As the first quarter of 2026 hits its stride, marketing leaders are facing a new kind of pressure. The traditional marketing playbooks are being rewritten by the shift from keyword-based SEO to AI-driven search. Are you prepared for the April 1st Board Meeting question: How is AI search actually impacting our bottom line? On this episode of FiredUp!, we dive into the mailbag to answer the burning questions from our community of startup marketers. We tackle the anxiety surrounding board expectations, the shifting dynamics of marketing budget allocation, and why your "Share of Voice" might look different in a world of LLM citations. This week, episode 128 of the FiredUp! podcast is about your burning questions about tech marketing!

Download the Multiplier Marketing Megapack today. Exclusive offer for all our listeners — get all our Startup Guides in one go! Over 50 pages of advanced tips and advice that dive deep into content marketing, search advertising, and marketing attribution.

In this episode of the FiredUp! Podcast, the Firebrand team shares the importance of finding ways to measure your AI visibility and actionable steps you can take right now to be prepared for questions you might get asked at your Q1 board meeting.

Morgan and Nicole discuss:

• Own the AI Citation Metric: Boards are moving beyond simple traffic numbers. You must be able to demonstrate whether your brand is being cited by AI agents as a top solution. Start tracking your AI Share of Voice to prove your brand's authority in generative search results.
• The 60/40 Budget Reality: While the classic split between brand awareness and demand generation remains a benchmark, the AI era rewards those who build a deep lake of content. High-quality, original content is the fuel that allows AI crawlers to recommend your brand to prospects mid-funnel.
• Focus on the Returning Visitor: In a buyer journey that now averages over 200 days and 70+ touches, one-and-done traffic is a vanity metric. Success is measured by how many people return to your site directly after their initial discovery phase in an LLM.
• Human Authenticity Wins on LinkedIn: Executive presence is more critical than ever, but beware of the automated reply trap. Using generic AI-generated comments to boost impressions will ultimately erode trust. Real engagement requires a human pulse and a fragrant, unique point of view.

The marketing landscape is changing fast, but the fundamental need for human connection and authoritative expertise remains constant. Don't let the technical shifts of 2026 distract you from the power of a well-told story and a clear point of view.

Thank you for listening! Tune in to all the episodes for practical tips on crushing your startup marketing goals. Don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast, and tell us your key takeaways!

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In the crowded tech landscape of 2026, building brand awareness isn't just about flashy logos or polished websites; it's about breaking through the digital noise with authentic human connection. The challenge right now is that corporate posts are being ignored while the AI slop of generic, machine-written content is eroding trust with potential customers and investors. On this episode of FiredUp!, we tackle the essential PR tactics that actually move the needle. We explore why executive visibility is seeing a massive resurgence and how you can leverage personal authenticity to outshine the robotic "Uncanny Valley" of automated marketing. This week, episode 127 of the FiredUp! podcast is about go-to PR strategies for 2026!

Download the Multiplier Marketing Megapack today. Exclusive offer for all our listeners — get all our Startup Guides in one go! Over 50 pages of advanced tips and advice that dive deep into content marketing, search advertising, and marketing attribution.

In this episode of the FiredUp! podcast, the Firebrand team shares the best ways to make your c-suite executives more visibe and actionable steps you can take right now to build a strategic PR plan for 2026.

Morgan and Chris discuss:

• Prioritizing Executive Visibility: Potential customers want to buy from people, not just faceless corporations.
• Seek Smaller Podcasts To Start:. Seek opportunities on smaller podcasts to build confidence and sharpen your talking points, preparing you for the big leagues.
• Authenticity Over AI Efficiency: While AI can boost productivity, its recognizable cadence can be a turn off for buyers seeking real connection. Authenticity is the ultimate signal of quality..
• Build the Rapid Response Muscle: Success in 2026 requires a strategic rapid response program that leverages breaking news and data storytelling to maintain a constant, authoritative presence in industry conversations.

For more tips on the latest PR playbooks, subscribe to FiredUp! and check out our monthly newsletter, The Forge.

Thank you for listening! Tune in to all the episodes for practical tips on crushing your startup marketing goals. Don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast, and tell us your key takeaways!

CONNECT WITH FIREBRAND:

Firebrand is a startup marketing agency. We help tech startups secure outsized marketing outcomes on their path to growth.

Youtube

LinkedIn

X (Formerly Twitter)

Work with Firebrand

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In an era of digital ad fatigue, how does a startup break through the noise to build real-world authority? Startup marketers are feeling the burn of skyrocketing CPAs on social platforms and a growing distrust of purely digital brands. In this episode opf FiredUp!, we explore the modern evolution of Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising, from precision-targeted digital billboards to measurable attribution, with Ty Tinker. We discuss how today’s OOH strategy allows you to target specific office buildings for Account-Based Marketing and track exactly how those offline impressions drive online conversions. This week, episode 126 of the FiredUp! podcast is about why out of home is working for startups in 2026!

Download the Multiplier Marketing Megapack today. Exclusive offer for all our listeners — get all our Startup Guides in one go! Over 50 pages of advanced tips and advice that dive deep into content marketing, search advertising, and marketing attribution.

In this episode of the FiredUp! podcast, Ty Tinker shares the need for iterative planning and faster experimentation in OOH advertising and actionable steps you can take right now to bridge the gap between physical awareness and digital pipeline.

Ty Tinker is the Director of Analytics at AdQuick, a platform for planning, executing, and measuring out-of-home advertising campaigns. He is an innovative, forward-thinking data scientist with 4 years of experience using quantitative and qualitative methods of measuring.

Ty, Morgan, and Nicole discuss:

• Target Your "Whales" with OOH-led ABM: Move beyond generic placements. Use precision targeting to place digital billboards directly outside the corporate headquarters of your top-tier prospects, building immediate ‘around the office’ credibility for your sales team.
• Measure Offline ROI Like a Pro: Stop guessing if your billboard worked. By leveraging mobile location data, you can compare a control group of people who weren't exposed to your ad against an exposed group, measuring the exact lift in website visits or app downloads.
• The "Billboard Effect" is Real: OOH provides a level of legitimacy that digital ads can’t buy. Seeing a brand in the physical world signals to buyers and investors that your company is established, well-funded, and here to stay.
• Leverage Creative Optimization: Don't treat OOH as a static medium. With Digital Out-of-Home, you can run experiments with different creative versions and iterate based on performance data, just like you would with a Facebook or Google ad.

Is your marketing strategy stuck behind a screen? The most successful startups in 2026 are those that own the physical space where their customers live and work.

Thank you for listening! Tune in to all the episodes for practical tips on crushing your startup marketing goals. Don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast, and tell us your key takeaways!

CONNECT WITH TY TINKER:

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CONNECT WITH FIREBRAND:

Firebrand is a startup marketing agency. We help tech startups secure outsized marketing outcomes on their path to growth.

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