Matt Caramenico — Essays

Roundup - The last few weeks in search:

Matt Caramenico — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 00:00:00 GMT

There’s been a lot going on, but due to a shift in how I generate content and some changes at work, I’ve been bogged down and unable to get a newsletter out the door.

Google Architecture Diagram -

I’ve been reading this article - a wonderful breakdown of the newly available and highly speculated facets of Google Search due to the ongoing antitrust lawsuits. https://www.analistaseo.es/posicionamiento-buscadores/how-google-works-working-algorithms/

Natzir Turrado - breaks down these algos and the technology in a way that might be one of the most complete views, especially when we add his Architecture Diagram.

2023 Quality Search Raters Guidelines Update -

Also, we have Lily Ray’s Quality Search Rater Guideline breakdown for the 2023 update.

It’s been around a year since Google’s last QSR update, and this one gets extremely granular when defining “What it means to provide high-quality search” and helping the QSRs better understand why some results are better and more helpful than others.

A new page ends up getting a medium score. If the conversation veers into “combative” or decorum slides, then the overall quality of the page ends up sliding.

This level of detail helps us all better understand how much the quality score can shift based on the tone or the UGC included on the page.

You can have a great page that is high quality and provides a great user experience but gets slammed for user behavior.

https://searchengineland.com/google-2023-search-quality-rater-guidelines-update-changes-434981

Managing the future of SEO Without Keywords -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=pmf3I1PsuPQ

Cindy Krum delivered a presentation at the Barbados SEO conference and was kind enough to post a portion of that presentation.

She dives into MUM, the (Multi-Task Unified Model) and how they are likely utilizing it to reduce processing power to return quality results for queries and how they are also likely to use it for improved CVR for targeted ads.

It’s well known that not all queries require the same processing power. Some are all the same for the people who see them, at least for a time.

Please take a few minutes to brush up and form a better understanding of the technology used to build the results we all use daily.

Find and Delete in Search:

I didn’t know this, but Google offers a straightforward tool to find + delete search results containing personally sensitive information about you. Things like your:

Email
Telephone #
Home Address

It won’t delete results “valuable to the public,” but this is a great tool overall.

Here’s a detailed process:

https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/12719076?hl=en

Here’s the tool link if you need to jump right in:

https://myactivity.google.com/results-about-you

Conclusion:

I’ll be back this coming week with something similar to the programming we’ve grown used to, but this should be enough to chew on for now.

A lot here is beneficial and could be a full newsletter in the future.

Closing Thoughts

Stay tuned for more insights, stories, and tips. Until next time!

I hope this gave you some perspective and helps as you build your career.

Matt!

Cool Links:

Check out these textless Product List Pages and Home Page.

Looks like Chanel puts a big emphasis on schema and image optimization!

Realistically, this makes sense for their customer base. It perfectly aligns with their target market since they search for product images and other visual search avenues.

Not going to work for some industries, but certainly for luxury and high fashion.

Car Corner

RUF-Modified RoW 1982 Porsche 911 Turbo 5-Speedbringatrailer.com

No Reserve: 1992 Mercedes-Benz 500Ebringatrailer.com

State of Change within SEO

Matt Caramenico — Mon, 23 Oct 2023 00:00:00 GMT

I’ve said it before, but no one, including myself, dreamed of being an SEO.

We all came to this realization through strange and varying pathways.

I went through a BS in Biology and Chemistry.

I started my career in chemical characterization with Johnson Matthey, a leader in advanced metal sciences that provides sustainable chemical solutions.

Quickly, I realized that without a graduate degree, I wouldn’t move up in the organization too quickly.

I had aspirations for more, and at that point in my life, I wasn’t ready to take on more school debt.

I also realized early on that I went to school for chemical characterization, and running XRF and ICP microscopy labs doesn’t change much from day to day.

I wanted variety.

I wanted upward mobility at lower costs.

Learning about how the internet works and website development offered both of those.

What better way to learn about the internet and websites than by studying on the internet?

I decided that the only way to learn something new was to set aside time every day and commit to nailing, at minimum, those two hours a day.

If I did that, I would eventually gain expertise in a new skill that could benefit me long term.

So I set the bar at 2 hours a day, but the majority of the time, I was able to clock 4+ hours focused on changing my career.

I had concrete goals at the time.

Summed up - wanted to learn a skill I could leverage from home and didn’t require $100s of thousands of dollars worth of lab equipment like my current job.

I worked my way through HMTL, CSS, and JavaScript, ultimately stumbling on SEO, which took hold of me.

I knew that this skill could change my life.

And in terms of the variety I was after… SEO changes daily due to the algorithms used to build search engine results.

The rule, not the exception.

Change is the rule, not the exception, in SEO.

In 2018, it was reported that Google changed its algorithms around 3,000 times that year.

Almost 9 times per day.

That’s a rate of change most other industries aren’t familiar with and wouldn’t be able to function under.

Generally, continuity and stability with a splash of innovation are what drive an industry forward, but in the case of SEO, there is a constant state of instability and exploration focused on understanding the best user experience, what Google thinks is the best user experience, and most importantly; how it determines that.

All of which drive this daily change.

Take, for instance, where we are right now. Mid-October 2023, there were two large algorithm updates deployed, and two more have started deploying all within the last six weeks.

Two core updates, a Helpful Content update, and a spam update.

Those are massive changes to how pages rank for different types of content and topics within Google Search. On top of that, there were many more that weren’t announced and haven’t been made public by Google during that time span.

How do you navigate:

So outside of all the shit, you must do while teaching yourself a new skill: validating the information you don’t already know, finding trustworthy experts to learn from, sifting through noise for signal, etc.

How do you learn SEO?

I’ve said before it’s like jumping on a speeding train.

You’ve gotta build up speed to match the train and then jump on.

This means you need to build up a solid foundation and then begin to digest the daily updates.

There’s no point in diggin’ into current info if you’re not familiar with where the industry has come from; there is so much to the role that requires a 5’ view and 30,000’ understanding in order to fully digest and navigate the organic channel, especially for a large site.

I tend to shy away from SEO books.

I just bought the 4th edition of “The Art of SEO: Mastering Search Engine Optimization,” and no offense to the authors, all are brilliant and successful in their own right, but there were things that I noticed were outdated way before the book was published.

Companies listed that were acquired way before print, info that’s no longer valid, etc.

I pre-ordered this book. It’s 741 pages… and it’s the second version I own.

Books for this industry go out of date rapidly. Especially if they are positioned on “how to do SEO” or “learning SEO.”

Other aspects haven’t been written about that make a lot of sense as industry book topics. To me, that’s a bit odd.

I also tend to shy away from search results about most SEO topics.

That sounds counterintuitive… “What ranks for SEO isn’t the best info about SEO?”

Sadly, no. The low-hanging fruit can sometimes be rotten due to the industry itself - a topic for another conversation.

On the other hand, search results can tell you a lot about how Google is currently approaching the customer intent for the search, and the way it’s sorting pages addressing certain topics within industries.

You can learn a lot by sifting through the search results.

Courses seem to have come a long way.

There looks to be some real value in those at the moment, but I’m not sure at this stage if there are any I can directly recommend, especially if you’re not just dipping toes in.

I’ll make a whole Newsletter about some of the courses I’ve bumped into and do some reviewing soon.

Mentorship is a great way to build skills.

Asking people actively working in the industry what their opinions are on issues you’re running into is a great way to learn how to approach an issue.

It’s not about finding the binary answer to most of your questions. The reality is that your setup, your industry, and all that nuance shapes the solution dramatically.

There are a few Yes or No questions. There are few easy answers; it’s more about what makes the most sense currently and having the foundation to make an educated guess.

Gun to my head, where should someone start? https://learningseo.io/

Then, join X (twitter) and follow a few people within the industry.

Generally, a good mix of big biz and SaaS or startup are the type of SEO accounts I would follow just starting out.

There’s a ton of noise on the platform, so be prepared for that and take it all with a grain of salt.

Conclusion:

If you want to succeed in SEO as a career:

Commit to learning - schedule the time. set an alarm.
Practice every day.
Choose a few voices to listen to, test them out, and don’t be afraid to dump them for some better influences.
Don’t chase shiny objects.
Ingest as much as you can, but build your own perspective.

Stay tuned for more insights, stories, and tips. Until next time!

I hope this gave you some perspective and helps as you build your career.

Be sure to share with anyone you think will find value.

Matt!

Car Corner

A lot of people throw around the term Outlaw Porsche, but many are unaware about why, or how it all started.

Some traits that play into the naming convention… Being owned by an Outlaw, one of them.

Significant non-factory modifications
Doesn’t look like any other Porsche in the world
Modified with complete disregard for resale value and the opinion of the community
Looks badass

What Is an Outlaw Porsche? Documentary Defining the Outlaw Porsche and Exploring its Origins.youtube.com

I know it’s not Porsche-related, but this was wild to see: Tesla Trucks just started shipping, and we see a wild video of one with what appears to be rocking bullet-shaped dents all along the driver-side body panels.

IMO, it’s marketing

Still caught my eye for sure.

Cybertruck going through bullet proof testing: Tommy Gun used 📐👽youtube.com

Cool Links:

I bumped into something that blew my mind… and I was surprised I hadn’t heard about it previously. Pre-nuclear testing steel is and has been at a premium for specific use-cases due to the contamination levels.

Still, to this day, special use cases like Geiger counters require pre-nuclear steel due to all of the testing done throughout history.

Gif by timanderic on Giphy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low-background_steel

Top Search Engine

Matt Caramenico — Tue, 10 Oct 2023 00:00:00 GMT

What Do Search Engines Do?

They provide the most relevant results as fast as possible.

On the user’s end:

The search engine user identifies a need.

Formats a question. Generally, 58% of searches are 1-3 words.

Hits enter and performs a search.

At least, that’s what we’ve all grown accustomed to.

What if that wasn’t the reality, at least not for the most widely used search engine?

What if the most popular search engine was not only open to manipulation by internal team members, political parties, and also - actively degrading user experience to increase ad revenue…

Turns out - This just might be our reality.

It’s beyond clear that Google is the dominant force in search engines.

There are many competitors, but they all have difficulty breaking into the market globally.

In China, we’ve got Baidu.

In Russia, Yandex is more popular than Google.

Outside of those regionally popular search engines, Google reigns supreme.

Search Engine Market Share

Some of us remember when they were the clear winner and obviously producing the best product… Search results.

Now, it’s hard to believe that the results shown are the best they can do, especially considering Alphabet’s size and scale.

Google Revenue per Quarter

That’s +$70b per quarter.

With that, they’ve got plenty of money to keep the top spot. They buy market share by securing the device market.

Google Pays Apple +$20b Annually for default status

We’re talking $10s of billions a year just for the default search engine on devices and within browsers. They tend to refer to these relationships as ‘profit sharing’ or ‘traffic acquisition’ models.

And they don’t stop there. They have the same setup Samsung as well.

From what’s known, they don’t pay anywhere near the same amount, but it’s still +$3b a year, which is no joke.

You might be asking… how does Google make all of this money to support this type of bold market share acquisition practice?

SGE Result - 80% of Alphabet Revenue is Google Ads.

It’s all about the ads.

So, let’s recap.

Search engines’ main goal is to provide the best answer to a user’s question as quickly as possible.
Google is known to be the best at doing that
Google pays +30b a year for direct access to search users on mobile devices.
Google has manipulated results to align with its internal political idealogy.
Google actively obscures its practices and lies openly to users about how it functions.

And when an Ads VP requests the Chrome team (and potentially the search team) to manipulate the search results via:

Injecting queries
Manipulate rankings

All to improve ad revenue so that they can hit their goals… what are we supposed to think?

Internal Google Email requesting change to search for improving Ad revenue

We should all default to the assumption Google holds true to their “Don’t be evil” motto, and nothing happened in 2019 to the detriment of both the search experience and the ad model that fleeced advertisers.

And, certainly, none of this is still going on in a period of time where Google is making 80% of its revenue off of these Ads.

Conclusion:

The reality is this: Google can do whatever it wants as long as it continues to obscure reality, and Government officials can’t pin them down with any wrongdoing or on legitimate Monopoly infractions.

To be honest, as a user, I move between Duck Duck Go and Google Search depending on the topic or need.

I’m sure we’ve all seen it. There are topics where Google just isn’t cutting it. To me, that’s odd.

Quality is slipping, and they are enslaved to the need to continuously grow, even if it means burning down the product that made them number 1.

Until next time - Join me as I build - Beyond the Dashboard and share what’s on my mind.

-Matt

PS: I am still over here building the content generation habit and finding the proper cadence for getting these shipped weekly. One day, I’ll find something that works.

Cool Cars:

a Premo ‘05 GT3. 51,000 miles with the Porsche Authenticity cert and finished in Arctic Silver Metallic. What an absolute beauty from Iowa.

2005 Porsche 911 GT3bringatrailer.com

I’ve been looking at potential starters… it’s honestly kind of depressing to see what the market rate is for a shell. WE’ve got this thing… an absolute monster already at ~$4k. Unreal.

No Reserve: 1972 Porsche 911S Targa Projectbringatrailer.com

Another seriously painful example. From Dodi in Monterey, CA. It looks like it’s been completely stripped down. All for the low, low price of $12,500.

Both of these are no engine examples and were obviously part donors in a past life. What a world.

Google Uses Click Data For Ranking & We Knew That

Matt Caramenico — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Throughout my career in SEO, Google has continuously denied, obfuscated, and not admitted that click data is used to inform how pages rank.

End of September 2023, Eric Lehman, who worked on Google’s search quality team and ranking products for 17 years, testified that “everyone knows Google uses click data.”

Not only did they use it, they’ve been actively telling employees not to confirm that they do or how they use it.

And then, in admission within the legal setting, they play the “what… you believed marketing material?”

If you’re in SEO and you don’t have a HEALTHY skepticism for 3rd party info, capabilities, Google info, or industry info as a whole, then there is a big problem.

The thing is… many SEOs live their lives as acolytes of Google rather than enjoyers of the reality they can test and verify.

Fools Errand: SEO By The Book

Now, by no means do I play the White hat/ Black hat bullshit. I don’t talk about that or define tactics within a bucket binary like most do.

I simply talk about doing Search Engine Optimization and using tactics that I know work, and more importantly, at which scale they apply within the market. (not every tactic makes sense at a 100 page mom-and-pop, nor does it apply to a 15-million-page website - nuance and context ppl)

Many within the SEO industry. Live and die by what:

Marketing material is published
Current employee’s tweet
Past employee’s tweet
Office hours discussions
Comments on podcasts
Comments on panels during events or conventions

Instead of using their brain, taking anything (from anyone) that they read with a pinch of salt and applying it to the perspective they’ve built through education and action… they toss the baby out with the bathwater and say, “Google said.”

Perfect example. Google recently doubled down/ announced that backlinks aren’t in the top 3 ranking signals.

Cool.

Gary Illyes: “Links aren’t in the top 3… haven’t been for sometime… There isn’t really a universal top 3… It’s possible to rank without links.”

The whole “There isn’t really a universal top 3” really says it all, but we can continue.

Google: Links No Longer A Top Three Ranking Signal

Typical smoke and mirrors. When distilled - it doesn’t clarify, just adds to swirl within the industry.

The experts EAT this type of thing up as if it’s definitive and or informative.

And then, they begin to evangelize a perspective as if “backlinks” don’t matter.

People walked away saying “content” was the number one ranking factor. Well, yeah, in some cases, that’s ALWAYS been the case.

You can’t rank for a topic if you don’t cover it, and now you must do so with expertise, experience, authority, and as a whole, build out your footprint as a trusted source on the topic… but realistically.

This isn’t Field Of Dreams. If you write it, publish it, and you’ve done it and are the foremost expert… They (users) still won’t come.

Take that to the bank.

SEO has grown significantly more nuanced than the “top ranking factor = Content.”

Google, just like every other company, doesn’t tell you, the consumer, anything you don’t need to know for free.

Marketing material is subterfuge.

Tweets are curated

Panel discussion topics and answers are approved and crafted with legal.

Believe it or not…You’re not getting any breadcrumbs at PubCon from Google.

TF Is everyone smoking?

TBH, this announcement made me laugh, and all I hear is, “stop buying Outlook India links… we’re not sure why that’s still working, but… we’re damn sure it’s not going to continue working.”

FULL DISCLOSURE - I haven’t bought an Outlook India link, but it’s funny to see the niche sites burning (travel blog ladies crying), and the “backlinks” aren’t even “top 3” Messaging all happening at the same time.

I think part of the industry is getting a spanking. Most of the industry forgot Google isn’t the leader, and they aren’t on your team.

Conclusion:

To further drive this home, as I’m sure, some of you reading this think I’m off the wagon and or you can’t fathom a company lying to you for whatever reason (chicken breast, no ridges, having ass).

It’s always been out there.

Right in front of your face.

Publicly message.

Legally deny - because the consumer is a fucking moron for believing marketing material.

Google Can Directly Edit Search Results - It’s not all algo/ passive:

How Google Interferes With Its Search Algorithms and Changes Your Results

Google engineers and contractors have and can fine-tune results to show exactly what they want.

This is a 2019 banger. Some of us more discerning and loyal to the foil always knew this.

And no, it’s not a limited scenario or only used to “protect democracy.”

Google actively censors opposing views and shapes SERPs with its preferred narrative within the search product while it leads users to believe - results are party and preference-agnostic.

Google is not the arbiter of truth, nor is it a reliable window to the “internet.” It’s a snapshot and a curated one at that.

Albeit, the best we’ve got in terms of access to eyeballs. No denying that.

None of this stops a person such as myself from wondering… do they make backchannel brand deals?

The Twitter files gave everyone a front-row seat to just how it all works.

Government not only makes a request, they expect results, and make threats in order to ensure preferred action is taken.

Generally, there isn’t much pushback.

It’s the government, after all.

All manner of elected and unelected officials sending takedown and censorship requests.

No reasoning is required.

Welcome to reality for those of you just joining us.

1. Thread: THE TWITTER FILES

— Matt Taibbi (@mtaibbi), 11:34 PM • Dec 2, 2022

You can read the first Twitter File thread.

There are plenty out there, and they go deep into ONE of the top US social media companies and their storied relationship with actors of the US government at different layers - all playing their part in the Censorship Industrial Complex.

Fact-Checking/ Fact Checks aren’t Facts:

Facebook admits the truth: ‘Fact checks’ are really just (lefty) opinion

Facebook admitted that Fack Checking is just opinion, and their ability to label a video or post they don’t agree with as “Fact Checked” and slap a warning on or label it as “false” is content that is also protected by the First Amendment.

You have to submit to that reality if you choose to engage on their platforms.

The defense isn’t that they believed the fact check and thought the content was false.

It’s that they are protected under the First Amendment to say it’s false when it’s not, and make people believe that they are providing context to keep people safe.

Again, this a perfect example of marketing material, framing information, and publicly shaping perspective to make people believe that what you do is for one reason when your legal position proclaims - it’s the opposite.

So, as the discerning few. How could we take anyone - reading corporate comms and marketing material at face value - seriously, when (for anyone keeping score at home) we’ve been training our skepticism muscles for decades?

Stay tuned.. Next week, we’ll dive into the leaked emails where the Google VP of Ads begs for help so the team can hit their revenue goals… Presumably at the detriment of organic traffic and advertising customers.

Literally, we can’t make this stuff up.

Don’t think that holds up to the pre-2015 Google motto of “Don’t be evil” or the post-2015 motto of “Do the right thing” either. 🤣

Until next time - Join me as I build - Beyond the Dashboard and share what’s on my mind.

-Matt

PS: I am still over here building the content generation habit and finding the proper cadence for getting these shipped weekly. One day, I’ll find something that works.

Cool Cars:

We’ve got a ‘96 911 Gunther Werks 400R Sport Touring Spec….

Current bid is $1.1m and we’ve got a few days left. I can’t wait to see where this one lands.

1996 Porsche 911 Gunther Werks 400R Sport Touring #1bringatrailer.com

Check out this ‘89 beautiful example of a 190E.

1989 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evolution Ibringatrailer.com

A ‘24 911 GT3 RS Weissach with 128 miles… absurd bumble bee spec. A few wild options. That Weissach package is an additional $33k on the build sheet, probably due to all of the added carbon fiber…

Total price listed out at $304k on spec. I’m guessing this thing will sell +500k.

2024 Porsche 911 GT3 RS Weissachbringatrailer.com

Is The AI Bubble Bursting?

Matt Caramenico — Tue, 05 Sep 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Round #3

Think back to December ‘22, and ChatGPT’s drinking rocket fuel and Users seem to be in never-ending supply.

They blasted through the 1m user mark within five days, annihilating Instagram’s 2.5-month record climb to 1m users.

Pay no attention to Threads… no one else has.

The press was insanely positive.

People were hooked. Your grandma was going to automate Christmas cards, and the world as we knew it was in freefall.

Bigger than frozen TV Dinners or the microwave oven… this was transformative tech, like Benz with the car in 1888.

Gold Rush ‘23

Once people heard about the gold in the Klondike, it exploded in popularity. 100,000 people migrated into the Yukon over a span of 3 years.

People found gold amounting to a cumulative $1b, based on more recent valuations.

If you wanted something new… The Klondike offered a get-rich-quick scenario for the bold.

Similarly, with the democratization of OpenAI’s GPT3, GPT3.5, and GPT4 modules in an easy-to-use platform…

EVERYONE was now capable of inhumane feats. Content creation at scale, Python scripting w/o prior knowledge, NL generation, mass communication via DMs, building a DnD world when creativity runs dry, etc.

An astounding number of companies are building on this underlying tech or leveraging it in some way.

OpenAI just announced that “80% of Fortune 500 companies had used ChatGPT since its November rollout.”

OpenAI Unveils ChatGPT for Business Customers, Stepping Up Revenue Push - Bloomberg

The hype was intoxicating.

The hype was Meteoric, to say the least, but there’s more to the story not being talked about within the churn and burn editorials - Like -

ChatGPT Forecasts Use To Grow Nearly 900% In 2023

ChatGPT achieves in six months what Facebook needed a decade to do: The meteoric rise of the AI chatbot

For anyone paying attention… or for those keeping score at home, we know a lot of this posturing is just classic smoke and mirrors.

Every VC with billions sunk into generative AI, either with OpenAI or a competitor, needs the space to go full bore “Social Media” style adoption.

Thing is… It’s not.

Early adopters and Power Users like myself - bumped into the guardrails, and the facade broke a long time ago. Read parts 1 & 2 of this ongoing segment.

Part 1 - From Diapers to Directories: Transitioning into Fatherhood and SEO’s New Era

Part 2 - Sometimes the Experts are Full of Shit

What’s the story:

The data tells a different story - alluded to by these -

Ugly Numbers from Microsoft and ChatGPT Reveal that AI Demand is Already Shrinking

Even AI Hasn’t Helped Microsoft’s Bing Chip Away at Google’s Search Dominance

ChatGPT Users Decline - MoM

The sacred J curve broke. Users are declining Month Over Month.

OpenAI is losing its user base…

And considering its status as one of the most democratized/easy-to-use platforms for mass interaction, it’s hard to believe in the AI-driven future we all imagined a few months ago.

We Analyzed Millions of ChatGPT User Sessions: Visits are Down 29% since May, Programming Assistance is 30% of Use - SparkToro

Sparktoro - Just dug into a 3rd party data set based on millions of anonymized users and published a closer look.

Since May, OpenAI traffic has declined 29.15%

— Rand Fishkin

In this deep dive, they hypothesize about the “why” behind this decline:

Theory A) Professional/regular use is still at an all-time high or growing; it’s only new users/those-checking-it-out-with-no-specific-tasks that are falling off

Theory B) A huge amount of use is connected to schoolwork, and educational users in the US, Canada, and other countries with summer vacations are responsible for the decline mirage

— Rand Fishkin

Ultimately landing on neither.

I, however, think we can pull back up this study - “How Is ChatGPT’s Behavior Changing over Time?” Published a month ago on August 1st ‘23.

https://arxiv.org/pdf/2307.09009.pdf

Chen, Zaharia, and Zou over at Stanford and UC Berkeley put in the work so we don’t have to.

The analysis is clear. ChatGPT and its two most popular modules are rapidly changing, and NOT for the better.

Module Accuracy/Time

Feel free to read through the paper at length.

It’s insanely interesting and worthwhile for those interested in the details.

Suffice it to say.

We’ve got these LLMs talking to Bozos at scale, and due to the frequency of bad info & bozo convos, we’re circularly training LLMs with that interaction, and the result is a blade that’s losing its edge rapidly.

Thus, I think fewer and fewer people are using it for meaningful tasks… and 10 months in… the novelty has worn off for the masses.

Where do we go from here?

For me, it’s simple.

This tool (LLMs as a Toolset, not even ChatGPT) was never going to be the world-shaking technological shift people claimed it would be.

This is the 3rd iteration, and my perspective holds true.

A month and a half ago, I said:

“Ultimately, if the current Google SGE product sticks, I think we’ll see a low-impact version deployed that shifts the presentation layer more than anything - less impact on underlying data or how pages “rank” - for now.”

It’s time to update since Google announced deployment and changes to SGE.

SGE should complement traditional search and not replace it.
They will increase the number of links within SGE’s response to primary sources.
They are also rolling out SGE to Japan and India.

Bringing generative AI in Search to more people around the world

To me, this falls exactly in line with what I’ve predicted.

The cliff that some within the SEO industry claimed was quickly approaching will never arrive.

And why should it?

The Frankenstein Monster - LLM buckled into the search engine - has yet to prove its usefulness outside of novelty, and the verdict is still out on Generative response tech and how beneficial it is for enabling users to find what they need while fitting into products people are comfortable using.

Global Search Engine Usage

Until next time - Join me as I build - Beyond the Dashboard and share what’s on my mind.

Matt

PS: I am still over here building the content generation habit and finding the proper cadence for getting these shipped weekly. One day, I’ll find something that works.

Cool Cars:

Nineteen hours left on this mint targa. I’m guessing $130,000 on this one, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it sold for more.

No Reserve: 32-Years-Owned 1990 Porsche 911 Carrera 2 Targa 5-Speedbringatrailer.com

Cool Links:

New Belgium hosts the Tour de Fat every year. What a fun event up in Fort Collins, Co. Highly recommend getting out there and enjoying a nice bike ride and a few beers.

I think it might be a yearly family trip for us moving forward.

Tour de Fat | New Belgium Brewing

Decoding Google's Core Updates: A Deep Dive

Matt Caramenico — Sat, 26 Aug 2023 00:00:00 GMT

In the rapidly evolving world of SEO, Google’s core updates are akin to game-changers.

Understanding them is critical, not just for SEO professionals, but for anyone hoping to have a significant online presence.

Drawing from 10 years of intimate experience with these algorithm changes, I present a few insights that may change the way you see Google updates.

Google Core Update Impact Timeline:

If you’re keenly observing the recent core update, it’s essential to understand that most websites feel its influence within the first couple of days.

For instance, consider the site impacted by the June ’21 Core update.

If you notice significant traffic changes within the initial days of an update, it’s more than likely a result of the update itself.

Discerning the Cause:

Doubt whether it was genuinely a core update?

Look beyond Google.

Examine other traffic sources like Bing or direct.

If they have plummeted too, the issue might lie elsewhere.

Reframing Core Updates:

It’s crucial to demystify Google core updates.

They aren’t penalties.

They don’t mean you’ve created unnatural links or violated Google’s guidelines.

And no, a technical audit won’t magically resolve the issue.

What they signify is Google’s ongoing quest to optimize its algorithms, ensuring users get the most helpful and trustworthy results.

If your site’s performance dips after an update, it implies that, from Google’s perspective, there are better options for users.

Deciphering Google’s Preferences:

Determining exactly what Google’s recent algorithm prioritizes can feel like decoding an enigma.

My strategy involves identifying dropped keywords, then utilizing tools like SEMRush, Conductor, or Ahrefs to pinpoint competitors that have gained an edge.

The objective?

Understand the user’s journey.

Comprehending the primary reason a user visits a page and determining how the newly prioritized page better caters to their needs is invaluable.

Often, I find that content that sees a drop in performance is laden with extraneous information, causing users to skim over until they locate the main content.

For a deep dive into content optimization, I suggest reviewing the guidelines Google itself provides: Creating Helpful Content.

If you need practical steps to implement these guidelines, I’ve written an article on LandmarkSEO that should be helpful for you - Creating Great Content.

The E-E-A-T Enigma:

Core updates undoubtedly factor in E-E-A-T (Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness).

But E-E-A-T isn’t merely about displaying author bios.

It’s a composite signal to determine a website’s genuineness. Instead of getting lost in the E-E-A-T maze, focus on addressing content quality queries.

Remember, reputation is paramount.

The aim?

Be recognized as a genuine expert in your field.

So, the quintessential question remains:

“Compared to the top ranking pages, does this content provide the most value?”

I genuinely hope these insights guide you through the labyrinthine world of Google core updates.

This one hasn’t finished deploying, and I guarantee you the next one’s right around the corner.

Wishing you nothing but success in your rankings,

Matt

P.S. Navigating Google’s core updates can feel overwhelming. Remember, I’m always here to help and guide you through it. Don’t hesitate to reach out!

Cool Cars:

We’ve got 5 more days on this auction and it’s already up to $316,000… Looks like It’s gonna take a few more newsletters to achieve the dream 🤣

7k-Mile 1997 Porsche 911 Turbobringatrailer.com

Bid for the chance to own a 1997 Porsche 911 Turbo at auction with Bring a Trailer, the home of the best vintage and classic cars online. Lot #118,635.

No Reserve: Modified 1978 Porsche 930 Turbo 5-Speedbringatrailer.com

Bid for the chance to own a No Reserve: Modified 1978 Porsche 930 Turbo 5-Speed at auction with Bring a Trailer, the home of the best vintage and classic cars online. Lot #118,101.

Unraveling SEO: From Organic Traffic to Evergreen Success

Matt Caramenico — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Understanding SEO:

In our digital-driven world, many businesses strive for revenue.

But without traffic, you won’t reach that goal.

Everything begins with rankings and visibility.

The right people must see you at the right time and for the right reasons.

We’re not advocating for mere traffic; it’s all about converting clicks, not just getting them.

While many methods can achieve visibility, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) shines brightest.

However, during the race for high search rankings, many fixate on outcomes and overlook the process.

Let’s emphasize the importance of the SEO journey over mere results.

Once you prioritize quality over quantity, you can then scale quantity without sacrificing quality.

SEO’s Significance:

The digital world keeps growing, but organic search remains a top traffic driver.

53% of site traffic originates from organic searches - Source

For most sites, you can see how organic should be a big priority.

The reasoning is simple: people ask questions, and search engines answer them.

Google alone answers ~100,000 questions every second. That’s +3 Trillion searches every year.

A business that delivers authoritative answers gains trust from both; audiences and search engines.

Over time, this trust translates to increased visibility, traffic, and revenue.

The Nature of Search Engines:

The power of search engines, whether giants like Google or niche platforms, resides in their algorithms.

These algorithms crawl, parse, and index web pages.

They assess content quality, site architecture, authority, trustworthiness, and popularity, always updating their knowledge to present relevant answers to the user.

The Ever-evolving Landscape:

SEO doesn’t stand still.

With search engines tweaking their algorithms thousands of times annually, keeping pace becomes crucial.

A dynamic SEO strategy adapts, recognizing that today’s successful strategy might become obsolete tomorrow.

It’s a crucial balancing act, you can’t bend with the wind but you have to be open to change.

Knowing when to pivot is key.

The Pillars of SEO:

On-page SEO and Content:

In a content-driven world, quality takes the crown.

Businesses need to produce content that goes beyond keywords and grasps user intent.

This approach ensures alignment with user intent and will provide the most value to customers.

Technical SEO:

Your content needs a solid foundation to shine.

Technical SEO makes a site easily crawlable, indexable, and offers a flawless user experience regardless of device.

Backlink Acquisition:

Backlinks serve as digital endorsements.

They tell search engines about a site’s value.

However, prioritizing quality backlinks over sheer numbers underscores the importance of ethical link-building.

It’s not about Domain Authority or Domain Rating, etc.. It’s more closely tied to the content of the web page and site you’re getting an endorsement from.

Is the backlink from a baby food company when you build race cars… doesn’t sounds relevant regardless of how highly respected the baby food brand is.

It’s Baby Food and Race Cars…

Local SEO:

For brick-and-mortar businesses, local SEO helps them make a local splash.

Optimizing Google Business Profiles or earning locally relevant backlinks lets businesses leave a mark in their communities.

Networking in your community can pay massive dividends for your digital presence. Prioritize physical connection for increased market share digitally.

The Landmark Approach to SEO:

Adopting a long-term, cooperative strategy ensures SEO remains a sustained effort rather than a one-time gimmick.

Staying agile, iterating based on insights, and aligning strategies with business goals is paramount.

SEO’s Evergreen Promise: An Odyssey of Evolution

In SEO, focusing solely on outcomes like rankings and traffic can be shortsighted.

The real value of SEO revolves around understanding its nuances, staying updated, and cherishing the journey over instant results.

After all, in the rapidly changing digital marketing landscape, today’s hard work lays the foundation for tomorrow’s success.

Matt

P.S. As always, I’m here to help you on your SEO journey. So if you have any questions or need advice on your website, don’t hesitate to get in touch!

Cool Cars:

1991 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet - 5-Speed Manual, 23-Year Current Owner, Mostly Unmodified

This 1991 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet is for sale on Cars & Bids! Auction ends August 21 2023.

1997 Mazda Scrum Van

Beauty with 103k miles

Some interesting stuff:

I’m working on crawling a specific target (subfolder url set), and parsing out body links specific to 2 subfolders.

Crawling URLS in /a/ and seeing if and how they link to /b/ and /c/.

Ultimate goal, an exported excel file by each target URL.

Snippets not done but it will be soon. Probably going to be leveraging selenium to complete this.

import requests
from bs4 import BeautifulSoup
import pandas as pd

def crawl_url_and_extract_subfolders(url, subfolders):
    response = requests.get(url)
    soup = BeautifulSoup(response.content, 'html.parser')

    results = {folder: {'count': 0, 'links': []} for folder in subfolders}

    for link in soup.find_all('a', href=True):
        print(f"Found link: {link['href']}")  # Debugging: print all links
        for folder in subfolders:
            if folder in link['href']:
                results[folder]['count'] += 1
                results[folder]['links'].append(link['href'])

    return results

def main():
    sites = ['https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/r/advice/cars-101/best-marine-battery']
    subfolders = ['/o/', '/c2/', '/c3/']

    output = []
    for site in sites:
        extracted_data = crawl_url_and_extract_subfolders(site, subfolders)

        data = {
            'URL Crawled': site,
            '/o/ Count': extracted_data['/o/']['count'],
            '/o/ Links': ', '.join(extracted_data['/o/']['links']),
            '/c2/ Count': extracted_data['/c2/']['count'],
            '/c2/ Links': ', '.join(extracted_data['/c2/']['links']),
            '/c3/ Count': extracted_data['/c3/']['count'],
            '/c3/ Links': ', '.join(extracted_data['/c3/']['links'])
        }

        output.append(data)

    df = pd.DataFrame(output)
    df.to_excel('output.xlsx', index=False)
    print("Data exported to output.xlsx")

if __name__ == '__main__':
    main()

At this point, I’m still having trouble with the export, but I’m getting close.

And for someone that doesn’t have much experience with Python, it’s starting to feel easier and easier to build tools that solve highly manual problems.

More to come.

The below does work. Scrape any target URL and extract all links/ anchor text for each. Obviously, for a different problem.

import argparse
import pandas as pd
import requests
from bs4 import BeautifulSoup
import openpyxl

def scrape_links(url, output_file):
    response = requests.get(url)
    soup = BeautifulSoup(response.text, 'html.parser')
    links = soup.find_all('a')
    data = []

    for link in links:
        href = link.get('href')
        text = link.string
        if href and text:
            data.append({"Anchor Text": text, "URL": href})

    df = pd.DataFrame(data)
    df.to_excel(output_file, engine='openpyxl')

if __name__ == '__main__':
    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description='Scrape links from a given URL and save them to Excel.')
    parser.add_argument('--url', type=str, required=True, help='URL to scrape links from')
    parser.add_argument('--output_file', type=str, required=True, help='Output Excel file name')
    args = parser.parse_args()

    scrape_links(args.url, args.output_file)

Deep Dive On Contrarian Thinking

Matt Caramenico — Sun, 06 Aug 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Let’s cut through the noise.

If you’re in the entrepreneurial world or even just an avid reader, you’ve probably come across Peter Thiel’s “Zero to One.”

You know, the book that shakes up everything you thought you knew about innovation and competition? Let’s talk about it.

First things first, what’s the big deal about “Zero to One”?

Simply put, it’s about breaking the mold.

It’s about looking at a canvas that everyone thinks is complete and daring to splash a new color on it.

The Monopoly of Capitalism—Let’s Get Real

It’s 2023, and we’re still obsessed with competition, just like we were back in 2014.

But Thiel? He’s playing 4D chess.

He’s arguing that true capitalism isn’t about competing.

In fact, if you’re competing, you’re probably losing.

Instead, real capitalism, the kind that breeds success and innovation, thrives in a monopoly.

No, not the board game.

A monopoly in business is where you’re so far ahead competition doesn’t matter.

You’re in a league of your own. Think Google and Bing (even with ChatGPT, lol).

We’re all familiar with this by now.

The Three Truths—The Good, The Bad, and The Hidden

Okay, dive into Thiel’s mind with me.

He classifies truths into three categories:

Conventions: This is your vanilla. Everyone knows it. Everyone accepts it.
Mysteries: The Birthday cake flavor. It’s the truths we just can’t grasp. They don’t make sense to anyone.
Secrets: Here’s the fun part—think of it as your coffee-flavored ice cream. It’s tantalizing, it’s there, but people either don’t see it or are too afraid to explore it.

For entrepreneurs, these secrets?

That’s your goldmine.

It’s in these overlooked or uncharted territories that “zero to one” opportunities exist.

Not just building on existing models but venturing into brand-new territories.

Like Thiel’s PayPal. An idea so simple, combining email with money, and yet so revolutionary.

Globalization Vs. Technological Innovation: What’s Your Game?

Let’s visualize progress on a graph. The x-axis? Globalization. The y-axis? Technological Innovation.

Globalization, as Thiel puts it, is about replication.

Think of it as the franchise model.

You’ve got a winning recipe; now you’re just opening up outlets across the world.

That’s moving from one to…well, wherever your ambition ends.

But while globalization can lead to expansion, it can become homogenized. It’s the safe play.

Technological innovation, on the other hand, is for the brave.

It’s the vertical leap.

The pioneers.

The Elon Musks of the world who dare to send people to Mars.

It’s the zero-to-one jump.

Throughout history, we’ve oscillated between periods of intense globalization (copy-pasting success) and bursts of technological innovation (ground-breaking ventures).

Where do you think we’re at right now?

I think the pendulum is swinging hard on globalization (since it fired back up in the 90s), and we’re due for some significant and ferocious technological innovation.

What’s in a Label? A Lot, Apparently.

Here’s a thought to chew on: Our world labeling system has shifted from “1st and 3rd world” to “developed and developing” nations.

The latter? It’s pro-globalization all the way.

It screams of a world becoming more and more the same.

But—and here’s the clincher—it also has a subtle undertone suggesting stagnation in “developed” nations.

It’s like saying, “Hey, you’re developed. You’re done. Nothing new to see here.”

Sounds bleak, doesn’t it?

And that’s Thiel’s contrarian challenge right there: How do we keep innovating in a world that’s already “developed”?

Why Being a Contrarian Isn’t Just Being Difficult

It’s easy to dismiss contrarian thinking as being difficult for the sake of it.

But let’s get this straight: it’s not about disagreeing just because you can.

It’s about genuinely seeking the truths everyone else has missed or ignored.

Analyzing prevailing opinions, finding inconsistencies, being skeptical of “common wisdom,” questioning the status quo—these are the hallmarks of a contrarian thinker.

It’s not about being difficult.

It’s about being different in a way that matters.

Test it out. Do you hold any contrarian ideas?

What important truth do very few people agree with you on?…

A good answer takes the following form: “Most people believe in x, but the truth is the opposite of x.”

— Peter Thiel

In Conclusion: Are You Ready to Jump from Zero to One?

This is your wake-up call.

The world is moving fast, oscillating between the familiar and the new.

But the real question is: Where do you stand?

If you’re content replicating success, by all means, continue.

But if you’ve got that fire, that itch to make a mark, to jump from zero to one, now’s the time.

Dive into the unknown, uncover those secrets, and challenge the status quo.

Because, in the end, progress isn’t about following the path.

It’s about paving a new one.

So, are you ready to lead the way?

Matt

P.S. As always, I’m here to help you on your SEO journey. So if you have any questions or need advice on your website, don’t hesitate to get in touch!

Cool Cars:

The reinvented Toyota Land Cruiser just dropped, and you better believe I signed up for news and announcements.

I haven’t seen any insight on powerplant and whatnot, but it’s still pretty early. Go check it out for yourself. I’m excited to see one of these up-close and in-person.

2024 Toyota Land Cruiser | Toyota.comtoyota.com

Explore the uncompromising capability of the 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser. It combines classic off-road performance with an enhanced, uncomplicated ride and modern style.

Some interesting stuff:

Some aspects of technological innovation that I’ve been tracking since the late 00’s to mid 10’s:

Level 3-4 vehicle autonomy
Reusable rocket boosters
Portable and in-motion internet connection

We’re in the era of Exascale computing - computation at a rate of quintillion = (10^18).

In the 90’s, we broke into the Terascale computing. A massive leap for its time that drastically changed the way we thought about computation.

Think about when you started seeing Terabyte storage readily available. This level of computation in the early 90s was insane.

Seriously, 1996 is the year we saw the first commercially available USB ports.

We then jumped to Petascale computing, and this era encompassed most of the 2000s so far. 10^15

Now, we’ve seen another change.

But to put it in comparison, this next level was recently breached. Most of the top 500 list is still within the Petascale.

Take Purdue University, for example. A year ago, they built the Anvil, a 5.1PetaFlop monster off a $22m grant from the National Science Foundation.

Anvil’s able to compute in one second, what it would take an individual, computing one calculation every second for 158,443,825 years straight.

It’s a mind-bending leap and a level of computing that is hard to fathom.

But we’ve broke into exascale computing now. 1000x faster than petascale.

We’re computing at a rate 1,000,000x faster than supercomputers from 1996 in the Terascale computing era.

Sometimes the Experts are Full of Shit

Matt Caramenico — Sun, 30 Jul 2023 00:00:00 GMT

My day-to-day continuously evolved over the last six years at AAP.

I started exploring technology and building my understanding up to a place where I could manage multi-million dollar projects that return tens and hundreds of dollars per year in revenue.

I build annual operating plans for my team. Telling peers, partners, and leadership what we need to develop to hit our financial goals.

I forecast and manage CapEX and OpEX budgets that enable us to execute the near and long-term vision of our organic channel.

And in this role, I manage the relationships with multiple vendors that enable myself, the team, and our organization to succeed.

I’ve taken this team from sub $100m to our record last year of $510m, and I’m not slowing down.

An exciting aspect of this role due to budget and scale… I get significant access to Industry leaders and company leadership throughout tech.

Sometimes in this scenario, you walk away with a refreshing view of what could be and a future you’re excited to build.

Other times, you walk away confused.

Most of the time, the adage “never meet your heroes” holds true.

Bobby’s Dad:

My childhood friend Bobby had a Zune… no one could figure out why.

It was interesting, to say the least.

One thing that stuck out to me was the screen sucked… 133 ppi vs. iPod classic 5th gen at 326ppi

Build quality, it felt cheap. And for this initial Zune, 30 GB was the only option; iPod had 30-160 GB options.

Bobby’s dad was a Microsoft employee.

This guy never let you hear the end of how cool the Zune was.

Quality of build - outta this world.

Sound quality…sprouted tears of joy to all who could hear.

On and on.

On top of all this, he’s one of, if not the only person I knew with a Microsoft phone (wtf knows which models), and over the years, he had many of them.

Same deal.

Hey Matt, check this thing out. I just picked up a new HTC Touch Diamond2 with the new windows professional os on it…

On on, and it would go.

Telling me how, in every way, even in ways no one could imagine, the Microsoft products were better than the market leaders…

I thought it was strange then; I think it’s odd now.

It cultivated a healthy skepticism for why someone of authority, prominence, etc., tells you about something or pitches something in the face of a body of evidence to the contrary, in this case, market share… no one else in my network hyping up or even making a peep about their windows phone or Zune that can’t handle leap year.

Meeting Experts:

As I mentioned, sometimes I get access to people due to my role and the fact they want to sell me on their service, product, or Microsoft.

Sometimes, I’m invited to speak, and sometimes, I’m asked to attend conferences. Sometimes it’s on their dime.

Over the past few months, the SEO industry has been through the wringer, multiple high-impact algorithm deployments, and the “black cloud” of Large Language Models ruining the search engine as we all know it.

We’ve collectively seen “experts” claim - wild things.

And… the flippening of Google and how this monopoly is backed into a corner like a tiger, and we haven’t ever seen Google forced to do something to keep market share, etc., etc.

Read more where I dig into the “new era of search.”

This week I had a redesign meeting with a large location data platform.

They brought some big guns to paint the perspective of ecomm and SEO’s future state from a birdseye view.

I’ve worked with them for a while now, and I’m familiar with these leaders.

So, the same thing that sparked my past NL ignited my brain on this topic.

I can’t fault him. Eloquent storytelling. Truly masterful; I took notes on his approach and setup and how he was tying it to complexity for the wide range of expertise (no knowledge to expert level) within the room.

I find myself doing that more. I’m not taking notes on the content so much; I’m more interested in how they present the info. What they find working well, what I find working well.

The vibes were high, I got to say… and If I had just let it ride…. I would have enjoyed it thoroughly.

Kinda like what my mother-in-law calls “mindless tv.” Nothing you have to pay attention to but overall enjoyable and passes the time.

Instead, the meat… the meat was rancid.

And at the end of the story, I made a comment about how they probably bucked heads with another internal thought leader who I met with last month, and this prompted a flip-flop on a main point made only moments early as if it never existed.

From “Google Search is going through changes, but the overall business model isn’t going anywhere just yet… we’ve got time, take a breath, etc.”

To something like:

“Yeah, this is it, boys, the end of days. Google’s mad, they’re burning it down, just trying to figure out how to monetize SGE, and then it’s game over… they’ll say- too bad, so sad - to all that die in their wake.”

I’m not here to judge the person; I’m here to consider the ideas because I’m running a half-a-billion-dollar team…

And he, well… I guess he gets paid to talk.

It’s like professor vs professional. I lucked out and learned most of my chemistry from professors that had storied careers in manufacturing and chemical engineering.

But some people pay money for a degree from a bozo that went from undergrad to grad school to uni and winds up tenured without a single day spent making money with their sacred knowledge.

It was always really something to behold.

It’s easy to spot they cherish theory because they haven’t ever needed to apply creativity, the creativity required to get things done, in “the real world” outside of the rigid halls of right/wrong vs. what is possible and what works.

I digress.

This is exactly what I’m dealing with. Performative futurists preaching a vision of the future based on their favorite company and a future they drive for private gain.

Meetings like this or navigating the industry as a whole - requires a fully charged bullshit meter, one that is locked on as much of the SEO industry as possible with a heaping helping of overall Tech/ scientific development etc. (you’ve got to love learning, otherwise you’re gonna be left in the dust)

So we’re clear, many people think Google’s in danger.

The idea that Google has never had to pivot or shift priorities came up.

There was a comment made about the avg age of companies on the S&P 500… being only 16 years.

Obviously, MSFT is older than that, but the general idea is that ‘Microsoft had and is capable of pivoting and remaking itself - Google never has.’

There hasn’t been this level of turmoil for the Search Engine industry as a whole - EVER.

I left that meeting thinking more and more about the quality of the content and ideas shared based on my perspective.

So much of it didn’t sit right.

I had to take a deeper dive for myself.

See For yourself

Pro-tip, if it bothers you, peel the onion.

Dig through the layers of a topic and build your own understanding and perspective.

One by one, let’s take it all on:

Google’s in danger
Google’s age and “stagnation.”
Search Engine Turmoil “never before.”
Google’s gonna burn it all down

Google’s in danger:

Well, like I said a month ago… no.

Just as I said then, it still holds true:

Google is still relevant.

People are still using Google search to enable transactions, and LLMs, regardless of how “cool,” have yet to change the face of the internet/e-commerce.

I’m not saying that they can’t/won’t;

I’m saying that an abrupt left turn has ramifications that will further destabilize an already teetering economy, and the “why” or the underlying use case that implementing these LLMs solve for the customer is still unclear to me.

I’m unclear on the specific Search Engine + LLM setup & what we are trying to solve.

Why isn’t this a tool we explore and utilize as a stand-alone until we determine the beneficial use cases?

People were trained to use search engines by Google (for the most part). It seems most people are approaching these conversational ais in the same way, but they don’t really do what people expect.

Ultimately, if the current Google SGE product sticks, I think we’ll see a low-impact version deployed that shifts the presentation layer more than anything - less impact on underlying data or how sites “rank” - for now.

— Matt Caramenico, new era of search

Don’t take my word for it.

Google’s Q2 FY 23 revenue landed at $74.8b and beat its expectations of $72.8b… That’s insane for any company.

Revenue rose 7% from Q2 FY ’22.

Ad rev was up 3.3% at $58b…

If that doesn’t make it abundantly clear.

Google’s search engine market share grew by .8 over last year… to 92.66% of the global market share.

Conversely, Bing’s (MSFT) market share fell by 13%.

This by itself proves to me the pressure… is weak at this point.

Let’s think back. Use our brains.

Bing announces ChatGPT capability Feb ’23
Samsung forces Google to announce LLM capability April ’23

Both markets are moving - but equally proving to be a reactionary flash in the pan.

That was my gut instinct, but it helps because I didn’t just start using OpenAi products in December ’22. (I go through this in-depth in the above-linked article from last month)

I’ve been plugged in for a while now because it’s part of my job to know. And I have to make decisions based on my awareness of this technology. It isn’t a game; it’s not a pat on the back, if I get it wrong.

Is Google in danger? No. Their biggest point of risk at this point is fear because data sets right now are proving ChatGPT to be waning in usefulness as of June ’23… ChatGPT is getting dumber because of y’all, lol.

Here’s the link to the paper: How is ChatGPT Behavior Changing Over time?

Check this out: arxiv.org/pdf/2307.09009…

Researchers find that ChatGPT4 responses are more inaccurate now than they were 3-4 months ago.

I wonder how selective they (openai) are when it comes to training on usage & interactions. Is the faucet all the way on?

I’d guess that the…

— Matt Caramenico (@mcaramen), 2:30 PM • Jul 19, 2023

Next,

Google’s age and “stagnation”:

Claiming the avg age of the S&P 500 is 16 yrs old (or 18 based on what I was looking at, which is a bit dated), and more and more companies are cycling out faster and faster.

And Google has thrived on a single point of failure as its main revenue driver for this entire time. (YouTube isn’t real, I guess)

But

Microsoft has been able to remake itself time and time again.

Something Google never had to do - is a very strange argument.

One I’m sure Bobby’s dad would use had I phoned a friend.

Honestly, It’s apples and oranges from my perspective.

Google is ~24 yrs old. ~20 yrs publicly trading and absolutely dominating the search engine market.

And yes, they’ve done so because they have the best product. It’s not even a question.

No one else even came close when it mattered.

Compare that to Microsoft’s control of the most relevant industry to its offering.

Windows 68% market share
Edge 5% market share
M Office Suite 20% market share
Xbox 97% worldwide market share
Azure 23% market share

They’ve got plenty of other products I’m sure Bobby’s dad loves, but no one else knows about.

Take ‘Microsoft Maps’ for example… I never heard of that before today.

If you want me to believe Google is dying and kids don’t use Google to do things, I’m going to need more than a few ex michaelsoft binbows employees to hype me up on that idea.

You’re not going to TikTok to order pizza. You’re not going to Snapchat to find out how to make an Excel formula. You’re not using Instagram to learn about changing your radiator. Your not playing light saber in the Metaverse with Zucc, You’re not using Bing…

Seriously, what is the argument here? Social media and entertainment are going to eat the “how do I, where do I, what is this, Who sells, how much” market?

To that, I say we’re all waiting. We’ve heard it for over a decade now. We remember “The Death of SEO,” published on Forbes the year before I started my SEO career.

It’s a tired lure.

Search Engine Turmoil “never before.”

I touched on some reasons that fit here as well.

Social media is going to kill SEO. See above. Absolute Joke.

Voice search was supposed to do the same. Instead, I’ve got multiple hot mics WITH Cameras placed around my house to improve efficiency. But all they really do is suck me dry for data. vCool.

Honestly, Master Chief would be appalled at what they did to Cortana.

Not to mention a whole period of time where Amazon was going to eat all of Ecommerce, and no one would ever use Google to look for products Ever. Again.

Seriously, fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD) have always been the name of the game for SEO, so I never understand the collective pearl-clutching when SoMeTHinG ChANges.

Google’s own martin split said two years ago voice search was nothing to worry about. And, if we all collectively use our brains, he’s right. We use voice search on the TV, that’s about it.

Google: Voice Search Is Not The Future

Google’s Martin Splitt shared his opinion that voice search is not the future and that there will be no need to SEO for it

Again, It’s not that LLMs being buckled into Search Egnies is nothing. It’s clearly, not nothing.

My point is and stays that the forecast isn’t as tumultuous as the talking heads, that love to churn the conversation and build their impact by being the first to call “it” for the end of the world want to claim.

We’ve seen this type of fear-mongering before.

No one wins if they are right.

Bing has the most well-known and heavily utilized LLM; it’s more of a household name than Bing itself lol. AND even then, it can’t take market share from Google. I find that to be odd.

Google’s gonna burn it all down:

Okay, February of 2023 when ChatGPT hit 100m users 2 months post-launch, I thought to myself, yeah. Google search, they might be in trouble.

“Checks the market share graphs” - nothing.

But - countless editorials were posted about how Bing was on the move and Google was shitting its pants in a scramble.

April rolls around, and rumblings that Samsung is threatening to ditch Google search on its android phones and load Bing search instead… we covered this. It never came to fruition.

Still no movement on market share.

At what point do you believe the kid that cried wolf. Especially when you’re seeing more wolves dead and more kids safe.

We’re talking about a government intervention-level event because of GDP forest fires that this would ignite globably. You’re idea is:

Google’s gonna burn down it’s revenue engine because of a Partnership between MSFT and OpenAI: a company that might as well not have a search engine and a company that has a product everyone treats like a search engine but isn’t built for information retrieval?

And Google’s gonna do this all after it just beat earnings by multiple billions in the face of this Bing power grab?

All while the verdict is coming out on LLMs, and it’s not what the Gods promised?

That’s the idea?

Eh, I’ve heard better.

Don’t meet your heroes:

It’s a great adage. Don’t meet your heroes.

Sometimes they’re full of shit.

In my opinion, most people being paid for their influence and thoughts on the industry aren’t going to be the best ones to follow around when you’re trying to make business decisions.

The thing is, most people have an ulterior motive. They all have a reason behind the why, and you might not align with that. Ideologically or even economically.

Bottom line: Bobby’s dad ain’t got the answers, sway.

Matt

P.S. As always, I’m here to help you on your SEO journey. So if you have any questions or need advice on your website, don’t hesitate to get in touch!

Apologies for the delay. I’ve got a few half-baked newsletters, and none seemed right for this week.

Cool Cars:

I thoroughly enjoyed this video. 1988 Porsche 911. An absolute beauty.

MY CARRERA IS BACK!!! (Transmission issue explained)youtube.com

Cool links:

Do you know how I said dig in? Well, I do that a bit too much sometimes.

I started researching the avg age of S&P500 companies, and that led to a McKinsey post from 2016…

From there, I was looking at a random article by Andy Lin… not sure who that is. But I read something odd - he listed the five oldest companies in the world.

Oddly enough, most of them weren’t older than a company I started my career at - Johnson Matthey and so It got me wondering. This list has to be wrong… Right?

So I jumped back into Google ‘top 5 oldest companies’ and found the OG content Andy scooped his list from, but it says “5 of the oldest.” leaving me thinking, ah, this is just a curated list, not the list as Andy made it seem.

So Look for the list of the oldest companies.

Extremely interesting stuff… we’re talking companies 1300 years old. Still nothing including Johnson Matthey, but I think there are considerations that I’m not aware of. Mergers etc. Although JM claims to be in its 3rd century of continuous operation… maybe the name changed.

Regardless. From there, I’m hooked - 1300+ Yr old Hotels in Japan!

So now I’m here reading the Wikipedia page for a 1318-year-old hotel on a hot spring in Japan…. and I notice that 52 generations of the same family have operated it until a few years back. WTF.

In 2017, Keiunkan’s president, Kenjiro Kawano, who was unrelated to the owner and thus unable to inherit Yushima, the holding company, created Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan Limited, and ownership of Keiunkan was transferred and Yushima dissolved

— Tom Scott - YouTuber…

You got me. Why is this segment quoting a YouTube video? Well, let’s take a look.

And boom. I’m Joining 6.6m other people watching Tom Scott; never heard of him before today, talk about a 1300-year-old hotel in Japan and how it changed hands, and the family said, “fuck it” We hate managing hotels after 52 generations. - all that can be found here.

Watch on YouTube

Lessons from Monet for Entrepreneurs

Matt Caramenico — Thu, 20 Jul 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Let’s dig into the life of a fascinating figure - Claude Monet. Widely regarded as the founder of French Impressionist painting, Monet’s philosophy of expressing one’s perceptions before nature set him apart in the artistic world.

He didn’t just aim to capture reality on canvas; rather, he sought to study the transient effects of natural light on the landscape.

Monet was born in Paris in 1840, and from an early age, his love for art was undeniable.

But what was most striking was his unorthodox approach.

He challenged the rigid rules of the ‘Salon’, the official art exhibition of the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Paris, and instead, led a new movement, the ‘Impressionists,’ focused on capturing the ‘impression’ of the moment.

While Monet’s entire oeuvre is noteworthy, one collection that stands out is the Haystacks series.

An unassuming subject, a stack of hay, became the centerpiece of his study.

Painted over 30 times in various settings - different times of day, seasons, and weather conditions - Monet displayed his unique ability to transform the mundane into the sublime.

But these masterpieces weren’t just created in a sudden burst of inspiration.

It was Monet’s tireless commitment to the process of observation, experimentation, and repetition that led to their creation.

Each painting was an exercise in patience and discipline, crafted through meticulous work and an unwavering dedication to his artistic practice.

As I navigate the complexities of SEO, entrepreneurship, or even my personal passions, Monet’s approach to art offers invaluable lessons.

His commitment to the process, the pursuit of mastery, the embrace of repetition, and even his renegade spirit all serve as poignant reminders of how success often lies in our daily practices, not just the final outcome.

So, as we embark on today’s discussion, let’s keep Monet’s approach to his art in mind. It serves as a powerful metaphor for how we can approach our goals and ambitions - with patience, persistence, and a profound respect for the process.

A big word that gets thrown around a lot: Productivity.

I’m here to tell you that productivity isn’t some grandiose end goal.

It’s actually the ripple effect of a clear direction, mental clarity.

Think of it as the exhaust of a well-tuned Porsche engine - the byproduct of its carefully calibrated internal workings.

Watch on YouTube

What do you want?

To kick start your productivity, first, you need to grab that birds-eye view.

Get crystal clear on what’s in your life, what you want from it, and where you’re heading.

Begin with a deceivingly simple question: What do you want out of life?

For me, it’s all about being a prolific creator (from long-form content and video to mini jet boats and digital products for SEO and Ecommerce), while having financial freedom, freedom of speech, and a loving family that can recharge through travel anytime.

Work Backward

Once you’ve figured this out, it’s time to reverse-engineer your success.

What are the projects, resources, skills, and people that will propel you from Point A (your present) to Point B (your desired future)?

For some, it might be crafting an eBook, building a YouTube channel, or building a custom car for SEMA.

For others, it’s a different journey altogether.

Identify your journey and break it down into manageable chunks.

Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day.

Your success won’t be either.

Deconstruct each project into bite-sized tasks that gradually lead you to the end goal.

There are numerous tools out there like Roadmonk, Jira, Monday, or even good old sticky notes on a wall that can help you visualize your path.

This gives you a horizontal/linear view of exactly what needs to get done and where you’re currently at in the process.

Get it out of your head. Focus on executing.

Make A List

Next, transform these projects into concrete to-do lists, segmented into monthly, weekly, and daily tasks.

These lists serve as your roadmap. If you can conquer this work, you’ll realize that Product A gets launched or Project B wraps up.

Make sure you document your work and track your progress somewhere.

It gives you that sweet dopamine hit when you cross things off the list and maintains your momentum by visualizing progress.

When you don’t have to waste time remembering what’s next and where you’re headed, it becomes easier to get work done.

Define the Why:

The why behind each project also helps in prioritizing your tasks.

Ask yourself: How does this help me? How does it benefit others?

Or from a professional standpoint: How much revenue will this generate? What’s the risk to current revenue if we don’t proceed?

When you have clarity on the why and it’s visible / captured in your roadmap its easy to explain the what and why of your work to newcomers.

It’s not the destination; it’s a lifestyle

Productivity isn’t about working every waking minute.

It’s also probably not the result of living a balanced, healthy lifestyle.

Ignore those who question your drive or your ambition.

Unless they’re living the life you’re aiming for, their words are just noise.

For me personally, I feel that I could have done more to leverage my momentum over the past decade.

It’s not time for relaxation. I’m clear on what I want, and I’m clear on what I need to do in order to get there.

If I want a life that most don’t have, I have to do what most won’t commit to.

It’s not an overnight transformation but a process where beneficial habits are incorporated, and the long-term impact is undeniable.

Take a look at Kobe Bryant’s 6hr workout schedule. He wasn’t the result of a balanced and quiet ambition.

He lived his life from Highschool until his death with the needle buried.

Some people resonate with that type of work ethic; others don’t.

For me. I think there is a time and place to leverage that level of focus and output if you have the ability to harness it.

I want undeniable results.

Similar to the small and seemingly insignificant strokes generally visible within Monet’s impressionist style of painting, I’m adding in the small and unassuming practice that, in aggregate, get’s me there.

Matt

P.S. As always, I’m here to help you on your SEO journey. So if you have any questions or need advice on your website, don’t hesitate to get in touch!

Cool Cars:

Two very different cars with similar use cases (overland/off-roading). Both are in the sub $18,000 range. I realize that they are both already sold, but these are a few that I was watching over the past week, and they serve as an example of what’s out there and at which price point.

1993 Toyota Land Cruiser - Japanese-Market 80-Series, 4WD, Off-Road Modifications, U.S. Title

This 1993 Toyota Land Cruiser is for sale on Cars & Bids! Auction ends July 17 2023.

2009 Porsche Cayenne GTS - 405-hp V8, AWD, Off-Road Modifications, Texas- and California-Owned

This 2009 Porsche Cayenne GTS is for sale on Cars & Bids! Auction ends July 17 2023.

Also, I was reminiscing about a lifted Samuari that a buddy from college had similar to this one highlighted at MotorTrend:

Dirt Every Day Builds a Suzuki Samurai Rock Crawler Pickup!motortrend.com

The Dirt Every Day crew misses their Daihatsu pickup from Indonesia, so they’re going to convert this Suzuki Samurai rock crawler into a pickup themselves!

Cultivating a Winning SEO Mindset | Unlock your Potential

Matt Caramenico — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Winning. It’s a simple concept, right?

Well, not really.

There’s a lot more to it than just crossing the finish line first.

It’s not just about that instant, that particular race, that particular game, that particular SERP.

It’s about the whole journey.

It’s about those small, often overlooked wins that lead to the big ones.

Charlie Sheen, whether you love him or not, had a compelling point: “I’m going to live my life the way I want, and I’m going to win inside of every moment.”

There’s a whole lot of self-confidence there, but behind that bravado, there’s also a grain of truth that we can all latch onto.

No, I’m not endorsing any addictive tendencies here.

But what I am endorsing is that fiery, relentless spirit.

The confidence to say, I am going to make this work, no matter what. That’s a winning mindset right there.

We’re all in the business of winning.

It’s the ultimate goal, whether in sports, business, the SERPs, or life in general.

But do you know what it takes to develop a mindset that is geared towards winning?

That’s what we’re diving into today, and it might require you to go above and beyond your comfort zone.

Winning is a choice.

That’s right.

It’s a conscious decision to rise above the noise, the distractions, and the naysayers.

It’s a choice to commit to your goals, embrace the challenges, and keep pushing even when you think you’ve got nothing left in the tank.

Speaking of tanks, I watched the 9th stage of the Tour de France on Sunday morning. Michael Woods, towards the end of an insane 115-mile leg, found the energy and the will to dig deep and win. All while climbing up an 11% grade…

Watch on YouTube

He didn’t just accidentally stumble upon the finish line first. He made a choice to stay focused, to push through the pain, to rise above the rest, and ultimately, to win.

Eric Thomas famously said,

Champions keep going when they don’t have anything left in the tank.

— Eric Thomas

That’s because winning requires an unrelenting drive to succeed, an obsession that most people just don’t have. As David Goggins eloquently put it like this -

A warrior’s a motherfucker who says: Hey, I’m here again today, I’m here again tomorrow, and I’m gonna be here the next day. It’s a person that puts no fucking limit on what’s possible.

— David Goggins

Applying The Winning Mindset to SEO

What does this mean in the context of SEO?

Well, quite simply, it means you have to commit.

You have to dedicate yourself to understanding this everchanging field, to learning the nuances and the foundational best practices.

It means not settling for being just another SEO consultant, or a run-of-the-mill agency, or an in-house team that’s “good enough” but striving to be the best.

Take a look at this case study from Sterling Sky, detailing how unique SEO strategies helped a dermatology clinic reach top results.

This client tried multiple SEO agencies, and most weren’t able to execute on their lofty claims and truly help with organic growth.

But when they worked with Sterling Sky, things were different. There was a complete shift in transparency.

This client saw massive organic daily traffic growth, achieved top rankings for untapped terms, and tripled their monthly lead count in 18 months.

They were able to lay out a unique plan to help their client minimize the roadblocks that stood between them and success within the SERP.

And what does winning look like in terms of local SEO these days?

Whitespark Local Ranking Factor Survey

Top 10 local pack rankings factors in 2023:

Primary GBP Category
Keywords in GBP Business Title
Proximity of Address to the Point of Search (Searcher-Business Distance)
Physical Address in City of Search
Removal of spam listings through fighting spam
High Numerical Google Ratings (e.g. 4-5)
Additional GBP Categories
Quantity of Native Google Reviews (w/Text)
Verified GBP
Proximity of Address to Centroid [think 2021 vicinity update] 260% increase YoY

Top 10 Local Organic Ranking Factors in 2023:

Dedicated Page for Each Service
Internal Linking Across Entire Website
Quality/ Authority of Inbound Links to Domain
Geographic (City/Neighborhood) Keyword Relevance of Domain Content
Keywords in GBP Landing Page Title
Quality of Inbound Links to Domain from Locally-Relevant Domains
Topical (Product//Service) Keyword Relevance Across Entire Website
Volume of Quality Content on Service Pages
Volume of Quality Content on Entire Website
Keywords of Anchor Text of Inbound Links to Domain

The landscape is shifting, and the importance of Google Business Profile signals, once on the rise, has started to contract, while on-page and behavioral signals are seeing increased importance.

It’s also worth noting that Google’s personalization signals have also seen a slight uptick.

It’s another sign of the dynamic nature of SEO and the need to keep adapting, learning, and growing to stay on top. Feel free to dive in further at Whitespark.

Winners Never Stop Learning

Being a winner, a champion, is all about perseverance, as Andy Frisella rightly points out. It’s about showing up every single day; on the days everyone else is taking a break, you do double; that’s how you separate yourself from the pack.

This applies to SEO as much as it does to any other field.

Remember, winning doesn’t mean being perfect.

It’s not about never making mistakes or never facing setbacks.

It’s about continuing to push forward, outworking the competition, and to keep improving day in and day out.

I encourage you all to cultivate a winning mindset.

Let’s strive for greatness in SEO and in life.

Let’s commit to being the best we can be, every single day.

Cool Cars

Lexus LX 570
Basically, a creampuff LX that I would buy if I were currently in the market. Mint interior, 3rd row still kickin, low mileage. What more could you want?

2013 Lexus LX 570 - 5.7-Liter V8, 4WD, Highly Equipped, Mostly Unmodifiedcarsandbids.com

This 2013 Lexus LX 570 is for sale on Cars & Bids! Auction ends July 14 2023.

Toyota LC 70 - still being made by Toyota, in Australia. Not sure about pricing… I’m sure it’s up there.
The 4.5L V8 Turbo diesel is awesome to see, and it’s insane they still have the 2dr troop carrier workmate setup (not pictured below).

Workmate 4door.

LandCruiser 70 | Single, Dual Cab, Wagon, Troop Carrier | Toyota AUtoyota.com.au

The Toyota LandCruiser 70 ute stands out with its rugged design and power. Packed with a V8 turbo diesel engine & a strong towing capacity. Explore now.

Other stuff

Every F500 right now:

Saw this in the CarAlerts newsletter:

Breaking Free from Autopilot: My Journey to a Debt-Free, Dream-Realizing Life

Matt Caramenico — Wed, 05 Jul 2023 00:00:00 GMT

In 2012 I realized I had been on autopilot most of my life.

The coordinates were set; all I had to do was show up. Primary school, college, etc.

Suddenly, I realized how much school debt I had accrued, and interest would begin compounding monthly.

I was asleep, In a dream-like state; parents, teachers, professors, friends, and family were all telling me what to do…

It was like the “kick” scene from Inception.

Watch on YouTube

When I woke up in the winter of 2012, the semester before graduating… the weight of my decisions came crashing in around me as I sunk to the bottom of the tub. - you gotta watch the “kick.”

I was fully and painfully aware of my reality.

$122,284 in school debt, 6mo from graduation, and a herniated L4-L5 disc.

I woke into a sense of panic.

How would I be able to live and pay this debt back?
When would my life begin?
When would I be free from this financial burden?

The questions swirled in my mind.

Drastic Change

Quickly I realized that the only way through this was a drastic shift.

I needed to take my reality seriously because If I didn’t change the way I lived, I’d wake up in another 22 years and still have no clue where I was going.

I realized If I continued to live in the same way, I would never see dreams become a reality.

I would live a dull life, suffocating under financial debt, shoveling on more through blind consumerism.

Autopilot wasn’t serving me.

Autopilot certainty wouldn’t dig me out of this debt.

And autopilot wouldn’t help me identify my long-term goals and forge myself into the man I wanted to be.

Move Forward

The change necessary was clear. Shut off autopilot

And thankfully, even at that time. I realized that my lack of vision was the problem.

Never having taken the reigns of my own life and deliberately set out on a trail with all of its unknowns.

My actions were the result of someone else’s plan.

Societies plan.

A plan I wasn’t executing intentionally.

I buckled down and took stock of what I’d done to get to this place.

What were the actions?
What was I reading?
Who was I listening to?

I took stock of my informational diet.

I took stock of how I lived.

Having done that, it was easier to focus on what I needed to change.

I realized with a life on autopilot; it’s easy to blame ignorance.

It’s easy to say, “No one told me.”

But for this transformation to stick and to fully shut off this autopilot lifestyle, it was crucial that I take full accountability for my own actions.

Everything I had, experienced, or created - I deserved it based on my actions.

In order to change that story, I would need to take a more active role in life.

Identify my dreams, plot a course, and execute that journey.

More days focused on and aimed at the outcome than not.

Use A System

This is the process I used to change my trajectory.

Go from panic and fear with limited options to a life based on your own design.

Looking back on this period in my life, the process I used seems very similar to the process that many suggest.

It would have been great to have the book Principles by Ray Dalio at that point in my life, but it wasn’t published until 2017… sadly.

Fortunately for you it’s not 2012, go pick up a copy.

He’s got a detailed 5-step process for setting goals that is very similar.

Identify your goals:

What do you want to do, experience, build, feel, and inspire in this life?

You’ll never make it to your destination if you don’t have a map.

You can do anything in the world; why limit yourself? You have the whole world already doing that for you. Don’t add to it.

“Is your ladder against the right wall” - Stephen Covey;

Although he wrote this specific for management and leadership, I see it as very applicable to goal setting. Forward motion towards a goal you don’t want to achieve isn’t serving you.

Work backward:

You have this lofty goal, now distill it into bite-sized pieces.

A Year out > 6mo> 1mo> 1wk> 1 day.

What will are you gonna be doing tomorrow? If you can’t answer that, you didn’t do it.

Clearly identify every task you need to do every day that ladders up to your goals.

“If I don’t think it’s easy, then the task is too big”

— Campbell “Struthless” Walker

A metaphor that is a perfect example of this:

“When eating an elephant, take one bite at a time”

— General Creighton Abrams

General Abrams - tank commander from WWII - said this, and I’ve heard it used in many ways throughout corporate environments, it’s always stuck with me because it clearly explains a simple way to break down a seemingly impossible task into many that are easy to complete.

Once you have your simple tasks nailed down, there is only one step left.

Execute

Everyday.

Move forward and execute your plan every single day. If you do this consistently for enough days, you’ll end up reaching your goal and be able to look back on your accomplishment with pride and humility.

You will know yourself more fully.

You will know your limits.

You will have seen firsthand what you can imagine and how relatively easily that thought can be brought to fruition.

How is anything made? It’s a fleeting thought in someone’s mind at its birth, and only if it’s written down or sketched out is there any hope of moving from the ethereal to the physical.

Fast-forward

Simple Example:

A glaring issue…

I was panicking about paying off school debt.

But I hadn’t been applying to jobs.

It seems so simple now, but I look back on myself at 22 with disgust - What the fuck?

It seemed pretty simple to me; if I wanted a job, I would need to apply to jobs.

Having lived through the horror stories and seen people graduate in 07-10, I knew it was going to be a numbers game.

I leveraged my network to the nth degree, and I applied to anything and everything I could find. GLOBALLY.

And 22 days after I graduated, I started my first - post-college job.

It’s a very simple formula here. Anyone can do it.

Goal- get a job

Apply to jobs.
Apply to as many and for as long as it takes.
Practice interviewing with anyone that will listen.
Learn as much about the company prior to interviewing.
Learn more about the company if you make it to subsequent rounds.

The outcome for me was huge.

I spent 4 months in 2012-13 looking for a job. I landed at Johnson Matthey (a $20b multinational) within their North American HQ, working on Emission Control Technologies.

I was able to use my degree and really enjoyed the work for a while… more on that here.

I didn’t stop there. I continued to set goals:

I was able to change my career from Chemical Characterization and working in a Lab to SEO.
I was able to create a life that helped me heal my injured back and wounded spirit.
I was able to get a 6-fig job with a skill I taught myself.
I had my first article published by Entrepreneur.com, which has a readership of 8.5m a month.
I was able to afford a beautiful, luxury apartment on my own, 3 miles from my job.

More importantly, all of this was planned ahead of time.

From the job to the career change, to the published article.

I set a trajectory, noted my goal, broke it down into tasks, and executed it day in and day out.

I went from a poor, broke, injured college student to a career I could be proud of that enabled me to have a more comfortable life all within 5 years.

Once I took an active role in designing my life, it completely changed.

I planned my trajectory. I took control.

What About SEO?

It sounds simple because it is. Most people complicate the goal-setting process to the point it bogs them down and turns into a chore.

People neglect it.

It’s too powerful for that.

It should be enjoyable. A process that excites you because you know what it means.

Progress.

It means you’re about to grow and build.

It means you’re on an adventure.

The only people who don’t believe this haven’t connected the dots yet.

They haven’t jumped into the driver’s seat of their life, much less a team or organization.

Speaking of, how does this connect back to SEO?

Well, goal setting is just as powerful in our personal life as it is within one’s own career.

It’s actually a requirement for most roles.

You formulate the Annual Operating Plan with finance and cross-functional teams so you can set intentions for the year ahead.

As a team, you commit to overall financial and traffic goals for the year.

Maybe you go deeper and commit to the CVR and AOV along with a cxl and return rate that will enable you to forecast a year that results in your Traffic and Revenue goals.

From there, you nail down which projects enable your team to reach those traffic and revenue goals.

So you need more traffic and revenue?

Could you rework product taxonomy and category hierarchy - what would the resulting impact on revenue be?
Are your product pages not converting?
Is there a site speed issue on a subfolder causing poor indexation and negatively impacting traffic and revenue?
Is there a greenfield content opportunity - a competitor has a solution that you’ve identified as a potential for a more robust and thorough solution?

You take those goals and nail down specific projects that drive the results you’re committed to.

From there, you identify the resources and cost to execute, create, and or build these projects.

What are we building?
Which resources are needed?
How many resources are needed?
Who does this impact? Which external vendors does this impact? Which internal teams does this impact?
How much will each of these cost to rectify or solve?
Do we have clarity on potential risks?
Do we have clarity on revenue impact?
Do we have alignment?

You need to have a detailed knowledge of the above.

Once you have cross-functional alignment and a full accounting of your needs in order to make these projects come to life and ultimately enable the team or organization to nail the goals -

You present the projects (knowing leadership already approved the committed goals) to the board or Capital Investment Committee so that you can gain funding and prioritization to move forward and execute throughout the year.

This is the process of setting goals for a traffic channel at a large organization.

It’s not much different for any roles, functions, or teams - you have to gain funding and or prioritization in order to move forward and have access to resourcing.

That being said, SEO is notably difficult to forecast around and tie business cases/ revenue outcomes too.

This is where it’s imperative (for SEO success) that you nail down the skills associated with selling/ evangelizing and managing upward. In other words, the (internal) marketing of your marketing is crucial to you and the SEO team’s success.

I’ll go into forecasting and evangelizing SEO in future newsletters, but I think this is a great place to wrap it up.

If you’re focused on nailing your goals, over-index on accountability and prioritize taking action.

You’ll get more of a dopamine hit from crossing off your tasks and be well on your way to seeing your goals come to fruition.

Cool Cars

I know it’s + 2 years old, but this recap of the LS swap on a Volvo 240 is something that I’ve wanted to do since my parents gave me the family wagon back as my first car.

Sadly, I never reached this goal. My Volvo was totaled in a front-on collision with a Toyota Tundra… True to form, the Volvo saved my family.

Anyway… check this one out. Watch the full series from Gingium if you want. Lots of great insight throughout if you’re looking to fully gut a 240

Building a 700HP Super Sleeper in 10 Minutes!youtube.com

Cool Links

Found myself watching this year in review from a channel called Project Kamp and it’s pretty enjoyable.

I really enjoyed seeing how they turned the shipping crates into modular kitchen and tool sheds.

Additionally, that pizza oven setup is awesome. For sure a backyard necessity.

Watch on YouTube

Additionally, The Tour De France started last Saturday and I’ve skipped a few years, but I grew up watching it religiously with my Dad and Sister.

Stage 4 offered an insanely dramatic finish within the last 3km.

Watch on YouTube

Unlock the Power of Urgency

Matt Caramenico — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Over the past week, I’ve delved into the concept of urgency, pondering its driving power behind our actions, its ability to fuel our productivity, and its potential for radical transformation in our personal and professional lives.

More importantly, I’ve explored how we can channel its potency towards fulfilling our purpose and achieving our goals.

First, I’d like to share a recent struggle. I wrestled with questions about the value of my actions:

Does what I’m doing matter?

Am I wasting time?

Will my execution yield results?

Such questions stalled my progress, drained my energy, and obscured my sense of purpose.

But then I remembered:

Questioning our ‘why’ isn’t necessarily a negative thing.

It offers a chance to reassess our purpose, realign our actions with our goals, and reevaluate our priorities.

Throughout the week been re-reading through some classics from Seth Godin.

When you’ve got something to lose, it makes it harder to ship

— Seth Godin

Seth also noted - if we embrace accountability and harness urgency, we can transform our output into a superpower, accomplishing in hours what might take a team a year to complete.

It’s not an easy path, but it’s rewarding.

Nothing happens, and nothing happens, and then everything happens

— Fay Weldon

Success doesn’t occur suddenly, but as a culmination of persistent effort, strategic execution, and a keen sense of urgency.

To stoke this urgency, I’ve employed two tools that have worked wonders for me.

The first tool is a lifetime countdown.

akin to a Momento Mori coin.

Despite seeming morbid, this tool serves as a reminder of life’s fleeting nature and the urgency to act.

It’s empowering, fostering an action-oriented mindset. I highly recommend exploring Tim Ferris’s insightful thoughts on this subject as well.

Watch on YouTube

Second, I use a mantra mix overlaid with an alpha-wave track.

Combined with standard visualization techniques, this mix keeps my focus sharp on my goals, making it difficult to lose sight of my destination.

Read more about it from Austin’s tweet.

Hands-down, the most effective personal development “hack” I’ve done over the years:

Write out, in vivid detail, how you want your life to look 3-5 years out

Record yourself reading your vision out loud

Mix it over an alpha-wave track

Listen to it every day

— Austin Dean (@austinmdean)

Let’s explore another significant topic: prioritization.

During my early SEO days, I struggled to balance multiple tasks, each with its urgency and importance.

Over time, I learned that effective prioritization hinges on your overarching goals (or channel KPIs) and quantifying the ratio of impact to effort.

The same task might require different effort levels within the same organization,

E.g. Changing a title tag within one subdirectory might be managed via an accessible CMS ui, and then editing one on another page might be managed by a different facet of the tech stack that requires multiple levels of approval and heightened priority for anyone to even lift a finger.

There could be multiple scenarios like this… Changing a title tag might be a simple task but there could be 5 separate processes due to site architecture etc.

But with a well-structured and prioritized action list, you can pinpoint potential revenue loss or gain, which ultimately (helps) drive organizational priority.

It’s not about doing everything; it’s about doing the right things at the right time. Here’s a deeper dive into setting priorities effectively:

#1. Set Specific Goals:

Prioritization begins with setting clear, measurable goals.

A vague goal leads to scattered efforts and subpar results.

Defining success for you, the team, or your client is key.

Be as specific as possible, whether your goal involves increased traffic, better conversion rates, improved rankings, or enhanced online visibility.

Be specific.

Also, there’s conflicting research on stretch goals and their benefit but… if used properly.

A stretch goal pushes us beyond our comfort zones, sparking urgency and stimulating innovation.

#2. Identify Top Converting Pages:

Not all website pages are created equal.

Some are crucial to your conversion process – these make your ‘cha-ching’ ring.

Site analytics tools like GA or Fathom can help you identify these pages by highlighting those with high traffic and high conversion rate.

Or help you identify those with high bounce rates.

These pages demand your attention.

#3. Perform A Site Audit:

Using a site crawling tool (screaming frog and Botify are my two main choices), uncover potential technical issues on your website.

These could include 404s, invalid canonicals, missing headers, and more.

Yes, it can seem overwhelming, but the aim isn’t to solve everything at once – it’s about prioritizing effectively.

#4. Nail Down Time Management:

Stephen Covey’s time management grid is a timeless tool that helps categorize tasks based on their urgency and importance.

Remember, not everything urgent is important, and not everything important is urgent.

Your focus should be on important but not urgent tasks - these align with your long-term goals and strategy.

For a more detailed quadrant, use this: https://depts.washington.edu/drscoach/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/DRS_time-management-matrix.pdf

#5. Communication and Reporting:

Maintain a strong feedback loop.

Regular reporting helps track progress, evaluate performance, and, most importantly, realign priorities if needed.

Focus your reporting not just on quantitative metrics like traffic or search visibility but also on qualitative aspects like user experience.

Communication is vital. Leadership or each client may have different preferences for progress updates, so your aim should be effective communication, whether through a detailed report or a simple summary.

Urgency and prioritization are inseparable. We can’t create a sense of urgency without knowing what needs urgent attention.

As you embrace these steps, remember that urgency isn’t about frenzied activities—it’s about focused, strategic action.

Here’s to doing the right things at the right time!

Not if, but when.

Cool Cars

Honestly, when I first saw the Ines Grenadier announced back in 2020 I added it to the list of cars I would one day own. Looking like 3 years later they are just now starting to ship….

The price for NA sits at $73k MSRP which is a bit tough to swallow since the new Landrover Defender 130 V8 is also out now.

The Grenadier has two engine options (from what I’ve seen)… They aren’t bad - it’s got a BMW 3.0L 6cyl B58 turbo as the gasoline option and the B57 Diesel. Historically they’ve been widely used throughout BMWs offerings and if properly maintained, can reliably reach 100k miles and beyond within their lifespan.

It’s a 4×4 that reminds me of everything I missed out on not owning a landrover defender 110 estate. like this:

INEOS Grenadier — INEOS identified a gap in the market for a stripped back, utilitarian, hard-working 4X4 engineered for modern day compliance and reliability. We’re building a serious off-roader from the ground up ready for all American conditions.

Also, check out this treat on BaT: Such a unique van from a German fire department all the way to Arizona.

No Reserve: 1993 Mercedes-Benz 310 TN Vanbringatrailer.com

Bid for the chance to own a No Reserve: 1993 Mercedes-Benz 310 TN Van at auction with Bring a Trailer, the home of the best vintage and classic cars online. Lot #112,129.

Interesting links

I’m a bit late to the game but I’ve been messing around with Googles Ai Test Kitchen and the Music LM text to tunes capability for creating generative music.

AI Test Kitchen

It’s pretty cool. I wish I could find a way to share some of my creations like the one above.

From Diapers to Directories: Transitioning into Fatherhood and SEO's New Era

Matt Caramenico — Tue, 20 Jun 2023 00:00:00 GMT

I lived my life prior to meeting Erin (my wife), believing that I wasn’t ever going to marry anyone.

This is a belief I had about my future going back multiple decades.

I never envisioned getting married.

Marriage sounded like something for other people.

It sounded boring,

and for me, it sounded like opening myself up to unnecessary financial risk.

I’ve always known, without a doubt in my mind, that I would be successful.

It’s in my DNA; I come from a long line of entrepreneurial spirit.

FOB go-getters that blazed a trail and made a name.

Men that built with their hands and expanded the communities in which they landed.

Men that made this country better.

It’s my nature to explore, discover why, and make it my own.

Bend the rules, the parameters and find successful outcomes my own way.

Marriage didn’t sound like something that enabled more freedom…

It sounded like something that boxed me in and created dependencies.

More people looking to me for support and structure.

(none of this was driven by the relationships that were formative for me. My parents and both sets of grandparents are/ were all happily married)

Marriage just wasn’t for me, until it was.

I met Erin, and everything changed; I knew pretty quickly that my life near-term and long-term would be better if we teamed up.

I knew life would be substantially better with her.

And so I underwent an evolution. From a man focused on myself to one focused on starting a family.

Now, as much as I went on about how I never fantasized about marriage… I was openly opposed in many ways to having kids.

Having kids seemed like something difficult to “afford.”

In this political and social climate, it also seemed like a risk for a number of external factors as well.

But, just as meeting, Erin changed me and morphed me into a man that was ready to start a journey together,

My viewpoint on expanding our family evolved as well. Her love and kindness, the home and life we built together, began to seem like a perfect place to raise a child.

Again, my long-held, set perspectives transformed due to new input and shifting external factors.

On my own, raising a child seemed unreasonable and too distant to comprehend.

With Erin, it seemed like an exciting (albeit daunting) journey to embark on.

FATHERHOOD

When Erin told me she was pregnant, I was surprised because I had an unfounded belief that we would need some time to conceive.

Based on others, I figured we would need to focus on getting pregnant.

But, that wasn’t the case for us.

This was the most welcomed and the most important information I’ve ever received.

The weight of those words hit me, and found a home.

My role transformed again.

My Journey took an abrupt turn.

As it had in the past but towards a more meaningful purpose.

Being a Dad has an impressive status to it from my perspective.

My Dad, Greg, is still my best friend, biggest support, and a guidepost in my life.

He’s literally saved my life. See a short explanation here:

I went unconscious as a 4 yr old, and my dad dove in and saved me. Swim teacher was at the other end of the pool & lifeguard was talking to her bf… So the story goes. Dad in dress shirt, tie, slacks, and dress shoes, dove in and scooped me. I came to and asked him if he…

— Matt Caramenico (@mcaramen)

He’s attentive and forged me into the man I am today.

I’m sure at some point I’ll go into more depth about him as a man and role model, but for now - suffice it to say I’ve got big shoes to fill.

So, now I’m a Dad.

I felt the weight of that role and a new purpose immediately.

My drive for building out financial security (disconnected from any single point of failure) and gaining the freedom that comes with it, skyrocketed to levels I haven’t felt due to ‘golden handcuffs’ in almost a decade.

I realized quickly that time with my family was most important to me.

If I’m to optimize for time with my family, I need to be in complete control of my schedule, and working at any F500 corp doesn’t necessarily allow for that, especially as a people manager.

So, I ventured out on another journey.

A journey to build - what I’m calling - a golden parachute.

A journey to take back my time so that I can be the Dad mine was for me.

Cheers to all of the Dad’s out there focused on building better lives and raising great people.

SEO Transformation

The SEO world is going through a generational shift. Something big is happening, and speculation about the impending doom or absolute shake-up on e-commerce is swirling as Industry talking heads pull the fire alarm.

Rightfully or naively, It’s happening.

(For the uninitiated Google SGE, and Bing’s integration with ChatGPT is driving this shift)

And it’s rapidly bleeding into the larger space to the point I’m answering questions about the approaching “end-times” due to the fear-mongering being slung by vendors and would-be problem solvers in the cold emails to executives.

But- here’s the deal. I want to walk through what some in the industry are saying/ have said.

I’m not here to hold people accountable, but it felt like some just wanted to be first to “call it” and so they are firing off birdshot perspectives rapidly.

An aside about me. I’m by no means a machine learning (ML) developer or Ai professional. I’m just an insatiably curious SEO that has been dabbling in ML and Natural Language Processing tasks/ projects since 2015 & then, more specifically, with OpenAI products since GPT-2 in 2019.

My focus has been on aggregating and consuming as much as I have time and an appetite for. But, generally, staying aware.

To the point, ChatGPT wasn’t really that intriguing to me when it launched since I didn’t have trouble accessing OpenAIs tools beforehand.

That being said. I’ve got a lot to learn. I’m focused on being a sponge, and I try not to succumb to the shiny object and hype that can spark within the industry but burn out and lose steam rather quickly.

For instance:

Google announcements of the past that were supposed to have a mind-bending impact:

Mobile update (2015)
Mobile Interstitials (2015)
RankBrain (2014-15)
HTTPs (2015)
BERT (2019)
Page Experience Update (2021)

It’s no denying that the above are all pretty beneficial for the end user/ provide value, but when they were announced reception of most of these was frantic. (not saying sites haven’t gone completely dormant since these all launched; I’m just calling attention to the industry’s ability to light its hair on fire and run around screaming… as a common practice.)

Additionally, Google loves to build and destroy.

It loves to acquire and shut things down.

It really has no objection as an organization to launching and killing a product or deprecating it. Most recent example is Google Domains -

Google Domains shutting down, assets sold and being migrated to Squarespace — Google Domains is “winding down following a transition period,” with Squarespace taking over the business and assets…

Check out https://killedbygoogle.com/ and go down memory lane.

I say all of this to highlight some aspects that I’ve noticed about the SEO industry and Google as an organization that will help to inform my perspective as I share more and how I approach the current scenario.

Now, let’s check in on the industry.

The Industries hot take

Author of “Product-Led SEO” - Eli Schwartz, lit up SEO Twitter back in early May with this take:

The world is underestimating how much of an apocalypse Google’s new experience will be. Here are my predictions for what will happen once this becomes the default experience 🧵

— Eli Schwartz (@5le)

Now I realize there is a psychological tactic at play here for engagement. Alarmism and polarization can increase the response from the crowd and, in turn, boost your engagement… but come on.

As an in-house SEO, I’m dealing with this type of hot-take from non-SEOs day-in-day-out.

Eli’s main points:

Search Traffic (organic) will decline by 30-50%
1st position rankings will be equivalent to 10th position with Google’s SGE
PPC/ Google Ads will see a massive decrease in clicks as Google gives up short-term revenue to maintain market share while it hunts for monetization capability
Best practices will be even more of a moving target

Organizations that operate via organic through the value they bring to complex markets like technology and hardware have spoken out publicly - https://www.tomshardware.com/news/google-sge-break-internet

Some of Avram’s main points:

Google’s SGE is a new search interface that takes and displays content without attribution, and the result could harm and degrade the open web and user experience at large.
The SGE response tends to take up an entire screen.
The “front and center” claim from Google refers to 3 link thumbnails that occasionally appear alongside the SGE response.
These responses that SGE provides often plagiarise content.
Google claims the links corroborate the SGE result and are not the source.

Below is a screenshot of a search I performed recently that mimics the aftermarket automotive customer journey.

SGE result for “best brake pads for 2017 lexus gx460”

Founder of Siege Media - Ross Hudgens, shares his perspective that SGE doesn’t appear to be “better” but duplicates and feels like B- work.

This might be the SEO bias in me talking, but after testing Google’s new experience for an hour or so, I don’t see how it’s better than the current one on 95%+ of the queries I did. Feels like it conflicts or duplicates many amazing features they already built, presenting the…

— Ross Hudgens (@RossHudgens)

Longtime E-A-T evangelist Lily Ray cites some examples of plagiarism as well:

This is one of many examples I am finding but something that is a bit alarming about SGE is that it seems to directly plagiarize content. I thought generative AI almost always switched words around. I’m finding many examples where the answer is pulled from the page verbatim…

— Lily Ray (@lilyraynyc)

ML/SEO Data Scientist Britney Muller raises some concerns.

🚨ChatGPT/LLMs are not search engines, information retrieval systems or deterministic. + The incorporation of this tech into Google + Bing certainly adds to this confusion. @jjvincent explains how OpenAI isn’t doing enough to make this clear + examples of harmful outcomes:

— Britney Muller (@BritneyMuller)

My Working & Evolving Perspective

Google has access to an obscene amount of data that is highly valuable for training these modules.
Google has direct access to a giant group of willing QA/ Beta testers.
Google’s vertical integration solving it’s compute needs with it’s custom TPUv4 (ASIC hardware) - built for this type of large-scale work.
Google is the most commonly used search engine by far +93% world wide, device agnostic. ( https://gs.statcounter.com/search-engine-market-share )
We haven’t seen the search engine market shift the way people assumed it might happen. Bing hasn’t really turned GPT hype into market share, which tells us - Novelty… when people are searching on a search engine, they still use Google.

The Search Engine + LLM use-case hasn’t really been proven out yet. We buckled two things together, and no one is quite sure what to make of it outside of “novelty.”
Google still has to deal/answer to the US Gov if it decides to shatter the e-commerce landscape… resulting impact would be organizations collapsing + GDP loss. Overall destabilizing impact for the sake of market share doesn’t sound palatable - something would have to shift drastically (market share needle) for this to seem reasonable.
This isn’t a “well, you shouldn’t have just built a giant horse farm when Ford got his first car off the line” It’s more like - “Everyone has a horse farm, and now the only feed company sells Brawndo… and I’m not sure Brawndo has what horses crave.”

Watch on YouTube

Ultimately, no one knows what the future holds. From my perspective

It’s beyond clear; Google is still relevant.

People are still using Google search to enable transactions, and LLMs, regardless of how “cool,” have yet to change the face of the internet/e-commerce.

I’m not saying that they can’t/won’t;

I’m saying that an abrupt left turn has ramifications that will further destabilize an already teetering economy, and the “why” or the underlying use-case that implementing these LLMs solve for the customer is still unclear to me.

I’m unclear on the specific Search Engine + LLM setup & what we are trying to solve.

Why isn’t this a tool we explore and utilize as a stand-alone until we determine the beneficial use cases?

People were trained to use search engines by Google (for the most part). It seems most people are approaching these conversational ais in the same way, but they don’t really do what people expect.

Ultimately, if the current Google SGE product sticks, I think we’ll see a low-impact version deployed that shifts the presentation layer more than anything - less impact on underlying data or how sites “rank” - for now.

I’ll be sure to update my perspective and share more about this industry transition as it evolves.

Transformations are never easy.

We’re not finished yet. We’re not going anywhere.

Not if, but when.

Cool Cars

Found a new YT channel that’s pumping out awesome Porsche 911 content regularly. Michael has a funny IG, and his YT with the Canyon runs and detailed vids on his collection are equally enjoyable.
Check out this sweet 1973 911 Targa in Viper Green he’s started working on. Ultimately, this is what pulled me in.

1973 Porsche 911 Targa (UPDATE) // Viper Green 1973 911Tyoutube.com

Something I’ve been keeping my eye on over the past week. This BAT 1987 Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe G50 is insane. I’m interested to see how high it goes.

1987 Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe G50bringatrailer.com

Bid for the chance to own a 1987 Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe G50 at auction with Bring a Trailer, the home of the best vintage and classic cars online. Lot #111,307.

How To Start New Things

Matt Caramenico — Mon, 12 Jun 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Is it familiarity that chains us?

The comfort of the known that makes us perpetually tread on the same paths?

In this month’s issue (The inaugural issue), let’s explore what’s holding us back from experiencing the grandeur of new beginnings and how we can pivot from mere ideation or even decision into action.

Our attachment to habit is more profound than we think.

It’s our morning coffee.

The same routes we take.

The same food at our favorite restaurants.

Or even the same job we’ve clung to for years.

Why do we trap ourselves in these repeating cycles when there’s a world of possibilities out there?

The answer may lie in our fear of the unknown.

The fear of failure

Or the dread of appearing foolish in front of others.

Dickie Bush just mentioned this today:

And for whoever needs to hear it, your high school friends are not going to judge you. They are far too busy thinking about themselves to care about what you are doing.

— Dickie Bush (@dickiebush)

We shield ourselves behind the guise of:

Perfectionism
Procrastination
Being ‘too busy’

Ironically, in trying to avoid potential failure, we set ourselves up for a bigger one – the failure to try.

Most people do the only thing that will guarantee failure. They never even try.

The paralysis that people experience in the face of new beginnings is crippling.

We have every good intention and even make the decision to take the first step… and then nothing.

Reality sets in…

We fall back on our old excuses

and the part of ourselves - that is so good at protecting our ego and keeping us from failure is setting us up for a world of hurt as we look back on what could have been.

We will regret our inaction. We will regret not taking that first step.

I’m not just saying this from experience; it’s a cruel and well-studied phenomenon - https://psycnet.apa.org/buy/1995-05382-001

Here’s the truth: Perfection is not a prerequisite for starting;

It’s a result of learning and improving over time.

When I started learning about SEO back in 2013, I quickly realized there weren’t many ways to “practice” other than by doing.

Sure, you can find a page online, look at the URL and begin to fantasize about how you could make it better.

You can look at the backlink profile of a domain and envision a scenario where you might work with a competitor and begin to build out something similar.

You can run a page speed test and inspect how resources are being called in & utilized for site speed suggestions.

You can read books, blog posts, tweets, and articles until the cows come home, but without taking action and putting your research into practice… You never fully understand how those actions impact the site and really… never become an SEO.

As with any skill. The reps, the practice, and the focused work leads to mastery.

I saw this story on Quora that sums it up well… I’m not sure how to link to the response by Eric Scott. But I see he attributes it to this book by David Bayles and Ted Orland. https://www.amazon.com/Art-Fear-Observations-Rewards-Artmaking/dp/0961454733

A pottery teacher split her class into two halves.

To the first half she said, “You will spend the semester studying pottery, planning, designing, and creating your perfect pot. At the end of the semester, there will be a competition to see whose pot is the best”.

To the other half she said, “You will spend your semester making lots of pots. Your grade will be based on the number of completed pots you finish. At the end of the semester, you’ll also have the opportunity to enter your best pot into a competition.”

The first half of the class threw themselves into their research, planning, and design. Then they set about creating their one, perfect pot for the competition.

The second half of the class immediately grabbed fistfuls of clay and started churning out pots. They made big ones, small ones, simple ones, and intricate ones. Their muscles ached for weeks as they gained the strength needed to throw so many pots.

At the end of class, both halves were invited to enter their most perfect pot into the competition. Once the votes were counted, all of the best pots came from the students that were tasked with quantity. The practice they gained made them significantly better potters than the planners on a quest for a single, perfect pot.

In life, the best way to learn a skill, is to make a lot of pots.

Quantity led to quality. The more ‘pots’ we create, the better we get.

So, how can we break free from our self-imposed shackles and start something new?

The key lies in realizing that starting is a skill.

One that can be honed with time.

Just like with the pots, you have to put the reps in.

If you say you can’t do something, shift your perspective and say, ‘It’s not if, but when.’ Adopt a growth mindset and accept that failure is an integral part of learning and growing.

Stop waiting for the perfect moment.

Remember the Chinese proverb, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”

Just begin.

Go at your own pace and celebrate the small wins along the way. Tie your tasks to a bigger goal that excites you, set challenges for yourself, and reward your progress.

For me, I’ve set some pretty lofty goals.

Replace income of $250k annually by 1/1/2025.
Erin (Mrs. Caramenico) can work as much or as little as she wants
Schooling for Roman will be a decision based on his needs, not what is financially convenient.

When I need a reminder of my “why” -

I run through those goals.

They are bigger than myself. They have depth and detail to them that paints a picture of what freedom means to me right now.

Financial freedom.

Free from a single source of income
Free from trading our time for money
Free from being locked into a single location
Free from the stress that comes from limited access to money

So what’s at stake if we don’t confront this problem?

We miss out on a world of opportunity - to be more confident, creative, curious; to have improved focus and expanded social circles.

On the other hand, imagine the power that starting something new unleashes. It could be a new hobby, a new routine, or even a new job in a new city. It could be the ignition point that changes your entire life for the better.

In essence, the time to act is now. Let’s focus on the journey rather than the finish line.

Let’s be doers and not just dreamers.

Let’s turn our ideas into action.

“One average idea put into action is far more valuable than 20 genius ideas that are being saved.” - Skip Prichard

Ready to start something new?

This past week

Had the second punctured tire on my GX460 ~1-2 months. Thankfully this one is safe to run on, and I’ve been nursing it since traveling to PA. Bought a handheld inflator from Ryobi to keep it loaded. It works like a dream: 18V Cordless High Pressure Inflator
Shopped for some replacements at Costco since they have a great warranty program on tires. I think we’re gonna go with the Michelin LTX M/S2 I’ve got some Goodyear Wranglers on it from when I bought it but we’re going with something a bit more economical this round. At some point I’ll get around to doing the chrome delete, grill update, and add some https://www.falkentire.com/wildpeak/at3w on with https://www.nomadwheels.com/collections/wheels if they ever get some in stock.

Cool Cars

“Now THIS is wild!! You’re looking at a 1982 Porsche 911 SC that’s been extensively modified to combine the classic look of the iconic Carrera RS 2.7 with the power of a 911 Turbo!!” -@DougDeMuro

Learn more about this modified 911 on Cars & Bids now!

— Cars & Bids (@carsandbids)

SOPHISTICATED UTILITY VEHICLE: ALL-NEW 2024 LEXUS GX REDEFINES SUV - Lexus USA Newsroompressroom.lexus.com

AUSTIN, Texas (June 8, 2023) – Elevating the adventure-ready SUV segment is not a task taken lightly, but the all-new 2024 Lexus GX is up to the challenge with an unparalleled combination of elegant features, offroad capability, and the luxurious […]

I’m still not sure how I feel about the twin-turbo 3.4L v6. I believe it’s the same engine as what the tundra has now and I think the verdict is still out on longevity. To me, that is most of the allure of the Land Cruiser, Prado, GX, LX line. The ability to go anywhere and do so well after 200,300 thousand miles. We will see what happens. Regardless, first impressions from a visual perspective - It’s looking pretty dang good.

Matt Caramenico — Essays

Roundup - The last few weeks in search:

Google Architecture Diagram -

2023 Quality Search Raters Guidelines Update -

Managing the future of SEO Without Keywords -

Find and Delete in Search:

Conclusion:

Closing Thoughts

Cool Links:

Car Corner

State of Change within SEO

The rule, not the exception.

How do you navigate:

How do you learn SEO?

Conclusion:

Car Corner

Cool Links:

Top Search Engine

What Do Search Engines Do?

Market Share by Force

Conclusion:

Cool Cars:

Google Uses Click Data For Ranking & We Knew That

Fools Errand: SEO By The Book

Conclusion:

Google Can Directly Edit Search Results - It’s not all algo/ passive:

The US Government and Social Media companies work together to shape narratives:

Fact-Checking/ Fact Checks aren’t Facts:

Cool Cars:

Is The AI Bubble Bursting?

Round #3

Gold Rush ‘23

What’s the story:

Where do we go from here?

Cool Cars:

Cool Links:

Decoding Google's Core Updates: A Deep Dive

Google Core Update Impact Timeline:

Discerning the Cause:

Reframing Core Updates:

Deciphering Google’s Preferences:

The E-E-A-T Enigma:

Cool Cars:

Unraveling SEO: From Organic Traffic to Evergreen Success

Understanding SEO:

SEO’s Significance:

The Nature of Search Engines:

The Ever-evolving Landscape:

The Pillars of SEO:

On-page SEO and Content:

Technical SEO:

Backlink Acquisition:

Local SEO:

The Landmark Approach to SEO:

SEO’s Evergreen Promise: An Odyssey of Evolution

Cool Cars:

Some interesting stuff:

Deep Dive On Contrarian Thinking

The Monopoly of Capitalism—Let’s Get Real

The Three Truths—The Good, The Bad, and The Hidden

Globalization Vs. Technological Innovation: What’s Your Game?

What’s in a Label? A Lot, Apparently.

Why Being a Contrarian Isn’t Just Being Difficult

In Conclusion: Are You Ready to Jump from Zero to One?

Cool Cars:

Some interesting stuff:

Sometimes the Experts are Full of Shit

Bobby’s Dad:

Meeting Experts:

See For yourself

Google’s in danger:

Google’s age and “stagnation”:

Search Engine Turmoil “never before.”

Google’s gonna burn it all down:

Don’t meet your heroes:

Cool Cars:

Cool links:

Lessons from Monet for Entrepreneurs

What do you want?

Work Backward