The Edward Show

E830: We break down Pieter Levels’ programmatic SEO strategy - the approach behind his projects like RemoteOK, NomadList, PhotoAI, and InteriorAI. Most people who try programmatic SEO end up creating thousands of low-value pages that add no real benefit for users. Those pages waste crawl budget, bloat the site, and often end up damaging overall SEO performance. Pieter Levels took a completely different approach. His pages are unique, valuable, and directly useful for what people are searching for. We cover: - Why most programmatic SEO fails - The “usefulness” factor that makes Pieter’s pages rank - The connection between audience engagement, backlinks, and domain authority - How to scale programmatic SEO safely If you’re thinking about doing programmatic SEO yourself, start small, focus on value, and make sure you have engagement and links in place before scaling. Growing too quickly with weak pages can set you back much more than it helps. This discussion is a reminder of what makes search engine optimization interesting: when done thoughtfully, it scales useful content to meet real needs. ⭐️ The breakdown on 𝕏 - https://x.com/mehrab_build/status/1970446760305926423 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Introduction to Programmatic SEO Issues 00:19 Pieter Levels' Successful Programmatic SEO 01:35 Understanding Programmatic SEO 02:34 Case Study: RemoteOK 04:07 Case Study: PhotoAI 05:48 Case Study: NomadList 06:29 Pieter Levels' Insights and Community Questions 08:08 Conclusion and Personal Insights The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #programmaticseo #searchengineoptimization #indiehacking #buildinpublic

E829: The supreme art of the marketing war is to subdue your competition without fighting. I share the dark combative side of SEO - the shady tactics some marketers use to hurt competitors instead of helping themselves. From negative SEO attacks that tank rankings, to Reddit bans that can erase a brand’s online presence… these are real, dangerous, and surprisingly easy to execute. You’ll learn: - What negative SEO really is (and how it works) - How marketers get competitor domains or brand names banned on Reddit - Real-world examples and experiments that prove it’s still happening in 2025 - The best ways to protect your site and reputation from these attacks This episode isn’t about using these tactics - it’s about understanding them so you can defend yourself. ⭐️ Negative SEO: How You Can (But Shouldn’t) Harm Your Competitors Rankings - https://seosherpa.com/seo-experiments/ ⭐️ Does negative SEO exist in 2025? - https://www.reddit.com/r/SEO/comments/1mdp1h4/does_negative_seo_exist/ ⭐️ Banned on Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/r/SEO/comments/1o1zyc0/reddit_seo/ ⭐️ Should You Use Google’s Disavow Tool in 2025? - https://youtu.be/NHt0qNjJ6ss ⭐️ Local SEO in 2025: What Actually Works (w/ Joy Hawkins) - https://youtu.be/pZ9HZu4qFWY 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Introduction to Negative Marketing Tactics 01:12 Understanding Negative SEO 03:55 Real-World Examples of Negative SEO 05:31 Protecting Against Negative SEO 06:33 Negative Tactics on Reddit 09:56 Conclusion and Final Thoughts The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #negativeseo #blackhatseo #searchengineoptimization #digitalmarketing

E828: Direct mail has quietly made a comeback. In a world crowded with emails and digital ads, physical mail is getting attention again - and delivering real results. Wilson Zehr joins the show to break down how to easily do direct mail campaigns. He’s been doing direct mail since 1999 and built a technology company that makes sending physical mail as simple as sending an email. Wilson explains how direct mail has evolved, why it now performs better in some cases than digital marketing, and exactly how to set up and measure your own campaign. We discuss: - How direct mail works in today’s digital landscape - How to find and target the right mailing list - The costs, ROI, and tracking methods that matter - When to use postcards vs. letters - Real examples of businesses using direct mail effectively If you’ve ever wondered how physical mail still fits into modern marketing, this episode breaks it down step by step. ⭐️ Zairmail - https://www.zairmail.com/ ⭐️ Wilson Zehr on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/wilsonzehr/ 💎 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 Evolution of Direct Mail in the Digital Age 00:34 Zairmail: Bridging Legacy and Digital 01:40 Speedy: A New Direct Mail Application 02:37 The Appeal of Direct Mail 03:26 Basics of Setting Up a Direct Mail Campaign 04:50 Finding the Right Contacts for Direct Mail 06:59 Success Factors in Direct Mail Campaigns 08:57 Practical Examples and Niche Markets 15:57 Cost and ROI of Direct Mail 26:03 Comparing Direct Mail with Digital Campaigns 26:35 Challenges of Email Marketing 27:31 Effectiveness of Direct Mail 28:22 Combining Direct Mail with Digital Funnels 30:42 Case Studies and Examples 31:35 Targeting New Movers for Local Businesses 35:18 Automating Direct Mail Campaigns 38:17 Crafting Compelling Direct Mail 46:29 Innovative Direct Mail Campaigns 49:41 Conclusion and Final Thoughts The Edward Show. Your daily digital marketing podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #directmail #ecommerce #marketingstrategy #marketing

E827: I rank the top social media platforms by how well they show up on Google - and break down what people call parasite SEO. You’ll learn which platforms perform on Google search and how to use videos and written posts on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, Reddit, and more to rank without a website. We’ll cover: - The difference between parasite SEO and transparent brand posting - Why YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok crush traditional blogs in search - How Reddit, LinkedIn, X, Threads, and Medium fit into the SEO mix - Keyword placement tips that actually make your social posts rank Whether you’re a creator, marketer, or business owner, this episode shows you how to get found on Google using the social platforms you already use. ⭐️ Lars Lofgren’s LinkedIn Post: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7381730058840977408/ ⭐️ Top domains visited from US desktop traditional search engines - https://datos.live/report/state-of-search-q2-2025/ 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Introduction to Ranking Social Media Platforms on Google 00:06 Understanding Parasite SEO 01:03 Top Social Media Platform: YouTube 02:23 Second Best: Instagram 02:44 Third Place: TikTok 03:47 Fourth Place: Reddit 06:35 Fifth Place: LinkedIn 06:54 Sixth Place: Threads 07:28 Seventh Place: Medium 08:16 Eighth Place: X 09:15 Conclusion The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #parasiteseo #searchengineoptimization #performancemarketing #digitalmarketing

E826: AI-written blog content is everywhere - but how do you actually do it the right way for SEO? I break down the 3 levels of AI-generated SEO blog content, inspired by Search Engine Land’s recent experiment with publishing AI-written guides. You’ll learn: - The difference between unedited AI “slop” vs. human-reviewed AI content - How Search Engine Land uses AI + human editors to create SEO guides - Why buzzwords and em dashes are a dead giveaway for AI writing - A practical system for creating blog content with AI that doesn’t ruin your brand Whether you’re considering AI for your blog, glossary pages, or other SEO content, this episode will give you a framework for doing it in a way that keeps readers happy and Google on your side. ⭐️ Search Engine Land’s AI post - https://searchengineland.com/guides/robots-txt ⭐️ Glenn Gabe’s share - https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:ugcPost:7380233705857900544/ ⭐️ How to Humanize ChatGPT Content - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_bmGoLFfRo ⭐️ How 3 People Hit $1M ARR in 6 Months with $0 CAC (Using AI Agents) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCUX-CTDwmo ⭐️ Yesterday’s episode with Lars Lofgren - https://youtu.be/UOHPR00xwNM 💎 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 AI Written SEO Content 00:53 Three Levels of AI Content Review 01:41 Handling Different Levels of AI Content 03:19 Search Engine Land's AI Content System 08:20 Final Thoughts and Recommendations #searchengineoptimization #seotips #blogseo #digitalmarketing

E825: Big blogs that once dominated SEO are now collapsing - and it’s not just because of AI. The SEO legend, Lars Lofgren joins the show. Lars was one of Neil Patel’s early employees back in 2011 and was active in aggressive marketing when the term, “growth hacking” was invented. We go into why so many large content sites are in steady decline, what “sloppy SEO” looks like, and the brutal truth about recovering from years of content bloat, broken links, and weak topical authority. You’ll learn: - Why SEO “moats” don’t work anymore - How big blogs got lazy and started sinking - The future of blog SEO - What it really takes (time + money) to rebound - The role of topical authority in 2025 - When to save a site vs. when to start fresh If you run a blog, manage SEO, or want to understand the future of search, this conversation is a must-listen. ⭐️ Lars’s newsletter: https://larslofgren.com/ ⭐️ Lars on LinkedIn (tell him you came from this podcast and he’ll accept your connection): https://www.linkedin.com/in/larslofgren/ ⭐️ Lars on 𝕏: https://x.com/larslofgren ⭐️ Lars’s post: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7374545781061718017/ 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Introduction 00:52 Common Issues with Large Blogs 01:32 Google Algorithm Changes and Their Impact 03:50 Rearchitecting Struggling Blogs 08:33 Challenges with Topical Authority 20:48 Fixing Foundational Issues 38:51 Evaluating SEO Strategies for Different Business Sizes 52:33 The Evolution of Attribution in Marketing 52:52 The Impact of LLMs on Marketing Strategies 54:09 Shifting Away from Performance Affiliate Models 56:07 The Case for Creating Your Own Product 57:41 Challenges in Transitioning Business Models 58:28 The Importance of Bottom-of-Funnel SEO 01:08:12 Google's Recent Changes and Their Implications 01:11:24 The Rise of AI Programmatic SEO 01:16:31 Balancing Quality and Quantity in SEO 01:23:10 Final Thoughts and Recommendations for Brands The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #contentmarketing #blogseo #digitalmarketing

E824: Google looks to be dropping a big change: AI-generated meta descriptions made to perfectly satisfy search intent. That means fewer clicks for shallow, top-of-funnel content - and a massive shift in SEO strategy. I break down: - What Google’s AI meta descriptions mean for your traffic - Why top-of-funnel content is more vulnerable than ever - The two content strategies that still win clicks - How to focus on bottom-of-funnel keywords that actually convert If you rely on SEO for leads, customers, or sales, this update changes the game. Don’t panic - adapt. ⭐️ Paul Shapiro’s post - https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7379270921792167936/ 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Introduction: The Shift in Content 00:16 Google's AI in Meta Descriptions 02:05 Implications for SEO 03:31 Strategies for Effective Content 04:53 Targeting Transactional Keywords 07:23 Final Thoughts and Recommendations The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #metadescription #searchengineoptimization #digitalmarketing #seostrategy

E823: Backlinks, domain authority, page speed… SEO can feel like an enigma.  I break down one of the most popular posts from the SEO subreddit and share the most credible, practical responses on what really matters for ranking. We’ll cover: - Why chasing domain authority isn’t the best backlink strategy - How to think about SEO beyond technical performance - Real-world backlinking tactics (guest posts, broken links, local citations, and more) - The truth about page speed and core web vitals - How to build relevance and authority the natural way If you’ve ever felt stuck on page 43, this episode will help you cut through the noise and focus on strategies that actually move the needle. ⭐️ The Reddit thread - https://www.reddit.com/r/SEO/comments/1njuuo0/seo_is_an_enigma/ 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Introduction to SEO Challenges 01:21 Top Comment: Holistic Backlink Strategy 04:00 Weblinkr's Insight on SEO Elements 07:21 Backlink Tactics by UBIAI 09:27 Conclusion and Additional Resources The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #seotips #linkbuilding #digitalmarketing

E822: Reddit’s influence on SEO and ChatGPT results has taken a surprising hit - but is it really over? I break down the sudden drop in Reddit citations within ChatGPT, why Google’s recent changes may be the cause, and what this means for SEO, generative engine optimization (GEO), and your digital marketing strategy. You’ll learn: - Why Reddit citations in ChatGPT fell from 14% to just 1% - How Google’s removal of the “num=100” parameter reshaped AI search results - Whether Reddit is still a dominant force in SEO and AI-driven search - How businesses can still leverage Reddit for visibility and leads Is Reddit truly “dead” for SEO and ChatGPT, or just down for now? Let’s dive in. ⭐️ Lily Ray - https://x.com/lilyraynyc/status/1973328231844794748 ⭐️ ChatGPT Reddit citation research - https://x.com/forgebitz/status/1971717413289992467 ⭐️ Seeking Alpha - https://seekingalpha.com/news/4500600-reddit-shares-fall-steeply-ahead-of-the-opening-bell ⭐️ Datos report - https://datos.live/report/state-of-search-q2-2025/ ⭐️ Reddit OpenAI 2024 partnership - https://openai.com/index/openai-and-reddit-partnership/ 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Introduction to the Episode 00:28 Reddit's Decline in ChatGPT Citations 01:23 Theories Behind Reddit's Decline 02:37 Impact on SEO and Future Predictions 03:51 Strategies for Leveraging Reddit 07:37 Manipulation and Trust in Reddit 09:04 Conclusion The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #parasiteseo #generativeengineoptimization searchengineoptimization

E821: AI-generated SEO “slop” content has fueled explosive growth for startups - but Google’s latest spam update shows just how fast it can collapse. We break down Ramp’s coming SEO crash, Profound's slop implementation, Reddit’s sudden drop in ChatGPT citations, and why unchecked AI content is a ticking time bomb for your business. Should companies gamble on AI slop for fast SEO gains? Or is playing the long game with useful, human-reviewed content the only durable path forward? We dig into the risks, the data, and the lessons every marketer needs to hear. What you’ll learn in this episode: - Why Ramp’s AI SEO spike collapsed overnight - How Google’s spam update targets “slop as a service” - The dangers of unchecked AI content for your domain - Why human-reviewed content still wins in the long run - What savvy SEOs like Harpreet Singh & Lily Ray are seeing in the field 🎧 Subscribe for daily insights on SEO, digital marketing, and the future of AI in search. ⭐️ Deedy’s “slop-as-a-service” post - https://x.com/deedydas/status/1972541022535372852 ⭐️ Harpreet’s call-out post - https://x.com/harpreetchatha_/status/1973433289068417298 ⭐️ AInvest’s collapse - https://youtu.be/RpgOKUO_SyI 💎 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 Harpreet's Insight on AI Slop 00:32 The Rise and Fall of AI-Driven SEO 00:49 Community Reactions and Further Analysis 03:05 Reddit's Decline in ChatGPT Citations 04:16 AI Slop in Financial News 05:15 Risks and Recommendations for AI Content 07:32 Long-Term SEO Strategies 08:20 Upcoming Episode and Personal Update 09:14 Conclusion The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #seotips #scaledcontentabuse #digitalmarketing 

E820: HubSpot’s organic traffic collapsed from 24M monthly clicks down to just 3.6M - their lowest since 2018. At Inbound 2025, they shared how they plan to recover with a new SEO and Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) strategy. I break down: - The shocking data behind HubSpot’s SEO decline - Why top-of-funnel content stopped working - Their pivot to product-focused & down-funnel content - Content pruning, refreshing, and experiment tracking - The new success metrics HubSpot is using (mentions, citations, share of voice, sentiment) This is a must-watch if you want to understand where SEO is heading in 2026 - and how to avoid the mistakes even huge brands like HubSpot made. ⭐️ Gagan Ghotra’s post - https://x.com/gaganghotra_/status/1972968409995624781 ⭐️ Content Refreshes in SEO: How to Double Your Traffic Fast - https://edwardsturm.com/articles/content-refreshes-seo-double-traffic-fast/ ⭐️ Work Momentum During a Flood - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTnjb-BGBIQ ⭐️ 1 Billion Users on Google Discover - The SEO Opportunity Everyone’s Sleeping On - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8X4y9yDP18 ⭐️ How I Run SEO Experiments - https://youtu.be/bwWFAnc_cB4?si=moUBLZO5o-BSZ77Z 💎 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 The Flood That Almost Stopped the Podcast 01:23 Introduction to HubSpot's Inbound 2025 Conference 02:11 Gagan Ghotra's Insights on HubSpot's Strategy 02:22 HubSpot's Content Strategy Shift 03:20 SEO Challenges and Changes at HubSpot 05:40 Focusing on Product-Related Topics 07:50 Experimenting with New Tactics 08:42 Updating and Pruning Content 11:17 Adopting New Metrics for Success 12:00 Conclusion and Final Thoughts The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #contentmarketing #seotips #digitalmarketing

E819: ChatGPT now has Instant Checkouts with Etsy, Shopify, and Stripe. Is this the future of e-commerce - or a recipe for chaos? I break down: - What OpenAI just announced about ChatGPT shopping - How the new Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP) works - Why SEOs are calling this a potential goldmine for small + medium sellers - The big risks: wrong product recommendations, fraud, and chargebacks - Reactions from top SEO voices like Harpreet Singh, Lily Ray, and Yoast’s founder Plus, I share why this could be a massive opportunity (or total flop) for anyone in SEO, digital marketing, and e-commerce. ⭐️ The announcement - https://x.com/OpenAI/status/1972708279043367238 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Introduction and Podcast Streak 00:34 Exciting News: ChatGPT Introduces Checkouts 01:26 How ChatGPT's Checkout Works 03:30 SEO Community Reactions 07:56 Concerns and Future Implications The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #generativeengineoptimization #searchengineoptimization #ecommerce #digitalmarketing

E818: Google just removed the num=100 parameter - the ability to see 100 results per page - and the SEO world freaked out. But could this actually be good news for SEOs? I share a positive take on why this change might help you, plus a wild story of an “SEO expert” who nearly destroyed a site by disavowing all of its good backlinks. What you’ll learn in this episode: - Why Google killed num=100 and what it really means for SEO in 2025 - How AI tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity play into this update - The backlink disavow disaster that almost tanked a site - Two big lessons every SEO should remember about links and hiring help ⭐️ Google removing number=100 is actually good news for SEOs - https://www.reddit.com/r/SEO/comments/1nmpbgt/google_removing_number100_is_actually_good_news/ ⭐️ SEO 'Expert' just uploaded Google disavow file with all our good links - https://www.reddit.com/r/SEO/comments/1ndtz8n/seo_expert_just_uploaded_google_disavow_file_with/ 💎 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 Today's SEO Topics 00:48 Google's Removal of num=100: A Positive Take 02:08 The Future of SEO in a Changing Landscape 03:51 Crazy Story: Disavowing Backlinks Gone Wrong 05:07 Lessons Learned from Disavowing Backlinks The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #disavowfile #backlinks #digitalmarketing

E817: Lovable has gone from 650 clicks a month to over 363,000 clicks - all through programmatic SEO. We break down exactly how Lovable pulled off this explosive growth, what they’re doing right, and where their strategy could backfire. From bottom-of-funnel keyword targeting to risky programmatic scaling, there are big lessons here for anyone running SEO at scale. You’ll learn: - How Lovable is using programmatic SEO to dominate long-tail, high-intent keywords - Why their hub page structure may be weakening their SEO impact - The risks of scaling too fast without human review - Key takeaways you can apply to your own SEO strategy Lovable’s results are impressive, but are they building long-term authority - or risking a manual penalty from Google? Let’s find out. 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Introduction to Lovable's SEO Success 00:33 Understanding Lovable's Platform 00:52 Mark Lou’s Insights on Lovable's Marketing Strategy 01:45 Exploring Lovable's Programmatic SEO 02:33 Analyzing Lovable's SEO Landing Pages 03:59 Issues with URL Structure and Hub Pages 04:47 The Sloppy How-To Guides 05:03 Lovable's Backlink Profile and Domain Authority 09:22 SEO Strategy Recommendations The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #ProgrammaticSEO #blackhatseo #searchengineoptimization #digitalmarketing

E816: How brands show up inside AI search - what still works, what’s dead, and how to play the long game without getting sucked into spammy tactics. Malte Landwehr joins the podcast and we cover real-world experiments, why 50-posts-a-day AI content “works”…until it doesn’t, and how different models (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Grok) favor different sources. We also bust myths around Schema/EEAT and LLM.txt, talk Cloudflare vs AI crawlers, and outline the 20% moves that get 80% of results. What you’ll learn: - How (and when) LLMs can be manipulated - and why it’s fragile - Short-term content spam vs sustainable brand/authority building - Model biases: Reddit/YouTube/editorial sources and “fan-out” queries - Transactional SEO in an AI world (and why it still converts) - The truth about Schema, EEAT, and LLM.txt (correlation ≠ causation) - Cloudflare’s AI crawler blocking and what it means for visibility - Practical brand signals that move the needle across AI and search Guest: We’re joined by Malte Landwehr, the founder of Peec AI - a tool that tracks brand visibility inside LLM answers across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, and more. Takeaways: - Be obsessively consistent in how you describe your brand everywhere - Earn mentions on the sources your audience (and the models) already trust - Prioritize durable, transactional pages; let info content support authority - Use model “fan-out” behavior to inform content angles and titles If you enjoyed this, subscribe for daily deep dives on AI, SEO, and growth. ⭐️ Malte Landwehr on 𝕏 - https://x.com/MalteLandwehr ⭐️ Malte Landwehr on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/landwehr/ ⭐️ Peec AI - https://peec.ai/ 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Introduction to Spammy SEO Techniques 00:55 Short-Term Gains vs. Long-Term Strategies 04:34 AI Tools and Content Strategies 10:13 Understanding AI and SEO Correlations 23:32 Debunking SEO Myths 40:28 Grok and Claude Artifacts in Google Search 41:18 Key Recommendations for New Websites 43:35 Cloudflare's AI Crawler Block Controversy 45:38 The Future of SEO and AI Search 53:35 Transactional vs Informational SEO 01:13:57 Building Authority and Trust in SEO 01:16:52 Conclusion and Final Thoughts The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #generativeengineoptimization #searchengineoptimization #seotips #llmstxt

E815: Google Discover quietly drives traffic from over 1 billion users, yet most SEOs and marketers in the West barely talk about it. Gagan Ghotra returns to the podcast to break down the latest 2025 updates to Google Discover, how it’s changing with social integrations and follow buttons, and most importantly, how site owners can optimize for it. We cover: - What Google Discover actually is (and why most people don’t know it exists) - The new features rolling out in 2025 - Strategies site owners can use to get visibility and traffic - Why this could be the most overlooked SEO traffic source right now If you’re serious about SEO, you can’t afford to ignore Google Discover. ⭐️ Gagan Ghotra on 𝕏 - https://x.com/gaganghotra_ ⭐️ Gagan Ghotra on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gagan-ghotra/ ⭐️ Gagan Ghotra’s website - https://gaganghotra.com/ 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome 00:09 Overview of Google Discover 00:39 How Google Discover Works 01:37 Strategies for Visibility in Google Discover 03:22 Changes in Google Discover 04:59 Optimizing for the New Google Discover 06:14 Discussion on Google Discover's Reach and Impact 12:32 Final Tips and Recommendations 15:31 Conclusion and Farewell The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #seotips #digitalmarketing #growthhacking

E814: In just six months, Swan scaled from zero to one million ARR with only three people on the team and zero customer acquisition cost. This is a deep dive into how they did it, the playbook they are writing for “autonomous businesses,” and why human-AI collaboration is changing the way companies grow. We cover: - The $1M ARR journey - how three founders built a revenue engine in half a year without paid ads - The principle of human + AI collaboration - not replacing people, but creating “100x versions” of each founder through AI agents - Claude-powered content workflows - how they designed prompts and projects that consistently generate viral LinkedIn posts - Founder-led marketing - growing from 2,000 to over 33,000 followers on LinkedIn in six months - LinkedIn automations - agents that review posts, qualify leads, manage invites, and initiate lightweight outreach - Zero-CAC funnel design - how inbound from LinkedIn converts directly into demos and customers - Qualification and ICP focus - targeting SMBs using Slack and HubSpot with founder-led sales motions - Building agentic workflows - Slack-based agents that handle inbound leads, CRM updates, pipeline routing, meeting prep, and follow-ups - The autonomous business model - scaling with intelligence instead of headcount and rewriting the startup playbook - Growth channels beyond LinkedIn - podcasts, founder storytelling, and partner-led distribution - The $10M ARR per employee moonshot - how Swan is attempting to create a new model of company building This episode is both a case study and a practical guide for founders, marketers, and operators who want to understand how AI agents can power growth without traditional overhead. ⭐️ Amos Bar-Joseph on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/amos-bar-joseph/ ⭐️ Amos Bar-Joseph’s newsletter - https://swan-ai.beehiiv.com/ ⭐️ Amos Bar-Joseph’s custom GPT - https://chatgpt.com/g/g-6800e20892b8819181df24a31ccdbf96-autonamos ⭐️ Swan - https://getswan.com/ 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Introduction and Business Overview 00:27 AI Collaboration and Automation 01:04 LinkedIn Engagement and Performance 08:39 Scaling Strategies and Marketing Channels 11:01 Setting Up Automations 19:57 Building a Powerful Narrative 22:23 Automating LinkedIn Content 23:43 Choosing the Right AI Path 24:10 Crafting the Perfect Post 24:50 Leveraging AI for Engagement 25:56 Iterating on Content Strategy 28:57 Automating Lead Analysis 31:45 Preparing for Meetings with AI 37:01 Scaling with Founder-Led Marketing 44:11 Future of AI in Business 45:31 Final Thoughts and Contact Information The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #indiehackers #growthhacking #buildinpublic #artificialintelligence

E813 - Most marketers obsess over SEO best practices - keywords, backlinks, and technical tweaks. But the truth is, user experience (UX) often does more for your rankings than traditional SEO tactics. I share the UX principles that drive real SEO results, reduce bounce rates, and keep visitors coming back. These are the same principles I’ve used to grow traffic, improve conversions, and build long-term SEO wins. What you’ll learn: - Why pogo sticking hurts your SEO and how UX prevents it - The power of clarity over cleverness in copy and design - Real examples of copy tests that improved conversions - How information architecture improves both crawlability and user navigation - Progressive disclosure: showing details at the right time - The importance of consistent design patterns across your site - How headings, white space, and scannable layouts keep users engaged - Why mobile-first design is essential for SEO and usability - The role of page speed and how to test it the right way (not just with tools) - Accessibility principles that improve SEO and user trust - How to use alt text effectively to describe images and improve content - Smart pop-up timing that helps instead of hurts - Matching search intent with the right content and layout - Using Fitts’s Law to improve calls-to-action and navigation - How to create helpful 404 pages that preserve SEO value and guide users SEO gets people in the door, but UX makes them stay. If you want higher rankings, more conversions, and repeat visitors, focusing on UX is non-negotiable. ⭐️ First 1000 Newsletter - On Cute Copy - https://read.first1000.co/p/about-cute-copy ⭐️ Fitts’ Law: https://www.figma.com/resource-library/fitts-law/ ⭐️ Alexander Vilinskyy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/vilinskyy/ 💎 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 Unconventional SEO 00:38 Why User Experience Matters for SEO 01:23 Clarity Over Cleverness 03:08 Importance of Information Architecture 05:40 Mobile-First Design Principles 06:46 Testing and Page Speed 07:47 Accessibility and Pop-Ups 08:21 Understanding User Intent 08:52 Fitts’ Law and Easy Navigation 09:27 Handling Errors and 404 Pages The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #indiehackers #searchengineoptimization #digitalmarketing #uiux

E812: Nico Gorroño from AI Ranking joins the podcast to show how to use AI automations for SEO. We cover everything from exact prompts, to scaling AI content safely, to the surprising power of mobile video in search rankings, and why tribalism still runs rampant in the SEO community. Nico shares how he builds hundreds of transactional pages with AI, the right (and wrong) way to scale content, and what tools can give you a serious edge. We also get into backlinks, EEAT, parasite SEO, and why greed and velocity are the biggest mistakes people make. Whether you’re an SEO pro or just starting to explore AI-driven strategies, this episode will give you both practical tactics and a big-picture look at where search is headed next. Topics we cover: - Why SEO advice often works in one niche but not another - The rise of short-form video in Google search results - How to scale from 10 to 1,400 pages without penalties - Automations that generate pages, content, and images at scale - Why EEAT and topical authority matter more than ever - Link building strategies that actually work in 2025 - The dangers of shiny object syndrome in AI + SEO ⭐️ Join the AI Ranking Skool Community - https://www.skool.com/ai-ranking ⭐️ Nico’s Site - https://www.airankingskool.com/ ⭐️ Nico’s Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@Nico_AIRanking ⭐️ Nico’s Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nico-gorrono/ 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Introduction and Theory on SEO 01:07 Tribalism and Hostility in the SEO Industry 02:37 Short Form Videos and SEO 06:18 Automations and AI in SEO 09:22 Scaling Content and Avoiding Doorway Pages 30:08 Link Building and SEO Best Practices 34:52 The Importance of EEAT in 2025 35:45 Diversifying Content for Better EEAT 35:56 Challenges with Blog Posts and Indexing 37:27 The Role of Author Bios and Trustworthiness 38:35 Scaling Content with AI: Risks and Rewards 39:44 Diversification and the Importance of YouTube 41:12 Understanding Algorithmic Hits and Recovery 45:11 The Cat and Mouse Game of AI Content Detection 46:16 The Mom Test for Content Quality 46:57 Using Dynamic Elements to Enhance Content 47:38 The Success of AInvest's Dynamic Content 48:44 The Future of Monetizing Websites 50:10 Leveraging AI Tools for Content Creation 51:46 Simplifying Workflows with AI Automation 54:49 The Pitfalls of Shiny Object Syndrome 59:35 Balancing Automation and Complexity 01:08:14 Concluding Thoughts and Where to Find More The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #generativeengineoptimization #searchengineoptimization #growthhacking #digitalmarketing 

E811: Big money is flowing into a coordinated disinformation campaign to convince creators and marketers that “SEO is dead” and “GEO” is the future. I break down the leaked outreach emails, the tactics being used to spread this narrative, and why business owners are being misled into wasting money on unnecessary tools. You’ll learn: - What the so-called “GEO” movement really is - How sponsored content and fake thought leadership push disinfo - Why good SEO practices still matter for Google and AI search - Practical steps to show up in AI tools without falling for the hype ⭐️ The Reddit Thread - https://www.reddit.com/r/SEO/comments/1nm6daz/fyi_geos_ugly_campaign_of_intentional/ 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Introduction to GEO’s Disinformation Campaign 00:10 Details of the Sponsored Content 00:43 Redacted's Strategy and Vision 02:28 Personal Stance on Sponsored Content 03:56 Community Reactions and Concerns 05:58 Effective SEO Practices for AI Tools 07:53 Conclusion The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #generativeengineoptimization #searchengineoptimization #seotips #digitalmarketing