The Search Session

Is traditional SEO enough in the age of AI-powered search?In this episode of The Search Session, Gianluca Fiorelli talks with Mike King—the creator of “relevance engineering”—about how AI is reshaping the way we approach search. From building tools that mimicked AI Overviews back in 2020 to redefining what it means to optimize content today, Mike shares how he and his team at iPullRank have been leading the charge.They dive into how client perceptions around AI have evolved, why visibility now depends on omni media content strategies, and how SEOs must think beyond blog posts to research, white papers, and systems-level thinking. Mike also breaks down the mechanics behind AI Overviews and explores the rise of agentic SEO—modular, automated systems built for the ever-shifting landscape of modern search.As Mike says, we’re no longer just tweaking websites—we’re building engines for discoverability in the era of AI.Timestamps:(00:22) Meet Our Guest: Mike King(01:11) How SEO Is Treating Mike King in 2025(02:28) Enterprise Clients' Reactions to the Rise of AI in Search(07:41) How SEOs Can Start Learning AI Search(10:31) Relevance Engineering: A New Definition of SEO(14:53) Inside Google’s AI Mode & AI Overviews Architecture(17:57) SEO in the AI Era: Owning More Raffle Tickets(20:21) Chunkable and Multimodal Content Strategy(22:39) The Publishing Industry Under Pressure(26:38) Memorability Over Visibility: The Real SEO Goal(31:06) Context Matters More Than Mentions(33:49) Speculating on the Future of Google Search Features(36:49) The Risks of Filter Bubbles and Cognitive Atrophy(39:24) Agentic Search and Modular Search Architecture(41:56) Why Google Will Still Win the AI Search Race(44:05) Measuring SEO Impact in the Age of AI(46:25) The Fireside QuestionnaireThis is the 20th episode of: The Search Session on YouTubeWhere to find Mike King:LinkedInX (formerly Twitter)WebsiteWhere to find Gianluca Fiorelli:LinkedInX (formerly Twitter)BlueskyWebsiteMade with ❤️ by Advanced Web Ranking, the people behind the world's most accurate and longest-standing rank tracker.🎯 Start your free 30-day trial and find your true visibility in organic search for any market.📺 Be sure to subscribe for more actionable marketing and SEO tutorials: @advancedwebranking

Is AI changing SEO for better—or just faster?In this episode of The Search Session, Gianluca Fiorelli sits down with Chris Green, Technical Director and Senior Consultant at Torque, to explore how AI is reshaping search—and why he’s embracing it with curiosity, not fear.Chris shares how the rise of tools like ChatGPT has pushed SEO back to its experimental roots. Instead of chasing hacks, it’s about sharpening our thinking, asking better questions, and staying grounded in the fundamentals: understanding user intent, building authority, and guiding the full search journey.A great talk about smarter workflows, why “It depends” isn't always enough, what Chris looks for in a site audit, and how his background in film theory still influences his SEO approach today.Whether you’re navigating AI shifts or refining your strategy, this episode is packed with thoughtful, practical insights.This is the 19th episode of the series: Watch on YouTubeHere's what you'll learn in this episode:(00:30) Meet Our Guest: Chris Green(03:51) What Still Holds True in SEO?(11:28) Agency Perspective: What Clients Are Asking Now(18:32) How Chris is Using AI to Build Workflows, Not Just Content(26:53) Chris's Approach When Reviewing a New Client's Site(29:43) Doing SEO in a Fragmented Search Ecosystem(35:30) Reflections on Chris's “It Depends” Short-Form SEO Video Series(38:20) Handling the Dreaded “It Depends” Questions(42:27) When Best Practice Isn't the Best Choice(47:07) The Fireside QuestionnaireWhere to find Chris GreenLinkedIn | X | WebsiteWhere to find Gianluca FiorelliLinkedIn | X | Bluesky | WebsiteMade with ❤️ by Advanced Web Ranking, the people behind the world's most accurate and longest-standing rank tracker.Get your free 30-day trial and find your true visibility in organic search for any market.Be sure to subscribe for more actionable marketing and SEO tutorials: / @advancedwebranking

Is AI about to reshape the future of online news as we know it?In this episode of The Search Session, Gianluca Fiorelli sits down with Barry Adams—veteran SEO consultant and co-founder of the News & Editorial SEO Summit—for a candid conversation about where news publishing is headed in the age of AI.Barry shares why he believes Google Discover will become an even more vital traffic source for publishers, and why "AI Mode" might be more disruptive than AI Overviews. He also discusses the shrinking landscape of news and why only publishers with a clear editorial direction will stand a chance.If you work in news, content strategy, or SEO, this is a conversation you’ll want to hear.This is the 18th episode of: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_sm3ydVBxdAJ84k2qsH1LkTDbtbdNrGhHere's what you'll learn in this episode:(00:22) Meet Our Guest: Barry Adams(01:51) AI Overviews vs. AI Mode - and Their Impact on News(08:55) A New Business Model for News(18:03) News Licensing Deals and the LLM Economy(22:28) How Smaller Publishers Can Survive(26:03) What Traditional Publishers can Learn From Creators and Community Builders(30:57) Barry’s Approach to SEO Audits, Client Relationships, and Lessons from the Field(36:14) How “SEO Copywriting” and “AI Copywriting” Are Hurting Content(40:02) The SEO Wisdom Barry Gained From Working With Clients(45:12) Optimizing Multimedia Content(48:08) The Fireside QuestionnaireWhere to find Barry AdamsLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barryadams/Website: https://www.polemicdigital.comWhere to find Gianluca FiorelliLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gianlucafiorelli/X: https://x.com/gfiorelli1Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/gfiorelli1.bsky.socialWebsite: https://iloveseo.net/Made with ❤️ by Advanced Web Ranking, the people behind the world's most accurate and longest-standing rank tracker.Get your free 30-day trial and find your true visibility in organic search for any market: https://www.advancedwebranking.com/Be sure to subscribe for more actionable marketing and SEO tutorials: / @advancedwebranking

What does it take to make SEO drive impact in 2025?In this episode of The Search Session, Gianluca Fiorelli sits down with Maria White, UK SEO Lead at TUI, to explore the evolving landscape of search – from fashion to travel. Maria shares how a custom dashboard revealed hidden blockers, why visibility isn't enough, and how cross-channel collaboration is key in a world of hyper-personalized search.They also dive into image SEO, shifting user behavior, and why ChatGPT is changing search — without killing Google.This is the 17th episode of the series: Watch on YouTubeHere's what you'll learn in this episode: (00:24) Meet Our Guest: Maria White (02:33) The Visibility Paradox: Why Rankings Don’t Equal Results (09:19) The Multi-Channel Search Journey: Social, Search, and Beyond (14:39) Brand and SEO: Owning Branded Search in Fashion (18:58) Cross-Functional SEO: Collaborating with CRM, Paid, and Social Teams (27:32) Image SEO and Visual Search: A Hidden Opportunity in Fashion and Retail (35:36) LLMs and AI: The New Search Experience? (47:59) Quick Fireside QuestionnaireWhere to find Maria WhiteLinkedIn | WebsiteWhere to find Gianluca FiorelliLinkedIn | X | Bluesky | WebsiteMade with ❤️ by Advanced Web Ranking, the people behind the world's most accurate and longest-standing rank tracker.Get your free 30-day trial and find your true visibility in organic search for any market.Be sure to subscribe for more actionable marketing and SEO tutorials: @advancedwebranking

Is SEO still about ranking web pages—or is it time to start thinking brand-first?In this episode of The Search Session, host Gianluca Fiorelli is joined by Lily Ray, VP of SEO Strategy & Research at Amsive, to explore how AI Overviews, AI Mode, and LLMs are reshaping the way people interact with search—and what that means for publishers, marketers, and the future of organic visibility.Lily explains why SEO success today extends beyond traffic and clicks, emphasizing the importance of building brand equity across platforms and collaborating across marketing channels. From stakeholder education to long-term loyalty in an AI-first world, this conversation is packed with insights on adapting your strategy in a rapidly evolving search landscape.This is the 16th episode of the series:Watch the full playlist on YouTubeHere's what you'll learn in this episode: (00:06) Meet Our Guest: Lily Ray (02:16) Surviving Google’s AI Overviews & AI Mode: Strategies for Independent Publishers (06:06) How Publishers Can Leverage Google’s Move Toward Hyper-Personalisation (07:51) SERPs as Billboards and Zero-Click Marketing (11:39) The Challenge of Reporting AI Search Success (16:08) Impact of LLMs in the Publishing Niche (20:12) Adapting E-E-A-T Concepts and Framework to AI Search (24:47) Fighting Spam and the Ethics of SEO (30:04) Lily's Encouragement for SEOs Facing Burnout and Declining Traffic (33:35) The Cross-Channel Future of SEO (39:48) Quick-Fire Personal QuestionsWhere to find Lily Ray:LinkedIn | X (Twitter) | WebsiteWhere to find Gianluca Fiorelli:LinkedIn | X (Twitter) | Bluesky | Website🎙️ Made with ❤️ by Advanced Web Ranking, the people behind the world’s most accurate and longest-standing rank tracker.👉 Start your free 30-day trial and find your true visibility in organic search for any market.

How can brands think more like creators—and why does it matter in today’s video-first world? In this episode of The Search Session, Gianluca Fiorelli sits down with Phil Nottingham, founder of Organic Video, to unpack the strategic role of video in digital marketing. From organic distribution and YouTube optimization to the impact of AI tools like Gemini, we explore how video content is evolving—and what that means for marketers. Phil shares insights on balancing authenticity with strategy, adapting to platform trends, and building a long-term video presence that actually works. This is the 15th episode of: The Search Session YouTube Playlist Here's what you'll learn in this episode: (00:55) Meet Our Guest: Phil Nottingham (04:16) Why Brands Struggle with YouTube Compared to Creators (07:44) The Warhammer Example: Building Community and Brand Through Content (09:47) Shorts vs. Long-Form: Finding the Right Format Mix (12:21) Using Data to Shape Strategy: Moving Beyond Keywords (15:00) Competitor Analysis Without Imitation (16:57) TV Comes to YouTube: Shifting Viewer Habits and Production Implications (20:54) AI’s Potential as a Visual Creative Tool (25:29) AI Video Influencers: Gimmick or Future Trend? (26:29) Gemini and AI Discovery: What’s Next for YouTube? (29:44) The Power of Personal Branding in the AI Era (31:12) The Fireside Questionnaire Where to find Phil Nottingham LinkedIn | X (Twitter) | Website Where to find Gianluca Fiorelli LinkedIn | X (Twitter) | Bluesky | Website Made with ❤️ by Advanced Web Ranking, the people behind the world's most accurate and longest-standing rank tracker. Get your free 30-day trial and find your true visibility in organic search for any market: advancedwebranking.com Be sure to subscribe for more actionable marketing and SEO tutorials: @advancedwebranking

In this episode, host Gianluca Fiorelli sits down with a true pioneer of the search industry – Duane Forrester.From shaping Bing Webmaster Tools to navigating the cutting edge of AI-driven search, Duane brings a wealth of insight to the table. Now COO at LynxPulse, founder of UnboundAnswers, and a seasoned advisor, he shares his unique perspective on how search is evolving—and what that means for SEOs, marketers, and businesses.This is the 14th episode of the series: Watch on YouTubeHere's what you'll learn in this episode: (00:07) Meet Our Guest: Duane Forrester (02:50) Duane's Reflections on Early Reactions to OpenAI and Generative AI (05:22) Concerns About the SEO Industry’s Readiness for AI-Driven Change (07:42) Metrics Duane Would Now Build for Bing Webmaster (10:20) The Real Value of First-Party Data (13:14) Rethinking Metrics in an AI Search Era (18:00) How the Young Generation Finds What They Need, Beyond "Googling" (25:58) Redefining Our Profession: From SEO to Information Retrieval Specialists (32:35) The Central Role of Monosemanticity and Attention Mechanisms in AI Search (35:15) The Two Audiences Approach: Human and AI (40:20) Anticipating Upcoming Changes to Google’s Interface (45:04) The Coming Evolution of Advertising - Smart Glasses and Eye Tracking (49:51) Rapid-Fire Personal Questions with DuaneWhere to find Duane Forrester:LinkedIn | X (Twitter) | WebsiteWhere to find Gianluca Fiorelli:LinkedIn | X (Twitter) | Bluesky | WebsiteMade with ❤️ by Advanced Web Ranking, the people behind the world's most accurate and longest-standing rank tracker.Get your free 30-day trial: Start tracking your visibilitySubscribe for more actionable marketing and SEO tutorials: @advancedwebranking

In this episode of The Search Session, host Gianluca Fiorelli sits down with international SEO pioneer Michael Bonfils for a thought-provoking conversation that goes far beyond the usual global SEO playbook.Together, they unpack the most pressing shifts in the search landscape—from AI Overviews and zero-click searches to the vanishing visibility of data and the evolving role of localization in a world shaped by large language models. Michael brings a rare mix of strategic depth and personal perspective, sharing insights forged through decades of navigating international markets.This is the 13th episode of the series: YouTube PlaylistHere's what you'll learn in this episode: (00:29) Meet Our Guest: Michael Bonfils (02:47) Adapting to the New Search Reality: ChatGPT Has Been One of the Most Disruptive Moments in the History of Search (07:15) The Collapse of Old SEO Playbooks and Google's Unpreparedness (10:48) "Apocalittici e Integrati" AI version - Navigating Polarized Futures (12:02) AI Overviews and Their Real Impact on European SEO (15:49) AI Mode: What It Means for PPC, SEO, and the Shift Toward a Conversational Search Interface (18:51) The Data Black Hole: Measuring Visibility, Attribution, and Middle-of-Funnel Engagement (23:46) Are "Questions" the New Keywords? An International SEO Case Study (30:28) SEO in Walled Gardens - Maybe Google Wants to Become Like Baidu (33:34) Localization in the Age of AI Tools (39:58) The "Voilà" Song Localisation Case Study (43:01) Closing Fun: The Fireside QuestionnaireWhere to find Michael Bonfils:LinkedIn | X | WebsiteWhere to find Gianluca Fiorelli:LinkedIn | X | Bluesky | Website🎙️ Made with ❤️ by Advanced Web Ranking, the people behind the world's most accurate and longest-standing rank tracker.Get your free 30-day trial and find your true visibility in organic search for any market.📺 Be sure to subscribe for more actionable marketing and SEO tutorials: @advancedwebranking

In this episode of The Search Session, Gianluca Fiorelli chats with SEO veteran Gerry White—whose experience spans agency, in-house, and consultancy work. Known for his sharp insights and curious mind, Gerry dives into the fast-evolving world of search, covering everything from AI and AR to TikTok’s role in discovery.Whether you're deep into SEO or just curious about where search is heading, this conversation blends practical tips with big-picture thinking.This is the 12th episode of the series: Watch on YouTubeHere's what you'll learn in this episode: (00:08) Meet Our Guest: Gerry White (01:20) In-House SEO vs. Independent Consulting (04:17) Coping With SEO Changes of the Past 3 Years (07:13) Gerry’s Predictions for the Future of Search (13:19) AR/VR as Platforms & Hardware Challenges (18:20) Opportunities and Risks of AR/VR (22:56) 3D Cinematic Content & Brand Storytelling (26:18) Multi-Touchpoint Search Journeys (30:26) SEOs as Technical Marketers (32:45) The Measurement Dilemma (35:31) Quickfire Round: Getting to Know GerryWhere to find Gerry WhiteLinkedIn | X | WebsiteWhere to find Gianluca FiorelliLinkedIn | X | Bluesky | Website🎙️ Made with ❤️ by Advanced Web Ranking, the world’s most accurate and longest-standing rank tracker.Start your free 30-day trial: advancedwebranking.com📺 Subscribe for more actionable marketing and SEO content: @advancedwebranking

In this episode of The Search Session, Gianluca Fiorelli sits down with Jono Alderson to dive deep into the evolution of SEO—from technical frontiers to brand, strategy, and storytelling.It’s a candid, insightful, and occasionally nostalgic chat about where the industry’s been, where it’s headed, and why better SEO might mean building better businesses.This is the 11th episode of: The Search Session PlaylistHere's what you'll learn in this episode: (00:31) Meet Our Guest: Jono Alderson (01:30) What SEO Was, Is, and Is Becoming (04:34) T-shaped vs π-shaped SEO Skills (08:02) How to Keep SEO Relevant to Businesses (10:10) How Relevance Engineering is Becoming the True Job of an SEO (13:54) Why Differentiation Matters More Than Ever (17:18) Did We Approach Competitive Analysis from the Wrong Perspective? (23:20) The True Competitive Advantage of SEOs (26:43) Are SEOs Acting Like Snobs? (31:26) E-E-A-T: Why So Many SEOs (and Businesses) Still Get It Wrong? (41:30) SEO on the Edge (49:03) The New Technical SEO Specialist (51:55) Rapid-Fire Fun: Get to Know JonoWhere to find Jono Alderson LinkedIn X (Twitter) WebsiteWhere to find Gianluca Fi