Empowered: Book Summary and Key Insights

Empowered: Book Summary and Key Insights

The best works and most interesting solutions that I came across in the last few years all came from the intersection of different disciplines. This is particularly true for SEO, whether we are looking at the use of machine learning for search engine optimization, utilizing the mental models of the MBA curriculum for getting management buy-in, or planning SEO projects in an agile way. These are partially the reasons why I like to read books outside of my expertise. Also picking a generalist mentality when choosing my next read is more fun. There are more new ideas, you can read interesting stories, and you rarely come across the same concepts repackaged in another boring book. ...

April 3, 2022 · 7 min · Norbert Hires
Why you shouldn't write an SEO-driven blog

Why you shouldn't write an SEO-driven blog

SEO is an effective marketing channel for creators small and large. If you plan to publish written content it can be a game-changer to learn SEO and implement processes supporting SEO-friendly articles. Most of the blogs on the internet don’t receive any traffic and utilizing search engine optimization techniques can easily change that. But it has its downsides. I started an SEO-driven blog in 2018. I just landed a job at an SEO agency and became frustrated by clients not getting results with content optimized for search engines. To fight impostor syndrome I set up my own blog, started to dig deeper in SEO, and wrote articles about topics I was genuinely interested in. ...

March 25, 2022 · 10 min · Norbert Hires
The Cold Start Problem - Book Summary & Review

The Cold Start Problem - Book Summary & Review

There are several companies strongly relying on their network. Airbnb, Tinder, Uber, Facebook, and the list goes on. None of them would be as valuable today as they are without their interconnected user base or dense inventory. Regardless of their market type, they share certain characteristics and often face the same challenges. Andrew Chen, general partner at Andreessen Horowitz, who led Rider Growth at Uber earlier took the challenge to write the ultimate guide to networked products. ...

February 13, 2022 · 9 min · Norbert Hires
Why should you have a Reading List? + My List for 2022

Why should you have a Reading List? + My List for 2022

Books are a personal preference for me. Since touching my first hard-cover encyclopedia I knew that I am getting much more out of books than other mediums. I acquire knowledge faster, I immerse myself in new worlds and I am entertained sometimes at the same time. But reading without a goal (or in our case: a list) in mind can leave you astray. If you don’t have a plan, others will make one for you. You can read about how television and social media are influencing our choices. But the same is present and sometimes amplified in the world of books. ...

January 30, 2022 · 8 min · Norbert Hires
The Suprising Benefits of Being Messy: A Perfect Mess Summary

The Suprising Benefits of Being Messy: A Perfect Mess Summary

While there is no data to back up the upside of being organized in most of the mentioned areas, having too much order has definite downsides. A messy home shows your personality. A cluttered one is like every other one. If you can find your notes in a pile of papers then what is the upside of categorizing and putting away those papers? The definite disadvantage of aiming for too much order is losing time. You can argue for order with increased productivity, but what happens when you take into calculation the time lost during organizing and decluttering. ...

January 23, 2022 · 11 min · Norbert Hires
How I Translated 50 SEO Articles (and what happened next)

How I Translated 50 SEO Articles (and what happened next)

I published more than 125 articles on my Hungarian blog in the last three years. Some of them are SEO-optimised and ranking in Hungary for competitive keywords like motivation, best podcasts, personality tests, or self-help books. With my original blog, one of my goals was to test if I can rank for competitive keywords with quality content without building links. As it turned out: I can. But something changed this year in February. ...

December 9, 2021 · 9 min · Norbert Hires
Product-Led SEO: Book Summary and Notes

Product-Led SEO: Book Summary and Notes

Most SEO books and articles are discussing up-and-coming tactics which everyone is already utilizing. These resources are the straightforward way to achieve mediocre results even if you do anything based on best practices. Yet here is a book that shares some practical tips but what it is strong in is strategy. The author, Eli Schwartz has led the SEO team in SurveyMonkey and worked together with websites like Quora, Zendesk, and Mixpanel. Schwartz has practical experience with the nuances of SEO but in his book, he also took a step back and is explaining the basics of SEO in an unexpectedly easy-to-understand way. ...

December 4, 2021 · 10 min · Norbert Hires
Lost Connections: Review & Summary of Key Ideas

Lost Connections: Review & Summary of Key Ideas

Johann Hari is not writing about some distant topic in his book. The writer of Lost Connections: Why You're Depressed and How to Find Hope has been fighting depression for decades. This personal touch makes him enthusiastic about finding the real causes of depression and researching potential remedies. Lost Connections is a non-fiction book about a serious subject. Despite these, I felt like I was on a great journey when reading the book. The author collected several interesting stories while the book is packed with research findings. ...

November 3, 2021 · 10 min · Norbert Hires
Flow State: Definition, Research, and Tips to Achieve Flow

Flow State: Definition, Research, and Tips to Achieve Flow

For me, the experience of flow means arrival. In flow, I feel I am where I am supposed to be and doing what I am meant to do. An activity in flow can be writing an article, running, doing a puzzle, or doing the dishes. The positive experience is not affected by the type of activity, but the skill in the activity is. According to flow theory, the best moments occur when a person's mind is deliberately pushed to its limit to achieve something difficult and valuable. ...

October 29, 2021 · 9 min · Norbert Hires
Finite and Infinite Games: Summary of Key Ideas

Finite and Infinite Games: Summary of Key Ideas

In reading the book, you will learn how the game called life is worth playing and what are the greatest myths of existence. You will find surprisingly deep reflections on religion, patriotism, love, and culture. James Carse, professor of history and religious studies at New York University, came up with an unusual idea after a seminar on game theory: what if he applied the principles of game theory to his own field? ...

October 28, 2021 · 6 min · Norbert Hires