💪 Dominik J.

JUST DIGITAL

Senior SEO Consultant / Head of Content as a Service HCaaS / Content Strategist

LIBAKO

SEO Manager

Online Marketing Breuer

Junior SEO Manager

Delphi

Software Engineer

CMOs & Marketing Leaders’ secret weapon of choice | New girl-dad growing high ticket B2B tech brands | 16y organic marketing & SEO | Advisor & Coach | Get my free book: Content Cash Machine. Out now!

Poorly optimized landing pages and SEO content cost B2B companies thousands in lost sales. I help you not make that mistake. By turning your content into cash-generating assets.

With over 16+ years of experience in digital marketing, I now specialize in guiding B2B brands on their path of content creation. With one simple ultimate goal: making cash. My unique 3-step framework has been the key factor in that. 

My Journey
I started in 2008 with a fascination for hunting for top rankings on Google. Once I saw how easy it was, I was hooked. Early SEO efforts brought me € 500.000 in profit within a few years. After a lot of spam updates, my site crashed and I lost all that income. Today I know what makes content effective. Now I have the tools and insights that I need to help my clients achieve their marketing goals.

Expertise and Skills
💪 SEO and Content Strategy: Crafting strategies that not only rank high on Google but also convert visitors into loyal customers.
💪 Landing Page Optimization: Designing and refining landing pages to maximize conversion rates.
💪 Consultation and Coaching: Offering personalized guidance and actionable insights to help B2B agencies implement successful marketing strategies.
💪 Done with You Sprints: Collaborating directly with clients to execute strategies efficiently and effectively.
Achievements

Let's Connect
I am passionate about helping B2B brands turn their content into cash.

If you’re ready, here are 3 ways I can help:
1. Download my book at https://contentcashmachine.co
2. Hire me for a 1:1 Revenue Power Hour (€ 279)
3. Hire me for strategy & content production

DM’s open :)

Senior SEO Consultant / Founder / CEO

AI Trust Signals

Find out just how likely AI is to recommend YOU. 

SEO got you found. AI trust signals get you recommended. And the brands that win tomorrow are the ones AI trusts today.

Co-Founder

PriceGuide.ai

Explode leads on your website with PriceGuide.ai, allowing you to quickly, easily, and inexpensively create a pricing estimator for your product or service, giving your website visitors what they want while giving you way more of what you need-- LEADS.

The Question First Group

Helping leaders and sales teams connect deeper and win more trust by learning the art of breakthrough conversations.

Marcus Sheridan International, Inc.

In 2017 Forbes named Marcus 1 of 20 “Speakers You Don’t Want to Miss the Opportunity to See." He has been featured in The New York Times, Inc., The Globe and Mail, Content Marketing Institute, Social Media Examiner and more. Having spoken to hundreds of audiences and thousands of people around the world, Marcus delivers riveting and passionate performances that motivate and inspire!

Keynote Speaker

They Ask, You Answer

Rated the #1 Marketing Book to read in 2017 by Mashable and the "#2 Marketing Book of All-Time" by Book Authority, Forbes listed it as one of "11 Marketing Books Every CMO Should Read."

"They Ask, You Answer" is a revolutionary approach to Inbound Sales, Content Marketing, and Today’s Digital Consumer.  In it, Marcus shares his simple approach to inbound marketing that has earned an exceptional track record across many industries and throughout the world.  How can a single approach to selling be so versatile? Simple - it's all about the customer.  All potential customers need answers along their way to making a purchase and "They Ask, You Answer" definitively shows businesses, B2B and B2C, exactly how to become the most trusted voice in their industry.

Author

The Visual Sale

How to Use Video to Explode Sales, Drive Marketing, and Grow Your Business in a Virtual World.

IMPACT

Recognized by Fortune Magazine as one of the “Top 25 SMB Workplaces” in 2017, IMPACT is obsessed with helping businesses and organizations succeed.  By offering full support from strategy to implementation, as well as education and in-depth training, IMPACT is able to help lead their clients to success regarding all things inbound, digital, and today’s changing buyer.

Owner/Partner

River Pools

Currently one of the largest fiberglass pool installers in the United States with the most visited swimming pool web site in the world.  In 2001 and fresh out of college, Marcus stumbled across his first business with two friends: installing swimming pools out of the back of a beat-up pickup truck. Nine years later, with the help of incredible innovations through inbound and content marketing, Sheridan’s company overcame the collapse of the housing market and became a leader in the industry.

Partner

The Sales Lion

The Sales Lion is a Marketing/Sales consulting company focusing on helping organizations develop a culture of content and inbound marketing while dramatically improving sales, marketing and video communication.  We offer world-class training, consulting, workshops, and keynotes for businesses, brands, & agencies around the globe.

Founder and President

Working with Chris Marr, founder of the Content Marketing Academy, Marcus has developed workshops focused on achieving true “World Class Communication.”  His true passion is found in helping others reach their potential as teachers, communicators, and speakers. Marcus’s workshops are focused on pushing business professionals and executives to improve their ability to communicate, motivate, and inspire in all walks of life.  Covering such topics as: Presentation Design, The Power of Story, The Columbus Principle, and Trust Techniques; Marcus helps attendees to elevate their communication skills on stage, in the boardroom and in the home.

Co-Founder:  World Class Communication

Along with sales and marketing experts Joey Coleman and Ian Altman, Marcus created and hosted two unprecedented conference events focused on sales, marketing and customer experience.  The Remarkable Growth Experience conferences were held in historic Arlington, VA.  Attendance was limited to 100 participants allowing for more intimate discussions and interaction.  Conference attendees were able to have full access to event speakers, participate in hands-on practical applications, develop individualized specific action items and leave with clear plans for immediate improvement and success.

Co-Founder: The Remarkable Growth Experience Conferences

TED Conferences

The Honest Economy:  How Transparency Can Change the Economy and Inspire a New World

TEDx Speaker

Keynote Speaker on Sales, Marketing, and Building Trust...Author of They Ask You Answer...Ranked #1 LinkedIn Voices for Entrepreneurship...and a Dang Good Follow on LinkedIn

Called a “web marketing guru” by the New York Times, the Story of how Marcus Sheridan was able to save his swimming pool company, River Pools, from the economic crash of 2008 has been featured in multiple books, publications, and stories around the world and is the centerpiece to his best-selling book, They Ask You Answer, which has been named “One of the 5 Best Marketing Books of All Time” by BookAuthority and his follow up book, Endless Customers, was named a National Bestseller by USA Today.

Sheridan is a highly sought-after global speaker (averaging 50 keynotes yearly) in the digital sales and marketing space, working with hundreds of businesses and brands alike to achieve their potential in a rapidly evolving marketplace, ultimately helping them to connect deeper and become the most trusted voice in their respective industry.

Companies Marcus is a Part of: IMPACT, River Pools, Marcus Sheridan International, Question First Group, PriceGuide.ai

Keynote topics include:  Sales, Marketing, AI, Leadership Communication

Marcus Sheridan

At this very moment I'm sitting on an airplane and witnessing the guy in front of me have a mini-meltdown.

Why?

Because he pre-ordered  the "beef short-rib" but they're only serving chicken.

And let me tell you, this guy appears to have had his heart set on the beef , because he went from what appeared to be a seemingly great mood to one of voiced frustration, bad body language, and clear disappointment.

All because of a few bites of beef.

Funny, isn't it?

I've done a million miles on airlines over the past 15 years and one promise I made to myself early on set the tone for what has become an incredible adventure:

"Enjoy the ride."

That's it.

Just enjoy the ride.

👉 When there are delays everywhere (as there were last week), enjoy the ride.

👉 When you're driving through the night to make a gig because your plane didn't make it, enjoy the ride.

👉 When you're lucky enough to travel 400 MPH at 40,000 feet and cross an ocean in one day where it would have taken months 200 years ago, enjoy the ride.

Stuff happens my friends.

All the time.

But if we pre-decide to "enjoy the ride" -- my goodness it's a better experience.

Just a thought. 😉

One of the most engaging keynote speakers on the planet—I create experiences that change how businesses sell, connect, and win | Author of Endless Customers and They Ask, You Answer | Entrepreneur | Master Storyteller

I yearn for the day when I can drop my writings into ChatGPT (or any AI) and it says:

“Honestly, Marcus, this stinks.
 Your idea is half-baked.
 Your tone is off.
 This isn’t close to ready.”

My goodness that would be glorious, right??

Fact is, you still can’t really train AI to be honest.

Even when you try, it still leans polite...too nice...and holds back.

But the moment it starts telling the truth—the unvarnished, uncomfortable truth—that will be my platform of choice.

I don’t need another “yes” person in my life.

None of us do in my opinion.

What we need is someone (or something) that sees all, knows the patterns, and has the guts to say what others won’t.

That’s the tool I’m waiting for.

And whoever builds it first… sign me up.

Thoughts? 👇

Can we please stop saying SEO and AEO (or AI SEO) are the same thing??

And if anyone tells you otherwise, they’re either trying to protect an existing business model or they’re uninformed as to what is coming.

Here's the core difference:

AI search, unlike SEO, isn’t simply about what you SAY.

It cares how easy it is to TURN what you say into a confident answer and a clear next step.

This means AEO is rooted in *UX.*

That’s right, "User Experience" is the biggest component of AEO that no one is talking about.

Classic SEO would have asked:

 “Is the page crawlable, indexable, keyword-aligned, and fast enough?”

AEO adds a new layer:

 “Can an AI agent quickly assemble a clear, accurate, low-risk experience from this?”

For example:

👉 If your website pricing is vague, and the AI can’t make a clear estimate based on your information, it’s likely AI will not recommend you.

👉 If your services are fuzzy and AI can’t confidently say who you’re for and what you deliver, it’s likely AI will not recommend you.

👉 If your paths are confusing and AI can’t easily say, “Here’s exactly what you do next with this company,” it’s likely AI won’t recommend you.

And it gets more demanding from here.

In the future, if someone’s AI agent can’t get a quote on your website, book a call from your website, or make the purchase on your website… you guessed it, AI will NOT recommend you.

Are you seeing the difference between the two?

It’s actually pretty massive.

SEO was mainly about words.

AEO is words + proof + action.

So no, the two are NOT the same.

And it's time "experts" stopped claiming they were.

Just over a year ago I quietly started a coaching company, The Question First Group, aimed at teaching leaders and sales professionals how to become truly extraordinary communicators, built on a unique methodology called "The Pathfinder System." 

What many people don't know is that I've been "building" this system with some special friends for over 10 years, but have waited to roll it out publicly and create a proper business until it was truly ready.

Well, now it's ready.

Since our launch a year ago, the company has absolutely taken off, already hitting over 1 Million ARR,  and this week the partners were able to get together and plan our next three years while I was also able to give a 6-hour workshop on Leadership Communication to the great folks at Dirt World. 

What's so great about this company is that each owner has literally shaped this system to make it what it is. 

Chris Marr is the company's deep thinker and head of brand.  He also was my original partner in designing The Pathfinder System.

Chris Duprey is the company's lead trainer and is the gasoline to our engine. His energy is contagious.

Zach Basner asks the hard questions while being the spiritual leader of the team.

And Becca Manganello, my chief of staff,  is the ultimate team player who brings light to every person she touches and somehow gets more done than 10 people combined.

I cannot fully express how much I deeply LOVE these people and the opportunity to grow something special with them.

What a joy that is!

I'll be chatting a lot more about The Question First Group in the future, but suffice to say, we're on a special mission, with the goal to affect over 1 Million lives with our communication teachings...to which we're well on our way.

😊

I had no idea so many SEO companies would hate my software AI Trust Signals… but they do...and not for the reasons I expected.

Turns out, there are a lot of SEO companies doing bad work and not being honest with their clients. And when their clients finally ask hard questions, things get...well...interesting.

Here’s a recent example (true story):

A lady heard me speak, ran her website through AI Trust Signals, and her scores came back rough. She forwarded the results to her SEO company and asked for an explanation.

Their response?

“It’s a pile of $hit.” 💩 

That was their technical analysis. (seriously, I'm not kidding)

But it also triggered alarm bells for her. So she started digging.

Eight weeks later, here’s what she uncovered:
• GDPR violations
• Her entire e-commerce section not visible to Google Shopping
• Falsified SEO reporting
• A laundry list of mistakes no competent agency should ever miss

Her words to me: “You name it… it happened.”

She fired the agency and is now fixing what was an extremely broken website.
And the crazy part?

I'm starting to see similar stories all the time now.

When some SEO companies see a low score on AI Trust Signals, the default response isn’t curiosity… it’s defensiveness:

 “It’s trash.”
 “It’s wrong.”
 “Don’t trust it.”

Anything to avoid accountability.

Why?

Because too many firms are still clinging to a world where everything revolves around ten blue links, “keywords,” and link-building spreadsheets.

And that world is disappearing...fast. 

The day is coming when we’ll laugh at how we used to get information online.

If you’re using an SEO company, don’t assume they’ve kept up.

The shift from “rank me on Google” to “make AI recommend me” is rewriting the industry.

Some agencies will adapt.

Many won’t.

Your job is to know the difference...before the market finds out for you.

-----------
Your take? I'd love to hear your thoughts below. 👇

There are roughly 350,000 SEO and marketing agencies/consultants in the U.S.

Two years ago, almost none offered AI-SEO or AI-visibility services.

Today, I’m finding about half do (to some degree).

Within a year, I predict nearly all will.

And in 3–5 years, “SEO” as an agency offering will be gone as we know it. (Again, just my prediction here, time will tell.)

This means 350,000 businesses will be forced to revamp their entire business model and messaging, or likely be left behind.

Talk about an identity crisis.

It’s wild to watch in real time.

Instead of asking, “Can you get me to rank on Google?” businesses are already starting to ask (as they should be), “Can you make sure AI recommends me?”

As a result, the FOMO for agencies has already started.

The ones that pivot fast will evolve into strategy and trust partners.

The rest will cling to “rankings” until they quietly fade from the conversation.

It's going to be a very, very interesting next few years.

---------

Your take? If you don't agree, that's fine, just (kindly)explain your logic and what you think will happen next. 👇

Most people assume I “run” all my businesses.

But the truth is I barely run any of them.

Here’s the actual timeline of businesses I’ve started:

   2001 - Swimming pool installation
   2012 - Professional speaking
   2014 - Consulting/coaching agency
   2017 - Pool manufacturing
   2019 - Swimming pool franchise
   2020 - Sold #4 and #5
   2021 - Offshore fishing charter
   2024 - PriceGuide (software) + The Question First Group
   2025 - AI Trust Signals (software) + Pet food manufacturing

I’m still an owner in all of them except the two I sold.

People ask me all the time:
“How do you manage so many companies?”

My answer is simple:
"I don’t."

At least, not really.

I have exceptional business partners (and people) who run them without me.

My job is strategy, big picture, and making sure we are world-class in sales and marketing.

But a great CEO I am not.

And I’m perfectly fine with that.

After 25 years of building, failing, pivoting, selling, and starting again… here are a few lessons that stick:

👉 1. Most entrepreneurs don’t make great CEOs.
At a certain size, the skills that built the business aren’t the same skills needed to run it. This isn’t a knock, it’s self-awareness. Sadly, most CEOs never know when this day has come.

👉 2. Choose partners who are great at what you’re terrible at.
If your partner is just another version of you, you don’t have a partner, you have a mirror. You do NOT need another you.

👉 3. Your first “vision” for the business is almost always wrong.
The market will teach you what it wants...if you’re willing to listen. Observe. Adjust. Observe. Pivot. Observe…

👉 4. Someone on the team has to go to bed thinking about the business.
If that’s not you, you better know exactly who that person is.

👉 5. Your business only scales when you stop trying to be everything.
Ego doesn’t scale. Self-awareness does. You do NOT need to be everyone’s hero.

I could go on and on, but hopefully there’s a nugget or two for you.

I’d love to know, what would you add to the list? What has your journey taught you? 👇

Last week I spoke to 120 leaders for 4 hours on how to transform their communication skills.  Their biggest takeaway? One small bit of advice I gave them about parenting.

What was it?

It was a "general" script for how to have a serious conversation with your child, especially applicable for when you have an interview with a child and you're trying to create an immediate feeling of openness, honesty, love, and transparency. 

I showed what this looks like LIVE and had multiple attendees ask for a recording, so here's a rough "script" you can use and potentially apply to conversations you have with your kids (or loved ones) in the future:

---------

(Note* Every person is different. Adjust tone and style accordingly)

Parent (stated with strong sincerity): "I'm so glad we have this opportunity to chat one-on-on tonight. Before we get started I want you to know that I love you and I'm deeply proud of you. I also want you to know my commitment to you in this conversation is to be open and honest about what I'm feeling because I feel you want and deserve that. Is that fair to you?"

Child:  "Of course Daddy."

Parent: "Also, as you know I always do, I'm going to ask you questions as we chat tonight, and some of them may be challenging to answer, but I know if we push through these questions together, we'll have a powerful experience because of it. Can you push through those questions with me?"

Child: "Yes, I can do that."

Parent: "But this conversation isn't just about me being open and honest with you. It's also about you being open and honest with me. I know you already know this, but I'm an imperfect dad. I mess up. I'm sure there are things I do or say that you don't like or don't feel good about. If I'm doing anything like that, guess what you need to do in this conversation?"

Child: "I need to tell you."

Parent: "Exactly. You need to tell. And why is that so important?"

Child: "Because if I don't tell you, you'll never know."

Parent: "That's right. And if I don't know, I also wont be able to...."

Child: "Change"

Parent: "Exactly. I won't be able to change. But if I'm making a mistake, I want to be able to change. And why do I want to change?

Child: "Because you love me."

Parent: "That's right. I love you. And any feedback you give me tonight will be recieved as a gift. That's my promise to you. Therefore, can we commit to being 100% open and honest with each other in this chat?"

Child: "Yes"

---------------------------

This conversation is what we refer to with our team at The Question First Group as "The Honest Agreement.”

And believe it or not, it's incredible for sales and leadership conversations too (modified of course to fit the moment/person.)

But the bottom line is this:

Breakthrough conversations only happen where trust is present.

In order for trust to be present, safety and caring (or love) are fundamental.

But if you put them all together, magical interactions (and breakthroughs) can absolutely occur. 

🙂

What a magical couple of days teaching MasterCraft Boat Company dealers how to create extraordinary connections with their customers. But let me tell you a powerful story how one man in the audience immediately applied what he learned to his personal life:

During the event, one of the attendees recieved a text from his daughter that she was having a really hard time.  Instead of calling her and quickly going into "Dad" mode by telling her what she needed to do (or think, or feel, etc.) he simply reached out to her and kept inviting her to "tell me more."

He said it was one of the most powerful conversations he'd had with his daughter in a long time.

That's what is so rewarding about teaching leaders and sales pros to communicate at the highest levels - when done properly, it transcends their "professional" life and deeply affects their "personal" life.  And then, because of that, they come to you months later and  say, "That training has affected my entire life. I can't thank you enough for the impact you've had on my family."

Once again, this is just another reason why I love my job.

It was a good day. 🙂

Turns out that AI (and humans) HATE recommending stale/old content.

That's why EVERY marketer should make this a non-negotiable in 2026:

👉 Put a “Last Updated” timestamp on every major page and article on your website, just like you see in the photo here from HubSpot.

I know, this may seem incredibly tedious.

But at AI Trust Signals, we’re seeing over and over that it matters a lot, not just to readers, but to the AI systems deciding whether your content is confident, current, and *safe* to recommend.

And please understand, this isn’t just a "front-end" thing.

You also need the machine-readable version on the back end.

This means implementing the proper schema markup so AI can instantly verify when the page was truly updated. (Yes, it appears every marketer will be forced to a Schema expert in the future. 🤷‍♂️ )

This is just one of many "new rules of the game" that we're seeing because of AI.

And yes, it may feel a little annoying.

But it's the reality of where online content is heading, and so there's no need to complain about it.

Fact is, "content freshness" as a trust signal will only matter more and more moving forward. 

It's a new era in content my marketing friends.

Time to lean in.

While teaching a workshop this morning, I had a salesperson come up to me during a break and said, "Marcus, I don't do well with conflict. When a customer is upset, I freeze. Can you help?"

This simple question led to a great conversation, but the core of the answer I gave comes down to three simple steps any team can learn with a little bit of practice. 

Step #1: LET THEM VENT: 
This is a bit hard for folks to understand because the tendency is to immediately try to "fix" the situation. The issue with fixing is that the customer doesn't get a chance to feel heard. Your job is to make sure they feel VERY heard. Which means you let them vent, and even when you think they may be done, you ask them if there is anything else they're unsettled about. This step is the most important by far, yet the most overlooked in the world of customer experience.

Step #2: REPEAT WHAT THEY SAID: 
Not only must they feel heard, but they must feel *understood.* This occurs when you repeat the words they used and confirm, "What I've heard you say is..." (Again, do not use your words here. Use *their* words. Those are the ones that matter.)

Step #3: LET THEM VERBALIZE THE POTENTIAL SOLUTION: 
Assuming the individual has has a legitimate complaint (which is true in most cases), once you've allowed them to vent and have repeated their thoughts, you sincerely ask, "What would you like to happen to make this right?"

Now, granted, businesses can't always do what the customer asks for, but you at least want to put the ball in their court first.  Interestingly enough, often times the only thing they were looking for were step 1 & 2. In other words, they just wanted to feel heard and understood. But by asking them what they would like to do to make the situation right, you've now allowed them to at least state what they feel would be the appropriate solution.

Ultimately, there is no foolproof method of resolving customer frustration, but at a minimum you want to train (with role play) your team what to say and how to say it for these situations. 

Like the young man that approached me this morning, they shouldn't freeze when moments of conflict arise.

Instead, they should be ready for the moment. And if they follow these three simple steps, they are very likely to not only diffuse the situation, but create a lasting relationship as well.

As always, a little training goes a long ways.

#QuestionFirst

Have you seen this article from Inc. Magazine this month? It verifies everything I've been begging organizations to understand since AI changed the way we search.

👉 Pricing Transparency is about to be forced on ALL businesses. 👈 

Why? Here are a few impending realities (all of which have already begun):

1. In the future, if you don't discuss pricing/cost in detail on your website, it's highly unlikely that AI (like ChatGPT) will recommend you.

2. In the future, anytime someone is given a "price" , "quote" , or "estimate" they will run this through AI and it will give them an assessment as to whether or not they are getting a good value. 

3. In conjunction with #2, if someone doesn't feel good about a quote they've been given, they'll then be able to task their AI-agent to go out and "find" a better value...immediately.

I can assure you, these three things will be COMMON. The norm. Table stakes.

I can also say with high certainty most companies still do not realize this is what is happening.

The solution?

Get in front of this. 

Don't wait for everyone in your industry to move while you continue to do things the ways they've always been done.

Entire industries where "call for quote" is the norm are about to be upended.

Act now. Start winning today. And stay in front of all the laggards tomorrow.

Because it's all coming.

👉 7 (Should-Be-Obvious) Reasons Why Legacy Google Search Will Die... and AI Search Will Take Over:

Google gives you *options.*
AI gives you *answers.*

Google understands *keywords.*
AI understands *you.*

Google *hides* its logic.
AI *explains* its *reasoning.*

Google makes you the *researcher.*
AI *does* the research for you.

Google is loaded with *ads.*
AI (for now) has *none.*

Google works in *indexed* time.
AI works in *real* time.

Google acts like a *directory.*
AI acts like an *agent.*

Do you see the extreme difference?

For 25 years (1998–2023), the Blue Link Era was built on searching.
Today, the Answer Era is being built on finding.

Please understand, this shift isn't "coming," rather, it's already happening. The only questions left are:

1. When will it fully take over?
2. Will your business and brand be ready when it does?

-----------
What say you?

taplio

The Battle

💪 Dominik J.

Marcus Sheridan

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreMarcus Sheridan's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

💪 Dominik J.

Marcus Sheridan

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Marcus Sheridan's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreMarcus Sheridan's LinkedIn Performance