Most SEO Agencies Are Selling You Stuff That Doesn’t Work (Here’s What Actually Does)
Release Date: 12/21/2025
From SEO TikTok to $18M Agencies: How Creators Actually Scale
The Edward Show
E945: I’m joined by Matt Diamante and Jake Tlapek for a long-form, unfiltered conversation about what actually happens after you win on social media. All three of us came up through SEO content on TikTok and Instagram. This episode isn’t about going viral - it’s about turning attention into durable businesses, building teams, and deciding what you want to scale next. We cover the real mechanics of growing agencies, removing yourself from delivery, using content as leverage, and how AI and social search are changing SEO in practice - not theory. What we talk about in this episode: - How...
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Is E-commerce SEO Dead? Google’s Universal Commerce Protocol & the Future of Search
The Edward Show
E944: Google has introduced the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), a system that allows merchants to send product data directly to Google so users can discover and buy products inside search, AI Mode, and Gemini - without ever visiting a website. In this episode, we break down what UCP actually is, how agentic commerce works, and what this shift means for e-commerce SEO, CRO, brand authority, and margins. Joining the discussion are Harpreet Singh, Gagan Ghotra, and David Quaid, three experienced SEOs with deep backgrounds in e-commerce, SaaS, B2B, and technical SEO. Together, we unpack...
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How to Get High-Quality Backlinks From Podcast Appearances
The Edward Show
E943: How to get high-quality backlinks from podcast appearances and why podcast guesting is one of the most effective and overlooked SEO strategies available right now. This is based on real experience. In 2022, I went on 30 podcasts in three months before I had an audience, social media presence, or this podcast. Those appearances helped me build backlinks, branded searches, topical authority, and ultimately led to everything I’m doing now. This episode covers why podcast backlinks work, how they affect SEO directly and indirectly, and exactly how to get booked on podcasts consistently....
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An $80 Press Release Ranked #1 on Google (And Tricked AI)
The Edward Show
E942: A real case study showing how an $80 press release from Matt Diamante (Hey Tony Agency) ranked #1 on Google for a non-branded keyword and influenced Google’s AI Overview. This isn’t theory. This actually happened. I walk through exactly how a single press release, distributed through AB Newswire, showed up at the top of Google search results, was cited by a publication, and continued to influence AI search results weeks later - even after the original press release was no longer publicly accessible. This episode explains why press releases still matter, how they influence search...
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Google Is Breaking SEO: Permanent Manual Actions, AI Search & the Rise of Black Hat
The Edward Show
E941: Edward is joined by Charles Floate and David Quaid for a deep, technical conversation about what is actually happening in search right now - and why many long-held SEO assumptions no longer hold. We discuss a growing pattern of manual actions that appear to be permanent, rejected reconsideration requests even after large-scale cleanups, and why some businesses may never fully recover organic traffic from Google. From enterprise sites to small publishers, the rules are shifting fast. The conversation moves into AI search, ChatGPT visibility, Reddit’s dominance in the SERPs, and how...
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Google Penalties Are Becoming Permanent (And That Changes Everything)
The Edward Show
E940: Google penalties are no longer feeling like temporary setbacks. More and more site owners are fixing everything they’re told to fix, submitting reconsideration requests, and still getting rejected. In this episode, I break down why Google manual actions appear to be becoming semi-permanent, what multiple SEO practitioners are seeing in real data, and why Google may no longer be asking “did you fix it?” - but instead “should we ever trust you again?” We cover what’s changing, what’s being reported by people deep in the weeds, and what this means if you’re using aggressive...
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How to Build Backlinks for a Brand New Website (From Zero Authority)
The Edward Show
E939: If you’ve just launched a website and have no backlinks, this episode walks through how to build links the right way - without shortcuts, spam, or jumping into strategies that don’t work for new sites. This episode is based on a real thread from Charles Floate’s r/linkbuilding subreddit, where someone asked how to build high-quality backlinks for a brand-new beauty blog with no existing authority. I break down the best answers, add real-world context, and explain what actually matters when you’re starting from scratch. We cover why most people make link building harder than it...
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YouTube Just Overtook Reddit in AI Search (Here’s How to Win Citations)
The Edward Show
E938: I break down new data showing that YouTube has officially overtaken Reddit as the most cited social platform in AI search, including large language models like ChatGPT. We’ll cover what this shift means for SEO, brand visibility, and how to actually get your content cited by AI using YouTube. What changed in AI search - YouTube is now cited more frequently than Reddit in AI-generated answers - Transcripts and descriptions make YouTube content easy for LLMs to read - AI systems increasingly rely on YouTube for explanations, reviews, and comparisons Why YouTube now beats Reddit for AI...
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Claude Cowork Is a Literal Cheat Code for SEO (Here’s How Agencies See It)
The Edward Show
E937: Watch on YouTube: A deep, practical look at how Claude Cowork is changing the way SEO work is actually executed. This is not a theoretical discussion about AI. The focus is on real workflows: how Claude Cowork performs hands-on SEO tasks that normally require hours of manual effort, and how agencies can realistically use it today. The conversation walks through live examples of Claude Cowork performing local SEO audits, Google Business Profile analysis, competitor research, and on-page SEO evaluations by directly interacting with the browser and SEO tools. Sarvesh Shrivastava joins the...
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How to Build Local Backlinks That Actually Increase Local Rankings
The Edward Show
E936: Local SEO lives or dies by local authority - and one of the biggest drivers of that authority is local backlinks. I break down exactly how to build high-quality local backlinks that help search engines see your business as an authority in a specific city or region. This applies whether you’re starting a local business, competing in a crowded market, or expanding into new locations. I cover practical strategies that send real referral traffic, strengthen local topical authority, and support long-term ranking improvements - not theory. What you’ll learn: - Why local backlinks matter...
info_outlineE900: Most SEO agencies aren’t just outdated - many knowingly sell tactics that no longer move rankings, traffic, or revenue.
I’m joined by Jake Hundley, who has spent years testing SEO tactics in real-world environments and publishing findings that directly contradict common agency practices - including a large-scale study showing that geo-tagging photos does not meaningfully impact rankings.
We break down why these myths persist, how agencies justify billing for low-impact work, and what actually drives results in modern SEO.
This conversation focuses on applied SEO for local and service-based businesses, backed by observation, testing, and long-term performance - not theory or trend-chasing.
What we cover
- Why geo-tagging images and EXIF data don’t meaningfully affect rankings
- How and why agencies continue selling ineffective SEO tasks
- The 80/20 rule of SEO and how most effort is misallocated
- How doorway pages still “work” - and why they create long-term risk
- How project-based pages outperform fake location pages
- What Google actually responds to in local search
- Why SEO fundamentals beat technical busywork
- How brand demand and offline marketing influence organic visibility
- Why most SEO case studies mislead more than they inform
- How to build SEO assets that hold up over time
Key takeaways
- Many SEO services exist to justify retainers, not results
- Clear structure and intent alignment outperform volume and automation
- Long-term rankings come from serving demand, not manufacturing it
Who this episode is for
- SEO professionals tired of selling or defending low-value work
- Agency owners who want sustainable client results
- Local service businesses investing in organic growth
- Anyone questioning widely accepted SEO “best practices”
If you care about results that compound over time - not checklists, gimmicks, or shortcuts - this episode will resonate.
⭐️ Jake's Agency Discord - https://discord.gg/uvHRRRFVRD
⭐️ Jake’s Podcast - The Agency Growth Podcast: https://everbrospodcast.com/
⭐️ r/agency Subreddit - https://www.reddit.com/r/agency/
⭐️ Jake Hundley on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/jake.hundley.1
⭐️ Jake Hundley on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-hundley/
⭐️ Jake Hundley's agency - https://evergrowmarketing.com/
💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/
00:00 Welcome and Introduction
00:05 Debunking SEO Myths
01:47 The Impact of Basic SEO Practices
05:57 Avoiding Doorway Pages
10:30 Effective Use of Project Pages
13:47 Challenges in the Lawn Care Industry
14:54 The Role of AI in SEO
15:56 SEO Business Models and Client Acquisition
18:58 Long-Term SEO Strategies
33:50 Case Studies and Real-World Examples
41:53 The 80/20 Rule in SEO
43:20 Understanding H1 and H2 Structure
45:37 SEO Best Practices for Local Services
46:40 The Importance of Geo-Targeting in SEO
47:56 Personal Journey into SEO
51:53 SEO Strategies for Franchise Businesses
53:55 The Power of Branding in Marketing
01:07:42 Debunking SEO Myths and Misconceptions
01:24:58 Contemplating a Break and Team Expansion
01:25:10 Challenges of Hiring and Editing
01:25:46 Evolution of Podcast Production
01:26:54 Engagement and Content Strategy
01:27:50 Podcast Format and Audience Interaction
01:31:04 Team Dynamics and Remote Engagement
01:35:52 Podcast Purpose and Growth
01:39:59 Content Creation and Community Feedback
01:57:18 The Role of Teasers and Clips
02:00:21 AI in Marketing and Agency Operations
02:04:41 Spam and AI: A Personal Stance
02:05:51 The Value of Brand Equity
02:06:30 Short-Term Gains vs. Long-Term Success
02:07:43 The Influence of Social Media and Peer Pressure
02:10:34 Creating and Selling Courses: Challenges and Strategies
02:18:46 The Importance of Personal Branding
02:20:43 Podcasting: Building Connections and Authority
02:25:38 Balancing Time and Value in Consulting
02:31:09 Guest Vetting and Podcast Integrity
02:37:17 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/
#searchengineoptimization #localseo #agencygrowth #linkbuilding