In this episode of the Earned Media Podcast, I sit down with Barry Adams, an SEO consultant from Polemic Digital, to discuss news SEO for publishers.

We explore Barry’s journey from a webmaster to an SEO specialist for news websites, and he shares invaluable insights into the unique challenges and strategies involved in optimizing news content for Google. Barry explains the intricacies of Google’s news ecosystem, the importance of structured data, and how news publishers can stay ahead in editorial content marketing, blogging, and digital news publishing.

We also discuss the recent Google search algorithm leak, the impact of AI on news publishing, and the delicate balance between ad revenue and user experience on news websites. Barry provides practical advice for news publishers on building direct audience loyalty and minimizing reliance on intermediaries like Google and social media platforms.

Timeline Summary

0:23 – Barry’s journey from webmaster to news SEO specialist.

1:13 – What is news SEO, and how does it differ from e-commerce, local, and B2B SEO?

2:03 – Google’s Top Stories and the fast-paced nature of news ranking.

3:46 – Challenges of getting news content indexed quickly.

5:40 – The role of social media in breaking news and its impact on news SEO.

7:14 – The competition among news publishers to rank in Top Stories.

9:22 – Why Google may not be the best source for the latest breaking news.

12:25 – The significance of Google Discover versus Top Stories for news traffic.

14:57 – Discussion on the Google search algorithm leak and its implications.

19:16 – Key takeaways from the leaked Google data.

23:24 – The impact of paywalls and ads on news SEO and engagement.

27:58 – How generative AI is changing the landscape of news publishing.

31:30 – Google’s introduction of AI overviews in search results and their potential impact.

38:37– The importance of building direct audience loyalty for news publishers.

40:56 – Final thoughts on Google’s capabilities and the future of SEO.

Links & Resources

• Polemic Digital

• Belfast Telegraph

• Google News

• Google Discover

• New York Times

• Perplexity AI

Closing Remarks

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