In this episode of Chat With Sean, I’m joined by Andrew Holland, Director of SEO at JBH, one of the UK’s leading digital PR agencies. Andrew shares his insights into the evolving SEO landscape, the rise of AI-driven search, and how brands can maintain visibility in an era where traditional SEO practices are being disrupted.

We discuss how content and links are being repurposed by AI systems, why brand visibility and fame engineering are becoming critical for SEO success, and how marketers need to think beyond traffic metrics. Andrew also explains how small businesses can leverage the changing landscape to reach new audiences and how enterprise SEO teams must adapt to the AI-first era.

Andrew discusses:

- The impact of AI search and generative engines on SEO and content strategies

- Why brand visibility and “fame engineering” are critical for being discovered

- How traditional SEO, content, and link-building models are evolving

- Practical strategies for marketers and agencies to adapt to AI-driven search

Topics covered include:

- The transition from traffic-focused SEO to brand visibility and AI availability

- Understanding GEO and generative engine optimisation (GEO)

- The role of links, mentions, and citations in AI-powered search

- Shifting from content-heavy publishing to strategic content marketing

- How small businesses can benefit from AI-driven search and visibility

- Insights on enterprise SEO and planning for AI-first indexing

- Lessons from atomic networks in niche markets and local SEO

Thank you to our partner, SEO Gets, the easy-to-use analytics and reporting tool for your GSC & GA4 data. Be sure to check out the tool and use code search10 for 10% off: https://seogets.com/

In this episode of Chat With Sean, I’m joined by John Shehata, an experienced SEO and audience growth strategist with over 20 years of experience. John is the founder of NewsDash and GDash, creator of the News and Editorial SEO Summit and VISI Summit, and former global head of audience development at Condé Nast, where he oversaw brands including Vogue, GQ, New Yorker, Vanity Fair, and Wired.

We explore the evolution of Google Discover, the rise of AI in search, and how publishers can maintain visibility in an increasingly AI-driven ecosystem. John shares actionable strategies for evergreen content, press releases, and talent authority, and explains how news publishers and brands can adapt their content to remain relevant in modern search.

John discusses:

- The rise and personalisation of Google Discover and how it drives publisher traffic

- Why author/talent authority is more important than ever in an AI-driven world

- How evergreen content and press releases fit into modern SEO strategies- SEO migrations: Best practices for preserving traffic and authority during site changes

- Tracking AI impact, mentions, citations, and relevancy to improve search visibility

Topics covered include:

-Google Discover core updates and their implications for news and evergreen content

- Internal vs external factors for optimising content for Discover

- How to capitalise on trending and adjacent topics to increase reach

- Measuring SEO success beyond traffic: selection rate, relevancy rate, citation, and mention rate

- How AI-generated content affects SEO and content visibility

- Insights on monetising content and adapting revenue models in the AI era

- Best practices for news SEO, evergreen content, and press release strategies

- Using tools like NewsDash and GDash for real-time monitoring and AI tracking

- Upcoming NESS 2026 conference and community knowledge-sharing initiatives

Thank you to our partner, SEO Gets, the easy-to-use analytics and reporting tool for your GSC & GA4 data. Be sure to check out the tool and use code search10 for 10% off: https://seogets.com/

In this episode of Chat With Sean, I’m joined by Greg Heilers, co-founder of Jolly SEO, a link-building agency that focuses entirely on earned links, avoiding paid backlinks. Greg shares his insights into how AI is transforming outreach, how link-building strategies are evolving, and the ways SEOs can balance technical SEO with brand-building efforts.

We dive into the challenges of measuring ROI in outreach, the revival of interest in digital PR, and the role of brand mentions in modern SEO. Greg also discusses practical approaches for guest posting, content relevance, and engaging communities like Reddit to support brand visibility in an AI-driven search landscape.

Greg discusses:

- The evolution of earned media and why digital PR is gaining renewed importance

- How AI affects outreach and link-building strategies

- Practical approaches for guest posting and working with publishers

- How to manage brand mentions and community engagement on platforms like Reddit

Topics covered include:

- Balancing technical SEO with outreach and content promotion

- Understanding AI-driven search and how it impacts link value

- Brand visibility metrics and how to report value to clients

- Optimising outreach without paying for links

- Using Reddit and niche communities to support brand and SEO campaigns

- Practical tips for making outreach communications more effective

- Maintaining quality while scaling link-building campaigns

Thank you to our partner, SEO Gets, the easy-to-use analytics and reporting tool for your GSC & GA4 data. Be sure to check out the tool and use code search10 for 10% off: https://seogets.com/

In this episode of Chat With Sean, I’m joined by Chris Green, Technical Director at Talk Partnership, a consultancy specialising in digital strategy and online channel optimisation. Chris shares his insights into AI in SEO, the rising impact of AI bots, and how SEOs can optimise technical workflows to stay ahead in a rapidly changing search landscape.

We explore how AI is transforming search, including image recognition, AI content surfaces, and the growing need for bot management strategies. Chris also dives into practical guidance for technical audits, prioritising website fixes, and ensuring that SEO recommendations are both actionable and impactful.

Chris discusses:

- How AI chatbots and image processing affect SEO and content visibility

- Managing AI and web bots to protect website performance and data integrity

- Best practices for technical SEO audits and prioritisation

- Optimising workflow efficiency while balancing automation and human oversight

Topics covered include:

- Testing AI capabilities on images and content for search

- Understanding how AI surfaces like ChatGPT and Gemini interact with websites

- The role of feed optimisation and structured data in AI-driven search

- Balancing manual SEO work with AI-powered tools and automation

- Managing bot traffic and agent strategies to protect site performance

- Prioritising website fixes for maximum business impact

- Adapting SEO workflows for AI-assisted insights and enterprise environments

Thank you to our partner, SEO Gets, the easy-to-use analytics and reporting tool for your GSC & GA4 data. Be sure to check out the tool and use code search10 for 10% off: https://seogets.com/

In this episode of Chat With Sean, I’m joined by Tamara Novitovic, Head of SEO at the Bazoom Group and international SEO speaker. Tamara shares her insights into the evolving landscape of link building, the role of AI in search, and practical advice for building backlinks that matter in 2026 and beyond.

We discuss how backlinks continue to play a role in both traditional SEO and AI-driven search models, why context is critical, and how to navigate modern link-building strategies in an era where AI models and LLMs are increasingly influencing visibility. Tamara also shares her perspective on guest posting, buying links safely, and the importance of publisher relationships in digital PR and outreach.

Tamara discusses:

- How backlinks retain their importance through context and authority signals

- The evolving influence of AI and LLMs on backlink evaluation

- Safe strategies for purchasing or earning links

- How to prioritise high-quality publishers and measure link effectiveness

Topics covered include:

- The difference between traditional SEO signals and AI-powered evaluation of backlinks

- Contextual relevance: why the page and surrounding content matter more than anchors

- Hybrid link-building strategies: balancing high-authority links with LLM-optimized approaches

- How AI search tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini interact with backlinks

- Best practices for guest posts, PR links, and content-driven link building

- Insights from large-scale case studies analysing millions of URLs

- Key SEO events to attend for learning and networking in 2026

In this episode of Chat With Sean, I’m joined by Vince Moreau, an enterprise SEO consultant at Botify. Vince shares his insights into AI-driven search, the role of AI bots in crawling and indexing content, and practical advice for maintaining SEO best practices in an AI-first landscape.

We explore how AI is changing the way search engines interpret content, how to think about user experience versus technical optimisation, and what SEOs should focus on to stay ahead. Vince also breaks down AI bots from OpenAI and Google, how they interact with websites, and the subtle ways brands can ensure their content is accessible and properly indexed.

Vince discusses:

- Why good SEO practices remain effective in an AI-driven search environment

- How AI bots crawl websites and why first-party data matters

- Common website issues that hinder AI indexing (e.g., JavaScript dependencies, hidden content)

- How to structure content to improve both user experience and AI understanding

Topics covered include:

- The fundamentals of AI search optimisation and why it mirrors traditional SEO

- How AI bots like GPT Bot, OAI Search Bot, and ChatGPT User interact with sites

- Practical advice for product pages, accordions, and structured data

- The evolving influence of platforms like Reddit, YouTube, and LinkedIn on AI search

- How SEOs can maintain trust and authority in an increasingly AI-driven search ecosystem

In this episode of Chat With Sean, I’m joined by Sarunporn (Jean) Dejsuvan, Organic Performance Account Director at MG OMD and UK Search Rising Star winner. Jean shares her inspiring journey from starting in SEO with little knowledge to becoming an SEO director in just over two years. We discuss the rapidly changing SEO landscape, the role of AI in search optimisation, and how to manage client expectations in today’s evolving market.

Jean also looks into the importance of setting realistic expectations with clients, building a foundation for SEO success, and how AI tools can improve SEO reporting and workflow efficiency. She provides insight into SEO maturity and the shifts taking place in the industry, highlighting the increasing importance of AI-driven tools and brand visibility.

Jean discusses:

- Her journey from SEO newbie to SEO director in two years

- The growing role of AI in SEO and how to leverage AI tools for better optimisation

- Client relationship management: How to set expectations and deal with difficult clients

- The importance of SEO maturity and focusing on foundational improvements first

Topics covered include:

- SEO career growth: Key lessons for new SEOs looking to level up quickly

- AI in SEO: How AI is reshaping SEO workflows and reporting

- Best practices for setting realistic SEO goals and managing client expectations

- How to approach SEO audits and prioritise issues based on client needs

- The importance of brand visibility and trustworthiness in AI-driven search results

Thank you to our partner, SEO Gets, the easy-to-use analytics and reporting tool for your GSC & GA4 data. Be sure to check out the tool and use code search10 for 10% off: https://seogets.com/

In this episode of Chat With Sean, I’m joined by Kevin Indig, an organic growth advisor and former head of SEO at Shopify, Atlassian, and G2. Kevin helps businesses scale efficiently by optimising acquisition channels, leveraging AI, and using data-driven approaches. He writes the highly popular newsletter Growth Memo, which is read by over 25,000 leaders in the marketing and business space.

We look into the Great Decoupling - the separation between traffic and revenue - and how it’s changing the way businesses need to think about SEO metrics. Kevin also shares insights into building custom AI tools, the evolving role of AI in SEO, and how businesses can navigate the complex landscape of SEO attribution and demand capture.

Kevin discusses:

- The Great Decoupling: Why traffic is no longer a good metric for business success

- How AI models like Claude and ChatGPT are changing how we approach SEO

- SEO attribution and why traditional models are no longer effective

- The importance of leading indicators in measuring SEO performance

Topics covered include:

- The shift from traffic to revenue-focused metrics in SEO

- How AI agents are influencing search and how to prepare for the future of SEO

- The importance of incrementality tests in validating SEO strategies

- SEO attribution models and how to move away from traditional tracking methods

- The role of brand visibility and how it impacts SEO in the age of AI-driven search

Thank you to our partner, SEO Gets, the easy-to-use analytics and reporting tool for your GSC & GA4 data. Be sure to check out the tool and use code search10 for 10% off: https://seogets.com/