Is a photo credit worth anything for SEO if the business won't link it?

Technically, an unlinked mention isn't as valuable as a link, but it's a lot closer than people believed in the past.

A leaked piece of Google's algorithm showed unlinked mentions carry real weight, and AI search tools are making that gap even smaller because AI struggles to follow links the way a person does.

1. Why links have always mattered so much in SEO
2. What the Google algorithm leak revealed about unlinked mentions
3. Why AI is bad at following links but good at finding mentions
4. What makes a mention "authentic" versus "inauthentic"

Photographers no longer need to hold out for a linked credit. An accurate, relevant mention is enough to move the needle, and asking for a link shouldn't be a dealbreaker anymore.

Timestamps
[0:00] Introduction
[0:30] Why this episode matters for photographers
[1:43] Why links have always mattered in SEO
[3:18] What the leaked Google algorithm revealed about unlinked mentions
[4:00] Why AI struggles to follow links the way people do
[5:36] An example of AI failing to count blog articles
[7:00] Google's role in creating the technology behind AI search
[9:28] Why relevance matters for mentions and links
[10:02] Authentic versus inauthentic mentions
[11:53] Naming your business accurately in a mention

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https://www.meredithshusband.com/podcast