Category: Marketing (Page 1 of 25)

The Strategist’s Dilemma: When Even Google Says “Just Let Us Run It”

July 27, 2025 / Andy / 0 Comments

Early in my career, I was a tactician. Email campaigns, SEO, SEM, building landing pages, hacking together A/B tests. Whatever the job needed, I’d figure it out.

Then I got older. Took on bigger roles. Strategy became my thing. I got an MBA, which basically teaches you how to never do real work again. Just make PowerPoints and use fancy terms like “ubiquitous” and “leveraging synergies.” Just kidding. Kind of.

Then I taught at UW. Strategy-heavy, theory-driven. But not much time for learning how to troubleshoot a broken Meta ad pixel or chase down why TikTok didn’t like the file format you uploaded.

Fast-forward to a recent client gig. A small, scrappy brand with big potential. I figured with AI at my side, I could go back to being a full-stack marketer. The headlines promised that AI was like hiring a 12-person team. All I had to do was show up and prompt. Well, that’s what I thought would happen…

To be fair, some of it worked. AI helped me:

Learn the market faster than any onboarding doc ever could
Code landing pages I wouldn’t have touched otherwise
Test language, generate image prompts, draft copy

But some things were harder than I expected. Not because of AI. Because of me.

I wasn’t great at managing $500 social ad budgets with a bunch of audience segments. I’d get excited, generate new copy, then forget which ones were running. I’d have four tools open at once and three dashboards with zero clear answers.

And the real challenge? AI made me want to move too fast. It gave me confidence, not always clarity. I overlooked the years of work the brand had already done. I thought, “Let’s just rebuild it.” Because I could. But just because you can doesn’t mean you should.

Not only that, but with all the worry about tactics, I forgot about building an actual strategy. Sure I was fixing things, but why? Why was I spending the time on these ad images and audiences a la carte? Where was the the overall gameplan, which is the thing I’m actually really good at?

And then came the pressure. I’d read stories of brands handing over their entire budget to Meta’s Performance Max or Advantage+ campaigns and watching sales jump 300 percent. Google says the same. Just let the algorithm run it. Trust the machine.

But then the experts, the real paid media folks, all say the opposite. You should never blindly hand over your budget. You need control. You need constraints. You need human judgment layered over the models.

So which is it?

That’s the strategist’s dilemma. You’re smart enough to see the big picture. But now you’re supposed to run the machine, too. You’re supposed to click every box, track every metric, and learn new rules every week. It’s not that you can’t. It’s that if you’re not careful, you’ll burn your whole day trying to beat an algorithm that’s already 10 moves ahead.

And yet… you also can’t sit back. This isn’t a time for marketers to lean only on decks and plans. You have to try things. Publish things. Watch what works. Learn what doesn’t.

Especially if you’re working with a brand built on authenticity. You can’t just let the machine write your voice. You have to start with something human. Something true. Then let AI accelerate, not replace.

That’s what I’d do differently next time. Not give up the strategy. Not fake the tactics. But respect both. Use AI as the intern, not the architect. Build the plan myself, then use the tools to get further, faster, without losing the voice or the vision.

Because in the end, it’s not about chasing trends or automating everything. It’s about making sure the brand stays true, the work gets done, and the results actually matter.

Does the 3-30-3 Writing Framework Still Work?

June 22, 2025 / Andy

Does the 3-30-3 Writing Framework Still Work?

There is a writing model I’ve followed for years. I swear I stole it from someone else, but whenever I try to find the article that taught it to me, I can’t locate it. Maybe I dreamed it. Maybe it was a late night conversation at Ad Club.

Regardless, the idea is simple:

You get 3 seconds to grab someone’s attention and earn 30 more seconds.
You have that 30 seconds to earn their interest and earn 3 more minutes.
Only then, in that 3 minutes, do you get to earn enough trust to shift their mindset, earn a response, or close the deal.

So, does it still work today?

1. 3 seconds to stop the scroll

The Nielsen Norman Group says most users decide whether to stay or leave a page within 10 to 20 seconds. But if you can keep them for the first 5 seconds, the odds of them staying longer go up significantly.

Mobile is even less forgiving. A Meta study found people make up their mind about content in just 1.7 seconds while scrolling. First impressions matter. A lot.

2. 30 seconds to hook curiosity

The average reader doesn’t get far. According to Chartbeat, more than half of visitors spend less than 15 seconds actively reading a piece of content. But if someone makes it to 30 seconds, their chances of continuing to the 1-minute mark nearly double.

That’s where interest turns into attention.

3. 3 minutes to actually do something

If someone spends 3 minutes or more with your content, they’re in it. A Nielsen study showed that readers who stay that long are more likely to subscribe, share, or convert. Heatmaps from Crazy Egg show that serious purchase intent tends to happen after the 2-minute mark, when people have read enough to feel confident.

So yes, the 3-30-3 model still works.

It lines up with how attention works in real life. People make fast decisions, scan quickly for value, and only commit when they feel something is worth it. If you can clear those three checkpoints of attention, interest, evaluation in one piece of content, you’re doing more than getting clicks. You’re actually getting through.

Does LinkedIn Still Belong in 2025 Marketing Budgets?

December 15, 2024 / Andy

As companies (like my clients) finalize their 2025 marketing strategies, many are asking whether LinkedIn still warrants a dedicated line in the budget. Once a critical space for B2B visibility and thought leadership, the platform now faces new competition, rising costs, and declining returns for some sectors. Plus, it seems like hardly anyone actually works there.

It seems like for every reason to keep it, there’s an equally valid one for abandoning it.

Engagement Is Still Strong—But Flattening

For B2B marketers, LinkedIn has historically been unmatched in terms of audience intent. But engagement metrics suggest the platform may be nearing a plateau. According to LinkedIn’s own Benchmark Report, click-through rates on thought leadership posts declined year over year:

2023: 0.55%
2024: 0.49%

Meanwhile, a June 2024 Socialinsider study found carousel posts remained the most engaging format, especially for professional services firms. Short videos, once seen as a growth area, now underperform outside of HR or recruitment content.

The Cost Equation Is Shifting

Advertising on LinkedIn remains expensive—often prohibitively so for performance marketers. Wordstream’s Q3 2024 report shows stark differences in average CPM:

LinkedIn: $38.12
Meta (Facebook/Instagram): $14.74
TikTok: $8.91

For campaigns focused on lead generation or direct conversions, the ROI may be difficult to justify compared to cheaper alternatives.

When LinkedIn Still Delivers

Despite those challenges, LinkedIn still drives value for certain brands—particularly those with high-ticket offerings or a professional audience. Sectors continuing to see returns include:

SaaS and enterprise software
Management consulting
HR technology and recruiting firms
Financial services
Executive coaching and leadership training

These industries benefit from the trust and credibility that LinkedIn still holds with decision-makers.

For Consumer Brands, Less Justifiable

For lifestyle or direct-to-consumer brands, LinkedIn rarely makes sense. The professional context limits emotional storytelling, and users are less receptive to brand content unless it’s tied to employment, entrepreneurship, or career development.

Even brands experimenting with employer branding and culture posts are seeing limited traction unless the content is truly unique or backed by a hiring initiative.

A Tighter, Smarter Approach

LinkedIn isn’t dead, it just isn’t automatic. Marketers should reevaluate its role based on goals, cost, and audience fit. For brands that use it well, the platform can still offer high-quality engagement. For others, 2025 may be the right year to scale back and reinvest in channels with broader reach and better value.

Why Businesses Should Be on TikTok Before the Year Ends

December 17, 2023 / Andy

I know you’re going to hate hearing this. I hate writing it. But if your brand still isn’t on TikTok as 2023 wraps up, you may be behind. This isn’t trend-chasing. We have to suck it up and go where attention lives. TikTok is shaping buying decisions across nearly every demographic, not just Gen Z.

1. People Are Spending Serious Time Here

TikTok now has over 1 billion monthly active users, and the average person spends about 95 minutes per day on the app. That’s more screen time than Netflix for some people (Saintnicks). And it’s not background noise. People are watching closely, not just scrolling past.

2. The Algorithm Works in Your Favor

You don’t need a huge follower count. TikTok’s algorithm recommends content based on what people like to watch, not who they follow. That gives smaller brands a legit shot to go big—even from zero. (Wikipedia – TikTok)

3. Low Budget, High Impact

You don’t need fancy gear or a studio. TikTok rewards authenticity. A founder talking to their phone camera can outperform a polished brand ad—if the message hits home (Third Wunder).

4. It’s Already Working for Small Businesses

This isn’t theory. One small brand boosted revenue by 1,650% after going viral on TikTok (Business Insider). TikTok itself reported $24.2 billion in economic activity from small businesses using the platform in 2023 (TikTok Newsroom).

5. TikTok Shop Removes Friction

Launched in September, TikTok Shop lets you sell right inside the app. No redirecting people to your website. No friction. You see it, you click it, you buy it (Wikipedia – TikTok Shop).

6. People Trust What They See

A TikTok study found that 92% of users who took action after watching a video said they did it because the content made them feel something. And 72% said they trust TikTok creators more than traditional ads (TikTok “What’s Next” report).

The Takeaway

TikTok isn’t just silly videos anymore. Used effectively, it can be a source of leads.

2022 Marketing in Review – The world tried to be normal again

January 15, 2023 / Andy

Title: Burnout, Bots, and Brand Trust: The Year Marketing Tried to Be Human Again
Published: January 2023

In 2022, marketing stopped trying to win the internet and started trying to win people back.

After a two-year sprint through pandemic pivots, remote chaos, and digital everything, the mood shifted. Customers were burned out. Teams were burned out. And somewhere in the noise, a quiet message emerged:

“Don’t try to be everywhere. Try to be real.”

It was the year of rebuilding brand trust. Of cutting through automation sludge. Of rethinking the funnel. And for many of us—of remembering why we got into this work in the first place.

Here’s what actually happened.

Consumer Behavior Changed—And Got More Selective

78% of consumers unfollowed brands in 2022 due to “inauthentic” messaging
(Source: Stackla, “Bridging the Gap” Report)
Trust in social ads dropped for the third straight year—down to 43%, with Gen Z showing the sharpest decline
(Source: Edelman Trust Barometer)
Email open rates held steady at 21.5%, but click-throughs declined by 5%
People opened out of habit, not curiosity.
Reviews, UGC, and peer-led content outperformed branded ads in 73% of A/B tests
Trust shifted to real people, not stylized creatives.

We Over-Automated, Then Regretted It

Martech stack bloat peaked: the average mid-sized marketing team used 91 tools
(Source: ChiefMartec 2022)
Chatbots replaced contact forms on 62% of B2C websites—but customer satisfaction dropped by 11%
The human touch was missed more than expected.
AI-generated content became trendy—but conversion rates were 37% lower when used without human editing
You can’t automate authenticity.

What Did Work? Anything That Felt Human

Influencer marketing spend rose 42% year over year
Especially micro-creators (under 100K followers), who delivered better ROI and engagement.
SMS campaigns saw a 35% click-through rate—with 98% open rates
Text isn’t dead. It’s just underused.
Podcast ad revenue jumped to $2 billion, and listener trust remained higher than any digital format
People still like voices more than headlines.
Brands that publicly admitted mistakes saw an 8% brand trust lift
Honesty scaled.

So What Do We Do With This?

The lesson of 2022 wasn’t “be everywhere.” It was:

Be somewhere real. With something worth saying. To people who might actually care.

We learned (again) that automation should support communication—not replace it. That being human still scales when done right. That trust still matters more than targeting.

And that the brands who won last year weren’t louder. They were clearer.

Five Takeaways From 2022

For CMOs, marketing leads, and teams who want to make smarter moves in 2023:

Cut your stack. Most teams don’t need 90 tools.
Edit your AI. Machine content is only as good as the human who sharpens it.
Trust is the new KPI. If your customers don’t believe you, your reach is meaningless.
Get personal again. SMS, podcasts, micro-creators—small formats built real engagement.
Real is rare. That’s why it still works.

ChatGPT Is Not a Copywriter. It’s a Brutal First Draft Machine.

July 4, 2022 / Andy

Let’s get this out of the way: I like AI. I use it. I even talk to it more than some of my friends. But let’s not pretend it’s Don Draper.

What AI is great at? Vomiting out a rough idea so you can sharpen it. Rewriting headlines until one of them doesn’t suck. Spitting out 20 variations of something you weren’t even sure how to start.

But it doesn’t know timing. Or tone. Or how to write a line that makes you pause, not scroll.

A lot of brands are skipping the human part. They’re posting AI-generated sludge and calling it “content.” That’s not innovation. That’s

laziness dressed up in automation.

The good news? If you still have a voice, your own. You can make AI your assistant, not your replacement. But it starts with knowing who you are before you press “generate.”

An Olympic Sized Irony

July 11, 2021 / Andy

My deep thought of the day.

This is backwards-looking of course. But if the IOC powers-that-be had figured out last year how to test potential Olympic athletes for COVID-19, quarantine them when they got to Tokyo, and accept that they would have to ban all spectators, then a global population stuck at home would have made it the most-watched Olympics ever. Maybe by 25-40%. People would have been arguing on Twitter about archery and synchronized swimming.

But instead, out of safety, the Olympics were postponed a year. And in the summer of 2021, when we can all go outside again and do other things with friends and family, who really wants to sit at home and watch the Olympics? Instead, this could be one of the lower-rated Olympics ever. Tough break for NBC.

Tips for New Zoomers

March 12, 2020 / Andy

Welcome to the “Work From Home” Lifestyle!

I know a lot of you prefer to have a 1/2 hour commute, walk in the rain from your car to your building, and then sit at your cube in a cavernous, fluorescent-lit room full of despair. But now you have to join us work-from-homers. And you’re going to be here a while, so you may as well get some best practices down now. Here are some basic things you need to know.

Always wear pants – Yes, the temptation is there. You want to sit in pajamas (or less) from the waist down. Resist the urge. Comfortable sweat pants are fine, just make sure that if your cat somehow readjusts your camera for you, you’re ok with what your co-workers are exposed to.
Figure out your two-monitor setup – For whatever reason, Microsoft, Apple, Zoom and all the monitor companies seem to have conspired to make sure that the default setting for your two-monitor set-up is to have the camera broadcast from whichever one you don’t want it to. This is fixable, just takes a little time. Do a practice run with friends and get it all situated.
Lighting is important – You know when you want to take a picture of yourself standing in front of an awesome sunset, and you get the sunset but you are just a shadowy blob in front of it? Same concept with Zoom. You can shoot with a window as your backdrop, just invest in a decent lamp that brightens your face.
Warn your roommates when you are on a call – Many people have a story similar to this one I heard recently. “I was on a Zoom call with my whole team. When suddenly, in the background of one of my team members, I see his wife walking around the kitchen buck naked. Not a stitch of clothing. Now, he had his headset on, and someone else was talking so she would have no way of hearing he was on a call. And I didn’t know what to do. Do I interrupt and tell my employee to turn around and tell his wife to get out of the frame, calling MORE attention to it? Do I just ignore it and hope no one sees it? Well before I could decide, the wife turned around and realized she was on live TV, screamed at the top of her lungs (alerting everyone who hadn’t noticed it yet), and ran out of the room. So we went on with the meeting from there.”
Backgrounds are cool, but... – If you are new to Zoom, the background features are pretty cool. “Look, I’m at a mountain or on a beach!” There are reasons and times to use these backgrounds. For example, if your spouse and kids are all working and learning from home at the same time and your only available spaces to broadcast from are the bathroom, car, or garage, use a background. Or, if you have a calm and professional customized background of an office environment, that is better than the view from your kitchen table. And if you have kids that like to run in the background of your Zoom calls, the background can mitigate that risk. Just keep in mind that the “floating head phenomenon” will probably happen at some point and it’s hard for people not to get distracted away from the brilliant point you were making.
In large meetings, default to “Mute On.” – I find it helpful to think about how much I expect to be talking in any given meeting, and if I’m not going to be the majority presenter, I go to “Mute On” right after salutations. There’s an added benefit to this, in that instead of just blurting your genius thought of the moment over someone already talking, you have to think, prepare yourself by taking off the mute, and wait for a proper place to jump in. And if you are at all like me, often you’ll realize that what you were about to say added little in the way of a contribution and was better left unsaid.
Not everything needs to be a Zoom call – Zoom is addictive. It’s the best way to replicate a face to face meeting. But remember, sometimes you don’t need face to face. Even if Zoom is an option, there’s nothing wrong with picking up the phone and calling someone for 5 minutes.

If you have your own Zoom tips, send them over,

Why I’m Not an SEO Expert

July 5, 2018 / Andy

I don’t think I’ll ever be able to truly understand SEO if this is the title and metadata you need to use to rise to the top of 296,000 results for the Google search, “Mariners Ticketmaster Account.”