The Edward Show

E852: He built an AI SEO startup, and then shut it down after realizing the brutal truth about what actually builds visibility in LLMs. We break down that realization, why "Generative Engine Optimization" doesn't exist as a separate strategy, AND how one local business used traditional brand-building principles to hit $3.4 million in monthly sales. This episode connects two stories: one about shut...

E851: Ever wonder why some people never shut up about SEO? I break down the real reason I'm obsessed with search engine optimization - not just for the traffic or rankings, but because it's the most satisfying, long-term marketing channel there is. SEO lets you reach people who already want what you sell, build assets that compound for years, and create something that keeps bringing in customers l...

E850: Wild local SEO tactics that work - including one that involves using a second Google account. This episode covers real-world strategies that local SEOs are using to move up in the map pack and boost visibility. We'll break down: - A sneaky "competitor removal" trick local SEOs are quietly using - Why replying thoughtfully to reviews boosts rankings - Joy Hawkins' tip that one internal link c...

E849: You're into SEO - you love search engine optimization - but you don't have a website, a product, or even a clear direction yet. You just want to start. This episode is for you. I break down exactly what to do when you're passionate about SEO but not sure where to begin. From picking a niche you'll actually want to stick with for the long term, to launching your first site, building links, wr...

E848: Most marketing agencies claim to be "profit-driven." Nathan Perdriau says that's a lie. Nathan - co-founder of Blue Sense Digital - joins us to explain what it really means to connect paid media with profit, how finance and marketing intersect, and why most agencies misunderstand what drives sustainable growth. What you'll get: - How to connect paid media decisions directly to the P&L - Why...

E847: Jacky Chou built an SEO empire that made $500K per month - until Google wiped out 15 of his sites overnight. Now he's back and crushing harder than ever, running even more profitable SEO-driven businesses. In this episode, Jacky goes deep on Black Hat SEO, CTR manipulation, link-building tactics, and what it's really like to make and lose millions online. We talk about surviving brutal algor...

E846: David Quaid shares the SEO playbook that delivers consistent results. With more than 26 years of experience leading digital growth, David has helped companies scale to hundreds of millions in revenue through search-driven strategy and technical SEO execution. In this episode, he explains what works in SEO today - from how PageRank still shapes Google's algorithm to how topical authority, sit...

E845: They said SEO takes 12 months to work. But the truth is, a local business can hit $100k/month in under 90 days.  Here's exactly how to do it: 1. Optimize Google Business Profile before anything else. Most businesses treat Google Business Profile like an afterthought. That's the fastest way to lose local leads. - Add real images (not stock) - Fill in services, hours, categories - Get 10+ revi...

E843: You can drive all the traffic in the world… but if your website doesn't convert, it doesn't matter. I break down real stories from marketers who saw massive jumps in performance - sometimes over 400% more conversions - just by making simple website changes. From rewriting headlines and removing drop downs to changing button colors (the legendary "Big Orange Button"), these are the conversion...

E842: Everyone's talking about "AI visibility," but almost no one is asking the right questions. Is it actually real - or just another marketing buzzword sold by agencies and tools that need a new story to tell? We uncover The Big AI Visibility Lie with former Telegraph Head of SEO James Carson, who's worked with some of the biggest publishers in the world. We unravel: - Why "AI visibility" and "G...

842: OpenAI just released its new browser, ChatGPT Atlas, and many people are asking if this could mark the end of SEO as we know it. I break down what marketers and SEO professionals are actually saying about Atlas - what it gets right, what it struggles with, and whether it really changes how people search or browse. We cover: - What ChatGPT Atlas is and how it works - How SEO experts are reacti...

841: Everything you know about marketing analytics… is wrong. Today's guest, Jeff Greenfield, built one of the world's first multi-touch attribution platforms - long before most marketers even knew what "attribution" meant. He's here to expose the truth about why your data is lying to you, why Google Analytics only shows half the story, and how 80% of marketing budgets are being wasted without any...

E840: Most SEOs are building links the wrong way - and they don't even know it. Alejandro Meyerhans, a link building expert, joins the podcast to share the harsh truth about link building, SEO myths, and what moves rankings in 2025. We talk about why white hat vs black hat doesn't matter, how Google's trust system works, the future of backlinks, AI-generated slop content, and how to build authorit...

E839: 95% of SEOs and 99.9999% of digital marketers completely miss this concept - keyword gaps inside the SERP itself. I break down exactly what a keyword gap is, why it matters more than any SEO metric, and how to find and fill them so Google wants to rank your pages. You'll learn: - What a keyword gap actually is (and how to spot one in the search results) - How to analyze SERPs with your own e...

E838: Is another Google core algorithm update coming? Between October 15th and 18th, multiple SEO tracking tools recorded high levels of ranking volatility. At the same time, the SEO community began reporting major fluctuations in traffic and visibility. I review what we know so far about this potential update and what we might see if a major core update does come rolling through. Here's what we c...

E837: What should never be automated in SEO - and why do so many marketers get this wrong? I break down a viral Reddit thread that sparked dozens of high quality comments from SEOs, content strategists, and digital marketers debating what can and can't be automated. From writing and keyword intent to backlinks and human judgment, we explore what automation tools are great for - and where they'll a...

E836: How did Originality.ai become one of the biggest SEO success stories in the AI space? I sit down with the company's CMO, Madeleine Lambert, who explains the strategies that took her startup from zero to ranking for 13,000+ high-value keywords and earning 78,000 backlinks - all without outside funding. We discuss: • How they built a content marketing operation from the ground up. • The digita...

E835: AI SEO is officially being gamed - and Google's AI mode can't keep up. Two of the best SEO minds on 𝕏, Gagan Ghotra and Harpreet Singh, join the show to break down how people are manipulating AI search systems using cheap press releases, Reddit strategies, and content tactics that still fly under Google's radar. We go deep on how AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity are pulling data from qu...

E834: Is "AI SEO" (a.k.a. GEO - Generative Engine Optimization) actually a thing… or just another hype bubble? I break down a viral LinkedIn post outlining 10 reasons why GEO isn't real - and why so many marketers are wasting time chasing AI SEO strategies that don't move the needle. You'll learn: - The truth behind AI Overviews and their real search visibility - Why optimizing for ChatGPT or Perp...

E833: Online reviews are one of the most important ranking and conversion factors in digital marketing - yet most businesses ignore them. Reputation management experts Duane "DJ" Sprague and Scott Brandley break down how they helped a national brand turn a flood of bad reviews into $190 million in new revenue - and how you can use the same strategies to improve your SEO, visibility, and trust onli...

E832: HouseFresh went from 1,000 clicks a month to over 200,000 clicks a month - a 4x increase from their peak before Google's Helpful Content Update destroyed their traffic. I break down exactly what happened, what HouseFresh did right, and why their recovery has the entire SEO world debating whether it was "real SEO" or just Google fixing its mistake. You'll learn: - How HouseFresh rebuilt its t...

E831: How to create "best X" articles the right way - not just to rank in Google, but to influence large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT. This is a five-point framework for how B2B marketers can use "Best X" content to build credibility, earn mentions, and generate sustained rankings that actually stick. You'll learn: - When "Best X" articles make sense (and when they don't) - How to position...

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 diff...

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: -...

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 ho...