The Simple and Smart SEO Show

In this episode of the Simple and Smart SEO Show, host Crystal Waddell sits down with Ross Simmonds — founder of Foundation Marketing and distribution.ai, keynote speaker at Brighton SEO, and passionate content strategist. Ross shares how he started out online running a fantasy football blog and now advises global brands. His message: most creators need to stop obsessing over new content and start amplifying what they’ve already made. Learn his “garden analogy” for content promotion, the Four Es framework for creating engaging posts, and how to balance content marketing with SEO. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, marketer, SEO or creator, this episode will shift your mindset from constant creation to strategic distribution.Key Takeaways:Why most brands underinvest in content distribution — and how to fix it.The “garden analogy” for nurturing content long after it’s created.How to overcome the fear of over-promoting your content.The Four Es framework for engaging, educational, entertaining, and empowering content.Why SEO lives under the broader umbrella of content marketing.How to treat different content types like investment asset classes.Episode Highlights:"If you’ve given up your time to create something, that thing is now an asset — and assets deserve distribution." – Ross Simmonds"I’ve never seen someone share too much good content." – Ross SimmondsListener Action Items:Audit your existing content and identify pieces worth re-promoting.Shift your time ratio from 90% creation / 10% promotion to a healthier balance.Apply the Four Es to your content strategy this month.Experiment with DM-based calls-to-action instead of “link in bio” prompts.Connect With Ross:LinkedinBuy His Book: Create Once. Distribute Forever.Text me your questions or comments!Does SEO feel confusing, overwhelming, or just plain impossible to figure out? You’re not alone. That’s why I created the AI SEO Foundations course, powered by Crystal GPT: your personal AI SEO coach designed for busy, creative business owners like you.Ditch the overwhelm and discover what SEO can do for your business! Head to SEOin7days.com (with the number 7!) and get started today—let’s make your brand easy to find and impossible to ignore.Support the showWant to follow up on what you've heard? Search the podcast!Join the SEO SquadApply to be my podcast guest! 🎙️ Don't forget to Put your pitch topic in the subject line! AFFILIATE LINKS:Start your Shopify Store!Get SurferSEO! Metricool (to be everywhere online, you NEED a social media scheduler!) Note: If you make a purchase using some of my links, I make a little money. But I only ever share products, people, & offers I trust & use myself!

In this final installment of the Shopify Series: From Strategy to Action, Crystal Waddell takes you inside one of her favorite tools—Surfer SEO—and shows you exactly how to use it to optimize your Shopify store pages for maximum visibility. From product descriptions to collection pages, homepage copy, and blog posts, you’ll learn step-by-step strategies to integrate Surfer SEO into your workflow. Crystal also shares pro tips, keyword research insights, and how to make your content Google-loved without guessing what works.Key Takeaways:Surfer SEO works beyond blog posts — it’s powerful for product pages, collection pages, and even your homepage or about page.Collection pages can benefit from short but keyword-rich descriptions — as little as 50–100 words can make a difference.Surfer’s real-time content score acts like a coach, showing you exactly how to optimize as you write.Keyword research is essential before diving into content optimization.Small businesses can compete with big brands using Surfer SEO’s structured guidance.Episode Highlights:"Surfer SEO is like having a coach in your corner while you write.""Even a short paragraph using three to four suggested keywords can boost your visibility.""Visibility is a skill—keep growing."Listener Action Items:Identify a Shopify page you want to optimize—product, collection, homepage, or about page.Use Surfer SEO’s content editor to enter your target keyword and review competitor insights.Follow the keyword suggestions and structure prompts to raise your content score.Download Crystal’s $7  Surfer SEO Workbook for Shopify for templates, prompts, and tracking tools!Consider joining the Text me your questions or comments!Does SEO feel confusing, overwhelming, or just plain impossible to figure out? You’re not alone. That’s why I created the AI SEO Foundations course, powered by Crystal GPT: your personal AI SEO coach designed for busy, creative business owners like you.Ditch the overwhelm and discover what SEO can do for your business! Head to SEOin7days.com (with the number 7!) and get started today—let’s make your brand easy to find and impossible to ignore.Support the showWant to follow up on what you've heard? Search the podcast!Join the SEO SquadApply to be my podcast guest! 🎙️ Don't forget to Put your pitch topic in the subject line! AFFILIATE LINKS:Start your Shopify Store!Get SurferSEO! Metricool (to be everywhere online, you NEED a social media scheduler!) Note: If you make a purchase using some of my links, I make a little money. But I only ever share products, people, & offers I trust & use myself!

(Shopify From Strategy to Action Series, Episode 4!)In this episode, we're getting real about Shopify page templates — and why they might be quietly holding your SEO back. 😬From homepage headers to collection and product page tweaks, Crystal shares how to update your templates to help your content rank and convert.👀 If you’ve ever wondered: “Do I really need to mess with my templates?” The short answer is: YES — but it’s simpler than you think.✨ What You’ll Learn:Why templates are the foundation of Shopify SEO successHow to add keyword-rich headers and content to your homepageSimple, fast updates to boost your collection and product pagesHow to apply the “Jobs to Be Done” framework for search intentA peek inside the $7 Shopify SEO Templates Toolkit🧰 Resources & Mentions:Shopify SEO Templates Toolkit → https://simpleandsmartseo.com/templates (coming shortly!)$7 SEO Starter Course → https://SEOin7Steps.com (limited time only)Sustainable Visibility System → coming soon!Podcast Hub → https://SimpleandSmartSEO.com/best-seo-podcast🎯 Your Action Step: Update one section of your homepage using a keyword-rich H1 or intro paragraph, and tag @simpleandsmartseo2 so Crystal can cheer you on! 🧡📌 Connect with Crystal:Website → https://simpleandsmartseo.com/Instagram → https://instagram.com/simpleandsmartseo2Podcast on Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/5q7TnaTJAgXty6K8bHY62jPodcast on Apple → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-simple-and-smart-seo-show/id1623005671Would you like a version adapted for blog or email as well?Text me your questions or comments!Does SEO feel confusing, overwhelming, or just plain impossible to figure out? You’re not alone. That’s why I created the AI SEO Foundations course, powered by Crystal GPT: your personal AI SEO coach designed for busy, creative business owners like you.Ditch the overwhelm and discover what SEO can do for your business! Head to SEOin7days.com (with the number 7!) and get started today—let’s make your brand easy to find and impossible to ignore.Support the showWant to follow up on what you've heard? Search the podcast!Join the SEO SquadApply to be my podcast guest! 🎙️ Don't forget to Put your pitch topic in the subject line! AFFILIATE LINKS:Start your Shopify Store!Get SurferSEO! Metricool (to be everywhere online, you NEED a social media scheduler!) Note: If you make a purchase using some of my links, I make a little money. But I only ever share products, people, & offers I trust & use myself!

Want more organic traffic and faster conversions on your Shopify store? In this episode of the Simple and Smart SEO Show, Crystal Waddell breaks down the visual side of SEO with a focus on image optimization.From renaming image files and writing strategic alt text to compressing files and picking the best formats, Crystal walks you through four essential steps to get your images SEO-ready. You’ll also learn how to use ChatGPT to quickly generate descriptive alt text and how to leverage Pinterest to amplify your visual content strategy.✅ What You’ll Learn:Why image SEO drives traffic from Google and PinterestHow to rename image files using SEO-friendly keywordsThe dos and don'ts of writing alt text (and how ChatGPT helps)Image compression tools that boost load speed (TinyPNG & WebP)Best image formats for product photos, logos, and backgroundsBonus: Pinterest optimization tips and helpful Shopify apps🎯 Action Steps:Rename one product image with keywords before uploadingUse alt text that’s clear, accurate, and avoids keyword stuffingCompress images under 300KB (or even 100KB with WebP)Download Crystal’s $7 Image SEO Checklist for a full walkthroughTry the free Pinterest Save Button Shopify app🛠️ Helpful Links:Image SEO Checklist: simpleandsmartseo.com/imagesFree Alt Text GeneratorTinyPNG: https://tinypng.com📌 Next Episode Tease: Coming up in Episode 4: Templates that elevate your Shopify SEO—homepage, product pages, and collection pages.📲 Let’s Connect: Update one image today and tag @simpleandsmartseo2. You’ve got this!Text me your questions or comments!Does SEO feel confusing, overwhelming, or just plain impossible to figure out? You’re not alone. That’s why I created the AI SEO Foundations course, powered by Crystal GPT: your personal AI SEO coach designed for busy, creative business owners like you.Ditch the overwhelm and discover what SEO can do for your business! Head to SEOin7days.com (with the number 7!) and get started today—let’s make your brand easy to find and impossible to ignore.Support the showWant to follow up on what you've heard? Search the podcast!Join the SEO SquadApply to be my podcast guest! 🎙️ Don't forget to Put your pitch topic in the subject line! AFFILIATE LINKS:Start your Shopify Store!Get SurferSEO! Metricool (to be everywhere online, you NEED a social media scheduler!) Note: If you make a purchase using some of my links, I make a little money. But I only ever share products, people, & offers I trust & use myself!

In this episode, Crystal breaks down the must-have SEO tech stack for Shopify sellers who want to show up in search results, build authority, and grow sustainably without feeling overwhelmed.You’ll learn about the core apps that make SEO easier, free tools to track and audit your progress, and optional power tools if you’re ready to take things to the next level.Whether you’re just getting started with Shopify or looking to improve your existing SEO strategy, this episode will help you focus on the right tools so you can stop guessing and start growing.Key TakeawaysYou don’t need 50 tools — just a few key apps and resources to support your SEO efforts.Start with free tools like Google Search Console and Microsoft Clarity to understand your current performance.Add must-have apps that create fresh content and improve site speed, like a review app and TinyPNG.Explore advanced tools like Ahrefs, Ubersuggest, and Surfer SEO as you grow.Resources & MentionsShopify SEO Tech Stack Checklist (only $7!)7-Step SEO Starter CourseGoogle Search ConsoleMicrosoft ClarityInstaIndexTinyPNGSurfer SEO (My Affiliate Link!)Action Steps for ListenersInstall at least one new SEO tool today (Google Search Console is a great place to start).Download the Shopify SEO Tech Stack Checklist to make setup easy and track what you’ve implemented.Tag Crystal on Instagram @simpleandsmartseo2 to share your progress.Connect with CrystalWebsite: simpleandsmartseo.comInstagram: @simpleandsmartseo2Podcast on Apple: Listen herePodcast on Spotify: Listen hereNext Episode: Don’t miss the next episode, where we’ll talk about optimizing your images so they bring in trafficText me your questions or comments!Does SEO feel confusing, overwhelming, or just plain impossible to figure out? You’re not alone. That’s why I created the AI SEO Foundations course, powered by Crystal GPT: your personal AI SEO coach designed for busy, creative business owners like you.Ditch the overwhelm and discover what SEO can do for your business! Head to SEOin7days.com (with the number 7!) and get started today—let’s make your brand easy to find and impossible to ignore.Support the showWant to follow up on what you've heard? Search the podcast!Join the SEO SquadApply to be my podcast guest! 🎙️ Don't forget to Put your pitch topic in the subject line! AFFILIATE LINKS:Start your Shopify Store!Get SurferSEO! Metricool (to be everywhere online, you NEED a social media scheduler!) Note: If you make a purchase using some of my links, I make a little money. But I only ever share products, people, & offers I trust & use myself!

In this kickoff episode of my Shopify SEO from Strategy to Action summer series, we start with the most important piece: your mindset.If you've ever thought:"SEO is just for techies!""Shopify isn't good for SEO.""I don't even know where to start."This episode is for you!🎯 What you'll learn:Why your mindset is the #1 SEO success factorThe top myths keeping shop owners stuck (and how to bust them)A fun visibility readiness quiz to check if you're truly ready to be found💡 Key takeaway: SEO is like your most loyal employee — working for you even when you're on vacation.👉 Grab the $7 SEO Mindset for Shop Owners Guide: https://simpleandsmartseo.com/mindset🎧 Listen on your favorite app:Apple PodcastsSpotify🙌 Ready to take action? 1️⃣ Download the mindset guide. 2️⃣ Take the quiz and shift your beliefs. 3️⃣ DM me your biggest SEO mindset block on Instagram → @simpleandsmartseo2.💬 About Crystal: I'm an SEO educator, Shopify seller, and visibility strategist helping creative entrepreneurs grow sustainably and show up confidently — without resenting the work!Learn about my SEO Squad!Text me your questions or comments!Does SEO feel confusing, overwhelming, or just plain impossible to figure out? You’re not alone. That’s why I created the AI SEO Foundations course, powered by Crystal GPT: your personal AI SEO coach designed for busy, creative business owners like you.Ditch the overwhelm and discover what SEO can do for your business! Head to SEOin7days.com (with the number 7!) and get started today—let’s make your brand easy to find and impossible to ignore.Support the showWant to follow up on what you've heard? Search the podcast!Join the SEO SquadApply to be my podcast guest! 🎙️ Don't forget to Put your pitch topic in the subject line! AFFILIATE LINKS:Start your Shopify Store!Get SurferSEO! Metricool (to be everywhere online, you NEED a social media scheduler!) Note: If you make a purchase using some of my links, I make a little money. But I only ever share products, people, & offers I trust & use myself!

Join PPC Pro Austin Becker and me in this episode of The Simple and Smart SEO Show.We’re diving into strategic blogging, PPC attribution, and the underrated power of Pinterest — a must-listen for creative entrepreneurs, Shopify sellers, and busy business owners who want to grow without burnout.Here’s what you’ll learn:How to use Google's "People Also Ask" to create blog content that drives trafficWhen and how Pinterest ads actually work for e-commerceWhy attribution is murky — and how to trust your gut when running ads 0:00 – Intro 0:02 – How to use Google to find blog ideas that convert 1:10 – Linking blog posts back to products and monetizing content 2:00 – Pinterest: A goldmine for visual and evergreen traffic 3:20 – Are Pinterest ads worth it? Austin shares results 4:45 – Organic vs paid Pinterest: What drives more ROI 6:00 – Planning and buyer intent on Pinterest 7:00 – How to measure PPC success (or not) 8:00 – Realistic evaluation windows for ad performance 9:00 – Common PPC/SEO mistakes to avoid 10:15 – Who’s a good fit for Becker Marketing’s services 11:30 – Final thoughts📚 Resources & Mentions:🛠️ My $27 SEO Starter Course → https://SEOin7Days.com🎙️ Podcast on Apple → Apple Podcasts🎧 Podcast on Spotify → Spotify💬 Austin Becker Marketing → https://abeckermarketing.com📺 YouTube Channel → PPC for Everyone🙌🏽 Listener Action Steps:Subscribe for weekly SEO strategy & visibility tips!Comment below with your biggest takeaway from Austin's Pinterest or blogging strategy.Start Your SEO journey with my 7 step starter course at SEOin7Days.com👩🏽‍💻 About Me: Hi, I’m Crystal Waddell — SEO educator, Shopify seller, and visibility strategist for creative entrepreneurs. On this channel and podcast, I share practical, empowering tools to help you grow sustainably, shoText me your questions or comments!Does SEO feel confusing, overwhelming, or just plain impossible to figure out? You’re not alone. That’s why I created the AI SEO Foundations course, powered by Crystal GPT: your personal AI SEO coach designed for busy, creative business owners like you.Ditch the overwhelm and discover what SEO can do for your business! Head to SEOin7days.com (with the number 7!) and get started today—let’s make your brand easy to find and impossible to ignore.Support the showWant to follow up on what you've heard? Search the podcast!Join the SEO SquadApply to be my podcast guest! 🎙️ Don't forget to Put your pitch topic in the subject line! AFFILIATE LINKS:Start your Shopify Store!Get SurferSEO! Metricool (to be everywhere online, you NEED a social media scheduler!) Note: If you make a purchase using some of my links, I make a little money. But I only ever share products, people, & offers I trust & use myself!

In this episode of The Simple and Smart SEO Show, we’re diving into real-world e-commerce strategies to compete with platforms like Amazon, Walmart, and Etsy — without relying solely on Google. If you’re a Shopify seller or creative entrepreneur, this episode is a must-listen for understanding ad budgets, search impression share, and seasonal sales cycles that actually scale your business sustainably.Here’s what you’ll learn:How to drive traffic without depending on Google (hint: email + social!)Why knowing your ACOS (Advertising Cost of Sale) is more useful than ROASThe smartest way to scale: sell more when people are already buying⏱️ Timestamps: 0:00 – Intro: The Google traffic trap 1:16 – Competing with Amazon (without losing your mind or margins) 3:20 – What is Search Impression Share & where to find it 4:33 – Profit-first ad budgeting: ACOS vs ROAS explained 10:31 – The truth about your prices (and why doubling them may save your business) 13:06 – 2025+ trends: Multi-channel selling & YouTube SEO tips 17:37 – Video SEO strategy for higher CTR 18:31 – Collection page tips from Bonobos📚 Resources & Mentions:🛠️ $27 AI SEO Starter Course → https://SEOin7Days.com🎙️ Podcast on Apple/Spotify → https://simpleandsmartseo.com/best-seo-podcast💬 Guest: Learn more about Austin Becker → abeckermarketing.com🙌 Listener Action Steps:Subscribe for weekly SEO strategy & visibility tips!Start your way to SEO Success for only $27, delivered on your schedule by ChatGPT → https://SEOin7Days.com👩🏽‍💻 About Me: Hi, I’m Crystal Waddell — SEO educator, Shopify seller, and visibility strategist for creative entrepreneurs. On this channel and podcast, I share practical, empowering tools to help you grow sustainably, show up confidently, and build a business that works for you. Learn more at https://simpleandsmartseo.com📲 Connect With Me, Crystal Waddell:Instagram → @simpleandsmartseo2Podcast Hub → https://SimpleandSmartSEO.com/best-seo-Text me your questions or comments!Does SEO feel confusing, overwhelming, or just plain impossible to figure out? You’re not alone. That’s why I created the AI SEO Foundations course, powered by Crystal GPT: your personal AI SEO coach designed for busy, creative business owners like you.Ditch the overwhelm and discover what SEO can do for your business! Head to SEOin7days.com (with the number 7!) and get started today—let’s make your brand easy to find and impossible to ignore.Support the showWant to follow up on what you've heard? Search the podcast!Join the SEO SquadApply to be my podcast guest! 🎙️ Don't forget to Put your pitch topic in the subject line! AFFILIATE LINKS:Start your Shopify Store!Get SurferSEO! Metricool (to be everywhere online, you NEED a social media scheduler!) Note: If you make a purchase using some of my links, I make a little money. But I only ever share products, people, & offers I trust & use myself!

In this episode of the Simple and Smart SEO Show, Crystal Waddell sits down with e-commerce marketing expert Austin Becker (Part 1 of 3).We talk about the evolution of Austin’s career, from selling quirky side-hustle products to founding a thriving e-commerce digital marketing agency. You’ll learn actionable insights on Google Shopping, product feed optimization, Amazon's advertising dominance, the power of Schema for Shopify SEO, and how AI is poised to reshape search and advertising. If you're an online seller or digital marketer, this episode is packed with tips and tools to upgrade your strategies for 2025 and beyond.Key Takeaways:🎯 Google Shopping success begins with strong product feeds and Merchant Center accuracy.🔍 Winning in SEO means building product pages that rival Amazon—photos, videos, dimensions, reviews, and more.🛍️ Schema apps can safeguard your Shopify SEO when themes change and enhance your metadata clarity.🧠 AI and generative search platforms like Perplexity are beginning to offer new e-commerce ad opportunities.💡 Freelancers and agencies can still thrive in PPC and e-commerce if they offer specialized value.Episode Highlights:"If you're running retail, you don’t have time to learn Google feeds—so make it your job to know it.""Your product page has to be better than Amazon’s if you want to win that click.""AI-driven shopping will soon let you buy inside a chatbot. That's the future."Listener Action Items:✅ Audit your Shopify product pages: Do they match or beat Amazon’s detail and quality?✅ Use tools like validator.schema.org to evaluate and improve your site’s structured data.✅ Explore the Schema App for Shopify to protect and future-proof your SEO.✅ Apply for early access to AI shopping platforms like Perplexity’s product feed program.✅ Re-evaluate your marketing strategy yearly—Austin’s DIY summit method is a perfect starting point.Connect with Austin:👉🏽 Website👉🏽 Linkedin Text me your questions or comments!Does SEO feel confusing, overwhelming, or just plain impossible to figure out? You’re not alone. That’s why I created the AI SEO Foundations course, powered by Crystal GPT: your personal AI SEO coach designed for busy, creative business owners like you.Ditch the overwhelm and discover what SEO can do for your business! Head to SEOin7days.com (with the number 7!) and get started today—let’s make your brand easy to find and impossible to ignore.Support the showWant to follow up on what you've heard? Search the podcast!Join the SEO SquadApply to be my podcast guest! 🎙️ Don't forget to Put your pitch topic in the subject line! AFFILIATE LINKS:Start your Shopify Store!Get SurferSEO! Metricool (to be everywhere online, you NEED a social media scheduler!) Note: If you make a purchase using some of my links, I make a little money. But I only ever share products, people, & offers I trust & use myself!

In part 3 of my interview with Andrew Ansley, we unpack the evolution of SEO from pre-2022 tactics to today's entity-driven, user-focused strategies. Learn why stuffing keywords is dead, how RankBrain and BERT changed the game, and why helpful, structured content (plus user metrics) is the new key to ranking. Andrew also demystifies topical authority, shares how to recover if your site’s in the “loser’s bracket,” and offers actionable tips for entrepreneurs and small business owners who want to win with SEO—without burnout.Here’s what you’ll learn:How Google’s approach to content and ranking has changed since 2018 (and again after 2022)What “entity SEO” and “topical authority” mean for your websiteWhy user satisfaction and mobile-first indexing matter more than everHow to structure content for both users and bots (headers, visuals, and more)What it takes to move your site from the “loser’s bracket” to the winner’s bracket📚 Resources & Mentions:🛠️ Simple and Smart SEO + AI Starter Guide → [coming soon!]📦 The Sustainable Visibility System → [waitlist]Connect with Andrew Ansley:💬  AI Marketeers Skool 📝  Andrew’s article on Entity SEO 🎥  YouTube🙌🏽 Listener Action Steps:Subscribe for weekly SEO strategy & visibility tips!✨ Episode Highlights (Memorable Quotes):“Before 2018, Google had not even a pretend understanding of content. What they had was keyword matching... Now, it’s about understanding context and entities.”“It’s not about getting someone to stay on your webpage. It’s about satisfying their query so they don’t go back to Google.”👩🏽‍💻 About Me:Hi, I’m Crystal Waddell — SEO educator, Shopify seller, and visibility strategist for creative entrepreneurs. On this channel and podcast, I share practical, empowering tools to help you grow sustainably, show up confidently, and build a business that works for you.Learn more at https://simpleandsmartseo.com📲 Connect With Crystal:Text me your questions or comments!Does SEO feel confusing, overwhelming, or just plain impossible to figure out? You’re not alone. That’s why I created the AI SEO Foundations course, powered by Crystal GPT: your personal AI SEO coach designed for busy, creative business owners like you.Ditch the overwhelm and discover what SEO can do for your business! Head to SEOin7days.com (with the number 7!) and get started today—let’s make your brand easy to find and impossible to ignore.Support the showWant to follow up on what you've heard? Search the podcast!Join the SEO SquadApply to be my podcast guest! 🎙️ Don't forget to Put your pitch topic in the subject line! AFFILIATE LINKS:Start your Shopify Store!Get SurferSEO! Metricool (to be everywhere online, you NEED a social media scheduler!) Note: If you make a purchase using some of my links, I make a little money. But I only ever share products, people, & offers I trust & use myself!