How can you structure content so that AI pulls your site into the response?
Do you really need to change your SEO strategy?
For years, SEO teams followed a familiar SEO playbook:
Optimize upper-funnel content to capture awareness,
mid-funnel content to drive consideration,
lower-funnel content to convert.
One page, one keyword, one intent.
But with the rise of ChatGPT, Perplexity, Copilot, Gemini, and now Google’s AI Mode, that linear model is increasingly outdated.
So, how do you move forward and keep your visibility high in modern search engine results pages (SERPs)?
We’ve reverse-engineered AI Overviews, so you don’t have to. Let’s dive in.
What We’ve Discovered Through Reverse Engineering Google’s AI Overviews (AIO)
From what we’re seeing across client industries and in how AI-driven results behave, the traditional funnel model – the idea of users moving cleanly from awareness to consideration to conversion – feels increasingly out of step with how people actually search.
How Today’s Search Users Actually Search
Today’s users jump between channels, devices, and questions.
They skim, abandon, revisit, and decide faster than ever.
AI Overviews don’t follow a tidy funnel because most people don’t either.
They surface multiple types of information at once, not because it’s smarter SEO, but because it’s closer to how real decisions get made.
AIOs & AI Mode Aren’t Just Answering Queries – They’re Expanding Them
Traditionally, SEO strategy followed a structured framework. Take a travel-related topic, for example:
Informational (Upper-Funnel) – “How to plan a cruise?”
Commercial (Mid-Funnel) – “Best cruise lines for families”
Transactional (lower-Funnel) – “Find Best Alaska Cruise Deals”
However, AI Overviews don’t stick to that structure.
Instead, they blend multiple layers of intent into a single, comprehensive response.
How AI Overviews Answer & Expand Search Queries
Let’s stay with the travel theme. A search for “Mediterranean cruise” might return an AI Overview that includes:
Best Time to go (Informational).
Booking Your Cruise (Commercial).
Cruise Lines (Navigational).
AI Mode Example for ‘Mediterranean Cruise’
What’s Happening Here?
In this case, Google isn’t just answering the query.
It anticipates what the user will want to know next, acting more like a digital concierge than a traditional search engine.
We started noticing this behavior showing up more often, so we wanted to see how common it actually is.
To get a clearer picture, we pulled 200 cruise-related informational queries from SEMrush and ran them through our custom-built AI SERP scraper. The goal was to see how often these queries triggered AI Overviews, and what kind of intent those Overviews covered.
The patterns were hard to miss:
88% of those queries triggered an AI Overview
More than half didn’t just answer the initial question.
52% mixed in other layers of intent, like brand suggestions, booking options, or comparisons, right alongside the basic information someone might’ve been looking for.
Using a different query related to Mediterranean Cruises, the AIO response acts as a travel agent, guiding the user on topics like:
How to fly,
Destinations with region,
Cruise prices,
Cruise lines that sail to that destination.
While it’s an Information non-brand search query, the AIO response is lower-funnel as well.
Again, less than half of the queries were matched intent.
Here are some examples of queries that were identified as Informational and provided only the top-of-funnel response without driving the user further down the funnel.
The Verdict
Even when someone asks a simple, top-of-funnel question, AI is already steering them toward what to do next, whether that’s comparing prices, picking a provider, or booking a trip.
What Does This Mean for SEO Strategies Moving Forward?
If AI Overviews and AI Mode are blending intent types, content, and SEO strategies need to catch up:
It’s no longer enough to rank for high-volume informational keywords. If your content doesn’t address multiple layers of intent, AI will fill the gaps with someone else’s content.
SEO teams need to analyze how AI handles their most important queries. What related questions is it pulling in? Are those answers coming from your site or your competitors?
Think beyond keyword volume. Long-tail queries may have lower search traffic, but they often align better with AI-cited content. Structure your pages with clear headings, bullets, and concise, helpful language—that’s what AI models prefer to surface.
The Future of SEO in an AI World: Hybrid Intent Optimization
The fundamentals of technical and on-page SEO still matter. But if your content is still built around single keywords and single intent types, you’re likely to lose visibility as AI continues to reshape the SERP.
The brands that adapt to this shift by creating content that mirrors the blended, fast-moving behavior of actual users are the ones that will continue to own key moments across the funnel, even as the funnel itself evolves.
AsAItransformssearchbehavior,it‘scrucialtoadaptyourSEOstrategiesaccordingly.AtDAC,wespecializeinaligningyourcontentwiththelatestsearchtrendstoenhancevisibilityandengagement.Reachouttoustodaytofuture-proofyour strategy with our award-winning TotalSERP approachandstayaheadintheevolvingdigitallandscape.
https://www.dacgroup.com/” class=”btn-learn-more button-green medium-size”>Optimize Your SEO For AI Search, Now
Image Credits
Featured Image: Image by DAC. Used with permission.
In-Post Image: Images by DAC. Used with permission.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly two-thirds of CMOs in Fortune 500 companies overcame the extraordinary challenge of navigating change and uncertainty.
This resulted in 65% of CMOs who exited their roles after an average tenure of 4.3 years “being promoted to more senior roles” or “making lateral moves to other attractive CMO positions.”
However, what was a pandemic obstacle course has been followed by an AI Olympic steeplechase.
To navigate these turbulent times, CMOs should consider analyzing marketing research and applying digital trends to:
Discover consumer insights for effective marketing in a dynamic market.
Unlock exceptional marketing results and increase return on investment (ROI) with the power of AI.
Reach customers across search, video, social, and shopping platforms.
Drive progress in marketing by championing the latest innovations and ideas.
Transform their data into a tool for building a lasting business advantage.
To lead their teams, CMOs could also apply the flywheel model, a customer-centric approach to business growth.
Adding AI To The Traditional Flywheel
Recently, based on a survey of 2,000 global marketers, Think With Google wrote:
“The traditional flywheel has always existed in marketing. Now, leaders are adding AI to multiply its momentum.”
Screenshot from Think With Google, April 2025
The article provides CMOs with a framework, built on four interconnected pillars:
Measurement and insights.
Media and personalization.
Creativity and content.
People and process.
This framework outlines how AI is amplifying the traditional marketing flywheel.
Measurement And Insights
The first pillar, stresses the importance of aligning key performance indicators (KPIs) with business performance metrics like profit and ROI.
Implementing modern, AI-powered measurement tools is crucial for accurate data and insights while respecting privacy.
A foundation of well-defined KPIs, historical data, and first-party data enables outcome-based planning, where AI predicts and improves campaign performance, optimizing budget allocation.
The future involves an AI-powered Marketing Engine for continuous, real-time optimization.
Media And Personalization
The second pillar, focuses on AI’s role in delivering the right ad to the right person at the right time.
Leading marketers scale successful AI-powered campaigns, shifting budgets for maximum ROI and flexibility.
AI identifies engaged, high-value audiences across channels, revealing valuable consumer behavior insights.
The ultimate stage is AI-powered media transformation, where an AI engine autonomously creates and refines media plans in real time based on continuous measurement.
Creativity And Content
The third pillar, explores how generative AI aids in brainstorming impactful ideas to help develop innovative content.
AI identifies and amplifies top-performing assets, and AI-powered “creative studios” accelerate time-to-market.
AI also enables pre-launch testing and optimization, bringing the goal of real-time, personalized creative delivery closer to reality.
People And Process
The fourth pillar, emphasizes collaboration, extending to the C-suite.
Sharing prioritized AI opportunities early is vital. Transformative leaders restructure organizations to fully leverage the AI engine.
Scaling AI success requires investing in AI talent to develop new operational methods, which are then formalized and disseminated.
Leading marketers design improved workflows and assess AI impact, recognizing that holistic organizational transformation is needed.
The article concludes that these four interdependent pathways merge to create the AI-powered Marketing Engine, amplifying the traditional marketing flywheel.
Analyzing Market Research And Applying Audience Research
CMOs will quickly notice that “The AI-powered Marketing Engine” framework can help to overcome four of the five obstacles that I mentioned above:
Measurement and insights can help transform their data into a tool for building a lasting business advantage.
Media and personalization can help to reach customers across search, video, social, and shopping platforms.
Creativity and content can help unlock exceptional marketing results and increase ROI.
People and process can help to drive progress in marketing by championing the latest innovations and ideas.
And CMOs will immediately wonder: Why can’t the AI-powered Marketing Engine help our analysts discover consumer insights for effective marketing in a dynamic market?
That’s the right question to ask, and there are two probable answers.
The first was provided by Avinash Kaushik in 2014, when he asked, “Is your company creating reporting squirrels or analysis ninjas?”
In any organization, investments in data generate two distinct types of work: Reporting Squirrel work and Analysis Ninja work. While both are important, only one directly contributes to improving the company’s financial performance.
Reporting Squirrels primarily focus on data production, spending most of their time creating reports for various stakeholders.
Their responsibilities include data extraction, query writing, fulfilling ad-hoc requests, scheduling data outputs, and coordinating with IT teams for data acquisition.
Conversely, Analysis Ninjas dedicate their time to analyzing data and generating actionable insights, which are typically communicated in clear, plain language.
Their work involves tasks such as data retrieval, segmentation, in-depth exploration, modeling, creating unique datasets, answering business questions, and defining data requirements for Reporting Squirrels and IT teams.
It’s important to note that Fortune 500 companies don’t typically hire individuals with the titles “Reporting Squirrel” and “Analysis Ninja.” Instead, they employ analysts or data scientists.
However, CMOs need to ask if these professionals are primarily focused on data output rather than providing actionable recommendations.
The second probable answer was in my recent article, where I mentioned, “GA4 gives us less than a third of the data we need to know about user acquisition: The initial stage of building business awareness and acquiring user interest.”
I added, “Somehow, we’ve missed what GA4 can’t – or doesn’t – tell us about the Zero Moment of Truth (ZMOT): the moment in the purchase process when the consumer or business buyer researches a product or service prior to visiting your website.”
So, if CMOs realize that they don’t have a clue about where the lion’s share of their customers discovered their brands or products before visiting their website, then what should they do?
They have two options: Get audience research and conduct market research.
Audience research and market research are distinct but complementary approaches to understanding a business environment.
Audience Research
Audience research focuses on the individual, delving into the needs, preferences, behaviors, and language of the target audience.
This micro-level perspective is achieved through direct engagement with the audience via interviews, surveys, focus groups, social media analysis, and by leveraging existing customer data like customer relationship management (CRM) and support logs.
Market Research
In contrast, market research takes a broader, macroeconomic view, examining the overall landscape.
It involves analyzing industry trends, competitor activities, economic data, and trade publications to assess the viability of products or services.
Think of market research as providing the map, indicating where to go, and audience research as the compass, guiding you on the best path to get there. Therefore, both types of research play crucial roles.
AI Won’t Take Your Job. Somebody Using AI Will
CMOs remember what economist Richard Baldwin said at the 2023 World Economic Forum’s Growth Summit: “AI won’t take your job. It’s somebody using AI that will.”
They understand that their Fortune 500 company expects them to successfully navigate the complexities of the AI era and achieve sustainable growth.
To do that, they must embrace AI-powered tools and frameworks while prioritizing a deep understanding of their audience through dedicated research efforts.
By integrating these approaches, CMOs can transform data into actionable insights, optimize marketing strategies, and ultimately, build a lasting competitive advantage in an increasingly dynamic market.
I own a digital agency that has existed for 20 years and did branding until just two years ago.
It wasn’t until we stopped doing branding that I came across a number of meaningful connections and “needs” search and branding teams have that enhance the efforts of both.
Search marketers are often at the other end and far away from brand strategy.
When branding is pressed for return on investment (ROI), it often comes downstream through marketing channels, platforms, and the implemented strategy.
Search often struggles without a differentiated brand or strategy to stand out from competitors in search results for ads or content.
I believe there are great benefits to connecting branding and search, partnering together, and working closely within broader business and marketing teams and environments.
Digging into conversations, my experience, and perspectives shared with me, I’m sharing the benefits categorized for search marketers and brand creatives/strategists alike that can create more consistent and impactful opportunities to elevate brands and performance overall.
For Search Marketers
Content & Creative Standards
In the absence of robust brand strategy development and documentation, search marketers (among other channels) are often left in a vacuum when it comes to creating content and assets needed for SEO and paid search success.
In a vacuum, there are best practices and channel strategies that can guide what gets created and what words, messaging, and creative are utilized.
However, it can be fragmented, inconsistent, and unrelated to broader themes and objectives.
When we have standards and strategies to leverage, we can be a further extension of the key unique messages to bring the brand alive.
I can’t count the number of times there have been conversations between search marketers and sales teams about specific ad copy and imagery that have no grounding or truth from brand strategy to fall back on.
I’ll say this as someone who has done SEO for a long time: You don’t want an SEO to write your copy or design your creative. There are exceptions and unicorns, but you want your SEO experts and SEM specialists doing their craft.
Unique Value Propositions
One of the key measures of search campaigns and strategies is how effective they are in driving conversions – and even deeper, what happens with those conversions and whether they become actual sales, revenue, and profit.
When leads are qualifying, too expensive, beat salespeople up over price, or don’t buy from an online store and go back to Google, we haven’t done our job in telling the story and sharing our value proposition.
There will always be someone looking for the cheapest, and unless we’re the low-price leader, we’ll lose those sales.
But, when someone is seeking our unique offering and factors that can include price but much more are in play, we want to do a great job presenting those at every touch point, including those important to SEO and PPC.
Without having these, we’re either making up our own, leaning on more shallow features and benefits, or inadvertently making our products and services seem similar to everyone else’s.
Support For Off-Page Factors
Unique content, value, and benefits offered through a strong brand identity and strategy can lead to more defined and actionable results.
With both legacy focuses on PR and the ability to leverage the brand and newer focuses on digital PR strategies to enhance being found through AI search functions, having a solid branding foundation is important for SEO and PR efforts connected to optimization around external factors and backlinks specifically.
Support For Other Resources
At points in my career managing SEO and paid search, when talking to a writer, UX designer, and other resources, I’ve been faced with questions outside of SEO about voice, tone, style, and other brand aspects.
In many cases, I haven’t had a person, team, or documentation to point to.
SEO especially needs other resources like IT, UX, writers, and others to be successful.
When branding and brand strategy are integrated and accessible, we can again reduce a gap or vacuum created when other resources get pulled in.
The more integrated our messaging is, the better we know our brand and the rules of the road and the more we can do together to be efficient in our resources and not have to do disjointed, unique research in different functions and departments.
For Brand Creatives & Strategists
Connection To More KPIs And ROI
Brand strategy and development have always been critical to any company’s presence, impacting product development, sales, marketing, and customer service.
In so many cases, though, branding has been hard to connect to specific direct key performance indicators (KPIs).
Stakeholder reactions, adoption, and validation of the intended messaging happen.
But most measurement downstream happens in marketing, sales, and other areas well beyond first impressions, and it isn’t explicitly intended to measure brand impact when it gets into marketing tactics and sales pipelines.
With integration and closer relationships between digital marketing (and search) and branding counterparts, more customer journey mapping can be done, bringing KPIs into alignment from the branding process all the way through conversions and sales.
Research And Data Gained
Branding processes leverage market research to guide their work.
Search marketing lives on research data (keywords, audiences, competitors) and analytics to get as real-time as possible in terms of measuring impact.
Search-specific research and analytics are not typically top sources for branding projects. Yet, the data can be a great supplement (and even potentially unique in some cases) to help add another dimension to the market research used in branding strategy decisions and development.
By partnering with search colleagues, a new wealth of information can be gained.
Ongoing Refinement And Optimization
Often, branding, rebranding, and brand strategy are thought of as projects or undertakings that are done once and then done again years down the road – that they aren’t ongoing or continuous processes.
My friend, who owns a highly-regarded branding agency, noted that it is often about once a decade that a lot of companies in the niche industries he serves do a rebrand.
They view it as a one-time event rather than an ongoing strategy or thing to measure, refine, and optimize. That’s a very different approach from search marketing.
By leveraging the insights, partnerships, and opportunities that search marketing and other digital marketing channels offer, branding can become more ongoing and more effective.
Not in the sense of rebranding a company every year, month, or week, but in the sense of being able to make refinements and updates to make it as goal-oriented and effective as possible over time.
Ability To See Implementation All The Way Through
This one is something I was a stickler about in the days that my agency was still doing branding.
It can be deflating, if not frustrating, to invest so much into a complete brand strategy over months and, ultimately, see it not be fully implemented or activated as intended.
In so many cases, the project ended, and even when my team was in charge of implementing the look and feel or messaging in certain places, it was handed off to others to carry forward.
We could find implementations that didn’t follow standards, missed assets, or content that broke the rules.
When search and brand work together, there’s an opportunity to ensure that, down to the keyword and display ad level, there’s a two-way street between search best practices and the brand strategy.
This is to make sure the implementation and activation of the unique aspects of how search is delivered to prospects and customers.
Bringing It All Together
While branding processes and teams might be far away from search tacticians, who are often at the bottom of the funnel driving conversions, and might not seem to have much in common, I contend there’s a big benefit to partnership.
Whether it is a connection to KPIs all the way through, access to data and research, ensuring full and proper implementation, or other factors I unpacked (and even more that I didn’t), in short, brands benefit overall.
We don’t get stuck in as many situations being considered a commodity. Sales teams can be teed up for success without competing on price. Brand affinity can start much sooner, enhancing lifetime value and customer loyalty, which impacts profitability and growth.
Aligning your team around the data points that drive the most impact.
When these pieces come together, you gain the clarity to track progress, scale insights, and make informed decisions with confidence.
But, how do you get there?
That’s where a marketing measurement plan comes in. This framework acts as a blueprint, outlining the critical components that keep your marketing data and analytics running smoothly.
It helps align stakeholders at every level – whether channel managers, developers, or leadership – so that everyone is working from the same playbook.
Most importantly, it keeps strategy and success metrics anchored to a common goal.
Let’s dive into the key elements and start building one for your business.
The Marketing Measurement Plan In A Nutshell
What Is It?
It is a map of individual inputs for accurate reporting that informs meaningful business insights.
What Does It Do?
It documents the business-critical measurements needed to track the results of a marketing plan and the high-level technical requirements that make it possible.
It doesn’t set benchmarks or goals. Rather, it’s the documentation of the “what” and “how.”
Why Is It Valuable?
1. It Clarifies Reporting Needs For Stakeholders Handling Implementation
Know exactly what’s needed to support the team because it’s all “right there.”
Ideally, stakeholders have played a role in mapping out the measurement model, so they’ll have no problem taking it from ideation to implementation.
2. Tracking Gaps Are Caught Before They Become Problems
There’s nothing quite as disheartening as getting to the end of a campaign and finding critical metrics missing from reporting.
The marketing measurement plan gathers inputs from – and is reviewed by – multiple stakeholders across the team. So, there’s less likelihood of discovering gaps down the road.
3. Creating A Marketing Measurement Plan Breaks Down Silos By Nature
It requires cross-channel and cross-functional input. Then, all of that input gets factored into prioritization at the highest level, documented in a language everyone can speak.
4. It Defines What Matters Most For Strategic Alignment
Is it more important to prioritize traffic or a specific conversion type based on business objectives?
You can see how even just that one important clarification makes a world of difference in strategy at the channel level.
For example, if the answer is conversion, SEO professionals would likely prioritize work specific to product pages over blog URLs in their roadmap.
5. It’s A Helpful Reference For Future Tracking Implementations
If and when new tracking is required, there’s a place to document any additions over time and ensure the tracking doesn’t already exist.
Plus, the implementation team can see everything else that’s already in place, so nothing gets broken in the process.
10 Questions Behind A Marketing Measurement Plan
A marketing measurement plan includes three distinct sections:
Technical Requirements.
Events & Audiences.
Implementation Requirements.
Tech Requirements
Cars can’t go anywhere without roads. Similarly, there needs to be a path for data to travel to the team. You need to map the key data sources, where they intersect, and where all of that data collects.
That’s a matter of answering a couple of questions, which will likely require input from the dev team.
What’s Our Front-End Tech Stack?
Implementing the analytics pipeline looks different depending on what your site uses to serve content.
In some cases, it’s actually multiple platforms, which means there’s additional work on each of them to get data into the same pool.
The Wappalyzer extension is an easy way to look under the hood and see the different platforms in play.
Just remember, it’s giving you information specific to the page rather than the whole site.
So, if you’re looking at a product page that’s served via Shopify, but the blog is built on WordPress, you wouldn’t catch that from the one page.
Screenshot from Wappalyzer extension for Chrome, February 2025
Alternatively, if you have access to Sitebulb, you can crawl the site with the Parse Technologies setting enabled.
This will give you a list of technologies used across the site, rather than just testing one page.
Screenshot from Sitebulb Performance & Mobile Friendly Crawler Settings, February 2025
When it comes down to it, the best route is to sync with developers, who’ll be able to break down the purpose of each platform.
You’ll want to make sure that the measurement plan includes:
Traffic comes from many places: email, organic search, PPC ads, affiliate articles, etc. The traffic behaves differently based on the source because each source plays a slightly different role in the marketing strategy.
Additionally, each source is made up of different referrers, but not all of those referrers will matter to every business.
For example, a B2B SaaS company probably cares more about LinkedIn than Instagram, whereas the opposite is likely true for an ecommerce brand.
Both sources and referrers need to be mapped for implementation to ensure the audiences are available in reporting.
Mapping source to referrers using social media as an example (Image from author, February 2025)
The measurement plan should include the following:
Which users are most likely to convert? Which behaviors show that users are moving closer to converting? Which promotions are most effective for which types of users?
We can answer these questions by mapping behavior to the marketing funnel, allowing us to understand where different actions fit within the customer journey.
In turn, this helps marketers make the right “ask” of users at the right moment.
A visualization of the marketing funnel (Image from author, February 2025)
For example, users coming from a link in an affiliate article are probably less ready to purchase than users who click through an email CTA.
But, they could be willing to exchange their email address for a discount or resource, which would lead them into email, where users are more likely to convert.
To validate that assumption or extract insights, we need the right data. But first, we need to define what the right data is by identifying meaningful behaviors worth tracking.
What’s The Primary Action We Want The User To Take?
Every business has a desired end-point to the digital marketing funnel, a.k.a. a conversion.
The user action considered a conversion differs based on the objectives of the business.
A blog site will want users to subscribe, whereas an ecommerce company will hope to drive a purchase, and B2B SaaS marketing aims to drive qualified leads for the sales team.
The measurement plan should identify the user behavior that represents a conversion, which could include:
Transaction.
Request demo.
Subscription.
Start a free trial.
What Do Users Do As They Move Down The Funnel?
No one has a 100% conversion rate. The customer journey is made of multiple touchpoints and is not always linear.
To understand those touchpoints, marketers need to define the “micro-conversions” on the path to conversion, i.e., identify the smaller behaviors that users who convert exhibit along the way, and how close those actions are to a conversion versus one another.
Visualizing where micro-conversions fit in the marketing funnel (Image from author, February 2025)
The next section in your marketing plan should list micro-conversions within your customer funnel, including but not limited to:
Add a product to cart.
Sign up for email.
Share onsite content.
Download a sales or solution sheet.
Initiate a chat.
Engage with specific content (ratings/reviews, FAQs, etc.).
The problem with that: Just because a user didn’t bounce, it doesn’t mean they’re engaged per se. Couple that with the increase in the use of cookie banners, and you can see why it’s not the most telling metric.
For example, users who toggle product configurations on the product page might be more likely to convert than those who simply visit a product page. But, if that micro-conversion isn’t tracked, that insight would go by the wayside.
The measurement plan documents custom engagements (of which there can be many), including any relevant items from this list of common events:
Start a form.
Toggle product configurations.
View product images in carousel.
Log into account.
View a video.
Which Patterns Can We Use To Identify Valuable Groups Of Users?
Within the audience of people who visit your site, different segments will share different behaviors.
Some will be more valuable from a conversion standpoint, or may need unique pathing down the funnel.
To identify those segments and tailor marketing to their needs, we first have to map audiences to specific behaviors.
GA4 has some basic segments built in, such as audience by traffic source. However, creating your own audiences lends itself to more telling insights.
You can group users based on any number of conditions working together, allowing you to narrow the scope further.
In your measurement plan, focus on combinations of behavior that lend themselves to a deeper level of understanding. Here are some examples:
Group purchasers by the number of site visits before purchase.
Group engaged users by first session source.
Group users by intent based on landing-page category.
Implementation Requirements
We’ve gathered information about how our site works and what we want to measure. Now, it’s time to lay out the details of implementing analytics and reporting functionality.
This final section of the measurement plan covers requirements like the platforms to use and the specific parameters that make it possible to track events.
With that said, it’s generally a good section for the data/analytics team to own.
Which Analytics Platforms Should We Use?
Collecting data is one thing. For that data to be useful for marketing & analytics stakeholders, they need to be able to access, manage, and share it.
Otherwise, they can’t dig in for insights or report performance to the team.
That’s where the analytics solution comes in. The most well-known is GA4, though alternative platforms like Heap and Matomo are also available.
Then, another layer down are complementary tools for more specific types of data, including tools for A/B testing, heat mapping, etc. They generally depend on the API of the primary analytics solution.
In the measurement plan, make sure to document:
The primary analytics solution (GA4, Heap, Matomo, etc.).
How Will We Create Dashboards For Other Stakeholders?
A business can’t expect every team member who benefits from reporting to run their own reports. Plus, that would get expensive quickly! Shared dashboards are essential for keeping everyone informed and streamlining the process.
A data visualization tool like Looker Studio lets marketing and analytics stakeholders create self-updating reporting with the most relevant measurements.
Add the following to your measurement plan: Dashboarding tools (Google Data Studio, Microsoft Power BI, etc.)
What’s Our Tag Management System?
The answer to this question is most commonly Google Tag Manager, but it’s still worth taking a moment to unpack tags at a high level. Plus, it’s worth noting that there are some alternatives to Google Tag Manager.
Tags are the code and fragments that make measurement possible. Using a tag manager, analysts can easily create tags and define trigger events.
Tags, triggers, and variables make up a container, which is usually implemented in collaboration with the dev team.
While a tag manager is optional, it’s extremely valuable for the safe, swift deployment of analytics changes and updates.
So, one more item for your document: Tag management system
How Do We Enable Custom Events?
We chatted about custom events earlier. Now, we need to map out the parameters that make it possible to capture those events in the analytics solution.
While GA4 has some default events available upon implementation, Heap and Matomo require “data chefs” to cook from scratch.
Either way, a business will inevitably have unique reporting needs that require customization, regardless of which analytics solution it uses.
Custom measures are set up in the tag manager and might require some configuration to get the right data output. That looks different from platform to platform.
List custom event parameters tailored to the specific requirements of the analytics solution, based on the documentation below:
Accurate Data + Strategic Alignment = Growth
A marketing measurement plan isn’t just a map for creating an analytics proficiency; it’s also a tool that can help make existing analytics more proficient.
In either case, it’s an opportunity to create alignment around what really matters and accurate reporting that works hard for everyone.
It’s time to create one for your business, following the steps above, with help from the right stakeholders.
Special thanks to Sam Torres, chief digital officer at Gray Dot Company and speaker at BrightonSEO, for her extensive contribution to this article. Her deep expertise in data strategy and digital marketing ensures the accuracy and relevance of the insights shared here.
There are many different concepts of what a community is, and various definitions.
Outside the context of marketing terminology, the word “community” is primarily associated with local areas or neighbourhoods.
The concept of community as a marketing or growth tool is one that only really began to gain traction in the 21st century.
When I first launched my own community, Women in Tech SEO, which I will refer to as WTS, I didn’t use the term “community.” I used words like “group” or “network,” but neither term felt quite right.
As the language around community marketing became more common, I realized that this was, indeed, what I was creating – this word felt like a much more natural fit.
What Does A Community Look Like?
There are lots of different focal points around which a community can be built.
The key is that enough people care enough about that thing to want to connect with other people that also care about it, and to talk to them about it.
In 2022, Allie Volpe wrote an article in Vox on “Why community matters so much,”1 and referenced the research on “Sense of Community”2 done by David W. McMillan and David M. Chavis, which suggests that a community is defined by four criteria:
Membership – to feel a sense of belonging through shared identity, purpose, or reason for being in the group.
Influence – to feel like you make a difference to the group and that the group makes a difference to you.
Integration and fulfilment of needs – to feel like your needs will be met by other group members.
Shared emotional connection – to feel that you share history or similar experiences.
If your community members don’t feel any of these things, then your community breaks down – essentially you don’t have a community at all.
In community marketing, the brand exists largely in the background.
Convening a community around a particular topic establishes you as an expert and leader in this area, and forms a close relationship with the community members, who are likely to be members of your target audience.
But a relationship is not one-way – you should each get value from one another.
What Is Community Marketing?
Community is not a synonym for customers. In building a community, you are not simply gathering together a group of people that you can sell to.
Some of your community members may be customers, or may go on to become customers, but others will not. Some of your customers will never be interested in joining your community.
When you attract a customer, you are looking specifically for someone who wants to buy your product or service, and you then try to nurture a long-term relationship with them where they continue to buy from you.
When you attract a community member, you are inviting someone to become part of an ecosystem of which you are just one part. They will connect with you and the other members of the community.
They may share attributes in common with your target customer, or they may be linked in other ways with your area of focus.
As counterintuitive as that may sound, the goal of a community is not to turn members into customers. The value of a member is not in whether they spend money with you.
They may become advocates for you, recruit new community members, and help new people get to know your brand.
They may provide useful insights to you and your members, or they may become partners with whom you can collaborate.
You probably already have defined personas of your ideal customers. But, when it comes to community marketing, don’t fall into the trap of thinking these are the personas you want to attract to your community.
Consider the wider environment you want to create, and who would want to be part of that. Who could make a valuable contribution?
With marketing, we create blogs, videos, social media posts, FAQs, email newsletters, guides, and resources that our target customers simply consume.
With a community, on the other hand, we are building interactive relationships. This feels much more personable, and you connect with your members on a more human level. You get to know them as real people.
To get to that point, though, requires dedication. A community marketer needs to be continually serving their community, and constantly thinking about how to improve it.
You need to understand what your members want from the space and from you.
What are their needs, their concerns and their frustrations, in the context of your community topic? Where can you help them, and where are they currently struggling to get help from you?
When you show your members that you care about them, you demonstrate that this is a real community, not a sales platform, and a space where they can belong.
Benefits Of Community For Brands
So, with all this effort involved, why is it worth investing in community building?
At a time when we’re all working hard to build social media followings and email lists, is this just another platform to have to try to grow?
Unlike your social media followers and email subscribers, your community members are in a close relationship with you.
They are rooting for you, brainstorming with you, helping you to uncover ideas and opportunities, and willing you to succeed.
Community members will often be the first to share new products and services that you release – they actively amplify and promote your brand for you because they feel as though they’re part of something.
They can also be actively on the lookout for potential customers whom they will knowledgeably persuade to join you, even helping to onboard these people for you.
They provide valuable insights into what new features, products, or services you need to create and where certain elements might need refining or adjusting. They will be your beta testers and troubleshooters.
They help you understand how to craft your messaging because regular conversations with your community will let you see how your potential customers talk about your product or your industry and what they are looking for.
When you have direct access to a community, it can take minutes to get insights, as opposed to requiring large-scale research projects that may take months to extract valuable information from your target customers.
“For too long we’ve seen consumerism push brands into unsustainable growth models,” says Pete Heslop, Managing Director of Steadfast Collective.
For the past decade, Pete and his team have built bespoke platforms that enable community-led brands to thrive. Pete believes that community is foundational for regenerative business growth.
“We’ve taken responsibility to provide an alternative,” Pete says. “Steadfast Collective believes that people thrive when gathered in community; that generative places, spaces and platforms are where communities grow.”
The Digital Community Leaders Survey Report3 states that communities help individuals, organizations, and society thrive by enabling knowledge sharing, collaboration, and the cocreation of value.
The report goes on to highlight that digital communities play an increasingly essential role in 21st-century lives, organizations, and societies. They affect business outcomes.
Today, brands “earn loyalty and growth” by participating in them. The report also highlights that communities “lessen reliance on costly marketing campaigns and traditional customer support methods.”
And that “empowering customers within online communities cultivates a feeling of ownership, leading to user-generated content, valuable insights, and peer support.”
The report also states that a majority of 70% online communities have grown over the last 12 months, and some of the factors driving this growth include:
The shift to life online.
The normalization of content creation and sharing.
The desire for brands to access customer feedback directly.
Community goes far beyond brand awareness or engagement – it’s the next level of retention and loyalty.
“Community gives you a competitive edge. It really can’t be replicated,” says Laura Roth, B2B SaaS community and marketing leader.
With experience managing communities at Amazon, WeWork, and Vodafone, Laura knows just how impactful the benefits are.
But she also knows that, to achieve those benefits, you need to put in the work. You need to create something unique, that comes from your specific mission and values as an organization, and that speaks to the particular needs of your community.
“Community is a long-term game,” Laura says. “It doesn’t happen overnight, and you can’t copy it.”
If you’re not prepared to invest the time, then you won’t see the outcome.
To read the full book, SEJ readers have an exclusive 25% discount code and free shipping to the US and UK. Use promo code SEJ25 at koganpage.com here.
1 A. Volpe. Why community matters so much – and how to find yours, Vox, 24 March 2022, www.vox.com/22992901/how-to-find-your-community-as-an-adult (archived at https://perma.cc/6F9H-GT4T)
2 D. V. McMillan and D. M. Chavis. An Introduction to Sense of the Community, nd, www.drdavidmcmillan.com/sense-of-community/ article-1 (archived at https://perma.cc/H56M-ZWWS)
3 Digital Community Leaders. 2023 Digital Community Leaders Survey Report, 2023, https://digitalcommunityleaders.com/ (archived at https:// perma.cc/275F-E4C5)
With the increase in AI-generated search results and the growing popularity of answer engines, multinational businesses experience declining organic traffic and revenue from organic searches in more established markets.
It might be time to take a page from the investment market’s playbook and focus resources to target emerging markets.
Market Opportunity
Market volatility in the U.S. and the potential for trade wars have many multinationals diversifying production away from China, resulting in analysts advocating a significant shift in capital investments into emerging markets.
Emerging markets and developing economies are expected to drive global economic growth through 2035 at an average rate of 4.06% compared to 1.59% in advanced economies.
India is one of the fastest-growing major economies, with projections of 6.5% growth. It is closely followed by Southeast Asia’s 5% growth.
India
India represents one of the world’s fastest-growing digital markets, with a 27% CAGR. India’s ecommerce market is expected to reach $350 billion by 2030. The market presents unique revenue opportunities due to its massive scale, rapid digital adoption, and evolving consumer behaviors.
With over 750 million active internet users and over 600 million with smartphones, this mobile-first market favors app-based shopping (60%) rather than using websites.
Southeast Asia (Particularly Indonesia, Vietnam, And The Philippines)
Southeast Asia offers significant growth potential, with high ecommerce adoption rates representing a $100 billion ecommerce market projected to reach $1 trillion by 2030.
With 64% of internet users shopping online and purchasing $73 billion in goods in 2023, Indonesia represents a significant addressable market of high-intent customers.
By 2030, the region’s median average age will be 30.5, with a growing middle class with disposable income.
Mobile-first markets, with 80% of online purchases made using mobile phones.
Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, And Colombia)
Latin America represents a compelling growth opportunity, with its digital market reaching $57.7 million in 2023 and projected to grow at a 27.1% CAGR from 2023 to 2030.
The region’s rapid digital transformation post-Covid has created a strong ecommerce infrastructure, with 74.63% of internet users regularly purchasing online.
A mobile-first region with over 85% of ecommerce via smartphones.
The online marketplace Mercado Libre (Meli) controls over 25% of ecommerce transactions, representing 40 million monthly transactions, offering a solid entry point into the region.
Organic Traffic Diversification
Gartner has predicted a 25% decline in traditional search volume by 2026 to as much as 50% by 2028 as consumers embrace generative AI-powered search, including various AI agents.
Organic traffic diversification through SEO and AI optimization in less saturated markets will help mitigate traffic and revenue risks associated with algorithmic and click volatility in established markets.
As AI-powered search adoption grows globally, emerging markets offer a unique landscape for early movers to capitalize on.
In emerging markets like India, China, and Vietnam, generative AI adoption outpaces developed economies as countries’ investments in digital transformation leverage AI to leapfrog traditional growth paths.
Businesses can tap into new audience segments and gain a competitive edge by focusing on SEO strategies tailored to emerging markets and including AI agents.
Moreover, by establishing a strong presence in emerging markets early on, companies can build brand recognition and authority, which are increasingly important factors in organic search engine rankings.
First-Mover Advantage
All companies are wrestling with leveraging AI-driven search and new platforms, and globally focused CMOs cannot do this in a vacuum, only for mature markets but for all markets simultaneously.
Making AI optimization a global initiative creates a significant opportunity for multinationals to benefit from first-mover advantages in emerging markets.
Establishing Authority: By being among the first to optimize for emerging search platforms and AI-driven search in new markets, CMOs can establish their brand representation as authorities in their respective industries.
Capturing Market Share: Early adoption of AI optimization and advanced SEO strategies in emerging markets allows CMOs to capture a larger share of the search landscape before competitors enter the space.
Building Brand Recognition: As search engines increasingly favor recognized brands, early in the market can help CMOs build strong brand recognition, translating into higher search rankings and increased visibility.
By focusing on SEO to capture growth opportunities in emerging markets, CMOs can drive significant revenue growth and establish a strong presence before competitors.
This approach aligns with the evolving role of CMOs, who are increasingly expected to focus on revenue growth and collaborate across departments and markets to drive business success.
Resource Allocation & Budget Planning
To capture this opportunity, businesses need to think globally and refactor their search marketing budgets, strategies, and programs to be more globally focused.
This will require a shift in the size and types of investments in talent, tools, and research to support the following key areas:
Product Insights: Identify products and solutions that can be adapted and aligned to the needs and wants of local market consumers.
Local Language Optimization: It is critical to localize your content as 73% want reviews in their local language, and 40% will not buy from websites not in their local language.
Mobile-First SEO: In emerging markets, smartphones dominate internet access and purchases, making mobile-first websites and optimizing for mobile commerce critical for success.
AI Optimization: Expertise is needed to create and refactor content and optimize their web infrastructures for AI results, leveraging emerging platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, or AI-enhanced region-specific search engines and marketplaces, gaining a competitive edge in these markets.
International & Technical SEO: Expertise and collaboration will be essential for implementing a team to manage international SEO architecture.
Regional And Local Consultants: Local experts will be a great addition to your team for local market nuances, regional search behaviors, localization, and link building.
The Strategic Imperative For CMOs
For forward-thinking multinational CMOs, the shift toward AI-driven search should not be viewed as a threat but as a strategic inflection point.
The traditional search landscape is evolving, and emerging markets present a unique opportunity to future-proof SEO efforts while driving long-term business growth.
Companies that proactively invest in SEO and AI optimization in high-growth regions will position themselves ahead of competitors who hesitate to expand beyond their core markets.
The digital transformation unfolding in emerging economies creates an environment where early movers can establish dominance, capture market share, and future-proof their search visibility.
This is not just an SEO initiative – it’s a strategic business imperative.
As AI continues reshaping search behaviors, those who recognize and act on the potential of emerging markets today will reap the rewards of sustained digital growth tomorrow.
By allocating resources to SEO in these regions, CMOs can help their organizations mitigate risks associated with declining search volumes in traditional markets while building new revenue streams in markets poised for explosive digital adoption.
Now is the time to pivot, invest, and lead the charge in capturing the next wave of organic search-driven growth.
This post was sponsored by Unbounce. The opinions expressed in this article are the sponsor’s own.
Want to increase sign-ups, sales, or demo requests from your landing page?
How can you ensure your landing page is optimized for conversions?
Landing pages can make or break your conversions.
A well-designed landing page doesn’t just look good; it also seamlessly guides visitors toward action, such as signing up, purchasing, or booking a demo.
A high-performing landing page should align with your goals:
Capturing leads.
Driving sales.
Promoting an event.
The best landing page templates are designed with conversion in mind, featuring strategic layouts, persuasive copy, and clear calls to action.
So, let’s look at a few top-performing landing page examples to learn about why they work and how you should implement them.
1 & 2. FreshGoods & Radiant Yoga Studio: Great For A Clear & Compelling Unique Selling Point
The secret to beating the competition is positioning your brand so you’re the only one in your specific space.
These conversion-optimized landing page templates effectively highlight a USP throughout the design.
A clear and bold headline that immediately communicates the core benefit.
The supporting subheadline allows brands to reinforce the core USP message by expanding on the offer in a way that adds clarity without overwhelming visitors.
The strategic use of whitespace and strong typography ensures that the USP remains the focal point, making it easy for visitors to grasp the value of the offer at a glance.
How To Recreate These Landing Pages
Step 1: Define Your Unique Selling Proposition
A strong USP makes visitors feel like they’ve found exactly what they need. Instead of blending in with competitors, it positions your brand as the only choice.
Ask yourself: What is the one reason customers should choose you over others?
Example: FreshGoods & Radiant Yoga Studio’s landing pages showcase a crystal-clear UVP in their messaging and design.
Step 2: Craft a Compelling Headline & Supporting Headline
Your headline is your first impression, so you have to make it count. The supporting headline expands on that core message.
Best Practices:
Be specific: Instead of “The Best Marketing Tool,” try “Turn Clicks into Customers with AI-Powered Marketing in Minutes.”
Reinforce value: “No coding, no guesswork. Just smarter campaigns that drive real revenue.”
Step 3: Address Concerns with Reinforcing & Closing Statements
A reinforcing statement builds trust (“Trusted by over 10,000 businesses…”).
A closing statement eliminates hesitation (“Every second you wait is a sale you’re losing. Start your free trial now.”)
3 & 4. Vita Health & Orbit SaaS: Great For Hero Images & Visual Storytelling
Before visitors read a single word, visuals will capture their attention and convey meaning.
A strong hero image isn’t just decoration, it sets the tone, builds trust, and instantly reinforces your message. The right imagery makes your offer feel more tangible, relatable, and desirable.
A landing page’s imagery is a strategic tool that helps communicate your offer, build trust, and nudge visitors toward conversion. Choose visuals that don’t just look good but work hard to sell.
A well-chosen visual:
Supports the UVP.
Evokes an emotion that drives action
Showcases the product, service, or outcome in action
Makes the page feel polished, professional, and credible
In addition to the visual, the full landing page benefits from:
Strong hero image placement
An opportunity to reinforce the messaging conveyed with the hero image throughout the page
White space highlights supporting visuals
Visual hierarchy guides site visitors down the page to the parts that matter.
How To Recreate These Landing Pages
Step 1: Choose the Right Hero Image
Before visitors read a word, visuals capture attention. A great hero image should:
Support the USP
Evoke emotion & drive action
Showcase the product, service, or outcome
Step 2: Guide the Visitor’s Eye
Strategic use of visuals can nudge visitors toward your CTA:
Eye gaze: People follow where others are looking in an image.
Angles & positioning: Lines or arrows subtly direct attention to the CTA.
Contrast & color: Key elements should stand out.
Step 3: Reinforce Messaging with Supporting Imagery
Don’t rely on just one image. Use:
Icons & illustrations
Graphs & charts
Customer photos & testimonials
Short videos or GIFs
Bonus Tip:
Use A/B testing to find the ingredients for maximum impact.
The right image can make or break conversions, so test different options. Some images resonate better with your audience, drive more engagement, or feel more aligned with your brand.
Some elements to test include:
People vs. product-focused visuals.
Static images vs. motion (GIFs or videos).
Close-ups vs. wider perspective shots.
Different background colors or lighting.
5 & 6. Serene Vista & Digital Foundry: Great For Clearly Conveying Benefits
Visitors specifically care about what it does for them.
That’s why benefits should take center stage on a conversion-optimized landing page, not just a list of features.
The headshots paired with the social proof enhance trustworthiness and make a connection with site visitors because they can see themselves in the experiences being described.
The rounded shape and contrasting colors make the social proof stand out.
Located near the point of conversion.
How To Create This Landing Page
Step 1: Choose the Right Type of Social Proof
Customer testimonials & reviews
Case studies & success stories
Logos of recognizable brands
Ratings & review scores
Media mentions & awards
Step 2: Strategically Place Social Proof
Near the CTA: Reinforces trust before action.
Midway down the page: Nudges hesitant visitors.
In the hero section: Puts endorsements front and center.
9 & 10. Livewell Lifestyle & Inner Handyman: Great For Turning Interest Into Conversions With Calls To Action
A landing page without a strong CTA is like a roadmap without a destination.
Your CTA is the single most important element that tells visitors what to do next.
And if it’s unclear, compelling, and easy to find, you’ll lose conversions.
A compelling CTA is a combination of copy, design, and placement that removes hesitation and drives action.
CTAs can be customized to stand out and get attention
CTA sizing and positioning make them clear focal points despite having multiple elements on the page. It ensures you get the most conversion power in every pixel
The CTA buttons are placed where it matters throughout the page, making sure the page attempts the conversion when and where it matters most
How To Recreate These Landing Pages
Step 1: Craft a Clear, Compelling CTA
A high-converting CTA should be:
Action-oriented: “Start Growing Today” vs. “Submit”
Benefit-driven: “Unlock Exclusive Access” vs. “Sign Up”
Urgent (if appropriate): “Claim Your Spot Today”
Step 2: CTA Placement for Maximum Impact
Above the fold: First CTA visible immediately.
After key information: CTA follows value explanation.
Near social proof or benefits: Reinforces trust.
At the end of the page: Captures hesitant visitors.
Step 3: CTA Design That Stands Out
Color contrast: The CTA should pop from the background.
Size & positioning: Large enough to be noticeable but not overwhelming.
Whitespace & directional cues: Ensures the CTA is the focal point.
Bonus Tip:
A/B test your CTAs for better conversions.
CTAs aren’t one-size-fits-all. Even small tweaks can make a huge impact on conversions, so A/B testing different variations is essential:
Wording – Try “Get Started” vs. “Try It Free”
Color – A bold button color vs. a softer, branded one
Placement – Above the fold vs. midway down the page
Size and shape – Larger buttons vs. compact ones
Personalization – “Start My Free Trial” vs. “Start Your Free Trial”
Build High-Converting Landing Pages Faster
A great landing page isn’t just about design.
It’s about strategy.
Every element, from your USP and hero images to your social proof and CTAs, is critical in guiding visitors toward conversion. When these elements work together, your landing page drives action.
But building a high-converting landing page from scratch can be time-consuming and complex. That’s why using proven, conversion-optimized templates can give you a head start.
With Unbounce, you get access to 100+ professionally designed landing page templates built for maximum conversions. Whether capturing leads, promoting a product, or running a campaign, these templates help you launch faster, test smarter, and convert better—without needing a developer.
Ready to build an optimized landing page that converts?
Explore Unbounce’s best-performing templates and start optimizing today!
In an ever-increasing world of messy attribution – thanks to privacy law changes, differing platform conversion tracking methods, new sources emerging like AI, and even just continuing to deal with Google Analytics 4 – digital marketing and search key performance indicators (KPIs) can be tough to stand behind or have a lot of confidence in.
We have a lot of great third-party dashboard tools, reporting integrations, and software to help us.
Plus, there are custom routes for data visualization and APIs. Even if you’re a wizard with analytics and pulling it all together, there are still risks and challenges with marketing KPIs.
Whether you’re part of an in-house digital marketing team, an agency, or simply wearing a lot of hats – including digital marketing and analytics – leaving KPIs open to interpretation or not having a complete story to tell is a big risk.
Believing that digital marketing – specifically search marketing – is an investment that should yield returns, I’ve seen firsthand how things can go sideways when we can’t connect the dots between dollars spent and dollars earned.
I’m going to unpack several aspects of marketing versus business goals to help shed some light on how to get the best of both and get things in alignment.
Why Good Marketing Metrics Can Still Get You Fired
It wasn’t until I started writing my book a couple of years ago that I unpacked and started telling my personal story (one that goes back nearly two decades) about how I learned the hard way just how important this topic is.
In my first role as an agency SEO, one of my first clients was a local attorney. I put into practice a great SEO strategy, and after four months, we saw great rankings, increased traffic, and even conversions through web form submissions.
I was stoked going into my monthly reporting meeting with the client. Back then, my reports were generated by software and were pages long. I printed it on glossy paper, stapled it neatly, and got ready for the meeting.
When the client sat down, I walked him through page after page of green numbers and upward-trending graphs.
When I got to the end, there was silence. Then, the client shared that he knew I was working hard and had no problem with these metrics.
However, he hadn’t landed a single new client or case from all of this SEO work. Worse, his front-office staff spent a lot of time on the phone screening bad leads.
My stomach dropped.
That day, I learned the hard way: SEO KPIs don’t equal business goals or return on investment (ROI).
The good news is that I recovered from that, and it wasn’t the end of the client relationship.
However, I hope that gives you some context as to why, at least for lead generation, we can’t just stop at conversions or make dangerous assumptions that they are positively impacting the business.
I don’t want anyone blindsided by things that could have been prevented. That includes making assumptions that key stakeholders – or even those two or three levels removed – can connect the dots between marketing expenses or investments and actual returns.
Yes, some things in marketing are harder than others to quantify, such as branding and design projects. However, there should be a key metric somewhere that you can measure.
The KPI-ROI Disconnect
Starting “at the end” is a recommended approach for getting as deep into business metrics and mapping things out as possible.
Whether you do this during a broader strategy and planning process or you/your team have to do it ad hoc, it is worth doing.
Understanding the complete picture of how your organization (or client) makes money is key. Even in non-profits, this applies.
If you can get to the ultimate business metric that defines performance and success for your organization, then you have the opportunity to work backward from that to connect it to marketing based on the metrics along the way.
For some organizations, this is easy. For others, it’s a challenge, hitting roadblocks with getting the data, getting through silos, or getting a complete picture.
Examples of some of the business metrics that might be tracked include revenue, margin, lifetime value, customer acquisition cost, and some level of ROI (if not connected with margin metrics).
Those are not the most common metrics when it comes to digital marketing. Search and digital marketing metrics often translate to conversions, visits, clicks, click-through rates, return on ad spend (ROAS), and similar.
When you can map things out and see beyond the deepest digital marketing KPI to how it impacts the business metrics, you can get to a defensible and accountable position for the ROI of marketing versus leaving gaps or leaving it up to a “feel” test or someone else’s interpretation of success.
Bridging The Gap
Marketing and business teams need to align to ensure shared success.
At this point, if any of these points or scenarios resonate with you, you might wonder, “How did we even get here?”
That’s a question I’ve encountered personally and one I’ve helped coach through during my career. When there’s a gap or disconnect somewhere, it can often be traced back to one of these reasons:
We didn’t start with a defined strategy and planning process.
We didn’t get new or changing stakeholders up to speed on digital marketing/search marketing strategies and plans.
We inherited the ecosystem or plan.
We didn’t challenge changes in expectations along the way.
We encountered changes in tech (reporting, attribution, customer relationship management (CRM)) and didn’t adapt.
We have too much on our plate already and not enough time.
We don’t know how to navigate politics or the workings of the C-suite and other functions.
I could go on and build an even longer list, but it is too painful. My honest hope is that we can all continue to work to build bridges between functions.
Sometimes, it isn’t fun to step outside the search and digital marketing bubble, but at times, it is in our best interest – for us, our teams, and our organizations.
Gaps often exist due to ignorance, arrogance, people protecting their territory, or other factors. Unfortunately, closing them can be harder than doing the deep level of subject-matter expertise work that you are paid to do.
Finding common ground, aligning metrics at different levels, and getting consensus on what you’re doing – what it can impact and why it is important – are critical to avoid both the surprise “firings” or tough conversations that happen the longer things are not addressed.
In some cases, things map out easily with just a little extra effort going beyond the digital marketing department or function – whether internal or as an external partner.
Regardless, getting fired or losing a contract over a KPI-business gap is extreme – the real risk and outcome we don’t want.
At the same time, we don’t want to spend our days dealing more with politics than SEO, paid search, or other digital marketing.
Recognizing gaps, addressing them, working as a team to link things up, and staying on the same page leads to respect, predictability, and a mindset shift – one where digital marketing is seen as an investment instead of an expense.
In 2025, the extent to which you adapt to emerging technologies, changing user expectations, and evolving search engine algorithms will determine if you’ll thrive or struggle to stay relevant.
Staying ahead of emerging trends is essential for maintaining a fast, secure, and user-friendly website.
Optimizing performance, strengthening security measures, and enhancing user experience will be key factors in staying competitive.
Artificial intelligence has transformed how websites interact with visitors, making online experiences more personalized, engaging, and efficient.
Use AI For Higher Conversion Rates
AI-driven personalization allows websites to deliver tailored content and product recommendations based on user behavior, preferences, and past interactions to create an intuitive experience.
The result? Visitors remain engaged, increasing conversions.
Chatbots and AI-powered customer support are also becoming essential for websites looking to provide instant, 24/7 assistance.
These tools answer common questions, guide users through a website, and even process transactions, reducing the need for human intervention while improving response times.
And they’re gaining in popularity.
71% of businesses in a recent survey either already have a chatbot integrated into their sites and customer service processes or plan to get one in the near future.
And they’re reaping the benefits of this technology; 24% of businesses with a chatbot already installed report excellent ROI.
Use AI For Speeding Up Website Implementation
AI is also revolutionizing content creation and website design.
Based on user data, automated tools can generate blog posts, optimize layouts, and suggest design improvements.
This streamlines website management, making it easier for you to maintain a professional and visually appealing online presence.
For example, many hosting providers now include AI-powered website builders, offering tools that assist with design and customization. These features, such as responsive templates and automated suggestions, can make building and optimizing a website more efficient.
2. Voice Search & Conversational Interfaces
Voice search is becoming a major factor in how users interact with the web, with more people relying on smart speakers, mobile assistants, and voice-activated search to find information.
To put this into perspective, ChatGPT from OpenAI reportedly holds 60% of the generative AI market, performing more than one billion searches daily. If just 1% of those are via its voice search, that equates to 10 million voice searches every day on ChatGPT alone.
Reports estimate 20.5% of people globally use voice search daily. And these numbers are increasing.
You need to adapt by optimizing for conversational SEO and natural language queries, which tend to be longer and more specific, making long-tail keywords and question-based content more important than ever.
To stay ahead, websites should structure content in a way that mimics natural conversation:
Google continues to refine its ranking algorithms, with Core Web Vitals playing a critical role in determining search visibility.
Implement Core Web Vital Data & Monitor Website Speed
These performance metrics, Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), First Input Delay (FID), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS), measure how quickly a page loads, how responsive it is, and how stable its layout appears to users.
Websites that meet these benchmarks not only rank higher in search results but also provide a better overall user experience.
One study found that pages ranking in the top spots in the SERPs were 10% more likely to pass CWV scores than URLs in position 9.
Ensure Your Website Is Faster Than Your Competitors To Rank Higher
As part of the prioritization of performance, mobile-first approach remains essential; Google prioritizes sites that are fast and responsive on smartphones and tablets.
Ensuring faster load times through optimized images, efficient coding, and proper caching techniques can make a significant impact on search rankings.
Leverage Structured Data To Tell Google What Your Website Is About
Structured data, on the other hand, helps search engines better understand a website’s content, improving the chances of appearing in rich snippets and voice search results.
4. Mobile-First & Adaptive Design
With mobile devices accounting for the majority of web traffic, mobile optimization remains a top priority in 2025.
Google’s mobile-first indexing means that search engines primarily evaluate the mobile version of a site when determining rankings.
A website that isn’t optimized for mobile results in overall poor performance, lower search rankings, and a frustrating user experience.
To keep up, many websites are adopting:
Adaptive design – Ensures that websites adjust dynamically to different screen sizes, providing an optimal layout on any device.
Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) – Combine the best features of websites and mobile apps, offering faster load times, offline capabilities, and app-like functionality without requiring a download.
Best practices for a seamless mobile experience include responsive design, fast-loading pages, and touch-friendly navigation.
Optimizing images, minimizing pop-ups, and using mobile-friendly fonts and buttons can also greatly enhance usability.
5. Enhanced Website Security & Data Privacy
Cyber threats are becoming more sophisticated.
You must take proactive measures to protect your websites from attacks, data breaches, and unauthorized access.
Implementing strong security protocols not only safeguards sensitive information but also builds trust with visitors.
Key security measures include:
SSL certificates – Encrypt data transmitted between users and a website, ensuring secure connections—something that search engines and users now expect as a standard feature.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) – Adds an extra layer of security by requiring multiple verification steps before granting access, reducing the risk of compromised credentials.
Zero-trust security models – Ensures that all access requests, even from within a network, are continuously verified, minimizing potential security gaps.
Beyond technical defenses, compliance with evolving privacy laws such as GDPR and CCPA is essential.
You must be transparent about how they collect, store, and process user data, providing clear consent options and maintaining privacy policies that align with current regulations.
6. Sustainability & Green Web Hosting
Every website, server, and data center requires energy to function, contributing to global carbon emissions.
Optimizing websites through lighter code, efficient caching, and reduced server load also plays a role in minimizing environmental impact.
Choosing a hosting provider that values sustainability is an important step toward a greener web.
AI tools can assist in creating blog posts, product descriptions, and videos with minimal manual input, helping businesses maintain a steady content flow efficiently.
Beyond static content, interactive features like quizzes, calculators, and AR are becoming key for user engagement.
These elements encourage participation, increasing time on site and improving conversions.
To integrate interactive features smoothly, a hosting provider that supports interactive plugins and flexible tools can help keep websites engaging and competitive.
8. The Role of Blockchain in Web Security
Blockchain is emerging as a tool for web hosting and cybersecurity, enhancing data security, decentralization, and content authenticity.
Unlike traditional hosting, decentralized networks distribute website data across multiple nodes, reducing risks like downtime, censorship, and cyberattacks. Blockchain-powered domains also add security by making ownership harder to manipulate.
Beyond hosting, blockchain improves data verification by storing information in a tamper-proof ledger, benefiting ecommerce, digital identity verification, and intellectual property protection.
9. The Importance of Reliable Web Hosting
No matter how advanced a website is, it’s only as strong as the hosting infrastructure behind it. In 2025, website performance and uptime will remain critical factors for success, impacting everything from user experience to search engine rankings and business revenue.
Scalable hosting solutions play a crucial role in handling traffic spikes, ensuring that websites remain accessible during high-demand periods.
Whether it’s an ecommerce store experiencing a surge in holiday traffic or a viral blog post drawing in thousands of visitors, having a hosting plan that adapts to these changes is essential.
Reliable hosting providers help mitigate these challenges by offering scalable infrastructure, 100% SLA uptime guarantees, and built-in performance optimizations to keep websites running smoothly.
Features like VPS and dedicated hosting provide additional resources for growing businesses, ensuring that increased traffic doesn’t compromise speed or stability. Investing in a hosting solution that prioritizes reliability and scalability helps safeguard a website’s long-term success.
Future-Proof Your Website Today
The digital landscape is changing fast, and staying ahead is essential to staying competitive.
From AI-driven personalization to enhanced security and sustainable hosting, adapting to new trends ensures your site remains fast, secure, and engaging. Investing in performance and user experience isn’t optional, it’s the key to long-term success.
Whether launching a new site or optimizing an existing one, the right hosting provider makes all the difference.
Bluehost offers reliable, high-performance hosting with built-in security, scalability, and guaranteed uptime, so your website is ready for the future.
Get started today and build a website designed to thrive.
According to a World Economic Forum report, the global AI infrastructure market was valued at $35.42 billion in 2023, and projected to reach $223.45 billion by 2030.
Our own Q4 2024 market research indicates that 55.4% of B2B marketing teams are investing in AI to automate and analyze data to produce actionable buyer and buying group engagement and accelerate conversions.
However, this rapid adoption has revealed a key challenge: the lack of cohesive strategies for these unprecedented investments.
Microsoft’s 2024 Work Trend Index Annual Report echoes this, revealing that 60% of leaders are concerned over their organization’s AI strategy, while 59% are uncertain about AI’s impact on productivity.
For B2B marketers, the real opportunity lies in leveraging AI-optimized data analysis, combined with AI agents, to enable buyers more effectively in a market defined by complex buying journeys and large, defensive buying groups.
The strategic use of AI allows marketers to harness vast pools of data to develop buyer-centric strategies that address these complexities and empower decision-making.
In addition, AI can be leveraged to enhance and append market and marketing insights to demonstrate the tangible value of these efforts.
In this article, I will share key tactics for leveraging AI to enable buyers – and increase conversions by delivering a rich experience.
Why Is Buyer Enablement So Important?
We have seen a significant trend of buyers conducting their own independent research, with almost 70% of the buying journey spent collaborating with other members of the buying group, according to a recent report by 6sense.
To engage these buyers effectively, marketers must shift their focus toward enhancing brand awareness, creating brand preference, and delivering relevant content that supports these buyers in their research and decision-making.
In essence, marketers must create a more enriched buyer experience that aligns seamlessly with the preferences and behaviors of entire buying groups, accounting for the unique needs of each stakeholder.
AI is uniquely positioned to support these buyer-centric strategies by augmenting and optimizing marketing data.
This enables marketers to develop highly tailored and effective strategies to engage buyers at every stage of their journey.
4 Tactics For Leveraging AI To Power Buyer-Centric Strategies
1. Improve Personalization And Targeting With AI-Augmented Intelligence
Demand intelligence, derived from first-party data sources such as analytics, client relationship management (CRM) data, campaign metrics, and client feedback, is essential for delivering personalized outreach that drives qualified engagement.
AI can enhance this personalization by analyzing in bulk and enriching first-party data with firmographic, technographic, and location insights to build detailed buyer personas and detect prospect behavior and intent.
This not only improves targeting but also enables precise mapping of buyer journeys, offering the insights needed to craft highly personalized messaging that resonates deeply with each buying group member.
Additionally, AI can be leveraged to generate conversational content aligned with user behavior and preferences – obviously depending on organizational policies regarding generative content.
This ensures messaging is both relevant and engaging, further driving demand success.
2. ABX Enablement
Personalization at scale is a cornerstone of successful Account Based Experience (ABX) strategies, but achieving it can be both complex and resource-intensive.
AI offers a tactical solution by streamlining critical tasks such as segmentation and data analysis across large sets of accounts.
It can be leveraged to identify pain and friction points in the buyer’s journey, enabling marketers to craft and optimize omnichannel experiences tailored to target accounts.
AI also excels at account prioritization, leveraging dynamic scoring and intent data to pinpoint accounts and buyers with the highest likelihood of conversion.
This ensures that resources are directed toward the most promising opportunities, driving efficiency and maximizing the impact of ABX initiatives.
3. Sophisticated Automated Nurturing Sequences
One of the more exciting use cases of AI is the creation of automated omnichannel nurturing strategies that deliver targeted, cohesive experiences across channels such as email, social media, paid media, and content networks.
By leveraging data analysis, behavioral insights, and machine learning, AI can tailor messaging, timing, and delivery to individual prospect preferences.
How AI optimization can be utilized across marketing channels:
Email: Personalized content based on user engagement and behavior.
Paid media: Large-scale A/B testing and optimized messaging in real-time.
Content activation: The curation and distribution of content to niche platforms based on audience preference.
4. Performance Insights For Greater Optimization
AI has the potential to play a critical role in optimizing performance measurement by providing deeper insights and enabling smarter resource allocation in a timely and cost-effective manner.
Below are only a few ways AI can unlock demand performance:
Multi-touch attribution analysis: Identifying channels, content, and touchpoints that contribute most to conversions, as well as tracking content consumption patterns and trends.
Conversion rate insights: Uncovering key factors influencing conversion rates across account segments, sales stages, or campaigns to inform future outreach.
Engagement trend detection: Detecting shifts in how key accounts engage with different content types or formats to determine content priorities.
Centralized performance hub: Consolidating campaign metrics and results, enabling real-time monitoring and analysis of buying group behavior.
Resource optimization: Identifying underperforming tactics or channels to allow resource allocation to higher-impact activities.
The Importance Of A Unified Strategy
The promise of AI lies in driving innovation through efficiency over pursuing growth at any cost. For this reason, sophisticated strategic planning and data analysis should take precedence over ad-hoc content creation tasks.
With 55% of buyers using AI to automate and analyze data, and 45% focusing on streamlining and optimizing systems and processes, organizations need clear guidance, realistic expectations, and well-defined outcomes to succeed (findings from our Q4 2024 market research).
To achieve this, it is essential to upskill teams in AI and provide a suitable framework for its adoption, including clear guidelines for AI usage, privacy protections, and safeguards against cyber threats.
By doing so, Go-To-Market (GTM) teams can develop a structured approach to AI adoption, characterized by robust governance, standardization, and a focus on sustainable, value-driven implementation.
Key Takeaways
The world is experiencing an AI investment surge: Global investment in AI has reached unprecedented levels. However, many organizations struggle with a lack of cohesive AI strategies and measuring its impact on productivity.
Buyer-centric strategies: The increasing complexity of buying journeys, with large, defensive buying groups, presents a significant opportunity for B2B marketers to leverage generative and agentic AI for more effective engagement.
Ensure strong alignment with buyer needs: Centering AI practices around buyers and buying groups refines your targeting, messaging, and campaign optimization. This alignment directly influences brand perception and the overall quality of the buyer experience.
