The Edward Show

E942: A real case study showing how an $80 press release from Matt Diamante (Hey Tony Agency) ranked #1 on Google for a non-branded keyword and influenced Google's AI Overview.
This isn't theory. This actually happened.
I walk through exactly how a single press release, distributed through AB Newswire, showed up at the top of Google search results, was cited by a publication, and continued to influence AI search results weeks later - even after the original press release was no longer publicly accessible.
This episode explains why press releases still matter, how they influence search engines and large language models, and how they can be used responsibly to build real topical authority.
What this covers:
- The difference between branded vs non-branded search keywords
- Why purchase-intent keywords behave differently in search
- How an $80 press release ranked #1 for "best selling SEO book"
- How press releases influence Google AI Overviews
- Why authority publications still rank syndicated press releases
- What happened after the press release was removed
- The role of search behavior and user interaction in rankings
- ABNewswire vs PR Newswire vs PRLog
- When press releases help SEO and when they don't
- The difference between legitimate press releases and link spam
- How press releases reinforce entity credibility and topical authority
- Why company announcements have always mattered in SEO
- How press releases influence AI systems like Google AI and ChatGPT
- How to use press releases as part of a broader content strategy
Key takeaway:
Press releases are not about gaming algorithms. When used correctly, they document legitimate business activity, create citation consistency, and help search engines and AI systems understand what your business is actually about.
This also explains how press releases fit into my broader SEO framework and why they are just one tactic among many.
⭐️ How to use press releases for SEO and LLMs - https://edwardsturm.com/articles/how-to-use-press-releases-for-seo-and-llms/
💎 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 Press Releases and SEO
00:46 Case Study: Matt Diamante's Press Release Strategy
03:58 The Power of Press Releases in SEO
06:10 Maximizing Press Release Impact
10:22 Conclusion and Upcoming Episodes
The Edward Show. The #1 search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/
#searchengineoptimization #publicrelations #generativeengineoptimization #growthhacking

E941: Edward is joined by Charles Floate and David Quaid for a deep, technical conversation about what is actually happening in search right now - and why many long-held SEO assumptions no longer hold.
We discuss a growing pattern of manual actions that appear to be permanent, rejected reconsideration requests even after large-scale cleanups, and why some businesses may never fully recover organic traffic from Google. From enterprise sites to small publishers, the rules are shifting fast.
The conversation moves into AI search, ChatGPT visibility, Reddit's dominance in the SERPs, and how Google's own behavior is pushing SEOs toward tactics that were once considered off-limits.
This is not theory. It's based on live examples, experiments, client data, and firsthand experience.
Topics covered:
- Why manual actions are increasingly permanent and what that means for long-term SEO strategy
- What to do when reconsideration requests keep getting rejected
- The risk of relying on a single branded domain for all organic traffic

- Multi-domain strategies, exact match domains, and when they still work

- Why Reddit now occupies multiple positions on page one

- How Reddit SEO is being used to offset traffic losses from Google updates

- The difference between SEO and AI search optimization

- How ChatGPT, Bing grounding, and source consensus actually work

- Why most AI visibility still depends on traditional SEO foundations

- The real role of links in modern SEO and AI surfacing

- Common SEO tactics that no longer move rankings

- Underrated techniques that still produce results

- Internal linking mistakes that kill performance

- Why "just write good content" is not a strategy

- How misinformation and tribalism are hurting the SEO industry

- The growing gap between white hat theory and what actually works

- Who is winning right now: white hats or black hats - and why
This episode is intended for SEOs, founders, CMOs, and operators who want a realistic view of search in 2026, not recycled advice or surface-level commentary.
⭐️ David Quaid on 𝕏 - https://x.com/DavidGQuaid
⭐️ David Quaid on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidquaid/
⭐️ David Quaid's agency - https://primaryposition.com/
⭐️ Charles Floate on 𝕏 - https://x.com/Charles_SEO
⭐️ Charles Floate on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlesfloate/
⭐️ Charles Floate on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@CharlesFloate
⭐️ Charles Floate on Facebook - https://facebook.com/thecharlesfloate
⭐️ Charles Floate's PressWhizz - https://presswhizz.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
00:22 Manual Actions and Permanent Bans
01:08 SEO Strategies for Corporate Clients
02:09 The Risks of Relying on a Single Domain
10:48 The Power of Reddit in SEO
18:44 Challenges in the SEO Community
31:02 Experimenting with AI and SEO
46:07 Link Building Strategies and Challenges
46:30 Cool Link Acquisition Stories
50:10 PressWhizz Revolutionizing Link Building
56:38 SEO Techniques: What's Worth It and What's Not
01:13:20 Understanding YMYL and Its Impact
01:25:22 Maximizing SEO with Short Pages
01:26:17 The Power of Internal Linking
01:27:06 Link Building Strategies and Challenges
01:28:04 The Evolution of Link Building Costs
01:29:38 Adapting to AI and SEO Changes
01:32:03 Common Internal Linking Mistakes
01:35:05 Effective URL Slug Changes
01:38:09 White Hat vs. Black Hat SEO
01:48:03 The Role of Private Blog Networks (PBNs)
01:58:52 SEO Consulting and Agency Recommendations
02:05:46 Final Thoughts and Farewell
The Edward Show. The #1 search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/
#searchengineoptimization #blackhatseo #linkbuilding #generativeengineoptimization

E940: Google penalties are no longer feeling like temporary setbacks. More and more site owners are fixing everything they're told to fix, submitting reconsideration requests, and still getting rejected.
In this episode, I break down why Google manual actions appear to be becoming semi-permanent, what multiple SEO practitioners are seeing in real data, and why Google may no longer be asking "did you fix it?" - but instead "should we ever trust you again?"
We cover what's changing, what's being reported by people deep in the weeds, and what this means if you're using aggressive SEO tactics, gray-area strategies, or anything that relies on shortcuts.
Topics covered:
- Why reconsideration requests are being rejected more often
- How Google appears to be shifting from behavior-based penalties to perception-based penalties
- What "perceived spam" means and why fixing the site may no longer be enough
- Why manual actions are starting to look permanent instead of temporary
- Similar rejection patterns now showing up in Bing
- The risk of tying multiple domains to the same Search Console
- Why black hat shortcuts often take longer than doing things correctly
- What actually works long term in SEO and marketing
- Where press releases, listicles, and self-promotion fall on the rules spectrum
- How white hat SEO compounds over time when done consistently
This episode is not about fear-mongering. It's about understanding the current landscape so you can make informed decisions about risk, durability, and long-term growth.
If you've ever considered pushing the limits, this is worth paying attention to.
⭐️ Charles Floate's post w/ comments - https://x.com/Charles_SEO/status/2016582913043882107
💎 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 Google's Permanent Penalties
00:17 Charles Floate's Insights on Reconsideration Requests
02:44 Gagan Ghotra's Perspective and Bing's Similar Issues
04:54 White Hat SEO vs. Black Hat SEO
10:27 The Importance of Long-Term SEO Strategies
12:07 Conclusion and Upcoming Episodes
The Edward Show. The #1 search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/
#googlepenality #googlemanualaction #searchengineoptimization #digitalmarketing

E939: If you've just launched a website and have no backlinks, this episode walks through how to build links the right way - without shortcuts, spam, or jumping into strategies that don't work for new sites.
This episode is based on a real thread from Charles Floate's r/linkbuilding subreddit, where someone asked how to build high-quality backlinks for a brand-new beauty blog with no existing authority. I break down the best answers, add real-world context, and explain what actually matters when you're starting from scratch.
We cover why most people make link building harder than it needs to be, what to focus on first, and how to build trust before worrying about scale.
What you'll learn:
- Why foundational backlinks matter for new websites
- Which links you should build before guest posting
- How social profiles and directories help establish trust
- When manual outreach actually makes sense
- How community participation leads to natural link opportunities
- Why referral traffic matters more than domain metrics
- How partnerships and link exchanges can work when done properly
- Why press releases are still useful for brand-new sites
- How press releases influence search results and brand visibility
- Expert quote platforms that work well for early link building
- Why quality beats volume every time for new domains
- How podcast guesting can be used for link building
- Why consistency matters more than doing everything at once
This is especially useful if:
- You've launched a new site with no backlinks
- You're unsure which link-building tactics to start with
- You want to avoid wasting time on low-value links
- You're building a real brand, not a disposable site
⭐️ How can I effectively build backlinks for a brand-new website with no existing authority? - https://www.reddit.com/r/linkbuilding/comments/1mew9qs/how_can_i_effectively_build_backlinks_for_a/
💎 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 Backlink Building
01:02 Exploring Foundational Backlinks
01:44 Engaging with Online Communities
03:27 Leveraging Press Releases
04:59 Expert Advice from Charles Floate
06:44 Social Media and Local Directories
07:26 AI Tools and Podcasting for Backlinks
07:55 Final Tips
The Edward Show. The #1 search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/
#linkbuilding #backlinks #searchengineoptimization #digitalmarketing

E938: I break down new data showing that YouTube has officially overtaken Reddit as the most cited social platform in AI search, including large language models like ChatGPT.
We'll cover what this shift means for SEO, brand visibility, and how to actually get your content cited by AI using YouTube.
What changed in AI search
- YouTube is now cited more frequently than Reddit in AI-generated answers
- Transcripts and descriptions make YouTube content easy for LLMs to read
- AI systems increasingly rely on YouTube for explanations, reviews, and comparisons
Why YouTube now beats Reddit for AI visibility
- Videos include readable transcripts and metadata
- Titles and descriptions can target exact search queries
- YouTube content is easier for AI to summarize and compare
- Ranking videos also builds long-term brand authority
How AI systems find and cite YouTube videos
- AI prompts are broken into multiple search queries
- Videos need to match at least one of those queries
- Titles, descriptions, and filenames influence discovery
- Clear answers increase the chance of citation
How to optimize YouTube videos for AI search
- Target one primary keyword per video
- Put the keyword in the video title
- Put the keyword at the beginning of the description
- Use the keyword in the video filename
- Answer the question directly and concisely
How to structure descriptions so AI can understand them
- Put the full answer in the description
- Use headings to organize information
- Use consistent sections for comparisons
- This makes it easier for AI to generate tables
Using YouTube alongside traditional SEO
- Create a video for each SEO landing page
- Target the same keyword in the page and the video
- Publish both while the topic is top of mind
- Videos often rank faster than pages
Branded vs non-branded keywords
- Branded keywords are easier to rank for
- Brand name plus review keywords convert well
- Brand name plus rating keywords convert well
- Non-branded keywords are still viable with video
Building topical authority on YouTube
- Cover related topics consistently
- Watch time and engagement matter
- Comments help reinforce relevance
- Channels behave similarly to websites in search
Practical advice for getting started
- Start recording with what you have
- You do not need to post daily
- Weekly or monthly is enough to start
- Editing does not need to be complex
- Shorts can be reused across platforms
Why this matters
- YouTube is the most clicked site in Google search
- YouTube is now a top citation source for AI
- You build brand equity while ranking
- You own the asset you are growing
⭐️ My Exact Social Media Posting Strategy - https://edwardsturm.com/articles/social-media-posting-strategy/
⭐️ EXCLUSIVE: YouTube Overtakes Reddit as Go-To Citation Source on AI Search - https://www.adweek.com/media/youtube-reddit-ai-search-engine-citations/
⭐️ State of Search Q4 2025: Behaviors, Trends, and Clicks Across the US & Europe - https://datos.live/report/state-of-search-q4-2025/
💎 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 YouTube Overtakes Reddit in AI Citations
00:19 The Rise of YouTube as a Citation Source
01:31 Optimizing Videos for AI and SEO
04:56 Practical Tips for Creating Effective Videos
06:18 Building and Growing Your YouTube Channel
08:22 Leveraging AI and Video for SEO Success
10:35 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
The Edward Show. The #1 search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/
#generativeengineoptimization #answerengineoptimization #searchengineoptimization #digitalmarketing