Synopsis
Edge of the Web is a weekly digital marketing podcast discussing all things within SEO, Social Media, Content Marketing and more!. Hosts Erin Sparks and Tom Brodbeck discuss the latest news and trends in the digital marketing industry as well as interviews with some of the top names in marketing. Visit our website at http://www.edgeofthewebradio.com/ to see all of our past shows and videos.
Episodes
-
562 | How Google Has Learned with Voice Search w/ Cindy Crum
14/01/2023 Duration: 50minWe’re talking voice search, the Internet of Things, and Google’s Multitask Unified Model with Cindy Krum on this episode of the EDGE. Her breadth of knowledge on these topics and ability to predict the future is nearly endless. So much so, in fact, some might call her the Nostradamus of SEO. Erin and Cindy dissect the difference between and the importance of Google’s transition from using a keyword-based understanding of the web to an entity understanding. This has major implications for voice and mobile queries, not just SERPs. Lastly, we ask the hard-hitting questions here on the EDGE like, “Can a dog eat an avocado?” and “How long can blue cheese stay in the fridge?” Google knows. Key Segments [00:02:38] Introducing guest Cindy Krum [00:05:04] Voice Search and How It Relates to Entity SEO [00:06:47] Right or Wrong Answers? Voice Search Learns [00:07:56] The Canonical Question [00:08:56] Google’s Dialog Flow [00:11:10] Understanding Questions vs. Keywords [00:13:12] Not Just Your Phone: Your Google Accou
-
561 | News from the EDGE | Week of 1.9.2023
11/01/2023 Duration: 44minWe cover the MOST important digital marketing news of the week: which is better, Ring Dings or Ding Dongs - seriously? Erin, Mordy, and Greg Finn of Marketing O’Clock take on some great articles from Search Engine Land and Martech in regard to search engine marketing this week. Yup - Mordy had nothing to do. The serious part of the show, though: is Google changing how it defines what you opted into AFTER you approved of a Google Ads Recommendation? Is this really what we’re seeing? And yes, we conduct a blind taste test in the studio with those chocolatey wonders….as well as Ring Dings (grin). Special thanks to our new title sponsor of the show, SE Ranking. Check out their special giveaway to the EDGE audience! News from the EDGE: [00:03:27] Changing the Recommendations AFTER You Have Opted In? Really - Come on, Google Ads! [00:14:33] Ring Dings vs. Ding Dongs [00:16:09] New Title Sponsor: SE Ranking Take the SE Ranking Checklist Challenge!Receive a one-month Pro 1000 subscription for completing this challeng
-
560 | Understanding the Knowledge Graph and Topic Layer w/ Cindy Krum
07/01/2023 Duration: 37minThe SEO Sherpa, Cindy Krum, comes back to the EDGE loaded for bear! It’s awesome to reflect back on what Cindy was talking about in 2018 and and nowm in 2023. She was spot on with Entities being the target of search engine optimization, and we cut back to that show just to reflect. Erin and Cindy walk through the history of the portability of concepts in search, watching what Google is leveraging as it rolls out features and functions for content providers to test. The Big G is always learning, and our job is feed the beast in order to win in search. Cindy Krum is a stellar player in the SEO constellation and we’re excited to unpack this first segment of her 2022 interview with us. Be sure to check out the second episode coming shortly! [00:02:50] Introducing Cindy Krum [00:06:04] A Throwback Moment on Entities from the 2018 Show with Cindy [00:10:47] What are Entities? [00:12:43] Contextualizing the Cute Puppy Search [00:13:44] How Does Google Define an Entity? [00:15:02] Did Google Use Links to Understand E
-
559 | News from the EDGE | Week of 01.02.2023
05/01/2023 Duration: 43minWe just hit a new year, and like with every new year comes new SEO tips, tools, techniques, and upcoming trends to look out for. Mordy Oberstein and Erin Sparks explore all of the above in this information-packed episode. All while asking what your SEO resolution is for the new year. Below are some highlights of the discussion: Chat GPT for SEOs Can AI chat threaten Google Google’s recent location privacy settlements The holidays delayed the latest Google algorithm/process updates New product listing graphs with price history John Mueller’s skill to know for 2023 Should SEOs use Chat GPT for content creation? Or are there other ways it can be used (insert thinking face/chin scratch emoji)? Hit play now and join us on the first 2023 News from the EDGE podcast. . . Follow us on Twitter and let us know how we did this show. Help us out with a review of the show today! Go to RatethisPodcast.com/EDGE News from the EDGE: [00:05:59] Is This Google’s Helpful Content Algorithm? [00:15:38] Google to pay $29.5 millio
-
558 | Optimizing Search Content Like a Comedian w/ Dan Shure
31/12/2022 Duration: 41minOur final podcast of 2022 doesn’t fail to deliver as we tackle content optimization with an analogy: treating it like you would if you were a comedian! Dan Shure, the host of Experts on the Wire podcast, joins Erin again in the second segment of his interview in 2022. Dan shares a solid content creation perspective, focusing on intent before E-E-A-T. The challenge is that the content, once produced, often doesn’t get a second look! Dan has some great examples of success that he has seen for the consumer intent focus before anything else. The connection between music theory and digital marketing is also explored, focusing on two main concepts: Understanding the Large and Small concepts of content integration and the perspective of Patterns. If you like this show, let us know by going to RateThisPodcast.com/EDGE to share! Thanks for the great feedback this year. Key Segments [00:02:38] Introducing Dan Shure [00:04:30] Always a Focus On Content Optimization [00:08:05] Zero Time Thinking About E-E-A-T [00:13:
-
557 | Finding or Creating Your Podcast Niche w/ Dan Shure
27/12/2022 Duration: 36minDan Shure, the host of Experts of the Wire podcast, returns to join the EDGE. He discusses how the show came about in 2015 and the factors of the success of a podcast with today’s digital consumers. There are some huge lessons that the EDGE team shares in common with Dan and his show. We were eager to discuss how podcasting flourished through COVID and what kept some of them afloat after. Dan shares some podcasting tips with our listeners as he reflects on one of the most important elements of podcasts - research. Join one of the EDGE’s astute colleagues, Dan Shure, as we go on the Wire with this Expert! [00:02:35] Introducing Dan Shure [00:04:57] SEO Came From Necessity [00:10:30] How the SEO Podcast Affected Dan’s Business [00:12:14] Audio Quality Is a Separator in the Podcast Space [00:15:54] When Dan's SEO Skills Took Off [00:17:52] Some Lessons Learned About Podcasting [00:18:09] EDGE of the Web Title Sponsor: edgeofthewebradio.com/pageonepower [00:19:01] Research is the Key [00:22:24] Companies that Ju
-
556 | News from the EDGE | Week of 12.19.2022
21/12/2022 Duration: 34minThere’s a lot of news this week coming up on the holidays and it’s Google’s fault! Morty Olberstein and Erin Sparks dig into the new Google Search Console dashboard, December’s link spam algorithm update and Erin’s EEEEEEEEEE onomatopoeia. . . E-E-A-T On top of that these two peas in a pod(cast) lament on an Elon Musk Twitter poll asking if he should step down as CEO. You can guess how that conversation went. Oh, and both of their Twitter accounts may or may not still be live. . . Follow us on Twitter and let us know how we did on this show. Help us out with a review of the show today! Go to RatethisPodcast.com/EDGE News from the EDGE: [00:03:17] Google Reveals More Information About Search Status Dashboard [00:08:54] Google December 2022 Link Spam Update Rolling Out Now [00:12:35] EDGE of the Web Title Sponsor: Site Strategics [00:13:05] E-E-A-T and major updates to Google’s quality rater guidelines [00:25:29] Google E-E-A-T: How To Demonstrate First-Hand Experience [00:27:44] EDGE of the Web Sponsor: edgeof
-
555 | Why Do We See Google as a Person?
17/12/2022 Duration: 53minNorm Vogele, the Onsite Content Strategist for Page One Power, opines on philosophical concepts with Erin Sparks about the inherent dangers of personifying Google. It’s understandable why it happens, but it can lead to false assumptions that get in the way of creating good content, the purpose of which is to help real people find the information they seek. When the sole purpose of content creation and SEO is to satisfy Google, then the crucial starting point of empathy for a human audience with real needs is subverted and long-term success may remain elusive. Google isn’t a person, nor a deity where SEOs serve as priestly intermediaries between it and clients trying to appease a jealous god. The antidote is a better mix of what is ethical and pragmatic. Why do we anthropomorphize Google? As marketers, we have even more of a challenge to steer away from ascribing humanistic traits to the search engine. Marketers can easily fall into being seen as the “bishops” of Google, revealing the will of the almighty “G”
-
554 | News from the EDGE | Week of 12.12.2022
13/12/2022 Duration: 35min“Welcome back to the EDGE, In today's podcast: we'll be exploring three major headlines from the SEO/tech world. First, Google has brought the continuous scroll to desktop search results. Second, Google has rolled out a December 2022 helpful content update. And finally, ChatGPT is the latest tool for content and SEO. We'll be taking a closer look at each of these stories and the implications they have for the SEO industry.“ That….has to be our lamest intro…..brought to you by ChatGPT! We covered articles from SEL, SEJ, and SER this week. Dialing into focus is the use of ChatGPT and SEO content. What could possibly go wrong? Join us and catch up on our choice picks in the news this week. News from the EDGE: [00:05:40] All of your sites can now be on page one of Google results! [00:11:14] The Next Phase in the HELPFUL CONTENT UPDATE is Rolling Out [00:16:51] EDGE of the Web Title Sponsor: Site Strategics [00:18:24] ChatGPT Content for SEO? [00:26:23] EDGE of the Web Sponsor: edgeofthewebradio.com/inlinks Ba
-
553 | Videos for SEO and SEO for Videos - Paul Andre de Vera
07/12/2022 Duration: 36minErin Sparks at EDGE talks with Paul Andre (DRE) de Vera about all things video SEO. He brings over a decade of SEO experience to bear with his best practices for video and YouTube optimization. He’s constantly experimenting with using his own successful Video SEO Show and has developed a robust array of best practices. Dre opines on the importance of video for engagement, overall SEO, and its usefulness in owning the most pixels in the SERP. He explores how to use the EAT (Expertise, Authority, and Trust) framework for video and then dives into YouTube optimization. As Dre said, “Just press record,” so that’s what we’re going to do right now. . . on the EDGE! [00:02:47] Introducing Paul Andre de Vera [00:06:29] Owning the Pixels on Page One [00:08:00] It’s All About Engagement [00:09:33] Getting Video Wrong [00:10:07] Be a Real Person NOT a Persona & EAT [00:14:32] EDGE of the Web Title Sponsor: Site Strategics [00:17:45] YTO – YouTube Optimization [00:22:16] How Long to See Impacts of Video Optimizati
-
552 | News from the EDGE | Week of 12.05.2022
06/12/2022 Duration: 32minTwo years with Mordy Oberstein as a co-host with us. Yes, let that sink in for a moment. Are we masochists? The EDGE team digs into a lot of news this week with stories from Search Engine Land, Search Engine Journal, Search Engine Roundtable and Fox News…….and Newsmax (don’t judge us). Follow us on Twitter and tell us how we did on this show. Help us out with a review of the show today! Go to RatethisPodcast.com/EDGE News from the EDGE: [00:02:39] Don’t promise your clients page 1 rankings. You might get sued - By Google[00:05:49] EDGE of the Web Sponsor: edgeofthewebradio.com/inlinks [00:06:38] Google’s suspensions policy for Display and Video [00:08:25] Check your WordPress version, lots of security updates before version 6.0.3 [00:16:01] EDGE of the Web Title Sponsor: Site Strategics [00:16:56] A Senator’s warning about TikTok and letting kids get on the app: He says we should ban it [00:22:23] EDGE of the Web Sponsor: edgeofthewebradio.com/pageonepower Barry Blast from Search Engine Roundtable: [00:23:
-
551 | Bringing the Energy w/ Paul Andre de Vera from the SEO Video Show
06/12/2022 Duration: 36minPaul Andre (DRE) de Vera shares how Covid motivated him to start a live-streaming podcast. Over 100 shows and two years later, he’s still cranking out the content. A consummate entrepreneur and former corporate SEO shares his journey of building a successful podcast with Erin Sparks on the EDGE. Dre shares insider tips for both beginners and seasoned veterans and does it with panache. He explains the importance of audience feedback, consistency, having high energy, landing great guests, and production quality. And lastly, he wants you to be your silly self. Let’s get our energy going right now… on the EDGE! [00:02:40] Introducing Paul Andre de Vera [00:05:58] Entrepreneurship [00:09:06] It’s a Show NOT a Podcast [00:11:51] High Energy, Lots of Feedback, Quality Production [00:15:42] EDGE of the Web Title Sponsor: Site Strategics [00:16:55] Tackling Introverts [00:17:58] Quality Production Lessons Learned [00:24:04] Podcasting isn’t for Everyone. Consistency is Crucial [00:25:22] EDGE of the Web Sponsor: ed
-
550 | News from the EDGE | Week of 11.28.2022
30/11/2022 Duration: 41minHear that record scratch? [ Skreekeekeekkhchhhchchchhh ] Is that an Obsolete Sound (care of CitiesandMemories.com), or Mordy and Erin jumping into the fracas of the SEO platform data comparison dialogue? The meat of the show is dedicated to an article from SEJ (good play) and an article from Sparktoro, covering toolset match-ups. The EDGE team weighs in on the discussion a bit with a flag on the play….. Let us know what you think! Articles from Social Media Today and Wix as well. And some fun with sounds that are now obsolete! News from the EDGE: [00:04:16] New Ad Targeting available on Twitter [00:08:24] EDGE of the Web Title Sponsor: Site Strategics [00:09:28] Study from Wix: How Stable are Pinterest rankings and Traffic? [00:15:40] EDGE of the Web Sponsor: edgeofthewebradio.com/pageonepower [00:16:31] Comparing Page Indexation between Tools [00:23:08] Ahrefs Getting the Short End of the Stick in Comparisons? [00:35:14] EDGE of the Web Sponsor: edgeofthewebradio.com/inlinks [00:36:12] Obsolete Sounds? Ba
-
549 | Semantic Search Evolution with Marie Haynes
30/11/2022 Duration: 37minToday on the EDGE, Erin sits down once again with Dr. Marie Haynes to discuss how semantic search has evolved and what the future may have in store for SEOs and webmasters. Many Google algorithm updates are discussed from 10 years ago until today. They spend time discussing the impacts of Expertise, Authority, and Trust (E.A.T.), as well as the considerations associated with Your Money or Your Life (YMYL) and Google’s Quality Raters Guidelines. The algorithm updates mentioned above all help Google understand the language better while defining online entities in its Knowledge Graph. Dr. Marie Haynes has over ten years in the SEO trenches and frequently speaks at industry conferences. In addition, she contributes to many SEO publications. Marie is the founder and President of Marie Haynes Consulting. Key Segments: [00:03:31] Choppy Waves in the SEO Industry [00:05:00] An Overview of the Quality Raters Guidelines [00:09:05] Your Money or Your Life [00:11:03] Algorithms and Machine Learning [00:13:35] EDGE of the
-
548 | News from the EDGE | Week of 11.21.2022
23/11/2022 Duration: 29minOur Thanksgiving 2022 edition. Seriously, Jacob was using that gobble effect way too much! Mordy’s is back with us with a packed show, full of articles! Articles from Techcrunch, Moz, and Google Search Central Blog were key discussion points, along with our belief that the web is on drugs….yeah, I think we’re there, folks. With the Amazon layoffs, Elon Musk, and people trying to change the author of articles…..it’s a mess. News from the EDGE: [00:05:34] Layoffs at Amazon, Ticketmaster debacle, Is there still anyone left at Twitter besides the CEO? [00:10:57] The Impact of Local Business Reviews on Consumer Behavior [00:14:27] EDGE of the Web Title Sponsor: Site Strategics [00:14:47] Straight from Google: Guide to the Google Search ranking systems [00:18:44] EDGE of the Web Sponsor: edgeofthewebradio.com/inlinks Barry Blast from Search Engine Roundtable: [00:19:29] Barry Blast 1: Google: E-A-T Applies To Every Single Query - Link [00:22:18] Barry Blast 2: Google: Don't Randomly Change The Author Name, Use Aut
-
547 | Recovering from Algorithm Update Effects with Marie Haynes
22/11/2022 Duration: 40minDr. Marie Haynes shares her thoughts and insights on the EDGE by looking at the plethora of Google algorithm updates this year. 2022 has seen its fair share of volatility in the SERPs. In addition, she explores ways to identify and track the impacts of algorithm updates on a website, while pointing out many of the culprits responsible for misleading false positives, which may be wrongfully associated with an update. With over 10 years of SEO experience, she’s a regular speaker at MozCon, Pubcon, SMX, and Brighton SEO, and a frequent contributor to many industry publications. She’s the owner and President of Marie Haynes Consulting. Additionally, Dr. Marie Haynes hosts one of the top SEO podcasts, Search News You Can Use. Time to dive into Google algorithm updates… on the EDGE! Key Segments: [00:02:15] Introducing Dr. Marie Haynes [00:04:11] Highest Levels of Continued Rank Volatility [00:05:00] Should We Be Focused On Traffic? [00:06:41] Product Review and Core Updates [00:09:11] The Compounding Impacts of M
-
546 | News from the EDGE | Week of 11.14.2022
18/11/2022 Duration: 38minCindy Krum jumps into the news with Erin to tackle the slew of news this week! A little late, but still really important! Erin blames his kids… Covering articles from Barry Schwartz, Mike Blumenthal, Roger Montti and Fili Wiese, we also jumped into a Twitter thread that revealed something very interesting! Is there going to be a larger focus on structured data from Google to the degree of triggering manual penalties? As Cindy says. “The news this week kind of reinforces the idea that you are in Google's results wherever you are at their leisure and at their discretion. And what they give, they can easily take away.” Check your schema, all - it could be an issue. News from the EDGE: [00:03:16] Almost all industries have seen a large increase in Google Cost-Per-Leads [00:08:56] EDGE of the Web Sponsor: edgeofthewebradio.com/inlinks [00:09:41] Twitter removes 80% of its contractor employees without notice [00:14:20] GBP updates might eliminate your reviews. Have backups! [00:20:54] EDGE of the Web Title Spons
-
545 | Visual Search Optimization with Crystal Carter
15/11/2022 Duration: 46minCrystal Carter, Head of SEO Communications at Wix, joins the EDGE to discuss Visual Image Search Optimization. After discussing Visual Image Search on the last episode, she dives head-first into best practices in optimizing for Visual Image Search. Crystal answers this question: How do we ensure our brands and services are part of our customer's visual search? Let’s talk visual search optimization… today on the EDGE! Key Segments: [00:04:31] Throwback to Ep. 544 [00:06:35] Associated Intent [00:08:45] Caterpillars, Butterflies, Hummingbirds, Oh My! [00:09:26] EDGE of the Web Title Sponsor: edgeofthewebradio.com/pageonepower [00:10:29] Stats, Stats, Give Me More Stats [00:11:42] Ecommerce Implications [00:13:14] More Rich Images on Your Website [00:14:06] Optimizing for Visual Image Search [00:17:47] LegoLand is Cool / User Generated Content [00:20:32] AI-Powered Local Photos [00:21:40] Let’s Find A Burrito [00:22:37] Bridging the Gaps [00:24:37] EDGE of the Web Sponsor: edgeofthewebradio.com/wix [00:25:09] St
-
544 | Visual Search with Crystal Carter
10/11/2022 Duration: 36minCrystal Carter joins the EDGE to school us on Visual Image Search. Fresh from the stage at the last MozCon, she brings her insights and expertise on visual search and AI. She delves into many of today’s examples and the future outlook of visual search, all based on real-world experiments and work. You have that and some best practices and considerations all here in the podcast. We explore some of the most important things to ponder on this Crystal Carter episode. Let’s talk visual search… today on the EDGE! Key Segments: [00:03:45] A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words [00:04:37] An Evolution of Google’s Mobile First [00:05:14] Image Search vs. Visual Search [00:06:45] A Rich Tapestry of Contextual Queues [00:11:31] Lyft and PBR. . . Oh My! [00:18:02] EDGE of the Web Sponsor: Site Strategics [00:13:35] AI, Visual Queues and Text Queries [00:15:02] Vision AI [00:16:23] Current Gaps and Biases [00:18:16] Pinterest Statistics and Bing [00:19:59] Rapper Xzibit and Amazon [00:20:33] EDGE of the Web Title Sponsor: e
-
543 | News from the EDGE | Week of 11.07.2022
09/11/2022 Duration: 40minAbusing the host? Is that what Mordy has lowered himself to? We love the Fall decor on the SERP. It’s NEWS! Today we cover articles from Search Engine Journal, Search Engine Land, TechCrunch and Search Engine Watch covering topics such as Google’s new search labels for coupons, the depreciating value of the link in the future, Mastodon’s rise amidst the chaos of Twitter, and Mordy Oberstein opines whether Google is moving to a more continuous “real time” algorithm. Oh, and we might talk about Robert Plant, ferns and rubber plants, too. News from the EDGE: [00:03:01] New labels to highlight coupons and promos in Google search results [00:07:21] Perhaps the value of backlinks are changing as Google continues to evolve? [00:11:47] EDGE of the Web Title Sponsor: Site Strategics [00:12:41] Social Network Mastodon nearly doubles in users in just one week [00:22:49] Our own Mordy looks at data to see if we’re moving towards “real-time” algorithm updates. [00:31:47] EDGE of the Web Sponsor: edgeofthewebradio.com/