Recorded live in the studio pod at Ripple Festival, this episode brings together three of the event's speakers for a candid debrief. Dante St James (AI & LinkedIn strategist), Janine Staunton (website designer & strategist), and Renee Mariette (SEO & AI specialist) unpack what they said on stage, what they wish they'd said, and what made Ripple a different kind of event. Along the way, they get into the real numbers behind SEO, why your website matters more than your Instagram feed, and why the most powerful thing you can do online is just be yourself. What You'll Learn Why your website is your most powerful marketing asset — and what most people get wrong about it The SEO stats that will change how you think about organic vs paid search How to nail the 'above the fold' section of your homepage in 7 seconds or less Why Dante built a huge audience on LinkedIn by being the opposite of polished What 'SEO is an evolution, not a revolution' means for your content strategy right now Why in-person events and networking can outperform social media for business growth What Purpose, Profit, and Possibility actually means when you're building a business Key Insights Your Website Over Your Instagram All three guests agreed: small business owners pour energy into social media while neglecting the one asset they actually own. Janine pointed out that many clients come to her with a website that hasn't changed in three years — and then wonder why nothing is happening. The fix isn't always a full rebuild. It's consistent, strategic evolution. "Social media gets a lot of time, effort and energy from business owners, and your website is actually probably more important." The SEO Numbers That Matter Renee broke down why organic search beats paid every time — when done right: Paid ads (even above AI overviews): ~2.5–2.7% click-through rate Top organic SEO position: 65–75% click-through rate Anywhere on page one: ~30% click-through rate Page two of Google: effectively invisible People trust Google search results about as much as a personal recommendation from a friend — roughly 80%. That's the power of earning your ranking rather than buying it. The 7-Second Homepage Test Visitors decide whether to stay or leave within seven seconds. Janine's advice: check your homepage above the fold right now. Does it immediately answer who you are, what you do, who you do it for, and why you? If it's full of vague, fluffy language — 'elevate your whatever' — you're losing people before they've had a chance to become clients. "The more specific you can be, the better. Otherwise people are just clicking away." Authenticity as a Strategy Dante's keynote was about AI, but the conversation quickly turned to something more human: why we perform perfection online, and why it doesn't work. His take is that we're wired for it — from school exams to polished LinkedIn profiles, we've been trained to show our wins and hide our stumbles. "I've been able to build an audience just by being completely me — my stupid, quirky ADHD, messing up, constantly failing, getting back up and trying again." The content that stops the scroll isn't the Lamborghini or the perfect family. It's the moment someone decides to be real. SEO in the Age of AI Renee's message: don't panic. AI has changed some of the tactics, but not the fundamentals. Google and the major LLMs all follow the same basic principle — find and surface the most helpful content for a given query. Chunked content, front-loaded keywords, questions answered directly, benefits over features. The basics still win. "SEO is an evolution, not a revolution. The fundamentals are the same. We're still writing for the audience, still creating helpful content." Pick the Platform That Suits You Every successful person will tell you their platform is the one. But as the guests discussed, the real answer is: pick what works for your energy and your audience. Janine has built a nearly 10-year business without social media — through events, networking, and one-to-one relationships. Dante uses LinkedIn as an awareness engine that feeds his email list and workshops. There is no one right answer. About the Guests Dante St James Dante is an AI strategist, LinkedIn educator, keynote speaker, and business owner based in Darwin. He owns menswear stores, barbershops, and a suite of online programs — all built from a singular purpose: the belief that business can change the world. He's known for his blunt, authentic approach to LinkedIn and for building a loyal audience by showing the messy, real side of entrepreneurship. Find Dante: LinkedIn — search 'Dante St James' Janine Staunton Janine is a website strategist and designer with nearly 10 years in business. She works with small business owners to build websites that are strategically designed to convert — not just look good. She's neurodivergent (autistic ADHD), and brings that pattern-recognising brain to every website audit and design project. She's built her business almost entirely without social media. Find Janine: lemoncrush.com.au Renee Mariette Renee is an SEO and AI specialist who helps businesses develop search strategies and content that brings the right people to their website. She keeps a close eye on how AI is reshaping search — and translates the technical complexity into plain-English strategy for her clients. She and Janine also collaborate on a combined SEO audit and website performance service. Find Renee: makewordswork.com.au Resources Mentioned Ripple Festival — ripplefestival.au Podcast Services Australia — podcastservices.com.au Janine's website headline formula (DM or email Janine via lemoncrush.com.au) Ripple Special: SEO Audit & Website Performance Review — visit lemoncrush.com.au makewordswork.com.au — Renee's services and joint offering with Janine Connect & Subscribe Enjoyed this episode? Here's what to do next: Subscribe so you never miss an episode of Ripple Backstage Leave a review — it helps more people find the show Share this episode with a fellow small business owner who needs to hear the SEO stats Tickets for the next Ripple event: ripplefestival.au Ripple Backstage is produced by Podcast Services Australia.
