B2The7 News & Blog
Marketing Insights & Trends
The B2The7 News & Blog is where Louisville-based marketing strategist Bernie Fussenegger shares weekly insights on digital marketing, SEO, AI search, social media strategy, and marketing trends that help businesses grow smarter and faster. With 25+ years of experience including senior roles at Papa John's and Confluent Health, Bernie publishes practical, data-driven articles every week covering what's actually moving in marketing right now — from Generative Engine Optimization and Google algorithm updates to lifecycle marketing, local SEO, and content strategy. Browse the latest posts below or subscribe to the weekly Trend Brief newsletter to get these insights delivered to your inbox.
Discover the latest insights, strategies, and trends with the B2The7 News & Blog—your resource for actionable digital marketing tips, SEO strategies, and AI-driven marketing insights. We cover everything from social media marketing and content optimization to brand growth tactics that help businesses increase visibility, engagement, and conversions. Each article is crafted to provide practical, data-driven takeaways you can implement right away. Whether you’re looking to improve your search rankings, strengthen your digital presence, or stay ahead of emerging marketing trends, our blog gives you the tools and knowledge to grow smarter and faster.
Louisville Product Photographer: Cost, Prep & Process
Hiring a Louisville product photographer? Here is what actually changes the price, how to get your products ready, and why I plan every shoot around where the photos will live.
Digital Marketing News: What Changed in September 2026
Four platform changes hit small business marketing at the turn of September, and almost nobody got a loud heads up. Here is what moved in Google Ads, Meta, Android voice search and ChatGPT, and the fifteen minute Friday check that catches it early.
Marketing Trending Topics Small Businesses Should Act On
Most trend lists tell you what happened and stop. These are the four marketing trending topics that change how customers find you, and what to do about each this week.
5 Marketing Trends: Week of September 21, 2026
Five marketing trends for the week of September 21, 2026, and the practical moves to make on Meta, Google, and AI search before October.
SEO Marketing in Louisville: What It Takes to Rank
You can outrank the big national agencies on Louisville search, because they cannot fake being from here. Here is what SEO marketing actually takes in this town, and where most owners leave their biggest advantage sitting on the table.
Marketing ROI Audit: What It Checks and Reveals
Most small businesses have never had a marketing ROI audit. It is the fastest way to stop lighting cash on fire. Here is exactly what a real one checks, and the three things it should tell you when it is done.
Business Visibility: Why Customers Can't Find You
Most businesses are not invisible because of a bad logo or a small ad budget. They are invisible for boring, fixable reasons. Here is how to diagnose and fix your business visibility across Google, AI answers, and local search in 2026.
5 Marketing Trends: Week of September 14, 2026
ChatGPT changed how it picks sources, Meta settled teen claims for 18B, Reddit opened AI Max ads to all, LinkedIn reranked comments, and TikTok signed Disney. Here is what each one means for your business.
Louisville Office Canvas Prints: Original Local Photography
Stock art fills a wall but says nothing about the business behind it. Here is what original Louisville photography communicates in a professional space, and how to choose subject, size, and placement for offices, lobbies, and conference rooms.
5 Content Marketing Mistakes Small Businesses Make
The same five content marketing mistakes show up across every industry and city. Here is what each one costs you in rankings, AI citations, and customers, and how to fix it.
Marketing Trends September 2026: AI Max, Meta & Gemini
Four platform changes hit in the first week of September and most small businesses missed all of them. Google migrated Search campaigns to AI Max automatically, Meta removed placement exclusions, Assistant became Gemini, and new research showed an 86% drop in ChatGPT citing Reddit. Here is the plain-language breakdown and what to do this week.
Is SEO Dead in 2026? Honest Answer for Small Business
Every year someone declares SEO is dead. Every year they are wrong in the specific way they mean it and right in a way they did not intend. Here is the honest 2026 version from someone who tracks the actual data on what is working and what stopped working.
5 Marketing Trends: Week of September 7, 2026
Five marketing moves for the week of September 7: two AI search shifts, an ad deadline, a feed sunset, and holiday shoppers turning to AI.
How AI Search Changes B2B Vendor Discovery in 2026
G2's 2026 Answer Economy report confirmed what a lot of B2B small businesses are already feeling: the vendor discovery process has changed. Buyers are asking AI tools for recommendations before they ever search Google or ask a colleague. Here is what that shift looks like in practice and what a small business does about it.
Brand Strategy for Louisville Small Businesses
Most brand strategy conversations in Louisville are really logo conversations. Or tagline conversations. Or color palette conversations. Brand strategy is something more specific and more useful than any of those. Here is the version that actually moves the needle for a Louisville small business.
What the G2 Answer Economy Means for Small Business
G2's 2026 Answer Economy report is the most significant B2B buyer research published this year. Nobody wrote the small business version of what it means. Here it is.
5 Marketing Trends: Week of August 31, 2026
The five marketing trends small business owners need for the week of August 31, 2026, with what changed and exactly what to do about each one.
Kentucky Bourbon Trail Canvas Prints | Original Photos
Fine Art America has 539 Kentucky Bourbon Trail canvas prints. None tell you who took the photo or where on the trail it was shot. This one does. Bernie drove the trail and photographed it. Here's what's in the collection and why it's different.
How to Get Cited in Google AI Overviews in 2026
This site ranks #1 on Google for "how does geo work" with 774 impressions and zero clicks over seven weeks. That is not a failure. That is a Google AI Overview doing exactly what it is built to do. Here is what that looks like from the inside, and what it means for your content.
Email Marketing Strategy for Louisville Small Businesses
Having a list and having a list strategy are different things. Most Louisville small businesses have one without the other. They collect emails at point of sale or through a signup form and then send occasional newsletters that go to the wrong people with the wrong message at the wrong time. Here is the Louisville-specific version of how to build and use a list correctly.