Optimize

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Jeannie Assimos for the thirty-seventh episode of the Optimize podcast. Jeannie is currently the Head of Content/Communications for Way.com. She is a content marketing expert with 20+ years of experience leading teams as the VP of Content for eHarmony (perfect for our Valentine's Day episode!) and the Managing Editor of Entertainment Tonight. In our episode today, Nate and Jeannie talk about the elements that go into crafting great content that performs well in the SERPs and collects backlinks organically or through content syndication. During the episode, Jeannie and Nate emphasize the importance of authenticity in content creation, highlighting the unique value of human-generated content and how it can boost your conversion rate. This tactic was especially beneficial for Jeannie at eHarmony, where she built a team of freelancers with genuine lived experiences to write dating content from various points of view. In this week’s deep dive, listen to Jeannie share how she’s taken Way.com from 40k monthly visitors to over 1.6 million monthly visitors! She shares how she’s scaled her team, how they conduct keyword research, the content motion required to publish 300 - 400 blogs per month consistently, and how her team leverages data to drive the overall content strategy. Rounding out the episode, Jeannie and Nate cover topics like repurposing content, the role of graphics/visuals/videos, and the comparison of News SEO with Traditional SEO. Closing the episode is our popular lightning round of questions! For more information, please visit www.positional.com or email us at podcast@positional.com.Resources:Join Positional’s Private Beta Here: www.positional.comCheck-in with Nate on LinkedIn & TwitterCheck-in with Jeannie on LinkedIn or Website

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Cyrus Shepard for the thirty-sixth episode of the Optimize podcast. Cyrus works as an SEO and online marketer. As an early and long-time employee of Moz, he built his reputation by studying Google’s algorithm, researching and publishing scientific SEO studies, helping brands and businesses improve online visibility, and continually teaching new SEO best practices to others. Today, he runs Zyppy, an SEO software company that makes expert techniques available to everyone. In our episode today, Nate and Cyrus dive into Google’s Antitrust lawsuit and the hidden insights our audience should consider to improve their SEO and content marketing efforts. Listen to Cyrus speak on how user engagement data drives a house of cards (Google’s algorithm). During the episode, Cyrus and Nate discuss the process of becoming a Google Quality Rater and why mobile optimization is critical. As a bonus for our listeners, Cyrus shares his results from applying what he’s learned to his site and his optimization priority for 2024. In this week’s deep dive, Cyrus and Nate visit one of our more popular topics: internal linking strategies. Cyrus references his research and gives our audience critical insights into the results of what’s working and how to craft the perfect internal links strategy to succeed in 2024. Rounding out the episode, Cyrus covers ranking factors, domain authority, user interaction signals, and his predictions for 2024, including the upcoming surge in AI-generated content. Closing the episode is our popular lightning round of questions! For more information, please visit www.positional.com or email us at podcast@positional.com.Resources:Join Positional’s Private Beta Here: www.positional.comCheck-in with Nate on LinkedIn & TwitterCheck-in with Cyrus on LinkedIn & Twitter & WebsiteImportant Links:Internal Link Case StudySelective Link Priority Study

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Noah Kagan for the thirty-fifth episode of the Optimize podcast. Noah likely needs no introduction, but know that Noah is the CEO of AppSumo, one of the earliest members of the Facebook go-to-market team, the fourth employee at Mint, and the author of a new book, Million Dollar Weekend. In our episode today, Noah and Nate discuss the importance of knowing when to take your product to market, how to iterate and validate ideas quickly, and the process of building habits that lead to great results. During the episode, Nate and Noah review AppSumo’s journey from a $12 sale on a weekend to over $80M in revenue in 2023. The pair also reflect on how Noah’s career journey led him to shift from an employee mindset to an entrepreneurial one. In this week’s deep dive, Noah and Nate use Positional as a case study for transforming your product from a hands-on beta phase into a self-serve product. Listen to hear insightful tips on how Nate knows it’s the right time and how you can evaluate transitioning your business from beta to public, too. Rounding out the episode, Noah covers the challenges and strategies in creating products and companies that people want to engage with. He shares some of the early warning signs he’s experienced and the pitfalls of following processes that contradict your company’s best interests. Closing the episode is our popular lightning round of questions! For more information, please visit www.positional.com or email us at podcast@positional.com.Resources:Join Positional’s Private Beta Here: www.positional.comCheck-in with Nate on LinkedIn & TwitterCheck-in with Noah on LinkedIn & Twitter & YouTube & WebsiteImportant Links:Buy Million Dollar Weekend Here

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Jeremy Galante for the thirty-fourth episode of the Optimize podcast. Jeremy is currently the SEO Lead at ClickUp, where he applies his passion for optimization to both organic search and project workflows. Since joining as the first full-time SEO hire in 2020, ClickUp has grown search traffic by over 2 million monthly visitors. With ten years in the industry, Jeremy‘s previous experiences span from agency director to adjunct marketing instructor. In our episode today, Jeremy and Nate discuss content strategy and optimization, including crafting the perfect listicle, managing in-context internal linking, creating quality content, optimizing content, and more! During the episode, Nate and Jeremy review ClickUp’s journey to over 2 million monthly visitors, revealing strategies you can utilize on your sites. In this week’s deep dive, Jeremy and Nate break down content formats, including listicles and roundups like best-of lists, product/service alternatives, and comparison pages. Listen to Jeremy’s “Surround Sound” strategy for building backlinks, influencing LLMs, developing brand authority, and expanding your audience. Rounding out the episode, Jeremy covers the challenges and strategies in scaling content channels, emphasizing the need for a solid workflow with checks to ensure quality control. Closing out the episode is our popular lightning round of questions! For more information, please visit www.positional.com or email us at podcast@positional.com.Resources:Join Positional’s Private Beta Here: www.positional.comCheck-in with Nate on LinkedIn & TwitterCheck-in with Jeremy on LinkedIn & Twitter & ClickUp's Website & Jeremy's Website

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Jason Hennessey for the thirty-third episode of the Optimize podcast. Jason is a multifaceted entrepreneur, renowned SEO expert, author, podcast host, U.S.A.F. Veteran, and dynamic speaker known for reverse-engineering the Google algorithm since 2001. As the CEO of Hennessey Digital since 2015, he has grown the agency into a multi-million-dollar enterprise, recognized on the Inc. 5000 list for five years, including 2023. He is also an acclaimed author of two Amazon bestsellers, including “Legal SEO” and "Honest SEO." In our episode today, Jason and Nate discuss a new topic for the Optimize Podcast, Legal SEO, but don’t skip this episode, as the tips and strategies he shares apply to all industries. During the episode, Nate and Jason break down the evolution of organic search from the 2000s to the present, algorithm updates, backlink strategies, agency building, communication, and more! In this week’s deep dive, Jason shares his experience with Legal SEO, offering insights into the competitive and heavily regulated industry. Listen to his strategies for building backlinks and executing content strategies, developing brand identity, and the importance of maintaining your company’s or law firm’s reputation. Rounding out the episode, Jason and Nate discuss building an agency from the ground up, hiring A-players, and managing communication and expectations in client-agency relationships. Closing out the episode is our popular lightning round of questions! For more information, please visit www.positional.com or email us at podcast@positional.com.Resources:Join Positional’s Private Beta Here: www.positional.comCheck-in with Nate on LinkedIn & TwitterCheck-in with Jason on LinkedIn & Twitter & Agency WebsiteBuy Jason's Books: Honest SEO & Legal SEO

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Ann Smarty for the thirty-second episode of the Optimize podcast. Ann is an SEO expert with industry experience since 2005 and is the founder of Smarty Marketing, a client-first boutique SEO agency based in New York. She was the former editor-in-chief of Search Engine Journal, a frequent contributor to prominent search and social blogs like Small Business Trends and Mashable, and a speaker at Pubcon and other digital marketing events. In our episode today, Ann and I discuss organic search and AI predictions for 2024, her recent report, The State of The Link Building Industry 2023, helpful content, algorithm updates, and more! During the episode, Ann shares her experience with Google’s algorithm evolution over the years and how user experience metrics signal Google that your website’s content is valuable to the readers and should rank highly. In this week’s deep dive, Ann shares her thoughts on the challenges agencies face in acquiring clients and the problems clients face when choosing an agency. Listen to her thoughts on the importance of experience and longevity when selecting an SEO agency, why you should educate yourself before your first meeting, and how shortcuts and hype can backfire. Rounding out the episode, Ann and Nate discuss link-building strategies, topical authority, creating link bait, and reputation management. Closing out the episode is our popular lightning round of questions! For more information, please visit www.positional.com or email us at podcast@positional.com.Resources:Join Positional’s Private Beta Here: www.positional.comCheck-in with Nate on LinkedIn & TwitterCheck-in with Ann on LinkedIn & Twitter & Agency WebsiteThe State of The Link Building Industry 2023 Report

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Ty Magnin for the thirty-first episode of the Optimize podcast. Ty is the CEO of Animalz, a content marketing agency for enterprise companies, startups, and VC firms. He previously led marketing teams at Emotive, UiPath, and Appcues. In our episode today, Ty and Nate review a turbulent 2023 for content marketing agencies and envision what’s ahead for the industry in 2024. During the episode, Ty shares his experience experimenting with AI-generated content, the results, and his lingering skepticism of the efficacy of AI-generated content in SEO channels in 2024. In this week’s deep dive, Ty shares his thoughts on the importance of ROI tracking and how diversifying content channels, content adaptability, and distribution play a crucial role in performance metrics. Rounding out the episode, Ty and Nate discuss SGE, user search behavior, and other predictions for content marketing in 2024. Closing out the episode is our popular lightning round of questions! For more information, please visit www.positional.com or email us at podcast@positional.com.Resources:Join Positional’s Private Beta Here: www.positional.comCheck-in with Nate on LinkedIn & TwitterCheck-in with Ty on LinkedIn & Twitter

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Mika Lepisto for the thirtieth episode of the Optimize podcast. Mika has broad experience in digital marketing since the mid-’90s, and over the past 20 years, has been consulting with a focus on organic/SEO and revenue generation. His clients span B2C, B2B, B2G, and the public sector. In our episode today, Mika and Nate review the history and evolution of SEO from its humble beginnings in the late 1990s to the future impacts AI will have on organic search as we move into 2024. Mika shares his thoughts on Google’s SGE experiment and why he anticipates a shift towards highly personalized results in the SERPs instead of SGE’s current form. In this week’s deep dive, Mika and Nate discuss the Travel SEO niche, revealing tips and strategies you can use to out-compete legacy competitors. Rounding out the episode, Mika outlines how to capitalize on local search advantages, the changing significance of backlinks, and aligning SEO KPIs with business objectives. Closing out the episode is our popular lightning round of questions! For more information, please visit www.positional.com or email us at podcast@positional.com.Resources:Join Positional’s Private Beta Here: www.positional.comCheck-in with Nate on LinkedIn & TwitterCheck-in with Mika on LinkedIn

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Kathleen Estreich for the twenty-ninth episode of the Optimize podcast. Kathleen is a Co-Founder of MKT1, a VC firm investing in early-stage B2B companies. MKT1 specializes in providing hands-on marketing help to its portfolio companies. Kathleen has built and led marketing and operations teams at several high-growth startups, including Intercom, Box, Facebook, and Scalyr. She has experience in marketing and business operations, bringing a holistic view to help founders grow their early business teams. In our episode today, Kathleen and Nate discuss the challenges early-stage startups encounter when formulating and executing a marketing strategy and hiring the right people. In Kathleen’s experience, your initial hire should be a generalist who compliments the founder’s expertise and possesses a balance of strategic thinking and hands-on execution. Kathleen believes early-stage startup founders hold a pivotal role in shaping their marketing success and emphasizes the importance of investing time in understanding their audience, defining their go-to-market motion, and identifying marketing advantages. Kathleen and Nate also explore the importance of testing multiple marketing channels, adapting to what works, and iterating on your successes. Closing out the episode is our popular lightning round of questions! For more information, please visit www.positional.com or email us at podcast@positional.com.Resources:Join Positional’s Private Beta Here: www.positional.comCheck-in with Nate on LinkedIn & TwitterCheck-in with Kathleen on LinkedIn & TwitterImportant Links:MKT1 Capital & Newsletter

Join Nate Matherson as he sits down with Brian Dean for the twenty-eighth episode of the Optimize podcast. Brian Dean is a renowned expert in digital marketing and SEO, best known as the founder of Backlinko, a leading platform for SEO training and resources. He is also the co-founder of Exploding Topics, a tool that identifies rapidly growing topics before they become mainstream. Dean's work provides in-depth, actionable insights in SEO and content marketing. Brian and Nate explore various topics in this episode, from ranking factors and ‘broetry’ to trend spotting and branded newsletters. The pair discuss the pivotal role user experience plays in impacting website metrics and business conversions, the current cost of writers, and the importance of human-generated content in an AI content world. As a bonus for our listeners, Brian reflects on his journey with Backlinko and Exploding Topics. Closing out the episode is our popular lightning round of questions! For more information, please visit www.positional.com or email us at podcast@positional.com.Resources:Join Positional’s Private Beta Here: www.positional.comCheck-in with Nate on LinkedIn & TwitterCheck-in with Brian on LinkedIn & TwitterImportant Links:Exploding Topics