Roger Montti is a renowned digital marketing expert with a wealth of experience and knowledge in the field. As the founder of a successful marketing agency, he has become a trusted authority in search engine optimization (SEO) and digital marketing strategies. Roger’s expertise lies in helping businesses improve their online visibility and achieve sustainable growth through effective SEO tactics.
With a deep understanding of search engine algorithms and industry trends, Roger has consistently delivered exceptional results for his clients. His comprehensive approach to SEO encompasses technical optimizations, content strategy, and off-page optimization, ensuring a holistic and impactful digital presence. Roger’s ability to adapt and stay ahead of the ever-evolving digital landscape has earned him a stellar reputation and made him a sought-after consultant in the industry.
Beyond his client work, Roger is known for his thought leadership and contributions to the digital marketing community. He frequently shares his insights and expertise through speaking engagements, webinars, and industry publications, helping others stay informed and up-to-date with the latest developments in the field. With a genuine passion for helping businesses thrive in the digital world, Roger Montti continues to inspire and empower marketers to achieve their goals through effective digital strategies.
Roger can be reached on Twitter @martinibuster or via LinkedIn
Recent Posts with Roger Montti
423 | Reporting on the Realm of SEO Ideas and Data with Roger MonttiInterview / podcastRoger Montti shares his perspective on some advancing discussions that SEOs are having. He gives insight into what a day in the life of a tech SEO writer looks like and how he tackles writing for a diverse readership.
The Zero-Click Discussion the realm of ideas
Google’s meeting 5 user intents at the same time
Nostalgia for ten blue links?
Ramping the first time SEOs into the conversation going on
Rodger’s process of targeted a particular SEO topic
High level of scrutiny from the community on what Roger publishes. What are the challenges?
Don’t be afraid – put it out there.
Popular Discussions in SEO and A Tech Writer’s Perspective
Montti gives a rundown of what the Zero-Click claims are and how they are affecting the industry. He talks about people’s desire to keep the 10-blue link SERP, but how it may be time to move forward with the times. He gives us some insight into his responsibility as a tech writer, as well as some challenges and tips for those wanting to work their way into the realm of SEO and tech journalism.
Discussing the Zero-Click Claims
Montti wrote an article on Google and the Zero-Click claims. The background of these claims stems from a research study conducted by SparkToro in 2019. The study released data claiming that 50% of Google’s searches do not result in link clicks. More and more consumers are interacting with Google and not clicking on-page links. The study brought forth a substantial discussion that it was used as evidence against Google in Congress, where it was cited as they discussed Google’s influence and monopolization. The spark of this discussion is essential and is about ideas, not people.
The problem was that the data gathered by the SparkToro study was inherently biased, and therefore people discredited it. However, another study came out, which essentially doubled down on the same conclusion that SparkToro’s original study came to. A colleague of Montti’s had conversed with a mathematician who claimed that these studies have so many biases that they are entirely too unreliable. One point is that traffic from Google apps is anonymous and cannot be tallied, so how can the data be reliable?
10-Blue Links: Better for User Intent or Based on Nostalgia?
The underlying issue with assertions in this discussion is that there’s a subtext that Google search should be the 10-blue links that the user can click through. However, there are several different meanings for anyone search phrase. Google is seeing someone search for a phrase or word that could mean something different. Google’s SERP is essentially providing five different users with what they want simultaneously due to a search phrase having five different possible meanings for the user searching. The 10-blue link SERP cannot do that. Montti thinks it’s a good thing that Google is targeting five different user intents simultaneously. This is also educating the user about other doors they can open based on the search phrase.
These significant strides by Google are an attempt to engage the audience and open doors of insight so that Google can learn from the interaction. Google offering up all the different options is attempting to understand and subsequently adjust the SERP for the user. Google is filtering through possible results to offer the user what they want so that there is more of a chance that the user will bring more traffic to the site that offers what exactly the user is looking for.
General nonspecific traffic is not hitting specific sites, but Google is qualifying the consumer more so that they see what they are looking for when they do click on any given site. It raises the question of whether people are just nostalgic for the 10-blue links. People are using the 10-blue links SERP as a baseline when that’s not how things are anymore. Searches are more complicated and more accurate now. Montti thinks Google is doing a good job.
Google Discover and Montti’s Responsibility as a Writer
The user is more technologically savvy than ever before, and Google is responding to that. Google Discover is trying to understand the topics that the user is interested in. It shows relevant content to that topic, whether the page is from three years ago or was just published. Montti sees this as an excellent example of how Google is not trying to hold onto clicks. Google is trying to attract traffic.
As a technology writer, Montti is responsible for giving context to the audience to allow them to understand what is being discussed while bringing a new perspective that is looking at the topic from a larger view. Due to Montti being in the industry for so long, he can get the history of the topic relevant to the discussion. He tries to bring this historical perspective as best as he can while satisfying multiple types of users.
Montti’s Process When Targeting a Topic
Montti approaches a story by first asking these questions: How is this topic useful to a user or business owner? How is the topic going to SEO better? And how will this affect the user? Montti wants people to know what is going on in their backyard within the industry and how it might affect them. When he is writing, Montti tries to think about how the topic is vital to the search community. He must understand all the different users that are going to read the article, especially those who are new to space. Montti avoids dropping terms and acronyms without explaining them at least twice because it’s ultimately beneficial if the reader can follow along.
Challenges a Tech Writer Faces
Montti has learned that writing is all about an exchange of ideas within the industry. Even people who are being nasty are exchanging their concepts. However, he has concluded that there is no argument to be won within the SEO industry. All he can do is throw out his ideas, and then it’s up to the reader and user to decide on their own. If someone dislikes what he is saying, then that’s their choice. That’s how an exchange of ideas works. Montti tries his best to be respectful of people, ideas, and experiences, concluding that there is no reason to be rude. Though people sometimes find him condescending, which he attempts not to be, he knows that is how online discourse is. A writer cannot change how people interpret a tone on their own.
Tips For Those Looking to Break into Tech Journalism
Montti states that if you have these ideas that you think are interesting, just put them out there. Write your blog and start your website. Contribute to online communities and share your thoughts and learn about others. Welcome any challenges and learn from criticism, but don’t let those who come at you nastily bother you. Don’t be afraid to be wrong because you can grow and be better if challenged and learned from it. Be nice and try to cultivate friendships and relationships. Online acquaintances allow you to make relationships that can be beneficial when you attend conferences. It helps to know people in the industry, and it is always good to make new friends. [...]
June 4, 2021- 421 | SEO Publishing and Recent Articles with Roger MonttiInterview / podcastRoger Montti and Erin Sparks dive into some recent articles Montti has written regarding the Wix and WordPress smackdown. Montti expands on how the Pandemic has affected the technology community and relationships within the community. He also explains Core Web Vitals on his terms.
Roger’s Publishing History
The Effect The Loss Of Conventions Have Had On The Seo Community.
Don’t Be Afraid To Be Challenged
Core Web Vitals, Roger’s Take.
Wix and WordPress Slap Fest
A Look at Roger Montti
Roger Montti is a Site Publisher and SEO Consultant at Search Engine Journal. Founder and owner of an internet marketing consulting firm based out of San Francisco; he is a search marketer with 20 years of experience. Montti provides site audits, phone consultations, and content and link strategy assistance. He was the head judge of the 2020 US Search Awards and is the publisher of award-winning websites. Montii has presented at several search marketing conferences. His firm specializes in business, business marketing, solutions, and incorporating discreet search engine optimizations and clicks strategies.
Montti began writing for Search Engine Journal three years ago, has been publishing his writing on his blog and across social media before then. He felt he had a lot to say about the industry, so he volunteered when a writing position opened. Montti started studying HTML, building websites, and building affiliate sites in 1999. When interning at a technology company, his strict boss enabled him to internalize HTML and coding. In 2001, Montti registered for WebMaster World using the nickname Martinibuster. From there, he was able to connect with the internet marketing community at large.
After becoming a moderator, Montti got to know many people in the industry and has been involved in the search community ever since. He enjoys presentations because it is a way to be in the presence of his peers, who he mostly knows online. He enjoys sharing what he knows and his personal experience with link building and content while being among friends and colleagues.
The Pandemic’s Impact on Web Communities
According to Montti, covid has been affecting the ability to get back to normalcy. However, those that depend on ad revenue may be seeing business begin to pick up. Montti thinks that things will head towards normalcy in business, but personal lives will still be different. For Montti, he was already in a different space physically due to moving from San Francisco to western Massachusetts. Compared to the technology community in SF, his current location does not have much of a community. He joined a men’s fraternal organization to be in space physically with people and make friends.
Monti’s relationships with friends in the technology community had not changed much since those relationships already heavily thrived through online interactions. Montti does still miss going to conferences and embracing people, and having conversations face to face physically. Nonetheless, the technology community is wired to be virtual.
Montti wants to encourage web workers, especially those who work from home, to get involved with Facebook groups or online forums and participate. It gives people a chance to be a part of something, share opinions, and insights, and possibly make some friends. Montii also advises people not to be afraid of being challenged because people who avoid challenges inhibit their learning and sometimes struggle.
Core Web Vitals in The Eyes of Montti
Core web vitals are metrics that Google invented that represent three aspects of a user’s page experience. Google has always mainly considered the user’s page experience, encouraging the industry to back core web vitals. Affiliate marketers understand the value of light pages because it is essentially more profitable when there is a fast-loading website.
Google is mainly trying to push core web vitals because the search engine is referring websites, and it is unfavorable if the user has a bad experience on the website Google sent them to it. It’s in everyone’s interest (the user and publisher) for page downloads to be fast and usable in an ideal amount of time. Core web vitals allow web publishers to work together as a seamless ecosystem. It’s a way to get the optimal user experience. The problem is that issues can be inherent. The platform can make it difficult to be fast loading, but there are solutions.
Sites like WordPress have themes and additional plug-ins with the nature of it being functionality. This idea will be advantageous, and those in the industry should be paying attention to it. When core web vitals get introduced to the industry, it will not be an industry-jarring event or disruptive; it will slowly creep in like a drip.
Wix vs. WordPress: A Cloud of Negativity
Montti recently wrote an article addressing the tension between Wix and WordPress that seemed to come to a peak. These two sites have five years of history going back and forth. The SEO industry has a problem with Wix due to the inability to change the SEO on the platform, subsequently giving Wix a history of bad SEO. While there is no technical synergy between the SEO industry and Wix, Wix has been taking steps to improve this.
Wix ran ads that are being perceived as tone-deaf by taking a humorous approach in the context of someone having a mental health crisis. Some people called the ads distasteful, which resulted in Wix receiving a lot of backlashes. WordPress Founder, Matt Mullenweg, wrote a sharp and cutting open letter in response to the Wix ads. The ad essentially being dubbed a misfire. Wix CEO Avishai Abrahami came back with his open letter that is considered a very calm response with some valid points but hints of gaslighting. In his article, Montti claims that were is enough negativity today, so there is no need to add to it with nasty ads and finger-pointing.
Wix is a software and service for people who don’t want to deal with the technology aspects of things. WordPress has unlimited possibilities for what the consumer can do and how they can achieve it. The moral of the story is that they don’t need to fight, and they can coexist. Ultimately, the consumer decides which platform is best for them, so they don’t need to be subjected to negativity.
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May 23, 2021
