Podcast Summary: B2B Marketing with Dave Gerhardt – Episode: "How to Fix Your SEO Strategy"

Release Date: March 3, 2025
Host: Dave Gerhardt
Guests:

• Rita C: Head of Academy at Semrush
• Ross Simmons: Founder of Foundation
• Tom Whatley: Founder of Grizzle

Introduction

In this episode of B2B Marketing with Dave Gerhardt, host Dave Gerhardt delves deep into the intricacies of modern SEO strategies with a panel of seasoned experts. The discussion centers around adapting SEO practices in an era dominated by AI advancements, content saturation, and evolving search engine algorithms. The guest speakers—Rita C, Ross Simmons, and Tom Whatley—bring diverse perspectives from their experiences in B2B marketing, SEO training, and content creation.

The Current State of SEO and the Impact of AI

Rita C kicks off the conversation by highlighting the exponential increase in global data and content, projected to grow by 150% annually by 2025. She emphasizes the challenges marketers face in standing out amidst this content explosion.

Rita C [03:16]: "Is SEO going to be dead? I thought it was dying. It's actually not."

Ross Simmons adds that AI has transformed content creation, making it easier yet more competitive. The panel discusses how traditional SEO tactics, such as building blogs and optimizing keywords, are no longer sufficient in the saturated digital landscape.

Effective SEO Strategies in B2B Marketing

The panel shifts focus to actionable SEO strategies that B2B marketers can implement:

1. Bottom-of-Funnel (BoFU) Content:
   Tom Whatley shares his experience with Pidrive, illustrating how focusing on BoFU content like SEO-driven landing pages and product comparisons can significantly boost user signups.

   Tom Whatley [08:34]: "We managed to achieve a 33% increase in user signups in about 12 months, more or less just by driving this approach."

2. Top-of-Funnel (ToFU) Content:
   Danielle discusses Procore's strategy of building a content moat with high-value glossaries and library-style content, targeting informational queries to capture a broader audience.

   Danielle [10:40]: "Having that content that really speaks to the user's kind of curiosity to figure out something like what is a general contractor?"

3. Programmatic SEO:
   Ross Simmons introduces the concept of programmatic SEO—automatically generating content based on scalable keywords. He uses Semrush’s own growth as a case study, emphasizing the importance of quality, people-first content.

   Ross Simmons [13:17]: "Is AI going to be dead? I thought it was dying. It's actually not."

4. Content Optimization Techniques:
   Rita C shares Semrush’s approach to optimizing content by getting straight to the point, writing for scanners, and utilizing programmatic SEO to handle high-volume, branded queries effectively.

   Rita C [22:44]: "You can see here the Amazon example and the chewy.com examples. The cool thing about this strategy is that..."

Slow Roasting: Analyzing and Critiquing Real-World SEO Practices

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to the "ultimate roast of SEO," where the panel critically examines the SEO strategies of various B2B websites. This segment aims to highlight common pitfalls and provide constructive feedback.

1. Roasting Protext
   Danielle criticizes Protext’s homepage titling strategy, suggesting a misalignment between keywords and search intent.

   Danielle [21:20]: "Their homepage starts with Protex AI. I would probably be looking to adjust that to whatever your category is versus Proactive Safety."

   Rating: 5/10
   Key Insight: Focus on aligning homepage titles with high-search volume keywords relevant to the product.

2. Roasting Gozigo
   Ross Simmons and Tom Whatley evaluate Gozigo’s website, praising the H1 alignment but pointing out the lack of backlinks and the need for higher domain authority.

   Ross Simmons [35:58]: "If you're not focusing on the stuff people searching for to actually look for your product, if they're not in market prioritizing that then kind of what you're doing."

   Rating: 7/10
   Key Insight: Enhance brand authority and target non-branded, high-value commercial keywords to increase traffic value.

3. Roasting Catch
   Tom Whatley and Danielle discuss Catch's content design, noting the absence of engaging visuals and proprietary data, which hampers link-building opportunities.

   Danielle [49:53]: "Make sure that they're shareable, worth linking."

   Rating: 5/10 (Ross: 5, Tom: 5, Danielle: 8.2)
   Key Insight: Incorporate high-quality visuals and original research to make content link-worthy and enhance user engagement.

Best Practices for SEO Optimization

Drawing from their roasting sessions, the panel outlines several best practices for effective SEO:

• Align Titles and H1s: Ensure that page titles and H1 headers are directly aligned with user search intent and high-traffic keywords.

• Enhance Domain Authority: Focus on building backlinks from authoritative sources and investing in brand marketing to boost domain authority.

• Programmatic SEO: Utilize automated systems to create scalable, high-quality content that addresses specific search queries and incorporates proprietary data.

• User-Centric Content Design: Design content for scanners with clear subheadings, bullet points, and concise paragraphs to improve readability and engagement.

• Optimize URLs: Keep URLs clean and relevant by removing unnecessary words and aligning them with targeted keywords.

• Leverage Internal and External Linking: Use internal links to guide users through the site seamlessly and open external links in new tabs to maintain user retention.

Conclusions and Final Thoughts

The episode concludes with actionable insights and recommendations for B2B marketers looking to refine their SEO strategies. The panel emphasizes the importance of adaptability in the face of AI advancements and content saturation. By focusing on quality, user experience, and strategic content creation, marketers can effectively navigate the evolving SEO landscape.

Ross Simmons [43:43]: "It's through creating great content... increase the value of our traffic."

Key Takeaways:

• Adapt to AI: Embrace AI tools for content creation while maintaining a focus on quality and user intent.

• Focus on BoFU and ToFU: Balance content strategies to capture both top-of-funnel curiosity and bottom-of-funnel conversions.

• Invest in Programmatic SEO: Automate scalable content strategies to handle high-volume queries without compromising on quality.

• Enhance User Experience: Design content that is easily digestible, engaging, and provides immediate value to the reader.

Notable Quotes

• Rita C [03:16]: "Is SEO going to be dead? I thought it was dying. It's actually not."

• Tom Whatley [08:34]: "We managed to achieve a 33% increase in user signups in about 12 months, more or less just by driving this approach."

• Danielle [21:20]: "Their homepage starts with Protex AI. I would probably be looking to adjust that to whatever your category is versus Proactive Safety."

• Ross Simmons [35:58]: "If you're not focusing on the stuff people searching for to actually look for your product, if they're not in market prioritizing that then kind of what you're doing."

This episode of B2B Marketing with Dave Gerhardt provides invaluable insights into modern SEO strategies, emphasizing the need for quality content, strategic keyword alignment, and adaptability in an AI-driven digital landscape. Whether you're a seasoned marketer or new to the field, the discussions and critiques offer practical guidance to enhance your SEO efforts and drive meaningful results.