Language, writing and storytelling: A conversation with Rin Hamburgh

How to optimise your B2B content for AI search: A conversation with David McGuire

David McGuire [https://www.linkedin.com/in/theboymcguire/] is a business-to-business copywriting and creativity consultant, speaker and coach. He has spent the last two decades working as copywriter, trainer, creative director and strategist. To quote one of his clients, “What David doesn’t know about B2B copywriting isn’t worth knowing.” Recently, David has been researching how generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude have changed the way people search for information online – and what that means for B2B businesses who rely on their website to sell their products or services. Having sifted through a dozen of online sources and cross-referencing advice from agencies, experts, academic papers and Google, he has condensed the most commonly agreed-on GEO writing strategies into a handy 12-point checklist for B2B copywriters – you can download a free copy here [https://www.linkedin.com/posts/theboymcguire_geo-writing-style-checklist-windhover-b2b-activity-7383521605525716992-Xw2B?]. In this episode, we speak – among other things – about the transition from traditional SEO (search engine optimisation) to GEO (generative engine optimisation), the commoditisation of information-level content, and the need for well-structured, in-depth and authoritative content. David also shares practical tips and examples of the specific things copywriters need to know about when creating AI-friendly B2B content. If you’d like more tips on B2B copywriting, be sure to follow David on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/theboymcguire/] and visit his website Windhover B2B [https://windhoverb2b.com/]. Chapters (auto-generated) 00:00 Introduction to AI and B2B Copywriting 02:51 The Shift from SEO to GEO 06:02 Understanding Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) 08:53 The Importance of Quality Content in the AI Era 11:40 Navigating the New Landscape of B2B Marketing 14:49 The Role of Authority and Trust in Content 17:49 The Future of Gated Content and User Engagement 20:52 The Impact of AI on Research and Decision Making 23:49 Writing for Humans and Machines 26:47 The Hallmarks of Quality Writing 29:50 The Importance of Website Structure 32:51 Final Thoughts on Adapting to AI in Marketing This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit humanelanguage.substack.com [https://humanelanguage.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Communication challenges for non-profit organisations: A conversation with Faye Treffry

In this third episode of the Human(e) Language podcast, I speak to Faye Treffry [https://www.linkedin.com/in/faye-treffry/], Brand and Communications Manager at Cornwall Wildlife Trust [https://www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk/] in the UK. Faye is an accomplished marketing, brand and communications expert with over 20 years of experience in the field. She is also a passionate environmentalist. Before joining Cornwall Wildlife Trust, Faye was a Director and Head of Growth at Green & Blue, where she not only achieved year-on-year financial growth, but also led the company’s certification as B Corporation, founded Solitary Bee Week [https://www.buglife.org.uk/bugs/solitary-bee-week/], and influenced UK planning policy for nature. You could say Faye is a true force of nature, for nature! After taking a year-long career break to backpack through Central America with her family, Faye returned to Cornwall and joined Cornwall Wildlife Trust in 2024. During our chat, we unpack some of the communication challenges for non-profit organisations. For nature conservation charities in particular, one such challenge is how to drive donations for a cause where there is no immediate result or ‘trade off’. As Faye explains, when you buy a product from a shop or online, there is a transactional exchange for a tangible product. In nature conservation, however, results are rarely immediate. It can take years for the results of a charity’s work to be visibly seen and enjoyed by the general public. Beavers are a great example. They are incredible ecosystem engineers. To quote the Cornwall Wildlife Trust website, beavers “create wetlands which benefit wildlife, absorb carbon dioxide, reduce flooding, and improve water quality.” The charity is currently fundraising to release wild beavers in Cornwall. But ecosystems aren’t created over night. And beavers don’t build dams in a day. Fundraising campaigns like Bring beavers back to the wild in Cornwall [https://www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk/appeals/wild-beaver-appeal] essentially encourage people to donate money in exchange for a future promise. Donations become a long-term investment in nature, wildlife and regeneration. Which is why communication plays such a crucial role in building trust in the organisation and keeping existing members as well as the general public engaged over a long period of time. We touch on the complexities of nature conservation, and the importance of being able to communicate scientific information in a way that will be easily understood and remembered by a diverse audience. We also speak about communication fatigue, and the challenge of striking a careful balance between creating a sense of urgency to encourage action, while keeping the messaging hopeful enough so people will still want to act. Finally, we talk about using storytelling to engage different audience types, while at the same time maintaining one unifying message across the organisation. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the Human(e) Language Podcast 00:26 Faye's journey into non-profit marketing 04:15 Challenges of communication in non-profit organisations 09:32 Understanding communication fatigue 16:26 The power of storytelling in nature conservation 20:10 Segmenting audiences for effective communication This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit humanelanguage.substack.com [https://humanelanguage.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Building human-first tech and language as a force for good: A conversation with Jamie Brown

In this second episode of the Human(e) Language podcast, I speak to Jamie Brown [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-brown-8a436540/], a writer, linguist and localisation consultant based in the UK. Jamie and I met a few years ago when we were both working in the language industry. I was running a B Corp translation company at the time, and Jamie was the Chief Language Services Officer at What3Words [https://what3words.com/], an innovative technology company that has divided the world into 57 trillion 3x3 metre squares. Each square of the world has been given a unique combination of three words. A seemingly simple, yet hugely powerful idea that has resulted in a global product that’s used by millions of people worldwide, as well as by emergency services and postal services. In this episode, we take a look behind the scenes of What3Words and Jamie shares some of the linguistic and cultural considerations that went into building word lists in 60+ languages to create a human-friendly product. Along the way, we talk about the relationship between language and culture, cultural sensitivity in localisation, and what it takes to create a product that is user-friendly and accessible to diverse communities. We also speak about the role of technology in revitalising indigenous languages, the digital gap, and linguistic justice. Finally, we take it all the way back to the beginning and Jamie shares his personal journey into the world of linguistics, shaped by his experience of growing up with a stammer. Jamie speaks about moving to Brazil at the age of 27 without speaking a word of Portuguese, and his experience of delivering a TEDx talk to a room full of 800 people in 2023! We finish off by talking about Jamie’s work as writer and consultant today and the joy of always learning new things. I highly recommend watching Jamie’s TEDx talk on the Language of Location [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQbJclA4ZDQ] – it’s a great example of public speaking. And if you would like to work with Jamie or find out more about his services, check out his professional website [https://www.jamiebrown.info/]. Here are a few helpful links if you’d like to explore some of the topics we discuss in more detail: * The Tamarack Institute’s article on building belonging through linguistic justice [https://www.tamarackcommunity.ca/articles/building-belonging-through-linguistic-justice] * The Linguistic Justice Foundation’s explanation of the concept of linguistic imperialism [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-ltbKEuUigbbLKlV9_8YaFTN2cv8Moe8/view] * Translators without Borders / Clear Global’s case study on using AI to support farmers to adapt to climate change [http://Using AI to support farmers to adapt to climate change] * NVIDIA article on how New Zealand broadcasting organisation Te Hiku Media’s automatic speech recognition model transcribes te reo Māori with 92% accuracy using trustworthy AI [https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/te-hiku-media-maori-speech-ai/#:~:text=As%20part%20of%20a%20movement,preserve%20and%20revitalize%20the%20tongue.] * Asia Rising’s event recording of indigenous language rights and the politics of fear in Asia [https://podcasts.apple.com/pt/podcast/event-indigenous-language-rights-and-the-politics-of/id920247755?i=1000582482071] * The Guardian’s article on research into native species being missed because of a language barrier [https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/apr/04/lost-in-translation-is-research-into-species-being-missed-because-of-a-language-barrier-aoe] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit humanelanguage.substack.com [https://humanelanguage.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Language, writing and storytelling: A conversation with Rin Hamburgh

In this first episode of the Human(e) Language Podcast, I speak with Rin Hamburgh [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rinhamburgh/], a professional writer and founder of copywriting agency Rin Hamburgh & Co [https://www.rin-hamburgh.co.uk/]. With a background in journalism, Rin is a fountain of knowledge when it comes to impactful writing and finding the heart of every story. We met a couple of years ago via a networking community for agency owners, and quickly realised we were kindred spirits. As well as sharing a love for all things language and communication, we were also both running values-led B Corp businesses at the time. Rin is currently spending a year travelling with her family, and runs her company remotely from their converted van (lovingly called Phileas). Luckily, Portugal is on the list of the many countries they’re visiting, and while they’ve parked up their van in our garden for a few days, I asked Rin if she’d join me for a chat about language, writing, and storytelling. We talk about language and language learning, writing for business and for pleasure, “gold mining” and how storytelling techniques can enhance non-fiction writing.During our chat we mention SoulStack by Beth Kempton [https://open.substack.com/pub/bethkempton] and Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way [https://juliacameronlive.com/book/the-artists-way/] as sources of inspiration for your own writing. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit humanelanguage.substack.com [https://humanelanguage.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]