I’ve been doing a lot of 2024 planning this week and, yes, trying to get things off my desk for this month.

Usually, before I do any major 2024 planning, I look back at the previous year.

What did we do?

What did we learn?

What’s not working?

But this year feels a bit different.

Unlike other years in our business, this year wasn’t as much about the yearly big rocks — it was more about responding and being proactive month-to-month in our strategic approach.

At the end of 2022, I listened to the first episode of the Contrarian Marketing Podcast with Kevin Indig and Eli Schwartz, and it got my mind prepared for what could become of 2023. The reality, even then, was that there was little we could do to prepare for 2023.

So, they asked, does 2023 planning even matter?

After this episode, my mantra for 2023 was to hold on.

We didn’t have to grow in leaps and bounds. We didn’t have to scale like crazy. We’d be ahead of the game even if we kept things as status quo as a company.

That thinking served me well this year, both in my work and personal life.

While we had so many wins this year, having these expectations along the way helped me navigate and prioritize my energy. Whether you are in SEO, content, or a freelancer, I encourage you to think about your expectations this year.

It’s okay to say, “I don’t know everything that is going to happen, but I know I want to be ready to embrace the changes and opportunities that will come my way.”

We can plan as much as we want, but the real success comes from how we respond to the changes, not how well we plan.

So, what am I doing instead?

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So, how should we plan for 2024?

I am still doing my 2024 year plans, but more than a robust, detailed 2024 plan, I am thinking about the vision.

I have been spending a lot of time thinking about where we want to be as a company this year. What does that look like?

And I’m doing this for my personal goals as well.

As we pivot toward the future this year, it’s okay to take a beat.

While meticulous planning certainly has its merits, now is the time to show up, adapt, and be open to new possibilities.

What is the vision I see for 2024 in SEO and content?

While the full picture of our industry's vision for 2024 is still taking shape, certain key themes have begun to crystallize in my mind. These are not just idle thoughts but potential guiding principles that can lead us toward a more impactful and successful year.

Let’s explore these ideas, starting to form the backbone of our approach for the upcoming year.

We need to diversify our perspectives in 2024.

There is a pressing need in our industry to expand and diversify our viewpoints. I think this is where SEO is trying to go as well. With all the Reddit forums and videos we’re seeing in the SERPs, not to mention the chatter about highlighting different perspectives… this is where SEO should be headed.

In the SEO and digital industry as a whole, I want to see more.

While the SERPs might be a bit messy these days, this is also where I think Google wants to go. Do we want the same AI-driven answers to all our queries, or do we want some diversity?

And, as an industry, I want to see this as well:

More voices. Less bravado. Less tactical and more collaborative.

This year, I want to listen to those thinking about the big picture and letting others sit at the table.

We should all have a say.

We can work together.

I see big possibilities for new collaborations in niche media and publishers.

I see a lot of value in collaborating with others doing the same thing. As the saying goes, “A rising tide lifts all boats.”

So, maybe the theme of 2023 is collaboration?

So much magic happens when we work together — the best content is collaborative.

This year, I want to find more opportunities to help each other.

I loved the process I went through in writing this guest post for The CMO this past week. (It’s also in my further reading section).

The entire process was collaborative:

• Pitching the topic and overall tone style of the piece.

• Reaching out to SaaS companies to get some actual data.

• Following up with marketing leaders and SaaS owners to ask more questions. I got to have honest discussions to dig deeper.

• Editing: I had a killer editor who made me sound more brilliant.

• Content designer: They took my bullet points and created visuals. They made the presentation of my ideas that much better.

• Marketing: Now, I get to share my thoughts and promote a great publication, and I hope the experts I quoted will also share this.

The synergies we can have in content are powerful. This year, a lot of the reason why I am mapping out and planning our 2024 calendar is so that we can take advantage of these types of synergies in our company. I’ll keep you all posted!

Things to Read, Watch, and Ponder

We’re starting this section with an article I’m super proud to have my name on. When The CMO asked me to weigh in on the state of SEO, the Verge article (remember the one that called SEOs content goblins?), and give some advice on how to build a solid SEO team for marketers, I jumped at the chance!

I must give a BIG shoutout to the editors and content designers there as well; they took my draft and created a much more polished, enjoyable, and easy-reading piece. Check it out!

Speaking of the SEO industry, I thoroughly enjoyed this frank, authentic discussion from one of the industry’s best voices, Lily Ray. It is so easy for us to knock Google, complain, and whine, but I appreciate Lily’s perspective. We must celebrate voices like Lily’s, willing to give us the goods and let us see behind the curtains. It’s been such a year for SEO experts. They are tired. Their inboxes are full. And, yet, they are still here helping us navigate this wild, wild world. Check this out!!

Speaking of a diversity of voices, the team at Majestic has pulled together the brightest in SEO to create their SEO in the 2024 book, and you can get on the list now! The topics include being human, internal linking, collaboration, SEO workflow, and more. These are the voices that I want to hear from in this space!

That’s it from me this week. I hope to return next week with some more highlights from 2023.

Cheers! Amy

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