

EDGE of the Web - The Best SEO Podcast for Today's Digital Marketer
Erin Sparks
EDGE of the Web is a weekly digital marketing podcast discussing all things in Digital Marketing: SEO, Social Media, Content Marketing, and more. Host Erin Sparks discusses 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 edgeofthewebradio.com to see all of our past shows and videos.
Episodes
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Mar 14, 2023 • 34min
577 | News from the EDGE | Week of 3.13.2023
Every week there seems to be an unlimited amount of headlines to cover on News from the EDGE about generative AI. TikTok is taking on search giants Google and Microsoft in the paid advertising space, Grammarly gets into the generative AI game, but with a twist, and Mordy Oberstein discusses the future of search and AI. And we also had the Twins versus the Yankees baseball play by play as we literally were recording the show! The AI wars have cometh. . . on this week's episode of EDGE! News from the EDGE: [00:03:51] Step Aside Google and Microsoft Ads, Here Comes TikTok! [00:7:43] EDGE of the Web Title Sponsor: SE Ranking [00:08:53] Will AI Start Making Videos for Us? [00:12:21] Grammarly to Introduce Generative AI Content Creation in Your Voice [00:15:37] Mordy Oberstein Weighs In On the Future of Search Regarding AI [00:23:55] EDGE of the Web Sponsor: InLinks Barry Blast from Search Engine Roundtable: [00:25:17] Google February 2023 Product Reviews Update More Volatile than Previous Updates, Say Data Providers [00:28:09] Microsoft Bing Working On Saving Chats & More Features [00:28:56] Google Featured Snippets Go Wrong, Consider Using Data-Nosnippet Thanks to our sponsors! SE Ranking https://edgeofthewebradio.com/seranking Inlinks https://edgeofthewebradio.com/inlinks Follow Us: Twitter:@ErinSparks Twitter:@MordyOberstein Twitter:@TheMann00 Twitter:@EDGEWebRadio Would love it if you'd give us a rating on ratethispodcast.com/edge! #StandwithUkraine edgeofthewebradio.com/ukraine

Mar 10, 2023 • 36min
576 | Featured Snippets w/ Chris Long
Erin Sparks sits down with Chris Long to discuss featured snippets, their value, and how to earn them on the SERP. The higher you rank in the 10 blue links the likelihood of earning a featured snippet increases. Chris is the VP of Marketing for the Go Fish Digital team and works with unique problems and advanced search situations to help clients improve organic traffic through a deep understanding of Google's algorithm and web technology. Learn everything you need to know about featured snippets on this episode of the EDGE! [00:02:53] Introducing Chris Long [00:05:25] The Gandalf of SEO [00:07:44] Featured Snippets [00:13:18] SERP Features & Tools [00:14:48] EDGE of the Web Title Sponsor: Site Strategics [00:15:47] SERP Real Estate [00:17:36] Steps to Securing Featured Snippets [00:18:55] “What Is” Queries [00:21:13] Entity SEO & SERP Features [00:22:53] EDGE of the Web Sponsor: Wix [00:23:49] Tables In Featured Snippets [00:27:51] CMS Impacts Scale [00:30:24] EDGE of the Web Sponsor: SE Ranking [00:31:37] Organic Rankings Impact Featured Snippet Likelihood Thanks to our sponsors! Site Strategics https://www.edgeofthewebradio.com/site Wix https://edgeofthewebradio.com/wix SE Ranking https://www.edgeofthewebradio.com/seranking Follow Guest https://twitter.com/gofishchris https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-long-marketing/ Would love it if you'd give us a rating on ratethispodcast.com/edge!

Mar 9, 2023 • 29min
575 | News from the EDGE | Week of 3.6.2023
There’s a lot to cover in SEO and digital marketing this week on EDGEnews. From a new WordPress plugin vulnerability and local service ads to Google Bard and the projected growth in the use of AI by SEOs this year, there's plenty of news to dig through. In addition, the winners of SE Rankings SEO Checklist Challenge are announced. Come join us on EDGE for this week’s news and remember. . . Bard is NOT search. News from the EDGE: [00:03:17] Big Plugin Vulnerability Exposes 200,000 WordPress Sites. Are You One of Them? [00:07:34] SE Ranking SEO Checklist Challenge Award Winners: SE Ranking [00:09:06] Local Service Ads are Being Expanded to More than 70 New Business Types. [00:12:38] Say it with me: Bard is Not Search [00:17:53] EDGE of the Web Sponsor: InLinks [00:18:45] The Industry is Expecting to See a 5x Growth in the Use of AI for SEO this Year Barry Blast from Search Engine Roundtable: [00:23:26] Google February 2023 Product Reviews Update Done Rolling Out [00:25:24] Bing Chat Showing Unique Referrer In Edge Sidebar For Analytics [00:26:52] Google Business Profile Products Show In Google Shopping Results Thanks to our sponsors! Site Strategics https://edgeofthewebradio.com/site Inlinks https://edgeofthewebradio.com/inlinks Page One Power https://edgeofthewebradio.com/pageonepower Follow Us: Twitter:@ErinSparks Twitter:@TheMann00 Twitter:@EDGEWebRadio Would love it if you'd give us a rating on ratethispodcast.com/edge! #StandwithUkraine edgeofthewebradio.com/ukraine

5 snips
Mar 3, 2023 • 37min
574 | Goals, Strategies, and Tactics w/ Kevin Indig
In this episode of EDGEtalk, Kevin Indig, a renowned SEO expert and executive consultant, shares his insights on developing effective strategies for businesses. Throughout the episode, he emphasizes the importance of staying focused on objectives, and shares tips on how to measure and communicate KPIs both upwards and downwards in an organization. Kevin also stresses the need for getting buy-in from top-level executives, setting SMART goals, and taking pride in SEO efforts. He shares his own framework for achieving success in the ever-changing landscape of digital marketing. Erin Sparks and Kevin Indig dive deep into goal setting and more on the EDGE! [00:02:43] Reintroducing Kevin Indig [00:06:11] Ignored Country: Strategy [00:08:16] Sun Tzu – The Art of War [00:12:11] Stay in the Lane [00:13:26] EDGE of the Web Title Sponsor: edgeofthewebradio.com/site [00:14:15] The GOST Framework [00:15:20] How to Orient to Objective Measurements [00:17:22] The Importance of Communicating KPIs Up & Down [00:19:04] EDGE of the Web Sponsor: edgeofthewebradio.com/wix [00:21:06] Getting Buy-in from the C-suite [00:23:33] Making SMART Goals [00:26:59] SEO Pride [00:28:53] EDGE of the Web Sponsor: edgeofthewebradio.com/seranking [00:33:38] Your Number One Priority Thanks to our sponsors! Site Strategics https://edgeofthewebradio.com/site Wix https://edgeofthewebradio.com/wix SE Ranking https://edgeofthewebradio.com/seranking Take the SE Ranking Checklist Challenge!Receive a one-month Business Package subscription for completing this challenge when you go to https://edgeofthewebradio.com/seranking and send a screenshot of these completed steps: Create a project, add at least 5 keywords; Find 5 competitors via the Competitive Research tool and add them to “My Competitors” section; Run a website audit and show what issue you are going to fix; Do a backlink check and upload your backlinks to the Backlink Monitoring tool; Optimize one page using the Content Marketing tool. One Edge Listener Will Get A Full Year Business Package. We’ll Announce That On Our Podcast Soon! A $2,500 Value! Follow Guest https://www.twitter.com/Kevin_Indig https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinindig https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/contrarian-marketing-podcast/id1654785891 Would love it if you'd give us a rating on ratethispodcast.com/edge!

Mar 2, 2023 • 36min
573 | News from the EDGE | Week of 2.20.2027
Welcome to this week’s episode of EDGEnews, the podcast that brings you the latest updates and insights from the world of SEO and digital marketing. Today's episode, we have a special guest hostess, Gemma Houghton, who will be joining us to discuss some of the most pressing issues in the industry while sharing her experience with international search. Gemma and Erin Sparks talk about the skyrocketing costs of AI search, the potential downfall of LastPass, and the latest developments with Google. Oh, and why we are all AI guinea pigs! Listen now on the EDGE! News from the EDGE: [00:02:01] Introducing Guest Hostess: Gemma Houghton [00:06:10] Costs for an AI Search are as Much as 10 Times Higher! [00:10:32] Our Title Sponsor: SE Ranking [00:12:14] This Might be the Last Time You Use LastPass… [00:16:44] EDGE of the Web Sponsor: Inlinks [00:17:42] When It Comes to Chatting with AI, We are Just the Guinea Pigs. Barry Blast from Search Engine Roundtable: [00:25:21] Google: Favicons No Longer Need To Be Hosted On Same Domain [00:26:35] Google Helpful Content System Can Now Impact Google Discover Visibility [00:28:53] Google Releases February 2023 Product Reviews Update Thanks to our sponsors! SE Ranking https://edgeofthewebradio.com/seranking Inlinks https://edgeofthewebradio.com/inlinks Follow Us: Twitter:@ErinSparks Twitter:@GemHoughton Twitter:@TheMann00 Twitter:@EDGEWebRadio #StandwithUkraine edgeofthewebradio.com/ukraine Would love it if you'd give us a rating on ratethispodcast.com/edge!

Feb 24, 2023 • 39min
572 | Generative AI Content w/ Kevin Indig
Kevin Indig stops by the EDGE studios virtually to have a conversation about generative AI content with Erin Sparks on this episode of EDGEtalk. Can AI satisfy Google’s EEAT? Are AI content tools disrupting the SEO industry? If AI intentionally makes a mistake is it really a mistake? He is a growth advisor and consultant at Kevin-Indig.com where he advises startups, PEs and VCs in strategic SEO. Together, they tackle the above questions and more on the EDGE! [00:02:43] Introducing Kevin Indig [00:07:44] AI Generated Content [00:13:28] EDGE of the Web Title Sponsor: edgeofthewebradio.com/site [00:14:26] What is the Expertise, Authority, and Trust of AI? [00:17:32] Machines Don’t Have Judgment [00:18:50] Suspect AI Content is on Loose Ground [00:19:48] Generative AI Disruption in the Ecosystem [00:21:27] EDGE of the Web Sponsor: edgeofthewebradio.com/wix [00:23:31] Detecting Generative AI Content [00:25:12] If AI Intentionally Makes a Mistake is it a Mistake? [00:27:00] The Turing Test [00:28:29] Three Actionable Takeaways for Generative AI Content [00:30:43] EDGE of the Web Sponsor: edgeofthewebradio.com/seranking [00:34:06] Generative AI Content Bias Thanks to our sponsors! Site Strategics https://edgeofthewebradio.com/site Wix https://edgeofthewebradio.com/wix SE Ranking https://edgeofthewebradio.com/seranking Take the SE Ranking Checklist Challenge!Receive a one-month Business Package subscription for completing this challenge when you go to https://edgeofthewebradio.com/seranking and send a screenshot of these completed steps: Create a project, add at least 5 keywords; Find 5 competitors via the Competitive Research tool and add them to “My Competitors” section; Run a website audit and show what issue you are going to fix; Do a backlink check and upload your backlinks to the Backlink Monitoring tool; Optimize one page using the Content Marketing tool. One Edge Listener Will Get A Full Year Business Package. We’ll Announce That On Our Podcast Soon! A $2,500 Value! Follow Guest https://www.twitter.com/Kevin_Indig https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinindig https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/contrarian-marketing-podcast/id1654785891

Feb 22, 2023 • 30min
571 | News from the EDGE | Week of 2.20.2023
Would you pay $12 a month to be verified on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp? Looks like Meta is adopting the Twitter model. Did you know Bing just put a cap on how many questions you can ask in a chat session. After 30 years of the existence of HTML Google finally gives actual guidance on link best practices. Erin Sparks and Mordy Oberstein examine these topics and much more on this episode of EDGEtalk. A big thanks to our new title sponsor of the show, SE Ranking. Check out their exclusive giveaway to the EDGE audience! News from the EDGE: [00:04:58] You get a blue check and you get a blue check- Meta to add paid verification option, just like Twitter [00:10:01] Our Title Sponsor: SE Ranking Take the SE Ranking Checklist Challenge!Receive a one-month Pro 1000 subscription for completing this challenge when you go to https://edgeofthewebradio.com/seranking and send a screenshot of these completed steps: Create a project, add at least 5 keywords; Find 5 competitors via the Competitive Research tool and add them to “My Competitors” section; Run a website audit and show what issue you are going to fix; Do a backlink check and upload your backlinks to the Backlink Monitoring tool; Optimize one page using the Content Marketing tool. Good luck! Deadline for the contest is February 28th. [00:11:30] Bing users seem to be chatting it up too much… [00:15:39] EDGE of the Web Sponsor: Inlinks [00:16:42] Google Releases New Best Practices for Links Barry Blast from Search Engine Roundtable: [00:21:10] Microsoft To Release Major Quality Improvement For Bing AI Chat On Thursday [00:22:14] Google Business Profile Profile Strength Widget Now Live & Many Local SEOs Not Happy [00:24:16] Google Ads Tests Disabling Opt Out Of Search Partners & Display Network Thanks to our sponsors! SE Ranking https://edgeofthewebradio.com/seranking Inlinks https://edgeofthewebradio.com/inlinks Follow Us: Twitter:@ErinSparks Twitter:@MordyOberstein Twitter:@TheMann00 Twitter:@EDGEWebRadio #StandwithUkraine edgeofthewebradio.com/ukraine

Feb 17, 2023 • 40min
570 | Internal Link Building and Automated Content w/ Cyrus Shepard
Cyrus Shepard and Erin Sparks explore why internal linking is so important to SEO, all while backing it up with studies and giving many pro tips for all of you SEOs out there. They also go in deep on AI content tools to share how-to and how not to use them, and why. They also go on a sidebar discussing the “happening in real time” implosion of Twitter and its eventual demise. In addition, the two give important must-knows about structured data and how it can impact your internal linking. Now it’s time to take your inbound link building hat off and put your internal linking hat on for this episode of the EDGE! [00:01:25] Cyrus Shepard & Erin Sparks Discuss Twitter [00:03:23] Internal Link Building [00:05:36] The Importance of Anchor Text [00:07:18] Helpful Contextual Linking vs Menu Navigation [00:09:22] How Helpful is this Page? [00:11:20] Awareness, Consideration, Decision [00:12:04] Just Getting Started in SEO? Do this. [00:12:43] EDGE of the Web Sponsor: Site Strategics [00:15:12] Named Entity Linking [00:18:25] Bullish on Structured Data? [00:19:40] Manual Penalties for Structured Data Spam [00:22:40] EDGE of the Web Sponsor: Wix [00:23:13] Automated Content Writing [00:27:25] The Artificial Intelligence is Learning [00:29:45] AI Chatbots are a Research Tool [00:31:44] EDGE of the Web Sponsor: SE Ranking [00:33:51] SEO Pro Tip [00:35:58] What Bugs/Excites You About the SEO Industry Right Now? Thanks to our sponsors! Site Strategics https://edgeofthewebradio.com/site Wix https://edgeofthewebradio.com/wix SE Ranking https://edgeofthewebradio.com/pageonepower Take the SE Ranking Checklist Challenge! Receive a one-month Business Package subscription for completing this challenge when you go to https://edgeofthewebradio.com/seranking and send a screenshot of these completed steps: Create a project, add at least 5 keywords. Find 5 competitors via the Competitive Research tool and add them to “My Competitors” section. Run a website audit and show what issue you are going to fix. Do a backlink check and upload your backlinks to the Backlink Monitoring tool. Optimize one page using the Content Marketing tool. One Edge Listener Will Get A Full Year Business Package. We’ll Announce That On Our Feb 10th Podcast! A $2,500 Value! Follow Guest https://twitter.com/CyrusShepard https://zyppy.com/about/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/cyrusshepard/ https://moz.com/community/q/user/cyrus-shepard Would love it if you'd give us a rating on ratethispodcast.com/edge!

Feb 15, 2023 • 37min
569 | News from the EDGE | Week of 2.13.2023
Should AI be used for YMYL content? Does CLS have more weight in Google Core Web Vitals? Will Bing’s chatbot steal your clicks? These questions and more are explored by Erin Sparks and guest co-host Mike King on the EDGE! This week’s Barry Blast examines a traveling SEO grifter, ads arriving to Bing’s new ChatGPT SERP interface, and the concerns publishers have with search engine chat interfaces. A big thanks to our new title sponsor of the show, SE Ranking. Check out their exclusive giveaway to the EDGE audience! News from the EDGE: [00:01:30] Today’s Guest Host: Mike King [00:05:46] Should AI be Used for YMYL Content? [00:12:48] Our Title Sponsor: SE Ranking Take the SE Ranking Checklist Challenge!Receive a one-month Pro 1000 subscription for completing this challenge when you go to https://edgeofthewebradio.com/seranking and send a screenshot of these completed steps: Create a project, add at least 5 keywords; Find 5 competitors via the Competitive Research tool and add them to “My Competitors” section; Run a website audit and show what issue you are going to fix; Do a backlink check and upload your backlinks to the Backlink Monitoring tool; Optimize one page using the Content Marketing tool. Good luck! Deadline for the contest is February 28th. [00:14:54] Does Cls Have More Weight In Google Core Web Vitals? It Depends… [00:20:03] Will Bing’s Chatbot Steal Your Clicks? [00:26:37] EDGE of the Web Sponsor: Inlinks Barry Blast from Search Engine Roundtable: [00:27:42] Barry Blast 1: Reddit: SEO Guy Travels Across Europe To Upload Photos Locally To Facebook – link [00:30:31] Barry Blast 2: Ads In The New Bing Chat Interface – link [00:33:57] Barry Blast 3: Big Publishers Concerned With AI Powered Search From Google & Bing – link Thanks to our sponsors! SE Ranking https://edgeofthewebradio.com/seranking Inlinks https://edgeofthewebradio.com/inlinks Follow Us: Twitter: @ErinSparks Twitter: @iPullRank Twitter: @TheMann00 Twitter: @EDGEWebRadio Would love it if you'd give us a rating on ratethispodcast.com/edge! #StandwithUkraine edgeofthewebradio.com/ukraine

Feb 10, 2023 • 31min
568 | The Google Farmer and our Crop w/Cyrus Shepard
Cyrus Shepard is this week’s guest on episode 568 of EDGE of the Web show. He sits down with Erin Sparks to discuss the changing SERP features, visual search, and the future outlook of SEO. He is an SEO, online marketer, content publisher, speaker, and writer. Cyrus first discovered SEO in 2009, and took a wine business from 500k in sales to 2.5 million in one year. Now let’s discuss why SEOs are Google’s farmers on this episode of the EDGE! [00:00:35] Introducing Cyrus Shepard [00:02:35] Pathway to SEO [00:06:03] Visual Search [00:08:39] EDGE of the Web Title Sponsor: Site Strategics [00:09:25] Zero Click Perspective [00:09:57] Google’s Writing Its Own Content [00:11:28] We’re Google’s Farmers and It Wants Our Crop [00:13:50] The Omnichannel Approach [00:17:31] You Gotta Know the SERP [00:18:01] EDGE of the Web Sponsor: edgeofthewebradio.com/wix [00:18:33] Zero Click Study from Semrush [00:21:28] Google MUM Taking Hold [00:24:07] EDGE of the Web Sponsor: edgeofthewebradio.com/seranking [00:25:47] Any Tools Tracking SERP Features Well? Thanks to our sponsors! Site Strategics https://edgeofthewebradio.com/site Wix https://edgeofthewebradio.com/wix SE Ranking https://edgeofthewebradio.com/pageonepower Take the SE Ranking Checklist Challenge!Receive a one-month Business Package subscription for completing this challenge when you go to https://edgeofthewebradio.com/seranking and send a screenshot of these completed steps: Create a project, add at least 5 keywords; Find 5 competitors via the Competitive Research tool and add them to “My Competitors” section; Run a website audit and show what issue you are going to fix; Do a backlink check and upload your backlinks to the Backlink Monitoring tool; Optimize one page using the Content Marketing tool. One Edge Listener Will Get A Full Year Business Package. We’ll Announce That On Our Feb 10th Podcast! A $2,500 Value! Follow Guest https://twitter.com/CyrusShepard https://zyppy.com/about/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/cyrusshepard/ https://moz.com/community/q/user/cyrus-shepard Would love it if you'd give us a rating on ratethispodcast.com/edge!