Always Be Testing: Real SEO/SEM Plays for 2026 | Ep. 43 w/ Peter Kalanda (3 Horizons Interactive)
“SEO isn’t dead...LLM search just rewards brands that ship the fundamentals and answer real questions.”
If you feel like your ad dollars buy less every month, you’re not imagining it. Peter Kalanda (Co-Founder, 3 Horizons Interactive) and I unpack what’s still real in SEO/SEM...and where to double down as LLM search starts stealing clicks.
Highlights
- Paid as visibility tax vs. conversion: how to target so small budgets don’t vaporize.
- Run SEO and SEM as one system (structure, titles, keywords, quality score).
- Local/service landing pages that rank...and don’t clutter your nav.
- ABT: Always Be Testing from forms to fulfillment.
- LLM search is already in analytics; teach users branded prompts to find you.
Chapters
0:00 Cold open
1:00 Peter’s path, hospitality → EY → SEO/SEM
5:00 Paid that actually converts
7:15 SEO + SEM together
8:30 Landing-page pattern
11:30 ABT: Always Be Testing
12:10 First fixes
13:00 AI design vs human design
16:00 LLM search strategy
18:30 Free mini-audit & close
Guest Links
• 3 Horizons Interactive: 3h-i.com
Host Links / CTAs
• Transition Leadership Foundation Call (20 min): https://calendly.com/adamwbarney/foundation-call-20min
• Subscribe on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@adamwbarney
Creators and Guests
Host
Adam W. Barney
Adam W. Barney helps transitioning leaders navigate career and leadership inflection points with clarity and momentum. Author of Make Your Own Glass Half Full and creator of EnergyOS. Based in Boston, fueled by family and music.
