Note: This is Episode 442, published January 6, 2026.

You published a book, it hit #1, and the reviews were phenomenal. In the digital marketing world, that’s usually where you take a victory lap. But then the AI revolution happened. Over the last year, the fundamental ways we build relationships and create content on LinkedIn have shifted so dramatically that I knew a simple "tweak" wouldn't cut it.

I’ve spent the last several months obsessively updating Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth to reflect the 2026 landscape. This isn't just a minor update—it's a 70% expansion featuring five entirely new chapters. In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on the exact strategies I added to help you stay visible, professional, and profitable.

Tune in to discover:

• The AI "Ask Neal" Framework: My exact process for creating AI content that actually resonates with humans.
• The CRM Solution: Why your LinkedIn inbox is a "black hole" and how to fix it with a personal CRM system.
• Paid vs. Free: A definitive breakdown of when you should pay for Premium and when you should save your money.
• Evergreen ROI: Real-world case studies of professionals who turned simple profile optimizations into five-figure income shifts.

Key Highlights:

• [03:25] The Decision Tree: How to choose between LinkedIn Free, Premium, and Sales Navigator.
• [04:40] Content Formats: Why some "tried and true" posts are now being deprioritized by the algorithm.
• [05:55] Beyond Robotic AI: Using headshot generators and LLMs to enhance—not replace—your personal brand.
• [07:20] The DM Epiphany: Why your next big opportunity is likely already buried in your inbox.
• [13:10] Expert Endorsements: Why industry leaders like Joe Pulizzi and Jon Ferrara consider this a "Masterclass."

Links:

• Order the New Expanded Edition: [https://nealschaffer.com/maximizinglinkedinamazon]

Learn More:

• Buy Digital Threads: https://nealschaffer.com/digitalthreadsamazon
• Buy Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth: https://nealschaffer.com/maximizinglinkedinamazon
• Join My Digital First Mastermind: https://nealschaffer.com/membership/
• Learn about My Fractional CMO Consulting Services: https://nealschaffer.com/cmo
• Download My Free Ebooks Here: https://nealschaffer.com/books/
• Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/nealschaffer
• All My Podcast Show Notes: https://podcast.nealschaffer.com

Most people are still "chatting" with AI. They put in a prompt, they get an answer, and they move on. But while the rest of the world is dabbling, the top 1% of marketers are building Agentic Workflows. They aren't just using AI to write; they are using it to act.

Today, I’m joined by Matt Collette, founder of Sequencr.ai. Matt has a background at Ogilvy and Edelman, and he’s here to show us how to move from being an AI novice to an AI architect. We’re talking about the "Micro-Agency of One"—a way to use autonomous agents to scale your output and strategy without ever hiring a team.

Tune in to discover:

• The Expert Gap: Why 80% of marketers are "dabblers" and how to join the expert tier.
• Instruction Layering: The secret to using separate files to hardcode logic into your AI agents.
• Autonomous Research: Why tools like Manus.im are the new gold standard for deep business analysis.
• The Synthetic Audience Hack: How to use the Code Interpreter to "game out" your marketing strategy across dozens of segments in seconds.

Key Highlights:

• [08:15] Why most users are severely under-utilizing Gen AI.
• [16:40] Chat Hygiene: How to prevent your AI from getting "confused" over time.
• [22:10] Creating "If-Then" logic for reliable marketing execution.
• [36:20] Using Code Interpreter to scale your message testing 50x.
• [42:15] The 2026 Edge: How to maintain strategic differentiation in an AI world.

Guest Links:

• Sequencr.ai
• Connect with Matt on LinkedIn

Learn More:

• Buy Digital Threads: https://nealschaffer.com/digitalthreadsamazon
• Buy Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth: https://nealschaffer.com/maximizinglinkedinamazon
• Join My Digital First Mastermind: https://nealschaffer.com/membership/
• Learn about My Fractional CMO Consulting Services: https://nealschaffer.com/cmo
• Download My Free Ebooks Here: https://nealschaffer.com/books/
• Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/nealschaffer
• All My Podcast Show Notes: https://podcast.nealschaffer.com

Most marketers and creators agree on one thing: “AI slop” is bad for the internet. From hallucinated facts to soulless clickbait, low‑quality AI content is blamed for ruining search results and polluting the web. But what if that narrative is missing the bigger strategic picture—and quietly putting your business at risk of becoming invisible in an AI‑first world?

In this solo episode, digital marketing author and consultant Neal Schaffer makes a contrarian case: a specific, ethical form of AI‑assisted content may actually be your only path to discoverability in 2026 and beyond. As search behavior shifts from short keywords to long, conversational prompts, we’ve moved from the classic “long tail” of SEO into what Neal calls the long‑long‑tail—an environment where having just a few great pieces of content is no longer enough.

Neal breaks down the three tiers of AI slop, the four guardrails of responsible AI volume, and a practical framework for turning one flagship asset into dozens of ultra‑specific answers that both humans and LLMs can find. If you’re a B2B entrepreneur, marketing leader, or service provider worried about spam, brand damage, or ethics, this episode gives you a grounded, no‑fluff playbook for staying visible without sacrificing your standards.

Tune In to Discover:

• Why AI search and LLMs have exploded the “query space” and what Neal means by the long‑long‑tail.
• The three tiers of AI slop—garbage, neutral filler, and structured AI-assisted content—and which one you should actually embrace.
• How to avoid becoming a “ghost to Google and LLMs” by strategically scaling helpful, on‑brand content.
• The four guardrails of responsible AI volume: source, accuracy, brand voice, and utility.
• Neal’s fractal repurposing workflow to turn one podcast, webinar, or blog post into 20+ focused answers aligned with real AI queries.
• How to use tools like Otter.ai and Clearscope to transcribe, extract questions, and see where Google Gemini and ChatGPT are already citing your content.

Learn More:

• Buy Digital Threads: https://nealschaffer.com/digitalthreadsamazon
• Buy Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth: https://nealschaffer.com/maximizinglinkedinamazon
• Join My Digital First Mastermind: https://nealschaffer.com/membership/
• Learn about My Fractional CMO Consulting Services: https://nealschaffer.com/cmo
• Download My Free Ebooks Here: https://nealschaffer.com/books/
• Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/nealschaffer
• All My Podcast Show Notes: https://podcast.nealschaffer.com