Internet Marketing Podcast

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!

Jul 10, 2025

Are you a developer or small business owner struggling
with Search Engine Optimization (SEO)? In this episode of Search
Off the Record, Google Search Advocates John Mueller and Martin
Splitt break down the essentials of SEO for small businesses.

Learn practical tips for understanding your target
audience, crafting a content strategy, and measuring your SEO
efforts. They debunk SEO myths and explain when it’s time to hire
an SEO expert or agency. Get clarity on content strategy, technical
SEO basics, the importance of relevant content and how to measure
success.

This video is perfect for developers who are curious
about search and need a non-technical introduction to the SEO
space, and small business owners who want to improve their
website’s visibility in Google Search.

Resources: 

Episode transcript
→https://goo.gle/sotr095-transcript

Chapters:

0:00 – Introduction: The SEO Questions We All Get
Asked
0:35 – SEO Starter Guide
0:58 – Defining Your Website Goals & Customer Focus
2:51 – Food Truck Example
4:20 – Understanding Your Customers & Search Intent
6:21- Content Strategy: What Should You Write About?
7:06 – Technical Foundation Check: Is Your Site Okay?
7:54 – Website Name Searching
9:46 – CMS
10:03-  How to Approach Content Creation
11:52 – Getting Customer Feedback & Keyword Research
13:33 – How Serious Is My Goal
13:33: – How To Measure SEO Impact
14:30 – Monitoring Website Changes: Search Console & Analytics
16:03 – How Long Changes Take
17:41 – Staging Sites Vs Live Sites
18:44 – When to Hire an SEO Expert or Agency
21:14 – Red Flags SEO Promises
21:14 – Resources Mentioned
23:52 – How Long Does SEO Take
26:23 – AI and SEO
28:30 – Outro

Listen to more Search Off the Record → https://goo.gle/sotr-yt

Subscribe to Google Search Channel → https://goo.gle/SearchCentral

Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes
you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations
team.

#SOTRpodcast #SEO

Speaker: Martin Splitt, Gary Illyes

Products
Mentioned:
Search Console,

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!

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!

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!

Jun 12, 2025

In this candid episode of Search Off the Record, Gary
Illyes and Martin Splitt from the Google Search team peel back the
curtain to reveal a more human side of their work and challenges.
Instead of diving deep into technical concepts, they reflect on
their personal journeys—touching on everything from public speaking
nerves to building empathy between developers and SEOs. Through
playful banter and thoughtful commentary, they share how
communication, context, and curiosity play vital roles in their
day-to-day roles, both internally at Google and in the broader web
ecosystem.

The conversation also explores the evolution of
Martin’s career, his passion for the web, and how his developer
background helps him bridge gaps in technical understanding. The
duo navigates the complexities of delivering accurate guidance in
public forums, the risk of being taken out of context, and the
importance of clear communication across diverse audiences. It’s a
thoughtful, lighthearted, and occasionally philosophical discussion
that reminds listeners that behind the guidance, there are real
people striving to make the web better for everyone.

Resources: 
Episode 93 transcript→https://goo.gle/sotr093-transcript 

Chapters:
0:00 – Intro & Setup
1:30 – Life at Google
3:30 – Speaking to Developers
6:30 – Early Speaking Days
10:00 – SEOs vs Devs
14:00 – Should SEOs Code?
19:00 – Context is Everything
23:30 – Clearer SEO Advice
26:30 – Why No Slides
29:00 – Wrap Up Chat

Listen to more Search Off the Record → https://goo.gle/sotr-yt
Subscribe to Google Search Channel → https://goo.gle/SearchCentral

Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes
you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations
team.

#SOTRpodcast #SEO

Speaker: Martin Splitt, Gary Illyes
Products Mentioned: Search