When Cyrus Shepard took a $15/hour job as a Google quality rater, he discovered something fascinating: Google's recent updates aren't actually about "helpful content" - they're about eliminating over-optimized websites, even when they provide valuable information.

In this illuminating Marketing Speak episode, the former Moz SEO lead explains why traditional optimization tactics are becoming toxic and how to adapt. Drawing from his experience analyzing thousands of websites through recent updates, Shepard shares why brand authority has become the new key to SEO success and why even small companies can build enough brand recognition to protect themselves from algorithm updates.

Most importantly, he reveals what's actually working in 2025 - and it's not what most SEO experts are teaching. If you're wondering why your traffic has plateaued or dropped despite following best practices, this episode is a must-listen!

The show notes, including the transcript and checklist to this episode, are at marketingspeak.com/490.