The Edition So Packed, Even Google Would Index It Twice

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CONTENT CREATORS

The 10 Biggest AI Fears Facing Content Creators Over 40 (And How to Beat Them)

Rohini Roy tackles the fears many content creators over 40 face in the AI era, from career obsolescence to losing creative identity. Rohini outlines how creators can turn these fears into advantages by embracing AI as a tool for innovation, not replacement. Key strategies include focusing on unique human qualities like insight and empathy, upskilling in relevant AI applications, and building a brand that highlights personal experiences. Treat AI as an opportunity to evolve and stay ahead.

My Take: Even though it’s aimed at over 40, I think much of it is relevant no matter what age you are.

SEO + GEO

ChatGPT Confessions Gone? They Are Not!

OpenAI's attempt to remove 50,000 shared ChatGPT conversations from Google search hasn’t solved the problem. A new investigation by Henk Van Ess reveals over 110,000 ChatGPT chats remain accessible via Archive.org (Wayback Machine), exposing potentially embarrassing or illegal content. From corporate strategies and academic fraud to political dissent, these conversations are still out there. The article emphasizes how a simple "share" creates a permanent, searchable record. ChatGPT isn’t the only one too - grok.com/share is in the same boat.

Google [GA4] Custom Channel Groups Help Page

Google just updated this GA4 custom channel groups help page to include how to create a dedicated channel group.

My Take: I mean…wow. This just surprised me because I wouldn’t have expected something like this from Google. Cookie 🍪 for Google.

Why Site Health Is Vital for AI Search Visibility

Patrick Geaney says site health can be a make-or-break factor for brand visibility with new AI crawlers. “They won't wait for your JavaScript to load, won't parse your single-page application, and certainly won't tolerate your 4MB hero image.” His FAST framework (Fetchable, Accessible, Structured, Trim) shows how to make your site crawlable and readable by LLMs, not just humans or Googlebot.

My Take: A nice reminder not to forget technical SEO.

Bing Makes Headway and Takes a Little Share – MS’s Surprising Quarterly Report

Brett Tabke shares the data to show Microsoft’s Bing is gaining ground, and not just in users, but in revenue and reach. Thanks to the integration of AI across Bing, Edge, and Windows, the platform saw a 21% revenue jump. Although Google still holds the majority of search traffic, Bing increased its market share from 3.1% to 3.4%, signaling a small yet significant shift.

SEO + GEO Ripples

• AI search engines like Bing Copilot are rewriting the rules for content discovery, but sitemaps remain essential for site visibility. This piece from Bing breaks down why a precise, well-structured XML sitemap, packed with accurate lastmod timestamps, is still your best tool for full indexing. They say to submit complete, regularly updated XML sitemaps through Bing Webmaster Tools, and use IndexNow for real-time URL submissions to maximize your odds in both classic and AI-powered search.

AI

Gemini 2.5: Deep Think Is Now Rolling Out

Google’s Deep Think, now live for AI Ultra subscribers, brings deep thinking (aka problem-solving) to the Gemini app. The model uses extended parallel thinking and advanced reinforcement learning to deliver more creative, step-by-step solutions. Deep Think generates multiple ideas at once, refines them, and lands on the smartest answer. This means smarter brainstorming, sharper analysis, and better results.

My Take: If you don’t have $250 laying around for Gemini Ultra, you can always use my Tree of Thought prompt that I shared back in December in Wave 218. Also copied it below in a new yNotes section…although I should just make you click to drive up the CTR! 😆 (it’s down below too)

What’s New in NotebookLM: Video Overviews and an Upgraded Studio

NotebookLM is stepping its game up with its new Video Overviews feature. It’ll turn dense research into easy-to-follow narrated slides, packed with visuals, data, and actionable summaries. Studio has been overhauled so you can now create and save multiple Audio Overviews, Video Overviews, Mind Maps, and Reports in one notebook.

My Take: This is a cool feature and I can think of a number of uses for it, but I feel sorry for YouTube and its users getting ready to watch a bunch of this stuff 🤣 

AI Ripples

• AI Mode in Google Search is now going to allow you to upload PDFs and images, ask nuanced questions, and get instant insights that blend your files with top sources from across the web. The new Canvas feature lets you create and refine study plans or project roadmaps over multiple sessions.

• Study mode in ChatGPT is here to help students learn by thinking, not just memorizing answers. Instead of quick solutions, it guides users step by step with Socratic questions, hints, and knowledge checks tailored to their skill level. Lessons break down tough material into bite-sized sections, connect big ideas, and encourage active participation. Users can toggle study mode on and off for flexibility, and get personalized feedback as they progress. ChatGPT needs a “Family” feature so I can set it up with my kids!

• LangExtract, an open-source Python library powered by Google's Gemini, offers a great solution for transforming unstructured text into structured, actionable data. Good for extracting insights from complex documents like medical reports or financial summaries, LangExtract ensures precise source grounding and reliable outputs. By leveraging a chunking strategy and supporting a range of LLM backends, this tool enhances long-context information extraction.

MARKETING + PPC

Measuring Branded Searches (Beta)

Google Ads introduces a new conversion type: branded searches. These searches track the number of times users search for your brand after viewing your ads on Google and YouTube. Branded searches help measure how well your campaigns generate interest in your brand and assist with campaign budgeting by anticipating future conversions. They also provide real-time performance insights in your campaign reports. With this feature, you can track how your brand's visibility impacts user behavior, all within a 7-day window, offering a deeper understanding of how your ads drive customer consideration.

My Take: Still think Brand isn’t important? I’m not really into Google Ads at all, so I don’t actually know too much. But when I first saw this, I was 😲 surprised because I actually wouldn’t thought that branded searches would have been a feature already.

Amazon Has Abruptly Cut Its Google Shopping Ad Spending – Cue the Speculation

Sam Bradley covers Amazon’s retreat from Google Shopping Ads: just two weeks ago, the giant owned a 60% share of impressions in the U.S. and 55% in the U.K. That dominance vanished overnight, and now brands like Walmart, Target and Home Depot are seeing their share of impressions jump by as much as 20%. CPCs have dropped up to 40% in some categories. If you were competing against Amazon for your ads - you’re in luck! Check your auctions, move fast, and capitalize on the vacuum before Amazon returns.

Google Business Posts: The Overlooked Local SEO Tactic That Drives Results

Freya Laskowski reveals why Google Business Posts (GBP) are underutilized for local SEO. These posts directly impact local rankings by showcasing your business in real-time search results, driving traffic, phone calls, and conversions. GBP posts help businesses stay relevant in Google's algorithm by keeping content fresh and timely. Freya outlines how consistent posting can significantly boost visibility, particularly for multi-location brands.

Brand Ambassadors: Turning Local Voices Into a Scalable Social Strategy

Freya Laskowski outlines how brand ambassador programs can be a powerful strategy for scaling content marketing across multiple locations. By turning local employees, superfans, and franchisees into trusted storytellers, brands can maintain authenticity while expanding their reach. She shares practical tips on identifying the right ambassadors, structuring effective programs, and using tools like Sendible to streamline the process. She highlights the importance of clear content guidelines, local engagement, and consistency to create a cohesive brand presence.

CONTENT

Google just changed course on the goo.gl URL shortener shutdown. Instead of turning off all links after August 25, only inactive goo.gl links flagged since late 2024 will stop working. If your goo.gl link still redirects without a warning, you are in the clear and do not need to migrate. Still best to check your goo.gl URLs now (if you can find them all!). If you see a deactivation notice, swap it for a new shortener before August 25 to avoid broken links.

LINK BUILDING

Link Building in the Age of LLMs: Still Relevant or Just a Relic?

Kaitie Frank explains why link building remains crucial in the age of AI-driven search, despite the rise of LLMs. While LLMs like ChatGPT don’t rank pages, they rely heavily on high-authority content pulled through backlinks to generate answers. She emphasizes that modern link building is less about improving rankings and more about securing visibility in AI-generated results. To thrive, businesses must focus on building real authority through digital PR, relationship-driven outreach, and high-quality content that LLMs can reference.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Reddit Wants to Be a Search Engine Now

Reddit is shifting gears and aiming to become a “go-to search engine,” according to CEO Steve Huffman. The platform’s core search now has over 70 million weekly active users, and the launch of Reddit Answers, an AI-powered search tool, has already gained 6 million weekly users. Reddit is investing heavily in enhancing its search capabilities, aiming to reduce reliance on Google and boost engagement directly on its platform.

My Take: Not a surprise, since they launched Reddit Answers Dec. 2024. If they didn’t want to be a search engine, then they wouldn’t have created Answers. it’s one thing to

Google Search Liaison Bids Farewell to X

Danny Sullivan is no longer the Search Liaison. He’s been promoted to be a “Director within Google Search.” Good for Danny, bad for creators because I did feel like he was one of the few who listened - even if he couldn’t do much himself. Maybe he can now?

And I found the ‘announcement’ posts interesting. Lucky I got a screenshot off on the original before it was deleted.

TOOLS AND RESOURCES

Alttext.ai - I just saw this back on Appsumo and it’s been one of my absolute favorite purchases from a couple of years ago. It automatically generates SEO-friendly, brand-consistent alt text on all my WordPress sites. They have more options but I’ve only used it on WP sites. Huge timesaver.

*not sponsored, even though it sounds like it haha - I have the Tier 3 for 2k images/month.

yNotes

Hubspot + pSEO = Game On

Saw this in my feed. If Hubspot’s SEO team thinks this is still working, I’m not going to argue with or knock them because I do agree that it should be done.

Check out the last few articles in the “Latest Articles” section of their blog page. But in order to see the rest, you’ll need to look at their sitemap or at the “Related Articles” section at the bottom of these pages.

A quick compare and contrast of their articles shows: You’ll notice their H2s are all the same format, but their actual sentences aren’t plug-and-play types. So they’re probably incorporating AI for each section. Or they’re plugging keywords into a template and then having AI rewrite it.

Note to self: I need to get on this for Floyi. I’ve been putting off articles for too long.

Tree of Thought (ToT) Prompting

Adjust the prompt depending on what you’re creating.

This is a generalized, flexible version of the Tree of Thoughts Method (ToT) steps to apply to various scenarios (e.g., blog posts, social media updates, product descriptions, newsletters, coding solutions, etc.):

1. Generate Initial Drafts (Idea Expansion)
• Produce 5 distinct initial versions of your content. Each draft represents a separate “thought path” or creative direction.
• Do not share these initial drafts publicly; they serve as your creative sandbox.

2. Evaluate and Refine (Quality Assessment)	
• Assess each draft on a predetermined scale (e.g., 1.0 to 10.0) and provide a brief rationale for the rating.
• Note strengths (e.g., clarity, data integration, persuasive tone) and weaknesses (e.g., lack of evidence, poor structure).
• Identify patterns: what makes the higher-rated drafts better? What common issues diminish quality?

3. Iterative Improvement (Focused Enhancement)
• Select the top-performing drafts based on the evaluation
• Apply the lessons learned from the assessment: add supporting data, improve flow, sharpen the message, enhance readability, or adjust tone.
• Create refined versions of these selected drafts by strategically incorporating the improvements.

4. Final Evaluation and Selection (Choosing the Best)
• Rate the refined drafts again using the same criteria.
• Choose the single best-performing draft as your final version.

5. Strategic Emphasis (Highlighting Key Points)
• Emphasize essential information and actionable insights by bolding, italicizing, or formatting key phrases.
• Incorporate relevant keywords, data points, and terms aligned with your audience’s search intent or interests.
• Ensure that highlighted elements guide the reader to the core message and desired outcome.

6. Present the Final Draft (Final Delivery)
• Share the polished, final version of the content.
• Avoid revealing internal ratings, discarded drafts, or evaluation notes. Only the final product should be visible to the end audience.

WAYS WE CAN WORK TOGETHER

Floyi - The only AI-powered tool that builds 4-level topical maps, so your content strategy isn’t just planned - it’s unstoppable.

Topical Maps Unlocked 2.0 - The blueprint for ranking dominance. Learn how to structure content the way search engines (and audiences) crave.

TopicalMap.com Service - We handle the research, structure, and strategy. You get a custom topical map delivered that builds authority, so your content and brand dominate.

Content Strategy and SEO Consulting – Just you and me, refining your personal strategy into a clear roadmap for traffic, authority, and conversions.

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