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.
AI Leaders Diverge on Monetization and Personalization Strategies as Chatbots Evolve
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis cautioned against the rapid rollout of advertising in AI assistants after confirming OpenAI is testing ads within its chatbot. Hassabis said the move surprised him and raised trust concerns. Google, by contrast, announced no plans to embed ads in its Gemini chatbot, opting instead for deeper personalization by pulling data from Gmail and Photos. The divergent tactics underscore a strategic split among AI leaders over revenue models and user experience as conversational agents become ubiquitous.
Comprehensive Guide to Generative AI and SEO Strategies
🚨 Must read: A Fantastic Guide to Generative AI by @gfiorelli1 at the Advanced Web Ranking blog, going through: * The Model: Architecture and Mechanics of LLMs * The Agent: Reasoning, Planning, and Action * The Library: Neural Search and Retrieval Architectures * The...
DAZN’s Hugh Cashmore on Unlocking the Power of Brand Milestones
DAZN’s global brand lead Hugh Cashmore explained how the streaming service turns brand milestones into growth engines. He emphasized selecting moments that genuinely reflect the brand, balancing scheduled sports events with agile, reactive activations, and grounding decisions in a strong...
Move Social Proof Above the Fold, Earn Millions
Gymshark made $2.1M from ONE homepage change: moving social proof above the fold. Meanwhile you're debating font sizes. That's the gap.
Top 10 Editing Tools for TikTok & IG Influencers in 2026
The episode outlines why polished short‑form video is essential for influencer marketing in 2026, noting that micro‑influencers achieve up to 60% higher engagement and that well‑edited UGC can dramatically boost e‑commerce conversions. It highlights the top editing tools for creators,...
BFCM Marketing Statistics: Ad Spend Trends For Black Friday & Cyber Monday
In this episode, Andy Taylor and Mark Ballard break down 2025 BFCM ad‑spend data from Tinuiti’s $4 billion portfolio, highlighting that Amazon Sponsored Products saw a 30% sales surge from Saturday to Cyber Monday and that Amazon DSP investment continued to...
How Long Should a Blog Post Be? Blog Length Best Practices
The episode explores how blog post length impacts SEO, noting that top‑ranking articles typically range from 1,400 to 2,500 words but shorter 600‑800 word posts can also succeed if they deliver value. It advises writers to choose substantial topics, provide...
Content Marketing Tips: 10 Ways To Improve Your Strategy
In this episode Karl Bowman stresses that trust has become the core metric for content success, urging marketers to embed credibility through expert voices, transparent data, and a "trust audit." He introduces a "two‑speed funnel" that splits strategy between Answer...
SEO First: Why Generative Engine Optimisation Depends on Strong Foundations
The episode explains that e‑commerce brands must treat SEO as the essential foundation for AI‑driven search, using technical SEO, clear site architecture, unique product content, and internal linking before tackling Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and AI Optimization (AIO). It stresses...
Google Ads Bug Removes Notes Option for some Advertisers
Google Ads users are encountering a bug that removes the “Add note” option from the account‑change popup, making it harder to document campaign adjustments. The issue, flagged by paid‑search consultant Odi Caspi, appears intermittently over the past weeks. Workarounds include clicking...
Invest in Expert Guides to Boost AI SEO Authority
💰 Ecommerce: Stop overlooking informational content investment, especially now with AI platforms. This is content that should be used not only for a comprehensive “learn” or “inspirational” section, with tips written by real experts and based on experience. This is particularly...
Why Leading E-Commerce Brands Are Hiring to Offshore Amazon Specialists
The episode explains why top e‑commerce brands are turning to offshore Amazon specialists, emphasizing that the move provides strategic flexibility and faster scaling rather than just payroll savings. Offshore experts bring deep platform knowledge, cross‑market insights, and can be onboarded...
One Button, Hours Saved: Automate Repetitive Writing Tasks
I just saved hours per week with ONE hour and ONE button press inside Claude. Follow this: 1) I went to a recent thread where I completed a task that I have to do often (ex: write newsletter headlines, edit...
Cute Videos with Affiliate Links Are Likely AI-Generated
If you see a really cute (like too cute to be true) video on here, followed by the top comment being an affiliate link to buy some product… it’s probably AI.
How to Win AI Visibility with Semrush One
AI‑driven search interfaces are reshaping how users discover brands, allowing large language models to surface answers that bypass traditional SERP clicks. Semrush responded with Semrush One, a unified platform that combines classic SEO tools with an AI Visibility Toolkit to...
Shopify for Artists: A Complete Guide to Selling Art Online
Artists are moving from marketplace‑centric sites like Etsy to Shopify, gaining full control over branding, pricing, and customer data. The Basic plan at $39 per month eliminates commission fees, allowing creators to set true‑value prices and own their storefronts. Integrated...
Automation Flows Boost Email Revenue 30% in 2025
Automations drove 30% of email revenue in 2025. From 2% of sends. But most of the brands we audit still treat flows like a set-it-and-forget-it checkbox. On Feb 3rd, @yojimmykim and I are walking through how we actually structure retention. 8 flows. Real segmentation. A 90-day...
The Weekly Closeout: Reebok Teams with Karol G and Will January Storms Ice Out Retail Sales?
Reebok announced a multiyear partnership with Grammy‑winning Colombian star Karol G, naming her a global brand ambassador and co‑designer for upcoming Classics‑inspired footwear and apparel. Hasbro bolstered its board with former Nintendo of America president and COO Doug Bowser and...
AI Agents Erase Traditional Brand Loyalty Forever
AI Agents Are Killing Brand Loyalty — And Reshaping How We Shop AI driven personalisation and recommendations are changing consumer habits — the article argues we may be witnessing the end of traditional brand loyalty. Read more 👉 https://lnkd.in/eKJxW8du #AI...
Use AI for Summaries, Not Autopilot Guides
🤖 Let’s talk about good AI content use cases: Although AI-generated content is used in many scenarios, in some cases it doesn’t make sense and can do more harm than good (eg. writing guides on autopilot, without real human experience...
Iceland Bolsters Retail Media with ‘UK First’ Sensor Technology
Iceland Foods has partnered with Stratacache to roll out Walkbase sensor technology across its 766‑store retail media network, making it the first European retailer to use camera‑free, privacy‑safe audience measurement. The sensor solution will provide real‑time, closed‑loop attribution for in‑store...
A Smarter Way to Approach AI Prompting
Generative AI’s rise has exposed costly hallucinations caused by vague prompts. The article proposes rubric‑based prompting as a systematic guardrail that defines decision rules, uncertainty handling, and failure behavior. By embedding concise rubrics alongside prompts, models prioritize accuracy over fluency...
How Conversation Intelligence Enhances Modern Marketing Strategies
Conversation intelligence, powered by AI and natural language processing, analyzes customer interactions across voice, text, and chat channels to surface sentiment, intent, and behavioral patterns. Marketers leverage these real‑time insights to personalize messaging, fine‑tune campaigns, and align sales and marketing...
The $2 Million Martech Procurement Mistake Hiding in Plain Sight
Marketing teams often buy attribution and other martech tools as quick transactions, ignoring the operational fit and integration needs. A mid‑size B2B firm spent $180,000 on a platform that delivered no reliable data because integration and data‑quality responsibilities were never...
December 2025 HubSpot Updates: Smarter Segmentation, Tighter AI Control, Less CRM Busywork
HubSpot’s December 2025 release adds operational upgrades that tighten data control and boost AI efficiency. Managers gain reCAPTCHA protection for live chat, a new Segment Analytics view, and AI‑driven Claude actions that can update CRM records on the fly. Administrators...
Amaze Announces Expanded Partnership with Contend to Scale the Next Generation of Creator-Led Commerce
Amaze Holdings announced an expanded strategic partnership with Contend, elevating the studio from advisor to fully integrated partner. The collaboration will combine Contend’s storytelling expertise with Amaze’s global commerce platform to deliver end‑to‑end creator‑led product launches. Throughout 2026 the duo...
Search News Buzz Video Recap: Google Search Double Heated, Personal Intelligence in AI Mode, ChatGPT Ads & Apple Siri Updates...
Google Search experienced renewed ranking volatility, though Google offered no confirmation. OpenAI announced a pilot of ads within ChatGPT responses, charging advertisers per impression rather than per click. Google rolled out Personal Intelligence in AI Mode and upgraded AI Overviews...
Strong Offer, Cheap Acquisition: Fix Offer Before Scaling
Most "marketing problems" are offer problems in disguise. If the offer is weak: - Every channel is expensive. - Every funnel is leaky. - Every ad looks spammy. Fix the offer first. → One outcome. → One timeline. → One...
Start with One Paying Customer, Not a $100K Dream
Forget $100K. Can you get ONE person to pay you $50? That's basically the only question that matters when you're starting out. Don't worry about funnels. Or which tool to pick. Or which platform. Just go find one person who...
Google Falls Back To Featured Snippets When AI Overviews Don't Generate
Google’s search team confirmed that when its AI‑generated Overviews cannot be produced, the engine falls back to traditional featured snippets. The fallback can look identical to an AI Overview, leading to user confusion. VP of Engineering Rajan Patel announced on...
RainFocus Introduces RainFocus Nexus, a Secure, Cloud-Agnostic System of Specialized AI Agents to Act As Teammates to Event Marketers
RainFocus unveiled Nexus, an AI‑driven collaboration layer that turns its event marketing platform into a team of specialized agents. The system introduces an orchestration layer, a context layer, and a unified system of record, enabling agents to automate configuration, guide...
Gemini Local Results Insights Into How Google Interprets Your Business
Google is testing a Gemini-powered update to its local search results, introducing AI‑generated headlines and content sections for businesses. The new format surfaces information Google believes it knows about a company, such as services, hours, and unique selling points. By...
UK to Spend £1 Billion on Influencers, but 59% Can’t See a ROI
The UK is on track to spend more than £1 billion on influencer marketing by 2029, yet 59% of marketers say proving return on investment remains a major hurdle. Consumer trust is eroding, with authenticity, product use and clear sponsorship disclosure...
Secure Your Google Ads Account Against The Rise In Hijackings
Google Ads account hijackings are accelerating, especially against agencies that manage large budgets. Attackers exploit weak login practices, phishing, and even Google Analytics or Tag Manager to bypass two‑factor authentication. Google’s official guide recommends HTTPS, verified @google.com emails, link scrutiny,...
On-Page SEO Checklist: The Complete Task List for 2026
The article delivers a 2026‑ready on‑page SEO checklist covering 11 core tasks plus essential technical actions. It walks readers through keyword research, title and H1 optimization, meta descriptions, URL slugs, content integration, header hierarchy, internal linking, visual assets, schema markup,...
Comscore 2026 State of Programmatic Report: CTV and Audio Expected to Drive Growth With Cross-Channel Performance Measurement Critical to Smarter...
Proximic by Comscore’s 2026 State of Programmatic Report shows 58% of media buyers will boost programmatic spend next year, with CTV and audio emerging as the sole channels slated for budget growth. CTV is projected to command 26% of media...
Retail Brand Monitoring: Protect Your Reputation
Retailers face instant brand reputation shifts as social media amplifies reviews, influencer posts, and viral content. Distinguishing brand monitoring (mention tracking) from reputation monitoring (sentiment and impact analysis) is essential for omnichannel consistency, product refinement, and crisis prevention. The article...
How to Make Your Instagram Grid Aesthetic (2026 Playbook)
In this episode, Loieto Tugas explains why a cohesive Instagram grid is crucial for e‑commerce brands, linking visual consistency to stronger first impressions, brand trust, and higher engagement that can translate into sales. He outlines practical steps for creating a...
AI Partnerships, Ads in ChatGPT, and the "Most Amazing" Super Bowl Bet (516)
In this episode of *This Old Marketing*, Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose dissect three headline-grabbing AI developments: Apple and Google's multi‑year AI partnership, OpenAI’s plan to introduce ads into ChatGPT, and Salesforce’s bid to create the "most amazing" Super Bowl...
The U.S. Consumer in 2026: Why Relevance, Not Reach, Is Driving Growth
The episode explains that U.S. consumer growth in 2026 will come from relevance, not reach, as eCommerce stabilizes and shoppers—especially Gen Z and Millennials—demand fast, personalized, cross‑device experiences while older buyers seek clarity and confidence. Mobile is now a baseline,...
502: Unlocking B2B Intelligence with AI Workflows
In episode 502, host Drew Neisser talks with Dave Brong of Level Agency about how CMO Huddles turned a cumbersome 10‑step post‑meeting workflow into an automated intelligence engine that extracts, structures, and makes searchable the insights from hundreds of conversations....
‘Made Right Here’: $20 Million Campaign Urges Australians to Buy Local
The Australian Made Campaign has launched a $20 million "Made Right Here" initiative to encourage Australians to purchase domestically produced goods. Backed by the federal government, the campaign runs nationwide until June 30 across TV, radio, print, out‑of‑home, digital and social channels,...
7 High-Impact Marketing Strategies for Ecommerce
The episode outlines seven high‑impact marketing tactics for ecommerce—buzz, experiential, interactive, gamification, AR, influencer, and co‑marketing—emphasizing the need to focus on one strategy at a time to drive measurable results. Each tactic is explained with its primary goal, key tactics,...
Fabletics Is Turning Its Stores Into Membership Growth Hubs
Fabletics is repurposing its 120‑store footprint as a primary engine for VIP membership acquisition, with roughly half of in‑store shoppers signing up. The VIP program now accounts for more than 95% of the brand’s revenue, supporting a $1 billion revenue milestone...
How First Thing Built a Defensible Position in a Noisy Market
First Thing, an Australian intimates brand founded by Georgia Gazal, has carved a defensible niche by focusing on comfort‑first, everyday wear rather than high‑glamour marketing. Its flagship strapless bra, sold out six times and purchased every 34 minutes, solves long‑standing...
Build Business for Money, Purpose, and Joy Simultaneously
You don't have to choose. Make money OR help people. Grow the business OR enjoy your life. Build something meaningful OR have fun. That's the trade-off everyone accepts. And I think it's ridiculous I've watched people build businesses that crush...
Use Copywriting Frameworks to Write 10× Faster
The Holy Grail of Copywriting Frameworks: Never write from scratch again ❌ Use one of these frameworks below to “assemble” your copy. Writing is 10x easier when you do this. — If you found this helpful, please leave a comment and let me know....
Guzman Y Gomez Sides with Uber Eats as Exclusive Delivery Partner
Guzman Y Gomez (GYG) has signed a multi‑year exclusive agreement with Uber Eats, making the platform the sole delivery channel for its Australian outlets from February 22. The deal includes joint investment aimed at enhancing value, choice and convenience for...
Why Banking Marketing Data Fails—And How to Fix It
[New Episode] Why Marketing Data Fails in Banking and How to Fix It. With Preston Carroll and Eddie Tu of @FM_Direct. Watch the latest episode: https://t.co/ZqirpHta6S https://t.co/IusElPW1cE
Why Sa Sa’s Recovery Is Not a Return to the Old Tourist Retail Model
Sa Sa International posted a 12.5% rise in quarterly turnover to HK$1.16 billion, driven by both brick‑and‑mortar and online channels. Offline sales in Hong Kong and Macau grew 11.8% year‑on‑year, with same‑store sales up 14.7%, while average transaction value rose 9.4%....