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Google's dominance in search is eroding. 42% of people say search engines are becoming less useful and 76% are seeing too many sponsored results. Most Gen Z and Millennials prefer AI chatbots or alternative platforms. Brands and marketers face a reality where authenticity and community-driven discovery matter more than traditional SEO.
Despite increasing campaign volume, 87% of senior marketing decision-makers have faced performance issues in the past year. 45% have considered ending campaigns early due to poor results. Budget constraints add to the challenge, with only 45% of marketing budgets allocated to campaigns and 68% struggling to secure sufficient resources. Measuring ROI remains difficult, as 70% report moderate to significant challenges, while 66% struggle to demonstrate impact to stakeholders. Channel fragmentation and AI implementation further complicate campaign execution, making performance management even more complex.
Grammarly's $13B success was not built on driving traffic to its website but by integrating directly into users' writing environments with a browser extension. This model, adopted by companies like Notion with its Web Clipper and Zoom with its Google Calendar integration, ensures users engage with the product naturally as part of their daily tasks. By giving the extension away for free, companies create a habit-forming experience that leads to conversions when users see the need for more advanced features.
AI models don't function like search engines, making "brand placement" measurement impossible. Users engage in conversations, leading to varied responses based on context. AI visibility can be gauged through AI-driven referral traffic and monitoring AI crawlers. Optimization strategies include structuring content for AI readability, allowing AI scraping, and expanding formats like video, audio, and multilingual text. Off-site tactics, such as guest appearances, press releases, and engagement on AI-ingested platforms, boost exposure in AI training data.
Launching with content from the Blacksky community, Flashes is a Bluesky-based photo-sharing app that offers an Instagram-like experience with more customization. Users can upload up to 4 photos or short videos, access over 50K custom feeds, and curate their profiles with “Portfolio Mode” to showcase their best work. Flashes integrates with Bluesky's network, allowing posts to reach a broader audience. The app also includes built-in filters and curated feeds from artists.
Account-driven GTM requires mapping and prioritizing the total addressable market and ICPs in a CRM. It segments accounts into tiers based on fit, deal size, and intent signals to optimize marketing and sales efforts. The strategy uses firmographic, demographic, and intent data to proactively target and engage accounts rather than relying solely on inbound leads. Effective implementation involves setting up clear account tiers, tracking key engagement signals, and maintaining data hygiene. Unlike traditional ABM, this approach organizes and tracks a broader set of potential customers to drive more efficient growth.
Short sellers claim AppLovin's growth was fueled by fraudulent ad tactics, including inflating CTRs, misusing Meta's targeting data, and installing apps without user consent. Allegations suggest that AppLovin's AI-powered ad platform relies on deceptive engagement metrics rather than genuine user behavior, which could lead to legal action and app store removals. This reinforces the need for strict auditing of media partners and prioritizing revenue-based performance metrics.
Startups launching a two-sided marketplace must solve the “chicken-and-egg” problem by attracting both supply and demand. Tinder's co-founder Whitney Wolfe recruited 15,000 initial users by targeting sororities first, then presenting the app to fraternities. Airbnb gained its first 6,000 landlords by scraping Craigslist for listings and emailing landlords with a compelling pitch. Uber secured early drivers by offering guaranteed pay and attracted riders by providing free rides at tech events, relying on word-of-mouth marketing. Successful startups prioritize early user satisfaction, ensuring they become advocates who drive organic growth.
Reactive PR involves quickly responding to breaking news or trends to gain media coverage. Companies should monitor news daily and use centralized systems like Slack to share opportunities. A content and expert quote bank streamlines approvals and speeds up responses. Targeted pitching to relevant journalists is more effective than mass outreach, and relationships with “SEO journalists” can boost success. Reactive PR should complement a broader strategy, leveraging industry events and reports while strengthening media connections even if a pitch doesn't land.
WebMD, Quora, and Stack Overflow are struggling as AI-powered search and chatbots now provide instant answers.
A general framework for repurposing a single bottom-of-funnel SEO article into social media posts, a webinar, email content, and thought leadership materials.
Instagram is reportedly considering launching a separate Reels app amid uncertainty over TikTok's future in the US. President Trump granted a 75-day extension to the law threatening a TikTok ban and floated the possibility of a joint venture between the US and ByteDance, but was unclear how that would work. The law was enacted due to arguments that TikTok could be used by China as a tool for spying and political manipulation.
TikTok will shut down its Creator Marketplace on April 1, replacing it with TikTok One, which is an expanded platform with AI-powered creative tools. The new system integrates AI features like the Symphony Assistant for trend analysis, script generation, and video creation, reducing reliance on traditional creator collaborations. This move shifts TikTok's approach to influencer marketing by prioritizing AI-driven campaign execution over direct creator collaborations.
Customer research found that many of Undetectable AI's site visitors worried that using AI would result in non-human sounding content and ultimately put their work and reputation at risk. The company used this finding to optimize its sign-up flow, which increased sign-ups by 3%. This involved consolidating three different sign-up forms into a single version, while also adding social proof, a clearer value proposition, and targeted messaging. The change improved conversions and set the stage for further optimization.
Measuring brand awareness is best done through surveys tracking unaided and aided recall, brand preference, and consideration sets. Use targeted surveys every 6-12 months instead of relying on fragmented share of search data to gauge the impact of brand marketing efforts. A sample of 100 B2B respondents provides reliable insights with a ~10% margin of error, offering actionable data quickly and cost-effectively. This approach allows for faster decision-making and a competitive edge with minimal time and expense.
For ‘Freemium Loyalists', use paywalls or micro trials to encourage upgrades. Optimize onboarding for ‘Prospective Premium Users' with clear activations and pricing tests. Keep ‘Active Subscribers' engaged with personalized experiences and upsell highly engaged users. Re-engage ‘At-Risk and Churned Users' with habit reinforcement and targeted offers. Leverage ‘Product Champions' through referral programs, exclusive perks, and social proof to reduce acquisition costs.
A templated prompt to uncover questions your ICPs are asking on social sites, forums, Reddit, and Quora.
These curated Maven courses offer a variety of expert-led programs ranging from 2-4 weeks. Topics include A/B testing, B2B tech messaging, product-led growth, and community-led growth. The earliest course starts on March 3.
Substack is becoming a new channel for brand marketing, with companies like Tory Burch and The RealReal creating newsletters that blend editorial storytelling with product links. Unlike traditional email marketing, which drives direct sales through personalized flows, Substack offers brands a space to build community and engage audiences with original content.
Duolingo's viral campaign, where it “killed off” its owl mascot Duo, shows the power of character-driven storytelling. The campaign's success, with over a billion organic views, proves that brands need a relatable, consistent personality, whether through a mascot or spokesperson. Duolingo's approach connected with fans by developing Duo's persona over time, creating genuine engagement. However, brands must be careful with humor, especially around sensitive topics like suicide.
Trump has announced a new 10% tariff on Chinese goods and reaffirmed plans for a 25% tariff on imports from Mexico and Canada starting March 4. Mexico and Canada are negotiating to avoid the tariffs, warning of strong retaliation. Economists predict higher prices and market uncertainty, while China has already imposed its own tariffs in response.
A one-pager on the key elements for a B2B event landing page.
Social care shifts social media from a broadcasting tool to a customer experience strategy that blends marketing, sales, and support.
Shorter, focused blog posts answering specific customer questions are now more effective.
49% of luxury fashion and beauty shoppers are influenced by in-depth product reviews and 32% by UGC. Micro-influencers, trusted by 24% of shoppers, offer strong connections within niche communities. Influencers are more than just promoters, they are skilled content creators shaping brand narratives through co-creation. With 27% of shoppers purchasing luxury items via Instagram and TikTok and 39% considering an influencer's personal views before buying, aligning with the right influencers is important.
Automakers are increasingly testing in-car advertising and software-based upsells, with the connected vehicle services market expected to surpass $1.68 billion by 2032. A Jeep glitch that triggered intrusive ads while driving revealed the risks of this strategy. Safety advocates warn that pop-ups create dangerous distractions. While brands see digital features as a revenue goldmine, backlash against intrusive monetization suggests consumer patience is wearing thin.
Mobbin increased subscriptions by 18% by optimizing its pricing page for different user intents. Users who chose “Pricing” from the menu (low-intent users) landed on the page with the persuasive content focused on objective-handling, while users who clicked on a “Get Pro” link (high-intent users) saw a slimmed-down modal focused on the plans they were interested in. The result underlines the flexibility and value of dynamic targeting.
A growth-focused content strategy ensures consistency and avoids reactive, trend-driven content. It should be based on deep audience insights, including beliefs, challenges, and decision-making processes. A clear, unique perspective should thread through all content, reinforcing the brand's positioning. A structured system for ongoing assessment and refinement, rather than constantly creating new content from scratch, is essential to improving effectiveness.
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Wondering how your peers are marketing in 2025? MoEngage + Marketoonist answer your most pressing questions, accompanied by hilarious and insightful cartoons [8]. You'll learn the top priorities for decision-makers, team leads, and ICs at brands like SoundCloud, Deutsche Bank, and Crocs. How marketers are utilizing AI + automation. And what it takes to build a successful cross-channel marketing
This handbook captures Duolingo's 5 core principles through stories of wins, failures, and surprises along the way. It's not a blueprint, but a look inside a culture that's helped the company build something unique in tech.
Due to diminishing SEO returns, Userpilot pivoted to Account Based Marketing (ABM), running a structured 90-day campaign that converted engaged accounts into pipeline opportunities. By leveraging LinkedIn ads, HubSpot automation, and intent-based segmentation, it streamlined outreach and improved efficiency. The campaign's $12 pipeline-to-spend ratio shows that ABM, though complex to set up, can scale efficiently compared to traditional outbound tactics.
Email campaigns that drive engagement focus on relevance, whether through strategic timing, segmentation, or compelling storytelling. This post contains examples from 35 brands that highlight tactics such as Tushy's humorous myth-busting, PrettyLitter's seasonal promotions, and KURU's social proof-driven sales.
While ROI measures immediate financial returns, Value on Investment (VOI) includes intangible factors like brand awareness, customer satisfaction, and community engagement. ROI is best for trackable efforts, like digital advertising campaigns and lead generation, where immediate results are clear. VOI, on the other hand, applies to initiatives like brand awareness or employee training, where value builds over time. A balanced approach that uses both ROI and VOI ensures marketers capture both immediate results and long-term brand growth.
AI agents are automating shopping, with platforms like Perplexity already streamlining product selection and purchases. This shift flattens the retail landscape, favoring low-cost, high-service providers while weakening mid-tier retailers and generic brands. AI agent optimization (AAO) is becoming the next frontier in digital marketing, with potential to replace search engine optimization (SEO).
A breakdown of what makes Calendly's pricing page effective - factors include transparent enterprise pricing, a "Recommended" tag, and a reduced number of pricing columns.
Questions to ask hiring managers and team members.
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The hurdle of humanizing product stories while showing new features is an issue that many of the industry's creative teams struggle with.
This list features 34 influencers from the "creator middle class" with followings between 1,000 and 500,000. The list recognizes creators who are shaping the economy by diversifying opportunities beyond top-tier influencers. The honorees were evaluated based on engagement, content quality, brand advocacy, and brand mentions. AIC's research highlights that creators rely on brand deals for income and face challenges like short-term collaborations and misconceptions about compensation.
The "Feb 28 Economic Blackout," led by The People's Union, is a 24-hour boycott urging Americans to stop spending in protest of rising prices and corporate greed. Participants are asked to avoid shopping at major retailers, using credit cards for non-essentials, and buying gas or fast food. The movement, which is gaining traction on social media, highlights frustration over inflation and corporate profits, and will run from midnight February 27 to February 28.
Customers are generally less satisfied when interacting with chatbots instead of human agents, even when the service quality is the same. Research found that chatbot interactions led to an 8.8% decrease in satisfaction at a coffee shop and an 8.46% drop in an online experiment. However, satisfaction levels were restored when customers received a 20% discount or when the chatbot provided faster and more effective service than a human. In cases where chatbots performed better, customers were 75% more likely to stay with the brand, 166% more likely to sign up for newsletters, and 110% more willing to join loyalty programs. Companies should highlight chatbot benefits, such as speed and availability, or offer discounts to improve customer satisfaction.
Memes are gaining traction in B2B marketing as brands use humor to simplify complex topics, boost engagement, and humanize their messaging. Successful brands like Mailchimp, Zendesk, and Gong tailor memes to industry pain points, making them relatable while staying professional. The key is to align humor with brand identity, track engagement beyond vanity metrics, and avoid forced or off-brand attempts at virality.
OpenAI's new Deep Research mode generates in-depth reports by analyzing multiple sources and providing detailed citations. Marketers can use it for market analysis, SEO, digital strategy, and customer engagement, saving significant time on these research-heavy tasks. The tool can comb through and focus on specific areas of interest, allowing targeted research on specific trade publications, competitors' websites, and customer feedback.
Start by assigning a clear "role" to the AI, such as making it a subject-matter expert. Then, define the "task" you want to accomplish and provide "specifics" that clarify goals, constraints, and preferences. Share relevant "context" to give background on the mission or priorities, and use "examples" to guide the AI toward the desired output style. Structure your prompts with techniques like markdown formatting for better clarity.
Instagram's algorithm measures watch time as a percentage of the video but also considers the total seconds watched, ensuring longer videos aren't penalized. Watching a portion of a longer video counts the same as watching that portion of a shorter video. This approach prevents creators from being disadvantaged by longer clips, even if they don't achieve high completion rates. Instagram encourages longer content to boost engagement, especially with the recent expansion of Reels to 3 minutes.
Whatnot used TikTok's temporary outage to promote itself with a nationwide newspaper ad, leading to its highest-ever seller sign-ups. It offers live shopping across niches like collectibles and fashion, streaming over 175,000 hours weekly—800 times more than QVC. The U.S. live-commerce market is growing at a 32% annual rate, but it remains much smaller than the international market, which was valued at $1.3 billion in 2024. Whatnot surpassed $3 billion in sales volume in 2024 and plans to expand its categories, brand presence, and fashion offerings.
Different pricing models have trade-offs between acquisition, conversion, and retention, with Freemium driving user volume, Free Trial maximizing monetization, and Reverse Trial offering a hybrid approach. The right model depends on specific business goals, industry norms, cost structure, and product complexity. To effectively test pricing models, companies need to track total monetized users, long-term revenue impact, and user behavior across the full funnel. Poorly designed tests can mislead, so experiments should start small, leverage cohort analysis, and measure effects beyond initial conversion rates.
WebMD is heavily reliant on ad-driven traffic and is losing relevance as AI delivers more contextual and complete health information, signaling a Product-Market Fit collapse.
YouTube will reduce interruptive mid-roll ads and instead place them at natural pauses to improve viewer retention and creator revenue.