Why "Easy SEO" Beats Fancy SEO (And Always Has)

E914: Cody See joins the show.

We break down why simple, fundamentals-driven SEO consistently outperforms complicated, "advanced" tactics - and why that's been true for over a decade.

We talk through real-world experience running affiliate sites, agencies, and client campaigns, and explain why most SEO failures come from overengineering, ego, or chasing shortcuts instead of focusing on what actually converts.

This is a practical, honest conversation about how SEO works today.

Topics covered: - Why "easy SEO" isn't lazy SEO - and why it works - The difference between ranking for ego vs ranking for revenue - How picking the right keywords matters more than advanced tactics - Bottom-of-funnel keywords vs high-volume vanity keywords - Why link building isn't always necessary to rank - White hat SEO vs risky shortcuts and why shortcuts usually fail - How SEO results are often faster today than they were years ago - What changed about Google's "sandbox" (and why it barely exists now) - Real examples of backlinks that actually moved rankings - Why referral traffic matters more than links alone - How simple SEO scales better for agencies and niche businesses - Why most people overestimate the value of technical complexity

We also discuss: - How AI-generated content is eroding traditional trust signals - Why authority is shifting back to reputation and real relationships - How outreach, PR, and networking have changed post-AI - Why being direct and human now beats polished outreach - How automation can support SEO without replacing judgment

CMS & platform discussion: - Wix Studio vs WordPress from an SEO perspective - What Wix has improved - and where it still falls short - SEO features that matter and ones that don't - Why starting with clean fundamentals saves problems later

This episode is for: - SEOs who are tired of overcomplicated advice - Agency owners who want repeatable results - Builders starting new sites who want clarity instead of noise - Anyone who wants SEO to support a real business, not just rankings

⭐️ Cody See on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamcodysee/ ⭐️ The Agency Growth Podcast - https://www.agencygrowthpod.com ⭐️ The Agency After Hours Discord - https://discord.com/invite/uvHRRRFVRD ⭐️ Cody's podcast interview with Wix Studio - https://www.agencygrowthpod.com/episodes/wix-wants-agencies-were-listening-ft-kobi-gamliel-w-wix-studio-112

💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/

00:00 Catching Up and Personal Updates 00:31 Launching a New Website on Wix 00:50 Discussing Wix's SEO Challenges 01:00 Cody's Podcast Interview with Wix's Head of Partnerships 03:39 SEO Strategies and Techniques 15:18 The Importance of Keyword Selection 19:11 Personal SEO Journey and Experiences 22:51 Building and Scaling an SEO Agency 24:54 Niche SEO Success Stories 27:35 Exploring PPC and Local Service Ads 36:40 The Future of AI in SEO and Networking 38:26 Challenges in Modern Communication 38:59 AI's Impact on Outreach 40:00 Trust Signals in Networking 41:27 Dealing with AI-Generated Messages 43:34 Effective Outreach Strategies 44:59 Understanding Your Audience 47:11 SEO and Website Platforms 48:10 Wix vs. WordPress: A Detailed Comparison 54:23 Automating SEO Tasks 58:24 Wix Studio's SEO Challenges 01:13:28 Final Thoughts and Contact Information

The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/

#searchengineoptimization #digitalmarketing #wixstudio #seo