Ashley Wright

Social Tale - TikTok Shop Agency

Turning Attention into Community, Transforming Community into ROI - Building Your TikTok Empire. We help your favorite brands scale on TikTok shop.

Founder

MentorPass

1:1 video mentoring sessions with the world’s most in-demand startup mentors.

Mentor

Smash Cactus Media

Captivate your audience with our meticulously crafted ad creatives that seamlessly blend creativity and strategy. Elevate your brand's message with content that leave a lasting impression and drive tangible results.

MediaCom

Paid Social Associate Director

Adidas Group / / /
Digital Strategy, Planning, Execution, Analysis, Client/ Team Management, Branding and eCommerce.

Paid Social Manager

Jellyfish

Paid Social Media Specialist

Chalk Global

Clients: UGG, Universal Music, Creed, French Connection, Swarovski

Digital Account Manager

Upbeat Agency

Facebook Ads Manager

Studiospares Ltd

Ecommerce Marketing Manager

Want to scale your brand to $100k+/mo with TikTok Shop?👋

TikTok Shop Partner scaling 7-9 figure brands on TikTok Shop

Over the past two years, I've generated over $80,000,000 on TikTok for some of your favorite brands.

A few of our current and past clients include:
- Divi
- SNOW
- Stars + Honey
- Surreal
- Style Edit
- Thread Beauty
- PLIX

This success isn't just luck—it's about understanding the platform, pushing boundaries, and being unafraid to test what works.

Brands used to doubt TikTok's ROI potential, but that's never been the case. With TikTok Shop, the ROI is clearer than ever.

If you're ready to create a whole new revenue channel with TikTok, here's how I can help:

1. Follow me on LinkedIn for daily TikTok Shop insights (scroll up and hit the bell to get notified).

2. Download my FREE TikTok Shop Workbook (DM me "Workbook").

3. Want my agency to manage your TikTok Shop? (DM me "Support" and I'll share the details).

Glad you dropped by. 
To your success!

Most brands think the UK and the US behave the same on TikTok Shop.

They don’t.

And that misunderstanding is killing their growth.

UK brands are slower to adopt, slower to approve, and slower to scale.

Not because the platform is worse, but because the mindset is.

If you follow UK rules in a US-level opportunity, you lose.

Here is what actually separates the 2 markets right now:

US creators take TikTok Shop seriously,
UK creators treat it like a side quest.

US brands send 800 samples in a month,
UK brands debate 150 for three weeks.

US sellers build creator communities early,
UK sellers wait until they are “ready”.

US teams adopt Discord with no friction,
UK teams still think it is “too complicated”.

US brands commit real ad spend,
UK brands want proof before they invest.

US moves with speed,
UK moves with permission.

The platform is not what makes the difference, the behavior does.

We grew brands in both regions, and the gap is wider than most founders realise.

If you want the full UK vs US breakdown, comment “breakdown” and I’ll send it.

Helping 8+ Figure Brands Win on TikTok Shop | CEO of Social Tale | Speaker | Social Commerce Growth Expert | DM for growth, audits, or collabs

"Charge low until you prove yourself."

Worst advice I've ever heard in the agency space.

When you charge too low for pitching to bigger brands, they don't see the full value.

Then it's nearly impossible to raise your prices later.

You've locked yourself into low margins for years.

Maybe that's fine as a solo freelancer.

But when you want to grow, you're stuck.

Instead, charge what you believe you're worth.

Break down the components.

Show them exactly what they're getting for the cost.

Then let your delivery prove you were right.

This approach does something else, too.

It allows you to hire A-players from day one, instead of scrambling to find those who can "just get the job done."

Your pricing dictates your quality.
Your quality dictates your clients.
Your clients dictate your business.

Don't trap yourself at the bottom.

$165K in 7 days.

That's what one of our clients did in the first week of BFCM.

Everyone thinks BFCM is won in November.

It's not.

It's won in September.

BFCM on TikTok Shop isn't a sprint.

It's the finish line of a 90-day marathon.

The brands crushing it right now didn't start prepping last week.

They started in September when everyone else was sleeping.

Momentum takes time to build.

But when it hits, it compounds fast.

If you want your brand ready for Q1 (yes, Q1), DM me "2026" and I'll walk you through what to start doing today.

I’m excited to announce...

I’ll be taking the stage at Affiliate World in Bangkok

📍 Dates: December 3–4, 2025

My session: The Brutal Truth About What Actually Works on TikTok Shop 🚀

What you’ll learn:

✅ The “Reboot Campaign”
✅ Hidden Costs That Wreck TikTok Shop
✅ Why most brands fail on TikTok Shop (and how to fix it)

🔥 Why Affiliate World Conferences is a MUST-ATTEND:

• The #1 Performance Marketing Conference in the world
• 7,000+ attendees from 110+ countries 
• 35+ expert speakers (I’ll be one of them 👋🏾)
• 300+ exhibitors with the latest tools and tech
• Endless networking, learning, and fun with top marketers in the game

If you’re serious about scaling and want to stay ahead of where the industry’s headed…

You should be in the room.

I’ve got a few ticket discount links if you still haven’t grabbed yours yet

If you’re going, let me know so we can connect.

See you in Bangkok!

25 video hooks that drive TikTok Shop sales:

(Your next 7-figure month starts with the right hook)

1. POV: you just discovered a product that solves [daily problem]
2. Unboxing my [product category] haul from TikTok Shop
3. 5 must-haves under $50 that actually work
4. De-influencing [expensive product] (and what to buy instead)
5. POV: you're a [target customer persona] and this changed everything
6. My everyday essentials that are worth the hype
7. POV: this product just made your life 10x easier
8. You saw the [trending product] and now your cart is full
9. Things I didn't know I needed until TikTok showed me
10. This solves a problem you didn't know you had
11. [Product name] vs [cheaper alternative] - honest comparison
12. Watch me use this for a week straight (results)
13. POV: you finally bought the thing everyone's talking about
14. I tested viral products so you don't have to
15. This one thing replaced 5 products I used to buy
16. Before and after using [product] for 30 days
17. The [product] your FYP has been hiding from you
18. I was skeptical until I tried it myself
19. This is what [price point] gets you on TikTok Shop
20. POV: you stopped scrolling because this actually works
21. Showing my [partner/friend/mom] this viral product
22. I bought the dupe and here's what happened
23. The only [product category] you'll ever need
24. This did what [expensive brand] couldn't
25. POV: you're about to save this and forget to buy it

Bookmark this 🔖

I almost didn't post my first piece of content on LinkedIn.

I was worried about what people would think.

Friends from school. 
People I used to work with. 
Anyone who knew me before I started the agency.

I kept thinking:

“What are they going to think about this?”

In those first few posts, I was genuinely worried.

Rewrote it, then didn’t post it.

I was scared of the judgment.

But then I just said screw it and hit post.

And you know what happened?

I got over it really quickly.

Because I realized something important:

It doesn't really matter what they think.

The people who matter don't mind.

And the people who mind don't matter.

Once I understood that, everything changed.

I stopped worrying about old school friends scrolling past my posts.

I stopped caring if someone thought I was "too much" or "showing off."

I just focused on sharing what I know about TikTok Shop and helping brands 
scale.

And that's when things actually started moving.

If you're holding back from posting because you're worried about what people 
will think:

Just start.

You'll get over it faster than you think.

And the people who actually matter will support you.

Your first 3 seconds on TikTok Shop can break or make your product.

A high-converting video shows:

- The frustration (make them feel it)
- The product solving it (demo in action)
- A real person using it (not scripted)
- The transformation (satisfying result)

Brands that nail this formula are doing 6-7 figures on TikTok Shop.

Most brands think creating content that sells is a straight line.

Set a goal, create content, and make sales.

But here's what actually happens when you're building TikTok Shop content:

You set a goal to hit $100K on TikTok Shop.

1) You start reaching out to creators.

Half don't respond. The ones that do want samples.

2) You're learning what hooks actually work.

What you thought would convert doesn't.

3) You start doubting if TikTok Shop is even worth it.

Your first 20 videos get decent views but zero sales.

4) You're failing to get traction.

Competitors are posting similar products and crushing it.

5) You're practicing what works.

Different angles, Flash Sales.

6) You feel lost because nothing's consistent yet.

One video does $5K, the next 10 do nothing.

7) You're getting it.

You find 3 creators who actually move product.

They are not the easiest to work with, but when you find that 1% it’s all worth it.

8) Then you're struggling with a new problem.

Fulfillment can't keep up.

You're out of stock on your best SKU.

9) Finally, you achieve it.

Consistent daily sales.

A creator network that posts weekly.

Momentum that compounds.

The brands that win aren't the ones who avoid the mess.

They're the ones who push through it while everyone else quits.

And set the assigned budget for TikTok Shop for 12 months, not 3.

----

♻️ Repost, bookmark, or share with your network if you found this post helpful.

Follow me, Ashley Wright, for practical insights on TikTok Shop and eCom growth.

What content to create on TikTok Shop at each stage (to maximize sales):

TOFU (scrolling, not buying yet):

- product demos solving a specific problem
- “day in the life" content showing real use
- zero sales pitch in first 3 seconds
- hook focuses on the problem, not your brand
- soft CTAs like "wait for it" or "watch till the end"

These people aren't ready to buy today. 

Stop forcing the sale.

MOFU (considering it):

- comparison content (you vs alternatives)
- creator testimonials showing real results
- before/after transformations
- address objections directly (price, shipping, does it actually work)
- CTAs focus on "see it in action" or "check the reviews"

BOFU (ready to convert):

- product page tours showing exactly how to buy
- bundle breakdowns with clear pricing
- scarcity hooks ("only X left" or "sale ends tonight")
- creator codes and exclusive discounts
- Lives showing checkout process in real-time

Run cold traffic TOFU content. Retarget scrollers with MOFU. Convert warm audience with BOFU Lives and urgency posts.

Most brands push product links to cold traffic and wonder why their GMV is flat.

Everyone tells you to "take your time and don't rush."

Then you wonder why you're outperformed by your competitors and why they're taking your market share.

I've never agreed with this because I've always believed in the "just do it" approach like Nike.

You can fix things along the way.

But you can't fix momentum you never built.

When you're planning 3, 5, 10-year goals, ask yourself:

Why can't you condense that into one year?

The buffer you think you're creating is actually killing your business.

You want to be ahead of the herd.

Whether you're doing it right or wrong, you'll figure it out faster by moving.

Stop waiting for perfect.

Start building now.

One of our US beauty clients just cracked $100K in a single month.

$107K in GMV to be exact.

Up 15% from September.

1,828 orders.
2,515 items sold.
1,768 customers.

Most beauty brands think you need to go viral to hit six figures on TikTok Shop.

You don't.

You need consistent creator output and offers that convert.

This brand didn't have a single mega-viral moment in October.

Just steady volume.
Multiple creators posting daily.
Products that actually solve problems.

The algorithm rewards consistency.

If you're a brand stuck under $50K/month and want to break through to six figures, DM me "Scale" and I'll show you the exact framework we used here.

From award-winner to the top-selling body-care brand on TikTok Shop in 2024.

In late 2023, Maëlys, a premium body-care brand, entered a platform many assumed was built for cheap impulse buys.

By the end of 2024, they became the top-selling body-care brand on TikTok Shop, took home the 2025 Glossy Pop Award for Best Use of TikTok Shop, and ranked as a top-five earning Shop in the personal care category in Q1 2025.

During one campaign, they drove an 800 percent increase in total orders, with 87 percent of customers being first-time buyers.

Here’s how they pulled it off:

1. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗲𝗮𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀

Most brands pay influencers for polished reviews.

Maëlys built a system around real women sharing their journeys.

They spotlighted creators documenting visible changes in stretch marks, loose skin, and other body-targeting concerns.

This wasn’t about curated aesthetics.

It was about proof, and proof converts.

2. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆

Instead of relying on standard affiliate commissions, they rolled out an incentive program with prizes valued at up to $275,000.

Top creators weren’t just earning revenue.

They were competing for a Ritz-Carlton yacht experience and luxury handbags.

This turned creators into true partners and unlocked high-quality content at scale.

3. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲

Maëlys built a three-part system documented in TikTok’s official case study:

• Organic content for trust
• Paid media to scale winning creatives
• Creator partnerships for social proof

Organic content de-risked ad spend.

Ad spend amplified creator performance.

Together, they created a growth flywheel.

4. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺

Even while dominating TikTok, Maëlys expanded the moment offline.

They went live with a digital billboard in Times Square and ran a TikTok Shop-exclusive 30 percent discount to create urgency.

This wasn’t just a Shop strategy.

It was a full-funnel brand play.

---

Maëlys proved that premium, considered-purchase brands can win on TikTok Shop.

They understood that TikTok isn’t only a sales channel. It’s a community.

They didn’t sell body cream. They sold confidence.

And they built the system to scale it.

She went live on TikTok & made $2,000,000 in 1 day.

Meet Stormi Steele, founder of Canvas Beauty.

The woman who broke TikTok Shop’s Black Friday record.

Here’s how she did it (and how you can steal the playbook):

During Black Friday 2024, Stormi hosted a single TikTok LIVE that changed everything.

$2M+ in total sales. $1M in the first 2 hours.

TikTok's biggest LIVE shopping event ever, all from one stream.

Just her, the product, and people ready to buy.

The formula was simple:

Show, don't tell.

1. She demonstrated results live.
2. Answered questions as they came in.
3. Offered bundles you could only get right then.

Shopping stopped feeling like a chore and started feeling like an event.

But here's what most people miss:

Canvas Beauty didn't get lucky.
They built a creator ecosystem.

Beauty creators earned commissions promoting Canvas on their own LIVEs.

Exclusive bundles only existed inside the TikTok Shop.

Every stream felt like a show, not a sales pitch.

This tapped into what TikTok actually wants.

People don't want ads.

They want authentic experiences that feel personal and fun.

Canvas mastered selling without feeling like they were selling.

When Black Friday hit, the system was already running:

• Creators promoting.
• LIVEs scheduled.
• Bundles ready.

One viral LIVE turned into millions.

From 2022 to now, Canvas has gone from a small, self-funded brand to one of TikTok Shop's top sellers.

TikTok Shop isn't about hoping something goes viral.

It’s about:

• Building trust.
• Going live consistently.
• Making every stream an event.
• Leveraging creators who move product.

It works if you know how to apply it.

Stormi didn't wait for ads to work.

She made TikTok Shop her storefront, and crushed it.

One of our UK clients in the beauty niche affiliate sales did over £50K in GMV in October.

Up 29% from September.

We doubled down this month:

• 927 videos posted.
• 539 LIVE streams.

The brands winning right now are the ones that went all in on creator volume.

If you want to see this kind of MoM growth for your brand, DM me "TikTok Shop" and I'll walk you through the exact process we used here.

3 weeks until BFCM — and if your ad strategy isn’t ready, this is your 
MakeUGC V.2 crash plan.

======

Week 1 (Nov 1–7): Build Creative Momentum

Forget new shoots — focus on what you can control.

Use MakeUGC V.2 (Sora2 Pro, Veo3.1, Kling) to generate UGC ads fast.

Post 3–5 videos per day on your brand account.

AI ads take time to train the algorithm, so what you post now will peak right before BFCM.

Test everything:

→ Different hooks
→ Product angles
→ Emotional storylines

Let the AI agents analyze performance and identify your early winners automatically.

======

Week 2 (Nov 8–14): Double Down on Winners

By now, you’ll know what’s driving clicks and conversions.

Feed that data into the AI agents — they’ll brief MakeUGC automatically.

Veo3.1 will refine pacing, Kling adds realism, and Sora2 Pro builds cinematic versions of your best ads.

Start running paid campaigns behind your top creatives ($100–200/day each).

Bundle products and tease BFCM drops with suspense-driven videos.

======

Week 3 (Nov 15–21): Full Send Mode

Post 3–5 videos daily minimum.

Scale spend on the top 10% of creatives.

Run daily countdown lives or short urgency clips.

AI agents will handle trend adaptation, fresh hooks, and real-time testing — so you can focus on fulfillment and scaling.


You won’t build a 7-figure funnel in three weeks.

But you CAN build a profitable one — if you start executing now.

RT + comment “V2” and I’ll send you the full BFCM ad playbook.

(follow for dm)

Most brands build TikTok Shop bundles wrong.

They throw products together and hope it works.

Here's the bundle structure that actually converts:

𝟭) 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗼 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗕𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗹𝗲

Pick your best-selling product.

Add 2-3 complementary items that make sense together.

Not your entire catalog.

Example:

• Skincare brand: Serum + moisturizer + face roller
• Supplement brand: Main product + travel size + shaker bottle

People buy bundles when they see clear value, not when you're dumping random products together.

𝟮) 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲

Your bundle needs to feel like a deal without killing margins.

Here's what works:

• Individual products: $100 total
• Bundle price: $70-75
• 25-30% off is the sweet spot.
• Anything less feels weak.

Anything more kills your profit after TikTok fees and creator commissions.

𝟯) 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗛𝗼𝗼𝗸

This is what most brands miss.

Your bundle commission needs to be aggressive enough that creators want to push it.

30-40% minimum for BFCM bundles.

But would you rather do $10K at 40% margin or $100K at 20% margin?

𝟰) 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗔𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲

Make it TikTok Shop exclusive.

Not available on your site.
Not available on Amazon.
Only inside TikTok Shop.

This gives creators something unique to talk about.

"You can only get this bundle here."

That's the angle that moves people from scrolling to buying.

𝟱) 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗟𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿

Limited quantity or limited time.

Pick one.

"Only 500 bundles available for BFCM." or "This bundle disappears November 30th."

Scarcity drives action.

Without it, people save your video and forget about it.

What NOT to do:

• Build 10 different bundles.
• Pick 1-2 hero bundles max.
• Include products nobody wants just to clear inventory.
• Set the commission too low.

If your bundles aren't built yet, build them now.

---

♻️ Repost, bookmark, and share with your network if you found this helpful.

Follow me, Ashley Wright, for practical insights on TikTok Shop and eCom growth.

If I could talk to myself five years ago, I'd say one thing:

Just keep going.

It's going to happen eventually.

I followed Gary Vee from the early days.

"Keep going. Keep putting in the work."

My mentality was simple:

If I keep trying, I'll eventually get there.

Years later, Hormozi said the same thing:

"Just don't stop. If you don't stop, you'll find a way."

You might have to shift directions.
You might have to pivot.

But if you don't quit, you'll figure it out.

You're not out of the game until you decide you are.

The content you post this week will make or break your Black Friday.

Most brands think they can drop content on November 20th and watch the sales roll in.

They can't.

TikTok needs at least 30 days to build algorithm traction.

Content posted 30 days before a sale performs better than content dropped at the last minute.

The platform needs time to learn what converts.

By Black Friday, the algorithm already knows:

• Which videos drive purchases.
• Which creators move the product.
• Which hooks convert browsers into buyers.

This is what winning brands are doing right now:

• They're posting 1-2 times daily.
• Testing hooks.
• Testing offers.
• Testing creators.
• Building momentum.

When BFCM arrives, the algorithm knows exactly what to push.

If your content doesn't have 2-3 weeks of momentum behind it, you're invisible.

So start posting today.

By November 22nd, you'll have 3 weeks of data telling you exactly what works.

"I'm probably getting fired for this."

This hook works insanely well for Black Friday.

People love feeling like they're in on a secret.

When a creator posts your BFCM deal early with a "leaked codes" or "you didn't see this from me" angle, it doesn't feel like marketing.

It feels exclusive, like they're getting access to something they shouldn't have yet.

How to use this:

Give your top 3-5 creators early access to your BFCM bundles.

Tell them to post it with angles like:

• "I'm not supposed to show this yet, but..."
• "Black Friday deal leaked early."
• "Delete this before my brand partner sees it."
• "You didn't get this from me."

Try these and see your Black Friday sales explode.

I used to spend 70+ hours a month building decks and proposals.

Between client meetings, audits, and speaking gigs, I was drowning in slide design.

Then I started using Gamma's consultant prompts, and it's been a game-changer.

Now I'm delivering better work in a fraction of the time.

What makes it different from other tools?

Gamma studied 3.5 million presentations and built a library of 100+ optimized prompts specifically for consultants (plus sales, marketing, education, and more).

They follow a proven 30-word formula for clarity and visual storytelling, so every deck looks polished and professional without the manual work.

Now, I'm creating presentations in under an hour that used to take me a full day.

That's 85-90% time savings.

With 70 million users and 700K decks created daily, there's a reason Gamma works.

They've cracked the code on what makes presentations actually effective.

If you're still building slides from scratch, check this out: 

https://lnkd.in/emggCMRZ

#gammapartner

secret prompts

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• WHAT I DO: 
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• HOW I DO IT: 
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Caleb Frankel, Founder of EarlyBird

"We've gone from an unknown brand in the space to one that is thought of as a market leader, competing with NerdWallet. We've seen our site traffic increase from nothing to 70,000 organic visitors per month in 16 months."

——————————————

Kathryn Kosmides, Propel PLM:

"These are some of the greatest results I've seen coming from a backlinking campaign"

Jeremy Moser

When the CMO at Semrush (Andrew Warden) tells you backlinks matter and influence visibility, you listen. 

Links = more visibility in AI models, by whatever category you want to place it in.

This shouldn't be a shocking revelation given LLMs and AI are… pulling data from search engines and spitting it back out to you in conversational formats.

Platforms may shift but the core of marketing has been the same for an unfathomable amount of time.

It’s not that complicated.

Acquire exceptional links and you will rank better in traditional search and have massive AI visibility. 

Links are and have always been king.

Yes, other optimization tactics and strategies help and work. But links are still the 80/20 of results in both traditional SEO and AI visibility. 

Authority >

Peace ✌

CEO @ uSERP — The Link Building Agency You Hire When ROI is Priority #1 | Forbes 30 under 30

I posted this on Linkedin 2 years ago. 

And it still reigns true today…


I truly cannot count the amount of companies I spoke to 2-3 years ago (I’ve done, not exaggerating, thousands of sales calls as founder of my agency) who said something along the lines of:

“We’re not doing SEO because ChatGPT.” 

That was two years ago! And guess what? Those brands are either defunct or barely afloat, getting crushed by competitors.

Ironic, too, as their chief hesitation was actually dead-wrong: SEO and LLMs go hand in hand.

If they simply did great SEO for the last two years, they'd be reaping the rewards of AI visibility as we speak. Instead, they now have no SEO and no AI presence. 

Ouch.

All the brands that just kept plugging away at SEO with us, or new brands that started SEO with us 2 years ago despite the AI hype at the time, are crushing it with BOTH traditional SEO and AEO. 

There will ALWAYS be a news blurb, a hype cycle, a shiny object, a reason to convince yourself not to invest in SEO.

Back then it was TikTok searches on the rise. Before that it was voice search. Before that it was a billion other reasons. 

Yet the folks who simply ignored that have been laughing all the way to the bank. They are lining their pockets, growing their business valuations, and driving record profits as you spend years fussing over the decision to finally invest in the channel. 

And in that time, they’ve had years and years of effort to built a moat, competitor free. 

Inaction is crushing your business. Spending months to years toiling over investing $10k/mo in the channel is costing you $100k/mo in lost revenue.

The longer you continue to wait, the harder it will be to capture SEO and AI visibility. 

If you’re sitting there making the same mistake these brands did years ago, now realizing that good AI SEO is 95% simply doing good traditional SEO, you must be kicking yourself.

Stop trying to be the 0.001% stock trader by timing the market. You can’t. It’s about TIME IN THE MARKET. 

You are likely flushing cash down the drain monthly on plenty of tools, services, and expenses that aren’t driving any ROI.

Shift those areas of waste into SEO, stick with it for the next year, and watch as your revenue climbs.

I recently dove into Semrush One… and it’s an absolute GOLDMINE when it comes to search and AI visibility. 

It pulls up the exact prompt you are looking at, displaying the most common ChatGPT response to that prompt, as well as an exact breakdown of the brands mentioned and sources cited. 

It also tells you exactly how ChatGPT arrived at that conclusion and what data it sourced. 

Meaning your job is now to turn those sources into link building and brand mention targets – get your brand cited on those Source domains and you’ll start showing up for that core prompt. 

Rinse and repeat for all prompts in the tool for your brand. 

Purpose-built for how people search, Semrush One gives you visibility across every channel, AI or SEO. 

I am seriously blown away by how great this is.

Optimizing for LLMs isn’t as complicated as many folks on LinkedIn will have you believe. 

If you want to be visible in AI search, prioritize optimizing for ChatGPT first. Why? 

• ChatGPT owns 90% of the LLM market share 
• It has 10% of the total organic search right now
• If you’re already doing good SEO practices, you should be solid in Gemini and AI Overviews

My AI SEO approach… 

1.Look for prompts where you’re not showing up. 
2.See which URLs your competitors are appearing with. If you have a similar URL, optimize it. If you don’t, create it. 

LLM adoption will continue to increase in 2026. 

The best way to stand out in all the AI noise? Have a good brand, build a good product, create good content, show up where your audience is, and the rest will follow.

Here are 11 SEO & AEO tactics that are working right now for 100+ of my clients: 




1.) Comparison content. Comparing X brand to Y brand. Listing + reviewing multiple brands in a “best of” list while adding your brand into the conversation. Not only is Google showing more of this intent in SERPs, LLMs are citing these VERY often in decision making for buying conversations.

2.) Make your knowledge base content center discoverable, optimized, and indexed. Create conversational long-tail pages that read like follow-up QAs from LLM chats.
 
3.) LLMs in my testing are more frequently citing sources for research-stage content, even at the very basic informational level. While you can’t expect clicks or direct ROI tied to this, there is a strong correlation in our 100+ clients in regard to authoritative informational content + rankings for BOFU terms.

4.) Good backlinks. And I mean VERY GOOD backlinks. DR scores and traffic are ok metrics, but they are often gamed. Is the site actually good. Do you know the brand. Do they get cited as a source in LLMs often? Do they rank organically for competitive terms? That’s a good domain. DR90 but ranks for nothing? Bogus. The former are the only links worth getting or you’re simply burning budget.
 
5.) Getting seen in Google and chat often comes down to how many Qs a page answers. If you cover the conversational questions others skip, you will see ranking improvements. 

6.) Build and engage in communities online authentically. Stop trying to spam reddit with bogus accounts, that is not going to improve AI visibility, and you can’t scale it. 

7.) Land listicle mentions on 3rd party sites that rank services, products, and solutions in your space. Specifically on LLM cited pages for a dual channel impacts. 

8.) Similar to 7, reverse-engineer citations for buying conversations on LLMs in your space and use those as link building targets — again, a double benefit of traditional SEO and AEO

9.) Increase branded search as much as possible. The more direct searches for your brand name, the stronger the correlation with SEO rankings and AEO citations. Correlation does not equal causation but there is a monstrous correlation between branded search volume + ability to rank fast for competitive keywords, AND for Ai visibility in market, too.

10.) Stop focusing on “keyword difficulty”, crazy outdated metric that ain’t gonna do much for you, and look at topic authority. What pages and topic clusters rank well for you in comparison to others? Focus on those and triple down, you can rank in these spaces with far less authority and effort. 
 
11.) Less content pages, more page depth. AEO “topics” are dense clusters of questions. Instead of creating dozens of pages targeting varying questions, create one dense page answering all similarly grouped questions based on intent. 

Just a glimpse of a few things that are working and mutually impact both your traditional SEO efforts and Ai visibility efforts, too. 

Cheers ✌️

I’ve used 100s of SEO + content tools over the last few years… 

Only a few are truly worth the money. 

Here’s a roundup of 7 Black Friday deals that I’ll be shopping this year: 

1. All in One SEO (AIOSEO) — Up to 65% off Pro plans
2. Kinsta® — 6 months free off any plan
3. SE Ranking — 20% off all annual subscriptions 
4. Riverside — 35% off yearly Pro, Live, and Webinar plans. Code: BF2025.
5. Mangools — 35% off any SEO plan + 50% off LLM rank tracking when you bundle. 
6. Taplio (lemlist) — 30% off all plans. Code: BF30. 
7. SEO Power Plays - DM me to get access to our exclusive holiday sponsorships deals. 

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7 Best Black Friday Deals for Marketers

Very few understand SEO at all, let alone AEO, LLMs.

I've had dozens of leads from top brands message me saying...

"We're not interested in authority links. We want more offsite citations."

That's a real, verbatim quote. 

This is one of the biggest problems with AEO right now. 

Too many grifters are spewing new jargon-heavy terms, rebranding what already exists and works to appease C-suite execs trying to capture lightning in a bottle from the latest shiny object. 

Offsite citations...that is just link building, brand mention building, forum discussions, unclaimed mentions, etc, repackaged. 

These tactics are off-page SEO fundamentals 101.

I've been building links on "best XYZ" listicles for a decade because it worked. And it still works, and is now critically important in showing up in conversational searches with LLMs, too.

Heck, LLMs will literally give you a source list to show the decision making process. Those "citations" are your link building targets.

Shocker, there is overlap and certain strategies benefit efforts on both platforms!

These platforms are symbiotic, not mutually exclusive. This is not a zero sum game. You don't "ditch the old SEO for AI". They work together (or should) in your strategy now. 

And this is great news!!

If you are being sold the idea that "old SEO is gone" and "new SEO is AI" you are being sold an oceanfront property in Arizona. Doesn't exist. 

Conversely, if you are being sold the idea that AI is a fad and won't stick around, the same holds true.

Without any organic, traditional SEO presence, you are almost never going to show up in LLM conversations. 

And without an effort to impact and increase your AI visibility, you are going to hinder brand presence and share of voice on a platform that your users are engaging with. 

Good SEO benefits AI visibility. And AI efforts return the benefit back. 

Why is the current narrative pitting these two platforms against each other as if you should ignore one in favor of the other and expect to win in todays market? 

You can do both, folks. 

In fact, you are already doing (though not maximizing) AEO if you simply are doing the same SEO you did last month. 

This one-or-the-other narrative is getting tiresome. 

The brands that rightfully treat these efforts as symbiotic will win in 2026.

“We can’t find good link builders!”

...caps budget at $350 a link and picks the cheapest firm.

People want elite links, especially since top-tier links increase LLM citations heavily, BUT they don’t want to pay what elite links actually cost.

So they force link builders to cram high quality work into a price ceiling they decided was “fair” (made up in their mind) — without ever spending a single day trying to earn links themselves 🙃

Let’s break down what a $300–$500 max per link actually gets you...

Because here’s what real link building actually costs, from someone who has done this for a decade and scaled it from a few links per week to 100+ clients doing high volume, high quality links. 

I know the math, the COGS, all by heart. It's literally my business to know it.

1. Running SEO software (that isn’t cheap and goes up in cost weekly at this point) to analyze the niche and opportunities

2. Building a vetted list of credible, authoritative, non-competing sites — again, using more paid software

3. Using pricey, credit-based tools to find accurate emails for those targets, then using another pricey credit-based tool to clean the list and ensure no spam

4. Using more paid outreach tools to send targeted campaigns, spinning up multiple domains, multiple G-suites (more money, yay!)

5. Paying a very good copywriter to craft the outreach and sequences (more money, yay!)

6. Reviewing responses and re-qualifying sites (half will be link farms or demand cash)

7. If accepted, spending an hour researching their site to pitch 5–10 viable topics

8. Once approved, creating a content brief with more expensive tools (yay!)

9. Paying a subject matter expert writer to produce a quality 2,000+ word article (this alone costs more already than the max per link ceiling most people randomly make up in their head as "fair" LOL)

10. Going through 1–3 rounds of edits because great sites actually care about the content they publish (if yours don't, you are getting absolute trash can quality links 🙃)

10.5 Hoping the link stays live — and eating the loss if the publisher removes it...think of a grocery store, some foods go rotten and you must account for that as inevitable losses on your balance sheet, link builders do the same. 

That's all for 1 type of link building and doesn't price in connections with journalists, publishers, etc, that have been fostered for 10yrs: priceless.

Yet most people cap their budget at $300–$500 because that number “feels fair”…

…then complain they aren’t getting Forbes-level placements.

If you want a 2,500-word editorial masterpiece on the best site, perfectly contextualized to link back to you, it won't be cheap.

And that's the point and the value: it's HARD AS HECK to get.

Which is EXACTLY why top-tier links drive rankings: not everyone can simply snap their fingers and get one.

Going to build links? Quality is the goal. Stop stressing quantity + cost per link. 10 links from top domains > 500 links from OK domains.

"SEO changes fast. Google updates their algorithm daily…”

False.

Google’s algorithm “changes” daily (or so they say…), but SEO does not change fast. 

For example, links are still the #1 factor. Have been forever. 

Want to rank for high level business keywords? Almost impossible without good links.

The websites that have won in the past and will continue to win in the blended Google and AI future have done 4 distinct things...


1. Created an easy to navigate, organized, fast website with a positive user experience (technical SEO)

2. Created interesting, truly helpful content from a subject matter expert angle that matches the intent of the researcher (content) 

3. Promoted that content to earn links, mentions, citations, build authority, and grow their brand in the eyes of consumers (link building / pr / brand)

4. Did the above steps for a LONG time and did not ever stop putting budget behind it due to fear of algorithm updates 

We tend to overcomplicate SEO.

Yes, algorithms do change, for example quality links have become more important than just links overall, but the core foundations of SEO don't. 

You can give yourself stress and anxiety by reading SEO news, or you can just tune it out and put your nose to the grindstone and actually do the work that will always be needed.

Thanksgiving table checklist today 🦃🥧:

✔ Turkey
✔ Mashed potatoes
✔ Family
✔ Someone inevitably asking what "link building" and "SEO" are
✔ Me giving a 40-minute TED Talk on importance of authority backlinks
✔ Grandma whispering "since you're so good at the internet, can you fix my phone?"

Weekends are built for:

✅ Time with friends and family
✅ Long walks outside
✅ Recharging your batteries
❌ But then you remember your backlink profile needs help
❌ And suddenly you’re three espresso shots deep, analyzing anchor text ratios instead of touching grass

If I were Director of SEO at a $50m SaaS with a $50k/mo budget, here’s how I’d spend it to drive pipeline:

 • $20K – Quality link building

Still the most underused lever in SaaS. Now more important than ever with its massive impact on LLM and AI visibility. 

You won't beat competitors' LLM share of voice without top-tier links. 

In 2025, search visibility is a combo of Google rankings AND citations in ChatGPT, etc. When you ask LLMs about "best XYZ solution" they are pulling sources. You need to show up on those sources. Aka link building.

Focus on:
 - Editorial links in relevant content 
 - Links on "source" URLs for LLMs
 - Podcast placements
 - Quote outreach 

I’ve seen this strategy play out repeatedly with our clients at uSERP. Link velocity + smart targeting = compounding rankings and more AI inclusion. We even do this for ourselves and get many sales qualified leads per month from ChatGPT now.

 • $10K – High-quality, SEO-driven content (3–4 pieces/month)

Content is still the engine, but volume isn’t the strategy. Every piece needs to drive revenue or reinforce a core funnel motion. Prioritize BoFu and decision-stage content with embedded video, smart internal linking, and strong CTAs.

We made this switch with client content, going from high volume 50 per month to just a few per month that spoke directly to the ideal customer profile with authority. Guess what? More SQLs than ever before. 

Stop spending ~$500 an article. Spend 3-4x that per article and actually see its impact. 

I’d also invest in original studies since these are link magnets and keep bringing in revenue long after its initial investment.

 • $5K – AEO

This is where most SaaS companies are behind. LLMs are a popular tool for discovery, but most content isn’t optimized to show up.

I’d rework key pages with:
 - Structured TL;DRs
 - Semantic formatting
 - Question-based headers
 - Schema markup
 - Quote-worthy language

 • $10K – Founder + employee content

Build a light async workflow to produce LinkedIn posts, prep short-form clips, and turn founder POVs into weekly newsletters. It builds authority, attracts talent, and feeds the pipeline.

It can be as simple as sharing what you’re doing to grow your company or your clients’ companies. 

Next, get your team involved, too. Encourage them to share their expertise. Team-level posting is compound interest. 

 • $5K – Video

 Turn top performing content into video explainers, walkthroughs, reels, and testimonials. It keeps people on your site longer and multiplies distribution without creating new assets from scratch.

Also, tons of high-value keywords are getting 1st page video placements – get there first and you can rank faster with video AND content. Double-win.

What would you add in if it was your budget to spend? Let me know 👇

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The Battle

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