Experts On The Wire (An SEO Podcast!)

SEOs and PPCs need to talk more and learn from each other.

For example, did you know you can actually connect Search Console to Google Ads from within the Ads reporting??

No? I didn't either until this week's guest told me about it... learn that, and a ton more in this great conversation.

Navah Hopkins is Microsoft's Ad Liaison, an International Speaker, answer's questions in SEJ's monthly column called Ask The PPC and has been in marketing, PPC and SEO for 17+ years.

This episode was recorded ⁠with Riverside⁠ which has sped up my podcast process ten fold and why I am now able to publish more episodes again.

Reach me at dan at ⁠evolvingseo.com⁠ for SEO, AI Search or YouTube Visibility Consulting

Links and resources mentioned:

• https://blogs.bing.com/webmaster/February-2026/Introducing-AI-Performance-in-Bing-Webmaster-Tools-Public-Preview
• https://about.ads.microsoft.com/en/blog/post/april-2026/win-across-all-three-eras-of-the-web
• https://www.searchenginejournal.com/ask-a-ppc-how-to-make-microsoft-advertising-profitable/549643/
• https://searchengineland.com/google-microsoft-performance-max-approaches-464964
• https://clarity.microsoft.com/

Chapters (⁠auto generated by Riverside⁠):

00:00 Understanding Keywordless Targeting

03:01 The Role of Landing Pages in PPC

07:06 Navah's Journey and Current Role at Microsoft

11:10 Debunking Myths About Microsoft Advertising

14:18 The Future of Landing Pages

16:30 Gathering Intelligence from PMAX Campaigns

20:22 Connecting SEO and PPC for Better Insights

29:54 Convergence of Brand and Performance in AI

30:20 The Role of AI in Brand Discovery

32:34 Understanding Conversion Paths in AI

33:56 Importance of Product Catalogs and Reviews

37:09 Navigating Feeds and Merchant Centers

39:38 Setting Up for AI Commerce

40:07 Accessibility and AI Compliance

44:25 The Necessity of Video Content

46:57 The Future of Content in AI

49:36 Collaboration Between SEO and PPC

51:14 Understanding Prompt Data and User Engagement

54:37 The Future of Websites and Agentic Scenarios

59:36 Exciting Features in Microsoft Ads

An on-page content optimization method I've been testing with clients that's ACTUALLY different than "just SEO".

This episode is for anyone looking to optimize their content (blog posts, product pages, landing pages, etc) - for LLM Visibility - without throwing away your SEO.

This episode recorded and produced in under one hour! (all in one take! props to the host for that 😬) with Riverside which has sped up my podcast process ten fold and why I am now able to publish more again.

Semrush study on ChatGPT Traffic and usage: https://www.semrush.com/blog/chatgpt-search-insights/

Myriam Jessier's LinkedIn Post about user behavior changes in LLMs vs Search Engines

Reach me at dan at evolvingseo.com for SEO, AI Search or YouTube Visibility Consulting

Chapters (auto generated by Riverside):

00:00 Introduction to AI and SEO Optimization

03:04 Understanding Human Behavior in AI Search

05:54 The ALL Method for AI Search Optimization

11:56 Layering Key Elements into Content

17:52 Practical Applications and Final Thoughts

This description area contains affiliate links which may offer discounts to you and/or are free to you to use and provide me with a small commission which helps support Experts on the Wire.

Jump to the 11:00 minute mark for SEO-specific info! (We spent a little time talking about consulting vs agencies and the climate of doing SEO/work first!)

Jenny is a Principal Advisor & Senior SEO at New Media Advisors, with expertise in e-commerce, hospitality, financial, pharma, education, B2B and an International Speaker.

She is author of the new book, AI-Powered Content Marketing - get a 35% off discount here!.... International listeners can get the book here.

The SEOchat reboot on LinkedIn Can be found here! https://www.linkedin.com/groups/17836011/

Jenny on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennyhalasz/

Work with me on SEO, AI Search, YouTube and Organic Visibility: https://www.evolvingseo.com/

"Why Google Will Win The Agentic eCommerce Race" article mentioned

Chapters (auto-generated with Riverside)

00:00 Consulting Landscape and Personal Struggles

02:13 New Media Advisors: A Consultative Approach

05:16 The Agency vs. Consultant Dilemma

07:55 Navigating Client Acquisition Challenges

11:00 E-commerce Marketing Strategies

13:58 Understanding Entity Relationships in SEO

17:06 Budget Allocation for E-commerce and B2C Marketing

19:57 The Future of AI in Marketing

22:48 The Evolution of AI and Search Engines

26:09 The Role of Content Marketing in the AI Era

30:51 Understanding Zero Click Searches

34:09 Measuring SEO Success Beyond Clicks

38:58 Demystifying AI in Marketing

43:53 Debunking SEO Myths

45:21 The Risks of Using LLMS.txt

47:38 Content Optimization for AI and LLMs

50:22 Understanding Trustworthiness in AI

51:29 Holistic Topic Clustering in SEO

53:12 Integrating SEO with LLM Strategies

56:48 Client Relationships and Agency Dynamics

01:00:32 Navigating Industry Changes and AI Impact

01:03:17 The Commoditization of SEO and Its Challenges

Too many SEOs are guessing (or worse spreading known misinformation for LinkedIn clout) about what actually helps being cited in LLMs like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini etc.

Let's stop doing that - I wanted to talk to Nils Reimers, the inventor of "Sentence BERT" and an expert in LLMs, natural language processing and more to sort out truth from fiction.

LOTS covered in this episode!

Nils Bio (via Claude)

Nils Reimers is the inventor of Sentence BERT, the research breakthrough that made semantic search scalable and now underpins how companies like Google, Netflix, and OpenAI understand and retrieve information.

He currently works at Cohere, where he focuses on building large language models for enterprise use cases, including custom multilingual models for global companies like Fujitsu and LG.

Work with me on SEO, AI Search, YouTube and Organic Visibility: ⁠https://www.evolvingseo.com/⁠

Covered this episode! Chapters auto generated by Riverside:

00:00 The State of SEO in the Age of LLMs

12:08 Understanding BERT and Sentence BERT

21:41 SEO Strategies for the Future

28:42 Cohere and Multilingual Embeddings

34:14 Re-Rank Models and Their Impact

35:31 Balancing Speed and Quality in SEO

36:01 Optimizing Content for LLMs

39:32 Engagement vs. Directness in Content

40:30 The Evolution of SEO Practices

43:32 The Challenge of AI-Generated Content

46:51 The Role of Schema and Structured Data

48:37 Understanding LLMs.txt and Its Relevance

50:14 The Problem of Training Data Quality

52:40 The Potential of Video and Audio Sources

55:17 Strategic Shifts for Businesses in the AI Era

01:00:03 The Future of Jobs in an AI-Driven World

01:05:36 AI Tools and Their Impact on Work

Luca Cian is AI Strategy & Psychology Expert.

He is a Full Professor at the Darden School of Business, and an Advisor to the U.S. DHS on AI Strategy.

His speciality is decoding how humans interact with AI and what that means for business strategy.

Luca's findings on AI trust and consumer psychology have been featured in The New York Times, USA Today, PBS, The Washington Post, NPR, and Harvard Business Review.

Subscribe to 'Experts' anywhere by searching 'Experts on the Wire' (and exciting news, we'll be on YouTube soon! You can find the channel for now, and as soon as YouTube let's me the podcast will be available there).

Work with me on SEO, AI Search, YouTube and Organic Visibility: ⁠https://www.evolvingseo.com/⁠

Episode Chapters (autogenerated with Riverside)

• 00:00 The Rise of AI and Human Interaction
• 05:54 Defining AI: Perceptions and Misconceptions
• 11:53 Trusting AI: Psychological Insights and Barriers
• 17:48 Consumer Trust: Factors Influencing AI Acceptance
• 23:55 A-B Testing and Research Methodologies in AI
• 29:46 Future of AI: Personalities and Business Implications
• 36:09 Exploring AI in Consumer Research
• 36:53 Understanding the Word of Machine Effect
• 40:54 Trusting AI: Utilitarian vs. Hedonic Choices
• 42:52 AI in Content Creation: Balancing Transparency and Trust
• 48:54 Algorithmic Transference: The Impact of AI Failures
• 51:03 SEO Strategies in the Age of AI
• 51:58 The Future of Content: Human vs. AI Optimization
• 57:40 Value-Driven Brands in an AI World
• 01:00:52 The Future of Jobs in an AI-Driven Economy
• 01:04:55 Experiential Marketing: The Human Connection
• 01:09:47 AI Tools and Their Impact on Daily Life

We're back! With video! This is a short re-intro from Dan on the exact 10 year anniversary of the original launch of Experts on the Wire.

In this short episode I talk about why the re-boot and what to expect.

Be sure to subscribe, first new episode is tomorrow March 16th, 2026!

We are on Spotify, Apple, and all podcast players - and will be on YouTube very soon! (As soon I can find my login to an account I must have created years ago and never used 🤔)

Chapters (auto generated by Riverside):

• 0:00 - Introduction: Experts on the Wire is back with new twists, including video integration.
• 0:29 - Podcast History: Reflecting on the podcast's launch 10 years ago and the decision to reboot.
• 0:59 - Technical Challenges: Discussing the technical difficulties faced in the past.
• 1:51 - Modernizing the Process: How AI and new platforms have streamlined podcast production.
• 2:13 - Burnout and SEO: Personal and industry-related reasons for the podcast's hiatus.
• 3:22 - SEO's Identity Crisis: Exploring the evolving identity of SEO in the age of AI.
• 4:38 - Expanding Guest List: Plans to include guests beyond the SEO bubble, focusing on AI experts.
• 5:56 - Broader Conversations: Aiming to learn from diverse professionals and real-world perspectives.
• 6:26 - Creative Experiments: Introducing creative elements and real-world insights into the podcast.
• 7:24 - Guest Selection: Criteria for selecting guests and the importance of expert insights.
• 8:03 - Podcast Aspirations: Vision for growth and revitalization, inspired by a love for restoration.
• 9:30 - Subscription and Accessibility: How to follow the podcast on various platforms.

Work with me on SEO, AI Search, YouTube and Organic Visibility: ⁠⁠https://www.evolvingseo.com/⁠⁠

Sarah Pokorná, is Digital Marketing Director at Dragon Metrics. She holds degrees in both Psychology and Digital Marketing and has been doing SEO, Marketing and Psychomarketing in corporate roles for 12 years.

As SEOs, I think we spend FAR too much time obsessing over Google ‘Ranking Factors’ (most recently the API leaks) and NOT enough time trying to actually understand and empathize with searchers – the people we are supposedly making content for and trying to win over in the SERPs. 

In this conversation, Sarah brings her unique perspective drawing from her background in psychology to help unpack some of the psychological perspectives searchers have – particularly cognitive biases.

If you want to gain a deeper understanding and get into the minds of the people who search Google – the same people who traffic websites and ultimately drive revenue and business goals for sites and businesses – this episode is definitely worth a listen!

Topics In This Episode:

• Cognitive Biases in Search
• Why were AI Overviews such a miss for Google?
• The importance of fact-checking for SEO content
• Search and Social Impacts on the Nervous System
• How did biases impact how the SEO world reacted to Google’s API Leaks?
• Biases like Confirmation Bias in SEO Case Studies
• Why do overconfident people actually believe they are good at SEO?
• Should Google play a role in preventing misinformation?
• What else can we as SEOs do to understand searchers better?

And much more – listen now!

Related Episodes You Might Like

• 127: Image Optimization, Algorithmic Biases, ADHD & SEO w/Myriam Jessier
• 097: Improve Your SEO With Keyword Psychographics w/Marty Weintraub

Articles, Resources, and Links

• https://www.dragonmetrics.com/confirmation-bias/
• https://www.sarahpresch.com/post/cognitive-biases-in-seo
• Neurodivergents in SEO
• Google API Leak: Sparktoro’s initial post about it
• The Cyber Effect (book about misinformation online)
• GBH’s Video mentioned re: the Title Update and example of Framing
• Giulia Panozzo
• Myriam Jessier
• Petra Kis-Herczegh

Find Sarah Online

• Sarah on LinkedIn
• Sarah on Twitter
• Sarah’s Website

The post 131: Bias in SEO, Overconfident SEO Case Studies, Google’s SERP Struggles w/Sarah Pokorná appeared first on Evolving SEO.

Sarah Presch, is Digital Marketing Director at Dragon Metrics. She holds degrees in both Psychology and Digital Marketing and has been doing SEO, Marketing and Psychomarketing in corporate roles for 12 years.

As SEOs, I think we spend FAR too much time obsessing over Google 'Ranking Factors' (most recently the API leaks) and NOT enough time trying to actually understand and empathize with searchers - the people we are supposedly making content for and trying to win over in the SERPs.

In this conversation, Sarah brings her unique perspective drawing from her background in psychology to help unpack some of the psychological perspectives searchers have - particularly cognitive biases.

If you want to gain a deeper understanding and get into the minds of the people who search Google - the same people who traffic websites and ultimately drive revenue and business goals for sites and businesses - this episode is definitely worth a listen!

Topics In This Episode:

• Cognitive Biases in Search
• Why were AI Overviews such a miss for Google?
• The importance of fact-checking for SEO content
• Search and Social Impacts on the Nervous System
• How did biases impact how the SEO world reacted to Google's API Leaks?
• Biases like Confirmation Bias in SEO Case Studies
• Why do overconfident people actually believe they are good at SEO?
• Should Google play a role in preventing misinformation?
• What else can we as SEOs do to understand searchers better?

And much more - listen now!

Related Episodes You Might Like

• 127: Image Optimization, Algorithmic Biases, ADHD & SEO w/Myriam Jessier
• 097: Improve Your SEO With Keyword Psychographics w/Marty Weintraub

Tools Mentioned

Articles, Resources, and Links

• https://www.dragonmetrics.com/confirmation-bias/
• https://www.sarahpresch.com/post/cognitive-biases-in-seo
• Neurodivergents in SEO
• Google API Leak: Sparktoro's initial post about it
• The Cyber Effect (book about misinformation online)
• GBH's Video mentioned re: the Title Update and example of Framing
• Giulia Panozzo
• Myriam Jessier
• Petra Kis-Herczegh

Find Sarah Online

• Sarah on LinkedIn
• Sarah on Twitter
• Sarah's Website

Will Critchlow is the CEO of SearchPilot, an SEO A/B testing company. I invited Will back to Experts on the Wire to discuss the Future of SEO. I feel like things have felt very turbulent and uncertain in the SEO world lately (more than usual!) – because of things like AI/Chat-GPT, changes in how the community engages online, GA4, massive SERP changes from Google, and changes in the economy and world at large post-covid.

I’ve always known Will for having a great perspective on the future of our industry so I wanted to get his take on what the future of SEO holds. Is THIS finally the inflection moment where ‘SEO is dead’? How does he see the next 5-10 years playing out? If it’s not dying, how will it look different? What should SEOs and businesses be doing to future-proof their marketing? How do we all navigate these big changes?

Topics In This Episode Include:

• How is AI affecting informational queries?
• What the ancient steel and iron industry has to do with content
• Is it worth still investing in content marketing?
• How is the eCommerce SEO space changing? Is eCommerce and spending online down or is it growing?
• Challenges for new people entering the SEO space
• And lots more…

Listen Now!

Related Episodes You Might Like

• Surviving SEO in an AI World w/Sara Taher
• SEO Ranking Factors, A/B Testing and the Evolution of SEO w/Will Critchlow

Tools Mentioned

• Chat GPT
• Gemini
• SearchPilot
• Content Aced (50% off – affiliate link)

Articles, Resources, and Links Mentioned

• https://www.perplexity.ai/
• Where Web Users Spend Their Time vs Where Traffic Referrals Originate – Sparktoro
• Google Anti-Trust Trial Documents
• Women in Tech SEO

Find Will Online

• Will on LinkedIn
• Will on Twitter

The post 130: The Future of SEO – Optimism In Uncertain Times w/Will Critchlow appeared first on Evolving SEO.