Steven Petrella
Verified Expert in Marketing
Marketing Expert
Jersey City, NJ, United States
Toptal member since April 19, 2023
Steve is an SEO and content strategy expert with a track record of growing organic audiences from zero to millions of users per month. He's spent the last five years at Action Network, a sports betting startup with 10+ million web visits per month in peak seasons.
Project Highlights
Expertise
- Ahrefs
- App Store Optimization (ASO)
- Content Strategy
- Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)
- Copywriting
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
- Semrush
- WordPress
Work Experience
Director | SEO, Product, and Growth
Action
- Managed commercial content that brought $15+ million per year in revenue.
- Ideated and managed the development of three key new products, including a player prop betting experience, slot machine review pages, and a subscription dashboard.
- Wrote and maintained all educational content that drove 100,000+ users per month.
Executive Editor
Action
- Managed a content team of 20+ members that drove 10+ million reads per month for the sports betting affiliate website.
- Developed a comprehensive SEO and app store optimization (ASO) content strategy for both topical sports betting content and timeless, educational betting content.
- Hired and managed 10+ full-time writers, 25+ freelancers, and 8+ editors.
Senior Editor
Action
- Managed all college football and college basketball content for a sports betting startup.
- Encouraged the use of free content to grow the brand that's heavily focused on paywalled subscription content.
- Hired and managed a team of six writers to produce betting content.
Content Strategy Manager
Cox Media Group
- Led SEO and content strategy initiatives that increased search traffic year-over-year by 502% for Land of 10, 215% for SEC Country, and 36% for DawgNation. Educated writers on SEO best practices and developed a scalable system for SEO success.
- Developed and managed new Facebook pages with millions of followers to ensure long-term health and strong distribution for brands on social media.
- Built YouTube channels and integrated audience development best practices into video technology strategy.
Digital Content Producer
Sporting News
- Wrote and edited sports content for a leading national publication. Worked on news, social, feature, and data-driven stories.
- Led SEO initiatives to generate new users for non-core sports, including horse racing, tennis, and golf.
- Managed The Linemakers on Sporting News, the site's sports betting vertical, for five months. Led a team of six freelance writers.
Project History
Player Prop Tool
https://www.actionnetwork.com/nba/propsIdeated and managed the development of a new, free player prop betting experience for Action Network.
Created the new prop experience with a logical pathway for new users through SEO, with the upside of converting users to subscription products and affiliate partners. Integrated already successful mobile features to new audiences on the web.
Educational Content Hub
https://www.actionnetwork.com/betting-educationIdeated, wrote, and maintained all educational sports betting content for Action Network.
Wrote dozens of educational and explanatory sports betting articles that cover most beginner and advanced topics and answer various questions, such as “What is a point spread?” or “What happens to my MLB bet if that game gets rained out?” This content gets 100,000+ reads per month in peak seasons.
Sportsbook Reviews
https://www.actionnetwork.com/online-sports-betting/reviews/betmgmWrote copy and optimized Action Network's sportsbook review pages, driving $15+ million per year in revenue.
Wrote and optimized sportsbook review pages for Action Network, which brought $15+ million per year in revenue through transactional terms like FanDuel promo codes or BetMGM bonus codes. Researched and provided original data on sportsbook pricing and product features to help these pages stand out in the hyper-competitive sports betting SEO space.
Education
Bachelor's Degree in Communications and Journalism
Penn State University - University Park, PA, USA
Skills
Core
SEO Tools, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Content Strategy, Writing & Editing, Keyword Research, Affiliate Marketing, Content Marketing, App Store Optimization (ASO), Copywriting, Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO), Link Building, SEO Audits
Platforms & Tools
Ahrefs, Content Management Systems (CMS), Google Analytics
Technical
Google Search Console
Other
WordPress, Semrush, Content Writing, Content Management, Reporting, Data Reporting, Journalism, New Products, Product Launch, Interviewing, Commercial Strategy, Product Management
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