The Campaign | A Marketing Podcast by 97th Floor

A staggering 41% of marketers admit they don't do audience research nearly enough, and over half do it very infrequently. In this conversation, SparkToro co-founder Rand Fishkin breaks down why audience research has become marketing's orphaned responsibility and what it's costing companies in missed opportunities. From Fortune 500s sitting on unused data to marketers relying on ChatGPT for audience insights, Rand reveals the systematic problems preventing teams from understanding their customers. He shares how his own company discovered their biggest growth opportunity by actually talking to users, and why the channels you can't easily measure might be your biggest competitive advantage. What You’ll Learn: Why audience research consistently falls through the cracks The hidden dangers of using AI for customer insights  How to identify the most underinvested marketing channels  Resources:  Try Sparktoro for audience research: https://sparktoro.com/  Request a free AI Audit: https://97thfloor.com/ai-audit/  Connect with Rand on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randfishkin  Connect with Paxton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paxtongray/  Looking for an agency that'll be worth the investment? 97th Floor creates custom, audience-first campaigns that drive pipeline and conversions. Get started here: https://97thfloor.com/lets-talk/.  About Rand Fishkin: Rand Fishkin is the co-founder and CEO of audience research platform SparkToro and indie game developer Snackbar Studio. He’s dedicated his professional life to helping people do better marketing through the Whiteboard Friday video series, his blog, and his book, Lost and Founder: A Painfully Honest Field Guide to the Startup World. Rand was previously the cofounder of Moz, and Inbound.org, and a co-author on The Art of SEO. He’s keynoted over 100 events around the world on marketing, technology, and startup topics. Timestamps: 00:08 - Problem with audience research adoption  03:24 - SEO analogy for audience research  10:20 - Who should own audience research  19:17 - AI's role in audience research  31:35 - Serendipitous insights from research  39:51 - Google, AI, and search trends “I want to know who my potential customers are and what they do on the web so that I can target, reach them with the best possible messaging in the best places at the right time. That's marketing 101.” - Rand Fishkin

Matt Frisbee went from Disney performer to marketing executive, and is one of the best storytellers around. In this conversation, Matt breaks down the art of storytelling in marketing, shares how he built breakthrough campaigns at Little Giant Ladder Systems, and explains why "feeling understood is the sexiest feeling in the universe." This is a masterclass in taking calculated risks, doing the deep research work that most people skip, and why feeling understood by a brand is what drives real customer loyalty.  What You’ll Learn: The "Queen Vicky" Method - Build your entire strategy around one real customer instead of fictional personas The Dangerous Jobs Breakthrough - Why respecting your audience beats safety messaging (and how it stole market share from giants) The COVID Studio Innovation - How a 9-camera setup got Zoom asking questions and kept sales growing during lockdown Resources:  "Story" by Robert McKee - Matt's go-to storytelling reference "So God Made a Farmer" Super Bowl ad - Perfect example of honoring an underappreciated audience FREE Content Consolidation Tools: https://97thfloor.com/articles/podcasts/how-to-consolidate-optimize-and-finally-see-seo-results/  Request a free AI Audit: https://97thfloor.com/ai-audit/  Connect with Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewfrisbie/  Connect with Paxton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paxtongray/  Looking for an agency that'll be worth the investment? 97th Floor creates custom, audience-first campaigns that drive pipeline and conversions. Get started here: https://97thfloor.com/lets-talk/.  About Matt Frisbie: Matt Frisbie started his career as a classically trained illustrator at Disney, where he learned that a picture truly is worth a thousand words – but more importantly, he learned how to architect experiences that make people want to participate in a story. After a stint in Hollywood selling films, Matt found his way into marketing, where he discovered that brands tell stories just as powerful as any movie – stories about solving problems and transforming lives. As CMO at companies including Blendtec and Little Giant Ladder Systems, Matt has overseen marketing strategies that don't just move products – they move people. He's currently leading marketing at Axomo, a go-to-mark...

Most B2B marketers are missing a goldmine of audience insights hiding in plain sight. While everyone flocks to LinkedIn, 68% of Reddit users aren't even on the platform—meaning there's a massive chunk of your audience having authentic conversations about their real problems elsewhere. Deep tech CMO Kiersten Gaffney has cracked the code on mining Reddit for content that actually converts. In this episode, she reveals her systematic approach to turning Reddit threads into pillar content that resonates with technical audiences. What You'll Learn: The Reddit advantage: Why Reddit conversations are more honest and actionable than other social platforms Kiersten's listening workflow: Her exact process using tools like Octolens to track keywords across Reddit, Hacker News, and other platforms AI-powered content creation: How she uses Claude and ChatGPT strategically—one for research, one for writing—to turn insights into content The 70% success rate formula: Her systematic approach that delivers results 7 out of 10 times Technical audience secrets: Why developers and engineers hate being sold to and how to market to them authentically Resources:  Attend a free 60-minute live demo with Kiersten on September 12, 2025 to see her whole in-depth process for transforming tiny insights into incredible content. Register here: https://maven.com/p/a3bef8/turn-dev-complaints-into-content-gold-with-ai Request a free AI Audit: https://97thfloor.com/ai-audit/  Connect with Kiersten on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kierstengaffney  Connect with Paxton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paxtongray/  Looking for an agency that'll be worth the investment? 97th Floor creates custom, audience-first campaigns that drive pipeline and conversions. Get started here: https://97thfloor.com/lets-talk/.  About Kiersten Gaffney: Kiersten Gaffney is a CMO advisor helping deep tech software companies build their marketing growth engines. She’s advised hundreds of founders from companies like Airbyte, DragonflyDB, and Codefresh to build systematic, measurable approaches to marketing. Timestamps: 03:05 - Reddit's honest opinions vs. other platforms 07:23 - Keyword monitoring with Octalens tool 08:31 - AI analysis: Reddit threads to content ideas 20:55 - Director vs. directed: controlling AI tools 25:28

Most marketers think they know their audience — but they stop at surface-level demographics and wonder why their campaigns plateau. In this conversation, Rachel Bascom and Paxton Gray break down what it really means to be audience-first, why the “big research lift” mindset is holding you back, and how to turn existing knowledge into exponential results over time. If you’ve ever felt stuck in the “research → big deck → nothing changes” loop, this episode will change how you think about audience understanding. You’ll walk away with a practical, ongoing approach to learning about your audience — and turning that knowledge into high-performing creative, content, and campaigns. Resources:  FREE Content Consolidation Tools: https://97thfloor.com/articles/podcasts/how-to-consolidate-optimize-and-finally-see-seo-results/  Learn about how to create high-quality content that is audience-focused: https://97thfloor.com/articles/high-quality-content-or-ai-slop/  Connect with Rachel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelbascom/  Connect with Paxton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paxtongray/  Read the full article: https://97thfloor.com/articles/podcasts/audience-first-marketing-the-new-standard-for-growth  Looking for an agency that'll be worth the investment? 97th Floor creates custom, audience-first campaigns that drive pipeline and conversions. Get started here: https://97thfloor.com/lets-talk/.  About Rachel Bascom: Rachel Bascom is the Head of Content Marketing at 97th Floor, boasting over a decade of expertise in the realm of digital marketing and a fervent dedication to crafting audience-centric content strategies. In her tenure, Rachel has been a trailblazer in the development of the content marketing department, playing an integral role in the transformative journey that positioned 97th Floor as a comprehensive, award-winning, holistic marketing agency.  Timestamps:  02:27 - What it means to truly know your audience 12:43 - The zodiac campaign breakthrough 18:22 - "It's cumulative, not cyclical" 24:17 - Start by auditing what you already have 27:35

CMOs are more optimistic about AI than ever—yet many organizations are still stuck at the starting line. In this episode, Aby Varma, founder of Spark Novus, joins us to share how marketing leaders can move from AI curiosity to meaningful adoption. Drawing on real-world examples from Fortune 500 companies, Aby reveals why asking “Can AI do this?” is the wrong place to start, how to build a strategy anchored in business value, and what cultural shifts are essential for lasting change. If you’re a marketing leader looking to integrate AI into your team’s workflows without the chaos, this conversation will give you the mindset, frameworks, and practical steps you need. What You’ll Learn: The four mindset shifts CMOs must make to drive effective AI adoption. How to align AI initiatives with your strategic “North Star” for maximum impact. Proven ways to overcome internal resistance and build a culture of AI experimentation. Resources:  FREE Content Consolidation Tools: https://97thfloor.com/articles/podcasts/how-to-consolidate-optimize-and-finally-see-seo-results/  Request a free AI Audit: https://97thfloor.com/ai-audit/  Join Spark Novus's Marketing AI Pulse Community: https://sparknovus.com/marketing-ai-pulse Connect with Aby on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abyvarma/  Connect with Paxton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paxtongray/  Looking for an agency that'll be worth the investment? 97th Floor creates custom, audience-first campaigns that drive pipeline and conversions. Get started here: https://97thfloor.com/lets-talk/.  About Aby Varma: Aby is the founder and principal at Spark Novus, transforming marketing through AI, digital, content, and brand strategies. He aligns marketing, sales, and product teams to drive brand positioning and demand activation. Known for his strategic vision and energy, Aby builds inclusive, high-performing teams. He advances AI in marketing through the 'Marketing AI SparkCast' podcast and as the founder of the Marketing AI Pulse and Future Crafters communities. Aby is a member of the Forbes Communication Council. Timestamps: 02:51 - Why "Can AI do this?" is the wrong question 06:22 - Enterprise case study: asset management vs. cold pr...

In this conversation, Pax and Nick Cawthon explore the evolution of technology, particularly focusing on the impact of AI on workplaces and team dynamics. They discuss the importance of adapting to new technologies, the challenges of AI adoption, and the need for collaboration and skill augmentation within teams. Nick emphasizes the significance of understanding the hype cycle surrounding new technologies and the necessity of preparing teams for future transformations. The conversation also touches on the role of surveys in assessing AI readiness and the importance of fostering a culture that embraces change. Resources:  FREE Content Consolidation Tools: https://97thfloor.com/articles/podcasts/how-to-consolidate-optimize-and-finally-see-seo-results/  Request a free AI Audit: https://97thfloor.com/ai-audit/  Connect with Nick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickcawthon-ux-digital-agency-product-design-leadership/  Fill out Nick’s AI Maturity Assessment to receive a report with a readiness score benchmarking your team against similar organizations: https://retrain.gauge.io/  Connect with Paxton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paxtongray/  Read the full article: https://97thfloor.com/articles/podcasts/how-to-lead-your-team-through-the-ai-shift/  Looking for an agency that'll be worth the investment? 97th Floor creates custom, audience-first campaigns that drive pipeline and conversions. Get started here: https://97thfloor.com/lets-talk/.    About Nick Cawthon: Nick helps design teams stay ahead of the curve with their AI transformation. He has been curating self-assessments for UX & Design Teams at retrain.gauge.io, helping analyze industry trends and removing barriers to adoption. Nick founded Gauge in 2001 in the San Francisco Bay Area to help organizations with evidence-based strategy and product decisions. Clients have grown to include Electronic Arts, Genentech, Airbnb, Adobe and many others. Nick is a professor in Data Literacy and Visualization in the Design Strategy MBA program at his alma mater, California College of the Arts. Timestamps: 02:38 - Early tech career lessons from AltaVista to Google transition  06:55 - Internet paradigm shifts and building for new vs. old thinking  12:30 - AI workflow changes with prompting replacing search s...

In this conversation, Patrick Kajirian shares his extensive experience in enterprise SEO, particularly in large organizations like Walmart and Disney. He discusses the unique challenges and strategies involved in managing SEO at scale, including the importance of product management, indexation, and internal linking. The conversation also explores the impact of AI and new agentic browsers on the future of SEO and digital marketing, emphasizing the need for adaptability and a focus on fundamentals in an evolving landscape. Resources:  Request a free AI Audit: https://97thfloor.com/ai-audit/  Connect with Patrick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickkajirian/   Connect with Paxton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paxtongray/  Read the full article: https://97thfloor.com/articles/podcasts/seo-at-scale-how-enterprise-seo-works-and-where-ai-is-taking-it/  Looking for an agency that'll be worth the investment? 97th Floor creates custom, audience-first campaigns that drive pipeline and conversions. Get started here: https://97thfloor.com/lets-talk/.  About Patrick Kajirian: Patrick Kajirian honed his career in technology and media in a broad range of roles that involved managing a full-service web design agency, operating world-class e-commerce and media websites, and driving user acquisition initiatives for global brands and fortune 500 companies. Patrick facilitated over a million daily Google searches as a principal product manager for SEO at Realtor.com. He currently works as a senior product manager in SEO at Walmart in the San Francisco Bay area. Timestamps: 02:26 - Enterprise SEO as a product function vs marketing function 06:24 - Google's indexation challenges and internal linking strategies at scale  16:47 - AI agents and agentic browser automation discussion  30:38 - Disney and ESPN migration war stories  46:51 - Traffic quality vs quantity in the AI era "This is a really great time to be thinking about SEO in general... We're thrown back into the Wild West days where you just had to study and test and experiment and see what works. The fundamentals are still the same." - Patrick Kajirian

Everyone wants to be “data-driven.” But what does that actually look like when you’re a marketer without a data warehouse, a team of analysts, or endless resources? In this episode, we talk with Gallant Chen, a marketing strategist who helps companies make better decisions with imperfect data. From messy attribution models to marketing CRMs that don’t talk to your ad platforms, we get honest about the real-world barriers marketers face—and how to work around them. If you’ve ever wasted hours in a spreadsheet or fought with your team over who “gets credit,” this one’s for you. We’ll talk systems, shortcuts, and how to build the simplest version of a marketing data engine that actually drives results. What you’ll learn: How to set up a marketing system that delivers insights—even if your tools are limited The dangers of over-optimizing for data (and when to just make a call and act) What kind of attribution model actually works for most marketing teams Resources:  Connect with Gallant on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gallantc/  Connect with Paxton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paxtongray/  Check out Gallant’s work: https://gallant.co/ Request a free AI Audit: https://97thfloor.com/ai-audit/  Read the full article: https://97thfloor.com/articles/podcasts/how-to-actually-be-a-data-driven-marketer-without-a-data-team/  Looking for an agency that'll be worth the investment? 97th Floor creates custom, audience-first campaigns that drive pipeline and conversions. Get started here: https://97thfloor.com/lets-talk/.  About Gallant Chen:  Gallant is the Founding Partner of Gallant Growth and a seasoned Marketing Executive with a track record of scaling growth for B2B SaaS and marketplace businesses. He has served as an Advisor and Consultant for companies including Docusign, Shopify, New Relic, Mixpanel, Nutanix, Upwork, and Thumbtack on marketing strategy, customer acquisition, retention, and monetization. He has deep expertise in demand gen and paid acquisition, but also supports areas including the hiring of internal/agency teams, lifecycle and email marketing, CRO, marketing analytics, and marketing operations. Prior to founding Gallant Growth, he ran Digital Marketing at Zendesk and held marketing roles at SurveyMonkey and Apple. He started his career as a strategy cons...

If your messaging isn’t clicking, your conversions won’t either. In this episode, we’re joined by Chris Silvestri—conversion copywriter, SaaS strategist, and founder of Conversion Alchemy—to talk about how AI is changing the way top teams do message-market fit. With a background in both engineering and UX, Chris has helped companies like Moz Crimes turn deep customer insight into high-performing SaaS copy. He shares how AI can accelerate—not replace—the research and writing process, and how to train it to think more like your customers than your competitors. You’ll learn: How to use AI for smarter, faster customer research Why most messaging fails—and how to fix it with data How to align your copy with what your customers are actually thinking Whether you're rewriting a homepage, launching a new product, or rethinking your entire brand voice, this episode will show you how to turn AI into your most valuable copywriting assistant.Resources:  Get a free scorecard to assess your messaging fit on Chris’ website here: conversionalchemy.net  Connect with Chris on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christophersilvestri Connect with Paxton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paxtongray/  AI platforms Chris uses for audience research: https://www.syntheticusers.com https://askrally.com Read the full article:https://97thfloor.com/articles/podcasts/how-to-turn-customer-insight-into-high-converting-copy-with-ai↗ Looking for an agency that'll be worth the investment? 97th Floor creates custom, audience-first campaigns that drive pipeline and conversions. Get started here: https://97thfloor.com/lets-talk/.  About Chris Silvestri:  Chris is the Conversion Alchemist. A SaaS message-market fit specialist and conversion copywriter, he worked 10 years as a software engineer in industrial automation. Then, took a sharp turn to enter the digital marketing world as UX lead at the usability testing startup Conversion Crimes (and previously at the conversion design agency Zeda Labs). Chris has been working as a messaging strategist and copywriter for B2B SaaS brands like Moz since 2016.<...

Clicks aren’t enough. Today’s marketing funnels need to account for real user behavior, changing customer journeys, and how people find and interact with your brand in AI search engines. In this episode, Adam Gunn, VP of Marketing at FullStory, joins 97th Floor CEO Paxton Gray to break down what a modern, optimized funnel really looks like. You’ll hear how to identify friction points, rethink old metrics, and build digital experiences that work for both humans and AI. What You’ll Learn: How to use behavioral data to diagnose funnel issues Where AI is changing what marketers should track (and ignore) Which metrics actually matter—and which ones are misleading Why your site needs to be ready for AI agents, not just users Adam Gunn is the VP of Marketing at FullStory, a behavioral analytics platform that’s changing the way teams understand and act on user behavior. He brings a unique perspective around data, storytelling, and how marketing teams can evolve alongside AI. Resources:  Request a free AI Audit: https://97thfloor.com/ai-audit/  Connect with Adam on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamgunn Connect with Paxton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paxtongray/  Read the article: https://97thfloor.com/articles/podcasts/how-to-blend-brand-behavior-data-and-ai-to-win-in-modern-marketing/   Looking for an agency that'll be worth the investment? 97th Floor creates custom, audience-first campaigns that drive pipeline and conversions. Get started here: https://97thfloor.com/lets-talk/. "The future is customer-based agents surfing our website. Historically we've built all of our experiences for humans, but agents are often going to be now going out and doing business on our behalf... we'll have to build web experiences that serve the good traffic." About Adam Gunn: Adam Gunn is the VP of Marketing at FullStory, a behavioral analytics platform that’s changing the way teams understand and act on user behavior. He brings a unique perspective around data, storytelling, and how marketing teams can evolve alongside AI. Timestamps: 02:35 - From Disney animator to marketing leader 06:51 - Creative skills in the boardroom 13:08 - "Rage clicks" and user frustration signals 23:44 - AI reality check vs. hype 31:47 - Reactive vs. proactive analytics 41:53 - Stay nimble for industry changes

In this episode Pax and Justin Loera discuss internal site search–a forgotten gold mine of data and audience insights to inform content strategy and sales enablement. Data from internal search can help improve conversion rates, reveal gaps in the content journey or optimization needs, and increase customer loyalty and trust as they find what they need right on your site. What You’ll Learn:  If your brand should be investing in internal site search The massive missed opportunities for companies that don’t take this seriously How to use internal site search data to make improvements for marketing, sales, and company-wide How to balance on-site search with traditional SEO Resources:  Request a free AIO Audit: http://97thfloor.com/ai-audit Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-loera-a156969  Connect with Paxton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paxtongray/  Read the article: https://97thfloor.com/articles/podcasts/how-to-blend-brand-behavior-data-and-ai-to-win-in-modern-marketing/   Read the article: https://97thfloor.com/articles/podcasts/internal-search-the-conversion-channel-youre-not-tracking↗ Looking for an agency that'll be worth the investment? 97th Floor creates custom, audience-first campaigns that drive pipeline and conversions. Get started here: https://97thfloor.com/lets-talk/. Timestamps:  02:43 - Which companies need internal search 05:44 - The data goldmine vs. Google Analytics16:51 - Building the C-suite business case 23:53 - Teams that benefit from search data 25:15 - Breaking down team silos "You could have the best search engine in the world, but if your content isn't good, it doesn't matter. And it's an inverse relationship too. You could have great content, poor search, and still have the same problem." - Justin Loera

As Google rolls out AI‑powered summaries at the top of search results, we’re seeing clicks on traditional blue links evaporate—and with them, the traffic and revenue models we’ve all relied on. Kevin Indig and his team recently completed the very first large‑scale UX study of Google’s new AI Overviews, revealing how users are actually using the new SERP feature. Kevin’s team tracked 70 real users across eight search tasks, captured 29 hours of think‑aloud sessions, and coded over 400 AI Overview encounters. They measured scroll depth, click behavior, emotional reactions, and trust signals—data no one else has compiled at this scale. We’ll dig into what this study reveals about how people actually read AI Overviews, how brands can win—or lose—visibility in this new world, and what every SEO and content strategist needs to do right now to adapt. What You’ll Learn:  What makes users engage with AI Overviews — and what makes them bounce How this behavior is shifting the value of traditional SEO What kinds of queries are most affected Practical strategies to future-proof your content in an AI-first search world Resources:  Connect with Kevin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinindig/  Check out Kevin's study: https://www.growth-memo.com/p/the-first-ever-ux-study-of-googles  Sign up for the Growth Memo Newsletter: https://www.growth-memo.com/subscribe?utm_source=menu&simple=true&next=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.growth-memo.com%2Fp%2Fthe-first-ever-ux-study-of-googles  "Clicks are empty calories, which means that clicks are always just a means to an end... Only 20% of the time does the AIO give participants the final answer. But 80% of the time they clicked on other results, mostly organic results." - Kevin Indig Timestamps:  03:32 - Study design explanation 04:12 - Trust as primary user filter 11:48 - Clicks as "empty calories" 15:42 - Brand mentions vs citations 25:50 - "Answer first content" doesn't work

AI is everywhere. Budgets are tight. Audiences are skeptical. So how do you get people to actually trust your brand—and stick around? In this episode, Ashley Faus joins us to talk about what trust really looks like in marketing today. We get into how common language like “lead capture” and “MQLs” is working against us, and why rethinking your buyer’s journey—starting with intent and ending with long-term value—can lead to better results. We also talk about her new book, Human-Centered Marketing, and why building trust isn’t fluffy—it’s a strategic advantage. Register now to attend live and to receive show notes and a special pre-order bonus from Ashley. What You’ll Learn:  What trends in public trust mean for marketers The language and practices marketers are using internally that hurt their chances for connecting with their audience A new way to think about the audience journey that honors the intelligence and curiosity of your audience  Resources:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyfaus/ If you'd like to buy Ashley's new book, you can order it here and get 25% off when you use code: KOGANPAGE25 https://97thfloor.com/articles/podcasts/why-trust-is-the-fastest-way-to-long-term-roi↗  "People trust people like themselves and people buy from people they trust. And so how do you showcase the humans? Which work remains important for the humans to do and having the thoughts and connecting with folks continues to be something that I think even in the age of AI is gonna be more important." - Ashley Faus Timestamps:  08:36 - Why trust is essential for business results 13:58 - The content playground vs. traditional funnel 20:54 - The case against gated content 23:13 - Data-informed vs. data-driven measurement 34:56 - Short vs. long-term content strategy 41:22 - Book discount and final takeaways

How Smart B2B Teams Evaluate, Launch, and Win on New Channels w/ Ryan Nelsen, CMO @ StackAdapt  Most B2B marketers stick to LinkedIn and Google Ads, but buyers are everywhere. A multi-channel strategy ensures you reach them at the right time, in the right place. In this episode of The Campaign, Ryan Nelsen, CMO of StackAdapt, joins 97th Floor’s CEO Paxton Gray to break down the Multi-Channel B2B Growth Framework—a step-by-step approach to mapping the buyer’s journey, selecting the right channels, and optimizing ad spend for maximum ROI. Plus, we’ll take you behind the scenes of a real-world campaign and show you exactly how we built and executed a high-performing multi-channel strategy. What You’ll Learn:  How to audit your current media mix to uncover untapped opportunities How to go beyond LinkedIn & Google—find your buyers where they actually spend time How to use programmatic advertising to optimize campaigns in real time and scale efficiently Real-world case study of how multi-channel strategies drive measurable results Resources:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanelsen  https://97thfloor.com/articles/podcasts/how-smart-b2b-teams-evaluate-launch-and-win-on-new-channels/  "It's such a fun time to be a marketer, to start literally the sky's the limit in terms of creativity and the ability to target and measure that." - Ryan Nelsen Timestamps:  06:52 - What spurs brands to add new channels 09:39 - Multi-channel conversion data and results 14:03 - Balancing brand vs. performance marketing 19:42 - Creative digital out-of-home trends 25:09 - How AI is lowering video creation costs 29:10 - Key takeaways for channel expansion

In this episode, we’re joined by Karl Van den Bergh, 2024 Cybersecurity Marketer of the Year and CMO at Illumio, to talk about how marketing leaders can build credibility, keep budgets, and turn uncertainty into a competitive edge. Karl shares the playbook he used to align marketing with the way sales is measured: building forecasts, hitting targets, and earning trust from even the ever-skeptical CFO.  We’ll show you how to make the intangible measurable with the one-page marketing plan that maps business goals directly to marketing execution.  If you’re trying to defend long-term strategy while your executive team needs short-term ROI, this episode will give you the language, framework, and tools to do it. What You’ll Learn:  The exact template Karl uses to connect every marketing move back to business objectives The most crucial thing that a CMO can do to build trust with other executives How a shift to treating marketing more like sales can transform internal perception and relationships Resources:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlvandenbergh  https://97thfloor.com/articles/podcasts/how-to-build-predictable-marketing-the-c-suite-will-bet-on/  "If you want to be successful through a downturn and coming out of the downturn, is to take and maintain a long-term perspective... the bigger opportunity actually is to build your brand because the rest of the competition is likely to be doing the same." - Karl Van den Bergh Timestamps:  03:13 - Why CMO is the Hardest C-Suite Role 07:26 - Finding Growth During Economic Downturns 10:07 - Investing in Brand During Recessions 18:20 - Running Marketing Like Sales 26:02 - Marketing Dollars = Sales Investment 28:38 - The One-Page Marketing Plan 22:52 - First-Time CMO Survival Guide

If you’re investing in SEO but not seeing results, your content might be the problem.   97th Floor’s Head of SEO, Mike Witham, built the Content Consolidation Audit to cut waste, boost rankings, and drive real results.  In this episode of The Campaign, Mike joins 97th Floor CEO Paxton Gray to break down the audit process and show how consolidation and optimization can have an immediate impact on organic revenue.  What You’ll Learn:  How to fix SEO that isn't delivering results Strategies to recover from Google algorithm updates Best practices for site migrations and merges How to optimize legacy sites with complex content histories Solutions for "crawled, not indexed" page issues Resources:  https://97thfloor.com/articles/podcasts/how-to-consolidate-optimize-and-finally-see-seo-results/  https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-o-witham  "The more content that you produce, the more you're going to stray from your core topic. And the harder it's going to be for crawlers for these LLMs to understand what it is you do." - Mike Witham Timestamps:  02:49 - What content consolidation audit is 07:19 - Benefits of consolidating content 10:20 - How thin content hurts AI visibility 16:42 - When to redirect vs. optimize pages 28:00 - Using Search Console to find problems 32:31 - Evaluating new content strategy

Ready or not, AI is about to radically reshape our work and our lives. Over the next decade the stuff of sci-fi movies will be just another Tuesday.  For CEOs and CMOs, understanding these changes and preparing now is critical.  This isn’t just about adopting new technology—it’s about rethinking the fundamentals of how your business will function in an AI-driven world. Understanding how AI will impact everything from SEO to advertising enables CMOs to create marketing strategies that can outlast any changes headed this way. What You’ll Learn:  The large-scale economic shifts AI will cause in the next decade What CEOs and CMOs need to prioritize today to stay competitive How CMOs can drive the full adoption of AI in their marketing teams Resources:  https://97thfloor.com/articles/podcasts/ai-is-rewriting-the-economy-what-cmos-ceos-must-do-to-survive/  https://www.linkedin.com/in/marie-haynes  Google Agent Development Kit "An agent is an AI tool that can do things for you, that can take action for you... agents can draw on your memory of what it knows about you in order to help you do things." - Marie Haynes Timestamps:  08:51 - What AI agents actually are beyond simple automation 18:16 - Google's agent-to-agent protocol announcement 26:28 - How agents will disrupt Google's entire business model 31:10 - Why businesses should start preparing now for the agent economy 39:35 - The future of SEO when AI handles basic optimization 43:46 - Brain-computer interfaces and what comes after agents

Marketing is more unpredictable than ever—ad costs rise, algorithms change, and audience behaviors shift overnight. But there’s one thing you can control: how effectively you convert the traffic you do get.  That’s where CRO (conversion rate optimization) becomes your force multiplier—turning uncertainty into opportunity and making every marketing channel more profitable.  What You’ll Learn:  How to identify and guide high-intent vs. low-intent visitors to the right next step   Why behavioral segmentation is key to higher conversions, and how to do it The 80% rule that changes the game for continuous testing Resources:  https://97thfloor.com/articles/podcasts/how-to-get-more-roi-from-every-marketing-channel-with-cro/  https://www.linkedin.com/in/sollis  "Usually without a doubt the lowest hanging fruit and opportunity to double leads, double revenue really quickly [is conversion optimization]." - Chad Sollis  Timestamps:  03:19 - Chad's 90-day battle plan: data, long-tail, CRO 07:48 - Actionable audience insights through clickstream analysis 14:59 - CRO testing framework: audience (70%), content, creative 19:29 - Accessibility as $8 trillion business opportunity 21:52 - AudioEye's three-pronged accessibility approach 24:05 - How accessibility boosts SEO and GEO

Search is changing fast, and AI is at the center of the disruption.  With LLMs reshaping SERPs, Google's AI Mode on the horizon, and AI assistants claiming search share, SEOs have more to consider than ever before. Marie Haynes is an expert SEO and AI Consultant known for her deep expertise in Google’s search algorithms and machine learning systems—including the intricacies of E-E-A-T. Marie is a fearless experimenter who thrives on exploring emerging tech. Now, she’s laser-focused on mastering Google's AI Mode and harnessing the power of LLMs like ChatGPT and Gemini to prepare her clients for a future where AI agents revolutionize the web. Marie joins Paxton Gray to spell exactly what we do and don’t know about changes in search, and what SEOs should do to stay ahead.   What You’ll Learn:  A roadmap for navigating search changes through 2025. Clear priorities for where to focus your SEO efforts. A step-by-step framework to start experimenting with AI search. Resources:  https://97thfloor.com/articles/podcasts/ai-search-what-seos-need-to-know-and-do-right-now/  https://www.linkedin.com/in/marie-haynes  "My barometer for is content good or not is if you took the content on your website and you removed it from the web, would the web be suffering?" - Marie Haynes Timestamps:  03:59 - SEO vs GEO debate: Are they different strategies? 08:22 - Building reputation as key to winning in AI search 13:46 - The decoupling of content and SEO in the AI era 18:01 - Tactical approaches to appear in AI responses 26:50 - Google's AI mode experiment and what to expect 32:03 - How brands can influence their AI representation

Every marketer has felt it—that sinking feeling when organic traffic takes a sudden hit. Maybe it’s an algorithm update, increased competition, or just Google being Google. But what if you didn’t have to live in fear of these swings?   In this episode, we’re joined by **Eli Schwartz**, SEO expert, consultant, and author of *Product-Led SEO*. With over a decade of experience helping companies like WordPress, Shutterstock, Quora, and Zendesk scale their organic visibility, Eli knows what it takes to build SEO strategies that don’t just survive algorithm changes—but thrive despite them.   We’ll dive into why traditional SEO tactics are losing their effectiveness, how AI is shifting search behavior, and why focusing on users—not search engines—is the key to long-term organic growth.   If you’re tired of reactive SEO and want a strategy that stands the test of time, this episode is for you. What You’ll Learn:  Why optimizing for search engines alone sets you up for failure   How to make your product and content work *for* search, not just for rankings   The mindset shift that helps you avoid revenue-killing SEO surprises  Resources:  https://97thfloor.com/articles/podcasts/how-to-avoid-organic-revenue-swings-by-being-user-obsessed-not-google-obsessed/  https://www.linkedin.com/in/schwartze  "They don't want content. They want to solve maybe pain, maybe curiosity, but they want to solve something and you solve it with an asset... you're creating for the user, not creating for the search engine." - Eli Schwartz Timestamps:  03:02 - Product-led SEO vs traditional keyword-driven approach 07:00 - GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) vs SEO debate 12:50 - Moving from deliverable-focused to value-driven SEO 16:22 - Why understanding users is crucial for future SEO success 18:43 - How to develop customer empathy beyond personas 23:45 - Balancing expectations while transitioning SEO strategy