Hey Reader,

Writing to you from San Diego where I just got off the stage at DigiMarCon San Diego. I ended up doing two presentations, one where I talked about how UGC can help you reimagine your social media marketing strategy for exponentially better results, and another where I did a workshop going through the main tactics that I teach in Digital Threads. Overall good reception, got to see some of my fave influencers (that's you Dennis Yu and Stephanie Garcia!), got to meet some new people, and even got introduced to a potential Fractional CMO client. All good!

This ends my spring speaking season, so I am looking forward to going deeper into content creation and working some of those books and other resources I have been promising you—stay tuned!

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.

1. This Week's Video

​ ​Mobile Marketing: The Key To Digital Success In 2025​ If you’ve been thinking of mobile marketing as just SMS or an app, this episode will change that. I’m joined by Dr. Mary Beth McCabe, global mobile marketing expert and co-author of the textbook Mobile Marketing Essentials, to break down how mobile affects every single digital channel—email, social, ads, even AI usage. From RCS messaging to behavior-based analytics and global mobile trends, this conversation is packed with eye-opening insights for future-ready marketers. Click here for the full video →

2. This Week's News

​Beat The AI Box: SEO Strategies For The New Google Results​ Want your content quoted in Google’s AI Overview box instead of your competitor’s? In this episode of Your Digital Marketing Coach, I break down proven patterns from 10 data-backed studies to help you earn citations in this critical space. From E-E-A-T principles and topic clusters to schema, skimmable formatting, and real-time updates, I cover everything you need to claim your AI-powered SEO real estate. It's time to rank smarter, not harder. Click here for the full episode →

​Digital Threads​ This comprehensive playbook demystifies digital marketing, offering a clear roadmap to building and growing your brand on a realistic budget. Click here to get your copy now →

3. This Week's News

​Google’s Walled Garden: Users Make 10 Clicks Before Leaving​

Google may still drive the most traffic overall, but it’s holding users tighter than ever. This study reveals users now make 10 clicks within Google before leaving, while ChatGPT sends out 2.3x more visits per user. That means AI platforms like ChatGPT are becoming powerful new traffic sources — and marketers need to adapt fast. If you’re focused only on Google, it might be time to rethink your SEO + content strategy.

4. This Week's News

​How To Find, Analyze & Engage Your Social Media Target Audience​

If your social media content isn’t converting, it’s probably a targeting problem. This guide walks you through how to find, segment, and engage your true audience—the people most likely to buy, click, or share. You’ll learn how to use data-backed insights, tools like Socialinsider, and persona-driven strategy to stop guessing and start connecting. Whether B2B or B2C, this is the blueprint for smarter, sharper content that actually works.

5. Social Advice

​The LinkedIn Growth Secrets Nobody Talks About​

This post is the real deal — not a growth hack, but a raw, honest look at what actually fuels success on LinkedIn from my social media cousin, Mark Schaefer. Spoiler: it’s not luck, algorithms, or long-form content. It’s authenticity, consistency, and creating conversations. If you’ve ever wondered why some posts blow up and others don’t, or how to build real influence without burning out, this is the behind-the-scenes truth most people don’t share.

​Never Miss A Critical Mention!​ Brand24 offers the most complete access to online mentions out there. Get AI-powered access to mentions across social media, news, blogs, videos, forums, podcasts, reviews, and more. Be the first to know and get ahead of the story! Click here to sign up for free →

6. AI Advice

​Building An AI Content Team: How To Rapidly Outperform Your Competitors​

If you're serious about scaling your content without burning out your team, this guide is gold. Michael Stelzner and his podcast guest Natalie Lambert break down how to build a specialized AI content team that helps you create faster, maintain quality, and drive real results. You’ll learn how to train AI assistants, create interactive audience personas, and set up a repeatable workflow that puts you way ahead of competitors. This is next-level content marketing strategy for 2025.

7. AI Advice

​How Gen Z Is Using AI To Build Personal Brands — A Guide That Helped Me Build A LinkedIn Presence That’s Reached Over 140 Million​

This story is a must-read if you’re building a personal brand on LinkedIn — especially if you’re Gen Z, female, or figuring out how to stand out in a space that’s often too corporate. It’s a firsthand look at how AI became a creative partner, not a shortcut, and how showing up before you feel ready can change everything. If LinkedIn feels intimidating, this post will totally reframe that for you.

8. AI Advice

​ChatGPT Shopping: How To Get Your Products Discovered (And Sold) On ChatGPT​

​ChatGPT Shopping is here — and it’s free. This post breaks down how you can get your products featured in ChatGPT’s shopping carousels, just like on Google or Bing, but without paying for ads. You’ll learn how to optimize your site, leverage structured data, and even track AI traffic. If you’re in eCommerce, this is your early-mover advantage — and a big chance to get discovered by millions.

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9. Latest From My Blog

​Is Your B2B Content Marketing Actually Driving Business Results? ​

If your B2B content marketing isn’t moving the needle, this is the post you need. I wrote it to help you cut through the noise, stop measuring surface-level metrics, and build a clear, ROI-driven content strategy. You'll learn what actually works, what to fix, and how to tie content directly to pipeline and revenue — not just clicks. This is how you turn content into growth. Ready to get real results?

10. Latest From My Blog

​The 2025 B2B Marketing Automation Playbook: Data-Backed Strategies That Work​

​Marketing automation isn’t optional anymore — it’s essential. In this post I wrote, I walk you through how to turn your B2B automation efforts into a revenue-driving system in 2025. You’ll get clear steps for aligning strategy, tech, and data; using AI for personalization; and proving ROI. If your team wants to scale without burning out or wasting budget, this is the playbook to follow.

Thanks for reading all the way to the bottom. I hope you enjoy the new high-contrast white background and that the text is easier to read! Please let me know what you think!

If I can be of any help to you or your organization please consider joining my Digital First Group Coaching Membership Community or considering hiring me as a Fractional CMO.​

Warm regards,

​Neal Schaffer​ Fractional CMO / Author / Speaker / Educator

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