If you've been struggling to make sense of the Google HCU, the Helpful Content Update, I have a story of hope: a recovery. But to do it, I needed to change how I interpreted what Google had been trying to do.

I'm a technology journalist, and that means making sense of technology for people. But I'm also an SEO specialist, and that means solving problems of search for websites, even if it might be my own.

My first article at @searchengineland is a combination of both of those with a hint of humour, as I explain my process that has seemingly led to a HCU recovery.

https://searchengineland.com/google-hcu-recovery-447450

#seo

I've written a rather long and slightly humorous (slightly) on the things I did that helped lead to an HCU recovery.

I don't believe Pickr is the best place to run this, so pitched to Search Engine Land, but never heard back.

So where is the best place to run this: LinkedIn, Medium, or nudging @rustybrick to see if he takes voluntary contributions?

Happy to help. I've been trying to proactively help other small publishers based on my successes.

#hcu #helpfulcontentupdate #seo

If you're still waking up to a blue screen, I've written a piece (and talked about the issue on radio) that should help: https://www.pickr.com.au/news/2024/faulty-crowdstrike-patch-takes-out-the-world-of-windows-what-you-can-do/

#crowdstrike #windows #techsupport

It's weird that it will apparently be a horror week for Biden, when grand jury testimony has been unsealed to show Trump's horror show dealings with Epstein. You'd think it would be a worse week for Trump, even if branded solely as allegations.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-07-04/trump-immunity-biden-debate-week-in-us-politics-macmillan/104051396

It's maddening the story isn't on criminal activities of one candidate versus the frustrating debate performance of another.

In the past few weeks, I recall seeing someone say there isn't enough new blood in the SEO talking scene, so here I am throwing my hat in.

I'm a still a tech journo, but my day job has included #SEO for long enough that it made sense to speak about it. This isn't a complex webinar, and is more focused on small businesses and folks who want to see what SEO is about when you remove the con-artists.

Note: it's gated with a form, but you can also uncheck the optional tick box, so it's not THAT gated.

https://pounceagency.com.au/academy/seo-webinar/

Unusual technical #seo question: I have a few URLs in my "Not Found" that I can't even place how they'd exist.

There are omega symbols and extra URLs stacked together. It looks like either a WP database error or something from an extra site. It's coming from the uploads folder.

Where would I even go to fix this? Regular 301 redirection rules don't seem to work for uploads directories. I suspect it's an htaccess fix, but not sure.

Any ideas @johnmu?

Ok. It's here. I'm working on the article that'll be connected to it, but it's here: The Sound of Search.

An album of music connected to #SEO. Songs largely about search and what it feels like to be an SEO dealing with all the fun we get to have. Because if songs can be written about love and life and everything in between, why can't they be about search?

Spotify: https://spotify.link/bfOGJFABOJb

Apple: https://music.apple.com/au/album/the-sound-of-search/1748174341

YouTube Music: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_k5ftBb8xJ-W1VKBdGYA-u6CQlj89Z_RFQ&si=mVIYP1YmeA165z4O

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com.au/albums/B0D4QM7Z1S?ref=dm_sh_mvhzfJSn7VwsyV2NMMhAf7uMq

Before you ask, I wrote the lyrics. The music was created with AI, then converted to stems, split and remastered in Logic. Possibly badly (it's not my specialty).

The experiment aims to show a few things:
✅ SEO music can educate and make great tracks.
✅ AI music can be decent
✅ AI music can also be scary. I wanted to see what the industry was concerned about. And I get it.

More in the article to come.

Sigh. Apple Music is taking a little longer to release my ridiculous SEO album. Hopefully today.

If not, I may provide links all the same.