A Conversation with Hotjar: How They Scaled Organic Traffic Into Millions User empathy is at the heart of everything we do at Hotjar, and that extends into our content strategy. It is how we grew non-branded organic search traffic by 734% in just 3 years (2022 versus 2019). More importantly, it is also how we were able to turn this traffic into 1,398% growth in new paying customers during the same time period. Our annual non-branded new visitor numbers are now in the multi-millions, and the heights we've hit in the last two years in particular are a testament to the user-centric approach we've applied. So how did we do it? We've been able to achieve the growth we have by painstakingly balancing the needs of existing and potential Hotjar users with the demands of search engines. We're relentless in our commitment to satisfying our readers, but we're not naive to playing the search engine game. To succeed at a high level there is a great deal of nuance that goes into getting this right. For us, that breaks down across a number of areas but there are a handful of core fundamentals that stand out: Embracing product-led content Clustering content around the user journey Powering keyword research with customer insights Leveraging qualitative and quantitative data Nurturing your historical library Before we go deeper though, I would be remiss not to cover the very fabric that holds all this together: without deep...

68% of Web Analysts Don't Think SGE Will Negatively Impact Traffic: Are They Wrong? SGE is Google's move to transform the search experience by integrating generative AI. With this massive change to SERPs, many marketers wonder if— or how — it will impact traffic. According to our Web Traffic and Analytics report, 75% of web analysts believe generative AI-integrated searches will positively impact their blogs, and 68% predict their blogs will get more traffic than before. But are they correct, or is this just wishful thinking? Here, let‘s dive into how SGE could impact your site’s ranking for the long haul. The Pros of AI-integration into Search Engines As mentioned above, most web analysts expect AI integration to affect the SERPs positively. For instance, SGE will positively impact user experience. It will provide more accurate and relevant information and allow users to find what they're looking for more quickly and efficiently. Furthermore, an AI-integrated search engine will create more personalized results based on user preferences and past behaviors. Users will enjoy a more customized experience with content tailored to their needs. Accessibility is another excellent perk of AI-integrated search thanks to automatic language translation capabilities, which can facilitate communication across different languages. AI-generated translations would break down language barriers and make information (and content) accessible to a broader audience. Moreover, generative AI can help create unique content, such as summaries, suggestions, and recommendations that intrigue users and provide fresh ideas. ...

How to Conduct a Competitor Analysis — The Complete Guide Are you wondering why competitor analysis is important? Like sports teams study their opponents to find weaknesses, businesses can examine their competition to improve their SEO strategy. By closely looking into your competitors, you learn what works and what doesn’t. Let’s get into it. Table of Contents What is a competitor analysis? Competitor Analysis Template How to Conduct Competitor Analysis Competitor Analysis Report Best Practices Competitor Analysis Example What is a competitor analysis? Imagine a competitor analysis as if you were going snorkeling in your competitor's SEO ocean. You get to explore how they've set up their SEO strategies and the keywords they're aiming for. Pretty neat. It's like having your secret map to find the treasure before your competition. Simply put, it's like stealing a glance at the playbook of the top dogs in your industry. You get to see what they're doing with their SEO and use that intel to plan your strategies. It's quite an adventure if you ask me. The Benefits of a Competitor Analysis Now, let's look at why competitor analysis is your secret weapon. 1. Uncover new keyword opportunities. Doing a competitor analysis opens up a treasure trove of keyword opportunities. Think of all the keywords your competitors are ranking for that you might have overlooked. It's like finding a hidden treasure map. 2. Gain a deeper understanding of the SEO landscape. A...

Using the New “E” in E-E-A-T To Generate Interest in Your Brand Google loves its acronyms. In late 2022, the search giant added an extra wrinkle to their Search Quality Rater Guidelines and introduced “Experience” to their existing Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trust (E-A-T) framework. This addition was part of Google’s ongoing effort to help websites provide users with more helpful, relevant information. E-E-A-T, or “Double-E-A-T,” now emphasizes the importance of including relevant first-hand experience with any subject matter. What does it mean for publishers? We’ll cover that and more below. Understanding E-E-A-T Guidelines Each part of E-E-A-T is essential for great content: Experience: Real-world or first-hand experience with the topic. Expertise: Extensive formal training or real-world experience. Authoritativeness: Certification or the ability to be seen as an authority on a given topic. Trust: The overarching element that all the above seek to satisfy. How does E-E-A-T impact SEO and content rankings? Well, it’s not technically a ranking factor but it can affect how your content ranks in search. The simplest way to answer this question is that content that ranks well – that satisfies the E-E-A-T part of Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines – meets the following parameters: It’s helpful content. Experts created it. It’s posted on an authoritative site. It’s trustworthy. It sees regular updates. Google’s embrace of experience dovetails nicely with its existing guidelines and approach to providing users with extra details to...

How to Become an SEO Expert, According to HubSpot’s SEO Team SEO helps businesses keep their website visible to people looking for what they offer.  It’s a technical specialty that requires understanding its foundational processes, continuously monitoring performance, and staying on top of search algorithm updates and new requirements.  The person at a business who monitors trends and helps sites remain visible is an SEO expert. In this post, we’ll discuss exactly what they do and advice from experienced HubSpotters on how to become one.  What is an SEO expert? An SEO expert monitors search trends and uses analytics to help businesses build websites that rank highly in search engines, reach target audiences, and meet business objectives. The optimized websites they help create generate leads and drive conversions to support business growth.  A successful SEO expert:  Has a well-rounded understanding of on-page, technical, and off-page SEO and how each impacts site performance independently and together.  Understands how search engines and SERPs work (like indexing and crawling) Can do SEO-focused research (like keyword research or competitive analysis) Can understand, analyze, and report on SEO analytics (like clicks, conversions, etc.) to make data-driven decisions and recommendations Use SEO tools (like Ahrefs or Google Search Console) Understand how to make SEO-focused content Stay on top of search trends and algorithm updates that might impact site performance. Create SEO-focused strategies (like a keyword strategy) Some SEO specialists don't start out with the...

The Complete Guide to Real Estate SEO Think about the last time you were considering buying something. Your journey probably started in the same place as everyone else: a quick Google search. Buying a house is no different. The National Association of REALTORS reported that 97% of buyers used the internet at least once during their search, with about half ending up buying a home they found online. Just having a website is part of the game for realtors these days. If you’re in a competitive market, just having a website might not be enough. For realtors looking to maximize the results, you’ve got to invest more energy to attract buyers through search engine optimization (SEO). Keep reading for a comprehensive overview of how SEO can level up your real estate website. Table of Contents What is real estate SEO? Benefits of Real Estate SEO Getting Started With Real Estate SEO Best Practices for Real Estate SEO What is real estate SEO? Search engine optimization is a way of labeling, organizing, and presenting information on the pages of your website so that search engines can better understand what they’re about. This way, Google becomes more likely to give your web page as a potential answer to the searcher’s question along four key principles known as E-E-A-T (experience, expertise, authority, trust). For real estate website SEO, the same principles apply but focus on the specific terms...

SEO Pricing: How Much Should You Spend on SEO Services? SEO isn’t easy — it often requires an entire team of people who solely focus on SEO within your marketing department to get it right. That’s why many companies choose to outsource their SEO to an SEO agency/service. But where do you start? And how much will it cost? These are some of the first questions businesses may have when thinking about hiring externally. In this post, we’ll explore what SEO agencies do, how they structure their prices, and how you can tell if they’re worth the cost. Let’s dive in. Table of Contents What do SEO services do? The Benefits of SEO Services How SEO Services Structure Their Prices Basic SEO Plan Pricing Enterprising SEO Plan Pricing How can you tell if an SEO service is worth it? What do SEO services do? Search engine optimization (SEO) is an important marketing strategy because it helps you rank higher on search engines. By hiring an SEO service, you can partner with an agency that uses several tactics to increase your rank and traffic. These tactics include keyword targeting, keyword research, content marketing, link building (both internal and external), and more. Since there are several different kinds of SEO (on-page, off-page, technical, and local), there are services available. Some provide an all-in-one service others focus on just one type of SEO. Foundational services usually include the following: Keyword research...

How to Find SERP Feature Opportunities Search engine results pages (SERPs) have become a critical battleground for businesses, with SERP features increasing in visibility and importance. Considering the fact that the top 3 Google search results get 54.4% of all clicks, SERP features eat up a whopping amount of organic traffic — 18.5% for featured snippets alone. With SERP features becoming ever-present, understanding how they work and how to maximize them has never been more essential. In this article, you'll learn how to find SERP feature opportunities. You’ll also get real-life examples and advice from SEO pros. Table of Contents What does SERP mean anyway? How to Rank in SERP Features How to Find SERP Feature Opportunities 5 Tools to Help You Find SERP Opportunities 3 Free Ranking Tools What does SERP mean anyway? SERP stands for Search Engine Results Page. It’s the page that search engines, like Google or Bing, display after a user queries a keyword or phrase. The SERP is usually populated with blue links and different SERP features that are intended to instantly fulfill a search query. SERP features include featured snippets, local packs, news boxes, images, videos, and more. SEO pros optimize their content for SERP features to drive more organic traffic to their website. "Include the search question in the page title and the question in the H1 tag. Answer the question as clearly as possible in the first paragraph, also including...

Podcast SEO 101: How to Rank Higher 40% of podcast listeners use an in-app search bar to discover new podcasts. The trend is clear: if you want more reach, you need to optimize your podcast for search. One way to get there is with podcast SEO. Think of it as invisible levers you can pull to boost your ranking and drive more traffic to your podcast.  In this post, we'll cover how to optimize your podcast for Spotify, YouTube, and search — plus uncover how to find great topics for your next episode. Table of Contents How to Optimize a Podcast for Spotify How to Optimize a Podcast for YouTube How to Optimize a Podcast for Search How to Find Topics for a Podcast How to Optimize a Podcast for Spotify Update your show page. Every podcast on Spotify has a show page. You can think of it as a landing page for your podcast. According to Spotify, the purpose of a show page is to give listeners everything they need to know about your podcast, including: Its title Its cover art Its show description A "Follow" button A list of recently published episodes The show page isn't something to rush through — or leave to collect dust. Ensure each element is up-to-date, accurate, and as compelling as possible. Include sub-topics in your show description. Show descriptions are typically short and concise, so you need to make every word count. To...