🎙️ Brand has a brand problem. Now that AI is shaping how people see you, you can't afford to ignore it.
Mordy Oberstein, head of brand at SE Ranking and Planable, joins Vince to break down what brand actually is (hint: it's not a TV ad), why compounding association beats the big splash, and how he uses sentiment to spot problems in AI visibility.
Plus: the About page as an LLM cheat code, why data only gives you flags, and how digital PR opens doors for what you want to do tomorrow.
🔑 Key Takeaways:
- Brand is just how people relate to you as an entity. Everyone has one.
- If people don't think about you at all, you don't have a business.
- Start with "who are you?" If you can't fill out your About page, start earlier. It's one of the few pages where you can tell the bot exactly what you do and who you're for.
- Compound association beats the big splash. Be Nike in the '80s, not Red Bull. You don't need huge budgets, but you do need time.
- Track AI sentiment, not just visibility. High visibility with low sentiment signals a perception problem (Gatorade) or a legacy problem (Garmin). Data gives you flags, not conclusions.
- Everything compounds across channels. Judge PR by the doors it opens, not just its own ROI.
⏰ Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro
01:53 – Why does "brand" have such a negative connotation in SEO and marketing?
05:35 – Where do you start when a company needs to build its brand?
06:38 – Is the About page a good starting point?
09:27 – What are the different strategies brands can take, like Red Bull or Duolingo?
12:09 – Is the head of brand role the same at every company?
17:24 – What misconceptions do people have about how brand impacts AI visibility?
19:55 – What does a day in the life look like for you at SE Ranking and Planable?
24:06 – How important is brand for a small business like a plumber?
27:11 – Outside of social listening, how are you measuring brand?
32:37 – How should people use PR to shape how their brand is perceived?
37:27 – Where can people connect with you?
Guest: Mordy Oberstein, Head of Brand, SE Ranking & Planable
Check out ListIQ, our AI-powered media list building tool:
https://www.buzzstream.com/listIQ
See the full transcript:
https://www.buzzstream.com/blog/mordy-oberstein-podcast/
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