Fanatically Digital

06/12/2026

Google's May 2026 Core Update just finished rolling out, and June 9 was the first day you can get a clean comparison in Search Console.

Here's your 15-minute audit checklist:

1. Compare the week of June 9-15 vs. the week before the rollout started
2. Sort landing pages by click change (biggest drops first)
3. For each dropped page, check: Did impressions drop too, or just clicks? If impressions held but clicks fell, your rankings shifted slightly. If both cratered, Google may have re-evaluated your content entirely.
4. Cross-reference with GA4 organic landing page data to see if conversions shifted
5. Check Google's new "AI citations" report if you have access

What NOT to do: panic-rewrite pages, disavow random links, or "add more keywords." Those are 2015 tactics.

The sites winning after this update share three traits: clear expertise signals, fast load times, and content that actually answers the question in the first 200 words.

Need help reading your post-update data? That's literally what we do.

06/12/2026

Google just published an official guide on how to optimize content for AI search and citations. Then immediately warned everyone not to try to manipulate or buy AI citations.

Read that again. They told you how to optimize, then told you not to game it. Classic Google.

Here's what actually matters from the guide:

The sites getting cited in AI Overviews aren't doing anything magical. They're the same sites that ranked well organically: clear, authoritative, well-structured content from identifiable experts.

What's different is that AI search rewards specificity over volume. One deeply useful page beats ten thin ones. Google's AI pulls from content that directly, clearly answers questions without making the reader wade through filler.

For SMBs, this is actually good news. You don't need 500 blog posts. You need 20 really good ones that demonstrate you know your business cold.

The agencies selling "AI SEO packages" and "citation building for AI search" are already popping up. Save your money. If your content is genuinely useful and your site is technically sound, you're already doing AI SEO.

We've been saying "write for humans, structure for machines" for years. Turns out that's still the whole playbook.

06/11/2026

Honest question for business owners: Do you know what happens to your customer data after it leaves your website?

The biggest shift in digital marketing right now isn't AI or algorithm updates. It's the quiet migration from third-party data to first-party data, and most small businesses are sleepwalking through it.

Here's why it matters to you:

Third-party cookies are effectively dead. The tracking pixels you relied on for retargeting are less effective every month. Meanwhile, the businesses collecting email addresses, running loyalty programs, and building direct relationships with customers are pulling ahead.

Your email list is now your most valuable marketing asset. Not your social following (rented land). Not your ad account (pay-to-play). Your list.

Three things every SMB should do this month:
• Audit every form on your website. Is it actually collecting useful data?
• Set up or clean up your email welcome sequence
• Start tracking which marketing channels drive actual leads, not just traffic

The businesses that own their customer relationships will outperform those renting attention from platforms. Every time.

What's your biggest challenge with customer data right now? Drop it in the comments.

06/05/2026

Two massive things happened this week that every business owner should know about:

1. Google's AI Mode just crossed 1 BILLION monthly users
2. OpenAI opened ChatGPT advertising to any U.S. business

Let that sink in for a second.

A billion people are now getting AI-generated answers instead of clicking through to websites. And now you can buy ads inside ChatGPT conversations.

Here's what this means for small businesses:

Your website still matters, but HOW it matters is changing. AI tools are pulling from your content to generate answers. If your site has strong, authoritative content, you're feeding the machine that feeds your customers.

On the ad side: ChatGPT ads are interesting but unproven for SMBs. Google and Meta are still where the ROI lives for most local businesses. Don't chase the shiny object until there's data showing it converts for your market.

The agencies telling you to "pivot everything to AI" are the same ones who told you to go all-in on Clubhouse. Remember Clubhouse?

Stay informed. Test carefully. Don't blow your budget on hype.

06/04/2026

OpenAI is rolling out conversion-optimized campaigns in ChatGPT Ads starting June 5th. This is a big deal since it moves ChatGPT ads from brand awareness into true performance marketing territory. We're watching this closely at FD because early movers on new ad platforms often see the best CPAs before competition drives costs up.

https://ift.tt/acKARDM

OpenAI sent out an email to some early advertisers offering them early access to conversion-optimized campaigns. Conversion-optimized campaigns are going to be available to some advertisers starting on June 5, 2026.

06/04/2026

Google Ads just expanded New Customer Acquisition with "Prospect Mode" targeting users who have never searched for, engaged with, or visited your site. Think cold prospecting, automated by Google. For SMBs trying to grow beyond their existing audience, this could be a game-changer if the targeting actually delivers. We'll be testing it.

https://ift.tt/7UWcD6p

Google Ads has expanded New Customer Acquisition with a new feature called Prospect Mode. Prospect mode also targets brand-unaware users, Google said. Those prospects who have not searched for, engaged with, or visited your site. Some call them cold prospects.

06/03/2026

Google Display Ads is officially migrating into Demand Gen campaigns. You'll still be able to serve ads exclusively on the Display Network, but management is moving under the Demand Gen umbrella. If you're running Display campaigns, start familiarizing yourself with Demand Gen now because this transition is happening whether you're ready or not.

https://buff.ly/rglEW9R

Display advertisers can still serve ads exclusively on the Google Display Network while unlocking more streamlined campaign management.

06/03/2026

The PMax vs. separate campaigns debate continues. This Ask A PPC breakdown examines when Performance Max drives better efficiency and when you need the control of standalone campaigns. Our take: for most SMBs, a hybrid approach works best, PMax for broad reach, dedicated Search campaigns for your highest-intent keywords.

https://buff.ly/tR5cBK1

Is Performance Max better than separate campaigns? Learn how budget, control, and account structure should shape the right decision for growth.

06/02/2026

New data shows that Position 1 in Google now appears halfway down the page on many queries, thanks to AI Overviews, ads, and featured snippets pushing organic results down. This is why we keep telling clients: ranking #1 isn't enough anymore. You need visibility across multiple SERP features including organic, local, ads, and now AI citations.

https://www.searchenginejournal.com/updated-serps-new-study-measures-the-serp-in-pixels-not-ranks-recap/577359/

06/02/2026

If everyone's using AI to write content, everyone's content starts to sound the same, and Google notices. This article nails the "AI sameness trap" we've been warning clients about. The businesses winning at SEO right now are the ones adding genuine expertise, real data, and original perspectives that AI simply can't replicate.

AI convergence is making search marketing brands indistinguishable. Here's why human variation is now the most valuable thing in your toolkit.