SEO isn’t dying — but this year it’s being rewritten from the ground up.
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is rapidly reshaping how consumers discover brands as personal AIs and chatbots increasingly replace traditional search. Instead of optimizing for keywords and rankings, marketers must now focus on what AI models “know” — ensuring their brands are cited within AI-generated answers. For local media reps and ad agencies, this shift opens opportunity: helping advertisers craft open, structured, and locally relevant content that AI systems can retrieve and recommend. In this new era, visibility isn’t just about showing up on page one — it’s about being the brand the AI chooses to mention first.
AI: A Research Channel Not A Conversion Channel — What Local Media Sellers and Ad Agency Professionals Must Know
BrightEdge’s 2025 industry report shows that AI-driven search is growing rapidly, but organic search remains the dominant driver of conversions and brand visibility. While AI referrals account for less than 1% of total traffic today, they are doubling month over month, signaling a major shift in how consumers discover products and services. For local media sales reps and ad agencies, this means combining traditional SEO with strategies that help clients appear in AI-generated results—through structured data, authoritative content, and local media mentions. The report emphasizes that local credibility and trusted content are becoming essential signals for AI models, giving local publishers and agencies a competitive edge. The key takeaway: success in 2025 requires selling not just impressions, but discoverability across both search and AI ecosystems.
Meta Turns AI Chats into Ad Targeting Fuel
Meta will begin using data from user interactions with its AI assistant, Meta AI, to fuel targeted ads across its platforms starting December 16, 2025, a change that will apply in most global markets outside the U.K., EU, and South Korea. The move shifts digital advertising from tracking clicks and likes to analyzing natural language conversations, giving Meta deeper insights into consumer intent. For local media reps and ad agencies, this raises the competitive bar, as Meta can now target homeowners, shoppers, and auto intenders with unprecedented precision. The opportunity lies in repositioning local media as a counterbalance—emphasizing trust, community relevance, and brand-building advantages that AI-driven ads can’t replicate. To stay competitive, local sellers must educate clients, update pitches, and highlight local media’s role as both a diversification strategy and a safeguard against overreliance on opaque algorithms.
How Local Media Sales Reps Can Use AI to Sell Smarter, Faster, and Better
Artificial Intelligence is transforming local media sales by enhancing—not replacing—the human touch, allowing reps to prospect smarter, understand clients more deeply, and optimize campaigns in real time. By integrating AI tools into their workflow, reps can automate routine tasks, personalize content, and build stronger relationships with clients. A step-by-step guide helps reps begin with one tool, experiment, and scale thoughtfully, while a curated resource section offers tools and platforms for learning and growth. Looking ahead, trends like voice AI, predictive seasonal modeling, and AI-generated commercials will reshape how local media connects with audiences. Ultimately, AI empowers reps to become strategic artisans—blending data and empathy to sell with integrity and impact.
Chatbots in Media Sales: The Promise, the Practice, and the Pitfalls
Chatbots are AI-powered tools that simulate human conversation and are and will be increasingly used in media sales to automate lead generation, campaign planning, and customer support. Companies like Sephora, H M, and regional newspapers have successfully deployed chatbots to improve engagement and streamline ad operations. The benefits include 24/7 availability, scalability, and data collection, but drawbacks such as poor user experience, limited understanding, and brand risk remain significant. Experts emphasize the importance of using chatbots strategically, with clear escalation paths and human oversight. Ultimately, chatbots are best used as productivity enhancers—not replacements for authentic, human-driven media relationships.
The Emails That Miss the Point: Why Human Communication Still Wins in the Age of AI
AI can write emails and summarize meetings, but it cannot detect emotional nuance, disengagement, or the subtle signals that require human leadership. Strong communication—not automation—is what drives productivity, trust, and team cohesion, especially in high-touch industries like media and advertising. For local media sales reps and ad agency professionals, relying too heavily on AI risks weakening client relationships and team dynamics that depend on empathy, accountability, and real conversation. Smart leaders use AI to support their work—but they lead through human connection, not machine-generated messages.
The Future of Local: How Data Is Rewriting the Story of TV Advertising
Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) is a technology embedded in smart TVs that identifies what content viewers are watching—across broadcast, cable, and streaming—by matching pixel or audio samples to a vast content database. This allows advertisers and local media reps to move beyond traditional ratings and gain precise, real-time insights into audience behavior and engagement. ACR empowers local advertising to evolve from broad media buying to data-driven strategy, enabling more targeted, measurable, and effective campaigns. It also democratizes access to advanced analytics, giving small businesses the same tools as national brands. As Keith Kazerman of Locality notes, “ACR allows us to truly understand the engagement that audiences are having across every screen, ” marking a new era of precision and partnership in local media.
The Programmatic Wake-Up Call: Why Local Media Is More Valuable Than Ever
The Association of National Advertiser’s latest report reveals that over $26.8 billion in programmatic ad spend is wasted due to inefficiencies like inflated metrics, bot traffic, and low-quality ad placements. Despite promises of automation and scale, programmatic advertising continues to struggle with transparency and performance, especially on MFA and AI-generated “slop sites.” In contrast, local media offers verified reach, trusted environments, and community relevance, making it a more reliable and impactful choice for advertisers. Emerging trends like email monetization and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) further highlight the need for direct, human-centered communication. For advertisers seeking real results, local media backed by audited data is not just a safe bet—it’s a strategic advantage.
Digital Video Ad Boom in 2025—What It Means for Local Media
The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) forecasts a 14% growth in digital video ad spending in 2025, reaching $72 billion. This growth presents a significant opportunity for local media salespeople to tap into new revenue streams by selling video ads on their websites. The shift towards digital video is driven by its ability to deliver engaging, personalized, and shoppable experiences, despite economic uncertainties. As digital video is set to capture nearly 60% of total TV/video ad spend, local media salespeople can leverage this trend to enhance their sales strategies and offer more value to advertisers.
5 Social Ad Trends - Local Media Sellers Can’t Ignore
PPC advertising is surging in popularity thanks to its scalability and fast turnaround. Adrian Falk outlines five key trends reshaping social advertising: short-form video, AI-generated content, Messenger-based campaigns, micro-influencer UGC, and automated AI targeting. For local media sales teams, these shifts highlight new opportunities to integrate digital tactics into traditional campaigns and drive better results for small and mid-size advertisers. Embracing these trends can position local media as savvy digital partners mdash;not just legacy platforms.
Meta Abandons Fact-Checking for Community Notes, Emphasizes Free Speech
Meta is making a significant shift in its content moderation strategy by discontinuing its fact-checking program and adopting a “Community Notes” system, similar to the approach used on X. This move reflects a broader focus on free speech and reduced content restrictions as Meta aligns its policies with the current sociopolitical climate. Key developments include:
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