Most local businesses use SEO to get found. The smart ones use it to become the authority in their market. There's a big difference between showing up on Google and being the name everyone in your city trusts. One gets you clicks. The other gets you calls from people who already want to work with you before they even talk to you. Stop thinking about SEO as a directory listing. Start thinking about it as your reputation engine. π₯
source https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Cb1r8ySfuY8
Welcome to the official channel of Jason Hunt, co-founder of Merged Media and your go-to guide for growing a business that actually works. If you're a service-based entrepreneur tired of marketing fluff and looking for real, measurable results—this channel is for you. #LeadGeneration #DigitalMarketing #SEO #GoogleAds #JasonHunt #MergedMedia #Entrepreneurship
Tuesday, 31 March 2026
Monday, 30 March 2026
I Was Burning Out in Sales. Then One LinkedIn Message Changed Everything
I was exhausted. Long sales cycles. Constant travel. Chasing deals that took months to close. Then life changed, and suddenly the old playbook didn't fit anymore. What actually moved the needle? A single LinkedIn connection that turned into a real conversation. From there, I stopped selling a job title and started selling a process I'd already proven. ▪️ Know when to stop grinding harder and start working differently ▪️ Use LinkedIn to build warm relationships before you ever need them ▪️ Turn what's already working in your own life into a service others will pay for Sometimes the pivot you need is hiding in your network. π️ [Link in bio to the full episode]
source https://www.youtube.com/shorts/aST06bOJXWc
source https://www.youtube.com/shorts/aST06bOJXWc
Sunday, 29 March 2026
Your Marketing Reports Look Great, And That's Exactly the Problem
Your marketing metrics are lying to you. Not intentionally, but impressions, clicks, and engagement rates were never designed to tell you whether your business is actually growing. They were designed to be easy to report and hard to challenge. The companies winning right now treat every marketing dollar as an investment with an expected return. If the return isn't there, the strategy gets fixed or killed. No vanity. No fluff. Just revenue tied directly back to spend. Because at the end of the month, impressions don't cover payroll. Revenue does. ◼️ Why vanity metrics still dominate marketing reports, and the real reason they survive ◼️ How to shift from measuring activity to measuring actual business growth ◼️ The investment mindset that separates high-performing marketing teams from the rest ◼️ Why simplifying your metrics makes every marketing decision dramatically easier π️ Full breakdown in the latest episode - link in bio.
source https://www.youtube.com/shorts/DEsTgrEV-lw
source https://www.youtube.com/shorts/DEsTgrEV-lw
Thursday, 26 March 2026
I Tracked Down an HR Rep on Twitter to Land My First Agency Job. It Worked
The traditional career advice is simple. Pick a company. Stay loyal. Work your way up. But when it came time to actually break into a Montreal agency, that advice wasn't going to cut it. So instead of submitting a resume and hoping, the speaker tracked down the HR rep on Twitter and made a direct pitch at a live event. No filter. No middleman. Just a real conversation that opened the door. From there, client services became the foundation — sitting at the intersection of strategy, creative, and client relationships all at once. The perfect crash course in how agencies actually work. And running through all of it? A psychology and marketing background that made consumer behavior the most fascinating piece of the puzzle. ◼️ Why direct outreach will always outperform passive job applications ◼️ How client services is the most underrated entry point into agency life ◼️ The psychology of consumer behavior and why it's the most valuable marketing skill ◼️ What working at the center of an agency teaches you that no other role can π️ Full story in the latest episode — link in bio.
source https://www.youtube.com/shorts/yRTYZPAl2Ew
source https://www.youtube.com/shorts/yRTYZPAl2Ew
Free tip that could save you thousands
Free tip that could save you thousands: Before hiring any agency for paid ads, do this one thingπ Go to Meta Ad Library Search their agency name See if they're actually running ads No active campaigns = they're selling you something they don't believe in enough to use themselves. Practice what you preach or don't preach it at all.
source https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ZxbwU-yRG3E
source https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ZxbwU-yRG3E
Wednesday, 25 March 2026
Spending Hours Culling Photos Manually Is Now a Waste of Your Time
Culling photos manually after a full event shoot is one of the biggest time drains in photography. Hundreds of near-identical frames. Subjects mid-expression. Shots slightly out of focus. Angles where the client's branding isn't visible in the background. All of it is sitting in a folder waiting to be sorted through one by one. AI tools like Adobe Lightroom now handle that entire process, filtering by expression quality, sharpness, angle, and branding visibility based on parameters you set. The best variety rises to the top. The rejects disappear. What used to consume hours now takes minutes. And the consistency is better than any manual session at the end of an exhausting shoot day. ◼️ How AI culling works inside tools like Adobe Lightroom ◼️ The specific quality filters AI applies to eliminate weak shots automatically ◼️ Why high-volume multi-angle event shoots benefit most from AI selection ◼️ How photographers are shifting from sorting images to curating the best ones π️ Full breakdown in the latest episode, link in bio.
source https://www.youtube.com/shorts/LFFH_FWEJAc
source https://www.youtube.com/shorts/LFFH_FWEJAc
Monday, 23 March 2026
#247 – Zivko Dodovski: Why AI Outreach is Killing Your LinkedIn Results
Everyone's automating their LinkedIn outreach. Everyone's using AI to personalize at scale. And almost everyone is getting ignored. Zivko Dodovski, CEO of DoneMaker, has built a thriving B2B lead generation firm by doing the exact opposite; zero automations, zero AI messages, and a manual outreach process that consistently books 8-10 qualified calls per month for his clients. Zivko started in radio broadcasting before pivoting into B2B sales, where he discovered that genuine human connection on LinkedIn outperformed every tool, shortcut, and automation he tested. He now runs DoneMaker, a LinkedIn organic outreach firm that has helped clients like J Baker Media land 5 clients in 2 months and Jones & Lamb LLC generate $14K in a single month — all without spending a dollar on ads. He explains: ◼️ Why "over-personalization" is the new spam — and how savvy buyers spot it in seconds ◼️ The exact connection message framework Zivko uses to start real conversations without pitch-slapping ◼️ Why LinkedIn's API suppresses automation tools and what that means for your outreach results ◼️ How to use Sales Navigator to build targeting so precise it turns outreach into a near 50/50 yes-or-no conversation ◼️ The profile optimization mistake most small businesses make — and why the "billboard approach" backfires ◼️ Why commenting on viral posts can generate more impressions than posting on your own feed ◼️ The dot-space LinkedIn trick that instantly reveals who's using automation to reach you ◼️ When LinkedIn simply won't work for your business — and what to do instead *Timestamps:* 02:00 – From radio broadcasting to B2B sales and founding DoneMaker 05:00 – Is radio advertising still relevant in 2026? 08:00 – How Zivko personally uses LinkedIn to grow his business 09:20 – The hot take: no AI, no automations — everything manual and why 12:00 – "Over-personalization" — the new red flag buyers can smell a mile away 15:00 – The exact connection message framework that starts real conversations 18:00 – Why Sales Navigator is the most underutilized LinkedIn tool 21:30 – From connection request to booked call — the full outreach sequence 24:00 – Profile optimization: what to do (and what to ditch) depending on your company size 26:00 – Where posting fits into the outreach strategy 29:00 – The commenting strategy that beats posting your own content 32:00 – Cadence, blog strategy, and the top/middle/bottom of funnel approach 36:00 – LinkedIn articles and newsletters — worth it or not? 38:00 – LinkedIn ads vs. Meta ads — why you should never test creative on LinkedIn 40:00 – The dot-space automation detection trick and when LinkedIn won't work for you *Connect with Zivko:* Website: http://donemaker.com LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/zivkododovski Connect with Jason: Website: https://jayhunt.social LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/socialmediaspeaker/
source https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLFyH-nbHRM
source https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLFyH-nbHRM
Sunday, 22 March 2026
Why High Quality Videos Fail to Get Views (It's Not the Algorithm)
Thousands spent on production. 47 views on YouTube. The content wasn't the problem. Distribution was never part of the plan. Who receives the assets? What platform is this actually built for? Who is the end user? Answer those questions before the shoot. Not after. π️ Full episode, link in bio.
source https://www.youtube.com/shorts/iLcje_h7ra4
source https://www.youtube.com/shorts/iLcje_h7ra4
Saturday, 21 March 2026
Every Photographer Has a Camera. Here's the One Thing Nobody Can Copy From Me
Photographers are losing corporate clients over spreadsheet invoices and missing GST numbers. Not the quality of their work. The business basics. CRM. Contracts. Professional invoices. Proper tax documentation. That's the gap between a great photographer and a great business. π️ Full episode, link in bio.
source https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Ivr5ef1rXJ0
source https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Ivr5ef1rXJ0
Friday, 20 March 2026
Why AI LinkedIn Outreach is Failing You (Do This Instead)
Is your LinkedIn outreach getting ignored? You're probably doing what everyone else is doing — automations, AI-generated messages, and over-personalized openers that scream "bot." In this episode, LinkedIn lead generation expert ZIVKO DODOVSKI reveals the manual outreach strategy that books 8-10 qualified calls per month with zero paid ads and zero automation. Whether you're trying to generate B2B leads on LinkedIn, build your LinkedIn presence, or finally turn connections into clients — this episode breaks down exactly how to do it in 2026. π IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN: ◼️ Why AI LinkedIn outreach is destroying your reply rates — and what to do instead ◼️ The LinkedIn connection message formula that actually starts conversations ◼️ How to use LinkedIn Sales Navigator to find and target your perfect ICP ◼️ LinkedIn profile optimization tips for small business owners and entrepreneurs ◼️ The LinkedIn content strategy that drives impressions without posting every day ◼️ Why commenting beats posting for LinkedIn reach and visibility ◼️ LinkedIn lead generation without paid ads — the complete organic approach ◼️ The hidden trick to detect LinkedIn automation tools targeting you ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 – Intro 02:00 – From radio broadcasting to LinkedIn lead generation expert 05:00 – Is radio advertising still relevant for business in 2026? 08:00 – How Zivko uses LinkedIn to grow his B2B business 09:20 – Hot take: no AI, no automations — why manual LinkedIn outreach wins 12:00 – Over-personalization: the new LinkedIn spam red flag 15:00 – How to write a LinkedIn connection message that converts 18:00 – LinkedIn Sales Navigator tips — the most underused B2B tool 21:30 – The full LinkedIn outreach sequence from connection to booked call 24:00 – LinkedIn profile optimization for small business owners 26:00 – LinkedIn content strategy — how posting fits into your outreach 29:00 – Why LinkedIn commenting beats posting for organic reach 32:00 – LinkedIn posting cadence, blog strategy, and content funnels 36:00 – LinkedIn articles and newsletters — still worth it in 2026? 38:00 – LinkedIn ads vs. Meta ads — never test creative on LinkedIn 40:00 – The dot-space trick that exposes LinkedIn automation tools π CONNECT WITH ZIVKO DODOVSKI: Website: https://donemaker.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zivkododovski π² FOLLOW DROP THE MIC: Subscribe for weekly episodes on AI, marketing, and entrepreneurship strategies that actually move the needle for business owners and agency owners. #LinkedInTips #LinkedInMarketing #LinkedInForBusiness #B2BLeadGeneration #LinkedInOutreach #BuildingALinkedInPresence #LinkedInStrategy #LeadGeneration #SocialSelling #LinkedInSalesNavigator #DigitalMarketing #AIMarketing #PersonalBranding #LinkedInGrowth #BusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #MarketingStrategy #DropTheMic #JasonHunt #Podcasting Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/huntspeaks Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayhuntofficial TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jayhuntofficial Twitter: https://twitter.com/jayhuntofficial LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/socialmediaspeaker/ Website: [https://jayhunt.social](https://jayhunt.social/) Your growth accelerates when you’re with the right people, connect inside Amplify Your Brand Community π https://www.skool.com/ayb
source https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYRl14R5tiw
source https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYRl14R5tiw
Thursday, 19 March 2026
I Started Using a Pre-Production Checklist. Here's How It Changed Every Shoot
The difference between a professional photography shoot and an amateur one? It's not the camera. It's what happened in the week before. VIPs identified. Purpose confirmed. Headcount locked. Parking sorted. One pre-production meeting and a solid checklist cover all of it. Show up prepared or don't show up. π️ Full episode, link in bio.
source https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ixS-7PwdCEU
source https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ixS-7PwdCEU
Wednesday, 18 March 2026
Watch for this red flag
Hot take: your marketing agency should be their own best client. If they can't generate leads for themselves, what makes you think they can do it for you? At Merged Media we run paid ads every single day. For ourselves. Because we actually believe in what we sell. That's the standard. Anything less is a red flag. π©
source https://www.youtube.com/shorts/miLtuOKN4_0
source https://www.youtube.com/shorts/miLtuOKN4_0
We're not outsourcing our brains to AI. We're extending them.
We're not outsourcing our brains to AI. We're extending them. AI doesn't replace my thinking. It accelerates it. When I'm working through a client strategy, I use AI to iterate faster. Test different angles. Challenge my assumptions. Explore options I wouldn't have considered. It's like having a strategic partner who never gets tired of asking "but what if we tried this instead?" The thinking is still mine. The ideas are still mine. The strategy is still mine. AI just helps me get there faster and explore more possibilities. That's the difference: Outsourcing = "AI, write this for me" Extending = "AI, help me think through this differently" One makes you lazy. The other makes you sharper. Use AI to think more, not think less.
source https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Zia-wMfmvbQ
source https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Zia-wMfmvbQ
Tuesday, 17 March 2026
"AI is cool, let's use it."
AI in marketing isn't about saving time. It's about never doing the same low-value task twice so your team can spend 100% of their energy on the work that actually requires a human. There's a difference. Most agencies haven't figured it out yet. Clip from EP 246
source https://www.youtube.com/shorts/1GopIjRuAuo
source https://www.youtube.com/shorts/1GopIjRuAuo
Wednesday, 11 March 2026
AI in marketing isn't about saving time.
Everyone's talking about AI saving time. That's the wrong metric. The agencies winning right now aren't just moving faster; they're auditing where their team spends time, then building tools around those exact bottlenecks. Media plans that used to take days? Automated. Content approvals across 300 franchise locations? Custom portal, built in hours with vibe coding. AI isn't just a time saver. It's a complete rethink of what your team should actually be doing.
source https://www.youtube.com/shorts/yEwRwElc6RE
source https://www.youtube.com/shorts/yEwRwElc6RE
Monday, 9 March 2026
Most agencies are still optimizing for impressions.
Most agencies are still optimizing for impressions. Ronnie Malewski (Managing Director, NP Digital Canada) has a different rule: if it doesn't tie to revenue, it's not marketing, it's activity. ◼️ Why AI agents are replacing the buyer journey entirely ◼️ 5 tactics to show up in AI search before your competitors do New episode of Drop The Mic out now π️ EP 246 #Marketing #AI #DigitalMarketing #NPDigital #DropTheMic
source https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVRPlwhb9mU
source https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVRPlwhb9mU
Stop Making These AI Prompting Mistakes! CRIT Method #shorts
Uncover powerful AI responses using CRIT: Context, Role, Interview, Task. Avoid common prompting pitfalls for better results. Learn the essentials. #AIPrompting #CRITMethod #ArtificialIntelligence #TechTips
source https://www.youtube.com/shorts/G-JXLQUWrQQ
source https://www.youtube.com/shorts/G-JXLQUWrQQ
Sunday, 8 March 2026
Paid Ads REVOLUTION: 2026 Algorithm Secrets Revealed! #shorts
Outdated 2022 ad tactics are failing. In 2026, the game changed. Ditch interest-based targeting and let the algorithm find your perfect user. Uncover new campaign potential. #PaidAdvertising #DigitalMarketing #Algorithm #MarketingTips
source https://www.youtube.com/shorts/6WsSoatbcxQ
source https://www.youtube.com/shorts/6WsSoatbcxQ
Thursday, 5 March 2026
Impressions, Clicks, and Reach Are Hiding Spots — Not Metrics
NP Digital Canada Managing Director RONNIE MALEWSKI breaks down why most marketers are hiding behind vanity metrics, what AI-powered conversational commerce actually means for your business, and the 5-step framework for showing up in AI search before your competitors catch on. Ronnie built one of Canada's fastest-growing digital agencies from scratch under Neil Patel's brand — entirely on inbound leads. With a background in psychology and marketing and years at WPP and Dentsu/iProspect, he brings a no-BS framework for tying everything back to revenue. He explains: ◼️ Why impressions, clicks, and reach are a hiding place — not a metric ◼️ How AI agents are taking over the entire buyer journey without touching your website ◼️ The time audit that led Ronnie's team to automate media planning almost entirely ◼️ "AI can create Shrek 1, 2, and 3 — but it can't create Shrek" — why human creativity still wins ◼️ The 5 tactics to show up in AI search engines right now ◼️ Why you need ~250 published documents for AI engines to trust your brand ◼️ The Campbell's Soup psychology hack that doubled purchase quantity without changing the product ◼️ Why culture is built on what you refuse — not perks or personality Timestamps 05:00 – Ronnie's path: psychology, WPP, Dentsu, NP Digital Canada 10:00 – 100% inbound leads and what that model makes possible 15:00 – Vanity metrics vs. revenue: what actually matters 20:00 – Conversational commerce and agentic checkout in 2026 25:00 – How NP Digital uses AI internally 30:00 – Saying no, protecting your team, building culture through standards 35:00 – Psychology of marketing: the timeless stuff AI can't replace 37:00 – 5 tactics to win AI search + what's coming into 2027 Subscribe for weekly episodes on AI, marketing, and business growth. #AI #Marketing #DigitalMarketing #AISearch #Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth #NPDigital #AgencyLife Connect and learn: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/huntspeaks Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayhuntofficial TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jayhuntofficial Twitter: https://twitter.com/jayhuntofficial LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/socialmediaspeaker/ Website: [https://jayhunt.social](https://jayhunt.social/) Your growth accelerates when you’re with the right people, connect inside Amplify Your Brand Community π https://www.skool.com/ayb
source https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QCDomXxF1o
source https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QCDomXxF1o
Wednesday, 4 March 2026
AI Writes Your LinkedIn Posts Like YOU!
Struggling with LinkedIn posts? AI can be your ultimate writing guide. It helps recall experiences and weave them into compelling stories that resonate with your audience. #AIWriting #ContentCreation #LinkedInTips #Storytelling
source https://www.youtube.com/shorts/FEM5h1RQqeM
source https://www.youtube.com/shorts/FEM5h1RQqeM
Tuesday, 3 March 2026
AI writes the blandest emails on the planet.
AI writes the blandest emails on the planet. "I hope this email finds you well." "I wanted to reach out regarding..." "Per our last conversation..." Nobody talks like this. Yet we're all sending emails that sound like they came from the same corporate robot. Here's the problem: AI gives you a starting point, not a finished product. The draft AI creates is functional. It's grammatically correct. It covers the key points. But it's missing the one thing that actually gets responses: human nuance. The casual aside. The personal reference. The joke that breaks the ice. The acknowledgment that you're both human beings having a conversation, not robots exchanging data. Example: AI version: "I hope this email finds you well. I wanted to follow up on our previous discussion regarding your marketing strategy." Human version: "Hey Sarah - loved your post about the chaos of managing three clients at once. Been there. Quick follow-up on our marketing chat from last week..." See the difference? One sounds like it was written by compliance. The other sounds like it was written by someone who actually gives a damn. The fix is simple: Let AI draft it. Then read it out loud. If you wouldn't say it in a real conversation, rewrite it. Add your personality. Reference something specific. Make it sound like you. Your email response rate will thank you. P.S. If your last email included "I hope this finds you well," you need to retrain your AI immediately.
source https://www.youtube.com/shorts/kDKmdtgQgos
source https://www.youtube.com/shorts/kDKmdtgQgos
Monday, 2 March 2026
Stop Wasting Money: 2026 Paid Ads That ACTUALLY Work #shorts
Tired of agencies overpromising and underdelivering? Old tactics don't work in 2026. Learn how our fresh strategies drive real ROI. Let's chat. #AgencyLife #MarketingStrategy #BusinessGrowth #PaidAds
source https://www.youtube.com/shorts/44PmVVYjVS0
source https://www.youtube.com/shorts/44PmVVYjVS0
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