Ross Hudgens
@rosshudgens.bsky.social
Founder/CEO, Siege Media. Insights on organic growth with SEO, content marketing and PR. 6x Inc 5000, $100M+ in lifetime revenue.
Pinned
Ross Hudgens
@rosshudgens.bsky.social
· Oct 8
Should You Create “Best X” Articles? A Debate w/ Nick LeRoy
YouTube video by Content and Conversation
www.youtube.com
Should you create "best X" articles to influence LLMs?
The short answer: it's complicated.
There has been some negative takes on this approach as of late, so I wanted to have @nickleroy.com on to respectfully debate when and how it might make sense to do.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=frbO...
The short answer: it's complicated.
There has been some negative takes on this approach as of late, so I wanted to have @nickleroy.com on to respectfully debate when and how it might make sense to do.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=frbO...
If your content hasn't been touched in the last 90 days, you're probably not beating NerdWallet.
NerdWallet is updating key money pages every 115 days. Most of page one waits a year.
NerdWallet is updating key money pages every 115 days. Most of page one waits a year.
November 5, 2025 at 8:19 PM
If your content hasn't been touched in the last 90 days, you're probably not beating NerdWallet.
NerdWallet is updating key money pages every 115 days. Most of page one waits a year.
NerdWallet is updating key money pages every 115 days. Most of page one waits a year.
We analyzed 1,000 of the most popular ChatGPT prompts using data from Profound.
Here are most common prompt "types" in LLM usage:
Here are most common prompt "types" in LLM usage:
October 29, 2025 at 3:31 PM
We analyzed 1,000 of the most popular ChatGPT prompts using data from Profound.
Here are most common prompt "types" in LLM usage:
Here are most common prompt "types" in LLM usage:
Are LLM source URLs the new topic opportunity?
If we look at most commonly referenced URLs for the bottom funnel prompts we want to influence, we may learn:
• What topics are surfacing most
• What strategies are surfacing most
• The types of pages that are surfacing most
If we look at most commonly referenced URLs for the bottom funnel prompts we want to influence, we may learn:
• What topics are surfacing most
• What strategies are surfacing most
• The types of pages that are surfacing most
October 27, 2025 at 10:02 PM
Are LLM source URLs the new topic opportunity?
If we look at most commonly referenced URLs for the bottom funnel prompts we want to influence, we may learn:
• What topics are surfacing most
• What strategies are surfacing most
• The types of pages that are surfacing most
If we look at most commonly referenced URLs for the bottom funnel prompts we want to influence, we may learn:
• What topics are surfacing most
• What strategies are surfacing most
• The types of pages that are surfacing most
ChatGPT's new Atlas browser could be bullish for SEO.
The agent experience doesn't click ads.
“I avoid clicking on ads. I focus on organic results and official sources for reliability and safety.”
If more users use this over default search, all transactions attribute to organic activity.
The agent experience doesn't click ads.
“I avoid clicking on ads. I focus on organic results and official sources for reliability and safety.”
If more users use this over default search, all transactions attribute to organic activity.
October 21, 2025 at 10:10 PM
ChatGPT's new Atlas browser could be bullish for SEO.
The agent experience doesn't click ads.
“I avoid clicking on ads. I focus on organic results and official sources for reliability and safety.”
If more users use this over default search, all transactions attribute to organic activity.
The agent experience doesn't click ads.
“I avoid clicking on ads. I focus on organic results and official sources for reliability and safety.”
If more users use this over default search, all transactions attribute to organic activity.
Should you create "best X" articles to influence LLMs?
The short answer: it's complicated.
There has been some negative takes on this approach as of late, so I wanted to have @nickleroy.com on to respectfully debate when and how it might make sense to do.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=frbO...
The short answer: it's complicated.
There has been some negative takes on this approach as of late, so I wanted to have @nickleroy.com on to respectfully debate when and how it might make sense to do.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=frbO...
Should You Create “Best X” Articles? A Debate w/ Nick LeRoy
YouTube video by Content and Conversation
www.youtube.com
October 8, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Should you create "best X" articles to influence LLMs?
The short answer: it's complicated.
There has been some negative takes on this approach as of late, so I wanted to have @nickleroy.com on to respectfully debate when and how it might make sense to do.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=frbO...
The short answer: it's complicated.
There has been some negative takes on this approach as of late, so I wanted to have @nickleroy.com on to respectfully debate when and how it might make sense to do.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=frbO...
Engagement with trends content is on the rise.
We analyzed over 12.2k unique blog URLs across 15 categories to see what has been changing over the past two years.
It showed that AI is driving interest in trends, and the subsequent product announcements incorporating it.
We analyzed over 12.2k unique blog URLs across 15 categories to see what has been changing over the past two years.
It showed that AI is driving interest in trends, and the subsequent product announcements incorporating it.
October 1, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Engagement with trends content is on the rise.
We analyzed over 12.2k unique blog URLs across 15 categories to see what has been changing over the past two years.
It showed that AI is driving interest in trends, and the subsequent product announcements incorporating it.
We analyzed over 12.2k unique blog URLs across 15 categories to see what has been changing over the past two years.
It showed that AI is driving interest in trends, and the subsequent product announcements incorporating it.
ChatGPT referrals are down for the second month in a row -- but Google's growth trend remains intact.
If ChatGPT traffic doesn’t soon show meaningful month-over-month growth, the idea it could overtake Google in the near future is officially moot.
If ChatGPT traffic doesn’t soon show meaningful month-over-month growth, the idea it could overtake Google in the near future is officially moot.
September 17, 2025 at 3:55 PM
ChatGPT referrals are down for the second month in a row -- but Google's growth trend remains intact.
If ChatGPT traffic doesn’t soon show meaningful month-over-month growth, the idea it could overtake Google in the near future is officially moot.
If ChatGPT traffic doesn’t soon show meaningful month-over-month growth, the idea it could overtake Google in the near future is officially moot.
The value in looking at rankings 20-40:
Topical authority audit: if you’re in the 30-40 range, that’s often a good new page, as it’s saying you’re authoritative for that term even if it doesn’t map to the current page.
Refreshes: Rankings 20-30 can still bump to page one.
Topical authority audit: if you’re in the 30-40 range, that’s often a good new page, as it’s saying you’re authoritative for that term even if it doesn’t map to the current page.
Refreshes: Rankings 20-30 can still bump to page one.
September 16, 2025 at 1:03 PM
The value in looking at rankings 20-40:
Topical authority audit: if you’re in the 30-40 range, that’s often a good new page, as it’s saying you’re authoritative for that term even if it doesn’t map to the current page.
Refreshes: Rankings 20-30 can still bump to page one.
Topical authority audit: if you’re in the 30-40 range, that’s often a good new page, as it’s saying you’re authoritative for that term even if it doesn’t map to the current page.
Refreshes: Rankings 20-30 can still bump to page one.
The value in looking at rankings 20-40:
Topical authority audit: if you’re in the 30-40 range, that’s often a good new page, as it’s saying you’re authoritative for that term even if it doesn’t map to the current page.
Refreshes: Rankings 20-30 can still bump to page one.
Topical authority audit: if you’re in the 30-40 range, that’s often a good new page, as it’s saying you’re authoritative for that term even if it doesn’t map to the current page.
Refreshes: Rankings 20-30 can still bump to page one.
September 16, 2025 at 1:00 PM
The value in looking at rankings 20-40:
Topical authority audit: if you’re in the 30-40 range, that’s often a good new page, as it’s saying you’re authoritative for that term even if it doesn’t map to the current page.
Refreshes: Rankings 20-30 can still bump to page one.
Topical authority audit: if you’re in the 30-40 range, that’s often a good new page, as it’s saying you’re authoritative for that term even if it doesn’t map to the current page.
Refreshes: Rankings 20-30 can still bump to page one.
LinkedIn posts are seeing a surge in SEO traffic.
This is a trend to watch closely.
It feels like it could be the start of a Reddit, Quora-type social acceleration trend -- and a reason to invest in organic social.
This is a trend to watch closely.
It feels like it could be the start of a Reddit, Quora-type social acceleration trend -- and a reason to invest in organic social.
September 10, 2025 at 2:43 PM
LinkedIn posts are seeing a surge in SEO traffic.
This is a trend to watch closely.
It feels like it could be the start of a Reddit, Quora-type social acceleration trend -- and a reason to invest in organic social.
This is a trend to watch closely.
It feels like it could be the start of a Reddit, Quora-type social acceleration trend -- and a reason to invest in organic social.
Google is sending higher quality traffic than ChatGPT in the last 60 days.
In the past 18 months, ChatGPT's quality is 2% better, but that continues to decline.
The narrative that ChatGPT is better in a generalized view is becoming less true than ever.
In the past 18 months, ChatGPT's quality is 2% better, but that continues to decline.
The narrative that ChatGPT is better in a generalized view is becoming less true than ever.
September 9, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Google is sending higher quality traffic than ChatGPT in the last 60 days.
In the past 18 months, ChatGPT's quality is 2% better, but that continues to decline.
The narrative that ChatGPT is better in a generalized view is becoming less true than ever.
In the past 18 months, ChatGPT's quality is 2% better, but that continues to decline.
The narrative that ChatGPT is better in a generalized view is becoming less true than ever.
ChatGPT is hiring an SEO-focused content strategist paying almost $400k/year!
Interestingly, there’s no talk of any LLM-facing optimization acronym besides SEO.
www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/42...
Interestingly, there’s no talk of any LLM-facing optimization acronym besides SEO.
www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/42...
August 31, 2025 at 5:55 PM
ChatGPT is hiring an SEO-focused content strategist paying almost $400k/year!
Interestingly, there’s no talk of any LLM-facing optimization acronym besides SEO.
www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/42...
Interestingly, there’s no talk of any LLM-facing optimization acronym besides SEO.
www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/42...
AI citation volume by URL is the new keyword volume.
In Ahrefs’ URL view, they calculate a total number of AI citations for each URL from their prompt database.
This isn’t prompt volume, but it’s a holistic estimate of total topic interest around that concept.
In Ahrefs’ URL view, they calculate a total number of AI citations for each URL from their prompt database.
This isn’t prompt volume, but it’s a holistic estimate of total topic interest around that concept.
August 19, 2025 at 8:19 PM
AI citation volume by URL is the new keyword volume.
In Ahrefs’ URL view, they calculate a total number of AI citations for each URL from their prompt database.
This isn’t prompt volume, but it’s a holistic estimate of total topic interest around that concept.
In Ahrefs’ URL view, they calculate a total number of AI citations for each URL from their prompt database.
This isn’t prompt volume, but it’s a holistic estimate of total topic interest around that concept.
ChatGPT referral traffic was down 3.8% in July. Is the bubble about to pop?
After a wave of graphs (including ours) predicting growth that would intersect Google’s in '27-28, metrics went negative.
On the other side of the coin, Google traffic was up 15.9% across 193 sites.
After a wave of graphs (including ours) predicting growth that would intersect Google’s in '27-28, metrics went negative.
On the other side of the coin, Google traffic was up 15.9% across 193 sites.
August 14, 2025 at 1:54 PM
ChatGPT referral traffic was down 3.8% in July. Is the bubble about to pop?
After a wave of graphs (including ours) predicting growth that would intersect Google’s in '27-28, metrics went negative.
On the other side of the coin, Google traffic was up 15.9% across 193 sites.
After a wave of graphs (including ours) predicting growth that would intersect Google’s in '27-28, metrics went negative.
On the other side of the coin, Google traffic was up 15.9% across 193 sites.
Reposted by Ross Hudgens
Join @rosshudgens.bsky.social and me tomorrow for a conversation about "future proofing e-commerce SEO".
I love Ross's take on how your 3 week vision is your new 3 year vision:
I love Ross's take on how your 3 week vision is your new 3 year vision:
June 25, 2025 at 10:41 AM
Join @rosshudgens.bsky.social and me tomorrow for a conversation about "future proofing e-commerce SEO".
I love Ross's take on how your 3 week vision is your new 3 year vision:
I love Ross's take on how your 3 week vision is your new 3 year vision:
I don't trust Google results" has been a common refrain.
Yet, many people are now using LLM results 98% powered by Bing and taking them as fact.
It feels like the net trust quotient has actually increased given this, improving conversion rate.
Yet, many people are now using LLM results 98% powered by Bing and taking them as fact.
It feels like the net trust quotient has actually increased given this, improving conversion rate.
June 4, 2025 at 10:52 PM
I don't trust Google results" has been a common refrain.
Yet, many people are now using LLM results 98% powered by Bing and taking them as fact.
It feels like the net trust quotient has actually increased given this, improving conversion rate.
Yet, many people are now using LLM results 98% powered by Bing and taking them as fact.
It feels like the net trust quotient has actually increased given this, improving conversion rate.
SEO anchor text in the top nav is rarely the right idea in 2025.
Engagement rate is far more important.
As the importance of brand continues to grow, suggesting primarily SEO-focused anchor text in our top navigation is the wrong direction.
Engagement rate is far more important.
As the importance of brand continues to grow, suggesting primarily SEO-focused anchor text in our top navigation is the wrong direction.
June 4, 2025 at 12:35 PM
SEO anchor text in the top nav is rarely the right idea in 2025.
Engagement rate is far more important.
As the importance of brand continues to grow, suggesting primarily SEO-focused anchor text in our top navigation is the wrong direction.
Engagement rate is far more important.
As the importance of brand continues to grow, suggesting primarily SEO-focused anchor text in our top navigation is the wrong direction.
We’re excited to announce that Siege Media has joined Optiversal’s Series A round as a strategic investor!
Optiversal is an AI-powered landing page platform that helps the world’s top e-commerce companies harness generative AI at scale to drive more traffic and revenue.
Optiversal is an AI-powered landing page platform that helps the world’s top e-commerce companies harness generative AI at scale to drive more traffic and revenue.
June 2, 2025 at 3:33 PM
We’re excited to announce that Siege Media has joined Optiversal’s Series A round as a strategic investor!
Optiversal is an AI-powered landing page platform that helps the world’s top e-commerce companies harness generative AI at scale to drive more traffic and revenue.
Optiversal is an AI-powered landing page platform that helps the world’s top e-commerce companies harness generative AI at scale to drive more traffic and revenue.
You probably don’t need thought leadership.
You need product-focused content that drives clicks and conversions. Thought leadership feels bigger and harder than it needs to be, lowering executive buy-in.
Here’s how we think about the difference:
You need product-focused content that drives clicks and conversions. Thought leadership feels bigger and harder than it needs to be, lowering executive buy-in.
Here’s how we think about the difference:
May 29, 2025 at 4:40 PM
You probably don’t need thought leadership.
You need product-focused content that drives clicks and conversions. Thought leadership feels bigger and harder than it needs to be, lowering executive buy-in.
Here’s how we think about the difference:
You need product-focused content that drives clicks and conversions. Thought leadership feels bigger and harder than it needs to be, lowering executive buy-in.
Here’s how we think about the difference:
HubSpot’s LLM visibility skyrocketed without relying on backlinks.
Kieran Flanagan shifted to co-citations and brand mentions to win in AI-driven search.
Full episode: www.siegemedia.com/conversation...
Kieran Flanagan shifted to co-citations and brand mentions to win in AI-driven search.
Full episode: www.siegemedia.com/conversation...
May 28, 2025 at 4:02 PM
HubSpot’s LLM visibility skyrocketed without relying on backlinks.
Kieran Flanagan shifted to co-citations and brand mentions to win in AI-driven search.
Full episode: www.siegemedia.com/conversation...
Kieran Flanagan shifted to co-citations and brand mentions to win in AI-driven search.
Full episode: www.siegemedia.com/conversation...
Content isn’t valuable just because it converts.
The best content brings sticky, high-LTV customers.
Semrush CMO Andrew Warden explains why: www.siegemedia.com/conversation...
The best content brings sticky, high-LTV customers.
Semrush CMO Andrew Warden explains why: www.siegemedia.com/conversation...
May 22, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Content isn’t valuable just because it converts.
The best content brings sticky, high-LTV customers.
Semrush CMO Andrew Warden explains why: www.siegemedia.com/conversation...
The best content brings sticky, high-LTV customers.
Semrush CMO Andrew Warden explains why: www.siegemedia.com/conversation...
New data from a 50-site study: Homepage traffic is up 10.7% from AI Overviews and LLMs!
Traffic may be down, but there is an increase in high-intent homepage visitors.
This may mean a net overall conversion lift for companies with >20% homepage traffic.
Traffic may be down, but there is an increase in high-intent homepage visitors.
This may mean a net overall conversion lift for companies with >20% homepage traffic.
May 20, 2025 at 7:05 PM
New data from a 50-site study: Homepage traffic is up 10.7% from AI Overviews and LLMs!
Traffic may be down, but there is an increase in high-intent homepage visitors.
This may mean a net overall conversion lift for companies with >20% homepage traffic.
Traffic may be down, but there is an increase in high-intent homepage visitors.
This may mean a net overall conversion lift for companies with >20% homepage traffic.
Organic traffic is now strongly linked to brand sentiment – and we have data to support it.
We recently reviewed two client cases where a negative PR event occurred followed by a sharp drop.
In good news, it hopefully shows how positive brand investment can drive the opposite.
We recently reviewed two client cases where a negative PR event occurred followed by a sharp drop.
In good news, it hopefully shows how positive brand investment can drive the opposite.
May 20, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Organic traffic is now strongly linked to brand sentiment – and we have data to support it.
We recently reviewed two client cases where a negative PR event occurred followed by a sharp drop.
In good news, it hopefully shows how positive brand investment can drive the opposite.
We recently reviewed two client cases where a negative PR event occurred followed by a sharp drop.
In good news, it hopefully shows how positive brand investment can drive the opposite.
Most SEO audits miss this, but they shouldn’t.
User testing is one of the most underrated tools in product SEO. Tools like Userpeak, Lyssna & LookBack show where users get stuck so you can fix it.
Test, refine, implement. That’s how you create product pages that actually rank.
User testing is one of the most underrated tools in product SEO. Tools like Userpeak, Lyssna & LookBack show where users get stuck so you can fix it.
Test, refine, implement. That’s how you create product pages that actually rank.
May 15, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Most SEO audits miss this, but they shouldn’t.
User testing is one of the most underrated tools in product SEO. Tools like Userpeak, Lyssna & LookBack show where users get stuck so you can fix it.
Test, refine, implement. That’s how you create product pages that actually rank.
User testing is one of the most underrated tools in product SEO. Tools like Userpeak, Lyssna & LookBack show where users get stuck so you can fix it.
Test, refine, implement. That’s how you create product pages that actually rank.
Impressions are now a relevant secondary KPI across Google and LLMs.
As click-less impressions skyrocket due to AI Overview and LLM use, it’s a short-sighted strategy to not value showing up for product-related searches in your industry, even if they don’t generate a click.
As click-less impressions skyrocket due to AI Overview and LLM use, it’s a short-sighted strategy to not value showing up for product-related searches in your industry, even if they don’t generate a click.
May 14, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Impressions are now a relevant secondary KPI across Google and LLMs.
As click-less impressions skyrocket due to AI Overview and LLM use, it’s a short-sighted strategy to not value showing up for product-related searches in your industry, even if they don’t generate a click.
As click-less impressions skyrocket due to AI Overview and LLM use, it’s a short-sighted strategy to not value showing up for product-related searches in your industry, even if they don’t generate a click.