AI mentions, email sub lines, and LinkedIn badges

#1
The REAL WAY (?) to appear in AI and LLM answers

Ok, so you may have noticed that some of your website traffic or prospects are coming from ChatGPT and other LLM tools. And you might be like "uhhhh how can we get more of that?"

Rand Fishkin proposes that it's (ironically) by doing what a quick Google AI search tells you. Instead, he's leans on the work of Stephen Wolfram's 'What is ChatGPT Doing.. and Why Does It Work?'. The key seems to be surrounding your brand with... the words you want to come up for.

Wait, is this just positioning, SEO, and PR all over again?

It just may be the case!

My question to you: do you dig into your analytics to see what channels are sending quality leads and which are "just traffic"?

#2
Engaging subject lines for reconnecting emails

There comes a time when you want to pick up where you left off with dormant audiences or collaborators. Typically you know how you'll fill out the body of the email. But in terms of the subject line... what the hell do you say?

'How to write engaging subject lines for reconnecting emails' by Olena Spenei provides examples for all sorts of reconnecting emails. There's advice around hinting at the intent, as well as reminders of the inappropriateness of guilt-based or overly salesy promotions. I will say that some examples could use some extra juice and personality, but I leave that up to your communication style ;)

My question to you: do you write multiple subject lines before choosing a winner, or do they tend to come naturally to you the first time around?

#3
That 'Top Voice' Badge on LinkedIn? Yeah, they changed the rules...

Remember those gold badges people had for 'Top Voice' on LinkedIn by contributing to Collaborative Articles? Well, they were removed in September. Why? People were gaming the system by just answering them without consideration. An AI system being gamed by humans by using AI. Shocking, I know.

So now we have a blue Top Voice badge, along with more curation and requirements. 'LinkedIn Updates 'Top Voice' Badge Requirements' by Andrew Hutchinson breaks it down, but basically a human at LinkedIn has to award it to you. And they check in on your activity on the platform about every 6 months to see if you should keep it. Two requirements of interest to me:

"Insights shared on professional topics, which may include news, commentary and analysis relevant to a particular industry, company or local economy." ('analysis' can be powerful content to create!)

"Profiles, content and on-platform interactions abide by LinkedIn’s Professional Community Policies." (I'm reading this as "don't be using those 3rd party automations now, ya hear?")

Regardless if you care about badges or not, I feel the way the article closes out is just a good rule of thumb for content creation in general: "You can’t buy your way to authority here, which means the only way up is by posting, and sharing your actual insights."

My question to you: what do you think of human review being required in order to award platform-specific status?

#4
Guides to being an ally to transgender and nonbinary people

"Be an ally" can be one of those things where you understand the definition, but not exactly what it means. No shame: we all have capacity to realize we have harmful things to unlearn, so we can show up more purposefully for folk who need our support.

Here are two guides: Rallying as an Ally (Canadian) and Guide to being an ally to transgender and nonbinary young people (American). Learn about the difference between sex and gender, forms of address that show respect, and reflect on how you can invite more non-binary and trans experience into your everyday.

My question to you: what can your marketing do to make underrepresented folk feel seen, safe, and included?

How being a 'Member of the Month' has me reflecting on the importance of asking for help

I've been running this business for 14 years. Yet some days still feel like I'm toddlin' around, bumping into entrepreneurial furniture while I babble incoherently.

I've also spent seven of those years being a member of Digital Nova Scotia! As a featured member, it was fun to chat with Malikah Tankard about my take on B2B marketing trends, AI, and how this very newsletter you're reading came into being.

This is the first earned media featuring the latest iteration of my company's reason for existing: addressing "juicy, nuanced" B2B marketing challenges when what's on offer is highly innovative, complex, or sensitive in nature.

And yet, my own website doesn't reflect that iteration at all.

I mean, not yet. My website refresh is literally 90% done. But it's been at 90% since uuuaaagghhhhh December.

Let it be known: I'm a B2B marketer who does not have all her own marketing "figured out". Things slip off my plate. I get things wrong. I'll have weeks where I'm like "everything's coming up Millhouse!" and then the universe chuckles, farts in my face, and I spend the rest of the week airing out the room.

So what's made me keep at it for 14* years?

People.

Amazing, generous, thoughtful, smart folk. Willing to help when I ask.

And you gotta ask, hard as it may feel! Cus sometimes you're just too dang close to your own work. You need outside perspective and support.

I am eternally thankful for all the emails, voice DMs, coffee chats, and Zoom calls over the years from folk willing to listen and help. Sometimes for very tactical and specific marketing things. Other times, to listen to me cry over how friggin hard it can be to keep yer little shingle hung up when it feels like the wind world is doing its best to tear that sucker off.

Yes, the world is on fire because of people. But there's also waaaaaay more awesome people ready to pitch in, lend their talents, prop you up, and believe in what you're doing. It's incredible, really, the capacity people have to help.

All you gotta do is ask.

Which I'll do right now: who have you been meaning to ask, Darlin'?

I'm sure they're willing to help.