Internal Linking, SME Interviews, and Platform Diversification: Daniel Horowitz's Modern SEO Playbook

The Unscripted SEO Interview Podcast

Guest Information

Daniel Horowitz
Senior SEO Manager at Informatica
Connect: LinkedIn

Episode Summary

Daniel Horowitz shares his decade-long journey in SEO, from agency-side link building campaigns to managing enterprise SEO at Informatica. We dive deep into the impact of Google's Helpful Content Update, the shift from traffic-focused to conversion-focused strategies, and practical tactics that still work in the AI-dominated search landscape.

Key Takeaways

• The traditional SEO content model is dead, especially for volume-based sites
• Enterprise SEO success now depends on cross-functional collaboration and subject matter expert interviews
• Internal linking remains one of the most underutilized yet effective strategies
• Platform diversification is essential as Google transitions to being an answer engine
• Community-driven digital PR creates more valuable signals than traditional link building

Episode Timestamps

[00:01] - Introductions and Daniel's background at Informatica
[00:42] - Link building experiences with Shopify Exchange project
[02:09] - Evolution from link building to enterprise SEO strategies
[03:39] - Digital PR vs traditional link building approaches
[07:02] - Google's maker sessions and the "answer engine" revelation
[08:13] - The Helpful Content Update's devastating impact on travel blogging
[09:03] - Enterprise SEO evangelism and cross-functional collaboration
[11:50] - Subject Matter Expert (SME) interview series strategy
[15:05] - Moving beyond basic keyword-focused content
[15:48] - Transitioning from blogs to resource pages and use cases
[19:00] - Justifying content marketing spend with declining traffic
[21:39] - Cross-channel marketing and sentiment analysis
[25:28] - Platform diversification beyond Google
[29:54] - The future of SEO in an AI-dominated world
[37:13] - Actionable advice: The power of internal linking

Topics Discussed

Link Building Evolution

• Shopify Exchange outreach campaigns
• Local directory and publication resistance
• The shift from tactical links to semantic search understanding
• Digital PR becoming more important than traditional link building

Enterprise SEO Strategy

• Cross-functional collaboration with product marketing and web teams
• Building topical authority over chasing head terms
• SME interview series for authentic content creation
• Moving from "what is X" to "use cases of X for Y"

Impact of Algorithm Updates

• Helpful Content Update destroying travel blogging business overnight
• Six-figure revenue loss with no recovery path
• Shift from traffic volume to conversion quality metrics
• AI overviews cannibalizing top-of-funnel content

Modern SEO Tactics

• Internal linking for semantic relevance
• Community engagement and analog events for link building
• Platform diversification strategy
• Creating unified content ecosystems

AI and Search Evolution

• Google's transition to answer engine model
• Optimizing for AI agents and semantic search
• The death of volume-based content strategies
• Future of creator content and platform dependency

Mentioned Resources & Links

People & Companies

• Informatica - Daniel's employer, AI data management company
• Gus Pelogia interview - Similar enterprise SEO challenges at Indeed
• Matt Brooks - SEOteric - "Create once, distribute everywhere" strategy
• Rand Fishkin - Referenced for "rented land platforms" concept

Case Studies & Examples

• Right Thing Agency - Community cleanup link building campaign
• Community Clean Links - Systematic community engagement approach
• Gus Pelogia's LinkedIn Pulse post - Example of successful platform diversification

Host Information

• Jeremy Rivera - Host and SEO consultant
• Unscripted SEO Podcast - Full episode archive

Quotable Moments

"I always liken [link building] to fixing the subway system in New York City, whereas you would have to really shut it down for a while in order to put new track down."

"With AI search, we've lost a lot of traffic, but our conversion rate has actually increased quite a bit because of the types of content we're putting out."

"The SEO content model is dead. I don't think that's coming back."

"Internal linking has been so important. I'm shocked at how many businesses just don't do it and don't consider how things relate to each other."

"Where you're being cited is more important than how you're being cited."

Action Items for Listeners

1. Audit your internal linking structure - Ensure pages connect semantically and guide users through logical next steps
2. Schedule SME interviews - Record 30-minute conversations with your subject matter experts
3. Diversify content distribution - Repurpose content across LinkedIn, Medium, Reddit, and industry-specific platforms
4. Focus on middle and bottom-funnel content - Create content AI overviews can't adequately summarize
5. Implement cross-functional SEO collaboration - Work with product, marketing, and web teams for unified strategyRelated Episodes

• Gus Pelogia: Adapting to Search Technology Changes in SEO

Subscribe & Connect

• Podcast Website: unscriptedseo.com
• Host Website: jeremyriveraseo.com
• Available on all major podcast platforms

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These show notes were created to help listeners navigate key topics and access mentioned resources. For the complete conversation and full context, listen to the full episode.