The internet's primary purpose remains unchanged — seeking new information and knowledge. However, the methods we use to access and consume information are evolving, impacting marketing strategies and user behavior in today’s competitive digital landscape.

Greg Brooks, CMO at SearchTides, an SEO (search engine optimization) agency specializing in increasing website power via link-building campaigns to drive company rankings and revenue, sees this trend particularly in younger generations. For instance, Gen Z is increasingly turning to platforms like TikTok, YouTube, ChatGPT, or Copilot for informational searches rather than traditional search engines.

The real question is, how do we define search? Greg explains that it is where people seek knowledge on the Internet. From a marketing perspective, brands need to diversify their content distribution strategies and meet their audience where they are — social media, email newsletters, websites, and search results.

Navigating AI and Authenticity

Many businesses are grappling with integrating AI tools into their content creation processes. Greg offers a balanced perspective, suggesting that this sophisticated technology should be viewed as a powerful assistant rather than a replacement for human expertise.

He explains it in an analogy of a pharmacist to illustrate this point, "If I go to a pharmacist and I ask for this prescription to get filled, the pharmacist can say to me that there's a generic version available for 10% of the costs. That's the pharmacist using their expertise. The pharmacist might also say I can [fill this prescription], but every time nothing happens and that person comes back, I give them this other [medicine] instead and it works perfectly. That's the pharmacist using their experience." This shows that it is not only about providing information but also offering insights that can come from real-world experiences and expertise in your field to create truly valuable content.

While AI can significantly boost productivity, the integration of human experience and expertise will be crucial to setting your content apart and gaining recognition in the AI-driven landscape.

Establishing Trust and Authority in Content Distribution

Generating great content is only half the battle in the era of information overload. The other half is ensuring that your content not only reaches but truly resonates with your target audience. Greg points out that while backlinks and authorship remain important, the future of trust-building lies in consistently providing valuable, authentic content across multiple platforms.

"If I'm posting stuff on TikTok, am I actually being helpful? Am I coming with research or evidence to back me up?" Greg shares, emphasizing the importance of repeating your message across various channels and always focusing on being genuinely helpful to your audience.

The goal is to be consistent across multiple touchpoints with your target audience, gradually building your trust and authority over time.

Blurring Lines Between B2B and B2C

Content creation and distribution approach is particularly crucial in the B2B (business-to-business) space. Greg observes that B2B marketers often forget how they consume content as individuals, leading to disconnected strategies.

The solution? Treat B2B content marketing with the same high standards as B2C (business-to-consumer), acknowledging the longer lead times and nurturing processes typical in B2B scenarios. Greg suggests a new referral system in B2B might look like this: "I have literally been following their content for a year on social media, and it's really good."

He suggests that the key is to create content that can engage your audience over an extended period, nurturing them until they are ready to make a purchase decision. "If you can flip time on its head and you can make time work for you, you will win in the business of tomorrow," Greg states.

Understanding your audience is important to develop content that reaches your target audience, builds lasting relationships, and drives business success.

Three-Phase Approach to Successful Content Strategy

Greg outlines a three-phase approach that ensures content strategies are not only well-planned but also practically implementable within the organization's specific context:

• Analysis: This involves understanding the limitations, team dynamics, and potential roadblocks within an organization. Greg states it is about identifying “What are all of the limitations? What are the teams that are not going to be able to do things? Who's going to fight you on different recommendations that you're making?"
• Strategy: Based on the analysis, this phase focuses on creating recommendations and prioritizing actions. As Greg puts it, "What are we actually going to recommend and what order and why are we going to do it?"
• Implementation: This final phase involves implementing the strategy and navigating any internal challenges that may arise.

While some companies are wary of AI-generated content due to concerns about potential penalties in search engines like Google, Edge, etc., not allowing their content to show up at the top of web searches, Greg offers a more optimistic view of using AI as a tool to enhance human creativity and efficiency rather than as a replacement for human input. This can be beneficial for both employers and employees — employers gain increased production while employees find themselves in a stronger job position.

Maintain Responsible AI Use

Questions about regulation and ethics naturally arise as AI becomes more integrated into content creation processes. Greg believes that future regulations will likely center around the distinction between public and non-public information.

He also emphasizes the importance of fact-checking and editing AI-generated content, noting that "about 25% of all statistics that we've seen (about one in four) are just wrong." While he acknowledges the need for caution when using AI-generated content, Greg sees the integration of AI tools as an inevitable and potentially beneficial change in the industry.

The integration of AI tools, the expansion of content distribution beyond traditional channels, and the increasing importance of personal brand and expertise all point to a future where content marketing becomes both technologically advanced and more humanized. This brings us back to the value of human oversight in the content creation process.

Embrace AI in Content Creation

As we navigate this new era of content creation and brand promotion, adaptability and authenticity will be key to success. Greg offers two valuable tips:

• Raise your standards: "In order to be successful, you will need to be better than whatever is considered good tomorrow, which is typically going to be considered great or amazing today," Greg advises. He suggests focusing on creating better, more authentic experiences for your audience through your content.
• Experiment with new technologies: Greg encourages content creators to spend time exploring new tools and platforms. The worst thing that can happen is that you will discover what you are not interested in. He also adds, "Your best-case scenario is you have something that changes the trajectory of what you're able to do for the rest of your life."

These insights remind us that while the tools and platforms may change, the fundamental goal of connecting with and providing value to our audience remains the same. By embracing these shifts, raising our standards, and maintaining the human touch, we can survive and thrive in this new digital landscape.