Ann Smarty

New York

Brand Manager, Internet Marketing Ninjas and Writer at Freelance

Co-founder of @smartyMktg, boutique SEO agency based in NY. Two decades of search and digital marketing experience. I've seen it all 💪

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Articles

Reddit Marketing Statistics 2025: Brands Facing Reputation Risks & What to Do

5 days ago | smarty.marketing | Ann Smarty

Reddit is the second visited website in the United states, and a massive global community of real people discussing real problems (including problems with specific brands). It also is an official partner of both Google and OpenAI providing both with training data. Reddit enjoys incredible search visibility (both in organic results and through a dedicated “Discussion and forums” section of search). What does all of that mean to businesses?
The Post-Traffic SEO Shift

5 days ago | practicalecommerce.com | Ann Smarty

Google’s new AI Mode highlights the dramatic changes in organic search. AI answers often eliminate the need to click, though users wanting more details must search unlinked brand names separately. The result is massive shifts in optimizing for search engines:Traffic is no longer a key ecommerce performance indicator, as many shoppers will make purchase decisions without clicking.
Google's AI Mode & SEO, Demystified (No Buzzwords)

1 week ago | open.substack.com | Ann Smarty

Most businesses are confused and lost because keeping track on everything that’s changing in digital marketing is next to impossible. This video will help you get a better understanding of where Google is heading and how to adjust your strategy…✅ Google's index remains foundational: Being well-represented in Google's index (through your own properties and third-party publications) is still the crucial first step for visibility in AI Mode.
How to Do Reddit Marketing without Making Enemies

1 week ago | annsmarty.com | Ann Smarty

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Google’s AI Mode and The Future of Online Marketing (& SEO)

1 week ago | open.substack.com | Ann Smarty

Google announced its AI Mode is going public to US users, which, judging from the history of AI Overviews, means it will soon be a global feature. Today, I’ll explain what AI Mode is and what it means for the future of our industry in particular and for online visibility in general. >>>> Join us to discuss this topic on LinkedIn!AI Mode works much like AI Overviews: You type a query, and it generates a very detailed answer with references to sources.
SEO for AI Mode, per Google

1 week ago | practicalecommerce.com | Ann Smarty

Google CEO Sundar Pichai announced at last week’s I/O 2025 conference that the company’s AI Mode is now a search component for all logged-in U.S. users. Previously, it was opt-in only. AI Mode resembles AI Overviews, providing answers to queries and links to the sources. The difference is that searchers in AI Mode can chat follow-up questions in the same tab, much like ChatGPT or Claude.
“EEAT Optimization” is Crap. Differentiate Your Brand to Become a Destination

2 weeks ago | annsmarty.com | Ann Smarty

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Your Practical Guide to Creating More Helpful Content (Using Keywords)

2 weeks ago | medium.com | Ann Smarty

For many months now, website owners have been asking Google, “What is HELPFUL”? The answer has always been, “Something that gives users answers they need”. It’s a bit of an annoying answer, I agree, but here’s a practical approach to giving better answers:>>>>> Watch us discuss this topic LIVE on LinkedIn here. Free to join!Keyword research offers far more than simply keyword-matching-based optimization opportunities.
How Search Console Reveals AI Overviews

2 weeks ago | practicalecommerce.com | Ann Smarty

Google’s AI Overviews answers queries directly on search result pages. The feature often eliminates the need to visit external sites, although it includes links to some for deeper research. Google provides no comprehensive reports of links in Overviews, leaving little official insight for publishers. Third-party tools offer that data, but at prices many merchants cannot afford. We’re left with Search Console to reveal links to a site in Overviews indirectly. Here’s how.
Create Content That REQUIRES a Click: Traffic Driving Solutions Post Google AI Overviews

3 weeks ago | medium.com | Ann Smarty

Everyone is losing traffic now that Google’s search has become so efficient at giving satisfying answers. This is happening due to the introduction of so-called AI Overviews, i.e., an AI-driven feature that summarizes search results to give quick answers to a search user.