The Search Session Bridging Information Retrieval and SEO Practice | Dawn Anderson
What if everything you think you know about SEO in the AI era is only half the story?
In this episode of The Search Session, Gianluca Fiorelli sits down with international SEO consultant, speaker, and trainer Dawn Anderson to unpack the myths, hype, and lasting truths shaping modern search. Together, they explore why concepts like llms.txt, chunking, or BlockRank spark confusion, how SEO and academic IR often talk past each other, and why trends like GEO, AEO, and LLMO are evolutions - not revolutions.
Dawn breaks down the timeless foundations of semantics, structure, and user intent, the real value of structured data, and how she uses AI as a powerful yet carefully managed assistant. They also dive into shifting search behaviors, zero-click dynamics, and the emerging promise - and limitations - of agentic search. A sharp, insightful conversation for anyone trying to make sense of where search is truly heading.
This is the 42nd episode of: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_sm3ydVBxdAJ84k2qsH1LkTDbtbdNrGh
Here's what you'll learn in this episode:
- 00:07 Meet Our Guest: Dawn Anderson
- 03:38 LLMS.txt and the Problem with Unofficial Protocols
- 07:52 BlockRank and Misinterpreting Academic Papers
- 12:08 Chunking, Passage Indexing and Topical Focus
- 16:22 IR and SEO: Frenemies Forever
- 19:50 Defining SEO as a Profession
- 32:16 Structured Data, Disambiguation and AI Search
- 39:03 How Dawn Uses AI and Python Day-to-Day
- 41:47 Measuring AI Search, Zero-Click and Query Refinement
- 46:07 Agentic Search and What’s Coming Next
- 48:35 The Fireside Questionnaire
👉 Read the full article and explore additional insights:
https://www.advancedwebranking.com/blog/information-retrieval-and-seo
Where to find Dawn Anderson
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/msdawnanderson/
- X: https://x.com/dawnieando
- Website: https://bertey.com
Where to find Gianluca Fiorelli
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gianlucafiorelli/
- X: https://x.com/gfiorelli1
- Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/gfiorelli1.bsky.social
- Website: https://iloveseo.net/
🎙 Listen to The Search Session on your favorite platform:
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_sm3ydVBxdAJ84k2qsH1LkTDbtbdNrGh
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1FzI5qwHtIndtiibZWiroS
- Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-search-session/id1796043201
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