As the Director of Candour, a prominent digital agency in the UK, Mark plays a pivotal role in overseeing all aspects of the business’s digital marketing endeavors. Known for his hands-on approach, he actively engages in SEO-related tasks, ensuring optimal outcomes for clients. Additionally, Mark hosts the Search with Candour podcast, where he delivers comprehensive weekly coverage of the search marketing industry, delving into topics encompassing SEO and PPC. Furthermore, he curates an ever-expanding repository of invaluable SEO tips.
With an impressive track record, Mark has spearheaded the development of search marketing departments at three successful UK agencies, consistently securing high rankings for notable clients such as SEMrush, Expedia, CheapFlights, Groupon, Hitachi, and many others. Notably, he is also the visionary behind AlsoAsked.com, a cutting-edge content research tool. By collating and organizing data from Google search engine result pages (SERPs), specifically the “People Also Ask” feature, Mark empowers marketers and content writers to create superior content effortlessly.
Mark finds great excitement in the ongoing transition away from traditional “ten blue links.” He is fascinated by the evolving technology surrounding entities versus web search results and how this transformation will shape long-term SEO strategies for various stakeholders. Additionally, he recognizes the increased opportunities offered by mature platforms like Wix and Shopify, as well as the promising resurgence of digital currency in the future. Through his keen insights and expertise, Mark remains at the forefront of industry trends, driving innovation and paving the way for enhanced digital marketing experiences.
Mark can be reached through Twitter @thetafferboy, or via LinkedIn
Recent Shows with Mark Williams-Cook
722 | News from the EDGE | Week of 10.21.2024News / podcast1st Amendment Flaw
We’re back from Tech SEO Connect!
And we brought Mark Williams-Cook to pinch-hit for Mordy while he was on holiday….and last minute, so there’s that.
We dialed into some things that we missed while we were away. For starters, the Semrush buyout of Search Engine Land is huge news, and we have even bigger news! Marc Sirkin, Danny Goodwin, and Barry Schwartz will be on the show soon to discuss the event.
Matt Mullenweg seems to be melting down about First Amendment claims against WP Engine. The WordPress community seems to be up in arms, at least in our “bubble.” Deep dive there!
Google’s leadership shuffle and what Kevin Indig had to say about it.
AI News and a really cool, we think, AI Tool for this episode. Check it out.
News from the EDGE:
Mullenweg Criticized for 1st Amendment Claims
Wrong Direction: Google’s Leadership Shakeup Long Time Coming
Semrush Acquires Search Engine Land
AI Blitz:
Google’s AI Fails At 43% Of Finance Queries, Study Finds
Penguin Random House Protects Its Books from AI Training Use
AI Tools:
Lumona
Barry Blast from Search Engine Roundtable:
Expandable Google Knowledge Panels On Desktop Search
Thanks to our sponsors!
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X: @EDGEWebRadio [...]
October 25, 2024- 694 | Trusting AI in the SERPs w/ Mark Williams-Cook & Jack Chambers-WardInterview / podcastOptimizing Content For SGE
Mark Williams-Cook & Jack Chambers-Ward are back for their second segment this week as we dive head first into SGE and AI in search. Changes are on the horizon with Search Generative Experience. We weigh out the looming pros and cons as we explore the potential repercussions of Google’s integration of Search Generative Experience. Discover how you can optimize for Search Generative Experience and what helpful content really means in today’s search landscape as we take a trip down the SGE rabbit hole this week on the EDGE of the Web!
Reintroducing Mark Williams-Cook & Jack Chambers-Ward
Changes On The SERP
A New SERP Challenge With SGE
Optimizing Content With SGE
Can You Track AI Overview Metrics?
Can We Put Trust In AI?
Mark’s LinkedIn Insights
Screaming Frog Version 20 [...]
June 26, 2024
- 692 | On the EDGE of Candour / an SEO Podcast Crossover w/ Mark Williams-Cook & Jack Chambers-WardInterview / podcastUnveiling the Journey of Podcasting in 2024
This week, we welcome Mark Williams-Cook and Jack Chambers-Ward of the UK-based digital agency Candour for a double interview showcase. Jack serves as the Marketing Partnerships Manager at Candour and hosts and produces the Search with Candour Podcast. Marks is the Co-Owner of Candour and has over 20 years of industry expertise in SEO and PPC under his belt. He is also a regular member of Search with Candour.
Discover what it means to be a podcaster in 2024 as we follow the evolution of the Search with Candour podcast from its origin until now. Mark & Jack discuss the fundamental stepping stones they climbed to get Search with Candour to its current status. Understand how to form a proper cadence and why tailoring content to different platforms will increase visibility and overall web optimization. Learn the ins and outs of podcasting and how this unique form of content can amplify your digital brand this week on the EDGE of the Web SEO Podcast!
Key Segments:
Introducing Mark Williams-Cook & Jack Chambers-Ward
The Origin Of Search with Candour
What Pivots Were Made Along The Way In The Production Of Search With Candour?
How Has Podcasting Impacted Search Engine Optimization of Candour?
What Has Been Surprising Along The Podcast Journey?
What Benefits Come From The Podcast?
Podcasts: Recommended By Podcasters
Resources
Candour
Search with Candour podcast
Thanks to Our Sponsors!
Site Strategics: http://edgeofthewebradio.com/site
Wix: http://edgeofthewebradio.com/wix [...]
June 19, 2024
- 565 | PAAs and Rich Snippets with Mark Williams-CookInterview / podcastBaking PAA Bread with Google
Erin Sparks and Mark Williams-Cook explore featured snippets, and People Also Ask (PAA) features from Google. They dig into the benefits and how SEOs can take advantage of them. They somehow found a way to bake bread with Google, too.
Mark helped spearhead the development of one of Erin’s favorite SEO/content tools, AlsoAsked.com. His software collects PAAs from Google and allows users to use the data in a variety of ways, from creating long-form content to writing higher-converting PPC ads.
Join the party and help bake bread with Google… on the EDGE!
Key Segments
Reintroducing Mark Williams-Cook
What is People Also Ask (PAA)?
Intent: Information or Transaction?
Baking Bread with Google
It’s Okay to Answer the Same Question Twice on Two Different Pages
Answer the Public
Google’s Content Extrapolation
Hiking a Mountain with MUM
Salesy Laundry PAA Gap
A Featured Snippet Strategy for SEO
The UK Government and the Clown Circus
AlsoAsked.com is One of our Favorite Tools
Mark: We’re Polarized in SEO Right Now
Take the SE Ranking Checklist Challenge!
Receive a one-month Business Package subscription for completing this challenge when you go to https://edgeofthewebradio.com/seranking and send a screenshot of these completed steps:
Create a project, add at least 5 keywords;
Find 5 competitors via the Competitive Research tool and add them to “My Competitors” section;
Run a website audit and show what issue you are going to fix;
Do a backlink check and upload your backlinks to the Backlink Monitoring tool;
Optimize one page using the Content Marketing tool.
One Edge Listener Will Get A Full Year Business Package. We’ll Announce That On Our Feb 10th Podcast! A $2,500 Value!
[...]
January 28, 2023
- 564 | Zero-Volume Keywords & Intent Proximity w/ Mark Williams-CookInterview / podcastCanaries in the Coal Mine while Crawling around on the Library Floor
Mark Williams-Cook and Erin Sparks have a deep conversation about the current transition happening for SEOs – moving from keyword search volume to intent volume. They opine on zero-volume keywords, PAAs, and Knowledge Graph optimization.
He shares his experiences doing SEO for nearly 20 years and delves into some of his recent experiments around PAAs, content scraping, and AI-written content. Mark says that in the future, today’s Google will be like crawling around the floor of a library looking for that one book.
Intent of Search is the new paradigm… on the EDGE!
Key Segments
Introducing Mark Williams-Cook
What are Zero-Volume Keywords?
Intent Volume vs. Search Volume
People Also Ask and Intent Proximity
Knowledge Graph Optimization
Strategies Toward Optimization of Knowledge Not Volume
Google says Links Won’t be as Important in the Future
The Helpful Content Evolution
Mark’s Tests: Scraped vs A.I. Content
Crawling Around the Floor Looking for a Book in the Library
Take the SE Ranking Checklist Challenge!
Receive a one-month Business Package subscription for completing this challenge when you go to https://edgeofthewebradio.com/seranking and send a screenshot of these completed steps:
Create a project, add at least 5 keywords;
Find 5 competitors via the Competitive Research tool and add them to “My Competitors” section;
Run a website audit and show what issue you are going to fix;
Do a backlink check and upload your backlinks to the Backlink Monitoring tool;
Optimize one page using the Content Marketing tool.
One Edge Listener Will Get A Full Year Business Package. We’ll Announce That On Our Feb 10th Podcast! A $2,500 Value!
Would love it if you’d give us a rating on ratethispodcast.com/edge!
[...]
January 20, 2023
