The Digital Marketing Podcast

How is AI changing the way customers discover brands, and what does that mean for SEO, paid search, influencer marketing and digital PR? In this episode of The Digital Marketing Podcast, Daniel Rowles and Ciaran Rogers explore one of the biggest shifts in digital marketing: the move from traditional keyword searches towards AI-powered conversations, recommendations and personalised discovery. For years, marketers have relied on identifying high-value keywords, ranking for them organically or bidding on them through Google Ads. But the way people research products and make purchasing decisions is changing. Consumers are increasingly turning to ChatGPT, Claude, Google AI Mode...

In this episode of The Digital Marketing Podcast, Daniel Rowles explores how artificial intelligence is making it possible to automate entire marketing workflows, and why this could fundamentally change the way we structure marketing teams. We're moving beyond simply using AI to write content, generate ideas or analyse data. With the combination of AI agents, Skills, Model Context Protocol (MCP) and new AI work environments, marketers can now connect their tools, automate complex processes and build systems that carry out multiple tasks with minimal manual intervention. But does this mean we no longer need marketing executives? Not quite. Daniel explains...

How to Fix AI Slop: Better Context, Stronger Brands and the Return of Human Judgement What happens when AI makes it easier to produce marketing content, but that content all starts to look and sound the same? In this episode of The Digital Marketing Podcast, Ciaran Rogers speaks to Evan Greally, founder and CTO of Pacey AI, about avoiding AI slop and getting back to the work that matters: understanding customers, developing ideas and building a distinctive brand. Introduced by Daniel Rowles, the conversation draws on Evan's experience as Head of Creative Tech and Innovation at Droga5 Dublin, part of...

AI tools are evolving fast. One of the biggest shifts is the move from one-off prompts to reusable AI skills. Instead of rewriting the same instructions every time you use ChatGPT, Claude or Copilot, you can package your best workflows into portable skills that deliver consistent, repeatable results. In this special episode, recorded as the Digital Marketing Podcast celebrates its 16th anniversary, Daniel Rowles and Ciaran Rogers explore why AI skills could fundamentally change the way marketers work. They explain how skills fit alongside projects, agents and prompts, why they are becoming an emerging standard across the major AI platforms...

Why do so many beautifully designed websites, ads and digital experiences still fail to convert? In this episode of The Digital Marketing Podcast, Daniel Rowles is joined by Kramer Reeves, CEO of EyeQuant, alongside neuroscientist Professor Peter König, one of the company's founders and a leading expert in visual attention and cognitive science. Together, they explore how neuroscience and AI are reshaping the way marketers, designers and brands understand attention. The conversation dives into the hidden mechanics behind how people actually experience digital content. From subconscious processing and visual saliency through to cognitive overload and design clarity, this episode c...

What happens when a global brand hands over its creative control to unfiltered customer feedback? In this episode of The Digital Marketing Podcast, Daniel Rowles speaks with Emily Barfoot, Head of Dove Beauty at Unilever, about a bold and unconventional campaign built on Reddit conversations. At a time when trust in polished marketing is eroding and AI is reshaping how content is discovered, Dove leaned into one of the internet's most unpredictable platforms. By amplifying genuine, unedited user reviews, both positive and negative, the brand not only drove awareness but also delivered measurable commercial impact. This episode explores how marketers...

As AI rapidly reshapes how customers discover, evaluate, and engage with brands, marketers are being forced to rethink the fundamentals of the customer journey. In this episode of The Digital Marketing Podcast, Daniel Rowles speaks with Rachel Thornton, CMO of Adobe Enterprise, to explore what this shift really means in practice. Recorded just ahead of Adobe Summit, Rachel shares exclusive insights into Adobe's latest thinking, product direction, and how enterprise marketers should adapt to an increasingly AI-driven landscape. From evolving user expectations to the rise of AI as the primary interface, this conversation goes beyond the hype to examine the...

In this episode of The Digital Marketing Podcast, Daniel Rowles is joined by Kendall Breitman from Riverside for a practical conversation about how marketers can use video without needing a full production team, a huge budget or a complicated workflow. Together, they explore why video has become so central to modern marketing, how brands can use it to strengthen SEO and answer engine optimisation, and why authentic, human-led content is outperforming overly polished corporate production. The discussion also dives into practical ways to build a video strategy from webinars, podcasts, customer conversations and expert interviews, then repurpose that long-form content...

What happens when you combine practical digital marketing experience with behavioural science? In this episode, Daniel Rowles is joined by Phil Agnew, host of the Nudge podcast and a specialist in behavioural science, to explore eight psychology experiments and principles that can help marketers create more effective campaigns, stronger customer experiences and more persuasive messaging. Phil shares the original studies behind concepts such as social proof, loss aversion, anchoring and the peak-end rule, then shows how they can be applied in real marketing scenarios, from Reddit ads and SaaS websites to loyalty programmes, pricing pages and customer journeys. The result...

What happens when clicks get harder to earn, paid media gets more expensive, and audiences spend less time engaging with static content? In this episode of The Digital Marketing Podcast, Daniel Rowles explores why gamification is moving from a nice-to-have tactic to a serious strategic opportunity for marketers. This episode is split into two parts. First, Daniel sets out the business case for gamification in today's digital landscape, where AI overviews, rising cost per click and declining organic reach are all putting pressure on traditional marketing performance. Then he is joined by Luke Santamaria from PlaySpark, a specialist in branded...

In this episode of The Digital Marketing Podcast, Daniel Rowles is joined by Emma Tronson, Deputy Director of Marketing at Aston University, for a practical, honest and refreshingly structured look at how to move beyond AI experimentation and into real organisational adoption. Many teams are stuck in what Daniel calls "pilot purgatory". Everyone is testing tools. Everyone is experimenting. But very few organisations have truly embedded AI into day-to-day operations. Workloads have not reduced. If anything, they have increased. This episode explores what it actually takes to embed AI into a complex organisation with multiple stakeholders, legacy systems, risk concerns...

In this episode of The Digital Marketing Podcast, Daniel Rowles sits down with Kipp Bodnar, CMO of HubSpot, to discuss what may be the most disruptive year in marketing history. Kipp believes that 2026 could represent the biggest single wave of change our industry has ever seen. Weeks feel like months. Channels are fragmenting. Discovery is shifting. AI agents are entering workflows. And traditional attribution models are starting to break down. From Answer Engine Optimisation to AI agents, rising ad costs to workflow automation, this conversation explores how marketers can stay ahead when the pace of change is accelerating. In This...

AI is accelerating change at a pace most organisations have never had to manage before. For marketers and business leaders, this is not just another wave of innovation. It is a fundamental shift from linear change to exponential change, where familiar planning cycles, transformation programmes, and long-term roadmaps start to break down. In this episode of The Digital Marketing Podcast, Daniel Rowles is joined by Geoff Tuff, Consulting Principal at Deloitte and co-author of Hone: How Purposeful Leaders Defy Drift. Together, they explore why traditional transformation initiatives fail so often, and what leaders can do instead to build organisations that...

The generative AI landscape has shifted again, and at speed. In this update episode, Daniel Rowles breaks down a rapid sequence of releases from OpenAI and Google, explaining what has actually changed, what genuinely matters, and how marketers and business leaders should respond. Covering everything from ChatGPT 5.x and Gemini 3 through to image generation breakthroughs, AI-powered apps, and the rise of accessible 'vibe coding', this episode is a practical briefing rather than hype-driven commentary. Daniel focuses on real-world capability, usability, and where these tools are already changing how marketing teams work, build, and analyse. Rather than asking which model is "...

Search is changing fast. With AI overviews now appearing in the majority of Google results, the rules of visibility are being rewritten in real time. In this episode, Daniel Rowles explores what answer engine optimisation actually means in practice, and how marketers can adapt without chasing myths, hacks, or constantly shifting theories. Drawing on real testing from Target Internet over the past year, this episode cuts through the noise around GEO, AEO, and SEO to focus on what genuinely works. The result is a practical framework for improving visibility both in traditional organic search and within AI-powered results, particularly Google's...

In this episode of The Digital Marketing Podcast, Daniel Rowles speaks with Phil Treagus-Evans, author of the new book Human First Marketing, to explore why now, in a world dominated by AI, automation, and synthetic content, marketers must rediscover their humanity. As generative AI reshapes how content is produced, and digital channels become flooded with bland, algorithmically generated material, brands risk losing the very thing that makes them relatable: their people. Phil offers a timely and practical guide for putting humans back at the heart of your marketing strategy, from customer research to team culture and executive presence. Drawing on...

In this episode of The Digital Marketing Podcast, Daniel Rowles and Ciaran Rogers dive into one of the most significant shifts in digital marketing: the rise of non keyword signals and what it means for search, privacy, and the future of campaign targeting. With AI-powered ad platforms like Google's AI Max and social algorithms driven by behavioural data rather than search intent, the old model of keyword-driven marketing is rapidly giving way to something more opaque, more personalised, and potentially more invasive. Daniel and Ciaran explore how AI systems now use a vast array of signals, from your browsing patterns...

In this episode of The Digital Marketing Podcast, Daniel Rowles introduces us to the process of Vibe Coding, a revolutionary approach to software development that leverages AI to make app creation accessible to anyone, regardless of coding experience. Vibe coding shifts the focus from writing manual code to guiding AI with natural language prompts, allowing non-developers to build interactive apps, tools, and even businesses. Daniel explores the three tiers of vibe coding, from basic one-page web apps to full-scale, secure, AI-powered platforms , and shares practical steps, tools and security tips to get started. The second half of the episode features...

In this episode of The Digital Marketing Podcast, Daniel Rowles is joined by Matthew Gardiner from World Travel Market for a special look at how the user journey is being radically reshaped, and why the travel industry offers a powerful lens for understanding the broader changes all marketers now face. From AI-powered search and agents, to disconnected content ecosystems, collapsing funnels, and new expectations for sustainability and meaning, the way users discover, evaluate, and buy has shifted. Whether you work in travel or not, this episode delivers insight into how to adapt your digital strategy for a fragmented, AI-enhanced, and...

In this special episode of The Digital Marketing Podcast, Daniel Rowles sits down with Alex Schultz, Meta's Chief Marketing Officer and Vice President of Analytics, to unpack the future of digital marketing, and why the fundamentals still matter more than ever. Alex shares lessons from his remarkable journey: from running the world's top paper airplane website to leading growth at Meta, managing multi-billion dollar ad campaigns, and now authoring the industry-defining book Click Here. With high-profile endorsements from Mark Zuckerberg, Sam Altman, Daniel Ek, and Matthew Vaughn, the book has already gettimg rave reviews, and Daniel is putting it straight...

Far beyond a productivity hack or sustainability trend, the regenerative mindset offers marketers and leaders a framework to design work, creativity and impact that helps build value. You'll have to listen to find out about the Goose! Drawing from systems thinking and marketing strategy, Daniel and Ciaran challenge the "hustle at all costs" mentality and instead champion a more humane, resilient and adaptable approach to digital marketing. In This Episode: What is a Regenerative Mindset? Understand the key difference between sustainability and regeneration - why one aims to sustain the status quo and the other aims to restore, replenish, and...

In this episode of The Digital Marketing Podcast, hosts Daniel Rowles and Ciaran Rogers return with a fresh round of insights and hands-on tools to help digital marketers adapt and experiment in the evolving AI-driven marketing landscape. From Google's AI Max campaigns to the explosion of generative engine optimisation, Daniel and Ciaran unpack the shifts happening across search, paid media, and SEO. This isn't just another roundup of shiny tools, this episode explores how to think strategically about the role of AI in search, the real impact on your organic performance, and the mindset required to stay ahead of the...

In this episode of The Digital Marketing Podcast, Daniel Rowles and Ciaran Rogers explore one of the most transformative shifts in digital marketing: the arrival of ChatGPT Agent and the rise of agent-based AI. No longer just about generating content, AI is now taking action on our behalf, logging into websites, filling out forms, analysing data, creating content, and even posting to platforms like LinkedIn. It's here now, and it's changing how marketing teams work from the ground up. Daniel shares his firsthand experiments with ChatGPT Agent, from connecting it to Canva to create and publish carousel posts, to testing...

In this episode of The Digital Marketing Podcast, hosts Daniel Rowles and Ciaran Rogers explore one of the most pressing questions facing marketers today: what does SEO look like in a world dominated by AI search and generative answers? With Google rolling out AI Overviews and AI Mode, and tools like ChatGPT and Gemini changing how people search, the rules of SEO are shifting fast. Some publishers report traffic drops of up to 60%, while others in e-commerce are holding steady. So is SEO really dead, or just evolving into something new? Daniel and Ciaran dig deep into what's happening, separating...

In this episode of The Digital Marketing Podcast, Daniel Rowles is joined by Brendan Kane, viral strategist and author of One Million Followers, for a deep dive into the art and science of making content go viral. Going viral often feels like marketing mythology,something bosses ask for, but few can explain or deliver. Brendan, however, has built a career proving that virality isn't luck. It's repeatable, measurable, and rooted in storytelling structures that have worked for decades. Brendan shares the behind-the-scenes thinking that led to his experiment growing an audience of 1 million followers in 30 days, starting from scratch, without...

In this episode of The Digital Marketing Podcast, Daniel Rowles sits down with copywriting and AI expert Kerry Harrison to explore one of the most exciting—and often misunderstood—areas of artificial intelligence: AI-powered copywriting. Together, they dive into how Anthropic's Claude AI compares to tools like ChatGPT and Gemini, and why Claude is quickly becoming a favourite for writers who care about tone, style, and ethical AI. Kerry, a seasoned copywriter and trainer, shares her hands-on experiences using Claude to create high-quality marketing content. She explains how Claude's intuitive interface, stylistic flexibility, and alignment with ethical AI principles make it a...

In this episode of The Digital Marketing Podcast, Daniel Rowles explores one of the most unexpected but powerful business case studies in modern branding: Taylor Swift! Joined by Kevin Evers, Senior Editor at Harvard Business Review and author of There's Nothing Like This. Kevin dives into how Swift's career offers a masterclass in brand strategy, audience connection, and long-term business thinking. Why does a global superstar in a notoriously cutthroat industry continue to outperform and outlast her peers? According to Kevin, it's not luck or fandom - it's strategy. Drawing on insights from his newly released book, Kevin breaks down...

In this special solo edition of The Digital Marketing Podcast, Daniel introduces a new regular feature: a fast-paced roundup of the most critical AI and digital marketing news. With the rate of change accelerating across platforms, tools, and marketing strategy, it's never been more important to stay ahead, and this episode helps you do just that. Daniel covers the latest developments from Google, Meta, OpenAI, LinkedIn and more, offering practical commentary on what they mean for marketers right now. From ChatGPT's new operator functions to Google's AI-powered search evolution, this episode is packed with insight on how AI is reshaping...

In this episode of The Digital Marketing Podcast, Daniel, Ciaran, and Louise take a deep dive into the often-misunderstood world of keyword research - one of the most foundational yet complex elements of digital marketing. What starts as a seemingly simple task ("just pick some keywords, right?") quickly unravels into a minefield of audience intent, brand positioning, search behaviour shifts, and the sometimes soul-crushing reality of traffic that doesn't convert. The trio break down the full process with real-world insight, humour, and some very candid reflections on what not to do. From teaching postgraduate students at Imperial College to running...

In this episode of The Digital Marketing Podcast, Daniel dives into the world of agile marketing, exploring how a new methodology is helping marketers launch strategic, high-impact campaigns at pace, without compromising on quality. Joined by Peter Abraham (former Econsultancy leader and founder of Crank), alongside Katherine Torrance and Claire Pankhurst, the creators of Supercharged Marketing Sprints, Daniel unpacks a new approach to growth marketing that blends the speed of agile with the strategic rigour marketing has been missing. The team explain how their 5-day sprint framework works in practice - coaching marketing teams to develop and launch live, multichannel...

In this episode of The Digital Marketing Podcast, Ciaran and Daniel explore the next evolutionary leap in artificial intelligencs - Agentic AI. As tools like ChatGPT and Gemini become more capable, we can go beyond content generation and enter an era where AI can reason, plan, take action, and even deploy code on your behalf. Daniel shares his experience building an interactive Google Algorithm timeline, without any developer or designer help, and explains how tools like Manus (powered by DeepSeek) are revolutionising the way we build websites, visualise data, and even simulate digital marketing campaigns. The duo dive into how...

In this episode of the Digital Marketing Podcast, hosts Ciaran Rogers, Louise Crossley, and Daniel Rowles dive headfirst into a topic that's reshaping the way brands grow online: creating brand advocates vs. hiring influencers. 💬 How do advocates impact GEO and SEO? 🤝 What makes a true brand advocate? 🧠 How do you build authentic loyalty that actually moves the needle? You'll learn why genuine, passionate brand fans are now more powerful than ever and how their voices cut through the cynicism surrounding traditional influencer marketing. From the rise of Reddit and forum-based recommendations, to the impact of AI-generated summaries and Generative Engine Optimisat...

Join Daniel and Ciaran for a fast-paced episode where they unpack the latest ChatGPT developments and explore their real-world applications for digital marketers. From image generation breakthroughs to AI-driven research and content production, this episode is your essential briefing on how generative AI is redefining marketing workflows. Staying Ahead in the AI Race The pace of change in generative AI is relentles, and this episode underscores why digital marketers must actively engage with the tools at the forefront. Daniel and Ciaran discuss the strategic value of being early adopters and how leveraging these advancements can deliver competitive advantage. But the...

In this episode of The Digital Marketing Podcast, Daniel Rowles sits down with LinkedIn Ads legend AJ Wilcox, founder of B2Linked, for a deep-dive into everything you need to know to run effective, budget-friendly campaigns on LinkedIn.AJ has been living and breathing LinkedIn Ads for over a decade and shares insights honed from managing millions in ad spend. Why LinkedIn Ads Work Differently AJ explains why LinkedIn ads often cost like bottom-of-funnel, but act like top-of-funnel. Understanding this difference is critical to setting realistic expectations and structuring your campaigns for success. Avoiding Expensive Advice From platform recommendations to...

Updated to fix audio gap on Daniels mic! In this episode Ciaran and Daniel Rowles dive into the most exciting new tools that can transform the way marketers work—from AI-powered social media automation to SEO optimisation and content enhancement tools. They also share a whole range of special offers for listeners for each of the tools. Core topics covered include: AI-Powered Social Media: Powerful Tool or Terrible Content Creator? Explore the rise of AI-assisted tools that promise to make marketing more efficient. From Blaze, an AI-driven social media content creator, to advanced AI-powered image generators like Flux, we uncover ho...

Join the Target Internet team for a lively debate dissecting three of the most talked-about AI models in marketing today. In this episode, the trio evaluates the capabilities of ChatGPT, DeepSeek, and Google's Gemini, sharing firsthand experiences and expert takes on where these tools excel, where they stumble, and how you can leverage them in your digital marketing strategy. Why AI Matters Right Now Shifting Industry Landscape – The unexpected rise of DeepSeek and the ongoing hype around ChatGPT showcase just how quickly AI can upend existing norms. This accelerated pace is driving new opportunities for automating tasks, improving content quality, an...

In this episode of The Digital Marketing Podcast, brought to you by TargetInternet.com, Daniel, Ciaran, and Louise revisit the age-old question: "Is SEO dead?" This time, they look ahead to 2025 and beyond. The hosts examine how search engine optimisation has evolved—and why it's far from obsolete, despite the rise of AI, generative search, and changing user behaviours. The Big Question: Is SEO Dead in 2025? The team reflect on how this debate has reappeared time and again over the years. Daniel recalls delivering "Is SEO Dead?" presentations for more than a decade. Each new development—like Google's Search Generative Expe...

In this episode of the Digital Marketing Podcast, hosts Ciaran Rogers, Louise Crossley, and Daniel Rowles unpack the latest insights from Hootsuite's 2025 Social Media Trends Report. Creative Content: Breaking Boundaries Without Breaking Your Brand The discussion kicks off with an exploration of the shift towards entertainment-driven content. Over 60% of organisations are creating content designed to entertain, educate, or inform rather than promote directly. The hosts debate the pros and cons of pushing creative boundaries, citing examples of effective emotional engagement. They also warn of the risks of losing brand consistency and highlight strategies to stay innovative while staying true to...

In this episode of the Digital Marketing Podcast the team explore five essential email marketing stats to boost your campaigns. Highlights include: Crafting Captivating Subject Lines: Discover the magic of "power words" and how small changes can significantly impact open rates. Learn why overusing certain words, like "discover," can diminish their effectiveness over time. Seasonal and Trendy Keywords: Explore data-driven insights on using seasonal terms like "trends" or "forecasts" to boost engagement. Strategic Capitalisation and Personalisation: Learn how mid-line capitalisation can enhance scannability. Insights into using personalisation effectively without breaking trust. The Art of Invitation: The power of phrases like "...

In this first episode of 2025, Ciaran, Daniel and Louise discuss some essential new years resolutions for marketers in 2025. Covering the impact of generative AI, junk content, aggressive social media algorithms, never ending brand desperation to go viral and much more, they explore the essential techniques to help your digital marketing succeed in 2025. You'll also learn about why Ciaran's energy levels should never be at a 10, how much Daniel sounds like Marvin the Paranoid Android and how Ciaran had no idea his face had been printed n 10,000 mugs! The team are also giving away loads of podcast merchandide, sharing the schedule...