Google’s AI Overviews (AIOs) are being positioned as a step forward in helping users engage more deeply with content on the web. Google CEO Sundar Pichai has publicly stated that these updates are increasing user activity and sending more traffic to the broader ecosystem. 

But as marketers, SEOs, and digital strategists, we need to move past the headline and ask a more pointed question: Is Google actually driving more traffic to our websites or just keeping users on the SERP longer?

Recent analysis from Kevin Indig, using Similarweb data across 5 billion search queries, paints a more nuanced picture: 

• Zero-click search share increased from 71.4% to 76% after the rollout of AIOs. 

• Searches without AIOs still drive twice as many page views as those with AIOs. 

• While clicks that do happen from AIOs are higher-quality, overall traffic volume is declining. 

So while Google may be right that user engagement is evolving, the claim that this is resulting in more traffic for site owners doesn’t hold up across the board. 

Indig’s research found that users may be visiting Google more frequently post-AIO, but they’re spending less time per visit. The behavior aligns with a “quick answer” search pattern: Users ask, Google answers, and the journey ends there. 

Even with modest growth in page views from AIO-related queries (up 21.5% between May and November 2024), the broader ecosystem still sees fewer clicks per search. In short: The traffic is more qualified, but it’s also more scarce. 

If your growth strategy hinges on organic search, it’s time to recalibrate. Here are a few considerations: 

• Branded search is more important than ever. Queries that mention your name are less vulnerable to zero-click loss.

• Value-added content wins. Interactive tools, in-depth resources, and thought leadership pieces are more likely to earn clicks than generic blog posts.

• Technical SEO and structured data are strategic. AIOs rely heavily on data parsing, so schema and authoritative signals (like E-E-A-T) carry more weight.

• First-party data matters. With fewer guaranteed site visits, collecting and activating the data you do have becomes a must. 

AI Overviews may reflect the future of search, but it’s a future where competition happens on the SERP, not just on your site. Winning in that world means optimizing not just for visibility, but for action. You have to make every click count and every impression intentional. 

And as always, the fundamentals remain: Build trust, add value, and create experiences worth clicking into.

This guide breaks down the key differences between freelancers and agencies so you can evaluate which partner makes sense for your brand’s size, complexity, and ambition. From pros and cons to must-ask vetting questions, get the insights you need to make a smart, scalable decision.

As your business grows, so does the complexity of your digital marketing. What once worked when you were in startup mode might not cut it now that you’re chasing bigger goals, more customers, and better ROI. One of the most common conversations we have with business owners goes something like this: 

“We’ve been working with the same freelancer for years, and they’ve done a great job, but I’m wondering whether it’s time to move to an agency.” 

If that sounds familiar, you’re in the right place. This guide will help you evaluate whether a freelancer or an agency is the better partner for where your business is right now and where you want it to go. 

Freelancers: Flexible, Focused, and Ideal for Targeted Needs

Pros of working with freelancers: 

• Cost-effective: Great for businesses just starting out or those with limited budgets. 

• Specialized expertise: Many freelancers focus on a specific area (like SEO, design, or email), which makes them valuable assets for individual projects. 

• Agile and responsive: Working with one person can mean quicker turnaround times and direct communication. 

Cons of working with freelancers: 

• Limited capacity: A single person can only manage so much before it affects quality or timing. 

• Scalability challenges: As your needs grow, your freelancer might not have the time, resources, or range of skills to support you. 

• Lack of integrated strategy: Unless they’re part of a broader team, it’s tough for one person to manage everything from strategy to execution across multiple channels. 

Agencies: Scalable, Strategic, and Built for Growth

Pros of working with agencies: 

• Full-service teams: Agencies often have dedicated experts across multiple disciplines. 

• Strategic oversight: Agencies typically provide a holistic marketing strategy and align each tactic with your overall business goals. 

• Scalable solutions: Whether you’re launching a new product or expanding to new markets, agencies can ramp up quickly. 

• Reliability: With processes, systems, and backup resources in place, agencies ensure your marketing doesn’t miss a beat. 

Cons of working with agencies: 

• Higher investment: Agencies tend to cost more, though they often deliver more comprehensive value. 

• Structured communication: You’ll likely work with a project manager or strategist rather than directly with the person executing every task, which can be a shift if you’re used to a more informal setup. 

Ask yourself: 

• Is your marketing to-do list growing faster than your capacity to manage it? 

• Do you need integrated strategies or just help with execution? 

• Are you entering a new market, rebranding, or scaling up? 

• Do you want a partner who can challenge your assumptions and bring fresh ideas? 

If your answer to most of these is “yes,” an agency might be your next best hire. If you just need task-based help with things like writing blog posts or launching a landing page, a freelancer could still fit the bill depending on the scope. 

Whether you’re eyeing a single freelancer or a full-blown agency, don’t skip due diligence. These questions are your BS detector and decision-making compass rolled into one: 

Pro tip: Don’t just listen to the answers. Watch how they respond. Do they ask you questions in return? Are they curious about your business? That’s a good sign.

• Start small; think big. Freelancers are great for targeted tasks and short-term needs. But when your marketing needs outgrow their capacity, don’t be afraid to level up.

• Look for alignment, not perfection. Whether you go freelance or full agency, the best partner is the one that understands your brand, your goals, and your ideal customer.

• Vet ruthlessly. Ask the tough questions. Look for proof, not just promises. 

• Trust your gut, but check it with data. Chemistry matters, but results are what really count. 

There are incredible freelancers out there, and for the right scope, they can be a perfect fit. But if your business is entering a new phase of growth, facing more complex challenges, or just needs a team that can keep up with your ambition, partnering with an agency might be the smartest next step. 

Key Takeaways 

• A website launch isn’t a light switch — it’s a full-blown production. Rushing it risks broken links, lost SEO, and a digital hot mess you’ll be cleaning up for weeks. 

• Prep like a pro: Audit content, map redirects, QA everything, and set up analytics.  

• Launch smart: Choose a low-traffic time for launch, double-check functionality, and announce the launch. Submit your sitemap to Google, verify redirects, and make some noise on social and email. 

• Post-launch isn’t the end — it’s the beginning. Monitor traffic, rankings, and UX, and then optimize relentlessly. Your site isn’t something you can set and forget; it’s a living, breathing conversion machine.

You’ve finally wrapped your arms around your brand’s new website. It’s sleek. It’s fast. It makes your old site look like a MySpace profile circa 2006. But before you hit that big shiny launch button and cue the champagne, let’s have a little heart-to-heart about what can (and will) go sideways if you don’t plan this thing properly. 

Launching a website isn’t just flipping a switch. It’s more like choreographing a halftime show — every beat matters, every light has to hit just right, and one rogue backup dancer (read: broken link or missing redirect) can blow the whole thing up. 

So whether you’re refreshing a current site, migrating a website to a new domain, or launching a brand-new one, here’s everything you need to know about planning a website launch — complete with research, examples, and the checklists you need to make your project manager weep with joy. 

A bad launch can tank your traffic and SEO and leave your team playing digital Whac-A-Mole for weeks as problems pop up. 

Common pitfalls we see when businesses rush launches include: 

• Broken links and 404 errors. 

• Incorrect redirects (or no redirects at all). 

• Missing metadata. 

• Slow page load speed. 

• Analytics not tracking properly. 

Let’s fix that, shall we? 

Before you even think about going live, this is your prep kitchen. No one wants to serve raw chicken. Here’s your mise en place: 

1. Perform a content audit.

Start your content audit by crawling your current site with a tool like Screaming Frog. This helps identify what pages exist; what’s ranking; and what should be migrated, updated, or given a proper Viking funeral. 

Action step: Create a spreadsheet that includes: 

• URLs. 

• Page titles. 

• Meta descriptions. 

• Traffic data (via GA4 or Google Search Console). 

• Backlink value (via Ahrefs). 

• Keyword rankings. 

• Appearances in AI SERP features. 

• Referral traffic from AI-driven search platforms. 

Keep what works, ditch what doesn’t, and rewrite what’s outdated. 

2. Create a redirect map.

Every old URL that’s going away needs to be accounted for. If not? Say goodbye to your SEO equity. 

Action step: Create a redirect map using 301 redirects (not 302s unless temporary). And keep redirects relevant. Sending an old blog post to your homepage is lazy and confuses users and search engines. 

Use tools like Screaming Frog’s redirect checker to test your setup before launch. 

3. QA like your digital life depends on it.

Because it does. Mobile responsiveness, page load speed, browser compatibility — it all needs to be tested. Twice. Then once more for fun. 

Test for: 

• Mobile responsiveness. 

• Core Web Vitals. 

• Cross-browser performance. 

• Form functionality. 

• CTA tracking. 

Pro tip: Assign different team members to “break” the site on different devices and report anything funky. Develop and document a QA process for regularly monitoring site health. 

4. Set up analytics tracking.

Few things are worse than launching your shiny new website and realizing you’re not tracking a thing. 

So before you go live, get your data ducks in a row. That means setting up GA4, Google Tag Manager, and any heatmapping tools (like Hotjar) ahead of time. 

But here’s where a lot of people stop — and where you’re going to be smarter. 

Yes, GA4 and GTM are must-haves, but your marketing automation platform also needs to be connected from the jump. Think HubSpot, Pardot, Marketo — the whole martech band needs to play in sync. 

Why? When your forms are connected to your MAP and built with hidden fields (like UTM parameters, source, campaign, and referrer), you’re capturing true attribution. You’ll know exactly where leads are coming from, and you’ll be able to track the entire buyer’s journey beyond just the form fill. 

Make sure: 

• GA4 is properly configured with event tracking (like form submissions, button clicks, scroll depth, etc.). 

• Google Tag Manager is installed and firing correctly. 

• Conversion goals are set up (including micro-conversions). 

• Filters and views are double-checked (because your internal IP shouldn’t skew your data). 

• Marketing automation is fully integrated and forms are passing data seamlessly. 

• Hidden fields are capturing key attribution data (source, medium, campaign, etc.). 

• All lead activity from your site is feeding into your CRM or MAP for downstream nurture, scoring, and sales enablement. 

Bottom line: Analytics + automation = marketing visibility nirvana. When everything’s stitched together properly, you’ll not only know who converted, but you’ll also know why, how, and what to do next. 

It’s go time! Here’s your website launch day checklist to see the best results: 

1. Launch during low traffic times.

Middle of the night or early morning. Not Friday. Never Friday. You don’t want to discover a 500 error at 4:59 p.m. before a long weekend. That’s how ulcers are born. 

2. Perform post-launch QA.

Go through your checklist again. Crawl the site for errors. Check that your XML sitemap is submitted to Google Search Console. Verify that redirects are working. Test key user paths. 

Pro tip: Use Ahrefs Webmaster Tools for a post-launch crawl to catch any missed issues. 

3. Tell the world (and Google).

Submit your sitemap in Google Search Console. Ping Google with Fetch and Render. Share the launch on social, email your subscribers, and pat your dev team on the back — they’ve earned it! 

Don’t launch your site and walk away. This is your follow-up era. 

Monitor: 

• Traffic patterns in GA4 (and compare to pre-launch metrics). 

• Keyword rankings (via Ahrefs or Semrush). 

• Bounce rate, time on site, and conversion paths. 

• Technical health. (Crawl weekly for the first month.) 

Iterate: 

Use heatmaps, user session recordings, and user feedback to continuously improve the user experience. Your launch is a chapter, not the whole book. 

A website launch is your digital debutante ball. Don’t show up with broccoli in your teeth. With a solid strategy, ruthless attention to detail, and a team that knows what they’re doing, you can make your launch a chef’s kiss moment that sets your brand up for long-term success. 

Key Takeaways 

• Amazon Prime Day 2025 is approaching fast, and brands that don’t plan ahead are going to get flattened. The winners will be the ones who prep now: forecasting inventory, locking in deals, testing creative early, and building custom landing pages that convert.

• Amazon’s A10 algorithm places an increased emphasis on external traffic compared to past iterations of the search algorithm. Leverage Meta ads, TikTok creators, Google Search, and email to drive off-Amazon engagement, and track it all with Amazon Attribution (beta) for a shot at higher rankings and stronger sales.

• Don’t stop after Prime Day. Retarget browsers, request reviews, upsell past buyers, and analyze your data so your Q4 strategy isn’t a guess — it’s a battle-tested strategy. 

Amazon’s Big Spring Sale just wrapped up, and the summer Amazon Prime Day 2025 will be here before you know it. 

If you’re planning to just wing it with some last-minute pay-per-click advertising and a prayer, prepare to get steamrolled by brands that did their homework. 

And this year, Amazon isn’t just pushing deals — it’s pushing a new algorithm. 

External traffic is an increasingly important ranking factor, thanks to Amazon’s A10 algorithm update. So both enterprise brands and SMBs are expanding beyond Amazon PPC and investing more heavily in external channels, including social media and traditional media (enterprise) and SEO and social media ads (SMBs). 

If you haven’t optimized your Amazon strategy in light of the new algorithm updates, you’re falling behind. 

The good news? You still have time to prepare for Amazon Prime Day. The better news? We’re handing you the playbook. 

You don’t prep for Black Friday the week before Thanksgiving. Same logic applies here — Prime Day success isn’t a fluke; it’s a product of planning. If you’re hoping to cash in, here’s what you need on lock in advance: 

• Inventory forecasting: Pull historical data from past Prime Days, the previous quarter, and seasonal spikes to predict demand. Then, over-order — not by a mile, but just enough to cover an unexpected surge. If you run out of stock mid-event, your listing will tank in ranking.

• Deals submission: Lightning deals and Prime exclusive discounts require approval weeks in advance. Set internal deadlines now to finalize pricing, bundle strategies, and submission details before Amazon’s deadlines.

• Ad creative and copy testing: Launch pre-event campaigns four to six weeks out to test different angles (discount messaging, urgency, user-generated content vs. product-first visuals). Use click-through rate and conversion rate data to kill weak creative and scale the winners. Bonus: You’ll warm up your pixel and audience pools before the big day.

• Landing pages and A+ Content: If you’re leveraging external traffic (and you should be), build Prime Day-specific landing pages with countdowns, product comparisons, and direct CTAs. Get those approved and published early. 

Plan like it’s the Super Bowl — because in e-commerce, it is. 

Amazon’s A10 algorithm prioritizes external traffic. If you’re not bringing shoppers from outside the platform, your rankings (and your revenue) are going to suffer. Here’s how to make it work for you: 

• Meta Ads (Facebook and Instagram): Build segmented audiences now — past buyers, page engagers, email lists — and create lookalike audiences based on high-value purchasers. Test static, carousel, and video formats to find what drives the cheapest but highest-quality traffic.

• Short-form video (TikTok and YouTube Shorts): Start seeding products with micro-influencers today. Look for niche creators with loyal followings, not just big numbers. Bonus if they’ve shown success driving affiliate revenue. Make sure your ask is simple: fast, hooky product demos or quick-hit reviews.

• Google Ads (search and shopping): People absolutely search for deals outside of Amazon on Prime Day. Bid on branded and product category terms, and send traffic directly to your Amazon listings (with attribution tags).

• Email marketing: Segment your audience — past purchasers, subscribers, couponers — and create a three-part Prime Day sequence: tease, launch, last chance. Include product-specific CTAs, and make sure you include your Amazon link, not your website link.

• Amazon Attribution: If you’re brand-registered and not using Amazon Attribution (beta), you’re missing out. It’s your shot at getting algorithm credit for external traffic. Set it up, tag everything, and track performance. 

You could bring in a stampede of traffic, but if your product page is not high-quality and optimized, next to none of it will convert. You’ve got to look ready for Prime time with stellar content and next-level visuals. That means: 

• Keyword-rich titles and bullets: Use keyword tools (hello, Helium 10) to stack your titles and bullets with high-intent, relevant phrases. But keep it human — no one’s buying from a keyword salad.

• Product photography: Hero images need to pop even at thumbnail size. Add high-quality lifestyle photos, comparison shots, unboxing images, and annotated graphics (features, size, etc.).

• A+ Content: This is where you close the sale. Drop in comparison charts, lifestyle imagery, FAQs, and feature/benefit breakdowns.

• Review management: Push review requests now. Use post-purchase email flows, Amazon’s “Request a Review” button, or a tool like FeedbackWhiz. More (and better) reviews = more trust = more conversions. 

Prime Day isn’t a two-day sprint. It’s a launchpad for Q3 and Q4 momentum — if you do it right. Most brands ghost their customers once the sale ends — don’t make that mistake. Here’s how to squeeze every last drop of Amazon ROI out of Prime Day: 

• Retargeting ads: Set up dynamic product ads to hit site visitors, page engagers, and cart abandoners within 24-72 hours of Prime Day. Offer a follow-up deal or bundle to sweeten the second chance.

• Review and loyalty sequences: Trigger automated flows after purchase to request reviews (critical for social proof) and offer loyalty perks, such as subscribe and save, early access to future drops, or referral codes.

• Upsell campaigns: Build segmented lists of Prime Day buyers, and retarget them with complementary products. Example: If they bought a portable blender, pitch a single-serve smoothie recipe book or a travel case the following week.

• Analytics deep dive: Pull Amazon and ad platform data to dissect what worked — creative, audience, timing, and placements. Use those insights to optimize for Q4 and beyond. 

If you want to win Prime Day 2025, you can’t just show up — you have to show out. The brands that will crush it aren’t the ones chasing last-minute trends or blindly boosting posts — they’re the ones with full-funnel strategies, airtight listings, and traffic pipelines already pumping.  

Amazon changed the rules with A10. Now it’s your move.

Key Points

• B2B vs. B2C: Traditionally, B2B focuses on logic and long decision-making, while B2C targets emotions and quick decisions.
• The emergence of B2P: Business to person (B2P) focuses on personalized, human-centric experiences.
• Key B2P strategies:
  • Develop personas to understand decision makers.
  • Craft customer-centric messaging.
  • Ensure user-centric website experiences.
  • Implement sales enablement tools for better customer engagement.

For decades, using “B2B” and “B2C” to distinguish how a business markets and sells its products or services has been the industry standard. Today, B2B, in particular, is experiencing an ongoing shift in identifying how buyers consume information and their expectations around those interactions. This often means a broader view, with more personalized, human-centric experiences.

As the distinctions between the marketplace and home have continued to lessen, the one-way-or-another view of B2C vs. B2B marketing has ultimately been shifting into something new.

As B2B marketers, we’re always seeking out ways to achieve greater connection. We have recently found ourselves intrigued by an emerging approach called B2P, “business to people.” It embodies principles that we have long embraced.

B2C (business to consumer) products or services originate directly from the producers of the product or service and are delivered directly to the end user.

This customer is typically the sole decision maker or influencer. An example is buying a Coke based on firsthand knowledge or convincing someone to buy you a pair of Nikes based on the brand’s reputation.

B2C marketers tend to group consumers based on broad demographics — like college-educated women aged 25-40 or retired men from the Midwest. B2C favors emotion to influence its audience by highlighting the benefits of its products and services and explaining how they solve problems.

B2B (business to business) involves the influence of one business to another (typically manufacturers and wholesalers).

The decision-making process is usually longer than a direct-to-consumer context. B2B marketers understand that more than one person is typically involved in the buying process for a business —  budget holders, decision makers, influencers, and end users. Overall messaging, however, tends to consider them as one group. B2B favors logic to influence its audience by highlighting how its products and services solve a problem or add value, like saving time, money, and resources.

Because of what has inherently been seen as a fundamental opposite in approach, B2C and B2B have been seen as an either-or model that marketers must choose.

That’s changing.

The foundation of B2P means transcending the fundamentals of B2C and B2B by recognizing the individual at the center of the buying process. This means placing emphasis on the unique goals, pains, preferences, and habits of all decision makers, whether for personal or professional consumption.

By considering a B2P approach to your B2B strategy, you expand your view of the collective of influencers within the industries you market to and use an examination of the unique needs and interests to drive your strategy. Understanding the decision-making patterns of more than one demographic leads to deeper, more detailed customer insight that allows your creative team to provide more relevant and effective content.

Let’s dive into how to incorporate a B2P mindset into your business:

• Personas: These are composite profiles that identify each ideal prospect and can help you move beyond selling to a “business title.” Personas are created by walking you, the seller, step by step through exercises that explore and test how well you know each person in the buying process. It highlights their preferences, communication styles, challenges, and aspirations and identifies ways your company can communicate more effectively — and on a human level.
• Messaging: Every brand should have its own story, and the focus should always be on the customer, not the brand. Participating in a deep-dive exploration such as a brand story exercise can help pinpoint your ideal customers’ specific challenges and examine how your brand rises to meet and address those challenges and the best ways to connect and communicate with each buyer.
• Website: Your website is the place that all of your marketing efforts point back to. The B2P element here is ensuring everything on your website is delivering a user-centric experience. Beyond optimizing functionality so that all buyers can find the information and resources they need, it means considering each persona you’ve created and tailoring your content to their preferences. This will ensure they know how to take the next step and engage with you.
• Sales enablement: Once you know who you’re selling to, the next step is to create a solid strategy that appropriately empowers your sales team. Sales enablement tools — content, technology, and processes — provide a more customer-centric experience that can maximize marketing and deliver significant ROI.

Infusing your business with a B2P mindset has a few key benefits:

• Human touch: It’s simple: The more personalized the content is, the more genuine the connection is and the bigger the impact. Testimonials and pieces of user-generated content that are specific and sincere, for instance, are more effective than company claims alone. In fact, 44% of B2B buyers agree with the statement that “peer reviews and user-generated content are playing a greater role in the purchasing decision-making process.” (Check out this resource to learn how to ask customers for reviews.)
• Better targeting: Understanding the decision-making pattern of each target audience, while labor-intensive in the beginning, generates great benefits that pay off in the long run. This allows you to reach beyond mere awareness and consideration campaigns and tap into something deeper.
• Standing out: With so much potential exposure and emphasis on following trends, brands in the same industry can begin to look alike. It is essential to differentiate yourself in a crowded field. Utilizing the tools and strategy will organically lead to appropriately personalized language and images that best reflect and appeal to your specific audience.

To reap the rewards of B2P today, there are a few steps you can take right away.

• Leverage small opportunities for greater engagement. Utilizing a chat feature on your homepage is a way to spark a conversation, especially with a new visitor. Social media posts that pose a question or invite followers to contribute to the conversation are significantly more engaging than ones that merely promote goods and services.
• Provide more value. Find something you can offer for free. Thought leadership pieces like blog posts and whitepapers can boost your reputation as an innovator in your field. Providing access to useful tools or free trials can help you gain a reputation as a generous organization.
• Organize your data. It’s one thing to create personalized materials; it’s another to effectively utilize them on an ongoing basis. There’s no need to start from scratch for every new campaign or call for materials. Create a database that can be easily accessed at the start of every new campaign that will serve as a storehouse for high-quality, tested insights.