Matt G. Southern, Author at Search Engine Journal

About

Matt G. Southern, Senior News Writer, has been with Search Engine Journal since 2013. With a bachelor’s degree in communications, Matt specializes in gathering details, checking facts, and making complex subjects easy to understand. In addition to writing articles, Matt oversees strategy development for SEJ’s news department.

Articles

News
SEO

Top 17 Organic Search Ranking Factors [STUDY]

An updated study from SEMRush reveals what are said to be the top organic search ranking factors in 2017.

3 min read
10K Reads
Nov 14, 2017

Reviews are the Most Prominent Local SEO Ranking Factor in 2017

Reviews appear to be the most prominent ranking factor in local search, according to a recent study.

3 min read
13K Reads
Nov 13, 2017

Facebook Updates Events App With Restaurants, Bars, and More

Facebook’s Events app has received a significant update, which comes with a rebranding and more opportunities to discover local highlights.

2 min read
1.4K Reads
Nov 10, 2017

News
SEO

Google to Give Publishers Dedicated Knowledge Panels in Search Results

The Knowledge Panel fills the above-the-fold section of search results with information to help searchers learn more about a publication.

1 min read
1.9K Reads
Nov 9, 2017

Twitter Doubles Character Limit to 280, Says Longer Tweets Drive More Engagement

Twitter has officially doubled its character limit, following a short test which showed longer tweets receive more engagement.

2 min read
1.5K Reads
Nov 8, 2017

Facebook Introduces Messenger Chat Plugin for Business Websites

Facebook has revealed details about version 2.2 of its Messenger platform, which comes with a highly requested customer chat plugin.

1 min read
5.3K Reads
Nov 7, 2017

News
PPC

Google AdWords Lets Users Easily Control Data Sets in Data Studio Reports

Users can now choose the source accounts for data they want to see in any Data Studio report.

1 min read
1.5K Reads
Nov 7, 2017

Google Assistant Lets Users Subscribe to Daily Reminders

Google Assistant on both iOS and Android has a new feature that lets its users subscribe to daily reminders.

2 min read
3.4K Reads
Nov 7, 2017

Google to Estimate Wait Times for Local Restaurants

Soon Google will be able to estimate wait times and display them in Search and Maps in real-time.

1 min read
961 Reads
Nov 7, 2017

Facebook Introduces a Simple Polling Feature With Support for GIFs

Facebook has rolled out a new feature to pages and profiles that will allow users to post simple polls.

1 min read
1.7K Reads
Nov 6, 2017

News
PPC

Google to Expand Home Service Ads to 30 US Cities by End of Year

Following a successful run as a pilot program, Google says it will expand Home Services ads to more cities.

2 min read
843 Reads
Nov 6, 2017

Google to Change How Travel Websites Access Airfare Data

Google will cut off access to a feed that automates airfare data for third party search engines like travel sites.

2 min read
1.2K Reads
Nov 6, 2017

News
Tools

Google Created a Search Engine for Finding 3D Objects to Use in Apps

Google created a new search engine for finding 3D objects to use in apps with virtual and augmented reality capabilities.

2 min read
3.4K Reads
Nov 6, 2017

Google Rolls Out a Fresh Look for Mobile Search Results

Google has introduced a fresh look for mobile search results that more closely resembles the devices they’re being viewed on.

2 min read
4.2K Reads
Nov 3, 2017

News
SEO

Organic Search Market Share in Retail Dominated by Macy’s, Not Amazon, in Q3 2017

Heading into the 2017 holiday season Amazon is not leading in organic search market share in the retail sector.

2 min read
3.0K Reads
Nov 2, 2017

Yext’s Latest Advancements Will Expand Where Business Information is Published

Yext has unveiled three major advancements to its platform, powered by AI and machine learning.

2 min read
824 Reads
Nov 1, 2017

Instagram’s Superzoom Could be the Next Boomerang

Instagram has a new effect for videos that could end up being one of its best features since the Boomerang.

2 min read
1.4K Reads
Oct 31, 2017

News
PPC

Google AdWords’ Showcase Shopping Ads Can Display Collections of Products

Google AdWords has rolled out Showcase Shopping ads to more countries just in time for the holiday season.

1 min read
3.9K Reads
Oct 31, 2017

Quickly Respond to LinkedIn Messages With New Smart Replies

LinkedIn is bringing smart replies to its messaging platform in an effort to help keep conversations going.

1 min read
1.3K Reads
Oct 31, 2017

Now You Can Share Links to Snapchat from Third Party Apps on iOS

Snapchat updated its iOS app with a feature previously only available on Android — link sharing from third-party apps.

2 min read
1.9K Reads
Oct 31, 2017

Content
News

Google: Improving Low Quality Content is Better Than Deleting It

Google’s John Mueller has cleared up any confusion around what to do with low quality content.

2 min read
4.4K Reads
Oct 31, 2017

Instagram Lets Users Add a Friend to Live Broadcasts

Instagram has made it possible for two accounts to broadcast together at the same time.

2 min read
463 Reads
Oct 30, 2017

Google is Among the Most Trusted Tech Companies [SURVEY]

Compared to other top tech companies, research shows that Google ranks just below Amazon in terms of consumer trust.

2 min read
1.2K Reads
Oct 30, 2017

Google Halloween Costume Quiz Easter Egg Found in Google Home

An Easter egg found in Google Home can help you figure out what your Halloween costume should be this year.

2 min read
861 Reads
Oct 30, 2017

Google Search Will No Longer Use Domains to Indicate Country Service

Google search will no longer use country code top level domains to indicate where you’re searching from.

1 min read
5.2K Reads
Oct 27, 2017

Google AdWords Introduces Ad Unit for In-Store Products

Google has announced plans to introduce local display ads for highlighting in-store products and sales.

2 min read
1.7K Reads
Oct 27, 2017

Google: We Won’t Tell You When the Mobile-First Index Has Fully Rolled Out

Google’s Gary Illyes stated that it will not be announced when the mobile-first index is done rolling out.

1 min read
1.5K Reads
Oct 26, 2017

News
PPC

New Bing Ads Overview Tab Provides Easier Access to Key Insights

Bing Ads has introduced a new overview tab that provides a big picture view of account performance.

1 min read
494 Reads
Oct 24, 2017

Pinterest Search Ads Now Available to All Businesses

Businesses of all sizes can now run self-serve search ads on Pinterest, which are available through the Pinterest Ads Manager.

2 min read
442 Reads
Oct 24, 2017

Facebook’s ‘Explore’ Feed May Improve Pages’ Organic Reach on Desktop

Facebook rolled out a possible solution for improving the organic reach of posts published by pages on the desktop site.

2 min read
1.2K Reads
Oct 24, 2017

From Conversations to Conversions: How Small Businesses Can Market Smarter

High-Quality Conversions: How To Optimize Your Website & Boost Growth

Up-To-Date Trends, AI-Driven Workflows, and Smarter Data Strategies for Q2

Brand Performance Unlocked: Advanced Strategies for SEO and Marketing Synergy

High-Quality Conversions: How To Optimize Your Website & Boost Growth

From Conversations to Conversions: How Small Businesses Can Market Smarter

Matt G. Southern

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