Best Practices for Finding, Connecting With and Engaging “Shadow Buyers”

Are invisible prospects costing you sales?

Today’s digital commerce environment means that marketers can learn a lot about consumers who are interested in their products and services. But while that can be a boon for marketers, it’s not something that all prospects feel favorably about.

In fact, a rising number of consumers are actively taking steps to avoid being detected. They don’t want the bother. They don’t want the intrusion. And they don’t relish the feeling of violation that comes from being served up offers immediately after checking something out on your website.

How to bring them out of the shadows

Continue reading “Best Practices for Finding, Connecting With and Engaging “Shadow Buyers””

Using Generative AI (GenAI) to Create Video Marketing and Sales Content

GenAI tools are dramatically simplifying the video production process

Video used to be very expensive and time-consuming for companies and individuals to produce. Then, with the widespread adoption of smartphones that came with the ability to capture video seamlessly, and an associated drop in viewers’ expectations of high-quality output, the cost and time requirements for video production have declined precipitously.

The most recent impact on the cost and time required to produce video content is generative AI (GenAI) which has become a transformative force in video production across the entire creation process.

Ongoing Popularity of Video Prompts Adoption

Continue reading “Using Generative AI (GenAI) to Create Video Marketing and Sales Content”

A Step-by-Step Process for Gen-AI Search Optimization

Memo Note Post Appointment Meeting ReminderPreparing for the World of GenAI-Driven Search

As more and more consumers are turning to tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity instead of Google when they’re looking for answers to questions, or doing research, brands are taking notice.

Long-term reliance on Google search, and traditional approaches to search engine optimization (SEO), aren’t necessarily relevant in this rapidly changing search environment. Google search isn’t going away, but GenAI-driven search is having a growing impact.

What do you need to know, and do, to make sure your website doesn’t fall into oblivion?

Key Recommendations a One-Year Plan

Continue reading “A Step-by-Step Process for Gen-AI Search Optimization”

Future-Proofing Your Search Strategy

The Future of Search is Now

The search landscape will continue evolving as AI capabilities expand and user behaviors adapt, requiring strategies that remain effective across multiple scenarios.

Raju Dandigam, engineering manager at Navan, predicts the next evolution: “The upcoming evolution of generative AI search will introduce text and voice and image and video as fundamental input methods. Businesses need to develop content that sounds right because AI agents now merge voice assistants with smart devices.”

AI-generated content with a human touch

Continue reading “Future-Proofing Your Search Strategy”

AI Tool Integration Best Practices

Using AI Responsibly

The responsible use of AI tools in content creation and SEO strategy requires balancing efficiency gains with authenticity and quality standards.

As organizations adapt their content strategies for AI-driven search discovery, many are simultaneously exploring how AI tools can enhance their content creation and optimization processes.

This creates a dual challenge:

Continue reading “AI Tool Integration Best Practices”

Risk Management and Adaptation in the GenAI-Search Era

AI Search Brings New Risks

The AI search landscape presents new risks that require proactive management strategies while maintaining resilience in traditional search channels.

Pankaj Kumar, founder of Naxisweb, warns about a fundamental shift affecting established content: “There’s no such thing as SEO being replaced, but it’s certainly getting widened in scope.”

Adapting to new search paradigms

Continue reading “Risk Management and Adaptation in the GenAI-Search Era”

Go-To Online Tools for Business Owners and Freelancers

8970947 - illuminated light bulb in a row of dim ones concept for creativity, innovation and solutionStrategic Communications is an entirely remote company and has been since 2008, long before the pandemic emerged. Over those years we’ve been able to leverage a number of digital tools and apps to help us do our work more efficiently. We often learn about these tools through our clients. Each new client tends to bring along at least one new tool we haven’t used before. Some of our favorites:  Continue reading “Go-To Online Tools for Business Owners and Freelancers”

How Marketers Are Using Video in 2021

video marketingVideo continues to be a popular and effective way to boost marketing efforts, especially with the emergence of video-first platforms such as TikTok. And, with the proliferation of do-it-yourself (DIY) video options, the demand for professionally produced, high-production-value video content no longer looms as the must-do priority it used to be. Today, marketers of all types and sizes—even those with very small budgets—can successfully use video to augment their marketing communication efforts. Continue reading “How Marketers Are Using Video in 2021”

Tips for Remote Selling During and After COVID-19

COVID-19 has upended a number of industries and jobs. Among the professions that have been hardest hit are sales and business development, which have traditionally relied on face-to-face interactions to build networks and relationships. People who ply those trades have had to pivot to remote selling with mixed success. Continue reading “Tips for Remote Selling During and After COVID-19”

Use Digital Platforms to Drive In-Store Traffic, and Vice Versa

In the modern retail landscape, digital is no longer a threat to the in-store shopping experience. In fact, smart retailers have come to see e-commerce as a tool to boost in-store foot traffic. This represents a new phenomenon called ROPO (research online, purchase offline), where consumers start their shopping journeys online but complete them in-store.

This is a strategy used by 82 percent of consumers, according to Retail Customer Experience. Because of this, experts stress how important it is for retailers to have a strong presence in both physical and digital environments.

In the modern retail landscape, digital is no longer a threat to the in-store shopping experience. In fact, smart retailers have come to see e-commerce as a tool to boost in-store foot traffic. This represents a new phenomenon called ROPO (research online, purchase offline), where consumers start their shopping journeys online but complete them in-store.

This is a strategy used by 82 percent of consumers, according to Retail Customer Experience. Because of this, experts stress how important it is for retailers to have a strong presence in both physical and digital environments. Continue reading “Use Digital Platforms to Drive In-Store Traffic, and Vice Versa”