62. Using SEO to Its Full Potential with Jay Abraham Interviews Stephan Spencer

Dec 28, 2016

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On the off chance that you haven't already heard of him, Jay is a legend in the marketing world. In fact, he's known as the godfather of marketing. He's the CEO and founder of the Abraham Group, and has written two books: Getting Everything You Can Out of All You've Got and The Sticking Point Solution.

It's fitting -- and only fair -- that Jay gets a turn to ask me questions, since he was the guest on one of my earliest Marketing Speak episodes. Once you've finished listening to this episode, go listen to that one too so you can hear his brilliant take on things.

Find Out More About Jay Here:

Jay Abraham @RealJayAbraham on Twitter JayAbrahamMarketing on Facebook

In This Episode:

[03:00] - Stephan talks about his background; we learn that he's been in online marketing since 1995. He also mentions books he's written and co-written: Google Power Search, the Art of SEO, and Social eCommerce.
[05:08] - We hear more about Stephan's impressive professional experience.
[06:41] - What's the first context people need to understand to maximize what they get out of Stephan's advice and insights? Stephan answers that one should think of Google as the operating system of the internet. He then emphasizes the importance of being able to influence Google results.
[08:30] - Starting with Google, Stephan talks about how to do what Jay describes as putting "maximum advantage on your side" while ethically disadvantaging your competitors. He also talks about the three things Google looks for: links, good content, and solid architecture.
[10:59] - Stephan goes further into how to move something from the top of Google's second page onto the first page, thereby displacing unfavorable results currently on the first page.
[12:00] - Moving from Google to Facebook, Stephan discusses the difference between tactics and strategy, and emphasizes the importance of the latter.
[13:13] - Worthy content is "worth remarking about" in Seth Godin's words. Stephan goes on to give examples in reference to video content. He also talks about memes, and discusses "7 Minutes in Heaven" interviews.
[18:33] - Stephan shifts once more, from Facebook to YouTube. Yet again, he emphasizes creating something remarkable. He also mentions that YouTube is the second-largest search engine (after Google).
[19:32] - Stephan suggests visualizing a triangular framework. At the top is "owned media," or the online assets that you own and control (such as your email list). The next layer of the triangle is "earned media," which includes SEO, organic listings on YouTube, organic (unpaid) social media marketing, and so on.
[23:28] - We hear more about what earned media is and how it spreads. Stephan brings up the example of Reddit and how influential it is, and describes the site's Century Club.
[25:35] - Stephan circles back to his triangle with the final stage: paid media. This includes things like paid advertising on Facebook, Buzzfeed, StumbleUpon, Pinterest, or other social media sites.
[28:30] - These days, what do you need to know to benefit from marketing opportunities and paid advertising? Stephan gives the example of mesothelioma as a keyword, which is surprisingly expensive. He uses this to emphasize the importance of discernment in advertising.
[32:59] - How do you find good people to help you rather than risking your entire Google reputation by making a bad choice? We also hear about the importance of having a trusted advisor who is a digital strategist.
[36:20] - Stephan talks about livecasting, which he says makes it feel like you're watching TV rather than a presentation.
[38:42] - Besides Stephan's books, what resources should people use? Stephan recommends Mastermind groups, which lets you hang out with a peer group of the people you admire.
[45:08] - Stephan emphasizes the need to grow and contribute, as Tony Robbins points out. He gives an example from his own life.
[48:00] - Another helpful resource for avoiding getting snookered is Stephan's SEO Hiring Blueprint, which gives you some trick questions to ask to establish the supposed expert's knowledge.
[50:18] - Stephan wishes that Jay had asked about systems and structures that can help leverage opportunities. He then goes on to answer this question.
[52:08] - What are Stephan's pieces of advice for listeners? He suggests going to namecheck.com and checking your brand name. He also suggests setting up a retargeting pixel on your website, and picking up a few books in areas of the field that really interest you. Some authors who you may choose from include Seth Godin and Gary Vaynerchuk.
[55:52] - What does Stephan want, more than anything else, for listeners to take away from this conversation? In his answer, he emphasizes separating strategy from tactics as well as the importance of discernment.

Links and Resources:

Jay Abraham @RealJayAbraham on Twitter JayAbrahamMarketing on Facebook Getting Everything You Can Out of All You've GotThe Sticking Point SolutionMarketing Speak Episode 8: Build Your Business With the Strength of the Parthenon: Jay Abraham Google Power SearchThe Art of SEOSocial eCommerceSeth Godin 7 Minutes in Heaven Definitions of earned, owned, and paid media Reddit Century Club Livecasting Mastermind groups Tony Robbins SEO Hiring Blueprint