The Blog

Marketing Insight, Minus the Jargon.

Weekly articles on digital marketing, AI search, and local business growth. Written for business owners who want straight answers, not marketers who want buzzwords.

ChatGPT Ads in 2026: What Business Owners Should Do Now

ChatGPT Ads in 2026: What Business Owners Should Do Now

ChatGPT Ads became a measurable performance channel in September 2026. What changed, what it costs, and the four steps owners should take in the next 30 days.

AI Search (AEO) · September 21, 2026
Google AI Max Migration: What Owners Should Check

Google AI Max Migration: What Owners Should Check

Google migrated Search campaigns using broad match or automatically created assets to AI Max in September 2026. Here is what changed by default, why the reported conversion lift may not be incremental, and the five-step audit to run this week.

AI Search (AEO) · September 18, 2026
AI Content Watermarks: What Owners Need to Know

AI Content Watermarks: What Owners Need to Know

Anthropic began watermarking Claude's text output in August 2026 under the EU AI Act. Here is what invisible AI watermarks actually do, what Google says about ranking AI content, and four steps owners should take with their content now.

AI Search (AEO) · September 11, 2026
Google Ads AI Max Auto-Upgrade: Act Before Sept 1

Google Ads AI Max Auto-Upgrade: Act Before Sept 1

On September 1, 2026, Google Ads converts campaigns using broad match or automatically created assets into AI Max for Search. There is no opt-out button. Here is what business owners should check, change, or baseline before August 31.

AI Search (AEO) · August 21, 2026
Your AI Mode Ad Will Not Get You Cited. New Data Proves It.

Your AI Mode Ad Will Not Get You Cited. New Data Proves It.

New data on 50,032 keywords shows Google AI Mode runs ads on 29% of commercial searches, yet 88% of those advertisers were never cited in the answer. Here is why paid placement does not buy the citation, and what owners should do this quarter.

AI Search (AEO) · July 27, 2026
Shoppers Now Meet Your Business in ChatGPT Before Your Website

Shoppers Now Meet Your Business in ChatGPT Before Your Website

New Similarweb data shows shoppers start buying decisions in AI chatbots like ChatGPT, then return to Google to compare prices. Brands recommended by AI get 2.5 times more visits. See the five moves TMC Marketing recommends to win the AI shortlist.

AI Search (AEO) · July 14, 2026
Google’s AI Agent Is Now Using Your Website. Is It Ready?

Google’s AI Agent Is Now Using Your Website. Is It Ready?

Google's Chrome auto browse now completes tasks on business websites for Android users across the US. See what this AI agent rollout means for your booking forms, quote requests, and lead capture, plus five steps to make your website agent ready.

AI Search (AEO) · July 6, 2026
Google Just Made AI Search Traffic Visible. Here Is What to Do.

Google Just Made AI Search Traffic Visible. Here Is What to Do.

Google just added an AI Assistant channel to Google Analytics 4 and launched generative AI performance reports in Search Console. Here is what changed in June 2026, why AI visitors convert better, and the steps your business should take now.

AI Search (AEO) · June 29, 2026
Google Now Shows You Where You Appear in AI Search

Google Now Shows You Where You Appear in AI Search

Google just added Generative AI performance reports to Search Console, giving business owners their first look at how often their site appears in AI Overviews and AI Mode. See what the report shows, its big limitation, and what to do this quarter.

AI Search (AEO) · June 23, 2026
Google Search Agents Just Arrived: What They Mean for Small Business Visibility

Google Search Agents Just Arrived: What They Mean for Small Business Visibility

Google just rolled out AI Mode search agents that decide which sources to cite and recommend. Here is what the shift means for small business visibility in 2026, plus the practical steps owners can take this quarter to stay found and chosen.

AI Search (AEO) · June 16, 2026