Ahrefs Podcast
Ahrefs' CMO gets a free consulting session from top marketing executives, disguised as a long-form interview podcast.
This is a business and marketing interview show where Ahrefs' CMO, Tim Soulo, interviews other high-level practitioners. The podcast's explicit premise is that it's a 'free consulting call' for the host, who uses his own company's challenges (e.g., cracking social media) as a live case study. Guests range from academic marketing scientists to the CMOs of major tech companies, deconstructing the strategy behind their success.
“Unlike neutral interviewers, the host is an active CMO solving his own problems in public. This 'free consulting' frame makes the questions highly specific and practical, as he directly applies guests' advice to Ahrefs' own marketing efforts.”
Who hosts this show
Hosted by Tim Soulo, the Chief Marketing Officer and Product Advisor at Ahrefs, this podcast features interviews with founders and marketing leaders. Tim joined Ahrefs in 2015 and was instrumental in growing the company to over $100M in annual recurring revenue without outside funding. He is known for his data-driven research studies in the SEO field and for creating educational content like the "Blogging for Business" course.
Credentials & credits
- Chief Marketing Officer at Ahrefs
- Product Advisor at Ahrefs
- Author of numerous SEO research studies
- Speaker at conferences like PubCon and BrightonSEO
- Angel investor and advisor to MarTech startups
Other ventures
- BloggerJet (Author)
- Ahrefs Academy (Course creator)
- Angel Investing
What kind of podcast
- Country
- United States
- Region
- usa
When new episodes drop
- 01
- 02
- 03
- 04Gong's Billion-Dollar Bet Against Best Practices | Udi Ledergor (Gong)May 12, 2026 · 1h 14m
- 05How to automate blog writing with AI from keyword to published | Ryan Law (Ahrefs)Apr 28, 2026 · 51 min
- 06Ahrefs' CMO answering your (tough) questions | Tim SouloApr 14, 2026 · 39 min
- 07
- 08Inside ZoomInfo’s $1.2B AI GTM Engine | Tal RazMar 17, 2026 · 1h 12m
Notable episodes
- 01What Marketing Science Says About Growing a Brand | Professor Byron Sharp (Ehrenberg-Bass Institute)
A deep dive into the fundamental, research-backed principles of brand growth with a renowned and often controversial academic.
- 02Why Copying Ryanair's SMM Tactics Won't Work Anymore | Michael Corcoran (Slice Social, Ryanair)
Deconstructs the strategy behind Ryanair's famously viral social media, separating replicable strategy from superficial tactics.
- 03AI Apps, Reports & Workflows Every Marketer Should Steal | Glen Allsopp (Ahrefs, Detailed)
A practical, screen-share-heavy demonstration of how Ahrefs' internal team builds and uses custom AI tools for marketing.
What you'll be asked on this show
Tim Soulo's interview style is that of an inquisitive peer, not a passive journalist. He often opens by framing the guest's most controversial ideas or by confessing his own company's struggles with the guest's area of expertise, immediately establishing a problem-solving dynamic. He probes by consistently asking guests to apply their broad principles to the specific context of the SaaS industry or Ahrefs itself, with questions like "How does this manifest in the software world?" or "What exactly should I post for Ahrefs?". He challenges guests by questioning the necessity of their custom-built solutions ("Aren't there existing tools for that?") or the strategic depth of common tactics ("Where is the strategy in just jumping on trends?"). A signature move is to ask for direct, actionable advice, explicitly framing the interview as a 'free consulting' session.
The format is a long-form, single-guest interview, often running over an hour. The host, Tim Soulo, is transparent about his motives and frequently uses Ahrefs as a real-world example. He often challenges guests on common industry narratives or the necessity of their approaches.
Questions the host keeps coming back to
11 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when the host reaches for it.
advice
2- Q.01
“What exactly should I do for Ahrefs regarding [topic]?”
This is the host's signature 'free consulting' question, used to get direct, actionable advice for his own company.
- Q.02
“How does [marketing principle] apply to the online software industry?”
He consistently asks guests to ground theoretical concepts in the practical reality of his own B2B SaaS world.
controversy
1- Q.01
“What do you say about the narrative that marketers must [common industry belief]?”
This question is used to directly address and cut through industry hype, particularly around new trends like AI.
craft
1- Q.01
“Aren't there existing solutions that do what you're showing?”
He often asks this to challenge guests who have built custom tools, forcing them to justify the need for their invention.
process
3- Q.01
“Where is the strategy in just [common tactic]?”
This question seeks to differentiate between easily copied tactics and the deeper strategic thinking that drives real results.
- Q.02
“What is the overarching strategy behind [famous success story]?”
Used to deconstruct well-known case studies, like Ryanair's social media, to reveal the underlying framework.
- Q.03
“What are clients looking for when they hire you?”
Aims to uncover the core business problem that a guest's agency or service is hired to solve.
origin
2- Q.01
“How do you define [core concept]?”
Often asked early in the conversation to establish a foundational understanding of a key term like 'brand'.
- Q.02
“Why did you have to build this from scratch?”
This question probes the origin story of a custom tool or process, surfacing the limitations of off-the-shelf solutions.
technique
1- Q.01
“Can you briefly explain what happens under the hood?”
Asked during technical explanations or tool demos to clarify the process for a less technical audience.
mindset
1- Q.01
“Am I right that [rephrased concept]?”
The host's method for confirming his own understanding of a complex idea while summarizing it for listeners.
Signature segments
- · The 'Free Consulting' Frame
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are typically C-suite marketing executives (CMOs, Chief Evangelists), successful agency founders, or influential authors and researchers in the marketing world. Many come from well-known B2B SaaS companies like Gong and ZoomInfo or are famous for a specific strategic success, like Ryanair's viral social media.
- Professor Byron Sharpon What Marketing Science Says About Growing a Brand | Professor Byron Sharp (Ehrenberg-Bass Institute)
- Michael Corcoranon Why Copying Ryanair's SMM Tactics Won't Work Anymore | Michael Corcoran (Slice Social, Ryanair)
- Glenn Allsoppon AI Apps, Reports & Workflows Every Marketer Should Steal | Glen Allsopp (Ahrefs, Detailed)
- Udi Ledergoron Gong's Billion-Dollar Bet Against Best Practices | Udi Ledergor (Gong)
- Ryan Lawon How to automate blog writing with AI from keyword to published | Ryan Law (Ahrefs)
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
The podcast is a content marketing initiative by Ahrefs, a major SEO software company. The host is the company's CMO, and the show serves to build brand authority by associating Ahrefs with top-tier marketing expertise. There are no external sponsors mentioned.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
Pitch this show
m•••@•••.comFree: limited reveals · Pro: unlimited reveals + CSV export
You’re only charged when we return a verified hit.
People also ask
- Who is the host of the Ahrefs Podcast?
- The host is Tim Soulo, the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and Product Advisor for Ahrefs.
- What is the format of the podcast?
- It's a long-form interview show where Tim Soulo has in-depth conversations with a single guest, typically a marketing leader or founder.
- Is the Ahrefs Podcast still active?
- Yes, the podcast releases new episodes on a weekly or fortnightly basis.
- Who is the target audience for this podcast?
- The show is primarily for experienced B2B and SaaS marketers, strategists, and business leaders looking for high-level insights.
- How can I pitch a guest for the podcast?
- There is no publicly available information on how to pitch guests for the show. The focus appears to be on the host's direct outreach.
- Where can I listen to the Ahrefs Podcast?
- The podcast is available on YouTube and major podcast platforms like Apple Podcasts and Pocket Casts.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]Tim Soulo – CMO @ Ahrefsahrefs.com
- [02]Ahrefs Podcast - Official YouTube Channelyoutube.com
- [03]Tim Soulo, Chief Marketing Officer at Ahrefs - Skillgapsskillgaps.com
- [04]Don’t Start a Podcast: 10 Lessons From 10K Downloads of Ahrefs Podcastahrefs.com
- [05]Tim Soulo, Author at BloggerJetbloggerjet.com
- [06]Ahrefs Podcast - Apple Podcastspodcasts.apple.com
- [07]Q&A Session: Tim Soulo - Online Geniusesonlinegeniuses.com
Podcasts like Ahrefs Podcast
Silicon Valley Girl
Silicon Valley Girl
An entrepreneur interviews the founders and scientists building the next wave of AI to uncover practical strategies for career and business growth.
The Arena
The Arena
A daily sports debate show where 3-time NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas and a panel of former pros give unfiltered takes on basketball news.
Backstage with Millionaires
Pankaj Chauhan
A weekly news show and documentary-style channel breaking down the biggest stories and trends in the Indian startup and venture capital ecosystem.
Thomas Brush
Thomas Brush
A podcast for aspiring indie game developers, hosted by a solo dev who interviews peers about the practical and emotional journey of making games.
The Founder's Dream | Abhishek vyas
The Founder
A Hindi-language business podcast featuring long-form interviews with Indian startup founders about their real-world journeys and industries.
Rusty Quill Podcasts
Rusty Quill Podcasts
A network feed from a London-based production house specializing in full-cast speculative fiction and horror audio dramas.
HAHA Podcast
Three Korean-American sisters and YouTubers bring their chaotic, unfiltered group chat to a weekly video podcast.
Sports Yaari
Sports Yaari
A high-cadence Indian sports media channel delivering daily news, reactive analysis, and passionate opinions primarily focused on the Indian national cricket team.