The SEO Playbook That Actually Works: PageRank, Topical Authority & Real Results

E848: Most marketing agencies claim to be "profit-driven." Nathan Perdriau says that's a lie. Nathan - co-founder of Blue Sense Digital - joins us to explain what it really means to connect paid media with profit, how finance and marketing intersect, and why most agencies misunderstand what drives sustainable growth. What you'll get: - How to connect paid media decisions directly to the P&L - Why "profit-driven" agencies are often anything but - The role of financial literacy in marketing strategy - Attribution, geo-lift testing, and understanding real incrementality - When founders should stop running their own ads - Creative strategy and how much budget should go to content production - The truth about TikTok vs. Meta ad performance - The impact of AI ads and what's coming next - How 7-figure founders can break into 8 figures Who this episode is for: - E-commerce founders scaling from 7 to 8 figures - Marketing leaders tired of fake "profit-first" talk - Paid media professionals who want to tie results to real business outcomes - Anyone interested in data-backed, financially literate marketing Watch, learn, and rethink what "profit-driven marketing" actually means. ⭐️ Nathan Perdriau on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathan-perdriau/ ⭐️ Nathan Perdriau's agency, Blue Sense Digital - https://www.bluesensedigital.com.au/ ⭐️ Nathan Perdriau on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@bluesensedigital 💎 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 01:31 Early Ventures and E-commerce Success 03:06 Transition to Agency Work 05:44 Profit and Loss Driven Marketing 08:47 Attribution and Experimentation in Marketing 10:46 Paid Media vs. Other Marketing Channels 12:10 Conversion Rate Optimization and Landing Pages 15:06 Black Friday Strategies and Inventory Management 21:21 Agency vs. In-House Teams 29:42 Creative Budgeting and Content Creation 33:28 The Benefit of Organic Content in Ads 37:25 Challenges of TikTok Advertising 40:04 Essential Skills for Performance Marketers 42:19 When Founders Should Stop Running Their Own Ads 50:45 The Future of AI in Advertising 56:43 Advice for Scaling from Seven to Eight Figures 01:00:14 Conclusion and Farewell The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #performancemarketing #mediabuying #growthmarketing #facebookads

E847: Jacky Chou built an SEO empire that made $500K per month - until Google wiped out 15 of his sites overnight. Now he's back and crushing harder than ever, running even more profitable SEO-driven businesses. In this episode, Jacky goes deep on Black Hat SEO, CTR manipulation, link-building tactics, and what it's really like to make and lose millions online. We talk about surviving brutal algorithm updates, ranking in the AI era, and how Jacky rebuilt smarter, stronger, and more diversified than before. If you care about SEO, niche sites, or digital entrepreneurship, this episode is pure gold. What You'll Learn - How Jacky scaled niche sites to $500K/month - The black hat, gray hat, and white hat tactics he actually uses - How CTR manipulation works - Surviving Google updates and the Helpful Content Update apocalypse - SEO in the age of AI Overviews and ChatGPT - Why consistency and execution matter more than ideas ⭐️ Jacky Chou on 𝕏 - https://x.com/indexsy ⭐️ Jack Chou's website - https://jackychou.com/ ⭐️ Jacky Chou on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@indexsy 💎 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 00:45 SEO Success and Transition to Software 01:37 Black Hat SEO Tactics and Contest 02:51 Link Building Strategies 04:51 Challenges and Public Wins 10:15 White Hat, Gray Hat, and Black Hat Tactics 26:38 Rank and Rent in the Age of AI 30:15 Evaluating Ideas and Product Market Fit 34:14 Deep Dive into SEO and Industry Insights 43:51 Discussion on HouseFresh and Google's Influence 45:19 Lars Lofgren and the HCU Impact 46:55 Disney's Viral Site Link and Black Hat SEO Tactics 49:34 Negative SEO Attacks and Disavow Strategies 51:24 Influencing AI and ChatGPT's Data Sources 58:51 Conversion Rate Optimization Tips and Mistakes 01:07:56 Using AI for Writing and Automations 01:13:10 Consistency in Content Creation and Podcasting The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #blackhatseo #linkbuilding #growthhacking #searchengineoptimization

E846: David Quaid shares the SEO playbook that delivers consistent results. With more than 26 years of experience leading digital growth, David has helped companies scale to hundreds of millions in revenue through search-driven strategy and technical SEO execution. In this episode, he explains what works in SEO today - from how PageRank still shapes Google's algorithm to how topical authority, site structure, and internal linking determine visibility. The discussion focuses on building long-term performance through fundamentals, not churn and burn shortcuts. We cover: - How PageRank still influences modern Google rankings - Building topical authority with clear, structured content - Why "Crawled Not Indexed" occurs and how to address it - The role of internal links and content clusters in SEO - How to align EEAT with real content quality - Practical steps to improve indexing and site visibility David breaks down how Google interprets authority, what signals matter, and how to create pages that earn and keep rankings. This episode is for marketers, founders, and SEO professionals who want clarity on what drives organic growth in 2025/26 - without the noise or myths that dominate the industry. If you want to understand how Google evaluates sites, how PageRank and topical authority still work together, and how to structure content that ranks, this conversation is worth your time. ⭐️ 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 Introduction 00:36 David Quaid Career Highlights and Achievements 02:10 SEO Philosophy and Approach 02:53 Understanding PageRank and Topical Authority 04:32 SEO Playbooks and Strategies 14:29 Republishing Content for Better Rankings 24:40 FAQs and Topical Authority 41:08 Understanding Google's Thin Content Policy 42:05 The Importance of Glossaries in SEO 43:40 AI-Generated Content and SEO 45:09 Google's Click-Through Rate Testing 45:47 Debunking SEO Myths: Bounce Rates and Dwell Times 48:57 The Role of Pogo Sticking in SEO 51:49 Negative SEO and Click-Through Manipulation 01:09:17 Building Topical Authority and Effective Link Building 01:18:02 Introduction to SEO Strategies 01:18:22 Top SEOs and Digital Marketers to Follow 01:19:44 Actionable SEO Hacks and Link Building 01:20:29 Creative SEO Partnerships and Case Studies 01:22:10 The Importance of PageRank and SEO Fundamentals 01:25:21 Challenges and Successes in SEO 01:35:37 SEO Best Practices and Common Mistakes 01:51:45 Concluding Thoughts and Farewell The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #growthmarketing #pagerank #technicalseo

E845: They said SEO takes 12 months to work. But the truth is, a local business can hit $100k/month in under 90 days.  Here's exactly how to do it: 1. Optimize Google Business Profile before anything else. Most businesses treat Google Business Profile like an afterthought. That's the fastest way to lose local leads. - Add real images (not stock) - Fill in services, hours, categories - Get 10+ reviews immediately (email past clients) - Post weekly updates Google wants freshness and completeness.  Give it both. 2. Build one single page that prints money. Not "Our Services."  Not "Welcome to ABC Plumbing." One page that's built to rank and convert. Examples: - "Same-Day Drain Cleaning in Denver" - "Affordable Tree Removal - Charlotte, NC" - "Top-Rated AC Repair in Phoenix – Book Now" Make it obvious what you do, where, and why they should care. No fluff. 3. Write content that feels like it came from the neighborhood. Not some generic "Tips for Homeowners" garbage. Real, local stuff like: "How to spot roof damage after a Gulf Coast storm" "Best time of year to prune oaks in Austin" "What an AC tune-up actually costs in Miami" Speak to locals. Use street names if you have to. 4. Fix internal links so Google actually knows what's important. Most local sites are a mess.  No structure, no flow. Fix it: - Homepage links to core services - Services link to blogs - Blogs link back to services That loop?  That's how you build topical authority. And rankings. 5. Run a full technical SEO audit Before touching keywords or content, fire up Screaming Frog and crawl the entire site. Fix: - Broken links - Duplicate titles/descriptions - Missing H1s - Redirect chains - Canonical tag issues If the site's foundations are broken, nothing else sticks. 6. Internal linking structure. Every page links to: - The homepage - Relevant service pages - Top blogs/resources - Use keyword-rich anchors naturally. This helps rankings faster than most people think. ⭐️ Sarvesh Shrivastava's post - https://x.com/bloggersarvesh/status/1981754972682490016 ⭐️ How to do SEO for services businesses in under a minute - https://edwardsturm.com/articles/seo-for-services-businesses-under-one-minute-read-time/ 💎 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 Local SEO 00:46 Optimizing Your Google Business Profile 01:47 Creating High-Converting Landing Pages 03:42 Writing Localized Content 05:00 Fixing Internal Links for Better SEO 06:39 Conducting a Technical SEO Audit 08:37 Additional Tips 10:16 Final Thoughts The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #localseo #searchengineoptimization #localmarketing #digitalmarketing

E843: You can drive all the traffic in the world… but if your website doesn't convert, it doesn't matter. I break down real stories from marketers who saw massive jumps in performance - sometimes over 400% more conversions - just by making simple website changes. From rewriting headlines and removing drop downs to changing button colors (the legendary "Big Orange Button"), these are the conversion rate optimization (CRO) lessons that actually work. Whether you run an e-commerce store, SaaS site, or personal brand, this will give you actionable ways to turn more visitors into customers - without needing more traffic. What You'll Learn: - The A/B tests that created 400%+ conversion lifts - Why dumbing down your copy can dramatically increase sales - How small UX tweaks (like dropdowns vs swatches) impact performance - The truth behind the "Big Orange Button" - The fastest way to fix your landing pages today ⭐️ What is the biggest jump in website performance you've ever seen from a single A/B test? - https://www.reddit.com/r/marketing/comments/18ia0cx/what_is_the_biggest_jump_in_website_performance/ ⭐️ Accordions do worse in SEO (experiment 18) - https://seosherpa.com/seo-experiments/ ⭐️ The Big Orange Button (BOB): Lessons Beyond Color - https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/big-orange-button-bob-lessons-beyond-color-kyendereta-chantelle--tncff/ 💎 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 Conversion Rate Optimization 00:53 Real-World A/B Testing Success Stories 01:33 Page Title Optimization Tips 02:37 Simplifying Language for Better Conversions 05:04 E-commerce Conversion Rate Optimization Insights 07:30 The Big Orange Button (BOB) Myth 11:07 Email Marketing Tip: Red Emoji 11:38 Conclusion The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #conversionrateoptimization #ecommerce #searchengineoptimization #digitalmarketing 

E842: Everyone's talking about "AI visibility," but almost no one is asking the right questions. Is it actually real - or just another marketing buzzword sold by agencies and tools that need a new story to tell? We uncover The Big AI Visibility Lie with former Telegraph Head of SEO James Carson, who's worked with some of the biggest publishers in the world. We unravel: - Why "AI visibility" and "GEO" are mostly hype (and who's selling it) - The truth about ChatGPT, Perplexity, and AI Overviews traffic - How execs are falling for AI hype - and what consultants should really tell their clients - Why SEO fundamentals still matter more than ever - How YouTube is quietly becoming the new SEO advantage - The coming shift toward agentic browsers and what it really means for marketers If you've been told your business needs "AI visibility," watch this before you waste your budget. ⭐️ James Carson on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacarson85/ ⭐️ James Carson on YouTube - https://youtube.com/@absolutelyagentic ⭐️ James Carson's newsletter - https://absolutelyagentic.com/newsletter 💎 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 Addressing AI Visibility Concerns 00:15 Agency vs. In-House Perspectives on AI 01:09 The Reality of AI Traffic Referrals 03:53 Challenges in Optimizing for AI 08:29 The Future of AI and Agentic Browsers 18:52 SEO and AI: Are They the Same? 23:26 Background and Experience in SEO 28:31 The Intersection of SEO and Social Media 31:29 Should You Invest in AI Visibility Tracking Tools? 31:57 The Relevance of AI Tracking in SEO 33:38 The Rise of AI and Its Impact on Visibility Tools 34:21 Challenges in Measuring AI Visibility 36:31 The Debate on AI's Role in SEO Strategy 40:30 The Importance of Quality Content in the AI Era 42:10 Using YouTube for SEO Success 48:11 The Future of Publishing in the AI Age 53:31 Effective SEO Strategies for Publishers 58:28 Recommended AI Tools for Content Creation 01:00:54 Conclusion and Final Thoughts The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #generativeengineoptimization #searchengineoptimization #chiefmarketingofficer #performancemarketing

842: OpenAI just released its new browser, ChatGPT Atlas, and many people are asking if this could mark the end of SEO as we know it. I break down what marketers and SEO professionals are actually saying about Atlas - what it gets right, what it struggles with, and whether it really changes how people search or browse. We cover: - What ChatGPT Atlas is and how it works - How SEO experts are reacting to it - Whether Atlas could impact Google's dominance - How hallucinations and AI feedback loops might affect SEO work - A real story of a company that dropped their SEO team for "AI visibility" - and what happened next - Practical takeaways for marketers watching AI's role in search 💎 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/ ⭐️ The conversation on X: https://x.com/edwardeachday/status/1980715741910303002 ⭐️ The conversation on Threads: https://www.threads.com/@edward.builds/post/DQGzLp7Cjlg ⭐️ Got fired because CEO thinks traditional Search is Dead - https://www.reddit.com/r/SEO/comments/1odiguy/got_fired_because_ceo_thinks_traditional_search/ 💎 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 OpenAI's Atlas Browser 00:23 Initial Reactions and Feedback 00:43 Community Opinions on SEO Impact 02:54 Balancing Positive and Negative Takes 05:12 A Cautionary Tale of Ignoring SEO 08:29 Final Thoughts The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #generativeengineoptimization #searchengineoptimization #performancemarketing #digitalmarketing

841: Everything you know about marketing analytics… is wrong. Today's guest, Jeff Greenfield, built one of the world's first multi-touch attribution platforms - long before most marketers even knew what "attribution" meant. He's here to expose the truth about why your data is lying to you, why Google Analytics only shows half the story, and how 80% of marketing budgets are being wasted without anyone realizing it. We break down: - The real reason your Facebook and Google Ads don't match - What "cookie-less" marketing actually means for your tracking - How to tell which campaigns are genuinely driving sales - The difference between clicks, impressions, and true attention - Simple analytics tips for startups and small businesses If you've ever looked at your ad data and thought "something feels off," this episode will explain why - and what to do about it. ⭐️ Provalytics - https://provalytics.com ⭐️ Jeff Greenfield - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffgreenfield/ 💎 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 Analytics and Guest Background 01:16 Building the First Multi-Touch Attribution Platform 07:54 Fundamentals of Analytics for Digital Marketing 09:52 Evolution of Marketing from Traditional to Digital 12:14 Challenges in Modern Analytics and Attribution 17:11 DIY Techniques for Effective Ad Tracking 26:02 Complexities of Multi-Platform Advertising 39:53 Measuring Ad Effectiveness Across Channels 40:34 DIY Marketing Analytics for Entrepreneurs 42:15 The Gold Standard: Geo Holdout Tests 44:35 The Shift to Cookie-less Marketing 53:01 Challenges with AI in Data Analysis 01:00:38 Understanding Pixels and Retargeting 01:04:18 Google Tag Manager and Analytics Tools 01:10:24 The Strength of YouTube Advertising 01:11:50 Conclusion and Future Episodes The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #performancemarketing #mediabuying #digitalmarketing #analytics

E840: Most SEOs are building links the wrong way - and they don't even know it. Alejandro Meyerhans, a link building expert, joins the podcast to share the harsh truth about link building, SEO myths, and what moves rankings in 2025. We talk about why white hat vs black hat doesn't matter, how Google's trust system works, the future of backlinks, AI-generated slop content, and how to build authority that survives every algorithm update. If you care about SEO, backlinks, or the future of search - this is one you can't skip. What We Cover: - Why 99% of link building advice is wrong - The myth of "toxic" backlinks and disavow files - How to build links that Google can't ignore - Tiered linking, anchor text ratios, and trust graphs explained - The death of traditional blogs - and what replaces backlinks - How AI content is polluting search (and what to do instead) - Building long-term SEO that actually compounds ⭐️ Get backlinks from Alejandro - Use code EDWARDBUILDS for 15% off your first order - https://getmelinks.com/ ⭐️ Alejandro Meyerhans on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexmeyerhans/ 💎 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 Welcome 00:52 Discussing Link Building Ethics 02:01 Exploring SEO Tactics 05:36 Trust and Authority in SEO 11:33 Effective Link Building Strategies 15:59 The Role of Brand and Content in SEO 36:30 Low-Cost Link Building Methods 44:13 Exceptional Content Links 44:37 Concerns About AI in Content Creation 44:59 The Value of Human Experience in Content 46:08 Sharing and Promoting High-Quality Content 47:48 The Impact of AI on Writing Quality 51:47 AI's Limitations and the Importance of Human Input 53:34 More Link Building Strategies 56:55 The Risks of Overusing AI in SEO 01:09:58 Speed Round: Link Building Tactics 01:18:18 Final Thoughts and Farewell The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #linkbuilding #backlinks #searchengineoptimization #digitalmarketing

E839: 95% of SEOs and 99.9999% of digital marketers completely miss this concept - keyword gaps inside the SERP itself. I break down exactly what a keyword gap is, why it matters more than any SEO metric, and how to find and fill them so Google wants to rank your pages. You'll learn: - What a keyword gap actually is (and how to spot one in the search results) - How to analyze SERPs with your own eyes to find low-competition opportunities - Why Google "desperately" needs content that fills these gaps - How to optimize your page titles, H1s, and first sentences to capture rankings fast - Real examples and results from my own keyword gap wins If you're serious about SEO, keyword research, and content that ranks - this episode will change how you see search forever. 💎 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 Keyword Gaps in SERPs 01:01 Defining Keyword Gaps 01:46 Importance of Keyword Gaps in SERPs 03:20 Identifying Keyword Gaps in SERPs 03:50 Examples of Keyword Gaps 05:41 Degrees of Keyword Gaps in SERPs 09:07 Filling Keyword Gaps in SERPs 09:40 Wrapping The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #seotips #performancemarketing #digitalmarketing