Lara Acosta

Entrepreneur and investor building businesses online | Featured on Forbes, Kajabi + Semrush | Helped 3,000+ people build their personal brand.

Everyone wants to build a personal brand, and I figured out how.

With over 20M+ impressions, 300,000 followers across socials, and multiple 6 figures made, I can show you how you can build one too (without spending years figuring out how)

In 2022: I was unemployed and trying to get into a master's degree - downloaded LinkedIn
In 2023: I became #1 female creator on LinkedIn by building my personal brand and agency
In 2024: I'm building the best education platform to teach people exactly how to do it

Helped, coached and worked with 500+ build contents systems, increase engagement, improve their writing and beyond using proven strategies that worked for me. 

Here's how I can help you:

1. Subscribe to my YouTube (It's free, and better than people's paid courses!)
2. Join 15,100+ amazing people and subscribe to my newsletter. 
3. Join 500+ members inside Literallyacademy.com

And if you're not ready for either! Welcome to my profile anyway, I talk about writing, storytelling,  personal branding and tell a lot of stories.

See you on the feed 💖

Sponsorships + booking : mary@ladigitalmx.com

Founder

I spent the last 90 days testing every LinkedIn hack. 

Here's what actually works in 2026 (for any niche):

Everyone is talking about the "new" LinkedIn algorithm.
But I just see it as more of the same, but 10x more specific.

I've grown brands from 0-100,000 followers here.
Grown my own to 300,000+ in the same time.

Mastered every format here, and helped others too.

And there are 3 core elements you need to implement:

1. Hyper-specific content (3x a week)

• Solve one exact problem per post
• Use industry language your clients use
• Speak directly to one person

Jake Ward mastered this for "boring" SEO.
Built kleo.so to $60kmrr  as a result of exactly that 

Alex Vacca mastered this for GTM.
Scaled his business to $6M ARR too

Their content is hyper-specific but simple.

Clients want to work with them because they get it.
Users want to engage with them because they simplify it.

2. Proof-First Content

80% tactical step-by-step frameworks and screenshots.
20% stories on how you're doing it (use stories)

The 80% builds trust, the 20% engages them more. 

Educate and storytell. Always both. 

3. LinkedIn Video (let me explain...)

Video reach might be down right now.
But it's the fastest way to prove authority. 

LinkedIn video is ok.
Linkedin Lives? They're a goldmine.

We had a LinkedIn live with 200 people.
Made $10,000 from it. 

People buy from people they trust. Video accelerates this! 

I'd limit these to 2 a month, though, no pressure. 

I left a checklist for you in the image below for you to script your first Linkedin video too btw.

This is the no-bs blueprint for entrepreneurs. 

It's not about more volume, it's about more insights.

Dominating LinkedIn isn't just about virality right now.
It's about building a brand that earns trust.

Keep your focus on your 1 thing. 

The rest will follow.

PS: Who is your favorite "expert-led" creator right now? I want to follow more people! Tag them below! 

PPS: Jan 22nd, I'm walking you through the best way to master these 3 elements in 2026!

join us for free LIVE on the 22nd of January here: https://lnkd.in/eC5sm4cP

We're already at 4,000 sign ups! Come join us! 

See you thursday, love - Lara x

Entrepreneur and investor building businesses online | Featured on Forbes, Kajabi + Semrush | Helped 3,000+ people grow their personal brand and scale their businesses.

I posted on LinkedIn for the first time in 2023 after deleting it for an entire year...it changed my life. 

Here are 12 things that happened since my first post:

 1. Got featured on Forbes 4x times
 2. Became an investor for @Neutonic
 3. Been on my dream podcasts and events
 4. Moved to my dream apartment in London
 5. Built 3x businesses making 6 and 7 figures
 6. Built a community of 310,000 people on here
 7. Sold out a programme in 7 days made $200k
 8. Flew my parents in business class a few times
 9. Became friends with people I used to learn from
10. Scaled an Kleo to multi-6 figures in <4 months
11. Became LinkedIn's #1 Female Creator worldwide
12. Traveled around the world to speak at conferences

The CRAZIEST part? There's nothing special to me.
I was just a student trying to get a job after university.

Turns out that 1 single decision can change your life. 

If you've been waiting for a "sign" here it is. 

Remember my friend: the cost of being invisible is the opportunities you never get access to. 

PS: Drop ONE question you have about LinkedIn growth? 

PPS: I'm hosting a 3-day LIVE FREE challenge for LinkedIn Growth... join me here: https://lnkd.in/e3SHsCjw

Age 18: Couldn't speak in public. Had a stutter.
Age 21: Couldn't pitch myself. Felt insecure. 
Age 23: Couldn't increase my prices. Felt expensive.
Age 25: Built my first 6-figure business. Felt late. 

At 28: I run 3x multi-six and 7-figure businesses.

I speak in front of 1000s weekly (without stuttering.)

I never felt ready to do the things I did to get here.
I didn't wait until I had all the right skills to start.

Instead I: 

Found a hard skill I could learn fast (writing).
Relentlessly studied it and mastered it. 

My self-confidence grew, and so did I in the process. 

You don't lack confidence; you lack repetition. 

To every professional and entrepreneur who relates:

If you can't find a seat at the table. Build your own.

The company is better anyway. Build yourself. 
Don't let confidence and self-doubt stop you. 

Repost ♻️ to inspire others today. 

PS: I'm documenting everything step-by-step here from business to confidence https://lnkd.in/ePmtkSa8! see you there!

"Speak at the London School of Economics, for my dad"

I've had this as a goal for over 3 years. 

Last night, that dream I used to journal about came true.

When I started posting on LinkedIn, I had nothing to talk about. No "big" qualifications. No industry connections.

Just me, poor writing skills and a free LinkedIn account.

Weeks later, I'd gotten my first freelance clients.
Months later, I started building a marketing agency.
A year later it crossed 6-figures while I was at university. 

Not because I had the "perfect" plan.

But because I was willing to go for it without it. 

Post 4x a week about a skill you have.
Comment 10x more than you post (please).
Write about your story, not just what you know. 

That's it, the rest you'll figure out later. 

Start before you "feel" ready. Do it scared.

Make your family proud, just like I did mine. 🫶 

PS: What is your dream, tell me about it!

PPS: I'm hosting a 3-day LIVE FREE challenge for LinkedIn Growth... join me here: https://lnkd.in/e3SHsCjw

We ranked popular business books and got 494k views.

After reading over 200+ business books and building businesses... Timothy and I had VERY honest takes. 

Drop your list of books below so we can rank those next!

PS: Think and Grow Rich will ALWAYS be a staple for me!

pov: our ai startup just hit its first $190k month.

26 days. 1 webinar. 1 huge email campaign + linkedin.

our approach has been dead from day 1 simple:

1. build distribution first (organic linkedin content)
2. turn that into owned traffic (waitlist to email list)
3. build the product in with our users ( early access)
4. fix, test and iterate the product every week
5. pick a launch date (randomly) and promote 
6. send weekly emails pre-launch to warm list up 
7. build a promotion sequence for launch week
8. wrap up with a webinar and make a 1-time offer

this is exactly how we've done it. 

not paid a single penny on ads, marketing or influencers. 
we became our own "influencers" instead. 

crossed $100k 24hrs in. 
grew to $190k weeks later.

and our bets? we can cross $200k before february ends. 

and it's just the beginning... thank you for your support.

ps: we're hiring! if you want to join the Kleo team drop a comment and tell us why you'd like to join us. 

try Kleo here → https://lnkd.in/emEV_GhM

Yes, it's true. The "LinkedIn Algo" has changed... but landing high-ticket clients was never about impressions.

It's about what I call "content-offer" fit.

I learnt this after I grew to 20k followers.
And had no clear monetisation path. 

Viral content. An 'optimized' profile... Few closed deals.

This hurt - I didn't want to be a 'content creator'. 
I wanted to run my content into consistent revenue.

So my content and overall brand had to match my offer.

Here's what I did to land high-ticket clients from posts:

1. My content went from "broad" to "1 person 1 problem" - I spoke about their needs and wants not just me.
   
2. My engagement went from "adding everyone" to "10-15 hyper-personalised connection requests to my ICP.
   
3. My comments and dm's always focused on solving a problem or giving value not just "hey good post". 
   
   ^ this was a life-changer, I still get leads from just that. 
   
4. My "engagement" time went from just commenting on every post to looking at profile views and targeting them. 

Look today, your content is either converting clients or wasting your effort and time pursuing impressions.

The difference between both is content-offer fit.
Not the algorithm, or your "low impressions".

If you want to see me explain this in FULL depth and show you the step-by-step I've just opened my next programme to monetise your LinkedIn as a business owners (starts march 12th) https://lnkd.in/enAsWMSy

PS: Comment "dm" below if you want me to drop a full DM to close masterclass to convert 'lurkers' on Linkedin!

By 27 I built a $1M online business with 89% profit margins using LinkedIn a distribution channel.

Here’s how I’d do it all over again in 2026:

(If you’re not getting leads, this workflow will help you)

I call it the 3-Step AI Lead Gen System.

1. Content that builds trust fast
3. Tools like Apollo to scale outreach
3. Comment + DM strategy to capture intent

The lead-gen game isn’t about inbound vs outbound.

It’s about doing both, well at the same time.

• Build content that creates trust over time.
• Outreach to people who show interest using Apollo.
• Build a sales sequence with it to maximise lead gen.

My agency clients showed me how they are making $100k/mo without 100k followers using those 3 steps.

1. Post weekly educational content to nurture.
2. Use Apollo’s AI Assistant to find warm leads...
3. Build ready-to-message lists in minutes.

Land clients faster, instead of waiting for them.

You don’t need to play the lead gen game on hard mode.
Content builds attention but the right system converts it.

Apollo’s new AI Assistant is in beta and if you want to get access to it before everyone else you can try it out here: https://lnkd.in/eh7icQgH

#ApolloPartner 

PS: I recorded a 20-minute FREE masterclass for this.

Want it? Comment LEADS and i'll send it over now!

I just re-built an entrepreneur's LinkedIn strategy...

And turned Timothy's content into a $1M asset in less than 33 minutes LIVE so you can steal it.

Documented the step by step behind building an algorithm-proof brand that doesn't rely on "trends".

And focuses all on 2 things: attention and conversion.

In 2026 the game isn't how to get more impressions.
The game is how to convert them and grow faster. 

All without changing strategy whenever the algo shifts.

I showed him my LinkedIn system including

1. The Category of 1 Play (to own a market)
2. My Broad-Narrow-Niche Content Framework
3. Turning "ideas" into highly educational content 
4. Engineering viral stories that build engagement
5. How to turn that attention into revenue 

The playbook is there for you to steal.
Now the question is... will you implement it?

Watch the full video here: https://lnkd.in/evRTk2Qp

Probably my favorite strategy video so far.

Enjoy...and don't forget me at the top ;) 

PS: Next week I'm dropping our next session with one of the biggest entrepreneurs in our space... any guesses?

Last time I did this, 8,000 people signed up. 

I'm running a FREE 3-day LinkedIn Content Challenge.

Look I've built multiple 6 and 7 figures using LinkedIn.

Helped 100s of students and clients to the same.

Seen them grow from 0 to 100k followers.
Seen them go from $0 to $100k too.

The blueprint works. 

I'll be covering:

1. How I'm getting my clients to WIN on LinkedIn in 2026.
2. The exact "attention" playbook I use to get clients 
3. How I actually scaled from $10k/mo to $100k/mo

But... this time I'm not "just" teaching.

Every single day, you and I will be building your $100k business using content on LinkedIn LIVE. 

Starting February 26th - I'll be showing you exactly how. 

Register for the 3 Day Live Event here: https://lnkd.in/e3SHsCjw

PS: Comment "fast" below if you want a fast-track for this exact outcome and get started today. 

Over 200+ pages of content already. 100s of documents researched. But only 1 strategy remains true... 

It's time to peel back the curtain.

Connor Gillivan

Scaling my 4 B2B companies w/ SEO. Daily posts about the process. 7x Founder (Exit in 2019).

Hey hey! Thanks for stopping by my profile. Here's a quick tl;dr: 

I've been an entrepreneur since 2009. I've scaled multiple businesses to 6, 7, & 8 figures in ARR and I exited one, FreeUp, in 2019. Today, I run a portfolio of companies, teach SEO, and scale B2B and SaaS businesses with SEO.

A little bit more about me:

Over the last decade, I've built 5 businesses to 6, 7, & 8 figures in yearly revenue. 

In 2019, I exited one of them, FreeUp, to The HOTH after 4 years of growth to 40+ team members and $12M+ in ARR.

Today, I'm building a portfolio of 10+ B2B companies. 

→ TrioSEO: SEO growth services for B2B and SaaS businesses. 
→ Outsource School: Teaching business owners how to build affordable teams in the Philippines.
→ EcomBalance: Monthly bookkeeping for eCommerce companies.
→ AccountsBalance: Bookkeeping for agencies, SAAS, and service providers. 
→ ConnorGillivan.com: Teaching SEO & marketing strategies, processes, & know-how. 
→ HG Media: Social media growth agency for LinkedIn, Twitter/X, Youtube, and more.

My business partner is Nathan Hirsch. We met in college and have been working together ever since.

Our mission is to build businesses in areas where we struggled while growing our first companies and we wished there had been better solutions...hiring, outsourcing, bookkeeping, accounting, billing, legal, SEO, growth, etc. 

If you need help growing your business, I'd love to help. Here's how...

TRIOSEO

I'll work with you on keyword research, building an SEO content plan, writing SEO content, and publishing it on your website to drive more organic traffic, leads, and revenue. 

→ Get an SEO Audit here: https://trioseo.com/audit

THE SEO SYSTEM

In this 4 hour video course, I'll teach you the 4 Pillars of SEO and give you my exact SOPs that I've used to scale multiple companies to millions in ARR with SEO. Packed with value and loved by hundreds. 

→ Purchase Access: https://connorgillivan.com/seo

BOOKKEEPING & OUTSOURCING

Need help with your bookkeeping? Or hiring a virtual assistant? I've got you covered. Get a Pricing Quote for our monthly bookkeeping services. And check out the exact Hiring System we've used to build remote teams for our companies.  

→ Go here: https://ecombalance.com and here: https://outsourceschool.com

If you've made it this far, thanks for reading. 

I'm committed every day to making SEO & marketing simpler for millions. 

See you out there!

Best,
Connor

Email: Connor@ConnorGillivan.com

Founder and Owner

ConnorGillivan.com is the home to my personal brand where I make SEO simpler for millions. It hosts my weekly newsletter, The Savvy SEO, and my SEO course, The SEO System. Come learn SEO from my 10+ years of experience scaling my own companies to 6, 7, and 8 figures with an exit in 2019.

My ChatGPT Ranking Cheat Sheet:

(How I rank my business on ChatGPT for traffic & leads)

Founder: "How do I rank on ChatGPT?" 
Me: "It boils down to AUTHORITY & PRESENCE. Let me explain:"

ChatGPT and LLMs rely on the Internet to make "inferences" to your questions. 

If you ask it, "What's the best B2B SEO service online?", it's going to scour the Internet for data specific to that topic. 

Then it compiles that data, parses it, and spits out their best judgement. 

Here's a WINNING Strategy to Follow: 

#1: Prompt Research

- Brainstorm a list of prompts your ICP is asking ChatGPT. 
- Ask ChatGPT to come up with similar prompts. 
- Search them and see what's provided. 

#2: Results Analysis 

- Analyze the answers and who's being mentioned. 
- Search similar queries on Google & see what's ranking. 
- Find content ideas & "best of lists" to get added to. 

#3: Create Content

- Create new Service pages & blog content. 
- "Steal" from competitors ranking top of ChatGPT & Google.
- Replicate content they have, but make it your own & better. 
- Publish the content on social media & tag your brand. 

#4: Build Authority 

- Reach out to "best of lists" & pitch to get yourself included. 
- Write your own "best of lists" to get them ranking on Google.
- Build high DR backlinks to create "authority" for your brand. 

#5: Track Results

- Every 2-4 weeks, search the prompts on ChatGPT again. 
- Take note of changes to the results & look for your brand. 
- Repeat for 3-6 months until you're ranking on ChatGPT.

Ranking on LLMs & ChatGPT comes back to SEO. 

You won't "magically" rank on ChatGPT w/out content & authority. 

I dare you to try. 

---

What you think? 

♻️ REPOST if you found this useful. 

P.S. I talk about AI's impact on SEO & marketing every week. Follow me for more.

Connor  Gillivan

I scale companies w/ SEO & content. Book a call & let's talk SEO. 7x Founder (Exit in 2019).

My Proven SEO Keyword Research Cheat Sheet:

(7 steps to DOMINATE keyword research in 2026)

1/ Brainstorm like your ICP
2/ Analyze KD & Volume
3/ Look at "Suggested" Keywords 
4/ Steal from your competitors
5/ Shortlist 100+ Keywords
6/ Label Intent & Prioritize
7/ Repeat Quarterly

---

Keyword research is the backbone of your SEO. 

It will make or break whether you rank top of Google. 

AND whether you'll rank in ChatGPT and LLMs.

Don't overlook it bc you don't know how. 

Follow my proven SOP & start dominating.

---

Find this helpful? 

♻️ REPOST so others can learn too. 

P.S. My company, TrioSEO, will take keyword research off your plate. And form an unbreakable SEO strategy. Download my SEO eBook to learn more: https://lnkd.in/gJ8pJ7dz

My Technical SEO Checklist to Rank on Google & LLMs (no tech skills needed):  

Technical SEO is just “making it easy for bots to crawl, understand, and trust your site.”

If you can click around in WordPress, Wix, Webflow, or Shopify, you can do 80% of it.

1/ Make sure Google can index you

- Google “site:yourdomain.com” and see pages show up
- In Google Search Console, check Indexing → Pages for errors
- If pages aren’t showing, they may be “noindexed” accidentally

2/ Submit your sitemap

- In your SEO plugin, find your sitemap URL (usually /sitemap.xml)
- Add it in Search Console → Sitemaps
- This helps Google find new pages faster

3/ Fix broken pages and redirects

- Install a broken link checker plugin or use a free crawler tool
- Redirect old URLs to the closest matching new page
- Don’t leave 404s for money pages or top traffic posts

4/ Get your titles + meta descriptions under control

- Every important page needs a unique title tag
- Include the main keyword, keep it readable
- Write a meta description that matches search intent

5/ Make your site fast enough

- Run PageSpeed Insights on your homepage + a blog post
- Compress images (biggest easy win)
- Use caching and remove bloated plugins/apps

6/ Make your site mobile-friendly

- Check your pages on your phone
- Fix text that’s too small and buttons too close
- Make sure menus and forms work cleanly

7/ Clean up your URL structure

- Use short, clear URLs: /service-name/ not /p=123/
- Avoid dates unless news-based content
- Keep one “canonical” version (no duplicates)

8/ Add internal links like a librarian

- Link from related posts → your main money pages
- Add 3–5 internal links on every new post
- Use descriptive anchor text, not “click here”

9/ Add basic schema (no coding)

- Turn on FAQ schema for FAQs (only if visible on page)
- Use Organization/Website schema via your SEO plugin
- This helps search engines + LLMs understand entities

10/ Make your pages easy for LLMs to extract

- Use clear headings (H2s that match questions people ask)
- Add a quick TL;DR and definitions near the top
- Use bullet lists, steps, and short sections

---

Most people overthink technical SEO.

You don’t need perfection, you need clean basics.

Speed, indexability, and clarity beat fancy tricks.

Do this once, then maintain monthly.

Technical SEO is reputation insurance for your site.

---

Whatcha think?

Repost ♻️ to help others learn too.

P.S. Do you want more LEADS from your SEO? I have the solution. Read the entire SOP here: https://lnkd.in/gJ8pJ7dz

SEO teams don’t have a data problem.

They have a decision-speed problem.

Most teams sit on incredible data.

They just can’t access it fast enough when it matters.

Board asks:
“Why did traffic drop?”

CMO asks:
“Where are competitors gaining ground?”

Content team asks:
“What should we build next?”

And someone has to go:
“Give me 30 minutes.”

That’s the old workflow.

Semrush MCP inside Semrush One quietly changes this.

Instead of navigating dashboards,
you prompt the question directly.

Here’s how I think about it.

1. Stop navigating and start asking
→ “Show me keywords competitors rank for that we don’t”
→ “Find pages that lost positions in the last 30 days”

2. MCP pulls structured Semrush data
→ Live keyword datasets
→ Position changes
→ Competitive domain gaps

3. Get analysis-ready outputs
→ Tables, rankings, clear comparisons
→ Turn answers into action immediately
→ Adjust content briefs, update internal pages

The shift is subtle but important.

SEO used to be:
Pull data → Analyze → Decide.

Now it’s:
Ask → Decide.

That compression matters at scale.

Especially for agencies.
Especially for in-house teams reporting up.
Especially when time-to-decision is a competitive advantage.

Semrush didn’t just add another feature.

They reduced friction between question and insight.
And in SEO, speed compounds.

Start with Semrush MCP with Semrush One here: https://bit.ly/4kr4jlM

♻️ Repost if you think SEO tools should help you think faster, not click more.

P.S. I'm Connor Gillivan. Follow me for daily SEO tips & SOPs.

(Thanks to Semrush for teaming up w/ me on this post)

How to win the modern SEO game

My ChatGPT Cheat Sheet for Digital Marketing (40 Free Prompts):

Prompts to apply TODAY for your marketing:

1/ Content Marketing Strategy
2/ Social Media Marketing
3/ SEO & Web Traffic
4/ Email Marketing
5/ PPC Advertising
6/ Analytics & Reporting
7/ Marketing Automation
8/ Content Personalization

---

Digital marketing isn’t a guessing game...it’s a system.

Smart marketers don’t work harder, they work smarter.

This cheat sheet is your shortcut to great results.

Master these prompts, dominate your strategy.

Start marketing like it's 2026. 

---

What would you add? 

Repost ♻️ to help others work smarter too. 

P.S. I am Connor Gillivan. Follow me for SEO, Marketing, & AI advice.

The Anatomy of a Winning SEO Campaign: 

No, it's not just "blogging". 

In 2026, it's comprehensive. 

1/ Technical SEO

First, you set a foundation for success.

- Optimize speed
- Robots.txt
- Mobile optimized
- Modern UX + design
- URL structure
- Use of CDN
- HTTPS set up
- Schema markup
- Redirect rules

2/ Link Building

Second, you build trust w/ Google. 

- Partnerships
- Custom outreach
- HARO + Featured
- Podcasts
- Guest articles
- Digital PR
- 30+ DR
- 1,000+ traffic
- 10+ backlinks/mo
- Linkable assets
- Directories
- Expert Quotes
- Anchor text

3/ SEO Content

Third, you write content to attract your ICP. 

- Keyword research
- BoFu vs MoFu vs ToFu
- 90 Day Content Plans
- Specialized Writers
- SERP Research
- Competitor Analysis
- In-depth Outlines
- Editing + Optimization
- Internal linking
- CTAs in content
- Images + Videos
- Infographics
- Monthly analytics
- Keyword tracking
- Content upgrades
- Measuring RoT
- Calculators + Tools
- Easy to read + nav

---

Are you winning in SEO? 

♻️ REPOST if this made you think.

👋  Speak with me about your SEO: https://lnkd.in/gYccSVY8

What is EEAT? Is it still important for SEO in 2026? 

Yes, more important than ever. Let me explain: 

E = Expertise
• Google wants subject-matter experts, not surface-level summaries.
• LLMs reference creators with deep topical footprints.
• If you can’t prove expertise, search engines will sniff it out.

E = Experience
• First-hand stories, real examples, behind-the-scenes details.
• AI can’t fake lived experience (yet). Humans still win.
• Google and ChatGPT both trust content tied to real operators.

A = Authoritativeness
• Backlinks, mentions, citations, and recognition in your niche.
• The more others reference you, the more LLMs surface you.
• Authority compounds. It's a MUST in today's search.

T = Trustworthiness
• Clean design, transparent authorship, sources, accuracy.
• Google penalizes low-trust pages. It's just a fact.
• LLMs reduce hallucinations by leaning on trusted publishers.

Why It Matters More in 2026:
• AI writing flooded the internet with low-quality noise.
• Google shifts ranking weight to real expertise signals.
• ChatGPT & other LLMs cite brands & creators they trust most.
• Your E-E-A-T becomes your competitive moat.

---

AI didn’t kill SEO...it raised the bar.

Real operators stand out more than ever.

E-E-A-T is your brand identity online.

Invest in it now. It's KEY to search success.

---

Agree or disagree?

Repost ♻️+ Follow me for daily takes on SEO & GEO

P.S. I drive SEO traffic and leads for fast-growing brands. Steal my SOP on how I do it: https://lnkd.in/gJ8pJ7dz

10 AI courses every founder should take (all free):

(Full credit to Matt Gray on this one. I hit SAVE immediately & had to share!) 

1. AI Essentials - Harvard Introduction

Start here if you're completely new.

Covers the fundamentals without overwhelming technical jargon.

You'll understand what AI can and can't do for your business.

Most founders skip this and make expensive mistakes.

2. ChatGPT Mastery - Advanced Prompting

Beyond basic prompts.

Learn the frameworks that turn AI from a toy into a business weapon.

I use the techniques from this course to generate $100,000+ monthly with AI content.

3. Google AI Magic - Business Applications

How Google thinks about AI implementation.

Covers practical applications for search, advertising, and customer insights.

Perfect for understanding AI's role in marketing and operations.

4. Microsoft AI Basics - Enterprise Perspective

Learn from the company that invested $10 billion in OpenAI.

Focuses on business integration and scaling challenges.

Essential for founders planning enterprise-level AI implementation.

5. Prompt Engineering Pro - Technical Deep Dive

The advanced course that separates amateurs from pros.

Learn to craft prompts that consistently produce business-grade results.

6. Machine Learning by Harvard - Strategic Foundation

Don't just use AI - understand how it works.

Helps you make intelligent decisions about custom AI development and vendor selection.

7. Language Models by LangChain - Development Framework

For founders considering custom AI applications.

Teaches you to evaluate technical partnerships and development costs.

8. Generative AI by Microsoft - Creative Applications

How to use AI for content, design, and creative problem-solving.

Perfect for personal brand builders and content entrepreneurs.

9. AWS AI Foundations - Infrastructure Understanding

Learn the technical infrastructure behind AI applications.

Helps you make smart decisions about hosting, scaling, and costs.

10. AI for Everyone - Strategic Overview

The big picture course that ties everything together.

How AI fits into business strategy, team building, and competitive positioning.

__

Enjoy this? ♻️ Repost it to your network and follow Matt Gray for more.

Want to learn how to future-proof your founder brand with AI systems?

Get my free AI course that shows you the systems that helped me scale my businesses with AI automation: https://lnkd.in/g9MPKpyv

175+ free guest posting sites for 2026.

Most link building advice in 2026 is missing one thing.

Distribution.

You can write the best content on your site.

And still lose to someone who knows where to publish.

So I pulled a list of 175+ free guest posting sites for 2026.

And turned it into a simple outreach system.

The whiteboard has 80 of them.

Here’s how to use the list without wasting weeks.

1. Start with relevance, not DA
→ Pick 10 sites in your exact niche first
→ Only then expand into adjacent categories

2. Filter the list like an operator
→ Prioritize sites with real traffic, not “SEO metrics theater”
→ This list includes quick stats like avg DA ~60 and 1K to 46.8M visits

3. Don’t pitch “guest posts”
→ Pitch a missing topic they should already have
→ Reference their existing articles and propose the gap 

4. Write to get accepted, not published
→ Solve one problem start to finish
→ Follow their guidelines like it’s a client deliverable

5. Track placements like a pipeline
→ Outreach date, editor reply, draft, live URL
→ One publish per week compounds fast

Now here is where Collaborator.pro — PR Distribution Marketplace fits.

If you want to stop scraping lists and emailing strangers all day

Use Collaborator as the execution layer.

They’re a guest post marketplace.

Advertisers meet publishers.

Official integration with GSC and GA.

You can see site metrics directly in the catalog via integrations like Ahrefs and Serpstat.

You can place an order in a few clicks, plus they offer three-month insurance.

Same strategy.
Less chaos.

If you want the full 175+ list, it’s here: https://lnkd.in/gN4ef7vp

Repost ♻️ this so others can save this list too.

Thanks to Collaborator(.)pro for partnering on this one.

The Perfect SEO Backlink Profile (& how to build it): 

Founder: "How do I rank top of Google?" 
Me: "Authority --> High quality backlinks." 

High quality content only goes so far. 
You need to support it w/ link building. 

Here's a simple guide to follow: 

1/ Diverse Domains

- You don’t want 500 links from 1 site.
- You want 1 link each from 500 different sites.
- More domains = more trust.

2/ High Authority Links

- Not all links are equal.
- You want sites with high Domain Rating (DR).
- DR 50+ = powerful signal to Google.

3/ Branded Anchor Text

- Not every link should say “best seo tools 2025.”
- You want a mix of brand name, generics text, keywords.
- Keep it natural & don't force the anchor text.

4/ Deep Links (Not Just Homepage)

- Spread your backlinks across your content.
- Homepages are good
- Service and blog pages are better
- Product and case study pages? Gold

5/ Niche Relevance

- A backlink from a random fashion blog?
- Useless—unless you’re in fashion.
- Relevance > DR.

---

So, how do you build these backlinks? 

Tap into a marketplace like Serpzilla. 

- Land high DR guest posts.
- Find relevant niche edits. 
- Target specific websites. 
- Build backlink relationships. 

They bring 150,000 websites into 1 place. 

Where you can level up your backlink profile. 

---

Are you doing this yet? 

♻️ Repost and help businesses build better backlink profiles. 

P.S. I'm Connor Gillivan. Follow me for daily SEO insights & SOPs.

(Thanks to Serpzilla for teaming up w/ me on this post)

AI won't replace SEO. But you MUST learn how to use it. Here's 5 AI + SEO examples: 

1/ AI for Keyword Research

- Use AI to expand seed keywords into 100+ variations.
- Identify high, medium, and low intent faster.
- Validate with tools like Ahrefs and Google Keyword Planner.
- Resource: https://lnkd.in/gJGyj_2g

2/ AI for Content Outlines

- Analyze top ranking pages in seconds.
- Generate H1s, H2s, FAQs, and “People Also Ask” ideas.
- Build drafts that align with search intent.
- Resource: https://lnkd.in/gKdQx2Bc

3/ AI for Keyword Clustering

- Group related keywords into topic clusters fast.
- Identify pillar pages and supporting blog content.
- Build stronger internal linking structures.
- Resource: https://lnkd.in/guYp-aDT

4/ AI for Optimization

- Refresh posts ranking 5–20.
- Add missing entities, FAQs, and internal links.
- Improve CTR with better titles and meta descriptions.
- Resource: https://lnkd.in/gkFJKdzb

5/ AI for Repurposing

- Turn blogs into LinkedIn posts, threads, emails.
- Extract snippets for short form content.
- Multiply distribution without rewriting from scratch.
- Resource: https://lnkd.in/gyT5-ui6

---

I still don't recommend using AI to write your content. 

But I absolutely encourage you to use it for other areas of SEO. 

AI tooling is becoming too smart to ignore. 

If you're not using AI somewhere in SEO, you're showing your age. 

Adjust to the times and level up with AI. 

---

Find this useful?

Repost ♻️ to help others learn too.

P.S. Want my guide on using AI to create SEO Lead Magnets? Download it here: https://lnkd.in/gJ8pJ7dz

I started SEO 11 years ago knowing ZERO. Here's 11 lessons I learned the hard way: 

#1: SEO Takes Longer Than You Think
• I expected 30-day wins.
• Reality was 6–12 months.
• Patience determines who wins.

#2: Keyword Intent Matters More Than Volume
• I chased big numbers early on.
• High-intent keywords convert faster.
• Start there and scale down the funnel.

#3: Consistency Beats Perfection
• I over-edited every article.
• Posting weekly outranks polishing monthly.
• Momentum drives authority.

#4: Internal Linking Is a Superpower
• I ignored it for years. Didn't care.
• Once I mapped hubs, traffic jumped.
• Your content must work as a system.

#5: Backlinks Come From Relationships, Not Cold Emails
• I wasted months sending templates.
• Partnerships and creators won 10x more links.
• Build people, not pipelines.

#6: Content Without UX Doesn’t Rank
• Walls of text killed my early efforts.
• Clean spacing, subheaders, visuals matter.
• Google and readers reward readability.

#7: Your First Draft Is Never Your Best Draft
• I used to publish immediately.
• Editing doubled clarity and rankings.
• Slow down to speed up.

#8: You Can’t Outsmart E-E-A-T
• I wrote about topics I didn’t know.
• Google didn’t buy it.
• Stick to your expertise or hire experts.

#9: AI Helps, But Doesn’t Replace Thinking
• I leaned too hard on tools early.
• Humans + AI = elite SEO.
• Don’t outsource your brain.

#10: Your Website Structure Matters
• I built messy categories and random pages.
• Clear hierarchy boosted crawling and ranking.
• Organize first, scale second.

#11: SEO Works Better When You Love the Game
• I treated it like a chore at first.
• Once I made it a system, it became fun.
• Play long-term and you’ll win long-term.

---

These took me years to learn by failing.

You can shortcut all of them today.

I’ve run SEO for my companies and 50+ clients with these principles.

Make SEO a habit. It will reward you in time. 

---

What you think? 

Repost ♻️ to make SEO & marketing simpler for millions

P.S. I love SEO. Want someone passionate running SEO for you? Read my eBook: https://lnkd.in/gJ8pJ7dz

Which is best? SEO vs Ads vs Email:

Let's break each down...

SEO:

- Cost effective long term
- Drives organic traffic
- Depends on Google
- Higher conversions
- Long term investment
- Helps rank on ChatGPT
- In a phase of transformation

Ads:

- Costs for every click
- Paid traffic in search 
- Paid traffic from social
- Pay until you stop
- High CRO potential
- Targeting is unique
- Works then doesn't

Email Marketing:

- Low cost, high ROI
- Turns traffic to leads
- Turns leads to revenue
- Full control over it
- Fast acting (if done right)
- Takes time to build list
- Fighting w/ lots of noise

---

I'd rank them:

1) SEO
2) Ads
3) Email

SEO still takes the crown. 

When done right, it drives leads for years. 

I used to be an ads "hater", but that's changed. 

I now get 100s of leads from it every month. 

It's a great complement to SEO for instant leads. 

Then email nurtures & warms leads up. 

It's very much a symbiotic relationship..

....when you execute it properly. 

---

What's your favorite? Post it below. 

♻️ REPOST to encourage this conversation. 

P.S. Follow me + slap my 🔔 for daily Marketing tips & advice.

This cold email is satisfying on multiple levels.

Not because of the copy.

Because of the proof.

Here is the context:

Warmy sent me this email.

It landed in my primary inbox.

Not promotions. Not spam. Primary.

That is their entire product in action.

Think about that for a second.

The email itself is the case study.

No PDF needed. No testimonial screenshot.

Just open your inbox and see it working.

Here is what makes this smart:
1/ The value prop is proven before you read it.
2/ The messaging is simple and direct.
3/ It reframes what cold email can be.

Cold email has a bad reputation for a reason.

Most of it is noise that never gets seen.

Warmy makes sure yours actually arrives.

This is one of the smartest product demos I have seen. No call needed.

♻️ Repost if this made you rethink your cold email setup.

P.S. Check out Warmy
here: https://lnkd.in/gheuYKEc

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taplio

The Battle

Lara Acosta

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Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Lara Acosta's LinkedIn Performance

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