🎙️ Unscripted SEO Podcast
Mordy Oberstein on Brand: The Intersection of Brand & SEO
Head of SEO Brand at Wix on why brand is now the most durable ranking factor — and how to build brand signals that actually move organic performance.
As the host of the Unscripted SEO podcast, I’m always excited to dive into deep conversations about the ever-changing world of search engine optimization. Recently, I had the chance to sit down with Mordy Oberstein, the head of SEO Brand at Wix and a prominent voice in the SEO community.
“Mordy Oberstein — Podcast Royalty Revealed” — the full unscripted conversation: his teacher background, how he fell into SEO in 2014, and the candid hot takes that made him one of the most followed voices in the industry.
— Mordy Oberstein | Listen: Full Mordy Oberstein Interview →
Key Takeaways
- Brand signals are now a primary ranking input, not just a correlation. Mordy’s argument: what we’ve always called “brand” — branded search volume, mentions across the web, trust signals, entity clarity — is increasingly what Google uses to determine which sites deserve to rank for competitive queries.
- Branded search volume is a proxy for real-world authority. When people search for your brand specifically, Google interprets that as a vote of confidence from users who have reasons to trust you beyond your content. Building brand awareness offline and on social directly affects organic rankings.
- The line between brand marketing and SEO is disappearing. The tactics that build brand awareness — PR, podcast appearances, social content, event sponsorships — are increasingly the same tactics that build SEO authority. The disciplines are converging.
- Wix’s investment in SEO education is itself a brand signal. By making Mordy the public voice of SEO expertise at Wix, they’ve built trust with an audience of developers, marketers, and small business owners who need to believe the platform takes SEO seriously.
Brand as a Ranking System
Mordy’s most compelling point: Google has been moving toward brand signals for years because they’re harder to manipulate than traditional link signals. A site with genuine branded search volume, real-world mentions, and consistent entity signals across authoritative sources has earned those signals through actual market behavior — not through SEO tactics.
The practical implication: the best SEO investment for most established businesses isn’t more content or more links — it’s building the kind of brand recognition that drives branded searches, earns editorial mentions, and creates the entity clarity that Google’s systems increasingly rely on.
Connect with Mordy Oberstein
- LinkedIn: Mordy Oberstein
- Twitter/X: @MordyOberstein
The Unscripted SEO Podcast features candid, unscripted conversations with SEOs and digital marketers. Hosted by Jeremy Rivera.
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