SEO Is Not That Hard

Send a text Tired of churning out endless blog posts that barely move the needle? There's a powerful alternative that smart brands are using to generate leads, backlinks, and unmatched brand authority. In this eye-opening episode, I dive deep into "engineering as marketing" – the strategy of creating free, useful tools that attract and convert your ideal customers. Unlike standard c...

Send a text Ever wondered why some websites rank well but fail to convert visitors? The missing piece is likely search intent—understanding not just what people search for, but why they're searching in the first place. Search intent is the compass that guides effective SEO and content strategy. In this classic episode from the SEO Is Not That Hard archive, I break down the four critical types...

Send a text Success stories in digital business rarely follow a straight line, and the 18-year journey of Broadband.co.uk perfectly illustrates the rollercoaster ride of building a sustainable online business. What began almost accidentally in 2004, when the term "broadband" suddenly became associated with home internet service, evolved into one of the UK's leading comparison websit...

Send a text The deceptively simple concept of Time to Value might be the most overlooked factor in your SEO strategy. In this eye-opening episode, I break down why the speed at which users experience the core benefit of your website directly impacts your search rankings. Time to Value (TTV) is that magical moment when a visitor says, "Ah, I get it!" – the instant they realize your site d...

Send a text A major shift has occurred in how Google Search Console reports your website's performance data, and it all stems from a quiet technical change few noticed. Google has removed the "num=100" parameter from search results—a seemingly minor adjustment with far-reaching consequences for SEO professionals and website owners alike. This parameter allowed SEO tools to view 100...

Send a text Have you ever found yourself drowning in a sea of marketing data, unsure which metrics actually matter? The solution might come from an unexpected source—a smoke-filled room beneath London during the Battle of Britain. In this fascinating episode, I draw surprising parallels between the RAF's revolutionary Dowding System—which helped a vastly outnumbered air force defeat the Luftw...

Send a text Looking for the magic SEO shortcut that will skyrocket your rankings overnight? You won't find it here—or anywhere else legitimate. In this candid episode, I pull back the curtain on one of the most persistent myths in digital marketing: the idea that quick fixes can deliver sustainable SEO results. Drawing from over two decades of experience building, monetizing, and selling webs...

Send a text Ever wondered if your website's loading speed really matters that much? The Financial Times conducted a bold experiment that answers this question with hard data—and the results should make every website owner pay attention. In this episode, I dive into FT.com's fascinating study where they deliberately slowed down their website for different groups of users. Some visitors ex...

Send a text Search behavior is constantly evolving, and understanding those shifts is crucial for effective SEO. This episode dives into the fascinating distinction between "intent shift" and "question shift" – two concepts that significantly impact how we should approach content creation. The traditional view of intent shift focuses on how the purpose behind identical search q...

Send a text Are affiliate websites stealing your hard-earned customers by ranking for your brand name plus "coupon code" searches? This eye-opening episode reveals a critical blind spot in many brands' SEO strategies. Drawing inspiration from SEO veteran Carl Hendy's expertise, Edd Dawson explains why controlling your branded search experience is essential for businesses of any...

Send a text SEO Is Not That Hard is hosted by Edd Dawson and brought to you by KeywordsPeopleUse.com Help feed the algorithm and leave a review at ratethispodcast.com/seo You can get your free copy of my 101 Quick SEO Tips at: https://seotips.edddawson.com/101-quick-seo-tips To get a personal no-obligation demo of how KeywordsPeopleUse could help you boost your SEO and get a 7 day FREE trial of ou...

Send a text The future of search has arrived, and it's not quite what many SEO professionals expected. In this eye-opening episode, we dive into a groundbreaking discovery about how AI search systems like ChatGPT determine which sources to trust and cite in their responses. A clever investigation has revealed that ChatGPT uses a method called Reciprocal Rank Fusion (RRF) to evaluate and rank...

Send a text What happens when a 20-year veteran of SEO and affiliate marketing picks up a fresh perspective? Unexpected revenue discoveries, that's what. In this episode, I share my honest review of "The Payout Mafia" by Neil C and James Dooley—a collection of insights from fifteen successful affiliate marketers. While I'm not typically drawn to the flashy "robbing the ban...

Send a text Link to Sparktoro report: https://sparktoro.com/blog/new-research-20-of-americans-use-ai-tools-10x-month-but-growth-is-slowing-and-traditional-search-hasnt-dipped/ A digital revolution or much ado about nothing? The AI versus search debate has dominated SEO conversations lately, with doomsayers predicting the end of traditional search as we know it. But what's actually happening m...

Send a text Navigating Google's algorithm updates can feel like wandering through a dense forest without a map. But what if there's a simple trail of breadcrumbs that could help guide both your users and search engines through your website? In this episode, I share a fascinating correlation I've noticed while analyzing sites affected by recent Google updates - many lack proper bread...

Send a text Managing SEO risk isn't just about playing it safe—it's about building something that lasts. After two decades in the industry, I've watched countless "guaranteed" tactics rise and fall, leaving digital casualties in their wake. The March 2024 Google core update highlights a fundamental truth: while both white hat and black hat tactics can work, understanding t...

Send a text Conventional wisdom tells us faster is better in digital experiences, but what if slowing things down could actually increase user satisfaction and conversions? This episode explores the fascinating "Labor Illusion" concept – a psychological principle where users place higher value on services when they can see the work being done, even if it means waiting longer for results....

Send a text Wondering how many questions you should answer on each page of your website? The answer might surprise you. In this best-of episode from SEO Is Not That Hard, I dive into the strategic approach to organizing content based on user questions. Rather than guessing which questions to group together or creating endless single-question pages, I reveal how keyword clustering offers a data-dri...

Send a text Ever wondered why some SEO professionals succeed while others struggle, despite seemingly similar strategies? The answer might lie in something surprisingly simple: reading Google's guidelines. In this illuminating episode of SEO Is Not That Hard, Edd Dawson breaks down why Google's Search Essentials (formerly Webmaster Guidelines) and Quality Rater Guidelines should be requi...

Send a text Struggling to understand why your content strategy suddenly stopped working in 2022? The answer may lie in a revolutionary concept from a Google patent called "information gain" – and it's transforming how search results work. In this eye-opening episode, I dive deep into Google's "Contextual Estimation of Link Information Gain" patent and how it's li...

Send a text Feeling buried under an avalanche of keywords? You're not alone. Keyword overwhelm affects even experienced content creators, leading to paralysis and poor content planning decisions. This episode tackles this common challenge head-on with practical solutions that will transform your approach to SEO. The problem typically begins when traditional keyword research tools generate tho...

Send a text Ever wondered why some businesses grow exponentially while others struggle to gain traction? The secret might lie in how they leverage their existing customers.  Referral marketing transforms satisfied customers into powerful advocates by creating win-win situations that benefit everyone involved. Unlike traditional affiliate programs where only promoters receive rewards, effective ref...

Send a text Ever wondered how to get influential websites linking to yours without begging or paying? The secret might be right in front of you: human psychology. Link building through "EgoBait" taps into a fundamental truth about human nature - we all pay attention when someone talks about us. In this episode, I break down how creating content specifically designed to showcase others ca...

Send a text A bombshell revelation from a recent Google API documentation leak has potentially exposed the inner workings of how the search giant evaluates links. In this eye-opening episode, I explore what I'm calling Google's "Actual Surfer" model – a sophisticated evolution of their PageRank system that may completely transform how we think about link building. The leaked da...

Send a text Discover the hidden power of glossaries for supercharging both your website's user experience and SEO performance. Drawing from over two decades of website building and monetisation experience, Edd Dawson reveals how adding a comprehensive glossary to Keywords People Use transformed into an unexpected SEO powerhouse. What began as a solution for explaining complex SEO terminology...