The Content Ops Challenge, Scaling Great Work, Saving the Internet, and the Risks of SEO-Only Content with David Baum (Relato)

In this conversation, Alex and David Baum discuss the problems and challenges in content operations (Content Ops) and the need for a new generation of software and tools to support the way people work today. They explore the disarray in content strategy, the gulf between content managers and writers, and the risks of an SEO-first approach. They also emphasize the importance of preserving the human internet and the value of human-generated content in an era of generative AI. Overall, the conversation highlights the need for a more holistic and human-centric approach to content operations. In this conversation, David Baum and Alex discuss the future of the human internet and the challenges of algorithmic delivery. They explore the cynicism and lack of serendipity in content today, as well as the limitations of algorithms in discovering new content. They also delve into the incentives for choosing the human route in content creation and the scarcity of organic hits on search engine result pages. The conversation concludes with a call to action to check out relato.com and connect with David Baum on LinkedIn.Key TakeawaysContent Ops is a problem worth solving as there has been significant change in the way teams work and organize content, but there is a lack of proper software and tools to support this new way of working.The current approach to content ops is often fragmented, with homegrown solutions and a lack of robust platforms, leading to inefficiencies and wasted time.There is a gulf between content managers and writers, with different perspectives and problems. Content managers focus on strategic goals and outcomes, while writers face challenges in managing multiple clients and tools.An SEO-first approach to content marketing is risky due to increased competition, volatile search engine results pages (SERPs), and the need for high investment and velocity to compete.Preserving the human internet is crucial as AI-generated content threatens the unique voices and creativity of human content creators. Human-generated content is essential for training new models and maintaining the value and authenticity of the internet. The future of the human internet relies on finding a way to classify content as human or not.There is a need for more serendipity and less algorithmic delivery in content.Discovering new content is a challenging problem that current algorithms have not solved.The scarcity of organic hits on search engine result pages incentivizes content creators to choose the human route.Show LinksVisit RelatoConnect with David Baum on LinkedInConnect with Alex Birkett on LinkedIn and TwitterConnect with Omniscient Digital on LinkedIn or TwitterPast guests on The Long Game podcast include: Morgan Brown (Shopify), Ryan Law (Animalz), Dan Shure (Evolving SEO), Kaleigh Moore (freelancer), Eric Siu (Clickflow), Peep Laja (CXL), Chelsea Castle (Chili Piper), Tracey Wallace (Klaviyo), Tim Soulo (Ahrefs), Ryan McReady (Reforge), and many more.Some interviews you might enjoy and learn from:Actionable Tips and Secrets to SEO Strategy with Dan Shure (Evolving SEO)Building Competitive Marketing Content with Sam Chapman (Aprimo)How to Build the Right Data Workflow with Blake Burch (Shipyard)Data-Driven Thought Leadership with Alicia Johnston (Sprout Social)Purpose-Driven Leadership & Building a Content Team with Ty Magnin (UiPath)Also, check out our Kitchen Side series where we take you behind the scenes to see how the sausage is made at our agency:Blue Ocean vs Red Ocean SEOShould You Hire Writers or Subject Matter Experts?How Do Growth and Content Overlap?Connect with Omniscient Digital on social:Twitter: @beomniscientLinkedin: Be OmniscientListen to more episodes of The Long Game podcast here: https://beomniscient.com/podcast/