Scale & Strategy
This is Scale & Strategy, the business newsletter delivering a daily 3-in-1 special: analysis, research, and entertainment.
Here’s what we got for you today:
- Ethos in Advertising: Why Trust Sells
- Search Visibility Framework
Ethos in Advertising: Why Trust Sells
Ever seen an ad that just feels legit? That’s ethos—Aristotle’s old-school persuasion trick that’s more relevant than ever. At its core, it answers one simple customer question: “Why should I trust you?”
Kaleigh Moore breaks down a few ways to nail it:
- Show up in the community.
Expertise + genuine passion builds trust. Think a plumber ad that highlights both unclogging drains and helping shelter pets.
- Let your customers vouch for you.
Testimonials beat self-promotion every time. A local bookstore ran ads with quotes from regulars, making new shoppers imagine themselves there.
- Put a face to the name.
A founder photo isn’t fluff—it makes the business feel human and competent. Sometimes trust is built before a word is even spoken.
- Borrow credibility.
Celebrity or local influencer endorsements instantly transfer trust. Doesn’t have to be expensive—familiar faces carry weight.
- Show your receipts.
Awards, accreditations, “#1 rated” stamps—these act like shortcuts to credibility, especially when selling online.
In a skeptical market, credibility isn’t nice-to-have—it’s your edge. Trust makes ads work harder, drives loyalty, and fuels referrals.
Next campaign: try leading with trust, not just the pitch.
Search Visibility Framework
Once upon a time, the #1 organic spot was the holy grail. Now? With AI Overviews (AIOs) eating the SERP, it’s more like a consolation prize.
Bruce Clay says the playbook needs an update: stop chasing single rankings and start thinking total SERP takeover.
The problem: AIOs are built to answer questions on the spot—no click required. Pew found users only clicked 8% of results with AI summaries, vs. 15% without. Google disputes it, but the trend is obvious: clicks are harder to win.
Organic isn’t dead, but it’s not enough. You need to show up everywhere.
Clay’s search visibility framework = omnipresence. That means staking claims across:
- Paid ads
- Local pack
- Organic listings
- Featured snippets
- Even AI Overviews
Think Pedro Pascal levels of ubiquity—wherever your audience looks, you’re already there.
The framework rests on 5 pillars:
- Content – fuels the whole system
- Organic Search – baseline discoverability
- Paid Search – plugs gaps + captures intent
- Local Search – wins your backyard
- UX – turns every click into a shot at conversion
Together, they compound visibility and hedge against volatility.
And forget just tracking clicks—measure your SERP footprint. Monitor coverage, visibility weight, and whether you’re cited in AIOs. That’s your real influence score now.
The search game didn’t get smaller, it just got messier. But if you stop fighting for one spot and start competing for all of them, you’ll win bigger.
Was this email forwarded to you?
That’s it for today and as always It would mean the world to us if you help us grow and share this newsletter with other operators.
Our mission is to help as many business operators as possible, and we would love for you to help us with that mission!
