Erin Sparks
Host · Edge of the Web Studio
Short-Form Video
Key takeaways
- 1:00SEO is evolving rather than dying; new acronyms like GEO and XMO are unnecessary extensions of core SEO principles grounded in mentions and links.
- 0:00Clicks are declining but cannot be fully controlled; the strategy shift is to earn the scroll—ensuring clicks that do occur convert to meaningful actions.
- 2:01Search market fragmentation has accelerated with AI chat platforms now capturing an estimated 10-20% of all search, forcing marketers to reach audiences across multiple channels.
- 0:00User behavior and providing customer value—understanding how to treat customers and make them feel valued—remains the foundation of sustainable SEO success.
- 2:01Success across fragmented channels (email, Reddit, WhatsApp, Medium, Substack) ultimately depends on human-to-human connection and genuine engagement.
In Erin Sparks's words
“Clicks are dying. Unfortunately, we can't control the surfs. We can't figure out what's going on there and try to change that. So what we can control, what we can focus on is earning the scroll.”
“You don't need to make up an acronym for an extension to a core service. It's SEO. It's all the same and it's all different again.”
“It's just determining how your customer would like to be treated, how they feel valued, and how you can provide value so that they can continue to grow.”
“What's common about all of those places? It's humans engaging with other humans. And you have to ask yourself, where have I made an investment in my career to be to get better at understanding humans?”