In Episode 101 of the Digital Velocity Podcast, Erik Martinez is joined by Amber Goetz, founder of The Active Media, for a practical, no-fluff conversation about how SEO is really changing in 2026. With more than a decade of hands-on SEO experience, Amber shares what she's seeing in the data, what's no longer working, and where brands should focus their time and energy as AI reshapes how people search.

Amber explains that AI is changing SEO, but not replacing it. As she puts it, "AI is not replacing SEO by any means. I think it's reshaping it though." The conversation explores how Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), AI Overviews, and large language models are influencing search results—and why strong brand authority and consistency now matter more than chasing technical checklists or plugin scores.

Listeners will learn:
• Why brand voice and consistency across channels are becoming critical ranking factors
• What SEO tactics are becoming outdated—and which fundamentals still matter
• How citations, schema, and podcasts influence AI-powered search results
• Why human-led strategy paired with AI-driven efficiency is outperforming automation alone
• How local, national, and eCommerce brands can prepare for agentic shopping and reduced website traffic

Amber also breaks down how SEO needs to evolve inside organizations. She challenges teams to move away from siloed execution and toward shared ownership across content, development, PR, and social. As she notes, "Anyone can do SEO. I don't know if they can do it well, but they can." The difference, she explains, comes from pulling real expertise out of the business and turning it into content people—and AI systems—can trust.

For marketers, founders, and direct-to-consumer leaders, this episode offers a grounded roadmap for modern SEO—one rooted in clarity, original thinking, and brand authority. Instead of chasing every new trend, Amber's advice is clear: use AI to improve efficiency, stay focused on what makes your brand different, and build visibility where both people and AI are actually paying attention.

In Episode 100 of the Digital Velocity Podcast, Erik Martinez is joined by Pat Barry, President of AI Consulting Partners, for a forward-looking conversation on where artificial intelligence is headed as we move into 2026. After several years of experimentation, this episode focuses on what it looks like when AI shifts from novelty to something embedded in everyday business operations.

Pat brings more than two decades of experience in data science and AI, having worked with organizations like Discovery Channel, Google, and Fortune 100 brands including Unilever, McDonald's, and UnitedHealthcare.

Together, Erik and Pat discuss why 2026 will be defined less by new tools and more by automation, confidence, and real operational change. As Erik notes, "I think it's going to be the year of automation," and Pat describes how advanced organizations are already managing AI as a "digital employee" supported by agents and sub-agents.

Listeners will learn:
• Why automation and AI agents are becoming practical tools for daily business use
• How organizations are applying AI to improve communication, workflows, and clarity
• Why measuring AI success may shift away from traditional ROI models
• The risks of shadow AI and the need for clear training and policies
• What agentic shopping and AI-powered search could mean for marketers and brands

Throughout the conversation, Erik and Pat stress that progress with AI starts with intention. Pat cautions businesses to avoid rushing into tools and instead recommends experimenting within existing platforms and focusing on training. They also reinforce the importance of keeping a human in the loop to maintain quality and accountability.

For marketers, operators, and executives across industries this milestone episode offers a practical look at how AI adoption is evolving heading into 2026. The takeaway is clear: focus on real problems, build confidence with the Large-Language Model tools, and prepare for a future where automation supports, not replaces, human work.

In Episode 99 of the Digital Velocity Podcast, Erik Martinez sits down with Chris Seminatore, founder of GetGeofencing.com, to unpack how location-based targeting can help brands stop wasting budget and start reaching the people most likely to buy. As Chris puts it, "Location is the strongest indicator of buying intent."

For direct-to-consumer teams without a retail footprint, the key shift is thinking about location as a signal—not a storefront. Instead of geofencing "your" locations, you can target the places where your best customers already reveal intent: brick and mortar competitor locations, industry events and trade shows, and life-style locations that align with your customer's persona.

In this conversation, you'll learn:

· How geofencing works in plain English—and why it's best used to narrow your audience to the moments that matter most.

· Practical ways DTC brands can apply the same playbook across industries, even without physical stores of their own.

· Why "addressable geofencing" can be a powerful CRM companion: layer location targeting onto a direct mail or customer list to reinforce messaging across channels.

· How to use events and trade shows as a DTC growth lever by capturing attendees and continuing to reach them after they leave.

· What to watch for in programmatic so your spend doesn't disappear into low-value placements (and how Chris approaches blocking common sources of waste).

If you're a DTC marketer, brand leader, or agency strategist looking for smarter signals to find more customers, this episode offers a clear, practical framework for using location to reduce waste, increase relevance, and improve performance.