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🔍 A search engine to take on Google? | Annual Google Ads event

Good morning, search marketers, do you have a dream?

SEO toolset provider Ahrefs does and it's ambitious. CEO Dmitry Gerasimenko announced the company's plans to take on Google with a search engine that flips the ad-driven business model on its head. The Ahrefs engine would have the privacy focus of DuckDuckGo and the 90/10 profit sharing model with content creators of, well, no one — it could be the first. (Ahrefs would take the 10 percent cut.)

"If you like this idea and willing to help you should apply to our ML and development positions. We are especially interested in Rust & OCaml developers and Data Science people with practical experience in handling text or search," Gerasimenko tweeted.

Regardless of whether it ever actually gets off the ground, it's an interesting proposition for those of us in search to consider how different our industry would be if Google had taken a different tack than AdWords.

Speaking of Google and ads… Google Marketing Live, the company's annual showcase for new ads and analytics features is happening on May 14. Usually just the main keynotes are available via livestream, however, this year, more than 8 hours of it will be viewable from your desk.

Apple's app discovery ads are now available in 46 more countries. Advertisers running Apple Search Ads campaigns can also now target multiple regions in a single campaign.

Lots more below, including a tip on why knowing some Python could be a big help.

Ginny Marvin
Editor-In-Chief

Quick links to stories mentioned above:
+ Ahrefs, SEO toolset provider, to build their own search engine to compete with Google
+ Apple extends Search Ads support to 46 more countries

 
 
 
Pro Tip
 

Here's why some Python knowledge can be handy for data blending

"When you join separate datasets, the common columns need to be formatted in the same way for [data blending] techniques to work. However, this is hardly the case. You often need to preprocess the columns ahead of the join operation," explains Hamlet Batista of RankSense.

"It is relatively easy to perform advanced data joins in Tableau, Power BI and similar business intelligence tools, but when you need to preprocess the columns is where learning a little bit of Python pays off." Hamlet shares several scripts for data blending in his column this month.

READ MORE »

 

The Secret Formula For Determining A Marketing Budget

Sponsored by Sharpspring

Determining a marketing budget can be frustrating. Are you investing enough? How do you know if what you're doing is working? This guide from SharpSpring outlines two simple equations you can use to take a lot of the guesswork out of the budgeting process.

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Search Shorts
 

More Google search for ya.

More Google ranking chatter.  This might just be the continued rollout of the March 12th core update, but we are seeing some more chatter and signals of a Google update yesterday.

You're not special.  Despite what some SEO companies might say, Google Partners do not get special treatment or access for organic search and SEO.

UK featured snippets spike.  The folks at Moz are noticing big jumps in the number of featured snippets Google is showing in the UK search results.  Oh, by the way, RankRanger is showing a similar trend.

Black magic or. Google's John Mueller said Google can index URLs without having to crawl those URLs, that is just how Google works.

 
What we're reading
 

We've curated our picks from across the web so you can retire your feed reader

7 Prospecting Strategies for PPC Agencies – WordStream

An SEO's Perspective: How to Scale Quality Content Production – Go Inflow

Ensure Brand Coverage With Google's Target Impression Share Bid Strategy – Metric Theory

Google's March 2019 Core Update – Full Analysis Of Over 1,700,000 Pages – Traffic Research

How Google warped the hyperlink – WIRED

Pentagon Chief: Google Needs a Lesson in Patriotism – Bloomberg

The 5 SEO Recommendations That Matter in the End – Moz

 
 
 
Join Us
 

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Attend Search Engine Land's SMX Advanced, June 3-5, 2019 for expert-led sessions, networking (including the 2019 Search Engine Land Awards), and top amenities including WiFi, delicious meals, and snacks. This is your once-a-year event to learn only advanced SEO and SEM tactics. You'll come away with at least one tactic that you can immediately put to use… we guarantee it. View rates and register today!