Importance of Quality Content

My biggest takeaways from Ethan Smith on how to win at AEO (i.e. get ChatGPT to recommend your product): 1. Being mentioned most often beats ranking first. In Google, the #1 blue link wins. In ChatGPT, the answer summarizes multiple sources—so appearing in five citations beats ranking #1 in one. Ethan’s strategy: get mentioned on Reddit, YouTube, blogs, and affiliates. Volume of mentions matters more than any single placement. 2. LLM traffic converts 6x better than Google search traffic. Webflow saw this dramatic difference because users who come through AI assistants have built up much more intent through conversation and follow-up questions, making them highly qualified leads. 3. Early-stage startups can win at AEO immediately, unlike with SEO. Traditional SEO requires years of domain authority. But a brand-new Y Combinator company mentioned in a Reddit thread today can show up in ChatGPT tomorrow. The playing field is finally level. 4. The long tail of AEO is 4x bigger than SEO. People ask ChatGPT questions with 25 or more words (vs. 6 in Google). Ethan found gold in queries like “Which meeting transcription tool integrates with Looker via Zapier to BigQuery?”—questions that never existed in search but are perfect for AI. Own these micro-niches. 5. Reddit is proving to be the kingmaker for AI visibility. ChatGPT trusts Reddit because the community polices spam better than any algorithm. Ethan’s exact playbook: make one real account, say who you are and where you work, give genuinely helpful answers. Five good comments can transform your visibility. No automation, no fake accounts—just be helpful. 6. YouTube videos for “boring” B2B terms are a gold mine for AEO. Nobody makes videos about “AI-powered payment processing APIs”—which is exactly why you should. While everyone fights over “best CRM software,” the high-value, zero-competition long tail is wide open in video. 7. Your help center is now a growth channel. All those “Does your product do X?” questions flooding ChatGPT can be answered by help-center pages. Move them from subdomain to subdirectory, cross-link aggressively, and cover every feature question. Ethan calls this the most underutilized opportunity in AEO. 8. January 2025 was the inflection point in AEO growth. That’s when ChatGPT made answers more clickable (maps, shopping cards, citations) and adoption exploded. Webflow went from near zero to 8% of signups from AI. This channel is accelerating faster than any Ethan’s seen in 18 years. 9. The AEO playbook: (1) Find questions from competitor paid search data, (2) set up answer tracking, (3) see who’s showing up as citations, (4) create landing pages answering all follow-up questions, (5) get mentioned offsite via Reddit/YouTube/affiliates, (6) run controlled experiments, (7) build a dedicated team. This exact process is driving real results at scale.

I create 247 pieces of content per month. Time spent? 7 hours. Most founders stare at blank screens for hours. They overthink, delete drafts, and convince themselves they're "not interesting enough." Here are 6 tips to generate endless content ideas: 1. Stop Waiting for Inspiration Content isn't about being on camera or feeling creative. It's about documenting what you're already doing, thinking, and learning every single day. 2. The Content GPS Framework Every week follows five buckets: Monday - mistakes I made, Tuesday - systems that work, Wednesday - client transformations, Thursday - contrarian truths, Friday - vision for the future. 3. The 30-in-30 Exercise Spend 30 minutes writing: 10 things that frustrate you, 10 lessons you've learned, 10 transformations you've witnessed. That's your content calendar. 4. Mine Your Past Self Last week at 2am in London, I asked myself one question: "What do I wish I knew 5 years ago?" Wrote 73 ideas in my journal without stopping. 5. Your Struggles Beat Their Quotes 20-somethings share motivational quotes. Real founders share scars. Your authentic experience will always beat polished perfection. 6. Your Life IS Content Every decision you make, every system you build, every mistake you survive, it's all material waiting to be shared with people who need it. The difference between struggling and thriving with content? Systems beat motivation every time. I don't create content because I'm inspired. I create it because I have a framework that turns my real experiences into value for others. That's the power of building in public, transparency becomes your competitive advantage. Start documenting your journey today. Someone needs to hear exactly what you learned yesterday. __ Enjoy this? ♻️ Repost it to your network and follow Matt Gray for more. Want to learn how to build a profitable personal brand that grows even when you’re not around? Join my free live Workshop on February 25th (6 days away) to steal my homework: https://fos.now/rHVGzD

If AI is making feeds “smarter,” why do YouTube and LinkedIn feel more repetitive than ever? The real question is simpler: Are you actually learning? Or just consuming? The issue isn’t volume. It’s value. There’s more content than ever, yet fewer moments of genuine insight. Scroll for a while and the patterns repeat: • Familiar ideas, lightly reframed • Advice optimized for reach, not depth • Recycled narratives with new hooks What’s being optimized isn’t learning. It’s attention. The first wave of AI-powered feeds optimized for metrics: Clicks, watch time, replays. But engagement is not the same as understanding. Algorithms crave momentum, not nuance. The result? Feeds that feel busy—but don’t move you forward. Time gets consumed. Perspective stays static. That’s why the next shift won’t come from generating more content. It will come from value-led curation. People (or purpose-built agents) who filter for: • What actually teaches • What adds context • What justifies your limited attention The platforms that matter won’t just capture time. They’ll justify it. AI can distribute content. AI can scale reach. But wisdom requires judgment. And judgment remains human.

In a world that's all about speed and bargain-hunting, the concept that quality takes its sweet time and comes with a hefty price tag might make you raise an eyebrow or two. But trust me, the journey to quality is an adventure well worth embarking upon, and it's even sprinkled with a touch of humor along the way. As they say, "Rome wasn't built in a day." And let's be honest, Rome would have been a flop if they tried to rush it. Quality, whether you're baking a cake or building a spaceship, is like fine wine; it gets better with time. When you sprint through tasks, you might as well be racing with your shoelaces tied together. It's a recipe for disaster, where crucial details are easily overlooked. Think about that lovingly crafted Swiss watch – it takes a whole lot of Swiss meticulousness and, yes, time to create one of those masterpieces. Rushing it would be like trying to speed-read War and Peace. You'll miss the point and probably end up with a watch that couldn't even tell time correctly. Now, let's talk about the cost of quality. Quality products and services often sport a price tag that could make your wallet weep. But hey, remember that old saying, "You get what you pay for"? It's like trying to save money by getting the cheapest parachute. It might seem like a bargain until you need it to work, and then it's suddenly not so funny. When you invest in quality over time and cost, you're essentially putting your money where your smile is. The benefits include: 1. Durability: High-quality products and services are like the Energizer Bunny; they keep going and going, saving you from countless replacements and repairs. 2. Customer Satisfaction: Quality is like a magician's spell that turns customers into loyal fans, and loyal fans are like your own personal marketing team. 3. Reputation: A reputation for quality is like a shining knight's armor, protecting your business from competition dragons. 4. Sustainability: Quality products and services are like eco-warriors in disguise, often turning out to be more planet-friendly in the long run. 5. Reduced Stress: Rushed work can lead to premature aging (both in you and the product). Quality work is like sipping a cup of herbal tea on a stress-free Sunday afternoon. So, there you have it, the grand symphony of quality, time, and cost, with a sprinkle of humor to keep it light. In a world that's often in a hurry, where budget concerns can cloud judgment, never forget that quality is the timeless gem that shines through it all. It's like a fine wine – savor it, enjoy the journey, and let it take you to places you never thought possible, without breaking your bank or your funny bone.

📢 ¡Basta de vender humo! Si tienes que convencer de tu calidad, ya perdiste Puedes llenar tu web de palabras como "premium", "innovador", "de alta calidad", pero al final… ¿𝗱𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗲́ 𝘀𝗶𝗿𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗶 𝗹𝗮 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮 𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗹𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗼? 𝗘𝗻 𝗝𝗮𝗽𝗼́𝗻, 𝗹𝗮 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝗱 𝗻𝗼 𝘀𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗮, 𝘀𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮. Steve Jobs: "It´s funny, the group of people that do not use quality in their marketing are Japanese. You never seem them using quality in their marketing. It´s only the American companies that do. And yet, if you ask people on the street which products have the best reputation for the quality they will tell you the Japanese products. Now why is that? How could that be? The answer is because customers don´t form their opinions on quality from marketing. They do not form their opinions on quality from who won the Deming award or who won the Baldrige award. The form their opinions on quality from their own experience with the products or the services. And so, one can spend enormous amounts of money on quality. One can win every quality award there is. And yet, if your products don´t live up to it, customers will not keep that opinion for long in their minds. So, I think where we have to start is with our products and our services, not with our marketing department. And we need to get back to the basics and go improve our products and services". 📌 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗺𝗮 𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴. Toyota Motor Corporation no necesita repetir que sus coches son confiables. Simplemente lo son. Llevan décadas en la carretera sin fallar. Su marketing habla de eficiencia, no de “calidad superior”. 📌 𝗟𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘆𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗼́𝗻. Canon EMEA y Nikon no buscan golpes de efecto. Año tras año, han mantenido estándares impecables. ¿El resultado? Cuando piensas en cámaras de calidad, piensas en ellas. 📌 𝗖𝗮𝗱𝗮 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗼́𝗻 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮. Desde abrir el paquete hasta el uso diario, cada momento refuerza la experiencia. Sony lo sabe: diseño elegante, durabilidad, y funcionalidad crean una percepción de calidad sin necesidad de repetirlo. 📌 𝗟𝗼𝘀 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴. Shiseido no grita a los cuatro vientos que es la mejor marca de cosmética. Sus productos hablan por sí solos y los clientes hacen el resto. 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘇𝗮𝗷𝗲𝘀: ➡️ Deja que tu producto hable. ➡️ La calidad no se declara, se construye. ➡️ Si realmente ofreces algo extraordinario, la gente lo notará y lo recomendará. ¿𝗘𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗺𝗼𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗮𝗱𝗼 𝗼𝗯𝘀𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗱𝗼𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻 𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝗱 𝗲𝗻 𝗹𝘂𝗴𝗮𝗿 𝗱𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗮? Juzguen ustedes mismos. Feel free to share your opinions in the comments! 💬 Comparto ideas sobre tecnología, ciencia, economía, sociedad, deporte y política. Haz clic en la 🔔 de mi perfil para no perderte mis nuevas publicaciones https://t.ly/wuTI1

When someone says, "Should we post more content?" —or— "Should we just be more active online?" I pause. Because it’s not just about posting more. It’s about why you're posting. It’s about who you’re posting for. Posting for the sake of it is noise. Creating content with intention builds a brand people actually care about. You want your audience to: → Appreciate your brand → Interact with your brand → Gain valuable information from your brand → Earn real value from your brand Content isn’t a box to check. It’s a bridge you build between your brand and your audience’s trust. In today's reflection, I’m breaking down how to shift from just "posting" to creating content that truly serves. Because in a noisy world, value always wins. ➡️Let’s dive deeper: "Don’t Just Post, Create."

Don’t just hear the words, listen between the lines… Language is a powerful tool that enables us to communicate, connect, and build relationships. However, it can also be a source of confusion, conflict, and division. Many of the world's problems stem from linguistic mistakes and simple misunderstandings, where words are misinterpreted, misused, or taken out of context. When we communicate, we're not just exchanging words; we're also conveying emotions, intentions, and nuances. However, these nuances can be lost in translation, leading to misunderstandings and miscommunications. A single word or phrase can have different meanings to different people, and the context in which it's used can greatly impact its interpretation. When we take words at face value, we risk making assumptions about what the other person means. We might assume that we understand their perspective, or that we're being misunderstood. These assumptions can lead to conflict, resentment, and hurt feelings. So, how can we avoid these misunderstandings? By clarifying, asking questions, and seeking to understand the other person's perspective. We can ask for explanations to ensure that we're on the same page. By doing so, we can build trust, resolve conflicts, and deepen our relationships. Don't ever take words at face value. Instead, approach communication with curiosity, empathy, and an open mind. Recognize that words are just one part of the communication process, and that tone, context, and intention are just as important. By being more mindful and intentional in our communication, we can avoid misunderstandings, build stronger relationships, and create a more harmonious world. In a world where words can be both powerful and problematic, it's essential to approach communication with care and attention. By being aware of the potential for misunderstandings and taking steps to clarify and seek understanding, we can create a more compassionate and connected world. So, let's choose to communicate with intention, empathy, and understanding, and see the positive impact it can have on our relationships and our world.

In the age of abundant content on the internet, there is one metric that is becoming more important than likes, comments, reach, or views. It is the feeling that stays with people after they consume your content. I call it emotional residue. In a world where the volume of content keeps increasing and where AI makes it easy to produce more in less time, most pieces of content disappear the moment you scroll past them. They may get numbers, they may get reactions, but they do not stay with you. They do not leave anything behind. But once in a while, you come across something that lingers. A line you keep thinking about. A perspective that quietly shifts something in your mind. A story that you remember days later. That lingering feeling is emotional residue and it is slowly becoming the real differentiator in a world flooded with content. People forget what they liked. They forget which video went viral. They forget most of what they consumed even a week ago. But they remember how something made them feel. They remember the creators who made them think in a new direction. They remember the ones who said something that felt true or personal or oddly familiar. You cannot engineer that feeling through tricks or templates. It comes from the intention behind what you create. It comes from depth, honesty, curiosity, clarity, and the effort to say something that actually matters to you first. Engagement becomes a by product. Emotional residue becomes the outcome. As content creation becomes easier, emotional impact becomes rarer. And in that rarity lies the opportunity. Create something that stays. Something that people remember without saving. Something that comes back to them at the right moment. That is the kind of content that builds trust, shapes identity, and turns an audience into a community.

Original HubSpot is gone. ChatGPT finished the job. What is “original HubSpot,” you might be wondering? If you were around before 2014, you remember. HubSpot was built on one big idea: drive growth through the inbound funnel. That meant starting at the top with a blog packed with long tail SEO posts that showed your expertise on topics related to your products or services. Someone found you on Google, clicked a CTA, downloaded gated content, signed up for a newsletter, or visited a page that moved them further toward buying. Automation then nurtured those leads toward sales through a series of emails. Over time, HubSpot evolved from inbound software into a CRM and all-in-one growth platform. The inbound funnel strategy was still promoted for years. But AI has changed the game. ChatGPT has nearly a billion users, with 200 million active every day. Those curiosity-driven, top-of-funnel questions that used to bring people to your blog now stay inside ChatGPT. When buyers get serious and enter the middle or bottom of the funnel, asking about performance, pricing, or availability, ChatGPT sends them to shortlists of providers with website links. Google is still used at that stage, and paid ads and bottom-of-funnel SEO still work. The takeaway is simple: long tail SEO and traditional top-of-funnel are gone. Your site now needs to win the decision stage. Define your ICP, clearly state who you help and how, and give buyers every reason to choose you. This is not just a marketing job anymore. Sales needs to be part of the process. It is time for a site refresh led by someone who thinks like a salesperson, not just a creative director. Build a site designed to dominate the ChatGPT bottom-of-funnel handoff and the same for Google decision-stage searches. By doing this, you not only increase your chances of being recommended, but you also make your site far more buyer-friendly in the process. Where to double down right now: 👉 Social proof and testimonials that sound like real customers 👉 Case studies and customer stories with measurable results and names 👉 Sales deck content turned into web pages buyers can find without asking 👉 Industry pages and use cases showing exactly how you solve problems 👉 Clear “how to buy / where to buy / who to talk to” and why it helps 👉 Robust FAQs covering product, service, and buying concerns 👉 Comparison pages showing how you stack up against alternatives 👉 Clear pricing or ranges to remove guesswork 👉 Take the stuff you say during the sales process and put it on the site When you build a site this way, you position yourself to win the ChatGPT and Google bottom-of-funnel handoff, make it easy for decision-stage buyers to choose you, and create a site that works as hard as your best salesperson. 

Stop Posting Just Room Photos on Socials! Here’s What Guests Actually Want to See. Be honest with yourself, how many times has your hotel’s socials posted a perfectly polished room photo with a caption like: "A cozy escape awaits. Book now. ✨" And how many times did that post actually drive engagement… or, better yet, a booking? The truth? Guests don’t book because of a bed and four walls. They book for the experience. Yet, so many hotels (and restaurants) flood their feeds with soulless, salesy photos that look just like every other property. If your social media feels more like an online catalog than a destination, you’re missing the point. And here’s the real game-changer: With AI improving at an insane pace, software will soon generate better images of our hotel rooms than we ever could anyway! Perfect lighting, flawless composition, AI will do it all. Just like the image in those post. So, what will actually make a difference? The stories and experiences we share. What Should You Post Instead? 📍 The Destination : Guests aren’t just staying at your hotel; they’re visiting your city. We’re focusing on highlighting local gems, hidden spots, and experiences they won’t find on TripAdvisor. 👩🍳 Behind-the-Scenes Stories : Meet the chef behind your restaurant. Show how your cocktails are crafted. Introduce the team that makes the magic happen. People connect with people, not just places. 🎥 Guest-Generated Content : A guest’s TikTok or Instagram Story will always feel more authentic than a corporate post. That’s why we’re actively encouraging and sharing real experiences from real people. 🐶 Unique Experiences – Is your hotel pet-friendly? Show a guest’s dog getting VIP treatment. Do you have a rooftop with an insane sunset view? Capture it in the moment. We’re prioritising content that makes guests feel something. 😂 Relatable Moments – The WiFi struggle at check-in. The joy of room service at midnight. The feeling of slipping into a fresh hotel robe. We’re leaning into humour, nostalgia, and moments guests actually remember. The Bottom Line? Our guests don’t just want a room. They want a story to tell and a memory to take home. That’s exactly why our hotel group has shifted the focus of our social media strategy. Less staged perfection, more real experiences with the teams on the ground diving right in to get on board! AI will generate the polished images, but it won’t replace human connection. What’s the best-performing post you’ve seen from a hotel or restaurant? Drop a link, I’d love to check it out! 👇🏼