How to Expand Local SEO Into New Cities (Without Getting Penalized by Google)
Release Date: 01/20/2026
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_outlineE930: Expanding local SEO into new cities is harder than most businesses expect, and doing it the wrong way can get you suspended or quietly ignored by Google altogether.
Darren Shaw joins the show to explain what actually works when you want to rank in cities where you are not physically located. Darren is the founder of Whitespark and one of the most experienced voices in local SEO, and this is a tactical conversation based on what he has seen work in the real world.
We break down the limits of service area businesses, the reality of Google’s local algorithm, and why so many expansion strategies fail even when the business is legitimate.
Topics covered:
- Why service areas in Google Business Profiles do not impact rankings
- When it is impossible to rank in another city without opening a real location
- How far local SEO can realistically reach from a single address
- The difference between ranking in the local pack vs organic results
- How service area pages actually help, and where they fall short
- How to structure location pages and city-based service pages correctly
- Pillar pages and internal linking for multi-city SEO
- Building topical authority in a new city from scratch
- The role of localized links, citations, and sponsorships
- How reviews from customers in other cities can help expansion
- What Google actually associates your business with geographically
- Why doorway pages fail and how to avoid them
- Editing Google Business Profiles safely without triggering re-verification
- Which profile fields are risky to touch and which ones are not
- Keyword stuffing in business names and the legal risks most SEOs ignore
- Why many agencies have stopped spam fighting competitor listings
- Schema, geotagging photos, and where the evidence actually stands
- How local SEO signals differ from organic and AI-driven search results
Darren also explains:
- How to open a legitimate second location without overspending
- What Google looks for in subleases and shared office spaces
- Why authority in your original city does not automatically transfer
- How to think about geographic expansion from Google’s perspective
If you serve multiple cities, plan to expand into new markets, or are trying to understand why your local SEO strategy has stalled, this episode will help you avoid common mistakes and wasted effort.
⭐️ Darren Shaw’s first time on this podcast - https://youtu.be/1awWMG1e5kY?si=6ORaQf2GkMKEhBmp
⭐️ Whitespark's local SEO software and services: https://whitespark.ca/
⭐️ The Whitespark Local Update Podcast: https://whitespark.ca/the-whitespark-local-update-podcast/
⭐️ Darren's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/whitesparkca
⭐️ Darren's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darrenshawseo/
⭐️ Darren's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrenshawwhitespark/
⭐️ Darren's Threads: https://www.threads.com/@darrenshawseo
⭐️ Darren's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/darrenshawseo/
⭐️ Darren's TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@darrenshawseo
💎 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
00:25 Expanding Local Service Area Pages
00:51 Ranking in Distant Locations
03:08 Creating Effective Service Area Pages
06:16 Affordable Office Locations for SEO
09:26 Building Topical Authority and Link Building
16:57 Importance of Reviews and Local Search Myths
18:48 Optimizing Local Citations and Reviews
19:13 Updating Your Google Business Profile
21:08 The Impact of Keywords in Business Names
22:47 Legal Implications of Keyword Stuffing
26:50 Debating the Value of Schema Markup
30:11 Whitespark’s Local Ranking Grid Software
32:41 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/
#localseo #searchengineoptimization #googlebusinessprofileoptimization #localmarketing