Parse notes
Pinterest grew to 578 million monthly users in Q2, gaining 8 million, all from outside the US and Europe. While user decline in Europe and stagnation in the U.S. raises concerns, Pinterest still posted $998 million in revenue, up 17% year-over-year, helped by Gen Z engagement and improved shopping tools.
In response to growing concern over AI-driven SEO disruption, Google claims search clicks haven't declined and users are getting better results. The conclusion is that AI is not really shrinking traffic, but concentrating it in a few domains. One example of a winner in this scenario is Reddit, which is seeing a 21% DAU growth after its partnership with Google.
Adding a sticky footer button that returned users to the top of the page led to a 30% increase in sales and revenue per visitor for a pet insurance comparison site. Both tested button versions outperformed the original page, but "Back Up To Plans" was the most effective despite receiving less than half the clicks of "View Plans". The test showed that mobile users face more cognitive load when scrolling, which can hurt conversions. The button gave users a simple way to navigate back, reducing friction and increasing the likelihood of purchase.
Start with a “base sending segment” (BSS) of highly engaged subscribers, defined as those who signed up in the last 10 days, opened an email in the past 30 days, or clicked in the past 60 days. Email only this group in week one, then expand the criteria each week for 4 weeks to gradually include less-recently engaged subscribers. This phased approach strengthens engagement, inbox placement, and sender reputation so more messages land in primary folders instead of promotions, with results often showing a 20-30% lift in opens and clicks. Avoid blasting your full list during this period to maintain deliverability.
Reddit has become a critical channel for shaping brand perception as user posts on product flaws, billing issues, and company policy can quickly influence public sentiment. Brands such as Tailscale, Cloudflare, and Mint Mobile are examples of companies that set the tone by responding promptly and directly, particularly during security or enterprise-level incidents. Response strategies now follow a clear hierarchy, where executive involvement is expected in high-stakes threads while pricing or product feedback requires brief acknowledgment without overpromising.
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This webinar with Molly Godfrey on August 12 will cover how to establish expertise, communicate clearly, and write LinkedIn posts that convert. It will focus on overcoming common writing blind spots to build trust and grow your business.
Gifting boosts event results by engaging attendees at every stage. Sending personalized pre-event bundles like coffee kits or Uber Eats eGifts can increase webinar attendance by up to 76%. During events, interactive swag and prize draws, such as branded QR-code games or tech gadgets, keep participation high. Post-event, sending thoughtful gifts like industry books or edible thank-you cards helps maintain connections.
OpenAI launched GPT-5 and 3 variants (Pro, mini, and nano), improving accuracy, coding, and safe responses across all ChatGPT tiers, including free users. The update introduces simulated reasoning for complex tasks and a system that selects the best model based on need. The rollout began August 7 for all users. Enterprise and education access will follow next week.
Henkel's consumer brands marketing director, Nikki Vadera, believes that working mothers have valuable skills like multitasking and efficiency. She advocates for flexible work to prevent burnout and challenges the belief that long hours equal success. Vadera points out that a new generation demands different work terms, urging businesses to stop framing flexibility and career progression as motherhood issues. She calls for the removal of stigma around working parents and encourages owning one's identity as a parent, showing that balancing family and career is a competitive advantage.
Bilt's original series Roomies has attracted over eight million views and more than 100k followers across TikTok and Instagram. By launching the mockumentary through a separate account, Bilt prioritized storytelling and immersion over branding. The show follows young adults navigating life in New York, reflecting the everyday experiences of Bilt's core demographic. Produced entirely in-house, the project focuses on high production quality, character-driven narratives, and long-term engagement. The branding is subtle, with no direct promotion within episodes, allowing viewers to discover the brand organically.
Yum Brands is transforming beverage strategy by combining cultural analysis with predictive consumer modeling. Its Collider Labs team tracks flavor trends globally and tests new drink concepts using betting-style prediction markets. This process helps identify which beverage innovations have mass appeal before investing in full rollouts. KFC is currently applying these insights through its new Kwench concept in international markets, featuring lemonades, milkshakes, and iced coffees tailored to changing consumer expectations.
Reposts on Instagram took one video from 12K to 50K views in 30 minutes, showing how reposts now flood non-follower feeds.
17 TikTok posts brought 6.5K followers and 684K views in one month, but growth was unpredictable and creatively exhausting.