It’s been 8 months since I started as managing editor here at Search Engine Journal. When I came on board this past March, I saw so many exciting possibilities. There was so much to do and I had to hit the ground running. Sometimes it feels like it’s been 8 years! But it’s been so worth it. I’ve been blessed to have the opportunity to get to know our contributors: a large group of active writers (~58 and counting) that spans the spectrum of famous marketers to bright up-and-comers. I get to engage the very opinionated and lively community at-large that is SEJ. Every day I learn something new.
It’s definitely felt at times like putting the plane together while mid-air. While I believe we’ve accomplished a lot in 8 months, and I’m proud of the team– introducing more video content, strengthening our breaking news coverage, creating a presence at conferences– I’ve definitely made mistakes along the way. I’m grateful to those who let me know. I’m grateful to those who voiced their support.
Here’s what I’m committing to going forward:
- We let a fake guest author slip through. The post has been taken down, and we’ve taken measures to make sure that doesn’t happen again. For new authors, this means it will take longer to get your posts published, but it’s for everyone’s benefit.
- Some writers have had trouble getting responses from me or the team. Nowadays I do get almost 200 emails a day but there’s no excuse. Your time is valuable. I apologize if I didn’t get back to you or if you didn’t get what you needed. I would love to hear from you.
- We are bringing on more resources to help with our growing pains. With that I’d like to introduce Kelsey Jones as our new assistant editor. Kelsey will be helping me manage the content review process, making sure we maintain high standards for all writers and all posts.
The team and I are committed to making SEJ the best it can be. I’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback.
