Today’s episode pulls back the curtain on one of the highest ROI strategies for Shopify brands: AI-powered SEO and organic growth.

If you’re watching 98% of your paid traffic slip away before converting while acquisition costs keep climbing, this episode is your wake-up call. We’re diving into the new playbook for driving organic reach that actually moves the needle.

My guest is Mike Simmons, CEO of Plug In Useful, whose SEO and site speed solutions power over 30,000 Shopify stores. He’s a builder and operator living on the front lines of traffic acquisition for direct-to-consumer brands.

Plugin Useful’s suite goes beyond “best practice” checklists. We’re talking actionable recommendations, specialized keyword analysis, bulk content optimization, and tracking that shows if your SEO changes actually work.

Mike shares why native solutions like Shopify Magic leave money on the table, and reveals overlooked strategies like leveraging collection pages and schema markup. Plus, his take on how AI tools like Perplexity and Google’s AI Overviews are changing the game.

Whether you’re a founder, marketer prepping for Q4, or operator fighting complexity, this episode gives you clarity and tools to own your organic growth.

What You’ll Learn

✅  Why AI-powered SEO beats manual workflows – How Plugin AI streamlines keyword optimization, meta descriptions, and bulk editing while maintaining your brand voice

✅  The limitations of native Shopify SEO tools – Why Sidekick and Magic fall short, and what expert-driven solutions deliver instead

✅  Collection pages as SEO goldmines – The 2025 strategy for using strategic content and FAQ blocks to outrank traditional product pages

✅  Winning in AI search results – How Google’s AI Overviews and ChatGPT discovery work, and why technical fundamentals matter more than ever

✅  Blog content that actually drives growth – The proven framework for building authority and traffic through strategic content creation

✅  Staying focused amid AI hype – Why core SEO principles remain your competitive advantage in a noisy market

Episode Sponsor: Instant

Episode Summary

Mike and I dove into the reality of organic growth for Shopify brands—why most stores are leaving money on the table with surface-level SEO efforts.

We explored how Plugin Useful approaches SEO differently than native Shopify tools, with Mike sharing specific examples of how their AI-powered recommendations actually move the needle for 30,000+ stores. He walked through practical strategies for optimizing collection pages, which most brands completely overlook.

The conversation took an interesting turn when we discussed how AI search is changing the game. Mike explained why appearing in Google’s AI Overviews and ChatGPT results requires doubling down on technical fundamentals, not chasing the latest trends.

We also tackled the mental game—how to stay focused on proven SEO principles when everyone’s chasing shiny objects and AI hype.

Strategic Takeaways

• Focus on fundamentals first – Anticipate customer questions, organize content clearly, and build structured pages. Google and AI chatbots reward clarity over complexity.

• Invest in specialized SEO tools – Generic solutions give you a foundation, but growth requires tools built for serious optimization and measurable results.

• Blog consistently for compound growth – A disciplined content strategy multiplies your organic reach and powers ROI across all channels.

• Action beats analysis paralysis – While everyone debates AI’s impact on search, the brands nailing basics and moving fast are winning.

• Track results, not just activity – Use tools that show actual SEO ROI, not just pretty dashboards with vague recommendations.

• Human creativity amplifies AI efficiency – Let AI handle the heavy lifting, but your brand voice and audience knowledge drive real success.

Guest Spotlight

Mike brings a unique perspective to SEO—he’s not just building tools, he’s been in the trenches scaling brands and knows exactly where operators get stuck.

As CEO of Plugin Useful, Mike oversees the SEO and site speed solutions trusted by over 30,000 Shopify stores. But what makes him different is his operator-first approach: he builds the tools he wished existed when he was growing businesses firsthand.

His focus is simple—cut through SEO complexity and deliver results that actually move the needle. No fluff, no overwhelming dashboards, just clear guidance that helps brands grow their organic traffic.

Guest Information

Mike Simmons
CEO, Plug In Useful

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Email

Links & Resources

• Plug In Useful
• Plugin SEO
• Plugin Speed
• Plugin AI
• Shopify
• Omnisend
• Klaviyo
• Liquid I.V.
• July Luggage
• Holy Clothing

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