Search Off the Record takes you behind the scenes of Google Search and its inner workings! In each episode, the folks from the Search Relations team will give you background info on the decision-making behind launches, feature prioritization in Search Console, and the projects Google Search teams are working on. They will share fun stories from the many conferences they attend as well as from their day-to-day working life at Google. They will also dive into the currently trending conversations in the SEO community at large. Have a listen!
#324 – This Proves That EEAT ACTUALLY Works (Kinda)
In this week’s episode, Gael chats with Derek Hales, founder of Modern Castle and NapLab, which produce some of the best review content ever seen from a small publisher.
So good, in fact, that despite the recent Google updates that destroyed many sites in the industry, NapLab has actually seen signficant growth.
Join Gael and Derek as they break down NapLab’s extensive review process and discuss exactly how Derek continues to be successful in the ultra-competitive mattress niche.
Full show notes:
https://www.authorityhacker.com/podcasts/324-this-proves-that-eeat-actually-works-kinda/
Optimizing login-page content for Google Search
Search Off the Record takes you behind the scenes of Google Search and its inner workings! In each episode, the folks from the Search Relations team will give you background info on the decision-making behind launches, feature prioritization in Search Console, and the projects Google Search teams are working on. They will share fun stories from the many conferences they attend as well as from their day-to-day working life at Google. They will also dive into the currently trending conversations in the SEO community at large. Have a listen!
#325 – Ultimate New Facebook Strategy
Our guest today doesn’t believe in EEAT, doesn't do any link building, uses AI to help in her content creation, makes most of her money from ads, and lost quite a bit of traffic in the recent round of updates. And yet her profits are actually the same now as they were before AI and the recent updates.
In this episode, Gael sits down with Anne Moss – the archetype of a niche site builder that Google has been going after – to discuss exactly how she managed to do this, so you can too.
Full show notes:
https://www.authorityhacker.com/podcasts/325-ultimate-new-facebook-strategy/
SOTR098_transcript.pdf
Search Off the Record takes you behind the scenes of Google Search and its inner workings! In each episode, the folks from the Search Relations team will give you background info on the decision-making behind launches, feature prioritization in Search Console, and the projects Google Search teams are working on. They will share fun stories from the many conferences they attend as well as from their day-to-day working life at Google. They will also dive into the currently trending conversations in the SEO community at large. Have a listen!
Is Google's new Image Model OVERHYPED ? (Test Results)
Is Google's new Gemini 2.5 Flash the image AI revolution everyone's claiming, or just another overhyped tool?
AI influencers are calling it "insane" and "the best thing since sliced bread."
But after 24 hours of brutal testing, we discovered the unfiltered truth.
In this episode, we go beyond the hype. including:
👉 The LM Arena results: Why it jumped 180 points above previous models (15% improvement)
👉 The YouTube thumbnail test: How it handles complex image combinations and edits
👉 The critical flaws: Why it loses context after 3-4 generations and creates fake "transparent" backgrounds
👉 The hidden gems: Two new Google tools (PicShop and Co-Drawing) that actually work
👉 Real-world tests: Facebook ads, infographics, text editing, and photo restoration
👉 The safety trap: Why it refuses to edit photos with children (even when it's you)
👉 Head-to-head comparison: How it stacks up against ChatGPT and Grok for the same tasks
👉 The $0.04 question: Is it worth switching from your current AI image workflow?
CHAPTERS
00:00:00 – Is Gemini 2.5 Flash Revolutionary or Overhyped?
00:00:59 – What is Gemini 2.5 Flash Image?
00:03:24 – LM Arena Benchmark Results
00:04:30 – YouTube Thumbnail Combination Test
00:07:00 – Facebook Ad Creation with Manta Mask
00:08:18 – Safety Issues with Children in Images
00:09:23 – Creating Brand Avatars
00:10:25 – Transparent Background Problems
00:12:44 – Using AI for Design Variations
00:14:40 – Mr. Beast Thumbnail Challenge
00:16:10 – Real Estate Infographic Test
00:18:02 – Text Editing Capabilities
00:20:01 – Airbnb Photo Editing (Ladder Removal)
00:22:32 – Van Gogh Style Transfer
00:23:27 – Glasses Removal Test vs Grok
00:25:07 – Google's New Tools: PicShop & Co-Drawing
00:28:03 – Why This Matters More Than GPT-5
00:30:26 – Perplexity Copyright Lawsuits
00:33:14 – AI Agents vs Automation Reality Check
00:39:10 – N8N and Make.com Pricing Changes
00:43:19 – Current AI Model Selection & Stack