Google Leak 🤫💦 PayPal Readies Ad Platform 🧾 TikTok Launches New Features 🕺💃

Happy Friday Marketing Engineers!

If you’re new, welcome aboard 👋. If you're a seasoned Engineer, thanks for sticking around! Coming up today: AI in the Boardroom, weird job posts to break the internet, and the psychology of the Generation Effect.

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🚀 Adam

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🗞 Marketing News

PayPal Readies Advertising Platform Rooted In Transaction Data [2 min read]

PayPal announced the creation of a new advertising platform that leverages transaction data from its nearly 400 million active accounts to help merchants sell more products and services. By offering performance-based advertising through its advanced offers platform, PayPal aims to compete in the crowded retail media market, aligning itself with other financial and hospitality companies entering the media network space.

Everyone In SEO Should See Leaked Google Search API Documents [30 min read]

An anonymous source shared thousands of documents with Rand Fishkin, revealing extensive details about Google's search operations that contradict many of the company's public statements. The documents highlight the use of a system called NavBoost, which collects and analyzes user clickstream data to enhance search result quality, showing that user behavior significantly influences search rankings. Also, the leak indicates that Google employs whitelists for certain sectors and integrates quality rater feedback into its search system, impacting the evaluation and ranking of websites. Conspiracy or Reality?!...If only we could know if these were real documents! 😕🕵️‍♂️

Google Confirms The Leaked Search Documents Are Real [3 min read]

Google has confirmed the authenticity of a leaked collection of 2,500 internal documents detailing the data the company collects, which they had previously refused to comment on. These documents provide unprecedented but still unclear insights into the data Google tracks and potentially uses in its search ranking algorithm. The leak is likely to cause significant disruption in the SEO, marketing, and publishing industries. {m}

TikTok Launches Management Platform For Creators [3 min read]

TikTok Studio is a new dashboard for creators to manage all aspects of their TikTok presence, including video uploads, editing, and performance analytics. This platform consolidates all key creation and management tools into one place, and makes it easier for creators to access and use various functions in a streamlined manner. TikTok Studio also focuses on monetization tools, and helps creators manage growth opportunities and provides access to educational resources through the Creator Academy.

🤖 Artificial Intelligence

AI In The Boardroom: Why It Could Change The Way Companies Make Decisions [4 min read]

Abu Dhabi's International Holding Company (IHC) has appointed an AI-powered observer, Aiden Insight, to its board of directors to provide advanced data analytics and risk assessments for better decision-making. Experts highlight that AI can help the board make more informed decisions by processing vast amounts of data quickly and offering neutral counterarguments free from office politics. The use of AI is expected to grow exponentially and play a transformative role in various sectors, with predictions that it will enable capabilities beyond current imagination within the next few years.

Apple Bets That Its Giant User Base Will Help It Win In AI [5 min read]

Apple is set to unveil new AI features at its upcoming developers conference, integrating them into core apps like Safari, Photos, and Notes. Leveraging its vast user base, Apple aims to become a major AI player almost overnight, as hundreds of millions of devices will support these new features, tightly integrated into its ecosystem.

OpenAI Lands PricewaterhouseCoopers Enterprise [2 min read]

PwC is now its largest customer and first resale partner, giving over 100,000 employees and clients access to ChatGPT Enterprise. PwC aims to use this partnership to enhance its AI capabilities, streamline tasks like reviewing tax returns and generating reports, and help clients implement AI solutions across various industries, with over 3,000 identified use cases. The deal helps OpenAI generate more revenue amid high cloud computing costs and marks the first instance of allowing a company to resell its products.

Companies Can Now Create TikTok Social Campaigns Using Generative AI [2 min read]

TikTok Symphony is an AI-powered ad suite that enhances ad efficiency with tools for script writing and video production. Also, the company launched TikTok One, a hub that connects advertisers with nearly two million creators and agency partners to support short-form video content production. Amid these updates, TikTok also announced the Change Makers Program, recognizing 50 creators and donating $1 million to over 30 nonprofits, highlighting its support for creators and social causes despite regulatory challenges.

🧠 Hacks & Tactics

Weird Job Posts To Break The Internet [4 min read]

The careers page on a company's website often receives a lot of traffic but is usually under-utilized as a marketing tool. Companies can generate viral buzz and increase engagement by creating weird and funny job posts, either by inventing fake jobs, rebranding common jobs with humorous titles, or hiring for unique and bizarre real jobs. These quirky job posts can lead to significant PR benefits, including free publicity, improved perception of company culture, and increased traffic to the careers page, all requiring minimal budget.

7 Must Have Onboarding Email Templates [8 min read]

Derived from a collection of over 213 effective onboarding emails, including types like warm welcome emails and feedback request emails. Detailed examples and best practices for each email type, emphasizing personalization, clear next steps, social proof, and maintaining a human touch.

The Psychology Of The Generation Effect [4 min read]

The Generation Effect demonstrates that people remember information better when they actively generate it, such as filling in missing letters, leading to a 14% increase in recall. This phenomenon can be applied to advertising, where the American Red Cross's #MissingType campaign used missing letters to boost blood donations, and in SaaS, where Duolingo's immersion exercises enhance language learning retention. Encouraging active participation through interactive content on social media, such as quizzes and polls, can significantly boost engagement, making a brand more memorable and ultimately driving more sales.

⚙️ Machine Shop

How To Run An Effective Yet Manageable B2B Blog Strategy [10 min read]

Effective execution hinges on three decisions: prioritizing between traffic and leads, choosing between SEO and non-SEO content, and identifying the pain points of the target audience. By focusing on lead generation over mere traffic acquisition, companies can tailor their content to high-buying intent topics, resulting in more valuable conversions. Understanding audience needs and preferences, whether through keyword research or direct feedback from sales teams, ensures that content resonates with potential customers at crucial moments in their buyer's journey.

Homepage Design: 5 Fundamental Principles [20 min read]

Five core principles for crafting great homepages, including accessibility, brand identity, showcasing content through examples, prompting user actions, and simplicity. These principles endure over time, rooted in fundamental human behavior.

How to Grow Without Paid Marketing [4 min read]

Alternative strategies such as organic social media, SEO, and content marketing can achieve long-term success. Build a strong brand foundation, understand the target market, and use a mix of marketing channels for successful and sustainable growth.

🔮 The Future

Robots Have Been About To Take All The Jobs For 100 Years [8 min read]

The historical and ongoing fears of job loss due to automation, traced from the 1920s to present day. Perspectives from influential figures like Albert Einstein, Henry Ford, Bill Gates and Andrew Yang, and a range of opinions and proposed solutions to the challenges posed by technological advancements. The central theme is that while automation displaces some jobs, it also creates new opportunities. The debate continues on how to manage this balance effectively.{m}

2024 Gen-Z And Millennial Survey [15 min read]

Despite future uncertainties, there is a growing sense of optimism among these generations regarding the economy, personal finances, and workplace progress in diversity, work/life balance, climate action, and societal impact, with a strong belief in businesses driving positive change. Gen Z and Millennials demand meaningful work, purpose-driven organizations, flexibility, supportive workplaces for mental health, career growth opportunities, and competitive compensation. Employers must be adaptive and responsive for a more satisfied and agile workforce.

Instagram Chief Says Post Share Rates Are Now A Key Driver Of Reach [3 min read]

Share rates are now more important than watch time, likes, or comments in the platform's algorithm. Social media platforms, including Instagram, are shifting their focus from traditional interactions to entertainment and watch time, particularly with short-form videos. To increase reach, content creators should make their posts entertaining and emotionally engaging to encourage more shares.

{m} Inspiration

Hacking Hard-Work [2 min read]

Through self-programming and introspection, mundane tasks can be made to feel significant and rewarding, making hard work less taxing and more fulfilling. Check it out!

📓 Learn More

MIT AI: Implications For Business Strategy [6 week course]

This short online course offers comprehensive insights into AI technologies like machine learning, natural language processing, and robotics, blending theory with practical applications to address real business needs and challenges. It emphasizes human-centric AI leadership, highlighting how AI can enhance workforce capabilities and improve business operations through informed, strategic decision-making. Also, the course provides in-depth understanding of generative AI, its applications, and limitations across industries, equipping participants with the knowledge to adapt and leverage AI for organizational value.

🗳️ Feedback Dept!

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

✌️ Team Marketing Machine

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