If you’ve ever done some SEO tweaks and then wondered, “Okay… but how do I actually know if it's actually working?” you’re not alone. I hear this question all the time, and it usually comes with a lot of frustration and second-guessing.

In this episode, I talk through a real DM conversation that sparked this topic. I explain why relying only on that "full inbox feeling" can make SEO progress feel discouraging.

We’re zooming out and looking at what progress actually looks like, what to track along the way, and how to know whether you’re moving in the right direction.

What I cover

1. Why inquiries alone aren’t the best way to judge whether your SEO is working

2. The workout analogy I use to explain SEO progress and expectations

3. The three metrics we track monthly inside my SEO agency

4. How to track keyword rankings without Googling yourself

5. What organic traffic and impressions tell you about your visibility

6. Why tracking inquiries with data (not vibes) really matters

Resources mentioned

1. Ubersuggest: https://saradoesseo.com/ubersuggest*

   *This is an affiliate link, so I may earn commission. Please note that I always recommended Ubersuggest to my students because it's an affordable tool to get started with.

2. SEO Edge: http://seoedgeapps.com/

3. Google Search Console: https://search.google.com/search-console/

4. Google Analytics: https://analytics.google.com/

Your Next Steps

👉 Learn more about Sara Does SEO: https://saradoesseo.com/

👩‍💻 Check out our SEO services for wedding pros and photographers: https://saradoesseo.com/get-more-info/

💌 Connect with me on Instagram @saradoesseo!

So many business owners say to me: "I tried SEO, but I just don't get it. It's hard and techy... and it's just not for me."

In this episode, I slow things down and talk honestly about why learning SEO absolutely can feel confusing and overwhelming, especially for wedding pros who have already “tried it before".

I share the patterns I see over and over again, including the mistakes I made myself when I was trying to piece everything together on my own.

More importantly, I walk you through what actually makes SEO feel calmer, clearer, and more doable.

If you’ve ever felt like SEO just isn’t clicking for you, this conversation is meant to help you find the way forward to make it work.

What I cover

1. Why listening to too many SEO voices at once makes everything feel harder

2. How learning SEO without a clear order creates overwhelm and confusion

3. What changed for me when I finally learned SEO step by step

4. Why SEO looks different depending on your type of business and website

5. Why tracking your progress matters more than you might think

Resources mentioned

• Wedding SEO Bootcamp: https://saradoesseo.com/wedding-seo-bootcamp/
• Rank for Revenue: https://saradoesseo.com/rank-for-revenue
• Google Search Console: https://search.google.com/search-console/

Recommended Episodes

• Episode 4: Where do I START with SEO?
• Episode 1: Sara, Why Are You So Obsessed with SEO?? (How I Got Started)

Your Next Steps

👉 Learn more about Sara Does SEO: https://saradoesseo.com/

👩‍💻 Check out our SEO services for wedding pros and photographers: https://saradoesseo.com/get-more-info/

💌 Connect with me on Instagram @saradoesseo!

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by conflicting advice from blogs, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook groups, and "that guy" who says he knows SEO, this episode is for you!

I slow everything down and walk you through what I consider square one of wedding SEO — the one step that gives you the biggest impact.

We’re focusing on clarity, not perfection, and starting in a place that actually makes sense when SEO feels intimidating. You don’t need to do everything at once to start seeing traction!

What I cover

1. ​Why SEO feels so overwhelming at first (and how to dip a toe in with clarity)
2. ​Why I always recommend starting with your homepage
3. ​How to choose a homepage keyword that represents your location and service
4. ​The tradeoff between being specific vs. going more general with location keywords
5. ​The exact places I recommend using your keyword on your homepage
6. ​How homepage optimization helps Google clearly understand what you do

Resources mentioned

1. ​One Hour SEO: https://saradoesseo.com/1hour-seo/
2. ​Ubersuggest (SEO keyword research tool): https://saradoesseo.com/ubersuggest*

*This is an affiliate link, so I may earn commission. Please note that I always recommended Ubersuggest to my students because it's an affordable tool to get started with.

Your Next Steps

👉 Learn more about Sara Does SEO: https://saradoesseo.com/

👩‍💻 Check out our SEO services for wedding pros and photographers: https://saradoesseo.com/get-more-info/

💌 Connect with me on Instagram @saradoesseo!

I know AI search and ChatGPT recommendations are THE hot topic right now. So let's talk about it!

In this episode, I get tactical on what I've discovered through hundreds of test AI searches in the wedding industry. We'll talk about why some wedding pros are getting recommended by ChatGPT and what AI tools are looking for from your business if you want to show up.

If you’ve been wondering whether you need to overhaul your SEO strategy in 2026 or if what you’re already doing still counts, give this a listen!

What I cover

• Why traditional SEO setup is still essential — even for AI-based tools like ChatGPT

• How couples are actually using AI search to find wedding vendors

• Why clear written website content matters more than ever for AI recommendations

• How explaining what makes you different helps AI tools compare and recommend vendors

• Why FAQs are incredibly helpful for AI search and the sales process

• The growing importance of brand mentions (not just backlinks) in AI optimization

Resources mentioned

• Wedding SEO Bootcamp: https://saradoesseo.com/wedding-seo-bootcamp/

• Get Found on ChatGPT workshop inside Wedding SEO Bootcamp

Recommended Episodes

• Episode 2: Wedding SEO in 2026: Is it All Changing?

Your Next Steps

👉 Learn more about Sara Does SEO: https://saradoesseo.com/

👩‍💻 Check out our SEO services for wedding pros and photographers: https://saradoesseo.com/get-more-info/

💌 Connect with me on Instagram @saradoesseo!

I keep hearing the same question over and over again — what’s going on with wedding SEO in 2026?

I get why it feels confusing! With clickbait headlines, AI panic, and people declaring that “Google is dead,” it’s easy to feel unsure about the future of SEO.

In this episode, I slow everything down and talk through what I’m actually seeing inside wedding business SEO day in and day out.

I share what has changed, what’s staying the same, and why the wedding industry is very different from a lot of the examples being used to scare people online.

What I cover

• Why people keep saying SEO is “dead” (and why that narrative isn’t new)

• How AI tools like ChatGPT are impacting some industries — but not wedding SEO in the same way

• The difference between traffic that looks good on paper and traffic that actually leads to inquiries

• The shift I’m recommending for how wedding pros blog in 2026

• What wedding SEO success will really look like heading into 2026

Your Next Steps

👉Learn more about Sara Does SEO: https://saradoesseo.com/

👩‍💻 Check out our SEO services for wedding pros and photographers: https://saradoesseo.com/get-more-info/

💌 Connect with me on Instagram @SaraDoesSEO

I finally did it — I started the podcast!! 🎉 And in this very first episode, I’m sharing why hitting “record” felt so weirdly hard, even after years of teaching SEO online. I talk honestly about the mental blocks I had, what finally unlocked this idea for me, and why I decided this podcast would be built around answering real SEO questions instead of trying to be entertaining for the sake of it.

I also answer the question I get asked all the time: why am I so obsessed with SEO, and how did I even get started?

This episode is equal parts backstory, mindset shift, and a little pep talk if you’ve ever felt intimidated by SEO (or starting something new!).

What I cover

• Why starting this podcast felt harder than teaching, guesting, or going live

• The “aha” moment that led me to build this podcast around SEO questions

• How I stumbled into SEO through web design and digital marketing

• The turning point where SEO finally clicked for me as a process

• Why I think SEO is both creative and analytical — and why that’s what makes it fun

Your Next Steps

👉 Learn more about Sara Does SEO: https://saradoesseo.com/

👩‍💻 Check out our SEO services for wedding pros and photographers: https://saradoesseo.com/get-more-info/

💌 Connect with me on Instagram @saradoesseo!

Welcome to the Sara Does SEO Podcast—your go-to show for making search engine optimization feel simple, fun, and totally doable.

I’m Sara Dunn, and I’m here to help wedding pros like photographers, planners, and venues show up on Google and AI tools like ChatGPT—without getting overwhelmed with the tech.

On this show, I’ll break down what’s working right now, what’s not worth your energy, and how to start getting found by the right couples online.

Since I love being a business owner, we might even dip our toes into online business, marketing strategy, and any other geeky topics beyond SEO that are on my radar.

Let’s make SEO your business’s new secret weapon. This is the Sara Does SEO Podcast.