The Unscripted SEO Interview Podcast

Jeremy Rivera
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Hosted by Jeremy Rivera: A 17 year career expert in the SEO industry and his cohost Keith Bresee. Get insights, action items and anecdotes from experts like Lilyray, Kevin Indig, Rand Fishkin, Matt Mellinger and more in the SEO industry, who are not only well-respected, but have really interesting stories to share. 100% unscripted, 100% unrehearsed, 100% unedited, and 100% real. Guaranteed to provide those golden nugget lightbulb moments.

  1. 1 DAY AGO

    Why Most Freelancers Fail at Scaling

    Explore practical frameworks and insights for agency owners and freelancers to scale sustainably, improve systems, and align their mindset with success. Colby Wegter shares actionable strategies from his experience helping six-figure agencies reach seven figures while working fewer hours. Key topics: The importance of self-scale and personal boundaries for agency growth Using calendar curation and visual tools to increase productivity The "Automate, Delegate, Eliminate" approach for task management Shifting from hourly pricing to value-based models Communication strategies that manage client expectations effectively The role of identity, energy, and trust in long-term client relationships Navigating SEO complexities through people-first systems Building a long-term agency mindset beyond technical skills Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction and Colby Wegter's background in digital marketing 00:35 - The challenges of running an agency and initial problem areas 01:05 - Framework: Starting with personal time and self-scale 01:42 - The dangers of overworking and mental health stories 02:20 - Creating systems for founders to foster work-life balance 02:56 - Identifying core fears driving unhealthy behaviors 03:44 - Calendar curation and visual management for productivity 04:28 - Reducing low-leverage activities using color-coded calendars 05:13 - Applying simple systems: automation, elimination, delegation 05:52 - The importance of data and opportunity filtering in agency work 06:46 - The mindset shift toward prioritizing joy and results in tasks 07:08 - Porting concepts from agency to freelancing and solopreneurship 07:58 - How SEOs can apply systematized processes effectively 08:48 - The 20% rule: investing in experimentation and efficiency 09:39 - Differentiating local SEO services in a competitive landscape 10:03 - Systems for managing overwhelmed solo entrepreneurs 10:53 - Warren Buffett’s advice on saying 'no' to focus on key opportunities 11:17 - Reducing feast-and-famine cycles in small agencies 11:50 - Declaring focus by narrowing service offerings and expertise 12:20 - The power of opportunity filtering and boundaries on service scope 13:12 - Moving away from hourly billing and towards productized, value-based pricing 13:47 - Communication of value: results over hours or tactics 14:35 - Selling transformation, not just deliverables 15:10 - Packaging multi-channel marketing plans at premium prices 16:01 - The importance of perpetual value in SEO projects 17:19 - Managing client expectations around long-term SEO results 18:46 - Content timelines, content efforts, and realistic SEO benchmarks 20:08 - Recognizing the inherent unpredictability and algorithm changes 21:09 - The importance of transparency, trust, and client education 22:44 - Building long-term client relationships through honesty about SEO’s nature 24:08 - The significance of ongoing communication, dashboards, and managing expectations 25:53 - The pyramid approach: levels from money, time, energy to identity 36:10 - Understanding client priorities and aligning your services accordingly 37:40 - Selling the identity and leadership transformation, not just SEO 39:16 - The power of empathy and client-centric messaging in growth 42:52 - Genuine client care as a foundation for long-term success 43:41 - Colby Wegter’s resources and how to connect with him Resources & Links: Colby Wegter on LinkedIn Colby Wegter on Instagram

    44 min

  2. 2 DAYS AGO

    Distribution Is the Only Remaining Moat When Execution Becomes Infinite — Nick Eubanks on What Survives the AI Era

    In this episode of the Unscripted Small Business Podcast, Jeremy Rivera sits down with Nick Eubanks — a 2007-vintage SEO who sold Traffic Think Tank to SEMrush, spent three years building their media program into an eight-figure-a-year operation, and is now Global CMO at Digistore24, the world's largest affiliate network with 950,000 vendors and 5 million users. This is a veteran-to-veteran conversation about what's actually changed in SEO, what hasn't, and where the defensible opportunities still live in a world where AI has commoditized execution. In This Episode Why Nick came out of retirement — the real story, and what buying two agencies in one week taught him about paying for experience Why this is the fifth time SEO has "died" — and why this one might actually stick The golden age of organic traffic (2010–2020) and why it's definitively over What the Helpful Content Update actually changed — entity graphs, distance-to-seed, brand signals in Search Console, and whether HCU was prep for AI Overviews Why podcasting is Jeremy's one-word answer for link building — and the strategy behind the SEO Arcade white-label podcast service How Digistore24's seller-of-record model handles VAT across 38 EU countries and tax nexus across all U.S. states so vendors can focus on selling Why affiliates are having a renaissance in the LLM era — and which social channels suddenly matter that didn't before The AI content workflow most agencies have completely backwards — and what the right order actually is (human brief → AI draft → human edit) Nick's "brand brain" concept — a layered AI pipeline: always-on brand entity → regional compliance → channel → persona, producing high-volume non-slop content at scale Why the pretense that agencies were doing high-quality content before AI is "a bit rich" "Distribution is the only remaining moat when execution becomes infinite" — and why expertise still creates some defensibility. Related: SEO Forecasting 101 The Will Smith spaghetti litmus test for AI video quality, and what weekly improvement looks like inside a Gen.AI video agency Nick's GLP-1 muscle protection app — built and deployed to the App Store in 12 hours on a Sunday Why the barrier to building has essentially collapsed — and the new class of makers coming because of it The SEO Arcade origin story — Jeremy's $500 Rand Fishkin pixel fighter wizard, and how the same idea can now be done in minutes with AI Key Quotes "Distribution is the only remaining moat when execution becomes infinite."— Nick Eubanks"The fast-forward button is very real. I'm so happy now to just pay for experience — things that I wish my younger version of my ego would have let me do."— Nick Eubanks"I think this is the fifth time SEO has died in my career. I do think this is actually the nail in the coffin for what SEO was originally conceived as."— Nick Eubanks Connect with Nick Digistore24 — the world's largest affiliate marketplace Nick Eubanks on Twitter/X Digistore24 on Twitter/X agencygrowthengine.org — free agency training resources Resources Mentioned SEO...

    40 min

  3. 29 APR

    Going International on SEO with Christina Spaulding

    Discover practical insights for expanding your business globally through international SEO, translation strategies, and regional localization, guided by expert Christina Spalding. Main topics: Christina's international experience and expertise in multilingual SEO The evolution of SEO strategies from 2009 to today, including AI influence Language models (LLMs) in foreign languages: accuracy, hallucinations, and verification Practical approaches for multilingual content, hreflang, and regional signals Localized links, country-specific domains, and user intent in global ranking strategies Market opportunities in Spanish and other language-specific regions Navigation of international platform nuances—server location, TLDs, and SEO efforts Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction to Christina Spalding and her international SEO background 02:12 - Evolution of SEO from 2009 to current AI-driven changes 03:36 - Impact of AI and low-quality content resurgence in SEO strategies 04:52 - How language models generate answers and their accuracy across languages 06:07 - Content volume differences across languages and implications for LLMs 07:23 - Tools like DeepL for deterministic translation and grammar refinement 08:45 - Handling context issues and verifying AI-generated content 09:36 - Using probabilistic vs. deterministic LLMs for international content 10:20 - Challenges and opportunities of SEO for exported products like handrails 11:32 - Market potentials for multilingual SEO in the US and beyond 12:58 - Keyword targeting and content creation in multiple languages 13:52 - Local demographics and visual cues for language localization 15:07 - Incorporating regional language and cultural nuances into SEO strategies 16:21 - Leveraging translation tools and native review for multilingual content 17:49 - The role and best practices for hreflang and regional signals 20:33 - Setting up hreflang, region tags, and backend configurations 22:43 - Impact of user language preference and translation accuracy on conversions 25:02 - Role of top-level domains (.de, .fr, etc.) and server location in international SEO 27:35 - Strategies for ranking in country-specific search engines like Baidu in China 30:56 - Cultural and legal considerations in international marketing and sales 33:17 - Opportunities in tourism and localized content for expat communities 36:47 - Conducting language audits and utilizing employee multilingual skills 38:33 - Connecting with Christina Spalding and further resources Resources & Links: Manzanita Marketing DeepL Translator Weglot translation plugin Baidu SEO insights Google hreflang documentation Connect with Christina Spalding: LinkedIn Instagram Facebook

    32 min

  4. 22 APR

    Small Business Marketing, Local SEO & the AI Frontier

    In this episode, Jeremy Rivera chats with Tom Malesic, founder of EZ Marketing, to explore effective digital marketing strategies tailored specifically for small businesses. Tom shares his insights on website importance, local SEO tactics, content creation, and the impact of AI on marketing.Key Topics: The foundational role of a high-quality, trust-building website Authenticity through real photos versus stock images Developing unique brand voice and avoiding mimicry of competitors Local SEO techniques, including local service pages and Google Map Pack optimization The importance of personalized content and FAQs for voice search How AI is revolutionizing content creation, video generation, and website development Managing geographic targeting and scaling marketing efforts based on budget The significance of continuous photo and video updates for local ranking The shift from traditional link building to mentions and citations Future outlook: AI advancements and their influence on small business marketing

    28 min

  5. 8 APR

    Julia Bocchese: Pinterest, AI Search & SEO for Small Businesses

    Julia Bocchese has spent nearly nine years helping small businesses in the creative and holistic space get found online — not through paid ads or social media grind, but through SEO, Pinterest strategy, and now AI search optimization. She also teaches SEO at the college level, which gives her a rare ability to break down the technical into the practical. In this conversation, Julia unpacks why Pinterest is one of the most underused traffic channels for small businesses, how to think about AI as a discovery platform, and what she actually looks at when a client hands her a site to fix. About Julia Bocchese Julia is the founder of Julia Renee Consulting, a Philadelphia-based consultancy serving creative and holistic small businesses — interior designers, photographers, midwives, therapists, and more. She offers SEO services, Pinterest strategy and management, blog and content optimization, and AI search (AEO) services. She also teaches SEO at the college level — without textbooks, because anything printed a year ago is already out of date. What We Cover Pinterest as a search engine: Why Julia treats Pinterest with the same keyword discipline as Google — and why most businesses are leaving long-lived traffic on the table by ignoring it. The longevity advantage: Julia has clients with pins from 2009 that still drive traffic. The math on why Pinterest content compounds while social posts expire. Unexpected Pinterest niches: A niche Olympic swim training company with zero Pinterest competition. A Swiss boarding school. Luxury yachts. Why the "I'm not visual enough" objection almost never holds. Video pins done right: Audio is muted by default. Talking-head videos underperform. What actually works — and how it differs completely from Instagram. The Pinterest-Google double dip: Julia regularly sees Pinterest boards and individual pins ranking in Google SERPs for the same keywords her clients are chasing organically. AI search optimization: Why the most important information needs to live at the top of the page, and why distributing FAQs throughout service pages outperforms a single standalone FAQ page. Link building for solopreneurs: How Julia helps small businesses find local placements that do double duty — links and direct audience exposure in one. Reporting without owning revenue: Why Julia reports on traffic quality and impressions rather than conversions she can't control. The biggest SEO trap right now: Writing for bots instead of the humans who are actually going to pay you. On-page quick wins: Julia's five-point checklist when she takes on a new site — including the location-in-the-footer problem she sees on almost every local business site. Conversation Highlights On why she teaches without textbooks: "I don't give my students textbooks. Anything printed a year ago is already out of date in SEO. The syllabus changes throughout the semester as new findings come out — the class can look totally different from one year to the next." On why Pinterest belongs in your strategy: "People aren't going to Pinterest to follow people. They're searching for information. That's why I focus on it alon...

    29 min

  6. 6 APR

    AI Visibility, Entity Engineering & the Podcast SEO Strategy No One's Using with Jason Wade of Ninja Ai

    What if the biggest SEO opportunity for most businesses isn't a new tool, a new tactic, or a new algorithm hack — it's simply showing up consistently and claiming your authority? In this episode of the Unscripted SEO Podcast, Jeremy Rivera sits down with Jason Wade, founder of Ninja AI and an expert in AI visibility architecture, GEO, and AEO. They go deep on what it actually means to engineer your entity, why most SEOs are still running 2015 playbooks, and why one podcast episode can outperform a year of blogging.  Here's Jason's recap of this Unscripted SEO episode What We Cover in This Episode What 'AI visibility' means and why GEO/AEO is really just visibility engineering Entity optimization: how AI systems recognize authority — and how you train them The content multiplication math: one podcast → 50 assets Why most businesses have never actually said what they do on their website How Google's core algorithm updates have punished hacking and rewarded authenticity The Office Space test: 'What would you say you do here?' — applied to your homepage Why Reddit and podcasts rank instantly compared to traditional SEO timelines E-E-A-T in practice: showing up, speaking up, and having others verify it   Best Quotes from This Episode “If a company can take that friction away and do the stuff they won't do — that's where the magic is.” — Jason Wade “One podcast could become 50 assets. One podcast.” — Jason Wade “You're training the system in the easiest way possible — by simply showing up.” — Jason Wade “Your content gap analysis should be: what are all the competitors missing that you can provide?” — Jeremy Rivera   Resources & Links Mentioned Guest: Jason Wade —    ninjaai.com | jasonwade.com | LinkedIn   Services: AI Visibility | GEO | AEO | AI SEO Strategies   Article: 25 Local SEO Tips — AI Upgrade   Host: Jeremy Rivera | SEO Arcade | Unscripted SEO Podcast More from SEO Arcade: Podcast-Based Link Building Service | Entity Optimization with Jason Barnard   Like what you heard? Subscribe, leave a review, and share with an SEO who needs to hear this. And if you want to explore how podcast-based SEO services could multiply your content and backlinks — schedule a call at SEOArcade.com.

    42 min

  7. 30 MAR

    Stephan Bajaio: SEO's Identity Crisis Is Entirely Our Own Fault

    Stephan Bajaio — CEO and co-founder of Vibe Logic, former co-founder of Conductor, and ex-CMO — joins Jeremy Rivera on the Unscripted SEO Podcast for one of the most candid conversations we've had about why the SEO industry keeps losing the narrative about itself — and what practitioners can actually do about it. Stephan built his career from the dot-com era through to co-founding one of the largest enterprise SEO platforms ever built. He's seen the industry from every angle — agency, platform, C-suite — and he doesn't pull punches about where we've gone wrong or how to fix it. What We Cover in This Episode Why the GEO / AIO naming debate is a symptom of a bigger identity problem — and why fixing it starts with SEOs, not executives What SEO actually is when you strip away the jargon: connecting organizational wisdom to the audience that needs it The lonely island problem — why even great SEOs fail when the content team, dev team, and CMO aren't aligned How conflicting KPIs create internal friction and a practical approach to working with — not against — the people who control execution Why the best keyword research is a conversation — Jeremy's concrete-wall installer example and how to build content from real expert interviews Content value beyond organic traffic — why reporting only on organic is leaving most of the story untold Vibe Logic's 'web presence intelligence' framework and the concept of being where decisions are formed, not just where they're made Why passion is the one trait in great SEOs you simply cannot teach

    55 min

  8. 25 MAR

    Schema, AI Search & Holistic SEO — With Brandon Leibowitz of SEO Optimizers

    In this episode of the Unscripted SEO Podcast, host Jeremy Rivera sits down with Brandon Leibowitz, founder of SEO Optimizers — a full-service digital marketing agency based in Los Angeles. With nearly two decades of experience in SEO, paid ads, social media, and coaching, Brandon shares his grounded, practitioner-level take on the AI search landscape and what actually moves the needle.   Topics Covered How AI-powered search surfaces (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Copilot) are — and aren’t — changing SEO workflow Why schema markup is the highest-leverage technical tactic for AI visibility The difference between informational and transactional AI search behavior A page-by-page schema architecture strategy for e-commerce and service sites How to use competitor schema analysis as a gap-finding tactic Why content + backlinks + technical SEO must all work together   Key Quotes “The AI overview is just a featured snippet — just a new way to rebrand it for Google. The old tactics, the old strategies already worked.” — Brandon Leibowitz   “The more touch points you have and more places people find you, the more likely they are to want your product or service in the future.” — Brandon Leibowitz   Resources Mentioned SEO Optimizers — Brandon’s agency Free Gift + Classes from Brandon Free Website SEO Analysis Google Search Console Ahrefs Brandon on LinkedIn Unscripted SEO Podcast Jeremy Rivera – About   Connect With Brandon Leibowitz Website: seooptimizers.com Free Gift: seooptimizers.com/gift LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/brandonleibowitz   About The Unscripted SEO Podcast The Unscripted SEO Podcast is hosted by Jeremy Rivera, SEO consultant and founder of SEO Arcade. Each episode features candid, unscripted conversations with leading SEO practitioners, agency founders, and digital marketing veterans.

    18 min
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About

Hosted by Jeremy Rivera: A 17 year career expert in the SEO industry and his cohost Keith Bresee. Get insights, action items and anecdotes from experts like Lilyray, Kevin Indig, Rand Fishkin, Matt Mellinger and more in the SEO industry, who are not only well-respected, but have really interesting stories to share. 100% unscripted, 100% unrehearsed, 100% unedited, and 100% real. Guaranteed to provide those golden nugget lightbulb moments.

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