Frank Strong
@frankstrong1.bsky.social
Father. B2B tech. PR+MKTG. MA+MBA. Blogger+Podcaster. SCUBA+Skydiver. Karate BB. BJJ purple. Former-Marine+US Soldier (ret.) Go Pats. Homo sapien-level of enthusiasm for astrophysics and quantum mechanics with a pan troglodytes-level of comprehension.
Pinned
Study demonstrates that a trusted brand is a prerequisite for organic and paid search - Sword and the Script
You flood the market with paid search ads or dump money into SEO to rank on page one, but if you want people to click, you need them to trust you. The way you build trust is by building a trusted bran...
www.swordandthescript.com
Study demonstrates that a trusted brand is a prerequisite for organic and paid search
“59% of Americans click results from brands they know, while less than one-third choose the top-ranked result."
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/04/trus...
“59% of Americans click results from brands they know, while less than one-third choose the top-ranked result."
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/04/trus...
How PR and marketing pros are monitoring AI visibility for clients and brands
Most of the work is a manual effort coupled with a mishmash of ideas, concepts, metrics, and nascent tools; there’s no Radian6 for AI visibility yet
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/11/moni...
Most of the work is a manual effort coupled with a mishmash of ideas, concepts, metrics, and nascent tools; there’s no Radian6 for AI visibility yet
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/11/moni...
How PR and marketing pros are monitoring AI visibility for clients and brands - Sword and the Script
Most of the work is a manual effort coupled with a mishmash of ideas, concepts, metrics, and nascent tools; there’s no Radian6 for AI visibility yet
www.swordandthescript.com
November 25, 2025 at 5:04 PM
How PR and marketing pros are monitoring AI visibility for clients and brands
Most of the work is a manual effort coupled with a mishmash of ideas, concepts, metrics, and nascent tools; there’s no Radian6 for AI visibility yet
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/11/moni...
Most of the work is a manual effort coupled with a mishmash of ideas, concepts, metrics, and nascent tools; there’s no Radian6 for AI visibility yet
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/11/moni...
The next PR measurement conundrum: How do you measure AI visibility? www.swordandthescript.com/2025/11/pr-m...
The next PR measurement conundrum: How do you measure AI visibility? - Sword and the Script
If we’re having trouble with PR measurement and proving the value of PR today, it’s only going to get harder with something as ghostly as AI visibility metrics
www.swordandthescript.com
November 18, 2025 at 6:43 PM
The next PR measurement conundrum: How do you measure AI visibility? www.swordandthescript.com/2025/11/pr-m...
Editorial integrity demands PR due diligence with AI-generated copy
The temptation to rely on generative AI for PR pitches is enticing, but using it without human intervention stands out to reporters and will likely have the opposite effect
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/10/edit...
The temptation to rely on generative AI for PR pitches is enticing, but using it without human intervention stands out to reporters and will likely have the opposite effect
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/10/edit...
Editorial integrity demands PR due diligence with AI-generated copy - Sword and the Script
The temptation to rely on generative AI for PR pitches is enticing, but using it without human intervention stands out to reporters and will likely have the opposite effect
www.swordandthescript.com
October 28, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Editorial integrity demands PR due diligence with AI-generated copy
The temptation to rely on generative AI for PR pitches is enticing, but using it without human intervention stands out to reporters and will likely have the opposite effect
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/10/edit...
The temptation to rely on generative AI for PR pitches is enticing, but using it without human intervention stands out to reporters and will likely have the opposite effect
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/10/edit...
Reposted by Frank Strong
Third-party validation is proving to be an influential factor in AI visibility.
@frankstrong1.bsky.social shares insights a recent Semrush study suggesting PR and blogging excel at this task www.swordandthescript.com/2025/10/pr-b...
@frankstrong1.bsky.social shares insights a recent Semrush study suggesting PR and blogging excel at this task www.swordandthescript.com/2025/10/pr-b...
PR and high quality blogs are well positioned to boost AI visibility, study by Semrush suggests - Sword and the Script
Third-party validation is proving to be an influential factor in AI visibility; PR and blogging excel at this task.
www.swordandthescript.com
October 24, 2025 at 11:07 AM
Third-party validation is proving to be an influential factor in AI visibility.
@frankstrong1.bsky.social shares insights a recent Semrush study suggesting PR and blogging excel at this task www.swordandthescript.com/2025/10/pr-b...
@frankstrong1.bsky.social shares insights a recent Semrush study suggesting PR and blogging excel at this task www.swordandthescript.com/2025/10/pr-b...
Purposeful browsing: Does long form content still have a place in the era of generative AI?
Data, anecdotes suggest it does.
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/10/purp...
Data, anecdotes suggest it does.
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/10/purp...
Purposeful browsing: Does long form content still have a place in the era of generative AI? - Sword and the Script
Early indications are generative AI tends to surface long form in-depth content; visitors from AI results browse with purpose and are more likely to convert
www.swordandthescript.com
October 21, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Purposeful browsing: Does long form content still have a place in the era of generative AI?
Data, anecdotes suggest it does.
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/10/purp...
Data, anecdotes suggest it does.
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/10/purp...
The deluge of ‘output only’ marketing has made customers apathetic about feedback and surveys customerthink.com/the-deluge-o...
The deluge of ‘output only’ marketing has made customers apathetic about feedback and surveys | CustomerThink
customerthink.com
October 17, 2025 at 4:43 PM
The deluge of ‘output only’ marketing has made customers apathetic about feedback and surveys customerthink.com/the-deluge-o...
Reposted by Frank Strong
Media pitching: Adding perspective to Michael Smart’s FAQs for Muck Rack
By @frankstrong1.bsky.social, Sword and the Script www.swordandthescript.com/2025/09/medi...
By @frankstrong1.bsky.social, Sword and the Script www.swordandthescript.com/2025/09/medi...
Media pitching: Adding perspective to Michael Smart’s FAQs for Muck Rack - Sword and the Script
Brass tack answers from an experienced professional, who still pitches every week, to common questions about pitching the media
www.swordandthescript.com
October 17, 2025 at 12:17 PM
Media pitching: Adding perspective to Michael Smart’s FAQs for Muck Rack
By @frankstrong1.bsky.social, Sword and the Script www.swordandthescript.com/2025/09/medi...
By @frankstrong1.bsky.social, Sword and the Script www.swordandthescript.com/2025/09/medi...
U.S. Exclusive: Venture-backed PR software startups Propel, Signal AI announce “strategic partnership” www.swordandthescript.com/2025/10/prop...
U.S. Exclusive: Venture-backed PR software startups Propel, Signal AI announce “strategic partnership” - Sword and the Script
The partnership between Propel and Signal AI, two specialized PR technologies, promises to provide comprehensive comms tools on a modern platform built for the era of AI.
www.swordandthescript.com
October 14, 2025 at 1:52 PM
U.S. Exclusive: Venture-backed PR software startups Propel, Signal AI announce “strategic partnership” www.swordandthescript.com/2025/10/prop...
U.S. Exclusive: Venture-backed PR software startups Propel, Signal AI announce “strategic partnership” www.swordandthescript.com/2025/10/prop...
U.S. Exclusive: Venture-backed PR software startups Propel, Signal AI announce “strategic partnership” - Sword and the Script
The partnership between Propel and Signal AI, two specialized PR technologies, promises to provide comprehensive comms tools on a modern platform built for the era of AI.
www.swordandthescript.com
October 14, 2025 at 1:45 PM
U.S. Exclusive: Venture-backed PR software startups Propel, Signal AI announce “strategic partnership” www.swordandthescript.com/2025/10/prop...
PR and high quality blogs are well positioned to boost AI visibility, study by Semrush suggests www.swordandthescript.com/2025/10/pr-b...
PR and high quality blogs are well positioned to boost AI visibility, study by Semrush suggests - Sword and the Script
Third-party validation is proving to be an influential factor in AI visibility; PR and blogging excel at this task.
www.swordandthescript.com
October 7, 2025 at 3:35 PM
PR and high quality blogs are well positioned to boost AI visibility, study by Semrush suggests www.swordandthescript.com/2025/10/pr-b...
Media pitching: Adding perspective to Michael Smart's FAQs for @muckrack.com
- How do you break through the volume of pitches reporters receive daily?
- Should you follow up on pitches with reporters?
- What’s the best email subject line for a PR pitch?
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/09/medi...
- How do you break through the volume of pitches reporters receive daily?
- Should you follow up on pitches with reporters?
- What’s the best email subject line for a PR pitch?
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/09/medi...
Media pitching: Adding perspective to Michael Smart’s FAQs for Muck Rack - Sword and the Script
Brass tack answers from an experienced professional, who still pitches every week, to common questions about pitching the media
www.swordandthescript.com
September 30, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Media pitching: Adding perspective to Michael Smart's FAQs for @muckrack.com
- How do you break through the volume of pitches reporters receive daily?
- Should you follow up on pitches with reporters?
- What’s the best email subject line for a PR pitch?
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/09/medi...
- How do you break through the volume of pitches reporters receive daily?
- Should you follow up on pitches with reporters?
- What’s the best email subject line for a PR pitch?
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/09/medi...
PR status check: 68% of B2B respondents say public relations drives revenue but struggle to prove it
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/09/b2b-...
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/09/b2b-...
PR status check: 68% of B2B respondents say public relations drives revenue but struggle to prove it - Sword and the Script
A new survey of 300 B2B marketing and PR professionals provides a glimpse of PR goals, tactics, effectiveness, challenges, frustrations and areas for improvement
www.swordandthescript.com
September 23, 2025 at 1:31 PM
PR status check: 68% of B2B respondents say public relations drives revenue but struggle to prove it
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/09/b2b-...
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/09/b2b-...
People are not taking government economic surveys; businesses have the same problem
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/09/peop...
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/09/peop...
People are not taking government economic surveys; businesses have the same problem - Sword and the Script
Businesses need to take a more considered, deliberate and comprehensive approach to feedback; don’t allow a machine to get between your business and the customer
www.swordandthescript.com
September 16, 2025 at 2:02 PM
People are not taking government economic surveys; businesses have the same problem
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/09/peop...
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/09/peop...
How many touches or interactions does it take to attract and close B2B prospects? www.swordandthescript.com/2025/09/touc...
How many touches or interactions does it take to attract and close B2B prospects? - Sword and the Script
Surveys say from start to finish, B2B prospects require a dozen touches or more, but behavioral data finds it may require hundreds of interactions
www.swordandthescript.com
September 9, 2025 at 1:58 PM
How many touches or interactions does it take to attract and close B2B prospects? www.swordandthescript.com/2025/09/touc...
Fixing a B2B marketing’s addiction to MQLs [Monthly Marcom] monthlymarcom.substack.com/p/fixing-a-b...
Fixing a B2B marketing’s addiction to MQLs [Monthly Marcom]
“Stop viewing buyers as MQLs to be harvested, and start seeing them as humans seeking solutions.”
monthlymarcom.substack.com
August 27, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Fixing a B2B marketing’s addiction to MQLs [Monthly Marcom] monthlymarcom.substack.com/p/fixing-a-b...
This is an uncomfortable, yet reasonable, question for PR professionals:
Is the influence of traditional media – and by extension media relations – waning?
I have *an* answer in this piece.
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/08/infl...
Is the influence of traditional media – and by extension media relations – waning?
I have *an* answer in this piece.
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/08/infl...
August 26, 2025 at 11:57 AM
This is an uncomfortable, yet reasonable, question for PR professionals:
Is the influence of traditional media – and by extension media relations – waning?
I have *an* answer in this piece.
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/08/infl...
Is the influence of traditional media – and by extension media relations – waning?
I have *an* answer in this piece.
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/08/infl...
Essential generative AI customizations PR should make to their tools
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/08/gene...
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/08/gene...
Essential generative AI customizations PR should make to their tools - Sword and the Script
Sychophancy is a genuine risk to generative AI; as PR increasingly relies on these tools, it’s imperative to modify their customizations to prevent generative AI from merely telling you what it thinks...
www.swordandthescript.com
August 19, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Essential generative AI customizations PR should make to their tools
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/08/gene...
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/08/gene...
6 in 10 B2B prospects never want to talk to a salesperson
And
“92% of buyers start with at least one vendor in mind, and 41% already have a single preferred vendor selected before formal evaluation begins.”
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/08/b2b-...
And
“92% of buyers start with at least one vendor in mind, and 41% already have a single preferred vendor selected before formal evaluation begins.”
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/08/b2b-...
Analysts say B2B prospects form preferences earlier and avoid sales conversations later - Sword and the Script
Forrester survey finds 92% of B2B prospects start evaluation solutions with one vendor in mind; 41% have a single preference; Gartner says 61% B2B buyers want to avoid talking to sales
www.swordandthescript.com
August 12, 2025 at 11:22 AM
6 in 10 B2B prospects never want to talk to a salesperson
And
“92% of buyers start with at least one vendor in mind, and 41% already have a single preferred vendor selected before formal evaluation begins.”
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/08/b2b-...
And
“92% of buyers start with at least one vendor in mind, and 41% already have a single preferred vendor selected before formal evaluation begins.”
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/08/b2b-...
B2B tech vendors that hide pricing may never make a prospect’s short list www.swordandthescript.com/2025/08/b2b-...
B2B tech vendors that hide pricing may never make a prospect's short list - Sword and the Script
Generative AI provides succinct product comparisons for B2B buyers, including pricing; vendors who choose to omit pricing information risk never even being considered for the short list
www.swordandthescript.com
August 5, 2025 at 3:13 PM
B2B tech vendors that hide pricing may never make a prospect’s short list www.swordandthescript.com/2025/08/b2b-...
AI cannot understand the human experience of delight, awe, fear, elation, confusion or frustration in any meaningful way
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/07/ai-h...
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/07/ai-h...
July 29, 2025 at 1:48 PM
AI cannot understand the human experience of delight, awe, fear, elation, confusion or frustration in any meaningful way
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/07/ai-h...
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/07/ai-h...
Reposted by Frank Strong
B2B marketing and sales teams that rely on short-term tactics to attract active, in-market buying group members are drastically limiting their reach and effectiveness.
Instead, B2B marketers need to expand their assumptions about the buyers’ journey @Forrester www.forrester.com/blogs/why-pe...
Instead, B2B marketers need to expand their assumptions about the buyers’ journey @Forrester www.forrester.com/blogs/why-pe...
Why “Performance Marketing” Falls Short
Many B2B organizations overrotate toward marketing tactics that engage buyers long after they have formed preferences. Instead, they must try to influence buyers before they enter a purchasing process...
www.forrester.com
July 16, 2025 at 12:20 PM
B2B marketing and sales teams that rely on short-term tactics to attract active, in-market buying group members are drastically limiting their reach and effectiveness.
Instead, B2B marketers need to expand their assumptions about the buyers’ journey @Forrester www.forrester.com/blogs/why-pe...
Instead, B2B marketers need to expand their assumptions about the buyers’ journey @Forrester www.forrester.com/blogs/why-pe...
Halfway in marketing:
- what’s going well: CMOs, marketing budgets, alignment with sales
- what could be improved: Trust, conversions, and customer retention
>>> 41 B2B marketing and PR stats that provide us all with a status update halfway through 2025 www.swordandthescript.com/2025/07/b2b-...
- what’s going well: CMOs, marketing budgets, alignment with sales
- what could be improved: Trust, conversions, and customer retention
>>> 41 B2B marketing and PR stats that provide us all with a status update halfway through 2025 www.swordandthescript.com/2025/07/b2b-...
41 B2B marketing and PR statistics that provide us all with a status update halfway through 2025 - Sword and the Script
What’s going well: CMOs, marketing budgets, alignment with sales; What could be improved: Trust, conversions, and customer retention
www.swordandthescript.com
July 8, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Halfway in marketing:
- what’s going well: CMOs, marketing budgets, alignment with sales
- what could be improved: Trust, conversions, and customer retention
>>> 41 B2B marketing and PR stats that provide us all with a status update halfway through 2025 www.swordandthescript.com/2025/07/b2b-...
- what’s going well: CMOs, marketing budgets, alignment with sales
- what could be improved: Trust, conversions, and customer retention
>>> 41 B2B marketing and PR stats that provide us all with a status update halfway through 2025 www.swordandthescript.com/2025/07/b2b-...
Marketing has gotten so wrapped up in measurement that we've lost sight of the purpose of marketing: persuasion.
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/07/mark...
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/07/mark...
B2B is marketing for measurement rather than persuasion - Sword and the Script
Marketing risks spending its budget in a way that’s measurable for the business rather than persuasive for customers
www.swordandthescript.com
July 1, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Marketing has gotten so wrapped up in measurement that we've lost sight of the purpose of marketing: persuasion.
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/07/mark...
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/07/mark...
Rigorous study shows marketing turnover has a high cost and lasting impact;
Demonstrates the importance of continuously investing in the marketing team
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/06/mark...
Demonstrates the importance of continuously investing in the marketing team
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/06/mark...
Reduce marketing employee turnover to improve performance [academic study] - Sword and the Script
Rigorous study shows marketing turnover has a high cost and lasting impact; demonstrates the importance of continuously investing in the marketing team
www.swordandthescript.com
June 24, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Rigorous study shows marketing turnover has a high cost and lasting impact;
Demonstrates the importance of continuously investing in the marketing team
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/06/mark...
Demonstrates the importance of continuously investing in the marketing team
www.swordandthescript.com/2025/06/mark...