Marketing Trends Now by Katie Brinkley

AI is changing how customers find businesses, research their options, and make purchasing decisions. But what happens when potential customers get the answers they need from Google AI Overviews or ChatGPT before they ever visit your website?In this episode of Marketing Trends Now, Katie Brinkley explores how AI-powered search is reshaping the traditional customer journey and what that means for your website, content strategy, and digital marketing efforts.New research from Pew Research Center found that users clicked traditional search results in just 8% of visits when an AI summary appeared, compared with 15% when no AI summary was present. While that doesn't mean every business is losing half its website traffic, it does suggest that customers may be approaching your website differently.Instead of arriving with basic questions about your industry, some visitors may already understand their options and be looking for specific reasons to choose your business.So, is your website giving them what they need to make that decision?In this episode, you'll learn:How AI search is influencing the customer journey and website trafficWhy your website needs to do more than explain what your business doesHow to build trust through real examples, customer experiences, and clear descriptions of your processWhy educational content and traditional SEO still play an important roleHow to evaluate your landing pages from a potential customer's perspectiveSimple website improvements that can help visitors take the next stepYour Marketing Action StepChoose one important page on your website and look at it through the eyes of someone who already understands your industry.Can they quickly figure out who you serve, what you offer, why they should trust you, and what happens next?Identify one unanswered question and make the answer easier to find. You don't need an entirely new website. Sometimes a clearer headline, a short FAQ, or a customer example in the right place can make a meaningful difference.AI may be changing how customers discover your business, but your website still has an important job: helping people make confident decisions.Stay ConnectedSubscribe to Marketing Trends Now with Katie Brinkley for actionable marketing strategies, emerging trends, and practical insights to help you market smarter.Work With Katiehttps://www.nextstepsocial.comNew episodes every Tuesday.Keep your marketing smart, strategic, and always on trend.

Your team is using AI to create content faster. So why does everyone still feel so busy?In this episode of Marketing Trends Now, Katie Brinkley sits down with AI strategist and Agorapulse's Mike Allton to explore why the real value of AI isn't creating more content—it's getting your time back.Mike introduces Archie, Agorapulse's AI-powered content repurposing tool, and explains how marketers can turn existing podcasts, webinars, and videos into authentic social media content without sounding like everyone else. They also tackle the hidden cost of constantly switching between tools, why AI belongs on your org chart, and how to spend less time creating posts and more time thinking strategically.The takeaway? Stop using AI just to do more. Start using it to make room for the work that actually matters.Connect & Explore:Connect with Mike Allton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikealltonKatie's Favorite Marketing & AI Tools: https://www.nextstepsocial.com/toolsweloveBook Recommendation — Creativity: A Short and Cheerful Guide by John Cleese: https://amzn.to/47wexM3Subscribe to Marketing Trends Now for practical marketing strategies, AI insights, and smarter ways to grow your business. New episodes every Tuesday.Keep your marketing smart, strategic, and always on trend.

Is podcast advertising worth your marketing budget? And could a show with just 50 highly targeted listeners be more valuable than one with thousands of downloads?In this episode of Marketing Trends Now, Katie Brinkley explains why audience fit matters more than audience size when it comes to podcast advertising. Learn how to evaluate potential sponsorship opportunities, create ads that connect with listeners, and measure results beyond clicks and promo codes.Before you spend money sponsoring a podcast, make sure you're reaching the right people—not just more people.New episodes every Tuesday. Subscribe to Marketing Trends Now for smarter, more strategic marketing insights.Work with Katie:https://www.nextstepsocial.com

AI can write a blog post in 30 seconds. But if your competitor can generate nearly the exact same article, what makes your content worth reading?In this episode of Marketing Trends Now, Katie Brinkley breaks down the average content trap—the growing problem of businesses publishing polished, SEO-friendly content that sounds just like everyone else's.AI has made content creation faster and easier than ever. But producing more blog posts, social media updates, and marketing emails doesn't automatically make your marketing more effective. If your content lacks firsthand experience, original insights, and a clear point of view, you're simply adding more generic information to an already crowded internet.Katie explains why the solution isn't abandoning AI or manufacturing controversial opinions. It's using AI to communicate your expertise rather than expecting it to create that expertise for you.Drawing on her experience running Next Step Social and producing podcasts for businesses, Katie shares how real client challenges, professional judgment, and lessons learned can turn an ordinary piece of content into something genuinely valuable.In this episode, you'll learn:What the average content trap is and why AI-generated marketing can make businesses sound interchangeableWhy publishing more content doesn't guarantee better results for your SEO or marketing strategyWhat Google recommends about original, helpful content and firsthand experienceHow to use AI as a writing assistant without losing your brand's unique perspectiveWhy your professional experience matters more than generic advice when building trust with potential customersHow to turn one original idea into multiple pieces of content for blogs, podcasts, social media, and emailA simple test to make your content stand out before you hit publishThe big takeaway: Faster content production doesn't make average content more valuable. AI can help you write faster, but your experience is what makes the content worth reading.Subscribe to Marketing Trends Now with Katie Brinkley for practical marketing strategies, AI insights, and actionable ideas to help your business stand out.Work with Katie:https://www.nextstepsocial.comNew episodes every Tuesday.Keep your marketing smart, strategic, and always on trend.

Your customer just said the nicest thing about your business in an email. So why is your website still running copy your marketing team wrote about itself?This week on Marketing Trends Now, we're talking user-generated content. Forget the unboxing videos and paid creators for a minute. A review is UGC. A customer photo is UGC. A LinkedIn post about working with your team is UGC. The people who've already bought from you know exactly what your next customer wants to hear, and they say it better than your brand copy can.I also share the mistake I made for years as a business owner: asking "Can I get a testimonial?" It got me "great team, highly recommend" every time. That's nice, but it tells a future buyer nothing. Here's what to ask instead.In this episode:What actually counts as user-generated contentThe one question to answer before you collect any customer content3 prompts that get specific, honest customer storiesWhy a balanced review can win more buyers than a five-star oneHow to respond when a review names a real problemBeing transparent about paid creators and incentivesGetting permission before customer content goes into adsFeaturing a range of customers so new buyers see themselvesYour action step: Pick one offer. Write down three things a buyer needs to know before saying yes. Then check your existing customer feedback. If a real customer's experience answers one of those questions, get their permission and put it where that question comes up. If nothing answers it yet, ask a customer who can answer it honestly.Better questions to ask your customers:Before you started working with us, what was the most frustrating part of managing [X]?What surprised you about the process?If a friend was considering this, what would you tell them to expect?Resources mentioned:PodMatch: https://joinpodmatch.com/katieConnect with Katie:Website: https://katiebrinkley.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/@iamkatiebrinkleyLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/katiebrinkleyNew episodes every Tuesday. Subscribe so you never miss a marketing shift, and if this episode helped, share it with a business owner who's been putting off asking for testimonials.