

The Simple and Smart SEO Show
Crystal Waddell
The best SEO podcast for entrepreneurs and creative small business owners who want to build a better website to grow their business!✨This SEO-focused podcast combines brand strategies mixed with fresh ideas for websites, digital marketing, and customer experience.✨WHY SEO?✨SEO is important because it can help a business be found by people searching for what they sell. In 2025, SEO for LLMs and AI-powered search engines will grow in importance. But don't feel overwhelmed: SEO can be simple and elevate your websites visibility with small changes over time.✨Listen to this podcast every week to learn how you can make your website rank higher without spending thousands of dollars per month!
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Apr 30, 2025 • 20min
🎙️ SEO, Personal Branding, and How to Stand Out in 2025 with Shreya LaCock (Part 2)
In this week's episode of the Simple and Smart SEO Show, Crystal Waddell sits down with Shreya LaCock from SEO for Hire to pull back the curtain on SEO careers, personal branding, and the future of hiring in a world powered by AI! 🚀Together, they explore the different roles inside an SEO agency 🏢, the green flags to look for when hiring SEO help ✅, and why personal branding is no longer optional if you want to thrive. They also dig into how AI is reshaping SEO jobs — and why adaptability is your ultimate superpower. 💪🏼Grab your coffee ☕ or tea 🍵 and let's dive in!Key Takeaways:Master your personal brand 🧠: It's the new resume! Be visible, searchable, and active online.Understand agency structures 🏢: Know who you're actually working with when you hire an agency.Communication is king 👑: Great SEOs don’t just optimize websites—they know how to talk and connect.AI won't steal your job (yet!) 🤖: But adapting and learning AI tools will set you apart.Side projects = secret weapons 🔥: Showing passion through personal projects makes candidates shine.Episode Highlights:💬 "There is nothing more important than mastering your personal brand." — Shreya LaCock💬 "The way we were doing SEO six months ago is completely different than today—and it’ll change again in two months." — Shreya LaCock💬 "If you want to build a strong company, it really starts with strong leadership." — Crystal WaddellListener Action Items:🔎 Audit your personal brand online🤖 experiment with an AI tool for SEO, and 🗣️ strengthen your communication skills to build trust and authority.Connect With Crystal:✅ Follow Crystal on LinkedIn: Follow Crystal✅ If you're an entrepreneur or side hustler, join Crystal’s SEO Squad for weekly support! 🎯 Learn More HereConnect With Shreya: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!

Apr 23, 2025 • 17min
SEO Hiring Secrets: Green Flags, Gender Gaps & Growth Tips with Shreya LaCock (Part 1)
Shreya LaCock, marketing specialist at SEO For Hire, shares the inside world of SEO recruitment and agency hiring. From spotting green flags in potential SEO agencies to navigating gender gaps in job applications, Shreya brings both personal experience and professional wisdom. You’ll also hear what makes an onboarding process successful, the overlooked “honeymoon phase” of hiring, and how to make sure you’re building the right team for long-term growth.Whether you’re an SEO agency, a business owner looking to hire, or a curious marketer wondering what it takes to break into the SEO world—this episode is packed with gems you don’t want to miss. 💎🧠 Key Takeaways:Green Flags in SEO Agencies: Look for long employee tenure, clear career progression, and a culture of mentorship—not just ping pong tables and Friday yacht parties.Effective Onboarding Matters: SOPs and transparent communication prevent role confusion and reduce the chances of early turnover.The Hiring “Honeymoon Phase”: Expect the first 2–3 months to reveal how new hires handle stress—and stick with them through the dip.The Gender Gap in Applications: Women tend to apply only when they meet 100% of the job description, while men often apply when they meet far less.Hiring an SEO Agency? Ask for a 3-month plan, check their personal branding online, and look for consistent communication and employee stability.📌 Episode Highlights:“Don’t grow a team for the sake of growing a team. Grow it to scale your business.” – Shreya LaCock“Even recruiters know what it’s like to lose a job. We’re people too.” – Shreya LaCock🎯 Listener Action Items:🔍 Review your own hiring process: Do you have clear SOPs and onboarding plans for new team members?📋 Vet your future SEO agency: Check Glassdoor reviews, ask for case studies, and look at employee tenure.💼 Applying for a job? Go for it—even if you don’t meet 100% of the qualifications. You bring more to the table than you think.🧰 Download SEO For Hire’s “Hiring OS” or create your own version of job ad templates, onboarding docs, and salary guides.Connect With Shreya LaCock: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!

Apr 16, 2025 • 19min
The Future of SEO: Stay Ready So You Don’t Have to Get Ready – with Favour Obasi-ike (Part 2)
In this can't-miss episode of the Simple and Smart SEO Show, Crystal Waddell reconnects with digital strategist and SEO pro Favour Obasi-ike. Whether you're podcasting on Wix, exploring RSS feeds, or wondering how to rank better using voice search, this episode is full of insights you can apply today to stay ahead tomorrow.🔑 Key Takeaways:Own Your Platform: Hosting your podcast on a separate domain boosts domain authority and builds a long-term digital asset.Podcast SEO: Turn each episode into its own optimized URL with keyword-rich titles for better indexing and searchability.RSS Feeds & Site Maps: These are the backbone of your content strategy—essential for pushing updates and syncing across platforms like Pinterest.AI Tools: Tools like Harpa AI can streamline SEO research, transcription, and content creation across platforms.Voice Search Readiness: As voice search rises, your brand needs to show up in verbal queries, not just typed ones.From SEO to Thought Leadership: The future of SEO is about positioning yourself as a thought leader—focus on delivering value, not just ranking.✨ Memorable Quotes:“Stay ready so you don’t have to get ready.” — Favour Obasi-ike“Your website is like a book. Each page is a chapter that Google can rank.” — Favour Obasi-ike“You don’t want to be a seller. You want to tell stories people can remember.” — Favour Obasi-ike📌 Listener Action Items:🛠️ Audit Your Podcast URLs: Are they keyword-friendly? Custom? Indexable?📥 Connect Your RSS Feed: Sync your blog and podcast content to Pinterest and Google Search Console.🌐 Secure Your Domain: Make sure your podcast has a dedicated domain or subdomain to boost long-term visibility.🔍 Explore Harpa.AI: Try this Chrome extension to level up your content creation and SEO game.🎙️ Rethink Content: Are you presenting yourself as a thought leader? Use SEO to show, not just tell.Connect With Favour:LinkedinWe Don't Play PodcastText 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!

Apr 9, 2025 • 21min
The Friend Who First Told Me About SEO 🤯 | Featuring Favour Obasi-ike
This episode is a full-circle moment! Crystal reconnects with the person who first planted the seed that SEO could actually drive traffic—without the middleman of social media. Meet Favour Obasi-ike: a podcasting pioneer, SEO strategist, and founder of We Don’t Play Podcast. Together, Crystal and Favour take a nostalgic ride through their Clubhouse days, unpack the magic of Pinterest SEO, explore the future of RSS feeds, and share why your website needs a sitemap. Like, yesterday!Whether you're a seasoned business owner or just now dipping your toe into SEO, this episode is packed with heart, tech, and next-level brand-building tips.🔑 Key Takeaways: ✋🏽 SEO isn’t just for tech bros—it’s for creatives, connectors, and community builders. ✋🏽 Pinterest + SEO = a secret traffic goldmine (especially when you tap into RSS feeds). ✋🏽 Your sitemap is basically your website’s brain—don’t leave it blank! ✋🏽 Clubhouse may have changed, but the relationships (and strategy seeds) planted there still matter. ✋🏽 Repurposing content—like using podcast convos for blogs—is a powerful SEO move.📌 Episode Highlights:“Hey, there’s this thing off social media called SEO…” “If you're not getting traffic, it's probably because you don’t have a sitemap.” “Pinterest is SEO in disguise—and it’s growing fast.” “Clubhouse was our digital coffee shop in 2020. And the friendships stuck.”🎧 Listen Now If You:Miss those early Clubhouse convos and want to feel seen.Need SEO and Pinterest demystified in a kind, relatable way.Love stories about how business friendships shape your journey.📝 Listener Action Items: ✅ Check if your site has an XML sitemap (and fix it if not!).✅ Connect your blog’s RSS feed to Pinterest to automate pinning - or call Favour for help!✅ Send this episode to an old friend who inspired your entrepreneurial path.Connect With Favour:LinkedinWe Don't Play PodcastWebsiteCouText 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!

Apr 2, 2025 • 17min
Smarter Content Updates: SEO Wins Without the Overwhelm with Alyssa Corso (Part 2)
In this insightful and refreshingly practical episode of the Simple and Smart SEO Show, Crystal sits down with Alyssa Corso—SEO strategist and healthcare content pro—to talk all things content refresh. Alyssa breaks down her favorite ways to optimize existing content without burning it all down.Whether you're running a blog in a Your Money or Your Life (YMYL) niche or just wondering if updating the year in your title is enough (spoiler alert: it's not 😅), this episode is packed with real-world tips to make your SEO strategy work smarter, not harder.💡 Key Takeaways:Not All Updates Are Equal: A content refresh doesn’t have to mean a full rewrite. Small additions like FAQs or new sources can move the needle.YMYL Content = Higher Standards: If your content impacts someone’s health, money, or safety, Google expects top-notch trust and quality signals.Check the SERP Features: See what’s ranking (video packs, AI overviews, People Also Ask), then optimize accordingly.Don’t Be That Brand: Simply changing the publish date isn’t an update—it’s shady and ineffective.Internal & External Links Matter: Link to your own valuable content and trustworthy external sources like .gov or .edu sites to build EEAT.AI Isn’t Replacing You (Yet): Use ChatGPT for brainstorming, but don’t let it do all the thinking for you.🔥 Memorable Quotes:“A content update doesn’t have to be an overhaul... It can be an FAQ insert or updating your sources and links.” - Alyssa Corso“If you’re ranking #1 but not in the featured snippet—why not try and go for it?” - Alyssa Corso✅ Listener Action Items:📝 Audit your older posts—can you add a helpful FAQ or new source?🔍 Search your target keyword and note what SERP features appear.🔗 Add new internal and external links to boost EEAT.📬 Connect with Alyssa at alyssacorso.com or drop her a line at alyssa@alyssacorso.com.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!

Mar 26, 2025 • 16min
SEO Content Decay & Connecting Traffic to Revenue – Part 1 with Alyssa Corso
In this episode of the Simple and Smart SEO Show, Crystal Waddell chats with SEO consultant and BrightonSEO speaker Alyssa Corso about a topic every content creator should understand—SEO content decay. Alyssa shares how content naturally loses visibility over time and outlines a strategic process for updating content to improve performance and generate real business results.From identifying "money keywords" to understanding the phases of content decay, this episode is packed with insights on how to make your existing content work harder for your business. Whether you're a startup with limited resources or a seasoned marketer, Alyssa’s practical strategies will help you tie your content efforts to revenue—and avoid wasting valuable time.🔑 Key Takeaways:SEO Content Decay Defined: Alyssa breaks down the lifecycle of content—from initial spike to inevitable decline—and why regular updates matter.Revenue-Driven Content Strategy: Learn how to identify "money keywords" and optimize content that leads to conversions.Update with Purpose: Alyssa explains how to use tools like Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and SEOGets to prioritize what to update and when.Content Clusters for Niche SEO: Especially in industries like healthcare, Alyssa shows how to build supporting content around core topics.Avoid Reactionary SEO: Don’t overreact to algorithm changes—strategic, user-first updates are key.🔦 Episode Highlights:"Does this piece of content bring revenue to the business—or does it have another type of value to reach your goals?" – Alyssa Corso"There’s more opportunity on the other side of trying than not trying at all." – Crystal Waddell✅ Listener Action Items:Audit your existing blog content using Google Analytics and Search Console.Identify your top revenue-driving keywords—aka "money keywords."Create a spreadsheet or use a tool like Monday.com to monitor content age and performance.Update content that aligns with your business goals, not just based on rankings.Track conversions through GA4, UTM links, or email capture to understand content impact.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!

Mar 19, 2025 • 31min
Google Ads vs. SEO: How to Choose the Right Strategy for Your Business with David Green (Part 2)
In this jam-packed Part 2 episode, I continue my insightful chat with David Green, founder of Devslove.com. We dive deep into Google Ads, strategic ad spend, and the realities of running paid campaigns for small businesses. David shares expert insights on choosing the right platform, retargeting strategies, and why SEO and AI-driven search are shaping the future of digital marketing. Plus, we discuss pricing, profitability, and setting the right goals to make digital marketing actually work for your business. If you're an entrepreneur looking for a clear strategy to maximize your online presence, this is an episode you don’t want to miss!🔥 Key Takeaways: ✅ Choosing the Right Platform – Should you start with Google Ads, Facebook, or LinkedIn? ✅ Retargeting 101 – The power of keeping your brand top of mind for potential customers. ✅ Ad Spend Strategy – The 90-day rule for testing ad profitability. ✅ Pricing and Profitability – Why underpricing can ruin your ability to run ads effectively. ✅ SEO vs. Paid Search – How they work together for long-term growth. ✅ AI & Search Trends – What’s changing in 2025 and why SEO is still critical.✨ Memorable Quotes:💡 “Google Search is one of the best proxies for demand that you can find.” – David Green 💡 “If you're not converting high-intent visitors, something is wrong with your website—not your ads.” – David Green 💡 “Ads don’t work if your pricing isn’t built for profitability.” – Crystal Waddell 💡 “SEO is about more than just traffic—it’s about making that traffic meaningful for your business.” – Crystal Waddell🎯 Listener Action Items:✔️ Do a quick Google keyword Text me your questions or comments!Hey creative entrepreneur—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 CrystalGPT: your personal AI SEO coach designed for busy, creative business owners like you.Crystal GPT walks you through what matters most for your website. Head to SEOin7days.com (with a 7!) and get started today—let’s make your brand easy to find and impossible to ignore. 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!

Mar 12, 2025 • 19min
Leveling the Playing Field: AI, Google Ads & Small Business Success with David Green (Part 1)
In this episode of The Simple and Smart SEO Show, I'm sitting down with David Green, founder of Devs Love, to talk about the major shifts happening in digital marketing! Fresh after BrightonSEO, David shared insights from his strategic planning retreat, where AI disruption was front and center. We discuss how AI levels the playing field for small agencies, the shift in Google Search, and why omni-channel marketing is no longer optional. What You’ll Learn in This Episode:💡 AI’s Role in Leveling the Playing Field – How small businesses can leverage AI to compete with big agencies. 🔍 Google Search vs. Perplexity AI – Why experts say Google Search is in trouble. 📈 YouTube Ads & Brand Growth – How tracking search impressions can prove ad impact. 🧠 Strategic Planning for 2025 – What small businesses need to focus on in the age of AI. 🙌 The Human Factor in Marketing – Why staying close to your customers is more critical than ever.Memorable Quotes:🗣️ "AI is disrupting marketing at the same level as when smartphones changed how people buy." – David Green 🗣️ "ChatGPT writes really good code—just tell it what you want!" – David Green 🗣️ "Omni-channel marketing isn’t the future—it’s the now." – Crystal Waddell 🗣️ "Tech companies that ignore their core users? That’s how they lose them." – Crystal WaddellListener Action Items:✅ Experiment with AI tools like ChatGPT to automate and optimize marketing. ✅ Diversify your traffic sources—don’t rely solely on Google. ✅ Re-evaluate your ad strategies with a long-term view. ✅ Stay engaged with your customers to understand their needs in real-time. ✅ Tune in for Part 2, where David dives deep into Google Ads for small businesses!📌 Stay Connected: 🎙️ Listen & Subscribe: podcast.simpleandsmartseo.com 💬 Follow Crystal: SimpleandSmartSEO.com 👥 Connect with David Green: DevsLove.com LinkedInDon’t miss Part 2, where we unlock the secrets of Google Ads for small businesses! 🎧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!

Mar 5, 2025 • 8min
Don't Sleep on This SEO Tool: Make Sense of Search Console Data (FTF)
Welcome back to another Follow Through Friday on the Simple and Smart SEO Show! 🚀 If you caught my conversation with Katie Stone, SEO lead at Lead Hub, you know we went deep on local SEO, Google Search Console Insights, and keyword strategy. (Missed it? No worries! Listen Here!)Ready to make your SEO work for you? 👇🏽 Let’s dive in. 👇🏽💎 Key Takeaways:1️⃣ Google Search Console = Your SEO Goldmine🔍 Google Search Console (GSC) isn’t just a data hub—it’s your secret weapon for seeing exactly how people find your website. But did you know you can unlock even deeper insights with the Enhanced Analytics Chrome Extension? 😱🚀 Pro Tip: Install the GSC Enhanced Analytics extension (Chrome-only!) to unlock advanced data views💥 Action Step: Check your top-performing pages and compare their performance over time. Do any need a content update? 🤔2️⃣ Keyword Research: Smarter, Not HarderInstead of chasing broad, generic keywords (water heater 🔥😴), think action-based—like water heater installation (boom! 💥).Why? These show intent to purchase. 🛍️💥 Action Step: Use GSC filters to find high-intent keywords.3️⃣ Competitor Research = Your Shortcut to SEO Wins💡 Ever wonder what keywords your competitors are ranking for that you’re not? That’s where Keyword Gap Analysis comes in.🔥 Crystal’s Favorite Tool: Dragon Metrics (but Semrush & Ahrefs work too!)📊 How it works: 1️⃣ Run a Keyword Gap Analysis to see what your competitors rank for that you don’t. 2️⃣ Identify "easy win" topics 3️⃣ Create new blog posts, landing pages, or optimize existing pages 🎯 Your Follow-Through Challenge 🚀Pick just one of these action steps and implement it this week: ✅ Install the GSC Enhanced Analytics Extension & analyze your top pages ✅ Use intentText 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!

Feb 26, 2025 • 13min
Branding, SEO, and Smart Business Growth [Follow Through Friday]
In this special solo episode of The Simple and Smart SEO Show, host Crystal Waddell reflects on her conversation with branding expert Mordy Oberstein. She shares key insights on defining your brand identity, optimizing SEO for conversions, and making smart business decisions that foster growth. Crystal also provides real-world examples of how she applied these lessons to her e-commerce business, proving that when branding and SEO work together, magic happens. If you’ve ever struggled with niching down, pricing your products right, or making your website more engaging, this episode is packed with actionable tips!Key Takeaways:✅ Know Your Brand Identity – If you're not something, you're nothing. Be clear about who you serve and who you don’t. ✅ Focus on Niche Markets – Trying to sell to everyone leads to confusion. Pick a market and dominate it. ✅ Pricing for Profit – Charging too little means working for free. Stand firm on prices that sustain your business. ✅ SEO + Branding = Conversions – Ranking high isn't enough; you must connect emotionally to turn visitors into buyers. ✅ Smart Business Growth – Expanding isn't about offering more—it’s about offering better and creating repeat customers.Memorable Quotes: 💡 “SEO isn’t just about being found; it’s about being remembered.” – Crystal Waddell 💡 “No risk it, no biscuit!” – Mordy ObersteinListener Action Items:🚀 Reflect on your brand identity. Who are you truly serving? 🚀 Review your website. Does it resonate with your audience, or is it just optimized for traffic? 🚀 Re-evaluate your pricing strategy. Are you charging what you're worth? 🚀 Consider business expansion wisely—does it align with your core audience? 🚀 Take a step toward improving your branding and SEO integration today!Resources & Links:📌 Listen to the original episode with Mordy Oberstein – 📌 Visit Crystal’s business, Collage and Wood 📌 Get in touch with Crystal – SimpleAndSmartSEO.comText 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!