Podcast Summary: Voices of Search

Episode: What’s your go-to move for reallocating spend to stay competitive?
Date: January 10, 2026
Host: Jordan Cooney
Guest: Josh Bliscoll (Profound)

Main Theme

This episode dives into actionable strategies for reallocating marketing spend in a landscape where AI-powered search is rapidly developing but overall budgets are remaining flat. The discussion focuses on what to prioritize within SEO and digital marketing to maintain competitiveness, particularly as AI search engines shift the implications of traditional tactics like backlinks and offline advertising.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Budget Reallocation in the Age of AI Search

[00:43–02:55]

• Integrate AI strategy into existing search budgets:
  Josh Bliscoll points out that companies shouldn't treat AI initiatives as separate from core search strategies:

  "Basically creating AI strategy, it should come out of the same budget as your search strategy." – Josh Bliscoll [00:57]

• Scrutinize spend on backlinks:
  Recent studies show diminishing returns from extensive backlink building, especially for AI-driven search results, where only a handful are needed.

  "Having a few backlinks is actually really good... But then the actual relationship, it deteriorates. It's just like, yep, you're good. You passed the vibe check." – Josh Bliscoll [01:28]

• Semantic mentions are gaining parity with direct links:
  The importance of semantic relevance and mentions is now roughly equal to that of in-line backlinks in the context of AI search engines:

  "The semantic backlink is almost as important or equally weighted as a true inline linked backlink." – Josh Bliscoll [01:44]

• Tailor strategies by organization size:
  • For enterprises: Budget for ongoing monitoring is critical.
  • For small businesses: Focus efforts on tracking AI and search visibility to understand positioning without overhauling strategy.

  "Maybe it's not something that you need to change your entire marketing strategy for, but I think it's an essential part of understanding where you're at in your space across your key channels." – Josh Bliscoll [02:38]

2. Where Not to Spend: Non-Digital and Out-of-Home Campaigns

[04:23–05:48]

• Offline efforts have little impact on AI visibility:
  Advertising budgets (e.g. TV, bus ads, experiential/out-of-home) provide limited benefits for AI-powered search and answer engines.

  "TV ads don't do anything for AI visibility. ...your bus ad is not going to make you more visible in AI for now." – Josh Bliscoll [04:51, 05:05]

• Digital presence is key:
  The conversation hammers home that visibility hinges on what happens in digital channels—online reputation, mentions, and content.

  "Anything that's happening outside of the digital sphere is not going to have a net trickle down effect on your visibility, basically." – Josh Bliscoll [05:25]

• Reddit and digital conversations matter more:
  People mentioning your brand in forums like Reddit carries significant weight for AI engines compared to traditional ad exposure.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On minimizing backlink spend:

  "I wouldn't pay too much for backlinks. I would move budget away from backlinks in the short term." – Josh Bliscoll [01:14]

• On the new importance of semantic mentions:

  "Having a semantic mention in a piece of content gets you roughly the same outcome from an answer engine than having basically an inline link." – Josh Bliscoll [01:44]

• On where NOT to put your budget:

  "TV ads don't do anything for AI visibility." – Josh Bliscoll [04:51]
  "Your bus ad is not going to make you more visible in AI for now." – Josh Bliscoll [05:05]
  "Anything that's happening outside of the digital sphere is not going to have a net trickle down effect on your visibility." – Josh Bliscoll [05:25]

• On the shifting environment:

  "The thing that I'm thinking right now is like I'm physically in this room. I'm in this bubble right now. Anything that's happening outside of the digital sphere is not going to have a net trickle down effect on your visibility, basically." – Josh Bliscoll [05:21]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:43] – Main question: How to reallocate spend with flat budgets and AI search growth
• [01:14] – De-prioritizing traditional backlink acquisition
• [01:44] – Semantic mentions equal to backlinks for AI engines
• [02:38] – Different needs for enterprise vs. small businesses
• [04:51] – TV and bus ads’ lack of value for AI search
• [05:25] – Emphasis on digital over offline marketing for AI-driven visibility

Tone and Takeaways

The episode is candid and data-driven, with a practical approach—encouraging marketers to drop outdated spending habits and focus their limited dollars on efforts that fuel digital visibility, especially in the evolving world of AI-driven search. Josh pulls no punches in dismissing outmoded offline campaigns while highlighting the new parity of semantic mentions with backlinks.

Actionable Takeaways

• Integrate AI visibility efforts into your core SEO budget and strategy—don’t treat them as distinct silos.
• Reduce spend on large-scale backlink campaigns; focus instead on quality and on encouraging natural, relevant online mentions.
• Do not expect traditional advertising (TV, out-of-home) to “move the needle” on search or AI discoverability.
• Monitor your brand’s presence in digital spaces and conversations, especially as AI engines grow more sophisticated in how they “see” authority and relevance.