🚀 Is SEO really dead — or just misunderstood in the age of AI?

In this episode of **Inside Marketing With MarketSurge**, host **Reed Hansen**, Chief Growth Officer at MarketSurge, sits down with **Jan Watermann** — SEO and content marketing expert, growth strategist, and co-founder of **Pragmatic Business**.

Jan has been behind **millions in organic growth** for marketers, consultants, and agencies, and is known for blending time-tested SEO fundamentals with a modern, AI-powered lens. In this conversation, we break down what SEO actually looks like in 2025 and beyond — factoring in Google’s evolving algorithms, AI-driven search tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity, and the growing importance of trust, relevance, and systems over shortcuts.

Jan also shares his unconventional journey — from leaving school early and moving across the world with almost nothing, to building scalable growth systems that help businesses escape referral-only growth and short-term gigs.

💡 In this episode, you’ll learn:
• Why SEO is not dead — and why it’s more important than ever
• How AI is changing how people search and consume information
• What modern SEO prioritizes instead of keyword stuffing
• Why trust, authority, and digital PR matter in AI-powered search
• How freelancers can transition into scalable, productized businesses
• The psychology behind content that ranks *and* converts
• Why systems beat hacks for long-term organic growth

If you’re a founder, marketer, consultant, or agency owner navigating SEO in an AI-driven world, this episode delivers clarity and practical insight you can actually apply.

👇 Connect with Jan & Pragmatic Business:
🔗 Pragmatic Business: [https://pragmaticbusiness.com](https://pragmaticbusiness.com)

📍 About the Show
Welcome to **Inside Marketing With MarketSurge** — your front-row seat to the boldest ideas, real-world strategies, and unfiltered conversations shaping modern marketing.

Hosted by **Reed Hansen**, a digital marketing veteran who’s helped scale startups to Fortune 500 brands, this podcast breaks down what’s *actually working* in marketing today — without the fluff.

📈 At MarketSurge, we help you turn tools into systems — and systems into growth.
If you want automation that feels personal and performs like a team of 10, you’re in the right place.

🧠 Want to talk strategy or see MarketSurge in action?
🎯 Book your 15-minute Value or Free Coffee Call:
[https://link.marketsurge.io/widget/bookings/15minutevalueorfreecoffee](https://link.marketsurge.io/widget/bookings/15minutevalueorfreecoffee)

🔗 Useful Links
🌐 Website: [https://marketsurge.io](https://marketsurge.io)
📘 Facebook Page: [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100035121171654](https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100035121171654)
💼 LinkedIn: [https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsurgeio](https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsurgeio)
🐦 X / Twitter: [https://x.com/marketsurging](https://x.com/marketsurging)
🎙️ Podcast: [https://marketsurge.transistor.fm/](https://marketsurge.transistor.fm/)

Because your next breakthrough shouldn’t be a guess. 🚀