🔍 Focusing on Domain Authority is a bad idea | AI restaurant reservations rolling out

Plus, full-funnel SEM and the disappearance of in-depth articles. Mar 08, 2019 Good morning, search marketers, how many spammy SEO pitches did you wade through to find this? That didn’t take long. We started seeing [bogus pitches to “improve your Domain Authority”]( almost as soon as Moz announced the update of its metric. Just as building an SEO strategy around Google PageRank was misguided, so too is focusing on improving DA alone to boost your Google rankings. They aren’t connected, as Moz’s Russ Jones has [reiterated](. “DA has no influence on your Google rankings. Your DA score can drop through the floor and your rankings in Google will not change as a result,” said our own Barry Schwartz. Just hit delete on link builders promising to improve your DA. [Restaurants in 43 states can now opt to accept reservations via a Duplex-powered Google Assistant]( on Pixel devices (and soon on iOS and other Android devices). Duplex is Google’s AI phone-based system for local business bookings. It’s starting out in the restaurant vertical, but if successful, we expect to see this come to other local sectors. Lots more below, including a take on “why the future of SEM is full funnel” and an update on SMX Advanced, which is coming up in June. Hope to see you in Seattle! Ginny Marvin, Editor-in-Chief Quick links to stories mentioned above: + [SEOs beware: Link builders are back with bogus Domain Authority pitches]( + [Duplex-powered Google Assistant restaurant booking expanding to more states and users]( Pro Tip Here’s why the future of SEM is full funnel “Could our bottom funnels be much, much larger if we filled our funnels with top and middle funnel search? The top and middle KPIs might never stack up to bottom funnel performance, but maybe they can impact more business goals than other upper-funnel marketing tactics such as online display or even television,” suggests Josh Dreller of Kenshoo. “If 90 percent of searchers haven’t made their mind up about a brand before starting their search, it would seem that getting in front of a consumer when they’re just starting their purchase journey should be prioritized. And the time when consumers are searching for middle funnel terms as they round out their research and get closer to buying can be a very valuable inflection point for brands to influence them.” [READ MORE »]( Live Webinar: How to Use Intelligent Site Search to Increase Conversions- Mar. 14 Sponsored by Coveo Web visitors today don’t have time to browse all over your site. They want to search for – and find – what they need quickly and easily through personalized experiences. With site search users being up to 5 times more likely to convert, the stakes for relevant results and recommendations are higher than ever before. Join this webinar to learn more. [READ MORE »]( Search Shorts JavaScript SEO and search UI changes JavaScript SEO. Google has posted a [few videos in their JavaScript SEO series](. Currently they are all pretty basic but they give a good overview of how Google sees various types of JavaScript. Local packs are dropping. According to Moz data, the display of local packs in the Google mobile results outside of the U.S. is [significantly dropping off](. In-depth articles change. It might be a bug or it might be a feature but Moz data is showing that [In-depth articles in the Google results are completely gone](. SMX Update SMX Advanced SEO Keynote Announced Acknowledging the rapid pace of change in the world of SEO, our topic for one of two keynotes at SMX Advanced is Surveying The SEO Horizon, presented by Search Engine Land writers and frequent SMX speakers [Jessica Bowman](, [Detlef Johnson]( and [Alexis Sanders](. In this wide-ranging keynote, you’ll hear insights into what’s happening with technical SEO, important considerations for in-house SEOs and an insider’s perspective into the world of agency SEOs. You’ll also hear what our experts see coming in the year ahead. Want to see what else we’ve got planned for SMX Advanced? Check out the [agenda](, the in-depth [workshops]( and the [Search Engine Land Awards](, which will be presented during a gala ceremony at Seattle’s [Museum of Popular Culture](. The Big Picture Don't mistake Domain Authority for a Google metric Just because some SEO agencies and vendors tout their ability to “improve your Domain Authority,” that doesn’t mean it’s incorporated into the ranking algorithm. [READ MORE »]( What we're reading Today's theme: SEO, search ads and taxes [Bing ads and Samsung launch 3D Search ads]( – Netimperative [Ecommerce SEO: What to do when items go out of stock]( – BrightEdge SEO Blog [Everything You Need to Know About the New Google My Business Site Manager Role]( – Sterling Sky Inc [France 3% digital tax targets Google, Amazon and Facebook]( – CNBC [Google’s Gary Illyes PubCon Presentation Seemed Image Search Focused]( – Search Engine Roundtable [Mobile SEO: The latest usage trends and content strategies for maximum impact]( – Search Metrics [Powerful Moments Success Story Challenge: Winners]( – Bing Ads Blog Join Us Gain expert SEO & SEM tactics to drive your campaign's success. Attend SMX Advanced, June 3-5! 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](! [Search Engine Land] [( [Want to advertise?]( This email was sent to {EMAIL}. [Click here to unsubscribe or manage your subscriptions]( [We respect your privacy.]( This email was sent by: Search Engine Land - a Third Door Media, Inc. publication with headquarters at 279 Newtown Tpke. Redding, CT 06896 USA © 2006-2019 Third Door Media. All Rights Reserved.