Host: Sean Barber – https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanrbarber/ – He/Him

In this episode of Search With Sean, I’m joined by a panel of experienced speakers, marketers and communications experts to discuss how to prepare for public speaking, manage nerves and deliver presentations that audiences genuinely remember.

Joining me for this discussion are:

Erica Anderson Rooney – https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericarooney/

Molly St. Louis – https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-st-louis-4359bb55/

Jamie D’Alessandro – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jldalessandro/

Marjolein Schollaert – https://www.linkedin.com/in/marjoleinschollaert/

Joshua Squires – https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshsquiresrva/

The panel discuss:

- How to prepare effectively for a talk or presentation

- Rehearsal techniques that build confidence and improve delivery

- Whether speakers should memorise presentations or use cue cards

- Practical ways to manage nerves and anxiety

- Developing an authentic public-speaking style

- How storytelling, emotion and actionable advice make talks memorable

Topics covered include:

- Structuring presentations around a clear narrative

- Practising speeches aloud and identifying difficult phrases

- Personalising talks for a particular audience

- Memorising openings, closings and key transitions

- Using notes, slides and stage positions as prompts

- Reframing nerves as excitement

- Finding friendly faces within the audience

- Avoiding unhelpful comparisons with other speakers

- Combining personal stories with practical takeaways

- Creating emotional connections and memorable “aha” moments

Thank you to our partners:

SEO Gets, the easy-to-use analytics and reporting tool for your GSC & GA4 data.

Be sure to check out the tool and use code search10 for 10% off: https://seogets.com/

Linkavista — A backlink marketplace built for SEOs who want more transparency. With access to thousands of websites, real traffic insights through Google Search Console connections, and an easier way to find relevant opportunities.

Use code SEAN10 for 10% extra credit on your first order:https://linkavista.com/

Host: Sean Barber — https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanrbarber/ (He/Him)

In this Search With Sean panel episode, I’m joined by Chloe Meadows, James Brockbank, Amanda Walls, Vince Nero and Natalie Trice to discuss the changing role of digital PR and how it fits into the future of SEO, AI search and brand building.

We explore how digital PR has evolved beyond simply earning links, why brand mentions and authority are becoming increasingly important in an AI-driven search landscape, and what separates campaigns that create real business impact from those that simply generate coverage.

The panel also discusses campaign relevance, journalist relationships, measuring PR success, avoiding vanity metrics, and why digital PR needs to work alongside SEO, content and wider marketing teams.

My Guests:

Chloe Meadows — https://www.linkedin.com/in/chloemeadowspr/

James Brockbank — https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-brockbank/

Amanda Walls — https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandajwalls/

Vince Nero — https://www.linkedin.com/in/vinnero/

Natalie Trice — https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-trice/

Topics Covered:

- What Digital PR Means In 2026: How the discipline has evolved from link building into a broader brand authority and trust-building strategy

- Digital PR vs Link Building: Why digital PR should not simply be viewed as a way to earn links and why context, relevance and reputation matter more

- AI Search & Brand Authority: How digital PR can help search engines and AI models understand who brands are and what they are trusted for

- Building Entities & Trust Signals: Why mentions, expertise and third-party validation are becoming increasingly important

- The Relationship Between SEO & Digital PR: Why PR cannot operate in isolation and needs to align with SEO, content, product and wider marketing goals

- Why Relevance Matters More Than Ever: Moving away from generic campaigns and focusing on topics that genuinely connect with audiences and brands

- Creating Digital PR Campaigns That Stand Out: Why creativity, emotion, uniqueness and understanding your audience are critical to breaking through journalist inboxes

- The Changing Role Of Journalists: How media challenges, crowded inboxes and changing publishing models are impacting PR professionals

- Brand Building vs Vanity Metrics: Why coverage numbers, link counts and estimated reach are not enough without understanding the real impact

- Measuring Digital PR Success: Moving beyond awareness metrics and focusing on business outcomes, conversions and meaningful influence

- Can Digital PR Fix A Broken Brand?: Why PR cannot replace strong products, technical SEO, good content or customer experiences

- The Future Of Digital PR: How AI, search changes and evolving consumer behaviour will continue shaping the industry

Thank you to our partners:

SEO Gets, the easy-to-use analytics and reporting tool for your GSC & GA4 data. Be sure to check out the tool and use code search10 for 10% off: https://seogets.com/

Linkavista — A backlink marketplace built for SEOs who want more transparency. With access to thousands of websites, real traffic insights through Google Search Console connections, and an easier way to find relevant opportunities.

Use code SEARCH10 for 10% extra credit on your first order:https://linkavista.com/

Host: Sean Barber — https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanrbarber/ (He/Him)

In this Real Talk With Sean episode, I’m joined by Jess Joyce, Natalia Witczyk, and Jade Pruett for a wide-ranging discussion covering the future of SEO, AI search, data reporting, content creation, social media, and how marketers can adapt in an increasingly AI-driven world.

We look at how teams should approach the growing amount of data available to them, why storytelling is becoming more important than ever, how brands can maintain a human edge in AI-generated content, the future of international SEO, and the challenges surrounding social media and younger generations.

My Guests:

Jess Joyce — https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessjoyce/

Natalia Witczyk — https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliawitczyk/

Jade Pruett — https://www.linkedin.com/in/jade-pruett/

Topics Covered:

- The Data Overload Problem: With more platforms, tools, and AI data available than ever, how marketers can avoid being overwhelmed and focus on meaningful insights

- Creating Stories From Data: Why reporting is moving away from dashboards and toward explaining what the numbers actually mean for businesses

- The Search Data Challenge: The limitations of GA4, Search Console, third-party tools, attribution, and why a single source of truth may not exist

- Using Data Across The Business: Bringing together SEO, PPC, sales, customer insights, and other teams to create a clearer picture of performance

- AI, MCPs & The Future Of Reporting: How AI tools will increase the amount of available data and make storytelling skills even more important

- Moving Beyond Vanity Metrics: Why marketers need to focus more on conversions, revenue, donations, and real business outcomes rather than traffic alone

- Humanising Content In An AI World: Why expertise, personal experiences, opinions, and human perspectives are becoming the biggest differentiators

- The Last 20% AI Can’t Create: How brands can use subject matter experts, customer stories, and original insights to build trust

- International SEO In The AI Era: Why localisation will become increasingly important as AI models struggle with regional differences and cultural context

- Creating Content AI Cannot Replicate: The importance of communities, user-generated content, real experiences, and building genuine authority

- AI As A Collaboration Tool: Using AI for research, brainstorming, and workflows while keeping humans involved in the final output

- The Future Of Social Media For Younger Generations: Discussing age restrictions, mental health concerns, online safety, and the impact of social platforms

- AI, Algorithms & Online Responsibility: Exploring the balance between freedom, safety, moderation, and the future direction of online platforms

Thank you to our partners:

SEO Gets, the easy-to-use analytics and reporting tool for your GSC & GA4 data. Be sure to check out the tool and use code search10 for 10% off: https://seogets.com/

Linkavista — A backlink marketplace built for SEOs who want more transparency. With access to thousands of websites, real traffic insights through Google Search Console connections, and an easier way to find relevant opportunities.Use code SEARCH10 for 10% extra credit on your first order:https://linkavista.com/