EP 64: The Power of Authentic Content in the Age of AI with Barb Davids
Acquire- Lead Generation, Digital Marketing for Entrepreneurs
Deep Dive
What challenges has Barb Davids faced while living a digital nomad lifestyle?
Barb Davids has been nomading for about a year and finds the biggest challenge to be finding safe and affordable places to stay, especially with her dog. She often uses Airbnb or Vrbo but faces issues with varying budgets, pet-friendly accommodations, and safety concerns in unfamiliar cities. She shared a story about staying at a run-down motel she dubbed the 'murder me motel,' highlighting the unpredictability of her travels.
How does Barb Davids approach creating content for SEO?
Barb emphasizes creating content around topics that resonate with the target audience while ensuring it is discoverable by Google. She suggests answering how-to questions related to the service or product offered and creating tangential content that indirectly connects to the audience's interests. For example, Death Wish Coffee created a blog post about whether to drink coffee before a workout, targeting fitness enthusiasts who drink coffee. Barb advises against overthinking keywords and instead focusing on conversational, value-driven content.
How has AI impacted SEO and content creation according to Barb Davids?
Barb notes that AI has introduced uncertainty in SEO, particularly with features like Google's AI overviews, which serve up single answers to queries. However, she believes the core principles of SEO remain unchanged. She stresses the importance of diversifying marketing efforts, such as building email lists to maintain direct contact with audiences rather than relying solely on organic search. Barb also predicts that AI will lead to an increase in low-quality content but expects consumers to become less tolerant of superficial or untrustworthy websites over time.
What free tools does Barb Davids recommend for improving organic search traffic?
Barb recommends using free tools like Google My Business, Google Search Console, and SEMrush to boost organic traffic. She also suggests checking website indexing by typing 'site:yourdomain.com' into Google to see which pages are indexed and ensuring titles and meta descriptions are compelling. Additionally, she highlights the importance of trust signals like EAT (Expertise, Authority, Trust) and recommends adding bios to blog posts and maintaining contact and about pages to build credibility.
What future trends in SEO and content creation does Barb Davids predict?
Barb predicts a rise in video content, even without people appearing on camera, as a way to differentiate businesses. She believes surface-level content will become less effective and that consumers will demand more authentic, trustworthy information. She also expects affiliate websites with low-quality content to decline in prominence as users become more discerning. Barb emphasizes the importance of creativity and thinking outside the box to stand out in a crowded digital landscape.
What advanced SEO strategy does Barb Davids geek out about?
Barb is passionate about using video in innovative ways beyond summarizing blog posts. She advocates for intentional content creation that engages users visually, such as incorporating sliders, changing text colors, or using dynamic layouts. She believes these creative approaches can make content more memorable and effective, helping businesses stand out in search results.
- Challenges of finding accommodation while traveling with a dog
- Balancing business needs with a nomadic lifestyle
- The liberating experience of minimalism
Shownotes Transcript