Joshua Kopac, founder of the digital marketing agency Be Kept Up, is a digital strategist specializing in affiliate-driven growth. He focuses on delivering measurable and sustainable results through targeted and genuine marketing that builds engaged audiences. Kopac emphasizes smart scaling and strategic systems over simply chasing clicks.
The Influence Revolution: Why Now Is the Best—or Worst—Time to Hire Influencers
In today’s digital landscape, we face a paradox when hiring influencers. Some say it’s the worst time due to AI saturation and soulless content. Meanwhile, others, like Joshua Kopac, argue it’s the best time ever. Why? The reach of an influencer is unprecedented. As Joshua Kopac points out, a single post can reach millions in seconds. The internet has spawned hyper-niche audiences; for every product or interest, there’s now a channel or influencer ready to engage.
This new reality transforms marketing. Instead of casting a wide net, brands can laser-focus on their ideal audience. Yet, questions linger about authenticity and value within these burgeoning digital communities.
The Threat and Promise of AI: Can Technology Replace the Human Touch?
AI is rapidly changing how we create and distribute content. Tools can generate blogs, social posts, and even entire marketing campaigns in moments. As Mark observes, much of what’s consumed online is now computer-written. This leads to concerns about authenticity and meaning in marketing.
Despite these advances, Joshua Kopac insists human connection is essential. AI might filter prospects and generate leads, but real relationships still close deals. Joshua describes his success in business as deeply tied to personal interactions—meeting clients for lunch, sharing genuine stories, and forging real bonds. He believes that while AI will speed things up, only authentic human interaction fosters genuine trust.
Navigating Spam and Authenticity: The LinkedIn Dilemma
Platforms like LinkedIn illustrate both the power and pitfalls of digital outreach. Automation tools make broad, impersonal outreach easier than ever. Mark expresses frustration at the barrage of spammy direct messages. Instead of fostering relationships, platforms risk becoming unusable.
To combat this, Joshua Kopac advises being vigilant and selective in digital interactions. He suggests maintaining a “walled garden” and connecting only with those who bring real value. Real relationships, both online and offline, remain the currency of true business growth.
AI as a Force Multiplier: Efficiency without Losing Meaning
Much of Joshua’s day-to-day work involves leveraging AI for lead generation, reporting, and optimizing marketing processes. This allows him, as a solo entrepreneur, to operate with efficiency once only possible for larger teams. However, he emphasizes that AI should supplement—not replace—human effort. For example, while AI could draft reports and sequence campaigns, Joshua Kopac always crafts content first by hand, only using AI for edits.
By blending technology and personal engagement, Joshua Kopac remains small, nimble, and highly effective. Larger corporations, slowed by bureaucracy, struggle to match this agility.
The Future of Content: YouTube, LLM SEO, and the Push for Personalization
Looking ahead, the landscape for creators and marketers continues to evolve. Both Mark Savant and Joshua Kopac foresee major shifts toward AI-generated content, from blog posts to video avatars. YouTube and Google still dominate search, but AI-driven chatbots and LLM search engines are gaining ground.
Yet, there’s a catch. Truly effective content must speak directly to the individual’s needs—a task still best accomplished with human insight. AI enables more granular targeting, but marketing success still hinges on authenticity, relevance, and personal connection.
Making Smart Influencer Deals: Metrics, Metrics, Metrics
When evaluating influencer partnerships, Joshua Kopac offers practical advice: dig deep into the metrics before finalizing any deal. Followers and vanity numbers are not enough. Brands must assess real engagement, trust, and conversions. Influencers should know their audience and demonstrate genuine impact, not just reach.
Tracking conversions and refining results is crucial for sustainable, meaningful deals—both for brands and the creators themselves.
Conclusion:
The digital world offers greater reach and efficiency than ever. However, as Joshua Kopac and Mark reinforce, genuine human connections remain vital. The future belongs to those who blend the best of technology with authentic, meaningful relationships.
Takeaways with Joshua Kopac
- Authenticity beats automation.
- Leverage AI—but stay personal.
- Dig deeper than vanity metric.
Timestamps:
00:00 – Introduction
01:35 — The explosion of hyper-specialized influencer marketing
02:19 — The need for authenticity in influencer partnerships
03:12 — Navigating soulless AI-generated content and the enduring power of human connection
04:45 — Lessons from scaling Protege—human sales before AI
05:44 — The right and wrong ways to use AI for lead generation
07:17 — Where AI shines: Automation, reporting, and content assists
09:38 — Why AI can’t replace real world marketing problem-solvers
10:52 — Building Be Kept: Going solo with AI agents and tools
13:25 — Using AI for lead generation and LinkedIn outreach
14:32 — Battling AI spam and the authenticity problem on LinkedIn
16:13 — LLM SEO: How AI search is changing optimization and discovery
18:09 — Where will YouTube be in five years? Real content vs. AI avatars
20:24 — Dangers of content at scale: Bad information and broken trust
21:35 — Affiliate deals: Vet influencers for real engagement, not just follower counts
23:41 — Beware of vanity metrics and track conversions for true value
Connect with Joshua Kopac
Website: https://www.bekeptup.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuakopac/
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