Why SEO is about more than building traffic, how to think more holistically about your SEO strategy, and the importance of community with Ann Smarty. ----- Welcome to episode 466 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Ann Smarty from Smarty Marketing. How to Respond to the Recent Google Updates Ann Smarty has been working in the SEO industry for over 20 years, and she has lots of expertise to share with us in this interview! Bjork and Ann chat about the current state of SEO, including a deep dive into the impact of the recent Google Helpful Content Updates. They also discuss the history of backlinks with SEO and how to approach link-building as a content creator (and why it’s more about community than you might think). Ann has a really great perspective on the importance of developing a holistic SEO strategy and why diversifying your income and traffic sources matters now, more than ever. Don’t miss this episode! In this episode, you’ll learn: About the current state of SEO (is it as bad as it feels?!). Who was most impacted by the recent Helpful Content Updates. Why backlinks seem to have protected sites during these Google updates. More about the ‘backlink controversy’ in the SEO industry. How to approach link-building as a content creator. Why building a community and saying “yes” is so important in this SEO environment. What you should do to strategically take advantage of traffic when you have it (to prepare for when you lose it). The importance of diversifying your traffic and income sources. Resources: Smarty Marketing Moz SparkToro Google SearchLiaison Pinch of Yum Search Engine Journal Tax Smart Real Estate Investors Podcast Memberful Skool Follow Ann on Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group Thank you to our sponsors! This episode is sponsored by Clariti and Raptive. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.