In this episode, I go on a rant about Google's decision to retire the Rel=Next & Prev tags, which they announced on Twitter. Google went and did it - they forced me to quote Spider Man! Argh! More coverage of the story on Search Engine Rountable, Search Engine Land, and Search Engine Journal.

In this episode, I go on a rant about Google's decision to retire the Rel=Next & Prev tags, which they announced on Twitter. Google went and did it - they forced me to quote Spider Man! Argh! 

In this episode:

• The Twitter thread that exposed Google's pagination pivot
• Why the sudden removal of rel next/prev was irresponsible
• How this affects large sites, eCommerce pagination, and indexing equity
• Google's confusing advice to "use a view-all page" 🤯
• What SEOs should learn: always test, never assume
• How to communicate these rapid shifts to clients and stakeholders

💥 Whether you're deep in technical SEO or just learning the ropes, this episode delivers a real-time look at how fast the landscape changes—and why you can’t afford to blindly follow documentation.

More coverage of the story on Search Engine Rountable, Search Engine Land, and Search Engine Journal.

Sponsored by Moving Traffic Media

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In this episode, we talk with Tom Rayner, Digital Marketing & Strategy Consultant at Raynernomics and Co-Founder and Head of Digital Strategy at Yando. Tom is my first interviewee across the pond and is based in London! Who-hoo! We talk about a number of other things including: (1) Tom’s beginnings as a copywriter and how that led him into SEO, (2) Why SEO still feels like an “add on” in many brands marketing strategy, (3) How to “win the hearts and minds” of clients, (4) The importance of looking at competitors to improve your own business cases, (5) Using a performance-based compensation model with clients, (6) The YoastCon situation and Tom’s Twitter rampage, (7) Sexual harassment, the conference circuit, gender equality, and inclusiveness, (8) Fighting Impostor syndrome and being okay with not knowing everything. So get ready for what I think is a really valuable and informative conversation as we tell Tom’s SEO story!

In this episode, we talk with Tom Rayner, Digital Marketing & Strategy Consultant at Raynernomics and Co-Founder and Head of Digital Strategy at Yando. Tom is my first interviewee across the pond and is based in London! Who-hoo! So get ready for what I think is a really valuable and informative conversation as we tell Tom’s SEO story.

We discuss:

• Transitioning from copywriting to SEO strategy
• Why SEO still feels like an afterthought in many marketing orgs
• How to measure and report non-branded SEO impact
• Overcoming impostor syndrome as an SEO
• What “performance-based SEO pricing” looks like in the real world
• Calling out toxic behavior at conferences and on SEO Twitter
• The need for inclusion, equality, and accountability in digital marketing

💡 Whether you're new to SEO, managing clients, or reflecting on the culture of this industry—this episode pulls no punches and goes deep.

Sponsored by Moving Traffic Media

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In this episode, I talk with Janet Bartoli, Managing Partner, Strategic SEO Lead, and SEO Educator at Strategy Rework – a company dedicated to helping in-house SEO’s become successful. Janet has been doing SEO since the early 2000’s and has basically done everything from In-House, to Agency, to Consulting, to Speaking, and to educating. We talk about what it’s like to be the lead client-facing SEO across all major accounts, what it’s like to lead and develop less experienced SEOs, and what it’s like to work on complex projects that are packed with the pressure to perform. We also talk about working well with developers, her affinity for in-house SEOs, and much much more.

In this episode, I talk with Janet Bartoli, Managing Partner, Strategic SEO Lead, and SEO Educator at Strategy Rework – a company dedicated to helping in-house SEO’s become successful. If you’ve ever battled impostor syndrome, struggled to communicate value, or wondered how to price your SEO services—this one’s for you.

Janet has been doing SEO since the early 2000’s and has basically done everything from In-House, to Agency, to Consulting, to Speaking, and to educating. We talk about what it’s like to be the lead client-facing SEO across all major accounts, what it’s like to lead and develop less experienced SEOs, and what it’s like to work on complex projects that are packed with the pressure to perform. 

We dive into:

• The challenge of pricing high-level SEO engagements
• Why implementation—not strategy—is the biggest client roadblock
• Case study: how one rogue canonical tag cost millions in revenue
• Thoughts on "SEO celebrities" vs real practitioners
• The Traffic Think Tank community and why she stays active
• Scaling SEO with better tooling and fewer silos

🧠 Whether you're freelance, in-house, or running an agency, Janet’s insights are real, relevant, and refreshingly direct.

Sponsored by Moving Traffic Media

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In this episode, I talk to Nick Eubanks, Founder and CEO at From the Future and Co-Founder of Traffic Think Tank. Outside of being a damn good SEO, Nick is an entrepreneur who started his first company by 19 and sold his first company at 24. We talk about what it’s like to run a business at such a young age and how to deal with the pressure that can lead to. We talk about his inspiration for starting Traffic Think Tank. We get deep into SEO and talk about why he chose to make $30,000 his minimum engagement, talk about how simple technical SEO changes led him to drive over 1 million incremental monthly visitors to one of his client’s websites, as well as the importance of intent optimization with content and much more.

We cover: 

• How Nick sold his first business at 24
• Why he set $330,000 as his agency’s minimum engagement
• How one canonical tag fix unlocked $60M in revenue
• The truth about SEO "celebrities" vs. practitioners
• Traffic Think Tank's private community for SEOs
• Intent-focused content, technical SEO, and tools like DeepCrawl, Ahrefs, and Keyword Keg

👉 Whether you're an SEO veteran, agency owner, or new to search, this episode is a masterclass in modern SEO and entrepreneurial growth.

Sponsored by Moving Traffic Media

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In this episode, I talk to Nick Eubanks, Founder and CEO at From the Future and Co-Founder of Traffic Think Tank. Outside of being a damn good SEO, Nick is an entrepreneur who started his first company by 19 and sold his first company at 24. We talk about what it’s like to run a business at such a young age and how to deal with the pressure that can lead to. We talk about his inspiration for starting Traffic Think Tank. We get deep into SEO and talk about why he chose to make $30,000 his minimum engagement, talk about how simple technical SEO changes led him to drive over 1 million incremental monthly visitors to one of his client’s websites, as well as the importance of intent optimization with content and much more.

In this episode, I speak to Samantha Mayer, my colleague and SEO Manager at Search Discovery. We talk about her non-traditional path through content management and as a marketing generalist into becoming a full-time SEO. We dive deep into being an SEO with a content and broad marketing mindset, the importance of using on-site search data to build your content strategy, and what it's like to do SEO for subjects that are *frankly* kind of boring. We also talk about her love for music - including her affinity for the band "Dawes," the "Get To" mindset which for me as a 'glass-half-empty' person has been incredibly inspirational, and much more.

In Episode 13 of The Page 2 Podcast, host Jacob Stoops chats with Samantha Mayer, SEO Manager at Search Discovery, about her unexpected path from Apple retail floors to leading SEO strategy at one of the most data-focused agencies in the country. Sam shares how she leveraged experiences in content, analytics, and even in-store merchandising to build a powerful, content-first SEO approach.

This episode explores: 

• The transition from journalism grad to Apple retail to Anthropology to SEO
• How on-site search data became her SEO superpower
• Why “yellow dresses” taught her to think like a merchandiser and strategist
• Using empathy, content psychology, and user signals to outperform keyword-first competitors
• What it’s like being the only woman on an all-male SEO team
• Burnout, impostor syndrome, and the power of believing you “get to” do your job
• How music, travel, and yoga helped build her confidence in (and outside of) work
• A content SEO win that turned into real product movement for a CPG client
• Advice for SEO newcomers and why your passion needs to guide your path

If you’re someone who came into SEO from another world—or are still figuring out your place—this episode is filled with relatable stories, tactical takeaways, and an uplifting message about building a fulfilling digital career.

Sponsored by Moving Traffic Media

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