Justin
Founder, Adfirm IT Solutions
Justin leads strategy and growth at Adfirm IT Solutions. Eight years building marketing and product teams for SaaS, ecommerce, and services clients across the Philippines, US, AU, and EU. Writes here about paid media, AI search, and the boring fundamentals that compound.
Recent posts by Justin
Brand strength is the new AI search ranking signal in 2026
Branded search volume, entity recognition, and brand authority are now the dominant signals for AI search visibility. Here's how to build them in 2026.
Consent Mode v2 and Enhanced Conversions in 2026: the real setup guide
Consent Mode v2 is strictly enforced in 2026 and Enhanced Conversions is the difference between a working Google Ads account and a degrading one. Here's the clean setup.
First-party data activation in 2026: the new paid media advantage
How to turn first-party data into a real Google and Meta ads advantage in 2026 — Customer Match, CAPI, and the activation stack that moves ROAS.
Rising CPCs in 2026: why paid search costs jumped 12% and what to do
Paid search CPCs rose 12% YoY in Q1 2026 with another 8-10% expected. Here's what's driving it and the defensive playbook that's working in client accounts right now.
Third-party citations: how to earn brand mentions for AI search
Brands are 6.5x more likely to be cited in AI search through third-party sources than their own domains. Here's the playbook for earning those citations in 2026.
Aesthetic search in 2026: ranking for broad-intent queries
60% of 2026 shopping searches are broad-intent like 'fisherman aesthetic' or 'y2k graphic shirt'. Here's how to rank for vibe-driven queries.
CPPA compliance for marketers 2026: what changed Jan 1
The CPPA took effect January 1, 2026. Here's what marketers must change in tracking, consent, retention, and vendor contracts to stay compliant in California.
Human-led content in 2026: the anti-AI-slop differentiator
Generative AI flooded content channels in 2026. The brands winning trust are publishing human-led work — lived stories, named authors, original data.
Retail media networks 2026: SMB guide to Amazon, Walmart
Retail media network spend jumped 35% in 2026. Here's how SMBs win on Amazon Ads, Walmart Connect, Target Roundel, and Instacart without burning budget.
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