Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Caitlin Hartney for the fifty-seventh episode of the Optimize podcast. Caitlin is the Director of Strategy at Block Club, an agency specializing in brand and content strategy for B2B tech companies. Caitlin has over 15 years of experience in content marketing, starting with an AMLA 250 corporate law firm, and has worked with notable brands like Plaid and Argyle. In our episode today, Nate and Caitlin explore topics like product-led content, B2B content strategies, and the recent Google algorithm leak. Caitlin emphasizes the importance of thinking like a journalist to create engaging and valuable content that resonates with the audience. Listen to hear why she suggests focusing on building a strong brand presence and creating high-quality, authoritative content. In this week’s deep dive, Caitlin shares her approach to developing effective B2B content strategies, including balancing promotional content with value-driven narratives. Rounding out the episode, Caitlin and Nate discuss the implications of the recent Google leak and how it affects SEO strategies moving forward. Closing the episode is our popular lightning round of questions!Learn More About Caitlin Hartney:Caitlin Hartney is the Director of Strategy at Block Club.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caitlinhartney/Block Club: https://blockclub.co/

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Samantha North for the fifty-sixth episode of the Optimize podcast. Samantha North is a content strategist and SEO coach with a diverse background, having grown blogs to over 100,000 monthly visitors and driven significant conversions. In our episode today, Nate and Samantha explore the changing search landscape, including the recent Google leak, AI overviews, protecting your website's traffic, and what Samantha calls the "Brand Universe." Samantha also shares insights on why she recommends incorporating personal experience into content to enhance authenticity and user trust. Listen to hear why she suggests focusing on topical authority and creating unique content based on personal experiences. In this week’s deep dive, listen to Samantha share everything you need to know about navigating the challenges posed by Google's helpful content update and adapting your SEO strategies accordingly. Samantha gets tactical, discussing methods to enhance your content's E-E-A-T (Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) and how to effectively use AI tools to support content creation without compromising quality. Rounding out the episode, Samantha and Nate cover topics like the importance of backlinks, effective content repurposing strategies, and the future of SEO in the age of AI. Closing the episode is our popular lightning round of questions! Learn More About Samantha North:Samantha North is a content strategist and SEO coach with a diverse background spanning journalism, computational social science, and counter-disinformation. With experience in growing blogs to over 100K monthly visitors and driving lucrative conversions, Samantha is passionate about helping experts build authoritative online brands through intelligent use of AI tools and SEO. Her expertise has been featured in major publications such as the Financial Times and Business Insider, and she has delivered training for the UK military and a talk at TEDx MidAtlantic.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/northsamantha/?originalSubdomain=uk

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Stephan Cizmar for the fifty-fifth episode of the Optimize podcast. Stephan is a co-founder and partner at ER Ventures, an operator-led venture fund. He is also an operating partner at Blackhorn Ventures and was previously the co-founder and chief strategy officer of LANG. In our episode today, Nate and Stephan delve into the intricacies of outbound sales strategies, focusing on the importance of personalized touches and the timing for initiating an outbound sales motion. Stephan shares his unique journey from management consulting to becoming an accidental investor and offers insights on building and measuring successful outbound sales teams. Stephan also discusses the critical aspects of outbound sales, including crafting effective sequences, targeting the right personas, and leveraging tools to enhance deliverability and engagement. Listen to hear why he emphasizes understanding the ICP (Ideal Customer Profile) and iterating on messaging to cut through the noise in crowded markets. In this week’s deep dive, Stephan shares valuable lessons on standing up outbound sales motions, building an outbound team, and how early-stage companies can measure success. He gets tactical, offering case studies and examples of what works and what doesn’t in the realm of outbound sales. Rounding out the episode, Stephan and Nate cover topics like the role of AI in outbound sales, the importance of social proof, and best practices for hiring and ramping up BDRs. Closing the episode is our popular lightning round of questions!Learn More About Stephan Cizmar:Stephan is a serial entrepreneur and operator with experience scaling B2B software companies from zero to IPO.Prior to co-founding Lorimer Ventures, Stephan co-founded and scaled Lang.ai, a no-code ML company for customer support, through it’s Series A. Before Lang.ai, Stephan was Vice President of Product Strategy at Unqork as well as the Head of Corporate Strategy at Yext, a company that he helped take public (NYSE: YEXT). In addition to being a General Partner at Lorimer, Stephan is an Operating Partner with Blackhorn Ventures, a multi-stage Industry 4.0 firm.
Stephan holds dual degrees in Economics and Science, Technology, and Society from Colby College and lives in Brooklyn.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephancizmar/

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Chris Bakke for the fifty-fourth episode of the Optimize podcast. Chris is the founder of Laskie, which was acquired by Twitter (now X) in 2023, and Interviewed, which was acquired by Indeed in 2017. He's worked in product and sales leadership roles at X, Indeed, and Zillow, and is well-known for his active presence on X, where he shares insights with over 200,000 followers. Nate and Chris explore topics like founder-led content marketing, the importance of choosing the right platform for building an audience, and strategies for converting followers into customers. Chris shares his experience with creating viral content and the unexpected opportunities that arose from his posts, including the acquisition of Laskie by Twitter. He emphasizes the need for consistency in content creation and discusses the advantages and challenges of using different social media platforms. Listen to hear why he suggests founders focus on platforms that align with their content creation style and audience. In this week’s deep dive, Chris shares everything you need to know about leveraging social media for founder-led marketing in 2024. Rounding out the episode, Chris and Nate cover topics like the benefits of building in public, the role of personal branding versus company branding, and the future of social media marketing for founders. Closing the episode is our popular lightning round of questions! Learn More About ChrisChris is the founder of Laskie (acquired by Twitter/X in 2023) and Interviewed (acquired by Indeed in 2017). He's worked in product and sales leadership roles at X, Indeed, and Zillow. Follow him at x.com/ChrisJBakkeLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bakk3/

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Zac Harris for the fifty-third episode of the Optimize podcast. Zac is an SEO and marketing leader and entrepreneur. He has worked with companies like Copy AI, Animals, Craigslist, and SpyFu. In our episode today, Nate and Zac explore topics like Google's new AI overviews, changing ranking factors, and his experience working on some fantastic SEO teams. Zac shares his journey from starting with Black Hat SEO techniques to becoming an SEO leader. Listen to hear why he suggests marketers should adapt their keyword research strategies to account for AI overviews and why backlinks remain essential in 2024. In this week’s deep dive, listen to Zac share everything you need to know about effectively using AI-generated content in SEO. Zac gets tactical, sharing multiple case studies on leveraging programmatic SEO and tools for scalable content production. Rounding out the episode, Zac and Nate cover topics like bringing unique perspectives into content, adapting SEO strategies amidst changing algorithms, and the future of search engines in the era of AI. Closing the episode is our popular lightning round of questions!Learn More About Zac HarrisZac is a seasoned digital marketer who has propelled countless businesses, including Copy.ai, SpyFu, and his own entrepreneurial ventures. His work has driven impressive growth for major brands like McDonald's and Craigslist through smart, consultative strategies. Zac excels at technical SEO, content strategy, data analysis, affiliate marketing, and product launches. With experience across both corporate and startup environments, he combines analytical skills and creative thinking to unlock sustainable growth.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zacharris36/copy.ai: https://www.copy.ai/

Kevin Jurovich, former NFL wide receiver, shares insights on LinkedIn marketing. He discusses creating compelling posts, using infographics and videos, and emphasizing authenticity. Kevin also covers practical tips for maximizing LinkedIn's potential, including disciplined posting and engaging with the audience.

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Nate Saienni for the fifty-first episode of the Optimize podcast. Nate Saienni is a solo SEO and content marketing consultant with a deep understanding of the B2B landscape. He brings a wealth of experience and unique perspectives on the evolving role of content and SEO channels. Nate Saienni discusses the challenges and nuances of B2B search compared to B2C, highlighting the need for a comprehensive approach that includes brand building and engaging content. Listen to hear why he suggests focusing on creating exceptional user experiences that retain visitors and build brand loyalty rather than just chasing rankings. In this week’s deep dive, Nate Saienni shares his insights on the future of SEO, including the impact of AI overviews and the importance of balancing search intent with unique content. Rounding out the episode, Nate and Nate cover topics like the effectiveness of backlinks, the role of content optimization tools, and strategies for creating memorable content that stands out. Closing the episode is our popular lightning round of questions!  Learn More About Nate SaienniNate is an SEO and content consultant based in Philadelphia. He works with B2B start-ups and SaaS brands, helping them leverage search to drive growth and results beyond just rankings and clicks.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natesaienni/Twitter: https://x.com/natesaienni?lang=en&mx=2Website: https://www.enginehq.co

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Matthew Kay for the fiftieth episode of the Optimize podcast. Matthew is a seasoned SEO consultant who brings a wealth of experience in technical SEO from his role at an agency focusing on B2B SaaS companies. In our episode today, Nate and Matthew explore essential SEO strategies shaping the industry. They discuss the significance of internal linking, the evolution of SEO practices, and the impact of Google’s algorithm updates on content strategy. Matthew also shares insights into the technical side of SEO, highlighting how small, strategic changes can significantly affect a site’s performance. Listen to Matthew share everything you need to know about effectively aligning SEO with business objectives, especially for B2B SaaS companies. Matthew gets tactical, sharing his approach to SEO audits, reporting, and the significance of creating high-quality, authoritative content. Closing the episode is our popular lightning round of questions!  Learn More About Matthew KayMatthew Kay has been building and scaling things on the internet for well over a decade. He has worked with a variety of fast growing companies over the years as a consultant and SEO agency side. While he is energized by all aspects of growth and marketing, in recent years, his deepest focus has been on technical SEO, analytics/reporting, and programmatic SEO. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewgkay/Twitter: https://twitter.com/matthewgkay?lang=enWebsite: https://matthewgkay.com/

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Ray Grieselhuber for the forty-ninth episode of the Optimize podcast. Ray is the CEO of DemandSphere, a Y Combinator-backed data and analytics platform built for e-commerce and programmatic SEO teams, both in-house and agency. With over 17 years of experience in building and scaling SEO solutions, he leads a team of experts in ML, AI, data engineering, and organic marketing In our episode today, Ray shares his insights on the evolving landscape of SERP features and their impact on user behavior, the challenges of Google’s focus on bigger brands in recent algorithm updates, and why he emphasizes the importance of holistic monitoring of the SERP for effective SEO strategies. Ray highlights the importance of SERP analytics in understanding both past and future trends in search. He also touches on the significance of user behavior metrics in Google's rankings and shares his thoughts on Google's evolving algorithm. Closing the episode is our popular lightning round of questions!   Learn More About Ray Grieselhuber Ray Grieselhuber is the CEO of DemandSphere, a Y Combinator-backed data and analytics platform built for ecommerce and programmatic SEO teams, both in-house and agency. With over 17 years experience in building and scaling SEO solutions, he leads a team of experts in ML / AI, data engineering, and organic marketing.Links:https://www.demandsphere.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/raygrieselhuberLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raygrieselhuber/

Join Nate Matherson in a lively discussion with Dave Rathmanner, an SEO expert with insights into algorithm changes and strategies. They explore challenges faced by small websites post Google updates, focusing on content-heavy sites and the impact of display ads and affiliate links. Dave questions the effectiveness of Google's new page-level content evaluation and recovery from penalties, emphasizing the balance of ads and content quality. The discussion delves into strategies for ranking success, the importance of unique and valuable content, and the challenges faced by sports betting websites in the SEO landscape.