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.

Marketing channels often operate in silos, limiting SEO success. Elliot Tsai, Senior Growth Manager of SEO and ASO at TextNow, shares his cross-channel expertise from his background in paid search and influencer marketing. He demonstrates how to operate SEO like a paid channel with revenue-driven forecasting, partner strategically with data teams to establish unified measurement frameworks, and leverage social media's trend detection capabilities to identify emerging opportunities before they appear in search data. 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.

Can AI fully diagnose SEO traffic drops? Sam Torres from Gray Dot Co examines the limitations of AI in technical SEO diagnostics. She explains why AI can identify traffic declines but struggles to pinpoint fundamental issues, emphasizing that most SEO problems stem from multiple factors rather than single causes. Torres highlights the importance of human experience in comprehensive troubleshooting and avoiding the "one solution" trap that both AI and junior SEOs often fall into. Show Notes

Connect With: 

• Sam Torres: 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.

When a core algorithm update causes a 40% traffic drop, swift action is required. Sam Torres from Gray Dot Co shares her approach to diagnosing content quality and relevancy issues that impact top-of-funnel performance. She emphasizes the importance of transparent communication with leadership, backing claims with comprehensive data analysis, and gathering insights from community platforms like Reddit and YouTube to identify content gaps.Show Notes

Connect With: 

• Sam Torres: 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.

When do traffic drops signal technical issues versus content problems? Sam Torres from Gray Dot Co examines the distinct patterns behind sudden versus gradual SEO declines. She explains how technical issues typically cause abrupt two-week traffic drops, while content problems lead to slower, more business-impacting declines, and reveals how website migrations often trigger Google to reevaluate a site's relevance. Show Notes

Connect With: 

• Sam Torres: 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.

Google's algorithm update patterns are evolving rapidly. Sam Torres, SEO expert from Gray Dot Co, examines whether distinguishable core updates will continue or if search is moving toward a constant state of change. Torres predicts distinguishable updates will remain for the next 12-18 months before transitioning to more continuous evolution, similar to what happened after the introduction of RankBrain. Show Notes

Connect With: 

• Sam Torres: 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.

Core updates are becoming more frequent in Google's algorithm ecosystem. Sam Torres from Gray Dot Co predicts 2025 will see more official core updates than any previous year. This lightning round discussion examines the increasing pace of Google's algorithm changes and what SEO professionals should anticipate as these updates become a more regular part of the search landscape. Show Notes

Connect With: 

• Sam Torres: 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.

Traffic drops require a systematic diagnostic approach. Sam Torres, Chief Digital Officer at Gray Dot Co, shares her framework for identifying the true source of organic search performance declines. She outlines a three-step process: validating the business impact of traffic changes, isolating patterns through data analysis, and determining whether issues stem from technical problems, content relevance, or external factors. Torres also demonstrates how to effectively communicate findings to executives using data-backed forecasts and resource-based scenarios. Show Notes

Connect With: 

• Sam Torres: 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.