Enterprise SEO, SERP degradation, and the SEO origins of Healthline with Ethan Hays (Moz)

Last Updated on May 15, 2024

Listen to the podcast

The conversation explores the tragedy of the commons in relation to search and artificial intelligence. It discusses Google’s defensive posture and the increase in large brands in search results. The conversation also delves into the history of content farms and the impact of the Panda algorithm. It highlights the challenges faced by challenger brands and the importance of balancing false positives and false negatives. The story of Healthline’s SEO journey is shared, focusing on their product-led approach to differentiate themselves in the health and medical information field. In this conversation, Ethan Hays and Alex discuss the underinvestment in SEO at large companies and the challenges in getting resources for SEO initiatives. They explore the factors influencing this underinvestment, including the short-term focus on quarterly financial results and the complexity and uncertainty of SEO outcomes. Ethan emphasizes the importance of simplifying the language and articulation of SEO to senior executives, focusing on revenue, profit, and operational costs. They also discuss the need to break down technical complexity and communicate SEO in a way that is easily understandable to non-SEOs. The conversation highlights the opportunity for the SEO industry to promote simplicity and improve communication to drive greater investment and understanding of SEO.

Key Takeaways

• Large companies often underinvest in SEO due to the short-term focus on quarterly financial results and the complexity and uncertainty of SEO outcomes.
• Simplifying the language and articulation of SEO to senior executives, focusing on revenue, profit, and operational costs, can help secure resources for SEO initiatives.
• Breaking down technical complexity and communicating SEO in a simple and understandable way is crucial for gaining buy-in and support from non-SEOs.
• The SEO industry has an opportunity to promote simplicity and improve communication to drive greater investment and understanding of SEO.

Show Links

• Visit Moz and STAT Search Analytics
• Connect with Ethan Hays on Twitter
• Connect with Alex Birkett on LinkedIn and Twitter
• Connect with Omniscient Digital on LinkedIn or Twitter

Time Stamps

• [00:00] Tragedy of the Commons and Search
• [03:36] Google’s Defensive Posture
• [06:20] Content Farms and the Panda Algorithm
• [09:46] Protective Measures for Brands
• [11:49] Balancing False Positives and False Negatives
• [13:17] Challenges for Challenger Brands
• [16:08] Healthline’s SEO Journey
• [25:30] Product-led SEO at Healthline
• [30:01] Enterprise SEO Experience
• [31:09] Factors Influencing Underinvestment in SEO
• [32:30] Timeframe and Ease of Understanding
• [33:29] Overhead and Uncertainty of SEO
• [34:18] Challenges in Getting Resources for SEO
• [35:26] Simplifying SEO for Senior Executives
• [37:21] Lack of Awareness and Attention to Website Performance
• [38:39] Simplifying Technical Complexity in SEO
• [43:10] Selling SEO Strategies to Large Companies
• [44:28] The Opportunity in Simplifying SEO
• [47:33] Breaking the Log Jam in Large Organizations
• [48:31] The Perverse Incentive in the SEO Industry
• [50:26] Communicating SEO in a Simple Way
• [53:20] The Power of Simplicity in SEO