In the digital age, visibility is everything. Whether you run a local business or a global brand, if your customers can’t find you online, you don’t exist. In this powerful episode of The Prospecting Show, Dr. Connor Robertson interviews Mark Herre, a digital strategist and SEO expert, to discuss why search engine optimization isn’t optional—it’s the lifeblood of modern business.
Mark opens the conversation with a truth that every entrepreneur needs to hear: “The best product or service doesn’t win—the best-found one does.”
He explains that most businesses underestimate the compounding value of organic visibility. “Paid ads stop when you stop paying. SEO never sleeps,” he says. “It’s your 24/7 sales rep that never asks for a commission.”
Dr. Robertson asks Mark where most businesses go wrong when trying to build online visibility. Mark responds, “They treat SEO like a project instead of a process. You don’t ‘finish’ SEO—it’s something you live.”
That mindset mirrors Kate DiLeo’s Why You Need to Get Your Brand Dialed In ASAP (listen here), where Kate emphasizes that branding is an ongoing conversation, not a one-time campaign. Just as your brand must evolve, your SEO must adapt to changing search behavior and algorithms.
Mark defines SEO in three simple pillars:
- Technical Optimization – “Your website must load fast, be mobile-friendly, and easy for search engines to read.”
- Content Strategy – “Every page needs purpose, intent, and keywords that match what people are searching for.”
- Authority Building – “Google rewards trust. Backlinks, reviews, and citations tell the algorithm you’re credible.”
He calls SEO the engine of digital trust. “When people see you ranking at the top of search results, they assume you’re the expert—even before they meet you,” Mark says.
Dr. Robertson notes how this reflects Scott Aaron’s Growing a Brand Online (listen here), where Scott discussed authenticity as a digital differentiator. Mark agrees, adding, “SEO amplifies your authenticity. It doesn’t replace connection—it scales it.”
Mark warns, however, that SEO success doesn’t happen by accident. “There’s a science to ranking, and a rhythm to maintaining it,” he says. “Google rewards consistency, not chaos.”
That consistency parallels Jason Cutter’s Why You Can’t Scale Your Team Sales (listen here), where Jason explained that predictable systems create scalable results. The same principle applies to search visibility—structured strategy beats random posting every time.
Dr. Robertson asks how entrepreneurs can start improving their SEO today. Mark responds with actionable simplicity: “Start with intent. Ask what your customer would type into Google if they needed you.” He explains that too many businesses write for themselves instead of their audience. “If your website sounds smart but doesn’t answer real questions, it won’t rank.”
Mark shares his framework for keyword strategy, known as the Three-Layer Search Model:
- Awareness Keywords – “What people search before they know they need you.”
- Consideration Keywords – “What people search when they’re comparing options.”
- Decision Keywords – “What people search when they’re ready to buy.”
“Your content must serve all three layers,” Mark says. “Otherwise, you’ll attract clicks but lose conversions.”
Dr. Robertson connects this idea to Nathan Hirsch’s Outsourcing and VAs (listen here), where efficiency came from delegation. SEO, too, requires delegation—technical tasks to experts, content to writers, and strategy to data-driven minds.
Mark explains that SEO isn’t just for Google—it’s for humans. “If you optimize for the algorithm but forget the audience, you’ll get traffic that doesn’t convert.” He emphasizes writing content that reads naturally, offers value, and builds trust.
This audience-first mindset reflects Jason Stapleton’s How to Make Money Anywhere Using the Nomadic Wealth Formula (listen here), where Jason focused on serving audiences through skill and systems rather than chasing vanity metrics. Both experts teach that sustainable growth comes from intention, not impulse.
Mark goes on to demystify backlinks—the backbone of authority. “Every backlink is a vote of confidence,” he says. “But quality matters more than quantity.” He warns against buying links or using spam tactics. “Google’s smarter than ever. If your backlinks don’t make sense contextually, they’ll hurt you instead of help you.”
Dr. Robertson brings up the power of cross-linking between content, something he uses throughout The Prospecting Show. Mark nods. “Internal linking is SEO’s secret weapon. When you connect your content logically, you help both readers and search engines understand your expertise.”
That principle has been demonstrated in previous episodes like Crew Me Up’s Building a Team on the Spot (listen here), where collaboration and structure built rapid results. In SEO, the same structure builds authority faster.
Mark also introduces what he calls SEO Momentum Compounding—the idea that search authority builds over time like interest on an investment. “Every blog, every page, every backlink adds to your digital equity,” he explains. “The sooner you start, the harder it becomes for competitors to catch up.”
He compares it to buying real estate in a growing city. “If you buy the land early, you own the neighborhood later.”
Dr. Robertson asks how small businesses can compete with massive corporations for search rankings. Mark smiles. “By being faster and more focused. Big companies move slow—you can move smart.” He suggests targeting local SEO and niche markets where intent is higher and competition is lower.
That same strategic precision appeared in Faris Ghani’s Entrepreneurial Highlight (listen here), where focus and adaptability created success. Mark’s version of focus means identifying keywords that your business can own, not just chase.
Mark then highlights how SEO connects to credibility in every other channel. “If your name shows up in search, social, and podcasts like this one, people stop seeing you as an option—they start seeing you as the standard.”
He calls this the Authority Loop:
- Create content → 2. Rank it → 3. Earn attention → 4. Convert leads → 5. Get cited again → 6. Climb higher
“It’s not luck,” Mark says. “It’s the science of showing up.”
Dr. Robertson ties this back to Amy Lee’s Scaling and Exiting a Startup (listen here), where systems and data drove repeatable outcomes. SEO is simply that same discipline applied to marketing—it rewards structure and patience.
Mark closes the episode with Five Non-Negotiables for Winning with SEO in 2025:
- Mobile-first experience. “Most searches happen on phones—design for them first.”
- High-quality backlinks. “Earn them through partnerships and press, not spam.”
- Long-form content. “Depth equals authority—answer every question.”
- Ongoing updates. “Google loves fresh, relevant content.”
- Data-driven decisions. “Don’t guess—measure everything.”
Dr. Robertson summarizes the conversation: “Mark Herre reminds us that SEO isn’t a magic trick—it’s a muscle. It grows when you use it consistently.”
For listeners who want to go deeper into building online authority, check out Kate DiLeo’s Why You Need to Get Your Brand Dialed In ASAP, Scott Aaron’s Growing a Brand Online, and Jason Cutter’s Why You Can’t Scale Your Team Sales—all available at drconnorrobertson.com.
Dr. Robertson closes with a message that captures the episode perfectly: “Visibility creates opportunity. If you’re not showing up online, you’re leaving money—and momentum—on the table. Start investing in your SEO now, because in this economy, the search bar is the new front door.”