Guest Bio
Barry Schwartz is the CEO of RustyBrick, a New York-based web service company specializing in custom online technology to boost sales and cut costs.
Barry has over 20 years of experience in search and founded the Search Engine Roundtable.
Barry serves as the News Editor at Danny Sullivan’s Search Engine Land and is an esteemed speaker, moderator, and coordinator at many conferences, including Search Marketing Expo, Search Engine Strategies, PubCon, and others.
Barry received the Outstanding Community Services Award from Search Engine Land in 2019.
Barry is a highly sought-after source for insights on the search and has been quoted and interviewed by prestigious publications like the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Reuters, Forbes, and others.
Knowledge Bombs
17:26 How to get No. 1 Ranking on Google
Barry shared insider information on how Google incorporates Twitter timelines into their search results.
According to him, for certain types of queries, tweets can appear in Google search results within seconds, thanks to Twitter carousels. This means that if you’re active on Twitter, your tweets have the potential to show up in relevant Google search queries and increase your visibility online.
24:56 How to stay up-to-date with Google’s algorithm changes
Barry is a hardworking guy. He wakes up early and tracks everything related to SEO through different mechanisms.
Barry says that while Google sometimes sends him announcements, he mostly relies on tracking what the SEO community is saying and confirming algorithm updates. He advises SEO publishers to use RSS feeds, Twitter follows, and documentation to find even the smallest changes in the algorithm.
26:15 Tools to help you track Google’s algorithm
Barry shared some tips on how he stays up-to-date with the latest search engine news. He uses tools such as Twitter, RSS feeds, and Google Alerts to track changes in the search algorithms. He also follows thousands of blogs and keyword searches to stay ahead of the game.
If you’re looking to keep up with the ever-changing world of search engine optimization, Barry’s advice is to stay active on social media and follow SEO communities to keep up with the latest trends. He recommends investing in tools like RSS readers and Google Alerts to ensure you don’t miss any important updates.
27:30 How to connect with Google or other sites
Barry advises that if you want to get a response from Google or Microsoft, you don’t necessarily have to be on their list. Sometimes, you may receive an email asking if you want their price list, but it’s not a guarantee that they will respond.
He suggests starting by writing and building a following. Once you have a significant audience, someone from Google or Microsoft may reach out to you.
28:00 Barry’s recommendations for SEO sites
Barry recommends readers wait a few days after the release of an update, such as the March 2023 core update, before concluding if their website has been hit or not. If they have been hit, Google offers a list of recommendations to improve their website’s content.
AI tools make it easier to improve the content by analyzing it for possible improvements. The AI tools can highlight areas where more detail can be added, and the content can be clearer.
He also suggests seeking feedback from third parties to identify areas of improvement. Removing biases and allowing others to provide feedback can lead to better content and, ultimately, higher rankings.
29:37 Barry’s experience with hit updates
Barry shares his experience of being hit by Google updates due to his stubbornness in not following their guidelines. He learned that labeling sponsored links as “no follow” is important, and useful content is more valuable than lengthy ones.
He also emphasized the importance of prioritizing the user experience. While penalties can be devastating for businesses, having the right mindset and putting the user first can make a difference.
32:45 How to prioritize topics posted on your site
Barry believes that understanding his readers is crucial to his job as a blogger. When faced with a busy day of 30 blog posts to write, he suggests prioritizing the most important topics while also avoiding overwhelming the readers.
He acknowledges that algorithm updates and Google announcements are always high-priority topics. However, he has learned that even seemingly weak stories can surprise him with their popularity, so he advises SEO publishers to remain open to new ideas and features.
33:54 Important skills for an SEO publisher
In the SEO industry, change is constant, Barry says. To thrive, one must be comfortable with change and have strong writing skills. While technical SEO matters, CMS platforms and plugins can handle most of it.
Don’t forget that client management is crucial, but adapting to change and continuously testing and refining strategies are the keys to success.
34:50 How can novice SEO publishers maintain their credibility
According to Barry, credibility is key in this industry. If you want to succeed, it’s important to always cite your sources and link to your references. Don’t make things up, and be sure to provide both sides of the story.
Another important thing to keep in mind is to always promote the community you’re writing for. Add people and link to their tweets and screenshots so that readers can find the context around why someone is saying what they’re saying.
And if you hear something in a conference or from a Google or Microsoft rep off the record, keep it to yourself. Breaking people’s trust is a huge no-no in this industry.
Remember, earning people’s trust takes time and effort, but it’s crucial for success in the long run.
36:45 How to balance creating content and getting revenue
Barry is not in the game for the money. He wants to make a difference. While he does generate revenue from ads on his site, he would never compromise his content for a dollar.
He has various revenue streams, including banner ads, newsletter ads, and sponsored content on his YouTube channel. But he draws the line at sponsored content on his website or buying links.
He believes in labeling ads specifically and ensuring they are no-follow. So if you’re looking to generate revenue, follow Barry’s lead and don’t compromise your content.
38:30 Barry’s social media publishing strategy
Barry shares that he writes on Search Engine Roundtable and shares his content on different channels such as Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. He also summarizes everything on YouTube and posts it on Spotify and other podcast players.
He advises readers to share their content where their audience is present. While he isn’t on TikTok or Instagram, he believes in providing informative content and not compromising on quality for entertainment.
39:31 How to handle controversial SEO topics
Barry emphasizes the importance of citing sources and showing both sides of a topic. He believes it’s better to link to other people and highlight both sides of a controversial topic than to take a side.
Barry is not too opinionated and prefers to provide information from the community and let readers form their own opinions. He says, “Nobody is ever right and everybody is always wrong.”
40:49 What motivates Barry to publish SEO sites?
Barry’s main goal is to help people in the SEO community. He receives messages weekly from people he has helped get new jobs or promotions, save their websites, or make more money. He finds it thrilling to break news stories that no one else has covered.
Barry’s consistent personality and routine make it easy to keep doing what he does, even if it means sleeping less and waking up earlier every day.
Helping people, the thrill of breaking news, and consistency are the keys to his success.
42:01 Barry’s proactive SEO
He writes a lot of content without a specific process but optimizes it for search engines by using searchable headlines. He also does a lot of internal linking to make it easier for readers to navigate his content.
For Barry, thinking about how people will search for content is crucial to the success of your SEO site.
43:43 What makes Barry’s publication unique from others?
Barry has no bias in his SEO writing and doesn’t sell SEO. Search engines can trust him since he doesn’t try to profit from their policies. He always links to sources and promotes the SEO community. Average advertisers do not influence what he writes. Community, trust, and lack of bias are important to him. It’s what sets his publications apart from others in the SEO space.
45:22 Barry’s advice to aspiring SEO publishers
Barry advises that success in SEO requires hard work and dedication. He suggests taking classes, attending conferences, reading books, testing on your own websites, and managing clients to improve.
He emphasizes the importance of loving the industry and staying passionate about the changes and challenges. He warns that SEO is not for everyone and requires years of testing to truly become an expert. As he says, “If you don’t love it, don’t do it.”
Google News
Win cool SEO prizes and get weekly knowledge bomb recaps in your inbox! https://seo.video/recap ▷ SEO Video Show EP134: Barry Schwartz the founder of Search Engine Roundtable
Once a month, you see me sharing a clip from Google’s Office Hours.
If you have a question you want to be answered directly by the Google team.
They just updated the office hours page to submit your question Link below.
https://developers.google.com/search/help/office-hours
Our first video is by Ross Hudgens on how to create a successful content hub – https://youtu.be/KZDUtjZabXw?t=128
He gives many more examples, so be sure to check them out.
I love creating hubs for enterprise SEO that answer all stages of the buyer’s journey.
I strategically interlinked educational content with thought leadership to product and demo landing pages.
Chris Palmer answers how many pages you should create before link building. Let’s check it out
I follow the same strategy of capitalizing on momentum.
It’s like adding fuel to the fire. If I see a page Google loves, I will continue to optimize it with off-page factors.
What’s the Easiest SEO strategy to rank your website higher in Google by Neil Patel https://www.youtube.com/shorts/BFIQncD9Vk0
Something worth checking out that I implemented exactly myself this week.
The tools section on my website, paulandre.com, is from code canyon. Check it out!
What is defensive SEO? Chris Long explains on the edge of the web.
What type of SEO are you? Offensive or defensive?
We are now at my favorite part of the show.
Please ask questions on the topic, and I will address them in the order they are received.
Please support the channel by liking and subscribing while I get things ready.
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