Be sure to enter the code "EdgeoftheWeb" at Riverside.fm for 15% off of your subscription! https://creators.riverside.fm/edgeoftheweb. Top Google contributor and owner of Sterling Sky, Joy Hawkins, joins the EDGE this week. Joy has been a renowned SEO speaker and influencer since 2006 and has been growing a top local SEO agency since 2017. How does local SEO differ from traditional SEO? Listen in as Joy shares her industry experience and delivers tactical strategies for executing premier-level l...
Apr 16, 2024•40 min•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome back for another week of news from the EDGE! Google is jumping into the CRM market as it plans to acquire HubSpot for $34 billion. Some experts speculate this will spark even more challenges for Google concerning antitrust regulations. New fake AI-generated law firms are accusing people of copyright infringement at a mass scale… and the true motive may surprise you. Should you be labeling your AI content? Tech giants Google, YouTube, Meta, and TikTok are urgently pushing for users to lab...
Apr 12, 2024•46 min•Ep 675•Transcript available on Metacast Be sure to enter the code "EdgeoftheWeb" at Riverside.fm for 15% off of your subscription! https://creators.riverside.fm/edgeoftheweb. Welcome back to the OG webmaster, Simon Cox, for his second interview segment. Simon began his career in commercial graphic design. In this episode, Simon connects the dots between certain artistic frameworks and principles that can be applied to your SEO strategy. How does the emergence of AI imagery affect SEO as a whole? We investigate how users and engines al...
Apr 11, 2024•40 min•Ep 674•Transcript available on Metacast Erin Sparks is back behind the Digital News Desk this week to deliver a groundbreaking news flash - Google greenlights Microsoft's 53% acquisition, handing over a majority stake to Bill and the crew. Did we get ya? Happy April Fools from all of us at EDGE of the Web! This week we investigate a new lawsuit against Facebook and Instagram as allegations pile up claiming the social platforms are allegedly delivering ads to bot accounts and inflating ad viewership metrics to their advertisers. Google...
Apr 02, 2024•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast Joining the EDGE this week is web development Swiss Army Knife: Simon Cox. Simon is a pioneer in website development with almost 30 years of full-scale web construction, management, consulting, and optimization under his belt. Learn how to acclimate to industry advancements as Simon shares his experience adapting to rapid technology expansion. Listen to the wonderful insights and get to know one of the founding fathers of web design and technical SEO. We travel back in time to reminisce over wha...
Apr 02, 2024•38 min•Transcript available on Metacast Erin was off fighting crime this week, but you need not worry because the great Mordy Oberstein and Jacob Mann took the stage for this segment. Plenty of Google this week. Study shows Google AI summaries do, in fact hurt search traffic. Google finds a new ally in Disney to expand real-time ad exchange, meaning that marketers will have broader access to ad inventory across Disney Plus and Hulu. Recent news shows that the U.S. is further behind China in AI research & development than you would hav...
Mar 27, 2024•45 min•Ep 671•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome back to seasoned marketing analyst, strategist, educator, and owner of BEAST Analytics, Brie Anderson, for her second interview segment. The last episode was all about setting the stage. This week, Erin and Brie will take you through the rehearsal process necessary to rock out a live GA4 performance! Learn to develop a rehearsal plan of analyzation tactics so that you can steer your content in the right direction come showtime. Now you’ve taken the stage! Get ready to execute an analytic...
Mar 15, 2024•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast TikTok is potentially looking at a ban in the U.S if they don’t adhere to federal guidelines within 6 months… What drawbacks could this have for marketers? Interested in targeting the whole world on Google Ads? Not so fast! Aaaaaaaaand, it’s core update time! That’s right, the first 2024 core update is upon us with Google releasing major enhancements in search quality. Early reports saying the update targets manipulation at scale to reduce unhelpful content by a whopping 40%. We’ll keep you upda...
Mar 12, 2024•41 min•Ep 669•Transcript available on Metacast This week's featured guest is the owner of BEAST Analytics, Brie Anderson. Brie began her career at the age of 16, evolving into the analytic solutions expert, educator, and entrepreneur she is today. Join us on this full-blown rock concert of an episode as Erin and Brie are roadies rockin’ and rollin’ GA4 into the metaphor of a live concert! Discover how to execute the capabilities of GA4 that are worthy of a standing ovation from your clients. We walk you through the steps of the migration pro...
Mar 11, 2024•42 min•Ep 668•Transcript available on Metacast There’s a lot of movement to cover in the Google realm this week. The carnage continues as a U.S judge grants more class action antitrust lawsuits against Google. Despite the trial, Google continues to make improvements of its own - updating their Local Service Ads with a new verification process to reduce spam. Google is also testing a new feature called Popular Opinions Search Carousel intended to allow users to view opinions and reviews of various products right on the SERP. Finishing up on G...
Mar 06, 2024•41 min•Ep 667•Transcript available on Metacast Ola King is back for his second segment this week to unpack the role of a Search Experience Designer, and how user experience design optimization plays as a lead factor in SEO. Learn tactics for incorporating UX designs into your strategy to bolster overall SEO and digital marketing strength. Finally, understand why empathizing with the user needs to be a prioritized step in your strategy. It’s time to step up your SEO and digital marketing with a holistic approach to optimized user experience t...
Feb 29, 2024•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast Google Local Services Ads in the Hot Seat Welcome back to the EDGE! No Mordy this week, but no need to worry because the great Cindy Krum of MobileMoxie steps in. A glitch has infiltrated Google’s Local Services Ads and small business owners are NOT happy. Google feels that the U.S government ‘hate us cause they ain't us’, as penalties pile up in post-trial brief. In AI news, Google strikes an AI content licensing deal with Reddit - who’s rankings have been off the charts… coincidence? Don’t mis...
Feb 27, 2024•46 min•Transcript available on Metacast Ola King started his career as a music producer, learning SEO along the way to help promote his songs and score millions of views. In addition to hosting several MozCon events, Ola practiced as a UX Researcher at Moz before transitioning into independent consulting. Search experience optimization is more valuable than ever before. Discover what metrics to be most attentive to when prioritizing UX, and learn why user experience is key to achieving sustainable SEO this week on the EDGE! Key Segmen...
Feb 22, 2024•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast The EDGE team covered a slew of news this week. Articles from Search Engine Land, Search Engine Round Table, and Search Engine Journal covered the landscape of digital marketing news, but we were able to get a couple of nice AI pieces in there. Watch Reddit folks, they just doubled down on their value by inking a $60m deal with an “unknown” AI company. Any guesses? You also want to check out Sora, the text-to-video feature from OpenAI (we will soon be in a world of video inception). Lastly, chec...
Feb 20, 2024•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast Gearing Up for SGE Welcome back local SEO specialist and COO at Search Lab Greg Gifford. This week Greg joins host Erin Sparks to uncover the myths about local SEO and frequent challenges haunting business owners. Learn the common mistakes small business owners need to keep an eye on while setting up their Google Business Profile, and to wrap it all up Greg & Erin close with some highly necessary SGE talk. It’s time to master your SEO at a local level this week on the EDGE of the Web! Key Segmen...
Feb 15, 2024•55 min•Transcript available on Metacast Google has taken a stand on fake reviews with a new reviews spam algorithm, claiming to have removed over 170 million policy-violating reviews in 2023 - a 45% spike from years past. But numbers are hard, right? How much did they actually increase? AI is jumping the gun! As silly as it may sound, you might want to check the web for a premature AI-generated obituary of yours because if you find one… you’re not the first! Please, it’s time to let go of the disavow tool finally. Catch up on all the ...
Feb 14, 2024•36 min•Transcript available on Metacast Greg Gifford travels the globe speaking to SEO audiences throughout the year, thankfully we were able to rein him in for this week's interview series. If you want to learn the ins and outs of local SEO, Greg Gifford is your guy. With over 20 years of experience in online marketing and web design, the COO at Search Lab joins Erin to discuss fundamental strategies in achieving premium local SEO. Understand the keys to cracking Google’s Ranking Factors at a local level, and take the next step in yo...
Feb 09, 2024•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast Hot off the dumping of Bard, Erin, Mordy, and Jacob jump into all the changes happening within Google this week. That’s right… Bard is no more, as Google announces relaunch of chat based AI tool adopting the moniker Gemeni. The UK is increasing criticism of third party cookies, putting Google on the spot. Plus, Google is testing out a new form of Generative AI, developed to answer local questions on Maps. Come join us on the EDGE for this week’s latest SEO news, and please remember to keep Bard ...
Feb 06, 2024•38 min•Ep 659•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome founder of Content Hacker and president of Content at Scale, AI specialist Julia McCoy, who is back for her second segment this week to understand the evolving landscape of AI content. Julia explains the new roles and opportunities driven by AI optimization that are emerging for SEOs and content writers. Discover how to set parameters for AI and train these learning models to follow brand guidelines for revolutionized content at scale. Understand how to Incorporate AI into your content w...
Feb 01, 2024•46 min•Transcript available on Metacast SGE in Timeout When will SGE actually come to life on the SERP? It seems the answer is not any time soon, as Google is letting Microsoft and others take the lead in creating a generative experience while SGE remains in the workshop. Keep your eyes peeled; Google announces a plan to restart the official SEO starter guide in the near future. Meta continues its AI push. What’s next? Plus, the great Barry Schwartz hints at the next confirmed Google search ranking algorithm coming soon. Stay fresh wi...
Jan 31, 2024•43 min•Ep 657•Transcript available on Metacast Joining the EDGE this week is the founder of Content Hacker and president of Content at Scale, AI specialist Julia McCoy. Julia has been building her $5 million brand since the age of 19 while being named best-selling author eight times. Recently recognized as one of the top 30 content marketers worldwide, Julia shows no signs of slowing down! In this episode, discover how AI continues to reshape the way content is made and learn how writers can leverage artificial intelligence for rapid efficie...
Jan 25, 2024•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome back to News from the EDGE! Study shows that many top SEOs are concerned about the current state of Google in response to the poor quality, spam-dense SERP as of late. In no effort to solve the situation, Google announces huge Search Quality Rater job cuts moving forward. In AI news, Zuckerberg sets new goal to create artificial general intelligence (AGI) capable of general cognitive reasoning and independent innovation upon itself… in other words - Skynet. Is AI getting out of control? ...
Jan 23, 2024•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast Overcoming the SGE Title Wave Welcome back, Former Director of SEO and Digital Strategy at Salesforce and Head of Digital Experience and SEO at Vimeo, Todd Friesen, for his second segment of this interview series. Todd shares his experience in building a successful SEO crew, explaining why you need more assets than just SEOs to form a well-structured team. Discover strategies for navigating future obstacles that may arise during the rollout of Google Analytics 4 and Search Generative Experience....
Jan 18, 2024•51 min•Transcript available on Metacast A new transition king has been crowned this week as Erin takes the throne. Shh… don’t tell Mordy! After a quick week off the team is back in action with some compelling news this week. Don’t be fooled, Google author bylines in fact DO NOT influence search rankings despite opposing claims. If you’re still confused, good luck reaching Google ad support as reports show they are at an all time low in efficiency. Plus, Microsoft and Google are battling as they each make big moves in the Artificial In...
Jan 16, 2024•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast Former Director of SEO and Digital Strategy at Salesforce and Head of Digital Experience and SEO at Vimeo, Todd Friesen joins the EDGE this week to discuss his approach to building an SEO foundation. With over a decade of industry experience, Todd has become an accomplished SEO strategist and team management guru. Take a look into typical setbacks that constrain an SEO team from curating long term success. Learn how to unite a marketing and SEO team to create a synergistic system of extended gro...
Jan 12, 2024•42 min•Ep 652•Transcript available on Metacast Cookie Monster Sorrows Happy New Year, folks! Kick-off 2024 the right way, and get up to date on all the latest SEO and marketing news you missed during the time off. Kicking things off, Facebook is moving to a cookieless environment as they transition to an internal behavioral tracking system. The company recently announced the rollout of ‘link history’ for all accounts to promote specialized ad targeting of users - but there’s a catch… Google says cookies are coming to an end. Access to third-...
Jan 05, 2024•40 min•Transcript available on Metacast Buckle up, EDGE fans! Erin, Jacob, and Mordy crash onto the scene with the last EDGE of the Web episode of 2024, Episode 650. Mordy, please….can we keep Erin’s mother-in-law out of this already? On the docket: 2024 listicle apocalypse, AI drama with Chat GPT and The New York Times, Burger King's hangover-detecting robots, and SEO's 2024 crystal ball (think personalization and AI whispers). Plus, Google's ad experiments and WordPress' competitive platform exodus guides. Grab your existential drea...
Dec 28, 2023•42 min•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome back to the EDGE! Retail Media expert, Elizabeth Marsten, is back for her second segment this time to talk about the impact data has on the retail marketing and e-commerce industry. Elizabeth helps you navigate the high intent consumer funnel, explaining how retail media is leveraging data to form predictive purchasing models. We evaluate ways in which corporations are addressing significant privacy concerns surrounding big data, and third-party cookies to predict consumer behavior. The ...
Dec 21, 2023•40 min•Transcript available on Metacast A four-time guest of the EDGE and VP of commerce strategic services at Tinuiti, Elizabeth Marsten, joins the show this week to explore the profound landscape of retail media network marketing. Elizabeth stands out as a distinguished Digital Marketing expert with extensive experience in e-commerce and online marketplaces. Discover the essence of Retail Media Networks and explore how the retail industry giants leverage strategies for optimized results. Elizabeth describes the extreme levels of per...
Dec 18, 2023•41 min•Ep 648•Transcript available on Metacast Rock, Paper, Scissors - Shoot! Listen in as we're joined by Crystal Carter, head of communications at Wix, to discuss the world of SEO and digital marketing, focusing on Google's latest AI model, Gemini. We cover the model's various versions, its potential to impact search and creative industries, and how Google may have pushed the envelope of reality a little bit with the tool's debut video. Covering other AI and marketing news, including X's chatbot, Grok, the AWS and NVIDIA partnership for ad...
Dec 14, 2023•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
