Arpit Agarwal, CEO of Black Marlin Technologies, on SEO and Digital Growth in the AI Era

By Ethan Sam, Correspondent  |  Monday, 05 May 2025, 12:53:33 PM IST

In Conversation with Arpit Agarwal, CEO of Black Marlin Technologies: The Future of SEO and Digital

The world of digital marketing is evolving rapidly, especially in the wake of the pandemic and the rise of AI. For brands aiming to stay relevant, adapt to Google’s algorithm shifts, and win customer trust, partnering with the right digital agency is more crucial than ever.

Arpit Agarwal, founder and CEO of Black Marlin Technologies, a performance - driven digital marketing agency known for its transparent approach and measurable results. In this candid conversation, Arpit shares his thoughts on SEO in 2025, the impact of Generative SEO, evolving client expectations, and what it really takes to grow a business online in today’s AI-powered era.

Q1: How did Black Marlin Technologies start?

Black Marlin Technologies started about 10 years ago when I realized most small and medium businesses weren’t leveraging digital marketing effectively. Many had websites but weren’t generating leads, and others didn’t understand what SEO or paid marketing could really do for them.

I launched the company with a clear goal: to make digital growth accessible and ROI-driven. We started with SEO services, slowly expanded into Google Ads, Local SEO, website design, content marketing, and today we’re also building strategies around Generative SEO and AI-enhanced content.

Q2: How has the digital landscape changed since the pandemic, especially for small businesses?

The post-pandemic era made it clear: digital is survival. Traditional marketing took a backseat, and businesses that had a strong online presence were the ones that thrived.

From our end, we saw an explosion in demand for Google Map rankings, local SEO optimization, and content marketing. Businesses wanted to be found quickly, especially in mobile searches. We helped many local brands go from invisible to ranking in the top 3 map packs - which significantly increased their foot traffic and leads.

We also started offering Generative SEO strategies - blending traditional SEO with AI-generated content, structured data, and conversational query targeting - something that’s especially important now with Google's Search Generative Experience (SGE) rolling out.

Q3: You mentioned Generative SEO. Can you explain what that is and how businesses can benefit from it?

Generative SEO is the next evolution of search engine optimization. Instead of focusing only on ranking for static keywords, we now optimize for AI-generated search results, conversational queries, and zero-click answers.

This means:

  • Structuring content so it can be easily picked up by AI-powered search tools
  • Using schema markup, FAQs, and topic clusters
  • Optimizing content for intent - not just keywords
  • Leveraging AI tools to scale helpful, human-like content creation

At Black Marlin, we’re combining human editorial expertise with AI assistance to create scalable, high-quality, optimized content - especially blog posts, service pages, and long-form guides. This helps clients stay relevant and visible in Google's AI-generated summaries, which are replacing traditional snippets in many cases.

Q4: What SEO services do you offer, and how have they evolved over time?

Our core services include:

  • Technical SEO (site audits, indexing, mobile UX)
  • On-page SEO (meta tags, headers, keyword mapping, internal linking)
  • Off-page SEO (link building, citations, digital PR)
  • Local SEO (Google Business Profile, reviews, local landing pages)
  • Content Strategy (AI + human content for SEO and authority)
  • Generative SEO (SGE optimization, structured data, topic hubs)

We also do SEO audits, competitor gap analysis, and performance tracking using advanced tools.

What’s changed over time is the depth of strategy. Earlier, just optimizing keywords and getting backlinks was enough. Now, Google looks at topical authority, content freshness, page speed, Core Web Vitals, and even user behavior metrics like dwell time.

Q5: Is SEO still the #1 growth channel in 2025? And how do you convince clients of its value?

Yes, SEO continues to be the #1 long-term growth driver for most businesses - especially local and service-based ones. It delivers sustainable traffic and builds brand credibility.

Unlike paid ads, which stop the moment your budget dries up, SEO keeps working behind the scenes. You may invest ?25,000–?75,000 per month, but within a few months, that’s generating traffic, leads, and brand exposure at a fraction of the cost of PPC.

For example, one of our clients in the education sector was spending ?1.5 lakh/month on ads. After we optimized their website for SEO, their organic traffic tripled in 6 months - and they cut ad spend by 60%.

The ROI is real. It’s just that SEO requires consistency and expertise - which is where a digital marketing agency like ours adds value.

Q6: How are AI tools changing digital marketing strategies at Black Marlin Technologies?

We use AI to enhance, not replace human creativity. Our team uses tools like ChatGPT, Gemini and Surfer SEO to:

  • Create first drafts for SEO blogs or landing pages
  • Generate ideas for keywords, FAQs, and schema
  • Analyze competitors and find low-hanging opportunities

But everything goes through human editing, strategy alignment, and branding filters.

AI has also made it easier to do predictive SEO, where we anticipate trends, create content early, and optimize before the competition catches up. That proactive approach is what gives our clients an edge.

Q7: Many businesses are concerned about SEO cost. What’s your take on pricing in 2025?

It’s a fair concern. But let’s break it down:

  • Local SEO typically starts from ? 10,000 to ? 25,000/month
  • Full-scale SEO for mid-size businesses ranges from ? 30,000 to ? 75,000/month
  • Enterprise SEO or international targeting can go higher based on complexity

These costs include strategy, content, technical optimization, link outreach, and analytics.

These costs include strategy, content creation, technical optimization, link outreach, and analytics - everything needed for sustainable growth.

We also have different types of SEO pricing packages listed on our website, tailored to specific business goals and needs - whether you’re looking for local visibility, eCommerce optimization, or international traffic growth.

When you compare that to how much you’d spend on Facebook or Google Ads - often with diminishing returns - SEO remains the most cost-efficient way to grow.

And we’re very transparent about deliverables: keywords tracked, pages optimized, links built, content delivered - it’s all measurable and goal-oriented.

Q8: What's your vision for the future of Black Marlin Technologies?

Our goal is to become a data-first digital growth partner for businesses. We’re expanding services into:

  • Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)
  • AI-powered lead generation
  • Hyperlocal content marketing
  • Voice search optimization
  • YouTube SEO and video search optimization

We're also investing in training our team on Google’s SGE, schema-based content, and multi-format strategies that align with how users now consume content.

Ultimately, we want to be known not just as an SEO company, but as a growth agency that genuinely helps businesses scale with technology, content, and strategy.

Q9: What advice do you have for business owners still unsure about digital marketing?

Start with the basics. Build a clean, fast, mobile-friendly website. Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile. Get a clear SEO audit and understand where your site stands.

Then decide if you want to invest in organic growth (SEO), paid traffic (ads), or both. But don't ignore your online presence - it's the first place your customers go.

Most importantly, partner with an agency that explains things clearly, tracks progress, and focuses on long-term results, not short-term hacks.

Final Words

In a time when search engines are evolving and digital noise is everywhere, Arpit Agarwal’s clarity of vision and hands-on leadership stands out. His team at Black Marlin Technologies is not only adapting to AI and generative trends - they’re leading the way with transparency, data-driven strategies, and a genuine commitment to client success.

If your business is ready to grow in 2025, now is the time to prioritize SEO, embrace generative content, and align with an agency that understands the future of digital marketing.

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