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Tag: Strategy

  • Why Google Search Console Impressions Dropped: September 2025

    Around September 10, 2025, website owners observed significant drops in Google Search Console impressions—some experiencing declines of 30-50% or more, particularly on desktop. While average positions appeared to improve, these changes resulted from Google's removal of a data collection parameter rather than actual ranking shifts.

    Google Disables Data Collection Shortcut

    Google eliminated the num=100 URL parameter that previously allowed retrieval of 100 search results per request instead of the standard 10. Rank tracking tools like Semrush heavily relied on this feature for efficient data gathering. The removal forced these tools to make 10 separate requests instead of one, increasing infrastructure costs roughly tenfold.

    The timing correlated precisely with widespread impression declines in Search Console, suggesting that bot traffic from automated tools had been counted in impression metrics.

    GSC Impressions Were Inflated

    Analysis by SEO consultant Tyler Gargula examining 319 websites found that 87.7% of sites experienced impression drops following the change. Desktop impressions suffered the largest impact, with mobile impressions affected less significantly.

    A health information website we track saw monthly impressions decline from 38,000 to 24,000, while average position improved from 31 to 16, with clicks remaining stable.

    Why Google Made This Change

    Protecting competitive intelligence: Search results represent substantial R&D investment. Efficient data scraping allows competitors and AI companies unauthorized access to ranking signals.

    Fighting AI training data collection: Services like SerpApi reportedly supplied bulk SERP data to ChatGPT and other AI systems. Disabling bulk collection methods creates obstacles for large-scale data harvesting.

    Google simultaneously posted a job opening for "Senior Engineering Analyst, Search, Anti-scraper," explicitly addressing scraper detection and machine learning models to identify abusive patterns.

    Improved Average Position Comes Down to Math

    The mathematical improvement in average position reflects removal of inflated bot impressions from positions 50-100. When calculating average position by dividing total position values by total impressions, eliminating deep-position bot traffic causes the remaining legitimate impressions from positions 1-20 to dominate the calculation.

    What Business Owners Should Monitor

    Rather than chasing impression recovery, focus on metrics connecting to revenue:

    • Organic clicks: Month-over-month and year-over-year trends in Search Console
    • Conversion rates: Track goal completions, form submissions, calls, and purchases via Google Analytics
    • Revenue attribution: Monthly and annual revenue from organic search channels
    • Landing page performance: Identify which pages drive valuable actions
    • Click-through rates: For page-one rankings, measure the percentage of searchers clicking through

    Stable or growing clicks despite lower impressions indicates unchanged real-world visibility. Both metrics declining proportionally warrants investigation, though the focus should remain on qualified traffic conversion rather than impression recovery.

  • Why Your Business Needs a Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

    What makes your business stand out from the competition? If you can't answer that in 1-2 sentences, you might want to reconsider your strategy.

    A clear Unique Selling Proposition (USP) communicates your competitive advantage and guides your marketing messaging. Without one, your marketing risks being generic and forgettable.

    What is a USP and Why Does It Matter?

    A Unique Selling Proposition defines your company's special value—something competitors cannot replicate identically.

    Your USP should address three key questions:

    • What specific benefit does your product or service provide?
    • How does your business model meet customer needs better than competitors?
    • Why should customers value your offering?

    Historical example: FedEx built their reputation on overnight delivery reliability. Their focused messaging established them as the go-to choice when packages absolutely had to arrive on time.

    Why Every Business Needs a USP

    A strong USP delivers four primary benefits:

    1. Differentiation — Stand out in crowded markets where competitors offer similar services
    2. Meeting Customer Needs — Address specific pain points your target customers actually have
    3. Improved Retention — Strengthen customer loyalty by delivering on a clear promise
    4. Attracting New Customers — Simplify prospect decision-making by making your value obvious

    Domino's built market dominance with their 30-minute delivery guarantee. By addressing customer urgency directly, they carved out a clear position even against pizza competitors with arguably better products.

    How to Create a USP That Works

    Step 1: Understand Your Customers

    Start by identifying:

    • Your target demographics and segments
    • Customer pain points and frustrations
    • How they make buying decisions

    Example: A sustainable fashion brand might emphasize "Stylish, high-quality fashion made from 100% recycled materials."

    Step 2: Analyze Your Competitors

    Research how competitors position themselves:

    • What claims do they make?
    • Where are the gaps in the market?
    • What do you do better than anyone else?

    Example: A car detailing business could differentiate with "We bring showroom shine to your driveway with eco-friendly products."

    Step 3: Highlight What Makes You Unique

    Focus on one or two valuable aspects that are difficult for competitors to replicate.

    Examples:

    • Therapists: "Trauma-informed therapy tailored for veterans"
    • Restaurants: "Farm-to-table dining with ingredients sourced within 50 miles"
    • Tech companies: "Enterprise security at small business prices"

    Step 4: Keep It Simple and Clear

    Avoid jargon. Focus on what customers actually value.

    Bad example: "We aim to exceed customer expectations with innovative solutions."

    Good example: "Affordable, easy-to-use project management software for small teams."

    Using Your USP in Marketing Strategy

    Once you've defined your USP, implement it across all channels:

    • Content Marketing — Blog posts, videos, and social media should reinforce your proposition
    • Advertising — Feature your USP prominently in ad campaigns
    • Website Design — Highlight it in headlines, landing pages, and product descriptions
    • Customer Experience — Align operations and training with your unique value

    Zappos embeds "delivering happiness" throughout their customer experience, including generous returns and responsive support. Their USP isn't just marketing—it's how they operate.

    Need Help Defining Your USP?

    A strong USP forms the foundation of your business strategy. It guides differentiation and helps you retain customers who actually value what you offer.

    At Garrett Digital, we help businesses develop clear positioning and messaging that connects with their target customers. Contact us to discuss your marketing strategy.