The Evolution of Search Engines and AI

Jon, Evan, and Christian talk about how AI is transforming search engines, from Google's RankBrain to the emergence of new AI-driven search platforms. The team addresses concerns about zero-click searches, where users find answers directly on search results pages without visiting websites, and how this impacts visibility and traffic. Despite these changes, the importance of maintaining high-quality, authoritative content remains critical and the role of authorship and E-E-A-T ( Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) principles in ensuring that content is trusted and prioritized by search engines has not diminished by any means.

SEO Strategies in the Age of AI

While AI is changing how search results are generated, traditional SEO practices still hold value. Modern website owners and marketers need to double down on content creation, focusing on long-tail queries and informational content that meets users' needs. Optimizing website performance is still important as well. From load times to crawl budgets, ensuring that sites are easily indexable by search engines. Businesses can and should leverage AI not only for SEO but also as a tool for content creation and market research. AI has the potential to analyze and summarize large amounts of data, such as customer reviews, to help businesses make informed decisions. While we acknowledg the need to "trust but verify" AI-generated content, we recognize the time-saving benefits AI can provide when used correctly.

Timestamps:

• 0:00 Intro
• 1:15 Google's RankBrain and Machine Learning
• 4:22 The Rise of AI-Generated Search Results
• 6:05 The Impact of AI on Website Visibility and Authority
• 8:30 Understanding Zero-Click Searches
• 10:15 SEO Strategies in the Age of AI
• 12:05 The Importance of Quality Content and Authorship
• 14:10 Leveraging AI for Content Creation and Market Research
• 16:25 The Future of Search Engines and Potential Market Shifts
• 18:40 The Role of Traditional SEO Practices in AI-Driven Search
• 20:10 Optimizing Website Performance for AI and SEO
• 22:05 The “Trust but Verify” Approach to AI Content
• 24:15 Final Thoughts on Preparing for the Future of Search
• 29:00 Outro

Find more marketing insights and show notes here

The Importance of Flexibility and Functionality

Proprietary content management systems (CMS) are often far too limiting for what school districts need. We advocate for the flexibility of open-source platforms like WordPress. School websites need to be functional, easy to navigate, and tailored to the specific needs of students, parents, staff, and the community. There are several critical features of school district websites that need to be considered, including calendar integrations, news updates, and mobile-friendly design, ensuring that the site serves all users effectively.

Marketing and Branding for Schools

Jon and Evan also discuss the often-overlooked aspect of marketing in the education sector. They share examples of how schools, including virtual, private, and public institutions, can benefit from strategic marketing to drive enrollment and community engagement. They also touch on the importance of branding consistency, suggesting that schools develop clear brand guidelines to maintain a professional online presence.

Timestamps:

• 0:00 Intro
• 0:46 Organizing Information for Several Audiences at Once
• 5:26 Which Management Platform is Best?
• 8:45 Calendar Integration
• 10:28 Content Plugin for News & Updates
• 11:38 Misc Integrations: Links, Document Management, & Social Media
• 13:27 The Importance of Digital Marketing for School District Websites
• 14:59 Planning is Key
• 16:18 Have Consistent Brand Guidelines
• 17:07 Foremost Selected as UW's Primary Pre-Approved Vendor
• 18:21 Outro

Find more marketing insights and show notes here

The Importance of SEO Auditing in 2024

In this episode, Jon Ballard and Evan Facinger discuss privacy consent laws that have already existed in Europe and are starting to increase in specific states across the US. These laws are complex and vary by state, but generally they require websites to get user consent before using cookies to track user activity. The price for non-compliance in fines can be as high as $7,500 and that's just per site visitor. Companies shouldn't just comply with these laws to avoid fines, but also because it's the right thing to do and what users expect. We also recommend that companies update their privacy policies and cookie consent forms to reflect the latest laws and technologies. All websites across the internet are affected by this so we urge anyone who owns a website for their business to tune in.

Need Help Becoming Compliant?

Are you a website owner unsure if your site meets the latest privacy compliance laws? You could be at risk of hefty fines for non-compliance. The world and laws are changing and many already have changed. Contact Foremost Media for a free consultation and we can help you understand whether or not your site is compliant. If it isn't, we offer the very services to fix this for you potentially saving you thousands of dollars in the future.

Timestamps:

• 0:00 Intro
• 2:12 US States That Are Already Affected
• 3:12 What is a Cookie? What is Cookie Consent?
• 5:41 What Privacy Consent Laws Cover (And Their Consequences)
• 6:42 Trying to Find Loopholes is a Bad Idea
• 8:53 How Compliant Technology Has Evolved
• 11:12 Future-Proofing Your Website
• 14:41 Outro

Find more marketing insights and show notes here

The Importance of SEO Auditing in 2024

Hosts Evan Facinger and Jon Ballard walk through the impact of the March 2024 Google Helpful Content Update which doubled down on the September 2023 updates, aiming to elevate content quality across the web. This update emphasized original, user-focused content over content that is only created to manipulate search engines which will massively negatively impact AI-generated and spammy content, parasite SEO, and manipulative linking practices. Now more than ever, experience, expertise, authority, and trustworthiness (E-E-A-T) are necessary for creating high ranking content in the eyes of Google. Listeners will gain valuable insights into maintaining high rankings or recovering from losses post-update. Jon and Evan also discuss the role of high-quality backlinks, how the Core Web Vitals have changed, and trusted author attribution for content. If you're a marketer or website owner navigating these changes, this episode is packed with essential tips and strategies to ensure your content remains relevant and competitive. Tune in for expert advice and actionable steps to adapt and thrive amidst Google's ongoing updates.

Resources Referenced:

Google Feedback Form
Google Search Central Content Article

Timestamps:

• 0:00 Intro
• 1:03 The March 2024 Google Helpful Content Update
• 2:06 What Unhelpful Content is to Google
• 6:03 Trusted Authors will be More Important in the Future
• 7:22 Google Search Central Content Article
• 8:04 How Important are High Quality Links?
• 10:03 What is Parasite SEO?
• 11:24 What to do if You've Been Negatively Impacted
• 14:00 Additional Google Updates
• 15:05 Outro

Find more marketing insights and show notes here

Compete Locally & Target Only The Best Leads

In this episode of the Foremost Media Marketing Chat Podcast, hosts Evan Facinger and Jon Ballard delve into the intricacies of geo-fencing, a location-based marketing tool that allows businesses to target ads to individuals entering or leaving a specific area. They clarify common misconceptions about geo-fencing, differentiating it from broader geo-targeting capabilities offered by platforms like Google Ads and Facebook. The discussion covers practical applications of geo-fencing, such as enhancing visibility at trade shows, targeting competitors' customers, and corporate recruiting. They emphasize the importance of choosing the right platform for geo-fencing, crafting compelling ad creatives, and optimizing mobile sites for conversions. The episode underscores geo-fencing's value as a cost-effective, highly targeted advertising strategy that, when integrated with a comprehensive marketing mix, can significantly boost brand recognition and campaign success.

Timestamps:

• 0:00 Intro
• 1:10 What even is Geo-fencing?
• 3:05 Tradeshow Marketing
• 5:01 Partnering with other platforms and apps
• 6:11 Seeing location based targeting in person
• 6:31 Corporate Recruiting with Geo-fencing
• 9:28 Using geo-fencing to compete locally
• 10:59 Understanding the data collection
• 12:02 Design ads and campaigns for mobile users
• 14:21 Outro

Find more marketing insights and show notes here

The Importance of SEO Auditing in 2024

Hosts Evan Facinger and Jon Ballard dive deep into the world of SEO audits. As we step into a new year, they explore the significance of understanding and prioritizing different types of SEO audits, including technical, content, and competitor analysis. Evan and Jon discuss the complexities of technical SEO audits, emphasizing the importance of site crawlability, page speed, and the structure of a website in the eyes of search engines like Google. They also tackle common misconceptions and strategies around disavowing toxic backlinks, highlighting the nuanced opinions within the SEO community. As they shift focus to content and keyword analysis, our hosts provide valuable insights on identifying and leveraging fringe keywords, and the impact of on-page optimizations. This episode is not just about identifying problems through audits but also about developing actionable roadmaps to improve SEO performance. Whether you're a seasoned professional or new to the world of SEO, join Evan and Jon for a comprehensive guide through the intricate landscape of SEO audits.

Our Free SEO Audit

Timestamps:

• 0:00 Intro
• 1:49 The Many Types of SEO Audits
• 2:29 What Goes Into a Technical SEO Audit
• 3:56 Holding Technical SEO and Content in Tension
• 5:40 Importance of Site Structure
• 6:45 Schema Markup and Structured Data
• 7:22 Local VS National/International SEO
• 8:54 Disavowing Toxic Backlinks?
• 12:23 Content Gap Analysis is King
• 14:23 Importance of Fringe Keywords
• 16:57 How Often to Perform Site Audits
• 19:29 Audit Informed On-Page Optimization
• 21:00 Create a Prioritized Plan
• 22:23 Foremost's Free Audit Offer
• 23:19 Who's Wife Listens to the Podcast?
• 24:00 Outro

Find more marketing insights and show notes here

The Greatest Year of Change in Marketing History

Join Evan Facinger and Jon Ballard as they reflect on all of the crazy changes that came to the marketing industry in 2023. Since the creation of the internet, we have never seen any single year bring more massive changes to the marketing industry than this one. AI, while extremely useful, has been used by many as a new way to farm content. Short Form Video has officially taken center stage as something businesses can no longer ignore thanks to YouTube Shorts, TikTok, and other social medias. GA4 has fully replaced Universal Analytics. Voice Search has become normalized in the average household. There's so much to learn from last year and even more to adapt to and look forward to in this year to come.

Timestamps:

• 0:00 Intro
• 2:31 Dos & Don'ts for Using AI Properly
• 6:25 Search Generative Experience in its Infancy
• 13:40 Short Form Video Competing with Google for Searches
• 15:43 Don't Neglect the Basics in Pursuit of the New and Shiny
• 17:17 UA is Done, GA4 is Here
• 17:58 Voice Search & Long Tail Keywords
• 19:49 Keep Your Google My Business Profile Updated
• 20:59 Final Thoughts

Find more marketing insights and show notes here

The Critical Role of Website Maintenance 

Join Evan Facinger and Jon Ballard in this episode as they delve into the crucial world of website maintenance, shedding light on the paramount importance of keeping content management systems (CMS) up-to-date. With a spotlight on the risks associated with using outdated platforms like WordPress, the duo emphasizes the potential security vulnerabilities and their impact on your website's safety. The conversation extends to the vital role of regular maintenance in search engine optimization (SEO) and enhancing user experience (UX). Evan and Jon provide insightful recommendations on initiating discussions with website developers, setting budgetary considerations for ongoing updates, and the potential vulnerabilities within website backups. Tune in for expert advice on the significance of professional management in ensuring the security and seamless functionality of your online presence.

Timestamps:

• 0:00 Intro
• 0:54 Why You Should Maintain Your Website
• 2:25 The Target on Wordpress' Back
• 4:53 Hacking Goes Beyond Wordpress
• 8:00 Boosting Your Website Performance for SEO and UX
• 10:23 Frequency and Costs of Website Maintenance
• 12:32 When to Rely on Backing Up Your Website
• 14:00 The Panama Papers Horror Story
• 16:15 Outro

Find more marketing insights and show notes here

Solutions for Drops in Rankings

Join Evan Facinger and Jon Ballard in this timely episode as they unravel the mysteries behind sudden drops in Google rankings. From analyzing data in your various SEO tools to keeping up with your competition, we provide actionable insights to revive your SEO game. Learn about the crucial role of fresh content, backlinks, and the balance between organic SEO and pay-per-click advertising.

Time Stamps:

• 0:00 Introduction
• 1:22 Use tools to dive into the data
• 2:43 Why rankings drop
• 4:52 Are your competitors outranking you?
• 6:18 The importance of backlinks
• 8:14 Content made with the right intentions
• 9:53 Pay-Per-Click & Infinite scroll
• 12:28 Farewell and outro

Find more marketing insights and show notes here

Marketing to Millennials

Millennials have been in the workforce for some time and now they're becoming your primary buyers. So, what can we learn from them and about them in order to better our messaging toward them. Nikki talks about exactly this in detail in today's episode. Firstly, Millennials prioritize building relationships and relationships are built on trust and shared value systems. Demonstrating that you are worth trusting and that you're company is one built on virtue is paramount. Learn all this and more by listening in to the 16th episode of the Foremost Media marketing chat podcast

Time Stamps:

• 0:00 Introduction
• 1:27 FoxJet Guitar Hero trade show booth
• 5:00 We're still marketing to individuals
• 7:13 Millennials are the new buyer
• 8:45 How to market to Millennials
• 15:14 What's your tech stack look like for compiling your information?
• 17:24 The challenge of great manufacturing
• 22:12 Proof, proof, and proof again!
• 25:11 Dare to be daring, risky, and different
• 26:40 PACK EXPO trade show returns!
• 29:19 Crazy ideas can bring things to the next level
• 32:22 Respect the intelligence of your buyer
• 35:05 Learn From the next generation

Resources Mentioned

Domino North America
Salesforce
Pardot
Google Analytics

Find more marketing insights and show notes here

Time Stamps:

• 0:00 - Introduction
• 3:08 - Marketing 101
• 8:17 - Rich Media Video Content/Nord's LinkedIn Success
• 14:13 - You need to have a plan
• 15:14 - The challenge of marketing budgets
• 19:04 - When you approach a C-suite about extra budget, how important are the ROI numbers?
• 22:42 - Affiliated Distributors Success
• 26:00 - Laurie's Marketing Resources
• 29:41 - Are there any marketing successes that you're most proud of so far?
• 32:38 - The problems with going a 100% digital
• 35:41 - Nord's digital marketing expansion
• 39:04 - Data and reports are not the end all be all for everything
• 43:26 - Parting Insights

Resources Mentioned:

• The Association of Strategic Marketing
• Social Media Today
• HubSpot Marketing Blog
• Content Marketing Institute
• Foremost Media Blog

Find more marketing insights and show notes here.

Time Stamps:

0:00 - Introduction
2:03 - The New Internet
4:51 - Privacy as the Biggest Challenge to Marketers
12:52 - "The Father of Spam"
15:33 - Continuity is key for a successful marketing program
24:43 - The Magic 8ball Story
29:09 - Anything you want to leave us with?
30:40 - Jon joins in
34:38 - Goodbye

Resources Mentioned:

Find more marketing insights and show notes here.

Time Stamps:

0:00 - Introduction 
1:48 - B2B versus B2C 
5:02 - Employer Branding 
6:42 - Invest in the methodology and the philosophy of sound marketing practices
8:16 - Marketers need to be able to articulate about their technical products
10:28 - Caterpillar Success Story
12:18 - Where are you getting your marketing information from?
14:17 - Jessica's eBooks
15:45 - Consider the cost and your return on investment/Tradeshows
20:22 - Social Media
22:00 - You just don't have to spend a million dollars to get good marketing efforts
25:04 - Goodbye

Resources Mentioned:

• "No Ego" by Cy Wakeman
• "Yes Ma'am, No Sir: The 12 Essential Steps for Success in Life" by Coach Carter

Find more marketing insights and show notes here.

Careful and strategic planning is critical to be certain the money and time you invest in your new website will produce the ROI you need. This episode, Jon and Evan will guide you through everything you need to know to have a successful website redesign and questions you should be asking your website partners.

Time Stamps:

• 0:00 - Intro
• 1:35 - Where do you start when you’re ready to redesign?
• 6:45 - Why are you redesigning your website? 
• 10:00 - Does your website have a long-term strategy? 
• 17:20 - How long does a website take to build from start to finish? 

Resources Mentioned:

• Google Analytics
• Google Search Console
• Complete Workbook for Website Redesign
• Step by Step Instructions for Manufacturing Website Redesign

Find more marketing insights and show notes here.

But what happens when it's eliminated without any sort of notice?

In this episode, we’re discussing a rather timely topic. Recently, more and more hosted platforms, like Shopify, have pulled content and businesses without any warning. This is quite terrifying and concerning especially for companies dependent on eCommerce sales. Luckily, there are things we can do to avoid this.

Some topics we chat through:

• Open Source VS. Hosted Platform
• Things to consider to ensure you have control over your assets
• Where your target market could be instead of hosted platforms

Let us help and review your current platform to ensure you own your assets.

Find more marketing insights and show notes here

Meaghan Ziemba joins us this episode to share how she is bringing awareness to the industry. Meaghan has been involved in the manufacturing industry for the last 15 years and recently launched a live broadcast combining women empowerment, brand storytelling and personal journeys in the industry called Mavens of Manufacturing.

Job opportunities are on the rise. Though there is a gap in skills. Diversifying the manufacturing industry is so important to prepare the industry for continued success. Ready to learn more? Join Jon, Evan, and Meaghan as they candidly talk about creative marketing to diversify the manufacturing industry.

Time Stamps:

• 0:00 - Intro
• 1:04 - Mavens of Manufacturing story
• 6:52 - Difficulties of starting a podcast
• 8:20 - CEANCI as the first guest
• 9:37 - Future female guests
• 11:50 - Mavens of Manufacturing LinkedIn
• 13:32 - Mavens of Manufacturing Youtube
• 14:41 - Get involved in your local manufacturing community
• 16:57 - Job availability in manufacturing
• 19:54 - Closing info

Resources Mentioned:

• Mavens of Manufacturing LinkedIn
• Mavens of Manufacturing YouTube

Find more marketing insights and show notes here

Time Stamps:

• 0:00 - Intro
• 3:20 - What is ADA compliance when it comes to websites?
• 7:00 - Why you should be concerned.
• 15:00 - The impact a non-compliant website can have on your business.

Resources Mentioned:

• Circuit Court Map
• Nowlan & Mouat LLP

Find more marketing insights and show notes at ForemostMedia.com

Time Stamps:

• 00:00 - Intro
• 03:16 - Why it’s important to understand what’s already work before a redesign
• 05:00 - Know your why when choosing a content management system (CMS)
• 10:15 - Qualities in an agency you don’t want to forget.

Resources Mentioned:

• Guide to Website Redesign
• How to Compare Web Development Companies
• CMS Comparison

Find more marketing insights and show notes at ForemostMedia.com

Time Stamps:

• 00:00 - Intro
• 02:06 - Overview of Google Core Web Vitals.
• 05:20 - What Google Core Web Vitals look at, specifically.
• 10:03 - How to prepare your website for this update.

Resources Mentioned:

• GTmetrix
• Lighthouse Report

You can connect with Noah on LinkedIn here.

Find more marketing insights and show notes at ForemostMedia.com

Time Stamps:

• 00:00 - Intro
• 04:57 - How many touch points does it take to become a lead.
• 08:32 - Top investments you can make when getting started.
• 11:20 - Jessica’s best lead sources.
• 13:16 - The Alpaca Spirit Animal
• 14:35 - The business survival strategy for COVID.
• 16:26 - Psychology of the buyer
• 18:14 - Jessica's final tip

Links:

You can connect with Jessica on LinkedIn here.

Find more marketing insights and show notes at ForemostMedia.com

Bonus, you’ll find out just how close the Foremost Media office is to a train track. Brownie points if you let us know what timestamp you hear the train.

Time Stamps:

• 00:00 - Intro
• 02:12 - Getting started with drip campaigns.
• 07:33 - How marketing automation can improve your onboarding process.
• 09:40 - Capitalize on engagement.

Resources Mentioned:

• Marketing Automation Defined
• Manage Your Leads Effectively

Find more marketing insights and show notes at ForemostMedia.com

Time Stamps:

• 00:00 - Intro
• 02:23 - Are you potential customers getting the right information?
• 05:44 - Talking about what you’re doing for COVID can actually help you get to the top of search results.
• 07:10 - Marketing and advertising spend during a pandemic.

Resources Mentioned:

• Google My Business
• The Benefits of Pay-Per-Click Marketing
• COVID Marketing Guide

Find more marketing insights and show notes at ForemostMedia.com

Time Stamps:

• 00:00 - Intro
• 04:50 - 301 redirects and why they’re important
• 10:04 - Pay attention to what’s driving traffic.

Resources Mentioned:

• Google Analytics
• Google Search Console
• Guide to Website Redesign

Find more marketing insights and show notes at ForemostMedia.com

Time Stamps:

• 00:00 - Intro
• 01:38 - What is conversion rate optimization, exactly?
• 08:03 - Example of CRO
• 17:05 - Testing ideas you can implement.

Resources Mentioned:

• Conversion Rate Optimization
• Conversion Rate Calculator
• Grow Your Business With CRO

Find more marketing insights and show notes at ForemostMedia.com

Find more marketing insights and show notes at ForemostMedia.com

Time Stamps:

• 0:00 - Intro
• 4:17 - Google’s broad core algorithm update.
• 5:23 - Why your search volume may have increased.
• 8:24 - The new reality on Google Shopping.