Steven Schneider

Steven Schneider is the co-founder and CEO of Trio SEO, a blog writing agency that helps online businesses grow organic traffic and use their blog to generate qualified leads through bottom-of-the-funnel content. Prior to Trio SEO, he co-owned 40 blogs, managed 400 articles a month and scaled to 7 figures a year with his 2 partners.

At Trio SEO, Steven and his team create content that speaks directly to their clients’ ideal customer and target topics that convert browsers into buyers. They create content outlines and often do the writing, editing, uploading and publishing of that content for their clients. They even give tips and tricks to improve user experience and conversion.

Table of Contents

• Who is Steven Schneider?
• Current Projects that Excite Steven
• Tactical and Strategic SEO Content Advice from Steven
• Where Does Steven See the Future of SEO Content Going?
• How to Get in Contact with Steven
• Advice to His Younger Self
• Books, Podcasts, and Leaders That Inspire Steven
• Conclusion

Who is Steven Schneider?

Steven Schneider grew up just north of Seattle, Washington, about an hour from the city. As a kid he was a bookworm and wanted to be a writer. He had a natural talent for creative writing which sparked his interest in the field.

Early Interests and Education

While Steven’s passion for writing didn’t stick as he entered middle school and high school, he found a new interest in business. He was involved in DECA, his high school’s business program which set him on a business track. He didn’t know exactly what it meant at the time but he knew he wanted to be entrepreneurial in life.

Entrepreneurial Journey

After college Steven has been in the entrepreneurial space. He had a brief stint with a “real job” between his last company and Trio SEO but he hated it and quit on the spot without a backup plan. This experience solidified his commitment to entrepreneurship, he says:

“I would rather work 80 hours a week figuring it out and starting over than 40 hours a week doing what I’m doing right now.”

Learning and Networking

To stay up to date in his space Steven relies on networking and learning by doing. He’s active on LinkedIn where he connects with other SEO’s and isn’t afraid to ask for help when he needs to learn something new. He believes in the power of hands on experience, he says:

“You can read every book you want, read every article you want but at the end of the day you gotta get your hands dirty and touch the stove to see if it’s hot.”

Current Projects that Excite Steven

Currently, Steven’s main focus and excitement revolve around Trio SEO. He describes it as his “baby” and is deeply invested in making it the best SEO content agency out there. The company is approaching its one-year mark and has seen incredible success for its clients.

Building on Past Experience

Steven’s experience with his previous company has been invaluable in setting up Trio SEO. He explains:

“A lot of it is very, very similar to my previous company. And that’s kind of why we were able to hit the ground running with so many systems and knowing the fundamental core pieces of how the business should operate was because I pretty much just duplicated the last one.”

The main difference between his current and previous ventures is that instead of owning all the websites, Trio SEO now focuses on client-facing roles. This shift has presented new challenges and opportunities for problem-solving, which Steven thrives on.

Tactical and Strategic SEO Content Advice from Steven

Steven shared a wealth of knowledge about SEO content optimization. Here are some key insights:

Initial SEO Strategy Development

1. Discovery Audit: Trio SEO starts with a free discovery audit for potential clients. This audit helps them understand:
• The site’s domain authority
• Competitor landscape
• Current rankings
• Potential quick wins or low-hanging fruit
2. Transparency and Expectations: They’re upfront about whether SEO is a good fit for a client. For instance, if a website with a domain rating of 1 is trying to compete in the finance space, they might advise building authority for a few years before focusing on content.
3. Focus on Bottom-of-Funnel Content: Their strategy emphasizes content that will produce leads or drive high-intent traffic to the site.
4. Understanding the Client’s Business: They dive deep into:
• The client’s Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)
• Customer demographics and interests
• The buyer’s journey
• The product, brand, and service offerings

Content Creation and Optimization

Content Structure

1. Introduction: Start with a strong introduction paragraph.
2. TLDR Summary: Include a “Too Long; Didn’t Read” summary right after the introduction, before diving into details.
3. Build Trust: Give people what they came for early in the content.
4. Reader Psychology: Structure the content to follow the natural flow of the topic and reader’s thought process.

Title Optimization

• Avoid burying the answer with unnecessary sections built for search engines.
• Use the primary keyword in the title, followed by a colon or semicolon and a string of secondary keywords.
• Example: “Top 10 Amazon Tools: SEO, Keyword Research, Analytics, and PPC”

Internal and External Linking

• Include 3-5 internal links per article.
• Add 2-3 external links to authoritative sources per article.
• Ensure links are relevant to the reader and the content.

Content Updates

• Revisit and update content every 6-12 months.
• Look at Google Search Console data to identify high-impression, low-click content for optimization.

Technical SEO Considerations

1. Mobile Optimization: Ensure the site is mobile-friendly.
2. Site Speed: Make sure the website loads quickly.
3. Navigation and Footer: Include key pages but don’t overload them.
4. Image Alt Text: Always include descriptive alt text for images.
5. Author Bios: Include author information to build trust and show real people are behind the content.
6. Publication and Update Dates: Display when content was published and last updated.
7. Table of Contents: Include for easier navigation.
8. Robots.txt: Ensure Google isn’t crawling pages it shouldn’t, to preserve crawl budget.

Tools and Resources

1. Ahrefs: Steven considers this the best SEO tool for in-depth analysis.
2. SEMrush: A good alternative, especially for beginners, due to its lower price point.
3. SEO Wind: Used for analyzing top-ranking content and structuring articles.
4. Grammarly: Used for editing and proofreading.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Lack of Optimization: Even well-written content needs to be optimized for search engines.
2. Poor User Experience: Ensure content is easy to read on screens (e.g., appropriate page width, frequent line breaks).
3. Missing Images: Use images to break up text and make content more scannable.
4. No Call-to-Action: Always include a next step for the reader.
5. Ignoring Existing Content: Don’t focus solely on creating new content; update and optimize existing pages too.

Where Does Steven See the Future of SEO Content Going?

Steven is pro-AI for the future of SEO and content but with some caveats:

AI as a Tool, Not a Solution

Steven is pro-AI if it’s used as a tool. I’m anti-AI if it’s used as a solution or to write content.

The Future of AI in Content Creation

Steven sees AI becoming more and more part of our daily lives like smartphones and digital payments. He thinks those who resist AI will be left behind as technology moves forward.

Changing Search Landscape

Steven mentions:

1. The new ChatGPT search feature
2. Google’s potential restructuring due to antitrust concerns
3. TikTok becoming a search engine for younger users

These changes mean understanding and adapting to AI will be key to success in SEO and content creation.

Ethical Use of AI in Content Creation

Trio SEO don’t use AI generated content for their clients. But they do use AI tools for:

1. Editing (e.g. Grammarly)
2. Brand briefs (with human editing and client approval)
3. Spreadsheet formulas
4. Coding assistance

Steven says quality and authenticity is key in content creation even with AI getting more prevalent.

How to Get in Contact with Steven

If you’d like to connect with Steven or learn more about Trio SEO, you can reach out through the following channels:

1. LinkedIn: Search for Steven Schneider or Trio SEO on LinkedIn. Steven is very active on the platform.
2. Website: Visit trioseo.com and use the contact form (which Steven assures works perfectly).

Advice to His Younger Self

While the transcript doesn’t include Steven’s specific answer to this question, we can infer from his experiences that his advice might include:

1. Trust your entrepreneurial instincts early on
2. Don’t be afraid to quit unfulfilling jobs to pursue your passion
3. Focus on building a strong network in your industry
4. Embrace the power of learning by doing
5. Stay adaptable and open to new technologies and trends in your field

Books, Podcasts, and Leaders That Inspire Steven

Steven mentioned that he’s not a big book reader at this point in his life. However, he derives a lot of valuable information and inspiration from other sources:

1. LinkedIn: Steven is very active on LinkedIn and finds it a great source of information and networking, especially with other SEO professionals.
2. Industry Experts: He’s not afraid to reach out to experts in specific areas when he needs to learn something new. This suggests he values the knowledge and experience of leaders in his field.
3. Hands-on Experience: While not a traditional source of inspiration, Steven emphasized the importance of learning by doing. He believes in getting hands-on experience and “touching the stove to see if it’s hot.”
4. AI and Technology: Steven showed enthusiasm for AI and technological advancements, suggesting he finds inspiration in cutting-edge developments in his industry.

While Steven didn’t mention specific books or podcasts, his approach to learning and staying informed indicates that he values practical, up-to-date information from industry professionals and real-world experiences over traditional media.

Conclusion

Steven Schneider’s insights into SEO content optimization provide valuable guidance for businesses looking to improve their online presence. His emphasis on creating high-quality, user-focused content that also satisfies search engine requirements offers a balanced approach to content strategy.

Key takeaways include:

• Focus on bottom-of-funnel content that drives conversions
• Regularly update and optimize existing content
• Use AI as a tool to enhance human capabilities, not replace them
• Stay adaptable as the search landscape evolves

By following Steven’s advice and staying up-to-date with industry trends, businesses can develop robust content strategies that attract and convert their ideal customers through organic search.