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In this episode, I talk about the massive shift from traditional social media to "interest media" and what it means for your marketing strategy in 2026. I encourage you to stop relying on fake reports and start focusing on actualized reach through organic social creative. I also discuss the power of LinkedIn for B2B and why you need to stop wasting working media dollars on creative that hasn't been proven. You'll learn about:The transition from Social Media to Interest MediaHow to build and utilize a "Mid-Funnel" strategyThe role of a "Veditor" in modern marketingWhy LinkedIn is the best ad product for B2BPreparing for the GEO and AEO revolution
In this episode of The Ross Simmonds Show, Ross sits down with Mike King, founder of iPullRank, to unpack the seismic shift from traditional SEO to AI search, AEO, and GEO, and why framing it as "just SEO" is quietly costing teams budget, influence, and growth. Together, they break down the Google leak, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), content ecosystems, and what separates operators from spectators in the next era of search. Key Takeaways and Insights: 1. SEO vs. AEO vs. GEO: why it's not "just SEO" -The tactics SEOs talked about for years are now mandatory in AI search,and AI platforms evaluate your entire content ecosystem, not just your website. -Calling AI search "just SEO" limits budget, authority, and strategic ownership before the conversation even starts. 2. The C-suite perspective most SEOs miss -Executives are already asking why their brand doesn't appear in ChatGPT, and AI search carries trillion-dollar narratives that traditional SEO never did. -Teams that frame this as a new growth channel are the ones unlocking real investment. 3.Why video is a high-leverage AI search play YouTube is one of the most cited sources in AI-generated answers,and AI search rewards consensus across formats, from video and Reddit to PR and editorial. Starting with five strategic videos in an underserved topic cluster, then repurposing aggressively, is one of the highest-ROI moves available right now. 4.How AI search actually works: RAG and query fan-out explained -AI search uses retrieval-augmented generation: prompts expand into synthetic sub-queries, each with their own format expectations. -The more relevant passages a brand owns across formats, the more chances it has to be cited, think of it as accumulating raffle tickets. 5. Measuring AI search performance the right way -There are three metric buckets that matter, performance, channel, and input. Most teams are only tracking one. -Input metrics like synthetic query rankings, passage relevance, entity salience, and bot activity are where the real diagnostic power lives. 6. Real AI workflows inside iPullRank -The team is building internal tools with Gemini and AI Studio, including automating internal linking through vectorization combined with human business rules. -AI handles the minutiae ,humans make the strategic calls, and that efficiency is the hedge against client scrutiny over the next two years. 7. Programmatic SEO, why most sites tank -Google is indexing less and testing content performance faster, and high bounce rates signal UX failure, not an AI penalty. -Recovery demands tight topical authority and, in many cases, new URL structures and full content audits. 8. Building a career that survives the next five years -Technical AI fluency is no longer optional, and content alone is now a free commodity, the leverage is in systems and engineering. -Operators beat theorists. The next generation of SEOs must ship, not just strategize. 9. Creativity, code, and AI as an artist -Writing rhymes and writing code pull from the same creative muscles,and AI works best as a feedback loop, not a ghostwriter. -The real risk isn't AI, it's lazy implementation. Tools expand creative possibility; they don't replace taste. 10. Relevance engineering,building a new category -AI search needs new frameworks, not retrofitted SEO tactics, and creating a named methodology positions a brand above commodity vendors. -Owning a concept, building authority around it, and ranking for your own category is a long game worth playing. Resources & Tools:
In Part 2 of my conversation with Brooke Gramer, we shift from voice and branding into something even bigger — the future of search and AI-driven commerce.What happens when AI starts shopping for your customers?We explore agentic commerce, GPT updates, model selection, and where AI should never replace human judgment. We also talk about the guardrails business owners need as AI becomes more embedded in workflows.If you sell online — especially on Shopify — this episode will stretch your thinking.Because the future of SEO isn't just rankings. It's recommendations.✨ Key Takeaways:Use AI After You've Learned the Skill — Not Instead of ItAI should accelerate mastery, not replace it.Always Keep a Human in the LoopFrom legal citations to ecommerce workflows, oversight matters.Agentic Commerce Is Emerging — Not Fully AutonomousAI agents still require permission checkpoints and clarification.Model Settings MatterDeep research mode, updated models, and custom GPT guardrails change output quality dramatically.Voice Search Is Coming Faster Than You ThinkThe future of search may be conversational and voice-first.
We check in with Ross Cockerham about Punchmark's sprint into faster payments, a rebuilt Vendor Marketing Library, and a shift to a proactive client strategy. Along the way we talk AEO, rising AoVs, and why human support still drives the biggest wins.Send a text Send feedback or learn more about the podcast: punchmark.com/loupe Learn about Punchmark's website platform: punchmark.com Inquire about sponsoring In the Loupe and showcase your business on our next episode: podcast@punchmark.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niLFK8PzZfA .entry-img img{ display:none !important; } .single .hentry .entry-img{ display:none !important; } https://open.spotify.com/episode/2k0Q4tIQThBIQZ5cCfz5nq In today's M&A landscape, the businesses that achieve premium valuations are rarely those with the best numbers alone. They are the ones with brands that command trust, preference, and pricing power. Yet, brand equity is still one of the least understood and least quantified assets in most deals, often buried in a vague goodwill line and ignored in negotiation. For CFOs, founders, and deal professionals, learning how to value brand equity in an M&A deal has become essential to avoiding underpriced exits and capturing the full economic value of what has been built over years, if not decades. In this episode of The GrowCFO Show, host Kevin Appleby tackles a topic that is rapidly becoming mission-critical in corporate transactions: how to value brand equity in an M&A deal. Traditional deal models lean heavily on EBITDA multiples, revenue, and tangible assets, often sweeping brands into a vague “goodwill” bucket. Yet buyers are truly paying for demand, pricing power, and confidence in future cash flows, all of which are heavily influenced by brand equity. Failing to quantify this asset means many sellers unintentionally give away a significant portion of what they have built. To unpack this, Kevin is joined by Stevey Arroyo, Founder & Partner at The Brand Exit, who explains how a brand can be transformed from something “soft” and aesthetic into a measurable, auditable financial asset. Drawing on ISO 10668 and practical M&A experience, Stevey shows how tools like relief-from-royalty and replacement cost can be used to calculate brand value, justify premium multiples, and de-risk post-deal cash flows. For CFOs, founders, and deal professionals preparing for an exit or acquisition, the discussion offers a structured pathway to turning perceived brand value into defensible numbers that stand up in due diligence and negotiations. Key topics covered: Why treating brand equity as indistinct “goodwill” leads to incomplete valuations and allows sophisticated buyers to capture unpriced upside in M&A deals. How ISO 10668 and the relief-from-royalty approach can convert brand equity into a concrete number using projected revenues, replacement cost, discount rates, and market value assumptions. The role of brand in driving demand, pricing power, and quality of earnings, and why these factors often justify a higher multiple than the standard industry benchmark. Why effective exits start years in advance, with brand audits, evidence-building, and linkage of metrics like CAC, LTV, and ROAS to enterprise value, rather than last-minute positioning. How AI, SEO, and “answer engine optimization” (AEO) are reshaping discoverability, and why being the most specific, trusted brand in a crowded market will increasingly drive both deal flow and valuation. Case examples, from specialist properties to Pimlico Plumbers and Apple, illustrate how targeting the right buyer and properly articulating brand equity can multiply deal value well beyond the underlying assets. Links Stevey Arroyo on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn GrowCFO Mentoring Timestamps: 00:00:00 – 00:05:00 – Kevin introduces the importance of valuing brand equity in M&A and welcomes guest Stevey Arroyo, who outlines his journey from creative agencies to brand-focused M&A. 00:05:00 – 00:15:00 – Why brand is more than logos and design; how brand equity sits behind customer preference, demand, and the very ability to sell a business versus a look alike competitor. 00:15:00 – 00:25:00 – Breakdown of ISO 10668, relief-from-royalty, replacement value, and market value—how these methods turn a brand into a certified, auditable asset in deals. 00:25:00 – 00:35:00 – Exit readiness and due diligence: brand audits, building a multi‑year “log of proof,” and linking marketing metrics to the de‑risking of future cash flows. 00:35:00 – 00:46:00 – AI-driven discoverability, examples like Pimlico Plumbers, and how both buyers and sellers can use brand equity strategically to identify bargains or justify a premium sale. Find out more about GrowCFO If you enjoyed this podcast, you can subscribe to the GrowCFO Show with your favorite podcast app. The GrowCFO show is listed in the Apple podcast directory, Spotify and many others. Why not subscribe there today? That way, you never miss an episode. GrowCFO is a great place to extend your professional network. Join GrowCFO as a free member today and participate in our regular networking events and webinars. Premium members can also access our extensive training center and CFO Digital Toolkit. You can enroll in our flagship Future CFO or Finance Leader programs here. You can find out more and join today at growcfo.net
Eoin Clancy (VP of Growth at AirOps), Connor Beaulieu (Senior SEO Manager at LegalZoom), and Adina Timar (Head of AEO at Weflow) join this live session to talk about how to create high-quality content with AI. Connor walks through a workflow his team built at LegalZoom to automatically source expert quotes.. Adina shows how she rebuilds competitor pages from scratch using sales calls, LLM data, and live competitor analysis. And Eoin shares the research behind why content quality is now the single biggest lever in AI search. If you want to see what content engineering actually looks like in practice, this one is for you. Join 50,0000 people who get Dave's Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletterLearn more about Exit Five's private marketing community: https://www.exitfive.com/***Brought to you by:AirOps - The content engineering platform that helps marketers create and maintain high-quality, on-brand content that wins AI search. Go to airops.com/exitfive to start creating content that reflects your expertise, stays true to your brand, and is engineered for performance across human and AI discovery.Customer.io - An AI powered customer engagement platform that help marketers turn first-party data into engaging customer experiences across email, SMS, and push. Learn more at customer.io/exitfive. Convertr - The enterprise lead data management platform that sits between your lead sources and your CRM, automatically validating, enriching, and standardizing every lead before it touches your systems. Check them out at convertr.io/exitfive.Compound Growth Marketing - A full-funnel demand generation agency that helps high-growth cybersecurity, DevOps, and enterprise software companies drive more pipeline through AI SEO, paid media, and go-to-market engineering. Visit compoundgrowthmarketing.com and tell them Dave sent you.***Thanks to my friends at hatch.fm for producing this episode and handling all of the Exit Five podcast production.They give you unlimited podcast editing and strategy for your B2B podcast.Get unlimited podcast editing and on-demand strategy for one low monthly cost. Just upload your episode, and they take care of the rest.Visit hatch.fm to learn more
We trace the fast shift from link-based search to AI-generated answers and show how that change reshapes content, measurement, and strategy. Connor Kimball of Cairrot shares data on LLM traffic surges, concrete AEO tactics, and how unified analytics reveals brand lift beyond referral clicks.• AI search replacing link lists with answers• AEO as the method, LLM visibility as the metric• Informational traffic down, transactional content up• Comparison and battle-card pages driving citations• GA4 and GSC integration for unified insights• Measuring halo effects across direct and organic• E‑E‑A‑T signals across site and profiles• Partner ecosystems and regulated-industry expertise• From LLM visibility to multimodal AI visibility• Agents and automated reporting speeding decisionsGuest Contact Information: Website: connorkimball.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/connor-kimballInstagram: instagram.com/connorkimballFacebook: facebook.com/connor.kimballMore from EWR and Matthew:Leave us a review wherever you listen: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Amazon PodcastFree SEO Consultation: www.ewrdigital.com/discovery-callWith over 5 million downloads, The Best SEO Podcast has been the go-to show for digital marketers, business owners, and entrepreneurs wanting real-world strategies to grow online. Now, host Matthew Bertram — creator of the LLM Visibility Stack™, and Lead Strategist at EWR Digital — takes the conversation beyond traditional SEO into the AI era of discoverability. Each week, Matthew dives into the tactics, frameworks, and insights that matter most in a world where search engines, large language models, and answer engines are reshaping how people find, trust, and choose businesses. From SEO and AI-driven marketing to executive-level growth strategy, you'll hear expert interviews, deep-dive discussions, and actionable strategies to help you stay ahead of the curve. Find more episodes here: youtube.com/@BestSEOPodcastbestseopodcast.combestseopodcast.buzzsprout.comFollow us on:Facebook: @bestseopodcastInstagram: @thebestseopodcastTiktok: @bestseopodcastLinkedIn: @bestseopodcastConnect With Matthew Bertram: Website: www.matthewbertram.comInstagram: @matt_bertram_liveLinkedIn: @mattbertramlivePowered by: ewrdigital.comSupport the show
Smart Agency Masterclass with Jason Swenk: Podcast for Digital Marketing Agencies
Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training AI is either the end of agencies… or the biggest opportunity we've had since the internet. Most agree it's the second one. Agencies that are winning right now are combining SEO, GEO, AEO, and LLM optimization so they show up everywhere decisions are being made. They're using AI to increase leverage, not replace thinking. And they're restructuring their teams around strategy, insight, and proprietary data instead of repetitive task work. Today's featured guest will discuss why SEO isn't dead (it just grew up), the biggest mistake agencies are making with AI, how to 10x output without adding headcount, and why your unique data is the unfair advantage that separates you from every other agency prompting ChatGPT and hoping for magic. Terry Zelen is the founder of Zelen Communications, a 35-year-old agency that pivoted aggressively into AI over the last three years. He's helping clients win visibility across both search engines and large language models (LLMs) and even building AI tools internally to reduce hallucinations and improve accuracy. Terry has a degree in marine biology, so marketing wasn't the master plan. After college, he tried breaking into the creative world with zero portfolio and got laughed out of the room; until one person gave him a shot. He worked for free, proved himself, connected with a freelance rep, and slowly worked his way up through the agency ranks. He eventually transitioned from freelancer to agency owner by acquiring his own accounts and building relationships locally in Tampa. Fast forward three decades and now he's helping clients navigate AI, LLM visibility, and what modern SEO really looks like. In this episode, we'll discuss: Why SEO is more complicated now, but agencies willing to adapt can still win How LLM visibility will win you business AI: The greatest leverage small businesses have ever had Building an AI consensus engine Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources This episode is brought to you by Wix Studio: If you're leveling up your team and your client experience, your site builder should keep up too. That's why successful agencies use Wix Studio — built to adapt the way your agency does: AI-powered site mapping, responsive design, flexible workflows, and scalable CMS tools so you spend less on plugins and more on growth. Ready to design faster and smarter? Go to wix.com/studio to get started. SEO Is Not Dead. It's Just Way More Complicated There's a lot of noise right now around "SEO is dead" or "zero-click internet." But that's an oversimplification. SEO isn't going away. It's evolving. Today, it's not just SEO. It's: GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) Local SEO EEAT (Experience, Expertise, Authority, Trust) Search intent In other words, visibility is the game. Not just ranking in Google, but showing up in LLMs like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity. Terry points out that while snippets and AI-generated summaries are increasing, people still want to verify sources. They're not buying a couch because an LLM told them it's the best. They'll still visit sites, compare options, and validate credibility. Backlinks, structured content, schema, quality. It all still matters. What's different is that now you're playing the game with Google and the LLMs. How LLM Visibility Actually Wins Business This isn't theoretical. Terry shared a story of a client who builds modular classroom buildings. A school district searched for "best mobile building producer in Florida" and the client showed up in a snippet. That visibility led directly to a new contract. So you're no longer optimizing just for rankings. You're optimizing to be the referenced authority when AI generates an answer. That means you better have structured content, clear positioning, backlinks, authority signals, and presence on surfaces LLMs scrape (including platforms like Reddit, though that's evolving). The agencies that understand this shift can bolt on new services like AI SEO or GEO and, in some cases, significantly increase revenue. But there's a catch. This space is evolving fast. What works today might not work next quarter. That's why Terry avoids gray-hat tactics and focuses on fundamentals. AI Is the Greatest Leverage Small Agencies Have Ever Had Terry believes this might be the most exciting time ever for small agencies because AI has eliminated barriers that used to require massive budgets. When a small restaurant client wanted a red snapper on a black background for their website, stock photography didn't cut it and real shoot would've required a diver, photographer, cooperative fish and a significant budget. Instead, they used Midjourney to create the image. Then they animated it so the fins and gills subtly moved. The client was blown away. For a small restaurant, this level of visual production used to be impossible. Now it's affordable and scalable. That's the opportunity. Agencies can deliver higher-quality creative, faster, and at lower cost if they know how to use the tools. A Very Real Fear for Future Marketers Terry regularly speaks to marketing students who are worried AI will take their jobs. What he tells them is that AI won't take your job, but someone who knows how to use AI will. The key is not blind reliance. It's intelligent leverage. AI is excellent at: Research Proposal drafting Competitive analysis First drafts of content Summarizing data What used to take weeks can now take hours. That frees your team from repetitive, dreaded tasks and allows them to focus on strategy, creativity, and client impact. But there's a danger in over-reliance. Too many agencies are slapping "AI" on everything without adding original thinking or proprietary data. Your edge isn't that you use AI. Your edge is your data. Every agency has unique client data, performance metrics, positioning, and experience. When you combine that with AI, that's where real leverage happens. Building a Consensus Engine to Reduce AI Hallucinations One of the more advanced things Terry is experimenting with is what he calls a "consensus engine." The problem with LLMs is that they're probabilistic, not deterministic. Ask the same question twice and you'll get two slightly different answers. They also hallucinate. To combat this, Terry built a workflow using N8N (a Zapier-like automation tool) that runs content through multiple LLMs. One writes it. Another critiques it. The final output must pass both systems before it's considered valid. If they disagree, it's sent back through with adjusted parameters. He's also exploring how different LLMs perform best in different roles: Perplexity for real-time research ChatGPT for writing Claude for programming Instead of treating AI as one tool, he's assembling a stack of specialized tools. That mindset shift, thinking like a systems architect instead of a prompt typist, is what separates surface-level AI use from strategic advantage. Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset? Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.
How can AI Copywriting help Martin Booth, who has worked as a journalist and copywriter, but traditional clients are turning to large language models to draft their copy nowadays? An answer emerges during the conversation.Summary of PodcastThe rise of AI copywritingMartin shares his perspective on the growing impact of AI tools like ChatGPT on the copywriting industry. He explains how clients are increasingly turning to AI-generated content, which has reduced the demand for his services. The group discusses strategies for copywriters to adapt and remain relevant in this changing landscape.Opportunity in Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO)Graham introduces the concept of Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) as a potential solution for copywriters to differentiate themselves. He explains AI copywriting is how AEO focuses on crafting content that is optimised for how AI language models like ChatGPT search and surface information, rather than traditional search engine optimisation (SEO) tactics. The group explores the technical and creative aspects of AEO, and the potential for Martin to position himself as an expert in this emerging field.Recap and next stepsKevin and Graham summarise the key insights from the discussion, emphasising the need for copywriters to adapt to the changing landscape and leverage AI tools in strategic ways. They express optimism about Martin's ability to capitalise on the AEO opportunity and become a thought leader in this space.The Next 100 Days Podcast Co-HostsGraham ArrowsmithGraham founded Finely Fettled eleven years ago to help businesses market to affluent and high-net-worth customers. He's the founder of MicroYES, a Partner of MeclabsAI, providing AI Agents, Workflows and Phone to Agent delivery systems. Now, Graham offers Answer Engine Optimisation so you get found by LLM search and Enterprise-level AI Solutions.Kevin ApplebyKevin specialises in finance transformation and implementing business change. He's the COO of GrowCFO, which provides both community and CPD-accredited training designed to grow the next generation of finance leaders. You can find Kevin on LinkedIn and at kevinappleby.comNOTE: Here's What Claude ThinksWhy copywriters are well-positioned:LLMs don't just scrape keywords; they evaluate coherence, clarity, and authoritative structureAnswer engines prioritise content that demonstrates expertise through well-reasoned arguments, not just SEO tricksCopywriters understand persuasion architecture - how to build credible cases that convince readers (and now, AI systems evaluating on behalf of readers)Direct response copywriters especially understand question-answer flow and anticipating objections - precisely what LLMs look for when synthesising answersThe critical shift required:Traditional copywriting optimises for human conversionAEO copywriting must optimise for AI comprehension then human conversionThis means explicit structure: clear topic sentences, logical progression, supporting evidence, contextual markersLess "clever" wordplay, more semantic clarity and entity relationshipsWhere copywriters have genuine advantage over AI-generated content:Domain expertise translation - taking complex client knowledge and structuring it authoritativelyEvidence marshaling - knowing which proofs, testimonials, data points establish credibilityQuestion anticipation - your direct response background means you already think in terms of buyer journey questionsUnderstanding what makes content citable and quotable by LLMsThe reality check: Those copywriters who were primarily executing formulaic landing pages or generic blog content were always vulnerable to AI displacement. But copywriters who can architect information authority - structuring expertise so AI engines recognise and cite it - that's a defensible, valuable skill.You're essentially asking: "Can craftspeople who've been building for human readers pivot to building for AI intermediaries who serve human readers?" The answer is yes, because the fundamental skill - persuasive information architecture - transfers directly.
Chris Long (formerly at Go Fish Digital, now co-founder of Nectiv Digital) explains how AI is reshaping search from two angles: (1) operational automation (briefs, research, internal linking, refresh workflows) and (2) shifting buyer behavior, where people increasingly start discovery in LLMs and use Google more as a verification / reputation check. He demos how MCP connectors let you query Ahrefs and Google Analytics conversationally (often in Claude), then blend datasets to generate competitive insights, keyword clustering, and strategy gaps—without living inside traditional dashboards.Timestamps0:00 — Intro: SEO vs AEO/GEO and why AI is changing the game0:20 — Two AI impacts: automating SEO work + changing how buyers discover products1:50 — Google becomes “verification” while LLMs become discovery (especially in B2B)3:00 — “WebMCP” concept: standard rails so agents can reliably take actions on websites5:25 — Optimizing for agents (treating them like VIP visitors) and what that means for sites6:15 — Why LLM/agent usage is hard to measure (clicks vs logs vs self-reported attribution)10:00 — Nective's “build first” approach: tools/workflows before hiring more people14:00 — Demo: Ahrefs MCP in Claude for competitor insights + content strategy patterns27:45 — Demo: Google Analytics MCP (and why it's a relief vs GA4's interface)35:50 — Blending Ahrefs + GA data to generate strategy gaps and page ideas39:00 — AEO tooling landscape: LLM trackers (Profound, Athena) + automation (n8n, AirOps)41:15 — Autonomous agents (OpenClaw) and the future of “persistent” task completion45:15 — Where to find Chris (LinkedIn + Nective Digital)Tools & technologies mentionedSEO / AEO / GEO — Approaches to improving visibility in traditional search and AI-generated answers.LLMs (Large Language Models) — Used for research/discovery; increasingly the first stop before Google.Agents / Agentic browsing — Software that navigates websites and completes actions (forms, carts, checkout).WebMCP (as discussed) — Structured markup/standardization so agents can precisely interact with site elements.MCP (Model Context Protocol connectors) — Connectors that let AI query external tools via natural language.Ahrefs — SEO data platform (traffic estimates, backlinks, top pages, competitor research).Claude (web + Claude Code) — Used for data-heavy work and debugging MCP setups.ChatGPT — Mentioned as preferred for more knowledge-based tasks compared to data analysis.Google Analytics 4 (GA4) — Web analytics; MCP access can reduce reliance on the GA4 UI.Server access logs — Useful for identifying agent/bot activity not visible in standard analytics reports.BigQuery — Intermediary data warehouse for querying analytics data more flexibly.Slack — Used for capturing “how did you hear about us?” attribution signals.Profound — LLM visibility/brand mention tracking tool.Athena — Another LLM visibility tracker discussed as more data-driven/scalable.n8n — Workflow automation for content engineering pipelines.AirOps — Automation/content workflow tooling mentioned alongside n8n.OpenClaw — Referenced as an autonomous agent tool example.Subscribe at thisnewway.com to get the step-by-step playbooks, tools, and workflows.
You've probably heard of search engine optimization, or SEO. That's what you need to do to get your shoe brand or your coffee shop or your public radio show picked up and pushed out by a search engine. Now, with more people using AI to search for things, these brands have to work on what's being called AEO, or "answer engine optimization." When someone asks Chat GPT "where do I get good coffee in Baltimore?" Your brand shows up. Marketplace's Stephanie Hughes spoke with Erin Griffith, a reporter at the New York Times, about what companies can do to make the AI look their way.
You've probably heard of search engine optimization, or SEO. That's what you need to do to get your shoe brand or your coffee shop or your public radio show picked up and pushed out by a search engine. Now, with more people using AI to search for things, these brands have to work on what's being called AEO, or "answer engine optimization." When someone asks Chat GPT "where do I get good coffee in Baltimore?" Your brand shows up. Marketplace's Stephanie Hughes spoke with Erin Griffith, a reporter at the New York Times, about what companies can do to make the AI look their way.
What if the reason your marketing "isn't working" these days isn't your team — but your strategy? In today's environment, buyers are changing faster than most companies can keep up. Sales teams are frustrated. Leads are down. And what used to work suddenly doesn't. The real issue? Most organizations are still operating with outdated assumptions about how to turn their prospects into customers. In this episode, Rachel sits down with Karen Hayward, Managing Partner & CMO at Chief Outsiders and author of Stop Random Acts of Marketing, to unpack what modern growth really requires — and why CEOs must reclaim ownership of it. Karen brings more than 20 years of experience advising Fortune 1,000 and mid-market companies. At Chief Outsiders, she leads a team of 40-plus CMOs and CSOs, helping organizations align sales and marketing around the voice of the customer to accelerate revenue. She's a Vistage and TEC-certified speaker, guest lecturer, and trusted advisor to CEOs and private equity leaders ready to build growth engines in today's marketplace. In this episode, Karen breaks down how to replace marketing chaos with a disciplined strategy. The Modern Buyer Has Changed — Has Your Strategy? Today's landscape paints a generationally different picture of consumer behavior than the one many of us grew up with. Nearly 65% of B2B buyers are now Millennials or Gen Z. They research independently. They distrust early sales engagement. They want rep-free or digital-first buying experiences. And increasingly, they're discovering companies through AI platforms. If your growth engine still relies on cold outreach and traditional sales funnels, you're misaligned with how today's customers actually want to buy. Karen explains that marketing now owns the majority of the funnel. Her advice? Start with the voice of the customer. Interview recent wins and losses. Identify what customers truly value — not what you assume they value. Then align positioning, messaging, and sales enablement around that insight. From Random Acts to Real Results One of the most common mistakes Karen sees? Companies executing disconnected tactics without a cohesive strategy. Instead, she urges leaders to focus on three foundational pillars: Deep customer insight Clear competitive positioning Honest understanding of company strengths Only then should you invest in acquisition. Karen also shares tactical wins leaders can implement immediately: Record discovery calls and use AI to tighten proposal alignment Run an AEO grader report to evaluate how AI platforms see your business Build robust FAQ content based on real buyer questions The throughline? Discipline over randomness. Marketing remains full of engagement metrics and busy dashboards, but true success relies on measurable growth. Enjoy this episode with Karen Hayward… Soundbytes 09:21 – 09:32 "About 65%-plus of B2B buyers today are millennial or Gen Z. And they buy drastically differently than baby boomers do." 37:46 – 38:30 "By the time the salesperson gets engaged, you have very little time to build trust. So how do you coach yourself to get better on the at-bats that you have given how little time you have? So the one thing I would do with the sales team, or with BD people, or with founders, or with you — if you're talking to clients — is I would record the initial conversation with the client and understand what their needs are. I would record that. And then I would send a follow-up email to them with a summary of what they said, and I'd ask them to correct me." Quotes "Marketing now owns most of the sales and marketing funnel." "Stop doing random acts of marketing and hoping something works." "You can't rely on your sales force to tell you why you're winning and losing." "Open the door and ask about them first." "Engagement doesn't pay payroll." Links mentioned in this episode: From Our Guest Website: https://www.chiefoutsiders.com/profile/karen-hayward Phone: 650-823-4292 Connect with Karen Hayward on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenhaywardcmo/ Connect with brandiD Find out how top leaders are increasing their authority, impact, and income online. Listen to our private podcast, The Professional Presence Podcast: https://thebrandid.com/professional-presence-podcast Ready to elevate your digital presence with a powerful brand or website? Contact us here: https://thebrandid.com/contact-form/
In this episode of Building the Billion Dollar Business, Ray Sclafani delivers a direct message to advisory firms. Market appreciation is not the same as real growth. When AUM climbs because of a bull market, it may boost revenue, but it does not automatically build enterprise value.Ray challenges firms to separate capital market lift from true organic growth. Real growth comes from net new relationships, expanded wallet share, stronger engagement, and intentional investments in business development and marketing.He outlines the practical shifts the best firms make, including tracking net new assets accurately, funding growth strategically, upgrading marketing from SEO to AEO, and setting ambitious targets that are not dependent on market momentum.The message is clear: growth is not accidental. It is earned through deliberate choices, disciplined execution, and a mindset that refuses to confuse momentum with mastery.Key Takeaways70% of RIA channel growth over the past decade has come from capital markets.Firms must clearly distinguish net new assets from capital appreciation.Tracking client acquisition, retention, wallet share, and lifetime value is critical.Advisors must know their CAC (client acquisition cost) and LTV (lifetime value).Firms that build organic growth muscles win new clients even when markets stall.Questions Financial Advisors Often AskQ: What is the difference between market-driven growth and real organic growth for RIAs? A: Market-driven growth occurs when portfolios expand due to a bull run and AUM increases because of capital appreciation. Real organic growth is the kind that builds enterprise value by adding new ideal clients, increasing wallet share from existing clients, creating deeper engagement, and expanding capacity to serve more clients.Q: How can advisory firms accurately measure organic growth? A: Firms should separate net new assets from capital appreciation, monitor actual client acquisition and retention, track wallet share and client lifetime value, and analyze numbers as if the market did not change.Q: What reports should advisory firms review to track real growth? A: Firms should be able to track net new assets from existing clients, new assets from new clients, and opportunity reports showing client meetings and new opportunities created. They should generate reports that clearly distinguish net new assets from capital appreciation.Q: What should financial advisors do immediately to improve organic growth? A: Strip market gains from reports and analyze numbers without market lift. Develop a focused business development strategy with defined roles and funding. Audit marketing strategy, including SEO to AEO and AI usage. Define an ambitious growth target tied to new relationships and revenue streams.Q: What growth rate should firms target for real organic expansion? A: Firms serious about organic growth should pursue mid to high teens year-over-year growth, minus capital markets and inorganic growth.Find Ray and the ClientWise Team on the ClientWise website or LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeTo join one of the largest digital communities of financial advisors, visit exchange.clientwise.com.
Marketers are fighting on too many fronts. Budgets are tight, algorithms change daily and AI is flooding every feed with low grade content. This episode cuts through the noise and lays out the 2026 social landscape with absolute clarity.Chris and Will unpack the 12 trends shaping how brands win this year. The conversation covers AI brand bots, the rise of live shopping, the collapse of SEO into AEO, Google Lens changing buying behaviour, micro influencers outperforming big names, and the growing pressure on brands to be authentic rather than everywhere.Expect blunt truths, practical frameworks and a road map for where to put your time and money.Key takeaways • Where social budgets are being wasted. • Why micro influencers now outperform celebrity campaigns. • The platforms worth focusing on in 2026. • Why authenticity and community beat AI slop every single time.Ideal for marketing directors, social leads and CMOs who want a clear plan for the year ahead. Is your strategy still right in 2026? Book a free 15-min no obligation discovery call with our host:
En este episodio conversé con Pablo Ruiz, founder de Performance Media, una consultora especializada en aceleración de demanda para negocios SaaS B2B.Hablamos de un playbook claro para generar demanda de forma predecible. Pablo explicó por qué el paso que nunca falla es la investigación. Investigar cómo el comprador B2B toma decisiones, desde que aparece la necesidad hasta que firma.También conversamos sobre dark social, cómo desbloquear atribución preguntando “cómo nos conociste”, y por qué medir solo leads es un error.Pablo compartió métricas que sí importan: oportunidades validadas por ventas, facturación, tamaño medio de contrato y pipeline velocity.Además, hablamos de qué está cambiando en 2026: caída del alcance orgánico en LinkedIn, el peso del posicionamiento en IA (AEO/GEO), y cómo estructurar LinkedIn Ads para pasar de audiencias sin intención a intención de compra.
Discover why small businesses can't afford to choose between SEO and AEO anymore. Learn how AI-driven search is reshaping online visibility, why AI referral traffic converts 23 times better, and practical steps to future-proof your lead generation strategy today.Visit https://alloneplanetagency.com/omnidoyen All One Planet Ltd City: Newcastle upon Tyne Address: 3 Peartree Court Website: https://alloneplanetagency.com
Welcome to Part 6 of our 2026 Med Spa Marketing and Growth Series. In this episode, we break down exactly how SEO and AI-driven search (GEO and AEO) are evolving in 2026 and what med spa owners should actually focus on if they want higher rankings, more map visibility, and stronger authority online.If you're reconsidering your SEO investment or want clarity on your growth roadmap, schedule your complimentary strategy session at https://go.medspamagicmarketing.com/scheduleIn this episode, Ricky Shockley, owner of Med Spa Magic Marketing, shares his unfiltered perspective on SEO investments, what actually moves the needle, and how answer engines like ChatGPT and Gemini are changing local search behavior. If you have been paying for SEO without clarity, or you are unsure how AI search impacts your visibility, this episode gives you a practical, prioritized framework.You will learn when SEO should enter your growth strategy, why blogs are often a waste of money for local med spas, how to avoid keyword cannibalization, how to strengthen on-page and off-page ranking signals, and what to optimize today for both Google and AI search engines.In this episode, we cover:✅ When med spas should prioritize paid ads before investing heavily in SEO✅ The two ranking factors that actually move the needle: on-page signals and links✅ How to structure service pages for stronger organic rankings✅ Page title and heading optimization for local search✅ Keyword cannibalization and how to fix it✅ How to reverse engineer competitor backlinks✅ PR strategies that generate high authority links such as Forbes and GQ✅ Google Business Profile optimization for map pack visibility✅ Why blogging is usually a poor SEO investment for local businesses✅ How AI search engines such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Grok are ranking med spas✅ How to optimize for GEO and AEO in 2026Chapters:00:00 Introduction and 2026 Series Recap01:03 SEO vs AI SEO Explained01:57 When to Invest in SEO in Your Growth Timeline03:42 What Actually Moves Rankings: On-Page vs Links06:21 Service Page Structure and Content Depth10:03 Keyword Cannibalization and How to Fix It12:33 Link Building and Competitor Backlink Research13:30 PR Strategies and High Authority Media Mentions15:57 Google Business Profile Optimization18:39 Why Blogging Is a Poor Local SEO Strategy21:45 AI Search Optimization in 202625:24 Final Thoughts and Free Strategy Session InvitationFollow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/medspamagicmarketing/https://www.linkedin.com/company/med-spa-magic-marketing/https://www.facebook.com/MedSpaMagicMarketing/https://www.tiktok.com/@medspamagicmarketing
Rogue Tulips Nonprofit Consulting Presents Chatting with Agnes & Cecilia | Nonprofit Conversations
Radio Free 501c brought to you by Rogue Tulips Consulting and USAE News!Episode 318: Answer Engine Optimization for AssociationsHost: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, ACNP, LPEC, Principal, Rogue Tulips ConsultingGuests: Alyssa Hulka, Chief Experience Officer, accellaMerrik Kressley, Senior Digital Marketing Strategist, accellaKelsey Mills, Website Strategist, accellaAnswer Engine Optimization (AEO) is the next wave of internet search and we need to be ready. When it comes to the use of A.I. tools for looking for information online, associations need to rethink how they present their organization's and their content. Enter the team from accella! Alyssa, Merrik, and Kelsey have the answers your questions! We discuss: 1. What is AEO?2. Why it matters right now!3, Build Trust and Authority with your content. 4. Getting started - it takes a commitment but is worth it. What questions do you have about AEO? Share a comment! #podcast #roguetulips #usaenews #accella #AEO #answerengine #consulting #future #association #nonprofit
Key Takeaways SEO evolution: Most people prefer having answers given directly rather than searching for them, which is reshaping how information is accessed. As a result, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is evolving toward AI-driven assistants and agents that deliver faster, more personalized responses than traditional web searches. AEO & GEO: Two approaches emerging from this shift are Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). AEO focuses on making content easier for AI engines to understand, while GEO aims to make that content the trusted source AI relies on when generating future responses. Looking ahead: To implement AEO and GEO, teams need well-structured data and content that directly answers questions. While this is already visible in digital commerce, other sectors like finance will soon see AI engines compare products and assess risk using trusted data sources and trust scores. Visit Cloud Wars for more.
We swap aliases for real names, thank new YouTube subscribers and Patreon supporters, and weigh Discord's privacy risks before diving into a full blueprint for documentation that actually gets used. From biathlon analogies to AEO tactics, we map how to build living docs that reduce chaos and speed up onboarding.• live show update and community shoutouts• discord verification risks and alternatives• vibe check and the chaos scale at work• winter olympics biathlon and mountaineering analogies• proactive vs just-in-time documentation• video-first tutorials with searchable transcripts• confluence labels, ownership, and review cadence• reducing tribal knowledge and speeding onboarding• AEO for AI-friendly, accurate documentation• testing docs with real users and feedback loopsSubscribe to our YouTube channel and join our Patreon to support the show. Join our Discord for now to get live notifications while we evaluate safer community options. “If you'd like to support the show, check the link tree, go to our Patreon, sign up, and support us.”Click/Tap HERE for everything Corporate StrategyElevator Music by Julian Avila Promoted by MrSnoozeDon't forget ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ it helps!
Smart Agency Masterclass with Jason Swenk: Podcast for Digital Marketing Agencies
Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training AI didn't wipe out SEO; it just exposed who was phoning it in. While some agencies are panicking about AI "stealing their jobs" or racing to the bottom on price, the smart ones are quietly using it to get sharper, more profitable, and more strategic. Today's featured guest has been in the SEO trenches for 15+ years and runs an agency producing millions of words of content every month. He'll break down his perspective on what's actually happening right now, why generic AI content is worthless, how agencies should really be pricing in an AI world, and why this shift is an opportunity to move up-market instead of becoming a commodity. If you run an agency and don't want to be replaced by a robot (or undercut by one), this conversation is for you. David Arato is the founder of Lexicon Legal Content, producing millions of words of SEO content every month for law firms and law-firm marketing agencies across North America. He's been in the SEO game for 15+ years and lived through the AI disruption firsthand. AI is only killing agencies that refuse to adapt The real problem isn't AI Does the SEO vs AEO matter? Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources This episode is brought to you by Wix Studio: If you're leveling up your team and your client experience, your site builder should keep up too. That's why successful agencies use Wix Studio — built to adapt the way your agency does: AI-powered site mapping, responsive design, flexible workflows, and scalable CMS tools so you spend less on plugins and more on growth. Ready to design faster and smarter? Go to wix.com/studio to get started. AI Didn't Kill SEO; It Killed Bad Agencies That Refused to Adapt Probably every agency owner has wondered, "If AI can write content in 30 seconds… why would clients pay us?" over the past couple of years. David had that exact thought in December 2022 when ChatGPT dropped. He literally told his wife he might need to go back to practicing law. Fast forward to now and AI has been nothing but good for business. And that's the part most agency owners are missing. The Real Problem Isn't AI, It's Commoditization According to David, AI removed the barrier to entry for creating generic content. And once everyone can do something, it has no value. That's why blog posts written "for SEO" are dying. Not because content doesn't work, but because copy-paste AI garbage doesn't. Google doesn't care how content is created. They care whether it's helpful, credible, and demonstrates real experience. Especially in "your money, your life" industries like legal, finance, and healthcare. In other words, if your agency's value prop was "we write blog posts," AI exposed how fragile that model was. Why Smart Agencies Are Actually Winning With AI Here's what changed for David's agency, and what should change for yours: Before AI: Writers spent hours on first drafts Margins were capped by human time Strategy was an afterthought After AI: AI handles the grunt work Humans focus on strategy, voice, expertise, and data Content is faster, cheaper to produce, and better That shift matters. Because clients aren't paying for words. They're paying for outcomes. "SEO vs AI Search" Is the Wrong Debate A lot of agencies are stuck arguing: SEO vs AEO SEO vs GEO SEO vs whatever acronym Twitter invents next week Here's the reality: Search is becoming hybrid. This means that, yes, AI overviews now dominate the top of Google. But organic results still matter. Paid is still there. It's all blending together. Which means agencies need to stop selling "SEO deliverables" and start selling search visibility strategy. Same skill set. Bigger mindset. The Pricing Wake-Up Call If you own an agency, you know that clients are asking for more content at lower costs. That's not a threat. It's a forcing function. The agencies that survive will: Increase volume without killing margins Productize strategy Stop selling fulfillment as their core offer The ones that won't? They'll stay stuck in fulfillment, stressed about margins, and quietly resentful of AI. The Real Differentiator Going Forward Everyone has access to the same AI tools. So could clients get the same results by themselves? Not likely What they don't have: Your data. Your experience. Your insights from years in the trenches That's the leverage. And it's why authenticity, real expertise, and human connection are becoming premium assets, whether in content, video, or sales. AI can't shake a hand, AI can't read the room, AI can't replace leadership. That's your unique value proposition. Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset? Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.
Nate Elliott, Principal Analyst at eMarketer, joins Ari Paparo and Eric Franchi to talk through what's actually happening with AI adoption in marketing and commerce. He shares a practical view on how many consumers actively use AI tools, why usage stats are often misleading, and why most AI influence on shopping still happens outside chatbots. The group also digs into GEO and AEO, agency and CMO priorities, and the growing debate over content licensing and the health of the open web. Takeaways Only about 15–20% of US online consumers use AI tools weekly, despite AI touching nearly every digital experience. Most AI-influenced commerce happens through research and discovery, not direct purchases inside chatbots. GEO feels like SEO in 1998, full of experimentation, aggressive tactics, and unclear measurement. CMOs are focused more on internal AI productivity gains than flashy external AI activations. Agencies may reach near-universal AI usage internally, but that does not mean AI replaces 95% of marketing output. The health of the open web is critical to AI platforms, making content licensing a long-term strategic issue. Chapters 00:00 Nate Elliott's background and role leading AI research at eMarketer 07:30 How many consumers are actually active AI users 11:50 AI and commerce: direct transactions vs influence 14:40 GEO and the Wild West phase of AI search optimization 18:30 What CMOs are prioritizing in their AI strategy 23:20 Agencies, AI adoption, and the 95% marketing debate 26:00 AI disclosure, creative production, and labeling concerns 32:00 Content marketplaces and whether Google will pay publishers 38:00 Reddit, AI optimization, and measurement challenges 44:00 Agency rebates and media transparency 47:30 Amazon becomes Fortune's number one company Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode of The Digital Marketing Podcast, Daniel Rowles sits down with Kipp Bodnar, CMO of HubSpot, to discuss what may be the most disruptive year in marketing history. Kipp believes that 2026 could represent the biggest single wave of change our industry has ever seen. Weeks feel like months. Channels are fragmenting. Discovery is shifting. AI agents are entering workflows. And traditional attribution models are starting to break down. From Answer Engine Optimisation to AI agents, rising ad costs to workflow automation, this conversation explores how marketers can stay ahead when the pace of change is accelerating. In This Episode: Why 2026 may be the biggest year of change in marketing history Kipp explains why discovery, personalisation and team workflows are being reshaped simultaneously. Answer Engine Optimisation vs traditional SEO The shift from short keyword queries to ultra long-tail, conversational prompts of 40 to 60 words changes everything. Mentions vs citations in AI search Why brand visibility in ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude is more complex than link-based SEO ever was. The first mover advantage in AI discovery Early adopters can make exponential gains because competition is still low and optimisation is immature. Why AI agents are thriving in customer service but lagging in marketing Marketing problems are less formulaic and more complex, making agent adoption slower but highly promising. The practical AI workflow hack every marketer should try Record yourself completing a repetitive task, upload it to Google Gemini, and ask how to automate it. A simple but powerful shortcut to AI adoption Why attribution is becoming harder again The "golden age" of clean click-to-conversion tracking is fading as AI intermediates discovery. Rising ad costs and the need for new growth channels With paid media inflation increasing, marketers must adopt emerging channels such as AEO and AI-enabled creative optimisation. The importance of strategic conviction AEO cannot be treated as a side project. It must be embedded as a core capability. HubSpot's approach to AI and context Positioning HubSpot as the context layer for AI, enabling agents and assistants to work from real customer data. Key Takeaways: Discovery is changing faster than most organisations are adapting. Answer Engine Optimisation requires different content structures, including FAQs and machine-friendly formatting. Early adoption in AI search offers outsized returns. AI-assisted workflows are often more impactful than fully autonomous agents in marketing today. Marketing teams must bake experimentation and innovation into daily operations. The biggest risk is not AI itself, but failing to evolve working practices alongside it.
If AI answer engines stopped reading your brand tomorrow, would anyone searching for your solution still find you? In this episode of Sharkpreneur, Seth Greene interviews Julian Lopez, Head of Research at AEO.co, who explains how brands can become the answer AI is most likely to recommend. Drawing on months of deep research with co-authors Perry Belcher and Kasim Aslam, Julian explains why branding, structure, and multimodal content now sit at the heart of discovery in an AI-driven world. He also outlines what small businesses can do over the next 6–12 months to become compliant with this new landscape, increase AI visibility, and prepare for shifts such as zero-click search and wearables. Key Takeaways:→ How AEO builds on top of traditional SEO rather than replacing it.→ Why branding is becoming the key differentiator in AI recommendations. → Why you shouldn't chase schema hacks and listicle formats without first building a solid foundational structure. → How video, transcripts, and repurposed clips give AI the rich data it craves. → How profiles, mentions, and consistent brand signals across platforms help engines confirm you're real and relevant. Julian Lopez is a 'recovering' graphic designer with over 8 years of branding experience who decided to get into marketing as a new challenge to sharpen the skills that can make or break a business. Julian has co-authored The AEO Blueprint, the first full-length book on Answer Engine Optimization, which guides business owners and entrepreneurs in future-proofing their brands and becoming the AI-recommended answer in their market. Connect With Julian:Website: http://aeo.co/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aeo.coX: https://x.com/AEOdotCO
What if success isn't about the money, but about the engine driving you to chase it? We open up about the uncomfortable truth of trauma-fueled ambition, why “validation loops” push many entrepreneurs to grind past reason, and how to define a version of success that doesn't steal your peace. From there, we shift into a practical, modern playbook for home inspectors and small service businesses who want reliable growth without gimmicks.First, brand like it matters—because it does. We break down what a tight visual identity and clear language can do in a crowded market, then map out the digital foundation: fast site, strong local SEO, helpful FAQs, and AEO content that search and AI can understand. Next, we make the case for Reddit as a stealth powerhouse. Show up daily to help in local and real estate threads, sprinkle in your expertise without spamming, and watch authority compound. Pair it with office visits, teaching-focused brochures, and vehicle branding for real-world visibility. The goal is ubiquity: prospects should feel like they've seen you everywhere they look.We also share a sleeper growth lever that beats cold calls—teaching continuing education for agents. Offer it free, pick focused topics like thermal imaging limits or sewer scopes in older housing stock, and deliver with clarity. You'll build trust with a captive audience and earn referrals the honest way. Along the way, we answer listener questions, from whether we still inspect to what kind of guests we're seeking, and we wrap with practical money habits for owners: simple index investing, automated contributions, and using high-yield accounts for operational cash so your money works while you do.If this helped you think differently about growth and balance, tap follow, share it with a colleague, and leave a quick review. Got questions or a topic you want us to tackle next? Email us at info@inspectortoolbelt.com and let's build smarter together.Check out our home inspection app at www.inspectortoolbelt.comNeed a home inspection website? See samples of our website at www.inspectortoolbelt.com/home-inspection-websites*The views and opinions expressed in this podcast, and the guests on it, do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Inspector Toolbelt and its associates.
Kody Gurfein is the Chief Marketing Officer at Exiger, where she leads an award-winning marketing team that drives revenue growth, educates commercial and government stakeholders on critical supply chain issues, and transforms how the market thinks about risk management and AI. In this episode, she discusses Exiger's growth, mission, and innovative tools, such as ForcedLabor.ai, aimed at addressing forced labor in supply chains. Kody emphasizes the importance of clear communication in marketing, as AEO grows in importance, and offers valuable advice for young professionals entering the field. Key Takeaways:- Mentorship and sponsorship are crucial for young professionals- AI is a tool, but critical thinking remains vital- ForceLabor.ai aims to combat modern slavery in supply chainsEpisode Timeline:0:00 Introduction to Kody 2:00 Kody's relationship with Fast Company4:30 What's happening at Exiger6:15 How Exiger is bringing transparency to the supply chain7:15 Exiger's mission9:15 Exiger's work on identifying slavery in the supply chain10:15 Supply chain challenges in the current political climate13:10 The power of clear communication in AEO15:30 Short vs. flowery texting18:55 Internal shifts in PR caused by AI20:00 Mentoring junior PR people in the AI era23:00 Why critical thinking is more crucial than ever25:45 Kody's thought leadership philosophyThis episode's guest:• Kody Gurfein on LinkedIn• Exiger on LinkedIn• ForcedLabor.AISubscribe and leave a 5-star review: https://pod.link/1496390646Contact Us!•Join the conversation by leaving a comment!•Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn!Thanks for listening! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Copywriter-turned-AI search expert Ema Fulga reveals how brands can dominate ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI results without sounding like generic AI slop—and why 60% of searches now end without a single click.Ema is the founder of decipher., a UK and UAE-based AI search optimization agency helping brands appear in AI-powered searches. With 8+ years as a freelance copywriter working with Publicis, NTT Data, and the World Intellectual Property Organization, she pivoted early to Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) when she recognized the seismic shift happening in search behavior. Based in Italy and operating across UK and UAE markets (where 58% of people use ChatGPT or Gemini—higher than most developed countries), Ema bridges the gap between creative storytelling and machine-readable content.She explains:◼️ Why 60% of searches now end without a click—and how to win visibility in the zero-click era◼️ The brutal truth about AI-generated content: why most of it is "garbage" and how to stand out◼️ How to bake your brand voice into AI systems so they cite YOU instead of generic competitors◼️ The simple technique for training ChatGPT on your personal stories, tone, and writing style◼️ Why structured data and schema markup are the "secret handshake" with AI retrieval systems◼️ How to optimize blog content so AI engines pull YOUR answers (not your competitors')◼️ The biggest mistake small businesses make when writing for AI search◼️ Why AI isn't killing creativity—it's actually making you think harder and smarter◼️ The counterintuitive reason answering specific questions beats generic "pillar content"◼️ How decipher. got clients appearing in AI search results in just 4 months◼️ Why the UAE's 58% AI adoption rate makes it the perfect testing ground for AEO strategies◼️ The future of copywriting: why human nuance and storytelling will become MORE valuable, not less[00:00] – Intro[02:15] – From affiliate marketing to copywriting to AI search optimization[07:30] – The "aha moment" that sparked decipher. and the AEO pivot[12:45] – Why 60% of searches never click and what that means for your brand[18:20] – How to train AI on your brand voice (the personal context strategy)[24:10] – The schema markup and structured data frameworks that make AI cite you[29:35] – Writing blog content that shows up in ChatGPT and Perplexity[35:50] – Why AI isn't outsourcing your brain (it's extending it)[41:20] – The UAE market insights and what high-adoption countries reveal about AEO[46:15] – Final insights & where to connect with EmaConnect with Ema:Website: decipher.agencyLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ema-fulga-decipherEmail: ema@decipher.agencySubscribe to Drop The Mic for weekly insights on AI, marketing strategies, and business growth frameworks that actually workDone for you marketing: Merged MediaLearn more about Jason Hunt
In this episode, we're digging into a topic that's driving a lot of confusion, the rise of AI mention tracking tools. You've probably seen the dashboards, heard the promises, and maybe even considered trying one. But do they actually work? Can they really tell you if your brand is being mentioned inside ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Google's AI Overviews?We're pulling back the curtain on what's real, what's hype, and how to think critically about this next phase of search visibility. Whether you're handling marketing in-house or partnering with an agency, this episode will help you spot the gaps, ask smarter questions, and avoid throwing budget at tools that can't deliver what they claim.The full blog post is at https://elevatedmarketing.solutions/the-truth-about-ai-visibility-tools-why-they-cant-track-what-they-promise/Tired of vague marketing advice? So are we. This podcast brings you real, in-the-trenches conversations about what actually works no scripts, no fluff, just honest strategy and real-time insights.
Renegade Thinkers Unite: #2 Podcast for CMOs & B2B Marketers
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X49 week 2.2 https://lifewave.com/patchedbyrobynPinkCloud9 is a business marketing video-podcaster interviewing authors, speakers, coaches, CEOs, and creatives who want visibility, clients, and authorityBusiness Marketing Video-Podcaster & Conversational Advertising StrategistHelping authors, speakers, coaches & CEOs turn interviews into client-generating assetsThese video podcast interviews focus on conversational advertising, audience trust, and monetization without adshttps://www.patreon.com/c/PinkCloud9Media#pinkcloud9media #BusinessMarketingPodcast#VideoPodcasterForEntrepreneurs#GEO#AEO#SEO#ConversationalAdvertising#PodcastGuestMarketing#CEOInterviews#SpeakerVisibility#MarketingPodcastHost#BusinessAuthorityBuilding
Join George Wright III on the Daily Mastermind as he chats with AJ Aluthwala, CEO and co-founder of Kallisto Tech, about the evolving landscape of SEO and the emerging domain of Answer Engine Optimization (AEO). Discover the transformation from traditional SEO strategies to optimizing for AI-driven search engines. AJ shares actionable insights on how businesses can leverage AI tools, the importance of FAQs, Reddit strategies, and the crucial need for an adaptable, long-term SEO plan. Whether you're new to digital marketing or looking to enhance your current strategies, this episode provides vital strategies to maintain a competitive edge.00:51 AJ Aluthwala's Background and Journey into Tech01:49 Evolution of SEO and Introduction to AI Optimization05:16 The Importance of Long-Term SEO Strategy09:13 Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) Explained10:07 Practical Strategies for Implementing AEO12:44 First Mover Advantage in AI Search14:26 Common Mistakes in SEO and AEO18:06 Where to Start with AEO and Final ThoughtsThanks for listening, and Please Share this Episode with someone. It would really help us to grow our show and share these valuable tips and strategies with others. Have a great day.George Wright III“It's Never Too Late to Start Living the Life You Were Meant to Live”FREE Daily Mastermind Resources:CONNECT with George & Access Tons of ResourcesGet access to Proven Strategies and Time-Test Principles for Success. Plus, download and access tons of FREE resources and online events by joining our Exclusive Community of Entrepreneurs, Business Owners, and High Achievers like YOU.Join FREE at DailyMastermind.comFollow me on social media Facebook | Instagram | Linkedin | TikTok | YoutubeGrow Your Authority and Personal Brand with a FREE Interview in a Top Global Magazine HERE.Guest Overview:AJ Aluthwala is a serial entrepreneur, digital innovation leader, tech strategist, speaker, and CEO known for helping businesses grow their online presence through custom software, high-conversion websites, mobile apps, SEO, and digital marketing solutions. He is the Co-Founder & CEO of KallistoTech/KallistoArt, a technology and digital strategy company serving small to medium-sized businesses across the U.S., Canada, and internationally. His journey from immigrant beginnings in Sri Lanka to building an award-winning agency illustrates resilience, innovation, and strategic leadership.Guest Resources:Official Website – Personal: https://ajaluthwala.comCompany – KallistoTech / KallistoArt: https://kallistotech.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aj-aluthwala/Instagram: @ajaluthwala
Kiera is joined by Alexis Gallati, founder and lead tax strategist at Cerebral Tax Advisors, to talk about tax strategy not just for 2025 success, but 2026 and beyond. They discuss asking your CPA the right questions, shifting income from your higher tax bracket down, the Augusta rule, and a ton more. Episode resources: Subscribe to The Dental A-Team podcast Schedule a Practice Assessment Leave us a review Transcript: The Dental A Team (00:00) Hello, Dental A Team listeners. This is Kiera and today I am super jazzed. I have an incredible guest joining us on the podcast today ⁓ to talk about last minute tax strategies before April 15th. Like why not? I mean, hey, maybe you were like, you're not the early bird. You were like, shoot, I forgot. Like what things can I do? And so I'm super excited. Alexis Gallati, she reached out to us. ⁓ She is founder and lead tax strategist at Cerebral Tax Advisors. Ansari Real Wealth Academy. And I was so excited about this topic because I know you guys know I love to geek out about this and I have it on my vision board of tax expert ahead. Like I hate taxes. I love taxes. I believe that taxes are such a beautiful way for us to pay to be in this incredible country. But you better believe I don't want to pay a penny more than I need to. So really figuring that out just a little bit about her is she is got a dual master's degree in business administration and taxation, which is super rad because Let's be real, she gets the business side of it. She gets the taxation and we were chatting before and she was like, what people make like their top line revenue versus their take home pay are two different things. And I was like, amen sister, preach on. She's enrolled agent, NTPI fellow and certified tax strategist. She also is the author of advanced tax planning for medical professionals. She specializes in high level strategic tax planning and multi-state tax preparation for healthcare professionals and business owners. She's raised in a family of physicians and married to one. She empathizes with the financial challenges medical professionals face. This personal connection inspired her to create accessible, unbiased tax solutions tailored to their busy lives. Driven by passion and guided by cerebral thinking, Alexis forms Cerebral to help professionals keep more of their hard earned money. Amen sister. That's what we want. That's why you're here. Their approach breaks the mold of traditional financial advice, offering a unique perspective for medical professionals and business owners. So while yes, she's not 1000 % dental guys were in the healthcare world and she's so brilliant. So Alexis, welcome to the show today. How are you? Alexis Gallati (01:54) Thank you so much for having me. I'm doing very well. Hope you had a wonderful holiday season. The Dental A Team (01:58) Yes, likewise. And I was so excited when I heard that you would be a guest on our podcast. I geek out about this, Alexis, I know it's like our first day meeting, but ⁓ I just think the world of tax is such the game of monopoly. And I'm like, if you would have just told me that rule, I could have played and won the game better. But I feel like it's always as ever changing, ever evolving. And I know there were some big things that happened in 2025 that are impacting like our our taxes. And so, yeah, definitely a timely and exciting podcast to throw out there. So Alexis, I know I gave you a very welcomed ⁓ bio and intro, but yeah, tell us a little bit about who is Alexis. You're married to a physician. You're in this world of tag. How does one become obsessive about CPA? I'm truly just curious. How do you like, how does this happen? How did you become this? Alexis Gallati (02:49) Yeah, so I love law and I love money. And so when I was in undergrad, I took a tax and accounting class and loved more the tax side than the accounting side, I do admit. And so after meeting my husband in college and us starting to go through that full medical journey, was about a year and a half out from him. The Dental A Team (02:54) you Alexis Gallati (03:18) from him finishing his residency. And I really saw the writing on the wall. Even at that time, with him being in residency, about four months of his salary was going towards taxes. And I was like, that's not right. That's not right. With The Dental A Team (03:36) No. Alexis Gallati (03:38) hard he works and how hard medical community works in general. ⁓ my gosh, that's not right. So that's when I really dedicated myself to finding out, why do the Warren Buffets and the Bill Gates of the world have this really low to sometimes non-existent tax bracket? And I really dove into that tax planning. ⁓ And so, you know, what's very unique about, ⁓ you know, the way that I work and my business is that my husband and I are in the same exact position as majority of our clients. And so, yes, I'm looking for strategies for my clients, but I'm also looking for those strategies for myself. The Dental A Team (04:19) You're like, hey, it's me. I'm going to help myself out. I'm very motivated to do this. Alexis Gallati (04:25) Very motivated. And I love it. I love it. It's like you said, it's ⁓ Congress keeps us on our toes, changing the laws consistently year after year. ⁓ it's like a puzzle. Like, hey, how can I just keep more of what I'm earning? The Dental A Team (04:43) Yeah, and I, this is what I get obsessed about. what I learned, gosh, it's like, I was so naive when I started the company. was like, marketing is marketing. I just need to hire a marketer they can do everything. And then I was like, oh, there's a content marketer. There's a copywriter marketer. There's a strategist. There's a growth marketer. There's like an AEO marketer now. There's an SEO. Like you guys, this thing is like a web. They're a content marketer. And then I started realizing it's similar to CPAs and financial planners that like, I thought you hire a CPA, Alexis. Like I'm so naive to business. I'm shocked that I've made it this far. Like truly I'm proud of like the journey we've been on, but like not all CPAs are created equal. And then I realized like CPAs play by different rules. Like it's the same rule, but there's shades of gray. They're how comfortable are you with this and how uncomfortable are you with it? Like there's one CPA that told me like, here, you can totally go skiing in Tahoe. Just like put your logo on your skis and you can totally ride it off and like put your logo on your boat and you can ride it off. And then there's like the Alexis of the world was like, oh, hard pass. No, you're going to like totally get flagged. But I'm like, what rule is right? And so I realized that there are, like you said, tax strategy and for higher wealth earners. I do believe that there's a game, like you said, how did the Warren Buffett's, how did the Bill Gates, like they're not paying this. And then you get into the real estate game and you get into all these other things. You're like, how can we do this? And so Alexis, I'm just jazz. This is me being nerdy. And I'm going to ask you a bajillion questions and I can't wait. to learn. So let's kind of talk about most of your clients, what's the size of take home net pay that they do. So that way we know like what brackets were in. So that way right clients come to you. I also learned not all financial advisors take all people. I was like, I make 30 grand. They're like, great. So we're going to help you out just a little bit. And then like, when you get to this level, we'll chat with you. ⁓ tell us kind of that. And then let's dig into how do we keep more money, Alexis, legally. Alexis Gallati (06:10) I love it. The Dental A Team (06:39) I'm here for legal advice. I'm willing to go gray, but not go to jail. So that's my line. So as long as we're on the same page, I think we are, I'm here for it. Alexis Gallati (06:40) Yes. Definitely, yeah. I am more than happy to play in the gray areas. We just have to feel comfortable defending it in an audit. And so that's our line in the sand. ⁓ But yeah. The Dental A Team (06:55) Mm-hmm. She's like, this is why I went to law guys. This is why I like the law side and the CPA. I like it. I like your style. It's so unique and I just am excited. So, okay, I'm ready. Alexis Gallati (07:07) Yeah. Yeah. at Cerebral, we work with those that earn at minimum $400,000 per year in taxable income. So we have lots of businesses, which by the way, 99.9 % of our clients are medical professionals. I think we have like maybe two clients that have zero ties to the medical industry. And so the practices we work with, you know, generally range from anywhere from maybe about $700,000 in gross revenue all the way up to eight figures. So we tend to not work with those that are larger practices, that usually over 50 employees. And that's just because once you get above 50 employees, yeah, it changes quite a bit. So we're definitely in there with those smaller to medium sized practices. The Dental A Team (07:56) Tax co-changes. Yep. Amazing. No, that's super helpful. And I know we were talking before, like the average of your clients, about 700,000 like net pay is typical where you guys are at. You have some that are higher, but that minimum of 400,000, which is great because I do think that there are thresholds. ⁓ And I did learn through going through business that who Kiera needed as a tax support and advisor when I was in that 30,000 range compare and as a business owner, I thought it was so funny. Gosh, taxes, like they hurt so bad sometimes. Like, whoa, easy come, easy go. Like I've never, I've always been a W-2. So that was such a fascinating world for me. But yeah, let's dig into some of the things you've seen for the medical world. Cause I know I have friends that were physicians and they're really big on real estate. And like I took the real estate Kool-Aid and I'm just like, is this really real? There's gotta be easier ways than doing this. And so I'm just jazzed to kind of go through what are some of the things we can do now before April 15th. What are things that we can do even past April 15th to set us up for great success for 2026? So Alexis, this is your show. I'm just excited, kind of riffed us through it. Of course, I'm gonna geek out and ask probably about way more questions than you care to even be asked, but I'm really excited to learn more today. Alexis Gallati (09:20) Yeah, great. Well, yeah, I hate to be a little bit of a Debbie Downer in the beginning and that when your past December 31st, ⁓ the number of tax strategies that are available to you are before you actually go to file your tax return are limited. It's just the nature of the code. The Dental A Team (09:37) I agree. was super, when you were like, what are the tech? I was like, I want to know because most of the times like when the clock strikes midnight on December 31st, it's like game over and we start again. But yes, which is why I want to know what are like the small ones, but then also Alexis like, let's set our listeners up for like, what things can they do this year to be better prepared for it in conjunction? So yes, before April 15th, but selfishly I want to know what else can I do this year that maybe I haven't thought of. Alexis Gallati (09:52) Yeah. you The Dental A Team (10:06) because the clock hasn't struck midnight in 2026. So like we've got time. So yeah, for 2025 filing, but also for 2026 as well. Alexis Gallati (10:09) Yeah. Yeah, so let's talk about 2025 filing first. Especially if you're a business owner, there are actually a number of things that you could still put together for yourself that can impact your 2025 financials. ⁓ So even basic things like if you haven't been taking advantage of your home office deduction or ⁓ vehicle expenses ⁓ and unreimbursed business expenses. So those are expenses that you paid personally, but our business expenses. So all of those items, you can still go and report on your 2025 return. So if you haven't taken the time to sit down and say, how much should I pay in my home utilities or insurance, repairs, et cetera, and take the percentage. So let's say your home office is 7%. of your total square footage of your home. Well, then you can write off 7 % of your home expenses on your taxes. the treatment's a little bit different depending upon if you're a sole proprietorship or an S corporation. But in general, you still have that time to take advantage of that. And a lot of you might be like, oh, Alexis, it's such a little amount. I don't even know if it's worth it. Believe me. All these little things can really add up together. And easily, I usually see between $10,000 to $20,000 of really ⁓ easy to grab savings for yourself if you just take even a few hours to gather all the information. ⁓ And you can even use ⁓ personal financial apps like Monarch Money or You Need a Budget, things like that to help. organize that information for you throughout the year so it's a little more automated. The Dental A Team (12:10) Yeah, that's amazing. I do love the YNAB. You're throwing me back to like pharmacy school days of you need a budget. I was like, oh my gosh, got to answer this every time. They have updated so much, but I love that you said like 10 to 20 grand, I think is worthwhile, but more than it being pennies or dollars, I think it's the discipline of having it prepared for next year too. So that way we don't, I think it's like, well, it might not be enough this year, but I'm like, you take that this year and we compound over the next year and the next year and the next year. I think these little things to me at least, Alexis Gallati (12:15) Ha ha ha. The Dental A Team (12:41) Like I said, it's their game of monopoly. And I'm like, okay, maybe I didn't get it that time, but I'm going to take that rule and I'm going to apply it this year and the next year and the next year. So I'm even taking notes over here, guys. So Alexis, if you see me, I'm writing it like, okay, I'm going to check in on that, check in on that. So make sure, make sure that they're being taken into consideration because I don't prep my own taxes. I don't even know half the stuff. Like they just tell me. So I also think being a good steward as well and always double checking your CPA to make sure like, are we maximizing every deduction we can? Alexis Gallati (12:53) Good, I like it. Of course. Yeah. And being proactive is like you said, the number one thing because the IRS can deny deduction if you don't have that itemized receipt or you don't have the proper documentation. And 99 % of any fight with the IRS is that documentation. And I did a three year fellowship in IRS representation. So I'm obviously very focused on that tax savings, but also very focused on making sure that everything's set up properly. So if the IRS were to challenge it or even the state, you're in good hands. then that way, you can just give them the stuff and say, go away. The Dental A Team (13:51) Exactly. And I heard somebody once tell me, they're like, Kiera, it's not a matter of if I'll be audited, it's when. Like every business will most likely be audited at some point. I hope and pray like we're not. I think about that a lot of like cross my T's, dot my I's, make sure that I'm constantly trying to be compliant with things. But your wealth of knowledge on that Alexis of what things and how to become, I mean, shoot three years of IRS. Girl, you got my vote. That's impressive. And like love the love the authority piece that you're bringing to our podcast today. Alexis Gallati (14:20) Thank you. Thank you. So some other things that you're able to do before you file that tax return, and this is a big one, is retirement. So you actually have until the filing of a tax return, and that includes extensions. So for example, if you're an S corporation or a partnership, have the original due date, which is March 15th, or the extended due date, which is September 15th, to go and open and fund that retirement plan. So if you have employees, it can get obviously a little bit more complicated, but you still are able to do it and ⁓ do that employer contribution. And that's obviously really one of the lower hanging fruits when it comes to not only tax savings, but also wealth generation. The Dental A Team (15:12) Yeah, no, I love that. That's a great idea. And I think a lot of people miss that. And again, CPAs, tax strategists, wealth advisors, they're all playing in their own lanes, but how can we make sure all of them are maximizing together? Because you as a human are trying to build that wealth. So I love that. Alexis Gallati (15:30) Yeah. And don't forget as well, you know, kind of in the same vein as retirement is that health savings account. So if you had a high deductible plan throughout the year, but maybe your employer didn't actually provide a ⁓ health savings account, like so if you're a W-2, for example, or even if you're self-employed, you can still go open up your own Health Savings account through, I think Fidelity has some, ⁓ Optum Bank, HSA Bank. So there's a whole bunch of different providers out there. can just Google and find the provider that works best for you. The Dental A Team (16:07) Interesting. And I know like I just wrote that down because a lot of dentists don't have HSA. Like we are the providers for it. But hearing that that might even be a resource to attract people into your business if you were able to like, don't necessarily provide it, but these are some companies that we could help our employees get if they wanted to have an HSA because I know that that's something that my husband works at a hospital. So there's an HSA there, but as sole proprietors and S-Corps, a lot of times they aren't provided. That's actually really like, I think just a great tool and resource to possibly provide to our employees, depending upon what it looks like for your business. Alexis Gallati (16:40) Yeah, definitely. And then one other thing that you ⁓ may be able to do, depending upon your state, ⁓ to help with state taxes, is go and contribute to a 529 plan, which is for education for yourself or other dependent. And some states like Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, South Carolina, there's a number of them. They allow you to make that contribution all the way up to the filing of the tax return. The Dental A Team (17:13) Interesting. I did not know that I wrote that down. That's fascinating. I love this. This is like so fun. Keep going. Alexis Gallati (17:20) Yeah. Yeah. So that, you know, is, a good, especially for, you know, higher earners. ⁓ that's kind of a good summary of what you can be doing before this, ⁓ April 15th or even the extended due date as well. ⁓ but when you start looking into 2026, who, that book, that book opens up, there is. The Dental A Team (17:39) It does, right? It's like the monopoly Bible. Like it's so big. Like how do I play the game of taxes? So I truly, and I think like for all the listeners, like the home office, the HSA, ⁓ retirement, the 529 plan, like there's still time. So go look at those things. And even if you can't contribute or do those things now, having that set up for next year, like, Alexis, truly, I'm like, I'm getting the popcorn. I'm getting my notepad. Like, I am so excited because half these things I haven't heard of. And so it's very fun to just hear different perspectives. And I do love that you've got a legal background too. I love that you're in IRS. I love that you're in medicine and healthcare and like for your own personal savings too. It's like you're the Nancy Drew of like, how can I do the most amount through all of this? It's a very fascinating perspective you bring today. Alexis Gallati (18:27) thank you. I appreciate that. yeah, when obviously when you are a W-2 employee still that your options are not as open for those that have a business. But ⁓ besides obviously retirement HSA that you can do all year, one thing that a lot of W-2 employees forget is to actually check with your employer to see what their reimbursement policy looks like. The Dental A Team (18:29) course. Alexis Gallati (18:55) because if you're maybe in a private practice with a large group, and I mean, these could even be groups that have sometimes hundreds of physicians in it, or even if it's just a hospital system, they'll have actually pretty generous reimbursement policies for things like your CME, your new loops, or going and doing your mileage in between different hospitals or clinics, things like that. So making sure that you are keeping track of those things. Obviously, if you're a business owner, you definitely want to keep track of those. But some of my favorite for those that own their own practices, my absolute favorite is hiring your kids. The Dental A Team (19:36) Of course, yeah. Alexis Gallati (19:48) It seems so basic, but believe me, there are definitely steps in place that have to be done in order to make sure they ⁓ qualify. for me, the ⁓ court tested age is seven. So I usually don't recommend my clients going and hiring their kids until they're at least that age. You can do it younger, but the old my kids are models strategy is kind of ⁓ antiquated now just because ⁓ everybody has these great cameras now on their phones. And so it's kind of devalued, being a model ⁓ for those that aren't professionals basically. ⁓ But that's a really great way to shift income from your higher tax bracket down to their non-existent tax bracket. The Dental A Team (20:21) Totally. Right? Alexis Gallati (20:40) and you can then put that money into a Roth IRA for them. And if you do that, let's say over like a 10 year period in 2026, that amount is 7,500 is the max you can put in. They're easily, by the time they're age 65, gonna have at least 2 million plus dollars in savings. So it's a really great way to create a legacy for your kids and give them a little headstart. The Dental A Team (20:48) Mm-hmm. Yeah, that's amazing. And I think so many people are like, I don't know how to help my kids with college or different things like that. And it's like, these are great ways to prepare them for the future for when they retire for things like that. I mean, how awesome I know a couple of ⁓ doctors because The bulk of our audience, Alexis, are not W-2 earners. They are self-employed, like dental practice owners. ⁓ But I know that there were several that didn't tell their kids that they had done this for them. And then the surprise when they graduated college of, we've been putting this into place for you. I mean, shoot, that money's going to go to the government or to your kids. Why not invest in your children? You're going to pay that money regardless. So ⁓ definitely think that that's such a brilliant idea. And I've heard people, they're like, their real job, like they have to have a real job. They're like a paper shredder. Like they like literally shred the paper or they open the mail or they like pick out the cards or they pick out the toys for the prize boxes, like actual legit jobs that they employ them for. But I think what an amazing gift and legacy to give your kids as well. Alexis Gallati (21:51) they Yeah, exactly. All four of my children are, obviously cerebral isn't a dental practice, but they're hired through cerebral. So that way they are earning enough to put that money into their Roth IRA. ⁓ And a lot of ⁓ my clients are like, man, I don't know what my kids can do. And like you said, there's a lot of admin work that they can do. Even a seven-year-old can. like you said, shred paper, stamp envelopes. They can help with doing their ABCs and filing things away if you're an older ⁓ practice owner and they have ⁓ still the paper file system. ⁓ yeah, it really is a wonderful way to not only teach responsibility, but also to save. ⁓ I highly recommend ⁓ doing that. And even if you have parents that you financially support, you could even The Dental A Team (22:45) Yeah. Yeah. Alexis Gallati (23:02) go and hire your parents through your practice ⁓ and write off their support. Of course, again, they need to also have a legitimate job in the business. with parents, you have to be careful if they have any benefits like social security or Medicare. Then you just want to make sure that you're not pushing them out of those benefits because of their income ⁓ or making any part of their social security taxable. So that takes a little bit more. ⁓ finesse than hiring a child. The Dental A Team (23:36) No, that's great. That's a really good idea too, because I hadn't thought about parents. I have heard about children, but you're right, parents are retired. And if there's ways that you can support and give back rather than like, again, I love the government. I am happy to pay taxes, but if there's ways that I can support my own family, ⁓ I think it's great because I'm going to pay that money anyway, but paying it to people that I love and care about is really a great idea. Alexis Gallati (24:00) Yeah. Another popular one I'm sure that you've seen on TikTok or other social media is the Augusta rule. ⁓ and this is where you're renting your home to your business. ⁓ and this is perfect example where documentation is absolutely critical. ⁓ but basically what happens is you rent your home to your business for 14 days or less. Those days do not have to be consecutive and your business gets to The Dental A Team (24:07) Mm-hmm. Alexis Gallati (24:28) right off the cost of that rent. So obviously lowers your taxes. But then you as the individual do not have to pay tax on that rental income. Now, if you do it for 15 days and you've ruined the strategy and you have to pay tax on all 15 days. So that's really important you do 14 days or less. But this is again a really great way if you have monthly board meetings, that's 12 days right there. Or if you have employee parties, if you have colleagues over in discussing business, though, as long as you have a rental agreement in place between yourself and your business, and you document through meeting minutes everything that occurred during that event, then that is the documentation that the IRS would need in order to substantiate that. strategy. And obviously a reasonable rental rate as well. The Dental A Team (25:27) Yeah, no, didn't realize, I did not realize that you needed a rental agreement. Can you expand more on that? like we check all the Airbnb's and the VRBO's in the area to see what does our house actually go for and like keep that documented every single year and then have an actual agenda and like have it in the calendar. So it's in our Google calendar. It's got an agenda. It's got a PDF didn't attach. But how does the rental agreement work? like, yeah, how do you, I didn't realize that that was a necessary piece to it. Alexis Gallati (25:57) Yeah, so you can even just use ChatGPT to create it. ⁓ But essentially what you do is it's just that agreement between the business and personal. So ⁓ you just want to think about it like any other rental that you would do. If you were to go to a conference room in a hotel, for example, or go rent that Airbnb, you're going to be signing some sort of agreement saying that this can happen. that this event can happen on this date. ⁓ you can either do one agreement for the entire year, spelling out like, here are the days that we're going to be doing these things, ⁓ or you can have an agreement for each time that it happens. The Dental A Team (26:43) Very cool. That's super helpful. Yeah, I do love the addresses for all anything people. And I mean, I've had CPAs and like, don't go crazy. Like that's where I say like check Airbnb, check VRBO like what you think your house is worth versus what market value says your house is worth. Like, let's make sure that we are accurate on that. But yeah, that's definitely an amazing one that I think is great for offices to surely do. Alexis Gallati (26:51) Yes. Yep. Go and get two to three comps. So then that way can just take an average. I feel like that's a very safe way to, ⁓ show reasonableness. You're not just like, Hey, I'm taking the highest one on the block. You know, it's taking a few of them. The Dental A Team (27:21) Totally. No, definitely agree. I love that. Okay, Alexis, what other ideas? know we're, I'm like just like sitting here. I'm like, I love this writing it down. Great ideas. What are some of the ones that like, yeah, anything else that's going to save us? Um, because like taxes are taxes and we are going to pay them, but like, what else can we do to, like you said, Bill Gates or, um, like Warren Buffett, what are the things that you found for like these higher net worth earners? Like, do they need to get into real estate and like use the big, beautiful tax bill or like, Alexis Gallati (27:23) Yeah. Okay. The Dental A Team (27:50) anything else that you've seen that like really moves the noodles or is like, no, just the small consistent things are really going to help them out. Alexis Gallati (27:57) Yes, well, they all help out. ⁓ But if you are looking for more of that, hey, Alexis, what's like Hail Mary that I can be doing to act to really save? ⁓ You can look at real estate. ⁓ That could be a whole podcast by itself. ⁓ But in general, you you tend to ⁓ get into real estate when you're not talking about like reets or things I can do through the stock market. The Dental A Team (28:14) Right. Alexis Gallati (28:26) ⁓ You're either doing like real estate syndications, ⁓ direct ownership, like long-term rentals or short-term rentals. And ⁓ each of those are treated differently and have different ways of making that ⁓ a tax deduction for yourself. So when it comes to, in general, ⁓ real estate syndications, this is where you're The Dental A Team (28:49) Mm-hmm. Alexis Gallati (28:54) buying into a partnership that maybe owns an office building. And you go in with other partners and ⁓ it's syndicated. So it's very passive. There's no way for you to write off any losses in that current year. ⁓ When it comes to direct ownership, the IRS basically says, hey, that real estate is considered passive unless you have real estate professional status or you do that short-term rental deduction or excuse me, short-term rental exclusion. And so what ⁓ happens if you can qualify for the short-term rental exclusion or real estate professional status is that those what would have been passive losses that you can't use against your current income will be considered active losses. And then you can use it against your active income, when I say active income, things like your W-2 or your business. So you're getting a current year deduction from that. And you can do cost segregation study to help accelerate depreciation. ⁓ So this is very, very much in the nutshell sort of explanation. ⁓ But it can really be a great way to lower your taxes if The Dental A Team (29:57) Mm-hmm. Yeah. Alexis Gallati (30:16) you essentially want a second job. Just know that real estate is not as passive as the social media gurus go and ⁓ try to glamorize. It really does take a lot of extra work. You want to make sure that you are following the rules properly so that you can get that tax benefit in the current year. ⁓ But if you The Dental A Team (30:19) Yeah. Alexis Gallati (30:41) do have that prerogative and you want to learn and get do things properly, then it can really save you quite a bit of money. The Dental A Team (30:48) Yeah. Are there any other things, Alexis, that are like real estate that save that much but don't require that much work? I'm asking you for the weight loss drug of taxes, please. What's our easiest way with the most amount of bang for buck that you've seen? These are the big hits that if you want, because agreed, real estate's great. If you do that short-term thing, but it is a lot of work. With the big, beautiful tax bill that came through, that 100 % depreciation is pretty fantastic. But like you said, Alexis Gallati (30:54) Yes. Mm-hmm. The Dental A Team (31:17) got to have it rented out, you got to have the pieces, you got to like reno it like there are and you have to have it done by the end of the year and like it's a stressful zone. ⁓ So are there other things that you've seen that might be like 50 or 100 or 200,000 off taxes that aren't necessary real estate? The Augustus one, yes. Like paying people, there's things but is there anything else you've found that are like some of those bigger chunks that maybe people don't think about they don't recognize? Yes of course they're going to take a little bit more work but... Alexis Gallati (31:17) You gotta work for it. The Dental A Team (31:45) that you found that could be benefits to our audience. Alexis Gallati (31:48) OK, so let's talk about my Hail Mary for tax savings. I love this one towards the end of the year because you're going to want to know, have a good idea of where your tax situation is going to end up. So I use this a lot for year end planning. And this is oil and gas. When you ⁓ invest in oil and gas, again, just like with real estate, there's a lot of different options. But my favorite is our drilling funds and this is where you invest in a partnership that owns oil and gas wells and these this allows you in that first year to Essentially write off usually somewhere between 80 to 95 percent of the investment that you've put in So let's say you invest a hundred thousand dollars Then you're getting about and let's say conservatively an eighty thousand dollar deduction that can go a against your ordinary income. So if you're W2 or your business. usually, a good rule of thumb is that, let's say, if you're putting in $100,000, you're saving $30,000 in tax. You're putting in $200,000, you're saving $60,000 in tax. And then after year one, you're earning overall, during the life of the investment, about a 2x The Dental A Team (33:10) Bye. Alexis Gallati (33:11) you put 100,000, you're getting about 200,000 back. And so it's considered a very conservative investment. And just because the length of the investment, and this is one of the cons of it, is that it's usually about a 10 to 12 year period. So it's generally only about a 7 % return on investment over the life of the investment. the great thing about it is that you let's say if you did put in that hundred thousand, you're getting that 30,000 in savings, and then you can go put that into something else that will earn you even more money. So then this is something that you can do every single year. And, you know, just depends on how much money you want to save and so that how much you put in for that investment. The Dental A Team (33:57) Gosh, that's such a good one. And these are things of like just fun, like tips and topics. Like I said, it's the rules of monopoly. I caught like, how do we play tax strategy better? Alexis, what are any like resources? I feel like you guys have some resources. Like I feel the world of tax is so daunting. And so it's like, we hear from podcasts and we hear snippets and we see TikTok and it's like real estate games. like, where do people go if they like want to dig a little bit deeper and really become like more tax expert and more tax savvy and. like tax strategy, like what are any resources you found or ways for people just to become a little bit more literate in the tax world. Alexis Gallati (34:33) Yes, so ⁓ of course I'm to do a little shameful plug. My book, The ⁓ Advanced Tax Strategies for Medical Professionals, it's really just that it's a brain dump of all different types of strategies, whether it's for your business or W-2 only, charitable, these alternative investments. And so it's really a space. The Dental A Team (34:36) as you should. Alexis Gallati (34:58) for readers to learn more about their options. So then that was the way they can go online and do more research or bring it to their current advisor. So, you know, it's just about opening those possibilities. Otherwise, you know, one resource that is really great for especially medical professionals is the White Coat Investor that Dr. Dali, he has a wonderful, wonderful site and he puts out really good material. The Dental A Team (35:11) Yeah. Alexis Gallati (35:25) when it comes to not only taxes, but also for ⁓ just finances in general. And then, of course, on ⁓ CerebralTaxAdvisors.com, our website has wonderful ⁓ material that I put out all the time. There's lots of goodies there, as well as ⁓ different resources and worksheets and stuff like that. The Dental A Team (35:52) Yeah, no, that's super helpful. But Alexis, what do you find ⁓ as you go through this? Like one, how often are you meeting with your clients? Because I feel like so many CPAs and tax strategists meet with them in like December 1st and they're like, hey, you owe this much money. Is that how you guys plan? Like how should tax planning actually work? or is that normal? Like I'm just trying to find a vibe of how this should work in the industry. Alexis Gallati (36:15) Yeah. Yeah. So when a medical professional first starts working with us, I design a tax plan for them. And that's really critical because right then and there, OK, what can we be doing to dramatically lower your taxes, legally, of course, and set you up for success? And then we meet with our clients at minimum twice a year. So we do a mid-year tax projection and a year-end tax projection. The Dental A Team (36:34) course. Alexis Gallati (36:45) And especially with medical professionals, your income is so variable throughout the year, depending upon insurance reimbursements or seasonality and things like that. And so we really want to make sure that we have a good, clear understanding, good six plus months in advance. Hey, what are you going to be owing tax wise? What does cash flow look like? What quarterly estimated payments do you need to make? All of these things should not be a surprise. So that's why when I built Cerebral in the packages we have, I was really focused around how do we eliminate those surprises. The Dental A Team (37:23) Yeah, no, I love that. that's super helpful because I feel like so many just wait till December and it's like, no, like there's things I could have been doing and if I would have known. So that's super helpful. And then I think the other question is like, okay, you guys are tax strategy. Are you CPA? Are you bookkeeping? Like kind of differentiate. Are you in the financial advisor world? Like what specifically would we say I need you for XYZ, but I'm going to need these people again, like marketing, right? Like what facet of my wealth management are you? and who do I need paired with you? Alexis Gallati (37:54) Yep, so we are your tax compliance, tax planning, your bookkeeping, and CFO services, and also business advising as well. So we're able to set up entities for you ⁓ as well as provide ⁓ just a lot of the years and years of experience that we have in running businesses and seeing different types of practices, et cetera. ⁓ We are not investment advisors, so we won't say, buy Coca-Cola versus Pepsi. But we will introduce you to different investments that have tax benefits. And one very unique quality of Cerebral that's very different from other firms is that we do not take any commissions or kickbacks on any strategies we recommend or vendors we recommend. And we don't sell any products. So we're very education-based. I'm very focused on you understanding your options so you can make a educated decision on what you want to move forward with. And then we are a white glove done for you firm that will implement those strategies on your behalf and make sure they're reported properly on your tax returns. Because that's what we've found being in this industry, especially specializing in medical professionals, is there's a lot of people out there that know about these strategies. but they do not know how to implement them properly. And that honestly is 80 % of the fight when it comes to doing any of these strategies. The Dental A Team (39:26) Yeah, no, that's incredible. So, and again, this is just like naiveness on my side. Do I need a CPA or are you guys the replacement of a CPA? Alexis Gallati (39:35) Yeah, we're the replacement of CPA. We are CPAs. We are EAs. So we are taking care of your tax preparation, so personal and business. We do it all. I try to keep these packages as comprehensive as possible because I hate being nickel and dined. communication's a top priority for us. And so we don't want our clients to hesitate whatsoever to connect with us. And so that's why we don't. The Dental A Team (39:56) Totally. Amazing. Alexis Gallati (40:05) shot like I, my gosh, I just got like a bill from my attorney the other day and it was for stuff that I talked to him about like in August. I'm like, I hate those pop-up bills. So that's yeah, that's, why I try to make it as comprehensive as possible. The Dental A Team (40:10) Yep. Right. Awesome. No, that's fantastic. That's really helpful. And I know a lot of people are very nervous to switch from their CPA. CPAs, feel like we're so embedded and we trust them with our souls. Truly, I see this. ⁓ So is there complementary calls we have with you? how do we start with that? Because I know, honestly, untangling from a CPA is such a pain. It is so annoying. so ⁓ how does that process work if people want to work with you, Alexis? Alexis Gallati (40:46) So the best thing you can do is go to our website and go to the contact page. And you will ⁓ go through a very quick questionnaire to make sure that you're a good fit for us, because we also want to make sure we're a good fit for you. And we will ⁓ have a tax discovery session. And during that session, we will. We'll talk about what your needs are and what it's like to work with us. ⁓ I'm very focused on that return on investment. We actually have a guarantee. with the design of our plans that I will save you at least two times what you pay us in ⁓ tax savings or you get the plan for free. And on average, our clients actually achieve 4.5 multiple with the design of our plans. So again, it doesn't make sense for us to work together if I can't save you more than what you're paying us. The Dental A Team (41:39) That's amazing. No, that's incredible. And that's a great guarantee. And ⁓ then let's say hypothetical, we do get audited. How often do you guys go through audits and like success rate? Like I'm imagining if you were three years in IRS, you're probably pretty fantastic at that. But these are always things that I'm just curious. Like how does that work? And how often are your clients audited? And like, how is your success rate on that? And if you don't want to share this, I hope you do. We're just going to go for it. Like, yeah, I'm just going to ask the weird questions. Why not? Alexis Gallati (42:01) Yeah. I love the weird questions. They're the best. So yeah, that's one thing I can never guarantee that you won't be audited because of course there are always random audits that happen. We've only had three audits since I started Cerebral over 10 years ago. In 2014, I started Cerebral. ⁓ And ⁓ one of them was for the mortgage interest deduction. there's a limitation in that. The Dental A Team (42:18) It's incredible. Alexis Gallati (42:28) Um, and that was just, unfortunately, a client had not provided the correct information. And so we were easily able to just change it and be on our way. Um, and then another two were regarding actually real estate professional status. And that was just New York state saying, Hey, like we don't, we don't think that you're actually qualified for this. we're like, Oh, yeah, we do. Here's the paperwork. And they're like, Oh, okay. See you later. So yeah. The Dental A Team (42:50) Yeah. That's amazing. That's a huge thing. And I'm so glad I asked the question because I think for me, that's something I'm curious on of like, I get it. Like you said, you can't guarantee that, but as long as you back in, do you guys charge extra for those audits or is that part of the plan? Like, nope, we stand behind it. Like, how does that work? Cause I know there's some firms that I have chatted with and if we do get audited, it's like 375 an hour for the audit. And I'm like, okay, like I'll just plan for that. But how does that work for you guys? Alexis Gallati (43:18) Yep, so we back up all of our work and all of our packages. If you do receive a notice for anything that we prepare, you send it to us and we help you take care of it. So yeah, we 100 % back up our work. If you come start working with us and you have some a notice from a year that we didn't handle, like we didn't prepare, we'll still help you handle it. But that would be just. at our hourly rate, depending upon the extensiveness of the notice. But to go back to your original question about making that change, I 100 % get it, especially if you've been with somebody for so long. And so you just have to look at that cost benefit and see, hey, staying with this person, how much is that costing me in tax savings versus The Dental A Team (44:01) Right. Alexis Gallati (44:12) going with somebody like cerebral and we try to go and make that process as seamless as possible when it comes to getting ⁓ up to date in your history and then ⁓ getting access to your bookkeeping and getting your tax returns. ⁓ And so, because I completely understand it can be daunting, but. ⁓ Happy to have a conversation around it when we meet about the discovery session and to see if it's something you'd want to move forward with. The Dental A Team (44:43) Amazing. Alexis, has been such a great podcast and I just love meeting great individuals. I love how much you have a passion for the law and for the tax wealth and it's your own life and your own livelihood. So if people want to reach out, I know you said it before, how do they connect with you? So yeah, they can get started if they're interested. Alexis Gallati (45:01) Yeah. So you can Google us or just go to CerebralTaxAdvisors.com. And which by the way, the reason why I have cerebral is because my husband is a private practice neurosurgeon and my dad's a retired private practice neurologist. hence cerebral in the brain. So if y'all can remember. But yeah, so CerebralTaxAdvisors.com is the best way to get a hold of us. The Dental A Team (45:14) There you go. I love it. Yeah. Alexis Gallati (45:27) ⁓ And I look forward to potentially talking with y'all. The Dental A Team (45:32) Well, Alexis, thank you so much for this. And for all of you listening, I hope you take advantage between now and April 15th. I hope you just like have a conversation. I'm always pro. I love CPAs. My CPA listens to this podcast and I'm always interested in meeting new people like Alexis, chatting with them. Are there different ways that they can benefit me? Because yes, I love my CPA, but I love more than that saving money and learning new strategies that maybe I didn't know about. So Alexis, I really hope a lot of them reach out to you, connect with you and for All of you listening, thank you for listening. I'll catch you next time on the Dental A Team Podcast.
SEO isn't dead…but AI is changing how we should view it. Dylan Ander (dylanander.com and heatmap.com) is back on the pod to break down SEO, AEO, and GEO in the age of AI. From making sure your website's content is up to date and valuable, to seeing how you're ranking, things are changing. They also talk about: - The two Nik Sharmas — and how Google differentiates them - Programmatic SEO and templates - What all of this means for people in ecom If you're trying to keep up with the latest in search and how AI plays a role, this episode is for you. Roku pioneered streaming on TV. We connect users to the content they love, enable content publishers to build and monetize large audiences, and provide advertisers with unique capabilities to engage consumers. Learn more at advertising.roku.com/limitedsupply. Want more DTC advice? Check out the Limited Supply YouTube page for more insider tips. Check out the Nik's DTC newsletter: https://bit.ly/3mOUJMJ And if you're looking for an instant stream of on-demand DTC gold, check out the Limited Supply Slack Channel for Nik's most unfiltered, uncensored thoughts. Follow Nik: Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/mrsharma
Adrian Newman, President of Numero Uno Web Solutions and a 25-year veteran of the digital trenches, has a warning for 2026: If you are still chasing “search volume,” you are fighting a losing war. With AI Overviews and ChatGPT now acting as “Answer Engines” (AEO), the metric that matters most is no longer traffic—it is…
On this episode of HR & Payroll 2.0, Pete and Julie step into the evolving world of public relations, brand storytelling, and answer-engine optimization with Kate “Katie” Achille, co-host of Up Next at Work and partner at Devon PR. Together, they explore how PR (public relations) has shifted from traditional media and press releases to a strategic growth engine that now shapes search visibility, AI-powered discovery (AEO), and generative engine optimization (GEO) across the HR technology marketplace. Katie breaks down why messaging matters more than ever, how companies can differentiate in an overcrowded HR tech, recruiting, and payroll ecosystem, and why the firms winning mindshare aren't the loudest - they're the ones who clearly articulate what they do, who they serve, and how they solve real problems. She shares practical insights on leveraging analysts, navigating buzzwords, aligning brand and product narratives, and building credibility in a market where AI is rewriting the rules of communication. Connect with Katie: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katieachille/ Up Next @ Work Podcast: https://wrkdefined.com/podcast/up-next-work Katie's Substack, ‘The How': https://thehowof.substack.com/ DevonPR: https://www.devonpr.com/ Connect with the show: LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/company/hr-payroll-2-0 X: @HRPayroll2_0 X: @PeteTiliakos X: @JulieFer_HR BlueSky: @hrpayroll2o.bsky.social YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HRPAYROLL2_0 WRKDefined Podcast Network: https://wrkdefined.com/podcast/hr-payroll-20 Thank you to our marquee sponsors for powering the HR & Payroll 2.0 podcast forward! G-P ‘Globalization Partners': https://www.globalization-partners.com/ OneSource Virtual: https://hubs.ly/Q03YFNR90 Zoho: https://www.zoho.com/press.html
We unpack how search is shifting from blue links to AI-driven answers and why clean data, focused positioning, and public citations now decide who gets recommended. Solomon Timothy joins us to share practical frameworks for AEO, prompt mapping, and measurable AI visibility.• why prompts replace keywords across the funnel• how to make content machine-readable with schema and FAQs• why entity clarity and niche focus boost trust• media, podcasts, YouTube, and press as authority signals• differences between AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity• tracking prompts, mentions, and reverse engineering citations• fixing iframes and technical blockers to visibility• building internal tools while the market matures• what to measure before and after AI visibility work• practical wins for local and niche brandsGuest Contact Information: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/solomonthimothyWebsite: thimothy.comYouTube: youtube.com/c/ClickxioInstagram: instagram.com/sthimothyTwitter/X: x.com/sthimothyMore from EWR and Matthew:Leave us a review wherever you listen: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Amazon PodcastFree SEO Consultation: www.ewrdigital.com/discovery-callWith over 5 million downloads, The Best SEO Podcast has been the go-to show for digital marketers, business owners, and entrepreneurs wanting real-world strategies to grow online. Now, host Matthew Bertram — creator of LLM Visibility™ and the LLM Visibility Stack™, and Lead Strategist at EWR Digital — takes the conversation beyond traditional SEO into the AI era of discoverability. Each week, Matthew dives into the tactics, frameworks, and insights that matter most in a world where search engines, large language models, and answer engines are reshaping how people find, trust, and choose businesses. From SEO and AI-driven marketing to executive-level growth strategy, you'll hear expert interviews, deep-dive discussions, and actionable strategies to help you stay ahead of the curve. Find more episodes here: youtube.com/@BestSEOPodcastbestseopodcast.combestseopodcast.buzzsprout.comFollow us on:Facebook: @bestseopodcastInstagram: @thebestseopodcastTiktok: @bestseopodcastLinkedIn: @bestseopodcastConnect With Matthew Bertram: Website: www.matthewbertram.comInstagram: @matt_bertram_liveLinkedIn: @mattbertramlivePowered by: Support the show
The old SEO rulebook isn’t just outdated—it’s dangerous. Adrian Newman, President of Numero Uno Web Solutions and a 25-year veteran of the digital trenches, has a warning for 2026: If you are still chasing “search volume,” you are fighting a losing war. With AI Overviews and ChatGPT now acting as “Answer Engines” (AEO), the metric…
PNR: This Old Marketing | Content Marketing with Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose
In this special episode, Joe and Robert answer all the questions from the This Old Marketing audience. How do backlink strategies (SEO) and citations (AEO) work together, and what unified content strategy can help brands earn both? In the age of GEO, how should membership organizations decide what content to keep free versus behind a paywall, especially when balancing search visibility with exclusive expert value? As AI takes over more execution, will small businesses and solopreneurs still need and pay for human marketing strategy, and how can independent consultants differentiate and stay relevant in an AI-first world? Did the Netflix series about the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders measurably impact the team's brand or game viewership, and is it a model for how entertainment content can elevate a sports franchise's marketing? Should marketers clearly separate "content marketing" (audience-building) from "sales enablement content" (purchase support), and does lumping them together lead to bad strategy and wrong KPIs? If you were starting from zero today, with AI flooding every channel, what would you build first to create real audience trust and attention over the next five years, and what would you completely ignore that most marketers are still chasing? Thanks to all of you for your questions and support. Subscribe and Follow: Follow Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose on LinkedIn for insights, hot takes, and weekly updates from the world of content and marketing. ------- This week's sponsor: Did you know that most businesses only use 20% of their data? That's like reading a book with most of the pages torn out. Point is, you miss a lot. Unless you use HubSpot. Their customer platform gives you access to the data you need to grow your business. The insights trapped in emails, call logs, and transcripts. All that unstructured data that makes all the difference. Because when you know more, you grow more. Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Subscribe to Joe's Newsletter at https://www.joepulizzi.com/signup/. Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ Subscribe to Robert's Newsletter at https://seventhbearlens.substack.com/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork
Hello everyone, Today's guest is Victoria Olsina, an AI Search, GEO and AI Content Systems Consultant for Web3 brands. She helps crypto, blockchain and DeFi projects improve visibility across AI models, search engines and decentralised communities using advanced SEO, AEO, GEO and AI-powered content systems. Her clients include Polkadot, Bankless, Consensys, NEAR, Aztec and Mezo. She was nominated for Best SEO in Europe and is a speaker and mentor in the Web3 and AI marketing ecosystem.a TL;DR :* Getting your brand to show up in ChatGPT and AI search results* What actually matters for LLM visibility (hint: it's not traditional SEO)* Which marketing tasks you should automate vs. keep human* Real talk on building AI agents that actually work* Why SEO still matters for Web3 (even if you're crushing it on X)* How bear vs. bull markets change your SEO playbook* and more. Get in touch:Victoria OlsinaWebsite: https://victoriaolsina.com/Linktree: https://linktr.ee/victoriaolsinaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriaolsina/ X: https://x.com/victoria_olsinaYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@victoria.olsinaLLM visibility book - https://victoriaolsina.com/llm-visibility-for-web3-book/Follow us:Twitter https://twitter.com/ooo_podcastThe Web3 Marketing Hackathon - https://x.com/web3mktghackFarcaster - https://warpcast.com/froguleAlexandra - https://twitter.com/froguleAlex LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandranicorici/
在 AI 快速渗透信息获取方式的当下,流量入口正在发生结构性的变化,越来越多原本发生在搜索引擎中的行为被前移到了大模型的对话界面中。就在这一背景下,像 Perplexity 和 OpenAI 这样的 AI 平台公司开始尝试广告和购物功能,试图探索一条新的商业化途径。 我们的节目近期硅谷组织了一场 关于 GEO/AEO(AI Engine Optimization)的线下闭门讨论。我们邀请了来自模型公司、搜索与推荐系统背景、AEO 服务商、电商平台以及品牌侧的一线从业者,共同探讨:AI 搜索与传统搜索的关系究竟发生了哪些变化?AEO 是否真的值得投入?在模型时代,内容、品牌与可信度应如何被重新理解? 本期节目基于这场线下讨论整理而成。我们结合实践者的真实经验,试图厘清:当 AI 成为新的流量入口,哪些逻辑正在改变,哪些其实从未改变。 《科技早知道》用户访谈报名 为了做出更好听的节目,我们邀请你参加我们的电话访谈。请点击链接填写问卷,我们会第一时间联系你! ** 获得后续AEO/GEO相关信息** 请点击链接,我们会后续发送相关内容和活动 订阅我们的邮件 本期人物 丁教 Diane,「声动活泼」联合创始人、「科技早知道」主播 Yaxian,「科技早知道」主播 闭门会部分发言嘉宾: Leo Liu Airmart 的创始人兼 CEO,Airmart 获得a16z与 Craft Ventures 投资,致力于构建 AI 驱动的电商工具。基于对数千家商户和 2 亿美元以上 GMV 的实践经验,Leo 主导孵化了 Frevana 以 AEO与 AI 驱动工作流为核心的Agent,并因此获得 OpenAI Grant 资助认可。在创业之前,Leo 在 Pinterest参与并推动了 Buyable Pins、电商搜索以及 AI 视觉发现等项目。 Rui Jiang Shoply AI 的创始人兼 CEO,是面向电商场景的下一代对话式搜索与产品发现系统。他在搜索、排序与 AI 系统领域拥有 20 多年的一线经验,曾在 Google、Pinterest、Coupang 与 Meta 担任高级工程与技术管理职位,主导或深度参与了包括 Google Custom Search、Pinterest Guided Search,以及搜索、推荐与广告系统的整体重构。 Carter Laren Sprite 的联合创始人兼 CEO / CTO,目前正致力于构建新一代 具备 Agentic 能力的自动化营销系统,目标是实现专业级、全自动的自然增长(Organic Marketing)。Carter 是一位连续创业者与资深工程师,拥有 25 年以上 的技术与创业经验,去十余年中,长期担任多家初创公司的董事、顾问与导师,其中包括 Emotive(AI 短信营销) 和 Lily(零售与电商 AI) 等项目。 其他参与讨论: Will Fu,LeapUnion蛙跳科技有限公司创始人 LingLing,硅谷营销咨询公司West Operators联合创始人 主要话题 [01:25] OpenAI 为什么最终还是选择了广告模式? 当订阅收入无法覆盖算力与研发成本,单一付费模式失效 广告成为大模型公司现实可行的新商业化路径 本质是现金流压力下的结构性选择,而非态度转变 [07:45] AEO 会不会颠覆传统 SEO? AEO 并不取代 SEO,而是叠加在原有逻辑之上的新层 竞争焦点从“排名”转向“是否被 AI 引用” [14:29] 为什么不是所有产品都适合做 AEO? 决策路径长短是决定性变量 AI 更影响研究、比较和复杂判断阶段 冲动消费、低客单价产品 ROI 天然受限 [18:29] AI 时代的“投毒式内容”还能奏效吗? Reddit 引用权重下降是明确的信号 内容污染和操纵会被模型与平台惩罚 一旦失去信任,引用权重难以恢复 [24:56] SEO 和 AEO 在内容结构上的本质差别是什么? SEO 以关键词匹配为中心 AEO 以“把问题讲清楚”为中心 内容从碎片化堆叠转向完整上下文与逻辑闭环 [29:53] 为什么做 AEO 必须关注长期价值而不是短期新鲜度? 追逐短期流量容易触发平台惩罚 用做品牌的态度生产内容,更容易被持续引用 权威性和可信度比更新频率更重要 [32:45] AEO 的 ROI 为什么始终算不清楚? 大量转化发生在零点击搜索之后 用户在 AI 中完成决策,路径不可追踪 ROI 需结合可见度、互动与结果的综合评估 [37:45] AEO 的终局会不会成为“新的 SEO”? 工具、服务商与角色将高度细分 市场规模庞大,但难以被单一平台垄断 更接近长期基础设施,而非短期红利 Perplexity 结果中显示的「SPONSORED」内容 ChatGPT 中的 Shopping Card 广告卡片 相关节目与链接 GEO 来了: AI 电商新生态,品牌要如何「被看见」和「被推荐」?| S9E39 9 AI Visibility Optimization Platforms Ranked by AEO Score (2026) The 10 Best AEO / GEO Tools in 2025: Ranked and Reviewed 幕后制作 监制:Yaxian 后期:迪卡 运营:George 设计:饭团 商业合作 声动活泼商业化小队,点击链接直达声动商务会客厅(https://sourl.cn/9h28kj ),也可发送邮件至 business@shengfm.cn 联系我们。 加入声动活泼 声动活泼目前开放商务合作实习生、社群运营实习生和 BD 经理等职位,详情点击招聘入口详情点击招聘入口 关于声动活泼 「用声音碰撞世界」,声动活泼致力于为人们提供源源不断的思考养料。 我们还有这些播客:声动早咖啡、声东击西、吃喝玩乐了不起、反潮流俱乐部、泡腾 VC、商业WHY酱、跳进兔子洞 、不止金钱 欢迎在即刻、微博等社交媒体上与我们互动,搜索 声动活泼 即可找到我们。 期待你给我们写邮件,邮箱地址是:ting@sheng.fm 欢迎扫码添加声小音,在节目之外和我们保持联系。Special Guests: Carter, Leo, and Rui.
Everyone is rushing to "optimize for AI." Most are doing it wrong. In this episode, Tim Soulo, the Chief Marketing Officer at Ahrefs, cuts through the noise around AEO and GEO and explains why business owners are massively overcomplicating what visibility really means today. While AI-powered search feels new and unpredictable, Tim argues that the same core SEO principles still apply. Create genuinely useful content for your audience, and the algorithms tend to follow. We dive into how traditional SEO compares to AEO and GEO, and where AI actually changes the game. Tim breaks down how large language models decide what to surface and answers a question many founders are asking right now: how much should you realistically invest in boosting AI visibility before the returns flatten out? Tim explains why creating content purely for AI is a mistake, and how updating existing content, improving clarity, and leveraging social media can increase AI visibility without risking long-term trust. He also challenges the idea that SEO has to be slow, showing how AI can help businesses move faster when used correctly. If you want a practical, hype-free take on AI and SEO, this episode delivers. Topics Discussed in this episode: How traditional SEO compares to AEO and GEO (03:44) Overcoming the pitfalls of AI overviews (06:44) Understanding LLM algorithms (09:42) Analysing how well you rank in ChatGPT (12:46) How much should you invest in boosting your visibility? (19:33) Creating content for people, not for AI (25:34) Using social media to improve your AI visibility (27:34) How to update your existing content to make it more AI-friendly (30:02) Using AI to help you rank faster (38:47) Will traditional SEO remain relevant or fade away? (42:51) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcasts Empire Flippers Marketplace Create an Empire Flippers account Subscribe to our newsletter Ahrefs Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to optimize your brand's visibility in the age of AI.
HTML All The Things - Web Development, Web Design, Small Business
Site owners are seeing traffic to their websites drop considerably as users begin asking AI questions, instead of searching for solutions on individual sites. Value-based websites seem to be getting hit with the worst of it, as tutorials and listicles are easily presented right inside an LLM's chat window. This leaves many site owners with a dilemma - should they continue to chase SEO trends, or should they reach for something more tuned to AI, like AEO and GEO? With many websites being run by just a few staff members, resources are tight - so every missed pageview matters. In 2026, should site owners worry about SEO, GEO, or AEO? Or maybe even all of them at the same time? Show Notes: https://www.htmlallthethings.com/podcast/should-you-worry-about-seo-geo-and-aeo-in-2026 Powered by CodeRabbit - AI Code Reviews: https://coderabbit.link/htmlallthethings Use our Scrimba affiliate link (https://scrimba.com/?via=htmlallthethings) for a 20% discount!! Full details in show notes.
Everyone is rushing to "optimize for AI." Most are doing it wrong. In this episode, Tim Soulo, the Chief Marketing Officer at Ahrefs, cuts through the noise around AEO and GEO and explains why business owners are massively overcomplicating what visibility really means today. While AI-powered search feels new and unpredictable, Tim argues that the same core SEO principles still apply. Create genuinely useful content for your audience, and the algorithms tend to follow. We dive into how traditional SEO compares to AEO and GEO, and where AI actually changes the game. Tim breaks down how large language models decide what to surface and answers a question many founders are asking right now: how much should you realistically invest in boosting AI visibility before the returns flatten out? Tim explains why creating content purely for AI is a mistake, and how updating existing content, improving clarity, and leveraging social media can increase AI visibility without risking long-term trust. He also challenges the idea that SEO has to be slow, showing how AI can help businesses move faster when used correctly. If you want a practical, hype-free take on AI and SEO, this episode delivers. Topics Discussed in this episode: How traditional SEO compares to AEO and GEO (03:44) Overcoming the pitfalls of AI overviews (06:44) Understanding LLM algorithms (09:42) Analysing how well you rank in ChatGPT (12:46) How much should you invest in boosting your visibility? (19:33) Creating content for people, not for AI (25:34) Using social media to improve your AI visibility (27:34) How to update your existing content to make it more AI-friendly (30:02) Using AI to help you rank faster (38:47) Will traditional SEO remain relevant or fade away? (42:51) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcasts Empire Flippers Marketplace Create an Empire Flippers account Subscribe to our newsletter Ahrefs Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to optimize your brand's visibility in the age of AI.
This Week: Arthur Baker and Saul Colt join Bob to discuss P&G's approach to data mining with AI, understanding AEO vs GEO, abusing your mascot, why the jury's still out on Telly, plus this week's #FairFailFoul.
In "Vanity Metrics Don't Move Freight: Building Real Pipeline in Freight-Tech", Joe Lynch and Jim Waters, Fractional CMO and Founder of FreightTech (marketing), discuss how marketing must shift from a tactical cost center to a strategic operating system that drives real revenue. About Jim Waters Jim Waters is a Boston-based B2B marketing executive with a proven track record of building robust sales pipelines. His passion lies in driving meaningful conversations, understanding customer pain points, and creating compelling content that generates active pipeline velocity. A results-driven innovator, Jim was an early employee at both FRAYT and Tive, where he spearheaded Global Marketing. Jim's entrepreneurial spirit led him to build successful marketing teams at Coveo, (CVO.TO), FAST (MSFT) and StreamServe (NASDAQ: OTEX). He earned an MBA from Northeastern University and is now Founder of FreighTech Advisors fractional CMO and advisor services to companies in the Logistics Technology industry. About FreighTech FreighTech is a company that delivers fractional CMO consulting, content development, marketing and advisory services specifically to logistics technology businesses. The company was founded in 2023 by Jim Waters, a logistics and supply chain marketing veteran. Key Takeaways: Vanity Metrics Don't Move Freight: Building Real Pipeline in Freight-Tech In "Vanity Metrics Don't Move Freight: Building Real Pipeline in Freight-Tech", Joe Lynch and Jim Waters, Fractional CMO and Founder of FreightTech (marketing), discuss how marketing must shift from a tactical cost center to a strategic operating system that drives real revenue. FreighTech's Specialization: Founded in 2023, FreighTech provides fractional CMO consulting and marketing advisory services specifically for logistics technology businesses. Jim Waters leverages his deep industry experience (having scaled companies like Tive and Frayt) to help growth-stage startups turn marketing from a cost center into a revenue-generating engine without the overhead of a full-time executive. Marketing as a Portfolio: Jim argues that marketing should be treated as an investment portfolio, not a one-off cost. Just like a financial portfolio or a fitness routine, it requires time and consistency. Companies often fail because they "micromanage" their marketing, expecting an immediate ROI within two weeks, rather than allowing for the 6–9 month cycle often required to see real pipeline growth. The Death of the Cold Call and the Rise of "Stalking": The traditional sales model of making 100 cold calls a day is losing effectiveness because buyers now screen calls and conduct their own research online. Joe and Jim discuss how the buying process starts long before the sales process, with potential customers "stalking" a company's content on LinkedIn, YouTube, and podcasts for up to a year before ever engaging with a salesperson. Navigating the 2026 Visibility Shift (SEO, GEO, and AEO): Visibility in 2026 requires more than just traditional Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Jim introduces two critical new concepts: GEO (Generative Engine Optimization): Ensuring your brand is cited by AI engines like ChatGPT and Gemini as a subject matter expert. AEO (Answer Engine Optimization): Structuring content to directly answer binary buyer questions (e.g., "How do I improve ROI in logistics marketing?"). The "Revenue Engine Blueprint" Basics: Before scaling, companies must master the basics. Jim emphasizes that a "blueprint" requires a clear understanding of the Total Addressable Market (TAM) and a refined Ideal Customer Profile (ICP). Without knowing exactly who you solve problems for, adding expensive tech stacks like Salesforce or HubSpot is simply "accelerating into a wall." The Danger of "Chainsaw" Customers: Jim shares a cautionary tale from his time at Tive about a salesperson wanting to tape a high-end tracker to a chainsaw to prevent theft. While any revenue is tempting, Jim warns that chasing customers outside your ICP is not repeatable or scalable. True growth comes from "niching down" to focus on fans and specific verticals (like Pharma or Cold Chain) rather than trying to be everything to everyone. Multiplying Reach through a Distribution Engine: Content is only half the battle; the other half is a distribution engine. This involves using a "one-to-many" strategy—leveraging partners, PR, and podcasts to amplify a single piece of high-quality thought leadership. By turning one conversation into video clips, articles, and social posts, companies build the authenticity and trust necessary for modern freight-tech sales. Learn More About Vanity Metrics Don't Move Freight: Building Real Pipeline in Freight-Tech Jim Waters | Linkedin FreighTech | Linkedin FreighTech Driving Sales Pipeline with Jim Waters | The Logistics of Logistics The Key to Effective Last Mile Delivery with Jim Waters | The Logistics of Logistics Every Shipment Matters With Jim Waters | The Logistics of Logistics The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: Google, Apple, Castbox, Spotify, Stitcher, PlayerFM, Tunein, Podbean, Owltail, Libsyn, Overcast Check out The Logistics of Logistics on Youtube
We map the year ahead for home inspectors, cutting through AI hype, clarifying what “mandatory inspection” really means, and focusing on the only dial that matters: inventory. We share why rates alone won't fix housing, how regional pricing skews outcomes, and why SEO just became a secret weapon again.• AI tools rising fast, but privacy, accuracy and human support matter more• mandatory inspection contingency explained and why it rarely guarantees volume• inventory and price as the real market levers, not just interest rates• corporate ownership of single-family homes and how policy could free supply• regional price gaps shaping inspector opportunity and strategy• cautiously positive 2026 outlook with a four to six week lag to inspections• practical strategy: don't overhire, do deepen agent ties and expand services• SEO still drives discovery while rivals quit, AEO as a smart add-on• verify AI outputs and keep your expertise at the centerDon't forget to hit that subscribe button so you can catch our future episodes as well. If you have any feedback, please send us an email at info at inspectortoolbelt.com. Also, don't forget to check out our app for home inspectors, scheduling and report writing all in one easy-to-use app. Check it out now at inspectortoolbelt.com.Check out our home inspection app at www.inspectortoolbelt.comNeed a home inspection website? See samples of our website at www.inspectortoolbelt.com/home-inspection-websites*The views and opinions expressed in this podcast, and the guests on it, do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Inspector Toolbelt and its associates.
Anna Kimelman is a sustainability strategist and award-winning designer who pioneered sustainable fashion before it became mainstream. After building brands for Puma, AEO and Bloomingdales, she founded an acclaimed womenswear brand that launched with Shopbop and attracted celebrity fans including Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber. Now, she leads Loopline, a WBENC-certified consultancy, helping fashion retailers and social organizations drive their sustainability communication — through workshops and circular product innovation — to grow their impact and business. Anna also advises for the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and MIT Solve, helping scale circular businesses worldwide.In this episode, Lindy Fox sits down with Anna about her eye-opening journey from working with major fashion brands to launching her own sustainable collection. After experiencing global production firsthand, she now helps companies innovate and communicate sustainability effectively.
Send Jackie A Message!What's actually changing in the yoga and Pilates industry in 2026 — and what do studio owners need to do to keep growing without burning out?In this episode, Jackie Murphy shares her 2026 predictions for the yoga and Pilates industry through the lens of data, consumer behavior, marketing trends, and business sustainability. You'll learn why industry growth means more competition (and why that's not a bad thing), how consumers are becoming smarter and more values-driven, and why generic marketing is officially dead.Jackie also explains why organic marketing alone won't be enough in 2026, how AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) is changing visibility on Google and AI tools, and why coaching and business education are becoming non-negotiable for studio owners who want predictable cash flow and long-term sustainability.If you want to scale your studio with clarity, stronger messaging, better marketing, and a business model that lasts, this episode will give you a roadmap.Timestamped Outline[00:00] Welcome + why this episode matters[02:30] Industry growth data + what it means[05:00] More competition = need clearer messaging[07:00] Smarter, more values-driven consumers[09:00] People scrolling less + why content must improve[11:00] Why organic alone won't cut it (paid ads + amplification)[13:00] AEO / Answer Engine Optimization + visibility shifts[15:00] Coaching becomes non-negotiable in the industry[20:00] Sustainability + predictable cash flow becomes the priority[22:30] Using data deeper: longer nurture journeys + conversion[26:00] Team structure evolves: specialized roles, not “one studio manager”[30:00] Teacher pipeline + onboarding systems / trainings[32:00] CTA: Studio CEO Program + what's includedKey Takeaways ✅ The industry is growing fast — which means more options for consumers✅ Generic “yoga has benefits” marketing won't stand out anymore✅ Consumers are smarter and more values-driven✅ People are scrolling less → your content must earn attention fast✅ Organic marketing alone won't be enough; amplify what works with paid ads✅ AEO matters as AI answers replace traditional searches✅ Coaching/business education is becoming a baseline requirement✅ Sustainability and predictable cash flow beat “big jumps” in 2026✅ Team roles will specialize (marketing, teacher development, ops)✅ Studios must strengthen teacher pipelines and onboarding systemsPull Quotes“You are so far past generic marketing.”“Your consumer is smarter.”“Coaching is going to become non-negotiable.”“If you want to be part of the growth… you have to be around in 2035.”“Get off the roller coaster.”Resources MentionedStudio CEO Program (12 months)Weekly coaching calls + written coachingWeekly trending reels (hook + caption + training)Bonus workshops (including AEO/AIO workshop)Related EpisodesEpisode on AI + studiosEpisode on coachingWork with Jackie Murphy Say Hi on Instagram @studioceoofficial 3 Marketing Mistakes Yoga & Pilates Business Owners Make: https://www.jackiegmurphy.com/3-marketing-mistakes Join The Studio CEO Program: https://www.jackiegmurphy.com/studioceo