D(AI)y at the Beach: Marketing Monday Resources
We’ve collected insights from experts that will demystify SEO, show you how Google’s AI is rewriting the rules, and help you make small changes that make a big difference in getting found online. Thank you to Marcus, Jess, and Frank for sharing their expertise with our audience.
Head to the Marketing Monday Page to check out in-person events to RSVP and learn more!
- Modern AI is trained on the entire Internet, and then some. If they know the answer, they won’t even bother to search the web. But their knowledge tends to be broad and shallow. So the more specific you are, the more likely you are to be adding something to the conversation and not echoing what is common knowledge.
- Authority is everything. AI summaries will prioritize authoritative sources. It’s about more than backlinks; it’s who else is mentioning and citing you in other places. Remember the AI is trained on a tremendous amount of internet knowledge, and it is sifting through it to get the most credible answer.
You know your audience, the AI doesn’t. If you know who you’re writing to or who you’re trying to reach, then you can be more specific and carve out an authoritative niche. This will provide the AI with new, unique information to answer unique questions. As an example, if you’re giving generic marketing advice, the AI may not search, and if it does, you have zero chance against Donald Miller or Alex Hormozi. But both the AI’s knowledge and the big brands are broad and shallow; they’re aiming for mass appeal. Target your ICP with specialized information, you’ll have a better chance of showing up when they ask unique, detail oriented questions..
When a user interacts with an LLM to get information, they may start with a broad topic. The initial answers will probably come from the training data. As the conversation continues, the LLM will want to rely on more up-to-date and granular information; it will search the internet. At this point, it will land on big, established brands that rely on impressions and traffic to make money.As the user gets more specific and moves down the funnel, the questions become more specialized, and pass the scope of the large brands (specializations don’t offer much traffic). As the questions narrow, the expertise required to answer them increases. This is the place that B2B brands want to be – showcasing their own expertise or research to answer specialized questions. Organize the information in such a way that it has clear structure; this will make it easier for the LLM to extract the needed snippets.
Tips from Jess:
Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing how people search—and how businesses are strategically trying to show up. With Google rolling out new AI-powered features and shifting its algorithm priorities, small businesses need to adjust their digital strategies to stay visible and competitive. Here’s a breakdown of what’s changing and how you can respond (from one small business owner to another).
Google’s AI Changes & What They Mean
- AI Overviews are now live in search – Formerly known as Search Generative Experience (SGE), AI Overviews are starting to appear in search results. These AI-generated summaries pull directly from sources that provide clear, helpful answers—meaning it’s more important than ever to optimize for featured snippets and direct responses.
- E-A-T is more important than ever – Google continues to favor content that reflects Expertise, Authority, and Trustworthiness. This is especially critical for health, finance, and local service businesses where credibility directly impacts conversions.
- Local search is getting smarter – AI is now better at understanding user intent and context. That means Google can match searches with local businesses even when the query is vague, so having consistent, structured data across platforms really matters.
How Small Businesses Can Adapt
- Write like your customer talks – Create content that mimics real questions your customers ask. Think less “keyword stuffing,” more “natural conversation.”
- Answer the full customer journey- Don’t just answer surface-level questions—build content that supports users at every stage: awareness, consideration, and decision. This positions your business as a true resource, while showcasing your expertise!
- Embrace Local SEO best practices- Google’s AI now understands location-specific intent better. So:
- Claim and complete your Google Business Profile
- Add relevant services and photos
- Collect and respond to reviews regularly (even bad ones, within 24 hours)
- Use AI tools strategically- Tools like ChatGPT can support content ideation, SEO formatting, and editing—but the real value is still in your unique expertise. AI can assist, but it shouldn’t replace your voice.
Specific Tips for Staying Visible
- Answer customer FAQs on your site to feed AI Overviews and voice search
- Keep your website mobile-friendly and fast—AI prioritizes good UX (user experience)
- Build genuine relationships and collect reviews—AI is getting better at recognizing authentic, trustworthy content
The Real Shift: Authenticity Over Algorithms
The businesses I see winning in this new era aren’t gaming the system—they’re genuinely solving problems for their customers. AI is rewarding content that’s helpful, human, and rooted in real expertise.
How I Keep Integrity in my AI Usage
When using AI tools for client work, here’s how I ensure transparency and professionalism:
- I include language in my contracts that I use a pro-level subscription (like ChatGPT Plus) to protect client data and privacy
- I always provide my own tone and context first so the AI isn’t starting from scratch—it’s refining, not creating
- Every AI-assisted message is revised by me before it’s sent—no strange formatting or robotic phrasing allowed (the bird puns it provides does give me a good giggle though)
- I stay up-to-date on prompt strategies and even ask the AI to ask me more questions when something is unclear
Above all, I believe AI is a tool—not a shortcut. It should support your work, not replace your insight.
Want to hear more about reaching your audience with your messaging and brand? Join us next week on August 4th, with Lindsey Brine for a Marketing Fundamentals class at KEC.
