RSS 34: Winning with Intention in the Age of AI with Will Reynolds

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Jan 3, 2026

In this engaging discussion, Will Reynolds, founder of Seer Interactive and a digital marketing veteran, shares his insights on navigating the evolving landscape of AI in marketing. He emphasizes respecting audience attention by only sharing impactful content. Will argues that raw, honest storytelling fosters trust and long-term relationships with clients. He also reveals how to leverage AI for scaling insights and optimizing content distribution. Alongside strategies for converting engagement into leads, Will offers practical advice for new marketers looking to grow in a fast-changing environment.

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ADVICE

Respect Your Audience's Attention

Do only share content you genuinely believe will teach someone something valuable.
Use a gut-check: "Would I want to see this in my feed?" before posting.

INSIGHT

Vulnerability Scales Trust

Raw, honest content builds trust far more than polished awards posts.
People connect with mistakes, pain, and behind-the-scenes truth over bragging.

ADVICE

Prioritize Distribution Over Perfection

Prioritize distribution and conversations over a perfect content production process.
Test what sparks sharing first, then adapt winning content for search.

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In this episode of The Ross Simmonds Show, Ross sits down with Wil Reynolds—founder of Seer Interactive and an icon in the world of search—to explore how to play the long game in marketing, leadership, and entrepreneurship. Will doesn't hold back as he shares tactical insights into how AI is reshaping content creation, search, and discovery. From real-world applications of tools like PhantomBuster and Claude Code to personal philosophies about content, agency building, and mindset, this episode is loaded with actionable wisdom and candid perspective. Wil also opens up about what he’d do if he had to start over from scratch, the dangers of imposter syndrome, and how to use AI to interview subject matter experts in a scalable way.

Key Takeaways and Insights:

1. Respect the Audience’s Attention

- Share only what you genuinely believe will teach someone something.

- Use a simple gut-check: “Would I want to see this in my feed?”

- Don’t post to post—post to educate and create real value.

2. “Real Stuff” Builds Trust

- The most resonant content is often the painful, honest, behind-the-scenes truth.

- Being raw and human builds long-term sentiment—and turns strangers into future clients.

- The posts that work are raw: mistakes, broken processes, real lessons.

3. Distribution Beats “Perfect Content Process”

- Over-engineered content processes don’t matter if nobody distributes the output.

- Optimize for conversation + sharing, then adapt it for search after you know it hits.

4. Use Data + AI to Run Experiments (and Get Leverage)

- Tools like PhantomBuster + Claude/Claude Code can turn LinkedIn into a research + lead engine.

- Track who engages (titles, industries), then use that insight for outreach and pipeline planning.

- Blend paid + organic data to spot waste/opportunity (e.g., language intent mismatches, “people also ask” signals).

- The goal isn’t replacing people — it’s pulling real knowledge out of them faster.

5. Future-Proofing Means Adaptability

- The real edge is staying unsatisfied with the status quo and constantly testing new approaches.

- Leaders should make it safe to “break things” while learning—innovation is messy by nature.

- Wil’s focus isn’t predicting 10 years out—it’s preparing people now for automation shifts through skills, reps, and experimentation.

Resources & Tools:

🔗 PhantomBuster

🔗 Claude

— 👋🏾 Let's stay connected —

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— 👋🏾 Connect with Wil —

╰ Twitter / X: @wilreynolds

╰ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/wilreynolds/