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Ep 248: How PR Shapes What AI Says About Your Brand

Ep 248: How PR Shapes What AI Says About Your Brand

by | The Digital Slice

How PR Shapes What AI Says About Your Brand

The Digital Slice Podcast is brought to you by The Friedman Group, LLC

PR is no longer just about media coverage; it’s shaping what AI says about your business. AI search is changing how customers discover, evaluate, and trust brands long before they click a link or visit a website.

Join Brad Friedman and Jackson Wightman as they explore the intersection of public relations and AI search, how PR influences what large language models say about your company, and why building credibility across the entire marketing funnel matters more than ever.

Jackson Wightman is the founder of tech PR agency Proper Propaganda and the author of the Amazon bestselling book The Tech PR Playbook.

Proper Propaganda primarily helps companies build their brand and presence in the U.S. market while connecting PR efforts with the other channels and stages of the marketing funnel.

In this Episode:

  • Jackson explains why PR remains primarily an awareness, reputation, and credibility channel rather than a direct-response tactic.
  • Jackson discusses how traditional PR now intersects with AI search and the sources large language models use to generate answers.
  • Jackson explains why platforms such as Reddit and Wikipedia may carry greater weight depending on which AI platform a company wants to influence.
  • Jackson shares why PR can be difficult to attribute directly to revenue and how it can improve performance marketing results over time.
  • Jackson explains “narrative drift” and why consistent brand signals across the internet matter to large language models.
  • Jackson discusses how PR helps brands enter a buyer’s circle of consideration before that buyer ever clicks through to a website.
  • Jackson shares how third-party reviews, media coverage, and influencers can help businesses build credibility and trust.

Quotes from this Episode:

  • [00:01:00] “PR is really a top-of-funnel or out-of-funnel channel.” – Jackson Wightman
  • [00:02:20] “A lot of the work of PR is really intersecting with AI search.” – Jackson Wightman
  • [00:02:45] “AI search and, and AI presence I think are the new frontier in reputation.” – Jackson Wightman
  • [00:07:40] “The way you show up across the internet from owned, paid, shared sources, it has to be consistent.” – Jackson Wightman
  • [00:11:40] “You have to be around, you have to be familiar, you have to be viewed as worthy of consideration, credible, trustworthy.” – Jackson Wightman
  • [00:13:01] “The most obvious and easy tactic is to go out and get the product that you're trying to sell or the service you're trying to push reviewed by third parties.” – Jackson Wightman

Today's Guest:

Jackson Wightman:

Connect with Brad

Brad Friedman

You can also call the office at 720.248.8185 or email brad@friedmansocialmedia.com.

Books

Sponsors and Tools

This podcast is brought to you by Magai. The tool we use for our AI needs. Magai is over 30 AI apps in one. There's just one subscription to access all the best AI models. Get Magai right here, https://friedmansocialmedia.com/magai. And, if it’s your first time purchasing, use BRAD30 at checkout to get 30% off your first 3 months.

Our favorite Social Media Management Tool is AgoraPulse. Please contact me to learn more about Agorapulse and allow me to connect you with my contact at the company.

Libsyn is the Host of The Digital Slice Podcast. Just use our Libsyn code SLICE at https://friedmansocialmedia.com/libsyn to get up to 2 months of free podcasting service with Libsyn! Get your show on Apple Podcasts, get critical show-building stats—Libsyn even does video!

Streamyard is the tool we use to stream to all major platforms simultaneously directly from a browser. We also use Streamyard to record The Digital Slice Podcast because of its ability to provide us with crystal clear audio and 1080p video. Sign up today for free at https://friedmansocialmedia.com/streamyard

Are you looking for an email service provider that has stood the test of time? Be sure to look at Constant Contact, the provider we use.

Are you looking for a CRM for your business? We suggest taking a look at a few different ones before making your decision. Be sure to look at Nimble, one of our favorite CRMs, and take advantage of a 14-day free trial.

Here is some of the podcasting and video gear we use and recommend. These are often affiliate links.

These products and more can be found at our Amazon Storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/bradfriedman

We highly recommend you use TubeBuddy to up your YouTube game! TubeBuddy: https://www.tubebuddy.com/TheFriedmanGroup

Launch your video Membership course or subscription website community with Uscreen. Uscreen helps creators like you build and grow their online video business with membership sites. See what you can do with Uscreen! https://friedmansocialmedia.com/uscreen

Affiliate Links & Transparency

Thank you for trusting me with my honest opinion on future purchases you may make after listening to this podcast. I am always completely transparent with you. As a friend of The Friedman Group, LLC you allow me to be able to use affiliate/referral links when suggesting items for purchase. Please know I am a customer myself or have done sufficient research to feel comfortable sharing these links with you. When you click on a link and purchase the item I may receive a small “commission.” This allows me to continue to provide you with quality content and doesn't affect you in any way at checkout.

Not every link is a referral link and some appear here because my guest spoke about them and I want to make it easy for you to check 'em out. Thank you!

Ep 247: AI Is Replacing SEO: Here’s What Small Businesses Must Do

Ep 247: AI Is Replacing SEO: Here’s What Small Businesses Must Do

by | The Digital Slice

AI Is Replacing SEO: Here’s What Small Businesses Must Do

The Digital Slice Podcast is brought to you by The Friedman Group, LLC

Your customers are changing how they search, and getting clicks may no longer be the best measure of whether your business is being found.

Join Brad Friedman and Karl-Gustav Kallasmaa as they explore how AI is reshaping search engine optimization, what makes a website useful to AI agents, and which practical tactics can help your small business earn visibility and revenue in the new search landscape.

Karl-Gustav Kallasmaa is a builder at the intersection of search, AI, and diplomacy. He takes an engineering-focused approach to helping businesses understand and improve how their brands appear in AI-generated search answers.

Through Attensira, Karl-Gustav helps companies track their visibility in AI search, identify improvements for landing pages, and create content designed to rank for the questions their customers and AI agents are asking.

In this Episode:

  • Karl-Gustav explains why people increasingly expect AI systems to research and summarize information for them.
  • Karl-Gustav outlines three fundamentals businesses must understand to appear in AI-generated search results.
  • Karl-Gustav shares why traditional Google visibility still matters to AI search.
  • Karl-Gustav discusses how deeper, high-quality content can answer the specific questions AI agents investigate.
  • Karl-Gustav explains why technical SEO fundamentals such as HTTPS, speed, and working links remain essential.
  • Karl-Gustav challenges business owners to measure revenue and conversions rather than obsessing over declining clicks.

Quotes from this Episode:

  • [00:01:01] “They now expect the system to do it for them, and because of that you're no longer optimizing for humans, like, directly.” – Karl-Gustav Kallasmaa
  • [00:03:21] “So fundamentally, you as a business owner, you have to, like, know three things.” – Karl-Gustav Kallasmaa
  • [00:05:27] “So yes, at first, like, make sure that agent can find you and truly understand your website, and then make sure that you can be found.” – Karl-Gustav Kallasmaa
  • [00:06:00] “But like just refreshing Search Console, like that shouldn't be your whole day.” – Karl-Gustav Kallasmaa
  • [00:07:28] “Don't write low-quality stuff, go deeper on a topic.” – Karl-Gustav Kallasmaa
  • [00:17:20] “Google somehow is able to, discover these, link farms, and then they will start penalizing you.” – Karl-Gustav Kallasmaa

Today's Guest:

Karl-Gustav Kallasmaa:

Connect with Brad

Brad Friedman

You can also call the office at 720.248.8185 or email brad@friedmansocialmedia.com.

Books

Sponsors and Tools

This podcast is brought to you by Magai. The tool we use for our AI needs. Magai is over 30 AI apps in one. There's just one subscription to access all the best AI models. Get Magai right here, https://friedmansocialmedia.com/magai. And, if it’s your first time purchasing, use BRAD30 at checkout to get 30% off your first 3 months.

Our favorite Social Media Management Tool is AgoraPulse. Please contact me to learn more about Agorapulse and allow me to connect you with my contact at the company.

Libsyn is the Host of The Digital Slice Podcast. Just use our Libsyn code SLICE at https://friedmansocialmedia.com/libsyn to get up to 2 months of free podcasting service with Libsyn! Get your show on Apple Podcasts, get critical show-building stats—Libsyn even does video!

Streamyard is the tool we use to stream to all major platforms simultaneously directly from a browser. We also use Streamyard to record The Digital Slice Podcast because of its ability to provide us with crystal clear audio and 1080p video. Sign up today for free at https://friedmansocialmedia.com/streamyard

Are you looking for an email service provider that has stood the test of time? Be sure to look at Constant Contact, the provider we use.

Are you looking for a CRM for your business? We suggest taking a look at a few different ones before making your decision. Be sure to look at Nimble, one of our favorite CRMs, and take advantage of a 14-day free trial.

Here is some of the podcasting and video gear we use and recommend. These are often affiliate links.

These products and more can be found at our Amazon Storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/bradfriedman

We highly recommend you use TubeBuddy to up your YouTube game! TubeBuddy: https://www.tubebuddy.com/TheFriedmanGroup

Launch your video Membership course or subscription website community with Uscreen. Uscreen helps creators like you build and grow their online video business with membership sites. See what you can do with Uscreen! https://friedmansocialmedia.com/uscreen

Affiliate Links & Transparency

Thank you for trusting me with my honest opinion on future purchases you may make after listening to this podcast. I am always completely transparent with you. As a friend of The Friedman Group, LLC you allow me to be able to use affiliate/referral links when suggesting items for purchase. Please know I am a customer myself or have done sufficient research to feel comfortable sharing these links with you. When you click on a link and purchase the item I may receive a small “commission.” This allows me to continue to provide you with quality content and doesn't affect you in any way at checkout.

Not every link is a referral link and some appear here because my guest spoke about them and I want to make it easy for you to check 'em out. Thank you!

Ep 246: Why Your Expertise Isn’t Enough To Win The Room

Ep 246: Why Your Expertise Isn’t Enough To Win The Room

by | The Digital Slice

Why Your Expertise Isn’t Enough To Win The Room

The Digital Slice Podcast is brought to you by The Friedman Group, LLC

Great expertise means little if you can’t communicate it clearly enough to earn attention, build trust, and move people to act.

Join Brad Friedman and Matthew Hill as they explore how leaders and professionals can improve their communication, presentations, storytelling, confidence, and written messaging to connect with audiences and create greater impact.

Matthew Hill is a leadership trainer and presentation coach who helps executives, emerging leaders, and teams unlock confidence, clarity, and creativity as they enjoy effective impact, whether they’re pitching, presenting, or navigating high-stakes negotiations.

Through his work with Confident Presenting, Matthew helps people improve both spoken and written communication. His approach uses practical structures, templates, practice, and audience focused techniques to help professionals communicate more persuasively and confidently.

Matthew works with people who want to influence, sell, present, lead, or simply communicate more effectively, helping them turn complex ideas into messages audiences can understand, remember, and act on.

In this Episode:

  • Matthew explains how stronger communication can reduce frustration, misunderstandings, conflict, and costly mistakes.
  • Matthew shares how simple communication templates can improve presentations, pitches, copywriting, and everyday business conversations.
  • Matthew discusses how people can adapt their natural communication styles to become more effective without pretending to be someone they are not.
  • Matthew explains how deliberate practice and small everyday interactions can gradually expand your confidence as a communicator.
  • Matthew reminds leaders that successful communication is ultimately about the audience and the value being delivered—not the speaker’s ego.

Quotes from this Episode:

  • [00:07:03] “If I give you some structures that work, you're likely to use them again and again and again, and you're likely to get much better at them” – Matthew Hill
  • [00:11:32] “The audience love you and want you to win, and it is not about you.” – Matthew Hill
  • [00:13:09] “It's not about quantity, it is absolutely about quality.” – Matthew Hill
  • [00:17:23] “Storytelling is the single best transfer mechanism for knowledge.” – Matthew Hill
  • [00:23:15] “If you are complacent, you will put in an average performance.” – Matthew Hill
  • [00:24:08] “It's all about the audience.” – Matthew Hill

Today's Guest:

Matthew Hill:

Connect with Brad

Brad Friedman

You can also call the office at 720.248.8185 or email brad@friedmansocialmedia.com.

Books

Sponsors and Tools

This podcast is brought to you by Magai. The tool we use for our AI needs. Magai is over 30 AI apps in one. There's just one subscription to access all the best AI models. Get Magai right here, https://friedmansocialmedia.com/magai. And, if it’s your first time purchasing, use BRAD30 at checkout to get 30% off your first 3 months.

Our favorite Social Media Management Tool is AgoraPulse. Please contact me to learn more about Agorapulse and allow me to connect you with my contact at the company.

Libsyn is the Host of The Digital Slice Podcast. Just use our Libsyn code SLICE at https://friedmansocialmedia.com/libsyn to get up to 2 months of free podcasting service with Libsyn! Get your show on Apple Podcasts, get critical show-building stats—Libsyn even does video!

Streamyard is the tool we use to stream to all major platforms simultaneously directly from a browser. We also use Streamyard to record The Digital Slice Podcast because of its ability to provide us with crystal clear audio and 1080p video. Sign up today for free at https://friedmansocialmedia.com/streamyard

Are you looking for an email service provider that has stood the test of time? Be sure to look at Constant Contact, the provider we use.

Are you looking for a CRM for your business? We suggest taking a look at a few different ones before making your decision. Be sure to look at Nimble, one of our favorite CRMs, and take advantage of a 14-day free trial.

Here is some of the podcasting and video gear we use and recommend. These are often affiliate links.

These products and more can be found at our Amazon Storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/bradfriedman

We highly recommend you use TubeBuddy to up your YouTube game! TubeBuddy: https://www.tubebuddy.com/TheFriedmanGroup

Launch your video Membership course or subscription website community with Uscreen. Uscreen helps creators like you build and grow their online video business with membership sites. See what you can do with Uscreen! https://friedmansocialmedia.com/uscreen

Affiliate Links & Transparency

Thank you for trusting me with my honest opinion on future purchases you may make after listening to this podcast. I am always completely transparent with you. As a friend of The Friedman Group, LLC you allow me to be able to use affiliate/referral links when suggesting items for purchase. Please know I am a customer myself or have done sufficient research to feel comfortable sharing these links with you. When you click on a link and purchase the item I may receive a small “commission.” This allows me to continue to provide you with quality content and doesn't affect you in any way at checkout.

Not every link is a referral link and some appear here because my guest spoke about them and I want to make it easy for you to check 'em out. Thank you!

Ep 245: How To Find Sales Reps Built For Cold Outreach

Ep 245: How To Find Sales Reps Built For Cold Outreach

by | The Digital Slice

How To Find Sales Reps Built For Cold Outreach

The Digital Slice Podcast is brought to you by The Friedman Group, LLC

Your best salesperson may be the worst person on your team to handle cold outreach, and Kevin Downey explains why.

Hiring a successful salesperson does not mean you are hiring someone willing or built to spend hours every day prospecting and making cold calls.

Join Brad Friedman and Kevin Downey as they discuss B2B email lead generation, sales team structure, and how to identify sales or business development reps who are built for cold outreach so you can generate more qualified conversations without expecting expensive salespeople to do work they are unlikely to sustain.

Kevin Downey is a Kansas City-based recruitment leader and entrepreneur with a proven track record in business development, sales team building, and B2B email marketing.

Through Kevin M. Downey, he provides sales and business development recruiting and outsourcing services, including dedicated inside sales representatives for clients and recruiting for in-office, territorial, remote, and Latin American roles.

In this Episode:

  • Kevin explains why most B2B companies struggle to use cold email effectively for lead generation.
  • Kevin identifies the three essentials of effective B2B email outreach: volume, a targeted list, and the right copy and messaging.
  • Kevin shares why he models cold email copy after a real cold call instead of traditional marketing sequences.
  • Kevin explains why lead-generation emails should feel like one-to-one messages rather than branded newsletters.
  • Kevin discusses why over-personalizing cold outreach can backfire and why first-name personalization is often enough.
  • Kevin shares what to look for when hiring someone for cold outreach, including prior experience, willingness to prospect daily, and behavioral assessment.
  • Kevin discusses where AI can help with prospecting and email copy—and where human strategy is still necessary.

Quotes from this Episode:

  • [00:02:15] “Email's just the most powerful lead generation medium there is.” – Kevin Downey
  • [00:02:46] “There's three things you have to have to make it work” – Kevin Downey
  • [00:05:28] “The secret with subject lines is we never pitch in subject line.” – Kevin Downey
  • [00:06:14] “That's really the only number I care about. We're, we're watching reply rate.” – Kevin Downey
  • [00:14:35] “With personalization. Too cute, and ultimately it backfires.” – Kevin Downey
  • [00:16:00] “People that are good at business development and people that are good hunter sales reps are total opposites. They're not even close to the same.” – Kevin Downey
  • [00:20:16] “It isn't about replacing people. It's about helping them help themselves.” – Kevin Downey

Today's Guest:

Kevin Downey:

Connect with Brad

Brad Friedman

You can also call the office at 720.248.8185 or email brad@friedmansocialmedia.com.

Books

Sponsors and Tools

This podcast is brought to you by Magai. The tool we use for our AI needs. Magai is over 30 AI apps in one. There's just one subscription to access all the best AI models. Get Magai right here, https://friedmansocialmedia.com/magai. And, if it’s your first time purchasing, use BRAD30 at checkout to get 30% off your first 3 months.

Our favorite Social Media Management Tool is AgoraPulse. Please contact me to learn more about Agorapulse and allow me to connect you with my contact at the company.

Libsyn is the Host of The Digital Slice Podcast. Just use our Libsyn code SLICE at https://friedmansocialmedia.com/libsyn to get up to 2 months of free podcasting service with Libsyn! Get your show on Apple Podcasts, get critical show-building stats—Libsyn even does video!

Streamyard is the tool we use to stream to all major platforms simultaneously directly from a browser. We also use Streamyard to record The Digital Slice Podcast because of its ability to provide us with crystal clear audio and 1080p video. Sign up today for free at https://friedmansocialmedia.com/streamyard

Are you looking for an email service provider that has stood the test of time? Be sure to look at Constant Contact, the provider we use.

Are you looking for a CRM for your business? We suggest taking a look at a few different ones before making your decision. Be sure to look at Nimble, one of our favorite CRMs, and take advantage of a 14-day free trial.

Here is some of the podcasting and video gear we use and recommend. These are often affiliate links.

These products and more can be found at our Amazon Storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/bradfriedman

We highly recommend you use TubeBuddy to up your YouTube game! TubeBuddy: https://www.tubebuddy.com/TheFriedmanGroup

Launch your video Membership course or subscription website community with Uscreen. Uscreen helps creators like you build and grow their online video business with membership sites. See what you can do with Uscreen! https://friedmansocialmedia.com/uscreen

Affiliate Links & Transparency

Thank you for trusting me with my honest opinion on future purchases you may make after listening to this podcast. I am always completely transparent with you. As a friend of The Friedman Group, LLC you allow me to be able to use affiliate/referral links when suggesting items for purchase. Please know I am a customer myself or have done sufficient research to feel comfortable sharing these links with you. When you click on a link and purchase the item I may receive a small “commission.” This allows me to continue to provide you with quality content and doesn't affect you in any way at checkout.

Not every link is a referral link and some appear here because my guest spoke about them and I want to make it easy for you to check 'em out. Thank you!

Ep 244: Why Your Business Isn’t Showing Up On Google Or ChatGPT

Ep 244: Why Your Business Isn’t Showing Up On Google Or ChatGPT

by | The Digital Slice

Why Your Business Isn’t Showing Up On Google Or ChatGPT

The Digital Slice Podcast is brought to you by The Friedman Group, LLC

Why is your competitor ranking above you on Google? SEO isn’t about tricking Google. It’s about proving why your business deserves to rank first.

If your business has years of experience but competitors still outrank you, the problem may be less about what you know and more about what search engines can actually see online.

Join Brad Friedman and Sean Garner as they break down local SEO, AI search visibility, reviews, brand mentions, and smarter ways to use AI so you can improve your rankings and build a more discoverable, credible business online.

Sean Garner is an entrepreneur, marketing strategist, and the founder of Sean Garner Consulting—a full-service agency and fractional CMO partner for local, service-based businesses. His superpower is simplifying marketing—turning confusing tactics into clear, actionable steps that drive real growth.

Sean has helped health and wellness companies, medical clinics, law firms, coaches, consultants, and home service providers grow with clarity, confidence, and consistent lead generation.

Through Sean Garner Consulting, he helps local service businesses with StoryBrand messaging, websites, sales funnels, search engine optimization, fractional CMO consulting, email marketing, and other strategies designed to help them grow and stand out in their markets.

In this Episode:

  • Sean compares SEO to fitness and explains the difference between foundational setup work and the ongoing work required to produce results.
  • Sean breaks down a holistic SEO strategy built around technical SEO, user experience, authority, content, and local visibility through Google Business Profile.
  • Sean warns business owners about paying ongoing retainers for SEO tasks that may largely be one-time setup or monitoring activities.
  • Sean recommends consistently adding useful content to both your website and Google Business Profile to strengthen local search visibility.
  • Sean explains why good SEO is not about tricking Google, but about clearly proving your real-world expertise, experience, and authority online.
  • Sean discusses why competitor analysis matters when setting realistic expectations for how quickly SEO can produce results.

Quotes from this Episode:

  • [00:06:01] “You're not trying to trick or, or hack Google into showing your business up first. SEO is nothing more than being clear and proving it to Google.” – Sean Garner
  • [00:07:50] “It doesn't matter what's going on in your head in the real world. SEO is about taking those things and translating it in digitally so Google knows how to prioritize it to showcase who actually should be number one at the top.” – Sean Garner
  • [00:09:45] “So certain markets, whenever you are starting SEO, it's really good to know what's called your competitor analysis.” – Sean Garner
  • [00:16:23] “Because really good SEO should encompass all of those other things. But if you want to leverage and kind of be one of the first ones to focus on the LLM visibility in your niche, focus on getting, uh, reviews from third-party sites like Yelp and Trustpilot, and then start doing some digital PR and press releases that mention your brand name in the article.” – Sean Garner

Today's Guest:

Sean Garner:

Connect with Brad

Brad Friedman

You can also call the office at 720.248.8185 or email brad@friedmansocialmedia.com.

Books

Sponsors and Tools

This podcast is brought to you by Magai. The tool we use for our AI needs. Magai is over 30 AI apps in one. There's just one subscription to access all the best AI models. Get Magai right here, https://friedmansocialmedia.com/magai. And, if it’s your first time purchasing, use BRAD30 at checkout to get 30% off your first 3 months.

Our favorite Social Media Management Tool is AgoraPulse. Please contact me to learn more about Agorapulse and allow me to connect you with my contact at the company.

Libsyn is the Host of The Digital Slice Podcast. Just use our Libsyn code SLICE at https://friedmansocialmedia.com/libsyn to get up to 2 months of free podcasting service with Libsyn! Get your show on Apple Podcasts, get critical show-building stats—Libsyn even does video!

Streamyard is the tool we use to stream to all major platforms simultaneously directly from a browser. We also use Streamyard to record The Digital Slice Podcast because of its ability to provide us with crystal clear audio and 1080p video. Sign up today for free at https://friedmansocialmedia.com/streamyard

Are you looking for an email service provider that has stood the test of time? Be sure to look at Constant Contact, the provider we use.

Are you looking for a CRM for your business? We suggest taking a look at a few different ones before making your decision. Be sure to look at Nimble, one of our favorite CRMs, and take advantage of a 14-day free trial.

Here is some of the podcasting and video gear we use and recommend. These are often affiliate links.

These products and more can be found at our Amazon Storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/bradfriedman

We highly recommend you use TubeBuddy to up your YouTube game! TubeBuddy: https://www.tubebuddy.com/TheFriedmanGroup

Launch your video Membership course or subscription website community with Uscreen. Uscreen helps creators like you build and grow their online video business with membership sites. See what you can do with Uscreen! https://friedmansocialmedia.com/uscreen

Affiliate Links & Transparency

Thank you for trusting me with my honest opinion on future purchases you may make after listening to this podcast. I am always completely transparent with you. As a friend of The Friedman Group, LLC you allow me to be able to use affiliate/referral links when suggesting items for purchase. Please know I am a customer myself or have done sufficient research to feel comfortable sharing these links with you. When you click on a link and purchase the item I may receive a small “commission.” This allows me to continue to provide you with quality content and doesn't affect you in any way at checkout.

Not every link is a referral link and some appear here because my guest spoke about them and I want to make it easy for you to check 'em out. Thank you!

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