In today’s Marketing Pulse, gain insight into how:

• Pop-ups empower small businesses to build brand awareness and foster face-to-face connections, offering low-risk opportunities for growth.

• Leading with authentic, human-centered storytelling creates deeper, lasting engagement by showcasing the people behind the brand, not just the products.

• The rise of generative AI is disrupting traditional SEO strategies, pushing marketers to embrace trust-focused, innovative approaches for visibility.

These articles are penned by members of Forbes Communications Council, key marketing and communications leaders shaping the future of these fields.

Let’s dive in!

The Power Of Pop-Ups: Why Small Businesses Should Set Up Shop

Pop-ups may be transforming the marketing industry. These temporary retail spaces can supercharge a small business’s growth by fostering customer relationships and testing new ideas, all without the overhead of a permanent storefront.

From Glossier’s wildly successful pop-ups to governments encouraging local activations, pop-ups are reshaping how small businesses connect in our hyper-digital age.

Want to make the most of your pop-up efforts? Here's how:

🛍️ Embrace Experiences: Face-to-face interactions and sensory connections create an emotional bond that digital platforms can't replicate.

🎨 Prioritize Presentation: Stand out with clear signage, cohesive branding, and eye-catching displays. Make your setup memorable.

📇 Maximize Your Toolbox: Offer tangible takeaways, like business cards, and use tech like QR codes to convert in-person buzz into online followers.

📍 Experiment And Expand: Use pop-ups to test new products, explore different markets, and gather instant customer feedback.

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Why Brands That Show Up As Human Are The Ones Breaking Through

In today’s noisy digital landscape, connecting on a human level—not flashy products or slogans—is what grabs attention. When brands lead with authenticity and elevate real people, they build emotional bridges that drive long-term loyalty.

Microsoft for Startups demonstrates this by spotlighting the personal stories of founders, proving that who you serve can often resonate more than what you offer.

Ready to make your brand more relatable? Start here:

👥 Lead with Stories: Focus on the people behind your company—what inspires, motivates, and challenges them.

🗣️ Empower Your Customers: Let your users or clients narrate your brand’s impact. Real voices equal real trust.

📹 Showcase Humanity Everywhere: Share behind-the-scenes moments, highlight founder journeys, and invite live testimonials at events

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Marketing Without Google: How AI Is Redefining Visibility

Generative AI tools are shaking up the search landscape, and with it, the rules of marketing. As user behavior shifts away from traditional Google-centered SEO and PPC strategies to AI-driven interactions, companies must rethink visibility, trust, and how they engage their audience.

Here’s how you should respond to the AI-driven shift:

🤖 Refocus Resources: Reevaluate SEO and PPC budgets, reinvesting in evergreen strategies like live events and PR that build credibility across fragmented platforms.

🔎 Adapt to New Search Norms: Generative AI offers unsponsored, trust-first results. Embrace authenticity, as traditional paid placements may lose their reliability.

📉 Monitor Behavior Shifts: With 60% of Google searches ending without clicks, understand that users are increasingly finding answers directly in search summaries.

🚀 Experiment Boldly: The playbook is evolving. Be open to trying new methods—even without guaranteed results.

Read The Full Article > 

Wrapping Up

If these articles sparked your interest, we have a network that you will absolutely love: Forbes Communications Council.

This exclusive, vetted community brings together the brightest minds in marketing and communications — founders, CEOs, CCOs, CMOs, and other senior leaders of marketing and communications teams.

Put yourself at the forefront of innovation with access to publishing opportunities on Forbes.com, a personalized, SEO-friendly Executive Profile, and the chance to network with other respected leaders in the field.

Join Forbes Communications Council today, and become part of a group driving transformation in marketing.