In episode 58 of the Page 2 Podcast, we chat with Claire Carlile, founder of Claire Carlile Marketing, about her inspiring journey from teacher to agency owner. Claire opens up about her path to becoming a local SEO expert, tackling imposter syndrome, speaking at major conferences, and navigating the ups and downs of running a small boutique agency. 

From practical SEO tips for small businesses to insights on balancing work-life during challenging times, Claire provides a refreshingly honest perspective on what it truly means to succeed in the digital marketing world.

🌊 In this episode:
• Claire’s transition from teaching to digital marketing
• Valuable strategies for small business local SEO
• How Claire overcame imposter syndrome through public speaking
• Tips for getting started with conference speaking in SEO
• Lessons learned from running a boutique SEO agency for over 10 years
• Practical advice for handling client relationships and choosing ideal clients
• Navigating challenges like COVID-19’s impact on small businesses
• Why building community support is essential in the SEO industry
• Claire’s insights into effective professional development practices
• Personal anecdotes about cold-water swimming and maintaining mental health

Claire’s journey highlights the importance of passion, resilience, and community support in building a thriving SEO career.

👉 Subscribe to the Page 2 Podcast for more SEO insights and inspiring career stories!

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In episode 57 of the Page 2 Podcast, we're joined by Amanda Jordan, Director of Local Search at Locomotive. Amanda shares her fascinating journey into local SEO, starting from auditing Yellow Pages ads to becoming a respected voice in the industry.

She dives deep into local SEO strategies, discusses common challenges like spam reporting, and highlights the critical importance of content quality in local rankings. 

Additionally, Amanda opens up about diversity in the SEO community and her impactful work with United Search to promote underrepresented speakers. Plus, we discuss gaming, parenthood, and managing work-life balance during the pandemic!

🎲 In this episode:
• Amanda’s journey from debt collection to local SEO
• Practical strategies for improving local SEO performance
• How to effectively report and remove spam from Google Maps
• The crucial role of content quality in local SEO
• Gaming as a creative outlet and its unexpected benefits
• Building effective local landing pages for multiple locations
• How Amanda landed her role at Locomotive by demonstrating value
• Diversity, inclusion, and confronting bias within the SEO industry
• The impactful mission of United Search and Women in Tech SEO
• Managing SEO challenges during Google's algorithm updates

This episode is filled with actionable insights and honest conversations that will empower your approach to local SEO and inspire your growth in the SEO industry.

👉 Subscribe to the Page 2 Podcast for more insightful SEO conversations.

Sponsored by Moving Traffic Media

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In episode 56 of the Page 2 Podcast, we chat with Helen Pollitt, Founder of Arrows Up, about her journey through SEO, digital marketing, and becoming an agency owner. 

Helen shares honest insights from her career path, including early SEO mistakes, the realities of launching her own agency, and crucial lessons learned from managing over 50 website migrations. We discuss critical SEO migration strategies, common pitfalls, the importance of redirects, and how to effectively navigate internal agency challenges.

🧩 In this episode:
• Helen’s journey from debt collection to digital marketing
• Real stories of SEO learning curves and early career mishaps
• Critical strategies for successful website migrations
• The reality of agency life: stakeholder management, stress, and rewards
• Essential tips for starting your own SEO consulting business
• How to communicate effectively with developers and stakeholders
• Overcoming common SEO implementation roadblocks
• Preparing clients for Google's Core Web Vitals update
• Helen’s advice on public speaking and personal branding in SEO
• Why the Women in Tech SEO community is invaluable for industry growth

This conversation offers real-world advice and candid insights essential for anyone involved in website migrations, agency SEO, or considering launching their own consultancy.

👉 Subscribe for more insights into the world of SEO and digital marketing!

Sponsored by Moving Traffic Media

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In this special episode of the Page 2 Podcast, we talk to Hamlet Batista, founder and CEO of RankSense, about his remarkable journey from the Dominican Republic to becoming a leading voice in SEO automation and Python. 

Hamlet shares his experiences of building successful businesses, overcoming setbacks, and why automation is critical for scaling SEO strategies. 

He dives deep into the benefits and limitations of Python in SEO, shares actionable insights on how to start automating your workflows, and emphasizes the power of empathy in client relationships.

🚀 In this episode:
• Hamlet’s entrepreneurial journey from the Dominican Republic to the U.S.
• How early experiences in IT shaped his passion for automation
• The truth behind SEO automation and its real-world applications
• Practical ways to integrate Python into your SEO workflows
• Why understanding context and empathy are crucial in client-facing SEO
• Common pitfalls and misconceptions around automated SEO tools
• How RankSense simplifies SEO implementation at scale
• Advice on becoming an SEO generalist before specializing
• The importance of diversity and giving back through mentorship programs

Hamlet's journey is packed with invaluable lessons on SEO automation, resilience, and leadership—perfect for anyone looking to level up their SEO career.

👉 Subscribe for more insightful SEO discussions

Sponsored by Moving Traffic Media

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On this episode of the Page 2 Podcast, we're joined by ecommerce SEO specialist and founder of Marketing Syrup, Kristina Azarenko. Kristina shares her fascinating journey from Belarus to Canada, transitioning from debt collection to SEO, and ultimately launching her own successful business. 

We dive into her love for ecommerce SEO, managing technical challenges, and why she believes planning and clear documentation are key to SEO success. Kristina also talks about her popular "45-Day SEO Challenge" course, the power of personal branding, and shares insightful tips for holiday SEO strategy.

🥞 In this episode:
• Kristina's transition from linguistics and debt collection to SEO
• The launch and evolution of Marketing Syrup
• Why ecommerce SEO is uniquely rewarding and challenging
• Strategies to handle complex faceted navigation in ecommerce
• Essential holiday-season SEO tips, including evergreen landing pages
• Structured data strategies to boost ecommerce visibility
• How planning, structure, and documentation drive SEO success
• Advice for overcoming SEO imposter syndrome and finding your niche
• Insights from Kristina’s popular "45-Day SEO Challenge" course

This episode is packed with actionable advice to level up your ecommerce SEO game—whether you're an industry veteran or just starting out.

👉 Subscribe for more ecommerce SEO strategies!

Sponsored by Moving Traffic Media

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In this Halloween special of the Page 2 Podcast, we welcome two powerhouse guests from Red Hat: Jairus Mitchell and Jennifer Calogero. It’s a fun, candid, and deep dive into B2B SEO, internal advocacy, technical challenges, and the hilarious chaos that is Halloween parenting. 

We cover the evolution of websites, whether SEOs really need to know Python, and why building relationships is more important than knowing every ranking factor. With a strong tag-team dynamic, this episode delivers insight and laughs in equal measure.

🍬 In this episode:
• Why technical SEO deserves more respect in product roadmaps
• How Jairus got into SEO after being laid off from a link building agency
• Jennifer’s journey from design to dev to product management at Red Hat
• The challenge of SEO implementation in enterprise environments
• How to prioritize SEO projects when the roadmap is packed
• The truth about Python, personal branding, and SEO impostor syndrome
• Why building internal relationships drives SEO success
• Whether subdomain vs. subfolder is the SEO debate that will never die
• A wrestling-themed word association game you didn’t know you needed
• Why SEO Twitter can be brilliant and brutal all at once

This episode is a mix of professional wisdom, offbeat humor, and insight into how real SEO work happens behind the curtain.

🔔 Subscribe for future SEO deep dives from industry leaders!

Sponsored by Moving Traffic Media

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In Episode 52 of the Page 2 Podcast, technical SEO veteran Joe Hall of Hall Analysis joins Jacob Stoops and Jeff Louella for a refreshingly candid deep dive into the SEO industry. 

From his early days in web development to running his own consulting business, Joe shares the behind-the-scenes realities of agency vs. freelance life, SEO implementation struggles, and his evolution as both a strategist and a brand. 

We also explore his take on personal branding, client psychology, imposter syndrome, and how success in SEO is rarely about having all the answers—and often about how you present them.

🔍 In this episode:
• Joe’s transition from web developer to technical SEO consultant
• The origin of the “Honey Badger” nickname and thoughts on personal branding
• How being “a little obnoxious” can actually drive SEO leads
• The tension between technical expertise and marketing polish
• Real talk about imposter syndrome and how Joe reframes it
• Why implementation—not strategy—is the biggest SEO challenge
• His most memorable wins, including a 12M-link plugin success story
• Why he prefers PHP and how it still powers 30% of the internet
• Dealing with CEOs, dev teams, and organizational politics
• What makes a good SEO consultant (and what leads to burnout)

Whether you're new to SEO or a seasoned strategist, this episode delivers a blend of tough truths, humor, and actionable insights to keep your mindset sharp and your strategies real.

🔔 Subscribe for more interviews with the people shaping the search marketing world.

Sponsored by Moving Traffic Media

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Season 3 of the Page 2 Podcast kicks off with an introspective look into life, SEO, and resilience. Hosts Jacob Stoops and Jeff Louella open up about navigating COVID-era layoffs, landing at Wirecutter and The New York Times, surviving agency cuts, and the decision to keep the podcast alive. 

They share what’s new this season—including YouTube expansion, going back to their interview roots, and a preview of amazing SEO guests to come. This isn’t just another SEO podcast episode—it’s real, raw, and honest about what it's like to be an SEO through chaos.

🧠 In this episode:
• Jeff’s layoff during COVID and how he landed a role at Wirecutter (NYT)
• Why networking and community support made all the difference
• Jacob on leading a smaller SEO team through agency uncertainty
• The mental load of parenting, teaching, and working remotely
• What it’s really like doing SEO for massive publishers like NYT
• Agency life vs. in-house: freedom, frustration, and focus
• The decision to keep the podcast going after Season 2 burnout
• Format changes: less SEO news, more human stories and deeper interviews
• A sneak peek at the guests lined up for Season 3
• The long-term vision for the Page 2 Podcast

This season starts with honesty, grit, and a glimpse into what it means to stay passionate in tough times.

🔔 Subscribe for upcoming interviews with top SEOs 

Sponsored by Moving Traffic Media

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In this milestone 50th episode of the Page 2 Podcast and the Season 2 finale, we’re joined by Dan Leibson, VP of Search at Local SEO Guide. Dan opens up about his path from early internet bulletin boards and a political science background to leading SEO strategy for major brands. 

Beyond SEO, Dan shares his love for gardening, his goal to retire by 45, and the challenges of growing an agency from two to fifteen people. We also dive deep into scaling local SEO, building team infrastructure, avoiding automation pitfalls, and what really moves the needle in local rankings.

🌿 In this episode:
• Dan’s early online roots and accidental pivot into SEO
• His love of gardening, sustainability, and green startup advising
• Building an SEO agency from scratch—team structure, hiring, and remote culture
• How Local SEO Guide grew its tech infrastructure and automation strategy
• The myth of citation consistency and why scale trumps “owning” listings
• Challenges with platforms like Yext, subdomain vs. subfolder debates, and GMB API management
• Google’s free shopping listings and the evolving SEO vs. paid media dynamic
• Why local SEO is more than just GMB—it’s about landing pages, IA, and user intent
• The impact of review content and how Google is mining sentiment
• Dan’s take on “SEO bullets,” burrito ranking factors, and what really moves the needle

Whether you're in-house, agency-side, or thinking about your own SEO shop—this episode wraps the season with equal parts insight, strategy, and real talk.

🔔 Subscribe for more deep-dive SEO interviews from industry thought-leaders

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On this episode of the Page 2 Podcast, we speak with Jessica Levenson, Head of Digital Strategy and SEO at NetSuite. Jessica shares how she blended a background in computer science and math with a passion for writing and strategy. 

We discuss her progression from front-end developer to SEO leader, building SEO teams, and developing enterprise content strategies that convert. We also explore the importance of empathy in SEO, particularly when leading teams and navigating cross-functional relationships. 

Plus, she opens up about managing life, work, and parenting during the COVID-19 pandemic.

🧵 In this episode:
• Jessica’s unique career path from science and front-end dev to SEO leadership
• Balancing technical acumen with storytelling and UX thinking
• Her experience building and mentoring high-performing SEO teams
• The role of empathy in cross-functional communication and implementation
• How to shift organizations away from “write first, optimize later” content habits
• The framework she uses to create content strategies that scale
• How COVID reshaped her work at NetSuite and redefined priorities
• What it’s like being a parent, leader, and strategist—all in the same day
• The importance of adaptability, flexibility, and trust when leading remote teams
• Her views on schema adoption, featured snippets, and optimizing for SERP visibility

This episode is a crash course in SEO leadership—packed with strategy, insights, and real-world lessons.

🔔 Subscribe for more insights from SEO leaders shaping the industry

Sponsored by Moving Traffic Media

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