The Edward Show

E888: Stop making service area pages you'll never rank for. We break down one of the most common local SEO mistakes new businesses make - trying to rank in cities they don't have topical authority for. From Darren Shaw (founder of Whitespark and one of the top local SEO experts in the world) said it best, "If you want to rank 50 miles away, you need a new location." Not more pages. Not more blog posts. A verified Google Business Profile in that city with a real, verified location. You'll learn: - Why service area pages for far-away cities never rank for new businesses - What to focus on first - How to expand your local radius the right way - The right time to open additional locations + Google Business Profiles - How to structure your homepage when you serve multiple cities - Why topical authority is becoming more important than ever - What happens when you update your GBP (hint: massive crawling) If you've been trying to rank beyond your area with "Plumber Miami" - type pages while based in Dallas… this episode will save you months of wasted effort. ⭐️ Darren Shaw's local SEO episode - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1awWMG1e5kY 💎 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 Common SEO Mistakes 00:27 Expert Insights from Darren Shaw 02:13 Effective Local SEO Strategies 02:53 Expanding Your Business Reach 04:29 Case Study: Success with SEO 06:34 Conclusion and Final Thoughts 07:08 Closing Remarks The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #localseo #searchengineoptimization #googlebusinessprofile #digitalmarketing

Discover the emerging concept of parasite properties that brands leverage for SEO success. These advantages come from using trusted platforms to enhance search rankings without traditional methods. Learn how social proof and user-generated content shape buyer decisions while AI-driven search becomes crucial. Hear real-world examples from major sites and understand the distinctions between ethical and more dubious practices. Get strategies for building long-lasting SEO assets, with 2026 set to be a pivotal year for this innovative tactic.

Discover the intriguing world of link echoes in SEO, where removed backlinks surprisingly continue to influence rankings. An eye-opening Moz experiment reveals that rankings can remain stable even after links disappear. Rand Fishkin’s tests support this finding, showing lasting valor in quality backlinks. Learn why good links are invaluable long-term assets, while bad ones can leave detrimental footprints. The discussion prompts a fresh perspective on link-building strategies, emphasizing the importance of natural, high-quality backlinks.

Discover how self-promotional 'Best X' lists dominate ChatGPT traffic, making up 43.8% of its citations. Learn why fresh updates significantly increase visibility and how topical authority can surpass traditional domain authority. E-commerce sites are advised to enrich product pages and publish comparison lists to boost AI mentions. The positioning of key content also plays a vital role in LLM recommendations. Finally, find out how celebrating company achievements can enhance your visibility in AI outputs.

Ivan Palii, Head of Product at Sitechecker and an SEO expert, shares groundbreaking insights into the future of SEO. He reveals the power of listicle self-plugs in 2025 and how Medium is thriving without backlinks. Ivan discusses clever tactics for leveraging Reddit and the astonishing results of his $20K LinkedIn influencer experiment. He highlights how AI treats citations and the importance of user engagement in rankings. Get ready for savvy predictions on SEO trends for 2026 and actionable strategies to boost visibility in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

Discover the alarming ease of AI poisoning, where just 250 malicious documents can wreak havoc on your brand. Learn how black-hat SEO tactics are making a comeback, turning AI into a playground for manipulators. Explore the impact of skewed comparisons and hallucinated responses on brand perception. Edward highlights the importance of proactive monitoring, recommending practical tools for early detection. Stay ahead by utilizing comparison tables and long-tail queries to maintain your brand's integrity amid these emerging threats.

Discover how to influence AI language models by leveraging structured comparison tables. Learn why LLMs prioritize these tables and where to publish them for maximum visibility. Find out how to use this tactic to control your brand narrative against competitors effectively. Edward shares insights on enhancing SEO and conversion rates while emphasizing the importance of consistency across platforms. Unlock the potential of long-tail keywords to make your brand the definitive source of truth online!

Darren Shaw, founder of Whitespark and local SEO expert, dives into the essential strategies for optimizing Google Business Profiles. He discusses the newly released 2026 Local Search Ranking Factors report, highlighting critical ranking signals and effective review strategies. Darren explains why primary categories are paramount and the impact of review recency. He also tackles common local SEO myths and shares hacks for boosting rankings through driving directions and authentic content. Whether you're a seasoned marketer or a local business, Darren delivers invaluable insights to enhance your online visibility.

E880: Does adding GPS coordinates to your photos actually boost your Google Business Profile rankings? For years, SEOs have debated whether geotagging image EXIF data helps with local SEO. Some claim it improves visibility in local map results, while others argue it's a waste of time. We dive into a controlled 10-week study across 27 local business locations, where all other SEO efforts were paused just to isolate the effects of geotagging. Each week, two images per business were uploaded with different town coordinates embedded. The study tracked performance across seven ranking metrics - covering both "near me" and city-based queries - to determine if Google uses that image metadata as a ranking signal. The results? Surprising. While geotagged images showed minor improvements for "near me" searches in very specific areas, rankings actually dropped for searches that included the target city name. For most businesses, the impact was neutral or negative. Here's what we cover: - Does EXIF geotagging actually affect local rankings? - Why "near me" queries showed slight gains - but city + service searches declined - How adding targeted coordinates hurt broader service area visibility - Risks of flooding profiles with low-quality, SEO-only images - Why some agencies are dropping geotagging altogether - What local SEO tactics actually make a difference in 2025 ⭐️ Source: https://searchengineland.com/geotagging-photos-google-business-profile-rank-453525 💎 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: Does Geotagging Photos Affect SEO? 00:07 Study Overview: Geotagging and Google Business Profile Rank 00:35 Near Me vs. City-Based Rankings 01:20 Skepticism and Previous Tests 03:18 The 10-Week Study: Methodology 05:05 Findings: Impact of Geotagging 07:17 Conclusion: Should You Geotag? 08:34 Final Thoughts and Upcoming Episodes The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #localseo #googlebusinessprofileoptimization #searchengineoptimization #geotaggingseo

Discover the pitfalls of shortcut SEO tactics, including AI spam and link schemes, that may offer quick wins but lead to downfall. Hear about the 2012 Penguin update, which obliterated sites relying on shady practices. Learn why you can't outsmart Google's detection teams and the importance of sustainable, white-hat strategies. Edward emphasizes the power of focusing on one goal for a decade and offers real-world examples, like Julian Goldie's experience with AI-generated penalties. Shift your strategy from flashy traffic to targeting buyers for long-term success!