Speaker 1: 0:24

Big news today.

Speaker 2: 0:25

Oh really.

Speaker 1: 0:26

Yeah, I'm a little bit nervous for this.

Speaker 2: 0:28

Oh really.

Speaker 1: 0:29

Yeah, so we're going to have a little vote at the end of the episode today, okay, but in order to get there to sort of explain what we're voting about, I need to put it in a little bit of context.

Speaker 2: 0:41

Okay.

Speaker 1: 0:42

So we started. Do you remember when we started this podcast?

Speaker 2: 0:45

Yeah, I do.

Speaker 1: 0:50

Not date-wise wise, but I remember, yeah, the circumstances. It was over, I think, a little over two years ago I don't remember the date either, but I know we've had two calendar years and it began as just a kind of not a fluke, but like a not a side project. It was just, yeah, it wasn't very consistent, it was a weekly thing.

Speaker 2: 1:09

I think it was kind of like want to do this.

Speaker 1: 1:13

Yeah, we did a few episodes. We put them out there. You asked some people in photography groups online if they thought it was helpful. One group yeah. One group. They said, yeah, we did some more. We kept going, yeah. So at that point it sort of became a side project for me anyway.

Speaker 2: 1:29

Yeah, for you, not for me yeah.

Speaker 1: 1:31

I had some plans with it. I had some ideas, some things I wanted to do in addition to the podcast, because people said it was helpful. The problem for me, anyway, with side projects is that they're relegated to the side and you never really get to, because they're on the side.

Speaker 1: 1:49

So what my plan was. So I was going to have this side I would do my consulting most of the time and then on the side I would build this other thing. The problem with that for me is when I have a consulting client who is ready to pay me a pretty good sum of money to do a task right then, versus a task that is maybe going to turn into something down the line, I always opted for the paid project.

Speaker 2: 2:14

Well, I think that that's a smart choice.

Speaker 1: 2:17

Yeah, but I didn't make much progress. So that was that was. That was 2023. I was kind of trying to do that. 2024, I set some targets.

Speaker 2: 2:27

Yeah, you did so 2024,. I set some targets.

Speaker 1: 2:29

Yeah, you did, and I called them targets on purpose, because I just don't like the term goals.

Speaker 2: 2:36

Uh-huh, well, you're an athlete.

Speaker 1: 2:38

Yeah, I guess. So yes, and also to me I don't know, setting a.

Speaker 2: 2:42

if you set a goal and you don't achieve it, it feels like a failure to me, this is just oh, please, yeah, it's just semantics.

Speaker 1: 2:51

But if I set a target, I'm like, oh yeah, sometimes you miss your targets. Right, Fair enough. And so I set three targets for 2024.

Speaker 2: 3:00

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 3:01

One was to create and release an online course. What we're talking about here, put it in a course format, it's all structured and nice. The second target I set was a little more specific. It was a little more internal business-y, so I won't bore you with the details, but it was along the same lines. Okay, prepare something.

Speaker 2: 3:21

Okay.

Speaker 1: 3:21

And then the third target I set was like well, what you know, those sorts of things are sort of outside my control. They're not completely things I can. Something could happen, and who knows what it is Right right Might be able to do, it might not. Something could happen, and who knows what it is Right right Might be able to do, it might not. So I thought, well, what is the target I can set that is completely within my control? That helps me get to those other two targets. And that was when I set my hourly goal.

Speaker 2: 3:45

Oh yeah, and what was the hourly?

Speaker 1: 3:48

goal. I was going to dedicate a big chunk of hours during 2024 to creating this course.

Speaker 2: 3:56

Do you want to share that or not?

Speaker 1: 3:57

The number of hours. Yeah, it was a big number of hours.

Speaker 2: 4:01

As a side project.

Speaker 1: 4:03

It was basically a halftime project, which is big. But it was more than just creating the course. It was creating and testing a platform, which I will get to in a second. So it did take that number of hours to figure out not only how to create the course but what is working and how are people reacting to it, et cetera. So I missed the first two targets, did not complete the course and I missed the second target but I hit the hourly target. I did put in my hours. So the one that was completely within my control I hit it. I'm happy about that.

Speaker 2: 4:39

Yeah, it got you very excited to set more similar targets.

Speaker 1: 4:43

It did get me excited and in doing that, the number of hours I realized oh well, yeah, creating a course and platform takes longer than I thought it would, so I missed those, but I did get fairly close.

Speaker 2: 4:55

You got. You missed it by like what a week. Well, I don't know, because we were also that last week we were taking care of two dogs. It was raining all the time. They were waking up very early. Our sleep was disrupted.

Speaker 1: 5:12

Yes, so what I did get done. I didn't complete and release the course, but I did work on that platform that I mentioned. That platform was in I'll call it beta through 2024. Did a lot of testing. Again, that's why everything took so long. That platform is now live. That platform is ready and that platform is going to be where the course is. That course is going to be part of that platform.

Speaker 2: 5:40

Which also explains why there were more time in between podcasts as well.

Speaker 1: 5:48

It did take some time away from doing podcasts also yes. Yeah, so the platform is live and there are a bunch of resources that are going to support that course.

Speaker 2: 6:00

So wait, how is this course different from the podcast?

Speaker 1: 6:06

So it's basically structured versus unstructured. So this podcast, a lot of good tips, and people have written in and said, hey, I've gotten to page one in my city or town based on your podcast, which is fantastic. But the podcast is kind of random in the topics that we talk about. The course is very structured. It is very step by step. It puts everything in order.

Speaker 2: 6:29

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 6:29

For example, we might talk about on a podcast, like how to do your image tags or how to do your title tags. The course would explain exactly how, when and why you're doing those things, how they fit into a bigger picture, what you need to do before that and what you want to do after that. That's the difference.

Speaker 2: 6:46

It's very thorough.

Speaker 1: 6:47

It's extremely thorough.

Speaker 2: 6:48

You have truly poured your heart and soul into it.

Speaker 1: 6:53

It's been challenging.

Speaker 2: 6:55

Clearer way.

Speaker 1: 6:56

So, like I said, the platform is live where the course is going to go. Okay, so there's a space within the platform where this is going to go. In addition to the course, there are other resources. There is a fundamentals series.

Speaker 2: 7:07

What's that?

Speaker 1: 7:07

So if you're on Squarespace, there are some fundamental things you need to do just for Squarespace that you don't need to do for other platforms. There's one for WordPress, there's one for ShowIt, et cetera. Some fundamentals, how to get started with different elements. There's one for Google Search Console. Just some basics to get you ready for the course.

Speaker 2: 7:25

That's great. Should you be familiar with all of those before taking the course?

Speaker 1: 7:33

It would probably be good, yes, but if and, but if you're not within that course. When I get to that part in the course, I say, hey, go check out this video in the fundamental series before you continue. Got it, I gotcha, don't worry.

Speaker 2: 7:43

Yeah, you do.

Speaker 1: 7:45

There's also just general Q and a section on the platform. There are some workshops. I'm right now I'm doing two workshops per month.

Speaker 2: 7:52

Wow, that's great.

Speaker 1: 7:53

And there's a what I call a website R and R, where Websites and I use them as example and then I do some SEO stuff.

Speaker 2: 8:01

Oh, on the website.

Speaker 1: 8:03

On the platform In the SEIQ. It's the SEIQ platform. Yes, SEIQ.

Speaker 2: 8:08

So my question is when the course is ready, how do we get?

Speaker 1: 8:14

it Two ways. Okay, if you just want to be notified when it's ready, you can join the insiders list. Just go to the Meredith's husbandcom. There's an insiders that you want to be updated when the course is ready, and that's all you want to do. Do that. I'm going to launch the course early to members of the platform, though, so you're going to get it earlier, and there's going to be a couple. It's going to be some bonuses, one of which I don't know what it's going to be, which is why I want to have a vote. I want to get people's opinions.

Speaker 2: 8:46

Oh, here it comes, the sprinkles. Yes, sprinkles it at the top.

Speaker 1: 8:51

One of the bonuses is going to be one of these three things I don't know which to create the three things and I'll put a link below where you can vote on this. You don't have to sign up, it's just they'll be like an Instagram poll or something. So, number one I'm going to actually do as comprehensive photographer keyword research as I can and then put it in like a visual format where it's very easy to go and just see what keywords are popular all across different types of photography industries. So, wedding, family, newborn kids.

Speaker 2: 9:22

Branding.

Speaker 1: 9:23

I'll do all the keyword research. I'll put it online in a nice simple package for you to look at.

Speaker 2: 9:27

So that's one option that sounds good to me.

Speaker 1: 9:29

Number two is the SEMrush free trial guide. So I did this before, so SEMrush is something I talk a lot about. There is a SEMrush free trial. It is a week long. You cannot use everything inside of SEMrush in a week. So this free trial guide is aimed at how to best utilize that week, and so it's like a little mini course on how to use that week.

Speaker 2: 9:52

That's good too.

Speaker 1: 9:53

And, like I said, I did this before, but then SEMrush changed some things and so it should be redone now. So that's option number two, and then option number three is an AI mini course how to use AI for SEO and how to get into AI search results with your SEO.

Speaker 2: 10:11

So those are the three options. What do you think? Listeners.

Speaker 1: 10:15

I know what I would vote for. I'm not going to say what I would.

Speaker 2: 10:18

I'm not going to say what I would go for.

Speaker 1: 10:20

I would actually. I'm really interested in what people think what would you? Go for Because I'm going to vote, but I'm coming from the inside. I kind of have an idea of what I would vote for, based on what's going to be best for long-term benefit of a business.

Speaker 2: 10:38

And when does voting close? At a certain time? Do we have to vote by a certain date?

Speaker 1: 10:45

Yeah, let's say we have to vote.

Speaker 2: 10:47

Or voting closes.

Speaker 1: 10:49

Voting closes at the end of this month, january 31st, at midnight.

Speaker 2: 10:53

Oh, that's soon. Okay, get on it.

Speaker 1: 10:56

So what would you vote for?

Speaker 2: 10:57

I'm not saying.

Speaker 1: 10:58

Okay.

Speaker 2: 10:59

I'm not saying I do not want to dictate any sway, anybody. Anyway, I want everyone to be able to share their own opinion.

Speaker 1: 11:08

Okay, just mouth it to me.

Speaker 2: 11:10

I'm going to tell you after the show.

Speaker 1: 11:12

Oh right, all suspense. Okay, vote below. Like I said, there's nothing to sign up for this is very exciting. Anybody can vote.

Speaker 2: 11:20

Let me know what you would like most.