⛵ I Embarrassed Myself at the Yacht Club…

What you’ll find in this week’s newsletter:

• ⛵ I Embarrassed Myself… [True Story]

• 🚀 Reddit’s the NEW Power Tool for AI Search

• 🔥 Why Your Newsletter Strategy is FAILING

• ✅ 3 Things to Know for ChatGPT 5.2

• ⚒️ Turn a Boring CSV File into a LIVE Dashboard [Quick Guide]

⛵ I Embarrassed Myself at the Yacht Club…

[TRUE STORY] 

Back in the mid-90s, I was running a tech incubator in Tampa.

We had some innovative projects, and for about six months, potential buyers were trying their best to impress me.

Was this going to my head… Maybe.

These guys would bring me around to these pretty cool places and restaurants in exchange for my time.

One day, I found myself at a private island yacht club, definitely a step up from my usual t-shirt and shorts vibe.

I tried to blend in, sipping my drink… except I forgot the straw.

I went to take a cool sip, and BAM!

The straw shot straight up my nose.

This was in front of everybody…

I looked like a walrus.

The guys had a laugh, and I was humbled to say the least.

I think it’s important to have these moments.

Even when the big players roll out the red carpet, never forget who you are.

And if you get a straw up your nose, laugh it off because humility and authenticity win deals better than any yacht club ever could.

— Norm

P.S. I will be speaking at SellerCon AI!

Tickets are now on sale → https://sellercon.com/

🛍️ Amazon Re-Invents Checkout With One-Tap “Add to Delivery”

The new Amazon Add to Delivery feature lets Prime members instantly add items to an upcoming shipment without going through the cart or checkout again. Tap once, and the item is added and charged immediately.

🦾  Google’s New Move Just Changed How Brands Think About SEO and Social

Google took a big step that every brand should pay attention to, especially if you're building traffic from off-Amazon sources.

They’re testing a new feature called Social Channel Insights in Search Console.

For the first time, you’ll be able to track how your YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and other social content performs in Google Search alongside your website data.

Here’s why that matters:

• You’ll see which posts rank, which keywords drive clicks, and where those clicks come from.

• You can spot content that’s working.

• And most importantly, you can actually measure how off-Amazon content helps build brand discovery.

Right now, only a limited number of sites have access, but if you’re one of them, you’ll see a prompt to connect your social channels inside Search Console.

Key Features

• Total reach: clicks and impressions sending users from Google Search to your social channels.

• Content performance: top-performing posts and which ones are trending.

• Search queries: the keywords leading users to your social profiles.

• Audience location: top countries where users click into your channels.

• Additional sources: traffic coming from Image Search, Video Search, News, and Discover.

This rollout is still experimental and available only to a limited number of sites Google has automatically identified. If you’re part of the test, Search Console will prompt you to add the connected channels.

🔥 Reddit Just Became a Power Tool for AI Search

Reddit is now the second most visited website in the U.S. and the third in Canada, driven largely by AI referral traffic.

Why?

Because Reddit gives AI tools exactly what they need: human experiences, reviews, product debates, and authentic problem-solving.

It’s real people sharing real answers. And AI platforms are trained to prefer that kind of content.

Google's Deal with Reddit Is Fueling This Shift

Back in 2023, Reddit signed a multi-million-dollar data licensing deal with Google. This lets Google pull Reddit content directly into Search and its AI-generated answers. Since then, Reddit rankings in SERPs and AI Overviews have exploded up 191% in Google listings alone.

If that deal is renewed (and all signs point to yes), Reddit’s influence on search and AI discovery will only grow. Google wants its money’s worth and Reddit content performs.

Why This Matters for Sellers and Brands

This is about more than SEO. This is search everywhere optimization your visibility across organic search, AI tools, and community conversations.

If your product is being discussed or better, recommended on Reddit, it increases your chances of showing up in:

• Google Search (organic + AI Overview)

• ChatGPT product suggestions

• Discover and video carousels

• Voice search tools pulling Reddit threads

Reddit influences both search rankings and AI results. If you ignore it, you're leaving reach, relevance, and real buyers on the table.

Reddit Doesn't Need to Be a Black Box

Handled right, Reddit is a goldmine for organic traffic, brand perception, and long-term discoverability.

With 1.21 billion monthly users and ranking for everything from “best probiotics for bloating” to “is the Doona stroller worth it,” Reddit has become a serious player in the consideration phase of the buyer journey.

People don’t just scroll Reddit. They search it. They use it to compare brands, learn from experience, and make buying decisions.

How to Actually Win on Reddit Without Getting Banned

Forget trying to post links and sell. That’s how you get downvoted and banned.

Reddit requires a phased, community-first approach that earns trust before you ever mention your brand.

Phase 1 (First 2–3+ Months)

• Set up branded accounts (e.g., BrandName_Official or BrandName_Support)

• Monitor relevant subreddits and conversations

• Learn the culture, tone, and rules of each subreddit

• Start by commenting, upvoting, and being helpful…No posting yet

Phase 2 (1–2+ Months After)

• Start joining product-related threads with helpful answers

• Answer common questions using brand knowledge

• Create original posts that address frequent pain points (FAQ style)

• Identify top-ranking Reddit threads for your keywords and show up

Phase 3

• Launch your own branded subreddit (if you have scale)

• Involve your customer support or community team

• Use Reddit as a live testbed for product messaging and content ideas

• Document what works and build repeatable workflows

Top Tips for Getting It Right on Reddit

• Always be transparent: Use branded accounts. If you want to be ethical, don’t pretend to be a random user.

• Respect the subreddit rules: Each one is different. Read them before you post.

• Don’t pitch! Provide value: Help first. The goodwill drives visibility.

Reddit is shaping the future of search.

And if you're not there, your competitors probably are.

🚀 ChatGPT 5.2 is here! Here are 3 things you need to know

1. It Thinks in Steps, Not Just Sentences
GPT-5.2 handles multi-step reasoning better than any prior version.

It can break down complex problems, plan the solution, and deliver more coherent answers, especially across long conversations or technical tasks like building spreadsheets or analyzing data.

2. Way Bigger Memory
You can now drop in huge documents, financials, legal contracts, or full project folders and it won’t lose the plot.

It remembers and connects details across hundreds of thousands of words. Same goes for images, charts, and complex visuals, it processes them more accurately.

3. Fewer Hallucinations, More Reliability
OpenAI cut hallucinations by 30%. GPT-5.2 is more accurate, handles messy tasks (like customer support problems) better, and gives more grounded responses, especially around sensitive topics like mental health.

Read more here

🌎 Where in the World is The Beard Guy?

🔥 Why Your Newsletter Strategy is FAILING

Here are my favorite tips from this episode!

1. Stop treating your newsletter like a growth channel

Pick one discovery platform (YouTube, LinkedIn, IG) and explicitly use it to push people into your email list.
Rule: Discovery happens elsewhere. Email is for retention and monetization only.

2. Commit to a minimum 12-month publishing window

Choose a cadence you can hit every week for a year without fail.
Weekly beats daily. Short beats long. Nothing meaningful happens in the first 3–6 months. If you’re not willing to grind through that, don’t start.

3. Separate editorial emails from sales emails immediately

• Newsletter = 80–100% value

• Marketing emails = 80–100% sales
  
  Send your newsletter on a fixed day. Send marketing emails as needed, to segments.

4. Define monetization before you grow the list

Write down what you will sell before you hit 1,000 subscribers:

• your own product or service

• sponsorship slots

• dedicated emails
  If you cannot articulate how money flows, audience growth will stall or become useless.

5. Cull your list aggressively

Create a “base sending segment”:

• Opened or clicked in the last 30–45 days
  Send only to that group.
  Your open rates, clicks, and inbox placement will go up even though list size goes down.

🔥 Watch the full episode here

Find this episode of Marketing Misfits on YouTube and anywhere you listen to podcasts

And that’s it, Beardos.

See you next Monday!

- Norm

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