Mike Forgie, Local Marketing Specialist

Digital Marketing Specialist

Next Step Connect

Next Step Connect has a sole purpose: connect you to your audience. 
We use paid and organic Ad Strategies to deliver you qualified prospects for easier sales.

Owner

Hey! If you need a marketing strategy for better search engine results or social media exposure, it is time we talk.

Need help getting your business exposure online? I can help you with SEO, Google/Facebook/Instagram ads, and more!

My main clients include:
Agencies that need SEO and social media strategies developed and performed.
Experiential markets such as yacht rentals, supercar/exotic auto drives, helicopter tours, and more. For many of these markets, I can provide photo and video services.
Any company that needs local clients such a wedding equipment (tent, chair, table, etc) rental, contractors, construction equipment rental, medical practices, and more.

Marketing Strategist

M studio Design & Marketing

M studio is an amazing branding, marketing, design and communications agency. Their assets such a Public Relatiosn assists perfectly in the target marketing needed for effective off-page SEO. As for on-page SEO, I work with designers and developers to create websites that will perform on both search engines and as lead generating vehicles

SEO Specialist

PCG Digital Marketing

I started as a Content Writer and quickly moved my way up the ranks at PCG resulting in a Digital Marketing Specialist position. 
One of my main duties at PCG was to create a user journey throughout our new website in order to capture leads. Each page on the site was optimized for specific keywords, whether general or long-tail.

Evolution

I managed the Public Relations/Marketing team of four to reach target markets, developed promotional campaigns to increase search engine optimization and social media awareness, and organized the creation of copyright materials such as press releases, blog posts, and print/online advertisements.

Public Relations/Marketing Manager

Artist Arena

My duties as a freelance apprentice were to administer fan club websites for top pop bands (e.g. Paramore, Fall Out Boy, Green Day), organize and disperse promotional material, and promote the fan clubs.

Freelance

EMI Music Publishing

For college credit I interned for EMI Group, mainly Virgin and Capitol Records, in New York. Here I learned how to read Nielson Soundscan reports, develop and analyze press packets for musicians like Katy Perry, and analyze albums to match with products and/or organizations.

Intern

Excess dB Entertainment

As a member of the street team I handed out promotion materials, performed stagehand work, was the liaison for guests and artists, catered to artists, and attended events at least once a week.

Street Team

Helping Local Service Businesses Get Found and Get Sales — Not Just Clicks. | Google Maps, SEO, & High-Intent Ads

“Why isn’t our business the top result when people search for what we do?”
If that’s something you’ve asked recently, I built this for you.

I’m Mike Forgie, founder of Next Step Connect, and I help service-based businesses stop guessing at what’s working—and finally show up where it counts.

In the last decade, I’ve worked with hundreds of teams across real estate, healthcare, legal, construction, and automotive to install one thing:

A predictable system that drives qualified local leads from search.

Whether your business is getting buried in Google Maps, wasting ad spend on low-quality traffic, or just not seeing ROI from your current marketing…
You don’t need another agency.
You need a system built on buyer intent, trackable results, and total clarity.

What We Deliver:
✅ Google Maps + Organic Search Rankings – for the exact terms your buyers are already searching
✅ High-Intent Google Ads – tracked to real calls, form fills, and appointments
✅ Clarity – with real-time dashboards and reporting you don’t need to decode

Our clients don’t wonder where their leads are coming from. They know.
And they don’t lie awake at night hoping the phone rings. It already is.

📩 DM me or email mike@nextstepconnect.com
📊 Or grab your Free Local Growth Audit at nextstepconnect.com

I lost a client because I did my job too well.

Here's what happened:
Cleaning company in Philadelphia. 
Wanted to rank for local office cleaning.

Zero on-page optimization. No citations. 
Basic SEO malpractice.

I fixed it. Not with some secret tactic.
Just the fundamentals done right.

They hit #1 for almost every target keyword.
Then the phone started ringing.
A lot.

Philadelphia is dense. 
Top rankings = serious volume.
The owner couldn't keep up.

He had to take out a loan for:
More staff...
Fleet vehicles...
Equipment!

Then he thanked me and moved on.
I lost the client.

But here's the thing most agencies won't tell you:
Your biggest risk isn't marketing that doesn't work.
It's marketing that works before you're operationally ready for it.

I changed someone's life and business.
He had to scale faster than planned, sure.

But that's what growth actually looks like...
messy, expensive, and necessary.

Most business owners worry about wasting ad spend.
They should worry about wasting leads because they can't handle the volume.

If your phone rang 3x more tomorrow, what breaks first in your operation?

Mike Forgie

Helping Local Businesses Get Found and Get Sales — Not Just Clicks. Google Maps/Search Engine/AI Optimization & High-Intent Ads

I used to be invisible in every room I walked into.

Youngest kid in a loud Italian family.
Everyone talked over me. Had stronger opinions. Louder voices.
So I stayed quiet.

I convinced myself: "They know more than me. Better to just listen."

That carried into my 20s and 30s.

Social events? Silent. 
Networking? Avoided it. 
Speaking up in meetings? Terrifying.

Then something shifted.
I realized visibility isn't about being the smartest person in the room.
It's about being IN the room and participating in the conversation.

Now I can't shut up.
I teach SEO courses. 
Speak at events. 
Go on podcasts. 
(shout out to Jordan Wilson, Danny Leibrandt, Protaigé, Rohin Dua RankJacker SEO for having me as a guest) 
And tell waayyy too many stories at dinner parties.

Not because I became an expert.
Because I stopped waiting for permission to show up.

Here's the math that'll hurt:
If 100 potential clients are having a conversation (searching for your service)...
And you're not visible in that conversation...
They're hiring someone else.

Not because that person is better.
Because they showed up.

Most local businesses are the youngest kid at the Italian dinner table.
Staying quiet. 
Watching competitors dominate the conversation. 
Not knowing how to contribute.

But here's the truth:
Your competitors aren't winning because they're better.
They're winning because they're visible.

You don't need to be the loudest.
You just need to be in the room.

What's keeping you invisible right now—in business or in life?

I'm about to tell you your entire SEO strategy at this networking event.

Bing just released a guide on AI search optimization.
And it basically confirms what I've been telling clients for months...

AI search isn't replacing SEO.
It's just SEO with better reading comprehension.

Here's what Bing said matters for AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization):
- Content chunking
- Clear headings 
- Structured data 
- Q&A formatting 
- Semantic clarity

Sound familiar?
That's because it's literally just good SEO fundamentals.
The same stuff that worked in 2020 still works in 2025.
AI didn't change the game. It just raised the bar.

Here's the pattern I'm seeing:

Most businesses panic when new technology emerges.
"Should we optimize for ChatGPT?" 
"Do we need a whole new strategy for AI search?" 
"Is traditional SEO dead?"

No. No. And hell no!

AI search engines are just better at understanding what you already should have been doing.

The businesses winning right now aren't doing anything revolutionary.
They're just doing the fundamentals better than everyone else.

Here's what I do for every client article (and it takes 10 minutes):
1. Clickable Table of Contents - So AI knows the structure 
2. Key Takeaways section - So AI can pull quick answers 
3. FAQ section - So AI understands common questions 
4. TLDR at the top - So AI gets the summary immediately

This helps AI get its chunks.
But it also helps humans navigate to exactly what they want.

You know what that is?
Good UX. Which has always been good SEO.

AI didn't invent this. It just rewards it more aggressively.

Most agencies are selling "AI optimization" as if it's some new magic.

I'm telling you: it's the same fundamentals, done with more care.

The only thing that changed is AI punishes lazy content faster than Google did.

What "new strategy" have you been told you need that's really just the fundamentals done better?

I'm a professional amateur at everything I do.

And that's exactly why my clients win.

At 39, I've built an agency, trained Muay Thai, picked up photography, learned to surf...
...and I suck at all of them compared to the best.

But here's what being a professional amateur teaches you:
You learn systems, not secrets.

When you're always the student, you can't hide behind ego. 
You have to:
Ask dumb questions
Test what actually works
Throw out what doesn't
Iterate fast

Most SEO agencies speak in jargon because they're hiding the fact that the fundamentals are simple.

I speak in plain language because I'm not trying to impress you.
I'm trying to get you results.

One chiropractor client told me: "I love your reporting because the colors are easy to understand."

They ranked #1 in their surrounding metro for "chiropractor near me" in 30-45 days.

Stop looking for gurus who talk above your head and aren't even going to take you on as a client.
Start looking for people who have systems that work and are constantly iterating, refining, and growing. 

What skill are you still figuring out that somehow makes you better at your actual job?


📸 Sneak peek - I'm not a developer, I'm an idealist. As a total AI amateur, I'm using Claude Code to automate my SEO/GEO/AIO systems. Professional amateur in action.

mike forgie working on a claude code seo tool

Every business owner I talk to is overwhelmed by AI.
ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, SearchGPT...

Which one do I use?
What prompts work?
How do I integrate this into my business?

They're drowning in options.

Here's what I tell them:
Reduce variables.

This is my mantra for everything...from buying coffee mugs to running my agency.

And it works for AI adoption too.

The Problem:
When you have infinite options, you make zero decisions.
Analysis paralysis.
FOMO.
Buyer's remorse.
You waste mental energy justifying choices instead of making progress.

The Solution:
Create guidelines that eliminate 90% of your options.

For AI, I reduced variables like this:
One AI tool for one job
- Claude for writing and strategy
- ChatGPT for quick research
That's it. No more shopping around.

One automation framework
- I use Claude Code for SEO automation
- I don't test every new tool that launches
- I master one system deeply

One decision filter...
...Does this save me time or make clients money?

If no → ignore it
If yes → test it once, keep or kill

Here's what reducing variables gives you:
Faster decisions 
Less doubt 
More momentum 
Reduced burnout

I became an Apple person not because I love Apple, but because I was wasting too much time researching alternatives.

Now my computer, phone, watch, and AirPods work perfectly together.
I never waste time troubleshooting or shopping.

Same with AI.
Pick your tool. Learn it deeply. Stop shopping.

What decision are you overthinking right now that you could simplify by reducing variables?

📸  The ultimate hack - let your fiance dress you sometimes or just match them. Sometimes I don't even have the mental capacity to choose an outfit. Outsource the unnecessary.

Asking ChatGPT to write blog posts? Easy.
Building an entire tool with AI? That's where the fear kicked in.

I wasn't scared of AI, but I had this frightening vision:
A system that...
✔️ tracks all my content
✔️converts blogs into social posts and infographics
✔️generates YouTube videos podcast audio
....then uses those assets for link building.

Simple idea on paper.

But actually building it with Claude Code?
I stared at the blank screen (admittedly a little sweaty).
"Where do I even start?" 
"What if I build it wrong?" 
"What if I waste weeks going in circles?"

The fear adn stress wasn't about AI capabilities.
It was about not having a plan.

Then I discovered PRDs.
Product Requirements Documents.

Developers use them to map out projects before writing code.

And here's the game-changer:
AI can write the PRD for you.

I told Claude:
"I need a content automation system that does (all of what I wrote above)"

It gave me:
✔️Complete feature breakdown
✔️Step-by-step build order
✔️How each piece connects
✔️Which tools to integrate
✔️Where to start (and what comes next)

Suddenly, the overwhelming project became a clear checklist.
I wasn't staring at a blank screen anymore.
I had a roadmap.

Once you have the PRD, Claude Code can execute it.

It took my plan and built:
Content tracking systems
Format conversion automation
Asset generation workflows
Link building processes

I'm not a developer.
I'm an idealist with a PRD and an AI that can code.

The scary part wasn't AI.
It was starting without a blueprint.

▶️ Here's how to do this yourself ◀️ 

1. Describe your system clearly 
"I want to build X that does Y and Z for my business."

2. Ask AI to create a PRD "Write a Product Requirements Document for this system."

3. Review and refine it 
Adjust features, add details, clarify your priorities.

4. Use Claude Code to build 
Feed it the PRD and let it start automating.


Most people never build their ideas because they don't know where to start.
The PRD eliminates that paralysis.

AI writes your blueprint. 
Then AI helps you build from it.

You don't need to be technical.
You need to be clear about what you want.

What system have you been putting off building because you didn't know where to start?

📸 You can sit in your car in a parking lot and create your dream!

Let’s set the record straight on Local Business citations in 2025.
Citations aren’t dead.

But most people still use them like it’s 2015.

Citations aren’t for “ranking.”
They’re for trust, consistency, and discoverability.

Here’s what actually matters now....

A citation is your business’s ID card across the internet.
If your name, address, and phone (NAP) don’t match, Google gets confused—and confused algorithms don’t recommend you.

More isn’t better.
You don’t need hundreds of directory links. You need 30–40 quality ones that are indexed and accurate.

Your priority list:
 1️⃣ Clean up duplicates and old listings.
 2️⃣ Make sure high-authority directories are indexed (Apple Maps, Yelp, BBB, Chamber, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.).
 3️⃣ Get local mentions—press releases, sponsorships, and event listings count as modern citations.

Now here’s your bonus play:
Add “sameAs” schema to your website.
 This tells Google (and AI) that all those citations belong to the same entity...YOU!

Paste this simple prompt into ChatGPT and update the URLs:
Write JSON-LD schema for my business with the following fields:
- @type: LocalBusiness
- name: [Your Business Name]
- address: [Your Address]
- telephone: [Your Phone]
- url: [Your Website]
- sameAs: [
"https://lnkd.in/eB4mxMNB",
"https://lnkd.in/eeh6Fm66",
"https://lnkd.in/euwfWkWA",
"https://lnkd.in/e3mzqFgR",
"https://lnkd.in/e5YnRYf4",
"https://lnkd.in/e6jMygpW"
]

Drop that schema in your site footer or header.
 It connects all your digital properties in a way that AI, Google, and Bing instantly understand.

Citations prove you exist.
 Schema proves you’re consistent.
 Together, they make you recommendable.

What a “typical” SEO/AI plan looks like 
(and what’s missing)

Most businesses think optimization = “blogs + backlinks.”
 That’s not a plan. That’s a task list.

A real Search Engine/AI optimization plan looks more like this:

Month 1: Foundation
Fix technical errors (crawlability, speed, indexing)
Research intent, not just keywords
Align your pages with buyer psychology

Month 2: Optimization
Optimize your top 10 pages for entity clarity (what AI reads first)
Tighten internal linking
Add schema and citations that build context, not just links

Month 3: Expansion
Publish 3–5 high-value pages built around intent (location, service, problem)
Create content for your Google Business Profile
Start local proof (testimonials, Q&A, case studies)

Month 4–6: Authority Building
Press releases and PR mentions
Guest features or collaborations (real backlinks, not directories)
Consistent updates to Google Business Profile and social proof

BONUS:
Any time you can, please contribute to your local community. 
Hold giveaways, sponsor events or teams, and help charities. 
It feels good and it helps you with all of the above. 

Then? You cycle back.
Audit. Improve. Re-test.

That’s why the best SEO plans aren’t linear.
They’re dynamic.

What part of the plan do you need help on?

I used to grab coffee in a disposable cup every single day.
It always ended up in the trash.
Cold coffee. A little guilt. A wasteful routine.

Then the "ugh" moment hit.
I switched to an insulated mug.
Hotter coffee. Less waste. A better ritual.

Small shift. Big upgrade.

That's conscious sustainability.
And it's not just about coffee cups.

It's about preserving your energy so you don't burn out.

Most people hear "sustainability" and think recycling.

I think about it differently:
Can I keep doing this without destroying myself?

Here's what's unsustainable in business:
- Running ads that drain your budget with no ROI
- Chasing every marketing trend because "everyone's doing it"
- Hiring agencies that lock you into 12-month contracts with no flexibility
- Grinding 60-hour weeks to "scale"

This is overconsumption applied to business.
You're consuming tactics, tools, and advice that drain you.

And just like fast fashion and disposable cups, it's making you unconscious. Unaware.

Conscious marketing asks different questions:
- Does this align with my actual business goals? 
- Can I sustain this effort long-term? 
- Am I doing this because it works or because I'm afraid of missing out?

Yvon Chouinard said: "The more you know, the less you need."
That's the antidote to marketing overwhelm.

Here's how I practice conscious sustainability in my agency:
I only offer services I can deliver without burning out
I automate repetitive SEO tasks so I'm not grinding manually
I draft off existing momentum instead of building from scratch
I reduce variables so I'm not constantly decision-fatigued

Sustainability isn't just environmental.
It's protecting your own damn energy.

What marketing tactic are you doing that's draining you, and why are you still doing it?

Sustainability starts with a reusable cup.

It continues with not hating your business.

Stop writing new content for a minute.
You already have a goldmine sitting on your website.

Those old blog posts you haven’t looked at in years?
They’re not dead.
They’re dormant.

Here’s how to turn them into visibility again (and fuel every channel you’re on):

1. Audit the past 12 months of blog traffic.
Sort by “top pages” and “last updated.”
If it’s performing well and older than 6 months, refresh it.

2. Reformat.
 Turn each key section into:
 – A short LinkedIn post
 – A Google Business Profile post
 – A 30-second vertical video
 – A mini carousel (takeaway per slide)

3. Update with AI-friendly structure.
Add FAQs and clear answers.
Google’s AI Overviews and ChatGPT both favor structured, Q&A-style content and key takeaways.

4. Reconnect the dots.
Link those posts to new offers, services, or case studies.
Make it easy for readers (and AI) to understand what you actually do.

5. Reshare. Relink. Repeat.

A social post could go viral
GBP update could signals locational ranking
An update could convince AI to recommend you.

Most people think AI optimization is a one-time setup.
It’s not.

There are two kinds of optimization you need to master:
1. Initial optimization → your brand, your proof, your presence.
2. Ongoing optimization → your activity, your updates, your signals.

The first tells AI you exist.
The second keeps AI recommending you.

Here’s a quick test:
 Go to Google. Turn on AI Overview mode.
 Look at what it’s recommending.

That’s not random.
 It’s based on you—your clicks, your searches, your behavior.
AI wants to please you.

Your job is to make it easy to recommend you again.

That means consistent updates, active engagement, and, yes, some good old-school SEO.

Are you optimizing for discovery or longevity?
Want both? My AI optimization software will do it for you. 
Just DM me.

📹 Had fun editing with Descript

I used to sleep 12 hours a night and still built a six-figure agency.

Not because I come from money (I don't).
Not because I am a genius (I'm not). 

It was because of necessity. 
I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
At one point, I wasn't allowed to drive, so I picked up freelance work.

In my 20s, I thought the answer to business success was MORE:
More hours
More hustle
More pushing through

All that got me was shutdown mode.
I couldn't function. I couldn't think. I couldn't work.

So I had to figure out a different way.

So I created a mantra: Focus and Flow.
Instead of grinding 12-hour days, I ask:
What's the ONE thing that moves the needle today?
Can I automate or eliminate everything else?
Am I working IN tension or IN flow?

Here's what happened:
My agency grew. 
My clients got better results. 
I stopped burning out.

The irony? 
I'm more productive in 4 focused hours than I ever was in 12 chaotic ones.

Most people think success requires sacrifice.
I think it requires systems that don't destroy you.

This isn't about working less for the sake of it.
It's about working in a way that's actually sustainable.

Your business should give you freedom, not chronic exhaustion.

What's one thing you're doing out of "hustle culture" obligation that's actually draining your results?

Google just revealed what actually drives clicks in AI Overviews.
Hint: it is more I and A

Liz Reid (VP of Search at Google) said it directly:
AI Overviews favor richer and deeper content with authentic human insight and expertise.

Not AI-generated fluff.
Not keyword-stuffed posts.
Not "10 tips" listicles everyone's already written.
(unique top 10 are fine...you'll see)

Human insight.
Unique perspectives.
Real experience.

Here's why this matters:
AI can write content now. Fast. Cheap. At scale.
Which means the internet is flooded with mediocre AI-generated posts.
Google knows this (you know this).

So they're rewarding the one thing AI can't fake...
....original human experience.

User behavior shapes rankings.
If people click your result and stay, you win.
If they bounce immediately, you're spam.
Simple as that.

Here's what I tell local business owners:
Stop trying to write like a corporation.
Start writing like a human with opinions and scars.

The most valuable content you can create right now:
- Client testimonials with real stories
- Your opinion on industry trends (rant it out!)
- Case studies showing what worked (and what failed)
- Video of you explaining your process

You probably already create content for social media where you're speaking to a camera, right?

Take that video.
Embed it in your blog post.
Pull a quote from it and add it to the article.
That's original content with your point of view baked in.

Google can tell the difference between:
"Here are 10 ways to improve your SEO" (written by everyone)
vs.
"I tried 10 SEO tactics on a client's site. 3 worked. 7 failed. Here's what I learned."

One is generic. One is human.
AI Overviews will cite the human one.

Most businesses are trying to compete with AI by writing MORE content.
The smart ones are competing by being MORE human.

What's one thing you know from experience that no AI could write because it hasn't lived through it?

Three major AI search updates dropped this month:
1. Bing clarified AEO best practices. 
2. Google revealed what drives AI Overview clicks. 
3. New data showed brand-controlled sources dominate citations.

As a business owner, are you overwhelmed thinking:
"Do I optimize via Bing AI tips?" 
"Should I focus on Google AI Overviews?" 
"What about ChatGPT citations?"

Here's what I suggest:
Reduce variables.
This is my decision-making framework for everything.
And it works perfectly for navigating AI search chaos.

The Problem:
When you try to optimize for every AI platform, you optimize for none of them.
You waste energy chasing tactics instead of building systems.

The Solution:
Reduce variables by focusing on the fundamentals all AI platforms reward:
1. Publish on your own domain.
All AI search engines favor brand-controlled sources. 
Own your content.

2. Structure for clarity 
Table of contents, headings, FAQs, key takeaways. 
AI needs chunks.

3. Add human insight 
Testimonials, case studies, your opinion. 
AI can't fake lived experience.
Make it deep, not wide 

4. One thorough post beats ten shallow ones. 
AI rewards depth.

That's it.
You don't need separate strategies for Bing vs. Google vs. ChatGPT.

You need ONE strategy that works across all platforms:
Create authoritative, well-structured, human content on your own site.

Strat now with this:
Write one blog post per week 
Add table of contents, FAQ, TLDR 
Include client testimonial or case study 
Publish on your domain
Bonus: Add this to your Google Business Profile and social media accounts. 
Bonus bonus: create an infographic based on your content and post that. Turn your content into a newsletter for more traffic. 

This works for:
Traditional SEO
Bing AI search
Google AI Overviews
ChatGPT citations
Perplexity results

One system. Multiple outcomes.
That's what reducing variables does.

Most agencies will try to sell you:
Bing optimization packages
AI Overview strategy sessions
ChatGPT citation audits

I'm telling you: it's all the same work.

Just do the fundamentals better than everyone else.
AI didn't complicate the game. It simplified it.

The winners are the ones who stop chasing shiny tactics and build sustainable systems.

📸 I've been working very hard on my one system that will deliver you multiple outcomes. 

All of your UNIQUE content created, optimized, and delivered to the outlets that drive organic and AI rankings. 

Interested? Drop a 1 in the comments.

SEO is a Perfect Paradox.

You chase #1 rankings.

But the moment you get there, the algorithm changes.
Your competitor optimizes.
AI rewrites the rules.
And you're back to climbing.

This is what I call the Perfect Paradox:
You can never achieve perfection because whatever you do can always get better.

I learned this from Vince Lombardi (I don't even watch sports, but this quote always stuck with me): "Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect."

But you aren't perfect.
Which means your SEO practice won't be perfect either.

So what do you do?
Accept that the algorithm is smarter than you.

I'm proficient at SEO. 
But Google engineers? 
Way smarter.

I can game the system, but I'm not on their level.

More importantly: the algorithm evolves. 
Even if I'm incredible at SEO today, it'll change next month.

Here's how I escaped the Perfect Paradox:
Frame the end result
- What does success look like? (Traffic? Leads? Revenue?)
Find someone achieving that result 
- Break down their process. Use them as a Makeshift Mentor.
Build systems that evolve 
- Don't chase tactics. Build frameworks that adapt.
Accept that "perfect SEO" is bullshit 
- The goal isn't perfection. It's momentum.

Most agencies sell you "perfect optimization."
I build you systems that keep working when the algorithm changes.
Because the only constant in SEO is change.

What are you chasing perfection in that's actually keeping you stuck?

My jiu-jitsu gym just did the most authentic marketing.
And every local business owner should steal this playbook.

Madhouse Academy was celebrating its 4-year anniversary and moving locations.

Instead of the usual open house or discount promotion, they did this:
Free jiu-jitsu open mat. Anyone can train. Zero sales pitch.

The only "cost"?
Bring non-perishable goods for the local food pantry.

Result:
1,100 pounds of donations.
"I've never seen such a big donation drive. We are swimming in goodness today." - The food pantry director:

A local gym, not a corporation - just a small business, mobilized their community to deliver 1,100 pounds of food to neighbors in need.

Here's why this works:
They actually cared. 
They actually helped people. 
They actually made an impact.

And the marketing benefits came naturally.
Blog post ✓ 
Newsletter content ✓ 
Social buzz ✓ 
Local press ✓ 
Backlinks ✓ 
Word-of-mouth ✓

You can't fake this.

If you throw an event for press, people feel it.
If you support your community because you care, people show up.

Madhouse created a tribe of people who care for one another and will gladly support their community.

Every local business has this power.

You don't need 1,100 pounds.
You just need to ask: "How can we help our neighbors?"

Then do it. Document it. Share it.

The framework:
Before: Blog, newsletter, social, press 
During: Photos, testimonials, live impact 
After: Results post, thank everyone, cross-promote

If you partner with local organizations, split the promotion.
Social signals ✓ 
Backlinks ✓ 
Community trust ✓ 
Real impact ✓

This is organic marketing!!!
Not SEO tricks. Not paid ads. Not growth hacks.
Just showing up for your community.

Google rewards authentic content with human insight. 
AI Overviews favor brand-controlled sources with real stories? 

Most businesses optimize their way to visibility.
Madhouse filled a food pantry and became the most talked-about gym in town.

What would happen if you asked your customers:
"Instead of a discount, bring something for our local [food pantry / shelter / school / cause]"?

You might be surprised how many people show up.
Not because they want a deal.
Because they want to be part of something that matters.

What cause in your local community could your business rally around?

If you want to know how to make a simple event like this into an SEO and AI optimization resource, dm me.

I've been doing SEO for over a decade.
And here's what nobody tells you...

SEO was always AI.
Let me explain.

Google's algorithm is a black box.
You don't know "exactly how it works."
You can't see inside.

We must:
- Test things
- Observe patterns
- Iterate based on results
- Build systems that based on what works

That's exactly how we're supposed to optimize for AI today.

The Pattern Recognition Method:
This is how I approached SEO in 2014. 
This is how I approach AI in 2025.

Step 1: Accept you'll never fully understand it
- Google engineers are smarter than me
- AI developers are smarter than me
- That's fine. I don't need to understand how EVERYTHING works to use it.

Step 2: Test small, measure everything
- I didn't overhaul entire websites
- I changed one variable at a time
- I tracked what moved the needle

Step 3: Build systems around patterns
- Once I found what worked, I documented it
- Created SOPs so anyone could replicate it
- Automated the repetitive parts

Step 4: Evolve when the pattern breaks
- Algorithm updates killed strategies
- I adapted instead of complaining
- Built new systems around new patterns

Step 5: Find The Best
- Join communities of the best
- Follow those truly testing not clickbaiting
- test what they do for yourself


Here's what this means for AI:
You don't need to be a developer.
You don't need to understand transformer models.

You need to:
Test AI on small tasks (write one blog that shows up in results, analyze one dataset)
Observe what works (which prompts give you useful output?)
Systematize the winners (turn good prompts into templates)
Iterate when it breaks (AI changes, your system adapts)

Most people are waiting to "understand AI" before they use it.
I'm using it to find patterns.

The understanding comes from doing, not studying.
SEO taught me that 10 years ago.

Currently, I am breaking Claude Code and Cursor every damn day, doing rather than just studying.

The result = AI automated agency for SEO/GEO/AIO - whatever TF you want to call it. 

What are you diving into?

AI speaks with absolute conviction.
And that's dangerous.

It never says "I'm not sure."
It never says "maybe."
It gives you an answer...confidently, eloquently, instantly.
And, you trust it. Yes, that is dangerous!

Because conviction is not the same as correctness.
I learned this the hard way.

Years ago, I had a business partner who was an incredible salesperson.
He spoke with such conviction that I doubted my own expertise in targeted marketing.

I followed his broader, less effective strategy.

Result...
$150,000+ debt. 
Pushed my wedding indefinitely.
Couldn't buy my house. 
Life and business setbacks to the max!
 
It was a very painful lesson.

Here's what I should have asked myself:
- How confident am I in my own knowledge? 
- What evidence supports his approach vs. mine? 
- Am I making this decision emotionally or strategically?

I trusted his conviction more than my own confidence.
Big mistake.

Now we're in the AI era.
And AI is the most convincing salesperson you'll ever meet.

It speaks with (near) perfect grammar (em dash aside).
Zero hesitation.
Complete authority.

But here's the thing:
AI hallucinates. 
It makes up sources. 
It confidently presents wrong information.

And if you don't have your own baseline of confidence, you'll follow it blindly.

How to balance AI conviction with your own confidence:
- Use AI as a Makeshift Mentor, not a guru
- Get ideas, not orders
- Cross-reference everything
- Trust but verify

Build your own strategic thinking
- What do YOU know from experience?
- What patterns have YOU seen?
- What does YOUR data say?

Also, watch for hive minds and echo chambers
Just because everyone's using AI a certain way doesn't mean it's right
Popularity ≠ credibility

The businesses that win with AI won't be the ones who follow it blindly.
They'll be the ones who use it to amplify their own strategic thinking/creation.
I promise you, writing garbage blogs without using AI to implement your own experience is going to hurt you eventually. 

Confidence + AI = power.
Conviction without confidence = debt and regret.

What's one decision where you trusted someone else's conviction over your own confidence....and regretted it?

AI speaks with absolute conviction.

And, that will screw you.

Seriously Anna York you are the best! It is an honor to be mentioned alongside all of these incredible creators

SEO meets AI | LinkedIn Top 12 AI Voice to follow in Europe | Follow ➡️ for actionable How-to guides!

Want to grow your knowledge on LinkedIn? 
These 35 experts cut through the noise for your growth.

🔥 AI Innovators
Adam Biddlecombe → practical AI use cases
Andrew Bolis → AI + startups
Heather Murray → AI + copywriting
Valeriya Pilkevich → generative AI
Jérémy Grandillon → AI for marketing

🔍 SEO Leaders
Fery Kaszoni → link building
Connor Gillivan → SEO strategy for SMBs
Louis Smith → data-driven SEO
Jairo Guerrero → growth-focused SEO
Amanpreet Singh → practical SEO frameworks

⚙️ Technical SEO Pros
Davor Bomeštar → site architecture
Kristina Azarenko → technical audits
Peter Rota → site performance & crawling
Koray Tugberk GUBUR → advanced algorithms
Patryk Wawok → automation in SEO

📝 On-page SEO Specialists
Artur Perrella Glukhovskyy → UX + SEO
Steven Schneider → keyword strategy
Samy Thuillier → on-page best practices
Mike Forgie → local SEO wizard
Jesse McFarland → conversion-driven SEO

✍️ Content Creators
Noam Nisand → storytelling & brand voice
Diandra Escobar → video-first content
Tomas Loucky → content systems
Audrey Chia → growth content
Ruben Hassid → AI-assisted creativity

🎨 Design & Marketing Minds
Natan Zaretsky → design psychology
Daniel Korenblum → brand identity
Pierre Herubel → B2B marketing
Amanda Natividad → content strategy
Lara Acosta → community building

📈 LinkedIn Growth Experts
Julius Bieliauskas → profile optimization
Fatima Khan → engagement frameworks
Charlie Hills → personal branding
Luke Matthews → content consistency
Yurii Veremchuk → outbound + inbound growth

Follow these experts to cut through the noise, learn faster, and grow your influence.

👉 Did I miss anyone? 
Drop their name in the comments so we can all learn together.

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