The Edward Show

E898: I sit down with Derek, founder of NapLab, to break down how he built one of the strongest authority sites in a hyper-competitive affiliate niche - without gray-hat tactics, automation spam, or short-term SEO plays. NapLab ranks for over 103,000 keywords, earns hundreds of thousands of organic clicks per month, and consistently wins Google core updates in a space where most sites get wiped out. This is a deep, tactical conversation about long-term SEO, brand trust, content systems, information architecture, and link building that actually holds up over time. Topics covered: - How NapLab grew from early traction to dominating mattress SERPs - Why most affiliate review sites fail after Google updates - The exact content system NapLab uses (data-driven testing, long-form reviews, reuse loops) - How information architecture and subfolders were planned from day one - Why "best of" pages became NapLab's strongest traffic drivers - How NapLab approaches internal linking at scale - What changed after the March Google Core Algorithm Update - How brand searches and trust factor into modern rankings - Link building strategies that still work (and what NapLab avoids entirely) - Why disavowing bad links was the right call in one specific case - How NapLab thinks about LLMs, AI search, and future visibility - The role of transparency, disclosures, and user trust in SEO - Why slow, brick-by-brick SEO compounds while shortcuts collapse Who this episode is for: - SEO professionals building authority sites - Affiliate SEOs tired of volatility and churn-and-burn tactics - Founders who want durable organic traffic, not spikes - Anyone trying to survive (and win) Google core updates ⭐️ Derek Hales on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dhales/ ⭐️ NapLab - https://naplab.com/ ⭐️ NapLab's Best Mattress List - https://naplab.com/best-mattress/ ⭐️ NapLab's Mattress Finder Quiz - https://naplab.com/mattress-quiz/ (answer a few questions, get a personalized recommendation back within 24 hours) ⭐️ NapLab's Mattress Comparison Tool - https://naplab.com/mattress-comparisons/ (filter, sort, and compare all mattresses they've tested to date in a single place) 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 NapLab's Insane SEO Success 01:08 Derek's Journey into SEO 03:04 Founding and Growing NapLab 06:20 SEO Strategies and Success 08:49 Challenges and Setbacks 11:06 NapLab's Content and Testing Process 25:47 Monetization and Transparency 31:22 Information Architecture and Best Practices 41:18 Ahrefs and Keyword Strategies 42:42 WordPress Plugins and Custom Code 45:21 The Importance of the Mattress Quiz 46:08 Team Growth and Roles 47:37 Social Media and Content Strategy 54:52 Link Building and SEO Tactics 01:14:42 AI and Automation in Content Creation 01:16:11 Conclusion and Final Thoughts The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #affiliateseo #blogging #marketingsuccess

Barry Schwartz, founder of Search Engine Roundtable, and David Quaid, SEO practitioner and founder at Primary Position, delve into SEO's evolution as we approach 2026. They discuss Google's AI-driven changes, the mysterious rise of Reddit in search results, and the challenges of link spamming. The duo emphasizes the importance of optimizing for users over AI, while debating the potential longevity of trendy tactics. They also explore the shifting measurement landscape in an AI-centric world and the skills SEOs will need to thrive in the future.

E896: I break down five practical moves that will make you a better marketer. These are things I personally do and use across my own sites, emails, and social channels. No theory. No motivation talk. Just tactics that actually move the needle. This is especially useful if you work in SEO, digital marketing, ecommerce, or content, but everything here applies broadly to anyone trying to grow traffic, trust, and conversions. What you'll learn: 🔥 The informational regex: ^(who|what|where|when|why|how|was|did|do|is|are|aren't|won't|does|if)[" "] 🔥 The ecommerce regex: ^(buy|order|purchase|get|best price|cheap|discount|deal|promo|offer|sale|where to buy|how much|cost of|price of)[" "] - How to use Google Search Console to find informational keywords your site is already showing up for - How to identify keywords ranking in positions 4 - 20 and turn them into traffic with simple on-page changes - When to expand an existing page vs creating a brand new page for a keyword - How adding a phone number to your site increases trust and conversions - How to add a phone number without exposing your real number or dealing with spam - Where to place a phone number on your site depending on your business model - How to find ecommerce and buyer-intent keywords using the same Google Search Console method - How to spot purchase-focused searches your site is already ranking for - How to improve Gmail open rates with a simple profile change almost no one is using - How to use a moving profile image or animated logo in Gmail - Why posting consistently on LinkedIn is one of the highest leverage marketing habits right now - How LinkedIn posts can rank on Google and drive compounding visibility - Why cross-posting the same content to LinkedIn, 𝕏, Facebook, and Threads works - Real examples of how fast impressions grow with consistent posting This is episode 896 of my daily digital marketing podcast. I've published an episode every single day for over two years, and everything I share here comes directly from what I'm testing and using in real time. 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Introduction: 5 Tips to Become a Better Marketer 00:03 Tip 1: Google Search Console for Informational Keywords 02:18 Tip 2: Using Phone Numbers to Boost Customer Trust and Engagement 05:32 Tip 3: Finding and Targeting E-commerce Keywords 06:35 Tip 4: Increasing Gmail Open Rates with Animated Icons 09:21 Tip 5: Growing Your Presence on LinkedIn 12:01 Conclusion and Bonus Tip Number 6 The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #digitalmarketing #ecommerce #marketingtactics

Discover why most bloggers get SEO wrong and learn a step-by-step approach to optimize your content with ChatGPT. Delve into how to analyze top-ranked posts, build effective outlines, and craft standout titles. Edward emphasizes the importance of adding personal experiences and real media to humanize AI-generated content. He shares insights on internal linking and why focusing on bottom-of-funnel SEO can yield better results. Tune in for practical tips that protect your brand and enhance your credibility!

Discover how click-through rate influences Google rankings far more than most realize. Dive into Rand Fishkin's experiments that dramatically shifted a page's position with just a few clicks. Learn why page titles and brand recognition play a crucial role in attracting clicks. Also explored is how Google measures user behavior, and the importance of adapting SEO strategies to these insights. Find practical takeaways to enhance your SEO game, from optimizing titles to leveraging virality.

David Quaid, an expert in SEO and founder of Primary Position, dives into the intricate workings of search engines. He explains the concept of Query Fan-Out and how it influences retrieval in LLMs. David debunks myths surrounding indexing, PageRank, and the misconceptions about CTR and dwell time as ranking factors. He discusses the differences in indexing between Google and Bing and offers strategies for content updates versus new pages. Plus, he shares valuable SEO tips for SaaS founders and solopreneurs, making this a must-listen for anyone in digital marketing.

A major Google update is shaking up SERPs, with significant changes in how traffic is distributed. YouTube is emerging as a clear winner, while AI-generated sites face increased scrutiny. Click-through rates are plummeting, and the disappearance of video thumbnails is raising eyebrows. Early community reactions suggest a shift in content priorities towards authenticity and immediate value. Edward shares insights on the future of Reddit and the importance of high-quality, engaging content in navigating these turbulent waters.

Join Tryggvi Rafn, an SEO and e-commerce expert, as he shares his incredible journey from losing his entire business to thriving with over 1,000 profitable sites. He spills the secrets of SEO that many ignore, highlighting the pitfalls of AI spam and link shortcuts. Discover the importance of buyer-intent SEO, the truth about content quality, and his strategies for successful e-commerce. Tryggvi also emphasizes the need for meaningful engagement metrics and the future of SEO in an AI-driven landscape.

E890: One of the most debated SEO tactics today: companies publishing "Best X in Y" listicles and ranking themselves #1. For years, this has been a common SEO strategy, but in 2025-2026 it has become far more powerful. These listicles are now being ingested by AI systems like ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude, and Grok, and are influencing the rankings these models generate. A single self-promotional page can now push a brand to the top across multiple AI platforms. This raises a major question for the industry: will Google allow this, or will these pages get devalued or penalized? Gagan Ghotra returns to discuss how Google will treat these listicles in the future, how AI models decide which brands to surface, and the role of reputation signals, UGC, reviews, achievements, and entity data. We also explore why AI Overviews may eventually replace listicle-style pages entirely, and how brands need to adapt their content strategies going into 2026. This is a deep conversation about the evolving relationship between SEO, AI search experiences, and brand authority. We cover technical SEO factors, ethical concerns, programmatic list creation, Google's knowledge graph, and how brands can influence AI through strategic content creation across the web. Topics discussed: - Why self-ranking "Best X for Y" listicles suddenly influence AI results - Whether this tactic is deceptive or simply smart SEO - How Google might detect and penalize manipulative listicle strategies - Why some sites get hit while others remain unaffected - How AI Overviews generate their own lists using entity and knowledge-graph data - Why achievements, awards, team announcements, and reviews now matter more - How user-generated content on platforms like Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and X can affect AI rankings - The rise of reputation-focused SEO copywriting - The impact of hidden content, accordions, and rendering issues on AI understanding - Trustpilot, marketplaces, and how programmatic SEO could change the landscape - How Google's future search experience may rely less on listicles and more on AI-generated recommendations - Why brands need to create public, verifiable content about their wins - The future of bottom-of-funnel content across both websites and social platforms ⭐️ Gagan Ghotra on 𝕏 - https://x.com/gaganghotra_ ⭐️ Gagan Ghotra on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gagan-ghotra/ ⭐️ Gagan Ghotra's website - https://gaganghotra.com/ 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Introduction to Blog Listicles 00:34 The Ethics of Self-Promotion in SEO 01:14 Historical Context of SEO Tactics 01:53 The Impact of Blog Listicles on Search Rankings 04:11 Debate on the Future of Self-Promotional Pages 11:03 The Role of User-Generated Content in SEO 12:24 AI Overviews and Their Influence on Rankings 16:30 Strategies for Influencing AI Rankings 23:09 Google's Future in AI-Generated Rankings 23:34 Google's New Recommendation System 24:46 AI Mode and Business Profiles 26:25 SEO Copywriting Trends for 2026 30:05 Importance of Reputation Management in SEO 31:14 Creating Effective Best-of Lists 33:22 Trustpilot's Missed Opportunities 35:04 Programmatic SEO and AI 36:25 Challenges and Solutions in Programmatic Content 37:55 The Future of Content and SEO 40:53 Conclusion and Final Thoughts The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #answerengineoptimization #generativeengineoptimization #digitalmarketing

Gagan Ghotra, an Image SEO and technical SEO specialist, returns to discuss the explosive growth of visual search and the intricacies of AI-generated alt text. He explains how Google interprets images and stresses the importance of good alt text, sharing tips on using Gemini for scalable automation. Gagan highlights common pitfalls that can hurt rankings and warns against relying on AI-generated product images. Discover how to optimize your visual content effectively and prepare for the imminent wave of visual search!