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.
MGID and Marfeel Mark One Year of Partnership, Enhancing Real-Time Monitoring of Editorial Performance for Publishers
MGID celebrates the one‑year anniversary of its partnership with Marfeel, embedding Marfeel’s advanced analytics into the MGID+ suite. The integration delivers real‑time and historical content performance data, revenue analytics, and audience insights across all publisher sites. By combining content metrics with monetization tools, publishers can identify high‑value articles, optimize ad placements, and grow traffic. The collaboration positions MGID+ as a data‑driven platform that supports sustainable revenue growth for digital publishers.
AirOps Launches Page360, the First Unified Content Performance Layer for the AI Search Era
AirOps unveiled Page360, a unified data layer that brings together SEO metrics, web analytics, and AI search signals into a single real‑time dashboard. The platform lets marketers see how content performs across Google Search, AI assistants like ChatGPT, and engagement...
Google Posts Tips To Write Better Review Replies
Google has refreshed its Business Profiles help center, adding a dedicated section on crafting better review replies. The guidance emphasizes friendly, concise, and professional responses, urging merchants to avoid sales pitches and only reply when they have new, relevant information....
Delusional Audacity Beats Realism in Entrepreneurial Success
You need delusion. You need audacity. Sanity is actually a liability. Every entrepreneur I know was told they were being unrealistic. "That won't work." "You don't have the experience." "Why would anyone pay you for that?" The "realistic" people said...
Google Search Ranking Volatility Remains Super Heated
Google’s search algorithm has entered a period of heightened volatility, with notable update spikes on January 6, 15, 21 and a lingering effect from the December 2025 core update. Multiple SEO monitoring platforms—including Semrush, Mozcast, and SERPstat—show synchronized ranking swings across the board. Publishers...
IPA Reveals Why Investing in Trust Pays Big Dividends
The IPA Effectiveness Databank analysis of 812 campaigns shows that advertising focused on building brand trust delivers markedly stronger business results. Ninety‑three percent of campaigns reporting very large trust gains also recorded at least one very large business effect, compared...
What’s a Good Ecommerce Conversion Rate? Benchmarks + How to Improve Yours in 2026
Neal Schaffer outlines the 2026 ecommerce conversion landscape, noting a global average of 2.5‑3% and top performers reaching 4‑5% or higher. The article breaks down industry‑specific benchmarks, device disparities, and channel performance, highlighting that food & beverage exceeds 6% while luxury...
EU Puts Google’s AI and Search Data Under DMA Spotlight
The European Commission has launched two formal specification proceedings under the Digital Markets Act to dictate how Google must share Android AI capabilities and anonymized search data with rivals. The moves target Google’s control over hardware features used by its...
Oreo Creme Egg Cookie Channels the Spoilt Nepo-Baby
Mondelez International is rolling out a limited‑edition Oreo Creme Egg Cookie, blending two iconic UK confectionery brands. The “Born of Two Icons” campaign, created by Saatchi & Saatchi, leans into a tongue‑in‑cheek nepo‑baby narrative across OOH, DOOH, radio, social and podcast channels throughout the...
Walmart Connect Mexico Taps Advertima for In-Store Retail Media Strategy
Walmart Connect Mexico has teamed with Advertima to deploy Audience AI sensors across hundreds of Walmart Supercenters, creating a large‑scale in‑store audience intelligence network. The 3D sensors capture shop‑floor activity over 30 meters and support multi‑zone zoning, feeding data to both digital...
Virgin Wines Reports Strong Christmas Trading
Virgin Wines UK posted a 5% year‑on‑year revenue increase during the Christmas period, driven by a 40% surge in new customers. In the six months to 2 January, total revenue rose 2% to £34.7 million, with commercial partnerships and corporate gifting outperforming...
AI Images for Business: Tools, Prompts, and Strategy
In this episode, host interviews visual strategist Lauren deVane about leveraging AI-generated images for business branding. She outlines a seven‑pillar prompting framework and a streamlined workflow that lets marketers create high‑quality, on‑brand visuals without costly photography. Key takeaways include practical...
Krispy Kreme Jumps Aboard Ark for Advertising Rethink
Krispy Kreme has hired Ark Agency as its lead creative partner for the UK and Ireland, aiming to revamp its advertising in response to the UK’s new Less Healthy Food (LHF) legislation. The law, effective Jan. 5, imposes a near‑total ban...
Hackers Exploit SEO Poisoning to Target Users Seeking Legitimate Tools
Hackers are leveraging SEO poisoning to push malicious ZIP archives that contain BAT scripts masquerading as legitimate tools. The fraudulent pages rank highly in search results, directing users to fake repositories where the scripts contact command‑and‑control servers and download remote...
Visa Urges Banks to Rethink Loyalty Beyond Credit Card Rewards
Visa is urging banks to move beyond credit‑card‑centric loyalty programs toward contextual, data‑driven rewards. Margin pressure on interchange fees and the proliferation of consumer loyalty accounts are forcing banks to seek new funding sources, such as merchant‑backed offers. Visa’s suite...
95% of Shoppers Research Influencer Picks Before Buying
A new PYMNTS Intelligence study of 3,196 U.S. consumers finds that influencers act more as discovery catalysts than direct sales drivers. While 56% of shoppers purchase an influencer‑recommended item at least once a year, 95% conduct additional research before checkout,...
What Is a Minimum Viable Brand? How To Develop an MVB
In this episode, Jen Hasty explains the concept of a Minimum Viable Brand (MVB)—a stripped‑down brand identity that includes only the essentials like a logo, name, colors, and basic messaging so a company can launch quickly, test the market, and...
Canadian Retailers Urged to Build Trust and Personalization Through Technology: SOTI Study
Canadian retailers are under pressure to rebuild consumer trust and deliver personalized experiences as inflation curtails spending, according to SOTI’s latest global retail tech study. The survey of 1,000 Canadians shows 83% are shopping more carefully, while 53% expect retailers...
Charming Commerce Ft. Rembrandt Charms
In this episode, host interviews Eric Lux, President of Rembrandt Charms, about the booming online market for charms and the factors driving high conversion rates. Lux explains how vertical integration ensures consistent inventory on retail shelves and streamlines fulfillment. He...
Finding Your Voice in Your Marketing
In this episode, Andréa Jones explains how to develop and share a clear, relief‑focused point of view (POV) in your marketing without sparking online drama. She outlines a four‑part POV framework—values, founder experience, community values, and transformation—and shows how to...
Sam Altman Says OpenAI “Screwed Up” GPT-5.2 Writing Quality via @Sejournal, @MattGSouthern
Sam Altman publicly acknowledged that OpenAI "screwed up" the writing quality of GPT‑5.2, noting it feels unwieldy compared to the earlier GPT‑4.5. The company deliberately prioritized technical strengths—reasoning, coding, and engineering—over prose in the 5.2 release. GPT‑4.5 was marketed for...
Why the Brain Rejects Ads Marketers Love
The article presents a five‑question framework—attention, memory, choice, trust, and emotion—derived from cognitive psychology to evaluate ad effectiveness. It shows how inattentional blindness, the serial‑position effect, choice overload, thin‑slicing, and emotional resonance shape a viewer’s split‑second decisions. Practical tips include...
Aligne Appoints Ellie Dickinson as Global DTC Director
Aligne, the London‑based contemporary womenswear label, has named Ellie Dickinson as its global Direct‑to‑Consumer (DTC) director. Dickinson arrives from a commercial director role at Australian brand Dissh, where she oversaw the UK, EU and US markets since September 2024. Her...
Seeing Through the Marketing Data Mirage - and How to Avoid It!
DemandScience’s 2026 State of Performance Marketing reveals a pervasive "Marketing Data Mirage," where 99% of marketers rely on signals that don’t reflect real buyer intent. AI tools amplify the problem by producing generic, non‑data‑driven content that erodes brand distinction. The...
What Does It Mean to Be Visible in an AI-Curated World?
AI is reshaping FMCG product discovery by moving visibility from shelf placement to algorithmic shortlists that act as trusted advisers. Brands that lack structured, natural‑language product data risk disappearing from these AI‑curated conversations. Experts cite earned‑media signals—reviews, awards, editorial coverage—as...
AI Agents Simulate Real Humans for Customer Research
Now your AI agents can do customer research by using simulated humans that are based on real humans. In other words, a new way of building your business is here. @runrehearsals cofounder @liambolling gives me one of the most interesting conversations about...
Scatter Opt‑ins Everywhere; Users Convert at Different Moments
Put opt-in forms in multiple places because people decide at different moments. Not everyone converts at the top.
Customer Acquisition Strategies That Drive Ecommerce Growth
The episode breaks down modern ecommerce customer acquisition, warning that focusing only on first‑time sales wastes budget and emphasizing the need to capture email and SMS contacts for ongoing marketing. It outlines ten tactics—including AI‑driven personalization, email/SMS list building, content...
Strengthen Your Hook by Reading Punchy Headlines
If your hook is weak, read headlines until your brain starts thinking in punchlines again.
Avoid Price‑shopping: Package Value, Not Just Deliverables
If your “offer” is just a list of deliverables, you’re making it way too easy to price shop.
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LinkedIn Shares Tips on How to Boost Organic Posts [Infographic]
LinkedIn has published an infographic detailing how marketers can use its paid “Boost” feature to amplify organic posts, mirroring Facebook’s simple boost workflow. The tool now supports boosting content created by other members, extending reach beyond a brand’s own updates....
Stop Blaming Time—Make a Decision, Not an Excuse
If you keep saying “I don’t have time,” start with a 2 hour offer. Time is not the issue. Decision is.
It’s Planning Season, Don’t Let Your Tech Stack Lock You Into Another Year
The episode highlights why early Q1 is the ideal time for founders to reassess their email and SMS platforms, emphasizing that many stay on suboptimal tools out of fear of disruption during peak seasons. It explains that switching during low‑traffic...
Are Social Platform Subscriptions Becoming More Accepted?
Elon Musk predicts paid social will dominate, citing X Premium’s modest 1.5 million subscribers as a proof‑of‑concept. Major platforms—Meta, Snapchat, LinkedIn, YouTube—have launched or expanded subscription tiers that offer verification, ad‑free viewing, and exclusive tools. These add‑ons serve dual purposes: new...
Tariffs Changed How Buyers Shop, with Some Advice for Online Sellers
Support for tariffs among American shoppers jumped to 46% this year, up from 34% a year earlier, according to Omnisend’s January 2026 survey. Nearly three‑quarters of respondents say tariffs influence their buying choices, with 57.5% deliberately seeking Made‑in‑USA products. However,...
How Top Brands that Sponsor Podcasts Drive ROI in 2026
The episode explains why podcast sponsorship has become a core marketing channel in 2026, highlighting its high trust, engagement, and proven ROI, with 88% of listeners acting on ads. It profiles the top spenders—BetterHelp, Amazon, Unilever, Shopify, Toyota, and others—showing...
Pre‑order Ads Succeed only for Truly Unique Products
I had a friend recently ask me if he should run ads for pre-orders while he's out of stock until March. His raw material sources are backed up from Chinese New Year, and he can't manufacture again for weeks. But when it...
How Can You Maximize LinkedIn Lead Conversion Using Automation?
The episode outlines how to boost LinkedIn lead conversion through automation, covering personalized connection requests, timed follow‑up messages, and lead segmentation. It explains building a simple funnel that includes automated profile visits, skill endorsements, and data‑driven adjustments to messaging. Integration...
WhatsApp Leadership Pledges Ad-Free Inbox Amid Monetization Push
WhatsApp chief Will Cathcart confirmed that the app’s primary chat list will remain ad‑free, reinforcing a user‑first stance while Meta pursues other monetization avenues. The company is shifting focus to business messaging tools such as the WhatsApp Business Platform and...
EBay Sellers Report Promoted Listings Glitches After Policy Update
eBay sellers are encountering widespread glitches in the Promoted Listings tool after a policy update on January 13 changed attribution rules. Automated rule‑based campaigns are failing to promote new inventory and are incorrectly marking existing items as eligible. The issue creates...
GEO Anxiety Replaces FOMO as AI Search Disrupts Marketing
GEO anxiety is the new FOMO. And it's everywhere. We just surveyed 50 mid-market B2B marketing leaders through Wynter platform. Everyone is scrambling to figure out AEO/GEO. Why? Because the old playbook is bleeding out. 46% of these leaders are actively pulling back...
ChatGPT Ads Come with Premium Prices — and Limited Data
OpenAI is rolling out ads inside ChatGPT at roughly $60 CPM, about three times the cost of typical Meta placements. Advertisers will receive only high‑level metrics—total impressions and clicks—without insight into downstream actions such as purchases. The first wave targets...
Lead Content Engine for AI Adoption at Pragmatico
My friends at Pragmatico are hiring a Head of Content Marketing, and it's a super interesting role. Outside of working with Randy Stocklin and Santiago (Santi) Jaramillo (which should be enough), this is a super interesting role because it's more...
How to Build a High-Quality Local Business Database That Drives Real Growth
Local businesses increasingly rely on high‑quality databases to drive sales and marketing efficiency. Fragmented lists and outdated spreadsheets cost time and revenue, while a systematic, verified data set enables precise targeting and stronger customer relationships. The article outlines a step‑by‑step...
A 2026 Retailer’s Guide to the Best People-Counting Systems
The episode walks listeners through the importance of accurate people‑counting for modern retailers, outlining how precise foot‑traffic data drives better staffing, conversion‑rate calculations, marketing attribution, and store layout decisions. It evaluates key criteria for selecting a system—accuracy, privacy‑friendly sensors, intuitive...
Founders: Content Is Your Ultimate Business Landing Page
Every founder should be creating content and that’s a hill I’ll die on. Your content is a landing page for literally everyone. - Investors - Agencies - Partners - People you want to hire They are all going to your profile to figure out what...
Brands Must Prioritize Analytics over High CPM Confidence
$60CPM's... No conversion tracking... "confident in unique ad value despite limited analytics" Ugh. Brands need to learn from AppLovin's rollout to new ad channels. https://t.co/v4qSx7wveH
NiceSMMPanel Best SMM Panel – Cheapest and Easiest Social Media Panel
The episode breaks down NiceSMMPanel, positioning it as the leading affordable SMM panel for 2026. It explains how the platform’s low‑cost, reliable engagement services—followers, likes, views, and drip‑feed delivery—help boost visibility and satisfy algorithmic ranking while keeping growth looking natural....
Core Best Practices For Effective eCommerce Web Design
The episode breaks down core eCommerce web design best practices, emphasizing clear navigation, fast page performance, and trust signals to boost conversions. It outlines a design checklist—consistent layouts, visual hierarchy, accessibility, mobile‑first thinking, high‑quality product visuals, and a frictionless checkout...
ADWEEK to Debut the Super Bowl AI Influence Index
ADWEEK is partnering with AI‑search startup Emberos to debut the first Real‑Time AI Influence Index on Super Bowl 60 day, displaying the top seven advertisers based on their visibility in generative search engines. The index, embedded on ADWEEK.com’s sidebar, updates live...