The Edward Show

E1001: Guest blogging for SEO has declined, what Google said about it, and how most people are using it the wrong way in 2026.
Back in 2014, Google's head of web spam, Matt Cutts, published a post called "The Decay and Fall of Guest Blogging for SEO." His message was clear: guest blogging as a link building tactic had become too spammy to trust.
More than a decade later, many SEOs are still relying on it.
I walk through:
- What guest blogging is and why it became popular
- The exact problems Google identified with guest posting
- Real examples of spammy outreach
- Why most guest blogging efforts fail to produce results
- The difference between valuable guest posts and wasted time
- How Google views backlinks, PageRank, and intent
I also share my perspective on when guest blogging is still worth doing, and how to approach it in a way that actually benefits your business.
Key takeaways:
- Guest blogging for backlinks alone is not a reliable strategy
- Most opportunities are low quality and bring no meaningful traffic
- The only guest posts worth doing are the ones that send relevant traffic
- The only guest posts worth doing are the ones that improve your brand credibility
- If a link doesn't do either of those, it's likely not worth your time
I also cover better alternatives to traditional guest blogging, including:
- Getting coverage from relevant publications
- Building backlinks that actually drive traffic
- Ranking without relying heavily on backlinks
- Structuring SEO efforts around users, not just links
If you're playing the long game with SEO, this episode will help you avoid wasting time on tactics that don't move the needle.
⭐️ The decay and fall of guest blogging for SEO - https://www.mattcutts.com/blog/guest-blogging/
⭐️ Google: Guest Blogging For Links? You Better Nofollow Those Links - https://searchengineland.com/google-guest-blogging-for-links-you-better-nofollow-those-links-166218
⭐️ How to Build Backlinks for a Brand New Website (From Zero Authority) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcNmYaMrM3o
⭐️ The AI System to Find Relevant Journalists, Land Coverage, and Earn Ongoing High-Authority Backlinks - https://edwardsturm.com/articles/articles_ai-system-find-journalists-earn-high-authority-backlinks/
⭐️ How to Rank for Competitive Keywords Without Backlinks - https://edwardsturm.com/articles/rank-competitive-keywords-without-backlinks/
🚀 Learn SEO for free - https://freeseoknowledge.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 Is Guest Blogging Overhyped
00:34 What Guest Blogging Is
01:14 Matt Cutts Calls It
02:11 The Spam Email Example
03:42 Paid Links And PageRank
04:37 Automation Ruined The Tactic
05:35 Stick A Fork In It
06:34 John Mueller On Nofollow
08:23 When Guest Blogging Is Okay
09:33 My 2026 Guest Blogging Rule
10:50 Real World Guest Blogging Wins
12:01 Alternatives And Resources
13:42 Episode 1001 Thanks
The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/
#searchengineoptimization #linkbuilding #guestblogging #backlinks

E1000: Julian Goldie, Charles Floate, and Alejandro Meyerhans join this milestone episode to break down a simple but important question: if you had to start from zero today, with almost no budget, how would you build an SEO business to $10,000 per month?
Each guest approaches the problem differently. We go deep into what actually works right now, what has changed, and what is being overlooked by most people in the industry.
This conversation also expands far beyond that starting question. We get into AI workflows, link building, Reddit strategies, social algorithms, and how search is evolving.
If you are trying to build something from scratch, or rethink your current approach, this episode gives you real strategies and honest perspectives from people actively doing the work.
What we cover:
- How to reach $10K/month in SEO starting with almost no money
- Selling links vs building local partnerships vs AI services
- Using aged domains and simple sites to generate early cash flow
- Parasite SEO, trend jacking, and fast monetization strategies
- Why some older SEO tactics are working again
- How AI agents are being used to create and scale content
- The risks and limits of automating SEO work
- Building systems for YouTube and 𝕏 that consistently generate traffic
- How social platforms like 𝕏, LinkedIn, and Reddit actually distribute content
- Why comments, engagement, and timing matter more than most people think
- Growing and monetizing subreddits
- How LLMs (ChatGPT, Claude, etc.) are changing search behavior
- Query fan-out, brand signals, and why reviews matter more now
- Why so many SEOs are moving to places like Thailand
- Black hat vs white hat: who is actually winning today
- Where Google is heading and what SEO might look like in the next few years
You can do it! Edward writing this personally: I. BELIEVE. IN. YOU!
This is episode 1000 of the podcast. No days missed since starting the show 1000 days ago. Here's to the next 1000 🥂.
If you watched this one on YouTube, thank you so much for watching.
If you listened on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, thank you so much for listening.
And I will talk to you again tomorrow.
Bye now.
⭐️ Julian's Free SEO Strategy Session - https://go.juliangoldie.com/strategy-session?utm=edwardshow
⭐️ Julian's AI Profit Boardroom - https://www.skool.com/ai-profit-lab-7462/about
⭐️ Julian Goldie's Main YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@JulianGoldieSEO
⭐️ Julian Goldie's Podcast - https://www.youtube.com/@JulianGoldiePodcast
⭐️ Julian Goldie on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliangoldieseo/?skipRedirect=true
⭐️ Julian Goldie on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jules_goldie/
⭐️ Julian Goldie on 𝕏 - https://x.com/JulianGoldieSEO
⭐️ 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/
⭐️ Get backlinks from Alejandro - Use code EDWARDBUILDS for 15% off your first order - https://getmelinks.com/
⭐️ Alejandro Meyerhans on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexmeyerhans/
⭐️ Alejandro Meyerhans on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@alexmeyerhansseo
⭐️ Alejandro's first time on the pod - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SVpRAE9t40
🚀 Learn SEO for free - https://freeseoknowledge.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 Episode 1000 Kickoff
00:24 $10K SEO Challenge
00:49 Local SEO Partnerships
01:50 Link Selling Blueprint
03:58 Fighting Link Resellers
05:54 AI Content Funnel
07:15 Scaling AI Services
08:42 Chaotic SEO Testing
10:17 Old Spam Tactics Return
11:10 AI Agent Ranking Tests
12:36 Mega Authority Sites Win
14:30 Three Click Sites
17:37 OpenClaw vs Claude
19:22 AI Privacy Risks
20:57 Reverse Engineering Social Algorithms
23:03 𝕏 Algorithm Hacks
25:13 LinkedIn Reach Reality
28:18 Sales Channels Debate
28:51 LinkedIn Niche Leads
30:36 𝕏 Comments Boost
31:16 Reddit Anti Spam Signals
35:14 Subreddit Marketing Playbook
39:47 Google's Reddit Signals
41:52 Claude Powered Content Engine
47:23 𝕏 Growth Hacks
52:06 Reviews For Query Fan-Outs
55:21 Instagram Trial Reels
58:47 LLM Seed List Bias
01:00:21 SEO Pages That Win
01:01:50 AI Search Loopholes
01:04:45 SEO In Three Years
01:07:09 Who Wins The AI Race
01:12:47 Automating SEO Workflows
01:16:21 RAG And Patent Driven SEO
01:20:48 Why SEOs Move To Thailand
01:30:33 Black Hat Vs White Hat
01:36:51 AI Mode Becomes Default
01:41:25 Episode 1000 Wrap Up
The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/
#searchengineoptimization #searchmarketing #digitalmarketing #marketingstrategy

E999: If your content sounds like it was written by AI, people can tell. And when they can tell, trust drops. That leads to higher bounce rates, more pogo sticking, and lower conversions.
In this episode, I break down exactly why obvious AI writing is a problem for SEO and what to do instead.
This is an updated take on humanizing AI content. The rules have changed over the past year, and what worked before is no longer enough.
I walk through examples, patterns to avoid, and a workflow you can use to keep your content sounding natural while still using AI to save time.
What you'll learn in this episode:
- Why obvious AI writing reduces trust and hurts rankings
- What pogo sticking is and why it matters for SEO
- Common AI phrases and patterns that give your content away
- How AI writing impacts conversions and brand perception
- The difference between using AI to assist vs replace thinking
- A simple way to write content that actually sounds human
- How to edit AI content so it keeps your voice
- Small formatting and writing habits that signal "AI" immediately
- Why reading your content out loud improves quality
- How to use AI prompts to improve clarity without losing authenticity
Key ideas covered:
- AI tends to repeat what already exists instead of adding new insight
- Generic language makes content feel less trustworthy
- Visitors are more likely to leave if content feels vague or templated
- A few AI patterns are fine, but too many create a clear signal
- Clear, direct writing beats polished but empty writing
Practical tips from the episode:
- Start with voice dictation or your own rough draft
- Use AI to refine, not generate from scratch
- Remove overused transition words and filler phrases
- Avoid corporate-style language that says nothing
- Replace vague statements with specific examples
- Add screenshots, videos, or real examples where possible
- Keep your writing conversational but clear
If you're using AI for SEO content, this matters. The goal is not to avoid AI. The goal is to use it in a way that still sounds like you.
⭐️ The Leila/Alex Hormozi Acquisition Memo - https://www.instagram.com/p/DWbyRpIFI8O/?img_index=2
⭐️ How to Humanize ChatGPT Content - https://edwardsturm.com/articles/humanize-chatgpt-content/
🚀 Edward's SEO Articles - https://edwardsturm.com/articles/search-engine-optimization/
💎 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 Why AI Slop Hurts SEO
01:30 Leila Hormozi Memo
02:38 Top AI Phrases to Avoid
04:44 Buzzword List Red Flags
05:34 New ChatGPT Giveaways
08:32 Write by Voice First
10:06 Use AI to Edit Not Think
11:23 Honorable Humanizing Tips
13:51 Episode 999 Farewell
The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/
#searchengineoptimization #digitalmarketing #copywritingtips

E998: Google's March 2026 Core Update is rolling out, and early data shows significant volatility across search results. I break down what's happening, what people in the SEO community are reporting, and what you should actually do if you want to avoid losing traffic.
We're still in the early phase of the rollout, which means most of what you're seeing right now is speculation mixed with early signals. That said, there are already clear patterns worth paying attention to.
In this episode, I cover:
- What Google officially said about the March 2026 Core Update
- How this update connects to the March Spam Update and recent Google Discover changes
- Volatility data from tools like Semrush, Mozcast, and Advanced Web Rankings
- Reactions from the SEO community, including common complaints and concerns
- Early examples of sites gaining and losing traffic
- Why strong "entity definition" across your site is becoming more important
- The risks of topical sprawl and trying to cover too many unrelated topics
- How internal linking and contextual relevance play a role in rankings
- Observations from competitive niches like iGaming
- Why many sites still struggle to understand core updates until weeks later
I also share practical takeaways you can apply right now:
- Build content and links at the same time instead of treating them separately
- Focus on acquiring backlinks that bring real traffic, not just superficial authority signals
- Avoid publishing clusters of near-identical pages targeting slight keyword variations
- Create varied content within your niche to reduce obvious SEO patterns
- Start narrow, build authority, and only expand once you've established topical depth
If you've been impacted by this update, or you're trying to stay ahead of future ones, this episode will give you a clear way to think about what's changing and how to respond.
⭐️ Google March 2026 Core Update Is Rolling Out - First Core Update Of Year - https://www.seroundtable.com/google-march-2026-core-update-41121.html
⭐️ Reddit: Here Comes the March 2026 Core Update - https://www.reddit.com/r/SEO/comments/1s52o0a/here_comes_the_march_2026_core_update/
🚀 Edward's SEO Articles - https://edwardsturm.com/articles/search-engine-optimization/
💎 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 March Update Madness
00:35 What Google Announced
01:05 Volatility Signals
01:43 Streets React
02:34 Winners and Losers
03:58 Entity Focus Theory
04:53 Topical Authority Playbook
06:15 iGaming Black Hat Theory
07:16 Avoid Getting Hit
08:06 Too Much SEO Patterns
09:57 The Smartest SEO
10:45 Final Thanks
The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/
#searchengineoptimization #googlecoreupdate #googlemarchupdate #seo

E997: Most people think "GEO" is replacing SEO, and that getting cited by tools like ChatGPT or Perplexity requires a totally different strategy.
I break down why that narrative is wrong.
Using a real discussion from the SEO subreddit, I walk through what's actually happening behind the scenes in AI search - and why, after six months of testing, even experienced "GEO" practitioners still can't figure out what's moving the needle.
The answer is simpler than most people expect: AI search is not a new system. It is built on top of search.
AI systems are performing live queries, expanding them, validating results, and selecting sources - just like a search engine would.
Once you understand that, the confusion around GEO starts to disappear.
Topics covered in this episode:
- Why six months of GEO testing often leads to inconsistent and unmeasurable results
- The concept of "query fanout" and how AI systems expand a single prompt into multiple searches
- How grounding queries work and why brand mentions across the web matter
- Why AI citations are not based on memory or training data in the way most marketers assume
- The difference between being indexed, being ranked, and being selected during AI query expansion
- Why third-party mentions and reputation signals still play a major role
- The idea that much of the GEO industry is built on misunderstandings of how these systems operate
- How tools can reveal what AI systems are actually searching behind the scenes
I also cover new data from Promptwatch, based on 1 million citations, showing what types of pages are being cited by AI systems:
- Landing pages: 15.2% of citations
- Product pages: 14% of citations
- Listicles, landing pages, and product pages dominate citation sources
This reinforces a point I have been making for a long time: bottom-of-funnel pages that clearly match user intent are far more effective than generic top-of-funnel content.
We also discuss:
- Why traditional "awareness content" often fails to convert or get cited
- How SEO landing pages and product pages align directly with what users are searching for
- Why reputation management and entity signals are becoming more important, not less
- How AI search is pushing SEO back toward fundamentals rather than replacing it
If you've been trying to figure out GEO, AI citations, or how to get mentioned in AI systems, this episode explains what actually matters. 
⭐️ Updated Search Query and Reasoning Extractor Bookmarklets (ChatGPT + Claude) - https://theseopub.com/updated-search-query-and-reasoning-extractor-bookmarklets/
⭐️ The Reddit Thread - https://www.reddit.com/r/SEO/comments/1s45fli/comment/ocpdi29/?context=3
⭐️ The Promptwatch Research - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/gijs-de-groot2021_seeing-a-lot-of-talk-about-listicles-losing-activity-7426618883454894080-5kL2/
🚀 Edward's SEO Articles - https://edwardsturm.com/articles/search-engine-optimization/
💎 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 GEO Frustration Thread
00:54 WebLinkr Query Fan-Out
02:53 How To Find Fan-Out
03:54 Training Myth Exposed
04:59 GEO Disinfo Lobby
07:11 PromptWatch Citation Data
08:15 What ChatGPT Cites
09:09 Landing Pages Win
11:32 Episode Wrap Up
The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/
#generativeengineoptimization #searchengineoptimization #answerengineoptimization #digitalmarketing