Mark Williams-Cook and Jack Chambers-Ward from Candour join the show to dig into what's actually changing in SEO and digital PR right now.
They are not the recycled takes, the mechanics underneath them: how AI query fan-outs actually work, why brand mentions might matter more than links for showing up in AI answers, what Google's core updates are really punishing, and why the agencies that share the most tend to win the most trust.
⏰ Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro & welcom
02:38 – Why extracurriculars matter (diving, boxing, comics, podcasting)
07:55 – How Candour decides what makes the Core Updates newsletter
12:31 – Does digital PR actually help you show up in AI answers?
14:37 – Query fan-outs, token probability, and the new mechanics of visibility
19:42 – What "brand" really means in the AI search era
24:36 – Life running an SEO podcast, and the industry's yearly "themes"
33:37 – How closely should you actually watch core updates?
38:37 – Is Google deprioritizing spam-fighting for AI? Black hat vs. white hat, programmatic SEO fallout
44:19 – Do clients know when they've been cutting corners?
48:26 – Why Candour gives away the "secret sauce"
56:49 – Search Norwich XL, and where to find Mark & Jack
🔗 Candour: https://withcandour.co.uk/
📩 Core Updates newsletter: https://coreupdates.com/
🎙️ Search With Candour podcast:
https://withcandour.co.uk/podcast
📅 SearchNorwichXL — Sept 24, 2026: https://searchnorwich.org/
Full post here: https://www.buzzstream.com/blog/candour-podcast/
Building your own media list for digital PR?
ListIQ pulls journalist emails, bios, and recent articles straight from Google News, so you're not doing that research by hand: https://www.buzzstream.com/listiq/
