Chris Turnbull: Navigating The Changing Landscape of Local SEO

The Unscripted SEO Interview Podcast

Episode: Unscripted SEO Podcast
Host: Jeremy Rivera - Unscripted Podcast
Guest: Chris Turnbull, Founder of Catalyst Marketing
Duration: ~45 minutes

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Episode Description

Join Jeremy Rivera as he sits down with Chris Turnbull, founder of Catalyst Marketing, for an unfiltered discussion about how SEO has evolved over the past 13 years. From Google's monopolistic behavior to the rise of AI overviews, this conversation explores why local SEO has remained surprisingly stable while broader search continues to fragment across multiple platforms.

Chris shares insights from his journey from apprentice SEO to agency founder, specializing in performance marketing for local service businesses. The duo dives deep into the breakdown of traditional content marketing, the rise of user-generated content, and why Reddit posts now carry the same weight as backlinks from 2015.

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Key Topics Covered

The Google Monopoly & Search Evolution

• How Google evolved from "organizing the world's data" to "being the world's data"
• The enshitification of search results and AI overview accuracy issues
• Why we've become "beta testers" for tech corporations
• The removal of search liaison positions and lack of feedback loops

Local SEO: What's Changed vs. What Hasn't

• Why local SEO fundamentals from 2008 still work today
• The continued importance of Google Business Profile, citations, and reviews
• How LLMs heavily weight reviews and local mentions
• Digital PR as the evolution of community involvement

The Content Creation Paradox

• Google's contradictory demand to "create content for humans" while using bots to consume it
• The problem of trillion duplicate articles from marketing agencies
• How algorithm updates have created unsustainable content cycles
• The information contamination problem with AI-generated content

Multi-Platform SEO Strategy

• Why websites are no longer the central hub of marketing
• The octopus model: tentacles with independent value
• Reddit posts, LinkedIn Pulse, and social media as ranking factors
• The breakdown of walled gardens and rise of indexed social content

Industry Role Evolution

• The rise of fractional CMOs and why traditional SEO roles are expanding
• How SEOs are becoming digital marketing business consultants
• The challenge of specialization vs. generalization in agencies
• Why keyword research now requires understanding of email, social, and brand marketing

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Killer Quotes

Jeremy Rivera:

"It feels like we have been demoted to beta testers as the public... I remember search results from 2014 that were so scandalous they got a public apology. Now we have an age of lawlessness."

"Getting a huge upvoted post on Reddit now carries as much weight and value as getting a huge backlink did in 2015."

Chris Turnbull:

"What worked in SEO five years ago is still working now for local high-intent terms... It's dragging people who just focused on SEO into the wider marketing sphere."

"Is there a post-website world? These are big, almost existential questions when it comes to search."

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Key Takeaways

• Local SEO fundamentals remain stable despite broader search disruption
• Multi-platform presence is now essential - websites are one tentacle, not the hub
• User-generated content dominates AI results - authentic discussions outweigh traditional content
• SEO roles are expanding into general marketing and business consulting
• The content-traffic exchange is breaking down as Google consumes content without sending traffic

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Featured Resources & Links

Guest & Host Links

• Chris Turnbull: Connect on LinkedIn for performance marketing insights
• Catalyst Marketing - Performance marketing for local service businesses
• Jeremy Rivera's white label podcast service - SEO Arcade

Related Content

• SEO Arcade Blog Articles:
  • Google Algorithm Updates Discussion
  • Creating Content Amid Constant Algorithm Changes
  • Local SEO Deep Dive
  • SEO Insights & Research
• Unscripted SEO Interviews:
  • James Dooley: Scaling 9-Figure SEO Business
  • Keith Bresee: People First Framework
  • Bradley Benner: Building Relevant Links
  • Cindy Krum: Mobile-First & AI Evolution

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About the Guests

Chris Turnbull has 13+ years of SEO experience, working from small agencies to global accounts and in-house roles with major insurance firms. Since 2021, he's focused exclusively on local service businesses through Catalyst Marketing. He's recently launched a school community for local business owners covering marketing, growth, and business development.

Jeremy Rivera is founder of SEO Arcade and co-host of the Unscripted SEO Podcast. With experience spanning from Raven Tools to local service SEO, he now operates a white label podcasting service that converts expert interviews into content and link-building opportunities for agencies.

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Connect & Subscribe

• Unscripted SEO Podcast: Listen to more episodes
• SEO Arcade: Blog & Resources
• Catalyst Marketing: Performance Marketing Services

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