Welcome to an exclusive interview with Nathan Gotch, the SEO luminary and founder of Gotch SEO. In this in-depth discussion, we delve into Nathan’s remarkable journey in the world of search engine optimization, gain valuable insights into the current state of the SEO industry, and uncover his invaluable advice for those aspiring to build a successful career in SEO.
Throughout his career, Nathan has honed his expertise in both on-page and off-page SEO techniques, earning recognition as one of the industry’s most influential figures.
His passion for sharing knowledge has led him to establish the Gotch SEO Academy, where he provides comprehensive training programs for individuals seeking to master the art of SEO.
With a keen eye on the ever-changing landscape of SEO, Nathan shares his candid thoughts on the industry’s present state and provides valuable commentary on emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities.
Furthermore, he offers invaluable guidance and practical tips for professionals looking to navigate their way through the intricacies of the SEO field.
Join us as we unlock the wealth of knowledge and experience possessed by Nathan Gotch, providing you with actionable insights to elevate your understanding of SEO, and empowering you to take your career to new heights.
Interview with Nathan Gotch
Q. Can you share your journey and how you got started in the field of SEO?
I discovered SEO in 2011 when struggling to grow my first website in the baseball industry. I took everything I learned about SEO and applied it to this website, and as a result, I finally started getting organic traffic.
I then became obsessed with the craft and created niche sites to refine my skills. My future ambition was to offer my services to clients.
Q. How did you manage to grow Gotch SEO from having no traffic, leads, or clients to a 7-figure business in just six months?
At that time (2013-2014), I did everything imaginable to get leads, including Craigslist (not recommended now), answering questions on Quora, and SEO. Craigslist and Quora gave me a nice base of clients to build upon while I was building Gotch SEO’s rankings.
Soon after, I started ranking for keywords like “Santa Monica SEO company” and “St Louis SEO company.” These keywords ended up bringing me extremely high-quality leads and clients.
I then started publishing my results (via case studies) on my blog, which compounded my results even more. Most of my leads come from Google, YouTube, email, and referrals.
Q. In your experience, which verticals have you found to be the most competitive in terms of SEO?
On the local level, personal injury, dentists, and HVAC. On the national level, anything in YMYL is competitive.
Q. Can you shed some light on the impact of AI in SEO and how you see it shaping the future of the industry?
It’s having a huge impact in both good and frightening ways. The good is that you can use tools like ChatGPT to become extremely efficient in your SEO work.
It’s also making campaigns much more profitable because it can process/organize data, create content, and even help you develop solid link outreach pitches.
The value of ChatGPT is 100% based on the inputs you give it. You can’t expect it to work miracles. It’s only as good as the person using it. The more unpredictable/scary side is how it will impact Google.
With Featured snippets, Google has already been stealing clicks for years, but this will take it to another level. Bard or any other AI algorithm they’re using will answer questions without users needing to click through.
So the most obvious action is avoiding keywords with simple answers like “What time is it in St Louis.” You’ll need to after keywords that require investigation and multilayered questions.
Q. How do you approach link building and what are your favorite link building methods?
My approach to link building always starts with content. What do you have on your linkable website?
If there isn’t a clear answer, then that needs to be the focus. Create 2-5 linkable assets and then dive into link building.
My big secret is that I create something people want to link to, so I don’t have to pay for links!
Q. How do you approach content creation for your YouTube channel to ensure it resonates with your audience and keeps them coming back for more?
I focus on uniqueness and variety. No one is you, so use that to your advantage. Too many people try to be like popular people in their industry. Be yourself, and you’ll automatically create better content.
Q. What role do you believe community building plays in the overall success of an online platform, and how has it contributed to the growth of Gotch SEO?
Enormous! Community is everything, and I learned this first-hand at Gotch SEO Academy. I host twice-a-week coaching sessions that allow me to connect with our students.
Q. With the rise of AI-powered content creation tools making it easier for websites to publish content at a higher frequency, do you believe that link building will become even more critical, considering that links have consistently ranked among the top three factors in search engine rankings?
Absolutely. Links will remain a big ranking factor because they’re the hardest to manipulate. That said, Google will continue to introduce new ways to measure engagement.
For example, you may have links but zero social shares. That disconnect is sketchy.
Q. Your SEO training program, Gotch SEO Academy, is highly regarded and recognized as one of the best in the industry. What sets it apart from other SEO training programs, and why do you believe it has earned the reputation of being the number one SEO training program in the world?
Here’s my humble brag, but no other SEO expert shows up and does twice-a-week coaching calls with its students. I’ve completed 218 coaching calls at this point.
That’s ~218 + hours of additional training outside our core training material. It makes a huge difference, and it’s one reason why our students are so successful.
In conclusion, our interview with Nathan Gotch has shed light on the remarkable journey of a seasoned SEO expert who has made significant contributions to the industry.
His insights into the current state of SEO, predictions for the future, and practical career development tips offer invaluable guidance for SEO professionals at all stages of their careers.
Nathan’s passion for sharing knowledge and commitment to excellence is evident in his creation of the Gotch SEO Academy, where he empowers individuals with the skills and techniques necessary to succeed in the competitive world of SEO.
As you embrace the insights shared in this interview, we encourage you to leverage Nathan’s expertise to drive your SEO strategies forward, adapt to the ever-evolving industry landscape, and unlock new opportunities for success.
Where you can find me…
Website: gotchseo.com
Linkedln: linkedin.com/in/nathangotch
Twitter: twitter.com/nathangotch
