Meet Maria

Hey everyone! I’m Maria-Cristina, CMO and co-founder of Yahini. I’ve spent the last decade working on SaaS marketing and content strategy: I’ve done everything from running a boutique content agency to geeking out over viral content patterns (I actually did my MA thesis on this back in 2015). 

I’m a huge AI enthusiast, and always looking to make marketing workflows smoother and more effective.

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Can you explain what Yahini is and what inspired its creation?

Yahini was born out of a real problem we kept seeing while working with SaaS companies. My co-founder and I noticed that while everyone was excited about using AI for content, most tools were just too generic to be truly useful. After years of helping companies scale their product-led content, we realized there was this huge gap between what AI tools were offering and what businesses actually needed.

So we built Yahini to be the bridge. We basically took all our years of content strategy experience and taught it to an AI. The goal was to create something that could deliver the same quality of strategy we’d provide as consultants, but at a fraction of the time and cost.

How does Yahini use prompt engineering to assist content strategy?

You know how most AI tools just scrape competitor content and call it a day? 

We took a different approach. We’ve built this really sophisticated system that combines technical SEO data with actual content strategy expertise. Yahini analyzes everything from your market position and value props to your competitors’ content patterns, but the magic happens in how we’ve trained it to think like a strategist.

We’ve taken entire content strategy playbooks – we’re talking 50+ pages of frameworks, rules, and best practices – and turned them into an advanced algorithm and prompts that guide the AI. 

What differentiates Yahini from other content strategy tools on the market?

The biggest difference is that we’re not just another AI content tool. 

While most tools focus on churning out generic content, we’ve built something that actually thinks strategically. 

Yahini is trained by real content strategists (including ourselves) who’ve spent years in the trenches. We’re the only tool that automatically maps keywords to funnel stages and creates briefs based on your specific business context, not just what’s ranking on Google. 

Plus, we’ve tested our recommendations against real client strategies, and we consistently match about 90% of what human experts suggest.

Can you explain the AI model or technology behind Yahini?

As of January 2025, we primarily use Claude by Anthropic as our core AI engine – it’s incredibly good at processing SEO data and understanding content strategy nuances. 

But the real secret sauce is in how we’ve trained it. We’ve developed this extensive prompt engineering system that combines technical data (like SERP analysis) with strategic frameworks we’ve developed over years of working with clients.

What are the biggest mistakes businesses make with their content strategies?

Oh, this is a big one! 

The biggest mistake I see is treating content like a production line, just churning out articles without any real strategy behind them. 

Another huge pitfall is using AI tools without properly training them about your business context. It’s like hiring a writer who knows nothing about your company and expecting them to nail your voice and message. 

And perhaps the most common mistake is treating content in isolation, without considering how it fits into your broader marketing strategy – your social media, your distribution channels, your customer journey. Content needs to be part of a bigger conversation.

What advice would you give to someone starting a SaaS product today?

Don’t sleep on marketing! I see so many founders focused solely on product features (which is important, don’t get me wrong), but your go-to-market strategy is just as crucial. 

Learn to prioritize ruthlessly because you can’t do everything at once. And please, talk to your customers constantly. It’s better to under-promise and over-deliver than the other way around. 

How do you envision the future of the content strategy market, and where does Yahini fit into that vision?

I’ll be honest – anyone who claims they know exactly where this industry is heading is probably overselling it. 

AI is clearly reshaping everything about how we create and strategize content. Every founder and content strategist I talk to is already using AI in some way. 

But rather than trying to predict the future, we’re focused on making Yahini a tool that helps people work smarter with AI, not be replaced by it. We want to empower teams to enhance their workflows and strategies, not just automate everything blindly.

What emerging trends in content strategy should businesses watch out for?

I’m seeing a really interesting shift toward hyper-personalized content experiences.

I’m also noticing a move toward more authentic, experience-based content that combines AI efficiency with human expertise. 

Did you enjoy our interview? Do you have anything to say to our community?

This was so much fun! Thanks for having me. 

To everyone reading this – I’d love to hear your thoughts on content strategy and AI. If you’re curious about what we’re building at Yahini, come check us out. We’re always excited to help fellow SaaS founders and marketers level up their content game.