The SEO Mad Scientist

In this episode, Sophie sits down with Lucy -Jane Love, Marketing Director at Banyan Risk Group and Rowan Security, to talk about what it takes to successfully market in highly regulated, “not-so-sexy” industries—from risk management and security to finance and investment. Lucy discusses how to make content engaging, the types of LinkedIn posts that consistently perform best, and why she uses AI more for research and talking points than for writing. They also dig into platform strategy (why LinkedIn is the current home base, and why Lucy’s eyeing TikTok next), how her team manages quality control and fact-checking, and her best advice for anyone creating content for industries where customers aren’t exactly “excited” to buy. In this interview, you’ll learn:

• How to create engaging content inside strict compliance boundaries
• What types of posts perform best on LinkedIn for niche industries
• Where AI fits (and doesn’t fit) in regulated content workflows
• How to plan quarterly themes while staying reactive to real-world events
• A practical framework for finding angles when your niche feels “boring”

Connect with Lucy: www.banyanriskgroup.com

www.rowan-security.com www.lucylove.co.uk https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-jayne-love-a1a68aa8/

00:01 – Learn Niche & Restricted Content Marketing

00:29 – Explore Lucy’s Path in Risk Management Marketing

01:34 – Overcome Challenges in Regulated Industries

02:52 – Craft Compliant, Engaging Content

03:56 – Apply AI to Research & Insights

05:21 – Streamline Marketing Research with AI Tools

06:10 – Execute Strategy & Ensure Quality Control

07:05 – Plan Ahead While Reacting to Trends

08:26 – Manage Social vs Long-Form Content Efficiently

09:06 – Verify Accuracy with In-House Reviews

09:59 – Turn Client Insights into Safe Case Studies

11:10 – Reach High Net Worth Audiences on LinkedIn

12:25 – Start Video Content in Niche Markets

13:33 – Boost Engagement with LinkedIn Posts

15:04 – Maximize Reach with Cross-Platform Publishing

16:07 – Build Marketing from Scratch Successfully

16:58 – Discover Angles for “Unsexy” Niches

18:52 – Optimize Team Structure & Outsourcing

19:51 – Connect with Lucy & Learn from Her Work

20:30 – Apply Key Takeaways for Marketing Growth

 In this episode, we dive into our latest SEO experiment testing the power of Google Stacks and Cloud Stacks to enhance local SEO rankings. For a month, we optimized a series of interlinked Google and cloud-hosted properties, all designed to boost visibility for a towing company in Tallahassee. From Google Drive, Docs, and Maps to cloud platforms like AWS and Firebase, we crafted a web of connections aimed at reinforcing location and service-specific keywords. We’ll unpack the strategy, the setup, and the results—especially how these stacks impacted long-tail keywords and local search visibility. Tune in to discover how stacking can level up local rankings and help dominate niche markets!

🔬 Read the Full Test: https://web20ranker.com/seo-test/how-strong-is-the-impact-of-citations-and-signals-in-map-rankings/

🔍 Explore more SEO tests & submit your own test ideas: https://web20ranker.com/seo-mad-scientist/

🛠️ Tools We Used in Testing:

Local Viking: https://localviking.com/

SERPResults: https://serpresults.com/

Products Discussed...

Custom Signals: https://web20ranker.com/custom-link-building/

Welcome to the SEO Mad Scientist podcast, where we dive deep into testing SEO theories so you don't have to!

In this episode, Mike dives into our latest test to uncover "How effective is landing page optimization for your GBP listings?" Discover how we set up our test website, analyze GeoGrid data, and see the impact of on-page optimization on local SEO rankings. Mike also explores the role of AI-generated content, the correlation between brand terms and rankings, and the influence of small business-related keywords.

00:00 Introduction and Lack of Major Updates

01:28 The Importance of Single Variable Tests

03:18 The Impact of On-Page and Listing Optimization

06:03 The Value of Proper Optimization and Branding for Listings

08:21 The Effectiveness of Custom Signals

11:06 The Changing Landscape of SEO

Highlights From Episode 10 - The SEO Mad Scientist:

• The episode explores the impact of AI-generated content on Google Business Profile (GBP) rankings, highlighting a test where AI-created landing page content significantly influenced local SEO performance.
• A detailed analysis reveals the role of competitor parity and domain changes in SEO strategies, showing how these factors affect rankings and the importance of content structure and headings.
• The findings emphasize actionable insights and tips, including optimizing content beyond competitor metrics, understanding the importance of organic and local SEO alignment, and the impact of on-page updates on search engine visibility.

Read the full GBP Landing Page Onsite Test here: https://web20ranker.com/seo-test/google-business-profile-website-url-impacts/

🔍 Explore more SEO tests & submit your own test ideas: https://web20ranker.com/seo-mad-scientist/

🛠️ Tools We Used in Testing:

Local Viking: https://localviking.com/

SERPResults: https://serpresults.com/

Products Discussed:

On-page SEO: https://web20ranker.com/perfect-on-page-seo/

SEO Discussion: Mike Milas

0:00 Test introduction 

01:00 Impact of AI-generated content tests

02:20 Effects of keyword-targeted content 

03:40 Increasing competitor parity metrics

04:42 Heading changes on SEO rankings

06:58 Ranking impact of changing the domain

10:45 Organic rankings impact on local rankings

14:07 Considerations for Competitor Parity

Highlights From Episode 9 - The SEO Mad Scientist:

• Mike explained how the team structured the test website and GBP listings to measure the impact of landing page optimization.
• He discussed the crucial role of AI-generated content and semantic optimization in enhancing content relevance and search results.
• Mike emphasized the unexpected yet substantial impact of small business-related keywords and brand terms on website rankings and local SEO performance.

Read the full GBP Landing Page Onsite Test here: https://web20ranker.com/seo-test/google-business-profile-website-url-impacts/

🔍 Explore more SEO tests & submit your own test ideas: https://web20ranker.com/seo-mad-scientist/

🛠️ Tools We Used in Testing:

Local Viking: https://localviking.com/

SERPResults: https://serpresults.com/

Products Discussed:

On-page SEO: https://web20ranker.com/perfect-on-page-seo/

SEO Discussion: Mike Milas

0:00 Introduction

02:25 Initial test site setup

03:37 Local impact of on-page optimization 

05:36 Performance after 1st major content update

09:28 Integration of semantic triples to enhance content relevance

11:35 Correlation with brand terms

15:31 Ranking effects of H2 and H3 usage

17:10 Keyword performance over time

Highlights From Episode 8 - The SEO Mad Scientist:

• The team delves into the significant impact of custom signals on search engine rankings, shedding light on the key factors driving their effectiveness in boosting website visibility. 
• They explore the crucial correlation between on-page content and off-page signals, emphasizing the importance of aligning these elements for improved SEO performance. 
• The discussion on soundproofing services within the context of insulation provides valuable insights into the nuanced relationship between keywords, services offered, and search engine rankings.

🔬 Read the Full Custom Signals Test: https://web20ranker.com/seo-test/how-strong-is-the-impact-of-citations-and-signals-in-map-rankings/

🔍 Explore more SEO tests & submit your own test ideas: https://web20ranker.com/seo-mad-scientist/

🛠️ Tools We Used in Testing:

Local Viking: https://localviking.com/

SERPResults: https://serpresults.com/

Products Discussed:

Custom signals: https://web20ranker.com/custom-link-building/

SEO Discussion: Mike Milas + Alex C. Barr + Danielle Windsor

0:00 Mike Introduction

01:52 Custom Signals results recap

04:49 Optimization & keyword rankings analysis 

05:38 Correlation between on-page & off-page

09:48 How citations are impacting rankings

12:31 How website kw references push rankings

16:39 Nuanced difference of keywords

23:06 Impact of Onsite and Offsite SEO

Highlights From Episode 7 - The SEO Mad Scientist:

• The hosts Mike and Lasha discussed the intriguing results of their recent on-page SEO test.
• They revealed the significant impact of keyword-rich headings on local rankings and map rankings.
• Additionally, they explored actionable strategies for optimizing website content and maximizing SEO effectiveness.

🔍 Explore more SEO tests & submit your own test ideas: https://web20ranker.com/seo-mad-scientist/

🛠️ Tools We Used in Testing:

Local Viking: https://localviking.com/

SERPResults: https://serpresults.com/

Products Discussed:

On-Page SEO Service: https://web20ranker.com/perfect-on-page-seo/

SEO Discussion: Mike Milas + Lasha Letiia

0:00 Lasha Introduction (SEO Manager)

01:00 On-Page SEO Test 

03:00 Initial Test Results

05:20 Headings Impact Rankings?

09:26 On-Page Changes & Ranking Correlation

14:19 Adjustments to Content

18:15 Exploration of PPC Keywords

20:19 Client Accessibility & On-Site Optimization

22:22 What’s Next in Testing

Highlights From Episode 6 - The SEO Mad Scientist:

• As Mike, Alex, and Danielle discussed, the custom signals test on Danielle's insulation business revealed a significant impact on rankings, with competitor links and optimized listings playing crucial roles.
• They also highlighted the importance of building a strong brand presence in conjunction with SEO efforts, citing the cumulative effect of various brand properties and references.
• Additionally, they explored the synergy between SEO strategies and other digital marketing channels like Facebook ads and PPC campaigns, emphasizing the potential for integration to enhance overall online performance.

🔍 Explore more SEO tests & submit your own test ideas: https://web20ranker.com/seo-mad-scientist/

🛠️ Tools We Used in Testing:

Local Viking: https://localviking.com/

SERPResults: https://serpresults.com/

Products Discussed:

Custom signals: https://web20ranker.com/custom-link-building/

PBN Map Embeds: https://web20ranker.com/product/order-pbn-map-embeds/

Niche Citations: https://web20ranker.com/niche-directory-citations/

SEO Discussion: Mike Milas + Alex C. Barr + Danielle Windsor

0:00 Introduction

00:48 Signals Test Update

07:33 Testing Signals Locally

14:17 Branding and Ranking Correlation

11:06 Tracking keywords & call sources

17:45 Inner Pages and Rankings Correlation

22:13 What’s in our SEO testing library

26:13 PBN and Map Embed Updates

32:33 Impact of Google Updates

37:40 Citation Impact on Local Rankings

42:27 Ranking Organically v in Maps

44:00 Conclusion

Highlights From Episode 5 - The SEO Mad Scientist:

• Mike and Alex delved into cutting-edge techniques for maximizing on-page SEO, emphasizing the importance of structured lists, headings, and long-tail keywords in boosting website visibility.
• They shared insights regarding the significant impact of multimedia content, particularly YouTube videos and Google Earth, on search engine rankings.
• They discussed exclusive findings from various SEO tests, including a GMB map embed test, providing listeners with valuable insights into the effectiveness of different strategies and techniques.

🔍 Explore more SEO tests & submit your own test ideas: https://web20ranker.com/seo-mad-scientist/

🛠️ Tools We Used in Testing:

Local Viking: https://localviking.com/

SERPResults: https://serpresults.com/

Products discussed:

PBN Map Embeds: https://web20ranker.com/product/order-pbn-map-embeds/

PBN Links: https://web20ranker.com/product/order-budget-network-links/

On-page SEO Service: https://web20ranker.com/perfect-on-page-seo/

SEO Discussion Mike Milas + Alex C. Barr

0:00 Introduction

04:16 Exploration of on-page optimization strategies

08:56 Influence of YouTube Videos and Google Earth on ranking

12:06 Impact of Structured Lists and Headings on SEO

16:03 The Role of Long-Tail Keywords and Citations on rankings

22:04 GMB Map Embed Test

27:30 Impact of PBN Links and Map Embeds

30:43 Testing the Influence of Anchor Text Links

36:14 Testing Backlink Impact on Local Rankings

40:00 The Value of SEO Compared to Paid Advertising

45:00 The Importance of Testing and Taking Data

Highlights From Episode 4 - The SEO Mad Scientist:

• In this episode, Mike and the team revealed the launch of our new testing library, housing all the SEO tests we've been running.
• They emphasized the significance of relevant website content for improving SEO rankings, offering insights into crafting compelling content tailored to target audiences.
• They uncovered intriguing parallels between Click-Through Rate (CTR) and link building impacts, offering insights into optimizing online presence to drive higher CTRs and improve SEO performance.

🔍 Explore more SEO tests & submit your own test ideas: https://web20ranker.com/seo-mad-scientist/

🛠️ Tools We Used in Testing:

Local Viking: https://localviking.com/

SERPResults: https://serpresults.com/

Products Discussed:

Custom Signals: https://web20ranker.com/custom-link-building/

Geo Networks: https://web20ranker.com/product/order-geo-networks/

SEO Discussion Mike Milas + Sophie Allen + Alex C. Barr + Lasha Letiia:

0:00 Introduction

01:14 Launch of our testing library

01:50 Recap of the YouTube test and initial observations of ranking movements

06:07 Service Area Business vs. Non-Service Area Business

07:29 Impact of link building strategies on local rankings

11:51 Recap of recent GBP map embed test results

14:09 Similarities between CTR and link building impacts

16:03 GBP suspension due to engagement manipulation.

18:33 Getting instant verification using Google Guide accounts

22:06 Custom signals test results

24:01 Importance of Relevant Content in your website

27:02 Updates on the tests we did on Geo, Niche, and Brand Networks

31:35 Testing On-Page Optimization

42:34 Conclusion