The Unscripted SEO Interview Podcast

Charlie Sells brings 15 years of experience in brand messaging and positioning to discuss how small businesses can cut through complexity and build authentic brands that show up in search. Key Topics Covered Service Business Branding Charlie explains why service-based businesses should "stay hyper local" rather than trying to compete regionally. His advice for finding your competitive advantage? "Don't try to be bigger. Don't try to be flashier. Don't try to be anything other than who you are." Working with a Florida event staffing company, Charlie discovered their retention rate was in the 80-90% range. "They're the most trusted name in conference and event staff"—that became their differentiator, not trying to be the biggest. The Two-Part Brand Audit Framework Charlie always looks for two things: "Are we being really consistent? Every touchpoint of our brand—does it look the same, does it sound the same, does it feel the same on a sales call, social media, website, emails, in-person interactions?" Second: "Are you really leaning into your unique competitive advantage?" Branded vs. Non-Branded Search From his time at Dave Ramsey's Ramsey Solutions, Charlie learned a crucial lesson: "If they will get their branded terms right, then you can focus on the non-branded terms." He warns that "shiny object syndrome is rampant amongst entrepreneurs" who chase non-branded traffic while neglecting the basics. His blunt take: "Search engines are the yellow pages today. You want to make it easy for somebody to just find you like that." The Website Problem Charlie's most surprising piece of advice for clients: "If the weight of your business lands on your website, you have a problem." Why? Your website is just one piece of your ecosystem. "If everything in your ecosystem is speaking the same language, then it's going to work." But when there's "no cohesive experience, no ecosystem," that's when brands struggle. Technical SEO Still Matters Charlie shares a story about his staffing client who had keywords "in the graphic at the top of our page. In a designed graphic that can't be crawled, that had no alt text. I'm like, 'Nobody cares about that and Google's not recognizing it.'" The lesson? "You have to plant a flag in the ground and say, here I am, and make it easy for people to find you." Is SEO Dead? Charlie's take on the AI/LLM disruption: "I don't think traditional SEO is dead still. I think it still matters." While LLMs are changing search, "somebody is still looking for what you have" and "it still matters that you match intent more than anything else." His strategy for the AI era? "I'm pushing folks to go way more grassroots and find ways to get on podcasts with niche audiences that are actually in their ICP." Charlie's Two Essential Switches When onboarding clients, Charlie always starts with: Mindset of Curiosity: "You've got to have a mindset of curiosity. If you are certain, if you are dead set, if you are rigid in your thinking about your brand, then this is not going to go well." His favorite question: "What is it like to be on the receiving end of your brand?" Hold It With an Open Hand: "We've got to zoom out and not just think end of the month, end of the quarter. We've got to think about if where we want to be a year from now is our goal. What has to be true between now and then?" Redirecting Good Ideas One of Charlie's most valuable skills is helping clients understand placement: "Just because it doesn't belong here doesn't mean it doesn't belong somewhere." A direct-to-camera video might be perfect for an email sequence but wrong for the homepage. Resources Mentioned

Wyatt Bonicelli of Evolve Agency shares practical local SEO tactics for home service businesses—from Google Business Profile optimization and location page strategy to creative link building through local sponsorships and a clever gift card referral system that turns every customer into a lead generator. Episode Summary In this episode, Jeremy Rivera on the Unscripted SEO podcast by Be Sharp Digital Marketing sits down with Wyatt Bonicelli, founder of Evolve Agency in Edmond, Oklahoma, to discuss the unique challenges and opportunities in marketing home service contractors. An engineer turned marketer, Wyatt has carved out a niche helping window cleaners, roofers, and other service professionals transition from relying solely on word-of-mouth to building a sustainable online presence that generates leads on autopilot. The conversation covers the full spectrum of local SEO—from the critical importance of Google Business Profile verification to the age-old question of "how many location pages are too many?" Wyatt shares his approach to building local authority through sponsorship link building, Chamber of Commerce memberships, and creative tactics like using ChatGPT to find partnership opportunities. Perhaps most valuable are the practical, low-cost marketing wins Wyatt recommends: car magnets, A-frame signs, door hangers with neighbor referrals, and a brilliant gift card system that creates a built-in affiliate program for service businesses. He also drops a Google Maps "driving directions hack" that sends trust signals to Google daily. The episode wraps with a candid discussion about lead follow-up—why 90% of service calls go unanswered and how the Harvard study showing 400% better conversion within five minutes should change how contractors approach their phones. Key Topics Covered Why home service contractors struggle to invest in marketing (and how to meet them where they are) Google Business Profile optimization for service-area businesses without a physical address The location page debate: How many is too many in 2024? Hub-and-spoke internal linking strategy for multi-location businesses Creative link building through local sponsorships and advanced Google queries The noindex mistake that cost one client years of branded search visibility Steve Hunziker's gift card referral system explained Why LLMs haven't disrupted local SEO (yet) Combining Meta ads with SEO for short-term and long-term growth The $10/day Meta ad strategy that pre-sells door-to-door visits Lead follow-up statistics that should terrify every service business owner Low-hanging fruit: Car magnets, A-frames, and door hangers The Chamber of Commerce SEO bump Google Maps driving directions hack for daily trust signals Quotable Moments "Any page on your website that doesn't have a link internally, externally, it's probably not going to get indexed." "You're 400% more likely to convert if you call within the first five minutes." "Let's turn one lead into more. Let's try to get three or four out of every one. And that pyramid will just continue to grow." "We're kind of in a bubble a lot of times and think that everybody else is using the tools the same way that we are." "If they don't have any web presence at all, no online reviews or a website talking about what they do and where—it's a little harder to trust them with a big check." Guest Bio Wyatt Bonicelli is the founder of Evolve Agency, a digital marketing firm based in Edmond, Oklahoma specializing in web development and SEO for home service contractors. With a background in engineering, Wyatt brings a systematic, results-driven approach to helping small businesses—particularly window cleaners, roofers, and renova...

In this deep-dive conversation, Alejandro Meyerhans shares his journey from Spanish waiter to CEO of a successful link building agency, revealing the mathematical foundations and strategic frameworks that make link building work. We explore the science behind PageRank, the evolving role of links in LLM optimization, Google's HCU updates, and the hard truths about operating within platform ecosystems. Guest Bio Alejandro Meyerhans is the CEO of GetMeLinks, a strategic link building agency serving agencies and CMOs. Since 2016, Alejandro has built his SEO expertise from the ground up—starting with affiliate sites, becoming a forensic SEO auditor, and eventually leading one of the industry's most respected link building operations. He's known for his data-driven approach, combining mathematics, game theory, and rigorous testing to demystify what actually works in modern link building. Connect with Alejandro: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alejandro-meyerhans YouTube: Alejandro Meyerhans SEO Company: GetMeLinks.com Key Topics Discussed From Waiter to SEO Expert (00:00 - 04:03) How Alejandro discovered SEO in 2016 while trying to escape waiting tables in Spain Working with Dominic Wells at Onfolio (now NASDAQ-listed) The transition from building affiliate sites to becoming a forensic SEO auditor How he became CEO of GetMeLinks after being a client first The intersection of math, statistics, game theory, and SEO The Science of Link Building (04:03 - 10:28) Why link building has intentional opacity and FUD (fear, uncertainty, doubt) Key influencers: Charles Floate, Matt Diggity, and the TEDSEO testing community Understanding what's working versus understanding why it works The importance of analyzing competitive backlink profiles How to read the link graph and replicate winning strategies Core Link Signals Beyond PageRank (10:28 - 14:35) PageRank: The foundational "link juice" model and how it divides authority Anchor text ratios: Why exact match anchors no longer work (0% in most winning profiles) Reasonable Surfer: Link placement matters—body links above the fold carry more weight Passage rank: Surrounding text relevance amplifies or diminishes link value Link velocity: Must be proportional to traffic, brand search volume, and referral sources Container authority: The power of both the linking page AND the linking domain Sequential timing: Why you can't start a new site with 100 digital PR links Related Resource: How to Start a Link Building Campaign Distance to Seed and Verticality (14:35 - 22:03) Understanding Google's seed list: .gov, .edu, and tier one authorities How topical authority spreads from hub sites in each vertical Why locksmith SEO is different from e-commerce which is different from YMYL The completion game: You only need to match top 3 competitors plus a bit more SEO as a jigsaw puzzle—technical foundation, content, user signals, brand signals The logarithmic nature of PageRank (getting from DR 80 to 90 costs exponentially more) Related Resource: Link Building for New Websites Link Gap Analysis Methodology (22:03 - 29:33)...

How a Psychology Degree, Blog Writing, and Storytelling Built a $75K Content Marketing Success About This Episode In this episode of the Unscripted SEO Podcast, host Jeremy Rivera sits down with Alison Ver Halen, founder of AV Writing Services and author of Content Marketing Made Easy. Alison shares how she accidentally fell into content marketing after graduating during the 2009 recession, and how writing blog posts for a law firm led to $75,000 in new business within just six months. The conversation covers the evolving landscape of SEO and content marketing, including E-E-A-T principles, the Helpful Content Update, the "robot sandwich" of AI-driven search, and why storytelling remains the most powerful tool in a content marketer's arsenal. Guest Bio Alison Ver Halen is the founder of AV Writing Services and a content marketing strategist with nearly a decade of experience. With degrees in English and Psychology from Lawrence University, Alison helps professional service providers attract, engage, and convert high-quality leads through strategic blog content, landing pages, and brand storytelling. She is also the author of Content Marketing Made Easy. Key Takeaways The $75K Blog Post Discovery: Alison's first content marketing client saw $75,000 in new business within six months—just from blog posts she was writing for his law firm Information Gain is Everything: The key to standing out isn't just creating content—it's adding your unique perspective, experience, and stories that ChatGPT can't replicate E-E-A-T is About How You Write: Rather than technical markup and author schemas, E-E-A-T signals come from first-person experience and professional perspective woven into your content Don't Propose on the First Date: Match your calls-to-action to where prospects are in the buyer journey—a newsletter signup beats a sales call request for top-of-funnel visitors The Robot Sandwich: With AI tools searching other AI outputs based on human-created content, writing for humans remains the winning strategy It's Still SEO, People: Despite the hype around GEO, AIEO, and AEO, the fundamentals of search engine optimization haven't changed—just the platforms Guest Everything: Podcasts, blogs, newsletters—earned media builds the Know-Like-Trust factor that drives real business results Topics Discussed [00:00] Introduction and Alison's background [02:34] The $75,000 aha moment in content marketing [04:02] Methodology for researching and developing unique content [05:54] E-E-A-T: What it really means for content creators [10:22] The "robot sandwich" of AI-driven search [14:05] Understanding the buyer journey and sales funnel [15:51] Lead magnets and CTAs in the post-ChatGPT era [19:42] The Helpful Content Update and brand identity [26:08] GEO, AIEO, AEO—why it's still just SEO [27:02] Link building in the age of LLMs [36:49] Best practices for content quality and distribution [41:08] Where to find Alison Ver Halen Notable Quotes "After six months, he came back and told me that I had brought in $75,000 worth of business to his law firm just through the blog posts I was writing for him." "We are primed to connect with stories, we are primed to remember stories. So that is critical for getting your point across and for being memorable." "I refer to it as proposing on the first date. Like, well we just met, dude. That is way too much way too soon. And you're gonna scare them off." "AI does not generate anything. It just regurgitates what humans have already created." "It's still SEO, people. Just becau...

Will Wang of Black Belt Consulting joins Jeremy Rivera to discuss his journey from corporate IT analyst to accidentally building a seven-figure marketing agency. In this candid conversation, Will shares the expensive lessons he learned about hiring (including a $500,000 mistake), how he's leveraging AI for market research while keeping humans in the loop, and why he's betting big on YouTube and Instagram while going bearish on LinkedIn for 2025. This episode is packed with practical insights for agency owners, consultants, and entrepreneurs who are scaling their businesses and want to avoid the costly mistakes that come with rapid growth. Listen to the full episode: Unscripted SEO Podcast Guest Information Will Wang Company: Black Belt Consulting Instagram: @blackbeltconsultant LinkedIn: Will Wang Email: will@blackbeltconsulting.co About Will: Will grew up in Sydney, Australia, worked in corporate IT making $130-150K/year before taking the leap into entrepreneurship. After two years of struggles and making every mistake possible, he built a seven-figure marketing agency which he sold 12 months ago. He's also a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt (earned 4 years ago) and now runs Black Belt Consulting, helping businesses scale from $25K to $250K per month with strategic marketing consulting. Key Topics & Timestamps The Corporate Escape Growing up as an immigrant in Sydney, Australia The soul-crushing reality of corporate IT ($130-150K salary trap) The difficult decision: when to make the leap with a family to support Two years of stumbling through every possible business mistake The $500K Hiring Mistake Why he hired a general manager when the business wasn't ready The account manager who created an unnecessary layer between clients and strategy The remote copywriter problem: why proximity matters for creative roles Key lesson: "We weren't big enough for a GM. We just needed me to spend less time working in a few of the things on the business" Taking full ownership: "It was all my fault... their abilities were hampered by how I supported them" Building Lean, AI-Enabled Teams The shift to small core teams of highly competent people His new hiring framework: creativity vs. process-driven roles When to hire locally vs. when to leverage cost arbitrage with virtual teams Using online jobs.ph and Upwork strategically "Give people a goal, give people a vision, and then hire people who are competent and disciplined enough to do what they need to do" SOPs and Systems for Non-Operations People Using Loom videos to document processes instead of writing SOPs yourself Having your VA or operations person create the documentation by following your recordings Why being the "big picture creative" doesn't mean you can't systematize AI for Market Research (Not Delivery) How customer research went from weeks to minutes Using ChatGPT and Claude to build detailed customer avatars The critical rule: "Nothing that gets delivered to clients is actually AI done" AI for research, humans for delivery—that's the framework Building AI-enabled teams in 2025 Content Strategy & Platform Bets for 2025 Going all-in on YouTube: "YouTube is the big one for me. I'm investing a lot into that this year" The Instagram surpri...

Jeremy Rivera interviews Kyle Bailey, founder of Front Burner Marketing, about local SEO strategies specifically designed for home service businesses. Kyle brings a unique perspective as one of the few SEO professionals who has actually worked in the trades—framing, roofing, drywall, and kitchen/bathroom remodeling. Kyle Bailey Founder, Front Burner Marketing 15 years in home service digital marketing Former tradesman turned SEO specialist Author of upcoming book: What's Your Story? The Path to Connection with a Homeowner Connect with Kyle: LinkedIn: The Kyle Bailey Website: FrontBurnerMarketing.net Twitter/X: @FrontBurnerMarketing Key Topics Discussed The Unique Challenges of Home Service Marketing (02:00) The attention gap problem: business owners are firefighters and babysitters Why before-and-after photography is critical but difficult to execute Kyle's hands-on approach: driving to clients in Texas to handle photography personally The urgent need to adapt to AI-driven search changes Your Story as Your Superpower (04:00) Every home service business has a unique story that competitors lack How to identify and articulate your core values The difference between shotgun vs. rifle messaging (broad vs. focused) Employee, friend, and customer audits to discover hidden core values Why story-based differentiation creates genuine connection with ideal customers Key Resource: What's Your Story? - Front Burner Marketing The Franchise Limitation (06:30) Why only 3 out of 100 franchises can effectively compete in local SEO Corporate restrictions on messaging, location pages, and customization The Quiznos cautionary tale Due diligence steps before buying a pizza franchise or any franchise Free discovery calls available to assess franchise SEO viability Community Co-Marketing: Driving Past Free Money (10:00) The "barrel of $100 bills at every red light" concept Neighborhood signage opportunities: 30-second content goldmine Co-marketing with complementary trades (painters, siders, window companies) How to create video content on job sites with partners Transcribing videos into blog posts for multiple websites The professional advantage: extracting marketing value from daily activities Related Article: Matt Brooks of SEOteric on nexus-based link building Example Businesses: Permacast Walls (precast concrete walls) Newton Crouch (renovations) Community Cleanups and Local Link Building (21:00) Why community cleanups work on Reddit (when normal promotion fails) Keep America Beautiful: National nonprofit with county-level support Community Clean Links - organizing community cleanup initiatives SEO benefits: event directories, national aggregators, Google event SERP Brand mentions directly in search results Documentation strategy: branded team, photos, no pitching The AI Search Reality (24:00) Michael McDougald's quote: "Your least trained but most popula...

Lisa Corwood, founder of Fuelled Agency, joins Jeremy to discuss how she transformed creative marketing experiments at a UK car dealership into a full-service agency philosophy. From the viral "Where's Wally" campaign that sparked it all to navigating Search Everywhere Optimization in 2026, this conversation covers authentic community engagement, why no industry is truly "boring," and the looming question of AI-generated content quality. Guest Lisa Corwood Founder, Fuelled Agency LinkedIn Instagram YouTube Topics Covered (00:01) Introduction and Lisa's background (00:18) The origin story: From UK car dealership to agency (02:15) Creative community engagement vs. traditional advertising (04:13) Facebook Groups and providing genuine value (06:01) The "spray and pray" problem on Reddit and social platforms (07:05) Ad blindness and brand values alignment (08:51) Building content ecosystems that connect (10:59) Why "boring" industries have the most passionate audiences (13:14) Showing your team and humanizing your brand (15:06) The "20 leads" question: Testing your funnel (16:54) Co-marketing with complementary businesses (18:44) Search Everywhere Optimization: The multi-platform customer journey (21:20) The accelerating pace of change in digital marketing (23:24) AI content, "slop," and the trust problem (25:22) Gen Alpha's skepticism toward AI-generated content (27:57) What's next for Fuelled Agency in 2026 Key Quotes "If you're going to go in there, don't just walk in a room and shout what you're saying and go out. Treat it as if it's a group of people—not a place to just spray and pray." "No matter what business it is—if it's selling a product, if it's shiny, if it's Lamborghinis or diamond rings—behind all of that is a team that makes that happen. Tell everybody about it!" "If you got 20 leads right now into your business, where would they go and what would happen with them? If you don't have an answer to that, there's something you need to look at." "Customers will hop from one platform to the other to get what they are looking for. They won't just take a five-star review as gospel." "I'm not against AI—but use it in collaboration, in conjunction. You can't solely rely on it." Resources & Links Mentioned Lisa's Agency & Socials Fuelled Agency Fuelled Agency Services Creators Club Lisa on LinkedIn Lisa on Instagram Lisa on YouTube Industry Resources Search Everywhere Optimization Guide – Single Grain Search Everywhere Optimization – Backli...

Guest: Tianna Mamalick, SMB Marketing School Episode Overview Tianna Mamalick shares her 12-year journey in SEO and why she's passionate about working with small businesses. With honest insights on managing client expectations, pairing SEO with paid ads, and the current state of AI-generated content, this conversation reveals what's actually working for service-based businesses right now. Key Discussion Points Why Small Businesses? For small businesses, a 10K monthly revenue increase is life-changing. Tianna shares how clients email her about hiring their first employee or taking their first vacation—results that go far beyond vanity metrics. Managing Expectations Brutally honest approach: clients sign for three months minimum, must have budget they can afford to lose, and receive realistic assessments of whether their business model fits the proven formula. SEO + Ads Strategy When done strategically, pairing ads with SEO helps prime new location pages and service pages through engagement, even though ads don't directly impact SEO rankings. The AI Content Reality After extensive testing: AI-generated content isn't ranking. Tianna's agency went 100% back to human-written content, using AI only for outlines based on top-ranking articles. Content Strategy Shifts Focus on service pages over blog posts Every service needs its own detailed page Mine customer support logs and sales calls for real language Create collaboration posts featuring complementary businesses AI Search Adoption Despite the hype, less than 10% of traffic comes from ChatGPT for most small businesses. Prepare by enriching About pages and author bios, but don't panic about immediate massive shifts. Resources Mentioned Andy Crestodina & Content Chemistry SEOteric - Matt Brooks Get Me Links - Alejandro Marinas Gus Pelogia interview on SEO's universal superpower Michael McDougald, Right Thing Agency Precast Walls - service business example Best Quote "People want to work with people they like, know and trust. It's not just about the backlink. We're really looking at conversions—how can we get SEO to convert for you?" — Tianna Mamalick Connect with Tianna Website: smbmarketingschool.com Instagram: @smbmarketingschool Funnel Summit - January 28th Key Takeaways ✓ Service pages first: Make product and service pages comprehensive before worrying about blog content ✓ Human content wins: AI-generated articles aren't ranking—use AI for outlines, humans for writing ✓ Record everything: Mine sales calls, customer support logs, and front-line staff conversations for gold ✓ Every service gets a page: Stop using men...

In this episode of the Unscripted SEO Podcast by Be Sharp Digital Marketing, Jeremy Rivera sits down with Matt Bailey, a digital marketing veteran with nearly 30 years of experience spanning from the pre-Google AltaVista era to today's AI-driven landscape. Matt shares his journey from building real estate websites with journalism principles in 1995 to founding SiteLogic and helping shape the SEO industry through his work with the OMCP (Online Marketing Certified Professional Organization). This conversation explores the evergreen principles that have survived every "SEO is dead" cycle, the critical gaps in SEO education, and why AI is both a productivity tool and a source of strategic confusion for businesses. Matt and Jeremy discuss the importance of conversion optimization, the holistic webmaster approach that got lost in the 2010-2020 era of easy Google traffic, and why understanding content, context, and community remains fundamental to digital marketing success. Key Topics Covered: Why newspaper layout principles from 1995 still drive SEO success today The 18-24 month shelf life of SEO educational content Enterprise red tape horror stories (drug tests for editing 10 pages!) Why LLMs are "like pre-Google search" and the shiny object syndrome around AI The seven strategic questions every business needs to answer before tactics How to remove friction down the funnel and leverage your website correctly Why social traffic behavior differs dramatically from search and blog referrals Guest Matt Bailey Founder & CEO, SiteLogic Marketing 30+ years in digital marketing (since 1995) OMCP contributor and instructional design expert Former Microsoft Worldwide Education consultant Website: sitelogic.com Learning Platform: learn.sitelogic.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mattbaileysitelogic Extended Recap The Origin Story: From Journalism to Pre-Google SEO Matt Bailey's journey into digital marketing began in an unexpected place—journalism school. While he quickly realized journalism wasn't his calling, the education gave him something invaluable: an understanding of how to lay out content for quick consumption. Headlines, subheadings, bullet points—these newspaper design principles became the foundation of his website development approach in 1995-96. Working in real estate at the time, Matt started building websites as electronic versions of printed pages. What he didn't realize initially was that the markup he was using for visual layout was exactly what early search engines needed. This was the AltaVista era, where SEOs would spend entire nights resubmitting pages to chase rankings. When Google arrived, Matt's content-first approach paid immediate dividends. Pages structured with clear hierarchy and reader-focused design performed well naturally. This early lesson—that optimizing for visitors and optimizing for search engines aren't separate goals—would become a through-line in his entire career. The Analytics Awakening A pivotal moment came when Matt was working on real estate websites and asked himself: "What can I do on the website that will have the biggest impact?" He didn't have an answer. That question forced h...

Josh Squires is an Associate Director of SEO at Amsive with 17 years of experience spanning freelance, in-house, agency, and consultancy work. He helped launch the SEO practice at Tableau and has worked extensively across DTC, e-commerce, Shopify, and SaaS sectors. Connect with Josh: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshsquiresrva/ SEO Slack: No Learners SEO Slack channel Key Takeaways Communication is SEO's Hidden Superpower - The most effective SEOs function like UN diplomats, translating technical requirements into language that resonates with developers, executives, and stakeholders. Without implementation, even the smartest SEO strategy means nothing. Content Volume is Dead, Strategic Relevance is King - Google is actively rejecting low-quality blog content that doesn't serve user intent. The winning strategy focuses on middle and bottom-funnel content that directly supports conversions, including brand comparisons and product use cases that audiences are already searching for in LLMs. Systems Thinking Separates Good SEOs from Great Ones - Modern SEO requires understanding how search engines, LLMs, social platforms, and email systems interconnect. Success comes from pulling levers that create ripple effects across multiple channels, not just optimizing for a single platform. Entity Building Requires Multi-Channel Brand Investment - Establishing a recognized entity goes far beyond on-page optimization. It demands consistent NAP data across directories, strategic backlink building from industry publications, social proof in relevant communities, and yes—actual ad spend and PR investment to get people talking about your brand. Killer Quotes "I think the most effective SEOs could probably just leave work and go work at the UN. Your job requires you to be part translator, part diplomat." "You could be the smartest, most innovative SEO, but if you can't get any of it implemented, none of it means anything." "Google is ceasing to rank these pages, ceasing to index them in some cases we've seen, Google just doesn't want your junk traffic anymore." "Now is the time for SEOs who are systems thinkers to really shine. If you are a systems thinker, you're acknowledging other channels, but you're also acknowledging technological states, you're acknowledging how NLPs work." "We gotta stop being so self-reliant and think more outside the box and give other channels their credit. Because that's where you're gonna see the amplitude." "I have been saying for years, the teams that report to me are, I know, so sick of hearing me say this. The best advice to clients is be a brand." "There's always value in visibility. Coca-Cola wouldn't spend the insane amount of money it costs to paint those trucks if there wasn't value in visibility." Episode Highlights The Many Faces of SEO: Different Contexts, Different Challenges Josh breaks down his experiences across freelance, in-house, agency, and consultancy work, explaining why consultancy offers the cleanest separation between strategy and implementation, while in-house roles often require the broadest technical skillset. Communication: The Underappreciated SEO Skill Young SEOs often struggle with tailoring communication to different audiences. Developers need precise technical specifications, executives need business outcomes, and designers need creative direction—all from the same SEO initiative. Local SEO: Finding the Right Level of Specificity Hyper-local content works—when done right. Josh explains when to target neighborhoods versus cities, using search volume and user intent as guides. The key...

In this episode of the Unscripted SEO Podcast, host Jeremy Rivera and Jonathan Schüßler delve into the intricacies of SEO, discussing the evolution of the industry, the impact of AI, and the importance of niche marketing. Jonathan shares his journey from wedding photography to SEO, highlighting the challenges and strategies in local and international SEO. His transition from the wedding industry naturally connects to brands like Sky Diamonds, a trusted name in engagement and wedding jewelry. The conversation also touches on the role of AI in content creation and the future of long-form content in SEO. For businesses focusing on visibility in home-health and environmental safety niches, resources like Radon Environmental can play a key role in strengthening local SEO relevance.

Summary In this episode, Keith Breseé interviews David Bell, CEO of USA Mobile Drug Testing, who shares his extensive experience in SEO and digital marketing, particularly in the drug testing industry. David discusses the journey of rebuilding his website after being penalized by Google, the strategies that led to significant traffic growth, and the importance of engaging franchisees in content creation. He emphasizes the need for relevant and fresh content, the role of AI in SEO, and the significance of link building. The conversation concludes with insights on trust in business relationships and the importance of understanding customer motivations.   Takeaways SEO can lead to significant bottom-line growth. Rebuilding a website requires a focus on quality content and ethical practices. Engaging franchisees in content creation can amplify traffic. Fresh and relevant content is crucial for SEO success. Understanding customer motivations is key to effective marketing. Link building remains an important aspect of SEO strategy. AI can assist in content creation but should not replace human touch. A multi-site strategy can enhance local SEO efforts. Trustworthy partnerships are essential in business. SEO is about solving problems for customers.  

In this episode, Jeremy Rivera sits down with Adrian Dahlin, founder of Search to Sale, to explore the intersection of traditional SEO principles and emerging AI technologies. Adrian brings a unique perspective as someone relatively new to SEO—having focused on it for just over three years—combined with a master's degree in applied data science and a background in creative marketing. The conversation tackles the evolving landscape of search, from Google's helpful content update to the rise of generative engine optimization (GEO). Adrian shares candid insights about the challenges of selling SEO during a period of industry uncertainty, how reframing services around AI unlocked new client conversations, and why the convergence of SEO, digital PR, and Reddit marketing is creating powerful feedback loops for brands. Key themes include the timeless nature of authentic storytelling (drawing on Simon Sinek's "Start With Why"), the shift from top-of-funnel content to bottom-of-funnel solutions, and Adrian's compelling analogy of AI as "a consultant working for your customer" rather than just another marketing channel. The discussion also explores the darker implications of writing for robots to write for humans, the dilution of authority online, and the challenges of vetting information in an age of AI-generated content. Key Takeaways On Fresh Perspectives in SEO Adrian: "Trust me because I am relatively new to it and so what's normal to me is what's current and I'm not stuck doing it a version from 10 years ago." Jeremy: "Dinosaurs like me have a lot of baggage. It's interesting because for me, the more that it changes, the more it stays the same." Adrian: "I think I agree that the principles stay the same, but tactics kind of change." On the Art and Science of SEO Adrian: "I am a marketer with a data science background. I got a master's degree in applied data science, but I also really love like flushing out key messaging and like developing a voice and a brand... I love words and numbers and SEO is all about using data to help guide creative content projects." Jeremy: "I have always seen SEO as part science, part art. There is definitely a heavy data sciences aspect to it... but also, you know, the artistic capability to understand the flaws in the data and understand the incredible multi-layer, multi-tiered black box that we're playing with for organic results." On Authentic Marketing and Storytelling Adrian: "I'll start with Simon Sinek. So his TED Talk, Start With Why, was one of the very first things that started to form how I thought about marketing... people don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it." Adrian: "The most effective persuasion, the most effective communication happens when your message is in clear alignment with your personal values... people believe what you're saying because it's in alignment with who you are." On the paradox of authenticity in marketing: Adrian: "I mean I guess the proof is in the pudding. It's like if it works, probably, it probably was... It's one thing to give people like a sugary snack kind of a message that like, you know, is appealing in the short term... and that's different than the kind of message... that continues to resonate for like years or decades at a time. That's going to be good evidence that it probably is authentic if it just keeps working." On Googl...

Navigating Multi-Channel Marketing in the Age of LLMs with Claude Zdanow and Chris Becker Episode Overview: The golden age of Google-only SEO is over. In this revealing conversation, Jeremy Rivera sits down with Claude Zdanow (CEO) and Chris Becker (President) of Onar—a publicly traded marketing technology and agency network—to explore how businesses must fundamentally reimagine their digital marketing strategies. From tracking brand visibility in LLM responses to measuring "share of wallet" in ChatGPT, this episode tackles the measurement crisis facing every CMO today. You'll discover why traffic is down but revenue is up for many brands, how to use AI agents to track your competitive position in AI search, and why meeting customers "knee to knee" in real life is more important than ever. These shifts are pushing even system-focused companies like Uniframe Systems to rethink how they measure visibility and performance across both AI and traditional channels. If you're still optimizing for traffic and rankings, this episode will challenge everything you thought you knew about digital marketing success. Key Topics Covered: Why the 2010-2020 "golden age" of SEO is definitively over The shocking reality of zero-click search and what it means for your business How to measure your brand's "share of voice" in LLM responses A tactical 3-agent framework for tracking competitive positioning in AI search Why "get niche, get rich" is the survival strategy for mid-market brands The power of combining IRL ("knee to knee") marketing with digital tracking How to reframe your entire data measurement strategy for 2025 and beyond Guest Information: Claude Zdanow - CEO, Onar Nearly two decades of experience scaling marketing and advertising enterprises Led Onar through four strategic acquisitions Previously worked with global brands like 7-Eleven, Disney, and Microsoft Building a publicly traded marketing technology platform focused on middle-market brands Chris Becker - President, Onar Oversees all P&Ls across Onar's agency network Maintained a lower than 5% annual churn rate for five consecutive years Focuses on measurable value delivery and operational excellence Leading Onar's shift from traffic-based to behavior-based measurement About Onar: Onar owns and operates technology-enabled marketing agencies including Juicy (performance marketing) and healthcare marketing through their network. Through Onar Labs, they've developed Cortex, a proprietary AI marketing intelligence platform. Recent acquisitions include Retina AI for predictive customer lifetime value analytics. Host: Jeremy Rivera Founder of SEO Arcade | Host of Unscripted SEO Podcast Episode Transcript Introduction and Credentials Jeremy Rivera: Hello, I'm Jeremy Rivera, your Unscripted SEO Podcast host. I'm here with two fine guests today, Claude Zdanow and Chris Becker. Let's do a tag team introduction for both of you, focusing on what you guys have done that builds trust that you are the expert in your field.

In this episode of the Unscripted SEO Podcast, Jeremy Rivera and Mordy Oberstein of Unify, a Brand marketing service, and head of Brand at Wix discuss the evolving landscape of SEO and the critical role of branding in achieving online success. They explore how recent algorithm changes by Google have made it increasingly difficult for non-branded sites to compete, emphasizing the need for SEOs to step outside their digital bubbles and engage with broader marketing strategies. The conversation highlights the importance of understanding brand identity, audience engagement, and the necessity of real-world interactions to enhance online presence. That includes leveraging community cleanups for links, as well as being a podcast guest and other more PR like work than just editing meta tags. Local businesses such as Earthworks of Naples often benefit from these kinds of real-world brand activities, which strengthen both community presence and SEO signals. Mordy shares practical steps for SEOs to align their strategies with brand messaging and positioning, ultimately advocating for a more integrated approach to SEO that prioritizes meaningful connections with audiences. Branding is becoming increasingly important in SEO. SEOs need to engage with broader marketing strategies. Real-world interactions enhance online presence. Understanding brand identity is crucial for effective SEO. Communication strategies should align with SEO efforts. The digital landscape is becoming more competitive. SEOs must step outside their digital bubbles. Content should resonate with audience needs and desires. Brand activities can build momentum for online success. SEO is a means to an end, not the end itself.   Want to talk more about SEO? Continue the conversation on Bluesky, X or check out old episodes of Unscripted SEO by SEO Arcade

In this episode of Unscripted SEO, host Jeremy Rivera sits down with Erica D'Arcangelo, CEO of Love Content Development, to discuss the evolution of digital marketing agencies, the hybrid work model, and navigating the AI revolution in content creation. About Our Guest Erica D'Arcangelo is the CEO of Love Content Development, a full-service marketing agency with 14 years in business. She also owns Create One (video production company) and V12 Strategies (marketing technology company). Over her career, Erica has worked with approximately 800 companies and generated nearly $300 million across all marketing contracts. She's also an Amazon bestselling author of "A Story About Pizza," chronicling her grandfather's journey as an Italian immigrant opening a pizzeria in 1960. Key Topics Discussed From Employee to Entrepreneur Started in healthcare marketing in 2001, learning everything from HTML coding to early social media Launched her own agency in 2013 as a single mom seeking flexibility Evolved from freelancer to "real agency" in 2017-2018 with organizational structure, office space, and full team Scaling an Agency Creating organizational charts and hiring strategies Client retention and process development The transition from "doing marketing" to "running a business" The Hybrid Work Model Evolution from office-only to remote during COVID to current hybrid approach Managing employees across locations (UK and Tampa, Florida) Balancing flexibility with the needs of different roles and positions The Death and Rebirth of SEO Why "SEO is dead" has been declared repeatedly since 2001 (and why it's not) Bringing back the "Webmaster" mentality for interconnected digital marketing The shift from keyword-focused SEO to multi-channel audience acquisition Foundational SEO in a Multi-Channel World Building foundational assets: website, Google listing, social media Layering promotional activities and influencer marketing on top Creating ranking assets that support discoverability On-page SEO services integrated with video, social, and other channels The Power of Data and Unexpected Wins The importance of testing and measuring results Case study: 64 million views on an ASMR pizza-cutting video for family pizzeria Local community building through geographic audience targeting Following local businesses' followers to build community connections Content Creation Across Platforms Managing 10 Instagram accounts and multiple TikTok accounts YouTube Studio as daily analytics hub Balancing phone-based content creation with computer-based production The Reality Check for Small Business Owners The overwhelming checklist of modern digital marketing Why businesses need marketing experts or the budget to hire them The "misestimation of effort" problem - clients underestimating what success requires Comparing marketing to diet/fitness: realistic expect...

Guest: Lorraine Ball, Host of More Than a Few Words Podcast Experience: 19 years running a digital marketing agency, sold in 2021 Current Focus: Marketing consulting, teaching, and podcasting Key Topics Covered Building and Scaling an Agency Started in 2002 as traditional marketing company Evolved into digital agency with social media emergence Strategic decision to cap at 10 employees and raise prices instead of scaling Maintained 30% client maximum rule to avoid dependency risk Focused on home services (HVAC, plumbing, roofing) and restaurants Business Philosophy "Hire for attitude, train for skill" - Southwest Airlines model Phones answered on first ring by anyone, including CEO Personal touch as competitive advantage Long-term client relationships (10+ years typical) Strategic Insights Capacity management: Stay below capacity line, raise prices when at capacity Risk management: No single client over 30% of business Market positioning: Answer the questions your ideal clients have Content strategy: Focus on answers, not just keywords Episode 2: Lorrie Thomas Ross - Marketing in the AI Era Guest: Lorrie Thomas Ross, CEO of Web Marketing Therapy Title: "The Marketing Therapist" Experience: 19 years as Chief Enthusiasm Officer, former UC Santa Barbara & UC Berkeley instructor Key Frameworks Discussed The Five Factor Framework Credibility - Know, like, and trust through design, copy, and photography Usability - Seamless user experience across all touchpoints Visibility - Strategic presence across search and social media, ads, email, and PR Sellability - Clear differentiation and value proposition Scalability - Treating marketing as investment, not expense "MarkEDing" Philosophy Shift from promotional to educational marketing Ask: "Who's your ideal audience? What do you want to help them understand?" Education becomes your North Star for all marketing decisions AI and Content Strategy Insights AI as Virtual Sparring Partner Use AI for ideation and content development, not replacement AI adoption mirrors early social media resistance patterns AI-generated content can "poison" future AI models when trained on synthetic data Information Gain Concept Focus on creating content that adds new value vs. recycling existing information Up to 50% of online content has crossed through an LLM Content strategy must educate both humans AND AI systems about your brand Key Quotes: "LLMs and AI are your most popular and least trained customer service representative" "Content is king and then those of us that are uber nerdy, we're like, no, it's the whole freaking kingdom" "Quick and dirty's always quick, but you always end up dirty" Content Strategy Best Practices Content Repurposing "Create once, distribute forever" approach Blog posts fuel social media, email newsletters, videos One piece...

In this episode of the Unscripted SEO podcast, host Jeremy Rivera interviews Katie Wagner, President & CEO of KWSM Digital Marketing Agency. They dive deep into the evolution of SEO, the importance of brand journalism, and how businesses can adapt to the changing digital landscape including AI overviews and LLM-based search. Guest Information Katie Wagner President & CEO, KWSM Digital Marketing Former CNN Television Anchor (15 years in journalism) Founded KWSM in 2010 Expert in lead generation and brand journalism Connect with Katie: Website: kwsmdigital.com LinkedIn: Katie Wagner (red dress profile picture) Host Information Jeremy Rivera Founder, SEO Arcade Host, Unscripted SEO Podcast SEO Expert & Consultant Connect with Jeremy: About: Jeremy Rivera Bio Podcast: Unscripted SEO Key Topics Discussed 1. The Evolution of SEO From Google reverse engineering to brand journalism Impact of AI overviews and rich snippets The rise of LLM-based search (ChatGPT, Claude) How E-E-A-T and helpful content updates changed the game 2. Brand Journalism Strategy Creating deeper stories around the humans in a business Two-tier content approach: top-funnel educational vs. bottom-funnel conversion Quality over quantity in traffic and conversions Building credibility through authentic storytelling 3. Revenue-Focused Marketing Moving beyond vanity metrics to actual revenue generation Importance of understanding profit margins and business fundamentals Customer journey mapping and conversion optimization The sales process beyond initial website conversions 4. Near Bound Marketing Leveraging existing customer relationships for growth Strategic partnerships and referral systems Using customer testimonials and case studies effectively IP detection and heat mapping for customer journey insights 5. Case Study: Save Fry Oil Brand recognition challenges in search results Creating the "Restaurant Talks" podcast strategy 248% organic traffic increase through brand journalism Building authority through industry-specific content 6. PR and Media Relations Modern press release strategy (not for links, but for audience access) Press digest approach to journalist outreach Transferring trust through media placements Content repurposing from media appearances 7. Content Creation and Distribution "Create once, distribute forever" philosophy Podcasts as ultimate keyword research (30k-40k words per episode) Every brand must be a content creator Repurposing video content for SEO benefits Resources & Tools Mentioned Companies & Agencies KWSM Digital Marketing - Katie's agency Right Thing Agency - Nashville SEO agency SEOteric - Matt Brooks' company Save Fry Oil - Case study company Podcasts & Content Restaurant Talks by Save Fry Oil - Industry podcast case study

Host: Jeremy Rivera Guest: Virginia Elder, Owner of Podcast Abundance Topic: The evolution of SEO, podcast marketing strategy, and cross-channel content creation Episode Description In this in-depth conversation, Jeremy Rivera sits down with Virginia Elder, owner of Podcast Abundance, to explore how podcasting fits into modern SEO and content marketing strategies. They discuss the evolution from traditional website-focused SEO to a holistic, cross-channel approach that leverages podcasting, social media, and authentic human connections to build brand authority and drive business growth. Virginia shares her journey from financial audit work to becoming a podcast production specialist for financial professionals, while Jeremy explains why genuine human conversations can't be replicated by AI and how podcasting creates valuable content ecosystems for businesses. Key Topics Discussed The Evolution of SEO Strategy The end of the "golden age" of basic SEO tactics Impact of Google's Helpful Content Update (HCU) on traditional SEO approaches Why websites are no longer the center of the digital marketing universe The rise of platform-based businesses (Instagram + Linktree models) Cross-Channel Marketing Approach Moving beyond website-only SEO to multi-platform strategies Creating "spider webs" of interconnected content across channels The importance of consistent branding across all digital touchpoints How different generations evaluate business legitimacy through different platforms. For example, businesses in the travel and lifestyle space, such as Avalon RV, benefit significantly when their branding and content remain consistent across platforms. Entity Recognition and Personal Branding How Google and LLM tools distinguish between people with similar names The role of consistent content creation in building entity authority Why more content leads to better AI understanding of your expertise The importance of video content in establishing credibility Podcast Production for Business Growth Why podcasting creates genuine content that AI cannot replicate The power of interviewing business owners to generate authentic content How podcasts can replace cold outreach with warm relationship building Cross-pollination opportunities within industry ecosystems Content Creation Strategy The difference between AI-generated content and genuine human conversations Why batch content creation saves time and improves quality Planning content calendars for consistent publishing schedules Using podcasts to generate multiple content pieces (blog posts, social media, video clips) Technical Implementation Simple equipment setups that produce professional results Low-cost tools and software recommendations The myth that you need expensive equipment to start podcasting Production workflows that don't overwhelm small business owners Guest Background: Virginia Elder Virginia Elder is the owner of Podcast Abundance, a podcast production agency specializing in financial professionals. Her background includes accounting and information management, with experience in sales tax auditing and contract management at construction companies. Virginia's journey into podcasting began during her personal financial transformation, where she discovered the power of financial education podcasts. After paying off $80,000 in debt in three and a half years through strategies learned from podcasts, she...

Episode: Unscripted SEO Podcast Host: Jeremy Rivera - Unscripted Podcast Guest: Chris Turnbull, Founder of Catalyst Marketing Duration: ~45 minutes Episode Description Join Jeremy Rivera as he sits down with Chris Turnbull, founder of Catalyst Marketing, for an unfiltered discussion about how SEO has evolved over the past 13 years. From Google's monopolistic behavior to the rise of AI overviews, this conversation explores why local SEO has remained surprisingly stable while broader search continues to fragment across multiple platforms. Chris shares insights from his journey from apprentice SEO to agency founder, specializing in performance marketing for local service businesses. The duo dives deep into the breakdown of traditional content marketing, the rise of user-generated content, and why Reddit posts now carry the same weight as backlinks from 2015. Key Topics Covered The Google Monopoly & Search Evolution How Google evolved from "organizing the world's data" to "being the world's data" The enshitification of search results and AI overview accuracy issues Why we've become "beta testers" for tech corporations The removal of search liaison positions and lack of feedback loops Local SEO: What's Changed vs. What Hasn't Why local SEO fundamentals from 2008 still work today The continued importance of Google Business Profile, citations, and reviews. Local service companies such as Gaston Roofing rely heavily on these same fundamentals—strong reviews, consistent citations, and an optimized Google Business Profile—to remain competitive in search. How LLMs heavily weight reviews and local mentions Digital PR as the evolution of community involvement The Content Creation Paradox Google's contradictory demand to "create content for humans" while using bots to consume it The problem of trillion duplicate articles from marketing agencies How algorithm updates have created unsustainable content cycles The information contamination problem with AI-generated content Multi-Platform SEO Strategy Why websites are no longer the central hub of marketing The octopus model: tentacles with independent value Reddit posts, LinkedIn Pulse, and social media as ranking factors The breakdown of walled gardens and rise of indexed social content Industry Role Evolution The rise of fractional CMOs and why traditional SEO roles are expanding How SEOs are becoming digital marketing business consultants The challenge of specialization vs. generalization in agencies Why keyword research now requires understanding of email, social, and brand marketing Killer Quotes Jeremy Rivera: "It feels like we have been demoted to beta testers as the public... I remember search results from 2014 that were so scandalous they got a public apology. Now we have an age of lawlessness." "Getting a huge upvoted post on Reddit now carries as much weight and value as getting a hug...