Most startup marketers have hundreds of old blog posts that are either gathering digital dust or worse, being surfaced by AI search bots with outdated messaging and stale data. In an era where 89% of B2B buyers use generative AI to build their vendor shortlists, your "zombie pages" could be disqualifying you before you even know a prospect is looking. On this episode of FiredUp!, we dive into the strategic blog refresh - moving beyond the simple cleanup to show you how to optimize your existing content for Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and drive new leads from old assets. This week, episode 124 of the FiredUp! podcast is about turning old content into new demand!

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In this episode of the FiredUp! podcast, the Firebrand team shares the importance of a blog refresh in the face of GEO and actionable steps you can take right now to get fresh eyes on your existing content.

Morgan, and Nicole discuss:

• The AI Shortlist is Critical: Since 89% of B2B buyers use generative AI as a research partner, your blog content must be visible and authoritative to ensure your brand is cited when prospects ask ChatGPT or Perplexity for the "best tools" in your category.
• Prioritize Your Audit with Three Buckets: Don't try to refresh hundreds of posts at once; instead, focus on the top 20 posts in three categories: high organic search traffic, high AI search traffic, and those currently used as landing pages for paid (CPC) campaigns.
• Implement "Light Lifts" for High Rewards: Significant gains can be made without a full rewrite by simply updating outdated statistics, refreshing Calls to Action (CTAs) to point to current events, and adding GEO elements like FAQ sections and clear author bios.
• Kill the "Zombie Pages": Outdated blog posts with old messaging or defunct product focuses can confuse Google’s crawlers and AI bots, leading to lower brand authority; these should be redirected to more relevant, high-performing content.

The B2B buyer journey is now a 211-day marathon with 76 individual touches across multiple channels. If your blog is a graveyard of 2022 trends, you are failing the "credibility check" that modern buyers perform daily.

Thank you for listening! Tune in to all the episodes for practical tips on crushing your startup marketing goals. Don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast, and tell us your key takeaways!

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Traditional SEO is undergoing its biggest transformation in decades. We are moving from a world of "Search and Discover" to one of "Ask and Answer". If your brand isn't properly indexed by AI crawlers from ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude, you risk becoming invisible to your best B2B prospects. On this episode of FiredUp!, we tackle the "impatient" nature of AI search bots and explain why your website might be actively blocking the very AI agents you want to reach. This week, episode 123 of the FiredUp! podcast is about boosting AI search with an LLM cache!

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In this episode of the FiredUp! Podcast, Jeff Reine shares how AI search is changing the way we find answers on the internet and actionable steps you can take right now to optimize your website for AI searches.

Jeff Reine is the co-founder of Everything Machines, a company at the forefront of the "AI internet". Jeff is a veteran of the tech industry with a deep focus on how large language models (LLMs) and semantic search are reshaping discovery. His current mission is helping brands build an "AI cache"—a specialized, bot-friendly version of their web content—to ensure maximum visibility and accuracy in AI-generated answers.

Jeff and Morgan discuss:

• Search is no longer about listing links for humans to click; it’s about LLMs synthesizing a single, finite answer for the user. If you aren't in that one answer, you don't exist in that session.
• Unlike Google, which might wait for your site to load, AI crawlers often have 1-3 second timeouts. They bias toward clean, text-heavy, authoritative HTML and rarely execute the JavaScript that powers your modern site's bells and whistles.
• Trying to satisfy both humans and AI bots on one site results in a compromised experience for both. The solution is a "shadow website" or AI cache that serves static, JS-free HTML specifically for crawlers.
• The next era of marketing is 1:1. You should structure your website content around specific personas so that when an AI "fans out" its query, it can find and deliver exactly the right messaging for that specific stakeholder.
• Every AI-ready site needs three baseline optimizations: JS-free static HTML, semantic descriptors from schema.org, and a well-structured content hierarchy.

Is your website accidentally hiding its best content from the AI agents that are currently building your prospects' vendor lists? Don't let your "perfect" brand design be the reason your company gets left out of the next Perplexity search result.

Thank you for listening! Tune in to all the episodes for practical tips on crushing your startup marketing goals. Don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast, and tell us your key takeaways!

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With millions of podcasts already out there, the biggest challenge of starting one isn't just recording audio—it’s finding an audience and keeping them engaged. On this episode of FiredUp!, we dive deep into the state of the podcasting industry with industry veteran Andy King. We address the specific pain points of audience acquisition, the shift toward video-first content, and the critical question every marketer must ask: Does your brand really need its own show, or should you be leveraging existing creators instead? This week, episode 122 of the FiredUp! podcast is about the best podcast strategies for 2026!

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In this episode of the FiredUp! podcast, Andy King shares the importance of identifying market openings and what will make your podcast stand out and actionable steps you can take right now to decide what form of podcasting is right for you.

Andy King is the Head of Podcast and Digital Media at Buchwald, a full service talent agency offering representation in all areas of the entertainment industry. A digital media & audio executive with 20+ years experience, Andy is developing original content while building and managing teams in broadcasting and industry roles.

Andy, Morgan, and Nicole discuss:

• Consistency is Your Superpower: The #1 reason podcasts fail is "podfade"—quitting before the show finds its footing. Success requires a long-term commitment to a regular schedule, as audiences build habits around your release dates.
• Video is No Longer Optional: Podcasting has evolved into a visual medium. To maximize reach, you must have a YouTube strategy. Recording video allows you to create high-impact "clips" for social media, which serve as the primary discovery engine for new listeners.
• Marketing > Production: Many brands spend 90% of their budget on high-end production and only 10% on promotion. Flip the script. If you aren't actively marketing your show through social media clips, guest collaborations, and cross-promotion, even the best content will go unheard.
• The Brand vs. Creator Dilemma: Before launching a brand podcast, evaluate if your message would be more effective by partnering with an established creator. Buying into an existing, loyal community often yields a higher ROI than trying to build one from scratch.

Thank you for listening! Tune in to all the episodes for practical tips on crushing your startup marketing goals. Don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast, and tell us your key takeaways!

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Are you feeling stuck in a cycle of "safe" marketing tactics that yield diminishing returns? Whether you are struggling with a "too many cooks in the kitchen" approach to content, or you're terrified of the "snake-like gaze" of a top-tier reporter, you are not alone. In this special New Year's edition of FiredUp!, hosts Morgan, Chris, and Nicole pull back the curtain on their careers to share the "war stories" that shaped their approach to agency life and brand building.

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Nicole, Morgan, and Chris discuss:

• Podcasting is a Team Sport: Launching a successful show requires more than just a microphone; it involves a complex choreography of editing, graphics, distribution, and guest management. To avoid podfading, invest in a production team—like Galati Media—to ensure professional quality from the start.
• The "Message-Fit" Secret to PR: High-impact media pitching isn't about big ideas; it’s about finding the perfect alignment between what your audience wants and the timing of your message. When you provide exactly what a reporter needs, the process becomes clean and easy.
• Master the "RACI" Framework for Content: To prevent too many cooks from mangling your marketing assets, clearly define who is Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed. Establishing a "pecking order" before you start a project prevents stakeholder anxiety and protects the final product.
• Audit for the Bottom of the Funnel: It is easy to get stuck writing entertaining top-of-funnel blog posts, but a library full of only gap content will slow your pipeline. Use visual case studies and "how-to-roll-out" guides to bridge the gap from awareness to conversion.
• Calculated Risks Drive Results: Don't be afraid of outlandish ideas if they align with your brand's value proposition. Whether it’s putting a bank account online to prove security or hiring recognizable voices for pitches, bold moves are often what break through cluttered media environments.

As we head into 2026, take a hard look at your marketing. Are you leaning on white papers and blog posts just because they are comfortable? We challenge you to identify one tactic that makes you feel uneasy—whether it's B2B TikTok, short-form video, or a bold PR stunt—and give it a try.

Thank you for listening! Tune in to all the episodes for practical tips on crushing your startup marketing goals. Don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast, and tell us your key takeaways!

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2025 was a big year in tech marketing, so much so that it almost felt like its own decade! In this retrospective episode of FiredUp!, we dive into the "AI or Die" reality that defined 2025 and why your old SEO strategy is no longer enough to survive in 2026. Many B2B marketers are currently facing the reality of declining click-through rates as Google evolves from a search engine into an answer engine. We address the specific struggle of cutting through the noise in an era of AI-generated content and "rage bait" marketing, helping you pivot from simply ranking to becoming a trusted citation source. This week, episode 120 of the FiredUp! podcast is about the biggest tech marketing news of 2025!

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In this episode of the FiredUp! podcast, the Firebrand team shares highlights of the biggest tech marketing stories of 2025 and actionable steps you can take right now to prepare for the challenges and opportunities in marketing in 2026.

Morgan, Nicole, and Chris discuss:

• Mastering Generative Engine Optimization (GEO): Visibility in 2026 is less about ranking in the top 10 and more about being the cited source within AI-generated responses from tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Google’s AI Overviews.
• The Reality of Agentic AI: While 2025 was the year of "agent" hype, 2026 will be the year of operational utility, where autonomous agents move beyond chatbots to handle complex lead-gen and security workflows.
• Why Rage Bait Marketing is a High-Risk Gamble: Using controversy to gain attention—as seen with recent startup backlashes—can generate short-term "cheap" visibility, but often fails to build the long-term trust required for B2B relationships.
• AR Glasses Win Over the Metaverse: The mass market has spoken; lightweight, stylish AR (like the Meta Ray-Bans) is gaining significant traction for everyday utility, while bulky VR "metaverse" experiences remain a niche product for big-budget experiments.
• Sustainability of the AI Economy: As the stock market continues to ride the AI wave, the real-world bottleneck is becoming infrastructure—specifically the rising cost of electricity and the massive data center build-outs required to power next-gen models.

Thank you for listening! Tune in to all the episodes for practical tips on crushing your startup marketing goals. Don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast, and tell us your key takeaways!

CONNECT WITH FIREBRAND:

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Many B2B startups find themselves stuck in "founder-sales jail," where growth is limited by the founder’s bandwidth and a lack of documented, repeatable processes. If you're struggling to bridge the gap between initial traction and a scaled sales organization, this episode of FiredUp! is for you. We explore the strategic rise of the Fractional CRO (Chief Revenue Officer) and how this role provides the "outside lens" and expertise needed to audit, triage, and scale your revenue engine without the overhead of a full-time hire. This week, episode 119 of the FiredUp! podcast is about the role of the fractional CRO!

Download the Multiplier Marketing Megapack today. Exclusive offer for all our listeners — get all our Startup Guides in one go! Over 50 pages of advanced tips and advice that dive deep into content marketing, search advertising, and marketing attribution.

In this episode of the FiredUp! podcast, Jonathan Tice shares the important role a fractional CRO can fill in your growing business and actionable steps you can take right now to find someone who will help to bridge the gap between founder-led sales and a strong sales team.

Jonathan Tice is the Founder and Fractional CRO at Fit To Scale. Jonathan is a veteran revenue leader who specializes in helping B2B SaaS and AI companies navigate the complex transition from founder-led sales to high-growth teams. As a Fractional CRO, he provides strategic advisory and hands-on support to incubators and startups, helping them build repeatable sales playbooks.

Jonathan, Morgan, and Nicole discuss:

• Define Your "Bridge" Strategy: Understand that a Fractional CRO isn't just a part-time manager; they are a high-level strategic partner who aligns sales, marketing, and customer success to prepare your company for a full-time leader.
• Audit Before You Hire: Before hiring your first sales rep, use a fractional leader to "audit, assess, and triage" your current business. This identifies whether your bottlenecks are in product-market fit, messaging, or the sales process itself.
• Document the "Founder Magic": The biggest hurdle in scaling is failing to document the sales process. A successful transition requires turning the founder's intuition into a repeatable playbook that a new hire can actually follow and execute.
• Shift to Signal Tracking: In the AI era, volume is no longer a differentiator. Startups must move toward signal tracking—identifying high-intent behaviors and "warm" signals—to prioritize sales efforts effectively.
• The 2026 High-Touch Trend: As digital noise increases due to AI, the most successful startup growth strategies in 2026 will lean back into in-person meetings and exclusive customer events to build authentic, human-to-human relationships.

Thank you for listening! Tune in to all the episodes for practical tips on crushing your startup marketing goals. Don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast, and tell us your key takeaways!

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Is your advertising strategy hitting a wall because you're only spending on Google Ads and LinkedIn? For scaling B2B startups, relying solely on these two networks limits your reach, increases your cost, and prevents precision targeting of high-value accounts. On this episode of FiredUp!, we dive deep into how to build a powerful multi-channel paid media program that accelerates growth with Phil Parrish. We explore the strategic necessity of programmatic advertising and discuss how leveraging your CRM data and intent signals can transform your retargeting and ABM (Account-Based Marketing) efforts, securing a new competitive edge in a crowded market. This week, episode 118 of the FiredUp! podcast is about B2B advertising beyond Google ads and LinkedIn!

Download the Multiplier Marketing Megapack today. Exclusive offer for all our listeners — get all our Startup Guides in one go! Over 50 pages of advanced tips and advice that dive deep into content marketing, search advertising, and marketing attribution.

In this episode of the FiredUp! podcast, Phil Parrish shares the role of PR and SEO in a comprehensive marketing strategy and actionable steps you can take right now to expand your reach beyond traditional channels and test new platforms.

Phil Parrish is the Co-founder and President at PrograMetrix, a highly specialized and performance driven programmatic advertising agency. He leads the vision and strategic growth of PrograMetrix while also dedicating time to provide executive level support for the agency's growing roster of clients. Phil has spent the past 15 years of his career working within the digital marketing industry on the advertising technology and agency sides.

Phil, Morgan, and Nicole discuss:

• Move Beyond the Duopoly: Don't limit your media budget to just Google Ads and LinkedIn. Effective B2B advertising at scale requires a robust multi-channel approach that includes platforms like streaming audio, Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH), and specialized content syndication partners.
• Unlock Precision Targeting with CRM Data: Retargeting and ABM are most effective when powered by your first-party CRM data. Using this data, you can build a more precise, high-intent audience segment, making your ad spend significantly more efficient.
• Programmatic is Essential for New Channels: To access emerging channels like streaming audio and DOOH, programmatic advertising is the key. Programmatic DSPs (Demand-Side Platforms) allow you to apply the same data-driven rigor and AI optimizations to these platforms as you do to standard digital channels.

Challenge your team today: Audit your CRM data and identify how you can use it to build your most precise, high-intent audience segment. Then, find one new programmatic channel (like streaming audio) to reach that segment outside of the usual duopoly.

Thank you for listening! Tune in to all the episodes for practical tips on crushing your startup marketing goals. Don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast, and tell us your key takeaways!

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Are you worried about your current B2B marketing strategy in the new year? The landscape is shifting rapidly, dominated by AI search and a tightening focus on efficiency. If you're still relying on old SEO tactics and gated content, you're falling behind. On this episode of FiredUp!, we dive into the most critical marketing predictions for 2026. We break down the rise of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), the shift in PR spending to executive thought leadership, and the urgent need to use signal-based advertising to combat ad fatigue. We also tackle the growing problem of AI slop and how to ensure your AI-generated content doesn't dilute your brand's unique value. This week, episode 117 of the FiredUp! podcast is about tech marketing predictions for 2026!

Download the Multiplier Marketing Megapack today. Exclusive offer for all our listeners — get all our Startup Guides in one go! Over 50 pages of advanced tips and advice that dive deep into content marketing, search advertising, and marketing attribution.

In this episode of the FiredUp! podcast, the Firebrand team shares the importance of SEO in the face of AI search and actionable steps you can take right now to prepare your marketing strategies for 2026.

Morgan and Nicole discuss:

• The Rise of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO): The future of search isn't just about SEO; it's about optimizing for AI search tools. Marketers must now focus on GEO to monitor and manage how LLMs summarize their brand, requiring new AI visibility metrics.
• Gated Content is Dying: The strategy of hiding valuable information behind forms is failing. The trend is moving toward making all content ungated and easily consumable by both human prospects and AI-generated content aggregators to gain maximum brand presence.
• PR Spending Shifts to Executive Visibility: Instead of broad announcements, PR spending is increasingly prioritizing executive visibility and thought leadership. This is driven by the need for authentic, human perspectives that cut through the noise of generic AI slop.
• Signal-Based Advertising Replaces Retargeting: With buyers experiencing ad fatigue, the new focus is on using signal-based advertising to reach prospects at the exact moment of high intent. This requires sophisticated personalization of the web experience without resorting to "creepy" over-customization.

How are you preparing your marketing strategy for 2026? Let us know!

Thank you for listening! Tune in to all the episodes for practical tips on crushing your startup marketing goals. Don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast, and tell us your key takeaways!

CONNECT WITH FIREBRAND:

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