What's The Theory?

About What's The Theory?

What's the theory is an exciting new SEO podcast that explores the theories and myths surrounding the search industry's tactics, trends, algorithmic changes and AI. Think of us like the myth busters, but for SEO. Your hosts aren't Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman though, so you'll have to make do with David Vernon and Sara Kavanagh, the co-founders of Search Theory with a combined experience spanning decades. David and Sara have worked with brands like Berghaus, Kickers, Mitre, Lloyds Banking Group, Speedo, Yamaha and JD Sports Group. It's fair to say they've got a bit of skin in the game. Want us to explore a search theory you've been thinking of? Let us know by providing feedback and telling us what you want us to explore next.

Publisher

Search Theory

Category

business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

19 May 2026

Latest episode

28 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

6 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   28 Sept 2026

   Are Backlinks Dead? The Truth About Link Building in 2026

   Are backlinks dead? The truth about link building in 2026. In this episode of What's The Theory? we dive into the evolution of backlinks in SEO, the role of digital PR, and the impact of AI on search. We also highlight the importance of relevant and reputable brand mentions over traditional backlinks. Brands need to have a much more nuanced approach to link building, the impact of digital PR, and the evolving landscape of SEO and content strategies. Emphasizing the importance of human touch, ethical considerations, and the shift from link buying to authentic content strategies. Takeaways Backlinks have evolved in importance, with a shift towards quality over quantity. Digital PR plays a crucial role in securing relevant and reputable brand mentions for AI search. Nuanced approach to link building Impact of digital PR Shift from link buying to authentic content strategies Chapters 00:00 Evolution of Backlinks in SEO 05:15 The Role of Digital PR in AI Search 09:31 Relevant and Reputable Brand Mentions 10:27 Misinformation and the Impact of AI on Search 22:20 The Pitfalls of Buying Backlinks 26:23 Nuanced Approach to Link Building 27:39 Ethical Considerations in Digital PR 28:08 Evolution of SEO and Content Strategies 29:08 The Role of Digital PR in Link Building 30:07 The Impact of Authentic Content Strategies 31:02 The Future of Digital PR and Link Building 32:01 The Human Touch in Digital PR 33:35 The Changing Landscape of Link Building 34:25 The Value of Digital PR in SEO 35:47 The Role of Human Element in Digital PR 36:22 The Future of Link Building and Digital PR 37:20 The Evolution of Digital PR and SEO 38:56 The Shift from Link Buying to Authentic Content Strategies 39:52 The Importance of Human Touch in Digital PR 40:48 The Role of Digital PR in the Evolving Landscape 43:07 The Future of Digital PR and SEO 44:03 The Impact of Authentic Content Strategies

2. 

   28 Aug 2026

   Work From Home: Freedom, Productivity or a Management Nightmare?

   What’s the Theory Behind Working From Home? Does working from home make people more productive - or are businesses sacrificing culture, communication and control? In this episode of What’s the Theory?, David Vernon is joined by Sarah, his Search Theory co-founder, to tackle one of the most divisive workplace debates: remote working versus the office. Drawing on their combined experience as employees, managers and agency owners, David and Sarah explore whether compulsory office attendance genuinely improves performance - or simply reflects outdated attitudes towards trust and productivity. The conversation covers the impact of extreme heat and inflexible working conditions, the true financial cost of commuting, generational differences between Millennials and Gen Z, office distractions, micromanagement and the challenge of building a strong culture remotely. They also discuss Search Theory’s own approach to flexible working and why measuring people by results may be more effective than monitoring the hours they spend at a desk. From employees being questioned over one-minute lunch overruns to the reality of answering emails while loading the dishwasher, this is an honest and occasionally heated discussion about what modern work should actually look like. Should employees be free to work wherever and whenever they perform at their best—or does the office still have an essential role to play? Listen now and join the debate. Chapters 00:00 The Impact of Heatwaves on Work 03:11 Productivity and Communication in Remote Work 07:59 The Role of Office Spaces and Flexible Working Policies 20:58 The Impact of Flexibility on Talent and Productivity 21:44 Challenges of Micromanagement and Office Expectations 23:17 Financial Implications of Remote Work 26:12 Boundaries and Trust in Remote Work 39:41 The Freedom of Choice and Attracting Talent Visit: www.searchtheory.co.uk (http://www.searchtheory.co.uk) for more information.

3. 

   2 Jul 2026

   Is The Rise In Young Leadership A Good Thing?

   Is the rise in young leadership a good thing? David and Sara share their experiences with dealing with leadership challenges early in their career.

4. 

   9 Jun 2026

   Is Paid Media Impacted By AI?

   Everybody is talking about AI taking over the digital advertising world right now. But is it actually optimising your paid media, or is it just creating a silent black hole for your hard-earned ad spend? In this episode of What's the Theory?, we’re pulling back the curtain on how AI is quietly rewriting the rules of PPC and Paid Social. While the organic search world faces highly visible disruptions right on the SERP, the paid media landscape has been undergoing a massive, hidden backend transformation. We’re diving deep into the automated match types making a sudden comeback, the death of historical search query data, and the aggressive moves by platforms like Meta and ChatGPT to monetise conversational interfaces. Spoiler alert: You can't just flip an automated switch and walk away. We are officially busting the theory that AI is a completely hands-off, set-and-forget solution for your ad accounts, and breaking down exactly why your human strategic brain is still your ultimate paid media superpower. What You'll Learn (Takeaways) The Illusion of Automation: Why modern machine learning engines look seamless on the surface, but can initially serve low-quality placements if left entirely unguided. The Data Black Hole: How the death of exact search query metrics and the shift toward "thematic" terms are forcing advertisers to completely change how they track consumer intent. The Creative Level-Up: How to weaponise new generative features like Google's Asset Studio to spin up high-quality video assets from static images on a bootstrap budget. Platform Showdowns: The real-world pros and cons of Google's rapid deployment vs. Meta's non-transparent "black box" approach and ChatGPT's early-stage ad formatting. Chapters 00:00 The Paid Media AI Revolution 06:45 PPC Then vs. Now: The Aggressive Return of Broad Match 13:20 Phasing Out DSA: Navigating the Mandatory Migration to Performance Max 19:55 The Transparency Problem: Losing Granular Search Query Data 25:10 Platform Showdown: Google vs. Meta Advantage+ vs. ChatGPT Ads 29:35 Levelling the Playing Field: AI Video Generation in Asset Studio 34:15 Behind the Scenes: Riverside Platform Technical Bloopers & Outtakes To find out how to keep your human strategy ahead of evolving digital trends, visit the team at www.searchtheory.co.uk (http://www.searchtheory.co.uk).

5. 

   29 May 2026

   Can Claude Really Run Your SEO?

   Everybody is screaming about AI taking over the search world right now. But is it actually fixing SEO, or is it just breaking the internet? In this episode of What's The Theory, we’re pulling back the curtain on the massive AI hype machine. Look, tools like ChatGPT are great for brainstorming, but relying purely on bots to build your search strategy is a shortcut to disaster. We’re diving into the dark side of automated content, the heavy skepticism blowing up the industry, and the very real limitations these tools face. Spoiler alert: Google still wants humans writing for humans. We are officially busting the theory that AI is a magic silver bullet for your traffic, and breaking down exactly why your human brain is still your ultimate SEO superpower. What You'll Learn (Takeaways) The Illusion of Smart Tools: Why AI software looks brilliant on the surface but fundamentally fails at deep SEO strategy. The Collateral Damage: How over-relying on automated content can actually tank your hard-earned rankings. The Human Advantage: Why Google's latest algorithms crave real human experience, and how to weaponize your unique expertise. Chapters 00:00 The AI SEO Hype Train 08:50 The Reality Check: What AI Tools Actually Can (and Can't) Do 15:14 Why Everyone Is Suddenly Skeptical 21:26 The Human Element Google Craves 35:47 Theory Busted: Why Bots Won’t Steal Your Rankings

6. 

   19 May 2026

   Is BrightonSEO All It's Hyped Up To Be?

   What The Theory? Episode 1: The Truth Behind Brighton SEO & The GEO Myth Search Theory Co-Founders David Vernon and Sarah Kavanagh pull back the curtain on the latest industry trends from Brighton SEO, exposing why the heavily marketed concept of GEO (Generative Experience Optimisation) is mostly a sales gimmick. They reveal the real reason behind mysterious organic traffic drops, the changing behaviour of modern consumers, and why the absolute basics of technical SEO still beat AI hype every single time. David Vernon and Sarah Kavanagh are veteran search marketers and the Co-Founders of Search Theory, an agency built on transparent, data-driven strategies. With years of experience managing campaigns for leading brands across the UK, they launched What The Theory? to debunk industry myths, challenge lazy agency narratives, and help businesses find what actually moves the needle in modern search. They explain: The "GEO" hype cycle and why it’s just a repackaging of old-school long-tail SEO The silent analytics mistake currently hiding up to 30% of your organic traffic How LLMs actually crawl data, and why standard crawl budgets make cheap link-building useless Why keyword strategies are shifting from simple queries to 120-word conversational prompts The transparency crisis between brands and agencies that is quietly killing campaign performance Timestamps 00:00 Intro & Welcome to What’s The Theory? 01:31 Moving Past the AI Doom-and-Gloom of Last Year 02:15 Exposing the Birth of the "GEO" Narrative 03:27 You Can Rank Number One on Google and Still Lose 05:11 Going Back to the Bare-Bones Basics of Search 07:50 Real Market Share Data: Google vs. ChatGPT, Gemini & Perplexity 08:32 The No-Click Problem: How Sponsored Ads are Taking Over the SERP 09:25 Marketers Don't Have a Conversion Problem—They Have an Attribution Problem 11:10 The Tracking Nightmare: How Old UA Code is Screwing Your GA4 Data 13:15 Consent Mode Updates and Losing 30% of Your Visible Traffic 16:15 What Does GEO Actually Mean? 17:55 Analysing the Data: Why People Use 120-Word Prompts on LLMs 21:40 The Ultimate Truth: "Good GEO is Just Good SEO" 23:00 Why You Can't Wisely Optimize Product Pages for Conversational Prompts 26:30 The Technical Risk: Crawl Bloat, Site Speed, and Tanking Core Web Vitals 28:45 For God's Sake, Use Formatting! (Paragraphs, Headings, and Citations) 31:00 The Rebirth of Link-Building Farms: How Agencies Rebrand to Survive 35:30 YouTube: Capitalizing on the World's Second-Largest Search Engine 37:15 The Cross-Platform Consumer Journey (Reddit, YouTube, and Verification) 39:48 Rant Time: Laziness and AI-Generated Presentations at Brighton SEO 41:10 The Surprising Environmental and Carbon Cost of AI Search 43:00 Outro: Becoming the Mythbusters of Digital Marketing Enjoyed the episode? Share the episode with fellow marketers and businesses navigating the shifting landscape of search: Have a theory or an SEO myth you want David and Sarah to bust in the next episode? Let us know in the comments below! Visit www.searchtheory.co.uk (http://www.searchtheory.co.uk) for more information.