The Edward Show

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

E937: Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/e13R_Z1pFwk
A deep, practical look at how Claude Cowork is changing the way SEO work is actually executed.
This is not a theoretical discussion about AI. The focus is on real workflows: how Claude Cowork performs hands-on SEO tasks that normally require hours of manual effort, and how agencies can realistically use it today.
The conversation walks through live examples of Claude Cowork performing local SEO audits, Google Business Profile analysis, competitor research, and on-page SEO evaluations by directly interacting with the browser and SEO tools.
Sarvesh Shrivastava joins the show! He shares how he's actively testing Claude Cowork inside agency-style workflows and what this means for SEO teams.
What we cover:
- What Claude Cowork is and how it differs from tools like ChatGPT and Gemini
- How Claude Cowork operates directly on your computer instead of requiring manual data uploads
- A walkthrough of a Google Business Profile competitor analysis
- How Claude Cowork audits Google Maps listings and identifies ranking patterns
- How competitor data is collected and analyzed across local search results
- How reviews are analyzed for volume, ratings, and keyword usage
- How business hours and availability signals affect local rankings
- How profile completeness, photos, videos, and posts are evaluated
- How pattern recognition can surface niche-specific local ranking factors
- How automated SEO audit reports can be generated and reviewed
- How on-page SEO audits are performed automatically
- How title tags and heading structure issues are identified
- How schema and local business markup gaps are detected
- How page speed and image optimization issues are flagged
- How agencies can reduce time spent on audits, research, and reporting
- Where automation works well and where human review is still required
- Credit limits, permission prompts, and current limitations of the tool
- How Claude Cowork fits into real agency workflows today
Who this is for:
- SEO professionals and consultants
- Agency owners and operators
- Local SEO specialists
- Business owners managing their own SEO
- Anyone interested in practical AI-driven automation for SEO work
Sarvesh also explains how he plans to roll this into agency processes, which tasks provide the biggest time savings, and which areas still benefit from hands-on SEO judgment.
⭐️ Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/e13R_Z1pFwk
⭐️ Sarvesh Shrivastava's Claude Cowork prompts - https://docs.google.com/document/d/13x8O8P-SWl-Wm3c2JpHtH4iWk3I5L8qo0SjP862zNV8/edit?tab=t.0
⭐️ Sarvesh Shrivastava on 𝕏 - https://x.com/bloggersarvesh
⭐️ Sarvesh Shrivastava on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarvesh-shrivastava-blogger/
⭐️ Sarvesh Shrivastava on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/seowithsarvesh/
⭐️ Sarvesh Shrivastava on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@bloggersarvesh
⭐️ Sarvesh Shrivastava's agency, Alventra Marketing - https://alventramarketing.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 to Claude and SEO
01:03 Exploring Claude Cowork's Capabilities
03:05 Live Demonstration of Claude Cowork
05:20 In-Depth Analysis and Insights
19:49 On-Page SEO Audit with Claude
24:51 Detailed Prompt for On-Page SEO
24:57 Schema Audit and SEO Tools
25:43 Automating SEO Tasks with Claude Cowork
28:13 Permissions and Limitations of Claude Cowork
30:14 Live Demonstration of Claude Cowork
32:16 Automating Content Creation and Backlink Analysis
34:50 Challenges and Future of Claude Cowork
41:03 Going Viral with Claude Cowork
44:14 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
The Edward Show. The #1 search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/
#localseo #localmarketing #googlebusinessprofileoptimization #searchengineoptimization

E936: Local SEO lives or dies by local authority - and one of the biggest drivers of that authority is local backlinks.
I break down exactly how to build high-quality local backlinks that help search engines see your business as an authority in a specific city or region. This applies whether you're starting a local business, competing in a crowded market, or expanding into new locations.
I cover practical strategies that send real referral traffic, strengthen local topical authority, and support long-term ranking improvements - not theory.
What you'll learn:
- Why local backlinks matter for local SEO and topical authority
- How partnerships with local businesses create real traffic and stronger links
- How to find and evaluate local sponsorship opportunities (and when they're worth it)
- When to accept nofollow links or brand mentions - and when not to
- How to use ChatGPT agent mode to research local sponsorships and partners
- How to properly vet local partners to protect your brand and reputation
- Core local citations you need for local SEO
- How to track citations and backlinks correctly (and why tracking matters)
- How citation language and context impact local topical authority
- How to vary location and service language without hurting consistency
- Why anchor text matters less than contextual language for local SEO
- How to structure location hub pages to support link building
- How to build links to pillar pages to strengthen weaker service pages
This is especially useful if:
- You're launching a local business and need to build authority from scratch
- You're competing in a high-competition city
- You're expanding SEO into new locations
- You want a clear system for local link building
💎 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 Building Local Backlinks
00:59 Partnerships for Local Backlinks
01:16 Sponsorship Opportunities
01:59 Using ChatGPT for Sponsorships
04:03 Local Citations and Directories
04:30 Tracking and Managing Citations
05:21 Language and Context in Citations
07:36 Hub Pages for Local SEO
08:54 Conclusion and Wrap Up
The Edward Show. The #1 search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/
#localseo #localmarketing #searchengineoptimization #linkbuilding

E935: I break down a recently funded AI startup that is scaling SEO with unchecked, fully AI-generated financial content - and why this strategy has already failed before.
I've seen this exact playbook play out with AInvest: rapid traffic growth driven by AI content, press, and links… followed by a sharp collapse after Google's spam and quality updates. Now we're watching the same model surface again, almost step for step.
This episode is not about hating on AI. It's about understanding where AI actually helps - and where it quietly puts your entire domain at risk.
What's covered:
- How a low-authority domain was able to spike to tens of thousands of clicks per month
- Why press, link velocity, and brand mentions can temporarily mask serious SEO issues
- The dangers of scaling AI-generated financial content without human fact-checking
- How Google evaluates unchecked AI content, especially in YMYL niches
- Why sites often get away with this approach for a few months before getting hit
- The long-term SEO damage most founders and marketers don't see coming
- What this means for your tools, brand terms, and real linkable assets
- How AI can be used responsibly in SEO without putting your site at risk
Also, what this company is doing well, including:
- Press and link acquisition
- Brand trust signals and accessibility
- Interactive AI tools and on-page engagement features
If you're a founder, marketer, or SEO considering AI to scale content, this episode is a clear warning - and a roadmap for how to avoid repeating the same mistake.
💎 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 Frustrations
00:13 The Rise and Fall of AInvest
01:03 Introducing The New AInvest - Here We Go Again
02:52 SEO Strategies and Risks
04:22 AI Content and Google's Guidelines
07:56 Practical AI Applications
11:23 Final Thoughts and Warnings
12:25 Conclusion and Episode Wrap-Up
The Edward Show. The #1 search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/
#searchengineoptimization #programmaticseo #scaledcontentabuse #blackhatseo