Visibility Brief

Visibility Brief by Yext
  • 5.0 (6)
  • Entrepreneurship

Visibility Brief is your bi-weekly guide to brand visibility in the age of AI search. Hosted by Yext SVP of Marketing Rebecca Colwell, each episode breaks down how AI is reshaping discovery, and what CMOs, digital leaders, and transformation executives need to do to stay visible when traditional SEO no longer applies. From shifting consumer behavior to platform disruption, we go beyond the buzz to deliver clear, strategic insights you can use, fast. Featuring expert guests, original research, and real-world advice from the front lines of AI adoption, Visibility Brief helps you understand where brand discovery is headed, and how to lead through the change. New episodes every other week.

  1. 3d ago

    Technical SEO is “Having a Moment”

    For years, technical SEO has powered search performance from behind the scenes. Most business leaders only noticed it when something broke. But now, as AI search becomes mainstream, those same technical foundations are becoming important in a new way. So, what does that mean for marketers? Is AI creating an entirely new set of technical requirements — or simply rewarding the brands that have been getting the fundamentals right all along? In this episode of The Visibility Brief, Rebecca Colwell (SVP of Marketing, Yext) sits down with Mark Stroud (Global SEO Lead, Specsavers) to explore why one of the most overlooked disciplines in marketing is suddenly getting some overdue attention. Drawing on more than 20 years of SEO experience and leading global search strategy across 2,000 Specsavers locations, Mark explains why technical SEO is having "a moment," how AI is changing the conversation around visibility and conversion, and why it’s time for marketers to double down on the basics.  This episode breaks down:  How AI is improving SEO workflows behind the scenesWhich technical signals matter most right now Why SEO fundamentals are still the foundation for search and AI engines  The biggest misconceptions about AI optimizationWhich SEO metrics marketers should (and shouldn't) measure If you're a marketer trying to make sense of AI's impact on search, this episode offers a practical perspective on what's actually changing, what's staying the same, and where marketers should focus their attention next.

  2. Jul 21

    The AI Opportunities Hiding In Plain Sight

    For Wells Fargo, it wasn't a flashy new AI initiative that unlocked better visibility. It was actually a 12-year-old ATM and branch locator.  When the brand’s marketing team realized their location pages weren't surfacing consistently in AI search, they saw an opportunity to optimize those pages for both people and LLMs. But what started as a branch locator redesign quickly became a blueprint for how legacy brands can adapt their digital experiences for an AI-first customer journey. In this episode of The Visibility Brief, Rebecca Colwell (SVP of Marketing, Yext) is joined by Anna Vagnerini (Executive Director Digital Discovery, Wells Fargo) to explore how AI search is forcing brands to rethink some of their oldest digital experiences. Drawing on Wells Fargo's recent branch locator transformation, Anna shares how her team approached structured data, human-centered design, and AI visibility. This can’t-miss discussion reveals why sometimes the biggest opportunities are hiding in the experiences brands have overlooked for years. This episode breaks down:  How to turn a utility into a high-intent customer acquisition channelWhy tried-and-true digital experiences deserve a second lookWhat "human and machine UX" really meansHow to measure success beyond traditional marketing metricsWhy AI visibility starts with consistent, trustworthy data If you're a marketing leader wondering where to start with AI search, this episode is a reminder that the answer may not be a brand-new initiative. Sometimes the biggest opportunity is taking a fresh look at the digital experiences your customers already rely on.

  3. Jul 7

    Why Local Pages Still Win in AI Search

    Customers aren't just searching for brands by name anymore. Instead, they're asking highly specific questions about products, services, locations, and experiences. Whether they're looking for "restaurants near Yankee Stadium" or "catering for a 50-person office lunch," AI models cite and surface brands that have built content around real customer intent. So, how do marketers create local experiences that satisfy both customers and LLMs? And what separates a high-performing local page from one that's nothing more than a store locator? In this episode of The Visibility Brief, Yext SVP of Marketing Rebecca Colwell sits down with Steve Wiideman, President of Wiideman Consulting Group to explore why local pages have become one of the most important assets in an AI-first search strategy. Drawing on nearly 30 years of SEO experience and work with some of the world's largest restaurant brands, Steve shares why local and intent pages are now a competitive advantage – and how marketers can use them to increase visibility across both traditional and AI search. The episode breaks down:Why local pages still matter in an AI-first worldThe difference between location pages and intent pagesWhat the highest-performing local pages have in commonHow AI is changing local content strategyLessons from restaurant brands that adapted quickly to changing customer behaviorWhat marketers should stop, start, and rethink when building local content Whether you're managing hundreds of locations or just getting started with local SEO, you'll learn practical ways to build pages that help customers find exactly what they're looking for, wherever they're searching.

  4. Jun 23

    How to Control Your Brand’s Story in an AI-First World

    In this episode of The Visibility Brief, Yext SVP of Marketing Rebecca Colwell sits down with Paul McHardy, leader of Global Search Intelligence for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to explore one of the most important questions facing marketers today: What happens when your brand is no longer the primary author of its own story? AI search now gives direct answers synthesized from review sites, third-party publishers, and creator communities — meaning that customers form an impression of a brand before ever visiting a website. This shift creates a new challenge: visibility is important, but accurate representation across every source that shapes that impression matters more. For Paul, that challenge plays out at a global scale. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints operates in more than 100 countries and dozens of languages, serving members while also helping curious audiences understand its beliefs, history, and identity. His team's job isn't simply to be found; it's to make sure people receive accurate and trustworthy information. The episode breaks down:Why AI is changing the role of search teamsWhat happens when AI controls your first impressionHow brands can bridge the gap between internal language and the words real people actually use when searching.Why data accuracy is foundational to visibilityWhy AI visibility isn't just about your website The future of visibility isn't just about being discovered. It's about being understood. If you're a marketing leader trying to understand how AI is changing discovery, reputation, and brand representation, this episode offers a unique perspective from an organization navigating those challenges at scale.

  5. Jun 9

    Why Constraints Create Better AI Strategies

    In this episode of The Visibility Brief, Yext SVP of Marketing Rebecca Colwell sits down with Scott Orstad, Vice President, Marketing at Catholic Health, to explore a surprising idea: the organizations best positioned to succeed in AI search just might be the ones that have spent years operating under the strictest constraints. That might sound counterintuitive, but regulated industries have long been forced to solve a unique set of problems: accuracy, trust, governance, data quality, and compliance. Now, those same disciplines become the foundation of AI visibility. Drawing on more than 25 years of healthcare marketing experience, Scott shares how Catholic Health is approaching content, provider data, reputation management, and digital experience in a world where AI is becoming part of the customer journey — and why those lessons apply far beyond healthcare. The episode breaks down:Why AI search is changing how consumers research important decisionsWhy accurate data matters more than everHow expert-led content helps organizations build trust while improving visibility in both traditional and AI search.Why organizations need subject matter experts and content teams working together to make complex topics understandable.The value of reviews and customer feedback as signals to AI systems What marketers should focus on instead of chasing every AI trend If you're a marketing leader trying to navigate the rapid changes happening in AI search, this episode offers a valuable reminder: the brands that win won't necessarily be the ones moving the fastest. They'll be the ones with the strongest foundations.

  6. Jun 2 ·  Bonus

    Turning AI Visibility Insights Into Action

    In this special edition of The Visibility Brief, Yext SVP of Marketing Rebecca Colwell is joined by Sam Rahimi, VP of Earned & Owned Media at AdCelerant, to discuss how AI is solving one of the hardest problems in marketing: turning data into concrete action. Marketers have never had a shortage of dashboards, reports, or performance metrics. The challenge has always been knowing what to do next. Which locations need attention? Which competitors are gaining ground? Where should teams really invest their time, budget, and resources? That’s where a new generation of AI-powered intelligence tools is changing the game. Drawing on his experience helping agencies and publishers support thousands of local businesses, Sam shares how AdCelerant is using Scout MCP to surface competitive insights, prioritize the right opportunities, and make faster, more informed decisions for clients at scale. The episode breaks down:How marketers can shift from collecting data to generating actionable recommendationsHow AI helps with prioritization and resourcingWhy combining performance data, competitive insights, and AI-powered analysis creates a new operating model for marketersHow Scout MCP changes the marketer's workflow The future of marketing isn't about having more data. It's about having the right intelligence at the right moment — and being able to act on it immediately. If you're a marketing leader, agency, publisher, or local business strategist looking to move beyond reporting and toward real-time decision-making, this episode offers a practical look at how AI and competitive intelligence are changing the way visibility is managed.

  7. May 26

    Why ‘Visibility’ Without Trust is Meaningless in an AI-First World

    In this episode of The Visibility Brief, Yext SVP of Marketing Rebecca Colwell sits down with Will Reynolds, CEO and VP of Innovation of Seer Interactive, for a conversation about how AI is reshaping not just search — but the fundamentals of marketing itself. For years, marketers have measured success in rankings, impressions, and traffic. But AI is changing what those numbers are worth. When a chatbot can summarize everything ever written about a brand into a single answer, being visible stops being a competitive edge and starts being table stakes. A brand can show up everywhere and still lose if it isn't believable and trustworthy to customers. And when this trust becomes the deciding factor, the old marketing playbook starts to break. Will's argument: AI is pushing marketing away from content built for scale and toward something much harder to fake: credibility. The episode breaks down:Why visibility alone no longer drives resultsThe risks of overusing AI-generated contentHow unique perspectives, lived experience, and subject matter expertise are emerging as the most valuable signalsWhat marketers should stop, start, and rethink If you’re a marketing leader navigating the shift from visibility to credibility, this episode will help you rethink how your brand shows up — and whether it earns the trust required to win.

  8. May 12

    SEO Is at a Crossroads

    In this special episode of The Visibility Brief, recorded live at SEO Week, Rebecca Colwell is joined by Garrett Sussman (Director of Marketing at iPullRank) and Christian Ward (Chief Data Officer at Yext) for a candid reflection on where the industry actually stands today. A year ago, AI search felt like a novelty. New tools, new ideas, and a lot of speculation. Today, the tone has shifted. The excitement hasn’t disappeared – but it’s been replaced by something more grounded: uncertainty, urgency, and a growing realization that the rules are changing faster than most teams can keep up. So what’s actually changed in the last 12 months? And more importantly, what hasn’t? This conversation goes beyond tactics. It’s about how SEO is evolving as a function, why so many teams are still “admiring the problem,” and what it will take to move from understanding AI to actually acting on it. The episode breaks down:Why the industry feels more mature, but still a bit stuckThe gap between understanding AI’s impact and actually changing strategy or executionWhy technical understanding of AI pipelines mattersWhy SEO is positioned to lead…but often doesn’tWhy content strategy is shifting back toward uniqueness and contextWhy brands are struggling to define success in AI visibility The tools are evolving. The models are improving. The opportunity is real. But most brands haven’t made the shift yet, and that gap is where the next wave of advantage will be created.

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Visibility Brief is your bi-weekly guide to brand visibility in the age of AI search. Hosted by Yext SVP of Marketing Rebecca Colwell, each episode breaks down how AI is reshaping discovery, and what CMOs, digital leaders, and transformation executives need to do to stay visible when traditional SEO no longer applies. From shifting consumer behavior to platform disruption, we go beyond the buzz to deliver clear, strategic insights you can use, fast. Featuring expert guests, original research, and real-world advice from the front lines of AI adoption, Visibility Brief helps you understand where brand discovery is headed, and how to lead through the change. New episodes every other week.

Information

  • Creator
    Visibility Brief by Yext
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    22
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Visibility Brief by Yext
  • Show Website
    Visibility Brief

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