20 Years of SEO & Search Engine Journal [Podcast]

The Journey from SEJ’s Infancy to Present Day

It’s our 20th Anniversary! In this special commemorative episode, take an exhilarating ride back to some of the earliest SEO and search marketing days as I sit down with our founder Loren Baker.

Come for the nostalgia and stay for the hidden gems as Loren reflects on an awe-inspiring 20-year evolution of Search Engine Journal. We delved into the unforgettable landmarks, behind-the-scenes stories, and revolutionary insights that have shaped the industry and our coverage.

Loren’s captivating anecdotes and poignant reflections paint a bold picture of SEO’s past, present, and future.

Join us as we celebrate the extraordinary legacy of Search Engine Journal and inspire a new generation of digital innovation.

We’ve achieved considerable success, especially since we collaborated with Alpha Brand Media in 2010 under the leadership of Jenise and Brent. Our primary goal was to expand SEJ’s reach. Despite the various changes, one thing has remained constant—our commitment to continuous experimentation. –Loren Baker, 17:17

When I used to write, my natural inclination was to include a summary or an implication section in the post. I would explore questions such as: ‘What does this information mean for marketers?’, ‘How can this be integrated into your SEO campaign ?’ or ‘How can you incorporate this into your daily tasks? -Loren Baker, 15:34

Some of my favorite shows are those where we’ve invited day-to-day marketers, mainly in-house marketers, to share their experiences. They discuss how things are working from an enterprise perspective and in-house. Even when I used to attend a lot of conferences, I particularly enjoyed the in-house or enterprise-oriented sessions. As a consultant or agency representative, it helped me understand the thought processes, challenges and struggles in-house marketers face, which improved my communication with clients and sales. –Loren Baker, 24:54

[00:00] – Origin and initial vision of the Search Engine Journal
[07:15] – Key changes in SEO since launching sej
[11:33] – The impact of the rise of social media on SEO strategy
[15:34] – Applying SEO news to marketing campaigns
[16:31] – Importance of experimentation in SEO and marketing
[17:17] – Growth and evolution of SEJ with Alpha Brand Media
[18:29] – Learning from past mistakes and wrong decisions
[20:22] – Maintaining SEJ’s editorial integrity and accuracy
[21:12] – Keeping SEJ relevant amidst AI advancements
[24:02] – Most impactful interview conducted on the podcast
[27:04] – Evolution of challenges faced by marketers
[30:40] – Impact of AI and SGE on SEO’s future
[32:02] – Debunking the Is SEO dead myth
[38:13] – Proudest moments after two decades at SEJ
[41:04] – Future plans for SEJ & Loren’s personal career
[42:43] – Possibility of a Loren Baker AI chatbot
[44:55] – Dominating news coverage without being first
[45:47] – Making news stories evergreen for audiences
[47:55] – Creating engaging content for less exciting topics
[49:58] – Influence of trends on the content creation process
[51:13] – The impact SEJ has had on Loren’s world view and work approach

Early on, I collaborated with several companies that wanted to start blogs. However, they were hesitant because they didn’t believe they had anything of value to discuss. –Loren Baker, 47:55

Search and search traffic has evolved from being considered a vanity metric to becoming more focused on the long tail and conversion-driven. –Loren Baker, 27:13

The one thing I love about this industry is that it’s constantly changing. I love staying on top of everything in search, tech, and everything else, so I’m not going anywhere anytime soon. Going to continue to help to grow this puppy. – Loren Baker, 42:16

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Connect With Loren Baker:
Meet Loren Baker: a trailblazer in digital marketing, the mastermind behind Search Engine Journal (SEJ), and an authority in SEO. As the founder of SEJ, he’s built a powerhouse of cutting-edge SEO insights and news, becoming a beacon for marketers and industry enthusiasts worldwide.

But Loren’s passion for digital excellence doesn’t stop at SEJ. As an Advisor at Alpha Brand Media, he injects strategic vision into every decision, continuously pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in digital media.

At the helm of Foundation Digital, Loren crafts bespoke digital marketing strategies that redefine business success. His penchant for innovative solutions, along with his keen understanding of the industry’s pulse, sets him apart as a dynamic and impactful leader.

Connect with Loren on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorenbaker

Connect with Amanda Zantal-Wiener, Editor-in-Chief at Search Engine Journal:
Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Amanda_ZW
Connect with her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandazantalwiener/