Summary: Split tests work when you’re optimizing for a single goal. They aren’t appropriate for issues that are more complicated and nuanced. I’m a big believer in A/B testing. You can significantly improve marketing results by using the right headline, the right color, the right image, the right guarantee language, and so on. I’ve done…
Summary: It’s too easy to fall for logical fallacies or to allow cognitive biases to cloud our judgment. Be sure to know them so you don’t fall for them yourself, or inflict them on other people. Watch out, world! My superpowers are starting to emerge! Last week I was on a camping trip with some…
Summary: How can you tell whether you have “imposter syndrome” or whether you actually are inflating your abilities and accomplishments? The answer is to get objective and external validation. I frequently hear concern about “imposter syndrome.” My general reaction is that “imposter syndrome” is actually your conscience telling you that you’re not “all that.” Although…
Summary: Yes, it’s time to show a little empathy as a result of the presidential election. That might include the people you’re insulting. Years ago, when I was a brash young Evangelical, a Catholic co-worker referred to her priest as “father.” As you probably know, Jesus explicitly said “call no man father,” which I cited…
Summary: Is forced enthusiasm in sales and marketing a good thing? It may alienate audiences rather than engage them. Authenticity and a thoughtful read on your audience is better than assuming everyone responds to high-energy tactics. Am I the only one? I need some feedback on this one, folks Today’s podcast will sound autobiographical, but…
Summary: Publishers need a clear AI policy to ensure responsible, transparent use of AI in content creation, protect editorial integrity, and address challenges posed by AI’s disruptive potential. Such policies guide ethical usage, safeguard credibility, and maintain audience trust. Some publishers see generative AI as a fundamental challenge to their business. Generative AI is certainly…
Summary: When trouble-shooting a problem, challenge your assumptions, and do the easy thing first. This morning I had another lesson in “it’s not what you think.” My first big lesson in that regard was with a garbage disposal. It quit working. I assumed it had died, so I replaced it. The new one worked great…
A cookie is a small text file that a website can write to your computer. It typically includes a unique ID for each visitor. Remember that there isn’t a one-to-one relationship between a “visitor” and a person. The “visitor” is an internet browser, like Chrome or Safari. There’s often a human behind that browser, but…
Summary: You can create reusable tools with ChatGPT to help streamline idea generation and content creation. You’re staring at a blank page, and it’s staring back at you. How do you move forward? Today I’m going to explain a great tool you can use with ChatGPT to help you with content creation. My son does…
Summary: There are rules and patterns that define and describe compelling content. Here’s an overview. The Babylon Bee had a great bit where a husband is complaining that his wife wants to have a deep conversation but she won’t even listen to his podcast. That’s essentially the message of “Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t”…
Summary: A 16-point, step-by-step guide to using AI to write a book. Today I’m going to give you a simple technique to help you write a book quickly. There’s one prerequisite. You have to have already produced a lot of content on the subject. That content could be blog posts, articles, podcasts – even documentation,…
In yesterday’s post I mentioned the prospect of fighting a losing war against Skynet, hoping for the reward of a frothy mug of mead in Valhalla. My friend Allan asked where to get a frothy mug of mead on the living side of things. To explain that I’ll have to give a quick lesson on…
(I just noticed that the lady on the right has three legs! Thanks, Midjourney!) Summary: Computers don’t understand relevance, and it’s unlikely they will any time soon. “Relevance realization” is what sets humans apart from AI, and “general artificial intelligence” won’t happen until someone solves this. Remember that fun video where the kids are throwing…
Summary: The New York Times has apparently made a deal with Apple and Spotify that allows them to authenticate subscribers with NYT credentials on those platforms. This is great news for publishers with podcasts. This has been a very long time coming, but I’m glad it’s finally happened. Bo Sacks sent this article out to…
Summary: There are many ways to restrict access to content, and there are a lot of issues to consider when developing such a strategy. Here’s a start. When advertising revenue declines, as it has been, publishers start to think about paywalls, as they have been. I was talking with a client about this the other…