Helping brands get rankings and revenue from Google, LLMs, AI Overviews | CEO of Contact.so | Mentions.so | Kleo.so

There’s a rumour that we’re the world’s most controversial SEO Agency. But I’d just describe us as innovators. 

We stay on the cutting edge of SEO to help clients get traffic from Google and LLMs that turns into revenue. That doesn't go over well with the dinosaurs who are stuck in the past and too lazy to adapt. 

Our product is simple: work with us and we will make you more money than what you spend with us. 

☎️GETTING IN TOUCH IS EASY:
📞 Schedule a 30-minute free demo with me here: https://contactstudios.co/book-a-call?utm_campaign=Rob%20Hoffman&utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=social 
(Zero pressure, and if you need to reschedule, go right ahead.)

Rob@contactstudios.com 

Contact Co-Founder & CEO

Rob Hoffman

SEO?
“Just add some keywords”
”Get green lights on Yoast”
”Let’s write a blog and rank #1?”
”Can’t we just buy some backlinks?”

But SEO now is a totally different beast.

Here’s what it actually involves:

- Total Addressable Search Market
- Google Search Console
- “Don’t change URLs”
- Quick win keywords
- Customer research
- Programmatic SEO
- Entity optimization
- LLM optimization
- Keyword Insights
- Topical authority
- Site architecture
- Schema markup
- Core Web Vitals
- Monthly reports
- Log file analysis
- Google updates
- Brand mentions
- Screaming Frog
- Technical audit
- Content decay
- Internal linking
- XML Sitemaps
- Topic clusters
- “llms.txt file?”
- Search intent
- Link building
- “It depends”
- Crawlability
- Canonicals
- Robots.txt
- Digital PR
- Mentions
- Semrush
- E-E-A-T

Just adding keywords or getting green lights on Yoast doesn't get SEO results in 2025.

True SEO and holistic marketing does.

Here’s a crazy stat for you:

AI gets 40% of its answers from Reddit.

Even crazier, in some cases (like Google’s AI Overviews), Quora actually beats Reddit.

(Data found in recent Semrush studies)

This clearly shows that LLMs value authentic, conversational, community-generated content.

So if you’re wondering:

“Why doesn’t AI mention my brand as the best {thing}?”

It’s probably because nobody is saying that in the places LLMs get answers from, especially Reddit.

You should fix that.

1. Build presence in relevant subreddits
2. Contribute value (guides, answers, AMAs)
3. Encourage customers to share experiences

Build your brand on Reddit, not just LinkedIn.

I know I am.

Companies: "Content is king"

But then:

- 1 marketer overseeing all channels
- Interns running their social platforms
- $10K/mo is too expensive for content
- Despite spending 6-figures on paid ads

Drop the performance marketing mindset where content needs to have a clear and instant ROI.

By properly investing in content, you'll attract an audience that will eventually buy from you.

Or you can carry on:

- Not building your brand
- Not growing your audience
- Not increasing inbound leads
- Not getting ahead of competitors

Most companies regret not properly investing resources into content sooner.

Don't let that be you.

How I rank businesses inside LLMs:

AI platforms handle millions of daily queries, Google now shows AI summaries on 1 in 5 searches, Google is making AI Mode the default.

This isn't just another SEO hype.

But successful AI SEO follows 7 key steps that most people completely miss.

Here’s my AI SEO playbook:

Step 1: Map your customer questions

Write down every question from your sales calls. Those same questions are being asked in ChatGPT right now.

But don't stop there. Map the follow-up questions too. LLMs love comprehensive answers.

Step 2: Create answer-focused pages

Build pages that directly answer those questions. Skip the fluff and get straight to solutions.

Step 3: Get authentic forum mentions

Make a real account on forums like Reddit. Use your real name and company. Give genuinely helpful answers in relevant threads.

Answer long-tail questions others ignore. These feed directly into LLM responses.

But don't spam. Communities spot fake accounts instantly.

Step 4: Publish YouTube videos

Target specific problems your customers face. LLMs love video citations for complex topics.

Focus on topics where written content falls short.

Step 5: Build strategic affiliate partnerships

Partner with creators who naturally mention your solutions. Authentic recommendations carry more weight than ads.

Step 6: Maximise quality citations everywhere

Get mentioned in blog posts, forums, podcasts. More citations equal more LLM visibility.

Quality beats quantity. One mention in a trusted source outperforms ten low-quality ones.

Step 7: Track your brand mentions religiously

Use a tool like Mentions to monitor when and how your brand (and each competitor) appears.

The AI revolution isn't killing SEO. It's creating new opportunities for companies willing to adapt.

The biggest opportunity?

Even early-stage companies can win immediately.

You don't need domain authority like Google. You just need to get cited and you’ll start showing up.

We literally live and breathe this SEO framework.

5 years ago, we watched a SaaS company burn through 6 months of content budget. 60 blog posts on topics like "what is email marketing" and "benefits of newsletters."

Their traffic skyrocketed, but their revenue flatlined.

Their entire content game was backwards.

So that's when we built our "SEO Content Pyramid" to flip it completely and start at the top.

Here's how it works:

1. Convert (Top of Pyramid)

High-intent content for people ready to buy.

A. Competitor Comparisons
↳ "beehiiv vs Kit"
↳ "Kit alternatives"

B. Product Reviews
↳ "beehiiv reviews" (brand)
↳ "Kit review" (competitor)

C. Buyer Guides
↳ "Best newsletter platforms in 2025"
↳ "Best newsletter tools for beginners"

D. Product Pages
↳ "Email newsletter software"
↳ "Newsletter platform pricing"

2. Discover (Middle of Pyramid)

Solution content for people exploring options.

A. Solve Pain Points
↳ "How to start a newsletter"
↳ "Newsletter best practices"

B. Case Studies
↳ "Email marketing case studies"
↳ "How [Brand] grew to 100k subscribers"

C. Data Studies
↳ "Open rate benchmarks 2025"
↳ "Email marketing statistics"

D. Templates and Tools
↳ "Newsletter templates"
↳ "Email subject line generator"

3. Awareness (Bottom of Pyramid)

Educational content for people learning and exploring.

A. Definitions
↳ "What is open rate"
↳ "Email deliverability explained"

B. Educational Guides
↳ "How to increase email open rate"
↳ "How to write engaging emails"

C. Industry Trends and News
↳ "Gmail manage subscriptions feature"
↳ "Email marketing trends 2025"

D. Ideas
↳ "Newsletter content ideas"
↳ "Email campaign ideas for holidays"

Start at the top with Convert content. Only move to Discover once you've covered every competitor comparison, product review, and buyer guide. Then tackle Awareness last.

This framework will 10x your SEO results.

SEO is evolving.

Traditional SEO is “get clicks”
LLM SEO is “get cited”

If AI doesn’t know you, the searcher won’t either.

10 examples you need to know:

Traditional SEO vs LLM SEO

If you're an SEO who's ever wanted to work with us, now's your chance.

We’re looking for exceptional SEO strategists who are excited about the future of search.

This isn't just another SEO role.

You'll be working on "new SEO" strategies for some of the most impressive companies out there.

You'll be getting companies visible in a search world that's changing faster than anyone's figured out.

You'll be experimenting with tactics most SEO teams won't touch for another 2 years.

If you're the kind of person who gets genuinely excited about this stuff, we want to hear from you.

Reply below if that's you (or someone you know).

And fill in this quick form: https://lnkd.in/eBgSGK2V

We'll DM the 10 most impressive SEOs this week.

23 content ideas we use to create 100s of new pages for our SEO campaigns, whether it's for a:

- New SaaS start-up
- Small local business
- 9-figure unicorn company
- Mid-sized e-commerce website

Some focus more on driving traffic:

- Lists
- FAQs
- Steps
- Interviews
- Checklists
- Definitions
- Pillar Pages
- Infographics
- Press Releases
- Ultimate Guides
- Trending Content
- Beginner's Guides
- Tips/Best Practices

Others focus more on driving conversions:

- How-To Guides
- Landing Pages
- Product Pages
- Best-Of Posts
- Comparisons
- Case Studies
- Alternatives
- Templates
- Free Tools
- Reviews

But truth is, they're all crucial for:

1. Establishing your authority
2. Building your SEO moat for defensibility
3. Meeting your users at each stage of the funnel

So, I've ranked each content type in the chart below.

- From Traffic-Focused to Conversion-Focused
- From Difficult to Easy to publish from start-finish

Use it to prioritize your website's content plan:

(And stop shooting in the dark)

I just went on Greg Isenberg's podcast and broke down 6 proven playbooks that took bootstrapped SaaS from $0 to $300K MRR.

Real examples.
Real numbers.
Real tactics you can copy.

Here's how to get customers for your SaaS in 2026:

(PS. Watch the podcast here: https://lnkd.in/e-CjhaAz)

The companies we're reverse engineering:

- Kleo: $61K MRR
- TrustMRR: $24K MRR (in 30 days)
- Teachizy: $65K MRR
- Tally: $338K MRR
- LocalRank: $47K MRR
- Mailscale: $100K+ MRR

Playbook 1: The Waitlist Strategy

We used this for Kleo. Hit $61K MRR in 53 days.

The framework: Content → Email → Webinar

Create "edusales" content that subtly teases your product. Don't hard sell. Lead with value. Plug your tool in ONE bullet point.

Launch beta to your waitlist with early-bird lifetime discount.

We offered the first 500 users lifetime access for $59 (normally $99).

This creates scarcity and FOMO.

Hit $61K MRR before even launching publicly.

Stack your calendar with customer calls. Use first 500 users to iterate. Then relaunch to second cohort at a higher price.

Playbook 2: The Wave Surfer Strategy

TrustMR by Marc Lou: $24K MRR in 30 days.

Pieter Levels tweeted, complaining about fake MRR screenshots on X.

Marc shipped TrustMRR within 48 hours.

He didn't use his own audience. He piggybacked on Pieter’s virality.

Ship fast. Quit fast if it doesn't work.

Build virality into the product. TrustMRR is inherently shareable.

When you get massive attention but low intent, sell ads instead of subscriptions.

Playbook 3: Language Arbitrage Strategy

Teachizy: $65K MRR

They took Kajabi/Teachable and made it 100% French.

That's it. Same product. Different language.

SEO in other languages = marketing on easy mode. High volume. Low competition. It's what SEO in English looked like in the early 2000s.

Playbook 4: AI Search Strategy

Tally: $338K MRR

They became the #1 recommended form builder in ChatGPT.

Result: 2,000+ new users from AI search in 2025 alone.

Created comprehensive alternatives pages and "best of" articles. When people search "Typeform alternative" in ChatGPT, Tally shows up first.

Traffic from ChatGPT converts 4-5x better than Google. In some cases, 17x better.

Why? People trust ChatGPT like a friend.

Plus ChatGPT gives 2-3 recommendations vs 1,000 blue links.

The next 6 months are the biggest window to take advantage of this.

Playbook 5: Signal Search Strategy

LocalRank: $47K MRR. Made $5K MRR on day one.

They shipped ONE feature (a heat map) to test market response.

This let them validate demand before investing months into a full platform.

They launched it on YouTube and X (YouTube drove 80% of signups)

Oops, I've run out of characters.

Check out Playbook 6: High Ticket Ad Strategy (Mailscale: $100K MRR) in the comments 👇

I spent 8 hours researching these SaaS strategies so you don't have to...

Which playbook do you like best?

Google: Handles 90% of all searches, 16.4B queries per day, owns YouTube, has 14% stake in Anthropic, powers Claude with TPU chips, owns Gemini, tracks the world via Maps, builds self-driving cars at Waymo, owns Android, powers 3B devices, sends 831x more visitors to sites than all LLMs combined.

ChatGPT: New browser basically powered by Google.

Google is the internet.

If you're a software engineer who's ever wanted to work with me, Jake, Lara and the Kleo team, now's your chance:

Co-founder building Kleo.so and Mentions.so

I'm hiring for a Full Stack Developer at Kleo!

First thing you need to know: we're scaling fast.

If you have:

3+ years full stack experience (ideally TypeScript)
⁠2+ years cloud computing (ideally Vercel)
⁠2+ years relational database experience
⁠2+ years building async workers

You might be our next best team addition.

We need someone who has:

- Experience creating AI based tools (ideally chat bots)
- ⁠Experience using AI Code editors (e.g. Claude Code)
- Built Chrome Extensions (optional)
- Design first attitude when architecting solutions
- Follows latest AI trends and loves AI in general

What you’ll be doing:

Taking ownership of design and feature implementation, and responding to Technical Support Tickets for bug fixes.

Why join us:

You'll be part of joining the fastest-growing content creation tool on the market. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join us before we scale further.

You'll also be able to move into senior and management roles in the near future as we grow.

And you'll be working 100% remotely.

If this sounds like you (or anyone you know) please fill in this form here:
https://lnkd.in/erncQE2m

Looking forward to meeting some of you soon!

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Clover Learning (acquired by Ascend Learning)

Chief Operating Officer

Hannah Grey VC

Venture Partner

PATHWAYos by Vector Solutions

Chief Executive Officer (acquired by Vector Solutions), Board of Directors

Edvance - Member Benefit Management in Higher Ed

Chief Operating Officer + Chief Of Staff

PresenceLearning

Chief Operating Officer (acquired by TPG & Spectrum)

Wiley

Vice President, Operations & Strategic Partnerships (acquired Ranku: Co-founder & COO)

U.S. Chamber of Commerce (Institute for a Competitive Workforce)

Senior Director of Education Policy

Minnesota Chamber of Commerce

➥ Recognized as "Business Leader in Public Policy" by Capitol Report/Politics in Minnesota

Education & Healthcare Lobbyist

CEO at Transeo 🔹 On a mission to close the skills gap by unlocking work-based learning opportunities for all 🔹 Innovative & Entrepreneurial COO (2x Exited) 🔹 Bridging Education to Workforce

Cecilia Retelle Zywicki is an experienced executive with a proven track record of driving transformative growth in the EdTech and HealthTech sectors. Expertise in defining and implementing strategies accelerating revenue and profit within highly competitive markets. Proven leader with a history of delivering exceptional outcomes, including multiple successful exits.

Cecilia is the COO of Clover Learning, overseeing all aspects of operations, including partnerships, customer success, customer support, finance, legal, and operational efficiency. She is adept at building high-performing teams, fostering collaborative environments, and maximizing operational efficiency to achieve ambitious growth objectives.

Cecilia has extensive experience leading technology-driven companies, focusing on developing and delivering innovative solutions in the healthcare and education sectors. She has demonstrated her ability to navigate complex business development transactions, including strategic acquisitions.

Passionate about upskilling the workforce and connecting education with real-world opportunities. Proven ability to scale enrollment and develop and implement online learning platforms. As a leader, she fosters a collaborative and supportive environment where team members are empowered to contribute their unique talents and achieve their full potential.

JD from the University of Denver and a BS and M.Ed. in Education from the University of Minnesota.

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