Editorial work and media projects.

I lead editorial projects and make content myself. Here’s what I’ve done with Backlinko, The Minimalist Vegan and Heartful Table.

Backlinko

I joined in December 2023 to lead the editorial program Brian Dean started.

Brian founded Backlinko in 2012 and became known for practical SEO guides and ideas such as the Skyscraper Technique. Semrush acquired the site in 2022.

As lead editor, I built the team and the processes behind the written work. That included more than 30 editorial guidelines, templates and process documents for briefs, reviews, expert input, hiring and production. I also edited and wrote major pieces myself.

I’m still involved. I look after the site and newsletter, guide the remaining written work and make routine publishing decisions. Alongside that, I make long-form videos for the Backlinko YouTube channel.

My first video for Backlinko’s new series on AI search: Keywords Were King. AI Search Has Changed That Game. Published September 2026.
The opening of Michael’s guide to scaling content creation on Backlinko
In How to Scale Content Creation, I explain the editorial system and what I learned after reviewing more than one million words across Backlinko and Semrush.
The opening of Michael’s Backlinko article about information gain
For Information Gain, I interviewed three content leaders and used their experience to explain what makes content genuinely useful.
Michael Ofei speaking at Edge of Search
I gave my first conference talk on information gain at Edge of Search.

The results reflect the work of many people across Backlinko and Semrush.

The Minimalist Vegan

An independent publication Maša and I launched in March 2015 and sold in January 2023.

My wife, Maša, and I started The Minimalist Vegan while we were becoming vegan and simplifying our lives. We wrote about the choices we were making, the questions we had and what we learned along the way.

Over time, we published long-form articles, wrote a book, recorded more than 70 podcast episodes and built a community around the site. I led the SEO strategy as The Minimalist Vegan attracted 1.5 million website visitors and more than 2 million pageviews in its peak year, 2021.

Michael Ofei and Maša Ofei sharing coffee at a café
Maša and me during the years we were building The Minimalist Vegan together.
The opening of Michael Ofei’s Minimalist Vegan essay about wearing the same clothes every day
One of the long-form essays I wrote for the site, based on how we were actually living.
Michael holding a copy of The Minimalist Vegan book
The Minimalist Vegan, the book Maša and I wrote and independently published.
Cover artwork for The Minimalist Vegan Podcast featuring Maša and Michael Ofei
More than 70 podcast episodes, produced and co-hosted together.

We sold The Minimalist Vegan in January 2023. The site has changed since then, so the book, podcast and archived pages are a better record of what we built. See the acquisition context.

Heartful Table

Producing practical cooking videos for Maša’s plant-based recipe site.

Heartful Table is the plant-based recipe site Maša runs. I led its content and SEO strategy and produced 27 videos for its YouTube channel.

I researched what people wanted to cook before planning each video. I planned the format, directed the shoot, filmed and edited, chose the music and packaged the finished video for YouTube. Maša developed the recipes, styled the kitchen and food and appeared on camera.

This lentil bolognese tutorial has been watched more than 100,000 times.

These videos were made several years ago. Heartful Table remains active under Maša’s lead.

Ways I can contribute

I can write or make a video, help decide what to publish or help your editorial team do better work.

Editorial direction
Decide what the publication should say, who needs it and which format suits the idea.
Writing, editing and video
Research and interview experts, write or edit the piece, and script, direct and produce video.
Team building and development
Recruit and onboard writers and editors, coach them through feedback, set standards and manage performance over time.
Content operations
Build briefs, workflows and publishing processes that help a team maintain quality and keep projects moving.
SEO and AI search
Find real audience demand, plan content around it and improve how a brand is found in search and AI answers.

If you’re building something similar, tell me about it.