Best Ben McFarland Podcasts (2024)

1
Nile Frater on Niche Sites, Creating Content at Scale, and Competitive SEO 54:13

20h ago54:13

54:13

Nate Matherson chats with Nile Frater on this episode of the Optimize podcast. Nile is the founder and CEO of Masse SEO, an agency which specializes in delivering high-scale content campaigns for fast-growing startups at Series A and beyond. He previously owned NoCode.Tech, which was acquired in 2022 and runs a micro private equity firm, Concrete C…

1
Yuki Tatsumi on the US-Japan Summit; Iran's strike on Israel, Ecuador's Embassy Raid, and Turkish Municipal Elections 28:41

11h ago28:41

28:41

10:40 - Interview with Yuki Tatsumi. This week, Kelly and Freddie talk through Iran's Strike on Israel, Ecudaro's raid on the Mexican embassy in Quito, and the losses for President Erdogan's party in recent Turkish municipal elections. Kelly then talks with the Stimson Center's Yuki Tatsumi about the recent summit between the US, Japan, and the Phi…

1
Dwayne Hogan on Content Briefs and Creating Helpful Content  55:57

24h ago55:57

55:57

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Dwayne Hogan for the forty-sixth episode of the Optimize podcast. Dwayne is a seasoned freelance SEO consultant with over 14 years of experience, including leadership roles with global brands. His Utah-based consultancy offers a deep dive into the evolving SEO landscape. In today's episode, Nate and Dwayne u…

1
Military Strategy & The War in Ukraine with Lt Gen Ben Hodges 31:41

7d ago31:41

31:41

Kelly speaks with Lt. Gen (ret.) Ben Hodges, former Commanding General of U.S. Army Europe, about the effect of the Ukraine War on military tactics and strategy. Prior to retiring from the armed forces in 2018, Lieutenant General (ret.) Ben Hodges served as Commanding General of the U.S. Army in Europe. He consults for several companies on Europe, …

1
Ben Goodey on Algorithm Updates, AI Content, and Bottom-of-Funnel Strategies 56:05

9d ago56:05

56:05

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Ben Goodey for the 45th episode of the Optimize podcast. Ben is the brain behind Goodey Marketing and the creator of the “How the f*ck” platform for SEO enthusiasts. In this episode, they dive into recent SEO turbulence, discussing algorithm updates, crafting effective bottom-of-funnel content, and the impac…

1
Mordy Oberstein on Algorithm Updates, Transparency in Content, Originality Scores, and E-E-A-T 43:16

15d ago43:16

43:16

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Mordy Oberstein for the forty-fourth episode of the Optimize podcast. Mordy is currently the Head of SEO Brand at Wix and concurrently serves as a communications advisor for Semrush. He hosts the SERP's Up Podcast and the SEO Rant Podcast and co-hosts the Edge of Web's news podcast. Mordy speaks at SEO event…

1
Jack Chambers-Ward on SEO Hot Takes, SERP Optimization Strategies, and Benefits of Podcasts & Newsletters 55:44

22d ago55:44

55:44

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Jack Chambers-Ward for the forty-third episode of the Optimize podcast. Jack is the Marketing and Partnerships Manager at UK-based digital agency Candour and hosts the Search With Candour podcast. In his career, Jack has worked primarily on the agency side in SEO and has been hosting and producing podcasts f…

1
Dr. Ken Opalo on Sudan's Civil War; Updates on Gaza and Haiti 31:27

29d ago31:27

31:27

10:25 - Interview with Dr. Ken Opalo This week, Kelly and Freddie provide updates on the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the evolving crisis in Haiti, and Kelly talks with Georgetown Professor Ken Opalo for a deep dive into Sudan's civil war. Dr. Opalo is an associate professor at the Georgetown University Walsh School of Foreign Service, where …

1
Vince Nero on Building Backlinks: Guest Posting, Strategic Content, and Outreach Best Practices 48:50

29d ago48:50

48:50

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Vince Nero for the forty-second episode of the Optimize podcast. Vince is the Director of Content Marketing at Buzzstream. He thinks content marketers should solve for users, not just Google. His previous work includes Siege Media, Homebuyer.com, and The Grit Group. During the episode, Vince and Nate discuss…

1
Brett Pharis on Content Strategy, User Experience, and Recovering from Algorithm Updates 40:32

1M ago40:32

40:32

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Brett Pharis for the forty-first episode of the Optimize podcast. Brett Pharis is a content and SEO expert with over 15 years of digital marketing experience across numerous niche consumer comparison websites. Brett is the Co-founder & CEO of Vital Brands, a digital media business focused on the health and w…

1
The Russo-Chinese Alliance and Great Power Competition with Dr. Tom Lynch 32:55

1M ago32:55

32:55

Season 6 Episode 6. This week, Kelly talks with retired army officer and National Defense University research fellow Dr. Tom Lynch about the impact of Ukraine's war on great power conflict and US-China competition. Dr. Thomas Lynch is an adjunct professor of Security Studies at Georgetown University and distinguished research fellow for South Asia …

1
Jesse McFarland on Link Building Strategies (Good & Bad), Defining Proper SEO Strategy, and Humanizing AI-content 45:53

1M ago45:53

45:53

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Jesse McFarland for the fortieth episode of the Optimize podcast. Jesse is currently the CEO and Founder of SpearPoint Marketing and the Brands & Brews podcast host. Jesse is an SEO & Marketing leader with 15+ years of B2B, B2C, Legal, SaaS, Healthcare, & more. During the episode, Jesse and Nate break down v…

1
Jacqueline Charles on the crisis in Haiti; EU's Net-Zero Industry Act, Russia's Space Nukes 33:28

2M ago33:28

33:28

10:40 - Interview with Jacqueline Charles In our seventh episode of Headlines and History, we discuss the recent political crisis in Haiti with Miami Herald report Jacqueline Charles, and Kelly covers the EU's Net-Zero Industry Act and reports of Russia's new space-based nuclear capabilities. Jacqueline Charles is the Haiti and Caribbean correspond…

1
Alex Ross on Programmatic SEO, User-Generated Content, and AI-Generated Content 57:37

2M ago57:37

57:37

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Alex Ross for the thirty-ninth episode of the Optimize podcast. Alex is currently the CEO of Inventing the Future of Humans Living with Plants at Greg, an app that helps people grow healthy plants at home and in the garden. Think AI--but for plant care. He was the former director of engineering at Tinder and…

1
Charles Floate on Parasite SEO, Niche Site Risks, AI Content Strategies, and SGE 56:03

2M ago56:03

56:03

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Charles Floate for the thirty-eighth episode of the Optimize podcast. Charles is an SEO expert, entrepreneur, and investor from the United Kingdom. He’s behind The God of SEO blog and runs a successful link-building agency. Charles is known for his somewhat controversial SEO strategies, tutorials, case studi…

1
Beverly Ochieng on Senegal's Constitutional Crisis; El Salvador Election, Sweden's NATO accession, World Cup Diplomacy 26:39

2M ago26:39

26:39

11:50 - Interview with Beverly Ocheing on Senegal In our sixth episode of Headlines and History, we discuss the recent crisis in Senegal and its implications for West Africa with Beverly Ochieng, and Kelly covers recent news out of El Salvador, Sweden & NATO, and the 2026 Soccer World Cup. Beverly Ochieng is a senior digital journalist and Africa s…

1
Jeannie Assimos on eHarmony’s Content Strategy, Scaling Way.com to 1.6M visitors per month, and Backlink Strategies 43:47

2M ago43:47

43:47

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Jeannie Assimos for the thirty-seventh episode of the Optimize podcast. Jeannie is currently the Head of Content/Communications for Way.com. She is a content marketing expert with 20+ years of experience leading teams as the VP of Content for eHarmony (perfect for our Valentine's Day episode!) and the Managi…

1
Christine Michienzi on The Ukraine War and the Defense-Industrial Base 28:22

2M ago28:22

28:22

Season 6, Episode 5. Today, we’ll be covering the effects of the War in Ukraine on supply chains, the defense-industrial base, and the private sector. Kelly McFarland talks to Christine Micheinzi, a former senior executive at the U.S. Department of Defense, about how the global economy and defense industry are trying to deal with the knock-on effec…

1
Cyrus Shepard on Becoming a Google Quality Rater, Evaluating UX Data, and Internal Linking Strategies 42:23

3M ago42:23

42:23

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Cyrus Shepard for the thirty-sixth episode of the Optimize podcast. Cyrus works as an SEO and online marketer. As an early and long-time employee of Moz, he built his reputation by studying Google’s algorithm, researching and publishing scientific SEO studies, helping brands and businesses improve online vis…

1
Joanna Lewis on COP28, Taiwan Election Fallout, Ukraine-Congress Update, Somaliland Deal 29:19

3M ago29:19

29:19

In our fifth episode of Headlines and History, we discuss the outcome of the COP28 conference in Dubai with Joanna Lewis, the fallout from Taiwan's Presidential election, the new deal between Ethiopia and Somaliland, and give an update on the status of military aid to Ukraine currently stalled in Congress. Joanna Lewis is a distinguished associate …

1
Noah Kagan on Knowing Your Customer, The Power of Habits, and the Million Dollar Weekend Philosophy 43:19

3M ago43:19

43:19

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Noah Kagan for the thirty-fifth episode of the Optimize podcast. Noah likely needs no introduction, but know that Noah is the CEO of AppSumo, one of the earliest members of the Facebook go-to-market team, the fourth employee at Mint, and the author of a new book, Million Dollar Weekend. In our episode today,…

1
Jeremy Galante on ClickUp’s Journey to 2 Million Monthly Visitors, Exploring Content Formats, and Influencing LLMs with the Surround Sound Method 41:42

3M ago41:42

41:42

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Jeremy Galante for the thirty-fourth episode of the Optimize podcast. Jeremy is currently the SEO Lead at ClickUp, where he applies his passion for optimization to both organic search and project workflows. Since joining as the first full-time SEO hire in 2020, ClickUp has grown search traffic by over 2 mill…

1
Jason Hennessey on Legal SEO, Backlink Strategies, and Managing Expectations 45:28

3M ago45:28

45:28

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Jason Hennessey for the thirty-third episode of the Optimize podcast. Jason is a multifaceted entrepreneur, renowned SEO expert, author, podcast host, U.S.A.F. Veteran, and dynamic speaker known for reverse-engineering the Google algorithm since 2001. As the CEO of Hennessey Digital since 2015, he has grown …

1
Ann Smarty on Link Building Strategies, Agency Selection Process, and Topical Authority 53:08

4M ago53:08

53:08

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Ann Smarty for the thirty-second episode of the Optimize podcast. Ann is an SEO expert with industry experience since 2005 and is the founder of Smarty Marketing, a client-first boutique SEO agency based in New York. She was the former editor-in-chief of Search Engine Journal, a frequent contributor to promi…

1
Ty Magnin on Opportunities for Content Marketing in 2024, Diversifying Content Channels, and AI’s Dilemma 40:42

4M ago40:42

40:42

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Ty Magnin for the thirty-first episode of the Optimize podcast. Ty is the CEO of Animalz, a content marketing agency for enterprise companies, startups, and VC firms. He previously led marketing teams at Emotive, UiPath, and Appcues. In our episode today, Ty and Nate review a turbulent 2023 for content marke…

1
Mika Lepisto on the Evolution of Organic Search, Competing in Travel SEO, and Local Search Advantages 43:39

4M ago43:39

43:39

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Mika Lepisto for the thirtieth episode of the Optimize podcast. Mika has broad experience in digital marketing since the mid-’90s, and over the past 20 years, has been consulting with a focus on organic/SEO and revenue generation. His clients span B2C, B2B, B2G, and the public sector. In our episode today, M…

1
Holiday Bonus: UN World Basketball Day & Sports Diplomacy with Lindsay Krasnoff 27:46

4M ago27:46

27:46

Season 6 Bonus Episode. Today, we’ll be talking about basketball and the power of sports diplomacy as we celebrate World Basketball Day – the first sport ever to receive the honor from the United Nations – which now takes place every year on December 21st. Today, Kelly talks with Lindsay Krasnoff about basketball and the history of sports diplomacy…

1
Kathleen Estreich on Navigating Early-Stage Marketing, First Marketing Hires, and Building Marketing Advantages 42:49

4M ago42:49

42:49

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Kathleen Estreich for the twenty-ninth episode of the Optimize podcast. Kathleen is a Co-Founder of MKT1, a VC firm investing in early-stage B2B companies. MKT1 specializes in providing hands-on marketing help to its portfolio companies. Kathleen has built and led marketing and operations teams at several hi…

1
Professor Erica Marat on Russia's Sphere of Influence 39:10

4M ago39:10

39:10

Season 6, Episode 4. For this season’s theme, we’ll be covering the litany of unintended consequences and strategic surprises emanating from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. From energy to technology to intelligence to geopolitical alignment, Russia’s invasion marks a sea change in numerous areas of diplomacy and foreign policy. We’ll be getting toget…

1
Brian Dean on Google’s Ranking Factors, SGE, and Marketing Strategy for 2024 46:08

4M ago46:08

46:08

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Brian Dean for the twenty-eighth episode of the Optimize podcast. Brian Dean is a renowned expert in digital marketing and SEO, best known as the founder of Backlinko, a leading platform for SEO training and resources. He is also the co-founder of Exploding Topics, a tool that identifies rapidly growing topi…

1
Headlines and History 4: Jeremi Suri on Henry Kissinger's legacy, COP28, Sikh Separatist Assassinations 26:03

5M ago26:03

26:03

In Diplomatic Immunity's new format, Headlines and History, we take listeners through a roundup of the most important headlines you may have missed in foreign policy and diplomacy, and take a deep dive into our most pressing topic with an expert conversation. Each week, we will alternate between Headlines and History and our regular Diplomatic Immu…

1
Andrew Holland on Digital PR, Building Backlinks, and SEO Ranking Factors 55:26

5M ago55:26

55:26

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Andrew Holland for the twenty-seventh episode of the Optimize podcast. Andrew is the Director of SEO for JBH, a Digital PR and SEO agency for consumer brands. He spoke at this year's BrightonSEO San Diego, is the author of The Value of SEO, and is the creator of the Growth Through Content newsletter. In this…

1
Former Ambassadors John Heffern and Alper Coşkun - The Resurgence & Unity of NATO 31:45

5M ago31:45

31:45

Season 6, Episode 3. For this season’s theme, we’ll be covering the litany of unintended consequences and strategic surprises emanating from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. From energy to technology to intelligence to geopolitical alignment, Russia’s invasion marks a sea change in numerous areas of diplomacy and foreign policy. We’ll be getting toget…

1
Billy Broas on Product Messaging with The Five Lightbulbs Framework 40:22

5M ago40:22

40:22

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Billy Broas for the twenty-sixth episode of the Optimize podcast. Billy is a copywriter, marketing consultant to top entrepreneurs, teacher, and creator of the famous Five Lightbulbs messaging framework. He left a career in the energy industry to become a solopreneur and hasn’t looked back. In this episode, …

1
Eli Schwartz on Product-Led SEO vs. Content-Led SEO, Google’s SGE, and The Future of Search 48:28

5M ago48:28

48:28

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Eli Schwartz for the twenty-fifth episode of the Optimize podcast. Eli is the best-selling author of Product Led SEO, a co-host of the Contrarian Marketing Podcast, and a growth/SEO consultant who has helped drive hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenue for companies like Tinder, Coinbase, WordPres…

1
Headlines and History 3: Rita Konaev on Ukraine's Counteroffensive, Biden-Xi Summit, Liberia, Argentina, and Sudan 30:58

5M ago30:58

30:58

In Diplomatic Immunity's new format, Headlines and History, we take listeners through a roundup of the most important headlines you may have missed in foreign policy and diplomacy, and take a deep dive into our most pressing topic with an expert conversation. Each week, we will alternate between Headlines and History and our regular Diplomatic Immu…

1
Eurasia Group's Gregory Brew - The War in Ukraine and Global Energy Markets 32:36

5M ago32:36

32:36

Season 6, Episode 2. For this season’s theme, we’ll be covering the litany of unintended consequences and strategic surprises emanating from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. From energy to technology to intelligence to geopolitical alignment, Russia’s invasion marks a sea change in numerous areas of diplomacy and foreign policy. We’ll be getting toget…

1
Ethan Smith on Building SEO Authority, Content Optimization Tactics, and Mastering Internal Linking 44:07

5M ago44:07

44:07

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Ethan Smith for the twenty-fourth episode of the Optimize podcast. Ethan Smith is the Founder and CEO of Graphite, a premier SEO and growth marketing agency. Ethan has served as a strategic advisor to MasterClass, Upwork, Notion, Ticketmaster, Neiman Marcus, BetterUp, and Honey. He is recognized as a leading…

1
Headlines and History 2: Andrew Imbrie on AI, Subnational Diplomacy, US-China Nuclear Talks, and Pacific Island Diplomacy 31:19

6M ago31:19

31:19

In Diplomatic Immunity's new format, Headlines and History, we take listeners through a roundup of the most important headlines you may have missed in foreign policy and diplomacy, and take a deep dive into our most pressing topic with an expert conversation. Each week, we will alternate between Headlines and History and our regular Diplomatic Immu…

1
Kevin Indig on The State of SEO, Enterprise vs. Startup SEO, and The Evolution of Competitive Content 50:03

6M ago50:03

50:03

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Kevin Indig for the twenty-third episode of the Optimize podcast. Kevin Indig is a Growth advisor and angel investor who helps the world’s market leaders define and evolve their Organic Growth strategy. He previously led SEO and Growth for Shopify, G2, and Atlassian. Once a week, Kevin sends an email with Or…

1
Former Deputy CIA Director Mike Morell - The Role of Intelligence in War and Diplomacy 33:04

6M ago33:04

33:04

Season 6, Episode 1. For this season’s theme, we’ll be covering the litany of unintended consequences and strategic surprises emanating from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. From energy to technology to intelligence to geopolitical alignment, Russia’s invasion marks a sea change in numerous areas of diplomacy and foreign policy. We’ll be getting toget…

1
Mike Haney on The Evolution of Content Strategy, Balancing Content Quality vs Quantity, and Setting Realistic SEO KPIs 47:54

6M ago47:54

47:54

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Mike Haney for the twenty-second episode of the Optimize podcast. Mike currently serves as Editorial Director for Levels, an early-stage startup trying to help solve the metabolic health crisis with smart tools and strong editorial. Mike has been in the content and technology space for more than 20 years as …

1
Headlines and History 1: Liberia, Poland, Russia, and Dan Byman on Hamas 26:20

6M ago26:20

26:20

In Diplomatic Immunity's new format, Headlines and History, we take listeners through a roundup of the most important headlines you may have missed in foreign policy and diplomacy, and take a deep dive into our most pressing topic with an expert conversation. Each week, we will alternate between Headlines and History and our regular Diplomatic Immu…

1
John Collins on Organic Growth Marketing’s SEO and Content Marketing Survey Results 38:50

6M ago38:50

38:50

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with John Collins for the twenty-first episode of the Optimize podcast. John is a content marketing consultant who partners with startups and corporations to build or reignite their content programs. For this episode, Nate discusses the survey results of data compiled by John and Nigel (Organic Growth) so that al…

1
Alyssa Corso on Mastering Programmatic SEO, Optimizing Content Structure, and Exploring Structured Data 39:24

6M ago39:24

39:24

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Alyssa Corso for the twentieth episode of the Optimize podcast. Alyssa is the SEO Manager at Nourish. She specializes in content SEO and helping healthcare companies increase their traffic and search visibility. In this episode, Alyssa and Nate discuss the intricacies of optimizing content structure, with an…

1
Ronnie Higgins on Building Cross-Functional Content Teams, The Art Of Storytelling, and AI’s Role In Content Strategy 39:52

7M ago39:52

39:52

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Ronnie Higgins for the nineteenth episode of the Optimize podcast. Ronnie Higgins is the Director of Content at OpenPhone and has worked for brands like Eventbrite, Udemy, Hopin, and more. Ronnie uses his film and broadcast television background to craft multimedia content strategies that build strong brand …

1
Meagan Morris on Scaling Leafwell to 2 Million Visitors Per Year and Building Trust In A Regulated Industry 46:19

7M ago46:19

46:19

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Meagan Morris for the eighteenth episode of the Optimize podcast. Meagan is the Director of Content and SEO for Leafwell. Meagan has worn many hats in the digital world, from Yahoo! and Metro US to Hearst Magazines and Hurrdat. This episode covers a variety of topics important to developing a content channel…

1
Nathan Gotch on Simplifying Local SEO, Developing SEO Courses, and The SEO Entrepreneur 51:34

7M ago51:34

51:34

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Nathan Gotch for the seventeenth episode of the Optimize podcast. Nathan is an SEO professional with over 10 years of experience, and the founder of the #1 SEO training program in the world, Gotch SEO Academy. He’s also the author of the forthcoming book, The SEO Entrepreneur, releasing October 2, 2023. In t…

1
Ash Read on Building and Selling Living Cozy, Navigating Affiliate Programs, and Google’s E-E-A-T 44:13

7M ago44:13

44:13

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Ash Read for the sixteenth episode of the Optimize podcast. Ash has spent more than a decade building audiences for startups through content and SEO. He was previously head of content at Buffer and an early marketing hire Wayflyer. Now, he’s building a portfolio of niche media brands (including Living Cozy w…

1
Camille Ricketts on Leading Notion's Marketing, Creating and Utilizing Templates Effectively, and Leveraging Community 31:57

8M ago31:57

31:57

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Camille Ricketts for the fifteenth episode of the Optimize podcast. Camille is the Operating Partner focused on all things marketing, brand, and communications for Emergence Capital, the longest-standing venture firm focused on B2B software. She’s also known for being Notion’s 10th hire, joining Notion as th…

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