Refining SEO Strategies for Enhanced Visibility

#224: Website Teardown | In this episode, Danielle (Head of Content at Exit Five) hosts a panel with top SEO and content marketing experts: Rita Cidre, Head of Academy at Semrush; Ross Simmonds, CEO at Foundation & Distribution.ai; and Tom Whatley, CEO of Grizzle.

Together, they break down real B2B websites, exposing the biggest SEO mistakes and sharing data-driven strategies for improving rankings, content, and conversion rates.

Danielle, Rita, Ross, and Tom cover:

• The most common SEO mistakes B2B marketers are making right now
• Why ranking for the wrong keywords is hurting your pipeline
• How to optimize content for scanners, search intent, and conversions

Timestamps

• (00:00) - – Introduction to Rita, Ross, and Tom
• (04:38) - – Why SEO has changed and what marketers are getting wrong in 2024
• (07:39) - – The impact of AI on SEO and why standing out is harder than ever
• (09:21) - – Case study: How Pipedrive increased signups by 33% with bottom-of-funnel SEO
• (11:47) - – The difference between top-of-funnel and bottom-of-funnel content strategies
• (14:14) - – Why glossary pages aren’t enough and what to do instead
• (16:50) - – The biggest homepage SEO mistakes (live website teardown)
• (21:33) - – How to structure product and category pages for better rankings
• (24:27) - – The problem with keyword stuffing vs. real search intent optimization
• (29:58) - – Why internal linking and URL structure matter for SEO success
• (34:34) - – How backlinks, brand authority, and digital PR impact rankings
• (38:28) - – The role of content quality, readability, and formatting for scanners
• (41:53) - – Common mistakes in blog strategy and how to fix them
• (46:23) - – Why getting to the point faster improves rankings and engagement
• (48:59) - – Final SEO takeaways recommendations

Join 50,000 people who get our Exit Five Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletter
Learn more about Exit Five's private marketing community: https://www.exitfive.com/

***

Today’s episode is brought to you by Paramark.

It’s November. 2026 planning is already here. And the stuff you’re doing right now will decide how next year plays out. 

But here’s the problem: most teams are still planning next year's marketing strategy based on the WRONG DATA because of broken attribution and a misleading gut feel.  And you can’t make smart budget calls if you’re just guessing what’s working, what’s not, and where to put your next dollar.

That’s where Paramark comes in. They help you replace the guesswork with actual insight backed by $2 billion in analyzed marketing data. They’ve figured out what actually drives incremental growth across every channel including LinkedIn, Meta, TikTok, Google, CTV, even OOH.

And right now, they’re offering a private 1:1 consultation with their CEO and CMO, Pranav and Sam, who have led marketing teams at companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Microsoft, and Shutterfly. 

In this 45-minute strategy session, they’ll help you measure the real impact of every marketing dollar, pull insights from your current media mix, and design a 2026 roadmap that’s rooted in data, not gut.

This is a heck of an offer. And it’s real. And will go fast. So if you want to future-proof your marketing strategy for 2026, don’t miss out on this offer.

Grab your spot at paramark.com/brand-consult.

***

Thanks to my friends at hatch.fm for producing this episode and handling all of the Exit Five podcast production.

• They give you unlimited podcast editing and strategy for your B2B podcast.
• Get unlimited podcast editing and on-demand strategy for one low monthly cost. Just upload your episode, and they take care of the rest.
• Visit hatch.fm to learn more