The Search Session

How can SEOs use AI search experiments to uncover new opportunities without losing sight of the fundamentals? In this episode of The Search Session, Gianluca Fiorelli talks with enterprise SEO consultant and developer Jan-Willem Bobbink about AI search visibility, reliable Search Console data analysis, indexing issues, Brave, and the challenges of scaling content. They also explore spam filtering, SERP analysis, and internal linking strategies that can make a real difference. Discover how hands-on testing, smart tools, and solid SEO fundamentals can help navigate the evolving search landscape.This is the 86th episode of:  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_sm3ydVBxdAJ84k2qsH1LkTDbtbdNrGh Here's what you'll learn in this episode:(00:07) Meet Our Guest: Jan-Willem Bobbink(02:50) How GSC Wizard Makes AI Analysis of Search Console Data Reliable(07:28) Using Bing and Yandex to Diagnose Google Indexing Issues(11:37) How Brave Decides What Gets Into Its Index(15:34) When Separate Landing Pages Boost LLM Visibility(21:40) Passages vs. Dedicated Pages: Knowing When to Stop Scaling(26:09) Content Quality, Pruning, and the Power of User Signals(30:03) Why Fighting Search Spam Is Getting Harder(34:33) Why Every SERP Needs Its Own SEO Strategy(37:31) Why LLMs Will Need Stronger Spam and Quality Filters(42:14) What the Bollocks Content Experiment Reveals About Google(47:51) How to Assess Internal Linking With PageRank👉 Read the full article and explore additional insights:  https://www.advancedwebranking.com/blog/seo-ai-search-experiments  Where to find Jan-Willem BobbinkLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbobbink/ X: https://x.com/jbobbink Website: https://www.notprovided.eu/  Where to find Gianluca Fiorelli Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gianlucafiorelli/ X: https://x.com/gfiorelli1 Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/gfiorelli1.bsky.social Website: https://iloveseo.net/ 🎙 Listen to The Search Session on your favorite platform:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_sm3ydVBxdAJ84k2qsH1LkTDbtbdNrGh  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1FzI5qwHtIndtiibZWiroSApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-search-session/id1796043201 Made with ❤️by Advanced Web Ranking, the people behind the world's most accurate and longest-standing rank tracker.Get your free 7-day trial and find your true visibility in organic search for any market: https://www.advancedwebranking.com/Be sure to subscribe for more actionable marketing and SEO tutorials:    / @advancedwebranking

How can brands stay visible in AI search without chasing every new trend? In this episode of The Search Session, Gianluca Fiorelli talks with SEO product leader Abby Gleason about measuring AI search impact, building brand authority, proving SEO’s business value, and separating AI hype from real opportunities. From smarter experiments and stakeholder buy-in to why informational content still matters, Abby shares practical insights on making SEO work in a rapidly changing search landscape.This is the 85th episode of:  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_sm3ydVBxdAJ84k2qsH1LkTDbtbdNrGh Here's what you'll learn in this episode:(00:06) Meet Our Guest: Abby Gleason(03:13) How to Measure Success Across the Search Ecosystem(09:40) Why SEO Strategy Must Extend Beyond Your Website(13:58) Zero-Click Search and the Shift From Traffic to Conversions(17:03) How Smaller Brands Can Build Influence in Search(23:31) Using AI to Enhance SEO Skills, Not Replace Them(29:32) Avoiding AI Shiny Object Syndrome(34:49) Why Websites Should Still Leave Room for Discovery(37:20) Why Abandoning Informational Content Is a Mistake(43:07) How Big Brands Can Show First-Hand Experience(46:10) Winning Stakeholder Support With Small-Scale Tests(49:05) The AI Search Myth of Reddit as a Shortcut(52:50) Abby’s Favorite Memories From Mexico City👉 Read the full article and explore additional insights:  https://www.advancedwebranking.com/blog/seo-beyond-traffic Where to find Abby GleasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abby-gleason/ X: https://x.com/abbysuegleason Website: https://www.upwork.com/    Where to find Gianluca Fiorelli Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gianlucafiorelli/ X: https://x.com/gfiorelli1 Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/gfiorelli1.bsky.social Website: https://iloveseo.net/ 🎙 Listen to The Search Session on your favorite platform:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_sm3ydVBxdAJ84k2qsH1LkTDbtbdNrGh  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1FzI5qwHtIndtiibZWiroS  Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-search-session/id1796043201 Made with ❤️by Advanced Web Ranking, the people behind the world's most accurate and longest-standing rank tracker.Get your free 7-day trial and find your true visibility in organic search for any market: https://www.advancedwebranking.com/Be sure to subscribe for more actionable marketing and SEO tutorials:    / @advancedwebranking

What does AI really know about a brand, and how can businesses make sure it gets the story right?In this episode of The Search Session, Gianluca Fiorelli talks with AI and SEO strategist Crystal Carter about the evolving world of AI and agentic search. They explore how AI systems understand brands, why accurate entity information matters, and what SEOs can do today to prepare for a more agent-driven search landscape.Crystal also shares practical ways to experiment with agentic tools, explains the roles of llms.txt and MCP, and discusses how brands can build stronger visibility in personalized AI search by providing clear evidence that they meet their customers’ needs.A conversation about where AI search is heading—and what brands should be doing now to stay visible.This is the 85th episode of:  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_sm3ydVBxdAJ84k2qsH1LkTDbtbdNrGh Here's what you'll learn in this episode:(00:06) Meet Our Guest: Crystal Carter(04:16) What Are the New Rules of AI Search?(06:58) How Crystal Began Investigating Brand Visibility in AI Search(10:43) Why Training Data Shouldn’t Be Overlooked(17:09) How Entities and Query Fan-Out Organize AI Knowledge(20:43) Keeping Your Brand Salient and Avoiding Entity Confusion(25:53) How Small Businesses Can Start Testing Agentic Opportunities(31:22) What SEOs Misunderstood About llms.txt(35:26) Markdown Files for Gated and Restricted Content(39:17) MCP as an Opportunity for Publishers and B2C Brands(42:15) Personalized AI Search and Knowing Your Customer(49:12) Why Clarity and Simple SEO Fundamentals Still Win👉 Read the full article and explore additional insights:  https://www.advancedwebranking.com/blog/brand-readiness-ai-search-agents Where to find Crystal CarterLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/crystal-carter-digital/ X: https://x.com/CrystalontheWeb Website: http://www.Wix.com  Where to find Gianluca Fiorelli Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gianlucafiorelli/ X: https://x.com/gfiorelli1 Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/gfiorelli1.bsky.social Website: https://iloveseo.net/ 🎙 Listen to The Search Session on your favorite platform:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_sm3ydVBxdAJ84k2qsH1LkTDbtbdNrGh  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1FzI5qwHtIndtiibZWiroS  Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-search-session/id1796043201 Made with ❤️by Advanced Web Ranking, the people behind the world's most accurate and longest-standing rank tracker.Get your free 7-day trial and find your true visibility in organic search for any market: https://www.advancedwebranking.com/Be sure to subscribe for more actionable marketing and SEO tutorials:    / @advancedwebranking

Can marketers stay focused when AI search keeps creating new opportunities, pressures, and distractions?In this episode of The Search Session, Gianluca Fiorelli talks with Brighton-based digital marketer Emina Demiri-Watson about navigating the rapidly changing search landscape without losing sight of what matters. They explore how to evaluate AI opportunities, build strong e-commerce foundations, bring SEO and PPC closer together, and use broader marketing thinking to understand audiences and business needs.From agentic search and Merchant Center to competitor comparisons and “too curious to specialize,” Emina shares why curiosity matters—but so does knowing when to test, prioritize, and go back to the fundamentals.This is the 83rd episode of:  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_sm3ydVBxdAJ84k2qsH1LkTDbtbdNrGh Here's what you'll learn in this episode:00:06 Meet Our Guest: Emina Demiri-Watson04:37 How to Prioritize New AI Search Opportunities10:16 The “Unholy Trinity” of E-commerce Search14:24 Why SEO and PPC Should Co-Own Merchant Center18:17 Designing Faceted Navigation and Rich Media for Users and LLMs27:30 The Generalist Renaissance: Why Broad Marketing Knowledge Matters33:35 Rethinking the Search Session and Brand Recall Without the Click41:15 Why Brands Shouldn’t Fear Head-to-Head Comparisons45:39 Audience Research Beyond Traditional Buyer Personas49:44 From Audience Insights to Jobs to Be Done👉 Read the full article and explore additional insights:  https://www.advancedwebranking.com/blog/strategic-marketing-for-ai-searchWhere to find Emina DemiriLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emina-demiri/ X: https://x.com/DemiriE Website: https://www.vixendigital.com/  Where to find Gianluca Fiorelli Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gianlucafiorelli/ X: https://x.com/gfiorelli1 Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/gfiorelli1.bsky.social Website: https://iloveseo.net/ 🎙 Listen to The Search Session on your favorite platform:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_sm3ydVBxdAJ84k2qsH1LkTDbtbdNrGh  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1FzI5qwHtIndtiibZWiroS  Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-search-session/id1796043201 Made with ❤️by Advanced Web Ranking, the people behind the world's most accurate and longest-standing rank tracker.Get your free 7-day trial and find your true visibility in organic search for any market: https://www.advancedwebranking.com/Be sure to subscribe for more actionable marketing and SEO tutorials:    / @advancedwebranking

What happens when search stops being about clicks and starts being about stories, formats, and trusted sources?In this episode of The Search Session, Gianluca Fiorelli talks with search and AI consultant Louisa Frahm about the changing relationship between SEO, content, and AI search. They explore how to choose the right format for a story, create evergreen content that remains useful in AI-driven search, and navigate Google’s evolving approach to news, Top Stories, and preferred sources.The conversation also goes inside the newsroom, examining how SEOs and journalists can build trust and collaborate more effectively. Along the way, Louisa and Gianluca discuss what original movies can teach brands about creativity and calculated risks—and why mentorship is always a two-way learning experience.This is the 82nd episode of:  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_sm3ydVBxdAJ84k2qsH1LkTDbtbdNrGh Here's what you'll learn in this episode:(00:07) Meet Our Guest: Louisa Frahm(04:59) Why Multimodal Search Changes the Content Strategy(09:07) What ESPN Taught Us About Content Formats(14:47) Why Simple Content Can Still Be Powerful(18:02) The New Role of Evergreen and Informational Content(24:47) Building Trust Between SEOs and Journalists(31:57) How AI Is Changing News SEO(36:06) Personalization and the Direct Relationship With Audiences(41:57) Why Technical SEO Matters More When Attention Is Scarce(44:43) What Backrooms Teaches Us About Standing Out(54:08) Calculated Risks, Original Ideas, and Information Gain(59:06) What Mentoring Teaches the Mentor👉 Read the full article and explore additional insights:  https://www.advancedwebranking.com/blog/news-content-ai-multimodal-search Where to find Louisa FrahmLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louisa-frahm-67710922/ X: https://x.com/mizlouisa720 Website: https://www.frahmfocus.com/  Where to find Gianluca Fiorelli Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gianlucafiorelli/ X: https://x.com/gfiorelli1 Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/gfiorelli1.bsky.social Website: https://iloveseo.net/ 🎙 Listen to The Search Session on your favorite platform:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_sm3ydVBxdAJ84k2qsH1LkTDbtbdNrGh  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1FzI5qwHtIndtiibZWiroS  Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-search-session/id1796043201 Made with ❤️by Advanced Web Ranking, the people behind the world's most accurate and longest-standing rank tracker.Get your free 7-day trial and find your true visibility in organic search for any market: https://www.advancedwebranking.com/Be sure to subscribe for more actionable marketing and SEO tutorials:    / @advancedwebranking