If you're struggling to create enough content to grow your business, you're not alone. Even after years of podcasting and blogging, I still face this challenge. That’s why this episode is all about showing you a real-world system to scale content without breaking the bank. You'll learn how to use generative AI and trusted freelancers in a smart, repeatable way—all while staying under $1,000 a month. This is an important topic because content is at the heart of digital marketing. It brings people to your site, builds trust, and helps convert followers into customers. Without content, your digital marketing doesn’t work. So if you're looking to build a stronger system, spend less, and still grow faster, you won't want to miss this one.

Tools Mentioned (include affiliate links to help support the show!)

• ChatGPT: For writing and image generation.
• Elementor: For blog featured images in WordPress.
• Upwork: For finding good freelance help.
• Fiverr: Upwork alternative.
• Trello: For managing my content process.
• Loom: To explain tasks to freelancers quickly.
• Frase: For SEO optimization of blog posts.
• SocialBee: For scheduling social content.

Learn More:

• Buy Digital Threads: https://nealschaffer.com/digitalthreadsamazon
• Buy Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth: https://nealschaffer.com/maximizinglinkedinamazon
• Join My Digital First Mastermind: https://nealschaffer.com/membership/
• Learn about My Fractional CMO Consulting Services: https://nealschaffer.com/cmo
• Download My Free Ebooks Here: https://nealschaffer.com/books/
• Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/nealschaffer
• All My Podcast Show Notes: https://podcast.nealschaffer.com

In this episode of the Your Digital Marketing Coach podcast, I’m joined by James Hipkin, author of Journey to Success: Digital Marketing for Small Business Owners. James brings decades of experience helping businesses build smarter, more effective websites — and more importantly, explains why websites are still the most important piece of your digital marketing puzzle.

We talk about why your website is the only part of your digital marketing you truly own, how to stop treating it like just another design project, and how to start using it as a tool for real connection and trust. Whether you’re trying to improve conversions, make better use of your marketing budget, or understand where AI fits in the mix, this episode will give you the foundation you need. If you’re serious about using digital marketing to grow your business, it all starts with your website — and this episode tells you how.

Guest Links

• Connect with James on LinkedIn
• James' agency inn8ly

Learn More:

• Buy Digital Threads: https://nealschaffer.com/digitalthreadsamazon
• Buy Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth: https://nealschaffer.com/maximizinglinkedinamazon
• Join My Digital First Mastermind: https://nealschaffer.com/membership/
• Learn about My Fractional CMO Consulting Services: https://nealschaffer.com/cmo
• Download My Free Ebooks Here: https://nealschaffer.com/books/
• Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/nealschaffer
• All My Podcast Show Notes: https://podcast.nealschaffer.com

In this episode of the Your Digital Marketing Coach podcast, I’m diving into one of the biggest changes to how we show up in Google search results—the AI overview box. If you’ve noticed a drop in your traffic, you’re not alone. These new AI summaries are changing how people click, what links they trust, and which brands get noticed. I went deep into the data—10 studies from the past year—to find the real patterns that help content get featured. From building stronger topic clusters to writing short, clear answers and updating your posts more often, I’ll show you what works right now. This matters because showing up in these AI results can bring the most valuable visitors to your site—people ready to learn and take action.

Links to Data Sources Used

• https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/google-ai-overviews-sge/
• https://www.conductor.com/academy/search-generative-experience/
• https://www.advancedwebranking.com/blog/how-to-takle-google-ai-overviews-search-generative-experience
• https://www.resultfirst.com/blog/ai-seo/ai-overviews-explained-the-ultimate-guide-to-googles-search-generative-experience-sge/
• https://exposureninja.com/blog/how-to-rank-ai-overview/
• https://seowind.io/how-to-optimize-for-google-ai-overview/
• https://seranking.com/blog/how-to-optimize-for-ai-overviews/
• https://webmasters.stackexchange.com/questions/143199/how-to-optimize-a-website-for-google-search-generative-experience-sge
• https://www.rocktherankings.com/how-to-rank-google-ai-overview/
• https://hawksem.com/blog/google-ai-overviews/

Learn More:

• Buy Digital Threads: https://nealschaffer.com/digitalthreadsamazon
• Buy Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth: https://nealschaffer.com/maximizinglinkedinamazon
• Join My Digital First Mastermind: https://nealschaffer.com/membership/
• Learn about My Fractional CMO Consulting Services: https://nealschaffer.com/cmo
• Download My Free Ebooks Here: https://nealschaffer.com/books/
• Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/nealschaffer
• All My Podcast Show Notes: https://podcast.nealschaffer.com

In today’s episode, we’re diving deep into a fresh way to look at AI—one that goes beyond writing content or summarizing documents. My guest, Stephen Lewis, a seasoned journalist and copywriter with decades of experience, shares how businesses can use AI not just as a helper, but as a full-blown strategic partner. We explore how to create synthetic personas—AI-powered customer models that give honest, detailed feedback. This isn’t just about tech. It’s about using smart tools to better understand your audience, improve your message, and grow your brand. If you’ve ever wondered how to get ahead in digital marketing with AI, this episode will show you how.

Guest Links:

• Connect with Steven on LInkedIn
• Steven's Copywriting Agency Taleist

Learn More:

• Buy Digital Threads: https://nealschaffer.com/digitalthreadsamazon
• Buy Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth: https://nealschaffer.com/maximizinglinkedinamazon
• Join My Digital First Mastermind: https://nealschaffer.com/membership/
• Learn about My Fractional CMO Consulting Services: https://nealschaffer.com/cmo
• Download My Free Ebooks Here: https://nealschaffer.com/books/
• Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/nealschaffer
• All My Podcast Show Notes: https://podcast.nealschaffer.com

Monetizing your personal brand isn't just about brand deals anymore. With AI, content creators, entrepreneurs, and influencers now have powerful tools to uncover fresh income streams and build deeper connections with their audience. In this episode, I share advanced strategies pulled straight from my UCLA Extension class, showing how to use AI to grow your influence, better understand your audience, and create new digital products and services. Whether you’re just starting out or already have a growing following, these tips will help you turn your personal brand into a full-on business. It’s all part of building a smarter, more profitable digital presence—and it’s something every marketer should know.

Learn More:

• Buy Digital Threads: https://nealschaffer.com/digitalthreadsamazon
• Buy Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth: https://nealschaffer.com/maximizinglinkedinamazon
• Join My Digital First Mastermind: https://nealschaffer.com/membership/
• Learn about My Fractional CMO Consulting Services: https://nealschaffer.com/cmo
• Download My Free Ebooks Here: https://nealschaffer.com/books/
• Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/nealschaffer
• All My Podcast Show Notes: https://podcast.nealschaffer.com

In this episode I talk with David Sidoni, the founder of HowToBuyAHome.com. David took his passion for educating first-time homebuyers and turned it into a digital-first brand and thriving business, built almost entirely from a podcast. This episode is full of lessons on niche marketing, the power of organic content, and how to build trust through education. If you're trying to grow your brand, connect with your audience, or use content to drive your business forward, David’s story will inspire and guide you.

Guest Links

• HowToBuyAHome.com
• How to Buy a Home Podcast
• Connect with David on LinkedIn

Learn More:

• Buy Digital Threads: https://nealschaffer.com/digitalthreadsamazon
• Buy Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth: https://nealschaffer.com/maximizinglinkedinamazon
• Join My Digital First Mastermind: https://nealschaffer.com/membership/
• Learn about My Fractional CMO Consulting Services: https://nealschaffer.com/cmo
• Download My Free Ebooks Here: https://nealschaffer.com/books/
• Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/nealschaffer
• All My Podcast Show Notes: https://podcast.nealschaffer.com

Are you spending time on the right things in your marketing? Or just doing more for the sake of it? In this episode, I’ll walk you through the simple but powerful quarterly audit I use to double down on what’s working and ditch what’s not. It’s helped me grow faster and save time—and it can do the same for you.

Learn More:

• Buy Digital Threads: https://nealschaffer.com/digitalthreadsamazon
• Buy Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth: https://nealschaffer.com/maximizinglinkedinamazon
• Join My Digital First Mastermind: https://nealschaffer.com/membership/
• Learn about My Fractional CMO Consulting Services: https://nealschaffer.com/cmo
• Download My Free Ebooks Here: https://nealschaffer.com/books/
• Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/nealschaffer
• All My Podcast Show Notes: https://podcast.nealschaffer.com

In today's digital world, where AI can write a blog post in seconds and content is everywhere, the one thing that still sets you apart is your ability to tell a great story. And not just any story—a strategic one. That’s why I’m excited to introduce Cathy Goodwin, a true expert in the field of strategic storytelling. Cathy has built her brand around helping entrepreneurs and small business owners tell stories that connect, convert, and grow their business. In this episode, we’ll dig into why storytelling is more than just a buzzword, how it can shape your brand, and why it's so important that your customer—not you—is the hero of the story. If you’re ready to stop telling stories that fall flat and start sharing ones that truly move your audience, this episode is for you.

Guest Links

• Cathy Goodwin's Website
• Connect with Cathy on LinkedIn
• Buy Your Mess is Not Your Message: Branding Strategies for Solopreneurs on Amazon

Learn More:

• Buy Digital Threads: https://nealschaffer.com/digitalthreadsamazon
• Buy Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth: https://nealschaffer.com/maximizinglinkedinamazon
• Join My Digital First Mastermind: https://nealschaffer.com/membership/
• Learn about My Fractional CMO Consulting Services: https://nealschaffer.com/cmo
• Download My Free Ebooks Here: https://nealschaffer.com/books/
• Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/nealschaffer
• All My Podcast Show Notes: https://podcast.nealschaffer.com