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RYAN REYNOLDS SHARES THE KEYS TO KILLER MARKETING

‘Fastvertising' ads are attention-grabbing spots that align with current culture and focus on entertainment over emotional investment.

5 B2B MARKETING TRENDS FOR 2024/25

Trends include a rise in B2B vlogs, no-code tools, intent signals, and personal brands.

NEARLY 80% OF CONSUMERS TRUST UGC MORE THAN INFLUENCERS

User Generated Content (UGC) outpaces influencer content in consumer trust. Up to 79% of consumers say UGC impacts purchasing decisions more than influencer posts, highlighting a growing preference for authentic consumer-created content. The creator economy is projected to grow to $250 billion by 2027, with 26% of U.S. adults aged 18-60 identifying as content creators.

AMERICANS' TRUST IN MEDIA REMAINS AT TREND LOW

Trust in the U.S. media is at a record low, with only 31% of Americans expressing confidence in its ability to report news accurately and fairly. A larger share of adults (36%) have no trust at all in the media, reflecting a trend of declining trust since the 1970s, particularly among Republicans and younger people. Local and state governments are the most trusted institutions, while the federal government, its branches, and the media are among the least trusted. Trust is generally higher among older adults and Democrats, except for the judicial branch where Republicans express more confidence. Overall, many U.S. institutions are experiencing a crisis of public confidence.

CHILI PIPER DOESN'T DO DISCOUNTS

Chili Piper's no-discount approach relies on fully transparent pricing published openly on its website. Unlike companies that negotiate lower prices on a case-by-case basis, Chili Piper ensures everyone pays the same rate. To achieve competitive and fair pricing, it conducted a 500+ participant survey to gauge willingness to pay and preferences for bundling products. This data-driven approach led to a pricing calculator that accounts for per-user costs, platform fees, and discounts for longer contracts. The pricing structure simplifies complex factors while remaining accessible, with the price displayed being the final cost for all customers.

WHAT MAKES ONLINE CONTENT VIRAL? THE PSYCHOLOGY BEHIND SHARES

The "25 Years in Search" video by Google hit 353 million views by triggering nostalgia, a proven motivator for sharing. Studies show that people are more inclined to share content that reflects their emotions or adds value to their social identity. Brands like AARP and Home Depot successfully leverage that insight by combining practical insights with emotional storytelling, which increases the chance of going viral.

REDCAR

Redcar.io automates lead gen and sales outreach for B2B companies. Its platform, AgentExpress, de-anonymizes website visitors and proactively reaches out to potential customers. It also writes hyper-personalized emails by researching target customers' websites, LinkedIn profiles, and online presence.

INSTAGRAM UPDATES FOR 2025: WHAT MARKETERS NEED TO KNOW

Instagram's latest updates include new interaction tools, expanded content creation features, and integrated AI support for marketers.

BRANDS, ADS, AND VIDEO GAMES

Brands are increasingly investing in gaming as a way to reach younger, more engaged audiences. Games like Roblox, Minecraft, and Fortnite attract massive user bases, surpassing traditional media in influence. Early adopters like e.l.f. Beauty have seen success by creating immersive experiences, while many brands still struggle to adapt fully to the gaming space. The main challenge lies in committing to long-term strategies rather than relying on one-off campaigns. Collaboration with advertisers will become more important in shaping the future of interactive entertainment as game companies seek new revenue streams.

AMAZON WANTS TO MOVE BEYOND RETAIL MEDIA

Amazon's unBoxed event highlighted its shift from retail media dominance toward full-funnel advertising, signaling Amazon's ambition to capture a larger slice of media budgets. The company's ads drive conversions. Executives aim to position Amazon as a broader media partner for all advertisers. This aligns with companies like Hasbro, which focuses on brand building over immediate sales.

WHY GOOGLE SEARCH IS FALLING APART

The decline in Google Search's user experience is driven by excessive ads, blurred distinctions between ads and organic results, and irrelevant content. AI integration and manipulative SEO tactics further degrade result quality. Google's business model prioritizes ad revenue over usability, leading to frustration.

BLUESKY GAINS HALF A MILLION NEW USERS IN ONE DAY AFTER X CHANGES HOW BLOCKING WORKS

X's decision to weaken its block function has led to a user exodus, with Bluesky gaining 500,000 new users in 24 hours and surpassing 11 million total users.

WHY IG CAROUSELS GET MORE REACH THAN SINGLE PHOTO POSTS (1 MINUTE VIDEO)

Carousels get more reach due to higher interaction rates and a second viewing chance if users don't swipe.

A SIMPLE WAY TO ADD DELIGHT FOR PROSPECTS

Add personality in boilerplate text on form submission by telling prospects what will happen next and giving them a tip on how to use what they downloaded.

💵 Try for $1

APPLE DEBUTS NEW BUSINESS TOOLS FOR MANAGING PRESENCE ACROSS EMAIL, CALLS, AND TAP TO PAY

Apple announced that Business Connect will now allow service-based and online-only businesses to manage their brand presence across Apple's ecosystem. The platform offers branding integration with Apple Mail, Tap to Pay, and Phone apps, replacing generic icons with verified brand logos and custom names. The expansion also adds insights into consumer interactions, helping businesses optimize their Apple presence.

YOUTUBE SHARES INSIGHT INTO WHAT VIEWERS ARE SEEKING FROM CONTENT

YouTube's "Why We Watch 2.0" report highlights that community connection drives viewer engagement, with over half feeling a sense of belonging from their content choices. Younger viewers prioritize creativity and personal relevance, while those over 35 focus on trustworthiness and storytelling. Only 1% are attracted primarily by visual effects, signaling a preference for human-centered narratives. Viewers show increased receptiveness to ads supporting their favorite creators.

6 FRAMEWORKS TO HELP YOU STICK THE LANDING ON YOUR BLOG POST

When concluding a blog post, invite readers to participate in a movement and highlight the importance of collective action. Reinforce your main argument with a powerful statement that underscores your company's position. Share actionable steps your organization is taking to address the topic, providing readers with a practical way to get started. Conclude with evidence of positive outcomes achieved through your approach and paint a vivid picture of the ideal future that could result from following your suggestions. Ensure a compelling H2 encapsulates the essence of your conclusion.

PLANNING YOUR PERSONALIZATION STRATEGY: WHAT TO DO WHEN NOBODY KNOWS WHAT TO DO

36% of executives are hindered by disjointed workflows and 44% face issues with fragmented data when implementing personalization strategies. A successful approach involves 4 key pillars: collaboration among departments to enhance teamwork, visualization to address communication gaps, ideation to capture and refine ideas, and visibility to ensure strategies are accessible to all stakeholders. Using a robust customer data platform is also crucial for managing data.

WISERNOTIFY

WiserNotify helps websites build trust and boost conversions by displaying real-time social proof notifications, such as recent purchases or sign-ups. It integrates with various platforms to showcase user activity and encourage actions like sign-ups or purchases, leveraging social validation to increase engagement.

GOOGLE: MEASURE CREATIVE IMPACT WITH SIMPLIFIED VIDEO EXPERIMENTS

Google is rolling out streamlined Video experiments for advertisers to easily test creative variations and measure their impact. The tool aims to simplify the process of A/B testing for video ads, making it more accessible to a broader range of advertisers. It features a quick setup flow to minimize errors, as well as flexible confidence intervals.

DATA: ENGAGEMENT RATE OF 1.2 MILLION AI-ASSISTED POSTS VS HUMAN-ONLY

An analysis of 1.2 million social media posts found that AI tools help users create more content quickly, leading to higher engagement rates. AI-assisted posts average a 5.87% engagement rate, compared to 4.82% for non-AI-assisted posts. Significant gains were seen on platforms like Threads, where engagement for AI-assisted posts reached 11.11%, nearly double the 5.56% for non-AI posts. The main driver behind this increased engagement is the higher volume and consistency of posts enabled by AI, which allows creators to focus on creativity while maintaining quality. This combination of efficiency and optimization significantly boosts social media performance.

FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION ANNOUNCES FINAL “CLICK-TO-CANCEL” RULE MAKING IT EASIER FOR CONSUMERS TO END RECURRING SUBSCRIPTIONS AND MEMBERSHIPS

The FTC received nearly 70 consumer complaints daily about negative option practices in 2024, prompting the adoption of the "click-to-cancel" rule to simplify subscription cancellations. The rule, which will take effect 180 days after publication, mandates easy cancellation mechanisms and bans misrepresentation of material facts.

DESTROY TO REBUILD: THE COUNTERINTUITIVE PATH TO A WINNING GO-TO-MARKET STRATEGY

Using the "invert the question" mental model can help improve GTM strategies by exposing hidden inefficiencies. Rather than making small adjustments, companies should consider how they would dismantle their GTM process to reveal overlooked flaws caused by familiarity. This approach enables organizations to rebuild a more efficient and focused strategy by targeting ideal customers, removing bottlenecks, and empowering sales teams. Inverting thinking leads to a stronger, more adaptable GTM plan, as success often begins by eliminating ineffective processes.

4-SENTENCE EMAIL BUYING TEAM EXECS LOVE

A template of a concise, no-reply email update that keeps execs informed during long sales cycles.

NICHING DOWN ON SOCIAL MEDIA

50% of your content should be your primary niche, 30% about your industry and advocacy, and 20% is unrelated to your niche.

NO HALO EFFECT FOR OTHER RETAILERS DURING AMAZON'S BIG DEAL DAYS

Online sales at non-Amazon U.S. retailers dropped 5% during Prime Big Deal Days 2024 compared to the same event in 2023.

SOCIAL VIDEO MOST ‘TRUSTED' FORM OF CONTENT INFLUENCING B2B TECH BUYERS

63% of B2B technology buyers from the US, UK, and India rely on short-form social video from industry experts to inform their purchasing decisions. Videos featuring influencers are trusted by 80% of buyers, with trust highest in India at 83% compared to 71% in the US and 79% in the UK. 67% of buyers say influencer content builds brand trust, and 90% of Gen Z buyers interact with B2B influencer content monthly.

GOOGLE SHOPPING'S GETTING A BIG TRANSFORMATION

With over a billion shopping searches daily, Google has revamped its Shopping platform using AI to offer personalized product recommendations and virtual try-ons. The new experience, aimed at enhancing the online shopping journey, includes AI-generated briefs that summarize key product details and dynamic filters to refine search results. Shoppers can track prices and browse personalized deals on a new, dedicated page.

HOW TO MAKE BRAND NAMES MORE MEMORABLE

Memorable brand names often use strong consonants (like P, T, and K) and features like alliteration, puns, or wordplay to help customers recall them more easily. Names that link clearly to a product's function (e.g., Energizer) create mental associations that improve retention. Unusual spellings can aid memory (especially for new brands), while blended names (e.g., Duracell) can be harder to remember. However, studies only suggest a correlation - more recent research shows that misspelled names may have a negative effect.

2 SEO PROJECTS TO PRIORITIZE FOR 2025

With Google traffic declining, SEOs should prioritize conversion rate optimization (CRO) and brand building. Focusing on CRO allows you to control the user journey and increase conversions even with reduced traffic. Collaborating with PR and social media to increase brand awareness will help improve search rankings and site traffic. Tracking brand search volume, post-purchase surveys, and mentions in "best of" lists or Reddit threads can help measure the success of these efforts.

NEED TO INCREASE CONVERSIONS? OPTIMIZE YOUR ECOMMERCE WEBSITE

Cart abandonment rates soar when checkout processes are overly complex. This article shares key mistakes to avoid and a benchmark of conversion rate by industry. Conversion rate optimization (CRO) tactics include refining product pages, customer reviews, and mobile responsiveness to enhance the shopping experience and drive the customer through the funnel.

PIKA

Pika produces dynamic video content with special effects including inflating, crushing, or melting objects. It offers features like cinematic shots and supports longer video clips and advanced scene animations. Pika is ideal for those looking to enhance their video production with unique and eye-catching effects.

LINKEDIN NEW AD PLANNING FEATURE: COMPANY ENGAGEMENT LISTS

LinkedIn is launching a new ad planning feature called "Companies" that allows users to view and filter both organic and paid impressions and clicks from companies that engage with their content. The tool, available under the “Plan” section of the ad manager, supports filtering by campaign, location, and time period and has data export options. A full rollout is expected by November.

ONBOARDING LAB: HOW SUPERHUMAN AND REFORGE CRAFT THE FIRST EXPERIENCE

Superhuman revamped its onboarding process by moving from a partial-screen tutorial with users' real inboxes to a full-screen experience with a synthetic inbox, resulting in improved keyboard shortcut adoption and user activation. It also made key UI actions like "Compose" and "Search" more discoverable for new users, increasing engagement with these features. Reforge simplified its onboarding from a complex 12-step process to just two steps, focusing on personalization and a more intuitive homepage, which led to a boost in user engagement and customer satisfaction. Both companies demonstrated that reducing friction and guiding users clearly can significantly improve product adoption and user experience.

WHAT DO IKEA, LEGO, AND APPLE HAVE IN COMMON?

A recent study found that anatomical depictions in marketing, where internal product components are revealed, can increase consumer confidence and willingness to pay, especially for tech gadgets and high-performance items. This visual strategy works best for tech-savvy consumers but may reduce confidence among those anxious about technology. It is most effective when marketing products for their functional benefits rather than aesthetic appeal.

SCHEMA FOR VOICE SEARCH: STRUCTURED DATA FOR VOICE SEO

50% of adults worldwide used voice search daily in 2023, highlighting its growing importance. Voice search optimization involves using long-tail keywords, featured snippets, and structured data like FAQ and HowTo schemas to align content with natural, conversational queries. With AI-driven searches on the rise, marketers must adapt SEO strategies to capture voice search traffic by focusing on user intent and simplifying content.

HOW TO TALK TO THE C-SUITE AND ELITE AUDIENCES

Marketing leaders should be concise, focus on strategic outcomes and ROI, tailor information to what matters most to the audience, and come prepared with clear recommendations supported by deep analysis.

TRIED AND TESTED TIPS TO GET YOUR AUDIENCE TO ENGAGE

To increase engagement numbers, create thin content, work with your ICP's habits, and incentivize participation with positive experiences.

ALDI'S MASTERCLASS IN USING SEARCH TRENDS TO SHAPE IN-STORE STRATEGIES

Aldi shows how important search marketing can be for wider marketing efforts, including in-store.

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REPORT LOOKS AT THE LATEST TRENDS AND CHALLENGES IN CREATOR MARKETING

74% of brands, driven by the need for creative short-form video content, are increasing their investment in creator marketing this year. Those who spend over $1M annually on creator marketing report that it's their highest ROI tactic. However, challenges remain in measuring results and finding the right influencers. Sponsored content on Instagram is currently the most effective approach, although TikTok is becoming more popular with creators.

WHY CREATIVE STRATEGISTS ARE NOW THE HOTTEST JOB IN MARKETING

Creative strategists are increasingly crucial in performance marketing due to the impact of privacy measures and AI-driven ad algorithms on advertising approaches. With social ad spending reaching $247 billion, creative quality has become the key driver of ROI, making strategists essential in connecting media buying and creative teams. Industry insights highlight the significance of collaboration and consumer research in crafting strategies for major brands. Companies lacking creative strategists risk unclear direction and wasted ad spend.

PLAN YOUR 2025 GTM STRATEGY ON ONE SLIDE

Companies face challenges such as ensuring product-market alignment, targeting new personas effectively, and clarifying investment priorities to prevent resource misallocation. This post presents an eight-question framework to tackle these issues that focuses on growth opportunities, product value, onboarding efficiency, and key metrics for assessing business health. The approach fosters collaboration across departments, illustrating that GTM is a comprehensive effort involving sales, customer success, product, and finance teams. By asking the right questions, businesses can align their initiatives and prioritize high-value activities.

THE DNA OF A GREAT PRICING PAGE

A transparent pricing page is key for customer decision-making, especially for younger generations who seek clear and accessible information. Companies should present prices openly with a simple structure that highlights value metrics, easy-to-understand pricing, and prominent CTAs above the fold. Including add-ons and optimizing the design for user experience can reduce churn and boost conversions. Regular testing and updates are essential to maintain competitiveness and meet evolving customer needs.