Interviewing Joy Johnston

Welcome to a new WTSInterview edition, where we interview brilliant SEOs in our industry and share their stories with the world! WTS members are welcome to share their story by simply filling out this form; we encourage folks from all walks of life in our industry to do so.

Introducing Joy Johnston! She is Trisolute Software's News SEO Strategist, where she helps newsrooms empower their Google visibility strategy by using the award-winning News Dashboard.

She has over 20 years of local and national news SEO experience. In addition to her love of SEO, she serves as a family caregiver advocate and proud rescue animal mom.

How did you get into SEO?

My SEO career journey began with my love of writing. In 2002, after searching for paid online writing gigs, I was hired as the Atlanta Guide for About.com. The company was on the vanguard when it came to SEO and applying data analytics to content strategy.

The skills I learned during my six years at About.com became invaluable in my subsequent newsroom roles, where I discovered my ultimate passion: news SEO.

What is your favourite SEO task?

In my newsroom roles, I loved creating content strategy plans for major events, like an election or the Super Bowl. It combined my love of research, strategy, and content management. I was very competitive with myself, always striving to do better than the previous year's results.

In my current role at Trisolute Software, I love conducting a news SEO analysis, whether it be a year in review analysis for a news publisher, a newsworthy event, or a specific Google product feature, such as Discover.

I never had time to do such a deep-dive task when I worked in a newsroom, so being able to support journalists in this way is rewarding. The best part is being able to share the analysis findings and actionable insights with news publisher clients and the news SEO community.

What is your go-to tool or resource that you can't live without?

Of course I have to give a shout out to the Trisolute News Dashboard. I wish I had the News Dashboard when I worked in newsrooms, as it would have made tasks such as performance analysis, competitor research, and content discovery so much easier.

For news SEO trends and tips, I'm a big fan of the WTF is SEO newsletter. Jessie and Shelby do a great job of highlighting key SEO insights and tips for news publishers, and most importantly, making it interesting and actionable.

What is something you learned in SEO that made you have an 'AHA' moment?

Understanding how a Content Management System (CMS) update can impact SEO results. In one of my newsroom roles, it took almost a week to discover why a photo gallery wasn't driving traffic and wasn't visible in search.

It turned out IT had implemented a CMS update and had failed to tell anyone. The update caused an obscure button buried in the photo gallery template to switch to on for "no index" in Google. We finally discovered the problem by viewing the page source code in Google. That's why I think it's important even for those of us in content SEO to understand the basics of technical SEO.

What is your proudest industry achievement?

While I'm proud of the SEO content successes I've had in newsrooms, my proudest and most surprising moment of my SEO career came in 2023, when I was a speaker at the Online News Association conference.

As a hardcore introvert with a fear of public speaking, I really had to challenge my own self-doubt and nagging imposter syndrome. It turned out to be a wonderful experience, and I'm grateful whenever I have the opportunity to share knowledge and help others succeed.

What advice would you give those who are starting out in SEO?

Find a niche that excites you. Skills can be learned, but passion comes from within. I like to follow the "open-minded skeptic" approach. That means not panicking every time Google releases an update and not prematurely pivoting to the latest SEO tactic that goes viral. Absorb diverse perspectives with an open mind, experiment when practical, and over time, you will develop your own gut instinct that will serve you well.

Give a shout out to someone in the industry who inspires you, and tell us why

Jennifer Kyrnin, who was the HTML/XML guide at About.com when I applied to be the Atlanta Guide for About.com. Without her easy-to-understand HTML tutorials for beginners, I would not have completed my application and may have missed out on what has become a rewarding SEO career.

Never underestimate the power of such resources, whether you are the creator or user. They can literally be life-changing!

Finally, what empowers you to be the brilliant person you are?

I've faced challenges both personally and professionally that have contributed to the growth of my inner resilience. But strength only becomes a superpower when combined with compassion. As an introvert, I'm a keen observer and good listener, which has benefited me in the workplace and in understanding user intent when it comes to SEO.

My proudest moments of my career have come not from earning a top ranking in Google or besting a competitor but being in a position to hold space and be a source of strength and support for a colleague in need.

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Thanks, Joy, for a truly insightful interview!

You can learn more about Joy on her website and connect with her on LinkedIn and X.

Check out our Interviews page for more interviews. If you've enjoyed reading this, we'd love for YOU to share your story with the world! Simply fill this form here, we welcome brilliant SEOs from all walks of life! 🙌🏽