Aaron Conant is the Co-founder and Chief Digital Strategist at BWG Connect, a leading platform for executive strategy and networking sessions. He is an eCommerce expert with over a decade of experience in digital commerce, providing advisory services to brands on Amazon sales strategies, retail media, DTC platform selection, and SEO. BWG Connect, in conjunction with BWG Global, has built an exclusive network of over 125,000 senior professionals and hosts over 2,000 virtual and in-person networking events annually. 

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

• [1:33] Aaron Conant’s perspective on the rapid shifts redefining eCommerce and digital marketing 
• [6:05] How conversational AI and answer engines are reshaping search behavior
• [8:50] Why brands must rethink visibility as AI becomes the first point of discovery
• [12:40] What content looks like in an LLM-driven ecosystem beyond traditional web pages
• [15:54] How personalization is moving toward fully customized, real-time user experiences
• [20:58] Why Aaron says staying caught up is no longer realistic in tech-driven roles
• [26:49] Aaron’s framework for winning: continuous testing, learning, and R&D investment

In this episode…

Digital commerce is evolving at a pace that makes it difficult for even experienced professionals to keep up. New tools promise efficiency, but they often introduce more complexity and uncertainty. As expectations rise and technology shifts, businesses are being pushed to rethink how they operate, market, and grow. So how can companies adapt when the rules seem to change faster than they can respond?

Aaron Conant explains that the current environment is defined by rapid transformation, where AI, changing search behavior, and increasing demands on marketers are reshaping the landscape. As a digital commerce expert with deep experience advising brands, he highlights the importance of understanding emerging trends like conversational search and answer engines, while also emphasizing foundational elements such as clean data and strong content. Aaron suggests that companies focus on continuous testing, invest in learning, and avoid waiting for clarity before taking action. The key is building systems that allow for adaptability rather than chasing perfection.

In this episode of The Digital Deep Dive, Chad Franzen of Rise25 talks with Aaron Conant, Co-founder and Chief Digital Strategist at BWG Connect, about how AI is reshaping eCommerce and digital marketing strategy. Aaron shares insights on the rise of AEO and GEO, the growing role of personalization, and the challenges of AI adoption. He also explores content evolution, data readiness, and why constant testing and learning are critical for staying competitive.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Aaron Conant on LinkedIn   
• BWG Connect  
• Chad Franzen on LinkedIn 
• Rise25 

Quotable Moments:

• “You’re being asked to do more than you’ve ever done before with newer tools.”
• “People search completely different now, and it’s more conversational.”
• “Most brands that I’m interacting with are at what I would call like an efficiency AI stage.”
• “Everybody that goes to a website can get a personalized experience on almost every page.”
• “It’s changing faster than we can keep up with it.”

Action Steps:

1. Invest in understanding AI-driven search behavior: As conversational search replaces traditional keyword searches, brands must adapt how they appear in results. This ensures visibility in emerging channels where consumers are making decisions.
2. Prioritize clean and structured data: AI systems rely on high-quality data to generate accurate outputs and recommendations. Without it, even the best tools will fail to deliver meaningful results.
3. Build a culture of continuous testing and learning: Rapid experimentation allows teams to stay ahead in this constantly evolving landscape. It also helps uncover what works before competitors catch up.
4. Rethink content for both humans and machines: Content must now serve dual purposes — engaging users and feeding AI systems the right information. This improves discoverability and enhances overall performance across platforms.
5. Explore personalization at a deeper level: Leveraging AI to create tailored user experiences can significantly improve engagement and conversion. It positions brands to meet rising customer expectations for relevance and convenience.

About BWG Connect...

BWG Connect provides executive strategy and networking sessions that help brands from any industry with their overall business planning and execution. We network and knowledge share together to better understand and adapt to the newest trends, strategies, and pain points shaping growth in the digital space. BWG Connect, in conjunction with BWG Strategy, has built an exclusive network of 125,000+ senior professionals and hosts over 2,000 virtual and in-person networking events on an annual basis.

In addition, we have had 1x1 conversations with over 5,000 brands and have a real-time pulse on what digital strategies are successful and why. This in-depth knowledge allows our team to operate on the cutting-edge and provide our clients with best-in-class guidance on how to win in the digital world. We have provided free consultations and strategy sessions for companies of all sizes, from start-ups to Fortune-100, to enable growth, resolve issues and make curated service provider introductions that can impact your digital footprint.

We have held to the philosophy of providing high-level insights and actionable knowledge with no sales pitches in order to provide to our network the ability to listen, learn and act to improve themselves as well as their organizations. Our ultimate goal is to be the resource out there to help digital executives find the research they need to excel in the modern marketplace.

If you are interested in getting involved with any of our current or past events, you can find them here. If you are looking for help & would like to set up some time to chat with our team, you can schedule a time or reach out directly to Aaron@bwgconnect.com or Tiffany@bwgconnect.com.

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