BuzzStream Digital PR and Link Building Podcast

BuzzStream
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Join host Vince Nero as he interviews link building, SEO, and digital PR experts to bring you tips and tricks for better coverage and rankings.

  1. The Secret to Building Links That Impact Revenue from Garrett French

    1D AGO

    The Secret to Building Links That Impact Revenue from Garrett French

    Garrett French has been in the SEO game for 25+ years and is the founder of Citation Labs, Zip Sprout, and Xofu. In this episode, Garrett breaks down why chasing links and vanity metrics is a losing game — and what to do instead. We dig into citable elements on product pages, link impact reporting , and how AI is changing the way we think about content and citations. If you're an SEO, link builder, or agency owner trying to prove ROI and keep your clients (and your job), this one's for you. ⏰ Chapters: 00:00 – Intro 02:26 – What are citable elements? 07:23 – Decisioning efficiency 11:16 – Friction-inducing, latent, unasked questions 15:29 – Does traditional keyword research still have a place? 18:29 – How customer research feeds your link building and PR strategy 25:38 – Why Garrett started tracking link impact 30:08 – AI overviews, LLMs, and what's actually changing 33:51 – What "helpful content" actually means — and why it's scary 43:55 – Where to find Garrett: Citation Labs, Zip Sprout, and Xofu 🔗Links: Citation Labs: citationlabs.comZip Sprout: zipsprout.comXofu: xofu.comGarrett on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/garrettfrenchFull episode: https://www.buzzstream.com/blog/bottom-line-link-building-podcast/

    45 min
  2. Why You Don't Need to Panic About AI Citations

    MAR 31

    Why You Don't Need to Panic About AI Citations

    LLM source data is shifting fast — and if you've been watching the studies, you might be wondering if your entire digital PR strategy needs a rethink. Spoiler: it doesn't. In this episode, Vince sits down with content and growth manager with Semrush, Amanda Milligan, (founder of Brand Authority Club, formerly of Fractl, Stacker, and iPull Rank) to break down what's actually happening with LLM citations, why the volatility shouldn't send you into panic mode, and what digital PR professionals should really be focused on right now. Whether you're deep in digital PR or just trying to figure out how AI fits into your marketing strategy, this one is worth a listen. ⏰ Timestamps 0:00 – Intro 1:53 – The LLM sources study that sparked the panic 3:01 – Why you shouldn't overhaul your strategy 6:20 – The problem with chasing Reddit citations 9:20 – Why LLMs are giving PR people more buy-in for niche placements 12:42 – Knowledge base vs. retrieval layer explained 16:45 – Why brand mentions are finally winning the argument 21:22 – Start with brand messaging before anything else 28:25 – What "Citation Core" means for your niche 30:44 – The bigger opportunity for PR and social 🔗 Links and Resources mentioned: https://www.buzzstream.com/blog/llm-volatility-strategy-podcast/brandauthority.clubhttps://backlinko.com/llm-sourceshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/amandamilligan/https://www.buzzstream.com/listiq

    34 min
  3. How to Show Up in AI News Citations: Expert Roundtable Discussion

    MAR 25 ·  BONUS

    How to Show Up in AI News Citations: Expert Roundtable Discussion

    This panel discussion explores the impact of AI on digital PR, citations, and brand visibility. Agency experts Beth Nunnington, Will Hobson, and Kelsey Libert share insights on how AI influences media coverage, their citation strategies, and the future of brand authority across platforms. ⏰ Chapters 00:00 Intro 00:10 The Rise of AI in Digital PR 09:58 Industry Insights: The Impact of Content Freshness 17:28 Storytelling in the Age of AI 21:20 Understanding Citations: Earned vs. Owned 22:23 The Role of Syndication in Digital PR 25:05 Syndication Networks vs. Earned Distribution 27:57 Quality vs. Quantity in Syndication 33:03 Leveraging Social Media in PR Strategies 39:31 Building Brand Authority Across Platforms 42:39 Debunking Myths: AI Partnerships and Citations 44:49 Strategies for Brands to Show Up in AI 50:19 Sustainable Practices in AI Citations 51:43 Tools for Tracking AI Visibility 🔗 Resources and Sites Main study - https://www.buzzstream.com/blog/news-publications-ai-citations/BuzzStream - https://buzzstream.comFractl - https://frac.tlRise At Seven - https://riseatseven.comJourney Further - https://journeyfurther.comCitation Labs - https://citationlabs.comSparkToro - https://sparktoro.comAhrefs - https://ahrefs.comSEMrush - https://semrush.comSimilarWeb - https://similarweb.com 😀 Connect with our guests: Kelsey - https://linkedin.com/in/kelsey-libertBeth - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethenynunningtonWill - https://www.linkedin.com/in/hobsonwilliam/

    56 min
  4. Mastering Media Pitches: Secrets from a Journalist and PR Pro

    MAR 25

    Mastering Media Pitches: Secrets from a Journalist and PR Pro

    In this insightful interview, journalist and PR expert Joni Sweet shares her unique perspective on pitching stories, building relationships with journalists, and navigating the modern media landscape. Discover practical tips for crafting compelling pitches, understanding editorial calendars, and leveraging data to increase media coverage. ⏰ Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:42 A Day in the Life of a Freelance Journalist 08:41 The Art of Pitching: Insights for PR Professionals 11:28 Understanding Editorial Calendars and Trends 16:09 Quality vs. Quantity in PR Coverage 22:48 Impact of Coverage: Quality vs. Quantity 26:05 Aligning PR Strategies with Client Objectives 27:19 Building Relationships with Journalists 31:20 The Challenge of Fake Experts 34:26 Quick Questions 37:35 Pitch Fix Live Workshop Announcement 🔗 Links Joni Sweet Website - https://jonimsweet.comJoni SweetSubstack Newsletter - https://jonisweet.substack.comList IQ Media List Builder - https://buzzstream.com/listiq

    40 min
  5. PR from Scratch for an App with Hily's Tori Khutorna

    MAR 18

    PR from Scratch for an App with Hily's Tori Khutorna

    What do you do when you have a brand new app and nothing "newsworthy" to pitch? You build the story yourself. In this episode, Vince sits down with Tori Khutorna, PR Manager at Hily. Tori breaks down how she thinks about creating stories from scratch, finding the emotional hook, nailing the timing, and getting coverage even when your product isn't making headlines on its own. If you're doing PR for an app — or any brand in a crowded market — this one's for you. ⏱ Timestamps 0:00 — Intro 5:06 — Why founders think everything is newsworthy (and how to handle it) 8:41 — How to create news when you don't have any 13:09 — How to get product teams on board with PR-driven features 16:08 — Why timing and emotional hooks make or break a pitch 21:34 — Does every pitch need a "why now?" 28:51 — Aligning every PR story to your company's mission 29:50 — The Trejo's Donuts collab and how to find the right brand partners 33:22 — Where to find Tori and wrap-up--📩 Connect with Tori on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/viktoriia-khutorna-tori-torn-23998919b/🌐 Check out Hily: https://www.hily.com 🔗 Check out List IQ: ⁠https://www.buzzstream.com/listiq/

    35 min
  6. From Pickle Chocolate Shakes to Fake Athletes: Inside Creative PR Campaigns

    MAR 11

    From Pickle Chocolate Shakes to Fake Athletes: Inside Creative PR Campaigns

    What separates a forgettable digital PR campaign from one that actually gets coverage, links, and results? In this episode, Vince sits down with Katy Powell — PR director and co-founder of Bottled Imagination — to talk about what it really takes to build creative campaigns that stand out. They get into everything: how to stress-test ideas before you pitch them, why you should be thinking more like an ad agency, how to mitigate risk when going big, and what "So What Reporting" actually means for your clients. Plus, Katy shares the stories behind two standout campaigns — a fake footballer designed to raise gambling awareness, and a very unusual protein shake flavor event involving pickles and chocolate. If you're in digital PR and feel like you've been stuck doing the same thing over and over, this one's for you. ⏰ Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction 02:26 – What makes Bottled Imagination so creative? 06:02 – How to stress-test a campaign idea 08:27 – What actually makes an idea press-worthy? 13:38 – The ProteinWorks pickle & chocolate campaign 18:04 – Overcoming data and execution challenges 21:43 – Getting the data you need (and the AI trap to avoid) 29:11 – The Jordan Rees fake footballer campaign 33:03 – How to measure creative campaigns beyond just links 35:54 – "So What Reporting" explained 🔗 Links and resources Full post: https://www.buzzstream.com/blog/creative-digital-pr-podcast/Bottled Imagination: https://bottledimagination.comConnect with Katie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-powell-333717127/Try ListIQ (media list building tool): https://www.buzzstream.com/listiq/BuzzStream: https://buzzstream.com---💬 Have a question about creative digital PR? Drop it in the comments! 👍 If you found this useful, like and subscribe for more episodes on digital PR, link building, and content strategy.

    36 min
  7. How to Get Your Brand Cited by AI with Bernard Huang

    MAR 4

    How to Get Your Brand Cited by AI with Bernard Huang

    Getting your brand mentioned in AI answers isn't luck — it's a strategy. In this episode, Vince sits down with Bernard Huang, founder of ClearScope, to break down exactly how AI models like ChatGPT and Gemini decide what brands to recommend, and what you can do about it. They cover the three layers of how AI generates a response, why links are becoming less important than co-mentions, how digital PR fits into the AEO playbook, and what "topical authority" actually means in a world where AI answers questions before anyone clicks through. If you're in SEO, digital PR, or content marketing, this one's worth a watch. --- ⏱ Timestamps 00:00 — Intro 03:07 — Training data vs. real-time grounding: what's the difference? 03:45 — The 3 layers of how AI generates a response 09:08 — Do you need on-site content, or can off-page do the job? 12:13 — Is informational content still worth making? 17:10 — Chunking, character budgets, and content depth 20:00 — Two schools of thought: cosine similarity vs. information gain 23:35 — How digital PR and entity mentions work for AEO 28:31 — Real-world example: reactive PR and the halo effect 33:01 — How to track digital PR success for AI visibility --- 🔗 Links - ClearScope: https://www.clearscope.io/ - BuzzStream List IQ: https://www.buzzstream.com/listiq - Full post: https://www.buzzstream.com/blog/ai-brand-playbook-podcast/ - Bernard Huang on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernardjhuang/ Subscribe for more episodes on digital PR, SEO, and content strategy.

    43 min
  8. The Reddit Strategy That's Winning in 2026

    FEB 25

    The Reddit Strategy That's Winning in 2026

    Reddit has quietly become one of the most powerful platforms for brand visibility — and most marketers are doing it wrong. In this episode, Ross Simmonds (founder of Foundation Marketing and author of Create Once, Distribute Forever) breaks down exactly how brands should be showing up on Reddit in 2026 — from reputation management to influencing AI-generated search results. We cover: ✅ Why Reddit is now critical for LLM visibility (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews) ✅ How to audit and monitor the subreddits that actually matter for your brand ✅ The right way to build karma and credibility before posting ✅ Why comments matter more than upvotes when it comes to AI citations ✅ The black hat tactics that will get your brand permanently banned ✅ How to measure Reddit's impact on pipeline and revenue Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro 2:35 – How Reddit is different from other social platforms 6:21 – The 3 types of marketers approaching Reddit right now 9:31 – Reputation management: how to handle negative Reddit threads 16:18 – Building karma and credibility before posting 26:43 – Which subreddits Google actually associates with your category 29:42 – Black hat tactics and why they backfire 35:33 – Measuring attribution and ROI from Reddit 🔔 Subscribe for more marketing strategy, PR, and outreach tips from the BuzzStream podcast. 📖 Ross's book Create Once, Distribute Forever: https://www.amazon.com/Create-Once-Distribute-Forever-Creators/dp/1544541295 🌐 Foundation Marketing: https://foundationinc.co/ 🎙️ Previous episode with Ross: https://www.buzzstream.com/blog/content-distribution-podcast/ 🔗 BuzzStream: https://www.buzzstream.com/ 📋 List IQ: https://www.buzzstream.com/listiq/

    44 min
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Join host Vince Nero as he interviews link building, SEO, and digital PR experts to bring you tips and tricks for better coverage and rankings.

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