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Stop Marketing Like It's 2020: Master This New Framework Now

It’s now about Discovery + Own. That’s it.

While you're still chasing SEO rankings and Facebook ads like it's 2020, your competitors are mastering a completely different game…one where AI decides who gets discovered.

The Problem: Your 2020 Marketing Playbook Is Dead

Here's what's happening right now:

• Your customers aren't scrolling through Google search results page by page

• They're not clicking on your Facebook ads

• Instead, they're asking ChatGPT for recommendations

• They're using Perplexity to research solutions

• They're letting AI do the heavy lifting of discovery

If you're still marketing like it's 2020, you're invisible to them.

Most businesses are still making these critical mistakes:

• Obsessing over keyword rankings that matter less every day

• Running ads to audiences who ignore advertising

• Creating content for search engines that are becoming less relevant

• Treating marketing as a one-way broadcast

The cost of staying behind:

• Watching your market share shrink

• Seeing your cost per acquisition rise

• Missing out on high-intent customers who are ready to buy

• Being left behind while competitors take your customers

There is good news: The businesses that master AI discovery are attracting higher-intent customers who convert better and spend more.

The New Framework: DISCOVERY + OWN

The new marketing framework has two essential parts:

DISCOVERY

Getting found by AI and high-intent customers who use AI to research and make decisions

OWN

Keeping those customers once they find you and turning them into champions

Why you need both: • Discovery without ownership = expensive traffic that doesn't convert

• Ownership without discovery = perfect system for customers you're not attracting

• Combined = a flywheel where happy customers generate more discovery opportunities

Part 1: Mastering AI Discovery

AI search engines work fundamentally differently than Google:

• Google shows you ten blue links and lets you decide

• AI synthesizes information from multiple sources and gives recommendations

• AI looks at what other people say about you, not just your website

1. Third-Party Reviews: Your New SEO

Reviews are now more important than traditional SEO.

When someone asks ChatGPT for recommendations, it looks at: 

• Google Business reviews

• Industry-specific review sites

• Reddit discussions

• Social media mentions

Your systematic approach: 

• Identify every platform where customers might leave reviews

• Create systems to consistently earn reviews from happy customers

• Make it easy with direct links and clear instructions

• Earn reviews by delivering experiences worth reviewing

The compound effect: 

• Each review makes AI more likely to recommend you

• More recommendations bring more customers

• More customers create more review opportunities

• It becomes a self-reinforcing cycle

2. YouTube Videos for AI Discovery

Video content consistently ranks higher in AI search results.

Why this works:

• AI can extract more information from video than text alone

• Videos that explain your expertise help AI understand and recommend your knowledge

• Clear titles and detailed descriptions boost AI visibility

This isn't traditional YouTube SEO…it's about creating content AI can understand and recommend.

3. JSON-LD Code: Speaking AI's Language

Most businesses skip this because it's technical, but it's one of the easiest ways to boost AI visibility.

What JSON-LD does: 

• Tells AI search engines exactly what your business does

• Describes your services in language AI understands

• Provides a "cheat sheet" for AI search engines

• Helps AI categorize and recommend you accurately

Without it: AI has to guess what your business does With it: AI knows exactly how to recommend you

4. Multi-Modal Content Strategy

AI prefers diverse content types because different formats provide different information.

Winning combination:

• Text content for detailed explanations

• Images for visual understanding

• Video for demonstrations

• Audio for accessibility and engagement

You don't need every format for every topic - be strategic about using different formats to reach different audiences.

5. Building Mentions Across the Internet

Brand mentions without links are becoming increasingly valuable.

This means: 

• Contributing to industry forums

• Being quoted in articles

• Participating in podcasts

• Becoming a recognized voice in your space

The goal: Make AI confident in recommending you by building comprehensive presence across the internet.

Part 2: The OWN Framework

1. Newsletters That Educate (Not Promote)

Educational newsletters create trust and expertise positioning.

What works:

• Help your audience solve real problems

• Share industry insights and trends

• Provide actionable strategies

• Segment based on customer journey stage

Measure success beyond open rates:

• How newsletter engagement correlates with sales

• How educational content moves people through your funnel

• How newsletters create customers who become champions

2. Smart Chatbots That Actually Help

Not annoying pop-ups, but valuable conversation starters.

Best practices:

• Use AI to personalize conversations based on visitor behavior

• Provide actual value and help visitors find solutions

• Guide people toward solutions, don't just answer questions

• Integrate with other systems for personalized recommendations

3. YouTube Videos That Build Affinity

These are different from discovery videos…they build genuine connections.

Affinity videos should:

• Showcase your personality and values

• Demonstrate your approach to problem-solving

• Help people understand not just what you do, but how you think

• Shorten sales cycles by building trust before sales conversations

4. Turn Customers Into Champions

This is where most businesses make a huge mistake…thinking the journey ends at purchase.

Champions are customers who: 

• Leave glowing reviews

• Refer other customers

• Become your most effective marketing channel

• Actively promote your business

Creating champions requires: 

• Systematic nurturing of customer relationships

• Regular check-ins and ongoing value

• Celebrating customer successes

• Making customers feel valued long after purchase

Measure what matters: 

• Customer lifetime value

• Advocacy metrics

• Referral rates

• Champion conversion rates

The Flywheel Effect: Where the Magic Happens

When you combine Discovery and OWN, you create exponential growth:

The cycle:

1. Happy customers leave reviews and create content

2. Reviews boost your AI discovery

3. AI discovery brings high-intent prospects

4. Prospects become customers through your OWN systems

5. New customers become champions

6. Champions create more discovery opportunities

Why this works: 

• Each satisfied customer creates multiple discovery opportunities

• Each discovery brings more high-intent prospects

• High-intent prospects convert better

• Better customers become stronger champions

The compound effect: 

• Year 1: Modest improvements

• Year 2: Flywheel spinning faster

• Year 3: Customer champions doing more marketing than your entire traditional budget

Your Action Plan: Getting Started

Step 1: Audit Where You Are Now

Discovery audit: 

• Review presence across all platforms

• Brand mentions across the internet

• JSON-LD implementation status

• AI discoverability in your industry

Ownership audit: 

• Email marketing effectiveness

• Website visitor engagement systems

• Content that builds audience affinity

• Percentage of customers who become champions

Step 2: Prioritize High-Impact Activities

Quick wins for most businesses: 

• Review generation systems

• Basic JSON-LD implementation

• Educational newsletter setup

Step 3: Implementation Timeline

Month 1: Foundation Building 

• Set up review collection systems

• Implement structured data on website

• Start educational newsletter content

Months 2-3: Content & Discovery Optimization 

• Create YouTube videos showcasing expertise

• Build mentions across relevant platforms

• Develop multi-modal content strategy

Month 4+: Scaling & Optimization 

• Double down on what's working

• Eliminate ineffective tactics

• Continuously improve based on results

Step 4: Track the Right Metrics

New metrics that matter: 

• AI discovery mentions

• Educational content engagement rates

• Customer-to-champion conversion rates

• Referral rates and sources

• AI search result visibility

Tools you need: 

• AI mention tracking services (Open Forge AI)

• Customer advocacy measurement platforms

• Referral source attribution systems

Key Takeaways

The marketing world has fundamentally changed: 

• Traditional tactics are losing effectiveness

• AI discovery is the new competitive advantage

• Customer ownership creates sustainable growth

• The combination creates a powerful flywheel effect

Your next steps: 

• Audit your current marketing approach

• Start with review generation and JSON-LD implementation

• Build educational content that creates trust

• Focus on turning customers into champions

• Measure the metrics that predict long-term success

Remember: This is a long-term strategy that creates sustainable competitive advantages, not a quick fix. Start building your assets today.

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