Python, handle uploads and downloads,” according to OpenAI.
Google Ads broad match: What the data reveals for PPC marketers
This is how Google describes broad match in their Google Marketing Live 2023 recap. Wait, what? Broad match gives the most relevant reach? PPC marketers know it inherently can’t be the most relevant – or at least that was the conversation within our team at the time. Our team and clients extensively discussed the idea of a “keywordless” future heading our way, especially in the context of Performance Max campaigns.
SEO during website development and post-launch: Key considerations
Building a website or changing platforms involves plenty of moving parts. One crucial step is setting the site up for success in search engines. But after their new website goes live, some brands make a costly mistake – neglecting to develop an ongoing SEO strategy. “We integrated SEO into our site during development, so we don’t need an ongoing program” is a common misconception. They assume the initial setup was enough and rely on the content or social media team to handle the rest.
How better landing page experience and ad relevance can boost your Google Ads performance
Since the beginning, search marketing’s central theme has been to help consumers find the information and products they seek. This is why quality score is an essential factor that benefits both the advertiser and the consumer. Quality score is a useful metric for PPC marketers looking to gauge how well their ad quality compares to other advertisers.
Where traditional search and AI chatbots excel: A closer look Original
Marketing conversations nowadays almost always involve artificial intelligence, particularly when it comes to the future of search. Will AI chatbots powered by large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT and Bard ultimately replace “traditional” search as we know it? Generative AI brings a meaningful shift with vast possibilities for the future of search. The potential for disruption makes it an exciting time for the industry.
This day in search marketing history: March 21
rel=next/prev was not found on Google. That’s an error. In 2019, we learned Google had stopped supporting the rel=next/prev markup it had introduced in 2011. Worse than that, Google hadn’t been using it for indexing for a “number of years,” according to Google’s John Mueller. All the while, Google continued to recommend using it, so SEOs, publishers and developers invested resources into implementing and maintaining the markup – all for no benefit. Google apologized for the “oversight” a day later.
How Google continuous scroll has impacted organic traffic [Data]
For the greater part of the last decade, Google released a slew of updates enriching the mobile-first search experience. There was the mobile-friendly algorithm update from 2015 and the switch to mobile-first indexing in 2019. In October 2021, Google introduced continuous scrolling on mobile. It’s a sensible change that matches users’ browsing experience in their social feeds. Fast forward to December 2022, Google rolled out continuous scrolling to desktop search results.
Efficiency vs. volume in PPC: 4 tips to strike a balance in incremental conversions Original
In search marketing, you are often captive to what you can measure. That means if it’s not directly converting (or even converting with data-driven attribution), it’s wasted spend. Another way to frame this is the tradeoffs between efficiency and volume. The terms you are bidding on will eventually convert (unless you are bidding on utterly unrelated terms). But the question is, was that spend efficient and valuable?
What it takes to be a subject matter expert in search marketing
Search marketing continues to be a rapidly evolving space. There is a great demand for search marketing talent – specifically for people with subject matter expertise. I always hear it from recruiters and colleagues: “There just aren’t enough people who truly know what they are doing.” But is this true? What does it take to be a subject matter expert? What is a subject matter expert?
5 Google Ads examples with relevant and quality ad copy
Relevance is often discussed in digital marketing. It’s an important topic because not only is it good for consumers, but it is also good for advertisers since the inception of quality score. Advertisers with higher quality scores and relevance are typically rewarded with more traffic and lower CPCs. The following data (indexed to allow multiple verticals and clients to be merged) proves this point. As ad relevance scores go up, CPCs go down and CTR goes up.
How to think about Google's default attribution model
Attribution has been the holy grail for advertisers since the beginning of time, especially for media platforms that typically sit further away from the conversion and play a role in branding (i.e., billboards, banner ads and videos). In September 2021, Google Ads announced its plans to move away from last-click attribution to a data-driven attribution (DDA) model. This change is intended to better allocate credit that search keywords play in a consumer’s purchase decision.
Using search query reports to optimize PPC campaigns
When talking about search marketing it starts and ends with keywords. The concept of understanding the keyword the user is searching for and matching it with what your brand is offering has created one of the most successful and profitable companies of all time. Recently, we have been having a lot of conversations about keywords and how they should be used. I would categorize these into three strategic discussions: Specificity: How detailed should any company get in their keyword list?
How to use Google Ads Competitive Metrics
If you’ve been running Google Ads for any amount of time, you’re probably aware that there’s generally a competitive aspect to any campaign that makes you want to monitor your vanity metrics around where you rank. In one of my former jobs, a senior leader would walk by every day and ask who ranked number one that day, us or the competition.
How to interview and hire for entry-level digital marketing positions
It’s graduation season. For many college students, that means it’s time to get a job. There are plenty of open jobs in digital marketing – more than 20,000 jobs are listed for “digital media, entry-level” on LinkedIn right now. If your agency or brand is hiring, you can expect to get resumes from some of these college graduates. This begs the question: what should you look for when hiring for entry-level digital marketing roles? What soft skills and hard skills matter? What questions should you ask?
How your ad position and CTR impact conversion rate
Many brands want to see their ads rank at the top of Google and have a great conversion rate. But this can be a challenge for brands. Understanding the impact of these two metrics, and how to think about these metrics when optimizing, can improve the overall health of your paid search campaigns. Vanity vs. performance: I want it all Are you someone who likes to run search queries periodically to see if your brand or clients’ ads are at the top? It feels good to know that you are number one. I get it.
Geotargeting optimization: How region impacts your PPC results
Want to understand your paid search results? Geography is one of the most significant factors to analyze. DIfferent words and brands mean other things based on location. For example, are you “soda” or “pop”? The same is true for brand names. Read on to learn about geolocation results in paid search, how they vary and what to do with the variances. Data: How PPC results vary across regions For years I’ve had discussions with various brands about their performance by region. Should they be geotargeting?
Search engine saturation: The ever evolving SERP and how brands are responding
Author Jason Tabeling Date published December 28, 2020 Categories 30-second summary: The evolution of search results in addition to this crazy pandemic has changed search results more than ever. Including new features to drill down by brand, see news, and reviews. Brands who appear in both paid and organic listings were at the lowest level in 11 years with just 8% of brands appearing in both categories. Google local map pack results are appearing in 47% of search results.
Page speed is a big deal - Why? It impacts SEO rankings
Author Jason Tabeling Date published November 6, 2020 Categories 30-second summary: Consumers expect ≈ and apps to respond quickly. Each second of delay can cost $100K in lost revenue for brands. There are tools to help understand a page’s overall speed. Looking at the relationship between page speed and SEO ranking shows that having a faster performing site/page does impact ranking in a positive way, albeit slightly.
Five Google Trends charts that show the impact of COVID-19
Author Jason Tabeling Date published July 9, 2020 Categories 30-second summary: The world is now starting to open back up and we are marketers are adjusting to how we can be effective in this new reality. Search data can help inform the strategic decisions around store locations, hours, payment methods and so much more so that your business can make smarter and more informed decisions on how to be successful.
Treat the Economic Symptoms of Coronavirus with Proactive Brand Management
Around the world, brands are bracing for the impact coronavirus will have on their business and workforce. As it continues to spread, your business is probably focused on limiting contagion in the workplace, creating contingency plans, evaluating sick leave policies, and forecasting the economic impact on your industry. In the midst of this uncertainty, your business’s online visibility probably isn’t top of mind—rightfully so.
10 Silent killers that affect your website speed - Search Engine Watch
Time is the most valuable asset. Nothing is more frustrating than slow page loading. A slow website kills conversions and impacts search rankings. Google stated that it is important to consider website speed when determining search rankings. Here are some interesting website load statistics: An Akamai study showed that 47% of customers expect websites to load in a few seconds or less. One second delay on Amazon could cost $1.6 billion on sales every year.
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