Lenny's Podcast: Product | Growth | Career

The ultimate guide to SEO | Ethan Smith (Graphite)

Dec 1, 2022

Ethan Smith, CEO of Graphite, a specialized growth agency, dives into SEO mastery. He explains when to invest in SEO and the key differences between topics and keywords. Ethan debunks common SEO myths, advocates for heavy editorial content, and shares successful strategies from high-profile clients. Discover insights on building an SEO team, navigating hiring complexities for startups, and understanding the timeline for achieving results. His expert tips make this a must-listen for anyone keen on elevating their SEO game.

01:30:59

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Episode guests

Ethan Smith

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Quick takeaways

SEO should be prioritized over ads, as the traffic gained from SEO can equal or surpass that obtained from ads.

Understanding the addressable market and using comprehensive content with topics instead of just keywords are key to successful SEO.

Ranking in the top 20 for certain keywords and observing positive trends in rankings are early indicators of SEO progress.

For effective hiring in SEO, consider individuals with a growth background and technical skills for programmatic SEO, or young motivated candidates for editorial-focused SEO.

Deep dives

Relevance of SEO Over Ads

The speaker emphasizes the need to prioritize SEO over ads, noting that companies often over-resource ads and under-resource SEO. They argue that spending large amounts on ads while neglecting SEO doesn't make sense, as the amount of traffic gained from SEO can be equal to or even greater than that obtained from ads.

When to Invest in SEO?

03:41

SEO: How Long Does It Take to See Results?

01:56

What is programmatic editorial SEO?

02:44

Great sites and engagement should be optimized

02:19

Intro

4min

From User Experience to SEO Mastery

2min

Building an SEO-Focused Agency: The Journey to Execution

2min

Debunking SEO Myths: Strategy vs. Technical Audits

2min

Unlocking SEO as a Growth Strategy

11min

Mastering SEO Strategies for Startups

19min

Understanding SEO Timeframes and Success Indicators

4min

Navigating SEO Hiring Strategies for Startups

3min

Navigating Programmatic SEO Hiring

4min

10.

Mastering SEO Testing and Strategy

17min

11.

Mastering Topical Authority in SEO

22min

Ethan Smith is the CEO of Graphite, a boutique growth agency that’s helped companies like MasterClass, Thumbtack, Robinhood, Medium, and Honey develop and execute their SEO strategies. SEO is one of the least-understood levers for growth, while also one with the biggest payoff. This episode is a true master class on all things SEO. Ethan shares a wealth of information, including when you should begin investing in SEO, how to build an SEO team, and the three main buckets of SEO. He explains the difference between topics and keywords, gives the exact heuristics and tools to help you be successful in developing and implementing your own SEO strategy, and also goes deep on how to deal with roadblocks and advocate for resources.

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Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-ultimate-guide-to-seo-ethan-smith

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Where to find Ethan Smith:

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/ethan_l_s

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethanls/

• Graphite: https://www.graphitehq.com/

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