In a happy yet surprising move, Google has announced it will not be phasing out third-party cookies as previously planned. This decision has significant implications for website owners, digital marketers, and SEO practitioners, particularly those using tools like Yoast SEO to optimize their WordPress sites. Here’s a closer look at what this means for Yoast users. Background on Google’s Cookie Plans Google initially proposed to eliminate third-party cookies in its Chrome browser by 2022, later extending the deadline to 2024. The goal was to enhance user privacy and address concerns about online ..read more

Today, you have to think beyond simply ranking high on search engines. Users want more than just a simple website visit. Your visitors and customers are looking for an engaging experience. Search Experience Optimization (SXO) can help provide this. This merges SEO with user-centric design to help you attract visitors and keep them engaged. The goal, of course, is to convert them into loyal customers. We’ll explain the topic, how it differs from SEO, and why you could use it in your strategy. SEO, SXO, OSO? You might think, “Another acronym? SEOs sure love their acronyms!”. Of course, you are c ..read more

WordPress 6.6 is here and it comes with a suite of new features and improvements. Features that will give you more control over the look of your website, peace of mind when auto-updating plugins, and introduce you to some improved workflows. Here’s a sneak peek into the key highlights of this release. Page previews in the site editor The site editor now comes with a visual overview of your pages, also allowing you to preview a page before clicking edit. It creates a very natural workflow and makes working from the site editor easier. Make sure to check it out. You can find the editor under App ..read more

AI models can generate astonishingly creative content. However, their outputs can become cliched, unpredictable, and problematic without proper guardrails. How can we harness their potential while maintaining control? In this article, we’ll show you what you can do to provide guardrails for your AI chatbot. Thanks to these techniques, you can ensure its creative outputs align with your specific needs and objectives. Table of contents Understanding the need for guardrails What is AI creativity? Letting the AI run wild Guardrails are critical for generative AI Techniques for providing guardrail ..read more

Social media can be a great tool for your business and your SEO, because it can help drive traffic to your website. That’s why it’s good to keep an eye on new social media platforms, like Threads. So, is it worth it to invest your time in Threads? Or should you focus your efforts on other social media platforms? How can social media help your SEO? Before we dive into Threads specifically, it’s good to refresh our memories. So, why is it good for your business to be on social media? Multiple reasons. First, because it helps your off-page SEO, which means it generates traffic to your site. Secon ..read more

There’s a new kid in town, and it’s one you want to be friends with: OSO. It stands for organic search optimization, and with the Search Generative Experience rolling out, this acronym is one you should pay attention to. It’s not here to replace our good old SEO. But it does want to change your thinking and the platforms you’re focusing on. OSO is a relatively new acronym that adds a layer to SEO as we know it. Although I’ve seen different explanations of the acronym (optimized search optimization, organic search optimization), they all boil down to the same concept: multi-channel search optim ..read more

In this post, we want to go into the importance of upgrading your PHP if you are using an older, unsupported version. This is crucial when it comes to the security and speed of your website. So don’t click away just yet, because we have an important update regarding Yoast SEO, Yoast SEO Premium, and our add-ons and standalone plugins such as Yoast Duplicate Post. By November 1st, 2024, we will no longer support PHP versions 7.2 and 7.3. This change is crucial as we continually strive to improve both the security and efficiency of our plugins. Read on to find out why. PHP? Hosting? What does it ..read more

In the SEO universe, paradigm shifting insights can suddenly appear out of nowhere, like a decloaking warbird a little too close to the neutral zone, catching even the most seasoned captains by surprise. The recent Google API leak has sent such a shockwave through the SEO quadrant, igniting intense discussions and debates within the community. We’ve laid in a course to navigate the nebula of this new information, examining the implications of the leak and how it correlates with Yoast’s established SEO protocols, providing clear guidance amidst these cosmic shifts. Yoast’s perspective on unders ..read more

As Google rolls out its new AI Overviews, SEO professionals and website owners must adapt to these changes to maintain and improve their search rankings. Google’s AI Overview, powered by the advanced Gemini model, integrates generative AI into the SERP. It provides users with summarized answers to complex queries at the top — well above the organic results. Google intends to improve user experience by offering quick, comprehensive answers; however, it also introduces new dynamics in interacting and preparing for these AI Overviews. Understanding Google’s AI Overviews Google’s AI Overviews are ..read more

Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to reshape how we interact with information. Google introduced AI Overviews in its search engine yesterday, marking a new milestone. These new features promise to enhance user experience by providing quick, comprehensive answers to complex queries. However, they also raise important questions about the future of content creation, monetization, and information diversity. Where is all of this heading? Overview of Google’s new AI features There were many AI announcements at Google I/O yesterday, but we think the AI Overviews will most impact our audience and ..read more