Return-Path: Delivered-To: alvarochf@traceseis.com Received: from cs510.bluehost.com by cs510.bluehost.com with LMTP id UPfRNm0m6mkMFQYAWiBQxw (envelope-from ) for ; Thu, 23 Apr 2026 08:02:21 -0600 Return-path: Envelope-to: alvarochf@traceseis.com Delivery-date: Thu, 23 Apr 2026 08:02:21 -0600 Received: from bh186-36.smtp-out.beehiivmail.net ([69.67.186.36]:47731) by cs510.bluehost.com with esmtp (Exim 4.98.2) (envelope-from ) id 1wFudI-00000001ifh-31y1 for alvarochf@traceseis.com; Thu, 23 Apr 2026 08:02:21 -0600 X-BmtaRef: eyJfQF8iOiJcXF8vIiwicmVjaXBpZW50IjoiYWx2YXJvY2hmQHRyYWNlc2Vpcy5jb20iLCJ4X2xpc3RfaWQiOiI5MTRiYmQyNi0zZjhmLTQ0YTUtOTc0ZC03NjlhZGViNTk4ZWEiLCJ4X3N1YnNjcmliZXJfaWQiOiJlMTUwOWQ0NS0yNzk2LTQxNzctYTlkOS1mOGJkZTJjNmRmOGIifQ== DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; d=bhmta.beehiiv.com; s=bh; c=relaxed/relaxed; bh=EsNKg4Ogd3sGRR1YskiMFO8YNYrnXcomZozN44WP4uY=; h=from:subject:mime-version:content-type:content-transfer-encoding: list-unsubcribe:feedback-id:list-unsubscribe-post:reply-to:to:cc: content-type:feedback-id:from:subject:to; t=1776952864; b=L2VS2bfXJQDLyBM/s96aysFdE/su/N4i4/89uU8+t9V02vfRRerZbPf5DviywLgxwGeINbonf l/5XC3xFuirHH/is/qh6HMwkH+wmdMwa20i23YqunER5qiWighcOX+waxU+c2ZnZp2dK50XJ7XP c9h7ld7qMM0WCcEU6t6f/DL2NFFr7tvra/59ZqElaP/WymxxFyUNQ9wqwjCsurLGJMgIi7ALsGD OZX8hgzEZHZBbap0GQZ/tX4m/IHNWSDtIx9BG641dEKUtZbXm7aDgTeZ0l/uELYnkL1RGoEyYlB hhARyuTv9U39FVmSzJvMOxJqt5y4R1pbT8PkxxlGR9bw==; DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; d=mail.beehiiv.com; s=bh; c=relaxed/relaxed; bh=EsNKg4Ogd3sGRR1YskiMFO8YNYrnXcomZozN44WP4uY=; h=from:subject:mime-version:content-type:content-transfer-encoding: list-unsubcribe:feedback-id:list-unsubscribe-post:reply-to:to:cc: content-type:feedback-id:from:subject:to; t=1776952864; b=fMseQArnudsSEq2T8IXJJ9FeC2lFd57/1BK/7kMO0Ifv9ZeuN/b0Cy8EVv0p7vnB0Tzn2RiSQ c6Ba4zQTojnS5QEuJS9+Flhk/ifISNASa39mpToBwpaj/fofe2VOj42LrQxJGwTz8NhBHdpmfr7 QVBdoXoICNZOUiHxOcemqiM2hdX5Kv+sk9dA0RYINUBJLFKXi0QLgzzJJADbS+7VApYAnwlD07F jWk0hv94TanGg+fwb8hYRPwwFkpU5xZ5y0Q1fjWQGvivX9EdRyEIQbuiasxVPPrqn9YU91mmQ9t DicspjstoyhqfpeAwdHafQ8MP4IRySvIpSUQUxq7Optg==; Received: from mail.beehiiv.com by bhmta(mta26) with HTTP id for ; Thu, 23 Apr 2026 14:01:04 +0000 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="BK1vJsjBQFiH1ULpcbjs2g" To: "alvarochf@traceseis.com" Feedback-ID: d28029d8-7a89-41ed-b5f2-d1f040e63665:newsletter:914bbd26-3f8f-44a5-974d-769adeb598ea:934e7f4448506d3 From: =?utf-8?Q?Don=27t_Feed_The_Algorithm?= List-Unsubscribe: , List-Unsubscribe-Post: List-Unsubscribe=One-Click Reply-To: =?utf-8?Q?Don=27t_Feed_The_Algorithm?= Subject: The signal that's 3x more predictive than backlinks X-Batch-Id: 684e855c-f0e5-4f31-a199-39e857207706 X-Subscriber-ID: e1509d45-2796-4177-a9d9-f8bde2c6df8b X-Subscription-ID: 589123187 sId: 914bbd26-3f8f-44a5-974d-769adeb598ea x-beehiiv-ids: {"account_name":"https://dont-feed-the-algorithm.beehiiv.com/","campaign_id":"d28029d8-7a89-41ed-b5f2-d1f040e63665","category":"newsletter","email_generated_at":1776952859,"user_id":"914bbd26-3f8f-44a5-974d-769adeb598ea"} x-beehiiv-type: newsletter x-list-id: 914bbd26-3f8f-44a5-974d-769adeb598ea x-list-owner: x-newsletter: https://dont-feed-the-algorithm.beehiiv.com/p/google-s-core-update-is-done-93-of-ai-searches-don-t-click-and-the-citation-is-the-new-distribution x-newsletter-id: https://dont-feed-the-algorithm.beehiiv.com/ x-newsletter-signup: https://dont-feed-the-algorithm.beehiiv.com/subscribe Mime-Version: 1.0 Date: Thu, 23 Apr 2026 14:01:04 +0000 Message-ID: <20260423.140104.620c7298@mta26> X-Spam-Status: No, score=0.4 X-Spam-Score: 4 X-Spam-Bar: / X-Spam-Flag: NO --BK1vJsjBQFiH1ULpcbjs2g Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable View image: (https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=3Dscale-down,forma= t=3Dauto,onerror=3Dredirect,quality=3D80/uploads/asset/file/9432a3a1-e94b-4= b87-9713-3aa75ede85f5/DON_T_FEED_THE_ALGORITHM__27_.png?t=3D1760641572)=0AC= aption: =0A=0A##### =F0=9F=90=8A Editor's Note=0A=0A_Hey there,_=0A=0A_Welc= ome back to another __**Don=E2=80=99t Feed The Algorithm**__, your weekly d= ispatch from __[Averi](https://www.averi.ai/)__ =E2=80=94 where we explore = the intersections of marketing, AI and the future of work._=0A=0A_**Citatio= n.**_=0A=0A_That's the word this week. Not ranking. Not click-through. Cita= tion._=0A=0A_**The Seer Interactive study that dropped this month is the cl= earest data we've seen on what's actually happening in search:**__ organic = CTR is down 61% when an AI Overview appears, and 43% of those sessions end = in zero clicks. But brands cited inside the Overview earn 35% more organic = and 91% more paid clicks than brands that aren't. _=0A=0A_The math has flip= ped. Being named inside the AI summary is now a more valuable asset than ra= nking below it._=0A=0A_Pair that with the release cadence this week =E2=80= =94 Claude Opus 4.7 shipping with high-res vision and task budgets, Meta's = Muse Spark launching across every surface they own, Perplexity's _**_revenu= e jumping 50%_**_ on agentic workflows, OpenAI launching a vertical life sc= iences model and a $100/month Pro tier =E2=80=94 and the story isn't "AI is= coming." AI is already how your customers are finding, evaluating, and dec= iding. The distribution layer of the internet moved, and most startup conte= nt strategies are still targeting the old one._=0A=0A_This week's What The = Bots Are Reading breaks down the Seer data in full, the Strategy You Can St= eal is a _**_90-minute citation audit_**_ you can run before Thursday, and = The Algorithm Could Never features The Halal Guys' pitch-perfect April Fool= s campaign that reminded us why origin stories still outperform ad spend._= =0A=0A_The good news, if you're a startup founder reading this at 11pm betw= een Stripe dashboards and a sales email you're not sure you should send=E2= =80=A6 _**_the citation economy rewards the things you already have_**_. A = clear point of view. Original data. A specific brand voice. Content structu= red around what your customers actually ask. The bots aren't waiting for po= lish. They're waiting for clarity._=0A=0A_Let's build._=0A=0A_=E2=80=94 ZC = & The Averi Team_=0A=0A#### _Was this newsletter forwarded to you? ___[Sign= up](https://dont-feed-the-algorithm.beehiiv.com/subscribe)___ to get it in= your inbox._=0A=0A=0A=0A=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2= =80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80= =94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94= =E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=0A=0AShare Don't Feed The Alg= orithm=0A=0AYou currently have 0 referrals, only 1= away from receiving The Definitive Guide to LLM-Optimized= Content: How to Win in the AI Search Era (2026).=0A=0AOr copy and= paste this link to others: https://dont-feed-the-algorithm.beehiiv.com/sub= scribe?ref=3D1kRhvXwp9r=0A=0A=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94= =E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2= =80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80= =94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=0A### =F0=9F=94=A5 In Case= You Missed It=E2=80=A6=0A=0A* **Claude Opus 4.7 shipped with high-res imag= e support and task budgets** =E2=80=94 Anthropic released Claude Opus 4.7 o= n April 16, a meaningful step up from 4.6 on agentic coding and long-horizo= n reasoning. It's the first Claude model with high-resolution image support= (2576px / 3.75MP) and introduces "task budgets" that give the model a coun= tdown of tokens to finish work gracefully. Pricing stays flat at $5 per mil= lion input tokens and $25 per million output tokens. Anthropic also admitte= d Opus 4.7 trails its unreleased cyber-focused Claude Mythos model in some = benchmarks, which is unusual honesty for a launch post. =E2=86=92 [Anthropi= c](https://www.anthropic.com/news/claude-opus-4-7) =C2=B7 [CNBC](https://ww= w.cnbc.com/2026/04/16/anthropic-claude-opus-4-7-model-mythos.html)=0A=0A* *= *OpenAI launched GPT-Rosalind for life sciences research** =E2=80=94 OpenAI= introduced a frontier reasoning model purpose-built for biology, drug disc= overy, and translational medicine, available as a research preview in ChatG= PT, Codex, and the API through a trusted access program. Launch partners in= clude Amgen, Moderna, the Allen Institute, and Thermo Fisher. The vertical = AI push signals OpenAI sees more enterprise revenue in domain-specific reas= oning than in general-purpose chat. Business customers went from 20% of rev= enue in 2024 to 40% today, and OpenAI expects it to hit 50% by year-end. = =E2=86=92 [OpenAI](https://openai.com/index/introducing-gpt-rosalind/) =C2= =B7 [Fierce Biotech](https://www.fiercebiotech.com/biotech/openai-launches-= biotech-specific-ai-model-gpt-rosalind)=0A=0A* **Meta debuted Muse Spark af= ter a $14B infrastructure overhaul** =E2=80=94 Meta launched Muse Spark on = April 8, the first model from Meta Superintelligence Labs under new AI chie= f Alexandr Wang. The natively multimodal reasoning model is described as "s= mall and fast by design" with a Contemplating mode for harder queries, and = it will roll out across Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, and Ray-B= an Meta AI glasses in the coming weeks. Meta is spending $115B-$135B on AI = capex in 2026, almost double last year. =E2=86=92 [Meta](https://ai.meta.co= m/blog/introducing-muse-spark-msl/) =C2=B7 [TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.= com/2026/04/08/meta-debuts-the-muse-spark-model-in-a-ground-up-overhaul-of-= its-ai/)=0A=0A* **Brands cited in AI Overviews earn 35% more organic clicks= , 91% more paid** =E2=80=94 New data from Seer Interactive analyzing 3,119 = queries across 42 organizations confirmed what GEO practitioners have been = saying for a year: citation is the new ranking. Organic CTR drops 61% when = an AI Overview appears, and 43% of AI Overview sessions end in zero clicks.= But brands cited inside the Overview earn 35% more organic and 91% more pa= id clicks than brands that aren't. The correlation between branded web ment= ions and AI citations is 0.664; for backlinks, it's 0.218. =E2=86=92 [Prago= Media](https://www.pragomedia.com/2026/04/19/brands-mentioned-in-ai-overvie= ws-can-see-up-to-35-more-traffic-data-suggests/) =C2=B7 [Seer Interactive](= https://www.seerinteractive.com/insights/aio-impact-on-google-ctr-september= -2025-update)=0A=0A* **Google confirmed the March 2026 core update is compl= ete** =E2=80=94 Google confirmed the March 2026 core update finished rollin= g out on April 8 after a 12-day deployment that began March 27. The paralle= l March spam update wrapped in under 20 hours, the shortest confirmed spam = update in dashboard history. Google guidance this cycle was less about puni= shment and more about re-ranking based on intent match, freshness, and expe= rience signals. Sites with weak differentiation or misaligned intent saw th= e sharpest declines, while topical authorities mostly held or grew. =E2=86= =92 [Search Engine Land](https://searchengineland.com/google-march-2026-cor= e-update-rollout-is-now-complete-473883) =C2=B7 [Search Engine Journal](htt= ps://www.searchenginejournal.com/google-confirms-march-2026-core-update-is-= complete/571459/)=0A=0A* **Perplexity revenue jumped 50% after pivot to AI = agents** =E2=80=94 Perplexity's shift from search to agentic workflows has = paid off, with estimated ARR topping $450M in March, up 50% month over mont= h. This week the company shipped Skills, a Model Council feature, Voice Mod= e, and a GPT-5.3-Codex coding subagent inside Perplexity Computer, plus add= ed GPT-5.4 for Pro and Max subscribers. Deep Research now generates present= ations, spreadsheets, dashboards, and websites in-product. A new tax agent = also shipped, extending the agentic surface area into compliance work. =E2= =86=92 [PYMNTS](https://www.pymnts.com/artificial-intelligence-2/2026/perpl= exitys-shift-to-ai-agents-boosts-revenue-50/) =C2=B7 [Perplexity Changelog]= (https://www.perplexity.ai/changelog)=0A=0A* **OpenAI launched ChatGPT Pro = at $100/month, pivoted on shopping** =E2=80=94 OpenAI rolled out a new $100= /month ChatGPT Pro tier with 5x the Codex limits of the $20 Plus tier, plus= shipped over 90 curated plugins for skills, app integrations, and MCP serv= ers. Workspace analytics replaced user-level analytics for Business admins.= The company also scrapped Instant Checkout inside ChatGPT, saying the firs= t version "did not offer the level of flexibility we aspire to provide." Me= rchants now use their own checkout experiences while OpenAI focuses on prod= uct discovery. =E2=86=92 [CNBC](https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/09/openai-chat= gpt-pro-subscription-anthropic-claude-code.html) =C2=B7 [TechCrunch](https:= //techcrunch.com/2026/03/24/openais-plans-to-make-chatgpt-more-like-amazon-= arent-going-so-well/)=0A=0A* **HubSpot priced Breeze AI agents per outcome,= not per seat** =E2=80=94 HubSpot's shift to outcome-based pricing for its = Breeze AI agents =E2=80=94 $0.50 per resolved conversation and $1 per quali= fied lead =E2=80=94 is a direct response to enterprise buyers tired of payi= ng for AI potential. It's the clearest signal yet that the SaaS pricing mod= el is fracturing under agentic AI. Meanwhile, HubSpot's flagship INBOUND co= nference has officially been renamed UNBOUND for its September 16-18 return= in Boston, reflecting a broader category rebrand around AI-era growth. =E2= =86=92 [Marketing Trends April 20](https://www.b2the7.com/news-blog/marketi= ng-trends-april-20-2026) =C2=B7 [UNBOUND 2026](https://unbound.hubspot.com)= =0A=0A=0A=0A=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94= =E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2= =80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80= =94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=0A=0A### =F0=9F=91=BE Feed The Engine=0A=0AV= iew image: (https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=3Dscale-down,format= =3Dauto,onerror=3Dredirect,quality=3D80/uploads/asset/file/e0a02bc7-64dc-44= 2e-8b9c-07a68057ae5a/Pacman__1_.gif?t=3D1775570125)=0ACaption: =0A=0A### Th= is week: Topical Authority=0A=0AGoogle doesn't evaluate pages in isolation = anymore. It evaluates **how much your entire domain knows** about a topic. = =0A=0AThat's topical authority =E2=80=94 and it's now the **single stronges= t predictor of AI citation**, with a **0.41** correlation. Domain authority= , by comparison, explains less than 4% of variance.=0A=0AHere's how it work= s. If you publish one article on _"content marketing for startups,"_ Google= sees a page. If you **publish 15 interconnected** pieces =E2=80=94 coverin= g strategy, execution, measurement, tools, case studies, mistakes, and tren= ds =E2=80=94 Google sees an expert. The depth and breadth of your coverage = signals that you don't just know the answer to one question. You know the e= ntire subject.=0A=0AThe compounding effect is real. A narrow site **coverin= g one domain deeply outperforms **a broad site covering ten topics at surfa= ce level. Google's March core update made this explicit=E2=80=A6 sites with= comprehensive topical coverage gained visibility while sites that publishe= d widely but shallowly lost it. And AI citation systems follow the same pat= tern =E2=80=94 ChatGPT and Perplexity are more likely to cite a source they= 've seen answer multiple related questions consistently than one they've se= en answer a single question once.=0A=0AYou can't build topical authority in= a week. But you can start this week. =0A=0APick your single most important= topic. Map every question your audience asks about it. Check how many of t= hose questions you've published answers for. The gaps are your content queu= e. Fill them =E2=80=94 not all at once, but consistently =E2=80=94 and the = compounding starts.=0A=0A**_Next week:_**_ Entity Density =E2=80=94 what "1= 5+ named entities =3D 4.8x more citations" actually means in practice._=0A= =0ABuild Your Topical Authority Strategy Map (app.averi.ai/sign-up)=0A=0A= =0A=0A=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80= =94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94= =E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2= =80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=0A=0A=0A=0A### =E2=9A=99=EF=B8=8F=C2=A0Straight Ou= tta Dev=0A=0AView image: (https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=3Dsca= le-down,format=3Dauto,onerror=3Dredirect,quality=3D80/uploads/asset/file/42= 3e2ea7-c405-49b8-bb5a-4252bee15411/ScreenRecording2026-04-22at10.03.40AM-ez= gif.com-speed.gif?t=3D1776866993)=0ACaption: =0A=0A**Your Strategy Map is n= ow yours to edit =E2=80=94 add, delete, and rebuild pillars on your terms.*= *=0A=0AWhen we launched Strategy Map, Averi generated your content pillars = based on your Brand Core =E2=80=94 your ICP, your positioning, your competi= tive landscape. =0A=0AIt was a strong starting point. But starting points a= ren't enough when your strategy evolves, your market shifts, or you realize= a pillar that looked good on paper isn't driving results.=0A=0A**Now you h= ave full control.** =0A=0AThree new capabilities are live inside Strategy M= ap:=0A=0A**Add your own pillars.** See a topic your audience cares about th= at Averi didn't surface? Add it yourself. Name it, scope it, and Averi will= generate focus areas and topics underneath it =E2=80=94 fitting your custo= m pillar into the same strategic framework as everything else in your map.= =0A=0A**Delete pillars that aren't working.** Not every pillar earns its pl= ace. If a pillar isn't driving traffic, isn't relevant to your ICP, or was = never right to begin with =E2=80=94 remove it. No guilt. Your Strategy Map = should reflect what you're actually building authority on, not what sounded= good three months ago.=0A=0A**Regenerate pillars with AI.** Want to keep t= he topic but rethink the approach? Hit regenerate and Averi rebuilds the pi= llar =E2=80=94 new focus areas, new topic suggestions, new angles =E2=80=94= using everything it knows about your brand, your audience, and what's perf= orming in your space right now.=0A=0A**View your entire map at once.** Unti= l now, you navigated your Strategy Map one pillar at a time. Now you can ex= pand everything =E2=80=94 every pillar, every focus area, every topic, ever= y sub-topic =E2=80=94 in a single view. See the full architecture of your c= ontent strategy laid out in front of you. Spot gaps. Find overlaps. Underst= and how your pillars connect. The bird's-eye view turns strategic planning = from clicking through layers into seeing the whole system at once.=0A=0AThi= s matters more than it sounds. Your Strategy Map is the foundation that dri= ves your Content Queue, your scoring, and now your Priority Next Actions. E= very pillar you add, remove, or rebuild cascades through the entire engine.= A sharper map means sharper recommendations, sharper content, and sharper = results.=0A=0AThis is what we mean by guided, not autopilot. Averi builds t= he strategic framework. You shape it. The engine runs on both.=0A=0ABuild Y= our Custom Strategy Map (https://app.averi.ai/sign-up)=0A=0A=E2=80=94 Averi= Team=0A=0A=0A=0A=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2= =80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80= =94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94= =E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=0A=0A### =F0=9F=93=9A New: Welcome To = Averi Academy=0A=0AView image: (https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit= =3Dscale-down,format=3Dauto,onerror=3Dredirect,quality=3D80/uploads/asset/f= ile/183ce21a-e1ec-41f8-8cca-f38f2a7d0a8b/averiacademycover-ezgif.com-video-= to-gif-converter.gif?t=3D1774359096)=0ACaption: =0A=0AThe data in this week= 's issue points at one difficult reality. The skills that made a great cont= ent marketer in 2022 =E2=80=94 keyword research, on-page SEO, backlink outr= each =E2=80=94 are necessary but no longer sufficient. =0A=0AYou need to kn= ow how LLMs retrieve, how citations get earned, and how to structure a piec= e so it's extractable by machines and compelling to humans at the same time= .=0A=0AThat's what Averi Academy teaches. =0A=0AIt's free. It's built for o= perators. And it ends with a _Certified AI Content Engineer credential_ tha= t actually means something when a recruiter pulls up your LinkedIn.=0A=0ATh= e curriculum covers the new stack end to end =E2=80=94 brand core systems, = content queue design, GEO-first drafting, AI citation tracking, and the edi= torial standards that separate extractable content from generic AI slop. Ev= ery module is taught by practitioners who've actually grown traffic in the = AI search era, not consultants recycling 2023 slides.=0A=0AIf you're hiring= for one of the GEO roles we listed above, or applying for one, this is the= fastest way to get the vocabulary and the portfolio to move.=0A=0A=F0=9F= =91=89 [Become a Certified AI Content Engineer =E2=86=92](https://www.averi= .ai/academy)=0A=0A=0A=0A=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80= =94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94= =E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2= =80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=0A=0A### =F0=9F=93=9D The Good S= h*t=0A=0AView image: (https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=3Dscale-d= own,format=3Dauto,onerror=3Dredirect,quality=3D80/uploads/asset/file/9bbd9d= bf-a22a-4aec-a325-16e954a98520/pexels-caleb-minear-225420674-34234195.jpg?t= =3D1776866019)=0ACaption: =0A=0A### The Authenticity Premium: Why Human-in-= the-Loop Content Outperforms Pure AI by 4x=0A=0A**CNN called it in December= 2025: **_[2026 will be the year of "100% human" marketing](https://www.cnn= .com/2025/12/16/business/anti-ai-backlash-nightcap)_.=0A=0AiHeartMedia foun= d that _[90% of its listeners want their media created by humans](https://w= ww.cnn.com/2025/12/16/business/anti-ai-backlash-nightcap)_ =E2=80=94 even t= he ones who use AI tools themselves.=0A=0AApple TV's _"Pluribus" _from Vinc= e Gilligan ran credits that read "_This show was made by humans."_=0A=0AThe= Tyee adopted a no-AI journalism policy. Pinterest's AI embrace is _[aliena= ting its most dedicated users](https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/16/business/anti= -ai-backlash-nightcap)_. New York subway ads for AI products get vandalized= with "AI is not your friend."=0A=0AMerriam-Webster's 2025 Word of the Year= ? **"Slop."**=0A=0AIf you're a startup founder reading this and thinking _"= great, so I should stop using AI for content," _hold on.=0A=0AThat's not wh= at the data actually says.=0A=0AThe data says something more nuanced and mo= re useful:=0A=0A**The brands winning in 2026 aren't the ones avoiding AI. T= hey're the ones using AI as infrastructure and humans as voice.**=0A=0ARead= more (https://www.averi.ai/how-to/google-s-march-2026-update-hit-55-of-sit= es.-now-what)=0A=0A#### More From The Averi Journals=0A=0A1. **Agentic Mark= eting for Startups: What It Means (And What to Ignore)****=E2=86=92 **_**[R= ead online](https://www.averi.ai/blog/agentic-marketing-for-startups-what-i= t-means-(and-what-to-ignore))**_=0A=0A2. **We're Building for the Founders = Nobody's Building For ****=E2=86=92 **_[**Read online**](https://www.averi.= ai/blog/we-re-building-for-the-founders-nobody-s-building-for)_=0A=0A3. **B= est AI SEO Tools for Small Marketing Teams (2026) ****=E2=86=92 **_[**Read = online**](https://www.averi.ai/blog/best-ai-seo-tools-for-small-marketing-t= eams-(2026))_=0A=0A=0A=0A=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2= =80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80= =94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94= =E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=0A=0A=0A=0A### =F0=9F=A4=96 W= hat The Bots Are Reading=0A=0AView image: (https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cg= i/image/fit=3Dscale-down,format=3Dauto,onerror=3Dredirect,quality=3D80/uplo= ads/asset/file/ff9d8d79-d332-42ee-a9d5-bb41288ed526/6d1c9c42799199.57d82531= ebbf3.gif?t=3D1773683900)=0ACaption: =0A=0A**The click is dead. The citatio= n is the new asset.**=0A=0ASeer Interactive dropped the **most important pi= ece of GEO research** of the year this month, and if you haven't internaliz= ed it yet, your 2026 content strategy is already wrong.=0A=0ABetween June 2= 024 and September 2025, Seer analyzed 3,119 informational queries across 42= organizations. =0A=0AThey tracked 25.1 million organic impressions and 1.1= million paid impressions. The scale matters because the conclusions are bi= g enough to kill a decade of SEO orthodoxy.=0A=0A**Here's what they found. = **=0A=0AWhen an AI Overview appears on a search result page, organic click-= through rate on the top result drops 61%. Paid CTR drops 68%. About 43% of = AI Overview sessions end in zero clicks =E2=80=94 the user reads the summar= y and leaves. This tracks with Ahrefs' parallel study from February 2026, w= hich put the drop at 58% on average.=0A=0A**The old playbook said:** rank #= 1, get the click. That playbook assumed the click existed. It doesn't anymo= re for huge portions of informational search.=0A=0ABut here's the twist tha= t changes the math entirely. Brands cited inside the AI Overview earn **35%= more organic clicks** and **91% more paid clicks **than brands not cited = =E2=80=94 on the same query. Being inside the summary is now worth more tha= n ranking below it. Citation has replaced ranking as the visibility asset.= =0A=0AThe research that makes this actionable is the correlation work. The = correlation between branded web mentions and AI Overview citation is **0.66= 4**. The correlation between traditional backlinks and AI citation is **0.2= 18**. In the old world, backlinks were the strongest signal. In the new wor= ld, **brand mentions are three times** stronger.=0A=0AThis flips a lot of a= gency playbooks on their head. Link building, guest posting, and PR that ch= ased dofollow links now matters less than unlinked brand mentions across au= thoritative sites, Reddit threads, YouTube descriptions, and industry newsl= etters. The signals the bots care about are the signals humans were already= producing organically =E2=80=94 talking about brands in context.=0A=0APara= llel research from Omniscient Digital, which analyzed 23,000+ AI citations,= backs this up. Listicles (21.9%) and articles (16.7%) dominate citations i= n AI Mode, ChatGPT, and Perplexity. And 44.2% of all LLM citations come fro= m the first 30% of an article =E2=80=94 meaning the intro is doing most of = the heavy lifting. Add statistical facts and you get a +22% citation lift. = Add direct quotations and it's +37%.=0A=0A**What this means for startups:**= You already do not have budget for a massive link-building operation. Good= news: that's not where the visibility is anymore. The startups that win th= e citation economy are the ones who publish original data, stake specific p= ositions, get mentioned (linked or not) in industry conversations, and stru= cture content for extraction. Front-load your facts. Name your sources. Ear= n the quote pull.=0A=0AThe ranking race got harder and less rewarding. The = citation race just started, and the early signals favor the specific, the d= ata-backed, and the brand-forward. That's a race startups can actually win.= =0A=0A=F0=9F=93=8A **By the numbers**=0A=0A* **61%** =E2=80=94 drop in orga= nic CTR when an AI Overview appears ([Seer Interactive](https://www.seerint= eractive.com/insights/aio-impact-on-google-ctr-september-2025-update))=0A= =0A* **58%** =E2=80=94 average click reduction found by Ahrefs in February = 2026 ([Ahrefs](https://ahrefs.com/blog/ai-overviews-reduce-clicks-update/))= =0A=0A* **43%** =E2=80=94 share of AI Overview sessions that end in zero cl= icks ([Seer](https://www.seerinteractive.com/insights/aio-impact-on-google-= ctr-september-2025-update))=0A=0A* **35%** =E2=80=94 more organic clicks fo= r brands cited inside AI Overviews=0A=0A* **91%** =E2=80=94 more paid click= s for brands cited inside AI Overviews=0A=0A* **0.664 vs. 0.218** =E2=80=94= correlation of brand mentions vs. backlinks to AI citations=0A=0A* **44.2%= ** =E2=80=94 share of LLM citations pulled from the first 30% of an article= ([Omniscient Digital](https://beomniscient.com/blog/content-types-cited-in= -llms/))=0A=0A* **+37%** =E2=80=94 citation lift when content includes dire= ct quotations=0A=0AStart Getting Cited By AI with Averi (app.averi.ai/sign-= up)=0A=0A=0A=0A=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80= =94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94= =E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2= =80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=0A=0A=0A=0A### =F0=9F=95=B5 Marketer=E2= =80=99s Anonymous=0A=0AWe all know the industry loves to pretend it=E2=80= =99s got it all figured out.=0A=0ABut here?=0A=0AWe tell the truth.=0A=0AEv= ery week, we=E2=80=99re asking you to share how things really work behind t= he scenes. Because getting better starts with getting honest.=0A=0ADon=E2= =80=99t worry, it=E2=80=99s a safe space.=0A=0ADrop your vote.=0A=0A**Which= ever you picked =E2=80=94 do you know what it's actually costing you?**=0A= =0AFounder hours. Freelancer invoices. Agency retainers. Revision rounds. T= he campaign that took three weeks instead of three days. The blog post that= cost $800 and got 47 pageviews.=0A=0AWe built a calculator that shows you = the real cost of your current content operation =E2=80=94 and what it looks= like when a content engine handles strategy, drafting, publishing, and ana= lytics in one workflow.=0A=0A### See what you could save =F0=9F=92=B8=0A=0A= =E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2= =80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80= =94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94= =E2=80=94=E2=80=94=0A=0A### =0A=F0=9F=93=BA The Algorithm Could Never=0A=0A= **The Halal Guys =E2=80=94 "53rd & Sixth" Fine Dining Concept**=0A=0AView i= mage: (https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=3Dscale-down,format=3Dau= to,onerror=3Dredirect,quality=3D80/uploads/asset/file/2b145bb3-152c-4e39-b4= 67-c7d27d15e60b/image.png?t=3D1776864877)=0ACaption: =0A=0AOn April 1, The = Halal Guys announced the opening of 53rd & Sixth, a tasting-menu fine dinin= g concept at the exact Manhattan intersection where the brand started as a = street cart in 1990. The mock campaign promised gold-plated white sauce ser= vice, 24-karat falafel, Halal-certified Wagyu platters, and tableside pairi= ngs from a dedicated "sauce sommelier." Marketing materials were shot in th= e visual language of Michelin hospitality =E2=80=94 crisp linens, black-tie= service, soft jazz =E2=80=94 but with a chicken-over-rice platter at the c= enter of every hero shot.=0A=0AThe joke wasn't subtle. That's why it worked= . =0A=0ARather than building a stunt around the brand's current menu, The H= alal Guys built a stunt around its origin story. Every detail of 53rd & Six= th referenced the cart =E2=80=94 the exact address, the white sauce, the re= d-and-yellow color palette sneaking into the "new" branding. It was nostalg= ia wrapped in parody, and it read as affectionate rather than cynical.=0A= =0AThe campaign spread across Instagram, X, and TikTok organically within h= ours. Food media picked it up as one of the standout April Fools campaigns = of the year, and the brand's original street cart location saw a measurable= foot traffic lift the following week as people came to see "where it all s= tarted." The company didn't need to book a celebrity or buy ad placement. T= he concept carried the whole thing.=0A=0A**Why we love it:** Most April Foo= ls campaigns try to be clever. This one was confident. The brand trusted it= s own origin story to do the heavy lifting, and the joke only works if you = know the real product is a $10 street cart platter. It rewarded loyal custo= mers without excluding new ones. The best brand humor works like an inside = joke that anyone can join.=0A=0A**Results:** Coverage in Ad Age, DesignRush= , ContentGrip, and Tom's Guide "Best April Fools 2026" roundups. Organic en= gagement across social channels in the first 48 hours dwarfed typical brand= posts, and the original 53rd & Sixth location reported elevated foot traff= ic the following weekend. Multiple food media outlets ranked it among the t= op five April Fools campaigns of 2026.=0A=0A**The algorithm could never:** = An algorithm can generate an April Fools product concept. It cannot decide = that the funniest version of your brand is the most expensive version of yo= ur cheapest product, at the exact address where your founders first swiped = a credit card. That's a human deciding which part of the brand story to exa= ggerate and which to protect.=0A=0A**The startup takeaway:** Your origin st= ory isn't just an About page =E2=80=94 it's the rawest material you have fo= r earned media.=0A=0A**Watch the campaign:** =E2=86=92 _[Best April Fools 2= 026 Roundup](https://adage.com/creativity/campaigns-commercials/aa-april-fo= ols-day-2026/)_=0A=0A=0A=0A=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2= =80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80= =94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94= =E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=0A=0A=0A=0A### =F0=9F=97=93= =EF=B8=8F Make Friends =0A=0A* **NTCA Marketing and Sales Conference** | Bo= ston, MA | May 3-5, 2026 | [=E2=86=92 Register](https://www.ntca.org/learn/= events/save-date-marketing-sales-conference)=0A=0A* **B2B Online Chicago** = | Chicago, IL | May 4-6, 2026 | [=E2=86=92 Register](https://wavecnct.com/b= logs/marketing-conferences-trade-shows-usa-2026)=0A=0A* **Gartner Marketing= Symposium** | London, UK | May 11-12, 2026 | [=E2=86=92 Register](https://= www.gartner.com/en/conferences/hub/marketing-conferences)=0A=0A* **SaaStr A= nnual** | San Mateo, CA | May 12-14, 2026 | [=E2=86=92 Register](https://wa= vecnct.com/blogs/marketing-conferences-trade-shows-usa-2026)=0A=0A* **DigiM= arCon New England** | Boston, MA | May 12-13, 2026 | [=E2=86=92 Register](h= ttps://www.eventbrite.com/e/digimarcon-new-england-2026-digital-marketing-c= onference-exhibition-tickets-1653294641779)=0A=0A* **DigiMarCon Great Lakes= **| Cleveland, OH | May 28-29, 2026 | [=E2=86=92 Register](https://digimar= congreatlakes.com/)=0A=0A##### **SaaStr Annual 2026**=0A=0AThe biggest SaaS= founder gathering of the year is back at the San Mateo County Events Cente= r. 10,000+ founders, VCs, and executives across 40 acres with 300+ sessions= on go-to-market, pricing, AI agents, and scaling through the weird post-ZI= RP market. If your 2026 plan includes raising a Series A or B, pitching ent= erprise, or just figuring out why your competitor's LinkedIn content is sud= denly everywhere, this is where those conversations happen.=0A=0A**Date:** = May 12-14, 2026=0A=0A**Location:** San Mateo County Events Center, San Fran= cisco Bay Area, CA=0A=0A**Link:** [Register](https://wavecnct.com/blogs/mar= keting-conferences-trade-shows-usa-2026)=0A=0A##### **Gartner Marketing Sym= posium 2026**=0A=0AIf you run marketing at a growth-stage company and want = to hear how enterprise CMOs are actually restructuring teams around AI agen= ts, GEO, and outcome-based measurement, this is the event. The two-day Lond= on gathering pulls from Gartner's research pipeline and tends to surface th= e early signals that show up in CMO budget decks six months later. Worth th= e flight if you're a solo marketer punching above your weight and need to k= now what enterprise is about to start doing.=0A=0A**Date:** May 11-12, 2026= =0A=0A**Location:** London, UK=0A=0A**Link:** [Register](https://www.gartne= r.com/en/conferences/hub/marketing-conferences)=0A=0A=0A=0A=0A=E2=80=94=E2= =80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80= =94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94= =E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2= =80=94=0A=0A### =F0=9F=92=A1Ask Averi=0A=0A##### AI + Human Marketing Tip = =0A=0A=E2=80=9C**=E2=80=9CIf 44% of LLM citations come from the first 30% o= f your article, your intro is no longer a warm-up. It's the asset.=E2=80=9D= **=0A=0AGo to your three highest-traffic blog posts right now and ask=E2=80= =A6 does the first 150 words answer the question directly, include a statis= tical fact with a cited source, and name your brand as the entity behind th= e claim? =0A=0AIf not, rewrite them this week. =0A=0AThat's a 30-minute fix= with outsized upside. Most content teams buried the answer three scrolls d= own and called it engagement. The bots don't scroll. Put the answer where t= hey read.=E2=80=9C =E2=80=94 =0A=0A**Strategy You Can Steal**=0A=0A**The 90= -Minute Citation Audit**=0A=0AYou already have content. It just isn't struc= tured to be cited. This sprint turns your existing library into citation-re= ady assets without writing anything new. Block 90 minutes on your calendar,= close Slack, and run it.=0A=0A**Block 1: Pick Your 5 (15 minutes)**=0A=0AP= ull your analytics and identify five posts that meet these criteria: rankin= g on page 1 or 2 for a target keyword, still getting at least 100 monthly i= mpressions, published within the last 18 months. These are your citation ca= ndidates. They already have Google's trust. They just need to be made extra= ctable. Skip posts ranking below page 2 =E2=80=94 the juice isn't worth the= squeeze yet.=0A=0A**Block 2: Run the Intro Rewrite (25 minutes)**=0A=0AFor= each of the five, rewrite the first 150 words to do three jobs: state the = user's question in their own voice as an H2 or opening line, give a 40-60 w= ord direct answer that could stand alone in an AI response, include one hyp= erlinked statistic from an authoritative source (McKinsey, Gartner, HubSpot= , or original data). Keep your brand name inside that first block. LLMs cit= e entities, not paragraphs.=0A=0A**Block 3: Add the Quote Pull and FAQ (25 = minutes)**=0A=0AInsert one pullquote from a named expert (internal is fine = if you link to their bio) and add a 3-4 question FAQ block at the bottom wi= th schema-ready formatting. Direct quotations lift citation probability by = 37%. FAQ schema is still the cleanest path into both Google featured snippe= ts and AI Overview expansions. Use real user language in your FAQ questions= =E2=80=94 the exact way someone would type it into ChatGPT, not how a cont= ent strategist would write it.=0A=0A**Block 4: Track and Mention (25 minute= s)**=0A=0ASet up tracking for the five URLs using whatever GEO tool you pre= fer (Profound, Peec, SE Ranking's AI tracker, or a spreadsheet if you're sc= rappy). Then spend the last 15 minutes writing one short LinkedIn post, one= Reddit comment in a relevant subreddit, or one newsletter blurb that links= the updated post with your brand named explicitly. Brand mentions correlat= e with AI citation at 0.664. Your five-post audit becomes a five-post menti= on operation.=0A=0A**Why this works**=0A=0AThe Seer data shows citation is = now worth more than position. The Omniscient data shows intros do 44% of th= e citation lifting. This sprint targets both levers at once =E2=80=94 makin= g your best content extractable and your brand more mentioned. Five posts, = 90 minutes, zero new writing. The bots read what's already there. You're ju= st making sure they find your name when they do.=0A=0ARun your Audit inside= Averi (app.averi.ai/sign-up)=0A=0A=0A=0A=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80= =94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94= =E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2= =80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=0A=0A### =F0= =9F=92=BC Don't Let AI Replace You=0A=0A* **Care.com** =0APosition: Marketi= ng Manager, SEO & GEO =E2=80=93 Austin, TX (Hybrid) Build and execute the S= EO roadmap and define [Care.com](https://Care.com)'s AI search visibility s= trategy across Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity. The job listin= g literally says "be the answer, not just a result." =E2=86=92 [Apply Now](= https://searchengineland.com/latest-jobs-in-search-marketing-378959)=0A=0A*= **Ping Identity** =0APosition: SEO & GEO Manager =E2=80=93 Remote Drive SE= O and generative AI platform strategies, optimize techniques across traditi= onal and AI search, and collaborate across marketing teams. GEO in the job = title. =E2=86=92 [Apply Now](https://www.builtinnyc.com/jobs/search/search-= engine-optimization)=0A=0A* **Profound** =0APosition: SEO & AI Search Optim= ization Specialist (GEO / LLMO) =E2=80=93 Remote Full-time GEO role at one = of the leading AI citation tracking platforms. If you want to be at the cen= ter of the data that's reshaping how brands show up in AI answers, this is = it. =E2=86=92 [Apply Now](https://dynamitejobs.com/skill/remote-seo-jobs)= =0A=0A* **Daydream** =0APosition: Multiple roles (just raised $15M Series A= ) =E2=80=93 Remote The AI-native SEO startup that just closed a $15M round = is hiring across the board. If you want to build the next generation of org= anic search infrastructure from the inside, this is the moment. =E2=86=92 [= Apply Now](https://www.daydream.co/careers)=0A=0A* **AllTrails** =0APositio= n: Editorial & SEO Content Strategy Intern =E2=80=93 Remote World's most po= pular outdoor platform. Learn content strategy and SEO at a brand with mass= ive organic reach and a product people actually love. Great entry point. = =E2=86=92 [Apply Now](https://searchengineland.com/latest-jobs-in-search-ma= rketing-378959)=0A=0A* **BetterHelp** Position: Editorial Strategist =E2=80= =93 Remote Oversee BetterHelp's editorial roadmap, enhance mental health co= ntent quality and SEO visibility. Tools listed include AirOps, Profound, an= d generative search tools =E2=80=94 the GEO stack is built in. =E2=86=92 [A= pply Now](https://www.builtinchicago.org/jobs/search/search-engine-optimiza= tion)=0A=0A* **Anthropic** =0APosition: SEO Lead =E2=80=93 San Francisco, C= A Build and scale Anthropic's organic search and AI discoverability program= from the ground up. AEO/GEO listed as a preferred skill. =E2=86=92 [Apply = Now](https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/anthropic/jobs/5102291008)=0A=0A* **P= fizer** =0APosition: Manager, SEO and AI Discoverability =E2=80=93 New York= , NY (Hybrid) First-of-its-kind role inside Pfizer's new Content Engine Cen= ter of Excellence. SEO + GEO execution across the full web portfolio. $106K= -$171K. =E2=86=92 [Apply Now](https://www.pfizer.com/about/careers/job/4952= 389)=0A=0A* **Pfizer** =0APosition: Manager, Content Engine =E2=80=93 New Y= ork, NY (Hybrid) The other half of Pfizer's new SEO/GEO org. End-to-end con= tent production, editorial governance, and quality control for search-drive= n content at pharma scale. =E2=86=92 [Apply Now](https://www.pfizer.com/abo= ut/careers/job/4952389)=0A=0A* **Bitly** =0APosition: Content Marketing Man= ager =E2=80=93 Remote Own Bitly's content strategy end-to-end: thought lead= ership, data-driven reports, customer stories, video. AI tools expected. = =E2=86=92 [Apply Now](https://builtin.com/jobs/remote/marketing/search/cont= ent-marketing-manager)=0A=0A* **Retell AI** =0APosition: Content Marketer = =E2=80=93 Remote SEO-optimized articles, product updates, landing pages, an= d social for a voice AI startup. Tight product collaboration. =E2=86=92 [Ap= ply Now](https://builtin.com/jobs/remote/marketing/search/content-marketing= -manager)=0A=0A* **EliseAI** =0APosition: Product Marketing Manager =E2=80= =93 New York, NY Own positioning, messaging, go-to-market, and sales enable= ment for an AI-powered housing platform. =E2=86=92 [Apply Now](https://www.= builtinnyc.com/jobs/marketing/artificial-intelligence)=0A=0A_Know of a role= that should be here? Reply to this email and we'll feature it next week._= =0A=0A=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80= =94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94= =E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2= =80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=0A=0A**Did You Know?** =E2=80=94 =C2=A0Branded web= mentions correlate with AI Overview citations at **0.664**, while traditio= nal backlinks correlate at just **0.218** =E2=80=94 meaning unlinked brand = mentions are now roughly **three times more predictive** of AI visibility t= han backlinks. =0A=0AThe citation economy rewards being talked about, not j= ust linked to.=0A=0ATil next time, =0A=0A#### _**DFTA**_=0A=0A=E2=80=94=E2= =80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80= =94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94= =E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2= =80=94=0A=0A###### _If this hits home, we=E2=80=99d love it if you shared i= t. Send it to a friend, a teammate, or that one person who=E2=80=99s always= drowning in a Google Doc._=0A=0A----------=0A=F0=9F=93=9D Have an idea for= an article or column? _[Pitch us](mailto:zc@averi.ai?subject=3DPitch)_=0A= =0A=F0=9F=94=B5 Want _**DFTA**_ on LinkedIn? _[Subscribe](https://www.linke= din.com/newsletters/don-t-feed-the-algorithm-7318006787134156800/)_=0A=0A= =0A----------=0A=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=0A=0AYou are reading a plain te= xt version of this post. For the best experience, copy and paste this link = in your browser to view the post online:=0Ahttps://dont-feed-the-algorithm.= beehiiv.com/p/google-s-core-update-is-done-93-of-ai-searches-don-t-click-an= d-the-citation-is-the-new-distribution --BK1vJsjBQFiH1ULpcbjs2g Content-Type: text/html; charset="utf-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable The signal that's 3x more predictive than backlinks=0A @font-face {=0A font-family: 'Work Sans';=0A = font-style: normal;=0A font-weight: 600;=0A font-display= : swap;=0A src: url('https://fonts.gstatic.com/s/worksans/v19/QGY_= z_wNahGAdqQ43RhVcIgYT2Xz5u32K5fQBi8Jpo3ZKyHaQQ.woff2') format('woff2');=0A = }=0A=0A @font-face {=0A font-family: 'Work Sans';=0A= font-style: italic;=0A font-weight: 600;=0A fon= t-display: swap;=0A src: url('https://fonts.gstatic.com/s/worksans= /v19/QGY9z_wNahGAdqQ43Rh_ebrnlwyYfEPxPoGUAGw5pIfYCSXCQNBf.woff2') format('w= off2');=0A }=0A @font-face {=0A font-family: 'Work S= ans';=0A font-style: normal;=0A font-weight: 400;=0A = font-display: swap;=0A src: url('https://fonts.gstatic.com/s/= worksans/v19/QGY_z_wNahGAdqQ43RhVcIgYT2Xz5u32K0nXBi8Jpo3ZKyHaQQ.woff2') for= mat('woff2');=0A }=0A=0A @font-face {=0A font-family= : 'Work Sans';=0A font-style: italic;=0A font-weight: 400= ;=0A font-display: swap;=0A src: url('https://fonts.gstat= ic.com/s/worksans/v19/QGY9z_wNahGAdqQ43Rh_ebrnlwyYfEPxPoGU3ms5pIfYCSXCQNBf.= woff2') format('woff2');=0A }=0A
The data is in from 42 o= rganizations and 3,119 queries. Plus: Claude Opus 4.7, HubSpot kills per-se= at pricing, and a 90-minute citation audit you can run this week.  = 204; ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ = ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌= 60;‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌=  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ R= 04; ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ &= #8204; ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌= 0;‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌&= #160;‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ̴= 4; ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ &#= 8204; ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ = ;‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌&#= 160;‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌= ; ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ = 204; ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ = ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌= 60;‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌=  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ R= 04; ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ &= #8204; ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌= 0;‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌&= #160;‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ̴= 4; ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ &#= 8204; ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ = ;‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌&#= 160;‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌= ; ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ = 204; ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ = ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌= 60;‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌=  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ R= 04; ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ &= #8204; ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌= 0;‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌&= #160;‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ̴= 4; ‌ ‌ ‌
= <= td class=3D"dd" align=3D"left" style=3D"padding:0px 16px;text-align:left;wo= rd-break:break-word;">

We tell the= truth.

= <= tr><= /tr>=

CNN called it in December 2025: 2026 will be the year of = "100% human" marketing.

= =

What this = means for startups: You already do not have budget for a massive link-b= uilding operation. Good news: that's not where the visibility is anymor= e. The startups that win the citation economy are the ones who publish orig= inal data, stake specific positions, get mentioned (linked or not) in indus= try conversations, and structure content for extraction. Front-load your fa= cts. Name your sources. Earn the quote pull.

This week: Topical Authority

=

= = = <= td class=3D"dd" align=3D"left" style=3D"padding:0px 16px;text-align:left;wo= rd-break:break-word;">

That's = what Averi Academy teaches.

=

Read online  Estimated Reading Time: 16 minutes

=
3D""
=F0=9F=90= =8A Editor's Note

= Hey there,

Welcome back to another Don=E2=80=99t Fee= d The Algorithm, your weekly dispatch from Av= eri =E2=80=94 where we explore the intersections of marke= ting, AI and the future of work.

Citation.

That's the word this week. Not ranking. Not click-through. Citation.

The Seer Interactive study that dropped this month is the cl= earest data we've seen on what's actually happening in search:<= /i> organic CTR is down 61% when an AI Overview appears, and 43% of thos= e sessions end in zero clicks. But brands cited inside the Overview earn 35= % more organic and 91% more paid clicks than brands that aren't.

The math has flipped. Being named inside the AI summary is now a mo= re valuable asset than ranking below it.

Pair that with the re= lease cadence this week =E2=80=94 Claude Opus 4.7 shipping with high-res vi= sion and task budgets, Meta's Muse Spark launching across every surface= they own, Perplexity's revenue jumping 50% on age= ntic workflows, OpenAI launching a vertical life sciences model and a $100/= month Pro tier =E2=80=94 and the story isn't "AI is coming." = AI is already how your customers are finding, evaluating, and deciding. The= distribution layer of the internet moved, and most startup content strateg= ies are still targeting the old one.

This week's What The = Bots Are Reading breaks down the Seer data in full, the Strategy You Can St= eal is a 90-minute citation audit you can run before T= hursday, and The Algorithm Could Never features The Halal Guys' pitch-p= erfect April Fools campaign that reminded us why origin stories still outpe= rform ad spend.

The good news, if you're a startup founde= r reading this at 11pm between Stripe dashboards and a sales email you'= re not sure you should send=E2=80=A6 the citation economy rewards= the things you already have. A clear point of view. Original da= ta. A specific brand voice. Content structured around what your customers a= ctually ask. The bots aren't waiting for polish. They're waiting fo= r clarity.

Let's build.

=E2=80=94 ZC & The Av= eri Team

Was this newsletter forwarded t= o you? Sign up to get it in your inbox.

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=F0=9F=94= =A5 In Case You Missed It=E2=80=A6

  • Claude Opus 4.7 shipped with high-res image support and= task budgets =E2=80=94 Anthropic released Claude Opus 4.7 on April 16,= a meaningful step up from 4.6 on agentic coding and long-horizon reasoning= . It's the first Claude model with high-resolution image support (2576p= x / 3.75MP) and introduces "task budgets" that give the model a c= ountdown of tokens to finish work gracefully. Pricing stays flat at $5 per = million input tokens and $25 per million output tokens. Anthropic also admi= tted Opus 4.7 trails its unreleased cyber-focused Claude Mythos model in so= me benchmarks, which is unusual honesty for a launch post. =E2=86=92 Anthropic =C2=B7 CNBC

    • OpenAI launched GPT-Rosalind = for life sciences research =E2=80=94 OpenAI introduced a frontier reaso= ning model purpose-built for biology, drug discovery, and translational med= icine, available as a research preview in ChatGPT, Codex, and the API throu= gh a trusted access program. Launch partners include Amgen, Moderna, the Al= len Institute, and Thermo Fisher. The vertical AI push signals OpenAI sees = more enterprise revenue in domain-specific reasoning than in general-purpos= e chat. Business customers went from 20% of revenue in 2024 to 40% today, a= nd OpenAI expects it to hit 50% by year-end. =E2=86=92 OpenAI<= /a> =C2=B7 Fierce Biotech

  • Meta debuted Muse Spark after a $14B infrastructur= e overhaul =E2=80=94 Meta launched Muse Spark on April 8, the first mod= el from Meta Superintelligence Labs under new AI chief Alexandr Wang. The n= atively multimodal reasoning model is described as "small and fast by = design" with a Contemplating mode for harder queries, and it will roll= out across Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, and Ray-Ban Meta AI g= lasses in the coming weeks. Meta is spending $115B-$135B on AI capex in 202= 6, almost double last year. =E2=86=92 Meta =C2=B7 = TechCrunch

  • Brands cited in AI Overviews earn 35% more organic clicks, 91= % more paid =E2=80=94 New data from Seer Interactive analyzing 3,119 qu= eries across 42 organizations confirmed what GEO practitioners have been sa= ying for a year: citation is the new ranking. Organic CTR drops 61% when an= AI Overview appears, and 43% of AI Overview sessions end in zero clicks. B= ut brands cited inside the Overview earn 35% more organic and 91% more paid= clicks than brands that aren't. The correlation between branded web me= ntions and AI citations is 0.664; for backlinks, it's 0.218. =E2=86=92 = PragoMedia =C2=B7 Seer Interactive

  • Google con= firmed the March 2026 core update is complete =E2=80=94 Google confirme= d the March 2026 core update finished rolling out on April 8 after a 12-day= deployment that began March 27. The parallel March spam update wrapped in = under 20 hours, the shortest confirmed spam update in dashboard history. Go= ogle guidance this cycle was less about punishment and more about re-rankin= g based on intent match, freshness, and experience signals. Sites with weak= differentiation or misaligned intent saw the sharpest declines, while topi= cal authorities mostly held or grew. =E2=86=92 Search Engine La= nd =C2=B7 Search Engine Journal

  • Perplexity revenue jumped= 50% after pivot to AI agents =E2=80=94 Perplexity's shift from sea= rch to agentic workflows has paid off, with estimated ARR topping $450M in = March, up 50% month over month. This week the company shipped Skills, a Mod= el Council feature, Voice Mode, and a GPT-5.3-Codex coding subagent inside = Perplexity Computer, plus added GPT-5.4 for Pro and Max subscribers. Deep R= esearch now generates presentations, spreadsheets, dashboards, and websites= in-product. A new tax agent also shipped, extending the agentic surface ar= ea into compliance work. =E2=86=92 PYMNTS =C2=B7 Perplexity Changelog

  • OpenAI launched ChatGPT Pro at $100/month, pivoted= on shopping =E2=80=94 OpenAI rolled out a new $100/month ChatGPT Pro t= ier with 5x the Codex limits of the $20 Plus tier, plus shipped over 90 cur= ated plugins for skills, app integrations, and MCP servers. Workspace analy= tics replaced user-level analytics for Business admins. The company also sc= rapped Instant Checkout inside ChatGPT, saying the first version "did = not offer the level of flexibility we aspire to provide." Merchants no= w use their own checkout experiences while OpenAI focuses on product discov= ery. =E2=86=92 CNBC =C2=B7 TechCrunc= h

  • HubSp= ot priced Breeze AI agents per outcome, not per seat =E2=80=94 HubSpot&= #39;s shift to outcome-based pricing for its Breeze AI agents =E2=80=94 $0.= 50 per resolved conversation and $1 per qualified lead =E2=80=94 is a direc= t response to enterprise buyers tired of paying for AI potential. It's = the clearest signal yet that the SaaS pricing model is fracturing under age= ntic AI. Meanwhile, HubSpot's flagship INBOUND conference has officiall= y been renamed UNBOUND for its September 16-18 return in Boston, reflecting= a broader category rebrand around AI-era growth. =E2=86=92 Marke= ting Trends April 20 =C2=B7 UNBOUND 2026

    • =

 

=F0=9F=91=BE Feed The Engine

3D""

Google doesn't evaluate pages in = isolation anymore. It evaluates how much your entire domain knows ab= out a topic.

That's topical authority =E2=80=94 and it's no= w the single strongest predictor of AI citation, with a 0.41 = correlation. Domain authority, by comparison, explains less than 4% of vari= ance.

Here's how it works. If you publish one article on &qu= ot;content marketing for startups," Google sees a page. If you = publish 15 interconnected pieces =E2=80=94 covering strategy, execution= , measurement, tools, case studies, mistakes, and trends =E2=80=94 Google s= ees an expert. The depth and breadth of your coverage signals that you don&= #39;t just know the answer to one question. You know the entire subject.

The compounding effect is real. A narrow site covering one domain = deeply outperforms a broad site covering ten topics at surface level. G= oogle's March core update made this explicit=E2=80=A6 sites with compre= hensive topical coverage gained visibility while sites that published widel= y but shallowly lost it. And AI citation systems follow the same pattern = =E2=80=94 ChatGPT and Perplexity are more likely to cite a source they'= ve seen answer multiple related questions consistently than one they've= seen answer a single question once.

You can't build topical au= thority in a week. But you can start this week.

Pick your single mo= st important topic. Map every question your audience asks about it. Check h= ow many of those questions you've published answers for. The gaps are y= our content queue. Fill them =E2=80=94 not all at once, but consistently = =E2=80=94 and the compounding starts.

Next week: En= tity Density =E2=80=94 what "15+ named entities =3D 4.8x more citation= s" actually means in practice.

Build Your Topical Auth= ority Strategy Map
 

=E2=9A=99=EF=B8=8F=C2= =A0Straight Outta Dev

3D""=

Your Strategy Map is now yours to edit =E2=80=94 ad= d, delete, and rebuild pillars on your terms.

When we launched S= trategy Map, Averi generated your content pillars based on your Brand Core = =E2=80=94 your ICP, your positioning, your competitive landscape.

I= t was a strong starting point. But starting points aren't enough when y= our strategy evolves, your market shifts, or you realize a pillar that look= ed good on paper isn't driving results.

Now you have full con= trol.=C2=A0

Three new capabilities are live inside Strategy Map= :

Add your own pillars. See a topic your audience cares about= that Averi didn't surface? Add it yourself. Name it, scope it, and Ave= ri will generate focus areas and topics underneath it =E2=80=94 fitting you= r custom pillar into the same strategic framework as everything else in you= r map.

Delete pillars that aren't working. Not every pill= ar earns its place. If a pillar isn't driving traffic, isn't releva= nt to your ICP, or was never right to begin with =E2=80=94 remove it. No gu= ilt. Your Strategy Map should reflect what you're actually building aut= hority on, not what sounded good three months ago.

Regenerate pil= lars with AI. Want to keep the topic but rethink the approach? Hit rege= nerate and Averi rebuilds the pillar =E2=80=94 new focus areas, new topic s= uggestions, new angles =E2=80=94 using everything it knows about your brand= , your audience, and what's performing in your space right now.

= View your entire map at once. Until now, you navigated your Strategy= Map one pillar at a time. Now you can expand everything =E2=80=94 every pi= llar, every focus area, every topic, every sub-topic =E2=80=94 in a single = view. See the full architecture of your content strategy laid out in front = of you. Spot gaps. Find overlaps. Understand how your pillars connect. The = bird's-eye view turns strategic planning from clicking through layers i= nto seeing the whole system at once.

This matters more than it soun= ds. Your Strategy Map is the foundation that drives your Content Queue, you= r scoring, and now your Priority Next Actions. Every pillar you add, remove= , or rebuild cascades through the entire engine. A sharper map means sharpe= r recommendations, sharper content, and sharper results.

This is wh= at we mean by guided, not autopilot. Averi builds the strategic framework. = You shape it. The engine runs on both.

Build Your Custom Strategy = Map

=E2=80=94 Averi Team

 

=F0=9F=93=9A New= : Welcome To Averi Academy

3D""

The data in this week's issue points at one diff= icult reality. The skills that made a great content marketer in 2022 =E2=80= =94 keyword research, on-page SEO, backlink outreach =E2=80=94 are necessar= y but no longer sufficient.

You need to know how LLMs retrieve, how= citations get earned, and how to structure a piece so it's extractable= by machines and compelling to humans at the same time.

It's free. It's built for opera= tors. And it ends with a Certifi= ed AI Content Engineer credential that actually means something when= a recruiter pulls up your LinkedIn.

The curriculum covers the new = stack end to end =E2=80=94 brand core systems, content queue design, GEO-fi= rst drafting, AI citation tracking, and the editorial standards that separa= te extractable content from generic AI slop. Every module is taught by prac= titioners who've actually grown traffic in the AI search era, not consu= ltants recycling 2023 slides.

If you're hiring for one of the G= EO roles we listed above, or applying for one, this is the fastest way to g= et the vocabulary and the portfolio to move.

=F0=9F=91=89 = Become a Certified AI Content Engineer =E2=86=92

 

=F0=9F=93=9D The Good Sh*t

<= /td>
3D""

The Authenticity Premium: Why Huma= n-in-the-Loop Content Outperforms Pure AI by 4x

iHeartMedia fou= nd that 90% of its listeners want their media created by humans =E2=80=94 even the ones who use AI tools themselves.

Apple TV&= #39;s "Pluribus" from Vince Gilligan ran credits that read= "This show was made by humans."

The Tyee adopted a= no-AI journalism policy. Pinterest's AI embrace is alienating its most dedicated = users. New York subway ads for AI products get vandalized= with "AI is not your friend."

Merriam-Webster's 2025= Word of the Year? "Slop."

If you're a startup = founder reading this and thinking "great, so I should stop using AI= for content," hold on.

That's not what the data act= ually says.

The data says something more nuanced and more useful: <= /p>

The brands winning in 2026 aren't the ones avoiding AI. They&#= 39;re the ones using AI as infrastructure and humans as voice.

Re= ad more

More From= The Averi Journals

  1. Agentic Marketing for = Startups: What It Means (And What to Ignore)=E2=86=92 Read online

  2. We're Buildi= ng for the Founders Nobody's Building For =E2=86=92 Read online

  3. Best A= I SEO Tools for Small Marketing Teams (2026) =E2=86=92 Read online

&n= bsp;

=F0=9F=A4=96 What The Bots Ar= e Reading

3D""

The click is d= ead. The citation is the new asset.

Seer Interactive dropped the= most important piece of GEO research of the year this month, and if= you haven't internalized it yet, your 2026 content strategy is already= wrong.

Between June 2024 and September 2025, Seer analyzed 3,119 i= nformational queries across 42 organizations.

They tracked 25.1 m= illion organic impressions and 1.1 million paid impressions. The scale matt= ers because the conclusions are big enough to kill a decade of SEO orthodox= y.

Here's what they found.

When an AI Overview ap= pears on a search result page, organic click-through rate on the top result= drops 61%. Paid CTR drops 68%. About 43% of AI Overview sessions end in ze= ro clicks =E2=80=94 the user reads the summary and leaves. This tracks with= Ahrefs' parallel study from February 2026, which put the drop at 58% o= n average.

The old playbook said: rank #1, get the click. Tha= t playbook assumed the click existed. It doesn't anymore for huge porti= ons of informational search.

But here's the twist that changes = the math entirely. Brands cited inside the AI Overview earn 35% more org= anic clicks and 91% more paid clicks than brands not cited =E2= =80=94 on the same query. Being inside the summary is now worth more than r= anking below it. Citation has replaced ranking as the visibility asset.

The research that makes this actionable is the correlation work. The c= orrelation between branded web mentions and AI Overview citation is 0.66= 4. The correlation between traditional backlinks and AI citation is = 0.218. In the old world, backlinks were the strongest signal. In the ne= w world, brand mentions are three times stronger.

This flips= a lot of agency playbooks on their head. Link building, guest posting, and= PR that chased dofollow links now matters less than unlinked brand mention= s across authoritative sites, Reddit threads, YouTube descriptions, and ind= ustry newsletters. The signals the bots care about are the signals humans w= ere already producing organically =E2=80=94 talking about brands in context= .

Parallel research from Omniscient Digital, which analyzed 23,000+= AI citations, backs this up. Listicles (21.9%) and articles (16.7%) domina= te citations in AI Mode, ChatGPT, and Perplexity. And 44.2% of all LLM cita= tions come from the first 30% of an article =E2=80=94 meaning the intro is = doing most of the heavy lifting. Add statistical facts and you get a +22% c= itation lift. Add direct quotations and it's +37%.

The ranking race got h= arder and less rewarding. The citation race just started, and the early sig= nals favor the specific, the data-backed, and the brand-forward. That's= a race startups can actually win.

=F0=9F=93=8A=C2=A0By the numb= ers

  • 61% = =E2=80=94 drop in organic CTR when an AI Overview appears (Seer= Interactive)

  • 58% =E2=80=94 average click reduction found by Ahrefs in Februa= ry 2026 (Ahrefs)

  • 43% =E2=80=94 share of AI Overview sessions = that end in zero clicks (Seer)

  • 35% =E2=80=94 more organic clic= ks for brands cited inside AI Overviews

  • 91% =E2=80=94 more paid clicks for brands cited = inside AI Overviews

  • = 0.664 vs. 0.218 =E2=80=94 correlation of brand mentions vs. backlink= s to AI citations

  • 44.2% =E2=80=94 share of LLM citations pulled from the first 30% of an= article (Omniscient Digital)

  • +37% =E2=80=94 citation lift when c= ontent includes direct quotations

Start Gettin= g Cited By AI with Averi

 

=F0=9F=95=B5 Mar= keter=E2=80=99s Anonymous

We all know the industry loves to pretend= it=E2=80=99s got it all figured out.

But here?

Every week, we=E2=80=99re asking you to share how things re= ally work behind the scenes. Because getting better starts with getting hon= est.

Don=E2=80=99t worry, it=E2=80=99s a safe space.

Drop y= our vote.

Be honest. Who's actual= ly making your content this week?

<= td style=3D"width:100%;border:1px solid rgba(50, 50, 50, 0.17);padding:6px = 12px; border-radius:4px;"> Freelancers I found on Upwork= and pray deliver on time

Founder writing at midnight after the real = work is done

One overloaded marketer doing everything

=

An agency charging me $5-10K/month

ChatGPT wi= th a prayer and a prompt

<= a style=3D"font-style:normal;text-decoration:none;" href=3D"https://link.ma= il.beehiiv.com/v1/c/DG%2BLQy7KrjfG8h10eYwvz%2FVcK8dxo65GNj4CrB8O5GgwhvzzGP%= 2F9ilxOjcz3%0AtHhbRY1w4lXZwfwe4wTl3FcJNTy77DDnwtIEE8Kj8KnOYhHWHPcaDMvN9CvA%= 0AZmWvBIFMLnV0mz0n1SSw1Sj%2F%2BjyoKvQJPQYthkmxEnBAtHlcZyPt2O8Sqk9b%0ANvWNzq= kOU1AhqhErm9KyiHmaercNx5HlTQ%3D%3D%0A/66f67b992d64c1d8">

Some Frankenstein combo of all of the above

We have a = content team (flex)

Content? We're still figuring out product-market = fit

Whichever you picked =E2=80=94 do= you know what it's actually costing you?

Founder hours. Fre= elancer invoices. Agency retainers. Revision rounds. The campaign that took= three weeks instead of three days. The blog post that cost $800 and got 47= pageviews.

We built a calculator that shows you the real cost of y= our current content operation =E2=80=94 and what it looks like when a conte= nt engine handles strategy, drafting, publishing, and analytics in one work= flow.

See what you could save =F0=9F=92=B8

=
 


=F0=9F=93=BA The Algor= ithm Could Never

The Halal Guys =E2=80=94 "53rd & Sixth"= ; Fine Dining Concept

3D""

On April 1, The Halal = Guys announced the opening of 53rd & Sixth, a tasting-menu fine dining conc= ept at the exact Manhattan intersection where the brand started as a street= cart in 1990. The mock campaign promised gold-plated white sauce service, = 24-karat falafel, Halal-certified Wagyu platters, and tableside pairings fr= om a dedicated "sauce sommelier." Marketing materials were shot i= n the visual language of Michelin hospitality =E2=80=94 crisp linens, black= -tie service, soft jazz =E2=80=94 but with a chicken-over-rice platter at t= he center of every hero shot.

The joke wasn't subtle. That'= s why it worked.

Rather than building a stunt around the brand'= s current menu, The Halal Guys built a stunt around its origin story. Every= detail of 53rd & Sixth referenced the cart =E2=80=94 the exact address, th= e white sauce, the red-and-yellow color palette sneaking into the "new= " branding. It was nostalgia wrapped in parody, and it read as affecti= onate rather than cynical.

The campaign spread across Instagram, X,= and TikTok organically within hours. Food media picked it up as one of the= standout April Fools campaigns of the year, and the brand's original s= treet cart location saw a measurable foot traffic lift the following week a= s people came to see "where it all started." The company didn'= ;t need to book a celebrity or buy ad placement. The concept carried the wh= ole thing.

Why we love it: Most April Fools campaigns try to = be clever. This one was confident. The brand trusted its own origin story t= o do the heavy lifting, and the joke only works if you know the real produc= t is a $10 street cart platter. It rewarded loyal customers without excludi= ng new ones. The best brand humor works like an inside joke that anyone can= join.

Results: Coverage in Ad Age, DesignRush, ContentGrip, = and Tom's Guide "Best April Fools 2026" roundups. Organic eng= agement across social channels in the first 48 hours dwarfed typical brand = posts, and the original 53rd & Sixth location reported elevated foot traffi= c the following weekend. Multiple food media outlets ranked it among the to= p five April Fools campaigns of 2026.

The algorithm could never:<= /b> An algorithm can generate an April Fools product concept. It cannot dec= ide that the funniest version of your brand is the most expensive version o= f your cheapest product, at the exact address where your founders first swi= ped a credit card. That's a human deciding which part of the brand stor= y to exaggerate and which to protect.

The startup takeaway: Y= our origin story isn't just an About page =E2=80=94 it's the rawest= material you have for earned media.

Watch the campaign: =E2= =86=92 Best April Fools= 2026 Roundup

Do we = dig it?

It's a vibe =F0=9F=91=8F

Belongs in the trash =F0=9F=97=91= =EF=B8=8F

 = ;

=F0=9F=97=93=EF=B8=8F Make Friends

  • NTCA Marketing and Sales = Conference | Boston, MA | May 3-5, 2026 | =E2=86=92 Reg= ister

  • B= 2B Online Chicago | Chicago, IL | May 4-6, 2026 | =E2=86= =92 Register

  • Gartner Marketing Symposium | London, UK | May 11-12, 2026 | =E2=86=92 Register

  • SaaStr Annual | San Mateo, CA | May 12-14, 2026 | =E2=86=92 Register

  • DigiMarCon New England | Boston, MA | May 12-13, 2026 | = =E2=86=92 Register

  • <= p style=3D"mso-line-height-alt:150.0%;padding:0px;text-align:left;word-brea= k:break-word;">DigiMarCon Great Lakes | Cleveland, OH | May 28-29, 2= 026 | =E2=86=92 Register

<= td class=3D"dd" align=3D"left" valign=3D"top" style=3D"color:#111827;font-w= eight:600;padding:0px 16px;text-align:left;">
SaaStr Annual 2026

= The biggest SaaS founder gathering of the year is back at the San Mateo Co= unty Events Center. 10,000+ founders, VCs, and executives across 40 acres w= ith 300+ sessions on go-to-market, pricing, AI agents, and scaling through = the weird post-ZIRP market. If your 2026 plan includes raising a Series A o= r B, pitching enterprise, or just figuring out why your competitor's Li= nkedIn content is suddenly everywhere, this is where those conversations ha= ppen.

Date: May 12-14, 2026

Location: San Mateo= County Events Center, San Francisco Bay Area, CA

Link:=C2=A0= Register

=

Link:= =C2=A0Register

Gartner Marketing Symp= osium 2026

If you run marketing at a growth-stage company and w= ant to hear how enterprise CMOs are actually restructuring teams around AI = agents, GEO, and outcome-based measurement, this is the event. The two-day = London gathering pulls from Gartner's research pipeline and tends to su= rface the early signals that show up in CMO budget decks six months later. = Worth the flight if you're a solo marketer punching above your weight a= nd need to know what enterprise is about to start doing.

Date: May 11-12, 2026

Location: London, UK

 
= =F0=9F=92=A1Ask Averi
AI + Human Marketing Tip

=E2=80=9CIf 44% = of LLM citations come from the first 30% of your article, your intro is no = longer a warm-up. It's the asset.=E2=80=9D

Go to your three highes= t-traffic blog posts right now and ask=E2=80=A6 does the first 150 words an= swer the question directly, include a statistical fact with a cited source,= and name your brand as the entity behind the claim?

If not, rewrite them= this week.

That's a 30-minute fix with outsized upside. Most content= teams buried the answer three scrolls down and called it engagement. The b= ots don't scroll. Put the answer where they read.

=

Strategy You Can Steal

The 90-Minute Citation Audit

You = already have content. It just isn't structured to be cited. This sprint= turns your existing library into citation-ready assets without writing any= thing new. Block 90 minutes on your calendar, close Slack, and run it.

=

Block 1: Pick Your 5 (15 minut= es)

Pull your analytics and identify five posts that meet these = criteria: ranking on page 1 or 2 for a target keyword, still getting at lea= st 100 monthly impressions, published within the last 18 months. These are = your citation candidates. They already have Google's trust. They just n= eed to be made extractable. Skip posts ranking below page 2 =E2=80=94 the j= uice isn't worth the squeeze yet.

Block 2: Run the Intro Rewr= ite (25 minutes)

For each of the five, rewrite the first 150 wor= ds to do three jobs: state the user's question in their own voice as an= H2 or opening line, give a 40-60 word direct answer that could stand alone= in an AI response, include one hyperlinked statistic from an authoritative= source (McKinsey, Gartner, HubSpot, or original data). Keep your brand nam= e inside that first block. LLMs cite entities, not paragraphs.

Block 3: Add the Quote Pull and FA= Q (25 minutes)

Insert one pullquote from a named expert (inter= nal is fine if you link to their bio) and add a 3-4 question FAQ block at t= he bottom with schema-ready formatting. Direct quotations lift citation pro= bability by 37%. FAQ schema is still the cleanest path into both Google fea= tured snippets and AI Overview expansions. Use real user language in your F= AQ questions =E2=80=94 the exact way someone would type it into ChatGPT, no= t how a content strategist would write it.

Block 4: Track and Mention (25 minutes)

Set= up tracking for the five URLs using whatever GEO tool you prefer (Profound= , Peec, SE Ranking's AI tracker, or a spreadsheet if you're scrappy= ). Then spend the last 15 minutes writing one short LinkedIn post, one Redd= it comment in a relevant subreddit, or one newsletter blurb that links the = updated post with your brand named explicitly. Brand mentions correlate wit= h AI citation at 0.664. Your five-post audit becomes a five-post mention op= eration.

Why this works

The Seer data shows citation i= s now worth more than position. The Omniscient data shows intros do 44% of = the citation lifting. This sprint targets both levers at once =E2=80=94 mak= ing your best content extractable and your brand more mentioned. Five posts= , 90 minutes, zero new writing. The bots read what's already there. You= 're just making sure they find your name when they do.

R= un your Audit inside Averi

<= /td>
 

=F0=9F=92=BC Don= 't Let AI Replace You

  • Care.com=C2=A0
    Position: Marketing Manager, SEO & GEO =E2= =80=93 Austin, TX (Hybrid) Build and execute the SEO roadmap and define Care.com's AI search visibility strategy across= Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity. The job listing literally sa= ys "be the answer, not just a result." =E2=86=92 Apply Now

  • Ping Identi= ty=C2=A0
    Position: SEO & GEO Manager =E2=80=93 Remote Drive SEO and = generative AI platform strategies, optimize techniques across traditional a= nd AI search, and collaborate across marketing teams. GEO in the job title.= =E2=86=92 Apply Now

  • Profound=C2=A0
    Position: SEO & AI Search Opt= imization Specialist (GEO / LLMO) =E2=80=93 Remote Full-time GEO role at on= e of the leading AI citation tracking platforms. If you want to be at the c= enter of the data that's reshaping how brands show up in AI answers, th= is is it. =E2=86=92 Apply Now

  • Daydream=C2=A0
    Position: Multiple= roles (just raised $15M Series A) =E2=80=93 Remote The AI-native SEO start= up that just closed a $15M round is hiring across the board. If you want to= build the next generation of organic search infrastructure from the inside= , this is the moment. =E2=86=92 Apply Now

    • =

  • AllTrails=C2=A0
    Pos= ition: Editorial & SEO Content Strategy Intern =E2=80=93 Remote World's= most popular outdoor platform. Learn content strategy and SEO at a brand w= ith massive organic reach and a product people actually love. Great entry p= oint. =E2=86=92 Apply Now

  • BetterHelp Position: Editorial = Strategist =E2=80=93 Remote Oversee BetterHelp's editorial roadmap, enh= ance mental health content quality and SEO visibility. Tools listed include= AirOps, Profound, and generative search tools =E2=80=94 the GEO stack is b= uilt in. =E2=86=92 Apply Now

  • Anthropic=C2=A0
    Position: SEO Lead= =E2=80=93 San Francisco, CA Build and scale Anthropic's organic search= and AI discoverability program from the ground up. AEO/GEO listed as a pre= ferred skill. =E2=86=92 Apply Now

  • Pfizer=C2=A0
    Position: Manag= er, SEO and AI Discoverability =E2=80=93 New York, NY (Hybrid) First-of-its= -kind role inside Pfizer's new Content Engine Center of Excellence. SEO= + GEO execution across the full web portfolio. $106K-$171K. =E2=86=92 Apply Now

  • Pfizer=C2=A0
    Position: Manager, Content Engine =E2= =80=93 New York, NY (Hybrid) The other half of Pfizer's new SEO/GEO org= . End-to-end content production, editorial governance, and quality control = for search-driven content at pharma scale. =E2=86=92 Apply Now<= /span>

  • Bitly=C2=A0
    Position: Content Marketing Manager =E2=80=93 Remote Own Bitly&= #39;s content strategy end-to-end: thought leadership, data-driven reports,= customer stories, video. AI tools expected. =E2=86=92 Apply No= w

  • Retel= l AI=C2=A0
    Position: Content Marketer =E2=80=93 Remote SEO-optimized= articles, product updates, landing pages, and social for a voice AI startu= p. Tight product collaboration. =E2=86=92 Apply Now

  • EliseAI= =C2=A0
    Position: Product Marketing Manager =E2=80=93 New York, NY Own po= sitioning, messaging, go-to-market, and sales enablement for an AI-powered = housing platform. =E2=86=92 Apply Now

<= /div>

Know of a role that should be here? Reply to this email and we&#= 39;ll feature it next week.

 

Did You Know? =E2=80=94 =C2=A0Branded web mentions correlat= e with AI Overview citations at 0.664, while traditional backlinks c= orrelate at just 0.218 =E2=80=94 meaning unlinked brand mentions are= now roughly three times more predictive of AI visibility than backl= inks.

The citation economy rewards being talked about, not just lin= ked to.

Til next time,

<= i>DFTA

What did you= think of this issue?

I loved it!

Good. But you've done better.

Meh= .

 
If this hits home, we=E2=80=99d love it if= you shared it. Send it to a friend, a teammate, or that one person who=E2= =80=99s always drowning in a Google Doc.
= =F0=9F=93=AC Forward to a friend

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