The Ross Simmonds Show

In this episode of The Ross Simmonds Show, I break down what Reddit’s decline in ChatGPT citations actually means for marketers, brands, and content teams. Instead of reacting to headlines, I share a more strategic view of Reddit’s role in AI search, Google visibility, community engagement, and bottom-of-funnel influence. Key Takeaways and Insights: 1. The Reddit Citation Panic Explained - I address the wave of reactions after reports showed Reddit appearing less often in ChatGPT citations. - This shift is not a signal to abandon Reddit altogether. - The bigger lesson: marketers need context before making channel decisions. 2. Not All LLM Prompts Are Created Equal - Different prompts require different types of sources, and Reddit is not ideal for every query. - Reddit may be useful for software, tech, and troubleshooting questions, but less appropriate for sensitive topics like health. - Citation changes should be evaluated based on use case, not hype. 3. Why Marketers Need to Track Citations Themselves - Third party studies can be helpful, but they do not replace brand specific monitoring. - I encourage teams to benchmark how their own prompts, categories, and keywords perform across LLMs. - Ongoing tracking is essential for adapting to algorithm changes in AI search. 4. Reddit Still Matters for Enterprise and Bottom of Funnel Queries - Even with fewer citations overall, Reddit remains relevant for transactional and bottom of funnel enterprise software searches. - For B2B marketers, that means Reddit can still influence high intent buyers. - Strategic prompt tracking can uncover where Reddit continues to drive value. 5. AI Search Is Changing Constantly - Volatility is now part of digital marketing. - Citation sources can shift between Reddit, LinkedIn, YouTube, review sites, and competitors at any time. - The most effective marketers build systems to monitor change instead of reacting emotionally. 6. Google Still Gives Reddit Massive Visibility - Reddit's value goes beyond ChatGPT because Google still heavily features Reddit in organic search, AI Overviews, and AI Mode. - As long as Google dominates search behavior, Reddit remains strategically important. - Marketers should think beyond one platform when evaluating channel performance. 7. Reddit Is Still Where Real Buyers Ask Real Questions - Millions of users visit Reddit daily to research products, services, tools, and business decisions. - The platform remains a trusted space for niche discussions, peer recommendations, and category conversations. - That creates strong opportunities for brands that want to influence informed buyers. 8. Value Wins on Reddit - Reddit's strong moderation and anti spam systems are a big reason the platform still matters. - Brands that show up only to promote themselves will struggle. - Brands that consistently help, educate, and participate authentically can build real credibility. 9. A Smarter Reddit Strategy for Brands - Teams can study top performing posts, identify audience needs, and create content that genuinely helps the community. - The best Reddit strategy starts with value, not self promotion. - Instead of dropping Reddit because of one data point, brands should diversify their approach across SEO, community, ads, and AI visibility. — 👋🏾 Let's stay connected — ╰ Subscribe to my channel:  @RossSimmondsTV   ╰ Instagram:  @thecoolestcool   ╰ Twitter / X: @thecoolestcool   ╰ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rosssimmonds

In this episode of The Ross Simmonds Show, Ross sits down with Malte Landwehr, CMO of Peec.ai, to unpack what AI visibility really means for modern marketers and how it differs from traditional SEO. They break down how brands can measure LLM visibility, identify the right prompts to track, prioritize the channels that influence AI answers, and build a smarter cross-functional strategy to win recommendations in tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and more. Key Takeaways and Insights: 1. AI Visibility vs Traditional SEO - Traditional SEO was built around earning clicks and website traffic, while AI search is increasingly about getting your brand recommended inside the answer. - In AI-driven search experiences, users may never visit your site, which changes how marketers think about attribution, brand experience, and customer journeys. - Malte explains why this shift impacts not just SEO teams, but also content, brand, support, PR, affiliate, and product documentation teams. 2.  How to Measure AI Search Performance - Malte outlines four core ways to measure AI visibility: self-reported attribution, web analytics, log file analysis, and prompt tracking. - Self-reported attribution is a strong starting point for teams trying to validate whether LLMs are already influencing pipeline and revenue. - Prompt tracking stands out as the most actionable measurement method because it helps marketers spot content gaps, benchmark competitors, and prioritize next steps. 3. Prompt Tracking and Strategy That Actually Works - The best prompt strategies start with topics, intent, personas, and funnel stage rather than obsessing over exact wording. - Real-world testing shows that people use many different prompts, but LLMs often return similar brand recommendations when the underlying intent is the same. - Malte warns marketers not to overreact to tiny data sets or short-term fluctuations, and instead evaluate performance directionally across prompt sets over time. 4. The New Playbook for AI-Era Content Distribution - LLMs pull from a wide range of sources, including help centers, FAQs, social content, news sites, directories, review platforms, and community discussions. - Brands need consistent positioning across all managed and owned surfaces so AI systems can clearly understand and describe what the company does. - Smart teams use source-level visibility data to decide where to invest, whether that means digital PR, creator partnerships, editorial placements, review platforms, or competitor-inspired content. 5. Agentic Commerce and the Future of Marketing Workflows - Malte shares why agentic commerce will likely arrive faster in B2B procurement and operational workflows than in emotional consumer purchases. - He also explains how AI tools and MCP integrations are changing the software experience, allowing marketers to work through AI interfaces instead of traditional dashboards. - For early-career marketers, his advice is clear: become AI-native, use AI first to solve problems, and build the habit of testing, iterating, and learning fast. Resources & Tools: 🔗 Peec.ai  — 👋🏾 Let's stay connected — ╰ Subscribe to my channel:  @RossSimmondsTV   ╰ Instagram:  @thecoolestcool   ╰ Twitter / X: @thecoolestcool   ╰ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rosssimmonds  — Connect with Malte  — ╰ Instagram:  @malte.landwehr.official ╰ Twitter / X: @MalteLandwehr ╰ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/landwehr/

In this episode of The Ross Simmonds Show, Ross joins Nick in The Nick Standlea Show to break down how search is changing as Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and other LLMs reshape how people discover brands. They unpack what marketers, creators, and business owners need to do now to improve AI visibility, build authority across platforms like YouTube and Reddit, and create content that gets found, cited, and trusted. Key Takeaways and Insights: 1. How LLMs actually build answers - Ross explains “query fan-out,” where AI tools rephrase a user’s prompt into many variations and scan multiple sources at once. - Platforms like Reddit, YouTube, Quora, Yelp, and Google results all help shape the final response. - The brands mentioned most often—and with the strongest supporting signals—are more likely to appear in AI-generated answers. 2. The coffee shop framework for local AI visibility - Local businesses should align site pages and language with the exact questions customers ask. - Review signals from Yelp, TripAdvisor, and other directories strengthen trust and authority. - Encouraging real customer conversations on Reddit and other platforms can influence how AI tools perceive your brand. 3. Why YouTube is a major AI search advantage - Google has a built-in incentive to surface YouTube content because it owns the platform and monetizes attention there. - YouTube remains one of the most powerful search engines in the world and a rich source of human-led content. - Video stands out in an AI-heavy world because it delivers a stronger sense of trust, personality, and connection. 4. Gemini, personalization, and the future of search - Google may have a long-term advantage because Gemini can connect with products like Gmail, Calendar, Chrome, and more. - Search experiences are becoming more personalized, which makes traditional ranking analysis harder. - Marketers need to prepare for a world where different users may get very different answers to the same prompt. 5. How nonprofits and mission-driven brands should adapt - Start by mapping website content to the real questions your audience asks before they know your brand exists. - Build long-form, useful resources that directly address audience pain points and decision-making moments. - Combine LLM optimization with human-centered storytelling to connect both logically and emotionally. 6. The four E’s of content that builds trust - Ross highlights four content goals: educational, engaging, entertaining, and empowering. - Strong brands don’t just publish information—they create content people want to remember and share. - Human connection still matters, especially when AI-generated content is becoming more common. 7. Old-school customer research is the new edge The deepest marketing insights still come from direct conversations with real customers. Interview transcripts, sentiment analysis, and qualitative feedback can be turned into sharper messaging with AI. The brands that win will combine human insight with AI execution, not replace one with the other. Resources & Tools: 🔗 The Nick Standlea Show — 👋🏾 Let's stay connected — ╰ Subscribe to my channel:  @RossSimmondsTV   ╰ Instagram:  @thecoolestcool   ╰ Twitter / X: @thecoolestcool   ╰ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rosssimmonds — Connect with Nick — ╰ Instagram:  @nickstandlea ╰ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nick-standlea-43732573/ ╰ YouTube: The Nick Standlea Show