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Google’s AI Search Revolution: Navigate the New SEO Landscape with Confidence

Welcome to the latest edition of the RBL Flywheel newsletter!

Buckle up as we dive into Google’s game-changing updates and what they mean for your performance marketing strategy.

TL;DR

• Google Algorithm Updates: What’s new and why it matters.

• Observed Changes: Insights from our colleagues, our data, and fellow experts.

• Strategic Tips: How to adapt your affiliate and performance marketing approaches.

What’s Changed in Google’s World?

Emphasis on Quality: Google now prioritizes high-quality, original, and user-centric content over low-quality, AI-generated fluff.

Spam Crackdown: Increased efforts to eliminate spammy, cloaked, and hacked sites.

E-E-A-T Focus: Boosts for sites showcasing Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness.

Impact on Affiliate Sites: Sites lacking depth or authenticity have seen traffic nosedives pushing towards more engaging content creation.

Key Algorithm Updates

March 2024 Core Update

• Date: March 5 - April 19, 2024

• Impact: Targeted low-quality, AI-generated content. Hit affiliate sites and content farms hard.*
  
  *It’s important to note that not all affiliate sites are created equal, and SEO round-ups use the term affiliate too broadly. Some are CRITICAL to your brand, SERP, and performance marketing strategy.

November 2023 Core Update

• Date: November 2 - 28, 2023

• Impact: Prioritized high-quality, unique content. Shook up rankings for many content-heavy sites.

October 2023 Spam Update

• Date: October 4 - 20, 2023

• Impact: Reduced spammy content in search results.

September 2023 Helpful Content Update

• Date: September 14 - 28, 2023

• Impact: Targeted content created for SEO rather than user benefit.

April 2023 Reviews Update

• Date: April 12 - 25, 2023

• Impact: Ensured review content is detailed, authentic, and expert-written.

Some of the content sites hit:

The Big Takeaway: Quality Over Quantity

Google’s updates push for higher-quality content and better user experiences. Focus on creating original, authoritative, and user-centric content to stay ahead.

While it is concerning that one business has so much sway over the internet, these signals can be interpreted and used to improve your approach.

New AI LeadGen Tool Identifies Email Address of Your Visitors

Did you know that you can Identify the email addresses of your anonymous website traffic?

Rather than getting only 5% of your traffic via an opt-in form, a new AI Tool, Smart Recognition, lets you target and email most of your website traffic, growing your email list and revenue faster!

How can this help? 👇

• Capture email addresses of up to 40% of your anonymous traffic.

• Email irresistible offers to prospects browsing your site.

• Send abandoned cart emails to people who don't complete checkout.

• Book a demo and try it for free.

speaking if AI…

AI Impact

It’s no secret AI is driving many of these Google changes, and AI overviews are rolling out on a ton of Google queries (some of which are not going well). Not to mention Chat GPT, Perplexity, and more are taking queries from Google as we speak.

Many are just figuring out how this impacts search and performance across the ecosystem, but AI Overviews already have an impact.

What are AIO (Artificial Intelligence Overviews)?

Observations & Data Insights

• Significant traffic declines were observed from September 2023 to April 2024 from various sources correlating to AI overviews and Google’s recent Core update.

• Multiple MarTech Record affiliate marketing community members reported similar issues, but the initial focus was coupon re-sunsetting in the Forbes deal section.

• RBL analyzed content site traffic across hundreds of affiliate partner sites and removed outliers for this period; there was an 8.9% decline in traffic.

• You will not believe this, but Kevin Indig’s research and observations report, wait for it… an 8.9% decline in traffic!
  

  

  Our data team is really good.

  Coincidence? Maybe.

(Note he is correlating traffic decline and AIO (AI Overviews). In contrast, we are looking for impact via AIOs and several other factors, such as the Google core update mentioned)

What to do? Strategies for Affiliate Marketers

• Diversify: Explore new opportunities in content outside of those negatively impacted, such as influencer marketing, loyalty partners, connected TV, gated offers, tech innovation, BNPL (Buy Now Pay Later), Email, newsletter, celebrity, student NIL, audio, and Media Buyer on a CPA.

• Content is still king: The winners in the content game are going to adapt and win.

• Price is Right: The media placement and partnership price need to be right. As my horse trader dad used to say, “Bought right is twice sold.” We pride ourselves on a Moneyball approach to finding undervalued partners that will deliver ROI and exceed goals. If the “price” via gifting, CPAi, and Flat fees are efficient, the campaign can have a high ROI even when their macro traffic is down year over year or hurt temporarily by a Google update. Conversely, there are content sites that are NOT negatively impacted by these updates and are performing very well for brands and in SERPs

• Stay Informed: If you are a reader of the RBL Flywheel newsletter and an “Always Be Testing” podcast listener, you are ahead of the game. This update will give you some new folks to follow 😉 

• Embrace Authenticity: Genuine, original, authentic, and specific content wins.

Must-Read Resources

• Google's March 2024 Core Update: 5 Things You Need to Know

• HouseFresh’s Experience: How Google Decimated HouseFresh

• Forbes’ Coupon Directory Removal: Forbes Wipes Out Coupons

• Michael McErney’s Take from MarTech Record: Does Google’s “Site Reputation Abuse” Power Endanger All of Us?

• Barry Schwartz’s post conflicts with our findings but also supports it

Stay Ahead of the Curve

Keep testing, adapting, and leaning into quality and authenticity. The landscape is evolving, and so should you!

Bonus Material

For more insights, check out Voices of Search: A Search Engine Optimization (SEO) & Content Marketing Podcast on Apple Podcasts. Jordan Koene is always an excellent resource for making sense of the SEO and content world related to big Google changes!

Google’s AI search revolution is here. Ready for your Affiliate Marketing Strategy to thrive in the new SEO landscape?

Let’s get to it! And…

Always Be Testing!