[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":3552},["ShallowReactive",2],{"header-articles":3,"blog-article-leadership-how-to-handle-stress-and-pressure-as-a-marketing-ceo-and-parent":1470,"updatesSection-all":2266,"updatesSection-all-team":2842},[4,327,591,907,1148],{"id":5,"title":6,"author":7,"authors":8,"body":10,"caption":7,"category":315,"date":316,"description":317,"extension":318,"img":319,"imgAlt":6,"meta":320,"minutes":321,"navigation":322,"path":323,"seo":324,"seodescription":7,"seotitle":7,"stem":325,"updated":7,"__hash__":326},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fseo\u002Fwhy-you-should-monitor-brand-mentions-in-ai-search-results.md","Why You Should Monitor Brand Mentions in AI Search Results",null,[9],"Kerry Guard",{"type":11,"value":12,"toc":290},"minimark",[13,17,20,23,28,31,34,42,45,68,72,80,88,91,95,98,102,105,110,118,124,128,131,156,160,174,178,181,185,188,192,195,199,202,213,217,220,224,227,231,234,238,244,247,250,254],[14,15,16],"p",{},"Right now, AI search engines are talking about your software company. Whether you track it or not, platforms like ChatGPT Search, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews answer questions every single day about your product capabilities, pricing, and market reputation. B2B software buyers use these tools to build shortlists, compare technical features, and make buying decisions before ever clicking through to a vendor's website.",[14,18,19],{},"If you rely on old brand-monitoring tools, you are running blind. Traditional monitoring platforms track static web pages, social media tags, and news mentions. They cannot show you what a buyer sees inside a conversational AI search box.",[14,21,22],{},"Unlike traditional Google search, where a website's ranking and content stay relatively consistent from day to day, AI-generated responses are dynamic. They synthesize information on the fly from across the web. Without an active monitoring strategy, inaccurate product claims, outdated pricing, or heavy competitor recommendations can quietly slip into AI responses without your knowledge, pulling qualified leads out of your pipeline before you even know they exist.",[24,25,27],"h2",{"id":26},"the-dynamic-reality-of-ai-search-results","The Dynamic Reality of AI Search Results",[14,29,30],{},"To understand why monitoring AI brand mentions requires a new approach, consider how AI search engines differ from traditional search directories.",[14,32,33],{},"In a traditional search model, Google crawls a page, indexes the text, and displays a link. If your page ranks third for a keyword, it generally stays near that spot until an algorithm update or a content change occurs.",[14,35,36,37,41],{},"AI search engines work differently. When a prospective customer prompts an AI tool—asking, for example, ",[38,39,40],"em",{},"\"What are the best enterprise cloud security platforms for healthcare compliance?\"","—the underlying Large Language Model (LLM) retrieves information from dozens of real-time sources, synthesizes the facts, and writes a unique response.",[14,43,44],{},"Because these responses are generated in real time, the way an AI engine describes your brand can shift based on:",[46,47,48,56,62],"ul",{},[49,50,51,55],"li",{},[52,53,54],"strong",{},"New Web Scrapes:"," A fresh review, a Reddit discussion thread, or an updated competitor blog post can instantly alter how the AI summarizes your company.",[49,57,58,61],{},[52,59,60],{},"Prompt Variations:"," Slight changes in how a user words a query can lead the AI to pull from entirely different data sources.",[49,63,64,67],{},[52,65,66],{},"Model Updates:"," As platforms update their underlying LLMs, the sources they trust and cite shift continuously.",[24,69,71],{"id":70},"the-risks-of-unmonitored-ai-brand-mentions","The Risks of Unmonitored AI Brand Mentions",[14,73,74,79],{},[75,76],"img",{"alt":77,"src":78},"","https:\u002F\u002Fassets.mkgmarketinginc.com\u002F378276c5-b933-4eed-8804-a96958aabcdf-why-you-should-monitor-image-1.webp","When you leave your AI presence to chance without monitoring what these engines say, you’re gambling with your brand equity, and small inaccuracies turn into major business risks.",[81,82,84,87],"h3",{"id":83},"_1-hallucinated-features-and-misattributed-limitations",[52,85,86],{},"1. Hallucina","ted Features and Misattributed Limitations",[14,89,90],{},"AI engines occasionally \"hallucinate\": presenting incorrect details with absolute authority. An AI search tool might state that your software lacks a key integration, charges hidden fees, or only supports small businesses when you actually target enterprise accounts. If a buyer reads that hallucinated summary, they may drop your company from their consideration set without ever contacting your sales team.",[81,92,94],{"id":93},"_2-competitor-hijacking","2. Competitor Hijacking",[14,96,97],{},"If your competitors actively optimize their web presence for generative search while your brand stays passive, AI engines will default to recommending your competitors. When buyers ask AI tools to compare your product against a competitor, an unmonitored response might highlight your rival's strengths while summarizing outdated or inaccurate criticisms of your platform.",[81,99,101],{"id":100},"_3-loss-of-narrative-control","3. Loss of Narrative Control",[14,103,104],{},"In B2B tech, your positioning is everything. If an AI search engine pulls its understanding of your brand from outdated PR releases, informal forum threads, or low-authority review sites, your core value proposition gets diluted. You lose control over how your product is framed during the buyer's research phase.",[14,106,107],{},[52,108,109],{},"Expert Insight from MKG Marketing:",[14,111,112,115,116],{},[38,113,114],{},"\"","Designers often say \"This website speaks more to LLMs than human beings.\" To that I say, \"Good. That's step one.\" Step one: be findable by answer engines. Humans will end up there after they search for the problem. Step two: optimize for the human experience once they arrive. Right now most teams are still trying to optimize for both at the same time, which means they optimize for neither.The order matters. Findable first. Usable second.",[38,117,114],{},[14,119,120,121,123],{},"— ",[52,122,9],{},", Founder & CEO at MKG Marketing",[24,125,127],{"id":126},"why-manual-spot-checks-arent-enough","Why Manual Spot-Checks Aren't Enough",[14,129,130],{},"Many marketing teams attempt to solve this problem by occasionally typing their company name into ChatGPT or Perplexity to see what comes up. While spot-checking is a natural first step, it fails as a long-term business strategy for three reasons:",[132,133,134,140,150],"ol",{},[49,135,136,139],{},[52,137,138],{},"Personalized and Location-Based Bias:"," AI search tools tailor responses based on user location, session history, and account settings. What you see on your desktop in an office is rarely identical to what a buyer sees in another region.",[49,141,142,145,146,149],{},[52,143,144],{},"Infinite Query Permutations:"," Buyers don't just type your brand name. They ask complex, long-tail questions like ",[38,147,148],{},"\"How long does it take to implement [Company Name] compared to [Competitor]?\""," Manual checks cannot cover the hundreds of ways prospects ask about your category.",[49,151,152,155],{},[52,153,154],{},"Lack of Historical Tracking:"," Spot-checks give you a single snapshot in time. They don't track trends, measure whether your citation share is growing, or alert you when an inaccurate claim enters the AI's data pool.",[24,157,159],{"id":158},"how-to-build-a-systematic-strategy-the-best-ways-to-monitor-brand-mentions-in-ai-search","How to Build a Systematic Strategy: The Best Ways to Monitor Brand Mentions in AI Search",[14,161,162,165,166,169,170,173],{},[75,163],{"alt":77,"src":164},"https:\u002F\u002Fassets.mkgmarketinginc.com\u002F4c47ce7e-784c-46ee-bd33-f4ff8fd72368-why-you-should-monitor-image-2.webp","Protecting your company’s digital footprint requires shifting from manual testing to a structured ",[52,167,168],{},"Search Visibility Optimization (SVO)"," framework. Establishing effective ",[52,171,172],{},"brand monitoring across ai search engines"," involves four operational steps:",[81,175,177],{"id":176},"step-1-identify-high-intent-buyer-prompts","Step 1: Identify High-Intent Buyer Prompts",[14,179,180],{},"Brainstorm the exact questions your ideal prospects ask during their evaluation phase. Move beyond simple brand searches to focus on category comparisons, feature queries, and implementation questions.",[81,182,184],{"id":183},"step-2-map-your-citation-share-across-key-ai-platforms","Step 2: Map Your \"Citation Share\" Across Key AI Platforms",[14,186,187],{},"Track how frequently AI tools cite your site compared to competitors across platforms like ChatGPT Search, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews. Note which specific URLs the AI uses as references when it mentions your brand.",[81,189,191],{"id":190},"step-3-correct-the-source-data","Step 3: Correct the Source Data",[14,193,194],{},"When you identify inaccurate AI claims, trace where the model pulled the information. AI engines often pull from third-party review sites, developer documentation, or outdated press releases. Updating those primary sources corrects the data that the AI scrapes and cites.",[81,196,198],{"id":197},"step-4-measure-svo-metrics-alongside-traditional-seo","Step 4: Measure SVO Metrics Alongside Traditional SEO",[14,200,201],{},"Expand your reporting dashboard. Along with measuring traditional website traffic and organic keyword rankings, track your brand's citation growth, AI Overview inclusion rate, and direct-traffic conversions.",[14,203,204,205,212],{},"To see how modern search strategies connect directly to pipeline, explore our comprehensive",[206,207,211],"a",{"href":208,"rel":209},"https:\u002F\u002Fmkgmarketinginc.com\u002Fexpert-digital-marketing-services\u002Fsearch-visibility-optimization\u002F",[210],"nofollow"," Search Visibility Optimization (SVO) services",".",[24,214,216],{"id":215},"supporting-ai-visibility-with-paid-and-analytics-channels","Supporting AI Visibility with Paid and Analytics Channels",[14,218,219],{},"Brand monitoring in AI search provides the insights you need to protect your reputation, but driving consistent revenue requires integrating those insights across your entire marketing stack.",[81,221,223],{"id":222},"reinforcing-visibility-with-targeted-ads","Reinforcing Visibility with Targeted Ads",[14,225,226],{},"When you notice an AI search engine frequently recommending a competitor for a specific high-value query, you can immediately bridge the gap using targeted paid channels. Pairing your organic optimizations with focused digital advertising ensures your software maintains top-of-page visibility while you update and strengthen your organic source content.",[81,228,230],{"id":229},"measuring-real-world-lead-attribution","Measuring Real-World Lead Attribution",[14,232,233],{},"Because buyers often read an AI response and navigate directly to your site later, traditional click-tracking can misattribute those leads as \"Direct\" or \"Organic Brand\" search. Utilizing modern digital analytics allows you to cross-reference offline CRM data, self-reported attribution, and site activity to confirm how AI search visibility influences actual pipeline velocity.",[24,235,237],{"id":236},"summary-protecting-your-brands-digital-reputation","Summary: Protecting Your Brand's Digital Reputation",[14,239,240,243],{},[75,241],{"alt":77,"src":242},"https:\u002F\u002Fassets.mkgmarketinginc.com\u002Fbfa7aa92-037c-4f2c-8afb-5045bf32ffbc-why-you-should-monitor-image-3.webp","Monitoring your brand in AI search results is no longer optional—it is a critical requirement to protect your reputation, maintain narrative control, and secure your lead pipeline. As conversational engines continue to replace traditional search lists, tech companies that passively ignore their AI mentions risk losing market share to competitors who actively manage their generative presence.",[14,245,246],{},"Establishing a reliable monitoring framework requires dedicated expertise, systematic tracking tools, and continuous iteration.",[14,248,249],{},"At MKG Marketing, we remove the complexity. We provide an experienced, senior-level team that builds and executes your search visibility strategy directly—with no junior handoffs or black-box reporting. We help B2B software and technology companies monitor their digital presence, correct inaccurate AI citations, and convert organic visibility into predictable revenue.",[81,251,253],{"id":252},"protect-and-scale-your-ai-search-visibility","Protect and Scale Your AI Search Visibility",[46,255,256,267,279],{},[49,257,258,261,262,266],{},[52,259,260],{},"Curious how search engines and AI models actually see your brand?"," Our senior-led team breaks down your real-time visibility across AI platforms—no black-box mysteries, just clear data.",[206,263,265],{"href":208,"rel":264},[210]," Explore our Search Visibility Optimization (SVO) Services"," or book an initial search strategy review.",[49,268,269,272,273,278],{},[52,270,271],{},"Noticing a sudden shift in your traffic or search presence?"," We’re always down to talk strategy and help you make sense of the noise. ",[206,274,277],{"href":275,"rel":276},"https:\u002F\u002Fmkgmarketinginc.com\u002Fcontact\u002F",[210],"Contact the MKG Marketing team directly"," to schedule a consultation.",[49,280,281,284,285,212],{},[52,282,283],{},"Want to peek under the hood of machine learning?"," Dive into our guide:",[206,286,289],{"href":287,"rel":288},"https:\u002F\u002Fmkgmarketinginc.com\u002Fblog\u002Fseo\u002Fai-search-visibility-ranking-factors-2026-how-machines-decide-who-to-quote\u002F",[210]," AI Search Visibility Ranking Factors 2026: How Machines Decide Who to Quote",{"title":77,"searchDepth":291,"depth":291,"links":292},2,[293,294,301,302,308,312],{"id":26,"depth":291,"text":27},{"id":70,"depth":291,"text":71,"children":295},[296,299,300],{"id":83,"depth":297,"text":298},3,"1. Hallucinated Features and Misattributed Limitations",{"id":93,"depth":297,"text":94},{"id":100,"depth":297,"text":101},{"id":126,"depth":291,"text":127},{"id":158,"depth":291,"text":159,"children":303},[304,305,306,307],{"id":176,"depth":297,"text":177},{"id":183,"depth":297,"text":184},{"id":190,"depth":297,"text":191},{"id":197,"depth":297,"text":198},{"id":215,"depth":291,"text":216,"children":309},[310,311],{"id":222,"depth":297,"text":223},{"id":229,"depth":297,"text":230},{"id":236,"depth":291,"text":237,"children":313},[314],{"id":252,"depth":297,"text":253},"seo","2026-08-19T16:01:29.475Z","Why track what ChatGPT and Google say about you? Learn why monitoring brand mentions in AI search results is vital to protect your software company's leads.","md","https:\u002F\u002Fassets.mkgmarketinginc.com\u002F3c12c34c-ad32-459d-b38c-32bc49abb722-why-you-should-monitor-hero-image.webp",{},7,true,"\u002Fblog\u002Fseo\u002Fwhy-you-should-monitor-brand-mentions-in-ai-search-results",{"title":6,"description":317},"blog\u002Fseo\u002Fwhy-you-should-monitor-brand-mentions-in-ai-search-results","5RVi7PlUuStBs0ZDnG7rVBbJjOT75Yiu-aBaCK1SW5o",{"id":328,"title":329,"author":7,"authors":330,"body":331,"caption":7,"category":315,"date":581,"description":582,"extension":318,"img":583,"imgAlt":584,"meta":585,"minutes":586,"navigation":322,"path":587,"seo":588,"seodescription":7,"seotitle":7,"stem":589,"updated":7,"__hash__":590},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fseo\u002Fai-search-visibility-ranking-factors-2026-how-machines-decide-who-to-quote.md","AI Search Visibility Ranking Factors 2026 - How Machines Decide Who to Quote",[9],{"type":11,"value":332,"toc":566},[333,336,339,342,346,353,379,386,389,393,396,399,410,414,417,420,440,444,447,450,454,461,464,468,471,475,478,482,487,492,497,501,504,509,512,517,520,525,529,532,535,539],[14,334,335],{},"In 2026, the old playbook for getting found online just doesn't hit the same. Modern B2B buyers aren't scrolling through pages of blue links anymore. Instead, they’re going straight to tools like ChatGPT Search, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews to compare software features, stack up vendors, and build their shortlists in seconds.",[14,337,338],{},"Here’s the thing: AI engines don’t read websites the way traditional search crawlers used to. Old-school crawlers were all about keyword density, backlink totals, and meta tags to index pages in a directory. But large language models (LLMs) and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) systems look at the bigger picture. They care about how your information is structured, verified, and contextualized.",[14,340,341],{},"If your tech brand isn't formatted for machine readability, your website essentially becomes invisible to the very engines your buyers rely on every single day.",[24,343,345],{"id":344},"how-ai-search-engines-select-sources-in-2026","How AI Search Engines Select Sources in 2026",[14,347,348,349,352],{},"To understand how your brand gets quoted or recommended by AI, it helps to look at what happens behind the scenes. When a user enters a complex prompt, such as ",[38,350,351],{},"\"What are the top enterprise cybersecurity platforms for multi-cloud compliance?\",","  an AI search engine processes the request through four specific steps:",[132,354,355,361,367,373],{},[49,356,357,360],{},[52,358,359],{},"Deconstructing the Prompt:"," The system breaks the question down to identify the core subject, key concepts, and what the user is actually trying to accomplish.",[49,362,363,366],{},[52,364,365],{},"Retrieving Relevant Data:"," Rather than pulling up a list of web addresses based on exact keywords, the engine searches its database for content that semantically matches those underlying concepts.",[49,368,369,372],{},[52,370,371],{},"Evaluating Content Structure and Source Authority:"," The system analyzes potential sources. It checks whether the text is clearly formatted, whether the facts match other reliable references, and whether the publishing site demonstrates real-world authority on the subject.",[49,374,375,378],{},[52,376,377],{},"Synthesizing the Answer and Linking Sources:"," The engine extracts direct passages from the top-rated sources, writes a unified response, and attaches clickable links so the user can verify where the information came from.",[24,380,382,385],{"id":381},"the-core-2026-ai-search-visibility-ranking-factors",[75,383],{"alt":77,"src":384},"https:\u002F\u002Fassets.mkgmarketinginc.com\u002Fee360449-da4d-4dfe-a8b0-4ac440db5ad4-ai-visibility-1.png","The Core 2026 AI Search Visibility Ranking Factors",[14,387,388],{},"Based on industry observations and current AI search visibility benchmarks for 2026, AI search algorithms look at six critical factors when deciding which sources deserve a quote:",[81,390,392],{"id":391},"_1-information-gain-and-uniqueness","1. Information Gain and Uniqueness",[14,394,395],{},"AI engines exist to synthesize what's already out there. If your article just repeats the same generic overview that ten other websites published, an LLM has zero reason to cite your brand. Information Gain measures how much new, non-redundant value a page brings to the table.",[14,397,398],{},"To score high here, your content needs:",[46,400,401,404,407],{},[49,402,403],{},"Proprietary research, benchmark surveys, and original data.",[49,405,406],{},"Direct commentary from verified subject matter experts.",[49,408,409],{},"Real-world implementation metrics and detailed technical breakdowns.",[81,411,413],{"id":412},"_2-machine-readable-content-formatting-semantic-chunking","2. Machine-Readable Content Formatting (Semantic Chunking)",[14,415,416],{},"LLMs process web pages in \"chunks\" rather than reading articles sequentially from start to finish. If your key insights are buried inside massive walls of text with generic subheadings, the retrieval model is going to miss the context entirely.",[14,418,419],{},"Winning sites use explicit, machine-readable formatting:",[46,421,422,428,434],{},[49,423,424,427],{},[52,425,426],{},"Question-and-Answer Headers:"," Use direct H2 and H3 subheadings that mirror natural-language user queries.",[49,429,430,433],{},[52,431,432],{},"Bottom-Line-First Declarations:"," State the direct answer or main takeaway in the very first sentence beneath a heading before diving into the details.",[49,435,436,439],{},[52,437,438],{},"Clean Data Tables and Lists:"," Present technical comparisons, feature breakdowns, and numerical data using structured HTML tables and bulleted lists.",[81,441,443],{"id":442},"_3-entity-consistency-and-schema-markup","3. Entity Consistency and Schema Markup",[14,445,446],{},"AI search engines build vast knowledge graphs of \"entities\" (companies, products, executives, and concepts). For an engine to confidently recommend your SaaS platform, it has to verify that your brand is a recognized, trusted entity in your category.",[14,448,449],{},"Implementing detailed JSON-LD Schema markup, including Organization, SoftwareApplication, Article, and FAQPage schemas, gives search engines clear, explicit data about what you offer. When your on-page Schema matches external mentions across review platforms, news outlets, and industry databases, the LLM’s confidence score goes way up.",[81,451,453],{"id":452},"_4-technical-answer-density","4. Technical Answer Density",[14,455,456,457,460],{},"Answer density is all about the concentration of real, factual value relative to your total word count. Unedited AI fluff—filled with generic intros like ",[38,458,459],{},"\"In today's fast-paced digital world...\"","—completely dilutes your message.",[14,462,463],{},"In 2026, AI retrieval systems favor high-density content that delivers precise technical facts, clear definitions, and actionable steps without any extra noise.",[81,465,467],{"id":466},"_5-multi-source-digital-co-citations","5. Multi-Source Digital Co-Citations",[14,469,470],{},"An LLM rarely relies on a single web page to build an answer, it cross-references multiple sources to verify facts. If your platform is mentioned with positive sentiment across third-party review sites, developer forums, PR releases, and partner docs, generative engines see your site as an authoritative industry reference.",[81,472,474],{"id":473},"_6-demonstrable-e-e-a-t-signals","6. Demonstrable E-E-A-T Signals",[14,476,477],{},"Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T) are as foundational as ever. AI engines actively look for proof that a real human with hands-on experience created or reviewed the content. Explicit author bios linked to verified LinkedIn profiles, direct quotes from company leaders, and clear links to primary sources all reinforce your site's trust score.",[14,479,480],{},[52,481,109],{},[14,483,484],{},[38,485,486],{},"\"Understanding these technical AI ranking factors is essential for tech brands today. AI engines don't read content for entertainment—they crawl websites looking for structured facts they can instantly trust and quote. Structuring your site for machine readability isn't just an optimization tactic; it is the only way to protect your digital footprint and ensure your software stays on your buyers' shortlists as traditional search continues to evolve.\"",[14,488,120,489,491],{},[52,490,9],{},", Founder & CEO of MKG Marketing",[14,493,494],{},[75,495],{"alt":77,"src":496},"https:\u002F\u002Fassets.mkgmarketinginc.com\u002F76a1ca67-794d-4085-afd3-68d0afbbb963-ai-visibility-2.png",[24,498,500],{"id":499},"combining-technical-ai-formatting-with-a-full-funnel-growth-strategy","Combining Technical AI Formatting with a Full-Funnel Growth Strategy",[14,502,503],{},"Appearing in AI search answers is a critical first step, but visibility alone does not close enterprise software deals. To convert that visibility into actual sales pipeline, tech companies need to connect their organic search efforts with paid channels and accurate tracking.",[14,505,506],{},[52,507,508],{},"Combining Organic and Paid Reach",[14,510,511],{},"When an AI engine routinely quotes your brand as an industry authority, buyers build trust before they ever speak with your sales team. Companies can build on that momentum by pairing organic optimizations with targeted digital advertising. Running paid campaigns aimed at accounts searching for your software category ensures your brand stays visible in both sponsored ads and generated AI responses.",[14,513,514],{},[52,515,516],{},"Tracking Real-World Influence",[14,518,519],{},"Because AI Overviews often answer questions directly on the screen, traditional \"last-click\" measurement tools no longer tell the full story. Using modern digital analytics allows marketing teams to track direct site traffic, self-reported source data, and sales cycle speed. This gives leadership a clear view of how search visibility actually drives revenue.",[14,521,522],{},[75,523],{"alt":77,"src":524},"https:\u002F\u002Fassets.mkgmarketinginc.com\u002F221ea7d6-aa63-4d37-a9dd-78f35fdc9bf6-ai-visibility-3.png",[24,526,528],{"id":527},"future-proofing-your-brand-for-ai-search","Future-Proofing Your Brand for AI Search",[14,530,531],{},"Winning visibility in modern AI search comes down to three practical elements: clear site structure, verified real-world expertise, and a consistent presence across the web. As AI tools change how people research software, relying solely on old keyword-stuffing tactics will cause your brand to fall behind.",[14,533,534],{},"At MKG Marketing, we specialize in helping B2B software and cybersecurity organizations navigate these complex search shifts. Our flat, senior-led structure means you work directly with experienced digital strategists, never junior handoffs. We deploy our unified Search Visibility Optimization (SVO) framework to ensure your website is structured for machine readability, citable by leading AI tools, and built to drive qualified sales pipeline.",[81,536,538],{"id":537},"take-control-of-your-ai-search-visibility","Take Control of Your AI Search Visibility",[46,540,541,550,558],{},[49,542,543,544,549],{},"Ready to see how AI search engines view your website? Explore our",[206,545,548],{"href":546,"rel":547},"https:\u002F\u002Fmkgmarketinginc.com\u002Fexpert-digital-marketing-services\u002F",[210]," Search Visibility Optimization (SVO) Services"," or schedule an initial search strategy review with our senior team.",[49,551,552,553,557],{},"Have questions about your site's technical structure or recent traffic changes?",[206,554,556],{"href":275,"rel":555},[210]," Contact MKG Marketing directly"," to speak with a digital search expert.",[49,559,560,561,212],{},"Want to learn more about the shift from traditional SEO to answer engine optimization? Read our guide on",[206,562,565],{"href":563,"rel":564},"https:\u002F\u002Fmkgmarketinginc.com\u002Fblog\u002Fseo\u002Fai-search-vs-traditional-search-navigating-the-shift-to-search-visibility-optimization-svo\u002F",[210]," AI Search vs Traditional Search: Navigating the Shift to SVO",{"title":77,"searchDepth":291,"depth":291,"links":567},[568,569,577,578],{"id":344,"depth":291,"text":345},{"id":381,"depth":291,"text":385,"children":570},[571,572,573,574,575,576],{"id":391,"depth":297,"text":392},{"id":412,"depth":297,"text":413},{"id":442,"depth":297,"text":443},{"id":452,"depth":297,"text":453},{"id":466,"depth":297,"text":467},{"id":473,"depth":297,"text":474},{"id":499,"depth":291,"text":500},{"id":527,"depth":291,"text":528,"children":579},[580],{"id":537,"depth":297,"text":538},"2026-08-11T17:38:25.303Z","How do AI engines choose which websites to quote? Discover the core AI search ranking factors for 2026 and how to get your brand cited.","https:\u002F\u002Fassets.mkgmarketinginc.com\u002Ff37f521d-b3f6-49bb-8b34-f6ddf2fa1770-mkg-blog-ai-search-visibility-ranking-factors.webp","AI Search Visibility Factors 2026",{},6,"\u002Fblog\u002Fseo\u002Fai-search-visibility-ranking-factors-2026-how-machines-decide-who-to-quote",{"title":329,"description":582},"blog\u002Fseo\u002Fai-search-visibility-ranking-factors-2026-how-machines-decide-who-to-quote","uugtYiGYIyZuZEQYrtHFmRy06Rx8hcoFT6g3C0eLqW4",{"id":592,"title":593,"author":7,"authors":594,"body":595,"caption":7,"category":315,"date":898,"description":899,"extension":318,"img":900,"imgAlt":901,"meta":902,"minutes":321,"navigation":322,"path":903,"seo":904,"seodescription":7,"seotitle":7,"stem":905,"updated":7,"__hash__":906},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fseo\u002Fai-search-vs-traditional-search-navigating-the-shift-to-search-visibility-optimization-svo.md","AI Search vs Traditional Search - Navigating the Shift to Search Visibility Optimization (SVO)",[9],{"type":11,"value":596,"toc":878},[597,600,604,607,617,621,624,635,642,646,649,656,663,666,669,672,683,686,691,694,697,702,707,714,717,784,788,791,794,805,809,812,816,819,823,826,830,833,840,843,846,849,853],[14,598,599],{},"For nearly two decades, the digital playbook for B2B software and tech companies was tried and true: pick your keywords, optimize your site, build backlinks, and win the glory of a top ten spot on a page of blue links. Today… not so much. You might notice your organic website traffic dropping even though your keyword rankings haven't changed. The reason isn't that your competitors suddenly bought more backlinks—it is because the fundamental way people look for information has evolved. Users are moving away from traditional engines and turning to conversational models, leaving marketing leaders to navigate the massive operational shift between ai search vs traditional search engines. Fixing this isn't about buying more links; it’s about changing how your website presents information to be indexed by both humans and algorithms.",[24,601,603],{"id":602},"the-core-differences-ten-blue-links-vs-synthesized-answers","The Core Differences: Ten Blue Links vs. Synthesized Answers",[14,605,606],{},"To understand why traditional search engine optimization (SEO) is no longer enough on its own, we have to look at how user behavior and technology have diverged.",[14,608,609,610,613,614,212],{},"When analyzing ai-driven search engines vs traditional search engines differences, the distinction comes down to ",[38,611,612],{},"retrieval"," versus ",[38,615,616],{},"synthesis",[81,618,620],{"id":619},"traditional-search-the-index-and-click-engine","Traditional Search: The Index and Click Engine",[14,622,623],{},"Traditional search engines operate as massive directory indices. A user types a query like \"best enterprise CRM for SaaS,\" and the engine returns pages of indexed links ranked by relevance, domain authority, and technical optimization. The user must then:",[132,625,626,629,632],{},[49,627,628],{},"Click into three to five separate websites.",[49,630,631],{},"Read through intro fluff and sales copy.",[49,633,634],{},"Manually synthesize the data to make a decision.",[14,636,637,638,641],{},"This model relies on driving traffic ",[38,639,640],{},"to"," your website. Your site is the destination where the user finds the answer.",[81,643,645],{"id":644},"ai-search-the-direct-answer-engine","AI Search: The Direct Answer Engine",[14,647,648],{},"AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Google AI Overviews bypass the directory model entirely. They do not just fetch links; they read, cross-reference, and summarize content from across the web into a single, cohesive answer right inside the search interface.",[14,650,651,652,655],{},"When comparing traditional vs ai search results rankings, the target moves from ranking #1 on a keyword list to becoming the primary ",[38,653,654],{},"cited source"," inside an LLM's generated summary. If an AI overview answers your prospect's question completely on the search page, they won't click through to your blog—even if you rank at the top of the organic list.",[24,657,659,662],{"id":658},"why-software-companies-are-losing-traffic-the-zero-click-reality",[75,660],{"alt":77,"src":661},"https:\u002F\u002Fassets.mkgmarketinginc.com\u002Fa22194a2-19e3-4d2b-a42e-4ad5c6d95b69-click.png","Why Software Companies Are Losing Traffic (The Zero-Click Reality)",[14,664,665],{},"This structural shift explains the mysterious drop in website sessions across B2B software and tech sectors. Buyers are getting their answers without ever visiting your domain.",[14,667,668],{},"When considering ai enterprise search vs traditional enterprise search, enterprise software buyers are no longer hunting through lengthy technical documentation manually. They are asking AI engines to summarize product capabilities, compare pricing structures, and aggregate user reviews into single tables.",[14,670,671],{},"If your marketing strategy relies exclusively on legacy SEO tactics, you face three major risks:",[46,673,674,677,680],{},[49,675,676],{},"Zero-Click Erosion: Higher-funnel informational traffic evaporates as AI Overviews satisfy search intent directly on the results page.",[49,678,679],{},"Loss of Brand Mindshare: If LLMs aren't trained on or citing your content, your product simply doesn't exist during the buyer's initial research phase.",[49,681,682],{},"Vanity Metric Misalignment: Your SEO agency may report stable keyword positions, but your inbound lead forms and phone calls tell a very different story.",[81,684,109],{"id":685},"expert-insight-from-mkg-marketing",[14,687,688,690],{},[38,689,114],{},"AI is making the decision on what it's going to show the user. The system decided your content was the most trustworthy, most citable answer to that exact question for that exact person. Writing something good and checking the ‘helpful content’ boxes doesn't get you there. Those are very different bars.",[14,692,693],{},"‘Helpful’ is table stakes. It's what gets you into the building, not into the room where the AI is assembling its answer.",[14,695,696],{},"What gets you cited is specificity: The right category. Website & Page Structure. Consistent messaging across your entire footprint. A point of view that the model can actually extract and reuse with confidence.",[14,698,699,700],{},"So when Google says ‘just be helpful,’ they're not wrong. They're just leaving out about 80% of what actually matters. And the companies that take that advice at face value are going to watch their visibility collapse while their content quality stays perfectly fine.",[38,701,114],{},[14,703,120,704,706],{},[52,705,9],{},", CEO & Founder of MKG Marketing",[24,708,710,713],{"id":709},"the-evolution-moving-from-seo-to-svo-aeo-and-geo",[75,711],{"alt":77,"src":712},"https:\u002F\u002Fassets.mkgmarketinginc.com\u002F4dd65826-2a82-444b-9693-b6845e4438c0-meeting.png","The Evolution: Moving from SEO to SVO, AEO, and GEO",[14,715,716],{},"To stay visible and continue generating qualified pipeline, marketing executives must expand their organic framework beyond traditional boundaries. This requires a modern, multi-layered approach:",[718,719,720,736],"table",{},[721,722,723],"thead",{},[724,725,726,730,733],"tr",{},[727,728,729],"th",{},"Framework",[727,731,732],{},"Full Name",[727,734,735],{},"Primary Objective",[737,738,739,751,762,773],"tbody",{},[724,740,741,745,748],{},[742,743,744],"td",{},"SEO",[742,746,747],{},"Search Engine Optimization",[742,749,750],{},"Ranking pages on traditional search engine results pages (SERPs) for targeted keywords.",[724,752,753,756,759],{},[742,754,755],{},"AEO",[742,757,758],{},"Answer Engine Optimization",[742,760,761],{},"Structuring data so voice assistants and snippet engines can pull direct, succinct answers.",[724,763,764,767,770],{},[742,765,766],{},"GEO",[742,768,769],{},"Generative Engine Optimization",[742,771,772],{},"Formatting brand narrative, statistics, and domain expertise so LLMs ingest and cite your brand.",[724,774,775,778,781],{},[742,776,777],{},"SVO",[742,779,780],{},"Search Visibility Optimization",[742,782,783],{},"The Unified Strategy: Maximizing total brand presence across both traditional links and AI answer engines.",[81,785,787],{"id":786},"how-search-visibility-optimization-svo-solves-the-gap","How Search Visibility Optimization (SVO) Solves the Gap",[14,789,790],{},"SVO doesn't discard traditional SEO; it unifies SEO, AEO, and GEO into a single operational framework.",[14,792,793],{},"Rather than chasing raw session counts, SVO focuses on Information Gain and Citations. To win citations in AI-generated answers, your web content must feature:",[132,795,796,799,802],{},[49,797,798],{},"Clear, Schema-Structured Data: Helping bots identify who you are, what your software does, and who you serve without guessing.",[49,800,801],{},"First-Party Expertise (E-E-A-T): Unique data points, proprietary benchmark reports, and expert commentary that LLMs cannot synthesize from generic web text.",[49,803,804],{},"Direct Answer Formatting: Clear, concise definitions at the top of technical pieces that allow answer engines to extract key takeaways cleanly.",[24,806,808],{"id":807},"practical-steps-to-adapt-your-search-strategy-today","Practical Steps to Adapt Your Search Strategy Today",[14,810,811],{},"Shifting your company's digital presence to capture both traditional and AI-driven search doesn't require scrapping your entire content library. It requires restructuring how your information is delivered.",[81,813,815],{"id":814},"_1-optimize-for-high-information-gain","1. Optimize for High Information Gain",[14,817,818],{},"Eliminate generic, top-of-funnel fluff articles that summarize widely available knowledge. AI engines already summarize that data effortlessly. Focus instead on deep, opinionated, original content: teardowns of real customer implementation challenges, original survey data, and niche technical workflows.",[81,820,822],{"id":821},"_2-standardize-entity-and-brand-citations","2. Standardize Entity and Brand Citations",[14,824,825],{},"Ensure your brand's core value proposition, product categories, and technical terminology are consistent across external review sites, Wikipedia entries, PR releases, and your own domain. LLMs establish trust by cross-referencing brand information across multiple authoritative sources.",[81,827,829],{"id":828},"_3-track-pipeline-impact-over-pure-clicks","3. Track Pipeline Impact over Pure Clicks",[14,831,832],{},"Recognize that a drop in informational blog clicks does not automatically mean a drop in revenue. If an AI search tool cites your software as the top recommendation for an enterprise query, the prospect may navigate directly to your pricing or contact page to initiate a call. Measure branded search volume, direct traffic, and pipeline velocity alongside traditional organic metrics.",[24,834,836,839],{"id":835},"summary-adapting-to-how-buyers-search-today",[75,837],{"alt":77,"src":838},"https:\u002F\u002Fassets.mkgmarketinginc.com\u002F1a47aa4c-b986-4fd6-b30d-5ff622a02239-brain.png","Summary: Adapting to How Buyers Search Today",[14,841,842],{},"The debate surrounding ai search vs traditional search engines isn't about choosing one platform over the other. Traditional search engines will continue to process billions of queries, but AI-driven answer engines are rapidly capturing high-intent B2B research behavior. If software and tech companies want to keep filling their sales pipelines with new customers, they must adapt to how people search today.",[14,844,845],{},"Succeeding in this new landscape requires a refined strategy, technical precision, and continuous testing across evolving engine algorithms.",[14,847,848],{},"At MKG Marketing, we eliminate the guesswork. We provide a senior-led team of digital experts who handle your search strategy and technical execution directly—with zero handoffs to junior staff. We help growing tech organizations build future-proof organic engines that drive clear visibility, authoritative citations, and real business revenue.",[81,850,852],{"id":851},"ready-to-modernize-your-search-strategy","Ready to Modernize Your Search Strategy?",[46,854,855,863,870],{},[49,856,857,858,862],{},"Organic search is constantly shifting. Let’s figure it out together. We help tech leaders cut through the noise and build search strategies that actually drive growth. Explore our ",[206,859,861],{"href":208,"rel":860},[210],"Search Visibility Optimization (SVO) Services"," or book your initial search strategy review.",[49,864,865,866,278],{},"Skip the generic SEO agency playbook. Our senior team works alongside you to build a tailored search strategy that gets your brand seen. Ready to fix traffic drops or scale what’s already working? ",[206,867,869],{"href":275,"rel":868},[210],"Contact MKG Marketing today",[49,871,872,873,212],{},"Ready to learn more about content quality in the age of artificial intelligence? We got you covered:",[206,874,877],{"href":875,"rel":876},"https:\u002F\u002Fmkgmarketinginc.com\u002Fblog\u002Fseo\u002Fis-ai-content-bad-for-seo-how-to-scale-traffic-without-sacrificing-rankings\u002F",[210]," Is AI Content Bad for SEO? How to Scale Traffic Without Sacrificing Rankings",{"title":77,"searchDepth":291,"depth":291,"links":879},[880,884,887,890,895],{"id":602,"depth":291,"text":603,"children":881},[882,883],{"id":619,"depth":297,"text":620},{"id":644,"depth":297,"text":645},{"id":658,"depth":291,"text":662,"children":885},[886],{"id":685,"depth":297,"text":109},{"id":709,"depth":291,"text":713,"children":888},[889],{"id":786,"depth":297,"text":787},{"id":807,"depth":291,"text":808,"children":891},[892,893,894],{"id":814,"depth":297,"text":815},{"id":821,"depth":297,"text":822},{"id":828,"depth":297,"text":829},{"id":835,"depth":291,"text":839,"children":896},[897],{"id":851,"depth":297,"text":852},"2026-08-05T15:31:00.000Z","Traditional SEO is shifting. Learn how AI search engines are disrupting the ten blue links and how to win brand mentions in LLM responses.","https:\u002F\u002Fassets.mkgmarketinginc.com\u002Ff8233c21-a553-4cdf-b08e-62ba6de46295-mkg-blog-ai-search-vs-traditional-search-hero-image.webp","Stop Chasing Clicks, Capture Direct-Answer AI",{},"\u002Fblog\u002Fseo\u002Fai-search-vs-traditional-search-navigating-the-shift-to-search-visibility-optimization-svo",{"title":593,"description":899},"blog\u002Fseo\u002Fai-search-vs-traditional-search-navigating-the-shift-to-search-visibility-optimization-svo","V9JrsiIyJkiYENE0VMv29Din97ayk4JQ9vcwSe6Flz0",{"id":908,"title":909,"author":7,"authors":7,"body":910,"caption":7,"category":315,"date":1139,"description":1140,"extension":318,"img":1141,"imgAlt":1142,"meta":1143,"minutes":297,"navigation":322,"path":1144,"seo":1145,"seodescription":7,"seotitle":7,"stem":1146,"updated":7,"__hash__":1147},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fseo\u002Fsearch-visibility-optimization-svo-monthly-overview-july-2026.md","Search Visibility Optimization (SVO) Monthly Overview - July 2026",{"type":11,"value":911,"toc":1131},[912,918,967,973,1009,1015,1050,1056,1083,1089,1092,1097,1100,1103,1123],[24,913,915],{"id":914},"executive-summary-the-tldr",[52,916,917],{},"Executive Summary (The TL;DR)",[46,919,920,932,943,955],{},[49,921,922,925,926,931],{},[52,923,924],{},"Google Refines Helpful Content Systems:"," The",[206,927,930],{"href":928,"rel":929},"https:\u002F\u002Fadelev8.com\u002Fblog\u002Fgoogle-july-2026-helpful-content-update",[210]," July 2026 Helpful Content Update"," shifts evaluation metrics from blunt site-wide penalties to granular, section-level filtering, strictly penalizing synthetic, low-effort material while rewarding verified practitioner expertise.",[49,933,934,937,938,212],{},[52,935,936],{},"AI Overviews Expansion:"," Google integrated live news carousels and direct image generation inside AI Overviews, which now feature in approximately",[206,939,942],{"href":940,"rel":941},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.artificialintelligence-news.com\u002Fnews\u002Fgoogle-ai-overviews-us-searches\u002F",[210]," 43% of US searches",[49,944,945,948,949,954],{},[52,946,947],{},"Search Console Controls Updates:"," Site owners can now explicitly manage and isolate content inclusion within AI Overviews and AI Mode via",[206,950,953],{"href":951,"rel":952},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.numinix.com\u002Fblog\u002Fjuly-2026-seo-algorithm-news-update\u002F",[210]," updated Search Console controls"," without sacrificing baseline organic rankings.",[49,956,957,960,961,966],{},[52,958,959],{},"AEO and Third Party Integration:"," ChatGPT’s integration of live third-party platform data (such as",[206,962,965],{"href":963,"rel":964},"https:\u002F\u002Fsearchengineland.com\u002Fgoogle-to-update-local-services-ads-policies-in-july-479653",[210]," Yelp reviews, ratings, and photos",") forces B2B and B2C brands to optimize their multi-platform digital footprints beyond owned properties.",[24,968,970],{"id":969},"algorithm-technical-seo-updates",[52,971,972],{},"Algorithm & Technical SEO Updates",[46,974,975,987,998],{},[49,976,977,980,981,986],{},[52,978,979],{},"The July 2026 Helpful Content Update:"," Google deployed a ",[206,982,985],{"href":983,"rel":984},"https:\u002F\u002Fseovendor.co\u002Fgoogle-algorithm-updates-july-2026\u002F",[210],"targeted update"," to its Helpful Content System, tightening synthetic content detection and increasing E-E-A-T weightings. Unlike previous iterations that carried a risk of broad site-wide demotions, this update introduces granular section-level assessments, permitting well-authored pages on otherwise mixed-quality domains to retain visibility.",[49,988,989,992,993,997],{},[52,990,991],{},"Global Spam Countermeasures:"," Running alongside minor core adjustments, ",[206,994,996],{"href":951,"rel":995},[210],"a global spam update"," rolled out to refine SpamBrain heuristics, targeting systemic manipulation patterns rather than isolated link-building tactics.",[49,999,1000,1003,1004,1008],{},[52,1001,1002],{},"Search Console Shifts:"," Platform-wide properties and explicit GEO isolation controls ",[206,1005,1007],{"href":951,"rel":1006},[210],"went live",", enabling technical leaders to partition content accessibility for generative experiences without damaging classic organic indexing.",[24,1010,1012],{"id":1011},"geoaeo-updates",[52,1013,1014],{},"GEO\u002FAEO Updates",[46,1016,1017,1027,1038],{},[49,1018,1019,1022,1023,1026],{},[52,1020,1021],{},"AI Overview Saturation & Features:"," Market intelligence indicates AI Overviews now appear in roughly",[206,1024,942],{"href":940,"rel":1025},[210],", fundamentally altering click-through dynamics. July updates added real-time news carousels and native AI-generated image creation directly into query responses, shifting user engagement loops.",[49,1028,1029,1032,1033,1037],{},[52,1030,1031],{},"Cross-Platform Citation Shifts:"," ChatGPT expanded its retrieval architecture by integrating live third-party review and vector data (including",[206,1034,1036],{"href":963,"rel":1035},[210]," Yelp reviews and ratings","), illustrating that LLM engines rely heavily on aggregated ecosystem trust signals rather than just corporate web properties.",[49,1039,1040,1043,1044,1049],{},[52,1041,1042],{},"The \"Ghost Citation\" Phenomenon:"," ",[206,1045,1048],{"href":1046,"rel":1047},"https:\u002F\u002Fsearchengineland.com\u002Fai-halftime-report-h1-2026-483912",[210],"Emerging tracking data"," highlights that AI engines frequently synthesize information from third-party aggregators and forums, leaving primary creators uncredited unless structured entities are explicitly claimed and verified.",[24,1051,1053],{"id":1052},"strategic-implications-for-leaders",[52,1054,1055],{},"Strategic Implications for Leaders",[46,1057,1058,1064],{},[49,1059,1060,1063],{},[52,1061,1062],{},"What to ignore:"," Short-term ranking fluctuations and mass content deletions. High-volume, automated articles no longer hold value under current search filters, making rapid content generation counterproductive.",[49,1065,1066,1069],{},[52,1067,1068],{},"Where to pivot:",[46,1070,1071,1077],{},[49,1072,1073,1076],{},[52,1074,1075],{},"Clean up low-value content:"," Review site pages for thin or AI-generated text. Replace surface-level summaries with original research, customer case studies, and expert data that language models cannot replicate.",[49,1078,1079,1082],{},[52,1080,1081],{},"Standardize off-page brand data:"," Align Schema markup, corporate records, and third-party profiles across major directories and review platforms. Search engines and AI systems rely heavily on external sources to verify company authority.",[24,1084,1086],{"id":1085},"looking-ahead",[52,1087,1088],{},"Looking Ahead",[14,1090,1091],{},"Google historically issues a major core algorithm update in late Q3. Growth teams should focus on deepening coverage within core subject areas rather than publishing broadly across adjacent topics.",[24,1093,1095],{"id":1094},"search-visibility-optimization-svo",[52,1096,168],{},[14,1098,1099],{},"Maintaining search traffic now requires managing three distinct channels: standard web indexing, answer engine citations (AEO), and generative search layouts (GEO).",[14,1101,1102],{},"MKG assists growth-stage technology companies with:",[46,1104,1105,1111,1117],{},[49,1106,1107,1110],{},[52,1108,1109],{},"GEO and AEO Audits:"," Evaluating brand presence and citation rates across ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews.",[49,1112,1113,1116],{},[52,1114,1115],{},"Structured Data Infrastructure:"," Aligning Schema markup and technical index controls to safeguard search presence.",[49,1118,1119,1122],{},[52,1120,1121],{},"Pipeline Attribution Modeling:"," Measuring how generative search visibility impacts customer acquisition costs (CAC) and deal velocity.",[14,1124,1125,1126,1130],{},"To review your domain's generative search visibility, ",[206,1127,1129],{"href":275,"rel":1128},[210],"schedule a consultation"," with an MKG search specialist.",{"title":77,"searchDepth":291,"depth":291,"links":1132},[1133,1134,1135,1136,1137,1138],{"id":914,"depth":291,"text":917},{"id":969,"depth":291,"text":972},{"id":1011,"depth":291,"text":1014},{"id":1052,"depth":291,"text":1055},{"id":1085,"depth":291,"text":1088},{"id":1094,"depth":291,"text":168},"2026-08-04T16:16:55.368Z","Stay updated on the July 2026 search landscape: Google’s granular Helpful Content Update, AI Overviews reaching 43% of US searches, new Search Console controls for AI Mode, and ChatGPT's integration of third-party platform data.","https:\u002F\u002Fassets.mkgmarketinginc.com\u002F9bacf7c4-18eb-47f1-87fb-986cba555a73-Copy of 11766_(1920x1080) (7).png","close-up image of a blue pushpin marking a location on a detailed paper map",{},"\u002Fblog\u002Fseo\u002Fsearch-visibility-optimization-svo-monthly-overview-july-2026",{"title":909,"description":1140},"blog\u002Fseo\u002Fsearch-visibility-optimization-svo-monthly-overview-july-2026","vjZWWe3kKlLwQrZGoaeSywpxYkFiYyKtWSho-GG-CHw",{"id":1149,"title":1150,"author":7,"authors":7,"body":1151,"caption":7,"category":315,"date":1461,"description":1462,"extension":318,"img":1463,"imgAlt":1464,"meta":1465,"minutes":321,"navigation":322,"path":1466,"seo":1467,"seodescription":7,"seotitle":7,"stem":1468,"updated":7,"__hash__":1469},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fseo\u002Fis-ai-content-bad-for-seo-how-to-scale-traffic-without-sacrificing-rankings.md","Is AI Content Bad for SEO? How to Scale Traffic Without Sacrificing Rankings",{"type":11,"value":1152,"toc":1445},[1153,1160,1166,1169,1184,1187,1190,1204,1211,1214,1218,1221,1227,1238,1244,1247,1253,1264,1266,1271,1274,1277,1282,1287,1294,1301,1304,1310,1313,1319,1322,1333,1339,1342,1349,1358,1365,1372,1377,1380,1395,1401,1407,1410,1417,1421],[14,1154,1155,1156,1159],{},"Let’s answer the question on every marketing leader’s mind right away: ",[52,1157,1158],{},"No, AI content is not inherently bad for SEO."," Google does not automatically penalize text simply because an artificial intelligence model generated it. In fact, Google’s official Search guidelines state that the search engine ranks content based on its helpfulness, relevance, and quality—not on who (or what) typed the words.",[14,1161,1162,1163],{},"However, there is a massive caveat that every modern CMO and VP of Marketing must understand: ",[52,1164,1165],{},"publishing unedited, mass-produced AI text is a fast track to losing traffic.",[14,1167,1168],{},"While AI can drastically accelerate your research and drafting phases, relying on raw algorithm outputs to power your organic search strategy will inevitably hurt your brand. The internet is quickly becoming flooded with synthesized, low-effort fluff. Search engines are aggressively updating their algorithms to identify and down-rank generic copy that fails to bring new value to the web.",[14,1170,1171,1172,1175,1176,1179,1180,1183],{},"So, ",[52,1173,1174],{},"does AI-generated content impact SEO?"," Absolutely—for better or for worse depending entirely on ",[38,1177,1178],{},"how"," you use it. To navigate this new era of search, B2B software and tech companies must learn how to safely leverage AI as an efficiency tool while keeping senior human strategy in full control. ",[75,1181],{"alt":77,"src":1182},"https:\u002F\u002Fassets.mkgmarketinginc.com\u002Fe5fe90d6-da9d-42d8-8ca3-5c601eb33fc8-ai-content-bad-for-seo-1.png","What Google Actually Cites About AI-Generated Content",[14,1185,1186],{},"A widespread myth floating around boardrooms is that Google possesses a universal \"AI detector\" that immediately penalizes any site using machine learning tools. This misconception has led to two extreme behaviors: organizations either banned AI entirely out of fear, or they went all-in, firing editorial teams and pumping out hundreds of unvetted AI articles a month.",[14,1188,1189],{},"Both approaches are flawed. Google’s position on AI content is clear and consistent:",[46,1191,1192,1198],{},[49,1193,1194,1197],{},[52,1195,1196],{},"Intent matters over medium:"," If you use automation, including generative AI, primarily to manipulate search rankings, it is considered a violation of Google's spam policies.",[49,1199,1200,1203],{},[52,1201,1202],{},"Quality is the ultimate benchmark:"," If your content offers original information, insightful analysis, and clear utility to the searcher, Google will reward it—regardless of whether AI helped draft the paragraphs.",[14,1205,1206,1207,1210],{},"This distinction rests on Google’s ",[52,1208,1209],{},"E-E-A-T framework",": Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness.",[14,1212,1213],{},"Generative AI models are trained on existing web data; by design, they scrape, synthesize, and regurgitate information that has already been published. They cannot draw from personal background, run proprietary benchmark studies, or conduct interviews with industry veterans. Therefore, raw AI content inherently lacks the \"First-Hand Experience\" and deep \"Expertise\" required to satisfy modern search criteria.",[24,1215,1217],{"id":1216},"why-copy-pasting-ai-copy-destroys-your-organic-traffic","Why Copy-Pasting AI Copy Destroys Your Organic Traffic",[14,1219,1220],{},"If Google doesn't penalize AI text on principle, why are so many tech sites seeing their organic impressions plummet after launching automated content initiatives? The answer lies in the subtle traps of machine-generated prose.",[81,1222,1224],{"id":1223},"_1-the-information-gain-problem",[52,1225,1226],{},"1. The Information Gain Problem",[14,1228,1229,1230,1233,1234,1237],{},"Search engine algorithms are increasingly prioritizing ",[52,1231,1232],{},"Information Gain","—a metric that measures whether a piece of content adds ",[38,1235,1236],{},"new"," facts, perspectives, or data points to a topic compared to existing index results. When an AI tool drafts an article, it simply summarizes what the top ten results on Google are already saying. It offers zero information gain. If your page is merely an average of what is already online, Google has no incentive to rank you above established competitors.",[81,1239,1241],{"id":1240},"_2-hallucinations-and-brand-risk",[52,1242,1243],{},"2. Hallucinations and Brand Risk",[14,1245,1246],{},"Large Language Models (LLMs) are predictive engines, not factual databases. They routinely invent statistics, misquote technical documentation, and present incorrect product capabilities with total confidence. Publishing hallucinated facts erodes consumer trust and signals to search crawlers that your site lacks basic editorial integrity.",[81,1248,1250],{"id":1249},"_3-the-homogenization-of-brand-voice",[52,1251,1252],{},"3. The Homogenization of Brand Voice",[14,1254,1255,1256,1259,1260,1263],{},"B2B tech buyers are sophisticated. They can spot low-effort, synthetic writing instantly. Text bloated with hollow transitions (",[38,1257,1258],{},"\"In today's fast-paced digital landscape...\""," or ",[38,1261,1262],{},"\"It is crucial to leverage...\"",") signals to prospects that your company lacks real point-of-view authority. If your content sounds identical to every competitor using the same prompts, you lose your market positioning.",[24,1265,109],{"id":685},[14,1267,1268,1270],{},[38,1269,114],{},"The AI has no reason to pick yours over theirs. It's looking for something it can confidently reuse, and if your version doesn't add anything new, you're background noise.",[14,1272,1273],{},"So instead of writing more, I'm going page by page through what already exists and asking one question: does this page say something that no other page on the internet says?",[14,1275,1276],{},"Original data. A real client pattern you documented. A first-person account of what actually happened when you tried the thing everyone recommends. ",[14,1278,1279,1280],{},"That's what AI pulls in. The generic stuff is what AI already has forty versions of. It doesn't need yours.",[38,1281,114],{},[14,1283,120,1284,1286],{},[52,1285,9],{},", CEO of MKG Marketing",[24,1288,1290,1293],{"id":1289},"how-to-safely-use-ai-as-a-marketing-assistant-not-a-lead-strategist",[75,1291],{"alt":77,"src":1292},"https:\u002F\u002Fassets.mkgmarketinginc.com\u002Fc8d0926d-82b9-42f9-85f4-3c433da82d78-ai-content-bad-for-seo-2.png","How to Safely Use AI as a Marketing Assistant (Not a Lead Strategist)",[14,1295,1296,1297,1300],{},"To succeed in search today, modern tech companies don't need to abandon AI; they need to integrate it into a ",[52,1298,1299],{},"human-led editorial workflow",". AI should act as the junior analyst that handles heavy administrative lifting, while senior strategists serve as the editorial director.",[14,1302,1303],{},"Here is how high-growth organizations use AI tools safely without putting their search performance at risk:",[81,1305,1307],{"id":1306},"_1-accelerate-research-and-formatting",[52,1308,1309],{},"1. Accelerate Research and Formatting",[14,1311,1312],{},"Use AI to synthesize lengthy transcripts, cluster search intent, organize raw data, and draft initial structural outlines. Asking an AI tool to suggest five logical structural flows for a technical guide saves hours of brainstorming without diluting your editorial voice.",[81,1314,1316],{"id":1315},"_2-inject-proprietary-data-and-human-storytelling",[52,1317,1318],{},"2. Inject Proprietary Data and Human Storytelling",[14,1320,1321],{},"Once a rough outline or foundational draft exists, a subject matter expert (SME) must step in. Inject real-world elements that an algorithm can never produce:",[46,1323,1324,1327,1330],{},[49,1325,1326],{},"Customer case studies and real implementation metrics.",[49,1328,1329],{},"Direct quotes from internal product architects or sales engineers.",[49,1331,1332],{},"Unique takeaways or counter-intuitive opinions that challenge status-quo industry advice.",[81,1334,1336],{"id":1335},"_3-rigorous-fact-checking-and-editorial-oversight",[52,1337,1338],{},"3. Rigorous Fact-Checking and Editorial Oversight",[14,1340,1341],{},"Every claim, statistic, and technical instruction generated during the drafting phase must be verified by a human editor. Ensure the tone matches your brand guidelines and eliminate boilerplate AI phrasing.",[14,1343,1344,1345,1348],{},"Want to see how your current search strategy measures up against the latest engine updates? Explore our comprehensive",[206,1346,211],{"href":208,"rel":1347},[210]," or book an initial search strategy review with our senior team today.",[24,1350,1352,1355],{"id":1351},"beyond-traditional-seo-preparing-for-search-visibility-optimization-svo",[75,1353],{"alt":77,"src":1354},"https:\u002F\u002Fassets.mkgmarketinginc.com\u002F2cd275b2-b56c-4864-b728-e18e54f45370-ai-content-bad-for-seo-3.png",[52,1356,1357],{},"Beyond Traditional SEO: Preparing for Search Visibility Optimization (SVO)",[14,1359,1360,1361,1364],{},"The debate over whether AI-generated content ",[52,1362,1363],{},"is good for seo"," is part of a much larger shift in how users find information. Search is no longer confined to a list of ten blue links on a traditional search results page.",[14,1366,1367,1368,1371],{},"With the rapid adoption of AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity, users are increasingly getting direct answers synthesized and generated right inside search interfaces. This shift means that optimizing purely for keyword clicks is no longer enough. You must optimize for ",[52,1369,1370],{},"total brand visibility"," across AI search models and traditional engines alike.",[14,1373,1374,1375,212],{},"This evolution is what we call ",[52,1376,168],{},[14,1378,1379],{},"To win in an SVO-driven ecosystem, your content must be authoritative enough that AI models choose to cite your brand as the primary source of truth. Generic, auto-generated articles will never be cited by AI search tools because those articles lack original authority. The only way to capture mindshare in both AI answers and traditional search lists is by publishing high-gain, expert-driven content that clearly demonstrates E-E-A-T.",[14,1381,1382,1383,1388,1389,1394],{},"If your organic reach is stalling due to changing algorithms, taking a holistic view of your digital presence is essential. Aligning your organic content strategy with high-intent paid acquisition via",[206,1384,1387],{"href":1385,"rel":1386},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.google.com\u002Fsearch?q=https:\u002F\u002Fmkgmarketinginc.com\u002Fservices\u002Fdigital-advertising\u002F",[210]," Digital Advertising"," and measuring true user journeys through robust",[206,1390,1393],{"href":1391,"rel":1392},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.google.com\u002Fsearch?q=https:\u002F\u002Fmkgmarketinginc.com\u002Fservices\u002Fanalytics\u002F",[210]," Digital Analytics"," ensures your marketing engine generates pipeline—not just empty clicks.",[24,1396,1398],{"id":1397},"summary-adapting-your-search-engine-strategy-for-long-term-growth",[52,1399,1400],{},"Summary: Adapting Your Search Engine Strategy for Long-Term Growth",[14,1402,1403,1404,1406],{},"To recap: ",[52,1405,1174],{}," Yes. If you treat AI as a magic shortcut to generate hundreds of unvetted blog posts, your search visibility will eventually collapse; quickly building a house out of AI sticks won’t protect you when the Big Bad Search Engine Wolf comes calling. But if you treat AI as an efficiency engine that supports a human-led, expert-driven content pipeline, you can scale output without sacrificing rankings.",[14,1408,1409],{},"As search engines adapt to the flood of synthetic content, companies must adapt how they communicate with their buyers. The brands that win over the next decade won't be those that avoid AI, nor will they be those that hand their entire marketing strategy over to algorithms. The winners will be the organizations that pair cutting-edge tools with an authentic, human-driven brand voice.",[14,1411,1412,1413,1416],{},"At ",[52,1414,1415],{},"MKG Marketing",", we don't pass your search strategy off to junior account managers or unmonitored software bots. We provide an experienced, senior-led team that handles both the high-level strategy and technical execution directly. We help B2B tech and software companies navigate complex search updates, build a sustainable organic pipeline, and maintain complete operational control over their brand narrative.",[24,1418,1420],{"id":1419},"ready-to-build-a-future-proof-search-strategy","Ready to Build a Future-Proof Search Strategy?",[46,1422,1423,1430,1437],{},[49,1424,1425,1426,212],{},"Learn how our senior-led team can audit and elevate your organic reach.",[206,1427,1429],{"href":208,"rel":1428},[210]," Explore our Search Visibility Optimization (SVO) Services & Strategy Reviews",[49,1431,1432,1433,278],{},"Have immediate questions about your traffic or upcoming search updates?",[206,1434,1436],{"href":275,"rel":1435},[210]," Contact the MKG Marketing Team directly",[49,1438,1439,1440,212],{},"Want to dive deeper into modern search trends? Read our latest guide:",[206,1441,1444],{"href":1442,"rel":1443},"https:\u002F\u002Fmkgmarketinginc.com\u002Fblog\u002F",[210]," Beyond Last-Click: How to Measure Marketing Influence in an AI-First World",{"title":77,"searchDepth":291,"depth":291,"links":1446},[1447,1452,1453,1458,1459,1460],{"id":1216,"depth":291,"text":1217,"children":1448},[1449,1450,1451],{"id":1223,"depth":297,"text":1226},{"id":1240,"depth":297,"text":1243},{"id":1249,"depth":297,"text":1252},{"id":685,"depth":291,"text":109},{"id":1289,"depth":291,"text":1293,"children":1454},[1455,1456,1457],{"id":1306,"depth":297,"text":1309},{"id":1315,"depth":297,"text":1318},{"id":1335,"depth":297,"text":1338},{"id":1351,"depth":291,"text":1357},{"id":1397,"depth":291,"text":1400},{"id":1419,"depth":291,"text":1420},"2026-07-31T16:42:23.391Z","Does AI-generated content impact SEO? Discover how to safely use AI tools to build traffic and why copy-pasting generic text will hurt your rankings.","https:\u002F\u002Fassets.mkgmarketinginc.com\u002Fa2137492-5860-4960-8c3b-cc662b7514b0-mkg-blog-is-ai-content-bad-for-seo.webp","Is AI Content Bad for SEO",{},"\u002Fblog\u002Fseo\u002Fis-ai-content-bad-for-seo-how-to-scale-traffic-without-sacrificing-rankings",{"title":1150,"description":1462},"blog\u002Fseo\u002Fis-ai-content-bad-for-seo-how-to-scale-traffic-without-sacrificing-rankings","ysFwsXe-UHutD2vqfe9YpM1Dn_CZgi--Ors35vnm0Bc",{"id":1471,"title":1472,"author":7,"authors":1473,"body":1474,"caption":7,"category":2199,"date":2200,"description":2201,"extension":318,"img":2202,"imgAlt":2203,"meta":2204,"minutes":2206,"navigation":322,"path":2207,"seo":2208,"seodescription":7,"seotitle":7,"stem":2209,"updated":7,"__hash__":2210,"people":2211},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fleadership\u002Fhow-to-handle-stress-and-pressure-as-a-marketing-ceo-and-parent.md","How to Handle Pressure as a CEO & Parent",[9],{"type":11,"value":1475,"toc":2192},[1476,1480,1487,1491,1517,1521,1531,1535,1538,1541,1544,1547,1550,1553,1556,1559,1562,1565,1568,1571,1574,1577,1580,1583,1586,1589,1592,1595,1598,1600,1603,1606,1609,1612,1615,1618,1621,1624,1627,1630,1633,1636,1639,1642,1645,1647,1650,1653,1656,1659,1662,1665,1668,1671,1674,1677,1680,1683,1686,1689,1692,1695,1698,1701,1704,1707,1710,1713,1716,1719,1722,1725,1728,1731,1734,1736,1739,1742,1745,1748,1751,1754,1757,1760,1763,1766,1769,1772,1775,1778,1781,1784,1787,1790,1793,1796,1799,1802,1805,1808,1811,1814,1817,1820,1823,1826,1829,1832,1835,1837,1840,1843,1846,1849,1852,1855,1858,1861,1864,1867,1870,1873,1876,1879,1882,1884,1887,1890,1893,1896,1899,1902,1905,1908,1911,1914,1917,1919,1922,1925,1928,1931,1934,1937,1940,1943,1946,1949,1952,1955,1958,1961,1964,1967,1970,1973,1976,1979,1982,1985,1988,1991,1994,1997,2000,2003,2006,2009,2012,2015,2018,2021,2024,2027,2030,2033,2036,2039,2042,2045,2048,2051,2054,2057,2060,2063,2066,2069,2072,2075,2078,2081,2084,2087,2090,2093,2096,2099,2102,2105,2108,2111,2114,2117,2120,2123,2126,2129,2132,2135,2138,2141,2144,2147,2150,2153,2156,2159,2162,2165,2168,2171,2174,2177,2180,2183,2186,2189],[81,1477,1479],{"id":1478},"overview","Overview",[14,1481,1482,1483,1486],{},"Our CEO, Kerry Guard, joined Staci Gray on her podcast, ",[38,1484,1485],{},"The Rooted Founder Show",", to share her journey of balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship. Kerry discusses how MKG Marketing, a people-first remote business, navigates the challenges of managing work while raising children at home. She emphasizes the importance of psychological safety, setting boundaries, and maintaining a supportive company culture.",[81,1488,1490],{"id":1489},"key-moments","Key Moments",[132,1492,1493,1499,1505,1511],{},[49,1494,1495,1498],{},[52,1496,1497],{},"Control and Acceptance",": Kerry talks about the importance of focusing on what one can control, particularly one's own behavior and reactions, in both personal and professional life.",[49,1500,1501,1504],{},[52,1502,1503],{},"Balancing Work and Family",": Kerry shares her approach to juggling work and family responsibilities, emphasizing the need to prioritize and be present in the moment.",[49,1506,1507,1510],{},[52,1508,1509],{},"Setting Boundaries",": Kerry outlines how she sets clear markers for work communication to protect family time and ensure a healthy work-life balance.",[49,1512,1513,1516],{},[52,1514,1515],{},"Personal Growth and Therapy",": Kerry talks about her personal journey in managing stress and anxiety through cognitive behavioral therapy and mentorship.",[24,1518,1520],{"id":1519},"take-a-listen","Take a listen",[1522,1523],"iframe",{"style":1524,"src":1525,"width":1526,"height":1527,"frameBorder":1528,"allowFullScreen":322,"allow":1529,"loading":1530},"border-radius:12px","https:\u002F\u002Fopen.spotify.com\u002Fembed\u002Fepisode\u002F314QW9k5sNix2lhk2LXxKL?utm_source=generator","100%",352,"0","autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture","lazy",[81,1532,1534],{"id":1533},"transcript","Transcript:",[14,1536,1537],{},"Kerry Guard [00:00:00]:",[14,1539,1540],{},"And what it came down to was all about what I can control, right? What I can and can't control. And what I can't control, as much as I would love to, is other people. And so it's all about how I behave in relation to that, right. And that's all I can control, is me. And that's really the path that's gotten us, I think, to where we are today. To say, like, okay, what could I have done differently? And mistakes happen, and we're all human. And it's not about dwelling on the mistake. It's just recognizing it happened.",[14,1542,1543],{},"Kerry Guard [00:00:37]:",[14,1545,1546],{},"And now what are we going to do about it to make it better?",[14,1548,1549],{},"Staci Gray [00:00:40]:",[14,1551,1552],{},"Well, welcome. We have another rooted founder episode today. I'm here with Carrie. She's been on once before with her business partner, but I wanted to have her back on to talk about motherhood and entrepreneurship. The journey, one I have not personally been on yet, but I do have 15 nieces and nephews. But I watch a lot of women navigate this, and I thought she would have such good words of wisdom because they have a people first business, a remote business. She works from home with kids, napping in the other room and all the things. So, Carrie, I'm happy you're back here with me today.",[14,1554,1555],{},"Kerry Guard [00:01:19]:",[14,1557,1558],{},"I'm excited to be back. Thank you so much for the invitation. Stacy, it's good to see you.",[14,1560,1561],{},"Staci Gray [00:01:24]:",[14,1563,1564],{},"You too. So, motherhood, entrepreneurship, napping, all the things. I am curious, like, people ask you, how do you balance it all? But for me, the thing that I feel like might help, folks, is the psychological burden of it all. Like, the tabs we have open in our brain as an entrepreneur, and then the tabs we have open in our brain for, like, the home life. How do you handle that side of it?",[14,1566,1567],{},"Kerry Guard [00:02:00]:",[14,1569,1570],{},"No grass growing under your feet. Stacy, buckle up. We are. We are on journey. Um, I would say the struggle is real. I like to think I'm not great at it, quite honestly. I mean, it's like a minute at a time, right? So what's on fire? The hottest right now?",[14,1572,1573],{},"Staci Gray [00:02:20]:",[14,1575,1576],{},"Yeah.",[14,1578,1579],{},"Kerry Guard [00:02:21]:",[14,1581,1582],{},"And on fire could mean just my kids asking for my attention and me being okay with that and recognizing that that's where my energy needs to be. And all these work tabs need to, you know, go on a different screen, you know? You know, we have multiple screens up sometimes, right? So it's like, okay, I'm going to slot work screen over here so that I can put mommy screen over here. And it's just reading the room, right? So a lot of times it's, it's, I mentioned it before you started recording. It's like minute, minute by minute and reading the room. Where are you right now?",[14,1584,1585],{},"Staci Gray [00:03:00]:",[14,1587,1588],{},"Last night we had our, we have a WTF family night. It's with the family and we call it WTF. And the local family comes over and we eat and we were, my significant other and I were both working all day, and then we felt like we were rushing to get to dinner. And I was like, I'm feeling like family is not the priority right now, and I'm feeling guilty about that. Like, I feel like I'd rather be working and that's not the place I really want to be in right now. Like, the family is important and it is more important to me. But it does feel at times like the urgency of certain business things or what's happening there seems more important. And I'm curious, like, how do you, I mean, I know we're not perfect and we make mistakes and, you know, the family member comes in and you're still on the computer, you're looking at your phone, but how do you, like, in those moments, drop in to be able to be present with the family?",[14,1590,1591],{},"Kerry Guard [00:04:06]:",[14,1593,1594],{},"You put it away, which I don't always do. This is a friendly reminder to myself that you don't take your phone to the dining room table.",[14,1596,1597],{},"Staci Gray [00:04:16]:",[14,1599,1576],{},[14,1601,1602],{},"Kerry Guard [00:04:17]:",[14,1604,1605],{},"And you put it away and you know that it'll be there when you get back, which is really hard because it piles on. Right. So I'm not saying this is like the perfect fix by any stretch of the imagination, but it is kind of, the only way to be present is to, is to put it away. Take off your watch. Don't get the notifications. I have very few notes, so I have my, so email is not a notification. I don't, I only get, I only get to see the notifications or know what's going on when I go into my inbox.",[14,1607,1608],{},"Staci Gray [00:04:57]:",[14,1610,1611],{},"I'm set up the same way.",[14,1613,1614],{},"Kerry Guard [00:04:59]:",[14,1616,1617],{},"Yeah, slack. Slack notifications I get because there's only a couple clients I have over there, and so if they're slacking me and you pay attention to that, and then I have my other chat channel with the team. We use zoom chat, and that's only people direct to message me and they have to tell me how urgent it is. Like red, this is on fire. I need you immediately. Yellow when the kids go to bed. If you could just pop on and just confirm this with me, that would be great. And green means I'll talk to you tomorrow about this.",[14,1619,1620],{},"Kerry Guard [00:05:34]:",[14,1622,1623],{},"But just so having those markers is really helpful in creating my own boundaries of, like, what I will and won't do. But it's a progress over perfection. Some days, the world's gonna feel on fire, and that's just where you are for right now. And you gotta be in work, and you're good. You know, it's a minute, like I said, a minute at a time of feeling like you're at a. You're at a spot where you can take a beat, go make dinner, get the kids to bed, and then resume, and you might get interrupted in that time. And that's just kind of the. How the day rolls.",[14,1625,1626],{},"Kerry Guard [00:06:07]:",[14,1628,1629],{},"And you know that tomorrow you can try and do better. But, yeah, it's. It's a struggle. I mean, I know I'm gonna. I know that my kids are gonna have memories of growing up saying, but, mom, you had all those meetings, and, mom, it felt like work was more important than me, but, mom, it's gonna be like, yeah, buddy, I appreciate that. And one day, when you have something that you've built and you feel really proud of, and you're really excited about, you're gonna be here. And I did the best I could with what I had, and it was a balancing act, I think, especially as women. You know, my husband.",[14,1631,1632],{},"Kerry Guard [00:06:43]:",[14,1634,1635],{},"My husband's older than me. He's about ten years older than me. He had the heyday of his. That's like, he's not doing well. Now he is. He's working for a really great company. He's doing really well. But the heyday of his career was before we had kids.",[14,1637,1638],{},"Kerry Guard [00:06:55]:",[14,1640,1641],{},"Right. And so now I have to have the heyday of my career while we have kids.",[14,1643,1644],{},"Staci Gray [00:06:59]:",[14,1646,1576],{},[14,1648,1649],{},"Kerry Guard [00:07:01]:",[14,1651,1652],{},"And that's partially justification for myself of, like, this was the path I chose, and I wanted to have a career, and I wanted to have kids. And I'm taking a day at a time, and I know what my values are. I say to my. I just had it to my daughter. She's so sick of me saying it. She's so sick of me saying it.",[14,1654,1655],{},"Staci Gray [00:07:21]:",[14,1657,1658],{},"How old is she?",[14,1660,1661],{},"Kerry Guard [00:07:22]:",[14,1663,1664],{},"She's eight.",[14,1666,1667],{},"Staci Gray [00:07:23]:",[14,1669,1670],{},"Eight.",[14,1672,1673],{},"Kerry Guard [00:07:25]:",[14,1675,1676],{},"She was asking for something or other, and I was like, ellie, what's my job? To make sure I'm happy, and to make sure I'm healthy, and to make sure I'm a thoughtful contributor to society. Right? Like, I know that decisions I'm making every day as it relates to work or kids has to contribute to those three things. Are they happy? Are they frustrated that I'm having a lot of meetings that are not present. Okay. I gotta make a change to that, right? I, are they healthy? Am I able to take time out of my day to go do the right food shopping and do the right planning that I need to do to make sure I have meals on the table at dinner time and breakfast and lunch? That's going to be healthy and contribute to that and am I sticking my ground? I know I'm really tired. Would I love to give her chocolate before bed because that's what she wants? Yes. Is that going to help or be a thought for contributor to society as well as be healthy and happy? Stick my grounds even though I'm exhausted from working all day and knowing I gotta walk into meetings tonight, like that's just, you know, my guiding, my guiding principles, so to speak, that help me push through.",[14,1678,1679],{},"Staci Gray [00:08:40]:",[14,1681,1682],{},"I love those. And you, I like the red, green, yellow. With your team, have you, what things have you set up with your team to protect your family life?",[14,1684,1685],{},"Kerry Guard [00:08:53]:",[14,1687,1688],{},"So that's one of them. I, I live by my words. So when they're having a family crisis or something's going on for them or they need to be, you know, with their family. Absolutely right. It's not double standard, it's 100%. And so I think leading by example is really important for both giving them the space to go take care of what they need to take care of and showcasing what it looks like for me to take care of what I need to take care of. And so my team, the way that we work remotely from an hour standpoint is very much about defining your hours and sticking to, they have to be somewhat consistent so we can plan accordingly for client meetings and to know if we're having an issue. We know when to get a hold of you internally.",[14,1690,1691],{},"Kerry Guard [00:09:42]:",[14,1693,1694],{},"Right. So I don't care what your hours are between 08:00 a.m. eastern to 08:00 p.m. western. But they have to be consistent. And it's actually 06:00 p.m. pacific. And so I see my team logging off every day at 506:00 their time, right.",[14,1696,1697],{},"Kerry Guard [00:10:02]:",[14,1699,1700],{},"Or whenever their hours are. And so that reminds me to stick to my hours, which are I take a break at five so I stop it. I'm only one in the UK so I have weird hours to my teeth, but I stop at five in theory and I go make dinner for my family and I have a nice dinner with my family. I help get the kids to bed, we have some family time in between. And then I come back on around 830 and I go to ten and so knowing what my hours are and trying to stick to those and then being clear what my hours are with the team, and I let them know. We have a channel in our Zoom chat called general, which is where you tell people where you are. So you say, when you're logging in, you say, when you're logging out, you say, if you gotta go pick up a kid, you say, we don't care. We just need to know because we're not in an office and can look over at your desk and see that you're not there.",[14,1702,1703],{},"Kerry Guard [00:10:57]:",[14,1705,1706],{},"Right. So we need to know that you're coming back. Right. So it's really important that we're open and transparent. So I try and do a. A good job, and I'm not the best at it. I take full responsibility for that, but I try and do a good job to say, hey, I'm online. It's 12:00 my time.",[14,1708,1709],{},"Kerry Guard [00:11:16]:",[14,1711,1712],{},"I'm here for the next 5 hours, and then come 05:00 it's dinner time, and I'll be back. And I let them know when I'm back, and then I let them know when I'm out for the night. So being clear and consistent about where you are and what's going on, which is really hard. Really hard. There was a phase that I went through with my team when we were a bit younger where I was being judged for my behavior because I went out in the middle of the day to go have a bar class because I had to quickly head off because my two year old was having a meltdown. Like, I was being completely judged, and I was like, okay, we're doing a terrible job culture wise to cultivate this. If I'm being judged for how I want my team to be treated. Right.",[14,1714,1715],{},"Kerry Guard [00:12:00]:",[14,1717,1718],{},"So we had to make some changes to make sure that. That. That that change was happening.",[14,1720,1721],{},"Staci Gray [00:12:06]:",[14,1723,1724],{},"I think a lot of people will find themselves in this situation because I've had personal conversations with entrepreneurs where they've even asked their team permission to work out in the morning before coming into the. To the office feeling like they were being judged, like they're not doing enough, they're not showing up the way they should be showing up. So it is a culture reset. Like, how. How would somebody do that? Like, how did you guys do that? Change it from, like, a judgment culture to an acceptance culture around standards takes time.",[14,1726,1727],{},"Kerry Guard [00:12:43]:",[14,1729,1730],{},"Nothing happens overnight.",[14,1732,1733],{},"Staci Gray [00:12:44]:",[14,1735,1576],{},[14,1737,1738],{},"Kerry Guard [00:12:45]:",[14,1740,1741],{},"Your values are your core. So our value has always been people first, but we've had to redefine that over the years to make sure that it's inclusive. So originally, when we defined the value, it was very much about Mike and I taking care of the team, and we weren't included in that. So we had to extend that to how we're all people and we all need to be taken care of, not just internally as a team, but how that translates to our clients. And then it even transformed beyond that to how we take care of our clients customers, in the messaging we build in, how we make sure that we're not advertising in a way that we wouldn't wanna be advertised to, that our emails are really thoughtful and all of those things. So it really had to look at our values and say, why aren't these working the way that they're supposed to? And redefining them that way? So that was definitely a help. I also think Mike and I, like I mentioned, I'm not great at this, but I was really bad at it. I'm not great at it now, but I was terrible at it where I didn't think the rules applied to me.",[14,1743,1744],{},"Kerry Guard [00:13:58]:",[14,1746,1747],{},"So I didn't have to put everything in Asana and put velocity behind it and say what I was doing for the day because nobody checked on I'm non billable and I'm getting stuff done and I'm just making sure your bills are paid and that's all you need to worry about. To an extent. Yeah, to an extent. Right. And also, I felt like you don't need to know where I am, you just need to know that your bills are being paid and you're cool. To an extent. Like, if they can't see that I'm logging on and logging off for the day, and when I'm trackable of when they can get a hold of me, then how can I hold them to the same standard?",[14,1749,1750],{},"Staci Gray [00:14:33]:",[14,1752,1753],{},"Right?",[14,1755,1756],{},"Kerry Guard [00:14:33]:",[14,1758,1759],{},"So I had to change my behavior too, and take accountability of that as well as holding them accountable. At the same time, it felt very much like a double standard. And the perception, the perception was a double standard, and I could have doubled down and be like, it's none of your business and I'm your boss and I am paying the bills, but is that how I want to be treated? Am I upholding the values that way? No. I'd wanted a transparent, accountable owner, and I'd want to know that they're living by the same standards that they're holding me to.",[14,1761,1762],{},"Staci Gray [00:15:07]:",[14,1764,1765],{},"Yeah. I think what you said is, like, we're all humans. Like, even if you're a CEO or you're an individual contributor, we're all human beings and we all have demons and darkness and shadow sides that trip us up and hang us up. And sometimes, like, bosses could be like, well, it's my company. I get to do what I want and not address their own shadow or their own challenges. And you did the exact opposite, which probably contributed so much to the culture change, because it gave permission for the rest of your company, all the other humans, to own their shadows and own their, their darkness and almost create, like, a healing environment for everybody. Did that happen in some way in your company?",[14,1767,1768],{},"Kerry Guard [00:16:01]:",[14,1770,1771],{},"Yeah, they call it. What do they call it? There's like, so when you join MKG, there's like a three month, I call it trial period, but it really is a two way street. We've had. We'd have plenty of people leave us as much as we've declined them.",[14,1773,1774],{},"Staci Gray [00:16:18]:",[14,1776,1777],{},"Right.",[14,1779,1780],{},"Kerry Guard [00:16:18]:",[14,1782,1783],{},"So I want to be clear on that. It's a trial period, but it's for both remote agency, we're a small company. Taking on a new employee is a huge risk for us and for them, you know, before they get into our benefits and all of that. Like, there needs to be a three month, are we good here? And what I realized in doing that and taking those three months to, like, settle into the company and to see if this is really for you is the healing process, because it's the aha. Moments through that of, oh, what they said is their values. Okay, so you are people first organization. And I said I had to go pick up a sick kid and you, and I didn't have to ask permission. And I just said, I'm going to pick up the kid.",[14,1785,1786],{},"Kerry Guard [00:17:01]:",[14,1788,1789],{},"And I was able to do that and have it held against me. Cool. You have the MKG standards, but it's not just this weird woohoo sort of black box. You have them laid out in terms of what it means to create deliverables. And then you have all the templates that go through deliverables and examples, and then you outline what professionalism is. Okay, I'm gonna be showing up on camera, and I need to look my best and like, okay, I know what that means. And so it's like this healing period in terms of sticking to our word and people being able to see that, of like, oh, you're not just pulling the wool over my eyes. You're not just promising me the world.",[14,1791,1792],{},"Kerry Guard [00:17:44]:",[14,1794,1795],{},"And then I'm gonna show up on day one and you're gonna dump everything onto my plate and expect me to figure it out. Right? I come from a generation. I just had a wonderful conversation with one of my employees about this, how we are the generation of figure it outers. Because we had to, right? Because we were those people who showed up and were promised the world and then dropped, you know, a $10 million account on our laps and told us to figure it out. And I just don't want people to have to live that way. We don't have to figure. We want people who are problem solvers, and we want people who want to figure it out because it's a problem and it's a puzzle, and, like, ugh. But we don't even have to figure out, like, the expectations and the intentions and, like, am I doing the right thing? Is this where I'm supposed to be? Like, what's supposed to be happening? Like, no.",[14,1797,1798],{},"Kerry Guard [00:18:33]:",[14,1800,1801],{},"Like, that's defined, and that's all right here, and you're cool, and you have to prove that it takes a minute. And so it's like, it's the PTSD cleansing, so to speak, of, like, all the other places you've come from. And then you show up here, and we're people of our word, and we're really buttoned up, and we have templates for everything, and we use asana and product management, but we're not micromanaging. And it's like this beautiful balance, and is this too good to be true? But, yeah, people do. They show up, they face their demons, and then they settle in.",[14,1803,1804],{},"Staci Gray [00:19:06]:",[14,1806,1807],{},"It's great. Yeah. Because their nervous system calms down. They feel like they're safe to be in an environment that they can actually work, do their best work. It's going to be recognized and rewarded.",[14,1809,1810],{},"Kerry Guard [00:19:19]:",[14,1812,1813],{},"Mm hmm. They do. And I would say the other piece to that that's really important in building a culture around being people. First is the feedback loop. So not sleeping things under the carpet or pretending they didn't happen, not being able to have crucial conversations because it's hard and it's icky. It makes everybody fidget. But building into your culture of, like, well, this is just what we do. So every day as the CEO, I show up every 90 days with my team.",[14,1815,1816],{},"Kerry Guard [00:19:50]:",[14,1818,1819],{},"I meet with each person individually, and I hear about one thing they're super passionate and proud of that they did in the last 90 days and something that maybe didn't go quite as well or got in their way, or if they could have a magic wand and me as CEO could fix it, what would that be? Then my third question is always, do you have feedback from me? Do you have questions for me? How can I help? Right. So, in showing up as a leader of, like, I'm not afraid to hear what you got from me or to hear what's hard for you, or to hear that this thing, this perception I created or this promise you feel like I made, that I didn't pan out. Like, no, I can't fix what I don't know. So let's have it right? And then we're able to do that on a flip side. Right. So every month they meet with their manager, our people and communities leader, and she gives them feedback. Hey, here's what I heard from the team of what's going on. Here's the stuff that's going really well.",[14,1821,1822],{},"Kerry Guard [00:20:51]:",[14,1824,1825],{},"And by the way, here are some things that have caused some friction that we need to work through. So let's put together a plan and let's talk about how we're going to do that. Right. So you have to be able to create a culture where feedback doesn't feel like you're in trouble. And that also takes time to create that trust of, I'm getting feedback. That means I'm gonna get fired. No, not necessarily. Now, if you create the same mistake over and over again, I'm still having this conversation.",[14,1827,1828],{},"Kerry Guard [00:21:21]:",[14,1830,1831],{},"Three months later, that's a different conversation. But if this is the first time giving it to you, and we're gonna talk about a plan and make it better, then no one's getting fired, no one's in trouble. Right. And so I think that's really important to helping people feel that psychological safety of building into the culture this thing that just always happens.",[14,1833,1834],{},"Staci Gray [00:21:43]:",[14,1836,1576],{},[14,1838,1839],{},"Kerry Guard [00:21:43]:",[14,1841,1842],{},"We give each other feedback. It's just what we do.",[14,1844,1845],{},"Staci Gray [00:21:46]:",[14,1847,1848],{},"Yeah. Have you ever had an experience with yourself or your team where feedback, maybe how it was presented or how it was received was a little clunky and it created more tension and friction and how do you guys navigate that always? Yeah.",[14,1850,1851],{},"Kerry Guard [00:22:07]:",[14,1853,1854],{},"It's so hard to give feedback. It's so hard. And I've plenty of stories where I've done it really, really poorly. I don't have great examples or mentors where I was given feedback really well. And so you take what you know based off of what happened for you. Right. And so it's an iterative process to figure out how to do it better. I'm still working on it, but at the end of the day, it is about creating that psychological safety of first understanding where somebody is.",[14,1856,1857],{},"Kerry Guard [00:22:37]:",[14,1859,1860],{},"Right. So before I give this feedback to you, I need to understand where you're at that even caused this thing to happen. So I asked some questions like, how's it going, how are you? How'd this meeting go? That meeting was really hard. What was really hard about it? The client just came at me like 1000 miles an hour with all of these questions and I didn't feel like I have the answers. Oh, yeah, that sounds really hard to not have the answers skills. Really hard. How do you feel like you handled it? I had to do so good. Yeah, I could see that.",[14,1862,1863],{},"Kerry Guard [00:23:08]:",[14,1865,1866],{},"You know what? I watched the video and I have to agree with you. That feel, that felt really hard. That felt really hard to watch. That felt like you had a really tough time. And I'd like to figure out how we can make you feel more prepared for when that happens, because that's gonna happen again. That's just gonna happen again. So how do we prepare you for helping that not feel like you're caught off guard? Right. And so when you approach the conversation with first creating that psychological safety through validation and mirroring, then you can give the feedback in a way that they've already acknowledged that it happened.",[14,1868,1869],{},"Kerry Guard [00:23:44]:",[14,1871,1872],{},"Right. They've tripped over their own truth. Didn't go so well. Or maybe they think it went splendidly. Oh, yeah. That meeting was awesome. I nailed it. Right.",[14,1874,1875],{},"Kerry Guard [00:23:54]:",[14,1877,1878],{},"It's like I rewatched that meeting and I rewatched that meeting because I got feedback from the team that they didn't feel like it went so well. And so here's how we saw that going. Right. So there's a way to approach it from either side, whether they feel like it went really well or it didn't, but it leaves gives you a way to have them paint the picture first versus you just dumping on them.",[14,1880,1881],{},"Staci Gray [00:24:19]:",[14,1883,1576],{},[14,1885,1886],{},"Kerry Guard [00:24:19]:",[14,1888,1889],{},"Right. Showing up and being like, I have tough feedback to give you and this is how this went. That give yourself an hour. If you got to deliver tough feedback.",[14,1891,1892],{},"Staci Gray [00:24:31]:",[14,1894,1895],{},"That's such a good point.",[14,1897,1898],{},"Kerry Guard [00:24:32]:",[14,1900,1901],{},"Give yourself an hour.",[14,1903,1904],{},"Staci Gray [00:24:33]:",[14,1906,1907],{},"I was going to ask you, because that when you're over capacity as a leader or any of your leaders on your team are over capacity, I find one of the things that suffers is the patience to have the long enough meetings to handle them well. So when you guys are stressed, or maybe you do it preventatively, but like when, when the pressure's on, like the pipeline's full, it's coming, you got a full book of business, you got the whole team going, you're working on improving processes, you're maybe even hiring. And then you have like some, some infrastructure struggles or a client meeting doesn't go well. How do you maybe as a leader or even within your company calm everybody down to get back to a place of psychological safety and then have the emotional capacity or even the logistical capacity to show up in that way.",[14,1909,1910],{},"Kerry Guard [00:25:30]:",[14,1912,1913],{},"Well, again, it's not something that you do in one swoop, and then it's done.",[14,1915,1916],{},"Staci Gray [00:25:36]:",[14,1918,1753],{},[14,1920,1921],{},"Kerry Guard [00:25:37]:",[14,1923,1924],{},"Right. It's an interval of process where you show up every day to create that. So a great example is during COVID right? Talk about stress and feeling stretched thin and our clients asking for the moon and our team having kids underfoot for the first time and dogs running around and, you know, the world basically feeling like it's on fire at the same time. And so I showed up every day. I did a daily video, and I said, you already know this, but I'm just going to recap. Here's what's happening in the world. Here's the COVID numbers. Remember, here's how we manage this on a day to day process at MKG, right? So we know you have kids at home.",[14,1926,1927],{},"Kerry Guard [00:26:22]:",[14,1929,1930],{},"We know you're doing your best, and we just need to know what's going on. So you need to tell. You need to raise your hand and let us know how to help you, because we can't see you. We don't know what your personal situation is. So it's constantly reminding them that, like, we are here and giving examples ourselves of, like, how we've actually. This just happened. It's a great example. So this just happened to me.",[14,1932,1933],{},"Kerry Guard [00:26:48]:",[14,1935,1936],{},"I really missed marketing. I missed being a marketer. And so I got back into the marketing seat and I took on my own clients, and I became billable, which also helped our bottom line. And so I knew the team needed it. I was like, okay, we can't hire, but our margins are stretched in where are we going to get more billable? So I took on a few clients, and I'm about to take on a third, and I raised my hand and said, what I've been doing for these last two clients isn't sustainable. I'm just holding it together, and I can do so much better if I just had a little help. I said, here's what I'm thinking about, and here's what I need. And I didn't even problem solve it.",[14,1938,1939],{},"Kerry Guard [00:27:33]:",[14,1941,1942],{},"I just said, here's what I like. Here's where I'm at in terms of the problem I'm having, and here's what I think I need. And then I let the team come to me and say, okay, we think you need a project manager. We think Avery would be really great. I think you two would work really well together. And then you get this accountability person every day. That's like working with you on your schedule. This sounds amazing.",[14,1944,1945],{},"Kerry Guard [00:27:53]:",[14,1947,1948],{},"And so today, every Monday, I send out a team newsletter that is a reminder of what our rocks are, any hot new deals we have in the pipe, any team updates, and then important dates. Right. The CEO weekly one pager. It's from one of the scale up books that we've all read. And when I send the newsletter, I told the story about how part of our values of the MKG standard is that no person's an island, not even me. And it comes from a place of where I was. I held a $10 million account when I was an assistant media planner, reporting to a VP with nobody in between, nobody checking my work, and the stress and anxiety that caused. And so, as part of our values that went in there, no person is an island.",[14,1950,1951],{},"Kerry Guard [00:28:43]:",[14,1953,1954],{},"And recently, I found myself to be an island. And, of course, correct. And I told this story. And then today in our. In a meeting with the team, somebody raised their hand and said, I don't normally talk about myself. It's kind of super hard. But I'm structurally thin, and I'm really nervous about anything that's going on. So I'm going to be calling on people for some backup.",[14,1956,1957],{},"Staci Gray [00:29:05]:",[14,1959,1960],{},"Yes.",[14,1962,1963],{},"Kerry Guard [00:29:06]:",[14,1965,1966],{},"Right? Like, okay. Yes. I'm so glad that I gave you the voice to feel like you could do that. Maybe she, you know, they would have done that regardless of whether I said anything. But there was sort of these correlation elements that happened, and then they were able to raise their hand and say, actually. And so I think that's really important when you're structurally thin and to give yourself space to say, hey, I need some help up here, and to lead as a leader. And I'm not sure I answered your question, but it just felt like, you know, when you're stretched really thin, the best thing you do is ask for help.",[14,1968,1969],{},"Staci Gray [00:29:41]:",[14,1971,1972],{},"Yes. And I think also, I love. I love that value of not being an island, especially being a remote team. You're already isolated and you're working from home, and maybe you go to a coffee shop or maybe you go to sit someplace at the library, but you're still alone. And when you do, are working on things. I know my team. They love just the thought partnership. Even if it's nothing tactical help.",[14,1974,1975],{},"Staci Gray [00:30:09]:",[14,1977,1978],{},"Like, it's. It's the thought partnership, the emotional support. And if we can do that inside of our companies and teach people how to ask for help, because it's not happening, people feel like they have to be alone and do things on their own and just gird theirselves up and be strong. Figure it outers. But it creates anxiety and it creates stress. And so I'm curious also, if all this work that you've been doing inside of your organization and the team culture, if any of it has impacted not just your family life, because I'm sure it's changed you as who you are at home, but your team, like, how they show up for their spouses or their kids at home, you know, I.",[14,1980,1981],{},"Kerry Guard [00:30:59]:",[14,1983,1984],{},"Don'T know the full extent of that, and I can't speak for them. What I can speak to is the fact that they know that it's okay to raise their hand when this happened. I have multiple people who have kids who are at that driving age, right? And they're like, my kid was just in the car accident, I gotta go. And all it is is heart emojis everywhere, right? All we can give them in that moment is 100%. Like, I had one person be like, I gotta go put on outside clothes and, like, go attend to my daughter. Like, absolutely. We got this, right? When they want to take a day off to go celebrate their kid's birthday, right? We have a policy of PTO, where it's a certain amount of days a year, use it or lose it by design, once you take PTO, we want you to go spend that birthday with your child. Yes.",[14,1986,1987],{},"Kerry Guard [00:31:57]:",[14,1989,1990],{},"Go have that slip and slide party. Yes. Right? Like, even though it's on a summer weekday. Go do that, please. That sounds awesome. The fact that they share pictures and we have a random channel, and people will post pictures of their vacation while they'll be on vacation away from work, but then they'll post pictures in the work channel about the great time they're having. Right? Like, so I don't know exactly how this is impacting their families. I don't have that information, but I have this anecdotal data that I have people who've been with us for anywhere from three to eight years.",[14,1992,1993],{},"Kerry Guard [00:32:35]:",[14,1995,1996],{},"Right. When you have that stickiness of an organization, you have to believe it's because of the values and the culture you create that, you know, people will slog through the toughest moments with you because they know when we come out the other side, you know, we'll take care of them through the slog as best we can, and we come out the other side. Yeah, it's. It's a wonderful place to be because they experienced it before the slack, and we'll get through the slog together, and we'll come out stronger for it. Right.",[14,1998,1999],{},"Staci Gray [00:33:10]:",[14,2001,2002],{},"I feel like that those seasons of hard forge teams, though, good teams, it's where you know who your ride or dies are, you know, who's in it with you, who's committed to growth, like, versus sitting out when it gets hard versus leaning in. It sounds like you guys have created such a beautiful culture. I curious for you, what do you think has been your own personal biggest growth?",[14,2004,2005],{},"Kerry Guard [00:33:40]:",[14,2007,2008],{},"So in 2019, I would say was probably one of my toughest years as mom and entrepreneur. I didn't have a good balance of either. I still don't, but I create the perception that it's going better. But I didn't have any patience with my family specifically, and so I had a momentous where, you know, rock bottom for whatever. Everybody has their different rock bottom. For me, it was. It was a Halloween night, and I yelled at my family pretty hard, and I was like, yeah, I'd like to stop doing that. Really like to stop yelling at people.",[14,2010,2011],{},"Kerry Guard [00:34:22]:",[14,2013,2014],{},"That would be good. And I started therapy, and I specifically wanted cognitive behavioral therapy. I didn't want drugs. I didn't want somebody to just numb namit. And I'm not saying that's what it is for people. That's just what it felt like for me. There's a million reasons why these drugs exist and the brilliance that they bring to the table for people who need it. And I don't want to dismiss that.",[14,2016,2017],{},"Kerry Guard [00:34:49]:",[14,2019,2020],{},"It just wasn't right for me in my own anxiety. And so I sought out somebody who could basically rewire my brain. That's what cognitive behavior is. It's basically rewiring your brain. And there's a couple things that come with that, and one is letting your brain know you're not in actual danger. The world is not on fire. I am not in trouble. I don't need to run away.",[14,2022,2023],{},"Kerry Guard [00:35:18]:",[14,2025,2026],{},"I just need to breathe. Now to your nervous system. It's gonna be okay. Just ride the wave for the next 90 seconds, and it'll pass. Right. And the other thing that was really key to that, that then I worked on for many years with multiple, two different therapists having moved. And then my coach. I have a business coach.",[14,2028,2029],{},"Kerry Guard [00:35:41]:",[14,2031,2032],{},"And what it came down to was all about what I can control, right? What I can and can't control, and what I can't control, as much as I would love to, is other people. As much as I would tell people how to do and behave and be even my own eight year old daughter, that is just not how people work. And so it's all about how I behave in relation to that. Right? And that's all I can control, is me. And so as I worked on rewiring my brain to control that side of, like, okay, I'm frustrated and I'm mad at this person right now. What could I have done differently that may have produced a different outcome? Right. And that's really the path that's gotten us, I think, to where we are today. To say, like, okay, what could I have done differently? And mistakes happen, and we're all human.",[14,2034,2035],{},"Kerry Guard [00:36:42]:",[14,2037,2038],{},"And it's not about dwelling on the mistake, it's just recognizing it happened. And now what are we going to do about it to make it better?",[14,2040,2041],{},"Staci Gray [00:36:50]:",[14,2043,2044],{},"Thank you for being so vulnerable. And I can relate to all of it. I think my life lesson is patience. I think this is what I'm supposed to learn in this loop around. I also can totally relate to trying to control outcomes. I've witnessed this, too, in a lot of entrepreneurs. And there's other leaders that talk about it, about how building and scaling a business puts you face to face with your trauma. And there's another guy who has this quote that says, you spend the first 50 years of your life recovering from the first five from Brian Tracy.",[14,2046,2047],{},"Staci Gray [00:37:30]:",[14,2049,2050],{},"And it really. I think building a business just accelerates the character growth. It just accelerates the growth journey. And so you hit these moments where the pressure is on so much, and it's hard to manage your human when the pressure is just, like, suffocating. And it's easy to yell or blame or take it out on other people, but to really sit with ourselves and say, what am I really in control of? What I'm not? And how can I either manage my nervous system better so that if I am in these high conflict situations, I can diffuse it instead of pour gasoline on it? And also just the grace. Like, to go through life just wrapping yourself in a bubble of grace, knowing that you're gonna make mistakes and you're not gonna be perfect, and you're gonna have that moment where the pressure is on, and you might say that thing that you didn't mean. And we can give and receive that grace, then we can really grow. Which is full circle testament to what you created inside of your organization with that psychological safety, where people can bring their cringy moments, their mistakes, their, I wish I didn't do it this way.",[14,2052,2053],{},"Staci Gray [00:38:51]:",[14,2055,2056],{},"And it to be held in a container of let's all learn and grow versus you did something wrong, or you're bad, or I did something wrong, and I'm bad, because neither of those are true. It's just. It's just an opportunity to evolve, and you're doing it so beautifully.",[14,2058,2059],{},"Kerry Guard [00:39:10]:",[14,2061,2062],{},"Yeah. You know, it's definitely not easy. I would say. Don't go at it alone. I got a mentor in about 2017, which was awesome. He taught me the importance of what he called MRI. Most respectable interpretation of, like, is this really about you or how is it really about them? And how can you separate yourself from taking this so personally? And so that was really the start of the journey for me. And I think it's really important that you find your.",[14,2064,2065],{},"Kerry Guard [00:39:43]:",[14,2067,2068],{},"Scott Galloway, who is an entrepreneur himself, hosts many podcasts, and one of the things he talks about is having your cabinet. So who are the people you can go to that will give you honesty and give you true advice in the face of whatever it is you're facing? And who are those people? And it's not always. It's gonna be really hard to hear from people. It's not always your partner. And what I mean by partners, I mean your husband or your wife or your significant other. It's not. It's not. Do not make it them, because you muddy the waters and you put so much pressure on them to have the answers to your problems that they don't have full context to.",[14,2070,2071],{},"Kerry Guard [00:40:26]:",[14,2073,2074],{},"And while they own a part of your business and live and help you grow it from just being in a relationship together, it is not their responsibility to solve your business problems. Go find other people who have built businesses. Coaches, mentors, whether it's, you know, I joined yec for a moment. My business partner joined EO. We both have a coach that we work together with. I've mentioned mentors. Right? So go create a cabinet of people you can go to to say, this is what we're up against. What have you gone through? Is this.",[14,2076,2077],{},"Kerry Guard [00:41:06]:",[14,2079,2080],{},"Chances are I went to school for photography, and while this drove me nuts that my professors would say this, they're like, you're not reinventing the wheel. That photograph you're making isn't anything particularly new. It just has your. Your vision on it. And so go look at the greats to figure out, like, what they did, right. And then just recreate it with your viewpoint. And that's really what we're doing as businesses. Right.",[14,2082,2083],{},"Kerry Guard [00:41:30]:",[14,2085,2086],{},"Like, so many businesses have been built before us, and so we're thinking we're doing something new and exciting. Gents are. We're not. Go find your cabinet.",[14,2088,2089],{},"Staci Gray [00:41:39]:",[14,2091,2092],{},"So say what MRI is again, because I thought that that was very good.",[14,2094,2095],{},"Kerry Guard [00:41:45]:",[14,2097,2098],{},"Most respectable interpretation. So somebody's coming at you with a lot of shame and blame. It's not about you. It's their shame and blame. And so how do you create the psychological safety to unpack that for them, to help them understand that this. This isn't really about me, and you're part of the problem for sure. Don't just think you don't have any ownership in the situation. You do.",[14,2100,2101],{},"Kerry Guard [00:42:10]:",[14,2103,2104],{},"But understanding the core, at the root of. Of what it is they're feeling right now. And if something goes wrong and they don't own that and they put the blame immediately on you, it's not being frustrated and angry about that, but it's understanding why they can't take their own ownership and figuring out the root cause of, like, what actually happened and then how you both can come to terms with it. But you can't do that if you're in fight or flight, if little brain isn't. Is activated and somebody's coming at you like, you can't, so you can't help them unpack it, and you can't unpack it for yourself. So MRI was a nice trigger for me to be like, wait, this isn't. What is the most respectful interpretation about this? It's okay to take a minute. It's okay to be like, I hear you, and that sounds really hard.",[14,2106,2107],{},"Kerry Guard [00:43:00]:",[14,2109,2110],{},"And I appreciate why you're frustrated with me right now. We're gonna go to our opposite corners, and we're gonna come back when we're both cooled off and have a honest conversation about what's going on. Right. So I think that's okay, too. But having these, like, moments. MRI is a great trigger. Why is this happening? Just asking why a bunch of times. Why? Why? Why? Right? And unspiraling yourself is really good.",[14,2112,2113],{},"Kerry Guard [00:43:24]:",[14,2115,2116],{},"I watched a video about somebody saying, go have a banana. Like, say, hey, listen, this seems really amped, and, like, we just need a minute. Like, go have some. Let's both take a minute. Let's go have some food. Sometimes hangry is a thing, right. And come back to the table when we're both in better places. You know, that's.",[14,2118,2119],{},"Kerry Guard [00:43:42]:",[14,2121,2122],{},"That's okay. That's good. That's healthy. Yelling at each other, trying to problem solve when you're not in a healthy place, not a good idea. MRI, misrespectful interpretation situation.",[14,2124,2125],{},"Staci Gray [00:43:55]:",[14,2127,2128],{},"I love that. And the cabinet thing is so great. I have a list of these people in my life that I. And it goes in a couple ways. One is it goes in the way where they have permission to tell me hard truths. And I know they're going to tell me hard truths, but they're also the ones that have a right to have an opinion in my life. So if somebody posts something on the Internet or does something like I. They're the ones that get to validate or reject it versus.",[14,2130,2131],{},"Staci Gray [00:44:26]:",[14,2133,2134],{},"And I do, too, but versus it being. Everyone has this free right to speak in. Into my life hard or kind things because you can, you know, believe your own press sometimes. So both things. Both things are true. You know, you need someone to tell you the hard truths, but also tell you when you do get beat up, like you're actually a good person. These are great things about you. So that's such good little tidbits.",[14,2136,2137],{},"Kerry Guard [00:44:57]:",[14,2139,2140],{},"Yes. Yeah. You do need that person in your corner who knows how to build you up as much as they know how to let you know what's really going on. It helps you believe both sides, right? Because if they can't tell you, if they only build you up and they're not willing to have to tell you what's actually going on, then it's really hard to ever believe the good stuff, too. So, yes. Yes. You need both sides for sure.",[14,2142,2143],{},"Staci Gray [00:45:22]:",[14,2145,2146],{},"Yeah. One of my favorite lines that they'll say to me is like, okay, I'm gonna play devil's advocate. Advocate. And I'm like, great. That's what I want you to play here because that gives you a real conversation. Wow, this has been so delightful. And you have just shared so much wisdom on building teams that have psychological safety, becoming a leader that can create an environment like that. What are projects that you guys are excited about that are coming up?",[14,2148,2149],{},"Kerry Guard [00:45:55]:",[14,2151,2152],{},"So we have three rocks this year, and I love them all. One is, we created an agency leadership committee. I didn't want a COo or I had a managing director. And she was wonderful. Absolutely loved her. Loved having her. The challenge was that when she left, I didn't really understand all the ins and outs of everything that was happening, because it was one person, and it was her whole responsibility to know all of these things. And while she did an amazing job breaking it down and trying to delegate before she left, I still felt like I don't know what's going on.",[14,2154,2155],{},"Kerry Guard [00:46:40]:",[14,2157,2158],{},"And so I had to basically have the whole team report to me for the last two years while I got the lay of the land and, like, figured it out. And so what I realized is that I need multiple checkpoints, and it can't just be one person. It's just too big. It's just too big. And really, what ended up taking up most of her time was managing the team when they had a tough day or they needed something or they needed a vet. Right? Like, she was the person they went to, and everybody needs that, but she couldn't get anything else done. And so by spreading the load across an agency leadership committee, I have one person who's dedicated to that. I have another person who ultimately makes, like, if push came to shove and a decision needed to be made and nobody could figure out which way to move forward, she's it.",[14,2160,2161],{},"Kerry Guard [00:47:30]:",[14,2163,2164],{},"She gets to say, okay, here's how be. So if everything I've heard you say, this is where we're going to start, and then we'll iterate and we'll figure it out, but, like, we gotta start somewhere. So she's that person, and then she also runs it. She's like, well, the committee all reports to me at the end. She runs the committee. And then our third person, as the strategist, is responsible for client relationships and making sure those are going well, as well as our second project that I'm really excited about, which is called the coordinator program. I don't believe a company can really grow sustainably in a longevity term without having a way for people to come in and grow. And so if you're only ever hiring people with expertise and, like, ten plus years of experience, then you're going to run into a wall.",[14,2166,2167],{},"Kerry Guard [00:48:24]:",[14,2169,2170],{},"At least we did. We ran into a wall where it became really hard to hire and find these quote unquote unicorns. Right? And so we have to cultivate them. And so we have had two people go through the program, and now we're figuring out how to scale it. We have a third person right now who's, like, starting on that journey, and Nathan's leading the charge on bringing her up through the program based off of a framework that a previous employee built. And so that's my other sort of baby that I've held near and dear to my heart for a long time. I've been saying it for years of, we can't just rely. I know you want people to come in here and immediately take client work and immediately be client facing, and how are we building the next generation of marketers? Because they've been left behind, and we're part of that problem.",[14,2172,2173],{},"Staci Gray [00:49:09]:",[14,2175,2176],{},"I love both of those. And they go very well with being people first, they're both leadership and development, which is just right up the alley of your culture there. I love it. Where can people find you if they're interested in connecting?",[14,2178,2179],{},"Kerry Guard [00:49:26]:",[14,2181,2182],{},"Oh, LinkedIn yeah, I live on LinkedIn. You can also go to MkG marketing. That is a URL. And you'll get to our website. You can find me there, too. But yeah, just connect me on LinkedIn. Love to have you.",[14,2184,2185],{},"Staci Gray [00:49:41]:",[14,2187,2188],{},"We'll put that in the show notes. But this conversation has been so wonderful, and I can see the transformation and growth even in just how you talk, because the ownership of the things that you've evolved from and what you've created inside of your company is so beautiful. And I think a lot of companies could benefit from hearing you talk about just the specific things that you do to make people feel safe, to make people feel like they're developing. And so everyone listening, go follow her and maybe get some marketing tips, too. She has a podcast as well, which we will link in the show notes. And just remember, when you're building and scaling your business, stay rooted in your values while you get shit done, because that will be the path to sustainable growth. Cheers, y'all.",[2190,2191],"br",{},{"title":77,"searchDepth":291,"depth":291,"links":2193},[2194,2195,2196],{"id":1478,"depth":297,"text":1479},{"id":1489,"depth":297,"text":1490},{"id":1519,"depth":291,"text":1520,"children":2197},[2198],{"id":1533,"depth":297,"text":1534},"leadership","2024-07-24T19:51:26Z","Kerry Guard joins Staci Gray on \"The Rooted Founder Show\" to discuss managing a work-life harmony between motherhood and entrepreneurship in her remote work.","\u002Fimages\u002Frooted-founder-show.webp","Staci Gray's The Rooted Founder Podcast",{"_schema":2205},"default",42,"\u002Fblog\u002Fleadership\u002Fhow-to-handle-stress-and-pressure-as-a-marketing-ceo-and-parent",{"title":1472,"description":2201},"blog\u002Fleadership\u002Fhow-to-handle-stress-and-pressure-as-a-marketing-ceo-and-parent","a132Fn-gLxIdEOjN3zpndtOjFSdUF1G58HHJ_YzL2QU",[2212],{"id":2213,"title":9,"body":2214,"date":7,"description":2249,"extension":318,"images":2250,"isLeader":322,"jobTitle":2252,"linkedIn":2253,"meta":2254,"name":9,"navigation":322,"path":2256,"quote":2257,"quoteCite":2258,"ref":2259,"seo":2260,"sequence":2261,"stem":2262,"team":2263,"twitter":2253,"updated":7,"website":2264,"__hash__":2265},"team\u002Fteam\u002Fkerry-guard.md",{"type":11,"value":2215,"toc":2246},[2216,2221,2229,2237,2241],[14,2217,2220],{"className":2218},[2219],"text-lg","Kerry Guard (she\u002Fher) is a mom of twins - boy and a girl. She understands what work life balance really looks like and is on a mission to build a company that honors parents having a career and a life. She’s out to prove you really can have both with policies like ensuring 20 days of vacation each year, no client emails after 6PM or weekends, unlimited sick days, and everyday flexibility.",[14,2222,2223,2224,2228],{},"She also hosts our podcast, ",[206,2225,2227],{"href":2226},"\u002Fpodcasts\u002Fmarketing-leaders\u002F","Back on T-R-A-C-K",", which brings eight digital marketing experts to your ears every quarter.",[14,2230,2231,2232,2236],{},"Kerry is responsible for HR. If you’d like to join MKG where people are first and your expertise matter, Kerry will be with you through the entire interview process ensuring each candidate meets the necessary requirements and gets a fair shot. Want to join MKG and Kerry’s mission of bringing People First to as many people as possible? Check out our ",[206,2233,2235],{"href":2234},"\u002Fabout\u002Fjobs\u002F","Jobs page"," and see if we have a position right for you!",[81,2238,2240],{"id":2239},"fun-facts","Fun facts",[46,2242,2243],{},[49,2244,2245],{},"Kerry now lives in Guernsey — a tiny nook in the world between England and France. Come visit for a spot of tea any time!",{"title":77,"searchDepth":291,"depth":291,"links":2247},[2248],{"id":2239,"depth":297,"text":2240},"Meet Kerry Guard, one of MKG Marketing’s founders. She currently fills the role of CEO of MKG as well as hosting the podcast, Back on T-R-A-C-K.",{"landscape":2251},"kerry-guard.webp","Founder & CEO","kerryguard",{"imageDescription":2255},"Kerry Guard, MKG Marketing’s Owner\u002FCEO, stands on a street in Guernsey with the Town Church behind her | MKG Marketing","\u002Fteam\u002Fkerry-guard","I don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness — it’s right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude.","Brené 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Moman Rawden",{"type":11,"value":2847,"toc":2874},[2848,2852,2855,2858,2861,2863],[14,2849,2851],{"className":2850},[2219],"Alanna graduated from the University of Alabama in 2004. She started her career at an advertising agency in Birmingham, AL, and has spent most of her career in Account Leadership roles working on consumer brands like Verizon Wireless, Books-A-Million, Toys ‘R’ Us, and Hard Rock Hotel & Casinos. In 2015, she left the agency world with a desire to gain more digital advertising experience, which led to her running a one-person digital department for a regional credit union.",[14,2853,2854],{},"Account Direction has always been a natural fit for Alanna because she enjoys managing projects, big picture strategy, and building relationships. She chose to come back to the agency world when she learned about MKG and our People First values.",[14,2856,2857],{},"She is most proud of the impact she had on her previous company by creating a positive and supportive environment for those she managed. ",[14,2859,2860],{},"Alanna enjoys spending time with her husband and two teenage daughters, has a very eclectic taste in music, and is an obsessive Hamilfan.",[81,2862,2240],{"id":2239},[46,2864,2865,2868,2871],{},[49,2866,2867],{},"In college, she won a radio contest for her youngest brother to have dinner with Nickelback. The band spent the entire evening trying to convince her, then 15-year-old, brother to drop out of school.",[49,2869,2870],{},"She once spent 3 hours convincing a famous country singer to get off his tour bus to shoot a commercial that her client had contracted him to be in.",[49,2872,2873],{},"Her family is a big fan of True Crime, and they binge Crime Junkie on every road trip.",{"title":77,"searchDepth":291,"depth":291,"links":2875},[2876],{"id":2239,"depth":297,"text":2240},"Meet Alanna Moman-Rawden, one of MKG Marketing’s amazing Account Directors, bringing 15+ years of account leadership and direction to the table.",{"landscape":2879},"alanna-moman-rawden.webp","Director, People & Culture","alanna-moman-rawden",{},"Alanna Moman-Rawden","\u002Fteam\u002Falanna-moman-rawden","I am the one thing in life I can control. I am inimitable. I am an original.","Aaron Burr, Hamilton",{"description":2877},"team\u002Falanna-moman-rawden","WPmQvGfbA7GjEpvcVEps9YUFm4Ihb7jAlxEbp7tr3IA",{"id":2891,"title":2892,"body":2893,"date":7,"description":2932,"extension":318,"images":2933,"isLeader":2935,"jobTitle":2936,"linkedIn":2937,"meta":2938,"name":2892,"navigation":322,"path":2939,"quote":7,"quoteCite":2886,"ref":2940,"seo":2941,"sequence":2942,"stem":2943,"team":2936,"twitter":7,"updated":7,"website":7,"__hash__":2944},"team\u002Fteam\u002Falicia-antonow.md","Alicia Antonow",{"type":11,"value":2894,"toc":2930},[2895,2900,2903,2908,2911,2916,2919,2924,2927],[14,2896,2897],{},[52,2898,2899],{},"How I Got Into Digital Advertising",[14,2901,2902],{},"With a background as a nurse, my journey into digital advertising began unexpectedly when I back to Ann Arbor, Michigan. A Google Partner approached me to assist with healthcare content and ads. I quickly discovered a passion for the field, and with Google Ads sales training followed by SEM training, I was hooked.",[14,2904,2905],{},[52,2906,2907],{},"What I Love About Paid Search",[14,2909,2910],{},"Every campaign is like a unique puzzle, even within the same industry. Variations in geography, audiences, and keywords make each project different. I enjoy leveraging the full suite of Google products—Search, Display, Demand Gen, and YouTube—because they work best when integrated. The ever-evolving nature of the work keeps me inspired and challenged.",[14,2912,2913],{},[52,2914,2915],{},"Why I Chose MKG Marketing",[14,2917,2918],{},"I was drawn to MKG Marketing for its people-first culture. The company recognizes that we are all human, with lives outside of work, and fosters a supportive environment that values balance and well-being.",[14,2920,2921],{},[52,2922,2923],{},"Fun Facts About Me",[14,2925,2926],{},"I’m an avid traveler and love immersing myself in different cultures. Before having kids, my husband and I spent at least three months each year exploring the world.",[14,2928,2929],{},"I take cooking classes with locals wherever I go and love scuba diving whenever there’s water nearby.\nMy kids are my world—seeing their faces light up when experiencing something new brings me the greatest joy.",{"title":77,"searchDepth":291,"depth":291,"links":2931},[],"Meet Alicia Antonow, one of MKG Marketing’s saavy digital ads experts, bringing 15+ years of hands on execution and strategy to the table.",{"landscape":2934},"alicia-antonow.webp",false,"Digital Advertising Experts","alicia-a-36459bb5",{},"\u002Fteam\u002Falicia-antonow","alicia-antonow",{"description":2932},54,"team\u002Falicia-antonow","dX6MgSjdInEGV2mLfl0Uv4cjJ2Si5idzNXLe33_xMZY",{"id":2946,"title":2947,"body":2948,"date":7,"description":2979,"extension":318,"images":2980,"isLeader":2935,"jobTitle":2982,"linkedIn":2983,"meta":2984,"name":2947,"navigation":322,"path":2985,"quote":7,"quoteCite":7,"ref":2986,"seo":2987,"sequence":2988,"stem":2989,"team":2990,"twitter":7,"updated":7,"website":7,"__hash__":2991},"team\u002Fteam\u002Favery-davis.md","Avery Davis",{"type":11,"value":2949,"toc":2976},[2950,2954,2957,2960,2963,2965],[14,2951,2953],{"className":2952},[2219],"\nAvery began his digital marketing career at a tech startup focused on ID scanning and facial recognition software. In addition to gaining a deep understanding of paid media and analytics, this peaked his interest in cybersecurity and tech in general. He then transitioned to agency life where he specialized in SaaS marketing.\n",[14,2955,2956],{},"Over the years, Avery has touched a variety of verticals including health and beauty, eCommerce, medical\u002Fpharma, education, and more. He is drawn to agency life because of the variety of clients he is able to work with and, in turn, learn from.",[14,2958,2959],{},"Although he’s touched several areas of digital marketing, Avery feels most at home when doing Account\u002F Project Management as well as Copywriting.",[14,2961,2962],{},"As is the theme with many of our staff, Avery was drawn to MKG because of our culture. In Avery’s words “MKG shares the same values as I do in both my professional and my personal life. When I saw that we meshed so well, this was an opportunity I couldn’t refuse!”",[81,2964,2240],{"id":2239},[46,2966,2967,2970,2973],{},[49,2968,2969],{},"Avery is an avid racquetball player. Having first gotten into the sport in college, he’s had lots of fun playing over the years. He tries to get to the court at least once a week.",[49,2971,2972],{},"Avery is a hobby bartender and enjoys making, tasting, and learning about different drinks. He’s mainly a Kentucky bourbon guy but also loves Japanese whisky!",[49,2974,2975],{},"Avery is a black belt in Pasaryu. This is a Korean mixed martial art which includes karate, kung fu, and Taekwondo. He has also trained and competed with weapons: nunchucks and samurai sword just to name a couple!",{"title":77,"searchDepth":291,"depth":291,"links":2977},[2978],{"id":2239,"depth":297,"text":2240},"Avery Davis is an Account Superivor here at MKG Marketing.",{"landscape":2981},"avery-davis.webp","Account Supervisor","avery-davis-114055191",{},"\u002Fteam\u002Favery-davis","avery-davis",{"description":2979},59,"team\u002Favery-davis","Account Services","ysXkJK5t3F27trCgdjC7IRHXNs-Qxp9YxjH9QT3gDqQ",{"id":2993,"title":2994,"body":2995,"date":7,"description":3025,"extension":318,"images":3026,"isLeader":2935,"jobTitle":3028,"linkedIn":3029,"meta":3030,"name":2994,"navigation":322,"path":3031,"quote":3032,"quoteCite":3033,"ref":3034,"seo":3035,"sequence":3036,"stem":3037,"team":3038,"twitter":7,"updated":7,"website":7,"__hash__":3039},"team\u002Fteam\u002Fjared-gerling.md","Jared Gerling",{"type":11,"value":2996,"toc":3023},[2997,3000,3003,3006,3009,3012],[14,2998,2999],{},"Jared's journey into digital marketing started with answering a classified ad for a company looking for people with writing backgrounds for a position in SEO. As a graduate of Michigan State University with a degree in Creative Writing, this sounded like the perfect opportunity.",[14,3001,3002],{},"This small agency taught him SEO from the ground up, and, after taking a break from digital marketing to receive his MA from DePaul University, Jared jumped back into the field at a medium-sized agency out of Chicago as an SEO analyst.",[14,3004,3005],{},"Since then, Jared has worked for large and small marketing agencies for over a decade, providing expert SEO services in almost every industry that has a website on the internet. And with his background in writing, Jared feels most at home in the content and customer facing side of SEO and digital marketing.",[14,3007,3008],{},"It was first and foremost the people that drew Jared to MKG. Everyone at MKG has been so in tune with his values and his personality, and they've made his time at MKG easily the best experience of his career.",[14,3010,3011],{},"Fun Facts:",[46,3013,3014,3017,3020],{},[49,3015,3016],{},"I love to travel with my wife. We've been to many incredible places over the years, and are always on the lookout for our next destination.",[49,3018,3019],{},"I was a college rower in my younger days. I rowed mostly eights as a port, and competed against some of the best schools in the nation...and lost to most of them.",[49,3021,3022],{},"I love a really good French Martini.",{"title":77,"searchDepth":291,"depth":291,"links":3024},[],"Meet Jared Gerling, one of MKG Marketing’s thoughtful SEO Experts, bringing 10+ years of experience, intentionality, and creativity to the team.",{"landscape":3027},"jared-gerling.webp","SEO Expert","jaredgerling",{},"\u002Fteam\u002Fjared-gerling","The truth is, most of us discover where we are heading when we arrive.","Calvin (Calvin and Hobbes)","jared-gerling",{"description":3025},55,"team\u002Fjared-gerling","SEO Experts","1TbRdjbaY8GvD4YbpM3Pm85IGECKXrMtdVY8OquXFkg",{"id":3041,"title":3042,"body":3043,"date":7,"description":3077,"extension":318,"images":3078,"isLeader":2935,"jobTitle":3080,"linkedIn":7,"meta":3081,"name":3083,"navigation":322,"path":3084,"quote":7,"quoteCite":7,"ref":3085,"seo":3086,"sequence":3087,"stem":3088,"team":7,"twitter":7,"updated":7,"website":7,"__hash__":3089},"team\u002Fteam\u002Fkathy-obrien.md","Kathy Obrien",{"type":11,"value":3044,"toc":3074},[3045,3049,3052,3058,3061,3063],[14,3046,3048],{"className":3047},[2219],"\nKathy loves details and has managed the finer details of business her entire career.  She started her career in Center City, Philadelphia working for several law firms.  After she was married and had her first son, she left the bustling city to work closer to home at an international publishing company.  In 1994, Kathy and her husband Bill moved with their two sons to Charlotte, North Carolina.  They eventually completed their family with two more boys born in Charlotte.\n",[14,3050,3051],{},"In 2000 they relocated to Chester County, a suburb of Philadelphia. After a hiatus and four sons, Kathy returned to work in Chester County. This time, she gave retail a whirl so that she could be home when her school age boys were home. She quickly found out Ann Taylor was employing one of their best customers. Kathy then spent the following 10+ years in the Non-Profit arena where she did whatever needed to be done to further the mission. No job was too big, small, or unimportant to tackle.",[3053,3054,3055],"blockquote",{},[14,3056,3057],{},"Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.\nMother Teresa",[14,3059,3060],{},"By February 2020, Kathy was eager to build something for herself and her family. She set off on a new adventure of starting her own business when she was connected with Kerry, Mike, and MKG. Having commuted and worked outside of the home for 10+ years, she was ready to work from home and have a better life balance. She followed the rainbow and found MKG in her pot of gold. MKG is like no other firm or organization for which Kathy has worked. Their standard of people first is evident in every team member, every decision, every meeting, every interaction. They live their standard.",[81,3062,2240],{"id":2239},[46,3064,3065,3068,3071],{},[49,3066,3067],{},"Kathy’s dislikes: fruit & chocolate together and Tuesday.",[49,3069,3070],{},"Family: Kathy met her husband Bill in Wildwood, New Jersey after their high school graduations during “Senior Week”. They have 4 sons and 2 grandsons. There hasn’t been a girl born in the O’Brien family in 32 years! You will often hear Kathy saying her boys are the best 4 gifts she’s ever been given.",[49,3072,3073],{},"Special talent: Baking. Her boys’ (Bill included) favorites are Spritz Cookies and Chocolate Chip Cookies. There is a running family debate as to whether Ricotta Cookies are cookies or biscuits. At Christmas time, Kathy has been known to hide cookies to save some for guests.",{"title":77,"searchDepth":291,"depth":291,"links":3075},[3076],{"id":2239,"depth":297,"text":2240},"Meet Kathy O’Brien, MKG Marketing’s amazing executive assistant who consistently supports all of MKG across the many needs of the company.",{"landscape":3079},"kathy-obrien.webp","Executive Assistant",{"imageDescription":3082},"Kathy O’Brien, MKG Marketing’s Executive Assistant, in front of a gray background | MKG Marketing","Kathy O'Brien","\u002Fteam\u002Fkathy-obrien","kathy-obrien",{"description":3077},80,"team\u002Fkathy-obrien","lRwZA7wCSBsHC6ufODo6kKfYgfp9Nf-RTYoTK1zEMo0",{"id":2213,"title":9,"body":3091,"date":7,"description":2249,"extension":318,"images":3113,"isLeader":322,"jobTitle":2252,"linkedIn":2253,"meta":3114,"name":9,"navigation":322,"path":2256,"quote":2257,"quoteCite":2258,"ref":2259,"seo":3115,"sequence":2261,"stem":2262,"team":2263,"twitter":2253,"updated":7,"website":2264,"__hash__":2265},{"type":11,"value":3092,"toc":3110},[3093,3096,3100,3104,3106],[14,3094,2220],{"className":3095},[2219],[14,3097,2223,3098,2228],{},[206,3099,2227],{"href":2226},[14,3101,2231,3102,2236],{},[206,3103,2235],{"href":2234},[81,3105,2240],{"id":2239},[46,3107,3108],{},[49,3109,2245],{},{"title":77,"searchDepth":291,"depth":291,"links":3111},[3112],{"id":2239,"depth":297,"text":2240},{"landscape":2251},{"imageDescription":2255},{"description":2249},{"id":3117,"title":3118,"body":3119,"date":7,"description":3152,"extension":318,"images":3153,"isLeader":2935,"jobTitle":3155,"linkedIn":3156,"meta":3157,"name":3118,"navigation":322,"path":3158,"quote":7,"quoteCite":7,"ref":3159,"seo":3160,"sequence":3161,"stem":3162,"team":2936,"twitter":7,"updated":7,"website":7,"__hash__":3163},"team\u002Fteam\u002Fleigh-snyder.md","Leigh Snyder",{"type":11,"value":3120,"toc":3149},[3121,3125,3128,3131,3134,3137,3140,3143,3146],[14,3122,3124],{"className":3123},[2219],"\nLeigh has over 15 years of experience of managing Paid Search campaigns. She started her career at Solid Cactus, a full service eCommerce agency in Wilkes Barre Pennsylvania. Having no experience in Paid Search, she learned as she went, starting out in the earlier days of Google Adwords, when Adwords Editor wasn't even being used yet.\n",[14,3126,3127],{},"Leigh loves to create accounts and watch them grow, even more she loves to take a poorly performing account and turn it around. Watching the KPIs increase from changes she has made or new ideas she implements, keeps her career exciting.",[14,3129,3130],{},"Managing a wide variety of accounts that include local car dealerships, worldwide clothing stores, online supplement shops to plastic surgeons and much much more, Leigh brings a vast knowledge of creative ways in managing accounts.",[14,3132,3133],{},"While working the majority of her career in local offices, the options for expanding her career were becoming less and less. She decided to apply for a remote job (before it was the norm) and was able to get experience that wasn't as prevalent in the smaller area in which she resides.",[14,3135,3136],{},"After working from home for the past 6 years the opportunities kept coming and when MKG reached out to her, she knew that there was something special about them and decided to take the leap. The people first environment is not just talked about here, but it is practiced everyday. MKG Marketing is unlike anywhere she has ever worked.",[14,3138,3139],{},"Outside of work, Leigh enjoys spending time with her husband Dustin, their blended family (Emma, Casey, Jake & Brayden) and their dog Millie.",[14,3141,3142],{},"The kitchen is where you will always find her, she loves to cook and bake all things Gluten Free and no one ever knows. When they are not at a swim meet or a baseball game they love swimming in their pool, long walks on the local trails, renovating their house and binging shows.",[81,3144,3145],{"id":2239},"Fun Facts",[14,3147,3148],{},"Although it was just was a short time, at age 19 Leigh drove cross country from a small town in PA and moved to Hollywood Hills, CA. Her view from her kitchen window was the Hollywood sign. Not a bad first apartment.",{"title":77,"searchDepth":291,"depth":291,"links":3150},[3151],{"id":2239,"depth":297,"text":3145},"Meet Leigh Snyder, one of MKG Marketing’s amazing digital advertising experts, bringing 15 plus years of experience to the team",{"landscape":3154},"leigh-snyder.webp","Digital Advertising Expert","leighasnyder",{},"\u002Fteam\u002Fleigh-snyder","leigh-snyder",{"description":3152},50,"team\u002Fleigh-snyder","tY2JnqulQK9AU4TGRfATRnob3Thk9e9yAPu6iKBPA_s",{"id":3165,"title":3166,"body":3167,"date":7,"description":3214,"extension":318,"images":3215,"isLeader":2935,"jobTitle":3217,"linkedIn":3218,"meta":3219,"name":3166,"navigation":322,"path":3221,"quote":3222,"quoteCite":3166,"ref":3218,"seo":3223,"sequence":321,"stem":3224,"team":7,"twitter":7,"updated":7,"website":7,"__hash__":3225},"team\u002Fteam\u002Fmarketing-leadership\u002Fceleste-jacroux.md","Celeste Jacroux",{"type":11,"value":3168,"toc":3211},[3169,3177,3180,3187,3191],[14,3170,3172,3173,3176],{"className":3171},[2219],"\nCeleste Jacroux is a Go-to-Market architect for companies ready to graduate from \"random acts of marketing\" to a predictable revenue engine. As the Founder of ",[52,3174,3175],{},"Swell Marketing Advisors"," and a strategic partner to MKG, she brings deep expertise in aligning product, sales, and marketing into a cohesive GTM strategy.",[14,3178,3179],{},"Celeste understands that for founders, the hardest phase is often bridging the gap between a great product and the market that needs it. She specializes in clarifying positioning, defining ideal customer profiles (ICPs), and building the strategic roadmap that turns vision into traction.",[14,3181,3182,3183,3186],{},"At MKG, Celeste steps in as a Marketing Leader for our ",[52,3184,3185],{},"Marketing Leadership + Activation"," clients. She provides the senior-level direction and GTM rigor, working hand-in-hand with MKG’s activation teams to ensure that strategy doesn't just sit in a deck—it gets executed, measured, and optimized for growth.",[81,3188,3190],{"id":3189},"expertise","Expertise",[46,3192,3193,3199,3205],{},[49,3194,3195,3198],{},[52,3196,3197],{},"Go-to-Market Strategy:"," Launching new products and entering new markets with precision.",[49,3200,3201,3204],{},[52,3202,3203],{},"Positioning & Messaging:"," Translating complex tech into clear customer value.",[49,3206,3207,3210],{},[52,3208,3209],{},"Sales & Marketing Alignment:"," Ensuring the revenue team is fighting the same battle.",{"title":77,"searchDepth":291,"depth":291,"links":3212},[3213],{"id":3189,"depth":297,"text":3190},"Meet Celeste Jacroux, a strategic GTM partner to MKG and Founder of Sweel Marketing Advisors. She leads Go-to-Market strategy for high-growth companies.",{"landscape":3216},"celeste-jacroux.webp","Fractional GTM Leader | Founder, Swell Marketing Advisors","celeste-jacroux",{"imageDescription":3220},"Celeste Jacroux, Founder of Swell Marketing Advisors and MKG Partner","\u002Fteam\u002Fmarketing-leadership\u002Fceleste-jacroux","A great product doesn't win on its own. It wins when the story, the strategy, and the sales motion all pull in the exact same direction.",{"description":3214},"team\u002Fmarketing-leadership\u002Fceleste-jacroux","xCdtcFdNV4sp78oidUDMCvxluqrG5iEdRJkxxEAOYq0",{"id":3227,"title":9,"body":3228,"date":7,"description":3275,"extension":318,"images":3276,"isLeader":2935,"jobTitle":3277,"linkedIn":2253,"meta":3278,"name":9,"navigation":322,"path":3279,"quote":2257,"quoteCite":2258,"ref":2259,"seo":3280,"sequence":3281,"stem":3282,"team":7,"twitter":2253,"updated":7,"website":7,"__hash__":3283},"team\u002Fteam\u002Fmarketing-leadership\u002Fkerry-guard.md",{"type":11,"value":3229,"toc":3272},[3230,3234,3257,3263,3266,3268],[14,3231,3233],{"className":3232},[2219],"\nKerry Guard (she\u002Fher) is the strategist founders call when they are tired of guessing. As the CEO of MKG Marketing, she doesn’t just run the agency; she steps into the trenches with clients as a Fractional Marketing Leader. She specializes in helping founders navigate the \"Growth Valley\"—building the systems, strategy, and teams required to scale from traction to expansion.",[14,3235,3236,3237,3240,3241,3244,3245,3248,3249,3252,3253,3256],{},"Her recent work focuses on bringing enterprise-level rigor to growing businesses. She serves as the strategic marketing engine for a diverse portfolio, including ",[52,3238,3239],{},"Rutkowski Law Firm",", ",[52,3242,3243],{},"Fulcrum Enterprise Group",", and ",[52,3246,3247],{},"Premier Office Movers",", where she aligns revenue goals with marketing execution. Whether she is translating complex tech into a go-to-market narrative for ",[52,3250,3251],{},"Avalanche Fusion",", or helping ",[52,3254,3255],{},"Extraordinary Advisors"," amplify their message, Kerry brings clarity and momentum to every leadership team she joins.",[14,3258,3259,3260,3262],{},"She is also the host of ",[206,3261,2227],{"href":2226},", where she interviews CMOs and Founders to uncover the human stories behind high-growth companies.",[14,3264,3265],{},"Kerry proves that high performance doesn't require burnout. As a mom of twins, she built MKG on a \"People First\" methodology—championing policies like 20 vacation days and zero after-hours emails—because she knows that rested, respected experts drive the best ROI.",[81,3267,2240],{"id":2239},[46,3269,3270],{},[49,3271,2245],{},{"title":77,"searchDepth":291,"depth":291,"links":3273},[3274],{"id":2239,"depth":297,"text":2240},"Meet Kerry Guard, MKG Marketing’s CEO and Principal Strategist. She works directly with founders to build scalable marketing engines while hosting the podcast, Back on T-R-A-C-K.",{"landscape":2251},"Fractional Marketing Leaders",{"imageDescription":2255},"\u002Fteam\u002Fmarketing-leadership\u002Fkerry-guard",{"description":3275},5,"team\u002Fmarketing-leadership\u002Fkerry-guard","oOXvRk_JAfbvrAQoDmPize2X6zquuQG1YD5msODvKcE",{"id":3285,"title":3286,"body":3287,"date":7,"description":3338,"extension":318,"images":3339,"isLeader":2935,"jobTitle":3341,"linkedIn":3342,"meta":3343,"name":3345,"navigation":322,"path":3346,"quote":3347,"quoteCite":3345,"ref":3342,"seo":3348,"sequence":586,"stem":3349,"team":7,"twitter":7,"updated":7,"website":7,"__hash__":3350},"team\u002Fteam\u002Fmarketing-leadership\u002Flaura-mcaliley.md","Laura Mcaliley",{"type":11,"value":3288,"toc":3335},[3289,3293,3304,3307,3313,3315],[14,3290,3292],{"className":3291},[2219],"\nLaura McAliley is the growth strategist founders call when they are ready to turn early traction into sustainable momentum. As the Founder of Pebble Marketing and a key Marketing Leadership partner for MKG, Laura bridges the gap between high-level vision and the gritty execution required to scale.",[14,3294,3295,3296,3299,3300,3303],{},"Her track record speaks the language of investors and boards. She has successfully scaled SaaS startups from seed stage through to exit, most notably orchestrating a ",[52,3297,3298],{},"3x revenue lift"," at ",[52,3301,3302],{},"Security Journey"," that led to a successful acquisition.",[14,3305,3306],{},"Laura thrives in the \"messy middle\" of growth. Whether she is navigating the complexities of a Fortune 100 account or launching a scrappy go-to-market strategy for a new startup, her approach is the same: build the brand, unlock the revenue, and get the business investor-ready.",[14,3308,3309,3310,3312],{},"At MKG, Laura acts as a Fractional CMO for our ",[52,3311,3185],{}," clients, bringing the senior firepower needed to professionalize your marketing function without the full-time executive headcount.",[81,3314,3190],{"id":3189},[46,3316,3317,3323,3329],{},[49,3318,3319,3322],{},[52,3320,3321],{},"SaaS Scaling:"," From Seed to Exit",[49,3324,3325,3328],{},[52,3326,3327],{},"Revenue Operations:"," Aligning marketing spend with sales outcomes",[49,3330,3331,3334],{},[52,3332,3333],{},"Brand Strategy:"," Positioning startups for acquisition and investment",{"title":77,"searchDepth":291,"depth":291,"links":3336},[3337],{"id":3189,"depth":297,"text":3190},"Meet Laura McAliley, a strategic partner to MKG and Founder of Pebble Marketing. She serves as a Fractional CMO, helping founders scale from seed to exit.",{"landscape":3340},"laura-mcaliley.webp","Fractional CMO | Founder, Pebble Marketing","laura-mcaliley",{"imageDescription":3344},"Laura McAliley, Fractional CMO and Founder of Pebble Marketing","Laura McAliley","\u002Fteam\u002Fmarketing-leadership\u002Flaura-mcaliley","Founders don't need another slide deck. They need a roadmap to revenue and a partner willing to get their hands dirty to build it.",{"description":3338},"team\u002Fmarketing-leadership\u002Flaura-mcaliley","ke5GsAQwur6LBbt6guZUCgKQT6MJJm8UL5XCaXjVnZM",{"id":3352,"title":3353,"body":3354,"date":7,"description":3382,"extension":318,"images":3383,"isLeader":2935,"jobTitle":3385,"linkedIn":3386,"meta":3387,"name":3353,"navigation":322,"path":3389,"quote":3390,"quoteCite":3391,"ref":3392,"seo":3393,"sequence":3394,"stem":3395,"team":7,"twitter":3386,"updated":7,"website":7,"__hash__":3396},"team\u002Fteam\u002Fmike-krass.md","Mike Krass",{"type":11,"value":3355,"toc":3380},[3356,3360,3363,3366],[14,3357,3359],{"className":3358},[2219],"A proud Washington State University alum — Go Cougs! — who grew up on the west coast of the United States, Mike has lived on three continents during his lifetime.",[14,3361,3362],{},"Over the past decade Mike has led MKG Marketing in becoming a 7-figure business, joined the global Entrepreneurs Organization (EO) as a member as well as holds a seat on their Board of Directors and mentored other business owners through organizations like Idea Village, EO and General Assembly.",[14,3364,3365],{},"When he’s not at work, Mike enjoys:",[46,3367,3368,3371,3374,3377],{},[49,3369,3370],{},"Riding his beach cruiser bike in the park.",[49,3372,3373],{},"Reading business and spy novels (often at the same time — ask him how many half finished books he’s currently reading on his Kindle!)",[49,3375,3376],{},"Traveling the world.",[49,3378,3379],{},"Flying N5478N — his trusty 1981 Cessna 182.",{"title":77,"searchDepth":291,"depth":291,"links":3381},[],"Meet Mike Krass, one of MKG Marketing’s founders. He currently drives the big picture vision for the agency and supports biz dev and sales efforts.",{"landscape":3384},"mike-krass.webp","Owner\u002FVisionary","mikekrass",{"imageDescription":3388},"Mike Krass, MKG Marketing’s Owner\u002FVisionary, standing in front of St. Louis Cathedral in the French Quarter of New Orleans | MKG Marketing","\u002Fteam\u002Fmike-krass","Focus on the road, not the wall.","Alvin Alexander","mike-krass",{"description":3382},10,"team\u002Fmike-krass","WCJwOrpm4HOYHMODFwHdEILqPkcZwTSZUakkr3-n3rs",{"id":3398,"title":3399,"body":3400,"date":7,"description":3420,"extension":318,"images":3421,"isLeader":322,"jobTitle":3423,"linkedIn":3424,"meta":3425,"name":3399,"navigation":322,"path":3426,"quote":3427,"quoteCite":3428,"ref":3424,"seo":3429,"sequence":3430,"stem":3431,"team":3432,"twitter":3433,"updated":7,"website":7,"__hash__":3434},"team\u002Fteam\u002Fnathan-stenberg.md","Nathan Stenberg",{"type":11,"value":3401,"toc":3418},[3402,3406,3409,3412,3415],[14,3403,3405],{"className":3404},[2219],"Our SEO Expert, Nathan, comes to MKG with an extensive background in digital marketing from front-end development to omni-channel marketing strategy.",[14,3407,3408],{},"He discovered SEO as part of a tech support job with a template website company where he was supporting clients with their websites. There he defined and developed the standards and processes that the SEO team would use for keyword research as well as the writing and implementation of the optimization. He then leveraged these standards to create an add-on subscription-based SEO product called “SEO Boost” which provided clients with a more proactive SEO service for their websites. This resulted in him providing keyword research and optimization recommendations for close to 1,500 websites during his tenure.",[14,3410,3411],{},"From there Nathan moved into the agency world, staring with a small boutique firm in Portland, OR, providing SEO audits and recommendations for clients ranging from small businesses to enterprise e-commerce companies.",[14,3413,3414],{},"He then moved to a larger agency and, once again, developed the SEO Team processes as the agency transitioned from an email-focused agency to a full-service digital marketing agency. During this time, Nathan was able to explore different areas of digital marketing strategy and really developed an understanding and passion for omni-channel marketing.",[14,3416,3417],{},"When Nathan is not working, he enjoys spending time with his partner and two children. You can find him playing casual sports, music, and Overwatch as well as snowboarding and cooking.",{"title":77,"searchDepth":291,"depth":291,"links":3419},[],"Meet Nathan Stenberg, one of MKG Marketing’s Digital Marketing Strategist, with an extensive background in digital marketing from front-end development to omni-channel strategy. ",{"landscape":3422},"nathan-stenberg.webp","Director, Strategy","nathan-stenberg",{},"\u002Fteam\u002Fnathan-stenberg","Repetition is the path to mastery.","Zenyatta",{"description":3420},4,"team\u002Fnathan-stenberg","Marketing Strategists","natestenberg23","1moy0e42nEoQgH0weNaASdQ6FTDWXwC5TDftv5YS3tU",{"id":3436,"title":3437,"body":3438,"date":7,"description":3466,"extension":318,"images":3467,"isLeader":2935,"jobTitle":3155,"linkedIn":3469,"meta":3470,"name":3437,"navigation":322,"path":3471,"quote":3472,"quoteCite":2258,"ref":3473,"seo":3474,"sequence":3475,"stem":3476,"team":2936,"twitter":7,"updated":7,"website":7,"__hash__":3477},"team\u002Fteam\u002Fnick-bare.md","Nick Bare",{"type":11,"value":3439,"toc":3464},[3440,3444,3447,3450,3453],[14,3441,3443],{"className":3442},[2219],"Nick Bare's college offered a digital technology and culture degree and heI ended up taking some communications and marketing classes as well and liked the thought of them all lining up with each other. Once he graduated, he landed a role in paid search and has been doing it for nine+ years now.",[14,3445,3446],{},"He loves that there's always a challenge to tackle. He enjoys taking on new accounts and getting into the weeds to see what can help them turn around and start driving more efficient leads.",[14,3448,3449],{},"He's most proud of being a dad.",[14,3451,3452],{},"Interesting facts:",[46,3454,3455,3458,3461],{},[49,3456,3457],{},"Born with a cleft lip and palate and has had seven surgeries in his life",[49,3459,3460],{},"Watched the Seahawks win Super Bowl 48 with his dad in New York",[49,3462,3463],{},"Travels around the country to visit all the MLB stadiums with his son",{"title":77,"searchDepth":291,"depth":291,"links":3465},[],"Meet Nick Bare, one of MKG Marketing’s Digital Advertising Expert, bringing 15 plus years of experience to the team. ",{"landscape":3468},"nick-bare.webp","nickbare",{},"\u002Fteam\u002Fnick-bare","We can choose courage or we can choose comfort, but we can't have both.","nick-bare",{"description":3466},52,"team\u002Fnick-bare","yVusNcEIbiAvdPE02qyDKE_aINcQ0QMXSeyOKv9x5PE",{"id":3479,"title":3480,"body":3481,"date":7,"description":3466,"extension":318,"images":3508,"isLeader":2935,"jobTitle":3510,"linkedIn":3511,"meta":3512,"name":3480,"navigation":322,"path":3513,"quote":3514,"quoteCite":3515,"ref":3516,"seo":3517,"sequence":3518,"stem":3519,"team":3520,"twitter":7,"updated":7,"website":7,"__hash__":3521},"team\u002Fteam\u002Fprachi-sarin.md","Prachi Sarin",{"type":11,"value":3482,"toc":3506},[3483,3486,3489,3492],[14,3484,3485],{},"Prachi has worked in marketing for over 10 years across various industries, but digital marketing has always been her true interest. She finally got the opportunity to pursue it when she moved to the United States and joined MKG as an apprentice, embarking on her digital marketing journey.​",[14,3487,3488],{},"Why I Joined MKG Marketing:\nI joined MKG Marketing because of its people-first culture, transparency, and commitment to growth. It’s a place where I can learn, contribute, and work with a team that genuinely cares.",[14,3490,3491],{},"Fun Facts About Me:",[46,3493,3494,3497,3500,3503],{},[49,3495,3496],{},"I love to read detective, thriller, and mystery books and watch shows in the same genre.",[49,3498,3499],{},"I’m a mom to twin girls—they are my world! Watching them grow, learn, and explore life brings me joy.",[49,3501,3502],{},"I love cooking for my family. It started with my husband, who’s a foodie, and now we cook together for our daughters.",[49,3504,3505],{},"Our family also enjoys playing video games—it’s our way to unwind and have fun together.",{"title":77,"searchDepth":291,"depth":291,"links":3507},[],{"landscape":3509},"prachi-sarin.webp","Digital Marketing Coordinator","prachisarin",{},"\u002Fteam\u002Fprachi-sarin","We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things because we're curious, and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.","Walt Disney","prachi-sarin",{"description":3466},75,"team\u002Fprachi-sarin","Digital Marketing","LjXpVTmZn-XwzExAyq2igbw_fHhrVcf4nOLoEmURbEQ",{"id":3523,"title":3524,"body":3525,"date":7,"description":3539,"extension":318,"images":3540,"isLeader":322,"jobTitle":3542,"linkedIn":3543,"meta":3544,"name":3524,"navigation":322,"path":3545,"quote":3546,"quoteCite":3547,"ref":3548,"seo":3549,"sequence":291,"stem":3550,"team":2263,"twitter":7,"updated":7,"website":7,"__hash__":3551},"team\u002Fteam\u002Fsam-ellsworth.md","Sam Ellsworth",{"type":11,"value":3526,"toc":3537},[3527,3531,3534],[14,3528,3530],{"className":3529},[2219],"Sam has over 15 years of experience managing the development of marketing campaigns for national and global brands. She started her career in San Francisco, working in account management at ad agencies, where she managed a range of successful marketing campaigns from Super Bowl TV spots and fully-integrated product launches to social media campaigns and events.",[14,3532,3533],{},"After 12 years in San Francisco, Sam and her husband decided it was time to leave the big city and find a slower pace of life, settling down outside of Burlington, Vermont. Sam spent her first couple years in Vermont working remotely for a San Francisco agency and then as the Marketing Director at a local craft brewery before joining the MKG team. She was drawn to MKG due to our people first value and the opportunity to get to focus on a few specific, results driven marketing tactics.",[14,3535,3536],{},"Outside of work, Sam spends her time with her husband, 4-year-old daughter and chocolate lab exploring Vermont and all it has to offer — from hiking, skiing and enjoying all the local food to growing their backyard garden and working on a never-ending list of house renovations.",{"title":77,"searchDepth":291,"depth":291,"links":3538},[],"Meet Sam Ellsworth, one of MKG Marketing’s amazing Account Directors, who brings over 15 years experience managing marketing campaign development. ",{"landscape":3541},"sam-ellsworth.webp","Director, Client Services","samantha-ellsworth-40875866",{},"\u002Fteam\u002Fsam-ellsworth","Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.","Dr. Seuss","sam-ellsworth",{"description":3539},"team\u002Fsam-ellsworth","Xb0ljkUHaVzTObdBxfiOxIpE5jcK9HSfgiMlBhd8fuc",1787835216651]