SEO F**king What - Get Found on Google, make money from your website

SEO has been declared dead at least fifteen times since 1995. Fifteen. And it's still here.In this episode I'm going back to the very beginning - 1993, 670 websites, celebrity names stuffed into meta keywords by people who genuinely believed all traffic is good traffic, the whole sorry mess - and walking you through every major "SEO is dead" moment in history, who caused it, who got destroyed by it, and what actually survived.Because if you understand the pattern, you stop panicking every time a LinkedIn guru announces the next thing that's going to kill search.Spoiler: it won't. It never does.What I cover in this episodeWhere SEO started - and how quickly people started gaming it. White text on white backgrounds. Doorway pages. Keyword stuffing so aggressive it'd make your eyes water.Google's arrival in 1998 and the first proper "SEO is dead" panic - and how the industry responded by inventing link farms and article spinning. Same instinct, worse content.The Florida Update in 2003 - like a smaller scale Panda and Penguin, but no less devastating for the businesses it wiped out overnight.Panda (2011), Penguin (2012), Hummingbird (2013), Mobilegeddon (2015), and E-A-T - each one prompted a fresh round of death announcements, each one turned out to be wrong.The AI content flood of 2022 onwards, and why pumping out AI slop was always going to end the same way as every other shortcut before it.The actual search market share data from Q4 2025 via SparkToro: Google at 73.7%, ChatGPT at 2.86%. Yes, 2.86%. Let that sink in next time someone tells you to abandon your Google strategy.And three things that have worked since 1998, survived every update, and will still be working long after the next death announcement hits your feed.Links mentionedHow to use LinkedIn Articles for SEO Non-Wanky On-Page SEO courseSubscribe and shareIf this episode made you roll your eyes at the next "SEO is dead" LinkedIn post - good. That was the point. Make sure you click follow or subscribe in whatever platform you enjoy this in, to ensure you never miss another one.Mentioned in this episode:ICN Network

Most businesses aren’t confused about SEO because it’s complicated.They’re confused because the industry keeps inventing new acronyms and pretending the rules have changed.Hi, I’m Nikki Pilkington. My site is https://nikki-pilkington.com/ and in this episode of "SEO F**king What", I’m talking about... well let's be honest... I'm having a bit of a rant. And it's a rant that you need to hear if you've fallen into the same trap I've seen some other SEOs fall into recently.This is the episode your favourite SEO hustle bro probably doesn’t want you to hear.GEO isn’t a new discipline.It’s SEO with a new acronym and a higher invoice.In this episode, I cover:Why SEOs are adding GEO to their headlines even when their skills haven’t changedWhy “AI optimisation” isn’t meaningfully different from good SEOWhat Google has already confirmed about AI searchHow buzzwords validate inflated pricing and bad behaviourWhy playing along makes it harder for clients to tell who actually knows what they’re doingWhy honesty builds trust, even when it costs you workIf you’re an SEO feeling pressured to add GEO to your profile just to compete, listen to this.If you’re a business owner wondering why suddenly everything costs more for the “same” SEO, listen to this.And if you’re about to pay someone extra because they stuck three new letters in their headline, definitely listen to this.Share this with your SEO mates.Share it with a business owner who’s being sold magic.Share it with anyone who’s about to pay more money for the same work.Chapters/Timestamps00:00 “Why Adding GEO Is Making Things Worse”01:25 Losing work to buzzwords03:20 What Google has already confirmed04:45 Why SEOs playing along is a problem06:35 The uncomfortable truth08:16 How the SEO industry created this mess09:40 Why I’m not adding GEOIf you want straight-talk SEO without the jargon, follow SEO F**king What.More episodes here:https://seofuckingwhatpodcast.co.uk/Mentioned in this episode:Join our blogging masterclassBlogging Masterclass

Most small business owners don’t fail at SEO.They get confused, overwhelmed, or quietly ripped off.Hi, I'm Nikki Pilkington. My site is https://nikki-pilkington.com/ and in this episode of SEO F**king What, which is part two of a two parter, I’m letting you know what a good SEO person looks like in terms of their offers.What SEO really costs in the UK, how long it takes to work, and how to spot legitimate professionals from cowboys.No jargon.No “it depends” nonsense.No magical promises.In this episode, I cover:What proper SEO services should include (and what’s usually a waste of money)How good SEOs explain their work without hiding behind acronymsWhy rankings don’t pay your mortgage, but revenue doesRealistic SEO pricing for small businesses and ecommerce sitesHonest timelines for technical fixes, content, and resultsHow to avoid dependency and find SEO help you can actually trustIf you’re about to hire an SEO, already paying one, or wondering why results don’t match the promises, this episode could save you a lot of money and frustration.If you haven’t listened to part one yet, go back and start there first.And if this helps, please share it with someone who’s about to sign an SEO contract.Timestamped summary00:00 "Good SEO: Clarity Over Jargon"04:03 "SEO That Drives Real Results"08:42 "SEO Timelines Simplified"12:18 "SEO: Consistent, Methodical Work"This episode is all about helping you identify a decent SEO person from a scammer. But you'll have even better results from your SEO by having me in your corner, and I offer supervision and set up of these kinds of arrangements as a service - https://nikki-pilkington.com/seo-training-and-development-uk/Want to check out more episodes? https://seofuckingwhatpodcast.co.uk/Mentioned in this episode:Join our blogging masterclassBlogging Masterclass

I’ve lost count of the businesses that hire an SEO expert, pay good money, and then make it impossible for us to actually do the job. Hi, I'm Nikki Pilkington. My site is https://nikki-pilkington.com/ and in this episode of SEO F**king What, I’m calling out the ridiculousness I sometimes see when a business hires an SEO. Not you. You wouldn't do any of this, I'm sure. But we'll explore some of the absolute sh*ttery that can go down when one of us SEO experts gets hired by someone who doesn't understand what our role in their business actually is!If you want fluffy LinkedIn advice, this isn’t the show for you.But if you’re ready to stop sabotaging your own results and work with an SEO like a grown-up, hit play.This one might sting a bit — but it’ll make you money, which is all I f**king care about.Timestamped summary00:00 Freelancing Isn't Remote Employment04:26 Clients Restricting Access Harms Results09:00 Empower Your SEO Expert10:45 Respect Freelancers for Better ResultsThis episode is all about helping you ensure your SEO is equipped to do their job properly. But you'll have even better results from your SEO by having me in your corner, and I offer supervision and set up of these kinds of arrangements as a service - https://nikki-pilkington.com/seo-training-and-development-uk/Want to check out more episodes? https://seofuckingwhatpodcast.co.uk/Mentioned in this episode:Join our blogging masterclassBlogging Masterclass

Ever handed over a chunk of cash to your web designer for “SEO” and ended up with nothing but a plugin and a lot of empty promises? Hi, I'm Nikki Pilkington. My site is https://nikki-pilkington.com/ and in this episode of SEO F**king What, I’m pulling back the curtain on what really happens when web designers say they do SEO—and how you can tell if you’ve been stitched up.I’ll walk you through the fixes and explain why most web designers aren’t SEO experts (and why that’s not a dig at them), reveal what real SEO looks like, and share the right questions to ask before you hire anyone. Plus, I’ve got actionable steps you can take right now to get your site sorted—no bollocks, just practical advice. If you’re ready to finally get found and make some money, hit follow and click play for some non-wanky SEO guidance that actually works!Timestamped summary00:00 "Web Design vs. True SEO"03:52 "SEO Advice: Get Found"This episode is all about ensuring your web designer doesn't totally fuck you over on your SEO.But you'll have even better results from your SEO by having me in your corner - https://nikki-pilkington.com/seo-training/Want to check out more episodes? https://seofuckingwhatpodcast.co.uk/Mentioned in this episode:Join our blogging masterclassBlogging Masterclass