Likely Marketing

Shivendra Lal
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Exploring possibilities in Marketing.

  1. #136: AI search can’t trust a brand it doesn’t understand. Here’s what to do

    12H AGO

    #136: AI search can’t trust a brand it doesn’t understand. Here’s what to do

    In the age of AI search, brands are no longer competing only for rankings. They’re competing to be understood. When someone asks ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, or Perplexity about a company, the machine first asks: “Who exactly is this brand?” In this episode, Shivendra explores Entity SEO — the invisible layer shaping visibility in AI search. From vague positioning and confusing brand names to schema markup, structured data, and consistent digital signals, discover why AI trusts clarity over noise. Because before AI can recommend your brand, mention it, or rank it, it needs to confidently understand who you are. AI search doesn’t reward the loudest brand. It rewards the clearest identity. (00:00) Intro (01:33) How AI solves the confusion of brand identity (05:13) How can brands reduce AI’s confusion? (08:14) How unclear positioning makes AI hesitate and what more can marketers do? (09:32) Bringing it all together: How to make sure AI understands your brand clearly

    12 min
  2. #135: AI browsers are re-writing Marketing - From clicks to decisions

    MAY 5

    #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
  3. #134: From ads to entertainment: Why brands using music videos are re-writing marketing

    APR 28

    #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
  4. #133: Do brands still need a website in the AI search era? The answer has changed

    APR 21

    #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
  5. #132: From booth traffic to brand immersion: The new power of VR in events marketing

    APR 14

    #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
  6. #131: Instagram caption links for marketing are coming…and “organic” may never be the same

    APR 7

    #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
  7. #130: Why horror genre fans are marketing gold (and how to reach them right)

    MAR 31

    #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
  8. #129: What horror movies reveal about attention, emotion, and audience behavior

    MAR 24

    #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
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About

Exploring possibilities in Marketing.

Information

  • Creator
    Shivendra Lal
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    136
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Shivendra Lal
  • Show Website
    Likely Marketing