343: Why great-looking Shopify stores still leak sales | Anna Tillotson

Think a good-looking website means it's actually converting?So we have Anna Tillotson on ep 343 of The Content Queen Podcast to talk about why pretty stores still leak sales, and where product-based businesses are actually losing customers (hint, it's rarely the homepage).Anna is the founder of House of Cart, a Shopify and Klaviyo expert team helping women-led ecommerce brands scale and grow. She's audited and built more than 500 Shopify stores, leads a fully remote team of seven, and is also the founder of Future Ready Kids, AI literacy for kids. This episode is packed with practical, no-fluff advice if you run a Shopify store, or even just suspect your website might be leaking sales somewhere.If you LOVED this episode, make sure you share this on your Instagram stories and tag us @contentqueenmariah and @houseofcart.⁠⁠⁠LEARN THE DETAILS OF A CONTENT STRATEGY WITH MY FREE AUDIO GUIDE⁠⁠⁠KEY EPISODE TAKEAWAYS 👇✨ Why a pretty store isn't the same as a converting store, and why structure and customer journey do the actual selling✨ Why most stores leak sales on the product page and at checkout, not the homepage, and what to check first✨ Why email marketing is a revenue channel, not just a newsletter, and why it should be doing 30 to 40% of your revenue if it's set up properly✨ How to think about abandoned cart flows and timing (the "school pickup" example), so your emails land when someone's actually ready to buy✨ Why going deep into your own customer journey, and even "spying" on brands you admire, reveals more than data aloneSHOW RESOURCES 👇Check out houseofcart.com.auFOLLOW Anna on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/houseofcartFOLLOW Anna on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/houseofcart/JOIN us in Content Bootcamp (build your content strategy) – https://www.contentqueenmariah.com/content-marketing-bootcampFind out more about how to WORK WITH US – www.contentqueenmariah.comConnect with us on INSTAGRAM – https://www.instagram.com/contentqueenmariahIf you like this episode, don't forget to share it to your Instagram stories and tag me @contentqueenmariah!Other than that, enjoy, chat next week 💕ABOUT THE GUESTAnna Tillotson is the founder of House of Cart, a Shopify and Klaviyo expert team helping women-led ecommerce brands scale and grow on Shopify. She has audited and built more than 500 Shopify stores, and leads a fully remote team of seven. Anna is also a mum of three, running a neurodivergent home, and the founder of Future Ready Kids, AI literacy for kids. She's currently rebuilding her agency to run on AI, proof that you can amplify the business and design the lifestyle around it rather than the other way around.

I could talk about content strategy in theory all day, but I think it lands so much better with real examples.In this episode, I'm taking you through three business owners from a recent Bootcamp round, each with a completely different plan, different channels, different pain points, because content strategy was never meant to be one-size-fits-all.If you've ever wondered whether a strategy could really work for your specific business, not just "post more" advice, this one's for you.If you LOVED this episode, make sure you share this on your Instagram stories and tag us @contentqueenmariah.JOIN THIS LIVE ROUND OF BOOTCAMP! KEY EPISODE TAKEAWAYS 👇✨ Why posting every single day isn't a strategy, and how one client scaled back to a sustainable two-week content sprint instead✨ Why having too many offers and ideas can leave you paralysed, and how narrowing in on themes and building a proper launch runway fixed that for another client✨ Why community can become the actual goal of your marketing, not just a stepping stone to a sale, especially for premium, service-based offers✨ Why "what's trending" or what worked for someone else's business isn't the point, the right strategy depends entirely on your own audience, energy and goalsSHOW RESOURCES 👇Catch up on the last solo episode: "I'm not converting on Instagram" – https://www.contentqueenmariah.com/podcast/340 JOIN us in Content Bootcamp (build your content strategy, live hot seat rounds available) – https://www.contentqueenmariah.com/content-marketing-bootcampFind out more about how to WORK WITH US – www.contentqueenmariah.comConnect with us on INSTAGRAM – https://www.instagram.com/contentqueenmariahIf you like this episode, don't forget to share it to your Instagram stories and tag me @contentqueenmariah!Other than that, enjoy, chat next week 💕

Trying to get found on Google and AI search, without turning your website into something that reads like it was built for a robot?So we have Ashley Willis on ep 341 of The Content Queen Podcast to talk about human-first SEO in a very AI-dominant world, and why findability isn't just about ranking, it's about building an ecosystem people can land in from anywhere.Ashley is an SEO strategist who believes marketing is a human-first journey. After years in the beauty industry and then rising through the ranks at a mid-sized marketing agency, she traded the beauty bar for the search bar, building her own human-first approach to SEO that turns technical overwhelm into step-by-step guidance that actually feels doable.If you've ever felt like you're "doing all the things" but still not getting discovered, we got you! If you LOVED this episode, make sure you share this on your Instagram stories and tag us @contentqueenmariah and @ashleytheseostrategist.⁠⁠⁠LEARN THE DETAILS OF A CONTENT STRATEGY WITH MY FREE AUDIO GUIDE⁠⁠⁠KEY EPISODE TAKEAWAYS 👇✨ The difference between being visible and being findable, and why Ashley thinks in ecosystems rather than funnels✨ Why AI and Google are pulling from everywhere you show up, not just your website, and what that means for your content✨ Why consistency and a plan matter more than perfection, and why starting imperfect beats waiting for everything to be "ready"✨ How to find the deeper, more specific questions your audience is actually asking AI, and use those as content ideas✨ Why the smartest move isn't spreading yourself across every platform, it's repurposing what already works into a video, carousel, newsletter or blogSHOW RESOURCES 👇FOLLOW Ashley on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/ashleytheseostrategistFOLLOW Ashley on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleytheseostrategist/FOLLOW Ashley on YouTube – https://youtube.com/@ashleywillistheseostrategistJOIN us in Content Bootcamp (build your content strategy) – https://www.contentqueenmariah.com/content-marketing-bootcampFind out more about how to WORK WITH US – www.contentqueenmariah.comConnect with us on INSTAGRAM – https://www.instagram.com/contentqueenmariahIf you like this episode, don't forget to share it to your Instagram stories and tag me @contentqueenmariah!Other than that, enjoy, chat next week 💕ABOUT THE GUESTAshley, "The SEO Strategist," believes that marketing is a human-first journey. She spent years in the beauty industry, where she learned that true transformation only happens when someone feels seen, heard, and valued. After rising through the ranks of a mid-size agency to become the most requested expert for high-level client consultations, Ashley saw a side of marketing that didn't sit right with her, watching brilliant women entrepreneurs and mid-size businesses treated like interchangeable transactions rather than the experts they are, buried in technical wording and reports that left them overwhelmed instead of empowered.Today, Ashley has traded the beauty bar for the search bar to amplify businesses and meet them exactly where they are. Through her signature human-first approach, she provides the strategy to make sure a brand is the "obvious choice" by cross-pollinating its presence across every platform with Omni-SEO, ensuring that from social to search, everything works together, not in isolation. Ashley is the founder of SDM Online Solutions and Amplify My Biz, and is on a mission to bridge the gap between her human-first methodology and data-backed growth.

"Instagram's not converting for me." Sound familiar?I hear this constantly. But here's the reframe I want you to take from this episode: the real issue usually isn't Instagram, it's the role you've assigned it in your overall funnel.In this episode, I'm walking through three real client stories, each one thinking Instagram was "failing" them, and how looking at their actual data and goals changed what Instagram's job was supposed to be in the first place.If you've ever felt like Instagram owes you sales just because you're showing up there, this one's for you.If you LOVED this episode, make sure you share this on your Instagram stories and tag us @contentqueenmariah.⁠⁠⁠LEARN THE DETAILS OF A CONTENT STRATEGY WITH MY FREE AUDIO GUIDE⁠⁠⁠KEY EPISODE TAKEAWAYS 👇✨ Why "Instagram isn't converting" is usually a sign of a misplaced expectation, not a broken platform✨ How to work out what role a channel is actually meant to play (credibility, top of funnel, DMs, repurposing) rather than expecting every post to sell✨ Why the customer journey isn't linear, and why someone might follow you on Instagram, buy after watching YouTube, and still say "I found you on YouTube"✨ Why comparing your channel performance to what you see other business owners doing online rarely reflects your actual audience or business✨ Why you're a business owner first, not a content creator, and how that shifts what each platform is really there to doSHOW RESOURCES 👇JOIN us in Content Bootcamp (build your content strategy) – https://www.contentqueenmariah.com/content-marketing-bootcampFind out more about how to WORK WITH US – www.contentqueenmariah.comConnect with us on INSTAGRAM – https://www.instagram.com/contentqueenmariahIf you like this episode, don't forget to share it to your Instagram stories and tag me @contentqueenmariah!Other than that, enjoy, chat next week 💕

Worried that everything online is starting to sound the same because of AI?We have Maria-Katarina Johannesson, better known as Links & Maria, on ep 339 of The Content Queen Podcast to talk about why the future of content isn't less AI, it's more human, and how to actually find that balance.Maria-Katarina specialises in link building and digital PR, helping businesses show up on both Google and AI search, always with a people-first approach. If you've ever felt overwhelmed trying to keep up with AI, questioned whether something "sounds too AI", or wondered how to stay authentic while still optimising for search, this episode is for you.If you LOVED this episode, make sure you share this on your Instagram stories and tag us @contentqueenmariah and @linksandmaria.⁠⁠⁠LEARN THE DETAILS OF A CONTENT STRATEGY WITH MY FREE AUDIO GUIDE⁠⁠⁠KEY EPISODE TAKEAWAYS 👇✨ Why using AI without a clear purpose leads to "commodity content", generic output that sounds the same as everyone else's✨ How relying too heavily on AI can quietly erode your confidence in your own voice and ideas✨ Why optimising purely for bots is a trap, and how the real goal is building a holistic brand that works for humans and AI alike✨ Why who you are online needs to match who you are offline, and why that gap is more noticeable than people think✨ Why claiming ownership of a couple of core topics and consistently talking about them builds recognition over time, in search engines and in people's mindsSHOW RESOURCES 👇Check out linksandmaria.comFOLLOW Maria-Katarina on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/linksandmaria/FOLLOW Maria-Katarina on TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@linksandmariaFOLLOW Maria-Katarina on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/linksandmaria/JOIN us in Content Bootcamp (build your content strategy) – https://www.contentqueenmariah.com/content-marketing-bootcampFind out more about how to WORK WITH US – www.contentqueenmariah.comConnect with us on INSTAGRAM – https://www.instagram.com/contentqueenmariahIf you like this episode, don't forget to share it to your Instagram stories and tag me @contentqueenmariah!Other than that, enjoy, chat next week 💕ABOUT THE GUESTMaria-Katarina Johannesson, better known as Links & Maria, is based in Stockholm, Sweden. She is all about creating "real plant moments" in marketing, genuine, rooted connections that actually grow something. For her, that means showing up with authenticity, honouring who you are, and never forgetting the sales perspective. She specialises in link building and digital PR, helping businesses show up on both Google and AI search, and helps brands build the kind of authority that gets them recommended, not just ranked, always with a people-first approach.

Every time I do a solo episode about content marketing beyond social media, it is one of the most popular episodes and I get the most comments on them.. So here it is. This episode is about building a proper content ecosystem, not just relying on social media to carry your whole business, and where email, blogs, podcasts and other channels fit into the picture.If you've been feeling exhausted by the social media game or wondering why followers aren't turning into clients, give it a listen! If you LOVED this episode, make sure you share this on your Instagram stories and tag us @contentqueenmariah.⁠⁠⁠LEARN THE DETAILS OF A CONTENT STRATEGY WITH MY FREE AUDIO GUIDE⁠⁠⁠KEY EPISODE TAKEAWAYS 👇✨ Why social media is top of funnel, not your whole funnel, and why people bounce between channels before they ever convert✨ How to build an email list that doesn't depend on social media reach, and why nurturing it matters more than only emailing when you have something to sell✨ Why social media is a discoverability channel too, feeding into SEO and AI search, not just a place to post for its own sake✨ Why content is bigger than social media (lead magnets, webinars, blogs, downloads), and how to widen your definition of what countsSHOW RESOURCES 👇Take the quiz to find your best content channels – https://sales.contentqueenmariah.com/content-quizCatch up on episode 336: What you need to unlearn with your marketing – https://www.contentqueenmariah.com/podcast/336 JOIN us in Content Bootcamp (build your content strategy) – https://www.contentqueenmariah.com/content-marketing-bootcampFind out more about how to WORK WITH US – www.contentqueenmariah.comConnect with us on INSTAGRAM – https://www.instagram.com/contentqueenmariahIf you like this episode, don't forget to share it to your Instagram stories and tag me @contentqueenmariah!Other than that, enjoy, chat next week 💕

Think you need a massive marketing budget to create effective content?Turns out that's not quite true, and there's a smarter way to think about where your money and time should actually go.So we have Jared Harman on ep 337 of The Content Queen Podcast to give you a behind-the-scenes look at how agency owners and marketers really think about budget, and where the line sits between doing it yourself for free and knowing when to invest.If you LOVED this episode, make sure you share this on your Instagram stories and tag us @contentqueenmariah and @jaredharman.⁠⁠⁠LEARN THE DETAILS OF A CONTENT STRATEGY WITH MY FREE AUDIO GUIDE⁠⁠⁠KEY EPISODE TAKEAWAYS 👇✨ Why heavily produced, cinematic content isn't necessary anymore, and why raw, approachable content usually performs better✨ How to work out which parts of your marketing you can do yourself and which parts you should outsource✨ The signs that tell you it's time to start investing money into your marketing, not just organic effort✨ Why your organic content and your ad content can (and often should) look completely different, because what performs isn't always what looks good✨ Why trust between a business owner and their agency or marketer is what actually gets resultsSHOW RESOURCES 👇Check out onegroupagency.caFOLLOW Jared on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/jaredharman/FOLLOW Jared on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaredharman/JOIN us in Content Bootcamp (build your content strategy) – https://www.contentqueenmariah.com/content-marketing-bootcampFind out more about how to WORK WITH US – www.contentqueenmariah.comConnect with us on INSTAGRAM – https://www.instagram.com/contentqueenmariahIf you like this episode, don't forget to share it to your Instagram stories and tag me @contentqueenmariah!Other than that, enjoy, chat next week 💕ABOUT THE GUESTJared Harman is the CEO and Co-Founder of The One Group Agency, a full-service marketing agency based in British Columbia. With a strong background in brand strategy, digital marketing and operations, Jared leads the agency with a clear focus on delivering measurable results while building long-term partnerships with clients. Under his leadership, The One Group Agency has grown into a trusted marketing partner for businesses across a variety of industries, offering integrated services including strategy, creative, content production and performance marketing. Beyond the agency, Jared is actively engaged in community impact initiatives, including supporting local scholarships, mentorship programs and youth sports organisations.

What if everything you think makes marketing "work" is actually the thing holding you back?Inspired by Neil Patel's SXSW talk, in this episode, I'm breaking down five things I think we need to unlearn in our marketing, from what we're chasing, to how we're building trust, to who we're actually speaking to.If you've ever felt like you're doing "all the right things" and still not seeing the connection or growth you want, this one's for you.If you LOVED this episode, make sure you share this on your Instagram stories and tag us @contentqueenmariah.⁠⁠⁠LEARN THE DETAILS OF A CONTENT STRATEGY WITH MY FREE AUDIO GUIDE⁠⁠⁠KEY EPISODE TAKEAWAYS 👇✨ Why traffic isn't always the goal✨ Why the marketing funnel isn't linear anymore, and why every piece of content needs to convert on its own✨ Why you can't rent an audience, and what it means to build a channel that's actually yours✨ Why proof beats polish, and how to build trust with evidence instead of just aesthetics✨ Why going niche (not broad) is what actually makes people stop scrollingSHOW RESOURCES 👇JOIN us in Content Bootcamp (build your content strategy) – https://www.contentqueenmariah.com/content-marketing-bootcampFind out more about how to WORK WITH US – www.contentqueenmariah.comConnect with us on INSTAGRAM – https://www.instagram.com/contentqueenmariahIf you like this episode, don't forget to share it to your Instagram stories and tag me @contentqueenmariah!Other than that, enjoy, chat next week 💕

Want to actually connect with the people you're marketing to?Turns out the skill that changes everything isn't a content hack, it's vulnerability.So we have Shari Foos on ep 335 of The Content Queen Podcast to talk about why vulnerability might be the most underrated skill in business and marketing, and why it's not about oversharing or crying on social media, it's about being real enough that people can actually relate to you.If you've ever felt exposed after putting yourself out there online, or you're struggling to figure out what "being authentic" even means for you, you gotta listen... If you LOVED this episode, make sure you share this on your Instagram stories and tag us @contentqueenmariah and @thenarrativemethod.⁠⁠⁠LEARN THE DETAILS OF A CONTENT STRATEGY WITH MY FREE AUDIO GUIDE⁠⁠⁠KEY EPISODE TAKEAWAYS 👇✨ Why vulnerability isn't a liability, it's the human connector, and why people buy you as much as they buy your product or service✨ The difference between selling and telling, and why sharing examples of people you've helped lands better than making big promises✨ A simple self-soothing tool (hand to heart) for getting through the vulnerability hangover after you put yourself out there✨ Why our brains are wired to treat social judgement like physical danger, and how understanding that helps you stop being so hard on yourself✨ Why responding to criticism with empathy instead of defensiveness stops things escalating, on social media and everywhere elseSHOW RESOURCES 👇Check out Shari's work– thenarrativemethod.orgFOLLOW Shari on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/thenarrativemethod/JOIN us in Content Bootcamp (build your content strategy) – https://www.contentqueenmariah.com/content-marketing-bootcampFind out more about how to WORK WITH US – www.contentqueenmariah.comConnect with us on INSTAGRAM – https://www.instagram.com/contentqueenmariahIf you like this episode, don't forget to share it to your Instagram stories and tag me @contentqueenmariah!Other than that, enjoy, chat next week 💕ABOUT THE GUESTShari Foos, MA, MFT, MS, NM, is a therapist and the founder of The Narrative Method, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) and free online creative writing experience serving more than 40,000 participants worldwide. The program provides a safe space for individuals to write to prompts, access their authentic voice, and connect deeply with themselves and each other through structured storytelling and relational mindfulness. Drawing on her background in Narrative Medicine and her psychotherapy practice, Shari developed a framework that helps individuals separate from the noise, social pressure, and unrealistic narratives that shape modern life. Her work has been implemented across a wide range of communities, including partnerships with the Los Angeles V.A., universities, nonprofit social service organisations, and LAUSD through teacher trainings, student programming, and facilitator certification.

Ever seen a single comment on social media outperform the actual post?I have. That's exactly what happened when Joseph replied to a video with "Hey, so I have appointments available." One comment, thousands of likes, hundreds of replies, people tagging him. Quick note before you dive in: this episode uses a viral comment as a marketing case study, purely for education, not about diagnosing or labelling anyone.In this episode, I'm breaking down why your comments (on other people's content, not just your own) might be one of the most underused parts of your marketing. It's not random, it's strategy, and it's one of the reasons big brands pay community managers to do exactly this.If you've got a spare five minutes a day to scroll, this episode will change how you spend it.If you LOVED this episode, make sure you share this on your Instagram stories and tag us @contentqueenmariah.⁠⁠⁠LEARN THE DETAILS OF A CONTENT STRATEGY WITH MY FREE AUDIO GUIDE⁠⁠⁠KEY EPISODE TAKEAWAYS 👇✨ Why comments are content in their own right, not just banter✨ How big brands deliberately pay community managers to comment on trending content✨ Why your own scrolling habits (heading straight to the comments) prove this works✨ Why comments are public, not private, and that's what makes them a lead gen play, not just community management adminSHOW RESOURCES 👇JOIN us in Content Bootcamp (build your content strategy) – https://www.contentqueenmariah.com/content-marketing-bootcampFind out more about how to WORK WITH US – www.contentqueenmariah.comConnect with us on INSTAGRAM – https://www.instagram.com/contentqueenmariahIf you like this episode, don't forget to share it to your Instagram stories and tag me @contentqueenmariah!Other than that, enjoy, chat next week 💕