The Shift from Ads to Content-First Growth

In this episode of "Marketing in the Now," David Reske interviews Dan Stratman, CMO of Bloomfire and a veteran of Amazon and Walmart. Dan shares his experience leading a strategic pivot from an ad-heavy approach that produced weak conversion rates to a content-driven engine focused on building trust and a qualified pipeline. He explains that a successful brand and content strategy must evolve together, especially when positioning for enterprise clients. He reveals the growing necessity of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) to ensure content is surfaced by AI search. Dan outlines how Bloomfire uses hero content and rigorous customer insights—from closed-lost reviews to engagement metrics—to constantly adapt its messaging and prove that the most effective channel is always the one that drives revenue.