

Search with Candour - SEO podcast
Candour
Every Monday, Jack Chambers-Ward has in-depth conversations with SEO experts from around the world.
Covering topics from attribution in GA4 to networking tips for introverts and everything in between.
Search With Candour the perfect way to kickstart your working week!
Covering topics from attribution in GA4 to networking tips for introverts and everything in between.
Search With Candour the perfect way to kickstart your working week!
Episodes
Mentioned books

Apr 1, 2024 • 54min
AI Act and Google anti-trust trial debrief
Sponsors:
This episode is sponsored by Optmyzr, the modern PPC management software built for PPC people. Go to optmyzr.com to start your two-week free trial today.
This episode is also sponsored by AlsoAsked. Go to alsoasked.com to get the best way to access People Also Ask data for your keywords.
Show notes:
Mark Williams-Cook and Jack Chambers-Ward are reunited in the Candour studio to discuss:
The European Commission's AI Act
Ethan Lazuk's breakdown of the Google anti-trust trial
Watch Search With Candour on Youtube
For previous episodes, links, shows notes and more.

Mar 25, 2024 • 1h 8min
How to get into technical SEO with Beth Woodcock
Sponsors:
This episode is sponsored by Optmyzr, go to optmyzr.com to start your two-week free trial today.
This episode is also sponsored by AlsoAsked. Go to alsoasked.com to get the best way to access People Also Ask data for your keywords.
Show notes:
Beth Woodcock joins the podcast this week to discuss how to get into technical SEO if you don't have a technical background.
Where should someone start with technical SEO?
Are there particular tools that are essential to learn?
What are the best resources for learning technical SEO?
The importance of working in diverse teams
Resources:
The Odin Project
So Good They Can't Ignore You
Rebel Ideas
Watch Search With Candour on Youtube
For previous episodes, links, shows notes and more.

Mar 18, 2024 • 56min
Storytelling in marketing with Amy Doherty
Sponsors:
This episode is sponsored by Optmyzr, go to optmyzr.com to start your two-week free trial today.
This episode is also sponsored by AlsoAsked. Go to alsoasked.com to get the best way to access People Also Ask data for your keywords.
Show notes:
Amy Doherty joins Search With Candour this week to discuss the power of storytelling in marketing.
How to add emotion to your marketing and advertising
How storytelling helps you relate to your audience
How to use both analytical and creative skills in marketing
How to use story structures to make your reports and presentations better
Watch Search With Candour on Youtube
For previous episodes, links, shows notes and more.

Mar 11, 2024 • 1h 2min
What is the Digital Markets Act? with Gus Pelogia
Sponsors:
This episode is sponsored by Optmyzr, go to optmyzr.com to start your two week free trial today.
This episode is also sponsored by AlsoAsked. Go to alsoasked.com to get the best way to access People Also Ask data for your keywords.
Show notes:
Gus Pelogia, SEO Product Manager at Indeed, joins Jack Chambers-Ward to discuss the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and what effect it will have on Google SERPs
What is the Digital Markets Act?
What is a gatekeeper in the Digital Markets Act?
What will the Digital Markets Act do?
What sectors will the DMA affect?
Follow Gus:
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/pelogia
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gpelogia/
Gus' article about the DMA:
https://www.guspelogia.com/google-dma-serp-changes
Watch Search With Candour on YouTube.
Find previous episodes at search.withcandour.co.uk.

Mar 4, 2024 • 39min
Is the Google and Reddit agreement good or bad for SEO?
Jack Chambers-Ward and Mark Williams-Cook reunite to recap all the important SEO news from February 2024.
Sponsored by Positional:
Join the closed beta now before launch on 26 March 2024!
Jack & Mark discuss:
The new Google & Reddit agreement
Google paying publishers to test new AI tools
Helpful Content fallout and recoveries
What is information gain?
Time stamps:
00:00:05 - Intro
00:00:52 - Sponsor: Positional
00:02:41 - Google and Reddit partnership
00:08:00 - 'Help me write' AI vs review guidelines
00:12:53 - Google is paying publishers to test unreleased AI tools
00:17:54 - Sponsor: Positional
00:19:20 - Google is killing independent sites
00:24:00 - Helpful Content Update recovery
00:31:30 - What is information gain and why does it matter?
Watch Search With Candour on Youtube

Feb 26, 2024 • 58min
Squiggly SEO career paths with Hannah Butcher
Hannah Butcher joins the podcast this week to discuss squiggly SEO career paths.
Why are unusual career paths common in the SEO industry?
What are the benefits of this kind of career path?
What are some of the potential drawbacks?
Common causes of job changes
How much can mental health and neurodiversity contribute to your career path?
Watch on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/sr4bviTy65c
Sponsors:
AlsoAsked - https://alsoasked.com/
CoreUpdates - https://coreupdates.com/
Follow Hannah:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/hanfbutcher
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannahfb/
Website: https://agency-angel.com/

Feb 19, 2024 • 1h 5min
How to make your content uniquely helpful with Nate Matherson
Nate Matherson, CEO of Positional and host of the Optimize Podcast, joins Jack to discuss how to make your content helpful in 2024.
Topics discussed include:
How to stand out against AI-generated content
How to find unique data sources
Why you should include quotes from subject experts
How to demonstrate first-hand experience
Bring some personality and tone of voice to your writing
Targeting long-tail keywords
For full show notes and to watch on YouTube, go to search.withcandour.co.uk.

Feb 12, 2024 • 1h 24min
Websites 101 with Alex Harford
Alex Harford, a Technical SEO consultant and mentor, discusses URL structure, page templates, coding languages, and status codes with Jack. They highlight the significance of user-friendly websites on SEO, understanding web servers and status codes, considerations of CDNs, and the importance of page templates and coding languages in SEO.

Feb 5, 2024 • 1h 8min
How to become an SEO freelancer
Matt Kohli makes his return to the podcast to discuss his recent move from working in SEO agencies to going freelance.
Topics discussed include:
The decision to go freelance
The early days so far
The importance of all the paperwork and boring bits
The pros & cons of moving from agency to freelance
Planning and road mapping
Sponsors:
AlsoAsked - https://alsoasked.com
Core Updates - https://coreupdates.com/

Jan 29, 2024 • 46min
Is Google getting worse? with Mark Williams-Cook
Mark Williams-Cook reunites with Jack Chambers-Ward to discuss and recap the most important SEO news from January 2024 including:
Is Google search getting worse?
The impact of SGE on organic results
Sponsors:
Join the Positional private beta today: https://www.positional.com/sponsored/search-with-candour?utm_source=search-with-candour&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=january2024
Core Updates: https://coreupdates.com/?utm_source=search-with-candour&utm_medium=podcast
Timestamps:
00:24 - Intro
03:48 - Topic 1 - Is Google search getting worse?
21:40 - Positional (sponsor)
25:24 - Topic 2 - What impact will SGE have?
Links and resources:
Mashable article about search quality: https://mashable.com/article/google-search-low-quality-research
Lily Ray’s tweets: https://twitter.com/lilyraynyc/status/1749413842285666367 https://twitter.com/lilyraynyc/status/1747588212300669205
Weekend ranking mystery or Google bug? https://ziptie.dev/blog/google-weekend-ranking-mystery-or-a-google-bug/
Authoritas study on SGE: https://www.authoritas.com/blog/research-study-the-impact-of-googles-search-generative-experience-on-rankings
60% of SEOs are worried about SGE https://seroundtable.com/seos-worried-impact-google-sge-36770.html