Charles Floate Explains Parasite SEO, Google’s Updates & E-E-A-T 🔥

“If you’re in SEO, you’re not in Google engine optimization. You’re in search engine optimization.” Charles Floate has been warning SEOs about this for years. ⚠️

At the Chiang Mai SEO conference, during a wave of massive Google updates, I sat down with SEO legend Charles Floate. 🎙️

We talked about parasite SEO, why Google seems to have lost focus, E-E-A-T, affiliate homepages, Semrush vs Ahrefs, and content pruning. 🔥

📊 In this episode, we unpacked:

• 🌀 Is Google confused?
• 🦠 Parasite SEO: “It’s like 2009 again”
• 🌐 Don’t put all your eggs in Google’s basket
• 🛡️ E-E-A-T and a real-company homepage
• 🧰 Semrush vs Ahrefs, spam scores and disavows
• ✂️ Content pruning and AI sites
• 🎤 Chiang Mai takeaways

🎥 Watch the full episode:

🌀 Is Google Confused?

“I don’t actually know if Google themselves know what’s going on.” Charles thinks many updates come out of the blue because earlier ones hurt search quality. 🌀

His read: Google is moving toward a monetizable version of SGE, expanding data center capacity, and trying to stop users leaving for Bing, without a clear focus. 🎯

On AI content, Google went from “it’s spam” to “allowed if human-edited” to “allowed if helpful” to using it in SGE, all within about 12 months. “They’re purely about profitability” and leading whatever market they’re chasing. 🔄

🦠 Parasite SEO: “It’s Like 2009 Again”

With LinkedIn and Reddit spam ranking, “It’s like 2009 again.” Back then, you needed a 3,000–5,000-word post on a parasite site. Now a Reddit comment can rank. 💬

Would he trust a Reddit review? No. But it’s a volume game, and many users trust user-generated reviews more than big publishers. 📊

For terms like “best online casino UK,” he’d still use parasite SEO, especially local parasites. He cited bettingexpert.com, which has an exclusive 50/50 partnership to publish gambling content on the Telegraph (DR 92) and reportedly earns £5–15 million a month in commissions. 🎰

For another fast-ranking playbook, read SEO Jesus on engagement signals and cheap press releases. 🔗

🌐 Don’t Put All Your Eggs in Google’s Basket

SGE will change the game, so start preparing now, especially if you’re a content affiliate. Other search engines are often easier than Google and can earn more:

• ▶️ YouTube and TikTok
• 🛒 Amazon, eBay and Wayfair for e-commerce
• 📱 Google Play and the App Store

Ranking a tennis racket on Amazon will usually make more than ranking it on Google. Tunnel vision on Google “is going to come and bite a lot of SEOs.” 🎾

Should hit affiliates just add e-commerce? No. His own e-commerce portfolio grew because Google shifted SERP intent toward stores (Amazon and eBay instead of Wirecutter). Adding a shop doesn’t change your site’s intent. 🛍️

🛡️ E-E-A-T and a Real-Company Homepage

E-A-T existed long before the 2016 Quality Rater Guidelines. “It was just called trust signals.” In YMYL niches especially, you almost have to build them for Google to trust you. 🛡️

Make your affiliate site look like a real business. Don’t make a “best X” page your homepage. Use real information, news, CTAs and social profiles. As Wil Reynolds says, do “real company” stuff. 🏢

His homepage rule: put something that makes money at the very top, like an email signup, lead magnet, product boxes, or a Black Friday offer. Visitors who didn’t click an affiliate link on an inner page still get monetized. Email lists also add value when you sell the site. 💰

🧰 Semrush vs Ahrefs, Spam Scores and Disavows

In the Semrush vs Ahrefs spat, he thinks both look bad, but Semrush is slightly winning by not bashing competitors publicly. Still, “Ahrefs still have the best data” and the best tool, with a better UX. 🧰

Spam scores from Moz and Semrush? “Absolute nonsense.” They ignore tiered link building and other signals. Some people uploaded Semrush-based disavows and lost rankings. 🚫

He disavows only for overwhelming bad links or a real negative SEO attack. “99% of the cases I don’t disavow.” Google usually neutralizes bad links. ⚖️

He doesn’t build programmatic SEO himself, but supplies niches, keywords, data and links to people who do. For that approach, read my interview with Koray Tuğberk. 🔗

✂️ Content Pruning and AI Sites

I shared that I trashed about 1,000 weak 2015-era articles and later saw traffic swing up and down with core updates. 📉

His warning: even a weak page may be topically supporting a page that gets traffic. Remove it, and the strong page can lose topical authority. ✂️

Why do trashy AI sites rank for coupon terms? They can upload 10,000 articles at once, so they have topical authority from day one. 🤖

🎤 Chiang Mai Takeaways

After speaking every year, this was his first time as an attendee, since he no longer speaks at other people’s events. He enjoyed learning without “anxiety mornings” before addressing a thousand people. 😌

His mastermind group included Steve Toth of SEO Notebook, “one of the nicest guys in SEO.” Read my interview with Steve Toth. 🔗

The main takeaway: everyone is panicking about AI. Those who stay focused and move toward what’s next will make it. “AI is the future of the industry, and if you aren’t adapting to it, you will be left behind.” 🚀

📝 Key Takeaways From the Charles Floate Interview

• 🌐 Optimize for all search engines, not just Google
• 🦠 Parasite SEO works again, especially on local authority sites
• 🛍️ Adding e-commerce doesn’t fix a SERP intent shift
• 🏢 Make your affiliate site look like a real company
• 💰 Put something that earns at the top of your homepage
• ✂️ Prune carefully, because weak pages may support strong ones

❓ FAQs About Charles Floate

What is parasite SEO?

Publishing content on high-authority third-party sites (like Reddit, LinkedIn or news publishers) to rank faster than your own site could. Charles says it works again, “like 2009.”

How should SEOs prepare for SGE?

Charles recommends diversifying into other search engines like YouTube, TikTok, Amazon, eBay and app stores, which can be easier and more profitable.

Are spam scores and disavows useful?

Charles calls Moz and Semrush spam scores nonsense and disavows only for overwhelming bad links or real negative SEO attacks.

Should you delete weak content?

Be careful. Weak pages may still provide topical support to pages that rank, so pruning can reduce topical authority.

🎙️ More Inside A Hustler’s Brain Interviews You’ll Love

• Kyle Roof SEO Strategies, AI Tests & How To Rank #1 in Google 🚀
• Cyrus Shepard Spills Secret SEO Hacks to Rank #1 on Google 🚀
• Niels Zee On Building a 7-Figure Affiliate Business with Google Ads 🤑
• How Darrel Wilson Makes 6-Figures With WordPress + Affiliate Marketing

Which non-Google search engine are you testing next? Share this with an affiliate who relies only on Google. 💬

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