The Edward Show
Daily SEO advice, hacks, and interviews with some of the top voices in search engine optimization, as well as sit-downs with many undiscovered talents.
info_outline
From SEO TikTok to $18M Agencies: How Creators Actually Scale
02/04/2026
From SEO TikTok to $18M Agencies: How Creators Actually Scale
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 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 - ⭐️ Jake Tlapek on Instagram - ⭐️ Jake Tlapek on YouTube - ⭐️ Jake Tlapek’s agency - ⭐️ Matt Diamante on Instagram - ⭐️ Matt Diamante on TikTok - ⭐️ Matt Diamante on YouTube - ⭐️ Matt Diamante’s agency - 💎 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: 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
/episode/index/show/9342edaa-17ad-4315-a037-ec4dfabd63f7/id/39996315
info_outline
Is E-commerce SEO Dead? Google’s Universal Commerce Protocol & the Future of Search
02/03/2026
Is E-commerce SEO Dead? Google’s Universal Commerce Protocol & the Future of Search
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 what’s real, what’s overhyped, and what businesses should actually prepare for. Topics covered in this episode: - What Google’s Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) really does - Buying products directly inside Google search, AI Mode, and Gemini - Whether product pages, collection pages, and CRO still matter - How rankings work when everyone submits the same product feed - Trust issues with AI checkout and agent-driven purchasing - Why average order value (AOV) may drop in an AI commerce world - The impact on email capture, upsells, and owned customer relationships - Margins, platform fees, and why merchants may opt out of agentic commerce - Google vs OpenAI vs Shopify: who benefits financially - Why brand authority may matter more than ever - Backlinks, internal links, and how AI agents explore the web - Discovery vs brand-aware searches in an AI-first environment - The difference between “AI SEO” and actual SEO - What CMOs are getting wrong about generative search - Whether e-commerce SEO is ending - or just changing shape This episode is essential listening for: - E-commerce founders and operators - SEOs and digital marketers - CMOs evaluating “AI SEO” strategies - Anyone trying to understand where search and commerce are heading If you’re thinking seriously about the future of search, AI shopping, and how people will buy online over the next decade, this conversation will help ground you in reality. ⭐️ David Quaid on 𝕏 - ⭐️ David Quaid on LinkedIn - ⭐️ David Quaid’s agency - ⭐️ Gagan Ghotra on 𝕏 - ⭐️ Gagan Ghotra on LinkedIn - ⭐️ Gagan Ghotra’s website - ⭐️ Harpreet Singh’s Personal Site - ⭐️ Harpreet on X - ⭐️ Harpreet’s Newsletter - ⭐️ Harpreet on LinkedIn - ⭐️ Harpreet on TikTok - ⭐️ Harpreet on YouTube - 💎 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: 00:00 Guest Introductions 01:06 Google's Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) Explained 02:05 Impact of UCP on E-commerce SEO 03:55 Historical Context and Future Predictions 07:10 Financial Implications of AI and E-commerce 10:02 Trust and Consumer Behavior in AI-Driven Commerce 11:46 Challenges and Opportunities in Agentic E-commerce 16:11 The Role of Brand Marketing in AI E-commerce 25:49 Backlinks and Authority in the Age of AI 42:41 The Efficiency of ASCII Content 42:55 Challenges in Detecting AI Content 44:42 The Role of Thoughtful Prompts in AI 46:19 The Hype Around AI Tools 46:26 Google's Investment in AI and Data Centers 47:56 Authority and SEO Strategies 53:39 The Myth of Chunk Optimization 01:00:04 OpenAI's Advertising Strategy 01:07:18 Black Hat SEO Tactics for Valentine's Day 01:15:08 Networking for Initial Clients 01:16:13 AI SEO vs Traditional SEO for CMOs 01:19:09 The CMO's Dilemma: Allocating Budget to AI SEO 01:21:55 Understanding Query Fanout and Its Impact on SEO 01:25:02 The Relaunch of Digg and Its Implications for SEOs 01:36:16 The Rise of Grokipedia: A Competitor to Wikipedia 01:49:47 The Future of User-Generated Content and SEO 01:52:11 Conclusion and Final Thoughts The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: #searchengineoptimization #generativeengineoptimization #ecommerceseo #shopifyseo
/episode/index/show/9342edaa-17ad-4315-a037-ec4dfabd63f7/id/39977810
info_outline
How to Get High-Quality Backlinks From Podcast Appearances
02/02/2026
How to Get High-Quality Backlinks From Podcast Appearances
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. What you’ll learn: - Why podcast guest appearances generate strong backlinks - How podcast show notes and transcripts create SEO value - Why many podcast hosts publish your exact description and links - The difference between dofollow and nofollow podcast links - How podcast backlinks support topical authority - Why branded searches matter and how podcasts increase them - How YouTube podcast links fit into a natural backlink profile - How podcast appearances can lead to knowledge panels - A real example of a site using podcasts to recover and grow after the Google Helpful Content Update - Why podcast guesting often leads to additional organic links - How podcasting builds both SEO signals and real business outcomes How to get on podcasts as a guest: - Using podcast guest matching platforms - https://aipodcastmatcher.com/ - How to set up your profile for better matches - Why simple outreach often outperforms long pitches - The exact outreach approach that worked best for me - How having your own podcast helps you get on other shows - How to trade podcast appearances effectively - How podcast guesting can lead to partnerships and referrals Why podcasts are more than just backlinks: - Brand exposure that leads to searches - Increased click-through rate in search results - Natural engagement signals - Repurposable content for short-form platforms - Long-term compounding value If you’re focused on SEO, link building, or growing a brand without relying on tactics that don’t hold up long term, this episode walks through a strategy that’s practical, repeatable, and still widely underused. ⭐️ ⭐️ How to Get On Podcasts as a Guest in 2026: The Easy Way - https://edwardsturm.com/articles/get-on-podcasts-as-guest-2026/ ⭐️ How I’ve 10x’d My Podcast Growth Year Over Year - 💎 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: 00:00 Introduction to Backlinks from Podcasts 00:39 Advantages of Podcast Backlinks 02:30 Impact of YouTube Backlinks on SEO 05:15 Real-Life Success Stories 08:32 How to Get on Podcasts 10:30 Leveraging Your Own Podcast 12:23 Conclusion The Edward Show. The #1 search engine optimization podcast: #searchengineoptimization #linkbuilding #backlinks #publicrelations
/episode/index/show/9342edaa-17ad-4315-a037-ec4dfabd63f7/id/39969475
info_outline
An $80 Press Release Ranked #1 on Google (And Tricked AI)
02/01/2026
An $80 Press Release Ranked #1 on Google (And Tricked AI)
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 engines and large language models, and how they can be used responsibly to build real topical authority. What this covers: - The difference between branded vs non-branded search keywords - Why purchase-intent keywords behave differently in search - How an $80 press release ranked #1 for “best selling SEO book” - How press releases influence Google AI Overviews - Why authority publications still rank syndicated press releases - What happened after the press release was removed - The role of search behavior and user interaction in rankings - ABNewswire vs PR Newswire vs PRLog - When press releases help SEO and when they don’t - The difference between legitimate press releases and link spam - How press releases reinforce entity credibility and topical authority - Why company announcements have always mattered in SEO - How press releases influence AI systems like Google AI and ChatGPT - How to use press releases as part of a broader content strategy Key takeaway: Press releases are not about gaming algorithms. When used correctly, they document legitimate business activity, create citation consistency, and help search engines and AI systems understand what your business is actually about. This also explains how press releases fit into my broader SEO framework and why they are just one tactic among many. ⭐️ How to use press releases for SEO and LLMs - 💎 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: 00:00 Introduction to Press Releases and SEO 00:46 Case Study: Matt Diamante's Press Release Strategy 03:58 The Power of Press Releases in SEO 06:10 Maximizing Press Release Impact 10:22 Conclusion and Upcoming Episodes The Edward Show. The #1 search engine optimization podcast: #searchengineoptimization #publicrelations #generativeengineoptimization #growthhacking
/episode/index/show/9342edaa-17ad-4315-a037-ec4dfabd63f7/id/39951875
info_outline
Google Is Breaking SEO: Permanent Manual Actions, AI Search & the Rise of Black Hat
01/31/2026
Google Is Breaking SEO: Permanent Manual Actions, AI Search & the Rise of Black Hat
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 Google’s own behavior is pushing SEOs toward tactics that were once considered off-limits. This is not theory. It’s based on live examples, experiments, client data, and firsthand experience. Topics covered: - Why manual actions are increasingly permanent and what that means for long-term SEO strategy - What to do when reconsideration requests keep getting rejected - The risk of relying on a single branded domain for all organic traffic
- Multi-domain strategies, exact match domains, and when they still work
- Why Reddit now occupies multiple positions on page one
- How Reddit SEO is being used to offset traffic losses from Google updates
- The difference between SEO and AI search optimization
- How ChatGPT, Bing grounding, and source consensus actually work
- Why most AI visibility still depends on traditional SEO foundations
- The real role of links in modern SEO and AI surfacing
- Common SEO tactics that no longer move rankings
- Underrated techniques that still produce results
- Internal linking mistakes that kill performance
- Why "just write good content" is not a strategy
- How misinformation and tribalism are hurting the SEO industry
- The growing gap between white hat theory and what actually works
- Who is winning right now: white hats or black hats - and why This episode is intended for SEOs, founders, CMOs, and operators who want a realistic view of search in 2026, not recycled advice or surface-level commentary. ⭐️ David Quaid on 𝕏 - ⭐️ David Quaid on LinkedIn - ⭐️ David Quaid’s agency - ⭐️ Charles Floate on 𝕏 - ⭐️ Charles Floate on LinkedIn - ⭐️ Charles Floate on YouTube - ⭐️ Charles Floate on Facebook - ⭐️ Charles Floate’s PressWhizz - 💎 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: 00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome 00:22 Manual Actions and Permanent Bans 01:08 SEO Strategies for Corporate Clients 02:09 The Risks of Relying on a Single Domain 10:48 The Power of Reddit in SEO 18:44 Challenges in the SEO Community 31:02 Experimenting with AI and SEO 46:07 Link Building Strategies and Challenges 46:30 Cool Link Acquisition Stories 50:10 PressWhizz Revolutionizing Link Building 56:38 SEO Techniques: What's Worth It and What's Not 01:13:20 Understanding YMYL and Its Impact 01:25:22 Maximizing SEO with Short Pages 01:26:17 The Power of Internal Linking 01:27:06 Link Building Strategies and Challenges 01:28:04 The Evolution of Link Building Costs 01:29:38 Adapting to AI and SEO Changes 01:32:03 Common Internal Linking Mistakes 01:35:05 Effective URL Slug Changes 01:38:09 White Hat vs. Black Hat SEO 01:48:03 The Role of Private Blog Networks (PBNs) 01:58:52 SEO Consulting and Agency Recommendations 02:05:46 Final Thoughts and Farewell The Edward Show. The #1 search engine optimization podcast: #searchengineoptimization #blackhatseo #linkbuilding #generativeengineoptimization
/episode/index/show/9342edaa-17ad-4315-a037-ec4dfabd63f7/id/39944325
info_outline
Google Penalties Are Becoming Permanent (And That Changes Everything)
01/30/2026
Google Penalties Are Becoming Permanent (And That Changes Everything)
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 SEO tactics, gray-area strategies, or anything that relies on shortcuts. Topics covered: - Why reconsideration requests are being rejected more often - How Google appears to be shifting from behavior-based penalties to perception-based penalties - What “perceived spam” means and why fixing the site may no longer be enough - Why manual actions are starting to look permanent instead of temporary - Similar rejection patterns now showing up in Bing - The risk of tying multiple domains to the same Search Console - Why black hat shortcuts often take longer than doing things correctly - What actually works long term in SEO and marketing - Where press releases, listicles, and self-promotion fall on the rules spectrum - How white hat SEO compounds over time when done consistently This episode is not about fear-mongering. It’s about understanding the current landscape so you can make informed decisions about risk, durability, and long-term growth. If you’ve ever considered pushing the limits, this is worth paying attention to. ⭐️ Charles Floate’s post w/ comments - 💎 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: 00:00 Introduction to Google's Permanent Penalties 00:17 Charles Floate’s Insights on Reconsideration Requests 02:44 Gagan Ghotra's Perspective and Bing's Similar Issues 04:54 White Hat SEO vs. Black Hat SEO 10:27 The Importance of Long-Term SEO Strategies 12:07 Conclusion and Upcoming Episodes The Edward Show. The #1 search engine optimization podcast: #googlepenality #googlemanualaction #searchengineoptimization #digitalmarketing
/episode/index/show/9342edaa-17ad-4315-a037-ec4dfabd63f7/id/39936980
info_outline
How to Build Backlinks for a Brand New Website (From Zero Authority)
01/29/2026
How to Build Backlinks for a Brand New Website (From Zero Authority)
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 needs to be, what to focus on first, and how to build trust before worrying about scale. What you’ll learn: - Why foundational backlinks matter for new websites - Which links you should build before guest posting - How social profiles and directories help establish trust - When manual outreach actually makes sense - How community participation leads to natural link opportunities - Why referral traffic matters more than domain metrics - How partnerships and link exchanges can work when done properly - Why press releases are still useful for brand-new sites - How press releases influence search results and brand visibility - Expert quote platforms that work well for early link building - Why quality beats volume every time for new domains - How podcast guesting can be used for link building - Why consistency matters more than doing everything at once This is especially useful if: - You’ve launched a new site with no backlinks - You’re unsure which link-building tactics to start with - You want to avoid wasting time on low-value links - You’re building a real brand, not a disposable site ⭐️ How can I effectively build backlinks for a brand-new website with no existing authority? - 💎 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: 00:00 Introduction to Backlink Building 01:02 Exploring Foundational Backlinks 01:44 Engaging with Online Communities 03:27 Leveraging Press Releases 04:59 Expert Advice from Charles Floate 06:44 Social Media and Local Directories 07:26 AI Tools and Podcasting for Backlinks 07:55 Final Tips The Edward Show. The #1 search engine optimization podcast: #linkbuilding #backlinks #searchengineoptimization #digitalmarketing
/episode/index/show/9342edaa-17ad-4315-a037-ec4dfabd63f7/id/39923400
info_outline
YouTube Just Overtook Reddit in AI Search (Here’s How to Win Citations)
01/28/2026
YouTube Just Overtook Reddit in AI Search (Here’s How to Win Citations)
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 visibility - Videos include readable transcripts and metadata - Titles and descriptions can target exact search queries - YouTube content is easier for AI to summarize and compare - Ranking videos also builds long-term brand authority How AI systems find and cite YouTube videos - AI prompts are broken into multiple search queries - Videos need to match at least one of those queries - Titles, descriptions, and filenames influence discovery - Clear answers increase the chance of citation How to optimize YouTube videos for AI search - Target one primary keyword per video - Put the keyword in the video title - Put the keyword at the beginning of the description - Use the keyword in the video filename - Answer the question directly and concisely How to structure descriptions so AI can understand them - Put the full answer in the description - Use headings to organize information - Use consistent sections for comparisons - This makes it easier for AI to generate tables Using YouTube alongside traditional SEO - Create a video for each SEO landing page - Target the same keyword in the page and the video - Publish both while the topic is top of mind - Videos often rank faster than pages Branded vs non-branded keywords - Branded keywords are easier to rank for - Brand name plus review keywords convert well - Brand name plus rating keywords convert well - Non-branded keywords are still viable with video Building topical authority on YouTube - Cover related topics consistently - Watch time and engagement matter - Comments help reinforce relevance - Channels behave similarly to websites in search Practical advice for getting started - Start recording with what you have - You do not need to post daily - Weekly or monthly is enough to start - Editing does not need to be complex - Shorts can be reused across platforms Why this matters - YouTube is the most clicked site in Google search - YouTube is now a top citation source for AI - You build brand equity while ranking - You own the asset you are growing ⭐️ My Exact Social Media Posting Strategy - ⭐️ EXCLUSIVE: YouTube Overtakes Reddit as Go-To Citation Source on AI Search - ⭐️ State of Search Q4 2025: Behaviors, Trends, and Clicks Across the US & Europe - 💎 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: 00:00 YouTube Overtakes Reddit in AI Citations 00:19 The Rise of YouTube as a Citation Source 01:31 Optimizing Videos for AI and SEO 04:56 Practical Tips for Creating Effective Videos 06:18 Building and Growing Your YouTube Channel 08:22 Leveraging AI and Video for SEO Success 10:35 Conclusion and Final Thoughts The Edward Show. The #1 search engine optimization podcast: #generativeengineoptimization #answerengineoptimization #searchengineoptimization #digitalmarketing
/episode/index/show/9342edaa-17ad-4315-a037-ec4dfabd63f7/id/39913685
info_outline
Claude Cowork Is a Literal Cheat Code for SEO (Here’s How Agencies See It)
01/27/2026
Claude Cowork Is a Literal Cheat Code for SEO (Here’s How Agencies See It)
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 show! He shares how he’s actively testing Claude Cowork inside agency-style workflows and what this means for SEO teams. What we cover: - What Claude Cowork is and how it differs from tools like ChatGPT and Gemini - How Claude Cowork operates directly on your computer instead of requiring manual data uploads - A walkthrough of a Google Business Profile competitor analysis - How Claude Cowork audits Google Maps listings and identifies ranking patterns - How competitor data is collected and analyzed across local search results - How reviews are analyzed for volume, ratings, and keyword usage - How business hours and availability signals affect local rankings - How profile completeness, photos, videos, and posts are evaluated - How pattern recognition can surface niche-specific local ranking factors - How automated SEO audit reports can be generated and reviewed - How on-page SEO audits are performed automatically - How title tags and heading structure issues are identified - How schema and local business markup gaps are detected - How page speed and image optimization issues are flagged - How agencies can reduce time spent on audits, research, and reporting - Where automation works well and where human review is still required - Credit limits, permission prompts, and current limitations of the tool - How Claude Cowork fits into real agency workflows today Who this is for: - SEO professionals and consultants - Agency owners and operators - Local SEO specialists - Business owners managing their own SEO - Anyone interested in practical AI-driven automation for SEO work Sarvesh also explains how he plans to roll this into agency processes, which tasks provide the biggest time savings, and which areas still benefit from hands-on SEO judgment. ⭐️ Watch on YouTube: ⭐️ Sarvesh Shrivastava’s Claude Cowork prompts - ⭐️ Sarvesh Shrivastava on 𝕏 - ⭐️ Sarvesh Shrivastava on LinkedIn - ⭐️ Sarvesh Shrivastava on Instagram - ⭐️ Sarvesh Shrivastava on YouTube - ⭐️ Sarvesh Shrivastava’s agency, Alventra Marketing - 💎 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: 00:00 Introduction to Claude and SEO 01:03 Exploring Claude Cowork's Capabilities 03:05 Live Demonstration of Claude Cowork 05:20 In-Depth Analysis and Insights 19:49 On-Page SEO Audit with Claude 24:51 Detailed Prompt for On-Page SEO 24:57 Schema Audit and SEO Tools 25:43 Automating SEO Tasks with Claude Cowork 28:13 Permissions and Limitations of Claude Cowork 30:14 Live Demonstration of Claude Cowork 32:16 Automating Content Creation and Backlink Analysis 34:50 Challenges and Future of Claude Cowork 41:03 Going Viral with Claude Cowork 44:14 Conclusion and Final Thoughts The Edward Show. The #1 search engine optimization podcast: #localseo #localmarketing #googlebusinessprofileoptimization #searchengineoptimization
/episode/index/show/9342edaa-17ad-4315-a037-ec4dfabd63f7/id/39895330
info_outline
How to Build Local Backlinks That Actually Increase Local Rankings
01/26/2026
How to Build Local Backlinks That Actually Increase Local Rankings
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 for local SEO and topical authority - How partnerships with local businesses create real traffic and stronger links - How to find and evaluate local sponsorship opportunities (and when they’re worth it) - When to accept nofollow links or brand mentions - and when not to - How to use ChatGPT agent mode to research local sponsorships and partners - How to properly vet local partners to protect your brand and reputation - Core local citations you need for local SEO - How to track citations and backlinks correctly (and why tracking matters) - How citation language and context impact local topical authority - How to vary location and service language without hurting consistency - Why anchor text matters less than contextual language for local SEO - How to structure location hub pages to support link building - How to build links to pillar pages to strengthen weaker service pages This is especially useful if: - You’re launching a local business and need to build authority from scratch - You’re competing in a high-competition city - You’re expanding SEO into new locations - You want a clear system for local link building 💎 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: 00:00 Introduction to Building Local Backlinks 00:59 Partnerships for Local Backlinks 01:16 Sponsorship Opportunities 01:59 Using ChatGPT for Sponsorships 04:03 Local Citations and Directories 04:30 Tracking and Managing Citations 05:21 Language and Context in Citations 07:36 Hub Pages for Local SEO 08:54 Conclusion and Wrap Up The Edward Show. The #1 search engine optimization podcast: #localseo #localmarketing #searchengineoptimization #linkbuilding
/episode/index/show/9342edaa-17ad-4315-a037-ec4dfabd63f7/id/39887225
info_outline
This Funded AI Startup Is Repeating a Massive SEO Mistake
01/25/2026
This Funded AI Startup Is Repeating a Massive SEO Mistake
E935: I break down a recently funded AI startup that is scaling SEO with unchecked, fully AI-generated financial content - and why this strategy has already failed before. I’ve seen this exact playbook play out with AInvest: rapid traffic growth driven by AI content, press, and links… followed by a sharp collapse after Google’s spam and quality updates. Now we’re watching the same model surface again, almost step for step. This episode is not about hating on AI. It’s about understanding where AI actually helps - and where it quietly puts your entire domain at risk. What’s covered: - How a low-authority domain was able to spike to tens of thousands of clicks per month - Why press, link velocity, and brand mentions can temporarily mask serious SEO issues - The dangers of scaling AI-generated financial content without human fact-checking - How Google evaluates unchecked AI content, especially in YMYL niches - Why sites often get away with this approach for a few months before getting hit - The long-term SEO damage most founders and marketers don’t see coming - What this means for your tools, brand terms, and real linkable assets - How AI can be used responsibly in SEO without putting your site at risk Also, what this company is doing well, including: - Press and link acquisition - Brand trust signals and accessibility - Interactive AI tools and on-page engagement features If you’re a founder, marketer, or SEO considering AI to scale content, this episode is a clear warning - and a roadmap for how to avoid repeating the same mistake. 💎 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: 00:00 Introduction and Frustrations 00:13 The Rise and Fall of AInvest 01:03 Introducing The New AInvest - Here We Go Again 02:52 SEO Strategies and Risks 04:22 AI Content and Google's Guidelines 07:56 Practical AI Applications 11:23 Final Thoughts and Warnings 12:25 Conclusion and Episode Wrap-Up The Edward Show. The #1 search engine optimization podcast: #searchengineoptimization #programmaticseo #scaledcontentabuse #blackhatseo
/episode/index/show/9342edaa-17ad-4315-a037-ec4dfabd63f7/id/39869130
info_outline
Why Google Killed Num=100: The Secret War Against OpenAI (feat. Moz’s Jonathan Berthold)
01/24/2026
Why Google Killed Num=100: The Secret War Against OpenAI (feat. Moz’s Jonathan Berthold)
E934: Google’s quiet removal of the num=100 parameter sent shockwaves through the SEO tooling ecosystem. Many called it an apocalypse. Others barely noticed. I sit down with Jonathan Berthold, VP of Revenue at Moz, to unpack what actually happened, why Google made the change, and how it connects to a much bigger shift happening across search, AI, and zero-click results. We cover how SEO is evolving under pressure from AI Overviews, LLMs, and generative search - and why most of the panic is misplaced. Topics covered: - What the num=100 parameter was and why Google removed it - Whether this change was aimed at SEOs, tool providers, or OpenAI - How rank tracking, impressions, and average position were distorted before the change - Why keyword positions beyond page one rarely matter for real business outcomes - The rise of zero-click search and what it actually means for traffic - How AI Overviews and LLMs are reshaping informational search - Why commercial and transactional queries are far less impacted - The difference between SEO as a strategy vs SEO as a channel - Why brand is becoming the strongest long-term advantage in search - How Moz has adapted its product and analytics approach - What SEO agencies need to change when rankings stop being the primary KPI - Whether AI tools threaten SEO careers - or force better ones - Google vs OpenAI vs other LLMs and what’s really at stake - Why “GEO” mostly looks like good SEO done correctly Key takeaways: - The num=100 removal didn’t break SEO - it exposed bad measurement habits - Traffic quality matters more than traffic volume - Informational content still matters, even when clicks decline - Brand visibility now extends beyond Google into AI systems - SEO success is increasingly tied to business outcomes, not rankings This conversation goes deep into how search is changing without resorting to hype or fear. If you work in SEO, marketing, analytics, or product - and want a grounded view of where things are heading - this episode is for you. ⭐️ Jonathan Berthold on LinkedIn: ⭐️ Jonathan Berthold on 𝕏: ⭐️ Moz (my affiliate link): 💎 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: 00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome 01:09 SEO Industry Insights 04:19 Impact of LLMs on SEO 10:47 Brand Importance in SEO 11:14 Discussion on Topical Authority 16:06 The Num Equals 100 Parameter Change 29:14 Google's Strategy Against OpenAI 32:13 The Rise of Claude Code and LLMs 33:06 Comparing ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude 35:27 OpenAI's New Ad Model 36:15 Challenges in Scaling OpenAI's Ad System 41:38 SEO and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) 54:07 The Future of AI in the Job Market 01:00:30 Will AI Mode Become the Default? 01:02:51 Conclusion and Final Thoughts The Edward Show. The #1 search engine optimization podcast: #searchengineoptimization #generativeengineoptimization #performancemarketing #digitalmarketing
/episode/index/show/9342edaa-17ad-4315-a037-ec4dfabd63f7/id/39861570
info_outline
The URL Structure That Makes or Breaks Your SEO
01/23/2026
The URL Structure That Makes or Breaks Your SEO
E933: How URL structure directly impacts SEO performance, topical authority, and whether Google views your site as legitimate or spammy. I walk through two common URL structure approaches that many sites use when targeting similar keywords - and explain why one of them often triggers spam signals, ranking cannibalization, and doorway page issues, even when the content itself is solid. If you’re building feature pages, use-case pages, programmatic SEO, or scaling content across keyword variations, this episode will help you avoid structural mistakes that quietly limit rankings. What you’ll learn: - Why certain URL patterns raise red flags for Google - How search engines interpret keyword-heavy slugs vs hierarchical structures - The difference between doorway page patterns and real topical depth - How nested subfolders help establish clearer parent-child topic relationships - Why documentation-style URL structures tend to perform better long term - How poor URL structure can cause ranking cannibalization - How to structure feature and use-case pages without looking manipulative - How internal linking should work when using nested URL hierarchies - Why this approach makes link building and topical authority easier Real-world examples discussed: - How a top mattress affiliate structures pages to rank for thousands of keywords - How legal SEO sites organize practice-area pages by accident type - Why these structures scale without triggering spam classifications Who this episode is for: - Founders and marketers building SEO-driven landing pages - SEOs working on programmatic or scaled content - Anyone restructuring a site for better topical authority - People confused about why similar pages keep competing with each other This episode focuses entirely on information architecture, not content tricks or shortcuts. The goal is to help Google understand what your site is actually about - and reward it accordingly. ⭐️ Google’s update on Doorway pages - 💎 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: 00:00 Introduction to URL Structures and SEO Impact 00:09 Fictional Email Client and URL Structure Examples 00:51 Comparing Two URL Structures 01:59 Real-World Examples and SEO Insights 02:59 Google's Perspective on URL Structures 04:39 Advantages of Hierarchical URL Structures 07:00 Case Studies: NapLab and Legal SEO 09:06 Best Practices for Internal Linking 10:40 Wrapping URL Structures The Edward Show. The #1 search engine optimization podcast: #searchengineoptimization #informationarchitecture #topicalauthority #digitalmarketing
/episode/index/show/9342edaa-17ad-4315-a037-ec4dfabd63f7/id/39854765
info_outline
The Wildest Marketing Alpha Right Now: Digg, ChatGPT Ads & Early-Mover Wins
01/22/2026
The Wildest Marketing Alpha Right Now: Digg, ChatGPT Ads & Early-Mover Wins
E932: I break down the most interesting marketing opportunities I’m seeing right now and why they matter if you care about getting in early. We start with the Digg relaunch and why, despite recent crackdowns on obvious SEO spam, it’s still one of the most compelling platforms to pay attention to. I explain what’s changed since the first Digg episode, which niches are being targeted, which ones are not, and how non-SEO brands can still use Digg effectively for long-term marketing and visibility. Next, we cover the announcement of ads coming to ChatGPT. I walk through OpenAI’s stated ad principles, what this likely means for AI SEO, and why ads probably won’t influence model responses. I also talk about the opportunity window that tends to open when a major platform launches ads and why early experimentation often matters more than perfect execution. Finally, I share real results from the recent press kit episode and explain why every serious marketing or SEO strategy should include one. We look at how press kits affect backlinks, topical authority, and brand searches, and why journalists rely on them more than most people realize. Topics covered: - What has changed since Digg’s relaunch and why it still matters - How Digg is handling SEO spam and which niches are being affected - Why Digg could follow a similar SEO trajectory to Reddit - How to use Digg for top-of-funnel content instead of direct promotion - The role of AI moderation and how it may shape future promotion - What OpenAI has announced about ads in ChatGPT - Why ChatGPT ads likely won’t impact AI SEO rankings - The size of the opportunity when new ad platforms launch - Past examples of early ad platform inefficiencies - Why press kits make it easier for journalists to link to you correctly - How press kits can influence brand searches and site links ⭐️ E927 - Why Every SEO Strategy Needs a Press Kit (Most People Miss This) - ⭐️ E928 - Digg Just Relaunched - And It’s the Wildest Parasite SEO Opportunity of the Decade - 💎 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: 00:00 Introduction to Crazy Alpha in Marketing 00:40 Digg's Evolution and Opportunities 07:05 ChatGPT Ads: A New Frontier 12:40 The SERP Results of Press Kits in SEO 13:54 Conclusion and Episode Wrap-Up The Edward Show. The #1 search engine optimization podcast: #searchengineoptimization #chatgptads #arbitrage #digitalmarketing
/episode/index/show/9342edaa-17ad-4315-a037-ec4dfabd63f7/id/39828580
info_outline
How Small Law Firms Beat Big Brands in Google (Legal SEO Masterclass)
01/21/2026
How Small Law Firms Beat Big Brands in Google (Legal SEO Masterclass)
E931: Small and mid-sized law firms regularly can outrank national legal brands in Google, even with smaller teams and far lower marketing budgets. This breaks down how that actually happens. We go deep into what drives legal search rankings, what converts traffic into signed cases, and why many common law firm SEO strategies fail. This is a practical, experience-based discussion focused on results, not surface-level SEO tactics. Nick Cohen, a lawyer and the founder of Matador Solutions, joins the show to explain how legal SEO works in real markets. Nick has spent years helping law firms compete in some of the most competitive legal search landscapes in the United States, and he shares exactly what he’s seeing work today across content, Google Maps, reviews, links, AI, and compliance. Topics covered: - Why small law firms can outrank large national legal brands - How Google’s algorithm became increasingly local for legal searches - What makes legal SEO fundamentally different from other local SEO niches - Why most law firm blog content generates traffic but no signed cases - How practice area pages should be built to rank and convert - Pillar pages, supporting content, and topical authority for law firms - How informational content supports high-intent legal keywords - What actually builds trust on law firm websites - Conversion factors that matter in legal marketing (and what doesn’t) - The role of copy, credibility, and clarity in legal conversions - Why video testimonials are critical for law firm SEO - How YouTube testimonials can rank for legal keywords - Link building strategies that work in competitive legal markets - Why local and relevant links often outperform high-DA links - Earned media vs paid links for law firms - Google Business Profile optimization in competitive cities - The real impact of reviews on map pack rankings - When keyword placement in Google Business Profiles works - Common SEO mistakes agencies make when working with law firms - SEO metrics law firms obsess over that don’t correlate with cases - How to measure SEO success when one case can be worth millions - How AI is being used in legal SEO today - The risks of AI-generated content in legal marketing - QA processes and verification systems for legal content - Title tags, SERP optimization, and improving click-through rate - Exact match domains, link velocity, and brand signals - The single most important SEO lever for law firms with limited resources Who this episode is for: - Law firm owners and managing partners - SEO agencies working with legal clients - Marketers entering the legal SEO space - Anyone focused on turning rankings into real business ⭐️ Matador Solutions - ⭐️ Nick Cohen on LinkedIn - ⭐️ Get in touch with Nick - nick@matadorsolutions.net 💎 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: 00:00 Introduction and Guest Background 00:52 Founding of Matador Solutions and Its Evolution 02:42 SEO Strategies for Law Firms 05:13 Matador's Recent SEO Success 12:20 Competing with Big Legal Brands 17:21 Content Strategy for Law Firms 25:43 Building Trust and Authority 30:02 Link Building and Citations 39:46 Facebook Posts for SEO 40:29 Importance of 24/7 Phone Answering for Lawyers 42:38 AI in Legal SEO: Benefits and Risks 44:39 Content Creation and AI Integration 53:58 Common SEO Mistakes and Best Practices 56:40 Optimizing Google Business Profiles for Lawyers 01:00:54 Measuring SEO Success in the Legal Industry 01:02:55 Personal Connection to Legal SEO 01:12:46 Lightning Round: Quick SEO Tips 01:14:55 Conclusion and Contact Information The Edward Show. The #1 search engine optimization podcast: #legalseo #legalsearchengineoptimization #lawseo #localseo
/episode/index/show/9342edaa-17ad-4315-a037-ec4dfabd63f7/id/39811820
info_outline
How to Expand Local SEO Into New Cities (Without Getting Penalized by Google)
01/20/2026
How to Expand Local SEO Into New Cities (Without Getting Penalized by Google)
E930: 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 - ⭐️ Whitespark's local SEO software and services: ⭐️ The Whitespark Local Update Podcast: ⭐️ Darren's YouTube channel: ⭐️ Darren's Instagram: ⭐️ Darren's LinkedIn: ⭐️ Darren's Threads: ⭐️ Darren's Facebook: ⭐️ Darren's TikTok: 💎 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: 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: #localseo #searchengineoptimization #googlebusinessprofileoptimization #localmarketing
/episode/index/show/9342edaa-17ad-4315-a037-ec4dfabd63f7/id/39797475
info_outline
3 Link Building Techniques That Still Work (Local, SaaS & Any Industry)
01/19/2026
3 Link Building Techniques That Still Work (Local, SaaS & Any Industry)
E929: David Quaid joins the show to break down three link building techniques that still work today across local businesses, SaaS companies, and any other industry. This is a practical conversation about how Google treats links, why many SEO “rules” don’t exist, and how to build links without buying them or obsessing over domain authority. If you work in SEO, run an agency, own a local business, or manage SaaS growth, this episode gives you frameworks you can apply immediately. What you’ll learn: - Why reciprocal links are not inherently bad and when they make sense - How Google evaluates links at the page level, not the domain level - Why the sentence and anchor text around a link matters more than site-wide relevance - How to build real partnerships that create links naturally - The difference between authority and relevance and how they work together - Why a linking page must rank for the link to pass value - How many clicks a page actually needs to start passing authority - How SaaS companies can use adjacent products and integrations to earn links - How directories, profiles, and verified listings can help early-stage sites - When indexing services make sense and when they don’t - How Reddit, social platforms, and link chains can help with discovery and crawling - Why buying links often leads to diminishing returns - How SEO fundamentals haven’t really changed, despite constant noise - Why creativity still matters more than tactics in link building Topics covered: - Local SEO link building - SaaS partnerships and integrations - Reciprocal links at scale - Page-level authority vs domain authority - Topical authority and anchor text - Link decay and dampening effects - Parasite SEO and indexing - Reddit, Digg, and community-driven links - SEO compounding effects - Common myths that hold SEOs back If you’re tired of vague advice and want to understand why things work, this episode is for you. ⭐️ David Quaid on 𝕏 - ⭐️ David Quaid on LinkedIn - ⭐️ David Quaid’s agency - 💎 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: 00:00 Introduction to Link Building Techniques 00:49 Debunking Link Building Myths 01:29 Local Link Building Strategies 02:41 Relevance and Authority in Link Building 03:30 Creative Link Building Approaches 08:16 Case Studies and Success Stories 16:49 Reciprocal Links and Partnerships 24:07 Verified Profiles and ORM 28:23 The Value of Manual Backlink Indexing 29:25 Using Reddit for SEO Link Building 30:22 Creating Link Chains and Indexing Strategies 32:34 Parasitic SEO and Domain Authority 34:30 Owning and Managing Subreddits for SEO 36:43 The Basics and Evolution of SEO 38:30 Compounding Effects in SEO 40:36 Listener Feedback and Success Stories 43:23 AI and Automation in SEO 45:46 Concluding Remarks and Episode Wrap-Up The Edward Show. Your daily generative engine optimization podcast: #linkbuilding #backlinks #searchengineoptimization #seo
/episode/index/show/9342edaa-17ad-4315-a037-ec4dfabd63f7/id/39785325
info_outline
Digg Just Relaunched - And It’s the Wildest Parasite SEO Opportunity of the Decade
01/18/2026
Digg Just Relaunched - And It’s the Wildest Parasite SEO Opportunity of the Decade
E928: Digg is back, and almost nobody is paying attention. I break down why Digg’s relaunch quietly created one of the most powerful parasite SEO opportunities we’ve seen in years, and why the window will not stay open for long. Digg has massive historical trust, a clean link profile, and crawlable, indexable URLs. Google doesn’t care that Digg is “new again.” Google cares that Digg is trusted. That combination is rare, and when it appears, it gets saturated fast. I explain exactly what I tested, what worked immediately, what already got patched, and why going too aggressive can get your accounts or domains wiped. This is not theory. This is real-time SEO while the window is still open. What you’ll learn: - Why Digg’s domain authority makes it fundamentally different from most platforms - How parasite SEO actually works when done correctly - Why Reddit-style SEO still works, and why Digg is even more permissive right now - How community URLs and usernames function as SEO real estate - Why indexing speed matters more than content quality in the early days - How internal linking compounds authority on high-trust domains - What happened when people pushed too hard and got removed - How to avoid getting your brand or domain blocked - Why these opportunities appear rarely and disappear quickly Important warning: This episode discusses parasite SEO tactics for educational purposes. Platforms tighten moderation fast, and aggressive or careless execution can lead to account loss, content removal, or domain-level blocks. Proceed carefully and at your own risk. ⭐️ Jacky Chou’s post - My article about Digg SEO and marketing - 💎 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: 00:00 Late Night SEO Shenanigans 00:44 The Rise of Digg: A New SEO Opportunity 02:09 Digg Parasite SEO Strategy 05:13 Cautionary Tales and Best Practices 10:30 Final Thoughts The Edward Show. Your daily generative engine optimization podcast: #parasiteseo #searchengineoptimization #seo #digitalmarketing
/episode/index/show/9342edaa-17ad-4315-a037-ec4dfabd63f7/id/39774070
info_outline
Why Every SEO Strategy Needs a Press Kit (Most People Miss This)
01/17/2026
Why Every SEO Strategy Needs a Press Kit (Most People Miss This)
E927: Why a press kit is one of the most overlooked parts of long-term SEO and brand marketing - and how it directly impacts rankings, links, conversions, and how journalists and AI systems describe your business. Most brands work hard to earn press, but lose control of the opportunity once a journalist starts researching them. Tight deadlines, shallow research, and AI-generated summaries often lead to inaccurate or weak brand descriptions. A well-built press kit fixes that. This episode breaks down exactly how press kits influence search engines, journalists, and LLMs, and how to use them to turn earned media into lasting SEO value. What you’ll learn: - Why journalists frequently misrepresent brands (even when they link to you) - How Google associates brands with topics even without links - Why unlinked brand mentions still matter for rankings - How press kits influence entity associations and topical authority - How journalists and LLMs use press kits verbatim - Why controlling surrounding language is just as important as backlinks - How press kits help drive link equity to your most valuable pages - The difference between Google Drive press kits and on-site press kit pages - How to structure a press kit so it actually gets used What a high-performing press kit should include: - A clear, accurate brand description written for journalists - High-converting language aligned with your SEO targets - Links to priority pages you want authority flowing to - High-quality brand images with proper alt text - Open Graph images for link sharing - SEO metadata so journalists can identify it instantly in search - Contact information that makes follow-ups easy Why this matters: - Earned media is inevitable if your marketing works - Most brands waste that coverage by reacting too late - Press kits let you control the language, links, and positioning - This is a long-term SEO asset, not a one-time tactic Press kits are public relations fundamentals, but they are deeply connected to search engine optimization and how brands are represented across Google and AI systems. ⭐️ Rand Fishking discussing how co-occurrence (the words surrounding mentions of your brand) influences Google rankings - 💎 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: 00:00 Introduction: The Overlooked SEO Strategy 00:18 The Journalist's Dilemma: Inaccurate Brand Descriptions 02:08 The Power of Brand Mentions: Insights from Rand Fishkin 03:33 Scenario Two: The Importance of a Press Kit 04:38 Creating an Effective Press Kit 08:09 Real-World Application: My Press Kit Experience 10:14 Conclusion: Maximizing SEO with Press Kits The Edward Show. Your daily generative engine optimization podcast: #searchengineoptimization #publicrelations #linkbuilding #seo
/episode/index/show/9342edaa-17ad-4315-a037-ec4dfabd63f7/id/39767910
info_outline
Schema Is Useless for SEO (and Probably for AI Too)
01/16/2026
Schema Is Useless for SEO (and Probably for AI Too)
E926: Jake Hundley and David Quaid join the show to break down one of the most misunderstood topics in SEO: schema markup. For years, marketers, agencies, and “AI SEO” tools have claimed that schema is required to rank in Google and now in large language models like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude. We take those claims apart and explains, in practical terms, why most websites don’t benefit from schema at all - and in some cases, can actually create risk by using it. This is a grounded, technical discussion about how search engines and LLMs actually work, what data they really use, and why most schema advice is built on correlation, not causation. What this covers - Whether schema markup is required to rank in Google - Whether schema helps you appear in ChatGPT, Perplexity, or other LLMs - How large language models actually retrieve web content - Why schema does not improve relevance, trust, or understanding for most sites - Why correlation studies from tools like Semrush are misleading - The difference between correlation and causation in SEO data - Why rich snippets do not prove schema improves rankings - What Google’s schema guidelines actually say about reviews and FAQs - How misuse of review and FAQ schema can create risk - Why Google removed most FAQ and review rich results - When schema might make sense (flights, hotels, structured feeds) - Why SaaS sites, blogs, and local businesses don’t need schema to rank - How search engines already extract structured data from normal HTML - Why tables, headings, and clean page structure matter more than schema - How LLM prompts differ from search queries - What “query fan-out” means for AI visibility - How to test whether schema affects rankings or AI mentions - Why SEO fundamentals still decide what ranks Key ideas from the episode - Search engines rank pages first, then use schema only if they need to display a feature - You cannot use schema to make an irrelevant page rank - LLMs do not crawl and index the web the way Google does - LLMs usually receive raw HTML, not processed schema - Schema is easy to fake and therefore cannot be a trust signal - Most pages that rank with schema would rank without it - Most schema usage exists because developers or plugins add it automatically - Google already ignores most schema for rich results - Real ranking signals still come from relevance, authority, and structure Who this episode is for - SEO practitioners who want data-driven clarity - Business owners tired of technical SEO upsells - Agencies selling or buying “AI optimization” - Anyone being told they need schema to rank ⭐️ David Quaid on 𝕏 - ⭐️ David Quaid on LinkedIn - ⭐️ David Quaid’s agency - ⭐️ Jake's Agency Discord - ⭐️ Jake’s Podcast - The Agency Growth Podcast: ⭐️ r/agency Subreddit - ⭐️ Jake Hundley on Facebook - ⭐️ Jake Hundley on LinkedIn - ⭐️ Jake Hundley's agency - 💎 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: 00:00 Introduction to Schema and SEO Experts 00:30 Debunking the Myth: Schema and LLMs 01:31 Correlation vs. Causation in Schema Usage 04:08 Practical Insights and Case Studies 11:00 The Role of Schema in Local SEO 16:29 Review and FAQ Schema Guidelines 21:35 Schema's Impact on Rankings and Methodology 23:47 Challenges and Realities in SEO 25:58 Discussing the Semrush Article on Technical SEO and AI Search 26:53 Debating the Validity of Schema in SEO 28:21 Analyzing the Impact of Schema on Search Rankings 30:00 Viewer Comments and Schema Debate 31:27 SEO Fundamentals and Long-Term Strategies 35:14 The Role of Schema in Modern SEO 39:03 Effective SEO Practices and Misconceptions 42:41 Concluding Thoughts and Future Tests The Edward Show. Your daily generative engine optimization podcast: #searchengineoptimization #topicalauthority #seo #digitalmarketing
/episode/index/show/9342edaa-17ad-4315-a037-ec4dfabd63f7/id/39756970
info_outline
Topical Authority Isn’t Blog Posts - It’s This
01/15/2026
Topical Authority Isn’t Blog Posts - It’s This
E925: Most people think topical authority comes from publishing endless blog posts. That idea is wrong - and it’s why so many SEO strategies fail. I break down what topical authority really is, how Google actually decides who is an expert, and why links, brand mentions, and bottom-of-funnel pages matter far more than informational content. This episode is built around a real Reddit thread from an SEO agency trying to move beyond “do SEO and hope it works” into a real, strategic model for winning in search. We go deep into how topical authority is created, how it works for SaaS, ecommerce, and service businesses, and why most people misunderstand it. What you’ll learn: - Why publishing lots of blog posts is not required to build topical authority - How off-site signals like links, brand mentions, and PR shape how Google sees your expertise - How bottom-of-funnel landing pages quietly build more authority than blogs ever do - Why Google cares about the language people use when they mention your brand - How unlinked brand mentions influence topical relevance - What Forbes did to become able to rank for almost anything - How HouseFresh recovered from Google’s Helpful Content Update and 4x’d their traffic - Why good marketing builds SEO, even when you stop thinking about SEO - How to use linkable assets, tools, and research to earn authority naturally - How agencies should think about topical authority when working with multi-category clients - Why generalist brands can still build topical authority - just across multiple topics - How to systematize topical authority inside a real SEO playbook What topical authority actually is: Topical authority is not something you “do” by writing articles. It’s the result of: - Ranking for searches in a topic - Getting clicks for those searches - Being mentioned by other websites in the language of that topic - Earning links where surrounding text reinforces what you’re known for Google doesn’t need a blog to understand what you do. It needs signals from the rest of the web confirming what you’re associated with. How real businesses build it… I explain why the strongest topical authority comes from: - Bottom-of-funnel SEO pages that target buyers, not readers - Link building that uses the same language your customers search with - PR, podcasts, and brand mentions that describe you in your niche - Tools, research, and resources people actually want to share When people talk about you using the words that match your business, Google connects your brand to those topics. That’s authority. If you run an SEO agency… This episode also covers: - Why “publish more blog posts” is not a strategy - How to build topical authority for clients without content factories - How to decide which topics are worth building authority in - How to align SEO work with actual revenue Topical authority should always point toward the searches that make money. ⭐️ The Reddit thread: Understanding topical authority - ⭐️ E832 - From 1,000 to 200,000 Clicks: The INSANE SEO Comeback of HouseFresh.com - ⭐️ E921 - How Teal Gets 1 Million Google Clicks a Month with AI-Powered SEO - ⭐️ E924 - Lars Lofgren & Jacky Chou on the pod - Google Is Easier to Game Than Ever And Black-Hat SEOs Are Winning - ⭐️ E895 - How to Do Blog SEO the Right Way (Using ChatGPT Without Ruining Your Brand) - 💎 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: 00:00 Introduction to Topical Authority 00:38 Reddit Question on SEO Strategies 01:33 Building Topical Authority Without Blogs 03:51 Top Comments and Insights 05:09 Effective Link Building Techniques 09:58 Case Studies and Real-World Examples 15:47 Last Thoughts + Ideas and Conclusion The Edward Show. Your daily generative engine optimization podcast: #searchengineoptimization #topicalauthority #seo #linkbuilding
/episode/index/show/9342edaa-17ad-4315-a037-ec4dfabd63f7/id/39750595
info_outline
Google Is Easier to Game Than Ever - And Black-Hat SEOs Are Winning
01/13/2026
Google Is Easier to Game Than Ever - And Black-Hat SEOs Are Winning
E924: I sit down with Lars Lofgren and Jacky Chou to talk about what’s really happening inside search right now - not the PR version, not the Google blog version, but what people running sites, ranking pages, and making money are actually seeing. We dig into why white-hat, content-driven SEO feels like it’s collapsing for a lot of people, while black-hat operators, parasite SEO, and forum spam are quietly having one of their best years ever. This isn’t a theoretical conversation. Lars and Jacky work directly inside these systems. They see what ranks, what breaks, and what keeps working after updates. If you run a website, a SaaS, a content business, or an affiliate site, this episode explains why things could feel harder than they used to - and why some people are still doing extremely well. What we cover - Why MozCon felt depressing while black-hat conferences felt optimistic - How Google’s Helpful Content updates changed who wins and who loses - Why technical SEOs and parasite SEOs are outperforming content-first sites - How forums, Reddit, and Facebook groups are being used to manipulate rankings - Why casino, VPN, and adult niches still dominate traditional search results - How listicles, review sites, and media publishers control AI recommendations - Why Forbes keeps ranking for everything, even after being hit - How AI Overviews and LLMs pull from Google’s front page - How easy it is to make a fake brand show up inside ChatGPT and other LLMs - Why Trustpilot, Reddit, and listicles matter more than backlinks right now - How some publishers recover while others stay permanently buried - The HouseFresh case study and why public pressure actually works - How parasite SEO works on newspapers and Google News sites - Why many white-hat SEOs feel stuck while black-hat operators scale - How founders should build brands in an LLM-driven world - Why social, video, and personal brands now beat pure SEO This episode is for anyone who: - Runs a content site - Does affiliate SEO - Builds SaaS or online tools - Depends on Google traffic - Wants to understand how AI is changing search - Feels like rankings and traffic don’t make sense anymore ⭐️ Lars Lofgren’s website and newsletter: ⭐️ Lars Lofgren on LinkedIn (tell him you came from this podcast and he’ll accept your connection): ⭐️ Lars Lofgren on 𝕏: ⭐️ Jacky Chou on 𝕏 - ⭐️ Jack Chou’s website - ⭐️ Jacky Chou on YouTube - 💎 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: 00:00 White Hat vs. Black Hat SEO: A Tale of Two Conferences 01:15 The Impact of AI and Google's Algorithm on SEO 02:10 Black Hat SEO: Thriving in the Current Landscape 04:43 Forbes and the Content Quality Debate 07:57 The Rise of Technical SEOs in the LLM Era 09:23 Gaming LLMs: New Tactics and Strategies 22:21 The Golden Age of Forum Spam 23:04 The Power of Masterminds and Private Communities 35:29 Reddit Manipulation and the Coding Bootcamp Scandal 41:47 Starting Local: Leveraging Facebook and Reddit 42:55 AI Influencers and Monetization Strategies 44:09 AI Content and Detection Challenges 44:45 AI in SEO: Misconceptions and Strategies 47:36 Google Algorithm Shifts and SEO Tactics 49:12 Niche Sites and Content Strategies 01:00:46 Trustpilot Reviews and Black Hat Tactics 01:07:12 Social Media Strategies for SEO and Branding 01:19:53 Concluding Thoughts and Final Tips The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: #blackhatseo #searchengineoptimization #linkbuilding #growthhacking
/episode/index/show/9342edaa-17ad-4315-a037-ec4dfabd63f7/id/39721010
info_outline
How to Influence ChatGPT & LLMs in 2026 - The SEO Playbook Nobody Is Talking About
01/13/2026
How to Influence ChatGPT & LLMs in 2026 - The SEO Playbook Nobody Is Talking About
E923: Metehan Yeşilyurt, one of the most respected AI visibility and SEO researchers in the world, joins the show! Metehan has spent the past year reverse-engineering how ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google’s AI systems decide which brands get cited, recommended, and shown to users. This conversation goes far beyond surface-level AI SEO. We break down how large language models select sources, how consensus is formed across the web, and why some brands dominate AI answers while others disappear - even when they rank well on Google. If you care about visibility, traffic, and sales from AI systems, this shows what really matters. What you’ll learn: - How ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s AI choose which brands to cite - Why ranking on Google is no longer enough to appear in AI answers - How “consensus” across the web determines AI trust - Why press releases and off-site mentions now matter more than ever - How comparison tables influence LLM parsing and citation behavior - Where to place tables and structured content for maximum AI impact - How LLMs treat the beginning, middle, and end of a page differently - Why JavaScript-heavy websites hurt AI visibility - How server-side rendering improves crawlability for AI systems - What content chunking actually does (and doesn’t) do for LLMs - How YouTube, Reddit, Medium, and social platforms influence AI search - Why TikTok and YouTube are becoming AI training and discovery engines - How query fan-out works inside LLMs - How citations change every time you ask the same AI question - How AI re-ranking differs from Google’s ranking system - What “rank fusion” means in AI search - How embedding models affect which pages get surfaced - Why some brands with top Google rankings get ignored by ChatGPT - How PR campaigns influence AI recommendation systems - How to use entity SEO to build brand trust inside LLMs - How to collect real user questions to drive AI-generated sales - Why content freshness inside the last 180 days is critical - Why updating publish dates changes AI ranking - How FAQ sections increase AI visibility when done correctly - How to audit a site for AI visibility - How Metehan uses Screaming Frog, embeddings, and crawlers to find gaps - How Google’s Discovery Engine reveals how chunking really works - How the Universal Commerce Protocol and AI agents may change ecommerce Why this episode matters: Search is no longer just Google. ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and AI Overviews are now deciding which brands people see, trust, and buy from. These systems do not rank websites the same exact way Google does. They use embeddings, citations, re-ranking systems, and consensus across the web. This episode explains what you need to know for visibility in 2026. Who is Metehan Yeşilyurt? Metehan is an AI visibility and SEO researcher with over 10 years of experience. He is followed by some of the most respected names in search and has worked directly on AI visibility experiments for ecommerce, SaaS, and global brands. His work focuses on: - AI citation systems - LLM ranking behavior - Entity SEO - Off-site consensus building - Reverse-engineering ChatGPT and Perplexity ⭐️ Metehan Yeşilyurt on 𝕏 - ⭐️ Metehan Yeşilyurt on LinkedIn - ⭐️ Metehan Yeşilyurt blog - 💎 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: 00:00 Introduction and Overview 00:21 Influencing LLMs: Key Strategies 01:02 Building Consensus and Content Strategies 04:51 Context Issues and Solutions 07:22 Comparison Tables and Formatting 12:37 Experiments and Case Studies 16:23 SEO and AI Visibility 21:38 Press Releases and Offsite SEO 26:49 Content Chunking Debate 30:53 Google's Discovery Engine and Chunking 34:48 Reverse Engineering and Surprising Findings 40:22 Impact of SEO Fundamentals on Rankings 41:05 Offsite SEO and AI Citation Building 41:43 Platform Investment Strategies for AI SEO 43:17 Leveraging Social Media for SEO 46:09 Effective Use of User Questions for Conversions 51:32 Conducting AI Visibility Audits 54:38 Rapid Changes in AI Visibility Strategies 57:35 The Future of E-commerce and AI Agents 01:03:01 SEO Research Tools and Techniques 01:05:31 Content Freshness and FAQs for AI Visibility 01:11:00 Global Opportunities and Language Considerations 01:11:59 Conclusion and Upcoming Episodes The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: #generativeengineoptimization #answerengineoptimization #searchengineoptimization #digitalmarketing
/episode/index/show/9342edaa-17ad-4315-a037-ec4dfabd63f7/id/39713100
info_outline
He Tested How Easy It Is to Trick AI - The Results Are Terrifying
01/12/2026
He Tested How Easy It Is to Trick AI - The Results Are Terrifying
E922: SEO researcher, Mateusz Makosiewicz, created a completely fake luxury brand, published a few fabricated stories about it on Reddit and Medium, and watched as major AI tools confidently repeated the lies as fact. Even when the company’s own website said those claims were false, the AI systems still chose the fake stories. This episode walks through exactly how the experiment worked, which AI models failed, which ones held up, and what this means for anyone running a brand, a website, or a business in an AI-driven search world. If you rely on ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, or AI search results to understand companies, products, or people, this episode will change how you think about what those tools are actually telling you. What this covers: - How a fake luxury brand was created from scratch - How three fake stories were planted on Medium, Reddit, and blogs - Why AI models trusted fake journalism over official company data - How detailed lies beat vague truths inside AI systems - Which models were easiest to manipulate - Which models resisted the misinformation - Why Medium “investigations” are especially dangerous - How Reddit, Quora, and blogs now shape AI answers - Why AI loses memory of its own past doubts - What this means for reputation management and SEO - How brands can protect themselves in AI search The core problem: AI does not care what is true. It cares what sounds complete. When forced to choose between: - A company saying “we do not disclose that” - A fake article giving specific numbers, names, and locations The AI almost always chooses the fake article. That means anyone with a Medium account and a few hours can influence how AI describes your business, your brand, or your products. Why this matters for marketers and founders For many, AI tools have become the front door to the internet. People ask them what to buy, who to trust, and which companies are real. This experiment shows that: - AI search can be manipulated - Fake narratives spread easily - Official websites are not always trusted - Third-party content now has more weight than your own claims That turns SEO and PR into something new: narrative control for machines. We also cover the offensive and defensive playbook that comes out of this experiment, including: - How to structure FAQ pages so AI trusts them - Why you need detailed numbers, dates, and explanations - Why vague marketing language makes you vulnerable - Why comparison pages and data pages matter - How to monitor Medium, Reddit, and blogs for brand hijacking - How to detect narrative attacks early If you care about AI, SEO, brand reputation, or the future of search, this is one of the most important case studies there is. ⭐️ I Ran an AI Misinformation Experiment. Every Marketer Should See the Results - 💎 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: 00:00 Introduction to the AI Misinformation Experiment 00:29 Overview of the Article and Key Takeaways 01:17 Building a Fake Brand: Xarumei 02:27 Phase Two: Introducing Conflicting Sources 04:14 AI Models' Reactions and Results 09:25 Conclusions and Best Practices for Marketers 12:08 Final Thoughts The Edward Show. Your daily generative engine optimization podcast: #generativeengineoptimization #searchengineoptimization #answerengineoptimization #seo
/episode/index/show/9342edaa-17ad-4315-a037-ec4dfabd63f7/id/39702365
info_outline
How Teal Gets 1 Million Google Clicks a Month with AI-Powered SEO
01/11/2026
How Teal Gets 1 Million Google Clicks a Month with AI-Powered SEO
E921: Edward sits down with David Fano, Head of Growth at Teal and former WeWork executive, to break down how Teal built one of the largest SEO engines in the job search space. Teal now ranks for more than 893,000 keywords and gets over one million organic clicks per month from Google. In this conversation, David explains exactly how that happened, what broke along the way, and how AI agents, SERP analysis, and internal linking now drive their growth. This is not theory. This is what it looks like to run SEO at real scale inside a fast-growing SaaS company. What you’ll learn: - How Teal built an SEO system that ranks for nearly 900,000 keywords - Why long-tail SEO worked, and why it eventually created new problems - How launching millions of job pages hurt their resume rankings - What topical authority really means in practice - How Google decides whether two keywords are actually different - Why “resume builder” and “AI resume builder” behave differently in search - How SERP analysis tells you more than SEO tools ever will - How Claude is being used to crawl, analyze, and compare search results - How to automate SEO research with headless browsers and AI agents - How internal linking can either amplify or dilute ranking power - Why pillar pages matter more than most people realize - How Teal uses vectorized content to guide linking and content creation - How AI is being used to update, audit, and refresh content at scale - Why some pages must convert and some pages must rank - What happens when CRO and SEO fight each other - How Canva dominates resume and template search results - Why some keywords should live on one page instead of two - How exact-match domains and entity SEO still influence rankings - How Teal got early traffic by ranking for “ChatGPT resume” before anyone else - What Google’s shift toward topical authority means for large sites - How to recover when a new section of your site damages your main revenue pages Topics covered: - SEO for SaaS - Programmatic SEO - AI agents and browser automation - SERP analysis - Topical authority - Resume builder and job board SEO - Internal linking strategy - Pillar pages - Schema and indexing - Google Search Console - Content decay and freshness - Entity SEO - Link building and digital PR Watch if you care about: - Growing organic traffic at scale - Using AI to do real SEO work, not content spam - Building sites that Google actually trusts - Turning search traffic into revenue - Understanding how Google evaluates topics, not just pages Subscribe for daily deep dives on SEO, growth, and how modern companies actually get traffic from Google and AI search. ⭐️ David Fano on LinkedIn - ⭐️ David Fano on 𝕏 - ⭐️ Teal’s main page for anyone looking to improve their resume and land a job - 💎 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: 00:00 Introduction and Guest Background 00:57 Journey into SEO and Early Career 02:27 WeWork Experience and Growth Strategies 04:47 SEO Challenges and Strategies at WeWork 06:19 Current Role and SEO at Teal 16:11 SEO Automation and Tools 35:53 Analyzing Organic Search Results 36:16 Building SEO Automation Tools 37:27 Challenges with Keyword Management 39:21 Vectorizing Content for Better SEO 40:48 Internal Linking Strategies 44:18 Impact of Job Pages on SEO 57:43 Link Building Strategies 01:10:44 A Challenging Day and Video Posting Struggles 01:11:23 Automation Tools and Social Media Posting 01:12:07 Manual Posting Success Stories 01:13:31 LinkedIn Posting Strategies 01:18:23 The Importance of Effort in Social Media 01:22:22 SEO Insights and Strategies 01:23:31 Building and Managing a Team 01:23:50 Final Thoughts and Advice The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: #searchengineoptimization #programmaticseo #growthmarketing #seo
/episode/index/show/9342edaa-17ad-4315-a037-ec4dfabd63f7/id/39687890
info_outline
Google vs. Grokipedia: The AI Encyclopedia That Exploded From 19 Clicks to 3.2 Million Clicks
01/10/2026
Google vs. Grokipedia: The AI Encyclopedia That Exploded From 19 Clicks to 3.2 Million Clicks
E920: I break down one of the most unusual and important SEO stories of the decade: how Grokipedia, an AI-generated encyclopedia connected to Elon Musk’s Grok, went from almost zero Google traffic to millions of clicks in just weeks - and why that could force Google into a decision that changes the future of AI content in search. Grokipedia isn’t just another AI site. It is structured like Wikipedia, fully interlinked, heavily indexed, and now ranking for millions of keywords. But unlike Wikipedia, its articles are generated and fact-checked by AI, with only optional human edit suggestions. That creates a serious problem: how does Google handle a massive AI-generated reference site that now competes directly with Wikipedia? This walks through what Grokipedia is, how it grew so fast, how its SEO strategy works, and why its existence puts Google in an almost impossible position. What this covers: - What Elon Musk said about Wikipedia and Grokipedia - How Grokipedia went from 19 Google clicks per month to 3.2 million - How Grokipedia uses interlinking, server-side rendering, and SEO structure - Why AI-generated encyclopedias can be manipulated through search results - How press releases and indexed claims can be used to influence AI “fact checking” - What Google’s quality guidelines say about AI-generated content - Why other AI sites have already been heavily deranked - The precedent this could set for AI content across the entire web - Why Google’s response could trigger a public controversy - What solutions might exist, and why none of them are easy The core question: Is an AI-generated encyclopedia with hallucinations more dangerous than a human-edited encyclopedia with ideological bias? And if both have flaws, which one should Google promote in search? This episode explains why Google cannot avoid making a decision - and why whatever they do will shape how AI content is treated in search for years to come. ⭐️ Grokipedia - ⭐️ Wikipedia - ⭐️ Google quality raters now assess whether content is AI-generated - 💎 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: 00:00 Introduction and Disclaimer 00:40 Wikipedia vs. Grokipedia: The Controversy 02:48 SEO Manipulation and Potential Issues 04:04 Grokipedia's SEO Success 05:15 Google's Stance on AI Content 06:58 Possible Outcomes and Solutions 09:17 Get Customers With SEO 11:53 Conclusion and Sign-Off The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: #searchengineoptimization #grokipedia #aiseo #digitalmarketing
/episode/index/show/9342edaa-17ad-4315-a037-ec4dfabd63f7/id/39683550
info_outline
The Dark Reality of Link Building in iGaming, Crypto & Restricted Niches
01/09/2026
The Dark Reality of Link Building in iGaming, Crypto & Restricted Niches
919: Charles Floate joins the show to reveal what link building looks like inside restricted and gray market verticals like iGaming, crypto, and prediction markets. This is not a surface-level SEO conversation. It’s a practical breakdown of how rankings are achieved, defended, and lost in some of the most competitive and hostile SERPs on the internet. The discussion covers why ranking is often the easy part - and why maintaining rank has become the real challenge as negative SEO, DMCA abuse, and large-scale link manipulation continue to increase. Topics covered include: - How link building works in restricted verticals where traditional outreach fails - Reverse engineering SERPs to understand what Google is rewarding right now - Why many competitors rank using identical techniques - and why Google allows it - Subdomain canonical strategies and aged domain leverage - Scaling link building without massive outreach teams using AI systems - The role of human validation and where automation becomes dangerous - Why most large budgets in iGaming are wasted on low-value links - How to identify real topical authority using link gap analysis - Tiered link building and when it actually makes sense - The difference between ranking and maintaining rankings in gray markets - DMCA takedowns as a negative SEO weapon - and how widespread they’ve become - Why some competitors disappear from Google overnight - The resurgence of PBNs and why they’re working again - Link insertions, niche edits, and why Google hasn’t stopped them - Beginner-friendly link building tactics that still work - Why statistics pages attract links passively from both humans and AI systems - Common on-page and technical SEO mistakes in iGaming sites - Intent mapping and why page type matters more than keywords - How AI search results change the need for consensus across sources - Link versioning and how authoritative pages replace existing sources - The limits of white hat SEO in international and gray markets - Cloaking tactics that still appear in the wild - and which ones are mostly gone This episode is intended for experienced SEOs, agency owners, and operators working in highly competitive or restricted niches. If you work in regulated, gray, or high-risk verticals, this conversation reflects the realities you’re already dealing with. If you found this episode useful, consider subscribing for daily discussions on SEO, marketing systems, and real-world ranking strategies. New episodes are published every day. ⭐️ Charles Floate on 𝕏 - ⭐️ Charles Floate on LinkedIn - ⭐️ Charles Floate on YouTube - ⭐️ Charles Floate on Facebook - ⭐️ Charles Floate’s PressWhizz - 💎 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: 00:00 Introduction to SEO Attacks and Revenue Impact 00:32 Welcome and Introduction to Charles Floate 01:01 Reverse Engineering and Link Building in Competitive Niches 02:22 Techniques for Ranking in Gray Market Niches 06:15 Scaling Link Building with AI 10:43 Common Mistakes in Link Building and SEO 16:54 Advanced Techniques and Best Practices 23:23 Intent Mapping in SEO 25:14 Challenges in iGaming SEO 25:30 DMCA Takedowns and Negative SEO 28:58 AI and Negative SEO 32:13 Black Hat Link Building Tactics 41:53 Link Building in Restricted Verticals 43:54 Conclusion and Future Episodes The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: #blackhatseo #linkbuilding #searchengineoptimization #competitiveseo
/episode/index/show/9342edaa-17ad-4315-a037-ec4dfabd63f7/id/39674740
info_outline
XML Sitemaps Don’t Fix SEO (Authority Does)
01/08/2026
XML Sitemaps Don’t Fix SEO (Authority Does)
E918: David Quaid returns to the show to break down one of the most misunderstood topics in SEO: XML sitemaps. Every day, people are told that if their pages are “crawled but not indexed,” the fix is simple - submit a sitemap. This episode explains why that advice is usually wrong, what XML sitemaps actually do, and why authority is the real factor behind indexing and rankings. This conversation reframes SEO as a system, not a checklist. Instead of treating Google like it follows instructions, we look at how crawling, indexing, PageRank decay, and authority actually work in practice. Topics covered: - What XML sitemaps do and what they don’t do - Why “crawled but not indexed” is almost never a sitemap issue - How Google crawlers really work (and why they aren’t “spiders”) - The difference between crawling, indexing, and ranking - Why pages without authority don’t get indexed - How internal links actually transfer authority - PageRank decay and why most links don’t matter - Why manual URL submission is usually the wrong approach - Client-side rendering, JavaScript, and how Googlebot handles them - Why content quality is not the reason most pages aren’t indexed - How large sites (Amazon, eBay, news sites) still have low index rates - Why backlinks only matter if the linking page has traffic - Common mistakes SEOs make with sitemaps, crawl optimization, and indexing tools - When HTML sitemaps make more sense than XML sitemaps - How authority shapes indexing for programmatic SEO and large sites Who this episode is for: - SEOs struggling with pages that won’t get indexed - Founders and developers working on small or mid-sized sites - Anyone relying on XML sitemaps as an indexing strategy - People who want to understand how Google actually evaluates pages Key takeaway: If Google can crawl your page but won’t index it, the problem is not technical. It’s authority. XML sitemaps don’t create authority, don’t force indexing, and don’t fix underlying SEO issues. SEO works as a system. If you try to treat it like a checklist, it will break. ⭐️ David Quaid on 𝕏 - ⭐️ David Quaid on LinkedIn - ⭐️ David Quaid’s agency - 💎 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: 00:00 Introduction to Sitemaps and SEO 00:35 Debunking Common Sitemap Myths 01:23 Understanding Google Crawlers 03:02 Client-Side vs Server-Side Rendering 03:26 Authority and Relevance in SEO 03:36 Challenges with JavaScript and SEO 05:01 The Role of Authority in Indexing 10:50 Practical Tips for Improving Indexing 12:56 The Importance of Context in Links 15:14 Managing Sitemaps for Small Sites 16:04 Handling Noindex Pages 16:53 Crawling and Indexing Challenges 17:24 Manual Submit Requests and Google Bots 19:55 The Role of Sitemaps 21:23 Backlinks and Authority 23:40 Programmatic SEO Insights 23:52 Common Mistakes in Programmatic SEO 24:04 SEO for Large Websites 25:44 SEO Strategies for New Sites 30:42 SEO Fun and Future Topics 31:04 Conclusion and Next Episode Teaser The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: #searchengineoptimization #xmlsitemap #googlesearchconsole #webdevelopment
/episode/index/show/9342edaa-17ad-4315-a037-ec4dfabd63f7/id/39660770
info_outline
Systemizing SEO: How Top Operators Scale Rankings in the AI Era (w/ Nathan Gotch)
01/07/2026
Systemizing SEO: How Top Operators Scale Rankings in the AI Era (w/ Nathan Gotch)
E917: I’m joined by Nathan Gotch to break down how modern SEO actually works in the AI era - and why systemizing your process matters more than ever. We go deep into how top operators think about SEO today, from local and e-commerce to SaaS and AI search platforms. This conversation is practical, opinionated, and grounded in real campaigns, not theory. What we cover: - Why systemizing SEO is more important than tactics or hacks - How to structure SEO playbooks, systems, and SOPs for repeatable results - The biggest mistakes people make with service area pages and local SEO - How to think about URL structure, intent, and conversion-first pages - When to create a new page vs expanding an existing one - How Nathan approaches SEO testing and experimentation - What actually matters in SEO audits (and what doesn’t) - Site architecture, internal linking, crawl depth, and page support - HTML vs JavaScript sites and why it still matters - How AI retrieval changes crawling, indexing, and visibility - Page speed, retrievability, and why AI is less tolerant of slow sites - Using Google Search Console data to build supporting content - How to approach category pages in e-commerce without hurting conversions - The role of backlinks today and how link strategy is changing - How AI platforms pull citations for local and service-based businesses - Why Google Business Profiles still matter - and where they don’t - The difference between traditional SEO and AI search visibility - What types of content AI cannot replace - When AI content works and when it clearly fails - How Nathan uses AI for development while keeping SEO fundamentals intact - Why small teams can now compete with much larger companies - What successful SEO operators do differently from everyone else This episode is especially relevant if you: - Run an SEO agency or manage client campaigns - Work in local SEO, SaaS, or e-commerce - Are trying to understand how AI affects search and visibility - Want to build repeatable SEO systems instead of starting from scratch - Care about long-term rankings, not short-term wins Nathan also shares how he’s thinking about the future of SEO, AI search, and building platforms that work across Google, AI assistants, and emerging search environments. If you’re serious about SEO and want to understand how top operators actually approach it today, this episode will give you a clear framework to think from. Thanks for watching and listening. ⭐️ Nathan Gotch’s Search OS - ⭐️ Nathan Gotch’s Rankability - ⭐️ Nathan Gotch on YouTube - ⭐️ Nathan Gotch - ⭐️ Nathan Gotch on LinkedIn - ⭐️ Nathan Gotch on Instagram - ⭐️ Nathan Gotch on 𝕏 - 💎 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: 00:00 Introduction 00:21 The Importance of Systemizing SEO 01:33 Nathan Gotch's SEO System 03:10 Building a Client Knowledge Base 07:28 Common SEO Mistakes and Best Practices 15:58 E-commerce SEO Strategies 36:51 Migrating Sites to Replit 46:05 Reading SEO Books and Creating Content 46:23 The Power of Experience in Content Creation 47:15 AI's Limitations and Human Advantages 48:53 Using AI for Case Studies and Content 49:21 Debating the Best CMS for SEO 51:08 Challenges and Benefits of WordPress 52:50 Exploring Vibe Coding and AI Tools 59:13 Building and Marketing Linkable Assets 01:01:53 Creating Software Companies with AI 01:17:16 SEO Strategies and AI Content 01:23:27 Building and Realizing Ideas 01:24:10 Mission and Vision for Rankability 01:25:40 Challenges and Persistence in Business 01:32:43 SEO Strategies and Local Business Focus 01:40:46 Influencing AI Platforms 01:49:42 Link Building and SEO Success 01:53:00 Consistency and Execution in SEO 01:59:22 Conclusion and Final Thoughts The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: #searchengineoptimization #linkbuilding #generativeengineoptimization #answerengineoptimization
/episode/index/show/9342edaa-17ad-4315-a037-ec4dfabd63f7/id/39644465
info_outline
Why Google Erased Cointelegraph Overnight
01/06/2026
Why Google Erased Cointelegraph Overnight
E916: I break down one of the most extreme search visibility collapses I’ve ever seen. Cointelegraph - one of the largest and most established crypto news sites in the world - went from over 4 million monthly Google clicks to roughly 75,000 in a matter of weeks. Even branded searches stopped returning their website. This episode explains what actually happened, why this was not a crypto-wide issue, and what publishers should learn from it. What we cover in this episode: - The exact timeline of Cointelegraph’s traffic collapse - Why this was likely more than an algorithmic update - How Google’s site reputation abuse policy played a central role - The quiet launch of casino, betting, and iGaming directories - Why low-quality third-party content is especially risky for trusted brands - Signs that this was a manual penalty, not normal volatility - Why Cointelegraph disappeared even for branded searches - How similar situations have affected major publishers in the past - What this means for crypto media, news sites, and content publishers - How revenue diversification can backfire when it’s misaligned with editorial focus Key takeaway: This was not Google “shadow banning crypto.” This was a case study in what happens when a trusted publisher extends its authority into unrelated, high-risk commercial content - especially when third parties are involved. Even the biggest brands are vulnerable when transparency, alignment, and editorial integrity break down. This episode also explains: - Why some penalties are recoverable and others are not - How publishers can diversify revenue without risking search visibility - Why building in-house products is safer than affiliate-heavy strategies - The role transparency plays in long-term trust and E-E-A-T If you’re a publisher, SEO, founder, or operator who depends on organic search traffic, this episode is required listening. ⭐️ Pere Monguió Montells’s deep dive - ⭐️ Cointelegraph Traffic Drop and iGaming Section Removal Suggest a Possible Manual Google Penalty - https://theholycoins.com/news/cointelegraph-traffic-drop-and-igaming-section-removal-suggest-a-possible-manual-google-penalty ⭐️ Google hit Forbes Advisor with a manual action over the site reputation abuse policy - 💎 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: 00:00 Introduction: Cointelegraph's Google Ban 00:18 Cointelegraph's Traffic Plunge 01:22 Google's Site Reputation Abuse Policy 02:17 Investigating the Ban: June to September 04:20 October: The Collapse and Aftermath 10:39 Lessons and Takeaways for Publishers 14:50 Conclusion and Final Thoughts The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: #searchengineoptimization #sitereputationabuse #googlepenality #DigitalPublishing
/episode/index/show/9342edaa-17ad-4315-a037-ec4dfabd63f7/id/39632475