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By Chad S. White

Less personalization in your email marketing strategy? You heard that right.

The Gist

  • Optimizing campaign frequency. Adjust email frequency based on engagement. Send fewer emails to less-engaged subscribers while increasing opportunities for highly-engaged ones.
  • Increasing revenue with automation. Automate key lifecycle moments. High-performing campaigns like cart abandonment and welcome emails drive the majority of email marketing revenue.
  • Personalization pitfalls. Less can be more. Overpersonalization diminishes brand voice, so dial back on variations to maintain a unified experience.

Succeeding at email marketing requires constant iteration and evolution with an eye on gradual improvements. This iteration happens in an environment of continual change, with some of those changes requiring adaptation and some merely presenting distractions.

Experienced email marketers know that a good email marketing program has an active mailable list size that’s growing and contributes positively to their business’s success metrics, with good open and click rates just being table stakes. A good program also has a spam complaint rate of under 0.1% (which is what Google and Yahoo expect) and an inbox placement rate of 95% or better.

Those characteristics are hallmarks of a good email marketing strategy. But what about the hallmarks of the best ones? Here are four key characteristics.

Table of Contents

Streamlining Email Frequency to Maximize Revenue

Since I entered the email marketing industry nearly 20 years ago, email frequencies have steadily increased, and they’ve paused only briefly in the wake of the introduction of Mail Privacy Protection. The relentless drumbeat of a “more email equals more money” strategy has led us to this point, where many brands are seeing declining engagement rates and increasingly frustrated subscribers, which threatens program health.

Because of that, elite programs are reassessing which subscribers receive which campaigns. They’re sending fewer campaigns to their less engaged subscribers and more campaigns to their more engaged subscribers.

This not only improves their deliverability and program health by increasing engagement rates and reducing opt-outs, but it also increases revenue because it gives their more engaged subscribers additional opportunities to engage.

Related Article: 7 Factors That Determine Email Deliverability

Use Automation to Drive Email Marketing Revenue

Welcomes, cart abandonment and other automated campaigns are the most productive emails teams can send. Their return on investment far exceeds run-of-the-mill broadcast promotional campaigns.

It’s that outsized productivity that allows roughly 15% of brands to generate the majority of their email marketing revenue from their automated campaigns, which typically represent less than 5% of their overall email volume. Through the steady launch, maintenance and optimization of automations over years, they’ve been able to automatically address key moments and points of friction in their customers’ lifecycles.

If you want to achieve this and you’re unsure if you’re addressing all the moments that matter for your customers, take a look at this checklist of automated campaign ideas.

Reducing Personalization for Stronger Brand Voice

That’s not a typo. I do mean reducing, not increasing. That’s because the best programs have already overdone personalization, and, yes, that is a danger. They’ve realized that in their email marketing strategy, they’d squeezed out brand messaging, diminished their brand voice and undermined their ability to create common brand experiences. So, they’ve started to dial back on personalization a bit.

Last year, the brands that bragged about sending out more than 100,000 variations of email campaigns will most likely be the ones to realize they overdid it to the detriment of their brand and throttle back this year.

Maintaining or Increasing Email Marketing Budget

A bizarre thing is happening. During 2024, many brands deprioritized high-ROI marketing channels and shifted budget to lower-ROI advertising channels, according to Gartner’s 2024 CMO Spend Survey.

“In these tough times, CMOs are prioritizing investments that have demonstrable impact,” said Ewan McIntyre, VP analyst and chief of research for Gartner for Marketers. “However, there’s a mismatch between the channels CMOs are investing in and their perceived impact.”

Given instability among social networks and increasing privacy protections, there have never been more reasons to invest in building larger first-party audiences and gaining more first-party data. The best email marketing strategy recognizes this imperative and continues to invest in strong subscriber relationships and retention programs.

Looked at this collectively, the first two hallmarks focus on delivering more campaigns to your most engaged subscribers and best customers, while minimizing fatigue for less engaged ones. The last two hallmarks, on the other hand, are centered around preserving your brand.

Where is your organization on its journey toward achieving each of these goals?

Core Questions Around Email Marketing Strategy

Editor’s note: Here are two important questions to ask about email marketing strategy.

What are the best ways to increase email marketing revenue without sending more emails?

The key is to target more engaged subscribers with tailored campaigns. Brands should segment their lists to send fewer emails to less engaged subscribers while sending more frequent and relevant emails to their best customers. By doing so, they can improve engagement rates, reduce opt-outs and increase revenue. A strong email marketing strategy focused on segmentation and smart targeting is crucial for maximizing ROI.

How can automation impact email marketing revenue?

Brands that focus on automated campaigns like cart abandonment, welcome emails and re-engagement emails often see higher returns on investment. These types of emails can drive a lot of revenue, even though they may account for less than 5% of total email volume. Implementing an effective email marketing strategy with automated workflows allows brands to address key moments in the customer lifecycle, and it reduces manual effort while increasing revenue generation.

Feature Image Credit: Kristina Tripkovic

By Chad S. White

Chad S. White is the author of four editions of Email Marketing Rules and Head of Research for Oracle Digital Experience Agency, a global full-service digital marketing agency inside of Oracle. Connect with Chad S. White: 

Sourced from CMS Wire

By Louise Watson,

Events marketing shows strong predicted growth, kicking the trend of modest budget increases. Louise Watson of Propeller Group says the key to taking advantage of the bullish sector is to effectively blend campaigns with digital output.

The latest Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) Bellwether Report for Q4 2024 shows that UK companies are cautiously getting back on track with their marketing budgets. After hitting pause in Q3 due to uncertainty around the Autumn Budget, 21.7% of businesses reported increasing their marketing spend in Q4, compared to 19.9% who cut back. This led to a modest net growth of +1.9%. While this is a step in the right direction, it’s still the second-smallest increase since early 2021. That said, there’s plenty of optimism for 2025/26, and what really stands out is how much companies are leaning into live events.

The events sector saw a strong +12.3% growth in budgets – a clear sign that face-to-face experiences are back in a big way. This shift highlights a smart move for businesses: investing in live events is a powerful way to build brand reputation, drive growth, and make real connections with target audiences.

On and off

That’s not to say online advertising isn’t important – it absolutely is. Digital campaigns continue to be a vital part of marketing strategies. But what we’re seeing is that events and live experiences offer a unique way to complement digital efforts by creating opportunities for genuine, in-person engagement. It’s about finding the right balance and blending channels effectively.

We’ve seen this approach work wonders for our clients. Whether it’s hosting their own branded events, partnering with established industry events, or creating innovative fringe experiences, the key is identifying the right opportunities. Not all events deliver the same value, and we regularly guide clients in choosing the best events and activation strategies that align with their goals.

After years of virtual meetings and digital-only campaigns, it’s clear that in-person events are more valuable than ever. Even in the face of economic and political challenges, brands see the payoff of creating immersive, engaging experiences. Events let companies bring their values to life, showcase innovations, and build strong partnerships in an authentic way.

Strong outlook

Looking ahead, the strong projected growth in event marketing for 2025/26 (+15.5%) shows that businesses are doubling down on this strategy. Events provide a direct, measurable way to engage with audiences and drive meaningful results, especially when combined with smart digital strategies.

For companies ready to stand out and grow, now’s the time to tap into the momentum of the events industry. Live experiences aren’t just a marketing add-on – they’re a core part of a strategy to build brand trust, generate leads, and stay ahead of the competition. Creative, well-executed events help brands connect on a deeper level and set themselves apart in the market.

In short, the IPA Bellwether Report makes it clear: while caution still lingers, the surge in event marketing shows that businesses know how valuable it is. Companies that prioritize live experiences—supported by smart marketing—will be better equipped to engage, inspire, and grow. The future of marketing is all about creating meaningful, memorable moments—and those who embrace this will thrive in an ever-changing market.

Feature Image Credit: Fidel Fernando via Unsplash

By Louise Watson,

Associate Director (Growth Marketing)

Sourced from The Drum

By Catherine Brinkman

AI-powered ads target you with eerie precision. Is hyper-personalization smart marketing or a branding risk? Here’s what you need to know.

Hyper-personalized ads are changing the game in digital marketing, taking it from generic to genuinely impactful. These advanced campaigns don’t just scratch the surface — they dig deep, using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to analyse massive amounts of data and behaviour patterns.

The result? Ads that feel less like marketing and more like a conversation tailored just for you. By delivering content that truly resonates, hyper-personalized ads are setting a new standard for how brands connect with their audiences and build meaningful relationships.

Customers Demand Personalized Experiences

Hyper-personalized ads are dominating digital marketing for one simple reason: consumers demand it.

In 2025, people expect brands to deliver personalized experiences, and many leave negative comments when those expectations aren’t met. This isn’t just a trend — it’s a wake-up call for marketers. We need to stay relevant and actually connect with our audiences. And brands are doubling down on hyper-personalization, turning it into the industry’s go-to strategy for engagement that actually works.

Ads that are hyper-personalized thrive on the smart use of consumer data and behaviour patterns. Unlike old-school advertising that banks on broad demographics, hyper-personalization dives deep into the details. It pulls from everything — behavioural data like clicks and browsing habits, purchase history and even real-time factors like location and time of day.

By blending these data points, marketers craft detailed profiles that power razor-sharp, hyper-relevant ads designed to truly connect.

How Hyper-Personalized Ads Shape Consumer Behaviour

Hyper-personalized ads use psychological principles to shape consumer behaviour, with the mere exposure effect leading the charge. This phenomenon suggests that the more often we see something, the more we tend to like it. By presenting tailored content aligned with a consumer’s interests and online habits, these ads build familiarity that naturally boosts positive feelings toward the brand or product, creating a connection that feels effortless.

Confirmation bias plays a major role in the success of hyper-personalized ads. By delivering content that aligns with a consumer’s existing beliefs and preferences, these ads feel more credible and persuasive. This approach makes decision-making easier and boosts satisfaction, as people are naturally drawn to products that reinforce what they already believe.

Personalization isn’t just a tactic — it’s a psychological powerhouse for driving consumer engagement and sales. When ads create experiences that make people feel valued and understood, they build stronger connections between brands and their audiences.

This isn’t just about loyalty; it’s about results. Personalized marketing can boost revenue by up to 15%, proving that making consumers feel seen and appreciated isn’t just good for relationships — it’s great for business.

Not everyone loves personalized ads. While some appreciate the relevance, others feel uneasy or even invaded. There’s a fine line marketers must walk to make sure hyper-personalization delivers value without crossing boundaries.

Ethical AI Drives the Future of Hyper-Personalization

As hyper-personalized ads keep evolving, they raise some big ethical questions — especially around privacy and the risk of manipulating consumers.

The massive data collection behind these ads puts privacy in the spotlight, forcing brands to strike a balance between personalization and respecting people’s rights. To keep consumer trust (and stay on the right side of tough privacy laws), brands need to be crystal clear about how they collect data and make sure they’re getting real, informed consent.

Hyper-personalized ads bring plenty of advantages, like stronger customer engagement, higher conversion rates and a big boost in satisfaction by delivering content that feels tailor-made. Their impact is undeniable. But there’s a catch — pulling it off takes serious investment in tech and resources, which can put smaller businesses at a real disadvantage.

The ethics of hyper-personalized ads go beyond privacy — they dip into the tricky territory of consumer manipulation.

Using AI and data analytics to nudge behaviour can quickly blur the line between being helpful and outright exploitative. It’s a fine balance: delivering relevant content without taking advantage of people’s vulnerabilities. Marketers need to tread carefully because once trust and autonomy are gone, they’re almost impossible to get back. Brand loyalty and market share could be lost.

With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility

Hyper-personalized ads are reshaping the marketing landscape, offering unmatched opportunities to connect with consumers on a deeper level. But with great power comes great responsibility.

Striking the right balance between relevance and respect is critical for building trust and delivering real value. By leveraging AI ethically and transparently, brands can harness the full potential of hyper-personalization while maintaining the trust and loyalty that drive long-term success.

By Catherine Brinkman

Catherine Brinkman is a dynamic professional with a rich background in corporate training, AI integration and business development across high-tech, finance and manufacturing sectors. A Silicon Valley native, she has over two decades of fundraising experience, 17 years as a corporate trainer with Dale Carnegie Training and 21 years of media training for political candidates.

Sourced from CMSWIRE

Sourced from Forbes

There’s no time like the start of a new year to refresh your goals or put a new spin on an old strategy. This is especially true in the world of marketing and communications, where customer preferences and interests are constantly changing, and leaders need to be ready to switch things up whenever necessary.

After a year of trailing new methods and experimenting with fresh ideas, marketing and communications pros are ready to reflect on what worked, what didn’t and what they plan to do differently next year. Below, 14 members of Forbes Communications Council each discuss the marketing or communications goal their company is setting for 2025 and why they think other companies may want to set a similar goal come January.

1. Creating Unique Content To Stand Out In AI-Driven Search

AI is taking over how we search online and what content shows up in summarizations and top results. We’re focusing on creating unique content to stand out and boost our site visibility in AI-driven search by focusing on expert opinions, user stories, proprietary research and human connection. We’re also continuing to spread the love across channels and leveraging the power of video content. – Sherri Schwartz, OvationCXM

2. Unifying Global Communications And Culture

Our 2025 goal is to unify global communications and culture at Anteriad. With four acquisitions and a larger multinational team, we’re focusing on consistent messaging that connects everyone. Through our new Life@Anteriad Instagram page, we’ll share cultural moments and personal highlights across regions, fostering a sense of unity beyond business updates—something valuable for any expanding company. – Dee Blohm, Anteriad

3. Becoming Indispensable To Customers

One key marketing (and companywide) goal for 2025 is to make ourselves indispensable to our customers. That means that our product is a “must have,” not a “nice to have.” It means that our customer service is top of the line and solving every challenge our customers might have. That also means that our pricing and packaging represent the value that our customers expect. I want our customers to love us. – Kelly Hopping, Demandbase

4. Improving Personalized Marketing

One goal we’re setting for 2025 is improving personalized marketing through AI and data-driven insights. This allows for highly targeted, customized customer experiences that meet individual needs. As the digital landscape becomes more competitive, many companies will prioritize this level of personalization to enhance customer loyalty and increase ROI. – John Schneider, Betterworks

5. Fostering More Employee Engagement

We plan to place more emphasis on fostering employee engagement through transparent leadership to strengthen our teams and enhance overall communication. Employees who feel more connected to leadership are often more engaged, motivated and productive. By openly sharing company goals and challenges, we can build trust and create a stronger team that presents a unified message. – Meredith Rosenberg, Chartwells Higher Education

6. Making Sure Customers Understand The Value We Bring

The breadth of partnerships, tools and services we offer is so extensive that our big goal is to make all our customers aware of the value we can provide them. The key will be to provide timely, relevant and personalized communication. We’ll tailor our messages to their specific needs and preferences, ensuring they receive the right information at the right time. – Lisa Maynard, Awin

7. Building Community Through Internal Collaboration And Training

Building community through internal collaboration and training is one of Old Dominion University’s 2025 goals for University Communications. By bringing internal stakeholders into the marketing and communications fold with training on mar-comms tools, we develop brand ambassadors who are empowered to act. This is the old concept of “one message, many voices” through collaboration and training. – Kimberly Osborne, Old Dominion University

8. Gaining A Competitive Advantage

Our goal in 2025 is to gain a competitive advantage. We study data closely to analyse ROI on existing channels, as some naturally become less effective and are replaced by faster, smarter access for our candidates. We identify opportunities to leverage the innovation and enhancements of our marketing automation partners to refine and reinvent. We sample AI enhancements and new business intelligence to break through. – Lauren Pasquale Bartlett, Ingenovis Health

9. Increasing Engagement With Underserved Communities

In 2025, CAN Community Health will focus on increasing engagement with underserved communities to expand access to wellness and healthcare resources. Similar goals could benefit other organizations by fostering trust, broadening reach and demonstrating a commitment to equity—key elements in building lasting community relationships. – Kal Gajraj, Ph.D., CAN Community Health

10. Engaging Employees As Brand Advocates

We’re going to be doing more to engage and empower our employees to be advocates of the brand as part of our marketing and communications framework. Employee-generated and -shared content creates reach and engagement on social media that’s superior to the official brand account. Known as employee advocacy, it is a cost-effective way to build brand awareness and generate new business in both the B2B and B2C space. – Kerry-Ann Betton Stimpson, JMMB Group

11. Building Trust Through Authentic, Personal Interactions

Our 2025 goal is to be more relational in our interactions with leads and customers. Authentic and personal interactions that focus on the individual are key—not simply offering a solution to a problem. Build trust and relational equity through simple handwritten notes or gifts celebrating milestones and achievements coupled with marketing automation for a more holistic approach. – Clay Tuten, KeyMark Inc.

12. Working With Podcast And Newsletter Creators

The media landscape is changing drastically, and these channels are emerging as places where consumers are spending significant time engaging with long-form content—both the written word for newsletters and the spoken word for podcasts. If you are not experimenting here, it’s something you should be testing in 2025. – Keith Bendes, Linqia

13. Focusing On Organic Advocacy Over Paid Influencer Strategies

We aim to build an authentic, engaged community by focusing on organic advocacy rather than paid influencer strategies. By staying clear in our messaging, we’re hoping to foster genuine connections that reflect our values. Other companies should consider this approach to build trust, long-term loyalty and impactful relationships that resonate beyond transactional and disingenuous interactions. – Mallory Walsh, Teal Health

14. Revisiting Our Value Prop And Larger Brand Experience

Branding is never over. As organizations work to respond, remain fresh and stay true to who they are, it’s imperative to set goals that provide space for evaluating their brand portfolios. In 2025, we’re revisiting our value proposition and larger brand experience, with plans to examine changes we’ve made previously to ensure we’re still focused on solving the right challenges. – John Jorgenson, Cambium Learning Group

Check out my website.

Feature Image Credit: Getty

Sourced from Forbes

By Kanishka Kumawat

Elevate Your Affiliate Marketing Strategy With 100 Niche Ideas To Boost Your Income.

The first ever e-commerce company was launched in 1969 and it’s safe to say that we’ve come a long way since then—we can even get our groceries delivered to us now.

E-commerce is an ever-evolving space and choosing a niche for affiliate marketing is a pivotal determinant of your success. Trends are going to come and go, but the holy grail lies in the untapped market of underserved niches that have huge potential because of their audience.

Look for areas that have both– an enthusiastic audience and a clear demand.

It can be confusing to know which niche is the best for you and how to ace your affiliate marketing strategy. That’s why we’re providing you with 100 ideas of underserved niches that you can tap into.

Best Niche For Affiliate Marketing: Picking The Best Niche

As of 2023, about 218.8 million people in the US are online shoppers, spending an average of $5,381 per person per year. What is it that connects with people and influences them to buy a product?

Discovering the best niche for your affiliate marketing strategy requires an approach that connects your passion with these market trends.

To start with, ten main categories are directly linked to basic human needs and hence, are the best niches to pick up when it comes to affiliate marketing:

  1. Health and Wellness
  2. Sustainable Living
  3. Personal Development
  4. Home and DIY
  5. Travel and Adventure
  6. Education and Learning
  7. Technology and Gadgets
  8. Parenting and Family
  9. Food and Nutrition
  10. Financial Services and Planning
100 Best Niches for Affiliate Marketing (And How To Choose One)

What Is the Best Niche To Choose in Affiliate Marketing?

The best niche is one that resonates with your content and passion while addressing the needs of a target audience. Balancing profitability with authenticity is the key here.

Questions To Ask Yourself To Find Your Niche for Affiliate Marketing:

What Are You Passionate About?

Affiliate marketing requires consistent effort and engagement. Are there niches that genuinely interest you? Passion will drive you to create content while putting your heart and soul into it.

Who Is Your Target Audience?

Look out for the demographics, interests, and pain points of your potential audience. Is there a significant as well as sustained demand for products or services within your chosen niche? Keyword research tools and SEO optimization can be extremely helpful here to gauge search volumes and trends.

What Is the Profit Potential?

Research affiliate programs within your niche that have long-term revenue potential. What are the commission rates and conversion rates? Are there opportunities for recurring revenue?

Are There Upsell Opportunities?

Is the niche helping you with opportunities to promote complementary or higher-priced products/services to increase your revenue?

What Is the Best Niche for TikTok Affiliate Marketing?

“Don’t Google it, TikTok it” 

TikTok’s audience is young and trend-conscious. Niches related to fashion, beauty, tech, and gaming have gained enormous traction on the platform over the past couple of years. The formula is simple–

Short-form videos + catching up with popular trends + a dash of personal style = Success

TikTok Made Me Buy It”  is the influence of TikTok on consumer behavior.

100 Best Niches for Affiliate Marketing (And How To Choose One)

Here’s a breakdown of this trend and how to utilize affiliate marketing on TikTok:

Viral Product Endorsement: Ordinary products turn into trends because of the power of virality. From feta pasta recipes to trying out new skincare products and home cleaning supplies, TikTok makes products cool and desirable.

Engagement and Sales: Videos that talk about the products and give in-depth reviews generate millions of views and likes. 49% of TikTok users admit that they buy the products that they see on the app.

Short-form Attention: The video format aligns with the dwindling attention spans of Gen Z. Ads need to be short and attention-grabbing to resonate with users who are accustomed to quick content consumption.

How to Utilize Affiliate Marketing on TikTok:

Authenticity is Key: Create content that resonates with your target audience’s interests and values. Authenticity builds trust and fosters genuine engagement.

Product Reviews and Demonstrations: Showcase products in creative and relatable ways. Product reviews, demonstrations, and personal experiences can capture viewers’ attention and drive interest.

Short and Impactful Content: Keep your content concise and attention-grabbing. Highlight the benefits of the products you’re promoting in a short span.

Disclose Affiliate Links: Be transparent about your affiliate relationships by clearly disclosing them in your video descriptions. Honesty builds trust with your audience.

Best Affiliate Marketing Niches: 100 Options

These 100 niches are not just about catching up with the trends but are based on people’s habits, choices, and the way they will shape the future. From sustainability to fitness products, we’ve covered them all below:

1. Vegan Cooking Supplies

Vegan cooking supplies like alternative flours, plant-based protein sources, dairy-free cheeses, nutritional yeast, and more, play a big part in the vegan diet picture.

According to Fortune Business Insights, the global vegan food market is projected to grow to $61.35 billion by 2028 at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 12.95%.

100 Best Niches for Affiliate Marketing (And How To Choose One)

What cannot be missed is the engaged and ethical audience base, as veganism extends beyond dietary choices, it is also about its ethical and sustainable value.

2. Sustainable Fashion

Sustainable fashion is a pivotal aspect of the broader ethical fashion market, which includes fair trade, sustainable practices, and supply chain integrity. From 2021 to 2025, the ethical fashion market is predicted to increase by over three billion U.S. dollars, reaching a value of 10 billion dollars.

Consumers making informed choices prioritize sustainability in their clothing purchases and this is where you know they are passionate about it.

3. Home Workout Equipment

With the modern lifestyle, working from home has a natural extension of workout from home. Walking pads are the best example of this. The home fitness equipment market is on a trajectory that is projected to surge to $16.56 billion by 2030 at a robust Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 5.2%.

The desire for fitness isn’t a fad—it’s a consistent and evergreen demand. Fitness is a way of living and at some point, everybody wants to focus on it.

4. Language Learning

The Language Learning Market isn’t just a niche; it’s an ecosystem with a trajectory that is set to skyrocket to USD 191.06 billion by 2028, boasting a CAGR of 18.3% during this transformative period.

From online courses to personalized modules, the language learning market offers a diverse range of products and services to cater to people’s learning preferences.

5. Pet Tech and Gadgets

The Global Pet Tech Market size was valued at USD 1809.57 million in 2021 and is poised to grow to USD 6880 million by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 14.3%.

Be it smart collars or automated feeders, there’s so much that can help make the process not only easier but also enhance their pet’s life.

6. Outdoor Adventure Gear

The global hiking gear and equipment market size was estimated at USD 4.5 billion in 2019. Equipment is a growing product, thereby exhibiting a revenue-based CAGR of 7.0% in the market for hiking gear and equipment from 2020 to 2027.

It can all be diverse, from sleeping bags to tents, and hiking poles. It is a human tendency to seek more and explore what the world has to offer. As more individuals embrace outdoor lifestyles, your promotions can resonate with adventure-seekers ready to invest in reliable and travel-friendly gear.

7. Natural Skincare

The global natural skin care products market size was valued at USD 6.7 billion in 2021 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.6% from 2022 to 2030.

With the growing demand for clean beauty, affiliating with natural skincare products aligns you with conscious consumers. Your affiliation can be about the benefits of non-toxic, eco-friendly skincare routines, appealing to those seeking healthier, ethical choices.

8. Personal Finance for Millennials

2020 survey by Bank of America found that millennials’ top financial priorities are–

  • Retirement (75%)
  • Emergency fund (51%)
  • Life milestones and future goals (73%)

Millennials seek financial literacy and affiliating in this space positions you as a resource for budgeting tools, investment advice, and debt management strategies.

9. Health Supplements for Specific Needs

The Dietary Supplements market size is estimated to hit approximately USD 240.90 Billion by 2028 with a CAGR of 8.50%. 

Andrew Huberman is an American Neuroscientist and has been affiliating with supplement brands for his podcast (He only promotes the products if he has used them for 6 months and likes how it works).

If your focus is health, longevity, or body optimization– this is the niche for you.

10. Digital Marketing Tools

Solopreneurship is on the rise and work is being outsourced and delegated. This leads people towards finding tools that can make their workflow more efficient. Say notion, chatGPT, beehiiv.

As businesses embrace online strategies, affiliating with digital marketing tools will help you to be a valuable partner in their growth journey. From SEO software to social media management platforms, your promotions can cater to the needs of these businesses.

11. Eco-Friendly Products

The global green technology and sustainability market size was valued at $10.32 billion in 2020 and is projected to reach $74.64 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 21.9% from 2021 to 2030.

From reusable products to zero-waste solutions, your affiliate promotions can resonate with individuals committed to reducing their ecological footprint.

12. Remote Work Tools

COVID made us all shift to working remotely and now it has become a culture that is not going away.

Remote work tools are in demand, with the market poised to grow USD 109.1 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 23.4%.

With remote work as the new norm, affiliating in this niche caters to people seeking productivity-enhancing solutions. From communication software to project management tools, you can target a diverse range of remote workers– Founders and employees alike.

13. DIY Home Improvement

The sense of building a home and putting it together is a part of most people’s lives. IKEA’s business model is enough to give proof of that.

The DIY Home Improvement Market size is estimated at USD 773.90 billion in 2023. Affiliating with this niche taps into the trend of homeowners taking on DIY projects.

From tools to tutorials, you can empower DIY enthusiasts to transform their living spaces while you earn affiliate commissions.

14. Meal Prep and Planning

Is there a better example of TikTok made me do it, than the meal prep and planning market?

We have all found ourselves dialled into a fridge ice tray restock or weekly meal prep video on TikTok. When you need to balance work and life, meal prepping can help you save time to focus on better things.

From meal kit subscriptions to recipe apps or even storage containers that help you keep your meals fresh, your affiliates can help people get better at their meal prep mastery.

15. Vintage and Retro Fashion

Take a look at Rolex and Louis Vuitton, their original value as well as secondary market value, cannot go unnoticed. Vintage and retro fashion are making a comeback.

Thrifting has become a fruitful activity with many retro styles resurfacing. There’s also no better feeling than discovering a good second-hand find.

Affiliating with this niche taps into the nostalgia-driven trends of the fashion industry.

16. Indoor Gardening

100 Best Niches for Affiliate Marketing (And How To Choose One)

Be it for commercial or residential use, you can never go wrong with plants. COVID made people realize how important it is to be around nature. The indoor gardening market is flourishing and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.2% by 2030.

As more individuals embrace plant parenthood, affiliating in this niche offers opportunities to cater to both beginners and experienced indoor gardeners.

Promote a range of products, from planters to grow lights and smart indoor gardening systems (self-watering or pest management systems), that enable people to build green spaces indoors.

17. Minimalist Lifestyle Products

Living off a suitcase can seem daunting, but choosing a minimal lifestyle is something that many people try to seek. It is not scalable to a large extent, but it is going to make an impact on your audience.

Promote products that enhance simplicity and decluttering, resonating with consumers seeking to minimize possessions and focus on quality over quantity.

18. Craft Supplies

The Global Arts & Crafts Supplies Market is estimated to be USD 43.54 Billion in 2023 and is expected to reach USD 63.49 Billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 7.84%.

From DIY kits to specialty materials, you can cater to a diverse audience passionate about handmade projects.

19. Parenting Tips for New Moms

As parents-to-be, new moms want to make sure they are well prepared when it comes to taking care of themselves during pregnancy and their child, post-pregnancy.

Affiliating in this space can allow you to offer guidance and resources to new mothers navigating the challenges of parenthood. Be it about baby care products or advice about the advancement towards parenthood, if there are affiliate products you trust, it can be a helpful resource for moms-to-be,

20. Travel Accessories for Backpackers

While traveling, especially backpacking— people want to travel light. If your focus is travel and lifestyle, you can recommend what has worked for you.

The market for travel accessories is projected to reach $95.7 billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 6.4% from 2022 to 2031.

Affiliating in this niche can help you to connect with an audience of adventure-seekers seeking practical and innovative gear for their journeys. Say lightweight, durable products that enhance the backpacking experience.

21. Online Learning Platforms

If you want to learn Spanish, you don’t need to be in Argentina or Mexico, because you quite literally can do everything online.

There can be language learning courses paired with skill development workshops and statistically, the e-learning market was valued at $399 billion in 2022 and is supposed to grow at 14% CAGR by 2032.

22. Smart Home Technology

Smart home tech is not limited to smart lights, it can be thermostats, security cameras around the house, and even voice-controlled assistants.

There are so many new products rolling out by the tech giants out there that cannot be overlooked. The smart home technology market is expected to be around USD 581 billion by 2032.

Maybe 10 years down the line, along with flying cars, we will get to witness how smart home tech can change the way we park our cars, connect with people, or enhance security.

23. Mindfulness and Meditation

Being in this niche, you can affiliate with meditation apps, relaxation tools, and mindfulness resources that resonate with a health-conscious audience.

The mindfulness and meditation market is expanding, from USD 522.21 million in 2022, and is predicted to reach USD 7586.45 million by 2031 at a 34.90% CAGR during the forecast period for 2023-2031.

If your audience is the people who put their mental health first, this could also be a great recommendation from your end to help them better themselves.

24. Tech Gadgets for Gamers

100 Best Niches for Affiliate Marketing (And How To Choose One)

Everybody knows how big Twitch and Discord are, and a huge portion of that accomplishment goes to the gaming industry. COVID has given a boost to the industry and now it is predicted to reach $166.9 billion by 2031, registering a CAGR of 12.7% from 2022 to 2031.

Mechanical keyboards, mouse pads, gaming setups, and with the AR and VR space booming, 5 years down the line, there’s only going to be more added to the list.

25. Zero-Waste Living

Creators promote zero-waste living by sharing what they do with their leftover meals or even not-so-fresh groceries.

Zero waste living can be about the small actions we choose to take in our everyday lives like choosing honey wax paper wraps over foils to wrap our meals!

The global zero waste packaging market size was valued at USD 1.9 billion in 2021 and it is expected to reach around USD 4.1 billion by 2030, poised to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.92%.

26. Vintage Home Decor

With interior design trends constantly recycling themselves, vintage home decor is a super niche and valuable market.

Americans are now investing about $415 billion per year on furnishings, and this is expected to top $477 billion by 2027 the vintage industry makes up for nearly 30% of the segment.

You can put forward vintage furniture, home decor, and even retro-inspired accessories that enhance the charm of homes.

27. Sustainable Kitchen Utensils

With the shift towards eco-conscious living, the demand for kitchen tools that align with ethical and environmental values can be seen if we notice the small changes around us.

This niche has a diverse range of products, from reusable bamboo cutlery sets to eco-friendly silicone cooking tools and compostable dish scrubbers.

The appeal of these products goes beyond their functionality, as they contribute to a greener lifestyle.

28. Yoga and Wellness Retreats

While we have started focusing more on mental and physical health in our everyday lives, working on those aspects in a fast-paced life isn’t achievable on most days.

This niche transcends traditional travel, catering to individuals who seek more profound connections and meaningful experiences.

Firstly, the market growth and increasing demand for wellness-focused getaways ensure a stable and growing audience base. Secondly, not only is this going to be valuable but it also offers a long-term profit to you as an affiliate.

29. Ethical Jewellery

Ethical jewellery is crafted with attention to detail and quality, ensuring that a piece of diamond is polished to last. This contrasts with mass-produced jewellery that might be of lower quality and built upon unfair labour practices.

This purpose stems from knowing that the jewellery they wear has been sourced responsibly, thus contributing to positive social and environmental impact.

The narrative of each piece becomes a story of sustainability, conscious choices, and meaningful expression. In an era where transparency and ethical considerations matter deeply, this niche allows affiliates to bridge the gap between luxury and responsible practices.

30. Men’s Grooming Products

While women’s beauty has always been a booming industry, men’s skincare, beard care, and haircare, have started to see a large increase over the past few years.

The market’s growth potential, coupled with the cultural shift towards embracing self-care, ensures a stable and expanding audience.

Affiliating in this niche goes beyond marketing – it’s about empowering men to embrace self-care, confidence, and a more contemporary understanding of grooming.

31. Healthy Snack Subscriptions

100 Best Niches for Affiliate Marketing (And How To Choose One)

Be it while traveling frequently or maintaining a nutritious diet amidst busy schedules. Your affiliation can become a bridge between brands that prioritize health and consumers seeking vitality.

As an affiliate, you’re fostering a connection between conscious brands and individuals who are dedicated to making health-conscious choices.

The healthy snack subscription market is expected to grow from $16.4 billion in 2021 to $29.7 billion by 2028, with a CAGR of 8.6%. This niche offers opportunities to cater to health-conscious consumers seeking convenient and nutritious snacks.

32. Sustainable Office Supplies

Think about your workspace – whether it’s a bustling office or your cosy home desk. Now imagine it equipped with supplies that not only boost productivity but also contribute to a more sustainable planet. That’s where sustainable office supplies step in.

Sustainable office supplies offer more than meets the eye. Your affiliation plays a part in the shift towards eco-friendly workspaces. The market growth, coupled with the ongoing drive for sustainability, ensures a dedicated and expanding audience base.

33. Eco-Friendly Baby Products

As parents increasingly prioritize the health and well-being of their little ones, the demand for baby care products that are kind to both babies and the environment continues to surge.

In the world of eco-friendly baby products, affiliation is not just about transactions; it’s about nurturing. By endorsing products that resonate with parents’ desires for safer and more sustainable choices, you play a crucial role in shaping a more eco-conscious generation.

34. Digital Nomad Gear

Digital nomads are united by a common thread – a thirst for work flexibility and the freedom to explore. As an affiliate, you’re a bridge between the gear that facilitates this lifestyle and the individuals seeking it.

By endorsing products that resonate with the challenges and aspirations of digital nomads, you’re cultivating connections that extend beyond transactions.

It can be as niche as a portable washing machine and all the things that make traveling as a remote worker a lot easier.

35. Handmade Artisanal Goods

100 Best Niches for Affiliate Marketing (And How To Choose One)
Click HERE to read the remainder of the article.

By Kanishka Kumawat

Sourced from beehive Blog

By Jenny Rooney

In this special episode of the Marketing Vanguard podcast, host Jenny Rooney speaks with media and marketing legend Gary Vaynerchuk. They explore the future of marketing, how creative content is reshaping reach, the rise of live shopping, and the need for brands to adapt to the fast-evolving social media landscape.

The Vaynerchuk family immigrated to the U.S. from Belarus in 1978, starting in a small studio apartment in Queens before settling in New Jersey. Even from a young age, Vaynerchuk had a knack for business, first with a lemonade franchise at age 7, then selling baseball cards and toys in high school.

At 14, he joined his family’s liquor business, where he saw the early internet as an “untapped land” in the late ’90s. Transforming his father’s store into one of the country’s first ecommerce sites for alcohol, Vaynerchuk rebranded it as Wine Library, growing sales from $4 million to $60 million.

In 2006, he launched WineLibraryTV, one of YouTube’s first long-form video series, which led to national TV appearances and his growing reputation as a digital marketing pioneer. After his 2008 keynote at Web 2.0, Vaynerchuk published Crush It! with HarperCollins, a bestseller that launched his career in media and as an angel investor in companies like Facebook, Twitter, and Uber.

He went on to co-found VaynerMedia with his brother AJ, building it into a leading digital agency with top clients like PepsiCo and Johnson & Johnson. Expanding his media ventures, Vaynerchuk acquired PureWow, launched several bestselling books, created The #AskGaryVee show, and grew his personal brand to over 44 million followers across social platforms. His life goal remains owning the New York Jets.

“For the first time in the history of marketing, the creative creates the reach,” he says on the podcast. “And if it creates reach, it earned it. When you understand that truth, it will flip this industry upside down, putting social creative at the starting point, not the matching luggage to a campaign we’re doing at the end.”

Key takeaways:

01:22 Why Social Media Is More Than Just an Add-On — Driven by advanced social media platforms, Vaynerchuk highlights that today’s social media platforms offer marketers a unique opportunity: organic content itself can drive massive reach and generate invaluable consumer insights without the heavy costs of traditional media campaigns. Social isn’t just an add-on; it’s a powerful, data-rich starting point. Testing creative ideas directly on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube shorts allows brands to quickly see what resonates and adjust in real-time, saving on ad spend and connecting more authentically with audiences.

04:28 Adapt or Fade — The future of marketing is shifting fast, with smaller, agile brands, often with minimal venture capital, winning market share from industry giants. Agencies must quickly adapt to add real value as companies increasingly move tasks in-house due to frustration with outdated approaches. Now, creative success will be measured on actual performance, not just reputation or charisma.

12:02 Why Leaders Should Embrace Authenticity and Failure — Vaynerchuk underlines the importance of being open and authentic as a leader, sharing that while much of his professional life is public, his personal life remains private. He encourages others to embrace failure without fear of judgment, noting that many people overly value external opinions, often based on limited context

By Jenny Rooney

Jenny Rooney is Chief Brand and Community Officer, leading strategy for the overall ADWEEK brand as well as the ways in which we serve and support our audiences with high-value content, products, partnerships and experiences, notably through our community programs such as Marketing Vanguard.

Sourced from ADWEEK

By Kristen Dolan

Over the course of this year, I’ve helped brands navigate seismic industry changes, from Oracle’s departure from the advertising business to Google’s cookie phase-out reversal. At the centre of discussions (besides the obvious, AI) is an increasing focus on the role influencers play across the media mix and customer journey. After engaging in meaningful discussions with the industry’s top marketing leaders, I’m sharing a top 10 list of my favourite questions, along with my perspectives, which have helped to shape media strategies and innovation roadmaps.

Let’s dive in!

10. How is AI transforming influencer marketing?

While AI has been around for quite some time, generative AI (GenAI) has been a recent topic of interest over the last two years. GenAI is a type of AI that generates copy, graphics, audio and videos. The integration of AI technologies, including GenAI, in the influencer marketing landscape is catalysing transformative advancements in creator vetting, communication efficiency and content creation. In other words, it’s a BFD.

By harnessing AI-driven insights, agencies and brands can optimize workflows, strengthen client relationships and navigate regulatory complexities. These are mere examples, but the opportunities are limitless.

9. Will virtual influencers replace traditional influencers?

If the question pertains to the human impact on influence, I find it hard for AI to replace human connection. People follow influencers because they genuinely have built these parasocial relationships, trust what that influencer is saying and trust their recommendations as they would seek their own friend out to do so. The human connection is what drives that authenticity.

While I don’t see that wavering in place of AI, I do see a more collaborative role in that creators can tap into AI tools to help manage their businesses. Operationally, they can save so much time and resources by tapping into AI tools to help automate things like resourcing, invoicing, planning, data/analytics and so much more. From a content perspective, AI can certainly expedite and advance the creation process—I see an early-stage use case here of expanding creativity, not used to directly influence an action/recommendation.

8. How will creator content evolve over the next few years?

Outside of AI collaboration, creator content is becoming more pervasive. I hope to see brands more proactively adapt to a creator and audience-first mindset when developing omnichannel strategies.

7. What are the most innovative ways influencers are using new social media features?

Anecdotally, I really want creator-led programming to have its moment. Humor me…if we are seeing more consistent tune-ins across lives on social, inevitably, that means people are developing the habit of tuning into their favourite creators at a specific time.

In parallel, we’re seeing Netflix test out live content.

If both worlds are successful, creator live content becomes extremely valuable. I can see a world where streaming platforms are picking up creator programming (as they would broadcast programming) and offering creator content as a viewing option.

6. What influencer strategy is most slept on?

From a brand perspective, deeper creator collaborations. Creators, as their own small businesses, are an untapped resource for brands to realize their full ROI potential.

5. Which past social predictions have made an impact so far this year?

Less of a prediction and more of a framework for discerning marketing hype from hyperbole. Essentially, the parameters that need to be met in order for an emerging social platform to truly be noteworthy are: consistent adoption, a positive and value-adding user experience, serving a need and evolving with its user base as those needs change.

Threads userbase hit 200 million monthly active users according to their Q2 earnings. Up 100 million from their initial launch week in July of last year—a platform to monitor and distinguish from hyperbole if the framework elements continue to be met.

4. How can brands leverage creators to streamline the checkout process?

Approaching strategies with a customer-first mindset, understanding the customer journey and the role influencers can play in driving sales on your website or in your store. An important concept is recognizing creators as a standalone media channel. Creator content will become more pervasive as the ROI continues to be justified.

3. What does the future of creator commerce look like?

I don’t look at things as if there’s a definitive endpoint, but I can speak to the general cyclical pattern of ubiquity to consolidation and vice versa. Consumers have so many options, more than ever. Their attention grows more and more fragmented, and the ability to meet them where they are, with relevant messaging and the ability to immediately shop, is business critical but also cumbersome. The next phase in the future will inevitably shift to a version of consolidation, which we’re starting to see a glimpse of via Google’s Anti-Trust ruling and TikTok’s partnering with Amazon for integrated shopping.

2. What examples across the creator economy stand out as ground-breaking applications of AI, and how can businesses tap into that potential?

What I consider ground-breaking isn’t necessarily the splashy consumer-facing side of marketing but the technical infrastructure that fuels consumer insights and strategy. The stronger the first-party data for a brand, the more opportunity there is to eliminate wasted spend and influence more immediate ROI. I look forward to seeing applications of AI that enrich the data process for consumer profiles and strengthen propensity modelling for stronger go-to-market strategies.

1. How should companies be navigating this new wave of digital transformation through AI technology?

Be agile or stay fragile. I encourage everyone to embrace innovation and technology while finding ways to uplevel yourself, your business and your people.

Today is the worst state we’ll experience technology. It only improves from today onward. Those embracing it today are setting themselves up for success in the future.

Feature Image Credit: getty

By Kristen Dolan

Kristen Dolan is SVP of Growth at Influential. Read Kristen Dolan’s full executive profile here.

Sourced from Forbes

By Tyler Jordan

Maximize your marketing budget with effective Google Ads optimization strategies that prioritize performance and protect your brand’s interests.

The Gist

  • Beware of default settingsMake sure your budget is allocated to high-performing channels like search, not Google Display Network or Search Partners.
  • Question recommendations.Take Google’s rep suggestions cautiously, as they may prioritize Google’s profits over your brand’s needs.
  • Optimize what you controlUse advanced strategies like optimizing for revenue and integrating CRM data to guide campaigns toward desired outcomes.

I’ve worked with Google Ads for almost 15 years. When I started working in search engine marketing, Google was a great partner that cared about helping brands succeed.

Those were the good old days.

Today, there are countless stories of reps pushing irrelevant features, formerly helpful reps being laid off in the shift to AI-based “service” and Google Ads campaigns that essentially encourage advertisers to set a budget and leave the rest to Google. Google reps are now prioritizing revenue for Google above all else, brands be damned. (If you don’t believe me, check out Sundar Pichai’s commentary on Google’s Q1 earnings call.)

Now, effective Google Ads optimization is especially crucial to make sure your budget is allocated to high-performing channels.

How to Make Your Marketing Budget Work for You, Not Google

Unless you’re marketing for a huge brand and have a dedicated rep whose main goal is to retain your business, your brand is vulnerable to all this. Here’s a list of recommendations for making sure your advertising budget is working for you — and not just Google’s bottom line.

Check Your Default Settings

Multiple brands have come to us with default settings that allocate the majority of the brand’s budget to Google Display Network and Search Partners, with nothing going to search — which is an exponentially higher-performing channel. Last month, we did an audit for a brand that had just spent many thousands of dollars on the GDN and Search Partners, with zero conversions to show for it.

Take Every Recommendation You Hear From a Rep With a Grain of Salt

Remember that their goal now is to make money for Google’s shareholders, not your brand. Even if it’s a cool-sounding beta that might offer early adoption advantages, think critically about whether it’s the right strategic move for your brand before signing up. Prioritize strategies that support your Google Ads optimization goals.

Make Sure You’re Controlling What You Can Control in Your Campaigns

Let’s say you’re an ecommerce brand that has to use PerformanceMax campaigns, and you’re telling the campaigns to optimize for conversion goals. If you leave the rest to Google, they’ll optimize for the easiest conversions, which will probably be your lowest-cost products.

You can mitigate this by optimizing for revenue and using target return on advertising spend (ROAS). For B2B brands, instead of focusing on leads, make sure that you are segmenting and integrating your back-end CRM data as offline conversions to tell Google what kind of customers to look for — specifically, the customers who buy the kinds of products or services you want to sell.

If You Have a Helpful Rep, Do Your Best to Keep Them

If you don’t, ask for a new one. Eventually AI “support” will probably be your only option, but if you don’t speak up before that happens, you’ll be stuck with whatever Google gives you.

When in Doubt, Ask an Expert to Check Your Campaigns to See if There Are any Red Flags

This could be an agency or a consultant if you don’t have anyone in house, but the right party will justify your investment several times over.

Enhancing Your Google Ads Optimization for Better Results

It’s helpful to learn as much as you can about Google Ads and to keep up with its releases and their effectiveness.

Overall, make sure there’s someone on your team who can recognize and call BS, and keep your accounts optimized for your growth, not Google’s. A solid approach to Google Ads optimization will help you counterbalance any external pressures.

By Tyler Jordan

Tyler Jordan is CEO of Jordan Digital Marketing. Tyler founded Jordan Digital Marketing (JDM) in July 2017 after extensive stints working on both sides of the agency-client relationship.

Sourced from CMSWIRE

By Fast Company Executive Board

When used correctly, consider AI technology as a minor contributor to your daily workflow, not a major threat to your current role.

Marketing is all about the creative process of the human mind, but after so many years of coming up with brand campaigns, it’s not surprising that new ideas can sometimes grow stale. That’s where the evolution of AI tools comes in.

Whether companies are using artificial intelligence to gauge a potential customer base or to spark an attention-grabbing subject line in the latest email newsletter, most teams realize the benefits of utilizing AI responsibly to personalize their brand communications and increase their daily productivity with the help of automation. To demonstrate how AI tools have improved the quality of their work life and technological mindset, 14 members from Fast Company Executive Board each offer one specific way marketers can treat AI as a “tool in the shed” to support their creative outlet process, not take it away.

1. DISRUPT CREATIVE BIASES AMONG MARKETING TEAMS.

Marketers should use AI to challenge and disrupt their creative biases. By feeding AI unconventional data and prompting it to generate ideas that contradict their initial instincts, they can break free from traditional thinking patterns. This approach forces teams out of their creative comfort zones, fostering innovation and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in their marketing strategies. – Chris Dyer, Company Culture and Leadership Keynote Speaker

2. AUTOMATE AND EXPERIMENT WITH A/B TESTING. 

Marketers should use AI to optimize and test creative variations in real time. By automating A/B testing and analysing performance data instantly, AI allows marketers to experiment with different creative elements and refine their campaigns on the fly. This dynamic feedback loop enhances creativity by providing insights into what resonates with audiences, leading to effective marketing strategies. – Maria Alonso, Fortune 206

3. EXPLORE A VARIETY OF EMAIL SUBJECT LINES AND CALLS TO ACTION.

For marketers, AI presents an opportunity to ensure efforts do not become stale. Whether it’s for brainstorming purposes, figuring out new ways to approach a particular subject or, in the case of email marketers, exploring a variety of subject lines and calls to action, AI should be looked at as a tool in the shed, but not something that replaces the human touch. – Richard RB Botto, Stage 32

4. IMPLEMENT TRANSLATION AND LOCALIZATION FOR CULTURAL RELEVANCE.

Marketers should use AI for translation and localization. AI-driven translation ensures that content is culturally relevant and resonant with consumers and audiences. It enables marketers to produce personalized content at scale, blending translation with creativity and imagination for innovative and impactful marketing that stands out. – Bryan Murphy, Smartling

5. MANIPULATE IMAGES WITH EASE.

Plenty of people use AI to generate content. I also think there are many amazing ways to use AI when creating your visual content with image manipulation, such as changing backgrounds, removing unwanted elements, or adding imagery. AI is a powerful tool to help level up even the smallest marketing budget. – Alexander Kwapis

6. INTRODUCE ANIMATED EXPLAINER VIDEOS AND TUTORIALS.

We are just scraping the surface of how AI will help us marketers move with more efficiency, creativity, and scale. I’m watching the innovation happening in the video space. I want to see how AI can be leveraged to create animated explainer videos and tutorials and bring white papers and interactive graphics to life with built-in distribution, connectivity, and analytics. – Mack McKelvey, SalientMG

7. ELEVATE THE STORYTELLING QUALITY OF YOUR BRAND.

Leverage AI content generation tools to streamline idea development and visual creation, allowing more time for strategic and creative thinking. NightCafe Creator and Looka are two excellent tools to automate the creative process, so marketers can focus on refining concepts, storytelling, and the strategic aspects of campaigns, enhancing both productivity and the quality of creative output. – Britton Bloch, Navy Federal

8. BRAINSTORM FOR CREATIVE CONTENT.

Imagine having a creative brainstorming partner who never gets tired, never runs out of ideas, and always has their finger on the pulse of what’s trending. That’s the power of AI for marketers. By analysing massive amounts of data, AI can help you spark creativity, identify untapped opportunities, and create content that truly resonates with your audience. – Christine Alemany, Thrv Advisors

9. IDENTIFY TRENDS AND CONSUMER BEHAVIOR PATTERNS.

Marketing involves knowing your customer, sending the right message, and using the right medium—simple in theory, but expensive in practice. AI, through predictive analytics, analyses data to identify trends and behaviours. This allows marketers to craft personalized, relevant campaigns, freeing up creativity for innovative ideas, and ensuring targeted, cost-effective strategies. – Mukesh Kumar, Slalom

10. SEND YOUR AUDIENCE PERSONALIZED AND RELEVANT CONTENT.

One way marketers can leverage AI is by analysing volumes of datasets like audience behaviour and trends, allowing them to create more personalized and relevant content. AI can up time for marketers to focus on the creative aspects, like storytelling and strategy. – Anthony A. Luna, Coastline Equity Property Management

11. LEVERAGE AI AS A CONTRIBUTOR ALONGSIDE YOUR STAFF PRODUCERS.

You can leverage AI for up to 60 to 80% of the creation of your project, and then add individual creativity to it. Think of your people as producers and AI as a contributor, not the other way around. Foster creativity by modelling what quality, creative prompting reads like. If you’re not modelling what quality usage of AI producing is like, who the heck is in your organization? – Jay Steven Levin, WinThinking

12. ENHANCE YOUR TEAM’S PRODUCTIVITY LEVEL.

AI is the most potent way to attain superpowers: creativity, iteration, ideation, content creation, and more. Achieving an order-of-magnitude increase in productivity and gaining the ability to do what was once impossible at near-zero cost is transformative. Those who wholeheartedly embrace AI have an unbeatable advantage. Those who resist it may soon find themselves looking for a new position. – Jared Reimer, University of Washington

13. DESIGN VISUALS FOR MARKETING PRESENTATIONS.

One way AI works with creativity is in visual applications. Visual applications include covers, art, cartoons, or videos that work with presentations or marketing ideas. AI is the new storyboard, only much faster and more accurate. I’ve found it adds to my projects because it can create what you want the clients to visualize. – Baruch Labunski, Rank Secure

14. GUIDE AND DEVELOP YOUR ORIGINAL IDEAS.

Marketers should use AI to help guide and develop their original ideas so they can maximize how they reach their target audience. While AI is certainly capable of providing its own answers and being somewhat creative, I believe that the best ideas—and ultimately how to achieve them—really come from the minds of people. – Misty Larkins, Relevance

By Fast Company Executive Board

Sourced from FastCompany

By

Marketing and advertising focus on promoting products and services, but they do it in different ways.

Marketing and advertising share some similarities, but they have different goals and objectives. Marketing builds brand awareness and offers a perceived value, while advertising promotes a product or service. Learn how marketing and advertising work, how they differ, and how to use both strategies in your business.

What is advertising?

Advertising involves paying to promote a product or service to reach individuals who are the most likely to use it. Advertising focuses on acquiring customers and driving sales. Traditionally, businesses advertised on billboards, TV, and in mailers and magazines. Today, a lot of advertising occurs online through social media, websites, search engines, and emails.

An ad includes a message that’s tailored to a specific target audience. Besides generating sales, advertising makes it possible for a business to differentiate itself from its competitors and gather valuable data about its audience.

Every business must develop a personalized strategy that integrates marketing and advertising to achieve its goals.

What is marketing?

Marketing refers to activities a company undertakes to attract its target audience to its products or services and deliver value to those consumers. Most companies do this by creating high-quality content that provides a compelling benefit to their audience.

Effective marketing entails deeply understanding your audience and what they’re looking for. When you understand your consumers’ wants and needs, you can demonstrate the value your product or service provides in the places where your audience spends most of their time. Some of the primary types of marketing include the following:

  • Social media marketing: Businesses market to their customers using social media channels like Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), or LinkedIn.
  • Content marketing: Businesses create informative blog posts to rank higher in search engines and attract their ideal clients to their websites.
  • Video marketing: Video marketing involves creating and publishing informative videos for your target audience.
  • Email marketing: Businesses market to their target customers through weekly newsletters and promotional emails.

Differences between advertising and marketing

Although there are some similarities between advertising and marketing, they aren’t the same thing. Both involve different goals, responsibilities, and techniques. Here are some of the main differences between the two:

  • Goals: The primary goal of marketing is to create and deliver value for the target audience. Businesses can bring in new sales and create long-term customers by providing value. Advertising strives to persuade consumers to take a specific action, mainly to buy a product or service.
  • Activities: Marketing involves a wide range of activities, including market research, product development, developing pricing systems, and tracking the return on investment (ROI). Advertising involves pitching ad strategies, creating ad copy, and tracking and monitoring the performance of campaigns.
  • Channels: Marketing and advertising use different methods to reach their respective goals. Marketing can employ a variety of efforts, like blog posts, social media posts, and search engine optimization (SEO), to attract more customers to the business and provide an incentive (e.g., information, a free trial, etc.) to the consumer. Advertising traditionally focuses on paid ads, like digital advertising, native ads, and print advertising, to persuade consumers to buy.
  • Success: Marketers measure success through key performance indicators like sales revenue, ROI, conversion rates, and brand awareness. Advertising measures success based on ROI, cost per acquisition, engagement metrics, and return on ad spend.

How to integrate advertising and marketing

Every business must develop a personalized strategy that integrates marketing and advertising to achieve its goals. For instance, advertising can’t exist without a high-level marketing strategy that outlines critical elements like brand positioning and defines the target audience.

To formulate an effective, integrated strategy, assess your marketing and advertising goals. Are they aligned with your overarching business goals? Is your messaging and branding consistent across all of your marketing and advertising channels?

Create integrated campaigns that leverage multiple mediums. For example, campaigns can include a mix of social media advertising, email marketing, and content marketing supplemented with print, radio, or TV advertisements. Use data to measure the impact of these campaigns and total ROI.

CO— aims to bring you inspiration from leading respected experts. However, before making any business decision, you should consult a professional who can advise you based on your individual situation.

Feature Image Credit: Getty Images/FG Trade 

By

Sourced from CO

CO—is committed to helping you start, run and grow your small business. Learn more about the benefits of small business membership in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, here.