THE EDWARD SHOW PODCAST SEO   |   AI 

Why Most SEOs Are Playing the Wrong Game

with Wil Reynolds, CEO of Seer Interactive

The most durable marketing strategies come from understanding why people buy and building a brand they trust, not loopholes or quick wins. Don't let SEO and GEO tactics distract you from building a reputable brand.

Read Wil's key takeaways

 


Wil Reynolds, Seer's founder and CEO, shared what's working and what's not for SEOs on The Edward Show podcast, hosted by marketer and content creator Edward Sturm.

Below we cover Wil's top takeaways on how to build SEO and GEO strategies that last - and why you should avoid short-term, gimmicky tactics.

Wil's Key Takeaways

1. Talk to Real Humans, Don't Just Rely on Tools

Wil's perspective: A lot of SEOs rely on tools and bots that aren't grounded in human behavior. Watching how people search can reveal things that keyword tools will miss. Likewise, market to people in the same terms they use rather than the language all your competitors use. 

What your brand can do: Watch real people navigate your site and record what they do - are their behaviors expected or unexpected? If unexpected, your buyer journey flow might be confusing or impractical. Build positioning based on pain points to stand out from competitors. Look at real reviews or comments on sites like Reddit and Google Reviews, then create messaging that addresses those pain points while highlighting your brand's strengths.

2. Chase Intent and Revenue Instead of Vanity Metrics

Wil's perspective: Seer spent three years as a top-ranking "SEO company," but it led to unqualified leads that never closed. Ranking for a term doesn't mean you're winning business. Instead of focusing on vanity rankings, prioritize building a successful pipeline and investing in tactics that convert to revenue. 

What your brand can do: Connect your PPC and SEO data to see which terms convert, then prioritize those. Before launching a channel or creating content, look at whether you should be there based on who ranks, what Google suggests, and what related searches show.

3. Listicles Are a Loophole, Not a Strategy

Wil's perspective: Self-promotional listicles can get you AI visibility (for now), but Wil expects AI platforms to weed out this trend. Seer has conducted AI research and already found examples of listicles being de-prioritized or disappearing within weeks. Marketers who chase loopholes lose out on real strategy that can compound over time.

What your brand can do: Before publishing a "best of" list, check Reddit and other sites to verify which brands are being mentioned by customers. Avoid spammy tactics like mass-generated comparison pages that could hurt brand trust and authority. Focus your efforts on real marketing assets and campaigns that earn mentions.

4. Learn How to Influence What AI Says About Your Brand


Wil's perspective:
Wil searched AI tools to see what they said about Seer, and found they repeated the footer content on the Seer website ("remote-first, Philly-founded"). So he changed the footer to cite client count and retention rate instead. Within 36 hours, ChatGPT began mentioning the retention rate.  

What your brand can do: Regularly run manual searches about your brand to see what AI says and what sources it cites. Audit the information your site repeats (like footers and boilerplates) to make sure it reflects what buyers should know. Create a page that features client praise and add to it regularly, and encourage customers to leave reviews on third-party sites.

5. Use AI to Automate Repeatable Tasks

Wil's perspective: If you're doing the same tasks over and over, create an agent for that task. Use AI to speed up busywork so you can focus on owning and delivering outcomes. When a client closes, Seer's CRM triggers an agent that immediately performs internal linking analysis and other deliverables before the kickoff call happens.

What your brand can do: Document repeatable tasks and turn them into agents. Codify how your team builds agents in a shared skill so the process is consistent. Shift teammates toward high-value work (strategy, interpretation, client relationships). 

 

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wil-reynolds-headshot-2023-modified

Wil Reynolds

CEO, Seer Interactive

Wil has over 15 years of experience doing and talking about digital marketing. He loves to speak at conferences about the future of search. He also enjoys sharing his ideas and marketing insights with his 42K LinkedIn followers.

edward-sturm-show

Edward Sturm

SEO & Marketer, Host of The Edward Show Podcast

Edward Sturm is a viral marketer and content creator with 250k+ followers across his channels. He hosts The Edward Show, a podcast about SEO advice and hacks. Edward also runs a monthly digital marketing class and co-founded remote communication tool Reverb.

"The least disruptable skill in marketing is understanding why people buy."

- Wil Reynolds
CEO and Founder , Seer Interactive

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