Be Found Online - BFO

11/04/2026

Your website can be perfectly optimized and still lose to a competitor that the rest of the internet just…likes more.

That's the off-page SEO problem in a nutshell, and it's more fixable than it sounds. We broke down what it is and how to strengthen yours:

Learn to improve your off-site elements, including backlinks, social media, and PR via BFO, an award-winning Chicago digital marketing agency

11/03/2026

Google makes thousands of changes to its search algorithm every year, some so small you'd never notice, others significant enough to send marketing teams into a mild panic on a Tuesday morning.

Keeping up with all of it is basically a full-time job, which is why our newsletter exists. We track the updates that matter and tell you what to do about them so you don't have to: https://bfo.io/3WoqFwk

11/02/2026

Black Friday and Cyber Monday wait for no one.

*cue menacing music*

Before the ad frenzy hits, here’s how you can make sure your campaigns are ready to cut through the noise!

10/30/2026

Steve has a rule he lives by in business. Recently, an unexpected text from an old colleague reminded him why he holds onto it, and sparked a conversation about what it looks like when good people find their way back into your orbit.

This Big Ideas is a short one and a good one!

10/29/2026

Your pitch deck is great and your follow-up emails are lovely. But the deal miiiight have been decided weeks before either one showed up. 😬

High-consideration buyers do most of their deciding in the research phase, long before they reach out. We wrote about how to be the brand that feels like a sure thing by the time they do:

Build credibility for high-consideration buyers by owning your online presence, ensuring consistent messaging across all platforms, and a few more tips!

10/28/2026

The holidays are coming and your competitors are already planning (no pressure!).

Here's how to go into Q4 with a paid media strategy that holds up.

And if ya need some extra help, we’ve got 20% off new services through the end of the year: https://bfo.io/4zlT84k

10/26/2026

It’s your early holiday gift from BFO 🎁

From now through the end of the year, you can save 20% on your first 3 months of any new service with us.

The fine(ish) print:
👉 You’ve got to commit to a 6-month engagement
👉 The clock runs out at midnight on 12/31
👉 New AND existing clients are welcome

Lock it in: https://bfo.io/4igwEMp

10/23/2026

Most agencies are evaluated on three things: price, performance, and personality. Steve thinks there’s a fourth P that matters more than all of them, and it’s the one brands forget to ask about when they’re shopping for a partner.

Check out the latest Big Ideas with BFO if you’ve got an agency search coming up!

10/21/2026

Ten years of Scott at BFO, and we couldn’t imagine this place without him! Scott brings the kind of energy, expertise, and drive that makes everyone around him better, and his work speaks for itself in ways that are hard to argue with. To mark the occasion, we asked him some questions:

Q: What should brands do more of in 2026?

A: Lean into their authentic human voice! AI and Ghostwriting have made it easier than ever to rapidly produce volume. That can turn content and thought leadership into more of a commodity or "box to check" than a differentiator. The brands who are bold enough to cut through the noise with memorable, human, and compelling content will win over the tastemakers who will in turn win over everyone else. While everyone is racing to be average faster, dare to be excellent at the pace excellence demands.

Q: What keeps you motivated?

A: The scoreboard. I've always been a huge fan of games and succeeding in paid media is just a game dressed in business casual. Once I understand what a client is trying to achieve and what results spell success, it's just a matter of figuring out how to get there. Dashboards always show the score which is fun when we're winning and motivating when we're not.

Q: What is a personal or professional success from the last 6 months?

A: I’ve been working with a vintage jewelry client for years, helping to grow their brick and mortar business into an eComm powerhouse. We just passed $1MM in revenue from Google Ads for the year so far which is a huge improvement from the about $300k earned by this point last year. More importantly, ROAS improved from $2.26 to $3.66, meaning we were able to more than triple revenue while becoming 62% more efficient. A lot of time, energy, and risk has brought us to this point and it feels great when the numbers prove the impact of that effort. Now, onto Q4!

Q: What’s your favorite comfort meal?

A: I could eat a turkey sandwich every day of my life and never get tired of it. Bonus points if it's a turkey club or a panini. Shoutout to Potbelly's for fueling my paid media career one toasted sub at a time. They're not a sponsor of this post, but DM me if you're interested, Potbelly's.

Scott, we’re lucky to have you. Here’s to the next ten!

10/20/2026

AI Overviews are out here playing favorites.

Some brands keep showing up in answers, but others are left out. Same category, same questions, different results.

Our latest blog gets into the pattern behind it and what to do once you see it: https://bfo.io/3VVlNyx