Writing SEO-Friendly Blog Content

Here’s how our new Director of Content Marketing 100x’s our podcast audience. When we were interviewing people for our Director of Content Marketing role at Databox, I had one thing on my criteria list that was non-negotiable. Someone who eats, sleeps, drinks and dreams about processes! As I've written about a million times now, I believe content marketing needs to be multi-format, multi-perspective & multi-channel in order to be effective these days. (Read here to fully grok my argument and framework: https://lnkd.in/ekgYcxEH) To pull off “multi-3x” content consistently and efficiently, I knew we needed a really tight process. We've always prioritized processes on the marketing team at Databox. When John Bonini led all of marketing here at Databox, he nicknamed our process "Content flow" because our process has always involved repurposing content. Before Jeremiah Rizzo moved over to lead our product marketing function, he implemented a solid process for turning podcasts into playbooks and blog posts. But when we hired Ali Orlando Wert for the aforementioned role, I knew we were getting someone who would bring us up a few levels. Here’s what Ali has done to take our podcast repurposing to the next level here at Databox 👇 🎙️ 𝟭 𝗽𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 becomes... • 1 video podcast episode on YouTube • 2-3 short video clips (YouTube Shorts + LinkedIn-native video) • 1 long-form newsletter sent to 15k+ subscribers • 1 long-form 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 blog post (that includes how to do something in our product) • 1 guest blog post on the guest’s website (if willing) • 5-10 social assets (quotes, audiograms, clips, images) • 1 toolkit for the guest to share across their channels    To make this process efficient, she built a CustomGPT that prompts her (and her team) through the full content flow and auto-generates a first draft of the content (to be human edited, of course).  Because we're starting with original thoughts, AI is amazing for repurposing it while keeping that originality. But, the real reason to do all of this: increased reach. By leveraging our podcast across 6+ channels, it gets significantly more reach than the podcast recording alone. Here’s some stats from a recent podcast 👇 • Our podcast-derived content got 𝟭𝟯𝟬𝘅 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 than our podcast downloads • My Linkedin posts alone drove 𝟯𝟯𝘅 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲  • Our newsletter routinely achieves 𝟱𝟬%+ 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 with thousands of readers All from one conversation. If you’re not doing a podcast because “it’s hard to get reach” on the podcast platform, you’re thinking about it wrong. The podcast is the basis for content across all platforms. You just need to build a 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 that 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘵. If you need an example, check the comments.

Don’t write another headline before reading this: “No sentence can be effective if it contains facts alone,” said copywriting great, Eugene Schwartz. “It must also contain emotion, image, logic, and promise.” Headlines are sentences too, of course. They’re actually the most important sentences. Because if you write a bad one, nobody will care enough to keep reading. Nobody will give a damn. If you write a bad headline, you fail. So don’t write flat, invisible headlines, like white paper on a white desk. Write compelling headlines. Headlines containing emotion and imagery and logic and promise. Here’s how to make your most important sentence: 1/ Emotional ↴ Make it dramatic, like this famous headline by John Caples: “They Laughed When I Sat Down At the Piano — But When I Started to Play!” It’s among the most successful headlines of the 20th century because it tells a story — and so efficiently. Dramatizing the claim (or its result) is storytelling, pure and simple. It’s making the prospect visualize a clear narrative in as few words as possible. And if she can relate to this narrative — if she can understand it — you now have her attention. 2/ Vivid ↴ Make it appeal to the senses, like this headline from The United Fruit Company: “Tastes Like You Just Picked It!” Sensitizing the claim by making the prospect feel it, smell it, touch it, see it, or hear it will transport the prospect to a moment, consciously or otherwise. In this headline, it’s a hungry moment: you’ve just bitten into a fresh apple, it’s delicious, and you’re craving another bite. 3/ Logical ↴ Make it a question, like this headline by Gary Bencivenga: “Has This Man Really Discovered the Secret of Inevitable Wealth?” If you want to make someone think, ask them a question. A good question can change someone’s perspective, which can change everything: “A change in perspective,” said Alan Kay, “is worth 80 IQ points.” 4/ Hopeful ↴ Make it inspirational, like this classic headline from Rolls Royce: “To The Man Who Is Afraid To Let His Dreams Come True” This ad was featured in Julian Watkins’ book, The 100 Greatest Advertisements, because despite running during the Great Depression, it sold more cars than any Rolls Royce ad before it. An inspirational headline can challenge any limiting beliefs the prospect may have, forcing her to think critically about what she deeply, genuinely wants. Life, after all, is a battle between what we want and what’s expected of us. It’s our perennial dilemma, omnipresent and omnipotent. If appropriate, write a headline that helps the prospect cope with this. Write a headline that bolsters hope. Onward. #copywriting #marketing #creativity Psst... coming soon ↴ 𝘝𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘎𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘊𝘰𝘱𝘺: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬 → www.verygoodcopy.com/book

One of the smartest things you can do for your marketing and business development is to stop treating your content as one-and-done and to start repurposing it. If you’ve invested time in creating something valuable you’re leaving opportunities on the table if you only use it once. Repurposing is how you extend its reach, reinforce your expertise and make the most of the work you’ve already done. Here are smarter ways to repurpose content: ✔️Slice long-form content into micro-content. Take a 1500-word article and pull out 5 to 7 strong ideas that each become their own social media post. ✔️Change the medium. Turn a webinar recording into a short video series or an article into a carousel or infographic. Different formats reach different learners. ✔️Build a theme series. Link several related posts into a weekly or monthly series that keeps you top of mind and positions you as the go-to on that topic. ✔️Reshare with a twist. Post the same piece again but change the lead-in. Frame it around a question, a new trend or a current event. ✔️Create evergreen libraries. Pull your best performing posts together into toolkits, guides or resource pages to which you can point clients and prospects (this is a great way to check in with contacts and provide value). ✔️Elevate key quotes. Use a statistic, case study or strong line from a piece as a standalone graphic or thought leadership snippet. ✔️Cross-pollinate channels. Adapt content from LinkedIn for your email newsletter, your blog or speaking notes for panels and client meetings. Most people in your network won’t see your content the first time for a variety of reasons. Repurposing it ensures your message travels further, reaches more of the right people and reinforces for what you want to be known while enabling you to be more efficient and effective. Let me know what you think of content repurposing in the comments below and follow me for more tips! #contentmarketing #legalmarketing #contenttips

Stop letting your best LinkedIn content go to waste... Repurpose it across platforms for more impact! One of the smartest ways to get more mileage out of your content is by repurposing it. Instead of creating fresh content for every platform, take what works on LinkedIn and adapt it for others, like Instagram Reels, for maximum reach. Here’s how: Transform Posts into Reels: Take your high-performing LinkedIn posts and turn them into 15–30 second Reels. Summarize the key points in a fun, engaging way. Reels are perfect for grabbing attention and quickly communicating your message. Break Down Into Quotes: Pull out the most powerful statements from your LinkedIn posts and share them as quotes on Twitter or Instagram Stories. These bite-sized snippets can drive more traffic to your LinkedIn profile. Turn Into a Blog or Article: Take a LinkedIn post that generated conversation and expand on it. Add more examples, tips, or insights to create a full-length blog or article. Create a SlideShare Deck: If you shared a step-by-step guide or useful tips, consider turning it into a SlideShare presentation. It’s a great way to present your expertise in a visual, shareable format. Repurposing isn’t about repeating, it's about tailoring your content for different audiences while still staying true to your message. Don’t just post and forget. Let your content work harder for you!

𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗹𝗴𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗺 I’ve been in marketing long enough to see more “SEO revolutions” than I can count. (Can you say keyword stuffing and the Google 10 Pack?) But here’s a truth that’s hard to ignore: this time, the ground is actually shifting. This is not time for a new hack using AI.  If your content approach still starts with a spreadsheet of target keywords and ends with a blog post titled “Top 10 Tips for [Insert Topic],” you’re probably wasting everyone's time no matter how much of it you can produce. Today’s search engines are answer engines. They are powered by AI overviews, answer boxes, and context-driven results, and don’t reward those who shout the loudest or who check boxes on a content calendar. They reward those who bring clarity, authority, and genuine answers. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜’𝗺 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗿, 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁: • 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗹𝗴𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗺, 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿. The best content isn’t just optimized, it’s organized, layered, and anticipates what your audience will wonder next. • 𝗠𝗮𝗽 𝗢𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗞𝗲𝘆𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀. What does your ideal customer need to know before, during, and after their decision? Build content pillars that follow the actual path, not just what’s trending on SEMrush. • 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸. Demonstrate how you solve problems, not just that you 𝘤𝘢𝘯. Use case studies, walkthroughs, and detailed FAQs. Let your expertise breathe. • 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵𝘆. EEAT (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) isn’t a Google fad—it’s the new standard for being taken seriously online. Let your content, testimonials, and even your mistakes show up authentically. • 𝗜𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗹𝘆. Content isn’t a campaign; it's the voice of your strategy, it’s a living, breathing proof of your value. Update, expand, and clarify. If your last blog post is from 2022, you’re telling the world you’ve stopped paying attention. 𝗗𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗧𝗮𝗽𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆: Search is no longer about ranking #1 for a keyword. It’s about earning the right to be the answer. The brands that win are the ones who show up consistently, transparently, and with something useful to say. Ask yourself: If a stranger landed on my site today, would they trust me with their question or bounce to someone who actually 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴? Time to get to work. Not just for search engines, but for the humans who are searching for what you know. #ContentStrategy #SEO #MarketingClarity #DuctTapeMarketing #Trust

How I optimize blog article content before publishing to ensure "perfection": Most people hit publish too soon. They write, skim once, and send it live. That's not how you get GREAT results. SEO content isn’t just well-written—it’s structured, formatted, & designed to rank. Steal my SOP and get better SEO results: 1. Keyword Optimization - Ensure primary keyword appears naturally in the title, intro, and subheadings. - Add secondary & LSI keywords where relevant. 2. Headline & Meta Data - Write a compelling SEO title (H1) w/ the primary keyword. - Optimize the meta title & description for CTR. 3. URL Structure - Keep it short, clean, and keyword-rich. - For example: website/seo-checklist 4. Header Formatting (H1, H2, H3) - Use a clear hierarchy (H1 for title, H2s for sections, H3s for subtopics). - Break content into scannable sections. 5. Internal Linking - Link at least 3-5 relevant articles on your site. - Use descriptive anchor text (not just "click here"). 6. External Links to Authority Sources - Add at least 2-3 links to high-authority sources. - Open in a new tab for better user experience. 7. Readability & Formatting - Short paragraphs (2-3 lines max). - Use bullet points & bolding to highlight key takeaways. - Add quotes, callouts, and dividers for flow. 8. Image Optimization - Use at least one image per major section. - Add descriptive alt text with keywords. - Compress images to reduce load time. 9. Mobile & UX Check - Preview the post on mobile devices. - Ensure fast load speed & easy navigation. 10. Featured Snippet Optimization - Structure answers in lists, tables, or short paragraphs. - Use FAQ sections for more visibility. 11. Call-to-Action (CTA) Placement - Guide the reader to next steps (subscribe, book a call, read another post). - Place CTAs naturally—not forced. 12. Grammar & Proofreading - Run through Grammarly & Hemingway. - Read the post out loud to catch awkward phrasing. 13. SEO Final Check - Scan with SurferSEO or Clearscope for keyword coverage. - Ensure it's not over-optimized (avoid keyword stuffing). --- What did I miss? ♻️ REPOST if you learned something new. P.S. TrioSEO has mastered this process. Not happy with your SEO? Reach out & let's chat.

I’m back with a quick accessibility tip - alt text for linked images is different from alt text for regular images! Regular images - the alt text should describe the picture Linked images - the alt text should explain where the link goes This is a bit of a follow up to my post from last week about how alt text can be hard. So much of it is based on context! Alt text for linked images can be easier than regular alt text because it's often more objective though. Screen readers announce alt text as the link text for linked images, which means it’s important to let people know where the link goes. Here are some examples: - A linked site logo at the top of the page can say something like “My Amazing Site homepage” instead of “My Amazing Site logo”. - A linked arrow to go to the next page can say something like “next page” instead of “right arrow” (but it’s better to have linked text that’s visible for everyone that says “Next page” next to the image). - A search icon button can have alt text that says something like “search” instead of “magnifying glass”. A few other things to note: - Linked images shouldn’t be considered decorative unless they’re grouped with text that’s linked. If a linked image doesn’t have alt text then it’ll be challenging for people to understand what the link is for. - Alt text for linked images doesn’t need to say things like “click for…” or “link to…” because screen readers announce when something is a link. - Shorter alt text is often better with linked images (as long as it’s clear). “Our products” is more straightforward than “This linked picture goes to our product page full of great products” and clearer than “products”. This is one of those small changes that can make a big difference! Here are a few resources for linked images: - Alt text and linked images from WebAIM (article) - https://lnkd.in/e8QyuRxz - Linked Images from the University of South Carolina (article) - https://lnkd.in/eXiz497b - Writing Alt Text for Hyperlinked Images from Bureau of Internet Accessibility (article) - https://lnkd.in/eXESeYX9 Feel free to share more tips in the comments!

This strategy took my blogs from page 5 to page 1 (Writing content but not ranking? Read this) When I first started writing SEO content, I had no clue. ↳ I stuffed keywords like my life depended on it ↳ I chased trends instead of solving problems ↳ I focused on word count, not quality None of it worked. My posts got buried. Here’s the ranking framework that changed everything: 1. Intent First 2. E-E-A-T Always 3. Optimise, Then Publish Let me explain 👇 1. Understand Search Intent ↳ Google wants to give users exactly what they're looking for ↳ Know the 4 types: Informational, Navigational, Commercial, Transactional ↳ Match your content format and tone to the searcher's goal ↳ Stop guessing analyze the top 5 results for every keyword 2. Show E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authority, Trust) ↳ Add personal examples or real stories = Experience ↳ Mention credentials or cite expert opinions = Expertise ↳ Build topical authority with interlinked, deep content = Authority ↳ Keep your site fast, mobile-friendly, secure = Trust 3. SEO Polish Before You Publish ↳ Use one main keyword naturally no stuffing ↳ Add semantic keywords (LSI) for context ↳ Write catchy, clear meta titles & descriptions ↳ Use headers, bullet points, and images to improve readability Bonus Tip? ↳ Google ranks helpful content, not robotic text ↳ Write like you’re helping a real human (because you are!) ↳ Focus on value, not just volume SEO content isn't just about writing. It’s about aligning with Google's mission: "Organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.” —-------------- P.S. Was this helpful

I used to write my headlines last. And it took writing 3,000+ articles to realize how wrong I was. Now, I write my headlines first & spend 80% of my writing time making them super specific. Here's my 3-part Headline Niching Framework (steal this to attract loyal readers): First, why should you niche down your headlines? It helps you: • You attract a more targeted reader • You exclude "general" audiences And these are good things. You don't want to create something for everyone. You want to be specific and speak to your ideal audience. Here's how: 1/ Name the Audience If you write "How To Make More Money," that answers a pretty general question. But what if you said: • "How To Make More Money As A Writer" or • "How To Make More Money As A Writer In Chicago" Say exactly WHO your writing is for. 2/ Name the Outcome Let's stay with this example. Instead of "How To Make More Money," try: • "How To Make More Money So You Can Buy Your First House" or • "How To Make More Money So You Can Build A Music Studio In Your Backyard" Say exactly WHAT the reader will achieve. 3/ Name the Process You can also name the process to unlock the promised outcome: • "How To Make More Money As A Writer Without Leaving Your Couch" or • "How To Make More Money As A Writer Ghostwriting For CEOs" Yet another point of context to attract who you want. That's it! Use these tips to write your next headline. Remember: specificity is the secret to legendary writing.

For years, the SEO playbook was simple: 🔍 Find the keywords. 📝 Write a blog for each one. 📈 Watch the traffic roll in. But then AI showed up. And now, Google’s AI Overviews and ChatGPT answer: - "What is X?" - "How does Y work?" ...right in the search results. No clicks. No traffic. If your strategy is still “publish a blog for every keyword”, you’re playing a losing game. So, what’s now? 1️⃣ Prioritize buyer intent, not browser intent. Some searches are just curiosity. Other searches mean “I’m ready to buy.” Example: ❌ "What is a tenant screening service?" (low intent) ✅ "Best tenant screening service for small landlords" (high intent) Look for: - "X vs Y" searches (they’re choosing). - "Best X for Y" searches (they’re evaluating). - "X near me" searches (they’re ready to buy). Your blog doesn’t need to explain "what is a tenant screening service" anymore. AI can do that. Your job is to show up where buyers are already in motion. 2️⃣ Stop "ranking" — start leading. If your blog is just another summary of what’s already been said, AI can replace you. Here’s what AI can’t do: - Original research 🔍 - Data-backed insights 📊 - Unique points of view 🤔 Information gain = the new SEO advantage. When we worked with financial services firm RWA Wealth, we didn’t just summarize "What is the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act?" Instead, we asked, "What does this mean for your taxes in 2025?" We created new insight, not just a summary. That’s what gets people thinking. If you’re writing content that could have been written by AI, why would Google rank it at all? They can write it themselves. 3️⃣ Bring them in — and give them a next step. If your blog gets traffic but people leave, that’s on you. Here’s how to fix it: - Put a CTA in the middle of the page (not just at the bottom). - Give them a reason to act now (limited spots, exclusive offer, etc.). - Make the next step clear, immediate, and relevant. Every visitor is a potential lead. Don’t let them leave without a next step. If you take away one thing, it’s this: Google doesn’t need more "content.” They need new perspectives, original insight, and real information gain. If you’re still chasing "rankings," you’re already behind.