The Edward Show
Founder and go-to-market stories from the lens of a world-class marketer.
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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
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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
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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
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EEAT Explained: What Google Actually Uses to Judge Trust & Quality
01/05/2026
EEAT Explained: What Google Actually Uses to Judge Trust & Quality
E915: We break down EEAT (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) and how Google evaluates website quality - straight from Google’s own documentation, quality rater guidelines, and real-world SEO experience. Joining me is Shaun Anderson, one of the most respected SEO professionals in the industry with over 20 years of experience. This is a fast-paced, no-nonsense discussion designed to clarify what EEAT is, what it is not, and how it affects real websites. This episode focuses on how Google determines trust, why some sites are labeled low quality, and why EEAT matters even if it’s not a direct ranking factor. What we cover in this episode - What EEAT actually means in Google Search - Whether EEAT is a ranking factor (and why that question misses the point) - How Google evaluates trust and site quality - The difference between EEAT and PageRank - Why reputation matters more offsite than onsite - How Google treats YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) topics - Which types of content require higher trust standards - What happens when a site is marked “low quality” - Why EEAT cannot be faked - How transparency, credibility, and disclosures impact site quality - The role of terms of use, contact pages, and business information - How the Google API leak aligns with the Quality Rater Guidelines - Why trust is the most important quality framework to understand Key takeaways - EEAT is not a single signal or score - Trust is the core outcome Google is trying to measure - Some EEAT signals come from offsite reputation, not self-published claims - Onsite trust elements still matter and can impact the entire site - Poor transparency can lower the perceived quality of every page - EEAT affects rankings, conversions, and long-term site credibility This episode is useful for: - Website owners - SEO professionals - Content creators - Anyone publishing advice, commercial content, or informational content online Even if your site is not in a high-risk YMYL category, these principles still matter for users, conversions, and long-term growth. ⭐️ Shaun Anderson at Hobo SEO blog - ⭐️ Shaun Anderson on 𝕏 - ⭐️ Shaun Anderson on YouTube - ⭐️ Shaun Anderson on LinkedIn - ⭐️ Shaun Anderson’s free EEAT tool - 💎 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 EEAT in SEO 00:14 Guest Introduction: Shaun Anderson 00:47 Understanding EEAT: Key Concepts 01:27 Google API Leak and Its Implications 01:55 Importance of EEAT for Different Websites 04:17 YMYL Topics and Trustworthiness 06:59 Examples of EEAT in Practice 08:09 PageRank vs. EEAT 11:38 Maximizing Trust and Credibility 13:01 Fake vs. Real EEAT 20:36 Thoughts and Future Episodes 24:11 Final Remarks and Episode Wrap-Up The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: #searchengineoptimization #eeatseo #seotips #googleapileak
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Why “Easy SEO” Beats Fancy SEO (And Always Has)
01/04/2026
Why “Easy SEO” Beats Fancy SEO (And Always Has)
E914: Cody See joins the show. We break down why simple, fundamentals-driven SEO consistently outperforms complicated, “advanced” tactics - and why that’s been true for over a decade. We talk through real-world experience running affiliate sites, agencies, and client campaigns, and explain why most SEO failures come from overengineering, ego, or chasing shortcuts instead of focusing on what actually converts. This is a practical, honest conversation about how SEO works today. Topics covered: - Why “easy SEO” isn’t lazy SEO - and why it works - The difference between ranking for ego vs ranking for revenue - How picking the right keywords matters more than advanced tactics - Bottom-of-funnel keywords vs high-volume vanity keywords - Why link building isn’t always necessary to rank - White hat SEO vs risky shortcuts and why shortcuts usually fail - How SEO results are often faster today than they were years ago - What changed about Google’s “sandbox” (and why it barely exists now) - Real examples of backlinks that actually moved rankings - Why referral traffic matters more than links alone - How simple SEO scales better for agencies and niche businesses - Why most people overestimate the value of technical complexity We also discuss: - How AI-generated content is eroding traditional trust signals - Why authority is shifting back to reputation and real relationships - How outreach, PR, and networking have changed post-AI - Why being direct and human now beats polished outreach - How automation can support SEO without replacing judgment CMS & platform discussion: - Wix Studio vs WordPress from an SEO perspective - What Wix has improved - and where it still falls short - SEO features that matter and ones that don’t - Why starting with clean fundamentals saves problems later This episode is for: - SEOs who are tired of overcomplicated advice - Agency owners who want repeatable results - Builders starting new sites who want clarity instead of noise - Anyone who wants SEO to support a real business, not just rankings ⭐️ Cody See on LinkedIn - ⭐️ The Agency Growth Podcast - ⭐️ The Agency After Hours Discord - ⭐️ Cody’s podcast interview with Wix Studio - 💎 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 Catching Up and Personal Updates 00:31 Launching a New Website on Wix 00:50 Discussing Wix's SEO Challenges 01:00 Cody’s Podcast Interview with Wix's Head of Partnerships 03:39 SEO Strategies and Techniques 15:18 The Importance of Keyword Selection 19:11 Personal SEO Journey and Experiences 22:51 Building and Scaling an SEO Agency 24:54 Niche SEO Success Stories 27:35 Exploring PPC and Local Service Ads 36:40 The Future of AI in SEO and Networking 38:26 Challenges in Modern Communication 38:59 AI's Impact on Outreach 40:00 Trust Signals in Networking 41:27 Dealing with AI-Generated Messages 43:34 Effective Outreach Strategies 44:59 Understanding Your Audience 47:11 SEO and Website Platforms 48:10 Wix vs. WordPress: A Detailed Comparison 54:23 Automating SEO Tasks 58:24 Wix Studio's SEO Challenges 01:13:28 Final Thoughts and Contact Information The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: #searchengineoptimization #digitalmarketing #wixstudio #seo
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Stop Guessing SEO: How to Let Google Tell You What to Rank For
01/03/2026
Stop Guessing SEO: How to Let Google Tell You What to Rank For
E913: Practical, repeatable ways to use Google Search Console to make better SEO decisions without guessing. Instead of relying on assumptions, third-party tools, or long content cycles, this conversation focuses on using Google’s own data to identify what your site is already eligible to rank for - and how to expand from there. We cover real workflows you can apply immediately, whether you’re working on a small site or managing SEO at scale. David Quaid joins the show! We cover: - How to use Regex in Google Search Console to analyze branded vs non-branded searches - Why Search Console withholds data and how to work with wider query sets to get more accurate insights - How to identify question-based queries Google already associates with your site - Using Search Console to find page-two keywords that signal topical readiness - Turning “People Also Ask”-style queries into scalable FAQ and content structures - How internal linking and subfolders transfer topical authority across related pages - When expanding topical authority helps - and when it starts to hurt - A low-risk method for publishing many small pages to test ranking potential - How to use AI to speed up content production without committing to long editorial cycles - Deciding which pages are worth improving after Google shows you what ranks This episode is focused on process, not theory - how to reduce uncertainty, shorten feedback loops, and let Google’s behavior guide your SEO strategy. ⭐️ 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: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Welcome Back, David Quaid! 00:49 Using Regex in Google Search Console 01:34 Understanding Branded vs. Non-Branded Searches 06:30 Privacy Concerns in Search Queries 11:08 Expanding Topical Authority with Regex 15:49 Implementing GEO SEO Strategies 19:54 SEO Keyword Strategy 20:16 Leveraging Topical Authority 20:21 Linking Strategies for SEO 20:59 Creating Hub Pages 21:45 Content Types and Formats 22:12 Local SEO Insights 23:08 Understanding Google's Ranking Factors 24:24 Expanding Topical Authority 26:08 Managing Content Decay 27:02 Using AI for Content Creation 31:41 Optimizing Content for Rankings 36:24 Final Thoughts and Farewell The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: #keywordresearch #searchengineoptimization #googlesearchconsole #seo
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How Perplexity Ranks Content (And What LLMs Really Care About)
01/02/2026
How Perplexity Ranks Content (And What LLMs Really Care About)
E912: New research explains how Perplexity evaluates, ranks, and even discards content. If you want your content to be shown, cited, or recommended by large language models, understanding how one major AI answer engine works gives you insight into how the rest likely operate. We walk through research that analyzes Perplexity’s ranking systems, including entity re-ranking, manual domain boosts, early engagement signals, and freshness requirements. While the research is currently unverified, the findings closely align with what we already know about how AI search and answer engines prioritize content. This is especially relevant for anyone working in SEO, content marketing, or generative engine optimization who wants to improve visibility in AI answers, AI overviews, and LLM-driven search experiences. What this covers: - How Perplexity retrieves and re-ranks content using multi-layer machine learning systems - Why topical authority and semantic relevance matter more than keyword matching alone - How entity searches (people, companies, concepts) are handled differently - The role of early user engagement in long-term visibility - Manual authority boosts for certain domains and what that means for content strategy - How YouTube titles and trending queries may influence AI visibility - Why fresh content and regular updates matter for LLM recommendations - Negative signals that can suppress or bury underperforming content - Why these ranking systems closely resemble SEO fundamentals Key takeaways: - Keyword optimization still matters, but it is not sufficient on its own - Content must be comprehensive, relevant, and supported by topical authority - Early performance can determine whether content continues to be surfaced - Interlinked content clusters perform better than isolated pages - AI answer engines favor quality, clarity, and usefulness over tactics designed to game rankings ⭐️ How Perplexity ranks content: Research uncovers core ranking factors and systems - ⭐️ Metehan Yesilyurt 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 and Overview 00:57 Research Insights on Perplexity's Ranking 02:36 Entity Search Re-Ranking System 03:36 Authoritative Domains and Parasite SEO 04:51 YouTube Synchronization and Keyword Optimization 06:34 Core Ranking Factors 08:41 Conclusion and Final Thoughts The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: #answerengineoptimization #generativeengineoptimization #searchengineoptimization #seo
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Google Says This Is the #1 SEO Rule Most People Ignore
01/01/2026
Google Says This Is the #1 SEO Rule Most People Ignore
E911: I break down what Google’s John Mueller has repeatedly said is the most important rule in SEO: consistency. Not shortcuts. Not trends. Just consistent execution over time. John Mueller has shared this advice for years without fully explaining why it matters. Barry Schwartz helped add context, and in this I explain how consistency impacts rankings, trust, and conversions across both technical SEO and content. This conversation focuses on why inconsistent implementation quietly holds back many websites, even when they are doing other things right. What you’ll learn: - Why Google consistently emphasizes consistency as the foundation of SEO - How inconsistent technical signals create problems for search engines - Common technical SEO mistakes caused by inconsistency - Why weak pages can negatively affect how Google views an entire site - How trust and consistency are closely connected in SEO - Why ranking alone is not the real goal of search optimization - How consistent publishing compounds results over time - A realistic approach to content frequency that most teams can maintain - Why taking your time leads to better outcomes than rushing execution Practical SEO guidance covered: - Publish content on a schedule you can realistically sustain - Fix page titles and internal linking before chasing advanced tactics - Focus on bottom-of-funnel SEO pages that target buyers ready to convert - Use blog content to support topical authority - Build links gradually with small, repeatable daily actions - Improve quality across your entire site instead of ignoring weak pages ⭐️ John Mueller Of Google: SEO Lives & Dies With Consistency - ⭐️ 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 and New Year's Greetings 00:22 The Importance of Consistency in SEO 01:00 Personal Consistency Journey 01:26 John Mueller's SEO Advice 02:30 Technical Consistency in SEO 02:52 Content Consistency and Quality 03:40 Practical SEO Tips and Strategies 07:58 Consistency in Link Building 08:29 Final Thoughts and New Year Motivation The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: #searchengineoptimization #seo #searchmarketing #digitalmarketing
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How ChatGPT Actually Works (and How to Get Your Content Shown in AI Answers)
12/31/2025
How ChatGPT Actually Works (and How to Get Your Content Shown in AI Answers)
E910: How ChatGPT and other large language models actually generate answers, based on widely shared research on how AI systems use search, training data, and real-time web results. If you’re doing SEO in 2026 and beyond, understanding how AI decides when to search, what it pulls from the web, and why certain content gets shown in AI answers is no longer optional. This episode explains the mechanics behind ChatGPT, AI Overviews, and LLM recommendations - and how to adapt your SEO strategy so your content gets surfaced. What You’ll Learn in This Episode - How ChatGPT really works behind the scenes - Why ChatGPT behaves more like a search engine than a “thinking” system - When ChatGPT decides to trigger a web search vs. using training data - How multiple models work together to evaluate, search, and generate answers - Why semantic relevance matters more than exact keywords - How ChatGPT pulls small snippets, not full articles - Why speed, cost, and page structure affect whether content is used - The role of freshness for timely, niche, or complex queries SEO Tactics to Get Shown in AI Answers - How clean structure and direct answers increase snippet eligibility - How long, rambling content gets ignored by AI systems - How to write content that is easier for LLMs to extract and reuse - Where clarity and formatting directly impact AI visibility Advanced AI SEO Strategies Covered - The press release tactic that influences ChatGPT and AI Overviews - How non-competitive and branded queries can be shaped with indexed PR content - Why certain “best X for Y” listicles are being repeated by LLMs - How self-published rankings and announcements affect AI recommendations How to See What ChatGPT Is Searching For - How to inspect ChatGPT’s web queries using browser developer tools - How to find query fan-outs and reuse that language in your content - How to turn AI search queries into H2 sections or new pages Finding AI-Driven Searches in Google Tools - How to uncover natural language AI searches in Google Search Console - How to identify long-form queries used in AI Overviews and AI Mode - How to create content specifically for AI-assisted search behavior Tracking AI Traffic Accurately - How to see traffic from ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Copilot in Google Analytics - Which pages AI tools are recommending - How to measure real AI-driven visits instead of guessing The Core Takeaway If AI systems rely on search for many prompts, the best way to influence them is still to do strong SEO - but with better structure, clearer answers, and content built around how AI actually retrieves and evaluates information. ⭐️ Lily Ray’s TLDR - ⭐️ AI SEO/GEO/AEO: How to Get Shown in LLMs in 2026 - 💎 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 AI and SEO 01:07 Understanding How ChatGPT Works 03:18 Influencing Large Language Models 04:02 SEO Tricks and Tips 06:23 Using Google Tools for AI SEO 07:13 Optimizing Content for AI 09:04 Conclusion The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: #searchengineoptimization #generativeengineoptimization #answerengineoptimization #digitalmarketing
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Why AI Garbage Content Ranks in Google
12/30/2025
Why AI Garbage Content Ranks in Google
E909: When you search Google today, you’ll often see obviously AI-generated, low-quality content ranking in the top results - sometimes even from big global brands. In this episode, I break down why that happens, what’s actually going on inside Google’s algorithms, and why copying what you see in the SERPs is often the wrong takeaway for long-term SEO. This isn’t an episode about shortcuts or spam tactics. It’s about understanding how search really works, where the leniency comes from, and how to think about SEO beyond “what ranks right now.” We cover: - Why low-quality AI content can rank temporarily in Google - How algorithmic spam detection works (and why it often hits later, not immediately) - A real example of an AI-generated site that scaled fast - and then collapsed - Why big brands and high-authority domains get more algorithmic leniency - How domain authority changes the rules of what Google will tolerate - Why low-competition keywords allow “worse” SEO to rank - The overlooked opportunity in low-volume, high-intent keywords - Why ranking low-quality content is often meaningless if it doesn’t convert - How obvious AI content can damage brand equity and repeat visitors - The difference between ranking signals and conversion signals - Why E-E-A-T still matters for trust and revenue, even if it’s debated as a ranking factor - Why copying random big brands is a mistake - and who you should actually study instead Key takeaways: - SEO is contextual and nuanced. - What ranks for one site, brand, or keyword can fail badly for another. - Spam tactics often work until they don’t - and when they fail, they fail fast. - If your goal is sustainable traffic, conversions, and brand trust, understanding why something ranks matters more than copying it. This is episode 909 of The Edward Show. If you’re watching on YouTube, thanks for being here. If you’re listening on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, thanks for listening. ⭐️ Ep906 - Google Wasn’t Lying: What the Google API Leak Really Revealed About SEO - ⭐️ Ep903 - SEO Isn’t Dead: The AI Search Holiday Special - ⭐️ Ep839 - The Hidden Keyword Gaps Google Is Begging You to Fill - 💎 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 00:23 Listener's Question on AI Content 01:35 SEO Nuances and Spam Tactics 03:28 Domain Authority and SEO Tactics 06:21 Importance of Legit Content 07:54 EEAT and Brand Equity 09:03 Big Brands and SEO Practices 11:24 Conclusion The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: #searchengineoptimization #seotips #seocopywriting #digitalmarketing
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Vibe Coding for SEO: Building Rankable Apps, Tools, and Revenue in Minutes
12/29/2025
Vibe Coding for SEO: Building Rankable Apps, Tools, and Revenue in Minutes
E908: We break down how SEOs are using vibe coding and AI development tools to build rankable web apps, calculators, and tools that generate organic traffic and revenue faster than traditional content. Today’s guest is Ram Berrouet, a longtime co-founder, friend, product builder, and founder of Relief, a Series A startup with hundreds of thousands of users. Ram explains how recent breakthroughs in AI models have fundamentally changed what’s possible for SEO-driven businesses - from building full web apps in minutes to replacing large engineering teams with AI-assisted workflows. This episode is specifically for: - Niche site builders - Publishers losing organic visibility - SEOs tired of traffic volatility - Founders looking for faster MVPs - Marketers who want durable revenue - Anyone who wants to turn search demand into products What we cover: - How “vibe coding” works in real production environments - Why recent AI models now outperform junior and senior engineers for many tasks - How Ram replaced an 8-person engineering team using AI tools - Building rankable web apps instead of just blog posts - Turning bottom-of-funnel SEO keywords into revenue-generating tools - Creating calculators, widgets, and interactive assets that rank in Google - How fast iteration changes SEO strategy and monetization - Why SEO is becoming the most predictable distribution channel again - How to migrate large, high-ranking sites without losing SEO equity - Using AI to maintain metadata, internal links, canonicals, and site structure - Publishing new pages, tools, and blog posts using prompts instead of CMS editors - Why social distribution is getting harder - and how SEO fills the gap Tools and platforms discussed: - AI-powered IDEs and development agents - Gemini 3 and Claude Opus 4.5 models - Cursor and automated code review agents - Replit for no-code and low-code app development - AI-assisted site migrations and crawlers - Front-end SEO tools like calculators and widgets embedded on CMS platforms Key takeaway for SEOs: If you can already rank pages, you can now build products. AI has reduced the cost and complexity of building apps, tools, and interactive assets to near zero. That means SEOs can: - Create defensible assets - Target high-intent keywords - Monetize traffic directly - Reduce reliance on ads and affiliates - Build real products without engineering teams Subscribe for daily episodes on SEO, monetization, publishing, and building real businesses on top of organic traffic. ⭐️ Ram Berrouet on 𝕏 - ⭐️ Ram Berrouet on LinkedIn - ⭐️ Ram Berrouet app, Relief - 💎 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 00:21 The Insanity of Vibe Coding 04:32 AI Breakthroughs in Development 12:05 Replacing Traditional Development Teams 17:55 Building Apps with No Technical Experience 23:11 SEO and Web App Development 32:42 Website Redesign and SEO Optimization 34:18 New Workflows with AI Tools 35:37 Voice Commands and Whisper Flow 37:58 Evolution of AI in Development 42:44 Social Media Strategies and Challenges 51:31 SEO vs. Social Media Content 53:39 Creating Web and Mobile Apps 55:50 Podcast Conclusion and Guest Information The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: #searchengineoptimization #linkableassets #linkbuilding #indiehackers
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How One Blog a Week Took a Local Dentist to 130,000 Monthly Visits
12/28/2025
How One Blog a Week Took a Local Dentist to 130,000 Monthly Visits
E907: An SEO copywriter quietly helped a single local dental office grow from almost zero traffic to 130,000 monthly organic visits - using nothing more than one blog post per week. No backlink campaigns. No complicated SEO frameworks. No content farm. Just consistent blogging, strong keyword choices, and writing that people actually want to read. That SEO copywriter is Tiffani Daniel. She joins us today and we break down exactly how this happened, why it worked, and what most people misunderstand about blogging, SEO, and conversion-focused content. What we cover: - How a local dentist grew from 0 to 130,000 monthly visits with one blog per week - Why cost-related and “price” keywords consistently outperform most SEO content - What Tiffany did instead of backlink building - and why it still worked - Why blogs don’t need a perfect publishing cadence to rank - How to structure blogs so readers binge multiple posts in one session - The “TV show” approach to internal linking and content flow - Why short paragraphs, simple formatting, and skimmability matter more than word count - How to inject personality into SEO content without fluff or filler - Why answering the question immediately can increase trust and conversions - How to think about intent for informational vs. transactional keywords - When blog traffic helps sales - and when it doesn’t - How email lists, phone calls, and brand trust fit into an SEO strategy - Why many SEO wins fail because the website copy is poorly written - How Tiffany approaches research when writing for industries she’s not an expert in - Using Reddit, comments, and real questions to shape SEO content - Where AI helps (and where it hurts) in SEO writing - How to use transcripts and real speech patterns to make content sound human - Why authenticity matters more now than ever in search results This conversation goes deep into how SEO actually works in practice, especially for local businesses and service providers who don’t need vanity traffic - they need real people, real trust, and real conversions. If you write blogs, manage SEO, run a local business, or are tired of generic content advice, this episode will give you a clearer way to think about content that compounds over time. ⭐️ Tiffani Daniel at Your Creative Content blog - ⭐️ Tiffani Daniel on Threads - ⭐️ Tiffani Daniel on TikTok - ⭐️ Tiffani Daniel on Instagram- ⭐️ Tiffani's SEO Copywriting Services - ⭐️ Tiffani's SEO content membership, SEO Storytellers- 💎 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 Welcome and Introduction 00:42 SEO Success Story: Dental Client's Journey 01:48 Content Strategy and Blogging Tips 05:12 Effective SEO Techniques and Client Examples 07:41 Storytelling in SEO and Content Creation 10:17 Using AI in SEO and Content Writing 15:41 Engaging Content and Conversion Strategies 35:49 Research and Writing for Diverse Topics 39:17 Leveraging Reddit for SEO 40:59 Instagram vs. TikTok SEO 41:46 Using Transcripts for Better Rankings 42:33 Exploring Descript for Video Editing 43:45 Rejection Therapy Challenge 49:34 Blogging Strategies and Tools 59:53 Creating Effective Sales Pages 01:07:44 Final Thoughts and Future Plans The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: #searchengineoptimization #seocopywriting #blogging #copywriting
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Google Wasn’t Lying: What the Google API Leak Really Revealed About SEO
12/27/2025
Google Wasn’t Lying: What the Google API Leak Really Revealed About SEO
E906: I sit down with Shaun Anderson (Hobo Web), one of the most respected SEOs in the industry - someone who has been working in search since the early 2000s and has firsthand experience with every major Google shift, from early link-based ranking to AI-driven systems. We look at what the Google API Leak actually showed, what Google has been consistent about for years, and where SEO narratives have gone wrong. This is a technical, honest conversation focused on how Google really evaluates websites today. Topics covered: - Why Google wasn’t lying about how rankings work - What the Google API Leak confirmed about ranking systems - How Google evaluates trust at the site level - Why trust can override traditional authority metrics - How links still matter and what they actually represent - How Google determines who owns and operates a website - Why responsibility and transparency matter for rankings - How E-E-A-T works in practice, not theory - Why monetization changes how a page is evaluated - When affiliate sites can rank successfully - Why some affiliate sites collapse while others grow - The difference between informational intent and commercial intent - What “helpful content” actually means to Google - Why some pages never get indexed - How site-wide quality issues block indexing - How to quickly identify technical vs content vs authority problems - Why publishing velocity can trigger ranking corrections - Why removing low-quality pages still works - Lessons from major updates like Google Penguin - What the Helpful Content Update changed long term - What “content effort” means and how it’s evaluated - Why AI-generated content often fails - How AI should be used responsibly in SEO - What SEO tasks should never be handed fully to AI - Why SEO strategy still requires human judgment - Why entity SEO matters more than most people realize - The role of Google Business Profiles for trust - Why authorship, policies, and disclosures matter - How domain-wide signals are applied across pages Who this episode is for: - SEOs working on long-term, legitimate businesses - Founders who rely on organic search - Affiliate site owners navigating post-HCU SEO - Anyone confused by recent Google updates - Anyone whose “good content” isn’t ranking This episode is not about tricks or shortcuts. It’s about how Google actually evaluates websites based on trust, responsibility, and real-world experience. New episodes every day. Subscribe for more in-depth conversations on SEO, search, and growth. ⭐️ Shaun Anderson at Hobo SEO blog - ⭐️ Shaun Anderson on 𝕏 - ⭐️ Shaun Anderson on YouTube - ⭐️ Shaun Anderson on LinkedIn - ⭐️ Shout out to Metehan Yesilyurt on 𝕏 - ⭐️ Shout out to Koray Tuğberk GÜBÜR 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 and Guest Background 02:01 Journey into SEO: Early Days and Achievements 09:54 SEO Challenges and Overcoming Penalties 30:03 Understanding E-EA-T and Its Importance 58:00 AI in SEO: Tools and Techniques 01:03:57 SEO Tasks AI Shouldn't Handle 01:04:48 Creative Backlink Strategies 01:08:38 Controlling a Niche with Exact Match Domains 01:13:57 Diagnosing SEO Traffic Problems 01:18:35 Entity SEO and Google Business Profiles 01:37:07 More Insights from the Google API Leak 02:03:49 Final Thoughts and Reflections The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: #searchengineoptimization #eeatseo #seotips #googleapileak
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$24K In → $2.8M Out: The Local SEO Strategy That Actually Works
12/26/2025
$24K In → $2.8M Out: The Local SEO Strategy That Actually Works
E905: An auto repair shop paid $24,000 for SEO. In 11 months, they generated $2.8 million in revenue. This is exactly how that happened and why most local SEO campaigns never come close to results like this. The strategy comes from a real-world case study shared by Sarvesh Shrivastava, and it lines up perfectly with what actually works for local service businesses today. This is not theory. This is not generic “best practices.” This is practical local SEO execution that leads to phone calls and booked jobs. We cover: - Why generic “services” pages don’t convert - and what to build instead - How high-intent local pages (emergency, same-day, city-specific) drive revenue - The role of local blog content in rankings, trust, and topical authority - Why internal linking and site structure are some of the most ignored SEO levers - How fixing orphan pages and poor architecture can unlock fast growth - What actually moves the needle inside Google Business Profile optimization - Why real photos and accurate categories matter more than most people think - How Google crawls your entire site when GBP updates are made - The difference between traffic keywords and keywords that generate calls - Why going “fully local” beats chasing big national keywords every time - How real backlinks from relevant local and industry sites outperform cheap links You’ll also hear references to insights from past conversations with: - Jake Hundley on information architecture and interlinking - Darren Shaw on Google Business Profile best practices - Real examples of technical issues uncovered using Screaming Frog By the end of this, you’ll understand: - Why most local businesses struggle with SEO - What a revenue-focused local SEO strategy actually looks like - How small service businesses can compete without massive budgets - Why “ranking” is the wrong goal - and calls are the right one This is episode 905 of my daily digital marketing show. ⭐️ Sarvesh Shrivastava’s thread - ⭐️ Sarvesh Shrivastava’s episode - E872 - How ANY Local Business Can Hit $100K/Month in 90 Days With SEO (BUT Most Get It Wrong) - ⭐️ Jake Hundley’s episode - E900 - Most SEO Agencies Are Selling You Stuff That Doesn’t Work (Here’s What Actually Does) - ⭐️ Darren Shaw’s episode - E881 - Local SEO Masterclass: Darren Shaw on Ranking Factors, Reviews, and Google Business Hacks - 💎 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: SEO Success Story 00:15 Guest Spotlight: Sarvesh Shrivastava 00:59 High-Intent Money Pages 02:04 Local Blog Content 02:47 Internal Linking 04:34 Google Business Profile Optimization 05:33 Building Real Backlinks 05:52 Focusing on Local Keywords 06:25 Conclusion: The Power of Local SEO 07:03 Final Thoughts and Farewell The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #localseo #searchengineoptimization #googlebusinessprofile #localmarketing
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Google Just Cut News Traffic in Half (51% → 27%) - Now What?
12/25/2025
Google Just Cut News Traffic in Half (51% → 27%) - Now What?
E904: New data shows a massive decline in Google Search traffic to news publishers. Here’s what this means for anyone relying on organic traffic to survive. According to recent analysis, Google Search traffic to news sites has dropped from 51% to 27% over the past two years. At the same time, publishers have become increasingly dependent on Google Discover, a traffic source that is volatile, unpredictable, and difficult to control. I walk through the data, reactions from the SEO and publishing community, and then share my honest take on whether traditional news publishing is still a viable standalone business model - and what publishers should be doing instead. What this covers: - The exact numbers behind Google’s traffic shift to news publishers - Why Google Discover now drives the majority of publisher traffic - Why Discover is risky as a primary traffic source - How recent core updates have accelerated the decline - How news consumption habits have changed beyond Google - The role AI and LLMs are playing in reducing search clicks - Why pure news publishing is an increasingly fragile business model What I recommend for publishers: - Why abandoning your website is the wrong move - How to use existing domain and topical authority as a real asset - Why publishers are uniquely positioned to launch niche web apps - How bottom-of-funnel SEO pages can drive purchase intent traffic - Why products and tools create more durable revenue than ads - How feedback from search traffic can guide product development I also share examples of how simple SaaS products can be built, monetized, and iterated on using SEO insights - and why this approach is far more resilient than depending solely on news traffic. This episode is for: - News publishers seeing declining search traffic - SEOs working with media sites - Founders thinking about diversification - Anyone trying to build a more stable, search-driven business This is episode 904 of the podcast - 904 days in a row. ⭐️ Source - ⭐️ Episode with Shaun Savvy - 901 - “He Updated a Blog Post to the Future - Google Ranked It” - 💎 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: Shocking Drop in Google Search Traffic 00:43 The Shift to Google Discover 02:08 Community Reactions and Comments 04:05 Diversifying Beyond Traditional News Publishing 05:14 SEO Strategies for Web Publishers 10:05 Conclusion and Final Thoughts The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: #searchengineoptimization #seo #newspublishers #searchtraffic
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SEO Isn’t Dead: The AI Search Holiday Special
12/24/2025
SEO Isn’t Dead: The AI Search Holiday Special
E903: Is SEO actually dying, or is the industry just rebranding the same fundamentals under new names like GEO, AEO, and AI SEO? In this long-form holiday roundtable, we break down what really changed in search over the past year, what didn’t, and why so much confusion is spreading across marketing teams, LinkedIn, Reddit, and conference stages. This episode covers real-world observations from 2025, not theory or tool demos. We talk candidly about AI search, Google’s direction, backlinks, topical authority, video, PR, exact match domains, and the growing disconnect between what’s being sold and what actually works. Top 10 SEO Predictions for 2026: 1. CMOs will continue to be duped by GEO misinformation campaigns. Results in GEO will come from SEO, more than ever. 2. Google will remain the primary source of truth for AI search, directly or indirectly influencing most large language model results. 3. Video content, especially YouTube and Instagram, will play a larger role in rankings, AI Overviews, and AI-generated answers. 4. Traditional text-based listicles will decline in effectiveness, particularly those without firsthand experience or original insight. 5. Backlinks will function more as a defensive ranking signal, helping sites withstand core updates rather than just drive growth. 6. Topical authority will become more granular, with trust evaluated at topic and subtopic levels instead of entire domains. 7. AI Overviews will continue to reduce informational clicks while increasing brand visibility, mentions, and indirect conversions. 8. Exact match and keyword-aligned domains will quietly regain value as relevance and attribution signals. 9. SEO and digital PR will fully converge, making citations, mentions, and reputation critical ranking inputs. 10. Claims that SEO is dead will persist, but organic search will remain central to discovery, competition, and revenue. Topics covered: - Why SEO and “GEO” are not separate disciplines - How AI tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity actually rely on search engines - The rise of AI SEO tools and why many are just content scaling platforms - How misinformation around AI search is targeting CMOs and executives - Why backlinks still matter more than most people admit - What the Helpful Content Update really changed (and what it didn’t) - Why some sites recovered from HCU and most did not - The problem with listicles, reviews, and fake product testing - Why authority is still largely domain-based and where it may change - How Google’s AI Overviews are affecting clicks, impressions, and attribution - Why video and YouTube citations are increasing in AI search results - The role of PR, brand mentions, and reputation in AI visibility - Exact match domains, multi-domain strategies, and when they make sense - Why most “SEO is dead” claims ignore ad revenue and user behavior - What a realistic SEO strategy looks like going into 2026 Platforms and ecosystems discussed: - Google search, AI Overviews, and AI Mode - Reddit and the current spam problem - Quora and declining result quality - HubSpot as a case study in topical drift - YouTube, short-form video, and user-generated content in search Who this episode is for: - SEOs working in-house or agency-side - CMOs and marketing leaders evaluating AI search strategies - Founders and operators relying on organic search for growth - Anyone trying to separate real search changes from marketing noise This is not an episode about shortcuts or trends. It’s a grounded discussion about how search actually works today, why Google still matters, and how to avoid strategies that damage long-term visibility. Thanks for listening and watching, and happy holidays. ⭐️ 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 Introduction and Excitement 00:13 SEO and Digital Marketing Surprises of 2025 00:30 Disinformation Campaigns in SEO 01:53 Generative Engine Optimization vs. Traditional SEO 02:27 Spam and AI Content Detection 03:12 Partnership Requests and AI SEO Tools 04:00 Confusion and Disinformation in SEO 08:43 Impact of AI on SEO Strategies 24:28 Authority and Topical Relevance in SEO 39:50 Video Content and SEO 42:51 SEO Predictions for 2026 43:16 Contextually Relevant Content for Small Businesses 44:22 The Debate on Dwell Time and Content Length 45:30 The Skyscraper Technique and Content Efficiency 46:25 Google's Preference for Long-Form Content 46:51 The Role of Short-Form Content in SEO 47:44 Google's Content Agnosticism and Ranking Factors 53:00 The Impact of AI and LLMs on SEO 01:09:41 The Future of Web Design and User Interaction 01:18:48 The Role of Agents and Memory in AI 01:23:49 AI and SEO: The Changing Landscape 01:24:22 SEO Strategies for 2025 and Beyond 01:25:26 The Role of Marketing Teams in SEO 01:26:55 Exact Match Domains: Pros and Cons 01:36:35 The Importance of Backlinks in Modern SEO 01:43:10 The Impact of Google's Helpful Content Update 01:54:49 Future Predictions for SEO 01:59:24 Concluding Thoughts and Holiday Wishes The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: #searchengineoptimization #digitalmarketing #generativeengineoptimization #answerengineoptimization
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The 5-Minute SEO Hack: Turn ‘People Also Ask’ Into Instant Topical Authority
12/23/2025
The 5-Minute SEO Hack: Turn ‘People Also Ask’ Into Instant Topical Authority
E902: A simple 5-minute SEO hack that can completely change how you build topical authority. David Quaid returns to the show to reveal how to use Google’s “People Also Ask” feature to create high-relevance FAQ content - without paid tools, complex keyword research, or unnecessary schema. We also dig into: - How Google actually decides topical authority - Why search demand matters more than schema - When FAQ pages should be standalone vs accordions - How knowledge panels are triggered (and why most people misunderstand them) - A fast, repeatable process for turning PAA questions into ranking pages If you’re struggling with keyword research, building authority in a niche, or figuring out what content Google actually wants - this episode gives you a practical shortcut you can use today. ⭐️ 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 Welcome Back, David Quaid! 00:22 SEO Hack: Building Topical Authority 01:18 David's Knowledge Panel Journey 06:51 People Also Ask Hack: A Step-by-Step Guide 11:06 Schema and SEO: Myths and Realities 13:52 Structuring Your FAQ Content for SEO 15:22 Wrapping Up and What's Next The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: #searchengineoptimization #seohacks #topicalauthorityseo #linkbuilding
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He Updated a Blog Post to the Future - Google Ranked It
12/22/2025
He Updated a Blog Post to the Future - Google Ranked It
E901: A blog post that ranked for zero keywords was lightly updated to make it look like it had been updated in the future. No new sections. No URL changes. No internal linking push. No major rewrites. A short time later, the page began ranking for: - 14 keywords - 5 page-one positions - Multiple SERP features Even more interesting: the Google search result itself displayed a future update date. Shaun Chojnacki joins the show to share one of the strangest real-world SEO experiments I’ve seen! We walk through exactly what was changed, what was not changed, and what this may reveal about how Google interprets freshness, relevance, and on-page signals. What we cover in this episode - The original state of the blog post and how it wasn’t ranking - The exact changes made before rankings improved - What “freshness” actually means in practice - Why this was not a traditional content refresh - How Google surfaced the future update date in the SERP - Why topical authority mattered in this case - The role of a single outbound link update - What SEOs should not copy from this experiment - Why most SEO best practices are rarely tested properly Additional topics we discuss - AI Overviews and why social content is appearing in search results - Why current AI SEO reporting tools are unreliable - How YouTube videos, LinkedIn posts, and Reddit threads now rank - Why generic, AI-written FAQs often hurt pages - How Search Console data produces better FAQs than AI prompts - Branded FAQs vs informational FAQs - Niche-focused SEO agencies vs generalist agencies - Long-term SEO strategy vs short-term tactics - Why consistency still beats clever tricks over time This episode is not a recommendation to manipulate publish dates or mislead users. It’s a breakdown of a real test, real data, and real outcomes - and a reminder that Google often responds to signals in ways that are undocumented and unexpected. This is episode 901 of The Edward Show, a daily digital marketing podcast covering SEO, content, AI, and growth - published every day without missing an episode. Subscribe for daily discussions focused on real experiments, real data, and practical SEO insights. ⭐️ Shaun Savvy Wedding Venue Marketing - ⭐️ Shaun Chojnacki on LinkedIn - ⭐️ Shaun’s SEO Company in Buffalo, New York - ⭐️ Shaun Chojnacki on Instagram - ⭐️ Get a Free Website Audit for Your Staffing Company From Shaun - 💎 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 Welcome 00:10 The Freshness Debate in SEO 00:25 Client Case Study: The Blog Experiment 01:24 Surprising Results 02:27 Technical Details and SEO Strategies 14:40 AI Overviews and Social Media Integration 37:19 Maximizing LinkedIn Impressions 38:25 Cross-Posting Strategies 39:00 Understanding LinkedIn's Algorithm 39:28 Achieving Impressive Growth 39:55 Content Repurposing Techniques 42:07 Building a Strong Team 43:38 Future Business Goals 44:51 SEO and Social Media Insights 51:58 Effective PR and SEO Tactics 01:02:22 Reddit and Alternative SEO Strategies 01:05:41 Long-Term SEO Success 01:09:15 Niche SEO for Wedding Venues 01:10:39 Final Thoughts and Farewell The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: #searchengineoptimization #backlinks #seostrategy #generativeengineoptimization
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Most SEO Agencies Are Selling You Stuff That Doesn’t Work (Here’s What Actually Does)
12/21/2025
Most SEO Agencies Are Selling You Stuff That Doesn’t Work (Here’s What Actually Does)
E900: Most SEO agencies aren’t just outdated - many knowingly sell tactics that no longer move rankings, traffic, or revenue. I’m joined by Jake Hundley, who has spent years testing SEO tactics in real-world environments and publishing findings that directly contradict common agency practices - including a large-scale study showing that geo-tagging photos does not meaningfully impact rankings. We break down why these myths persist, how agencies justify billing for low-impact work, and what actually drives results in modern SEO. This conversation focuses on applied SEO for local and service-based businesses, backed by observation, testing, and long-term performance - not theory or trend-chasing. What we cover - Why geo-tagging images and EXIF data don’t meaningfully affect rankings - How and why agencies continue selling ineffective SEO tasks - The 80/20 rule of SEO and how most effort is misallocated - How doorway pages still “work” - and why they create long-term risk - How project-based pages outperform fake location pages - What Google actually responds to in local search - Why SEO fundamentals beat technical busywork - How brand demand and offline marketing influence organic visibility - Why most SEO case studies mislead more than they inform - How to build SEO assets that hold up over time Key takeaways - Many SEO services exist to justify retainers, not results - Clear structure and intent alignment outperform volume and automation - Long-term rankings come from serving demand, not manufacturing it Who this episode is for - SEO professionals tired of selling or defending low-value work - Agency owners who want sustainable client results - Local service businesses investing in organic growth - Anyone questioning widely accepted SEO “best practices” If you care about results that compound over time - not checklists, gimmicks, or shortcuts - this episode will resonate. ⭐️ Jake's Agency Discord - ⭐️ 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 Welcome and Introduction 00:05 Debunking SEO Myths 01:47 The Impact of Basic SEO Practices 05:57 Avoiding Doorway Pages 10:30 Effective Use of Project Pages 13:47 Challenges in the Lawn Care Industry 14:54 The Role of AI in SEO 15:56 SEO Business Models and Client Acquisition 18:58 Long-Term SEO Strategies 33:50 Case Studies and Real-World Examples 41:53 The 80/20 Rule in SEO 43:20 Understanding H1 and H2 Structure 45:37 SEO Best Practices for Local Services 46:40 The Importance of Geo-Targeting in SEO 47:56 Personal Journey into SEO 51:53 SEO Strategies for Franchise Businesses 53:55 The Power of Branding in Marketing 01:07:42 Debunking SEO Myths and Misconceptions 01:24:58 Contemplating a Break and Team Expansion 01:25:10 Challenges of Hiring and Editing 01:25:46 Evolution of Podcast Production 01:26:54 Engagement and Content Strategy 01:27:50 Podcast Format and Audience Interaction 01:31:04 Team Dynamics and Remote Engagement 01:35:52 Podcast Purpose and Growth 01:39:59 Content Creation and Community Feedback 01:57:18 The Role of Teasers and Clips 02:00:21 AI in Marketing and Agency Operations 02:04:41 Spam and AI: A Personal Stance 02:05:51 The Value of Brand Equity 02:06:30 Short-Term Gains vs. Long-Term Success 02:07:43 The Influence of Social Media and Peer Pressure 02:10:34 Creating and Selling Courses: Challenges and Strategies 02:18:46 The Importance of Personal Branding 02:20:43 Podcasting: Building Connections and Authority 02:25:38 Balancing Time and Value in Consulting 02:31:09 Guest Vetting and Podcast Integrity 02:37:17 Conclusion and Final Thoughts The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: #searchengineoptimization #localseo #agencygrowth #linkbuilding
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Earned Media 101: How to Get Press, Podcasts, and Brand Mentions Without Paying
12/20/2025
Earned Media 101: How to Get Press, Podcasts, and Brand Mentions Without Paying
E899: Breaking down how earned media actually works - and how brands, founders, and creators can get press, podcast interviews, and brand mentions without paying influencers or agencies thousands of dollars. I’m joined by Bridget Sicsko and Lydia Bagarozza from Visibility on Purpose. We go deep into what journalists, podcast hosts, and writers are really looking for, why most pitches fail, and how to position yourself so third parties want to talk about your brand. This is a practical conversation focused on execution, not theory. What we cover in this episode: - What earned media is and why it compounds across SEO, branding, and conversions - How to pitch journalists and podcast hosts the right way - The biggest mistakes people make when trying to get press coverage - Why press releases are often misunderstood - and when they actually make sense - Cold outreach vs inbound media opportunities - How to follow up without annoying writers or hosts - How to write better email subject lines for media pitches - Why relevance matters more than credentials - How to research writers before pitching them - When to use press releases vs direct outreach - How journalists really use platforms like HARO-style requests - The role of niche publications in building authority - How to use brand mentions to get more brand mentions - Turning one media win into long-term credibility - How podcasts fit into an earned media strategy - How AI tools can help with editing and clarity (without replacing human judgment) About Visibility on Purpose, Bridget & Lydia’s PR firm: Visibility on Purpose is a PR consulting studio helping small business owners get seen, featured, and remembered. Founded in 2023 by Publicist Lydia Bagarozza and Speaker Bridget Aileen Sicsko, the studio bridges the gap between DIY PR and expensive agencies - giving founders the strategy they need to confidently manage their own visibility. Together, they’re improving modern PR by giving brands industry tools and publicist-level insights to tell their own stories and attract meaningful press. ⭐️ Bridget & Lydia’s free Get Featured Class - ⭐️ Visibility on Purpose - ⭐️ Visibility on Purpose on Instagram - ⭐️ Visibility on Purpose on LinkedIn - ⭐️ Visibility on Purpose on YouTube - ⭐️ Visibility on Purpose on Pinterest - 💎 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 Earned Media 00:53 Meet the Experts: Bridget and Lydia 04:59 Common Mistakes in PR Outreach 10:53 Effective PR Tools and AI Integration 14:35 Press Release Best Practices 22:01 Exploring PR Distribution Services 24:19 Success Stories with PR Newswire 27:14 Strategies for Effective Media Outreach 29:06 Leveraging Brand Mentions for Growth 31:41 Building Relationships with Journalists 35:12 Creative PR Tactics and Social Proof 42:38 Final Thoughts The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: #publicrelations #earnedmedia101 #linkbuilding #backlinks
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How NapLab Built an SEO Moat (103,000 Keywords, No Shortcuts)
12/19/2025
How NapLab Built an SEO Moat (103,000 Keywords, No Shortcuts)
E898: I sit down with Derek, founder of NapLab, to break down how he built one of the strongest authority sites in a hyper-competitive affiliate niche - without gray-hat tactics, automation spam, or short-term SEO plays. NapLab ranks for over 103,000 keywords, earns hundreds of thousands of organic clicks per month, and consistently wins Google core updates in a space where most sites get wiped out. This is a deep, tactical conversation about long-term SEO, brand trust, content systems, information architecture, and link building that actually holds up over time. Topics covered: - How NapLab grew from early traction to dominating mattress SERPs - Why most affiliate review sites fail after Google updates - The exact content system NapLab uses (data-driven testing, long-form reviews, reuse loops) - How information architecture and subfolders were planned from day one - Why “best of” pages became NapLab’s strongest traffic drivers - How NapLab approaches internal linking at scale - What changed after the March Google Core Algorithm Update - How brand searches and trust factor into modern rankings - Link building strategies that still work (and what NapLab avoids entirely) - Why disavowing bad links was the right call in one specific case - How NapLab thinks about LLMs, AI search, and future visibility - The role of transparency, disclosures, and user trust in SEO - Why slow, brick-by-brick SEO compounds while shortcuts collapse Who this episode is for: - SEO professionals building authority sites - Affiliate SEOs tired of volatility and churn-and-burn tactics - Founders who want durable organic traffic, not spikes - Anyone trying to survive (and win) Google core updates ⭐️ Derek Hales on LinkedIn - ⭐️ NapLab - ⭐️ NapLab’s Best Mattress List - ⭐️ NapLab’s Mattress Finder Quiz - (answer a few questions, get a personalized recommendation back within 24 hours) ⭐️ NapLab’s Mattress Comparison Tool - (filter, sort, and compare all mattresses they’ve tested to date in a single place) 💎 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 NapLab’s Insane SEO Success 01:08 Derek's Journey into SEO 03:04 Founding and Growing NapLab 06:20 SEO Strategies and Success 08:49 Challenges and Setbacks 11:06 NapLab's Content and Testing Process 25:47 Monetization and Transparency 31:22 Information Architecture and Best Practices 41:18 Ahrefs and Keyword Strategies 42:42 WordPress Plugins and Custom Code 45:21 The Importance of the Mattress Quiz 46:08 Team Growth and Roles 47:37 Social Media and Content Strategy 54:52 Link Building and SEO Tactics 01:14:42 AI and Automation in Content Creation 01:16:11 Conclusion and Final Thoughts The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: #searchengineoptimization #affiliateseo #blogging #marketingsuccess
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SEO in 2026: AI Mode, Reddit, and What Still Works
12/18/2025
SEO in 2026: AI Mode, Reddit, and What Still Works
E897: Barry Schwartz (Search Engine Roundtable, Search Engine Land) and David Quaid join the show! We break down what SEO is turning into as we head toward 2026. We zero in on how Google search is changing with AI Mode and AI Overviews, why Reddit became such a dominant surface in the SERPs, what’s happening with links and updates, and which fundamentals still hold up when attribution and visibility are getting harder to measure. This is a practical discussion about what’s actually shifting, what’s mostly noise, and what SEOs should stop chasing. Topics we cover - SEO in 2026 and how the job is changing - Google updates and why fewer are being confirmed - How updates are evaluated today versus earlier algorithm eras - Link spam in 2026 and how Google handles it now - Manual actions versus links simply not being counted - Why buying links can feel “safe” until it isn’t - Why Reddit rose so quickly in search results - How parasite SEO cycles repeat across platforms - Whether Reddit can remain an SEO powerhouse through 2026 - The impact of low-moderation communities and automation - Writing for people versus writing for AI systems - When AI-friendly formatting conflicts with conversion - GEO versus SEO and where the confusion is coming from - Why SEO may remain the umbrella category - Measurement problems in AI-driven search - Why prompt data is unlikely to be fully visible - How reporting changes when clicks no longer match visibility - Whether AI Mode becomes the default Google experience - What this all means for small and new websites - Why bottom-of-funnel queries matter more than ever - HubSpot’s traffic decline and the role of topical authority - Whether topical authority still matters in 2026 - Skills SEOs should focus on to stay relevant - Why critical thinking matters more than tactics - How to communicate SEO value with weaker attribution Key takeaways - Short-term SEO tactics tied to platform advantages repeat in cycles and eventually break. - Most “AI optimization” still depends on traditional search discovery and ranking. - Links may matter differently, but there is still no durable replacement signal. - The hardest part of SEO in 2026 may be measurement and explanation, not ranking. Guests - Barry Schwartz, Search Engine Roundtable and Search Engine Land - David Quaid, Primary Position ⭐️ Read Search Engine Roundtable: ⭐️ Barry Schwartz on 𝕏: ⭐️ Barry Schwartz on LinkedIn: ⭐️ Barry Schwartz on YouTube: ⭐️ Barry Schwartz’s agency: ⭐️ 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 the Guests 00:40 Barry Schwartz on Google Updates 02:24 David Quaid's Insights on SEO Trends 10:51 Reddit's Role in SEO 20:15 Writing for AI vs. Humans 32:21 Improving Video Production 32:38 Challenges with YouTube Growth 33:11 SEO Strategies and Video Content 36:26 AI's Impact on SEO 52:03 HubSpot's Organic Traffic Decline 54:34 Skills for Future SEOs 56:52 Predictions for 2026 01:02:13 Conclusion and Farewell The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: #searchengineoptimization #digitalmarketing #linkbuilding #generativeengineoptimization
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5 Practical Moves That Will Make You a Better Marketer
12/17/2025
5 Practical Moves That Will Make You a Better Marketer
E896: I break down five practical moves that will make you a better marketer. These are things I personally do and use across my own sites, emails, and social channels. No theory. No motivation talk. Just tactics that actually move the needle. This is especially useful if you work in SEO, digital marketing, ecommerce, or content, but everything here applies broadly to anyone trying to grow traffic, trust, and conversions. What you’ll learn: 🔥 The informational regex: ^(who|what|where|when|why|how|was|did|do|is|are|aren’t|won’t|does|if)[“ “] 🔥 The ecommerce regex: ^(buy|order|purchase|get|best price|cheap|discount|deal|promo|offer|sale|where to buy|how much|cost of|price of)[“ “] - How to use Google Search Console to find informational keywords your site is already showing up for - How to identify keywords ranking in positions 4 - 20 and turn them into traffic with simple on-page changes - When to expand an existing page vs creating a brand new page for a keyword - How adding a phone number to your site increases trust and conversions - How to add a phone number without exposing your real number or dealing with spam - Where to place a phone number on your site depending on your business model - How to find ecommerce and buyer-intent keywords using the same Google Search Console method - How to spot purchase-focused searches your site is already ranking for - How to improve Gmail open rates with a simple profile change almost no one is using - How to use a moving profile image or animated logo in Gmail - Why posting consistently on LinkedIn is one of the highest leverage marketing habits right now - How LinkedIn posts can rank on Google and drive compounding visibility - Why cross-posting the same content to LinkedIn, 𝕏, Facebook, and Threads works - Real examples of how fast impressions grow with consistent posting This is episode 896 of my daily digital marketing podcast. I’ve published an episode every single day for over two years, and everything I share here comes directly from what I’m testing and using in real time. 💎 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: 5 Tips to Become a Better Marketer 00:03 Tip 1: Google Search Console for Informational Keywords 02:18 Tip 2: Using Phone Numbers to Boost Customer Trust and Engagement 05:32 Tip 3: Finding and Targeting E-commerce Keywords 06:35 Tip 4: Increasing Gmail Open Rates with Animated Icons 09:21 Tip 5: Growing Your Presence on LinkedIn 12:01 Conclusion and Bonus Tip Number 6 The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: #searchengineoptimization #digitalmarketing #ecommerce #marketingtactics
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How to Do Blog SEO the Right Way (Using ChatGPT Without Ruining Your Brand)
12/16/2025
How to Do Blog SEO the Right Way (Using ChatGPT Without Ruining Your Brand)
E895: Most people do blog SEO wrong. I walk you through the exact process I use doing traditional blog SEO with ChatGPT - step by step - and why you have to be careful if you don’t want to damage your brand, your voice, or your credibility. I also explain why I personally focus on bottom-of-funnel SEO instead, and when blog SEO actually makes sense. What I cover in this: - How to reverse-engineer the top 3 ranking posts - A real example keyword for blog SEO - How to build a better outline using H2s and H3s - How to write a page title that stands out in search results - Where your keyword should appear (title, URL, H1, first sentence) - How to use ChatGPT to fill in the outline without publishing generic content - How to humanize AI writing and remove common AI tells - Why real photos matter and why AI images hurt trust - How to add your own experience so your content feels authentic - Why I don’t run AI blog SEO on my own site - When blog SEO is fine and when it’s a waste of time - Why bottom-of-funnel SEO is usually a better strategy 💎 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 Blog SEO 00:16 Choosing and Researching Keywords 00:37 Creating an Effective Outline 02:06 Humanizing AI-Generated Content 02:34 Editing and Finalizing Your Blog Post 03:49 Internal Linking Strategies 04:14 What I Focus On Instead 05:35 Wrapping The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: #searchengineoptimization #digitalmarketing #backlinks #contentmarketing
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How Much Click-Through Rate Really Impacts Google Rankings
12/15/2025
How Much Click-Through Rate Really Impacts Google Rankings
E894: Click-through rate is now widely understood to be a ranking factor, but most people still underestimate how much it influences search results and how it actually works in practice. I break down real CTR experiments from Rand Fishkin, explain what they revealed about Google’s ranking systems, and share why titles, branding, and user behavior matter far more than most SEOs are willing to admit. This is not theory. These are documented experiments, real outcomes, and practical takeaways you can apply to your own SEO efforts. What this covers: - Why Google measures and uses anything that improves search quality - Rand Fishkin’s click-through rate experiments and what actually happened - How fast rankings can change when click behavior changes - Why Google publicly downplayed CTR for years - The role of page titles in competing for clicks in the SERPs - How brand familiarity increases trust and click probability - Why viral moments and brand searches can influence rankings - The risks of relying on shortcuts Google says “don’t matter” - How thinking like Google makes you better at SEO Key takeaways: - Click-through rate is not optional if you want to compete in search - Titles are one of the highest-leverage SEO actions you control - Brand awareness directly impacts organic performance - User behavior data is too valuable for Google to ignore ⭐️ 21 SEO Experiments That Will Change The Way You Think About SEO (Forever) - https://seosherpa.com/seo-experiments/ ⭐️ My Exact Social Media Posting Strategy - 💎 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 Click-Through Rate Experiments 00:30 Google's Stance on Click-Through Rate 01:54 Rand Fishkin's First Experiment 04:19 Rand Fishkin's Second Experiment 05:34 Key Takeaways 06:41 Wrapping The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: #searchengineoptimization #digitalmarketing #backlinks #performancemarketing
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Inside the Search Engine Black Box: Query Fan-Outs, CTR, and Indexing Myths Debunked
12/14/2025
Inside the Search Engine Black Box: Query Fan-Outs, CTR, and Indexing Myths Debunked
E893: How do search engines actually work - and what role do LLMs really play? David Quaid joins the show to break open the search engine black box, explaining how Google, Bing, and AI-powered tools retrieve and rank content, why pages fail to get indexed, and which SEO “rules” are myths versus reality. We explore the Query Fan-Out, PageRank, CTR testing, indexing behavior, and why most advice about freshness, dwell time, and AI search is misleading. If you’ve been confused by LLM search results, indexing issues, or sudden ranking changes, this conversation will recalibrate how you think about SEO. Topics Covered - What Query Fan-Out is and how LLMs retrieve web results - Why pages aren’t getting indexed (Google & Bing) - PageRank: why it still matters and can’t be replaced - CTR vs dwell time: what Google actually tests - Freshness myths (2025 / 2026 queries explained) - Ranking in AI search tools like ChatGPT, Grok, and Perplexity - When to create a new page vs update existing content - Indexing APIs, backlinks, and why manual indexing is a red flag - SEO strategies for SaaS founders and solopreneurs ⭐️ 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 Welcome and Introduction 00:24 Understanding Query Fan-Out 03:39 SEO Strategies for Bing 09:31 OpenAI and the Future of Search Indexes 17:01 The Evolution and Impact of PageRank 32:57 How to Index a Link Instantly 41:36 Ranking in Grok 44:11 The Role of Freshness in LLMs and SEO Rankings 46:17 Insights from Glen Allsopp’s Study on Best Lists 48:39 Debating the Importance of Freshness in SEO 52:03 Challenges of SEO for AI-Generated Content 59:30 Strategies for Creating and Updating SEO Pages 01:05:47 AI-Generated Content and SEO 01:07:09 Challenges with AI-Generated Sites 01:14:23 SEO Tips for SaaS and Tool Founders 01:20:24 Concluding Thoughts and Future Discussions The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: #searchengineoptimization #linkbuilding #backlinks #digitalmarketing
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December 2025 Google Core Update: YouTube Wins, AI Sites Shake, and SERPs Get Restructured
12/13/2025
December 2025 Google Core Update: YouTube Wins, AI Sites Shake, and SERPs Get Restructured
E892: Google just dropped the December 2025 Core Update, and the early signs point to major SERP changes - not just rankings, but how traffic is distributed. I break down what we’re seeing so far: - Massive volatility across top-of-funnel sites - Click-through rates collapsing even when rankings stay the same - Video thumbnails disappearing from organic results - YouTube carousels taking over key queries - AI-generated sites feeling renewed pressure - Why some sites dropped hard - and then rebounded I also cover real-time reactions from SEOs and publishers, including Reddit reports that surfaced before Google officially announced the update, plus early predictions on who benefits, who loses, and why this feels more like a SERP restructuring than a traditional penalty. We’ll talk about: - Why YouTube is winning this update - What this means for AI content and “AI slop” sites - The future of Reddit, parasite SEO, and platform dominance - Why authentic, fast-answer content continues to get prioritized - How bottom-of-funnel SEO holds up during core updates This update is expected to roll out over three weeks, so this is an early analysis — and I’ll be covering it more as the data comes in. This is Episode 892 of The Edward Show - 892 days in a row without missing an episode. ⭐️ Google Search Central’s post - ⭐️ Google December 2025 Core Update Is Rolling Out - You Surprised? - ⭐️ Reddit chatter - 💎 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 Google's December 2025 Core Update Announcement 00:32 Previous Updates 01:31 Community Reactions to the Update 03:42 Harpreet Singh's Predictions 04:31 Analyzing Core Update Effects 05:26 Future of SEO and Content Prioritization 08:21 Move Down the SEO Funnel 10:06 Conclusion and Final Thoughts The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: #searchengineoptimization #googlecoreupdate #marketingnews #digitalmarketing
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From Google Wiping Out My Entire Business to Scaling 1,000+ Sites: SEO Truths No One Tells You
12/12/2025
From Google Wiping Out My Entire Business to Scaling 1,000+ Sites: SEO Truths No One Tells You
E891: One of the wildest SEO journeys you’ll ever hear. Tryggvi Rafn went from running a portfolio of sites that were absolutely crushing it… to waking up one morning and seeing every single one wiped out by Google. From there, he rebuilt, reinvented, and eventually scaled 1,000+ profitable sites across multiple industries. We break down the real truths about SEO that no one talks about - what actually moves revenue, why most AI SEO is doomed, how link building really works going into 2026, and the exact strategies he uses with his e-commerce clients today. If you care about SEO, AI content, link building, or building real online businesses, this is a must-listen. You’ll hear: - The morning Google wiped out his entire income - Panda, Penguin, and how those updates mirror what’s happening right now - Why AI spam and auto-posting will get sites clapped - Buyer-intent SEO vs. topical authority nonsense - The truth about scaling pages (and how many you can publish at once) - The link building shortcuts that kill sites - Parasite SEO, Reddit domination, and modern tiered linking - Why most agencies drive traffic that never converts - How to build an e-commerce SEO system that prints revenue for years - The future of SEO with AI - what’s real and what’s hype If you run an e-commerce brand or do SEO, don’t miss this one. ⭐️ Tryggvi Rafn on 𝕏 - ⭐️ Tryggvi Rafn on LinkedIn - ⭐️ Tryggvi Rafn on YouTube - ⭐️ Tryggvi Rafn’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 The 2012 SEO Apocalypse: Losing Everything Overnight 00:37 Early SEO Tactics: Niche Sites and Keyword Stuffing 03:04 The Rise and Fall of Spun Content and Link Networks 04:37 The Impact of Google's Panda and Penguin Updates 09:07 The Shift to Quality Content and User Engagement 10:53 Modern SEO Challenges: AI Content and Link Building 14:25 Building Effective SEO Strategies for E-commerce 18:37 The Importance of Context and Brand Story in SEO 28:09 Common SEO Mistakes and How to Avoid Them 32:01 Scaling SEO with Domain Authority 32:24 Programmatic SEO: Launch Strategies 33:42 Content Velocity and Quality 35:14 Effective Keyword Clustering 39:24 Natural vs. Unnatural SEO Practices 41:59 Link Building: Do's and Don'ts 49:51 The Future of AI in SEO and Marketing 01:02:18 Concluding Thoughts and Future Plans The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: #searchengineoptimization #generativeengineoptimization #answerengineoptimization #digitalmarketing
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SEO Listicles Are Taking Over AI - But Will Google Kill Them?
12/11/2025
SEO Listicles Are Taking Over AI - But Will Google Kill Them?
E890: One of the most debated SEO tactics today: companies publishing “Best X in Y” listicles and ranking themselves #1. For years, this has been a common SEO strategy, but in 2025-2026 it has become far more powerful. These listicles are now being ingested by AI systems like ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude, and Grok, and are influencing the rankings these models generate. A single self-promotional page can now push a brand to the top across multiple AI platforms. This raises a major question for the industry: will Google allow this, or will these pages get devalued or penalized? Gagan Ghotra returns to discuss how Google will treat these listicles in the future, how AI models decide which brands to surface, and the role of reputation signals, UGC, reviews, achievements, and entity data. We also explore why AI Overviews may eventually replace listicle-style pages entirely, and how brands need to adapt their content strategies going into 2026. This is a deep conversation about the evolving relationship between SEO, AI search experiences, and brand authority. We cover technical SEO factors, ethical concerns, programmatic list creation, Google’s knowledge graph, and how brands can influence AI through strategic content creation across the web. Topics discussed: - Why self-ranking “Best X for Y” listicles suddenly influence AI results - Whether this tactic is deceptive or simply smart SEO - How Google might detect and penalize manipulative listicle strategies - Why some sites get hit while others remain unaffected - How AI Overviews generate their own lists using entity and knowledge-graph data - Why achievements, awards, team announcements, and reviews now matter more - How user-generated content on platforms like Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and X can affect AI rankings - The rise of reputation-focused SEO copywriting - The impact of hidden content, accordions, and rendering issues on AI understanding - Trustpilot, marketplaces, and how programmatic SEO could change the landscape - How Google’s future search experience may rely less on listicles and more on AI-generated recommendations - Why brands need to create public, verifiable content about their wins - The future of bottom-of-funnel content across both websites and social platforms ⭐️ Gagan Ghotra on 𝕏 - ⭐️ Gagan Ghotra on LinkedIn - ⭐️ Gagan Ghotra’s website - 💎 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 Blog Listicles 00:34 The Ethics of Self-Promotion in SEO 01:14 Historical Context of SEO Tactics 01:53 The Impact of Blog Listicles on Search Rankings 04:11 Debate on the Future of Self-Promotional Pages 11:03 The Role of User-Generated Content in SEO 12:24 AI Overviews and Their Influence on Rankings 16:30 Strategies for Influencing AI Rankings 23:09 Google's Future in AI-Generated Rankings 23:34 Google's New Recommendation System 24:46 AI Mode and Business Profiles 26:25 SEO Copywriting Trends for 2026 30:05 Importance of Reputation Management in SEO 31:14 Creating Effective Best-of Lists 33:22 Trustpilot's Missed Opportunities 35:04 Programmatic SEO and AI 36:25 Challenges and Solutions in Programmatic Content 37:55 The Future of Content and SEO 40:53 Conclusion and Final Thoughts The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: #searchengineoptimization #answerengineoptimization #generativeengineoptimization #digitalmarketing
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Scaling Image SEO with AI: Alt Text, Visual Search & Gemini Workflows
12/10/2025
Scaling Image SEO with AI: Alt Text, Visual Search & Gemini Workflows
889: We break down image SEO, visual search, AI-generated alt text at scale using Gemini, and Easter Eggs in alt text! The timeless SEO sage, Gagan Ghotra returns to the podcast for this once-in-a-lifetime episode. If your website has product images, blog images, ecommerce listings, or ANY visual content, this episode will show you how Google actually understands those images - and how to use AI to massively improve your rankings. Don’t. Miss. This. One. We cover: - Why visual search is exploding across Google, Gemini, and mobile search - How Google matches an uploaded photo to real products - Why most alt text on the internet is completely useless - How to generate perfect, descriptive alt text using Gemini (including the exact prompt) - Scaling alt text updates for 10K-50K+ images - Common image SEO mistakes that hurt your rankings - Why AI-generated product images can destroy your business - Real examples from ecommerce sites, marketplaces, and content sites - Bonus: how screenshots, YouTube thumbnails, and social images rank so well We also share insights on: - Using Gemini API + Python for large-scale automation - Why real photos always outperform AI-generated ones - How to future-proof for 2026’s incoming visual search wave - What Google really wants from your product images Whether you run an SEO agency, ecommerce brand, SaaS company, or content site - this episode will give you a huge advantage. If you miss this one, your websites will tank in rankings - so DON’T. MISS. THIS! This episode was sponsored by the Edward Sturm for Better SEO Rankings Global Initiative, thank you for watching and your continued patronage 🙏 ⭐️ Gagan Ghotra’s Alt Text Generator (live for a limited time) - ⭐️ Gagan Ghotra on 𝕏 - ⭐️ Gagan Ghotra on LinkedIn - ⭐️ Gagan Ghotra’s website - 💎 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 Gagan’s Travel Lifestyle 00:52 Challenges of Constant Travel 01:45 Networking for SEO and Business Strategies 04:02 Importance of In-Person Events 06:58 AI and Image SEO 08:29 SEO Techniques 09:54 Advanced Image SEO Strategies 11:20 Generating Alt Text with AI 13:26 Using AI for Image SEO at Scale 19:47 Real-World Applications and Best Practices 21:58 Technical Challenges in Image SEO 23:56 Google's Image Matching Process 27:04 Real vs. AI-Generated Images 28:26 Conclusion and Future Topics The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: #imageseo #searchengineoptimization #technicalseo #generativeengineoptimization
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