Marketing in the Era of AI - Podcast appearance on The How Of Business

In February, I had the opportunity to join Henry Lopez on The How of Business podcast. During the show we talk about marketing in the era of AI and how businesses can leverage this new technology. The good news... AI is not something that should scare marketers or small businesses. In many ways AI is an equalizer offering increased awareness for businesses and causes. Like anything in marketing, it is important to focus on the strategy and goals to drive use and investment in new technology.

Quick Q&A sound bites from the show:

Question: How is AI changing small business marketing?

Answer: AI search results aren't driven by advertising dollars, which clears the way for businesses to increase awareness. AI platforms synthesize across digital sites to make recommendations instead of robotically listing businesses spending the most money on marketing and paid ads.

**One quick action item for your team: add a "Frequently Asked Questions" (FAQ) on your home page to explain the basics about what you do and who you serve. Don't make AI think to quickly answer these questions. Help the tools find you with clear brand positioning and concise messaging across platforms.

Question: What is “earned authority” in marketing and why is it important in the era of AI?

Answer: The more places your business or personal brand can show up to reinforce your expertise, the better. Earned authority is building credibility through expert content, podcasts, reviews, and industry presence so AI and customers recognize your expertise. Move beyond your website and social platforms to increase your authority.

Question: How does a business get started using AI for marketing efforts?

Answer: There is a recommendation above to add a FAQ to your home page. Another thing you can do is market research on your business. Head into an AI tool (ChatGPT, Claude, etc.) and prompt a search for your product or services. Try to craft a prompt sounds like something a client would really search for.

For example:

"I'm looking for an agency to help me strategize and generate social content for an upcoming product launch. Are their any mid-size firms in >>insert geography<< to help me with this? "

The response will tell you a lot about your business visibility in the eyes of AI. You can react to the findings to refine your digital presence: clarify your value proposition, add case studies or testimonials, streamline content across platforms to avoid brand/positioning confusion.

Be sure to check out the full episode!

We hope this helps with your marketing efforts. If you have any questions or want to talk more about AI and brand positioning your business, please reach out: shannon@makeprogressstrategies.com.