Likely Marketing

Shivendra Lal
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Exploring possibilities in Marketing.

  1. #135: AI browsers are re-writing Marketing - From clicks to decisions

    1 DAY AGO

    #135: AI browsers are re-writing Marketing - From clicks to decisions

    The first version of the web gave us clicks. This one quietly takes them away. In this episode, we explore how AI browsers like Dia Browser, Comet Browser, Opera Neon, Atlas Browser, and Google Chrome are turning the internet into an intent-driven system where decisions happen before clicks. What starts as a search becomes a conversation, then an action—summaries replace scrolling, agents compare options, and workflows replace journeys. While cookies still exist, real power is shifting to context, memory, and AI-led actions. For marketers, this means your audience may never visit your site, yet still choose you. Visibility is no longer about ranking—it’s about being selected inside an answer. This is marketing for AI browsers—where influence happens before the click. (00:00) Intro (01:19) A snapshot of what’s new across each AI browser, so far (11:50) What are the AI browsers doing to lock-in the users? (13:58) How are AI browsers tracking user journeys, and how can marketers use that to their advantage? (17:35) How are AI browsers handling cookies? (20:24) What’s next for AI browsers and marketers?

    25 min
  2. #134: From ads to entertainment: Why brands using music videos are re-writing marketing

    28 APR

    #134: From ads to entertainment: Why brands using music videos are re-writing marketing

    It starts as a pattern you almost ignore—until it repeats. A clothing brand releases a music video. Then a fintech app. Then an airline. Not ads or placements, but full-scale productions with original songs, choreography, and stories. This episode explores the rise of brands using music videos to become culture, not just commercials. As audiences skip ads, brands are shifting from buying attention to earning it through entertainment-first storytelling. Music becomes the medium because it sticks, moves people, and gets shared—turning a single video into a campaign, a remix, a memory. From fashion to tech, brands are acting like studios, collaborating with artists and creating for participation, not just reach. The real question is no longer how to advertise, but what a brand is willing to create to truly matter. (00:00) Intro (01:06) What is this trend of brands creating music videos, exactly? (03:48) Why are brands creating their own music videos? (07:31) What kind of brands are leaning into music videos, and who are they targeting? (09:06) How does the economics of creating music videos look like? Is there a play for smaller brands? (11:41) Is a brand creating a music video similar to a scripted social series? (15:20) Patterns across brands using both, music videos and scripted social series (16:54) Where this leaves you as a marketer or brand…

    20 min
  3. #133: Do brands still need a website in the AI search era? The answer has changed

    21 APR

    #133: Do brands still need a website in the AI search era? The answer has changed

    AI didn’t kill websites, it made them invisible. There was a time when platforms like Google defined discovery, and ranking meant relevance. Websites were the internet’s home. But today, AI search, social platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, and voice assistants intercept intent before a click ever happens. Answers are delivered instantly, journeys are compressed, and clicks are disappearing. Yet behind every AI-generated response lies a source, and that source is still a website. The role has shifted from destination to infrastructure: powering AI, building trust, and owning data. In the future of websites with AI search, your site isn’t the front door, it’s the engine. (00:00) Intro (01:12) How a website became “home” for businesses (04:47) Now, there are forces that are pulling discovery away from websites (10:57) So, what is the value of having a website now? (15:23) Should brands be investing in a website? (18:55) What is the likely future of websites in times to come?

    21 min
  4. #132: From booth traffic to brand immersion: The new power of VR in events marketing

    14 APR

    #132: From booth traffic to brand immersion: The new power of VR in events marketing

    A quiet trade show aisle changes in seconds: one ordinary booth becomes a portal, and curious passersby step into branded worlds they can see, touch, and remember. In this episode, “From booth traffic to brand immersion: The new power of VR in events marketing,” we explore how VR for events marketing is transforming static booths into immersive experiences that attract crowds, deepen engagement, and generate measurable ROI. From virtual test drives and digital showrooms to gamified product storytelling, discover why brands are using VR to turn footfall into qualified leads, extend event reach beyond venue walls, and create unforgettable brand moments. As headset costs fall and immersive tech improves, VR is no longer event hype, it is becoming the next essential layer of experiential marketing. (00:00) Intro (01:19) What is VR for events? And how does it work? (04:24) Is adoption of VR for events really growing? What’s driving it? (07:46) Who’s using VR for events? (11:08) What is the ROI of using VR for events? (13:48) Is there a future where VR can replace in-person events? (16:23) What are the barriers to adoption of VR at trade shows? (19:12) What does the future for VR activations at events look like?

    22 min
  5. #131: Instagram caption links for marketing are coming…and “organic” may never be the same

    7 APR

    #131: Instagram caption links for marketing are coming…and “organic” may never be the same

    It began with a small shift inside Instagram, a simple “Add link” button that marketers had waited years for. But this wasn’t just a feature update. It was a signal. For a decade, “link in bio” shaped how traffic flowed, powering tools like Linktree and defining what organic growth looked like. Now, with caption links available only through Meta Verified, the journey from discovery to conversion collapses into a single tap, if you’re willing to pay. This episode explores how Instagram caption links for marketing turn frictionless conversion into a paid advantage, blur the meaning of “organic,” and quietly introduce a new reality: it’s no longer just about who earns attention, but who gets to convert. (00:00) Intro (01:40) Instagram caption links - how it works and why it matters (03:14) How Instagram caption links differ from Stories or bio links (05:09) Reasons why Meta decided to allow caption links on Instagram now (10:36) Are Instagram caption links a “deal sweetener” for a tiered social media? (13:18) The bigger question - are traffic and conversion from caption links truly organic? (14:58) Strategic takeaways for marketers, brands and creators with respect to Instagram caption links (18:09) Parting thoughts…

    20 min
  6. #130: Why horror genre fans are marketing gold (and how to reach them right)

    31 MAR

    #130: Why horror genre fans are marketing gold (and how to reach them right)

    A flicker. A shadow. A heartbeat that isn’t yours. Millions press play not just to watch horror, but to feel something deeper. Horror fans aren’t passive viewers—they seek intensity, remember what moves them, and reward what earns their attention. In this episode, we explore the psychology behind this behavior—from sensation-seeking to emotional memory—and why it makes horror audiences more open, experimental, and deeply engaged. This isn’t a niche; it’s a high-value segment hiding in plain sight. From streaming personalization to immersive experiences and community-driven campaigns, brands are already tapping into it. But horror doesn’t reward interruption—it demands immersion, cultural sensitivity, and bold storytelling. When done right, it doesn’t just capture attention, it lingers. The question is: will your brand be worth the scare? (00:00) Intro (01:29) What research says about horror movie goers as consumers (07:55) How some brands use these traits of horror genre lovers (15:01) A practical playbook for marketers to target horror genre audience (18:18) When horror genre makes sense, and when it doesn’t

    22 min
  7. #129: What horror movies reveal about attention, emotion, and audience behavior

    24 MAR

    #129: What horror movies reveal about attention, emotion, and audience behavior

    You open your analytics dashboard, searching for the next big content bet—sports, food, drama but nothing sticks. Then you notice a pattern: horror. Not jump scares or gore, but something deeper. Since 2015, horror movies have evolved into a global attention engine with low budgets, massive ROI, and strong retention across theaters and streaming. But the real story lies in the audience—young, diverse, and highly engaged. They don’t just watch; they feel, share, and return. The reason is psychological. Horror taps into sensation-seeking and “safe fear,” delivering intense yet controlled emotional experiences that people often enjoy together. That shared emotion drives memory, loyalty, and community. For marketers, the lesson is simple but powerful: attention follows emotion, and loyalty follows shared experience. Horror movies were never just about fear, they reveal how audiences think, feel, and behave. (00:00) Intro (01:49) Love for horror stories has been growing rapidly… (04:23) …but who’s watching them? (audience demographics) (05:28) The psychology behind the desire to be scared (09:17) Quick takeaways on the horror genre and the underlying psychology of the audience

    12 min
  8. #128: Should your content train AI or protect your brand? The Google AI opt-out dilemma

    17 MAR

    #128: Should your content train AI or protect your brand? The Google AI opt-out dilemma

    AI search is quietly rewriting the rules of discovery. With Google AI Overviews, users increasingly get answers directly on the search page without clicking a website. Convenient for users—but disruptive for publishers, creators, and brands whose content powers those answers. Now Google is exploring something unprecedented: letting websites opt out of AI-generated search summaries while staying visible in traditional search. This creates a strategic dilemma for marketers. Should your content train AI for visibility and credibility, or protect proprietary insights, traffic, and brand value? In this episode, we unpack the Google AI opt-out debate, how AI search is becoming a separate marketing channel, and why brands must decide which content should fuel AI discovery and which should remain protected in a zero-click search world. (00:00) Intro (01:57) How we got to the point when Google is ‘exploring’ AI opt-outs? (04:59) How does AI opt-in and opt-out tension affect discoverability? (07:34) How would it impact the data quality and training of AI? (11:01) In which cases can AI opt-out be beneficial for marketing? (13:03) In which cases can AI opt-out be risky for marketing? (14:51) Is there a power shift from platforms to content creators? Or is it a re-balancing? (16:22) Top 5 things marketers can take away from this AI-search opt-out conversation (18:41) Wrapping up…

    20 min
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About

Exploring possibilities in Marketing.

Information

  • Creator
    Shivendra Lal
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    135
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Shivendra Lal
  • Show Website
    Likely Marketing