Hey,
In this issue, I'm sharing a personal update, a new SEO initiative, and a few critical SEO + AI updates you should know about.
Why I disappeared
Some of you noticed I've been quiet for a while.
I've been dealing with health problems that forced me to pause everything. And then, my brother passed away after months of illness and pain. It's been brutal. No other way to say it... 😭
I stepped away to heal, grieve, and just make it through the days. Now, I'm back.
This is my first newsletter in a while—but not the last.
I'm getting back to my regular rhythm, and I'm changing how I work.
I'm focusing on content production, knowledge sharing, and working with just a few select clients.
Now to something that's been long overdue…
Why I'm no longer doing free discovery calls
I know a lot of you reach out asking for quick SEO advice or a short discovery call. And believe me—I wish I could say yes to everyone.
For a long time, I tried. I've done dozens of free calls and quick checks. But it started cutting into my actual client work—and my mental bandwidth. I was stretched too thin.
That's why I've made a shift. I'm now focusing on creating more free content—videos, articles, posts, and newsletters—to help as many people as I can at scale.
Instead of free discovery calls, I created something more useful for both of us: the Mini SEO Audit.
It's a focused, professional SEO reality check that gives you real answers.
What the Mini SEO Audit includes:
✅ A 90-minute 1:1 call with me (not a pitch)
✅ A personalized Loom video summary
✅ A written mini SEO audit (Google Doc) highlithting your site's main SEO issues and opportunities
✅ A discount if you continue working with me
It's $999 flat, because this is real work—3+ hours of my time. And it could save you from wasting $10K on the wrong stuff.
It's the only way I can protect my bandwidth and still help people who are serious about getting answers and who truly value expert SEO.
With that said, you can now either...
Or learn more about this initiative here.
Or skip to a few news and SEO insights...
↓
SEO is more alive than ever!
Lately, I've been thinking a lot about where SEO is heading. And despite all the noise, one thing's clear to me now—SEO is more alive than ever.
Thanks to AI, LLMs, and chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Microsoft Copilot, our work has become even more critical.
Why? Because these tools still rely on the same thing—search engines. They pull answers from what ranks well, what's trusted, and what's properly optimized.
SEO fundamentals still apply.
And showing up in Google isn't just about rankings anymore. It's how you get found everywhere people search for answers.
If your content ranks, it has a chance of being included in:
- AI chatbot responses
- AI-generated summaries
- Zero-click answers
- Voice search results
If it doesn't rank, it likely won't show up—anywhere.
So no, SEO isn't dead.
It's become the foundation for visibility in this new AI-powered search era and we - SEOs - are needed more than ever.
Google quality raters now assess whether content is AI-generated
Google has updated its Search Quality Rater Guidelines to include clear instructions for rating AI-generated or auto-generated content.
If a page's main content is created with little to no originality, effort, or added value—especially if it's paraphrased, copied, or generated at scale using AI—it should now be rated Lowest.
The update also tightens definitions around spam, filler content, and misleading claims.
Pages with inflated creator bios, too many ads, or low-effort "best of" lists are now more likely to get Low or Lowest ratings.
Google's AI Overviews cite fewer TOP10 organic results after core update
Following Google's March 2025 core update, AI Overviews are now less likely to cite content from the top 10 organic results, according to new BrightEdge data.
Some industries (like travel, movies, and restaurants) actually saw an increase in citation overlap, but overall, more lower-ranking pages are now being cited—giving them a new shot at visibility.
Google Discover Is Coming to Desktop Search
Google has confirmed that Discover is rolling out to desktop search, expanding beyond mobile for the first time.
While the full launch date is still unknown, testing has already begun—and publishers should prepare now, as Discover is becoming a major traffic source for many, especially for lifestyle, personal, and niche content.
Google Updates Merchant Opportunities Report in Search Console
Google has refreshed and renamed its Shopping tab listings report to the Merchant Opportunities report.
It now includes key store attributes like payment methods, shipping and returns, and store ratings.
This report offers recommendations to help merchants improve visibility and qualify for the Top Quality Store badge, which can directly impact search rankings.
What's coming next
A few exciting things are in the works:
- SEO Audit Mastery course will reopen in June with all modules complete and 250+ lessons ready. If you're serious about advanced technical SEO and high-ticket audits, get ready.
- I'm also working on launching a discussion group or forum for SEOs and course students. I'm still deciding on the best platform (Slack? Discord? Something else?)—more on that soon.
Stay tuned!
Thank you for sticking with me.
I'll be back in your inbox with fresh SEO news and insights this week.
Best,
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