The digital landscape keeps evolving, but the rise of AI-powered search marks a more profound shift. Tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google's AI Overviews are transforming how information is discovered and consumed - reshaping the pathways between brands and buyers. For B2B marketers, this moment brings both complexity and opportunity. The familiar playbook that once guided prospects through a predictable journey is being rewritten in real time.
The Search Engine Optimization (SEO) landscape continues to evolve, and the methods that ensured top rankings in years past are no longer sufficient. Success in 2025 depends on a developed, human-centered model that praises experience, authority, and technical expertise over empty keyword stuffing. Search engines continue to comprehend user intent and favor sites that are thorough, authoritative sources. It includes the strategic integration of world-class technical optimization, quality content creation, and a focus on key user experience metrics.
For nearly two decades, stupidDOPE has been helping brands, creators, and businesses rank really high - both in search engines and, now, in AI-driven discovery platforms. Founded in 2008, this digital media platform has become one of the most trusted names in online publishing, with a reputation for amplifying culture, creativity, and innovation. Today, as the rules of online visibility evolve, stupidDOPE continues to lead the way by providing brands with a powerful advantage in the modern digital landscape.
Naomi Romo holds deep appreciation for the work her parents have put into Anghelo's Suit & Tux in Miami, Florida. "I am sitting here today because of the dreams and all the effort put into this family vision," Romo says. Romo's parents, Anghelo and Monica, founded the men's wear and tailoring business in 2013; today Romo works with them as co-owner. "Being surrounded by my family business, it has been a part of me ever since I can remember," she says.
For non-profit organizations, every resource counts. Unlike corporations with expansive marketing budgets, most charitable groups operate on lean resources while striving to make the biggest possible impact in their communities. This reality often places them at a disadvantage in the digital space, where visibility determines reach, credibility, and donor engagement. Without a strong online presence, non-profits risk being overshadowed by larger institutions, even when their missions are equally important.
This shift means that having a strong digital footprint is no longer optional, it's essential for growth. But the challenge for small businesses is clear: how do you stand out online when competing against big-box chains with bigger budgets, established websites, and in-house marketing teams? The answer lies in leveraging strategic media exposure, targeted SEO, and trusted publications that rank on Google's first page.
There is a lot of debate around whether social media directly affects SEO rankings. While Google has clarified that social signals (likes, shares, followers) are not a direct ranking factor, social platforms still play an indirect role: Content Amplification: Social media helps distribute content to a wider audience, which can naturally attract backlinks. Indexing & Visibility: Active social sharing can help search engines discover and index new content faster.
Google EEAT stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness, and refers to a set of signals used to assess a website's content. Google sets these signals to ensure it promotes only the best and most credible content, especially in niches that are either connected to people's well-being or require special knowledge. Emitting SaaS authority signals is pivotal for traditional search and SEO AI optimization. To get featured in AI Overviews, you must have a website that appears credible and trustworthy.
The industry is crowded, competitive, and still shackled by advertising restrictions. To get noticed, brands are often told they need to hire a "specialized cannabis PR agency." But here's the reality: too many of these agencies overcharge while underdelivering. Campaigns vanish after a press release cycle, leaving brands with little more than a hefty invoice. What if there was a smarter, more direct path?
Ethan Smith is the CEO of Graphitethe leading SEO growth agencyand my go-to expert on SEO. After 18 years of mastering traditional SEO, Ethan has been at the forefront of what is called AEO: answer engine optimization, or, more simply, getting your product to show up in ChatGPT/Claude/Gemini/Perplexity answers. He's discovered that ChatGPT traffic converts six times better than Google searchand most companies are completely missing this opportunity.
When Google's AI Overviews arrived in May 2024, search engine strategists-the specialists who make a living by getting web pages to the top of people's query results-took notice. With the implementation of Overviews, Google's first page search results, a target destination for anyone creating and optimizing content, suddenly sat below a response generated by Gemini, the company's AI engine. "Our initial reaction was, 'Well, how is it going to work in the future?'"
In a world flooded by fleeting social posts and disposable ads, one strategy has proven itself to be durable, credible, and effective: sponsored editorial content. Since 2008, stupidDOPE has been a trusted platform for brands, creators, and innovators who want more than just a moment in the feed. A feature on stupidDOPE is not an ad. It is a permanent digital asset that builds visibility, drives credibility, and fuels discovery across Google, Apple News, and increasingly, the large language model (LLM) search engines