SEO metrics are shifting; AI search is the reason. In this episode of Performance SEO Unpacked, host Ruchi Pardal is joined by Chris Reynolds of Indeed to unpack how authority building, brand mentions, and AI-driven visibility are reshaping the SEO landscape.

From discussing why link building may no longer be the gold standard to measuring impressions and citations in generative search tools, Chris lays out the emerging playbook for brands navigating this transformation. The conversation goes deep into how informational content is becoming a brand-building activity and why mentions—across third-party sites, niche blogs, and even Reddit—are the next frontier.

Listeners will get a firsthand look at how enterprise SEO teams are recalibrating their strategies, KPIs, and tool stacks for the new AI-first search era.

👤 Guest Bio

Chris Reynolds is a seasoned SEO expert currently working at Indeed in San Jose, California. With experience across organizations of all sizes—including eBay and global teams in Zurich—Chris brings a wide-angle view of how SEO is evolving. He focuses on authority building, mentions tracking, and performance measurement in AI-powered search environments. Connect with Chris on LinkedIn

📌 What We Cover

• Why informational SEO has always been a brand-building activity
• Measuring authority through impressions instead of traffic
• The rise of mentions over links in AI-generated search results
• How SEO integrates with PR, social, and paid media strategies
• Brand visibility in tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini
• Tools like Profound, ZIP Tie, and SEO Clarity for tracking AI search visibility
• Understanding RAG (retrieval-augmented generation) and offsite content influence
• Using real and synthetic prompts to plan SEO strategy for LLM surfaces
• Why sentiment analysis in AI SEO may not work the way we expect

🔗 Resources Mentioned

• Profound – LLM rank tracking tool
• ZIP Tie – AIOS surface visibility tracking
• SEO Clarity – Enterprise SEO platform with AI visibility features
• Claude – Anthropic’s AI model, praised for coding capabilities
• ChatGPT
• Perplexity AI – AI search engine
• Gemini – Google’s AI platform

Learn More

ResultFirst: Visit for more SEO tips and strategies.

Connect with Ruchi Pardal on LinkedIn for a conversation about SEO

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