SEO Listener Q&A: AI Writing, Outbound Links, Ranking Without Backlinks, and Is SEO Still Worth It?

E1005: How to get high-quality backlinks for health websites. I came across a discussion from someone struggling to compete with sites that have thousands of backlinks, many of them low quality. This episode walks through what matters in YMYL niches like health, and why chasing volume is often the wrong approach. If you understand the principles in this episode, you can apply them to any niche where trust, authority, and quality matter. What we cover: - Why the health niche (and YMYL overall) is held to a higher standard by Google - Why low-quality backlinks can hurt your rankings instead of helping - How a small number of authoritative links can outperform thousands of weak ones - When guest posting still works, and when it doesn't - Why long tail keywords are one of the fastest ways to build authority early - How satisfying search intent (and avoiding pogo-sticking) can build rankings without links - A step-by-step approach to using AI + journalist outreach to earn high-authority backlinks - How to use HARO, Featured, and similar platforms to land real media coverage - Why most people fail at outreach (and how simple follow-ups can compound results) - Additional backlink sources like directories, podcasts, and product launches - Why relying on a single link building strategy can look unnatural Key ideas: - In health SEO, quality and relevance matter far more than raw backlink count - Authority can be built through rankings, not just links - The best backlinks come from real publications, real traffic, and real trust - Consistency beats trying to do everything at once This episode is based on real strategies, real examples, and what is currently working in competitive, high-trust niches. If you are working on a health site, or any YMYL business, this will give you a clearer direction on what to focus on and what to ignore. ⭐️ The AI System to Find Relevant Journalists, Land Coverage, and Earn Ongoing High-Authority Backlinks - https://edwardsturm.com/articles/articles_ai-system-find-journalists-earn-high-authority-backlinks/ ⭐️ The Reddit Thread - https://www.reddit.com/r/linkbuilding/comments/1ryw2ji/how_to_build_backlinks_for_health_niche_website/ 🚀 Learn SEO for free - https://freeseoknowledge.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 Healthcare Backlinks Thread Breakdown 00:39 Health SEO Trust Rules 01:04 Guest Blogging Nuance 01:44 Long Tail Authority Hack 02:42 Outreach Budget Debate 03:14 AI Journalist Outreach 05:06 Pillar Content Reality Check 05:43 Quality Links Win 06:07 HARO Success Story 06:29 Mix Strategies Naturally 07:03 Targeted Pitching Tips 07:43 Daily Link Building Plan 08:17 Wrap Up The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #seo #linkbuilding #digitalmarketing

E1004: Answering listener questions about some of the biggest topics in SEO right now: AI writing, outbound links, ranking without backlinks, and whether SEO is still worth doing. I talk through when it makes sense to link out from your content, including blog posts and bottom-of-funnel pages, and why linking to useful sources can make your content more credible. I also explain how I think about citing statistics, supporting claims, and using outbound links in a way that helps both readers and search performance. I also respond to a question about AI writing and what people usually get wrong. The issue is not that your writing has to become worse or less polished to avoid sounding AI-generated. The real problem is leaving in the most obvious patterns that make writing feel generic or untrustworthy. I explain which signals tend to stand out and how to reduce them without flattening your voice. I get into a comment about ranking without backlinks. This is one of my favorite parts of the discussion. I explain why relevance, topical authority, site structure, pruning weak pages, and reducing pogo sticking can often matter more than people think. For many sites, improving those fundamentals is more realistic and more useful than obsessing over getting stronger backlinks. I also answer an honest question about whether it is time to move on from SEO altogether, especially with Google pushing harder into AI. I share why I still think SEO is one of the best marketing channels available, especially if you sell something and can target people who are actively looking for it. I also explain why SEO is getting harder for top-of-funnel publishers who rely on ads or affiliate revenue, and why having a product or service to sell changes the equation. I cover: - When to link out from blog posts, landing pages, and sales pages - Why citing sources can improve trust and clarity - How to think about outbound links without hoarding authority - What makes AI writing feel obvious to readers - Why you do not need to make your writing worse to make it sound human - Which AI writing patterns are most likely to hurt trust - How some sites rank without strong backlink profiles - Why relevance and topical authority still matter so much - The role of site architecture and pruning in SEO performance - Whether SEO is still worth doing in a changing search landscape - Why SEO is strongest when tied to something you actually sell - Why videos should support the same keywords you target on your site If you are trying to figure out what still works in SEO, and what matters less than people say, this episode should help. And if you have a question you want me to answer in a future episode, leave it in the comments. ⭐️ E1003: Stop Hoarding SEO Authority: Nofollow Links Don't Work the Way You Think - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjlDk8yO5RY ⭐️ E999: How to Humanize AI Content (Before It Destroys Your SEO) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8CoElpldtk ⭐️ E974: Google's New AI Patent Could Replace Your Website - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kTEYwiRBbg 🚀 Learn SEO for free - https://freeseoknowledge.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 Listener Qs Kickoff 00:27 When To Link Out 01:07 Citing Sources Builds Trust 02:39 Humanizing AI Writing 03:40 Avoid AI Giveaways 06:04 Ranking Without Backlinks 08:24 Google AI Patent Fears 10:47 Should SEOs Move On 12:28 Sell Something With SEO 13:16 Wrap Up And Thanks The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #seo #marketingstrategy #digitalmarketing

E1003: Breaking down an SEO video funnel that can work especially well for high-ticket offers. You create short videos that answer real top-of-funnel keywords people already have. Those videos rank and send people to a form. The form qualifies them. AI buckets the leads. Then, before the sales call, you automatically send follow-up videos tailored to the type of prospect they are. This works well because the person is not arriving cold. They have already watched your content, heard you explain something useful, taken time to fill out the form, and seen material that speaks to their specific situation before they ever get on a call. I walk through the full process from start to finish. What I cover: - The tools you need to build this funnel - How to choose the right top-of-funnel keywords - Examples of video topics for different business types - How to record short mobile videos quickly - How to edit videos with AI - Why less competitive questions are a good place to start - How to use a memorable domain as your call to action - What to put on the form page - Why the form should qualify leads instead of only maximizing conversions - How to use seven form fields to segment prospects - Connecting the form to Zapier and Google Sheets - How to group leads into customer archetypes - How to send different follow-up videos based on each archetype - What those longer follow-up videos should look like - Why these videos can improve trust before the sales call - What to do if someone does not close on the call - How to follow up with a short-term discount and more tailored content - Why bottom-of-funnel SEO should be part of the wider strategy Tools mentioned: - Ahrefs, Moz, or Semrush for keyword research - Typeform or a form on your site - Zapier for automations - Descript for recording and editing - Mailchimp or Zapier for email flows - A memorable domain with a 301 redirect - Calendly for call booking - Google Sheets for organizing lead data A few key ideas: - Short videos can rank quickly for the right search terms - Personalized follow-up content can make the sales call much warmer - Bottom-of-funnel SEO keywords usually have stronger buying intent If you sell a high-ticket service, coaching offer, software product, or subscription and want a practical way to connect SEO with sales calls, this episode lays out a full process you can adapt. The form prompt: Write only the output for a high-converting ToF lead form (no explanations), including a compelling headline, a short subheadline that sets a realistic expectation (they'll receive relevant content based on their answers, not a fully personalized plan), and exactly 7 concise, low-friction form fields: (1) name, (2) email, (3–6) four broad, industry-agnostic questions that uncover the user's current situation, goal, main challenge, and key context for segmentation into 4–5 archetypes, and (7) a final field/CTA that directs them to book a call via a calendar link; keep everything short, conversational, and ensure the questions are general enough to work across any niche while still enabling clear segmentation; now generate the output for this business: [INSERT BUSINESS]. ⭐️ My Exact Social Media Posting Strategy - https://edwardsturm.com/articles/social-media-posting-strategy/ 🚀 Learn SEO for free - https://freeseoknowledge.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 High Ticket Funnel Overview 00:42 Tools You Need 01:54 Top of Funnel Video SEO 03:27 Editing With Descript 04:37 Keyword Competition Strategy 06:51 Form Setup And CTA 08:14 Lead Segmentation Automations 09:00 Archetype Warm Up Videos 12:05 Sales Call And Follow Up 16:14 Wrap Up And Goodbye The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #salesfunnels #marketingfunnels #seo

E1002: We break down one of the most persistent SEO myths: the idea that you can "hoard" or control SEO authority by using nofollow links. This belief has been around for over a decade, and despite Google addressing it years ago, many SEOs and marketers still structure their sites around it. They avoid linking out. They overuse nofollow. They try to channel authority internally. It doesn't work. This episode explains what actually happens when you use nofollow links, why PageRank sculpting is no longer a viable tactic, and what you should focus on instead. We walk through insights originally shared by former Google Head of Web Spam Matt Cutts and explain how they still apply today. What you'll learn: - What PageRank is and how it flows through links - Why the idea of "saving" SEO authority is flawed - What changed when Google updated how nofollow works - Why nofollow links don't redistribute authority - they discard it - Why avoiding outbound links can hurt your site - When (and when not) to use nofollow - How internal linking actually influences rankings - Why site architecture matters more than link sculpting - How to think about linking from high-authority pages - What to focus on instead of outdated SEO tactics We also cover: - Why linking out to relevant, high-quality sources can be beneficial - How Google evaluates link behavior today - Practical ways to improve your internal linking structure - The role of usability and crawlability in SEO performance If you've been trying to control link flow with nofollow or avoiding outbound links altogether, this episode will help you reset your approach. Focus on clear site structure, useful content, and logical linking. That's what moves rankings. ⭐️ PageRank sculpting - https://www.mattcutts.com/blog/pagerank-sculpting/ 🚀 Learn SEO for free - https://freeseoknowledge.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 The SEO Myth 00:43 Matt Cutts Context 01:19 PageRank Basics 03:16 What Nofollow Does 03:48 Why PageRank Sculpting Fails 05:57 What To Do Instead 08:05 Outbound Links Matter 11:27 Wrap Up And Thanks The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #seo #pagerank #digitalmarketing

E1001: Guest blogging for SEO has declined, what Google said about it, and how most people are using it the wrong way in 2026. Back in 2014, Google's head of web spam, Matt Cutts, published a post called "The Decay and Fall of Guest Blogging for SEO." His message was clear: guest blogging as a link building tactic had become too spammy to trust. More than a decade later, many SEOs are still relying on it. I walk through: - What guest blogging is and why it became popular - The exact problems Google identified with guest posting - Real examples of spammy outreach - Why most guest blogging efforts fail to produce results - The difference between valuable guest posts and wasted time - How Google views backlinks, PageRank, and intent I also share my perspective on when guest blogging is still worth doing, and how to approach it in a way that actually benefits your business. Key takeaways: - Guest blogging for backlinks alone is not a reliable strategy - Most opportunities are low quality and bring no meaningful traffic - The only guest posts worth doing are the ones that send relevant traffic - The only guest posts worth doing are the ones that improve your brand credibility - If a link doesn't do either of those, it's likely not worth your time I also cover better alternatives to traditional guest blogging, including: - Getting coverage from relevant publications - Building backlinks that actually drive traffic - Ranking without relying heavily on backlinks - Structuring SEO efforts around users, not just links If you're playing the long game with SEO, this episode will help you avoid wasting time on tactics that don't move the needle. ⭐️ The decay and fall of guest blogging for SEO - https://www.mattcutts.com/blog/guest-blogging/ ⭐️ Google: Guest Blogging For Links? You Better Nofollow Those Links - https://searchengineland.com/google-guest-blogging-for-links-you-better-nofollow-those-links-166218 ⭐️ How to Build Backlinks for a Brand New Website (From Zero Authority) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcNmYaMrM3o ⭐️ The AI System to Find Relevant Journalists, Land Coverage, and Earn Ongoing High-Authority Backlinks - https://edwardsturm.com/articles/articles_ai-system-find-journalists-earn-high-authority-backlinks/ ⭐️ How to Rank for Competitive Keywords Without Backlinks - https://edwardsturm.com/articles/rank-competitive-keywords-without-backlinks/ 🚀 Learn SEO for free - https://freeseoknowledge.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 Is Guest Blogging Overhyped 00:34 What Guest Blogging Is 01:14 Matt Cutts Calls It 02:11 The Spam Email Example 03:42 Paid Links And PageRank 04:37 Automation Ruined The Tactic 05:35 Stick A Fork In It 06:34 John Mueller On Nofollow 08:23 When Guest Blogging Is Okay 09:33 My 2026 Guest Blogging Rule 10:50 Real World Guest Blogging Wins 12:01 Alternatives And Resources 13:42 Episode 1001 Thanks The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #linkbuilding #guestblogging #backlinks

E1000: Julian Goldie, Charles Floate, and Alejandro Meyerhans join this milestone episode to break down a simple but important question: if you had to start from zero today, with almost no budget, how would you build an SEO business to $10,000 per month? Each guest approaches the problem differently. We go deep into what actually works right now, what has changed, and what is being overlooked by most people in the industry. This conversation also expands far beyond that starting question. We get into AI workflows, link building, Reddit strategies, social algorithms, and how search is evolving. If you are trying to build something from scratch, or rethink your current approach, this episode gives you real strategies and honest perspectives from people actively doing the work. What we cover: - How to reach $10K/month in SEO starting with almost no money - Selling links vs building local partnerships vs AI services - Using aged domains and simple sites to generate early cash flow - Parasite SEO, trend jacking, and fast monetization strategies - Why some older SEO tactics are working again - How AI agents are being used to create and scale content - The risks and limits of automating SEO work - Building systems for YouTube and 𝕏 that consistently generate traffic - How social platforms like 𝕏, LinkedIn, and Reddit actually distribute content - Why comments, engagement, and timing matter more than most people think - Growing and monetizing subreddits - How LLMs (ChatGPT, Claude, etc.) are changing search behavior - Query fan-out, brand signals, and why reviews matter more now - Why so many SEOs are moving to places like Thailand - Black hat vs white hat: who is actually winning today - Where Google is heading and what SEO might look like in the next few years You can do it! Edward writing this personally: I. BELIEVE. IN. YOU! This is episode 1000 of the podcast. No days missed since starting the show 1000 days ago. Here's to the next 1000 🥂. If you watched this one on YouTube, thank you so much for watching. If you listened on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, thank you so much for listening. And I will talk to you again tomorrow. Bye now. ⭐️ Julian's Free SEO Strategy Session - https://go.juliangoldie.com/strategy-session?utm=edwardshow ⭐️ Julian's AI Profit Boardroom - https://www.skool.com/ai-profit-lab-7462/about ⭐️ Julian Goldie's Main YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@JulianGoldieSEO ⭐️ Julian Goldie's Podcast - https://www.youtube.com/@JulianGoldiePodcast ⭐️ Julian Goldie on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliangoldieseo/?skipRedirect=true ⭐️ Julian Goldie on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jules_goldie/ ⭐️ Julian Goldie on 𝕏 - https://x.com/JulianGoldieSEO ⭐️ Charles Floate on 𝕏 - https://x.com/Charles_SEO ⭐️ Charles Floate on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlesfloate/ ⭐️ Charles Floate on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@CharlesFloate ⭐️ Charles Floate on Facebook - https://facebook.com/thecharlesfloate ⭐️ Charles Floate's PressWhizz - https://presswhizz.com/ ⭐️ 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/ ⭐️ Alejandro Meyerhans on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@alexmeyerhansseo ⭐️ Alejandro's first time on the pod - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SVpRAE9t40 🚀 Learn SEO for free - https://freeseoknowledge.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 Episode 1000 Kickoff 00:24 $10K SEO Challenge 00:49 Local SEO Partnerships 01:50 Link Selling Blueprint 03:58 Fighting Link Resellers 05:54 AI Content Funnel 07:15 Scaling AI Services 08:42 Chaotic SEO Testing 10:17 Old Spam Tactics Return 11:10 AI Agent Ranking Tests 12:36 Mega Authority Sites Win 14:30 Three Click Sites 17:37 OpenClaw vs Claude 19:22 AI Privacy Risks 20:57 Reverse Engineering Social Algorithms 23:03 𝕏 Algorithm Hacks 25:13 LinkedIn Reach Reality 28:18 Sales Channels Debate 28:51 LinkedIn Niche Leads 30:36 𝕏 Comments Boost 31:16 Reddit Anti Spam Signals 35:14 Subreddit Marketing Playbook 39:47 Google's Reddit Signals 41:52 Claude Powered Content Engine 47:23 𝕏 Growth Hacks 52:06 Reviews For Query Fan-Outs 55:21 Instagram Trial Reels 58:47 LLM Seed List Bias 01:00:21 SEO Pages That Win 01:01:50 AI Search Loopholes 01:04:45 SEO In Three Years 01:07:09 Who Wins The AI Race 01:12:47 Automating SEO Workflows 01:16:21 RAG And Patent Driven SEO 01:20:48 Why SEOs Move To Thailand 01:30:33 Black Hat Vs White Hat 01:36:51 AI Mode Becomes Default 01:41:25 Episode 1000 Wrap Up The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #searchmarketing #digitalmarketing #marketingstrategy

E999: If your content sounds like it was written by AI, people can tell. And when they can tell, trust drops. That leads to higher bounce rates, more pogo sticking, and lower conversions. In this episode, I break down exactly why obvious AI writing is a problem for SEO and what to do instead. This is an updated take on humanizing AI content. The rules have changed over the past year, and what worked before is no longer enough. I walk through examples, patterns to avoid, and a workflow you can use to keep your content sounding natural while still using AI to save time. What you'll learn in this episode: - Why obvious AI writing reduces trust and hurts rankings - What pogo sticking is and why it matters for SEO - Common AI phrases and patterns that give your content away - How AI writing impacts conversions and brand perception - The difference between using AI to assist vs replace thinking - A simple way to write content that actually sounds human - How to edit AI content so it keeps your voice - Small formatting and writing habits that signal "AI" immediately - Why reading your content out loud improves quality - How to use AI prompts to improve clarity without losing authenticity Key ideas covered: - AI tends to repeat what already exists instead of adding new insight - Generic language makes content feel less trustworthy - Visitors are more likely to leave if content feels vague or templated - A few AI patterns are fine, but too many create a clear signal - Clear, direct writing beats polished but empty writing Practical tips from the episode: - Start with voice dictation or your own rough draft - Use AI to refine, not generate from scratch - Remove overused transition words and filler phrases - Avoid corporate-style language that says nothing - Replace vague statements with specific examples - Add screenshots, videos, or real examples where possible - Keep your writing conversational but clear If you're using AI for SEO content, this matters. The goal is not to avoid AI. The goal is to use it in a way that still sounds like you. ⭐️ The Leila/Alex Hormozi Acquisition Memo - https://www.instagram.com/p/DWbyRpIFI8O/?img_index=2 ⭐️ How to Humanize ChatGPT Content - https://edwardsturm.com/articles/humanize-chatgpt-content/ 🚀 Edward's SEO Articles - https://edwardsturm.com/articles/search-engine-optimization/ 💎 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 Why AI Slop Hurts SEO 01:30 Leila Hormozi Memo 02:38 Top AI Phrases to Avoid 04:44 Buzzword List Red Flags 05:34 New ChatGPT Giveaways 08:32 Write by Voice First 10:06 Use AI to Edit Not Think 11:23 Honorable Humanizing Tips 13:51 Episode 999 Farewell The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #digitalmarketing #copywritingtips

E998: Google's March 2026 Core Update is rolling out, and early data shows significant volatility across search results. I break down what's happening, what people in the SEO community are reporting, and what you should actually do if you want to avoid losing traffic. We're still in the early phase of the rollout, which means most of what you're seeing right now is speculation mixed with early signals. That said, there are already clear patterns worth paying attention to. In this episode, I cover: - What Google officially said about the March 2026 Core Update - How this update connects to the March Spam Update and recent Google Discover changes - Volatility data from tools like Semrush, Mozcast, and Advanced Web Rankings - Reactions from the SEO community, including common complaints and concerns - Early examples of sites gaining and losing traffic - Why strong "entity definition" across your site is becoming more important - The risks of topical sprawl and trying to cover too many unrelated topics - How internal linking and contextual relevance play a role in rankings - Observations from competitive niches like iGaming - Why many sites still struggle to understand core updates until weeks later I also share practical takeaways you can apply right now: - Build content and links at the same time instead of treating them separately - Focus on acquiring backlinks that bring real traffic, not just superficial authority signals - Avoid publishing clusters of near-identical pages targeting slight keyword variations - Create varied content within your niche to reduce obvious SEO patterns - Start narrow, build authority, and only expand once you've established topical depth If you've been impacted by this update, or you're trying to stay ahead of future ones, this episode will give you a clear way to think about what's changing and how to respond. ⭐️ Google March 2026 Core Update Is Rolling Out - First Core Update Of Year - https://www.seroundtable.com/google-march-2026-core-update-41121.html ⭐️ Reddit: Here Comes the March 2026 Core Update - https://www.reddit.com/r/SEO/comments/1s52o0a/here_comes_the_march_2026_core_update/ 🚀 Edward's SEO Articles - https://edwardsturm.com/articles/search-engine-optimization/ 💎 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 March Update Madness 00:35 What Google Announced 01:05 Volatility Signals 01:43 Streets React 02:34 Winners and Losers 03:58 Entity Focus Theory 04:53 Topical Authority Playbook 06:15 iGaming Black Hat Theory 07:16 Avoid Getting Hit 08:06 Too Much SEO Patterns 09:57 The Smartest SEO 10:45 Final Thanks The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #googlecoreupdate #googlemarchupdate #seo

E997: Most people think "GEO" is replacing SEO, and that getting cited by tools like ChatGPT or Perplexity requires a totally different strategy. I break down why that narrative is wrong. Using a real discussion from the SEO subreddit, I walk through what's actually happening behind the scenes in AI search - and why, after six months of testing, even experienced "GEO" practitioners still can't figure out what's moving the needle. The answer is simpler than most people expect: AI search is not a new system. It is built on top of search. AI systems are performing live queries, expanding them, validating results, and selecting sources - just like a search engine would. Once you understand that, the confusion around GEO starts to disappear. Topics covered in this episode: - Why six months of GEO testing often leads to inconsistent and unmeasurable results - The concept of "query fanout" and how AI systems expand a single prompt into multiple searches - How grounding queries work and why brand mentions across the web matter - Why AI citations are not based on memory or training data in the way most marketers assume - The difference between being indexed, being ranked, and being selected during AI query expansion - Why third-party mentions and reputation signals still play a major role - The idea that much of the GEO industry is built on misunderstandings of how these systems operate - How tools can reveal what AI systems are actually searching behind the scenes I also cover new data from Promptwatch, based on 1 million citations, showing what types of pages are being cited by AI systems: - Landing pages: 15.2% of citations - Product pages: 14% of citations - Listicles, landing pages, and product pages dominate citation sources This reinforces a point I have been making for a long time: bottom-of-funnel pages that clearly match user intent are far more effective than generic top-of-funnel content. We also discuss: - Why traditional "awareness content" often fails to convert or get cited - How SEO landing pages and product pages align directly with what users are searching for - Why reputation management and entity signals are becoming more important, not less - How AI search is pushing SEO back toward fundamentals rather than replacing it If you've been trying to figure out GEO, AI citations, or how to get mentioned in AI systems, this episode explains what actually matters.  ⭐️ Updated Search Query and Reasoning Extractor Bookmarklets (ChatGPT + Claude) - https://theseopub.com/updated-search-query-and-reasoning-extractor-bookmarklets/ ⭐️ The Reddit Thread - https://www.reddit.com/r/SEO/comments/1s45fli/comment/ocpdi29/?context=3 ⭐️ The Promptwatch Research - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/gijs-de-groot2021_seeing-a-lot-of-talk-about-listicles-losing-activity-7426618883454894080-5kL2/ 🚀 Edward's SEO Articles - https://edwardsturm.com/articles/search-engine-optimization/ 💎 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 GEO Frustration Thread 00:54 WebLinkr Query Fan-Out 02:53 How To Find Fan-Out 03:54 Training Myth Exposed 04:59 GEO Disinfo Lobby 07:11 PromptWatch Citation Data 08:15 What ChatGPT Cites 09:09 Landing Pages Win 11:32 Episode Wrap Up The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #generativeengineoptimization #searchengineoptimization #answerengineoptimization #digitalmarketing

E996: Google's March 2026 spam update just dropped and it's one of the fastest rollouts we've ever seen. The update launched on March 24 and finished rolling out by March 25. Unlike previous updates that took weeks, this one was completed in just a couple of days, which suggests a more targeted and specific change rather than a broad algorithm shift. We go through what's been observed so far, what Google has officially said, and what SEOs across the industry are reporting. Key topics covered: - Timeline of the March 2026 spam update rollout - Why this may be the fastest Google update ever - Real-world impact: sites losing 50% of traffic vs others tripling - What Google says about spam updates and SpamBrain - What this update does NOT target (based on early reports) - Patterns SEOs are seeing across rankings and traffic - The role of AI-generated content in this update - Why "thin" and mass-produced content may be getting hit - Internal linking and site structure signals gaining importance - Ongoing volatility before and during the rollout - What to check in your Google Search Console right now We also discuss: - The difference between AI content and low-quality content - Why not all AI content is penalized - How Google likely detects scaled content patterns - The importance of combining content publishing with link building - What this update might signal for future algorithm changes At the time of recording, there is no single confirmed target, but the strongest signals point toward enforcement against low-value, scaled content rather than specific tactics like link spam or site reputation abuse. If you've seen ranking changes, now is the time to review your content quality, site structure, and overall SEO approach. ⭐️ How to Humanize ChatGPT Content - https://edwardsturm.com/articles/humanize-chatgpt-content/ ⭐️ Google March 2026 Spam Update Unleashed (& Finished) - https://www.seroundtable.com/google-march-2026-spam-update-41109.html ⭐️ Muhammad Younis on 𝕏 - https://x.com/Younis_0_/status/2037062619866259948 ⭐️ Charles Floate on 𝕏 - https://x.com/Charles_SEO/status/2036712081853182016 ⭐️ [Incoming] Google releases March 2026 spam update - What will G target? - https://www.reddit.com/r/SEO/comments/1s2okw5/incoming_google_releases_march_2026_spam_update/ 🚀 Edward's SEO Articles - https://edwardsturm.com/articles/search-engine-optimization/ 💎 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 Spam Update Shock 00:28 Rollout Details 00:50 Volatility Stories 01:11 SpamBrain Explained 02:29 What It Targets 03:35 Reddit Reactions 05:03 Short Rollout Theory 06:18 SEO Advice Now 07:47 AI Content Detection 10:06 Wrap Up The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #googlecoreupdate #googlemarchupdate #seo