In this episode of Chat With Sean, I’m joined by Jes Scholz, a marketing consultant specialising in entity optimisation, smart content distribution, and technical SEO.

We explore what marketing and search will really look like heading into 2026 - from the rise of AI-generated content and the growing importance of brand authenticity, to why share of voice is a more meaningful KPI than traffic alone.

Jes breaks down why “quality content” is the wrong goal, how to create distribution-worthy content, and why distinctive brand assets matter more than perfect keyword optimisation. We also go deep on AI agents, conversion friction, accessibility, and what websites must do to stay relevant as bots increasingly become the primary users.

The conversation finishes with a powerful reframing of EEAT, brand sentiment, and why fame, familiarity, and expectation-setting will define which brands win and which quietly disappear in an AI-driven search landscape.

Topics covered include:

- The biggest marketing trends heading into 2026

- AI content, authenticity, and platform trust signals

- Why share of voice is the leading indicator of market share- Distinctive brand assets and familiarity in search

- What “distribution-worthy” content really means

- Why EEAT checklists miss the point

- AI agents, text-based browsers, and conversion friction

- The future role of websites in an agent-led web

- Brand sentiment, reviews, and LLM trust signals

- Why “fame” may matter more than EEAT in the AI era