Digital & Internet Marketing

The Growth OS: Leading with AI Beyond Efficiency Part 2

September 4, 2025 by Basil Puglisi Leave a Comment

Part 2: From Pilots to Transformation

Pilots are safe. Transformation is bold. That is why so many AI projects stop at the experiment stage. The difference is not in the tools but in the system leaders build around them. Organizations that treat AI as an add-on end up with slide decks. Organizations that treat it as part of a Growth Operating System apply it within their workflows, governance, and culture, and from there they compound advantage.

The Growth OS is an established idea. Bill Canady’s PGOS places weight on strategy, data, and talent. FAST Ventures has built an AI-powered version designed for hyper-personalized campaigns and automation. Invictus has emphasized machine learning to optimize conversion cycles. The throughline is clear: a unified operating system outperforms a patchwork of projects.

My application of Growth OS to AI emphasizes the cultural foundation. Without trust, transparency, and rhythm, even the best technical deployments stall. Over sixty percent of executives name lack of growth culture and weak governance as the largest barriers to AI adoption (EY, 2024; PwC, 2025). When ROI is defined only as expense reduction, projects lose executive oxygen. When governance is invisible, employees hesitate to adopt.

The correction is straightforward but requires discipline. Anchor AI to growth outcomes such as revenue per employee, customer lifetime value, and sales velocity. Make governance visible with clear escalation paths and human-in-the-loop judgment. Reward learning velocity as the cultural norm. These moves establish the trust that makes adoption scalable.

To push leaders beyond incrementalism, I use the forcing question: What Would Growth Require? (#WWGR) Instead of asking what AI can do, I ask what outcome growth would demand if this function were rebuilt with AI at its core. In sales, this reframes AI from email drafting to orchestrating trust that compresses close rates. In product, it reframes AI from summaries to live feedback loops that de-risk investment. In support, it reframes AI from ticket deflection to proactive engagement that reduces churn and expands retention.

“AI is the greatest growth engine humanity has ever experienced. However, AI does lack true creativity, imagination, and emotion, which guarantees humans have a place in this collaboration. And those that do not embrace it fully will be left behind.” — Basil Puglisi

Scaling this approach requires rhythm. In the first thirty days, leaders define outcomes, secure data, codify compliance, and run targeted experiments. In the first ninety days, wins are promoted to always-on capabilities and an experiment spine is created for visibility and discipline. Within a year, AI becomes a portfolio of growth loops across acquisition, onboarding, retention, and expansion, funded through a growth P&L, supported by audit trails and evaluation sets that make trust tangible.

Culture remains the multiplier. When leaders anchor to growth outcomes like learning velocity and adoption rates, innovation compounds. When teams see AI as expansion rather than replacement, engagement rises. And when the entire approach is built on trust rather than control, the system generates value instead of resistance. That is where the numbers show a gap: industries most exposed to AI have quadrupled productivity growth since 2020, and scaled programs are already producing revenue growth rates one and a half times stronger than laggards (McKinsey & Company, 2025; Forbes, 2025; PwC, 2025).

The best practice proof is clear. A subscription brand reframed AI from churn prevention to growth orchestration, using it to personalize onboarding, anticipate engagement gaps, and nudge retention before risk spiked. The outcome was measurable: churn fell, lifetime value expanded, and staff shifted from firefighting to designing experiences. That is what happens when AI is not a tool but a system.

I have also lived this shift personally. In 2009, I launched Visibility Blog, which later became DBMEi, a solo practice on WordPress.com where I produced regular content. That expanded into Digital Ethos, where I coordinated seven regular contributors, student writers, and guest bloggers. For two years we ran it like a newsroom, which prepared me for my role on the International Board of Directors for Social Media Club Global, where I oversaw content across more than seven hundred paying members. It was a massive undertaking, and yet the scale of that era now pales next to what AI enables. In 2023, with ChatGPT and Perplexity, I could replicate that earlier reach but only with accuracy gaps and heavy reliance on Google, Bing, and JSTOR for validation. By 2024, Gemini, Claude, and Grok expanded access to research and synthesis. Today, in September 2025, BasilPuglisi.com runs on what I describe as the five pillars of AI in content. One model drives brainstorming, several focus on research and source validation, another shapes structure and voice, and a final model oversees alignment before I review and approve for publication. The outcome is clear: one person, disciplined and informed, now operates at the level of entire teams. This mirrors what top-performing organizations are reporting, where AI adoption is driving measurable growth in productivity and revenue (Forbes, 2025; PwC, 2025; McKinsey & Company, 2025). By the end of 2026, I expect to surpass many who remain locked in legacy processes. The lesson is simple: when AI is applied as a system, growth compounds. The only limits are discipline, ownership, and the willingness to move without resistance.

Transformation is not about showing that AI works. That proof is behind us. Transformation is about posture. Leaders must ask what growth requires, run the rhythm, and build culture into governance. That is how a Growth OS mindset turns pilots into advantage and positions the enterprise to become more than the sum of its functions.

References

Canady, B. (2021). The Profitable Growth Operating System: A blueprint for building enduring, profitable businesses. ForbesBooks.

Deloitte. (2017). Predictive maintenance and the smart factory.

EY. (2024, December). AI Pulse Survey: Artificial intelligence investments set to remain strong in 2025, but senior leaders recognize emerging risks.

Forbes. (2025, June 2). 20 mind-blowing AI statistics everyone must know about now in 2025.

Forbes. (2025, September 4). Exclusive: AI agents are a major unlock on ROI, Google Cloud report finds.

IMEC. (2025, August 4). From downtime to uptime: Using AI for predictive maintenance in manufacturing.

Innovapptive. (2025, April 8). AI-powered predictive maintenance to cut downtime & costs.

F7i.AI. (2025, August 30). AI predictive maintenance use cases: A 2025 machinery guide.

McKinsey & Company. (2025, March 11). The state of AI: Global survey.

PwC. (2025). Global AI Jobs Barometer.

Stanford HAI. (2024, September 9). 2025 AI Index Report.

Platform Ecosystems and Plug-in Layers

August 25, 2025 by Basil Puglisi Leave a Comment

The plug-in layer is no longer optional. Enterprises now curate GPT Store stacks, Grok plug-ins, and compliance filters the same way they once curated app stores. The fact is adoption crossed three million custom GPTs in less than a year (OpenAI, 2024). The tactic is simple: use curated sections for research, compliance, or finance so workflows stay in line. It works because teams don’t lose time switching tools, and approval cycles sit inside the same stack. Who benefits? With a little checks and balances in the practices, the marketing and compliance directors who need assets reviewed before they move find streamlined value.

Grok 4 raises the bar with real-time search and document analysis (xAI, 2024). The tactic is to point it at sector reports or financials, then ask for stepwise summaries that highlight cost, revenue, or compliance gaps. It works because numbers land alongside explanations instead of scattered across drafts, with Grok this happens UpToDate and in real time, not just a database in the AI. The benefit goes to analysts and campaign planners who must build messages that hold up under review because the output sees everything up to date of prompt, not just copy that sounds good.

Google and Anthropic moved Claude into Vertex AI with global endpoints (Google Cloud, 2025). The fact is enterprises can now route traffic across regions with caching that lowers cost and latency. The tactic is to run coding and content workflows through Claude inside Vertex, where security and governance are already in place. It works because performance scales without losing control. Who benefits? Developers in regulated industries, when they invest in their process and speed matters but oversight cannot be skipped.

Perplexity and Sprinklr connect the research and compliance layer. Perplexity Deep Research scans hundreds of sources and produces cite-first briefs in minutes (Perplexity, 2025). The tactic is to slot these briefs directly into Sprinklr’s compliance filters, which flag tone or bias before responses go live (Sprinklr, 2025). It works because research quality and compliance checks are chained together. Who benefits? B2C brands that invest into their setup and new processes when they run campaigns across social channels where missteps are public and costly.

Lakera Guard closes the loop with real-time filters. Its July updates improved guardrails and moderation accuracy (Lakera, 2025). The tactic is to run assets through Lakera before they publish, measuring catch rates and logging exceptions. It works because risk checks move from manual review to automatic guardrails. Who benefits? Fortune 500 firms, SaaS providers, and nonprofits that cannot afford errors or policy violations in public channels.

Best Practice Spotlights
Dropbox integrated Lakera Guard with GPT Store plug-ins to secure LLM-powered features (Dropbox, 2024). Compliance approvals moved 30 percent faster, errors fell by 35 percent, not a typo. One lead said it was like plugging holes in a chessboard, the leaks finally stopped. The lesson is that when guardrails live inside the plug-in stack, speed and safety move together.

SoftBank worked with Perplexity Pro and Sprinklr to upgrade customer interactions in Japan (Perplexity, 2025). Cycle times fell 27 percent, exceptions dropped 20 percent, looked like plugging holes in a chessboard, and customer satisfaction lifted. The lesson is that compliance and engagement can run in parallel when the plug-in layer does the review work before the customer sees it.

Creative Consulting Corner
A B2B SaaS provider struggles with fragmented plug-ins and approvals that drag on for days. The solution is to curate a GPT Store stack for research and compliance, add Lakera Guard as a pre-publish filter, and track exceptions in a shared dashboard. Approvals move 30 percent faster, error rates drop, and executives defend budgets with proof. Optimization tip, publish a monthly compliance scorecard so the lift is visible.

A B2C retailer fights campaign fatigue and review delays. Perplexity Pro delivers cite-first briefs, Sprinklr’s compliance module flags tone and bias, and the team refreshes creative weekly. Cycle times shorten, ad rejection rates fall, and engagement lifts. Optimization tip, keep one visual anchor constant so recognition compounds even as content rotates.

A nonprofit faces the challenge of multilingual safety guides under strict donor oversight. Curated translation plug-ins feed Lakera Guard for risk filtering, with disclosure lines added by default. Time to publish drops, completion improves, complaints shrink. Optimization tip, keep a public provenance note so donors see transparency built in.

Closing thought
Here’s the thing, ecosystems only matter when they close the space between idea and approval. This doesn’t happen without some trial and error, then requires oversight, which sounds like a lot of manpower, but the output multiplies. GPT Store curates’ workflows, Grok 4 brings real-time analysis, Claude runs inside enterprise rails, Perplexity and Sprinklr steady research and compliance, and Lakera Guard enforces risk checks. With transparency labeling now a regulatory requirement, provenance and disclosure run in the background. The teams that treat ecosystems as infrastructure, not experiments, gain speed they can measure, trust they can defend, and credibility that lasts. The key is not to try to minimize but balance oversight with the ability to produce more.

References

Anthropic. (2025, July 30). About the development partner program. Anthropic Support.

Dropbox. (2024, September 18). How we use Lakera Guard to secure our LLMs. Dropbox Tech Blog.

European Commission. (2025, July 31). AI Act | Shaping Europe’s digital future. European Commission.

European Parliament. (2025, February 19). EU AI Act: First regulation on artificial intelligence. European Parliament.

European Union. (2025, July 24). AI Act | Shaping Europe’s digital future. European Union.

Google Cloud. (2025, May 23). Anthropic’s Claude Opus 4 and Claude Sonnet 4 on Vertex AI. Google Cloud Blog.

Google Cloud. (2025, July 28). Global endpoint for Claude models generally available on Vertex AI. Google Cloud Blog.

Lakera. (2024, October 29). Lakera Guard expands enterprise-grade content moderation capabilities for GenAI applications. Lakera.

Lakera. (2025, June 4). The ultimate guide to prompt engineering in 2025. Lakera Blog.

Lakera. (2025, July 2). Changelog | Lakera API documentation. Lakera Docs.

OpenAI. (2024, January 10). Introducing the GPT Store. OpenAI.

OpenAI Help Center. (2025, August 22). ChatGPT — Release notes. OpenAI Help.

Perplexity. (2025, February 14). Introducing Perplexity Deep Research. Perplexity Blog.

Perplexity. (2025, July 2). Introducing Perplexity Max. Perplexity Blog.

Perplexity. (2025, March 17). Perplexity expands partnership with SoftBank to launch Enterprise Pro Japan. Perplexity Blog.

Sprinklr. (2025, August 7). Smart response compliance. Sprinklr Help Center.

xAI. (2024, November 4). Grok. xAI.

Why AI Detection Tools Fail at Measuring Value [OPINION]

May 22, 2025 by Basil Puglisi Leave a Comment

AI detection platforms promise certainty, but what they really deliver is confusion. Originality.ai, GPTZero, Turnitin, Copyscape, and Writer.com all claim to separate human writing from synthetic text. The idea sounds neat, but the assumption behind it is flawed. These tools dress themselves up as arbiters of truth when in reality they measure patterns, not value. In practice, that makes them wolves in sheep’s clothing, pretending to protect originality while undermining the very foundations of trust, creativity, and content strategy. What they detect is conformity. What they miss is meaning. And meaning is where value lives.

The illusion of accuracy is the first trap. Originality.ai highlights its RAID study results, celebrating an 85 percent accuracy rate while claiming to outperform rivals at 80 percent. Independent tests tell a different story. Scribbr reported only 76 percent accuracy with numerous false positives on human writing. Fritz.ai and Software Oasis praised the platform’s polished interface and low cost but warned that nuanced, professional content was regularly flagged as machine generated. Medium reviewers even noted the irony that well structured and thoroughly cited articles were more likely to be marked as artificial than casual and unstructured rants. That is not accuracy. That is a credibility crisis.

This problem deepens when you look at how detectors read the very things that give content value. Factics, KPIs, APA style citations, and cross referenced insights are not artificial intelligence. They are hallmarks of disciplined and intentional thought. Yet detectors interpret them as red flags. Richard Batt’s 2023 critique of Originality.ai warned that false positives risked livelihoods, especially for independent creators. Stanford researchers documented bias against non native English speakers, whose work was disproportionately flagged because of grammar and phrasing differences. Vanderbilt University went so far as to disable Turnitin’s AI detector in 2023, acknowledging that false positives had done more harm to student trust than good. The more professional and rigorous the content, the more likely it is to be penalized.

That inversion of incentives pushes people toward gaming the system instead of building real value. Writers turn to bypass tricks such as adjusting sentence lengths, altering tone, avoiding structure, or running drafts through humanizers like Phrasly or StealthGPT. SurferSEO even shared workarounds in its 2024 community guide. But when the goal shifts from asking whether content drives engagement, trust, or revenue to asking whether it looks human enough to pass a scan, the strategy is already lost.

The effect is felt differently across sectors. In B2B, agencies report delays of 30 to 40 percent when funneling client content through detectors, only to discover that clients still measure return on investment through leads, conversions, and message alignment, not scan scores. In B2C, the damage is personal. A peer reviewed study found GPTZero remarkably effective in catching artificial writing in student assignments, but even small error rates meant false accusations of cheating with real reputational consequences. Non profits face another paradox. An NGO can publish AI assisted donor communications flagged as artificial, yet donations rise because supporters judge clarity of mission, not the tool’s verdict. In every case, outcomes matter more than detector scores, and detectors consistently fail to measure the outcomes that define success.

The Vanderbilt case shows how misplaced reliance backfires. By disabling Turnitin’s AI detector, the university reframed academic integrity around human judgment, not machine guesses. That decision resonates far beyond education. Brands and publishers should learn the same lesson. Technology without context does not enforce trust. It erodes it.

My own experience confirms this. I have scanned my AI assisted blogs with Originality.ai only to see inconsistent results that undercut the value of my own expertise. When the tool marks professional structure and research as artificial, it pressures me to dilute the very rigor that makes my content useful. That is not a win. That is a loss of potential.

So here is my position. AI detection tools have their place, but they should not be mistaken for strategy. A plumber who claims he does not own a wrench would be suspect, but a plumber who insists the wrench is the measure of all work would be dangerous. Use the scan if you want, but do not confuse the score with originality. Originality lives in outcomes, not algorithms. The metrics that matter are the ones tied to performance such as engagement, conversions, retention, and mission clarity. If you are chasing detector scores, you are missing the point.

AI detection is not the enemy, but neither is it the savior it pretends to be. It is, in truth, a distraction. And when distractions start dictating how we write, teach, and communicate, the real originality that moves people, builds trust, and drives results becomes the first casualty.

*note- OPINION blog still shows only 51% original, despite my effort to use wolf sheep and plumbers…

References

Originality.ai. (2024, May). Robust AI Detection Study (RAID).

Fritz.ai. (2024, March 8). Originality AI – My Honest Review 2024.

Scribbr. (2024, June 10). Originality.ai Review.

Software Oasis. (2023, November 21). Originality.ai Review: Future of Content Authentication?

Batt, R. (2023, May 5). The Dark Side of Originality.ai’s False Positives.

Advanced Science News. (2023, July 12). AI detectors have a bias against non-native English speakers.

Vanderbilt University. (2023, August 16). Guidance on AI Detection and Why We’re Disabling Turnitin’s AI Detector.

Issues in Information Systems. (2024, March). Can GPTZero detect if students are using artificial intelligence?

Gold Penguin. (2024, September 18). Writer.com AI Detection Tool Review: Don’t Even Bother.

Capterra. (2025, pre-May). Copyscape Reviews 2025.

Basil Puglisi used Originality.ai to eval this content and blog.

Building Authority with Verified AI Research [Two Versions, #AIa Originality.ai review]

April 28, 2025 by Basil Puglisi Leave a Comment

***This article is published first as Basil Puglisi Original work and written and dictated to AI, you can see the Originality.ai review of my work, it then is republished again in this same page after AI helps refine the content, my opinion is the second version is the better content and more professional but the AI scan would claim it has less value, I be reviewing AI scans next month***

I have been in enough boardrooms to recognize the cycle. Someone pushes for more output, the dashboards glow, and soon the team is buried in decks and reports that nobody trusts. Noise rises, but credibility does not. Volume by itself has never carried authority.

What changes the outcome is proof. Proof that every claim ties back to a source. Proof that numbers can be traced without debate. Proof that an audience can follow the trail and make their own judgment. Years ago I put a name to that approach: the Factics method. The idea came from one campaign where strategy lived in one column and data in another, and no one bothered to connect the two. Factics is the bridge. Facts linked with tactics, data tied to strategy. It forces receipts before scale, and that is where authority begins.

Perplexity’s enterprise release showed the strength of that principle. Every answer carried citations in place, making it harder for teams to bluff their way through metrics. When I piloted it with a finance client, the shift was immediate. Arguments about what a metric meant gave way to questions about what to do with it. Backlinks climbed by double digits, but the bigger win was cultural. People stopped hiding behind dashboards and began shaping stories that could withstand audits.

Claude Sonnet carried a similar role in long reports. Its extended context window meant whitepapers could finally be drafted with fewer handoffs between writers. Instead of patching paragraphs together from different writers, a single flow could carry technical depth and narrative clarity. The lift was not only in speed but in the way reports could now pass expert review with fewer rewrites.

Other tools filled the workflow in motion. ElevenLabs took transcripts and turned them into quick audio snippets for LinkedIn. Descript polished behind-the-scenes recordings into reels, while Surfer SEO scored drafts for topical authority before publication. None of them mattered on their own, but together they formed a loop where compliance, research, and social proof reinforced one another. The outcome was measurable: steadier trust signals in search, more reliable performance on LinkedIn, and fewer compliance penalties flagged by governance software.

Creative Concepts Corner

B2B — Financial Services Whitepaper
A finance firm ran competitor research through Perplexity Pro, pulled the citations, and built a whitepaper with Claude Sonnet. Surfer scored it for topical authority, and ElevenLabs added an audio briefing for LinkedIn. Backlinks rose 15%, compliance errors fell under 5%, and lead quality improved. The tip: build the Factics framework into reporting so citations carry forward automatically.

B2C — Retail Campaign Launch
A retail brand used Descript to edit behind-the-scenes launch content, paired with ElevenLabs audio ads for Instagram. Perplexity verified campaign stats in real time, ensuring ad claims were sourced. Compliance penalties stayed near zero, campaign ROI lifted by 12%, and sentiment held steady. The tip: treat compliance checks like creative edits — built into the process, not bolted on.

Nonprofit — Health Awareness
A health nonprofit ran 300 articles through Claude Sonnet to align with expertise and accuracy standards. Lakera Guard flagged risky phrasing before launch, while DALL·E supplied imagery free of trademark issues. The result: a 97% compliance score and higher search visibility. The tip: use a shared dashboard to prioritize which content pieces need review first.

Closing Thought

Authority is not abstract. It shows up in backlinks earned, in the compliance rate that holds steady, and in how an audience responds when they can trace the source themselves. Perplexity, Claude, Surfer, ElevenLabs, Descript — none of them matter on their own. What matters is how they hold together as a system. The proof is not the toggle or the feature. It is the fact that the teams who stop treating this as a side experiment and begin leaning on it daily are the ones entering 2025 with something real — speed they can measure, trust they can defend, and credibility that endures.

References

Acrolinx. (2025, March 5). AI and the law: Navigating legal risks in content creation. Acrolinx.

Anthropic. (2024, March 4). Introducing the next generation of Claude. Anthropic.

AWS News Blog. (2024, March 27). Anthropic’s Claude 3 Sonnet model is now available on Amazon Bedrock. Amazon Web Services.

ElevenLabs. (2025, March 17). March 17, 2025 changelog. ElevenLabs.

FusionForce Media. (2025, February 25). Perplexity AI: Master content creation like a pro in 2025. FusionForce Media.

Google Cloud. (2024, March 14). Anthropic’s Claude 3 models now available on Vertex AI. Google.

Harvard Business School. (2025, March 31). Perplexity: Redefining search. Harvard Business School.

Influencer Marketing Hub. (2024, December 1). Perplexity AI SEO: Is this the future of search? Influencer Marketing Hub.

Inside Privacy. (2024, March 18). China releases new labeling requirements for AI-generated content. Covington & Burling LLP.

McKinsey & Company. (2025, March 12). The state of AI: Global survey. McKinsey & Company.

Perplexity. (2025, January 4). Answering your questions about Perplexity and our partnership with AnyDesktop. Perplexity AI.

Perplexity. (2025, February 13). Introducing Perplexity Enterprise Pro. Perplexity AI.

Quora. (2024, March 5). Poe introduces the new Claude 3 models, available now. Quora Blog.

Solveo. (2025, March 3). 7 AI tools to dominate podcasting trends in 2025. Solveo.

Surfer SEO. (2025, January 27). What’s new at Surfer? Product updates January 2025. Surfer SEO.

YouTube. (2025, March 26). Descript March 2025 changelog: Smart transitions & Rooms improvements. YouTube.

Basil Puglisi shared eval from original content from Originality.ai

+++ AI Assisted Writing, placing content for rewrite and assistance +++

Teams often chase volume and hope credibility follows. Dashboards light up, reports multiply, yet trust remains flat. Volume alone does not build authority. The shift happens when every claim carries receipts, when proof is embedded in the process, and when data connects directly to tactics. Years ago I gave that framework a name: the Factics method. It forces strategy and evidence into the same lane, and it turns output into something an audience can trace and believe.

Perplexity’s enterprise release showed the strength of that approach. Citations appear in place, making it harder for teams to bluff their way through metrics. In practice the change is cultural as much as technical. At a finance client, arguments about definitions gave way to decisions about action. Backlinks climbed by double digits, and the greater win was that trust in reporting no longer stalled campaigns. Proof became part of the rhythm.

Claude Sonnet added its own weight in long-form reports. Extended context windows meant fewer handoffs between writers and fewer stitched paragraphs. Reports carried technical depth and narrative clarity in a single draft. The benefit was speed, but also a cleaner path through expert review. Rewrites fell, cycle time dropped, and credibility improved.

Other tools shaped the workflow in motion. ElevenLabs produced audio briefs from transcripts that fit neatly into LinkedIn feeds. Descript polished behind-the-scenes recordings into usable reels. Surfer SEO flagged drafts for topical authority before they went live. None of these tools deliver authority on their own, but together they form a cycle where compliance, research, and distribution reinforce each other. The results are measurable: steadier trust signals in search, stronger LinkedIn performance, and fewer compliance penalties flagged downstream.

Best Practice Spotlight

A finance firm demonstrated how Factics translates into outcomes. Competitor research ran through Perplexity Pro, citations carried forward, and Claude Sonnet produced a whitepaper that Surfer validated for topical authority. ElevenLabs added an audio briefing for distribution. The outcome was clear: backlinks rose 15 percent, compliance errors fell under 5 percent, and lead quality improved. The lesson is practical. Build citation frameworks into reporting so proof travels with every draft.

Creative Consulting Concepts

B2B — Financial Services Whitepaper

Challenge: Research decks lacked trust.
Execution: Perplexity sourced citations, Claude structured the whitepaper, Surfer validated authority, ElevenLabs created LinkedIn audio briefs.
Impact: Backlinks increased 15 percent, compliance errors stayed under 5 percent, lead quality lifted.
Tip: Automate Factics so citations flow forward without manual work.

B2C — Retail Campaign Launch

Challenge: Marketing claims needed real-time validation.
Execution: Descript refined behind-the-scenes launch clips, ElevenLabs produced audio ads, Perplexity verified stats live.
Impact: ROI rose 12 percent, compliance penalties stayed near zero, sentiment held steady.
Tip: Treat compliance checks as part of editing, not as a final review stage.

Nonprofit — Health Awareness

Challenge: Scale content without losing accuracy.
Execution: Claude Sonnet shaped 300 articles, Lakera Guard flagged risk, DALL·E supplied safe imagery.
Impact: Compliance reached 97 percent, search visibility climbed.
Tip: Use shared dashboards to prioritize reviews across lean teams.

Closing Thought

Authority is not theory. It is Perplexity carrying receipts, Claude adding depth, Surfer strengthening signals, ElevenLabs translating research to audio, and Descript turning raw into polished. Compliance runs in the background, steady and necessary. The teams that stop treating this as a trial and start relying on it daily are the ones entering 2025 with something durable, speed they can measure, trust they can defend, and credibility that endures.

References

Acrolinx. (2025, March 5). AI and the law: Navigating legal risks in content creation. Acrolinx. https://www.acrolinx.com/blog/ai-laws-for-content-creation

Anthropic. (2024, March 4). Introducing the next generation of Claude. Anthropic. https://www.anthropic.com/news/claude-3-family

AWS News Blog. (2024, March 27). Anthropic’s Claude 3 Sonnet model is now available on Amazon Bedrock. Amazon Web Services. https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/aws/anthropic-claude-3-sonnet-model-is-now-available-on-amazon-bedrock/

ElevenLabs. (2025, March 17). March 17, 2025 changelog. ElevenLabs. https://elevenlabs.io/docs/changelog/2025/3/17

FusionForce Media. (2025, February 25). Perplexity AI: Master content creation like a pro in 2025. FusionForce Media. https://fusionforcemedia.com/perplexity-ai-2025/

Harvard Business School. (2025, March 31). Perplexity: Redefining search. Harvard Business School. https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=67198

McKinsey & Company. (2025, March 12). The state of AI: Global survey. McKinsey & Company. https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/quantumblack/our-insights/the-state-of-ai

Surfer SEO. (2025, January 27). What’s new at Surfer? Product updates January 2025. Surfer SEO. https://surferseo.com/blog/january-2025-update/

YouTube. (2025, March 26). Descript March 2025 changelog: Smart transitions & Rooms improvements. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdVY7wTZAIE

Basil Puglisi, sharing eval by Originality.ai after AI intervention in content.

LinkedIn Sponsored Articles, Adobe Premiere Pro AI Speech Enhancement, and the Google Core Update

November 25, 2024 by Basil Puglisi Leave a Comment

LinkedIn continues to evolve as a content platform, Adobe brings AI precision into video editing workflows, and Google shakes up the search landscape with another core update. Together, these shifts redefine how content is created, distributed, and discovered in real time. For marketers and communicators, the alignment matters because it directly connects storytelling, technical delivery, and audience trust into one continuous cycle. The value shows up in measurable terms like higher quality leads, shorter campaign production cycles, improved organic visibility, and stronger click through rates.

LinkedIn now extends its credibility as the professional network of record by giving marketers access to Sponsored Articles. Unlike quick ads or promoted posts, Sponsored Articles are long form, content rich placements that appear directly in the feeds of targeted professionals. The model allows brands to scale thought leadership by embedding their insights inside the platform where business decisions are already happening. The demand for trustworthy B2B content is rising and Sponsored Articles tap that expectation by positioning companies as educators first, sellers second.

Adobe Premiere Pro strengthens its role as a production cornerstone with new AI speech enhancement features. Marketers who depend on video storytelling often lose valuable time to poor audio quality or expensive post production fixes. By automating clarity, cleaning background noise, and sharpening voices, Premiere Pro reduces editing cycles while improving viewer experience. The tool is not just about saving hours in the editing bay. It is about delivering professional grade content that holds attention, drives engagement, and elevates brand perception.

Google’s October core update, which continues into November, is another reminder that the search ecosystem is a moving target. Sites built on thin, outdated, or untrustworthy content feel the impact quickly while those investing in expertise and authority see stronger visibility. This is Google reinforcing its message that content must not only be helpful but also be credible and trustworthy. Publishers that adapt win impressions and clicks while laggards face shrinking visibility.

“Young people are using TikTok as a search engine. Here’s what they’re finding.” — The Washington Post, March 5, 2024

This reminder from earlier in the year underscores why every channel decision matters. Social platforms train expectations for immediacy and relevance. AI tools set standards for speed and personalization. Search engines define the rules of discoverability. Together, they create the operating system for digital communication. Factics in this moment highlight that sponsored articles reduce cost per lead by up to 35 percent when supported by strong creative, AI audio tools can cut production time by 30 percent, and content aligned to Google’s E E A T framework increases visibility by more than 80 percent after a recovery period. These are not abstract benefits. They are trackable outcomes tied to pipeline growth, campaign efficiency, and discoverability.

Best Practice Spotlight

Gong and LinkedIn Sponsored Content
B2B SaaS provider Gong uses LinkedIn Sponsored Content and Conversation Ads to target high intent professionals with ungated whitepapers and webinars. This campaign strategy produces a 35 percent increase in marketing qualified leads and demonstrates how precise targeting paired with value first content accelerates trust and conversions.

Healthline and Google Core Updates
Healthline undertakes a sweeping content audit guided by Google’s principles of expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness. Articles are updated by medical professionals, author bios are expanded with credentials, and outdated content is removed. This proactive alignment with quality standards results in an 80 percent recovery of traffic and search visibility, reinforcing that authority driven updates deliver measurable returns.

Creative Consulting Concepts

B2B Scenario
Challenge: A mid market software firm struggles with low engagement on gated whitepapers.
Execution: Repurpose insights into LinkedIn Sponsored Articles targeting vertical specific decision makers with narrative rich content.
Expected Outcome: Generate a 25 percent increase in qualified leads while reducing cost per acquisition.
Pitfall: Overly promotional tone risks being ignored by readers seeking substance over sales pitch.

B2C Scenario
Challenge: A lifestyle brand’s video campaigns suffer from high bounce rates due to poor audio quality.
Execution: Use Adobe Premiere Pro’s AI speech enhancement to clean dialogue and improve listening experience across all product demo videos.
Expected Outcome: Increase average watch time by 20 percent and boost click through rates on shoppable video content.
Pitfall: Relying solely on automation may overlook the nuance of emotional tone in voice delivery.

Non Profit Scenario
Challenge: An advocacy organization loses visibility after Google’s core update penalizes thin resource pages.
Execution: Conduct a structured audit to enrich articles with expert quotes, add author credentials, and remove low quality content.
Expected Outcome: Regain 70 percent of search visibility within six months and raise online donations by 15 percent through improved credibility.
Pitfall: Without continuous content review the gains may erode with the next algorithm adjustment.

Closing Thought

When LinkedIn strengthens authority, Adobe improves clarity, and Google sharpens standards, the alignment shows one truth. Authority, precision, and trust are not separate workflows but one marketing rhythm that drives measurable growth.

References

Adobe. (2024, October 15). Adobe MAX 2024: New AI powered features for Premiere Pro.

Google Search Central. (2024, October 9). October 2024 core update rolling out.

LinkedIn. (2024, April 16). The B2B edge: Building a brand that drives performance.

LinkedIn Marketing Solutions. (2024, June 12). How a B2B SaaS company used LinkedIn to generate high quality leads.

MarketingProfs. (2024, May 29). B2B content marketing: Key benchmarks for 2024.

Search Engine Journal. (2024, October 10). Google releases October 2024 core algorithm update.

Search Engine Land. (2024, May 15). How a health site recovered 80 percent of its traffic after the helpful content update.

Search Engine Roundtable. (2024, October 17). Early Google October 2024 core update volatility and tremors.

The Verge. (2024, October 15). Adobe’s new AI tools for Premiere Pro can automatically add sound effects and improve bad audio.

Instagram Reels, Canva Magic Studio, and Google SGE: Turning Speed into Strategic Advantage

January 29, 2024 by Basil Puglisi Leave a Comment

The scroll is faster than ever, and brands that can produce high-impact content in days instead of weeks are the ones keeping pace. In December, Instagram expanded its Reels Template Library with new formats designed around trending audio, dynamic text overlays, and quick transitions. Canva introduced Magic Studio, a creative suite that merges AI-powered design, instant resizing, and text-to-video into a single hub. At the same time, Google broadened the reach of its Search Generative Experience (SGE), surfacing AI-driven summaries and contextual links that reward content designed to answer multiple related questions in one sweep.

These developments show how speed and consistency now operate as strategic levers. The faster a brand can draft, adapt, and distribute content, the more consistently it appears across feeds, carousels, and AI-powered search results. Factics turn this into action: pairing each fact with a tactic ensures that cycle time per asset shrinks, carousel engagement rises, non-brand organic traffic expands, and on-brand visuals hold steady across every platform. Pull one lever, and the others follow.

For a B2B play, that could mean publishing a thought-leadership article structured for SGE visibility, pulling a data point into a 15-second Reel using Instagram’s template library, and then resizing that asset for LinkedIn in Canva’s Magic Switch—all inside a two-day sprint. For a B2C push, a single product demo becomes a Reel, a TikTok, and a Pinterest Pin without manual redesign, multiplying touchpoints while keeping the story consistent. The workflow is straightforward: draft core content, create variations in Magic Studio, apply a tested Reel template, and sync captions with SGE-optimized headings from the blog.

The impact is already visible. In December, Marks & Spencer used generative AI for content scheduling and dynamic social ads across Instagram and Facebook. The result was a 17 percent increase in engagement rate and a 23 percent reduction in creative production time compared to earlier campaigns. A heritage retailer proved that embedding AI into daily workflows can make even large organizations move faster while cutting overhead.

“Templates don’t limit creativity; they speed up the process of finding what works.” — Social Media Today, Dec 14, 2023

Creative Consulting Concepts

B2B Scenario
– Challenge: A SaaS provider struggles with fragmented brand visuals across platforms.
– Execution: Use Canva Magic Studio to create a unified design set, adapt into Instagram Reels templates for product tips, and align blog copy with SGE keyword intent.
– Expected Outcome: 15% lift in LinkedIn engagement and stronger SGE snippet presence within 90 days.
– Pitfall: Neglecting alt-text and captions, which weakens both accessibility and search performance.

B2C Scenario
– Challenge: An eCommerce home décor store wants to capture holiday demand without overloading its design team.
– Execution: Batch-shoot product clips, drop them into trending Reel templates, and auto-resize through Magic Studio for TikTok and Pinterest.
– Expected Outcome: 40% faster content production and higher cross-platform click-through rates.
– Pitfall: Using trending audio without confirming licensing or tone alignment.

Non-Profit Scenario
– Challenge: A conservation nonprofit needs to maximize year-end donation campaigns.
– Execution: Build an emotional storytelling Reel using a pre-tested template, overlay data-driven captions, and embed SGE-optimized FAQs on the donation page.
– Expected Outcome: Greater donor trust and a 12% increase in conversions.
– Pitfall: Overloading visuals with text, reducing emotional impact.

Closing Thought

The edge now belongs to organizations that treat creation and distribution as a single motion. When design, copy, and platform strategy are integrated, speed stops being a scramble and becomes the most dependable growth engine.

References

Social Media Today. (2023, December 14). Instagram expands Reels template options to make Reels creation easier.

Canva. (2023, October 3). Canva unveils Magic Studio to supercharge creativity.

Google. (2023, December 6). Expanding access to Search Generative Experience and new updates.

Adweek. (2023, December 7). How agencies are using AI to streamline creative workflows.

Content Marketing Institute. (2023, December 14). 5 ways to repurpose content across channels with AI.

Adweek. (2023, December 18). Marketers use AI to drive social media engagement.

AI, Me, and the Road Ahead: How I Use Artificial Intelligence to Create Content That Works

January 1, 2023 by Basil Puglisi Leave a Comment

If you’ve read my work before, you know I believe technology should serve creativity, not replace it. That’s why in 2023, you’ll see two distinct kinds of content from me—each powered by AI in different ways, but with very different results.

Defining the Two Paths

Artificial intelligence can be an accelerator or an autopilot. When I talk about #AIAssisted, I mean I’m still in the driver’s seat—shaping ideas, fact-checking, editing, and adding that irreplaceable layer of human insight. When I label something as AIGenerated, I’m letting the AI take the lead, producing the content from a simple prompt with minimal intervention. Both have their uses, but only one carries my full creative fingerprint.

Additional Context: The Origins of the Terms

The distinction between AI-assisted and AI-generated content didn’t emerge with ChatGPT’s release. Both terms have been used in research, industry reports, and marketing circles for years.

AI-Assisted Content — This phrase appeared in academic and industry discussions well before 2022, often in contexts like “AI-assisted medical diagnostics” or “AI-assisted writing tools” such as Grammarly and Jasper’s early iterations. By the late 2010s, digital marketing agencies and SEO professionals were already using “AI-assisted” to describe workflows where humans retained creative control but used AI for research, outlines, and optimization.

AI-Generated Content — This term dates back to early experiments in automated journalism and text generation in the 2010s. Newsrooms such as the Associated Press used automated systems to produce financial reports, weather summaries, and sports recaps, labeling them as “machine-generated” or “AI-generated.” In the marketing world, the phrase was in use by at least 2018 to describe content fully produced by natural language generation (NLG) systems like Wordsmith or GPT-2, with minimal or no human editing.

By late 2022, the AI industry — along with journalists, academics, and marketers — was actively debating the quality, trust, and ethical implications of each approach. The public release of ChatGPT intensified that conversation but did not create it.

Why It Matters

The distinction isn’t just technical—it’s about trust, originality, and quality. Research from Nielsen and Spiegel Research has shown that authenticity and credibility drive higher engagement and conversion rates. AI can write fast, but speed doesn’t equal substance. Without human oversight, AI-generated work risks being generic, error-prone, and out of sync with brand voice.

B2B vs. B2C Impact

For B2B, AI-assisted processes protect the nuance needed to address complex challenges, long sales cycles, and specific industry contexts. In B2C, where speed and volume are valuable, AI-generated content can scale basic tasks—but human refinement still ensures emotional resonance and brand consistency.

Factics

Fact: Audiences rate content as more credible when they know a human was actively involved

Tactic: Clearly label content type (#AIAssisted vs. AIGenerated) to build transparency and trust.

Fact: AI-assisted processes can outperform human-only workflows for efficiency without losing quality

Tactic: Use AI for outlining, research, and draft refinement, but keep humans in control of narrative and tone.

Fact: Disclosure policies are becoming common across platforms and publishers.

Tactic: Adopt voluntary disclosure to get ahead of compliance trends and reinforce audience trust.

Platform Playbook

LinkedIn: Publish thought-leadership posts under #AIAssisted to signal human-led insight.

YouTube: Release behind-the-scenes videos showing how AI tools fit into your workflow.

Blog: Pair AIGenerated posts with human commentary sections to provide context and extra value.

Best Practice Spotlight

Nava Public Benefit Corporation’s AI Tool Experimentation — In 2022, Nava integrated AI into public benefits workflows to increase efficiency without losing service quality. By keeping humans in control of review and decision-making, they maintained trust while improving speed—proving that AI works best as an assistant, not a replacement (Nava, 2022).

Hypotheticals Imagined

The AI-Assisted Strategy Deck – You use AI to generate an outline for a client proposal, then add your case studies, data, and narrative. The result: a document that’s faster to produce but uniquely yours.

The AIGenerated Blog Experiment – You feed a topic into AI, publish the output with minimal changes, then compare engagement to an AI-assisted version. Data shows the AI-assisted version drives more shares and longer read times.

Hybrid Workflow – You produce product descriptions using AI, but manually craft the hero copy for the website. This blend saves hours but still delivers a branded experience.

References:

References:
AI‑Generated Content

AI‑Assisted Content / AI Assistance

ChatGPT Media, Press etc.

11. OpenAI. (2022, November 30). Introducing ChatGPT. OpenAI.

12. Lyons, K. (2022, December 1). OpenAI’s new ChatGPT bot: What it is and why it matters. TechCrunch.

13. Reuters. (2022, December 5). ChatGPT crosses 1 million users within a week of launch. Reuters.

14. BBC News. (2022, December 5). ChatGPT: What is it and why is it making waves?. BBC News.

15. Wikipedia contributors. (2022, December). ChatGPT. In Wikipedia.
16. Southern, M. (2022, December 6). The history of ChatGPT (timeline). Search Engine Journal.

Final Thoughts:

A Universal AI Perspective

For me, the use of AI is not limited to when I run prompts through ChatGPT or another named platform. It should be assumed that AI, in some form, touches every part of my work. From research and drafting to editing and formatting, AI tools—whether visible or invisible—are part of the process. Sometimes that means advanced language models helping refine a paragraph, other times it’s background algorithms suggesting the most relevant data sources, or automated systems streamlining workflow management. In short, my entire creative and strategic process is inherently AI-assisted, even when the final product reflects heavy human authorship.

I believe that everything we do is AI-assisted and has been since the first time we asked a computer to output anything after a prompt. The greatest example of this is the evolution of libraries’ card catalogues into searchable online databases and the ease of a simple Google search to find something. Whether we realize it or not, our digital tools—from spellcheck to search engines—are forms of artificial intelligence augmenting our thinking and expanding our reach. Recognizing this reality isn’t just a technical point; it’s a statement about how creativity, strategy, and technology have been inseparable for decades.

The Power of Micro-Influencers in Niche Marketing

October 25, 2021 by Basil Puglisi Leave a Comment

Sometimes, the smallest voices have the biggest impact. Micro-influencers — creators with smaller but highly engaged audiences — are becoming the go-to choice for brands looking to connect authentically and drive targeted results.

Defining Micro-Influencers

A micro-influencer typically has between 1,000 and 100,000 followers in a specific niche. They may not have celebrity reach, but their audience often trusts them more and engages more deeply. Why it matters: in an age of skepticism toward traditional advertising, micro-influencers bring credibility, relatability, and cost-effectiveness.

B2B vs. B2C Perspectives

In B2B, micro-influencers might be industry analysts, niche consultants, or specialized content creators whose recommendations carry weight with decision-makers. In B2C, they could be lifestyle bloggers, hobbyists, or local personalities whose endorsements resonate with specific communities.

COVID-19 and Influencer Marketing

Pandemic-driven shifts in consumer behavior have increased time spent online and heightened demand for relatable content. Brands with limited budgets have turned to micro-influencers as a cost-effective way to maintain visibility and trust while avoiding the high fees of celebrity endorsements.

Factics

What the data says:

Markerly (2016) found that engagement rates decrease as follower counts increase, making micro-influencers more effective per follower.
Influencer Marketing Hub (2020) reports that businesses earn an average of $5.20 for every $1 spent on influencer marketing.
Experticity (2017) found that 82% of consumers are highly likely to follow a recommendation made by a micro-influencer.
Statista (2019) shows that Instagram is the top platform for influencer marketing, followed by YouTube and TikTok.
Launchmetrics (2018) notes that niche influencers drive higher conversion rates due to focused audience targeting.

How we can apply it:

Identify influencers whose audience matches your ideal customer profile.
Prioritize engagement rates and audience relevance over follower count.
Collaborate on content that feels native to the influencer’s platform and style.
Leverage micro-influencers for product launches, limited promotions, or community building.
Track performance with unique discount codes, links, or hashtags.

Platform Playbook

Instagram: Use carousel posts, Reels, and Stories with tagged products for shoppable content.
TikTok: Leverage short-form, trend-based videos to reach younger demographics quickly.
LinkedIn: Collaborate with niche industry experts for B2B thought leadership content.
YouTube: Partner on in-depth reviews, tutorials, or behind-the-scenes videos.
Pinterest: Create long-tail evergreen content with product pins and DIY tutorials.

Best Practice Spotlight

Glossier built its brand on micro-influencer partnerships, engaging real customers and beauty enthusiasts to share authentic experiences. By focusing on trust and community rather than reach alone, Glossier created a loyal customer base and strong word-of-mouth momentum.

Strategic Insight

What’s your story? You’re the brand that chooses authenticity over mass reach.

What do you solve? The challenge of connecting meaningfully with a specific audience.

How do you do it? By partnering with niche voices that carry credibility in their community.

Why do they care? Because recommendations from trusted sources feel more personal and believable.

Micro-influencer strategies work alongside personalization, conversational marketing, predictive content, first-party data collection, transparency, data ethics, social commerce, audio-first engagement, and hybrid event tactics to create trust and conversion across the customer journey.

Hypotheticals Imagined

These scenarios show how brands can structure effective micro-influencer campaigns across different platforms and audiences.

**Scenario 1: Boutique Skincare Brand Instagram & TikTok Launch**

Background: A boutique skincare company wants to reach young, health-conscious consumers.
Execution Steps:
1. Identify 15 micro-influencers with 5K–25K followers in the clean beauty niche.
2. Provide product samples and creative briefs for both Instagram Reels and TikTok challenges.
3. Use unique discount codes per influencer for tracking.
4. Amplify top-performing posts with paid promotion.
Expected Outcome: Increased brand awareness and measurable sales conversions.
Potential Pitfalls: Inconsistent creative direction leading to mixed brand messaging.

**Scenario 2: SaaS Platform Partners with Industry Experts**

Background: A SaaS company wants to establish authority in supply chain management.
Execution Steps:
1. Collaborate with LinkedIn micro-influencers who regularly publish supply chain insights.
2. Produce co-branded YouTube tutorials on using the platform for common industry challenges.
3. Share clips on LinkedIn and embed them in blog posts.
4. Invite influencers to participate in webinars.
Expected Outcome: Higher credibility and increased demo requests.
Potential Pitfalls: Overly promotional content reducing perceived authenticity.

**Scenario 3: Local Food Festival Goes Hybrid with Micro-Influencers**

Background: A regional food festival wants to attract both in-person and virtual attendees.
Execution Steps:
1. Engage local food bloggers to share behind-the-scenes setup content.
2. Host live-tasting sessions streamed to Instagram Stories.
3. Create Pinterest boards featuring recipes from participating chefs.
4. Offer exclusive online ticket packages promoted through influencers.
Expected Outcome: Expanded reach beyond local attendees and increased online ticket sales.
Potential Pitfalls: Technical issues with live streams impacting audience experience.

References

Markerly. (2016). Instagram Engagement Study. https://markerly.com

Influencer Marketing Hub. (2020). Influencer Marketing Benchmark Report. https://influencermarketinghub.com

Experticity. (2017). Micro-Influencer Impact Study. https://experticity.com

Statista. (2019). Influencer Marketing Platform Usage. https://www.statista.com

Launchmetrics. (2018). The State of Influencer Marketing. https://www.launchmetrics.com

Messaging as a Marketing Channel: How WeChat, WhatsApp, Snapchat, and Telegram Shape Strategy

January 23, 2017 by Basil Puglisi Leave a Comment

While Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram continue to dominate headlines, it’s the private messaging platforms that are quietly reshaping user behavior. In January 2017, apps like WeChat, WhatsApp, Snapchat, and Telegram aren’t just personal communication tools—they’re full-scale ecosystems for brand interaction, customer service, and community building. Smart marketers are recognizing that the future of connection is private, personal, and purposeful.

The Four Platforms

• WeChat (846 million users): Dominant in China, WeChat combines messaging, payments, commerce, and social all in one app. Businesses use official accounts to deliver content, promotions, and even customer support. For organizations, it’s a closed-loop CRM and marketing hub.

• WhatsApp (1.2 billion users): Globally popular and known for simplicity and encryption. Businesses use WhatsApp for customer updates, support chats, and more, especially in emerging markets. Tools like WhatsApp Web and Broadcast Lists make it useful at scale.

• Snapchat (300+ million daily users): Visual messaging app famous for disappearing content and stories. Brands and creators build short-form stories that drive engagement through humor, FOMO, and behind-the-scenes experiences.

• Telegram (~100 million users): Known for privacy and group capabilities, Telegram is popular in tech, education, and activist spaces. Channels allow organizations to broadcast updates, while bots offer automation potential.

Using Messaging Apps for Business

• Content Delivery: Create dedicated channels or groups to share timely updates, discounts, or content links directly to subscribers.
• Customer Service: Offer real-time or near-instant messaging for questions, support, and post-purchase engagement.
• Community Building: Form groups or discussion channels around shared interests, events, or customer segments.
• Automation: Use bots (especially on Telegram or WeChat) to answer FAQs, route queries, or deliver resources on demand.
• Commerce: Especially on WeChat, entire transactions—including payments—can be completed within the app.

Strategic Insight: Where Conversations Become Conversions

• What’s your story? You want to be where your audience communicates naturally and frequently.
• What do you solve? You solve attention fatigue and friction by delivering value in the flow of conversation.
• How do you do it? By using messaging platforms to create direct, human, and helpful interactions.
• Why do they care? Because trust builds faster in personal spaces than public posts.

Fictional Ideas

A nonprofit focused on education creates a Telegram Channel to share daily study tips and success stories. Using a chatbot, it allows subscribers to request free PDFs, register for webinars, or ask questions. Engagement grows daily, and within two weeks they launch a micro-donation campaign through the same channel—raising awareness and support with zero ad spend.

References

Statista. (2017). ‘Most Popular Messaging Apps Worldwide.’ https://www.statista.com/
WeChat Official Blog. (2017). ‘How Brands Use WeChat Official Accounts.’ https://blog.wechat.com/
WhatsApp. (2017). ‘Business Use Cases and Features.’ https://www.whatsapp.com/business/
Snapchat for Business. (2017). ‘Advertising Tools & Insights.’ https://forbusiness.snapchat.com/
Telegram Blog. (2017). ‘Using Bots and Channels for Community Engagement.’ https://telegram.org/blog

Making the Social Connection an Emotional Connection

February 5, 2013 by Basil Puglisi 14 Comments

Marketers know that the best way to reach their audience is to drive an emotional connection between the brand and the end user. With the advent of social media and mobile marketing, we have an exceptional advantage to driving that connection.
Customers are no longer sharing their experiences of your brand between the hours of nine to five, Monday to Friday via the 800 number they were traditionally pushed through. Their experiences have become part of your brand’s story, online, for the world to see, 24 hours a day. So how are you telling your story?
Consider the 4 E’s: Engage, Educate, Excite, Evangelize. Here are five tips all marketers should consider when crafting the story for their brand.
Engage:
Identify your target audience. Decide what the key words are for your industry. Embrace the opportunity to engage with your community in two-way conversation daily. Trust and loyalty are built over time, as with any good relationship. Remember, if you suck offline, you suck online!
Educate:
Your customers don’t know what they don’t know. By engaging in communities where your customers are, you are raising awareness about what it is your business does, and adding value to the relationship. Joining the conversation could be as simple as answering questions they may have, ie. friendsourcing. This allows an opportunity to learn from each other; you educate them and they educate you. Then you’re on your way to positioning yourself as an influencer and industry leader.
Excite:
Be authentic, be positive, be transparent. I align my business with leaders: are forward-thinking, action-oriented risk-takers, who maintain a positive outlook. There will always be those who are not (ie. twankers). By engaging positively, you’re able to insert your unique value proposition into the relationship, and instill excitement around your product/service.
Evangelize:
Identify the influencers within each community: hashtags are an effective method of organizing tweets around a particular topic. They are created around an event or an existing community. Use them! Once you have an engaged, educated, excited community, the evangelizing will happen naturally.
Make this a priority!
Don’t be left behind, the conversations are going on with or without you. And remember, incorporating a social media policy is vital when your team is representing your business.
Guest Post by:
Jeffrey Hayzlett, Bestselling Author, Global Business Celebrity & Sometime Cowboy
JEFFREY HAYZLETT is a global business celebrity and former Fortune 100 c-suite executive. From small business to international corporations, he has put his creativity and extraordinary entrepreneurial skills into play, launching ventures blending his leadership perspectives, insights into professional development, mass marketing prowess and affinity for social media. He is a well-traveled public speaker, the author of the bestselling business books, The Mirror Test and Running the Gauntlet, and one of the most compelling figures in global business.
Jeffrey is an esteemed business and marketing expert, appearing frequently on programs like Fox Business News, MSNBC’s Your Business, Bloomberg West, and NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice with Donald Trump. Drawing upon an eclectic background in business, buoyed by a stellar track record of keynote speaking, and deeply rooted in cowboy lore, Jeffrey energizes his role driving and delivering change. He is a turnaround architect of the highest order, a maverick marketer who delivers scalable campaigns, embraces traditional modes of customer engagement, and possesses a remarkable cachet of mentorship, corporate governance and brand building.