Google’s Newest Algorithms Have Completely Changed E-Commerce. Here’s What You Need to Know.

Featuring an interview with SEO expert and industry veteran Maddison Ryan.

Working my way through NYC’s many gorgeous cafes this week!

If you’ve noticed that getting product placements has become trickier lately, you’re not just imagining things. I’ve received directives from editors to cut back on product placements in my stories, have had fellow freelance friends reach out in a frantic tizzy about a drop-off in assignments, and heard rumors of long-time freelancers going back to “stable,” in-house positions.

Ironically, there have also been quite a few public layoffs from said in-house positions. For example, just last week I heard from an e-commerce agency I used to work with consistently for 5+ years—who contracts with giants in the commerce space—letting me know there were sweeping layoffs and their editorial team had dwindled to 2 people (from 30+ just a few years ago).

AI has something to do with this, sure, but it’s definitely not the only culprit. Much of the finger pointing should be directed toward the SEO overlords—AKA Google. The search engine site underwent some pretty big algorithm changes last year, and now we’re starting to really see the ripple effects. This isn’t a death knoll to media—I strongly believe journalism and reporting will never, ever go away—but it does mean we need to pivot and get creative as reporters and public relations officials.

For some more insight on what’s going on and how this is directly impacting editorial + PR, I spoke with SEO expert Maddison Ryan, founder of The Digital Hub. She has over a decade of experience in the industry, working for agencies and big names like American Express, PayPal, and Intuit.

I’m also including some additional context, including what Google is punishing and what it’s prioritizing — I recommend keeping this top of mind no matter what role you play in publishing—PR, editor, freelance writer, in-house reporter, etc—because it will greatly impact the types of stories ultimately getting published.