Weekly Digital Marketing & Generative AI for Marketing News from Your Digital Marketing Coach
Every Friday I provide a curated newsletter for thousands of marketers, entrepreneurs, business owners and content creators that covers the latest news as well as actionable advice on all things digital, content, influencer, and social media marketing. I try my best to also provide advice on the latest developments of generative AI and how to leverage it for marketing as well as personal branding for your digital presence.
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Should We Stop Creating Informational Content? | How Smart Email Marketing Is Outpacing Social In ROI | Google’s Sergey Brin Says AI Can Synthesize Top 1,000 Search Results + More!
As I have more and more AI-related conversations with Fractional CMO clients, at speaking events, and with others, I am finding a gap in the "AI experience."
More advanced AI users have uncovered more use case scenarios for AI versus beginners. And they are reaping the benefits throughout their business.
In other words, if you are still only using AI to summarize meetings or write simple emails or social media captions, you are missing out on the huge potential that AI has.
AI is giving you access to the most intelligent presence in the world, and if you don't know how to take advantage of their assistance, you are simply wasting the chance of a lifetime before everyone becomes more AI-literate over the next few years.
If people and businesses are accelerating their growth through AI on a daily basis and you are not, that gap will accelerate exponentially over the next few months.
To give you my very, very simple advice, here is the way I want you to think about AI (if you haven't already):
Using AI is not about using specific prompts that will somehow unlock its functionality. It's about having natural conversations and back-and-forth with AI as a true assistant that gives you the ability to leverage its power.
Instead of thinking what you CAN use AI for, shift your mindset to think about what you CAN'T use AI for. That will hopefully unlock new opportunities for you.
As I mentioned to my client recently, like anything else I talk about, it's all about building muscle memory. It will come to you, sooner or later.
I am creating a lot of new content around helping you with AI in your marketing and business, but until I release it to the public, I am hoping the above advice starts getting your wheels in motion! If you still have questions, feel free to hit the reply button and let me help you!
Now on to this week's Top 10 news!
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.
In my recent podcast episode of Your Digital Marketing Coach, I had an amazing conversation with Philippa Gamse, a true pro in web analytics. We dug into why your website analytics matter more than you think—and how leaks in your site could be costing you conversions. From fixing hidden calls to action, to using scroll depth, form abandonment, and even site search insights, this episode is a masterclass on data that actually drives growth. Don’t sleep on your analytics!
We know you’re always on the hunt for tools that genuinely improve your life—which is why we're excited to introduce you to Brain.fm's groundbreaking focus music.
Brain.fm’s patented audio technology was recently validated in a top neuroscience journal, showing how it actually changes your brainwaves to enhance concentration. They even offer a specialized ADHD mode, specifically engineered for brains that process attention differently.
Brain.fm is a powerful companion for any serious writing or deep thinking work.
Google Co-Founder Sergey Brin just dropped a major insight into the future of search: AI can now synthesize the top 1,000 search results—plus follow-up research. That means Google is shifting from simply retrieving links to actually doing the heavy lifting for you. In this interview, he also dives into multimodal interfaces, voice AI challenges, and why AI-powered search changes everything about how we discover information. If you want a peek into where search is headed, you’ll want to read this one.
This study is a must-read for anyone serious about brand visibility in the age of AI search. After analyzing 75K brands, the data is clear: AI Overviews favor brand presence across the web, not just backlinks or traffic. If you want your brand to show up in AI-generated answers, web mentions, branded anchors, and search volume matter most. It’s not just SEO anymore—it’s AI-era brand building, and the clock’s ticking.
Is informational content still worth creating? This smart and honest piece says yes—but not the way we used to. With AI Overviews shrinking clicks and Google shifting the rules, SEO-first content is no longer the win it once was. Instead, we need to prioritize value, relevance, and user experience, tying content back to business goals, product adoption, and brand building. If your strategy still chases search volume alone, it’s time for a serious reset. This article tells you how—and why—it matters more than ever.
With AI Mode now default for all logged-in U.S. users, Google is officially changing the game. This blog post breaks down what that means for SEO: less focus on clicks, more on quality, structure, and helpfulness. It’s a wake-up call for content creators—AI Mode may shrink traffic, but it rewards strong, user-first content. If you’re serious about staying visible in AI-powered search, this is a must-read strategy update.
In a world chasing TikToks and trends, email marketing is quietly outperforming social media where it matters most: ROI. This piece breaks down how email delivers direct access, higher conversions, and scalable automation—without the drama of algorithm shifts. If you’re ready to ditch rented attention and build a real growth engine, this is your call to rethink your strategy and bring email back to center stage.
This is hands-down one of the most practical, honest, and human-first guides to AI in content marketing I’ve read. Mateusz doesn’t just hype AI—he lives it and shares real workflows, tools, and boundaries that balance efficiency with creativity. If you’re using AI (or thinking about it), this piece will help you work smarter, not sloppier, and build content that still feels deeply human. Total must-read for modern marketers.
If you’re overwhelmed with notes, files, and scattered content, this article shows how to use NotebookLM to turn all that into a searchable, intelligent resource. This podcast episode from Michael Stelzner and guest Lisa Monks dives deep into how marketers and teams can organize, summarize, and extract key insights—fast. From mind maps to meeting follow-ups, NotebookLM is a game-changer for anyone managing lots of content and wanting to make smarter, quicker decisions.
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If you want to grow your presence on Pinterest, this blog post I wrote breaks down exactly how to get more followers—from optimizing your profile and using smart Pinterest SEO to designing click-worthy pins and posting consistently. Pinterest isn’t just another social network—it’s a visual search engine with long content lifespans. If you’re serious about driving traffic and building your brand, this guide gives you a proven roadmap to get there.
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Weekly Digital Marketing & Generative AI for Marketing News from Your Digital Marketing Coach
Neal Schaffer
Every Friday I provide a curated newsletter for thousands of marketers, entrepreneurs, business owners and content creators that covers the latest news as well as actionable advice on all things digital, content, influencer, and social media marketing. I try my best to also provide advice on the latest developments of generative AI and how to leverage it for marketing as well as personal branding for your digital presence.
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