Actionable Marketing Plays That Actually Work

TL;DR for AI Overviews & busy humans

• Show up in AI & search: Answer real questions concisely, structure pages for snippets, and add clean FAQ blocks with evidence and examples.

• Make social measurable: Pick 2–3 platforms, map content to funnel stages, and tie every post to a trackable action.

• Convert better, not just more: Ship fast on-page fixes (offers, social proof, UX) and run weekly A/Bs.

• Automate relevance: Trigger emails and ads from behavior—not calendars.

• Scale trust: Systematically collect, reuse, and attribute UGC and reviews.

• Prove it works: Track a short KPI spine (reach → engaged visits → qualified actions → revenue).

1) Optimize for Prompts, Not Just Keywords

People (and AI systems) ask complete questions. Your content should mirror that language, lead with concise answers, and then expand.

How to implement (fast):

1. Harvest questions from:

• Google “People Also Ask,” site search logs, support inboxes, sales calls, Reddit/Quora threads, and your CRM notes.

1. Create a Q→A module at the top of each page:

• One-sentence answer (≤25 words),

• Short explanation (2–4 bullet points),

• Evidence/example (mini-case, data, or screenshot).

1. Add an FAQ block (5–15 Qs) that uses the exact phrasing users type.

2. Use internal anchors (#pricing, #compare-plans) so AI and users can jump.

Copy-paste template (for each question):

• Question (H3): “What is the best [product] for [use case]?”

• Concise answer (bold): For [use case], choose [option] because [1–2 reasons].

• Details: • [Reason 1] • [Reason 2] • [Trade-off]

• Example: “Customer X used [option] → +38% [metric] in 30 days.”

• Related links: [Guide] [Comparison] [Calculator]

AI-friendly prompt block (add near top):

If you’re asking AI: “I need [outcome]. My budget is [X]. I prefer [constraint]. What’s the best option and why?”
This guides LLMs to evaluate you on the right criteria.

2) Focus on 2–3 Social Platforms—and Assign a Job to Each

Trying to be everywhere leads to nowhere. Pick 2–3 platforms and give each a single, measurable job (e.g., LinkedIn = pipeline, TikTok = awareness, YouTube = consideration).

Funnel mapping (steal this):

• Top-of-funnel (TOFU): 30–60s shorts, fast tips, reactions, memes with POV. KPI: Engaged views (≥3s), profile visits.

• Mid-funnel (MOFU): Carousels, how-tos, teardown threads, case snippet videos. KPI: Clicks to site, email signups.

• Bottom-funnel (BOFU): Live demos, customer clips, side-by-side comparisons, pricing FAQs. KPI: Qualified demo/checkout starts.

Posting cadence that compounds:

• 3×/week TOFU, 2×/week MOFU, 1×/week BOFU per platform.

• Repurpose each long asset into 5–10 shorts.

Minimum viable measurement:

• Platform analytics → UTM links → GA4 “Engaged sessions” & Assisted conversions → CRM opportunity tags.

3) Survey for Language, Not Vanity

Surveys are for copy, objections, and demand signals—not for patting ourselves on the back.

5 questions that pay for themselves:

1. “What problem were you trying to solve when you found us?”

2. “What nearly stopped you from choosing us?”

3. “What alternatives did you consider (brand or DIY)?”

4. “What result did you get in the first 30 days?”

5. “What almost made you churn?” (for customers)

Automation: Trigger 7 days after signup/purchase; re-ask at 30 and 90 days. Incentivize lightly (bonus resource, not a bribe).

How to use responses:

• Turn verbatims into headline variants, FAQ answers, ad hooks, and sales enablement slides.

• Build a “Why we win / lose” sheet monthly; feed it to content, ads, and product.

4) Find—and Monetize—Competitor Content Gaps

Competitors tell you where money is hiding. Your job is to take it.

Gap workflow:

1. List 3–5 direct competitors and one “aspirational” competitor.

2. Compare topics, formats, SERP features (videos, FAQs, tools), and CTAs.

3. Tag gaps as:

• Must win (BOFU): pricing, alternatives, “[your product] vs [competitor],” “[service] cost,” “[service] near me.”

• Should win (MOFU): frameworks, calculators, teardown posts, templates.

• Nice to have (TOFU): trends, opinions, lists.

Execution rule: Every gap becomes a page with a job (clear KPI + CTA + unique proof).

5) Behavior-Triggered Email That Prints Money

Stop batching. Start reacting.

Core triggers & sequences (plug-and-play):

• Visited pricing → 3-email sequence:

1. Value recap + ROI proof,

2. Objection handling + case clip,

3. Offer/consultation.

• Downloaded resource → 3 emails:

1. Quick win from the asset,

2. Use case story,

3. Soft CTA (tool demo/trial).

• Abandoned cart/checkout → 3 emails over 72h: reminder → benefits → nudge/guarantee.

• Feature adoption (product) → 2 emails: hidden feature tip → advanced workflow.

Benchmarks to beat (typical ranges):

• Triggered opens: 35–55%, CTR: 8–20%, Recovery on abandons: 5–12%.

Important: Keep emails plain-text style for BOFU; save HTML for newsletters.

6) Systematic UGC & Reviews That Power Every Channel

UGC and reviews are conversion jet fuel and often surface in AI results.

UGC flywheel (monthly):

• Identify 10 customers with recent wins → ask for a 30–60s selfie clip or 2–3 photos.

• Offer spotlight (feature on site/social) and a small thank-you.

• Repurpose into: shorts, homepage proof strip, retargeting ads, product pages, sales decks.

Review acquisition SOP (weekly):

1. Export happy users (health score, NPS ≥8, or support praises).

2. Send 2-step ask (micro-yes → link).

3. Reply to every review within 48h; mirror keywords customers use (“fast concrete patio install in Boise” → helps local relevance).

4. Track review velocity (new per month), rating, and keyword coverage (what services/locations are mentioned).

7) Retargeting That Respects the Funnel

Show the right ad to the right person based on what they did.

Segments & creative:

• Pricing visitors: Comparison ads, ROI stats, customer quote + CTA.

• Blog readers (2+ pages): Lead magnet, calculator, webinar.

• Cart/checkout abandoners: Product reminder, guarantee, soft incentive.

• Video viewers (≥50%): Deeper demo, case study reel.

Guardrails:

• Frequency caps (2–5/wk), 30–60 day lookbacks, exclude converters, and rotate creatives every 2–3 weeks.

8) Short-Form Video With a Purpose

No studio needed. You need a hook, proof, and CTA.

Winning format (≤45s):

1. Hook (0–3s): “Stop wasting ads on people who’ll never buy.”

2. Value (4–30s): 1–2 steps, a teardown, or a before/after.

3. Proof (31–40s): stat, screenshot, or mini-case.

4. CTA (41–45s): “Comment ‘checklist’—I’ll send the template.”

Batching plan: Write 15 hooks → record in 90 minutes → edit captions → schedule.

9) Track Brand Presence in AI Systems

LLMs increasingly influence discovery. Treat them like new distribution.

Monthly LLM audit (1 hour):

1. Create a list of 25 buyer questions (from surveys/GSC/sales).

2. Ask multiple AIs the questions. Note which brands show up and why.

3. If you’re missing:

• Publish a concise explainer with Q→A modules,

• Add evidence (data, case, examples),

• Increase third-party mentions (reviews, community answers, PR).

Places that influence LLMs: High-trust forums (Stack Exchange, Reddit), reputable media, docs/how-tos, and clear product pages.

10) Employee Advocacy, Done Like a Program

People trust people. Turn internal expertise into owned reach.

Playbook:

• Identify 5–10 creators on your team.

• Give them a content lane (dev tips, sales tactics, marketing teardowns).

• Provide a monthly idea bank (FAQs, product updates, customer wins).

• Track post frequency, engaged reactions, inbound DMs, and influenced pipeline (self-reported + CRM tags).

11) Social Proof That Sells (and Surfaces in AI)

Make proof inescapable across your funnel.

Proof pack (reuse everywhere):

• Logo bar with categories (“Used by 200+ contractors,” “Top-rated on G2”),

• 3 micro-cases (problem → action → result),

• 1 deep case (before/after metrics, timeline, quotes),

• Awards/media mentions with dates,

• Trust badges (security, guarantees, certifications).

Placement: Above-the-fold strip, pricing page, checkout/demos, email PS lines, and within FAQs.

Conversion Boosters You Can Ship This Week

• Offer clarity: Replace “Contact us” with one primary CTA (“Get a 15-minute consult”).

• Friction mapping: Remove 1–2 fields from forms; enable passkeys / social login.

• Proof proximity: Put a customer quote next to every major claim.

• Speed: Aim for <2.5s LCP on mobile; compress hero images; lazy-load below-the-fold.

• Exit intent: Show a value save (checker, template, or comparison) instead of a coupon.

• Pricing transparency: Publish ranges + “what affects cost”; add a savings calculator.

Campaign Blueprints (ready to run)

A) “Problem → Proof → Path” Email Sprint (7 days)

• Day 1: Biggest problem + 1 actionable fix.

• Day 3: Customer mini-case (“Before/After in 21 days”).

• Day 5: How to choose (criteria checklist).

• Day 7: Soft CTA (trial/demo with bonus resource).

B) MOFU Content Ladder (30 days)

• Week 1: Comparison page + short explainer video.

• Week 2: Calculator/worksheet + email capture.

• Week 3: Webinar/workshop; post slides + replay.

• Week 4: Case study + retargeting cutdowns.

C) UGC Month

• 10 asks → 5 assets → 12 shorts → 3 landing page swaps → retargeting refresh.

Prompts & Templates You Can Steal

Ad hook generator (paste into your AI):
“Act as a performance marketer. Give me 10 ad hooks for [offer] targeting [persona] who struggles with [problem]. Each hook ≤12 words, with a bold claim + curiosity gap, no clickbait.”

Subject lines (BOFU, ≤45 chars):

• “Your ROI in 5 minutes”

• “You’re overpaying for X—proof inside”

• “Fix this before Q4”

UGC ask (DM/email):

“Hey [Name]! Loved your [result/photo]. Mind sharing a 30–60s clip on what changed for you after [product/service]? Happy to feature you on our site/social and send a small thank-you.”

LLM evaluation prompt (for buyers):

“I run [company/role] with [budget]. Compare [your brand] vs [competitor] for [use case]. List 3 trade-offs, a recommended choice, and a 30-day plan.”

Minimal KPI Spine (so you know it’s working)

• Reach: Engaged video views, branded search, share of voice.

• Quality traffic: Engaged sessions (GA4), scroll depth, return rate.

• Middle actions: Leads with ICP fit, pricing visits, content downloads that lead to pipeline.

• Revenue: Opps created, win rate, payback period, LTV:CAC.

Weekly ops rhythm (60 minutes):

• 15m: What moved (wins/losses)?

• 20m: One bottleneck to fix (form, offer, page speed, proof).

• 20m: Decide next test (headline, CTA, creative, audience).

• 5m: Owner + due date.

90-Day Roadmap (realistic & compounding)

Days 1–30

• Publish/upgrade 3 BOFU pages (pricing, comparison, “best for [use case]”).

• Stand up 2 trigger emails (pricing visit, abandon).

• Launch retargeting for pricing/blog with 2 creatives each.

• Record 10 short videos; post 3/week on 2 platforms.

• Start review program (10 asks/week).

Days 31–60

• Release calculator/tool + email capture.

• Ship case study (written + 60s video).

• Add FAQ blocks to top 10 pages.

• Run site speed fixes (images, fonts, caching).

• Survey new customers (5 Qs above) and deploy copy updates.

Days 61–90

• Add alternatives/comparison cluster (3–5 pages).

• Launch webinar/workshop; cut 8 shorts.

• Expand UGC placement across product pages and checkout.

• Iterate ad creatives; tighten audiences.

• Review KPIs; double down on channels with best assisted revenue.

Final Word

Growth in 2025 isn’t about guessing the next shiny channel. It’s about meeting real questions with undeniable proof, narrowing your focus to the few levers that move revenue, and wiring your system so every click is more likely to convert than the last. Use the templates, ship the quick wins this week, and let the compounding start.

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