Today's Marketing Pulse
McKinsey predicts agentic AI will power two‑thirds of marketing activities
McKinsey’s new report forecasts that agentic AI could drive up to two‑thirds of marketing activities, shifting AI from a productivity add‑on to a core campaign engine. Early adopters are already using generative tools, while the next wave will involve autonomous agents that coordinate decisions across workflows. The firm outlines a five‑step roadmap for implementation.
From Reddit to Revenue: Building Real Community That Drives Sales and AI Visibility via @Sejournal, @Hethr_campbell
Search Engine Journal hosted an on‑demand webinar where OGS Media CEO Bartosz Goralewicz and Reddit advisor Brent Csutoras revealed a five‑stage Reddit strategy that lifted AI visibility by 2,000% within 90 days. The session detailed how Reddit‑driven trust signals feed AI answer engines, helping brands appear in AI‑generated recommendations. Attendees learned to avoid seven common credibility pitfalls and saw how authentic community engagement translated into six‑figure enterprise contracts. The framework positions Reddit as a high‑impact, underutilized channel for both SEO and revenue generation.
The Strategy Behind Dime Beauty’s New Fragrance
Dime Beauty introduced its newest fragrance, "Stay Awhile," priced at $62 and rolling out through Ulta Beauty, Amazon, and its own channels. CEO Cyndi Isgrig highlighted the brand’s evolution from a $100 million influencer‑driven DTC model to a retail‑focused strategy, now...
Organic
The author reflects on the dual meaning of "organic," contrasting organic chemistry with organic search results that are generated algorithmically rather than through paid ads. He explains how SEO practices, driven by Goodhart's law, can corrupt search metrics and make...
How the ‘Lumpia Queen’ Turned 1 Failed Recipe Into a Thriving Creator Business and a Collab With Gordon Ramsay
Abi Marquez’s accidental video of a marshmallow fried in a lumpia wrapper went viral, racking up one million views in two hours. She leaned into the feedback, turning the mishap into a series of lumpia‑wrapper recipes that earned her the...
How Qatar Airways Will Activate the World Cup 2026: A Global CMO Perspective From a FIFA Host City Director
Qatar Airways is redefining World Cup 2026 sponsorship by treating the tournament as a global system rather than a visibility‑driven campaign. The airline integrates its network strategy, brand positioning, customer experience and market expansion into a unified activation platform. This...
How Planet Fitness Lost Its Way in the Increasingly Competitive Gym Marke...
Planet Fitness reported Q1 membership growth of 730,000, a decline from the 1 million added a year earlier, and posted adjusted earnings of 74 cents per share on $337 million revenue, beating expectations. The company cited marketing missteps that resonated with fitness...
AI Becomes Competitive Edge, Saving 10 Hours Weekly
Wayne Stiles runs Walking the Bible Lands—a business where creativity and content are everything. AI could have been just another distraction. Instead, the AI Business Lab® Mastermind turned it into his biggest competitive advantage. He now uses AI as a thought...
Studio Behind EVE Online Changes Name To Avoid Confusion With Chinese Communist Party
After two decades as Crowd Control Protections (CCP), the studio behind *EVE Online* announced it will rename itself Fenris Creations. The change aims to prevent ongoing brand collisions with the Chinese Communist Party, which has led to media misidentifications and...
Best Marketing Tools and Platforms For Growth
The article spotlights four purpose‑built marketing platforms—Ravetree, Passionfruit, GeoTargetly, and ClickGUARD—each targeting a specific growth bottleneck for ecommerce brands. It frames the recommendation against a backdrop of martech overload, noting Gartner’s finding that 59% of marketers deem their stacks too...
You’re Getting the Leads — So Why Aren’t You Growing? Here’s Where You’re Losing Them.
Businesses that generate abundant leads often stall because they fail to convert those prospects into paying customers. The article highlights that delayed or absent responses to calls, voicemails, and online inquiries erode trust and waste existing interest. It stresses that...
Brands and Celebs Lost Millions of Followers Thanks to This Instagram Update—Including Instagram Itself
Instagram’s latest update removed millions of inactive accounts, causing a sharp drop in follower counts for major brands, celebrities and even the platform itself. Nike lost 4.27 million followers, while Cristiano Ronaldo, Kim Kardashian and Victoria’s Secret each shed between 5 and...
Optimizing Operations at a Legacy Brand
Tony Roma’s is re‑engineering its 50‑year‑old brand by shrinking restaurant footprints to about 3,000 sq ft, cutting construction costs roughly 30%, and rolling out a fast‑casual prototype aimed at high‑traffic venues like airports and university centers. The chain is embedding AI and...
This Company Boldly Asks You to Replace Human Workers with AI. Its Strategy Is Working Well, in One Way
Artisan, an AI startup, launched a provocative billboard campaign that urges companies to replace human sales reps with its AI agent, Ava. The ads, displayed in New York City and San Francisco, feature messages like “Fire Steve. Hire Ava” and have sparked a...
Clicks Are a Vanity Metric. Authority Is What Matters Now
Brands are moving from a click‑centric model to an authority‑centric one as AI‑driven zero‑click searches now answer roughly 60% of queries, siphoning organic traffic. McKinsey warns that 20‑50% of traffic could disappear into Google’s AI Overviews. The article argues that...
More Data Points, Deeper Research Beats Generic Ads
📷 Six frameworks from this creative bundle that I'm stealing immediately: 1/ 160-200 data points per creative brief vs. the 10-15 most agencies use. @oliverblackshaw's research system: → Amazon reviews for real objections → Social listening for language patterns → Competitor analysis for gaps → Customer...
How 1 Substack Post Paid More than 11 Years on Instagram for My Client
A Choice Media client earned more from a single Substack post than from eleven years of Instagram content, highlighting the financial upside of owning one’s audience. The post underscores how Substack’s ownership model—direct subscriber relationships, archived content, and built‑in monetization—contrasts...
Megan Rapinoe Backs Angel Reese’s Media Boycott, Sparking Athlete‑led Shift in Brand Strategy
Former US soccer star Megan Rapinoe publicly supported WNBA forward Angel Reese’s choice to forgo mandatory post‑game interviews, even if it means paying league fines. The endorsement signals a growing trend of athletes using media avoidance as a branding tool,...
Nomad Foods Appoints Justin Billingsley as CMO to Steer Birds Eye and Other Brands
Nomad Foods announced on May 7, 2026 that Justin Billingsley, former global CMO of Publicis Groupe, will serve as chief marketing officer. Reporting to CEO Dominic Brisby, Billingsley will oversee a unified marketing function for the company's flagship frozen‑food brands...
Snap Q1 2026 Earnings Call Shows Strong User Growth and $286M Free Cash Flow
Snap Inc. reported $286 million in free cash flow and a surge in user‑generated content during its Q1 2026 earnings call. Spotlight shares rose 62% globally, AR lens usage hit 9 billion daily interactions, and games reached 255 million monthly active users, highlighting...
Bumble to Kill Swipe Feature as Paying Users Fall 21% to 3.2 M
Bumble announced it will remove the swipe mechanic that defined modern dating apps, a move confirmed by CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd amid a 21% plunge in paid users to 3.2 million and a 14.1% revenue decline to $212.4 million. The pivot leans...
Hormozi Advice Sparks Massive Social Media Surge
The Hormozi Effect. The host of our podcast Stephanie Pipkin got to ask @AlexHormozi a question at a recent workshop and it was posted on socials by the Hormozi team. Our team was quick on it (first comment, etc) and have...
AI Analyzes Newsletter Subject Lines to Boost Open Rates
If you run a newsletter, you need this AI workflow: I connected my newsletter to Claude (via Beehiiv MCP) and asked it to analyze every subject line against open rate from the last year. It categorized 60+ sends, ran the math, and...
Google Ads Surfaces Tag Manager Controls Inside Its Interface
Google Ads has introduced a new “Manage” option in its Data Manager that opens Google Tag Manager controls directly within the Ads interface. The integration lets advertisers view connected data sources and adjust tag triggers without switching platforms, streamlining measurement...
Google Eliminates FAQ Rich Results From Search in 2026
After cutting down FAQ snippets in 2023 and just showing them for authoritative gov and health sites, Google is now nuking them totally. From Google: "As of May 7, 2026, FAQ rich results are no longer appearing in Google Search....
What Is ‘Premium Content’ on Just Food?
Just Food has launched a Premium Content tier that places its most data‑intensive articles behind a registration wall. The new offering bundles deeper analysis, industry interviews, and exclusive reports powered by GlobalData’s proprietary research. Readers must create a basic profile...
SEO Strategies That Drive Consistent Client Inquiries
The article outlines a systematic SEO approach that prioritizes high‑intent, service‑specific keywords and aligns landing pages with user intent to generate qualified client inquiries. It recommends building a content funnel that moves prospects from awareness through mid‑level education to bottom‑of‑funnel...
From Ad Exposure to In-Store Sales
PadSquad and Cuebiq have launched a partnership that ties digital ad exposure directly to physical store visits and, for the first time, transaction outcomes. The solution uses Cuebiq’s mobility intelligence and a dwell‑time filter to count only meaningful foot traffic,...
Should I Hire a Fractional CMO?
Hiring a full‑time CMO can cost $600,000‑$1.2 million in the first year and often requires a six‑to‑nine‑month ramp before delivering results. Fractional CMOs, who work part‑time on defined engagements, are gaining traction as a cost‑effective alternative. The pool of U.S. fractional...
Different Skills Needed: Content Creation vs Live Selling
On a previous #TeawithGaryVee I was asked "Can you break down the skill set required to be a great content creator on social versus the skill set to be a great live seller?" if you have a question for me, drop...
AI Search Leaders Debate Top Vs. Bottom Funnel
People that are leading or working on AI search efforts: Which of these are trying to solve for? Top or bottom of funnel? Or both? CC @JHTScherck @TheCoolestCool @lilyraynyc @Kevin_Indig @kristakdoyle https://t.co/sBfHaojBy5
Google to No Longer Support FAQ Rich Results
Google announced that FAQ rich results will be discontinued on May 7, 2026, ending the display of FAQ snippets in organic search. The change also removes the FAQ appearance from the Rich Results Test and the Search Console report in June 2026, with...
LinkedIn Article Hits Google’s Top Spot in 24 Hours
The pipeline from LinkedIn article to top result in Google is so real. This piece is barely 24 hours old. My god. https://t.co/GSluiMC2WK
Price Your Product to Match Its Value Narrative
Founders: Your pricing strategy should match your narrative. If you're selling efficiency gains, price against labor costs. If you're selling revenue lift, price against deal value. If you're selling risk reduction, price against loss prevention.
SpeedyIndex Emerges as a Disruptive Semrush Alternative, Launching Live JS-Rendered Backlink Audits Within Its Unified SEO Ecosystem
SpeedyIndex launched a Live JS‑Rendered Bulk Backlink Checker that scans webpages in real time, replacing traditional cached databases. The tool offers pay‑as‑you‑go pricing, letting users audit up to 100,000 URLs without a mandatory monthly subscription. By rendering JavaScript on the...
All‑In‑One Campaign Validation Built Into PromoPartyPro
Putting every kind of campaign validation checking we can think of into @promopartypro to help people easily troubleshoot their own issues. https://t.co/vBsvlimsqm
Google Ads Smart Bidding Now Offers More Budget Pacing Options
ICYMI: Google Ads Smart Bidding Exploration and budget pacing works in more ways https://t.co/gg4gBv5bXg https://t.co/izMFKytnFp
Influencers Are Introducing US Web Surfers to Chinese EVs
U.S. influencers are showcasing Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) to American audiences, generating millions of views and a surge in curiosity. A Strategic Vision survey found one‑third of prospective U.S. car buyers would consider a Chinese‑built EV, despite a 100% tariff...
Your Reputation, Not Connections, Fuels Unstoppable Sales
It's not who you know. It's who knows you. Your personal brand gets spoken about in rooms you're not in. That's the most powerful sales machine you can build.
Ads in LLMs Spark Need for Trusted Subscription Model
As they add ads to LLMs this will be an even bigger problem. Creates an opportunity for a trusted LLM brand that can deliver on customer value. Maybe it has to be a subscription.
Leo Chicago Corrals Aldi's Supermarket Savings
Leo Chicago, a Publicis Groupe agency, unveiled a new Aldi advertising series featuring a cowboy narrator in two 30‑second spots titled “Bread Sage” and “Cart Coral Cowboy.” The campaign runs on TV, connected TV, online video and social platforms, emphasizing...
Google AI's Bundle Sets New Standard for Subscription Success
.@GoogleAI's subscription bundle is arguably the most successful consumer subscription in history. They bundle Gemini, NotebookLM, Nano Banana, Veo 3, and terabytes of storage—with 150M+ subscribers generating many billions in revenue. Here's the story behind how they designed the bundle, their unconventional...
Boost LinkedIn Engagement with AI-Powered Posts
Trying to get more involved with the @LinkedIn community, but are finding that your posts don't get engagement? Use AI to make 'em more engaging. Here's how to give it a try: https://t.co/y53idal1Jb #linkedin #chatgpt #ai #socialmedia https://t.co/wu3iA3BOjJ
Target High‑value, Paying Customers, Not Every Segment
Founders: Don't try to boil the ocean with pricing segments. You're not optimizing pricing for every possible customer - you're looking for the ones who: 1) Have the problem badly 2) Can pay to fix it 3) Will get clear value from your solution
After 15 Years, I Abandoned SEO as Growth Lever
The @ecomfuelco podcast today about how I've given up on SEO after 15+ years as my primarily growth lever. Good, nuanced counter take from @Travis_Jamison who knows the SEO world significantly better than I do. Super curious to hear how...
AI Firms Spin Different Tales for Users and Investors
AI companies are telling consumers one story and investors another. For #SEO and content professionals, knowing which one to act on makes all the difference. https://t.co/MeU1enMas2 via @gregjarboe, @sejournal
FAQ Schema Explodes for GEO
Wonder if this has anything to do with the tens of thousands of new articles about using FAQ schema for GEO? 🤔🤔 h/t @glenngabe
Customer‑Centric Strategies Drive Superior Growth: 5 Best Practices
RT @VisionEdgeMktg 🎯 Customer-centric growth strategies outperform, here are 5 best practices to get there. https://t.co/7QiF7l5QYZ #customercentric #growth #strategy
AEO Beats SEO: Get Cited in AI Answers
SEO focused on ranking pages. AEO focuses on being cited in the answer. That changes: • how content is written • how it’s structured • what gets rewarded Buyers ask AI differently than they search Google. The companies getting cited are adapting to that first. https://t.co/oPV35z2aVm
TikTok: Musicians' Ultimate Guide to Audience Growth
TikTok is the most powerful music discovery tool ever built. Here's everything you need to know about using it to grow your audience, straight from the musicians who've figured it out. https://t.co/qRVoz0fI6E
Turn First Buyers Into Loyal Advocates Through Trust
Customer acquisition is just the beginning. Building long-term relationships is key to sustainable growth. Focus on creating value and trust to turn first-time buyers into loyal advocates.