The Long Game

In this episode of The Long Game Podcast, Alex Birkett speaks with Nick Lafferty (Head of Marketing) and Josh Blyskal (AI Strategist) from Profound, an AI visibility platform focused on answer engine optimization (AEO). They explore the shift from SEO to AEO, where brands must optimize for AI-driven search experiences across ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s AI Overviews. The conversation covers why agility is the new moat, how bra...

In this episode of The Long Game Podcast, David Ly Khim interviews Michael Walrath, CEO and Chairman of Yext. Known for building and exiting multiple companies—including RightMedia and Moat—Michael shares how Yext evolved from a local lead-gen platform to a digital presence powerhouse. He dives deep into the fragmentation of search, the shift toward generative engines, and the rise of “agentic” AI-powered experiences. With candid r...

In this episode of The Long Game Podcast, Alex Burkett interviews Logan Freeman, Global Head of SEO at ManyChat. Together they explore the evolving landscape of SEO in the AI era, particularly the rise of GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) and how it’s changing everything from keyword strategy to attribution modeling. Logan shares tactical approaches for optimizing content for LLMs (large language models), including using FAQ sch...

In this Kitchen Side episode of The Long Game Podcast, the Omniscient Digital team reflects on one key question: “What should we automate?” The discussion unfolds into a broader examination of agency culture, strategic thinking, and the nuanced costs of automation. They share personal experiments—from HARO email parsing to multi-agent PR systems—and debate the tradeoffs between saving time and losing essential context, mentorship, ...

In this Kitchen Side episode of The Long Game Podcast, Alex Birkett and David Ly Khim reflect on the parallels between craftsmanship in daily life and high-quality marketing in the age of AI. They critique the growing dominance of low-effort, mass-generated content and advocate for a return to thoughtful creation—whether that’s cooking a meal, writing a note by hand, or building content that stands out in generative search. The duo...

In this episode of The Long Game Podcast, David Khim interviews Erik Episcopo, SEO Manager at Wiz, one of the fastest-growing cloud security companies (recently acquired by Google). Erik shares his unconventional career path, from answering a Craigslist ad while in Taiwan to building high-scale SEO programs at CrowdStrike and Wiz. They discuss what it takes to be a “super IC,” how AI is reshaping SEO workflows and strategy, and the...

In this Kitchen Side episode of The Long Game Podcast, the Omniscient Digital team dives into Google's new “AI Mode” for search and the broader implications of generative AI across content marketing and SEO. They explore the shift toward conversational, zero-click search experiences, the erosion of attribution data, and how marketers need to adapt in a world where AI Overviews and LLMs are changing how users discover information. W...

In this episode of The Long Game Podcast, David Khim interviews Britney Muller—SEO scientist, AI educator, and former Hugging Face marketing lead—about the practical side of AI in marketing. Britney shares how her obsession with machine learning began in 2014 and how it evolved into creating her course Actionable AI for Marketers. They discuss the overuse of buzzwords like “AI agents,” the shift from backlinks to brand mentions, an...

Key Takeaways

• What Is GEO?: Generative engine optimization refers to tailoring your content for AI-powered answer engines like ChatGPT and Claude—not just traditional search engines.
• From Keywords to Context: Search is shifting from keyword-based queries to conversational inputs and contextual, semantic understanding.
• Brand Mentions as the New Backlinks: In LLM-generated answers, offsite presence and brand mentions are becoming mo...

In this Kitchen Side episode of The Long Game Podcast, the Omniscient Digital team reflects on their experiences at SPRYNG, a standout B2B marketing conference in Austin. The conversation blends AI experimentation, prompt engineering, and the future of creativity with philosophical reflections on human connection, authenticity, and the soul of marketing. They explore why many AI users are missing the point by chasing “best practice...

In this episode of The Long Game Podcast, Alex Birkett interviews Alice Wyatt, a B2B fintech marketing leader with experience at Codat, Bloomreach, and Adyen. Alice shares how her personal journey of building community and maintaining sanity in a fast-paced city like New York connects with her marketing philosophy: agile, people-first, and impact-driven. The conversation explores person-based marketing (PBM), the limits of MQLs, al...

In this episode of The Long Game Podcast, Alex Birkett sits down with Molly St. Louis, an award-winning multimedia marketer with experience in PR, content, and video strategy. Molly shares her journey from theater and journalism to leading marketing at high-growth startups, explaining how storytelling, creativity, and entertainment principles can elevate B2B marketing. The discussion covers how to craft bold marketing initiatives, ...

In this Kitchen Side episode of The Long Game Podcast, Alex, David, and Allie continue their in-person discussion in New York City, diving into marketing trends, proprietary data, and the role of differentiation in an AI-dominated landscape. They examine the shifting value of MQLs, how AI is automating SEO and marketing tasks, and why trust and credibility are the new forms of scarcity. The conversation also covers how companies ca...

In this Kitchen Side episode of The Long Game Podcast, Alex, David, and Allie record their first in-person conversation in New York City. The episode revolves around insights gathered from dozens of marketing leaders, discussing SEO traffic declines, AI’s real impact on marketing, attribution challenges, and the balance between brand and demand generation. The team reflects on how companies are adapting to falling organic traffic, ...

In this episode of The Long Game Podcast, Alex Birkett speaks with Erik Johnson, an applied behavioral scientist and founder of Behavioral Strategies. Erik shares insights on human decision-making, habit formation, and the psychological forces influencing our actions. The conversation covers the intention-action gap, AI’s impact on attention and productivity, and how behavioral science can optimize both personal and organizational ...

In this Kitchen Side episode of The Long Game Podcast, Alex Birkett and the team discuss the evolving landscape of content creation, AI-powered tools, and the importance of structured thinking. They dive into how automation is making some SEO and marketing tasks easier while increasing the need for differentiation. The conversation covers how marketers must think like product managers, why unique insights and data are critical for ...

In this episode of The Long Game Podcast, Alex Birkett speaks with Aashish Krishna Kumar, Director of Go-To-Market at Zuora, about startup pricing strategies, AI-driven changes in SEO, and the increasing importance of high-quality content. Aashish explains why early-stage startups should prioritize survival over pricing optimization and why pricing only becomes a growth lever after product-market fit. He also shares an optimistic p...

In this Kitchen Side episode of The Long Game Podcast, Alex, Allie, and David are joined by Mark Lindquist to discuss the transformation of SEO and content marketing. They delve into the decline of traffic-based metrics, the rise of user-first strategies, and how AI-driven changes are forcing marketers to rethink content creation. Mark emphasizes treating content as a product, getting closer to the audience, and building strategies...

In this episode of The Long Game Podcast, Alex Birkett speaks with Sean Ellis, the creator of the term "growth hacking" and a pioneer in startup growth strategies. Sean shares his insights on product-market fit, the fundamentals of sustainable growth, and how AI is reshaping the startup landscape. From his groundbreaking work at Dropbox and Eventbrite to the evolving nature of customer acquisition, Sean offers practical advice for ...