SEO Is Not That Hard

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Struggling with duplicate content issues? Feeling like your SEO efforts aren't paying off? The answer might lie in a commonly misunderstood SEO concept: canonicalization.

In this episode, I break down what canonicalization actually means and why it's so crucial for your website's search performance. When search engines encounter the same content across multiple URLs, they get confused about which version to rank – leading to split link equity, wasted crawl budget, and potentially lower rankings. Through practical examples from e-commerce sites (where product pages can exist under numerous URLs due to filters and sorting options), you'll understand exactly why proper URL management matters.

The heart of this episode focuses on implementation strategies that work. From the proper use of the rel="canonical" tag to maintaining consistency across your site architecture, I share battle-tested techniques developed over my 20+ years in SEO. You'll learn why even unique pages should have self-referencing canonical tags, how to handle content syndication across domains, and the importance of using absolute URLs in your canonical implementation.

What sets this discussion apart are the real-world mistakes I've witnessed throughout my career – from the surprisingly common practice of canonicalizing all pages to the homepage to the subtle but damaging inconsistency in trailing slashes. Remember: Google treats canonical tags as hints, not directives, which means your broader SEO strategy must align with your canonicalization choices. Ready to consolidate your SEO power and stop confusing search engines? This episode gives you the knowledge to take action today. Subscribe now and discover how proper canonicalization can transform your search visibility.

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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Tooltips might be the most underrated weapon in your SEO arsenal. Those little informational popups that appear when users hover over elements on your website aren't just helpful navigation aids—they're secret powerhouses for both user experience and search rankings.

In this value-packed episode, I dive deep into exactly how tooltips enhance usability while simultaneously boosting your SEO efforts. You'll discover why these small interface elements reduce cognitive load, improve form completion rates, and enhance accessibility—all factors that contribute to better user engagement metrics that search engines love. I explain the direct SEO benefits: increased time on page, reduced bounce rates, improved click-through rates, and opportunities to naturally incorporate keywords that might not fit elsewhere in your content.

The implementation details matter tremendously, and I walk you through best practices to ensure your tooltips work for both users and search engines. From using proper semantic HTML and ARIA attributes to ensuring mobile compatibility and maintaining consistent design, you'll learn how to avoid common pitfalls that could negate the SEO benefits of your tooltips. I even share a real-world example from my own platform, where tooltips solved a specific usability challenge with technical data tables.

Whether you're optimizing an existing site or building a new one, this episode provides actionable insights into how these small interface elements can drive significant improvements in both user satisfaction and search rankings. Remember, SEO isn't just about keywords and backlinks—it's also about creating experiences that keep users engaged, and tooltips are an often-overlooked tool to accomplish exactly that. Ready to implement this strategy on your own site? Listen now for the complete guide.

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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Are Exact Match Domains truly harmful to your SEO efforts? In this revealing episode, I tackle one of the most misunderstood topics in search engine optimization—whether having keywords in your domain name helps or hurts your rankings.

Drawing on my 20+ years of experience building and monetizing websites, I challenge the prevailing wisdom that Exact Match Domains (EMDs) are outdated relics of SEO past. The reality? Google's own documentation confirms they still consider domain keywords as ranking factors, just with dampeners to prevent over-optimization.

I share my firsthand success with domains like Broadband.co.uk and recent experiments with local "rank and rent" sites that are performing well despite minimal content and backlinks—largely thanks to their descriptive domain names. You'll discover how major brands like Hotels.com and Pimlico Plumbers leveraged keyword-rich domains to build recognizable businesses while maintaining strong search visibility.

For local business owners, this episode is particularly valuable as I explain why location-based descriptive domains can serve both as powerful branding tools and SEO assets. Even if you're skeptical about direct ranking benefits, I outline the indirect advantages EMDs provide through natural anchor text when others link to your site.

Don't make domain decisions based on oversimplified SEO myths. Listen now to get the nuanced perspective you need, backed by Google's actual statements and real-world results. Ready to challenge what you thought you knew about domain selection? This episode just might change your entire approach to launching new websites.

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/

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 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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Customer feedback isn't just a nice-to-have—it's the heartbeat of effective product development. This episode dives deep into why responding to user insights should be your top priority for business growth and product improvement.

Ever wondered what separates good products from truly great ones? The answer lies not in flashy features dreamed up in boardrooms, but in listening closely to the people who use your product daily. I share a compelling real-world example where our team at Keywords People Use turned around a new feature in less than 24 hours based on feedback from Carlos, one of our valued customers. His simple request revealed a use case we hadn't fully considered, despite being experts in our own product.

The power of this approach can't be overstated. When users encounter friction points that prevent them from getting maximum value, they're revealing gold mines of opportunity. As I explain in this episode, even small tweaks based on customer insights can deliver enormous value. The "Download Uniques" feature we created solved not just Carlos's problem, but likely improved the experience for countless other users who hadn't voiced the same challenge.

What makes customer feedback so potent is that it comes from people who have already demonstrated they value your product enough to pay for it. These aren't theoretical use cases—they're real problems experienced by real users trying to achieve real goals. By prioritizing these insights above internal feature ideas, you build a product that truly serves your market's needs rather than your assumptions about those needs.

Ready to transform how you think about product development? Listen now to discover how to create multiple feedback channels for your users, how to evaluate which requests to prioritize, and why speed matters when implementing customer suggestions. Your users are your best product managers—are you listening to them?

Book a free demo at keywordspeopleuse.com/demo to see how our tools can help you find and answer the questions your audience is actually asking online.

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 shifts constantly, and zero-click searches represent one of the most significant evolutions in how users interact with search engines. This eye-opening episode tackles the phenomenon where Google provides answers directly in search results—no clicking required.

What exactly are zero-click searches? Whether appearing as featured snippets, knowledge panels, or quick answer boxes, these results fulfill user intent instantly. While this might initially sound alarming for website owners watching their traffic metrics, Ed Dawson offers a refreshingly pragmatic perspective: not all traffic is created equal. Those simple queries generating zero-click results often wouldn't have produced meaningful engagement anyway.

The podcast explores practical strategies for thriving in this new reality. By optimizing for featured snippets, you position your brand as an authority even without immediate clicks. Focusing on high-intent, long-tail keywords captures users further along the purchase journey. Creating rich, comprehensive content demonstrates your expertise to both search engines and users seeking deeper information. Most importantly, Ed emphasizes that success metrics should shift from raw visitor counts to quality engagement and conversions—because ultimately, "they can't purchase off of zero-click."

Ready to adapt your SEO strategy for this evolving search landscape? Book a free demo at keywordspeopleuse.com/demo to discover how finding and answering the questions your audience actually asks can transform your content strategy and help you thrive despite—or even because of—zero-click searches.

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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We've compiled 101 quick SEO tips from Edd Dawson's popular series into one comprehensive episode to help you improve your website rankings. This collection covers everything from technical foundations to content strategy and link building techniques.

• Make your website as fast as possible because Google hates slow sites and so do your users
• Ensure new pages are linked from existing ones so Google can find and index them
• Always use HTTPS for your site to improve security and trust signals
• Backlinks from other websites help you rank better, but avoid buying links
• Put your target keywords in H1 tags and page titles for clear topic signals
• Focus on answering actual user questions rather than chasing keyword volume
• Don't worry about keyword density – focus on covering topics naturally
• Internal links help provide context and help users discover more content
• Check Google Search Console for insights on indexing and keyword performance
• Be patient – building traffic and authority takes time, but persistence pays off
• Target long-tail traffic when starting a new site to build rankings faster
• Use Google Trends to see how topics change in popularity over time
• Create evergreen content that continues generating traffic long-term
• Focus on quality over quantity when building backlinks
• Make your site mobile-responsive as Google uses mobile-first indexing
• Test different page versions with A/B testing to improve conversion rates
• Try Microsoft Clarity to see how real users interact with your site

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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Edd Dawson explores why Google is a superior source for SEO data compared to ChatGPT, explaining how Google's real-time web model and user behavior data provides more accurate keyword research. Despite ChatGPT's usefulness for content creation and coding assistance, it lacks understanding of web relationships and user search behavior, making it unreliable for SEO tasks like keyword clustering.

• ChatGPT is limited by static datasets that become outdated (currently April 2023)
• ChatGPT lacks understanding of how websites relate to each other and how users search
• Google possesses real-time crawl data, actual search queries, and user behavior insights
• Keywords People Use developed a superior keyword clustering tool by reverse-engineering Google search results
• Testing showed Google-mined data consistently outperforms ChatGPT for keyword relationships
• ChatGPT remains valuable for content creation after determining what to write about

Try Keywords People Use for free at keywordspeopleuse.com to find actual questions people ask online. Contact Edd at [email protected] or @channel5 on Twitter.

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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Google patents offer an unparalleled glimpse into how search actually works, yet few SEO professionals take advantage of this valuable resource. Edd Dawson explains how exploring Google's patent database can reveal the mechanisms behind search features and help cut through common SEO myths.

• Google has over 100,000 patents, many directly related to search functionality
• Patents require public disclosure of technical information, providing rare transparency
• Patent documents can be challenging but rewarding to read after a few attempts
• PatentsGoogle.com and SEObyTheSea.com are excellent starting resources
• A 2015 patent explains exactly how the "People Also Ask" feature works
• Google maintains a question database organized by topics and subjects
• PAA questions are ranked by frequency and relevance to the search query
• Understanding patents helps develop better SEO tools and content strategies
• Exercise caution: not everything patented gets implemented, and vice versa
• Keywords People Use tool leverages patent insights to visualize PAA questions

Please subscribe and share. SEO is Not that Hard is brought to you by KeywordsPeopleUse.com, the solution to finding the questions people ask online.

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/

Send a text

We explore the often overlooked power of internal linking for both SEO strategy and user experience, covering everything from basic definitions to advanced implementation tactics.

• Internal links are hyperlinks connecting pages within the same website
• They serve two main purposes: enhancing user navigation and helping search engines crawl and understand site structure
• Proper internal linking prevents "orphan pages" that search engines struggle to find and index
• Internal links establish site hierarchy and help distribute page rank from high-authority pages
• Best practices include using proper HTML elements, descriptive anchor text, and linking contextually relevant content
• Common mistakes include vague anchor text, over-optimization, and neglecting to update links after site changes
• Balance is crucial—too many links can overwhelm users and dilute SEO value

Connect with me on LinkedIn and Blue Sky by searching for Edd Dawson. Try our SEO intelligence platform at keywordspeopleuse.com where we help you discover questions people ask online, organize keywords into topical groups, and optimize your content with personalized advice. For consulting, visit www.eddawson.com.

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/