Market Movers: Building Brands & Links with Linkifi

Welcome back to Market Movers: Building Brands and Links with Linkifi —the go-to show for turning organic visibility into real business growth. Hosted by Nick Biggs and Chris Panteli.
 
Today’s guest is Edd Dawson, veteran SEO, affiliate marketer, and creator of KeywordsPeopleUse.com. Edd built and sold the massively successful broadband.co.uk website—a site that went from dial-up days to dominating UK broadband search—using tools, data, and organic-only SEO. He’s also the voice behind the SEO is Not That Hard podcast.
 
We dive deep into affiliate strategy, algorithm hits (and recoveries), and where SEO still thrives in an AI-shaped internet.
Key Talking Points:
🛠️ The Broadband.co.uk Origin Story How an accidental domain acquisition turned into a multi-million pound exit—and why his wife deserves credit for the price comparison idea.
📉 Penguin, Panda & the Great Drop-Off Edd shares how they lost 80% of traffic overnight, the backlink sins that caused it, and the exact process he followed to recover and come back stronger.
💼 Building vs Finishing: Why Edd Launches Many Sites He breaks down his 20–30% success rate, the value of programmatic SEO, and why the affiliate model still works if your tool or content is hard to replicate.
🧠 Data-Driven Differentiation The real reason broadband.co.uk thrived: postcode-specific tools, proprietary data, and value-first aggregation. Not just "top 10 lists."
📊 KeywordsPeopleUse.com & Strategic Content Planning How customer search queries don’t just inform content—they help shape actual product and business strategy.
🧠 AI, Agents & What’s Next Why Ed’s team is building tools you can’t replicate without AI—and why he’s staying away from bolt-on solutions. Think: plumbers and florists using AI without even realizing it.
🔍 The Future of Google & Search Spoiler: Edd doesn’t think Google is going anywhere soon. Expect slower change than hype suggests, especially with local data and user inertia.
Quotes from Edd Dawson:
“We got hit by Penguin and went from ranking #1 to #939 for ‘broadband’… It was devastating.”
“After recovery, we didn’t just come back—we had 5x the traffic we had before.”
“If you build tools or content that can’t be replicated by a language model, you’ll always have an edge.”
“AI overviews will kill basic blog content, but not useful aggregators. You’ve got to give people something that’s hard to replicate.”
“SEO still works. You just have to be the end destination—not something an LLM can summarize.”
Takeaways & Strategy Highlights:
✅ Affiliate is not dead—bad affiliate is. High-value tools and original data still drive revenue. Build for intent and usefulness.
✅ Tools beat templates. From postcode broadband availability to speed tests, Ed’s model proves that functional tools convert better than static content.
✅ Recovery is possible (but painful). Backlink clean-up, content revamps, and expert help from people like Carl Hendy are what got broadband.co.uk back in business.
✅ Use AI—but don’t bolt it on blindly. Ed’s team is exploring AI-native products that can scale, not just gimmicks to ride the wave.
✅ Search isn’t dead, it’s evolving. Expect a hybrid future. Google, LLMs, and user trust all still matter. Local data and service-based businesses won’t vanish anytime soon.
About Edd Dawson:
Edd Dawson is a 20+ year SEO veteran and successful affiliate entrepreneur. He built and exited broadband.co.uk and now runs KeywordsPeopleUse.com, a content strategy and market research tool based on real search queries. He also hosts the podcast SEO is Not That Hard, where he breaks down actionable SEO tips in 10-minute episodes.
 
🎧 Listen to the Podcast: SEO is Not That Hard 🔗 Visit: KeywordsPeopleUse.com💬 Connect: Edd Dawson on LinkedIn
🚀 Build Your Brand with Real Links
At Linkifi, we help ambitious brands scale organic visibility through digital PR, brand storytelling, and SEO strategy. Book your FREE strategy session today:
 
🔗 https://calendly.com/linkifi/pr
 
👋 Connect with your hosts: 👉 Chris Panteli on LinkedIn 👉 Nick Biggs on LinkedIn
 
🎧 Listen to more Market Movers episodes: 🌍 https://marketmoverspod.com
#AffiliateSEO #LinkBuilding #DigitalPR #KeywordsPeopleUse #SEOPodcast #MarketMovers #BroadbandUK #ProgrammaticSEO #AItools #Linkifi

Welcome back to Market Movers: Building Brands and Links with Linkifi! Your backstage pass to building brands through SEO, digital PR, and entrepreneurial creativity. Hosted by Nick Biggs and Chris Panteli of Linkifi.
This episode features Brett Farmiloe, CEO of Featured.com and now the new steward of Help a Reporter Out (HARO). Brett shares the behind-the-scenes story of reviving one of the most iconic tools in digital PR—bringing HARO back to life after its shutdown, and what it means for journalists, SEOs, link builders, and brands today.
Key Talking Points:
📢 The Story Behind Reviving HARO After HARO was shut down and rebranded unsuccessfully, Brett saw the opportunity—and the demand—to bring it back in its purest, original form.
📩 The Power of a Simple Email Newsletter Why the classic HARO email format still works—and how Featured.com is keeping it clean, curated, and free from spam and exploitation.
🛡️ Fighting Spam, Bots, and Link Schemes Brett explains the strict manual vetting processes, community reporting tools, and anti-AI-bot measures they’ve put in place to protect journalists and restore trust.
📰 Why Big Publications Are Already Back Within days of relaunch, major outlets like USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and others are sourcing queries through HARO again.
⚙️ How Featured.com and HARO Work Together Featured.com offers filtered, targeted pitches; HARO remains about connection—direct journalist-to-source opportunities through email.
🚀 What’s Next for HARO Plans to introduce filters, alerts, categories, and smarter personalization—while keeping HARO’s “lightweight, no-login-required” email simplicity.
Quotes from Brett Farmiloe:
“HARO isn’t just a brand—it’s an action. It’s helping a reporter out. And the demand to bring it back was overwhelming.”
“If your pitch doesn’t help a reporter out, it probably shouldn’t be sent.”
“AI might change content creation, but people still trust people. That's why expertise and real credentials matter more than ever.”
“This isn’t just nostalgia—it’s a much-needed tool for connection in a noisy, distracted world.”
“Day by day, email by email, we’re getting better at curating HARO. Quality is everything.”
 
Takeaways & Strategy Highlights:
✅ Craft Real, Verifiable Pitches HARO favors pitches that are authentic, expertise-driven, and easily verifiable via LinkedIn and a strong online presence.
✅ Don't Fear AI Tools—Use Them Wisely Using AI to polish your pitch is fine. Using AI to mass-spam journalists? Instant ban.
✅ The Simple Stuff Still Works An email in your inbox three times a day—with real media opportunities—is still one of the highest ROI activities for building brand visibility.
✅ Brand Mentions Matter, Even Without Links Even unlinked citations now boost authority in the AI-driven search world. Visibility > Obsession over dofollow.
✅ New Opportunities for Small Businesses With HARO back, independent experts, consultants, and small publishers have a real shot again at tier-one media coverage.
About Brett Farmiloe:
Brett Farmiloe is the CEO of Featured.com and the new CEO of Help a Reporter Out (HARO). He’s a former marketing agency owner who ranked top of Google for “digital marketing company,” a data nerd, and an advocate for helping small businesses share their expertise through meaningful media connections. Brett’s mission is simple: make it easier for real experts to help real reporters, rebuilding trust in the media ecosystem.
🔗 HelpAReporter.com 🔗 Featured.com 📧 Email Brett directly: [email protected]
Or connect with him via LinkedIn
🚀 Build Your Brand with Real Links
At Linkifi, we help ambitious brands scale organic visibility through digital PR, brand storytelling, and SEO strategy. Book your FREE strategy session today:
 
🔗 https://calendly.com/linkifi/pr
 
👋 Connect with your hosts: 👉 Chris Panteli on LinkedIn 👉 Nick Biggs on LinkedIn
 
🎧 Listen to more Market Movers episodes: 🌍 https://marketmoverspod.com
 
#DigitalPR #HARO #SEO #LinkBuilding #MediaOutreach #BrandVisibility #MarketMoversPodcast #Linkifi #BrettFarmiloe

Welcome back to Market Movers: Building Brands and Links with Linkifi! Your backstage pass to building brands through SEO, digital PR, and entrepreneurial creativity. Hosted by Nick Biggs and Chris Panteli of Linkifi.
This episode features Roger Wakefield, a master plumber turned marketing and media force. With over 40 years in the trades, Roger built a successful plumbing business and then took social media by storm, growing the largest plumbing YouTube channel in the world. He now helps tradespeople level up their businesses through digital tools, SEO, and AI-driven strategies.
 
Key Talking Points:
🔧 $47K Lost on Bad Marketing—Then He Took Over Roger shares how traditional marketing firms failed him and why learning video, SEO, and content changed everything.
📹 Why Plumbers (and You) Need to Be on Video Even small, local companies can crush it on social. Roger explains how a simple clip about helping "Ms. Johnson" can go viral—and generate calls.
📈 From Cold Calls to SEO Authority Discover how Roger became Google’s go-to “plumber” by turning every job into searchable content that ranks and converts.
🧠 AI in the Plumbing Industry? Absolutely. Leak detection, predictive maintenance, training automation, and smart home integrations—AI is already changing plumbing. Roger breaks it all down.
🚿 Why Smart Homes = Big Future for Plumbers Plumbing isn’t just pipes anymore. Roger explains how voice-controlled showers, smart valves, and app-connected appliances are the future—and why you should care.
🎥 Use YouTube to Feed Every Channel Record one job, upload to YouTube, then slice it for Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, Instagram—Roger's repurposing strategy is a masterclass in multi-platform visibility.
 
Quotes from Roger Wakefield:
“When you grow the largest plumbing YouTube channel in the world, you can just say—search ‘plumbing.’ You’ll find me.”
“If you’re a plumber and you’re not making videos, you’re missing a goldmine. Social media builds trust faster than any ad.”
“Smart home technology is here. If you’re not learning it, you’ll be left behind.”
“AI won’t replace plumbers—but plumbers using AI will outpace those who don’t.”
“Don’t teach facts. Tell stories. That’s what gets shared, remembered, and booked.”
Takeaways & Strategy Highlights:
✅ Make Videos About Real Jobs Record what you're already doing. Focus on real stories—helping a neighbor, solving a problem—and build trust at scale.
✅ Repurpose for Every Platform Shoot one long video on YouTube. Slice it into short-form content for TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram. One job = endless content.
✅ Dominate Local SEO with Specifics Post content like “Slab Leak in Saxie, Texas”—and dominate that search term. Google loves hyperlocal context.
✅ Use AI as a Business Brain From performance tracking to predicting busy seasons, AI can help you optimize pricing, inventory, and staffing.
✅ Build a Google Knowledge Panel Search yourself. If you don’t show up, start creating media—blogs, videos, interviews—to own your brand authority online.
 
About Roger Wakefield:
Roger Wakefield is a licensed master plumber and founder of the largest plumbing YouTube channel in the world. After getting ripped off by marketing agencies, Roger took control of his own lead generation—learning YouTube, SEO, and social media to make his phone ring. Today, he teaches tradespeople how to grow their business with content, branding, and emerging tech like AI and smart homes.
 
🔧 YouTube: Roger Wakefield 👥 Connect on LinkedIn 💡 Watch and learn more at rogerwakefield.com
🚀 Build Your Brand with Real Links
At Linkifi, we help ambitious brands scale organic visibility through digital PR, brand storytelling, and SEO strategy. Book your FREE strategy session today:
 
🔗 https://calendly.com/linkifi/pr
 
👋 Connect with your hosts: 👉 Chris Panteli on LinkedIn 👉 Nick Biggs on LinkedIn
 
🎧 Listen to more Market Movers episodes: 🌍 https://marketmoverspod.com
#TradesMarketing #PlumbingSEO #AIinTrades #SmartHomePlumbing #ContentMarketing #MarketMoversPodcast #Linkifi #RogerWakefield

Welcome back to Market Movers: Building Brands and Links with Linkifi! Your backstage pass to building brands through SEO, digital PR, and entrepreneurial creativity. Hosted by Nick Biggs and Chris Panteli of Linkifi.
This episode features Dave Harland, the legendary copywriter, LinkedIn entertainer, and co-founder of Copy or Die. Dave shares why brand tone of voice is everything in today's AI-saturated world, why humor and human experience still reign supreme, and how brands can stand out by being unapologetically real.
Key Talking Points:
🧠 Why Your Brand Voice Matters More Than Ever Without a clear tone of voice, your brand sounds inconsistent, forgettable—and easy for AI clones to copy.
🎭 How to Craft a Distinctive Voice (Using Celebs!) Dave’s simple hack: model your brand tone after a famous figure to anchor style, attitude, and vocabulary.
⚡ The Danger of Fast-Tracking Creativity with AI Choosing from 50 mediocre AI outputs isn’t real creativity. Dave warns about losing the journey that makes your brand unique.
😂 Why Humor Beats Buzzwords Every Time Forget jargon and safe headlines—authentic humor taps into human emotion, wins attention, and drives loyalty.
🤖 What AI Still Gets Wrong About Copywriting From clumsy puns to lifeless metaphors, Dave breaks down why chatbots will never fully replace creative human writers.
💥 Launching 'Write the Funny' Dave’s new course helps brands and copywriters infuse real humor into their writing—without sounding forced or fake.
Quotes from Dave Harland:
"If you don't define your tone of voice, your brand will sound like a Frankenstein's monster stitched together by different writers."
"Chatbots aren't funny. They're like a 15-year-old at a disco—awkward, clumsy, and missing the point."
"If you want mediocrity fast, sure, use AI. If you want brand magic that makes people feel something, you need a human brain."
"Fast-tracking creativity strips away all the tiny moments that make something truly original."
"You can't build a brand voice by parroting your customers' words back to them. You have to be you."
Takeaways & Strategy Highlights:
✅ Anchor Your Voice to a Personality Pick a real person—celebrity, fictional character, or public figure—as inspiration to develop a vivid, relatable brand tone.
✅ Define Tone Early or Pay Later Without clear voice guidelines, you'll confuse your audience and force every new writer to guess (and mess it up).
✅ Use AI Only to Save Time on the Boring Stuff AI is useful for repurposing content across formats—not for inventing your big brand ideas.
✅ Make Your Copy Unmistakably Human Real experience, humor, nuance, and lived emotion can’t be faked by bots—and that's your brand's edge.
✅ Treat Copywriting as Brand Strategy, Not a Task Good writing isn't just words. It's positioning, personality, and persuasion baked into every sentence.
About Dave Harland:
Dave Harland is an award-winning copywriter, LinkedIn humorist, and co-founder of Copy or Die. With nearly two decades of experience helping brands create unforgettable tone of voice, Dave blends sharp humor with smart strategy. He’s a sought-after speaker, trainer, and now course creator, helping businesses inject real humanity (and belly laughs) into their copy.
 
🔗 copyordie.co.uk
🎯 thewordman.co.uk/course
💬 Connect on LinkedIn
🚀 Build Your Brand with Real Links
 
At Linkifi, we help ambitious brands scale organic visibility through digital PR, brand storytelling, and SEO strategy. Book your FREE strategy session today:
 
🔗 https://calendly.com/linkifi/pr
 
👋 Connect with your hosts: 👉 Chris Panteli on LinkedIn 👉 Nick Biggs on LinkedIn
 
🎧 Listen to more Market Movers episodes: 🌍 https://marketmoverspod.com
#BrandVoice #Copywriting #DigitalPR #AIinMarketing #ContentMarketing #MarketMoversPodcast #Linkifi #DaveHarland

Welcome back to Market Movers: Building Brands and Links with Linkifi!Your backstage pass to building brands through SEO, digital PR, and entrepreneurial creativity. Hosted by Nick Biggs and Chris Panteli of Linkifi.
This episode features Nina Clapperton, the powerhouse behind She Knows SEO and a travel blogger turned SEO educator pulling in over $30K/month. Nina shares how she built her blog while living in 18+ countries, monetized quickly, and now uses AI, automation, and storytelling to build lean but high-impact online businesses.
Key Talking Points:
🚀 How Nina Built a $30K/Month Blog in 18 Months Starting with zero knowledge, a full-time law job, and “critical ADHD”—she gamified SEO and scaled fast.
📉 She Bought 20 Spammy Links… On Purpose Yep. To test if they’d hurt her site. They did. But the site still earns $10K/month with no recent updates.
🌎 The Travel Blogging Rollercoaster Post-HCU How Google is shifting affiliate opportunities, why ad-only models are fragile, and why niche travel bloggers with personal experience are thriving.
🤖 GPT Hacks for Traffic, Products & Automation Nina’s GPT automations auto-write social posts, power product funnels, and even pitch her own freebies mid-chat—sending thousands of subscribers her way.
📚 Treat Every Category Like a Book Instead of random keyword targeting, she maps content like a narrative—with “chapters” that guide readers and satisfy Google.
🎯 The “Follow Your Fun” Business Philosophy Working 5–10 hours/week, building micro-communities, and using AI to multiply output without scaling stress.
Quotes from Nina Clapperton:
“I follow my fun. If I’m not enjoying it, I’m not doing it. And that’s what led to multiple 6-figure months.”
“I treat content like novels. Every category is a book. Each article is a chapter with a beginning, middle, and end.”
“Most of the travel bloggers who lost traffic didn’t lose income—because their real audience stuck around.”
“PR-style link building beats PBNs every time. Don’t just buy links. Build a brand.”
“A good GPT? It’s like a salesperson that works 24/7 and pitches your product every five messages.”
Takeaways & Strategy Highlights:
✅ Ditch Spam Links, Build Brand Links Nina tested low-quality links and saw firsthand how they crushed rankings. Instead, she leans into digital PR, podcasting, and small-site backlinks that drive real traffic.
✅ Use AI to Actually Scale She automates social content, GPT-driven lead magnets, email workflows, and even niche site publishing—without hiring a massive team.
✅ SEO Alone Is Not a Strategy Nina balances SEO with email, Facebook Groups, and product funnels. Her 17K-member Facebook community drives engagement most SEOs would dream of.
✅ Blog Posts Shouldn’t Stand Alone Think ecosystem, not isolation. Interlink posts, build topic depth, and structure content like a hero’s journey.
✅ Make Your GPTs Work for You Use ChatGPT custom instructions to pitch your freebie every 5 chats. Build traffic inside OpenAI's GPT store—and drive it back to your brand.
 
About Nina Clapperton:
Nina Clapperton is an SEO educator, blogger, and founder of She Knows SEO. She helps creators and business owners scale their organic traffic and income—without burnout. With a background in storytelling, literature, and global travel, Nina combines SEO with authentic content and smart automation to build lean digital businesses. She also builds niche sites, runs a 17K+ Facebook group, and has a dog who’s more famous than most SEOs.
 
🔗 sheknowsseo.co
 🎁 Get her free content audit checklist
 👥 Join the Club Nina community (formerly “SEO for Travel Bloggers” on Facebook) and follow Nina on LinkedIn!
🚀 Build Your Brand with Real Links
At Linkifi, we help ambitious brands scale organic visibility through digital PR, brand storytelling, and SEO strategy. Book your FREE strategy session today:
 
🔗 https://calendly.com/linkifi/pr
 
👋 Connect with your hosts: 👉 Chris Panteli on LinkedIn 👉 Nick Biggs on LinkedIn
 
🎧 Listen to more Market Movers episodes: 🌍 https://marketmoverspod.com
#SEO #DigitalPR #AIinMarketing #GPTMarketing #TravelBlogging #ContentMarketing #MarketMoversPodcast #Linkifi #NinaClapperton

Welcome back to Market Movers: Building Brands and Links with Linkifi!Your backstage pass to building brands through SEO, digital PR, and global growth strategies. Hosted by Nick Biggs and Chris Panteli of Linkifi.
In this episode, we’re joined by Kira Khoroshilova, international SEO consultant and founder of Diary of an SEO. Kira shares how luxury and enterprise brands can break out of local markets and scale globally using smarter strategies—with a heavy emphasis on cultural nuance, hreflang implementation, and AI-powered automation.
 
Key Talking Points:
🌍 What Is International SEO (Really)? Why it’s not just about translating content—and how to define your strategy across borders and cultures.
🧠 From Copywriter in Africa to International SEO Pro Kira shares her unique journey into the SEO world, starting with black-hat content for an Egyptian millionaire.
🏛️ Foundations First: Site Structure + Hreflang The three types of international site setups (ccTLDs, subfolders, subdomains), plus why hreflang is simple but high-stakes.
🌐 Localization vs Translation Translating ≠ converting. Kira walks through cultural research, transcreation, and the costly pitfalls of 1:1 AI translation.
🔁 AI Workflows & Global Rollouts From bulk publishing to multi-country automations, Kira explains how smart teams are using AI to scale with sensitivity.
🎯 Why Google Might Ignore Your Hreflang Even a “perfect” setup can fail if the content doesn’t match user intent or cultural expectations.
🚫 The KFC Disaster in China Why “Finger lickin’ good” turned into “Eat your fingers”—and what it teaches us about brand risk in global markets.
 
Quotes from Kira Khoroshilova:
“You’re not international just because you used ChatGPT to translate a site. You need cultural understanding to convert.”
“SEO isn’t about domains—it’s about landing pages. And each one needs to send the right signals to Google and users.”
“Transcreation is where the magic happens. Translate content, sure—but also make it emotionally and culturally relevant.”
“With AI and automation, we can roll out global SEO campaigns in ways that were impossible just 5 years ago.”
“International SEO isn’t scary. It’s just strategic. And it’s one of the biggest missed opportunities for scaling brands.”
 
Takeaways & Strategy Highlights:
✅ Start With the Right Structure Subfolders? ccTLDs? Subdomains? Choose based on scalability, management, and server locations—not just SEO purity.
✅ Use AI Thoughtfully Automate bulk publishing, translations, and technical workflows—but always layer human oversight for cultural nuance.
✅ Avoid Copy-Paste Translation Mistakes One-for-one translations can damage your brand. Think like a local, or work with someone who does.
✅ Don’t Skip Hreflang Implementation Automate where you can, but validate it monthly with tools like Sitebulb and Chrome extensions.
✅ Culture Converts—Translation Doesn’t True international SEO success lies in understanding psychology, not just linguistics.
 
About Kira Khoroshilova:
Kira Khoroshilova is the founder of Diary of an SEO and a globally recognized international SEO consultant. She helps luxury and enterprise brands scale across borders through culturally-informed strategies, technical implementation, and automation. She's spoken at conferences in the UK, Greece, Italy, and beyond.
 
🔗 Connect with Kira on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirakhoroshilova/ 🌐 diaryofanseo.com
 
🚀 Ready to Launch International SEO for Your Brand?
At Linkifi, we help growth-focused brands expand internationally through digital PR, authority link building, and localized brand strategy.
 
🎯 Book your FREE strategy call: 🔗 https://calendly.com/linkifi/pr
 
👋 Connect with your hosts: 👉 Chris Panteli on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-panteli/ 👉 Nick Biggs on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick--biggs/
 
🎧 Listen to more Market Movers episodes: 🌍 https://marketmoverspod.com
 
#InternationalSEO #DigitalPR #AIinSEO #Transcreation #GlobalGrowth #Linkifi #MarketMoversPodcast #Hreflang

Welcome to Market Movers: Building Brands and Links with Linkifi!Your go-to podcast for transforming your business into an unforgettable brand where branding meets SEO and link-building. I’m Chris Panteli, Co-Founder and CEO of Linkifi, and I’m joined by my co-host and Co-Founder, Nick Biggs.
In this episode, we sit down with Kevin Wiles, ecommerce SEO consultant and former in-house lead for major brands like Halfords, Les Mills, and Air New Zealand. We cover everything from Shopify SEO foundations to AI-enhanced customer experience, modern content workflows, and how the definition of trust and branding is shifting in search.
Key Talking Points:
🧠 Is SEO Dead? Not Even Close. The noise around SEO dying is louder than ever—but Kevin explains why smart brands are simply adapting.
📦 Shopify & Ecommerce Search in 2025 Why most Shopify sites still lack SEO basics, and how to build SEO workflows that scale—without drowning in technical debt.
🛍️ TikTok vs Google for Product Discovery The new generation shops on social first, then searches. Here’s how brands should adapt their channel strategies.
🧰 AI Workflows that Actually Work Forget one-click content. The best brands use AI to enhance—not replace—smart workflows across UX, content, and product.
🔨 Case Study: AI-Powered Window Sales App An offline experience turned online: Kevin walks through how a traditional window company is using AI and AR to create a zero-pressure, high-conversion buyer journey.
💬 Voice Search & Visual Intent Why voice still isn’t the search disrupter people expected—and how visual search is where the real UX gains lie.
🔗 Link Building & Brand Authority From Halfords’ weather crime map to data-led PR, Kevin shares why links still matter—and what kinds move the needle for ecommerce SEO.
Quotes from Kevin Wiles:
“People don’t want a pushy window salesman on their sofa. Brands that remove friction from that process will win.”
“You can’t fix technical debt with AI content. SEO still starts with the basics—site health, intent, and trust.”
“The SEO agencies that won’t survive are the ones that refuse to adapt. Search behavior is changing—your strategy should too.”
“Branding is what earns links. Links are still vital—but they’re easier to earn when people actually like your brand.”
“To become a market leader, you’ve got to find a way to be cool. People don’t just buy products—they buy into brands.”
Takeaways & Strategy Highlights:
✅ User Experience is the New SEO Don’t optimize for rankings—optimize for how people actually shop.
✅ Stop Blindly Publishing Content SEO content without product understanding or brand voice is just noise.
✅ AI Should Enhance, Not Replace Use AI to streamline research, enrich PDPs, and build smarter systems—not to mass-generate thin content.
✅ Marry SEO with Product, PR & UX SEOs who collaborate across brand and content teams will lead the next wave of ecommerce growth.
✅ Don’t Chase Gimmicks—Build Trust Cool brands build audiences. Trustworthy brands drive repeat business. SEO only works when the product delivers.
About Kevin Wiles:
Kevin Wiles is a seasoned ecommerce SEO consultant with in-house and agency experience across global brands like Halfords, Les Mills, and Air New Zealand. He specializes in Shopify SEO, technical audits, data-driven content strategies, and brand-integrated SEO consulting.
🔗 https://kevwiles.com 🔗 Connect with Kevin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinjwiles/
🧲 Want High-Authority Backlinks & Digital PR for Your Ecommerce Brand?
At Linkifi, we help brands land links on top-tier publications and build authority through digital PR and brand storytelling.
 
🎯 Book your FREE strategy call: 🔗 https://calendly.com/linkifi/pr
 
👋 Connect with hosts: 👉 Chris Panteli on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-panteli/ 👉 Nick Biggs on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickbiggs/
 
🎧 Listen to more Market Movers episodes:🌍 https://marketmoverspod.com
 
#EcommerceSEO #ShopifySEO #AIForBrands #DigitalPR #MarketMoversPodcast #LinkBuilding #BrandExperience #Linkifi

Welcome back to Market Movers: Building Brands and Links with Linkifi!The podcast where branding, SEO, and digital PR come together to help you skyrocket your visibility and authority. Hosted by Nick Biggs and Chris Panteli, Co-Founders of Linkifi.
In this episode, we’re joined by Carly Campbell, Pinterest expert, six-figure blogger, and founder of Mommy on Purpose. Carly went from working as a waitress to building a thriving blog and business powered almost entirely by Pinterest traffic. And the kicker? She’s stayed relevant and profitable without relying on AI-generated content—proving that human-first, visual content still wins.
We cover Pinterest marketing strategy in 2025, why Pinterest has become even more valuable post-Google updates, how AI is impacting competition, and Carly’s exact strategy for launching a brand-new blog into Mediavine in just 3 months.
 
Key Talking Points:
✅ Carly’s Journey – From a degree in waitressing to six-figure blogger using Pinterest as her primary traffic source.
✅ What’s Working on Pinterest Now – Why Pinterest’s core strategies haven’t changed much, but competition has exploded thanks to AI.
✅ Why Visual Niches Win on Pinterest – And how bloggers in non-visual niches can still succeed.
✅ AI Content & Pinterest – Why Carly avoids AI-generated images and how Pinterest may devalue them over time.
✅ Building a New Blog & Monetizing Fast – Carly’s case study: How she grew a brand new site to 100,000 monthly page views & full Mediavine acceptance in just 3 months without using AI.
✅ Board & Pin Strategy Breakdown – How many pins per day Carly recommends and her approach to boards (hint: she tested going BIG).
✅ Pinterest Monetization Methods Beyond Ads – Affiliate marketing, e-commerce, digital products, and service-based business applications.
✅ Pinterest vs. Google: Creator Friendliness – Why Carly believes Pinterest has treated creators better than Google.
 
Quotes from Carly Campbell:
📢 “The amount of pins you put out in a day will contribute to your success.” 📢 “If your pin can’t stand out against AI-generated images, you’ll struggle to win the click.” 📢 “Pinterest users aren’t there to research—they’re there for inspiration and ideas.” 📢 “Pinterest has actually handled creators far better than Google has.” 📢 “Human-first content will always have value. I think people will start seeking out real content even more in the next few years.”
 
Key Insights & Takeaways:
🚀 Focus on Visual, Idea-Driven Content – Content ideation (recipes, crafts, DIY, etc.) dominates Pinterest. Research-heavy or text-focused content struggles.
📌 Pinning Frequency Still Matters – More pins = more chances to win, especially as AI competitors flood the platform.
🖼️ Unique, High-Quality Images Beat AI in the Long Term – Carly predicts Pinterest will eventually devalue mass-produced AI images, focusing instead on genuine creators.
🛍️ Pinterest Monetization is Versatile – Beyond ads, Carly highlights affiliate marketing, e-commerce, digital products, and even service business potential.
 
📈 Launching a New Blog Strategy:
100+ posts before launch
1-2 new URLs per day consistently
Up to 20 pins per day, carefully crafted (no AI!)
Accepted into Mediavine within 3 months & earning $4,000+ per month in Q4
 
About Carly Campbell:
Carly is a full-time blogger, Pinterest marketer, and the creator behind Mommy on Purpose. She teaches bloggers how to drive massive traffic using Pinterest, run profitable blogs, and build businesses without relying on AI shortcuts. She’s also co-host of the Pin Talk Podcast.
 
🌐 Visit Carly’s Blog & Courses: mommyonpurpose.com
🎙️ Listen to Pin Talk Podcast: pintalkpodcast.com/
📚 Get Pinteresting Strategies 2025: blogginglikeyoumeanit.lpages.co/pinteresting-strategies/ 
 
📌 Want High-Authority Backlinks & PR for Your Brand?
At Linkifi, we help brands get featured in Tier-1 publications using proven digital PR strategies to boost search visibility & authority.
 
📅 Schedule a call with us now:
🔗 https://calendly.com/linkifi/pr
 
👉️ Connect with Chris on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/chris-panteli/
👉️ Connect with Nick on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nick--biggs/ 
 
🎧 Listen to all episodes of Market Movers:
🔗 https://marketmoverspod.com/
 
#PinterestMarketing #DigitalPR #SEO #LinkBuilding #Blogging #MarketMoversPodcast
 

Welcome to Market Movers: Building Brands and Links with Linkifi!Your go-to podcast for transforming your business into an unforgettable brand where branding meets SEO and link-building. I’m Chris Panteli, Co-Founder and CEO of Linkifi, and I’m joined by my co-host and Co-Founder, Nick Biggs.
In this episode, we welcome Alexandra Tachalova, Founder of Digital Olympus, a leading SEO and link-building agency specializing in relationship-based link building, content marketing, and digital PR. Alexandra has built an industry reputation for cutting through the noise and delivering high-authority, high-impact links that drive results.
We dive into the current state of SaaS link building, the evolution of Google’s stance on link exchanges, and why tier-one media links are becoming more valuable than ever. Alexandra shares insights into what’s working in link building today, what’s not, and how digital PR is shifting the future of SEO strategy.
 
Key Talking Points:
✅ The Evolution of SaaS Link Building – Why link swaps have become oversaturated and ineffective.
✅ Google’s Crackdown on Manipulative Link Strategies – What’s happening behind the scenes with big SaaS brands.
✅ The HubSpot Traffic Drop – Was it due to Google’s manual action, AI shifts, or something else?
✅ Why Tier-One Media Links Matter More Than Ever – The growing importance of editorially earned links over link exchanges.
✅ B2B vs. B2C Link Building – Why relationship-based link building thrives in B2B but struggles in B2C.
✅ The Role of Digital PR in SEO – Why most SaaS brands need to shift focus from old-school link building to real media placements.
✅ The Future of Link Building in AI Search – How AI-generated search results are reshaping SEO strategies.
✅ Is Google Penalizing Large SaaS Brands? – What’s happening with enterprise sites, and should you be worried?
 
Quotes from Alexandra Tachalova:
📢 “If anyone can get a link, then what’s the value of that link?”
📢 “SaaS link building used to be all about link swaps, but now it’s completely out of control.”
📢 “Tier-one media links are not just for branding—they’re becoming essential for SEO.”
📢 “Google’s recent updates have changed the game—link building is no longer just about volume.”
📢 “Most journalists don’t care about your new software update—you need to tell a compelling story.”
 
Actionable Insights for Listeners:
🚀 Rethink Your Link Building Strategy – Stop relying on link swaps and prioritize editorially earned placements.
🔗 Invest in Digital PR for SEO – High-authority, real media links will move the needle more than mid-tier SaaS blogs.
📈 Avoid Link Spam Footprints – If your site’s backlink profile is filled with mass link exchanges, you could be at risk.
💡 Leverage Expert-Led Thought Leadership – Position key figures in your company as industry experts to gain media coverage.
⚡ Adapt to AI & Google’s Changing Algorithms – Stay ahead by focusing on brand presence and quality content over volume.
 
About Alexandra Tachalova:
Alexandra Tachalova is the Founder of Digital Olympus, a leading digital PR and SEO agency specializing in relationship-based link building. With years of experience helping brands secure high-authority media coverage, Alexandra is a respected thought leader in SEO, digital PR, and content marketing. She regularly speaks at major marketing conferences and shares insights on LinkedIn about the latest trends in search.
 
📬 Learn more about Digital Olympus: https://digitalolympus.net 🌐 Connect with Alexandra on LinkedIn
📈 Want High-Authority Backlinks & Media Coverage?
 
Linkifi secures Tier-1 publication links through digital PR, helping businesses boost their domain authority and search rankings.
 
📅 Set up a call with us now: ☎️ https://calendly.com/linkifi/pr
 
👉️ Connect with Chris on LinkedIn 👉️ Connect with Nick on LinkedIn
 
🎧 Listen to more episodes of Market Movers: 🔗 https://marketmoverspod.com/
 
#SEO #LinkBuilding #DigitalPR #SaaSMarketing #GoogleUpdates #MarketMoversPodcast
 

Welcome to Market Movers: Building Brands and Links with Linkifi!ur go-to podcast for transforming your business into an unforgettable brand where branding meets SEO and link-building. I’m Chris Panteli, Co-Founder and CEO of Linkifi, and I’m joined by my co-host and Co-Founder, Nick Biggs.
In this episode, we welcome Mike King, Founder and CEO of iPullRank, an industry-leading digital marketing agency that has helped top brands like MGM Resorts, American Express, and Adidas drive billions in revenue. Mike is one of the most forward-thinking minds in SEO, constantly pushing the boundaries of technical SEO, AI, and digital strategy.
We dive into the biggest shifts happening in search today, the role of AI in rankings, how user interactions are shaping SEO, and why branding is becoming just as important as performance marketing in search visibility.
 
Key Talking Points:
✅ The Next Chapter of Search – Why AI is fundamentally changing search and what SEOs need to do now.✅ User Experience Signals & Rankings – How Google is using dwell time, clickstream data, and user interactions to rank sites.✅ SEO as a Brand Awareness Channel – Why search is no longer just about clicks but brand visibility.✅ Google’s AI Search Overviews – How to optimize for AI-generated answers and whether it’s worth chasing these rankings.✅ New SEO Strategies for LLMs & AI Search – What businesses should do to stay ahead in AI-driven search environments.✅ The Role of Chrome Data in SEO – How Google might be leveraging browsing behavior for ranking signals.✅ Optimizing for Bing & ChatGPT Search – Why OpenAI’s search is built on Bing’s index and why SEOs should care.✅ The Future of SEO Tools – Why most SEO tools are outdated and which ones are worth using today.
 
Quotes from Mike King:
📢 “We are in the biggest shift in search in over a decade—everything is changing faster than ever.” 📢 “Google is under attack on two fronts: AI-powered search and the flood of AI-generated content.” 📢 “Brand visibility is becoming just as important as rankings—showing up matters, even if users don’t click.” 📢 “Forget 5,000-word blog posts—Google stopped prioritizing long content over 13 years ago.” 📢 “The future of marketing? It might be AI bots selling to AI bots.”
 
Actionable Insights for Listeners:
🚀 Optimize for AI Search Overviews – Find where you rank and tweak key passages for better visibility. 🔎 Use Tools That Track User Interaction – Analyze clickstream data to see where users go after leaving your site. 📈 Rebalance Your SEO Strategy – Shift your focus from only ranking to increasing brand presence in AI-generated search. 🔗 Leverage Digital PR for SEO – More brand mentions across the web improve AI and search engine recognition. ⚡ Understand AI Search & Retrieval – Google and ChatGPT use different methods—learn how to optimize for both.
 
About Mike King:
Mike King is the Founder & CEO of iPullRank, an award-winning SEO and digital marketing agency. He is a sought-after keynote speaker, technical SEO expert, and AI strategist who has worked with some of the biggest global brands. Mike is also a leading voice in the future of AI-driven search and a key player in uncovering Google’s leaked algorithm insights.
 
📬 Learn more about iPullRank: https://www.ipullrank.com 🌐 Connect with Mike King on LinkedIn
 
📈 Want High-Authority Backlinks & Media Coverage?
Linkifi secures Tier-1 publication links through digital PR, helping businesses boost their domain authority and search rankings.
 
📅 Set up a call with us now: ☎️ https://calendly.com/linkifi/pr
 
👉️ Connect with Chris on LinkedIn 👉️ Connect with Nick on LinkedIn
 
🎧 Listen to more episodes of Market Movers: 🔗 https://marketmoverspod.com/
 
#SEO #AI #BrandBuilding #UserExperience #DigitalPR #SearchEngineOptimization #MarketMoversPodcast