Meet your marketer: Melissa Weidenborner

Scream for me readers! SCREAM FOR ME READERS!

Ok, sorry…I’m listening to Iron Maiden while writing this, so you know…I got excited! Talking about Iron Maiden, if you use spotify and you want some metal, I made a playlist called “Heavy F. Metal“.

Still burning heretics under our skies, religion’s still burning inside (Iron Maiden) …. how epic is that?

Ok, back to our series. Today I have the pleasure to have a quick chat with Melissa Weidenborner, a freelance SEO and content strategist from the awesome Philadelphia. I started to follow her on twitter few months ago, and I decided I wanted to learn a little bit more about her. I discovered she has a blog called Vintage and Nerdy, where she is writing about creative stuff she likes. I mean, awesome! not only SEO…YUHUU!

And then she is from Philadelphia, and in Philly there is a great SEO community. You don’t believe me? Well, take a look to Nick Eubanks’ post.

Ok Melissa…now it’s your turn.

Melissa Weidenborner


When and why did you enter the world of SEO?

I was doing SEO before I even knew what it was. Before I started my first official position as a SEO, I was doing a ton of outreach for my blog. It was featured in an article by the CW Philly, and as soon as I saw that first huge flood of traffic, I knew this was the field for me.

In your blog, you define yourself “social content strategy”. Can you explain what is about?

It’s exactly what is sounds like- planning strategic content for social outlets. While a huge part of that is blogging, Facebook, Twitter, etc., it’s mapping out how to properly utilize social networks to reach your targeted audience.

How is the SEO/social community in Philly?

I relocated from Philadelphia for my husband’s work, so I’m currently living in Wilmington, NC. But the SEO/Social community in Philadelphia is unmatched in quality and expertise. There’s so much positive encouragement from one SEO to another, it was such a great place to start out.

You are interested a lot about interior design. You find a link between SEO and design?

In my spare time, I try to turn off my brain and get engaged in other activities. I’ve come across a lot of great home reno/interior design blogs in my time, and one in particular, Young House Love, got me hooked. At the end of the day, it’s still content creation, so I’m not unplugging entirely. I like to think it keeps me sharp. You’d be surprised at the people you meet when you branch out. I’ve had some back and forth on Twitter with Jillian Harris, the interior designer from Extreme Makeover Home Edition.

How do you keep yourself informed about Search world?

I depend a lot on Twitter and Google+. I follow a lot of great SEOs that are always sharing successful tips and tricks. The SEO Moz blog is my go to for new info, and I find a lot of great content coming from Nick Eubank’s seonick.net. I also recommend following Danny Sullivan on Google+.

Name three books that everyone should read and explain why.

Tuesday’s With Morrie” by Mitch Albom is my absolute favorite. It’s a quick read, but will absolutely change your outlook on life. I’ve read it a million times and still scribble in the margins of my copy. The Great Gatsby is a classic. Most people had to read it in high school English, but if you didn’t, order it off Amazon immediately. Bon Appetit is a magazine, but I have a subscription and read it religiously. I’m always cooking overly complicated dinners that take days to make.

Name three bands that inspire you every day.

I listen to The Civil Wars and Jimi Hendrix while I cook. I’m also a huge fan of Dashboard Confessional. I saw them at the House of Blues in Atlantic City. It was standing room only, and I stood there for six hours yelling all of the words of their songs, which I have completely memorized.

Have you ever been to SEO/social conferences? which are your impressions?

I went to LinkLove Boston and was pretty impressed. There were a lot of great speakers and I met some great SEOs. The one thing I miss about Philadelphia is SEO Grail, a monthly meetup with local SEO professionals. It’s a great group lead by Bill Rowland of True Action.

Name three people we all should follow on twitter and why.

Kim Williams, a social media guru from Winston-Salem. I met him a few years ago at a social media conference and was blown away by his tips to get the most out of Twitter. Bill Sebald is well-versed in everything SEO and has a bold, honest approach I really respect. Joel Klettke because he’s hilarious. I love reading his tweets.

Make yourself a question and give yourself an answer: What’s one thing you eat every single day?

Broccoli and unsweetened hot tea.

Let’s say you need to choose a work to do for the rest of your life. What would it be?

A writer, hands down. I’m a huge bookworm and I love to write. I’d probably move to Iceland and write travel guides for the rest of my life.

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done already? that was quick!

well, we got to know a bit more about Melissa.

never ending, forever searching

chasing dreams, the dreams of our heart (listen to this)