Maximize Google, PR Decoded takeaways… & Online Marketing

I just returned from PR Decoded last night. The conference?brought together a wide range of PR professionals, with discussions covering everything from distribution strategies and breaking through industry noise to the evolving role of AI in PR.?PRWeek’s?LinkedIn feed has great?summaries of?key sessions.

I never would have guessed that some of the most thought-provoking takeaways would come from a panel on PE buying PR?agencies:

• The "Gutenberg 2 moment" means that radical transparency is changing PR (and your industry).
• CEOs and companies are losing the information advantage they once had.
• Competitors, critics, and employees all have access to their ‘secret sauce’—which isn’t so secret anymore.
• The negative externalities of institutions are becoming more visible than ever.

The night before, I hosted a dinner with marketing and communications professionals at Sparks Steakhouse—notorious for the Paul Castellano mob hit. The discussion spanned everything from the differences in DC vs. NYC networking styles (DC: more policy-focused, NYC: more marketing-centric) to how AI is changing everything in marketing to the trade show business.??

Best tools for staying in touch: Several people asked for recommendations—here are two favorites:?Pipedrive (CRM for relationship management that's sales focused) or?Relatable (for a focus on relationships; great if you're looking for your next thing).

Some important search happenings this week:

• Google’s latest earnings call: Marie Hayes covers how AI-driven answers are increasing in search?and all the other new product launches to look for.
• Black Hat SEO alert: We recently saw an interesting case of black hat tactics used against a client. As SEO strategies become more opaque, it’s crucial to stay vigilant for any unexpected disruptions.

Job Postings:

• Senior Director, Search Marketing -?the LEGO Group
• Sr Vice President - Communications -?St. Jude Children's Research Hospital - ALSAC
• SVP - Marketing & Engagement - Hard Rock Digital?
• VP Brand Communications -?Fanatics
• Vice President Brand Strategy -?Cracker Barrel
• Director, Paid Media and Communications -?Samsung Electronics America
• VP, Marketing and Communications, Digital Solutions -?Equifax

Stay safe,

Josh

P.S.?Exciting news! My book, Wikipedia for Business 2025, launched two weeks ago and hit #1 in PR & SEO categories. Huge thanks for the support!

P.P.S.?Want a copy? Let me know, and I’ll send over a physical or Kindle version right away.?

This Week's Featured Content

Wikipedia and AI: Are You Ready?

Did you know that Wikipedia content is referenced constantly by generative AI models? There is no safety net. Even out-of-date articles can be used to provide answers to AI queries. Read our latest article to discover more about this and the other challenges and benefits of integrating AI with Wikipedia. Find out why human involvement remains crucial and stay informed on managing your organization’s online presence.

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I land on an island coast

Where the only souls I see are ghosts

I run through a wooded isle

And I chase the sunlight mile after mile

And I feel like I know this place

As the tree line breaks into wide-open space

I stare at a bright red sun

Though I search all day, I never find anyone

I walk on a winding road

In the deep of the night near the edge of the known

I pass by a moonlit lake

And a cold wind blows and my bones start to shake

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Yes, I know that love is like ghosts

Oh, few have seen it, but everybody talks

Spirits follow everywhere I go

Oh, they sing all day, and they haunt me in the night

Oh, they sing all day, and they haunt me in the night

Yes, I know that love is like ghosts

Oh, and what ain't living can never really die

You don't want me, baby, please don't lie

Oh, but if you're leaving, I gotta know why

I said, if you're leaving, I gotta know why

Oh, I sing all day, and I love you through the night

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I'm just a man, but I know that I'm damned

All the dead seem to know where I am

The tale that began on the night of my birth

Will be done in a turn of the earth

Lie where I land, let my bones turn to sand

I was born on the lake and I don't want to leave it

Every eye on the coast ever more

Will remember the sight of the ghost on the shore

Under the waves and the earth of an age

Lie a thousand old northerners' graves

Deep in the night when the moon's glowing bright

They come rising up into the night

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I am not the only traveler

Who has not repaid his debt

I've been searching for a trail to follow again

Take me back to the night we met

And then I can tell myself

What the hell I'm supposed to do

And then I can tell myself

Not to ride along with you

I had all and then most of you

Some and now none of you

Take me back to the night we met

I don't know what I'm supposed to do

Haunted by the ghost of you

Oh, take me back to the night we met

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I will wait by the river in the light of the moon

At the edge of the city, I will wait for you

Though I can't wait forever, someday I'll be dead and gone

And I won't be forgiven for what I've done

I will wait by the river

I will wait by the river

I will wait by the river

I will wait by the river

I will cry out to heaven as it rains down on me

I will beg for forgiveness, get down on my knees

If I can't change the weather, maybe I can change your mind

If we can't be together, what's the point of life?