Low-Investment Profitable Business Models, and More.
Discussion about various business models that require minimal initial investment and can potentially lead to significant income, often starting as labor-intensive personal services. It explores examples like pet sitting, lawn care, and handyman services, highlighting how these can grow from small-scale efforts to substantial earnings through client acquisition and efficiency.
Low-Investment Profitable Business Models, and More.
SEO and AI: Content, Voice, and Community for Business Growth
This briefing summarizes a training session led by Martha Krejci for the SCORE Space Coast Chapter, focusing on leveraging SEO and AI for business growth. Krejci, an SEO expert with a cellular understanding of algorithmic changes, emphasizes that effective SEO revolves around answering questions already present in potential customers' minds. The training highlights the critical role of content creation, particularly long-form content and video, in a Google and AI-driven search landscape. Key tools for audience analysis (Avatar Analyzer) and content strategy (Content Strategy Assistant) are introduced, alongside practical advice on integrating AI tools like Claude for refining content voice and maximizing search visibility. The overarching theme is that genuine value, clear communication, and community building are paramount for attracting and converting customers, transcending typical marketing hype.
Welcome to this episode of the SCORE Small Business Podcast Series. This conversation summarizes a session led by Martha Krejci of SCORE Space Coast Chapter, which focuses on leveraging artificial intelligence, AI tools for search engine optimization, SEO, and content creation. The session begins with Krejci introducing herself and her background in SEO, emphasizing her expertise from her time at GoDaddy and the growth of her own eight-figure business. She then introduces various AI tools, demonstrating their application by analyzing an attendees' art studio business. Let's listen in to the conversation.
Speaker 02:Welcome back to the Deep Dive. Today, we're really trying to cut through all that digital noise, getting right to the actionable stuff for modern SEO and AI. especially for growing a business.
Speaker 01:Yeah, it's a lot to wade through, isn't
Speaker 02:it? It really is. I mean, for so many people, digital marketing, SEO, it feels kind of dense, almost like sciency and weird.
Speaker 01:Yeah, or something only tech gurus get.
Speaker 02:Exactly. And then you throw AI into the mix and it feels like this huge, maybe even scary new thing changing everything.
Speaker 01:Right, a whole new beast.
Speaker 02:So our mission today in this deep dive is really just to cut through the hype, zero in on the practical high impact strategy And
Speaker 01:we're drawing these from a really great source.
Speaker 02:Yeah. Tell us about that.
Speaker 01:It's a fantastic training session by an SEO expert named Martha Krejci. She did it for the Score Space Coast chapter.
Speaker 00:Okay.
Speaker 01:And she really focuses on helping businesses grow like today in this landscape. And what's cool is how she kind of reframes things, challenges common ideas about SEO, about AI.
Speaker 02:So probably some surprising facts in there.
Speaker 01:Definitely some surprising facts and really practical advice. Stuff you can actually take away and think about.
Speaker 02:Okay, let's get into it then. First up, this idea of the true north of SEO. Because like we said, the old way was what? Keyword stuffing?
Speaker 01:Yeah, just cramming keywords in, hoping for the best.
Speaker 02:But she says that's, well, flawed?
Speaker 01:Totally flawed. She simplifies it right down. She argues all it is is creating content. Simple as that. That answers the question that somebody is asking in their minds.
Speaker 02:So less about the machine, more about the human asking the question.
Speaker 01:Exactly. It's a big shift. You're optimizing for genuine needs, not just trying to game Google. solving actual problems.
Speaker 02:That makes sense. It's about being helpful, fundamentally. She used an analogy, didn't she? Something about battleship.
Speaker 01:Yeah, the battleship analogy. Your content needs to be a direct hit for what someone is actually looking for.
Speaker 02:Not just a flashy title to get the click.
Speaker 01:Right. Clickbait doesn't cut it. You have to deliver the actual value, the answer they need. And then this is key. Give them a clear next step, a call to action. That, she says, that is where you win the game, guiding them forward.
Speaker 02:Okay. And this connects to something else crucial. She talked about the buyer's journey. Apparently, most businesses get this wrong.
Speaker 01:Oh, completely. They focus almost entirely on the very end of the journey, the sense of urgency, the buy now stuff.
Speaker 02:Like sales pages, discount codes.
Speaker 01:Exactly. All that immediate pressure. Yeah. But the problem is that only speaks to a tiny fraction of your potential audience.
Speaker 02:How tiny?
Speaker 01:She puts it at maybe 2%, 3% of the audience.
Speaker 02:Wow. Just 2% or 3%. That seems... incredibly low.
Speaker 01:It is. Think about it. You're potentially missing, what, 97% of people who might eventually buy from you?
Speaker 02:So what's the alternative? What are those earlier stages?
Speaker 01:Well, she breaks the journey into five awareness levels. People start way back, maybe not even realizing they have a problem you can solve. Okay. And her point is, the earlier you catch them on that journey, the more that they psychologically click in with you near the beginning.
Speaker 02:So you build trust earlier on.
Speaker 01:Exactly. By answering their questions at each stage, not just yelling, buy now, you become their guide, their trusted resource. So when they are ready to buy.
Speaker 02:They naturally think of you.
Speaker 01:Precisely. The conversion rates are much higher because that relationship is already there.
Speaker 02:That really does shift the perspective. You're not just selling, you're educating and guiding. And speaking of content as a resource, she makes a pretty stark claim about its importance looking ahead to, say, 2025. Yeah,
Speaker 01:she doesn't pull any punches. She says, guys, right now in 2025, your business is not going to grow if you do not have content.
Speaker 02:Flat out. No growth without content.
Speaker 01:Pretty much. It's not optional anymore. It's essential for survival, for growth. It's the lifeblood.
Speaker 02:And within that content world, she really emphasizes video, doesn't she? Especially on YouTube.
Speaker 01:Oh, absolutely. She calls video the long game. And remember, YouTube is owned by Google. It's a massive search engine in itself.
Speaker 02:Right. People search there constantly.
Speaker 01:And longevity is incredible. She shared this amazing anecdote. I have people still buying from videos that I made in 2016. 2016.
Speaker 02:That's eight, nine years later.
Speaker 01:Incredible, right? It shows the power of good, evergreen video content. It keeps working for you years down the line.
Speaker 02:So how do you consistently create enough valuable content? It can feel overwhelming.
Speaker 01:Well, she offers a framework for that, too. Okay, 12
Speaker 02:pillars. What does that involve?
Speaker 01:It's about identifying 12 core topics, like big themes central to your business. And then under each pillar, you aim to create around, say, 30 pieces of related content.
Speaker 02:30 pieces per pillar. That's a lot. 360 pieces.
Speaker 01:It sounds like a lot, but it covers a whole year. But here's the really smart part. She calls it creating an eternity of content.
Speaker 02:Eternity. How so?
Speaker 01:Because you don't just create it and forget it. You go back and update it. it annually, add new insights, fresh data, maybe just a new sentence or two.
Speaker 02:And Google likes fresh content.
Speaker 01:Google loves fresh content. It signals relevance. So you're not constantly starting from scratch. You're building on and refreshing your existing assets. It compounds over time.
Speaker 02:That's a much more sustainable approach. Very clever. What about written content like blogs? Is length still a factor for Google?
Speaker 01:Definitely. She gives a baseline. Blog posts need to be at least 300 words. That's kind of the minimum for Google's bots to really scrape it effectively to understand it.
Speaker 02:Just to get it on the radar, basically.
Speaker 01:Right. But she actually recommends going longer now, especially with AI search becoming more prevalent. Think more like term papery or white paper style content.
Speaker 02:More in-depth, research-heavy stuff.
Speaker 01:Exactly. Content geared more towards searchability rather than just readability. AI seems to appreciate that depth and structure.
Speaker 02:Okay. That's a perfect segue into AI. There's so much buzz and frankly, some fear about AI completely changing SEO. People saying you need totally new strategies. What's her take?
Speaker 01:She calls that a lie. Straight up.
Speaker 02:A lie. Okay.
Speaker 01:Yeah. She says the idea that you need entirely different strategies for AI search versus traditional Google search is just not true because fundamentally, where does AI get its information?
Speaker 02:From the internet, from existing content.
Speaker 01:Mostly, yes. It's pulling from the vast amount of information already out there. So if your content already follows good SEO practices, answering questions clearly, being well-structured, AI will find it and use it.
Speaker 02:That's reassuring, actually. So the foundations are still solid.
Speaker 01:Very solid. But that doesn't mean there aren't things AI particularly likes.
Speaker 02:Okay, like what? What makes content appealing? to AI search.
Speaker 01:Organization is huge. She says AI loves the organization of it. It loves the third party linking rights.
Speaker 02:Citing your sources, linking out to authoritative sites.
Speaker 01:Exactly. It loves that, that there's sources that the sources are cited. Just like that term paper analogy again. It wants verifiable, structured information.
Speaker 02:Makes sense. It wants to trust the information it's providing. So knowing this, how do we actually use AI tools in creating this content? She recommended a specific workflow, didn't she?
Speaker 01:She did. A multi-tool approach, which is quite smart. First step, use something like ChatGPT OpenAI's tool.
Speaker 02:Okay. For what purpose?
Speaker 01:For generating the bones, the initial draft, the structure, maybe SEO optimized topic ideas. It gives you a starting point, saves time.
Speaker 02:Gets you over the blank page hurdle.
Speaker 01:Precisely. But, and this is critical, that's only the start. You can't just copy paste.
Speaker 02:Right. What's next?
Speaker 01:Next, you take that AI draft and put it into a tool like Claude.
Speaker 02:Claude. Why Claude specifically?
Speaker 01:Claude seems to be particularly good at rewriting content to infuse your specific brand voice, your personality, information about your ideal customer, your avatar.
Speaker 02:So it makes the AI output sound like you.
Speaker 01:Exactly. The goal, as she puts it, is that someone reads it and feels like I read it in your voice. They hear you. That human connection is vital.
Speaker 02:I see. And she mentioned another tool, perplexity.
Speaker 01:Yeah, perplexity came up as a useful AI tool specifically for research because it often provides its source material. That helps with the verification step.
Speaker 02:Which brings us to the warnings because AI isn't perfect. What's the big caveat?
Speaker 01:The big one is that AI can hallucinate.
Speaker 02:Hallucinate, meaning it just makes stuff up.
Speaker 01:Basically, yes. It can generate plausible sounding but completely false information. So her absolute rule is never, ever be sharing anything from AI without checking for accuracy. In
Speaker 02:fact, check everything. Always.
Speaker 01:Always. It's your reputation on the line. And another practical tip.
Speaker 02:Yeah.
Speaker 01:Don't have super long conversations with the AI in one chat.
Speaker 02:Why is that?
Speaker 01:After about, say, 20 back and forths, she finds it can start to go sideways. The quality or relevance might degrade, so better to start a fresh chat for a new task or if things feel off.
Speaker 02:Good practical advice. Work with the tool. Know its limits. Okay, moving beyond the tech, Kretchy really emphasized connection, deep audience analysis, brand voice. Where does that start?
Speaker 01:It starts with truly understanding your ideal customer, your avatar. She has her avatar analyzer tool for this.
Speaker 02:Avatar analyzer? What does that do?
Speaker 01:It forces you to get super specific. She's an art studio example, it helps you break down different segments. Maybe tourists wanting a unique experience, local families looking for activities, serious crafters.
Speaker 02:Okay. Different groups.
Speaker 01:And for each group, you identify their specific pain points. Like for beginners, maybe it's fear of perfection. For families, maybe logistics or mess. Right.
Speaker 02:What else?
Speaker 01:It looks at their common language patterns. What words do they use? Like asking, is this messy? It digs into emotional triggers, novelty, self-expression, relaxation, and finally, purchase motivators. Are they seeking a memory, a skill, a finished product?
Speaker 02:Wow, that's incredibly detailed. It goes way beyond basic demographics.
Speaker 01:Absolutely. It's about getting inside their heads. And that leads to another key principle she mentioned.
Speaker 02:Which is?
Speaker 01:The confused mind says no.
Speaker 02:The confused mind says no.
Speaker 01:Meaning, if your marketing message tries to speak to everyone at once, it becomes muddled. Confusing. And people just tune out or click away.
Speaker 02:So you need clarity.
Speaker 01:Crystal clarity. Even if your business serves, say, retirees and young professionals, a specific ad or a piece of content should target just one of them at a time.
Speaker 02:Feel the message.
Speaker 01:Yes. Maybe you have different free guides, different workshops, different lead magnets designed for each segment, even if they ultimately lead to the same core service or product. speak directly to that one person.
Speaker 02:That makes perfect sense. And how does brand voice fit into creating that direct connection?
Speaker 01:A distinct voice is huge. It helps customers connect psychologically with your business, even if it's not a personal brand run by one individual.
Speaker 02:Can you give an example?
Speaker 01:She used Wendy's, the fast food chain. Their social media voice is, well, unique.
Speaker 02:Oh, yeah. They're known for being saffy, right?
Speaker 01:Exactly. She said they're a riot. They talk a ton of smack to competitors. It's consistent. It's memorable. It creates a personality. people connect with or at least recognize instantly
Speaker 02:it's more than just ads
Speaker 01:way more without that distinct voice she says a brand can feel disconnected just like it's spitting information or ads at you no personality no real connection
Speaker 02:makes a brand feel human relatable okay this next point she apparently called it potentially the biggest gold nugget in this entire thing which is intriguing
Speaker 01:it really is
Speaker 02:yeah
Speaker 01:and it's maybe not what you'd expect in an seo or digital marketing training it's about community Collaboration.
Speaker 02:Community, like local community.
Speaker 01:Yes. Moving beyond just focusing on your business in isolation, thinking about the ecosystem around you, collaborating with other local businesses.
Speaker 02:Okay. Like joint ventures, JVs.
Speaker 01:Exactly. She gave examples like, say, the art studio again, partnering with a local restaurant for a date night alternative package.
Speaker 02:Oh, interesting. dinner and painting.
Speaker 01:Right. Or partnering with an ice cream shop for a family outing combo. You're creating a richer experience together, solving a big customer need like, what should we do this weekend?
Speaker 02:That broadens the appeal significantly. And then there was this idea of the running for mayor mentality. What's that about?
Speaker 01:Ah, yeah. It's a great phrase. It means being more than just a business owner. It means being gracious, being a connector in your community.
Speaker 02:It's like actively helping other businesses, making introductions, being involved.
Speaker 01:Yes. Businesses that do this, that become known as helpful hubs in the community, they build incredible goodwill. People want to support them.
Speaker 02:It's like building social capital.
Speaker 01:Exactly. She feels that deep down, that's what people are searching for. That's what they really, really want. They want to feel that. That sense of connection, of belonging, of supporting something good in their town.
Speaker 02:So it's almost algorithm-proofing your business by embedding it deeply in the human network of your community. Trust and loyalty that AI can't just replicate.
Speaker 01:You got it. To build a foundation that's incredibly resilient. It goes back to that genuine human connection being the ultimate advantage.
Speaker 02:Fantastic stuff. Okay, let's quickly recap the core takeaways from this deep dive. First, SEO. It's fundamentally about answering user questions, providing value.
Speaker 01:Right. Forget the old tricks. Focus on the user's mind.
Speaker 02:Second, content is absolutely essential for growth, especially video for the long haul. And that 12-pillar strategy helps create an eternity of content.
Speaker 01:Keep it fresh. Keep it valuable.
Speaker 02:Third, AI is a powerful assistant, a co-pilot. Use tools like ChatGPT for Don't let the
Speaker 01:tool replace you and beware of hallucinations.
Speaker 02:And finally, perhaps the biggest insight. Build community, collaborate, adopt that running for mayor mentality.
Speaker 01:Yeah, that connection, that sense of belonging, that might just be the most powerful, enduring strategy of all, especially now. It's about being more than just a transaction.
Speaker 02:So the final thought for you, our listener, in this world increasingly shaped by algorithms and AI, maybe the most potent path to sustainable growth lies in doubling down on genuine human connection, both with your direct audience and with your wider community.
Speaker 01:So what unexpected collaborations could you explore this week. How could you deepen those roots in your own local ecosystem?
Speaker 02:Something to think about. Until our next deep dive.
Speaker 00:We hope you enjoyed the SCORE podcast and learned something valuable from it. For more information about SCORE or to request the help of a mentor, visit www.score.org. Have a great day and we wish you much success.