WHY I Do What I Do

Surfer Wave 226; AIO Massive Changes; Track AIO Clicks; State of Blogging; State of Digital PR; YouTube Algorithms; BoFu Content Strategy; and Much More!

Author

Yoyao
February 01, 2025 • Est. Learning Time: 16 minutes

In partnership with

The WHY …

Happy Year of the Snake! 🐍 🎉 

I’m not going to lie, I’m feeling overwhelmed. But at the same time, I’m more excited and energized than ever.

When I launched TopicalMap.com and our Done-For-You (DFY) Topical Map services, my goal was simple: help people build their authority with powerful, well-structured content strategies.

Then, I released Topical Maps Unlocked, which laid out my process step-by-step, including a 5-hour video. It’s now updated to version 2.0 with even more content to help you from start to finish.

The marketplace for topical maps has exploded since then, and it’s been amazing to see so many embrace this method—even if I’m no longer the only one doing it. Some have given their own on it too, which is great.

Now, I’m launching Floyi, which takes everything I’ve learned and puts it in your hands. Yes, it might eat into my DFY services, but that’s okay—it means more people are using these processes and creating content that matters.

Since it launched a week ago, Floyi suggests what content to create. But now it shows you the WHY—through SERP analysis.

With Floyi’s new SERP Analysis features, you’ll understand:

  • Why certain pages rank: Floyi breaks down what search engines and users are looking for and how you can apply it to your strategy.

  • Why your competitors succeed: What’s driving the success of top pages in your niche.

  • Why fresh content matters : Know when to update or create content to stay ahead of the curve.

Floyi SERP Analysis

If you know me, you know I’m not into boasting or using overly technical language. I focus on what matters: value. And that’s what Floyi delivers.

I haven’t pushed huge marketing campaigns or partnered with influencers. I’ve simply shared it with you—my loyal Digital Surfers, newsletter subscribers, and social followers. And the response has been incredible.

As early adopters, you can lock in 50% off paid plans forever. But don’t wait—once the first 100 spots are filled (only 49 left!), the price will go up. I’ve got big plans for Floyi, and the current pricing won’t last.

So, if you’ve been on the fence, now’s the time to jump in. You’ll get free credits to play with when you sign up.

You won’t regret it.

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SEO

Roger Montti covers some new results from BrightEdge on AI search trends. To stay ahead, focus on creating contextually relevant content that aligns with Google’s growing reliance on precision and authority. Keep an eye on shifting trends, particularly the rise of AI’s role in content citation. Some of the insights include:

  • AIO now handle 25% of queries with 8+ words.

  • AIO’s presence is growing, especially for longer, complex queries.

  • Healthcare AIO now pull 72% of results from authoritative sites.

  • 15-22% of B2B tech queries are from top brands like Amazon, IBM.

  • Successful AI content is structured, hierarchical, and precise.

  • YouTube citations for health-related queries dropped by 31%, while technical tutorials increased by 40%.

  • AI now adapts to context, choosing the best content modality.

  • High-volume search queries triggering YouTube content have dropped 18.7%.

  • Educational queries prioritize concise answers, tied to Google’s information gain patent.

Glenn Gabe shows how to take advantage of a loophole in Google’s AI overviews that allows sites with manual actions to still rank highly. It gives website owners the rare opportunity to collect performance data on AIOs. You just need to get a manual action first 😅 Glenn outlines a step-by-step to track and analyze AIO performance through Google Search Console, leveraging this loophole before Google potentially closes it.

SEO Ripples

  • Yahoo is expanding its AI Chat features and incorporating AI Answers into search results. Leveraging OpenAI’s technology, Yahoo now delivers real-time, context-rich answers alongside traditional search listings. (Go Yahoo! Welcome to 2025 and letting us know you’re still around for search. I just thought you became fantasy football-only 😂 )

  • Daniel and Cherry from Google Search Central share an overview video of how Google Analytics and Search Console complement each other. Main things are that GSC tracks your site's performance in Google search, while GA focuses on user behavior once visitors land on your site. They discuss how to link both tools for a more comprehensive view and offer tips on how to understand discrepancies in metrics like clicks vs. sessions.

  • Google has expanded its site reputation abuse policy enforcement to Germany, following previous actions in the U.S. and other European regions. The crackdown targets websites using deceptive content practices, such as exploiting third-party content for ranking boosts. Sites using these tactics, particularly in the auto and retail sectors, have seen dramatic drops in rankings. Google’s manual enforcement is already evident, with certain search queries, like "Zalando discount code," showing a significant shift.

AI

OpenAI just dropped o3-mini, the newest reasoning model that’s built for speed and precision. o3-mini is supposed to be particularly good in STEM fields, math, and coding. API supports function calling, structured outputs, and variable reasoning effort, letting developers fine-tune responses based on complexity. o3-mini triples rate limits for ChatGPT Plus users to 150 messages per day (o1-mini was 50). Pro users have unlimited access. Available for free users too, ‘Reason’ model.

API prices are cheaper too: $1.10 / 1M input tokens and $4.40 / 1M output tokens. gpt-4o is: $2.50 / 1M input and $10.00 / 1M output. Read the system card if you like all the details.

My Take: Sure feels like they were pushed by DeepSeek to increase usage and lower prices. But at the same time with the DeepSeek-effect, it feels like o1’s quality isn’t where it was. Not surprising though as each of the models slowly decrease in quality over time. I think what happens is they push out the highest-quality, most expensive versions and slowly find ways to make them cheaper to be more efficient in training and processing.

Michael Stelzner gives a nice overview of how to create your own AI video avatars. By generating a digital version of yourself, you can create video content at scale, improve podcast visibility, enhance customer service with interactive avatars, and even develop course materials without long recording sessions.

AI Ripples

  • Google’s Gemini app is now using Gemini 2.0 Flash. Advanced users still have their 1M token context window for 1,500 pages of file uploads and have priority access to Deep Research and Gems features. The update also introduces Imagen 3 for superior image generation, ensuring your creative vision is captured with richer details.

  • Google’s new AI-powered tool, “Ask For Me,” allows users to have businesses, like auto repair shops and nail salons, contacted automatically for price quotes and appointments. Initially available in the U.S. via Google’s Search Labs, users can opt-in and receive quotes in a single dashboard, saving time. Businesses can opt out of receiving AI calls.

MARKETING

YouTube’s Senior Director of Growth & Discovery, Todd Beaupré chats with ‪@YouTubeLiaison‬ Rene Ritchie about how the YouTube recommendation system works and what's new for the algorithms in 2025. Some of the key takeaways:

  • YouTube tailors recommendations to each viewer’s preferences, not just pushing content universally.

  • Prioritize viewer satisfaction through likes, dislikes, and survey responses, not just metrics like CTR and watch time.

  • Time of day and device type influence which content is recommended.

  • Older videos can resurface and reach new audiences if relevant due to trends or topics.

  • Focus on your own channel's performance metrics, not just comparisons with others.

  • Dubbing videos and translating titles/descriptions increases reach across languages.

  • Build relationships with your audience by creating content that resonates, not just engaging for the sake of it.

  • Stay flexible as YouTube integrates large language models for better content relevance.

Céillie Clark-Keane dives into video marketing trends in 2025. According to her research, video isn’t just an accessory—it’s the engine that will drive brand storytelling, customer engagement, and revenue growth this year. As AI tools transform production and distribution, traditional video editing still remains indispensable for capturing the human touch, especially when social platforms are doubling down on video-first content. Brands must also get creative by repurposing videos across channels and tapping into local, authentic narratives to stand out in crowded feeds.

CONTENT

Caroline Forsey shares blogging is still relevant in modern marketing. Despite evolving digital trends, businesses continue to see blogging as a tool for brand awareness, customer engagement, and lead generation. Through a survey of over 500 marketers, she shares a number of insights, including:

  • 65% say their companies maintain blogs

  • 50% report higher ROI from blogging in 2024 compared to 2023

  • 47% rate blogging as "very important" for their marketing strategy.

  • 45% plan to increase their blogging budget in 2025.

  • 37% use AI for content creation

  • 43% use AI tools for editing and proofreading

  • 24% say they publish content on a daily basis

  • 40% of businesses use author bios with credentials to establish authority

Jodi Harris lays out a straightforward blueprint to streamline your content operations and ease getting overwhelmed by marketing. She compiles tips, templates, and cheat sheets to help cut through the chaos.

My Take: Even if you already have some templates and workflows, there are some things in here you might’ve missed and would be good to add to yours. For example, just screenshotting the 7 classic storytelling archetypes will give you a great reference to use when you’re stuck on how to best present a new idea, feature, piece of content, etc. Here’s 4:

Ryan Law explains that AI content detectors distinguish machine-generated text by analyzing statistical anomalies, neural network patterns, and hidden watermarks. They compare word frequencies, n-grams, and stylistic cues to typical human writing. He advises testing detectors on content similar to your own and using multiple samples to establish a baseline. He cautions against relying solely on these tools for important decisions—combine their insights with human judgment.

Alex Lindley shows how to create a solid bottom-of-funnel (BoFu) content strategy. This guide breaks down how to craft BoFu content that turns prospects into customers. Focus on high-intent visitors who are ready to buy. Create content that highlights clear solutions, competitive advantages, and strong calls to action. Track customer decision points, engage with them across multiple touchpoints, and optimize for specific BoFu search terms.

DIGITAL PR + LINK BUILDING

Vince Nero and BuzzStream share a detailed snapshot of the digital PR space with insights from over 150 industry professionals worldwide. Lots of interesting datapoints:

  • Digital PR interest has surged by almost 30% in recent years

  • Digital PR is seen as most effective for building backlinks (89.6%), brand awareness (83.2%), and driving organic traffic (77.5%).

  • 66.5% operate with monthly budgets under $10,000.

  • The average cost per link generally caps at $750, with many teams spending in the $0–300 and $300–750 ranges.

  • Data-led content is the top tactic, used by 94.8% of digital PR professionals.

  • Only 64% of campaigns successfully convert unlinked mentions.

  • A vast majority (87.3%) never pay for link placements.

  • Just 41.6% always personalize their outreach emails.

  • Although 87.9% mention the journalist by name (yay mail merge), it falls short of full personalization.

Patrick Stox brings us another “do links matter” test. He uses a massive dataset of SERPs to determine if Google’s claim—that links are less influential—is valid. His analysis reveals that while links’ overall correlation with rankings has decreased, they still play a crucial role in high-competition, local, and informational queries. The takeaway is clear: keep link-building 🔗 

SOCIAL MEDIA

Kirsti Lang shows the data that posting consistently on social media can boost your engagement by up to 5 times. Analyzing data from over 100,000 Buffer users over six months, the research shows that those who post in 20+ weeks reap significantly higher likes, comments, and shares compared to sporadic posters. Even a moderate increase in consistency can dramatically improve your engagement metrics.

My Take: I go through spurts of posting and then not posting. Definitely not good for my visibility on socials, but one of the things I’m trying to get better at for sure.

TOOLS AND RESOURCES

Google is moving all reCAPTCHA services to the Google Cloud platform by the end of the year to streamline terms and pricing, and offer new security features, including new dashboards for monitoring and analytics. The service remains free for up to 10,000 assessments per month, with charges applying beyond that. The migration will occur in stages. Developers can migrate proactively to avoid disruptions and take advantage of new tools. For more details on the process, check the migration guidelines.

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