102 - Website Design and AI with Greg Merrilees

In episode 102 of the SEOLeverage Podcast, Gert Mellak and Greg Merrilees explore how AI is transforming website design. They discuss the benefits and limitations of AI tools like ChatGPT, addressing concerns about content quality and copyright issues. Merrilees outlines a three-step client process involving education, qualification, and demonstration to ensure effective communication and alignment.

Greg Merrilees of Studio1 Design was the inaugural guest on Episode 2 of the SEOLeverage Podcast and he returns as a special guest on Episode 102, marking the milestone of 100 episodes.

In this episode, Gert Mellalk engages in an enlightening conversation with Greg Merrilees about the advancements of AI and its impact on website design and other industries. They discussed the aspect that AI should be perceived as a tool rather than a threat with its huge benefits, urging listeners to adopt a growth mindset and embrace the opportunities presented by this emerging technology.

Merrilees also offered his three-step process of educating, qualifying and demonstrating when working with clients to see if they are a good fit or totally disqualify them. Included in the discussion were the utilization of Questionnaires, videos and professional proposal software so that the clients are clear on the path they are taking.

Podcast Highlights:

00:01 Prologue

00:34 Podcast Intro

00:44 Welcoming back Greg Merrilees to the show

02:09 How has AI been affecting the design industry so far?

03:28 Can Google actually detect if a blog post or content used AI and if so, may devalue it and rank it eventually?

05:07 In Greg Merrilees opinion, what is the best use of Chat GPT for bloggers and content creators? (...What can't be taught to Chat GPT or what can't it not understand?)

07:46 Will copyright and authorship affect or slow down the training data and the design industry as a whole?

09:09 The huge benefits of AI vs the limitation

14:46 What is the three-part process by which Studio1 Design work with clients?

16:40 How does the Education Step work when designing a website?

19:59 What needs to be done with lead magnets or how can you lead clients to their next logical step to help them with their journey?

22:09 How do you disqualify a wrong prospect? (Why is Studio1 Design not for startups or big corporations, either?

24:26 Why do people want more traffic when it is not converting?

24:55 What is the sniff test case study by Gert with one of his clients?

27:44 The strategies that Greg and his team does to qualify clients if they are a good fit based on the three step process of educate, qualify and demonstrate. (What is their conversion rate on those calls?)

30:16 What's Gert's experience with the 40 set of questionnaire from Greg before he created SEO Leverage's website?

34:05 Why are videos and professional proposal software super helpful in proposals?

35:39 Recap of the conversation

36:39 Where to Connect with Greg Merrilees?

36:56 End

Resources:

AI Tools -

Midjourney AI - https://midjourney-app.com/

Playground AI - https://playgroundai.com/

Future Tools - https://www.futuretools.io/

GitHub Copilot - https://github.com/

Connect with Greg Merrilees:

Website - https://studio1design.com/

Connect with Gert Mellak:

Website: https://seoleverage.com/

Email: info@seoleverage.com