Seth Merrill

#local-phoenix - January 22, 2025 at 04:38 AM

Hi friends! I live in east Mesa, currently reworking remotely doing content for a Utah software company that helps HR teams with employment law compliance.

Life is currently dominated by prepping for baby #2 on the way this summer, but down to meet up and talk shop when possible! (Especially over some enchiladas or a game of pickleball.)

#local-phoenix - January 21, 2025 at 06:15 PM

@Jimmy Daly (Superpath) yeah, we moved from SLC to Mesa a couple years ago!

Loving it here but definitely need to connect with more pros around here (since I’m working remote for a SLC company 😅 )

#CJE3XC0H3-announcements - January 21, 2025 at 05:35 PM

Would love a Phoenix/East Valley (AZ) group!

#general - April 24, 2023 at 09:19 PM

@Jimmy Daly (Superpath) I’m not sure I have blog’s worth of interesting, cohesive thoughts on the topic that aren’t just my own personal cope 😂 Let me take a stab at an outline and see what I come up with haha

#general - April 24, 2023 at 05:13 PM

A few things I'm having to remind myself to avoid the malaise/burnout:

• Every piece of AI content feels like "AI is going to change and disrupt everything and our jobs are screwed!" because that's the type of content that goes viral. Measured, thoughtful posts don't go viral. Subdued predictions don't go viral. Bottom of the barrel, lowest common denominator content that evokes extreme emotion is what goes viral. I'm sure everyone who's had their profession (cooking, interior design, financial advice, motivational content) turned into easy-to-create subgenres of viral content on social have felt the same thing. But there's always going to be enough money moving from clients with a higher quality bar to those with professional-grade specialized skills.
• The content game was always been about "how do we stand out in a sea of sameness?" even before AI. I don't think AI has changed anything in that regard yet beyond democratizing who gets to play in the sea. The opportunity to stand out is still there and takes the same work as always.
• 3—5 years down the road, will it be just as easy to spot and instinctively ignore bottom-of-the-barrel AI content as it is uninspired digital ads, lazy sales outreach over email and LI, hacky SEO content, etc? Will public dissent turn against in the same way we tend to do for everything that feels spammy and inorganic?
• People will get bored with talking about it as it settles into becoming just a part of daily work. The apocalyptic takes will end:)
• I like this quote from this article: "This is the best opportunity for content marketers and companies than we’ve seen in years. Even decades. The complete leveling of the playing field for standardized, keyword focused content means we can get back to sharing ideas, strategies, thoughts and feelings that have real meaning."

#general - January 19, 2023 at 04:46 PM

@Craig Dennis On top of what Cierra reshared from me, another framing device is I like to go into SME interviews like I’m doing a podcast interview.

This device helps remind me to: Do research on them beforehand, set up questions with appropriate context, be curious and pull on threads when they share interesting nuggets but don’t expound, question assumptions or givens (i.e. advocating on behalf of the future audience so they don’t get confused or balk at unfounded claims), and go in with a general narrative arc from the start vs aimless wandering

#general - November 09, 2022 at 06:56 PM

I ❤️ Superpath too! S/O @Jimmy Daly (Superpath) for setting us up for easy wins🤝

#freelance-gigs - September 07, 2021 at 04:47 PM

Agree with @Priyanshu Chhazed to try and determine if their incentivized to pay the performance bonus, and making sure your ability to hit the bonus threshold is mostly within your control, not theirs (if possible).

Not sure what your specific situation is, but if they told you they are commissioning content primarily for email newsletters but set a bonus based on how well they perform on social as well, there are competing incentives influencing how you’d tackle the project.

#intros - September 01, 2021 at 05:48 PM

Ah that’s awesome—we have a series like that in the works so that’s very validating to hear☺️

#intros - August 31, 2021 at 11:57 PM

@Jake Woehlke That’s awesome! Any content you feel would have been helpful/would be helpful to have as a new user on the platform?

#intros - August 31, 2021 at 09:17 PM

Hi all! I’m Seth, currently working as the content marketing manager at Polywork (my first startup experience). Previously at Pluralsight and did some in-house creative studio and PR stuff before that. Trying to Substack in the side but nearly impossible with an almost-2-year-old toddler😅 Excited to learn and share ideas with y’all!