What if the most effective way to build your brand's digital authority has less to do with algorithms and more to do with relationships?
As AI changes how people search for information, discover businesses, and make purchasing decisions, organizations are navigating an increasingly complex digital environment. But while the technology continues to evolve, the fundamentals of building trust remain remarkably consistent.
In this episode of The Mike Method, Mike Desjardins welcomes Maria-Katarina Johannesson, also known as Links and Maria, to explore the relationship between SEO, backlinks, digital PR, and human connection.
With more than a decade of experience building relationships across sales and digital marketing, Maria-Katarina brings a refreshingly human perspective to a technical industry.
Together, they unpack what backlinks actually are, why relevance matters more than volume, and how businesses can strengthen their authority by focusing on meaningful partnerships, compelling stories, and genuinely useful content.
They also explore the growing problem of AI-generated outreach, why automation without intention can damage trust, and how organizations can approach digital visibility as part of a broader business strategy.
In this conversation, you'll learn:
At the heart of this conversation is a reminder that applies well beyond marketing: meaningful results come from understanding your audience, investing in relationships, and creating something genuinely valuable.
Because in an increasingly automated world, human connection still matters.
Episode Reosurces:
Maria-Katarina Johannesson | Links and Maria – Learn more about Maria-Katarina's human-first approach to link building and digital PR.
Google's SEO Starter Guide – An introduction to search engine optimization and creating useful, relevant content.
Google's Link Best Practices – Guidance on links, relevance, and how search engines interpret them.
AI Features and Your Website – Google's guidance on how AI is changing search and what website owners should know.
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