Hamsterdam Part 42: SEO News Recap from 1/22 to 1/28, 2024
By Ethan Lazuk
Last updated:
A weekly look-back at SEO news, tips, and other content shared on social media & beyond.
Opening notes:
- I updated my spam article with analysis of a few SERPs. It does look like the hypothesis might be true. One suggestion, maybe show fewer results?
- Since the Lions defeated the Bucs, they’re now my team in the playoffs. And please, no more Chiefs. (I’m also a Broncos fan.) 😉
- See you at Pubcon Las Vegas!
*Feel free to jump down to the recap, or keep reading for an introduction and summary of the week’s news!
Introduction to week 42: “31 flavors?”
I was going to write this week’s Hamsterdam introduction about how there are many different types of SEOs.
Most weeks, I hop on my computer and write whatever comes to mind in the moment. But earlier this week, I got inspired by a series of events.
The first event was when I started writing an intro to SEO in 2024 blog post and talked about how no two SEOs are the same, given different areas of specialization and philosophies.
Then a day later or so, Mateusz Makosiewicz shared an Ahrefs post with a list of 51 types of SEO.
If I had to identify myself from that list, I’d say I’m in the “holistic SEO” camp.
In my own words, I describe myself as a people-first SEO.
But the point wasn’t the labels.
It was more a way to help marketers understand there are different sources of SEO advice, and for businesses, who you work with matters.
I was told at an agency once that, “Our clients don’t hire us to work with Jane or Joe Smith; they want to work with the company.”
I kind of rolled my eyes at that in an internal monologue.
In certain situations, I suppose a strong department could train everyone in the same approaches and methodologies, producing similar results across the board.
But I just imagined how if I did a website audit based on a business’s goals, the strategy would be different than someone else doing it.
Even for implementing the work, while most SEOs can identify if a page’s title link is holding back CTR or maybe impacting rankings, would we all rewrite that title tag the same way?
Or would two SEOs look at the same crawl report and prioritize its issues in the same order, or even address them with the same approaches?
There are many roads home in SEO, but we may walk different paths.
And that’s a part of what makes SEO so great!
So, I was going to talk more about that.
I was also going to say how the best SEO for a business is the one who understands its goals and can help achieve them.
How the voices you follow can influence your ideas, but it’s your experiences and personal ethics that should guide your final approach.
Or that the best career path in SEO is the one that makes you happiest and fuels your passion.
Then I saw something that changed the last direction of this introduction.
I first thought, hmm, many types of SEOs, why not use a Baskin Robbins “31 flavors” analogy? It’s a slogan I recall from my childhood in the ’90s and ’00s.
Well, apparently being vegan for the last 5+ years has left me out of touch with ice cream affairs.
Scoop this news:
Yep, 1,400 flavors now! That’s a lot of recipes to remember.
But it makes sense, doesn’t it?
I mean, our world today is more personalized. (I added a Seth Godin TikTok clip in the miscellaneous section at the end that kind of speaks to this.)
After all, Baskin Robbins even takes care of vegan folks like me.
I can enjoy this delicious plant-based … Daiquiri Ice?
Soft pass on that …
But even the Publix grocery store near our apartment offers many plant-based ice creams.
They charge downtown Orlando prices, for sure, but you can buy coconut, almond, or even avocado ice cream. It’s better than you might think.
Just ask Touchdown Tom!
One of the first opinion articles I wrote for my blog was about 11x content, a reinvention of the older 10x approach.
11x content strives to answer an audience’s search intent by focusing on originality and expertise, instead of competitive analysis.
The article used to rank well for “10x” queries, but apparently users (and Google’s systems) didn’t agree long term, because it’s dropped lower.
I’m working on updates to freshen up its appeal, but the broader point is that not everything is everyone’s cup of tea.
And that’s ok!
There’s a great Rick Rubin interview (I also included a clip in that 11x article), where he says, when you create for yourself, you’re also doing the best you can for an audience.
Be your unique self, in other words.
Or as Whiting’s character explains in Season 5 of The Wire:
“If you leave everything in, soon you’ve got nothing.”
Speaking of moving forward and all that, that link to the quote above, it’s from a Reddit reply.
I also found it from an SGE snapshot, where I didn’t need to expand the answer, let alone scroll down to the normal web results.
If generative AI can get us direct answers to simple questions, whether it’s on Google SGE, ChatGPT, or Bard, why bother visiting a webpage?
That’s why creating what generative AI can’t offer, and pursuing a course of originality driven by unique insights, has value.
Here’s a final example.
Later today, I’m going to help my sister, Abbey, set up her first website on Wix. In a few days, we’ll also tackle some basic on-page stuff, so she can learn a little SEO, as well.
Here’s her idea for a website:
Now, that’s an original idea! The type that would appeal to a generation of digital users who value originality and authenticity.
Will her blog outrank big fashion websites on search? Probably not.
Mine doesn’t outrank big SEO sites, at least in general, but it has for some specific topics.
Hopefully, Abbey’s will too!
Of course, a fourth helpful content update, some spam fighting efforts, and then cranking up those “hidden gem” dials also wouldn’t hurt. 😉
Thanks for sticking around for the introduction and supporting Hamsterdam!
Buckle up for a full week’s recap, and enjoy the vibes:
Summary of the week’s SEO news and content
- Google canceled its deal with Appen, who employed search quality raters, but it feels financially motivated rather than a switch to AI, but who knows for sure?
- Google updated the About this result feature and removed the cache button, which is how I recovered my content after a hack! (You can still find cached pages, though.)
- Google Search Central is updating the SEO starter guide, but it sounds like it’s mostly to make it more streamlined.
- Gianluca Fiorelli wrote a cool case study about the Warhammer site migration, and its issues.
- Wix is integrating with Microsoft Clarity (one of my favorite tools).
- Google updates on the horizon?
- And more!
But don’t just take my word for it. Enjoy this and much more in the recap below!
Missed last week? Don’t worry, I got you! Read Part 41 to catch up.
Thank you for supporting Hamsterdam and helping make SEO accessible to all! 🙂
Ok, time for (home)work.
Jump to a section of this week’s recap
- Top posts
- News, Google updates, & SERP tests
- SEO tips & tidbits
- Fundamentals & resources
- Articles, videos & case studies
- Local SEO
- Technical SEO
- Content marketing
- SEO tools, AI & reporting
- Humor section
- Miscellaneous & general posts
Enjoy the recap below! And please support content you find valuable with likes or follows.
Top posts
These are highlights of news items, tips, or other content for the week. Great for when you just want a quick recap!
SEO news, Google updates, & SERP tests
These are newsworthy events in the SEO world, search engine updates, or SERP tests to be aware of from the last week.
SEO tips & tidbits
This section has actionable tips, cool tidbits, and other findings and observations that can be teaching moments.
SEO fundamentals & resources
If you’re new to SEO, this section is for you and includes essential information, concepts, or resources to learn more.
Articles, videos, case studies & more
These are longer-form content pieces shared on social and elsewhere.
Look at your fish! – SEO MBA, Tom Critchlow
Local SEO
If you’re into local Search, this section is for you!
Technical SEO
Everything from basics to advanced techniques.
Content marketing
What’d SEO be without helpful content?
Tools, AI & reporting
Here’s a recap of AI news, SEO tool updates, new tools, along with tips for reporting on data.
Humor
Humor is subjective; these are funny!
General Marketing & Miscellaneous
This is for great content that isn’t necessarily SEO or marketing-specific. PPC, PR, dev, design, and social friends, check it out!
Marketing is at an inflection point. Here’s why that’s an opportunity – Think with Google
Why Super Bowl Ads Are Stupid – Seth Godin, TheBrandSpike
This is a slightly older video, but not sure I shared it before, and I think digital marketers will find it interesting!
Former Google Executive Interview – The School of Hard Knocks
Great job making it to the end. You rock!
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Hungry for more? Check out the past weeks of Hamsterdam.
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Want to work together on your brand’s SEO?
I’m an independent strategist and consultant based in Orlando, Florida. Currently, I’m taking new clients for 2024.
Please visit my about page to learn more about me.
Let’s connect!
Hit me up anytime through a text or call at 813-557-9745 or on social or via email:
Cheers!
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