SEO Blog

The Great Decoupling | Why Omnichannel Marketing is the Future  I launched my first website on August 14, 2000, nearly 25 years ago. Back then, when most websites were built in ‘Flash,’ (it’s true!) all you needed to have from an SEO perspective was a load of keywords stuffed in somewhere (err… everywhere!), and a sprinkling of backlinks, and: voila! […]

Google Blocks Discover Data Hack in Search Console | How It Was Found and Why It Matters Google has long used Discover as a means to surface personalised content directly within its mobile ecosystem, drawing heavily from a user’s interests and browsing behaviour. Recently, however, it has begun experimenting with bringing Discover to the desktop version of its home page. […]

Avoid These Mistakes in Multilingual and International SEO | Set a Strong Global Foundation  A common mistake many companies make when expanding globally is assuming that the success and brand recognition they have in their home country will automatically carry over to new markets. They might see some initial website traffic from a new region and think that simply translating […]

Master Baidu SEO for Effective Market Entry | What Marketers Must Know in 2024 For global companies aiming to grow their business in China, getting their website to rank well in search results (SEO) is crucial. However, the SEO strategies that work on Google don't always work on Baidu. As the most popular search engine in China, with over 70% […]

Mastering Reactive PR with Artificial Intelligence | Future-Proof Your Outreach Strategy The world of digital PR is changing dramatically. Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping how brands connect with the media, plan their strategies, and get their stories covered. AI isn't just something for the future; it's a key part of how digital PR works right now. It allows marketers to […]

Insights From Ahrefs’ Default Blocklist for Small Businesses SEO in 2025 As the owner of Central Coast SEO, I spend my days helping small business clients understand—and often demystify—the intricate world of SEO. And one topic that has recently generated a lot of buzz is Ahrefs’ introduction of a Default Blocklist in 2024, which continues to shape the digital landscape […]

Drive Better PPC Results with GA4 Insights| A Detailed Guide for Paid Search Professionals Google Analytics 4 (GA4) marks a significant evolution in how we understand digital data. It's not just an upgrade from the old Universal Analytics (UA); it's a completely different way of looking at things. Where UA grouped everything into website visits (sessions), GA4 tracks individual actions […]

To Disavow or Not to Disavow | Toxic links in SEO At Central Coast SEO, I’ve worked with countless small businesses to clean up their online presence—and one of the most persistent concerns I hear revolves around toxic backlinks. While the SEO industry has evolved significantly over the years, the spectre of bad backlinks still causes confusion. In 2025, the […]

Prioritise SEO Strategies to Boost Organic Traffic | A Comprehensive Guide for 2025 In 2025, the digital search environment is undergoing significant transformation. The integration of AI technologies and changing user behaviours are reshaping how information is sought and consumed. Despite the rise of AI-driven interfaces, traditional search engines like Google continue to experience substantial growth, handling over 5 trillion […]

Why Blogging Is Crucial for Small Business Success At Central Coast SEO, I’ve helped dozens of small business owners improve their digital footprint—and one thing I constantly recommend is blogging. That’s right. Even in 2025, when AI and automation dominate headlines, a good old-fashioned blog is still one of the most cost-effective and high-impact tools a small business can deploy […]

Use CRM Data to Power PPC Growth | Understand the Strategic Role of CRM in Paid Media In today's fast-changing world of online ads, getting things just right for the right people is key. With so many businesses trying to grab attention on search engines and social media, it's more important than ever to learn from every bit of information […]

Why You'd be Mad to do Your PPC Ads Yourself! As the owner of SEO North Sydney, I’ve had a front-row seat to the evolving landscape of digital marketing—and few areas move faster than paid advertising. Pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns, when done right, offer small businesses immediate visibility and qualified traffic. But “done right” is the key phrase here. I’ve seen […]

Manage News Archives | Strategies for Updating, Archiving, and Removing Content​ Over the years, news websites build up a huge collection of articles. While each one plays a part in documenting past events, not all of them stay important or useful forever. Smartly handling this older content is important for keeping a website's SEO strong and making sure visitors have […]

How Small Businesses Can Gain an Edge by Analysing Competitors' Ads As the founder of Central Coast SEO, I’ve worked with countless small business owners who feel like they’re shooting in the dark when it comes to digital advertising. One of the most underutilised strategies I see is competitor ad analysis. Whether you're running Google Ads, Facebook campaigns, or even […]

Bridge SEO Strategy and Execution | Guide to achieve Tangible Results In the world of online marketing, developing a strong SEO strategy is just the initial step. The true difficulty arises in putting these plans into action effectively to achieve their maximum impact. Even with careful planning, numerous organizations see their SEO initiatives underperform because there's a gap between the […]

Google Ads Safety Report 2024 | What Small Business Owners Need to Know As the founder of Central Coast SEO, I work closely with small businesses striving to make every advertising dollar count. That’s why the recent release of Google’s 2024 Ads Safety Report immediately caught my attention. The scale of enforcement action is staggering—over 5.1 billion ads removed and […]

How to Calculate Link Building ROI | A Comprehensive Guide In the ever-evolving landscape of digital marketing, few activities are as widely misunderstood, and as frequently mismanaged, as link building. Despite organisations allocating substantial portions of their SEO budgets to backlink acquisition (often exceeding 40% in competitive industries), most fail to rigorously assess whether the investment generates a meaningful return.  […]

Top 11 best WordPress templates As the founder of Central Coast SEO, I’ve seen time and again how the design of a small business blog can either attract or repel potential customers. In an age where trust is earned within seconds of landing on your website, choosing the right WordPress theme isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about performance, usability, and brand […]

How to Run a Small Business Successfully on a Shoe-string Budget As the founder of Central Coast SEO, I’ve worked with hundreds of small business owners who’ve launched ventures with little more than passion, grit, and a shoestring budget. The idea of starting a business without a sizeable investment may seem daunting, but it’s not only possible—it’s how many of […]

11 Immutable Laws Every Start-up Business Should Follow As the founder of Central Coast SEO , I’ve worked with countless startups and small business owners trying to make their mark in the digital world. One thing that always stands out is how many entrepreneurs jump into business without a solid framework or strategy. In my experience, there are a few […]

How to Write SEO-Friendly Blog Posts | A Guide for Small Business Owners As the founder of Central Coast SEO, I’ve worked with small business owners across a wide range of industries. One recurring issue I see is confusion around blogging and SEO—how they intersect, and how to make content that ranks and resonates. While it’s true that search engine […]

What Small Businesses Need to Know About AI Overviews Vs Organic Search At Central Coast SEO I’ve spent over a decade helping small businesses improve their online visibility—but nothing has disrupted the search landscape quite like Google’s latest wave of AI innovation. With the introduction of AI Overviews, also known as Search Generative Experience (SGE), the way content is presented in […]

Navigating the AI, NLP, and Voice Revolution At Central Coast SEO, we've been on the front lines, witnessing the seismic shift AI, natural language processing (NLP), and voice search have brought to search engine optimisation. The way people interact with search engines has undergone a dramatic transformation, moving away from traditional text-based queries towards more conversational and context-aware searches. In […]

Why Black Hat SEO Techniques Are a Recipe for Failure As the head of Central Coast SEO, I've spent years immersed in the intricacies of search engine algorithms and ranking strategies. I've seen firsthand how the pressure to achieve top rankings in the fast-paced world of SEO can tempt businesses towards unethical tactics. Black hat SEO – techniques designed to […]

Human Creativity Still Reigns Supreme in SEO Content I've witnessed firsthand the meteoric rise of artificial intelligence in SEO strategies. The allure of AI – automating keyword research, streamlining content creation, and seemingly effortlessly optimising for search engines – is undeniable. It promises a revolutionary solution, a shortcut to faster content production with minimal human input. However, in my experience, […]

Combating AI-Generated Content Spam I have observed a growing concern among professionals and academics alike involving: the rapid proliferation of AI-generated content. Which, let’s be honest here, is spam by another name! While artificial intelligence has proven to be a valuable tool for content creation, it has also facilitated the mass production of low-quality, unoriginal material that undermines the integrity […]

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) | The Evolution of SEO in the Age of AI As someone deeply entrenched in the ever-evolving world of search engine optimisation (SEO), I believe it’s critical to address the emergence of a new paradigm: Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). This shift represents a significant evolution in how search engines operate, and as professionals in this field, […]

AI Web Crawlers | To Crawl or Not to Crawl? A new frontier has emerged in the realm of SEO with the introduction of dedicated AI web crawlers. In August 2023, OpenAI rolled out GPTBot, a specialised crawler that can be managed via robots.txt—much like how one might restrict Googlebot from accessing certain areas of a website. Recent studies indicate […]

The Impact of Google's Antitrust Ruling The recent antitrust ruling against Google has generated significant discussion across the digital landscape. On August 5, a U.S. District Court delivered a 277-page verdict that unequivocally stated, “Google is a monopolist.” This decision, although lengthy and legally dense, carries clear implications for the search industry and beyond. As someone who has long analysed […]

Keyword Cannibalisation | A Technical Masterclass in Diagnosis, Resolution, and Strategic SEO Preservation Let’s address one of the most insidious threats to modern SEO strategy: keyword cannibalisation. This issue isn’t merely a nuisance—it’s a systemic problem that erodes the precision of content architecture, confuses search engine algorithms, and sabotages the user experience. Over years of refining strategies for Australian enterprises, […]

15 International SEO Myths Debunked  International SEO is a minefield of confusion for several reasons: Information Overload (and Misinformation): Not everyone diligently pores over the major search engine Webmaster Guidelines. Even when they do, the sheer volume of information can be overwhelming, and outdated advice often lingers online. Inconsistent Guidelines: Different search engines have their own, sometimes conflicting, recommendations. This […]

Mastering Content Management | How to Evaluate and Remove Outdated Content One of the most critical yet often overlooked aspects of managing a website is evaluating and removing outdated content. This is extremely important, and over the years, I’ve developed a robust framework that balances technical precision with strategic foresight. This isn’t just about cleaning up your site—that’s the easy […]

AI Agents vs Large Language Models | The Future of SEO The landscape of search engine optimisation is undergoing a seismic shift with the rapid development of artificial intelligence. At SEO North Sydney, we have observed how AI is transforming digital marketing, and one of the most pressing debates today revolves around AI Agents versus Large Language Models (LLMs). While […]

Integrating Social Proof into Web Design to Increase Credibility and Conversions In the competitive digital landscape, a website’s success hinges on its ability to establish trust and encourage user engagement. Social proof—a psychological phenomenon where individuals rely on the actions and opinions of others to guide their decisions—plays a pivotal role in achieving these objectives. Integrating social proof into web […]

Retargeting Strategies in PPC - How to Re-Engage Potential Customers Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising has evolved into a sophisticated tool for driving conversions and nurturing customer relationships. Central to its efficacy is retargeting, a strategy that allows advertisers to reconnect with users who have previously interacted with their brand but have not yet converted. This article explores the foundational principles and […]

YouTube Advertising Best Practices - Creating Engaging Video Ads YouTube remains an unparalleled platform for video advertising, blending extensive reach with robust targeting capabilities. As the second-largest search engine globally and a core part of Google’s ecosystem, YouTube offers marketers the ability to connect with diverse audiences through highly engaging video content. This article provides a detailed examination of best […]

Advanced Facebook Advertising Techniques for 2025 Facebook continues to dominate the social media advertising landscape, boasting unparalleled audience reach and robust advertising tools. As we move into 2025, businesses and marketers must adapt to a rapidly evolving ecosystem characterised by increased competition, sophisticated algorithms, and changing consumer expectations. This article provides an in-depth exploration of advanced Facebook advertising techniques, delving […]

The Role of User Experience (UX) in Modern Web Design In the dynamic landscape of digital design, User Experience (UX) has transcended its initial role as a supplementary consideration to become a central pillar of effective web design. At its core, UX encompasses the entire interaction between users and a website, shaping their perceptions, behaviours, and decisions. This article examines […]

The AI Revolution in Digital Advertising The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into pay-per-click (PPC) advertising represents one of the most significant technological advancements in the digital marketing landscape. AI-driven solutions are enabling marketers to optimise campaigns with precision, harnessing vast amounts of data to deliver more relevant ads, reduce costs, and improve overall performance. However, as with any innovation, […]

ChatGPT and SEO - 7 Takeaways for 2025 The SEO landscape is evolving at lightning speed, and much of this transformation is being fuelled by advancements in AI-powered search technologies. As I see it, tools like ChatGPT’s new search functionality are shaking up the game, offering a bold alternative to traditional search engines like Google. With ChatGPT’s capacity to pull […]

Understanding Key SEO Metrics for Small Businesses As the founder of Central Coast SEO, I am acutely aware of the transformative potential that search engine optimisation (SEO) holds for small businesses seeking to engage relevant audiences and capture high-quality leads. SEO is not merely a buzzword; it is a strategic approach that enables businesses to enhance their online visibility, drive […]

Enhancing Your Brand's Visibility: A Strategic Approach As the founder of Central Coast SEO, I have observed that the essence of brand visibility is fundamentally about ensuring your business is prominently positioned in the spaces where your target customers are actively seeking information. This encompasses a range of platforms, from search engine results to social media feeds and industry events. […]

Enhancing Your Website's E-E-A-T: Effective Techniques for Small Businesses In today's competitive digital landscape, establishing and demonstrating Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T) is paramount for any business seeking to thrive online. As the founder of Central Coast SEO, I often encounter small businesses striving to enhance their online credibility. This blog will delve into eleven practical strategies to build and […]

Understanding the Spring 2024 Google Updates: Implications for Small Businesses In the realm of digital marketing, few events can send ripples of uncertainty through the small business landscape quite like significant updates from Google. As the founder of Central Coast SEO, I want to take a deep dive into the Spring 2024 Google updates which comprise both a core update […]

Mastering Local SEO: Essential Strategies for Small Businesses In the competitive landscape of digital marketing, small businesses must leverage every opportunity to enhance their online visibility. A crucial aspect of this endeavour is mastering local Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). Through my experience as the founder of Central Coast SEO, I have identified several strategies that can substantially improve local SEO […]

Understanding Local SEO: A Comprehensive Guide for Small Businesses As the founder of Central Coast SEO, I have witnessed the pivotal role local search engine optimisation (SEO) plays in the success of small businesses in our dynamic marketplace. In this detailed exploration, I will elucidate the techniques that can significantly enhance your local visibility, particularly within the framework of Google […]

Why SEO Content Needs Repackaging: A Deep Dive into Modern SEO Strategies As the founder of Central Coast SEO, I’ve witnessed countless shifts in search engine optimisation strategies. One of the most significant changes I’ve observed is how we package content for SEO. In the past, the “skyscraper technique” dominated, but in today’s AI-driven world, this method is losing relevance. […]

Google’s Helpful Content Update: What Small Businesses Need to Know As the founder of Central Coast SEO, I’ve spent over a decade working with small businesses to help them grow their online presence. The digital landscape is constantly evolving, and one of the most significant shifts in recent years is Google’s Helpful Content Update (HCU). This update has fundamentally changed […]

How to Monetise Your YouTube Channel: Everything You Needed to Know but Were Afraid to Ask The landscape of content creation has transformed dramatically over the past decade, with YouTube emerging as a formidable platform for both entertainment and education. While many aspire to create a YouTube channel, the key challenge lies in monetising the content effectively. This comprehensive guide […]

The Ultimate Technical Guide to Getting Your Book Found on Amazon In the ever-evolving digital landscape, where millions of books vie for readers' attention, ensuring your book is easily discoverable on Amazon is crucial for its success. This comprehensive guide delves into the intricate mechanics of Amazon's search algorithms, the importance of metadata, and strategic marketing techniques that can enhance […]

LinkedIn: The Ultimate Guide to Actually Making it Work for Your Business LinkedIn has evolved from a simple professional networking site into a powerful platform for businesses to grow their brand, connect with potential clients, and recruit top talent. To harness the full potential of LinkedIn, it is essential to understand its features, best practices, and strategies that can turn […]

TikTok: How to Leverage it for Sustainable Business Growth TikTok has rapidly ascended to become one of the most influential social media platforms globally. Its unique blend of short-form video content, algorithmic curation, and user engagement has created a fertile ground for businesses to cultivate sustainable growth. This deep dive explores the intricacies of leveraging TikTok for business growth, dissecting […]

How to Rank Your Videos on YouTube - A Deep Dive  In the competitive landscape of digital content creation, ranking your videos on YouTube requires a comprehensive understanding of the platform's algorithm and the strategic application of various techniques. This blog post delves into the intricate mechanisms of YouTube's ranking system, providing a detailed guide for content creators aiming to […]

Google's Mobile-First Index Explained It won’t come as a surprise to anyone to learn that the vast majority of people searching on Google, do so on their mobile phones. However, this wasn’t always the case.  Flashback to November 9, 2016, and Google announced that it was going to be prioritising a mobile-first search index over the traditional desktop-first search index. […]

How to get a Competitive Advantage in Your SEO Strategy Your SEO strategy fuels your web traffic and can seriously boost sales. The key to success is a sustainable competitive advantage, and here's how to get it! Keyword(s): sustainable competitive advantage Changes to search engine algorithms mean that an SEO tactic that works one week may need help the next. […]

How to Use Keywords to Master Intent Marketing Using keywords to capture consumer attention is easier said than done. Here's how intent marketing works with keywords to attract high conversion web traffic. Keyword(s): intent marketing Do you want to know how to slash your bounce rate and maximize conversions? You need to master intent marketing. It's not enough to feed the […]

What Google's Instant Answers Means for SEO (and How to Get in On It!) Google changes the SEO game so often it's hard to keep up. The new instant answers feature isn't a low hanging SEO fruit, but we'll show you how to get there. Keyword(s): instant answers Also known as featured snippets, Google's instant answers received mixed reactions from SEO […]

Creating a SERP Plan That Drives Traffic A strategic SERP plan can have huge implications for website traffic. Find out what you need to get a featured snippet on Google and watch the traffic roll in. Keyword(s): serp plan When you Google something, the SERP (Search Engine Ranking Position) is what appears. Google determines which sites will appear at the […]

Look what arrived today by courier, from our friends at BusinessNSW! The BusinessNSW Finalist Awards Gift Pack for Central Coast SEO & Web Design! We don’t set about helping small businesses on the Central Coast get to the top of Google for the recognition. We do it because it’s the right thing to do. But gosh darn it, it sure […]

The team at Central Coast SEO & Web Design are over-the-moon with the news that we’re a FINALIST IN THE 2021 BUSINESS NSW AWARDS! This announcement, on the back of our being a 2021 FINALIST IN THE CENTRAL COAST LOCAL BUSINESS AWARDS (for the 2nd year running!) is wonderful news for our locally based SEO & Web Design team. We’ve […]

The world of web development has evolved drastically over the last few years. Artistic creativity, online competition and user experience are the main driving forces behind some of the most impressive and revolutionary design techniques. We can expect more stunning web designs in 2021 as web developers and leading online brands continue to try and outdo each other. Because in […]

How to Master Local SEO The majority of online shoppers search the internet in hope of finding a local business to fulfil their purchasing needs. And most of the consumers who do so end up visiting the establishments they find online. It’s common sense after all. Local SEO is an online marketing approach focused on targeting these prospects who are […]

A strategic SERP plan that helps you get a ‘Featured Snippet’ can have huge implications for website traffic. Get that right and you’ll rank ‘Position Zero’ in Google search! Search Engine Ranking Position (or Page) Explained When you search for something online, Google determines which sites will appear at the top of a search from the expert SEO done on the […]

How Long Does it Take to Rank in Google? ‘How Long Does it Take to Get My Website on the 1st Page of Google’ is the number one question SEO companies get asked when we take on a new client. And the short answer is: It takes on average 6-12 months to reach the first page of Google. The long […]

You’ve heard the saying ‘Content is King’ when it comes to SEO. But is content as relevant today as it was ‘back in the day?’ The short answer is: ‘HELL YES!’. Read on to discover why… People today rely heavily on search engines to help them find everything and anything. And they do this by going to Google and typing […]

Guest posting is a powerful SEO tactic you can use to build relevant links, gain referral traffic, and help build your brand’s authority across the web. But how do you find a guest post? What makes a good guest post? And what tricks do you need to know to be successful when you do it? Guest Posting for SEO – […]

In the digital world, every company has to have a beautiful and effective website. And while every company has different drivers influencing their design aesthetic, the common denominator between all website is that they need to present a professional image to the world that aligns with the central brand message, and thus connects with the intended audience. Below are 8 […]

While there are endless web development platforms available that allow you to build websites in different business niches and verticals for little or no money, they all come with pre-designed templates that lack originality. Much like a kit-home looks almost identical to the other 50 kit-homes in the street, so it is with the free web design platforms such as […]

Whether you’re working on a new logo, building a new website, writing a new blog post, or working on a wider branding campaign for your corporate brand as it appears online, there are a few unspoken rules about fonts you should know. Because the devil, as the saying goes, is in the details! There are thousands of typefaces and fonts […]

The User eXperience (aka: UX) is broadly defined as every interaction your business ever has with someone via your website (either on a Desktop, Mobile or Tablet). This might sound like a significant number of situations to consider when you’re trying to create a better user design experience, but these six steps below will help you focus on the user, […]

Firstly, the good news: Central Coast SEO & Web Design are OPERATING AS NORMAL during the time of COVID-19 because Google is the cloud. And quite honestly, the cloud is the safest place to be right about now! The only difference for an SEO company like us during this pandemic, is that our team are now working remotely rather than […]

Content marketing can make or break your SEO efforts. Here is what it takes to develop a content marketing plan that Google will love. When it comes to choosing the right marketing tactics for your business, nothing beats content. In fact, content marketing has been proven to produce three three times the leads for every dollar spent, compared to paid […]

Google is constantly launching new algorithm updates to improve user experience. Follow these steps to protect your site from future Google algorithm changes. Keyword(s): Google algorithm changes If you saw these words: penguin, pirate, panda, payday, what would you think? Probably asking why I’m listing random words that start with the letter P, right? Those are the words for Google […]

The rise in voice search, chatbots, and mobile technology will change the SEO world as we know it today. Here are 10 SEO trends to watch out for in 2020. Are you interested in taking your website to the next level? We all know that search engine optimization is the key to web success, but are you familiar with the […]

Google’s famous Fred update has just turned two. And like a parent who knows their kid is going through the terrible twos, Fred continues to give those impacted cold sweats and sleepless nights. Because back when it was launched, millions of sites experienced a huge shift in traffic after being hit by the tantrum Fred threw. Here’s what you need […]