The Edward Show

Edward Sturm
  • 4.8 (5)
  • MARKETING
  • UPDATED DAILY

Founder and go-to-market stories from the lens of a world-class marketer.

  1. 6H AGO

    Link Building in 2025: First 10 Links, Linkable Assets & HCU Wins (w/ Cyrus Shepard)

    E807: The link game has changed. Cyrus Shepard breaks down how to get your first 10 backlinks fast, build linkable assets that earn links on autopilot, and recover (for real) after Google’s Helpful Content Update - plus why personal experience now beats keyword stuffing. What you’ll learn - The “first 10 links” playbook: friends, partners, Chamber of Commerce, directories, press releases (just enough to get indexed) - Linkable assets that actually attract links in 2025: original data studies, lightweight tools/web apps, and smart launch tactics - Outreach vs. earning: why inserting links is low-ROI and how to make assets that get cited repeatedly - HCU recovery: business models Google favors, the power of experience-first content, and realistic recovery benchmarks - AI Overviews & SEO: falling CTRs, why video/podcasts are rising, and how transcripts feed LLM citations - On-page moves that move the needle: title tag tweaks (the “free” story), hub/category page upgrades, mobile-first UX - Internal linking (de-optimize!): fewer global nav links, less exact match anchors, more focus on what’s genuinely useful - Content refresh strategy: when to update dates, what to change, and how refresh cadence helps - Tech pitfalls & quick crawls: robots.txt gotchas, homepage linking to “nudge” Google, and GSC Crawl Stats - Tools talk: Moz vs Ahrefs, keyword history, on-page change history, SERP analysis, and brand/authority signals ⭐️ Cyrus Shepard on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cyrusshepard/ ⭐️ Cyrus Shepard on 𝕏 - https://x.com/CyrusShepard ⭐️ Cyrus Shepard on Threads - https://www.threads.com/@cyrusshepard ⭐️ Cyrus Shepard’s agency - https://zyppy.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 Foundational Links for New Websites 03:16 Unique Research and Data as Linkable Assets 05:02 SEO Tools and Their Impact 10:06 Competitor Analysis and Keyword Strategy 16:38 Personal Experience in SEO Content 28:15 Mobile-First Approach and Quality Raters’ Insights 34:20 Google Search Console's Crawl Stats 34:49 Strategies for Getting Google to Crawl Your Links 35:11 Effective Use of Sitemaps and URL Structures 36:00 Tips for Newbie SEOs 36:25 The Importance of Homepage Links 37:23 Utilizing Hub Pages and Category Pages 38:57 Content is King: Myth or Reality? 39:54 The Cyrus Shepard Method of SEO 40:52 Content Refresh Strategies 43:09 Recovering from Google's Helpful Content Update 46:32 Overcomplicating SEO: Common Pitfalls 51:33 The Power of Social Sharing for SEO 54:31 Linkable Assets: A Game-Changer for SEO 01:02:11 Final Thoughts and Practical Advice The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #linkbuilding #backlinks #seotips #searchengineoptimization

    1h 6m

  2. 1D AGO

    Schema Is Useless for LLMs: The SEO Lie That’s Finally Exposed

    E806: Since the release of ChatGPT, SEO influencers and agencies have been pushing the idea that schema is essential for LLMs - and as it turns out, this is a complete lie. I break down the viral studies proving that structured data does not help with AI Search visibility, and why agencies charging thousands for “schema for LLMs” are selling snake oil. You’ll hear: - The evidence showing ChatGPT and Gemini ignore schema during tokenization - Why structured data gets destroyed in LLM training - What to focus on instead if you actually want visibility in AI search - Easy, actionable steps to get mentioned more often by AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude Stop wasting time (and money) on schema hype. Learn the strategies that actually drive visibility and sales in the age of AI search. ⭐️ Structured Data Does Not Help With Visibility In AI Search - https://www.seroundtable.com/structured-data-schema-ai-search-visibility-40099.html ⭐️ Visual explanation showing ChatGPT destroying schema - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/markseo_seo-activity-7363511170965630984-OZtu/ ⭐️ Schema LLMs experiment - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/julio-guevara_this-is-just-wrong-i-have-seen-this-advice-activity-7371443709680185345-Zpci/ ⭐️ Hidden Text Experiment showing - https://www.searchpilot.com/resources/case-studies/seo-split-test-lessons-bringing-content-out-of-tabs ⭐️ Hidden Text Experiment from SEO Experiments - https://seosherpa.com/seo-experiments/ 💎 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 Controversial Stand on Schema and LLMs 01:13 SEO Community Reactions and Studies 02:02 Understanding LLMs, Tokenization, and Schema 05:23 Practical SEO Tips for AI Visibility 08:33 Final Thoughts The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #generativeengineoptimization #searchengineoptimization #seotips #digitalmarketing

    9 min

  3. 2D AGO

    SEO Isn’t Dead - It’s Just Your Rankings Collapsed

    E805: A co-founder of a billion-dollar content marketing company and CRM went on a huge business podcast and blamed AI for their traffic collapse. But the truth is simple: they lost rankings, and fewer clicks followed. I dive into the reality behind the latest “SEO is dead” claims. Everyone loves to blame AI, ChatGPT, and Google’s new AI Overviews for falling organic traffic, but the data tells a different story. This company once peaked at 24 million monthly clicks from Google and ranked for 5.5 million keywords - today, they’re down to 4 million clicks and 2.3 million keywords. That’s not AI killing SEO, that’s rankings dropping. We’ll break down: - Why SEO is not dead in 2025 (it’s actually at peak interest according to Google Trends). - How keyword rankings directly drive clicks and why losing top 3 positions kills traffic. - The myth that AI tools are stealing all search traffic. - Why anyone can fact-check SEO performance with free tools like Semrush. If you’ve ever heard that “SEO is dead” or that “AI killed search,” this episode will set the record straight. Search is alive and still the most powerful digital marketing channel when done right. 👉 Subscribe for daily SEO insights, digital marketing strategies, and unfiltered takes on what’s really happening in the world of search. 💎 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 and Rant Setup 00:23 The Controversial Claim: SEO is Dead 00:37 Analyzing the Data: Traffic and Keywords 01:05 The Blame on AI: A Misrepresentation 02:43 Debunking the Myth: SEO is Alive and Well 03:08 Personal Take and Conclusion 04:03 Final Thoughts and Sign-Off The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #digitalmarketing #seotips #marketingstrategy

    5 min

  4. 3D AGO

    Local SEO in 2025: What Actually Works (w/ Joy Hawkins)

    E804: Local SEO is changing fast in 2025 - AI Overviews, reviews, hours, link building, service area pages… what actually works right now? Joy Hawkins, founder of Sterling Sky and one of the leading experts in local SEO, joins the podcast! We cover: - How AI Overviews are influencing local rankings - The #1 local SEO mistake most businesses make (and how to fix it) - Reviews, recency, and why “open hours” can make or break your rankings - Multi-location SEO done right (without doorway pages) - Press releases, expired domains, and other link building tests - White-hat vs. shortcuts: what really lasts long term If you run a local business or do SEO for clients, this episode is packed with practical strategies you can put to work immediately. ⭐️ Joy’s Agency - Sterling Sky: www.sterlingsky.ca ⭐️ Joy’s YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/SterlingSkyInc ⭐️ Joy’s LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joyhawkins/ ⭐️ Local Search Forum - http://localsearchforum.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 and Shared SERPs 00:07 Link Echoes and YouTube SEO 02:18 AI and SEO: Current Trends 02:57 Link Building Strategies 04:19 Internal Links 05:43 Review Recency and Google Business Profile 12:22 Press Releases in 2025 28:25 Local SEO and Multi-location Strategies 34:02 Google's Manual Penalties and Scaled Content Abuse 34:36 Service Area Pages: Hit or Miss? 35:57 Scaling SEO Efforts Proportionally 37:26 Holistic SEO: Beyond Traditional Methods 38:06 Reddit AMAs for SEO Benefits 41:48 White Hat SEO: The Long-Term Approach 42:46 Link Building Mistakes and Effective Tactics 47:17 Guest Posting for Small Businesses 54:27 Expired Domains and Redirects 01:02:54 Local SEO: Common Mistakes and Best Practices The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #localseo #seotips #searchengineoptimization #sweatystartup

    1h 6m

  5. 4D AGO

    Google’s War on Scaled AI Content: The Rise and Fall of AInvest

    E803: Google is pursuing AI-generated content hard in its recent Spam Update. I share the dramatic collapse of AInvest, the AI-generated financial news site that rocketed from 275,000 to 9.6 million monthly clicks in just two months - and now has come crashing down. We’ll cover: - How AInvest scaled AI content to dominate Google search - Why the August Spam Update may have triggered their downfall - The risks of mass AI content and Google’s scaled content abuse policy - Key lessons SEOs can take from AInvest’s rise and fall If you’re in SEO or digital marketing, this is THE cautionary tale of 2025: Google is making its stance on unchecked AI content clearer than ever. 💎 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 The Rise and Fall of AInvest 01:54 The Downfall: Google's Spam Update 03:43 The Secrets Behind AInvest's Success 08:56 Should You Use AI Generated Content? 11:27 SEO Tips The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #scaledcontentabuse #blackhatseo #searchengineoptimization #digitalmarketing

    14 min

  6. 5D AGO

    Entity SEO, Parasite Hacks & Google Patches - with Jesper Nissen

    E802: Jesper Nissen joins the show to break down Entity SEO - what it is, why it works, and how to use entities across on-page “ranking zones” to move up the SERPs. We also explain parasite SEO trends (Claude Artifacts, Reddit, Threads, YouTube, LinkedIn), what Google just patched, and what still works right now. Tons of practical general, local, and even image SEO tricks inside. What you’ll learn - Entity SEO explained: entities vs. keywords, Knowledge Graph, and relevance - The “ranking zones” that matter (URL, Title, H1/H2, image alt, body) - Finding entity gaps with tools (and with ChatGPT) - Parasite SEO in 2025: what’s dead, what’s still ranking - Indexing realities: when paid indexers are OK (and when they’re not) - Local SEO foundation: GBP + the 7 social profiles that feed your entity - Image SEO that actually ranks (IPTC/EXIF, logos, text-on-image, geotags) - Quick wins with about.me / Linktree / Carrd daisy-chaining - Content before links: how to launch a new site the smart way - Social syndication workflows for durable rankings + audience growth ⭐️ Jesper Nissen on 𝕏 - https://x.com/JespernissenSEO ⭐️ Jesper Nissen on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/jespernissenseo ⭐️ Jesper Nissen on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@JesperNissenSEO ⭐️ SchemaWriter - https://schemawriter.ai ⭐️ Jesper’s 103 Backlinks List - https://jespernissen.com/product/103-links-list/ 💎 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 Entity SEO 01:09 Using Tools for Entity SEO 01:36 Ranking Zones and On-Page SEO 05:16 Entity Gap Analysis with ChatGPT 09:01 Parasite SEO Techniques 13:48 Paid Indexing Services 31:20 Local SEO and Link Building 50:00 Optimizing Image Metadata for SEO 51:31 Google Business Profile Strategies 56:48 Content Creation and SEO for New Sites 58:55 Leveraging Social Media and Link Building 01:06:13 Scaling and Automation in SEO 01:07:30 Video Content and Syndication 01:19:08 Using AI for Content Creation 01:26:30 Engagement Strategies on Social Media 01:28:05 Conclusion and Final Thoughts The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #entityseo #parasiteseo #searchengineoptimization #digitalmarketing

    1h 29m

  7. 6D AGO

    Massive Parasite SEO Attack on .Gov & .Edu Sites (Duke, Michigan, California)

    E801: A massive Parasite SEO attack targeting .gov and .edu sites - including Duke University, Michigan.gov, and CA.gov - is going crazy. Viral research on how attackers hijacked high-authority domains to rank instantly for illicit keywords, pulling in millions of visitors overnight. You’ll learn: - How Parasite SEO exploits vulnerable CMS systems - Why .gov and .edu domains are prime targets - The shocking traffic spikes (20M+ visits in 24 hours) - How to protect high-authority websites from these attacks This is one of the biggest Parasite SEO stories we’ve seen, and it’s a warning for anyone managing large or trusted domains. ⭐️ Massive Parasite SEO Attack Hits .gov & .edu Sites - https://il.ly/blog/parasite-seo-attack-gov-edu ⭐️ Ilias on 𝕏 - https://x.com/illyism/status/1966233243822293021 💎 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 Massive Parasite SEO Attack on .gov and .edu Sites 00:30 Details of the Attack and Affected Domains 01:48 Impact and Scale of the Attack 04:09 How Attackers Exploit Vulnerabilities 05:14 Preventive Measures for High Authority Sites 06:57 Buying Government Initiative Sites The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #parasiteseo #blackhatseo #searchengineoptimization #seotips

    8 min

  8. SEP 12

    AI Sites Get Smacked: Google’s August Spam Update, AInvest’s Crash & How to Actually Win SEO

    E800: Gagan Ghotra joins the show. We break down Google’s 2025 August Spam Update, the meteoric rise and sudden drop of AInvest, and a practical playbook for what actually works in SEO right now. Gagan and I share fresh insights on Google Discover, scaled content abuse, UGC dominance (Reddit/TikTok), image SEO that drives conversions, and why niching down beats going broad. In this episode: - Google’s August Spam Update: winners, losers, and why topical focus wins - AInvest’s surge to 9.6M clicks - and the crash: accident or inevitable? - Scaled content abuse vs “AI content”: what Google actually punishes - Discover strategy: why generalist sites are getting sidelined - UGC’s edge (Reddit/TikTok) and what Google is really rewarding - E-commerce SEO right now: Merchant Center setup, images that convert, CRO - Image SEO that works: contextual alt text, file-name nuance, and layout choices - Press releases, AI Overviews, and shaping brand perception (ethically) - Long-game SEO vs “hit it this month” expectations Action plan (quick hits): - Niche down: build topical depth; avoid “10-topic” generalist sprawl - Fix Google Merchant Center feeds: validate variations, attributes, and availability - Show the product: swap generic hero images for real screenshots/use cases - Alt text that ranks: write context-aware descriptions tied to on-page copy - Measure UX: heatmaps/scroll maps (e.g., Microsoft Clarity) to shape layout - Own UGC: aggregate and structure USEFUL community content on your domain If this helped, drop a comment with your biggest takeaway and share this with a friend who still thinks “more pages = better SEO.” 🙃 Also… this is Episode 800 - 800 days straight. No skips. Thank you for riding with me! ⭐️ 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 and Guest Welcome 00:42 Current SEO Trends and Google Discover 04:10 Impact of AI on SEO 06:51 AI Generated Content and Spam Policies 18:02 User Generated Content and SEO 32:54 SEO Volatility and Business Perspectives 41:40 E-commerce SEO Opportunities 50:38 Innovative Image Optimization Techniques 52:14 Microsoft Clarity for SEO Insights 54:03 Parasite SEO Strategies 57:23 Black Hat SEO Tactics and Risks 01:02:49 The Impact of Google's Helpful Content Update 01:10:12 SEO in the Age of AI and Social Media 01:34:05 Concluding Thoughts and Future Insights The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #seotips #generativeengineoptimization  #digitalmarketing

    1h 36m
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Ratings & Reviews

4.8
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Founder and go-to-market stories from the lens of a world-class marketer.

Information

  • Creator
    Edward Sturm
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2025
  • Episodes
    805
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2023
  • Show Website
    The Edward Show

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