TLDR MARKETING 2025-05-19

A DECLINING INTERNET

The internet's quality has declined due to Google prioritizing short-term ad revenue over long-term sustainability. Increased ad density, shifting algorithms, and revenue-driven tactics have harmed user experience and publishers. This led to a shrinking market for quality content, media consolidation, and dominance by a few large players. AI-generated answers often lack clear sourcing, while Google's control of data and preferential treatment of its own properties have sparked regulatory scrutiny and lawsuits. The ecosystem supporting diverse content is being increasingly strained.

DISTINCTIVE ASSETS SUPERCHARGE LOW ATTENTION MEDIA

Distinctive brand assets make digital ads 2.5X more effective in low-attention digital environments. A study of 20K views across 72 video ads found that 85% of digital ad inventory receives less than 2.5 seconds of attention. With strong branding, memory benefits can appear at just 1.5 seconds, compared to the usual 2.5-second threshold. Established brands saw a 17% lift in short-term ad strength with distinctive assets, while growth brands saw a 7% lift.

SHOULD YOU PUT PRICING ON YOUR LANDING PAGE?

A recent test looked at whether including pricing on a SaaS landing page would affect lead quality and conversions. Two nearly identical demo request pages were used, one with pricing information and one without. The page with pricing saw 8.7% fewer leads but a 21.4% increase in lead-to-opportunity conversions, while average deal size and total pipeline impact stayed the same. The findings showed that sharing pricing helped attract more qualified buyers and discouraged casual browsers. Those who filled out the form were more likely to be ready to buy.

HOW DOCUSIGN EVOLVED FROM POINT SOLUTION TO PLATFORM

Docusign shifted from an e-signature tool to a full agreement management platform by launching Intelligent Agreement Management (IAM), which includes Maestro, eSignature, and Navigator. The team built a new user-based pricing model from scratch, using research and feedback to align pricing with how customers use the product. Over 10K customers adopted IAM within the first year, driven by upsells and new interest in contract automation and intelligence. Key lessons include using pricing to reflect platform evolution, involving customers early, and avoiding common growth traps like disjointed add-ons or bloated core products.

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THE DECLINE OF ECOMMERCE SEARCH ADS: ARE SHOPPING CAMPAIGNS TO BLAME?

Google is prioritizing Shopping over traditional search ads, investing heavily in AI-powered tools and testing new features such as a multi-row Shopping Ads carousel. As a result, traditional search ads are losing visibility, control, and relevance, particularly for ecommerce brands. Search results pages now display predominantly product-based content, reducing the prominence of text-based ads. While Search still has value for complex queries and brand protection, ecommerce marketers should prioritize Shopping campaigns.

SYNTHETIC POPULATIONS: HOW AI SIMULATES POPULATIONS AND PREDICTS BEHAVIOR

Synthetic populations use AI to simulate human behavior by creating digital replicas of real-world demographics and layering in behavioral models and real-world calibration. McDonald's can now test how economic policies may affect customer behavior without conducting costly surveys. Use cases span corporate strategy, policy testing, healthcare, insurance, media, and even jury selection. One study showed AI-generated personas replicated 76% of results from real human studies.

EVERYONE IS THINKING ABOUT SUBSCRIPTIONS WRONG

Indie media subscriptions are not commodities to be compared by cost per journalist. They're investments in meaningful relationships between readers and creators. Readers pay not for volume but for connection, trust, and access to unique perspectives. While platforms like Substack take 10% of revenue and legacy media offers more content per dollar, those metrics miss the point. The value lies in supporting independent voices that reflect personal values, build community, and offer a direct stake in a more diverse media future.

PIZZA AND GROCERIES NOW—PAY LATER

BNPL options for everyday purposes like takeout and groceries are seen by many as a bad economic indicator.

THE SOCIAL MEDIA CREATIVE COMPANION

26 ways to approach the creative process of working in social media.