Latest / 10X AI with Julius Neil / Is AI Destroying Digital Marketing? (The Hard Truth Every Founder Needs to Know)

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Is AI Destroying Digital Marketing? (The Hard Truth Every Founder Needs to Know) · 10X AI with Julius Neil

• Christian: AI will not kill the marketers. AI will kill the marketers who are not using AI. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Why would I need somebody like Christian when I can just ask AI what to do with our marketing Christian: It's definitely important to you to use AI and even AI agents. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Good day everyone. I'm here with another episode with Christian Kerali. He is from Budapest, Hungary, and he is focusing more on the conversion optimization and digital marketing. He's working for OptiMonk and he also has conversion masters as his own company. So Christian, can you introduce yourself to our viewers and listeners and tell them about your path? Christian: First of all, thank you very much for the invitation, Julius. I'm happy to be here with you today. So, just very short to my background, as you have mentioned as well, for more than a decade I'm now working in digital marketing. Especially, I had always the focus on e-commerce and CRO, conversion rate optimization. On the one hand, I have I lead my own digital marketing agency with the name of Convergence Master. And I'm also working as international partnership manager for Optimong, which is actually a B2B SaaS platform. And I would say this is a very comprehensive AI-powered CRO tool, which helps for Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Hmm. Christian: e-commerce stores turning visitors into paying clients. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Quite interesting. So your personal company is B2C or still B2B? Christian: It's still B to B. We are also Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Mm-hmm. Christian: helping for companies first of all for e commerce stores. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: So basically in your experience, in 10 years of experience, which companies or industries are you focusing on? Or is it general? Any company can approach you and you help them for their... Christian: I would say very good question, thank you. I would say that we are focusing, first of all, on e-commerce stores, as I have mentioned before, but especially for e-commerce stores who I would say are at the middle level, which means that they have already an established product market fit. They have already an established business model, so it's definitely working. But after a couple of years, they have the feeling that they have actually reached the complexity. ceiling, that they spend a lot of money, time and energy on digital marketing efforts. But the results are not coming at the same speed. So something is wrong in their system, but it's now quite complex, so they cannot see what are exactly the main problems, the main issues. I would say where are the leaks on their buckets. And this is Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Yeah. Christian: exactly the point where we can definitely help them in order to avoid spending even more money. absolutely not efficient, because what I see, this is very often a big challenge by e commerce stores. Are spending a lot of money on different digital marketing channels, softwares, tools, because nowadays there are tons of opportunities out there, but they don't really see the results because they don't measure everything very precisely. So after a while they just lose the overview. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Okay, for context for our viewers and listeners, how do you define the digital marketing? Because we're so many channels right now, so people are confused. What is digital marketing? Which area is this focusing on? Or what are the things that they need to know about digital marketing? Christian: Mm-hmm. So actually I think that digital marketing is one of the areas which has changed maybe on the highest speed in the last 10 years, what I can see. I would say that nowadays is a very com a very complex area. And it covers actually all the digital marketing channels like social media, also organic traffic, which means already not just Google, but also all the AI tools. But it also covers the other digital marketing tools like, for example, email marketing or the classical PPC campaigns like Meta Ads and Google Ads. So I would say that everything which helps you to reach your audience in any way of online, this belongs to digital marketing and also which helps you not just getting this traffic but as I have mentioned before, turning this traffic into clients. And I think that nowadays this second part is the really big challenge for most of the e-commerce to owners and even for other entrepreneurs, what I can see out there, that maybe they have a lot of possibilities and Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Thank Christian: ideas how to get the traffic. But how to convert them It's usually the next level. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: I understand, I understand. It's very complex now, so you have social media marketing, have search engine optimization, and then now you have the AI. So you've spent over a decade helping brands grow. So if we had recorded this conversation three years ago versus today, what would be completely different about your advice? Christian: It would be definitely the word AI. Because of course, three years ago it has already existed, we know, Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Mmm. Christian: but it was definitely not so widely used as nowadays. Because now actually are much more possibilities, tools accessible than ever before in the history. And on the one hand, I see it definitely as an advantage, but what I also very often see that it could be very overwhelming for entrepreneurs and business owners and e-commerce store owners. That is just too much data out there because you have access to everything. You can just run a search and in five minutes you get answer for everything. But they but to cut through all this noise, it's sometimes not so easy. And to make the right decisions, it's it could be quite challenging Julius Neil Buenconsejo: you Christian: nowadays. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Yeah, because if you see that the customer journey for different channels, there will be different approach, right? So for example, right now, if I'm starting a company, where should I focus first? Should I focus for social media, Instagram, TikTok, or should I now jump in into AI? What do you think? Christian: So first of all, what I would suggest you not to start immediately with everything and spend all the money what you can do for everything because it will be definitely not working on the long term. What I would definitely, instead of that, recommend you that from zero from the first day, start to measure everything. This should be your first task, to to set up a measurement system where you can measure everything because we know exactly what we don't measure, we cannot improve it. So, in order to make data driven decisions, how to improve in which direction your business or your e-commerce store, you have to know your own data. At least your most important key PIs. Of course, you don't have to be a digital marketing expert, but at least you have to know your own data, the most important key PIs of your business. So that means that first of all, I would start to test. most of the traffic channels in order to get an answer, a data-driven answer, what is working for you, who is your ICP, where can you find them and which traffic channel converts on the best way for you? So it's very important not just to make this decision in advance and just crossing the fingers hoping that it's gonna work. No. Test everything with a low budget, measure the data, and based on that data, based on that result, just draw the conclusions and take to the next step. We call it this PDCA cycle. It's coming from Edward Deming. Plan, do, check, act. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Okay. Christian: This is what definitely works instead of something magic pills or the holy grail. I don't believe in it, to be honest, in digital Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Nothing. Christian: marketing. If somebody tries to tell it to you that this is the most important secret, the holy grail, it is just the magic pill, you take it and everything is running smoothly, it's a lie. To my experience, Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Mm-hmm. Christian: it's never just one big factor or big failure. It's usually a lot of small adjustments what you have to To make and these are then compounding on the long term, and this can then increase to great results. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Yeah, I would like to agree on that. So you say most brands don't have traffic problem. They have profitability problem. That's a statement that almost sounds as heretical in digital marketing. why do so many founders still confuse growth with profitability? Christian: exactly I think last week or two weeks ago I have hold an online webinar regarding this topic. That I'm in the very lucky situation that in the last couple of years I had almost every day at least three, four, sometimes even five scheduled calls with e-commerce store owners and even with big international digital marketing agency owners. So therefore, I have gained a lot of experience, a lot of insights, what is actually working and what is actually not working in this era of e-commerce and AI-powered digital marketing. And what I see at the moment, that the biggest challenge for most of the e-commerce. Stores are out there, that they are in a kind of double squeeze. Which means from above that the Ad costs like Google Ads, Meta Ads, have skyrocketed in the last couple of years. I have read a statistics about it that, for example, in the last eight years, the average customer acquisition cost has increased by 222%, which is huge. If you consider it. So it's more expensive than ever before to get a visitor or even to get a client to your store. And on the other part from below, I would say there are the big giants out there: Temu, Shine, Amazon, also the marketplaces, for example, by us in East Europe, and they have actually an endless, an unlimited PPC budget. And actually They have, of course, much bigger possibilities regarding pricing, regarding the product range, or even the speed of the deliverability. And what I usually see that actually the profit of the e-commerce store owners are crushed, destroyed between the two parts of the squeezes, but it's actually not. There I would say it's not their fault that it's working like this. The problem is that they are just playing on the wrong field. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Yeah. Christian: They are just playing on the wrong field because, Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Okay. Christian: as I have mentioned before, to compete on these areas, there is no chance nowadays. They have to change their mind. They have to shift their mindset. And instead of playing on these fields, they have to change the playing field and start playing on the right field. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Okay, so you're now talking about changing the mindset, you're talking about better thinking. So do you think AI is making marketers smarter now or will make marketers even more smarter? Christian: AI is a great opportunity, what we haven't had never before in the history, because as I see, AI gives us, and actually to all of the entrepreneurs, business owners, e-commerce store owners, the possibility. To make actually this whole competition, what I have mentioned before, on the same level. Just let me tell you one example, a short story. A couple of years ago, one of our clients, she's a very nice lady, she has a big e-commerce store who is selling fashions clothes. And she was complaining about it that every time if a new set of clothes are arriving to her store. She has to spend a lot of time, energy, and money, of course, to make all these product images because she has to hire photographers, models, the whole equipment, the places where these photos are taken, and so on. And a couple of weeks ago, we had again an online meeting and she was very proud and telling me that, Christian, just imagine, now. With the modern tool of AI, we can save between 70 and 80% of time, energy, and of course also the money what we spend for Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Wow. Christian: this nice product images. makes The whole thing much smarter and much different. Because five years ago you didn't have this possibility. Now you have it if you use it accordingly. And now you have the chance to compete even with the bigger e-commerce stores and businesses. Because it would it wouldn't be any more a disadvantage that you, for example, don't have a budget to make such a professional product images. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Yes, correct. So that's a very nice use case study of AI in marketing. So now, since we're talking about AI giving more power and empowerment to the owners of the company, so some people listening to our conversation, I will think, so Why would I need somebody like Christian who has 10 years experience when I can just ask AI what to do with our marketing and then just find our customer. using AI. So what's the advantage of working with someone like you who has decades of experience and then just you know go straight to AI and then find it out for yourself. Christian: It's also a very good question, thank you. And I really love it because actually I often see, for example, on LinkedIn posts, that wow, we have built an agent for complete SEO tasks, you don't need an SEO agency anymore. We have built an agency for complete CRO tasks, you don't need a CRO agency anymore, and so on. The same with PPC and email marketing and everything. And I would say that. It's definitely important to you to use AI and even AI agents. and a couple of weeks ago I have read it in a post and I love this quote that actually, and I deeply believe in it, that AI will not kill the marketers. AI will kill the marketers who are not using AI. Because there are definitely areas where is AI much better than we humans, like for example, analyzing data in a couple of minutes, just drawing conclusions from it and so on. But if you are working closely Julius Neil Buenconsejo: you Christian: with different AI tools on a daily basis, you're gonna have experience very soon, as I have sometimes, that there is still hallucination there, not Every time, but there are still some hallucinations there. And especially if there is a more complex context which is needed, like for example, in that case, customer journey or conversion rate optimization on a whole e-commerce store, and also some other more complex topics. There are some points where actually just consider it. AI is doing nothing else, just scrolling the data on the net because they don't have their own experience. So it means that based on that data, what they are finding at the moment on the internet, they are trying they are trying to give you recommendations. But are you 100% sure that everything which is online and on the net, is it correct? Are they every time very reliable data? Let's be honest, it's definitely not the case. So Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Yeah. Christian: sometimes I think it's still very important that you consult with a kind of expert who has already done it, who has already seen it by other real stores, not just gather this data from from the internet without checking double checking it out if is it's correct or just maybe written from somebody or even from another AI agent. Because we know exactly that a lot of a big part of the content is already AI generated, so it's a very funny Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Yeah, so you don't have to commit the same mistakes over and over again because committing the same mistakes, know, time is money. So you have to be able to, you know, to move forward faster now because of AI. And at the same time, it's also cheaper in the long run if you're not going to be... trap in the same mistakes that others have done because you have you for example have already have all this experience with other other stores that are bigger than them that are you know more robust or more you know complicated situation so it's better to still to have somebody who is a mentor or consultant like you or company like you who has done that before and help you move forward with your with your e-commerce site or or your business so another thing that is very you know pressing issue right now is everyone's using AI for their marketing copy. But if you use AI, your copy will be almost the same because it's like a template, you know what I mean, right? So is AI creating average marketing or revealing average marketers? So do you think AI is just creating average marketing strategies or techniques or revealing average marketers themselves? Christian: Mm-hmm. I would say that it depends on, and it's actually also partly back to your last question, that what I have seen, that of course we know exactly by all of the our AI tools is the basic rule that the output is depending from the input. And this makes a huge difference because if you even yourself Don't understand very deeply, for example, digital marketing or CRO, conversion rate optimization, how could you prompt very professional and very exactly your AI tool? So that's the reason that if you give just some context to your AI tool, of course, also the output, like for example, what you have mentioned, the digital marketing strategy strategy, something weak, something general. Because you don't know exactly what kind of input should you give, because you also don't really understand the topic. But it could also work, of course, on a very professional way. Because if you have a huge experience already, how does it work? This special niche. Then in that case, also the output will be not so average. So to answer your question, yes, it sometimes could deliver Julius Neil Buenconsejo: you Christian: just very average results, but It's based on the human who is working actually with the AI tool together. So therefore I believe in the hybrid method that they should work close together, human and AI. Every time the Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Yeah, I agree and that is Christian: output is depending on the knowledge level of the human, because the AI tool is the same. It doesn't make any difference. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: I agree with that because the other day I was so busy so I just asked one of my creators to do some editing of the image that I wanted to be edited and I told him, can you edit this? You know, the same instructions, same instructions, I gave it to him and this. And then it comes back to me a different and then I gave him again, this is the instructions. I was like. And then I have a few minutes of my time around 10 minutes in between meetings and then, okay, I'll just try myself. So whatever I have in my mind, the knowledge that I wanted to impart, the instructions that I wanted, I just put it in, you know, and I think I use Gemini. I put it in Gemini exactly what I want to, you know, what I want to see. I was able to, you know, I was able to do that. And then I sent it to him. This is what I want. So. Christian: But you had already a concept in your head because you understood Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Yes, yes, yes. Christian: what you are doing and and your colleague, I assume, didn't understand it. There's the difference. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Yeah, because I gave him very specific instructions. I just tell him, this is what I want to see. But I can't, you he cannot, whenever he see, he sends it to me. say, okay, revise this, revise it. Then I just have 10 minutes. I know I can do this. And then I use Gemini to do that and just, that's it. I got it. So that's when I realized, even if you have a perfect instruction, even if you have the perfect context, the other person has different knowledge, skill level, and different interpretation of that. and the output would be different. So it's the same thing. I agree with you. And it happened to me just recently that, you have to be able to have a good knowledge, skillset. And then that's why companies should also upskill their workforce if they wanted to use AI instead of just, you know, let's just one tool. Everybody uses that and it's going to be chaotic if you don't have that upscaling. So in that, in that Christian: Absolutely. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Yeah, in that context, if every company has access to these AI tools, where does the competitive advantage actually come from now? Because you have ChatGPT, I have ChatGPT, we're both, you know, digital marketers with the same 10 years or 10 decades of experience. And there's some guy, you know, who is just starting, maybe he just thought, okay, I wanted to start my own digital marketing company and uses AI and says, I can do this, this and that. So where does it go? competitive advantage comes. Christian: I would say that the method, how you are using this tool, because we shouldn't forget that ChatGPT and Perplexity AI and all the other AI tools are still just a tool. They are not good or not bad. Just let me tell you another example. it's a very good analogy. Like, for example, the pop-ups. I know. That a lot of people are hating pop-ups, but not because pop-ups are bad. They are not good, they are not bad. It depends on who is using it, who is adjusting them. Because we can just live it without any adjustments, and it pops up every five seconds with the same general message, which is quite annoying. And of course, then I start to hate the pop-ups and leave the site immediately. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Correct. Christian: But with the same tool, no difference. I can even make very personalized on-site messages which helps which helps the visitors to navigate on the site, increase the customer experience, increase the sign-up rate for emails, newsletters, and even increase, for example, the e-commerce conversion rate. Wow, the same tool, no difference. But how is using person one and person two? This makes the competitive. advantage that you know exactly how to use it because you have a concept. So here again this is I think the the most important part in it that you think about it not just use it automatically Julius Neil Buenconsejo: You mentioned about the customer acquisition is already rising by 200 % a while ago and then many founders are responding, you know, by spending more and then the others are cutting budgets. Is everyone solving the wrong problem now? Christian: I would say that Just increase the ad spend without doing anything else is definitely wrong because on the long term you cannot win. Instead of that, what you should definitely do here again, know your numbers, know exactly the data, and investigate your bucket. Where are the leaks? And start to fix these small leaks like Just think by this example, if you have an average e-commerce conversion rate by 1% and you are spending a ton of money on meta-ads and Google ads, instead of doubling your budget, try to double your e-commerce conversion rate. Because it would mean that from the same efforts, from the same investing of time, energy, and money, you can double your profit. So, for example, start to investigate your e-commerce store itself. What is the reason for that that only 1% of your visitors are buying? Is it something wrong on the product page? Is it maybe something wrong in your checkout progress, on your cart page? Whatever it happens, just start to fix the leaks because this is the best way in order to make it in a very efficient way. I say it always to find the bottlenecks. Where are the parts in your sales funnel where with the least time, energy and money investment, you can get the biggest impact. And it's usually not Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Okay. Christian: always the part when you think it. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Okay, so right now, what is the average average, what you see conversion rate, you know, I mean the good conversion rate for that the companies should target. You mentioned 1%. What is the average now that you should target to be able to be in that tier? Christian: The industrial average benchmark is now between two and three percent. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Okay, the best ones like for example, amazon are they getting more? Christian: The best ones, by Amazon I don't know exactly to be honest, but I'm or we are working with some very professional, huge DTC brands whose e commerce conversion rate is by six percent. But they are very professional. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Okay, okay. What is it that this company is doing that the other companies are not? Like, their conversion is 6%. Christian: Mm-hmm. So, first of all, they have very professional product pages. And this is very important because nowadays we could say that the product page is the new landing page. So if you are running, for example, PMAX campaigns, it means automatically that between 60 and 80% of your visitors are landing directly on your product page. They don't even see the category page or the main page. So therefore, I think it's more important than ever before to optimize your product. Page as deeply as possible. The headline, the images, what we were talking about before, the benefits, the trust building and personalization. So they are doing it all these parts on a very high, on a very professional level. Because also in other statistics, I have read a case study about it, that nowadays 67% of the online visitors expect personalized experience. And sorry to say that, but Just to mention the first name of your customers in the email is not a personalization in 2026. It was maybe 10 years ago, but Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Hahaha Christian: nowadays, when we are talking about personalization, even hyper personalization, because it's now also possible with the help of AI, of course, this is what could make a huge difference. And of course, retention marketing. Just think about customer lifetime value. So even if you have, let's say, the by the best results, 6% are purchasing, it still means that 94% of your visitors are leaving your site without purchasing. If you don't do anything with them, you leave a lot of money on the table. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Okay, you talk about the lifetime value. So I don't know now which company has the highest lifetime value. Before it was Starbucks, like around $500 US lifetime value for their customers. In your industry right now, which industry has the highest lifetime value or company? You don't have to mention, yeah? Yeah. Christian: To be honest, I don't know as well. To be honest, I I have to look after the statistics, but I don't know exact data about it. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: So do you think lifetime value is connected to brand loyalty? Christian: Absolutely. Absolutely. So therefore it's very important, as I have mentioned before, that you do not focus only on the first time purchase and that's all. And after all then you just forget about your customers. It's very important to nurture also your paying clients and building up connection with them. Because exactly this trust gonna build this kind of customer lifetime value what will actually rescue you or give you a big opportunities on the long term. So definitely these these two points are connected because we know that if you are able to build up this kind of connection, relationship with your clients, they will be happy to come back and buy from you an again and again and by the second or birth by the third time, you don't have any more this customer acquisition cost because they are just coming back automatically, let's say, you don't have to spend money again. on it. And that's the smart part on it. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Right now everyone's talking about authenticity. So you create this connection that you're saying by being authentic, by being you as your brand. So with AI now... the authenticity is being challenged because there are some, you know what I mean? There's so many Christian: Challenge, yeah. Absolutely. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: tools now that can just fake everything. Some videos will have persons who doesn't even exist. So how do you now navigate this, these challenges of being authentic to your brand? And then at the same time, you are also using AI. to market your products, just like your use case a while ago, that they're now using AI to display their products, or the photos and all this. So how do you balance that authenticity now, and then connecting to your audiences or to your customers, your authentic brand? Christian: Mm-hmm. It's definitely not easy. It's definitely challenging. What I think is what is definitely working, that you try to find a kind of golden middle way, that you balance between the two factors, which means that of course all the repeatable tasks, what you can sale, scale, you do it with One of the AI tools, definitely, in order to be efficient to save some time, energy, and also money. But on the other part, exactly from that reason, but you have also mentioned that nowadays even videos can be recorded without Julius Neil Buenconsejo: you Christian: a human person, I think that people get more sensible regarding this area. And they're gonna start to filter. And I think that we can all of us recognize it very soon if it's just everything created automatically from an AI tool, or is still something there, a kind of human touch? And if you are able just give at the end of the whole work process, work progress, a kind of human touch that then you're gonna win. Just one example. I still think it's very important to show your personal parts on the website or on the e-commerce store. So not just some AI generated pictures, but your real team or your own pictures is very important to show yourself because it builds trust. And we know exactly that people buy from people. Just think about it that these huge brands like Nike or or or Nespresso. They also hired persons with with name and and faces because they also needed somebody as an ambassador for the brand. So of course you are not able to hire such big names, but you can show yourself and your team. Just stay human because this could be competitive advantage in this new AI era if you are able to show yourself and your colleagues on your site or in your e-commerce store. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: If you remember a few weeks ago or a few months ago, there's some Apple's mocked Coca-Cola for creating an advertisement all AI. then Apple is still hiring humans or agency to do their advertisement. So Christian: Yeah. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: what is your take on that? Christian: Yeah, you can just consider it. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Right? because there's still, Apple is still saying that he's still humans. We still need humans. We still connect with our customers and we are authentic brand. that we are building things by humans. So that's for me, it's a very good example of saying, okay, you can trust us. This is the authentic part of our Christian: Very important message. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: company, right? Very important message to the, that's why, know, they have also high, very high brand loyalty, the Apple users. So currently, so what's more dangerous, bad advertising or bad economics in the age of AI? Christian: Bad advertising or what was the second one? Bad economics. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Bad economics. Christian: I would say that bad advertising. Because let just think about it, bad economics, it's it was several times already in the history. There are also always ups and downs, like the roller coaster, actually. So there were always times in the history where business went down. So there were bad economics and still a lot of businesses were able to actually go viral and and working very well. But bad advertising means that you are actually just spending money without limits, without considering it, and actually it will definitely lead after a couple of time to bankruptcy. No other chance. Yeah. Yeah. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Yeah, yeah. Okay, so imagine just as some one example. So imagine I'm launching a Shopify brand tomorrow. So I'm like, okay, I wanted to start an outcome company. Christian, I only have $50,000 to spend for my own company right now. So would you spend more on traffic or more on fixing conversions and retention? Can you walk us through your reasoning about this? Christian: Mm-hmm. So I would definitely start. Because it's very important for a new e-commerce store to get in traffic, because of course without visitors nothing happens. But as I have mentioned at the beginning, just testing with small budgets. Let's say that with just with $500, maximum $1,000 per month on Meta, $1,000 on Google Ads. Let's just let's start with the two main channels and measure everything, which one is Converting better, where is the highest ROS? And after a while, when the visitors starting coming to your store, you are getting data. So after the first or second month, you will be able to have at least enough data to draw the first conclusions and start according to this data, adjust your Store mainly, I think you have to adjust your product pages, as I have mentioned before. And it's very important that you have to keep balance between these two methods. So if you see already that the ROS is high enough, then you can start increase the ad budget. And if you are seeing that your e-commerce conversion rate has a nice Let's say between the average two and three percent, then you can start with a very small adjustments because as I have mentioned before, it will be never usually just one huge problem, but a lot of lot of small, even tiny adjustments, which can give you additional 0.1%. Then again, 0.1%. And after a while, if you balance these two factors, you can start to grow. and scale your business. But definitely you should divide your budget from the beginning. You should test everything, measure everything, and make data-driven decisions. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: So this is one of your most interesting ideas. You said AI has compressed the buying journey. People no longer browse, the AI is already researched, and then they're landing directly on the product page. So what happens to the brands that still think that homepage is their storefront? Christian: actually, I think they're gonna have big issues in the next couple of years. But I would say also the good news to that, because as you have mentioned before, definitely people are now browsing in the AI tools, asking the AI tools, and the AI tools are usually leading or directing these visitors to the product pages. But exactly from that reason that they are actually already more pre qualified, these visitors, I think. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: You Christian: I think two weeks ago I have posted it on LinkedIn. What we measure is 13 times higher conversion rates in comparison to all to the other traffic channels, because actually they got already all the information, what they need. Actually, they got usually the most important answers to their questions from the AI tool. So usually what they need is actually just one last point. The persuasion. That on the product page they could be persuaded or should be persuaded that okay, you can buy from me. And if you do Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Mm-hmm. Christian: it well, then you can measure, as I have mentioned before, 13 times higher conversion rates. So you should prepare for this new era of visitors' behavior and searching behavior. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Yeah, so we also know that, you know, high conversion doesn't also mean that brand loyalty, right? So if AI becomes everyone's shopping assistant, does branding become less important or more important? Like what you said, AI already gave all the information to the customer and you only need one, maybe one area, which is persuasion. So where does the branding comes there? Is it more important to have branding or less more important? Christian: I think that regarding this point of view, it won't be changed anything because just take the presence. There are some visitors who are not really interested in the brand. They want just to get the cheapest products. That's all. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: You Christian: And they are already existing and they will exist forever. But we know exactly also the other part who say, okay, I love this brand. And I'm even ready to pay more for the product of this brand. Just take Apple, what you have mentioned. They are definitely Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Yeah. Christian: more expensive than any other, let's say, for example, mobile phones on the market, but people are still standing in the queue in front of Julius Neil Buenconsejo: You Christian: the stores when the newest iPhone is coming. So I think that the most beautiful part on the commerce side is that both sides can live beside each other because I think it will still remain the same also for the future. So it depends on Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Mm-hmm. Christian: who is your audience actually. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: in an imaginary future. we started with OpenClaw and then Claude is also doing this. So could we eventually reach a world where customers never visit the websites at all? Where AI simply purchases on their behalf. Christian: I can imagine it very well, to be honest. I don't know how does it look like in the practice, Julius Neil Buenconsejo: You Christian: but if I'm just thinking about what I'm doing now, because I do it the same, so pff Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Mm-hmm. Christian: For a while actually when I'm looking for a product, I I I never do a Google search. I just put it in my pre-prompted AI tool and they are my agents are actually looking for that and I need just to click on the URLs so I can imagine it very well that in the near or later future these AI agents will do the purchase for us. But when Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Yeah. Christian: and how will it work like It's also a secret for me, but it's a very exciting Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Ha ha ha! Christian: future I would say. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Yeah, that is good on the consumer side. Now, on the business side, what's the implication of that? What company survives in that future? Christian: I think here we'll definitely survive the companies who are able to sell also to humans and also to the AI agents. Because I'm also pretty sure that not all of us will use AI agents in order to purchase on stores because there are already I heard about We know about people who are refusing it actually using AI agents. They are maybe just doing some AI chats, but definitely not AI agents because they don't trust them. So definitely there will be always a part of the humanity who were Who will not use this AI agents. So therefore, you are you have to be able to sell to the humans as well, and also to the machines, to the AI agents. And there are already actually a lot of possibilities, like for example, upload the new LLMS TXT files to your stores, that it makes readable your content to all the AI tools and so on. So here again you have to make a balance and find the golden middle way. in order to be able to sell to both sections. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Yeah, so you know that the customers who are buying from your brand or from your store, these are emotion-driven, right? So during the customer journey, the AI can read the emotion, for example. But it doesn't understand the human emotions behind that. So where do humans, you talk about this persuasion, where do humans steal? outperform AI in persuasion. So in that future that we are talking about, how Christian: Mm-hmm. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: humans can still outperform AI when it comes to persuasion to buy to our brand. Christian: It's actually a very exciting question because, as you have also mentioned, usually 99% of the purchase decisions will be made on an emotions level. Even if we afterwards try to rationalize it and explain it, why did we do it? It's already done. And actually, it's done based on your emotions. And actually, what I think That even your own AI agents will be a kind of driven from your emotions because they are prompted from you. They are working based on your preferences. So actually, even if they are machines, they're gonna follow your instructions. So actually, also based on your unconscious emotions. So therefore I think it will be always have an effect on the results. How are you able to influence the emotions of your potential clients? Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Okay, so there's this guy, you know, it's Gary Vee. he's, there's Christian: Garabyte. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: a, you know, there's a short, short thrill that I saw just recently that he's saying that we are done with the social media era. We are now in the interest media era now. So people likes. The algorithm of this social media platforms shows you based on your interests. This is not anymore someone you follow, a person that you follow. This is about your interests. Like for example, somebody who just posted one short, shorts or reel in FB that has no followers, maybe. few followers, less than 100, but if this is your interest, the algorithm will show it to you. How does that play in the marketing in the future, maybe in three to five years? Christian: I would say that it's actually here again a very good opportunity for small and middle sized companies who are, for example, just starting with the business life, because as you have mentioned as well, it's not so important that you have already a lot of followers. It's much more important rather how you can serve The interest of your potential clients. So here, what will be very important or even more important than ever before, that you have to know your ICP, your ideal customer profile, as deeply as possible. That you have to know everything about them: the demographical parts, the psychological parts, because the more deeper you know them. It will be the higher the chance that you can create content for them where they are interested, and it will be a very good sign, a very good trigger for them to consume your content and then click through and go to your website or to your e-commerce store. So this basic rule will, I think, be more important than ever before: that know your customers. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: yeah, that's, that's makes sense because you know, you have to know your customers. Do you have to know their interest based on your product? There may be some overlapping interests also, or some overlapping, overlapping categories that you don't even know right now. So you have to be able to unpack that. Right? So one interests Christian: Definitely. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: that are, you know, that are, that are maybe, you know, relatable to each other. Some, some people who are still, you know, interested right now in one, in one area, but this is parallel interest with yours. How are you going to, you know, to persuade that customer to go to your product because your product is the, is the best, you know, is the best product that solves, you know, their problem or the best of their interests. So that's one thing that. Christian: Th this is very important. This is very important, I think, but you have mentioned that you have to answer the questions of your customer. You have to give solutions for the problems of your customer. I have read it one time and I love this quote that people don't want to buy a drill. They just want a hole in the wall. So simple. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: You Christian: So just think about it, what is your solution or your product? What kind of solution is it for the problem of your customers? Just think about it. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Okay, so now I wanted to know more about OptiMak, the AI-driven CRO. So how does it work for clients? Christian: Actually, the main advantage is that OptiBonk is working with first-party data, which means that in the moment when it's connected with your e-commerce store, it starts gathering data from your visitors. And based on that data, we are able to target the on-site messages. Like, for example, based on the visitor's behavior. Which makes all the on-site messages much more relevant, personalized, even hyper personalized, what we were talking about before. And we know exactly that higher relevance equals higher conversion rates. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Mm-hmm. Christian: And the newest module from Optimon called Conversion Lift is now able, with the help of AI. To regenerate different parts of your product page, which means that our AI is connected to your product feed. It pulls all the data out from your product feed. And based on that, we are able to regenerate your product images, your product headlines, benefit lists, summaries, and so on. So actually just regenerate your product page, as I have mentioned before, and inject it back to your product page, which looks totally native just as a part of your product page. So actually your visitors don't even recognize that this is just a kind of embedded content. But this part could be dynamically and automatically changed from AI. So it opens Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Hey. Christian: definitely new opportunities for e-commerce store owners. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Okay, so based on your experience, is a good, right now, what is a good product page based on the optimal, know, study, know, you already, you know, regenerating these pages based on the customer behaviors and interests. So what is a good product page right now? Christian: Okay, actually it has to be of course a very fast page load time because it's still crucial. Absolutely mobile friendly because usually between 70 and 80% of your visitors are coming from mobile nowadays. And you have to focus on the five most important parts on your product page: the headline, the benefits, of course the image, the product image. than trust building and personalization. These are the five most important blocks where you have to focus on. Actually, this was exactly the topic of my online webinar two weeks ago. So unfortunately, Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Mm-hmm. Christian: I cannot go very detailed in it because this online webinar took almost 40 Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Yeah, yeah. Christian: minutes, are very detailed suggestions, concrete recommendations in order to do that. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: in your experience right now, so we are in the, you know, in a pinnacle of deciding, you know, the customers are deciding, are we going for AI search or Google search? Where do you think this is heading now? Christian: Definitely AI search. It's still growing. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: will die and then AI search will be more? Christian: No, definitely not. Definitely not. I don't think so that SCO will die, but it will change and dramatically change. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Okay, see if I'm a company now I wanted to prepare I wanted to prepare for the AI search How do I navigate that Okay, my first question, what's one AI tool you actually use every day? Christian: Everyday Manus AI and Cloud Cover. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Okay, question number two, what is one task AIS already 10x or exponentially improving your life? Christian: Hmm. I would say answering my emails. Or a or at least prepare prepare the drafts. It saves the tons of time for me. Because I have a huge correspondence, of course. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Okay, okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know. So what's one human skill AI can never replace? Christian: It's a very good question. I cannot answer it just with one word, but Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Mm-hmm. Christian: I can explain it in a context, which means Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Okay. Christian: that AI is working from data. And we know exactly that all the data which is accessible online are not always correct. That's the reason for hallucination. So, therefore, I think that experience, what usually people are gathering. through the years when they are working in a special niche, it's definitely not replaceable from any AI tool. So human experience. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Okay, okay, okay. So number four, if you could automate one annoying thing forever, what would it be? Christian: It's actually a private part. Last time I had to make some documentation for some domains and and and hostings, and it Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Mm-hmm. Christian: was so annoying really, it took so much time. I would love it if Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Mm-hmm. Christian: he could just automate it with just two push the buttons and ready to use. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Ha ha ha! Okay, what's the biggest misconception about AI right now? Christian: I think the biggest misconception is regarding AI that it will take the jobs from people. And especially today in the morning, I saw a really lovely post on LinkedIn regarding IKEA, where they Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Mm-hmm. Christian: have did you see it as well, maybe? Okay, then I don't have to explain it, but it's a great Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Yeah, yeah, yeah, I saw that. Christian: example for that, that it's definitely not the case. It just changes the environment, but it definitely doesn't mean that people will be unnecessary in the future. Just with other jobs for other positions, so I love it. It's a very good use case. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Yes, yes. So it was very good for IKEA to just not to lay off all these people and just, you know, upscale them and transfer them to Christian: Exactly. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: the interior design. That's a very innovative way of, you know, using AI through other means and then the people, you know, improving them to be able to, you know, to help them in other aspects of the business. Christian: Absolutely. Just a new era has begun, but it doesn't mean that it's o over for for human. It's definitely not the case. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Yeah And then number six what advice would you give someone who wants to become 10x or improve himself or herself starting today? Christian: First of all, to learn as much as possible. Every day takes some time for it to stay up to date. Because I think nowadays is more important than ever before to live as a lifelong learner. Because it's so it's changing so fast, the whole environment, that it's really a must-have now that you have to improve your skills and learn something new every day. Not just learn it on a theoretical level, but start to implement it immediately. So Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Mm-hmm. Christian: experience it as well, not just learn it and and and try to understand it, but use it as well, because this is the best way to to live with it, I think. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Number seven, what will you tell your younger self about the future? Christian: What would I tell for who buddy for who? Sorry. my younger self for the future. Okay. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Your younger self. Yes. Christian: I love this question. I never thought about it. Stay always curious and stay always hungry. Stay hungry for success and hungry Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Mm-hmm. Yeah, yes. Christian: for new things because this is definitely I think one of the keys for success nowadays. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Okay. Okay. So what's one book, podcast or research that shape your thinking about AI or innovation? Christian: What what kind of podcast do you mean? Or Julius Neil Buenconsejo: podcast, resource, or book, or any reference that shape your thinking Christian: Mm-hmm. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: about AI or innovation. Christian: I would mention the videos from Dan Martell. I think he's a nice guy. Do you know him maybe? Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Yeah, I think I've been seeing his pose in his videos as well. Yes. Christian: He's publishing a lot of lot of videos on different platforms, not just on YouTube, and he's teaching very not just cool stuff about AI, but really how to use it in your everyday life, in your everyday business. So not just as I have mentioned before, not just on theoretical level, but definitely very useful use cases. So I think he's he's a great one. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Okay, if you had to bet on one AI trend that will be massive in three years, what is it? Christian: I think that Definitely one of the AI trends will be, which we can see already now, that the purchasing behaviour of visitors are changing dramatically. As we can see it it Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Okay. Christian: it it actually started already, but it will be even more significant in the next three years. I deeply believe in it. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Yeah. Okay. What type of behavior is that? Because you mentioned about, you know, people are now having going to AI and then asking, asking them about the recommendations and then they, just have to have this persuasion on your website or your product page. What type of behavior Christian: And Julius Neil Buenconsejo: is that? Yeah. Christian: the and this is exactly what I mean before, that now maybe I don't know the exact numbers, but Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Mm-hmm. Christian: I would assume that just a part of the population are using these tools. But I'm pretty sure that in the next couple of years almost everybody will do it like this, what I have mentioned at the beginning, that first start with one of your favorite AI tools, just Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Mm-hmm. Christian: find the three best options for your preferences and at the end you have just you just need some other minutes to check these three product pages and make the purchase. And I think it will be definitely the the the most str important and very strongest trend so generally in in in e commerce and all the purchasing Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Okay. Christian: behaviours. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Okay. So my last question. What does 10x mean to you personally? Christian: So first of all for me personally means to To have my higher and better expression of myself in Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Okay. Christian: every level of my life, and physical condition, mental condition, knowledge, everything which is related to myself, to my consciousness, to my life. This is for me the 10x level, to bring out the highest level from myself, which is possible actually. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Mm. Christian: Regarding working, of course, ten X means for me being ten times, for example, more efficient, just try to improve it every day, and of course to achieve ten times higher successes in in my professional life as well. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Okay, all right. So thank you very much for that. A very insightful and very insider info for an online marketer, digital marketer like you, regarding the product pages now and all the discussions that we had. I'm pretty sure that it brought value to the listeners and viewers of this podcast. So if people wanted to connect with you or learn more about your work, how do they connect with you? Christian: I would suggest definitely two possibilities. First one, you can just directly contact me via LinkedIn. Maybe our my LinkedIn profile, we can even put it here. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Yeah. Christian: And as I have mentioned at the beginning, if you are, for example, an entrepreneur, business owner, especially maybe an e-commerce store owner, and you are just curious about how you get adjust your Product pages accordingly, you can just require a free audit from us. And then we have the possibility that you can inquire a free consultation. It's completely free of charge. And then you get a very comprehensive audit regarding your product pages, what needed to be changed in order to be future proof, actually, and AI proof. Julius Neil Buenconsejo: Alright, thank you very much for that and for our viewers and listeners you heard him So I really want to explore what are the tools? What are the the platform that they have right now you can connect with Christian I'm sure he'll be able to help you with anything about your digital marketing or your website conversion everyone listeners during our discussion Thank you for watching and listening that remember the few doesn't belong to AI, it belongs to the people who use it. See you next episode.