Importance of Quality Content

My biggest takeaways from Ethan Smith on how to win at AEO (i.e. get ChatGPT to recommend your product): 1. Being mentioned most often beats ranking first. In Google, the #1 blue link wins. In ChatGPT, the answer summarizes multiple sources—so appearing in five citations beats ranking #1 in one. Ethan’s strategy: get mentioned on Reddit, YouTube, blogs, and affiliates. Volume of mentions matters more than any single placement. 2. LLM traffic converts 6x better than Google search traffic. Webflow saw this dramatic difference because users who come through AI assistants have built up much more intent through conversation and follow-up questions, making them highly qualified leads. 3. Early-stage startups can win at AEO immediately, unlike with SEO. Traditional SEO requires years of domain authority. But a brand-new Y Combinator company mentioned in a Reddit thread today can show up in ChatGPT tomorrow. The playing field is finally level. 4. The long tail of AEO is 4x bigger than SEO. People ask ChatGPT questions with 25 or more words (vs. 6 in Google). Ethan found gold in queries like “Which meeting transcription tool integrates with Looker via Zapier to BigQuery?”—questions that never existed in search but are perfect for AI. Own these micro-niches. 5. Reddit is proving to be the kingmaker for AI visibility. ChatGPT trusts Reddit because the community polices spam better than any algorithm. Ethan’s exact playbook: make one real account, say who you are and where you work, give genuinely helpful answers. Five good comments can transform your visibility. No automation, no fake accounts—just be helpful. 6. YouTube videos for “boring” B2B terms are a gold mine for AEO. Nobody makes videos about “AI-powered payment processing APIs”—which is exactly why you should. While everyone fights over “best CRM software,” the high-value, zero-competition long tail is wide open in video. 7. Your help center is now a growth channel. All those “Does your product do X?” questions flooding ChatGPT can be answered by help-center pages. Move them from subdomain to subdirectory, cross-link aggressively, and cover every feature question. Ethan calls this the most underutilized opportunity in AEO. 8. January 2025 was the inflection point in AEO growth. That’s when ChatGPT made answers more clickable (maps, shopping cards, citations) and adoption exploded. Webflow went from near zero to 8% of signups from AI. This channel is accelerating faster than any Ethan’s seen in 18 years. 9. The AEO playbook: (1) Find questions from competitor paid search data, (2) set up answer tracking, (3) see who’s showing up as citations, (4) create landing pages answering all follow-up questions, (5) get mentioned offsite via Reddit/YouTube/affiliates, (6) run controlled experiments, (7) build a dedicated team. This exact process is driving real results at scale.

Most people don't understand how the 2nd order effects of content distribution - via canonicals and internal linking - can be exponentially more impactful for organic than the root article itself. And it’s kneepcapping their ROI analysis on why great content matters. Take this example, because Red Ventures are pros at this: BestColleges wrote this piece on "What A Kamala Harris Presidency Could Mean for College Students" https://lnkd.in/dm8P6JMQ Do they want to win for that search term? Maybe. But they aren't in the display advertising game, and display ads are all any visitor landing on that page is worth. So why publish the piece? Bait. BestColleges syndicated the piece, and over 400 news outlets picked up the story. Sites like.... *Aol - https://lnkd.in/dF5MrZS5 *Charlotte Observer - https://lnkd.in/d-85PejF *NBC Local - https://lnkd.in/dERu8tVr *and many more... Each of these is driving juice back to BC, which in turn is helping them win out where it matters. This isn't new - NerdWallet, Zillow and others have honed this strategy for over a decade, helping them win out for the most competitive terms on the internet. Is BestColleges getting the best of these news outlets? No - they are providing a free story for whoever wants it, and *should* get the credit. Syndication can be a superpower. But great content takes time to show its true value, and no one wants to get rich slowly.

Early at Facebook, one of our most important growth features was the contact importer. Upload your email contacts, find your friends. Teams were measured on contacts imported. Millions every week. Dashboards green. Everyone happy. One problem: nobody was tracking what happened next. When we finally instrumented the full flow — contact imported → invitation sent → signup → active user — we found massive drop-offs at stages nobody was watching. We'd been celebrating the sound of water entering a bucket full of holes. This is the most common mistake in digital marketing. Companies obsess over the top of the funnel while the bottom leaks. I've seen it everywhere. At eBay, we measured "completed registration" when we should have measured "actually bought something." At Facebook, we found a single broken step in a 10-step email flow that was silently losing users — fixing it gave us a tens of percents improvement. In 2024, my own team wasn't tracking chargebacks on Quest headsets. Twenty years in and I'm still learning. Three things: 1. Your conversion metric is probably wrong. If it doesn't measure actual value, you're optimising a vanity number. 2. The bottom of the funnel matters more than the top. At Facebook, churn and resurrections were each double the size of acquisitions. Most companies have this backwards. 3. The journey from click to conversion should be as short as possible — but no shorter. I've written a whole article about this.

It's easy to fall into the "doing things just to do them" trap in demand gen and ABM.  👉🏾 Launching campaigns because "it's our typical approach." 👉🏾Creating content because "we have to."   👉🏾 Chasing every lead with the belief that "more is always better." But with AI and automation making it easier than ever to produce generic content, it's even more crucial to pause and ask, "Why?" ✔️Why this campaign? ✔️Why this content? ✔️Why this account? ✔️Does it truly align with our ideal customer profile (ICP)? ✔️Does it resonate with their needs and challenges? ✔️Does it get results on our goals? Generic #ABM is just...marketing. And generic #demandgen is a waste of resources. 👉🏾 To break the autopilot cycle, be specific about your ideal customer. Use tools like 6sense or ZoomInfo to gather rich data, going beyond basic demographics to understand their firmographics, technographics, and psychographics.  👉🏾 Then, map your content to the buyer's journey. Don't just create content for content's sake. Use tools like HubSpot or Marketo to address their pain points and provide real value at each stage. 👉🏾 Analyze intent data. Tools like Bombora or G2 Buyer Intent can tell you which accounts are actively researching solutions like yours, allowing you to focus your ABM efforts on those showing high intent. 👉🏾 Don't forget to make it a personalized experience. Use AI-powered platforms like Persado or Phrasee to tailor your messaging to individual accounts and show a deep understanding of their needs. 👉🏾 Finally, measure what matters. Track metrics that align with your goals, not just vanity metrics. Tools like Google Analytics or Bizible can help you measure the true impact of your ABM and demand gen efforts. 👉🏾 And most importantly, find someone to challenge your thinking. A colleague, a mentor, even a (kind!) competitor. Someone who asks: ✔️Why are we targeting this account? ✔️Will this content truly resonate? ✔️Does this campaign align with our overall strategy? Break free from autopilot, be intentional, and be strategic. Then, watch your ABM and demand generation results grow. What tools or strategies do you use to focus on the "why" behind your marketing? #b2bmarketing #marketingstrategy

Original HubSpot is gone. ChatGPT finished the job. What is “original HubSpot,” you might be wondering? If you were around before 2014, you remember. HubSpot was built on one big idea: drive growth through the inbound funnel. That meant starting at the top with a blog packed with long tail SEO posts that showed your expertise on topics related to your products or services. Someone found you on Google, clicked a CTA, downloaded gated content, signed up for a newsletter, or visited a page that moved them further toward buying. Automation then nurtured those leads toward sales through a series of emails. Over time, HubSpot evolved from inbound software into a CRM and all-in-one growth platform. The inbound funnel strategy was still promoted for years. But AI has changed the game. ChatGPT has nearly a billion users, with 200 million active every day. Those curiosity-driven, top-of-funnel questions that used to bring people to your blog now stay inside ChatGPT. When buyers get serious and enter the middle or bottom of the funnel, asking about performance, pricing, or availability, ChatGPT sends them to shortlists of providers with website links. Google is still used at that stage, and paid ads and bottom-of-funnel SEO still work. The takeaway is simple: long tail SEO and traditional top-of-funnel are gone. Your site now needs to win the decision stage. Define your ICP, clearly state who you help and how, and give buyers every reason to choose you. This is not just a marketing job anymore. Sales needs to be part of the process. It is time for a site refresh led by someone who thinks like a salesperson, not just a creative director. Build a site designed to dominate the ChatGPT bottom-of-funnel handoff and the same for Google decision-stage searches. By doing this, you not only increase your chances of being recommended, but you also make your site far more buyer-friendly in the process. Where to double down right now: 👉 Social proof and testimonials that sound like real customers 👉 Case studies and customer stories with measurable results and names 👉 Sales deck content turned into web pages buyers can find without asking 👉 Industry pages and use cases showing exactly how you solve problems 👉 Clear “how to buy / where to buy / who to talk to” and why it helps 👉 Robust FAQs covering product, service, and buying concerns 👉 Comparison pages showing how you stack up against alternatives 👉 Clear pricing or ranges to remove guesswork 👉 Take the stuff you say during the sales process and put it on the site When you build a site this way, you position yourself to win the ChatGPT and Google bottom-of-funnel handoff, make it easy for decision-stage buyers to choose you, and create a site that works as hard as your best salesperson. 

I'm hearing CMO's talk about AEO (AI engine optimization) a lot. They're asking "How do I rank in genAI platforms?" So what should CMOs ask their teams to do in order to become citable, authoritative sources for AI? The AEO playbook is still being written. New measurement are being created. From what I'm seeing and what experts in the field are saying, the consensus is that AEO is more like SEO (search engine optimization) than not, but with some important tweaks. 1️⃣ Double down on genuinely valuable, original content (especially original data): This cannot be overstated. AI engines are getting smarter about recognizing true expertise as they get excellent signals from users about what's useful or not. While Google was the "database of intent" from a search query, LLMs typically get the benefit a back and forth with users that make it really clear to the LLM what's valuable or not to the user. 2️⃣ Optimize for answers rather than keywords: Rather than building original content for a keyword you want to rank for and then a cluster or keywords around it, build content that fully answers a question you think your prospects are asking... and then build content for a cluster of questions they might ask around that original question. This reframing is important for your content strategy. Also consider conversational language in your writing to more closely mirror how people actually ask questions in LLMs. While we all needed to learn how to "speak Google" as users of search, the LLM query is, as we all know, much closer to a typical conversation. 3️⃣ Structure for AI Consumption: LLMs "remember" better clearly organized information. Consider these techniques: * Direct answers up front: Get to the point quickly * Clear hierarchies: Use your H1s, H2s, H3s logically. This structure is important for the LLM to understand difference in and relationships between concepts * Scannable formats: Bullet points, numbered lists, and FAQ-style sections are often your friends, but not required * Schema Markup: Another useful way to clearly indicate to LLMs the structure and meaning of content 4️⃣ Build and broadcast authority: High-quality backlinks still matter. New for LLMs, authoritative sites mentioning _in plain text_ that your brand is an authority on specific topics is really important. Why? Because LLMs consume that plain, unlinked text for training. You can think of each repetition in plain text as another round of the LLM trying to memorize something... the more reps, the more you remember. 5️⃣ Technical Readiness: * AI Crawler Access: Can bots like GPTBot & Google-Extended actually reach your content? Check robots.txt and consider llms.txt. This is a simple extension from SEO * Speed & Clean HTML: Fast-loading, well-structured pages win, which is not really a change from SEO This is the best guidance I see in a rapidly evolving space with no definitive guidance. What are you seeing? Please share in the comments

I spent 4 lakhs to learn one simple thing about creating content. When I started DU.today, I believed an iPad would help. When I wanted to create more, I thought a laptop was necessary, then a mic, then a room, then a high-quality camera. However, these acquisitions didn't help much, except for the iPad. When I aimed to begin a podcast Uni.today, I thought a cinematic camera would be essential, a professional 10k mic would be good, then the world’s no.1 sound recording device would be necessary, followed by securing a venue. Deep down, I knew I might have been using these objects as an excuse to avoid putting in the effort to create what I truly desired. It’s not the equipment, but you. You are the one who can bring things to life. Your skills can create beautiful stories that people will prefer watching, even if the digital video/audio quality is low, as long as the content holds high value. Machines are merely tools. Your willpower is the only thing that will make your projects succeed, not a device. Avoid becoming a victim of tools; instead, become a creator of your dreams I’d love to hear your thoughts on this post. Do comment. Thanks for reading. #contentcreator #contentcreation #socialmedia #willpower #hardworking #podcasting #motivation

If your website isn’t driving engagement, attracting clients, or positioning you as a trusted authority, chances are it’s missing one thing: valuable content. A static website is just an online brochure - it sits there, waiting to be found. But when you add useful, well-researched content, it transforms into a powerful business development tool. Here’s how to do it right: 1. Build a Strategy That Works: Great content doesn’t happen by accident. Your plan should align with your audience’s needs, your expertise, and your resources (time, people, and budget). A content calendar keeps you consistent, so you’re always top of mind. 2. Prioritize Research-Driven Content: Opinion pieces can be interesting, but data-backed insights and original research build credibility. If you want your content to get shared, bookmarked, and cited, focus on providing real value such as new information, deep expertise, and actionable takeaways. 3. Use Multiple Formats to Reach More People: Not everyone consumes content the same way. Some people prefer in-depth articles, while others engage with videos, podcasts, or infographics. Repurpose your best ideas across different formats to maximize reach and impact. 4. Curate, But Add Your Expertise: Sharing industry news, expert interviews, and event takeaways is a smart way to add value—but don’t just repost. Layer in your own insights to make it meaningful for your audience. Thoughtful curation strengthens your brand as a go-to resource. 5. Never Publish Without Editing: Typos and unclear messaging can hurt your credibility. Take the extra step to review your work (or have someone else do it) before publishing. Professionalism matters. 6. Publish With Purpose: A great piece of content means nothing if no one sees it. Optimize your posts with search-friendly URLs, embed videos strategically, and make sure everything is easy to find. Then, share it where your audience is - on LinkedIn, in email newsletters, and beyond. Content builds trust, and trust leads to business. If your website isn’t actively helping you attract opportunities, it’s time to rethink your content approach. Done right, it can position you as the go-to expert in your industry. Let me know what you think of these tips in the comments below! #contentmarketing #personalbranding #legalmarketing #bestadvice

Jensen Huang's favorite slide at GTC keynote today: "Structured Data is the Ground Truth of AI." A $120B heterogeneous ecosystem of CRMs, databases, data warehouses, BI tools — all encoding how enterprises actually run.                                                                                            He's right. And this is the core insight that helped us imagine what the enterprise context layer should look like.                     I always tell customers: Want to know how a business thinks it runs? Read its process docs. Want to know how it really runs? Read its business systems.                                                                                       Every enterprise is encoded in its structured data. But it's disconnected. And with every hop — CRM → warehouse → BI — valuable business context is lost. But it can be reverse-engineered.                                                              When you connect these disconnected systems into one enterprise graph, you can start reverse-constructing the organization's ground truth.                      There's a lot of talk about context layers right now. I think people will soon realize — this is the only way to build one. And in AI, context is king.                                                                              My advice to every enterprise building scalable AI architectures: Start with your structured data. Reverse-construct your organization's world model. Then augment with unstructured. The ground truth your AI needs is already in your business systems. You just need a context layer to unlock it.