Hi and welcome backstage.
First of all, thank you so much for signing up.
Within the first day of launching this newsletter, 10 people subscribed 🥳 And while that may not sound like a lot to some, it honestly means the world to me.
Because launching something with your name on it? It’s scary.
I wrote my welcome email and Issue #1 a couple of weeks ago… but kept putting off launching it. Not because I didn’t want to, but because creating content for yourself is so different.
There’s no brief. No deadline. No one’s waiting on the other end.
The decision to sit down, create something from scratch, and hit publish is all yours.
And you know what helped me finally do it?
You.
Now you’re my accountability. I have a responsibility to share what I know — and more importantly, to document what I’m learning in real time.
This week reminded me that what feels “obvious” to me is often brand new to others. I’ve been in this space for nearly a decade — but most people are experts in other things. What I take for granted might be exactly what someone else needs to hear.
And that’s probably why you subscribed too.
To learn what really goes into creating content that resonates with readers, ranks high on Google, and, most importantly, drives results.
So let’s get into it.
TL;DR:
🔍 What I’ve Worked On This Week + How to Create Content That People Love to Read
This week, I’ve been working on an article for Backlinko about SEO forecasting. And when I casually mentioned it to a founder friend, they literally stopped me and said:
“Wait. SEO forecasting is a thing? I’ve never even heard of that. How do I do it?”
That moment confirmed what I already felt while researching:
Even the best articles on this topic left me overwhelmed. They explain what it is, why it matters, but they rarely break down how to actually do it, step by step.
And honestly, SEO forecasting isn’t easy — it’s technical.
Statistical models, click-through rate curves, traffic benchmarks… it can get overwhelming fast. But I didn’t want this to be another “high-level theory” post.
So I shared my thoughts with the Backlinko team, and we decided to partner with an expert to build a custom spreadsheet that anyone can use. You just plug in your data and get real projections based on statistical models.
The article’s not live yet, but I’ll share the link when it’s up. If you’re curious about predicting organic traffic growth, this one’s going to be worth the wait.
If you want to create truly valuable content, go the extra mile. Step into your readers’ shoes and ask yourself: “What would they still be wondering after reading this?”
And if your friends or colleagues are part of your target audience — ask them directly. Then write the piece as if you’re helping a friend, not just replicating existing content.
🛠 Tool of the Week: Beehiiv (What I’m Using for This Newsletter)
Over the years, I’ve tested many usual email marketing platforms.
But I’ve recently heard about Beehiiv and decided to commit to it. It’s built specifically for creators, which makes a huge difference.
Some of the features I’m loving so far:
Decent free plan — host a newsletter with up to 2,500 subscribers and enjoy all the necessary features
Straightforward setup — it’s clean, easy to use, and doesn’t overwhelm you with options
Public archive — you can enable a web page where people can browse your past issues (makes it easier for someone to take a look at what you share before subscribing)
Built-in monetization tools — if you want to scale later, everything’s already in place: ads, subscriptions, referral programs
🤖 AI Use Case of the Week: Thought Organization, Voice-Note Style
Here’s one simple way I use ChatGPT literally every day:
I open it like I’m sending a voice note to a friend — no structure, no fancy prompt.
Just:
“Hey, I’ve been thinking about this article section but I’m not sure how to frame it…”
Or: “Here’s what I want to say, but it feels a bit messy. Can you help me organize this?”
Then I talk for minutes, giving it all the context and my thoughts.
And honestly? It works.
Whether I’m outlining strategy, brainstorming content ideas, or just trying to clarify a thought, ChatGPT acts like the assistant I’ve always wanted.
If you’re not already using AI this way, give it a shot.
Disclaimer: You’ll quickly get addicted to talking to ChatGPT 🙈
That’s it for this week! 🎬
If you’re working on something exciting — or you have any content or tool-related topics you’d love me to cover in a future issue — just hit reply and let me know.
See you next Friday,
Kate
