Financial Freedom Podcast with Dr. Christopher H. Loo, MD-PhD đŻ Is SEO Dead? Ryan Birch on AI Marketing, Ads & the Future of Digital Strategy
Is SEO dead in 2025âor simply evolving? In this episode, Ryan Birch, founder of Toby Group and a seasoned fractional CMO, shares real-world insights into how marketers, creators, and professionals can adapt to the new landscape shaped by AI in marketing, GA4 conversion tracking, and the balance between paid ads vs organic growth.
If youâve ever wondered why your campaigns plateau, why your conversion tracking doesnât align with results, or how to finally make digital advertising profitable, this conversation has the answers. Ryanâs âinputs vs outcomesâ framework helps businesses shift from wasted spend to measurable growth. He explains how audience mapping and micro conversions can make ads work smarter, and why white-label advertising is one of the most underused strategies in 2025.
This podcast episode is designed to meet your search intent:
Looking for proof that SEO still matters? Youâll learn how reviews, PR, and brand signals impact discoverability.
Trying to figure out if you should spend more on ads? Ryan explains when to flip the switch and when to hold back.
Struggling with GA4? Youâll hear how tracking fixes alone can double results.
Wondering how to use AI in marketing without falling into spam? Ryan shares how to use AI for smarter audience research.
Ryan Birch brings expertise that bridges what business owners, content creators, and professionals want (growth, visibility, conversions) with what they need (tracking accuracy, audience clarity, strategic ad spend). By the end, youâll walk away with wisdom to improve your marketing outcomes today.
Timestamps (23:37)
00:00 Intro â Who is Ryan Birch & Toby Group
01:00 What a fractional CMO does (and why businesses need one)
02:15 White-label advertising explained
03:20 GA4 conversion tracking fixes â the #1 issue
04:30 âYou canât use ads to solve a marketing problemâ
05:15 Inputs vs outcomes framework
06:30 AI in marketing â friend or foe?
07:45 Audience-first strategy with AI
08:30 Organic vs paid â when to turn on ads
09:45 Four common ad mistakes (tracking, audience, messaging, optimization)
12:30 YouTube Promote â subs vs sales
14:10 Micro conversions: testing budgets & small wins
16:30 Time-poor pros: why outsourcing works
19:00 Reviews, websites, LinkedIn: simple wins that matter
21:00 The future of SEO â reviews, PR, branding > blog spam
22:30 Where to find Ryan
#IsSEODead #DigitalMarketing #AIMarketing #GA4 #ConversionTracking #YouTubePromotion #MarketingStrategy #FractionalCMO #PaidAdsVsOrganic
To check out the YouTube (video podcast), visit: https://www.youtube.com/@drchrisloomdphd
Disclaimer: Not advice. Educational purposes only. Not an endorsement for or against. Results not vetted. Views of the guests do not represent those of the host or show.
Click here to join PodMatch (the "AirBNB" of Podcasting): https://www.joinpodmatch.com/drchrisloomdphd
We couldnât do it without the support of our listeners. To help support the show:
CashApp- https://cash.app/$drchrisloomdphd
Venmo- https://account.venmo.com/u/Chris-Loo-4
Spotify- https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/christopher-loo/support
Buy Me a Coffee- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chrisJx
Click here to purchase my books on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2PaQn4p
Follow our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/chL1357
Follow us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/drchrisloomdphd
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thereal_drchrisloo
Follow the podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NkM6US7cjsiAYTBjWGdx6?si=1da9d0a17be14d18
Subscribe to our Substack newsletter: https://substack.com/@drchrisloomdphd1
Subscribe to our LinkedIn newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=6992935013231071233
Subscribe to our email list: https://financial-freedom-podcast-with-dr-loo.kit.com/
Thank you to all of our sponsors and advertisers that help support the show!
Financial Freedom for Physicians, Copyright 2025