141: SEO Keyword Research and Social Proof Strategies

Dolly Delong: Hello, and welcome to another Systems and Workflow Magic podcast episode. I am your Systems and Workflow BFF and Guide, Dolly DeLong. And you all should know this, but I love Brittany Herzberg, okay? So, I invited her back on the pPodcast especially for the Summer of SEO series we are hosting. Now, if you don’t know Brittadon’te, I’ll change that episode because, as I said, she’s incredible, she is kind, and you’ll learn so much about SEO from her. So when I asked Brittany to share her bio, she shared this, and I’m keeping it. I’m going to do iI’merbatim because I can hear her voice. I’m going to share this with my audience. So, let’s start. You let’s.

Visibility is important. Although you have no desire to become the internet’s best internet, SEO is the last thing you want to think about, or you can even be a massage therapist turned copywriter and podcaster. Brittany Herzberg has made it her mission to simplify SEO and make it more traffic, bringing in more traffic to your website using blogs and podcasts. And case studies. Brittany is known for keeping the mood fun, judgment-free, and essential—oh, so basic. If the season is correct, you usually find her with her senior dog, Jack, in one arm and a pumpkin spice latte. Brittany, welcome back to the pPodcast I’m so happy to hear you back on.

Brittany Herzberg: Thank you for having me. I love returning to podcasts and am so excited to share what we discuss today.

Dolly Delong: I’m excited, and my audience will like it. I love you so much. So, listeners, I had to look this up because I know Brittany has been on the pPodcastbefore, but if you want to scroll back to episode 56, go back and listen to that as well. In the next episode, Brittany gave us a masterclass. So listen to that, but also listen to this because Brittany will provide us with a teeny little masterclass on keyword research, just like an SEO masterclass. You’ll want to taYou’lles, and you’ll want to do this multiple times. I am just really, really excited for us to learn from Brittany because I’ve been learning about her myself for the past year. I’ve purchased from her regarding SEO, blogging, and case studies, and she’s the actual dish. Are you guys ready? Let’s dive in.

BrLet’sy Herzberg: Thank you so much for everything you shared. I appreciate it. You’re such a rock; you’re a student. Anyone who’s ever worked with you knows that because you get in there, take action, and then write emails back, it’s always apprised, so thank you.

Dolly Delong: Well, of course, I mean it. Every word! 

Brittany Herzberg: I know I received it, and I appreciate you. So, keyword research. What in the world is it? The easiest way to explain it is to find the right words and phrases so you show up as the answer to a Google question. With SEO, we can pop those words into the right places so our content does marketing for us. It’s out there 24It’sYou can go to sleep. You can play with your kids. You can do other fun things. You can nap if you want to in the middle of the day. And SEO is working for you. Your keywords are working for you. But figuring out how to find the keywords, where to put them, and everything else is hard. Why is it so essential before I get into our little mini masterclass? Why should you even care about finding keywords and putting them in the right places?

I have thoughts. Of course, I have thoughts. So, without keyword research, we still have websites. And in our content, we’re throwing spwe’reti at the wall and hoping it works. We’re hoping it lWe’re in front of the right people, but when we implement keyword research and KindSEO, we strategically use the words that our clients are typing into that Google search bar. We use that to show up as the answer they need, as the support system they need. We’re giving them the resources they want; they might even know what they want. However, I consider keyword research and SEO extra credit for business owners. I was a straight-A student in school, and I always took advantage of all the extra credit I possibly could, so it’s like, why not be shy? Would you not take advantage of this?

Another thing to think about is that by taking the time to do keyword research and creating thoughtful SEO strategies for your pages or your blogs, you are increasing your authority. Both with the robots, like the search engines like Google, and with people, ideally your ideal clients, potential clients. Search engines, like Google, take you more seriously and can more easily match you with a potential client when needed. They see what you’re talking about, and they can make sense of what’s going on. From the people’s side, what’s seen is that people’s names are everywhere. You’re at the top you’re pages. You’re showing up on Instagram. You’re showing up. And they see your name associated with certain words, phrases, and ideas. And so naturally, especially when we see something higher on page one of search results, we assume that the higher-ranking people are more trustworthy. Those ads increase because these people know more, and we should work with them. So, with all of that, I will get into our little mini masterclass about keyword research. But before I do, Dolly, do you have any questions before we go further?

Dolly Delong: I don’t have a question but want to say something to the listeners. So, listeners, we’re in the middle of a summer SEO series. That’s what I’m, that’s it. I want to make SEO so sizzling, fun, and attractive to you because I know SEO can seem like an overwhelming monster. It shouldn’t be oversized. We can take it in bite-sized chunks. So that’s one thing that’s to remind you all about. We will take this as a bite-sized masterclass and take baby steps. And the second thing is that many of these, the series we are hosting this summer, have overlapping messages. That’s okay with that because I want you to have repetitive, foundational SEO messages that remind you of every week. Because, again, SEO can seem like an overwhelming monster. But at the same time, if we take these baby steps by listening to these repetitive messages over and over and over again, it will instill in us a little bit more confidence to take that first step like, Oh, or at least for something to click. Sometimes, I won’t speak for myself, but I will. Something has to be said to me at least ten times. I want something to click before taking the next step, so I don’t want you to do this out and say, well, I’ve already heard before. Um, but have you taken action? Have you taken action steps? And they share it in a new way that might click with you, so again, I thought that because many of these lessons in this series are terms that will be repetitive for you, I hope something eventually clicks. So anyway, I feel like I had to throw that caveat out there: Britney.

Brittany Herzberg: Yeah, no, I’m glad that you’d. And I am happy that you also discussed defining different terms because I will try to remember to do that as I go through it. I have notes

Dolly Delong: Yes, I appreciate thank you

Brittany Herzberg: Let us hope that I did that in my notes. But catch me if I don’t. If you don’t wait, what does that mean? I don’t ever want to assume that everyone listening has heard these terms or knows what they are because I sure didn’t, for many didn’t businesses. But thank you for saying that. I appreciate that. So, with keyword research, I think of it as a four-step process. The first step is to start with social proof. What I mean by that is I want you to comb through all of your client communication places. We’re doing two. We’re here.

First, we look for the questions people are asking us and try to figure out what results they are getting. We may already know things and be able to journal about them, but I want you to see what they’re saying. They’re at what questions people ask in DMs, emails, and sales calls, jot things down if you haven’t already haven’t and see screenshots of anything you’ve saved. Thayou’veere we’rThat’sg to stwe’reThe second thing we will do is look at what problem they’re looking for. Or what desire they’re hoping for, which is not always a problem we solve. Sometimes people come in, and like, I want this thing. I’ve noticed myself talking about this by pointing back to what problem I want to solve. What do I want to get away from? What’s been causing this turmoil? And what do I want to kick away from me? And then also pointing forward to be like, what’s that thing? What’s driven toward me? What do I want to go toward? What’s that? What’s a desire that I want?

The third thing we’re doing, with social proof, is looking at what they say about clients. What are they saying about their experience of working with you? What was a highlight? What was maybe something that didn’t go so well that you were able to fix? Don’t look at the Don’te-unquote failures. I don’t think there is such a failure. It’s always just that the opportunity is there. What lesson did you learn? What you know, part were you able to add to your client experience because this may not have been such a great thing. And then, four, we’re looking at our client communication places to see their wins because they’ve worked they’ve. So you want to do this first, looking at all this social proof and what people say to you because you need to know what they want and how they’re phrasing. I could sit here and dream; I’m a copywriter. I could dream up a thousand ways that someone’s going to something, but it will not match that person telling you those exact words. It’s going to save so much effort. It’s giving you the answer on a golden platter. So don’t disregard it, and don’t look to see what people say. It’s just so much better than we could ever imagine. As I said, this step removes the guesswork from SEO, so don’t skip it.

Dodon’telong: Can I say several things about this first point? I love that you shared Britney with the listeners. There is such a thing as failure, but it’s how you look. I’ve heard it, I heard it said this, and now I like to say it: You don’t fail; you do forward. It just teaches you something about how to proceed. Are you going to give up entirely? Or will you decide that didn’t work out? Do you know how I can move forward from this failure? So, failing forward is something I’ve heard that has resonated with me. So, so listeners like. You’re not a failure. You’re just like You’rel. Sometimes, we will fail, but let’s move forward and move on. Brittany, what you said resonated with me. What are you trying to run away from that? You don’t want to dine again. I will be honest with listeners, who probably don’t believe me because I’m pretty active on social media. Still, there are days and seasons when I want to be nonsocial media.

How can I consistently get clients and book out without relying on social media? That is one of the biggest reasons I have been digging into SEO. I don’t want to don’t have a solid social media presence because where I am in life is draining. That’s a mental thing for me. And for you listener, it might be like a fun, exciting thing. So I don’t want my readin’ to turn into, Oh, should I be thinking that too? No, like it’s just where I am right now in life. But when you were describing that, Brittany, I was like, yes, I am trying to run away from always depending upon social media for everything. I would rather have good SEO, so I don’t have it on digital press for my clients.

Brittany Herzberg: Exactly, and honestly, I’m in the season. I’m doing that for myself, too. So, here I am, I talk about it, I love it, I love this subject, but I wasn’t leaning in until last summer. I rewrote my entire website, and then, in December and January, I started blogging on my site. It was always something I was talking about doing, but Here I am, I’m doing it, and my next step is to write more of my case studies because I only have one. 

Dolly Delong: I would not know that.

Brittany Herzberg: Right?

Dolly Delong: not know that. Yeah, I’m serious.

BritI’my Herzberg: being vulnerable over here?

Dolly Delong: Yes. No, I did not know that because you do SEO so well. As I know, SEO is not just about getting clients; it is not just SEO. It’s also a combination of referrals, but your referral base is fantastic because you do SEO well.

Brittany Herzberg: It is. I love the people I refer to; they are pretty amazing. And I think it’s been helpful, though I wasn’t creating it. I love talking about this, so I was on your podcast. I’ve been on podcasts. It’s such a great place where we all go to learn things, so I’m with you. AndI’mhaven’t posted on Haven’tram since December, but I’m active in my I’mries. So, if it helps you or anyone listening to know this, I’ve grown my folI’veng since giving up posting and creating reels, even though I love it. It’s a time drainIt’st I love it, but it’s a time suck. I’ve put a lot of effort into my podcast, blogging, and podcast work, and it’s just been initiated with a great payoff. So there is hope.

Dolly Delong: There is hope. I love it. So, thanks. It sounds like your business is still growing and going strong. That’s immensely encouraging to hear.

Brittany Herzberg: Yeah, yeah, so I will share that with you and anyone else who’s like, well, who’s to get away from Instagram. It’s doable.

DollIt’slong: It’s possible. ItIt’sossible. That is why, again, going back to building out a solid SEO strategy and just like having a different bucket for your clientele to hire you from,

Brittany Herzberg: This keyword research stuff can be utilized across different platforms. You could take it and use it on Instagram. Once you’ve researched, you can use it on your blog, podcast, or wherever. At the beginning of this, we are already being thoughtful and intentional with our messaging and marketing keyword research. It takes it up another notch and works even better for us.

Dolly Delong: I love it. Okay. Oh, can I say one more?

Brittany Herzberg: Yeah.

Dolly Delong: Social proof? Okay. So, I will prod Brittany to share, unashamedly share, and promote herself on this podcast. She is not on Podcast Queen of SEO but SEO with case studies. I will ask her to talk more about that. At the end of this little mini-lesson, I learned the importance of really. Starting with social proof is like; I’m so glad she started this lesson with social proof because I learned how to extract case studies from clients with whom I’ve worked once. When this podcast episode airs, hopefully, like a few, if you go back a few episodes, my first case study will air on the podcast, and it will be with podcast help from Brittany and me. You all know this.

I love some systems and workflows, but I specifically love the systems and workflows of launching. Thanks to our mutual friend Brenna, who extracted that love from me. We were both in her pre-launch program together. That pre-launch is on a path of wanting to help one-to-one female business owners plan a launch as their integrator and launch planner. The pre-launch is done one-on-one with small business owners. They don’t have a big don’t It’s just them. I’ve been able to do some excellent case studies. Thanks to Brittany and her help, it has been helping the juices. I’m calling it the I’mEO juice for the education side of my business, so it’s essential to do it with social proof because you do. You extract Exactly. Your ideal clients ask why they asked you, want to know why they work with you, and what their transformation was. And then you take those, take those words, and you put them on your website in really strategic ways. Yeah.

Brittany Herzberg: That’s what you that’s. At the end of this little mini masterclass, we can discuss using keywords to help someone create a case study.

Dolly Delong: Yeah.

Brittany Herzberg: We’ll do, we’ll dWe’lle a lwe’ll brief. Q& A on that. Um, I love this. Okay, so we’re starting with social proof. Step two is to brain-dump a list of phrases and questions you think your ideal client is googling based on that social proof. So these kind of build on each other. So I like to set a timer for 5 or 15 minutes. Give yourself, actually take out a pen and notebook and write down the findings that come to mind. You could have this list of social proof from actual clients or potential clients, or even clients where things didn’t work out or learn something. They didn’t sign on didn’t, but you learned something. So give yourself 5 to 15 minutes to jot things down. And think through what they might be typing into that search bar. Then, you’re going to your hypothesis. What I mean by that is you’re going to use Reese phrases one at a time, pop them into Google, and if you want, you can use Google as the tool; you can use a free Chrome extension that I love called Ubersuggest, and you can look to find the right keywords there. So again, one at a time. If you see something that works, add it to your keywords list and keep it there until you use it. The final step is to create an SEO strategy for each page. I’ll say more about this, but you will make it for each page using the keywords you found. So, I have ensured that Dolly has the link for my SEO basics checklist because I created this first resource-free resource, and it’s still a very sure thing. I think I have people sign up almost every day for it, but what it does is it gives you one place to house all of these SEO pieces, and it makes it so simple that you can copy and paste it over into your website, into your blog, or your webpage. It helps the SEO do the marketing for you because you can have the keywords, and that’s great, but that doesn’t have them. I don’t know the right places; you’re missing the page starting with keyword research, just like we discussed.

The SEO basics checklist begins with keyword research, as we talked about. There’s a spot for your target and similar, supportive, or synonymous keywords. Then, your SEO strategy will be built on that. So, there are places throughout that checklist where you’re testing your title and H1. And so on, even if you sign up and download this, there’s even a vithere’sorial accompanying these emails. So, do you feel supported during the process? But You do you do the keyword research. It starts with the social proof. Then, you brainstorm different ideas, questions, or phrases that people are typing. Then you test your hypothesis. Again, the final step is creating the SEO strategy. So we could talk through a little bit of what that looks like for a case study, but before we do, do you have any thoughts or questions there?

Dolly Delong: I thought I would give a little tough love to listeners, too. What we’re going through is. There is a temptation to think, okay, once I set up my SEO and all my keywords, I can just set it and forget it. That’s true, but that’s different; there’s nothing to do, like actual content creation with those keywords. Like blogging, podcasting, or YouTube, the easiest way in this example is blogging. And so the work is you writing this out and making sure you’re updating your website with new content. And I feel like that’s where a lothat’seople are.

Small business owners can get stuck because we’re like, Oh, we’re to do this extra work. Yes, we do. This miscthere’son that you don’t have to Blodgett, you’ll still be. You don’t know where you did it from. Have you heard that? Because I feel like I’ve listened to that. I don’t know what I am going to say, here’s this miscThere’son that you cannot do much work and can be found. I’m like, but you must do foundational work and continue that work. And I don’t know why there isn’t this misconception that blogging is awful, or I don’t know. I’m don’t say sayin’ the wrong words,

Brittany Herzberg: No, you’re not, and you the blogging is dead, or they’ll say, like: it’s not necessary

Brittany Herzberg: My biggest pet peeve, honestly, is it even happened yesterday when I was in a networking call, and someone was like, oh, I’m going to start I’m substack, and I just wanted to bang my head on, and I don’t know pillow don’t a wall, but like a pillow

Dolly Delong: Pillow, a soft

Brittany Herzberg: Soft pillow because using Substack and Medium is so frustrating. They don’t need your Sdon’tice. Also, people say that phrase quite often, so I need to do something with that. But they don’t need your Sdon’tice. It would be best if you had that. Your website needs that. Because if you’re putting time and effort into creating articles and blog posts for Medium or Substack, that’s where people go. It would be best to have that instead of coming to your website. People want to be connected with you. So please, for the love of everything, I am kindly asking you, with my hands folded, to create your blog and use your SEO on your website because people want to be connected with you.

Dolly Delong: Okay, this is a dumb question; what is subsSubstack

Brittany Herzberg: I don’t know how to describe it, but people go there to write and follow you. It’s like it’s a log but housed somewhere else. So it’s almost as if it’s thought of having a WordPress blog back in the day; you can have a Substack blind. ISubstackat people can charge, like if I were to start a Substack, I’m just going make it a blog, and I were to say, you can become a subscriber for $10 a month, and then you get to see all of my writing. That’s what it’s like. However, miss that if you pull people into your website with your blog and SEO, you can turn them into clients. You could turn them into buyers of your digital products or courses or Substacknd monetize that way.

Dolly Delong: Gotcha, gotcha. I’ve been wondering what that all means. I know, listeners, I don’t, I don’t kndon’terytdon’t okay? I’d like to know everything, but I seriously didn’t know what didn’t-tack meant. I was like, what

Brittany Herzberg: No, you do. No, that’s not a dumb decision. We don’t know what we don’t know.

Dollydon’tng: Yeah. Okay. So here’s my question: Why are we going off-twe? So, do people own their subsSubstack? Is it just something owned by people like how people are like, don’t, you don’t, don’t? So you have your website. So make sure you’re optimizing yourself. Is there a stack you don’t own? You do have a blog. I’m sure somebody is screaming at me on the other side of the mic. You sound like an idiot, Dolly. You guys don’t know what adon’ttack is, so I’m asking.

BrittI’m Herzberg: Phrasing it like that makes me think of a good comparison. It’s like having an It’suTube channel.

Dolly Delong: Okay.

Brittany Herzberg: So YouTube exists. We get to create content over there. It’s long-lasting. It’s over on YouTube

Dolly Delong: Gotcha. Which you don’t own that

Brittany Herzberg: You don’t own YouTube. 

Dolly Delong: yeah, even though it has you in it. Yes.

Brittany Herzberg: And it’s your channel; it’s over there. It you’re creating you’re it’s over there, it’s like SubsSubstacku’s SubsSubstacku’ret’s over.

Dolly it’sng: gotcha. It’s not over. Here’s your website.

Brittany Herzberg: Okay, I love my analogies; they’re elevated and intelligent.

Dolly Delong: No, no, this is helpful. Sometimes, we must bring it down to a fourth-grade level for my brain. So, okay, that’s very helpful. So, subsSubstack, do you know what? I would, Do peopSubstack, I’m so, I’m so cuI’mus abI’m substacks now. So when people subscribe to people’s substack, they say it’s telet’sonth, or do they like learning something, like their thoughts or things?

Brittany Herzberg: It can be either one. So I know of a woman who’s like a free who’s journalist, and she’s fascinatingshe’solSubstack’s alsfolSubstack’sle bit divisive, so I’m not going to I’m the name just in case people are like, oh my gosh, but she has a sub stack. So she has an Instagram profile, but if people want to see the research she’s finding, she’s over to her substack, and someone could also like it. I’m learning to I’m. So sSubstackould also create a subsSubstackut, cooking 101. And here’s where we shere’sYeah.

Dolly Delong: Okay. Gotcha. Okay. I’m very interestI’m There are there’s a handfulthere’sple I would pay every month to to read more I don’t know why thdon’tme in my mind, but you all stick with me when I was growing up In the 90s, I was obsessed with R. L. Stine. That’s how I goosThat’s. That’s all I bought. That’s all the Scholastic book fairs because I loved being scared. I loved being terrified about everything. If I had known SubsSubstack was a thing back then, I would’ve begged to please leSubstacke a subscription to R. L. Stine’s Substack Stack so I could read his scary stories and get exclusive material. So that’s what I, ththat’shere my mthat’ses. That’s what I want—to be scared.

Brittany Herzberg: I wouldn’t be sad because I read a lot of World War II and Holocaust books.

Dolly Delong: Oh, that’s me too! That’s why I’m obsessed with World World War II.

Brittany Herzberg: I didn’t know that. I didn’t Titanic. That’s another story I would read about.

Dolly Delong: Yes.

Brittany Herzberg: I was an unfortunate child.

Dolly Delong: But I love that it’s a fun fit at the same time. Anyway, you guys, this is our goiSubstackwe Keyword.

Brittany Herzberg: sideways. KeywKeywordearch. Let’s apply this tokeywordt viwhat-isoot studies. I have a client I’ve been working with, and we’ve written these studies so far. And with the first one, she said, I have this program. She’s well known. Her program is well known. She’s asking if she couldn’t just use the name for the keyword. And I had to break her heart andKeyworday kindly. Well, we’re tryingKeywordch a new audience. We’re trying to, We’ree who know you are already, they’re groupies,they’ree already fthey’reg you. They don’t need to find this study organically in a Google search; they’ll probably post about it on Instagram or something like that or talk about it on our podcast. So it’s not so much we want Podcastour program name or even our name, but what are people searching for? Again, that’s going back to the questions they’re asking or the phrases they’re typing that you can notice in your search behavior. Maybe you don’t know the pedant program or thing you want, but what are you typing to get there? What are those breadcrumbs? So again, back to the importance of having that social proof and using the quotes, screenshots, and things that people are saying to us, what is like an overlapping theme there? Are they talking about, let’s use, cookinlet’se they talking about wanting to learn to cook? Are they talking about cooking? Like some of us, I’m so hovered this we must be careful with what we cook. Ma? Maybe they’re picky. What

are those things? What are those? Then, you can use them to find a topic with unique spins on a topic they’re looking for to help you. That’s the right keywords. That keyword will then help inform; it could be the keyword’s story arc of the case keywords. It’s probably going to be. It’s so go to Keywordseadlines on the page. Maybe you can use it to title some images so they can be found in searches, which is the second most popular search method. So you be smart about this. The more you know, the more strategic you can be.

Dolly Delong: And that’s the alt tethat’srrect?

Brittany Herzberg: it’s the title anit’sage title as well. So it’s both.

Dolly, it’s: Okay, gotcha. Wow, okay, I’m learning new things. I don’t title my I don’t; I only do the alt text.

Brittany Herzberg: That’s good because most of us don’t do the alt. So, both of these are opportunities, and I added the three-step process to optimize images in my case study training this year. So it gaped, an opportunity I had to like and add extra value to. But yeah, it can be straightforward. You want to title your images on your desktop when you do this.

Dolly Delong: Mmmmm

Brittany Herzberg: Then pull it into your blog, case study, or webpage, and that, at that point, is where you write the alt text.

Dolly Delong: Gotcha. Okay, you all know I’m learning, and I’m sure you all are laughing at me because I’m also a photographer. The other side of my business is family photography. Still, I’ve always had to Concentrate on the alt text just in case you have a viewer who can’t visually describe the image to them, and I was under the impression this entire time that’s just alt that Google, I, wow.

Brittany Herzberg: So, and I will say, Because I have to say this to myself whenever I discuss this topic. If you’re a photographer or someone who’s been blogging for ages or has a gazillion web pages, please know that this is the best practice you can take and move forward with. Like you

Dolly Delong: And not move back,

Brittany Herzberg: about. You don’t have to print out the 2000 photos on your website.

Dolly Delong: I was starting to panic. I was like, oh no,

Brittany Herzberg: I said, I have to say this for me,

Dolly Delong: I, because I’ve been blogging extensively since 2018.

Brittany Herzberg: Yep. That’s a lot of that’s

Dolly Delong: Yes. I’m like, I don’t know if I have downtime to go through. I don’t even have to do my hair and makeup sometimes.

Brittany Herzberg: So either let that go and just let it be a thing that, again, you’re moving for best practices, or if you ever felt like you wanted to tackle those, go back and look at your most heavily trafficked web pages and optimize those first.

Dolly Delong: Gotcha. Okay, wow. You all, I’m learning alongside you. Okay.

Brittany Herzberg: Do you want me to clarify any questions or things, or do we feel we’re good?

Dollywe’reng: I think we’re perfect. Liwe’reu’s, at you, have the; it has been more of an episode for Dolly DeLong and not for anybody else; this has been Dolly DeLong’s personal DeLong strategy session. But no, I. I want to stress that if you’re looking, you hear the term create your SEO strategy, and that’s like making to shut down, and you feel overwhelmed with that, at least. Set aside time once a week, if not every other week, and if not once a month, to implement these four steps for your business in some way, shape, or form. That’s the power of setting a standard operating procedure for yourself. And, as Brittany shared with us, if these are best practices moving forward, don’t panic, and don’t go backwarddon’tfeel like you have to correct ten years’ worth of years images. Just go forward, create a standard operating procedure for yourself, and follow it once a week, every other week, or once a month.

Brittany Herzberg: Exactly. And it’ll be once you’ll; the most challenging part is just beginning.

Dolly Delong: Yes, I agree because you’re inserting your rhythm into your workday or workweek for yourself, which can be incredibly hard. It’s just like developing a workout routine or a cooking pattern. I, I suck at cooking, Brittany. My husband and I do all the cooking for our family.

Brittany Herzberg: my boyfriend has been doing most of the cooking, and I’m like, you know? That’s something That can do. I haven’t had a relationship with it, but I don’t want that story moving forward. So again, this was a perfect example to use for us. So again, I’m rewriting the level and inserting a new habit, and I’m happy to say I cooked steak for the first time and nailed it this weekend, so I’m wearing that I’m of honor for the next six months.

Dolly Delong: that’s delicious. That’s steak.

Brittany Herzberg: so good.

Dolly Delong: Well, I am so excited. I’m happy. Let’s I’m on that’s—with an encouraging note to listeners. Developing a habit of doing keyword research and following these four steps that Brittany has shared with us will take time. IFindinga rhythm for inserting it into your work routine. It will take some time. Let’s do this with Let’s Talk because we want to be seen as business owners. So, I want to encourage you to develop that SOP for yourself and us when you do because it will be a win for us in this episode. All right, I have a question. I do have a question for you. I have

Brittany Herzberg: Okay.

Dolly Delong: For you. My first question for you, Brittany, is: What are you contributing to the systems and workflow magic bundle, the SEO edition? You and I were your contributors, and that’s why you’re the of the summer series on this podcast. And so I want you to teasePodcastat you are giving as a resource a little.

Brittany Herzberg: Yeah, I’ve got two because I’ve, again, been a straight student overachiever here. And if I have things, I want to be able to share them with people. So, I am sharing two things: I will go even deeper with keyword research. There will be a video training and a Google Doc that will be interactive and that you can use. And then I’m also going to make you through. How to blog with SEO. It’s an email I have, and I’ve run this three or four times, perhaps five times by now. I love it. Dolly went through it. This is the brainchild of why I was like, oh my gosh, can I run them through this too? So those are the two things you get when you join the bundle. Yeah.

Dolly Delong: being part of, like, I ran through your SEO and blogging course two times and enjoyed you all; I didn’t know that I learned so much from Brittany. It inspired me to convert one of my mini-courses into an email one. I didn’t realize you could deliver your course through an email series. I was like, you have to have a platform, and I’m like, you need one. Ddon’tring through email is just fine.

Brittany Herzberg: you were on the receiving end of that. So, how did you feel going through that?

Dolly Delong: I enjoyed it. And I developed. I organized them all, like I said. You all should know I love Trello. I know I have my ClickUp girlies who listen in and my Asana friends who listen in, so take this, and you can organize things like Britney’s email or the email course. I can’t, I’m saying can’tllI’mong. I’m

Brittany Herberg: No, you’re fine. You’re the words. They’re in there. They’re Delong: Um, blogging with SEO in mind, like, that’s what I call that’s in my mind, but I organized it on my Trello board. And so if you take it, you can set up a system for yourself in Asana or ClickUp and arrange the days. And go back through it and refresh your memory. That’s precisely What I did within my own Trello board. I just labeled it day one because it was a 10-day course. And so, I labeled days 1 through 10 and Refreshed my memory. I just hyperlinked the email.

Brittany Herzberg: I love the video. 

Dolly Delong: And it’s so I’m not. It’s through my inbox.

Brittany Herzberg: And I will also say it was that conversation I had with a few people, I think two rounds ago, where they said, can we have one thing where it puts it all together? So, I did create it; it’s like a master workflow document, as I call it. So it’s got the SEOit’sff and talks you through keyword research. It links to different things, like blogs. What am I trying to say? Templates. I think I gave seven different templates. So

Dolly Delong: do. You over

Brittany Herzberg: There’s a ton. There’s

Dolly DelThere’swas like, Renee needs to be charging more for

Brittany Herzberg: I probably should, but I want the volume. I want as many people as possible to be able to go through this. So don’t feel if you don’t, you’re, and you’re like, oh you’re, how much stuff does she have in there? There is one significant resource that combines it all. And again, I’m going deep. Anyone who wants to go deep with these different elements can do so. But if you’re like, give you a high-level thing, so I know what I’m doing, that’s a way that you could look through it, too.

Dolly Delong: Well, another thing is, and this is the Love on Britney episode,

Brittany Herzberg: Thank you!

Dolly Delong: I liked that you gave us one action step every day, and it built on top of the other. Sometimes, with courses, you will buy a course, and then there’s not a lot of dance. It’s just a one-on-one thing. As you paid for it, it’s up to you, the titer, to navigate through it. An outstanding educator will walk you through,t even iwellt’s well., You have a video beforehand. In a way, you’re walking us through each module, which is essentially an email. It builds on each other, and it makes sense. It’s very ChewablIt’sery day. It’s not overwhelming. It’s not like driIt’s from a fire hydrant, which I appreciate because I need action steps. And so I’m excited that I’m a part of the bundle.

Brittany Herzberg: Me, too! Thanks for asking me to contribute; I’m excited to share this with everyone.

Dolly Delong: of course. Again, I said this, and I’ll say this a million times. I know that SEO is not a sexy topic for people. It’s overwhelmingIt’sd It’s, people think, I don’t, I don’t don’t. Cadon’t’m a small business owner. I’m not a big corporation. I don’t have a mark, and I don’t have a team. I’m just going to have to hustle and get my clients. And I want you all to reframe your brain and see the necessity of SEO as a small business owner. Digging into it as a solo business owner and understanding it one bite at a time is possible. So that’s why I’ve it. That’s all I’ve got. I should say I’ve got fantastic contributors who are actual SEO experts for this resource and this bundle. Then, do the summer SEO series so that you can get an appetizer of getting to know each of them and just getting to know their personalities. And then so I hope it. It reminds you to take action with SEO.

Brittany Herzberg: Yeah.

Dolly Delong: Awesome. Is there anything else that, oh, can you give yourself a plug about case studies? Like why people should learn about case studies from you. I’m just going toI’m just going toI’mrittany Herzberg: You’re just going me on the spot. No, I love

Dolly Delong: I’m going to put I’m on the spot.

Brittany Herzberg: I love case studies, so I revamped my sales page when you and I were going through the prelaunch plan program with Brenna, prelaunch like; what do I need to talk about? Initially, I just wrote the sales page and ped it up there, and it was much more of a storytelling kiprelaunchng because this whole program was birthed out of me wanting to top my one copywriter friend. But I realized that if I try to be with my alliteration, no one else talks about writing case studies using your client’s quotes or proof. Social proof, storytelling, and SEO—no one. That is such a magical combination, and you are missing the mark if you don’t have all your case studies. I offer it as a done-for-you service, but as I mentioned, I also have a program. So, by the time this airs, the next time it’ll open will fall in 2024. So I love it.

I also have it as a self-study program if anyone’s listening, like, I know! That can be arranged. But it’s me; it’s my nitrite to discuss because it’s also an intrit’st-friendly way of selling. And again, it’s out there, and it must be your marketing. I even had a conversation this week with one of my students who, on my podcast, shared that she is taking Podcaste studies, which is precisely why she’s only using her to create her content pillars. So, her content will be straight-up case studies from here until, you know, who knows when. So that was a fascinating thing for me to hear about as well. I mean, should I be on Instagram? Do I want to be over there? Do I want to join one of these other platforms? You could talk about your people all the time.

Dolly Delong: and you say this a lot in your podcast, which, by the way, I’m goiPodcastinkI’mur podcast is one of my favorite podcaPodcastlisten

Brittany Herzberg: Oh, thank you!

Dolly Delong: It is The Basic Be Podcast, right? Did I name it? Did I say it?

Brittany Herzberg: You sure did.

Dolly Delong: Okay, great!

Brittany Herzberg: I love my Podcast!

Dolly Delong: I make up naPodcast everything in my head. I was like, that is the that is the email course. And you’re like, that you’re the “that’s not the name of the Program,” but okay, here we go. In the Basic Bee Podcast, Brittany talks about the power of SEO. And case studies and social proof. And she like, just like it, it does it so perfectly. And you all, Brittany is not paying me to

Brittany Herzberg: I should

Dolly Delong: like elevate. I mean, you can Venmo me right after this conversation. I’m just kidding. I’mt in all seriousness, I love that Brittany reminded listeners. I think it was a podcast episode. I don’t know. But don’t if you don’t want to. Don’t you like talking about yourself or selling yourself as you think icky and sales? Well, guess what? The case studies will do the selling for you because their words are selling you. So, that’s another reason why  I love case studies so much, is because then I don’t have to don’t, then, the Do the copy of like, Oh, what makes me so unique and extraordinary, and then I feel like, Oh, I, I feel weird like sharing this. I feel like icky gross sales. No, instead, like you, you’re turning your studies into a sales machine that works for you and attracts the right people.

Brittany Herzberg: and I’m even starting to think of them, I’ve talked about I’ve for quite a while, but I’m even beginning to believe of them as, like, I’m sales pages because the way that I teach them and write them, it’s like you’re it’s a scourage but completely flipping it on its head. When we think of a sales page, someone comes in with one of two actions. I’m in, or I’m ouI’mWith aanII’m studying w’, ve got link links so these different things. They can listen to you on a podcast, follow you on Instagram, or look at your work. I can link my case studies to other case studies I’ve written. It is very meta. It’s hilarious. It can give people the tactile experience of trying before they buy, which is hard to do with any service. So yeah, I’m considering alternative sales pages, which are enjoyable.

Dolly Delong: I love that so much. Okay. I know we went over by so many minutes. I’m so sorry, but thank you for coming to the podcast again. Um, listeners, I wanPodcastmind you to Give this podcast episode another listen-through so you can develop your keyword strategy for social proof and case studies like Britney shared with you earlier. Then, I will also get on the wait list for the systems and workflow magic bundle for the SEO edition. Brittany will be providing two excellent SEO-related resources. I’ve already established that I want you all to follow Brittany. So Brittany where, where can people find you and follow you?

Brittany Herzberg: Yeah, so it’s on Instagram. Like I said, I’m not posting. I’m there for regular posts, but I’m super active in my stories and DMs, so come say hi. I don’t bite; I don’t. I also don’t sell hard and don’t love just having conversations. So there, the podcast for sure, The Basic B. My wPodcastis just britneyherzberg. com. There’s an inquiry. If you have any questions, you want to send them that way. But yeah, I’m on LinkedIn. I’m trying to make a more concerted effort there and have fun. So, pretty much anywhere, come say hi.

Dolly Delong: Awesome. I’ll be sure to include all of those in the show notes. And yeah, I think Brittany, I think that’s it. Thank you so much again. We did it. We did it. All right. So, listen to the show notes if you want to follow up with Brittany. Then, I’ll be sure to get the resource Brittany mentioned because that sounds too good to be accurate, but it’s pretty amazing. It’s a seriously excellent resource for SEO. You can learn from her and then get started with SEO, which is always a win. So, I want to thank everyone for listening to another systems and workflow magic podcast. Have a streamlined and magical week. You are a fantastic muggle, and I will see you all next week with a brand-new podcast episode. Bye.