Gautam Kanumuru is the Co-founder and CEO of Yogi, a product sentiment analysis platform that enables brands to gain deeper visibility into customer feedback and the voice of the customer. With a background in AI and natural language processing, he played a crucial role in developing Microsoft products, including Cortana and Xbox. Before co-founding Yogi, Gautam was the Vice President of Engineering at Clarke.ai and a Program Manager at Microsoft.

Shifts in how customer feedback is displayed can reshape the way people shop online. Even small changes in review visibility can influence trust, perception, and purchasing decisions. As platforms prioritize accuracy and transparency, brands are left adjusting in real time. So what happens when the rules around reviews suddenly change?

Gautam Kanumuru, an expert in consumer feedback and product analytics, explains that recent updates are pushing brands toward greater accountability at the individual product level. He notes that separating reviews by variation gives shoppers a clearer picture but also exposes underperforming SKUs that were previously hidden. Gautam emphasizes the importance of closely monitoring product-level sentiment and using that data to inform decisions across marketing, product development, and eCommerce strategies. Brands that actively listen and respond to customer feedback will be better positioned to adapt and grow.

In this episode of The Digital Deep Dive, Aaron Conant sits down with Gautam Kanumuru, Co-founder and CEO of Yogi, to discuss how Amazon's evolving review system is reshaping consumer behavior and brand strategy. Gautam explores the shift to variation-level reviews, the impact on shopper trust, and the growing need for accurate data. He also touches on AI-driven shopping tools and the increasing importance of product quality in a more transparent marketplace.

Aaron Conant is the Co-founder and Chief Digital Strategist at BWG Connect, a leading platform for executive strategy and networking sessions. He is an eCommerce expert with over a decade of experience in digital commerce, providing advisory services to brands on Amazon sales strategies, retail media, DTC platform selection, and SEO. BWG Connect, in conjunction with BWG Global, has built an exclusive network of over 125,000 senior professionals and hosts over 2,000 virtual and in-person networking events annually.

Digital commerce is evolving at a pace that makes it difficult for even experienced professionals to keep up. New tools promise efficiency, but they often introduce more complexity and uncertainty. As expectations rise and technology shifts, businesses are being pushed to rethink how they operate, market, and grow. So how can companies adapt when the rules seem to change faster than they can respond?

Aaron Conant explains that the current environment is defined by rapid transformation, where AI, changing search behavior, and increasing demands on marketers are reshaping the landscape. As a digital commerce expert with deep experience advising brands, he highlights the importance of understanding emerging trends like conversational search and answer engines, while also emphasizing foundational elements such as clean data and strong content. Aaron suggests that companies focus on continuous testing, invest in learning, and avoid waiting for clarity before taking action. The key is building systems that allow for adaptability rather than chasing perfection.

In this episode of The Digital Deep Dive, Chad Franzen of Rise25 talks with Aaron Conant, Co-founder and Chief Digital Strategist at BWG Connect, about how AI is reshaping eCommerce and digital marketing strategy. Aaron shares insights on the rise of AEO and GEO, the growing role of personalization, and the challenges of AI adoption. He also explores content evolution, data readiness, and why constant testing and learning are critical for staying competitive.

Jessyca Dewey is the Founder of The Y Collective, a social-first digital marketing agency focused on CPG brands. With 16-plus years of experience in content and digital marketing, she has worked with brands like L'Oréal, Hasbro, and Califia Farms. Jessyca specializes in aligning social strategy with business goals, helping brands move beyond vanity metrics to drive meaningful engagement and real-world impact, especially in retail.

Most brands still measure social media success using metrics that are easy to track but not always meaningful. Follower counts, impressions, and ROAS often dominate reports, regardless of whether they reflect real business impact. So how should brands rethink their KPIs to align with actual growth?

As a social-first digital marketing expert working closely with CPG and retail-driven brands, Jessyca Dewey explains that the key is shifting away from vanity metrics toward signals of real engagement and intent. She highlights shares, saves, and watch time as stronger indicators of whether content is resonating and building brand recall, especially in retail environments where attribution is limited. Jessyca also stresses the importance of aligning social KPIs with business realities — like distribution geography and target audience — so efforts actually support sales outcomes. In her view, effective measurement is less about immediate conversion and more about building familiarity that influences purchase decisions over time.

In this episode of The Digital Deep Dive, Aaron Conant talks with Jessyca Dewey, Founder of The Y Collective, to discuss getting social media KPIs right. Jessyca covers why follower growth is outdated, how engagement signals like saves and shares drive impact, and how to align social strategy with retail goals. She also shares insights on organic versus paid social and evolving platform metrics.