Episode 252: Creative Shifts, Community, and the Realities of Modern E-Commerce with Kurt Elster
Release Date: 12/03/2025
Episode 276: How to Get Your Brand Recommended by AI: AEO with Julian Lopez
The Smart Marketer Podcast
Episode Description AI is changing how customers discover, research, and choose brands. If your business isn’t showing up in AI-generated answers, you may be missing the next major wave of organic visibility. In this live session from Mentor Table Nashville, Julian Lopez from the Smart Marketer team breaks down AEO, Answer Engine Optimization, and what brands need to do now to become the recommended choice inside AI tools, AI overviews, and answer engines. From schema markup and indexability to brand authority and bottom-of-funnel search intent, Julian shares the early signals Smart...
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The Smart Marketer Podcast
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The Smart Marketer Podcast
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The Smart Marketer Podcast
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The Smart Marketer Podcast
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The Smart Marketer Podcast
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The Smart Marketer Podcast
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The Smart Marketer Podcast
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Episode 267: Meta Ads Q&A - What’s Actually Working in 2026
The Smart Marketer Podcast
Episode Description In this episode of the Smart Marketer Podcast, Molly Pittman is joined by Smart Marketer’s Director of Advertising, Denis Paskalev, for a live Meta Ads Q&A where they answer real questions from marketers about what is actually working with Meta ads in 2026. From campaign structure and creative testing to scaling strategies and performance metrics, this conversation breaks down the modern approach to Meta ads in a world where targeting is driven more by creative, messaging, and landing pages than traditional audience targeting. If you are running ads for ecommerce,...
info_outlineEpisode 252: Creative Shifts, Community, and the Realities of Modern E-Commerce with Kurt Elster
Episode Description
What keeps a Shopify expert motivated after 15+ years in the game? In this episode, Kurt Elster, creator of the Unofficial Shopify Podcast and longtime Smart Marketer collaborator, joins Zach Dampier live at Smart Marketer Live to share real talk about modern eCommerce, creative fatigue, and building community in an often isolating industry.
“The thing I hang my hat on is two words: enable entrepreneurship. If I can do that with my content, with my efforts speaking or the work, then I’m happy.” – Kurt Elster
From actionable takeaways to a raw look at what it really takes to scale on Shopify, this episode is packed with insights for any DTC brand or digital entrepreneur.
You Will Learn
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Why “enabling entrepreneurship” fuels Kurt’s long-term success
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The #1 Shopify checkout mistake (and how to fix it in 5 minutes)
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What Amazon sellers need to know before bolting on Shopify
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How Smart Marketer Live helped attendees beat the isolation of online business
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The creative demands of Meta’s new ad algorithm (Andromeda update)
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Why diverse ad creative matters
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Behind the scenes of a high-speed Shopify theme build for JomBoy Media
Links & Resources
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Kurt Elster – Official Website – Learn more about Kurt’s work, services, and speaking
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Unofficial Shopify Podcast – Weekly eComm insights with Kurt Elster
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Smart Marketer Website – Courses, strategy, and support for scaling your business
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Build a Perfect PDP Blueprint – Learn the exact structure Kurt used to help boost conversions by 87%
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Smart Marketer Agency – Get expert help growing your eCommerce brand
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Smart Marketer BFCM Sale – Save up to 60% before Dec 4 & support charity while you shop
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Omnisend for Email & SMS – Use code “SMART” for 50% off your first 3 months
Timestamps
00:00 – Intro from Anthony + BFCM promo
01:11 – Ezra shares why he uses Omnisend
02:22 – “Enable Entrepreneurship”: Kurt’s mission
02:54 – Kurt’s experience at Smart Marketer Live
04:02 – From podcasting to partnering with Ezra
05:39 – The power of product detail pages (PDPs)
06:09 – Why Amazon sellers want Shopify independence
07:35 – Ecomm is lonely: The power of in-person connection
08:21 – Meta’s creative demands and audience fatigue
09:57 – The checkout mistake that kills conversions
11:24 – Success doesn’t mean debt-free: The hidden pressure
12:23 – Custom Shopify build for JomBoy Media
14:05 – What motivates Kurt after 15+ years
15:49 – How Kurt lives “Serve the World Unselfishly and Profit”
18:25 – Outro + Smart Marketer BFCM deal reminder
Your Engagement Matters
If this episode inspired you, please:
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Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts
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Share and tag us with #WeOutHere
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Got thoughts? Email support@smartmarketer.com
Serve the World Unselfishly and Profit!