The Agents of Change Digital Marketing Podcast

Jaksot

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  How to Use Substack for Business Growth with Tracy Friedlander 16.09.2026 29min

  Substack has been on my radar for a while, but I'll be honest: I wasn't sure it had much to offer someone who already has a blog, an email list, and a few social channels up and running. Turns out I was asking the wrong question. This week I sat down with Tracy Friedlander, a former professional orchestra musician turned Substack strategist and the voice behind The Second Act Strategist, to find out what the platform can do for small business owners and marketers who want to build a real audience without starting from scratch all over again. https://www.theagentsofchange.com/638 Register for my Local SEO Webinar (9.23.2026): https://www.takeflyte.com/flyte-school/live-events Take the Substack Quiz: https://www.takeflyte.com/flyte-school/live-events Need help with your branding, website, or digital marketing? Reach out to me (Rich Brooks!) today at https://www.takeflyte.com/contact
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  What Marketers Get Wrong About AI Search with Andy Crestodina 09.09.2026 35min

  Every few months a new acronym shows up promising to replace the last one, and this year it's GEO. I brought Andy Crestodina from Orbit Media back on the show to settle a debate I keep having in my own head: is generative engine optimization its own discipline, or just SEO wearing a trench coat and hoping nobody looks too closely? Andy has spent twenty five years building websites that turn into lead generation machines for B2B companies, and he came in with a much sharper answer than "it depends," even though he says that phrase more than either of us would like to admit. If you run marketing for a small or mid sized business and you're wondering whether AI search means starting over from scratch, this conversation will save you a lot of wasted effort chasing the wrong checklist. https://www.theagentsofchange.com/637 Need help with your branding, website, or digital marketing? Reach out to me (Rich Brooks!) today at https://www.takeflyte.com/contact Check out Andy's first appearance and the introduction by my daughter Maya: https://www.themarketingagents.com/andy-crestodina-neuromarketing
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  Turn AI Into Your Best Referral Source with Vivienne Wagner 26.08.2026 23min

  Every time you ask ChatGPT or Claude for a recommendation, you're training it to know you better, and that changes everything about how customers find your business. My guest this week is Vivienne Wagner, founder and CEO of Houndstooth Media Group, and she's built her entire practice around helping business owners get recommended by AI the same way you'd ask a friend "who should I call for this?" We get into why clarity beats volume, how Google Business Profile reviews are quietly becoming AI training data, and why a bridal shop's "ultimate guide to summer weddings" outperformed anything her competitor across the street was doing. If you've been wondering why some businesses seem to show up in every AI conversation about their industry while others are invisible, this episode breaks down exactly what's happening behind the scenes. https://www.theagentsofchange.com/636 Need help with your branding, website, or digital marketing? Reach out to me (Rich Brooks!) today at https://www.takeflyte.com/contact
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  Why Your Google Ads Keep Underperforming with Jeff Coleman 19.08.2026 28min

  If your Google Ads budget keeps climbing while your results stay flat, you're not alone, and you're probably starting in the wrong place. My guest this week is Jeff Coleman, founder of Factor Four Marketing, who has spent more than two decades building results-driven Google Ads campaigns for everyone from local service companies to Fortune 500 brands. Jeff makes the case that most businesses jump straight into keyword research when they should start with their ideal customer profile instead, and once you make that shift, everything from your ad copy to your landing pages gets easier to build. We dig into what really makes your business remarkable (hint: it's probably not "great service"), why Jeff builds landing pages before finalizing keywords, and how to train Google's algorithm to send you better leads instead of just more of them. If you've ever looked at your ad spend and wondered whether it's working for you, this episode is for you. https://www.theagentsofchange.com/635 Need help with your branding, website, or digital marketing? Reach out to me (Rich Brooks!) today at https://www.takeflyte.com/contact
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  How to Turn Website Traffic Into Leads with Irwin Hau 12.08.2026 26min

  Here's a question I ask every business owner who complains their marketing "isn't working": when's the last time you actually looked at your website like a stranger would? Because nine times out of ten, the traffic is fine. It's the website that's dropping the ball. My guest this week is Irwin Hau, founder of Chromatics and Conversion Cow, who's analyzed close to 70,000 websites (yes, 70,000) and built an entire framework around the psychology of trust and conversion. Before he was auditing websites for a living, he was a card illusionist, which honestly explains a lot once you hear him talk about how easy it is to manipulate attention online. If you've ever wondered why people aren't calling, filling out your forms, or sticking around past the homepage, this episode hands you the four questions your website needs to answer, and the simple, often free fixes most businesses are missing. https://www.theagentsofchange.com/634 Need help with your branding, website, or digital marketing? Reach out to me (Rich Brooks!) today at https://www.takeflyte.com/contact
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  How to Build Trust on LinkedIn with Kaila Vander Horn 05.08.2026 32min

  LinkedIn is the one social platform that hasn't burned me out yet, and after this conversation, I understand why a lot more businesses should be paying closer attention to it. My guest is Kaila Vander Horn, head of content at Speedwork, a LinkedIn advertising agency where she runs organic strategy for B2B companies and the leaders behind them. We get into what thought leadership really means (spoiler: you don't need a corner office or a Fortune 100 badge to claim it), how often you really need to post to see results, and why LinkedIn has quietly become one of the most cited sources for AI tools like ChatGPT. If you've been putting off posting because you don't think anyone cares what you have to say, this episode, and this recap, is for you. https://www.theagentsofchange.com/633 NY Times Article: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/23/technology/personaltech/chatgpt-gemini-prompts-privacy.html?unlocked_article_code=1.0FA.zhw-.mAZ5BSDr9qg7&smid=url-share Need help with your branding, website, or digital marketing? Reach out to me (Rich Brooks!) today at https://www.takeflyte.com/contact
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  The Neuroscience of Storytelling with Jennifer Gardner 29.07.2026 38min

  You already know stories beat spreadsheets when it comes to winning people over. But what if the story itself isn't even the most important part? This week I'm talking with Jennifer Gardner, a Los Angeles trial lawyer, persuasive communication speaker, and administrative law judge who's spent three decades convincing juries to see things her way. Jennifer breaks down what's actually happening in the brain when a story lands, why admitting your flaws builds more trust than any case study, and why the AI-generated content flooding your feed is missing the one ingredient it can't fake: you. If you've ever wondered why some stories grab you instantly while "important" ones put you to sleep, this conversation gives you the answer, and a few techniques you can start using today. https://www.theagentsofchange.com/632 Need help with your branding, website, or digital marketing? Reach out to me (Rich Brooks!) today at https://www.takeflyte.com/contact
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  Beating Big Competitors through Local SEO with Nick Cohen 22.07.2026 33min

  If you've ever felt like local search is a game rigged for the big guys with bottomless ad budgets, this episode is going to change how you think about winning. My guest, Nick Cohen, is a rare combination: a practicing attorney and the COO of Matador, where he helps over 180 law firms compete against much bigger competitors in local search. But don't let the law firm focus fool you. Everything Nick shares here about reviews, backlinks, content, and the wild new world of GEO (that's optimizing for AI search) applies just as much to your HVAC company, your dental practice, or your marketing agency. We get into why reviews might be the single highest-leverage thing you can do this month, how to figure out exactly which keywords to target with his refreshingly simple "what you do, where you do it" framework, and why showing up in ChatGPT might convert better than showing up in Google. Let's get into it. GEO Audit: https://www.takeflyte.com/geo-audit?utm_source=aocp&utm_medium=id3&utm_campaign=aocp GEO Snapshot: https://www.takeflyte.com/geo-snapshot?utm_source=aocp&utm_medium=id3&utm_campaign=aocp https://www.theagentsofchange.com/631 Need help with your branding, website, or digital marketing? Reach out to me (Rich Brooks!) today at https://www.takeflyte.com/contact
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  Email Welcome Sequences That Convert with Allea Grummert 15.07.2026 35min

  Most of us obsess over growing our email list, then greet new subscribers with... nothing. Maybe a generic "thanks for signing up" if they're lucky. Allea Grummert, email marketing strategist and owner of Duett, says that first stretch after someone joins your list is where relationships (and revenue) are won or lost. In this episode, she breaks down how to build a welcome sequence that answers your subscribers' biggest questions, shows off your best content, and quietly identifies your hottest leads, all on autopilot. If your welcome email still says "welcome to the community," this one's for you. https://www.theagentsofchange.com/630 Need help with your branding, website, or digital marketing? Reach out to me (Rich Brooks!) today at https://www.takeflyte.com/contact
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  Simplify Your Marketing Analytics with Kyle Akerman 08.07.2026 35min

  If you have ever opened your Google Analytics, felt your eyes glaze over, and quietly closed the tab, this episode is for you. I sat down with Kyle Akerman, a digital measurement consultant in Nashville who helps small B2B marketing teams turn data into decisions without the overwhelm. We get into why your analytics should work like a feedback loop, why three good questions beat thirty random metrics, and how 25 minutes on a Friday (beer and tacos optional) can tell you more about your marketing than a year-end report ever will. If measurement has always felt like the punishment for loving the creative side of marketing, Kyle has a simpler, saner way in. https://www.theagentsofchange.com/629 Need help with your branding, website, or digital marketing? Reach out to me (Rich Brooks!) today at https://www.takeflyte.com/contact
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  NotebookLM for Marketers AI Workflows with Lisa Monks 01.07.2026 41min

  If you've been using ChatGPT or Gemini and quietly wondering whether you can trust everything it tells you, there's a Google tool built to solve exactly that problem. NotebookLM only works from the documents you give it, which means it's grounded in your own content instead of guessing at the entire internet. This week I'm joined by Lisa Monks, an Australian social media strategist and AI educator, who has spent the last few years figuring out how to put that grounded approach to work for real businesses. We talk about everything from repurposing podcasts and building staff training quizzes to creating fully branded slide decks, and by the end of this episode you'll have a clear list of ways to put NotebookLM to work in your own business this week. https://www.theagentsofchange.com/628 Need help with your branding, website, or digital marketing? Reach out to me (Rich Brooks!) today at https://www.takeflyte.com/contact
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  Creating Better Graphics with AI with Jeff Sieh 24.06.2026 34min

  If your AI-generated images are starting to look like everyone else's, you're not alone. The problem isn't the tools. It's the approach. Jeff Sieh, visual content expert and host of Creator News Live, has been deep in the AI image generation world long enough to watch it transform from a novelty into a genuine workflow essential. In this episode, we get into how to develop your own visual style, how to use tools like Midjourney and Nano Banana for very different jobs, and why the best prompt you'll ever write is the one you let AI help you write. Whether you're creating YouTube thumbnails, social graphics, or just trying to figure out where to start, this one's worth your time. https://www.theagentsofchange.com/627 Need help with your branding, website, or digital marketing? Reach out to me (Rich Brooks!) today at https://www.takeflyte.com/contact
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  AI Visibility and the Buyer Journey with Tom Rudnai 17.06.2026 31min

  If you've been trying to get your business cited by ChatGPT or Google's AI Overviews, you might be optimizing for the wrong thing entirely. Tom Rudnai, founder of Demand-Genius, spent two years running structured prompts across the full buyer journey and found something that should change the way marketers think about AI visibility. Most of the influence AI has on your potential customers happens long before it ever recommends a specific brand. In this episode, Tom breaks down exactly what that means, what the data shows, and what practical steps you can take to stop chasing citations and start shaping how AI understands your category. https://www.theagentsofchange.com/626 Need help with your branding, website, or digital marketing? Reach out to me (Rich Brooks!) today at https://www.takeflyte.com/contact
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  AI Legal Risks Every Marketer Should Know with Sharon Toerek 10.06.2026 29min

  If you've been using AI tools to create content, generate ideas, or speed up your workflow, you probably haven't spent much time thinking about what could go wrong legally. But you might want to start. I sat down with Sharon Toerek, a marketing and intellectual property attorney who works exclusively with independent agencies, and she laid out the legal landscape around AI in a way that's practical, clear, and genuinely useful. No scare tactics, no doom and gloom. Just a straightforward look at what the risks are, what you can do about them, and how to build the kind of foundation that keeps you from getting caught flat-footed. https://www.theagentsofchange.com/625 Need help with your branding, website, or digital marketing? Reach out to me (Rich Brooks!) today at https://www.takeflyte.com/contact
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  Behavioral Science Tricks for Marketers with MichaelAaron Flicker 03.06.2026 29min

  If you've ever wondered why some brands just seem to "stick" while others fade into the noise, the answer might have less to do with budget and more to do with brain science. On this episode of the Agents of Change podcast, I sat down with MichaelAaron Flicker, CEO of XenoPsi Ventures and co-author of Hacking the Human Mind, to dig into the behavioral triggers behind some of the most iconic marketing campaigns in history. The best part? These aren't strategies reserved for Fortune 500 companies. MichaelAaron breaks down exactly how small and mid-sized businesses can put these same psychological principles to work today. https://www.theagentsofchange.com/624 Need help with your branding, website, or digital marketing? Reach out to me (Rich Brooks!) today at https://www.takeflyte.com/contact
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  Agentic AI for Marketing and SEO with Eliot Prince 27.05.2026 41min

  I first found Eliot Prince the way most of us find the good stuff online: by falling down a YouTube rabbit hole. I was researching Claude Cowork, his video popped up, and within an hour I was organizing my downloads folder with agentic AI for the first time. Eliot is a UK-based AI trainer and curriculum developer who helps business owners and professionals use AI in practical, systematic ways. Today he joins me on the podcast to walk through real examples of what agentic AI can do right now, from building a full PR study for under $10, to turning a single transcript into branded social media content, to running a complete SEO audit in minutes. If you've been wondering what "agentic AI" means for your day-to-day marketing work, this is the episode to start with. https://www.theagentsofchange.com/623 Need help with your branding, website, or digital marketing? Reach out to me (Rich Brooks!) today at https://www.takeflyte.com/contact
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  Canva AI Tools Every Marketer Should Know with Maliha Khan 20.05.2026 33min

  If you've ever opened Canva, slapped some text on a template, and called it a day, you're barely scratching the surface. Canva has quietly rolled out a suite of AI-powered tools that can batch-create branded graphics, generate images and video from text prompts, and resize everything for every platform in seconds. In this episode, I sit down with Maliha Khan, a strategy-first marketing consultant and the creative force behind Khannect the Dots and Khannections Studio, to dig into the Canva AI features most marketers don't even know exist. Whether you're a small business owner trying to keep up with your social media calendar or a marketer looking to level up your visual content without hiring a designer, this conversation is packed with practical workflows you can put to use today. https://www.theagentsofchange.com/622 Need help with your branding, website, or digital marketing? Reach out to me (Rich Brooks!) today at https://www.takeflyte.com/contact
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  Better AI Images with Prompts (and Practice) with Ross Symons 13.05.2026 41min

  If you've ever typed a prompt into an AI image tool and ended up with something that looks like a corporate stock photo had a fever dream, you're not alone. Getting genuinely good output from these tools takes more than a two-word description. Ross Symons, co-founder of Zen Robot and a guy who spent a decade making origami stop-motion content before the influencer wave even had a name, breaks down what most people are doing wrong, and more importantly, what the people doing it right understand about these tools. https://www.theagentsofchange.com/621 Need help with your branding, website, or digital marketing? Reach out to me (Rich Brooks!) today at https://www.takeflyte.com/contact
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  Content First or Design First? Settling the Debate with Sarah Johnson 06.05.2026 27min

  You've probably been there: the new website launches, it looks great, and then six months later you're wondering why the bounce rate is brutal and nobody's converting. Chances are, you designed the shell before you figured out the story. That's the problem Sarah Johnson has been solving for years. As the author of Content First Design and the forthcoming Meaning at Scale, Sarah works at the intersection of content strategy, user experience, and organizational alignment — and her argument is simple: if you don't know what you're saying or who you're saying it to, no amount of beautiful design is going to save you. In this episode, we dig into how to put content first, what "meaning drift" is costing your business, and how all of this connects to getting more out of AI. https://www.theagentsofchange.com/620 Need help with your branding, website, or digital marketing? Reach out to me (Rich Brooks!) today at https://www.takeflyte.com/contact
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  Fix Your Leaky Sales Funnel with Jason Kramer 29.04.2026 29min

  You spend good money getting people to your website. They fill out the form. And then... nothing. No one follows up. Or someone follows up once, gets no reply, and moves on. Meanwhile, that lead is sitting there, probably still interested, just waiting for a reason to say yes. Jason Kramer has built his entire business around solving that exact problem. As the founder of Cultivize, he works with distributors, service providers, and agencies to plug the holes in their sales process — and the fixes are often simpler (and more embarrassing to ignore) than you'd think. https://www.theagentsofchange.com/619 Need help with your branding, website, or digital marketing? Reach out to me (Rich Brooks!) today at https://www.takeflyte.com/contact