The Edward Show

E971: Matt Diamante shares a simple experiment that produced surprising results: adding expert quotes to AI-written content led to AI Overview citations within two hours of publishing.

We break down what was tested, what changed, and why this small adjustment may be influencing how Google's AI Overviews and large language models evaluate content.

What we cover:
- The exact test Matt ran and what was different about the winning content
- Why adding expert quotes may increase AI Overview citations
- The role of outbound links and why linking out can improve rankings
- The relationship between expert quotes and E-E-A-T signals
- Whether this works for informational content only, or also bottom-of-funnel pages
- How AI Overviews affect click-through rates and what that means for strategy
- Why topical authority still matters in an AI-first search environment
- How to build topical authority using People Also Ask questions
- The risks of scaling AI content too aggressively
- What separates good AI-assisted content from low-quality AI spam
- When technical SEO fixes matter - and when they don't
- Why matching search intent is still the foundation of ranking
- How local businesses can use simple marketing tactics to dominate their market

We also discuss:
- Whether SEO for LLMs is actually different from traditional SEO
- How branded search impacts authority
- Why some experienced SEOs still operate like it's 2014
- The importance of structure, clarity, and answering the question immediately
- Why above-the-fold content matters more than ever

This episode goes deeper than just "add expert quotes." It's a broader conversation about how search is evolving, what Google is rewarding, and how to adapt without overcomplicating the fundamentals.

If you care about ranking in AI Overviews, building authority, and understanding what is actually moving the needle right now, this episode will give you practical ideas to test.

New episodes every day.

⭐️ Matt Diamante on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/heytony.agency/
⭐️ Matt Diamante on TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@heytonyagency
⭐️ Matt Diamante on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@heymattdiamante
⭐️ Matt Diamante's agency - https://heytony.ca/

💎 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 Expert Quotes Breakthrough
00:57 How to Add Real Quotes
02:28 Outbound Links Experiment
04:28 Top vs Bottom of Funnel
09:08 Building Topical Authority
09:53 People Also Ask Scaling
13:54 AI Content Spam Risks
18:50 Write for Scanners
21:04 LLM SEO vs Google
25:45 Site Audit Priorities
36:57 Shopify SEO Essentials
41:49 Second Person Wins
45:59 Outdated SEO Habits
47:20 Low-Hanging Fruit Wins
50:26 Technical Fixes vs Content
51:50 When Fixes Matter
01:00:35 Schema and SERP Reality
01:04:20 Branded Search Signals
01:05:29 Buying Local Businesses
01:10:05 Nail Salon Marketing Playbook
01:14:50 Prioritizing for Owners
01:17:46 Wrap Up

The Edward Show. The #1 search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/

#generativeengineoptimization #answerengineoptimization #searchengineoptimization #digitalmarketing

E970: Breaking down one of the most debated SEO topics: the "bad neighborhood" hosting effect.

There's a persistent theory that shared hosting damages rankings, that you need a dedicated IP to compete, and that being on the wrong server can suppress your visibility in Google.

Lance Dockins, founder of WordKeeper and longtime hosting and security expert, joins the show.

We unpack what's real, what's exaggerated, and what actually matters.

This conversation goes deep into how hosting, IP reputation, site speed, bot traffic, security, and Core Web Vitals intersect with SEO performance.

What we cover:
- The "bad neighborhood" hosting theory - myth vs reality
- Whether shared hosting actually hurts rankings
- Dedicated IP vs dedicated server - what's the difference
- IP reputation lists and how to check yours
- When you should consider switching hosts (and when you shouldn't)
- Signs your hosting environment is hurting your SEO
- How overcrowded servers affect performance and stability
- Managed hosting vs AWS and VPS setups
- Core Web Vitals - how much they really matter
- Why obsessing over PageSpeed scores can backfire
- How bot traffic (including AI bots) impacts site speed
- Whether to block SEO tools like Ahrefs and Screaming Frog
- SEO hijacking attacks and how they work
- Practical security habits that prevent ranking loss
- What good hosting actually looks like

We also discuss how email deliverability, spam reputation, crawl behavior, and server instability can create indirect SEO problems that most site owners never consider.

If you run a local business, ecommerce store, agency, or content site, this episode will help you make better decisions about your hosting setup without overreacting to internet myths.

If you have questions about your hosting setup, drop them in the comments. We may do a follow-up Q&A episode.

⭐️ Lance Dockins on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lancedockins/
⭐️ Lance Dockins on 𝕏 - https://x.com/lancedockins
⭐️ WordKeeper, Lance Dockins' hosting company - https://wordkeeper.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 Hosting SEO Myths
01:07 Bad Neighborhood Experiment
04:38 Why Cheap Hosts Hurt
09:19 Naming Risky Hosts
13:05 When To Switch Hosts
16:25 Check IP And Blacklists
22:06 CDN IP Confusion
24:22 Dedicated IP Vs Server
25:58 HostGator And Better Options
29:21 Robots And Crawl Chaos
33:25 SEO Friendly Hosts List
35:39 VPS And Cloud Hosting
37:27 Pricing And Practical Guidelines
41:49 Security Claims Red Flags
43:28 Server Crowding Reality
43:56 SEO Hijacking Explained
46:44 Google Penalties After Hacks
48:17 Practical Security Habits
51:13 Firewalls and Cloudflare
52:15 AWS Versus Managed Hosting
54:29 Core Web Vitals Context
58:23 When Speed Moves Rankings
59:24 Hosting Speed Versus Frontend
01:04:46 Bot Traffic and Noisy Neighbors
01:09:03 Blocking SEO Tool Crawlers
01:10:10 Why Start a Hosting Company
01:14:40 AI Bots and Crawl Control
01:19:44 Wrap Up

The Edward Show. The #1 search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/

#searchengineoptimization #technicalseo #seotips #webhosting

E969: How digital PR, brand mentions, and earned media are becoming some of the most important drivers of visibility across Google and AI search.

Chris Panteli of Linkifi returns to the show!

We go deep into how journalists actually source experts, why most HARO and expert quote pitches fail, and how real media coverage influences rankings, reputation, and LLM visibility - even when there is no backlink.

Chris also breaks down the systems his agency uses to build relationships with journalists, filter opportunities at scale, and turn a single media placement into long-term coverage across multiple publications.

This is a practical conversation focused on what is working right now - not recycled link building advice and not tactics that stopped working years ago.

Topics covered:
- Why brand mentions are becoming as powerful as backlinks for AI search visibility
- How Google, ChatGPT, and Perplexity build trust through consensus and coverage
- The difference between SEO digital PR and authority PR
- How expert quotes lead to podcast features, op-eds, and major media placements
- Mistakes that get HARO pitches ignored or journalists to blacklist sources
- Why fake AI personas are creating new verification challenges for journalists
- How to build journalist relationships instead of chasing one-off placements
- Using CRMs, alerts, and follow-ups to turn one mention into ongoing coverage
- Real examples of coverage leading to ChatGPT referrals and organic growth
- How agencies use AI to categorize journalist requests and filter opportunities
- Why smaller niche publications can be more valuable than high-DR general sites
- The role of reputation management in modern SEO and AI visibility
- How local businesses can earn press coverage through newsjacking and local expertise
- Practical ways to pitch local journalists even if you are not a PR professional

Chris also shares how his team uses custom systems to monitor journalist requests, manage outreach without spamming, and maintain quality while scaling expert quote placement.

For local businesses, consultants, and founders, the discussion around local media coverage and news-driven outreach offers one of the most overlooked opportunities to build authority, trust, and conversions.

If you are trying to understand how visibility works beyond traditional backlinks - especially inside AI systems - this episode provides a clear look at the mechanics behind earned media and authority building.

⭐️ Contact Christopher on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-panteli/
⭐️ Christopher Panteli on 𝕏: https://x.com/Linkifi_
⭐️ Christopher Panteli's agency: https://www.linkifi.io/
⭐️ Tier-one media coverage cheat sheet: https://go.linkifi.io/press-coverage-cheat-sheet-page

💎 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 Agency Growth Since HCU
01:06 What Makes Linkifi Different
02:15 Two Core Offerings
05:09 Brand Mentions And AI Visibility
10:26 Reputation Management Demand
13:01 Do Links Move Rankings
15:44 Case Studies And LLM Referrals
16:33 Best Platforms For Expert Quotes
17:32 Stop Using AI Spam Responses
20:57 Deplatforming To Direct Journalist Relationships
22:28 Systematizing Journalist Relationships
25:43 Team Size And Hiring For PR Talent
27:42 Gifting Journalists Ethics And Ideas
31:20 Biggest HARO Mistakes Authenticity
38:57 Read The Query And Match Bias
43:24 Custom GPTs For Client Compliance
44:17 Digital PR Versus Link Building
46:34 Landing Tier One Features Case Study
49:51 Follow Up Cadence And CRM
53:14 AI Filtering And Airtable Workflow
58:16 Reddit And Blacklists For Quality
01:03:52 Hyperlocal PR And Newsjacking
01:15:11 Press Releases And Pitch Quality
01:17:34 Wrap Up And Where To Find Chris

The Edward Show. The #1 search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/

#searchengineoptimization #linkbuilding #backlinks #publicrelations