Journal

Notes on AI-forward marketing

Long-form essays from Marji J. Sherman on AI in social and content, Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), brand voice in the age of generative AI, and editorial systems for in-house marketing teams.

TL;DR

What does Marji write about? Three topic clusters: (1) AI-forward marketing — integrating generative AI into social and content workflows; (2) Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) — getting cited in ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews; (3) Brand voice & editorial systems — keeping marketing human while scaling with AI.

Frequently asked questions

AI-forward marketing, in plain language

  • What is AI-forward marketing?

    AI-forward marketing is the practice of using generative AI tools — large language models, image generation, and AI agents — to plan, produce, and distribute marketing content while preserving a clear brand voice and editorial judgment. It pairs AI for speed and scale with humans for strategy and quality control.

  • Who does Marji Sherman work with?

    Marji works with B2B SaaS, financial services, healthcare, and consumer brands whose in-house marketing teams want to integrate AI into social media, content, and editorial. Past clients include Capital One, KOHLER Co., the ADL, the United Methodist Church, and Cancer Treatment Centers of America.

  • What is Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)?

    Answer Engine Optimization is the discipline of structuring brand content so it can be cited and surfaced by AI answer engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews. It includes entity-clear copy, FAQ schema, structured data, and topic authority — and it is now a core part of every engagement Marji runs.

  • How long does an engagement take?

    Most strategy engagements run six to twelve weeks. Workshops are one to two days. Ongoing advisory retainers are quarterly. Marji takes on a small number of partner engagements per quarter to keep work hands-on.

  • Will AI replace my marketing team?

    No. AI replaces tasks, not teams. The brands winning right now are the ones whose marketers learn to direct AI — using it for research, drafting, and repurposing, while keeping editorial judgment, taste, and brand voice in human hands.