Search With Candour

In this week's episode of Search with Candour, Jack Chambers-Ward is joined by returning guest Matt Kohli.In his third appearance, Matt details his journey from being a freelancer to starting his own marketing agency, Fortitude Marketing.The conversation covers the challenges of transitioning roles, the importance of building a reliable team, learning to trust others, and not overpromising to clients and focusing on delivering results.Matt's recommendations

Disclaimer: Sorry for the audio quality, technical difficulties meant we had to use our backup audio! Jack tried his best to fix it - we hope you can still enjoy the episode!Search with Candour and The SEO Mindset podcast bring you another amazing podcast event, live from Brighton!Sarah, Tazmin and Jack will be giving actionable tips and advice on authentic personal branding as well as sharing their own experiences. Together, we’ll explore strategies to define, communicate, and amplify your unique value. Get ready to unlock your potential and leave with tools to build a brand that truly represents you and your business.Headline sponsor - SISTRIXSISTRIX is the all-in-one SEO toolbox for those who want to succeed on Google, Amazon and Facebook.With SISTRIX's market-leading tools, you can optimise your website according to the latest Google guidelines, track competitors on Amazon and easily generate and perform research across Tiktok, Instagram and YouTube.The SEO Mindset podcastSubscribe on YouTube - https:

Jack Chambers-Ward is joined by guest Grace Frohlich, SEO Senior Manager at Brainlabs, to explore how to map user journeys and understand customer paths in search. Grace also shares insights into using AI to create detailed user personas and map motivations behind searches and practical steps for tracking user journeys and keyword tagging to enhance search strategies.Follow GraceBrainlabs: https://www.brainlabsdigital.com/ Follow Grace on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grace-frohlich/ Grace's article on Wix: https://www.wix.com/seo/learn/resource/user-journey-map-for-seo Grace's Whiteboard Friday: https://moz.com/blog/chatgpt-customer-journey-whiteboard-friday Grace's talk at BrightonSEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4_9Yj9yDUg Chapters00:00 Introduction to User Journeys01:56 Sponsored by AlsoAsked03:21 Introducing Grace Frohlich04:31 Understanding User Journeys07:16 The Importance of Search Intent15:03 Creating Bespoke User Personas20:16 Motivations and Non-Linear Journeys25:49 Search

Jack Chambers-Ward and Mark Williams-Cook discuss the excitement and preparations for April’s BrightonSEO.Mark gives a preview of his talk, the duo pick some of the talks they’re looking forward to as well as the live podcast Jack is co-hosting with Sarah and Tazmin from the SEO Mindset podcast.The episode also delves into Dr. Pete Myers’ article on the increasing volatility of Google updates, with the delightful pun of 'Google warming,' and how this rapid evolution only makes the SEO landscape more complex.BrightonSEO April 2025 Talk RecommendationsMark’s picks:https://brightonseo.com/talks/custom-event-tracking-in-ga4-for-saashttps://brightonseo.com/talks/does-structured-data-markup-influence-eeathttps://brightonseo.com/talks/fake-eeat-until-you-make-eeatJack’s picks:https://brightonseo.com/talks/data-driven-seo-a-framework-based-approachhttps://brightonseo.com/talks/query-counting-for-seo-why-you-need-to-be-paying-attentionhttps://brightonseo.com/talks/how-to-fight-giants-seo-secrets-for-challenger

Kaspar Szymanski, a former senior member of the Google Search Quality Team, joins Jack Chambers-Ward to discuss what’s important in SEO in 2025.They discuss cutting through the noise to focus on impactful strategies for businesses and cover topics ranging from the hidden value of server logs to a holistic approach to SEO.Links to follow Kaspar:Website: https://www.searchbrothers.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kasparszymanski/Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/seozen.com Links/resources:https://searchengineland.com/seo-noise-vs-signals-449671https://searchengineland.com/forget-pagerank-focus-on-ranking-437676https://searchengineland.com/why-server-logs-matter-for-seo-378199https://searchengineland.com/10-reasons-seo-just-like-fitness-260070Chapters00:00 Introduction02:45 Sponsor: AlsoAsked04:10 Welcome Kaspar Szymanski05:38 Navigating Google Updates12:11 The Role of Server Logs in SEO20:28 Branding and SEO: A Crucial Connection35:52 Leveraging Bing and Other Search Engines38:43 Exploring Webmaster To

In this episode of Search With Candour, host Jack Chambers-Ward discusses the impact of AI on content creation with guest Erika Varangouli.They discuss how to stand out in an oversaturated market, the importance of brand consistency across channels, and the role of humour and distinct voice in marketing. The episode also touches on the challenges and opportunities LLMs pose, ethical considerations, and potential future trends.Plus, enjoy some banter about heavy metal gigs and what Erika thinks is the greatest movie sequel ever.

Join host Jack Chambers Ward as he sits down with Sam Torres and Tory Gray of Gray Dot Company.They delve into the intricacies of JavaScript and its impact on website migrations, discussing common issues, best practices, and how to navigate the technical landscape. This episode also touches on the existential dread that comes with the future of AI in search engines, learning JavaScript for SEO, and the importance of brand alignment across digital channels.

In this week's episode of Search With Candour, Jack Chambers Ward & Mordy Oberstein from Unify Brand Marketing cover how brands can set themselves apart in an increasingly noisy digital landscape.They discuss how brands can effectively manage their SERPs and audience perceptions. The episode explores the significance of brand mentions, scepticism in digital content, and why solid brand identity is crucial moving forward.It’s quite a wide-ranging conversation that touches on everything from performance marketing to pro wrestling and baseball, rounding off with Mordy’s expert predictions on the future of branding and SEO.Follow Mordy

In this episode of Search with Candour, Jack Chambers-Ward and Mark Williams-Cook discuss best practices for SEO pagination, a Google patent that targets spam tactics and a theory by Tabby Farrar about gaining links via citations in LLMs.Links

Join host Jack Chambers-Ward as he sits down with SEO consultant and trainer Dani Leitner to discuss the complex world of building topical authority in the eyes of Google.Dani & Jack explore how Google might measure topical authority in the future, discuss the importance of recognising and addressing your audience's education level, and break down strategic ways to demonstrate your authority in the eyes of users and search engines.Dani highlights key parts of her strategy for building topical authority through guest posts, podcast appearances, speaking at conferences and more.Sponsored by Serpzilla

In this episode of the Search with Candour podcast, Jack Chambers-Ward is joined by special guest, @ItamarBlauer , Host of SEO Unplugged and Senior SEO Director at StudioHawk. They delve into the evolving landscape of search, focusing on Google’s recent challenges and the rise of AI-driven search platforms. Amidst the rapid advancements and shifting user behaviours, they explore the critical role of personalisation and the potential paths Google must take to regain trust and market share. The conversation also touches on the practical uses of AI as a productivity tool, the implications of LLMs in our daily lives, and how SEO professionals should adapt to these changes. Follow Itamar

In this episode of the Search With Candour podcast, host Jack Chambers-Ward and guest Stephen Schneider cover the importance of strong site structure, internal links, and conversion rate optimisation (CRO). They also discuss the role of user experience (UX) and how to leverage tools like Google Analytics 4 (GA4) and AI to enhance your content marketing efforts. Additionally, Jack and Stephen explore the integration of SEO with other marketing channels and the power of authentic branding and personal connections in today's digital landscape. Whether you're a seasoned marketer or just getting started, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you drive high-intent organic traffic and boost conversions. Follow Steven

In this week's episode of Search with Candour, hosts Jack Chambers-Ward and Mark Williams-Cook share insights and initiate debates surrounding critical SEO topics. The dynamic duo discusses the role of consensus in SEO, particularly scrutinising how its interpretation affects how much users trust search engines. They delve into the value of technical SEO, especially for small businesses, and question the efficacy of a one-size-fits-all approach. Jack and Mark further explore the concept of traffic depreciation when SEO efforts stop. Chapters 00:00 Welcome to Search with Candour 01:23 Sponsor: PPC Chat Roundup 06:05 Consensus in SEO: Clearing Misunderstandings 19:00 The Value of Tech SEO for Small Businesses 25:33 SEO Strategy: The Importance of Early Publishing 25:58 The Flaws of One-Size-Fits-All SEO Packages 26:32 Tailoring SEO to Client Needs 28:33 Technical SEO and Crawling Issues 31:49 The Impact of SEO on Long-Term Traffic 37:57 Maintaining SEO Success and Competitor Analysis 40:35 The Importance

Jack Chambers-Ward and Anu Adegbola, an international PPC consultant and paid media editor at Search Engine Land discuss the significance of SEO and PPC team communication and collaboration. They explore strategies for sharing insights, tools, and data, as well as aligning goals to navigate Google updates and improve overall digital marketing results. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:37 Sponsored by AlsoAsked 04:02 Anu Adegbola's Background 04:41 SEO and PPC Collaboration 07:17 The Importance of Fresh Perspectives 16:50 Leveraging Customer Insights 20:23 SEO and PPC Best Practices 31:12 Testing and Adapting Strategies 35:08 The Importance of Flexibility in PPC 35:48 The Power of Brand Consistency 37:19 Navigating Attribution Challenges 38:43 Aligning Marketing Channels 41:28 Building Trust and Communication 43:38 Understanding Marketing Goals 51:41 The Role of PPC in SEO 54:09 The Future of PPC and SEO Collaboration 59:18 Where to Follow Anu 01:04:39 Upcoming Guests and Future Topics Links to follow Anu: W

In this episode of Search With Candour, host Jack Chambers-Ward discusses the evolving value of backlinks in 2025 with guest Tamara Novitovic from Bazoom Group. They explore how link building strategies need to adapt, the impact of AI on SEO, and why backlinks remain crucial. The conversation covers which metrics matter for link-building and future trends that will shape the SEO landscape. Whether you're reconsidering your link-building strategy or curious about the future of SEO, this episode offers invaluable insights for you! Follow Tamara Website: ⁠https://bazoom.com/⁠  LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamara-novitovic/⁠  Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:52 Sponsor: AlsoAsked 03:17 The Value of Links in 2025 04:55 Holistic Approach to Link Building 09:30 Metrics and Relevancy in Link Building 18:48 Content Strategy and Link Building 22:57 Interactive Content and Future Trends 33:08 Balancing Freshness and Relevancy 37:45 The Power of Data in Client Convincing 38:14 Learning from Industry Peers 3

In the first episode of 2025, host Jack Chambers-Ward is joined by Jamie Indigo, an expert in technical SEO and an overall delightful human being. Jamie guides Jack through the findings from the 2024 Web Almanac's SEO chapter including technical data changes over recent years, offering insights and predictions for the future. Jamie also highlights AI's rising influence, the importance of robots.txt, Core Web Vitals updates, and structured data advancements. Follow Jamie: Website: https://not-a-robot.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-indigo/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/not-a-robot.com Rich Snippets: https://trafficthinktank.com/rich-snippets/ Resources Web Almanac 2024 - SEO Chapter: https://almanac.httparchive.org/en/2024/seo Performance chapter: https://almanac.httparchive.org/en/2024/performance Maggie Appleton Dark Forest: https://maggieappleton.com/ai-dark-forest https://youtu.be/1OvasjokuaA?si=UBNiK07uyWHjd2HX by Jess Sankhavaram-Peck Chapters 00:00 Welcome to 2025:

In this special episode of Search With Candour, hosts Jack Chambers-Ward and Mark Williams-Cook sit down with guests Arnout Hellemans, Yagmur Simsek, and Begum Kaya. Recorded in a brand new studio to celebrate the finale of Season 3, the panel discusses SEO industry highlights from 2024, and makes some SEO predictions for 2025. Topics include the rise of AI, shifts in search engine market shares, and the ever-evolving landscape of SEO. The conversation extends to personal branding, the importance of community in SEO, and how the integration of AI could reshape the search experience in the coming years. Follow our guests Follow Arnout Hellemans on LinkedIn and Bluesky Follow Yagmur Simsek on LinkedIn and Search 'n' Stuff Follow Begum Kaya on LinkedIn Chapters 00:00 Welcome 00:17 Introducing Our Special Guests 02:38 Highlights of 2024 in SEO 11:53 The Impact of AI on SEO 27:06 Building Trust and Brand in SEO 43:09 The Long-Term Impact of SEO Tips 43:31 The Challenge of Measuring Long-Term SEO Success 44:

Jack Chambers-Ward and Mark Williams-Cook follow up on Mark's popular Search Norwich talk about conceptual models for SEO and his recent Google exploit discovery. Mark & Jack explore the details of the fascinating Google exploit, dissect the talk's key points, and answer questions from the community. The duo also preview next week’s big episode featuring three special guests and discuss the revamped format for Search With Candour in their cosier setting. Stay tuned for exclusive insights into Google's data, how Google classifies queries, and what this all means for SEO in 2025. Sponsors ⁠Experience the evolution of SE Ranking⁠ ⁠Try Optmyzr - Made by PPC people, for PPC people Chapters 00:00 Welcome to Search with Candour 00:15 Studio Updates and Upcoming Guests 01:13 Exploring the Google Exploit 01:29 Sponsor: SE Ranking 02:50 Sponsor: Optmyzr 05:53 Advanced SEO and Conceptual Models 10:13 Understanding SEO Through Video Games 11:25 The Importance of Conceptual Models in SEO 14:53 Google Exploit Dat

Jack Chambers Ward celebrates the near end of the year with a Spotify Wrapped-style recap of the podcast's top episodes from 2024. Jack highlights the top 10 most watched and listened to episodes, along with honourable mentions from throughout season 3. Sponsors ⁠Experience the evolution of SE Ranking⁠ ⁠Try Optmyzr - Made by PPC people, for PPC people Chapters 00:00 Introduction 00:42 Upcoming Episodes 01:19 Sponsors 05:55 Spotify Wrapped Insights 12:36 Top 10 Episodes of 2024 13:02 Number 10 13:57 Number 9 14:55 Number 8 16:59 Number 7 18:27 Number 6 19:53 Number 5 20:56 Number 4 23:43 Number 3 25:27 Number 2 27:49 Honourable Mentions 38:47 Number 1 42:09 Conclusion and thanks

Join Jack Chambers-Ward as he discusses storytelling, copywriting, and content strategy with Will Slater, the creative content specialist at 43 Clicks North. Will uses his experience as a writer and photographer to explain how even bad ideas lead to great ones, the importance of curiosity, and the intricacies of creating content that resonates emotionally with your audience. Jack & Will explore how storytelling principles from novels, comics, and even music can enhance your marketing efforts. Plus, learn valuable tips for structuring your content, engaging specific audiences, and mastering the art of concise and impactful writing. This episode is packed with insights to help you create better content in 2024 and beyond. Sponsors Experience the evolution of SE Ranking Try Optmyzr - Made by PPC people, for PPC people Follow Will LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cleanslatewill Website: https://43clicksnorth.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cleanslatewill/ Instagram: https://www.i