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The TL;DR:

• Let’s Chat D2C: Navigating the new SEO Landscape in the Era of AI Search Engines!

• Building in Public with SCALIS: Achieving Feature Parity and Enhancing User Experience.

• What I’m Thinking about this Week: Maximizing Conference Engagement for Sales.

• The D2Z Podcast: In this episode of The D2Z Podcast, I sat down with Mack Garrison, co-founder of Dash Studio, about the importance of a Gen Z mindset in business growth. We discussed Mack's entrepreneurial journey, the significance of company culture, maintaining authenticity in a remote work environment, and the impact of AI on creative industries.

• App Highlight: Apollo.io - my go to for sales prospecting and automated sequences.

• Upcoming Events: I’ll be in Oakland/SF for HR West today until Wednesday evening, then Chicago until Sunday night before heading to Vegas for the HR Transform conference.

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Let’s Chat D2C: Navigating the new SEO Landscape in the Era of AI Search Engines

The digital landscape is undergoing a profound transformation. With the rise of AI-driven platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google's Generative AI search results, traditional SEO strategies are being redefined. E-commerce businesses must adapt to these changes to maintain and enhance their online visibility.​

Understanding the Shift

AI-powered search engines utilize advanced natural language processing (NLP) to comprehend context, semantics, and user intent beyond mere keyword matching. This evolution means that content optimization now requires a deeper focus on how AI interprets and ranks information. For instance, AI agents are increasingly handling tasks and making decisions based on online data, making it crucial for businesses to ensure their content is both discoverable and trustworthy.

Strategies for Optimizing E-commerce Content

1. Embrace E-E-A-T Principles

   Google's emphasis on Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T) remains pivotal. High-quality content that adheres to these principles is more likely to be favored by both traditional search engines and AI algorithms. This involves creating in-depth, valuable content that addresses user needs comprehensively and demonstrates credibility through authoritative sources.

2. Implement Structured Data Markup

   Utilizing schema markup enhances AI's ability to understand and categorize your content. For e-commerce sites, incorporating structured data such as FAQ Schema, How-To Schema, and Product Schema can improve search visibility and increase the chances of being featured in rich results like snippets or knowledge panels.

3. Optimize for Conversational Queries

   AI platforms often process conversational queries. Crafting content that addresses these natural language questions can position your e-commerce site as a valuable resource. This includes developing comprehensive FAQs and instructional content that align with user intent.

4. Ensure Technical Accessibility

   AI crawlers favor content that is easily accessible and quick to load. Ensuring your website has clean HTML or markdown structures, fast response times, and proper configurations in robots.txt and firewall rules can enhance AI accessibility. Additionally, using semantic markup and metadata helps AI systems quickly understand your content.

5. Leverage AI Tools for Content Optimization

   Incorporating AI tools into your content creation process can provide a competitive edge. These tools can assist in generating engaging product descriptions, analyzing customer reviews for insights, and identifying emerging trends to keep your content relevant.

The Road Ahead

The integration of AI into search processes is not a fleeting trend but a fundamental shift in how users seek and consume information. E-commerce businesses that proactively adapt to these changes—by enhancing content quality, implementing structured data, and embracing AI tools—will be better positioned to thrive in this evolving landscape.

Building in Public with SCALIS: Achieving Feature Parity and Enhancing User Experience

This week marks a significant milestone for SCALIS as we launch our comprehensive reporting and analytics hub, bringing us to full feature parity with the top three Applicant Tracking System (ATS) players in the market. This advancement not only strengthens our competitive position but also enables a substantial portion of our pipeline to transition seamlessly to SCALIS.​

Key Features of the New Analytics Hub

• Advanced Reporting Capabilities: 9 out-of-the-box reports with the ability to create custom reports on various recruitment metrics, facilitating data-driven decision-making and strategic planning.​

• Customizable Dashboards: Tailored dashboards allow users to monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) pertinent to their organizational goals, enhancing the user experience.​

• Real-Time Data Insights: Access to up-to-date data ensures that recruitment strategies can be adjusted promptly to align with evolving market dynamics.​

Comprehensive Walkthrough Video

To showcase these enhancements, we've released a detailed Loom video walkthrough that covers:​

• Analytics and Reporting Hubs: An in-depth look at how to navigate and utilize the new features to optimize recruitment processes.​

• Offer Letters and Documents with Custom Tokens: Demonstrates how to create personalized documents efficiently, streamlining candidate communication.​

• Native E-Signature Integration: Simplifies the signing process, reducing time-to-hire and enhancing the candidate experience.​

• Employee Referral Flow: Highlights the new system for managing employee referrals, promoting internal talent sourcing.​

You can watch the full walkthrough here: SCALIS Feature Walkthrough​

Implications for Our Clients and Prospects

Achieving feature parity opens the door for many organizations in our pipeline to migrate to SCALIS, confident in the platform's ability to meet their basic recruitment needs. Now, they don’t have to sacrifice on core functionality to take advantage of all of the UVP’s SCALIS offers beyond them.

What I’m Thinking About This Week: Maximizing Conference Engagement for Sales

Sponsoring and presenting at conferences can be a massive growth driver—if done right. The key is proactive outreach to your ICP and target prospects before the event. Simply showing up and expecting organic traffic to your booth isn’t enough—you need a game plan.

I’ve been executing this strategy as SCALIS prepares for:

• HR West (March 11-12, Oakland): We’re a top 5 finalist for Startup of the Year.

• Transform (March 17-19, Las Vegas): Featured in the Startup section.

• SourceCon (April 28-30, Las Vegas): Engaging with top hiring professionals.

My approach? I reached out to every key attendee I wanted to meet, followed up on LinkedIn and the event app, and pre-scheduled booth meetings, coffees, lunches, and dinners. The goal is to walk into the conference with a fully booked schedule—ensuring that every minute is maximized for high-impact conversations.

How to Maximize Conference ROI

1. Start Your Outreach Early – Don’t wait until the event to make connections. A month out, identify key attendees and reach out via LinkedIn or the event app to set up time to meet.

2. Personalize Your Outreach – A generic “Let’s meet” message won’t cut it. Reference specific ways you can provide value or why a conversation would be beneficial for them. At the very least when I do outreach for SCALIS, I’m looking up what ATS they’re currently using.

3. Lock in Meetings Before the Event – If you’re relying on foot traffic, you’re leaving opportunities on the table. Book meetings in advance so your schedule is packed with high-value interactions.

4. Leverage Event Sponsorship for Visibility – If you’re exhibiting, maximize your presence with giveaways, live demos, or an exclusive VIP experience.

5. Host Side Events & Dinners – Some of the best conversations happen outside of the expo hall. Hosting a small, private dinner for key prospects can be a game-changer.

6. Follow Up Immediately – The real work begins after the event. Have a structured follow-up sequence ready to continue conversations, schedule deeper dives, and close deals.

The SCALIS Approach: Hands-On Execution

At SCALIS, we take a highly proactive approach to conferences. For HR West, Transform, and SourceCon, I personally:

• Built a target list of attendees, sponsors, and speakers relevant to SCALIS.

• Sent personalized LinkedIn messages, emails, and event app invites to connect in advance.

• Set up a detailed calendar with back-to-back meetings, ensuring zero downtime.

• Created tailored collateral and demos to match the interests of key prospects.

The Bigger Picture: Conferences as Growth Engines

Most companies treat conferences as branding opportunities, but the reality is they are high-value sales accelerators. Instead of just showing up, handing out business cards, and hoping for follow-ups, think of them as structured deal-making events.

• Pre-event strategy: Think of it like pipeline generation—who do you want to close in the next 6 months, and how can this conference help?

• During the event: Your booth should not just be a product showcase but a structured meeting space where your top prospects feel valued and engaged.

• Post-event: Follow-ups need to be immediate and personalized. Use the momentum from the event to book deeper conversations, demo calls, and ultimately, close deals.

For SCALIS, these conferences aren’t just about exposure—they are about accelerating our go-to-market motion. If you’re investing in conferences as part of your growth strategy, treat them as sales accelerators—not just brand awareness plays. A well-executed conference strategy can yield months’ worth of pipeline in just a few days.

This Week’s The D2Z Podcast

#143 – Building a Resilient Business Steeped in Culture

🎧 Listen Now 🎧

In this episode of The D2Z Podcast, I sat down with Mack Garrison, co-founder of Dash Studio, about the importance of a Gen Z mindset in business growth. We discussed Mack's entrepreneurial journey, the significance of company culture, maintaining authenticity in a remote work environment, and the impact of AI on creative industries. The conversation also touches on generational differences in content consumption and the challenges of managing client relationships in creative work.

Here's What You'll Learn:

❗Mack Garrison emphasizes the importance of company culture in creative industries.

❗Authenticity is crucial for building a successful team and brand.

❗Feedback from team members must be acted upon to foster a positive work environment.

❗AI is changing the landscape of creative work, but human storytelling remains essential.

❗Generational differences affect how content is consumed and created.

❗Creating opportunities for team connection is vital in a remote work setting.

❗Proactive measures in HR can prevent burnout and improve team morale.

❗A structured creative process can help manage client expectations effectively.

❗The future of creative storytelling relies on adaptability and understanding diverse audiences.

❗Community and shared experiences are key to successful creative collaborations.

App Highlight: Apollo

When it comes to prospecting and sales outreach, Apollo.io is my go-to tool. We use it at SCALIS for:

• Finding and enriching contact data for ideal customers

• Running highly targeted sales outreach sequences

• Automating follow-ups to maximize conversion rates

Apollo is an absolute game-changer for anyone in B2B sales. If you want to supercharge your outreach, check it out: Apollo.io

Upcoming Events

I’ll be in Oakland/SF for HR West today until Wednesday evening, then Chicago until Sunday night before heading to Vegas for the HR Transform conference.