In this issue:

Only 2 more weeks to register for the writer’s workshop.
How I plan a “top-down” content calendar
How to modernize your SEO strategy
4/10 companies think their content strategy is ___
Office workers lose how much time on manual tasks?!
Rand Fishkin asks one of the most essential questions in marketing today

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Debunking the “SEO Content” Myth

This is a first for The Content Studio!

In this one day workshop, we’ll look at the #1 reason why all “SEO Content” sounds the same, and the one writing principle that is criminally underutilized in B2B Content.

In this workshop we’ll explore:

🔸 Finding your content’s controlling idea
🔸 Understanding your reader’s wants

🔸 Delivering on your reader’s needs

🔸 Revealing the Three Layers of Conflict

We’ll also be doing a hands on live editing session for one of our attendees so you can see this go from theory to practical application.

Full price is $199 but since you’re a Studio Insider, you receive a $100 discount code by entering Insider100 at the checkout.

The workshop is on June 28th @ 1pm EST and attendees will have instant lifetime access to a private community of others looking to progress in their skill and career.

Again, use the code Insider100 at the checkout to get access to this workshop for only $99

Register now

Top of mind:

I’m helping a client plan their content calendar right now.

Thought I’d share while it’s fresh, because I don’t do it like most…

First, I know the majority of content calendars planned by picking from the “Big Ole’ Keyword List”

You know – high-volume, low-difficulty, let’s go after the easy ones first…

It’s effective, and people smarter than me make it work all the time, so I won’t knock it.

My only personal gripes are:

1.) It makes the blog a repository of articles with random connections

2.) It can make it difficult to create clear “click-paths” that direct the visitor on where to go.

Again, this is just me, and I’ve seen plenty of calendars have great success with this approach.

It’s just not for me.

Instead, here’s how I approach it when I’m working on a top-down planning structure.

First, 𝗜 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀.

I think it’s a mistake to assume that a page should be its own fully self-contained story.

Instead, I’m assuming someone coming to the site has a bigger problem than what the search (if it’s a search heavy blog that is) would indicate.

𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲:

How to start a ___ business.

Well this is a loaded question, isn’t it?

There are so many things that go into starting a business.

So that article will break everything down.

• Finding a business model
• Taking on partner
• Hiring employees
• Regulations…. etc.

Each subtopic goes just deep enough to be satisfying, but not so deep that it loses its through-line.

Instead, I look at individual sections as “off ramps” to other articles that go 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱 into that topic. A thorough investigation. Highly nutritious, nothing lacking.

I’m also not (always) obvious in the “off ramp” in the primary article.

I’ll use the language and musicality of the words to build up to a crescendo, then insert the link at the apex so it opens a curiosity gap that can only be satisfied by clicking on the link.

My goal is to have them opening 15 tabs and late to their next meeting by the time they’re done.

This is an easier way of planning for me because it helps me stay focused on a very specific set of interrelated problems.

This is also why not every piece will have a fully wrapped up ending, but rather, it’s own version of “stay tuned for the next episode” to get them opening more pages.

It’s common in TV and is what creates a binge reading behavior.

Their conflict can never be solved on a single page, so if I’m always keeping Their Super Objective and Central Conflict in mind during the planning, I can guide my reader to where I want them to go to.

Even better, I can also coordinate my authors to all work together to create foreshadowing and references to other pieces that let the reader know there’s a much larger universe of content available to them.

I’ve found this very effective in getting people to read more pages and return more frequently.

Maybe you will too.

Finding The Controlling Idea

Join me in this one day, hands-on workshop where I will walk through different methodologies to find The Controlling Idea and get hands-on with your content to help tighten up the work.

Only $99 for Studio Insiders.

Use the code Insider100

Register here

What’s on our radar?

😎 Only 9% of companies think their content strategy is “excellent” while about 4/10 consider theirs “average.”

📈 Alex Birkett’s perspective on growth models will get your head right and get your numbers to stop flat-lining.

😮‍💨Accenture estimates 76% of an office worker’s tasks could be reinvented with automation.

🙋‍♂️Rand Fishkin asks, “Who will amplify this and why?“

Studio Insider Spotlight

Just a couple months ago, I went to Audience Plus’ Goldenhour and was absolutely blown away by the amount of connections and insights were all in one spot.

This session by John-Henry Scherck is one of the most insightful and down to earth perspectives of where SEO is headed, and is well worth the watch.

Note: It is gated, but the Audience Plus content program is well worth paying attention to.

Let’s get social

Erica is, without a doubt, one of the smartest people working in content today.

This quick post is a great primer on what it takes to get noticed by editors who are at the top of their game.