Best Darren Shaw Podcasts (2025)

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Local SEO Masterclass: Darren Shaw on Ranking Factors, Reviews, and Google Business Hacks 1:20:30

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3d ago1:20:30

1:20:30

E881: Local SEO in 2026 - this is EVERYTHING you need to know to get top positions in the map pack with a Google Business Profile that CONVERTS. Darren Shaw - founder of Whitespark and one of the most respected voices in local SEO - joins the show to break down the newly released 2026 Local Search Ranking Factors report. We cover what's actually mo…

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Stuff You NEED to Know to Rank in Local Search with Darren Shaw 59:08

23d ago59:08

59:08

Whitespark’s Local Search Ranking Factors Report surveys the best and the brightest SEOs (and Gyi and Conrad) to gain a clearer picture of the latest drivers of local search rankings. Understanding how to rank in Google’s local search results is critical to every single one of your marketing plans, so the guys welcome Darren Shaw to nerd out on thi…

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Know Your Enemy—Or Your Competitors, At Least! 1:02:05

2h ago1:02:05

1:02:05

Where are your competitors spending their marketing money? Gyi and Conrad’s insights into this valuable data can help you stay ahead of the rivals in your market. ----- Competitive research is an oft overlooked marketing activity, but you should definitely be focusing on this valuable information to make smarter decisions for your law firm’s market…

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Stop Making Service Area Pages You'll Never Rank For - Do THIS Instead 7:49

2h ago7:49

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E888: Stop making service area pages you'll never rank for. We break down one of the most common local SEO mistakes new businesses make - trying to rank in cities they don't have topical authority for. From Darren Shaw (founder of Whitespark and one of the top local SEO experts in the world) said it best, "If you want to rank 50 miles away, you nee…

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AI Prompts for SMBs, New Geotagging Study, & Rebranding Checklist | E14 The Whitespark Local Update 15:56

24h ago15:56

15:56

A lot happened in SEO last week, and we’re breaking down the updates you actually need to know. In this episode, we talk about: 📝 How geotagging photos affects Google Business Profile rank: Study (Search Engine Land, Jake Hundley) 📝 Anonymous Google Reviews Are Here: What Your Business Should Do Now (Whitespark, Allie Margeson) 📝 8-Step Business Na…

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Ep. 364 - Losing Streak Camille 1:04:06

2h ago1:04:06

1:04:06

The forecast has been ugly for this week, as the Seattle Kraken have found themselves in the middle of Losing Streak Camille. That’s what the guys are calling it, now that all weather systems get named… naming losing streaks also feels necessary. Anyway, lots of talk about what has been going wrong for the Kraken and how they can fix it. Plus, Seat…

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Parasite Properties: The SEO Tactic That Will Explode in 2026 12:32

3h ago12:32

12:32

E887: Parasite Properties - the long-term SEO assets brands build to influence Google, AI models, and customer decision-making. These properties rank because they sit on top of platforms Google already trusts, letting brands bypass traditional SEO. They also feed directly into AI assistants, which increasingly pull their answers from high-authority…

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Backlinks STILL Work After They're Deleted? The Experiment That Shocked SEOs. 6:08

10h ago6:08

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E886: Link echoes / link ghosts in SEO are one of the most misunderstood concepts in search ranking. Most people still believe that when a backlink is removed, its value disappears with it. But that isn't what really happens - and this, we break open the data that proves otherwise. We walk through a fascinating series of backlink experiments run by…

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The SEO Hack LLMs Love: How Self-Promotional "Best X" Lists Dominate ChatGPT 18:42

14m ago18:42

18:42

E885: How self-promotional "Best X" lists dominate ChatGPT results and how you can use them to increase AI visibility and drive more traffic from LLMs. From Glen Allsopp's new viral Ahrefs study analyzing 26,283 source URLs, I share how ChatGPT selects sources, why updated comparison content ranks so well, and how even low-authority sites can get c…

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The Shockingly Easy Way to Rank: Listicle Self-Plugs, Medium, and the Future of SEO 1:20:08

6h ago1:20:08

1:20:08

E884: Some of the most shockingly effective SEO tactics of 2025: listicle self-plugs, Medium parasite SEO, Reddit domination, AI visibility hacks… then the future of SEO/GEO/AEO tactics in 2026. Ivan Palii (Head of Product at Sitechecker) joins the podcast to share real experiments he's running right now - including AI manipulation, influencer mark…

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AI Mode, Gemini 3 & the Future of Search: Jes Scholz on What SEOs Must Do Now 33:11

12h ago33:11

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Send us a text In this packed episode, Jes Scholz joins Greg Sterling and Mike Blumenthal to explore where AI search is really headed. From conversational interfaces replacing the search box to the competitive implications of Gemini 3, Jes explains why Google’s index is shrinking, why publishers must evolve, and why consensus around brand salience …

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AI Poisoning: The Return of Black-Hat SEO (And How It Could Destroy Your Brand) 14:36

6d ago14:36

14:36

E883: AI poisoning is here - and it's shockingly easy. New research shows that bad actors can manipulate LLMs with as few as 250 malicious documents, opening the door to brand sabotage, fake comparisons, and engineered hallucinations inside AI responses. I break down: - How AI poisoning actually works - Why LLM spam prevention is still laughably im…

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The Truth About Marketing Attribution || LHLM Takeout 7:50

22h ago7:50

7:50

Craving a sneak peak of our live recording from Filevine's Lex Summit? This year, Filevine’s Josh Hostilo and Stefanie Minter joined us at the table table to tackle one of the most confusing—and most important—topics in legal marketing: accurate attribution. Gyi and Conrad dig into how Lead Docket approaches first-touch, last-touch, and dual-source…

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Ep. 363 - Starving for Goals 1:05:39

1d ago1:05:39

1:05:39

The Kraken vibes have gotten a bit low, with three straight losses and two shutouts against in that time. Meanwhile, special teams have been brutal. The guys offer some solutions to the issues and consider where things have gone wrong lately. Also, plenty of Seattle Torrent talk on this episode. Segments include Weekly One-Timers, Goalie Gear Corne…

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How to Influence LLMs: The Comparison Table Growth Hack No One Is Using 6:05

5d ago6:05

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E882: How to influence LLMs like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and AI search engines by giving them the exact brand comparison data you want them to use. I break down this simple but powerful growth hack: placing structured comparison tables across YouTube descriptions, social posts, UGC platforms, and your website so AI models consistently pull the…

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How To Increase Ranking Radius & How Psychology Can Boost Reviews | E13 The Whitespark Local Update 18:34

8d ago18:34

18:34

Another busy week in SEO! Here’s the roundup of the biggest updates, weirdest bugs, and most interesting findings this week: 📝 The proximity paradox: Beating local SEO’s distance bias (Miriam Ellis) 📝 Ben Franklin Effect applied to asking for reviews (Sam Knight) 📝 RIP Service Area Ranking Factor (Claudia Tomina) 📝 Google Local Pack Links To Places…

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The Departed (2007) vs. The French Connection (1972) 1:24:40

3d ago1:24:40

1:24:40

It’s been another little while, but Bestest Picture is back AGAIN, baby! And this episode gets into some classic conflicts: We’ve got Cops pitted against Crime, Boston versus New York, Quick Cut editing and Slick Choreography versus Slow Burn Cinema and Standing in the Snow on a Street Corner All Night Watching a Hotel Front Door. Oh... there’s als…

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Does Geotagging Help SEO? The 10-Week Study That Settles It 10:17

4d ago10:17

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E880: Does adding GPS coordinates to your photos actually boost your Google Business Profile rankings? For years, SEOs have debated whether geotagging image EXIF data helps with local SEO. Some claim it improves visibility in local map results, while others argue it's a waste of time. We dive into a controlled 10-week study across 27 local business…

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Penguin, Backlinks, and AI Spam - Lessons from a Decade of SEO 10:57

5d ago10:57

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E879: I break down one of the most powerful lessons from the last decade of SEO - why shortcut tactics (including AI spam, auto-posting, link networks, and churn-and-burn SEO hacks) may work briefly but ultimately destroy long-term results. We talk: - The 2012 Penguin update and how it nuked overnight success - AI-generated spam content, backlink s…

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The 6 Steps of SEO: The RIGHT Order to Maximize Your Results 10:15

6d ago10:15

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E878: I break down the 6 critical steps of SEO in the exact order you must follow to avoid wasting time and resources. Most people get SEO backwards, which leads to frustration and stalled growth. Follow this sequence to maximize effectiveness, improve rankings, and drive real results. What you'll learn: - Why starting with "offensive SEO" (creatin…

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2026 SEO & AI Predictions: What Tactics Will Die and What Will Dominate 8:00

9d ago8:00

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E877: I break down the SEO and AI tactics that are likely to get penalized by Google and AI systems in 2026 - and the single strategy that will dominate results. I cover why mass AI-generated content, entity stuffing, and careless Reddit parasite plays are headed for major pushback, and why external topical relevance and reputation-driven branded c…

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Gemini 3 Just Changed SEO Forever: AI Fan-Outs, Dynamic UIs & Why You Need an SEO Copywriter ASAP 48:00

13d ago48:00

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E876: Gemini 3 just changed the game. Edward and Gagan Ghotra break down how Google's new Gemini 3 model is fundamentally transforming SEO, AI search behavior, and buyer journeys. From massive query fan-outs (12–15 deep) to dynamic AI-generated search interfaces, product listings inside Gemini, AI-driven image creation grounded in live Google data,…

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Stop 'Just Making Good Content': How to Fix Your SEO with Fresh Eyes 9:55

9d ago9:55

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E875: Everyone says "just make good content" - but what does that actually mean? I break down the uncomfortable but insanely effective method for creating SEO content that gets clicked, consumed, and converts. The key: go back to content you created over four months ago and review it with fresh eyes. It's not easy, but it's one of the most reliable…

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What You Need to Know About Creatine - Dr. Darren Candow 49:00

9d ago49:00

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Listen to our latest episode "What You Need to Know About Creatine - Dr. Darren Candow". This brand new episode dives into the importance of the most researched supplement in the world: creatine. Listen to find out how it can benefit all populations in ways beyond muscle and strength gains from and expert in the field. Bonus, members earn 1.5 PDCs …

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Don’t Get Duped: How to Spot BS Marketing Metrics 30:10

9d ago30:10

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It’s surprisingly easy for a marketing agency to make underperforming campaigns look like wins. How do you guard yourself against marketers who exaggerate your results? Also, NAP consistency—the definitive answer! ------ Yeah, it’s scummy, but not all marketers have your best interests at heart. More perniciously, data can be spun and credit can be…

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Nick Eubanks (Semrush VP) on AI Visibility, Evidence Clusters & the Future of Search 55:42

15d ago55:42

55:42

E874: Nick Eubanks (Vice President of Owned Media at Semrush) joins the pod to break down what businesses need to do right now to win in AI search - and why most companies are still using outdated playbooks while AI-driven discovery is moving faster than ever. We cover: - How AI visibility differs from SEO, and why traditional ranking factors like …

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Anonymous Google Reviews, SEO Imposter Syndrome, & NEW Google Help Vid | E12 The Whitespark Local Update 19:32

15d ago19:32

19:32

Your favourite local SEO podcast is back, and we’ve got two weeks’ worth of SEO and marketing goodness to catch up on. In this episode, we discuss: 📝 Google Business Profile Support Tips Video (Lisa Landsman) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAzpb1ZKwZM 📝 Google announces anonymous Google reviews 📝 Raise the Bar: Optimizing your Google Business Prof…

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Ep. 362 - Hungry for Goals 1:02:39

16d ago1:02:39

1:02:39

The Seattle Kraken are coming home from a four-game road trip with a 2-1-1 record despite some serious scoring woes. On this episode of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast, the guys offer some resolution ideas for that issue. Plus, some Seattle Torrent talk after their first game in Vancouver. Also on this episode, a breakdown of the road trip and lots of …

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8 Proven Link Building Strategies from the SEO Subreddit 11:15

15d ago11:15

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E873: I break down the top link building strategies shared by professionals in a high-performing SEO subreddit thread. These are real-world approaches that marketers are using right now to acquire backlinks - ranging from guest posts and Source of Source to outreach to networking, sponsorships, press releases, and linkable assets. You'll learn: - W…

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How ANY Local Business Can Hit $100K/Month in 90 Days With SEO (BUT Most Get It Wrong) 1:24:14

17d ago1:24:14

1:24:14

E872: Most "experts" say SEO takes 12 months to work. Sarvesh Shrivastava, today's guest, shows that for local businesses, that's flat-out wrong. With the right structure, foundation, and targeting, you can realistically hit $100K/month in under 90 days using SEO - but almost everyone gets the strategy completely wrong. Here's what you'll learn: - …

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Free SEO Tools That Actually Work: David Quaid On Bing, Backlinks & Ranking Fast 20:02

18d ago20:02

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E871: SEO legend David Quaid is back with a high-value breakdown of the most powerful free SEO tools - including several hidden features inside Bing Webmaster Tools that most marketers completely overlook. Whether you're running your own site, starting SEO from scratch, or debating whether you need to invest in paid tools like Ahrefs, Semrush, or M…

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Dominate Shopify SEO: Long-Tail Strategy, AI Scaling & Reddit Leverage with Kai Cromwell 1:25:32

14d ago1:25:32

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E870: I sit down with Kai Cromwell to break down one of the most effective Shopify SEO strategies in use today. Kai specializes exclusively in Shopify SEO and shares the exact long-tail collection page strategy that drives bottom-of-funnel traffic and revenue fast - without waiting 6-12 months to rank for competitive terms. We cover: - Why long-tai…

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Google Maps Gets AI, Reviews Get Aliases, Ads Invade AI Mode — And Google Uses Its Monopoly to Win the AI War 37:36

17d ago37:36

37:36

Send us a text In this episode of the Near Memo, Mike Blumenthal and Greg Sterling unpack Google’s dramatic shift toward an AI-first search ecosystem — including the rollout of Know Before you Go in Maps, ads in the new AI Mode in Search & Maps, and the introduction oof Gemini 3 what that means for personalization and marketers. We explore: • Googl…

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Topical Authority Finally Clicked: SEO Is Mechanical, Not Mystical 9:43

15d ago9:43

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E869: I break down a viral post from the SEO subreddit that perfectly explains how Google actually ranks pages. Forget the overcomplicated strategies, mystical topical maps, or black magic SEO tactics. Topical authority comes down to mechanical systems, user behavior, and relevance - nothing more. We cover: - Why every keyword puts you into a topic…

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Brand Building for SEO: The System That Actually Works 11:14

16d ago11:14

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E868: We break down one of the most overlooked but essential drivers of search engine rankings: brand building. Modern SEO goes far beyond backlinks and keywords. Google, AI search, and LLMs reward strong brands with higher authority, better visibility, stronger trust signals, and noticeably improved rankings. If you want predictable organic traffi…

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Stop Putting Every Page on the Root Domain: A Better SEO Structure Explained 8:55

21d ago8:55

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E867: A common SEO mistake: placing every page directly off the root domain. You'll learn why proper subfolder structure matters for user experience, analytics, link building, topical authority, and long-term scalability. This walkthrough covers practical examples, how subfolders concentrate authority, and why they make it easier to grow and audit …

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Ep. 361 - When Grubi Shines (featuring brief interview with Berkly Catton) 1:17:06

22d ago1:17:06

1:17:06

The guys are back in studio, and the vibes are very high after an impressive week for the Seattle Kraken, in which they took 5 out of a possible 6 points. It's been a while since they recorded, so they rip through the six recent games and give themes and observations from them. Segbits this week are plentiful: Kraken Player of the Week, Down on the…

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The Modifier Strategy: Turn Low-Volume Keywords Into High-Value Buyers 7:06

23d ago7:06

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E866: A simple but overlooked SEO tactic: using modifiers to turn low-volume keywords into very, veryyyy high-value buyers. By adding targeted modifiers like "for schools," "for government employees," or "for enterprise teams," you move deeper down the funnel and reach groups that represent larger purchase orders and higher-quality leads. You'll le…

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Black Hat AI SEO Is Here - And How to Fight Back 11:38

19d ago11:38

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E865: A new and growing issue in digital marketing is emerging: black hat AI SEO and the use of fake, AI-generated negative review articles to manipulate how large language models describe a brand. A Reddit post describes a case where a competitor allegedly purchased a black hat AI SEO service that published false review content across multiple low…

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EU vs Google: The Parasite SEO War Explodes 15:31

25d ago15:31

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E864: I break down the European Commission's new antitrust investigation into Google's enforcement of its site reputation abuse and anti-parasite SEO policies. The investigation focuses on whether Google is demoting news publishers and media companies that host third-party commercial content. I walk through what parasite SEO is, why publishers like…

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LinkedIn Is the Biggest Opportunity on the Internet Right Now 11:57

21d ago11:57

11:57

E683: LinkedIn is exploding - and few people are talking about it. I break down why LinkedIn is quietly becoming the biggest growth opportunity on the internet, how creators with "dead" accounts are getting tens of thousands of impressions in days, and the posting strategy that took my own LinkedIn reach from 250K to 300K impressions in a day. We g…

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Why Brand Is the Future of SEO (and AI Won't Replace It) 1:37:11

22d ago1:37:11

1:37:11

E862: Mordy Oberstein - former Head of Communications at Semrush and Former SEO Brand Advisor at Wix - joins Edward to talk about why brand is becoming the most important SEO signal heading into 2026 and why AI won't replace great marketing anytime soon. Mordy and Edward go deep on: - Why branded searches, authority, and trust influence keywords, b…

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What #1-Ranking Personal Injury Lawyers Are Doing Right — Greg Gifford’s GBP Local Ranking Study 1:01:30

26d ago1:01:30

1:01:30

Send us a text Greg Gifford joins the Near Memo to break down his large-scale Local SEO study of 3,000 personal injury law firm's Google Business Profiles. He reveals what #1 ranked PI las firms are doing that #10 ranked practioners are not. From review response rates and schema misfires to UTM tracking errors, the trio unpacks what’s real in local…

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Google Is Pushing a Literal AI Spam Machine.. 11:14

23d ago11:14

11:14

E861: Google just expanded Opal, its no-code automation tool, to 160+ countries, and the SEO world is not happy. Opal is being promoted as a tool to generate scalable content… despite Google having a highly-cited Scaled Content Abuse policy. We break down the contradiction, the backlash, and how real creators are being impacted. We also talk about …

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2026 Local Search Ranking Factors & Free Marketing Course | E11 The Whitespark Local Update 12:24

29d ago12:24

12:24

This week’s episode is shorter and packed with value. Darren highlights some key insights from Whitespark’s 2026 Local Search Ranking Factors report, and Claire tells you about some fantastic SEO and digital marketing content you don’t want to miss. ⭐ Whitespark's Official 2026 Local Search Ranking Factors ⭐ Whitespark's Official 2026 Local Search …

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Scaling SEO, Getting Penalized, and Growing Anyway - with Julian Goldie 1:00:03

24d ago1:00:03

1:00:03

E860: Julian Goldie joins the pod! This episode is the rise, setback, and rebound of one of the most talked-about SEO operators in the space. From rapid AI content experiments to the Google penalty that hit an entire group of creators on the same day, to rebuilding and growing bigger than before, this is a full breakdown of what happens when scale …

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AI & LLM Visibility: A Practical Guide for Ranking in AI Results 53:04

25d ago53:04

53:04

E859: David Quaid returns to explain how large language models surface webpages and how you can measure and influence your visibility in tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Gemini. We walk through query fan-outs, drift, search console interpretation, Looker Studio reporting, and practical steps for testing what LLMs return and why. Topics c…

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Google Just Killed More Schema Types - Here's What You Should Focus on Instead 10:12

1M ago10:12

10:12

E858: Google has officially removed support for several structured data types, confirming a trend that has been developing over the last several years. We look at what this means for SEO professionals, agencies, and business owners who have invested time and resources into schema markup. I explain why niche or specialty schema implementations often…

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Black Friday SEO: Last-Minute Strategies That Still Work (2025 Edition) 11:39

27d ago11:39

11:39

E857: How to prepare your website for Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2025 using search engine optimization. Even though the holiday shopping season is close, there are still several high-impact SEO actions you can take to improve visibility, attract qualified traffic, and capture conversions before the sales period starts. Topics covered: - How to c…

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AI Search, Reviews, and the Future of Local SEO — Darren Shaw Breaks Down the 2026 Ranking Factors 44:10

1M ago44:10

44:10

Send us a text Local SEO just got a major shake-up. In this episode, Darren Shaw of Whitespark joins Mike Blumenthal, David Mihm, and Greg Sterling to reveal key takeaways from the 2026 Local Search Ranking Factors study — including how AI search, behavioral signals, and reviews are changing the local game. Hear what really moves the needle, what’s…