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.

Marketing, Marketing Trends, Digital Marketing, Social Media Bernie Fussenegger - B2the7 10/18/26 Marketing, Marketing Trends, Digital Marketing, Social Media Bernie Fussenegger - B2the7 10/18/26

5 Marketing Trends: Week of October 19, 2026

Five marketing trends for the week of October 19, 2026: Gemini 4 Argon in AI Mode, Bing’s Topics Portfolio, the new AI Max report, Facebook’s plain language feed controls and how often AI answers cite social media. What each means for a small business.

Marketing, Marketing Trends, Digital Marketing, Social Media Bernie Fussenegger - B2the7 10/11/26 Marketing, Marketing Trends, Digital Marketing, Social Media Bernie Fussenegger - B2the7 10/11/26

5 Marketing Trends: Week of October 12, 2026

Five marketing trends for the week of October 12, 2026: AI Overviews on most brand searches, Google's warning to fact-check AI content, AI shopping answers that favor big retailers, ChatGPT Ads and Performance Max A/B tests. What each means for a small business.

Social Media, Social Media Trends, Instagram, LinkedIn Bernie Fussenegger - B2the7 10/7/26 Social Media, Social Media Trends, Instagram, LinkedIn Bernie Fussenegger - B2the7 10/7/26

Social Media Platform News: October 2026 Roundup

Instagram posts now show up in Google, Meta is testing AI agents, LinkedIn is pushing AI writing, and Reddit keeps winning product research. Here is what actually matters for a small business.

Marketing, Marketing Trends, Digital Marketing, Social Media Bernie Fussenegger - B2the7 10/4/26 Marketing, Marketing Trends, Digital Marketing, Social Media Bernie Fussenegger - B2the7 10/4/26

5 Marketing Trends: Week of October 5, 2026

Five marketing trends for the week of October 5, 2026, from Google's spam update to Meta's Muse for Small Business, and what a small business should do next.

Marketing, Marketing Trends, Social Media, Email Marketing Bernie Fussenegger - B2the7 10/2/26 Marketing, Marketing Trends, Social Media, Email Marketing Bernie Fussenegger - B2the7 10/2/26

Small Business Marketing Trends 2026: What Works

Email is quietly beating social, AI has become table stakes, and rising costs mean your marketing has to prove itself. Here is what is worth your time and budget in 2026, and what to skip.

Marketing, Marketing Trends, Digital Marketing, Social Media Bernie Fussenegger - B2the7 9/27/26 Marketing, Marketing Trends, Digital Marketing, Social Media Bernie Fussenegger - B2the7 9/27/26

5 Marketing Trends: Week of September 28, 2026

Five marketing trends for the week of September 28, 2026, from Facebook link limits to AI checkout on Shopify, and what a small business should do next.

Small Business, Social Media, Social Media Trends, Marketing Trends Bernie Fussenegger - B2the7 9/26/26 Small Business, Social Media, Social Media Trends, Marketing Trends Bernie Fussenegger - B2the7 9/26/26

Social Media Marketing Trends for Small Business 2026

Most social media trends advice is written for brands with a full team. These are the five trends that pass a simpler test for small businesses: can one busy person do this in an hour or two a week? Plus a realistic weekly routine, the numbers worth tracking, and what I'd skip.

Marketing, Marketing Trends, Digital Marketing, Social Media Bernie Fussenegger - B2the7 9/20/26 Marketing, Marketing Trends, Digital Marketing, Social Media Bernie Fussenegger - B2the7 9/20/26

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.

Marketing, Marketing Trends, Digital Marketing, Social Media Bernie Fussenegger - B2the7 9/13/26 Marketing, Marketing Trends, Digital Marketing, Social Media Bernie Fussenegger - B2the7 9/13/26

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.

Marketing, Marketing Trends, Digital Marketing, Social Media Bernie Fussenegger - B2the7 9/6/26 Marketing, Marketing Trends, Digital Marketing, Social Media Bernie Fussenegger - B2the7 9/6/26

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.

Marketing, Marketing Trends, Digital Marketing, Social Media Bernie Fussenegger - B2the7 8/30/26 Marketing, Marketing Trends, Digital Marketing, Social Media Bernie Fussenegger - B2the7 8/30/26

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.

Marketing, Marketing Trends, Digital Marketing, Social Media Bernie Fussenegger - B2the7 8/23/26 Marketing, Marketing Trends, Digital Marketing, Social Media Bernie Fussenegger - B2the7 8/23/26

Marketing Trends Aug 24: Local AI, Google Ads & Reddit

The AI shift is going local this week. Google Ads absorbs Local Services Ads, Yelp booking lands inside ChatGPT, Reddit still rules AI answers, and posting less can grow your brand. Five moves for busy owners.

Marketing, Marketing Trends, Digital Marketing, Social Media Bernie Fussenegger - B2the7 8/16/26 Marketing, Marketing Trends, Digital Marketing, Social Media Bernie Fussenegger - B2the7 8/16/26

Marketing Trends Aug 17, 2026: AI Search & Social

The 5 marketing trends for the week of August 17, 2026: Search Console social tracking, Yelp in ChatGPT, ChatGPT ads, Meta WhatsApp selling, and authentic video.

Content, Small Business, Social Media, Advertising Bernie Fussenegger - B2the7 8/13/26 Content, Small Business, Social Media, Advertising Bernie Fussenegger - B2the7 8/13/26

Social Media Advertising for Louisville Businesses

Most Louisville small businesses that tried paid social either boosted a post and got nothing, or ran a campaign with no tracking and could not tell if it worked. Here is the local version of when ads make sense and what the setup needs.

Marketing, Marketing Trends, Digital Marketing, Social Media Bernie Fussenegger - B2the7 8/9/26 Marketing, Marketing Trends, Digital Marketing, Social Media Bernie Fussenegger - B2the7 8/9/26

5 Marketing Trends: Week of August 10, 2026

Disney arms TikTok creators, 75% call marketing irrelevant, AI agents pick products, AI Overviews eat clicks, and Pinterest says holidays start in September.

Social Media, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn Bernie Fussenegger - B2the7 7/25/26 Social Media, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn Bernie Fussenegger - B2the7 7/25/26

What LinkedIn, Instagram & Facebook Reward Now

Each of the three platforms most small businesses rely on has changed its algorithm in the last 18 months. What worked in 2023 is actively penalized now in some cases. Here is the honest breakdown of what LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook are doing right now, and what it means for a small business trying to stay visible without a social media team.

Trending Topics, Marketing, Social Media, Digital Marketing Bernie Fussenegger - B2the7 7/5/26 Trending Topics, Marketing, Social Media, Digital Marketing Bernie Fussenegger - B2the7 7/5/26

Marketing Trends for Week of July 6, 2026

Five marketing trends shaping the week of July 6, 2026, from GEO and agentic ad platforms to creator trust signals, community-first social, and TikTok Shop.

Trending Topics, Marketing, Social Media, Digital Marketing Bernie Fussenegger - B2the7 6/28/26 Trending Topics, Marketing, Social Media, Digital Marketing Bernie Fussenegger - B2the7 6/28/26

Marketing Trends: Week of June 29, 2026

Five trends that landed this week and what they mean for how your brand shows up, spends, and grows.

Social Media, Small Business, Louisville Bernie Fussenegger - B2the7 6/27/26 Social Media, Small Business, Louisville Bernie Fussenegger - B2the7 6/27/26

Social Media Strategy for Louisville Businesses 2026

Most social media advice is too general to be useful for a Louisville small business. This is the practical version. Which platforms to use, what content to create, when paid social makes sense, and how to build a rhythm you can actually maintain without a content team.

Louisville, Small Business, Social Media Bernie Fussenegger - B2the7 6/21/26 Louisville, Small Business, Social Media Bernie Fussenegger - B2the7 6/21/26

Social Media Marketing in Louisville: What Works

Search for social media marketing in Louisville and you get a stack of directory listings and agencies all saying roughly the same thing. Here is a practitioner take on what actually moves the needle for a small business in this market right now.

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