Mid-Year Marketing Check-In: Same Tactics, New Steroids

About the Episode

Mid-Year Marketing Check-In: Same Tactics, New Steroids

Marketing in 2026 feels like it’s moving at warp speed – new AI tools, new platforms, new acronyms every other week. But according to David Kryszczak, Founder and President of Spartan Digital, a lot of what you’re hearing is louder than it is new.

David joined Molly Nolan on Out of the Hourglass for a mid-year reality check on what’s actually working, what’s not, and what trades business owners should be paying attention to as they head into the back half of the year.

The Fundamentals Haven’t Changed

If AI has you worried you need to scrap everything and start over, David’s take will be a relief. When it comes to how your business shows up in AI-powered search results, the same things that helped you rank on Google still apply: reviews, consistent content, community presence.

“The same strategy with more execution, more work, more pickaxes in the mine, more shovels in the ground, will then rank you higher. So that nothing scientifically has changed.”

The platforms are evolving, but the underlying strategy is the same. His phrase for it: “Before AI, I used to say our robots are tricking robots.” The goal is still to signal to algorithms, whichever ones, that your business is credible, active, and relevant.

Quality Over Quantity in Content

One of the clearest shifts David is seeing: less content, done better, is outperforming more content done quickly.

Some of his clients who were posting 30 to 40 times a month have pulled back to half that, with no drop in results. Why? Because posting more doesn’t automatically mean getting more leads. As David put it, an old sales coach taught him that “activity does not equate to performance.”

That goes double for AI-generated content. David’s team can spot it immediately, and so can your audience. A five-paragraph LinkedIn post that sounds like it came straight out of ChatGPT, or an AI-generated graphic with slightly off colors, can quietly undermine the credibility you’ve built. Spartan uses AI tools internally, but they still employ a full-time copywriter and graphic designer. The reason: “It’s 2026. You still need a human talking to humans about stuff.”

Use AI as an assistant. Don’t let it replace the voice that made your business trustworthy in the first place.

The Phone Call Problem Nobody Talks About

David made an observation that should resonate with any business owner who’s grown past doing everything themselves.

When leads dry up, the first instinct is usually to question the marketing. But often, the marketing is working fine, the problem is what happens after the phone rings. “Once that phone picks up, it’s not Jim anymore. It’s Sally, and if Sally isn’t like 90% as close to Jim, we’re not going to get the customer.”

If your ads are running, your SEO is solid, and leads still seem soft, look at the full picture before assuming it’s a marketing problem. How are calls being handled? How is your team representing the business on that first interaction?

What to Watch for in Any Marketing Partnership

If you’re working with an agency, a freelancer, or an in-house marketing person, David shared a few things worth paying attention to.

Clear goals from the start. More jobs, more brand visibility, and more web traffic are three different goals. They require different strategies and different ways of measuring success. Get specific upfront.

Realistic timelines. A proper marketing rollout takes 60 to 90 days after all the technical groundwork is in place. Anyone promising meaningful results in 30 days is worth questioning.

Reporting that means something. Agencies can bury you in data. What matters is whether the numbers connect back to your actual business goals. If you can’t answer whether the marketing is helping you get more jobs, something’s off.

And his most important piece of advice: “If you like their relationship, you can probably fix everything else.” A good working relationship with someone you trust is harder to replace than any tactic.

On AI Voice Agents: Use It as a Backup

AI answering services are getting a lot of attention right now, and David has a measured take. For most home service businesses, he doesn’t recommend using AI as a full replacement for a real person answering the phone. Customers in the trades space hired you, or are considering hiring you, based on trust and relationship. They want to talk to someone.

Where it does make sense: as a backup. After hours, on weekends, or when your staff is already tied up on other calls. In that role, an AI agent can capture jobs that would have otherwise slipped through. That’s a legitimate win. Just don’t let it become the first voice your best customers hear.

Looking Ahead to the Rest of 2026

David’s expectation for the next six months is simple: whatever AI is doing to the marketing landscape right now, it’ll be moving even faster by the end of the year. Businesses and agencies that aren’t actively staying current on how platforms are evolving risk falling behind, and in search rankings, a month behind can mean six to eight months of fighting to get back to where you were.

The businesses that will be in the best position heading into 2027 are the ones doing the right things now: strong content, clear goals, consistent execution. They stay close enough to the changes to adapt quickly when they need to.

Marketing has always rewarded the business owners willing to put in the work. That part hasn’t changed.

David Kryszczak is the Founder and President of Spartan Digital, a full-service digital marketing agency serving small businesses across the country. Learn more at spartandigital.com or connect with David on LinkedIn.