Welcome to iPullRank's Rankable Podcast, where we discuss various hot topics regarding SEO and digital marketing with esteemed members of the marketing community.
This episode is part of the AI Summary series covering the AI Search Manual chapter by chapter. Chapter 17 explores how to evaluate and select agencies and vendors for Generative Engine Optimization in an era where traditional SEO metrics no longer tell the full story.The discussion highlights what separates GEO-ready partners from keyword-era agencies, from technical depth in vector search and Retrieval-Augmented Generation to the ability to engineer content that AI systems can parse, synthesize, and cite. We cover the importance of multi-platform expertise, real examples of AI citation optimization, and why measuring GEO performance requires looking beyond rankings to brand visibility across AI search environments.The episode also examines what red flags to avoid in vendor pitches, what questions to ask about strategy and integration, and how forward-looking agencies are preparing for a future where AI answers dominate over links.Read the full chapter at ipullrank.com/ai-search-manual
This episode is part of the AI Summary series covering the AI Search Manual chapter by chapter. Chapter 16 looks at what it takes to evolve from a traditional SEO team into a GEO team built for AI-driven search.The discussion explores how core SEO assumptions—rankings drive revenue, more pages equal more traffic, keyword stuffing wins—are breaking down as AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and other platforms synthesize answers without sending users to your site. To stay visible, teams need new roles like Relevance Engineers, Retrieval Analysts, and AI Strategists who can connect technical infrastructure with AI-first discovery.We also get into the essential skills for GEO success, from understanding NLP and embeddings to building content for machine consumption, testing with prompt engineering, and managing knowledge graphs. The episode highlights how organizations can design future-ready teams that think in systems, not just pages, and why a cultural shift toward experimentation and engineering is now critical.Read the full chapter at ipullrank.com/ai-search-manual
This episode is part of the AI Summary series covering the AI Search Manual chapter by chapter. Chapter 15 explores how simulation can give marketers an edge in Generative Engine Optimization by letting them test how AI-driven search systems retrieve, interpret, and present content before it goes live.The discussion covers practical approaches like building local retrieval simulations with tools such as LlamaIndex, running synthetic queries to mimic AI fan-out, and using LLM-based scoring pipelines to measure content readability, extractability, and semantic richness. It also looks at hallucination analysis through prompt templating and how feedback loops between simulation and production data can refine predictions over time.The episode makes the case that simulation is no longer an academic exercise but a strategic necessity for GEO, helping teams anticipate how systems like Google AI Overviews, Perplexity, and Copilot treat their content. By experimenting in controlled environments, brands can move faster, test more precisely, and reduce the guesswork that has long defined SEO.Read the full chapter at ipullrank.com/ai-search-manual
This episode is part of the AI Summary series covering the AI Search Manual chapter by chapter. Chapter 14 explores how attribution works in a generative search environment where the visible query is only the surface and the real retrieval happens behind the scenes.The discussion looks at query fan-out, where a simple user prompt splinters into dozens of synthetic subqueries targeting entities, attributes, and data sources. We cover techniques like query perturbation testing and co-citation analysis that help reverse engineer this process, exposing which content consistently surfaces and why.We also dive into the role of entities as the anchors of retrieval, explaining how entity mapping and query-entity attribution matrices create a clearer picture of eligibility. The episode highlights how merging these maps into a single dataset gives marketers a live control panel for understanding and shaping where their content appears in AI search.Read the full chapter at ipullrank.com/ai-search-manual
This episode is part of the AI Summary series covering the AI Search Manual chapter by chapter. Chapter 13 focuses on how to measure visibility in generative search engines, where the challenge is no longer about keyword rankings but about whether your content shows up inside AI-generated answers.The discussion covers methods like custom monitoring agents, log file analysis, and tracking AI bots such as GPTBot, ClaudeBot, and PerplexityBot to see when and how they're retrieving your content. It also explains how to use tools like FetchSERP to capture AI Overviews and AI Mode appearances, build dashboards that track citations over time, and connect retrieval signals to performance outcomes. By the end, you'll understand how to replace guesswork with data and measure your generative search footprint in a meaningful way.Read the full chapter at ipullrank.com/ai-search-manual
This episode is part of the AI Summary series covering the AI Search Manual chapter by chapter. Chapter 12 focuses on the “Measurement Chasm,” the gap between optimization efforts in Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and the business results most teams track.The discussion explains why traditional analytics break down in generative search, where systems like AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity retrieve and synthesize content without always sending clicks. We explore a three-tier framework for tracking GEO performance: input metrics (eligibility signals like passage relevance and bot activity), channel metrics (share of voice and citation prominence in generative results), and performance metrics (traffic, conversions, and brand lift).The episode also highlights practical ways to bridge the data gap, from server log analysis and clickstream modeling to direct monitoring of AI outputs. Instead of chasing a single “true” metric, Chapter 12 makes the case for layered, adaptive measurement systems that give teams enough visibility to make informed strategic choices.Read the full chapter at ipullrank.com/ai-search-manual
This episode is part of the AI Summary series covering the AI Search Manual chapter by chapter. Chapter 11 looks at how to build a content strategy for LLM-centric discovery, where AI systems—not just search engines—are the ones retrieving and synthesizing information.We explore how GEO content production starts with data-backed strategy, using tools like query and entity matrices to capture the full scope of a topic. The discussion then moves into practical steps for writing content that AI can understand, including semantic chunking, semantic triples, and the use of unique, specific insights that stand out in retrieval.The episode also highlights why entity co-occurrence and disambiguation matter, how structured data can go beyond Schema.org with custom ontologies and internal knowledge graphs, and why readability, originality, and diversified formats improve retrieval and citation. Finally, we outline the three laws of generative AI content, which clarify how AI should augment but not replace content strategy.Read the full chapter at ipullrank.com/ai-search-manual
This episode is part of the AI Summary series covering the AI Search Manual chapter by chapter. Chapter 10 explores Relevance Engineering in practice, showing how to apply GEO principles to create content that is retrievable, extractable, and visible in AI-driven search.We begin with semantic scoring and passage optimization, explaining how modern systems evaluate meaning at the passage level rather than relying on keyword density. The episode shows how embeddings represent content in vector space and why well-structured, semantically rich passages increase visibility in generative results.We walk through seven practical ways to tune embeddings, including topic clustering, content architecture, structured data, internal linking, and intent alignment. The discussion then introduces simulation techniques like prompt injection and retrieval simulation, which allow teams to test how AI interprets and retrieves their content.The chapter closes with a step-by-step Relevance Optimization Plan, covering audits for AI readability, latent intent research, content structuring, and iterative testing. Together, these practices provide a blueprint for aligning content with the way AI systems actually retrieve and assemble answers.Read the full chapter at ipullrank.com/ai-search-manual
This episode is part of the AI Summary series covering the AI Search Manual chapter by chapter. Chapter 10 explores Relevance Engineering in practice, showing how to apply GEO principles to create content that is retrievable, extractable, and visible in AI-driven search.We begin with semantic scoring and passage optimization, explaining how modern systems evaluate meaning at the passage level rather than relying on keyword density. The episode shows how embeddings represent content in vector space and why well-structured, semantically rich passages increase visibility in generative results.We walk through seven practical ways to tune embeddings, including topic clustering, content architecture, structured data, internal linking, and intent alignment. The discussion then introduces simulation techniques like prompt injection and retrieval simulation, which allow teams to test how AI interprets and retrieves their content.The chapter closes with a step-by-step Relevance Optimization Plan, covering audits for AI readability, latent intent research, content structuring, and iterative testing. Together, these practices provide a blueprint for aligning content with the way AI systems actually retrieve and assemble answers.Read the full chapter at ipullrank.com/ai-search-manual
This episode is part of the AI Summary series covering the AI Search Manual chapter by chapter. Chapter 9 focuses on how to appear in AI search results, outlining the GEO core practices that determine inclusion in generative answers.We start with the GEO Inclusion Checklist, where technical accessibility and content relevance overlap. The episode explains why clean semantic structure, open crawl access, sitemaps, and descriptive formatting are prerequisites for visibility. It also highlights the importance of clear topical focus, citations, and answer-like formatting that AI systems can extract directly.We then cover the role of specificity and extractable data points, showing why facts, figures, dates, and structured formats like tables are prioritized in synthesis. The discussion expands into structured data and schema, the value of user-generated content in domains like troubleshooting and product feedback, and how embedding-friendly, entity-rich language makes content more retrievable.Finally, we explore the advanced NLP building blocks that underpin GEO, including semantic chunking, triples, dependency parsing, coreference resolution, and embeddings. These techniques help position content so that generative systems can parse, validate, and reuse it in AI-driven results.Read the full chapter at ipullrank.com/ai-search-manual
This episode is part of the AI Summary series covering the AI Search Manual chapter by chapter. Chapter 8 explains query fan-out, latent intent, and source aggregation — the mechanics that turn a single user query into dozens of sub-queries driving generative answers.We explore how systems expand an input into related intents, identify explicit and implicit slots, generate rewrites, and anticipate follow-up questions. The episode shows how routing directs these sub-queries to different sources and modalities, from web indexes and APIs to video transcripts and structured data.We then break down the selection funnel, where retrieved chunks are filtered by extractability, evidence density, scope clarity, authority, freshness, and safety before reaching synthesis. High-quality content often gets excluded if it fails on structure or format, which highlights why chunk-level engineering matters as much as page-level optimization.The strategic takeaway is clear: winning in GEO requires intent coverage across the fan-out, multi-modal parity so content fits the system's preferred formats, and chunk-level readiness for synthesis. Measurement also changes, shifting from keyword rankings to sub-query recall, evidence density, and citation stability.Read the full chapter at ipullrank.com/ai-search-manual
This episode is part of the AI Summary series covering the AI Search Manual chapter by chapter. Chapter 7 takes a deep dive into the architecture of leading AI search platforms, breaking down how each system retrieves, ranks, and synthesizes information.We start with the core Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) pattern, which grounds large language models in real-time data. The episode explains embedding-based indexing, hybrid pipelines that blend lexical and semantic retrieval, and why passage-level clarity and extractability are now as important as keyword targeting.We then compare Google AI Overviews and AI Mode, ChatGPT with browsing, Bing Copilot, and Perplexity AI. Each has its own approach to query understanding, reranking, and citation, which means the levers for visibility differ by platform. Google rewards breadth of coverage and multi-intent relevance, Bing favors hybrid SEO strength and clean passages, Perplexity emphasizes clarity and transparency, while ChatGPT depends on real-time accessibility.The discussion closes with a platform-by-platform GEO playbook, showing how retrievability, extractability, and trust signals form the consistent sequence of gates every brand must pass to appear in AI-generated answers.Read the full chapter at ipullrank.com/ai-search-manual
This episode is part of the AI Summary series covering the AI Search Manual chapter by chapter. Chapter 6 traces the evolution of information retrieval from simple lexical matching to today's neural systems that power generative search.We start with the foundations of inverted indexes and lexical search, which drove early SEO practices like exact keyword targeting. The episode then explores the rise of embeddings, where meaning is captured in vector space, enabling systems to connect related terms and concepts beyond surface-level matches.We discuss how Google now embeds not just words and documents but entire websites, authors, entities, and users, creating a high-dimensional map of relevance. The introduction of transformers, BERT, GPT, and later MUM reshaped retrieval into a multimodal and multilingual process, capable of reasoning across text, images, and more. We also cover Muvera, a breakthrough in scaling multi-vector retrieval efficiently, and why embeddings have become the universal language of AI-driven search.For brands, the shift is clear: content visibility depends on semantic alignment, structured depth, and occupying the right neighborhoods in embedding space so that generative systems surface your work in synthesized answers.Read the full chapter at ipullrank.com/ai-search-manual
This episode is part of the AI Summary series covering the AI Search Manual chapter by chapter. Chapter 5 explains why Google is uniquely positioned to dominate the generative AI race.We look at how Google's advantage comes from its proprietary data scale, first-party chips (TPUs), and a portfolio of billion-user products that provide constant feedback loops. The episode explores how Google's invention of the Transformer architecture set the foundation for modern AI, and how its integration across platforms like Search, YouTube, Maps, and Gmail makes its reach and influence unmatched.The discussion highlights the role of AI Overviews, now the most widely used generative product, appearing in over half of all searches worldwide. This scale creates a self-reinforcing cycle of user data, model improvements, and adoption. For brands, the message is clear: visibility in Google's AI summaries is now the front line of discovery.Read the full chapter at ipullrank.com/ai-search-manual
This episode is part of the AI Summary series covering the AI Search Manual chapter by chapter. Chapter 4 examines the new gatekeepers of discovery and how Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is reshaping visibility across platforms.We break down Google's dominance with AI Overviews, AI Mode, and Gemini, and how the Great Decoupling has changed the value exchange between publishers and search engines. The episode also explores how OpenAI's ChatGPT, Perplexity, Anthropic's Claude, and Microsoft's Copilot each approach discovery differently, with their own strengths, limitations, and implications for brands.The discussion compares AI-driven answers with traditional ranked search results, showing how visibility now depends on inclusion in summaries rather than position on a page. We also cover the difference between crawl-based discovery and API-based access, and why knowing how your content is being ingested by these systems is central to building a GEO strategy.Read the full chapter at ipullrank.com/ai-search-manual.
This episode is part of the AI Summary series covering the AI Search Manual chapter by chapter. Chapter 3 explores the progression from keywords to questions, to full conversations, and now to intent orchestration.We examine how search moved from simple keyword matching to intent recognition, natural language queries, and conversational context retention. The chapter highlights why SEO is no longer about matching words, but about aligning with user purpose and enabling multi-turn discovery across topics.The episode also looks ahead to proactive agents that anticipate needs and prompt inversion, where AI asks users for missing context. We break down how systems decompose queries into subqueries, retrieve passages, and rewrite inputs to improve results. Finally, we introduce the idea of designing content for two audiences: people and AI agents. Human UX and Agent Experience (AX) now coexist, and brands need to structure information so it can be understood, reused, and surfaced by AI systems.Read the full chapter at ipullrank.com/ai-search-manual
This episode is part of the AI Summary series covering the AI Search Manual chapter by chapter. Chapter 2 examines how user behavior is shifting in the generative era, where people rely less on clicks and more on synthesized answers.We discuss the impact of Google's AI Overviews, which now dominate search results, reduce click-through rates, and reshape how users consume information. The episode highlights how prompts are becoming the new queries, why prompt quality determines output quality, and how multi-turn, conversational search is replacing single keyword lookups.We also explore the risks of misplaced trust in AI-generated answers, the growing role of personal context and memory in shaping search results, and the biases that influence what users see. For brands, this means fewer but more intentional visits, making visibility in AI systems and trust signals more important than ever.Read the full chapter at ipullrank.com/ai-search-manual
This episode is part of the AI Summary series, which covers iPullRank's AI Search Manual chapter by chapter. Chapter 1 examines how search has evolved from “10 blue links” to AI-driven answers, altering how audiences discover and evaluate brands.We trace the evolution from Universal Search and the Knowledge Graph to large language models, such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude, which generate conversational results and reduce the need for clicks. The discussion explains the move from SEO to GEO, Generative Engine Optimization, where the focus is on semantic clarity, authority, and multimodal content that machines can interpret and present.The episode also introduces Relevance Engineering and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), which show how information is retrieved, scored for relevance, and synthesized into answers. These concepts set the stage for building strategies that position content to be included in AI summaries rather than excluded from them.Read the whole chapter at ipullrank.com/ai-search-manual
Cut through the bullshit of online gurus. Erica Schneider provides frameworks, processes, and examples that actually help content creators edit their stuff to make it more attention-grabbing, interesting, and helpful. In this episode, she shares her personal editing rituals, how the hell you get past your own editing roadblocks, and the key differences between crappy blog writing and attention-span-deficient social writing. Find out what changed her perspective on the role of Generative AI writing and how she incorporates it into her writing and editing process. You're going to learn a few neat little formulas and AI models that can speed you up while maintaining your own personal authenticity. [0:00] Intro [1:20] Starting a business with young twins [3:20] Personal editing rituals: Developmental edits followed by copyedits [6:35] Editing roadblocks: Using frameworks like SCQA (Situation, Challenge, Question, Answer) to move forward [8:38] The key differences between editing for digital platforms and traditional copywriting [10:50] How should you start a blog post so it doesn't suck? Story driven? Data-driven? [12:56] How will GenAI change the game for writers? It's an assistant [15:55] Spotting crappy GenAI content and how to fix it [17:50] Concerns around AI killing authenticity [20:35] Learn how to communicate clearly [21:50] Social is exhausting. Perspectives on changing communities [24:10] Rapid Fire Rankings
In episode 130, Christian Ward joins Garrett for a deep dive into the application and impact of AI in both personal and professional spheres. Christian is bullish on AI in daily operations, highlighting its power to enhance learning, decision-making, and efficiency through real-world applications. He discusses leveraging AI for everything from understanding data partnerships to automating tasks and analyses, underscoring the importance of practical usage over theoretical knowledge to unlock AI's potential.Christian and Garrett explore the evolving nature of digital ecosystems, predicting a future where conversational AI breaks down the barriers of traditional user interfaces, making technology more accessible and intuitive.Christian foresees a significant shift in how marketers and businesses approach customer engagement, moving from a reliance on monologues to embracing dialogues facilitated by AI. This change, he argues, will revolutionize personalization, making interactions more meaningful and customer-centric, thereby enhancing the consumer experience in unprecedented ways.The conversation touches on the broader implications of AI on privacy, content creation, and the digital landscape, suggesting a future where AI not only simplifies but also democratizes access to technology. Christian believes personal AI assistants will manage our interactions with brands and services before long, ensuring privacy and efficiency.Both agree that the integration of AI into daily life and business is inevitable, urging everyone to embrace this transformation proactively. [0:00] Intro[1:07] How do you use AI in your day-to-day?[3:30] Will AI change user behavior?[7:30] The exponential advancement of AI and the frictionless abstraction layer[11:15] Will brands and digital ecosystems be siloed in the future?[14:50] Implications of AI on marketers - monologues vs. dialogues[18:15] Data privacy in the age of AI[21:40] Thoughts on IP copyrights - the NYTimes lawsuit against OpenAI[24:31] Rapid Fire RankingsTop 5 Changes to MarketingCookie DeprivationTwo Choices - Tracking or ZPDSEO Content Generation & ToolsFrom Monologue to DialoguesCMO Metrics OverhaulTop 5 AI ExpectationsAI Efficiency at WorkPrompt InversionAI Model ConvergenceConversational UI's ExplodePersonal AI UsageTop 5 Tools to Try to LearnChatGPT: Best best-around tool to learn what's possibleOpus: Brilliant for cutting videos and creating AI postsSwell: Video or Audio AI tool for postsReflect: Note-taking application and Personal Knowledge GraphAnthropic: Excellent alternative to GPT(Shameless Plug): YextTop 5 People to Follow for AIEthan Mollick (Academic & Theory)Rowan Cheung (General AI)Paul Roetzer (Marketing AI)Allie Miller (AI Applied)Cassie Kozyrkov (Decision Science and AI)
In episode 129, Erika Varangouli shares the time, effort, and marketing discussions that went into Semrush's 2023 Ranking Factors study. Too often, uninformed SEOs will use statistics from these correlation studies and use them to serve their own agendas despite them not proving causation. Erika argues that the data still has value to inform and guide us. We can apply the insights to hypotheses and experiments to our own websites without using it purely as a prescriptive playbook. She explains why the team landed on a study called 'Ranking Factors' and used their own metrics quantified as 'Content Quality.' Resources: Semrush 2023 Ranking Factors Study - https://www.semrush.com/blog/ranking-factors-semrush-study/ [0:00] Intro [1:30] The Semrush Ranking Factors Study - What is it? [3:20] The methodology to address the correlation implications. [6:20] How should SEOs remain skeptical yet find value in these SEO correlation studies? [10:15] Highlighting limitations and the nature of correlation. [12:20] How did you decide on the controversial title and the marketing of the study? The metrics created behind 'content quality.' [19:45] Big insights and takeaways from the Ranking Factors Study [22:00] What's your take on SGE and GenAI based on the study's findings? [26:30] Do you think Brand recognition should trump content quality in search rankings? [30:05] Rapid Fire Rankings
In episode 128, Joel Klettke of Case Study Buddy drops by to discuss the underrated value of the case study for SEO and beyond.Joel argues that a well-designed customer story is not a fluff piece. How do your buyers talk? Should you use jargon in your customer stories? Klettke shares his experience of creating a buffet of content from your customer story interviews.----------[0:00] Intro [2:57] How can B2B companies effectively integrate SEO strategies into their customer success stories to enhance their online visibility? [5:17] From an SEO and human perspective should you try to use jargon in the content of the customer story? [7:35] Don't limit the use cases and potential of your case studies. [10:50] Leveraging case study videos for SEO value. [12:45] Are SEOs involved in case study creation? Should they be? [15:10] Who should own case study creation? [17:45] Does the case study deliverable go according to plan? What's the output? [23:25] Rapid Fire RankingsRank your best SEO marketing win:Having multi-billion dollar enterprises come to us due to word of mouth/our niche specialization. Rank your top 3 SEO tools: My opinion on these is worthless lol. Honestly, I don't do SEO anymore; so pretty light here.AhrefsSemrushScreamingFrogRank your best SEO or trick or tactic:Have a repurposing plan that includes video. What's the biggest scam in SEO that you've recently seen?There was all the controversy around that brand generating a huge amount of AI content and 'stealing' market share from competitors.I had to laugh -- yes, the generating content part might be questionable with the tech, but SEOs have been ripping off each others' strategies for YEARS, so I'm not sure what made this so special other than the cockiness in the way it was shared.Rank what you love most about the SEO industry:Probably what I also hated most about it when it was my job: it is always changing.Rank your top 1-3 marketers:Sam WoodsAndy CrestodinaJohn-Henry ScherckJoanna WiebeStefan GeorgianWhat's your Generative AI hottake?My hot take on this is that generative AI can, in fact, generate creative content.There's this weird notion that since it was trained on other content, generative AI is unable to come up with original ideas. That's only somewhat true because we're missing half the equation: the human using it.I've seen how introducing creative prompts can drive wild, new ideas out of generative AI, especially when it comes to imagery. Yes, it's anchored in the past, but it can iterate toward the future. Rank your best SEO learning resource: I... honestly wouldn't even know where to go these days. Rank your top cause or charity:Ronald McDonald House -- meaningful to me because we've had friends make use of it; having a place to be close to your children in their worst and most heart-wrenching, uncertain moments is a HUGE blessing for those who need it.
In episode 127, Chris Butterworth stops by to shed light on the critical yet often overlooked topic of digital sustainability.Chris discusses the importance of education around digital sustainability and strategies to impact change and the carbon footprint of your company.He also addresses how to engage people in caring about their digital footprint and the environmental impact of LLMs and Generative AI. He shared his thoughts on the responsibility of large companies in reducing their digital footprint.(0:00) Intro(1:53) Defining Digital Sustainability(3:43) Education in Digital Sustainability(5:15) Regulations Around Digital Carbon Footprint(6:50) How to Fight for Change in the Digital Landscape(10:46) What Responsibility Do Large Companies Have in Improving Our Digital Footprint?(13:35) Who are the People at Organizations Launching Reduction Initiatives?(15:30) How to Implement Sustainability Changes at an Organization(17:47) How to Get People to Care About Their Digital Footprint(20:25) The Environmental Impact of LLMs and Generative AI(23:30) Don't Feel Guilty(25:54) Reducing Your Digital Footprint(27:11) Rapid Fire RankingsTop 3 of anything:MusicFamilyThe PlanetRank your best SEO marketing win:Redesigned a website to make it incredibly lightweight which while migrating domain and URLs boosted rankings.Rank your top 3 SEO tools:Screaming FrogWebmaster ToolsHemingwayRank your best SEO or trick or tactic:Focus on conversion over winning traffic.Rank what you love most about the SEO industry:It can be used to shorten user journeys.Rank your top 1-3 marketers:Tim FrickMark ButcherTom GreenwoodRank your best SEO learning resource:Your own experience.Rank your top cause or charity:Big Orange Heart
In episode 126, Ryan Law of Ahrefs stops by to discuss the complexities and potential of Generative AI in content creation and SEO.Ryan shares insights on how SEO will be impacted by generative AI content and whether it will devalue SEO as a channel in the future.We also discuss what this means for the importance of E-E-A-T (Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) in content going forward, the ideal direction for Google in search results, & what the next five years might look like in SEO.(0:00) Intro(3:11) Generative AI Content(4:07) The Fear Around Artificial Intelligence(5:36) The Right Way to Use GenAI(6:36) Transparency Around the Use of Gen AI(8:52) How Will SEO be Impacted by Generative AI Content(10:45) Does GenAI Devalue SEO as a Channel?(11:47) Will We Always Need Humans for Content Creation?(12:35) How AI Can Challenge Humans in Thought Leadership?(13:50) The Importance of EEAT Going Forward(15:47) How Will Google Adjust?(16:40) The Ideal Direction for Google to Go in Search Results(18:52) How GenAI Can Solve the Personalization Problem in Search?(21:27) What Will the Next 5 Years Look Like?(22:19) The Hardest Content to Make Right Now(23:46) How GenAI Will Change Keyword Research(25:17) The Next Generation of Search(25:55) Rapid Fire RankingsTop 3 of anything:The Lord of the RingsThe Malazan Book of the FallenA Song of Ice and FireRank your best SEO marketing win:I Googled 50 of the best-looking digital marketing agencies in the UK.I wrote a bunch of flattering stuff about their blogging strategies.I hit publish and emailed every agency.One agency asked if I had availability for a test project. another asked about a retainer.It snowballed from there.I used my "agency experience" as social proof for more outreach soon, one agency offered me a full-time role to stop me from working with their competitors, setting me on the path to a role as agency VP - nearly a decade later.Rank your top 3 SEO tools:AhrefsClearscopeScreaming FrogRank your best SEO or trick or tactic:Routinely running experiments to collect original, first-hand data that no other company possesses.Rank what you love most about the SEO industry:The problem-solving!Working out what people are looking for, how you can deliver it, how you can bring new value to the SERP.It's a big, fun game.Rank your top 1-3 marketers:Tim SouloAmanda NatividadBryan CaseyRank your best SEO learning resource:Ahrefs aside, I really enjoyed the BlueArray Technical SEO course.Rank your top cause or charity:Support Devin Through Cancer
In episode 125, Victor Pan of HubSpot joins the show for a deep exploration into the world of search intent and its broader implications.Victor shares some insight into the Department of Justice's lawsuit against Google, examining its relationship with search intent. He provides some valuable thoughts on the complexities of understanding search intent and how it shapes user experiences online.We also discuss the concept of the data void in search, information gain, and the impact on information accessibility and quality.(0:00) Intro(1:55) Search Intent and the DOJ Lawsuit Against Google(8:11) Understanding Search Intent(15:31) The Data Void in Search(24:40) The Value of Information Gain(40:43) Rapid Fire RankingsTop 3 of anything:Uncomfortable SilencesConspiracy TheoriesWeird things on the internetRank your best SEO marketing win:HubSpot EcosystemRank your top 3 SEO tools:HubSpotAhrefsSEMrushRank your best SEO or trick or tactic:Keep your old URLs over creating new ones.Rank what you love most about the SEO industry:It's not new.It's always "dying"There's no one way to be successful in an SEO career.Rank your top 1-3 marketers:Mike KingGarrett SussmanWhoever I can run into at a conference that is producing great work onlineRank your best SEO learning resource:Reach out to people who really know their stuff.HubSpot Academy.Rank your top cause or charity:Wire money directly to the causes you believe in. Mine is the Ukranian armed forces.
In episode 124, we're joined by Bernard Huang of Clearscope to dissect the evolving landscape of search and AI.Bernard chats with us about the past year's developments in search and AI and weighs in on whether Google is finally mastering search results.We also discuss his predictions for Google's Search Generative Experience, whether search will become fragmented in the years to come, and Bernard shares some deep insights around information gain.(0:00] Intro(1:38) The Past Year in Search and AI(4:21) Is Google Starting to Get Search Results Right?(11:58) Query Expansion vs Information Gain(18:25) Query Diversification(21:57) Predictions for Google's Search Generative Experience(28:03) Will Search be Fragmented in the Future?(34:00) Rapid Fire RankingsTop 3 of anything:Rare SteakSaunaThat's it!Rank your best SEO marketing win:We did a Food Crawl at SXSW. We ended up getting over 23,000 RSVPs.It got so big that SXSW made it an official food crawl in partnership with the festival.Rank your top 3 SEO tools:ClearscopeGoogle Search ConsoleGoogle SERPSRank your best SEO or trick or tactic:Understand the searcher's intent. Make sure your title tag matches the tags for the query, and make sure you're above the fold experience answers the question as quickly as possible.Rank what you love most about the SEO industry:It's constantly changing.Rank your top 1-3 marketers:Mike KingKevin IndigLily RayBONUS: Aleyda SolisRank your best SEO learning resource:Clearscope Webinars.Rank your top cause or charity:Women In Tech SEO
In episode 123, we welcome Kristin Tynski for a deep dive into the dynamic world of Generative AI.We chat about the wealth of new developments over the last year in Generative AI and some key takeaways from OpenAI's Dev Day presentation earlier this month. Kristin shares some thoughts on how organizations can effectively adopt Generative AI, offering actionable insights for businesses.We also discuss the importance of incorporating subject matter expertise into AI systems for enhanced accuracy and relevance and Kristin gives a few predictions for what the world of AI could look like in 2024.--------------(0:00) Intro(2:10) The Last Year in Generative AI(5:47) GPT 3.5 Expectations vs Reality(7:51) Biggest Takeaways from OpenAI Dev Day(11:17) How Your Organization Can Adopt Generative AI?(16:43) Incorporating Subject Matter Expertise(21:34) How Trustworthy are Generative AI Results?(24:50) AI Predictions for 2024(33:25) Rapid Fire Rankings-------------Top 3 of anything:• My Daughter• My Wife• Running a Family BusinessRank your best SEO marketing win:Serendipitously, in the months before that, I had been working on a content idea for a site called Lawsuit.org, owned by Fractl. The goal was to come up with something interesting and newsworthy. I realized through some Fractl work that my local county has a database of all arrest and traffic stop records.We undertook a large scraping project to gather all the data we could from Palm Beach County, looking at police activities, anomalies, and if certain officers had disproportionately high arrest rates of African American people. While we found some anomalies, nothing was super groundbreaking. However, it proved that you could scrape a county's police data and identify potential issues.I published this on Hacker News, Reddit, and other platforms. The content did really well, especially on Reddit, likely due to its coincidence with the George Floyd situation. People were looking for tangible ways to contribute.I suggested on Reddit the idea of doing this for every county, not just Palm Beach County. The Reddit post went viral, leading to a Slack group where about 2,500 people joined in a few days. It self-organized from there, with little input from me after the first few weeks, turning into a community. A law firm helped turn it into a nonprofit, which received $250,000 in funding.Rank your top 3 SEO tools:• SEMRush• Ahrefs• SERP APIBONUS: AppifyRank your best SEO or trick or tactic:Creating content that is truly adding new and newsworthy information, which requires doing some sort of data analysis.You need to create something really that hasn't existed before, and that is adding value in an entirely new way.Rank what you love most about the SEO industry:I love how dynamic it is. I love how quickly it changes.Rank your top 1-3 marketers:• Mike King• Britney Muller• Rand FishkinRank your best SEO learning resource:I think for the more advanced stuff, you're going to find the most interesting, cutting-edge stuff inside of closed groups.Rank your top cause or charity:Police Data Accessibility ProjectMedical Aid for Palestinians
In episode 122, Susan Wenograd takes the stage to share her profound insights into the dynamic world of Google Ads.Susan shares thoughts on the current state of Google Ads, providing a comprehensive overview of the latest trends and developments and discusses how to expertly navigate some of these new challenges.She also outlines how Google's SGE could impact Google Ads, unlocking exciting new possibilities and avenues for growth.(0:00) Intro(2:31) The Current State of Google Ads(4:21) How to Navigate the New Google Ads(5:45) The Iteration Process for Google Ads(9:35) Will Google Ads Improve Over the Next Year?(13:05) Ideal improvements to Google Ads(16:09) Impact on Black Friday(19:00) What Role Will Google Ads Play in SGE?(21:45) How SGE Could Benefit Google Ads(22:42) Creative Trends in Social Ads(26:16) Rapid Fire RankingsTop 3 of anything:• My Family• My Dogs• TravelingRank your best marketing win:This past year, pretty much every audit where I've met with resistance when I've said “You need to stop controlling this.” And every client that shared results has gotten better.Rank your number 1 Ad Tool:Google Search Terms.Rank your best Google Ads trick or tactic:You can either choose to try to control the match types or you can control the audience and be less controlling about the search terms.What I recommend that a lot of brands do is add observation audiences. Add as many as you can that make sense to your brand campaigns.You can then take those audiences, make a campaign that's filtered only to people that match those markets, and then run a broad match against them.You learn a lot about what they search for.Rank what you love most about digital advertising:It's never boring.Rank your top 1-3 marketers:• Mike King• Jess Cook• Kirk WilliamsRank your best digital advertising learning resource:Talking to other marketers one on one.Rank your top cause or charity:Lone Star Dog Ranch.
In episode 121, Britney Muller of Data Sci 101 takes the stage to unravel the complex world of artificial intelligence and LLMs, guiding us through the most critical aspects of this cutting-edge technology.Britney shares her thoughts on the ethical risks that AI poses and the actionable strategies for mitigating biases in AI.We also discuss the urgent need for AI education and Britney addresses the concerns around trust in LLMs when connected to the internet and the uncertainty around their factual accuracy.Check out her deep-dive Beginner's Guide to LLMs(0:00) Intro(3:51) The Need for AI Education(6:45) Can You Trust LLMs to Get Facts When Connected to the Internet?(8:42) The Appropriate Use Cases for LLMs(11:40) The Ethical Risks of AI(17:20) How to Solve the Problem of Biases in AI(21:37) The Most Valuable Applications for Generative AI(23:39) You are Not Behind in the Age of AI(25:45) Rapid Fire RankingsTop 3 of anything:Automating InequalityThinking In SystemsWeapons of Math DestructionBONUS: Algorithms of OppressionRank your best SEO marketing win:It's a tie between ranking for Bert 101, ML Directors or getting one of my ML experts featured in 60 minutes (have gotten reeeaaallly good at PR lately if I do say so myself).Rank your top 3 SEO tools:Google.comGetSTATSparkToroRank your best SEO or trick or tactic:Newsjacking - Jumping on a trend (like Barbie or T.Swift).Rank what you love most about the SEO industry:The ability to help people and companies get more deserved visibility.Rank your top 1-3 marketers:Mike KingKristin TynskiPhil NottinghamRank your best SEO learning resource:I'm biased but the Beginner's Guide to SEO on Moz (rewritten by yours truly).Rank your top cause or charity:Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
In episode 120, Dave Ojeda stops by to chat about the intricacies of Schema markup.Dave emphasizes the value of Schema and its role beyond enhancing search engine visibility. We discuss entities and the relationship they have with semantic Schema markup as well as how they enrich the context of your content.Dave also highlights common mistakes to avoid when working with Schema and the advantages of implementing Schema markup within your organization.(0:00) Intro(4:02) The Value of Schema(7:19) Entities in the Context of Schema(9:03) The Advantage of Schema Markup(11:13) How to Implement Schema Markup at Your Organization?(14:05) How will the Importance of Schema Change in the Future?(18:35) Common Mistakes People Make With Schema(23:00) Rapid Fire RankingsTop 3 of anything:Star WarsJawsClose Encounters of the Third KindRank your best SEO marketing win:Years ago I was brought in because a client was losing rankings and pages were getting de-indexed. What we realized was that the pages were from a certain group that controlled a certain area of the site. And it ended up being a disgruntled employee who was intentionally making changes to impact the site's rankings.Rank your top 3 SEO tools:Schema AppKeyword InsightsSite BulbRank your best SEO or trick or tactic:Live in the SERPs. Use the tools as a guide, but live in the SERPs.Rank what you love most about the SEO industry:It's always changing.Rank your top 1-3 marketers:Martha van BerkelJess JoyceJarno van DrielRank your best SEO learning resource:Conversations.Rank your top cause or charity:Habitat for Humanity.
In episode 119, Serge Bezborodov of JetOctopus joins the show for an enlightening conversation about technical SEO at the enterprise level.Serge shares thoughts on the uniqueness of technical SEO and discusses the critical data types that hold significance in the space. We discuss key features to pay attention to in your technical SEO software and best practices for effectively crawling large websites.Serge also dishes out some strategies to identify and address JavaScript SEO issues and improve your communication with developers.(0:00) Intro(3:15) What is Unique about Technical SEO?(4:40) What Type of Data Matters for Technical SEO?(8:30) Key Features to Look For in Your Technical SEO Software(12:12) Best Practices for Crawling Large Sites(16:13) Identifying Javascript SEO Issues(20:57) Communicating with Developers(23:07) Rapid Fire RankingsTop 3 of anything:MotorcyclesSpear FishingFamilyRank your best SEO marketing win:More than 10 years ago we built and bought some backlinks and got a huge amount of traffic.Rank your top 3 SEO tools:GSCAhrefsYour handsRank your best SEO or trick or tactic:Seeing the results and impact.Rank what you love most about the SEO industry:It's always changing.Rank your top 1-3 marketers:Our clients.Rank your best SEO learning resource:Google Web Master Tools.Rank your top cause or charity: Save Life
In episode 118, Brie Anderson of BEAST Analytics joins the show to talk Google Analytics 4 (GA4) and its impact on SEO.Brie shares thoughts on the issues with GA4 auto-migration and discusses how to rethink measuring your digital presence.We also explore the fundamental differences between Universal Analytics (UA) and GA4 and discuss the most important aspects of GA4 that every SEO should be aware of.(0:00) Intro(2:52) GA4 Auto-Migration(5:25) Rethinking How You Measure Your Digital Presence(9:35) GA4 Reporting for SEO(12:42) Why SEOs Should Learn GA4(15:04) Fundamental Differences Between UA and GA4(18:09) Is GA4 for Everybody?(21:28) How to Approach Attribution in 2023(27:26) The Most Important Things SEOs Should Know About GA4(29:51) Rapid Fire RankingsTop 3 of anything:Wyatt's song, The Wonder YearsMiserable at best, Mayday ParadeIf it means a lot to you, A Day to RememberRank your best SEO marketing win:Finding thousands of dollars of waste in a campaign because the client had the same name as an action figure and plumbing product - CPA went way down after excluding a bunch of keywords.Rank your top 3 SEO tools:Search ConsoleScreaming FrogMozRank your best SEO or trick or tactic:Actually looking at SERPs .Rank what you love most about the SEO industry:It's always changing.Rank your top 1-3 marketers:Marie HayesCharles FarinaRand FishkinRank your best SEO learning resource:YouTube & Twitter.Rank your top cause or charity:To Write Love On Her Arms
In episode 117, Jason Tatum, VP of Product at CallRail, joins the show to discuss AI-Powered call tracking and how it can be used to uplift your SEO efforts.Jason highlights the valuable relationship between AI-powered call tracking and SEO, emphasizing the identification of patterns and trends.We also glimpse into the future of AI at CallRail and discuss the ways that organizations are seamlessly implementing the technology into SEO and marketing processes.(0:00) Intro(10:20) AI-Powered Call Tracking and the Relationship to SEO(15:15) How to Identify Patterns and Trends(17:02) How Marketing Teams are Using CallRail Summaries(18:31) How Marketers Apply Brand Sentiment Insights from Summaries(20:51) The Future of AI at CallRail(25:38) How to Implement This Technology into SEO Processes(27:30) Conversation Intelligence with CallRail(30:50) Rapid Fire RankingsTop 3 of anything:CyclingGreat BritainLifeRank your best Product marketing win:When Google Data Studio was first released, we got invited to be a part of the beta. We got the CallRail link up on the Google Studio page. That's my best win.Rank your top 3 Product tools:Pen & PaperAtlasHeyRank your best SEO or Product trick or tactic:Have call summaries setup.Rank what you love most about being in the Product industry:Making people's businesses and days better.Rank your top 1-3 marketers:Laura BeussmanMarie Pat DonallenAndy PowellRank your best SEO or Product learning resource:Neil Patel & Rand FishkinRank your top cause or charity:Bike Law
In episode 116, Lyndon Nelson-Allen stops by the show to have an in-depth discussion about search intent.Lyndon sheds light on what SEOs often misunderstand about search intent and provides insights into how Google approaches and evaluates intent using various signals and factors.We also chat about the reasons why Google may not always provide the "best" answer and the challenges surrounding content quality on the web.(0:00) Intro(2:30) What Do SEOs Get Wrong About Search Intent?(3:40) How Does Google Think About Intent?(4:43) Signals and Factors(6:25) How Should SEOs Approach Content?(8:27) Why Doesn't Google Provide the Best Answer?(10:22) SEO is Relative(11:58) Original Content vs Replication(13:53) SERP Volatility(15:55) Have Results Improved?(17:48) Are We Being Retrained by Google?(21:25) The Issue with Content Quality on the Web(24:20) Creativity vs Information(26:12) How SGE Will Impact List(28:33) Will Google Get Transactions Right?(30:03) Rapid Fire RankingsTop 3 of anything:My kidsCoconutSupernaturalRank your best SEO marketing win:16%+ CTR on Google Ads is likely my favorite (as it's just such a stupidly high figure).Rank your top 3 SEO tools:Google Search ConsoleSemrushPHP & MySQLRank your best SEO trick or tactic:Building out content stacks.Rank what you love most about SEO as an industry:Winning!Being able to apply knowledge/skills/experience from numerous jobs.Rank your top 1-3 marketers:David OgilvyShaun Anderson (HoboWeb)Ann SmartyRank your best SEO learning resource:Forums.Rank your top cause or charity:Women in Tech SEOTwitter: @techseowomen
In episode 115, Jack Chambers-Ward of Candour joins the show to chat about bias in Google search results and how these results are influenced by our own biases.We discuss the influence of language in search queries and examine the potential biases associated with Large Language Models.We also tackle the important question of Google's responsibility in surfacing diverse content and discuss approaches that both individuals and organizations can take when handling existing biases.(0:00) Intro(3:25) Are Google Search Results Biased?(5:05) The Influence of Language in Queries(9:49) Are LLMs Biased?(13:30) Checking Your Own Biases When Searching with Google(21:45) What is Google's Responsibility in Surfacing Diverse Content?(25:15) How to Handle Existing Biases(28:11) Rapid Fire RankingsRank your top 3 anything:Ahab - The Coral TombsKatatonia - Sky Void of StarsPeriphery - Djent is Not a GenreRank your best SEO marketing win:Resolving hreflang tag & canonical issues on an international ecommerce site. Traffic is now up by more than 600% as the international pages are now ranking in the correct regions!Rank your top 3 SEO tools:SistrixAlsoAskedSitebulbRank your best SEO trick or tactic:Internal links - especially with ecommerce - are hugely underrated. Guiding users through a purchase journey, in every stage of that journey, can be really powerful.Rank what you love most about SEO as an industry:The variety of challenges and topics - there's always something new to learn!Rank your top 1-3 marketers:Mark Williams-CookAreej AbuAliMordy ObersteinRank your best SEO learning resource:Aleyda Solis' Learning SEO Rank your top cause or charity:The Hamlet. A charity that supports people ages 0-29 with special educational needs and disabilities.
In episode 114, Christoph Cemper, founder of prompt library AIPRM, stops by to talk ChatGPT, AIPRM, and the power small business can harness with generative AI.Christoph sheds light on what small businesses need to understand about how these generative AI tools work and emphasizes the importance of a well-crafted prompt to unleash their full potential.We also explore the barriers preventing SMBs from utilizing generative AI and uncover the remarkable productivity boost the tool offers.(0:00) Intro(2:22) The World of AI(5:55) ChatGPT for SEO(7:42) What Small Businesses Need to Understand about ChatGPT(12:18) The Importance of Having a Good Prompt(14:38) Recommendations for Small Businesses(20:24) What's Stopping SMBs From Using Generative AI?(23:45) The Efficiency of Generative AI(27:30) The Future of Generative AI(33:52) Rapid Fire RankingsRank your best SEO marketing win:AIPRM by far.Rank your top 3 SEO tools:SystrixAhrefsSemrushRank your best SEO trick or tactic:Use a brandable name.Rank what you love most about SEO as an industry:The reverse engineering part. Investigative, experimental, testing.Rank your top 1-3 marketers:Jim BoykinFrank KernMike KingRank your best SEO learning resource:Forums.Rank your top cause or charity:SOS Children's Villages
In episode 113, Adriana Stein stops by the show to dispel misconceptions and explore the dynamic relationship between UX and SEO.Adriana shares some thoughts on the impact of popups & paywall sites on rankings and the importance of audience research when it comes to the success of your product.We also surface some valuable insights around optimizing UX, readability, and the role that generative AI will play in the future.(0:00) Intro(2:37) Misconceptions Around UX as a Ranking Factor(4:49) Do Popups Impact Rankings?(6:55) Paywall Sites(8:14) Educating Clients on SEO & UX(11:17) How SEO & UX Work Together(14:15) The Importance of Audience Research(16:22) Online Shopping vs Brick & Mortar(17:54) Best Practices for UX & SEO(20:37) The Importance of Readability(22:35) Are Consumers UX Expectations Changing?(28:00) Rapid Fire RankingsRank your top anything:SloveniaSouth AfricaNorwayRank your best SEO marketing win:I got a single content piece to generate around 840 natural backlinks.Rank your top 3 SEO tools:Google Search ConsoleSemrushScreaming FrogRank your best SEO trick or tactic:Keyword localization for multi-language SEO success.Rank what you love most about SEO as an industry:The supportive community within it, especially Women in Tech SEO.When you see your content is generating conversions and driving revenue.Brainstorming the unique story within the brand.Rank your top 1-3 marketers:Areej AbuAliChris WalkerChristopher LochheadRank your best SEO learning resource:Real websites with real data!Rank your top cause or charity:Rise Up Together
In episode 112, Tess Voecks of Local SEO Guide joins the show for a discussion about the importance of project management and how it relates to SEO.Tess emphasizes the need for businesses to organize themselves effectively before starting any project and highlights a few common mistakes that businesses make in their operations.We also chat about why communication is a superpower in project management and the need to identify and manage potential risks to ensure project success.(0:00) Intro(1:25) Why is Project Management Important?(2:50) Why Project Management Matters for SEO(6:40) Organizing Your Business Before You Start(8:43) What Do Most Businesses Get Wrong About Operations?(11:14) Adaptability and Communication(15:05) Risk Mitigation(18:01) Change Management(20:15) Controlling People is Hard(22:00) Rapid Fire RankingsRank your top anything:My kidshome decor/decorating my homehiking/walkingRank your best SEO marketing win:Creating and scaling a business at LSG. Playing an integral part in how business processes and teams function day to day and year to year is something I'm super proud of. It's allowed me to meet so many people, build a business I care about, and build my own freelance business.Rank your top 3 SEO tools:SemrushSquerylClickUpRank your best SEO trick or tactic:Internal linking. It's soooo underrated but effectiveRank what you love most about SEO as an industry:1. The challenge of having a non-routine job/industry2. Building relationships (clients, colleagues, coworkers)3. Building a robust set of skillsRank your top 1-3 marketers:Nick EubanksBlake DenmanAmanda NatividadRank your best SEO learning resource:Twitter/LinkedInBlogs/roundtablesPodcastsColleagues and coworkersRank your top cause or charity:The BackPack Program at our school helps kids fight hunger. There is no link for the program, but you could reach out to: https://www.trf.k12.mn.us/
In episode 111, Jacob Clarke of NerdWallet stops by for an insightful discussion exploring the key elements of a successful SEO content strategy.Jacob shares the most important factor to prioritize in your SEO content strategy and practical tips on how to get started effectively.We discuss clear communication with stakeholders and finding the right balance.We also explore valuable techniques for ensuring your content demonstrates experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (E-E-A-T) and the role of structured data plays in enhancing these qualities.(0:00) Intro(3:21) The Most Important Thing to Get Right in Your SEO Content Strategy(5:19) How to Get Started With Your SEO Content Strategy(7:43) How to Speak to Stakeholders(9:13) In-house vs Agency(10:27) Fluid vs Rigid Strategy(12:46) Refreshing High Ranking Content(15:20) How to Sell Content Internally(20:23) How to Ensure E-E-A-T is Baked Into Your Content Strategy(22:33) The Role of Structured Data in E-E-A-T(24:16) The Future of Structured Data(26:00) Rapid Fire RankingsRank your top anything:Spider-Man: No Way HomeAvengers: Infinity WarCaptain America: Civil WarRank your best SEO marketing win:Earned high-DA backlinks by creating an updated statistics page before a competitor.Rank your top 3 SEO tools:SemrushScreaming FrogGoogle search resultsRank your best SEO trick or tactic:Looking at all the keywords a URL ranks for in the top 3 to learn the total search potential of a topic, instead of just a single keyword.Rank what you love most about SEO as an industry:The SEO Community on LinkedIn.Rank your top 1-3 marketers:Matt DiggityEli SchwartzMarie HaynesRank your best SEO learning resource:Youtube & LinkedIn.
In episode 110, Anna Uss joins the show to explore the fascinating world of programmatic SEO.We discuss the most common use cases of programmatic SEO and its immense value in transforming your digital strategy.Anna shares practical steps to implement programmatic SEO within your organization, ensuring that your content catches the attention of Google's crawlers.We also delve into the exciting future of enhancing programmatic SEO with generative AI, unlocking new possibilities for your content.(0:00) Intro(3:58) The Most Common Use Cases of Programmatic SEO(5:32) The Value of Programmatic SEO(9:27) How to Implement Programmatic SEO in Your Organization(12:20) How to Make Sure Google Crawls Your Programmatic Production(15:43) How Long Does It Take to See Results?(19:32) Enhancing Programmatic SEO with Generative AI(22:27) How to Get Buy-In from the C-Suite(29:03) Rapid Fire RankingsRank your top anything:My DogLondonhorse ridingRank your best SEO marketing win:My best win is as the Snyk Advisor, the programmatic SEO asset that we have designed from scratch. It currently drives 1M clicks and we have achieved +500% growth through additional tech SEO changes. I am also proud of another project that was a site section (millions of pages) migration to a subdomain with a +50% traffic increase after the migration.Rank your top 3 SEO tools:AhrefsGSC extension for google sheetsKeywords EverywhereRank your best SEO trick or tactic:Right now, I'm deep into programmatic pages/content automation.Rank what you love most about SEO as an industry:I just came from Brighton SEO, can't help but mention how vibrant, positive, fun, and exciting the industry is. So many areas to focus on (technical, content, whatnot). So many new trends to explore. It is never boring. Also really enjoy the people, always very open, positive, and simply fun. Amazing to be a part of this community.Rank your top 1-3 marketers:Kevin IndigRand FishkinRank your best SEO learning resource:LinkedIn.
In episode 109, Barry Schwartz joins the show to dive deep into the key highlights and takeaways from the recent Google I/O event.We explore the potential impact of Google's new Generative Experience, discuss first impressions from the SEO community, and analyze how these advancements will shape the future of SEO and content creation.Barry also shares thoughts on the delicate balance between factuality and fluidity in AI chatbots and how Google's Perspectives initiative will impact the SERPs. (0:00) Intro(1:46) Biggest Takeaways from Google I/O(3:13) Bard's True Purpose(5:44) How will the Generative Search Experience Roll Out?(8:47) How Will This Impact Ads?(10:25) Factuality vs Fluidity in AI Chatbots(13:07) Are Perspectives an Answer to the Issue of Factuality?(15:35) How Does the SEO Community Feel About the Google I/O event?(19:37) How Can Google Balance It All?(21:00) How Will This Impact eCommerce?(23:55) What Should SEOs be Paying Attention to?(25:53) The Opportunities in Google's AI Ecosystem(27:45) How Will AI Make SEOs Jobs Easier & Harder(29:28) Biggest Surprises from Google I/O(32:16) Mobile vs Desktop Experience(36:13) Improvements and Reporting for Google Search Console(38:22) Will Google Continue to Dominate the Market(40:47) Rapid Fire RankingsRank your top anything:SEODevelopmentAppsRank what you love most about SEO as an industry:The community.Rank your top 1-3 marketers:Danny SullivanMatt CuttsRank your top cause or charity: Anybody that feeds people who can't afford to put food on the table.
In episode 108, Krista Doyle of Jasper stops by to discuss how SEOs and Content Marketers should be using generative AI while trying to maintain brand consistency.Krista gives some great advice for those looking to stay ahead of the curve in AI and shares some insight into how generative AI can be used responsibly for content.We also dive into some emerging tools that are making an impact in the AI space and whether the AI takeover will lead to a positive future in the long run.(0:00) Intro(3:35) How AI is Impacting Jasper(5:53) Staying Ahead of the AI Curve(9:01) How is the Conversation around AI Different for Marketers vs Developers(10:47) How Will Generative AI Impact SEO?(16:23) Jasper's Philosophy on Generative AI(20:04) Using Jasper to Create Content(24:26) Emerging AI Tools to Pay Attention To(28:10) The Future of AI: Positive or Negative?(30:55) Rapid Fire RankingsRank your top anything:• Fountain Diet Coke from McDonald's• Cold can over ice.• Fountain from anywhere elseRank your best SEO marketing win:It was my first job in SEO and I did not yet know what attribution was from content. We were trying to outrank one of our major affiliates for a bunch of keywords. We did it and it worked fast. We were pulling in about $10K a month off one piece of content. There's nothing like that first super fun & exciting win.Rank your top 3 SEO tools:• GSC• Ahrefs• JasperRank your best SEO trick or tactic: Right now, I'm deep into programmatic pages/content automation.Rank what you love most about SEO as an industry:It keeps me on my toes. With SEO, you're forced to always be learning, testing, and tinkering. There's nothing better!Rank your top 1-3 marketers:• Chris Tweten• Tracey Wallace• John-Henry ScherckRank your best SEO learning resource: • Twitter• Aleyda Solis' #SEOFOMO newsletterRank your top cause or charity:The Alexandria Zoo, near my hometown in Louisiana. It was a special place to my Dad, who I lost last year, and it's still repairing some damage from a bad hurricane two years ago, so I always try to find ways to support them when I can.
In episode 107, Marianne Sweeny joins the shows to discuss the ways in which SEOs are misunderstanding LLMs and how you can look at things differently to achieve success.Marianne shares thoughts on how SEOs should be using some of these generative AI tools like ChatGPT and whether SEOs can do anything to future-proof their careers.We also talk briefly about what the future of LLMs and generative AI could look like a year from now as new projects like Google's Magi begin to roll out.(0:00) Intro(2:20) What SEOs Need to Pay Attention To(4:27) Are the SERPs Getting Better or Worse?(6:13) The Most Common Misconceptions from SEOs Regarding LLMs(8:20) The Implications of Deep Mind's Integration Into Project Magi(10:40) How Should SEOs be Using These Chatbots?(12:35) How to Handle The Trust Factor(14:20) Who is Responsible for Diversity in Generative AI?(18:15) Can a Group Come Together in the Name of Generative AI?(20:20) Can SEOs Future Proof Their Role in the Industry?(23:30) Predictions for the Next Year(28:00) Rapid Fire RankingsRank your top anything:Cooking competition showsLearning new things (especially in AI)Sport DiningRank your best SEO marketing win:I got a finance client to rank for subprime loans with blog comments. To my defense, my comments were relevant to the posts.Rank your top 3 SEO tools:ranks.nlSEO tools for ExcelGoogle Developers ConsoleRank your best SEO trick or tactic:Client site rank landscape.Rank what you love most about SEO as an industry:That it is cross-functional and that it is immediate.Rank your top 1-3 marketers:Mike KingLily RayBritney MullerBONUS:Bill SlawskiLyndonRank your best SEO learning resource:TwitterRank your top cause or charity:Doctors Without Borders
In episode 106, Jeremy Moser stops by the show to share some insight into how link building for large brands is evolving in the era of generative AI.Jeremy discusses how Google is valuing links as a ranking factor and whether purchasing links is a sustainable strategy in 2023.We also dive into whether big brands really need link building to have success in the SERPs.(0:00) Intro(1:33) uSERP's Approach to Link Building(2:54) How Much Value Does Google Place On Links(5:46) Content Syndication Links(8:22) Is Paying For Links Sustainable?(11:34) Does Link Building Matter for Big Brands?(13:32) Quality vs Quantity of Links(15:25) How is Generative AI Impacting Link Building(17:07) Will Citations Be Integrated Into LLMs?(18:31) The Future of Search Hot Takes(19:49) Rapid Fire RankingsRank your top anything:• Hawaii• The ocean• TequilaRank your best SEO marketing win:Increasing a brand new fintech startup's traffic from 0 to 70,000 monthly visits in a hyper-competitive consumer fintech space..Rank your top 3 SEO tools:• Ahrefs• Semrush• Screaming FrogRank your best SEO trick or tactic: Digital PR driven content marketing to scale top quality backlinks.Rank what you love most about SEO as an industry:• Link building/pr• Content strategy• Technical SEORank your top 1-3 marketers:• Seth Godin• Ann HandleyRank your best SEO learning resource: learningseo.ioRank your top cause or charity:Wounded Warrior Project
In this episode, Jamie Indigo joins the show to share some thoughts on how you should communicate and engage with your dev team to improve your JavaScript SEO.Jamie gives some insight into where most SEOs go wrong with JavaScript and the approach you should be taking to identify and analyze JS SEO issues.We also chat about the impact that LLMS and generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Bard could have on JavaScript SEO in the not-so-distant future.(0:00) Intro(1:25)How ‘Not a Robot' Came to Be(2:45) Jamie's Big Picture Philosophy on Javascript SEO(3:50) How to Keep Your Developers from Bloating Your Site(7:21) How to Win the Hearts & Minds of Marketers and Devs(11:29) Where Do SEOs Go Wrong With JS(13:06) How to Investigate & Diagnose JS SEO Issues(14:58) The Most Fun JS Problems to Solve(17:13) Can You Trust Google Documentation?(19:45) How Will Generative AI Impact JS SEO?(26:31) Rapid Fire RankingsRapid Fire RankingsRank your top anything:Moon DruidArcane Trickster RogueGrave ClericRank your best SEO marketing win: Mentoring the Freelance Coalition for Developing Countries Not Bots Cohort.Rank your top 3 SEO tools:A good crawlerA good source of truthOne variable tool depending on what you want to achieve.Rank your best SEO trick or tactic: Just talking to people.Rank what you love most about SEO as an industry: I'm not so sure I love it anymore. I love the clever minds it's brought into my life. We used to be obscure. Now we're ubiquitous and that's problematic because real humans reach into their pockets and inherently trust what we've manipulated-- the search engine results-- everyday.Rank your top 1-3 marketers:Ian LurieAshley Berman HaleAreej AbualiBONUS: Hamlet BautistaRank your best SEO learning resource: Is it a cop-out to say Rich Snippets? I guess it's not really shameless because writing it each week makes me read and research.Rank your top cause or charity: Little Free Library
In episode 104, SEO consultant Jess Joyce stops by the show to ease our minds in the race to migrate to GA4 before Google sunsets Universal Analytics in July of this year.Jess shares the key differences that SEOs need to be paying attention to within the GA4 dashboard and the ways in which reporting will be different.We also discuss what other alternatives are that are currently out in the wild and how they stack up against GA4.(0:00) Intro(4:03) Key Differences Between GA4 and Universal Analytics(8:02) SEO Reporting in GA4(9:24) The Best Migration to GA4(11:47) How to Do It Yourself(13:12) What New Data Can SEOs Surface in GA4?(16:19) Things Are Going to Look Different(18:27) Alternatives to GA4(21:20) Improving Your SEO with GA4(22:45) Install It and Start Now(24:37) Rapid Fire RankingsRank your top anything:My daughter & my partnerMusicThe SimpsonsBONUS: Instant ramen noodlesRank your best SEO marketing win:Ranked for "content marketing software" many years ago.Rank your top 3 SEO tools:AhrefsScreaming FrogKeyword InsightsRank your best SEO trick or tactic:Harness the power of the domain, and optimize all the subdomains for crawling!Rank what you love most about SEO as an industry:It feels like a superpower but it's logic.Rank your top 1-3 marketers:Glen AllsoppAreej AbualiVanessa FoxRank your best SEO learning resource:https://learningseo.io/Rank your top cause or charity: CamH - mental health in Canada
In episode 103, Neeva Co-Founder & CEO, Sridhar Ramaswamy sits down with Mike King to explain the inner workings of search engines fueled by AI technology. Sridhar shares thoughts on SEO in relation to LLM search as well as the recent petition from Elon Musk and others to halt AI development. Mike and Sridhar also discuss the difference in Neeva's approach to AI and why it may be difficult for others to replicate.(0:00) Intro(1:42) How Can Neeva Compete with Google?(5:53) Will Answer Based Search Replace Traditional Search?(12:25) How Neeva is leveraging AI to build a better search engine(17:01) Did Dense Embeddings Change Everything for Information Retrieval?(19:09) Google's Techniques for Information Retrieval(20:45) Neeva's Difference in Approach to AI - Retrieval Augmented Generation(24:34) Why is Closed Loop So Difficult?(28:00) What Place Does SEO Have in the LLM Search Environment(31:16) Creating a Feedback Loop for Users(32:40) The Petition to Halt AI Development (35:35) What is Gist? (38:15) How Neeva makes your life better
In episode 102, Jeff Coyle of MarketMuse stops by to discuss the past, present, and future of Natural Language Generation (NLG) content for SEO.Jeff shares his thoughts on how long it might be before we see consistency in the factual accuracy and quality of NLG outputs and how important content quality is within search rankings.We also chat about how Google can keep up with competitors in the AI space and if their current approach is the right one.(0:00) Intro(1:45) The History of NLG for Content Marketing(16:25) Content Quality(21:34) Can Google Keep Up?(30:08) The Present & Future of NLG for Content(34:45) How Far Away Are We From Reliable NLG Outputs?(40:15) How to Future Proof Your SEO Strategy & Content
In episode 101, Devin Pickell joins the show to discuss some of the uncomfortable facts about SEO that every marketer should be aware of.Devin shares his thoughts on when and how you should be prioritizing SEO and how to identify if you're making the right decision.We also chat about what you can do to ensure that you're on the same page across multiple teams to get your projects across the finish line.(0:00) Intro(1:45) What are the Unsexy Truths of SEO?(2:30) How to Prioritize SEO(4:35) Planting the Seeds for Your SEO Strategy(7:09) SEO Attribution May Be Scrutinized(8:45) How to Iterate on Attribution(11:40) Thinking Outside of Boring Content(13:18) The Varied Perspectives Around SEO(16:55) Communicating and Collaborating Across Teams(17:40) There's No One-Size-Fits-All Solution to SEO(21:47) Rapid Fire RankingsRank your top anything: Breaking BadSopranosLast of UsRank your best SEO marketing win:We created a public landing page for a click-to-copy template for SMS marketing that is still one of the top results on Google.Rank your top 3 SEO tools: AhrefsGoogle Search ConsoleHot JarRank your best SEO trick or tactic:Leading with value.Rank what you love most about SEO as an industry:It's always changing and I'm always learning.Rank your best SEO learning resource:Andy CrestodinaAdam GoyetteEddie Shleyner Rank your top cause or charity: Habitat for Humanity
In episode 100, iPullRank's Michael Glavac joins the shows to discuss why SEOs should be taking a more specialized approach to their SEO skillset.Michael gives his thoughts on the importance of being a T-Shaped SEO and the necessary knowledge and expertise you'll need to be a killer Technical SEO.We also share some opinions on the hardest industries to work in technical SEO and why you should NOT be cutting your SEO budget right now.(0:00) Intro(2:07) The Value of T-Shaped SEO(4:37) The Necessary Skillsets for Technical SEO(6:29) How to Learn From Building Your Own Stuff(7:33) How to Take Your Skillset to the Next Level(9:13) What is Most Important as an SEO?(12:27) The Morality of Injection(13:08) What is the Hardest Industry to Work in as a Tech SEO?(15:51) The Relationship Between SEO and Enterprise Organizations(17:52) The Unintended Consequences of Replatforming(19:57) Things Take Time in SEO(21:36) Slashing Your SEO Budget During A Recession(23:31) Rapid Fire RankingsRank your top anything: SnowmobilingPaintingArches National ParkRank your best SEO marketing win:First one was the first time I was able to get a clients key page to out rank their main competitor in the SERPs. Second being from a logistics client where I ran an idea by them about some keywords I had seen popping up in GSC around system integrations and only their main competitor had pages for it so I tested a few to see how they would do and they took off. Started with 4 pages and 6 months of testing but they took off in about 2 months and we turned around another 20 pages within the 6 months.Rank your top 3 SEO tools: AhrefsGoogle Search ConsoleScreaming FrogRank your best SEO trick or tactic:I don't have one tip or trick really but I provided advice to small businesses and my main point to most of them is to keep things simple.Rank what you love most about SEO as an industry:I love the uniqueness of SEO.Rank your best SEO learning resource:When I started in SEO it was mostly from Moz but more recently it's been following industry leaders on Linkedin.Rank the top 1-3 SEOs or Marketers that you most look up to: Bill SlawskiHamlet Bautista