[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"blog-seo-101-getting-started":3,"latest-blogs-home":131},{"message":4,"data":5},"Blogs retrieved successfully",{"blog":6,"latest_blogs":38},{"id":7,"author_id":8,"title":9,"slug":10,"content":11,"short_summary":12,"featured_image":13,"status":14,"meta_title":9,"meta_description":12,"canonical_url":15,"keywords":16,"blog_type":17,"is_featured":18,"word_count":19,"published_at":20,"created_at":21,"updated_at":22,"deleted_at":23,"author":24,"categories":29},198,1,"SEO 101: Getting Started","seo-101-getting-started","\u003Cp>In 2011, my friend and I launched our first blog about vintage cars. Despite engaging posts and stunning photos, our site remained deserted, while similar blogs flourished. Fast forward to today, our once-forgotten blog has transformed into a thriving hub for vintage car enthusiasts, thanks to search engine optimisation (SEO).\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\u003Cp>Initially, I was puzzled by our content’s lack of visibility. Then I discovered that writing quality content is only half the battle; ensuring the right people find it is equally crucial. SEO seems daunting initially, with algorithms, keywords, and meta tags seeming like a foreign language. However, it’s a language you can learn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\u003Cp>This guide aims to demystify SEO for beginners and share lessons from my journey. From comprehending search engine workings to unravelling keyword research mysteries, I’ll provide a crash course in the art and science of SEO. So, buckle up and prepare to dive into the world of SEO – the secret weapon for unlocking your content’s full potential.\u003Cbr>\n\u003Ch2>\u003Cstrong>What is SEO?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cbr>\nSEO is a strategy for increasing your website’s visibility in search engine results.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\u003Cp>When I was trying to understand SEO, I imagined myself in the world’s most expansive library. That’s what comes to mind when I think about the internet. Search engines, acting as omniscient librarians, are the guides through this endless maze of information.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\u003Cimg class=\"size-large wp-image-23029 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwebsite-cdn.nobsmarketplace.com\u002Fblog-assets\u002F2023\u002F08\u002F0-1-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\" height=\"500\" \u002F>\n\n\u003Cp>You ask a question, and they lead you to the most relevant books – or in this case, websites. But how do they decide which ‘book’ answers your question best? They use hints or ‘signals,’ like your website’s content, its popularity with other sites, and how user-friendly it is.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\u003Cp>So, why should you care to be one of the librarian’s top recommendations? Here’s why: Studies reveal that the first five organic results on Google’s search engine page results (SERPs) snatch a whopping \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.forbes.com\u002Fsites\u002Fforbesagencycouncil\u002F2017\u002F10\u002F30\u002Fthe-value-of-search-results-rankings\u002F\">67%\u003C\u002Fa> of all clicks – over two-thirds of the audience. That’s the power of visibility.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\u003Cp>But it’s not just about drawing a crowd; it’s about pulling in the right people. Effective SEO practices ensure that your website speaks directly to those genuinely interested in what you offer. If you run a bakery in Melbourne, good SEO makes you the star when someone searches for ‘good bakery Melbourne.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\u003Cp>That, in a nutshell, is SEO. It’s a strategy to improve both the quantity and quality of your website traffic by making your site more visible and appealing to search engines.\u003Cbr>\n\u003Ch2>\u003Cstrong>How does SEO work?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cbr>\nGoogle and Bing use \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fblog.hubspot.com\u002Fmarketing\u002Fweb-crawler\">digital explorers\u003C\u002Fa> (crawlers) to trawl the internet. They start at one web page, then hop from link to link, gathering information and understanding each page’s unique story. The digital map they create is called an index. When you drop a question into the search box, search engines scramble to find the most useful and precise answers in their vast index. Here’s where SEO steps in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\u003Cp>SEO seeks to improve your website’s ranking on SERPs so that it appears higher in organic (non-paid) search results when users search for keywords related to your business or industry. To achieve this, two main aspects of SEO are vital: on-page SEO and off-page SEO.\u003Cbr>\n\u003Col>\u003Cbr>\n \t\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>On-page SEO\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\u003Cp>This refers to all the measures that can be taken directly within your website to improve its position in search rankings, like the following:\u003Cbr>\n\u003Cul>\u003Cbr>\n \t\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Keyword research: \u003C\u002Fstrong>The first step in on-page SEO is \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fnobsmarketplace.com\u002Fseo\u002Fwhat-is-keyword-research-and-why-it-matters-in-seo\u002F\">keyword research\u003C\u002Fa>. Keywords are words or phrases users type into search engines when looking for something. They’re the digital clues that lead users to your website.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cbr>\n \t\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Title tags: \u003C\u002Fstrong>The next piece of the puzzle is title tags. Title tags are HTML elements that specify the title of a web page and are displayed on search engine results pages as the clickable headline.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cbr>\n \t\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Meta descriptions: \u003C\u002Fstrong>Meta descriptions are like little billboards for your web page. They’re short summaries that appear below the title on a search engine results page. They help users decide whether or not to click on your site.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cbr>\n \t\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Content optimisation: \u003C\u002Fstrong>Finally, there’s content optimisation. This means creating high-quality content with your audience and search engines in mind. The goal is to provide valuable information that also incorporates your targeted keywords.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cbr>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\u003Cbr>\nIn essence, on-page SEO is about making your website as user-friendly and relevant as possible, which in turn makes it more appealing to search engines. With careful attention to keyword research, title tags, meta descriptions, and content optimisation, you’ll be well on your way to enhancing your site’s visibility and ranking.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cbr>\n \t\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Off-page SEO\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\u003Cp>While on-page SEO involves elements on your website that you can control, off-page SEO focuses on increasing the authority of your domain through the following:\u003Cbr>\n\u003Cul>\u003Cbr>\n \t\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Link building: \u003C\u002Fstrong>First up is link building, which is, quite literally, the process of getting other websites to link back to your site. Consider backlinks as votes of confidence – when a site cites yours and directs users to your content, it signals to search engines that your content is reliable and valuable. However, not all \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.forbes.com\u002Fsites\u002Fforbesagencycouncil\u002F2020\u002F12\u002F02\u002Fquality-content-and-backlinks-stick-to-the-basics\u002F\">backlinks\u003C\u002Fa> are created equal. For instance, a link from a well-respected, authoritative site in your industry will have a lot more weight than a link from a small, relatively unknown blog. It’s about quality, not just quantity.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cbr>\n \t\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Social media: \u003C\u002Fstrong>Next up is social media. While social media doesn’t directly impact SEO, it can help boost brand visibility. Sharing links across platforms enhances exposure and attracts a larger audience, leading to more views and interactions with your content. As more people share your content across social media, it can drive traffic to your site, encourage more engagement, and increase the chances of earning natural backlinks. It’s more of an indirect benefit, but it’s still an important part of an off-page SEO strategy.\u003Cbr>\n\u003Cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-25328\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwebsite-cdn.nobsmarketplace.com\u002Fblog-assets\u002F2024\u002F02\u002F2-17-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1571\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cbr>\n \t\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Guest blogging: \u003C\u002Fstrong>Finally, there’s guest blogging. This is when you write an article for another website in your industry. Not only does it get your brand in front of a larger audience, but it can also help you earn valuable backlinks.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cbr>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\u003Cbr>\nIn essence, off-page SEO is about building relationships and reputation. It’s about demonstrating to search engines that you’re a trusted authority in your field and that other websites recognise and appreciate the value you provide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\u003Cp>Thus, managing your link-building, social media, and guest blogging efforts is crucial. Doing these can significantly improve your off-page SEO and, in turn, your search ranking.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cbr>\n\u003C\u002Fol>\u003Cbr>\n\u003Ch2>\u003Cstrong>SEO tools\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cbr>\nThere are numerous SEO tools available to help you analyse and optimise your website. These tools can provide invaluable insights into your website’s performance, identify opportunities for improvement, and uncover any issues hindering your site’s visibility in search engine results.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\u003Cp>Here are some of these tools:\u003Cbr>\n\u003Cul>\u003Cbr>\n \t\u003Cli>Google Analytics\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cbr>\n \t\u003Cli>Google Search Console\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cbr>\n \t\u003Cli>SEMrush\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cbr>\n \t\u003Cli>Moz Pro\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cbr>\n \t\u003Cli>Yoast SEO\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cbr>\n \t\u003Cli>Ahrefs\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cbr>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\u003Cbr>\nRemember, while all these tools can provide valuable insights, they don’t do the SEO work for you. They should be used as part of a larger strategy to understand your website’s SEO performance and identify areas for improvement. Each of these tools offers different functionalities, so it’s worth taking the time to explore each one and decide which tools best suit your needs.\u003Cbr>\n\u003Ch2>\u003Cstrong>SEO tips\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cbr>\nWhen I started my SEO journey, there were a few missteps that I realised later could have been avoided. What can I say? I was impatient. But I sought out SEO experts, read their works, and talked with some of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\u003Cp>They had a lot to say about how I handled our site’s SEO. And in the end, their tips, which I’m sharing below, helped guide me towards understanding SEO.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\u003Cp>Here’s what I learned from them:\u003Cbr>\n\u003Cul>\u003Cbr>\n \t\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Understand your audience. \u003C\u002Fstrong>Understand your audience and what they’re searching for. What questions do they have? What problems can you help them solve? Your SEO efforts should always start with understanding and empathising with your audience.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cbr>\n \t\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Prioritise quality over quantity. \u003C\u002Fstrong>Quality is more important than quantity. A well-researched, comprehensive article that fully covers a topic is much more valuable to both your users and search engines than several shorter, less detailed posts.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cbr>\n \t\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Learn the basics of keyword research. \u003C\u002Fstrong>Keywords are the foundation of SEO. Understand what keywords your audience uses and how competitive they are. There are various tools you can use to help with this.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cbr>\n \t\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Keep your website mobile-friendly. \u003C\u002Fstrong>As of the first quarter of 2023, more than \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.statista.com\u002Fstatistics\u002F277125\u002Fshare-of-website-traffic-coming-from-mobile-devices\u002F\">58%\u003C\u002Fa> of all web traffic is from mobile devices. Google also follows a mobile-first indexing approach, meaning it predominantly uses the mobile version of your site for indexing and ranking. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, it can severely impact your SEO.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cbr>\n \t\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Use SEO tools to your advantage. \u003C\u002Fstrong>Tools can provide invaluable insights. Use these tools to guide your SEO strategy, but remember, they can’t replace a strong understanding of SEO principles.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cbr>\n \t\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Keep learning and adapting. \u003C\u002Fstrong>SEO constantly changes as search engines update their algorithms and user behaviour evolves. Stay updated with the latest SEO news and trends and be ready to adapt. Remember, it’s a long-term game.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cbr>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\u003Cbr>\nDon’t let SEO intimidate you. With patience, persistence, and a lot of learning, SEO can yield significant benefits for your website and your business.\u003Cbr>\n\u003Ch2>\u003Cstrong>SEO case studies\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cbr>\nSEO case studies are real-life scenarios demonstrating how businesses enhance their website rankings and traffic through SEO. They are gold mines for companies wanting to boost their SEO performance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\u003Cp>A standard SEO case study includes the business’s SEO objectives, the implemented SEO strategies, the campaign’s results, and the insights gained from the campaign. With these, you get a better understanding of available SEO strategies, their potential outcomes, and the challenges experienced during SEO implementation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\u003Cp>In particular, the key benefits of exploring SEO case studies include:\u003Cbr>\n\u003Cul>\u003Cbr>\n \t\u003Cli>Knowledge about various SEO strategies and their outcomes\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cbr>\n \t\u003Cli>Insights into successful and unsuccessful SEO strategies\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cbr>\n \t\u003Cli>Inspiration for your own SEO campaigns\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cbr>\n \t\u003Cli>Ways to avoid prevalent SEO errors\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cbr>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\u003Cbr>\nIf enhancing your website’s ranking and traffic is the goal, delving into SEO case studies is an excellent first step. You can find comprehensive case studies at SEO agency websites, regularly updated SEO blogs, SEO conferences, and SEO-focused books.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\u003Cp>When choosing SEO case studies to read, consider their relevance to your business and industry, their quality and informativeness, and the credibility of the source. By adhering to these guidelines, SEO case studies can guide you in elevating your website’s search engine ranking and traffic.\u003Cbr>\n\u003Ch2>\u003Cstrong>SEO resources\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cbr>\nResources are essential for anyone looking to dive deeper into SEO. Here are some I highly recommend:\u003Cbr>\n\u003Col>\u003Cbr>\n \t\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Google’s SEO Starter Guide: \u003C\u002Fstrong>This is a detailed guide from Google, perfect for beginners, that encompasses everything from search engine functioning to performance tracking.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cbr>\n \t\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Moz’s Beginner’s Guide to SEO: \u003C\u002Fstrong>A well-regarded SEO industry source, Moz’s guide covers all SEO fundamentals in an easy-to-understand manner.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cbr>\n \t\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Yoast SEO Blog: \u003C\u002Fstrong>Beyond their popular WordPress SEO plugin, Yoast’s blog offers valuable insights on technical SEO, content SEO, and analytics.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cbr>\n \t\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>SEMrush Blog: \u003C\u002Fstrong>If you’re ready to delve deeper into SEO, SEMrush’s blog offers articles on advanced topics.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cbr>\n \t\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Search Engine Journal: \u003C\u002Fstrong>This is a comprehensive SEO resource with deep-dive articles, guides, webinars, and podcasts.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cbr>\n \t\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>SEO podcasts: \u003C\u002Fstrong>Continual SEO learning is made easy with podcasts featuring industry experts discussing varied SEO topics.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cbr>\n \t\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Online SEO courses: \u003C\u002Fstrong>Several top-notch (often free) online SEO courses exist. Don’t miss Moz’s Free SEO Learning Center, SEMrush’s SEO Toolkit Course, and Coursera’s SEO Specialization.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cbr>\n\u003C\u002Fol>\u003Cbr>\nRemember, SEO is a vast and ever-evolving field, and the best way to stay on top of it is to keep learning and experimenting. These resources should give you a solid foundation to build upon and keep you up to date with the latest SEO best practices and trends.\u003Cbr>\n\u003Ch2>\u003Cstrong>Conclusion\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cbr>\nMastering SEO is essential for improving your website’s visibility and attracting the right audience. By understanding search engine algorithms, conducting keyword research, optimising on-page elements, building quality backlinks, and staying updated with SEO trends, you can enhance your website’s ranking and traffic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\u003Cp>Remember to prioritise quality content, embrace mobile-friendliness, utilise SEO tools wisely, and avoid common SEO myths. With persistence, adaptability, and continuous learning, SEO can yield significant long-term benefits for your online presence and business success.\u003C\u002Fp>","In 2011, my friend and I launched our first blog about vintage cars. Despite engaging posts and stunning photos, our site remained deserted, while similar blogs flourished. Fast forward to today, our...","https:\u002F\u002Fwebsite-cdn.nobsmarketplace.com\u002Fblog-assets\u002F2023\u002F08\u002F02-SEO-101-Getting-Started.jpg","published","https:\u002F\u002Fnobsmarketplace.com\u002Fblog\u002Fseo-101-getting-started\u002F","","blog",false,2029,"2023-08-21T08:49:50.000000Z","2025-10-26T11:10:29.000000Z","2025-10-31T09:45:55.000000Z",null,{"id":8,"name":25,"email":26,"about":16,"avatar":27,"created_at":28,"updated_at":28,"deleted_at":23},"Aaron Gray","support@nobsmarketplace.com","https:\u002F\u002Fwebsite-cdn.nobsmarketplace.com\u002Fblog-authors\u002F2024\u002F04\u002FAGray.png","2025-10-26T11:10:22.000000Z",[30,33],{"id":8,"name":31,"slug":17,"created_at":28,"updated_at":28,"deleted_at":23,"pivot":32},"Blogs",{"blog_id":7,"category_id":8},{"id":34,"name":35,"slug":36,"created_at":28,"updated_at":28,"deleted_at":23,"pivot":37},3,"SEO","seo",{"blog_id":7,"category_id":34},[39,72,94,119],{"id":40,"author_id":34,"title":41,"slug":42,"content":43,"short_summary":44,"featured_image":45,"status":14,"meta_title":41,"meta_description":46,"canonical_url":23,"keywords":23,"blog_type":17,"is_featured":18,"word_count":47,"published_at":48,"created_at":49,"updated_at":50,"deleted_at":23,"author":51,"categories":55},321,"Planning on Outsourcing Link Building? Read This First","outsourcing-link-building","\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">\u003Cem>This post is an update to our guide on\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" class=\"text-primary-blue-600 hover:underline\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fnobsmarketplace.com\u002Fblog\u002Fhow-to-outsource-link-building\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">\u003Cem> \u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(17, 85, 204); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">\u003Cem>\u003Cu>outsourcing link building\u003C\u002Fu>\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">\u003Cem>, which was published back in 2024. While that guide still holds water today, we’ve made this one more streamlined to make it easier to understand.\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">As an SEO service, we often stress how crucial proper link building is in promoting brands and businesses. It might sound like you need to build your own link building capability in-house, but that isn’t always possible. In more cases than you may think, businesses don’t have the expertise, tools, or time to do it themselves.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">That’s where the likes of NO-BS Marketplace come in. We do SEO so you don’t have to.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">But before you start looking for an outside professional, you need to know a couple of key things. If you aren’t careful with your choice of link building service, your business can be blamed for the service’s mistakes. And as we’ve established countless times already, the Big G won’t show mercy for anyone who tries fooling it.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 1.5em; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">To Outsource or Not to Outsource\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">You can take the steps here in any order, but the first step will always be to ask yourself:\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">\u003Cem>“Do I even need to\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" class=\"text-primary-blue-600 hover:underline\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fnobsmarketplace.com\u002Flink-building\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">\u003Cem> \u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(17, 85, 204); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">\u003Cem>\u003Cu>outsource link building\u003C\u002Fu>\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">\u003Cem>?”\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">It’s like that adage that says, “Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.” As much as we want an answer set in stone, businesses—like their owners and staff—vary. Even two startups in the same industry that offer the same products and services can differ in their digital marketing needs.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">To answer this question, you’ll need to ask yourself several more questions. Fortunately, this cheat sheet can help guide you to a sound decision.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cfigure data-type=\"image\" data-align=\"left\" style=\"display: inline-block; max-width: 100%; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: auto;\">\u003Cimg class=\"max-w-full h-auto rounded-lg\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwebsite-cdn.nobsmarketplace.com\u002Fuploads\u002Fblog-images\u002Fpicture21-20260408054958-KS8PzSnW.png\" data-align=\"left\">\u003C\u002Ffigure>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">\u003Cem>*Based on U.S. data from ZipRecruiter. Actual salary may vary.\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">Asking yourself these questions is also an exercise in tempering expectations. Outsourcing link building to professionals may be less costly, but don’t expect them to be on the same wavelength or even share the same work culture as your company. Collaboration doesn’t need any of those, only the willingness to work together amid both parties’ differences.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 16pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">\u003Cstrong>Shortlisting Your Candidates\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">If you’re convinced that outsourcing link building is ideal, the next step is to scour the Web for candidates. There’s a lot to choose from, given that most SEO agencies (like yours truly) aren’t restricted to offering their services to their home countries or regions.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">A while back, I discussed the things an SEO firm shouldn’t do to avoid being\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" class=\"text-primary-blue-600 hover:underline\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fnobsmarketplace.com\u002Fblog\u002Fa-guide-on-how-to-avoid-your-agency-being-branded-a-scam\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\"> \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(17, 85, 204); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">\u003Cu>called a scam\u003C\u002Fu>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">. While I wrote that for SEO firms, it’s also a useful guide for businesses looking for one. For a brief recap, steer clear of agencies that:\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">\u003Cstrong>Guarantee good results: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Cem>There are no guarantees in SEO. \u003C\u002Fem>Anyone who claims with confidence that they can get your website to the top of search results for dirt cheap doesn’t know what they’re talking about—or worse.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">\u003Cstrong>Abuse cold emailing:\u003C\u002Fstrong> Cold emailing by itself isn’t unethical. But when you get a lot of such emails to the point of flooding your inbox, that’s a sign to cross out that firm. They’re less likely to be serious about delivering good results.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">\u003Cstrong>Lack transparency:\u003C\u002Fstrong> Given that much of SEO is technical, agencies are obligated to explain the process to clients in a language they can understand. Hiding behind alibis like “SEO is too technical” only gives people reason for suspicion.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003C\u002Fli>\u003C\u002Ful>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">Once you’ve trimmed out the unwanted fat, gauge the remaining candidates based on their approach to link building. By now, you should be aware that link building is undergoing a major change driven by the rise of AI. While old practices such as guest posting will still be relevant for now, a good link builder must always look forward.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">To that end, ask them: “How do you create linkable assets?”\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">We’re not talking about mere guest articles here. We’re talking about infographics, original research, online tools, and even content with coined terms. Essentially, content that’ll get people to share or, better yet, journalists to write a story about them.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 1.5em; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">Asking for Guarantees\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">“Wait, didn’t you just say that there are no guarantees in SEO?”\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">Yes, I did. We’re not asking for that here, though, but guarantees of \u003Cem>deliverables.\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">Even if there’s no way to reliably get the exact results you need, you still want to achieve minimums. For that, talk about the specifics of your link building campaign with the link builder of your choice. Don’t worry if you have no idea about the exact minimums; finding those out is the agency’s job.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">Near the end of your meeting, make sure to request a copy of a\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" class=\"text-primary-blue-600 hover:underline\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Falexberman.com\u002Fwhat-is-statement-of-work\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\"> \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(17, 85, 204); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">\u003Cu>Statement of Work (SOW)\u003C\u002Fu>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">. According to marketing expert Alex Berman, an SOW should ideally be provided within 24 hours while the details of the meeting are still fresh. He also stated that it must contain all seven of the following sections, complete with specifics:\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">The campaign’s overview and objectives\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">The agency’s scope of work\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">Expected deliverables (e.g., documents)\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">A timeline of relevant tasks\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">Payment information and terms\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">Conditions for acceptance and revisions\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">Work not included in the agency’s scope\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003C\u002Fli>\u003C\u002Ful>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">Don’t hesitate to raise any concerns with the SOW. If changes are necessary, the agency should inform you of their pros and cons via email. In fact, receiving written confirmation for revisions is crucial for transparency. The last thing you want to happen is to be blamed for content violations you yourself didn’t commit.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">Keep a copy of the SOW (as well as other contract documents) and all your back-and-forth with the link building service.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 1.5em; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">Constant Monitoring\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">It takes a while for link building to yield noticeable results. Nevertheless, it pays to keep a close eye on the numbers to see if your decision to outsource is bearing fruit.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">Measuring success in link building is made easy thanks to SEO analytics platforms, which integrate all you need in one interface. Of the dozens available, many in the SEO industry consider the Big Three to be Ahrefs, Moz, and SEMrush. But because they also have some of the priciest plans, having at least one of these should be enough.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cfigure data-type=\"image\" data-align=\"left\" style=\"display: inline-block; max-width: 100%; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: auto;\">\u003Cimg class=\"max-w-full h-auto rounded-lg\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwebsite-cdn.nobsmarketplace.com\u002Fuploads\u002Fblog-images\u002Fpicture22-20260408055105-WrYqPDM3.png\" data-align=\"left\">\u003C\u002Ffigure>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">But for all their wide range of features, they largely track metrics using third-party data. If you want search data straight from Google, Google Search Console (GSC) is the only tool that lets you do that. To ensure accuracy, I recommend using GSC (it’s free) on top of your chosen Big Three platform for comparing data.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">If money is really tight, you can opt for the lesser-known tools. However, keep in mind that many of these aren’t as feature-rich as the Big Three. That said, they’re good as a stopgap until you can afford more advanced analytics.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 1.5em; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">You’re Now Ready to Outsource\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">Congratulations on getting this far! Now you’re ready to leave link building to professionals who won’t leave you hanging when push comes to shove. Or if you decide to do it yourself, that’s fine too.  \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>","Not all businesses have the resources or time to build their own link building capability, instead hiring a professional service to do it for them. Even so, it pays to do due diligence when searching for the ideal agency or firm. Here are some valuable tips on outsourcing your link building needs.","https:\u002F\u002Fwebsite-cdn.nobsmarketplace.com\u002Fuploads\u002Ffeatured-images\u002Fparveender-seo-6271942-1280-20260408053112-O8If6TIX.png","Link building isn’t easy, which is why businesses get professionals to do it for them. But if you’re planning to do so, read this guide first.",1100,"2026-04-09T10:32:00.000000Z","2026-04-08T05:52:33.000000Z","2026-04-09T02:32:48.000000Z",{"id":34,"name":52,"email":53,"about":16,"avatar":54,"created_at":28,"updated_at":28,"deleted_at":23},"Jonas Trinidad","jonas@nobsmarketplace.com","https:\u002F\u002Fwebsite-cdn.nobsmarketplace.com\u002Fblog-authors\u002F2023\u002F05\u002Fjonas-trinidad.jpg",[56,58,60,66],{"id":8,"name":31,"slug":17,"created_at":28,"updated_at":28,"deleted_at":23,"pivot":57},{"blog_id":40,"category_id":8},{"id":34,"name":35,"slug":36,"created_at":28,"updated_at":28,"deleted_at":23,"pivot":59},{"blog_id":40,"category_id":34},{"id":61,"name":62,"slug":63,"created_at":64,"updated_at":64,"deleted_at":23,"pivot":65},8,"Link Building","link-building","2025-10-26T11:10:26.000000Z",{"blog_id":40,"category_id":61},{"id":67,"name":68,"slug":69,"created_at":70,"updated_at":70,"deleted_at":23,"pivot":71},7,"Guides","guide","2025-10-26T11:10:25.000000Z",{"blog_id":40,"category_id":67},{"id":73,"author_id":74,"title":75,"slug":76,"content":77,"short_summary":78,"featured_image":79,"status":14,"meta_title":80,"meta_description":81,"canonical_url":23,"keywords":23,"blog_type":17,"is_featured":82,"word_count":83,"published_at":84,"created_at":85,"updated_at":85,"deleted_at":23,"author":86,"categories":91},322,9,"90 Zero-Day Exploits in One Year: Why Cybersecurity Is Now an SEO Problem","zero-day-exploits-seo-impact","\u003Ch1>90 Zero-Day Exploits and Counting: Why Cybersecurity Is Now an SEO Problem\u003C\u002Fh1>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>Most digital marketers don’t think about cybersecurity until something goes wrong. A website gets defaced. A client’s domain starts redirecting to a pharmacy spam page. A Google Search Console account lights up with manual action warnings for “hacked content.” By that point, the damage to organic visibility is already done, and the recovery timeline is measured in months, not days.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>Cybersecurity and SEO have always been connected, but the scale of what’s happening right now makes it impossible to treat them as separate disciplines. Google’s Threat Intelligence Group published its annual zero-day review in March 2026, and the numbers paint a picture that anyone investing in organic search, \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" class=\"text-primary-blue-600 hover:underline\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fnobsmarketplace.com\u002Flink-building\">\u003Cspan>link building\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan>, or content marketing needs to understand.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>\u003Cspan>What Is a Zero-Day Exploit and Why Should You Care\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>Before getting into the data, it helps to understand what a zero-day actually is, because the term gets thrown around a lot without much explanation.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>A zero-day vulnerability is a security flaw in software that the software maker doesn’t know about yet. No patch exists. No fix has been issued. The name comes from the fact that developers have had “zero days” to address the problem. A zero-day exploit is what happens when an attacker discovers one of these unknown flaws and uses it to break into a system before anyone on the defensive side even knows the door is open.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>What makes zero-days particularly dangerous is the asymmetry. The attacker knows about the vulnerability. The software vendor doesn’t. The security team doesn’t. The users don’t. Until someone detects the intrusion or the flaw gets publicly reported, the attacker has unrestricted access through a hole that nobody is watching.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>For website owners, this matters because every piece of software in your stack is a potential target. Your CMS, your hosting platform, your SSL VPN, your email server, the plugins running on your blog, the security appliance sitting at your network perimeter. If any of those have an undiscovered vulnerability, and someone finds it before the vendor does, your entire digital presence is at risk.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>\u003Cspan>90 Zero-Days in a Single Year: What Google Found\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>Google Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) published its annual zero-day review in March 2026, covering exploitation activity through the end of last year. The report tracked 90 zero-day vulnerabilities that were exploited in the wild during that period. To be clear about what “exploited in the wild” means: these aren’t theoretical vulnerabilities found in a lab. These are flaws that real attackers used against real targets in real attacks, before patches were available.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>The 90 figure is higher than 2024’s count of 78, though lower than the record of 100 set in 2023. What stands out isn’t any single year’s number but the sustained elevation. Over the past five years, annual zero-day counts have fluctuated between 60 and 100, a range that would have been unthinkable a decade ago when the numbers sat in the low 30s. The floor has permanently risen, and that baseline isn’t coming back down.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>\u003Cspan>Enterprise Software Is Now the Primary Target\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>The most consequential finding in the latest data is the continued shift toward enterprise targets. Nearly half of all zero-days exploited last year, 43 out of 90, targeted enterprise software and infrastructure. Both the raw number and the proportion (48%) reached all-time highs.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>What does “enterprise software” mean in practice? Security appliances like firewalls and intrusion detection systems. Networking equipment like routers and switches. VPN products from vendors like Ivanti and SonicWall. Virtualization platforms like VMware. Email servers. Business applications. The entire category of software that organizations depend on to operate, including the infrastructure that websites run on top of.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>Microsoft products alone accounted for 25 of the 90 zero-days. Google had 11. Cisco and Fortinet had 4 each. Ivanti and VMware had 3 each. Twenty other vendors were each hit with at least one zero-day.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>The reason enterprise targets are so valuable to attackers is what comes after the initial breach. A compromised consumer device affects one person. A compromised enterprise appliance, a VPN concentrator, a firewall, an email gateway, gives attackers privileged access across entire networks. One vulnerability in one device can open the door to everything behind it. For organizations running web properties, that “everything” includes the servers, databases, and content management systems that power their online presence.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>Edge devices are especially attractive because most of them don’t run endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools. Routers, switches, and security appliances sit at the perimeter of an organization’s network, but they’re often blind spots for security monitoring. An attacker who compromises an edge device can operate undetected for far longer than one who lands on a monitored endpoint. GTIG noted that 14 zero-days last year targeted edge devices, and that the true number is likely higher because the lack of monitoring means many compromises simply aren’t discovered.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>\u003Cspan>Browsers Got Harder to Crack, So Attackers Went Around Them\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>Browser-based zero-days dropped to less than 10% of the total last year, a sharp decline from the browser-heavy years of 2021 and 2022. Chrome, Safari, and Firefox have invested heavily in sandboxing, memory safety improvements, and exploit mitigations over the past several years, and those investments are paying off. Exploiting a modern browser is significantly harder than it used to be.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>But attackers don’t stop when one path closes. They adapt. The decline in browser exploits coincided with a rise in operating system vulnerabilities, which accounted for 44% of all zero-days last year. Mobile OS exploitation jumped from 9 zero-days in 2024 to 15. Desktop OS exploitation fluctuated between 16 and 23 annually.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>The pattern matters because it shows how the threat landscape responds to defensive improvements. Browser hardening didn’t reduce the total number of zero-days. It redirected them. Attackers moved to operating systems, server infrastructure, and the enterprise tools that sit upstream from the browser. For website owners, that upstream infrastructure is exactly where your digital presence lives.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>\u003Cspan>Who Is Doing the Exploiting and Why It Matters\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>GTIG was able to attribute 42 of the 90 zero-days to specific threat actors. The breakdown challenges some common assumptions about who is behind these attacks.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>Commercial surveillance vendors (CSVs) accounted for the largest share, roughly 35% of attributed exploits. These are private companies that develop and sell hacking tools, often to government clients. For the first time since Google began tracking zero-day exploitation, CSVs surpassed traditional state-sponsored espionage groups. The surveillance industry is growing, its tools are proliferating to a wider customer base, and its capabilities are expanding. The exploits these vendors develop target the same consumer devices and enterprise platforms that everyone uses.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>State-sponsored cyber espionage groups linked to China remained the most active single-country actor, responsible for at least 10 zero-days. These groups focused heavily on security appliances and edge networking devices, aiming to maintain persistent, difficult-to-detect access to strategic targets.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>Financially motivated cybercriminals, including ransomware operators, were tied to 9 zero-days. Groups affiliated with the CL0P extortion brand targeted Oracle E-Business Suite customers. A Russian-linked group used a zero-day to distribute malware. The financially motivated category represents a higher proportion of total attributed exploits than in previous years, and these are the threat actors most likely to target businesses indiscriminately, including businesses whose primary asset is their web presence.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>\u003Cspan>What Google’s CEO Said About AI and Zero-Days\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>The timing of the GTIG report coincided with some unusually candid public comments from Google CEO Sundar Pichai that put the zero-day problem in a broader context.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>Speaking on the Cheeky Pint podcast with Stripe CEO Patrick Collison, Pichai framed cybersecurity as one of the hidden constraints on AI deployment, alongside memory supply and energy infrastructure. He wasn’t talking about it as a future concern. He described it as something that may already be happening, saying that AI models are going to break most existing software and that the breaking may have already started without anyone fully realizing it.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>The conversation got more specific when someone mentioned that black-market prices for zero-day exploits might be falling, the theory being that AI is increasing the supply of discoverable vulnerabilities. If AI tools can scan codebases and identify flaws faster than human researchers, the supply of exploitable bugs goes up, and market dynamics push prices down. Pichai said he wasn’t surprised by that possibility.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>What makes Pichai’s comments significant isn’t just the content but the source. Google operates one of the largest vulnerability research programs in the world through Project Zero and GTIG. When the CEO of that company says publicly that AI is going to break most existing software, and that it might already be happening, he’s speaking from an informed position.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>Pichai also made a point about the coordination gap. He said the situation requires more coordination between companies, governments, and security researchers, coordination that isn’t happening today. He predicted a potential “sharp moment” ahead where the consequences of that coordination gap become impossible to ignore.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>Google’s own threat intelligence team echoed this in the GTIG report’s 2026 forecast section. The report stated that AI will accelerate the race between attackers and defenders. On the offensive side, adversaries will use AI to speed up reconnaissance, vulnerability discovery, and exploit development. On the defensive side, AI-powered tools and agentic security systems will help detect and patch vulnerabilities before exploitation. The question isn’t whether AI reshapes cybersecurity. The question is which side benefits more, and how fast the shift happens.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>For anyone running a website or managing digital assets, the implications are concrete. The volume of discoverable vulnerabilities in the software you depend on is likely to increase. The speed at which those vulnerabilities get exploited is likely to increase. The window between a flaw being discovered and a patch being available, which is already the defining characteristic of zero-day exploitation, could shrink even further on the attacker’s side while growing on the defender’s side.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>\u003Cspan>Why This Is an SEO Problem\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>Everything above might read like a cybersecurity story that doesn’t belong on a digital marketing blog. But the consequences of these trends land directly on organic search performance, and they do so in ways that are difficult to reverse.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>When a website gets compromised, the most immediate SEO impact comes from Google’s Safe Browsing system. Once Google detects malware, phishing, or unwanted software on a domain, it can flag the site with interstitial warnings. The red screen that says “The site ahead contains harmful programs” appears between your domain and every visitor trying to reach it through Chrome, which holds roughly 65% of global browser market share. Organic click-through rates don’t gradually decline when that warning appears. They effectively drop to zero.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>But the Safe Browsing warning is just the most visible consequence. Compromised sites frequently get injected with spam content, hidden links, or redirects that serve different content to Googlebot than to regular users (a practice called cloaking). Google’s algorithms are designed to detect and penalize cloaking. A hacked site that’s been injected with pharmaceutical spam or casino links can trigger algorithmic suppression or manual actions that take weeks to resolve even after the hack itself is cleaned up.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>Then there’s the backlink damage. If your domain gets flagged, publishers who link to you will start noticing. Sites that earned you coverage through \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" class=\"text-primary-blue-600 hover:underline\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fnobsmarketplace.com\u002Fdigital-pr\">\u003Cspan>digital PR\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan> campaigns or placed contextual links through \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" class=\"text-primary-blue-600 hover:underline\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fnobsmarketplace.com\u002Flink-insertion\">\u003Cspan>link insertion\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan> may remove those links or add nofollow attributes to protect their own domain authority. Backlinks that took months to build through \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" class=\"text-primary-blue-600 hover:underline\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fnobsmarketplace.com\u002Fguest-posting\">\u003Cspan>guest posting\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan> relationships can evaporate in days once a partner site’s editorial team sees the Safe Browsing flag. And those links don’t automatically come back when the warning gets lifted. You have to rebuild the trust, and in many cases, rebuild the links from scratch.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>The recovery timeline is punishing. Google doesn’t immediately recrawl and re-evaluate a site that’s been cleaned up. Recrawl rates can slow down for flagged domains. Manual action reviews take time. And even after the technical all-clear, rankings that took quarters to build can take just as long to recover, assuming competitors haven’t filled the gap in the meantime.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>\u003Cspan>What Marketing Teams Can Actually Do\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>Most marketing teams don’t have direct control over their organization’s security posture. They can’t manage patch cycles, configure firewalls, or audit VPN appliances. But they can take steps that reduce their exposure and speed up recovery if something does go wrong.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>Understanding what software your web presence depends on is a starting point. Which CMS are you running, and is it current? What plugins are active, and when were they last updated? Is your hosting provider transparent about their patching practices? These aren’t questions that require a security engineering background to ask. They require the same operational awareness that any marketing team applies to their analytics stack or their ad platform accounts.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>Google Search Console’s security issues report is a tool that many marketers have access to but rarely check proactively. Setting up alerts for security issues, manual actions, and unusual indexing spikes can give you early warning if something goes wrong.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>Having a response plan matters too. Knowing who to contact, what steps to take, and how to request a Google review after a cleanup isn’t something you want to figure out for the first time during a crisis. Document it in advance. Include your hosting provider’s security contact, your developer’s escalation process, and the steps required to submit a reconsideration request.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>\u003Cspan>The Bigger Picture\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>The latest zero-day data doesn’t exist in isolation. It sits alongside Pichai’s public warning about AI breaking software, alongside the GTIG forecast about accelerating offensive capabilities, and alongside a sustained multi-year trend of elevated exploitation. The threat environment isn’t going back to where it was in 2019 when the annual zero-day count was 32.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>For digital marketers, this means cybersecurity awareness isn’t optional background knowledge. It’s operationally relevant. The sites that maintain their organic visibility over the long term won’t just be the ones with the strongest content, the best backlink profiles, or the most consistent publishing cadence. They’ll be the ones that didn’t get breached while doing all of those things.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>","Google’s latest threat intelligence report tracked 90 zero-day exploits, with enterprise software as the top target. Paired with Sundar Pichai’s warning that AI will break most existing software, this post explains what zero-days are, who is exploiting them, and why breaches destroy SEO performance.","https:\u002F\u002Fwebsite-cdn.nobsmarketplace.com\u002Fuploads\u002Ffeatured-images\u002Fcybersecurity-seo-zero-day-20260408164627-b07CR0wh.png","Why Cybersecurity Is an SEO Problem","Google’s latest threat report tracked 90 zero-day exploits. Nearly half targeted enterprise software. A breach is one of the fastest ways to lose rankings.",true,2298,"2026-04-08T16:22:47.000000Z","2026-04-08T16:47:34.000000Z",{"id":74,"name":87,"email":88,"about":23,"avatar":89,"created_at":90,"updated_at":23,"deleted_at":23},"Rasit Cakir","rasit@nobsmarketplace.com","https:\u002F\u002Fwebsite-cdn.nobsmarketplace.com\u002Frasit.webp","2026-01-26T11:10:22.000000Z",[92],{"id":34,"name":35,"slug":36,"created_at":28,"updated_at":28,"deleted_at":23,"pivot":93},{"blog_id":73,"category_id":34},{"id":95,"author_id":34,"title":96,"slug":97,"content":98,"short_summary":99,"featured_image":100,"status":14,"meta_title":96,"meta_description":101,"canonical_url":23,"keywords":23,"blog_type":17,"is_featured":82,"word_count":102,"published_at":103,"created_at":104,"updated_at":104,"deleted_at":23,"author":105,"categories":106},320,"Benefits of Link Building You Probably Don’t Know: A Revisit","benefits-of-link-building-1","\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">\u003Cem>In 2020, we published a post explaining the\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" class=\"text-primary-blue-600 hover:underline\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fnobsmarketplace.com\u002Fblog\u002Fbenefits-of-link-building-you-probably-dont-know\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">\u003Cem> \u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(17, 85, 204); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">\u003Cem>\u003Cu>benefits of link building\u003C\u002Fu>\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">\u003Cem> that most people aren’t aware of. But after going through that post, I learned that most of the items explained there are already well-known. This update discusses the lesser-known benefits this time around.\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">You can’t do SEO without link building. Not in today’s search.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">As I’ve explained in past posts, links vouch for a website’s credibility. Imagine an article or blog post by a well-known site citing your post (and linking to it). Not only readers but also search engines see this as a sign that your content—and website, to an extent—is reliable. Thus, it stands to reason that it should be higher up in the search results.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">But unless you’re a total novice reading this, you probably already know about this benefit of link building. You may also be aware that it helps increase incoming traffic to your site or even boost your site’s authority. That said, is there anything else?\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 1.5em; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">Better AI Visibility\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">AI’s entry into search has made SEO more complicated than it already is. Between the rise of AI summaries and AI-powered search functions, it has already changed parts of the SEO playbook. Unfortunately, site owners and SEO experts alike are struggling to adapt.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">Link building isn’t spared from the sweeping changes. While the majority of professionals believe backlinks will remain relevant, it won’t just be about them anymore. To be honest, it was never just about them in the first place.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">Anytime an AI model scours the search results, it\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" class=\"text-primary-blue-600 hover:underline\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fnobsmarketplace.com\u002Fblog\u002Fai-shows-you-arent-just-ranking-for-one-keyword-anymore\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\"> \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(17, 85, 204); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">\u003Cu>focuses more on relevance\u003C\u002Fu>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\"> and less on rankings. It doesn’t care if a post is outside the top ten or the first page; it’ll cite whatever info it has if it answers the user’s question. To that end, it doesn’t put as much weight on backlinks as on other factors like search intent.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">That doesn’t mean backlinks are irrelevant today. AI still uses them to confirm that a site is reliable enough to use its content for generating the summary. It’s just that there’s more to link building than backlinks per se.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">\u003Cem>Brand mention \u003C\u002Fem>is the name of the game, and it consists of passive and active modes.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cul>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">In \u003Cstrong>passive brand mention, \u003C\u002Fstrong>the goal is to create assets that the model can cite with ease. These are more than your run-of-the-mill article or blog post. Some examples include online tools, original research, and explainer pages.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">Meanwhile, \u003Cstrong>active brand mention \u003C\u002Fstrong>is essentially setting yourself up to be an expert on your niche. Anytime journalists or content creators need a resource person for a topic, you deliver timely content that answers their questions.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003C\u002Fli>\u003C\u002Ful>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">This isn’t link building in the traditional sense, but it can still result in backlinks. And all the while, AI can be convinced that your words are exactly what users need to know and cite or mention them in the summary.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 1.5em; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">Improves Bounce Rate\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">A visitor to a site “bounces” when they enter a page but leave without doing anything else. Therefore, a high bounce rate means that more people are leaving the site than engaging with it (i.e., cart checkout, creating an account).\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">A high bounce rate is often associated with poor user experience. However, improper link building can also be a cause. If a link leads to a post that doesn’t sate a visitor’s curiosity, you can’t blame them if they opt to continue their search elsewhere.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">You may think that improving bounce rates is as easy as keeping visitors on the site for as long as possible. But as far as analytics go, that won’t do without getting them to engage. The simplest way is to urge them to explore the rest of the site.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">Link building just happens to have a good method: \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" class=\"text-primary-blue-600 hover:underline\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fnobsmarketplace.com\u002Fblog\u002Fthe-2026-website-s-guide-to-internal-link-building\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(17, 85, 204); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">\u003Cem>\u003Cu>internal link building\u003C\u002Fu>\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">\u003Cem>.\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cfigure data-type=\"image\" data-align=\"left\" style=\"display: inline-block; max-width: 100%; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: auto;\">\u003Cimg class=\"max-w-full h-auto rounded-lg\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwebsite-cdn.nobsmarketplace.com\u002Fuploads\u002Fblog-images\u002F3-structural-links-20260408051133-pUUxUQ87.webp\" data-align=\"left\">\u003C\u002Ffigure>\u003Cp style=\"text-align: center;\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">\u003Cem>Source:\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" class=\"text-primary-blue-600 hover:underline\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmoz.com\u002Flearn\u002Fseo\u002Finternal-link\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">\u003Cem> \u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(17, 85, 204); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">\u003Cem>\u003Cu>Moz\u003C\u002Fu>\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">Internal links make a site more crawl-friendly, but it does more than that. Visitors who want to explore more of the site benefit from links that take them to the next destination in a single click. This alone is already a form of engagement, thus improving the bounce rate.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">Internal link building also works from an attention span perspective. For example, I could discuss the various methods of building internal links at this point. However, that would make this post longer than it already is, and not everyone has the patience to go through long-form content. By leaving a link, readers can opt to check it out for additional context.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>Note:\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Cem> Bounce rate shouldn’t be confused with \u003C\u002Fem>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>exit rate\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Cem>, which measures how many users leave a site after visiting multiple pages. \u003Cu>All bounces are exits, but not all exits are bounces\u003C\u002Fu>.  \u003C\u002Fem> \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 1.5em; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">Helps Journalists\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">While I can’t speak for the profession as a whole, I’m well aware that journalists don’t have it easy. Covering a story involves finding a person with authority and expertise to talk about the topic. Not to mention that they have to hand in their report before the end of the day.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">Fortunately, building healthy partnerships is part and parcel of link building. The media just happens to be a major benefactor, as a brand mention in a source of unbiased information says a lot about its credibility. Granted, the brand can’t blatantly promote its products and services (unless labeled as sponsored content), but readers demand answers, not ads.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">There are two ways link building helps journalists: direct and indirect. The direct approach involves, well, directly reaching out to these people. One example is Help A Reporter Out (HARO), a free-to-use platform that lets reporters and niche experts exchange information.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cfigure data-type=\"image\" data-align=\"left\" style=\"display: inline-block; max-width: 100%; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: auto;\">\u003Cimg class=\"max-w-full h-auto rounded-lg\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwebsite-cdn.nobsmarketplace.com\u002Fuploads\u002Fblog-images\u002Fpicture20-20260408051213-d1A30oHI.png\" data-align=\"left\">\u003C\u002Ffigure>\u003Cp style=\"text-align: center;\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">\u003Cem>The HARO process. Source:\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" class=\"text-primary-blue-600 hover:underline\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.helpareporter.com\u002Fabout\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">\u003Cem> \u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(17, 85, 204); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">\u003Cem>\u003Cu>HARO\u003C\u002Fu>\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">Other similar platforms include Featured (which operates HARO), Source of Sources, and MentionMatch. Keep in mind that fulfilling a reporter’s request doesn’t guarantee a brand mention, considering that you’re up against thousands of others with the same idea.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">The indirect approach is what I like to call the \u003Cem>bait and wait\u003C\u002Fem>. Instead of communicating with journalists directly, this process involves publishing newsworthy press release content and waiting for a reporter to bite. Emphasis on “newsworthy” because a generic press release will largely be ignored. Journalists only have so much time on their hands.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">Whichever approach you opt for (or both), it shows how link building can be a godsend to reporters looking for news. The more you provide satisfactory answers, the more likely the reporter will come to you when their story needs your expertise.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 1.5em; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">Don’t Dismiss Link Building Too Quickly\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">Make no mistake because link building does wonders for any website’s SEO campaign. But when you look past the SEO aspect, you begin to appreciate its true value. Proper link building isn’t a win for the brand but a win-win for everyone involved.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>","If you think that link building is only good for boosting your website's ranking in search results, think again. The benefits of this core component of SEO go beyond the search engine, which is why it's still widely employed. Learn the lesser-known benefits of link building in this updated guide.","https:\u002F\u002Fwebsite-cdn.nobsmarketplace.com\u002Fuploads\u002Ffeatured-images\u002Fparveender-backlinks-7791412-1280-20260408050806-Kh2bsBoF.png","There’s more to link building than being more visible in search results. Learn its lesser-known benefits, from better AI visibility to good journalism.",1082,"2026-04-08T13:13:00.000000Z","2026-04-08T05:13:34.000000Z",{"id":34,"name":52,"email":53,"about":16,"avatar":54,"created_at":28,"updated_at":28,"deleted_at":23},[107,109,111,113],{"id":34,"name":35,"slug":36,"created_at":28,"updated_at":28,"deleted_at":23,"pivot":108},{"blog_id":95,"category_id":34},{"id":61,"name":62,"slug":63,"created_at":64,"updated_at":64,"deleted_at":23,"pivot":110},{"blog_id":95,"category_id":61},{"id":8,"name":31,"slug":17,"created_at":28,"updated_at":28,"deleted_at":23,"pivot":112},{"blog_id":95,"category_id":8},{"id":114,"name":115,"slug":116,"created_at":117,"updated_at":117,"deleted_at":23,"pivot":118},16,"Educative Content","educative-content","2026-02-10T11:18:29.000000Z",{"blog_id":95,"category_id":114},{"id":120,"author_id":74,"title":121,"slug":122,"content":123,"short_summary":124,"featured_image":125,"status":14,"meta_title":121,"meta_description":124,"canonical_url":23,"keywords":23,"blog_type":17,"is_featured":18,"word_count":126,"published_at":127,"created_at":128,"updated_at":128,"deleted_at":23,"author":129,"categories":130},319,"How to Read Google Search Console Metrics in 2026","how-to-read-search-console-metrics-2026","\u003Ch1>How to Read Google Search Console Metrics in 2026 (And Why Your Impression Data Has Been Wrong for 11 Months)\u003C\u002Fh1>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>Google Search Console is the closest thing site owners have to a direct line into how Google sees their site. It shows which queries bring up pages in search results, how often those pages appear, how often users click through, and where pages rank. For anyone working in SEO, content strategy, or site management, the Performance report is the first place to look when something changes in organic traffic.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>But the data in Search Console requires more interpretation than most people give it. The metrics look straightforward on the surface, and that simplicity creates a false sense of precision. Understanding what each metric actually measures, how Google defines it, and where the data can mislead is the difference between making informed decisions and chasing ghosts.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>That distinction became especially relevant on April 3, 2026, when Google disclosed that a logging error had been inflating impression counts in Search Console since May 13, 2025. Nearly eleven months of overstated impressions, affecting every Performance report during that period. More on that at the end of this post, but the disclosure underscores why understanding what these metrics actually represent is worth the time.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>\u003Cspan>Impressions: What Counts as “Seen”\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>An impression in Search Console is recorded when a URL from the site appears in a search result that a user could have seen. The key word is “could have.” The user doesn’t need to scroll down to the result. They don’t need to notice it. If Google’s systems determine the result was present on the page the user loaded, it counts as an impression.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>For standard web results, that means a page ranking on position 1 of the first results page generates an impression for every search that loads those results. A page ranking on position 8 also generates an impression for that same search, even if the user never scrolled past position 3. A page ranking on position 11 (the second page of results) only generates an impression if the user actually clicks through to page two.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>For features like AI Overviews, featured snippets, image packs, and knowledge panels, the impression counting works slightly differently depending on whether the content requires user interaction (like expanding a section) to become visible. Google’s documentation covers these edge cases, but the general principle is that an impression means “the result was available to be seen,” not “the user saw it.”\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>As of June 2025, AI Mode data is merged into Search Console performance totals under the “Web” search type. There’s currently no native way to separate AI Mode impressions from standard organic impressions, which adds another layer of ambiguity to the impression number.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>Impressions are useful for tracking visibility trends over time, but they should never be treated as a measure of actual human attention. A page can accumulate thousands of impressions without a single person consciously noticing it in the results.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>\u003Cspan>Clicks: The Most Reliable Metric in the Report\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>A click in Search Console is recorded when a user selects a result that takes them to a page outside of Google Search. Clicks on ads, clicks that keep the user within Google’s interface (like expanding a “People Also Ask” section), and clicks on AI Overview citations that don’t leave Google are generally not counted as clicks in the Performance report.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>Clicks are the most trustworthy metric in Search Console because they represent a definitive user action. A user saw the result, decided it was worth visiting, and clicked through to the site. There’s no ambiguity about whether the interaction happened. The Google disclosure about the impression bug explicitly confirmed that clicks were not affected by the logging error, which reinforces clicks as the metric to anchor analysis around when other data is uncertain.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>One thing to watch: Search Console click data and Google Analytics session data won’t match exactly. Search Console counts clicks on the Google side, while GA4 counts sessions on the site side. Redirects, slow-loading pages, users who click but close the tab before the page loads, and tracking script issues all create gaps between the two numbers. A consistent gap is normal. A sudden widening of the gap is worth investigating.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>\u003Cspan>Click-Through Rate: A Calculated Metric, Not a Measured One\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>CTR in Search Console is calculated by dividing clicks by impressions. Because it’s derived from those two inputs, any issue with either metric directly affects CTR. If impressions are inflated (as they were from May 2025 through early 2026), CTR appears artificially low. If impressions are underreported, CTR appears artificially high.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>CTR is useful for comparing the relative performance of different pages or queries within the same time period, where the measurement conditions are consistent. It’s less reliable for comparing CTR across time periods that span data anomalies, algorithm updates, or changes in SERP layout (like the introduction of new features that change how much of the results page is occupied by non-organic elements).\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>The SERP landscape in 2026 includes AI Overviews, AI Mode, featured snippets, knowledge panels, People Also Ask, local packs, shopping results, video carousels, and image packs. A query where the organic result sits below an AI Overview and a People Also Ask section will naturally have a lower CTR than the same ranking position on a cleaner SERP, even if nothing about the page or its ranking has changed. CTR trends should always be read alongside an understanding of what the SERP actually looks like for the queries in question.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>\u003Cspan>Average Position: A Blended Number\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>Average position in Search Console represents the average ranking of a page across all the queries it appeared for during the selected time period. A page that ranked position 2 for a high-volume query and position 45 for twenty low-volume queries could show an average position of 40+, which would make it look like a poorly performing page even though it ranks well for the query that actually drives traffic.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>Average position is most useful when filtered to a specific query or a narrow set of related queries, where the blending effect is minimized. As a site-level or page-level aggregate across all queries, it’s often misleading. A page’s average position can improve (the number goes down) while traffic decreases, or worsen (the number goes up) while traffic increases, depending on which queries are entering or leaving the data set.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>\u003Cspan>How to Use the Metrics Together\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>The metrics in Search Console work best as a system rather than individually. Each one answers a different question.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>Impressions answer: how visible is the site for a given set of queries? Clicks answer: how many users actually visited the site from search? CTR answers: of the people who could have seen the result, what percentage clicked? Average position answers: where did the page typically rank for the queries it appeared in?\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>When impressions increase but clicks stay flat, the site is appearing for more queries (or the same queries more often) but those new appearances aren’t generating traffic. Possible explanations include ranking for queries where the result sits below the fold, appearing in positions where AI Overviews or other features absorb the click, or ranking for queries with informational intent where users get their answer from the SERP without clicking.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>When clicks increase but impressions stay flat, the site is getting a higher CTR for its existing visibility, which usually means improved rankings for high-intent queries, better meta descriptions or titles earning more clicks at the same position, or queries shifting to SERPs where the organic result is more prominent.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>When both impressions and clicks drop, either the site has lost rankings, queries the site ranked for have declined in volume, or a SERP layout change has pushed organic results further down. Search Console alone can’t distinguish between these causes, so pairing the data with rank tracking tools and SERP analysis fills the gap.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>\u003Cspan>Why Clicks, Not Impressions, Should Lead Reporting\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>For \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" class=\"text-primary-blue-600 hover:underline\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fnobsmarketplace.com\u002Flink-building\">\u003Cspan>link building\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan> and \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" class=\"text-primary-blue-600 hover:underline\" href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fnobsmarketplace.com\u002Fdigital-pr\">\u003Cspan>digital PR\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan> campaigns where the goal is driving organic traffic growth, clicks are the metric that connects directly to business outcomes. Impressions indicate visibility potential. Clicks indicate actual visits. CTR indicates conversion efficiency from impression to visit. Average position indicates competitive standing.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>The temptation to lead with impressions is understandable because the numbers are larger and growth looks more dramatic on a chart. But as the eleven-month impression bug demonstrates, impression data carries more measurement risk than click data. Building reporting and strategy around clicks as the primary metric, with impressions and CTR as supporting context, produces more reliable analysis.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>\u003Cspan>The Impression Bug: What Happened and What to Do About It\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>On April 3, 2026, Google updated its Data Anomalies in Search Console page with the following disclosure: “A logging error is preventing Search Console from accurately reporting impressions from May 13, 2025 onward. This issue will be resolved over the next few weeks; as a result, you may notice a decrease in impressions in the Search Console Performance report. Clicks and other metrics were not affected by the error, and this issue affected data logging only.”\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>A Google spokesperson confirmed to Search Engine Land: “We identified a reporting error in Search Console that temporarily led to an over-reporting of impressions from May 13, 2025 onward. Bug fixes are being implemented to ensure accurate reporting.”\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>Eleven months of inflated impression data across every Search Console property. Any analysis, report, or strategic decision made during that period using impression counts or CTR as inputs was working with inaccurate data. CTR calculations during the affected period would have appeared lower than reality because the denominator (impressions) was artificially large.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>The impression bug also coincided with Google merging AI Mode data into Search Console totals in June 2025, which means impression trend lines from mid-2025 through early 2026 contain at least two significant data discontinuities. Year-over-year comparisons spanning this period are unreliable for impressions and CTR.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Cspan>What to do now: annotate dashboards and reports to mark May 13, 2025 as a data discontinuity point. Use clicks as the primary metric for evaluating performance during the affected period, since Google confirmed clicks were not impacted. Export historical data before the fix fully propagates to preserve a record of both the pre-correction and post-correction numbers. Once the correction is complete, re-baseline impression data and recalculate CTR using the corrected figures. And resist the urge to interpret the forthcoming impression drop as a performance decline. The impressions are going down because the data is becoming more accurate, not because anything changed about the site’s actual visibility.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>","How to Read Google Search Console Metrics in 2026 (And Why Your Impression Data Has Been Wrong for 11 Months)","https:\u002F\u002Fwebsite-cdn.nobsmarketplace.com\u002Fuploads\u002Ffeatured-images\u002Freading-google-metrics-for-2026-20260407095555-iwmKoJuk.png",1723,"2026-04-07T09:54:29.000000Z","2026-04-07T09:56:02.000000Z",{"id":74,"name":87,"email":88,"about":23,"avatar":89,"created_at":90,"updated_at":23,"deleted_at":23},[],[132,137,148],{"id":73,"author_id":74,"title":75,"slug":76,"featured_image":79,"published_at":84,"short_summary":78,"word_count":83,"author":133,"categories":134},{"id":74,"name":87,"avatar":89,"email":88},[135],{"id":34,"name":35,"pivot":136},{"blog_id":73,"category_id":34},{"id":95,"author_id":34,"title":96,"slug":97,"featured_image":100,"published_at":103,"short_summary":99,"word_count":102,"author":138,"categories":139},{"id":34,"name":52,"avatar":54,"email":53},[140,142,144,146],{"id":34,"name":35,"pivot":141},{"blog_id":95,"category_id":34},{"id":61,"name":62,"pivot":143},{"blog_id":95,"category_id":61},{"id":8,"name":31,"pivot":145},{"blog_id":95,"category_id":8},{"id":114,"name":115,"pivot":147},{"blog_id":95,"category_id":114},{"id":149,"author_id":74,"title":150,"slug":151,"featured_image":152,"published_at":153,"short_summary":154,"word_count":155,"author":156,"categories":157},316,"AI Visibility in 2026: What Actually Gets Brands Cited by LLMs","ai-visibility-2026-what-gets-brands-cited","https:\u002F\u002Fwebsite-cdn.nobsmarketplace.com\u002Fuploads\u002Ffeatured-images\u002Fimage-apr-2-2026-09-48-17-am-20260402074850-MmACyW63.png","2026-04-02T07:37:11.000000Z","How LLM tools cite brands? Answer is a bit complex, but digital PR and high authority seem to lead the way",1345,{"id":74,"name":87,"avatar":89,"email":88},[158],{"id":159,"name":160,"pivot":161},23,"AI",{"blog_id":149,"category_id":159}]