Josh Blyskal, AEO Engineer at Profound, joins Ross Hudgens to dive deep into the emerging world of AI-native search optimization—and how brands can win visibility across platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s AI Overviews.They unpack Profound’s Conversation Explorer, fresh data on generative search intent, and the real-world tactics that …

Chris Kelly, ex-Asana growth lead, joins Ross Hudgens to break down how Asana scaled to 20M+ international SEO visits—and how to do it again in 2025.They dive into localization strategy, market prioritization, TMS tools, team structures, and how to tie international SEO directly to business outcomes.Chris also unpacks real-world mistakes, market-sp…

Rand Fishkin joins Ross Hudgens to unpack the latest acronym craze—GEO, AEO, LEO—and why none may be necessary. They explore the origins of SEO, the rise (and fall) of inbound marketing, and how marketers can avoid falling into the trap of trend-chasing. From naming conventions to the real value of brand clarity, this is a conversation for anyone n…

Ross Hudgens and Drew Page sit down to unpack Siege Media’s latest study on the surprising shift in search behavior caused by AI-powered experiences and large language models (LLMs). The headline? Homepage traffic is up 10.7%—despite a decline in overall site wide clicks.They dive into the impact of branded search, the difference between B2B and B2…

Ross sits down with Kevin Indig, growth advisor and SEO strategist, to break down his groundbreaking UX study on Google’s AI Overviews—and what it reveals about the fast-changing landscape of search. From disappearing clicks to trust-first decision-making, Kevin shares how the rise of AI is reshaping everything from user behavior to what actually d…

Ross sits down with Jess Joyce, SEO consultant at Inbound Scope, to talk about why the term "blog" is outdated—and how systems thinking, revenue-led SEO, and diagram-driven storytelling are creating smarter strategies for SaaS brands. Jess unpacks her visual-first approach to social content, explains the shortcomings of traditional keyword research…

Ross sits down with Kieran Flanagan, SVP of Marketing at HubSpot, for a deep dive into AI’s impact on SEO, content strategy in a post-search world, and the real story behind the "HubSpot traffic drop.Kieran breaks down why conversions—not clicks—have always been at the core of HubSpot’s strategy, how AI is reshaping team structures, and why co-cita…

Ross sits down with Andrew Warden, CMO of Semrush, for a behind-the-scenes look at how the company has scaled past a billion-dollar valuation through brand innovation, performance marketing, and fearless experimentation.Andrew unpacks how he’s built and structured Semrush’s powerhouse marketing team, why they favor in-house execution over agencies,…

Chris Walker (CEO of Passetto) joins Ross to talk about personal transformation, scaling through delegation, and why most entrepreneurs are chasing the wrong kind of freedom.Chris shares insights from his month-long sabbatical, including frameworks for creating true independence—beyond just financial freedom—and lessons learned about leadership, ag…

Kristan Bauer returns for a deep dive into the technical and organizational SEO strategies that helped Zillow grow to nearly 2 billion annual visits. She shares tactical insights on enterprise SEO at scale, including testing frameworks, internal collaboration, indexing strategies, and what it takes to lead with executive presence in a high-stakes e…

Ross welcomes Eli Schwartz, author of Product-Led SEO , to unpack the evolving role of SEO in a world shaped by AI, shifting perceptions, and organizational challenges. Eli dives into why SEO is being deprioritized, what companies are getting wrong, and how product-led SEO is the path forward. They cover layoffs, agency churn, the role of growth te…

Ross sits down with A.J. Ghergich, VP of Consulting Services at Botify, to unpack enterprise SEO, AI governance, and why SEOs absolutely need a Bing strategy in 2025. A.J. shares the story of how he landed the rare @SEO Twitter handle and what it’s meant for his visibility in the industry. They dive into findings from Botify’s latest AI survey, hig…

Ross sits down with Dr. Pete Meyers of Moz to discuss the ever-changing landscape of SEO, the impact of AI overviews, and how Moz is adapting to a rapidly evolving industry. They dive into the challenges of innovation in a competitive space, the role of brand authority versus domain authority, and the data-driven future of search marketing. Plus, D…

Ross sits down with Tim Soulo, CMO of Ahrefs, to dive deep into content marketing, SEO, and Ahrefs’ evolving approach to growth. Tim shares insights on how Ahrefs built its marketing team, the role of SEO in today’s digital landscape, and why they’re investing in YouTube, LinkedIn, and thought leadership content. They also discuss the challenges of…

Ross welcomes back Rand Fishkin, co-founder of SparkToro and longtime marketing thought leader, for a candid conversation about the evolution of search, audience research, and the shifting tides of digital marketing. Rand shares insights on why SEO’s golden age is behind us, why influence—not traffic—should be marketers’ primary focus, and how PR i…

How do you build SEO strategies that mesh seamlessly with product teams? Ross Hudgens chats with Sharanya Srinivasan, Head of SEO, Product at Boatsetter, about combining strong user experience, savvy engineering partnerships, and growth-focused tactics. Learn how Sharanya’s approach to A/B testing, internal links, and UX research can help you unloc…

In this episode of Content and Conversation, host Ross Hudgens sits down with Barry Schwartz, President of RustyBrick and a leading voice in SEO. Barry shares his insights into the latest Google algorithm updates, the future of search rankings, and how businesses can adapt their SEO strategies in 2025 and beyond. Tune in for expert analysis, action…

In this episode, Ross and guest Wil Reynolds, VP Innovation, SEER, discuss the future of search, AI-driven automation, and why organic social is becoming more important than ever. Wil shares bold insights on how agencies must adapt, the power of thought leadership over traditional content marketing, and the evolving landscape of SEO. Plus, they cov…

Join Ross as he sits down with SEO expert Cyrus Shepard to explore why brand building has become essential in today’s search landscape. Cyrus shares what happened when he disavowed every inbound link on his site, why Google seems to reward authenticity over traditional SEO tactics, and how focusing on experience and trust can give you the edge in t…

In the latest episode of Content and Conversation, Sam Parr, founder of The Hustle and host of My First Million, joins Ross to discuss the art and science of great copywriting, building viral content, and scaling content-driven businesses. Sam shares actionable insights into hiring creative talent, writing headlines that convert, and why simplicity…

We speak with Dave Gerhardt, founder of Exit Five, who reveals how to build a standout B2B marketing community. He breaks down the impact of AI on SEO and content, his no-nonsense approach to LinkedIn content, podcasting as a content strategy, and why Exit Five moved from Facebook to Circle. It’s a sharp look at staying agile and authentic in moder…

We speak with Michael Buckbee, the innovator behind Knowatoa, a tool transforming SEO for AI search services. We discuss strategies for ranking on AI-Powered search engines and how Knowatoa enhances rank tracking on platforms like ChatGPT, helping marketers analyze keywords and search intent in this new landscape. We focus on aligning content with …

We’re joined by Brian Dean, co-founder of Exploding Topics, as he shares his journey of transitioning from SEO education to trend-spotting innovation. We dive into the creation of Exploding Topics, exploring its origins as a side project, the collaboration with fellow entrepreneurs, and the strategic enhancements that shaped it into a successful Sa…

This week on Content & Conversation, Ross and Emily Campbell-Snidal, VP of Content Marketing at Siege Media, explore how brands can craft effective content strategies during election season. Show Notes: 0:00 Election Strategies and Content Creation 2:48 Rethinking Content Calendars 4:37 Leveraging Current Events for Engagement 7:21 Updating Existin…

Show Notes: 00:00 - Intro 00:40 - Clearscope and the future of SEO 13:08 - What are language models actually good for? 29:10 - Using the data to guide strategy 39:00 - Discussing Reddit and SERPs 49:00 - Is there optimism for the future? Subscribe today for weekly tips: https://bit.ly/3dBM61f Listen on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/…

Show Notes: 00:09: Welcome, Jimmy Daly, Co-Founder and CEO of Superpath 03:30: What does high-performance SaaS content look like? 06:48: The importance of knowing your product (Fresh Paint) 10:24: Outstanding content in SaaS 11:16: The advantages of compiling your own data 13:03: Jimmy’s Your Blog Is a Library Not a Publication 21:31: The three bes…

Show Notes: 00:05: Welcome, Matt Bowers, SEO Consultant (Zapier and Zillow Alum) 11:01: Indexation is becoming more challenging. Should a new startup consider programmatic? 01:12: Do you believe there’s a minimum threshold of unique content that a programmatic page should have to be successful? 11:01: Indexation is becoming more challenging. Should…

Show Notes: 00:00 - Introduction 00:45 - What is Product-Led Digital PR? 4:30 - Why you should choose Product-Led Digital PR 6:37 - A case study with encouraging results 8:30 - Putting your data to work 10:00 - Running surveys 13:00 - How do you make surveys effective? 16:00 - What the future looks like 18:00 - Final Thoughts Subscribe today for we…

Show Notes: 00:08: Welcome, Jesse McDonald, Senior Director of SEO at Siege Media 00:41: Mike King’s analysis of Google Search’s leaked internal engineering documentation (Read more) 02:15: Overall site authority score 03:05: The impact of clicks on rankings 04:09: Defining Domain Authority 04:49: “Font Size of Terms and Links Matters” 05:26: The “…

Show Notes: 0:24: Exploring the optional internal team structure for content marketing 1:18: Why in-house Content Marketing Managers are the most effective 2:59: The role of SEO Managers in driving success (ideally) 4:03: The pitfalls of outsourcing and its impact on quality and bandwidth 5:19: The importance of consistency in brand voice and tone …

Show Notes: 00:00 - Introduction 1:02 - Despite slightly smaller budgets, businesses remain committed to content marketing 2:47: Reports indicate higher success rate for those who invest more per asset 3:24: What we're currently seeing in AI's impact, AI usage up YOY 5:25: Is AI helping or hurting your content? 7:29: Where AI is making the most sig…

Show Notes: 00:00 - Introduction 01:15 - The SEO Job Market 4:30 - Should we be scared of SGE and AI? 08:00 - Changes in the SEO industry 14:50 - What does the future look like? 16:48 - Thoughts on SGE 20:47 - Would you change anything about your career? 25:00 - How to future proof your job 28:20 - Technical SEOs vs Content SEOs 36:13 - Final Thoug…

Show Notes: 00:00: Introduction 01:53: Understanding why problems in SEO occur 07:55: Being a T-shaped marketer 09:10: Ross shares a recent client case study 10:50: Tory shares a recent client case study 13:28: Having critical conversations with clients 15:45: Thematic issues that prevent SEO work 19:54: Useful tips for getting SEO projects done 24…

Show Notes: 00:00: Introduction 00:57: Lessons from BrightonSEO 02:20: Strategies for Link Relevancy 04:00: Lessons from Less Manual Link Building 10:20: How Do Brand and EEAT Signals Impact Links 15:45: Summing It All Up 18:36: Outro Show Links: Follow Drew on Twitter Follow Ross on Twitter Send Us an Email Subscribe today for weekly tips: https:/…

Show Notes: 00:00: Introduction 02:09: Intro to the sheet 3:00: Keyword Research process 4:50: Keyword Difficulty 5:20: Relevancy Score 6:30: Ranking Page URL 9:27: Links 11:45: Page Traffic and Traffic Value 13:05: KOB Score 15:00: SERP Features and Keyword Demand Trends 16:40: Word Count 17:48: Refresh Frequency 19:17: Revised KOB score 20:25: Ca…

Show Notes: 00:17: Above the fold best practices 3:46: Siege Media’s sticky navigation case study 6:47: The impact of font size on conversion rate 10:46: The power of updating content Show Links: Follow Drew on Twitter Follow Ross on Twitter Send Us an Email Subscribe today for weekly tips: https://bit.ly/3dBM61f Listen on iTunes: https://podcasts.…

Show Notes: 00:30: BOFU benefits in SaaS 00:55: Why “Best X” roundups are necessary 2:45: BOFU content best practices 5:41: How to counter legal ramifications 7:21: The importance of updates 9:01: Alternative and “vs” page strategies 11:09: When landing pages make sense 12:14: How internal linking fits in 12:14: HubSpot example 14:05: PandaDoc exam…

Show Notes: 00:23: Does digital PR have enough value per link? 4:35: How to execute link building effectively 6:40: Breaking down the value of links by industry 7:29: Off-brand digital PR — the “Principal—Agent” problem 9:59: Deploying digital PR campaigns 1-4x a year 11:50: Why keyword-driven digital PR makes the most impact 13:08: How to fuel int…

Show Notes: 00:08: Welcome, Bernard Huang, Co-founder of Clearscope 00:35: E-E-A-T’s background and evolution 4:00: Common E-E-A-T misapplications by SEOs 13:21: The value of a simple photoshoot 18:27: Modern SEO necessities vs. technical SEO 27:32: How to optimize every pixel on your site Show Links: Visit Clearscope’s Blog Follow Bernard on Twitt…

Show Notes: 00:10: The core SEO changes at Google I/O 2:14: Health and finance topics will not be affected (so far) 3:08: Watermarking for generative content creators 4:51: New layouts in Google SERP 6:12: New impact on affiliate website 7:43: Query complexity and how it influences content choice 8:30: Google’s incentives for content and websites c…

Show Notes: 00:07: Welcome, Bernard Huang, Co-founder of Clearscope 00:30: How to recession-proof content marketing 5:05: Why exploring bottom-funnel topics are key 7:32: Attributing content to revenue, lead generation 11:57: Update content more 14:41: Repurpose content more 18:09: Using keyword rankings to prove success 19:05: Search demand’s decl…

Show Notes: 00:08: Welcome, Chip Malt, CEO of Made In 00:35: The details of Made In’s content strategy 4:33: How do you quantify the worth of your assets? 7:10: Why Chip pursued education and research first 7:50: How long did it take to feel traction from your SEO investment? 13:48: Made In’s content and A/B tests 10:02: The evolution of Made In’s …

Show Notes: 00:13: Welcome, Ryan Darani, SEO Consultant for DTC Health and Wellness brands 1:36: How much content should you publish to be effective with SEO? 2:59: Content freshness and its impact on rankings 5:20: What’s the counterargument to Monday.com’s case study? 8:24: The negative effect of high volume, low quality content 11:33: The import…

Show Notes: 00:08: Welcome, Jonathan Newar, CEO of Captain Experiences 2:08: What’s the biggest fish you’ve ever caught? 3:48: SEO’s role in the initial stages of Captain Experiences 10:13: How Captain Experiences thinks through “Guide” pages 12:50: How to present a growth story to investors with SEO 16:32: Captain Experience’s marketing and SEO te…

Show Notes: 1:33: Currently, those that *don't* use AI report higher performance on average. That said, company usage has gone up 12% this year. 6:45: How AI is changing content optimization and SERPs over time. 16:00: The future of Google’s Helpful Content update. 23:23: Businesses that incorporate link building into their strategy report a 45% hi…

Show Notes: 00:09: Welcome, Lily Ray, Senior Director, SEO & Head of Organic Research at Amsive Digital 00:41: Breaking down Bing’s AI integration and Google’s AI announcement 2:23: Lily’s take on the future of AI integration and SEO 10:36: The competition between Google and ChatGPT 13:06: How to incorporate AI content generation into your strategy…

Show Notes: 00:07: Welcome, Derek Flazraich, CEO of Ness 1:55: How Derek’s former company, Greatist was born 3:33: How Greatist scaled to 50 million visitors per month 6:02: Why establishing the correct tone for your audience is key 13:18: Greatist’s success in mentioned outreach 19:38: How Pinterest contributed to Greatist’s success 22:07: Biggest…

Show Notes: 1:52: What led you to step down as CEO of Animalz? 9:12: Devin’s thoughts on the direction of content marketing at Animalz and the future of the industry 14:57: How to not be confined by a “content marketing box” when implementing long-term strategies 18:13: What were some of the biggest strategic struggles you saw in the content world …

Show Notes: 00:18: Welcome, Mike Yon, Founder of Clean Air Digital 00:56: Mike’s experience in SEO M&A 3:41: The current state of SEO M&A 7:21: What does digital real estate look like today? 11:19: Finding SEO acquisition targets — link value vs. ownership value 16:06: What is the best deal structure? 19:52: How to evaluate SEO assets in every indu…

Show Notes: 00:40: Welcome, Eli Schwartz, Growth Advisor and author of Product-Led SEO 1:42: How startups should think about SEO in a volatile environment 3:31: Why startups should not do SEO 7:17: Creating SEO ROI models for startups 12:56: Why links aren’t the end-all be-all 20:27: Learn from Eli’s SEO advisory toolset 27:52: When and when not to…