The SEO 101 Podcast on WMR.FM

The SEO 101 Podcast on WMR.FM is the world’s oldest and longest running SEO podcast. It has been hosted by our CEO, Ross Dunn since 2009 and before that, it had been a popular podcast hosted by David Brown, Carolyn Shelby, and Brian Mark.

In Ross’s time as host, the podcast has been favourited by Google’s own John Mueller, regularly cited as a top podcast on SEO by top sites like Search Engine Journal and HubSpot, and has over 3 million downloads and counting.

Subscribe at any of these leading platforms
Spotify | iTunes | iHeartRadio

Play the Latest Episode of SEO 101

Powered by RedCircle

SEO 101 Episode 502 – Exploring SEO Evolution and Future Trends: An Interview with SEO Expert Jim Hedger

In this episode of The SEO 101 Podcast, hosts Ross Dunn and Scott Van Achte interview SEO expert, friend, host of Webcology on WMR.FM, owner of Digital Always Media and StepForth’s first employee, Jim Hedger. The topics discussed range from the early days of SEO to...

SEO 101 Episode 501 – Google’s Recently Viewed Labels, Launch of AI Mode, and Insights on Crawl Budget Management

In this episode of SEO 101, hosts Ross Dunn and Scott Van Achte explore key updates in the SEO landscape, including Google's testing of recently viewed labels in search results and the significant launch of AI Mode for U.S. searchers. They also discuss insights on...

SEO 101 Episode 500 – Celebrating 500 Episodes – Reflecting on Our Journey, Key SEO Moments, and Personal Insights

Join us for the 500th episode of SEO 101, a special celebration of our journey together! In this milestone episode, we reflect on key moments, including significant Google updates, essential SEO best practices, and memorable guest interviews. We share personal...

SEO 101 Episode 499 – Google TLD Redirects, AI Updates, and Boosting Engagement Strategies

In this solo episode of SEO 101, Scott Van Achte explores Google's recent core update that impacts organic ranking overlaps and highlights the importance of high-quality content. He reviews the updated Quality Raters Guidelines, discusses AI's influence on search...

SEO 101 Episode 498 – Ranking Volatility, Reddit’s AI Advantage, Introducing LLM.txt

In this episode, we explore signs of a potential Google core update affecting rankings, Reddit's sneaky ranking successes using AI, and Google's new AI-generated summaries in Knowledge Panels. We also discuss an exciting opportunity for an AI crawler version of the...

SEO 101 Episode 497 – Adapting SEO for 2025 and Optimizing for AI Overviews

In this solo episode, Ross Dunn explores the key insights from Google's March 2025 Core Update, including the effects of AI on search strategies. He discusses how to adapt to the latest changes and compares selling on marketplaces versus your own website, offering...

SEO 101 Episode 496 – March 2025 Core Update, a Little Known Mistake to Avoid, and AI Errors

In this episode of SEO 101, hosts Ross Dunn and Scott Van Achte discuss Google's March 2025 core update and its focus on quality content. They explain a mistake that can cause search engine result click-through rates to plummet, and they address the challenges of AI...

SEO 101 Episode 495 – Google Search Decline: AI Preferences, User Trust, and Ranking Volatility

In this episode of SEO 101, hosts Ross Dun and Scott Van Achte explore the recent VOX Media survey revealing declining trust in Google Search, with a shift toward AI tools. They discuss Google's updates for personal info removal, local SEO strategies, and AI ranking...

SEO 101 Episode 494 – Google Search Changes: ‘All Results’ Rename, Local Listing Drops, Audio SEO Insights, and Review Count Bug Fixes

In this episode of SEO 101, hosts Ross Dunn and Scott Van Achte explore the recent Google search updates, including the renaming of the “All Results” feature, the removal of pagination numbers, and new image search capabilities. They discuss the impact of local...

SEO 101 Episode 493 – AI Overviews Impacting Click-Through Rates, Recipe Blog User Experience Guidelines, and Local Reviews Bug Fixes

In this episode of SEO 101, hosts Ross Dunn and Scott Van Achte explore the significant decline in click-through rates due to Google's AI Overviews. They discuss new guidelines for recipe blogs to enhance user experience, and address a recent bug affecting local...

Sometimes, you just need to get down to the very basics. That’s why we love Webmaster Radio’s SEO 101 — a series of podcasts that dive into search engine optimization from the bottom-up.

Amanda Zantal-Wiener

Senior Staff Writer, HubSpot

More About the SEO 101 Podcast

Our CEO, Ross Dunn began hosting the SEO 101 Podcast on WMR.FM (it was Cranberry.FM for a short stint) back in 2009 with his acclaimed colleague Jennifer Evans-Cairo. Both Ross and Jennifer were known in the SEO world at the time as veterans and the show started earning a loyal following from that point on.

After a few episodes, Jennifer took a step back and Ross worked with a couple of co-hosts and guest-hosts until one of his great friends and fellow industry veteran John Carcutt stepped permanently into the role. Over the years, the two of them have created over 350 episodes together discussing the ins and outs of search engine optimization (SEO) from a basic to occasionally advanced standpoint.

In 2020, John took a step back from the show and Scott Van Achte, stepped in to co-host (officially a guest host) with Ross Dunn. Scott is now the regular co-host with a lot of SEO experience to share with listeners.

Over the years, the SEO 101 Podcast has benefited from an SEO industry star-studded lineup of guests. The list includes the following: Google’s John Mueller, Stephan Spencer, David Szetela, Dan Thies, Martijn Beijk, Jennifer Laycock, Stoney deGeyter, Richard Zwicky, Loren Baker, Joost deValk, Mike Blumenthal, Pete Meyers, Jon Henshaw, Gil Namur, David Ogletree, and Dave Snyder, among others.

Co-hosts and special guest co-hosts with Ross Dunn have included Jennifer Evans-Cairo, Jeff Quipp, Eric Lander, John Carcutt, Scott Van Achte, and David Harry.

You can get more helpful tips by joining our SEO 101 Community.

Ross Dunn

Ross Dunn

Host of SEO 101

Ross Dunn is the long-time host of SEO 101 on WebmasterRadio.FM. He has been practicing SEO since 1997, working as the CEO of StepForth Web Marketing Inc. and a co-founder of First.Dentist.

He is dedicated to making the SEO 101 Podcast a long-term resource of quality SEO news, insights, interviews, and Q&As.

Scott Van Achte

Scott Van Achte

Regular Co-Host of SEO 101

Scott Van Achte has been the regular co-host of SEO 101 since 2020 when John Carcutt stepped down. Scott had also been a stand-in for many years when John couldn’t attend an episode.

Scott’s SEO experience is immense. Since 2003, he has worked with Ross Dunn at StepForth Web Marketing Inc. His position is now the Senior SEO at the company and Ross is lucky to consider him a great friend.

John Carcutt (In Memoriam)

John Carcutt (In Memoriam)

Past Co-Host of SEO 101

John Carcutt was the long-time co-host of SEO 101 on WebmasterRadio.FM and the Director of SEO for Advance Local. His SEO roots go back even farther than Ross’s to 1995.

Truly a veteran in the SEO realm, John’s perspective and insight into SEO was invaluable on the show. He was a co-host from 2010 to 2020. He is profoundly missed.

The SEO 101 Podcast on WMR.FM is the world’s oldest and longest running SEO podcast. It has been hosted by our CEO, Ross Dunn since 2009 and before that, it had been a popular podcast hosted by David Brown, Carolyn Shelby, and Brian Mark.

In Ross’s time as host, the podcast has been favourited by Google’s own John Mueller, regularly cited as a top podcast on SEO by top sites like Search Engine Journal and HubSpot, and has over 3 million downloads and counting.

Subscribe at any of these leading platforms
Spotify | iTunes | iHeartRadio

Play the Latest Episode of SEO 101

Powered by RedCircle

SEO 101 Episode 502 – Exploring SEO Evolution and Future Trends: An Interview with SEO Expert Jim Hedger

In this episode of The SEO 101 Podcast, hosts Ross Dunn and Scott Van Achte interview SEO expert, friend, host of Webcology on WMR.FM, owner of Digital Always Media and StepForth’s first employee, Jim Hedger. The topics discussed range from the early days of SEO to...

SEO 101 Episode 501 – Google’s Recently Viewed Labels, Launch of AI Mode, and Insights on Crawl Budget Management

In this episode of SEO 101, hosts Ross Dunn and Scott Van Achte explore key updates in the SEO landscape, including Google's testing of recently viewed labels in search results and the significant launch of AI Mode for U.S. searchers. They also discuss insights on...

SEO 101 Episode 500 – Celebrating 500 Episodes – Reflecting on Our Journey, Key SEO Moments, and Personal Insights

Join us for the 500th episode of SEO 101, a special celebration of our journey together! In this milestone episode, we reflect on key moments, including significant Google updates, essential SEO best practices, and memorable guest interviews. We share personal...

SEO 101 Episode 499 – Google TLD Redirects, AI Updates, and Boosting Engagement Strategies

In this solo episode of SEO 101, Scott Van Achte explores Google's recent core update that impacts organic ranking overlaps and highlights the importance of high-quality content. He reviews the updated Quality Raters Guidelines, discusses AI's influence on search...

SEO 101 Episode 498 – Ranking Volatility, Reddit’s AI Advantage, Introducing LLM.txt

In this episode, we explore signs of a potential Google core update affecting rankings, Reddit's sneaky ranking successes using AI, and Google's new AI-generated summaries in Knowledge Panels. We also discuss an exciting opportunity for an AI crawler version of the...

SEO 101 Episode 497 – Adapting SEO for 2025 and Optimizing for AI Overviews

In this solo episode, Ross Dunn explores the key insights from Google's March 2025 Core Update, including the effects of AI on search strategies. He discusses how to adapt to the latest changes and compares selling on marketplaces versus your own website, offering...

SEO 101 Episode 496 – March 2025 Core Update, a Little Known Mistake to Avoid, and AI Errors

In this episode of SEO 101, hosts Ross Dunn and Scott Van Achte discuss Google's March 2025 core update and its focus on quality content. They explain a mistake that can cause search engine result click-through rates to plummet, and they address the challenges of AI...

SEO 101 Episode 495 – Google Search Decline: AI Preferences, User Trust, and Ranking Volatility

In this episode of SEO 101, hosts Ross Dun and Scott Van Achte explore the recent VOX Media survey revealing declining trust in Google Search, with a shift toward AI tools. They discuss Google's updates for personal info removal, local SEO strategies, and AI ranking...

SEO 101 Episode 494 – Google Search Changes: ‘All Results’ Rename, Local Listing Drops, Audio SEO Insights, and Review Count Bug Fixes

In this episode of SEO 101, hosts Ross Dunn and Scott Van Achte explore the recent Google search updates, including the renaming of the “All Results” feature, the removal of pagination numbers, and new image search capabilities. They discuss the impact of local...

SEO 101 Episode 493 – AI Overviews Impacting Click-Through Rates, Recipe Blog User Experience Guidelines, and Local Reviews Bug Fixes

In this episode of SEO 101, hosts Ross Dunn and Scott Van Achte explore the significant decline in click-through rates due to Google's AI Overviews. They discuss new guidelines for recipe blogs to enhance user experience, and address a recent bug affecting local...

Sometimes, you just need to get down to the very basics. That’s why we love Webmaster Radio’s SEO 101 — a series of podcasts that dive into search engine optimization from the bottom-up.

Amanda Zantal-Wiener

Senior Staff Writer, HubSpot

More About the SEO 101 Podcast

Our CEO, Ross Dunn began hosting the SEO 101 Podcast on WMR.FM (it was Cranberry.FM for a short stint) back in 2009 with his acclaimed colleague Jennifer Evans-Cairo. Both Ross and Jennifer were known in the SEO world at the time as veterans and the show started earning a loyal following from that point on.

After a few episodes, Jennifer took a step back and Ross worked with a couple of co-hosts and guest-hosts until one of his great friends and fellow industry veteran John Carcutt stepped permanently into the role. Over the years, the two of them have created over 350 episodes together discussing the ins and outs of search engine optimization (SEO) from a basic to occasionally advanced standpoint.

In 2020, John took a step back from the show and Scott Van Achte, stepped in to co-host (officially a guest host) with Ross Dunn. Scott is now the regular co-host with a lot of SEO experience to share with listeners.

Over the years, the SEO 101 Podcast has benefited from an SEO industry star-studded lineup of guests. The list includes the following: Google’s John Mueller, Stephan Spencer, David Szetela, Dan Thies, Martijn Beijk, Jennifer Laycock, Stoney deGeyter, Richard Zwicky, Loren Baker, Joost deValk, Mike Blumenthal, Pete Meyers, Jon Henshaw, Gil Namur, David Ogletree, and Dave Snyder, among others.

Co-hosts and special guest co-hosts with Ross Dunn have included Jennifer Evans-Cairo, Jeff Quipp, Eric Lander, John Carcutt, Scott Van Achte, and David Harry.

You can get more helpful tips by joining our SEO 101 Community.

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Ross Dunn

Ross Dunn

Host of SEO 101

Ross Dunn is the long-time host of SEO 101 on WebmasterRadio.FM. He has been practicing SEO since 1997, working as the CEO of StepForth Web Marketing Inc. and a co-founder of First.Dentist.

He is dedicated to making the SEO 101 Podcast a long-term resource of quality SEO news, insights, interviews, and Q&As.

Scott Van Achte

Scott Van Achte

Regular Co-Host of SEO 101

Scott Van Achte has been the regular co-host of SEO 101 since 2020 when John Carcutt stepped down. Scott had also been a stand-in for many years when John couldn’t attend an episode.

Scott’s SEO experience is immense. Since 2003, he has worked with Ross Dunn at StepForth Web Marketing Inc. His position is now the Senior SEO at the company and Ross is lucky to consider him a great friend.

John Carcutt (In Memoriam)

John Carcutt (In Memoriam)

Past Co-Host of SEO 101

John Carcutt was the long-time co-host of SEO 101 on WebmasterRadio.FM and the Director of SEO for Advance Local. His SEO roots go back even farther than Ross’s to 1995.

Truly a veteran in the SEO realm, John’s perspective and insight into SEO was invaluable on the show. He was a co-host from 2010 to 2020. He is profoundly missed.

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