Use Data Or Be Used By Data!

The January 12 issue of Seotistics is here for you!

We've been conditioned to think that the current stack is enough to add value...

turns out it's rotting away!

After testing a lot last year and well, now, I can tell you that something *definitely* happened.

​Read this in your browser​

📣📣 Important Announcements 📣📣

I want to release a new course for Web Analytics done the Seotistics way.

This will be for Analysts or everyone wanting to explore Web Data in general, not only SEO.

The topics I am planning to cover are:

• Coding in general (Python, SQL, R - all aided by LLMs)
• LLMs and how to use them properly
• Auditing websites and deeper business considerations (so not only SEO)
• The topics covered in this newsletter

Vote below and let me know if you would buy a course like this.

P.S. If you voted before Sunday 28, your option wasn't recorded. Vote again to get a future discount 👀

Would you buy a technical course on Web Analytics? Yes No

And 2 new articles about LLMs for Analytics and GA4 BigQuery Data Modeling.

The Scenario Today

I don't have any data about LLM usage but based on my anecdotal experience, everyone is using LLMs.

Be it emails or even planning, I am fully aware people around me use ChatGPT, at least.

Now, power users are a minority and this is where you can be different.

Even in industries like SEO, you see outdated tools that no longer reflect the existing market.

Big players like Ahrefs or Semrush do have new tools but talking to some friends of mine highlight the same problems.

The core of the tools is outdated and legacy now.

Everyone in SEO mentions entities and knowledge graphs but no mainstream tool can go that far.

The keyword here is "mainstream".

There are smaller players adapting to user needs but we are quite far from perfection.

And even the cool scripts people use are often outdated and don't solve any problem.

The AI Parenthesis

Yes, there are new tools that are adapting like AirOps, offering a new way into automation for content.

​n8n is another visible player that is riding the LLM wave to sell.

I recommend you give these tools a spin!

But... remember that AI is NOT the only change in the world.

That said, even LLM tracking tools contain buzzwords or methodologies that we don't need.

HOWEVER, based on my testing, Waikay is the most grounded in reality and wiht the highest potential.

Ok... But Google Tools?

Google has added new features to both GA4 and GSC to make them look more modern:

• Brand filter and AI for GSC + Annotations
• AI Advisor in GA4

All cool but both tools can be much better.

GSC doesn't have any clear way to report on AI Overviews and AI Mode.

And in terms of visibility, the impact of AI is there, yet we can't actually assess it.

The data is bundled somewhere deep in our GSC data... cool.

GA4 has still one of the worst UIs ever created... and it lacks in terms of features compared to its competitors.

Consent-wise, it's not even the best choice!

Tools Enforce Wrong Methodologies

Industry tools enforce how you think and work...

this is why I recommend to work without tools, if possible!

People have been reasoning like that in SEO:

• fix meta descriptions and follow arbitrary rules because Yoast says it
• Semrush claims this is a "toxic" link
• Ahrefs estimates tell me this competitor is rock bottom

You got it, they shaped the mindset of many people incorrectly.

Google is not immune from this because we have been adopting terminology and metrics like:

• bounce rate
• impressions
• CTR

So we think in terms of tools or metrics and NOT business concepts, like:

• net profit
• contribution margin
• leads / opportunities

This is what I consistently preach everywhere because we are paid to achieve results.

Do you recall when I mentioned metric trees? Yes, this is the right moment to show them again:

Most tools we use operate on an efficiency level, meaning they simplify our work...

but are not effective.

Achieving goals is up to us and our domain knowledge.

So... Do It Yourself

I know I know, many will tell me that just paying for a SaaS is better.

Except big companies all have custom solutions and even some startups have their own things.

LLM detractors will say that vibe coding is bad and all...

which is false and irrelevant for internal tools.

You have APIs, data sources and now LLMs. That's all you need.

Shifts In The Industries

If you have a look at PPC, SEO and Web Analytics, you will notice that all of them were affected to some extent.

I don't want to say concepts like branding and omnichannel marketing are new... it's people who now realized you must know more.

Even without any supporting job data, you can see there are offers containing "GEO" for SEO.

Analytics-wise, you read more offers including BigQuery or data warehouses and a basic understanding of LLMs and attribution.

You can still do it the old way, learn GTM and GA4 and convince yourself that this will get you in the current market.

(Spoiler, it won't).

Especially if you want to:

• get into high-level roles that pay over 6 figures
• are an agency/consultant and need to handle FULL data projects

After all, tools evolve, people upskill and needs get more complex over time.

The Latest Developments

Apart from LLMs, there is a rising interest in Knowledge Graphs and Ontologies.

To have proper AI output, you need solid foundations, so providing the right context.

While this is important, the real changes today are:

• more companies are starting to use data warehouses
• LLMs changed productivity and made stuff redundant
• Basic skills are now outdated
• More awareness in the industry

My advice is to start helping yourself by getting familiar with data warehouses and Data Analytics in general.

Then, spend some quality time with Claude Code and Gemini.

There is no need to avoid using effective tools just because it's AI.

More Supply, More Competition

It's no secret that more supply on the job market means you have to compete with more people.

So having a little bit more skills saves you and you can have some nice projects, like I showed before:

• different and niched down skillset
• some cool evidence of your work

It's not as obvious as you think... in fact it's quite rare.

Your career's death is to become a generalist and solve every problem (but none actually):

And if you need some more mental firepower, I have the product for you:

Become a Top Data Analyst Now!

In my next issue I will most likely talk about agents... let's see!

👥 Join Our Community

Our Discord community offers a small place where we can talk business and web data.

If you hate all the noise of social media, then this place is for you.

I will start posting more there as we have a forum channel now.

This is the best way to stay updated in real time on Seotistics:

Join our Discord Community!

🔎 Analytics For SEO Ebook - Course / Ebook

You will:

✅ Use GSC and GA4 Data to their fullest potential

✅ Learn Python/SQL for your needs

✅ Get a complete blueprint for auditing websites

✅ Learn how to 10x your productivity

✅ Learn BigQuery to work on large websites

I teach you what's needed to go from 0 to a professional Data Analyst.

Even if you leave SEO, the foundations are the same for other jobs!

Learn Analytics for SEO Now!

Also in ebook:

Unlock Powerful Insights Now!

📚 Recommended Reads - Peak Content 🗻

These Analytics books are among the best out there. If you want to think like a true Analyst, look no further.

• ​​GA4 BigQuery Data Modeling: From Nested to Usable Tables​
• ​The LLM Analytics Playbook: Stack, Methods & Processes​
• Backlink Semantic Analysis with Python: How to Evaluate Your Link Profile​
• ​The Complete D2C Ecommerce SEO Guide: Strategies for Sustainable Growth​
• ​The 8-Step Content Auditing Framework For SEO & Marketing​
• ​A Business-Oriented Framework For Web Analytics​
• ​Analytical Skills for AI and Data Science : Building Skills for an AI-Driven enterprise​
• ​Data Literacy In Practice​
• ​Becoming a Data Head​
• ​Storytelling with Data​

As usual, my most recent LinkedIn content is here.

❗️ Feedback and Recommendations

If you have ideas/recommendations for the next issues of Seotistics, you can simply reply to this email.

Marco Giordano
​Data/Web Analyst

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Bernerstrasse Süd 169, Zurich, Switzerland
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