Latest Digital / Social Media Marketing News & Insights

​Presented by Neal Schaffer​

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In this week's newsletter:

• Learn the inside story behind my completely updated LinkedIn book!
• Answer engine optimization (AEO) tools are becoming must-haves!
• A compelling case for why email is your most undervalued channel!

Hey Reader,

Happy New Year!

My keyword phrase for the year is TAKE ACTION—what is yours?

I am happy to announce that my 2nd edition of Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth is now live on Amazon! This book is now available in paperback and hardcover for the first time! For those kind enough to review the 1st edition, I hope to be in touch later today!

If you want to read about what has changed in the book, listen to this week's podcast episode below!

Now on to this week's top news and insights!

Please note: Some links in this newsletter are affiliate links. If you make a purchase through them, I may earn a small commission—at no extra cost to you.

This Week's Podcast Episode

​How AI Forced Me To Rewrite My Entire LinkedIn Strategy​

In this episode, I share the inside story behind my completely updated LinkedIn book—and what drove me to add 70% more content. I walk you through the five major new sections, including AI strategies, personal CRM systems, and what's actually working in LinkedIn's algorithm right now. If you've been wondering whether to level up your LinkedIn game, this episode gives you the roadmap.

This Week's Video

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​Agentic AI: Build Your "Micro-Agency" Of One | Matt Collette Interview With Neal Schaffer​

Most of us are only scratching the surface with AI. In this interview, Matt Collette reveals how to move from basic prompting to building custom GPTs, automated workflows, and even your own AI micro-agency. We cover instruction sets, code interpreter tricks, and why your longest chats are actually hurting your results. If you're ready to level up your AI game, this one's packed with practical takeaways.

This Week's News

Google Gemini Gains Share As ChatGPT Declines In Similarweb Data - New Similarweb data shows how fast the AI space is shifting. ChatGPT still leads, but its share is shrinking as Google Gemini grows fast, helped by deep ties to Android and Workspace. At the same time, writing tools are losing traffic, suggesting users want fewer tools and more all-in-one AI help. This trend could reshape how people discover content online. Search Engine Journal​

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AI Search Visibility: The Playbook For Marketers - AI search visibility is the new way brands get found as users turn to tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity for answers. Instead of rankings and links, it’s about mentions, citations, sentiment, and share of voice inside AI responses. As clicks fade and answers stay in-chat, brands must teach AI who they are and what they mean—or risk being invisible where decisions now begin. Hubspot​

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How Do Technical SEO Factors Impact AI Search? [Study] - AI search is changing technical SEO—and this study shows the rules aren’t a straight copy of Google rankings. Pages cited by ChatGPT and Google AI Mode tend to share strong technical foundations, clear URL structures, and helpful schema markup. These factors don’t “rank” content, but they make it easier for AI to understand, trust, and cite your pages as discovery shifts upstream. Semrush​

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More News

8 AEO Tools That Every Marketer Should Use - Answer engine optimization (AEO) tools are becoming must-haves as buyers turn to AI answers instead of links. This guide explains how AEO tools track brand mentions, citations, sentiment, and share of voice across ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews. If SEO shows where you rank, AEO shows if AI recommends you—and that gap now directly impacts trust, leads, and growth. Hubspot​

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AI Displacing Traffic? Time To Leverage Your Most Undervalued Channel - AI is eating your search traffic—Gartner expects a 25% drop, and 60% of searches now end without a click. The hard truth? Your SEO strategy alone won't save you. This piece from Campaign Monitor makes a compelling case for why email is your most undervalued channel—the one asset algorithms can't touch. If your funnel feels stuck, this explains why and what to do next. Martech​

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What’s Working With Short-Form Video Right Now - Short-form video still pulls big views, but the win in 2026 is making it pay off for your business, not just your vanity stats. Pat Flynn and Brock Johnson say what’s working is consistency, a repeatable format, and better hooks + story—then actually showing up in comments/DMs to build real ties. Mix long + short, keep it raw, and use smart CTAs that fit each platform. Social Media Examiner​

This Week's Sponsor

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Recommended Newsletters Of The Week

​Maximizing LinkedIn For Business Growth​

Unlock LinkedIn’s full potential with Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth—your go-to guide for building a powerful brand, generating leads, and driving real business results.

Latest From My Blog

Does Facebook Advertising Still Work? What The Data Actually Shows - Do Facebook ads still work in 2026? I dug into the data to find out. With 3 billion+ users and $122 billion in ad revenue, the platform isn't slowing down—but success depends on strategy, not luck. In my latest post, I break down real performance benchmarks, the 6 mistakes that kill most campaigns, and exactly how much budget you need for meaningful testing. Spoiler: it's not set-and-forget. Neal Schaffer​

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How To Do An SEO Competitor Analysis (Complete Beginner’s Guide) - Your competitors are already showing you the SEO roadmap—you just need to know how to read it. In my latest post, I walk you through a 7-step competitor analysis framework that reveals the keywords, content strategies, and backlinks driving their rankings. Here's the twist: your SEO competitors aren't always your business competitors. Learn how to find the gaps and turn their success into your advantage. Neal Schaffer​