ContainIQ

🤦♂️ One of my favorite questions to ask on our Optimize SEO podcast: What is one thing that SEOs and content marketers spend time on that is, well, a total waste of time? Twenty-three episodes in, and we've gotten quite a few interesting perspectives on this question. Turns out that many SEO teams are wasting a lot of time on tasks that won't actually move the need. In this quick recap, we highlight 10 of the most tactical takes from our expert guests, including Kevin Indig, John-Henry Scherck, Nam Le, Jeffrey Trull, Ryan Bednar, Tyler Hakes, Shaun Hinklein, Aakash Shah, Nathan Gotch, and Dave Rathmanner. Warning: you might strongly react to 1 or 2 of these things (I did). It turns out that we shouldn't be spending too much time on many things, like Core Web Vitals, AI-generated content, technical SEO audits, domain authority (?!?), buying backlinks, and keywords that SGE might disrupt. One thing is clear. There is a lot of work to do. Swipe through our recap below for ten thoughtful perspectives on which #SEO and #contentmarketing tasks are a total waste of time. ---- What are we forgetting? Drop me a DM at Nate Matherson or comment below!

⁉ What are you adding to the internet? Episode #22 of the Optimize weekly podcast just dropped. And for all of our listeners building content/SEO channels in competitive spaces (ex health, finance), this is one not to miss. Mike Haney joined me for this highly actionable and process-driven episode. Mike works as the Editorial Director at Levels, a startup working to help solve the metabolic health crisis with smart tools and strong editorial. Mike has been in the content and technology space for more than 20 years as an editor, designer, strategist, and founder. In episode #22, Mike and I went deep on the: - Evolution of Content Strategy  — Mike shares his experience building an education-first content channel and the importance of integrating other content elements as the channel matures. We go step-by-step into Mike's process, including his very important fact-checking, sourcing, and review process, which is critical for any website (re E-E-A-T, YMYL). - Utilizing Agencies for Content Creation — Mike and Nate discuss the decision-making process of determining when and why to bring in external agencies for SEO and content creation, considering internal support capabilities and writer expertise. - Setting and Measuring Realistic KPIs — Mike emphasized the importance of aligning KPIs with organizational goals and highlighted the importance of including qualitative metrics alongside quantitative ones. TLDR: Numbers, or traffic, never tell the whole story. Next week, we chat with Kevin Indig. Kevin likely needs no introduction. But just in case, know that Kevin is a growth advisor who helps the world’s market leaders define and evolve their organic growth strategy (ex G2, Shopify). Simply put, Kevin is one of the best in SEO. This episode is a longer one but fast-paced (drops on 11/08). Boy, are things heating up for the Optimize podcast. Over the next few weeks, we will chat with Ethan Smith, Eli Schwartz, and others at a critical (volatile) time in #SEO. And if you are looking for a next-gen set of tools to level up your #contentmarketing strategy, look no further than Positional. I'm incredibly biased, but our toolsets for internal linking and content analytics are game-changers.

Episode #17 of the weekly Optimize podcast just dropped. And our guest, Nathan Gotch, didn't pull any punches. This is one of the most tactical episodes we've published so far. In episode #17, Nathan and I go deep into local #SEO — Backlinks, PageRank, Link Bait, Local Pack, and more! If you don't already know Nathan, know that he is an SEO professional with over ten years of experience and the founder of one of the most popular SEO training programs in the world, the Gotch SEO Academy. He’s also the author of the forthcoming book, The SEO Entrepreneur, releasing October 2, 2023. Nathan and I had a fantastic conversation where we talked about: - Local SEO — Nathan outlines the numerous opportunities present and shares actionable tips for you to succeed on the local level. - Backlinks — Authority is the name of the game, and backlinks are one way to achieve this. Nathan and I discuss the do’s and don’ts regarding backlinks, creating link bait, and staying on Google’s good side. - Starting an SEO Business (freelancing, founding an agency, consulting) — Nathan speaks heavily on his experiences as an agency owner, the inspiration to start Gotch SEO Academy, and ultimately write The SEO Entrepreneur. The episode is live wherever you listen to podcasts (Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube). Links in the comments below! Next week, we chat with Meagan Morris, the Director of Content and SEO for Leafwell 📈 . Meagan has worn many hats in the digital world, from Yahoo! to Metro US and Hearst Magazines. With an incredible number of experiences under her belt, she is one of the go-tos for anything editorial, digital, and SEO. That episode will drop on 10/04. None of this would be possible without our incredible weekly sponsor, Positional. At Positional, our team is building the content/SEO toolset we’ve always wanted. If you are a listener of the podcast, shoot us a note at podcast (at) positional (dot) com with “podcast” in the subject line, and we will prioritize you for early access to our private beta. #contentmarketing #podcast

💰 Many of us start companies to sell them. And Ash Read did just that, recently selling Living Cozy. The 16th episode of the weekly Optimize podcast just dropped, and this episode goes deep on building and scaling content/affiliate websites. Ash has spent over a decade building audiences for startups through content and SEO. He was previously Head of Content at Buffer and an early marketing hire Wayflyer. Now, he’s building a portfolio of niche media brands (including Living Cozy, which was just acquired) and occasionally consulting to help businesses scale content and connect with customers. In episode #16, Ash and I have a fantastic conversation about: - What it takes to sell/exit a niche website — Ash reveals his steps to pre-plan an exit by optimizing his site properly and rigorously tracking his metrics to help ensure a quick exit process and fair value. - Building affiliate channels — from what is an affiliate channel to making the first sale to managing logistics, we cover it all. - Value of human vs. AI content — Both have their place within content marketing and #SEO, but are you using each to their best advantage? Ash shares his tips for getting the most value out of both. - E-E-A-T, product reviews, and more. The episode is live wherever you listen to podcasts (Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube). Links in the comments below! Next week, we chat with Nathan Gotch, the founder of the Gotch SEO Academy, and the author of The SEO Entrepreneur (forthcoming). That episode will drop on 9/27. At Positional, our team is building the content/SEO toolset we’ve always wanted. If you are a listener of the podcast, shoot us a note at podcast (at) positional (dot) com with “podcast” in the subject line, and we will prioritize you for early access to our private beta. #contentmarketing #podcast

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Absolute 🔥ahead of the weekend 🎙