Welcome to the latest instalment in our series of weekly roundups, where we bring you the latest exciting developments in the world of digital marketing. This week, we explore how anti-consumerist brand campaigns could put an end to Black Friday, and much more…
Let’s dive into some of the latest and exciting updates and news from the marketing world…
Table of Contents
Could anti-consumerist brand campaigns put an end to Black Friday?
From shop closures to donating profits to climate projects, brands have produced innovative ways to protest Black Friday. But amid a cost-of-living crisis, will overconsumption messages still resonate? Black Friday is now a global affair. In recent years, its popularity in the UK has skyrocketed. According to refuse company Waste Managed, UK shoppers spent £4.8bn last year – though this is expected to drop by 18% in 2023 due to the continued cost of living crisis. This shopping frenzy comes at an unsurprising planetary cost. That same research found that last year’s Black Friday sales generated 429,000 metric tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions from product deliveries alone. (That’s equivalent to 435 return flights from London to New York.) Brands including Patagonia and Mud Jeans have protested Black Friday and the impact it is having – will more brands follow this pattern? Read more here:
The Role of Blog Content And Multiple Search-Friendly Formats In 2024
As search engine results pages evolve to show different types of results instead of 10 blue links, site owners and marketers need to make sure they are also adapting their strategies to this by leveraging multiple content formats across their site to help with a more holistic approach to your marketing strategy. Including a combination of written text, visual images, social and user generated content helps to provide different, useful experiences for the users and, in turn, helps the site to be visible in different SERP features now available. Read more here:
79% of Top Marketing Executives Report Boost in ROI Using AI Tools
A survey indicates that 79% of top marketing executives report a boost in return on investment (ROI) through the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools. The findings highlight the growing impact of AI on marketing strategies, emphasising its role in enhancing efficiency and outcomes. Executives noted improvements in customer targeting, personalisation, and overall campaign performance with AI integration. The data underscores the increasing recognition of AI as a valuable asset in the marketing landscape, providing actionable insights and automation capabilities to drive better results for businesses. Read more here:
Brands are wasting $600m+ in ad spend during the holiday season
A report suggests that brands may be wasting £600 million in ad spend during the holiday season due to inefficiencies in targeting and timing. The study indicates that poorly targeted ads and suboptimal timing contribute to significant losses in advertising effectiveness. Brands are urged to enhance their strategies by utilising data-driven insights, optimising ad placements, and considering consumer behaviour patterns during the festive season. Improving targeting precision and aligning campaigns with peak engagement periods can potentially save substantial ad spend and maximise the impact of holiday marketing efforts. Read more here:
Googlebot crawl rate tool in Search Console is going away
Google have announced that they are deprecating their Crawl Rate Limiter legacy tool from January 2024 as this is no longer useful now that they have improved their crawling logic and other tools available to publishers. The tool was previously intended for site owners to let Google know to crawl your site less than it currently does if you were having server load issues, but Google has become more advanced at being able to recognise and slow down themselves. If you have been using this tool, you should keep an eye on your site after the tool is turned off in January to see any effect this has on your server. Read more here:
Consumer confidence stages end-of-year rally but uncertainty continues
Consumer confidence has returned to growth after taking a nose dive last month, according to GfK’s most recent Consumer Confidence Index, but it remains firmly in negative territory. It comes as the government outlined a series of measures in its Autumn Statement this week to help get the economy “back on track”. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt revealed a bigger than-expected cut to the main rate of employee national insurance contributions from 12% to 10%, effective from 6 January 2024. State pensions will also increase by 8.5% from April, while universal credit will rise by 6.7%. While GfK’s data was collected ahead of the Autumn Statement, it reflects the uncertainty that UK consumers feel about the health of the economy. Read more here:
If you’re looking for some expert advice on how to keep your digital marketing strategies up to date and follow the trends in a rapidly moving market – get in touch with us. Our team of experts will be more than willing to discuss your requirements and offer their knowledge – just fire over an email to team@modo25.com and we’ll get back to you.
