Grillguide, Diablo II and a 56k modem

Personal side.

The short version: I grew up with the internet, discovered by accident that you could make money with it, and never quite got away from it since.

Florian Hieß in private — Photo: David Johansson

The longer version

Growing up
with the internet.

1998: The modem

A small green 56k modem that dialled in with beeps and clicks and blocked the phone line while doing it. Billing was per minute, half an hour a day at most. The moment the line was free again, my grandmother would call to complain that it had been busy all evening.

1999 to 2001: The first sale

Diablo II came out, battle.net took off, and at some point I noticed that digital items from the game could be sold on eBay. That was my first contact with online trade. Supply, demand, trust between strangers, and the question of how to describe an offer so that it gets found and clicked. In hindsight that was my first SEO project; I just did not know it at the time.

In parallel my first website appeared: a clan page with a forum. Hand-built, presumably terrible, but it worked.

The detour

It was clear back in school that it should go in the direction of marketing. After graduating, though, I first landed in offline sales. Not a wasted year: what I learned there about sales conversations, objections and argumentation is something I use on every landing page today.

Grillguide: where both passions come together

On 11 May 2014, Romana and I started a blog. As a Mother's Day present, under the name Aufgetischt. Today it is called Grillguide and is one of the largest barbecue and BBQ blogs in Austria, with a community of more than 10,000 people.

This is not a hobby next to the job, it is the bridge between the two. Grillguide is the project where I try everything out before I recommend it to anyone: SEO on a real content project, community management with real people who write back, social media without an approval loop, and in recent years the question of how recipes stay visible in answer engines.

Anyone who wants to know whether I understand what I am talking about does not have to take my word for it. There is a project they can go and look at.

Over the years a few qualifications came with it that appear in no marketing CV: certified AMA barbecue trainer, juror for the WBQA and the SCA, judge and table captain for the Kansas City Barbeque Society.

What else occupies me

Continuing education and personal development. The question of how people and organisations manage to change without losing themselves along the way. And music with an attitude, which you can probably tell from this website.

I live with my family in Gettsdorf in Lower Austria. These days the internet lasts longer than half an hour a day.

Frequently asked

Personal questions.

Why does this website look like a punk record sleeve?

Because interchangeable agency sites full of stock photos and empty phrases are the exact opposite of what I work for. The design is a stance: clear edges, no sugar-coating. The content underneath is still serious and verifiable.

Is there a blog here?

Not on this site. I publish professional content in the Digital Wings knowledge section, as guest articles in industry media, and on LinkedIn. Privately I have been writing on Grillguide since 2014.

What does barbecue have to do with online marketing?

Grillguide is my testing ground. SEO, community management, social media and most recently visibility in answer engines are things I try out there on a real project before I make recommendations. The blog carries itself and has to work.

Why was the blog called Aufgetischt before?

It started in 2014 as "Aufgetischt: Grillen & Barbecue", a Mother's Day present for Romana. As the focus shifted towards grilling and BBQ, it became Grillguide. The old address redirects.

What exactly is Grillguide?

A barbecue and BBQ magazine that Romana and I started in 2014. Back then as "Aufgetischt". Recipes, guides, core temperature charts and a community of more than 45,000 people.

Do you make money from it?

The blog sustains itself through cooperations and partnerships. Its actual value lies elsewhere: it is the project where I try things out before I recommend them.

What are an AMA barbecue trainer and a KCBS judge?

Certifications from the barbecue world. AMA is the Austrian agricultural marketing organisation; the Kansas City Barbeque Society is the largest BBQ competition organisation worldwide. As a judge you score entries at competitions.

What was your first online business?

Selling digital items from Diablo II on eBay, from 1999 onwards. Supply, demand, and the question of how to write a listing so that it gets found.

What do you do when you are not working?

Barbecue, reading and listening to music. Continuing education and personal development interest me beyond work as well.

Why is all of this on a business website?

Because working together is a personal decision. Anyone who wants to know who they are dealing with should be able to read it here instead of guessing.

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