Podcasts about aeo

On our 100th Social in Six episode, SocialChain influencer executive Rachel Lea joins Mil in the studio to cover off the top six need-to-know updates from the world of social. This time, that includes two updates from Instagram: a new watch history feature and a crackdown on duplicate content that's got some news accounts rattled. They're also talking all about Sora, the latest AI video/social platform from ChatGPT's parent company OpenAI.    Plus, new AI tools from TikTok that let creators streamline both the edit and video scripting process; Reddit's guide to optimising for AEO (not a typo, that's Answer Engine Optimisation), and finally...find out which platform marketers ranked top priority in Emplifi's State of Social report.       Got a question or suggestion for the SocialMinds podcast? Get in touch at socialminds@socialchain.com.  

In this episode of Talking AI, Seth Besmertnik, CEO of Conductor, discusses the profound impact of AI on search behavior and SEO.As search engines like Google and AI platforms like OpenAI transform how users discover information, the traditional rules of SEO are being rewritten.Besmertnik details how AI is becoming the new front door to the internet, emphasizing the need for brands to be present in AI-generated answers to maintain visibility. He explains that companies must now create exponentially more nuanced content to stay competitive. The conversation explores topics such as the importance of understanding AI's role in customer journeys, the emergence of new optimization terms like AEO and GEO, and the significance of using AI tools to enhance content creation processes.The episode offers a deep dive into how businesses can adapt to these changes, maintain their relevance, and excel in an AI-driven digital landscape.--Key Moments:01:24 The Evolution of Information Discovery03:15 The Role of AI in Modern Search04:44 The Future of Content Strategy08:12 Personal Experiences with Google and AI10:37 Emerging Terms and Concepts in AI and SEO12:33 Conductor's Comprehensive Approach to AI Visibility16:25 Challenges and Opportunities in AI-Driven Search19:04 Communicating with AI: Short-Term and Long-Term Strategies20:03 AI Bots and Content Quality20:35 Effective Content for AI: FAQs and Structured Data21:29 Personalizing Content for Different Personas22:38 Leveraging AI for Content Creation and Analysis26:04 Scaling High-Quality Content with AI26:42 The Future of AI in Content Creation30:06 Conductor's Vision and Roadmap34:28 AI in Engineering and Product Development--Key Links:ConductorConnect with Seth on LinkedInMentioned in this episode:AI Opportunity FinderFeeling overwhelmed by all the AI noise out there? The AI Opportunity Finder from HatchWorks cuts through the hype and gives you a clear starting point. In less than 5 minutes, you'll get tailored, high-impact AI use cases specific to your business—scored by ROI so you know exactly where to start. Whether you're looking to cut costs, automate tasks, or grow faster, this free tool gives you a personalized roadmap built for action.

Order my new book Habits of High Performers here - www.thehabitbook.com In this episode of Lead On Purpose, I chat with Kasim about AEO and how it's changing the way we get found online. We also dive into hiring, as he shares his seven step system for finding top performers anywhere in the world. We wrap up with a powerful reminder to stop overthinking and just ship it.What we cover:How AEO differs from SEO and why personal authority now matters mostWhy schema markup and social proof drive visibility in LLMsHow consistency and positioning helped me rank top for high performance leadership searchesKasim's seven step hiring system to attract, test, and keep elite talentWhy action beats endless planning and learningIf you want LLMs to find you and you want your team to perform at an elite level, this conversation gives you a clear plan to start today.Check out the AEO community and get your free book here - https://aeo.co/free/Grab a copy of ‘Hire' here - https://thehirebook.comConnect with Kasim here - https://kasim.meIf you're interested in having me deliver a keynote or workshop for your team contact Caroline at caroline@jjlaughlin.comWebsite: https://www.jjlaughlin.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6GETJbxpgulYcYc6QAKLHA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JamesLaughlinOfficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jameslaughlinofficial/ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/life-on-purpose-with-james-laughlin/id1547874035 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3WBElxcvhCHtJWBac3nOlF?si=hotcGzHVRACeAx4GvybVOQ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameslaughlincoaching/James Laughlin is a High Performance Leadership Coach, Former 7-Time World Champion, Host of the Lead On Purpose Podcast and an Executive Coach to high performers and leaders. James is based in Christchurch, New Zealand.Send me a personal text message - If you're interested in booking me for a keynote or workshop, contact Caroline at caroline@jjlaughlin.comSupport the show

Remember the early 2000s, when SEO was about keyword stuffing and getting "above the fold"? That world is dead. Today, AI models like Google's Gemini and Microsoft's Co-Pilot are no longer pointing users to links—they are giving direct answers. This shift from Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is killing organic clicks for 99% of businesses.In this deep-dive episode, Connor MacIvor (@AIwithHonor), an honorably retired LAPD officer and Santa Clarita Realtor, reveals how to adapt your content strategy immediately. He breaks down why your content must now be structured to be the source cited in the AI-generated answer, and how this directly impacts local businesses in the Santa Clarita Valley.The Key Takeaways for AEO Success:The Click-Through Crisis: Why top search rankings are losing a third of their traffic and how AI Overviews (like the ones you see in Google) are becoming the new gatekeeper, especially for informational real estate and service queries.AEO Playbook: The critical differences between SEO and AEO. Learn the format and structure your blog posts and transcripts need so that AI models will cite your business directly and elevate your authority.The Santa Clarita Niche Advantage: Why becoming conversationally niche—referencing your business an "uncomfortable" amount—is the key to dominating local Answer Engine Optimization and bypassing global competition.The Ethics of AI: Connor explores the darker side of AI search and social media, including data monetization, the Robotheism concept, and the pressing questions around job displacement and consciousness.The Google Secret Arsenal (A Must-Read): The integrated, free AI factory Google has released that empowers you to create AEO-perfect content faster and more efficiently than ever before.Don't be the dead body on page two. Adapt to AEO now to ensure your Santa Clarita Artificial Intelligence content becomes the trusted answer in the age of AI search.Resources Mentioned:The Definitive Playbook for Google's Free AI Stack (AEO Strategy): https://santaclaritaartificialintelligence.com/post/the-definitive-playbook-leveraging-googles-free-professional-ai-stack-for-unprecedented-agency-advantageConnor's AI & Business BloYoutube Channels:Conner with Honor - real estateHome Muscle - fat torchingFrom first responder to real estate expert, Connor with Honor brings honesty and integrity to your Santa Clarita home buying or selling journey. Subscribe to my YouTube channel for valuable tips, local market trends, and a glimpse into the Santa Clarita lifestyle.Dive into Real Estate with Connor with Honor:Santa Clarita's Trusted Realtor & Fitness EnthusiastReal Estate:Buying or selling in Santa Clarita? Connor with Honor, your local expert with over 2 decades of experience, guides you seamlessly through the process. Subscribe to his YouTube channel for insider market updates, expert advice, and a peek into the vibrant Santa Clarita lifestyle.Fitness:Ready to unlock your fitness potential? Join Connor's YouTube journey for inspiring workouts, healthy recipes, and motivational tips. Remember, a strong body fuels a strong mind and a successful life!Podcast:Dig deeper with Connor's podcast! Hear insightful interviews with industry experts, inspiring success stories, and targeted real estate advice specific to Santa Clarita.

When trying to grow your property management business, have you ever thought to yourself, "Man, it would be great if I just had more leads?" In this episode of the #DoorGrowShow, property management growth experts Jason and Sarah Hull discuss the Leads Myth and how "just having more leads" will not actually help you grow your business. You'll Learn [02:06] The Myth of Needing More Leads [11:39] Leaks in Your Sales Pipeline [22:41] The Future of SEO with AI Quotables "Why do we call it the leads myth? Well, the myth is this lie that we believe that you just need more leads. And the assumption in that is that all leads are the same." "The more clarity you have, the less wrong stuff you're going to be doing." "Not all clients are equal, right? Which means not all leads you get are equal. You need to qualify them." Resources DoorGrow and Scale Mastermind DoorGrow Academy DoorGrow on YouTube DoorGrowClub DoorGrowLive Transcript Jason Hull (00:00) Most of the industry is trapped in a cycle of suck. This is why most property managers suck in most markets. Maybe even you that's listening. We are Jason and Sarah Hull, the owners of DoorGrow, the world's leading and most comprehensive coaching and consulting firm for long-term residential property management entrepreneurs. For over a decade and a half, we have brought innovative strategies and optimization to the property management industry. We help people grow their property management businesses quickly. And our mission is to transform property management business owners and their businesses. We want to transform the industry, eliminate the BS, build awareness, change perception, expand the market, and help the best property management entrepreneurs win. Now let's get into the show. All right. So today we're going to be chatting a little bit about the leads myth that a lot of people believe. So if you have ever thought to yourself, I just need more leads. If I just had more leads, everything else would be great in my business. What do you have to say about that? Well, I think that is not the case. Okay. It's definitely not the case. And I also think almost kind of be careful what you ask for a little bit. getting a whole bunch of leads was never really the best. strategy anyway, unless you have people who are just picking up the phone and calling you and saying hey, I Would love for you to just manage my property. I don't have any questions. Here's my money. I just had a contract Those are leads I want but cold leads that are Not ready to go that need to be warmed up that have a bajillion questions That might not even understand why they want to work with you Specifically, yeah, I'm just not interested in those leads. And the other thing I think we need to discuss on this episode specifically is the changes that we're seeing because of AI. So AI is really great and also it's changing things very rapidly and leads and SEO that's very effective by this too. Okay. So. Let's get into this. So a lot of people believe they just need more leads. And the danger in that is if you really just think you need more leads, you're going to go out to the marketplace and talk to marketers and they're going to go, cool, I'll give you leads. And they will sell you leads basically. So why do we call it the leads myth? Well, the myth is this lie that we believe that you just need more leads. And the assumption in that is that all leads are the same. And they're not, they're not even remotely the same. So there's a couple of different frameworks that we usually talk about to kind of destroy the leads myth. One is the four Ds to revenue. Another is the cycle of suck we talk about and how people get stuck in growth. We talk sometimes about the pipeline leaks that you have in your pipeline. And we talk about the myth of SEO or internet marketing. And then we often talk about any others warm versus cold leads and then David versus Goliath. Okay. So we can tackle these all really quickly and go through each of these and maybe some other things will pop up as we go. Cool. Let's talk about all of that and then we'll talk about why AI has changed all of, really all of those things. Okay. That'll be in conjunction with SEO. All right, so let's go through these. And so for those following along, if you stack all these concepts, each one compounds your speed of growth. They're all related. And so these are frameworks that I love to share with clients to help them understand so that they don't make the mistake of doing the wrong stuff. The more clarity you have, the less wrong stuff you're going to be doing. The less you're going to be experimenting, the less you're going to be wasting time. And if you really wanna collapse time, the easiest hack is reach out to us and we can help you with all of this. We've been doing this for over a decade and a half. We have had hundreds of guinea pigs to figure this all out and we have over 100. case studies and testimonials more than anyone else in the industry. All right. Let's get into this. let's talk about the four D's to revenue. So these are four numbers when multiplied equal the gross revenue in your business. And I sometimes call them the four doors to revenue. And I showed four doors with a little multiplication X next to each of them equals your money. Right? So not all leads are equal. So the, these D's are, if you want to write them down, they each start with a D. It is Deals, doors, duration, and dollars. Okay? So the first is like how many deals is this client going to bring you? Not all clients are equal, right? Which means not all leads you get are equal. You need to qualify them. And how many doors are they bringing to the table? Or how many doors per deal are they bringing? And then the third D is duration. How long are they going to stick around or be involved in property management? is are they an accidental investor that's going to stick around for maybe a year, or are they in the buy and hold game and they'll be around for 10? And then the last D is revenue or is dollars. And so are they a cheapo? Are they a premium buyer? Where do they kind of fit? Or are they somewhere in the middle, like the normals as I call them? So we've got these four Ds. So let's play a quick example. Let's take the accidental investor. They couldn't sell their property. They wanna get it rented out. How does this play out in the 4Ds? done one deal. They didn't mean to do a deal, but they did. And it's usually just one door. Maybe sometimes they have two, but very often we just see one door and they're not looking to... to do more deals because as soon as the market spikes and the market is hot, they're going to bail. They're going to sell, which means the duration is questionable. Let's say it's like one year, like if they can just get it rented. but it might be a few months because if the market spikes three months from now, they're probably going to dump that property pretty quick. And then. than the dollars, they're not your premium buyers. They're not looking to do a lot of improvements. They're not looking to spend a lot of money. They're the people who, they have this property, they aren't quite sure what to do with it. They figure, let's just see if I can get it rented. They want it well taken care of, but they're not generally looking to spend a lot of money or invest a lot of money in either the property or maintenance or repairs or improvements or a property manager. So they're just trying to... Do what they need to do. It's like the bare minimum in order to get a tenant. All right, so one, one, one, right? Like one deal, one door, one year duration, for example, if this is worst case scenario and you sign a one year agreement with them and they're a cheapo, right? Now let's take a really great scenario. What would be maybe an opposite scenario or a really great opportunity? Like my, I will say my second largest client. He had 42 doors I think was the right answer but I was looking to buy more. So when I took him on he had 42 by the time I sold the business he had 60 something. So he was always doing multiple deals. Yeah. The doors that he had came out of multiple deals. So since he did multiple deals he also had multiple doors. was consistently looking to grow. He didn't want to just stop, you know, at a certain point he was always looking. He also was a buy and hold investor. He wasn't trying to buy these things and then wait, you know, until the market spiked and then try to sell them and make a profit. He wasn't up for the long term. And he was not a cheapo. He wasn't trying to cut corners. He wasn't trying to cut costs. You he wanted to work with. a property manager, wanted to take care of the properties and make sure that they were being maintained properly. Yeah. Okay. So that's a great example that previous client that you had. So let's just say like on each of these fees, we use tens instead of ones, right? Like let's say they do 10 deals over the life of being with you. They've got 10 doors. Maybe sometimes it's 10 doors per deal if they're doing small multis or something like this, right? And then you've got a 10 year buy and hold duration. In this hypothetical example that I just threw out, it would be 10 times 10 times 10. This would be over a thousand times greater lifetime value than that accidental investor in our previous hypothetical. Does that make sense? So are these even remotely equal? No, not even remotely equal. Should you then spend the same amount of time trying to cultivate both of those type of leads? Probably not. Would you spend the same amount of time following up or giving them attention? Probably not. And the great investor clients probably are easier to deal with, less emotional, have a much higher margin and operational cost is lower, right? And so there's a lot of benefits. so this is, we're just talking about the revenue piece, but when we look at the cost side of things as well, everybody knows having a really bad owner that's really needy and difficult and emotional about the property. can be a big headache and a big challenge and you may be losing money on some of those doors. So, four D's to revenue, that's one concept. One quick thing I wanna add to that is where do you think these owners hang out? So, if you've got an accidental landlord and they are looking for a property manager, where might that lead come from? Versus where might the lead of a client that has 42 doors come from? There's a lot higher probability that an online lead is going to be an accidental landlord. It's not impossible to get an online lead that has 42 doors. It's just probably not your norm because the ones that have 42 doors, they aren't really dabbling. They aren't going, oh, geez, I wonder if I should get a property manager to maybe help me with these. They are just a little bit more savvy. A lot of times those aren't going to be the leads that you're getting if you're buying leads. Although those are the leads that you want, it's not going to be the norm that you get. All right, so we're 10 minutes into this. We're going to crank through some of the rest of these. So cycle of suck. Cycle of suck, real simple. If you take on any client, it leads to you having some bad clients. So if you take on bad clients, that leads to you having bad properties, which leads to having bad. Residents or tenants which leads to having a bad reputation or reviews which leads to you attracting more bad clients. So not all leads are good. You don't want to take on every client and you definitely don't want to attract or get more bad leads. And so this is a framework that if you understand you can reverse it and focus on a cycle of success where you're picky about the owners you take on, you're picky about the properties you take on, you're picky about the tenants which everybody tries to do anyway. but those first two steps are supremely important. And then you're going to have a methodology for getting more positive reviews. These are things we help our clients with. And so then you create a cycle of success. Most of the industry is trapped in a cycle of suck. This is why most property managers suck in most markets. Maybe even you that's listening. We want you to get out of the cycle of suck. All right, let's talk about the pipeline leaks. Okay. So usually if I were drawing, I would draw a spigot or a faucet or whatever you attach a hose to, and then I would draw a hose, and then I would draw a little plant or tree that you're trying to grow at the end of the yard that this hose is trying to get water to. Most of you listening think, I just need more leads. This is where the lead Smith becomes really obvious, trying to turn on that faucet even more. I just need more water flowing through the hose. That would make sense, that would be true unless there's a problem with the hose, right? Like the hose has some leaks. And if the hose has some major holes in it, there's not going to be a lot coming out the other end. Sometimes very little at all. And so it's not about how many leads you're getting, sometimes it's just how good is your pipeline? How tight is your product? And so we need to make sure that we get those leaks shored up. And we'll just mention what they are real quick, but. One of the earliest ones that affects you is just awareness. It's going to be your perception and reputation online. It's going to be your website. It's going to be your branding. So they can tell that you are in this industry and that it's clear that that's your focus and it's not real estate or something else. And what else? Your culture and purpose. This is the actual product that you sell. So that is another one. And there are two more. Pricing. Pricing, which everybody's trying to price the same way, 10 % or worse, pure percentage, or they're doing flat fee. We have a different innovative pricing model. If you're curious about that, set up a call with our team. We can tell you about it. That allows you to close more deals more easily at a higher price point. And the last is the pitch, right? Selling. And so if you can dial in each of these leaks, what we've noticed over the years is we can double a company's close rate without changing the amount of leads or lead sources that they're getting currently if we can get those things dialed in. And that's significant. Maybe you don't need more leads. Maybe you just need less leakage in your pipeline. Cool. All right, the next one, you had mentioned warm versus cold leads. Do you wanna explain the difference? Yeah, we can talk about warm versus cold. So when I had my property management business, Yeah. what is a cold lead? So cold lead is someone who really has almost zero, very little familiarity with who you are in your company and your brand and what you do. They don't. they should work with you. That's the big thing is why they should work with you. So they don't know you, trust you or like you. That's a cold lead. And a warm lead. Warm lead would be something like a referral or some sort of recommendation. hey, Sarah is the best, I work with her and you should too. Now they're coming in already feeling like, somebody that I know that I trust recommended this person, so therefore I should also trust this person. So those obviously have a much different close rate. And there are things that you can do to increase your close rate or to warm up deals, of course. But if you're spending all of your time trying to close a bunch of cold leads, which generally is going to be what happens when you're purchasing leads, you really don't get to buy warm leads. Right. They're all cold. I mean, that would be great if you could, but when you're buying leads, you're usually buying a lead that is very cold. They don't know you at all. And oftentimes that same lead is being sold to multiple different companies. There's a lot of blood in the water there. So warm leads versus cold leads, the close rate on warm leads will be really high, like 90 % or higher. Cold leads, like the opposite, 10 % or worse. And so I would rather a client get five warm leads and maybe close four of them than 10 cold leads and maybe get one. The hidden pain point or secret with warm versus cold lead generation. or cold lead strategies is time. Cold leads take a massive amount of time because you have to nurture them and warm them up and build the trust and create the relationship. And even after all of that, and all of sudden done, the conversion rate's really low. So all of you know how high the close rate is if you get a really great word of mouth referral. We love those, right? That's a warm lead. So we have strategies and methods that we focus on with clients to increase the warm leads. while avoiding and doing cold lead advertising and avoiding worrying about cold leads. Once you start getting some growth engines installed for your business that give you warm leads, you're not going to want the cold leads. They feel like garbage in comparison, and you're not going to have time for them. And you're not going to wanna waste time on those because those are often the worst owners. All right. What I would say is as far as getting leads in, if you give me three warm leads, I will take three warm leads over even 100 cold leads. Sure. don't, I don't, I'm not really interested because even if I close, let's say two out of the three warm leads, that's great. What's the close rate on 100 cold leads? If it's about 10%, you might close 10. And some of you might be going, Sarah, 10 is better than two. Yeah, you're right. But how much work did it take for me to close the two versus how much work? did it take for me to close the 10? I would rather close two very easy warmed up leads because I can do that again and again and again. So in the same amount of time, I can close way more warm leads than I can cold leads. So I would rather take three warm leads than a hundred cold leads any day of the week. We have a sponsor for this episode. Many of you tell me that maintenance is probably the least enjoyable part of being a property manager and definitely the most time consuming. But what if you could cut that workload by up to 85 %? That's exactly what Vendero has achieved. They've leveraged cutting edge AI technology to handle nearly all your maintenance tasks from initiating work orders and troubleshooting to coordinating with vendors and reporting. This AI doesn't just automate, it becomes your ideal employee, learning your preferences and executing tasks flawlessly, never needing a day off and never quitting. This frees you up to focus on the critical tasks that really move the needle for your business, whether that's refining operations, expanding your portfolio, or even just taking a well deserved break. Over half of the room last year at DoorGroad Live, our conference signed up with Vendero right there. And then a year later, they're not just satisfied, they're raving about how Vendero has transformed their business, don't let maintenance drag you down. Step up your property management game with Vendoroo. Visit Vendoroo.ai slash door grow today and make this the last maintenance hire you'll ever need. All right. I thought it was a good time because it was a good time. Waste of time and I don't like to waste time and maintenance coordination can be a huge waste of time. Yes. All right. Let's talk about David versus Goliath. So I'll give you an example. We've got a client. that has, so this is dumb David versus smart David, right? The story of David and Goliath, if you're not familiar with the Bible. David goes to fight Goliath. These two warring nations send out their best person and David decides he is not going to wear the armor, the sword, the shield, all the heavy stuff. He's just bringing out his slingshot. He's got his sling, he's got some rock and he goes out to fight Goliath and he's like, I don't need all that stuff. What most property managers do is David basically brought a superior technology. He brought a gun to a sword fight and he was good at this. He trusted himself. He had skill. He had a better tech to beat this giant. He flung the rock right into the guy's head. I had knocked him unconscious or killed him, I don't know. And then he chopped the guy's head off with his own sword. Right. And so that's the story of David and Goliath. So let's talk about the dumb version of David. Like if David wasn't smart. And he said, I'm going to do all the same stuff. I'm going to use the sword of SEO and the shield of pay per click and the helmet of content marketing and the breastplate of social media marketing. And I'm going to do all the same stuff, digital marketing that all the other big companies are doing that are spending two to $3,000 a month or greater. I'm going to go compete with them as a small startup or a small pro. two to 400 unit property management business and try and compete with these big companies that have thousands of doors. One of our clients, as an example, came to us has 6,000 doors. They were spending $30,000 a month doing these strategies to try to grow and it wasn't even working for them. So why would you go and do what the big guys are doing and lose the battle with them and it's not even working for them, right? So that's the idea of David and Goliath. Don't go do what the big guys are doing, find a better way to compete, especially if you're smaller than them. You don't wanna try to outspend them, because that's not going to be possible. right, myth of SEO. All right, and we'll talk a little bit about the future and AI, all right, to wrap things up. So, all of you can go check this out for yourself. This is not me making stuff up. You can go on trends.google.com. You can go look up property management. date it, the time period, to the current time back to 2004, to the present. And you can filter by the US if you want to. What you'll see is that property management search volume, the amount of people searching for property management on Google has not increased since they started tracking data back in 2004. What has increased? The Goliaths, right? The companies spending a lot of money on digital marketing trying to do all this stuff. And so it's created a lot more competition. So this is where we get into another framework that we share, which is the blue ocean versus the red ocean. There's this small little area of the ocean that's red bloody water where all the sharks are fighting over the worst fish, which are these terrible property management business owners that are at the end of the sales cycle. Basically the crappy scraps that fell off the word of mouth table that the warm lead stuff has captured. They're what's left over. And so there's these ugly gross fish and the sharks are all fighting over the worst stuff. And there's this huge ocean full of fish in the U.S. 60 % are self-managing. There's tons of business out there. And so the myth of SEO is basically this, that in order to win the game, you need to have the top spot on Google. Not true. You don't even have to show up on Google in order to go out and be able to create business. Because there aren't really people searching for property management. It's very small. So you don't need to be found on Google. You need to go find owners because the best clients are offline and they're not looking for you and they don't like doing property management and they need you, but they're not looking for property management actively right now. And you can figure out how to go make that happen and we can teach you, right? So let's talk about the future of AI. What are we noticing? Well, I don't think it's any surprise. messed up a lot of Yeah, it's changing everything. AI is going to change everything. And if you haven't noticed it yet, just hold on because you will. It's crazy if you haven't even seen it yet. But it's it's going to flip everything you know upside down, including SEO. Yeah, including SEO. So everyone that is like, no, I don't care. I'm still going to do SEO. That's the only way to go. Like we made a video about this. specifically for this reason, but even the ones who are still clinging to SEO and you just can't let it go and you don't know that there's another way and maybe you don't believe it and you're like, no, I'm no, this is the only thing I'm going to do and I'm going to do this and that's the only way I can grow the business. That is all right and SEO is going to force you to look at that. Okay, yeah, so what we're seeing is search volume on Google is going down. There's less people using Google. More people are now going to LLMs like ChatGPT, Clod, Perplexity, Google's Gemini. So people are using tools now, sometimes within software, and they're using these tools to ask questions, to figure things out, figure out who they should use or who they should choose or what they need. And so Is it still relevant to have good reviews? Yes. Is it still relevant to maybe have some SEO stuff going? Probably, but it's certainly on the down slope and it's certainly decreasing. The game is changing. Even if you search on Google now, the AI at the top will respond to your search request anyway. And a lot of people are just reading that and not really looking at the results below. And so this is the new future. It's changing very quickly. and some are calling it AEO, some are calling it LLM, SEO, there's all these different phrases that are coming out. If you want to do a quick experiment, open up one of these LLMs like ChatGBT. Don't be in your own. It's a large language model. It's basically all these different AI chat tools. So go into ChatGBT. Everybody should be familiar with that by now if you're not. and go to ChatGPT open that up, but make sure you're not logged in or you use a different account and just, or say don't use any of my previous data or open a private window and say don't use any of my previous information or data and say who's the best property manager or what property manager should I choose in X market, right? And see if it comes up. See if your business comes up and see what shows up. And so this is... how people are kind of doing some of their research, but all the stuff we just talked about still applies. Don't think your whole goal needs to be LLM SEO, where you need to start getting these chat tools to tell people. Why? Because most people are not looking for a property manager. They're not looking. They are not trying to find you. That's the mistake most people make. The majority of people that are self-managing, the potential business, are not looking for a property manager. It's really rare that somebody has a property manager that they're looking actively for a new one unless they've really done a bad job or stolen money or done something really obvious. The people that need your services are not looking for you. You need to be looking for them. And so this is where you can skip all of the cold lead marketing. You don't need to spend money on SEO or AI SEO or Google Ads or pay-per-click or any of these marketing agencies, you don't need to spend any money and you can actually grow faster if you use our strategies and it costs you nothing to do the strategies that we give you. It costs time and action, but it actually takes less time because warm leads and focusing on more effective strategies give you a much greater result in less time. So less time, less money, more results. And that's why we call it the Leadsmith. A lot of people think I just need leads. Cool. there's better ways. Not all leads are equal and we can help you out. Cool. Anything else we should add in wrapping up? I don't think so. I think we covered everything. Okay. I think we got it. So cool. Well, if you are wanting to figure out how do I grow this business? How do I finally get out of the rut that I've been in? How do I scale this? Maybe adding more doors is creating you grief and pain and you want freedom from your business. These are the things we help clients with. We'll help you figure out how to grow dramatically faster and we'll help you figure out how to make your business scalable while getting you out of the day to day and getting you to exit the business in various ways so that you get more freedom. So if you felt stuck or stagnant, you want to take it to the next level, reach out to us at doorgrow.com. Also join our free Facebook community just for property management business owners at doorgrowclub.com if you would like to get the best ideas in property management, join our newsletter at where? doorgrow.com/subscribe And if you found this even a little bit helpful, don't forget to subscribe and leave us a review. We'd really appreciate it. And until next time, remember the slowest path to growth is to do it alone. So let's grow together. Bye everyone.

You scroll, you post, you tweak your content, and everything starts to look the same. In 2026, sameness is the silent killer of creativity and visibility. Algorithms reward familiar, not fresh. So if your feed only shows what your competitors post, you'll keep sounding like them. In this episode, I share how to break the copy-paste loop and start seeing new again. You'll learn:

LLMs are already “deciding” your brand for buyers. Are you shaping that story or letting the machine write it? If your marketing still sounds like everybody else's, congratulations: you've trained the models to ignore you.This week we rip into the hottest B2B reality: AI Engine Optimization (AEO) meets human-only brand. Ari Yablok, head of brand at Island, shows how to beat sameness by sending clear “this is new” signals, building experiential brands that people feel (not just read), and using unreasonable hospitality to make products and events feel theirs, not “yours.”We also cover:AEO is the new SEO: how to show up inside LLM answers and make people prefer you before they ever ask a bot.Signals over slogans: designing booths, visuals, and copy that telegraph “category shift” without a single bullet point.Unreasonable hospitality in B2B: turning product nuance and in-person moments into retention (and reputation) machines.The “feeling of knowing”: why brand confidence shortens deals—even when buyers can't explain why.Human as the counter-trend: embracing curated flaws and analog touchpoints to stand out as AI perfects the average.

I'm breaking down the real differences between answer engine optimization (AEO) VS classic SEO and exactly how I execute both. If you want to show up first in AI overviews and search results, this is your playbook.  TIMESTAMPS (00:00) AEO vs SEO and why “first or last” still applies (00:20) The 10 AEO tactics that actually move rankings (05:56) SEO fundamentals that still work in 2025 (09:51) Wrap-up and what's next  How to Connect IG: / ericosiu X: / ericosiu

Ethan Smith runs Graphite, the SEO & AEO company that helps brands like Webflow show up on Google's page one and ChatGPT's first answer. This is how he does it Ethan Smith is the founder and CEO of Graphite, a growth and SEO firm that's now pioneering Answer Engine Optimization—helping brands rank inside AI-generated responses. More interviews -> https://mixergy.com/moreint Rate this interview -> https://mixergy.com/rateint

This episode features Tami Cannizzaro, Chief Marketing Officer at Thryv, a software company helping small business owners run and grow their businesses with AI-powered tools. Tami shares how her team focuses on revenue first and builds marketing strategies around what drives impact for SMBs.She discusses the shift from traditional SEO to AEO and why speed and originality now define effective marketing. Key TakeawaysAEO and AI are redefining how customers find brands online: Learn how to optimize for AI-driven discovery so your brand appears in conversational search and LLM-generated results.Fresh, original content outperforms repurposed AI blogs: The fastest way to lose visibility is to sound like everyone else. Originality and recency are now ranking factors in AI search.First-mover advantage in AI tools can create outsized revenue impact: Early adopters capture learnings and market share before competitors adapt.Quote“Anytime there's something new in marketing, if you can be a first mover and jump on it before everyone else figures it out, there's a real opportunity to drive revenue from that.”Episode Timestamps(02:28) The Trust Tree: Supporting SMBs(17:12) The Playbook: ABM, AEO, and social ads (37:34) Quick Hits: Tami's Quick HitsSponsorPipeline Visionaries is brought to you by Qualified.com — the pipeline generation platform for revenue teams.Turn your website into a pipeline machine with PipelineAI. Engage and convert your most valuable visitors with live chat, chatbots, meeting scheduling, and intent data.Visit Qualified.com to learn more.LinksConnect with Ian on LinkedInConnect with Tami on LinkedInLearn more about ThryvLearn more about Caspian Studios Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you want your brand to show up in ChatGPT, do you follow the same rules as ranking in Google—or is it a completely different game?To settle the debate, we brought in Patrick Stox, one of the most experienced SEO professionals in the industry. Patrick's been tracking the rise of “Answer Engine Optimization” (AEO) and has strong opinions about the advice new experts are spreading.In this episode, we dive deep into how AI chatbots pull information, how to get your brand mentioned by them, and why AEO might not be as new as it sounds.Here's what you'll learn:(00:00) Intro(02:05) Do AI bots render JavaScript? The surprising answer(04:20) To get cited by AI, should your content be the same or different?(10:18) How Large Language Models (LLMs) actually work(15:10) The most important AEO tactic isn't SEO—it's this(20:00) Actionable tactics to control what AI says about you(26:20) Why a Korean search query might cite an English page(29:39) AEO is bringing desktop optimization back—here's why(32:00) How to repurpose content for maximum AEO impact(36:20) Why YouTube is a bigger opportunity than ChatGPT today(41:20) Using communities, PR, and affiliates to shape your AI narrative(44:10) The big secret: Answer Engine Optimization is just good marketingConnect with Patrick:X: @patrickstoxLinkedIn: patrickstoxConnect with Tim:X: @timsouloLinkedIn: timsouloWebsite: timsoulo.com

There's a lot of noise out there about AI changing search, and no one can even agree on what to call it. AIO, GEO, AEO... the acronyms keep shifting. But one thing is clear: your business needs to show up when people ask AI tools for help. In this episode of Get Digital Marketing Results, we focus on what local businesses should actually do to prepare for AI-powered search. The good news? Right now, it's the same solid marketing foundation that's always worked. You'll learn: Why AI tools still rely on the same signals as Google What to fix on your site and service pages right now How to test what AI knows about your business A simple 3-step checklist to stay visible in evolving search results AI assistants might change how people search, but clarity, helpful content, and local signals still win. If your business is ready for that, you're already ahead. Learn more: www.delosinc.com/episode420 Subscribe for weekly marketing tips that help your business show up and stand out online.  

In this episode, Eddie breaks down the seismic shift happening in search, discovery, and digital visibility.Half of all Google searches now end with AI-generated summaries. That means your customers are getting answers without ever visiting a website, maybe even yours. Ranking #1 is no longer the finish line. It's just the entry ticket.In each episode, Eddie guides you through the new search landscape, where SEO meets AEO, GEO, and AI-powered content strategy. You'll learn how to:• Be Found by search engines • Be Chosen by AI assistants • Be Cited by generative models • Be Scaled using intelligent content systems • Be Dominant across the entire digital ecosystemThis is where marketers, founders, creators, and brand leaders come to understand what's changing, what matters now, and how to stay visible when the algorithms shift again tomorrow.If you want your brand to be the one discovered, recommended, and trusted in the new AI-first world…You're in the right place.

John Bush has created a way for businesses to be seen by Large Language Models called Answer Engine Optimisation.Summary of PodcastPodcast milestone and backgroundKevin and Graham discuss reaching their 500th episode of The Next 100 Days podcast. They reflect on their journey over the past 10 years and how the podcast has evolved. They introduce their guest, John Bush, an expert in "Answer Engine Optimisation" (AEO). John will discuss how businesses can optimise their content for AI-powered search engines like ChatGPT.John's background and AEO conceptJohn shares his background, including his experience in telecom, startups, and cloud infrastructure. He explains how he became interested in AEO after seeing the impact of AI on his marketing consultant friend's business. John describes the process of developing an AEO analysis tool. The tool evaluates websites on factors like visibility, accessibility, and authority. The outcome means businesses can make their content more searchable and usable by large language models.The changing landscape of search and AIKevin and John discuss the declining importance of traditional Google search and the growing prominence of AI-powered search tools like ChatGPT. They explore how businesses need to adapt their content and website structure to be more easily understood and referenced by these new search engines, rather than just optimising for Google.Practical applications of AEOJohn demonstrates a tool his team has developed that can automatically analyse a company's competitive landscape and provide insights based on the data, without relying on the company to manually gather and synthesise the information. He explains how this type of AI-powered analysis can be applied to various business functions, such as RFP responses and lifetime value calculations.Challenges and considerations around AI-generated contentKevin raises concerns about the potential risks of using AI-generated content, such as the ability to verify the accuracy and provenance of the information. John discusses efforts to address these issues, including watermarking content and providing audit trails for AI-powered decisions.The future of AI in businessJohn and Kevin discuss the broader implications of AI in the enterprise. They cover the importance of data stewardship, security, and the role of human expertise in augmenting AI capabilities. They explore how AI can be used to automate and enhance various business processes, while also highlighting the need to carefully manage the integration of these technologies.Wrap-up and reflections on the podcastKevin and Graham reflect on the evolution of The Next 100 Days podcast over the past 10 years, noting the shift in focus towards AI and technology. They express their enthusiasm for continuing the podcast and exploring the latest developments in this rapidly changing landscape.The Next 100 Days Podcast Co-HostsGraham ArrowsmithGraham founded Finely Fettled ten years ago to help business owners and marketers market to affluent and high-net-worth customers. He's the founder of MicroYES, a Partner for MeclabsAI, where he introduces AI Agents that you can talk to, that increase engagement, dwell time, leads and conversions. Now, Graham is offering Answer Engine Optimisation that gets you...

We welcome back Samantha Russell, Chief Evangelist at FMG, to break down the marketing shifts defining 2025 and how advisors can carry them into 2026. Samantha says AI has transformed both how content is made and how it's found—shifting SEO into AEO, or answer engine optimization. Firms that structure Q&A content with schema, gather reviews, … Continue reading Episode 300 – AI, AEO, and the Future of Advisor Marketing with Samantha Russell →

If you thought SEO was complicated…meet its AI-powered cousin.In this episode, Carly and Joe break down the buzzword that dominated INBOUND, AEO (AI Engine Optimization), and explain what it actually means for solopreneurs. Spoiler: it's not about gaming algorithms or chasing clicks. It's about making sure your voice, ideas, and frameworks show up when AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google Gemini answer your audience's questions.You'll learn:What AEO really is (and what it isn't)The small tweaks that help your content stand out in AI search resultsWhy clarity > cleverness in your copyAnd why human connection still beats machine optimization every timeIf you've ever wondered how to future-proof your visibility without losing your authenticity, this one's for you.FAQs From The EpisodeWhat's the difference between SEO and AEO, and do I really need both? SEO helps search engines (like Google) find you. AEO helps AI engines (like ChatGPT or Perplexity) understand and surface your content. While SEO is still valuable, AEO focuses more on structure, clarity, and credibility signals that make AI choose you as the source when answering questions. You don't need to overhaul everything. Just start optimizing for both audiences: humans and machines.I'm a coach/consultant/service provider. Does AEO even matter for me? For most solopreneurs, relationships and referrals still drive the majority of business. But AEO is a long-term play. If someone asks an AI tool, “Who's the best productivity coach for solopreneurs?” or “What's the SMOOTH method?”—you want your name, content, or frameworks to appear. It's not urgent, but it's smart to start now so you're discoverable later.What's one simple AEO tweak I can make today? Add an FAQ section (like this!) to your website or blog posts. AI scrapes well-structured Q&A content, and it's one of the easiest ways to signal authority. Bonus tip: use clear, direct language over clever wording. AI prioritizes clarity, and so do readers.

BlueRock is building an agentic security fabric to protect organizations deploying AI agents and MCP workflows. With a $25 Million Series A, founder Bob Tinker is tackling what he sees as a 10x larger opportunity than mobile's enterprise disruption. Bob previously scaled MobileIron from zero to $150 million in five years and took it public in 2014. In this episode of Category Visionaries, Bob shares the strategic mistakes that cost MobileIron its category positioning, why go-to-market fit is the missing framework between PMF and scale, and how B2B marketing has fundamentally transformed in just 18 months. Topics Discussed: Taking a company public: the killer marketing event versus the unexpected team psychology challenges of daily stock volatility Why agentic AI workflows create unprecedented security challenges at the action and data layer, not just prompts The strategic timing of category definition: MobileIron's cautionary tale of letting Gartner define you as "MDM" when customers bought for security Where enterprise buyers actually get advice now that Gartner's influence has diminished AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) replacing SEO as the primary discovery mechanism for B2B solutions Why 1.0 categories have fundamentally unclear ICPs versus 2.0/3.0 products with crisp buyer personas The "high urgency, low friction" framework for prioritizing what to build in nascent markets Go-to-market fit: the repeatable growth recipe that unlocks scaling post-PMF Unlearning as competitive advantage for second-time founders GTM Lessons For B2B Founders: Time your category noun definition strategically: MobileIron focused exclusively on solving the problem (the verb) but waited too long to influence category nomenclature. Gartner labeled it "Mobile Device Management" when customer purchase drivers were security-focused, not management. This misalignment constrained positioning for years with no way to correct it. The framework: lead with verb, but proactively shape the noun before external analysts do it for you. Bob's doing this differently at BlueRock by distinguishing "agentic action security" from "prompt security" early, even while the broader market sorts out AI security taxonomy. Use customer language as category discovery, not invention: Bob's breakthrough on BlueRock positioning came from asking prospects: "How would you describe what we do to your peers?" One prospect distinguished their focus on "the action side - taking AI and taking action on data and tools" versus prompt inspection and AI firewalls. This customer-generated framing revealed the natural fault lines in how practitioners think about the problem space. The tactical application: run this exact question with your first 10-15 qualified prospects and pattern-match their language, rather than workshopping category names internally. Engineer for the "high urgency, low friction" intersection: Bob's filtering criteria for BlueRock's roadmap requires both dimensions simultaneously. When a prospect revealed they were building their own MCP security tools - a signal of acute, unmet pain - they also asked BlueRock to add prompt security features. Bob's framework forced a "no" despite clear demand because it would violate low friction. The discipline: if a feature request fails either test (not urgent enough OR too much friction), it doesn't make the cut, even when prospects explicitly ask for it. Accept ICP ambiguity as a feature, not bug, of 1.0 markets: In 2.0/3.0 categories, you can target "VP of Detection & Response" with precision. In 1.0 markets like agentic security, Bob finds buyers across three distinct orgs: agentic development teams building secure-by-default systems, product security teams inside engineering (not under the CISO), and traditional security organizations. His thesis: this lack of crisp ICP definition is actually a reliable signal you're in a genuinely new market. The response: invest in community engagement across all three buyer types rather than forcing premature segmentation. Shift content strategy from SEO to AEO immediately: Bob identifies the clock speed of marketing change as "breathtaking" - what worked 18 months ago is obsolete. The specific shift: ranking above the fold in Google search is now irrelevant. What matters is appearing in the answer box that ChatGPT or Google Gemini surfaces above traditional results. This isn't incremental SEO optimization - it requires fundamentally restructuring content to feed LLM context windows and answer engines rather than keyword-optimizing for traditional search crawlers. Treat go-to-market fit as a distinct inflection point: Bob observed a consistent pattern across MobileIron, Box (Aaron Levie), Citrix (Mark Templeton), Palo Alto Networks (Mark McLaughlin), and SendGrid (Sameer Dholakia) - all hit PMF, hired salespeople aggressively, burned cash, and stalled growth while boards grew frustrated. The missing concept: PMF proves you can create value; GTM fit proves you can capture it repeatedly. It's the "repeatable growth recipe to find and win customers over and over again." The tactical implication: after PMF, resist pressure to scale headcount and instead obsess over making your first 3-5 sales cycles systematically repeatable before hiring your second AE. Build community as primary discovery in fragmented buyer markets: Bob's most different GTM motion versus five years ago: "We're just out talking to prospects and customers - individual reach outs, hitting people up on LinkedIn, posting in discussion boards, engaging with the community." This isn't supplemental to demand gen; it's replaced traditional top-of-funnel. When prospects exist across multiple personas without clear titles, community presence in Reddit, Stack Overflow, and LinkedIn becomes the only scalable discovery mechanism. The benchmark: successful new tech companies have built communities of early users before they've built repeatable sales motions. Practice systematic unlearning as second-time founder discipline: Bob's most personal insight: "What really got in my way wasn't what I needed to learn. It was what I needed to unlearn." The specific application: he's questioning his entire MobileIron marketing playbook because "blindly applying that eight-year-old playbook to marketing or sales will end in tears." His framework: periodic gut checks asking "What assumptions am I making? How should I think about this differently?" rather than letting inertia drive execution. The meta-lesson: success creates muscle memory that becomes liability without deliberate examination. Second-time founders should actively audit which reflexes to preserve versus discard. // Sponsors: Front Lines — We help B2B tech companies launch, manage, and grow podcasts that drive demand, awareness, and thought leadership. www.FrontLines.io The Global Talent Co. — We help tech startups find, vet, hire, pay, and retain amazing marketing talent that costs 50-70% less than the US & Europe. www.GlobalTalent.co // Don't Miss: New Podcast Series — How I Hire Senior GTM leaders share the tactical hiring frameworks they use to build winning revenue teams. Hosted by Andy Mowat, who scaled 4 unicorns from $10M to $100M+ ARR and launched Whispered to help executives find their next role.  Subscribe here: https://open.spotify.com/show/53yCHlPfLSMFimtv0riPyM

"Answer Engine Optimization is the future." Connect With Our SponsorsGreyFinch - https://greyfinch.com/jillallen/A-Dec - https://www.a-dec.com/orthodonticsSmileSuite - https://getsmilesuite.com/ Summary In this conversation, Jeff Slater discusses the evolving landscape of digital marketing, particularly in the orthodontic field. He emphasizes the importance of adapting to new trends such as Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), while still maintaining a strong foundation in traditional SEO practices. The discussion also highlights the critical role of Google reviews, content structuring for AI, and the necessity of leveraging technology to enhance patient engagement and streamline marketing efforts. Connect With Our Guest Kaleidoscope Orthodontic Digital Marketing - https://thekaleidoscope.com/ Takeaways AEO focuses on AI-driven search results and voice assistants.Content should be structured in a Q&A format to align with user queries.Google reviews significantly impact search rankings and visibility.Encouraging detailed patient reviews can enhance credibility.The traditional SEO foundation remains crucial amidst evolving strategies.Regularly testing website functionality is essential for user experience.Utilizing technology like NFC cards can simplify the review process.Marketing strategies must adapt to changing consumer behaviors.Creating engaging content for humans is key to successful marketing.Being proactive in your career can lead to greater opportunities.Chapters 00:00 Introduction01:58 Jeff Slater's Background and Role at Kaleidoscope03:53 AI in Orthodontic Marketing: AEO and GEO Explained12:04 Optimizing Content for AI: Strategies and Tips21:13 Importance of Google Reviews in AI and SEO27:44 Avoiding Review Contests28:43 Leveraging Staff and Close Contacts29:45 Using NFC Technology for Reviews34:30 The Importance of SEO and AI39:49 Testing and Optimizing Your Website44:09 Final Thoughts and Contact Information Episode Credits:  Hosted by Jill AllenProduced by Jordann KillionAudio Engineering by Garrett LuceroAre you ready to start a practice of your own? Do you need a fresh set of eyes or some advice in your existing practice?Reach out to me- www.practiceresults.com.    If you like what we are doing here on Hey Docs! and want to hear more of this awesome content, give us a 5-star Rating on your preferred listening platform and subscribe to our show so you never miss an episode.    New episodes drop every Thursday!   

Unlock how AI can quietly build your authority—and your pipeline—while you sleep. Michael sits down with AI strategist Tiffany Marroquín to break down the shift from traditional SEO to AEO (AI Engine Optimization) so you can start showing up as the trusted answer when clients ask tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity for the best luxury agents. You'll hear practical moves you can implement this week: tighten and unify your bios across platforms, build an AEO-friendly content hub with data-backed guides, structure your reviews and pages with schema, post FAQs that mirror real client questions, and leverage LinkedIn, YouTube transcripts, Reddit, and Quora for high-trust signals. Tiffany also shares a rapid workflow—record a 3–5 minute weekly voice memo and spin it into blogs, emails, shorts, and captions—plus how custom GPTs and agent-style automations can research competitors and keep you consistently visible. Want to raise your average sale price and dominate high-end listings? Join the in-person LUXE Designation training on November 19 (bonus mansion tour!). Details and savings at LuxuryDesignation.com/Chicago.

Learn how today's guest went from eBay to AI-driven marketing. Discover his secrets to LinkedIn growth, UGC blitz campaigns, trade show ROI, and mastering AEO optimization. Rob Stanley, a trailblazer in the e-commerce realm since the late '90s, shares his unique journey from selling parts for Palm Pilots on eBay to pioneering iPhone repair sales via YouTube. With nearly three decades of experience, Rob uncovers the secrets behind maximizing LinkedIn presence and the power of user-generated content strategies. He also recounts his remarkable transformation from being the "money man" to collaborating with companies challenging giants like Shopify. His stories are not just about past achievements but offer a roadmap for today's e-commerce professionals looking to make a mark in a dynamic industry. Our conversation takes an exciting turn as we explore the captivating world of trade shows and the art of standing out. Rob shares vivid anecdotes on how to create unforgettable trade show experiences, emphasizing the need for creative hooks and interactive booth presentations to capture attendees' attention. Further, we dive into the art of crafting compelling LinkedIn posts that spur engagement, complete with insights on using varied content types and scheduling tools to maintain a vibrant online presence. With Rob's clever strategies, listeners will find themselves equipped with the tools to transform their LinkedIn and trade show tactics into genuine business growth. In the final segment, Rob and Kevin explore the future of e-commerce, with a spotlight on AI optimization tools and emerging trends. We discuss the innovative potential of Super User-Generated Content and the evolution of e-commerce platforms, such as Miva. Rob offers compelling insights into how AI tools are reshaping search engine strategies, ensuring that brands stay visible in an increasingly digital world. From driverless technology to the evolution of sales dynamics, Rob's expert perspective provides a glimpse into the future, urging listeners to stay ahead of the curve in this ever-evolving landscape.  In episode 471 of the AM/PM Podcast, Kevin and Rob discuss: 00:00 - E-Commerce Journey With The "Money Man" Rob Stanley 07:51 - Discussion on Trade Shows and Feedback 08:46 - Maximizing Trade Show ROI 14:00 - Standing Out at Trade Shows 18:23 - Maximizing LinkedIn for E-Commerce Success 20:01 - Maximizing LinkedIn Engagement Strategies 24:41 - Promoting Brands and Products on LinkedIn 31:06 - Strategic Super UGC Marketing Blitz 38:11 - E-Commerce Industry Trends and Insights 44:33 - AI Optimization Tools for E-Commerce 48:47 - Chat GPT and AEO Rise 53:40 - Evolution of E-Commerce and AI 55:10 - Social Media Reach Out Tips

Everyone's racing to “do more with less,” then wondering why everything sounds the same. Budgets shrink, headcount drops, and the AI mandate lands like a memo from Mount Olympus: use it, ship faster, cut costs. Here's the plot twist: AI isn't your edge but your point of view is. If your story's bland, the tech just scales blandness.In this episode, Julien Palliere, AI Strategist at Column Five joins Jason and Josh to deliver a necessary reality check.We unpack why “just add AI” is a lazy brief, how AEO is quietly disintermediating brands, and why volume is the enemy of results. The verdict: bad marketing makes you generic, not AI. We also cover:The Wedge System: Turning a sharp POV into a repeatable AI-powered content engine.Personalization That Actually Personalizes: Using CRM, 6sense, and LinkedIn signals to change copy by persona in real time.Where AI Belongs (and Doesn't): Map the workflow, target structured/repeatable steps, avoid breaking fragile creative processes.

This week, Sam and Roop dive back into a hot topic, AI and SEO, to answer the question, “Is SEO for AI engines really something new?”Spoiler alert: AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) aren't entirely new strategies, they're really evolutions of SEO. Google has confirmed that traditional SEO principles are still the foundation for gaining visibility in AI-driven answer engines. When users ask questions, AI systems don't just find one article with a matching title. Instead, they break the query into smaller, related questions and then pulls the best, most credible snippets from across the web to form a complete answer. It's like twenty searches in one!That means content today needs to be modular, well-organized, and clearly written so each section can stand alone as an authoritative answer. There are some new metrics, like share of voice and sentiment are emerging, but the key to showing up in answer engines and large language models (LLMs) remains solid SEO fundamentals: structure, clarity, and credibility. AEO and GEO represent the next step in SEO's evolution, not a replacement for it.But there are some tweaks to what you might be doing with your current content and its mechanical markup that are also vital in the age of AI. You'll have to listen to the episode to hear what those things are!Next week the gang will be reviewing the ever expanding world of OpenAI and ChatGPT, this time in the form of a new browser (Atlas) that could change how we consume content on the internet in a massive way.— Roop, Sam and ClaudiaTell us what you think!

In this episode, Kai Biami and Spencer Powell delve into the complexities of modern SEO, focusing on the acronyms GEO, AEO, and EAT. They discuss the importance of establishing credibility through EAT, the technical aspects of optimizing for AI search engines, and the shift from traditional keyword strategies to answering real questions posed by potential clients. The conversation emphasizes practical tips for implementing these strategies, including the use of project spotlight pages and the significance of maintaining consistent business information across directories. The hosts encourage listeners to adapt to the evolving landscape of SEO and AI search, highlighting the importance of creating valuable content that resonates with audiences.

What happens when the ancient magic of theatre meets the disruptive energy of artificial intelligence? In this episode of The Tech Talks Daily Podcast, I sit down with Emmy-nominated producer and 440 Media founder Jeffery Keilholtz to unpack how AI is reshaping entertainment, licensing, and the very soul of live performance. From his time leading Broadway Licensing Global, home to thousands of acclaimed titles including Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Jeffery brings a rare blend of creative and commercial insight to one of the most transformative moments in entertainment history. Our conversation explores how live entertainment faces twin challenges of visibility and scarcity in a digital age. As Jeffery explains, the rise of ChatGPT has changed how people search, discover, and decide what to see, forcing a shift from SEO to AEO, or Answer Engine Optimization. Yet even as AI floods the world with abundance, theatre's scarcity, that irreplaceable “live, local, urgent” energy, is becoming more precious than ever. Together we examine how AI can simultaneously empower and endanger creative industries, from copyright battles worth billions to the promise of smarter audience engagement and new paths to discover hidden works. Jeffery also shares his framework for balancing technology and artistry, urging creators to stay nimble like a blade of grass. He argues that surviving this era of AI-driven disruption requires humility, flexibility, and a renewed belief in human connection. It's a powerful reminder that the heartbeat of theatre, and perhaps of creativity itself, still belongs to people gathered together in the same room, sharing something that can never be replicated by a machine. How do you see AI reshaping the arts and entertainment world? Is it an existential threat to creativity or the tool that will help artists reach new heights? I'd love to hear your thoughts.      

Your emails aren't broken, they're just getting blocked before they even reach people. Gmail, Outlook, and AI tools like Copilot read every line before your audience does. They're not looking for design, they're scanning tone, emotion, and trust. In this episode of Branding Momentum, we're decoding why perfectly good marketing emails are landing in Promotions or Spam, and how to write messages that actually reach humans again. You'll learn which words trigger AI filters, how tone affects deliverability, and what still gets through when automation is reading your content first. If your open rates are dropping or your list feels silent, this is the missing piece. I'm Veronica Di Polo, a marketing strategist based in Moraira, Spain. I help service-based business owners get leads with words that sell.  

On this episode of The Founder's Sandbox, Brenda McCabe sits down with Jen Apy, Area Managing Partner and Chief Marketing Officer at Chief Outsiders, to explore how scaling companies can unlock growth through fractional marketing leadership. Jen shares insights from her 30+ years of marketing experience—spanning Mattel, Adobe, Intuit, and now Chief Outsiders—and introduces listeners to the Growth Gears framework: a strategic methodology designed to help small and mid-sized companies grow efficiently and sustainably. Jen and Brenda also dive into key trends such as the rise of “flash teams,” how AI is transforming the marketing playbook, and the importance of being a learning organization in a fast-moving world. You can find out more at https://www.chiefoutsiders.com        transcript:  00:04 So  welcome back to the Founder's Sandbox. I am Brenda McCabe, the host of this monthly podcast where I am joined by business owners, founders, and professional service providers that are scaling businesses. 00:34 with great corporate governance. This podcast is now in its fourth season and very excited to have Jen Apy as my guest today. For those that are subscribed to the Founder Sandbox, you always know that we have a story that's going to be told about the origins of the company and the founder  and the professional's experience as the introduction here. And we will always come back to the... 01:02 the sandbox where we're talking about resilience, purpose-driven and scalable growth. And when Jen, who I've known now for several years, we work in the same ecosystem, spoke to me about the growth gears, that is kind of the overarching framework  of chief outsiders. I was fascinated and wanted to offer the platform of the podcast to get the message out to  business owners that are 01:30 scaling and have not yet thought about using fractional marketing services. So welcome, Jen, to this fourth season. um Absolutely delighted to have you here. Oh, I'm delighted to be here. Excellent.  So we did choose a title. We're gonna you're gonna hear the word growth gears throughout this podcast. So the title for the podcast today is growth gears for scaling. And 01:56 Jen and I kind of share a similar background in the sense that we've been out there over three decades.  I um had my own consulting business. I worked in the McKinsey & Company and reinvented myself uh around really bringing the expertise that I had at multinationals into the ecosystem  of growth stage companies. Jen, tell me you are multifaceted marketing professional over three decades. 02:26 of experience contributing to marketing excellence. Tell us a bit about your origin and your currently, I think since five years ago, the area managing partner and chief marketing officer of Chief Outsiders. So share a bit how your role has evolved and what's it like to be with this company that was once a startup itself. Well, thank you so much for having me, Brenda. It's been a wild ride. 02:56 I feel like I was so lucky  early in my career to work with fabulous marketers at Mattel and Intuit and Adobe.  And now to have  the opportunity to apply those skills to help small to mid-sized companies grow. It's really been a fantastic experience. I feel like this is my purpose. Oh, beautiful. To share these enterprise little marketing skills with smaller companies that 03:25 are hungry for growth.  you when I, when I meet founders or I meet CEOs, I'm always really curious about, know, what's working, what's not working. You know, how do we create this flywheel that can help them grow in scale? It really is, is something I enjoy. You know, you found your purpose and then  I guess your purpose found you  working with chief outsiders because you were also a solopreneur  for years. What would be your 03:54 tagline if if anybody were to just listen to five minutes of the founder sandbox, what would be. Jen appease tagline such a good question. I think it would be be something like committed to growth. I feel like that is my purpose. That's what I enjoy. And you know now it's part of outsiders. I I now have 125 colleagues who feel the same way. They've all been fortune 1000. 04:23 and larger company marketers from a variety of different industries. think collectively we've probably covered over 80 industries, over 5,000 engagements. I mean, it's just incredible that the people at Cheap Outsiders that I get to work with every day. And I do feel like commitment to growth is almost a shared purpose for all of us. That's why we're here, because we love to make an impact, to see that impact on smaller companies and  be a part. 04:52 of their leadership team. We say that we're outsiders, but we're really embedded as insiders and therefore we can have that impact on  companies and watch them grow in scale. It's very gratifying as a marketer. m I  also work in the small and medium sized enterprise area.  And last month I actually wrote a blog on enterprise,  forms of enterprise and the like. 05:18 Did some research  on actually SMEs.  How many  SMEs in your estimation actually  reach  or go beyond $10 million in revenues? SMEs are 47%, I believe, for the number of enterprises in the United States. But how many actually scale beyond the $10 million revenue? You know, it's a surprisingly small number,  like maybe less than 1%. But you know, that's why we're here. 05:47 We want to increase the chances that those companies can scale, you know, 10 million, 50 million, 100 million. We believe that by really applying the market insights, customer insights, competitive insights into, you know, the strategies around positioning and offers and target marketing will lead to the cost of 06:14 efficient and cost effective strategies and execution that will help companies scale. that really is the heart of the growth gears methodology and approach. Well, that's  a great segue. You and I met at the recurring revenue conference, I guess, in the seventh year. And as you walk me through  the growth gears,  you also have an assessment tool. Would you like to  share? 06:42 overarching what is what are the gears, the growth gears, what are the key aspects that  one can be surveyed about and then and how to engage with  the chief outsiders, because I found it fascinating.  And I actually used it with one or two of my clients to kind of get the wheels, no pun intended, right to  to start moving, right? 07:12 Yes, so the assessment that we use asks companies and leaders questions about the business, about how much do they know about their customers, their competitors,  the company, they looked at market trends? And then starts to ask about, do they know where their revenue  comes from, where their growth is gonna come from? they  understand what channels are most efficient and are they measuring uh the effectiveness  of the marketing? 07:41 programs that they have in motion. And it's not every single question that we could ask, but just enough to get them thinking about where growth is gonna come from. And so we use this assessment, usually around this time actually, we're getting close to Q4. And we use it about this time in order to help them think ahead in terms of what are the priorities that are needed for the following year in order to stimulate. 08:08 enable or actualize growth. So if anyone's interested in doing this assessment with me, it's free. Just, you know, reach out to me on LinkedIn, happy to provide you with the link and then have a conversation about what the answers mean. Absolutely. Jen, we'll put those, the survey or the assessment, pardon me, in the show notes. All right. Great. In addition to other areas. So talk to me a little bit about Chief Outsiders. You did say it was a startup at one time. 08:37 How long has it been around? What's the organization look like? And what are the challenges that you particularly are dealing with with the advent of AI? That's a very little question.  That's a great question,  though. But  Chief Outsiders has been around for over 10 years. I think we've been around before the term fractional  executive or fractional marketer was even a term. think 09:01 Maybe early on we might've been discussed as strategic business consultants, right? Because we're helping companies grow in scale. But we've been around for over 10 years. We've been on the Fortune 5000 for quite a few years. I think definitely 10 or more. the way that we've grown is by really focusing on what marketing leadership needs to do. 09:30 for companies, which at the end of the day, it's about  knowing who your customers are, where to find them,  and  then how to grow the company  based on  that focus on finding and retaining customers, whether it's increasing market penetration within a certain target segment or  finding new markets or launching new products,  whatever that growth strategy is, how to harness that  and  help 10:00 a company,  um, scale over time  and marketing has changed so much. I know over the years, mean, I've seen that with your companies is  overwhelming. I pardon. I will get back to the question, but I, many, many years ago, McKinsey, was a marketing expert research. We didn't have all these amazing tools we have today to conjoin analysis, you know, with your Excel sheets, right. And focus groups. 10:29 Right. So the sophistication, channel, you know, growth explosion is, you know, I threw my talent a long time ago. Well, you know, it used to be, you know, direct mail and then websites, right. And then e-commerce and, and then it was about social media and content marketing and then SEO. I mean, it's just daunting. And now we have to be thinking about AI in all facets of the 10:59 the marketing toolkit, right? It's  impacting every aspect of what we do as marketers.  And we have to be thinking about AEO, like answer engine optimization in addition to SEO. So it really is rather overwhelming. So I think that over the years, Chief Outsiders has recognized that the marketing tactics and strategies are going to change and we need to change with it. But that the focus on 11:27 growth is going to come from really the growth gears, right? The approach to understanding the market, understanding how to go to market,  understanding how to  execute cost effectively. So recently in the advent of AI, knowing that it was going to impact so much of the marketing mix, we actually started to develop an AI platform for us to use. Yes, for us to use internally. What it does is confidentially, 11:57 takes all of the insights for all of the engagements that we've done with companies so that when we are working with clients, we can benefit from that collective knowledge and be able to deliver  better, deeper, faster insights from day one for our clients. So deeper insights, proven strategies, best practice execution. There isn't a workstream for marketing sales that isn't going to be impacted by AI. 12:25 So we've definitely thought about that and made sure that we can  leverage all this knowledge in order to help us be better marketers for our clients. That's  fascinating. It's kind of scary, right? So you've basically like in the healthcare industry, you've anonymized, right?  The plethora of data, right?  Within the  walls  of 12:54 chief outsiders of the 10 years of experience and I don't know how many clients, right? To then really document and have your own, for lack of another word, I guess, is it? The knowledge base. The knowledge base, but it's kind of an ocean, right? Data ocean. Yeah. And, you know, and this is how the AI tools work. 13:19 We figured we might as well have something that we can use on a proprietary basis and that can help us not only create our deliverables and have better deliverables, but also to help us manage processes.  Because as we talked about with marketing, there's just so much going on, so much to consider, so much to do. This AI platform also helps us to manage those processes.  And one of the things we haven't talked about yet is fractional resources. 13:47 I believe really are the future of work. And that's one of the reasons why I'm so excited to be a part of Chief Outsiders because we believe that as well. And that's also part of the reason why we built this platform.  Right. So one thing that I want to  highlight just from the last discussion here is 14:08 AEO rather than SEO or in addition to SEO that I mean, heard it here on the founder sandbox. Not only do we have to be looking to have our SEO optimization, it's AEO optimization. Yes. So answer engine optimization. And that's coming of course, from the AI tools. You know, I think the stat is something like 70, 71 % of searchers, anyone searching. 14:37 They're now using the AI engines instead of, or sometimes in addition to regular search. But it's the reason why Google is losing traffic share, right? Because people are going to these AI engines sometimes exclusively for certain things. And so this has had an impact on marketing in a couple of ways. One is we need to now optimize our content for answer engines, which it's not that much different from SEO. We still have to adopt the same good. 15:06 SEO practices, you keywords, relevance, backlinks, things like that. But now we call it LL  or large language model optimization in 2025. uh In order to be able to rank in those answer engines, we need to also consider  brand strength and authority, oh citations, quality of content, sentiment.  You know, we really 15:35 PR  from  authoritative sources is really going to become  more important. And so we do a lot of testing ourselves  in terms of how Chief Outsiders ranks in these engines. I was going to ask you, have you done that?  Yes. And that's how we know that it's not just the SEO good practices that's helping to rank in answer engines. um 16:02 It's also these other things, brand strength and authority. The content needs to answer questions. these engines are understanding when content is authoritatively answering a question. And there's so many factors involved in figuring that out. There are a number of tools we use to see how we're ranking. There are a number of tools we use to figure out how we're 16:33 uh how we're able to, uh I guess, for lack of better words, out the competition, right? And score, right? In our content. And we use this knowledge of how it's working for us  to help our clients as well. And we've been doing this from the beginning because we were very aware of all the changes. um So you have your own growth gears operating system. 17:00 It's a remote working AI enabled platform, right? That also enables remote and hybrid teams  that come together.  Speak to me a little bit about that. GrowthGear's operating system is effectively your LM?  Yeah, that's the, well, that's the AI platform that we developed is called the GrowthGear's operating system. And so not only does it leverage  the best content, the best tools, but because of the way that we're designing it and it's really to support us, right? And how we work. 17:29 we are really enabling fractional resources  and remote and hybrid teams to work together effectively on  the projects,  the marketing, the growth plans that companies need to scale.  this is kind of the way, I mean, if we believe that fractional resources are  of economic benefit to both companies because they don't have to hire 17:56 A lot, you know, heavy talent, right for long term. They can hire just what they need when they need it.  And also as they evolve and grow, they might need different resources, right? So they can they can cycle through  the skill sets they need, but but also because there's economic value because workers, if they want to be more flexible, if they want to leverage a specific skill set and not necessarily be tied to one company gives them  the freedom and flexibility to. So I think for for both reasons, there's there's a lot of. uh 18:26 momentum toward this style of working. the platform that we have, you know,  it  can enable these operational fractional resources, not only marketing, but any part of the organization in the future.  Let's go. Let's take that idea or what you're observing in the market and actual client work a little bit further. So how would a potential client 18:54 engage with chief outsiders. They're at, you know, 3 million AR, they have not yet hired a marketing full time, right? How, what would would walk us through a typical, for lack of another word, engagement, or how do they engage with chief outsiders? And particularly, the second part of that is, if you're talking about 19:21 Flash teams, I think is the term that you and I discussed, right? Yeah, it's actually the title of a book being launched by a professor from Stanford,  Melissa Valentine. She's coined this phrase flash teams, which essentially  is what cheap outsiders does, right? We  pull together the resources that a company needs at that moment in time in order to solve their growth problems.  we're essentially a flash team enabled by 19:51 the growth gears operating system. Cool. So I'm not I'm the CEO. I've got to hit some revenue milestones. I've interviewed some candidates. I'm not yet sold for you know, bringing in full time, full time chief marketing officer. Jen gives me a call. How do I how do you how do I engage with you? Yeah, well, the first thing I want to understand is, is what what keeps you up at night? 20:21 Right? What, what are some of your growth challenges that, you're struggling with? Because the first thing I want to do is really understand, you know, what resources do you need at this moment in time in order to get you from A to B?  so oftentimes  we'll look at this and say, is this, is this going to be solved by a marketing led team or sales led team? Sometimes that's the first  thing that we're thinking about. And then how much do we know already about the situation in terms of. 20:49 customers, competitors, market insights, customer buying journey, channels that are working and not working. We're wanna know all of that so that we can figure out the most efficient way to approach solving those growth challenges and what work streams are needed. So we'll bring in a fractional executive that's a good fit for that company and then orchestrate the resources that are required to get to the next step. And then when that engagement  is through, 21:18 we'll figure out what the next level is. Maybe the next level is bringing in full-time permanent resources to help execute and to help scale where we paid ourselves out of the picture. Or maybe it's just dialing back to more of an advisory role and then bringing in fractional resources from different places in order to be able to test and scale and see what's going to work, what's going to land  before we orchestrate on a more. 21:48 So we're very flexible with what a company needs at any point in time. And no two companies are alike. You when you're a $3 million company, you might have talent and skills and gaps that are different from the last client that we had. And we know that. We can recognize those situations just because we've had so much experience working with so many different companies. We can very quickly figure out what's needed for the next step and just give a company exactly what it needs. 22:16 to it. You do tap into your, your network of your 125  professionals with them, know, goodness,  the years of experience that you all have obtained while at fortune 1000 companies. Amazing. Oftentimes, I've seen you  with as keynote speaker, you do give conference speak and you speak at conferences. What one of the most recent 22:42 conferences.  I'm not uncertain where it was, but you the topic you spoke to, Jen, was winning website traffic in the age of AI, what CEOs need to know? Can you without sending us to  you know, that I don't know whether it's on online, we can put that in the show notes. But what's the top, you know, line messages from that conference where you spoke about winning website traffic? Yeah. 23:10 Well, I did it with a couple of my colleagues who are very experienced in digital transformation and now how to win traffic with the answer engines. And  so we talked about some of the uh tactics that we're finding work nowadays and how that's going to change how companies need to think about orchestrating their marketing mix. So Mike. 23:36 Colin Angela gave an example of a very specific example of an article that had been written for SEO that now needs to be written for AEO just so that people  could see the difference. But I think the main message that we were trying to send uh to companies is uh marketing is not static. Just because you've figured out your marketing mix doesn't mean it's going to work two years down the line. It's constantly evolving. And so you need leadership. 24:04 who can be thinking about how are customer behaviors changing? How do I reach them differently?  And the fact that  71 % of searchers are going to answer engines, that's a huge shift and marketers need to be ready to  address that. So  if you're a smaller company and you just don't have the resources to keep retraining your staff. 24:29 every year or so  and you need that expertise in the know how do I compete now today? How do I set myself up for success? That's where we as Fractional Resources can come in and help you be that learning organization, that resilient organization that's going to survive through the next sea of change. 24:51 That is  fascinating. Yeah, it's it's a living beast, right? marketing and it's moving so rapidly, it would be hard. I'm to actually have the inside resources, the talent inside unless they're constantly being retooled. So it is  an opportunity to use fractional resources, depth of expertise that you have.  Yeah.  And that's one thing that I value about the chief outsiders culture is the fact that I think what's made us 25:21 so resilient is the fact that we're really a learning and sharing organization. We've recognized that change happens rapidly. To be resilient, we need to change and constantly be learning and retooling ourselves. And that is something  we highly value.  But to be able to do that quickly,  no one person can do all this on their own. It's nearly impossible and very overwhelming. You can't do it in a silo. So we have a culture of sharing where 25:50 If we learn something new, um we'll share with the rest of the organization. So that, that, uh, that webinar that we did was just as much for us and our executives as it was for the clients that we, that we serve in this culture of sharing really creates resiliency in the sense that  if, a company brings in one of our fractional executives and let's say they encounter a market challenge or a sales challenge that that particular 26:19 executive hasn't seen before, they can turn to the other 125 marketers and say, hey, let's get together. Let's put our best brains on this business and determine what things we might be able to try or what things we should put in place in order to benefit this organization. And I think there's no individual fractional out there that has access to that much talent and expertise. 26:49 on a moment's notice as we do. And that's part of what's going to create the resiliency that we need as an organization  to survive in the next decade, because everything is just going to start to move faster and companies are going to just need that much more speed. So, but we also believe that's a value that we can bring in addition to being interim  and not being full-time and bringing in the expertise they need to write at that moment.  We can also draw on the collective expertise of the tribe. So the brain trust. 27:19 Well, that's a good term. love that. Right. Brain trust. I love that brain trust. One  technical question of the 125  professionals within chief outsiders and interim roles. Is it solely in the marketing area or do you also offer maybe in the sales?  there other interim roles?  That's a really good question. So we do focus on marketing and sales primarily, but sometimes we're actually brought in as fractional COOs. 27:49 as well or division heads. And it's because of our broad leadership expertise. And some of our executives have been  CEOs  of their own companies. They founded companies, they've sold companies. So they do have that broader business perspective, but primarily it's marketing and sales. Excellent. We're going to switch gears, to  the standby. No pun intended. 28:17 That's right. That's  here in the founder sandbox. I'm passionate about building resilience, scalable and purpose-driven companies. And I like to ask my guests briefly, what is the meaning of resilience? What does that mean to you? Or does he chief outsiders? It's a fascinating part of the podcast for me become that you have very different definitions. And that's the beauty of asking this. Yeah.  Well, I think that resilience, at least for for me, for us, a chief outsiders means 28:46 being able to survive and move forward and grow in the face of massive change.  Right. It's not, it's not bending to the will of the market. It's,  it's, it's basically saying, you know what? We know how we can add value at this moment in time. And we have the tools to address this change and add value. that, you know, it is one of the reasons why we constantly are thinking about 29:15 how do we bring more  to the table for our clients? So in addition to the growth years operating system that we created, we also have an ecosystem called team outsiders of fractional marketing execution resources that we can draw on at any point in time and create our own flash teams for our clients. So let's say we've gone through the strategy and we've determined that we really need an e-commerce expert 29:45 that can optimize Amazon or we really need somebody who can take charge of developing the content that's going to  address not only SEO and or but also AEO and we'll draw from our pool of team outsiders resources and we'll put together that fractional team for the client at a moment's notice. So we believe that that is going to make us a lot more agile. 30:13 for our clients because sometimes they just need to get started,  but they don't have time to go higher or they don't have time to go evaluate a new agency. We can bring somebody in. We can, we can set the stage. We can get things going and then let them have the time to decide really who they want on a longer term basis. So, you know, agile teams, flash teams, it comes from our ability to be able to,  draw on this network  of. 30:42 team outsiders and to be resilient.  How about purpose? What's purpose mean to you?  Purpose. You know, I think that when I look back on my career and also what I'm doing here at Chief Outsiders, I get the most satisfaction from seeing smaller companies grow from helping founders make their dreams come true. You know, there are so many great companies out there. 31:12 that just need a shot at the big time, right? And we can do that because we've seen it. We know how to get a company from one to a hundred. We've seen it. We know what a company at one or a company at zero, what they're faced with from the standpoint of  challenges, time, resources, focus, right? And so we can adjust what we do in order to adapt to that environment. But we know what an organization is going to need 31:41 to be competitive and to need to grow at 30, 50, 100. And we can keep our sights on what that needs to be and advise the companies we're working with on how they're gonna get there. So yes, we're implementing this today, but it's gonna look like this tomorrow, but we're not ready for that yet. We're just gonna do this here today because you don't have the time or the bandwidth or the money to do that many things. But this is, we've done the analysis, we've done the research, we've done the testing. 32:11 This is what you need to scale for right now. So, you know, being able to do that and then see  these companies grow from 10 to 30 to 50 million, it's a thrill. it  is very, very rewarding. So I think that, you know, I found my purpose and this is the, in speaking with my colleagues, they're all, we're all here for the same reason. So we really do have that shared. 32:39 purpose and we really enjoy what we do. Fantastic last one and then we'll move to how to contact you scalable growth. I'm certain you're going to talk about those the growth gears, but what's scalable right? What's that mean to you?  Scalable growth to me means we figured out what works and we can replicate it cost efficiently and cost effectively. So that is 33:07 our focus when we're working within the growth gears methodology, we're looking for the way to scale most cost-efficiently effectively. I know that one of the things that you are really big on with your  companies, the companies you invest in is governance. Yes. You're really big on governance.  And when I think about governance, I think about responsibility and accountability. And what that means to me as a marketer, 33:35 And  as a revenue leader is making sure that the spend that we commit to in marketing and sales is going to drive revenue and growth cost effectively.  so by making sure that we've done the analysis, that we figured out what's going to work, that we've tested before we scale is that responsible governance approach, right? To marketing and so 34:05 You know, I think that there are some companies that are in situations where they have to scale no matter what. They just throw money at it, you know, scale no matter what. And there are situations where that needs to happen. But we find with the companies that we work with that the more responsible, prudent, accountable, you know, organic growth is what the founders are looking for. And we know how to do that. 34:35 Replicable, right? Replicable, yes.  Amazing.  So Jen, um last question before  we listen to how to contact you. you have fun today in the Founder's Sandbox? Oh, it's always a pleasure to talk with you, Brenda. I really enjoy our conversations. We're of like minds. That's true. That's true. Avid readers and bringing the best to our clients. So thank you. How can my listeners 35:04 find you  and best reach chief outsiders. Yes. So they can find me on Jenna,  but they can also find me on the chief outsiders website on the leadership tab. And from the chief outsiders website, you can also learn about all of the things that we do. can meet all of the 125 executives that we have. You can learn more about growth gears, OS and team outsiders. Excellent.  And 35:32 In the show notes, will provide the assessment so that you listeners that are actually considering, you know, what do I need to do at this last quarter of the year, right? To plan my marketing resources, just download the assessment. It's a very interesting tool. So thank you. Well, to my listeners, if you enjoyed this episode with Jen Appie of 35:56 chief outsiders. I'd encourage you to subscribe to this monthly podcast where we have founders, business owners, corporate board directors and professional service providers that are really building scalable, purpose driven and resilient companies with great corporate governance. Signing off for this month. Thank you for joining us here on the Founder's Sandbox.  

Want more qualified appointments without racing to the bottom on price? Marketing leader Ken Tucker (Changescape Web) breaks down a practical AI speed-to-lead system for home builders, covering AI phone assistants, OSC roles, answer-engine optimization, and a content machine that actually moves the needle.What you'll learnWhy “first response wins” (and how AI makes it instant—24/7)AI voice/chat setup: FAQs, escalation rules, booked-appointment targetsWhere OSCs fit next to AI (and how to keep the “talk to a human” option)Tech stack sanity: CRM + ops tools, APIs/Zapier, and subscription auditsContent flywheel: short videos → blogs → social → press → emailAnswer-Engine Optimization (AEO): schema, local SEO, reviews, Reddit/LinkedIn signalsGuest: Ken Tucker — author of Content Marketing for Local Search (updated with AI strategies) Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:40 Ken's IT→Marketing journey & podcast lessons 03:30 Speed-to-lead: why first wins (even vs. price) 10:30 OSCs, AI chat/voice, and instant response 12:45 Training AI with FAQs + escalation to humans 20:10 Jobs & AI: repurposing roles, “rejection-proof” follow-up 21:30 Local content with AI: FAQs, repurposing, signals 26:00 AEO, schema, Bing/LLMs, reviews & reputation 34:00 How to reach Ken + final takeawaysLinks 

On this episode, I'm asking a question that's quietly reshaping digital marketing: Will AI change the way we search? I'm joined by Sam Hurley, founder of NOVOS an SEO and AI Search agency. We unpack what's happening to discovery as AI answers more of our questions for us, and what that means for brands, agencies and search strategies.We talk about how AEO or GEO or AIEO or what ever you call it fits into the mix, how it differs from traditional SEO, and why Google, OpenAI and Perplexity might soon be the new gatekeepers of visibility. We also get into what brands can actually do right now to prepare for AI-native search, and whether this shift is likely to change consumer behaviour forever.If you work in commerce, brand marketing or digital strategy, this episode will help you understand what's next for search, discovery and visibility in the age of AI.Checkout Factory here.Sign up to our newsletter here.

In this episode of Content, Briefly, Jimmy Daly sits down with Lindsay Boyajian Hagan, VP of Marketing and Co-head of Revenue at Conductor, to explore how the company is evolving from its SEO roots into the fast-emerging world of AI Engine Optimization (AEO).Lindsay shares how Conductor is helping enterprise brands measure and improve their visibility across AI search engines, why content remains the “currency” of AI, and how her team restructured their marketing strategy—shifting budget from traditional demand gen into higher-quality content and brand visibility.They also dig into the changing relationship between SEO and AEO, what marketers should measure in this new landscape, and how Conductor's own marketing team is practicing what they preach. It's a must-listen for anyone rethinking their content strategy in the age of AI search.************************Useful Links:Follow Jimmy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmydaly/Follow Lindsay on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsayboyajian/Amplify Your Brand in AI Search************************Stay Tuned:► Website: https://www.superpath.co/► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@superpath► LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/superpath/► Twitter: https://twitter.com/superpathco************************Don't forget to leave us a five-star review and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

While businesses obsess over Google rankings, their competitors are already capturing attention in AI-generated responses that bypass search results entirely. Here's how to use GEO and AEO to make AI look to you for answers.Learn more at https://digitalbiz.ai/ DigitalBiz Limited City: London Address: Initial Business Centre Website: https://digitalbiz.ai

Marketers love shiny objects, but this chat gets real about what moves pipeline right now with Jay Schwedelson and Ben Schechter. CMO FloQast! [Industry Giant Accounting Platform]From why webinars still outperform to how to score webinar engagement the smart way, Ben shares practical plays for B2B teams that feel more consumer savvy. You also get a sanity check on AEO experiments, and a peek at how a not-so-sexy category builds a brand people actually want to follow.ㅤConnect with Ben Schechter on LinkedIn and explore FloQast if you lead or support an accounting team looking to modernize the close and operations.ㅤBest Moments:(01:23) From B2C to B2B - the consumer skills that turbocharge enterprise growth(04:12) Webinars still crush - attendance, engagement, and conversion you can bank on(06:55) Registered vs attended vs engaged - who sales should call first and why(08:52) Stop worshiping lead count - pipeline and dollars beat vanity metrics(11:45) AEO is real but early - balance experiments with core SEO and paid search(15:15) Making accounting feel human - a distinct voice and an in-house studios teamㅤCheck out our 100% FREE + VIRTUAL EVENTS! ->Guru Conference - The World's Largest Virtual EMAIL MARKETING Conference - Nov 6-7!Register here: www.GuruConference.comㅤCheck out Jay's YOUTUBE Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@schwedelsonCheck out Jay's TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@schwedelsonCheck Out Jay's INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/jayschwedelson/ㅤMASSIVE thank you to our Sponsor, Marigold!!Email chaos across campuses, branches, or chapters? Emma by Marigold lets HQ keep control while local teams send on-brand, on-time messages with ease.Podcast & GURU listeners: 50 % off your first 3 months with an annual plan (new customers, 10 k-contact minimum, terms apply).Claim your offer now at jayschwedelson.com/emma

AI is completely changing how people find and engage with brands — and traditional marketing strategies aren't enough anymore. In this episode, I sit down with Josh Hanosh, VP at Three29, to unpack how artificial intelligence, machine learning, and new AI tools are reshaping marketing, search, and lead generation. We talk about the rise of Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) — why it's different from SEO, how AI “thinks,” and how brands can position themselves to be discovered when no one is “Googling” anymore. Josh shares practical tactics for optimizing your site for AI bots, building smart backlinks, leveraging FAQs and question clustering, and future-proofing your marketing strategy. We also explore how AI is driving massive productivity gains, freeing teams from repetitive work so they can focus on creativity and strategy.

On October 21, join our free web class and discover the proven six-step system top contractors use to build rock-solid teams, increase margins, and reclaim evenings and weekends with their families. Reserve your spot now: https://trybta.com/CE-CGM-OC25Take our 5 minute quiz and get your free personalized Contractor Growth Scorecard today: https://trybta.com/DL241 To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/EP241 In a world where everyone turns to AI to ask questions, how do you make sure YOU show up as the answer? In today's episode, Phil Risher reveals the secret to getting ChatGPT and other Large Language Models (LLMs) to promote your business to potential customers in every related search.---There's no question that AI is changing the way people ask questions online.So, how do you make sure YOU show up as the answer?In today's episode, we're revealing the secret to getting ChatGPT and other Large Language Models (LLMs) to promote your business to potential customers in every related search.Contractor Marketing expert Phil Risher is a long-time SEO strategist that has been on the front lines as AI has changed the game for contractors and home service businesses. Our conversation covers:The difference between SEO, GEO and AEO and where you should invest your marketing efforts right nowHow Large Language Models actually decide which brands to recommend 4 personalized videos you can make in the next 10 minutes that will increase your conversion rate by 20%.This is a mandatory listen for contractors in every industry.00:00-Intro02:07-About Phil and Phlash Consulting05:29-How is AI disrupting customer search? SEO vs. GEO vs. AEO12:49-Is SEO still worth doing?16:10-Becoming a content authority29:21-How important is a "face of the brand?"32:41-4 personalized videos for your drip sequence38:44-Use cases for AI chat bots & automation for speed to lead41:45-Use cases for self service tools46:14-How to stay up-to-date on AI without getting overwhelmed49:58-Connect with Phil

Nick Constantino and Matthew Caddy dive into the seismic shift from SEO to GEO (Generative Engine Optimization). Learn how AI is reshaping search, why branding matters more than ever, and how to future-proof your marketing strategy in the age of ChatGPT, Reddit indexing, and instant AI-driven purchases.

Most entrepreneurs claim they want freedom, but they often find themselves trapped in daily chaos. They complain about not finding good people, yet they hire the wrong ones. They say they want to scale, but never stop playing small. What if the problem isn't the market—but how you think about talent, delegation, and money? In this high-energy episode, Mike Abramowitz and Andrew Biggs welcome serial entrepreneur Kasim Aslam, founder of multiple successful companies, including Pareto Talent and AEO.co. Kasim breaks down how entrepreneurs can stop micromanaging, start delegating, and hire peak performers who actually think and lead. Known for his raw honesty and strategic depth, Kasim reveals why most business owners never reach the $100 million mark—and what he's doing differently to achieve it.  Timestamps: [00:00] Introduction and recap of Kasim's viral first episode. [02:00] Kasim shares his $100 million goal and how he's cleaning his slate to get there. [05:00] Discussion about Pareto Talent and its role in building bigger ventures. [09:00] Exploring the opportunities and challenges in the home services industry. [12:00] The critical mindset shift: delegate projects, not tasks. [17:00] How to find top performers using Kasim's seven-step hiring process. [20:00] Why paying more leads to better hires and better results. [27:00] Where to find the best tradespeople and how to recruit them. [31:00] How to filter applicants and use paid trial projects effectively. [40:00] How to onboard and lead without micromanaging. [48:00] Why every business owner should hire an executive assistant. [51:00] Modernizing blue-collar businesses for long-term growth. [53:00] Kasim defines true wealth as freedom and time with family. Key Quotes: “If you're delegating tasks, you're not delegating—you're micromanaging.” “Every human is a miracle capable of incalculable value.” “Winners want to win, and money is how we keep score.” “Authorship creates ownership.” “When I got money, I didn't buy stuff—I bought time.” Key Takeaways: Audit your actions vs. goals.Delegate projects, not tasks. Pay for top-tier talent. Hire slow, fire fast. Mentioned Links: TheHireBook.com ParetoTalent.com AEO.co Connect with The Better Than RichWebsite - ⁠https://www.betterthanrich.com/⁠Facebook - ⁠https://m.facebook.com/betterthanrich/⁠Instagram - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/betterthan_rich/⁠Twitter - ⁠https://mobile.twitter.com/betterthan_rich⁠TikTok - ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanrich⁠YouTube - ⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3xXEb7rKBvkCOdtWd4tj2A⁠Linkedin - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/betterthanrich⁠

Robby Stein is VP of Product at Google, where he oversees the core products of Google Search—including the new AI Overviews, AI Mode, search ranking, Google Lens, and more. Previously, he led consumer products at Instagram, where he and his teams built Stories, Reels, Close Friends, and other key features now used by billions.What you'll learn:1. Why Google's AI products are suddenly taking off after years of perceived stagnation2. How AI is expanding Search rather than replacing it, contrary to what many predicted3. The three core product principles that have helped Robby build multiple billion-user products4. Inside Instagram's decision to build its own version of Snapchat Stories5. His mantra of “relentless improvement”6. How Google developed AI Mode from concept to launch in just one year7. Why most teams give up too early on potentially transformative products—Brought to you by:• Vanta—Automate compliance. Simplify security: https://vanta.com/lenny• Jira Product Discovery—Confidence to build the right thing: https://atlassian.com/lenny/?utm_source=lennypodcast&utm_medium=paid-audio&utm_campaign=fy24q1-jpd-imc• Orkes—The enterprise platform for reliable applications and agentic workflows: https://www.orkes.io/—Transcript: ⁠https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-google-built-ai-mode-in-under-a-year⁠—My biggest takeaways (for paid newsletter subscribers): ⁠https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/i/175041217/my-biggest-takeaways-from-this-conversation⁠—Where to find Robby Stein:• X: https://x.com/rmstein• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robbystein/—Where to find Lenny:• Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com• X: https://twitter.com/lennysan• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/—In this episode, we cover:(00:00) Introduction to Robby Stein(04:46) Google's recent success with AI(06:08) The evolution of Google Search(09:41) AI Mode and its impact(15:30) The rise of AEO(18:50) Building successful AI products(21:31)   Embodying relentless improvement(30:10) Lessons from Instagram Stories(35:20) Driving growth in established products(40:08) Balancing optimization and innovation(43:39) The journey of AI Mode: From launch to expansion(48:05) Organizational changes and urgency(49:51) AI Mode vs. competitors(51:35) Core product principles(57:07) Instagram's Close Friends feature(01:03:01) The importance of resources in development(01:06:39) AI corner(01:11:19) Curiosity and learning(01:15:01) Lightning round and final thoughts—Referenced:• Google Gemini: https://gemini.google.com/app• Nano Banana: https://aistudio.google.com/models/gemini-2-5-flash-image• Chat GPT: https://chatgpt.com/• Perplexity: https://www.perplexity.ai/• Google Lens: https://lens.google/• AI Google search: https://www.google.com/ai• Why ChatGPT will be the next big growth channel (and how to capitalize on it) | Brian Balfour (Reforge): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/why-chatgpt-will-be-the-next-big-growth-channel-brian-balfour• Alex Rampell on X: https://x.com/arampell• A 4-step framework for building delightful products | Nesrine Changuel (Spotify, Google, Skype): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/a-4-step-framework-for-building-delightful-products• Look broader, look closer, think younger: Tony Fadell speaks at TED2015: https://blog.ted.com/look-broader-look-closer-think-younger-tony-fadell-speaks-at-ted2015/• Jobs to Be Done: https://www.christenseninstitute.org/theory/jobs-to-be-done/• The ultimate guide to JTBD | Bob Moesta (co-creator of the framework): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-ultimate-guide-to-jtbd-bob-moesta• Rinstagram or Finstagram? The curious duality of the modern Instagram user: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/sep/26/rinstagram-finstagram-instagram-accounts• V03: https://v03ai.com/• Pirate GPT: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/silentmeditation/pirate-gpt/• The Bear on Hulu: https://www.hulu.com/series/the-bear-05eb6a8e-90ed-4947-8c0b-e6536cbddd5f• Dune on HBO Max: https://www.hbomax.com/movies/dune/e7dc7b3a-a494-4ef1-8107-f4308aa6bbf7• Top Gun: Maverick: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1745960/• Purple pillows: https://purple.com/pillows• Avocado pillow: https://www.avocadogreenmattress.com/products/green-pillow• Justin Bieber's website: https://www.justinbiebermusic.com/• Scooter Braun's website: https://scooterbraun.com/—Recommended books:• Competing Against Luck: The Story of Innovation and Customer Choice: https://www.amazon.com/Competing-Against-Luck-Innovation-Customer/dp/0062435612• The Design of Everyday Things: https://www.amazon.com/Design-Everyday-Things-Revised-Expanded/dp/0465050654• Aurora: https://www.amazon.com/Aurora-High-Stakes-Survival-Navigate-Darkness/dp/0062916475• Project Hail Mary: https://www.amazon.com/Project-Hail-Mary-Andy-Weir/dp/0593135202—Production and marketing by https://penname.co/. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email podcast@lennyrachitsky.com.—Lenny may be an investor in the companies discussed. To hear more, visit www.lennysnewsletter.com

Ex-Google GBP Director Brad Wetherall Reveals Expert Tips to Optimize your Google Business Profile and Leverage AI for Maximum Local SEO Impact Are you future proofing your Google Business Profile for AI? In Part Two of Bob's interview with Brad Wetherall, former Google Director and CEO of the GBP Experts, we explore how AI is transforming local SEO. With over a decade at Google, Brad shares behind-the-scenes insights on how your business listing impacts both traditional search and Google's AI-driven results like AI Overviews. Learn what actions you need to take now to stay competitive in the evolving local search landscape. What You'll Learn How Google's AI uses GBP data to surface local businesses in AI Overviews and Search The 5 must-do GBP optimizations to boost ranking and AI visibility Why review volume and recency matter more than ever and how to outpace competitors Want to know how your Google Business Profile stacks up? Get a free GBP audit at LocalSEOTactics.com and discover what's holding you back in local search and AI rankings.  https://www.localseotactics.com/how-ai-is-changing-google-business-profiles-gbp-expert-insights-from-former-google-director-brad-wetherall Check out Brad here:

Search is changing faster than most PR professionals realize. For years, SEO was about keywords and backlinks. Now, with AI-driven tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity shaping how people find information, the game is shifting to AEO (Answer Engine Optimization).Instead of tricking algorithms, brands need to prove expertise, authority, and trustworthiness at every turn. To stay discoverable, we need to craft smarter prompts, produce content that actually engages, and choose the right AI tools for visibility. AI is rewriting the rules of credibility and your PR efforts might get left behind. Listen For5:32 What's the difference between SEO, AEO, and GEO?8:32 Is Google losing its dominance in the search space to tools like ChatGPT?11:24 Can AI-generated thought leadership be trusted?13:28How should PR professionals train AI tools to deliver better content results?18:19 Answer to Last Episode's Question from Susana MendozaGuest: Jonathan MastWebsite | Email | X | Facebook Rate this podcast with just one click Stories and Strategies WebsiteCurzon Public Relations WebsiteAre you a brand with a podcast that needs support? Book a meeting with Doug Downs to talk about it.Apply to be a guest on the podcastConnect with usLinkedIn | X | Instagram | You Tube | Facebook | Threads | Bluesky | PinterestRequest a transcript of this episodeSupport the show

What happens when Google shifts from being a search engine to an answer engine?

Answer Engine Optimization affects both brand building and demand generation simultaneously. Guy Yalif, VP of Growth at Webflow, has developed enterprise frameworks for maintaining visual brand consistency while optimizing for AI-driven search results. The discussion covers implementing structured brand guidelines that serve both human users and machine learning algorithms, plus Webflow's AEO maturity assessment framework spanning content, technical, authority, and measurement categories.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“How are we going to show up in LLMs?”  That's the new CEO question keeping B2B CMOs on alert. As AI-powered search reshapes how buyers find answers, B2B brands need a new organic strategy—Answer Engine Optimization (AEO). In this episode, Drew Neisser brings together two AEO trailblazers: Guy Yalif (Webflow) and Omer Gottlieb (Salespeak). Together, they tackle what it really takes to earn your place in AI answers. Forget keyword stuffing—this is about understanding how LLMs ingest, rank, and cite information, and how B2B marketers can respond now. You'll learn how to earn placement in AI-generated answers by mastering the four pillars of AEO: Content: Answer real buyer questions clearly and concisely.  Technical: Make your site machine-readable.  Authority: Earn credibility where buyers AND models are looking.  Measurement: Track share of voice across critical questions, then iterate. Also in this episode:  What LLMs want—but often can't find—on B2B websites  How to build a question-driven content strategy using sales calls, support tickets, and win-loss data.  Why share of voice (across buyer questions) is the new metric for AI visibility.  How to serve two audiences at once: humans and machines 

Two service pros, same service, same price, same city… so why does AI recommend them and not you? Here's the truth. AI doesn't guess. It chooses the clearer, safer, more repeated name. This is where answer engine optimization (AEO) meets your daily reality as a service pro. In 2025, SEO alone won't save you. Generative engine optimization, AI discovery, and digital networking are now the trails that decide who gets chosen. In this episode of the Branding Momentum podcast, you'll learn how AI makes the tie-break between you and a competitor: • How to make your niche and specialty crystal clear so both AI search and humans know exactly what you do • Why consistency across LinkedIn, your website, podcasts, and transcripts teaches AI to connect the dots• Where to show up through digital networking—guest podcasts, collaborations, newsletters, articles, and communities—so your name travels further • Why one collaboration multiplies your visibility across feeds, YouTube clips, blogs, and transcripts faster than twenty solo posts in your own bubble If you've been visible but not chosen, this is the missing piece. I'm Veronica Di Polo, a marketing strategist based in Moraira, Spain, helping service-based business owners get leads with words that sell. _______________________  

85% of OpenAI citations were updated in the last 10 months, making content freshness critical for AI optimization. Guy Yalif, Webflow's SEO leader, partnered with AirOps to 5x content refresh speed, achieving 42% traffic lift and 4x higher conversions. The discussion covers strategic content refresh frameworks that prioritize frequency over volume, accuracy optimization for both on-site and off-site content, and the convergence of AEO and traditional SEO strategies for enterprise-scale content operations.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"ChatGPT is not that sophisticated yet. So for marketers, what that means is there are real ways right now for arbitrage in this short period of time before ChatGPT gets good enough to say, no, we're only showing the proper result."Mac King from Domaine breaks down why merchants are seeing ChatGPT and Perplexity show up as referral sources in their analytics—and what to do about it. We talked about the terminology wars (GEO vs AEO vs AI search optimization), why AI engines favor content from Google's 10th page, and the Reddit strategies that actually work without getting banned.SPONSORSSwym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & moregetswym.com/kurtCleverific - Smart order editing for Shopifycleverific.comZipify - Build high-converting sales funnelszipify.com/KURTLINKSDomaine AI Commerce Suite: https://www.meetdomaine.com/insights/domaine-news/domaine-launches-ai-commerce-suiteMac King on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mackenziepking/Mac King on Twitter: https://x.com/MacKing/Profound (tracking tool): https://www.tryprofound.com/Shopify Knowledge Base app: https://apps.shopify.com/shopify-knowledge-baseSEOFOMO newsletter: https://seofomo.co/Commerce GPT newsletter: https://www.yotpo.com/commerce-gpt/WORK WITH KURTApply for Shopify Helpethercycle.com/applySee Our Resultsethercycle.com/workFree Newsletterkurtelster.comThe Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

In episode 580 of the Lawyerist Podcast, Zack sits down with Jake Soffer, CEO and founder of FirmPilot, to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping law firm marketing. Forget generic blog posts and robotic content, Jake shares how FirmPilot uses AI and data science to build smarter, measurable strategies that actually attract clients.  You'll hear how law firms can leverage AI beyond parlor tricks, why “moonshine marketing” doesn't cut it anymore, and what lawyers need to know about AEO (AI Engine Optimization) versus traditional SEO. Zack and Jake also discuss the future of client search behavior, how to avoid overhyping trends, and why sticking to fundamentals will always matter.  If you're curious about using AI in your practice, but don't want to waste time on gimmicks, this episode will give you a roadmap to experiment wisely, protect your marketing investment, and grow sustainably.  Listen to our other episodes on Law Firm Marketing, Growth and AI:  #577: Rethinking Law Firm Growth in the Age of AI, with Sam Harden Apple | Spotify | LTN #550: Beyond Content: How AI is Changing Law Firm Marketing, with Gyi Tsakalakis & Conrad Saam Apple | Spotify | LTN #434: Leverage AI to Stay Ahead, with Greg Siskind Apple | Spotify | LTN   If today's podcast resonates with you and you haven't read The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited yet, get the first chapter right now for free! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you.    Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com.  Chapters:  0:00 – Introduction with Zack Glaser 1:27 – Meet Jake Soffer of FirmPilot 2:17 – How AI Is Changing Legal Marketing 3:12 – Data-Driven Law Firm Growth 4:46 – The Limits of ChatGPT Content 7:12 – Building Smarter AI Workflows 9:23 – AEO, GEO, and the Future of Search 11:59 – Why Fundamentals Still Matter 14:45 – Writing for AI vs. Writing for Clients 17:05 – First Steps for Lawyers Using AI 18:33 – Do Your Research Before Choosing Tools 19:10 – Where to Find FirmPilot 

The era of AI has brought about a drastic shift in online user behavior. It's also ushered in a new consideration for elevating your brand across digital platforms.In this episode of Politely Pushy, Jennifer Devine from Freshwater Creative unpacks the nuances, importance, and implementation of SEO, GEO, and AEO.

How Answer Engine Optimization is Replacing SEO In The Age Of AI Search The search landscape is shifting from SEO to AEO as AI-driven tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google Gemini reshape how users find information. In this episode of Local SEO Tactics, Kasim Aslam shares groundbreaking data on how LLMs rank and cite sources, why schema markup now matters more than backlinks, and how small businesses can build authority in this new era of search. What You'll Learn  Why Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is not the same as SEO How schema markup and Reddit content influence AI-driven results What local businesses must do now to build authority in AI search engines Get a free copy of Kasim's AEO Blueprint at AEO.co, and subscribe to Local SEO Tactics to stay ahead in the rapidly changing world of digital marketing. https://www.localseotactics.com/kasim-aslam-reveals-how-to-rank-in-ai-the-truth-about-aeo-and-llm/

You've probably seen people on TikTok say GEO is the new SEO. But here's the problem… most of them are mixing up two completely different GEOs. One is Generative Engine Optimization, how AI engines like ChatGPT decide who to recommend. The other is geo-positioning, making sure your service and location actually show up together online. Both matter. And if you don't get this straight, you'll stay invisible in 2025. In this episode of Branding Momentum, I'm breaking down: The difference between GEO, AEO, and SEO (and why service pros can't ignore them) Why AI doesn't care about your Instagram if your service and city aren't paired clearly A simple real-world example of who AI chooses first… and who gets erased

Ethan Smith is the CEO of Graphite—the leading SEO growth agency—and my go-to expert on SEO. After 18 years of mastering traditional SEO, Ethan has been at the forefront of what is called AEO: answer engine optimization, or, more simply, getting your product to show up in ChatGPT/Claude/Gemini/Perplexity answers. He's discovered that ChatGPT traffic converts six times better than Google search—and most companies are completely missing this opportunity.In our conversation, we discuss:1. His 7-step playbook to rank #1 in ChatGPT2. Why ChatGPT traffic converts 6x better than Google3. How early-stage startups can win at AEO immediately (unlike with SEO, which takes years)4. The three tactics that actually work: landing pages, YouTube videos, and Reddit comments5. Why help-center content can suddenly be your highest-ROI investment6. The specific Reddit strategy that works (spoiler: be authentic)7. Why AI-generated content doesn't work—Brought to you by:Orkes—The enterprise platform for reliable applications and agentic workflowsVanta—Automate compliance. Simplify security.Great Question—Empower everyone to run great research—Where to find Ethan Smith:• Twitter: https://twitter.com/ethan_l_s• LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ethans-linkedin• Graphite: https://graphite.io/• Graphite Research Papers: https://bit.ly/graphite-five-percent—Where to find Lenny:• Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com• X: https://twitter.com/lennysan• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/—In this episode, we cover:(00:00) Welcome back, Ethan(04:34) The changing landscape of SEO(06:19) AEO (answer engine optimization) vs. GEO (generative engine optimization)(08:13) The impact of AEO(11:51) How early-stage startups can win at AEO(14:34) The quality of AEO leads(15:35) On-site vs. off-site traffic(16:32) Reddit's role in AEO and avoiding spam(20:11) How AI models use citations (RAG)(21:41) Key principles for winning at AEO(25:00) Avoiding hyper-SEOed content, and the importance of originality(28:55) Actionable AEO playbook: steps and experiments(33:35) Tracking, measuring, and share of voice(38:34) Adapting AEO for B2B, commerce, and early-stage companies(41:11) Is letting AI index your content good?(43:06) Experimentation, control groups, and measuring results(46:15) The future of AEO, SEO, and search channels(51:35) AI-generated content: what works and what doesn't(55:25) The dangers of infinite AI derivatives(58:44) The future: convergence of LLMs and search(01:00:40) Help-center optimization and the long tail(01:03:18) Lightning round and final thoughts—Resources and episode mentions: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-ultimate-guide-to-aeo-ethan-smith—Production and marketing by https://penname.co/. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email podcast@lennyrachitsky.com.—Lenny may be an investor in the companies discussed. To hear more, visit www.lennysnewsletter.com