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Favour Obasi-ike, MBA, MS delves into the intricacies of social media marketing, with a special focus on hacking the Instagram and TikTok algorithms. Favour shares valuable insights on how to gain maximum visibility and grow your business by understanding the underlying mechanics of these platforms. The episode covers the importance of creating engaging content, the power of a strong call to action, and the strategic use of social media analytics. Favour also introduces a powerful tool called "Sort Feed" for analyzing content performance and provides a live demonstration of how to leverage it for your own business. This episode is packed with actionable tips and strategies for anyone looking to up their social media game in 2026.Book SEO Services | Quick Links for Social Business>> Book SEO Services with Favour Obasi-ike>> Visit Work and PLAY Entertainment website to learn about our digital marketing services>> Join our exclusive SEO Marketing community>> Read SEO Articles>> Subscribe to the We Don't PLAY Podcast>> Purchase Flaev Beatz Beats Online>> Favour Obasi-ike Quick LinksLearning TopicsUnderstanding Social Media Algorithms: Learn the difference between social media platforms and search engines, and how to leverage their APIs for growth.Content Strategy: Discover how to create content that resonates with your audience and encourages engagement.The Power of Call to Action (CTA): Understand the importance of a clear and compelling CTA in driving user action.Leveraging Social Media Analytics: Learn how to use tools like "Sort Feed" to analyze content performance and gain a competitive edge.The Psychology of Social Media: Explore the psychological principles behind effective social media marketing, including the use of color and emotional triggers.Cross-Platform Promotion: Discover how to increase the visibility of your social media content by embedding it on your website.Episode Timestamps[00:00 - 02:00] Introduction to the topic: Social Media Marketing, Instagram and TikTok algorithm hacks.[02:00 - 04:10] Introduction to the "Sort Feed" tool for analyzing Instagram and TikTok content.[08:02 - 10:13] The difference between social media platforms and search engines.[20:05 - 25:15] Analysis of a viral post and the importance of a strong CTA.[40:08 - 46:22] The power of comments and engagement in boosting visibility.[53:01 - 58:24] How to embed social media posts on your website to increase reach.[58:08 - 58:24] The psychology of color in marketing.[01:15:11 - 01:16:52] Recap and key takeaways.Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)Q: What is "Sort Feed" and how can it help my business?A: Sort Feed is a Google Chrome Extension tool that allows you to sort and analyze Instagram and TikTok content by various metrics such as likes, comments, and views. It can help you understand what content is performing well in your industry, identify trends, and gain insights to inform your own content strategy.Q: Should I focus on creating content for the algorithm or for my audience?A: While it's important to understand the algorithm, the primary focus should always be on creating valuable and engaging content for your audience. By building a strong connection with your followers, you will naturally see better results in the long run.Q: How can I increase the visibility of my social media posts?A: One effective strategy is to embed your social media posts on your website or blog. This can help you reach a wider audience and drive more traffic to your social media profiles.Q: What is the most important element of a social media post?A: A clear and compelling call to action (CTA) is one of the most important elements of a social media post. It tells your audience what you want them to do next, whether it's to like, comment, share, or visit your website.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
SEO expert Favour Obasi-ike, MBA, MS delivers an in-depth comparison of Shopify SEO and Squarespace SEO CMS platforms, focusing on their SEO and CRO capabilities and website development features. This discussion covers critical technical insights about theme management, URL structure optimization, metadata configuration, and platform-specific best practices.Favour shares actionable strategies for improving website visibility, including the importance of regular theme updates, proper sitemap configuration, and effective use of SEO metadata. The session also touches on comparisons with WordPress, Wix, and other CMS platforms, providing business owners with practical guidance for choosing and optimizing their e-commerce and content-driven websites in 2026.Book SEO Services | Quick Links for Social Business>> Book SEO Services with Favour Obasi-ike>> Visit Work and PLAY Entertainment website to learn about our digital marketing services>> Join our exclusive SEO Marketing community>> Read SEO Articles>> Subscribe to the We Don't PLAY Podcast>> Purchase Flaev Beatz Beats Online>> Favour Obasi-ike Quick LinksEpisode Key Learning Topics1. Shopify Platform Deep DiveShopify as a closed-source e-commerce CMS platformTheme Liquid customization and custom code implementationImportance of regular theme updates for algorithm visibilityPre-installed sitemap functionality and automated SEO featuresApp ecosystem vs WordPress pluginsMulti-currency and multi-language capabilitiesSchema.org integration for product pages2. Squarespace Platform OverviewUser-friendly, content-driven platform positioningComparison with Shopify for product-based vs content-based websitesQuick setup and on-the-go management capabilitiesIntegration capabilities and limitationsBest use cases for small businesses and content creators3. SEO Metadata OptimizationProper configuration of SEO meta titles and descriptionsOpen Graph (OG) tags for social media sharingURL structure best practices and character optimizationThe importance of unique metadata vs duplicated contentHow to edit SEO metadata in Shopify product pages4. URL Structure StrategyStrategic URL naming conventions for productsUsing numbers strategically in URLs (e.g., "red-roses-12-piece" vs "12-piece-red-roses")Pattern disruption for user attention and click-through optimizationShorter, more concentrated URLs for better visual scanningPre-purchase click optimization through URL clarity5. Technical SEO FundamentalsSitemap management across different platformsGoogle Search Console setup and sitemap submissionThe difference between Google Analytics and Google Search ConsoleNAP (Name, Address, Phone) consistency for local SEORobots.txt configuration and indexing control6. Wix Platform InsightsHidden robots.txt settings affecting blog tag indexingHow to enable tag indexing in Wix SEO settings10-year evolution of the Wix platformCommon indexing issues and solutions7. WordPress vs Closed-Source PlatformsOpen-source flexibility vs closed-source constraintsPlugin management and sitemap conflictsThe analogy of "square footage" for platform capabilitiesWhen to choose WordPress over Shopify/Squarespace8. Content Strategy & Page ManagementThe power of compounding through content updatesUpdating old blog posts alongside publishing new onesFooter copyright year updates as ranking signalsOn-page SEO details that AI and search engines scanCreating and maintaining a content calendar9. Website Maintenance Best PracticesRegular theme updates and their impact on visibilityChecking and updating footer copyright yearsMonitoring broken links and slow page speedsPlatform-specific maintenance requirements (Shopify, Squarespace, WordPress, Webflow, Wix)10. Free Website Audit OfferFavour's offer for surface-level website auditsDeep dive capabilities for root problem identificationMulti-platform support (Shopify, Squarespace, WordPress, Webflow, Wix, Magento, Tilda, Duda)Email newsletter with SEO, marketing, and AI insightsEpisode Timestamps00:00 - Introduction: Shopify SEO vs Squarespace SEO comparison00:53 - Welcome and housekeeping (saving replays, accessing resources)02:36 - Shopify platform overview and e-commerce focus03:01 - Why Shopify stands out (price-friendly, brand-aware, aesthetically pleasing)03:43 - Shopify themes and purchasing considerations05:43 - Critical question: When did you last update your theme?06:40 - How theme updates affect algorithm visibility07:00 - Closed-source vs open-source platforms explained07:08 - Theme Liquid customization in Shopify08:00 - Shopify as your hosting platform08:10 - Apps in Shopify vs plugins in WordPress08:21 - Squarespace positioning and user-friendliness09:00 - Platform comparison analogy: Square footage (500 to 20,000 sq ft)09:33 - When aesthetics and ease-of-use matter most14:00 - Detailed Shopify theme management discussion18:00 - SEO metadata and URL structure fundamentals22:00 - The importance of page quantity and content strategy28:00 - Sitemap management and Google Search Console setup28:15 - Why Shopify pre-installs sitemaps (no conflicts)29:00 - WordPress sitemap conflicts and plugin management29:32 - The sitemap as "the brain of a website"30:00 - Content compounding strategy: updating old posts31:06 - Wix robots.txt issue: blog tags set to "no index" by default32:00 - How to fix Wix tag indexing in SEO settings33:00 - Tags as hashtags and their importance for visibility34:05 - Critical action item: Update your footer copyright year to 202635:00 - Why footer year matters for AI and search engine scanning36:01 - Shopify advantages for multi-language and multi-currency37:03 - Google Search Console vs Google Analytics confusion37:20 - The "reverse gear" moment in SEO audits42:00 - Deep dive into URL structure optimization45:00 - Strategic use of numbers in product URLs48:00 - Open Graph (OG) tags explained52:00 - Schema.org and structured data importance58:00 - Product page SEO metadata workflow in Shopify58:15 - How titles auto-generate URLs and the edit button59:00 - Example: "6-piece red rose bouquet" URL structure59:23 - Optimizing URL readability and pattern disruption60:00 - Pre-purchase click optimization through URL clarity61:00 - Character count optimization for URLs63:00 - Shopify vs Squarespace integration comparison63:16 - Schema.org as the "golden standard" for web documentation63:48 - NAP (Name, Address, Phone) consistency explained64:00 - "Dress how you want to be addressed" philosophy68:00 - Free website audit offer details70:00 - Platforms supported for audits72:00 - Newsletter signup for SEO, marketing, and AI insights74:00 - Surface-level vs deep-dive audit explanation75:00 - Closing remarks and call to actionFrequently Asked Questions (FAQs)Q1: What's the main difference between Shopify and Squarespace?A: Shopify is primarily an e-commerce platform optimized for product stores with extensive selling features (multi-currency, multi-language, robust app ecosystem), while Squarespace is more content-driven and user-friendly, ideal for portfolios, blogs, and smaller businesses that need quick setup without extensive product management.Q2: Why is updating my website theme important for SEO?A: Regular theme updates signal to search engine algorithms that your website has an updated setup and infrastructure. An outdated theme (e.g., last updated in August 2025 when we're in 2026) can cost you visibility because the algorithm may perceive your site as less maintained and current.Q3: What is Theme Liquid in Shopify?A: Theme Liquid is Shopify's templating language that allows you to customize code within the closed-source platform. It's where you would add custom elements like pop-ups, tracking codes, or other modifications that aren't available through standard theme settings.Q4: Do I need to create a sitemap for my Shopify store?A: No. Shopify automatically generates and maintains your sitemap as soon as you publish pages, products, collections, and posts. This is a major advantage over WordPress, where you need to install and configure sitemap plugins and ensure there are no conflicts.Q5: What's the difference between Google Search Console and Google Analytics?A: Google Search Console is for submitting your sitemap and monitoring how search engines crawl and index your site, while Google Analytics tracks visitor behavior and traffic sources. Both are important, but they serve different purposes. You must submit your sitemap to Search Console for proper SEO.Q6: How do I fix the Wix tag indexing problem?A: Go to your Wix dashboard, click Settings (bottom left corner), navigate to SEO Settings, find the Blog Tags section, and disable the "no index" robots.txt setting that's enabled by default. This allows your blog tags to be indexed by search engines.Q7: Why should I update my footer copyright year?A: The footer copyright year (e.g., "© 2026") is on-page text that AI and search engines scan. An outdated year (like "© 2023") signals that your site may not be actively maintained, even if you've updated content elsewhere. It's a simple but important ranking signal.Q8: How should I structure product URLs for better SEO?A: Use strategic placement of descriptive words and numbers. For example, "red-roses-12-piece" is better than "12-piece-red-roses" because users scanning search results will see "red roses" first, then the number variants (6, 12, 36), creating pattern disruption that draws attention and improves pre-purchase clicks.Q9: What is Open Graph (OG) and why does it matter?A: Open Graph tags control how your content appears when shared on social media, messaging apps, and other platforms. When you send a link via WhatsApp or iMessage and see a preview with title and image, that's Open Graph data. Properly configured OG tags ensure your content looks professional when shared.Q10: Should I choose Shopify, Squarespace, or WordPress for my business?A: Choose Shopify if you're running a product-based e-commerce store and need robust selling features. Choose Squarespace if you need a quick, aesthetically pleasing site for content, portfolios, or small-scale selling. Choose WordPress if you need maximum customization, flexibility, and control (open-source), but be prepared for more technical management.Q11: What is NAP and why is it important?A: NAP stands for Name, Address, Phone number. For websites, "address" includes your domain (www address). Consistent NAP information across your website and online directories is crucial for local SEO and helps search engines verify your business legitimacy.Q12: Can I get a free website audit from Favour?A: Yes! Favour offers surface-level website audits to help identify issues like broken links, slow pages, and basic SEO problems. The audit supports multiple platforms including Shopify, Squarespace, WordPress, Webflow, Wix, Magento, Tilda, and Duda. Links are available in the episode description or through the newsletter signup.About the Podcast HostFavour Obasi-ike, MBA, MS is an SEO and digital marketing expert who specializes in helping business owners optimize their websites for search visibility and conversion. Favour offers website audits, SEO consulting, and maintains a detailed email newsletter covering SEO, marketing, and AI insights. Visit our quick links above to get access.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
In this "WordPress SEO vs. Webflow SEO Comparisons: Website Development Tutorial + Checklist" podcast episode, host Favour Obasi-ike leads a detailed discussion comparing two popular website development platforms: WordPress and Webflow. The conversation delves into the critical aspects of choosing a content management system (CMS), including setup, design, maintenance, and search engine optimization (SEO). A key segment features a real-world account from a participant, Ryan, who shares his recent struggles with a significant Google algorithm update that drastically impacted his website's traffic and revenue. The episode provides a balanced view of both platforms, highlighting their respective strengths and weaknesses to help listeners make an informed decision based on their specific business needs, technical expertise, and long-term goals.Need to Book SEO Services for your Social Business?>> Book a Complimentary SEO Discovery Call with Favour Obasi-Ike>> Visit Work and PLAY Entertainment website to learn about our digital marketing services>> Join our exclusive SEO Marketing community>> Read SEO Articles>> Subscribe to the We Don't PLAY Podcast>> Purchase Flaev Beatz Beats Online>> Favour Obasi-ike Quick LinksKey Learning TopicsCMS Platform ComparisonAn in-depth analysis of WordPress and Webflow, covering ease of use, customization options, and built-in features. The discussion emphasizes that the best choice depends on the project's specific requirements and the user's technical comfort level.SEO Strategy and ImplementationThe episode explores how SEO is handled on both platforms, from WordPress plugins like Yoast and Rank Math to Webflow's integrated SEO tools. It stresses that while platforms provide tools, a successful SEO strategy relies on consistent effort and quality content.Impact of Google UpdatesListeners will learn about the real-world consequences of Google's algorithm changes, including the importance of continuous link building, content updates, and monitoring search engine results pages (SERPs).Website InfrastructureThe conversation covers the technical aspects of hosting and infrastructure, contrasting the self-hosted nature of WordPress with the managed hosting provided by Webflow. This includes considerations of scalability, performance, and DevOps.Analytics and TrackingThe importance of comprehensive analytics is highlighted, going beyond basic platform-specific metrics to include tracking AI mentions and utilizing tools like Google Search Console to gain a deeper understanding of website performance.Timestamps[00:00] Introduction: WordPress vs. Webflow[03:37] Google Algorithm Update Discussion with Ryan[07:00] SEO Strategy & The Importance of Backlinks[20:00] Comparing Platform-Specific Features[26:00] Hosting, Infrastructure, and Scalability[32:00] WordPress's Dominance in the Market[38:00] Technical Requirements and Maintenance[47:00] Integrating Email Marketing with Flowdesk[50:00] The Future of Analytics and AI Tracking[56:00] Best Practices for Website Development[72:30] Closing Remarks and Preview of Next EpisodeFrequently Asked Questions (FAQs)1. Which platform is better for a beginner with no coding experience?Webflow is generally considered more beginner-friendly due to its visual editor and managed hosting, which simplifies the setup and maintenance process. WordPress, while powerful, has a steeper learning curve and requires more hands-on management of hosting, plugins, and security.2. Can I achieve good SEO results on both WordPress and Webflow?Yes, both platforms offer robust tools to implement a strong SEO strategy. The key to success is not the platform itself, but the consistent application of SEO best practices, such as creating high-quality content, building quality backlinks, and optimizing for relevant keywords.3. How important are plugins for a WordPress site?Plugins are essential for extending the functionality of a WordPress site. They can add features for SEO, e-commerce, security, and more. However, it is crucial to use well-coded plugins from reputable sources, as an excessive number of plugins or poorly-coded ones can slow down your website and create security vulnerabilities.4. What are the main cost differences between WordPress and Webflow?Webflow operates on a subscription model with different pricing tiers based on features and traffic. WordPress is open-source and free to use, but you will incur costs for hosting, domain registration, premium themes, and plugins. The total cost for a WordPress site can vary widely depending on your specific needs.5. What was the key takeaway from Ryan's experience with the Google update?The main lesson from Ryan's story is that SEO is an ongoing process. Relying on past success without continuous effort in link building, content creation, and technical updates can leave a website vulnerable to algorithm changes. It highlights the importance of staying proactive and adaptable in your SEO strategy.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Is SEO Dead in 2026? SEO is not dead, it's evolving. While Google still dominates with 1.63 trillion visits (26x more than ChatGPT's 47.7 billion), the key to success in 2026 is integrating AI into your SEO strategy. Favour Obasi-ike, MBA, MS breaks it down today.Traditional SEO alone is becoming obsolete. This episode explores how to treat your website as intellectual property, the importance of content freshness, and why "your voice is your invoice" when it comes to differentiated messaging.Key Learning Topics1. SEO Has Evolved Into an "Exposure Engine"SEO reveals what your website is missing and how to show up in both traditional search and AI platforms (LLMs). Without AI integration, you're using outdated marketing.2. AI-SEO Integration is Essential39% see results within 1-2 months with AI-generated content; 26% in under one month. Organic SEO visibility directly impacts AI discoverability.3. Your Website is Intellectual PropertyTreat your domain like a plot of land and your website as the building. The "last modified" date signals freshness to search engines.4. "Your Voice is Your Invoice"If you're not selling, you're not saying anything different. Stories sell better than facts. Be provocative and unique in your messaging.5. Content Repurposing StrategyOne piece of content → 5-10 blog posts → e-book → lead magnet → courses. Stack your value ladder without reinventing the wheel.6. Preparation Drives Success"What you do off the field makes you an all-star on the field." Do the work before the work—send prep materials, plan content in batches.7. The Difference: Being Heard vs. Being HiredVisibility without differentiation doesn't convert. Say what competitors won't say to turn attention into revenue.8. Platform-Specific OptimizationGoogle/YouTube favor mobile; ChatGPT sees more desktop usage. Optimize for platform-specific user behaviors.Need to Book An SEO Discovery Call for Advertising or Marketing Services?>> Book a Complimentary SEO Discovery Call with Favour Obasi-Ike>> Visit Work and PLAY Entertainment website to learn about our digital marketing services>> Join our exclusive SEO Marketing community>> Read SEO Articles>> Subscribe to the We Don't PLAY Podcast>> Purchase Flaev Beatz Beats Online>> Favour Obasi-ike Quick LinksEpisode TimestampsIntroduction & Core Concepts00:00 - Is SEO dead in 2026?01:31 - Main question introduced02:33 - Google: 1.63 trillion visits vs ChatGPT: 47.7 billion03:02 - "SEO is not dead" - it's an exposure engine03:34 - Warning about building without AI integrationMo Dub: Voice & Differentiation04:47 - Mo Dub introduces himself04:59 - "Your voice is an invoice"05:22 - If you're not selling, you're not saying anything different05:46 - Being heard vs. being hired06:07 - People are always searching for solutions06:34 - Google algorithm changes require contingency plansWebsite as Property08:21 - "Last modified" concept explained08:44 - Websites as intellectual property08:56 - Domain = plot, website = buildingAI Integration & Statistics35:49 - AI-generated content effectiveness35:58 - 39% see results in 1-2 months36:10 - 26% see results in under 1 month37:01 - Organic search enables AI discoverability37:25 - "SEO is dead" is false advertising38:03 - Traditional SEO without AI is obsoleteCopywriting & Content Strategy38:34 - "Facts tell, stories sell"39:28 - "What you do off the field makes you an all-star"39:35 - Your harvest is determined by your hustle40:22 - Doing the work before the work40:49 - Repurposing one blog into multiple formats41:28 - The more you speak, the more you get paidPlatform Statistics43:07 - Google: 97.4 billion visits43:24 - Google mobile: 70B, desktop: 26.5B43:36 - YouTube: 44.6% of traffic44:26 - ChatGPT: 5.3 billion visits44:33 - ChatGPT desktop: 4.19B, mobile: 1.24B44:41 - More desktop usage on ChatGPT vs mobile on GoogleClosing68:15 - Thanks and tomorrow's topic: WordPress vs Webflow68:56 - This calendar layout won't repeat until 203770:15 - Sign-offFAQsQ: Is SEO really dead in 2026?A: No. Google still dominates traffic, but traditional SEO without AI integration is becoming obsolete. You must optimize for both search engines and AI platforms.Q: How long to see results with AI-integrated SEO?A: 39% see results in 1-2 months; 26% in under one month with AI-generated content.Q: What does "your voice is an invoice" mean?A: What you say directly impacts revenue. If you're not selling, you're not saying anything different from competitors. Speak up with unique value.Q: Why is "last modified" important?A: It signals to search engines that your site is active and relevant. Fresh content ranks better; stale content suggests abandonment.Q: Being heard vs. being hired—what's the difference?A: Being heard is visibility; being hired is conversion. You need provocative, differentiated messaging to convert attention into clients.Q: How do I repurpose content effectively?A: Create one piece → expand to 5-10 blog posts → compile into e-book → create lead magnet → develop courses. Maximize ROI without recreating.Q: Why optimize for AI if Google dominates?A: AI platforms pull from sites ranking in organic search. No organic visibility = no AI visibility. Plus, AI is growing rapidly—optimize now for the future.Q: What's "doing the work before the work"?A: Preparation that makes execution efficient: sending prep videos before calls, batching content creation, planning your ecosystem in advance.Q: How important is mobile optimization?A: Critical. Google and YouTube see 70B+ mobile vs 26.5B desktop. However, ChatGPT is desktop-heavy (4.19B vs 1.24B mobile).Q: What's the biggest SEO mistake in 2026?A: Treating SEO as traditional marketing without AI integration, and neglecting content freshness through regular updates.Key TakeawaysSEO is evolving, not dying—AI integration is now mandatoryGoogle: 1.63T visits vs ChatGPT: 47.7B—search still dominates39% see results in 1-2 months with AI-integrated contentYour voice is your invoice—differentiation drives revenueTreat websites as intellectual property requiring maintenance"Last modified" dates signal relevance to search enginesStories sell better than facts—focus on transformationOne content piece can become multiple revenue streamsBeing heard ≠ being hired—you need unique messagingOrganic SEO enables AI discoverability—can't skip the foundationMobile-first for Google/YouTube; desktop-heavy for ChatGPTPreparation (work before work) separates all-stars from averageTraditional SEO without AI is obsolete marketingContent freshness and regular updates are non-negotiableYour harvest is determined by your hustleSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
In this "LinkedIn Premium vs. Clubhouse Plus: Paid Social Business App Features Comparison" episode, Favour Obasi-ike, MBA, MS leads a detailed discussion comparing the premium subscription services of two major professional and social platforms: LinkedIn Premium and Clubhouse Plus. The conversation delves into the value proposition, pricing, and return on investment (ROI) for each service, offering listeners a clear framework for deciding which, if any, is the right investment for their professional goals. With contributions from guest speaker Jason and Celeste, the episode provides a balanced view, weighing the feature sets of both platforms against the practical needs of users, from small business owners to large corporate professionals. The discussion also highlights the importance of intentionality and active participation to maximize the benefits of these powerful networking tools.Podcast Episode: Learning TopicsThis episode offers valuable insights into several key areas of professional development and social media strategy. Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of the following topics:Platform Investment Strategy: Learn how to evaluate the costs and benefits of premium social media features to make informed investment decisions.Social Platform ROI: Discover methods for calculating the return on your investment of time, energy, and money on platforms like LinkedIn and Clubhouse.LinkedIn Optimization: Uncover underutilized free features, such as LinkedIn Projects, and learn how to build a compelling profile that attracts employers.Professional Networking: Gain best practices for building and maintaining a strong professional network, both online and off.Market Analysis Frameworks: An introduction to the TAM, SAM, and SOM (Total Addressable Market, Service Addressable Market, and Service Obtainable Market) framework for strategic planning.Need to Book An SEO Discovery Call for Advertising or Marketing Services?>> Book a Complimentary SEO Discovery Call with Favour Obasi-Ike>> Visit Work and PLAY Entertainment website to learn about our digital marketing services>> Join our exclusive SEO Marketing community>> Read SEO Articles>> Subscribe to the We Don't PLAY Podcast>> Purchase Flaev Beatz Beats OnlinePodcast Episode Key TimestampsNavigate the episode with these key timestamps to find the most relevant discussions for you:[00:00 - 02:00] Introduction to the discussion on LinkedIn Premium vs. Clubhouse Plus.[03:30 - 04:00] A direct comparison of the pricing structures for both services.[06:00 - 07:00] The history of LinkedIn Audio and its place in the social audio landscape.[07:00 - 08:00] The host shares their extensive history and experience with both platforms.[28:00 - 35:00] Guest speaker Jason offers a critical perspective on the timing of Clubhouse Plus and the ROI of LinkedIn Premium for small businesses.[36:00 - 38:30] A deep dive into the powerful and underutilized "Projects" feature on LinkedIn.[38:40 - 40:00] Closing thoughts and the application of the TAM/SAM/SOM framework to personal branding.Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)1. What is the main difference between LinkedIn Premium and Clubhouse Plus?The primary difference lies in their core purpose. LinkedIn Premium is geared towards professional advancement, offering tools for job seeking, sales, and recruitment. Clubhouse Plus enhances the social audio experience, providing features for dedicated users to improve their networking and content creation on the platform.2. Is LinkedIn Premium worth it for small businesses?According to guest speaker Jason, the ROI for small businesses might be limited. While it offers powerful search and recruiting tools, many of the key benefits for networking and profile enhancement can be achieved using the platform's free features effectively.3. What are the most valuable free features on LinkedIn?The "Projects" feature is highlighted as a powerful tool to showcase your work and skills in detail. Additionally, collecting recommendations and building a comprehensive profile are highly effective free strategies for professional growth.4. How can I maximize my presence on these platforms without paying?The key is active and intentional participation. On LinkedIn, this means fully utilizing all profile sections, engaging with content, and connecting with other professionals. On Clubhouse, it involves joining relevant conversations, contributing valuable insights, and building a network through active participation.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
In this episode of the Marketing Club on Clubhouse, host Favour Obasi-ike, MBA, MS discusses "Social Business: LinkedIn SEO Best Practices with Marketing Tactical Strategies". The conversation, with industry friends and guests Jolanta, Celeste, and David Baker, delves into the nuances of optimizing your LinkedIn presence to increase visibility and build a strong personal brand. The episode covers a range of topics, from the importance of a clean and professional LinkedIn profile URL to the strategic use of LinkedIn features like newsletters and polls. The speakers emphasize the long-term value of content creation, the significance of building an email list, and the power of leveraging AI tools to enhance your marketing efforts.This podcast episode is packed with actionable advice for anyone looking to leverage LinkedIn for business growth and personal branding and social business building.Learning TopicsLinkedIn Profile Optimization: Learn how to optimize your LinkedIn profile for maximum visibility, including the importance of a clean URL and a well-crafted headline.Content Strategy: Discover effective content strategies for LinkedIn, including the use of polls, GIFs, and newsletters to engage your audience.The Power of Email Marketing: Understand why building an email list is crucial for long-term business success and how to integrate it with your LinkedIn strategy.Leveraging AI Tools: Get insights into using AI tools like Shield App to analyze your LinkedIn performance and gain a competitive edge.Long-Term SEO Value: Learn about the long-term benefits of creating high-quality content and how it contributes to your overall SEO strategy.Need to Book An SEO Discovery Call for Advertising or Marketing Services?>> Book a Complimentary SEO Discovery Call with Favour Obasi-Ike>> Visit Work and PLAY Entertainment website to learn about our digital marketing services>> Join our exclusive SEO Marketing community>> Read SEO Articles>> Subscribe to the We Don't PLAY Podcast>> Purchase Flaev Beatz Beats OnlineEpisode Timestamps[00:00 - 01:53] Introduction to LinkedIn SEO and its importance for business growth.[01:53 - 05:26] The importance of a clean and professional LinkedIn profile URL.[05:26 - 08:08] How to optimize your LinkedIn headline and avoid keyword stuffing.[08:08 - 15:45] The long-term value of content and the 24-month yield of an article.[15:45 - 23:10] The importance of building an email list and not relying solely on social media platforms.[23:10 - 33:31] How to use LinkedIn polls to engage your audience and gather insights.[33:31 - 40:12] Using GIFs on LinkedIn to make your posts more visually appealing.[40:12 - 50:30] The benefits of creating a LinkedIn company profile and using newsletters.[50:30 - 01:05:00] Discussion on various AI tools and search engines like Perplexity, ChatGPT, and Gemini.[01:05:00 - 01:15:00] Guest David Baker shares his story about getting locked out of his LinkedIn account and the importance of owning your audience.[01:15:00 - 01:25:00] Introduction to Shield App, an AI tool for LinkedIn analytics.[01:25:00 - 01:36:45] Final thoughts and key takeaways from the speakers.Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)Q: Why is it important to have a clean LinkedIn URL?A: A clean LinkedIn URL (e.g., linkedin.com/in/yourname) is crucial for SEO and personal branding. It makes your profile look more professional and easier to find. Avoid URLs with random numbers or characters, as they can hurt your visibility.Q: Should I use hashtags on LinkedIn?A: The speakers suggest that hashtags are not essential on LinkedIn. It's more important to create high-quality content that resonates with your target audience. However, if you do use hashtags, use them sparingly and strategically.Q: How can I make my LinkedIn posts more engaging?A: You can use polls, GIFs, and visually appealing content to make your posts more engaging. Polls are a great way to interact with your audience and gather feedback, while GIFs can add a touch of personality to your posts.Q: What is the Shield App?A: Shield App is an AI-powered analytics tool for LinkedIn. It helps you track your content performance, understand your audience, and gain insights to improve your LinkedIn strategy. The speakers recommend it as a valuable tool for serious LinkedIn users.Q: Why is building an email list so important?A: You don't own your social media followers. If you get locked out of your account or the platform changes its algorithm, you could lose your audience. An email list gives you a direct line of communication with your followers that you control.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Favour Obasi-ike, MBA, MS takes us on deep dive into the world of digital marketing, with a strong focus on Search Engine Marketing (SEM) and Search Engine Optimization (SEO). The host breaks down the key differences and relationship between these two critical components of a successful online strategy. The discussion covers the entire customer journey, from the pre-click phase, where the user is first searching for information, to the post-click phase, where the goal is to convert the user into a customer.A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to practical, actionable advice for improving conversion rates. This includes a detailed look at crafting effective Calls to Action (CTAs), optimizing landing pages, and leveraging analytics to make data-driven decisions. The host also shares a valuable tip on using brackets in headlines to increase click-through rates. This episode features a friend / guest from Canada
In this strategic follow-up, Favour Obasi-ike, MBA, MS unveils the powerful, interconnected Microsoft ecosystem and why it's a game-changer for SEO. Move beyond Google and discover how Bing, Perplexity AI, and LinkedIn work together to build your website's authority and visibility in the age of AI search.We delve into the crucial, often-missed strategy for new websites: using Bing Webmaster Tools as a "language bridge" to accelerate Google's recognition of your site. Learn why your website must become your proprietary first-party data asset and how structured content gets cited by platforms like Perplexity.This episode is your roadmap to LLM (Large Language Model) Visibility, providing actionable steps on building trust signals, implementing schema markup, and creating a unified content structure that works across all platforms—not against them.Need to Book An SEO Discovery Call for Advertising or Marketing Services?>> Book a Complimentary SEO Discovery Call with Favour Obasi-Ike>> Visit Work and PLAY Entertainment website to learn about our digital marketing services>> Join our exclusive SEO Marketing community>> Read SEO Articles>> Subscribe to the We Don't PLAY Podcast>> Purchase Flaev Beatz Beats Online
Join Favour Obasi-ike, MBA, MS for a masterclass on email marketing strategies that actually drive revenue. In this session, Favour breaks down the power of segmented email campaigns, explains the metrics that matter, and shares how to build a website-first content strategy that turns subscribers into customers. Learn how to leverage free tools, automate your email sequences, and create long-term relationships with your audience through strategic, data-driven email marketing ROI.Whether you're just starting with email marketing or looking to optimize your existing campaigns, this episode delivers actionable insights you can implement immediately to boost engagement and generate sustainable revenue.What You'll Learn✓ How to use segmented emails to increase revenue and engagement✓ The difference between click-through rate and click rate (and why it matters)✓ Why your website is the foundation of successful email marketing✓ Google's E-E-A-T framework for creating helpful content✓ How to repurpose one piece of content across multiple channels✓ Which free tools every email marketer should be using✓ The "website-first" content strategy that saves time and builds SEO✓ How to create automated email sequences that work 24/7Top 7 Email Marketing Best Practices1. Use Segmented Emails StrategicallyCreate segments based on subscriber behavior and preferences. Use polls and interactive elements to gather data, then tag links to track which subscribers are interested in which offerings.2. Build a Helpful, Responsive WebsiteYour website should be fast-loading, mobile-friendly, and provide genuine value. Focus on Google's E-E-A-T framework: Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trust.3. Create Content on Your Website FirstPublish content on your website before sharing on social media. This builds your owned digital assets, improves SEO, and gives you more control over distribution.4. Leverage Email Metrics for Continuous ImprovementTrack who opens, clicks, and takes action. Identify your most engaged subscribers and create VIP segments for them. Use this data to refine your messaging over time.5. Implement Scheduled and Automated Email SequencesSet up automated sequences that trigger based on subscriber actions. Create welcome series, nurture campaigns, and re-engagement flows that work around the clock.6. Repurpose Content Across Multiple FormatsTake one long-form piece and break it into blog posts, social media updates, podcast episodes, videos, and email newsletters. Maximize your content creation efforts.7. Focus on Long-term Relationship BuildingNot everyone opens emails the day you send them. Be consistent with your schedule, provide ongoing value, and build trust over time rather than chasing quick sales.Key Metrics to TrackDeliverability Rate - Percentage of emails reaching subscriber inboxesOpen Rate - Percentage of delivered emails that get openedClick Rate - Percentage of delivered emails with link clicksClick-Through Rate (CTR) - Percentage of opened emails with link clicksConversion Rate - Percentage completing your desired actionPodcast Episode Timestamps[00:00] Episode introduction: Email marketing best practices that earn revenue[00:40] Why segmented emails are the #1 revenue driver[03:06] How to create segments triggered by scheduled emails[03:37] Example: Segmenting by in-person vs. virtual event preferences[06:00] Using polls to understand what your audience really wants[07:00] Revenue starts at the beginning: building systems for MRR[08:00] Click-through rate vs. click rate explained[09:00] Identifying and segmenting your most engaged subscribers[10:00] Tracking email opens and clicks consistently[10:30] Creating VIP segments for highly engaged subscribers[14:00] Re-engaging inactive subscribers through targeted campaigns[15:00] Email deliverability and its impact on revenue[17:00] Understanding spam filters and how to avoid them[18:00] Email authentication: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC[20:00] Real case study: Client ranking page one for competitive keywords[21:42] Technical SEO: indexing, blogs, location pages, schema markup[23:00] Email marketing as direct response marketing[24:00] Why not everyone opens emails immediately (and that's okay)[25:00] Best Practice #1: Have a helpful, responsive website[25:32] Google's E-E-A-T framework: Experience, Expertise, Authority, Trust[26:22] You have less than 10 seconds to make an impression[27:00] The "website-first" content strategy[27:22] Free analytics tools: Google Search Console, GA4, Bing, Microsoft Clarity[28:00] Repurposing one article into multiple content formats[30:00] Maximizing content value through strategic repurposing[32:00] Creating content pillars and topic clusters[33:00] Planning content calendars aligned with email campaigns[35:00] Balancing evergreen content with timely topics[37:00] Creating lead magnets that attract quality subscribers[39:00] A/B testing email subject lines and content[40:00] Overview of popular email marketing platforms[41:00] Mailchimp: features, pricing, and best use cases[42:00] Constant Contact for small businesses and nonprofits[43:00] Brevo (formerly Sendinblue): affordable with SMS capabilities[44:00] HubSpot: comprehensive CRM and marketing automation[45:00] Choosing the right platform for your business needs[46:00] Free tier options and when to upgrade[50:00] Advanced segmentation for e-commerce businesses[51:00] Using behavioral triggers to increase conversions[52:00] Email in omnichannel marketing strategies[53:00] Measuring ROI from email campaigns[54:00] Common email marketing mistakes to avoid[57:00] Recap of key best practices[59:00] Closing remarks and next session announcement[59:29] Tomorrow's topic: Search Engine Marketing & SEO Best Practices (11 AM Central)Tools & Resources MentionedEmail Marketing Platforms: Flodesk >> Sign up and Get 50% OffAnalytics Tools: Google Search Console, Google Analytics (GA4), Bing Webmaster Tools, Microsoft Clarity, Fathom Analytics, Matomo AnalyticsOther Tools: Eventbrite, PinterestSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
In this insightful episode, Favour Obasi-ike, MBA, MS breaks down the critical differences and essential overlaps between traditional Google SEO and the emerging field of ChatGPT SEO (optimization for AI search). The core distinction is framed as Websites vs. Conversation. While Google prioritizes structured, keyword-optimized websites, AI models like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini focus on providing direct, conversational answers.Favour Obasi-ike argues that the future of content visibility lies in establishing your website as the central anchor for all content distribution. By consistently linking your website across all platforms (YouTube, LinkedIn, podcasts, etc.), you build the domain authority and citation structure necessary for AI models to trust and cite your content. He emphasizes that AI-driven search is shifting the user experience from "clicking" on a link to "trusting" a direct answer, making the source's authority more critical than ever. The podcast episode concludes with actionable advice on technical SEO, including optimizing for page speed, Core Web Vitals, and formatting content with listicles and tables to be easily digestible by AI.Need to Book An SEO Discovery Call for Advertising or Marketing Services?>> Book a Complimentary SEO Discovery Call with Favour Obasi-Ike>> Visit Work and PLAY Entertainment website to learn about our digital marketing services>> Join our exclusive SEO Marketing community>> Read SEO Articles>> Subscribe to the We Don't PLAY Podcast>> Purchase Flaev Beatz Beats OnlineKey Episode TakeawaysThe Fundamental Difference: Websites vs. ConversationThe core difference is in the format each search system prioritizes. Google SEO is built around ranking individual websites on search result pages (SERPs) for structured keywords. The user's journey involves clicking through to a website.ChatGPT SEO, on the other hand, is built for a conversational AI interface. The goal is to provide the perfect, direct, and trusted answer within the chat window itself, minimizing the need for a click.The New SEO Ecosystem: LLM VisibilityTo achieve LLM Visibility (Large Language Model Visibility), you must understand that search is now split between two major ecosystems.The Google/OpenAI ecosystem includes Google search, ChatGPT (using the Atlas Browser), and the associated platform, YouTube.The Microsoft/Perplexity ecosystem includes the Perplexity AI platform (using the Comet Browser) and the associated Microsoft-owned platform, LinkedIn.Actionable Steps for 2026 SEO StrategyEstablish Your Anchor: Your website must be the central hub for all your content.Distribute Your Authority: Place your website link on every third-party platform (social media, podcast directories, video descriptions).Optimize for Speed: Prioritize Core Web Vitals and page speed for both mobile and desktop to ensure a positive user experience, which Google rewards.Format for AI: Structure your content using tables, listicles, and concise, keyword-rich formatsto make it easy for AI models to extract and cite direct answers.Build Trust, Not Just Clicks: Focus on building long-term trust and authority with search engines through consistent, high-quality, and structured content.Episode Timestamps[00:00] Introduction: Google SEO vs. ChatGPT SEO, Optimization Showdown.[00:30] Defining the core difference: Google focuses on websites, ChatGPT focuses on conversation.[01:33] The connection: ChatGPT Atlas (browser) citing YouTube (owned by Google).[03:52] The goal: Use your website as an anchor for content distribution.[04:02] Understanding LLM Visibility (Large Language Model Visibility).[04:28] The emerging AI browser landscape: ChatGPT Atlas, Perplexity Comet, and the upcoming Google Disco.[05:30] The two major ecosystems: Google/YouTube/ChatGPT vs. Microsoft/LinkedIn/Perplexity.[06:15] The importance of checking your business's citations with "Google Learn About."[06:56] AI's focus on directness and specificity in answers (Siri, Alexa, etc.).[08:00] The shift from "click" to "trust" in AI-driven search results.[09:00] Why a strong website domain authority is crucial for AI citation.[10:00] The concept of "AI-friendly" content and the need for listicles and tables.[11:00] The future of search: AI-driven answers vs. traditional links.[12:00] The importance of structured data and schema for AI.[13:00] The difference between a website and a social media profile.[14:00] The need for a content mix (audio, video, text, image).[15:00] The role of a website in the new SEO ecosystem.[16:00] The power of a website's domain authority.[17:00] The shift from "click" to "trust" in AI-driven search.[18:00] The importance of technical SEO: Page Speed and Core Web Vitals.[19:00] How to build content that is easy to read and digest.[20:00] The value of brand citations and authority.[21:00] The long-term benefit of placing your website everywhere.[22:00] Final call to action: Check if your content is in table and listicle formats.[23:00] The power of tactics, strategy, and timing in SEO.[24:00] Conclusion: Build structure and trust with search engines, as they are "talking to each other."See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
In this comprehensive session, Favour Obasi-ike, MBA, MS explores the strategic nuances of email marketing. The discussion transcends basic sales tactics, positioning email as a foundational pillar for business documentation, professional credibility, and high-impact communication. Favour emphasizes that while social media platforms often dominate the marketing conversation, email remains a superior channel for conversion and long-term relationship building. The session provides a detailed roadmap for entrepreneurs and developers alike, covering technical infrastructure, audience psychology, and the necessity of intentional engagement.Strategic Insights and Market ComparisonsThe conversation highlights a stark contrast between the ephemeral nature of social media and the enduring impact of email marketing. Favour notes that social media conversion rates typically languish below 1%, whereas search engine optimization (SEO) and email marketing can achieve conversion rates ranging from 16% to over 33%. This discrepancy is attributed to the "currency" of email: the exclusive time and attention granted by the recipient. Unlike social media posts that are quickly buried by algorithms, an email retains its conversion potential long after it is sent, provided it reaches the recipient's inbox through proper technical execution.Need to Book An SEO Discovery Call for Advertising or Marketing Services?>> Book a Complimentary SEO Discovery Call with Favour Obasi-Ike>> Visit Work and PLAY Entertainment website to learn about our digital marketing services>> Join our exclusive SEO Marketing community>> Read SEO Articles>> Subscribe to the We Don't PLAY Podcast>> Purchase Flaev Beatz Beats Online| Marketing Channel | Average Conversion Rate | Primary Advantage || Social Media | < 1% | High initial visibility and brand awareness. || Email Marketing | 16% - 33%+ | Direct connection, longevity, and high intent. || SEO | 16% - 33%+ | Sustainable organic traffic and credibility. |Technical Infrastructure and DeliverabilityA significant portion of the session is dedicated to the technical "hygiene" required to maintain high deliverability. Favour introduces Google Postmaster as an essential tool for monitoring domain health and ensuring that communications are not flagged as spam. The technical setup involves a rigorous configuration of DNS records, including MX, SPF, and DKIM, which serve as the digital credentials for a legitimate sender. Furthermore, the discussion touches upon the physical properties of an email, such as file size and font optimization, which can inadvertently trigger spam filters if not managed correctly.| Technical Component | Purpose | Best Practice || Google Postmaster| Domain Health Monitoring | Regularly check [postmaster.google.com](https://postmaster.google.com). || MX, SPF, DKIM | Authentication & Compliance | Ensure all DNS records are correctly configured. || List Hygiene | Deliverability Maintenance | Clean the list after every campaign to remove bounces. || Email Size| Spam Prevention | Use standard fonts (16px-20px) to keep file sizes low. || Segmentation| Engagement Tracking | Group audiences by behavior or interest for targeted messaging. |Content Strategy and Audience EngagementFavour and his guests, including the developer Ifeanyi, discuss the shift toward more sophisticated, developer-friendly tools like Resend, which allow for scalable, code-driven email templates. The consensus is that modern audiences do not "read" in the traditional sense; instead, they "skim" for value. Consequently, the use of listicles, bullet points, and concise subject lines is paramount.A professional subject line should ideally be limited to three or four words to avoid appearing "junior," while the preview text should be leveraged to provide the necessary context that encourages a click.The session concludes with a call for intentionality in marketing. Favour suggests a "Want vs. Need" framework: use the subject line to address what the audience *wants* (immediate value or curiosity), and use the body of the email to deliver what they *need* (tutorials, case studies, or interactive elements like polls). This approach ensures that the communication is not just seen, but acted upon.Podcast Episode Timestamps[00:00] – Introduction to the role of email in documentation and professional communication.[01:03] – Favour Obasi-ike's background in intellectual property and search engine marketing.[02:35] – Comparative analysis of conversion rates across social media, SEO, and email.[04:50] – Technical requirements for deliverability: Google Postmaster and MX record configuration.[06:16] – Reflections on the "We Don't PLAY™️" podcast and Favour's six-year tenure on Clubhouse.[22:37] – The impact of font selection and email file size on technical deliverability.[23:53] – Strategies for audience segmentation and the importance of reviewing engagement analytics.[24:26] – Managing hard and soft bounces through consistent list hygiene.[28:44] – Guest contribution from Ifeanyi on using "Resend" and React for scalable email infrastructure.[45:20] – Timing strategies: Measuring audience activity windows for optimal email delivery.[46:25] – The psychology of subject lines: Why brevity (3-4 words) signals professional maturity.[47:43] – The "Want vs. Need" framework for content delivery and engagement.[49:36] – Utilizing polls for market research: A case study on Google vs. Perplexity preferences.[52:02] – The efficacy of listicles and skimming-friendly formats in modern digital communication.About Favour Obasi-ikeFavour Obasi-ike is a prominent business consultant and entrepreneur specializing in helping creators and business owners secure their intellectual property through search engine marketing, Pinterest, and podcasting. He is the host of the "We Don't PLAY™️" podcast, a long-running series with over 610+ episodes spanning seven years.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
In this insightful session, Favour Obasi-ike, MBA, MS, a seasoned marketing expert, delves into the intricacies of launching and sustaining a profitable podcast. This episode is a goldmine for anyone looking to move beyond just creating content and build a podcast that generates both impact and income. Favour breaks down the essential strategies for creating a podcast that stands out and delivers tangible results.This session is a must-listen for aspiring and current podcasters who want to understand the business of podcasting. Favour provides a clear roadmap for building a strong foundation for your podcast, from establishing a web presence to leveraging SEO for discoverability. If you're ready to take your podcast to the next level, this episode is packed with actionable advice and expert insights.Need to Book An SEO Discovery Call for Advertising or Marketing Services?>> Book a Complimentary SEO Discovery Call with Favour Obasi-Ike>> Visit Work and PLAY Entertainment website to learn about our digital marketing services>> Join our exclusive SEO Marketing community>> Read SEO Articles>> Subscribe to the We Don't PLAY Podcast>> Purchase Flaev Beatz Beats OnlineIn this episode, you'll learn:[03:34] The foundational idea behind a profitable podcast: impact.[05:34] Why your podcast needs its own website and domain.[08:00] The importance of email capture for building a direct relationship with your audience.[10:10] How to think of your podcast as a separate entity from your main business.[11:06] The concept of creating and building capacity for your podcast.[14:00] How to create a content bank and repurpose your podcast content.[20:01] The significance of SEO in podcasting and how to optimize your show notes.[30:04] How to use your podcast to build a community and generate leads.[39:15] The power of anchor text and how to use it to drive traffic to your website.[43:21] The importance of choosing the right genre and categories for your podcast.[50:00] How to create a content strategy that aligns with your business goals.[59:01] The value of guesting on other podcasts to expand your reach.[01:05:00] How to use your podcast to build a personal brand and establish yourself as an expert in your niche.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Are you ready to take your podcast from a passion project to a monetization-based international business advertising/marketing tool? In this comprehensive episode, host Favour Obasi-ike, MBA, MS delivers an in-depth masterclass on leveraging podcast SEO and monetization strategies for international business growth. This session is the final installment in a series focused on helping podcasters and business owners build sustainable, globally-reaching content strategies.Favour explores the critical intersection of podcasting, search engine optimization, and international business development. The episode covers essential topics including multilingual content localization, performance benchmarks, download metrics, and how to position podcasts for passive monetization through advertising networks.Key highlights include real-world success stories from clients who have transformed their podcasts into powerful SEO assets, including a case study of turning 50 podcast episodes into 50 optimized blog posts that now rank on Google's AI-powered search results. Favour also demonstrates how his own podcast appears in Google's featured snippets and AI mode results, providing concrete proof of the strategies discussed.The episode features interactive discussions with community members Juliana, Celeste, and others who share their own experiences with SEO implementation, AI optimization (AIO), and the tangible business results they've achieved. Juliana shares an exciting success story about landing a major client through Google Gemini recommendations, directly attributable to SEO work completed three years prior with FavourThis episode is essential listening for podcasters, content creators, coaches, consultants, and international business owners who want to understand how to build long-term digital assets, increase discoverability across global markets, and create multiple revenue streams through strategic content optimization.Need to Book An SEO Discovery Call for Advertising or Marketing Services?>> Book a Complimentary SEO Discovery Call with Favour Obasi-Ike>> Visit Work and PLAY Entertainment website to learn about our digital marketing services>> Join our exclusive SEO Marketing community>> Read SEO Articles>> Subscribe to the We Don't PLAY Podcast>> Purchase Flaev Beatz Beats OnlineWhat You'll Learn:International SEO Fundamentals: How to optimize your podcast content for multiple languages, regions, and search engines (Google.com, Google.co.uk, and beyond).Monetization Metrics That Matter: Understanding downloads vs. unique listeners, 7-day and 30-day performance benchmarks, and what advertising networks look for.Multilingual Content Strategy: Leveraging localization and translation features to expand your audience across different cultures and languages.Podcast-to-Blog Conversion: The proven method of turning podcast episodes into SEO-optimized blog posts that rank on Google and drive traffic back to your audio content.AI Optimization (AIO): How to position your content to appear in Google's AI mode, featured snippets, and AI-powered recommendation engines like Google Gemini.Real Results: Case studies including a client whose emotional coaching podcast now ranks on Google, and a CPA who landed a major client through Gemini AI recommendations.Long-Term Asset Building: Why SEO is a marathon, not a sprint, and how work done today pays dividends for years to come.Detailed Episode TimestampsIntroduction & Overview (00:00 - 05:55) 00:00 - 00:13: Episode title: "Podcast SEO Monetization for International Businesses". 00:13 - 00:45: Welcome and call to subscribe to We Don't Play Podcast. 00:45 - 01:27: Overview: International business connections through podcasting. 01:27 - 02:31: Performance benchmarks: Downloads vs. unique listeners, measuring success. 02:31 - 03:33: Building sustainable growth and niche dominance. 03:33 - 04:48: Multilingual content and localization strategies. 04:48 - 05:55: International perspective: Moving beyond regional thinking.International SEO Strategy (05:55 - 10:03) 05:55 - 06:58: Analytics insights: Tracking international audience growth. 06:58 - 08:04: Case study introduction: Client success with emotional coaching podcast. 08:04 - 09:09: Turning 50 podcast episodes into 50 SEO-optimized blogs. 09:09 - 10:03: Podcast-to-blog strategy and long-term asset building.Content Conversion & Client Success Stories (10:03 - 15:00) 10:03 - 11:00: Amazon book-to-podcast conversion strategy. 11:00 - 12:00: Passive vs. active content consumption patterns. 12:00 - 13:00: Multi-platform distribution: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube. 13:00 - 14:00: Clubhouse as a content creation and community building platform. 14:00 - 15:00: Real-time engagement and relationship building.Technical SEO Implementation (15:00 - 20:00) 15:00 - 16:00: Search engine algorithms and content discoverability. 16:00 - 17:00: Metadata optimization for podcasts. 17:00 - 18:00: Location-specific SEO strategies. 18:00 - 19:00: Building booking systems and conversion pathways. 19:00 - 20:00: Creating "red carpet" experiences for potential clients.Monetization Strategies (20:00 - 25:00) 20:00 - 21:00: Advertising network requirements and download thresholds. 21:00 - 22:00: Passive income through podcast monetization. 22:00 - 23:00: Building credibility through consistent content. 23:00 - 24:00: Long-term revenue stream development. 24:00 - 25:00: International market opportunities.Community Engagement & Live Discussion (25:00 - 30:00) 25:00 - 26:22: Community building on Clubhouse since 2020. 26:22 - 27:40: Prayer and intentionality in content creation. 27:40 - 28:40: Daily room commitment and audience engagement. 28:40 - 29:19: Juliana's Success Story: Landing a major CPA client through Google Gemini. 29:19 - 30:00: AI Optimization (AIO) and its importance.AI-Powered Search Results (30:00 - 35:00) 30:00 - 31:11: SEO as a long-term investment: Results from work done 3 years ago. 31:11 - 32:30: Live Demonstration: Host's podcast appearing in Google AI mode with timestamp references. 32:30 - 33:50: Dual focus: Local search dominance + global revenue streams. 33:50 - 34:30: International markets and currency considerations (Shopify example). 34:30 - 35:00: Technical factors: IP address, API, LLM, search history.Actionable Strategies & Takeaways (35:00 - 39:07) 35:00 - 35:50: Being intentional about topics of interest. 35:50 - 36:20: Importance of independent research and validation. 36:20 - 37:18: Celeste's Reflection: Community value and 2026 goals. 37:18 - 38:00: Top 3 priorities: Booking system, financial management, business structure. 38:00 - 38:46: Encouragement and resources for implementation. 38:46 - 39:07: Closing remarks and invitation to daily rooms.This episode is perfect for:Podcasters looking to monetize their content.International business owners seeking global visibility.Coaches and consultants building authority online.Content creators wanting to maximize their reach.Marketers interested in AI optimization strategies.Episode Tags/KeywordsPodcast SEO, International Business, Podcast Monetization, Multilingual Content, Content Localization, AI Optimization, AIO, Google Gemini, Featured Snippets, Download Metrics, Passive Income, Content Repurposing, Blog Strategy, Digital Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Global Revenue Streams, Podcast Analytics, Advertising Networks, Authority Building, Long-term Strategy, Clubhouse Marketing, Community Building, Business Growth, Online Visibility, International Markets.Target AudiencePodcasters seeking monetization strategies.International business owners.Digital marketers and SEO professionals.Coaches and consultants.Content creators and influencers.Entrepreneurs building online presence.Small business owners expanding globally.Marketing professionals learning AI optimization.Anyone interested in passive income through content.This episode is part of the We Don't PLAY!™️ Podcast series, hosted by Favour Obasi-Ike, focusing on practical digital marketing strategies for business growth.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Combining a business with a podcast creates a powerful "win-win" scenario for national brands. This episode, Favour Obasi-ike, MBA, MS unpacks how to transform your podcast from a simple communication channel into a strategic, long-term business asset. The core mission is to educate and inform your audience with valuable content that builds authority and keeps them returning. By focusing on foundational SEO, strategic content creation, and data-driven analytics, businesses can create evergreen assets that drive monetization. This approach shifts the focus from fleeting social media metrics to lasting search intent, ensuring your content serves your audience precisely when they need it, paving the way for profitable growth through advertisements, sponsorships, and subscriptions.Host Information & ResourcesReady to apply these strategies to your business? Visit playinc.online or click the link in the show description to schedule a complimentary 30-minute website audit.Favour will personally send you a recording of the audit, showing you what's happening from the outside looking in, and provide actionable next steps.Need to Book An SEO Discovery Call for Advertising or Marketing Services?>> Book a Complimentary SEO Discovery Call with Favour Obasi-Ike>> Visit Work and PLAY Entertainment website to learn about our digital marketing services>> Join our exclusive SEO Marketing community>> Read SEO Articles>> Subscribe to the We Don't PLAY Podcast>> Purchase Flaev Beatz Beats Online--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Key Topics & Timestamps1. [00:00] Introduction: The Power of Podcasting for BusinessesThis session is the third installment in a comprehensive series exploring podcasting strategies for local, regional, national, and international businesses. The central argument is that a podcast is more than just a marketing tool; when paired with a business, it becomes a win-win engine for growth. The fundamental mission of any business podcast is to educate and inform its audience, providing value that fosters loyalty and repeat engagement. However, before a business can effectively monetize its content, it must first establish a solid, discoverable presence within the vast podcasting ecosystem.2. [02:15] Foundational SEO: Is Your Podcast Discoverable?Monetization is impossible if your target audience cannot find your show. The first and most critical step for any business podcaster is to verify that their show is listed and discoverable across the podcast ecosystem. This foundational presence is the bedrock upon which all growth and revenue strategies are built. You can use the following free tools to check your podcast's visibility:• pod.link• ivy.fm• listennotes.comOnce you've confirmed your podcast is registered and accessible, you can begin to implement the core monetization strategies that this discoverability enables.3. [04:30] Three Pillars of Monetization: An OverviewThe world of podcast monetization can be complex and overwhelming. To simplify the process, this episode focuses on three primary methods that form the foundation of a sustainable revenue strategy. By understanding these core pillars, you can choose the path that best aligns with your business goals and audience. The three monetization models are:1. Advertisements2. Sponsorships3. SubscriptionsThe effectiveness of these strategies is often determined by a crucial technical decision made at the very beginning of the podcasting journey: the choice of a hosting platform.4. [06:00] Strategic Decision 1: Choosing Your Hosting PlatformSelecting a podcast host is not merely a technical detail; it is a strategic business decision that directly impacts your ability to generate revenue. It is crucial to choose a platform that is IAB (Interactive Advertising Bureau) certified, as this is often a prerequisite for receiving ads from major networks. Your hosting platform manages your RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed, which is the technology responsible for distributing your episodes to directories like Apple Podcasts and Spotify. This RSS feed is the gateway to monetization, and it contains a surprisingly powerful and often overlooked setting that directly impacts your national reach: the language selection.5. [08:45] The Underrated National SEO Tactic: Language SelectionSmall technical settings can have an outsized impact on audience reach, and the language selection within your RSS feed is a prime example for national businesses. Correctly setting your podcast's language codec is a powerful and underrated SEO tactic. For a national business operating in the United States, for instance, setting the language to English, United States signals to algorithms that your content is specifically relevant to that national audience. This simple choice places your show "within that bracket in the algorithm," because as the speaker emphasizes, "nation and language go together."6. [12:10] The 2026 Strategy: From Fleeting Reach to Lasting IntentIn a world of short-term social media metrics, the key to long-term success is building durable, evergreen assets. While a social media post can become "obsolete tomorrow," a podcast episode focused on search intent can serve an audience for years to come. The strategic goal for 2026 and beyond is to shift focus from impressions and reach to intent. As illustrated by the "how to tie a tie" analogy, intent-driven content provides a solution at the exact moment a person needs it, creating a powerful and valuable connection that builds trust and authority.7. [15:30] Data-Driven Monetization: Using Analytics to Find OpportunityMonetization should never be based on guesswork. Podcast analytics provide the data necessary to uncover specific, actionable opportunities within your listener base. By analyzing your listener data, a national business can move from broad assumptions to targeted strategies. Your analytics can answer critical questions like:• Which are the top 5 cities listening to your show?• Which states, zip codes, counties, or districts have the most listeners?• What day of the week and time of day generate the most engagement?This data is invaluable. It allows a business to strategically partner with influencers in high-engagement cities, target sponsorships to specific regions, or schedule episode releases for maximum impact, turning insights into income.8. [18:00] Monetization Models In-Depth: Profit vs. AccessibilityThe best monetization model depends on your business's goals, specifically the balance between maximizing audience access and maximizing profit margins. Each of the three primary models offers a different trade-off. While a business can choose any model, they can also be viewed as a strategic progression: using advertisements to build broad awareness, leveraging that audience for targeted sponsorships, and finally converting the most dedicated listeners into high-value subscribers.Advertisements• Accessibility: High• Profit: Low• CPM: ~$10 - $30• Analysis: This model is ideal for building broad brand awareness. While direct profit is lower, the high accessibility generates significant activity and gets your brand name in front of the largest possible audience.Sponsorships• Accessibility: Low• Profit: Moderate• CPM: ~$25 - $50 (with rates around 40−50 being for highly targeted, premium placements)• Analysis: Sponsorships are more targeted and context-driven, focusing on a specific audience or niche. Because the partnership is more direct and relevant to the listener, the profit potential is higher than with general advertisements.Subscriptions• Accessibility: Varies (requires a private offering)• Profit: High potential• Mechanism: This model is typically executed by offering exclusive bonus content through a private RSS feed, which is separate from the public feed that distributes to apps like Apple and Spotify. A subscription can unlock access to a private community, a members-only forum, a swag bag, or exclusive meetups, creating a high-value offering for your most dedicated listeners.9. [24:00] Content in Action: Podcast Formats & SEO ChecklistSuccessful podcasting requires a deliberate approach to both the creative format of your content and the technical SEO that ensures it gets discovered. Mastering these elements will position your podcast for maximum impact and growth.Podcast Formats to Consider: ◦ Solo (Monologue) ◦ Interview ◦ Co-host ◦ Roundtable (three or more people) ◦ Theme / FacelessEssential Podcast SEO Checklist: ◦ Podcast Title ◦ Author Name ◦ Podcast Description ◦ Episode Title ◦ Episode Description ◦ Podcast Art Cover ◦ Episode Art CoverBy optimizing these foundational elements, you ensure that every episode you produce has the best possible chance of reaching its intended audience and contributing to your business's bottom line.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Favour Obasi-ike, MBA, MS introduces this episode reframes “monetization” as a value exchange, built on the core truth that “there's no conversion that started without a conversation.” It presents a strategic model where financial returns are the natural result of building trust through dialogue. Applying this specifically to regional businesses, the discussion outlines strategic podcasting techniques to improve search engine visibility and drive revenue.The key tactic is the deliberate use of geographic keywords within episode titles, scripts, and author fields to dominate local search results. By treating a podcast as permanent intellectual property rather than just a marketing tool, businesses create a lasting reference point that validates their brand through expert conversations, building consumer trust and market authority.This value-exchange model is powered by converting listener attention into growth through methods like pre-roll ads, affiliate partnerships, and private subscriptions. Furthermore, the speaker advises using analytics to identify high-performing locations, allowing businesses to refine their content and promotional strategies for specific audiences. Ultimately, consistent, helpful audio content serves as the foundational engine for long-term customer loyalty, where monetization is the direct outcome of the deep relationships built through strategic, SEO-focused conversations.Key Takeaways: Actionable Insights• Local First, Regional Second: Even international brands are local to someone. The foundational strategy is to dominate your immediate search radius (5-25 miles) by embedding location-specific keywords—such as city, state, province, or zip code—directly into your podcast titles, spoken content, and show notes. This ensures you are discoverable by the customers actively searching for services in your specific operational areas.• Conversation Before Conversion: The speaker's primary argument is that trust is the essential precursor to any transaction. A podcast's main function should be to initiate meaningful conversations and consistently answer customer questions. This process naturally builds the credibility and trust required to guide a listener toward becoming a loyal customer, making the "sale" a frictionless conclusion to a relationship, not a high-pressure pitch.• Podcast as an Intellectual Property Asset: Your podcast should be treated as a core business asset, on par with your domain name or email list. It functions as a permanent, searchable "place of reference" that validates your expertise and builds long-term equity. As the speaker notes, a successful podcast creates listenership, authorship, and readership—"it's a lot of ship sailing"—that expands into partnerships and affiliate relationships.• Give Them What They Want, Then What They Need: This two-step engagement strategy is crucial for audience growth and retention. The speaker reveals their strategic thinking: "Give them what they need first, right? Let me actually put it this way. Give them what they want and then give them what they need." First, attract new listeners with content that answers what they want (their direct search queries). Then, build loyalty and authority by providing the deeper, more valuable content they truly need.Concluding TransitionWith these foundational principles established, the episode transitions into the specific, tactical SEO strategies that bring this value-driven approach to life.Need to Book An SEO Discovery Call for Advertising or Marketing Services?>> Book a Complimentary SEO Discovery Call with Favour Obasi-Ike>> Visit Work and PLAY Entertainment website to learn about our digital marketing services>> Join our exclusive SEO Marketing community>> Read SEO Articles>> Subscribe to the We Don't PLAY Podcast>> Purchase Flaev Beatz Beats OnlineTimestamped Segments• [00:00:00] Introduction: Why Regional Businesses Need Podcast SEO ◦ Favour outlines the opportunity for regional businesses to build trust, loyalty, and brand awareness through location-focused content.• [00:05:15] The Core Strategy: Hyper-Local Targeting ◦ Details on how to use specific city, state, and province names in episode titles and spoken scripts to attract local search traffic.• [00:09:30] Redefining Monetization: Trust and Conversation ◦ Favour argues that monetization is an outcome of trust, which is built through valuable conversations, not direct sales pitches.• [00:14:00] Tactical Content Planning ◦ Keyword Strategy: How to build content around core business keywords (e.g., "cooking") and then niche down into specifics ("vegan cooking," "pressure cooking"). ◦ FAQ Episodes: The strategy of creating dedicated FAQ episodes for each business location to address unique regional customer questions. ◦ The "Album Drop" Strategy: An explanation of releasing all location-specific FAQ episodes simultaneously to maximize reach and impact.• [00:21:45] Advanced SEO & Platform Tactics ◦ Author Name Optimization: How to structure the podcast's "author" field to include business locations (e.g., "My Restaurant | Seattle | Honolulu | Las Vegas"). ◦ The Power of Voice: Imagine listening to your brand's CEO sending a message directly to you, "documenting their journey with you on live mode" - this tactic creates a permanent "reference point" that builds unparalleled trust.• [00:28:10] The Podcast as a Business Asset ◦ Positioning the podcast as a core piece of intellectual property that builds listenership, authorship, partnerships, and affiliate relationships.• [00:32:00] Monetization Mechanics Explained ◦ A breakdown of ad formats like pre-rolls, mid-rolls, and post-rolls, comparing them to YouTube's ad model. ◦ Discussion on building private, subscription-based podcasts for premium content.• [00:41:00] Live Q&A: Getting Started with Podcasting (with Kelcey) ◦ A new podcaster asks for advice on where to start with her faith-based podcast and monetization.• [00:55:30] Core Digital Assets: Domain & Email List ◦ The speaker emphasizes that your domain and email list are critical assets, using the analogy: "Just like you have an address and a mail box is the same way you have a website and a mailbox."• [01:05:00] Closing Remarks and Call to Action ◦ Favour summarizes the key points and directs listeners to connect for a free audit.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Podcast SEO and monetization strategies tailored for local businesses is today's episode discussion. Favour Obasi-ike emphasizes the importance of metadata, noting that elements like podcast titles, descriptions, and author names serve as critical search signals for discovery.By treats these fields as structured data, creators can establish local authority and ensure their content surfaces in specific user queries across platforms like Spotify and Apple Podcasts.The source further highlights the compounding value of backlinking, explaining how consistent episode releases create a vast network of searchable links that drive traffic back to a brand's website. Ultimately, the text argues that a well-optimized podcast acts as a long-term intellectual property asset that builds credibility and solves audience problems through searchable, evergreen audio content.In the 2026 search ecosystem, local visibility is no longer a matter of chance; it is a matter of engineering. This episode serves as a strategic blueprint for local businesses to command "page dominance" by transforming audio content into a high-authority digital asset. By deploying a "spread map" strategy—scaling influence from local roots to international authority—business owners can ensure their brand is the definitive answer to specific consumer queries.The objective is to move beyond the "hobbyist" mindset and treat podcasting as a capital-efficient SEO machine. We explore how to build an "engine" that runs independently via technical metadata and RSS syndication, allowing your brand to reside permanently in the search database.Key Takeaways for Local Business Owners1. Metadata is Your Search ID: Your title, author field, and description must match the exact phrases your customers use. If your "ID" doesn't match the search query, the algorithm cannot process your "legal documents," and your business remains invisible.2. Exploit the 50x50 Rule: Syndication is a volume game. By appearing on 50 platforms, you create thousands of high-authority backlinks. This sheer volume of structured data makes your brand unavoidable in local searches.3. Implementation over Information: ROI is the result of action, not note-taking. Podcasting is a long-term index fund for your brand; the earlier you start the "audio documentation," the more interest your digital legacy accrues. Move from "doer" to "architect" today.Need to Book An Appointment?>> Book a Complimentary SEO Discovery Call with Favour Obasi-Ike>> Visit Work and PLAY Entertainment website to learn about our digital marketing services>> Join our exclusive SEO Marketing community>> Read SEO Articles>> Subscribe to the We Don't PLAY Podcast>> Purchase Flaev Beatz Beats OnlinePodcast Timestamps[00:00:00] – The Spread Map: Establishing the strategic journey from local business to international brand authority.[00:03:00] – Statistical Authority: Reviewing personal benchmarks (600 episodes, 156 countries) as a model for growth.[00:06:00] – The Harry Potter Paradox: Why naming your show for the "benefit" is the only way to be found before you are famous.[00:10:00] – The Psychology of Blue Links: Why "Blue Links" signify trust and confidence in the search results.[00:14:00] – Spotify Signal Case Study: Using the phrase "workout habits for men over 40" to identify exact-match search signals.[00:22:00] – Compounding Link Math: The 50x50 breakdown of how to generate 2,500 links across platforms like SiriusXM and iHeart.[00:31:00] – The Celese Interaction: Overcoming ADHD and task-paralysis by choosing documentation over perfection.[00:45:00] – The Legacy Challenge: Transitioning from a task-based worker to a legacy-based brand architect.The Mathematics of Syndication & The "Compounding Effect"Strategic dominance is a function of Depth and Cadence. While frequency is important, "Depth" is determined by your average episode length. A 60-minute episode provides sixty times more data points for an algorithm to index than a one-minute clip.The true ROI of podcasting is found in the Compounding Link Formula:50 Episodes (One year of weekly audio documentation) x 50 Distribution Platforms (Apple, Spotify, SiriusXM, Podchaser, Castbox, iHeart, etc.) = 2,500 High-Authority BacklinksThis volume creates a "digital balloon that never pops." As you add more helium (content), the structure becomes stiffer and more secure. To maximize this, maintain a Cadence (release cycle) closer to "1" (daily). A faster cadence spins the RSS feed more frequently, signaling to search engines that your brand is an active, relevant authority.The following 15 monetization levers are the tactical parameters required to convert conversational documentation into long-term ROI and a lasting digital legacy.Episode Breakdown on the 15 Monetization StrategiesPART 1: CORE DISCOVERY METADATA (Your Digital ID Card)1. Podcast TitleExecution: Match the show name to the specific topic or core benefit your audience seeks.So What? Listeners search for solutions and interests, not your name. A descriptive title ensures discoverability in search before you have a famous brand.2. Podcast DescriptionExecution: Exploit the full ~4,000-character limit as a "Search Bank." Use refined keywords, clear value propositions, and a strong call-to-action.So What? This is your show's primary Search ID. If it doesn't match user queries, algorithms can't "read" or rank your content effectively.3. Author/Host FieldExecution: Strategically expand your name with professional identifiers (e.g., "Alex Chen | Venture Capital Analyst").So What? This data feeds APIs and LLMs, establishing your niche authority within recommendation systems and digital assistants.4. Genre & Category SelectionExecution: Use platform hierarchies (e.g., ListenNotes, Apple) to select precise Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary categories.So What? Correct categorization moves you from competing with millions of general shows to dominating a specific, interested listener ecosystem.5. Episode TitleExecution: Adopt a clear, "Guest-First" or "Topic-First" naming convention (e.g., "Dr. Sarah Lee: The Neuroscience of Sleep").So What? It maximizes clarity for listeners and SEO. A guest's name at the front captures their audience and amplifies "link juice" to that episode URL.6. Episode DescriptionExecution: Implement web-style formatting: use H2/H3 headers, bullet points, timestamps, and hyperlinks to key resources.So What? Structured data helps both listeners scan and bots "dissect" your content, boosting engagement metrics and canonical linking power.PART 2: VISUAL & TECHNICAL EXECUTION7. Podcast Cover ArtExecution: Command professionalism with compliant, 3000 x 3000 pixels, visually simple art that is legible at thumbnail size.So What? High-quality, optimized art provides an immediate competitive edge against the significant portion of shows using amateur visuals.8. Episode Cover Art (Optional but Powerful)Execution: For key interviews, create guest-centric visuals that differ from your main show art.So What? Visual differentiation in a subscriber's feed signals unique, fresh value, increasing click-through rates for specific high-interest topics.9. Ad Roll PlacementsExecution: Strategically engineer ad breaks: pre-roll (for direct response), mid-roll (for highest attention), post-roll (for brand storytelling).So What? These are primary monetization vehicles. Placement affects listener retention and ad performance by capturing attention at different psychological stages.10. RSS Feed ManagementExecution: Balance your public RSS feed with private, gated feeds (via platforms like Hello Audio or Supercast) for bonus or premium content.So What? Private feeds enable direct community monetization and foster loyalty by delivering exclusive, "trust-based" content to high-value subscribers.PART 3: DISTRIBUTION & AMPLIFICATION11. Email & Affiliate LeverageExecution: Use automated tools to turn podcast transcripts into newsletter content that drives traffic to affiliate offers or key resources.So What? This captures high-intent listeners where they live (their inbox), converting passive listening into measurable action.12. Social Media DistributionExecution: Systematically cross-post short, thematic audio clips (with captions and video) to platforms like LinkedIn and Instagram.So What? It transforms one hour of recording into weeks of "top-of-funnel" awareness, building connection volume and attracting new audiences.13. Backlink GenerationExecution: Understand that every major hosting platform (Spotify, Apple) creates a backlink to your website from your show profile.So What? This generates vital "link juice" from high-authority domains, strengthening your primary website's search engine ranking.14. Website Integration & AnalyticsExecution: Host a dedicated podcast page on your site and connect it to Google Search Console.So What? This allows you to track how people find and interact with your podcast via search, providing data to refine your topic and keyword strategy.15. Sonic Branding (Musical Intelligence)Execution: Deploy a distinct instrumental theme for each season or series.So What? A fresh sonic identity signals a new "era" or focus for your show, boosting production value and maintaining listener retention through auditory novelty.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
This episode unpacks how Eventbrite marketing and SEO can be used to grow a business and sell tickets through organic search. Favour Obasi-ike emphasizes that placing targeted keywords at the beginning of event titles is crucial for creating effective URL (uniform resource locators) slugs that rank well on search engines. To build trust and boost visibility, event organizers should also embed YouTube videos and utilize back-linking strategies within event descriptions. Real-world case studies discussed illustrate that scheduling events at least one month in advance allows search algorithms sufficient time to index the content and reach potential attendees. Even after an event concludes, Favour notes that active links continue to drive traffic, serving as a long-term asset for brand awareness. Ultimately, the source advocates for a data-driven approach that combines strategic messaging with technical SEO to ensure sustainable audience growth.Need to Book An Appointment?>> Book a Complimentary SEO Discovery Call with Favour Obasi-Ike>> Visit Work and PLAY Entertainment website to learn about our digital marketing services>> Join our exclusive SEO Marketing community>> Read SEO Articles>> Subscribe to the We Don't PLAY Podcast>> Purchase Flaev Beatz Beats OnlineEpisode Timestamps[00:00:00] Introduction: Why Eventbrite is a Hidden SEO GoldmineThe episode begins by positioning Eventbrite as a critical platform for business marketing, lead generation, and product promotion, beyond mere event discovery. The emphasis is on creating every listing with the "searcher's benefit" in mind, focusing on how the event serves the needs of a potential attendee actively searching for a solution. This strategic mindset is the key to unlocking the platform's potential and leads directly into the most critical setup step for organic success.[00:05:30] The Single Most Important SEO Factor: Your Event TitleThe event title is presented as the most crucial element for SEO success because it directly generates the event's URL slug. Placing primary keywords at the beginning of the title ensures they appear at the start of the URL, dramatically improving visibility on Google and Eventbrite. Conversely, placing keywords at the end creates a less effective URL and weakens search ranking from the outset. Getting this step wrong can undermine the entire organic marketing effort.[00:12:15] The Long-Term Value of an Eventbrite ListingA unique feature of Eventbrite is that its event links remain active and discoverable long after an event ends. These expired listings function as permanent digital assets that continue to house links to websites, YouTube videos, and other resources. As such, an old event page acts as a long-term digital billboard, continuously driving traffic and brand visibility for months or years. This sets the stage for a practical case study.[00:17:45] Case Study 1: The Wreath-Making Workshop (A Paid Event Strategy)This case study demonstrates timing, targeting, and iterative improvement by combining organic SEO with minimal paid ads. A client's first workshop failed due to a two-week lead time, which was insufficient for search engine indexing. For the second attempt, strategic changes were made: scheduling four weeks in advance for algorithm indexing, creating a high-quality 4K promotional video, and running hyper-targeted Facebook ads with a $5/day test budget aimed at building community. The result was a sold-out event, providing a repeatable formula for marketing local, paid events.[00:31:00] Technical SEO Deep Dive: Why Your Website Pages Get De-IndexedThis section explains technical reasons for losing search ranking over time. Key factors include the "Last Modified" date in a website's XML sitemap, which signals content freshness to search engines; the 24-month lifespan of a blog post's SEO relevance if left untouched; and the actionable "update rule" of updating two old pages for every new one published. A contrast is drawn with podcast RSS feeds, which re-index the entire channel with each new episode, highlighting a unique SEO benefit of podcasting. This reinforces the importance of an updated digital presence to support event marketing.[00:48:15] Case Study 2: The Junk Journaling Workshop (A Free Event Strategy)This case study proves the core SEO principles work for a free event launched by a brand-new account with zero prior audience. The client created a new Eventbrite listing for a niche craft workshop with one month of lead time. Relying purely on organic discovery, all 10 free slots sold out to unknown attendees. The 10 conversions came from just 88 page views, indicating a highly effective, targeted listing. Page views continued to climb after sell-out, proving Eventbrite pages remain active SEO assets. The next step is community building.[00:55:30] The Post-Event Pivot: From Attendees to a CommunityThe conclusion shifts focus to the true metric of success: not just tickets sold, but building a returning community. The recommended strategy involves using a post-event QR code linked to a survey to gather feedback. For free events, this is a critical opportunity to ask attendees if they would return for a paid event, gauging future viability and gaining consent for upselling. This final step transforms a single event into a sustainable, community-driven business model.Memorable Quotes:"The fault begins with the message. And if the message is wrong, everybody is confused.""It's not about how many tickets were sold. It's how many people came, saw, went back, and came back again.""For every one page that you publish, update the last two that I just want to make it easy."Actionable Takeaways & Memorable QuotesTop 3 Actionable Takeaways:1. Prioritize Your Title: Always place your primary keywords (e.g., "Marketing Workshop," "Cooking Class") at the very beginning of your Eventbrite title to create an SEO-optimized URL slug.2. Respect the 3-Week Rule: Launch your event at least three to four weeks in advance. This gives search engine algorithms the necessary time to index your page and show it to relevant audiences organically.3. Plan the Post-Event Follow-Up: The event isn't over when it ends. Use a simple QR code survey to collect feedback and, for free events, to ask attendees if they would be willing to pay for a future version.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The actionable local SEO and marketing strategies for businesses to implement in 2026 with Favour Obasi-ike. The primary recommendation involves using QR codes as digital lead magnets to bridge the gap between physical locations and online platforms. This further emphasizes the power of podcast appearances and high-authority PR backlinks to establish brand credibility and improve search engine rankings. Additionally, the discussion explores short-form video tactics on YouTube and Instagram as tools to drive traffic to specific landing pages or low-ticket offers. The speakers conclude that consistent data tracking and strategic positioning are essential for scaling a local business effectively.Next Steps for Booking A Discovery Call | Digital Marketing + SEO Services:>> Need SEO Services? Book a Complimentary SEO Discovery Call with Favour Obasi-Ike here>> Visit our Work and PLAY Entertainment website to learn about digital marketing services.>> Join our exclusive SEO Marketing community>> Read SEO Articles>> Subscribe to the We Don't PLAY Podcast>> Purchase Flaev Beatz Beats OnlineEpisode Timestamps & Key Takeaways1. The QR Code Renaissance: Your Digital Lead MagnetQR codes have re-emerged as a low-cost, high-impact tool for local marketing, serving as a powerful bridge between physical customer presence and digital engagement. More than just a link, a strategic QR code acts as a direct gateway for lead capture, data collection, and relationship building, turning passing interest into a measurable interaction.[00:02:30] The Core Tactic: Creating and Deploying QR Codes Implementing a successful QR code strategy involves a few key steps:Generation: Use a dedicated tool like flowcode.com to create a custom QR code.Destination Strategy: Instead of linking to a generic homepage, direct users to a specific, high-intent page on your website. This could be a contact page, location page, a special offer landing page, or an email list signup form. The goal is to make the next step clear and valuable.Physical Placement: Maximize local visibility by placing the QR code on a variety of physical assets, including brick-and-mortar storefront windows, flyers, business cards, leaflets, and even in collaboration with other local businesses like restaurants.[00:07:15] Case Study: The Loungewear Brand A 2023 case study of a loungewear client at the Arendelle Mills Mall demonstrates the power of this tactic. During the Christmas season, the business used QR codes to promote a raffle for a family loungewear set. Shoppers scanned the code to enter, which successfully:Built their email list with qualified, local leads.Drove both in-store and online sales by creating a direct engagement point.The campaign successfully accelerated their online business by focusing on the core brand message of family bonding, turning a simple raffle into a meaningful touchpoint that resonated with their target audience.[00:13:45] Critical Best Practices To ensure your QR code campaign is effective and avoids costly mistakes, follow these essential practices:Incentivize the Scan: Offer a compelling reason for someone to pull out their phone. Frame it as a gateway to exclusive sales, monthly offers, or entry into a contest.Test Before You Print: Before investing in hundreds of flyers or stickers, thoroughly test the QR code with multiple people and different devices to ensure it scans correctly and links to the right destination.Track the Interaction: On your backend system, verify that a scan is being registered. This is crucial for measuring the campaign's effectiveness and understanding user engagement.This direct, one-to-one engagement tactic sets the stage for a broader, community-focused strategy: live events.2. Front-End Offers: Building Community with EventsA "front-end offer" in this context is less about an immediate transaction and more about securing a customer's commitment. Local events are the perfect vehicle for this strategy, providing a platform to foster deeper relationships, build brand loyalty, and create a powerful feedback loop that traditional digital marketing often misses.[00:15:30] Case Study: The Junk Journaling Business This case study follows a client with a purely traditional, offline business and zero website traffic. The strategy and results were transformative:Problem: The client had zero website traffic and was operating a purely traditional, offline business, making them invisible to online search and limiting their growth to in-person interactions.Solution: The host advised creating a free, local event on Eventbrite. The event listing was strategically optimized with local SEO keywords like "junk journaling classes near me" to capture search intent.Results: Within just seven days, the Eventbrite page received 88 views. More impressively, all 10 available slots for the event—still a month away—were completely filled, validating immediate local demand.[00:23:00] The Post-Event Flywheel The value of a local event extends far beyond the event itself, creating a self-perpetuating cycle of engagement and growth:Deep Connection: Events provide a rare opportunity to build genuine, personal relationships with customers in a face-to-face setting.Network Effect: The "10 people know 10 people" principle comes into play. A small group of engaged attendees can quickly become powerful brand advocates, driving exponential word-of-mouth marketing.Feedback Loop: By using a QR code at the event, you can direct attendees to a survey. This gathers invaluable feedback for improving future events and understanding customer needs.Validating Paid Offers: The post-event survey is the perfect place to gauge interest in future paid workshops or events, allowing you to de-risk future business decisions by confirming demand before investing resources.From building community in person, the conversation shifts to scaling that trust and authority to a much wider digital audience.3. Podcast Guesting: Scaling Trust and AuthorityPodcast guesting is a powerful and often underutilized local SEO and public relations (PR) strategy. It offers a unique dual benefit: it builds personal brand trust through the intimate and authentic medium of voice, while simultaneously generating a high volume of valuable digital assets in the form of backlinks.[00:28:45] The Backlink Multiplier Effect Being a guest on a podcast is a superior backlink strategy compared to a simple guest article. A single podcast appearance can result in dozens of high-quality backlinks as the episode is syndicated across numerous platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and Pandora. Each platform that lists the episode with your name and website in the show notes creates a new backlink, amplifying your SEO impact from a single effort.[00:33:10] Building Your "Listen Score" Platforms like listennotes.com (using "Listen Score") and Podchaser.com (using "Power Score") provide metrics that quantify both audience trust and algorithmic credibility. Consistently appearing on podcasts directly improves these scores. A higher score signals to algorithms that you are a credible and relevant authority in your field, enhancing your overall brand authority and searchability.[00:36:00] Finding Your Platform Finding the right podcasts to appear on is a straightforward process:Recommended Tool: Use a podcast discovery platform like ivy.fm.Process: Search for topics relevant to your business or expertise. The tool will generate a list of relevant shows. From there, you can identify their contact information and craft a pitch to appear as a guest expert.The host's prepared tactics are then reinforced and expanded upon by real-world experiences from other experts who joined the discussion.4. Expert Discussion: Real-World PR, SEO, and Video StrategyIn the final segment, marketing experts Marc, John, and Pierre join the host to share recent experiences and insights, adding another layer of practical validation to the episode's core themes of PR, local SEO, and modern content strategy.[00:45:00] Mark's PR Case Study: The Power of a Single Backlink Marc shared two recent PR wins that perfectly illustrate the difference between brand presence and direct SEO value. The comparison highlights that the quality and type of a link are far more critical than the length of the feature.[00:58:15] John's YouTube & Low-Ticket Offer Strategy John provided a distilled look at his current content and sales funnel strategy, emphasizing speed and efficiency:YouTube Content Mix: He recommends a strategic blend of 30% shorts for top-of-funnel branding and discovery, combined with 70% long-form video for deeper audience engagement and education.Shorts-to-Revenue Funnel: An effective modern funnel uses shorts for the initial "branding" function—getting people to say, "Oh, yeah, that's interesting"—before driving traffic directly to a low-ticket offer ($27-$47) on a checkout page. This bypasses complex sales pages for high-volume, low-friction conversions.GeoGrid Inaccuracy: John noted that traditional local SEO geogrid mapping tools are becoming inaccurate. He shared an example where a manual, localized search showed his client in the top 3 results, while the geogrid software reported a rank of 8. This discrepancy demonstrates the unreliability of the tools and reinforces the need for new tracking methods.John's strategy provides a digital, high-velocity parallel to Tactic #2's front-end offers, using short-form video to secure low-friction commitment and rapidly build a revenue-generating audience.This expert discussion underscores the episode's key principles, bringing the focus back to the tangible actions listeners can take.Resources MentionedQR Code Generation: flowcode.comEvent Management: EventbritePodcast Discovery: ivy.fmPodcast Metrics: listennotes.com, Podchaser.comPrivacy-Focused Analytics: Fathom AnalyticsMarketing Experts Referenced: Maria Wendt, Joel Irway, Daniel Priestley, Sean Cannell, Daryl EavesConclusion & Call to ActionThis episode delivers a clear and compelling message: success in local marketing hinges on practical, strategic action. The tactics discussed—from QR codes and community events to podcasting and savvy PR—are not just theoretical concepts but proven methods for building visibility, trust, and revenue. The final challenge to the audience is to move from passive listening to active application. Choose one of these strategies, implement it for your business, and begin the journey to "listen, live, learn, and earn."See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
In this comprehensive episode, host Favour Obasi-ike, joined by guests Celese Williams, Dr. Fashion, and Ryan Dennis, cuts through the noise to deliver the five most essential SEO fixes small businesses must implement in 2026. Moving beyond abstract theory, the discussion provides a masterclass in actionable strategy, covering the non-negotiable foundations of site architecture, the currency of strategic link building, the revenue-killing impact of slow site speed, the power of dominating local search, and the technical integrations needed to get indexed and noticed by search engines.Next Steps for Booking A Discovery Call | Digital Marketing + SEO Services:>> Need SEO Services? Book a Complimentary SEO Discovery Call with Favour Obasi-Ike here>> Visit our Work and PLAY Entertainment website to learn about digital marketing services.>> Join our exclusive SEO Marketing community>> Read SEO Articles>> Subscribe to the We Don't PLAY PodcastKey TakeawaysMaster Your Site Architecture: A well-structured website with proper canonical tags, optimized images, and clear headings is the non-negotiable foundation for both user experience and search engine visibility.Treat Links as Currency: Strategically build internal and external links, ensuring every piece of content has a corresponding URL on your website to build authority and drive traffic from multiple sources.Prioritize Blazing-Fast Speed: A slow website kills conversions and rankings. Actively manage site speed through optimized hosting, a Content Delivery Network (CDN), and compressed media files.Dominate Your Geographic Area: For businesses serving specific areas, embedding location data (maps, zip codes, city names) directly into your site is crucial for capturing "near me"searches.Integrate to Accelerate: Directly connect your website to Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools and manually submit new content to get indexed significantly faster than waiting for organic crawls.Detailed Show Notes & Timestamps[00:00:00] Introduction: Setting the Stage for 2026Host Favour Obasi-ike kicks off the new year by tackling the evergreen challenge of Search Engine Optimization. He frames "fixing" SEO not as a one-time task but as a continuous process of optimization that is fundamental to brand awareness, website traffic, and revenue growth. He provides an initial call to action, directing listeners to the link in the show description to book a consultation or subscribe to his email list for ongoing insights. With the stage set, the episode transitions into the first and most foundational technical fix for any small business website.[00:04:15] SEO Fix #1: Site Architecture - The Foundation of Your Digital PresenceSite architecture is the fundamental blueprint of a website, dictating how both users and search engine algorithms navigate, understand, and value its content. A strong architecture is the bedrockof any successful digital presence, ensuring content is organized, accessible, and easily discoverable.Key components of a robust site architecture include:Canonical Tags: A canonical tag tells search engines which version of a page is the "master copy," preventing duplicate content issues. As Favour Obasi-ike explains with the "Adam Apple"analogy, just as a person has one true name, your content must have one single, consistent identity recognized by search engines to avoid confusion.Image Optimization: Large, uncompressed image files are a primary cause of slow load times. Uploading images that are several megabytes in size will significantly degrade site performance and hurt search rankings.Link Health: Regularly checking for and fixing broken or duplicate links is essential for a clean and functional site structure.Website Updates: Using the "brushing your teeth" analogy, Favour Obasi-ike explains that keeping content and copyright dates current signals relevance. Search engines prioritize fresh, well-maintained content, and an outdated copyright date is a direct signal that a site may be abandoned or irrelevant.*Heading Tags (H1-H6):* Properly structured headings organize content for human readers and provide a clear hierarchy that helps search engines understand the main topics and subtopics of a page.URLs & Schema: Keyword-rich URLs (e.g., .../cookie-recipes) and schema markup (microdata for recipes, events, etc.) give search engines explicit context about a page's purpose, improving its chances of ranking for relevant queries.[00:14:30] Guest Spotlight: Celese Williams on Design, UX, and SEOGuest speaker Celese Williams distills her formula for a successful small business website into three core principles: simple design, easy user experience (UX), and findable SEO. She powerfully underscores this advice with her own success story, revealing that her "basic" but architecturally sound website generated $247,000 in revenue last year, proving that a solid foundation is more valuable than flashy design.With a solid architectural blueprint defined, the next strategic imperative is to establish realistic implementation timelines, which vary dramatically based on a business's starting point.[00:19:45] Strategy Session: SEO Timelines for New vs. Existing BusinessesDetermining a realistic timeline for SEO results is a common strategic challenge. The approach differs significantly for a business building its digital footprint from scratch versus one that is optimizing an existing but underperforming presence.Prospect ProfileProspect A: No online presence, thriving on referrals.6-12 Months: Building a digital foundation from the ground up requires significant time to establish authority, build content, and gain visibility. Favour Obasi-ike notes this timeline can be shortened to 3 months if a podcast is part of the strategy.Prospect B: Existing local presence, but not definitive.3-6 Months: Leveraging an existing foundation allows for a faster path to scalable results. The focus shifts from creation to optimization, building upon the authority the site already has.Celese Williams adds a critical counterpoint, emphasizing that industry competition is the ultimate "X factor" that can heavily influence any projected timeline. A business in a low-competition niche may see results faster, while one in a saturated market will face a longer road. From this high-level strategy, the focus shifts to the practical tactics of audience building across different platforms.[00:26:30] Community Q&A: Building a Social Media AudienceThis Q&A session addresses a common pain point for small businesses: how to efficiently build and maintain an audience across multiple social platforms without getting overwhelmed. The speakers offer a unified message centered on smart, focused distribution.Celese Williams' "Master a Few" Strategy:Trying to be on every platform is an unsustainable and difficult strategy.Businesses should focus on mastering the top 2-3 platforms where their target audience is most active and engaged.Dr. Fashion's "Smart Distribution" Method:She advocates for the "create once, distribute smartly" approach.This involves batch recording long-form content and using tools like repurpose.io to efficiently atomize and distribute it across various platforms, tailoring the hook for each audience.Favour Obasi-ike's "Ecosystem" Approach:He analyzes the importance of building a presence within a platform ecosystem like Meta (Facebook, Instagram, Threads, WhatsApp).He highlights the power of using long-form content, such as a podcast, as a source for dozens of micro-content pieces (clips, quotes, articles), which dramatically improves searchability and reach.[00:39:00] Case Study: The Power of Organic Keyword GrowthFavour Obasi-ike presents his own podcast as a powerful case study on the long-term value of consistent, high-quality content. He illustrates its organic keyword growth over just three months:Top 3 Keywords: Grew from 85 on October 13th to 198 in January.Top 10 Keywords: Grew from 91 on October 13th to 245 in January.Top 50 Keywords: Grew from 469 on October 13th to 1,196 in January.Top 100 Keywords: Grew from 238 on October 13th to 627 in January.This tangible growth demonstrates how a steady stream of relevant content creates a compounding interest effect on search visibility. The discussion on content distribution logically pivots back to a core SEO technical fix: the links that tie all that content together.[00:41:10] SEO Fix #2: Web Links - The Pathways to ProfitabilityLinks are the nervous system of a website, creating pathways that guide both users and search engines to valuable content. They are the currency of the internet, signaling authority and relevance.Favour Obasi-ike outlines a simple yet powerful three-step strategy for link building:Identify Core Products/Services: Begin with a clear understanding of what you sell. This focus will guide your keyword and content strategy.Embed Keywords in URLs: Create descriptive, keyword-rich URLs for every page (e.g., velvet.com/red-velvet-cookies). Avoid using "stop words" (like for, the, a), as they add no contextual value for search engines and make URLs longer and less focused.Match Social Posts to Website Links: Implement a *"1-to-1 match"* strategy. For every social media post you create, ensure there is a corresponding article or landing page on your own website. This ensures you are building authority for your domain, not just for the social media platform.Celese Williams enthusiastically endorses this approach, noting that SEO agencies charge clients $1,000 on the low end, up to $20,000-$30,000 on the high end for this exact strategy. However, a perfectly linked site is useless if it's too slow to load. This brings us to the third critical fix: optimizing for pure speed, a non-negotiable factor for both user retention and rankings.[00:52:15] SEO Fix #3: Site Speed - Winning the Race for AttentionIn 2026, website speed is a make-or-break SEO factor. A slow website directly harms user experience, increases bounce rates, kills conversions, and leads to lower search rankings. Google prioritizes sites that provide a fast, seamless experience for its users.Key actions for improving site speed include:Identify Performance Bottlenecks: Use a tool like GTmetrix.com to analyze your website's performance and get a baseline score.Optimize Hosting: Invest in a high-performance hosting platform that can handle your traffic and content demands.Leverage a CDN: A Content Delivery Network (CDN) stores copies of your site in multiple geographic locations, serving content from the closest server to the user, which drastically improves loading times for a global audience.Compress Images: Use a tool like compressor.io to significantly reduce image file sizes without sacrificing visual quality. This is one of the most effective ways to boost speed.From the technical dimension of speed, the analysis moves to the equally important geographical aspect of location.[00:57:45] SEO Fix #4: Location - Dominating Your Local MarketSince the vast majority of online searches have local intent (e.g., "tacos near me"), it is strategically vital for businesses to clearly signal their service area to capture nearby customers. Location-based SEO is not just for brick-and-mortar stores; it's essential for any business serving a specific geographic region.Actionable strategies for location optimization include:Integrate Map Links: Embed Google Maps and Apple Maps links directly on your website to provide clear location signals and improve user experience.Connect to Google Business Profile: A complete, updated, and active Google Business Profile is the cornerstone of local SEO. Ensure it is linked directly to your main website.Focus on a Target Radius: Optimize your content and keywords for a specific 5-20 mile radius to serve the most relevant local audience and avoid competing on a national level unnecessarily.Celese Williams strongly reinforces this point, advising that local service-based businesses must "master their own backyard" before even considering expansion. This on-page focus on location provides a natural bridge to the final, technical step of integrating the site with search engines.[01:02:10] SEO Fix #5: Integrations & Setup - Connecting to the Digital EcosystemThe final critical fix involves technical integration. This is not just a one-time setup step but the official act of submitting your website to search engines, ensuring your content gets seen, crawled, and indexed in a timely manner.The essential integration process includes:Connect to Google Search Console: This is the primary and non-negotiable step for submitting your site to Google, monitoring performance, and identifying technical issues.Submit Your Sitemap: A sitemap (sitemap.xml) is a file that lists all the important pages on your website. Submitting it through Search Console is like handing Google a complete directory, ensuring it knows what to crawl.Integrate with Microsoft Bing: By importing your Google Search Console profile directly into Bing Webmaster Tools, you can easily gain visibility on the world's second-largest search engine.[01:06:15] The "Fast Pass" Technique: Manual IndexingRyan Dennis and Celese Williams highlight a powerful tactic for new content. By manually requesting indexing for a new page in Google Search Console, you can effectively get a "fast pass" that prompts Google to crawl it within hours or a day, rather than waiting weeks for an organic crawl. Favour Obasi-ike adds a key detail: Google allows a daily quota of 10 manual indexing requests per website. This tactical discussion sets up the final Q&A, shifting from established SEO practices to the emerging influence of AI.[01:08:30] Community Q&A: The Role of AI in Content CreationThe episode concludes with a forward-looking discussion on a pressing question for 2026: is using AI for content creation a viable SEO strategy or a potential pitfall? The consensus is that AI is a tool, not a replacement for human expertise and authenticity.The speakers offer nuanced perspectives:Favour Obasi-ike's "Personalized AI" Stance: AI-generated content is only effective when deeply infused with human elements: brand tone, personal stories, case studies, and unique media. AI should be used for leverage, but the final product must align with Google's quality principles.Celese Williams' "Cautious Tester" Approach: She advises that businesses with strong SEO have more to lose and should be wary of AI, while those starting from scratch could test it. She raises a critical question about how AI aligns with Google's ranking systems. In response, Favour Obasi-ike highlights that Google updated its E-A-T framework to E-E-A-T, adding a new "E" for Experience. This update reinforces the need for human-led content, as AI cannot generate genuine, first-hand experience—a critical ranking factor in 2026.The ultimate takeaway is that AI is a powerful assistant, but it must be used to enhance—not replace—the unique experience, expertise, and emotion that only a human can provide.[01:19:00] Final Thoughts & How to ConnectFavour Obasi-ike wraps up the episode by reiterating the five critical SEO fixes that can transform a small business's digital presence. The primary call to action for listeners is to click the link in the show description to either book a direct consultation or access his comprehensive 12-hour training course, which is available with a 26% discount throughout January. He also recommends reading his recent article, "Is it worth hiring an SEO expert in 2026," also available via the link.Mentions & ResourcesPeople:Favour Obasi-ike (Host)Celese Williams (Guest Speaker)Dr. Fashion (Guest Speaker)Ryan Dennis (Guest Speaker)Tools & Platforms:Google Search Console: Google's free tool for monitoring website performance in search.Microsoft Bing Webmaster Tools: The equivalent of Search Console for the Bing search engine.GTmetrix.com: A website for testing and analyzing site speed and performance.Compressor.io: An online tool for reducing the file size of images.Repurpose.io: A tool for automating the distribution of content across multiple social platforms.SerpApi.com: A real-time SERP API to see what search results look like from any location.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
SEO Secrets for 2026: A Deep Dive into Schema Markup, Structure, and Indexing with Favour Obasi-ike with Favour Obasi-Ike | Sign up for exclusive SEO insights.Happy New Year! This episode provides a focused, actionable roadmap for business and website owners aiming to dominate search rankings in 2026. It moves beyond basic SEO to reveal three foundational, yet often overlooked, strategies: two internal and one external.Favour synthesizes the strategy into a winning formula: Schema + Structure + Speed. A website that excels in these three areas becomes a "triple threat"—it's understood by algorithms, technically sound, and delivers a superior user experience, making it the preferred result in search.Call to Action: For professional SEO help, you can book a call at playinc.online, listen to the podcast at wedontplaypodcast.com, or contact the me via email (info@playinc.online). More resource links available below.Core Framework for 2026 SEO Success:Internal Secret #1: Master Schema MarkupWhat it is: Explicit code (microdata) that tells search engines and AI exactly what your content means (e.g., Article, FAQ, Product).Why it matters: It "future-proofs" your content by turning pages into structured assets that AI-driven search tools can understand and feature correctly. It's the essential language for communicating with modern algorithms.Internal Secret #2: Prioritize Logical Site StructureWhat it is: A clear, hierarchical blueprint for your website using heading tags (H1, H2, H3, etc.) in the correct, sequential order.Why it matters: It serves both crawlers and users. It guides algorithms through your content while creating an intuitive, trustworthy experience for visitors. A confused structure repels both.External Secret: Leverage Automatic IndexingWhat it is: A technical method using an API to submit thousands of pages per day to Google, bypassing the strict 10-URL daily limit of manual submission in Search Console.Why it matters: For content-rich sites, it ensures your work is efficiently seen and indexed by Google, preventing valuable content from being overlooked.Episode Timestamps[03:30] Internal Secret #1: Master Schema MarkupWhat it is: Explicit code that tells search engines and AI what your content means.Why it matters: It future-proofs content, turning pages into structured assets that modern algorithms and AI search tools can correctly understand and feature.[13:00] Internal Secret #2: Prioritize Logical Site StructureWhat it is: A clear hierarchy using heading tags (H1, H2, H3) in correct order.Why it matters: It guides search engine crawlers and creates an intuitive, trustworthy experience for human users. Poor structure confuses both.[22:00] External Secret: Leverage Automatic IndexingWhat it is: Using an API to submit thousands of pages/day to Google, bypassing manual limits.Why it matters: Ensures large volumes of content are efficiently seen and indexed. A case study showed 27% of a 17M-page portfolio indexed in two weeks.[29:30] Key Conclusion: The "Triple Threat" FormulaThe winning formula is Schema + Structure + Speed. This combination ensures a site is understood by algorithms, technically sound, and delivers a superior user experience.[31:00] Call to Action: For help, book a call at playinc.online, listen to the podcast, or contact the host via email/LinkedIn.Next Steps for Booking A Discovery Call | Digital Marketing + SEO Services:>> Need SEO Services? Book a Complimentary SEO Discovery Call with Favour Obasi-Ike here>> Visit our Work and PLAY Entertainment website to learn about digital marketing services.>> Join our exclusive SEO Marketing community>> Read SEO Articles>> Subscribe to the We Don't PLAY PodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Welcome to Season 12 of the We Don't PLAY!™️ Podcast show! Enjoy the latest instrumental for the show as we dive in shortly!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
SEO Expert vs. SEO Agency: Making the Right Choice for Your Business (Decision Makers Edition) with Favour Obasi-ike with Favour Obasi-Ike | Sign up for exclusive SEO insights.Episode SummaryBusiness decision-makers constantly face the challenge of choosing between a solo SEO expert and a full-service SEO agency to drive their online growth. In this episode, host Favour Obasi-ike is joined by guests Marc McIntosh, (G.A.) Pimpleton, and Jolanta Kissoon Young to demystify this critical choice.The discussion unpacks the distinct roles of each provider, revealing that an expert acts like a specialist "doctor" for targeted advice, while an agency serves as a holistic "coach" for comprehensive execution. The conversation also ventures into the dark side of the industry, exposing common pitfalls and scams with firsthand accounts of fraudulent practices.Finally, the group provides a concrete, actionable framework for vetting a trustworthy partner, emphasizing the non-negotiable need for proven results and the power of earned trust to ensure your SEO investment translates into real business growth.Read New SEO Article: Is It Worth Hiring an SEO Expert in 2026? [Table Comparison]Next Steps for Booking A Discovery Call | Digital Marketing + SEO Services:>> Need SEO Services? Book a Complimentary SEO Discovery Call with Favour Obasi-Ike here>> Visit our Work and PLAY Entertainment website to learn about digital marketing services.>> Join our exclusive SEO Marketing community>> Read SEO Articles>> Subscribe to the We Don't PLAY PodcastKey Takeaways for Business LeadersFirst, define your need before you hire. The most critical first step is to align your business stage with the right provider. An SEO expert is ideal for startups or businesses needing strategic advice, specialized audits, or tactical guidance ("seeing where the needle is"). A full-service agency is better suited for mid-to-large companies that require an aggressive, multi-disciplinary growth strategy and hands-on implementation ("moving the needle").Second, "receipts" are non-negotiable. Do not hire a provider based on promises alone. Demand tangible proof of their competence and impact. Ask for detailed case studies, analytics, and data—what G.A. calls "receipts"—that show where past clients in your industry started and where they finished. This data should clearly demonstrate an increase in revenue, reach, and other key business metrics.Third, trust is earned through value. The most reliable and effective SEO partners are often those who don't rely on aggressive advertising. As Marc argues, trust is built over time. Seek out experts and agencies who freely educate their audience through podcasts, blogs, or online communities. This demonstrates genuine expertise, builds a foundation of trust, and proves they are more focused on delivering value than just making a sale.Detailed Episode Breakdown & Timestamps1. Introduction: The Core DilemmaStarting at 00:00, host Favour Obasi-ike opens the discussion by framing the critical decision business owners face: whether to engage a freelance SEO expert or a larger SEO agency. He emphasizes the strategic importance of this choice, noting that it can define a company's digital foundation and shape its future growth trajectory.At 01:15, Favour Obasi-ike provides an initial breakdown of the fundamental differences, describing an expert as a specialist focused on a specific problem, while an agency covers a comprehensive range of needs. He also introduces the idea that, under specific circumstances, the two can work together effectively.At 03:30, two primary scenarios for collaboration are detailed: an expert can augment an agency's team with specialized skills for a particular project, or an expert can be brought in to provide a "third eye" perspective for an established in-house team, offering an outside view to improve internal processes.With the core dilemma established, the discussion moves to the crucial task of matching your specific business needs to the right provider model.2. Differentiating Roles: The Doctor vs. The CoachBeginning at 05:00, the conversation highlights that to make a smart investment, you must first diagnose your own needs. This section provides a clear framework—the "Doctor vs. the Coach"—to help you distinguish between the need for tactical advice versus comprehensive execution and align your specific requirements with the right type of service provider.At 06:45, the conversation compares the two roles using a clear analogy: the expert is like a doctor who diagnoses and prescribes, while the agency is like a coach who manages the team and executes the game plan. The SEO Expert, or "Doctor," acts as a consultant or specialist who provides tactics and strategies, helping you "see where the needle is." They typically cost between $500 to $3,000+ per month on average. The SEO Agency, or "Coach," provides a full team for execution and acts as the "backbone of your brand online," actively "moving the needle" for you with a robust, multidisciplinary approach.At 09:10, Favour Obasi-ike explains the concept of an SEO agency acting as the technical "backbone" for a brand online. An agency is responsible for a wide array of needs, from generating traffic and performing technical fixes to assisting with branding, backlinks, and local SEO.At 11:25, clear advice is given on when to hire each: an expert is ideal for those just starting out who need to learn the ropes and get strategic direction. In contrast, an agency is necessary for mid-to-large businesses or well-funded startups that require an aggressive, multifaceted growth strategy.While understanding the ideal roles is essential, the real risk lies in the industry's dark side. The speakers now pivot to the critical red flags that can save a business from costly mistakes.3. Industry Pitfalls: Scams, Red Flags, and Cautionary TalesAt 15:30, the conversation shifts to address the "bad rep" of the SEO industry, highlighting why business owners must be exceptionally vigilant. This segment underscores the importance of recognizing red flags to avoid wasting money, losing time, and protecting critical company assets like websites and data.At 17:00, G.A. shares his negative experiences with agencies, explaining his preference for direct, one-on-one relationships. He recounts a client's horror story where a previous agency held their website and data hostage, making it nearly impossible to transition to a new provider and regain control of their own intellectual property.At 20:15, Marc McIntosh offers a powerful anecdote about a new client who had been paying a significant sum for "SEO services" but did not even have Google Analytics or Google Search Console connected to their site—a fundamental flaw. He warns against providers selling overpriced, templated services and using fake bot traffic to manipulate reports and create the illusion of progress.At 24:50, G.A. describes a common scam in his industry where companies buy recycled, low-quality leads from "SEO experts" who use impressive-sounding buzzwords like "quantum computing" to sell ineffective, boilerplate services that fail to deliver genuine clients.Recognizing the scams is half the battle; the other half is proactively identifying a trustworthy partner. The conversation now provides a practical vetting framework to do just that.4. Vetting a Partner: How to Find a Trustworthy ProviderStarting at 28:00, and armed with an understanding of the risks, this section delivers a practical toolkit for due diligence. Follow these systematic steps to move beyond a provider's sales pitch and verify their true capabilities, establishing a successful and transparent partnership from the start.At 29:30, the speakers collectively outline actionable steps for vetting any potential SEO provider.First, ask probing questions. Favour Obasi-ike suggests asking specific operational questions to gauge professionalism and process, such as: "What is your tech stack?", "How do you handle sensitive data and passwords?", and "How do you work as a team?".Second, demand "receipts" (proof of work). Synthesizing advice from the panel, this point stresses the need to see hard evidence. Demand what GA calls "receipts"—case studies, analytics, and performance data showing where clients started and finished. Additionally, as H advises, ensure these case studies explain the strategy behind the results, demonstrating their understanding of your industry.Third, check their own fundamentals. Marc provides a simple but effective tip: audit the provider's own website for basic SEO health. If they have fundamental errors like multiple H1 tags (Mark's example) or an outdated copyright date (Jolanta's example), it's a major red flag.Fourth, verify their authority. Look for tangible proof that they are a genuine expert in their field. A credible provider often has a presence on platforms like LinkedIn, hosts a podcast, writes a blog, or runs a community where they actively share knowledge and engage with their industry.Fifth, prioritize referrals and earned trust. Marc makes a compelling argument that the best partners are found through trusted referrals, not advertisements. He advises following potential experts over time. Those who consistently teach and give value freely are building genuine trust, making them a much safer and more reliable choice.A thorough vetting process is the best defense against industry scams and serves as the foundation for a fruitful, long-term relationship.5. Final Thoughts & Resources MentionedAt 45:00, the final segment wraps up the discussion by covering specific tools and platforms that can aid in SEO efforts. This reinforces the core idea that successful SEO is not a one-time fix but an ongoing, dynamic process of learning, implementation, and adaptation.At 46:15, the discussion touches on leveraging specific platforms for greater reach. In response to Jolanta's question, Favour Obasi-ike explains that Pinterest is a powerful visual search engine, not just a social media platform. Because the lifespan of a "pin" is 3.5 months to 5 months (compared to 19-72 hours for an Instagram post), content published there continues to drive traffic and build authority for a brand long after it's posted.At 52:30, the tools and platforms mentioned throughout the episode include: ClickUp, Zoom, Google Search Console, Google Analytics, ChatGPT, LinkedIn, Clubhouse, and Pinterest.At 55:00, Favour Obasi-ike closes the episode with a final call to action, encouraging listeners to connect with him directly via the link in his bio to turn the insights from the conversation into concrete action for their businesses.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
In this podcast episode, host Favour Obasi-Ike sits down with international conflict management expert Dr. Nashay Lowe to reveal how AI can serve as the ultimate mirror, reflecting our hidden biases and transforming how we communicate.Episode SummaryThis conversation delves into the strategic importance of understanding Artificial Intelligence not merely as a technological advancement, but as a transformative tool for enhancing professional communication, streamlining problem-solving, and fostering profound self-reflection. Dr. Nashay Lowe guides us through the necessary mindset shift required to harness AI's power, moving beyond skepticism to see its potential as an indispensable partner in complex human endeavors.The discussion charts a journey from initial resistance to a nuanced appreciation of AI's role in the modern workplace. Favour Obasi-Ike and Dr. Nashay Lowe dissect the common fear that AI will replace human jobs, reframing the technology as a "power tool" that augments human capability rather than rendering it obsolete.Dr. Nashay Lowe states that the real professional risk isn't being replaced by AI, but by a colleague who masters it. The conversation culminates in a powerful central metaphor: AI as an objective mirror. As Dr. Nashay Lowe states, "Conflict reveals who we are, it doesn't create our divisions it reflects them." In the same way, AI offers a unique ability to reflect our communication patterns and strategic gaps without the inherent lens of a human observer.Ultimately, the episode reveals that AI's effectiveness is entirely dependent on human guidance. Through skillful prompting, critical questioning, and a commitment to ethical use, professionals can leverage AI to see their challenges, and themselves, with unprecedented clarity. This episode provides a compelling roadmap for anyone looking to integrate AI thoughtfully into their work.These are the essential insights you need to navigate this new landscape.Key TakeawaysThis section distills the most critical and actionable insights from the conversation with Dr. Nashay Lowe. These takeaways serve as foundational principles for any professional seeking to adapt to and thrive in an increasingly AI-integrated world, transforming a complex technology into a practical asset for growth and efficiency.AI is an Evolutionary Tool, Not an EnemyResisting AI is akin to resisting the adoption of computers or smartphones—a futile effort against an inevitable technological evolution. The true professional threat is not being replaced by AI itself, but by someone who masters AI as a tool to work more efficiently and effectively. Adaptation is no longer optional; it's a core professional competency.AI Serves as an Objective MirrorThe most powerful application of AI in subjective fields like conflict management is its ability to act as a mirror to our own communication patterns, biases, and choices. By analyzing language and scenarios without a human's inherent emotional or experiential lens, it can reveal subtle tensions, repetitive biases, and strategic blind spots that we might otherwise miss.Human Input Dictates AI OutputThe value of AI is not in the technology alone, but in the user's ability to guide it. Dr. Nashay Lowe emphasizes the necessity of iterative prompting, asking critical questions, and providing specific context to achieve nuanced results. A generic prompt yields a generic answer; a thoughtful, challenging prompt unlocks a deeper level of analysis and creativity.AI Can Augment, But Not Replace, EmpathyWhile AI lacks genuine consciousness or empathy, it serves as an invaluable diagnostic tool. Dr. Nashay Lowe powerfully argues that AI can remind us where empathy is missing in our strategies and communications. It can highlight a failure to consider another perspective or identify language that lacks warmth, prompting the human user to inject the necessary emotional intelligence.The User is the Ultimate Guardian of PrivacyAs AI systems become more deeply integrated with our personal and professional data streams, the user's responsibility grows exponentially. The conversation highlights the valid paranoia around connecting AI to sensitive information. The key takeaway is that the user must proactively manage data connections and maintain confidentiality, for instance, by using anonymized scenarios rather than identifiable information.These core principles provide a framework for leveraging AI not just as a machine, but as a partner in professional development.Detailed Episode Timestamps & NotesThis structured guide provides a detailed breakdown of the episode's key moments and discussions. Use these timestamps to navigate directly to the topics and insights that are most relevant to your professional journey.[00:00:00] Introduction: The Power of Human ConnectionHost Favour Obasi-Ike and Dr. Nashay Lowe reflect on their meeting in Las Vegas, emphasizing how valuable real-world, in-person connections are for creating professional opportunities, including this very podcast episode.[00:02:15] Meet Dr. Nashay Lowe: Proactive Strategy Over Reactive Problem-SolvingDr. Nashay Lowe outlines her background in international conflict management and her current mission. She applies global frameworks to local conflicts in academic and nonprofit sectors, aiming to shift leaders from "putting out fires" to implementing proactive strategies. Her goal is to create long-term, healthy habits rather than relying on ineffective "one-off" workshops.[00:04:30] Navigating AI Skepticism: A Necessary Mindset ShiftDr. Nashay Lowe addresses the common resistance to AI, framing it as a crucial mindset shift. She draws parallels to the initial skepticism surrounding cell phones and computers, arguing that AI is an evolving tool that will inevitably become integrated into every aspect of our lives. Adaptation is key.[00:06:45] The AI & Human Partnership: More Power Tool, Less ReplacementThe conversation reframes AI not as a replacement for humans, but as a tool that enhances efficiency. Dr. Nashay Lowe shares a powerful analogy from her partner, comparing the evolution of work to building a house with a hammer and nail versus a power tool, the goal is the same, but the right tool makes the process faster and more efficient.[00:10:10] AI in Conflict Management: Reflecting Our DivisionsThis segment explores the episode's central thesis. Dr. Nashay Lowe explains, "Conflict reveals who we are, it doesn't create our divisions it reflects them. And so artificial intelligence to me works much of the same way." She argues that AI can serve as an objective mirror in the subjective process of conflict resolution, identifying patterns and biases that a human mediator, operating through their own lens, might overlook.[00:14:00] The Emerging Frontier: AI as a Therapeutic ToolDr. Nashay Lowe notes the surprising trend of people using generative AI like ChatGPT for therapeutic purposes. She shares an anecdote about users having "meltdowns" on TikTok after a software update made the AI seem less "nice," underscoring the complex, human-like relationships people are beginning to form with the technology.[00:17:30] Using AI Responsibly: The Art of the PromptThis section focuses on the principle that AI's output is only as good as its input. Dr. Lowe explains the importance of prompting AI to challenge your assumptions ("Don't confirm what I'm already telling you") rather than simply validating them. Responsible use involves an iterative process of refining the AI's output with specific human feedback.[00:20:45] Privacy vs. Progress: The Security DilemmaDr. Nashay Lowe addresses the valid security and privacy concerns surrounding AI's integration with personal data like emails, calendars, and financial accounts. She contrasts this risk with a practical strategy for maintaining confidentiality in her work: using anonymized scenarios ("Person ABC") to analyze conflicts without exposing personally identifiable information.[00:25:00] Crafting Dialogue: A Masterclass in SpecificityDr. Nashay Lowe provides a masterclass on using AI to develop communication scripts. Her method involves giving the AI a specific persona ("You are a 25-year vet in conflict management") and, crucially, directing it to pull information from credible, specific sources like peer-reviewed journals. She continually refines the output with detailed feedback until it meets the desired tone and substance.[00:30:10] Dr. Lowe's Core Message: A Reminder Where Empathy is MissingDr. Nashay Lowe delivers her powerful final takeaway. She concludes that AI can never replace essential human qualities like presence, listening, or humility. However, its greatest strength is its ability to "hold a mirror to our communication patterns and ask without judgment, 'Is this how you're meant to show up?'"Learn more about this episode's insightful guest in the section below.About Our GuestThis episode features the expert insights of Dr. Nashay Lowe, a strategist dedicated to transforming how leaders approach conflict and organizational health.Dr. Nashay Lowe is a specialist in international conflict management who applies global frameworks to solve local challenges. She works primarily with academic and nonprofit leaders to help them shift from reactive problem-solving to building proactive strategies for long-term success. With a focus on creating healthier, sustainable habits within organizations, Dr. Nashay Lowe is currently exploring the cutting edge of her field by integrating Artificial Intelligence as a tool to foster more objective, effective, and positive change.Resources & Ways to ConnectConnect with Dr. Nashay Lowe:Website: https://www.loweinsights.comPodcast: The Resolution RoomInstagram: @loweinsightsLinkedIn: Nashay LoweNext Steps for Booking A SEO Discovery Call | Digital Marketing + Done-for-you SEO Services:>> Need SEO Services? Book a Complimentary SEO Discovery Call with Favour Obasi-Ike here>> Visit our Work and PLAY Entertainment website to learn about our digital marketing services.>> Visit our Official website for the best digital marketing, SEO, and AI strategies today!>> Join our exclusive SEO Marketing community>> Read SEO Articles>> Need SEO Services? Book a Complimentary SEO Discovery Call with Favour Obasi-Ike>> Subscribe to the We Don't PLAY PodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
This Clubhouse marketing session explores the multifaceted world of Restaurant SEO and its application to local businesses. Favour details how establishing a strong digital presence through third-party platforms like Uber Eats and DoorDash creates a "franchise SEO" ecosystem that builds brand authority. The discussion emphasizes off-page strategies, such as connecting Google Business profiles and social media links, to drive traffic and foster community trust. Participants also examine the role of multimedia content, suggesting that podcasts and videos can humanize a brand by showcasing chef interviews or cooking processes. Beyond restaurants, the conversation expands to cover niche industries like private investigation, highlighting how AI-driven search and reputation management are reshaping modern visibility. Ultimately, the sources advocate for a strategic blend of long-term organic growth and immediate paid advertising to maintain a competitive edge.Restaurant SEO: Uber Eats, Grubhub and DoorDash Marketing Tactical Strategies with Favour Obasi-ike with Favour Obasi-Ike | Sign up for exclusive SEO insights.-------------------------------------------------------------------------Next Steps for Booking A Discovery Call | Digital Marketing + SEO Services:>> Need SEO Services? Book a Complimentary SEO Discovery Call with Favour Obasi-Ike here>> Visit our Work and PLAY Entertainment website to learn about our digital marketing services.>> Visit our Official website for the best digital marketing, SEO, and AI strategies today!>> Join our exclusive SEO Marketing community>> Read SEO Articles>> Need SEO Services? Book a Complimentary SEO Discovery Call with Favour Obasi-Ike>> Subscribe to the We Don't PLAY Podcast-------------------------------------------------------------------------Episode Timestamps[00:00:00] Introduction: Defining Restaurant SEOThe discussion begins by establishing that "Restaurant SEO" is not a unique discipline but rather a specialized application of local SEO. This foundational understanding is critical for any business reliant on a physical location for customer visits, from restaurants and local stores to farm markets. At [00:01:15], the host defines Restaurant SEO as local SEO with a "restaurant tag" on it, emphasizing its importance for driving traffic, generating tangible results, and gathering customer feedback—all vital for a local establishment's growth.By [00:03:30], the conversation introduces two key strategies for extending a restaurant's online reach. The first is Franchise SEO, which involves leveraging third-party platforms with active communities, such as DoorDash, GrubHub, OpenTable, and NextDoor. Listing a restaurant on these services creates powerful backlinks to its primary website, enhancing its authority. The second is Off-Page SEO, which refers to activities on other digital platforms, primarily social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Connecting these profiles back to the main website helps build a robust online presence and authority. These definitions set the stage for the episode's central strategic debate on driving business growth.[00:10:00] The Core Debate: SEO for Trust vs. Ads for ImmediacyThis section frames the episode's central conflict, presenting two competing yet complementary philosophies for driving restaurant growth. The speakers weigh the immediate, traffic-driving power of paid advertising against the long-term, trust-building foundation of a solid SEO strategy.At [00:11:45], John makes a strong case for prioritizing paid advertising, asserting that restaurants "need customers now." He argues that paid strategies, such as a proven Facebook advertising model, are the most effective tools for immediate results and that SEO should be considered a secondary, long-term project. At [00:15:20], another speaker supports John's point on the need for immediacy, using a practical example to illustrate the customer mindset: "if I want chicken wings, I'm not worried about SEO."By [00:18:00], Favour presents the counter-argument, clarifying that SEO's primary role is to build trust and credibility before a sale can occur. He uses the analogy of a "red flag" for anyone promising immediate sales directly from SEO. The group reaches a consensus that a balanced approach is best: ads are essential for short-term traffic, while SEO serves as the indispensable long-term foundation for sustainable growth and brand authority. The conversation then transitions from this high-level strategy debate to a specific, actionable content strategy proposed by the host.[00:25:00] A Creative Content Strategy: The Restaurant PodcastThis segment introduces a novel and powerful idea for restaurants to differentiate themselves and build a deep, trust-based relationship with their community. The speakers frame podcasting as a way for a restaurant to move beyond simple listings and reviews to become a true content creator and community hub.At [00:26:10], the host proposes that a restaurant should start its own podcast, utilizing both audio and video formats to engage potential customers on a deeper level. By [00:27:30], the group brainstorms a range of compelling content ideas, including video recipes, cooking tutorials, and culinary tips; interviews with the restaurant's chefs to discuss their creative process; discussions on the quality and sourcing of ingredients; answering frequently asked questions from customers; exploring the history and cultural significance of the cuisine; collaborating with beverage brands featured on the menu; taste tests and sampling sessions; customer testimonials; and behind-the-scenes looks at special events or cookouts.By [00:30:00], the primary strategic goal of this podcasting strategy is articulated: to build profound trust by allowing customers to discover aspects of the restaurant they would never think to search for, thereby creating a stronger and more resilient brand connection. This discussion on creating unique content naturally leads to the technical necessity of structuring that content correctly on the restaurant's website.[00:33:00] Technical SEO Deep Dive: The Menu is Your WebsiteThis section uncovers a critical and often-overlooked technical SEO mistake that can severely handicap a restaurant's online visibility. The speakers reveal how relying on seemingly convenient third-party systems for menu hosting can prevent a restaurant from capitalizing on valuable search traffic.At [00:34:05], a speaker highlights the significant failure of using platforms like Toast that consolidate an entire menu onto a single landing page. He explains that this approach misses the opportunity to have 25 separate, indexable pages for a 25-item menu. By [00:36:15], the impact of this mistake is clarified: individual menu item pages should be treated like e-commerce products. Each page is capable of generating its own organic traffic and ranking for highly specific searches, such as "best chicken wings in [city]."The solution, discussed at [00:38:40], is to structure the restaurant's website so that each menu item has its own dedicated page. Each page should be optimized with rich descriptions, proper titles, and an easy-to-use ordering system, thereby maximizing the restaurant's "footprints and stamps across the internet." The conversation then shifts from these on-site technical details to the broader, future-facing topic of visibility within emerging AI search engines.[00:42:00] The Future: AI Visibility and Advanced AutomationSetting the stage for a forward-looking discussion, the experts explore how the concept of "being found" is expanding beyond traditional search engines. The focus shifts to include AI-powered Large Language Models (LLMs) and the new opportunities they present for visibility and automation.At [00:43:10], the group discusses the growing importance of "AI Visibility." This involves ensuring a restaurant's information appears when users ask direct questions to AI chatbots like ChatGPT (e.g., "what's the best sushi restaurant near me?"). They also touch on how platforms like Perplexity can be leveraged for rapid ranking within these new search paradigms.By [00:45:00], the concept of using AI agents and automation for SEO tasks is introduced. A speaker provides a powerful example of using a tool like N8N to create an agent that can log into a website daily and automatically optimize product titles. He elevates this concept by explaining the goal is to move beyond simple email reports and "upgrade to the voice agents... and my AI gives me a phone call about the listings that's been optimized," emphasizing a future where an AI proactively works and reports, even waking the owner from sleep with critical updates.At [00:47:25], the speakers identify some of the foundational data sources that LLMs use to answer queries, such as SERP API and DuckDuckGo. This highlights the necessity for businesses to be listed and visible in these core digital infrastructures to appear in AI-generated results. This look into the future of search concludes the main discussion.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Happy Birthday to Favour Obasi-ike. He shares a personal message of gratitude while celebrating a birthday. He reflects on the show's prolific output, noting that over 140 out of 600+ episodes were produced in the current year alone. As the show prepares to enter its twelfth season in 2026, listeners are encouraged to explore the extensive archives via a searchable website to find specific marketing and business topics via wedontplaypodcast.comThis brief update serves as a direct connection with the audience to offer appreciation for their consistent loyalty. Finally, the creator concludes the message by looking forward to future content and heading off to a commemorative dinner.-------------------------------------------------------------------------Next Steps for Booking A Discovery Call | Digital Marketing + SEO Services:>> Need SEO Services? Book a Complimentary SEO Discovery Call with Favour Obasi-Ike here>> Visit our Work and PLAY Entertainment website to learn about our digital marketing services.>> Visit our Official website for the best digital marketing, SEO, and AI strategies today!>> Join our exclusive SEO Marketing community>> Read SEO Articles>> Need SEO Services? Book a Complimentary SEO Discovery Call with Favour Obasi-Ike>> Subscribe to the We Don't PLAY Podcast-------------------------------------------------------------------------See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Merry Christmas Eve everyone!
Merry Christmas to you and your beautiful family! This episode features Favour Obasi-ike offering a holiday greeting to his precious listeners. This captures a seasonal well-wish intended to convey warmth and spiritual favor during the winter festivities. By using a traditional festive salutation, Favour aims to establish a positive connection with you, the listener. The message is succinct and celebratory, focusing entirely on a Christian blessing associated with the Christmas season. This simple piece of media serves as a sincere gesture of goodwill and holiday cheer.Thank you for listening to the We Don't PLAY™️ Podcast Show! God bless you!-------------------------------------------------------------------------Next Steps for Booking A Discovery Call | Digital Marketing + SEO Services:>> Need SEO Services? Book a Complimentary SEO Discovery Call with Favour Obasi-Ike here>> Visit our Work and PLAY Entertainment website to learn about our digital marketing services.>> Visit our Official website for the best digital marketing, SEO, and AI strategies today!>> Join our exclusive SEO Marketing community>> Read SEO Articles>> Need SEO Services? Book a Complimentary SEO Discovery Call with Favour Obasi-Ike>> Subscribe to the We Don't PLAY Podcast-------------------------------------------------------------------------See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
In this episode, we sit down with a top entrepreneur and filmmaker Stewart Cohen, an expert and business owner of nearly 20 years, to unpack how to build genuine credibility and lasting success in an age of overwhelming digital noise ("cyber noise").Stewart shares timeless principles from his entrepreneurial journey, shaped by a family legacy of business ownership, and contrasts the foundational strategies of the past with the unique challenges of today.Stewart argues that in a world where “social media lies, websites lie,” the most valuable currency is in-person credibility. He provides a masterclass in turning client relationships into your most powerful marketing engine and explains why protecting your audience's attention is the ultimate business discipline.
How to Write Catchy Titles, Descriptions, and High-Impact Headlines for your websites, email marketing, social media marketing, Pinterest SEO, and more with Favour Obasi-Ike | Sign up for exclusive SEO insights.Episode Summary:In this comprehensive episode + guide on crafting effective digital headlines, titles, and descriptions to boost online engagement. The speaker emphasizes that metadata acts as the essential context for content, serving as the primary factor that drives click-through rates across platforms like Google, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Strategic advice includes maintaining a title length of approximately 55 to 65 characters to avoid text truncation while maximizing visual impact. I also recommend using odd numbers, brackets, and power words to leverage psychological triggers that improve visibility and user trust. Finally, the discussion frames intentional copywriting as a vital tool for business owners to transform passive web traffic into active conversions and long-term brand authority.In high-level digital strategy, titles, descriptions, and headlines are not merely decorative—they serve as the essential "key frames" of metadata. This content architecture bridges the gap between raw information and audience discovery by providing the necessary context (Author, Host, Duration, and Intent) that search algorithms require to categorize an asset. By transforming raw content into searchable, high-value assets, a strategist ensures that the brand is prioritized within the user's search journey.Favour emphasizes that structured delivery and architectural integrity correlate directly to business results. If a title fails to establish immediate relevance, the conversion path is broken before it begins. Success in the current landscape requires a commitment to iterative improvement—ensuring the "next version" of a title or metadata set is systematically optimized based on data rather than intuition. This log details the tactical framework used by Favour, currently ranked #2 (We Don't PLAY!) on the FeedSpot Top 100 Marketing Podcasts (trailing only Gary Vaynerchuk), to drive visibility across SEO, PPC, and email ecosystems.Deep Dive: The Quantitative Science of Click-Through Rates (CTR)To maximize ROI, content creators must move beyond "gut feeling" and toward research-backed optimization. Using industry benchmarks from Orbit Media and Moz, we can calibrate headlines to meet the psychological triggers that drive user action.-------------------------------------------------------------------------Next Steps for Digital Marketing + SEO Services:>> Need SEO Services? Book a Complimentary SEO Discovery Call with Favour Obasi-Ike>> Visit our Work and PLAY Entertainment website to learn about our digital marketing services.>> Visit our Official website for the best digital marketing, SEO, and AI strategies today!>> Join our exclusive SEO Marketing community>> Read SEO Articles>> Need SEO Services? Book a Complimentary SEO Discovery Call with Favour Obasi-Ike>> Subscribe to the We Don't PLAY Podcast-------------------------------------------------------------------------Timestamps[00:00] Catchy Titles vs. Structure; Metadata as the "Context to the Content."[05:00] The 600-Pixel Rule; Pixel Weight (W vs. l); The 55-Character Sweet Spot.[10:00] Moz Study Analysis; Numbers in Headlines; Why Odd Numbers Win; Brackets and Transparency.[15:00] Power Words and Psychological Triggering; Tool Highlight: CapitalizeMyTitle.[20:00] Platform Evolution: Instagram as TV; LinkedIn SEO and the One-Time URL Edit Rule.[25:00] Case Study: Ranking #2 on FeedSpot; The Math of the 12-Hour Masterclass; Call to Action.Effective content strategy requires tracking the flow of information to ensure "next-version" improvements. The following log segments the Masterclass into thematic chapters, providing the "So What?" factor for each strategic shift.Chapters:Chapter 1: The Metadata Framework [00:00 - 10:00] Context vs. Content. This segment establishes that metadata is the "context" (attributes like host and duration) that allows users to value an asset before engaging. Without these key frames, even high-quality content remains invisible to search engines and the "Exact Searcher Intent."Chapter 2: The Utility of Catchy Copy [10:00 - 18:00] Visibility Across the Funnel. Effective copy acts as the primary catalyst for Click-Through Rates (CTR) across SEO, LinkedIn, and Email. The speaker frames catchy titles as functional tools that pre-condition the audience for engagement and conversion.Chapter 3: The Physics of the Pixel [18:00 - 25:00] Typography Weight. Moving beyond character counts, this chapter introduces the 600-pixel display limit. Strategists must account for the "weight" of individual characters (e.g., a capital "W" vs. a lowercase "l") to prevent truncation and maintain a professional aesthetic on the SERP (Search Engine Results Page).Chapter 4: The Psychology of Numbers [25:00 - 35:00] Time-Value Perception. This section evaluates how numbers (specifically odd numbers) impact user psychology. The "So What?" factor is the "minute-per-item" rule: users subconsciously equate the number of items in a title to the minutes they must invest (e.g., 10 ways = 10 minutes), directly influencing the decision to click.Chapter 5: Platform Evolution [35:00 - 45:00] Ecosystem Logic. The speaker analyzes Instagram's transition to "TV-style" content and LinkedIn's rigid SEO URL logic. The key takeaway is the importance of "Exact Title Match" to meet user intent while navigating platform-specific constraints like DM automation and hashtag limits.Chapter 6: The Podcasting Marathon [45:00 - End] The Milestone Logic. Highlighting the "eighth-episode hurdle" where 500,000 creators quit annually, the speaker discusses his 600-episode milestone and the necessity of IAB Tech Lab compliance. Long-term distribution success is a result of persistence and technical "due diligence."High-Value Quotes"Metadata... that's just another way of saying how do we get context out of this content. Those are attributes... that's the context to the content." - Favour Obasi-ike"A capital W has more weight than a small w. A capital L has more weight than a small l... that weight they carry is a pixel size digitally.""If somebody clicks and finds your content valuable, resourceful, accurate, and responsive, then anything that you're going to do from SEO to PPC ads... you're able to use consistently."Resources:Companies Passing Tech Lab Compliance Programs | Podcast Compliance DirectoriesHeadline Analyzer Tool: Write Better Headlines | Write Better Headlines HereSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Can you grow a brand while simultaneously focusing on your sobriety? This is one of the questions I dive into with serial entrepreneur Jordan Quinn. From building an influencer agency, to writing books and creating a mocktail brand from scratch she's done it all. If you're an ambitious sober or sober curious woman this ones for you. Here's what we cover:Jordan's personal storyBranding & storytellingBuilding a business in sobrietyWhat's next for Jordan's brandsFollow Jordan on InstagramCheck out her brand Team SpiritsFollow @leannasipsongratitude & @sippingongratitude Check out the blog & Join the FREE alcohol-free social club for women sippingongratitude.com
This episode is a mash-up of insights and strategies shared at EXP Con Miami, designed to help you scale your real estate business using the power of YouTube and social media. I share my tips for creating content for YouTube as a real estate agent and how to leverage the power of story branding to scale tour real estate business! Watch now to learn everything you need to get started and start creating content resonates with you audience and that will help you GROW your real estate business!
Leadership clarity and a killer social media strategy are game-changers for real estate growth. In this episode, I break down how to position yourself as a guide using storybranding to solve your clients' problems, build trust, and grow your business. Whether you're an agent looking to master social media or a leader aiming to inspire your team, these strategies will take your real estate game to the next level. Ready to elevate your brand and boost your business? Watch now!
Ever wonder how top real estate agents dominate social media and generate consistent leads?In this episode, I sit down with my media team from Social Imprint to share the strategies, tools, and mindset that transformed my online presence and skyrocketed my business. Learn what it takes to build a strong personal brand as a real estate agent without spending HOURS a month doing it!We dive into the secrets of creating authentic content, understanding story branding, and using social media as a powerful lead-generation machine. We share Instagram tips, YouTube content strategy and how thier team can help you achieve the results you want!If you are looking to elevate your brand and start standing out on social media, this episode is for you! Be sure to watch till the end and make sure you like and subscribe for more!Ready to take your social media to the NEXT LEVEL? Reach out to SOCIAL IMPRINT ⤵️Website: https://social-imprint.com/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAab0cSl3MHNkqvv3_vE-W2oUPzIYv8Y7dCEN56xoD8XP32us-N4VaQk6v5g_aem_Px07hhRl1o5toIQNYK2y8ABook a discovery call: https://calendly.com/social-imprint-sales/phonecall?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaYBrFR4AY0wAvwnaY3STRTwpnr2ETJ3PJfYVS6FvOT8McUrrLt2Wcpki1A_aem_iSSgNiIx_QusEAcNMo7l7A&month=2024-11FOLLOW THIER SOCIALS ⤵️Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/socialimprintagency/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/social-imprint-agency/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Social-Imprint/61564141910151/LEARN MY PROVEN STRATEGY FOR GETTING MORE LISTINGS
Sorry to tell you but your social media strategy probably SUCKS! In this video, we're breaking down a powerful content strategy that real estate agents can use to stand out on social media. I'll show you why the traditional “hero” approach isn't connecting with your audience and how shifting to a “guide” role is what makes content truly valuable. It's all about making your audience the focus and positioning yourself as the trusted advisor.We'll dive into concepts from storybranding and discuss the guide vs. hero strategy so you can craft posts that attract leads instead of just likes. This isn't about showing off success; it's about giving people what they actually want to see and delivering value. Whether you're sharing real estate tips, market updates, or just looking to increase your social media presence, this is the strategy you need to reach more people and grow your real estate business.Key Takeaways:➡️ How to apply storybranding principles for real estate➡️ Why content that positions you as a guide converts better➡️ Real estate marketing tips that turn posts into client generators➡️ Steps to use social media for real estate agents effectivelyBe sure to like and subscribe to the channel for more! Let's go, Let's GROW!LEARN MY PROVEN STRATEGY FOR GETTING MORE LISTINGS
Much of the impact of storybranding is subconscious, yet very powerful. Proper presence can answer questions instantly, making people feel heard and understood. And when your online presence is accurate, up-to-date and showcases what you do for people, you can send them to it with confidence. But crafting an online presence also brings with it an unexpected yet extremely valuable benefit: It can actually help you bring clarity and refinement to your program or offer. To talk about all this, I invited Kris Jones, StoryBrand guide and Founder of Red Door Designs, back on the podcast. We have also collaborated for an amazing webinar we're excited to bring you, The Powerhouse Program. “When you solve a really important problem, you can charge a premium for that.” – Kris Jones What You'll Learn Feeling heard and understood Articulating accurately Defining your program Your story, your foundation The hero and the guide Elite Framework, Storybrand Copywriting, and 2024 Your Best Income Year Yet Contact Info and Recommended Resources Join Molly and Kris for a collaboration webinar, The Powerhouse Program: Craft a Killer Program and a Sales Page That Converts on December 4, 2023 at 12:00 Central Time. Reserve your spot today! In this action-packed session, you'll uncover secrets to: Supercharge Your Coaching Business with a Killer Program Master the art of 'StoryBrand' Copywriting Make 2024 Your Best Income Year Yet Create A Killer Program For Your Clients: Registration fills fast so get on the January 2024 waitlist! This interactive workshop-style Masterclass teaches you: How the right program can fuel your marketing and sales efforts 3 key ingredients to effective coaching programs How to build a program that will set you apart as an expert Connect with Kris Jones Kris Jones is a StoryBrand guide and Founder of Red Door Designs. She helps service providers and small business owners get compelling website copy that sells in 2.5 hours flat, so they can multiply their revenue and focus on what they do best. Kris is no stranger to the struggles of starting, running and growing a business. As an entrepreneur who has bootstrapped and sold one company, and created another that doubles in revenue every year, she has in-the-trenches experience. In addition to building her own businesses, Kris has been an ad agency art director and worked at Nike. Using her extensive expertise, she's here to bring balance and clarity to brands while giving them a boost to their bottom line. reddoordesigns.com Kris' FREEBIE: Write Compelling Copy—in 5 minutes Flat Kris' Done for You options: reddoordesigns.com/copy Facebook | Instagram | Linkedin Connect with Molly Claire Master Coach Training 2024 REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED. Masterful Coach Foundations + The 10K Accelerator Method: Designed for mission-centered Life Coaches who are ready to build a profitable and purposeful business? mollyclaire.com/foundations. Have a question or thoughts about the podcast? Don't hesitate to contact Molly at: Instagram | Molly Claire Coaching IG molly@mollyclaire.com Facebook Molly's book: The Happy Mom Mindset: mollyclaire.com/book Please help Molly reach even more like-minded individuals! Simply post a review of the podcast on your favorite platform (or two). It is so appreciated. Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | iHeart Radio | Amazon Music | RSS
Join us for episode 502 of Business Brain to hear about one of the most potent motivation systems we have ever found: Reverse Storytelling. After we dive into this for personal use, we then break down the systems used in Story Branding for your business. This could be the most […] The post Reverse Storytelling + Story Branding – Business Brain 502 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.
Sometimes what's old becomes new again, or said another way we can learn from the past to help with the future. Jessica Embree from Tulip Media Group shares her perspective and success stories by repurposing past successful marketing strategies with a modern twist. As a certified Storybranding expert, Jessica shares the how the value of telling stories can help insurance professionals with client retention, growth , and sales opportunities. Marketing is always a challenge and Jessica explains how to keep things fresh and new and get the results we all want.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Paul Brodie is a 21-time best-selling author and CEO of the Brodie Consulting Group. He helps people share their stories and positions them as experts in their field. Paul's company accomplishes this by launching their clients' books to guaranteed best-seller status. He's done 92 best-selling book launches, including his own latest books, Entrepreneurship 101 and Book Publishing and Marketing Secrets. Here, Paul and I take a detour from the topics we usually discuss and get into story branding and how folks can start and scale a side hustle.According to Paul, story branding is the best way to sell yourself, your business, and your brand. In order for people to become your raving fans and customers, they have to get to know, like, and trust you. Sharing your story is an authentic, powerful way to connect with your audience. Paul and I discuss how to set up an effective funnel to turn readers into customers. We also talk about lead magnets, using your book to sell products without being salesy, and which steps to take if you're just getting started.What's Inside:How to use story branding to connect with your audience.How to set up an effective funnel to turn readers into customers.Steps to take if you're just getting started.Mentioned In This Episode:Ray.fmBrodie Consulting Group
As the economy is changing, what challenges are business owners facing right now? What's the solution to come out on top? Our special guest, Brandon McCurdy with Sharper Business Solutions, will share what has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs succeed in the current market. He shares how they guide businesses through five phases and the three common pitfalls they should completely avoid. Brandon also explains the role of flexibility and innovation as messaging and marketing styles change as time pass by.
Welcome to Founders TIME special‘s Business & Art Infusion, presentation of "The Art of Story Branding," featuring Natalie Alcantara and Niurka. Story branding is the process of creating a brand narrative that connects with customers on an emotional level through the use of storytelling techniques. In this episode, we'll explore tips on how to master this art, including understanding your target audience, developing an authentic and engaging brand story, using visuals to enhance the story, being consistent across all channels, connecting with emotions, and staying true to your values. Our expert, Natalie Alcantara, brings over 25 years of experience in propelling her clients to the forefront of their industries as a strategist, advisor, and coach. She's highly regarded for her intuitive approach, clarity, collaborative spirit, and strategic insight, and is a Certified Guide in the groundbreaking XCHANGE Approach for leading and managing teams and organizations both in-person and online. Join us to learn how to create a brand that resonates with customers and sets you apart from the competition. For Show Notes, Transcripts, and More... Visit: www.founderstime.com
Daniel and Sandra talk about story branding - taking your branding into the outside world.
Creare un Brand è un contoComunicarlo è un'altra storia.Una storia appunto.In questa puntata ti racconto come comunicare in maniera persuasiva il tuo Brand attraverso lo StoryBranding
Dane is a good friend and an even better storyteller. You can tell by the way he connects using language, talking about psychology, relationships, and development. His story starts at the Silicon Slopes, the rising tech mecha in Utah. While his high-level tech career was in an upward swing, he came to a crossroads. He chose Love and took the road less traveled. A path that ultimately led him to real estate. Dane lives his life like he tells his stories, with contagious pleasure. First off, he is the military spouse supporting his wife Kim, whose military career took them to the Land of the Rising Sun. Dane went from title running in a car dealership, to a director in tech speech and AI, to almost buying that same dealership, to a rebirth meditation that changed his life! All while living in Japan. He is every bit of the passionate storytelling character you could imagine with stories of Love and adventure that will fill your days. It is a pleasure to connect again with Dane in this episode. Listen to his storied path that goes from auto red lights to a green light Hugh. In this episode, we explore: From Tech to Real Estate Being a military spouse Love and Relationship Life in Japan Meeting Anthony The Power of Storytelling Connecting through Meaningful Language Golden buzzers are because of great stories About Dane: Over the past 6 years, Dane has been fortunate enough to work with some of the most amazing teams and some of the world's largest and most innovative brands, whilst supporting a navy spouse whose career has taken him across the globe. During that time, his strategic thinking and unyielding desire to provide value landed him in the center of executive sales roles, marketing and brand recognition, strategy, business development, artificial intelligence and machine learning, tech consulting, and personal coaching and mentoring. Living abroad in Japan, he had to completely reinvent himself, learn a new language, and develop a working knowledge of a complex culture that plays a major role in the world's global economy. It was one of the most challenging experiences of his life, yet one of the most rewarding both personally and professionally. At the beginning of 2021, he took the biggest chance of his life and moved to Missouri and partnered with a real estate investor named Hugh Carnahan as his chief operations and strategic officer where they are committed to building a 2-second lean company and buy and hold single family, commercial, and retail properties. His goal is to build strong communities through conscious real estate investing and use technology to enhance the human experience, whether that's in real estate or mentoring up and coming entrepreneurs, which lends to his overall mission of helping individuals and organizations tell their personal stories and share their unique visions with the world. The philosophy he lives by is: Action This Day! Snapshot Timestamp: 39:04 1. What is your number one failure in real estate? I didn't invest sooner 2. What advice do you have for other military investors to be successful? Get involved and do your research 3. What is your dream? To sit in a room and help amazing people tell stories Connecting with the Guest (Provided by client) LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/danelogan/ Email: danelogan@outlook.com Phone Number: 801-512-6835 #storytelling #language #connecting
In this Podcast, we talk about the importance of quality and how it helps you with Story Branding. Remember branding isn't what you say about your organization...it's what other people tell other people about your organization.CHECK OUT MISSION CONTRACTING!https://www.mission-contracting-mn.com/MORE AThttps://www.creativestudio.productions/podcast
I recorded two shows for today. One was interrupting by a cute baby. The theme of the first segment is more about clarity. What direction you want to head. The second segment is about branding. I reference a book. I highly recommend you check it out. Listen and subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Subscribe to the YouTube channel. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/onlinemarketingmoves/support
Grow an Online Business - A weekly step by step story of an online business startup as it happens.
Why is Story Branding Your Website so Important? People do not buy really buy products. They buy the story behind the product. When you buy a lemonade from a machine $0.50 feels like too much money for what you bought. But have you ever considered that paying $2.50 for a tiny little lemonade from the the child's stand at the corner makes you feel good for supporting your entrepreneurs? Why I will often buy the lemonade and not even drink it, it's not about the lemonade, it's about the story the kid has, by setting up a stand and working hard, I want to support him or her. Do You Have a Clear Story? Your story should be a clear message, your potential customers should know who you are, and why you are selling what you sell. If you can win them over with your story, your price becomes secondary. I spend more very often with brands I like rather than purchase cheaper products from brands I do not like. Is it Discernable on your website? In the first few seconds your potential customers should be able to see you have a unique proposition, story, or reason for selling what you sell. If not you are just a me too business and in that case you simply need to be the cheapest. Being second cheapest is not a compelling advantage in the marketplace. If you cannot win on price, you must win with your story. Is it Consistent Across all Media? If you use social media, advertising, a website, or other marketplace for selling your goods or services, your message needs to be the same across all forms. So that when your potential customers or clients tell others about you they do not get a completely different impression of you from you if they use a different media to find you. Week Ending for my Website: This week was not great for traffic. New visitors are down, and they are not staying long. I am going to have to change up my strategy. i think I am going to have CJ take a look at my website and give me some pointers to make it better. Check it out here: Broken Moon Media Be sure to join the Facebook Group Grow an Online Business because we are going to be doing some live Q&A videos for our group members.
Grow an Online Business - A weekly step by step story of an online business startup as it happens.
Story branding your website is now a critical part of selling. People buy you, not your stuff.
БИЗНЕСМЭНИЙ ШИРЭЭНИЙ 98.9 НОМ - StoryBranding by Business Radio 98.9
For new entrepreneurs, marketing can be intimidating. You created a product or service, now how do you sell it? In this Episode, Murray and Erik discuss the power of story branding. Find out how Erik and Murray are implementing story branding into their own side hustles.3 Key Takeaways:1. Focus on the aspects of your product or service that help people solve a problem.2. Clarify your message on your website and social media so customers hear a simple message.3. Learn what mistakes hosts Erik and Murray made with their own websites and how they are implementing story branding into their websites.Samantha Knock (Copywriter) website here: https://www.samanthaknock.comResources: Building a Story Brand by Donald Miller: https://buildingastorybrand.com/Watch the podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChHcWpeUKLHxXhZ88D77wqQJoin the journey! https://dumpsterfirenation.comPlease follow the podcast, your follows keep the Dumpster Fire Project alive!
Why do we love dollar stores so much? We all know deep down that the quality of the merchandise is fair at best. I think it’s the hunt for the bargain that is so fun. But with any product or service, there are three basic principles that it affects: time, cost, and quality. As a consumer, we desire all three. We want the product or service to be quick, inexpensive, and high-quality. But in reality, we can only choose two of the three.
These two questions will help steer your organization towards brand recognition. They help us define who we are and what people say about our product brand or service. They also help us take a hard look into our own reasons for why we do what we do.
Kingdom Capitalists : For Christians Called to Start and Scale Successful Businesses
Event details: website: thekingdomrei.com/events-scaleStory branding + marketing interactive workshopFebruary 26th and 27thSan Diego, CA **We have discounted tickets just for listeners of this show! Grab your ticket and see you in San Diego!
Learn more about Two Blind BrothersSupport the show-------->Fabian Geyrhalter:Welcome to the show, Brad.Brad Manning:Thank you very much, I'm glad to be here.Fabian Geyrhalter:Yeah, absolutely. I would have love to truly have the two blind brothers on the podcast, but Brian had just an emergency this morning, so I will pick only your brain today Brad, and that's just all right.Brad Manning:Well, to be honest, he usually ruins it with all the less intelligent things he says, it's usually insults directed at me, so this will actually be maybe the most productive interview we will ever have.Fabian Geyrhalter:Look, I staged everything but now you totally ruined it. We didn't really want him on the show. We figured this out a long time ago you and I. I'm super thrilled, I'm super thrilled to have you in the show. I can't believe that you went on the Ellen Degeneres Show before you end on mine, but I forgive you guys, because my show wasn't around in 2017, and that's why, so you're all good, you're clean.Brad Manning:Well, yeah, we just missed your email. I promise that was it, yeah. We told her to hold off but she was begging, begging to have us on, so we had to do it.Fabian Geyrhalter:I heard about that. It's a little bit embarrassing for her, but you got to do what you got to do. Really, really excited to have you. You guys went from selling your first shirt to your physics teacher back at school to being one of the fastest growing cause-driven companies in the US and all of that happened within one year. Your success and your story and your brand name, they're all very interlinked. Would you mind getting a quick introduction to the listeners who are not familiar with your brand, The Two Blind Brothers?Brad Manning:Sure. My brother and I have a rare eye condition called Stargardt disease. What that is, is it's a juvenile form of macular degeneration. A lot of people's parents or grandparents have macular degeneration. It's about 11 million people in the US who have a retinal eye disease, most of them is that adult macular degeneration and it's something that we grew up with. Our version of it was very rare. We really had no interest in starting a brand or a business around it. We both went to the University of Virginia. I ended up working in finance, Brian worked in sales for a data company. We just had this moment of serendipity where we were shopping in a store, and if you are blind or visually impaired sometimes shopping can be a big pain. You can't see the sizes, the labels, the prices. The way that we would always do it is just grab something beside it. We love the way it felt, and then we do all the other work to figure out if we wanted to buy it.On this particular day, we ended up buying the exact same shirt after having lost each other in the store. We were also, at that time, really fascinated with our recent medical, huge almost a miracle that they had reversed a very rare eye disease in children and we just decided, what if this could be our way to give back to a cause that we had always been close to, the foundation, Fighting Blindness, funding these early researchers, and make the softest clothing that we possibly could, and that's when we came up with the idea for our clothing brand, Two Blind Brothers.Fabian Geyrhalter:That's amazing. You are really on an end-to-end mission. Each shirt has a braille tag on its sleeve, your for production moved to an organization for the blind who are now manufacturing all of your clothes. You give a hundred percent of your proceeds to help find a cure, which, as you just mentioned, it might not be quite out of reach. There's a lot of clinical trials going on right now. Here is a very optimistic, hopeful thought. What is they find a cure? Do you have your brand roadmap all laid out on how the mission will pivot, perhaps to ensure everyone gets a treatment or to expand to other related causes? What is that end goal if you reach that first end goal?Brad Manning:Well, I'll tell you this, and this has just been a huge truth about, I'm sure anybody who runs a small business or a small brand can relate to this. The objectives seem to change every 3 to 6 months, in terms of where is this going, what are we doing. The mission is always going to be the same, keep funding the research. The truth of the matter is, it's not like a ... there isn't, at least not in a foreseeable future vision pond, but there isn't a one-size-fits-all solution. The truth of the matter is, we are going to be in this fight for a long time. The positive news is that it's really just that. It is just a matter of time.A lot of the science has been proven out. There are some of these rare single gene conditions, for example, that are actually being checked off the list. The one example I give, LCA called lebers congenital amaurosis, the therapy is called [inaudible 00:05:42], but there's many like it that are coming down. The mission is always going to be the same. The truth is the real spirit of the project beyond the donations of the research is really about empowering this community. That's actually been the thing that's been the most fun and the most exciting for us. We didn't really, maybe naively, didn't anticipate the role that the community would play in this. For us, it's almost like going back in time to our younger selves when we were maybe struggling with different aspects of the visual challenges or talking to or our mother. We hear from a lot of parents that are trying to get advice on how to raise kids who have a visual challenge, and that's been one of the most rewarding parts of the experience.Fabian Geyrhalter:You started by making a super soft shirt, which is such a huge part of the founding story, that's where even the idea came from, by being able to differentiate a product by touch. Now you make sunglasses, all very much relate back to what is at the heart of your brand. Offerings keep growing into socks and into backpacks, etc. Does it really matter? It's a mission-based brand, right? Does it really matter at this point what you sell, since the cause is at the root? As long as they are well-made products at a decent price point, are you at that point where you could literally start selling pretty much anything that is a lifestyle product and that is just a good product?Brad Manning:Yeah. People who are very smart on branding and marketing, which is actually not Brian and I. We learned this all along the way. There are some brands, guardrails, obviously that attentions to things that are soft, sunglasses that protects the eyesight. Really, and then more, we'll probably get into this with some of the other questions, but the truth of the matter is it's all about authenticity and what makes sense and what you actually believe in. That's been one of the fundamental aspect of this project, is when Brian and I decided it was going to be a brand called Two Blind Brothers. That's a general term that refers to him and I as individuals. In a way, it's forced us to be extra critical about the decisions that we're making for the customers in the business, because it ultimately reflects on us personally. My aunt Marilyn isn't happy with the socks that she's getting. I hear about it like it was my fault for getting her order late. It's very personal, but authenticity drives all of those decisions.Fabian Geyrhalter:You said a lot of the really important things here. First off you said, "Look, Fabian, we're not the great brand marketers and we had to learn this." I think you're giving yourself not enough credit, because the idea of how you branded yourself, Two Blind Brothers, the entire philosophy and how it's injected into the product and how it's so seamless, and yeah, maybe you guys don't have the brand knowledge, but you sure intrinsically have it in you, and that to me is ... and that goes back to authenticity. You just want to do what's what's right, and you put basically "your name out in the door", and you allow people in. When brands do that, it just ups the ante a little bit of what is being expected by themselves off of their own product. But really, you guys-Brad Manning:You know what it is. The way I think about it is it was purely bottoms up instead of top down. No one in their right mind would think of how much money they're going to make or or how much breadth or scale they're going to get. If they are creating a nuanced mission around blindness with premium priced clothing brand, but there's a few businesses that are probably more competitive than it, restaurants maybe. This is not ... this started from a place of, what are we 100% in love with doing, and if it were to fail on those merits, then now it's going to be just fine with us because we were so excited about it. From the branding perspective, I think something about that works because it allowed us to ... we started with what was 100% true and real and exciting and passionate for us. Then, we went out and found people who shared that feeling. I guess what I mean is it didn't start from that top-down perspective where you think about your ideal customer, your ideal market, product market fit and those types of important questions.Fabian Geyrhalter:Totally, totally, absolutely, totally get it. But I look at you now as a brand, and I look through your Instagram feed, which usually is where you look at how brands are really behaving these days, because it's already so authentic, Instagram versus the website and everything else. You guys are just creating one great brand campaign after [inaudible 00:11:35]. I hate calling it campaign, but just stories that you put out there for the sunglasses launch. For instance, you stated if you lose a pair of sunglasses, we send you a replacement for life. Again, very heartfelt since it is something that happens to everyone, but super close to the cause as well as visually impaired are obviously sadly losing glasses all the time like you stated in the video, you're like, "This happens to me daily. It ought to be it happens monthly, like this is just my life.Then you had the hashtag, #blindreturnchallenge, where you urged people to send back one of those many, many Amazon packages. I guess, especially now during the pandemic, those tens of Amazon packages that pileup in front of people's doorsteps every day, and instead of those, return those and instead, help your cause. This past Thanksgiving, which was just a couple weeks ago, now you ask people to shop blind. I thought that was amazing. On the website it reads, "Would you buy something that you can't see? We promise you'll get something you'll love. If you don't think it's perfect, you can return it, no questions asked. Trust us, 100% of the product that donated to the foundation fighting blindness to help find a cure for blindness. After November 30, all of these items disappear." What you're doing is really genius. It goes so deep into your brand. It talks about trust, which is everything that anyone who is visually impaired is exposed to. This is their lifeline, you trust everyone around you to help you, to guide you, to be faithful.Then in the end, it's scarcity. "Hey, this is only for a couple days." The idea of the whole point is trust, give it a shop, you'll love it. This whole conversation is really amazing, and with all of these creative campaigns, what I wonder, because I only stumbled upon the last three, four, which one of these, and it might've been the last one, was the most successful? Which one do you feel totally tanked? We love hearing that too.Brad Manning:Yeah. Shop blind, the Shop Blind Challenge totally transformed our business.Fabian Geyrhalter:Wow!Brad Manning:It accounts for 90% of our sales. What we do with it now is every three weeks or four weeks, however long the particular period is, we change the product. If you are a repeat customer, you're not going to get the same thing. Those products get rotated out and then we have the new challenge with the new products, slightly different price points, but the Shop Blind Challenge is by far the most successful. The way we think about it is, as a small brand, we got addicted to Facebook and Instagram ads early on in that we saw that if we put a dollar into these ads we were getting some gross margin, some net margin back. We were also get, in terms of sale, we were also getting all the brand awareness around the folks that maybe decided not to purchase from seeing that ad.We started leaning really hard into that. The question that we, and I'm sure there's better marketing jargon to put it in, but the question that we are always asking is how do we compete with the 10,000 other clothing brands or blindness related charities that are trying to get people's attention? It starts from the premise of, we need to say something, explain something, create something that is so difficult to ignore and the most interesting thing that maybe somebody has heard that day. What we realized is the bar, to rise above the noise, is just a little bit higher than most people think it is.We thought we had a great story to begin with, good enough for it to get featured in some of the great publicity we got. But once we realize that we actually, you got it, we had to push that envelope and think about what was the most creative thing that we could come up with, and then the best ideas are the ones that only you could do.Fabian Geyrhalter:Uh huh (affirmative).Brad Manning:It doesn't makes sense for another brand to do. They could come up with maybe a version of it, but they wouldn't be Shop Blind. It might be their mystery box or something. The thing that only your brand could really make sense to stand for, that's where the best ideas are going to come. That's, at least, the principle that we operate on.Fabian Geyrhalter:Absolute truth. Then you do it in a bold manner too, and I think that's important, because even if you have an idea like that, Shop Blind, then to pull it off and to hundred percent go with that idea that people do have no idea what they're going to receive and you don't even have teasers, there's none of that. Either you go 100% or you don't even get into those waters. I think a lot of brands, they tiptoe around those things. It's like, "Well, but we got to give people something." Then it's, again, it's decisions by committee and its larger companies and they just can't pull it off, because quite frankly, they just don't have the guts to do it.Brad Manning:Well, to the point you just made, and if people don't understand the Shop Blind, they could watch it on YouTube or they could Google it. Essentially, you described it with that description, but we're just challenging people to pick a price point without any info on the product, no image, no nothing, and just basically trust us, in the same way that trust has actually lifted up my brother and I in a lot of circumstances. If we can't see a menu in a restaurant, yes, we can get a magnifier, yes, we can ask for the braille, a braille version of the menu, or we can use text-to-speech on our phones, sometimes the easiest thing we can do is ask the person at the table next to us or ask the waiter for their recommendation. These little acts of trust lift us up and so we thought we could challenge people to trust.Here's something very interesting about the analytics on Shop Blind. We do have a full clothing brand, so we have T-shirts and hoodies and things of that nature. To send somebody something while shopping blind you have to have them their gender and their size. Although there are some items, let's say a beanie or a scarf or a blanket, for example, that's single [skew 00:18:36] where you don't have to ask somebody gender and size. When we ask people that one extra step to say, are you shopping for a man or a woman? Or, what size are you shopping for? We actually lose a lot of conversion rates. People actually liked ... they like the purity of the experience and when we start interjecting what they would think of is their normal shopping behaviors, it doesn't connect as well.Fabian Geyrhalter:Interesting, very interesting. It does make sense come to think of it, because this is not been buying a shirt, this is them getting into an experience, and it should be uninterrupted until they receive it. Super interesting, and thanks for sharing that. I think there's a lot to think about with that. You talked about this, like trust is everything for when you're blind and hence you translated that into your brand through the campaign we just talked about, and only you can basically run that campaign really in that sense. But on the flip side, trust is also the holy grail for all brands, for every brand. Gaining and sustaining trust with your audience is what all marketers and founders strive for. How do you feel trust is being earned for brands these days?Brad Manning:To be honest, I don't know. I think it is so hard to differentiate. I think the first place I just witnessed it as a consumer was actually in media, where all of a sudden there's this great decentralization because anybody with an iPhone and a YouTube channel can offer to entertain or inform people. Somebody might speak exactly to the points and topics that you care about, and then I feel like I saw a little bit of it with the major retailers, where they used to be all on convenience, but now there's just so many nuanced brand that are taking 1% or a quarter of a percent of those customers, and it hurts those brands that have super strong trust, strong brand or the ability to differentiate. All I know is I don't know how you can run an ad or a marketing campaign and just say, "Hey, we make a great quality product for a great price." It's just there's too much noise in regards to that.Fabian Geyrhalter:Yeah.Brad Manning:it's really tough. We've had flexibility to ... this is all for the mission and for the community at the end of the day. We have maybe some ... we aren't forced to guide to the same metrics that may be a similar business might need to look at, which can do more for the customer.Fabian Geyrhalter:Yeah, yeah. I think one of the holy grails to trust is actually authenticity and you guys just so embody it that you don't think about it a lot, but I think a lot of brands today, that's how I see them gaining trust, because they're just extremely transparent and authentic and truthful and that is that next wave of startups that can do it, because they're small. They don't even know what else to do. Quite frankly, it is fascinating doing this pandemic where a lot of smaller businesses suddenly have to lay everything out in front of the customers, of like who they really are and that they're struggling for instance, and suddenly people actually react to that. They want to give, they want to know the story behind the business and what's really going on inside of the sausage factory, so to speak.I think that there's a really interesting trend that's happening right now for better for marketing but for worse, of course, the reason why this is happening currently. Switching over to the visual aspects for a second here, branding is obviously often seen as a very visual thing, which of course is just one component, there's much more to a brand. Mainly, it's heart and soul and it's storytelling, which are both huge reasons your brand is doing so well. Both you and your brother are also gifted speakers. What lessons have you learned in creating a brand that leads with heart and soul and gut instinct and empathy? Perhaps any advice for founders out there on how to craft their stories? Your story is, it's one thing to live that story, it's another thing to be able to voice that story.Brad Manning:Yeah. A few things come to mind. There's a couple of quotes and examples that I really like. One is the more personal, the more universal. We thought we were alienating people when we first started by being so focused on this particular retinal eye disease mission. The fact of the matter is when you can expose something that's very true and very personal to you, it actually connects other people because we all have those things that we care about. The second is there is method to being a great storyteller. You have to be able to paint that vision for people and walk them through why you are so excited about this, because you are must be, fundamentally must be the biggest cheerleader for what you're doing. How you feel about it ... and by the way, Brian and I learned this when we would get teased about our eyesight when we were little.When a bully would come up to us or somebody new would come up and say, "You can't see that. What's wrong with you?" When we would be shy and cower and try to qualify ourselves, it only made it worse. When you could look at that person and just say, "Oh, I got crappy eyesight," and then next question and move on, you saw that the way that you frame something is the way that people interpret it. It's very important to know to be able to frame those things. Then the other thing I'll just add because this really blew me away, the first time we launched the Shop Blind campaign, it was Brian and I doing a video, explaining what we already explained here about why we're doing and would you trust us, would you Shop Blind, a second grade teacher bought the Shop Blind experience for her class, explained the concept to them, and her teaching is just in the back video there.The kid, when she says, "I don't know what's in the box. I don't know what I got. It's all about trust," the kids lose their minds, and even though it was just socks, when I was in second grade, I didn't care about that, but maybe they just like the surprise, but she sent us that video and we worked through the permissions and we had to make sure no kid;s faces were in it, but we ran that clip as our ad, and in it killed everything else we were doing. It was amazing. That didn't take a fancy camera or brand guardrails that we express to her before she recorded that. Authenticity punches above its weight right now. When people can tell that there is no BS that the message is being filtered through, it draws people in really hard, and sometimes the most underproduced thing actually will be the thing that outperforms the most.Fabian Geyrhalter:Absolutely. I saw that video that you're talking about, which obviously ... you have to see that video if you just searched for two blind brothers. Like you said, it was so well-performing it pops up immediately. I was wondering, was that, not produced or staged, but was this something that was done by someone purposefully that afterwards it will be posted? But it just doesn't feel like it, and that's what makes it. Back to you guys, I'm a keynote speaker myself and I'm super interested in this topic, but something like a random question, I have to ask you this. We keynote speakers, and the audience knows that, we love having our confidence moan at monitors. As they call them in the industry, it's basically our cheap monitors that are on the stage that the audience can't really see and we can catch our thoughts. Knowing that you're not hundred percent blind, are you able to see them or do you have your speeches a hundred percent memorized and you don't have a fallback plan at all given your condition?Brad Manning:I absolutely love that you've asked. We've never been asked this.Fabian Geyrhalter:I assume so.Brad Manning:I'll tell you exactly.First of all, Brian, we have a blast with the speak, for whatever reason, I don't know because it is just fun to tell your story, it's fun to connect with folks in person. We've really enjoyed the speaking. Frankly, we probably should've talked to people who have done it more to get better at it. We really don't have great vision for reading prints. We can read really large print. We don't have any monitors but I'll tell you this, we are one advantage, and it is just that there's two of us on stage. The fact is, we practice, we 100% memorize it. We don't try to script it per se, so we have major points that we walk through. But the fact that there's two of us there actually helps a ton and in fact, when one of us forget something or screws up, it almost is more fun.Fabian Geyrhalter:Yeah, yeah.Brad Manning:That, I think, gives us a lot of ... it actually gives us a certain type help.Fabian Geyrhalter:Confidence, yeah.Brad Manning:We have that backup.Fabian Geyrhalter:That's amazing, because guys like me get a confidence monitor, you get a confidence brother. I listen to a couple of your speeches and they are so great and I really want everyone to check out the speeches because you actually learn more about the brand too. But the way that, it's like playing ping-pong, like the way that you guys finish your thoughts and, obviously, you're brothers and you've been going through this challenge together, and now you're business partners together, so you literally can finish each other's sentence. But you can also make fun of each other and you can poke each other, and as we know from the beginning of the show today. I think that there is ... I could totally see that, but I never would've thought that that's your confidence monitor, basically. Super interesting. I'm glad I asked that random question.Brad Manning:Yeah.Fabian Geyrhalter:We talked about the audience, we talked about ... in the beginning, you talked about community and how important that was for you, and you weren't really, really sure about that. How important was community in the end to the success of your brand? How do you now foster your community? Because you talk a lot about people doing repeat purchases and it's like once they're in your universe, they really want to be part of it, and they want to feel like they're part of this small community.Brad Manning:It's everything. The fact of the matter is the only way we get any traction is when somebody you empathizes and with the mission, frankly, we hope and we aim that when someone buys something from us they're like, "Oh! I didn't realize how great this stuff is. I just thought the story was cool." Our aim is to always have them as a customer for the product, but the truth of the matter is, most people initially find us or come to us because they connect with the story and it's been everything. But from Brian and I's perspective, it really shook us up because ... If you've watched any of those longer talks you may have heard some of these stories.There was a kid who reached out to us who was 19 years old, who said he was a college student and he had been sleeping a lot, and that he was just diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, which is a disease that can cause total blindness over a 15-year period. It closes in around your peripheral vision, then your center vision. He wrote in our customer service line, he wrote this sentence that just crushed us. He said, "I've been sleeping a lot because I'd rather be asleep dreaming in 20/20 vision than awake knowing that I'm going blind."Fabian Geyrhalter:Wow.Brad Manning:He followed it up with some encouraging words. He said, "I just saw what you guys are doing, I connected with some folks and I'm social and I'm just feeling a little bit better than I have in a while and just wanted to thank you." When we started this project, it was about having fun and doing something nice for the foundation fighting blindness. As soon as we started getting messages like that, it called on a sense of responsibility that we never anticipated. That type of attitude that we may have been victim to when we were five and seven years old, that's not acceptable. Er view that as unacceptable and we want to do what we can to get out there and for any single person that may find themselves in a situation where they've been challenged and now they feel like they are less them, that really hits home for us. That's where the community is what inspires us to do this every day actually.Fabian Geyrhalter:Absolutely, yeah. That's a big story and that's how community is being built instantaneously, if someone asks for help or you feel that, and then obviously, this is how one thing leads to another. Well, talking about community and assistance, being on Ellen was a game changer for you as a brand, but it was the result of you telling your story to literally anyone and everyone who wanted to listen until the Ellen producer saw a piece you had, I think, on Now This!Brad Manning:Right.Fabian Geyrhalter:I'm such a firm believer in this idea that most interview in podcast, TV, radio, etc, opportunities are good ones because you just never know who is listening. This is really, really fun for me today because I did a course for a company called Mental Box up in San Francisco five years ago, didn't think much about it I just did it. Just today, in fact in the morning, I closed a really nice big branding project because someone in Kuwait who found me through that course that I recorded in San Francisco has been following me ever since and today we signed a contract for a nice branding project. You just never know where this moment starts where someone gets in touch with your brand, with your, I call it your brand atmosphere.Brad Manning:Uh huh (affirmative).Fabian Geyrhalter:When they poke through that atmosphere to find you. Here's the Two Blind Brothers, you don't know when they first find you, but it could be any of these random things, and with Ellen, that was the exact same thing when they just found you on a different interview. What are your thoughts on spreading your word? How important to a young brand do you see traditional PR and media in times like these, in times of social media?Brad Manning:It's tough. To be honest, somebody else other than me to make the case for PR and media. All of our any sort of earned media publicity opportunities have come from people seeing our ads on Facebook, Instagram, and now TikTok, as we just do our thing advertising to customers. We haven't ... and it's because it's so easy. Back in the day, you needed that intermediary because you didn't have the contacts or the way to get in touch with people. But it's a good truth teller. When you go and reach out to all these companies, you do get a lot of crickets because the truth of the matter is this person who you want to feature you is still capable of finding exactly the type of story they want to feature.Fabian Geyrhalter:Yeah.Brad Manning:It doesn't mean it's not worth the test or worth the exercise, but it is a difficult situation. Everything we've gotten has come in through our customer. Even if we do a speech or a corporate order or something, it all comes from the social ads. But there is a refinement period. Brian and I's first interview was a Fox spot. We just started the business, we have sold all maybe 30 shirts, and it was Fox spot local news segment, and those segments started forcing us to learn how to express our story. That was really critical that it's almost like if you've given us ... like giving a speech, the first time you do it, it's the worst experience ever. By the time that you're forced to do it 50 times, it's like drinking water, it's so natural.Fabian Geyrhalter:Yeah.Brad Manning:That's how we view it. Yeah, it's hard to measure the value of it. I just know that it is valuable, and we enjoy it, and like you said, it all snowballs on each other, one thing leads to the next.Fabian Geyrhalter:Yeah, absolutely. It's all interlinking. Now that you've successfully grown your mission-based brand for a little while. What does branding mean to you?Brad Manning:A big part of it is reputation. It's not coming from a marketing background. Originally, we thought about it as almost like our reputation. What's your first impression? What do your lifelong friends, What do they say about you? We view it as like, we are in it for the long term, and so we want to make sure that the people that we're connecting through the business will always think a few things about what we're doing. One, that we're a hundred percent committed to the cause of blindness, both on the research side and the community side.Two, we're trying to make the softest products in the world that we possibly can. Three, we're going to be authentic. We're going to say how we feel and what's going on in that moment and just see how it goes. That's where we come from. There's an element of it that is critical that was not a strength for us. All the copy and the colors and the visuals, we were lucky to have people help us with that. That element, that's a big skill set and that part of it, it's critical as well for at least getting people in your front door.Fabian Geyrhalter:Yeah. You guys are the visionaries, the two of you, which is wonderful to say of two visually-impaired founders trying to change the world really, but that's it. You have your team around you that can assist with other elements like the visual brand. What is one or what are two words that can describe your brand? If you literally take everything we talked about for the last 40 or so minutes and you'll put it through a funnel, and in the end you have to say, "Two blind brothers equals what?" Like for instance, Everlane, which I'm sure you're familiar with, for them it's all about radical transparency or Zappos, which sadly has been in the news with the passing of Tony Hsieh. They were all about service. What Two Blind Brothers in one word or two words?Brad Manning:That's tough. I would say a couple. I would say what we try to communicate at the end of all of our speeches are is friction equals growth. Friction equals growth. You get hit with challenges in life and it's about embracing them and moving toward. That's what unlocks all of your resourcefulness, assertiveness, creativity. It's not about the visual challenge, it's about how you respond to it. Those are the characteristics that actually matter. The reason that it's really around that is because that is the message that we find is most valuable to the community that needs it the most. We love all of our customers and we hope they love the product and the message that the person that were out there fighting the hardest for is that kid who got diagnosed with blindness who doesn't think that he's going to have a normal life and doesn't think that he can compete in a real world. Our message to him or her is that friction, a challenge equals growth and your greatest challenges can be your greatest gifts.Fabian Geyrhalter:It's beautiful and it's such a universal message too. For everyone in their life, friction equals growth. It's really fantastic.Brad Manning:Yeah, I was trying to put it in three words because I was trying to hit the two words. There's a quote that there is no growth without friction.Fabian Geyrhalter:YeahBrad Manning:That's the simple way to say it, there is no growth without friction.Fabian Geyrhalter:Yeah, yeah. But I actually like friction equals growth, because the minute you arrive at a point of friction, which you do in life on a daily basis, some are minor and some are major, that you know this is not friction it's actually, it means growth. Like this is your sign that now it's time to grow, and I think it's really, it's inspirational but not at an inspirational quote type of cheesy way. It's actually really applicable.Brad Manning:Yeah.Fabian Geyrhalter:Listen, people listening to you for the last 40 minutes who fell in love with what you do, what would you like for them to be doing right this minute to support and also benefit from your brand?Brad Manning:I would say two things. I would say, if they want to learn more about us, they can Google "two blind brothers" or go to twoblindbrothers.com. For the folks that are interested in branding or running their own business, Brian and I feel very lucky that we decided to experiment with this passion of ours, and it's led us on this incredibly fun and rewarding adventure. I would encourage anyone out there who's got something that they've got a unique passion for, just keep running at it because you'll be surprised how easy it is to connect with the people that resonate with what you're doing. We live in the digital and social age. Fifteen years ago, there is no practical way to start a clothing brand or any project to target to a nuanced audience, now it's completely different. Just words of encouragement to all those.Fabian Geyrhalter:Brad, you are such an inspiration to all of us listening right in the field of branding and marketing, but most important to those who are impaired in whatever way, and because of your amazing success now feel that they can turn their impairment into their superpower. I want to thank you for what you're doing, for how you're doing it, that you're doing it, and of course, that you took the time to be on hitting the mark. Thank you so much, and please give my best to Brian as well.Brad Manning:Absolutely. Thank you. The way that folks hear about us is because of folks like you and your listeners lifting us up. We were incredibly grateful to be able to share the story with you.Fabian Geyrhalter:Absolutely my pleasure.
Amanda Catarzi is a Niche Specialist, Copywriter, and Owner of Inkery Co. She helps other entrepreneurs and business owners find their niche, have an impactful voice on the market, and amplify their brand. At a young age, Amanda has always been passionate about writing. She was raised in a cult and was later sex trafficked. Writing became her primary outlet for self-expression. After she got out of sex trafficking, she became a social worker as an anti-sex trafficking specialist. She was quickly recognized for her writing skills and was placed in several positions that involve writing: PR, Marketing, Social Media management, and legislation. After a decade of working in social work, she founded Inkery Co. Inkery Co. creates custom-fitted content strategically targetting your niche and convert followers into customers. In this episode, Amanda shares her story and how her passion for writing got her through a tough time. Now she's using her past experience and talent for writing to assist other people to succeed. Connect with Amanda: Website: https://www.inkeryco.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-catarzi/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandacat/ Connect with Us! Our Website: http://awesomeoutsourcing.com/podcast/ Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3h0EaJE Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AwesomeOutsourcing How To Be A Success Champion: http://bit.ly/BeASuccessChampion Books mentioned in the episode: Relentless by Tim Grover Thank you so much! Please don't forget to Like & Subscribe.
This week Kyle Shannon joins me to discuss how to use video to video to tell your brand story. Kyle is the founder of Storyvine, a platform that allows you to create polished marketing videos at scale. No matter where your people are, they can share the stories that make stronger personal connections – and...
In this episode, our Senior Director of Strategy for EMEA, Liz Olsen, reads, “Tell me your story: Branding and emerging technology.” Originally published on siegelgale.com, Liz’s article discusses the importance of developing a customer-facing narrative that states in a clear, concise and compelling way what you offer to the world.
Introducing Lean Branding, a digital keynote for you! In this episode, I’d like to share a portion of the exercise included in the framework. The Lean Branding digital is a editable document with four segments: Story Branding, Brand Attributes, Customer Archetypes, and Customer Profiles. Use it in your discovery calls, use it in your strategy calls, or simply take it home to start your own hustle. I’d like to offer it here: https://gum.co/MYbBb
Adam finishes up his chat with Derek Sussner (sussner.com) about Story Branding and how it can help your business
Adam talks with Derek Sussner of sussner.com about how his company has shifted into Story Branding. Part 1 of 2.
How do we stay cohesive in our brand while having endless freedom to creatively explore? And when it comes to selling our work, what's the best way to help others make a connection with it-- especially if we work in many styles? And maybe the bigger question, as we creatively evolve: How can we weave who we are into the deep layers of our art? Taylor Lee had amazing insight into these questions (and much more) in our conversation together. We talked about... --Taylors perspective on the many styles she’s worked through-- her conflicting feelings and also why it’s important --How to have a cohesive brand AND work in different styles --“Magpie Syndrome” (aka shiny object syndrome) and why we’re conditioned to think it’s a bad thing --Why + how STORY has had the biggest impact on Taylor’s business --The best ways you can hone in on your own story --Rejection + it’s role in Taylor’s work --The personal stories + deep layers that influenced her recent series, “Revival.” (so many gripping and transparent shares here!) --Running a business while having bipolar disorder --Advice for crafting launches to sell more work --Why creativity and failure need each other --Marketing as a way of honoring the work --Much more ____________________________________________________________ LINKS Taylor Lee https://www.instagram.com/taylorleepaints/ https://www.taylorleepaints.com/ Mentioned: Emily Jeffords emilyjeffords.com Ravenne Roxanne https://ravenroxanne.com/ Andy J. Pizza https://www.andyjpizza.com/ FOLLOW THE SHOW @artandmagicpodcast www.devonwalz.com/podcast
#8 - Story Branding - Don Spivey by Radio Active Real Estate
Story brands are getting out of control. Let’s reel it in.
Using brand stories to build your Instagram or Facebook following is the latest, greatest digital marketing strategy. Whether you’re an entrepreneur running your own business or helping a company scale their current online presence, using brand stories to build that following is essential in today’s over-saturated, noisy online environment. In this episode I'll be talking about what kind of stories should you be telling and how exactly they fit into your Instagram or Facebook growth strategy.Ready to take your brand message to a new level? Grab your free copy of the BrandStory Blueprint to learn the simple strategy that’ll have you confidently & clearly communicating a captivating brand story --> http://bit.ly/brandstoryblueprint
In episode 279 of the Get Published Podcast, Host and 14-Time Bestselling Author Paul G. Brodie interviews Frank Agin about his author journey and the importance of story branding to sell your book by telling your story. Find out more about our Publishing Services at www.GetPublishedPodcast.com
Sarah and Irma talk to Rob Wiltsey from Creative Partners. They have created amazing content for Delta Airlines, The Hollywood Reporter, Goodwill, Monrovia Nurseries, actor Chris Pratt, and of course Sarah and Purpose Life Homes. This episode is all about 'Storybranding" and how to clarify your message so that your clients will listen. With so many ways to market your business, most people think hiring professionals like Rob and his team at Creative Partners is out of their reach - but they couldn't be more wrong. Rob breaks it down.... - how to make your content contextual- he explains narrative content- how to tell the right story that relatable- how advertising is shifting- when it comes to video length, what's the magic number- how less is almost always best We hope you enjoy this podcast with Rob Wiltsey and be sure to check out their website https://www.robwiltsey.com/
Sarah and Irma talk to Rob Wiltsey from Creative Partners. They have created amazing content for Delta Airlines, The Hollywood Reporter, Goodwill, Monrovia Nurseries, actor Chris Pratt, and of course Sarah and Purpose Life Homes. This episode is all about 'Storybranding" and how to clarify your message so that your clients will listen. With so many ways to market your business, most people think hiring professionals like Rob and his team at Creative Partners is out of their reach - but they couldn't be more wrong. Rob breaks it down.... - how to make your content contextual- he explains narrative content- how to tell the right story that relatable- how advertising is shifting- when it comes to video length, what's the magic number- how less is almost always best We hope you enjoy this podcast with Rob Wiltsey and be sure to check out their website https://www.robwiltsey.com/
Learn The Art To Being YOU (Sharing YOU) And Giving Others YOU through Story Branding with Alex Beadon! Hmmm... who am I and how do I create change in others by being ME?!!! About Alex Beadon Alex teaches her clients how to create brands and use the online business model to add meaning, money and freedom into their lives via transformational and educational experiences. She lives and studies the online business model and is here to help YOU go viral.
In der letzten Folge der storybranding Strategie geht es darum, wie du dein business verbreitest und immer wirksamer und erfolgreicher machst.
Wie findest du deine storys und wie kann Storytelling dein Business voranbringen? Das lernst du in der heutigen Episode
In dieser Episode Lernst du, wie du mit Leichtigkeit neue Kanäle für dein Storytelling öffnest und übst.
Strategie ist einer der Schlüssel zum Erfolg. In dieser Episode erkläre ich Teil 1 meiner Storybranding-Strategie für erfolgreiche Kundengewinnung und funktionierenden Markenaufbau mit Storytelling
“La clave del Branding consiste en comunicar quién eres y prometer algo que puedas cumplir” explica nuestro invitado, especialista en Storybranding, además de compartirnos muchas tácticas que puedes comenzar a aplicar hoy mismo. Si tienes dudas acerca de por qué el Branding es tan importante para un área como L&D, ¡no te puedes perder este episodio!
There are few things we humans enjoy as much as a good story. Doesn’t it make sense that brands should make use of that fact? This episode of Converge features Donald Miller, the brilliant mind behind the idea of creating a Storybrand. The insights he has gleaned from years as a writer and publisher about the power of story and the impact stories have on the human psyche are something he has powerfully brought to the marketplace through what he teaches about being a Storybrand. In this conversation you are going to hear Donald’s insight into a number of things related to the Storybrand approach, including the vital nature of clarity, sales being about relationships, taking advantage of things people can’t help but pay attention to, and what it means to invite your prospects into a story. Don’t miss this one, it’s full of jewels. If you confuse, you lose. Entrepreneurs make that mistake all the time ~ Donald Miller There are many brands that create an image of themselves that is cute and clever. Their slogans are ambiguous and their websites are trendy. But a customer has to jump through too many hoops to even make a purchase – and the brand missed out. According to Donald Miller, cute and clever cost a business lots of money. That’s because they obscure the message rather than clarify it and don’t invite people into a story, which is the one thing their customers cannot resist. Join Donald and Dane as they talk about what it means to be a Storybrand and how you can make use of the concepts Donald has discovered to improve the appeal of your business almost overnight. It’s a big promise, but one that he delivers on every day. Storybrands effectively ask story questions of their prospects – and they reap incredible benefits In every great story, there is a sense of intrigue that pulls the reader or viewer along. Questions remain unanswered, tension remains unresolved, and the hero’s destiny is far from certain. Becoming a Storybrand is about making your customer the hero of their own story. The role of your company is that of a guide, the one who comes alongside them to help them on their journey and get them to the place they’re really wanting to go. If your brand is going to be that for your customers you have to know how to effectively ask story questions that pull your customers along, just like the intrigue of a good story. Donald Miller is on the Converge podcast this episode to discuss the concept of Storybranding and to provide some great resources that you can use for free to amplify your message to the very people you’re trying to reach. How can we use things that people can t stop paying attention to in order to move our businesses forward? In this conversation, Donald Miller tells a story about himself and his cousin in two different ways. The first way is pretty bland, includes a lot of details about who his cousin is and what he does for a living, and doesn’t provide much appeal to the listener. But the second way introduces elements of excitement, surprise, and intrigue almost immediately. It’s impossible to walk away from the second story indifferent. You want to know what happens. A good story is one of the few things people can’t stop paying attention to and it’s that reality that Donald Miller taps into as he helps brands learn what it means to be a Storybrand that significantly impact its customers in beneficial ways. Don’t miss this episode, Donald delivers some incredible insights that seem to be common sense after you hear them, but that you probably haven’t thought of before. Stop telling your story and start inviting people into a story of their own One of the basic principles of marketing and sales is that the customer or prospect is interested in one thing, their own needs, wants, and desires. Since that’s the case, why do so many brands make the mistake of telling their own story instead of inviting their prospects into a story of their own? By asking that question, Donald Miller has come to discover that crafting a brand message around a story that makes the customer the hero is a powerful way to advance the profitability and success of any business. In this conversation, you will hear how Donald has come to understand these things, the benefits he’s been able to provide to brands large and small through applying them, and a little bit of how his principles have empowered us to do a better job at communicating our message here at Fastermind.co. Outline of this great episode [0:22] The moment of truth for any product or service: when you go to market [2:15] The journey from a conservative Christian background to memoirist and business consultant [8:23] The most common marketing mistakes and what it costs entrepreneurs [12:20] Donald s account of cleverness and cuteness campaigns that actually work [18:39] What is the storybrand framework? 7 critical paradigm shifts [30:07] The ancillary benefits of becoming clear on your storybrand This podcast is sponsored by White House Custom Colour. Guest Name Resources Donald s website: www.StoryBrand.com BOOK: Building A Storybrand Donald s storytelling creation software: www.MyStorybrand.com Connect with the Converge team: Website: www.Fastermind.co Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followdane/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danesanders Twitter: https://twitter.com/danesanders Audio Production and Show notes by PODCAST FAST TRACK The post S.3 Ep. 013 – How a Clear Storybrand Multiplies Impact and Profits with Donald Miller appeared first on Fastermind.co.
Happy 2014!! One of the best interviews yet!! Jim Signorelli on Storybranding and Archetypes Jim Signorelli approaches story using a tried and true process. “We want to look for joiners rather than buyers.” After gathering the back story and the facts, they conduct an archetypal analysis asking the team to individually choose the archetype that best represents … Episode #11 – Jim Signorelli on Story Branding and Archetypes Read More »
CareerCast by the University of Chicago Booth School of Business
Knowing where you want to go and being able to articulate your value is critical and essential at every phase of your career. In the next CareerCast, Jim Signorelli, Chairman/CEO of eswStorylab and author of StoryBranding, will share his deep knowledge, vast experience building global brands, and practical strategies on how to craft a compelling career story. Listen in and learn how to leverage your story to advance in your career – now and for years to come.