The Future of SEO: Lily Ray on Google Updates, AI Search & GEO Spam

E987: Lily Ray joins the show to discuss how search is evolving in the age of AI. We cover the latest Google Core Updates, the rise of generative engine optimization (GEO), and how AI search tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and AI Overviews are changing the way websites earn visibility. Lily shares insights from years of analyzing Google updates and explains why many SEO strategies that work today eventually stop working. The conversation also explores how brands can build sustainable authority rather than relying on short-term tactics that risk penalties or traffic loss. We look closely at what actually drives long-term success in search, from EEAT and brand signals to the growing role of human expertise in a world flooded with AI-generated content. Topics covered: - Patterns across recent Google core updates - What "too much SEO" means and why Google targets it - The risks of programmatic SEO and scaled content - Why many GEO tactics are likely to stop working - Self-promotional listicles and how LLMs detect manipulation - How AI search tools decide which brands to cite - The role of EEAT in modern SEO - How Google evaluates expertise and authority - The relationship between branding, marketing, and SEO - Strategies for earning links without risky link building - Why internal linking and site quality still matter - How Google Discover traffic works and why it can disappear quickly - Lessons from the Helpful Content Update - What separates sites that survive updates from those that collapse - How to recover from major traffic losses - Whether affiliate websites can still succeed in search - How AI tools like Claude are changing SEO workflows - What SEO beginners should focus on in 2026 - How to launch and grow a new website today Lily also explains why sustainable SEO increasingly looks less like "SEO tricks" and more like building real expertise, publishing original ideas, and developing a recognizable brand presence across the web. If you work in SEO, run a website, or want to understand how search is changing in the AI era, this conversation offers a practical look at where the industry is heading. ⭐️ Lily Ray's Personal Site - https://lilyray.nyc/ ⭐️ Lily Ray's Agency - https://www.amsive.com/ ⭐️ Lily Ray on 𝕏 - https://x.com/lilyraynyc ⭐️ Lily Ray on Threads - https://www.threads.com/@lilyraynyc ⭐️ Lily Ray on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lily-ray-44755615/ ⭐️ Lily Ray on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@lilyray 🚀 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 Google Core Update Patterns 01:06 What "Too Much SEO" Means 02:20 Programmatic SEO Versus Spam 04:18 GEO Tactics And Disasters 07:00 Self-Promotional Listicles Backfire 09:36 Whitelists And Site Searches 12:17 EEAT For LLM Visibility 14:33 How Google Judges EEAT 21:11 Link Building The Safe Way 25:26 Offensive SEO After Fundamentals 27:24 Google Discover Manipulation 29:55 Balancing SEO And Humans 32:28 Helpful Content Update Lessons 35:10 TLDRs And SEO 35:56 Tables Of Contents 37:35 Why Sites Survive Updates 40:26 Diagnosing Traffic Drops 43:28 Recovery Playbooks 45:58 Google Communication Shift 47:21 AI Mode And Ads 49:26 Using Claude For SEO 50:48 What To Automate 53:21 Recovery Timelines 54:59 When to Cut Bloat 57:14 Affiliate SEO Sites Future 58:49 Common Sense In SEO 01:01:40 Starting SEO In 2026 01:02:48 Launching A New Site 01:04:54 Final Thanks And Outro The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #helpfulcontentupdate #eeat #seo

E896: Google has been recommending outbound links for years, yet many SEOs still avoid them. We go through Google's own documentation about linking out, an SEO experiment that tested whether outbound links help rankings, and Matt Cutts' guidance on when to use the nofollow attribute. The core idea is simple: linking to relevant, trustworthy sources can improve the usefulness of your content. It helps readers explore related topics, shows that you've done research, and connects your work to the wider web. We also look at why many SEOs became skeptical of outbound links in the first place. A long-standing belief in the industry is that linking out "leaks PageRank" and weakens your site. But when you compare that idea to Google's documentation and real experiments, the story looks very different. We break down: - Google's official advice on outbound links from the Search Central blog - Why linking out can improve credibility and reader trust - The difference between normal links, nofollow, sponsored, and UGC attributes - Why Google warns against unmonitored or spammy outbound links - The experiment by Reboot that tested outbound links across multiple websites - Why the sites with outbound links ranked higher in that test - Matt Cutts' explanation of PageRank sculpting and why he avoided using nofollow internally - When it actually makes sense to use nofollow - Why trying to "hoard PageRank" is usually a mistake We also talk about how outbound links fit into a broader philosophy of building useful pages: cite sources, connect readers to good resources, and focus on making pages genuinely helpful rather than trying to control every technical detail. If you create content for search, this is a topic worth revisiting. Outbound links are part of how the web works. And according to Google, they should be used when they help readers. ⭐️ Linking out: Often it's just applying common sense - https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2008/10/linking-out-often-its-just-applying ⭐️ Outbound Link Experiment - Number 9 - https://seosherpa.com/seo-experiments/ ⭐️ PageRank sculpting - https://www.mattcutts.com/blog/pagerank-sculpting/ ⭐️ E980: Unicorn Clicks, NavBoost & Google's Real Ranking Signals - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqvAaLahNTQ 🚀 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 Link Out 01:08 Google's Outbound Link Advice 02:18 Linking Best Practices 03:39 Outbound Link Q&A 05:38 Do Outbound Links Help SEO 06:32 Reboot Experiment Results 07:44 Matt Cutts on Nofollow 08:34 When to Use Nofollow 09:31 Wrap Up The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #seo #backlinks #digitalmarketing

E985: A lot of people say exact match domains stopped working years ago. In this episode, we take a closer look at whether that's actually true. SEO veteran David Quaid joins the show to break down how exact match domains (EMDs) still play a role in modern search strategies. We discuss when they work, when they don't, and why many companies underestimate the value of owning keyword-focused domains. The conversation covers real-world use cases, practical tactics, and some of the risks involved. We also explore how EMDs fit into a broader SEO strategy that includes branded domains, satellite sites, and reputation management. We also go beyond EMDs and talk about several current debates in search, including automated content, generative engine optimization (GEO), and how AI systems choose which sources to cite. Topics covered: - Whether exact match domains still provide a ranking advantage in modern SEO - Why Google reduced the power of EMDs but didn't eliminate it - How companies use satellite domains to control more results on page one - The difference between building a brand domain and using keyword-focused domains - When exact match domains outperform branded domains - How SEOs use EMDs to compete against large companies with stronger authority - Why controlling multiple search results can matter for reputation management - Strategies for linking between a main site and satellite domains - The role of topical authority and anchor text when ranking EMDs - When exact match domains start to look spammy - The cost and effort required to maintain multiple domains - How automated SEO systems are being used to build and maintain satellite sites - Whether machine-scale content is actually detectable by search engines - Why some companies run EMD projects anonymously - The relationship between SEO and generative engine optimization (GEO) - Why many claims about GEO being completely different from SEO are misleading - How AI systems decide which sources to cite - Why self-promotional listicles may be losing effectiveness - A technical discussion about Cloudflare, AI crawlers, and visibility in LLM citations David also shares examples from past projects, including competing against major companies in highly competitive search markets and using EMDs to gain visibility where a branded domain could not. If you're interested in practical SEO strategies, search experimentation, and the evolving relationship between search engines and AI systems, this episode covers a lot of ground. ⭐️ 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/ 🚀 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 Do EMDs Still Matter? 02:36 Why Google Ignores Brands 03:55 Branded vs EMD Strategy 05:24 Owning Page One 07:42 Automating EMD Sites 11:38 Machine Scaled Content Debate 13:07 Trust and Brand Pushback 14:29 Ranking Signals and Linking 15:46 Anonymous Satellite Domains 16:53 EMDs as Marketing Assets 19:49 When EMDs Get Spammy 21:24 Managing Cost and CMS 22:39 301 Redirect Domain Hack 27:05 Buying the Right EMD 28:03 Brand Mentions Win 28:31 EMD vs Brand SEO 29:07 Outranking Giants Story 32:28 Budget Pick EMD 33:23 Is GEO Really New 34:09 Listicle Consensus Chaos 38:15 Cloudflare Blocks LLMs 45:01 Self Promo Backfires 50:12 Ranking Tricks for GEO 53:27 Wrap Up The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #exactmatchdomains #searchengineoptimization #seo #digitalmarketing

E984: Two stories that highlight a broader problem on the modern internet: systems that are easily manipulated once incentives are introduced. First, Microsoft has published research describing what it calls AI recommendation poisoning. Companies are embedding hidden instructions inside "Summarize with AI" buttons and AI prompt links. When users click these links, they can inject instructions into an AI assistant's memory telling it to treat a specific company as a trusted or preferred source. The goal is simple: influence future AI responses and recommendations without the user realizing it happened. We walk through how these attacks work, why they are easy to deploy, and why they could become a short-term tactic in marketing before AI systems and search engines adapt. The second story is the shutdown and reset of Digg. The company announced it is downsizing its team after being overwhelmed by bots, automated accounts, and large amounts of low-quality SEO content. The Digg CEO cited "SEO spammers" as a major reason the platform struggled to maintain trust in its voting and engagement systems. We look at why SEO itself was not necessarily the problem, and what platforms like Digg could do differently if they want to build sustainable communities in an internet environment filled with automation and AI-generated content. Topics covered include: - Microsoft's report on AI Recommendation Poisoning - How hidden prompts can manipulate AI memory - Why "Summarize with AI" buttons can be used to plant persistent instructions - Real-world risks of biased AI recommendations in finance, news, and product decisions - Why these tactics may only work temporarily before platforms detect and block them - Digg's shutdown announcement and the return of founder Kevin Rose - The role bots, automation, and AI content played in Digg's early problems - Why lazy AI content is often worse than promotional or SEO-driven posts - Practical ideas for how social platforms could filter spam and low-quality automation - Why manipulation tends to appear anywhere online visibility and incentives exist We also reflect on the broader theme of the episode: why it is difficult to maintain healthy online systems when there are strong incentives to game them. ⭐️ Manipulating AI memory for profit: The rise of AI Recommendation Poisoning - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2026/02/10/ai-recommendation-poisoning/ 💰 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 We Can't Have Nice Things 00:35 AI Recommendation Poisoning 03:17 How the Attack Works 04:27 AI Summarize Buttons and Memory 06:13 Real World Harm Scenarios 07:30 Can Platforms Stop It? 08:37 Digg Shuts Down and Resets 09:38 Digg Explains the SEO Bot Crisis 11:46 What Digg Plans Next 12:32 My Take on Digg SEO vs Spam 13:01 How to Rebuild Trust Slowly 15:46 Closing Thoughts The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #generativeengineoptimization #parasiteseo #searchengineoptimization #digitalmarketing

E983: Amazon is one of the largest search engines in the world, but most sellers misunderstand how products actually rank. In this episode, Edward sits down with Amazon operator and agency founder Nik Hall to break down how the Amazon ranking system works in 2026. Nik has built and scaled multiple seven-figure brands, taken products from zero to tens of thousands of retail locations, and helped dozens of companies grow on Amazon. In this conversation, he explains the mechanics behind Amazon SEO, how the A9 algorithm works, and why conversion rate and sales velocity matter more than most sellers realize. They walk through the full process of getting a product to rank on Amazon - from keyword research and listing optimization to paid ads, reviews, product development, and the role of AI in Amazon search. They also covers common mistakes sellers make, risky tactics that can get accounts banned, and how serious brands approach product testing and growth. Topics covered include: - How Amazon's A9 algorithm ranks products - Why conversion rate and sales velocity drive rankings - How organic rankings and paid ads work together - How to choose keywords and structure an Amazon listing - Why keyword stuffing no longer works - How to identify high-opportunity niches with low competition - The tools serious Amazon sellers use (Helium 10, Data Dive, and others) - What makes a high-converting Amazon product page - The importance of product-market fit and reviews - How to structure Amazon ad campaigns for better data - Why many Amazon sellers fail before they ever rank - What Amazon is doing to combat fake reviews and manipulation - How Chinese sellers compete on the platform - The role of AI, Rufus, and Amazon's evolving search experience - Why TikTok and external traffic are becoming more important - How top Amazon brands test, iterate, and improve products over time If you sell products online or are thinking about launching a brand on Amazon, this episode explains how the platform actually works and what it takes to compete today. ⭐️ Nik Hall on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikhall/ ⭐️ Nik Hall's Amazon agency - https://revivemarketingpartners.com/ 💰 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 Amazon SEO Playbook 00:17 Nik Hall's Amazon Journey 01:54 How Amazon Ranks 03:02 Keywords and AI Search 04:19 Rufus and Cosmo 05:22 Organic Launch Basics 07:30 Amazon Listing SEO and Images 09:28 Keyword Research 17:51 Tools for Ranking Data 19:27 High Converting Listings 22:52 Common SEO Mistakes 25:22 Backlinks and Velocity 29:55 Paid Ads Structure 31:15 Reviews and Rule Breaking 35:17 Dirty Tactics and Defense 45:05 Winning Products and Niches 47:40 Big Seller Strategies 50:54 External Brand Building 52:51 Wrap Up The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #amazonseo #amazonmarketing #searchengineoptimization #cpgdigitalmarketing

E982: I talk with Bas de Goei (Head of Marketing at Orb) about the SEO strategy that helped Orb rank #1 on Google for competitive keywords like "usage-based billing" - without relying on a large backlink profile. Orb competes against companies like Stripe and other well-funded SaaS platforms. Despite this, their marketing team built strong organic traffic by focusing on topical authority, structured content clusters, and a highly iterative marketing approach. Bas explains how Orb built an SEO system around cornerstone topics, how they identify high-value keywords before competitors do, and how SEO fits into a broader marketing engine that includes brand, paid acquisition, and data-driven customer journey analysis. This conversation also explores how modern marketing teams are combining SEO with automation, AI agents, and signal-based marketing to identify buyers and move them through the funnel. Topics covered: - How Orb built SEO traffic after starting with almost no marketing infrastructure - The cornerstone strategy used to build topical authority in a niche SaaS category - Why many companies focus too much on backlinks instead of content depth - How Orb identifies new keywords by listening to customers and watching market trends - The role of "pricing content" in driving unexpected organic conversions - Why informational traffic can still lead to high-value sales opportunities - How multi-touch attribution reveals the real path customers take before converting - How brand investments (billboards, PR, media appearances) influence organic rankings - The strategy behind launching an exact-match domain to capture additional search traffic - How Orb built a signal-based marketing engine using tools like Clay and Dreamdata - Why Bas believes marketers should test aggressively and iterate quickly - What the first 90-180 days of marketing would look like for a new startup today Bas also discusses how the rise of AI pricing models is changing the SaaS industry and why pricing strategy is becoming one of the most important areas for software companies to invest in. This episode is useful for: - Founders building early SEO traction - Marketing leaders responsible for growth and demand generation - SaaS companies operating in competitive niches - Anyone interested in topical authority and modern SEO strategy Orb builds infrastructure for usage-based billing and pricing for modern software companies. ⭐️ Orb - https://www.withorb.com/ ⭐️ Bas de Goei on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bastiaandegoei/ 💰 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 SEO Killer Intro 00:06 From Strategy to InsureTech 02:39 Joining Orb and SEO Spike 06:20 What Orb Does 09:41 Cornerstone SEO Basics 11:46 Clusters and AI Pricing 24:15 Exact Match Domain Play 27:24 Intent and Funnel Scoring 32:28 Pricing Pages That Convert 36:52 Common Marketing Mistakes 41:41 Brand Drives Rankings 45:53 X Ray Pricing Easter Egg 48:31 Measuring Pricing Experiments 55:17 Automation With Clay and Claude 01:01:45 First 90 Days Marketing Plan 01:05:18 Email Domains and Link Building 01:09:33 2026 Marketing Bets 01:14:12 Dream Data Explained 01:16:24 Wrap Up and Where to Find The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #growthmarketing #chiefmarketingofficer #growthhacking

E981: Growth strategist Cody Schneider joins the show to discuss how AI agents are changing the way marketing, SEO, and product growth work. Cody explains how he builds automated workflows that analyze Search Console data, refresh content, generate new articles, run marketing experiments, and even manage advertising campaigns. The conversation covers practical systems for scaling SEO, building internal data infrastructure, and using AI to automate repetitive work while maintaining high-quality output. The episode also explores how content strategies are evolving in 2026, how to avoid common mistakes with AI-generated content, and why many marketers are focusing on the wrong tools instead of building repeatable systems. Topics covered: - Cody Schneider's SEO workflow using Search Console data as a feedback loop - How to find easy keywords by analyzing page two and page three rankings - Using AI agents to refresh content and increase organic traffic - Why updating content can produce quick ranking improvements - Building internal linking strategies that help pages rank faster - Using AI to generate outlines and write content section-by-section - The role of personal experience and transcripts in improving AI-generated content - Why relevance to your product matters more than raw traffic - Lessons from large sites like HubSpot that expanded content too broadly - How to structure blog pages with TLDR sections and strong calls to action - Tracking conversions from blog content using Google Tag Manager and Google Analytics - Building dashboards to monitor organic growth and user behavior - Why branded search is a key signal for sustainable SEO growth - How Cody publishes large volumes of content while maintaining performance - Experiments with publishing thousands of articles and managing them over time - Strategies for avoiding common AI SEO pitfalls such as "mount AI" traffic spikes - Why maintaining content and refreshing pages is critical for long-term rankings - A practical link-building method using low-cost advertising and link exchanges - The growing importance of citations for AI search results and answer engines - How AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude choose sources for citations - Why getting mentioned in authoritative sources can dramatically increase visibility in AI results - Using newsjacking to capture search demand around emerging topics - Examples of using trending news to drive traffic and awareness - Why combining SEO, social distribution, and PR strategies creates stronger growth loops The discussion also explores AI infrastructure and the systems Cody uses behind the scenes: - Building data pipelines that combine Search Console, analytics, and advertising data - Using data warehouses and semantic layers to organize marketing data - Creating conversational analytics systems that allow AI to analyze performance data - Using AI to categorize traffic, identify patterns, and generate reports - Building agents that can run marketing workflows automatically Cody also explains his philosophy around automation and AI agents: - Why most people focus on tools instead of outcomes - How to design agents that run marketing loops such as testing, measuring, and iterating - The difference between general-purpose AI tools and custom automation systems - Why many AI tools create unnecessary complexity - How building small, focused agents can produce better results The episode closes with a discussion about the future of marketing workflows and how AI agents may replace many repetitive roles in growth teams. Cody shares examples of agents that can manage email triage, generate marketing content, schedule posts, analyze campaigns, and run advertising experiments with minimal human input. ⭐️ Cody Schneider on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/codyxschneider/ ⭐️ Cody Schneider on 𝕏 - https://x.com/codyschneiderxx ⭐️ Cody Schneider on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@codyschneiderx ⭐️ Cody Schneider's company, Graphed - https://www.graphed.com/ 💰 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 Intro 00:20 Google Search Console Refresh Loop 02:24 Automating With Data Pipelines 04:02 Relevance Over Volume 07:12 AI Article Production System 08:20 CTAs And Conversion Tracking 10:38 TLDR Above The Fold 11:36 Free Assets And Engagement Signals 15:32 Prompting For Quality Output 20:26 Agent Harnesses And Model Clones 25:18 Wins, Link Exchanges, And Case Study 29:43 Newsjacking For Fast Traffic 35:21 AEO Citation Strategy 38:49 Publishing Velocity On New Sites 41:38 Batch Publish Then Rewrite 43:21 Avoiding Mount AI Penalties 44:53 Keyword Selection At Scale 47:47 Brand Signals And Trust 49:51 Landing Pages Beat Blog Posts 52:42 Warehouse Ontology For Agents 59:10 Model Changes And Retooling 01:00:28 OpenClaw Hype Versus Outcomes 01:05:58 Build Personal Agents With Code 01:14:45 Reducing Hallucinations With Context 01:18:57 Cricut SVG Business 01:19:45 AI Speeding Up Sites 01:21:05 Long Cut SEO Wins 01:24:13 Safe SEO Experiments 01:26:09 Marketing Mix Stability 01:27:45 Social Algorithms And Slop 01:31:38 Short Form Versus Long 01:37:15 LinkedIn Video Playbook 01:39:52 From Idaho To Growth 01:45:32 Cloud Code Workflow Alpha 01:50:52 Agents And The Future 01:51:50 Where To Find Cody The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #growthhacking #searchengineoptimization #growthmarketing #digitalmarketing

E980: There were some technical issues during the recording, but the information Alejandro shared was so FIRE, I couldn't deny it from the world. Hope the technical issues don't get in the way of you enjoying this ep. Alejandro Meyerhans joins the show to talk about how Google rankings actually work today. The conversation covers NavBoost, link graphs, user behavior signals, the Google API leak, and how AI is changing the way SEOs build tools and analyze data. Alejandro explains how modern SEO is less about isolated tactics and more about understanding how different signals combine: backlinks, brand authority, user engagement, topical depth, and content effort. The discussion also looks at how AI is allowing individuals to build internal tools that previously required large development teams. The episode is a mix of practical advice, experiments, and observations from real SEO work. Topics covered: - What "Unicorn Clicks" are and why Google values them - How NavBoost measures user satisfaction and engagement signals - Why links still matter and how to think about a modern link graph - The difference between links that pass real value and links that get ignored - What the Google API leak revealed about ranking systems - How Google evaluates "content effort" and informational gain - Why brand signals and author entities are becoming more important - The role of seed sites and authority signals in link building - How referral traffic from backlinks can influence topical relevance - When digital PR works and when it stops moving rankings - Why some pages rank without obvious keyword optimization - How AI tools are helping SEOs build custom analysis systems - Practical ways small sites can compete without large budgets - How to build linkable assets and free tools that attract backlinks - What happens when sites publish large volumes of low-effort content - Why on-page SEO still multiplies the impact of links and traffic - Experiments showing how external traffic can influence rankings Alejandro also discusses how someone starting from zero can approach SEO without expensive tools or large link building budgets. The focus is on building useful resources, improving high-value pages, and understanding how Google interprets user behavior. ⭐️ 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 💰 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 AI Changes Everything 00:52 Building Smarter Link Reports 03:38 Links for Google and LLMs 08:09 Seed Sites and Listicles 12:02 Link Graph Explained 15:54 Avoiding Algorithm Whiplash 23:06 API Leak and Patents 27:51 Content Effort Signal 32:22 PageRank and Linking Out 40:12 Footer Links and SpamBrain 42:10 Digital PR and Relevance 45:58 Low Budget Link Building 48:29 Source Authority Links 49:35 Healthline Link Spike 51:24 Natural Link Graph Mix 53:33 Free Tools First 90 Days SEO 57:15 Vibe Coding Platforms 59:51 AI For SEO Workflows 01:01:51 Bad SEO Advice Nuance 01:05:02 Future Authority Signals 01:08:44 Sites Hit Next Update 01:10:33 Traffic As Ranking Signal 01:14:01 Underrated Link Tactics 01:19:39 YMYL Ranking Strategy 01:27:42 One Thing Tomorrow 01:29:30 Navboost Quick Wins 01:31:36 Wrap Up The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #linkbuilding #backlinks #searchengineoptimization #digitalmarketing

E979: Google's recent updates have changed how link building works for local businesses. Exact match anchor text links that once helped rankings can now trigger serious problems. In this episode, Joy Hawkins explains what has changed and what local businesses should be doing instead. Joy Hawkins runs Sterling Sky, one of the most well known local SEO agencies. She shares lessons from years of testing links, auditing sites, and watching how Google updates impact small business websites. We discuss why some local business sites were wiped out by recent core updates, why anchor text links are now risky at scale, and what types of links still move rankings today. This episode is a practical breakdown of modern local SEO link building and how to approach it safely. Topics covered: - Why exact match anchor text links are becoming dangerous - How recent Google core updates have affected small business sites - Why manual penalties are rare and algorithmic penalties are increasing - How many links local businesses actually need to rank - Why guest posting at scale can now backfire - The link types that still work for local SEO - Niche directories and industry-specific sites - Award sites and why they are becoming more important in AI search results - How AI Overviews are changing what signals Google surfaces - Press releases and when they are still useful - Why Reddit is becoming a long-term traffic and visibility channel - The role of earned media and journalist mentions - How social media traction can influence rankings - What local businesses can do if they have almost no link building budget - Common link building mistakes that lead to penalties - What metrics actually matter when evaluating links - Why domain authority metrics can be misleading - How multi-location businesses should approach link building This conversation focuses on long-term strategies that avoid risky tactics while still helping local businesses grow their visibility. ⭐️ Joy Hawkin's First Appearance on The Pod - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZ9HZu4qFWY ⭐️ Joy Hawkin's Agency - Sterling Sky: https://www.sterlingsky.ca/ ⭐️ Joy Hawkin's YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/SterlingSkyInc ⭐️ Joy Hawkin's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joyhawkins/ ⭐️ Local Search Forum - https://localsearchforum.com/ 💰 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 Do Links Still Matter? 00:48 Exact Match Anchor Text Link Risks 03:20 Core Updates Wiping Out Local Sites 06:17 Press Releases Without Anchors 07:43 Guest Post Link Decay 08:38 Disavows And Penalties 11:15 Local Pack Loophole 12:15 Niche Directories That Win 13:06 Awards For AI Visibility 17:23 Local News And Reddit 19:34 Reddit Strategy Timeline 21:57 YouTube Versus Reddit 23:40 Why Reddit Still Works 24:37 Digg Relaunch and Moderation 25:24 No Budget Link Building 28:41 Social Signals and SEO 29:44 Testimonial Link Tactic 30:51 Avoiding Link Penalties 33:04 Press Releases for LLMs 37:54 Multi Location Link Strategy 40:30 Repeatable Link System 42:47 Where to Follow and Goodbye The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #localseo #linkbuilding #searchengineoptimization #digitalmarketing

E978: One of the biggest questions in search right now is whether websites can scale rankings through content alone, especially in an era of AI-generated content and programmatic SEO. Do you actually need backlinks to keep growing in Google? Or can strong topical authority and internal linking be enough? Edward Sturm sits down with SEO legend, David Quaid, to answer real questions from the SEO community. David shares insights from years of hands-on SEO experimentation and discusses how Google's ranking systems may actually work behind the scenes. The conversation covers content scaling, internal authority flow, programmatic SEO, exact match domains, and how engagement signals may influence rankings. This episode also explores how modern SEO differs from the early backlink-driven era, and why some websites can grow traffic rapidly even without active link building. Topics covered: - Whether websites can scale rankings without growing backlinks - How topical authority works and how sites build it over time - Why some programmatic SEO sites scale quickly without link building - The role of internal linking and authority flow inside a website - How click behavior and pogo-sticking may influence rankings - Whether Google has site-wide quality scores - Risks of large-scale AI content publishing - How to expand into new niches without losing topical authority - When to use separate pages for near-duplicate keywords - Whether blogs should be on subdomains or subfolders - How forums affect SEO authority - Exact match domains and keyword domains in modern SEO - Why some SEOs avoid buying backlinks entirely - The relationship between user behavior signals and rankings - How companies can structure their websites for long-term search growth David also explains why real business relationships often produce stronger links than traditional link building campaigns, and why traffic flowing through a page may matter more than the perceived prestige of the site hosting the link. The discussion includes practical examples from job boards, ecommerce platforms, SaaS companies, and content sites that have grown organic traffic through different strategies. If you are working in SEO, building websites, or running an online business, this episode provides a detailed look at how experienced practitioners think about Google's ranking systems and where experimentation still matters. About the guest: David Quaid is an experienced SEO and growth strategist who has worked with startups and large technology companies across industries including cybersecurity, fintech, and SaaS. He is known in the SEO community for his practical experiments and deep technical understanding of how search ranking systems operate. ⭐️ 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 Community SEO Questions 00:28 Scaling Content Without Links 07:24 Programmatic SEO Examples 09:42 Machine Content Detection 15:38 Authority Shaping And Walls 19:49 User Signals Versus PageRank 23:19 Why David Doesnt Buy Links 26:18 Traffic Based Link Value 33:14 People Also Ask Strategy And Pivoting 37:11 New Index Reality 37:32 Matt Cutts Wisdom 38:30 Sitewide Quality Score 42:10 Folder Level Impact 44:25 Near Duplicate Keywords 50:38 Subdomain vs Subfolder For Blogs 53:33 Forums and Authority 57:51 Exact Match Domains 01:06:41 SEO Industry Outlook 01:13:18 Final Thanks and Wrap The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #seo #pagerank #growthmarketing