The Edward Show

E896: Google has been recommending outbound links for years, yet many SEOs still avoid them.
We go through Google's own documentation about linking out, an SEO experiment that tested whether outbound links help rankings, and Matt Cutts' guidance on when to use the nofollow attribute.
The core idea is simple: linking to relevant, trustworthy sources can improve the usefulness of your content. It helps readers explore related topics, shows that you've done research, and connects your work to the wider web.
We also look at why many SEOs became skeptical of outbound links in the first place. A long-standing belief in the industry is that linking out "leaks PageRank" and weakens your site. But when you compare that idea to Google's documentation and real experiments, the story looks very different.
We break down:
- Google's official advice on outbound links from the Search Central blog
- Why linking out can improve credibility and reader trust
- The difference between normal links, nofollow, sponsored, and UGC attributes
- Why Google warns against unmonitored or spammy outbound links
- The experiment by Reboot that tested outbound links across multiple websites
- Why the sites with outbound links ranked higher in that test
- Matt Cutts' explanation of PageRank sculpting and why he avoided using nofollow internally
- When it actually makes sense to use nofollow
- Why trying to "hoard PageRank" is usually a mistake
We also talk about how outbound links fit into a broader philosophy of building useful pages: cite sources, connect readers to good resources, and focus on making pages genuinely helpful rather than trying to control every technical detail.
If you create content for search, this is a topic worth revisiting.
Outbound links are part of how the web works.
And according to Google, they should be used when they help readers.
⭐️ Linking out: Often it's just applying common sense - https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2008/10/linking-out-often-its-just-applying
⭐️ Outbound Link Experiment - Number 9 - https://seosherpa.com/seo-experiments/
⭐️ PageRank sculpting - https://www.mattcutts.com/blog/pagerank-sculpting/
⭐️ E980: Unicorn Clicks, NavBoost & Google's Real Ranking Signals - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqvAaLahNTQ
🚀 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 Link Out
01:08 Google's Outbound Link Advice
02:18 Linking Best Practices
03:39 Outbound Link Q&A
05:38 Do Outbound Links Help SEO
06:32 Reboot Experiment Results
07:44 Matt Cutts on Nofollow
08:34 When to Use Nofollow
09:31 Wrap Up
The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/
#searchengineoptimization #seo #backlinks #digitalmarketing

E985: A lot of people say exact match domains stopped working years ago. In this episode, we take a closer look at whether that's actually true.
SEO veteran David Quaid joins the show to break down how exact match domains (EMDs) still play a role in modern search strategies. We discuss when they work, when they don't, and why many companies underestimate the value of owning keyword-focused domains.
The conversation covers real-world use cases, practical tactics, and some of the risks involved. We also explore how EMDs fit into a broader SEO strategy that includes branded domains, satellite sites, and reputation management.
We also go beyond EMDs and talk about several current debates in search, including automated content, generative engine optimization (GEO), and how AI systems choose which sources to cite.
Topics covered:
- Whether exact match domains still provide a ranking advantage in modern SEO
- Why Google reduced the power of EMDs but didn't eliminate it
- How companies use satellite domains to control more results on page one
- The difference between building a brand domain and using keyword-focused domains
- When exact match domains outperform branded domains
- How SEOs use EMDs to compete against large companies with stronger authority
- Why controlling multiple search results can matter for reputation management
- Strategies for linking between a main site and satellite domains
- The role of topical authority and anchor text when ranking EMDs
- When exact match domains start to look spammy
- The cost and effort required to maintain multiple domains
- How automated SEO systems are being used to build and maintain satellite sites
- Whether machine-scale content is actually detectable by search engines
- Why some companies run EMD projects anonymously
- The relationship between SEO and generative engine optimization (GEO)
- Why many claims about GEO being completely different from SEO are misleading
- How AI systems decide which sources to cite
- Why self-promotional listicles may be losing effectiveness
- A technical discussion about Cloudflare, AI crawlers, and visibility in LLM citations
David also shares examples from past projects, including competing against major companies in highly competitive search markets and using EMDs to gain visibility where a branded domain could not.
If you're interested in practical SEO strategies, search experimentation, and the evolving relationship between search engines and AI systems, this episode covers a lot of ground.
⭐️ 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/
🚀 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 Do EMDs Still Matter?
02:36 Why Google Ignores Brands
03:55 Branded vs EMD Strategy
05:24 Owning Page One
07:42 Automating EMD Sites
11:38 Machine Scaled Content Debate
13:07 Trust and Brand Pushback
14:29 Ranking Signals and Linking
15:46 Anonymous Satellite Domains
16:53 EMDs as Marketing Assets
19:49 When EMDs Get Spammy
21:24 Managing Cost and CMS
22:39 301 Redirect Domain Hack
27:05 Buying the Right EMD
28:03 Brand Mentions Win
28:31 EMD vs Brand SEO
29:07 Outranking Giants Story
32:28 Budget Pick EMD
33:23 Is GEO Really New
34:09 Listicle Consensus Chaos
38:15 Cloudflare Blocks LLMs
45:01 Self Promo Backfires
50:12 Ranking Tricks for GEO
53:27 Wrap Up
The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/
#exactmatchdomains #searchengineoptimization #seo #digitalmarketing

E984: Two stories that highlight a broader problem on the modern internet: systems that are easily manipulated once incentives are introduced.
First, Microsoft has published research describing what it calls AI recommendation poisoning. Companies are embedding hidden instructions inside "Summarize with AI" buttons and AI prompt links. When users click these links, they can inject instructions into an AI assistant's memory telling it to treat a specific company as a trusted or preferred source.
The goal is simple: influence future AI responses and recommendations without the user realizing it happened.
We walk through how these attacks work, why they are easy to deploy, and why they could become a short-term tactic in marketing before AI systems and search engines adapt.
The second story is the shutdown and reset of Digg. The company announced it is downsizing its team after being overwhelmed by bots, automated accounts, and large amounts of low-quality SEO content. The Digg CEO cited "SEO spammers" as a major reason the platform struggled to maintain trust in its voting and engagement systems.
We look at why SEO itself was not necessarily the problem, and what platforms like Digg could do differently if they want to build sustainable communities in an internet environment filled with automation and AI-generated content.
Topics covered include:
- Microsoft's report on AI Recommendation Poisoning
- How hidden prompts can manipulate AI memory
- Why "Summarize with AI" buttons can be used to plant persistent instructions
- Real-world risks of biased AI recommendations in finance, news, and product decisions
- Why these tactics may only work temporarily before platforms detect and block them
- Digg's shutdown announcement and the return of founder Kevin Rose
- The role bots, automation, and AI content played in Digg's early problems
- Why lazy AI content is often worse than promotional or SEO-driven posts
- Practical ideas for how social platforms could filter spam and low-quality automation
- Why manipulation tends to appear anywhere online visibility and incentives exist
We also reflect on the broader theme of the episode: why it is difficult to maintain healthy online systems when there are strong incentives to game them.
⭐️ Manipulating AI memory for profit: The rise of AI Recommendation Poisoning - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2026/02/10/ai-recommendation-poisoning/
💰 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 We Can't Have Nice Things
00:35 AI Recommendation Poisoning
03:17 How the Attack Works
04:27 AI Summarize Buttons and Memory
06:13 Real World Harm Scenarios
07:30 Can Platforms Stop It?
08:37 Digg Shuts Down and Resets
09:38 Digg Explains the SEO Bot Crisis
11:46 What Digg Plans Next
12:32 My Take on Digg SEO vs Spam
13:01 How to Rebuild Trust Slowly
15:46 Closing Thoughts
The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/
#generativeengineoptimization #parasiteseo #searchengineoptimization #digitalmarketing

E983: Amazon is one of the largest search engines in the world, but most sellers misunderstand how products actually rank. In this episode, Edward sits down with Amazon operator and agency founder Nik Hall to break down how the Amazon ranking system works in 2026.
Nik has built and scaled multiple seven-figure brands, taken products from zero to tens of thousands of retail locations, and helped dozens of companies grow on Amazon. In this conversation, he explains the mechanics behind Amazon SEO, how the A9 algorithm works, and why conversion rate and sales velocity matter more than most sellers realize.
They walk through the full process of getting a product to rank on Amazon - from keyword research and listing optimization to paid ads, reviews, product development, and the role of AI in Amazon search.
They also covers common mistakes sellers make, risky tactics that can get accounts banned, and how serious brands approach product testing and growth.
Topics covered include:
- How Amazon's A9 algorithm ranks products
- Why conversion rate and sales velocity drive rankings
- How organic rankings and paid ads work together
- How to choose keywords and structure an Amazon listing
- Why keyword stuffing no longer works
- How to identify high-opportunity niches with low competition
- The tools serious Amazon sellers use (Helium 10, Data Dive, and others)
- What makes a high-converting Amazon product page
- The importance of product-market fit and reviews
- How to structure Amazon ad campaigns for better data
- Why many Amazon sellers fail before they ever rank
- What Amazon is doing to combat fake reviews and manipulation
- How Chinese sellers compete on the platform
- The role of AI, Rufus, and Amazon's evolving search experience
- Why TikTok and external traffic are becoming more important
- How top Amazon brands test, iterate, and improve products over time
If you sell products online or are thinking about launching a brand on Amazon, this episode explains how the platform actually works and what it takes to compete today.
⭐️ Nik Hall on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikhall/
⭐️ Nik Hall's Amazon agency - https://revivemarketingpartners.com/
💰 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 Amazon SEO Playbook
00:17 Nik Hall's Amazon Journey
01:54 How Amazon Ranks
03:02 Keywords and AI Search
04:19 Rufus and Cosmo
05:22 Organic Launch Basics
07:30 Amazon Listing SEO and Images
09:28 Keyword Research
17:51 Tools for Ranking Data
19:27 High Converting Listings
22:52 Common SEO Mistakes
25:22 Backlinks and Velocity
29:55 Paid Ads Structure
31:15 Reviews and Rule Breaking
35:17 Dirty Tactics and Defense
45:05 Winning Products and Niches
47:40 Big Seller Strategies
50:54 External Brand Building
52:51 Wrap Up
The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/
#amazonseo #amazonmarketing #searchengineoptimization #cpgdigitalmarketing

E982: I talk with Bas de Goei (Head of Marketing at Orb) about the SEO strategy that helped Orb rank #1 on Google for competitive keywords like "usage-based billing" - without relying on a large backlink profile.
Orb competes against companies like Stripe and other well-funded SaaS platforms. Despite this, their marketing team built strong organic traffic by focusing on topical authority, structured content clusters, and a highly iterative marketing approach.
Bas explains how Orb built an SEO system around cornerstone topics, how they identify high-value keywords before competitors do, and how SEO fits into a broader marketing engine that includes brand, paid acquisition, and data-driven customer journey analysis.
This conversation also explores how modern marketing teams are combining SEO with automation, AI agents, and signal-based marketing to identify buyers and move them through the funnel.
Topics covered:
- How Orb built SEO traffic after starting with almost no marketing infrastructure
- The cornerstone strategy used to build topical authority in a niche SaaS category
- Why many companies focus too much on backlinks instead of content depth
- How Orb identifies new keywords by listening to customers and watching market trends
- The role of "pricing content" in driving unexpected organic conversions
- Why informational traffic can still lead to high-value sales opportunities
- How multi-touch attribution reveals the real path customers take before converting
- How brand investments (billboards, PR, media appearances) influence organic rankings
- The strategy behind launching an exact-match domain to capture additional search traffic
- How Orb built a signal-based marketing engine using tools like Clay and Dreamdata
- Why Bas believes marketers should test aggressively and iterate quickly
- What the first 90-180 days of marketing would look like for a new startup today
Bas also discusses how the rise of AI pricing models is changing the SaaS industry and why pricing strategy is becoming one of the most important areas for software companies to invest in.
This episode is useful for:
- Founders building early SEO traction
- Marketing leaders responsible for growth and demand generation
- SaaS companies operating in competitive niches
- Anyone interested in topical authority and modern SEO strategy
Orb builds infrastructure for usage-based billing and pricing for modern software companies.
⭐️ Orb - https://www.withorb.com/
⭐️ Bas de Goei on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bastiaandegoei/
💰 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 SEO Killer Intro
00:06 From Strategy to InsureTech
02:39 Joining Orb and SEO Spike
06:20 What Orb Does
09:41 Cornerstone SEO Basics
11:46 Clusters and AI Pricing
24:15 Exact Match Domain Play
27:24 Intent and Funnel Scoring
32:28 Pricing Pages That Convert
36:52 Common Marketing Mistakes
41:41 Brand Drives Rankings
45:53 X Ray Pricing Easter Egg
48:31 Measuring Pricing Experiments
55:17 Automation With Clay and Claude
01:01:45 First 90 Days Marketing Plan
01:05:18 Email Domains and Link Building
01:09:33 2026 Marketing Bets
01:14:12 Dream Data Explained
01:16:24 Wrap Up and Where to Find
The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/
#searchengineoptimization #growthmarketing #chiefmarketingofficer #growthhacking