“As long as people are searching, SEO will never be dead. It will just evolve into different formats.” — David Vernon
David Vernon is the CEO of CandidSky, a leading UK-based SEO and digital marketing agency. With over 13 years of experience in digital marketing, David has worked across social media, digital PR, and SEO, ultimately becoming a respected leader known for his forward-thinking approach. He specializes in search strategy, team building, and guiding businesses through the evolving SEO landscape shaped by AI and zero-click environments.
Episode Summary
In this episode of SEO Success Stories, host Russ Macumber speaks with David Vernon, CEO of CandidSky, about the future of SEO in an era dominated by AI Overviews, zero-click searches, and evolving search behaviors. David shares insights from his journey—from starting in social media to leading a top UK agency—emphasizing the importance of adaptability, strategic leadership, and long-term thinking in SEO. He discusses the complex challenges presented by AI, the shifting role of websites, the changing nature of attribution, and why SEO isn’t dying but evolving. This episode explores why forward-thinking SEO teams that focus on collaboration, culture, and long-term vision will thrive in the years ahead.
Key Takeaways
- AI Overviews & Zero-Click Searches: SEO is entering a zero-click era where users get answers without visiting websites. SEOs must adapt to remain visible and impactful.
- Adaptability Is Crucial: SEOs need to balance current tactics with preparation for future shifts driven by AI, personalization, and evolving user behaviors.
- Attribution Challenges: Traditional SEO reporting is becoming less reliable. SEOs must collaborate with other teams to develop new, holistic attribution models.
- Websites Aren’t Dying, But They’re Evolving: Websites will remain essential for transactions and deep research but may no longer serve as the primary source of information discovery.
- Culture-Driven Agencies Will Win: Agencies that invest in strong, ambitious teams with shared vision and adaptability will outperform those focused solely on short-term gains.
- SEO Is Resilient: As long as search exists—whether on Google, TikTok, Amazon, or AI platforms—there will always be a role for SEO.
Timestamped Summary
- 00:11–01:47 – Introduction to David Vernon and the episode’s focus on SEO’s evolving future.
- 02:14–06:35 – The biggest challenge for SEOs in 2025: adapting to AI, zero-click searches, and search’s shift toward instant answers.
- 07:02–10:39 – Why SEOs must balance short-term tactics with long-term adaptation, and how Google’s experiments may or may not scale globally.
- 11:08–13:29 – Attribution in the age of AI: why measuring success is harder than ever and how brands must rethink their KPIs.
- 14:27–21:34 – David’s career journey from social media to CEO, including lessons from agency life and leadership evolution.
- 23:28–30:36 – Leadership philosophy: balancing firmness and fairness, building strong cultures, and avoiding short-sighted decisions.
- 31:02–33:00 – Why SEO isn’t dead: as long as there’s a search bar, there’s SEO.
- 33:27–37:18 – Rethinking reporting: how SEOs should communicate value in a zero-click world and the importance of cross-channel collaboration.
- 37:46–40:41 – Why “analysis paralysis” can paralyze decision-making, and the need for human judgment alongside data.
- 41:11–44:57 – Will websites become redundant? David explains why websites will still matter for transactions but not always for information discovery.
- 45:21–49:43 – Quick-fire questions: algorithm updates, tools, content vs. links, link building, AI, agency vs. in-house SEO, and more.
- 49:43–50:11 – Closing thoughts and where to connect with David Vernon (LinkedIn).
