Hello Reader! I wanted to say a quick 'thank you' to all of you amazing subscribers and offer you a free gift. (Today only!) Ever spent hours writing a draft… only to get vague feedback like “this isn’t quite right”? Worse—had to start from scratch because the content missed the mark? I’ve been there. That’s why I created a content brief template to help writers and content teams get clear before they even start. With the brief, you'll: ✅ Know exactly what needs to be written✅ Stay aligned...
9 days ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader! You've heard the news. Google’s quality raters are now flagging AI-generated content as the lowest quality. (Took them long enough, right?) According to SEL, in its January 2025 update to the Search Quality Rater Guidelines, Google directed raters to label content as Lowest quality if it's clearly AI-generated, paraphrased, or lacks originality and value. Here's what Google will be looking for (here's a checklist you can download to give your content peeps): AI-generated or...
14 days ago • 4 min read
Hello Reader! The further we plunge into the AI-can-just-do-content-for-us world, the more this life lesson rings true to me: The things most worth doing are hard. AI relationships aren't hard to maintain. The robots adapt to you. They don't challenge you. You never have to have a tough conversation. They pad your ego. You're always a winner, but you never grow. Marriage is hard. I'm personally going on 14 years navigating life with my polar opposite. It's not always easy, but we challenge...
21 days ago • 6 min read
Hello Reader! Sponsored by: Lasso The easiest way to boost your affiliate earnings Affiliate marketers, bloggers, and content creators, meet your new best friend: Lasso—the ultimate toolkit for maximizing your affiliate earnings. With Lasso, you can automatically increase Amazon commission rates on eligible products, getting 3-5x higher payouts on the same products. Lasso also upgrades links in YouTube descriptions automatically, creates mobile deep links, and localizes Amazon links for...
about 1 month ago • 4 min read
Hello Reader! Good writing has rhythm, structure, and intention. Every choice you make shapes the story. It can mirror or elicit emotions—sharp and staccato for tension, like Raymond Carver: “He sat. She looked at him. He didn’t say anything. The clock ticked.” Or, it can flow like music—melodic, immersive, and full of wonder—like Brian Doyle: "What is it about the hum and thrum of a mother to her son and a father to his daughter that is unlike anything else in the universe, unlike anything...
about 1 month ago • 5 min read
read it Hello Reader! I know we've said this before, but content has been so bonkers lately. I've been experiencing so many instances of "let's use AI to make this more efficient." And, while AI can make many things more efficient, sometimes it really is better to have a human driving the carriage. Here are some instances where you may be asked to use AI, and ways to make it work: 1/ AI is great at summarizing. This is my FAVORITE use case. ✅ Use it to decode transcripts and articles and give...
about 2 months ago • 5 min read
Hello Reader! Now is the perfect time to register for our partner event with Stacker. Don't miss this event if you're creating outstanding content but it's getting buried in the noise. They'll cover everything you need to know to nail your distribution strategy, amplify your reach, and get the results you want. More information and the registration link are below. Can't wait to see you there! 👇 -Ashley STACKER AND CONTENT MARKETING INSTITUTE PRESENT Your Content Has Evolved—Has Your...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader! In this issue... AI Marketing Alliance: Sign up to see the best AI tools demoed. Learn how to use them to gain a competitive edge. Expert interview: Mauro Semedo 50+ new content jobs: Go directly to this week's jobs Top stories: Read 8 of this week's best content stories covering trends and strategies, including a new must-read report on ChatGPT search. Thanks, Ashley Partner | AI Marketing Alliance See the Best AI Tools Demoed Live—Creative, Analytics, and Engagement Solutions...
2 months ago • 4 min read
Hello Reader! This issue is brought to you by..Ranked I just signed up for a new SEO service, Ranked. I'm loving it. The team is attentive. It's affordable. The best part? I no longer have to do the SEO for my sites and am watching my rankings rise. You can started for free today (rad, right? That's what hooked me). Then, it's only $99/month. Amazing. Expert Interview | Maria Jose Rodriguez 1/ Tell me more about yourself and your journey into content. I’ve always loved writing—from scribbling...
3 months ago • 5 min read