From SEO TikTok to $18M Agencies: How Creators Actually Scale
Release Date: 02/04/2026
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_outlineE945: 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 agency founders transition from “doing the work” to leading without breaking the business
- The systems required to remove yourself from day-to-day client delivery
- Why many SEO agencies stall before seven figures - and how to break through
- How creators turn daily content into predictable demand and leads
- The difference between chasing views and building lifetime search visibility
- Social SEO: why searchable phrases now outperform traditional hooks
- Posting consistently without burning out or over-polishing
- Editing workflows, tools, and why speed often beats perfection
- Why press releases still work for SEO and AI search visibility
- How AI agents are being used for keyword research, competitive analysis, and content production
- When SEO should be sold alone vs bundled with paid media
- Common SEO mistakes clients make (and why they keep making them)
- The hardest part of scaling a team - and when letting go is the right move
- How creators think about the next phase after audience growth
Who this episode is for:
- Agency owners trying to scale past themselves
- SEOs and marketers using social content to generate demand
- Creators thinking about products, services, or SaaS
- Anyone curious how SEO, AI, and social search are converging
This is a long, candid conversation between people actively operating businesses - not theory, not recycled advice.
If you’re building an agency, using content to grow, or deciding what to scale next, this episode will give you a clearer picture of what actually works.
⭐️ Jake Tlapek on TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thewizardmarketing
⭐️ Jake Tlapek on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thewizardmarketing/
⭐️ Jake Tlapek on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@thewizardofmarketing
⭐️ Jake Tlapek’s agency - https://finch.com/
⭐️ Matt Diamante on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/heytony.agency/
⭐️ Matt Diamante on TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@heytonyagency
⭐️ Matt Diamante on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@heymattdiamante
⭐️ Matt Diamante’s agency - https://heytony.ca/
💎 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 Agency Growth
00:20 Transition to Content Creation
00:51 Early Days on TikTok
02:20 The Power of Live Streaming
04:23 SEO Journey and Background
06:09 Daily Posting and Consistency
12:27 Social Media Engagement and Editing Tools
15:14 Effective Hooks and Content Creation
21:00 Social SEO and Long-term Strategies
38:42 Combining SEO with Advertising
41:18 Programmatic SEO Challenges
42:02 Core Pages and Content Strategy
43:33 Common SEO Mistakes
44:49 The Power of Press Releases
50:25 AI and Automation in SEO
54:03 Keyword Research Insights
01:11:32 Future Plans and Business Strategies
01:22:39 Disorganized Conference Experience
01:24:09 Unexpected Viral Video
01:25:19 Gary Vee’s Heartfelt Apology
01:28:02 Collaborating with Other Creators
01:31:00 Scaling and Managing an Agency
01:41:15 Hiring a Business Coach
01:45:37 Firing Difficult Employees
01:51:17 Marketing and SEO Influencers
02:02:46 Concluding Thoughts and Farewell
#agencygrowth #searchengineoptimization #digitalmarketing #searchmarketing