In this episode, host Andrew Laws is joined by SEO consultant and author Ash Nallawalla. They discuss the evolving field of SEO and Ash's experiences and insights, particularly focusing on his book, "The Accidental SEO Manager."

Buy the book https://yeseo.io/go/accidental-seo-manager

Key Points:

• About the Book: "The Accidental SEO Manager" offers strategic advice for SEO management rather than technical SEO skills.
• SEO in Business: Challenges of getting SEO projects approved within large companies and the importance of demonstrating their financial benefit.
• Future of SEO: Discussion on the need for industry standards and the difficulties in establishing them.

What You’ll Learn:

• SEO Management: How to approach SEO from a managerial perspective to make strategic decisions.
• Advocating for SEO: Techniques for securing organisational support and funding for SEO initiatives.
• Evolving SEO Practices: The need for ongoing learning and adaptation in the field.

Recommended For:

Anyone interested in SEO, especially professionals looking to understand its strategic impact on business.

Welcome to this week's edition of "The Filter" where we delve into the pressing topics and helpful guides for the SEO and digital marketing enthusiasts. Here’s a quick roundup of the topics discussed in this episode:

Writing from the heart and knowing your subject are timeless pieces of advice for any writer. This episode explores the importance of creating a content outline to align with Google's helpful content updates. Learn how to structure your articles effectively to improve your rankings.

Google Ads is an invaluable tool for many, but ad hijacking is an issue that can affect anyone, regardless of their advertising budget. We discuss how these sketchy practices can impact your campaigns and what Google is doing to combat them.

Google has been active in penalizing major websites for poor user experiences, proving that no one is too big to fail. This segment highlights recent examples of Google’s manual actions against sites, reminding us of the importance of maintaining high standards for user experience.

To get exclusive access to the links and resources mentioned in the podcast, make sure to subscribe at yeseo.io/thefilter Stay informed and enhance your SEO and marketing strategies by following "The Filter".

This episode examines the history and functionality of Google's disavow tool, discussing its initial purpose and its role in current SEO practices. Your host, Andrew Laws, discusses the backdrop of link-buying strategies that led to the development of the disavow tool, which allowed webmasters to disassociate from harmful backlinks.

Key Points Discussed:

• Background on Link Buying: Learn about the era when buying links was a common SEO strategy, and how it prompted the need for a disavow tool.
• Introduction of the Disavow Tool: Explore the reasons why Google introduced the disavow tool and how it helps webmasters clean up their link profiles.
• How the Disavow Tool Works: Understand the functionality of the tool within Google Search Console, where users can submit lists of links they prefer to ignore.
• Relevance and Effectiveness Today: Analyse the current relevance of the disavow tool, why Google has diminished its prominence, and when it might still be necessary.
• Insights from Industry Experts: Listen to commentary from SEO experts and real-world stories about using the disavow tool.

Closing Thoughts: The episode concludes with recommendations for SEO practitioners to focus on earning high-quality, organic links and to steer clear of outdated tactics such as link buying. Andrew also invites listeners to share their experiences and views on the disavow tool.

In this episode, we delve into the intriguing world of SEO and explore the niche area of knowledge panels with Austine Esezobor, an experienced SEO consultant and Google knowledge panels specialist. Austine shares his journey from aspiring music producer to becoming a seasoned professional in the digital marketing sphere, particularly focusing on SEO.

Austine Esezobor is an SEO Consultant who specialises in attaining and managing Google Knowledge Panels. He is also the Founder and Host of the Democratizing SEO podcast.
https://www.democratizingseo.com/about/austine-esezobor/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/austineesezobor/

Austine's SEO Journey

Austine is a musician and producer who has transitioned to digital marketing after being intrigued by the possibilities of SEO. He explains how SEO captivated him due to its blend of creativity, methodical planning, technical skills, and analytical thinking. Austine describes his process of self-education in SEO, which eventually led him to pursue it professionally.

Insights into Knowledge Panels

Throughout the conversation, Austine emphasises the significance of knowledge panels in the realm of SEO. He believes that knowledge graphs, which represent how search engines view relationships between different sets of data, are going to be fundamental to the future of search. This idea extends beyond traditional search engines like Google to encompass other platforms with search functionalities, such as Netflix and TikTok.

Austine suggests that knowledge graphs allow for a more structured delivery of information, making them crucial for businesses aiming to improve their online visibility. He discusses how entities—whether individuals, brands, or organisations—play a vital role in this new SEO paradigm by ensuring that they are correctly represented and connected within these graphs.

The Evolution of SEO

The discussion also touches on the evolution of SEO practices and how the focus has shifted from simple keyword optimisation to a more complex understanding of content and user intent. Austine explains that the future of SEO may rely heavily on providing direct answers to user queries rather than just listing possible sources of information, a shift from "search results" to "search answers."

Recommendations for SEO Practitioners

For SEO practitioners and business owners, Austine recommends adjusting strategies to focus more on visibility and entity representation rather than traditional metrics like keyword rankings. He advises that embracing this shift and understanding the importance of knowledge panels will be crucial for staying relevant in the rapidly changing landscape of digital marketing.

Conclusion

This episode provides valuable insights into the less-discussed areas of SEO and digital marketing strategies, particularly the use of knowledge graphs and panels. Austine’s expertise and forward-thinking approach offer a fresh perspective on how businesses can optimise their online presence in an increasingly competitive digital world.

Leveraging Small Scale for Big Impact in Content Creation

In today's episode, we explore why smaller companies and individual content creators have a unique advantage in digital marketing. Large corporations often suffer from slow internal communication, leading to irrelevant and less impactful content. We explore how agility and a streamlined decision-making process can lead to more effective content strategies, even for those with minimal SEO knowledge.

Key Points Discussed:

Irrelevance in Large Corporations: Large entities often publish content that does not align closely with their core business, such as property brands discussing Bitcoin or food brands discussing SEO. This phenomenon stems from slow communication channels and overly bureaucratic content approval processes.

Advantages of Being Small: Smaller size allows for quicker response times and more relevant content creation. The agility of smaller teams or individuals enables them to produce content more aligned with current events and audience needs.

Creating Content with Limited SEO Knowledge: It's possible to begin an effective SEO strategy with zero knowledge of SEO. The essence of impactful content lies in authenticity and addressing the real concerns and interests of the audience.

Developing Trust and Authority: Smaller entities can build trust and establish themselves as authorities in their field by focusing on the issues and topics that resonate with their audience.

Practical Tips for Content Creation: We discuss how to leverage the immediacy of smaller operations to react quickly to industry changes and how regularly updating content can improve Google rankings.

Inspiration for Content: Using tools like Google Search to find topics relevant to your niche and engaging with frontline staff like salespeople can provide valuable insights for content creation.

Recommended Resources:

Check out the linked Ahrefs article in the show notes for further inspiration on creating relevant content

https://ahrefs.com/blog/why-big-companies-make-bad-content/

Thank you for tuning in to today's episode. We hope these insights empower you to create more engaging and effective content strategies. For more tips and discussions, please subscribe to our channel.

Your host, Andrew Laws discusses the significant licensing agreement between OpenAI and the Financial Times (FT), emphasising the implications this has for the SEO industry and the broader landscape of artificial intelligence.

Key Points:

1. The Deal: OpenAI has licensed content from the Financial Times, enabling ChatGPT to provide current information sourced directly from FT articles. This move is significant because it showcases OpenAI's approach to using credible, high-quality sources to enhance the accuracy and reliability of its outputs.
2. Implications for SEO: The integration of FT content into OpenAI's database could change how current events and financial news are interpreted and utilized within SEO strategies.
   This development suggests a trend towards more dynamic and up-to-date content generation by AI, potentially influencing how SEO professionals approach content creation and optimization.
   
3. Future of AI and Search Engines: Andrew speculates on the evolving capabilities of AI like ChatGPT, suggesting that the way information is delivered and verified online might soon resemble current search engine results.
   The potential shift away from traditional search engines like Google towards AI-driven platforms could redefine web search and SEO practices.
   
4. Best Practices for SEO: Amidst the evolving digital landscape, Andrew emphasizes the importance of maintaining high-quality website standards and ethical SEO practices.
   He advises on the potential benefits of adopting schema markup to enhance site visibility and usability for search engines.
   

Conclusion: In a rapidly changing digital environment, staying informed and adaptable is crucial. Andrew encourages maintaining excellence in SEO practices regardless of the technological shifts, ensuring readiness for future advancements.

More info - https://www.searchenginejournal.com/openai-to-show-content-links-in-response-to-queries/515214/

Please like, share, and subscribe to stay updated with the latest insights and trends in SEO and digital marketing. For more detailed discussions and expert advice, tune in to "The Untitled SEO Podcast."

Welcome back! Today's discussion revolves around a platform that often flies under the radar in the SEO world: Bing. Despite its smaller user base compared to Google, Bing is making strides that could influence your SEO strategy.

Recently, Bing announced an impressive milestone of 140 million active users. While still modest compared to Google, this growth indicates a rising relevance in the search engine landscape. This expansion may be attributed to various factors including strategic integrations and investments by Microsoft, hinting at Bing's untapped potential in SEO.

Historically viewed with skepticism, Bing was often joked about in SEO circles as a default browser on Microsoft devices rather than a serious choice. However, this perception is outdated. Over the years, Microsoft has significantly invested in Bing, integrating advanced AI technologies like those from OpenAI, which might be enhancing user engagement.

Bing's technological evolution is noteworthy. It includes features reminiscent of Google's capabilities a decade ago, such as a reliance on meta keywords. While Bing’s ability to crawl and understand context may not match Google's current standards, its simpler approach could offer unique optimization opportunities.

1. Bing Webmaster Tools: Sign up for free to stay informed about how Bing views and ranks your website. This tool is crucial for anyone serious about understanding diverse search engine dynamics.
2. SEO Strategy: Given Bing's current market position and technical capabilities, a modest investment in optimizing for Bing could yield beneficial insights and potential gains.

Bing is gradually carving out a space for itself in the competitive search engine market. By integrating AI tools effectively and continuing to evolve, Bing may present a viable component of a comprehensive SEO strategy. Signing up for Bing Webmaster Tools is a simple yet effective step to leverage Bing’s potential.

For more insights and updates, remember to like, share, and subscribe. Until next time, keep optimizing!

In this episode, Andrew Laws dives into the often debated topic of optimal content length for SEO. He explores the myth that longer content automatically equates to better SEO, provides insights into the evolution of content evaluation by search engines like Google, and offers practical tips for crafting articles that genuinely serve the reader's interests and search intent.

**What You'll Learn:**

- **The Myth of Long Content:** Understand why the idea that "longer is better" became popular and why it's not necessarily true today.

- **SEO's Historical Context:** How Google's early limitations influenced content length strategies.

- **Practical Content Creation Tips:** Strategies for writing articles that are the ideal length for your topics without padding them unnecessarily.

- **The Importance of Quality:** Why writing for humans, not just algorithms, will actually benefit your SEO in the long run.

**Episode Highlights:**

1. **Breaking Down the Myth** (00:00:24)

   - Discussion on how content length affects SEO and the origins of the myth surrounding long articles.

2. **SEO and Content Length Over Time** (00:01:13)

   - How Google has evolved in assessing content quality and the diminishing importance of article length.

3. **Current Best Practices for Content Length** (00:07:09)

   - Advice on determining the right length for your content based on topic complexity and competition.

4. **Writing with Authority and Passion** (00:08:22)

   - The significance of expertise and genuine interest in your subject matter when creating content.

5. **Tools and Tips for Optimizing Content** (00:09:43)

   - Using tools like SEMrush to analyze competitor content and adjust your strategies accordingly.

**Call to Action:**

- **Feedback:** Share your thoughts and experiences on how content length has impacted your SEO efforts.

- **Engagement:** Like, subscribe, and comment to join the conversation and help others find this podcast.

**Closing:** (00:11:34)

Andrew wraps up with a reminder that in SEO, the best answer to many questions is often "it depends," highlighting the tailored approach necessary for effective SEO

In this episode of The Filter, we explore three crucial aspects of SEO that every digital marketer should master. We will discuss the nuanced approach needed when using AI to generate content, how to develop a robust social media strategy that actually engages, and the essentials of backlinks and their impact on SEO.

What You'll Learn:

1. The Nuances of AI in SEO understanding the limitations and necessary checks when using AI for content creation.
   Insights directly from Google on how to effectively use AI without compromising quality.
   
2. Crafting Effective Social Media StrategiesWhy shouting into the void on social media doesn't work.
   Practical tips for engaging with other accounts and building a community around your brand.
   
3. Backlinks DemystifiedA breakdown of different types of backlinks and their roles in SEO.
   How to identify quality backlinks that boost your site's visibility and credibility.
   

Episode Resources: For more detailed information and to access exclusive content mentioned in this episode, subscribe to The Filter at yesseo.io/thefilter

In today's episode, Jodie Newman joins us from The Business Allotment. We explore the essential role of creativity in SEO and business strategy. Jodie shares her journey from a furniture and product design background to becoming an expert in fostering creative processes within organisations.

Find Jodie on Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodienewman/

Key Discussion Points:

• Creativity as a Business Tool: Jodie discusses how creativity is not just about producing art; it's a strategic tool that can propel business innovation and differentiate companies from their competition.
• The Mechanics of Creativity: The conversation dives into how creativity works in the brain and how businesses can systematically foster it to improve problem-solving and idea generation.
• Transforming Business Approaches: Jodie highlights her work with large and small businesses, using creative sessions to redefine company strategies and enhance team engagement and ownership of projects.
• The Power of Creative Thinking: Andrew Laws and Jodie discuss how rethinking traditional approaches can lead to significant business advantages, exemplified by Jodie’s successful reworking of promotional strategies for major clients like Shell.
• Practical Tips for Fostering Creativity: Listeners gain valuable insights into practical tools and methods for cultivating creativity within their teams and projects, which is crucial for standing out in competitive industries.

Featured Guest: Jodie Newman - Creativity Consultant and Author

• Background: Jodie specialises in integrating creative thinking into business strategies.

Episode Highlights:

• Jodie's Personal Journey: Learn how her educational background influenced her professional path from a design student to a creativity consultant.
• Creativity in Unexpected Places: Discover how even industries traditionally seen as non-creative, like SEO, can benefit immensely from creative approaches.
• The Impact of Creativity on Business Success: Examples of how creative thinking has transformed company strategies and led to marketing and customer engagement breakthroughs.

Closing Thoughts: Creativity isn’t just an art; it’s a vital business skill. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to inject innovative thinking into their business practices, enhancing both personal and organisational growth.

Connect with Jodie: For those inspired by this episode, Jodie offers listeners a unique opportunity to receive a creative workout and tool if they connect with her on LinkedIn, mentioning this podcast. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodienewman/