173 | SEO in the Age of AI: Backlinks, Trust & Guest Podcasting with Brandon Liebowitz

📝 Episode SummaryIn this episode, Rodric sits down with Brandon Liebowitz, founder of SEO Optimizers, to unpack what actually works in SEO now that AI, ChatGPT, and LLMs are changing how people search.Brandon has been doing SEO since 2007, back when you could rank by stuffing a few keywords on a page and blasting low-quality backlinks. Those days are gone.He breaks down why SEO is not instant, why Google and other platforms don’t trust you at first, and why backlinks from relevant sites still matter more than most people realize—especially for builders, contractors, and local service businesses who think SEO is going to magically make the phone ring for $2M builds.They also dive deep into how guest podcasting became one of Brandon’s favorite SEO strategies, why he’s been on nearly 300 podcasts, and how he’s turned those interviews into backlinks, content, and long-term visibility. You’ll also hear about his new book, The Power of Guest Podcasting, and how you can use podcasts to boost your own SEO without becoming a full-time content machine.🔑 In This Episode, You’ll Learn •. The biggest misconception about SEO Why SEO is not instant, and why search engines & platforms don’t trust you at first. •. How AI & ChatGPT are changing search Why more people are skipping Google and going straight to LLMs—and what that means for website traffic and SEO. •. Why websites still matter Even with AI and rich snippets, your website is still your digital “resume, portfolio, and store”—and why social alone is risky. •. Backlinks 101 (without the fluff) Why third-party sites mentioning you (backlinks) matter more than keyword stuffing, and how the wrong backlinks can actually hurt you. •. Quality vs quantity in link building Why a few relevant, niche backlinks beat a flood of low-quality press release links and generic news mentions. •. What builders and local pros get wrong about SEO Why paying for SEO doesn’t automatically mean luxury clients showing up—and what’s usually missing (hint: the right backlinks and content structure). •. Site structure, topical relevance & internal links Why one “services” page isn’t enough anymore, and how to use blogs and internal linking to build topical authority. •. Content quality in the age of AI How Google’s crackdown on spun content paved the way for today’s emphasis on genuinely helpful content (and why “your content just sucks” is sometimes the truth). •. Guest podcasting as an SEO strategy How Brandon has been on ~300 shows, why guesting is better than hosting for SEO, and how he uses those interviews to earn backlinks and repurpose content. •. The mindset you need for SEO Why patience, consistency, and “slow wins” compound into exponential long-term growth.⏱️ Highlights & Timestamps(Adjust timestamps once you have the final edit.)[00:00] The biggest misconception about SEOBrandon opens with the truth most people don’t want to hear: SEO isn’t instant, and search engines don’t trust you out of the gate.[00:40] Welcome to Million Dollar Flip FlopsRodric sets the stage and re-introduces the show’s focus on freedom, business, and time.[01:00] Who is Brandon Liebowitz and what does he do?Brandon explains how he helps people get more visibility and traffic from search engines and platforms like Google, YouTube, Amazon, and LLMs.[01:30] LLMs, ChatGPT, and the future of searchThey discuss how people (including Rodric) are using ChatGPT instead of Google, AI’s impact on traffic, and why fewer clicks doesn’t mean websites are dead.[02:30] Are websites still relevant?Brandon explains why your website is still your core asset online—even with Google snippets and AI giving answers directly in the interface.[03:00] How Brandon fell into SEO back in 2007From a business marketing degree to his first job doing SEO (with no idea what it was), learning through classes and workshops, and sticking with SEO for the “free traffic.”[04:00] Holistic traffic vs single-channel dependencyWhy Brandon recommends spreading traffic sources (SEO, paid ads, email, social) even though SEO is his main lane.[04:30] The “instant result” myth and trust problemWhy SEO takes time: search engines don’t trust you, and trust is built with backlinks from relevant sites, not just keywords on your own pages.[05:00] Do press releases still help SEO?Brandon shares how press releases used to be powerful, why they’re now mostly neutral, and why relevance matters more than generic mentions.[05:45] SEO for builders & local service businessesRodric talks about builders who think SEO will directly bring in $2M custom home leads. Brandon explains what’s missing: quality backlinks and realistic expectations.[06:30] Backlinks, penalties, and “wrong” linksWhy the wrong backlinks can get you penalized, why quality beats quantity, and how to think about relevancy (e.g., construction sites, interior designers, home services).[07:30] Your podcast strategy might be backwardsRodric asks about podcast SEO. Brandon explains why embedding episodes on your website, turning each into a blog post, and earning backlinks from guests is a game-changer.[08:00] Why you should host your episodes on your siteBrandon walks through why you should embed YouTube, use show notes, and make your site the “hub”—so guests promote your site, not just the YouTube link.[09:00] Where SEO starts: keyword researchBrandon shares a personal injury lawyer example: singular vs plural keywords with 20k vs 200k searches—and why buyer intent matters more than raw volume.[10:00] Topical relevance & internal linksWhy one service page won’t cut it anymore, and how supporting blog content + internal linking build authority.[11:10] The Panda & Penguin updates and the death of spammy SEOBrandon explains Google’s shift to quality content in 2011–2012, article spinners, and why AI-like spam existed long before AI.[12:10] “The algorithm isn’t shadow-banning you…your content sucks.”They reference Alex Hormozi’s point: if no one engages, it’s more likely a content issue than a conspiracy.[13:00] One good video vs one bad video a dayQuality beats quantity—especially if you’re just posting to “check the box” instead of truly serving your audience.[14:00] The Power of Guest Podcasting (the book)Brandon talks about his new book, how he’s been on ~300 shows since 2020, and why guesting is incredibly powerful for backlinks and visibility.[15:00] How guest podcasting feeds SEOUsing podcast guest spots for backlinks, social content, audience building, and why he does it for both himself and clients.[16:00] Where to find Brandon’s gift & trainingHe shares a free gift at SEOOptimizers.com/gift with classes and contact info.[17:00] Question for the next guest: Why are you guest podcasting?Brandon wants to know what others value most in guesting beyond content—especially SEO.[17:30] Where he finds like-minded peopleNetworking, meetups, his own event since 2013, and why in-person connection still matters more than hiding behind the screen.[19:00] Podfest, book promotion & learning from other authorsBrandon shares his plan to launch the book at Podfest and connect with other authors for marketing strategies.[20:30] Final SEO advice: be patientWhy slow growth, small wins, and compound trust beats chasing instant rankings.💬 Notable Quotes“SEO isn’t instant. It takes time because search engines and these platforms don’t trust you yet.” – Brandon Liebowitz“Putting keywords on your website doesn’t do much without third-party sites mentioning you.” – Brandon Liebowitz“One good video a week will beat seven bad ones every time.” – Brandon Liebowitz“If you just give me the YouTube link, I’m going to promote YouTube. But if you give me a page on your site, I’ll promote you.” – Brandon Liebowitz🔗 Connect with Brandon Liebowitz🌐 Website🔗 SEO Optimizers (official site) – https://seooptimizers.com/🔗 Free gift & resources – https://seooptimizers.com/gift📱 Social Media ProfilesLinkedIn🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonleibowitz/YouTube🔗 https://www.youtube.com/c/brandonleibowitz/videosInstagram🔗 https://www.instagram.com/leibowitzbrandon/Facebook🔗 https://www.facebook.com/BrandonLeibsTwitter / X🔗 https://twitter.com/brandonleibsTikTok🔗 https://www.tiktok.com/@brandonleibowitzPinterest🔗 https://www.pinterest.com/brandonleibowitz/🔗 Connect with Rodric🎙 Million Dollar Flip Flops Podcast📖 Book: Million Dollar Flip Flops – 100% of proceeds support Send a Student Leader Abroad (SASLA)🌍 SASLA: Helping student leaders build businesses and experience the world through travelIf this episode helped, tap Follow/Subscribe, share it with a founder or builder who needs real-talk about SEO, and leave a review so more people can find the show.Resources:Million Dollar Flip FlopsFollow Us on Insta Ready to transform your business and your life while making...