Episode 112: How Smart Businesses Build Authority Online: SEO Insights from Yoast’s Carolyn Shelby

Today, Bob Gauvreau sits down with Carolyn Shelby, Director of Search at Yoast, to unpack what business owners often get wrong about SEO. Carolyn explains why SEO isn’t an afterthought — it’s a foundational piece of your online strategy that directly impacts visibility and conversions.

The conversation dives into how AI is quietly reshaping Google Search, and why clear attribution in marketing is becoming a thing of the past. Carolyn challenges common design practices, like hiding content behind tabs, and shares how they may be hurting rankings more than helping.

Listeners will learn how to build trust with search engines, create content that performs, and adapt to the new era of AI-driven search. It’s a must-hear for entrepreneurs who want to stop guessing and start growing with smarter SEO.

Episode Highlights:

• 00:00 Welcome to The Wealthy Entrepreneur Podcast
• 02:21 What Most Business Owners Get Wrong About SEO
• 06:10 “Pretty Doesn’t Mean Profitable”
• 08:45 The Cake Metaphor for SEO
• 13:57 How AI Is Already Running Google
• 17:17 The ‘Mad Men’ Era of Digital Marketing
• 20:12 The Problem with Hidden Content
• 26:49 Trust, E-A-T, and Building Real Authority
• 31:30 SEO Tools vs. SEO Strategy

About the Guest:
Carolyn Shelby is the Principal SEO at Yoast, where she leads technical SEO strategy and supports the development of tools that help millions optimize their websites for search. With over 25 years of experience in web technology and search optimization, she brings a deep technical background rooted in the early days of the internet.

Carolyn has led enterprise SEO efforts for major media organizations, managing complex site structures and driving visibility at scale. Her specialties include technical SEO, international SEO, and optimizing large-scale WordPress environments.

An experienced speaker and consultant, she regularly shares insights on the evolving search landscape, AI-driven optimization, and content strategy. Carolyn’s expertise bridges foundational web engineering with modern, performance-driven SEO.

Connect with Carolyn:

• Website: https://www.cshel.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cshel/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cshel/
• X: https://x.com/cshel

Resources:

• Visit their website: https://yoast.com/
• Visit the Wealthy Entrepreneur Website: https://www.wealthyentrepreneur.co/ 
• Download The Wealthy Entrepreneur (digital book) for FREE: https://profitsimple.ca/wealthy-entrepreneur

• Like our Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/wealthyentrepreneurofficial

• Join The Wealthy Entrepreneur Community for FREE at https://www.facebook.com/groups/gauvreaucpa 

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Let’s continue to work on becoming a Wealthy Entrepreneur!