In this episode of Chat With Sean, I’m joined by international SEO consultant Natalia Witczyk, who recently spent time working directly inside China’s digital ecosystem. Natalia shares what it’s really like to live in a world where super-apps replace websites, payments are entirely mobile, and AI is built directly into devices rather than bolted on as an add-on. Her on-the-ground perspective reveals a technology landscape that has evolved differently and in many ways faster than anything we experience in the West.

We explore how China skipped the PC era, why WeChat functions like a national operating system, how search behaviour differs on Baidu, and why DeepSeek has become the AI model of choice for hundreds of millions of users. Natalia also breaks down the cultural, structural and economic factors that shape discovery, user expectations, content formats and marketing strategy — and what China’s trajectory signals about the future of search, AI and platform fragmentation globally.

We cover:

- How mobile-first culture transformed daily life, payments and commerce

- The role of WeChat as a super-app powering messaging, search, payments and mini-programs

- Why user journeys in China are far more fragmented than in the West- Key differences between Baidu and Google — and what SEO looks like in China

- How DeepSeek powers AI features across multiple platforms

- The limits of Western platforms (Google, WhatsApp, LinkedIn, Wikipedia) inside China

- How offline and online blend through QR-driven discovery and attribution

- Why cognitive overload shapes Chinese consumer behaviour

- China’s social platform landscape: TikTok/Douyin and rural-first apps

- AI at device level: AI-native smartphones, interfaces and embedded features

- Robotics adoption and how ageing demographics accelerate automation

- Why Western brands often fail when entering China — and how to localise effectively

- What China teaches us about the future of search, content and platform ecosystems

-The rising cost of paid search and the need for hyper-precise targeting

In this episode of Chat With Sean, I’m joined by Rand Fishkin - Co-founder & CEO of SparkToro and AlertMouse, two tools transforming how marketers understand audience behaviour, attention and brand visibility.

Rand breaks down how user journeys became “pinball machines,” why attribution models mislead entire organisations, and what teams must rethink as AI tools rise but still represent only a tiny fraction of actual search activity. We dig into how Google and Facebook over-claim credit, why traditional funnels no longer map to real behaviour, and how brands can build visibility across the fragmented discovery ecosystem.

We also explore AI tool usage trends, the truth behind ChatGPT vs Google volumes, why Gemini is catching up, how companies should approach LLM visibility, and the growing importance of PR, reputation, and native content distribution. Rand shares predictions on where search, social and AI are heading — and what marketers must prioritise to stay relevant.

We cover:

- Modern user journeys and how discovery happens across multiple platforms

- How major platforms measure and attribute conversions

- The scale of AI search compared to traditional search engines

- AI optimisation practices and their overlap with SEO

- How LLMs identify, reference and select brands

- Current usage trends across ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and DeepSeek

- Changes in social platform referral traffic and content distribution models

- The evolving role of websites in marketing and conversion

- Growth and relevance of community platforms like Reddit and Threads

- The role of niche forums, private groups and smaller communities

- Key marketing priorities, including audience research and zero-click strategy

- The emerging impact of “AI mode” within search environments

- The importance of PR, brand entities and reputation signals in digital visibility

Connect With Rand - https://www.linkedin.com/in/randfishkin/https://sparktoro.com/https://alertmouse.com/

In this episode of Chat With Sean, I’m joined by Patrick Hathaway, Co-founder & CEO of Sitebulb, one of the industry’s most respected website auditing tools.

Patrick explains the origin story of Sitebulb, why technical fundamentals matter more than ever, what SEOs keep getting wrong about JavaScript rendering, and how brands should think about LLM visibility without abandoning SEO basics. We also dig into crawl budget, large-scale audits, developer communication, and what’s coming next for Sitebulb’s roadmap.

We cover:

- Why JavaScript SEO is still the industry’s biggest skills gap

- How AI crawlers and search agents change technical priorities

- Why technical foundations matter more than chasing LLM acronyms

- How to think about crawl budget, templates & large-site audits

- The real challenges SEOs face when trying to get dev teams to implement work

- How Sitebulb is evolving with AI-powered insights and “Lost & Found” reporting

- What SEOs must communicate differently to actually get things shipped

In this special episode, I’m joined by Matt Kohli, Iva Jovanovic, Laura I. Abreu, Jonathan Moore, and Raquel González Expósito for an honest, practical discussion about freelancing in digital marketing - from landing your first client to pricing models, boundaries, soft skills, and protecting your mental health.We break down how freelancers actually get started (even with no portfolio), the realities of networking vs cold outreach, how to set expectations with clients, and why communication, people skills and boundaries matter more than anything.What We Cover- How each guest got into freelancing — and what surprised them- Landing your first client without a portfolio- The role of networking, community, referrals & visibility- Soft skills that matter most (communication, expectation-setting, empathy, people skills)- How to avoid overservicing, underselling and toxic client relationships- Mental health, burnout, comparison, loneliness & setting boundaries- Pricing models: hourly vs project vs value-based- How to screen clients, set scope, avoid scope creep & protect your timeHuge thanks to my fantastic guests:Laura I. Abreu - http://laurastrategy.com/ - https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurainesabreu/Jonathan Moore - https://www.linkedin.com/in/moorejonathan/Iva Jovanovic - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivajovanovic30/Matt Kohli - https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-kohli-fortitude-marketing/Raquel González Expósito - https://www.linkedin.com/in/raquelgonzalezseo/

In this episode of Chat With Sean, I’m joined by Araminta Robertson — founder & MD of Mint Studios.

Araminta breaks down her agency’s GPT article framework, the data behind their case studies, and why this approach is becoming a game-changer for B2B brands, fintechs and early-stage companies trying to get discovered through ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity.

We explore how GPT-focused content differs from traditional SEO, how to pick prompts that actually influence conversions, and why some brands are seeing visibility lift within days - not months.

Read the article: https://www.mintcopywritingstudios.com/blog/gpt-articles

Connect with Araminta - https://www.linkedin.com/in/aramintarobertson/

We cover:

- What GPT articles are and why they outperform other tests

- How Araminta’s team drove visibility jumps from 5% to 34% — and even from 0% to 10% in a week

- The ideal structure of a high-performing GPT article (URL slug, first-sentence answer, meta optimisation and more)

- How LLM visibility links to bottom-of-funnel conversions

- Whether GPT articles work for all industries — and why early-stage brands benefit the most

- How ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity behave differently when choosing sources

- Why SEO + LLM optimisation must now work together rather than in isolation

In this episode of Chat With Sean, I’m joined by Freddie Chatt - freelance SEO consultant, e-commerce strategist, and founder of a successful Ecommerce SEO Newsletter — to explore what makes Gymshark one of the smartest SEO success stories in retail.Freddie breaks down his fantastic Gymshark SEO Miro board, showing how the brand combines storytelling, structure, and smart internal linking to dominate search while staying true to its community-driven roots. We discuss how e-commerce brands can balance brand building with optimisation, why Gymshark’s content strategy works so well, and what the rise of AI search and Google Lens means for the future of product discovery.We cover:- How Gymshark built brand authority and organic visibility- What e-commerce sites can learn from Gymshark’s homepage and internal linking- Why “helpful content” still matters for SEO in 2025- How product naming and reviews impact AI search and Google Lens- The future of SEO for DTC and lifestyle brandsRelated Links -Newsletter - https://searchto.sale/?ref=freddiechatt.com&_rvid=019a73dc-12bf-73ed-b618-e4f4b146d8acMiro Board - https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVJPiIrcM=/?utm_source=convertkit&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Here%27s%20the%20SEO%20breakdown%20-%208748315Website - https://freddiechatt.com/Gymshark - https://uk.gymshark.com/

In this episode of Chat With Sean, I’m joined by Ursula Capell, leadership and life coach, and founder of Co-Creative Future — a consultancy helping people and organisations design work that truly works for humans, not just KPIs.

We explore how burnout, “autopilot careers,” and outdated workplace cultures are holding people back - and how AI, creativity, and new leadership models are changing what success looks like. Ursula explains why so many professionals feel stuck, how to spot the early signs of burnout, and what tools can help you move from confusion to clarity.

We cover:

- Why so many professionals feel disconnected from their work

- The hidden link between technology, burnout, and overwork-

How AI and automation are reshaping leadership and purpose

- Simple ways to rebuild balance, focus, and creativity

- Why trust and autonomy matter more than ever for teams

- The future of meaningful work and human-centred organisations

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, stuck in “autopilot,” or unsure how to thrive in the new world of work, this episode will help you pause, reset, and find a more human way forward.

In this episode of Chat With Sean, I’m joined by Tom Capper, Senior Search Scientist at Moz, speaker at BrightonSEO, and one of the most respected voices in search.

We explore how AI Overviews, AI Mode, and multichannel behaviour are transforming the search landscape and what this means for SEOs, brands, and publishers in 2025 and beyond. Tom breaks down how AI features are changing traffic patterns, how businesses can adapt, and why the focus needs to shift from clicks to visibility and trust.

We cover:

- The real traffic impact of AI Overviews and AI Mode

- How to separate AI impact from zero-click features

- What brands can do when traffic tanks

- Why health, law, and science are the most exposed verticals

- Google’s monetisation challenge and the future of AI search

- How SEOs must rethink KPIs and redefine success