Happy Mother's Day! If you're a mom reading Marketing Unlocked on your special day, thanks so much. I hope this is the start of a terrific day. The Lead A pretty big deal. Google just announced five ways it's showing more links and expert sources in AI answers. They've been criticized widely for not citing sources enough, so this is a welcome move. I bet it's also a precursor to some bigger changes to be revealed next week at their annual developer conference. Stay tuned.... How fresh is...
15 days ago • 10 min read
If you've been focused on when AI will recommend you to buyers and sellers, you're missing half the story. That's the subject of today's Deep Dive for VIP readers. Thanks for being here. Let's get to it. The Lead It's over. Google's first core update of 2026 wrapped up a couple weeks ago. I always say these big updates shouldn't impact you if you've been doing SEO the right way, but truth is there's always the risk of collateral damage and unintended consequences. I wrote this blog post a...
29 days ago • 10 min read
Hello and happy Q2 to you - hope it's a good one. I know this is a busy time of year. Thanks for reading. The Lead Not so "suite." If your business address has a suite number (or other modifier), make sure it's in the "Address 2" field of your Google Business Profile. Claudia Tomina explains that a suite # in "Address 1" can keep Google from understanding where you're located, which can tank your ability to show up in the local pack and Google Maps. Profiles in AI. Brands that win in AI...
about 1 month ago • 8 min read
Heads up: Baseball season is here, so my daily temperament for the next 6-7 months will correlate closely with how the Seattle Mariners are doing. The Lead The flip side. You saw the headlines about the guy who used ChatGPT to sell his house, right? The buyer was repped by an agent in Florida, and that agent's broker shared their side of the story. I thank both sides for the perfect lead-in to today's Deep Dive. 90 days then RIP. We keep seeing tests and data like this in the SEO industry:...
about 2 months ago • 8 min read
Hey you, happy Sunday. Thanks for spending some time with me today. I appreciate you. The Lead Did we sleep on this? Back in January, Gemini 3 began powering AI Overviews in Google search results. It feels like it slipped under the radar, but Bernard Huang says AIOs now show fresher information and are better at answering the search intent right in the AIO, among other changes. Smarter AI, he says, is driving Google impressions and clicks even lower. 😬 Genuine wins. BrightLocal's latest...
2 months ago • 7 min read
Happy March! Has your spring market already started? Hope it's a good one for you. Thanks for reading. The Lead Start strong. Twice last year, I wrote in this space that you'll increase your chances of getting AI to cite you in its answer if you begin blog posts by immediately answering the question/topic. That was based on repeated-but-anecdotal cases that I saw with my own eyes. Now there's some evidence via Kevin Indig's Growth Memo: 44% of all ChatGPT citations come from the intro of a...
3 months ago • 8 min read
Hi again, two weeks later. How are we feeling about the new cadence? I'd love to hear if you get a moment. I always read your replies and feedback. The Lead "Best X" crackdown? Remember that lame tactic I mentioned last week about calling yourself the "Best Realtor in LOCATION"? Lily Ray shares evidence that Google is starting to crackdown on it. Her examples are big brands that published dozens or hundreds of self-promotional articles calling themselves the best ______, and not SMBs like us....
3 months ago • 10 min read
Hello, yeah, it's been a while. 🎶 Larry David says it's too late to wish you a Happy New Year, so I'll just say "Welcome to the first Marketing Unlocked of 2026!" The Lead When "perfect" SEO isn't. Jes Scholz wrote a great thread about removing 60% of a real estate website's "perfect" articles because they read like AI. Pay special attention to her "Anonymous Test" in the last post. Great stuff. (And fits well with today's Deep Dive below.) "Perfect" social media, too. Instagram chief Adam...
4 months ago • 8 min read
This is the last MU of the year, which is kinda awkward because I added more new subscribers in the past week than in the previous two months! 😅 If you're new, welcome. I'll explain more below about what's going on. Glad you're here. The Lead Much ado about nothing? People can now use fake names when they review you on Google. Sounds scary, huh? People can say nasty things and hide behind a fake name!! There was a lot of "sky is falling" reaction in my SEO circles, but I tend to agree with...
6 months ago • 20 min read