By Matt Bertram

By Matt Bertram

Matt Bertram, is the lead digital strategist at EWR Digital. He is the co-host of the Best SEO Podcast: Unknown Secrets of Internet Marketing. Currently writes for Search Engine Journal, Forbes and Entrepreneur.

SEO Podcasts vs. SEO Blogs: Which Should You Follow?

Introduction

In the ever-evolving world of SEO, staying updated with the latest SEO trends, strategies, and best practices is crucial. Two popular mediums for learning SEO are podcasts and blogs. Each has its unique advantages and disadvantages. This post compares the benefits and drawbacks of learning SEO through podcasts versus traditional blogs, helping you decide which medium suits your learning style and needs best.

Benefits of SEO Podcasts

1. Convenience and Accessibility

  • On-the-Go Learning: Podcasts are mainly audio and can be consumed while commuting, exercising, or doing household chores, making it easy to integrate learning into a busy schedule.
  • Hands-Free: Listening to podcasts doesn’t require you to sit in front of a screen, offering a hands-free way to absorb information.

I have a personal rule that if I am on YouTube or listening to a podcast or even a book on tape I have to be “moving” or doing something. I listen to podcasts while working out most frequently. 

2. Personal Connection

  • Voice and Tone: Hearing the host’s voice can create a more personal and engaging experience compared to reading text. (Good sound quality is more important than you think though! It’s got to be easy to listen too)
  • Interviews and Conversations: Many podcasts feature interviews with industry experts, providing insights and perspectives that might not be captured in written form. I love being a “fly on the wall” during some of these conversations. It is amazing the topics and conversations you can listen too in the age of information.

3. Up-to-Date Information

  • Timely Updates: Podcasts can quickly address recent changes in SEO algorithms and trends, offering timely insights. People just have to create content on the topics. It usually takes about 24 hours for people to start creating content about a trending topic.
  • Regular Episodes: Many podcasts release episodes weekly or bi-weekly, providing a steady stream of current information. I try to do this as best I can about the podcasts that we create. Some podcasts I am expecting them to post daily updates! It just depends the relationship you are looking to have with the with host or hosts.

Drawbacks of SEO Podcasts

1. Lack of Visuals

  • No Visual Aids: Complex topics that benefit from visual aids, such as diagrams and charts, can be harder to grasp through audio alone. (YouTube might be better for this if they have a video component with good video production.
  • Memory Retention: Without the ability to easily reference back, some information might be harder to retain and recall. This however, differs among the listeners and may not be that big of a issue.

2. Limited Depth

  • Time Constraints: Podcasts are often limited by time, potentially leading to less detailed coverage of complex topics.
  • General Overviews: Some podcasts might offer more general overviews rather than deep dives into specific subjects.

Benefits of SEO Blogs

1. In-Depth Analysis

  • Detailed Content: Blogs can provide comprehensive, step-by-step guides and deep dives into specific topics.
  • Visual Aids: Articles often include images, infographics, and charts that enhance understanding and retention.

2. Easy Reference

  • Searchable Content: Written content can be easily searched and referenced, making it simple to find specific information when needed.
  • Bookmarks and Links: You can bookmark important articles and follow links to additional resources, creating a rich learning ecosystem.

3. Self-Paced Learning

  • Read at Your Own Pace: Blogs allow you to read and digest information at your own pace, which can be particularly beneficial for complex subjects.
  • Re-readability: You can re-read articles as many times as necessary to fully understand the content.

Drawbacks of SEO Blogs

1. Time-Consuming

  • Requires Full Attention: Reading blogs requires dedicated time and attention, which can be challenging to find in a busy schedule.
  • Screen Time: Spending too much time in front of a screen can be straining for your eyes and mentally taxing.

2. Engagement

  • Less Personal: The lack of a human voice can make blogs feel less personal and engaging compared to podcasts.
  • Overload of Information: The vast amount of available blogs can be overwhelming, making it hard to discern which sources are reliable and valuable.

Which Should You Follow?

Personal Learning Style

  • Auditory Learners: If you learn better by listening, podcasts might be more effective for you.
  • Visual Learners: If you prefer seeing information and visual aids, blogs will likely be more beneficial.

Time Management

  • Busy Schedules: If you have a busy schedule and need to multitask, podcasts offer a convenient way to learn on the go.
  • Dedicated Study Time: If you can allocate specific times for study, blogs provide a more thorough and detailed learning experience.

Content Needs

  • Timely Updates: For the latest news and quick updates, podcasts are excellent.
  • In-Depth Learning: For comprehensive guides and detailed explanations, blogs are more suitable.

Conclusion

Both SEO podcasts and blogs offer valuable resources for learning SEO, each with its unique advantages and drawbacks. Your choice depends on your learning style, time management preferences, and content needs. Ideally, incorporating both mediums into your learning strategy can provide a well-rounded understanding of SEO, combining the convenience and personal connection of podcasts with the depth and visual aids of blogs.

How to Choose the Best SEO Podcast for Your Needs

Finding the perfect SEO podcast can be challenging. Our guide offers tips on choosing the right podcast for your expertise level, specific SEO interests, and preferred formats, ensuring you get the most value from your listening experience.

Introduction

Podcasts have become an invaluable resource for learning and staying updated in the fast-evolving field of SEO. However, with so many options available, choosing the right SEO podcast can be overwhelming. This guide will help you select the best SEO podcast based on your expertise level, specific interests, and preferred formats.

1. Determine Your Expertise Level

The first step in choosing the right SEO podcast is to assess your own level of expertise. SEO podcasts vary widely in terms of the depth and complexity of the content they offer.

Beginner Level:

  • Look for podcasts that cover SEO basics and foundational concepts.
  • These podcasts often include step-by-step guides, beginner-friendly tips, and explanations of fundamental SEO terms and strategies.

Intermediate Level:

  • Intermediate podcasts delve deeper into SEO techniques and strategies.
  • They often feature case studies, interviews with industry experts, and discussions on more advanced topics like technical SEO, link-building strategies, and content optimization.

Advanced Level:

  • Advanced podcasts are geared towards seasoned SEO professionals.
  • These podcasts discuss the latest industry trends, algorithm updates, and in-depth analyses of complex SEO challenges.

2. Identify Your Specific SEO Interests

SEO is a broad field with various subtopics. To get the most out of your podcast listening experience, focus on your specific SEO interests.

Technical SEO:

Content SEO:

Local SEO:

  • If you’re interested in local search optimization, find podcasts that cover local SEO tactics, Google My Business optimization, and local link building.

E-commerce SEO:

  • For those working with online stores, e-commerce SEO podcasts can provide insights on product page optimization, category structuring, and e-commerce-specific SEO tactics.

3. Choose Your Preferred Podcast Format

Podcasts come in various formats, each catering to different listening preferences. Consider what format keeps you engaged and fits your lifestyle.

Interview-Based:

  • These podcasts feature interviews with SEO experts, providing diverse perspectives and insights from different industry leaders.

Solo Shows:

  • Hosted by a single expert, solo shows often offer in-depth analysis and personal insights on SEO topics.

Panel Discussions:

  • Panel discussion podcasts involve multiple experts debating and discussing SEO trends and strategies, providing a well-rounded view of the topic.

Case Studies and Real-Life Examples:

  • Some podcasts focus on real-life case studies, showcasing successful SEO strategies and lessons learned from actual experiences.

4. Check the Podcast’s Production Quality

While content is king, production quality also matters. A well-produced podcast with clear audio, good pacing, and engaging delivery will enhance your listening experience. Poor audio quality or disorganized content can detract from the valuable information being shared.

5. Read Reviews and Recommendations

Before committing to a podcast, take some time to read reviews and recommendations from other listeners. Reviews can provide insights into the podcast’s content quality, the expertise of the host, and the overall listening experience. Additionally, recommendations from trusted sources can point you towards high-quality podcasts you might have overlooked.

Conclusion

Choosing the best SEO podcast for your needs involves assessing your expertise level, identifying your specific interests, selecting your preferred format, and considering production quality. By following these tips, you can find the right podcasts that will help you stay informed and improve your SEO skills.

Happy listening!

What if countless small businesses made it almost impossible for customers to find them? It sounds crazy, but that’s exactly what any business with a poor internet presence is doing. Our world is increasingly digital, and companies without a robust online presence are going to be left in the dust by the competition.

Fortunately, it’s not too late to boost your internet presence in a big way. In fact, you’d be surprised how many good reasons there are to increase your digital footprints right away!

1. Cultivate Relationships

We all grew up hearing that a successful business is more about people than products. While it sounds a bit like fortune cookie wisdom, it’s true: much of your success comes down to cultivating the right relationships.

Overhauling your digital presence is a great way to create a better bond with your customers. For example, adding features like blogs and videos that address customer needs helps build customer loyalty. And videos demonstrating how to best use your products will inevitably drive up product sales.

Such a digital overhaul also makes it easy for you to generate new leads. Completing your Google My Business profile and streamlining website contact info helps new customers find your business and reach out if they have any questions.

Finally, performing this overhaul will help you cultivate professional relationships as well. By getting to know experts in digital marketing and other fields, you will develop a robust network of people you can call upon to better position your company in this brave new world of digitalization. 

2. It’s Not “Go Big or Go Home”

One reason why many small businesses haven’t improved their online presence is the intimidation factor. It’s easy to think of a dozen new features you could add to your website. However, throwing in everything and the kitchen sink to your online renovation may require more time and money than you really want to sink into this project.

If this sounds like you, here’s some good news: this is not a “go big or go home” style project. In fact, you can easily scale your plans up or down to better accommodate your needs, budget, timeline, or experience.

For example, your business may not currently have a social media presence. You could set an account up today for no additional cost and ask someone to make a few posts a day. This alone can seriously boost your internet presence without forcing you to make any website adjustments or other major structural changes.

And not every good idea is good for your particular customers. A millennial audience may respond well to your series of Youtube videos while an older audience may be turned off completely.

Long story short? The exact scope of this project is determined by a mixture of your own needs and those of your customers. And even really small changes represent a step in the right direction for your digital marketing.

3. Re-Branding Opportunity

Earlier, we mentioned how improving your internet presence doesn’t require a “go big or go home” mentality. But what if your business runs on that exact mentality? In that case, you may want to take this as a major re-branding opportunity.

If you’ve been working on a new logo, for example, this is the prime time for its debut. That logo can be the cornerstone of your redesigned website, your social media avatar, and everything in-between.

Have you wanted to diversify your demographics and reach out to more specific customer segments? In that case, you can add a nice e-shop to your website filled with new products and some enticing free shipping offers.

The overhaul also provides an opportunity for some nice digital synergy as part of the brand-building. You can start a blog on your website and then link to those posts on social media. And you can start a Youtube channel and integrate the videos into your blog posts.

It’s easier said than done, but re-building everything from the ground up gives you unprecedented opportunities in terms of branding, synergy, and accessibility. Don’t look at it as an annoying challenge: look at it as a unique opportunity!

4. Synthesize Previous Content

Whether or not you are building from the ground up or just making some selective digital additions, the question remains: what should you do with your old content? You don’t have to throw anything out because you now have an opportunity to synthesize something new. 

Maybe you had some old text tutorials for how to use your products. You can use those as a template to create video instructions instead and then make the old text part of your video description. Or, better yet, link users back to the original post in the description!

Or let’s say that you have several blog posts related to a particular subject. Instead of letting those go to waste, you can turn those into an authoritative e-book. And then you can offer that e-book as a special incentive for anyone who signs up for your e-mail list.

If you’re feeling particularly enterprising, you can also transform some of your old blog content into podcasts. Podcasts are a really dynamic way to reach a captive audience (think of people stuck on a long commute), and they help to humanize your business while building very direct relationships with your consumers. 

5. The Power of Social

Earlier, we touched on how easy it is to set up a social media account for your business. But do you know all of the ways that a social media online presence can help out your business?

For one thing, social media is basically designed to create online communities. By asking questions and otherwise encouraging people to post, you can help create an online cohort of your biggest supporters. In turn, by sharing, liking, and commenting on your posts, these supporters become major online advocates by providing a kind of digital “word-of-mouth” marketing.

Social media also adds a very easy and convenient way for your customers to reach out to you. Demographics such as millennials loathe making phone calls, and many dislike the waiting period that comes with sending an e-mail. With social media, interested customers can instantly send your business a private message.

If you decide to take social media marketing even more seriously, many platforms have built-in features that can help in a number of ways. For example, Facebook helps you target very specific demographics and areas while collecting the kind of analytic info that helps you fine-tune your marketing.

Speaking of analytics, you can also take advantage of social media polls from time to time. This lets you collect information about customer desires in the most expedient way: by asking them!

6. SEO Opportunities

What if you improved your internet presence and nobody noticed? That’s where SEO comes in.

Whether you are doing a minor renovation or a major upgrade, it’s important that you beef up the SEO while you’re at it. Otherwise, you might not have an audience to appreciate that shiny new website.

Fortunately, many of the things that you do to improve your online presence also provide opportunities to improve SEO. Adding a relevant blog is a great example of this. With the right use of SEO (and some selective backlinking), you may soon find yourself jumping much higher on user searches.

A digital redesign is also a great way to address problems that you may not even know that you have. Your bounce rate is a great example of this. Factors ranging from image size to a lack of responsive design may be driving customers away as soon as they land on your site.

Sometimes, even small adjustments can have a big impact. Making sure you use SEO in areas like URLs and image tags can boost your SEO in some surprising ways.

Ultimately, you should think of SEO as an investment. You’re not going to see results overnight, but solid SEO is the cornerstone of any successful business and any successful online presence.

7. Become A Thought Leader

It’s easy to get annoyed by buzzwords like “thought leader.” Every now and then, though, there’s a lot of truth behind the buzz. And that includes the importance of situating your own business as a thought leader within your particular industry.

It’s the online equivalent of becoming the “brand name” in a customer’s mind. You know how countless people refer to any tissue as “Kleenex” or any soda as “a Coke?” That’s because these brands beat out their competition so much that they pretty much define their respective industries.

It’s entirely possible for your own business to do this, but you can’t do so with a lackluster online presence. And never forget that the competition is ever-present: if you’re not working on standing out in a digital world, you better bet that your competitors are!

Instead of racing to catch up to your competitors, this is your chance to set the standard. Get enough lead time on the competition and, like Coke and Kleenex, you’ll be the first thing that customers think of when they imagine your products and services!

8. Position Yourself For the Next Generation

Many businesses–even very successful businesses–are guilty of focusing primarily on the here and now. That means sticking to today’s strategies, appealing to today’s demographics, and so on.

However, the longterm viability of your business depends on flexibility. This has been one of the biggest lessons of the digital revolution as companies have had to rethink how they approach marketing, sales, and everything in-between.

Improving your internet presence is definitely going to yield short-term success. However, the real benefit of doing so is that it helps to position you for the next generation of products, services, and clients.

When you have a robust web infrastructure already established, it’s relatively easy to pivot in a number of directions. You can adjust your marketing and products to better suit evolving customer needs. Better still, you can track that evolution in realtime through the analytic data you collect across multiple platforms.

Compare this to what happens if you do nothing at all. When the next inevitable shift in demographics and marketing comes along, you’ll have to adapt products and services while also trying to find a new way to market yourself.

With a versatile online presence, though, you won’t be simply reacting to changes around you. You will be proactively placing yourself and your business in a position to grow and evolve.

9. Solid ROI

When you run a business, your main focus is always going to be your bottom line. That’s why we saved the best reason for improving your online presence for last: it offers an immense return on investment!

We already touched on the fact that you can add many new elements (including social media and blog content) for no investment other than time. And even if you end up hiring digital marketing professionals to overhaul your website, these expenditures will pay for themselves in no time.

That’s because a better online presence affects your marketing and your sales funnel at just about every level. A better website helps you to generate warmer leads, for example, while an e-mail newsletter helps with customer retention. And social media helps you create a community of satisfied customers who will help perform more effective marketing than anything you could pay for.

And like we said, you can scale this project as high or as low as you want. Start by focusing on one or two major areas that need a digital facelift. Once you start to see the results, you’ll understand that creating your own “digital revolution” is worth every penny and every spare minute that you can give it!

A Better Internet Presence: Get Started Today

Now you know about the importance of improving your company’s internet presence. But do you know who can help you stand out from the rest of the digital crowd?

We specialize in digital marketing at every single level. We can help with web design, SEO, brand-building, and much more. To see how we can transform your digital presence, contact us today.

A New Digital Decade: 9 Reasons You Should Re-Evaluate Your Internet Presence |Best SEO Podcast | Houston, TX