Google Just Cut News Traffic in Half (51% → 27%) - Now What?

E908: We break down how SEOs are using vibe coding and AI development tools to build rankable web apps, calculators, and tools that generate organic traffic and revenue faster than traditional content. Today's guest is Ram Berrouet, a longtime co-founder, friend, product builder, and founder of Relief, a Series A startup with hundreds of thousands of users. Ram explains how recent breakthroughs in AI models have fundamentally changed what's possible for SEO-driven businesses - from building full web apps in minutes to replacing large engineering teams with AI-assisted workflows. This episode is specifically for: - Niche site builders - Publishers losing organic visibility - SEOs tired of traffic volatility - Founders looking for faster MVPs - Marketers who want durable revenue - Anyone who wants to turn search demand into products What we cover: - How "vibe coding" works in real production environments - Why recent AI models now outperform junior and senior engineers for many tasks - How Ram replaced an 8-person engineering team using AI tools - Building rankable web apps instead of just blog posts - Turning bottom-of-funnel SEO keywords into revenue-generating tools - Creating calculators, widgets, and interactive assets that rank in Google - How fast iteration changes SEO strategy and monetization - Why SEO is becoming the most predictable distribution channel again - How to migrate large, high-ranking sites without losing SEO equity - Using AI to maintain metadata, internal links, canonicals, and site structure - Publishing new pages, tools, and blog posts using prompts instead of CMS editors - Why social distribution is getting harder - and how SEO fills the gap Tools and platforms discussed: - AI-powered IDEs and development agents - Gemini 3 and Claude Opus 4.5 models - Cursor and automated code review agents - Replit for no-code and low-code app development - AI-assisted site migrations and crawlers - Front-end SEO tools like calculators and widgets embedded on CMS platforms Key takeaway for SEOs: If you can already rank pages, you can now build products. AI has reduced the cost and complexity of building apps, tools, and interactive assets to near zero. That means SEOs can: - Create defensible assets - Target high-intent keywords - Monetize traffic directly - Reduce reliance on ads and affiliates - Build real products without engineering teams Subscribe for daily episodes on SEO, monetization, publishing, and building real businesses on top of organic traffic. ⭐️ Ram Berrouet on 𝕏 - https://x.com/RamBerrouet ⭐️ Ram Berrouet on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ram-berrouet/ ⭐️ Ram Berrouet app, Relief - https://www.relief.app/ 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Introduction and Guest Background 00:21 The Insanity of Vibe Coding 04:32 AI Breakthroughs in Development 12:05 Replacing Traditional Development Teams 17:55 Building Apps with No Technical Experience 23:11 SEO and Web App Development 32:42 Website Redesign and SEO Optimization 34:18 New Workflows with AI Tools 35:37 Voice Commands and Whisper Flow 37:58 Evolution of AI in Development 42:44 Social Media Strategies and Challenges 51:31 SEO vs. Social Media Content 53:39 Creating Web and Mobile Apps 55:50 Podcast Conclusion and Guest Information The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #linkableassets #linkbuilding #indiehackers

E907: An SEO copywriter quietly helped a single local dental office grow from almost zero traffic to 130,000 monthly organic visits - using nothing more than one blog post per week. No backlink campaigns. No complicated SEO frameworks. No content farm. Just consistent blogging, strong keyword choices, and writing that people actually want to read. That SEO copywriter is Tiffani Daniel. She joins us today and we break down exactly how this happened, why it worked, and what most people misunderstand about blogging, SEO, and conversion-focused content. What we cover: - How a local dentist grew from 0 to 130,000 monthly visits with one blog per week - Why cost-related and "price" keywords consistently outperform most SEO content - What Tiffany did instead of backlink building - and why it still worked - Why blogs don't need a perfect publishing cadence to rank - How to structure blogs so readers binge multiple posts in one session - The "TV show" approach to internal linking and content flow - Why short paragraphs, simple formatting, and skimmability matter more than word count - How to inject personality into SEO content without fluff or filler - Why answering the question immediately can increase trust and conversions - How to think about intent for informational vs. transactional keywords - When blog traffic helps sales - and when it doesn't - How email lists, phone calls, and brand trust fit into an SEO strategy - Why many SEO wins fail because the website copy is poorly written - How Tiffany approaches research when writing for industries she's not an expert in - Using Reddit, comments, and real questions to shape SEO content - Where AI helps (and where it hurts) in SEO writing - How to use transcripts and real speech patterns to make content sound human - Why authenticity matters more now than ever in search results This conversation goes deep into how SEO actually works in practice, especially for local businesses and service providers who don't need vanity traffic - they need real people, real trust, and real conversions. If you write blogs, manage SEO, run a local business, or are tired of generic content advice, this episode will give you a clearer way to think about content that compounds over time. ⭐️ Tiffani Daniel at Your Creative Content blog - https://www.yourcreativecontent.com/blog ⭐️ Tiffani Daniel on Threads - https://www.threads.net/@yourcreativecontent ⭐️ Tiffani Daniel on TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@yourcreativecontent ⭐️ Tiffani Daniel on Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/yourcreativecontent/ ⭐️ Tiffani's SEO Copywriting Services - https://www.yourcreativecontent.com/copywriting-services ⭐️ Tiffani's SEO content membership, SEO Storytellers- https://www.yourcreativecontent.com/seo-storytellers 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Welcome and Introduction 00:42 SEO Success Story: Dental Client's Journey 01:48 Content Strategy and Blogging Tips 05:12 Effective SEO Techniques and Client Examples 07:41 Storytelling in SEO and Content Creation 10:17 Using AI in SEO and Content Writing 15:41 Engaging Content and Conversion Strategies 35:49 Research and Writing for Diverse Topics 39:17 Leveraging Reddit for SEO 40:59 Instagram vs. TikTok SEO 41:46 Using Transcripts for Better Rankings 42:33 Exploring Descript for Video Editing 43:45 Rejection Therapy Challenge 49:34 Blogging Strategies and Tools 59:53 Creating Effective Sales Pages 01:07:44 Final Thoughts and Future Plans The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #seocopywriting #blogging #copywriting

E906: I sit down with Shaun Anderson (Hobo Web), one of the most respected SEOs in the industry - someone who has been working in search since the early 2000s and has firsthand experience with every major Google shift, from early link-based ranking to AI-driven systems. We look at what the Google API Leak actually showed, what Google has been consistent about for years, and where SEO narratives have gone wrong. This is a technical, honest conversation focused on how Google really evaluates websites today. Topics covered: - Why Google wasn't lying about how rankings work - What the Google API Leak confirmed about ranking systems - How Google evaluates trust at the site level - Why trust can override traditional authority metrics - How links still matter and what they actually represent - How Google determines who owns and operates a website - Why responsibility and transparency matter for rankings - How E-E-A-T works in practice, not theory - Why monetization changes how a page is evaluated - When affiliate sites can rank successfully - Why some affiliate sites collapse while others grow - The difference between informational intent and commercial intent - What "helpful content" actually means to Google - Why some pages never get indexed - How site-wide quality issues block indexing - How to quickly identify technical vs content vs authority problems - Why publishing velocity can trigger ranking corrections - Why removing low-quality pages still works - Lessons from major updates like Google Penguin - What the Helpful Content Update changed long term - What "content effort" means and how it's evaluated - Why AI-generated content often fails - How AI should be used responsibly in SEO - What SEO tasks should never be handed fully to AI - Why SEO strategy still requires human judgment - Why entity SEO matters more than most people realize - The role of Google Business Profiles for trust - Why authorship, policies, and disclosures matter - How domain-wide signals are applied across pages Who this episode is for: - SEOs working on long-term, legitimate businesses - Founders who rely on organic search - Affiliate site owners navigating post-HCU SEO - Anyone confused by recent Google updates - Anyone whose "good content" isn't ranking This episode is not about tricks or shortcuts. It's about how Google actually evaluates websites based on trust, responsibility, and real-world experience. New episodes every day. Subscribe for more in-depth conversations on SEO, search, and growth. ⭐️ Shaun Anderson at Hobo SEO blog - https://www.hobo-web.co.uk/shaun-anderson/ ⭐️ Shaun Anderson on 𝕏 - https://x.com/hobo_web ⭐️ Shaun Anderson on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@hobo_web ⭐️ Shaun Anderson on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaun-anderson-hobo/ ⭐️ Shout out to Metehan Yesilyurt on 𝕏 - https://x.com/metehan777 ⭐️ Shout out to Koray Tuğberk GÜBÜR on 𝕏 - https://x.com/KorayGubur 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Introduction and Guest Background 02:01 Journey into SEO: Early Days and Achievements 09:54 SEO Challenges and Overcoming Penalties 30:03 Understanding E-EA-T and Its Importance 58:00 AI in SEO: Tools and Techniques 01:03:57 SEO Tasks AI Shouldn't Handle 01:04:48 Creative Backlink Strategies 01:08:38 Controlling a Niche with Exact Match Domains 01:13:57 Diagnosing SEO Traffic Problems 01:18:35 Entity SEO and Google Business Profiles 01:37:07 More Insights from the Google API Leak 02:03:49 Final Thoughts and Reflections The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #eeatseo #seotips #googleapileak

E905: An auto repair shop paid $24,000 for SEO. In 11 months, they generated $2.8 million in revenue. This is exactly how that happened and why most local SEO campaigns never come close to results like this. The strategy comes from a real-world case study shared by Sarvesh Shrivastava, and it lines up perfectly with what actually works for local service businesses today. This is not theory. This is not generic "best practices." This is practical local SEO execution that leads to phone calls and booked jobs. We cover: - Why generic "services" pages don't convert - and what to build instead - How high-intent local pages (emergency, same-day, city-specific) drive revenue - The role of local blog content in rankings, trust, and topical authority - Why internal linking and site structure are some of the most ignored SEO levers - How fixing orphan pages and poor architecture can unlock fast growth - What actually moves the needle inside Google Business Profile optimization - Why real photos and accurate categories matter more than most people think - How Google crawls your entire site when GBP updates are made - The difference between traffic keywords and keywords that generate calls - Why going "fully local" beats chasing big national keywords every time - How real backlinks from relevant local and industry sites outperform cheap links You'll also hear references to insights from past conversations with: - Jake Hundley on information architecture and interlinking - Darren Shaw on Google Business Profile best practices - Real examples of technical issues uncovered using Screaming Frog By the end of this, you'll understand: - Why most local businesses struggle with SEO - What a revenue-focused local SEO strategy actually looks like - How small service businesses can compete without massive budgets - Why "ranking" is the wrong goal - and calls are the right one This is episode 905 of my daily digital marketing show. ⭐️ Sarvesh Shrivastava's thread - https://x.com/bloggersarvesh/status/2003488564651450520?s=46 ⭐️ Sarvesh Shrivastava's episode - E872 - How ANY Local Business Can Hit $100K/Month in 90 Days With SEO (BUT Most Get It Wrong) - https://youtu.be/SDYzINt4ezo ⭐️ Jake Hundley's episode - E900 - Most SEO Agencies Are Selling You Stuff That Doesn't Work (Here's What Actually Does) - https://youtu.be/R1cnAPoHCcI ⭐️ Darren Shaw's episode - E881 - Local SEO Masterclass: Darren Shaw on Ranking Factors, Reviews, and Google Business Hacks - https://youtu.be/1awWMG1e5kY 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Introduction: SEO Success Story 00:15 Guest Spotlight: Sarvesh Shrivastava 00:59 High-Intent Money Pages 02:04 Local Blog Content 02:47 Internal Linking 04:34 Google Business Profile Optimization 05:33 Building Real Backlinks 05:52 Focusing on Local Keywords 06:25 Conclusion: The Power of Local SEO 07:03 Final Thoughts and Farewell The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #localseo #searchengineoptimization #googlebusinessprofile #localmarketing

E904: New data shows a massive decline in Google Search traffic to news publishers. Here's what this means for anyone relying on organic traffic to survive. According to recent analysis, Google Search traffic to news sites has dropped from 51% to 27% over the past two years. At the same time, publishers have become increasingly dependent on Google Discover, a traffic source that is volatile, unpredictable, and difficult to control. I walk through the data, reactions from the SEO and publishing community, and then share my honest take on whether traditional news publishing is still a viable standalone business model - and what publishers should be doing instead. What this covers: - The exact numbers behind Google's traffic shift to news publishers - Why Google Discover now drives the majority of publisher traffic - Why Discover is risky as a primary traffic source - How recent core updates have accelerated the decline - How news consumption habits have changed beyond Google - The role AI and LLMs are playing in reducing search clicks - Why pure news publishing is an increasingly fragile business model What I recommend for publishers: - Why abandoning your website is the wrong move - How to use existing domain and topical authority as a real asset - Why publishers are uniquely positioned to launch niche web apps - How bottom-of-funnel SEO pages can drive purchase intent traffic - Why products and tools create more durable revenue than ads - How feedback from search traffic can guide product development I also share examples of how simple SaaS products can be built, monetized, and iterated on using SEO insights - and why this approach is far more resilient than depending solely on news traffic. This episode is for: - News publishers seeing declining search traffic - SEOs working with media sites - Founders thinking about diversification - Anyone trying to build a more stable, search-driven business This is episode 904 of the podcast - 904 days in a row. ⭐️ Source - https://www.seroundtable.com/google-search-traffic-drops-news-publishers-40645.html ⭐️ Episode with Shaun Savvy - 901 - "He Updated a Blog Post to the Future - Google Ranked It" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eb9SDSSA6FQ 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Introduction: Shocking Drop in Google Search Traffic 00:43 The Shift to Google Discover 02:08 Community Reactions and Comments 04:05 Diversifying Beyond Traditional News Publishing 05:14 SEO Strategies for Web Publishers 10:05 Conclusion and Final Thoughts The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #seo #newspublishers #searchtraffic

E903: Is SEO actually dying, or is the industry just rebranding the same fundamentals under new names like GEO, AEO, and AI SEO? In this long-form holiday roundtable, we break down what really changed in search over the past year, what didn't, and why so much confusion is spreading across marketing teams, LinkedIn, Reddit, and conference stages. This episode covers real-world observations from 2025, not theory or tool demos. We talk candidly about AI search, Google's direction, backlinks, topical authority, video, PR, exact match domains, and the growing disconnect between what's being sold and what actually works. Top 10 SEO Predictions for 2026: 1. CMOs will continue to be duped by GEO misinformation campaigns. Results in GEO will come from SEO, more than ever. 2. Google will remain the primary source of truth for AI search, directly or indirectly influencing most large language model results. 3. Video content, especially YouTube and Instagram, will play a larger role in rankings, AI Overviews, and AI-generated answers. 4. Traditional text-based listicles will decline in effectiveness, particularly those without firsthand experience or original insight. 5. Backlinks will function more as a defensive ranking signal, helping sites withstand core updates rather than just drive growth. 6. Topical authority will become more granular, with trust evaluated at topic and subtopic levels instead of entire domains. 7. AI Overviews will continue to reduce informational clicks while increasing brand visibility, mentions, and indirect conversions. 8. Exact match and keyword-aligned domains will quietly regain value as relevance and attribution signals. 9. SEO and digital PR will fully converge, making citations, mentions, and reputation critical ranking inputs. 10. Claims that SEO is dead will persist, but organic search will remain central to discovery, competition, and revenue. Topics covered: - Why SEO and "GEO" are not separate disciplines - How AI tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity actually rely on search engines - The rise of AI SEO tools and why many are just content scaling platforms - How misinformation around AI search is targeting CMOs and executives - Why backlinks still matter more than most people admit - What the Helpful Content Update really changed (and what it didn't) - Why some sites recovered from HCU and most did not - The problem with listicles, reviews, and fake product testing - Why authority is still largely domain-based and where it may change - How Google's AI Overviews are affecting clicks, impressions, and attribution - Why video and YouTube citations are increasing in AI search results - The role of PR, brand mentions, and reputation in AI visibility - Exact match domains, multi-domain strategies, and when they make sense - Why most "SEO is dead" claims ignore ad revenue and user behavior - What a realistic SEO strategy looks like going into 2026 Platforms and ecosystems discussed: - Google search, AI Overviews, and AI Mode - Reddit and the current spam problem - Quora and declining result quality - HubSpot as a case study in topical drift - YouTube, short-form video, and user-generated content in search Who this episode is for: - SEOs working in-house or agency-side - CMOs and marketing leaders evaluating AI search strategies - Founders and operators relying on organic search for growth - Anyone trying to separate real search changes from marketing noise This is not an episode about shortcuts or trends. It's a grounded discussion about how search actually works today, why Google still matters, and how to avoid strategies that damage long-term visibility. Thanks for listening and watching, and happy holidays. ⭐️ David Quaid on 𝕏 - https://x.com/DavidGQuaid ⭐️ David Quaid on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidquaid/ ⭐️ David Quaid's agency - https://primaryposition.com/ ⭐️ Gagan Ghotra on 𝕏 - https://x.com/gaganghotra_ ⭐️ Gagan Ghotra on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gagan-ghotra/ ⭐️ Gagan Ghotra's website - https://gaganghotra.com/ ⭐️ Harpreet Singh's Personal Site - https://harpsdigital.com ⭐️ Harpreet on X - https://x.com/harpreetchatha_ ⭐️ Harpreet's Newsletter - https://seoespresso.com ⭐️ Harpreet on LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/in/harpreetsingh8/ ⭐️ Harpreet on TikTok - https://tiktok.com/@seoharp ⭐️ Harpreet on YouTube - https://youtube.com/@harpsdigital 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Introduction and Excitement 00:13 SEO and Digital Marketing Surprises of 2025 00:30 Disinformation Campaigns in SEO 01:53 Generative Engine Optimization vs. Traditional SEO 02:27 Spam and AI Content Detection 03:12 Partnership Requests and AI SEO Tools 04:00 Confusion and Disinformation in SEO 08:43 Impact of AI on SEO Strategies 24:28 Authority and Topical Relevance in SEO 39:50 Video Content and SEO 42:51 SEO Predictions for 2026 43:16 Contextually Relevant Content for Small Businesses 44:22 The Debate on Dwell Time and Content Length 45:30 The Skyscraper Technique and Content Efficiency 46:25 Google's Preference for Long-Form Content 46:51 The Role of Short-Form Content in SEO 47:44 Google's Content Agnosticism and Ranking Factors 53:00 The Impact of AI and LLMs on SEO 01:09:41 The Future of Web Design and User Interaction 01:18:48 The Role of Agents and Memory in AI 01:23:49 AI and SEO: The Changing Landscape 01:24:22 SEO Strategies for 2025 and Beyond 01:25:26 The Role of Marketing Teams in SEO 01:26:55 Exact Match Domains: Pros and Cons 01:36:35 The Importance of Backlinks in Modern SEO 01:43:10 The Impact of Google's Helpful Content Update 01:54:49 Future Predictions for SEO 01:59:24 Concluding Thoughts and Holiday Wishes The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #digitalmarketing #generativeengineoptimization #answerengineoptimization

E902: A simple 5-minute SEO hack that can completely change how you build topical authority. David Quaid returns to the show to reveal how to use Google's "People Also Ask" feature to create high-relevance FAQ content - without paid tools, complex keyword research, or unnecessary schema. We also dig into: - How Google actually decides topical authority - Why search demand matters more than schema - When FAQ pages should be standalone vs accordions - How knowledge panels are triggered (and why most people misunderstand them) - A fast, repeatable process for turning PAA questions into ranking pages If you're struggling with keyword research, building authority in a niche, or figuring out what content Google actually wants - this episode gives you a practical shortcut you can use today. ⭐️ David Quaid on 𝕏 - https://x.com/DavidGQuaid ⭐️ David Quaid on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidquaid/ ⭐️ David Quaid's agency - https://primaryposition.com/ 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Welcome Back, David Quaid! 00:22 SEO Hack: Building Topical Authority 01:18 David's Knowledge Panel Journey 06:51 People Also Ask Hack: A Step-by-Step Guide 11:06 Schema and SEO: Myths and Realities 13:52 Structuring Your FAQ Content for SEO 15:22 Wrapping Up and What's Next The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #seohacks #topicalauthorityseo #linkbuilding

E901: A blog post that ranked for zero keywords was lightly updated to make it look like it had been updated in the future.   No new sections. No URL changes. No internal linking push. No major rewrites. A short time later, the page began ranking for: - 14 keywords   - 5 page-one positions   - Multiple SERP features   Even more interesting: the Google search result itself displayed a future update date. Shaun Chojnacki joins the show to share one of the strangest real-world SEO experiments I've seen! We walk through exactly what was changed, what was not changed, and what this may reveal about how Google interprets freshness, relevance, and on-page signals.  What we cover in this episode - The original state of the blog post and how it wasn't ranking   - The exact changes made before rankings improved   - What "freshness" actually means in practice   - Why this was not a traditional content refresh   - How Google surfaced the future update date in the SERP   - Why topical authority mattered in this case   - The role of a single outbound link update   - What SEOs should not copy from this experiment   - Why most SEO best practices are rarely tested properly  Additional topics we discuss - AI Overviews and why social content is appearing in search results   - Why current AI SEO reporting tools are unreliable   - How YouTube videos, LinkedIn posts, and Reddit threads now rank   - Why generic, AI-written FAQs often hurt pages   - How Search Console data produces better FAQs than AI prompts   - Branded FAQs vs informational FAQs   - Niche-focused SEO agencies vs generalist agencies   - Long-term SEO strategy vs short-term tactics   - Why consistency still beats clever tricks over time   This episode is not a recommendation to manipulate publish dates or mislead users. It's a breakdown of a real test, real data, and real outcomes - and a reminder that Google often responds to signals in ways that are undocumented and unexpected. This is episode 901 of The Edward Show, a daily digital marketing podcast covering SEO, content, AI, and growth - published every day without missing an episode. Subscribe for daily discussions focused on real experiments, real data, and practical SEO insights. ⭐️ Shaun Savvy Wedding Venue Marketing - https://shaunsavvy.com/wedding-venue-marketing-company ⭐️ Shaun Chojnacki on LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/in/shaunsavvy ⭐️ Shaun's SEO Company in Buffalo, New York - https://shaunsavvy.com/services/buffalo-seo-company ⭐️ Shaun Chojnacki on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/shaunsavvy/  ⭐️ Get a Free Website Audit for Your Staffing Company From Shaun - [email protected] 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 00:10 The Freshness Debate in SEO 00:25 Client Case Study: The Blog Experiment 01:24 Surprising Results 02:27 Technical Details and SEO Strategies 14:40 AI Overviews and Social Media Integration 37:19 Maximizing LinkedIn Impressions 38:25 Cross-Posting Strategies 39:00 Understanding LinkedIn's Algorithm 39:28 Achieving Impressive Growth 39:55 Content Repurposing Techniques 42:07 Building a Strong Team 43:38 Future Business Goals 44:51 SEO and Social Media Insights 51:58 Effective PR and SEO Tactics 01:02:22 Reddit and Alternative SEO Strategies 01:05:41 Long-Term SEO Success 01:09:15 Niche SEO for Wedding Venues 01:10:39 Final Thoughts and Farewell The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #backlinks #seostrategy #generativeengineoptimization

E900: Most SEO agencies aren't just outdated - many knowingly sell tactics that no longer move rankings, traffic, or revenue. I'm joined by Jake Hundley, who has spent years testing SEO tactics in real-world environments and publishing findings that directly contradict common agency practices - including a large-scale study showing that geo-tagging photos does not meaningfully impact rankings. We break down why these myths persist, how agencies justify billing for low-impact work, and what actually drives results in modern SEO. This conversation focuses on applied SEO for local and service-based businesses, backed by observation, testing, and long-term performance - not theory or trend-chasing. What we cover - Why geo-tagging images and EXIF data don't meaningfully affect rankings - How and why agencies continue selling ineffective SEO tasks - The 80/20 rule of SEO and how most effort is misallocated - How doorway pages still "work" - and why they create long-term risk - How project-based pages outperform fake location pages - What Google actually responds to in local search - Why SEO fundamentals beat technical busywork - How brand demand and offline marketing influence organic visibility - Why most SEO case studies mislead more than they inform - How to build SEO assets that hold up over time Key takeaways - Many SEO services exist to justify retainers, not results - Clear structure and intent alignment outperform volume and automation - Long-term rankings come from serving demand, not manufacturing it Who this episode is for - SEO professionals tired of selling or defending low-value work - Agency owners who want sustainable client results - Local service businesses investing in organic growth - Anyone questioning widely accepted SEO "best practices" If you care about results that compound over time - not checklists, gimmicks, or shortcuts - this episode will resonate. ⭐️ Jake's Agency Discord - https://discord.gg/uvHRRRFVRD ⭐️ Jake's Podcast - The Agency Growth Podcast: https://everbrospodcast.com/ ⭐️ r/agency Subreddit - https://www.reddit.com/r/agency/ ⭐️ Jake Hundley on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/jake.hundley.1 ⭐️ Jake Hundley on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-hundley/ ⭐️ Jake Hundley's agency - https://evergrowmarketing.com/ 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Welcome and Introduction 00:05 Debunking SEO Myths 01:47 The Impact of Basic SEO Practices 05:57 Avoiding Doorway Pages 10:30 Effective Use of Project Pages 13:47 Challenges in the Lawn Care Industry 14:54 The Role of AI in SEO 15:56 SEO Business Models and Client Acquisition 18:58 Long-Term SEO Strategies 33:50 Case Studies and Real-World Examples 41:53 The 80/20 Rule in SEO 43:20 Understanding H1 and H2 Structure 45:37 SEO Best Practices for Local Services 46:40 The Importance of Geo-Targeting in SEO 47:56 Personal Journey into SEO 51:53 SEO Strategies for Franchise Businesses 53:55 The Power of Branding in Marketing 01:07:42 Debunking SEO Myths and Misconceptions 01:24:58 Contemplating a Break and Team Expansion 01:25:10 Challenges of Hiring and Editing 01:25:46 Evolution of Podcast Production 01:26:54 Engagement and Content Strategy 01:27:50 Podcast Format and Audience Interaction 01:31:04 Team Dynamics and Remote Engagement 01:35:52 Podcast Purpose and Growth 01:39:59 Content Creation and Community Feedback 01:57:18 The Role of Teasers and Clips 02:00:21 AI in Marketing and Agency Operations 02:04:41 Spam and AI: A Personal Stance 02:05:51 The Value of Brand Equity 02:06:30 Short-Term Gains vs. Long-Term Success 02:07:43 The Influence of Social Media and Peer Pressure 02:10:34 Creating and Selling Courses: Challenges and Strategies 02:18:46 The Importance of Personal Branding 02:20:43 Podcasting: Building Connections and Authority 02:25:38 Balancing Time and Value in Consulting 02:31:09 Guest Vetting and Podcast Integrity 02:37:17 Conclusion and Final Thoughts The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #localseo #agencygrowth #linkbuilding

E899: Breaking down how earned media actually works - and how brands, founders, and creators can get press, podcast interviews, and brand mentions without paying influencers or agencies thousands of dollars. I'm joined by Bridget Sicsko and Lydia Bagarozza from Visibility on Purpose. We go deep into what journalists, podcast hosts, and writers are really looking for, why most pitches fail, and how to position yourself so third parties want to talk about your brand. This is a practical conversation focused on execution, not theory. What we cover in this episode: - What earned media is and why it compounds across SEO, branding, and conversions - How to pitch journalists and podcast hosts the right way - The biggest mistakes people make when trying to get press coverage - Why press releases are often misunderstood - and when they actually make sense - Cold outreach vs inbound media opportunities - How to follow up without annoying writers or hosts - How to write better email subject lines for media pitches - Why relevance matters more than credentials - How to research writers before pitching them - When to use press releases vs direct outreach - How journalists really use platforms like HARO-style requests - The role of niche publications in building authority - How to use brand mentions to get more brand mentions - Turning one media win into long-term credibility - How podcasts fit into an earned media strategy - How AI tools can help with editing and clarity (without replacing human judgment) About Visibility on Purpose, Bridget & Lydia's PR firm: Visibility on Purpose is a PR consulting studio helping small business owners get seen, featured, and remembered. Founded in 2023 by Publicist Lydia Bagarozza and Speaker Bridget Aileen Sicsko, the studio bridges the gap between DIY PR and expensive agencies - giving founders the strategy they need to confidently manage their own visibility. Together, they're improving modern PR by giving brands industry tools and publicist-level insights to tell their own stories and attract meaningful press. ⭐️ Bridget & Lydia's free Get Featured Class - https://www.visibilityonpurpose.com/getfeatured ⭐️ Visibility on Purpose - https://www.visibilityonpurpose.com/ ⭐️ Visibility on Purpose on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/visibilityonpurpose/ ⭐️ Visibility on Purpose on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/visibilityonpurpose ⭐️ Visibility on Purpose on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@visibilityonpurpose ⭐️ Visibility on Purpose on Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/visibilityonpurpose 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Introduction to Earned Media 00:53 Meet the Experts: Bridget and Lydia 04:59 Common Mistakes in PR Outreach 10:53 Effective PR Tools and AI Integration 14:35 Press Release Best Practices 22:01 Exploring PR Distribution Services 24:19 Success Stories with PR Newswire 27:14 Strategies for Effective Media Outreach 29:06 Leveraging Brand Mentions for Growth 31:41 Building Relationships with Journalists 35:12 Creative PR Tactics and Social Proof 42:38 Final Thoughts The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #publicrelations #earnedmedia101 #linkbuilding #backlinks