This shift means that ranking on ChatGPT isn’t just about SEO tricks — it’s about building authority, improving visibility, and making sure your website provides clear, structured, and trustworthy information that AI systems can understand and share.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to:

• Understand the differences between ChatGPT and traditional search
• Write in natural language that aligns with how AI models process text
• Build authority with strong reputations, reviews, and credible mentions
• Apply practical tools and strategies you can track and refine over time
• Create future-proof content that drives traffic, trust, and engagement

By the end, you’ll know how to shape a strategy that positions your brand for success in ChatGPT search results today and as the technology evolves.

Understand How ChatGPT “Search” Works Compared to Other Search Engines

ChatGPT doesn’t operate like Google or other traditional search engines. Instead of relying primarily on backlinks and keyword density, it combines trained AI models with live web data (mostly from Bing) to generate answers in real time.

Here are the key differences to understand:

• Two Modes of Search
  • Model-only: For evergreen topics or common questions, ChatGPT uses its trained knowledge base.
  • Web-enhanced: For time-sensitive, product-related, or local search queries, ChatGPT pulls in fresh data from platforms like Bing.
• Personalization Matters
  • Results can vary by users, location, device, or whether memory is enabled.
  • Unlike Google, where rankings feel universal, visibility in ChatGPT may shift depending on context.
• Focus on Clarity and Relevance
  • ChatGPT prefers content that is clear, structured, and easy for AI systems to summarize.
  • Sites that build authority with trustworthy sources and consistent mentions are more likely to be surfaced.
• Trust and Credibility
  • Brands with positive reviews, industry recognition, and a strong digital footprint carry more weight.
  • Generic self-promotional content (like ranking yourself #1 on your own list) can actually hurt long-term trust.

Key takeaway: Success comes from understanding how ChatGPT decides when to use its training vs. when to rely on the live web. To rank effectively, you need to optimize both your site and your broader brand presence across the web.

Phase 1 — Entity & Trust Readiness (Set This First)

Before you focus on keywords, prompts, or clever tactics, you need a strong foundation. ChatGPT favors brands and sites that demonstrate credibility across multiple signals. Think of this as your “trust passport” — without it, your content may never surface in AI-driven search results.

Here are the essentials:

• Consistent Brand Identity
  • Use the same name, logo, and descriptions across your website, social media, and directories.
  • Create an About page that clearly states who you are, what you do, and why people should trust you.
• Authority Pages
  • Publish author bios that highlight experience, credentials, and industry insights.
  • Add editorial policies, contact pages, and transparent company information. These signals help AI systems identify your site as legitimate.
• Structured Data
  • Use organization, person, and review schema to make your pages machine-readable.
  • Link schema properties to sources like LinkedIn, Crunchbase, or Wikipedia to reinforce your entity.
• Third-Party Proof
  • Highlight reviews, awards, and notable mentions in trusted industry publications.
  • Gather positive customer testimonials on platforms like G2, Clutch, or Capterra.
• Reputation Management
  • Monitor what people are saying about your brand on forums, Reddit, and niche platforms.
  • Respond to feedback, both positive and negative, to show you’re engaged and reliable.

Key takeaway: Entity readiness isn’t glamorous, but it’s the backbone of ranking in ChatGPT. Without consistent, verifiable authority signals, even the best content strategy will struggle to gain visibility.

Phase 2 — Write for LLMs and Humans With Natural Language

Ranking on ChatGPT isn’t just about being found — it’s about being understood. Both AI systems and real users prefer content that is clear, direct, and written in a conversational flow. That’s where natural language comes in.

Here’s how to optimize your writing:

• Answer First, Then Expand
  • Start with the quick answer users are looking for.
  • Follow up with detail, examples, and context to show depth.
• Keep It Skimmable
  • Use short paragraphs, bullet points, and numbered steps.
  • Add tables, pros/cons lists, or quick tips where they make sense.
• Write the Way People Speak
  • Avoid jargon-heavy sentences that confuse both readers and AI models.
  • Use approachable wording: instead of “utilize data-driven methodologies,” say “use data to guide decisions.”
• Show Relevance
  • Align your content with the intent behind a search.
  • Example: If someone asks, “What’s the best SEO tool?” → provide comparisons, reviews, and insights, not just definitions.
• Structured for AI
  • Break sections with clear headings and subheadings.
  • Place key facts in formats that are easy for platforms like ChatGPT to summarize — FAQs, lists, and step-by-step guides.
• Trust Signals in the Text
  • Reference credible sources when making claims.
  • Link to external research or industry mentions to boost perceived authority.

Key takeaway: Writing in natural language makes your site easier for AI models to parse and more engaging for people. The best-performing pages strike a balance between being reader-friendly and structured for machines.

Phase 3 — Authority Signals & Digital PR

Once your entity is set, the next step is expanding your reach beyond your own website. ChatGPT favors brands that are cited, referenced, and discussed across trusted platforms. This is where authority and digital PR play a major role.

Key strategies to build authority signals:

• Earn Mentions in High-Authority Sources
  • Contribute guest posts to respected industry publications.
  • Pitch thought leadership pieces that deliver genuine insights.
• Get Included in Third-Party Lists
  • Aim for “Top 10” or “Best of” articles on independent sites.
  • Being named in neutral rankings carries more weight than self-promotional lists.
• Leverage Industry Awards and Recognition
  • Apply for relevant awards in your industry.
  • Display wins and nominations prominently — both users and AI systems treat them as signals of credibility.
• Use Forums and Community Platforms
  • Engage in meaningful discussions on Reddit, Quora, or niche groups.
  • Share helpful information, not just promotions, to build trust.
• Partner with Influencers and Industry Voices
  • Collaborate with credible experts to amplify your brand reach.
  • Co-created content or endorsements often get referenced by platforms like ChatGPT.
• Maintain a Positive Review Profile
  • Encourage happy clients to leave detailed reviews on Clutch, G2, or Google.
  • These third-party endorsements strengthen your reputation across search ecosystems.

Key takeaway: Visibility in ChatGPT depends not just on what you publish but also where your brand is mentioned. Authority is built through credible third-party validation, not isolated self-promotion.

Phase 4 — Bing-Forward Technicals (Because ChatGPT Leans on It)

Since ChatGPT relies heavily on Bing for live search results, optimizing for Bing is critical. If your site performs poorly there, it’s less likely to appear in ChatGPT-generated answers.

Here’s what to focus on:

• Set Up Bing Webmaster Tools
  • Verify your website and submit XML sitemaps.
  • Use the URL submission feature to get fresh pages indexed quickly.
• Use IndexNow
  • Implement IndexNow so Bing is instantly notified of new or updated content.
  • This helps reduce the lag between publishing and being discoverable in ChatGPT.
• Page Experience Basics
  • Optimize site speed by compressing images, cleaning up unused code, and using lazy loading.
  • Ensure your pages are fully mobile-friendly with responsive layouts.
• Structured Data
  • Add schema markup (Organization, FAQ, HowTo, Product) to make information clearer for AI systems.
  • Ensure consistency across schema and on-page copy.
• Navigation and Clarity
  • Keep menus intuitive and content structured.
  • Use descriptive headings and subheadings so both users and AI models can follow your flow.
• Media Optimization
  • Use descriptive filenames and alt text for images.
  • Caption graphics and charts to provide context that AI models can parse.

Key takeaway: Treat Bing optimization as non-negotiable. Strong performance there increases the chances your content will be surfaced and cited in ChatGPT results.

Phase 5 — Content Recency & Maintenance

AI-driven platforms like ChatGPT tend to favor content that feels current and reliable. Outdated pages risk being skipped in favor of newer, more relevant sources. To maintain visibility, you need an ongoing update plan.

Here’s how to keep your content fresh:

• Refresh Regularly
  • Add new statistics, data, and real-world examples to your top-performing pages.
  • Update screenshots, charts, and case studies so they reflect the latest information.
• Use “Last Updated” Stamps
  • Clearly display the most recent update date on important content.
  • This signals both users and AI models that your site is actively maintained.
• Identify Declining Content
  • Use tools like Google Search Console or Bing Webmaster Tools to find pages losing traffic.
  • Update or consolidate those posts to restore performance.
• Tie Content to Current Trends
  • Incorporate examples from your industry, recent product launches, or breaking news where relevant.
  • Aligning your updates with current questions helps ChatGPT deliver your site in timely results.
• Consolidate Evergreen Content
  • For topics that don’t change much, build evergreen hubs that can be updated with small tweaks.
  • This reduces redundancy and makes it easier for AI systems to identify the “best” version of your content.

Key takeaway: Regular updates improve both human trust and AI-driven rankings. A consistent refresh cycle ensures your brand stays top of mind for users and relevant to ChatGPT.

Phase 6 — Engagement Architecture (Signals That Stick)

Strong content doesn’t just answer a question — it keeps users engaged. ChatGPT and other AI systems analyze signals like time on page, internal navigation, and interaction to determine which sites are worth surfacing.

Ways to design for better engagement:

• Clear Above-the-Fold Value
  • Start with summaries, key insights, or quick takeaways.
  • Use jump links so readers can get to the section they need fast.
• Internal Link Maps
  • Guide visitors to related pages that provide additional information.
  • This not only boosts traffic but also signals depth and topical authority.
• Interactive Elements
  • Add tools like calculators, quizzes, or checklists to encourage exploration.
  • Interactive content increases dwell time and perceived usefulness.
• Readable Structure
  • Use bullets, numbered steps, and short paragraphs.
  • Make it easy for both people and AI models to extract key answers.
• Action-Oriented CTAs
  • Place calls-to-action that align with user intent (e.g., “Download the full guide” after an educational section).
  • Keep CTAs simple, clear, and non-intrusive.
• Multimedia for Variety
  • Add images, short videos, or infographics to break up text.
  • Well-labeled visuals provide context for AI systems and make your pages easier to process.

Key takeaway: Engagement isn’t fluff — it’s a ranking factor. Platforms like ChatGPT reward content that keeps people active and exploring, because engaged readers are a sign of trustworthy, high-quality information.

Phase 7 — How to Rank on ChatGPT With a Repeatable Testing Protocol

Ranking in ChatGPT isn’t static. Different users, locations, and prompts can deliver different results. That’s why you need a structured way to track performance and refine your strategy over time.

Here’s a framework you can follow:

• Build a Prompt Bank
  • Collect common questions your audience is likely to ask.
  • Organize them by intent (informational, commercial, local, product-related).
• Test Across Variables
  • Run searches in different browsers, devices, and locations.
  • Compare outcomes with memory on vs. off.
  • Note whether responses come from AI models only or pull in Bing data.
• Log Every Outcome
  • Record the prompt, timestamp, and full answers in a spreadsheet.
  • Capture citations, linked sources, and screenshots of the platforms where your site appears.
• Track Key Metrics
  • LLM share of voice: how often your brand shows up.
  • Citation frequency: how many times your site is directly referenced.
  • Assisted traffic: whether mentions in ChatGPT lead to real users clicking through.
• Interpret Variability
  • Expect fluctuations; no single “top spot” exists.
  • Look for patterns: if your content appears across multiple tests, you’re building consistent authority.

Key takeaway: Treat ChatGPT visibility like SEO testing in the early Google days. By running structured experiments, you’ll understand what works, refine your strategy, and make your brand more resilient as AI-driven platforms evolve.

Do/Don’t Playbook for ChatGPT Ranking

Not every tactic that boosts visibility today is worth pursuing. Some methods may deliver short-term results, but they can damage trust with both users and AI systems over the long run. Here’s a clear playbook to keep your brand on the right track.

Do This to Build Lasting Authority

• Create content that provides answers fast — give the direct takeaway before expanding.
• Use structured formats — FAQs, lists, and comparisons are easier for AI models to parse.
• Earn external validation — focus on reviews, mentions in industry publications, and partnerships.
• Update regularly — show that your site is active and your information is current.
• Align with user intent — write for real people first, then make sure AI systems can extract key points.

Avoid These Shortcuts

• Self-ranking gimmicks — putting your company as #1 in your own “best of” list looks manipulative.
• Copy-paste list swaps — trading spots with other companies only creates noise.
• Thin or generic content — weak articles filled with keywords give AI models nothing new to work with.
• Over-automation — flooding platforms with AI-written fluff reduces trust in your brand.
• Ignoring feedback loops — failing to track how your pages show up in ChatGPT leaves you guessing instead of improving.

Key takeaway: Focus on strategies that boost authority, clarity, and user trust. Cutting corners may get your site mentioned in the short term, but credibility is what keeps your brand ranking over time.

Advanced Tactics (Optional, Use with Care)

Once you’ve mastered the basics, there are advanced strategies that can give your brand an extra edge in ChatGPT search results. These should be used carefully — they require more effort and monitoring, but they can strengthen your long-term authority.

Strengthen Entity Signals

• Reinforce your company profile across platforms like LinkedIn, Crunchbase, and Wikipedia.
• Use consistent descriptors (“SEO agency,” “healthcare SaaS provider”) so AI models can easily connect your entity across multiple sources.

Build Knowledge-Rich Content Bundles

• Create glossaries, step-by-step workflows, or comparison charts.
• These resources provide structured information that AI systems can extract directly when forming answers.

Use Schema Beyond the Basics

• Go beyond Organization and FAQ schema.
• Implement Product, HowTo, or QAPage schema where it fits — this makes your pages easier for both search engines and ChatGPT to process.

Expand to Niche Platforms

• Participate in focused communities (industry Slack groups, subreddits, or review platforms).
• High-quality mentions from smaller but trusted spaces can still influence AI systems looking for diverse perspectives.

Experiment With Original Data

• Publish surveys, benchmarks, or proprietary insights.
• AI models often pull from unique data sets because they add value beyond generic summaries.

Key takeaway: Advanced tactics help your brand stand out, but they only work if the foundation is solid. Use them to boost what you’ve already built, not as a replacement for core strategy.

Implementation Checklist

To keep this process actionable, here’s a quick checklist you can use to make sure you’ve covered each step:

• Verify your entity details and keep your brand identity consistent across your website and external platforms.
• Add author bios, About pages, and structured data for credibility.
• Write in natural language with clear headings, bullets, and direct answers.
• Regularly update high-performing pages with fresh data and examples.
• Earn third-party mentions through guest posts, awards, and trusted reviews.
• Optimize for Bing: submit sitemaps, use IndexNow, and verify in Bing Webmaster Tools.
• Design content for engagement: internal links, multimedia, interactive features.
• Create a prompt bank and track how your site shows up in ChatGPT over time.
• Stick to ethical strategies that build trust and avoid gimmicks.
• Layer in advanced tactics (schema, glossaries, original insights) once your foundation is strong.

Key takeaway: Following this step-by-step process ensures your strategy is structured, measurable, and ready to adapt as AI models and search engines evolve.

Templates & Tools

Having the right resources makes it easier to put your ChatGPT ranking strategy into action. Here are a few you can adapt:

• Prompt Bank Template
  • Spreadsheet with common questions grouped by intent (informational, commercial, local).
  • Columns for prompt, timestamp, citation sources, and results.
• Testing Log
  • A simple tracker to record when your site appears, which platforms cited it, and how often.
  • Helps you understand variability and measure progress over time.
• Outreach Email Template
  • A reusable pitch to editors or journalists for guest posting, awards, or inclusion in “best of” lists.
  • Keeps your brand’s mentions consistent and professional.
• Update Notes Template
  • Quick changelog format to document when and why a page was refreshed.
  • Useful for both internal teams and signaling recency to AI systems.

Key takeaway: These templates help you stay organized, scale efforts across your team, and systematically improve your presence in ChatGPT search results.

Bringing It All Together

Ranking in ChatGPT isn’t about chasing hacks — it’s about building trust, publishing high-quality content, and making your brand easy for both people and AI systems to understand. By following the steps in this guide, you can create a strategy that improves visibility, drives more qualified traffic, and positions your business as a credible authority across emerging platforms like ChatGPT.

If you’re ready to move beyond guesswork and start showing up where your audience is searching, now’s the time to act. Start small with a testing protocol, refresh your key pages, and build authority through genuine mentions and reviews. Over time, these steps will help you stand out in AI-driven search results — and stay there.Looking for expert support? Our team specializes in SEO and generative engine optimization strategies designed to keep you ahead of the curve. Reach out today to see how we can boost your presence in ChatGPT and beyond.

The post How to Rank in ChatGPT Search: A Practical, Ethical Playbook for 2025 appeared first on Elevato.

What is Brand Safety?

Defining Brand Safety

At its core, brand safety refers to the measures advertisers take to ensure that their ads do not appear alongside content that could harm their reputation. Brand risk incidents, where ads appear next to inappropriate content, can have a potential negative impact on a brand’s reputation. This includes content such as hate speech, explicit material, fake news, and other potentially offensive or inappropriate media. A practical example of the importance of brand safety can be seen in scenarios where an ad promoting family-friendly content is placed next to a divisive or harmful news story. The impact can be immediate, leading to consumer backlash, lost trust, and damage to the advertiser’s image.

Understanding Brand Suitability

Brand suitability is a crucial aspect of brand safety that involves ensuring that a brand’s advertising is aligned with its values, identity, tone, and other subjective qualities. It is a more nuanced approach to brand safety, as it takes into account the specific needs and goals of each brand. Brand suitability is not just about avoiding inappropriate content, but also about ensuring that the content is relevant and aligns with the brand’s messaging.

In order to achieve brand suitability, brands must define their own guidelines and standards for what is considered suitable content. This can include identifying specific keywords, topics, or themes that are relevant to the brand, as well as establishing a list of approved publishers and websites. Brands must also work closely with their programmatic providers and agencies to ensure that their advertising is being placed in a way that aligns with their brand suitability guidelines.

Why Brand Safety Differs from Brand Suitability

While brand safe practices in digital advertising focus on avoiding overtly harmful content, brand suitability goes one step further by ensuring that ad placements align with a brand’s identity, tone, and audience preferences. For example, while an article about extreme sports may not be harmful, it might not be suitable for a luxury travel brand aiming to project an image of relaxation and exclusivity. The key distinction lies in matching content to the brand’s values and ensuring messaging remains consistent.

Why is Brand Safety Important?

Preserving Brand Reputation

Brand reputation is one of the most valuable assets a company has, and safeguarding a brand’s reputation is crucial in digital advertising. Unsafe ad placements can quickly damage that reputation, leading to long-term consequences. Imagine a healthcare brand’s ad appearing on a website promoting pseudoscientific treatments or misinformation about health. Such an association can harm the credibility of the brand and undermine years of reputation-building efforts.

Maintaining Consumer Trust

In the digital age, consumers are more informed and discerning than ever before. Keeping a brand’s reputation safe by avoiding associations with inappropriate content is crucial in maintaining consumer trust. They expect the brands they support to operate ethically and responsibly. When ads are placed in contexts that appear careless or contradictory to the brand’s values, trust is eroded. Without trust, customer loyalty is difficult to maintain, and in a competitive market, this can be devastating.

Avoiding Financial Waste

Every dollar spent on advertising should contribute to building your brand and reaching the right audience. When ads are placed on unsafe or irrelevant websites, the result is wasted ad spend. Additionally, campaigns that perform poorly due to unsafe placements deliver minimal ROI, making brand safety not only a reputational concern but also a financial one.

Risks of Neglecting Brand Safety

Real-Life Brand Safety Failures

There are numerous high-profile examples of brands suffering the consequences of unsafe ad placements. For instance, major advertisers have faced backlash for having their ads appear alongside extremist or violent videos on platforms like YouTube. The fallout from such incidents often involves public relations crises, strained relationships with consumers, and calls for greater accountability.

Key Risks to Advertisers

Ignoring brand safety exposes advertisers to several risks, including reputational damage, which can tarnish a brand’s image in the eyes of its audience. Digital media professionals perceive brand safety risks as significant, particularly in the context of programmatic advertising. Additionally, unsafe placements result in loss of trust, where consumers question the values of a brand and its commitment to ethical advertising. Finally, brands may experience inefficiencies in ad spend, as ads placed on inappropriate platforms fail to deliver meaningful engagement or conversions.

Common Brand Safety Risks

There are several common brand safety risks that brands must be aware of when advertising online. These include:

• Inappropriate Content: This can include content that is offensive, violent, or explicit, and can damage a brand’s reputation if its advertising is placed alongside it.
• Fake News: Fake news can be used to scam people and fund malicious activities, and can damage a brand’s reputation if its advertising is placed alongside it.
• Extremist Sites: Brands can inadvertently fund extremist sites by placing ads next to their content, which can damage their reputation and values.
• Bot Traffic: Bot traffic can damage a brand’s ROI and conversion metrics, and can also lead to brand safety concerns.
• Malgorithms: Malgorithms refer to ads that are placed next to content that is misaligned with the ad’s message, which can damage a brand’s reputation.

By understanding and addressing these common brand safety risks, brands can better protect their reputation and ensure that their advertising efforts are both effective and aligned with their values.

Building a Brand Safety Strategy and Measures

Step 1: Define Your Brand’s Values and Guidelines

The first step in any effective brand safety strategy is to define what your brand stands for and what it opposes. Understanding the digital marketing definition is crucial here, as it helps explain brand safety within the digital advertising ecosystem, emphasizing the importance of protecting your brand reputation and ensuring ads are appropriately placed. This includes identifying the types of content, platforms, and publishers that align with your values and ensuring that these parameters are clearly communicated to all stakeholders involved in your advertising campaigns.

Step 2: Leverage Advanced Technology

Modern tools like Integral Ad Science and DoubleVerify offer powerful solutions for monitoring ad placements and detecting potential risks. According to digital media professionals surveyed, a significant percentage perceive programmatic advertising as particularly susceptible to brand risk incidents, emphasizing the need for caution in ad placements. These tools analyze contextual factors, measure brand safety scores, and provide real-time reporting, empowering advertisers to make informed decisions about their campaigns.

Step 3: Implement Blacklists and Whitelists

Blacklists and whitelists are critical tools in a brand safety strategy. Blacklists prevent ads from appearing on specific websites or with certain publishers known for hosting harmful content. Whitelists, on the other hand, ensure that ads are displayed only on trusted and pre-approved platforms. Together, these lists create a controlled advertising environment that minimizes risks.

Step 4: Regularly Audit Campaigns

Even with the best tools and protocols, human oversight is essential. Regular audits allow advertisers to review ad placements, assess performance, and identify any deviations from brand safety guidelines. This proactive approach ensures that risks are mitigated before they escalate into larger issues.

Step 5: Develop Crisis Management Protocols

Despite taking preventive measures, it’s impossible to eliminate all risks. A robust crisis management plan ensures that your brand is prepared to respond swiftly and effectively to any safety issues that arise. This might include pausing campaigns, issuing public statements, or working with platforms to remove harmful content.

Contextual Targeting and Brand Safety

What is Contextual Targeting?

Contextual targeting involves analyzing the content of a webpage to determine whether it is a suitable environment for a brand’s ads. Unlike behavioral targeting, which focuses on the user, contextual targeting ensures that the ad placement aligns with the content of the page.

Why Context Matters for Brand Safety

Context is a crucial element of brand safety because even non-harmful content can affect consumer perceptions. For example, an ad for luxury vacations appearing next to a news article about a natural disaster might be perceived as insensitive. Contextual targeting tools like Oracle Contextual Intelligence help brands avoid such mismatches by identifying safe and relevant environments for their ads.

Combating Fraud and Bot Traffic

The Problem with Fraudulent Activity

Fraudulent clicks and bot traffic are growing concerns in digital advertising. These activities inflate metrics, distort performance data, and waste ad budgets. Worse, they can undermine trust in advertising platforms and create challenges for measuring campaign effectiveness.

Solutions for Addressing Fraud

To combat fraud, brands can deploy anti-fraud technologies that detect and block non-human traffic. Additionally, working with reputable programmatic providers and conducting regular performance analyses can help identify unusual patterns and address them promptly. Choosing a reputable programmatic provider is crucial for ensuring brand safety in programmatic advertising, as it helps reduce risks and avoid unsafe content. Tools like Moat Analytics provide insights into fraud detection and ensure that ad spend is directed toward genuine engagement.

The Role of Industry Standards

Key Organizations Supporting Brand Safety

Several organizations play a pivotal role in establishing standards for brand safety. The Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) collaborates with advertisers, platforms, and agencies to promote safer online environments. Similarly, the Brand Safety Institute provides education and resources for navigating brand safety challenges.

Partnering with Trusted Platforms

While platforms like Google and Facebook have implemented brand safety measures, advertisers must remain vigilant. Partnering with platforms that prioritize accountability and transparency is a key step toward maintaining safe and effective campaigns.

Balancing Brand Safety and Performance

Maximizing ROI Without Compromising Safety

A common misconception is that prioritizing brand safety comes at the expense of campaign performance. In reality, brands can achieve both by focusing on high-quality placements that resonate with their target audience. Choosing reputable programmatic providers and direct deals can ensure brand safety while maximizing ROI. Data-driven insights enable advertisers to optimize campaigns while adhering to safety guidelines.

The Importance of Ongoing Monitoring

Digital advertising is a dynamic environment, and risks can emerge unexpectedly. Continuous monitoring and adaptation are essential to ensure that campaigns remain both effective and safe.

Preparing for the Future of Brand Safety

Emerging Risks in Digital Advertising

As technology evolves, new risks such as deepfake videos, misinformation campaigns, and AI-generated content are emerging. Programmatic advertising also presents challenges, making it crucial to select trustworthy demand-side platforms and premium inventory to minimize risks. Staying ahead of these threats requires proactive measures and ongoing investment in safety tools and education.

Investing in Innovation and Education

Brands that prioritize innovation and education are better equipped to navigate the complexities of brand safety. Collaborating with industry experts, adopting new technologies, and fostering a culture of responsibility will be critical for long-term success.

Conclusion

Brand safety is not just a best practice; it is a necessity in today’s digital landscape. By implementing comprehensive safety strategies, leveraging advanced tools, and maintaining a commitment to ethical advertising, brands can protect their reputation, build consumer trust, and achieve sustainable growth. In an ever-changing advertising environment, prioritizing brand safety ensures that your brand remains resilient, respected, and ready to thrive.

A good digital marketing partner can help you navigate the modern do’s and don’ts of brand management, and keep your organization on track with goals without falling into digital pitfalls. Contact Elevato for a free consultation on your brand safety needs.

The post What is Brand Safety? (How to Prioritize It) appeared first on Elevato.

As of the latest research, 42% of Americans 12 and older have listened to a podcast in the past month, reported by Edison Research. Nearly half of the population is listening to podcasts at least monthly. This statistic, along with other similar studies, has people wondering, “Should I start a podcast?”

In this article, we will dive into the world of podcasting with a critical look at the decision-making process and explore key considerations behind starting a podcast. Additionally, we will address common concerns and provide valuable insights to help you make an informed choice on whether launching a podcast aligns with your marketing goals.

The History of Podcasts

First, let’s take a look at the history of podcasts and some data about listeners in today’s era. 

When did podcasting begin? Well, it all started in 2003 when software engineer Dave Winer created an audio RSS feed for Christopher Lydon, a former The New York Times reporter and public radio host. Lydon used the RSS feed to share audio content from notable interviews with his blog audience.  

Since then, podcasting has evolved into what it is today and has gained tremendous popularity over the past two decades. 

Here are some quick stats on podcasts:

• Over 464 million people listen to podcasts worldwide. This number is projected to reach 504.9 million by the end of 2024. (Backlinko.com)
• As of February 2024, there were 3.2 million active podcasts.(Explodingtopics.com)
• Podcasting isn’t only popular in the United States. In fact, Sweden and Norway are in the lead with the largest number of monthly listeners by percentage of internet users. (Backlinko.com)
• The Joe Rogan Experience podcast is the number one most popular podcast in the United States. (Spotify.com) This podcast host has seen huge success over the years and continues to remain on top of the charts. 

With podcasts’ popularity not slowing down anytime soon, you may be wondering if it would be wise to start your own podcast. In the next section, we will walk you through some of the considerations to make when deciding whether or not to start a podcast. 

Should I Start a Podcast? Key Considerations

Starting a podcast is a serious undertaking for a business and shouldn’t be taken lightly. Take the time to ask yourself and your marketing team the following questions to help you discern if podcasting will be beneficial to your business. 

Who is your target audience? Are they likely to listen to podcasts? 

One of the biggest considerations when deciding whether or not to start a podcast is your target audience. What demographic will your audience fall under? Research whether or not this demographic listens to podcasts, and if they do, find out what they’re listening to the most. 

This information can help you decide whether this is the best avenue for reaching your target audience or if another avenue would be more effective. 

For example, if you are a beauty and lifestyle brand offering skincare and wellness products, your target audience is likely to be women in their 20s-40s. This demographic is highly engaged in the podcast world, and many women listen to multiple podcasts about health and wellness. 

In this case, the target audience is likely to be listening to podcasts relevant to your industry, so it may be worth it to try podcasting. You can build a loyal following of listeners that align with your brand identity.

What does the competition look like in your industry?

You should also consider how saturated the podcast market is in your industry. In the case of the example above, there are many, many health and wellness podcasts geared toward women. The competition is high in this area, but it is mainly saturated with influencers rather than beauty and lifestyle brands. 

This means the example brand could stand out from the competition as being different than just another influencer talking about health and wellness products. 

What value can you share with your audience?

When considering starting a podcast, you will want to evaluate the value you can bring to your audience. What can you share that your audience can’t get through other podcasts? What unique value proposition will your podcast bring to the table? This is what will make your podcast stand out. 

Maybe you are planning on taking a different approach than most others in the podcasting space. Or maybe you are going to speak to a completely difference audience that hasn’t been reached by your competitors. Whatever it may be, ensure you have value to add. 

What amount of your marketing budget can you dedicate to a podcast?

Another consideration to make is cost. What percentage of your marketing budget are you able to set aside for this new venture? You will need to allocate funds for podcasting in your marketing budget which may affect your overall strategy. 

According to Podcastle, starting a podcast as a hobby can cost anywhere from $100-$350 while starting a business podcast could cost anywhere between $500-$5,000. This will depend on the quality and scale of your podcast equipment and production costs. 

Do you have the time to commit to podcasting?

Podcasting takes time and effort on your part. Are you and your team up for the commitment? Are you going to produce the podcast in-house or outsource production? These are questions you must ask yourself before committing to this new business venture.

Podcasting can provide a strong return on investment for your business if you deploy the right strategy and build a loyal audience.

Common Concerns About Starting a Successful Podcast

Now that we’ve gone over some of the top considerations when asking, “Should I start a podcast?” it’s time to address common concerns you may have. 

Monetization

There are various ways to monetize a podcast — some of the most popular being sponsorships, advertisements, affiliate marketing, and listener support platforms like Patreon. If you are concerned about the return on investment you’ll see from monetizing your brand’s podcast, consider the traffic it can drive to your website and the sales it can bring to your business. 

Production Costs

Many new podcasters worry about production costs and making more than enough to cover them. Production costs can range based on the way you choose to produce your podcast. If you rely on an in-house production team, the costs will be different than if you outsource to other podcast producers. 

If recording in-house, you will need equipment such as microphones, laptops, recording and editing software, etc. The audio quality will depend on the equipment and production software you invest in, so make it count. Consider the pros and cons of working in-house vs. outsourcing the production of your podcast and make a cost comparison chart. 

Time Commitment

Time commitment truly is what you make it. You can spend as much time or as little time as you would like on a podcast, but remember, the quality will reflect the time you’ve spent. For a high-quality podcast, you should expect to dedicate a good deal of time to making it professional and valuable for listeners. 

Burnout

Consistency is key when it comes to podcasting. Some new podcast hosts get overly excited and burn themselves out quickly by posting several new episodes each week. To avoid this, set a posting schedule that works for you and your audience. 

Posting an episode once a week or once every two weeks is a good place to start. We also recommend recording a handful of episodes before launching your podcast to ensure you’re able to stay consistent while building your audience. 

Building an Audience

A huge concern of those considering starting a podcast is building a loyal audience of listeners. This takes time and marketing efforts to see your audience begin to grow. Marketing your podcast is necessary if you want to get any listeners. 

The podcast market is so saturated with hobbyists and professionals alike that you must cut through the noise to find your audience. Share updates on your website and social media to build awareness among your existing customer base. You can even post your podcast episodes on YouTube to extend your reach and find new listeners.

You should have an active social media presence in which you can share episode titles and show notes to stir up excitement and engagement from podcast listeners. 

Overall, starting a podcast is hard work; however, it can be well worth it for your business if done strategically. Take these considerations into account when you decide on whether podcasting is the right move for your business.

Grow Your Business with Digital Marketing

Elevato can help your business scale with premier digital marketing services. From paid advertising and SEO to content marketing and design services, our team has the specialized skills necessary to help your business thrive. Whether you need help to promote your own show or are just looking for general online marketing assistance, we’re here to help!

Reach out to us today to learn more about our services. 

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