🎙️ My Top 20 Killer SEO Interviews
Over the years on the Unscripted SEO Interview Podcast, I’ve sat across from some of the sharpest minds in search. These are the 20 conversations that moved the needle — on the industry, and on my thinking.
Rand Fishkin
Rand is the person who taught a generation of SEOs how to think. Founder of Moz, then SparkToro, he’s never stopped asking the questions the industry is too comfortable to ask. This conversation on audience intelligence and the limits of search-first thinking is essential listening.
Listen to the Episode →Neil Patel
One of the most recognized names in digital marketing on the planet. Neil has built a 9-figure media and agency empire, and this conversation cuts through the noise to what actually drives growth when you’re operating at real scale.
Listen to the Episode →Barry Schwartz
If SEO had a newspaper of record, Barry Schwartz would be its editor-in-chief. For 20+ years he’s been the first call when Google does anything. This is a rare look behind the lens at the man who watches the industry more closely than almost anyone alive.
Listen to the Episode →Jason Barnard
Jason Barnard has built an entirely new vocabulary for how brands should think about their digital footprint. We’ve had him on twice — once for Knowledge Panels and Brand SERPs, and again for entity optimization in the age of AI search. Both are required listening.
Listen to Episode 1 → Listen to Episode 2 →Joy Hawkins
Joy Hawkins runs the most rigorous local SEO testing operation in the industry. Sterling Sky’s research has literally changed how practitioners approach Google Business Profile optimization. If you do any local SEO work, this episode is non-negotiable.
Listen to the Episode →Lily Ray
Lily Ray has become the definitive voice on core update analysis and E-E-A-T in practice. She doesn’t do hot takes — she does data. This conversation is one of the most grounded, honest assessments of where SEO actually stands that you’ll find anywhere.
Listen to the Episode →Mordy Oberstein
Mordy is one of the most entertaining and substantive voices in SEO. We had him on twice — once for his origin story and unfiltered hot takes, and again to dig deep into brand as a durable SEO moat. Both episodes are worth your time.
Listen to Episode 1 → Listen to Episode 2 →Cyrus Shepard
Cyrus brings a methodical, test-driven lens to SEO that cuts through the hype. His work on quality rater guidelines and ranking factors has influenced how serious practitioners think about content quality. A masterclass in thinking clearly about a noisy topic.
Listen to the Episode →Mike Blumenthal
Mike Blumenthal has been studying local search longer than most people have been doing SEO. Co-founder of Near Media and widely considered the godfather of local search research, his perspective on how Google Local actually works is unmatched.
Listen to the Episode →Nick Eubanks
Nick built Traffic Think Tank into one of the most respected SEO communities in the world, sold it to SEMrush, scaled it to 8 figures, and has since moved into the world’s largest affiliate network. This is a conversation about what durability in SEO actually looks like.
Listen to the Episode →Kevin Indig
Kevin has advised some of the biggest companies on the planet on growth strategy. His Growth Memo newsletter is required reading for anyone who wants to think about SEO at a strategic rather than tactical level. This conversation goes to places most SEO podcasts never reach.
Listen to the Episode →Dixon Jones
Dixon Jones literally wrote the book on entity SEO. As CEO of InLinks, he’s built tooling that operationalizes entity optimization at scale. This conversation pulls back the curtain on one of the most misunderstood and most important concepts in modern search.
Listen to the Episode →Crystal Carter
Crystal Carter is one of the clearest communicators in the SEO industry. Her work at Wix, combined with her presence at major conferences worldwide, has made her a go-to voice for both practitioners and brands trying to separate signal from noise.
Listen to the Episode →Martin MacDonald
Martin MacDonald has operated SEO programs at a level most practitioners never encounter. His time leading SEO at Paddy Power — one of the most competitive digital environments in Europe — gave him a perspective on enterprise SEO that’s genuinely hard to find anywhere else.
Listen to the Episode →Kristine Schachinger
Kristine specializes in the cases that break other SEOs — penalty recoveries, algorithmic suppression, sites that should rank but don’t. Her forensic approach to SEO diagnosis is methodical, deeply researched, and genuinely illuminating about how Google’s systems actually work under pressure.
Listen to the Episode →Erika Varangouli
Erika brings a rare combination of brand strategy thinking and international SEO expertise. At Semrush she’s been shaping how the industry talks about brand-led organic growth. This conversation is particularly valuable for anyone thinking about multi-market SEO at scale.
Listen to the Episode →Cindy Krum
Cindy Krum was thinking about mobile SEO before most people had a smartphone. Her work on MobileMoxie and her research into how Google parses and serves mobile results put her years ahead of the industry curve. A genuine pioneer in a field that now touches every search.
Listen to the Episode →Lidia Infante
Lidia Infante is one of the most compelling voices of the next generation of SEO leadership. Her work at Sanity.io combines rigorous data thinking with a nuanced understanding of how psychology shapes search behavior. Watch this name — she’s only getting started.
Listen to the Episode →Simon Schnieders
Simon built Blue Array into one of the UK’s largest SEO-only agencies. This conversation is honest about what nobody tells you when you scale: the management challenges, the talent problems, and why growth without systems will eventually break you.
Listen to the Episode →James Dooley
James Dooley built a 9-figure lead generation empire on the back of SEO. He’s one of the most followed practitioners in the rank-and-rent and affiliate SEO world, and this conversation reveals the operational thinking behind building SEO as a scalable asset business rather than a service.
Listen to the Episode →Want to Be Part of the Next List?
The Unscripted SEO Interview Podcast features the sharpest minds in search — no scripts, no fluff, just real conversations about what’s actually working. If you’re doing interesting things in SEO, let’s talk.
Apply to Be a Guest →