Ex-Google senior employee Kaspar Szymanski explains what really matters in SEO

Listen to this episode from Search with Candour - SEO podcast on Spotify. Kaspar Szymanski, a former senior member of the Google Search Quality Team, joins Jack Chambers-Ward to discuss what’s important in SEO in 2025.They discuss cutting through the noise to focus on impactful strategies for businesses and cover topics ranging from the hidden value of server logs to a holistic approach to SEO.Links to follow Kaspar:Website: https://www.searchbrothers.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kasparszymanski/Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/seozen.com Links/resources:https://searchengineland.com/seo-noise-vs-signals-449671https://searchengineland.com/forget-pagerank-focus-on-ranking-437676https://searchengineland.com/why-server-logs-matter-for-seo-378199https://searchengineland.com/10-reasons-seo-just-like-fitness-260070Chapters00:00 Introduction02:45 Sponsor: AlsoAsked04:10 Welcome Kaspar Szymanski05:38 Navigating Google Updates12:11 The Role of Server Logs in SEO20:28 Branding and SEO: A Crucial Connection35:52 Leveraging Bing and Other Search Engines38:43 Exploring Webmaster Tools and Alternatives40:23 SEO Strategies for Small Businesses42:45 The Risks and Rewards of Backlink Marketplaces49:40 The Importance of a Holistic SEO Approach59:21 Interdisciplinary Nature of SEO01:15:04 Outro and Upcoming Episodes