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What the episode covered
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098 - Automation in Marketing with Thomas Helfrich
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098 - Automation in Marketing with Thomas Helfrich
In this episode, Gert had a very informative conversation with Thomas Helfrich, the founder of instantlyrelevant.com, who believes that in order to convert trust and loyalty from customers, you need to deliver non-stop relevance.
We hear so much about AI and how it encompasses even marketing automation. Both Gert and Thomas agree on the advantages of automation, but it should be to accelerate the tasks of humans, not replace them. There is still a need to leverage technology with human led content development, social media management, and outreach for sales development, for example in the use of email marketing.
- 00:43 Welcome to episode and introduction of the guest
02:07 Self introduction by Thomas Helfrich and how he landed in AI what he does.
05:13 What are the issues presented to Thomas’ team when being consulted in creating content? …What do you need to watch out for when using these technologies?
08:45 AI is not a replacement for humans, but what areas can we leverage AI technology?
What I would emphasize today
Search has moved beyond one channel. Google still matters, but your buyers also use AI answers, YouTube, Reddit, reviews, communities, and comparison content before they decide.
That means the practical question is not just “does this rank?” The better question is: does this help the right buyer find enough proof to trust us?
How to apply this now
- Diagnose the actual visibility gap.
- Check whether the buyer researches this topic on Google, AI tools, YouTube, Reddit, or another platform.
- Create the asset that answers the question clearly.
- Add proof, examples, and structure so both humans and AI systems can understand it.
- Measure whether the work leads to better qualified demand, not just more traffic.
My current take
The topic still matters, but the playbook has changed. SEO is no longer only about ranking a page. It is about being present with the right answer, on the right platform, at the moment the buyer is forming trust.
If you want to know where your visibility gaps are now, start with a diagnostic call or the AI Readiness Check.