The Digital Marketing Podcast

In this episode of The Digital Marketing Podcast, hosts Daniel Rowles and Ciaran Rogers return with a fresh round of insights and hands-on tools to help digital marketers adapt and experiment in the evolving AI-driven marketing landscape. From Google's AI Max campaigns to the explosion of generative engine optimisation, Daniel and Ciaran unpack the shifts happening across search, paid media, and SEO. This isn’t just another roundup of shiny tools, this episode explores how to think strategically about the role of AI in search, the real impact on your organic performance, and the mindset required to stay ahead of the curve. What’s Inside This Episode: AI Max Campaigns in Google Ads Discover how Google’s new AI-powered campaign structure is changing the game. It’s not just another bidding strategy, it’s an integrated layer that leverages keywordless signals, context, and user behaviour across Google properties to personalise campaigns. Learn why separating these into siloed budgets might actually hinder performance and what you need to consider before rolling out. The Vanishing Organic Click While impressions are up, clicks are down. Daniel shares Target Internet’s own data showing a drop in organic click-through rates and explains why Google’s AI-generated answers, Reddit posts, and video content are pushing traditional organic listings further down the page. LLM Refs and the New SEO Frontier With AI overviews, ChatGPT, and other LLMs becoming key discovery engines, how do you make sure your brand shows up? The hosts explore LLMRefs, a tool that shows how different brands are ranking across major AI models, and reveal just how fragmented and competitive this new landscape is. Structured Data, Schema & the Knowledge Graph Daniel and Ciaran highlight the importance of schema markup and entity relationships in Google’s Knowledge Graph, using tools like the Knowledge Graph Explorer to demonstrate how Google perceives your brand and its connections. If you're not surfacing in the right contexts, it could just be due to a missing link, literally. Search Engine Optimization ≠ Generative Engine Optimization The hosts challenge the idea that SEO principles remain unchanged in the world of AI. With so many variables, location, devices, user intent, history, and model-specific behavior, your approach needs to be more agile and nuanced than ever. Key Takeaways: Performance Max and AI Max are now core to Google Ads - understanding signals and context is essential Organic traffic is declining, but impressions may still rise - CTR is the new battleground You can’t game the system anymore with a few smart keywords; LLMs require strong content, schema, and reputation The tools are out there - you just need to experiment, validate, and iterate Don’t fall into the trap of “a little knowledge” - simplifying complex changes leads to bad decisions AI models aren't clairvoyant - you need to structure and declare your content clearly 📥 Access the show notes, tools, and links at:   📩 Join the free newsletter for access to monthly live sessions: 

In this episode of The Digital Marketing Podcast, Daniel Rowles and Ciaran Rogers explore one of the most transformative shifts in digital marketing: the arrival of ChatGPT Agent and the rise of agent-based AI. No longer just about generating content, AI is now taking action on our behalf, logging into websites, filling out forms, analysing data, creating content, and even posting to platforms like LinkedIn. It’s here now, and it’s changing how marketing teams work from the ground up. Daniel shares his firsthand experiments with ChatGPT Agent, from connecting it to Canva to create and publish carousel posts, to testing its ability to analyse his entire LinkedIn history and recommend strategies for future content. While the possibilities are jaw-dropping, the hosts also explore the risks, security concerns, talent pipeline challenges, and the long-term implications for marketing roles. In this episode, you’ll learn: What agent-based AI really is and why it’s different from traditional AI chat tools How ChatGPT Agent combines deep research, web browsing, and autonomous task execution Real-world test cases, from generating content to posting directly on LinkedIn Why prompt quality and structure are more important than ever The security and compliance risks of connecting agents to business systems How agent-driven automation could replace many junior marketing tasks Why agility and learning culture are now critical for businesses to survive disruption The ethical and strategic questions marketers need to face around job design and human oversight The discussion goes beyond technology to look at the human side of digital marketing. Daniel and Ciaran debate the future of junior roles, how companies can avoid gutting their talent pipelines, and why brands that lean into humanity, creativity, and trust may stand out in an AI-driven landscape. Key Takeaways: ChatGPT Agent is a genuine step change, going from AI that suggests, to AI that does. Marketing teams can gain huge efficiency, but must double-check outputs and guard against overreliance. Security is now a critical concern, as agents gain access to business-critical systems. Junior marketing roles are at risk, companies must balance efficiency with long-term talent growth. Building an agile learning culture is the best defence against AI disruption. 📥 Access the show notes, tools, and links at:   📩 Join the free newsletter for access to monthly live sessions: 

In this episode of The Digital Marketing Podcast, hosts Daniel Rowles and Ciaran Rogers explore one of the most pressing questions facing marketers today: what does SEO look like in a world dominated by AI search and generative answers? With Google rolling out AI Overviews and AI Mode, and tools like ChatGPT and Gemini changing how people search, the rules of SEO are shifting fast. Some publishers report traffic drops of up to 60%, while others in e-commerce are holding steady. So is SEO really dead, or just evolving into something new? Daniel and Ciaran dig deep into what’s happening, separating hype from reality and providing clear, practical advice for marketers trying to adapt. They explain why understanding Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and AI Overviewsn (AIO) is critical, and how you can stay visible when clicks are disappearing. What you’ll learn in this episode: Why AI Overviews are changing user behaviour, and pushing organic results further down the page How share of voice and brand sentiment are becoming as important as traditional ranking factors Why advocacy and positive online mentions may now trump old-school keyword tactics The growing importance of Wikipedia, Reddit, and forums in shaping AI-driven answers Why updating and referencing your best content is more powerful than ever How no-click searches are rewriting what “success” looks like in SEO Practical ways to benchmark your visibility Why prompt-like queries and longer conversational searches are the new normal How to build trust through Google’s E‑E‑A‑T principles (Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) The Future of SEO Episode Mindmap The hosts also explore pitfalls to avoid, from snake-oil SEO sales pitches to rushing into poorly thought-out Wikipedia pages that could backfire. They emphasise a smarter, evidence-based approach: focusing on authenticity, advocacy, and quality content that’s updated, referenced, and truly useful. Key Takeaways: SEO isn’t dead, but competing for the top three AI-sourced links is tougher than ever. Building advocacy and brand mentions is critical to visibility in AI search. Quality and authenticity (with evidence and references) beat quantity every time. Think conversational: searches are getting longer, more natural, and more complex. Following Google’s E‑E‑A‑T framework is the best hedge against AI-driven disruption. If you’re a marketer, publisher, or business owner trying to make sense of the shifting SEO landscape, this episode provides both clarity and actionable steps to future-proof your strategy. 📥 Access the show notes, tools, and links at:   📩 Join the free newsletter for access to monthly live sessions:

In this episode of The Digital Marketing Podcast, Daniel Rowles is joined by Brendan Kane, viral strategist and author of One Million Followers, for a deep dive into the art and science of making content go viral. Going viral often feels like marketing mythology,something bosses ask for, but few can explain or deliver. Brendan, however, has built a career proving that virality isn’t luck. It’s repeatable, measurable, and rooted in storytelling structures that have worked for decades. Brendan shares the behind-the-scenes thinking that led to his experiment growing an audience of 1 million followers in 30 days, starting from scratch, without a team, celebrity status, or advertising budget. More than a vanity metric, the project was a proof-of-concept for a framework that now helps brands, creators, and entrepreneurs reliably generate massive reach and meaningful engagement. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why qualitative analysis - not just views and clicks, holds the key to repeatable success The power of storytelling formats like “Man on the Street” and “Two Characters, One Light Bulb” How to match your brand’s resources and personality to the right format Why volume isn’t the answer, and what quality actually means in the age of AI and infinite content Why originality is overrated, and how proven formats unlock creativity instead of limiting it How even “boring” industries like tax, insurance, and leather craftsmanship can thrive on social media The truth about “frequency myths” and how creators burn out chasing quantity over story Why format mastery trumps trend-chasing—and how sitcoms, Spielberg, and social media are more alike than you think Brendan also breaks down his format-matching process, built from over 10,000 hours of research and analysis of 300+ viral content structures. His agency works with individuals and brands to identify the storytelling structures that resonate most with their audience, and helps them build repeatable, on-brand content that doesn’t just go viral, but converts. This conversation flips conventional marketing wisdom on its head, challenging the obsession with originality and encouraging marketers to focus on structure, story, and strategic authenticity. Key Takeaways: Virality isn’t random, it’s engineered through proven creative models Storytelling formats provide containers for creativity, not limitations Format mastery enables faster growth and deeper audience trust Business outcomes must be baked into your content strategy from day one Social media isn't just another channel, it's the ultimate storytelling platform 📥 Access the show notes, tools, and links at:   📩 Join the free newsletter for access to Daniel’s monthly live sessions: 

In this episode of The Digital Marketing Podcast, Daniel Rowles sits down with copywriting and AI expert Kerry Harrison to explore one of the most exciting—and often misunderstood—areas of artificial intelligence: AI-powered copywriting. Together, they dive into how Anthropic’s Claude AI compares to tools like ChatGPT and Gemini, and why Claude is quickly becoming a favourite for writers who care about tone, style, and ethical AI. Kerry, a seasoned copywriter and trainer, shares her hands-on experiences using Claude to create high-quality marketing content. She explains how Claude's intuitive interface, stylistic flexibility, and alignment with ethical AI principles make it a uniquely powerful tool for communicators, marketers, and brands. But this isn’t just a tool review. It’s a masterclass in how to approach AI copywriting strategically. Daniel and Kerry explore a human-first methodology called the AI Sandwich, a practical framework for combining human creativity with AI efficiency. They tackle big questions about authenticity, originality, and prompt engineering, and show how to avoid the cookie-cutter feel that plagues so much AI-generated content. Highlights include: Why Claude’s tone of voice and writing capabilities often outperform other models for consumer copy How to train Claude on your own style and get responses that reflect your brand’s voice How to use Claude’s Projects feature to build custom tools like tone checkers, newsletter editors, and interactive customer personas A breakdown of the AI Sandwich Methodology (Human → AI → Human) for crafting content that feels human, not robotic Techniques for fact-checking, editing, and sense-checking AI outputs to avoid hallucinations and blandness How Kerry uses Claude for marketing strategy, persona creation, positioning, and ideation Tips for integrating Claude with Gmail and calendar tools to improve time management and workflow efficiency This episode is packed with actionable ideas, whether you're a content creator, strategist, marketer, or business owner. You’ll learn how to write better prompts, extract more value from AI tools, and remain fiercely authentic and creative in an age of digital automation. Key Takeaways: Train AI on your tone of voice to stand out from generic outputs Use Claude’s extended thinking and reasoning models for strategic ideation Human guidance (before and after AI) is critical to compelling content Projects in Claude can act like custom GPTs tailored to your exact needs Staying human, thoughtful, and ethical is still your biggest advantage 💡 Whether you're new to Claude or already exploring AI content workflows, this episode will give you a fresh, grounded, and strategic perspective on what’s possible, without losing your creative soul in the process.   📥 Access the show notes, tools, and links at: 📩 Join the free newsletter for access to Daniel’s monthly live sessions:

In this episode of The Digital Marketing Podcast, Daniel Rowles explores one of the most unexpected but powerful business case studies in modern branding: Taylor Swift! Joined by Kevin Evers, Senior Editor at Harvard Business Review and author of There’s Nothing Like This. Kevin dives into how Swift’s career offers a masterclass in brand strategy, audience connection, and long-term business thinking. Why does a global superstar in a notoriously cutthroat industry continue to outperform and outlast her peers? According to Kevin, it’s not luck or fandom - it’s strategy. Drawing on insights from his newly released book, Kevin breaks down the key inflection points in Swift’s 20-year career. From turning down a major label at age 13 to preserve creative control, to executing one of the boldest rebranding and ownership moves in music history with her “Taylor’s Version” re-recordings, this episode examines how Swift embodies the core principles of marketing, product-market fit, and customer obsession. Daniel and Kevin unpack how Taylor Swift: Identified a niche audience when the data said it wasn’t viable Built trust and intimacy into her brand from day one Embraced user-generated content and fan communities to expand reach Navigated multiple brand pivots without losing authenticity Took complete ownership of her brand and intellectual property Continues to evolve while staying aligned to her audience’s needs They also explore how her fandom operates as a distributed marketing engine, elevating everything from live streams to lyric analysis and decoding hidden clues. With references to startup thinking, customer experience design, and even parallels with Jobs-to-Be-Done theory, this conversation turns a pop icon into a blueprint for brand building at scale. Whether you’re a marketer, entrepreneur or brand strategist, this episode offers rare insight into what it takes to build something culturally durable, and fiercely customer-centric. Key Takeaways: Brand clarity trumps market data when paired with conviction Fan communities can become your most powerful marketing asset Ownership and authenticity are strategic decisions, not just personal ones Pivoting is easier when you’ve built long-term trust Obsessing over your audience is a competitive advantage   📥 Access the show notes, tools, and links at: 📩 Join the free newsletter for access to Daniel’s monthly live sessions:  

In this special solo edition of The Digital Marketing Podcast, Daniel introduces a new regular feature: a fast-paced roundup of the most critical AI and digital marketing news. With the rate of change accelerating across platforms, tools, and marketing strategy, it’s never been more important to stay ahead, and this episode helps you do just that. Daniel covers the latest developments from Google, Meta, OpenAI, LinkedIn and more, offering practical commentary on what they mean for marketers right now. From ChatGPT’s new operator functions to Google’s AI-powered search evolution, this episode is packed with insight on how AI is reshaping digital marketing roles, content, advertising, and SEO. Highlights from this episode: ChatGPT’s new Connectors and Deep Research tools Now you can give ChatGPT secure access to your Google Drive, SharePoint, email, and even CRM platforms like HubSpot. Daniel explains how this lets you build bespoke knowledge bases and bring real organisational context to your AI workflows. Operator: OpenAI’s first real step into Agentic AI Forget just generating content, Operator can now browse the web and perform actions like posting content or interacting with platforms. Daniel unpacks what this means for junior roles in marketing, and the wider implications for talent development and job design. AI Mode and AI Overviews in Google Search Google is rolling out AI Mode in search results and now has AI Overviews live in 200 countries. Daniel explores what this means for search strategy, SEO, and advertising - especially as Google plans to inject ads into these AI responses. Meta’s Advantage+ and the death of manually-built ads? Meta claims its AI-generated ads are outperforming those built by humans, with 100% AI-driven campaign automation arriving in early 2026. Daniel explores the real ROI implications and the future of agency relationships in a world of automated campaign builds. LinkedIn integrates with Adobe Express Daniel explains how new creative integrations are streamlining video ad production and what that means for in-house and outsourced content teams. Through it all, Daniel calls for a conscious approach to adopting AI: how to upskill teams, protect strategic thinking, and build marketing operations that are more human, not less. Key Takeaways: AI tools like ChatGPT are now organisationally aware - marketers must learn to harness them. Search is changing fast, but traditional SEO fundamentals still matter. Automation is pushing paid media roles toward strategic oversight, not just execution. AI is starting to replace, not just augment. some junior marketing roles. The brands that thrive will be those who rethink job design and talent pipelines now. 🎧 Listen now to get ahead of the curve with the latest AI news and marketing implications. 📥 Access the show notes, tools, and links at: 📩 Join the free newsletter for access to Daniel’s monthly AI agent live sessions:

In this episode of The Digital Marketing Podcast, Daniel, Ciaran, and Louise take a deep dive into the often-misunderstood world of keyword research - one of the most foundational yet complex elements of digital marketing. What starts as a seemingly simple task (“just pick some keywords, right?”) quickly unravels into a minefield of audience intent, brand positioning, search behaviour shifts, and the sometimes soul-crushing reality of traffic that doesn’t convert. The trio break down the full process with real-world insight, humour, and some very candid reflections on what not to do. From teaching postgraduate students at Imperial College to running real commercial SEO campaigns, Daniel shares his evolving approach to keyword strategy - highlighting how brand clarity, buyer personas, and mapping the full user journey are essential to getting keyword research right. What you’ll learn in this episode: Why volume-based keyword selection is a trap How to balance traffic, intent, and competition in your keyword choices Why middle-of-the-funnel content is often your secret weapon How to prune and optimise your existing content for better conversions The problem with vanity metrics (and what to track instead) How new AI-powered tools like Content Raptor and Keywords Everywhere are changing the game The role of search across Google, YouTube, social and even email What to look for in competitor analysis and how to use keyword clustering effectively Louise brings sharp insight into modern search behaviour and the growing importance of voice, conversational search, and featured snippets, while Ciaran opens up about years of chasing traffic volume before realising conversions are what truly count. (Spoiler: a blog about banana peels and Botox might bring in traffic—but probably not sales.) The episode ends with a step-by-step process for approaching keyword research in 2025, including content ideation, testing, SEO hooks, and how to integrate what you learn across multiple marketing channels. Key Takeaways: Keyword research isn’t about finding more keywords - it’s about finding the right ones. Strategic alignment between brand, content, and intent is critical. Most marketers overinvest in top-of-funnel traffic and neglect conversion-focused content. Updating and optimising your existing content can often move the needle more than publishing something new. A good keyword is one that drives results - not just visits. With tools, frameworks, and honest advice, this episode is your ultimate keyword research sanity-check. Whether you’re building a content strategy from scratch or refining an existing one, this is the guide you didn’t know you needed. 🎧 Listen now and get your complete step-by-step guide. You'll find all links on TargetInternet.com Show notes:   Have any feedback on the show? Send us your feedback, tell us what you love and what you think could be better. And, if you are really enjoying the show, please leave us a review.

In this episode of The Digital Marketing Podcast, Daniel dives into the world of agile marketing, exploring how a new methodology is helping marketers launch strategic, high-impact campaigns at pace, without compromising on quality. Joined by Peter Abraham (former Econsultancy leader and founder of Crank), alongside Katherine Torrance and Claire Pankhurst, the creators of Supercharged Marketing Sprints, Daniel unpacks a new approach to growth marketing that blends the speed of agile with the strategic rigour marketing has been missing. The team explain how their 5-day sprint framework works in practice - coaching marketing teams to develop and launch live, multichannel campaigns in just a week. Unlike traditional brainstorming workshops that leave great ideas gathering dust, this sprint ends with a live campaign in market, backed by real data and customer insight. Together, they explore how this approach helps businesses: Build high-performing campaigns under intense time constraints Cut through campaign chaos and internal delays Deliver strategic focus without sacrificing speed Align stakeholders quickly around a shared goal Create minimum viable campaigns (MVCs) that actually launch More than just a framework, this is a practical, tested process grounded in real-world experience. Peter shares his initial scepticism, and eventual surprise, at seeing these sprints succeed where other methods stall. Catherine and Claire outline how their structure gives marketing teams space for deep thinking and rapid deployment. They also share how AI tools (like headline generation and campaign planning assistants) are used to speed up the creative process, while still relying on human judgement and strategic thinking. This episode is packed with lessons for marketers frustrated by slow timelines, campaign bottlenecks, and chaotic execution cycles. Daniel and his guests lay out how to shift away from “tactics-first” thinking and instead build campaigns rooted in buyer insight, stakeholder alignment, and clear, testable outcomes. Key Takeaways: Why agile principles need evolution for modern marketing How 5-day sprints help teams go from messy ideas to market-ready campaigns The crucial role of stakeholder alignment and constrained planning How AI can complement (not replace) creative strategy How to build minimum viable campaigns with maximum impact Why fast isn’t enough—campaigns must be focused and aligned Whether you’re a CMO looking for a faster way to deliver results, or a team lead trying to cut through the clutter, this episode offers an inspiring look at what marketing agility really looks like in action. 🎧 Listen now and get your complete step-by-step guide. You'll find all links on TargetInternet.com Show notes:   Have any feedback on the show? Send us your feedback, tell us what you love and what you think could be better. And, if you are really enjoying the show, please leave us a review.