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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Meta Shares Ad Tips Based On 1M+ Ad Creatives | CMOs Increase AI Investments: Here’s What The numbers Say | LinkedIn Shares Video Posting Best Practices + More!
Have you ever felt completely stuck because your tools just aren't keeping pace with your needs?
That's exactly what happened to me recently with my social media dashboard. What started as a quick post turned into a frustrating realization that my go-to tool was falling behind—especially as I've been sharing more videos than ever.
This frustration led to an unexpected weekend filled with research, experimenting with various platforms, and ultimately making a big leap. But here's the good news: I've finally found a solution that's not only keeping up but truly empowering my social media strategy.
In This Week's Podcast below, I share the behind-the-scenes of my journey, including why I knew it was time for a change, the alternatives I considered, and the platform I've now happily transitioned to.
If you're finding your social media tools lacking, especially for video content, you'll definitely want to hear this!
Now on to this week's Top 10 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.
This interview is a deep dive into how entrepreneurs and small businesses can smartly use AI to boost growth and save time—without losing that human touch. I chat with John Suarez, co-author of The Marketer’s Manual on Generative AI, about practical frameworks like Plug-and-Play AI and the 80/20 approach to help you start fast, stay focused, and scale. A must-listen if you’re ready to let AI work for you.
If you're posting more short-form video than links or images, your old social media dashboard might be slowing you down. In this episode of Your Digital Marketing Coach, I share how Buffer—yes, Buffer!—quietly became my new go-to tool, outperforming others for video speed, thumbnails, and customization. I also break down newer platforms worth exploring. Time to reassess your tools and see if they still fit how you post today.
CMOs are going all in on generative AI. According to new BCG research, 83% feel optimistic about AI—up 9 points from last year—and 71% plan to invest $10M+ over the next 3 years. This isn’t just about content anymore: CMOs are using AI for product recommendations, timing outreach, and optimizing customer experience. The takeaway? AI is shifting from a “cool tool” to a core business driver—and it’s time to scale smart.
Perplexity just hit 780 million queries in May, with 20%+ monthly growth—and their CEO says a billion-a-week could be next. But what’s really wild? They’re building Comet, a new AI-powered browser designed not just to answer questions, but to take actions for you. It’s being framed as a “cognitive operating system,” not just another browser. This could seriously reshape how we interact with the internet. Keep your eye on this—big changes ahead.
Meta is aiming to launch fully automated AI ads by 2026, where you’ll just plug in your URL and budget—and their AI will handle the rest: creative, copy, targeting, and optimization. It’s not just automation; it’s a complete shift in how ads are created. This matters because it signals a future where marketers must shift from managing campaigns to guiding AI and focusing on brand vision. Get ready to evolve—or get left behind.
Search is changing fast—are you ready? Welcome to the age of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). Instead of fighting for page-one rankings, GEO is about showing up in the answers AI tools like ChatGPT, Google’s AI Overviews, and Perplexity deliver. It builds on traditional SEO, but with new twists like unlinked brand mentions, fresh data, and UGC visibility. If you want your brand to stay discoverable in AI-driven search, it’s time to start optimizing for the answer, not just the SERP.
Meta just analyzed 1.1 million+ ad creatives and shared top tips to boost your ad performance. The winning formula? 9:16 video with audio, emotional storytelling, a human on screen, and text overlays. Campaigns using this approach saw up to 29% more conversions. Plus, AI-generated images boosted click-throughs by 11%. Bottom line: lean into video, emotion, and AI to scale smart and connect deeper across Reels, Feed, and Stories.
Video is booming on LinkedIn, with view time up 36% and video posts earning 1.4x more engagement. To help you tap in, LinkedIn shared 13 best practices—like using vertical videos, keeping them under 2 minutes, grabbing attention in the first 6 seconds, and always adding subtitles. Key takeaway? Ditch the dull talking heads and focus on timely, mobile-friendly, creative content that informs or entertains. It’s time to level up your LinkedIn video game.
The Creator News Hub is a conglomerate of news created for any and all video creators. We highlight content from podcasting to video production in our weekly newsletters, tips, and tutorials. Our content is mostly focused on creating video using Ecamm Live, but most of this content can be directly applied to any type of video creator.
Tired of marketing advice that’s either obvious or outright shady? Strategic AF flips the script. It's the only newsletter that treats solopreneurs, founders, and marketers like grown-ups, not toddlers looking for the next shiny toy. Subscribe to get sharp, no-nonsense strategy advice without the cringe. No bro-marketing, no fluff — just real, sustainable growth tactics. Subscribe if you want results. Scroll past if you prefer gimmicks.
Named as a top thought leader and one to follow by Forbes and LinkedIn for Nonprofits, Julia Campbell is a nonprofit digital consultant, speaker, and author on a mission to make the digital world a better place. Host of the acclaimed Nonprofit Nation podcast, she’s written two books for nonprofits on social media and storytelling, and her online courses, webinars, and talks have helped hundreds of nonprofits make the shift to digital thinking. You can learn more about Julia at www.jcsocialmarketing.com/blog
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If you’re ready to build deeper trust, boost engagement, and stretch your content budget, user-generated content (UGC) should be at the heart of your strategy. In this blog post that I personally wrote, I walk you through creative UGC examples, step-by-step guidance on launching campaigns, and future-forward trends like AI-enhanced UGC and shoppable content. If you want content that truly connects and converts, this post gives you everything you need to get started—and scale.
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Weekly Digital Marketing & Generative AI for Marketing News from Your Digital Marketing Coach
Neal Schaffer
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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