Podcasts about paid media

Zeke Bronfman is the co-founder and CEO of The Absorption Company, a brand pioneering highly bioavailable supplements engineered for optimal nutrient absorption. With a background in health and wellness entrepreneurship—including a previous successful beverage exit—Zeke leads a team on a mission to address a major gap in supplement efficacy by focusing on real, measurable impact for consumers.In this episode of DTC Pod, Zeke details the journey of building The Absorption Company from inception to rapid retail success in outlets like Erewhon. He talks about the science behind absorption, launching with a powerful community-driven strategy, and the importance of brand-led product innovation. Zeke also offers practical advice on supply chain management, leveraging celebrity co-founders, and lessons learned about optimizing e-commerce for long-term growth.Episode brought to you by StordInteract with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:1. The founding story of The Absorption Company2. Why most supplements fail—and how absorption is the next frontier3. Creating a viral pre-launch private Instagram community4. Setting a brand apart with science-backed, lifestyle-driven design5. Early product development and MVP lessons6. Direct-to-consumer subscription as a growth engine7. Amazon, TikTok Shop, and the online channel mix8. The strategic approach to selective retail partnerships9. Managing the supply chain: co-packers, fulfillment, and scaling ops10. How to keep operations simple, resilient, and cost-effective11. Lessons in traffic acquisition: organic, paid, and influencer mix12. Celebrity founder advantages, limits, and effective deployment13. Funding, initial capital requirements, and brand investment14. Biggest founder learnings and operational takeaways15. What's ahead: innovation pipeline and future growthTimestamps00:00 Intro to Zeke Bronfman and The Absorption Company02:44 The absorption problem in supplements04:40 Why bioavailability is the future of wellness supplements06:11 Bringing the brand to life: Team, tech, and community-building07:47 The private Instagram launch strategy and viral pre-sale09:27 The power of exclusivity and early consumer engagement11:12 Product MVP and standout branding decisions13:26 Early sales strategy: DTC, Amazon, retail mix15:04 Why big-box retail isn't always the right move17:57 Scaling DTC: Subscription, platform choices, and LTV19:04 Driving traffic: Paid, organic, influencer, and celebrity co-founder impact20:38 TikTok Shop: Affiliate, Live, and what works (and doesn't)22:36 Capital, startup costs, and launching with impact25:32 Building a scalable supply chain and minimizing complexity27:25 Fulfillment operations and splitting inventory29:00 Entering boutique/strategic retail as a marketing lever30:52 Biggest learnings and missteps scaling Absorption Company33:13 Lessons using celebrity/influencer as a brand amplifier36:10 What's next: Upcoming innovations and business growth36:50 Where to follow Absorption CompanyShow notes powered by CastmagicPast guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more.  Additional episodes you might like:• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook• ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands-----Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?Check out our newsletter here.Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internetOlivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplementCastmagic - AI Workspace for ContentFollow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates!DTCPod InstagramDTCPod TwitterDTCPod TikTokEzekiel Bronfman - Co-Founder and CEO of The Absorption CompanyBlaine Bolus - Co-Founder of CastmagicRamon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

Finally, some insights brand builders and performance marketers can agree on.We gathered CAOs in finance, food, jobs, and boots to share everything they've learned as they've scaled podcasting to enviable levels–and whether you're brand or performance, you'll benefit from their wealth of experienceOn The Media Roundtable, we have one of our favorite conversations from the 2025 CAO Summit. Conor Doyle (President, Oxford Road) moderated ”No More Maybes: Scaling Podcast Performance with Precision,” where he gathered some of the sharpest CAOs who have scaled podcasts and agreed to share their secrets. Conor sat down with:• Gladwell Mwangi (Director of Paid Media, Whole Foods)• Kezia Koo (Former Sr. Director, Global Growth & Performance Marketing, Indeed),• Megan Smith (Director, Media Strategy, Tecovas), and• Nick Fairbairn (Vice President, Growth Marketing, Chime)These audio evangelists candidly shared how they grew podcasts with confidence and their hard-won lessons from the journey.They're talking: Measurement Quality, Podcasts Play Nice, Thoughtful Success, and more. Let's dig in.“ Every single time we ratchet up the quality of our measurement, it's telling us time and time again, that podcast is efficient, it's driving revenue and bringing customers in.”– Kezia Koo (Former Sr. Director, Global Growth & Performance Marketing, Indeed)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Send us a textBefore he was building ad campaigns, Jack Hepp was building houses. Now he runs Industrious Marketing, helping local businesses grow through hands-on paid media advertising strategy. In this episode, Jack shares how getting fired early shaped his marketing career, discusses the mentors who sharpened his skills, and why clear pricing and clean strategy always win over smoke and mirrors, specifically in regard to local businesses and Google Local Services ads (LSAs). Episode Highlights: Jack Hepp's background in construction and mentorship shaped his approach to marketing, emphasizing responsibility, adaptability, and long-term thinking in paid media strategies.  He advocates for a “listen first” approach in client interactions, and stresses the importance of honest, constructive feedback. Jack discusses the value of Local Service Ads (LSAs) for certain industries, but warns they should be complemented with traditional campaigns for consistent lead generation. He prefers transparent, tiered pricing models based on ad spend, and emphasizes that clear scope, reporting, and communication are essential for building trust and setting expectations with clients. Episode Links: Jack Hepp on LinkedInIndustrious MarketingFollow The Digital Marketing Mentor: Website and Blog: thedmmentor.com Instagram: @thedmmentor Linkedin: @thedmmentor YouTube: @thedmmentor Interested in Digital Marketing Services, Careers, or Courses? Check out more from the TDMM Family: Optidge.com - Full Service Digital Marketing Agency specializing in SEO, PPC, Paid Social, and Lead Generation efforts for established B2C and B2B businesses and organizations. ODEOacademy.com - Digital Marketing online education and course platform. ODEO gives you solid digital marketing knowledge to launch/boost your career or understand your business's digital marketing strategy.

In this episode of Always Be Testing, host Tye DeGrange sits down with John Toskey, a seasoned marketing leader with over 25 years of experience in global partner and performance marketing. Having held senior roles at eBay, Affirm, and Opera Software, and now running his own consulting practice, John unpacks lessons from decades of leading high-performing global marketing teams. He shares valuable insights on building diverse and sustainable teams, creating a culture of experimentation, and the importance of asking the right questions when testing. The conversation dives into why diversity in location, experience, and seniority strengthens team performance, how to avoid “talent logjams” and keep growth pathways open, and what it takes to scale a test-and-learn culture while ensuring results are properly shared. John and Tye also explore the balance between data, intuition, and executive alignment in decision-making, the evolving future of performance marketing—from BNPL to retail media to influencer backlash—and the promise and risks of AI in marketing, including generational differences in its adoption. Adding a personal touch, John opens up about his passion for cooking, vegan living, and even bird-watching apps, making this conversation both insightful and relatable.

¿Cómo pasa una marca universitaria a vender más del 60% fuera de España y convertirse en referente del eCommerce de moda durante más de 10 años?En este episodio, Jaime Garrastazu (CEO de Pompeii) comparte los aprendizajes clave: puntos de inflexión, internacionalización, cómo vender en wholesale y cómo medir tu estrategia de Paid Media de verdad.Un episodio imprescindible para quienes buscan escalar su eCommerce y construir una marca que marque la diferencia.Powered By 21Nova. Host Álvaro Ruvira

Eddie Yoon, Sr Director, Paid Media at NP Digital, shows how CMOs can spin up a full creative campaign in ~30 minutes using AI. He breaks down a rapid “three-tab” workflow—Meta Ad Library for competitive research, GPT for strategy and prompts, and an image generator (Reeve) for instant mood boards—then extends it into testing (Trial Reels, TikTok hooks), product R&D, and agentic pipelines. We also riff on why the next decade could normalize solo billionaire founders, how Netflix foreshadowed AI-driven content, and what real-time, stylized, monetizable media will look like.Timestamps1:07 Meet Eddie Yoon—NP Digital, paid social × creative × AI background.1:49 “AI is redefining growth”: blistering company speed and scale.2:16 The solo-founder era & agentic executive teams.4:39 Enterprise example: HubSpot's leadership going all-in on AI.5:29 Founder example: Tyler at Beehive—shipping fast by listening + acting.6:30 Design & media: Netflix's early AI play; House of Cards data story.11:29 The 30-minute campaign challenge—Eddie's live plan.12:53 The three tabs: Meta Ad Library → GPT prompts → Reeve mockups.14:37 Copy/paste every active ad into GPT; ask for strategy synthesis.16:06 Five “board-level” ideas; forcing a single high-acceptance pitch.17:56 Image prompt for “Comfort 2.0” (eco-luxury, performance lifestyle).20:27 Prompting hack: “200+ IQ” to push for originality (avoid clichés).21:06 Locking on Comfort 2.0—“performance tech meets everyday life.”23:06 Iterating the mood board; feeding outputs back into GPT.23:30 If the client has the shoe already: do it all in AI (no photoshoot).24:39 Rapid tests: ethnicity, angle, color; Instagram Trial Reels.26:03 Beyond ads: full-funnel → product design & R&D with agents.27:24 100-page competitor deep dives from public signals.28:26 Scoring system (cutoff 85; 95+ are “winners”) to prioritize assets.30:13 Spinning GPT outputs into 10 TikTok hooks for creators/founders.31:32 Domain-tuned agents that deliver 90%-ready work.33:13 What's next: automatic video analysis and creative fixes.34:13 Next 12 months: IP-driven brands, real-time stylized video, avatars.35:43 Meta: capturing AI audio; partner via your agent in the future.36:12 Why solo $1B is realistic (and $100M solos even more so).Tools & Technologies Mentioned (with quick notes)Meta Ad Library — Public index of active FB/IG ads; great for competitive creative research.GPT — Used to analyze competitor ads, generate board-level strategies, image prompts, TikTok hooks, and run scoring frameworks.Reeve — Static image generator (Midjourney-like) for fast mood boards and spec creative.Midjourney — Alternative image generation tool for photorealistic concepts.VO3 — Motion/video generation tool referenced for animated concepts.Instagram Trial Reels — Organic test surface to gauge hooks/creatives with cold audiences before spend.TikTok — Distribution + hook testing via short scripts for creators/founders.Semrush — Search/keyword intel to complement social competitive analysis.SocialPeta — Creative/spend intelligence (legacy use; less relied upon now).AI Avatars & Agentic Flows — Persona-based creators and multi-agent pipelines to speed research, ideation, testing, and post-mortems.Subscribe at⁠ thisnewway.com⁠ to get the step-by-step playbooks, tools, and workflows.

Stop wasting ad spend and start turning every click into a lease.In this episode of Riffing with Reid, Melissa Morris, Paid Media Manager at Digible, joins us to break down the only paid media strategy you need to win in 2025.Melissa shares hard-won lessons from managing campaigns with budgets as small as $1K and as large as six figures and reveals how to make AI, PMAX, and DemandGen work for you instead of draining your budget.What's your biggest challenge with paid media right now?Let us know in the comments below and subscribe to Riffing with Reid for more multifamily marketing insights!Learn More About Digible:⁠ https://digible.com?utm_source=dd_podcast&utm_medium=episode_description(00:00) Intro(01:45) Melissa's Journey(06:38) Lessons from Nonprofit Marketing & Why She Joined Digible  (09:14) Rethinking Paid Media(11:13) The Evolution of Google Ads(14:26) Balancing Privacy, Data Security & Lead Quality  (15:28) Building Full-Funnel Strategies (21:11) Smarter Keyword & Creative Strategies (26:18) Making Attribution Work(30:52) Regional Budgets & Scaling Data (32:26) PMAX & DemandGen Explained (39:03) Budget Allocation & Seasonality(43:10) Optimizing Campaigns(48:19) Front-Loading Budgets & Measuring Marginal ROI  (54:20) Why Human Strategy Still Matters in the Age of AI  (01:01:15) Uniting Paid Media, SEO & ILS

In this episode of Always Be Testing, host Tye DeGrange sits down with Kayla Castro, Senior Manager of Affiliates & Partnerships at Zenni Optical, to talk about the evolving world of affiliate marketing. Kayla shares her experience leading affiliate programs and offers practical insights on how to audit and optimize affiliate strategies for long-term success.The conversation covers common mistakes brands make in affiliate marketing and why internal communication is critical for gaining leadership buy-in. Kayla also dives into the complexities of measurement, breaking down MTA, MMM, incrementality, and attribution models in a way that helps marketers understand how to use the right tool for the right decision.They explore how to balance efficiency, partner diversity, and sustainable growth while leveraging AI as a supportive tool without losing the human touch that drives authentic, trust-based relationships with partners. Beyond marketing, Kayla shares personal perspectives on travel, books, and professional growth, making the discussion both practical and relatable.

Paid ads are expensive and crowded.The brands that stand out today know how to blend organic marketing, referrals, and authentic word-of-mouth… online and offline.In this episode, Neil Twa sits down with Ashley Stanford, digital strategist and co-founder of Ice Cream Social, to unpack how entrepreneurs can lower acquisition costs, create authentic content, and turn every customer into an influencer. Ashley also shares her own journey of building a flexible business while raising kids, and why “freedom” has always been her core driver. In This Episode, We Cover:✅ How to combine paid media with organic growth channels✅ The role of authentic UGC and influencer partnerships✅ Offline referrals and why every customer can be an influencer✅ How Ice Cream Social helps brands activate word-of-mouth online✅ Ashley's journey to balancing business, family, and freedom

Welcome to The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast, brought to you by Julie Spear, Head of Retail Marketplace Services, and Jordan Ripley, Director of Retail Account Management. Today, we're thrilled to be joined by Scott Lester, Senior Manager of Digital & E-commerce at eos: the brand behind the beloved Evolution of Smooth products, from body lotions and lip balms to shaving creams. We first connected with Scott at eTail East, where he spoke on marketplace optimization and strategy. His insights really stood out, and we're excited to dive deeper into those ideas with him today. Tune in to find out more! KEY TAKEAWAYS In this episode, Julie, Jordan, and Scott discuss: Scott Lester's Nontraditional Career Path: Scott shares how he went from a Spanish literature degree and pharmaceutical sales to a thriving career in ecommerce, emphasizing the value of curiosity and adaptability. Translating Brand Ethos Across Channels: The eos team maintains consistency in their brand voice across digital marketplaces, retail media, and in-store experiences. Marketplace Growth Framework: Scott walks through eos's approach to marketplace growth by breaking it into four stages: market anticipation, leveraging reviews, discover & rank, and platform optimization. Nimbleness in Product Innovation: Insights on how eos uses social and market trends (such as their "Flavor Lab" launches inspired by viral secret menu hacks) to quickly develop and release new products, benefiting from the agility that comes with being a relatively small company. The Power of Customer Reviews: Discussion on how reviews are being repurposed into user-generated content and ad creative, and why customer sentiment is now essential, especially with the rise of AI such as Amazon's Rufus and Walmart's Sparky. Shifting Optimization Strategies: The evolution from keyword-stuffing to a more nuanced approach focused on consumer language, mobile relevance, and content that appeals both to customers and marketplace algorithms. Paid vs. Organic in Digital Shelf Strategy: Scott explains balancing organic and paid tactics, and why he no longer believes in strict “upper/mid/lower-funnel” strategies. Instead, eos seeks to create memorable, shareable moments across multiple touchpoints. The Rise of AMC and Measurement: How Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC) has moved from “nice to have” to essential for tracking incremental impact and optimizing media spend effectively. AI: Both Exciting and Alarming: Scott offers candid thoughts on the double-edged sword of AI in ecommerce, from helping with data analysis to concerns over generative imagery and deepfakes.

In this special episode, Tye DeGrange, CEO of Round Barn Labs and host of Always Be Testing, reflects on his journey in marketing and the timeless principles he calls the Cowboy Code. Drawing from his upbringing on a California ranch and decades of experience leading growth at eBay, StubHub, and beyond, Tye explores what B2B marketers can learn from consumer brands.He highlights why trust and authenticity are more critical than ever in today's trust-deficit world, and how partner and affiliate marketing can help bridge the gap. From lessons in finishing what you start, keeping promises, and “talking less but saying more,” Tye makes the case that B2B has its moment now—to embrace authenticity, invest in brand, and build lasting trust with buyers.

In this episode of the Always Be Testing podcast, Peter Denton—a seasoned growth and marketing leader with a 25+ year career in startups, product experimentation, and marketing innovation—shares a wealth of insights from his journey through the dot-com boom to leading growth at XMTP and previously Pioneer Square Labs.Peter discusses how to de-risk startups before launch, leverage APIs and data for faster insights, and adapt to changing marketing landscapes driven by AI, privacy, and emerging tech like blockchain and quantum security. From the rise of agents and protocols to the future of messaging platforms, Peter offers a masterclass on building, testing, and scaling products in today's fast-moving world.

In this episode, we explore why AI is the next big business lever for e-commerce. Dr. Jonathan Snow, Chief Innovation Officer at Avenue Z, shares how brands can leverage AI for media buying, content creation, and search optimization to boost visibility, conversions, and retention. He also explains the biggest risks for brands that aren't adapting to AI and how a new "AI Search Visibility Index" helps businesses stay ahead.Topics discussed in this episode:  Why brands need to launch 500-1000 ads per month. What the AI Search Visibility Index reveals. How AI search traffic converts at higher rates. Why most AI search traffic is invisible to tracking. What three pillars drive AI search optimization. How brands can use AI for retention marketing. What results a TikTok Shop brand achieved. Why brands need eight-figure revenue budgets. How brands risk being left behind. What post-purchase surveys reveal about AI traffic. Links & Resources Website: https://avenuez.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drjonsnow/X/Twitter: https://x.com/drjonathansnowBlog: https://www.blog.jonathansnow.com/Get access to more free resources by visiting the show notes athttps://tinyurl.com/35459nasSupport the showMORE RESOURCES Get Free Insights: https://newsletter.ecommercecoffeebreak.com/ Rate & Review: Help others discover the show by rating the show on Apple Podcasts at https://tinyurl.com/ecb-apple-podcasts Partner with us: https://ecommercecoffeebreak.com/podcast-sponsorship/ Follow the podcast to get every bonus episode. Tap follow now and don't miss out!

In this episode of Always Be Testing, host Tye DeGrange sits down with Erica Yoon, Director of Marketing at BuildOps, a vertical SaaS platform designed for commercial contractors. With prior experience at companies like Reddit, Erica brings a rich perspective on scaling marketing strategies that go beyond demand generation.

Ever wondered why most press releases disappear into the void? In this episode, Cam and Otis sit down with Mickie Kennedy, founder of eReleases and a 25-year veteran of the PR industry."It's like a bank account," Mickie explains, revealing how successful PR professionals build relationships with journalists that pay dividends over time. From neighborhood papers to radio opportunities, he breaks down exactly where businesses should focus their PR efforts based on their specific needs and audience.Mickie pulls back the curtain on the "duopoly of news wires" that makes it nearly impossible for smaller businesses to get noticed, while offering practical alternatives that don't require the budget of a Fortune 500 company. He also addresses the elephant in the room: those suspicious "earned media" placements that may not be as earned as they seem.Whether you're a small business owner seeking your first media coverage or a marketing professional looking to enhance your PR strategy, this episode provides actionable insights from someone who has identified the patterns behind the tiny 3% of press releases that get picked up. Plus, Mickie shares details about his free masterclass that could save you thousands in wasted PR efforts.More About Mickie:Mickie Kennedy is the founder of eReleases, a leading press release distribution service that helps small businesses, startups, and authors gain national media exposure. With over 25 years in the industry, Mickie built eReleases to bridge the gap between businesses and journalists, providing an affordable way to secure real press coverage. His expertise in crafting compelling press releases and navigating the PR landscape has helped thousandsof businesses establish credibility and grow. A recognized leader in small business PR, Mickie is passionate about making media access easy, effective, and results-driven for entrepreneurs looking to stand out.#10xYourTeam #PRStrategy #SmallBusinessGrowth #MediaRelations #EarnedMedia #MarketingTips #PressReleaseSuccess #EntrepreneurInsights #BusinessExposureChapter Times and Titles:The PR Landscape Today [00:00 - 05:41]Introduction to Mickie KennedyHow PR has evolved over 25 yearsThe challenge of standing out in a journalist's chaotic inboxFinding Your Media Sweet Spot [05:42 - 15:00]Neighborhood papers vs. national outletsRadio opportunities for local businessesMatching your business type to the right mediaThe Visual Element of PR [15:01 - 25:00]Including visuals that enhance your storyHow do different media use images differentlyMaking your pitch stand out visuallyEarned vs. Paid Media [25:01 - 31:17]The truth about "paid features"When paid placements work (and when they don't)Maintaining authenticity in media coverageBuilding a Journalist Bank Account [31:18 - 41:36]Creating relationships that pay dividendsHow PR professionals become valuable connectorsThe ethics of media relationshipsStrategic Press Release Campaigns [41:37 - 50:46]Identifying patterns in successful releasesCreating a campaign of 6-8 releasesWhy you only need 2-3 "winners" to make an impactThe 3% Solution: Mickie's Free Masterclass [50:47 - End]How to access the free training at eReleases.com/planFinal thoughts and takeawaysConnecting with Mickie and eReleasesMickie KennedyWebsite: https://www.ereleases.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/publicity/X: https://x.com/ereleasesFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ereleases.press.release.distribution

Cerramos la Growth Summer School 2025 con un broche de oro: una sesión imprescindible sobre cómo llevar la adquisición de usuarios y el paid media al siguiente nivel. Adrián y Nuria, especialistas de Product Hackers, comparten cómo experimentan, optimizan y escalan campañas en plataformas como Google, Meta o TikTok, siempre con un foco claro: la rentabilidad del negocio.

Evan Hughes hosts Matt Sciannella, Aaron Weekes, and Kyle Taylor to discuss how to integrate Connected TV (CTV) into paid media strategies, particularly for B2B companies. With digital landscapes evolving, the conversation emphasizes the importance of leveraging CTV's unique opportunities for audience reach and targeted awareness. The experts provide a detailed discussion on how CTV not only complements traditional digital efforts but also stands out with its TV dominance, capturing audiences more effectively through non-skippable ads.Throughout the session, the guests dig into the practical aspects of launching a successful CTV campaign. They address the initial budget allocation, common challenges in creative production, and measurement techniques that align with long-term brand objectives. As discussions progress, they highlight the unique advantages CTV offers compared to traditional online advertising, particularly through LinkedIn's platform, citing notable cost efficiencies and advanced targeting capabilities. This conversation serves as a comprehensive guide for marketers aiming to harness CTV's potential in enhancing brand visibility and driving engagement within their target market segments.Episode topics: #marketing, #leadgen, #demandgeneration, #sales, #B2BSaaS, #digitalmarketing #ads #paidads #googleads #paidsearch #paidsocial #ctv #connectedtv______Subscribe to Stacking Growth on Spotify and YouTubeLearn More About Refine LabsSign Up For Our NewsletterConnect with the guests:Matt SciannellaAaron WeekesKyle TaylorConnect with the hosts:Evan Hughes

We're joined by Lucas Beland, Co-Founder & CEO of Goloot, an innovative content platform helping Consumer and B2B brands secure content placements on a performance basis. In this episode, we dive into the evolving world of content and influencer marketing, exploring why it's time to move past vanity metrics and focus on real business outcomes like customer acquisition cost, ROAS, and lifetime value rather than likes or impressions. We also discuss why authenticity wins—how raw, relatable, and creator-led content resonates more deeply with audiences than overproduced ads, ultimately driving stronger engagement and higher sales.

In this episode of Always Be Testing, host Tye DeGrange sits down with Kevin Weatherman, co-founder of Upscale AI, a performance streaming platform using AI to power connected TV ads for DTC brands. With a rich background that includes being the first business hire at multiple startups, angel investing, and co-founding a global run club, Kevin shares his journey from selling limo rides to Google employees to scaling AI-driven advertising solutions. Their conversation covers Kevin's approach to identifying market trends, the evolution of A/B testing, connected TV measurement strategies, AI in creative production, the intersection of brand and performance marketing, influencer and affiliate strategies, hiring in the AI era, and personal insights from his journey to sobriety.

Hemadri Negi, Head of Paid Media at Myprotein, joins Will Laurenson to reveal how one of the world's biggest nutrition brands balances growth and brand building across 40 markets. Hem explains their shift away from audience-based targeting to creative-led strategies, using automation and audience signals to let consumers self-select. They dive into balancing discounts with quality messaging, building mental availability, and the challenges of scaling globally while staying locally relevant. If you want to hear how a performance-driven brand successfully ties creativity and growth together, this episode will challenge your thinking and provide fresh insights for the modern marketer.

Follow us on LinkedIn:Subscribe to the bi-weekly newsletter packed with ecommerce news, advice and useful resources.https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/inside-commerce-7126171854813188096/ Episode summary:In this conversation, James Gurd and Josh Duggan discuss the evolving landscape of ecommerce marketing, focusing on performance and brand marketing trends. They explore how consumer search behavior is changing due to AI and chatbots, the importance of content in marketing strategies, and the need for brands to optimise for profitability. The discussion also covers measurement techniques, the challenges of expanding into international markets, and the role of AI in enhancing paid media strategies.Key takeaways:The ecommerce landscape is rapidly changing due to AI and chatbots.Consumer search behaviour is shifting, with a predicted drop in search engine volumes as AI agents increaseBrands must adapt their marketing strategies to focus on upper funnel tactics.Content quality and relevance are crucial for engaging consumers today.Understanding profitability is essential for effective ad spend management.Incrementality testing helps brands measure the true impact of their marketing efforts.International markets present significant growth opportunities for ecommerce brands.Social proof can enhance the effectiveness of marketing campaigns in new markets.AI is increasingly being used to automate and optimise marketing processes.Brands need to be strategic in their approach to paid media and content creation.Chapters:[00:40] Introduction to E-commerce Marketing Trends[07:20] The Evolution of Consumer Search Behaviour[13:15] Paid Media Strategies and Consumer Behaviour[17:40] The Importance of Content in Marketing[23:35] Optimising for Profitability in Ad Spend[29:35] Measurement and Incrementality Testing[37:45] Expanding into International Markets[43:30] The Role of AI in Paid Media

Sydney Sloan – CMO of G2, a leading software marketplace for businesses to discover, review, and manage technology solutions. She has extensive experience in customer marketing, community building, and scaling B2B SaaS companies. Formerly at Adobe, SalesLoft, and other high-growth companies, she's recognized as a champion of customer advocacy.

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Colleen Senglaub, Digital Account Manager at TAP, for the first installment of a four-part series exploring the PESO Model—a foundational framework for integrated marketing plans in travel, tourism, and hospitality. We dig into the “P” of PESO—Paid Media. Colleen shares her expertise on digital advertising, breaking down today's must-have channels, including Meta (Facebook and Instagram), Google, programmatic, and connected TV campaigns. They also touch on emerging platforms like Pinterest and TikTok, offering fresh ideas for reaching key audiences. What You Will Learn in This Episode: How Colleen develops paid digital marketing plans using the PESO model and why this strategic framework helps destinations choose the right mix of paid, earned, shared, and owned tactics Why goal-setting and understanding your audience are foundational before selecting digital advertising channels and campaign types What considerations go into selecting paid media channels, including Meta (Facebook/Instagram), Google, programmatic connected TV, Pinterest, and TikTok, and why asset type and audience preference play a critical role How audience targeting and campaign automation are evolving (especially on Meta), and why maintaining control over audience selection is more important than ever What retargeting is in digital advertising, how it can be used effectively for tourism marketing, and why monitoring ad frequency matters for guest experience How to approach measurement, including setting the right KPIs, using industry benchmarks, and making ongoing campaign optimizations to ensure campaign success Maximizing Your Travel Marketing Impact with the PESO Model: Paid Media The PESO Model, developed by Spin Sucks founder Gini Dietrich, offers a holistic structure for integrated marketing. Of the four PESO pillars, paid media encompasses any tactic that requires a direct investment to capture attention. As Colleen Senglaub explains, this includes everything from digital campaigns (social ads, Google search, display, programmatic, and connected TV) to traditional placements like billboards and print, along with sponsored content and trade show activations. The key to successful paid media is intentionality. Marketers should analyze both the needs of their destination and the motivations of their target audience, choosing only the channels best equipped to deliver on their specific business goals. Channels to Consider in the Modern Mix Choosing where to focus isn't about following flashy trends—it's about aligning with your destination's unique goals and audiences. As Colleen says, every decision should connect back to core campaign objectives—are you trying to drive web visits, capture leads, or expand your newsletter reach? Who is your ideal traveler, in terms of age, interests, and location? A well-aligned strategy might mean an integrated mix, like for TAP's Baseball Hall of Fame campaign, which blended Meta, Google, TikTok, and CTV, thoughtfully timed to coincide with the launch of a new exhibit and the availability of assets. Emerging Channels and Creative Asset Considerations Don't overlook evolving channels. Pinterest, for example, wields unique influence over women-led travel planning, while TikTok is a powerhouse for reaching Gen Z, who increasingly look to social platforms instead of Google for travel inspiration. But succeeding on new channels requires the right creative approach. TikTok demands fun, vertical, trend-aligned videos, whereas Instagram and Meta perform better with a thoughtful mix of sizes and styles. Marketers should aim to capture assets in multiple formats upfront, future-proofing their campaigns for every channel. Resources: Website: https://travelalliancepartnership.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleen-senglaub/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tapintotravel/ We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more o​f. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

In this episode, Ben Edelman shares insights from his years studying the intersection of economics, digital marketing, and consumer protection. He and the host dive deep into the evolution of affiliate marketing, the early days of web advertising, and how regulation and business incentives have shaped online behavior—both good and bad. Ben also reflects on ad fraud, deceptive affiliate practices, legal enforcement challenges, and how platforms and advertisers can improve accountability in the digital space.

There's organic media and paid media. The latter can bring about muuuuuch bigger results in your marketing efforts - if you do it right. In this Quick Hit, you'll hear the first tip on getting the most out of paid media: how to leverage influencer marketing, with Amy Scalia. She's been an on-air host for Local 12, the Managing Editor of Cincinnati Refined, and started and runs the foundation PSNEVERGIVEUP with her husband. Learn all 4 tips in the full episode here

Bryant Garvin, a 20-year veteran of the digital marketing world, announced his new position as Operator in Residence at Triple Whale. This role leverages Triple Whale's massive data set (35,000+ stores, $55B+ GMP annually) to build better products for marketers and e-commerce operators. Garvin discussed his evolved perspective on attribution, emphasizing Triple Whale's holistic approach using AI and data integration beyond simple dashboards. He highlighted the power of MOBI, Triple Whale's platform, in providing data-driven insights for strategic planning, such as Prime Day optimization. The conversation also touched upon the importance of humanizing data, considering the broader context of marketing beyond immediate clicks, and the crucial role of product quality in marketing success. Garvin shared successful marketing strategies from his past, including adding value instead of discounting and leveraging Kickstarter for product launches. He championed YouTube as an underutilized e-commerce channel and cautioned against relying solely on quick wins, advocating for long-term brand building. Finally, he emphasized the importance of authenticity and human connection in marketing, even in the age of AI, and shared a personal anecdote about his childhood dream of becoming a paleontologist.

Sales expert Sam McKenna, Founder of Sam Sales, shares her journey from solo consultant to a thriving 20-person team with 250+ clients. The podcast discusses her unique sales strategies, including the "Expand the Sandbox" method for LinkedIn prospecting, which landed her a deal with Equifax. Key takeaways include the importance of building genuine rapport with clients (even discussing breakfast!), prioritizing consistent outreach, and investing in employee growth. McKenna emphasizes the critical need for sales leadership training and highlights the detrimental effects of slow responses in communication, advocating for a "give a shit" (GAS) approach that prioritizes human connection over automation. She also shares a surprising personal anecdote about her father's grave and recommends the book "Unreasonable Hospitality." The conversation underscores the transferable nature of sales skills across various business functions and the power of human interaction in building lasting relationships.

In this Ecommerce Summer School archive episode, we explore how AI is changing paid advertising for online stores. Drew Smith, co-founder of upp.ai, explains how artificial intelligence can automate these tasks. He shares how their product data platform helps businesses show more products to customers and increase sales. Drew discusses real success stories where companies went from showing only 3% of their products to 84% visibility.Topics discussed in this episode:  Why retailers struggle to align paid media campaigns with evolving AI-driven ad platformsHow AI is transforming Google Ads from manual control to machine learning black boxesWhat makes Performance Max campaigns difficult to manage for non-technical marketersWhy most retailers fail to activate more than 20% of their product inventory in paid adsHow reinforcement learning leads Google to over-optimize for a small segment of productsWhat a Product Data Platform is and how it complements Google's ad algorithmsWhy large inventories and high ad spend are critical for effective AI optimizationLinks & Resources Website: https://upp.ai/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/upp-ai/X/Twitter: https://x.com/upptechnologiesGet access to more free resources by visiting the show notes athttps://tinyurl.com/2b6hv8phMORE RESOURCES Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter: https://newsletter.ecommercecoffeebreak.com/ Free Store Optimization Beginners Guide: Instant PDF Download!

This Always Be Testing podcast features James Little, a UK affiliate marketing legend and key figure at TopCashback. The episode covers TopCashback's 20-year history, its unique 100% cashback model, and its global success without venture capital. Little discusses the challenges and rewards of operating in various markets, the importance of clear customer education around cashback, and the evolving relationship between cashback sites and brands. He highlights the crucial role of accurate tracking and the positive impact of AWIN's move towards server-to-server tracking. The conversation also touches upon the impact of AI on affiliate marketing, the importance of mental health awareness, and Little's personal experiences.

Greg Williams graduated from Susquehanna University in 1992 with a degree in accounting, but quickly pivoted toward the outdoors, co-founding the Philadelphia Rock Gyms (PRG) Gym in 1993 and helping build one of the region's first indoor climbing communities. He later moved to Colorado to work in advertising at Climbing Magazine Inc, combining his professional skillset with his passion for the outdoors. Greg joined Backbone in 1997 as a PR Account Manager and went on to launch the agency's Paid Media and Social Media services—becoming VP of Media and helping shape Backbone's integrated approach. In 2022, he became President and now oversees all 11 service areas across paid and earned media. He serves on the boards of Mountain Projects, Inc, RootsRated Media, and 5Point Film Festival. Outside the office, he's a 10-year youth basketball coach and enjoys climbing, biking, and rucking.

In this insightful episode of the Inner Edison Podcast, host Ed Parcaut sits down with Jared Jennings, the founder of Phantom Brands, to dive into the realities of starting and scaling a successful e-commerce and streetwear business. Discover how Jared transitioned from corporate sales to entrepreneurship, the hard-earned lessons from launching his own clothing brand during the pandemic, and the power of networking in the apparel industry. Jared also reveals the pitfalls he faced—from manufacturing headaches to a major social media hack—and how those tough moments became stepping stones to building a thriving business model now helping professional athletes and influencers establish their own brands. If you're curious about what it really takes to run an e-commerce company, build authentic partnerships, and turn setbacks into growth, this episode is packed with practical advice, candid stories, and entrepreneurial wisdom you won't want to miss. Listen now for actionable insights and inspiration on building your own brand, with real talk about all the challenges, risks, and victories along the way. **Contact Ed Parcaut:** -

Tyler Lane is the Founder and CEO of Session Interactive, a Denver-based digital marketing consultancy specializing in SEO, analytics, paid search, and content strategy for mid-market and enterprise brands. With over 13 years of experience in digital marketing, he has successfully created, launched, and evaluated SEO, content marketing, analytics, and social strategies, bringing his expertise to Session Interactive. Tyler leads a team of seasoned professionals who deliver data-driven solutions to help clients achieve measurable growth. In this episode… Many companies struggle to turn their digital marketing investments into measurable outcomes, often due to blind spots in data tracking, ineffective SEO strategies, or lackluster paid media performance. Businesses waste money and miss growth opportunities without understanding user behavior or proper attribution. So, how can organizations build more intelligent, results-driven marketing systems? Tyler Lane, an expert in SEO, paid media, and analytics, shares how a deeply analytical approach can transform marketing effectiveness. He emphasizes the importance of a clean analytics setup to ensure accurate attribution and performance tracking. He recommends auditing conversion events and tailoring data dashboards to support strategic decisions without overwhelming teams. By focusing on user intent, leveraging both organic and paid strategies, and staying ahead of AI's role in search behavior, Tyler provides a framework for sustainable digital success. In this episode of the Inspired Insider Podcast, Dr. Jeremy Weisz interviews Tyler Lane, Founder and CEO of Session Interactive, about building results-focused marketing campaigns. Tyler explores actionable SEO strategies, the power of clean analytics, and the impact of customer journeys on conversion. He also discusses agency culture, the role of AI in search, and his path from IBM to launching his own business.

The Performance Marketing Association (PMA) released its third triennial affiliate marketing survey, revealing a booming industry. Data from eight networks, 53 publishers, and over 20,000 brands showed ad spend skyrocketing from $6 billion to $13.63 billion (a 14.42% CAGR), exceeding e-commerce growth and contributing 10% to overall US e-commerce revenue. While cashback and coupon sites remain significant, their market share decreased, likely due to the rise of card-linked offers and buy now, pay later options. These, along with influencer marketing, fueled growth, though the overall increase in market size means some sectors saw proportional decreases in share. The survey also highlighted growth in less directly correlated sectors like finance and telecom, and a slight decrease in ROAS (from 12:1 to 11:1), potentially due to a shift towards top-of-funnel traffic. Publisher sentiment shows concern about Google changes but optimism for the future. 

From GTM Live:This week on GTM Live, Carolyn sits down with Megan Bowen, CEO of Refine Labs, to unpack why so many B2B companies are pouring budget into paid media, and still missing revenue targets.They break down what's really going wrong: not too much paid media, but too much spend on a strategy that doesn't convert. Pipeline is down. Revenue is down. And yet, the response is often to spend more, not better.You'll hear why performance marketing often fails to deliver real outcomes, how misaligned KPIs drive bad decisions, and what separates newer, agile companies from legacy players still running outdated GTM playbooks.Megan shares insights from working with dozens of growth-stage companies and how leadership mindset, speed of iteration, and willingness to challenge old assumptions can make or break your demand strategy.If you've been trying to defend paid spend, or wondering why results are flat despite doing “all the right things”, this episode is for you.Key topics in this episode:Why paid media often fails to convert to pipeline or revenueThe difference between new-school and old-school GTM teamsWhy optimizing for MQLs leads to the wrong outcomesHow to rethink measurement for real demand captureWhat high-performing growth teams do differentlyThis episode is powered by ⁠⁠Passetto⁠⁠. We help high-growth and equity-backed companies turn GTM data into better decisions, faster. We unify your GTM and financial data, identify your growth levers, and help you scale. Part SaaS, part advisory. Visit ⁠⁠⁠passetto.com⁠⁠.

This podcast features Ryan Fitzgerald, an affiliate industry expert at AWIN, discussing various aspects of affiliate marketing. Key takeaways include the importance of initially working with all publisher types to build brand equity, AWIN's global reach and commitment to a publisher-centric approach, and Fitzgerald's sales leadership focusing on educating and mentoring SMBs. He emphasizes the need for transparency and data-driven decision-making in affiliate marketing, particularly for convincing C-suite executives of its value. Fitzgerald also shares insights into his team's success strategy, focusing on deal closure, self-education, and organization, and offers advice for brands on time commitment and agency utilization. The conversation touches upon AWIN's ShareASale integration, bringing modernized technology to a large existing client base. Finally, Fitzgerald shares personal insights, including book and movie recommendations, and advice for fathers.

Irish digital marketing agency Vroom Digital has been recognised at the 2025 European Search Awards, taking home two category wins for work delivered in partnership with EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum. The awards ceremony took place earlier this month in Krakow, Poland, bringing together Europe's leading agencies to celebrate innovation in digital search and performance marketing. Recognised as a benchmark of excellence across the industry, the European Search Awards honour outstanding work in SEO, paid media, and digital PR. Vroom Digital took home two major awards for standout campaigns created in partnership with EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum. Competing against agencies from across Europe, the team secured Best Use of PR in a Search Campaign for The Love Story Before 'Love Story': Driving Links Through PR & Storytelling, a campaign that paired emotional narrative with a strategic digital PR approach. They also won Best Use of Social Media in a Search Campaign for The EPIC Untold Story Behind Fairytale of New York, which tapped into nostalgia and platform-specific creative to drive engagement and boost search visibility. Both campaigns were executed in close collaboration with EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, combining emotional storytelling, strategic PR, and targeted digital distribution to drive meaningful engagement and improve search performance. Shane Curtin, CEO & Founder of Vroom Digital, said, "We're incredibly proud to see these campaigns recognised on a European stage. It's a true testament to the strength of our partnership with EPIC and their creative partners, Public House, and the collaborative thinking that drives success on all sides. At Vroom, we've built a team that thrives on delivering culturally relevant, performance-led campaigns - and these awards reflect our commitment to meaningful storytelling that delivers real results. Working with EPIC gave us the opportunity to push creative and strategic boundaries, and to show the impact that smart, well-executed digital - across PR and paid media - can truly have when driven by insight and intention." The agency continues to strengthen its reputation for delivering integrated digital campaigns that balance creativity with performance. These European Search Award wins follow recent recognition at The Spider Awards, Ireland's longest-running digital awards, where Vroom received the Grand Prix and Best in Storytelling award. Vroom Digital delivers tailored SEO, Paid Media, and Digital PR strategies that help clients cut through the noise, build a stronger online presence, and drive measurable growth. See more stories here.

Dots Oyebolu and Cory Henke, Founder and CEO of Variable Media, discuss modern paid media intelligence. Cory shares insights from his journey via major agencies and platforms to build a data-first paid media agency. He unpacks the challenges and philosophies around attribution and campaign measurement and explains how business intelligence tools like Power BI help brands unlock deeper visibility into what really drives performance. Key Takeaways:(01:20) Cory's marketing journey.(04:36) Marketers who rely solely on in-platform data miss the bigger picture — merging CRM, web analytics and ad platforms reveals deeper insights.(07:51) Cory believes that attribution is unsolvable because great outcomes stem from many variables.(09:50) In a dynamic ad landscape, Cory emphasizes having a conservative projection and a flexible testing strategy.(11:16) For new brands, organic growth should precede paid media — proving demand without ad spend is key to long-term success.(13:03) Attribution models are biased by platform incentives; YouTube, for instance, creates halo effects that platforms often credit to search.(16:28) Cory's team customizes attribution by extracting campaign data from multiple platforms, merging it via Power BI for clearer performance storytelling.(21:31) CPM is Cory's favorite marketing metric — unlike other KPIs, it reveals raw costs and helps evaluate the efficiency of reach, regardless of engagement.(27:42) Staying top of mind and testing new formats is key as digital advertising continues to evolve beyond traditional performance metrics.Resources Mentioned:Cory Henkehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/coryhenke/Variable Media | LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/variable-media/Variable Media | Websitehttps://variable.media/Power BIhttps://www.microsoft.com/en-us/power-platform/products/power-biCory Henke on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/CoryHenkeInsightful Links:https://online.mason.wm.edu/blog/data-analytics-in-digital-marketinghttps://www.akkio.com/post/business-intelligence-in-marketinghttps://www.netsuite.com/portal/resource/articles/erp/business-intelligence-strategy.shtmlThanks for listening to the “Marketing Leadership” podcast, brought to you by Listen Network. If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review to help get the word out about the show. And be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation.We appreciate the enthusiasm and support from our community. Currently, we are not accepting new guest interview requests as we focus on our existing lineup. We will announce when we reopen for new submissions. In the meantime, feel free to explore our past episodes and stay tuned for updates on future opportunities.#PodcastMarketing #PerformanceMarketing #BrandMarketing #MarketingStrategy #MarketingIntelligence #GTM #B2BMarketing #D2CMarketing #PodcastAds

In this episode, Gael Goasdoue, COO and co-founder of Redcorp, breaks down the evolving role of PPC and paid media in the affiliate and iGaming industries. He emphasizes the critical importance of having the right infrastructure—like CRM systems and real-time data—to avoid wasting budgets and scale effectively. Gael also shares a roadmap for SEO affiliates entering the paid space, including regulatory awareness, campaign strategy, and budget management. The conversation closes with insights into the growing demand for transparency, data-driven decisions, and the indispensable role of business intelligence in the future of affiliate marketing.

This podcast episode features Vinod Varma, founder and CEO of Creator Co., discussing the evolving landscape of social commerce. Varma defines social commerce as the next wave of influencer marketing, enabled by expired Amazon patents, and highlights TikTok Shop's leading role due to its seamless user experience. Creator Co. helps brands navigate this space by providing technical setup and access to a vast influencer network. The conversation touches upon the potential of other platforms like YouTube, YouTube Shorts, and the surprisingly underutilized Pinterest, emphasizing the platform's aspirational and positive nature. A key theme is the importance of authenticity in influencer marketing, particularly in the age of AI, and the need for improved attribution models and transparency in influencer compensation to address concerns arising from browser extensions like Honey.

This week on GTM Live, Carolyn sits down with Megan Bowen, CEO of Refine Labs, to unpack why so many B2B companies are pouring budget into paid media, and still missing revenue targets.They break down what's really going wrong: not too much paid media, but too much spend on a strategy that doesn't convert. Pipeline is down. Revenue is down. And yet, the response is often to spend more, not better.You'll hear why performance marketing often fails to deliver real outcomes, how misaligned KPIs drive bad decisions, and what separates newer, agile companies from legacy players still running outdated GTM playbooks.Megan shares insights from working with dozens of growth-stage companies and how leadership mindset, speed of iteration, and willingness to challenge old assumptions can make or break your demand strategy.If you've been trying to defend paid spend, or wondering why results are flat despite doing “all the right things”, this episode is for you.Key topics in this episode:Why paid media often fails to convert to pipeline or revenueThe difference between new-school and old-school GTM teamsWhy optimizing for MQLs leads to the wrong outcomesHow to rethink measurement for real demand captureWhat high-performing growth teams do differentlyThis episode is powered by ⁠⁠Passetto⁠⁠. We help high-growth and equity-backed companies turn GTM data into better decisions, faster. We unify your GTM and financial data, identify your growth levers, and help you scale. Part SaaS, part advisory. Visit ⁠⁠passetto.com⁠.

Jordan Koene, CEO & Founder of Previsible.io, breaks down how AI is reshaping the SEO landscape. As tools like ChatGPT provide direct answers, many websites are seeing noticeable drops in organic traffic—ranging from 10% to as much as 90%, depending on the industry and keyword.This shift is happening quickly and requires a thoughtful response. Jordan explains why it's important for brands to focus on becoming trustworthy sources within AI ecosystems, addressing inaccuracies in AI-generated content, and leaning into unique brand assets. He also emphasizes the need to shift from broad outreach to more targeted strategies on platforms where the audience is most active.AI isn't replacing jobs, but it's changing them—making skill development and retraining a priority. The future of SEO will center around helpful, relevant content, deeper personalization, and multimedia formats like video that build trust and engage users.The key is to move from reactive to prescriptive marketing by focusing on serving specific audience needs within the evolving limitations of AI.

This podcast features a conversation between two performance marketing experts with 20+ years of experience, discussing the evolving landscape of digital marketing. Svet, with a background at Stanford, McKinsey, and Nextag, shares his insights on leveraging first-principle thinking and algorithmic understanding to optimize marketing campaigns across B2B, e-commerce, and local service businesses. Key themes include the importance of rigorous testing, overcoming common data measurement mistakes (like under-tagging and misaligned attribution), and adapting to the increasing influence of AI and automation in paid search. The discussion highlights the ongoing relevance of keywords despite Google's shift towards AI-driven contextual search, the untapped potential of Bing Ads for B2B marketers, and the crucial need for marketers to develop a "hacker mentality" and deep technical skills to thrive in this rapidly changing environment. Svet also recommends utilizing AI tools effectively, studying AI models, and understanding the underlying algorithms to gain a competitive edge.

In this episode of SmartBug on Tap, “From Guesswork to Greatness: Paid Media in the AI Era,” we dive into how AI is transforming digital advertising—and what marketers need to know to stay competitive. Join Paul Schmidt, VP of Marketing at SmartBug, and Louis-Claude Martin, a seasoned paid media expert at SmartBug, as they unpack the real impact of AI on campaign strategy, targeting, and performance. From the power of first-party data to the evolving role of media managers, this episode reveals how to shift from manual guesswork to data-backed greatness in the age of AI.

In this episode, Brendan Regan, Senior Director of Lifestyle/Lifecycle Marketing at Smartsheet, shares his strategic, multi-channel approach to engaging both enterprise and SaaS customers. He explains how Smartsheet blends digital programs with human touchpoints—such as customer success reps and account executives—to optimize acquisition, retention, and monetization. Brendan discusses key growth levers they've tested, including freemium conversion, upgrades, seat expansion, and cross-sell/upsell tactics, all rooted in a data-driven, experimental mindset. He also explores the benefits and challenges of Product-Led Growth (PLG) and Product-Led Sales (PLS), highlighting how A/B testing and propensity modeling support smarter decision-making. Among his most surprising learnings: onboarding plays a larger role in expansion than expected, and simple, sales-driven heuristics can be remarkably effective in cross-selling. Brendan wraps up with valuable advice for B2B SaaS companies—avoid silos, don't fall into copycat marketing, and never underinvest in technology. Mastering your martech stack and integrating it properly, he emphasizes, is essential for impactful customer communication.

Send us a textIn this episode, Danny sits down with LinkedIn Ads expert AJ Wilcox to dive into his marketing journey, his views on mentorship, and his laser-sharp insights into B2B advertising on LinkedIn.AJ shares how a passion for teaching and authentic connection laid the foundation for B2Linked, an industry-leading agency for LinkedIn Ads. He discusses the power of mentorship, from hiking with his boss's boss to mentoring rising marketers in Utah, and shares the advertising strategies that generate real ROI.Episode Highlights: AJ explains why he left SEO and Google Ads behind to become a LinkedIn Ads specialist focused on high-quality B2B leads.He shares how weekly mentorship hikes evolved into a career-boosting tradition for local digital marketers.Learn the essential elements of effective LinkedIn targeting and why deeper funnel strategies outperform surface metrics.Discover the benefits of combining mentorship with marketing expertise—AJ shares his advice for building both.AJ compares native LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms vs. landing pages, and how to pick the right tool for your campaign goals.Episode Links:

Dive into how AgeTech companies can build effective, ROI-driven paid media campaigns—even with a lean marketing budget. SmartBug's Senior Sales Executive, Tonia Speir, sits down with Briana Greer, Director of Paid Media at SmartBug, to explore how to prioritize platforms, optimize spend, and avoid common pitfalls in early go-to-market (GTM) efforts. Whether you're targeting adult children, seniors, caregivers, or B2B buyers such as healthcare professionals or senior living execs, this conversation offers a blueprint for smarter advertising decisions.

Feel like you're doing everything to grow your podcast, yet still not seeing the momentum you want? In this episode, I'm completing the series all about podcast growth. Today, I'm sharing the podcast marketing framework that will lead you to sustainable and scalable podcast growth. Today's episode is brought to you by Mic Check Society, our community for podcasters who are looking to take their podcast from good to great. Come join us for educational trainings, a private member's only community, and monthly calls! Get $10 off per month with code PODCAST at micchecksociety.com. Clocking In with Haylee Gaffin is produced by Gaffin Creative, a podcast production company for creative entrepreneurs. Learn more about our services at Gaffincreative.com, plus you'll also find resources, show notes, and more for the Clocking In Podcast.Time-stamps: Your brand foundation (2:19)Leverage your existing audience (8:12)Expand your reach through collaborations (10:38)Invest in paid growth and advertising (12:41)Build a sustainable and scalable long-term growth engine (14:57)Mentioned in This Episode:Episode 167 Paid Media: gaffincreative.com/167-how-to-maximize-your-podcast-growth-with-paid-media/Episode 166 Collaboration: gaffincreative.com/166-grow-your-podcast-audience-through-collaborationEpisode 165 Organic Growth: gaffincreative.com/organic-growth-maximizing-your-existing-audienceEpisode 164 Foundations of Podcast Growth: gaffincreative.com/164-foundations-of-podcast-growth-grow-your-podcast-series-pt-1Mic Check Society: gaffincreative.com/mcsInstagram: instagram.com/hayleegaffinConnect with Haylee:instagram.com/hayleegaffinGaffincreative.commicchecksociety.comReview the Transcript: https://share.descript.com/view/bX2BSl5YPbn Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you're serious about taking your podcast to the next level, it's time to talk about paid growth. While organic strategies (like tapping into your current audience or collaborating with others) are powerful foundations, there may come a point when you need an extra boost to reach new listeners faster.That's where strategic paid growth comes in — and it's not just about throwing money at ads and hoping for the best. Done well, paid strategies can supercharge your podcast audience without feeling like you're wasting your budget.Today's episode is brought to you by Mic Check Society, our community for podcasters who are looking to take their podcast from good to great. Come join us for educational trainings, a private member's only community, and monthly calls! Get $10 off per month with code PODCAST at micchecksociety.com. Clocking In with Haylee Gaffin is produced by Gaffin Creative, a podcast production company for creative entrepreneurs. Learn more about our services at Gaffincreative.com, plus you'll also find resources, show notes, and more for the Clocking In Podcast.Podcast Details: Why consider paid growth opportunities? (2:30)Podcast player ads (4:04)Social media advertising (10:22)Sponsorships (13:52) Podcast Resources:Episode 166 Collaboration: gaffincreative.com/166-grow-your-podcast-audience-through-collaboration/Episode 165 Organic Growth: gaffincreative.com/organic-growth-maximizing-your-existing-audience/Episode 164 Foundations of Podcast Growth: gaffincreative.com/164-foundations-of-podcast-growth-grow-your-podcast-series-pt-1/Mic Check Society: gaffincreative.com/mcsConnect with Haylee:instagram.com/hayleegaffinGaffincreative.commicchecksociety.comTranscript: https://share.descript.com/view/ZSMrUj89q2l Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kareem Elgendy is the Chief Executive Officer of Veiled, an eight-figure fashion brand for Muslim women. Under his leadership, Veiled has achieved impressive growth, with consistent revenue increases and a strong emphasis on analytics to optimize the company's ecommerce strategy. Kareem previously served as a Senior Marketing Strategist at Baked Bouquet and held project management roles at Frank Seta & Associates. His multifaceted background, including roles as a sustainability expert, software engineer, and unit manager in banking, adds a unique perspective to his approach in the fashion industry.   In this episode… Ecommerce founders often face mounting pressure to make quick decisions without clear data, leading to stalled growth and missed opportunities. From inconsistent revenues to underperforming SKUs, using analytics to guide merchandising and marketing plans can make a huge impact on profitability. What if you could cut through the noise and confidently steer your brand using data-driven insights tailored to your business? Kareem Elgendy, an expert in ecommerce analytics and merchandising, shares how a strategic focus on data dashboards and inventory insights has helped his brand grow consistently — surpassing 70% year-over-year growth. Kareem emphasizes the importance of understanding every metric inside and out, using internal scripts, Google Cloud tools, and custom dashboards to analyze traffic, stock velocity, and product demand. He outlines a practical merchandising framework that breaks down collections by category, style, color, and size, ensuring supply aligns with proven demand. Kareem's approach emphasizes the importance of founders remaining curious and optimistic about what their numbers reveal. In this episode of the Minds of Ecommerce podcast, Raphael Paulin-Daigle interviews Kareem Elgendy, CEO of Veiled, about leveraging analytics to drive fashion ecommerce growth. Kareem shares how data-informed merchandising decisions lead to more consistent revenue and dives into daily performance tracking, marketing efficiency, and forecasting demand using internal algorithms.

Most brands are running marketing strategies built for a world that no longer exists. We all want to create a movement, capture demand at scale, and dominate a market. But how do we do that today?For most marketers, Account-Based Marketing (ABM) is the gold standard: highly targeted, sales-aligned, and built to close high-value accounts. Then you have Market-Based Marketing (MBM), which expands the lens to broader demand capture, category creation, and positioning at scale. But the REAL power shift to consider? Let me introduce you to Community-Based Marketing (CBM). CBM isn't just about audience segmentation; it's about integration. ABM is transactional at its core. It's focused on getting the deal, not necessarily building a lasting relationship. And in a world where trust is the currency, ABM alone isn't enough. MBM is noisy. It requires a massive investment in awareness, content, and brand positioning. And in today's world of oversaturated content, it's harder than ever to cut through. CBM is about embedding your brand into the daily lives of the people who actually matter.With ABM, you're pitching from the outside. With MBM, you're broadcasting to the masses. But with CBM, you're technically already in the room.Instead of hoping they see your ad, you're in their inbox. Instead of forcing them to book a demo, they're asking you for a call. Instead of convincing them to trust you, they're defending your brand against competitors. Doesn't that sound amazing? Well trust me it is possible by recalibrating Account-Based Marketing and Market-Based Marketing with Community-Based Marketing that aligns with Value-Based Marketing, turning your community into your growth engine: generating organic conversations, referrals, and loyalty that no ad spend can replicate.Beyond The Episode Gems:• Subscribe To My New Weekly LinkedIn Newsletter: Strategize. Market. Grow.• Buy My Book, Strategize Up For The Blueprint To Scale Your Business: StrategizeUpBook.com• Discover All Podcasts On The HubSpot Podcast Network•  Try GetResponse For FREE On Me To Monetize Your Content: GetResopnse Content Monetization Plan   #####Support The Podcast & Connect With Troy: • Rate & Review iDigress: iDigress.fm/Reviews•  Follow Troy's LinkedIn @FindTroy• Need Growth Strategy, A Keynote Speaker, Or Want To Sponsor The Podcast? Go To FindTroy.com•  Follow Troy's Instagram @FindTroy•  Subscribe to Troy's YouTube Channel