Inside the Funnel

Oh man, the future! Dan, Jenna, and Nasser are back to make sense of a year in which everything changed in digital... again. Grab yourself a frothy coffee and join our future-proofed trio as they dissect 2023, speculate what 2024 may have in store, and make questionable attempts at Australian and Welsh accents.The year in review: Excitement, frustration, jamónAI, AI, Oh! New possibilities in 2024What lies ahead for paid search practitioners?Goodnight, sweet AI startupsGPTs: Bad name, revolutionary functionLINKS: DAC: "Predictions 2024" | ATTRIBUTIONS: "radio band.wav" by Paper Jam of Freesound.org

In the first part of DAC's AI Sunrise Series, the gang returns to discuss the topic on everyone's lips. Join Jenna, Dan, and Nasser as they explain what the dawn of AI means for digital marketers, businesses of all shapes and sizes, and the world in general. Along the way, they generate lifelike content about:The solipsistic world of AI-powered monoclesSurprise! AI tools are already ubiquitousAdding value as actual human beingsAn imminent sea change in user behaviorWhat does "efficiency" really mean, anyway?LINKS: DAC: "What the AI paradox means for marketers" | DAC: "ChatGPT: Threats, opportunities… and a new challenger to Google?" | ATTRIBUTIONS: "radio band.wav" by Paper Jam of Freesound.org

And we're back! Our triumphant trio returns to reveal all about marketing's hottest topic: generative artificial intelligence. Find how "the most profound technological development since the internet itself" is set to reinvent, well, pretty much everything. Along the way, Dan, Nasser, and Jenna delve into topics definitely not suggested by ChatGPT, including:Neural networks and fighty robots: How does generative AI actually work?Player 2 has entered the game... Google Bard!The inevitable rise of "prompt engineering"LINKS: DAC: "Microsoft vs. Google: The battle for AI supremacy is on" | ATTRIBUTIONS: "radio band.wav" by Paper Jam of Freesound.org

Some things never change, but SEO is not one of those things. Join Jenna, Nasser, and Dan as they check in on the sweeping evolution of organic search, explore Google's role therein, and ponder the future of one of digital's most traditional disciplines. Along the way, they click through into topics including: Counting in cubits and backyard pyramids Visualization, zero clickification, monetization Higher ranking =/= more impressions Create compelling content... but how? SEO has never been more SEO LINKS: DAC: "https://www.dacgroup.com/blog/4-recent-serp-changes-impacting-organic-ecommerce-performance/ (4 recent SERP changes impacting organic ecommerce performance)" | DAC: "https://www.dacgroup.com/blog/hey-bert-meet-the-google-ai-set-to-change-search-forever/ (Hey, BERT! Meet the Google AI set to change search forever)" | DAC: "https://www.dacgroup.com/blog/one-year-on-has-bert-really-changed-search-forever/ (One year on, has BERT really changed search forever?)" | ATTRIBUTIONS: "radio band.wav" by Paper Jam of Freesound.org

We're witnessing the most tumultuous era in the history of talent acquisition and retention in the marketing industry, and it's showing no sign of abating. Amid the churn, Jenna, Nasser, and Dan recruited Talentfoot founder and CEO Camille Fetter to reveal all about the Great Resignation, covering talking points including: Resistance to hybrid models and the reinvention of collaboration Is agency-to-client talent migration a thing of the past? Overpromoted and underperforming: The consequences of hiring frenzies The inevitable rise of pay transparency LINKS: https://www.dacgroup.com/ (DAC) | https://talentfoot.com/ (Talentfoot) | ATTRIBUTIONS: "radio band.wav" by Paper Jam of Freesound.org

Fourth-quarter deadlines, postponed plans, and crippling anxiety about the year ahead—there's no mistaking The Most Wonderful Time of the Year™! Join Santa Sahlool, Dancer Temby, and Jingle Bells Watson as they recap an eventful year and look ahead to 2022, squeezing down chimneys including: The ever-changing definition of digital performance How to dovetail with Google's long-term vision Persuasion and precision: The future of digital media In-housing and the scramble for talent The Brand and the Influence: Tokyo Draft LINKS: Forrester: "https://www.forrester.com/blogs/predictions-2022-advertising-agencies-talent-shortage/ (Predictions 2022: Agencies Face Enigmatic Twists On Talent And Creativity)" | ATTRIBUTIONS: "radio band.wav" by Paper Jam of Freesound.org

Facebook's metaverse announcement sent shockwaves around the digital world—and not just because of Mark Zuckerberg's "unique" presentation. But what does it all mean for brands, marketers, consumers, and the world at large? Choose your avatar and join Jenna, Nasser, and Dan in the funnelverse as they dissect the implications, confront controversies, and tackle topics including: "The metaverse" or "A metaverse"? Fluff, vision, and positioning: The hallmarks of a land grab How the metaverse will make crypto cowboys richer AR vs. VR What should brands do to prepare? LINKS: Shaan Puri: "https://twitter.com/ShaanVP/status/1454151237650112512 (Hot take: Everyone is wrong about the Metaverse)" | Clive Thompson: "https://debugger.medium.com/the-metaverse-is-already-here-its-minecraft-99c89ed8ba2 (The Metaverse Is Already Here — It's Minecraft)" | DAC: "https://www.dacgroup.com/blog/podcast-rewind-3-lessons-learned-about-digital-transformation (Podcast rewind: 3 lessons learned about digital transformation)" | ATTRIBUTIONS: "radio band.wav" by Paper Jam of Freesound.org

We're back from our short summer hiatus to explore one of the marketing industry's most urgent issues: diversity. Listen in as Nasser, Jenna, and Dan are joined by LiveIntent CMO Kerel Cooper—an award-winning advocate for diversity in business, media, and technology—to dive into some of the topic's most important talking points, including: How diverse workforces drive higher performance (and make fewer mistakes) The blurred lines between personal and professional lives Diversity and the immigrant experience Pitfalls on the path to diversification Curiosity: The ultimate catalyst for change? LINKS: DAC: "https://www.dacgroup.com/blog/how-diverse-is-dac/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=podcastdescription&utm_campaign=insidethefunnel&utm_content=episode-011&utm_term=podcast (How diverse is DAC?)" | DAC: "https://www.dacgroup.com/blog/4-ways-were-creating-a-more-diverse-workplace/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=podcastdescription&utm_campaign=insidethefunnel&utm_content=episode-011&utm_term=podcast (4 ways we're creating a more diverse workplace)" | DAC: "https://www.dacgroup.com/blog/celebrating-diversity-and-inclusion-at-dac/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=podcastdescription&utm_campaign=insidethefunnel&utm_content=episode-011&utm_term=podcast (Celebrating diversity and inclusion at DAC)" | ATTRIBUTIONS: "radio band.wav" by Paper Jam of Freesound.org

Is B2B marketing really more challenging than B2C? The digital age has blurred the lines between the two, so we enlisted T-Systems' Head of Digital Marketing, Björn Radde, to reveal truths from one of Europe's most successful B2B operations. Join Nasser, Dan, and Jenna as they pick Björn's brain to reveal: Why B2B doesn't mean "boring to boring" The duality of B2B/B2C experiences How to reverse-engineer the sales funnel for major deals Why B2B sales will be insulated against the loss of third-party cookies How to nurture an effective B2B culture: Test, learn, and upskill LINKS: DAC: "https://www.dacgroup.com/blog/why-googles-new-customer-match-is-great-news-for-b2b-marketers/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=podcastdescription&utm_campaign=insidethefunnel&utm_content=episode-010&utm_term=podcast (Why Google's new Customer Match is a great news for B2B marketers)" | ATTRIBUTIONS: "radio band.wav" by Paper Jam of Freesound.org

Since we first covered the topic in episode one, Google has revealed that it will NOT replace third-party cookies with an equivalent mechanism to identify individual users. Cue anxious marketers asking themselves: "How are we going to do our jobs?!" Fortunately, Dan, Jenna, and Nasser are back to paint a much more vivid picture of our cookie-less future, gliding their hoverboards across talking points including: Why are third-party cookies going away? User Tracking 101 Privacy-preserving approaches to real-world problems What the FLoC? Welcome to cohort party 29056! The Three-Step Cookie Doomsday Preparedness Plan™ LINKS: DAC: "Google's shift away from cookies and personal ad IDs" (Mar 2021) | DAC: "How to be data-driven in a crisis" (Apr 2020) | DAC: "https://www.dacgroup.com/blog/digital-advertising-in-a-cookie-less-future/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=podcastdescription&utm_campaign=insidethefunnel&utm_content=episode-009&utm_term=podcast (Digital advertising in a cookie-less future)" (Feb 2020) | DAC: "https://www.dacgroup.com/blog/googles-privacy-sandbox-invigorates-data-transparency-debate/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=podcastdescription&utm_campaign=insidethefunnel&utm_content=episode-009&utm_term=podcast (Google's 'Privacy Sandbox' invigorates data transparency debate)" (Aug 2019) | DAC: "https://www.dacgroup.com/blog/how-to-respect-data-privacy-in-the-digital-age/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=podcastdescription&utm_campaign=insidethefunnel&utm_content=episode-009&utm_term=podcast (How to respect data privacy in the digital age)" (Jan 2019) | ATTRIBUTIONS: "radio band.wav" by Paper Jam of Freesound.org | "Tape Rewind.wav" by Analog Bleep Ten of Freesound.org

The iconoclastic David Shing (Shingy) is one of digital's most entertaining, fascinating, and polarizing figures—and he remains one of the sharpest minds in the business. Join Dan, Nasser, and Jenna as they chase down AOL's former "Digital Prophet" and see the world through his eyes, casting their gaze at: The antagonistic origins of the Prophet The best (and worst) pandemic advertising Are CMOs unprepared for the cookieless future? Three barriers to data-driven insights QR codes: A comeback story LINKS: https://www.dacgroup.com/podcast/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=podcastdescription&utm_campaign=insidethefunnel&utm_content=episode-008&utm_term=podcast (www.dacgroup.com) | ATTRIBUTIONS: "radio band.wav" by Paper Jam of Freesound.org

In the grim darkness of the far future, there's no such thing as websites… or is there? Join Calamity Jenna, Nasser the Kid, and Dan "Just Dan" Temby as they mount their steeds to explore the very real prospect of a websiteless future. Our intrepid trio set the record straight at speakeasies along the way, including: Why APIs are the heralds of website death Google's war on clicks: Benign or malignant? Platformification and the platform economy Schema markup's inevitable renaissance Will the website disappear or metamorphose? LINKS: https://www.dacgroup.com/podcast/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=podcastdescription&utm_campaign=insidethefunnel&utm_content=episode-007&utm_term=podcast (www.dacgroup.com) | ATTRIBUTIONS: "radio band.wav" by Paper Jam of Freesound.org | "twangy electric guitar.wav" by venusiancharm of Freesound.org

Keynote speaker, best-selling author, advisor to 36 of the Fortune 500, seventh generation entrepreneur, certified barbecue judge, divorce statistician, reformed domain squatter... Jay Baer has seen and done it all, and now he's Inside the Funnel's first ever guest! Join Jenna, Dan, and Nasser as they gleefully pick Jay's brain to reveal priceless insights into customer experience (CX), including: Kansas barbecue vs. Texas barbecue Why do 70% of CX initiatives fail? How online reviews have become the dominant force of our age Quick, clear, and kind: The three levers of CX 600 haircuts, 600 questions Delta Airlines and the coveted customer experience LINKS: https://www.dacgroup.com/podcast/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=podcastdescription&utm_campaign=insidethefunnel&utm_content=episode-006&utm_term=podcast (www.dacgroup.com) | www.jaybaer.com | ATTRIBUTIONS: "radio band.wav" by Paper Jam of Freesound.org

Digital transformation is one of the business world's most misconstrued concepts. It doesn't mean getting a new marketing stack or moving from carbon paper to Excel. So... what *does* it mean? Join Jenna, Nasser, and Dan as they explore and explain why digital transformation is about customer experiences and business outcomes—not just shiny new tech. Inside the Funnel, roll out! Jim from The Office vs. Neo from The Matrix New tech stack =/= digital transformation Why alignment is easier said than done The three pillars of digital transformation Fundamental, fundamental, fundamental LINKS: DAC: "https://www.dacgroup.com/blog/the-new-normal-accelerating-to-a-digital-future/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=podcastdescription&utm_campaign=insidethefunnel&utm_content=episode-005&utm_term=podcast (The new normal: Accelerating to a digital future)" | DAC: "https://www.dacgroup.com/blog/dac-at-the-digital-marketing-for-financial-services-virtual-summit-2020/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=podcastdescription&utm_campaign=insidethefunnel&utm_content=episode-005&utm_term=podcast (DAC at the Digital Marketing for Financial Services Virtual Summit 2020)" | ATTRIBUTIONS: “radio band.wav” by Paper Jam of Freesound.org

Omnichannel was thrust back into the limelight at the tail-end of a crazy year. Why? Because digital is becoming the world's de facto medium for working, socializing, shopping—and engaging with both local businesses and national brands. But what is omnichannel? What *isn't* omnichannel? And have we finally found a topic that Dan finds exciting rather than frustrating? Listen in as Jenna takes the wheel for a whistle-stop tour through: Omnichannel vs. multichannel Omnichannel =/= attribution analysis Dan's delightful bathroom reno Step one: Organizational change Who owns the customer record? "Teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea" Last, best experiences LINKS: DAC: "https://www.dacgroup.com/blog/googles-local-omnichannel-takeover-and-what-it-means-for-your-paid-ads/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=podcastdescription&utm_campaign=insidethefunnel&utm_content=episode-004&utm_term=podcast (Google's Local Omnichannel Takeover and What it Means for Your Paid Ads)" | ATTRIBUTIONS: "radio band.wav" by Paper Jam of Freesound.org

Sooner or later, artificial intelligence is going to completely reinvent the world of marketing… again. But should we welcome our robot overloads or resist their ascent? What do marketing decision-makers need to know about AI as 2021 approaches? And why is Jenna convinced that machine learning will prove to be the bringer of end times? Drop in on our intrepid trio to find out! Ex Machina or The Wild Bunch? Narrow intelligence vs. general intelligence vs. super intelligence Using AI to do the "thinky bits" More than ever before, Google is an AI company When early adoption backfires The classic AI ethical paradox Brogrammers and their inherent bias Marketing careers in the AI era LINKS: DAC: "http://www.dacgroup.com/blog/google-announces-passage-indexing?utm_medium=social&utm_source=podcastdescription&utm_campaign=insidethefunnel&utm_content=episode-003&utm_term=podcast (Google announces passage indexing)" | Wait But Why: "https://waitbutwhy.com/2015/01/artificial-intelligence-revolution-1.html (The AI Revolution: The Road to Superintelligence)" | ATTRIBUTIONS: "radio band.wav" by Paper Jam of Freesound.org

On a scale of "one size fits all" to "borderline creepy", just how personalized should marketing be? Well, it depends, but one thing's for sure: there's no shortage of nuance, distrust, and legislation to contend with. In short, personalization is a hot-button topic—but Jenna, Dan, and Nasser are here to push it. The Christopher Nolan Guide to Personalization Social's wacky algorithms Thinking, Planning, Doing, Feeling The choir of positive reinforcement Has too much personalization broken the world? How poor targeting spoiled Nasser's Christmas Hello, Proove Intelligence! LINKS: Proove Intelligence: "https://www.prooveintelligence.com/blog/customer-analytics-this-time-its-personal-or-is-it/ (Customer analytics: This time it's personal... or is it?)" | http://www.dacgroup.com (www.dacgroup.com) | ATTRIBUTIONS: "radio band.wav" by Paper Jam of Freesound.org

Cookies are helpful. But they're also the source of all digital evil... Or are they? There's a lot of misinformation floating around, but Jenna, Dan, and Nasser are here to set the record straight—and define exactly what marketing decision-makers need to know. Along the way, they cover:  Cookies 101: A timely refresher  Why are third-party cookies going away?  Google's search for a "suitable alternative"  Consumer cookies: Consent, clarity, and control  The "that guy" anecdote  Personalization pipe dreams  Chicken and egg, or horse and cart?  LINKS: http://www.dacgroup.com (www.dacgroup.com) | ATTRIBUTIONS: "radio band.wav" by Paper Jam of Freesound.org

Welcome to Inside the Funnel, the podcast for marketing leaders, nerds, and aficionados who want to lift the veil on the marketing machine (machines wear veils, right?) and get the scoop from actual, real-life decision-makers. In each episode, DAC's Jenna Watson, Dan Temby, and Nasser Sahlool will share their unique insights into the most pressing topics in marketing, explore the major issues marketers face, and pinpoint the latest cause of Dan's permanent state of frustration. Here's a quick intro and trailer.  LINKS: http://www.dacgroup.com (www.dacgroup.com) | ATTRIBUTIONS: "Wind, Synthesized, A.wav" by InspectorJ of Freesound.org | "record scratch.wav" by luffy of Freesound.org | "radio band.wav" by Paper Jam of Freesound.org