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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 referral systems incentivize both sides of the equation. When Dropbox implemented their groundbreaking referral program in 2009, they didn't offer cash – they gave extra storage space to both parties, aligning rewards perfectly with their product value. This strategy catapulted them to extraordinary growth as users eagerly shared with friends and colleagues to unlock more free storage.

Similarly, Octopus Energy's £50 dual credit system demonstrates how direct financial rewards can drive significant referral activity in consumer markets. The psychology behind these programs is fascinating – even highly satisfied customers rarely promote products unprompted, but given the right incentive structure, they become enthusiastic promoters. The trust factor cannot be overstated; recommendations from personal connections convert at dramatically higher rates than traditional advertising, making referral programs incredibly cost-effective customer acquisition channels.

For businesses considering implementing referral systems, the key lies in designing rewards that meaningfully connect to your product experience while making sharing frictionless. The most powerful programs create a virtuous cycle where new customers immediately understand the referral mechanism because they've just benefited from it themselves. Curious about implementing a referral program for your business? Book a free demo at keywordspeopleuse.com/demo where you can discuss your specific needs and get personalized SEO guidance.

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 our Standard Plan book a demo with me now

See Edd's personal site at edddawson.com

Ask me a question and get on the show Click here to record a question

Find Edd on Linkedin, Bluesky & Twitter

Find KeywordsPeopleUse on Twitter @kwds_ppl_use

"Werq" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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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 can become your most powerful link building strategy. Rather than hoping random content attracts backlinks, EgoBait deliberately targets potential linkers by featuring them prominently.

I walk you through the three most effective EgoBait formats: interviews with industry influencers, expert roundup posts that feature multiple voices, and creating awards that companies love to showcase. Each approach leverages the natural tendency of people and organizations to share positive recognition. You'll learn exactly how to execute these strategies, from approaching influencers for interviews to creating award programs that companies will proudly display on their websites.

The beauty of EgoBait is its win-win nature. Your featured subjects get positive exposure and promotion, while you earn valuable backlinks that boost your SEO. But success hinges on two critical elements: genuinely valuable content that makes your subjects look good, and effective follow-up that encourages sharing without appearing transactional. Master these elements, and you'll transform your link building efforts from frustrating cold outreach to a natural extension of relationship building.

Ready to try a link building approach that actually works? Listen now to discover how to create content that others naturally want to share, and watch your backlink profile grow without the usual struggle. Have you tried EgoBait strategies before? I'd love to hear your results!

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 our Standard Plan book a demo with me now

See Edd's personal site at edddawson.com

Ask me a question and get on the show Click here to record a question

Find Edd on Linkedin, Bluesky & Twitter

Find KeywordsPeopleUse on Twitter @kwds_ppl_use

"Werq" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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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 data suggests Google categorizes every link in its index into three quality tiers: high, medium, and low. Most importantly, real user traffic data collected through Chrome appears to determine which tier a page belongs to. Pages receiving significant verifiable traffic get classified as high-quality, while those with minimal or no traffic fall into the low-quality bucket where their links are effectively ignored for ranking purposes.

This revelation carries profound implications for SEO practitioners. Traditional link building schemes involving private blog networks or artificially created websites receiving no real human traffic are likely completely devalued. Meanwhile, Digital PR efforts securing placements on high-traffic publications may be significantly more valuable than previously thought – even when those links carry the nofollow attribute. Google's updated stance on treating nofollow as a "hint" rather than a directive suddenly makes perfect sense in this context – they may pass ranking value through nofollow links that appear on highly-trafficked pages in contextually relevant positions.

Ready to adapt your SEO strategy to this new understanding of how Google evaluates links? Book a free, no-obligation demo at KeywordsPeopleUse.com/demo where I can personally show you how our tools help you find and answer the questions your audience actually has – the foundation of creating truly valuable content that earns meaningful links.

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 our Standard Plan book a demo with me now

See Edd's personal site at edddawson.com

Ask me a question and get on the show Click here to record a question

Find Edd on Linkedin, Bluesky & Twitter

Find KeywordsPeopleUse on Twitter @kwds_ppl_use

"Werq" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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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 without repetition has evolved into a robust resource containing over 300 definitions and 20,000 words. Edd walks through the surprising benefits this seemingly simple content addition delivered, from keeping users engaged on-site to establishing strong topical authority with search engines.

The glossary strategy works on multiple levels: it provides seamless user experiences by preventing visitors from navigating away to search for definitions, creates powerful internal linking opportunities, helps establish your site as an authoritative resource, and even attracts natural backlinks from other websites. For content creators, building a glossary also serves as excellent writing practice and a springboard for developing more comprehensive content ideas.

Whether you're running an e-commerce store, business website, or content-driven platform, Edd's practical insights will help you implement this underutilized strategy for your own site. He shares real examples from his SEO glossary (available at keywordspeopleuse.com/seo/glossary) and offers specific tips for structuring and expanding your own terminology resource. Ready to boost your site's authority while delivering more value to your audience? Book a free demo with Edd at keywordspeopleuse.com/demo to discuss how Keywords People Use can help you discover exactly what your audience is searching for.

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 our Standard Plan book a demo with me now

See Edd's personal site at edddawson.com

Ask me a question and get on the show Click here to record a question

Find Edd on Linkedin, Bluesky & Twitter

Find KeywordsPeopleUse on Twitter @kwds_ppl_use

"Werq" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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Ever created something valuable completely by accident? That's exactly what happened when I stumbled upon the "binge bank strategy" without even knowing it existed. 

Through consistently publishing short, digestible 5-15 minute podcast episodes about SEO topics, I unexpectedly built a library of content that new listeners could easily binge through once they discovered my show. The analytics don't lie – when someone finds an episode they connect with, they often download multiple back-catalog episodes in quick succession. The beauty lies in the format: just as 20-minute TV episodes are easier to binge than hour-long dramas, these brief SEO lessons create a low commitment barrier that makes saying "just one more" almost irresistible.

What makes this approach powerful is that it removes the pressure of creating viral hits. Instead, you focus on consistent value, knowing that when your ideal audience eventually discovers you, they'll have a wealth of content waiting for them. This accidental strategy transformed my podcast from a personal speaking exercise into a genuine resource that's helped countless SEO practitioners. The connections formed with listeners who've binged through episodes have provided invaluable feedback and relationships I never anticipated.

Whether you're creating podcasts, videos, blog posts, or any other content format, consider building your own binge bank. The cumulative value grows over time, and as I've discovered, sometimes the best content strategies aren't meticulously planned – they emerge naturally from consistent delivery of value. Ready to start building your own content library that people can't stop consuming? Book a free demo at keywordspeopleuse.com/demo and I'll help you discover the questions your audience is truly asking.

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 our Standard Plan book a demo with me now

See Edd's personal site at edddawson.com

Ask me a question and get on the show Click here to record a question

Find Edd on Linkedin, Bluesky & Twitter

Find KeywordsPeopleUse on Twitter @kwds_ppl_use

"Werq" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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The digital landscape is changing dramatically with the rise of AI-powered search, but are the core principles of SEO still relevant? Drawing on over 20 years of experience in the field, I share my observations on what truly matters for search visibility in this evolving environment.

Despite the anxiety surrounding large language models like ChatGPT and Claude, my experience shows that businesses selling physical products and websites offering unique, specialized information continue to thrive. While sites monetizing basic factual content through display advertising have suffered, those providing genuine value remain resilient against AI disruption.

The fundamentals of SEO have adapted rather than disappeared. High-quality, comprehensive content that answers the question behind the question is more crucial than ever as AI systems need authoritative sources to cite. Experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness signals help AI models identify reliable information sources. Technical foundations ensure your content can be found and understood by various crawlers, while semantic SEO and topical authority have replaced simple keyword targeting—building content clusters that demonstrate deep expertise across entire subjects positions you as the definitive resource in your field.

What's changing isn't whether these principles matter, but how they function in the search ecosystem. Rather than just driving traffic, your authority now determines whether you'll be cited within AI responses and recommended when users need to take action beyond information gathering. By focusing on creating genuinely valuable resources within your subject area, you're building a foundation that will serve your business regardless of how search technology evolves.

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 our Standard Plan book a demo with me now

See Edd's personal site at edddawson.com

Ask me a question and get on the show Click here to record a question

Find Edd on Linkedin, Bluesky & Twitter

Find KeywordsPeopleUse on Twitter @kwds_ppl_use

"Werq" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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Struggling with link building for your website? You're not alone. While backlinks remain crucial for SEO success, finding ethical, effective ways to acquire them can feel like an impossible task. That's why this episode uncovers a brilliant link building strategy that surprisingly few marketers utilize: creating your own awards program.

Most website owners approach awards from the wrong angle - entering competitions in hopes of winning recognition and maybe scoring a backlink from the award organizer. But there's a far more powerful approach, as demonstrated by companies like uSwitch. By becoming an award-giver rather than an award-seeker, you can generate dozens of high-quality, relevant backlinks from the very companies and products you want to be associated with.

The strategy works across virtually any industry or niche. E-commerce sites can create product category awards, service businesses can recognize excellence in their sector, and content sites can acknowledge top resources. When implemented properly, award recipients eagerly display your badges on their websites, issue press releases mentioning your recognition, and link back to your awards pages - all voluntarily and enthusiastically.

The beauty of this approach lies in its alignment with Google's guidelines. Unlike buying links or engaging in manipulative practices, award programs generate natural, editorially-given backlinks while simultaneously establishing your site as an authority in your space. Whether you implement a simple digital badge system or go all-out with physical awards and ceremonies, this strategy delivers exceptional value compared to riskier link building tactics.

Ready to transform your link building strategy? Listen now to discover how to implement an awards program that builds your authority and backlink profile simultaneously. Then subscribe and share this episode to help others discover that SEO truly is not that hard.

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 our Standard Plan book a demo with me now

See Edd's personal site at edddawson.com

Ask me a question and get on the show Click here to record a question

Find Edd on Linkedin, Bluesky & Twitter

Find KeywordsPeopleUse on Twitter @kwds_ppl_use

"Werq" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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The mystery behind Google's ranking algorithms often frustrates website owners, especially during core updates when traffic plummets without clear explanation. Many ask: "Why can't Google just tell us exactly what to do to rank well?" This episode tackles that fundamental question head-on, revealing surprising insights about why complete transparency might actually harm the web more than help it.

Search rankings operate as a zero-sum game – only one site can occupy position one for any given search query. If Google provided a perfect optimization roadmap, websites with SEO resources would dominate results, while those without would never see the light of day. The podcast explores how this would create an arms race among optimizers, pushing right up to the boundaries of Google's guidelines while revealing little true quality difference between sites.

Beyond practical concerns, complete SEO transparency would likely homogenize the web, stifling creativity and reducing diversity in how information is presented online. Using real examples like link building, Edd demonstrates how transparency would enable manipulation rather than reward quality. While acknowledging the pain of traffic losses (having experienced significant drops himself with previous websites), he makes a compelling case for why some level of SEO ambiguity serves everyone's interests in the long run.

The episode concludes with a thoughtful reflection on the balance Google must strike – providing helpful guidance without creating a situation where search results become a predictable outcome of following a rigid formula. For SEO professionals and website owners alike, understanding this paradox shifts perspective from frustration to appreciation for the necessary complexity that keeps the web ecosystem functioning.

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 our Standard Plan book a demo with me now

See Edd's personal site at edddawson.com

Ask me a question and get on the show Click here to record a question

Find Edd on Linkedin, Bluesky & Twitter

Find KeywordsPeopleUse on Twitter @kwds_ppl_use

"Werq" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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What could running a farm possibly teach us about search engine optimization? As it turns out, quite a lot. When my family purchased a neglected farm five years ago to support our passion for horses, I never expected it would revolutionize my perspective on digital marketing. Yet the similarities between nurturing land and growing website traffic proved remarkably insightful.

The patience required when planting grass seed and waiting for pastures to develop mirrors the long-term mindset essential for SEO success. Just as I quickly learned that attacking overgrown ditches with a simple spade was futile across acres of land, I've discovered that proper digital tools make previously overwhelming tasks manageable and efficient. Both disciplines taught me hard lessons about when to handle tasks personally versus when to outsource to specialists or delegate routine work.

Perhaps most transformative was discovering the power of automation. After spending countless hours manually carrying water across the farm, we tapped a spring and installed kilometers of piping for automatic distribution – a perfect parallel to how automating repetitive digital tasks creates freedom for strategic work. Similarly, the consequences of neglect compound in both fields; restoring neglected farm buildings and rehabilitating abandoned websites both require exponentially more effort than consistent maintenance. The wisdom shared by neighboring farmers proved as valuable as digital mentorship, while the fundamental truth remains constant: neither farming nor SEO rewards minimal effort with maximum results.

Whether you're managing acres of land or thousands of keywords, these seven principles can transform your results. Ready to apply these farming lessons to your digital strategy? Explore KeywordsPeopleUse.com today to discover exactly what your audience is searching for and start planting the right content seeds for sustainable growth.

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 our Standard Plan book a demo with me now

See Edd's personal site at edddawson.com

Ask me a question and get on the show Click here to record a question

Find Edd on Linkedin, Bluesky & Twitter

Find KeywordsPeopleUse on Twitter @kwds_ppl_use

"Werq" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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The power of lead magnets lies in their ability to transform passive website traffic into valuable relationships. Ever watched visitors come to your site, consume content, and vanish without a trace? You're missing a crucial opportunity to build lasting connections with your audience.

Lead magnets—free items or services offered in exchange for contact details—create a value exchange that benefits both sides. For website owners, they reveal who's engaging with your content and provide a direct line of communication for future offerings. For visitors, they deliver immediate value while opening the door to more personalized experiences. This symbiotic relationship strengthens engagement and dramatically increases your website's worth as a business asset.

From simple PDF checklists and comprehensive guides to sophisticated tools like broadband speed trackers or freemium services, lead magnets can take countless forms. The most successful ones align perfectly with your audience's needs while requiring minimal friction to access. Free consultations, online courses, detailed case studies, and prize draws all serve as powerful incentives for visitors to share their contact information. The key is matching the right lead magnet to the right audience at the right moment in their journey through your site.

Strategic implementation makes all the difference. Place your lead magnet offer at the precise moment when its value is most apparent—after someone has engaged with related content or shown interest in your subject area. Collect only essential information, send a thoughtful thank-you message, and always provide clear opt-out instructions to maintain trust. Don't limit yourself to a single lead magnet either; different offerings can target various audience segments and address multiple pain points. Ready to transform your passive website into an active marketing channel you control? The solution is simpler than you might think—start building your first lead magnet today.

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 our Standard Plan book a demo with me now

See Edd's personal site at edddawson.com

Ask me a question and get on the show Click here to record a question

Find Edd on Linkedin, Bluesky & Twitter

Find KeywordsPeopleUse on Twitter @kwds_ppl_use

"Werq" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/