E720: What can we learn from how Ancient Rome mastered public perception?

Historian Gregory S. Aldrete joins the show to break down the surprising sophistication of Roman branding, influence, and propaganda - and what modern marketers can learn from it.

From Caesar’s third-person dispatches to Augustus’ image management masterclass, this episode explores the tools Rome used to dominate the narrative - across architecture, coins, rumors, and gladiator games.

If you're building a business, crafting a personal brand, or trying to stay top-of-mind in a noisy world, Rome’s playbook still applies.

In this episode, we cover:
• “Dignitas”: Rome’s original personal branding system
• How Augustus ruled with power and humility - and avoided assassination
• Viral scandals, propaganda, and the ancient version of going public
• Rome’s use of architecture, symbols, and story to win hearts and minds
• What Julius Caesar’s dispatches can teach you about Twitter/X
• How gladiator games doubled as political theater and emotional influence
• Rome’s version of top-of-mind awareness - and how they kept it
• How gossip, graffiti, and chants spread ideas like memes
• The Roman obsession with status - and how it shaped public image
• Lessons from Cicero on emotional persuasion and audience control
• How delivery and gesture amplified speeches in the Roman Republic
• Why statues, coins, and temples were part of a unified content strategy
• What Livy’s heroic myths reveal about Roman values and identity marketing
• How Rome used fear, loyalty, and shared identity to build trust and power
• The Roman military as a brand conversion machine for conquered people
• Why Augustus’ autobiography (Res Gestae) is a masterclass in subtle marketing
• What Rome’s failure moments teach us about bad PR and overreaching
• How Nero’s golden palace backfired - and what came after
• Parallels between ancient and modern “media ecosystems”
• What marketers, creators, and leaders today can learn from ancient influence strategy

Our guest, Gregory S. Aldrete, is a Professor Emeritus of History and Humanities at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, an award-winning educator, and the author of several acclaimed books on ancient Rome, including Gestures and Acclamations in Ancient Rome and The Encyclopedia of Daily Life in the Ancient World. He’s also the creator of multiple popular video lecture series with The Great Courses, where he brings ancient history to life for learners around the world.

⭐️ Gregory Aldrete’s Personal Website - https://gregorysaldrete.com/

⭐️ Greg’s CV - https://gregorysaldrete.com/hompage/aldrete-cv-page/

⭐️ The Great Courses - Gregory Aldrete’s Courses - https://www.amazon.com/History-Ancient-World-Global-Perspective/dp/B008QQ6FKY

⭐️ Wikipedia – Gregory S. Aldrete - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregory_S._Aldrete

💎 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
00:31 Sophistication of Roman Public Perception
01:47 Dignitas: The Roman Quest for Public Image
07:21 Scandals and Viral Antics in Ancient Rome
09:42 Roman Cultural Identity and Historical Narratives
16:21 Rome's Symbolic Dominance and Imperialism
19:41 Incorporation of Conquered Peoples
26:17 Augustus: Master of Personal Branding
43:31 Public Appearances and Legitimacy in Rome
49:26 Graffiti as a Political Tool in Ancient Rome
50:58 Public Opinion and Political Missteps
51:41 Nero's Golden House and the Colosseum
55:58 The Emotional Power of Roman Spectacles
57:55 The Art of Roman Oratory and Gestures
01:06:51 Virgil's Aeneid: Rome's Epic Origin Story
01:15:38 Lessons from Roman Influence and Branding
01:21:35 Julius Caesar's Propaganda Techniques
01:27:56 Augustus' Sophisticated Political Strategy
01:29:40 Where to Binge

The Edward Show. Your daily digital marketing podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/

#marketing #ancientrome #influence #business

E719: Google just dropped support for 7 niche schema types - including Book Actions, Course Info, Estimated Salary, and more.

In this episode, I break down exactly what that means for your SEO strategy, why most structured data is a waste of time, and the truth about LLMs.txt.

You’ll learn:
- Why niche schema doesn't move the needle
- What Google actually says about structured data
- Whether schema helps with AI visibility
- Whether LLMs.txt helps with AI visibility like the TikTok SEO experts say
- The SEO community’s real take on all of this (including Barry Schwartz & John Mueller)

If you're spending time on technical SEO that sounds smart but doesn’t impact your rankings, this episode is your wake-up call.

⭐️ Google Structured Data Policies - https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/sd-policies

⭐️ Barry Schwartz LinkedIn Post on Schema Types Dropped - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rustybrick_google-seo-googleseo-activity-7339255572279570434-jCea/

⭐️ Barry Schwartz on this podcast - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIJaCimVeDE

⭐️ SEOs Are Recommending Structured Data For AI Search… Why? - https://www.searchenginejournal.com/seos-are-recommending-structured-data-for-ai-search-why/537959/

⭐️ John Mueller / Google on LLMs.txt - https://www.seroundtable.com/google-ai-llms-txt-39607.html

⭐️ Reddit Discussion on LLMs.txt - https://www.reddit.com/r/SEO/comments/1lh8gua/llmstxt_file_generator_for_customers_who_obsessed/

⭐️ Episode 708 - LLMs.txt: What It Is and Do You Need One? - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOo6YC6n2hE

💎 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
00:07 Understanding Schema and Its Relevance
00:49 The Reality of Implementing Schema
01:59 Google's Update on Niche Schema
03:02 Structured Data for AI Search
04:48 Introduction to LLMs.txt
06:18 Debate on the Usefulness of LLMs.txt
10:25 Final Thoughts

The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/

#technicalseo #searchengineoptimization #seotips #digitalmarketing

E718: Image SEO is one of the most ignored parts of search optimization - even by people who’ve been in the game for years. And yet, it affects everything from how your pages rank to how your brand shows up in Google Images, AI tools like ChatGPT, and social media platforms.

In this episode, I break down the basic image SEO tactics most people skip - and how fixing them can lead to more traffic, better rankings, and increased visibility for your brand.

You'll learn:
- Why image SEO is still widely overlooked - and why that’s a mistake
- How poor image optimization can hurt even solid SEO strategies
- What properly named image files and alt text actually do for rankings
- How optimized images improve e-commerce performance and AI discoverability
- The simple naming convention I use for every image on my site
- How image context, file structure, and alt attributes signal quality to Google
- Lessons from real SEO experiments related to this

Most SEOs are still missing this. After this episode, you won’t be one of them.

⭐️ 21 SEO Experiments That Will Change The Way You Think About SEO (Forever) - https://seosherpa.com/seo-experiments/

⭐️ Ep 624 - Making SEO Viral - Matt Diamante - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QF8VnXdSjnA

⭐️ Ep 693 - The SHOCKING Truth About Shared Hosting & SEO Rankings (Real Experiment Results) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WobMZRSJwQs

💎 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 Image SEO
00:47 Importance of Image SEO in E-commerce
01:44 Real-life Examples of Image SEO
05:05 Optimizing Your Images: Best Practices
08:23 Final Thoughts

The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/

#imageseo #searchengineoptimization #seotips #digitalmarketing

E717: The SEO world feels like it’s falling apart - pages are getting deindexed, AI Overviews are slashing clicks, and people are declaring Google dead. But what’s actually happening?

I break down the real story behind Google’s summer 2025 shakeups:
- Why mass deindexing is hitting low-quality content
- How AI is changing search behavior (and what that means for your traffic)
- Why transactional keywords are still the biggest SEO opportunity
- What still works in SEO right now - and how to future-proof your strategy

If you're feeling overwhelmed or unsure about the direction of SEO, this episode is for you.

⭐️ State of Search Q1 2025: Behaviors, Trends, and Clicks Across the US & Europe - https://datos.live/report/state-of-search-q1-2025/

💎 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 The Changing Landscape of Digital Marketing
00:19 Deindexing Crisis: Pages Removed from Google's Index
00:43 AI's Impact on Clicks and Impressions
02:41 The Rise of Transactional Keywords
04:31 Google's Crackdown on Mass AI Content
06:32 Debunking the 'Google is Dead' Myth
10:18 The Best SEO Practices Remain Unchanged
11:00 Final Thoughts

The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/

#searchengineoptimization #seotips #digitalmarketing #marketingstrategy

E716: I break down exactly how I approach keyword research - using competitor data, Google Search Console, and SERP analysis to find high-impact keywords you can actually rank for.

Then, I share some of the best community advice from the SEO subreddit, covering both keyword research and a hot topic: are there any real SEO shortcuts that still work today?

You’ll walk away with proven strategies, insights, and a better understanding of how to target keywords and do SEO that brings real results.

What You’ll Learn:
- One of my keyword research workflows
- How to analyze competitors to uncover hidden keyword gems
- Spotting weak SERPs where you can easily outrank existing pages
- Using Google Search Console to find unexpected keyword opportunities
- When and how to update existing pages vs. creating new content
- How Reddit SEO pros approach keyword research and personas
- Tools and AI prompts for building effective customer personas
- Why bottom-of-funnel keywords can be a powerful (and overlooked) shortcut
- Are there real SEO shortcuts? Here’s what the SEO community says
- Low-risk, high-reward tactics like internal linking, image compression, and title tag optimization
- Why “smart work” often beats “shortcuts” in the long run
- The power of linkable assets and timing content with market trends

If you're tired of vague advice and want real, practical SEO tactics, this episode is for you.

⭐️ How to get better at Keyword Research? - https://www.reddit.com/r/SEO/comments/1l6l7tg/how_to_get_better_at_keyword_research/

⭐️ SEO Shortcuts - https://www.reddit.com/r/SEO/comments/1ldjcd2/seo_shortcuts/

⭐️ How 16 Companies are Dominating the World’s Google Search Results (2024 Edition) - https://detailed.com/google-control/

⭐️ E608 - SEO Shortcuts From a 25 Year Veteran - Bill Hartzer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mz6JLv86L0Y

💎 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 SEO Tips
00:53 Improving Keyword Research Skills
02:49 Community Insights on Keyword Research
07:10 Exploring SEO Shortcuts
11:17 Long-Term SEO Strategies
14:11 Final Thoughts

The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/

#searchengineoptimization #seotips #seohacks #digitalmarketing

E715: A fascinating new discovery about Google’s indexing behavior: if your page hasn’t been crawled in 130 days, it will be removed from Google’s index.

This insight comes from a deep-dive study by Alexis Rylko at iProspect, who used Screaming Frog and the Google Search Console API to uncover the pattern.

I break down:
- What the 130-day crawl rule is and why it matters
- How Google decides which pages to keep or drop
- Real-world case studies across different industries
- How to identify at-risk pages on your own site
- Practical steps to keep your content indexed and improve crawl frequency

Whether you’re an SEO, content strategist, or just trying to keep your pages visible on Google, this is a must-listen. Don’t let your content silently disappear from search.

⭐️ Source: https://alekseo.com/google-and-the-130-day-rule/

💎 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 De-Indexing Issue
00:34 Alexis Rylko's 130-Day Rule Discovery
01:21 Understanding Google's Indexing Strategy
03:30 Setting Up Screaming Frog for Analysis
06:48 Case Studies on the 130-Day Rule
10:09 Improving Crawlability and Indexation
13:49 Final Thoughts

The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/

#searchengineoptimization #technicalsearchengineoptimization #seotips #digitalmarketing

E714: Alex Moss, Principal SEO at Yoast, joins the show!

We cover everything from AI agents, LLMs, and Google's monopoly risk, to whether link building is dying, and what LLMs.txt really means for content visibility.

We also discuss:
- How ChatGPT and AI assistants are reshaping user behavior
- How SEO reporting, keyword strategy & top-of-funnel content are evolving
- Why bottom-of-funnel and brand-driven content are becoming king
- What Google might look like in the next few years
- Scaled content, hallucinations, and how to actually use AI in SEO workflows
- Black hat SEO trends
- The hype vs. reality of AI agents (and why most don’t save time)
- Optimizing for voice search, Google’s AI Overviews, and the rise of user-generated content
- Practical SEO advice for SMBs & legacy SEO myths that don’t work anymore

Whether you're a seasoned SEO or just trying to keep up with all the changes, this episode is packed with insight, skepticism, and real-world experience.

About Alex Moss:
Alex Moss is Principal SEO at Yoast as well as Co-Founder of FireCask. He has over 20 years experience in every aspect of the SEO industry from in-house, freelancer, agency employee and agency owner. With a background in technical SEO, Alex has been working in Search since its infancy. Alex also has years of knowledge of WordPress, creating and optimizing sites since 2010. Over the years Alex has built everything from popular plugins to custom-made themes and frameworks, as well as being involved in complex WordPress and SEO projects globally.

⭐️ Alex Moss on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexmoss1/
⭐️ Alex Moss on 𝕏: https://x.com/alexmoss
⭐️ Alex Moss home: https://alex-moss.co.uk/
⭐️ Yoast: https://yoast.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 WordPress and Yoast SEO
01:05 The Impact of ChatGPT on SEO
03:16 Google's Monopoly and the Rise of AI Assistants
06:25 Future of SEO and Content Marketing
08:36 Challenges and Opportunities with AI in SEO
20:08 Automation in SEO: Tools and Techniques
34:16 Best Practices for SEO
42:58 Discussing LLMs and Their Impact
43:41 Exploring the Adoption and Skepticism of LLMs
45:26 Understanding LLMs.txt and Its Implementation
49:43 SEO Mistakes and the Future of Link Building
53:48 Voice Search and AI in SEO
01:01:21 Black Hat SEO Tactics and AI Content
01:06:41 The Role of AI in Content Creation
01:14:13 Humanoid Robots and the Future of AI
01:15:52 Final Thoughts

The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/

#searchengineoptimization #generativeengineoptimization #seotips #digitalmarketing

E713: Think your homepage should rank for all your top keywords? Think again. In this episode, I break down one of the biggest mistakes I still see SEOs making in 2025 - using the homepage as a catch-all SEO landing page.

You'll learn:
- Why targeting keywords with your homepage doesn't work anymore
- The real purpose of a homepage in modern SEO
- How exact match domains (EMDs) actually hurt your rankings (revealed in the Google API Leak)
- What to put on your homepage to build authority, trust, and links
- The right way to structure your site to rank for competitive keywords

If you're still stacking H2s and keyword-stuffed paragraphs on your homepage, this episode will be a wake-up call. Old SEO is dead - here's what to do instead.

⭐️ Mashable on Exact Match Domains in the Google API Leak - https://mashable.com/article/google-search-content-api-warehouse-seo-leak

💎 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
00:19 The Purpose of a Homepage
01:12 Common Mistakes with Homepage SEO
01:57 Why Old SEO Tactics Fail Today
03:10 The Issue with Exact Match Domains
04:51 Best Practices for Homepage SEO
05:44 Further Resources

The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/

#searchengineoptimization #seotips #seo101 #digitalmarketing