Why Internal Linking Still Wins in the Age of AI Search

In this episode, Alex Wade, Head of SEO at Broadplace, joins Austin Willman to break down what actually moves the needle in search today and what SEOs are getting dangerously wrong as AI reshapes the industry. Alex brings over 15 years of experience to a candid conversation about how SEO is evolving, why internal linking remains one of the most underrated technical foundations, and how AI tools like Claude are changing the day-to-day workflow for search professionals. They cover how to use AI for keyword gap analysis, content scaling, and competitor research without losing the human quality that search engines still reward. Alex also shares his three-step diagnostic process for auditing any website, explains why organic traffic as a KPI is dying, and makes the case that GEO is not a standalone discipline but an arm of SEO. Whether you are an in-house SEO, agency owner, or founder trying to understand where to invest in search, this episode gives you a grounded, practical framework for navigating what comes next. 🔗 Get Your Exclusive AIO Growth Plan - We’ll kick off with a Live AIO Audit to see how shoppers find you, followed by Competitor Research to steal their spotlight: https://lunacal.ai/team/dws/dws-meetings In this episode, we discuss: 00:00 - 01:00: Introduction 01:00 - 03:30: Is Google's Search Monopoly Coming to an End? 03:30 - 07:00: How Alex Uses AI and Claude for SEO Work 07:00 - 09:15: Training LLMs With Client Data and Competitor Research 09:15 - 11:20: Voice Search: Relevant or Overhyped? 11:20 - 13:20: Why Organic Traffic as a KPI Is Dying 13:20 - 15:00: SEO, Paid, and Email: The Shift Toward Channel Integration 15:00 - 18:15: Alex's 3-Step Diagnostic Process for Any Website 18:15 - 20:05: Using Multiple Tools to Triangulate SEO Data 20:05 - 24:10: Technical SEO, Schema, and Internal Linking for LLM Visibility 24:10 - 26:00: What Is Satellite Content and Why Does It Matter 26:00 - 28:40: What SEOs Are Still Getting Wrong in 2025 28:40 - 31:00: