How often do you reflect on the state of your business? I start every year with a SWOT to determine strategic priorities. 

This episode walks through my monthly reflection, of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in my business. 

Key Takeaways

• Crystal discusses strengths of her business, including successful sessions with the founding members of her SEO squad, covering topics such as Google business profiles and other SEO-related aspects. She also mentions successful sales in January from her business, Collage and Wood.
• Crystal identifies weaknesses including experiencing overwhelm and considering hiring a designer due to the volume of work. She also mentions a mishap with the postal service.
• Opportunities are identified in the form of launching a free SEO challenge at the end of February, returning to handwritten thank you notes, and considering a QR code to encourage customer reviews. Crystal also highlights the opportunity to improve customer communication about late deliveries.
• Threats to her business include time constraints and health issues, with her husband having been sick. She also mentions the challenge of managing her son's screen time.
• Crystal discusses the importance of evaluating business performance regularly, turning weaknesses into opportunities, and mitigating threats. She ends with a story highlighting the importance of recognizing what one already has instead of constantly pursuing more.

Send me a text!

Does SEO feel confusing, overwhelming, or just plain impossible to figure out? You’re not alone. That’s why I created the AI SEO Foundations course, powered by Crystal GPT: your personal AI SEO coach designed for busy, creative business owners like you.

Ditch the overwhelm and discover what SEO can do for your business! Head to SEOin7days.com (with the number 7!) and get started today—let’s make your brand easy to find and impossible to ignore.

Copywriting AI hotter than a firecracker
Artificial intelligence makes it fast & easy to create content for a blog, social media, and more!

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Support the show

Want to follow up on what you've heard? Search the podcast!

Join the SEO Squad

Apply to be my podcast guest! 🎙️ Don't forget to Put your pitch topic in the subject line!

AFFILIATE LINKS:
Start your Shopify Store!
Get SurferSEO!

Metricool (to be everywhere online, you NEED a social media scheduler!)

Note:
If you make a purchase using some of my links, I make a little money.
But I only ever share products, people, & offers I trust & use myself!

Join me for a deep conversation with Ola King, who shares his intriguing journey – from being a popular [and underage!] local DJ and music producer to making an impact in the SEO industry.

Below is a summary of the main topics discussed:

• Ola talks about his experience of moving from Nigeria to Canada at a young age, including the challenges he faced adapting to a new environment.
• Ola shares details about his early career in music production, his transition into SEO, and the reasons behind the launch of his own company.
• As a user researcher at Moz, Ola highlights the significance of understanding customers and offers unique insights on how to future-proof SEO by focusing on providing unique information and customer insights.
• The conversation pivots to the true meaning of design thinking, debunking common misconceptions. They underline that design thinking is not just about art or aesthetics, but how things work, how to empathize with users, and putting this empathy into the design process.
• Ola explains his views on the misunderstanding of SEO - it's not about optimizing for search engines, but enhancing the user's experience by understanding their intent and context. 
• The importance of diversity in the tech industry is discussed, with Ola sharing his experiences and the benefits of finding common ground for a more inclusive and welcoming environment.

For more insights from Ola King, you

Send me a text!

Hey creative entrepreneur—does SEO feel confusing, overwhelming, or just plain impossible to figure out? You’re not alone. That’s why I created the AI SEO Foundations course, powered by CrystalGPT: your personal AI SEO coach designed for busy, creative business owners like you.

Crystal GPT walks you through what matters most for your website. Head to SEOin7days.com (with a 7!) and get started today—let’s make your brand easy to find and impossible to ignore.

Does SEO feel confusing, overwhelming, or just plain impossible to figure out? You’re not alone. That’s why I created the AI SEO Foundations course, powered by Crystal GPT: your personal AI SEO coach designed for busy, creative business owners like you.

Ditch the overwhelm and discover what SEO can do for your business! Head to SEOin7days.com (with the number 7!) and get started today—let’s make your brand easy to find and impossible to ignore.

Digital Disruption with Geoff Nielson
Discover how technology is reshaping our lives and livelihoods.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Support the show

Want to follow up on what you've heard? Search the podcast!

Join the SEO Squad

Apply to be my podcast guest! 🎙️ Don't forget to Put your pitch topic in the subject line!

AFFILIATE LINKS:
Start your Shopify Store!
Get SurferSEO!

Metricool (to be everywhere online, you NEED a social media scheduler!)

Note:
If you make a purchase using some of my links, I make a little money.
But I only ever share products, people, & offers I trust & use myself!

We're celebrating like crazy because our Shopify CollageandWood.com sales have jumped up by 80% compared to last year - all thanks to our SEO strategy. 

Now, onto the super exciting part - we had our third meeting for the SEO Squad. Imagine a group of go-getter entrepreneurs, just like us, all pumped up to master SEO. Sounds great, right? 

We're officially launching next month and you can hop on board the challenge at threedaychallenge.com/seo. If you join now, you can lock in a cool $20/month rate. 

We also took a look at where our traffic is coming from. Pinterest has been our star off page SEO driver, bringing in over 3,000 visitors this month alone. 

And our blog? It's been on fire with organic search sending us 8.8 thousand visitors this month. 

Oh, and get this, we had a $1000 sales day! Can you believe it?

Also Honeybook confirmed what Kris Daria told us on Wednesday about the email changes coming February 1, 2024: always use a branded domain email if possible. 

So, that's the scoop from our end. Here's to another week of hustling, learning, and smashing goals! 

Keep following through!

Join the Founding Members through February 15, 2024

Send me a text!

Does SEO feel confusing, overwhelming, or just plain impossible to figure out? You’re not alone. That’s why I created the AI SEO Foundations course, powered by Crystal GPT: your personal AI SEO coach designed for busy, creative business owners like you.

Ditch the overwhelm and discover what SEO can do for your business! Head to SEOin7days.com (with the number 7!) and get started today—let’s make your brand easy to find and impossible to ignore.

Support the show

Want to follow up on what you've heard? Search the podcast!

Join the SEO Squad

Apply to be my podcast guest! 🎙️ Don't forget to Put your pitch topic in the subject line!

AFFILIATE LINKS:
Start your Shopify Store!
Get SurferSEO!

Metricool (to be everywhere online, you NEED a social media scheduler!)

Note:
If you make a purchase using some of my links, I make a little money.
But I only ever share products, people, & offers I trust & use myself!

On Feb. 1, Google and Yahoo are changing email deliverability standards. Is your business ready?

 In today's show,  Klaviyo email marketing expert Kris Daria joins us.

Kris started with large ecommerce brands before branching out on her own to help small businesses.

We go wayyyy back to Clubhouse circa 2020.

Kris has an incredible knack for making email marketing approachable!

Here's the big takeaways:

1. Google and Yahoo are implementing stricter email spam prevention measures on February 1, 2024.

• This is the first time in two decades that such significant changes will be made.
•  Kris gives a ton of tips that you can implement NOW to make sure your emails stay in the inbox vs. the junk folder.

2. Kris's tips for smaller brands when it comes to email marketing:

• Personalize emails and utilize segmentation features.
• Nurture stronger, more meaningful relationships with emails.
• Send out a consistent weekly email newsletter to your audience. 
• Listen for Kris's FIRE tip for sending a second email in one week.

3. Definitions of email terms:

• There's a difference between email campaigns (1-many)  and email flows (1-1).
• Leverage your ESPs automation capabilities to personalize the customer journey.
• Use a professional domain for sending emails. 
• Captur

Send me a text!

Hey creative entrepreneur—does SEO feel confusing, overwhelming, or just plain impossible to figure out? You’re not alone. That’s why I created the AI SEO Foundations course, powered by CrystalGPT: your personal AI SEO coach designed for busy, creative business owners like you.

Crystal GPT walks you through what matters most for your website. Head to SEOin7days.com (with a 7!) and get started today—let’s make your brand easy to find and impossible to ignore.

Does SEO feel confusing, overwhelming, or just plain impossible to figure out? You’re not alone. That’s why I created the AI SEO Foundations course, powered by Crystal GPT: your personal AI SEO coach designed for busy, creative business owners like you.

Ditch the overwhelm and discover what SEO can do for your business! Head to SEOin7days.com (with the number 7!) and get started today—let’s make your brand easy to find and impossible to ignore.

Digital Disruption with Geoff Nielson
Discover how technology is reshaping our lives and livelihoods.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Support the show

Want to follow up on what you've heard? Search the podcast!

Join the SEO Squad

Apply to be my podcast guest! 🎙️ Don't forget to Put your pitch topic in the subject line!

AFFILIATE LINKS:
Start your Shopify Store!
Get SurferSEO!

Metricool (to be everywhere online, you NEED a social media scheduler!)

Note:
If you make a purchase using some of my links, I make a little money.
But I only ever share products, people, & offers I trust & use myself!

Let's talk SEO Leadership skills!

Many thanks for SEO For Hire for having me on their Linkedin Live and Youtube Show!

Empowering Leadership and Strategies for Onboarding Employees - A Reflection

Some key areas I  (Crystal Waddell) addressed include the importance of having an effective onboarding system for employees, the significance of setting clear job expectations, and how discipline can be discrete yet constructive.

I discussed the need for trust, empathy, and consistency in leadership, noting these are vital for building team relationships and fostering a productive and cooperative culture.

I tried encourages leaders to take a hands-on approach in understanding their employees beyond their job roles.

Lastly I  invited you to an upcoming SEO challenge and stresses the importance of commemorating wins and encouraging self-reflection among team members.

00:00 Introduction and Weekly Recap
00:23 Reflections on LinkedIn Live with SEO for Hire
00:49 The Importance of Onboarding and Employee Expectations
03:00 The Role of Empathy and Trust in Leadership
05:03 Maintaining Consistency and Celebrating Wins
06:06 Conclusion and Invitation to SEO Challenge

Connect with Crystal Waddell
Website
Linkedin
IG / FB

Send me a text!

Does SEO feel confusing, overwhelming, or just plain impossible to figure out? You’re not alone. That’s why I created the AI SEO Foundations course, powered by Crystal GPT: your personal AI SEO coach designed for busy, creative business owners like you.

Ditch the overwhelm and discover what SEO can do for your business! Head to SEOin7days.com (with the number 7!) and get started today—let’s make your brand easy to find and impossible to ignore.

Support the show

Want to follow up on what you've heard? Search the podcast!

Join the SEO Squad

Apply to be my podcast guest! 🎙️ Don't forget to Put your pitch topic in the subject line!

AFFILIATE LINKS:
Start your Shopify Store!
Get SurferSEO!

Metricool (to be everywhere online, you NEED a social media scheduler!)

Note:
If you make a purchase using some of my links, I make a little money.
But I only ever share products, people, & offers I trust & use myself!

Today I discuss the changing landscape of SEO, alongside Google's evolving algorithms, and the rise of AI generated content with Demandsphere founder Ray Grieselhuber.

Ray gives us his insights on Google's new experimental project known as SGE (Search Generative Experience) and how it may affect the visibility of businesses online.

Ray also eplains the importance of localization and digital assets in boosting a company's online presence.

This convo is full of practical advice for small businesses and provides a deep understanding of the constantly changing world of SEO.

Connect with Ray Grieselhuber
DemandSphere Website
Linkedin
Twitter

02:14 Understanding E-commerce Beyond Traditional Perception
03:08 The Importance of SEO in E-commerce
03:18 Discussion on 'Product Led SEO' by Eli Schwartz
04:51 The Importance of User Experience in SEO
06:44 The Interconnection of SEO and UX Design
07:20 The Evolution of Rank Tracking
12:49 Understanding Google's Search Generative Experience (SGE)
15:22 The Impact of SGE on Businesses
16:24 The Shift from Keyword-based to Semantic-based Search
17:20 Understanding E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) in SEO
18:09 The Importance of Authenticity in Content Creation
22:00 The Concept of Digital Assets
25:12 Benefits of Google Search Console
25:31 Exploring Other SEO Tools
25:47 Understanding the Importance of Data and Analytics
25:55 The Future of SEO Industry
26:15 Mobile vs Desktop: Where to Focus?
28:20 The Difference Between Translation and Localization
29:32 Discussing Shopify and SEO
30:13 The Imp

Send me a text!

Hey creative entrepreneur—does SEO feel confusing, overwhelming, or just plain impossible to figure out? You’re not alone. That’s why I created the AI SEO Foundations course, powered by CrystalGPT: your personal AI SEO coach designed for busy, creative business owners like you.

Crystal GPT walks you through what matters most for your website. Head to SEOin7days.com (with a 7!) and get started today—let’s make your brand easy to find and impossible to ignore.

Does SEO feel confusing, overwhelming, or just plain impossible to figure out? You’re not alone. That’s why I created the AI SEO Foundations course, powered by Crystal GPT: your personal AI SEO coach designed for busy, creative business owners like you.

Ditch the overwhelm and discover what SEO can do for your business! Head to SEOin7days.com (with the number 7!) and get started today—let’s make your brand easy to find and impossible to ignore.

Support the show

Want to follow up on what you've heard? Search the podcast!

Join the SEO Squad

Apply to be my podcast guest! 🎙️ Don't forget to Put your pitch topic in the subject line!

AFFILIATE LINKS:
Start your Shopify Store!
Get SurferSEO!

Metricool (to be everywhere online, you NEED a social media scheduler!)

Note:
If you make a purchase using some of my links, I make a little money.
But I only ever share products, people, & offers I trust & use myself!

It's all about creating linkable assets on this follow through Fridays!

You can see Crystal's examples here: Top College Athletes: Earnings & Valuations for Men and Women

In this video and podcast we take a look at the top earning college athletes in 2023-2024, focusing both on male and female athletes. For the female category, Olivia Dunne, a gymnast, and Angel Reese, a basketball player, take the top spots. While in the male category, Bronnie James, the son of LeBron James, Shadeur Sanders, the son of Deion Sanders, and Arch Manning, relative of the famous Manning football family, earn the highest. The rankings are based on their corresponding valuations from the website On3, which assesses each athlete's name image likeness potential money.

00:00 Introduction
00:00 Top Female Earners in College Sports
01:19 Transition to Male Athletes
01:35 Top Male Earners in College Sports
03:00 Interesting Facts about Top Earners in College Sports
03:14 Conclusion and Future Updates

Send me a text!

Does SEO feel confusing, overwhelming, or just plain impossible to figure out? You’re not alone. That’s why I created the AI SEO Foundations course, powered by Crystal GPT: your personal AI SEO coach designed for busy, creative business owners like you.

Ditch the overwhelm and discover what SEO can do for your business! Head to SEOin7days.com (with the number 7!) and get started today—let’s make your brand easy to find and impossible to ignore.

Support the show

Want to follow up on what you've heard? Search the podcast!

Join the SEO Squad

Apply to be my podcast guest! 🎙️ Don't forget to Put your pitch topic in the subject line!

AFFILIATE LINKS:
Start your Shopify Store!
Get SurferSEO!

Metricool (to be everywhere online, you NEED a social media scheduler!)

Note:
If you make a purchase using some of my links, I make a little money.
But I only ever share products, people, & offers I trust & use myself!

Want to identify and create relevant content for businesses? Today's guest, B2B content strategist Christine McLean Lewis shares her tip for leveraging diverse content marketing techniques to get in front of clients when they are in the market for your product!

Connect with Christine:
Website
LinkedIn

Christine's Content Strategy Process:

• Target high intent customers. 
• Analyze keywords related to customer problems.
• Aligning content creation with the business goals.
• Focus on bottom and middle funnel content (product-led content/case studies.)

How to determine effectiveness:

• Consider the effectiveness of the content after an initial three-month period.
• Christine prefers to stay with the brands for a minimum of 18 months.

Breaking down the customer journey:

• The customer journey is like a kids' playground. 
• Different customers might interact with the brand across different touch points, just as children choose a variety of paths to enjoy the playground.

Top advice for listeners: 

•  Avoid following the crowd.
• Focus on showcasing your brand's expertise.

Send me a text!

Hey creative entrepreneur—does SEO feel confusing, overwhelming, or just plain impossible to figure out? You’re not alone. That’s why I created the AI SEO Foundations course, powered by CrystalGPT: your personal AI SEO coach designed for busy, creative business owners like you.

Crystal GPT walks you through what matters most for your website. Head to SEOin7days.com (with a 7!) and get started today—let’s make your brand easy to find and impossible to ignore.

Does SEO feel confusing, overwhelming, or just plain impossible to figure out? You’re not alone. That’s why I created the AI SEO Foundations course, powered by Crystal GPT: your personal AI SEO coach designed for busy, creative business owners like you.

Ditch the overwhelm and discover what SEO can do for your business! Head to SEOin7days.com (with the number 7!) and get started today—let’s make your brand easy to find and impossible to ignore.

Support the show

Want to follow up on what you've heard? Search the podcast!

Join the SEO Squad

Apply to be my podcast guest! 🎙️ Don't forget to Put your pitch topic in the subject line!

AFFILIATE LINKS:
Start your Shopify Store!
Get SurferSEO!

Metricool (to be everywhere online, you NEED a social media scheduler!)

Note:
If you make a purchase using some of my links, I make a little money.
But I only ever share products, people, & offers I trust & use myself!

Crystal Waddell, the host of the Simple and Smart SEO show podcast, shared some insights she had from implementing new strategies on her senior night gift store website.

Based on information from Matt Diamante and Andrew Holland, she optimized her website's keywords and started a paid e-book as her first digital product.

We've got a new format! Follow Through Fridays!

• Crystal introduced a new format where she covers lessons, implementations, and inspirations from her weekly experiences.
• Something I learned, something that I implemented and something that inspired me.

Let's talk search optimization:

• Crystal updated her collections page with relevant keywords targeted towards sports.
• She'll keep checking on the changes made to see how effective they are and provide updates later.

"Traffic is vanity, profit is sanity." - Andrew Holland

• My discussion with Andrew Holland made Crystal realize a lot of traffic with no conversion isn't as useful as targeted site traffic.
• This realization inspired her to create a senior night planning guide ebook priced at about $7
• Her first digital product at collageandwood.com!

Don't miss the FREE Supercharge Your SEO Challenge!

• January 23, 24 and 25, 2024
• Sign up at CrystalWaddell.com/supercharge.

Share your progress and victories in your SEO journey!

Connect with Crystal
IG
FB
Linkedin

Send me a text!

Does SEO feel confusing, overwhelming, or just plain impossible to figure out? You’re not alone. That’s why I created the AI SEO Foundations course, powered by Crystal GPT: your personal AI SEO coach designed for busy, creative business owners like you.

Ditch the overwhelm and discover what SEO can do for your business! Head to SEOin7days.com (with the number 7!) and get started today—let’s make your brand easy to find and impossible to ignore.

Support the show

Want to follow up on what you've heard? Search the podcast!

Join the SEO Squad

Apply to be my podcast guest! 🎙️ Don't forget to Put your pitch topic in the subject line!

AFFILIATE LINKS:
Start your Shopify Store!
Get SurferSEO!

Metricool (to be everywhere online, you NEED a social media scheduler!)

Note:
If you make a purchase using some of my links, I make a little money.
But I only ever share products, people, & offers I trust & use myself!

Join Andrew Holland from JBH and me as we talk about the future of SEO in 2024 and its role in building and promoting businesses.

1. Defining and redefining search engine optimization:

• Andrew Holland prefers the term "behavioral science" over UX and CRO. 
• SEO is evolving to consume UX and CRO.
• Andrew shared his vision that SEO needs to link to marketing effectiveness. This puts an emphasis on making sales rather than just increasing traffic.

2. SEO designed to get results = Performance SEO:

• Andrew believes not all traffic is relevant, and it's important to focus on valuable traffic with a business case.
• Andrew described the purchase journey of a buyer, stating that SEO's goal is to create online "nudges" for people to buy. 
• Share of search is a way to measure the impact of marketing efforts.

3. Make The online buying process seamless and efficient:

• Think "frictionless" website to capitalize on SEO efforts. 
• Easy navigation, clear descriptions, and ease of ordering or booking.

4. Brand visibility and publicity are the future of SEO.

• Don't get distracted by misleading data (traffic data) vs. profit generation.
• Businesses need a robust presence across multiple digital channels.
• Trends are shifting towards consultancy, omni-channel growth, and publicity.

Send me a text!

Hey creative entrepreneur—does SEO feel confusing, overwhelming, or just plain impossible to figure out? You’re not alone. That’s why I created the AI SEO Foundations course, powered by CrystalGPT: your personal AI SEO coach designed for busy, creative business owners like you.

Crystal GPT walks you through what matters most for your website. Head to SEOin7days.com (with a 7!) and get started today—let’s make your brand easy to find and impossible to ignore.

Does SEO feel confusing, overwhelming, or just plain impossible to figure out? You’re not alone. That’s why I created the AI SEO Foundations course, powered by Crystal GPT: your personal AI SEO coach designed for busy, creative business owners like you.

Ditch the overwhelm and discover what SEO can do for your business! Head to SEOin7days.com (with the number 7!) and get started today—let’s make your brand easy to find and impossible to ignore.

Digital Disruption with Geoff Nielson
Discover how technology is reshaping our lives and livelihoods.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Support the show

Want to follow up on what you've heard? Search the podcast!

Join the SEO Squad

Apply to be my podcast guest! 🎙️ Don't forget to Put your pitch topic in the subject line!

AFFILIATE LINKS:
Start your Shopify Store!
Get SurferSEO!

Metricool (to be everywhere online, you NEED a social media scheduler!)

Note:
If you make a purchase using some of my links, I make a little money.
But I only ever share products, people, & offers I trust & use myself!