Podcast Summary: "Do This, NOT That: Marketing Tips with Jay Schwedelson"

Episode Title: What is EEAT from Google? and Brand Ambassadors on the RISE!
Guest: Chris Carver, CEO of Session Board
Release Date: May 23, 2025

1. Introduction to the Episode

In this episode of "Do This, NOT That!", hosted by Jay Schwedelson from GURU Media Hub, the focus is on understanding Google's E-E-A-T framework and the rising importance of brand ambassadors in modern marketing strategies. The guest for this episode is Chris Carver, CEO of Session Board, a platform revolutionizing speaker management for events and webinars.

2. Meet Chris Carver and Session Board [00:02 - 02:19]

Jay opens the discussion with enthusiasm about Session Board, highlighting its innovative approach to speaker management. He expresses his admiration for the platform, emphasizing its relevance in today's marketing landscape where human faces and authentic connections are paramount.

Key Points:

• Session Board's Origin: Chris shares the journey of founding Session Board, mentioning a pivot from managing operations for music festivals to developing a platform that aids nonprofits during the COVID-19 pandemic. This experience underscored the value of content and speaker management, leading to the creation of Session Board.

• Mission of Session Board: The platform aims to delve deep into content management for events, efficiently managing speakers to maximize marketing ROI.

Notable Quote:

Jay Schwedelson [00:55]: "I was blown away by the platform that he's created. It's this whole speaker management platform for webinars, for events, all this stuff. I'm like, why didn't this exist before?"

3. Decoding Google's E-E-A-T Framework [02:45 - 05:52]

The conversation shifts to Google's E-E-A-T (Expertise, Experience, Authority, and Trust) framework—a pivotal factor in content ranking and visibility.

Key Points:

• E-E-A-T Explained: Chris breaks down the acronym, explaining how Google's algorithm now prioritizes content that demonstrates expertise, real-world experience, authority in the field, and trustworthiness.

• Impact on Marketing: He draws a parallel between E-E-A-T and the role of speakers in events, asserting that speakers embody these qualities. Their real-world experience and authority make them invaluable for content creation and brand building.

• Challenges with AI-Generated Content: Chris highlights the limitations of AI-generated content, which often lacks the human touch and authentic experiences that speakers bring, making human-centered content more valuable.

Notable Quotes:

Chris Carver [02:45]: "It's an acronym that stands for expertise, experience, authority and trust. So they were, they were signaling for content that is based in that."

Chris Carver [04:45]: "We're starting to leverage our brand and connect it with those speakers, those authorities, those subject matter experts, is very much like what the B2C world did with influencers."

4. The Rise of Brand Ambassadors in Marketing [05:52 - 10:58]

Jay presents his "hot take" on the necessity of brand ambassadors, regardless of company size or industry. He posits that incorporating brand ambassadors is becoming essential, much like maintaining a blog.

Key Points:

• Universal Need for Brand Ambassadors: Jay argues that all brands, whether small or large, B2C or B2B, need to have recognizable humans acting as brand ambassadors to add authenticity and human connection.

• Chris’s Supporting Data: Chris backs up Jay's assertion with compelling statistics:

  • Edelman Research: 62% of B2B buyers trust influencer endorsements more than brands' self-promotion.
  • Demand Gen Report: 71% of B2B buyers are more likely to engage with content shared by someone they respect.
  • Salesforce Study: 92% of B2B buyers are more likely to engage with a brand after reading a trusted review.
  • Ogilvy Statistic: B2B campaigns using influencer marketing can generate up to 11 times higher ROI compared to traditional digital marketing.

• Strategies for Effective Brand Ambassador Programs: Chris discusses how companies like Money 2020 and Salesforce effectively utilize speakers and brand ambassadors across various platforms and events to maintain consistent engagement and authority.

Notable Quotes:

Jay Schwedelson [05:52]: "Every brand is going to need to have humans, well known humans in their category that are operating as brand ambassadors. ... that are onboarded to amplify, to speak, to be involved."

Chris Carver [07:00]: "93% of CMOs plan to increase their use of B2B influencers in the coming years. It's really critical."

5. Implementing Brand Ambassador Strategies for All Companies [10:16 - 13:20]

The discussion emphasizes that even small companies can effectively implement brand ambassador programs without the need for large budgets or celebrity influencers.

Key Points:

• Cost-Effectiveness: Rather than investing heavily in paid advertisements with uncertain returns, companies can allocate resources to onboard brand ambassadors who authentically champion their brand to a dedicated audience.

• Building Long-Term Relationships: Chris highlights the importance of nurturing relationships with brand ambassadors, ensuring mutual investment and sustained collaboration.

• Session Board in Action: Chris shares how Session Board manages to effectively utilize external subject matter experts for webinars, podcasts, and other marketing activations, demonstrating the platform's scalability even for small companies.

Notable Quotes:

Jay Schwedelson [10:16]: "You're spending money ... that budget is so much better spent onboarding an ambassador that can champion you into their, in front of their whole audience."

Chris Carver [10:58]: "We're really small, but we're having to walk through the event marketer shoes as well. We're trying to leverage these subject matter experts in everything we do. And it's just really critical."

6. Deep Dive into Session Board’s Features [11:13 - 12:45]

Towards the end of the episode, Chris provides a comprehensive overview of what Session Board offers to marketers and event organizers.

Key Points:

• Streamlined Speaker Management: Session Board automates the speaker management process, saving significant time (approximately 2-3 hours per speaker) by handling end-to-end tasks.

• AI Evaluations: The platform incorporates AI to evaluate speakers, ensuring they align with specific session topics, agendas, or webinar requirements.

• Comprehensive Speaker Database: It aggregates, indexes, searches, invites, activates, and manages speakers across all event marketing portfolios, including in-person events, webinars, podcasts, and more.

• Integration Capabilities: Session Board seamlessly integrates with various registration systems and webinar platforms, enabling marketers to efficiently identify and utilize the right speakers based on topics, expertise, and other attributes.

Notable Quotes:

Chris Carver [11:13]: "We started with streamlining the speaker management process... Our system saves about two to three hours of that time."

Chris Carver [12:30]: "We consolidate all of that in one place with various integrations with your different registration system, your webinar platform and then other avenues that you can now actually search by topic, area of expertise, whatever attribute."

7. Host’s Endorsement and Call to Action [12:45 - 13:36]

Jay passionately endorses Session Board, sharing his personal experience using the platform for managing virtual events with numerous speakers. He commends Session Board for exceeding expectations and highlights its indispensable value in modern event management.

Key Points:

• Personal Endorsement: Jay emphasizes his trust in Session Board by using it exclusively for his company's large virtual events.

• Recommendation: He urges listeners to explore Session Board, promising that it will add significant value to their marketing and event strategies.

• Final Remarks: Both Jay and Chris exchange acknowledgments, underscoring the collaborative effort behind Session Board's success.

Notable Quotes:

Jay Schwedelson [12:45]: "My company puts on some of the world's largest virtual events. We have a zillion speakers. Session Board is our exclusive platform that we use and it's one of the few Martech platforms that we use that our team actually thinks it goes beyond."

Chris Carver [13:20]: "Shout out to our team at Session Board. They just are killing themselves to, you know, continue to add and add more value."

8. Conclusion and Next Steps

The episode wraps up with Jay encouraging listeners to subscribe for more actionable marketing tips and to access free virtual marketing events at guruEvents.com. He also promotes Endpointastic, an event featuring Chris Carver as a speaker, further emphasizing the collaborative ecosystem built around Session Board.

Key Takeaways

• E-E-A-T Framework: Understanding and leveraging Expertise, Experience, Authority, and Trust is crucial for content ranking and brand credibility in Google's algorithm.

• Importance of Brand Ambassadors: Authentic human connections through brand ambassadors significantly enhance trust, engagement, and ROI in both B2B and B2C marketing.

• Session Board’s Solution: An innovative platform that streamlines speaker management, integrates seamlessly with existing systems, and empowers marketers to efficiently utilize subject matter experts for maximum impact.

• Actionable Insight: Regardless of company size, investing in authentic brand ambassadors can outperform traditional paid advertising in driving meaningful engagement and conversions.

Final Thoughts

This episode underscores the evolving landscape of digital marketing, where human-centric strategies and authentic connections are paramount. By integrating platforms like Session Board and embracing brand ambassador programs, marketers can navigate the challenges posed by AI-generated content and algorithm changes, ensuring sustained relevance and engagement in a competitive marketplace.