How goes it? 😀

Be honest. If you’re having a smooth day, I hope it keeps going! If today’s had a rocky start, that’s okay. Think of things that did go your way today. Was your coffee just the right temperature? Did you see a brightly colored sky this morning? Whatever it was, send a little gratitude out to those positive forces. Remember: the meh/not-so-great days make the good ones shine brighter. 🙂

Okay, let’s push onward into digital marketing! 💻

• 59% of adults are interested in using AI chatbots for conducting product research. This eMarketer story reinforces the importance of adding schema and product listings that are part of DBE’s SAIO optimization strategy. Don’t miss the note that Amazon is launching its own AI chatbot called Q.

• When a teacher instructs a class, they start with the basics and build from there. AI prompting can be approached similarly. With Chain of Thought (CoT) Reasoning plus 2 other techniques, generalized chatbot, ChatGPT, was able to deliver high-quality responses that bested specialized AI competitors. Perhaps we should be looking at chatbot prompting from the view of a great teacher… building lessons on each other, giving plentiful examples, and shuffling up the test choices (the answer isn’t always “C”, y’all).

Do Good Spotlight
🌟 Toys for Tots 🌟

Quick quiz: what organization has distributed 652 million toys to 291 million deserving children? If you guessed Toys for Tots, you’d be right! The Marine Toys for Tots Program’s mission is to collect new unwrapped toys and distribute those toys to less fortunate children at Christmas. Learn how you can support them: Toys for Tots.

• Have you ever been to an all-you-can-eat buffet with none of the dishes labeled correctly? That same confusion you get wondering if that dish on the back burner is chicken or pork is what advertisers feel on the Google Search Partner network (GSP). Advertisers have reported finding their ads on questionable websites, some of which were blocked. And this is why DBE tends to avoid the GSP network for our clients….

• Listening is one of the hardest skills to learn. It’s not something you can take a seminar on and call it a day. It’s an everyday practice. A constant choice. A meaningful awareness of yourself. A heartful connection with another. Quick Study posted a thoughtful piece on listening in marketing. I especially recommend reading the part about “transit hub” vs. “community” brands. Knowing where your brand lies in that mix is crucial to how you can best serve your customers.

• Marketing Charts has data from Dentsu on what roles CMOs are prioritizing for the next 12 months vs. the last 12 months. Top priorities include “ensuring effective brand management” and “developing the overall customer experience.” The story notes that B2C CMOs are held more accountable for customer satisfaction and advocacy while B2B CMOs are more likely to be responsible for the delivery of digital transformation programs.

See you on the flipside, friends. Have a superb week!💖

Natalie

Tap dancing is an incredible skill… and these brothers make it look easy! 🕺🏻🕺🏻

I don’t know about you, but I am inspired. 🤩

Perhaps you’re inspired enough to share us with your friends…. Here’s the link!

Guess what 😊

IT’S HERE! Your favorite digital marketing newsletter has arrived in your inbox! 🔥🥵 See what’s hot this Wednesday:

• Twitter and Meta in their own hot messes:
• Following in Twitter’s footsteps, Meta is laying off 13% of its workforce. Meta says Apple’s privacy policy updates have caused the company’s net Income to plummet and they need to restructure. We are sending positivity to all the workers affected by these changes.

• * “Who Are You” by The Who plays in the background* Twitter’s recent blue check verification issue caused quite a scandal. (If you’re not up on the tea, Twitter allowed Blue subscribers to display a verified blue check on their account. This caused a slew of imposter accounts to spread false information.) But don’t worry too much, they are working to return the official gray verification checks back to the true accounts.

• In the pandemonium, alternative social platforms are gaining traction:
• Look in the sky. It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it’s BeReal! MarketingCharts has the deets about this hot new social platform including its apparent appeal to young women. 66% of BeReal’s adult audience members are women ages 18-24! And the app also seems to be reaching men 25-34. Maybe BeReal will become more of a real deal in the year ahead.

• Mastodon users have been surging since Musk’s takeover. The increase in uploads on Google Play and the App Store was quite cuckoo worldwide. The decentralized social platform is definitely a contender to watch with these numbers….

Do Good Spotlight
🌟 Lasagna Love 🌟

We learned about Lasagna Love from Melissa Latham, who is one of the volunteer chefs. (Another awesome person we learned about through The Connective!) This amazing global nonprofit and grassroots movement aims to positively impact communities by connecting neighbors with neighbors through homemade meal delivery. They also seek to eliminate stigmas associated with asking for help when it is needed most. Their mission is simple: feed families, spread kindness, and strengthen communities. You can learn more here.

There are lots of ways to help, we made a cash donation but perhaps you can volunteer as a chef, a la Melissa.

• 2023 is just around the corner and 2023 budget planning is well underway. It’s the time when setting expectations for ROI is critical to gain approvals for your marketing initiatives. SEO is one of the hardest digital marketing initiatives to explain to executives in terms of time and results. Get some guidance on how to define and manage SEO expectations.

• Want less data but more insights? This MarTech article explores using “decision playbooks” to identify the most important success metrics you need to quickly get agreement on next steps. 👣

We hope you’re finding ways to stay positive in these digitally tumultuous times. Sometimes the best thing to do is keep on keepin’ on,

Natalie

Invite your friends on this digital marketing news train 🚅📰📰📰🚃

Send them this signup link!

Boo! 👻

If that didn’t scare you, our spooky issue of What’s Hot Wednesday will! 🦇🎃 Commence the spooky Halloween tunes!

• Looking into our crystal ball 🔮 … marketers are predicting heightened adoption of metaverse tech in 2023. They’re even looking to create a new role in their team for a “metaverse coordinator.” Get the full outlook in this MarketingTech article.

• *ghoulish voice* They’re coming… and they’re raising privacy concerns. Uber ads are going to be formally released soon and people have already brought up concerns on location privacy. While some advertisers may be jumping up in their seats about this, we will all have to wait and see how everything rolls out.

• Here lies the thumbs up emoji 💀. That’s right, the thumbs up emoji has been canceled by Gen Z for being abrupt and sometimes rude, according to Forbes. My take on this: Gen Z has experienced much, if not most, of their communication through technology. The meanings encoded in the pictographic and technical communication are deeper than earlier generations. With that lens, it’s no surprise that emojis can get canceled.

Do Good Spotlight
🌟 Children First PA 🌟

Through “developing initiatives and advocating for quality health care, child care, public education, and family stability,” Children First PA works to improve children’s lives, particularly around the Philly area. They continually release research, including insights on Covid’s impact on children. Learn more about their noble cause here: Children First PA.

• Something new is lurking in your feeds… YouTube handles, that is. Creators will be choosing (or already have chosen) handles for their accounts. They will be visible in Shorts and channel pages near you this month!

• If you’ve been on the fence about starting a podcast for your business, or if your team is having challenges getting a rhythm going with its marketing, you may want to check out Rise25. Since 2008, they’ve been helping businesses generate high ROI from podcasts. How? By connecting them—faster—to high caliber prospects, referral partners, strategic partners, and industry influencers. Rise25 has innovated a “done-for-you” podcasting model with tiers of services that can be aligned for any B2B business. One conversation with co-founder Dr. Jeremy Weisz and I instantly understood why this agency is so highly regarded. Here’s how to learn more and connect: Rise25.

• Holding a party this weekend? Here are some jams for your spooktacular playlist! 🎶

I hope you all enjoy the upcoming weekend!

Creep it real, y’all,

Natalie

🎶 When you need some news … about digital marketing…

🎶 Who ya gonna call?

You get the gist, but really, send your friends the signup link.

As you pass through childhood, many of the fears you had slowly fade. What your kid brain thought was the literal monster under the bed gradually transforms into a metaphorical one. And there are quite a few scary notions for our marketing selves. But, hey, what is October without a few frights? *Insert evil laughter* These ghoulish ideas are the subjects of only the most terrible nightmares.

HELP! You’re Trapped… in the Past!

“Marketing moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” That’s how that Ferris Bueller quote goes, right? Anyway, one of the kick-yourself marketing mistakes is missing out on leading tech and techniques.

How to Prepare:

• Stack your inbox with the latest marketing newsletters (like our What’s Hot Wednesday). This will help you stay up to date on the latest news.
• Attend industry conferences and webinars. Social media platforms almost all have some sort of live webinars running at least monthly.
• Look for different courses/certifications. Of course, there are all the basic ones like Google Ads, Google Analytics, Meta, etc. LinkedIn Learning has a very extensive list of course topics in all industries. Hootsuite has, also, some interesting social media certifications.

No One Knows You…r Brand

In the fiction book, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, the main character makes a deal and trades away everyone’s ability to remember her. Imagine your brand being the brand reincarnation of this tale! #YIKES

How to Prepare:

• Many social ad platforms offer brand lift tests (like LinkedIn and Facebook) to see how your audience is recalling your brand/advertising. This will help confirm or deny your suspicions.
• Spreading brand awareness takes time. Be clear and realistic with your marketing goals.

Losing Control… of Your Internet Speed

Come on, this report’s been downloading for the past 30 minutes… and it’s only at 7.8%!

How to Prepare:

• Have ready backup options if the internet is playing turtle. Confirm if there is a wired hookup to the internet in your residence.
• If you’re on the go, there are some reliable hotspot tools out there. Make sure to look at all the options and read the fine print before agreeing.
• If your internet is going to be out of commission for a substantial time, look for a co-working space nearby. The facility should have a secure internet connection, but you should check beforehand.

Being Chased… by a Persistent Platform Salesperson

*Receives 30th email this week on switching social scheduling platforms*

You: 😤

How to Prepare:

• If you are interested, try looking for the company online before clicking any links. See if there are reviews from others in your position (i.e., other small business owners or marketing pros).
• If you aren’t interested, you don’t have to listen. Set that sender to “junk” and say goodbye to those pesky notifications! 📂⬅📧

Falling… Into Deadlines

🎶 “Monday, I could wait ’til Tuesday / If I make up my mind

Wednesday would be fine / Thursday’s on my mind

Friday’d give me time / Saturday could wait

Sunday’d be too late”

Sting’s “7 Days” may be about something completely different, but it applies to the ever-constant temptation of procrastination. Sometimes waiting just a little too long can cause a plan to go kablooey.

How to Prepare:

• Deadlines approach quickly in marketing. No one wants to be a Procrastination Pat. Blocking out time in your calendar may be what’s needed to keep you on track with tasks, decisions, and deadlines.

Being Naked… on Data

You look in your data dashboard and everything is EMPTY. *duh duh duuuhhh* 😬 What a woe!

How to Prepare:

• Before calling in the rest of the marketing brigade, is it simply a connection issue or a platform update. No platform is perfect and things get outta whack every once in a while.
• QA. QA. QA. Don’t want to make a mistake? QA it yourself AND have another team member look through your data connections and tracking setup. We all love the peace of mind a solid QA process gives us!

Powering Through the Fright

With spooky season comes frights and horrors, 👻

but to make it to tomorrow, 📅

follow these simple tips ✔

and you’ll be prepared for any slip! 😎

Wait, sit down!

Seriously, you’re gonna wanna read this totally fetch edition of your favorite digital marketing newsletter. (Sorry, Mean Girls Day was on Monday, and I’m releasing this post on a Wednesday…can’t help but steal a few movie quips and quotes!) So, let’s get started!

• You’ve heard about AI-generated art before. Now, Facebook jumped on the bandwagon with Make-A-Video, an AI that generates videos from text. People have a lot to say about it. Here’s one opinion from Andrew Hutchinson in Social Media Today.

• Check out the latest Google Search updates and innovations from the Google Search On 2022 Highlights include “multisearch” (that lets you search via images and text at the same time) and Business Messages (that will let consumers message brands through search ads).
  • For a third-party perspective, check out Search Engine Land’s “10 biggest announcements” article.

• Who made it in Gen Z’s Favorite Brand book?? Morning Consult gives us a surprisingly unsurprising review of the post-Millennial mindset including how theirs compares with the general public.

Do Good Spotlight
🌟 Sunny Ronald’s Lemonade Stand 🌟

We have always loved the message behind Alex’s Lemonade Stand. Our team members just supported Sunny Ronald’s Lemonade Stand to help fund the cure for childhood cancer. See how you can support the cause, too.

• What most affects US social media users’ decision to engage with ads/sponsored content on social media platforms? eMarketer reports:
  • 52% say a platform’s privacy and data practices are extremely impactful
  • Only 13% say “the platform shows me relevant ads” is extremely impactful. Check out the other factors here.

• If you’re a numbers person or a list person, here are a few articles to spark your interest:
  • 4 New Useful LinkedIn Ads Features
  • 5 New Updates to Meta Call Ads
  • 9 New Google Search Features and Tools for Shopping

Just remember you’re, like, really awesome. 😊

Enjoy the rest of your week!

Natalie

*ring, ring* 📳

Hey, I heard from my best friend’s mom’s boyfriend’s brother’s cousin’s daughter that you haven’t told all your digital marketing friends about What’s Hot Wednesday.

You need to send them this signup link, like, now!

Good morning ☀

It’s that time of week again. We’re eager to share the latest digital marketing tea…. Hope you’re ready because it’s here, and it’s piping hot! ☕

• POP-UP. FLASH SALE. NEWSLETTER SIGNUP. All these pop-ups on your landing pages may get you flagged with Google’s new destination requirements policy. Get more insight in the WordStream article

• Long ago. The Wayback Machine was enacted to chronicle the internet in 1996. During the pandemic, they expanded that service to become a “National Emergency Library”. Now, book sellers are suing the Internet Archive for mass copyright infringement much like musicians sued Napster. If the suits are successful, we could be saying farewell to the Wayback Machine, too.

• Sometimes we need a new way to look at concepts (especially ones we think we know). When it comes to return on ad spend (ROAS), we all want to make sure we’re correctly utilizing the marketing budget. View ROAS in a new light in this article.

• 🔥 Hot Tips from DBE 🔥 Are you a digital marketing nut? Are you a fiend when it comes to ancient mythology? We put them together in this fun blog post for you.

Do Good Spotlight
🌟 The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children 🌟

Since 1984, The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) has worked ceaselessly to help reunite families when children are separated from their families. They work with law enforcement to help find missing children, reduce child exploitation, and prevent child victimization. We’ve supported them for years and invite you to learn more here: https://www.missingkids.org/HOME

• The Status of SEO 🔎
  • Search Engine Watch offers “An SEO strategy flywheel to win leadership buy-in and drive results.” In essence, it follows the same approach DBE uses, but it also includes discussion of “confident humility” as defined by Adam Grant. He says it’s” the sweet spot in the axes of confidence and competence.”

• • One of our potential clients recently asked us how long SEO takes. Our rule-of-thumb response is 4-6 months for significant improvements, though dynamic sites (sites with lots of content changes, think news, and e-commerce) can start to see results much faster. Google the question and you’ll see the same response in the results. Dig a little further and you’ll find the results of a recent survey of 75 SEO experts in this from Morningscore.

• The full switch to GA4 is right around the bend! Dana DiTomaso breaks down the 4 simple things you need to know, including how all hits are “events” and that “engagement rate” is not the opposite of bounce rate. Definitely a good, straight-forward read.

Wishing you a happy Wednesday! If you’re in the mood for a chuckle, check out these Wednesday memes.

Farewell friends – until next time!

Natalie

Congrats for making it to the bottom of this newsletter! 🥳

You must have really liked it!

Hey, you know what? (What, Natalie?)

You should tell your friends about us!

Send them this signup link!

Hey y’all!

August may be drawing to an end soon, but we are far from stopping this digital marketing train!

🚅📰📰📰📰📰🚃

• Our friend and CEO from The Mather Group, Josh Greene, shared some facts about the State of Wikipedia 🧩🌍. See their facts below or email josh@themathergroupllc.com for more info and to be added to his email briefings:
  • “The total editing activity on Wikipedia has been high this month and last, compared to what we saw the previous quarter.”
  • “The Wikimedia Foundation announced that they’ve entered into enterprise commercial access deals with Google and The Internet Archive.”
  • “There has been an increase in activity on Conflict of Interest message boards since the start of the summer. A good indication that the community is not taking conflict of interest issues lightly.”

• 🍎 Apple is thinking about bringing ads to pre-installed apps (like Maps and Books) on Apple devices. Interesting that this is happening so close after the iOS 14 update… coincidence? We think not!

• Here’s a new approach to offering insights on SEO best practices: “The WORST SEO advice I heard this year (and what you should do instead)”. We don’t agree with all the recommendations, but, as a whole, it’s a good reminder to keep your content fresh and avoid overstuffing your content ⁠— and tags ⁠— with keywords.

• And here’s an opposite approach to discussing SEO from the very same Search Engine Land ⁠— “6 fundamental truths about SEO” ⁠— to which we simply say “preach!”

• For our e-commerce clients, check out these underused tactics to step up your SEO game.

Do Good Spotlight
🌟 Hydrocephalus Association 🌟

Affecting over 1 million Americans, Hydrocephalus is a chronic, neurological condition marked by an excess accumulation of fluid in the brain. The Hydrocephalus Association’s mission is to “find a cure for hydrocephalus and improve the lives of those impacted by the condition.” See more about what they do and plan to do: https://www.hydroassoc.org/

As always, please let us know if you’d like us to spotlight and donate to a cause that’s close to your heart. 💗

• Think With Google closed its series on digital transformation with this article based on a survey of how next-gen leaders deal with uncertainty. Three common traits emerged:
  • break from traditional comfort zones
  • think cross-functionally
  • elevate the board’s role
    • Our take on the last trait, if you don’t have a board, is to seek out advisors who can help push you in new directions.
• Chipotle is onto us. 👀 Their newest piece of merch has us cracking up in guilty delight.🍋

I hope you’re taking care and enjoying the last bits of summer! 🌻

Stay awesome,

Natalie

Why didn’t the email subject line go to the party? 📧

It had no body to go with.

…

We’re smart. We’re pretty nice. AND we tell jokes!
How could you not share us with your digital marketing buddies?

Send them this link! 😁

Hiya!

Fun fact: Wednesday is one of the most misspelled words in the English language. (Makes sense with such a sneaky silent letter!) Anyway, here is some digital marketing news to start your Wenesday off right! 😁

• Calling all PPC professionals 📞 Looking for a way to level up your PPC knowledge AND have a beach view in Palermo, Buenos Aires? The [Exact Match] Conference is exactly what you need. Check out the one-pager and the website!
• We all know the marketing “funnel”. What about the marketing “möbius strip”? Delve into the increasingly complicated customer journey with this LinkedIn article.
• Metaverse Meddling
  • As a digital metaverse, it looks like Roblox has it all… or do they? 🤔 Amidst all the brand partnerships, you’d expect to see higher revenues. Read how the gaming platform is really doing.
  • “Virtual worlds, real money” sums it up nicely for this McKinsey chart on metaverse spending. Their recent survey found consumers are already spending more money each year on digital assets (e.g., NFTs) … and they expect to be spending more in years to come. 🌐💰
  • Check out this “reality check” from Econsultancy as it looks at consumer attitudes toward this new realm. It includes a wide range of data on feelings regarding both the perceived benefits, the potential drawbacks, and general confusion about joining the metaverse.
• As you have heard us say frequently, “real” SEO requires the strategic planning and tactical implementation of a variety of best practices. Search Engine Watch offers an overview of one of those practices in this article on “How to write effective title tags in 2022“. In short, keep the title tag relevant and short while putting the target keyword phrase first.

Do Good Spotlight
🌟 Heroes to Heroes 🌟

Heroes to Heroes provides emotional strength, spiritual healing, and peer support for Combat Veterans of all conflicts and all faiths who have attempted suicide or are on a path to self-destruction due to moral injury/PTSD. Heroes to Heroes’ coaching, events, and programs have helped countless veterans and their families. Learn more about this organization: https://heroestoheroes.org/

We’d like to thank Michael Haltman for showing us this impactful organization.

If you have an organization you’d like us to feature and donate to, just reach out!

• This is probably not a surprise, but Gen Z is using Facebook less and less. TechCrunch notes that the population views the platform as a “utility and an obligation” rather than a new, exciting platform of choice. Pew reports that Gen Z’s attention is mainly drawn to YouTube. Only the future knows what the platform will become!
• Speaking of generational differences in the digital world, have you heard of the “millennial pause?” Apparently as millennials age (it happens to the best of us), Gen Zs are finding some of Gen Y’s habits hysterical. This fun read from The Atlantic may create some entertaining conversations for you.
• Looking to spice up your short-form content game? Check out these interactive tips from Facebook! 🎦

Sending positivity your way while wishing you have a great day! 😊

Stay cool 😎

Natalie

Ahoy, marketers! 🦜

AARRRRR you ready for this week’s digital marketing dirt? You better, because it’s coming atcha fast, mateys!

• eMarketer shares some interesting stats on generational use of social networks in these two articles: “Gen Z Social Usage Rising as Their Parents Start to Log Off” and “Gen Z, Millenials Drive Facebook’s Drop“.

• And, while we are on the topic, MarTech provides some insights on Gen Z’s in this article “Is Your Digital Strategy Optimized for Gen Z Young Adults?“. Good read if you want to catch some Z’s….

• 📰🔦 Stay up to date on the Elon Musk/Twitter debates with this curated page from Social Media Today.

• 🔥 Hot Tips from DBE 🔥 What do dogs and Google have in common? Find out in this fun piece from our very own SEO specialist, Marc Engelsman!

Do Good Spotlight

✨ Great Swamp Watershed Association ✨

The Great Swamp Watershed Association protects and improves the health of the NJ Passaic River through science, education, land preservation and stewardship, and advocacy. We love to love people who are passionate about environmental protection! See what they’re all about: https://www.greatswamp.org/

Have you got a wicked awesome charity organization suggestion? Email us! info@digitalbrandexpressions.com 😁

• Bounce rate is back! 🥳 GA4 is adding some classic metrics back to reporting. Check it out, y’all!

• Are you familiar with Google’s Performance Max campaigns? Search Engine Land reports Google has added 4 new features to better leverage these campaigns and the article includes links to descriptions of these campaigns and best practices. As always with Google, there is a caveat reminder that Google’s “recommendations are guidelines, not required fixes.” Truer words have never been spoken.

This edition is aBOAT to end, but we’ll catch ya next time!

Best Fishes… I mean, Wishes! 🐠🌠

Natalie

Come on, you know your marketing mateys would whaley whaley love to be apart of our What’s Hot Wednesday community 😁

➡ Send ‘em this link!