Check the M.O.T.C.R system: The Holy Grail Foundation of Every Successful Online Business Out There!
How He Turned One Blog Post into a $100K/Mo Agency: A Detailed Case Study
Introduction
Okay, get ready because we’re about to spill the beans on how Chris Von Wilpert and his company, Content Mavericks, got crazy amounts of web traffic with just a little bit of content. And guess what? They managed to turn this into a cool business pulling in 100 grand every month!
Now, we’re not just going to go over the same stuff you’d find on Content Mavericks’ blog. As I always say, don’t just listen to what people tell you, but watch what they actually do.
So, we’re going to dig deep and let you in on all the details of how Chris grew his content marketing agency to earn $100,000 per month, by taking a totally different road than what you might expect.
What is Content Mavericks?
In the good old days, it was all about cranking out tons of content and cramming it with keywords. But as search engines got smarter, the rules of the game changed. Now, it’s more about being seen as a trustworthy expert on a topic.
So, how do you do that? Two ways:
- Create top-notch content about a specific topic to ensure you have topic authority.
- Get backlinks from highly respected sites (like CNN or Forbes) that signal your content is trustworthy.
If you write a lot on a certain topic, you’re more likely to show up in searches about that topic. If big-name sites link to your content, search engines think you’re reliable, so you rank higher.
But here’s the kicker. This approach takes a ton of work. You need to produce loads of content, make sure each piece has stuff worth linking to, manually reach out to high-authority sites for backlinks, and constantly optimize your content and processes. In short, it’s a lot. You either need a big team or a whole lot of time.
And let’s face it, most brands don’t have those resources. That’s why top spots in search results usually go to big brands that have the manpower or money, a high domain authority, and a reputation that gets them backlinks just for being who they are.
Just take a look at a search for “best marketing tools” – you’ll see big names like HubSpot, Neil Patel, Sprout Social, and Buffer. These giants have been around for a long time and have plenty of resources.
And honestly, a lot of their top-ranking content isn’t exactly groundbreaking. They follow a template for SEO success and it’s less about solving a problem and more about ticking boxes. That works when you’ve got the resources to keep churning out content.
But what if you don’t have that kind of resource? What if you’re a small brand in a competitive industry and you’re struggling to cut through the noise? This is where Content Mavericks come into play.
The Content Mavericks Formula
See, many brands, no matter their size, try to mimic the big guns like HubSpot – even when they can’t really compete. They end up focusing on publishing new articles and not really on getting results.
They look for keywords that have high traffic, medium competition, and high CPC, and then write a bunch of articles on that topic. Then, they just sit around and wait for 3-6 months to see if their stuff ranks. This strategy can be pretty exhausting and a bit passive, to be honest.
But Content Mavericks do things differently. Instead of targeting keywords, they target the real problems their audience is dealing with.
Look at these articles from their ‘most popular’ section, for example. None of them seem to be optimized for SEO. No one is googling ‘the Ski Slope Strategy’, right? These articles don’t seem to be written with competitive keywords in mind.
Most folks in content marketing would say this is a waste of time. They’d argue that you need content that’s optimized for Google’s algorithm.
But Chris from Content Mavericks has a different idea. He builds his content around the real problems his ideal audience is dealing with.
Each of these articles is addressing a real problem or need in the SEO world.
- The first article gives a solution to not having a good content calendar.
- The second one provides an answer to the need for achieving real results with blog content.
- The third one solves most brands’ lack of comprehensive content planning.
All these articles have a clear value proposition. They either offer a free content calendar, a system to make a massive amount of money per month, or a free website content template.
And by tying each article to a common problem, they’re likely to get more clicks than the generic competition.
This approach is a masterclass in classic marketing concepts and it’s exactly what we teach inside of our MOTCR system.
1- find your audience.
2- identify their biggest problems.
3- offer them a solution.
Chris is creating content for his readers and their problems, not for search engines. Now, you might think he’s missing out on organic rankings, but we’ll get to that later. For now, let’s take a look at the actual content.
Establishing Trust Through Your Content
So, you get people’s attention with a catchy headline that gets the click, but making the jump from interested reader to paying customer isn’t a piece of cake. Folks usually need to trust your brand before they cough up their hard-earned cash. And to build that trust, you gotta give ’em a bunch of value for free, multiple times.
When you hop onto Content Mavericks’ stuff, you’ll notice a couple things. First, their articles are pretty darn long. They aren’t just quick hacks to get your email or to get you to their site for retargeting. Nope, they’re full-blown guides on how to achieve what the headline promised. You get all the answers you need from the article itself, all for free.
Take a look at their piece on content optimization, for instance. It’s got everything you need to optimize your content by yourself. It’s like a “do-it-yourself” manual. That’s the first step.
But here’s the catch: traffic alone doesn’t pay the bills. You gotta convert that traffic into leads. And that’s where Chris, the brains behind Content Mavericks, gets creative.
In every article, right at the start, there’s a call-to-action (CTA) to get a freebie. This isn’t just a random freebie – it’s the next logical step for the reader. This is genius because research says about half the readers don’t scroll past the first part of a blog post. By placing the CTA so high up, more people are likely to see it and take action.
But here’s the catch: traffic alone doesn’t pay the bills. You gotta convert that traffic into leads. And that’s where Chris, the brains behind Content Mavericks, gets creative.
In every article, right at the start, there’s a call-to-action (CTA) to get a freebie. This isn’t just a random freebie – it’s the next logical step for the reader. This is genius because research says about half the readers don’t scroll past the first part of a blog post. By placing the CTA so high up, more people are likely to see it and take action.
Driving Traffic without Relying on Google
Okay, so Chris has this really helpful article that tackles a specific pain point and gives people a way to act faster with a neat little extra step. But how do you get people to see it?
The problem is, something like “Ski Slope Strategy” isn’t exactly going to win in a battle with giants like HubSpot about content optimization.
So, you’ve got this super helpful thing that really solves a problem and earns trust. And you’ve got an intriguing headline to hook people in.
People would be curious about what this “Ski-Slope strategy” is all about. And that curiosity is even more piqued with the big claim that follows…
“How I Made $100,000 Per Month (With A 5-Person Content Team)”.
That’s a head-turner, using old-school direct response copywriting techniques.
- A big promise – $100,000 / month
- Defying common expectations – Only 5 people
- A unique mechanism – The Ski-Slope strategy
But still, all these can’t get you traffic on their own. Like many other quality articles that spark interest, this might just end up buried in Google’s second page (or worse).
Which means no eyeballs, no leads, no cash.
Now, here’s a thought. The article – from the big promise in the headline to the actual helpful content – is just perfect for paid traffic. Seriously, I’ve seen ads that take you to sales pages with less focus than these content pieces.
Some folks focused on conversions might read this and think it’s a waste of cash to direct traffic to a blog post. But they’d be mistaken.
The goal here isn’t to make quick sales, but to build a name and trust. Directing cold traffic to a regular sales page is like proposing on the first date. It’s way too much too soon. And an almost impossible sell if you’re selling a multi-thousand dollar product.
But if you guide people to free assets that solve their problem, that’s an awesome way to build trust and show that you know what you’re talking about.
And if the next step involves them opting into your email list, even better. That means you can grow the relationship and down the line, it’ll be easier to suggest a $X000+ offer to them.
When you look at the ads Content Mavericks are running, most of them lead to blog posts on their own blog. All of the ads in the image below lead to content pieces – not sales pages.
They understand that selling a high-priced consulting offer isn’t something that happens overnight. So, instead, guide people to a resource that earns their trust and convinces them to hear more. Build on that trust, and you’ll have them asking to work with you.
Next, let’s look at how Chris arranges those call-to-actions (CTAs) within the content.
Converting Traffic with Relevant In-Content Offers
Scroll depth and engagement rate of content differ for every user. Some people barely scroll past the fold, while others might read the entire piece.
The team at Content Mavericks is well-prepared for this and strategically places relevant CTAs where the intent to take action is highest.
They start with a straightforward opt-in above the fold. This opt-in is designed to reduce friction and help the reader achieve their desired result.
Later CTAs are typically located at points where the user’s intent to take action is high, or their apprehension about actioning the advice is heightened.
For example, a simple email address opt-in with a content upgrade can be found below.
This opt-in is smartly placed right after a discussion on the extreme benefits that the approach can provide.
After reading this, a reader might think, “Wow, I wish I had the tools to put this into action“. And just like that, there’s a button you can click to get those tools right now.
In addition to this, Chris also pitches his services in these articles.
What’s great about these pitches is that they don’t come across as forceful.
They’re positioned at points where the reader’s apprehension about implementing the advice is highest.
For instance, in the example of hiring Chris’s team, the pitch is placed right after the explanation of “Green Circle Content” and the need for a certain base level of quality.
The reader, potentially thinking, “I’m not sure I could do that“, is then presented with the perfect offer to overcome that problem – a solution that allows them to take action and achieve the desired result.
This progressive ‘yes ladder’ approach is crucial for converting cold traffic.
Dropping a new user onto a long-form sales page is a huge ask and it’s disproportionate to the user’s level of buy-in at that point.
Building the asks logically and sequentially is the key to getting the results you want.”
Turning Leads into Customers
While Content Mavericks’ paid promotions seem to primarily focus on directing people to their free content, the most logical CTAs on those pages encourage visitors to join their mailing list.
Leads are a good start, but ultimately, sales are the desired outcome.
Content Mavericks employs a two-pronged approach to convert leads into customers.
The first strategy is the time-tested approach of email marketing.
Every so often, the team sends out an email sequence promoting one of their premium programs or outlining some of their consulting offers. These emails are exceptionally well written. They take a narrative-led approach, leaning on tried-and-true direct response methods.
Additionally, there are several “social proof” ads in their ad account. I would wager these are retargeting ads, aimed at individuals who have viewed the program but have not yet made a purchase.
Essentially, once someone opts in to receive one of the content upgrades, the Content Mavericks team ensures they remain top of mind.
Continuous email marketing keeps the customer engaged and continues to foster trust and relationship building.
Retargeting ads across various platforms ensure that their offers and deals are presented to the user, regardless of their online activities.
As a result, the likelihood of Content Mavericks being one of the first choices when a customer is ready to buy increases significantly.
What I particularly appreciate about this approach is how it once again works to create a basic ‘yes ladder’.
The Full Content Mavericks' Growth Model
When we dissect their entire model, it can be broken down as follows:
Social Ads
- Targeted at your ideal audience.
- Focused on pain and/or significant benefits.
Pain Point Article
- Offers high value and provides the complete solution for free.
- Concentrates on achieving one key goal.
Content Upgrade for Lead Generation
- Ensures it is the logical next step or a friction remover for the goal.
Offer Marketing
- Sends promotional emails of your key offers.
- Runs remarketing ads directing to the primary sales page.
Checkout.