TLDR MARKETING 2025-07-18

THE WNBA IS GROWING FAST — BUT IS IT FUMBLING ITS BIGGEST MARKETING OPPORTUNITY?

The WNBA is seeing record growth, with national viewership up 9%, attendance up 26%, and merchandise sales up 40%. Much of the momentum is tied to Caitlin Clark, whose popularity has brought new fans and sponsorships, including a $28 million Nike deal. Critics argue the league is hesitating to spotlight her fully due to internal tensions and concerns about fairness among players, which may be limiting its ability to capitalize on her impact. While the league claims its marketing is balanced and intentional, it faces a critical decision on whether to prioritize star-driven promotion or collective visibility.

TIKTOK CONTINUES TO FACE CHALLENGES WITH ITS IN-STREAM SHOPPING PUSH

Douyin generated $490 billion in GMV last year while TikTok produced $33 billion across all non-China markets. Despite a 120% sales increase in the US this year, TikTok's eCommerce rollout is faltering in key regions like Indonesia due to higher fees and content format shifts. Western consumers continue to resist integrated shopping within social apps.

HOW A SECOND “BULLET TEST” INCREASED SUBSCRIPTIONS BY A FURTHER 22%

When a conversion test succeeds, it's worthwhile to keep testing. Optibac increased new subscriptions by 22% after testing a simplified version of its already successful subscription page. The revised page used shorter bullets with key benefits placed at the beginning, such as “15% off and free delivery.” This followed an earlier test that had already improved subscriptions by 39%. Together, the two tests delivered a total subscription increase of about 70% from the original baseline.

BEHIND AMTRAK'S ‘CHAOTIC BRAIN ROT' SOCIAL STRATEGY

With a small internal team and agency support, Amtrak experiments with meme-worthy, “brain-rotty” content that feels unexpected for a travel brand (ie. anime-inspired conductors or monster truck-style train promos). This entertaining approach is balanced with informative posts about train travel aimed at making the brand both relatable and useful. This has resulted in viral success, follower growth, and rising engagement.

TIKTOK BULLETIN BOARDS: WHAT THEY ARE, HOW THEY WORK, AND WHY THEY MATTER

TikTok has introduced Bulletin Boards, a broadcast-only messaging tool that allows creators to share text, images, and videos directly in followers' inboxes. Early access has been given to major publishers, celebrities, and select creators. Posts bypass the algorithm and create a consistent communication channel that complements the For You Page. Bulletin Boards resemble Instagram's Broadcast Channels and reflect a broader shift toward private content streams across social platforms.

HOW TO USE VECTOR EMBEDDINGS FOR REDIRECT MAPPING

INTRODUCING CHATGPT AGENT: BRIDGING RESEARCH AND ACTION

ChatGPT agent combines web interaction, deep research, and conversational intelligence to complete complex tasks autonomously using its own virtual computer. It can browse websites, log in securely, run code, analyze data, and deliver editable reports or presentations based on user instructions. Users stay in control by granting permissions and can interrupt or steer tasks anytime. The agent supports integration with apps like Gmail and GitHub, making workflows more efficient.

BRANDS ARE LOSING CONTROL OF THE BOFU JOURNEY: HERE'S HOW TO TAKE IT BACK

Over 105,000 comparison-based keywords now rank Reddit in the top three search results, replacing traditional review sites like G2, Capterra, and Wirecutter. Threads in subreddits such as r/smallbusiness, r/webhosting, and r/WordPress are shaping bottom-of-funnel decisions through detailed feedback on pricing, onboarding, support quality, and feature gaps. As generative AI tools increasingly reference these posts, marketers are losing visibility into high-intent traffic that no longer touches their owned content.

KEYWORD RESEARCH MIGHT BIAS YOUR SEO

Traditional keyword research can introduce bias by assuming user intent, much like how leading questions distort survey results. An example includes a pizza shop mistakenly optimizing for keywords like “Domino's” or “pizza near me” without understanding the user's actual needs or preferences. Just as the best surveys ask neutral questions to uncover real sentiment, effective SEO should focus on customer problems rather than chasing high-volume terms.

STRATEGIC THINKING FRAMES FOR CLAUDE

Get better ideas from Claude by forming thinking partnerships rather than asking one-off questions.

13 MARKETING JOB HUNTING TIPS

Aligned's Head of Marketing shares 13 ways marketers stood out during hiring.

DELTA TO INCREASE AI USE IN DETERMINING AIRFARES