Zero-click search presents both challenges and opportunities for SEO professionals. Mike Walrath from Yext explores how these seemingly traffic-less interactions might evolve into valuable engagement points. He examines the growing role of voice search in zero-click experiences and predicts how brands may still deliver content directly to users despite the changing search landscape. how Notes

Connect With: 

• Michael Walrath: Website // LinkedIn
• The Voices of Search Podcast: Email // LinkedIn // Twitter
• Benjamin Shapiro: Website // LinkedIn //  Twitter

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In e-commerce search, AI is reshaping the shopping experience. Mike Walrath, CEO of Yext, predicts the emergence of single-click shopping experiences through AI search engines this holiday season. He explains how conversational AI will enable personalized product recommendations based on user preferences and price constraints, creating a more intelligent discovery process than traditional search results. Show Notes

Connect With: 

• Michael Walrath: Website // LinkedIn
• The Voices of Search Podcast: Email // LinkedIn // Twitter
• Benjamin Shapiro: Website // LinkedIn //  Twitter

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, Mike Walrath of Yext tackles the strategic dilemma of optimizing for Google AI Overviews versus alternative search environments. He argues that optimizing for Google's AI search already leverages existing SEO practices, while diversifying to other platforms creates additional visibility opportunities. Walrath predicts established search players will continue gaining market share, highlighting how younger demographics' search behaviors are reshaping discovery patterns and reducing Google's dominance. Show Notes

Connect With: 

• Michael Walrath: Website // LinkedIn
• The Voices of Search Podcast: Email // LinkedIn // Twitter
• Benjamin Shapiro: Website // LinkedIn //  Twitter

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

AI is rapidly transforming local search results. Mike Walrath, CEO of Yext, explains how AI assistants now provide direct answers to local queries instead of deferring to search engines. He explores why businesses must adapt their strategies to become the answer within AI-generated results, emphasizing the accelerating pace of this fundamental shift in local search visibility.  Show Notes

Connect With: 

• Michael Walrath: Website // LinkedIn
• The Voices of Search Podcast: Email // LinkedIn // Twitter
• Benjamin Shapiro: Website // LinkedIn //  Twitter

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

AI is reshaping search discoverability and business visibility. Mike Walrath, CEO of Yext, explains how Google's monetization model faces disruption from emerging AI search competitors. He details how businesses must structure data for machine consumption rather than humans, identifies opportunities in local search fragmentation, and demonstrates how granular competitive intelligence can pinpoint exactly where digital presence improvements are needed. Show Notes

Connect With: 

• Michael Walrath: Website // LinkedIn
• The Voices of Search Podcast: Email // LinkedIn // Twitter
• Benjamin Shapiro: Website // LinkedIn //  Twitter

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, Elliot Tsai, Senior Growth Manager of SEO and ASO at TextNow, predicts which marketing channels will most overlap with SEO in the coming year. He identifies YouTube as the primary convergence point, followed by App Store and Google Store Optimization, noting how these platforms increasingly appear in search results. Elliot explains why AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini, while complementary to search, serve different user intents and won't replace traditional search behavior. Show Notes

Connect With: 

• Elliot Tsai: Website // LinkedIn
• The Voices of Search Podcast: Email // LinkedIn // Twitter
• Benjamin Shapiro: Website // LinkedIn //  Twitter

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is YouTube SEO just like traditional SEO from five years ago? Elliot Tsai, Senior Growth Manager of SEO and ASO at TextNow, debunks this oversimplification while highlighting the strategic overlap. He explains how YouTube's visual nature and engagement metrics create an 80/20 similarity ratio with traditional SEO, emphasizing how subscriber signals function as topic authority indicators. Tsai recommends leveraging YouTube's filtering capabilities to identify trending content patterns that can enhance traditional SEO briefs. Show Notes

Connect With: 

• Elliot Tsai: Website // LinkedIn
• The Voices of Search Podcast: Email // LinkedIn // Twitter
• Benjamin Shapiro: Website // LinkedIn //  Twitter

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the quest for effective SEO partnerships, data teams emerge as the critical ally. Elliot Tsai, Senior Growth Manager of SEO and ASO at TextNow, explains why data teams should be every SEO professional's first choice for collaboration. He emphasizes how understanding data implementation logic prevents misalignment between analytics and strategy, while highlighting that data expertise enables SEOs to validate information rather than blindly accepting what's provided. Show Notes

Connect With: 

• Elliot Tsai: Website // LinkedIn
• The Voices of Search Podcast: Email // LinkedIn // Twitter
• Benjamin Shapiro: Website // LinkedIn //  Twitter

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Partnering with CRM teams requires strategic alignment. Elliot Tsai, Senior Growth Manager of SEO and ASO at TextNow, shares his approach to cross-functional collaboration. He emphasizes understanding CRM user journeys and templates first, then identifying content gaps where SEO articles can enhance customer communications, ultimately creating a more cohesive user experience across touchpoints. Show Notes

Connect With: 

• Elliot Tsai: Website // LinkedIn
• The Voices of Search Podcast: Email // LinkedIn // Twitter
• Benjamin Shapiro: Website // LinkedIn //  Twitter

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, Elliot Tsai, Senior Growth Manager of SEO and ASO at TextNow, challenges the notion that paid search should be SEO's primary partner channel. Tsai argues that all marketing channels deserve equal partnership as they each represent different parts of the user funnel. He explains that paid search often receives preferential treatment simply because it delivers faster results, while SEO's value manifests more gradually but with similar impact. Show Notes

Connect With: 

• Elliot Tsai: Website // LinkedIn
• The Voices of Search Podcast: Email // LinkedIn // Twitter
• Benjamin Shapiro: Website // LinkedIn //  Twitter

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.