SEO & Brand Journalism: A Conversation With Katie Wagner The Unscripted SEO Interview podcast

In this episode of the Unscripted SEO podcast, host Jeremy Rivera interviews Katie Wagner, President & CEO of KWSM Digital Marketing Agency. They dive deep into the evolution of SEO, the importance of brand journalism, and how businesses can adapt to the changing digital landscape including AI overviews and LLM-based search.

Guest Information

Katie Wagner

President & CEO, KWSM Digital Marketing
Former CNN Television Anchor (15 years in journalism)
Founded KWSM in 2010
Expert in lead generation and brand journalism

Connect with Katie:

Website: kwsmdigital.com
LinkedIn: Katie Wagner (red dress profile picture)

Host Information

Jeremy Rivera

Founder, SEO Arcade
Host, Unscripted SEO Podcast
SEO Expert & Consultant

Connect with Jeremy:

About: Jeremy Rivera Bio
Podcast: Unscripted SEO

Key Topics Discussed

1. The Evolution of SEO

From Google reverse engineering to brand journalism
Impact of AI overviews and rich snippets
The rise of LLM-based search (ChatGPT, Claude)
How E-E-A-T and helpful content updates changed the game

2. Brand Journalism Strategy

Creating deeper stories around the humans in a business
Two-tier content approach: top-funnel educational vs. bottom-funnel conversion
Quality over quantity in traffic and conversions
Building credibility through authentic storytelling

3. Revenue-Focused Marketing

Moving beyond vanity metrics to actual revenue generation
Importance of understanding profit margins and business fundamentals
Customer journey mapping and conversion optimization
The sales process beyond initial website conversions

4. Near Bound Marketing

Leveraging existing customer relationships for growth
Strategic partnerships and referral systems
Using customer testimonials and case studies effectively
IP detection and heat mapping for customer journey insights

5. Case Study: Save Fry Oil

Brand recognition challenges in search results
Creating the "Restaurant Talks" podcast strategy
248% organic traffic increase through brand journalism
Building authority through industry-specific content

6. PR and Media Relations

Modern press release strategy (not for links, but for audience access)
Press digest approach to journalist outreach
Transferring trust through media placements
Content repurposing from media appearances

7. Content Creation and Distribution

"Create once, distribute forever" philosophy
Podcasts as ultimate keyword research (30k-40k words per episode)
Every brand must be a content creator
Repurposing video content for SEO benefits

Resources & Tools Mentioned

Companies & Agencies

KWSM Digital Marketing - Katie's agency
Right Thing Agency - Nashville SEO agency
SEOteric - Matt Brooks' company
Save Fry Oil - Case study company

Podcasts & Content

Restaurant Talks by Save Fry Oil - Industry podcast case study
Create Once, Distribute Forever Webinar - Ross Simmonds

Industry References

The Great Decoupling - "Alligator mouth disconnects" concept

KWSM Resources

Lead Generation & Strategy

SEO Arcade Resources

Content Strategy

Key Takeaways

Quality Over Quantity: Focus on fewer, more qualified visitors who convert rather than chasing traffic volume
Brand Journalism: Create deeper stories about your business and customers, not just promotional content
Revenue Metrics: Track actual revenue generated, not just leads or conversions
Near Bound Marketing: Leverage existing relationships and customer networks for growth
Ecosystem Approach: No single tactic works in isolation; build comprehensive marketing infrastructure
Content Repurposing: Extract maximum value from every piece of content across multiple channels
Business Understanding: Modern marketers must understand profit margins and business fundamentals

Quotes to Remember

"Brand journalism has never been more important. We really lean into that at the agency." - Katie Wagner

"I don't really have ego in those numbers as long as a percentage of it is actually turning into customers for my clients." - Katie Wagner

"Every brand has to be a content creator and they have to be journalists of their own brand." - Katie Wagner

"Gone are the days when one tactic in a vacuum is going to generate all the business you need." - Katie Wagner