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SEO Is Not That Hard is hosted by Edd Dawson and brought to you by KeywordsPeopleUse.com

Help feed the algorithm and leave a review at ratethispodcast.com/seo

You can get your free copy of my 101 Quick SEO Tips at: https://seotips.edddawson.com/101-quick-seo-tips

To get a personal no-obligation demo of how KeywordsPeopleUse could help you boost your SEO and get a 7 day FREE trial of our Standard Plan book a demo with me now

See Edd's personal site at edddawson.com

Ask me a question and get on the show Click here to record a question

Find Edd on Linkedin, Bluesky & Twitter

Find KeywordsPeopleUse on Twitter @kwds_ppl_use

"Werq" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
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Edd Dawson shares his 20-year journey building and selling broadband.co.uk, offering insights into affiliate marketing success and navigating major Google updates like Penguin and Panda. He reveals the data-driven strategies that led to a life-changing business exit during COVID in 2021.

• Building broadband.co.uk as one of the UK's first comparison sites by identifying a gap in the market for postcode-specific broadband availability tools
• Developing a successful affiliate model focused on aggregating data and creating genuine user value through tools and educational content
• Surviving Google's Penguin update in 2013, which decimated rankings overnight but led to a stronger, content-focused strategy
• Successfully exiting the business in 2021 to Genie Ventures after diversifying into other niche comparison sites
• Current focus on AI opportunities, developing tools like Keywords People Use, and building solutions that aggregate different data sources
• Predictions that Google will remain dominant longer than many expect, while emphasizing the importance of quality traffic over volume
• Advice for affiliate marketers: focus on creating unique, data-driven solutions that AI overviews cannot easily replicate

SEO Is Not That Hard is hosted by Edd Dawson and brought to you by KeywordsPeopleUse.com

Help feed the algorithm and leave a review at ratethispodcast.com/seo

You can get your free copy of my 101 Quick SEO Tips at: https://seotips.edddawson.com/101-quick-seo-tips

To get a personal no-obligation demo of how KeywordsPeopleUse could help you boost your SEO and get a 7 day FREE trial of our Standard Plan book a demo with me now

See Edd's personal site at edddawson.com

Ask me a question and get on the show Click here to record a question

Find Edd on Linkedin, Bluesky & Twitter

Find KeywordsPeopleUse on Twitter @kwds_ppl_use

"Werq" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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Edd Dawson challenges the common SEO approach of targeting high-volume keywords, arguing that website owners should focus on building topical authority by comprehensively answering questions instead. This best-of episode demonstrates why obsessing over search volume metrics can distract from creating truly useful content that naturally ranks for a variety of keywords.

• Search volume tools often show zero volume for specific questions people actually search for
• Websites should first and foremost be useful by answering people's real questions
• Building topical authority means covering a subject in depth through answering related questions
• When you answer questions thoroughly, you naturally rank for keywords you never specifically targeted
• Even successful websites started imperfectly—the key is to begin and improve over time
• Building a website is like fitness training—you must start using those content creation "muscles" to develop them
• Don't get paralyzed by over-planning or seeking perfection before publishing

Try Keywords People Use for free at KeywordsPeopleUse.com to find the questions people are actually asking online.

SEO Is Not That Hard is hosted by Edd Dawson and brought to you by KeywordsPeopleUse.com

Help feed the algorithm and leave a review at ratethispodcast.com/seo

You can get your free copy of my 101 Quick SEO Tips at: https://seotips.edddawson.com/101-quick-seo-tips

To get a personal no-obligation demo of how KeywordsPeopleUse could help you boost your SEO and get a 7 day FREE trial of our Standard Plan book a demo with me now

See Edd's personal site at edddawson.com

Ask me a question and get on the show Click here to record a question

Find Edd on Linkedin, Bluesky & Twitter

Find KeywordsPeopleUse on Twitter @kwds_ppl_use

"Werq" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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Link building and link buying are fundamentally different approaches with vastly different risks for your SEO strategy. Google's original PageRank algorithm used backlinks as genuine votes of confidence, which is why artificially manipulating this system through paid links violates their guidelines.

• Link buying is transactional and violates Google's terms of service
• Google considers backlinks as votes of confidence between websites
• Penguin update specifically targeted websites buying backlinks
• Legitimate link building involves PR and outreach without payment
• Digital PR is acceptable as long as no money changes hands
• Paying an agency for link building services is fine if they use white hat methods
• Be wary of agencies guaranteeing exact numbers of backlinks
• Even simple Twitter outreach can generate legitimate backlinks
• Good content naturally attracts links once you start the ball rolling
• Natural link building takes time but creates sustainable results

If you'd like a personal demo of our tools at Keywords People Use, you can book a free, no obligation one-on-one video call with me where I show you how we can help you level up your content by finding and answering the questions your audience actually have. You can also ask me any SEO questions you have. Just go to keywordspeopleuse.com/demo where you can pick a time and date that suits you.

SEO Is Not That Hard is hosted by Edd Dawson and brought to you by KeywordsPeopleUse.com

Help feed the algorithm and leave a review at ratethispodcast.com/seo

You can get your free copy of my 101 Quick SEO Tips at: https://seotips.edddawson.com/101-quick-seo-tips

To get a personal no-obligation demo of how KeywordsPeopleUse could help you boost your SEO and get a 7 day FREE trial of our Standard Plan book a demo with me now

See Edd's personal site at edddawson.com

Ask me a question and get on the show Click here to record a question

Find Edd on Linkedin, Bluesky & Twitter

Find KeywordsPeopleUse on Twitter @kwds_ppl_use

"Werq" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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Edd Dawson explores why audience research delivers better SEO results than traditional keyword research. He breaks down how understanding your audience helps you find low-difficulty terms that convert better than competitive trophy keywords.

• High-volume keywords are often highly competitive and don't convert well
• Traditional keyword research leads to "trophy terms" with traffic but poor conversion rates
• Audience research helps identify specific needs of different customer segments
• Understanding demographic, psychographic, and behavioral factors is essential
• Different audience segments (like OAPs vs gamers) have entirely different content needs
• Long-tail keywords have lower search volumes but higher conversion rates
• Practical steps include surveys, social media listening, and analytics review
• Testing and iterating based on audience feedback improves results
• Tools like Keywords People Use help identify specific customer questions

You can find links to everything mentioned in the show notes. Connect with Edd on LinkedIn and Blue Sky, try Keywords People Use at keywordspeopleuse.com, or visit eddawson.com for consulting.

SEO Is Not That Hard is hosted by Edd Dawson and brought to you by KeywordsPeopleUse.com

Help feed the algorithm and leave a review at ratethispodcast.com/seo

You can get your free copy of my 101 Quick SEO Tips at: https://seotips.edddawson.com/101-quick-seo-tips

To get a personal no-obligation demo of how KeywordsPeopleUse could help you boost your SEO and get a 7 day FREE trial of our Standard Plan book a demo with me now

See Edd's personal site at edddawson.com

Ask me a question and get on the show Click here to record a question

Find Edd on Linkedin, Bluesky & Twitter

Find KeywordsPeopleUse on Twitter @kwds_ppl_use

"Werq" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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FAQs are powerful engagement tools that can significantly boost your website's performance and SEO rankings. Research shows FAQs can generate over 20% of a page's engagement, outperforming even testimonials when implemented strategically.

• Wood burner example demonstrates how answering questions builds authority and expertise
• Recent studies show FAQs are the most engaged-with elements on websites
• Strategic FAQ placement (with links from above the fold) increases user interaction
• Answering real questions people actually ask is crucial for effectiveness
• Question-based content strategy improves Google rankings by addressing search intent
• Google values on-page engagement metrics according to API leaks
• Answering questions prevents users from leaving your site to find information elsewhere

Book a free, no-obligation one-on-one demo with Edd at keywordspeopleusecom/demo to discover how Keywords People Use can help you find and answer the questions your audience is actually asking. You can also email podcast@keywordspeopleusecom or find Edd on Twitter @channel5.

SEO Is Not That Hard is hosted by Edd Dawson and brought to you by KeywordsPeopleUse.com

Help feed the algorithm and leave a review at ratethispodcast.com/seo

You can get your free copy of my 101 Quick SEO Tips at: https://seotips.edddawson.com/101-quick-seo-tips

To get a personal no-obligation demo of how KeywordsPeopleUse could help you boost your SEO and get a 7 day FREE trial of our Standard Plan book a demo with me now

See Edd's personal site at edddawson.com

Ask me a question and get on the show Click here to record a question

Find Edd on Linkedin, Bluesky & Twitter

Find KeywordsPeopleUse on Twitter @kwds_ppl_use

"Werq" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Send us a text

Edd Dawson shares a smart competitor research tip from Freddie Chatt that can help improve your website's traffic and rankings. When researching competitors, look beyond the high authority sites at the top and focus on sites with lower domain authority that still rank in the top 10.

• Sites with lower domain authority ranking high are succeeding because of their content, not just their backlinks
• These lower-authority sites provide valuable insights into effective content strategies
• Edd competed against billion-pound companies like Money Supermarket with his much smaller team
• Look at both the content structure and specific backlinks to the ranking pages
• Finding smaller sites in the rankings shows the true benchmark needed to reach page one
• Following Freddie Chatt on LinkedIn provides more insights into this approach

Book a free, no-obligation one-on-one video call with Edd at keywordspeopleuse.com/demo to get a personal demo of Keywords People Use tools and ask any SEO questions you have.

SEO Is Not That Hard is hosted by Edd Dawson and brought to you by KeywordsPeopleUse.com

Help feed the algorithm and leave a review at ratethispodcast.com/seo

You can get your free copy of my 101 Quick SEO Tips at: https://seotips.edddawson.com/101-quick-seo-tips

To get a personal no-obligation demo of how KeywordsPeopleUse could help you boost your SEO and get a 7 day FREE trial of our Standard Plan book a demo with me now

See Edd's personal site at edddawson.com

Ask me a question and get on the show Click here to record a question

Find Edd on Linkedin, Bluesky & Twitter

Find KeywordsPeopleUse on Twitter @kwds_ppl_use

"Werq" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Send us a text

Edd Dawson explores the complex world of expired domains and auction purchases for SEO value, sharing a detailed case study of a domain that appeared valuable but had significant hidden issues. Although initially impressive with 2,554 backlinks from 377 domains including Telegraph and Wikipedia, a thorough investigation revealed multiple points where the domain likely lost its link equity.

• Domain had been 301 redirected by its original owner for four years (2016-2020)
• After expiration in 2020, it was purchased and displayed "domain for sale" for a year
• New owner created fake "business acquisition" scenario to try preserving link equity
• Domain sold for less than £100 despite seemingly valuable metrics
• Buying expired domains carries risk of inheriting Google penalties
• Thorough investigation of domain history is crucial before purchasing

Try Keywords People Use today for free at keywordspeopleuse.com - the solution to finding the questions people ask online. Get in touch on Twitter @Channel5 or email podcast@keywordspeopleuse.com.

SEO Is Not That Hard is hosted by Edd Dawson and brought to you by KeywordsPeopleUse.com

Help feed the algorithm and leave a review at ratethispodcast.com/seo

You can get your free copy of my 101 Quick SEO Tips at: https://seotips.edddawson.com/101-quick-seo-tips

To get a personal no-obligation demo of how KeywordsPeopleUse could help you boost your SEO and get a 7 day FREE trial of our Standard Plan book a demo with me now

See Edd's personal site at edddawson.com

Ask me a question and get on the show Click here to record a question

Find Edd on Linkedin, Bluesky & Twitter

Find KeywordsPeopleUse on Twitter @kwds_ppl_use

"Werq" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/