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Big Social Stance On External Links 🔗 YouTube Trends Of 2024 📊 OpenAI Considers Ads Model 🗣️

Also: Set Up TikTok Direct Messaging Ads

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🗞 Marketing News

Where Each Of The Big Social Platforms Stand On External Links [8 min read]

Major social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, Snapchat, and LinkedIn are increasingly restricting or penalizing external links in posts to keep user engagement within their own ecosystems. These platforms use various methods, such as limiting link visibility, restricting links to specific areas like Stories or profiles, and throttling certain URLs, which makes it challenging for users to drive traffic to external websites. However, Bluesky stands out as a notable exception by embracing external links, providing an attractive alternative for users and journalists who prioritize sharing and directing traffic through external links.

The Year On YouTube, Trends Around The World [3 min read]

This year on YouTube, fan-driven content and digital franchises have become essential in shaping global pop culture, with fans actively creating content that drives the success of various properties. Trends across 12 countries reveal significant commonalities, demonstrating how fan-generated content can propel localized moments into global phenomena and highlighting the interconnectedness of YouTube’s audience. Also, YouTube serves as a launchpad for personalized and participatory pop culture experiences, facilitating the emergence of new entertainment series and cultural events through innovative collaborations between creators and viewers.

OpenAI Considers Ads Model For Future Revenue Streams [2 min read]

OpenAI is exploring the introduction of advertising into its products to diversify its revenue streams as it transitions into a for-profit company. To support this potential shift, the company has strategically hired advertising experts from major tech firms like Meta and Google. Despite experiencing rapid revenue growth, with annual revenues reaching approximately $4 billion from ChatGPT’s success, OpenAI faces significant development costs.

Set Up TikTok Direct Messaging Ads [2 min read]

To set up TikTok Direct Messaging Ads, start by ensuring you have a TikTok Business Account with Direct Message permissions set to "Everyone" to allow users to initiate conversations through your ads. Next, create a Direct Messaging Ads campaign in TikTok Ads Manager by selecting "Lead Generation" as your objective, using features like Dayparting, and choosing an optimization goal such as "Conversations" or "Click." Finally, develop your ad creative by uploading or creating a video, configure the ad settings to clearly communicate the call-to-action for direct messaging, and publish the ad to make it live and start engaging with interested users.

🤖 AI

Generating Worlds [2 min read]

An innovative AI system transforms single 2D images into fully interactive 3D environments, enabling users to explore and navigate these spaces with enhanced control and consistency. It offers features such as precise virtual camera controls, a variety of 3D effects, and real-time interaction capabilities that elevate the user experience and creative possibilities. Also, the system integrates with existing creative tools, empowering creators to incorporate this technology into their workflows for applications in film, gaming, digital art, and more.

Introducing Amazon Nova [6 min read]

Amazon Nova is a new suite of advanced foundation models offered exclusively through Amazon Bedrock, designed to deliver cutting-edge intelligence and cost-effective performance for a wide range of generative AI tasks, including understanding and creative content generation. These models support diverse applications such as document processing, video analysis and creation, and content generation, with practical integrations demonstrated through Python scripts and AWS services like Amazon S3. Also, Amazon Nova emphasizes responsible AI usage by incorporating robust safety features, customization capabilities tailored to specific industry needs, and seamless integration with Amazon Bedrock for easy deployment and scalability.

🧠 Hacks & Tactics

The Starbucks Effect: Use Names, Not Order Numbers [6 min read]

Using customers' names instead of order numbers significantly increases their preference and satisfaction, creating a stronger emotional connection with the brand. This personalization is most effective in human-managed interactions and appropriate contexts, but may be less effective or even counterproductive in automated systems or when dealing with sensitive products. Implementing name-based order identification through strategies like collecting names, personalized thank-you notes, and highlighting human involvement can enhance the overall customer experience and promote loyalty.

How To Win At Lifetime Customer Value (LCV) [4 min read]

Prioritizing Lifetime Customer Value (LCV) involves transforming one-time buyers into loyal, repeat customers who advocate for the brand, ensuring sustainable growth and a competitive edge. Enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty can be achieved by delivering exceptional value, utilizing Net Promoter Score (NPS) to measure and improve experiences, and leveraging upselling and cross-selling techniques to increase overall customer spend. Also, integrating Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) across all aspects of the business optimizes the entire customer journey, leading to higher retention rates and increased LCV.

9 Game Changer Growth Frameworks [10 min read]

Effective growth frameworks are important strategic tools that simplify complex growth strategies into actionable concepts, enabling leaders and teams to focus on what truly drives business success while avoiding ineffective methods. By exploring nine key growth frameworks with practical applications and real-world examples, businesses can implement proven strategies that foster sustainable and scalable growth. Also, continuous learning and the adaptation of personalized frameworks ensure ongoing innovation and the ability to maintain and expand growth initiatives effectively.

⚙️ Machine Shop

Four Types Of Stories That Sell Without Sounding Salesy [8 min read]

Storytelling in marketing is powerful because it engages audiences emotionally and overcomes skepticism. Four effective story types—impressive-detail stories, founders’ stories, “how it works” stories, and values stories—can sell products without sounding overly salesy. Aligning these stories with a company's values builds trust and deepens customer loyalty.

How To Leverage Buyer Beliefs To Improve Your Marketing [3 min read]

Beliefs are central to influencing customer behavior, and marketers can be more effective by understanding and shaping these beliefs. Overcoming the "curse of knowledge," where marketers assume their audience shares their expertise, requires clear communication that aligns with the audience's current understanding. A successful strategy involves identifying and fostering the right beliefs in customers to make them more inclined to purchase.

10 Advanced Strategy Ideas For Google Ads [7 min read]

To optimize Google Ads campaigns, segregating broad match keywords from phrase and exact match keywords allows for better bidding strategies and budget control. Leveraging custom segments for competitor targeting and utilizing insights from Microsoft Advertising search term reports can further enhance campaign effectiveness. Also, integrating advanced strategies like investing in video assets, using aggressive bidding initially, and applying flexible budgeting can significantly improve overall campaign performance.

🔮 The Future

5 Charts That Can Help You Better Grasp Conversion Rate In 2025 [3 min read]

SaaS and e-commerce platforms are experiencing lower than average conversion rates, highlighting the need to introduce urgency elements to enhance performance. Overall conversion rates have seen a slight decline across most markets in 2024, particularly in the US, suggesting a more cautious outlook for upcoming periods. Despite these challenges, email marketing continues to be the most effective channel for driving conversions, underscoring its critical role in successful marketing strategies.

Amazon's Carbon-Removal Breakthrough [2 min read]

Amazon has partnered with Orbital Materials to develop AI tools aimed at enhancing carbon removal in data centers, supporting Amazon's commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2040. Orbital Materials, backed by Radical Ventures and NVIDIA, has created an AI platform called Orb AI that has significantly improved carbon capture efficiency through the development of an AI-driven molecular sponge. Also, through their multi-year agreement, Orbital will provide its open-source AI model to AWS customers, enabling the widespread development of advanced sustainable technologies and helping to meet global sustainability targets.

TikTok And Nielsen Strike Measurement Deal [1 min read]

The deal will allow advertisers to compare ad performance across multiple platforms, including digital, CTV, and linear screens. The timing of this partnership is particularly noteworthy as it comes during Nielsen's ongoing contract dispute with Paramount Global, which has stopped using Nielsen's services for the past two months.

That's it for this week! See you next week. 😎

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