Katie Simpson

About Katie Simpson

I’m a content strategist, editor and SEO lead with a proven track record of developing and executing high-impact content strategies for major media publishers, including Forbes Vetted and People Inc. I love telling stories with data—translating complex performance metrics into reader-first strategies—and thrive in fast-paced environments.From 2020 to 2023, I was part of a three-person team tasked with piloting a first-of-its-kind media partnerships affiliate content program. I spearheaded the content strategy and production of product reviews and \"best of\" guides, with a strong emphasis on SEO and performance optimization.In my current role at Forbes Vetted, I lead content strategy and planning across 10 verticals.I’m also a certified personal trainer, but my borderline shopping addiction has proven to be more of an asset in the commerce space.

Experience

1. Senior Strategy Editor

   Forbes

   May 2023 — Present

   Leading nuanced, SEO-focused content planning across 10 verticals for Forbes Vetted by leveraging data and SEO tools such as Looker, Ahrefs, Google Ads, SEMrush and Google Search Console. I collaborate with SEO strategists to perform in-depth competitor and industry research to identify new coverage opportunities across editorial sections •Making data-informed recommendations to optimize new and existing stories for search traffic and affiliate revenue •Managing a team of updates writers and SEO strategists, leading them to produce high-quality and highly strategic commerce content•Collaborating with the updates, data and SEO/AEO teams to refine performance reporting across content•Maintaining documentation for evergreen content analysis via monthly performance reports and quarterly strategy meetings•Editing my team’s work and offering suggestions for further strategic SEO/AEO optimization, while also contributing original content as needed•Working with the deals team to plan and optimize content for sales events (like Memorial Day, Labor Day and Black Friday through Cyber Monday) and participating in holiday weekend coverage•Creating and optimizing separate content for paid search, designed to maximize conversion, drive targeted traffic and generate additional revenue

Education

• UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media

  Bachelor of Arts - BA, Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication

  2016 — 2020

• The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

  Bachelor of Arts - BA, International/Global Studies

  2016 — 2020