​10 Instantly Helpful Ways To Use AI In Marketing From The Pros | A Step-by-Step Guide To How to Do Content Research | OpenAI’s Agent Tool May Be Nearing Release + More!


Neal Schaffer

January 24, 2025

Hey Reader,

I had a pre-sales call with a small business yesterday that is in the B2B space and thus focusing solely on LinkedIn as their strategic digital marketing channel.

While their intention is spot-on, they still were confused as to why their LinkedIn Company Page posts weren't getting traction. Or the myriad of LinkedIn ad format and targeting options they had. People were signing up to their webinars but they weren't generating leads. They were acquiring email addresses yet didn't seem to be doing any nurturing of them.

Hopefully this company will hire me as their Fractional CMO for a few months to help them out. But it was a reminder that digital marketing is a complex puzzle piece of multiple threads that need to be in harmony for the best results. It is too easy to waste a lot of money - and time - dabbling with various things without producing the real results you need to gain traction.

If you are in the same or similar situation, please reply to this email and let's set up a call to chat.

Now on to this week's news!

Please note: Some links in this newsletter are affiliate links. If you make a purchase through them, I may earn a small commission—at no extra cost to you.


Maximizing LinkedIn For Business Growth

Explore and learn key strategies to leverage LinkedIn effectively, based on my latest book, Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth.


This Week's Podcast Episode

Revolutionizing Influencer Marketing With AI: Insights From Alexander Frolov, CEO Of Hype Auditor

“AI isn’t just changing influencer marketing—it’s revolutionizing it. From finding the perfect influencers to personalizing outreach, the possibilities are endless!”

What if AI could make influencer marketing easier, faster, and more effective? In this episode of the Your Digital Marketing Coach podcast, I sit down with Alexander Frolov, CEO of HypeAuditor, to explore how AI is transforming how we discover, engage, and measure influencer partnerships. If you want to maximize your ROI and stay ahead of the curve, you don’t want to miss this one!


This Week's Top Articles

NEWS

Trump Delays TikTok Ban For At Least 75 Days Via Executive Order

President Trump has temporarily delayed the TikTok ban for 75 days, giving the company more time to address U.S. national security concerns. This decision pauses enforcement of a law passed under President Biden and offers a chance for negotiations on TikTok's future in the U.S. With TikTok's services back online, this move may ease tensions while raising questions about data privacy, foreign influence, and how tech regulations will evolve.

OpenAI’s Agent Tool May Be Nearing Release

OpenAI may soon release Operator, an AI tool capable of performing tasks like coding, booking travel, or navigating websites directly on your PC. While powerful, leaked benchmarks show it’s not yet as reliable as humans for certain tasks, such as launching cloud services or creating Bitcoin wallets. With safety a major concern, this tool could revolutionize how we interact with technology—but its limitations and potential risks will be critical to watch as the AI agent market heats up.

What Is Edits? Everything We Know About Instagram’s New Video Editing App Announced In Midst Of TikTok Madness

Instagram just announced "Edits," a standalone video editing app packed with creative tools for short-form video creators. Designed to compete with apps like CapCut, Edits offers a higher-quality camera, idea tracking, collaboration on drafts, and performance insights for Instagram uploads. While it’s not live yet (launching in February), Instagram aims to refine it with creator feedback. This comes as TikTok faced a brief ban, making Edits a timely move for content creators exploring new options.

Meta Lures TikTok Creators With $5K Bonuses, Content Deals, Free Verification

Meta is ramping up its efforts to attract TikTok creators with big incentives like $5,000 bonuses, exclusive content deals, and free account verification. This strategy comes as TikTok faces challenges, including being temporarily unavailable in app stores. Meta is also expanding Reels’ features—like longer video limits—and boosting its visibility to compete with TikTok’s format. If you're a creator, this could be a great chance to grow your reach and income while TikTok’s future hangs in the balance.


Featured Tool Of The Week

Monitor +25,000,000 Online Sources In Real-Time.

Brand24 tracks all public sources, including social, news, blogs, videos, forums, podcasts, reviews, and much more!


More Top Articles For The Week

SEO ADVICE

A Step-by-Step Guide To How I Do Content Research

This step-by-step guide to content research from Hubspot is a goldmine for marketers looking to create valuable, audience-focused content. From keyword research to analyzing performance, the blog offers actionable insights to structure your research process and stay ahead of the competition. It emphasizes using trusted sources, connecting with subject-matter experts, and leveraging your own experience. If you want to create content that ranks well and resonates with readers, this guide is a must-read!

Content Atomization: Maximize ROI By Repurposing Your Best Ideas

This guide breaks down content atomization, a strategy to stretch your best content by repurposing it into smaller, platform-specific assets. Instead of constantly creating new material, you can transform a single high-value piece—like a webinar or whitepaper—into blogs, social posts, infographics, and videos. It boosts SEO, engagement, and efficiency while saving time. If you want to maximize ROI and connect with audiences across channels, this is the framework you need!


SOCIAL ADVICE

TikTok Ban Sparks 5000% Surge In Alternative App Searches

The TikTok ban drama has triggered a massive surge in searches for alternatives, VPNs, and updates, highlighting users’ desperation to stay connected. Apps like RedNote, Lemon8, and Clapper briefly gained attention but struggled to retain users due to language and quality issues. For marketers, this is a wake-up call: diversifying your content strategy across multiple platforms is essential to mitigate risks tied to reliance on a single channel. Stay adaptable!


AI ADVICE

10 Instantly Helpful Ways To Use AI In Marketing From The Pros

Discover 10 practical ways to use AI in marketing, shared by industry experts. Learn how to mine Reddit for customer insights, reframe content using copywriting formulas, and even create blog posts from voice notes. These tips also include finding gaps in underperforming posts, breaking creativity ruts, and simplifying complex concepts. Perfect for marketers seeking innovative, time-saving strategies to enhance content and better connect with their audience.


Recommended Newsletters of the Week

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The Content Café Ja | Content Marketing for Busy Entrepreneurs

Emjae

Hey there! I'm Emjae - a coffee-loving digital marketing geek. If you're a service-based entrepreneur, I'll be your guide to crack the code on content creation and digital marketing. 🕵️‍♂️Ever wonder who your ideal audience is? Let's uncover that mystery together and find your tribe! 🗣️ Haven't yet found the voice that resonates with your people? Together, we can tap into the perfect brand voice to make content they'll love. 💡 Ready to turn your content into a powerhouse that delivers results? We'll embark on a creative adventure of strategy, and a touch of magic to get it there. 🤝 Let's connect. Subscribe to my email list for marketing tips and insights, or drop me a line at wordsmith@writeheadspace.com. I'm all ears (and words!), so let me know how I can help and let's 'Get It Write' together.

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Justin Jackson's SaaS marketing experiments

In 2024, I'm sharing marketing and growth tips for SaaS founders

I'm the co-founder of Transistor.fm (podcast hosting and analytics). I write about SaaS marketing, bootstrapping startups, pursuing a good life, building calm companies, business ethics, and creating a better society,.

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Sarah Moon

Marketing & Business Strategy

The status quo of modern marketing isn't designed for you and me.The hard truth is that most marketing strategies are designed for massive corporations, while small businesses, consultants, coaches, and other experts are left feeling that the advice they’re given just doesn’t fit—and they’re right.We have two choices: we can struggle to force our businesses into an ill-fitting mold, or we can reinvent a system that works for us and allows us to thrive. I don’t know about you, I prefer door number two. 💌 Reach our team at hello@sarahmoon.com 🌟 Ready to work together? https://sarahmoon.com/get-started

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Zakery Rathbone-Scott

Helping B2B Coaches & Consultants Build Authority Online

Through my newsletter I explore the foundations of marketing, how to implement them in your business, and lessons from the great campaigns of the past.

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Ideas to Power Your Future

by Adriana Tica

Real growth, not hacks! Build a sustainable, future-proof business. I'll teach you how in 10 mins or less per week. Get weekly strategy advice, in-depth trend analyses, and ideas to help you build a resilient business.


Latest From My Blog

How To Promote Your Website: From Zero To 10,000 Visitors (Proven Methods)

In my guide to help you grow your website traffic from zero to 10,000 visitors, focus on proven strategies that combine SEO, content marketing, social media, email marketing, and paid ads. Start by optimizing your website’s technical SEO and creating valuable, audience-targeted content. Build engaged social media communities, leverage email campaigns, and explore partnerships like guest blogging or influencer collaborations. Consistent measurement and refinement of your efforts will drive both sustainable growth and meaningful audience relationships.


What Is The InMail On LinkedIn?

How familiar are you with the LinkedIn InMail? It is a premium feature enabling users to message professionals outside their direct network. It's ideal for recruiters, salespeople, and job seekers aiming to build connections or pitch opportunities. With personalized messages and high response rates, InMail stands out as an effective tool for targeted outreach. Whether expanding your network, engaging prospects, or recruiting talent, it provides a professional and trusted way to connect on LinkedIn.


Digital First Mastermind Community

Have a question or need some help with your digital or social media marketing? Join my mastermind! Click here or on the image for more details!

Thanks for reading all the way to the bottom.

If I can be of any help to you or your organization please consider joining my Digital First Group Coaching Membership Community or considering hiring me as a Fractional CMO.

Warm regards,

Neal Schaffer

Fractional CMO / Author / Speaker / Educator

P.S. Pressing the unsubscribe button at the bottom will remove you from all communication from me. If you'd like to keep in touch and only receive monthly, instead of weekly, newsletters, please click here. Thank you!

3943 Irvine Blvd., Suite 90, Irvine, California 92602
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Weekly Digital Marketing & Generative AI for Marketing News from Your Digital Marketing Coach

Every Friday I provide a curated newsletter for thousands of marketers, entrepreneurs, business owners and content creators that covers the latest news as well as actionable advice on all things digital, content, influencer, and social media marketing. I try my best to also provide advice on the latest developments of generative AI and how to leverage it for marketing as well as personal branding for your digital presence.

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