The old-school way of only using Google SEO isn’t enough anymore because the digital world is constantly changing.
In our most recent conversation with Neil Patel, one of the best marketers in the world and a master of personal branding, we discussed what truly works for business owners and marketing consultants today. And believe me, it’s not just about backlinks and keywords anymore.
Here are the most important things from Neil Patel and Matt Haycox for business owners who want to grow their brand and make more money:
Marketing Is Now ‘Search Everywhere Optimisation’
Many business owners still worry about their Google rankings. But Neil said something shocking: Google only handles 27% of all daily searches around the world. That means that 73% of search traffic happens somewhere else:
- Instagram: 6.5 billion searches per day
- Amazon: 3.5 billion searches per day
- Snapchat, TikTok, App Stores, ChatGPT, and more
If your brand isn’t showing up across multiple platforms, you’re already missing opportunities.
Test Every Platform, Then Focus Hard
Many entrepreneurs ask, “Where should I advertise or market first?”
Neil’s answer is simple but strong:
Imagine that you are making spaghetti. Put your marketing on every platform that makes sense (with small budgets) and see what works. Put in more effort where you see results.
This approach is about smart testing not just intuition or hype.
SEO Still Works, But It’s Getting Harder to Track
SEO isn’t dead. Organic search still drives serious revenue, but tracking is harder due to AI-powered search results and no-click searches.
Here’s what matters now:
- Focus on brand recall (make people remember you)
- Use SEO alongside paid ads, podcasts, and social channels
- Diversify your marketing so you’re everywhere your customer looks
Personal Branding Is Directly Profitable
Neil said that his personal brand makes about $10 million a year, which is separate from his agency. This was one of the most interesting things he said during our conversation.
For entrepreneurs, personal branding isn’t just about ego. It:
- Lowers customer acquisition costs
- Builds trust faster
- Boosts conversions, especially for SMBs
But when it comes to big business deals, decision-makers care more about results and ROI than your fame, so it’s important to find a balance.
AI + Human = Future-Proof Content Creation
AI is everywhere in marketing, but Neil’s data-backed experiments revealed that pure AI content underperforms compared to human-written content.
What works best?
A hybrid model he calls “H-AI” (Human + AI) where humans add expertise, authority, and experience on top of AI-generated drafts.
This approach is essential if you want to win in SEO and content marketing today.
Podcasting: A Hidden Gem for Business Growth
Podcasting is still an underused way to connect with people, build authority, and keep customers coming back.
Key points:
- Far less saturated than blogging
- High-income listeners (average household ~$75K)
- Builds deeper relationships with your audience
If you’re serious about growing your brand, podcasting needs to be in your marketing mix.
The Real Secret: Promote More Than You Create
Most businesses are stuck in “content creation mode,” but few invest enough in promotion.
Here’s Neil’s blunt truth:
“We spend more time promoting than creating.”
Content, whether blogs, videos, or podcasts, must be marketed aggressively to deliver returns. Otherwise, it’s just noise.
Final Takeaway for Entrepreneurs & Consultants:
Whether you’re running a startup, consulting agency, or established brand:
- Focus first on one platform and one service
- Prove results before expanding
- Embrace multi-channel marketing for long-term scalability
Full Youtube Video
Most importantly, make sure to build your own brand as well as your business brand. Even though AI and automation are everywhere, trust and relationships still win.
Ready to grow your brand with strategic, no-nonsense marketing?
As a business consultant, this is precisely the type of strategy I help clients implement.
