131: Bias in SEO, Overconfident SEO Case Studies, Google's SERP Struggles w/Sarah Presch

Sarah Presch, is Digital Marketing Director at Dragon Metrics. She holds degrees in both Psychology and Digital Marketing and has been doing SEO, Marketing and Psychomarketing in corporate roles for 12 years.

As SEOs, I think we spend FAR too much time obsessing over Google 'Ranking Factors' (most recently the API leaks) and NOT enough time trying to actually understand and empathize with searchers - the people we are supposedly making content for and trying to win over in the SERPs. 

In this conversation, Sarah brings her unique perspective drawing from her background in psychology to help unpack some of the psychological perspectives searchers have - particularly cognitive biases.

If you want to gain a deeper understanding and get into the minds of the people who search Google - the same people who traffic websites and ultimately drive revenue and business goals for sites and businesses - this episode is definitely worth a listen!

Topics In This Episode:

• Cognitive Biases in Search
• Why were AI Overviews such a miss for Google?
• The importance of fact-checking for SEO content
• Search and Social Impacts on the Nervous System
• How did biases impact how the SEO world reacted to Google's API Leaks?
• Biases like Confirmation Bias in SEO Case Studies
• Why do overconfident people actually believe they are good at SEO?
• Should Google play a role in preventing misinformation?
• What else can we as SEOs do to understand searchers better?

And much more - listen now!

Related Episodes You Might Like

• 127: Image Optimization, Algorithmic Biases, ADHD & SEO w/Myriam Jessier
• 097: Improve Your SEO With Keyword Psychographics w/Marty Weintraub

Tools Mentioned

Articles, Resources, and Links

• https://www.dragonmetrics.com/confirmation-bias/
• https://www.sarahpresch.com/post/cognitive-biases-in-seo
• Neurodivergents in SEO
• Google API Leak: Sparktoro's initial post about it
• The Cyber Effect (book about misinformation online)
• GBH's Video mentioned re: the Title Update and example of Framing
• Giulia Panozzo
• Myriam Jessier
• Petra Kis-Herczegh

Find Sarah Online

• Sarah on LinkedIn
• Sarah on Twitter
• Sarah's Website