Today's Digital Marketing Pulse
Accenture Song Acquires Whalar to Bolster Influencer Marketing
Accenture Song announced the acquisition of Whalar, adding a 170‑person global creator agency and keeping co‑CEOs Emma Harman and Jo Cronk in place. The deal also includes a three‑year strategic partnership that gives Accenture access to Whalar’s talent‑management, technology and venture assets, integrating the creator network with Accenture’s data and AI capabilities.
United and Marriott Pitch Ad Strategies to Target Travelers on Plane and Hotel Screens
United Airlines and Marriott are urging advertisers to shift spend toward in‑flight and in‑room screens, arguing that travelers are most receptive while en route or staying at a destination. Both companies have built proprietary platforms—United’s Kinective Media and Marriott Media—that combine verified guest data with captive media environments to deliver personalized ads. They cite research showing most ad budgets target pre‑trip phases, leaving a lucrative in‑transit opportunity untapped. Early results, such as a Cayman Islands campaign that drove over 9,000 bookings, illustrate the model’s potential.
Profit‑first Offers, Then Ads, Not the Reverse
When you finally understand what brands actually need, it won't come from running better ads. The thing you knew was missing, but kept patching with better targeting. Honestly, tighter campaign management is unsustainable because it’s too easy to slip back into...
Gartner Marketing Symposium/Xpo London 2026
Gartner’s Marketing Symposium/Xpo will convene senior marketing leaders in London on May 11‑12, 2026. The two‑day event emphasizes AI, growth strategy, and customer experience across brand activation, CMO leadership, and demand generation. Attendees will participate in data‑driven sessions, workshops, and the exclusive...
OpenAI Launches ChatGPT Ads and Tests Ads Manager
It's rare to see a post published on SER in the afternoon. But Barry is out and I just did it. :) -> OpenAI Continues To Expand Ads in ChatGPT and Tests Ads Manager I cover OpenAI testing an Ads...
Search Traffic Plummets 90M, AI Adds Negligible Boost
Nearly 90 million search visits wiped out in the last 9 months. And traffic from AI didn't replace even 5% of it. (across ~75k websites connected to free @Ahrefs Web Analytics) Here's how other traffic sources held up: ▪️ Paid traffic is UP...
Google Brings Helpful Changes to Ads Editor with Version 2.12
Google has released Ads Editor version 2.12, bringing several web‑interface features to the desktop tool. The update lifts the Performance Max video asset limit to 15 and adds support for 9:16 portrait images. New Demand Gen enhancements include flighted budgeting,...
Award Citations Drive up Visibility, Especially for AIOs
Floating around Seer internal research we're watching... Client got a legit award on a major publisher when that URL is cited, we saw meaningful visibility lift for client: Gemini: 2.05x ChatGPT: 1.96x AI Mode: 5.6x AIOs: 8.62x The competitors on the same list saw a similar...
IKEA’s One-Line Reply Turned Viral Monkey Craze Into Sales
IKEA sold out a $19.99 stuffed monkey in 3 markets within days. eBay listings hit $355. A zoo gave a real monkey a stuffed animal to cling to, the internet lost its mind, and all IKEA did was post one...
TikTok Shop Is Changing E-Commerce, but How?
In this episode, hosts Jordan West and Brett Curry discuss how TikTok Shop and YouTube advertising can be combined to drive e‑commerce growth, highlighting five current YouTube ad strategies and the power of Shorts when paired with TikTok Shop content....
Inbox Proof: How to Tell LinkedIn Content Works
How do you know if your LinkedIn content is working? Let me show you what landed in my inbox lately:
New Social Media Lead Drives Opendoor’s Upcoming Upgrades
Big upgrades coming to Opendoor socials over the next few months. @Y_Malyarchuk just joined my team as the Social Media Lead. He brings experience working at TikTok, across startups and Fortune 500 companies, and already has bold ideas for where we...
DMWF Spotlight: Answer Engine Optimization (AEO): A Comprehensive Guide for 2026
Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is emerging as a critical discipline that enables brands to appear within AI‑generated answers on platforms such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and voice assistants. Unlike traditional SEO, AEO focuses on concise, structured content and schema markup so...
LinkedIn's New AI Can Shadowban Profiles—Audit Yours
Your LinkedIn profile might be shadowbanned, and you don't know it. LinkedIn rebuilt its algorithm from scratch in 2026. They replaced multiple ranking pipelines with a single unified AI system (360Brew) that evaluates your profile and content together as one...
Measure Visibility, Citation, Sentiment in the AI Era
There’s no clean attribution when a buyer reads about you in ChatGPT, sleeps on it, & signs up 3 days later... What metrics can brands lean into in this new AI era? Here are a few pillars to think about: - Visibility...
To Succeed With Paid Media, This Indie Agency Advises Nailing Organic First
LV8, a social‑first agency founded in 2024, has launched a dedicated paid‑media practice led by Ian Hiscock. The firm treats content creation and media buying as a single workflow, amplifying high‑performing organic posts with paid spend. By using organic insights...
Escalated.io Releases Next Generation Software Update for Its Invalid Traffic Filtration Service
Escalated.io announced a next‑generation update to its invalid traffic filtration service, extending its JavaScript pixel and pre‑bid solutions. The upgrade accelerates detection, allowing many fraud types to be identified on the first impression rather than after accumulating data. Real‑time blocking...
3 CMS Platforms Control 73% Of The Market & Shape Technical SEO Defaults via @Sejournal, @MattGSouthern
Chris Green’s analysis of 17 million sites shows WordPress, Shopify and Wix now dominate 73 % of the CMS market, eclipsing legacy platforms like Joomla and Drupal. Their combined 2025 revenue exceeds $13.5 billion, funding engineering teams that set default technical‑SEO configurations for...
US X-Venture & India’s SbInfowaves Announce Global Alliance To Launch ‘Agentic AI’ Marketing Infrastructure For USA-SMEs
X‑Venture.US and India’s SB Infowaves have formed a strategic alliance to deliver an Agentic AI‑driven marketing and operational platform for U.S. small‑and‑medium enterprises. The partnership pairs X‑Venture’s private‑capital placement expertise with SB Infowaves’ autonomous AI “digital colleagues,” aiming to modernize legacy firms...
OpenAI Begins Rolling Out ChatGPT Ads, Announces Ads Manager
OK, I just spotted Bigfoot :) I finally started seeing ads this morning in ChatGPT, and a number of them. So OpenAI is definitely ramping up ads... They aren't particularly exciting and some weren't really targeted, but hey, at least...
How AI Agents Decide Which Brands To Recommend: Trust Is The New Ranking Factor via @Sejournal, @Purnavirji
Autonomous AI agents are turning trust into a ranking factor, shifting marketers from chasing visibility to proving eligibility. Brands must supply clear, verifiable data that agents can parse and use to justify recommendations. The Wharton paper outlines three trust pillars—goal...
Cutting Marketing Won’t Fix Rising CAC—Fix Selling Friction
“The CAC isn’t clearing. We need to cut marketing spend.” I’ve heard that line more than once. On the surface it sounds rational. CAC is rising. Attribution dashboards look weak. So marketing must be the problem. But most of the...
Store Tab Appearing in Google Shopping
Google Shopping now includes a “Stores” tab that surfaces local retailers alongside product listings. The feature appears after clicking the “More places” button and redirects users to the Places navigation bar. It is distinct from the existing “Nearby” filter, which...
Most Marketing Agencies Are Held Together by Duct Tape. GoHighLevel Wants to Fix That.
Marketing agencies typically juggle six to twelve separate tools, driving up costs and operational friction. GoHighLevel offers a single‑platform alternative that bundles CRM, email, SMS, funnel building, scheduling, reputation management and AI‑driven automation. Its architecture provides unlimited, isolated sub‑accounts per...
One Idea, Multiple Assets, Unlimited Distribution
The power of a content system is not hype. It is a viable strategy. Why it works: - One idea - Multiple assets - Unlimited distribution
SEO/AI Case Study Drives Explosive 2024 Organic Traffic
Dear lord, just found another SEO/AI case study about how the company exploded this site's organic traffic in early 2024... ...when do we get the follow-up case study? 😅 https://t.co/O5fQZBGYsg
10 Types of Digital Marketing You Need to Master in 2026
The article outlines ten digital marketing disciplines essential for 2026, emphasizing that businesses should focus on a handful of channels rather than spreading resources thin. Email marketing delivers the highest return on investment, generating $36‑$42 for every dollar spent, while...
Paid Influencer Clips Masquerade as Genuine Traction
Learned about a new trend: Some marketing agencies are partnering with hundreds of "influencers" and distribute (paid, undisclosed) videos to them (eg podcasts) to clip and repost, making it look like organic interest Apparently inspired by Cluely What is real traction anymore
Batching Content Shields You From Life's Surprises
A tree hit our house and I still did not have to scramble for content. I had content batched and scheduled because life happens.
Ineos Grenadier Shuns the Glossy Shots for the Boozer
Ineos Automotive has launched a new ad campaign, “Born in a Pub,” that tells the Grenadier 4×4’s origin story inside a recreated London pub. The 80‑second film shows the vehicle being assembled on the bar while patrons mingle, rejecting the...
Dominant CMS Defaults Now Dictate 73% of SEO
The top three CMS platforms control 73% of the CMS market. Data shows their defaults now shape SEO at a scale no practitioner can match. https://t.co/wX5Eu0XEHf via @MattGSouthern, @sejournal
Major Rewrites Dramatically Boost Article Performance over Minor Updates
Study of 15K URLs shows that articles receiving Major Rewrites (30-100% of content) vastly outperform minor/moderate updates Even minor content updates helped, but content with no update performed the worst (1/2) https://t.co/7wvfeBz8Lk
“The Metrics That Matter Are in the Inventory Supply” – Buy-Side View with Mindshare’s Dave Sargent
Dave Sargent, UK Head of AV at Mindshare, argues that the most critical metrics for video and CTV lie in the quality of the inventory itself, not just view counts. He warns that CTV inventory is often diluted by non‑CTV...
Timeless Solutions Outlast Fleeting TikTok Trends
I lost $9k on a product that was trending on TikTok. The trend died in a week. I launched a product that solves a timeless boring problem. It's been selling for 2 years. The market doesn't care about trends. It...
Long‑standing Niche Gaming Content Thrives Post‑Discover Update
Amazing to watch this site's Google Discover performance over time, including improving after the Discover core update. It's a super niche gaming site with authors who have been writing original, human-written content for the site for 15+ years https://t.co/9DKgLLJhnW
Tells.co Among First U.S. Platforms Approved for RCS Business Messaging
Tells.co has become one of the first U.S. platforms cleared to run Rich Communication Services (RCS) Business Messaging campaigns. RCS upgrades traditional SMS with high‑resolution images, branded sender IDs, interactive buttons, and swipeable product carousels, and its adoption is accelerating...
Reddit Rejects Lazy Links, Rewards Thoughtful Promotion
Reddit doesn’t hate marketing. It hates lazy marketing. If your strategy is “drop link, hope for traffic,” expect backlash. Lurk. Learn. Leap. More on this from our team at Foundation here: https://t.co/20DaF3BzKP
Use Meta's Incremental Attribution to Solve Reach Gaps
If you have a new reach problem -> incremental attribution on Meta is your BFF
Uber Emboldens St Patrick’s Day Partygoers to ‘Irish Exit’ with a Quick Getaway
Uber has launched the "IrishXit" campaign for St. Patrick’s Day, urging partygoers to leave safely via UberX. The initiative features Love Island star Maura Higgins in a meta‑creative spot that dramatizes an "Irish exit" from a party. Partnering with Mother New York,...
Okara Launches AI CMO, Replaces Agencies with Instant Traffic Team
Okara just dropped the world’s first AI CMO. Enter your website and it instantly deploys a full team of agents (SEO, GEO, Reddit, HN, X, AI writer + more) to drive traffic and users for you. No more agencies. No more 10K/mo...
Organic Creator Humor Drives PetSmart’s Viral TikTok Win
PetSmart got a viral TikTok moment. It was organic, creator-led, genuinely funny, and the responded with "It's Pet Smart. Case closed." (See @AdAge's article: https://t.co/Cumg7M7msL). Case closed on the opportunity. 🧵 https://t.co/7VUIatca6D
7 Cinematic Ads From the 2026 Oscars
During the 98th Academy Awards, advertisers turned the commercial break into a showcase of cinematic storytelling, with brands such as Coinbase, Burger King, Mazda, Disney Cruise Line, Credit One Bank, Panera Bread and L’Oréal unveiling high‑production spots. The ads leaned...
Only Join Platforms Where Your Customers Gather
Should you be on [insert social platform here]? If your goal is to solicit customers, and they’re there, then be there. If your goal is to be social with a specific group of people who are there, then be there Else don’t.
Longer SaaS Queries Boost Reddit’s SERP Presence
When it comes to SaaS... The longer the query: The more likely Reddit starts to show up in the SERP. More here: https://t.co/PlWF0NT1Gq https://t.co/FgrZjhWLCj
Beyond the Brief: Inside SnackaChangi’s ‘One Chip per Kiwi’ Campaign – a Triumphant Trainwreck
SnackaChangi and Pitchblack Partners launched a "one chip per Kiwi" stunt that turned an impossible sampling brief into a nationwide content engine. By framing the absurd promise as a media‑driven narrative and later handing over the unspent sampling budget, the...
Pixar-Style Ads Boost Client Performance – Get Workflow
Pixar-style ads are crushing for my clients right now. I created a workflow to get you started, plus ad examples. Like and comment "AI slop" for access. https://t.co/3xxn0NUqub
ChatGPT Isn’t Replacing Google Search, Despite Hype
I guess ChatGPT isn’t killing Google search after all. (We knew that, but I still see posts on here and IG saying this daily)
Rethinking AEO when Software Agents Navigate the Web on Behalf of Users
The rise of AI‑powered agents that browse the web on users' behalf is eroding the long‑standing assumption that every click, scroll or purchase funnel step reflects a conscious human decision. While the raw data—page views, button clicks, time on page—remains...
Lay’s Uses WhatsApp to Create a Group Chat for World Cup Fans
Lay’s, a PepsiCo snack brand, launched a WhatsApp Channels group chat for FIFA World Cup fans, featuring celebrities such as Lionel Messi and David Beckham. The initiative is part of the fourth‑year “No Lay’s, No Game” campaign, extending the brand’s sports‑marketing push from the Super...
The Quiet Rise of ‘Dark Brands’: Companies That Win Without Being Famous
The article highlights the emergence of “dark brands” – private‑label and marketplace‑native products that thrive without consumer awareness. Growth in e‑commerce and algorithmic recommendation engines now drives sales, eclipsing traditional brand visibility. In the United States, store brands account for...
Astro Teams with Naga DDB Tribal on Raya Platform Celebrating the Power of Togetherness
Astro has teamed with advertising agency Naga DDB Tribal to launch its 2026 Ramadan‑Raya campaign, “Bila Bersama, Lagi Jadi,” centered on the traditional pelita panjut lamp as a symbol of togetherness. The initiative features a 15‑minute short film, a batik‑inspired...