Grumpy SEO Guy – Episode 122: SEO Is Pay to Play... Sometimes

Date: August 20, 2025
Host: Grumpy SEO Guy

Episode Overview

This episode focuses on a core, controversial truth from the host’s 14 years in the SEO industry: SEO is usually pay-to-play—especially at the authority-building stage. Grumpy SEO Guy debunks common myths about SEO being “free,” breaks down what actually works, and explains in blunt terms when and why money must be spent to get (and keep) top rankings. If you want unvarnished advice free from industry fluff, this episode is a must-listen.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Four Things You Need to Rank

• (05:00) Grumpy SEO Guy rehashes the “fundamental four” for SEO success:
  1. Avoid penalties: Don’t trigger algorithmic or manual penalties.
     “Don’t get a penalty. You can do that for free."
  2. Have content: Content (good or bad) just needs to exist.
  3. Relevancy: The topic you want to rank for must be present in your content.
  4. Authority: Comes exclusively from backlinks.
• The first three are usually “free.” Authority is the outlier—it generally costs money or significant effort to acquire.

Debunking the “Free SEO” Myth

• (01:00–03:30) Many believe anyone can do SEO for free by tweaking their site or making “quality content.” The host disputes this:
  • “Let me tell you why I'm grumpy today. I'm grumpy today because people think that if they just make certain changes to their website, they will rank and that everybody can do SEO because it's free.” (00:13)
  • Content quality, EEAT, improved UI/UX: None of these are ranking factors by themselves.

Authority & Backlinks: The Real Cost in SEO

• (04:00–07:30) Authority can't be sidestepped. The only way to get it is through backlinks.
  • “Authority only comes from backlinks.” (04:00)
  • “Most people can do 1, 2, and 3. Most people have a hard time getting enough authority.” (05:20)
• Backlink acquisition: The show breaks down four approaches, two of which can sometimes be free:
  1. Do nothing (wait for organic links) – usually impossible unless you already rank.
  2. Buy backlinks – effective but costs money.
  3. Guest posting and link outreach – low/no cost but requires huge effort and some contacts will still charge.
  4. Build your own sites (“private blog networks”) – expensive and risky.

SEO is Competition, Not a Checklist

• (06:25–07:32) “SEO is not a checklist. Here's the difference. There can only be one website at the top of the search engine results, okay? And that is the website with the best SEO.” (06:32)
• Doing everything “right” (on-page) doesn’t guarantee top rankings. It just means you’re eligible. Authority is the tiebreaker.

Why Good Backlinks Cost Money

• (10:03–13:40)
  • “Backlinks are expensive because they work, okay?" (10:03)
  • If all on-page factors are equal across sites, authority (i.e., link profile strength) is the decisive factor.
  • There is a paid market for backlinks because they have a direct impact on results.

Myths, Misconceptions, and SEO Industry Nonsense

• EEAT (Experience, Expertise, Authority, Trustworthiness)
  • Not a direct ranking factor, despite what many industry voices claim.
  • “EEAT is not a ranking factor…even Google says… it is not a ranking factor.” (17:55)
• “User experience is not a ranking factor.” (12:26)
• More content/articles do NOT automatically equal better rankings and can cause “keyword cannibalization.”

Can You Do SEO For Free?

• (15:08–17:38) The only “free” backlink-building method that consistently works is organic link outreach or guest posting, and even this often requires payment.
  • “If you don't have money to spend on SEO… either select an industry that doesn’t have websites currently ranking with good SEO… or not do SEO.” (15:20)
• The host publicly challenges anyone to rank a site in a medium-competitive niche “without backlinks.” None can show proof.
• “If you can get authority for free, then you absolutely can do SEO for free…but I’m not sure of any methods other than link outreach and guest posting.” (19:28)

The Realistic Path Forward

• If you have little budget:
  • Focus on massive manual outreach and guest posting.
  • Target “low-competition” niches.
• Otherwise:
  • Prepare to invest, especially for legitimate, high-quality backlinks.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “SEO is a competition. SEO is not a checklist.” (06:26)
• “Quality of content is not a ranking factor.” (03:06)
• “Authority only comes from backlinks.” (04:04)
• “If your competition is ranking because they have a lot of authority, the only way for you to outrank them is by getting more authority.” (12:26)
• “If you don’t have money to spend on SEO, maybe don’t try to do SEO.” (15:13)
• Public Challenge:
  “I have a public challenge to anybody who can rank a website in a medium to competitive industry without backlinks…if you do it, please show me that you did it.” (17:38)
• “EEAT is not a ranking factor. So anybody that tells you that you can rank just from content is lying.” (18:15)
• On industry advice:
  “Most of the SEO information out there is terrible and just, like, completely unhelpful and wrong.” (13:41)
• Bottom line:
  “You need authority to rank. Authority is usually the thing that costs money, and it usually costs money because it works…” (20:48)

Episode Timeline and Timestamps

| Segment | Timestamp | |-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------| | Opening Rant on Free SEO Myths | 00:13 | | The Four Things Needed to Rank | 03:32 | | The Role of Backlinks in Authority | 04:04 | | SEO Is Not a Checklist, It’s a Competition | 06:26 | | The Four Ways to Get Backlinks | 07:32 | | Backlinks: Why They’re Valuable and Costly | 10:03 | | On Bad SEO Advice (Content, EEAT, UX not ranking factors) | 12:26 | | The Truth about Guest Posting & Link Outreach (Potential "Free" methods) | 15:08 | | What to Do If You Have No Budget | 15:13 | | The Public Challenge: Can You Rank Without Authority? | 17:38 | | EEAT: Debunking Another Myth | 17:55 | | Conclusion - The Role and Reality of Paid SEO | 20:48 |

Final Takeaways

• SEO “costs” money most of the time because getting authoritative links requires investment (time, money, or both).
• Content quality, design, and “checklists” are not enough. It’s all about beating your competition in authority.
• If you’re looking for loopholes or shortcuts, you won’t find them here. The host is adamant: If you can’t do heavy outreach or invest, reconsider your strategy or your niche.
• Much industry wisdom is self-serving, outdated, or outright incorrect. Trust data, not dogma.