The Weber State University Marketing Club recently welcomed Greg Secrist, co-founder of BKA Content, for a guest presentation on one of the biggest shifts happening in marketing today: the growing impact of artificial intelligence on digital marketing and SEO.
Invited to speak to students about how search is changing, Secrist shared a timely look at the ways AI is reshaping online visibility, content strategy, and the future of brand discovery. His presentation gave students a chance to hear directly from a digital marketing professional working in the field and to better understand how the industry is evolving in real time.
A Changing Search Landscape
During the presentation, Secrist explained that digital marketing is no longer centered only on traditional search engine rankings. For years, many businesses focused heavily on appearing in the top spots of search engine results pages. While rankings still matter, the way people find information is shifting quickly.
AI-powered search experiences are changing user behavior and changing what visibility looks like online. Instead of simply clicking through a list of search results, users are now interacting with AI-generated summaries, suggested answers, videos, maps, and other content formats across multiple platforms. That shift means marketers have to think more broadly about how and where their content appears.
For Weber State University students interested in digital marketing, that message offered an important update on the current state of the industry. SEO is no longer just about optimizing a page for a keyword and waiting for traffic to follow. It is becoming more connected to brand authority, content quality, technical structure, and overall digital presence.
How AI Is Changing Digital Marketing
Secrist focused much of the discussion on how AI is influencing the way businesses approach digital marketing strategy. As AI becomes more integrated into search, brands can no longer depend on the same patterns of website traffic they may have seen in the past. In many cases, users are finding answers more quickly without clicking through to websites in the same numbers as before.
Rather than presenting that change as a reason for concern alone, Secrist framed it as a signal that marketers need to adapt. Content still matters, but it now needs to do more. It needs to support visibility across channels, answer real user questions clearly, and help build trust in more places than just a company website.
Students learned that AI is not replacing marketing fundamentals. Instead, it is changing how those fundamentals are applied. Clear messaging, useful information, strong content, and a well-developed brand presence still matter. The difference is that marketers now need to think beyond the old model of search and prepare for a more connected digital environment.
Key Takeaways From the Presentation
Throughout the session, Secrist shared practical insights into what appears to matter most in AI search right now. He emphasized the importance of answering related questions thoroughly and building content that addresses a topic with depth and clarity. Instead of creating pages that focus too narrowly on one search phrase, businesses should think about the broader questions and concerns their audience may have. Secrist shared a recent case study example of SEO results that BKA Content was able to produce for a small university in the Midwest using a University digital marketing SEO strategy.
He also discussed the value of strong website structure and clean HTML. While many businesses focus on visual design, the technical side of a website still plays an important role in how content is understood and surfaced. A clear, well-organized website can help support better visibility and a stronger user experience.
In addition, Secrist highlighted the continued importance of backlinks, brand mentions, digital PR, and local SEO. These signals help strengthen credibility and reinforce a business’s presence across the web. For students, this was a useful reminder that SEO does not exist in isolation. It connects with branding, public relations, local marketing, content development, and overall business strategy.
The Growing Importance of Video
One of the strongest themes of the presentation was the growing role of video in digital marketing and search visibility. Secrist explained that video content, especially on YouTube, is becoming increasingly important as people look for answers in more dynamic and engaging formats.
That point stood out because it showed students that the future of SEO is not limited to written blog posts or website pages. Video is now a major part of how users discover information, evaluate brands, and build trust. For marketers, that means creating a content strategy that extends beyond one format or one platform.
Secrist also shared a practical perspective on how businesses should approach video. Instead of using YouTube primarily as a place for promotional messages, he encouraged an educational approach. Informative videos, useful tutorials, and content that answers common questions can be especially effective in building credibility and attracting attention over time.
That approach aligns with a broader shift in digital marketing. Audiences are increasingly drawn to content that is genuinely helpful. Brands that can teach, explain, and provide value are often better positioned to stay visible and relevant as digital habits continue to evolve.
A Valuable Experience for Weber State Students
For members of the Weber State University Marketing Club, the event offered more than just an overview of industry trends. It gave students the chance to connect classroom concepts with real-world application. Hearing directly from a practitioner helped make abstract ideas more concrete and showed how quickly the marketing world is changing.
Secrist’s presentation also gave students a clearer sense of the opportunities ahead. As AI continues to influence search and content discovery, future marketers will need to be flexible, curious, and willing to learn new strategies. The field is changing, but that change also creates room for innovation and fresh thinking.
By sharing both high-level insights and practical guidance, Secrist helped students see that success in digital marketing still comes back to understanding the audience, creating useful content, and building trust. Those principles remain steady even as the platforms and tools continue to shift.
Looking Ahead
The visit from Greg Secrist gave Weber State University Marketing Club members a timely and valuable look at where digital marketing and SEO are headed. His presentation showed that artificial intelligence is changing the way people search, the way businesses compete for attention, and the way marketers need to think about visibility.
At the same time, the session reinforced a simple but important idea: strong content still matters. Marketers who can communicate clearly, provide real value, and maintain a presence across multiple channels will be better prepared for the future.
For students preparing to enter the marketing profession, the event served as both an introduction to current industry changes and a reminder that adaptability will be one of the most important skills moving forward. Through his presentation at Weber State University, Greg Secrist offered a thoughtful and practical perspective on what comes next for digital marketing in the age of AI.
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