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Thinks Out Loud: E-commerce and Digital Strategy
Tim Peter
100 episodes
3 days ago
Thinks Out Loud, a weekly production of Tim Peter & Associates, looks at the e-commerce and digital trends that influence your business strategy. Hosted by Tim Peter, each episode explores the rapidly shifting digital marketplace and uncovers tips to help you put those trends to work to improve your brand and business.

Thinks Out Loud also looks at how mobile and social shape your customers' activities online and how you can develop the right marketing and customer experience strategies to drive growth for your organization.
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Marketing
Business,
Management
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All content for Thinks Out Loud: E-commerce and Digital Strategy is the property of Tim Peter and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
Thinks Out Loud, a weekly production of Tim Peter & Associates, looks at the e-commerce and digital trends that influence your business strategy. Hosted by Tim Peter, each episode explores the rapidly shifting digital marketplace and uncovers tips to help you put those trends to work to improve your brand and business.

Thinks Out Loud also looks at how mobile and social shape your customers' activities online and how you can develop the right marketing and customer experience strategies to drive growth for your organization.
Show more...
Marketing
Business,
Management
Episodes (20/100)
Thinks Out Loud: E-commerce and Digital Strategy
In the Age of AI, Brand Isn’t Everything. It’s the Only Thing (Episode 472)
I’m generally bullish on AI and its potential benefits for customers and brands. What I’m less bullish about are all the folks essentially telling you that AI will make you give up building meaningful connections between your brand and your customers. Without meaning to, they’re describing a world where every brand becomes a commodity. And, frankly, I simply refuse to go along.
Instead, we need to do the work, right now, that will drive customers to ask for us by name. And that depends on building brands customers care about. In short, in the age of AI, brand isn’t everything. It’s the only thing.
Why is brand “the only thing” in the age of AI? Why does it matter? And what can you do to ensure customers ask for you by name?
That’s what this episode of the podcast is all about. Here are the show notes for you.
In the Age of AI, Brand Isn’t Everything. It’s the Only Thing (Episode 472) — Headlines and Show Notes
Show Notes and Links

* Trivago – Wikipedia
* Metasearch engine – Wikipedia
* AI at Meta
* The Biggest Risk to Your Business? Becoming a "Hidden Intermediary"
* The Hotel Marketing and Distribution Trend You Care About Most This Year
* Revisiting “The New SEO” (Podcast)
* The Hidden Factor OTA’s Use to Get Between You and Your Guests (Travel Tuesday) – Tim Peter & Associates
* Most Popular Apps (2025) – Business of Apps
* Are ChatGPT’s Apps Good for Your Business? (Episode 471)
* ChatGPT Atlas
* OpenAI’s Sam Altman hypes mystery ChatGPT device — ‘It’s so beautiful, a case would be a crime’ | Tom’s Guide
* These are the ChatGPT-powered AI devices that OpenAI might be working on | TechRadar
* Show more...
3 days ago
14 minutes 41 seconds

Thinks Out Loud: E-commerce and Digital Strategy
Revisiting “The New SEO” (Podcast)

Are you as sick as I am of hearing people claim that SEO is dead? I mean, c’mon. How is that we keep regurgitating the same foul nonsense to drive clicks, engagement, and a little bit of anger among the marketing community. I promise I’m not going to ask “is SEO dead?” or claim that “SEO is dead” or anything similar anytime soon.
What’s also true is that how your customers search for what they need is changing — and quickly.
Some folks want to call these changes GEO. Some call them AEO. Some call them AIO. I don’t think it matters what we call them. What matters is understanding how your customers’ behaviors are changing… and what you can do to ensure your customers find you whenever they’re looking. And that’s what this episode of the podcast is all about.
Want to know more about “the new SEO”? Then be sure to check this one out.
Here are the show notes for you.
Revisiting “The New SEO” — Headlines and Show Notes
Show Notes and Links

* The New SEO? (Episode 469)
* Parsing the $35M GEO Play: What’s Real and What’s Fundraising Theater
* ChatGPT is reportedly scraping Google Search data to answer your questions – here’s how
* OpenAI Is Challenging Google—While Using Its Search Data
* Google’s Antitrust Case: A Win for Big Tech? (Episode 468)
* AI and Zero-Click Search: The Real Story (Episode 467)
* Revisiting The Brand is the Prompt (Thinks Out Loud) – Tim Peter & Associates
* The Rise of Agentic AI Among Your Customers (Episode 466)
* Revisiting Google Closes the Gate (Thinks Out Loud)
* The Brand is the Prompt (Thinks Out Loud 465)
* Google Closes the Gate on Marketers (Thinks Out Loud)
* Show more...
1 week ago

Thinks Out Loud: E-commerce and Digital Strategy
Revisiting the Real Story of AI and Zero-Click Search (Thinks Out Loud Podcast)

I assume most people know that Google makes almost all of its money from ads. And, in practice, those ads are based on clicks. Paid clicks. That fact means that Google can’t survive in a zero-click world. While that same reality is not (yet) true for ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and other AI answer engines, they’re almost certainly going to need some form of ads—again, probably clickable ads—to fund their operations.
For example, ChatGPT alone is planning to invest over 1 trillion dollars in their compute and infrastructure. That’s “trillion.” With a “T.” Some quick back-of-the-envelope math says that, at $20 per month, they’d need to sign up roughly a quarter of the world’s population—and keep them paying for a couple of years—to cover that cost. That seems… unlikely.
So, does zero-click search forecast a world where Google is doomed? Does it mean the entire ad-based world is over? And, most importantly, what does zero-click mean for your business? That’s what “Revisiting the Real Story of AI and Zero-Click Search” on the podcast is all about.
Want to learn more? Here are the show notes for you.
A Revisiting the Real Story of AI and Zero-Click Search (Thinks Out Loud Podcast) — Headlines and Show Notes
Show Notes and Links

* AI and Zero-Click Search: The Real Story (Episode 467)
* The Rise of Agentic AI Among Your Customers (Episode 466)
* Will Agentic AI Kill Your Content Marketing? (Episode 470)
* Are ChatGPT’s Apps Good for Your Business? (Episode 471)
* The New SEO? (Episode 469)
* Exploration–exploitation dilemma – Wikipedia
* Revisiting The Brand is the Prompt (Thinks Out Loud) – Tim Peter & Associates
* Traffic Is Down; Revenue Is… Up? – SparkToro
* Revisiting AI is Eating the World (Thinks Out Loud)
* Google Earnings Q2 2025 PDF Link
* Google briefs brands on AI Mode ads ahead of Q4 rollout
* Show more...
2 weeks ago
19 minutes 22 seconds

Thinks Out Loud: E-commerce and Digital Strategy
Are ChatGPT’s Apps Good for Your Business? (Episode 471)
OpenAI just introduced Instant Checkout and apps in ChatGPT, allowing customers to buy products and services directly within the AI. This is, as they say, “the next step in agentic commerce.” It’s genuinely a capital-B, capital-D, Big Frickin’ Deal. No doubt about it.
At the same time, some folks might be rushing to claim these a whole new world, or a complete upending of commerce as we know it.
I’m… not convinced. Instead, I’m concerned that too many people are going to trade the Big Tech intermediaries we face today with a different set of intermediaries. Yes, ChatGPT is giving us the tools to transact directly in their platform. That’s good. How we use them, though, and what they mean for our businesses is what our job is all about.
So, what is the meaning of Instant Checkout and ChatGPT apps? What is the right way to approach these tools? And, ultimately, how can you use them to benefit your business today… and in the longer term?
That’s what this episode of the podcast is all about.
Want to learn more? Here are the show notes for you.
Are ChatGPT’s Apps Good for Your Business? (Episode 471) — Headlines and Show Notes
Show Notes and Links

* Introducing apps in ChatGPT and the new Apps SDK | OpenAI
* Stripe powers Instant Checkout in ChatGPT and releases Agentic Commerce Protocol codeveloped with OpenAI
* ChatGPT apps are live: Here are the first ones you can try | The Verge
* Buy it in ChatGPT: Instant Checkout and the Agentic Commerce Protocol | OpenAI
* Agentic Commerce
* The Brand is the Prompt (Thinks Out Loud 465)
* AI Is Eating the World, But Who’s Paying for Dinner? (Thinks Out Loud 464)
* How Should You Think About Website SEO for AI? (Thinks Out Loud Episode 448)
* Will Agentic AI Kill Your Content Marketing? (Episode 470)
* The New SEO? (Episode 469)
* AI and Zero-Click Search: The Real Story (Episode 467)
* Show more...
3 weeks ago
15 minutes 4 seconds

Thinks Out Loud: E-commerce and Digital Strategy
Will Agentic AI Kill Your Content Marketing? (Episode 470)
Google has now added agentic AI to Chrome and in its Search Labs. Google has enormous reach with these tools, which means your customers could start using them almost any day.
The question is, what happens to your content? Will agents replace the content you’ve worked so hard to create and curate, giving customers answers to their questions? In shortt, will agentic AI kill your content marketing?
I’m not convinced. More than that, I believe we must actively work to make sure that doesn’t become true.
Why? What’s so important about maintaining a coherent, capable content marketing strategy in an AI-dominated landscape? How can you make sure you content continues to work for your brand and business? Ultimately, how can you make sure that agentic AI doesn’t kill your content marketing?
That’s what this episode of the podcast is all about.
Want to learn more? Here are the show notes for you.
Will Agentic AI Kill Your Content Marketing? (Episode 470) — Headlines and Show Notes
Show Notes and Links

* Go behind the browser with Chrome’s new AI features
* Chrome: The browser you love, reimagined with AI
* What is agentic AI? Definition and differentiators | Google Cloud
* The Rise of Agentic AI Among Your Customers (Episode 466)
* The New SEO? (Episode 469)
* Google’s Antitrust Case: A Win for Big Tech? (Episode 468)
* AI and Zero-Click Search: The Real Story (Episode 467)
* Agentic AI In SEO: AI Agents & The Future Of Content Strategy (Part 3)
* Research Shows How To Optimize For Google AIO And ChatGPT
* Google Search Labs gains Agentic capabilities in AI Mode
* How Google’s AI updates to Chrome threaten brands – Ad Age

Buy the Book — Digital Reset: Driving Marketing and Cu...
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1 month ago
18 minutes

Thinks Out Loud: E-commerce and Digital Strategy
The New SEO? (Episode 469)
Whether you want to call it SEO, AEO, AIO, GEO, or something else altogether, it’s clear that search is changing… or is it? Yes, customers are using AI answer engines much more often. Yes, Google and other “traditional” search engines are responding by adding more AI answers into their results.
The question, though, is how much you ought to change how you do what you do to answer your customers’ questions.
Is search as we know it completely different? Or do some fundamental truths remain that we still need to to keep in mind? That’s what this episode of the podcast is all about.
Want to learn more? Here are the show notes for you.
The New SEO? (Episode 469) — Headlines and Show Notes
Show Notes and Links

* Parsing the $35M GEO Play: What’s Real and What’s Fundraising Theater
* ChatGPT is reportedly scraping Google Search data to answer your questions – here’s how
* OpenAI Is Challenging Google—While Using Its Search Data
* Google’s Antitrust Case: A Win for Big Tech? (Episode 468)
* AI and Zero-Click Search: The Real Story (Episode 467)
* Revisiting The Brand is the Prompt (Thinks Out Loud) – Tim Peter & Associates
* The Rise of Agentic AI Among Your Customers (Episode 466)
* Revisiting Google Closes the Gate (Thinks Out Loud)
* The Brand is the Prompt (Thinks Out Loud 465)
* Google Closes the Gate on Marketers (Thinks Out Loud)
* Digital Reset: Build Customer Relationships Big Tech—and AI—Can’t Touch (Thinks Out Loud 458)
* AI Can’t Save Bad Strat...
Show more...
1 month ago
20 minutes 15 seconds

Thinks Out Loud: E-commerce and Digital Strategy
Google’s Antitrust Case: A Win for Big Tech? (Episode 468)
While Judge Amit Mehta has imposed penalties on Google for its anticompetitive behavior, I’m convinced that the big winner in the antitrust trial is… Google. And, to a lesser extent, the rest of Big Tech wins, too.
Confused? Don’t be.
What did Judge Mehta’s ruling say? Why do I think Google won more than they lost? And, more importantly, what does all of this mean for your business?
That’s what this episode of the podcast is all about.
Want to learn more? Here are the show notes for you.
Google’s Antitrust Case: A Win for Big Tech? (Episode 468) — Headlines and Show Notes
Show Notes and Links

* Judge Mehta’s Google Antitrust Remedies: Threading The Needle Between Overkill And Underkill (includes PDF link to ruling)
* Google says pay for AI-powered search dominance | Tim Peter posted on the topic | LinkedIn
* The future of AI-powered Search marketing – Think with Google
* Why "Zero Click Marketing" Isn’t the End of the World | Tim Peter posted on the topic | LinkedIn
* I don’t care what anyone says, Google won its search antitrust trial. Sure, the court said they were a monopoly. But its remedies will do little to stop Google’s continued gatekeeping. | Tim Peter posted on the topic | LinkedIn
* The tech antitrust renaissance may already be over | The Verge
* The limits of AI agents | Tim Peter posted on the topic | LinkedIn
* AI and Zero-Click Search: The Real Story (Episode 467)
* The Rise of Agentic AI Among Your Customers (Episode 466)
* Revisiting Google Closes the Gate (Thinks Out Loud)
* Show more...
1 month ago
23 minutes 3 seconds

Thinks Out Loud: E-commerce and Digital Strategy
AI and Zero-Click Search: The Real Story (Episode 467)
For all the talk about zero-click search, folks seem to keep overlooking one of its key consequences: How Google (and others) will make money. In short, Google can’t survive in a zero-click world. Their entire business depends on clicks. Paid clicks.
The shift towards zero-click results signals a genuine turning point for how you think about marketing your business, in part, because it will absolutely grow your costs for acquiring new customers.
So, what’s the real story behind zero-click search? Does it forecast a world where Google is doomed? And, most importantly, what does it mean for your business? That’s what this episode of the podcast is all about.
Want to learn more? Here are the show notes for you.
AI and Zero-Click Search: The Real Story (Episode 467) — Headlines and Show Notes
Show Notes and Links

* The Rise of Agentic AI Among Your Customers (Episode 466)
* Exploration–exploitation dilemma – Wikipedia
* Revisiting The Brand is the Prompt (Thinks Out Loud) – Tim Peter & Associates
* Traffic Is Down; Revenue Is… Up? – SparkToro
* Revisiting AI is Eating the World (Thinks Out Loud)
* Google Earnings Q2 2025 PDF Link
* Google briefs brands on AI Mode ads ahead of Q4 rollout
* Alphabet Inc. (GOOG) Q2 2024 Earnings Call Transcript | Seeking Alpha
* The Zero-Click Future: How Customer Behavior is Rewriting Digital Strategy – Becoming Radical | Podcast on Spotify
* Tim’s LinkedIn post about zero-click marketing — or, y’know, marketing
* AI in Search: Driving more queries and higher qual...
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2 months ago
18 minutes 1 second

Thinks Out Loud: E-commerce and Digital Strategy
The Rise of Agentic AI Among Your Customers (Episode 466)
Agentic AI is almost certainly going to be huge… and probably soon. Early versions of agentic AI already exist today. Some of them even work pretty well. And the early data suggests customers are OK with the idea of agentic AI.
Those facts lead to a few key questions for you:

* What’s driving — or limiting — adoption of agentic AI?
* When will we see agentic AI reach large customer groups?
* Which companies in the agentic AI space are best positioned to win?
* What will customer adoption of agentic AI mean for your business
* And, most importantly, what should you do about this shift?

Some of these questions have easy answers. Some… less so.
In this episode of the podcast, I try to break down what’s going on with agentic AI, when your customers might make the switch, and lay out a few ideas that you can put into practice, today, to ensure you can succeed both today, and whenever agentic AI breaks big.
Want to learn more? Here are the show notes for you.
The Rise of Agentic AI Among Your Customers (Thinks Out Loud Episode 466) — Headlines and Show Notes
Show Notes and Links

* Amazon Locks Down Against Google’s AI Shopping Agents — The Information
* Project Mariner – Google DeepMind
* Meredith Whittaker from Signal on the privacy implications of agentic AI, shared by @keithfitzgerald.bsky.social on Bluesky
* Booking.com Releases The Global AI Sentiment Report
* Personal Superintelligence by Mark Zuckerberg
* Mark Zuckerberg Just Declared War on the iPhone
* Why Amazon Is Buying Bee, an AI Bracelet That Records Everything You Say – WSJ
* A letter from Sam & Jony | OpenAI
* OpenAI recruits legendary iPhone designer Jony Ive to work on AI hardware in $6.
Show more...
2 months ago
24 minutes 21 seconds

Thinks Out Loud: E-commerce and Digital Strategy
Revisiting The Brand is the Prompt (Thinks Out Loud)

Unlike a lot of folks, I’m not convinced that AI agents are the end of brands. Sure, there’s a risk. But I still believe most customers will choose brands that work for their needs & and will train their agents, as those evolve, to pick their preferred options in many cases.
Of course, getting customers to train their agents that you’re the right choice isn’t something you can wait to do when (or if) agents become available. Instead, it’s something you can (and should!) do right now. Even better, it works for your brand and business… right now. What’s not to love about that?
In this episode of the podcast, I take a look at why brands will continue to matter, why “the brand is the prompt,” and what you need to do to get customers to ask for you by name.
Want to learn more about it? Here are the show notes for you.
The Brand is the Prompt (Thinks Out Loud 465) — Headlines and Show Notes
Show Notes and Links

* The Brand is the Prompt (Thinks Out Loud 465)
* Michael J. Goldrich | LinkedIn
* Tammie Carlisle, CHDM | LinkedIn
* Mark Simchock | LinkedIn
* Peter Syme | LinkedIn
* Pedro Colaco | LinkedIn
* Steve Cummins | LinkedIn
* What’s the Point of Your Website in an Age of AI? (Thinks Out Loud Episode 447)
* The Only Way to Succeed Next Year (Thinks Out Loud Episode 444)
* AI Is Not the Future. You Are (Thinks Out Loud Episode 443)
* How Google Loses (Thinks Out Loud Episode 442)
* AI Is Eating the World, But Who’s Paying for Dinner? (Thinks Out Loud 464)
* Google Closes the Gate on Marketers (Thinks Out Loud)
* Show more...
3 months ago
23 minutes 48 seconds

Thinks Out Loud: E-commerce and Digital Strategy
Revisiting AI Is Eating the World, But Who’s Paying for Dinner? (Thinks Out Loud)

Google seems scared. Customers seem ready to jump. Behaviors are shifting fast and furious.
While I tend to think Google is in the best possible position to win the AI wars, they’re also the fattest target for startups like OpenAI. The Mary Meeker report illustrates many of the ways that ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Anthropic threaten the Big Tech status quo. But, increasingly, Google’s own actions also show that they’re concerned. My suspicion is that their data — which they have more of than anybody — isn’t giving them much comfort. (That’s only a suspicion; I could definitely be wrong there. Again, though, their actions are speaking fairly loudly all on their own).
Regardless of who wins, it’s possible that marketers will pay the price. You’ll need to adapt to a rapidly changing marketplace, one where you customers will interact your brands in entirely new ways.
So, who’s paying for dinner now that AI is eating the world? That’s what this episode of the podcast is all about.
Want to learn more? Here are the show notes for you.
Revisiting AI Is Eating the World, But Who’s Paying for Dinner? (Thinks Out Loud) — Headlines and Show Notes
Show Notes and Links

* AI Is Eating the World, But Who’s Paying for Dinner? (Thinks Out Loud 464)
* Mary Meeker Trends — Artificial Intelligence BOND PDF link
* Tech prophet Mary Meeker just dropped a massive report on AI trends – here’s your TL;DR | ZDNET
* What the 2019 Mary Meeker Internet Trends Report Means for Digital Marketers (Thinks Out Loud Episode 248)
* What Mary Meeker’s 2018 Internet Trends Report Means for Your Business (Thinks Out Loud Episode 220)
* Breaking Down the Mary Meeker 2015 Internet Trends Report: Thinks Out Loud Episode 125
* Content is King, Customer Experience is Queen (Thinks Out Loud Episode 188)
* Digital Reset: Marketing Beyond Big Tech
* Google Closes the Gate on Marketers (Thinks Out Loud)
* Show more...
3 months ago
23 minutes 42 seconds

Thinks Out Loud: E-commerce and Digital Strategy
Revisiting Is It Impossible for Marketers to Keep Up With AI? (Thinks Out Loud)

Does it seem like you are destined to fall behind when it comes to AI? I know for many marketers and e-commerce professionals, especially at small or mid-sized businesses, it can seem that way.
In some ways, it’s not just possible, but actually likely that you will. AI is incredibly fast. It’s incredibly powerful. To think that human beings can outthink AI is not realistic. As I like to say, “You’re not going to out-AI AI.”
But, in a far more meaningful way, I’m don’t think that our inability to keep up with AI is a problem. Because, just as we can’t out-AI AI, artificial intelligence can’t out-human humans.
Instead, there are many areas where marketers can not only keep up—and keep ourselves relevant. They’re also what will set us apart… and set us up for long-term success.
Is it impossible for marketers to keep up with AI? And what should we do instead? That’s what this espisode of the podcast is all about.
Want to learn more? Here are the show notes for you.
Revisiting “Is It Impossible for Marketers to Keep Up With AI?” (Thinks Out Loud 459) — Headlines and Show Notes
Show Notes and Links

* MSDM Speaker Series: a Conversation with Tim Peter, Author of "Digital Reset" – YouTube
* Is It Impossible for Marketers to Keep Up With AI? (Thinks Out Loud 459)
* Mark Schaefer’s Brilliant LinkedIn Post: A Sinking Feeling of Being Left Behind
* AI Won’t Steal Your Job: Smart People Who Put AI to Work Will (Thinks Out Loud Episode 208)
* What If I’m Wrong About AI and Marketing Jobs? (Thinks Out Loud 453)
* (1) Almost Timely News: 🗞️ 5 Examples of AI Transformation (2025-04-27)
* Is AI “normal”? | MIT Technology Review
* Prompt Engineer, the Hottest AI Job of 2023, Is Already Obsolete – WSJ
* Show more...
3 months ago
17 minutes 2 seconds

Thinks Out Loud: E-commerce and Digital Strategy
Revisiting Google Closes the Gate (Thinks Out Loud)

You may have heard me say that “gatekeepers gonna gate.” Well, Google’s AI Mode shows exactly what that looks like in practice. AI Mode is so disruptive to the way the web has worked for years that it looks like Google’s closing the gate on marketers, setting the stage to make a big move away from organic traffic and towards more paid traffic.
Google’s not alone, of course. Pretty much all the Big Tech gatekeepers are doing something similar.
What can you do about it? How can you make sure that Google’s not closing the gate on your brand and business? That’s what this episode of the podcast is all about.
Want to learn more? Here are the show notes for you.
Revisiting Google Closes the Gate (Thinks Out Loud) — Headlines and Show Notes
Show Notes and Links

* Google Closes the Gate on Marketers (Tim Peter’s Thinks Out Loud Podcast)
* The Brand is the Prompt (Tim Peter’s Thinks Out Loud Podcast)
* Lily Ray talked about How Google AI Mode Keeps Users in AI Mode | LinkedIn
* Michael Goldrich: Google Just Killed the Blue Links. What Hotel Teams Must Do to Stay Visible and Booked
* My LinkedIn post about Google slamming the gate shut in AI Mode for many businesses
* YouTube interview with Google CEO Sundar Pichai on the future of search, AI agents, and selling Chrome
* Lily Grozeva’s post on LinkedIn that says “Most marketers still think AI Search is about content. It’s not. It’s about signals, and most of them live off your website.”
* What Connects TikTok and the Hub and Spoke Model of Digital? (Thinks Out Loud Episode 299)
* Digital Gatekeepers and the Death o...
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4 months ago
15 minutes 52 seconds

Thinks Out Loud: E-commerce and Digital Strategy
The Brand is the Prompt (Thinks Out Loud 465)
One of my favorite facts about the internet is that people will always tell you when you’re wrong. Seriously. It’s a feature, not a bug. Because when that happens, it helps you think more clearly, more deeply about your topic and your ideas. If you want to know what you really think, ask the internet. They’ll let you know whether you got it right… or not. That’s what happened last week when I talked about how companies can win in AI-powered search. Whether we’re talking about Google’s AI Overviews, AI Mode, ChatGPT, or agentic AI, I’m increasingly convinced that “the brand is the prompt.” And what I mean by that is that we need to do the work now to ensure customers ask for us by name—now, and in the future.
I posted this notion, “the brand is the prompt,” on LinkedIn and people couldn’t wait to poke the theory full of holes. You love to see it. I genuinely mean that. Their feedback—and pushback—helped me realize the flaws in my reasoning… and improve them. Now, I’m even more sure that the brand is the prompt. And the counter-arguments I heard make the core argument even stronger.
“The brand is the prompt” is what this episode of the podcast is all about. Want to know what that means in practice? Want to hear the (truly great) arguments against the idea? And want to know how you can apply the concept to your brand and business? Then be sure to give this a listen (or read the transcript). You’ll be glad you did.
Want to learn more? Here are the show notes for you.
The Brand is the Prompt (Thinks Out Loud 465) — Headlines and Show Notes
Show Notes and Links

* Michael J. Goldrich | LinkedIn
* Tammie Carlisle, CHDM | LinkedIn
* Mark Simchock | LinkedIn
* Peter Syme | LinkedIn
* Pedro Colaco | LinkedIn
* Steve Cummins | LinkedIn
* What’s the Point of Your Website in an Age of AI? (Thinks Out Loud Episode 447)
* The Only Way to Succeed Next Year (Thinks Out Loud Episode 444)
* AI Is Not the Future. You Are (Thinks Out Loud Episode 443)
* How Google Loses (Thinks Out Loud Episode 442)
* Show more...
4 months ago
21 minutes 5 seconds

Thinks Out Loud: E-commerce and Digital Strategy
Revisiting Is Apple Dropping Google? What Does That Mean For Your Business?
Apple told us at their WWDC that they’re seriously rethinking how they use AI on their devices, largely because they way they’s previously announced AI on their devices straight up didn’t work. You may also know that Apple has apparently begun looking at partnering with ChatGPT and others as the default search engines on their devices.
As you’re undoubtedly aware, Google is currently Apple’s default search engine on its devices. It’s also, arguably, the biggest player in consumer adoption of artificial intelligence.
Something’s got to give.
The point is that while any one member of Big Tech could (at least in theory) get pushed out of the club at any time, Big Tech itself will continue to roll right along. And that gatekeepers gonna gate, whether those gatekeepers are the companies we’ve competed with for years, or some new player in the game.
As the saying goes, though, don’t hate the player, hate the game.
As I’ve discussed many times, your business probably depends on Google for a lot of your traffic and revenues. And Google clearly cares enough about the traffic Apple provides it that they’re willing to pay roughly $20 billion each year for the privilege of being the default search engine. The question then becomes: If Google loses Apple’s traffic, what happens to yours?
Again, the point isn’t whether this is likely. The point is that you’ve got to change the rules of the game. You’ve got to ensure you’re not dependent on any one Big Tech player for traffic and revenue
Why does that matter for your business? And what can you do about it? That’s what this episode of the podcast is all about.
Want to learn more? Here are the show notes for you.
Revisiting Is Apple Dropping Google? What Does That Mean For Your Business? (Thinks Out Loud) — Headlines and Show Notes
Revisiting Is Apple Dropping Google? What Does That Mean For Your Business? — Show Notes and Links

* Apple Fails to Clear a Low Bar on AI – WSJ
* Apple Retreats – Stratechery by Ben Thompson
* AI Is Eating the World, But Who’s Paying for Dinner? (Thinks Out Loud 464)
* Google Closes the Gate on Marketers (Thinks Out Loud)
* Digital Reset is Here (Thinks Out Loud 461)
* Destination Discourse Episode 26: What Happens to DMOs When Everything Changes? – YouTube
* Digital Reset: Build Customer Relationships Big Tech—and AI—Can’t Touch (Thinks Out Loud 458)
* Show more...
4 months ago
18 minutes 14 seconds

Thinks Out Loud: E-commerce and Digital Strategy
AI Is Eating the World, But Who’s Paying for Dinner? (Thinks Out Loud 464)
Mary Meeker’s latest report is out and it’s all about artificial intelligence. It’s a brilliant report. But it’s missing why all of these changes matter for marketers and e-commerce/customer acquisition leaders.
That’s where this episode of the podcast comes in.
Tim asks:

* What are the big trends in the Mary Meeker AI report? And how will they affect marketing and customer acquisition?
* What should you be doing right now to prepare for a world where AI agents make purchases on your behalf?
* Which companies are likely to win in the future… and who’s likely going to fall by the wayside?
* Most importantly, how can you be sure to succeed no matter how often and how much your customers use AI?

Want to learn more? Here are the show notes for you.
AI Is Eating the World, But Who’s Paying for Dinner? (Thinks Out Loud 464) — Headlines and Show Notes
Show Notes and Links

* Mary Meeker Trends — Artificial Intelligence BOND PDF link
* Tech prophet Mary Meeker just dropped a massive report on AI trends – here’s your TL;DR | ZDNET
* What the 2019 Mary Meeker Internet Trends Report Means for Digital Marketers (Thinks Out Loud Episode 248)
* What Mary Meeker’s 2018 Internet Trends Report Means for Your Business (Thinks Out Loud Episode 220)
* Breaking Down the Mary Meeker 2015 Internet Trends Report: Thinks Out Loud Episode 125
* Content is King, Customer Experience is Queen (Thinks Out Loud Episode 188)
* Digital Reset: Marketing Beyond Big Tech
* Google Closes the Gate on Marketers (Thinks Out Loud)
* Is Apple Dropping Google? What Does That Mean For Your Business? (Thinks Out Loud 460)
* Is It Impossible for Marketers to Keep Up With AI? (Thinks Out Loud 459)
* Show more...
5 months ago
19 minutes 52 seconds

Thinks Out Loud: E-commerce and Digital Strategy
Google Closes the Gate on Marketers (Thinks Out Loud)
Google’s AI Mode in search, to put it bluntly, sucks. At least it does if your job is to drive traffic and revenue for your business. We all know that “gatekeepers gonna gate.” Well, AI Mode is a sure sing that Google is closing the gate on marketers. They’re removing access to the kinds of traffic we’ve taken for granted for years.
Will AI Mode kill your company’s traffic? Not exactly. It’s slightly more complicated than that. It does suck, mind you. But it’s not as simple as “AI Mode won’t link to you.”
What is the truth of AI Mode for your brand and your business? What do you need to do to ensure that AI Mode doesn’t kill your brand and business? That’s what this episode of the podcast is all about.
Want to learn more? Here are the show notes for you.
Google Closes the Gate on Marketers (Thinks Out Loud) — Headlines and Show Notes
Show Notes and Links

* Lily Ray talked about How Google AI Mode Keeps Users in AI Mode | LinkedIn
* Michael Goldrich: Google Just Killed the Blue Links. What Hotel Teams Must Do to Stay Visible and Booked
* My LinkedIn post about Google slamming the gate shut in AI Mode for many businesses
* YouTube interview with Google CEO Sundar Pichai on the future of search, AI agents, and selling Chrome
* Lily Grozeva’s post on LinkedIn that says “Most marketers still think AI Search is about content. It’s not. It’s about signals, and most of them live off your website.”
* What Connects TikTok and the Hub and Spoke Model of Digital? (Thinks Out Loud Episode 299)
* Digital Gatekeepers and the Death of Organic Traffic (Thinks Out Loud Episode 247)
* Whose brand does Google want to build? – Biznology
* Show more...
5 months ago
15 minutes

Thinks Out Loud: E-commerce and Digital Strategy
Touch Grass — Memorial Day 2025 (Thinks Out Loud 462)
It’s Memorial Day weekend here in the US. And Tim’s got some quick thoughts for you to enjoy before you take off for the weekend. Be sure to give a listen and let us know what you think.
Want to learn more? Here are the show notes for you.
Touch Grass — Memorial Day 2025 (Thinks Out Loud 462) — Headlines and Show Notes
Show Notes and Links

* "Touch Grass" (Thinks Out Loud Episode 358)
* The Only Way to Succeed Next Year (Thinks Out Loud Episode 444)
* AI Is Not the Future. You Are (Thinks Out Loud Episode 443)
* Revisiting "What Are We Doing Here?"
* How Are You Holding Up? (Thinks Out Loud Episode 316)
* Lessons Learned: The TPA Anniversary Show (Thinks Out Loud Episode 420)
* Gratitude 2023 (Thinks Out Loud Episode 403)

Buy the Book — Digital Reset: Driving Marketing and Customer Acquisition Beyond Big Tech
Tim Peter has written a new book called Digital Reset: Driving Marketing Beyond Big Tech. You can learn more about it here on the site. Or buy your copy on Amazon.com today.
Past Appearances
You might also enjoy this webinar I recently participated in with Miles Partnership that looked at "The Power of Generative AI and ChatGPT: What It Means for Tourism & Hospitality" here:

Free Downloads
We have some free downloads for you to help you navigate the current situation, which you can find right here:

* A Modern Content Marketing Checklist. Want to ensure that each piece of content works for your business? Download our latest checklist to help put your content marketing to work for you.
* Digital & E-commerce Maturity Matrix. As a bonus,
Show more...
5 months ago
6 minutes 11 seconds

Thinks Out Loud: E-commerce and Digital Strategy
Digital Reset is Here (Thinks Out Loud 461)
This is a slightly different episode than usual, and, to be honest, slightly more self-promotional than usual, too. You see, I am very excited to share the news that my new book, Digital Reset: Driving Marketing and Customer Acquisition Beyond Big Tech is now available.
This has been a labor of love over the last few years, informed by my experiences working with clients to drive direct revenues and lower the cost of customer acquisition. In this episode episode of the podcast, I focused on some of the lessons you can learn from the book, as well as why it matters for your business.
I hope you take a moment to check it out. I’m thrilled to be able to share the book with you. And thanks for your continued support.
Want to learn more? Here are the show notes for you.
Digital Reset is Here (Thinks Out Loud 461) — Headlines and Show Notes
Show Notes and Links

* Digital Reset: Marketing Beyond Big Tech
* Digital Reset: Driving Marketing and Customer Acquisition Beyond Big Tech by Tim Peter — Paperback
* Amazon.com: Digital Reset: Driving Marketing and Customer Acquisition Beyond Big Tech eBook by Tim Peter — Kindle Store
* Is It Impossible for Marketers to Keep Up With AI? (Thinks Out Loud 459)
* Digital Gatekeepers and the Death of Organic Traffic (Thinks Out Loud Episode 247)
* AI Can’t Save Bad Strategy: Why Fundamentals Still Matter in 2025 (Thinks Out Loud Episode 455)
* AI, Content, and Revenue: Why Clicks Are Overrated (Thinks Out Loud Episode 450)
* Digital Reset: Build Customer Relationships Big Tech—and AI—Can’t Touch (Thinks Out Loud 458)
* Show more...
5 months ago
10 minutes 12 seconds

Thinks Out Loud: E-commerce and Digital Strategy
Is Apple Dropping Google? What Does That Mean For Your Business? (Thinks Out Loud 460)
According to Search Engine Journal, Apple might be thinking about replacing Google with ChatGPT or Perplexity as its default search engine in Safari. I know, I know, it sounds crazy. How in the world could Apple drop Google?
Well, whether Apple dropping Google is likely or not isn’t the point.
Instead, the point is that while any one member of Big Tech could (at least in theory) get pushed out of the club at any time, Big Tech itself will continue to roll right along. And that gatekeepers gonna gate, whether those gatekeepers are the companies we’ve competed with for years, or some new player in the game.
As the saying goes, though, don’t hate the player, hate the game.
Remember, your business probably depends on Google for a lot of your traffic and revenues. And Google clearly cares enough about the traffic Apple provides it that they’re willing to pay roughly $20 billion each year for the privilege of being the default search engine. If Google loses Apple’s traffic, what happens to yours?
Again, the point isn’t whether this is likely. The point is that you’ve got to change the rules of the game. You’ve got to ensure you’re not dependent on any one Big Tech player for traffic and revenue
Why does that matter for your business? And what can you do about it? That’s what this episode of the podcast is all about.
Want to learn more? Here are the show notes for you.
Is Apple Dropping Google? What Does That Mean For Your Business? (Thinks Out Loud 460) — Headlines and Show Notes
Show Notes and Links

* Destination Discourse Episode 26: What Happens to DMOs When Everything Changes? – YouTube
* Digital Reset: Build Customer Relationships Big Tech—and AI—Can’t Touch (Thinks Out Loud 458)
* Content is King, Customer Experience is Queen (Thinks Out Loud Episode 188) – Tim Peter & Associates
* More Studies Show AI Overviews Hurt Google Click Through Rates
* Is Content Still King or Have the Gatekeepers Won? (Thinks Out Loud Episode 328) – Tim Peter & Associates
* What’s the Point of Your Website in an Age of AI? (Thinks Out Loud Episode 447)
* Do You Still Need a Website? (Thinks Out Loud Episode 400)
* Why AI Makes Customer Experience Even More Important for Your Business (Thinks Out Loud Episode 427)Show more...
5 months ago
17 minutes 21 seconds

Thinks Out Loud: E-commerce and Digital Strategy
Thinks Out Loud, a weekly production of Tim Peter & Associates, looks at the e-commerce and digital trends that influence your business strategy. Hosted by Tim Peter, each episode explores the rapidly shifting digital marketplace and uncovers tips to help you put those trends to work to improve your brand and business.

Thinks Out Loud also looks at how mobile and social shape your customers' activities online and how you can develop the right marketing and customer experience strategies to drive growth for your organization.