The owner of Facebook and Instagram has taken the UK’s media regulator to the high court, opening a fresh front in the increasingly fractious relationship between Silicon Valley and Britain’s online safety regime.

Meta has filed for a judicial review of Ofcom’s methodology for setting fees and penalties under the Online Safety Act, arguing that pegging charges to a company’s qualifying worldwide revenue (QWR) is disproportionate and out of step with the geographic scope of the regulator’s remit. A hearing has been scheduled for 13 and 14 October.

The stakes are considerable. Under the Act, Ofcom can levy fines of up to 10 per cent of QWR or £18m, whichever is higher. Given that Meta reported global revenues of roughly $201bn last year, the regulator could in theory issue a penalty of around $20bn, a sum that would dwarf the largest fines in UK corporate history. The fee regime introduced last September applies the same QWR principle to annual tariffs, capturing companies whose user-generated content, search or adult-content services in the UK generate more than £250m a year.

Meta contends that liability should be determined by activity within the jurisdiction doing the regulating. “We and others in the tech industry believe its decisions on the methodology to calculate fees and potential fines are disproportionate,” a company spokesperson said. “We believe fees and penalties should be based on the services being regulated in the countries they’re being regulated in. This would still allow Ofcom to impose the largest fines in UK corporate history.”

Court documents filed on Meta’s behalf by Monica Carss-Frisk KC describe Ofcom’s approach as “troubling”, warning that it would result in a handful of large platforms shouldering the bulk of the regulator’s costs even though the Act covers a much broader sweep of internet services. The barrister noted that QWR is not pegged to revenue generated by any particular service in the UK; rather, once a service is offered to British users, the entirety of its global turnover is counted.

Ofcom, for its part, is preparing to dig in. The regulator said its fees and fines framework reflected “a plain reading of the law” and pledged to “robustly defend our reasoning and decisions”.

Meta is not alone in pushing back. The US online forum 4chan has refused to pay penalties imposed under the Act, and Ofcom is facing separate litigation from the operators of both 4chan and Kiwi Farms. The regime has also drawn criticism from Donald Trump’s White House, which has signalled growing impatience with European digital rules that it sees as targeting American firms.

The financial significance of the new system for Ofcom itself is hard to overstate. Once the preserve of broadcasters and telecoms operators paying for spectrum and licence fees, the regulator now expects the bulk of its £233m budget for the year to come from online safety tariffs, which are forecast to bring in £164m. That marks one of the most substantial shifts in Ofcom’s funding base in its two-decade history.

For SME founders watching from the sidelines, the case is more than a transatlantic skirmish between Big Tech and a British quango. The threshold of £250m in qualifying turnover means most smaller platforms sit outside the fee net, but the principles being tested in October, how revenue is attributed across borders, and how proportionality is measured for global digital businesses, will shape the regulatory environment for any UK-based scale-up that one day finds itself trading internationally on the back of user-generated content. The judgment, when it comes, will be read closely well beyond Menlo Park.

Read more:
Meta launches high court challenge against Ofcom over online safety act fines

Mark Zuckerberg is preparing to take the knife to his own creation once again.

Meta Platforms, the parent of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, is lining up a global redundancy programme that will see roughly one in ten of its staff, about 8,000 people, shown the door from next month, with a second wave expected before the year is out.

The Silicon Valley giant has declined to put any figures on the record, but the direction of travel will be uncomfortably familiar to the tens of thousands of staff who lived through Meta’s self-styled “year of efficiency” in 2022 and 2023, when some 21,000 roles were stripped out as the share price slid and the company came to terms with a bout of Covid-era over-hiring.

This time round, the rationale is rather different. Meta is in robust financial health, but Mr Zuckerberg has committed to spending hundreds of billions of dollars reshaping the business around artificial intelligence. The trade-off, it seems, is that a leaner organisation with fewer management layers and AI-augmented engineers is expected to do the heavy lifting that armies of human employees once did.

According to Reuters, the initial tranche of cuts is pencilled in for May, with the timing and scope of the later round yet to be nailed down. Meta employed just shy of 79,000 people at the end of December, according to its most recent filing, meaning the opening salvo alone could remove close to a tenth of that headcount.

Meta is not moving in isolation. Amazon has already swept out 30,000 corporate staff in recent months, equivalent to nearly ten per cent of its white-collar base, while in February the fintech group Block let go of nearly half its workforce, around 4,000 jobs. In both cases, senior management pointed firmly at efficiency gains from AI as the justification.

The industry’s own body count bears that out. Layoffs.fyi, which tracks redundancies across the technology sector, puts the tally at 73,212 jobs lost in the first four months of 2026 alone. For the whole of 2024, the figure was 153,000, suggesting this year’s numbers are on course to eclipse anything seen in the post-pandemic shake-out.

Inside Meta, the reorganisation is already well under way. Teams within its Reality Labs division have been reshuffled in recent weeks, and engineers from across the group have been parachuted into a newly minted Applied AI unit. Its brief is to accelerate the development of AI agents capable of writing code and executing complex tasks without human hand-holding, the very capability, critics will note, that Mr Zuckerberg appears to believe can replace a sizeable chunk of his own workforce.

For Britain’s small and medium-sized businesses watching from across the Atlantic, the signal is a telling one. When the world’s largest technology employers openly argue that generative AI is now capable enough to displace thousands of skilled knowledge workers, the pressure on every other business to rethink how it organises, recruits and deploys talent only intensifies.

Whether the efficiency dividend materialises as cleanly as Mr Zuckerberg hopes remains to be seen. Meta’s 2022 cuts were followed by a sharp recovery in profitability and a soaring share price, vindicating his tough love approach in the eyes of Wall Street. A second act on a similar scale, however, will test whether AI can genuinely deliver the productivity miracle its champions promise, or whether Meta is simply exchanging one kind of risk for another.

Read more:
Meta to axe 8,000 jobs in May as Zuckerberg bets the house on AI

Reform UK is venturing into podcasting with a weekly show that will offer listeners behind-the-scenes access to Nigel Farage and senior figures within the party, marking the first time a British political party has produced its own audio programme.

The first episode, due out on Saturday, will feature footage from Reform’s campaign trail ahead of the local elections, including exchanges with both supporters and detractors. Subsequent instalments will follow Farage’s campaigning efforts in Wales and Scotland while covering major policy announcements in depth. The show will be available on Spotify and Apple, though the party has confirmed there are no plans to appoint a regular presenter.

The move represents a significant escalation in Reform’s broader digital media strategy, which has already seen the party invest tens of thousands of pounds in an in-house television studio. Farage commands a social media following of nearly 7.3 million across X, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, a figure that exceeds the combined followings of Sir Keir Starmer, Kemi Badenoch, Sir Ed Davey and Green Party leader Zack Polanski.

That digital dominance has translated into tangible political momentum. Reform now leads the national polls and has become the most popular party among Generation Z men, according to research by JL Partners for the think tank Onward. The party’s sharp use of TikTok has been widely credited as a driving force behind its surge in support among younger voters.

The podcast launch also underscores a growing tension between political parties and traditional broadcast media. Farage already hosts a primetime programme on GB News, a channel that has faced repeated scrutiny from Ofcom over its use of politicians as presenters. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has argued that Farage’s show is undermining public trust in news broadcasting.

Reform’s digital success has not gone unnoticed by its rivals. The Prime Minister joined both TikTok and Substack late last year, while Labour has enlisted FourOneOne, a digital marketing agency backed by Silicon Valley investors including LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman, to mount a campaign targeting Reform on TikTok. The party has further strengthened its online presence following Robert Jenrick’s defection from the Conservatives, with the former shadow justice secretary having built a considerable profile through attention-grabbing social media content.

Farage said the podcast would bring listeners closer to the party’s operations in a way that no other political organisation has attempted, describing it as offering access to every aspect of Reform’s activities.

Read more:
Reform UK becomes first British political party to launch its own podcast

YouTube has been ranked the world’s most influential brand, as technology companies continue to dominate global media and public discourse, according to a new report.

The 2026 Brand Influence Rank from Onclusive found that digital-first platforms occupy every position in the global top 10, reflecting their unrivalled ability to shape narratives across both traditional and social media.

Joining YouTube at the top of the rankings are Google, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, TikTok and ChatGPT, underscoring the structural advantage these businesses hold in driving attention at scale.

The report measures influence not by size alone, but by a brand’s ability to generate sustained media coverage, spark conversation and shape public perception globally.

Digital platforms, with their always-on engagement and vast user bases, are uniquely positioned to dominate this landscape. Their central role in communication, content distribution and increasingly artificial intelligence gives them a powerful edge over traditional brands.

Jennifer Roberts, chief marketing officer at Onclusive, said the findings reflect a fundamental shift in how influence is defined.

“Influence is no longer just about reputation, it’s about the ability to generate continuous attention across multiple channels,” she said, noting that the rise of AI-driven search and content is accelerating this trend.

One of the most notable developments in the rankings is the entry of ChatGPT into the global top 10 for the first time, highlighting the rapid ascent of AI-focused brands.

Alongside Microsoft, AI platforms are generating disproportionate levels of media coverage, driven by innovation, competition and ongoing debate around regulation, ethics and the future of work.

However, this visibility comes with a trade-off. The report identifies a “sentiment ceiling” affecting many leading tech brands, where high levels of scrutiny limit positive perception despite strong influence.

Companies such as Google, Facebook, Apple and TikTok all recorded relatively modest positive sentiment scores, reflecting ongoing regulatory pressures, antitrust investigations and concerns over platform governance.

The report also highlights the growing role of corporate leaders in shaping brand narratives.

Elon Musk was ranked the world’s most influential CEO, with a media presence nearly ten times greater than his closest competitor. His influence is driven by his involvement across multiple high-profile companies, including Tesla, SpaceX and the social platform X, combined with a highly visible and often polarising public persona.

Sam Altman ranked second, reflecting the central role of artificial intelligence in global discourse. His prominence has grown rapidly as AI has become a defining topic in business, politics and society.

Other influential leaders include Mark Zuckerberg, Jensen Huang and Tim Cook, each contributing to their companies’ visibility through strategic positioning in key technology sectors.

The report underscores a key tension in modern brand building: influence does not necessarily equate to positive sentiment.

While tech companies dominate attention and conversation, they also face intense scrutiny over issues ranging from data privacy and competition to the societal impact of their technologies.

This dynamic creates a balancing act for brands, which must manage both visibility and trust in an increasingly complex media environment.

As digital platforms and AI continue to reshape how information is created, distributed and consumed, their dominance in global influence rankings is likely to persist.

However, with that influence comes heightened responsibility, and greater scrutiny.

For brands, the challenge is no longer simply to be seen, but to be trusted.

Read more:
YouTube named world’s most influential brand as tech dominance grows

John Lewis is preparing to enter a new era of retail by selling products through artificial intelligence platforms and social media, as the historic department store seeks to attract younger shoppers and modernise its business model.

The retailer has launched a multimillion-pound strategy centred on what it calls “AI-powered shopping”, enabling its products to appear in recommendations generated by chatbots such as ChatGPT and Google Gemini. The move forms part of a wider digital expansion designed to place the brand directly within the new tools consumers increasingly use to search for products and inspiration.

Alongside the push into AI platforms, the chain will also begin trialling sales through TikTok Shop, the fast-growing social commerce marketplace embedded within the TikTok app. Executives hope the initiative will help broaden the appeal of the 162-year-old retailer beyond its traditional customer base.

Under the new system, users interacting with AI chatbots will be able to receive recommendations for John Lewis products when searching for items such as clothing, homeware or gifts.

For example, a customer could ask a chatbot to suggest a spring outfit for a party within a certain budget, and the AI could recommend a shirt stocked by John Lewis if it fits the user’s criteria.

Over time, the retailer hopes shoppers will be able to complete purchases directly within the AI interface itself, as developers roll out embedded checkout features across conversational platforms.

The shift reflects growing evidence that artificial intelligence is becoming a starting point for online shopping journeys. Research from KPMG found that 30 per cent of consumers aged between 25 and 34 had already used chatbots to search for deals and product suggestions.

Retail analyst Jonathan De Mello said the development reflects broader changes in consumer behaviour.

“Retailers are embracing AI as a mechanism to reach a consumer that is relatively tech-savvy, especially the younger generation that uses it for almost everything,” he said. “It’s becoming part of how people explore and discover products.”

In parallel with the AI initiative, John Lewis will begin selling selected products through TikTok Shop. Initially, the offering will focus on beauty products and gift items, categories considered well suited to the social media platform’s influencer-driven shopping model.

Since launching in 2021, TikTok Shop has become a major force in UK e-commerce. During last year’s Black Friday event, the platform recorded sales of 27 products every second, demonstrating the speed at which social media retail has evolved.

Other major retailers have already begun experimenting with the format. Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury’s both introduced TikTok Shop sales for selected products last year, signalling growing confidence among established brands in the channel.

To enable its products to appear within AI chatbot recommendations, John Lewis has partnered with the commerce technology company Commercetools.

The platform translates the retailer’s product catalogue into formats compatible with AI search systems, allowing chatbots to recognise John Lewis as a merchant and incorporate its products into recommendations.

This process effectively ensures the retailer’s catalogue can be interpreted correctly by conversational AI tools and surfaced in relevant searches.

Dom McBrien said the strategy is intended to place the retailer directly within the new digital environments where customers are increasingly making purchasing decisions.

“These investments will mean that we are right there when customers are looking for ideas,” he said. “Being able to quickly and easily buy in a few clicks is a gamechanger.”

John Lewis is not alone in exploring AI-driven commerce. Sportswear retailer JD Sports has previously indicated plans to enable customers to make purchases directly through AI apps in the future.

Meanwhile, technology companies are actively building tools to integrate retail within conversational platforms. Earlier this year Google announced partnerships allowing purchases through its Gemini AI platform, while ChatGPT has already trialled instant checkout tools in the United States.

The rapid development of AI shopping tools has prompted discussion among legal experts and regulators about how recommendations, advertising disclosures and consumer protection rules will apply in conversational commerce.

The push into AI and social commerce comes as John Lewis attempts to revitalise its fortunes following several difficult years.

The retailer operates 36 department stores across the UK and first launched its online shop in 2001. Today, online transactions account for around 60 per cent of total sales.

Its parent company, John Lewis Partnership, also owns the supermarket chain Waitrose.

The partnership is currently undergoing a major turnaround led by chairman Jason Tarry, a former Tesco executive who took over leadership in 2024 following the departure of Sharon White.

Tarry has launched a wide-ranging programme aimed at restoring profitability, modernising operations and strengthening the brand’s competitiveness in a rapidly evolving retail landscape.

Later this week the John Lewis Partnership will publish its results for the 2025–26 financial year.

Speculation has been growing that the company may reinstate staff bonuses, which have not been paid since January 2022. At its peak, the annual bonus for employees, known internally as “partners”, reached as high as 15 per cent of salary.

The employee-owned structure means roughly 70,000 staff members share in the company’s profits when bonuses are declared.

Although the group is expected to miss its £200 million profit target, analysts believe management may still consider restoring the payment in order to boost morale following years of restructuring, store closures and cost-cutting.

For a brand synonymous with traditional British retail values, the shift toward AI-powered commerce represents a significant strategic pivot.

Executives believe that embedding the company within AI platforms and social commerce environments will ensure John Lewis remains visible as consumer habits evolve.

As conversational AI becomes a new gateway to online shopping, the retailer hopes its early investment will ensure it remains relevant in the next generation of digital retail.

Read more:
John Lewis to sell via ChatGPT and TikTok in youth push

Channel 4’s commercial division, Channel 4 Sales, has announced the return of its B Corp competition for a second year, offering purpose-driven UK businesses the chance to win a share of £600,000 worth of national TV advertising airtime.

The initiative, delivered in partnership with B Lab UK, the non-profit behind the UK’s growing B Corp movement, is designed to help sustainable businesses dramatically expand their visibility by reaching millions of viewers across Channel 4’s broadcast and streaming platforms.

The competition is open to certified UK B Corporations, companies that meet internationally recognised standards for social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability. Five winners will be selected to receive advertising packages designed to showcase their businesses and promote the wider B Corp movement.

Channel 4 said the competition reflects its commitment to using advertising as a force for positive change while helping smaller businesses compete with larger brands in the national marketplace.

Tom Patterson, Sustainability Lead at Channel 4 Sales, said television advertising still plays a powerful role in helping emerging brands scale their visibility and credibility.

“We’re so excited to bring our B Corp competition back for a second year and build on the brilliant momentum from year one,” Patterson said.

“TV has a unique superpower: helping small and medium-sized businesses punch above their weight and reach audiences they’d never normally get in front of.

“B Corps have authentic stories worth shouting about, and Channel 4 loves nothing more than telling stories that spark change. There are incredible purpose-driven brands nationwide, and this opens the door for more of them to grow bigger.”

The competition forms part of Channel 4’s broader Business for Good initiative, which includes programmes such as Black in Business and the Diversity in Advertising Award, both aimed at supporting underrepresented founders and purpose-led enterprises.

The inaugural competition demonstrated the impact television advertising can have on emerging sustainable brands.

Winning campaigns from 2025 were launched through a high-profile ad-break takeover during the hit Channel 4 programme Taskmaster, before being rolled out across tailored placements on Channel 4’s streaming platform.

Research conducted by B Corp marketing agency Sonder found the campaign generated significant brand awareness and commercial benefits for participating businesses.

Among viewers exposed to the advertising 88% reported an improved opinion of B Corp brands and 85% said they were more likely to purchase from a B Corp company.

Sustainable cleaning brand Seep recorded a 112% increase in branded search impressions, alongside 70% year-on-year revenue growth and a 75% increase in new customers following the campaign.

Another winner, ticketing platform Ticket Tailor, saw direct website traffic rise by 38% year-on-year, with search traffic increasing by 43% during and after the advertising campaign.

The UK B Corp community has expanded rapidly in recent years as more companies seek to demonstrate stronger commitments to social impact, environmental responsibility and ethical governance.

According to B Lab UK, the country is now home to more than 2,700 certified B Corporations, spanning sectors from consumer goods and technology to professional services and manufacturing.

Rosalind Holley, Director of Communications and Marketing at B Lab UK, said the competition has become an important platform for showcasing purpose-led businesses to mainstream audiences.

“Last year’s competition marked a significant milestone for the UK B Corp community, empowering businesses to reach new audiences and drive awareness of a new generation of companies across the country,” Holley said.

“We’re pleased to partner with Channel 4 once again to build on this success during B Corp Month, celebrating a UK movement of thousands of businesses proving that purpose and profit can go hand in hand.”

Channel 4 Sales said it will again measure the carbon emissions associated with the advertising campaigns delivered through the competition.

Using its emissions measurement framework across both linear television and streaming channels, the broadcaster aims to ensure the initiative aligns with its wider sustainability strategy while promoting environmentally responsible businesses.

Entries for the 2026 competition are now officially open, with certified B Corporations across the UK encouraged to apply for the opportunity to access national advertising exposure that would normally be far beyond the reach of most small and medium-sized enterprises.

Channel 4 said the programme aims to highlight a new generation of companies proving that commercial success and positive social impact can coexist, while helping them grow faster through the power of television advertising.

Full eligibility details and application requirements are available through Channel 4 Sales’ Business for Good initiative.

Read more:
Channel 4 Sales relaunches B Corp competition offering £600,000 in TV advertising for sustainable businesses

If you have ever tried to defend creator spend in front of a CFO, you know the problem. The campaign can look busy on the surface. Views are high, comments are positive, and the creators are asking when the next deal is coming.

Then the CFO asks one question: what did we get back in revenue, and how do you know it came from this spend? When the answer leans on Earned Media Value (EMV) only, engagement rate, or brand awareness, the conversation usually ends with budget pressure.

In 2026, that standard is changing. Vanity metrics might help you improve creativity, but they do not justify investment. What wins the budget is attribution to Net Revenue and profit, plus clear math that ties spend to Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC), Customer Lifetime Value (CLV), and conversion. CFOs in particular and brands in general need performance-based influencer marketing.

This guide shows how to calculate influencer marketing ROI using the same financial logic you would use for any growth channel. We will also separate Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) from profit based ROI, and walk through creator campaign attribution models and the tracking stack needed to connect an influencer post to a closed deal.

Key Takeaways

• Move beyond EMV to Hard Revenue.
• Include all costs (agency, product, shipping) in the formula.
• Use U-Shaped or Linear attribution to see the full picture.
• Automate tracking with UTMs and pixels.

ROI vs. ROAS vs. EMV: Defining Financial Success

Marketers often mix these metrics in the same report. A CFO will not. If you want influencer spend to be treated like a real growth investment, you need to be precise about what each metric measures, what it ignores, and what question it answers.

Earned Media Value (EMV)

• What it is: A dollar estimate assigned to impressions, views, likes, or engagement by comparing them to what you might have paid for similar reach in ads.
• What it answers: “How much would this exposure have cost if we bought it?”
• Why it fails in the boardroom: EMV is built on vanity metrics. It has no direct link to net revenue, profit, or even verified customer actions. Two campaigns can have the same EMV while one drives sales and the other drives nothing but attention. EMV can be useful for creative benchmarking, but it is not a financial result.

Return on Ad Spend (ROAS)

• What it is: A revenue efficiency metric.
• Formula: ROAS = Gross Revenue / Ad Spend
• What it answers: “How much gross revenue did we generate per dollar spent?”
• Why it matters: ROAS is a clean way to compare channel efficiency when your goal is revenue generation. It forces you to connect spend to revenue. But ROAS is not profitable. It does not subtract costs like Cost of Goods Sold (COGS), shipping, discounts, refunds, or agency fees. A campaign can look strong on ROAS and still lose money.

Influencer Marketing ROI

• What it is: A profitability metric for creator investment, and the primary financial KPI if you need CFO level approval.
• Core logic: profit compared to Total Investment.
• What it answers: “Did we make money after all costs, and how much profit did this Investment produce?”
• Why it matters: ROI is what finance teams use to decide whether to scale, hold, or cut spend. It forces you to define total investment properly and connect it to profit, not just revenue.

Comparison table: EMV vs. ROAS vs. ROI

The math difference that matters

• ROAS uses Revenue, not profit:
  • ROAS = Gross Revenue / Ad Spend
  • Useful when you need to show Revenue per dollar, but it does not tell you if the campaign was profitable.

• ROI uses profit and full Investment:
  • ROI is built on Profit compared to Total Investment, not just the creator fee.
  • Finance cares about Profit, because Profit is what remains after costs.

If you want a creator report to survive a CFO review, treat EMV as supporting context, not the headline. Lead with investment, revenue, and profit. Then back it up with transparent assumptions and a repeatable tracking method. For more on this, see metrics that matter.

The Exact Formulas to Calculate Creator ROI in 2026

1. ROI

Start with the only ROI formula a CFO will accept. Influencer marketing ROI is a profitability metric, not a feelings metric. The standard formula is:

ROI (%) = (Net Profit – Total Cost) / Total Cost x 100

This is the formula you should use when you want to claim a creator campaign “paid back” the budget.

2. Total Cost

Define Total Cost correctly, or your ROI will be wrong. Most influencer reports quietly treat the influencer fee as the whole cost. That is the fastest way to lose credibility with finance. Total Cost must include every real expense required to produce and fulfill the sale.

Include in Total Cost:

• Creator fees (and usage rights if paid separately)
• Agency fees or internal labor allocation (if you report that way)
• Product seeding costs (free product sent to creators)
• Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) for units sold
• Shipping and handling
• Payment processing fees and platform fees
• Returns, refunds, chargebacks (treat as revenue reduction or as cost consistently)
• Discounts and coupons (again, handle consistently)

If you leave out COGS and shipping, you can show a positive ROI on paper while the business loses money on every order.

3. Net Profit

Calculate Net Profit the same way your finance team does. Net Profit is what remains after costs. A simple way to structure it for creator campaigns is:

Net Profit = Net Revenue – Total Cost

Where Net Revenue is revenue after refunds, returns, and any adjustments your finance team uses. This is why Net Revenue matters more than top line gross sales when you are trying to prove real ROI.

4. Break-even Revenue

Know your break-even point before you scale. Before you ask for more spend, you should know the Break-even Point, meaning the minimum revenue you must generate to avoid losing money.

Break-even Revenue = Total Cost / Gross Margin %

Example:

• Total Cost of the influencer program this month: $50,000
• Your gross margin is 60% (0.60)
• Break-even Revenue = $50,000 / 0.60 = $83,333.33

If your attributed revenue is below $83,333.33, you are not breaking even yet. If it is above it, you have room to scale, assuming the attribution is credible.

5. CAC

Calculate Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) for creator campaigns. ROI tells you profitability. CAC tells you efficiency of acquiring new customers, which is often how senior teams compare channels.

Influencer CAC = Total Spend / New Customers

Important details:

• Total Spend should match your Total Cost logic, not just creator fees.
• New Customers must be net new customers, not all purchases. Otherwise CAC looks artificially low.

Example:

• Total Cost: $50,000
• New customers attributed to creators: 250
• CAC = $50,000 / 250 = $200

If your blended CAC target is $150, creator CAC at $200 might still be acceptable if it brings higher CLV, stronger retention, or higher average order value. For a deeper breakdown, see calculating CAC: /marketing-efficiency-ratio.

6. CLV

Bring in Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) to judge payback, not just first purchase. Influencers often drive higher trust and higher intent, which can affect retention. That is why CLV matters, especially for subscriptions, high ticket items, or products with repeat purchase behavior.

A simple CLV model:

CLV = Average Order Value x Purchase Frequency x Gross Margin x Average Customer Lifespan

Then compare CLV to CAC:

• If CLV / CAC is healthy (many teams target 3x or more), the channel can be worth scaling even if first purchase ROI looks modest.
• If CLV is unknown, at least estimate the payback period: how long it takes gross profit to recover CAC.

7. What about brand awareness campaigns?

Use cost efficiency, not fake ROI. If the campaign truly has no conversion event to measure, you do not calculate financial ROI honestly. You measure cost efficiency for awareness outcomes, and you keep it separate from performance claims.

Practical options:

• Brand lift studies (awareness, consideration)
• Share of voice or search lift
• Cost per qualified visit, cost per email signup, or cost per lead, as a proxy when you are building the funnel

The key is consistency. If you want to say influencer marketing ROI improved, you must anchor it to profit math and full cost accounting, and then validate the attribution method you used to assign revenue and customers to influencers.

Attribution Models: Tracking the Invisible Touchpoints

If your influencer marketing ROI looks weaker than Facebook or Google, there is a good chance the campaign is not actually underperforming. You are likely seeing an attribution problem, not a performance problem. Influencer campaigns often create demand at the top of the funnel, while paid search, retargeting, or email captures the final click that converts. If you rely on Last-Click Attribution, creators will look expensive even when they are the reason the customer entered your world in the first place.

Below are the attribution models you can use to assign credit across touchpoints. The goal is not to “make influencers look good.” The goal is to assign credit in a way that reflects how people actually buy in 2026.

Last-Click Attribution

• What it does: Gives 100% credit to the final touchpoint before purchase.
• Why it breaks influencer campaign attribution: An influencer post might drive the first site visit, the email signup, or the app install. Then the customer returns later through Google search, a retargeting ad, or a branded direct visit. Last click gives all credit to the closer and none to the introducer.
• When it is acceptable: Rarely. It can work for impulse purchases with one session conversion, but most creator driven journeys are not one session.

First-Touch Attribution

• What it does: Gives 100% credit to the first recorded touchpoint.
• Why it helps: It credits discovery, which is often the influencer’s true role. It is useful when your objective is growing new demand and you need to prove the creator’s “opening” value.
• What it misses: It can undervalue the channels that do the heavy lifting in the middle and at close, like retargeting, email, sales, or affiliates.

Linear Attribution

• What it does: Splits credit equally across every touchpoint in the journey.
• Why it helps: It prevents one channel from stealing all credit and gives creditors a fair share when they are part of a longer path.
• What it misses: Not all touchpoints are equally important. Some are decisive. Some are noisy.

U-Shaped Attribution

• What it does: Assigns more credit to the first touchpoint and the last touchpoint, with the remaining credit spread across the middle touches. The model in this brief is: 40% First, 40% Last, 20% Middle.
• Why it is often best for creator campaigns: It matches how many influencer paths work. Influencers introduce the brand and frame the intent. Retargeting or search closes the deal. The middle touches still matter, but they should not erase discovery.
• How to use it in reporting: Treat the creator as the 40% opener when they are the first recorded touchpoint, or when they are the first meaningful engagement that can be verified (click, signup, install, or survey confirmed source).

Multi-Touch Attribution as the Umbrella Concept

• Multi-Touch Attribution is any approach that assigns credit across multiple touchpoints instead of one. First touch, linear, and U shaped are common “rules based” versions. More advanced versions use data driven weighting, but the principle is the same: share credit across the journey.

Why your influencer ROI can look lower than Facebook ads ROI

In many stacks, Facebook is the closest because it retargets the people who first visited from creators. If your reporting uses last click, Facebook appears to generate the sale “cheaply,” and creators appear to “not convert.” That is an attribution error. The sale was assisted by creators, but the credit was not assigned.

Visual description for a U-Shaped model diagram

Imagine a path that goes left to right with five boxes:

• Influencer Post
• Website Visit
• Email Signup
• Retargeting Ad
• Purchase

Above each box is a percentage.

• The Influencer Post box has 40% credit
• The Purchase box, labeled Retargeting Ad as the last touch, has 40% credit
• The three middle boxes share the remaining 20% credit equally, so each middle box gets about 6.7%

The diagram makes one point clear: the model gives real credit to both introduction and close, instead of letting Last-Click Attribution erase the first touchpoint.

The Tech Stack: Automating the Tracking Loop

A strong attribution model only works if you can capture the right data. The goal is simple: every creator touchpoint should leave a measurable trail that can be tied to a user, a lead, and eventually net revenue in your reporting. You do not need a perfect setup to start, but you do need a consistent one.

UTM Parameters for every single creator link

Create UTM Parameters for each influencer, each platform, and ideally each post.

Minimum fields to standardize:

• utm_source (influencer name or handle)
• utm_medium (influencer)
• utm_campaign (campaign name)
• utm_content (platform or post identifier)

UTMs make the first click traceable, which protects Creator Campaign Attribution from being erased by Last-Click Attribution in your analytics.

Promo codes to track conversions that happen without a click

Not every customer clicks a link. Some see a post and search your brand later, or share it in a chat. This is dark social, and it is common for influencer driven demand.

Promo codes give you a second line of tracking when link data is missing.

Best practice:

• Unique code per creator for clean attribution.
• A consistent code structure (for example INFLUENCER10 or BRAND CREATOR).
• A defined policy for discounting so codes do not destroy profit while chasing revenue.

Attribution pixels and conversion events

Use attribution pixels (your ad platform pixel or a server side event) to capture key actions:

• View content
• Add to cart
• Lead form submit
• Purchase or subscription start

Pixels let you build remarketing audiences and connect creator driven traffic to later conversions. They also help you see assisted conversions inside multi-touch views.

CRM integration from click to closed won

If you sell B2B, high ticket, or anything with a sales cycle, you cannot stop at checkout tracking. You need CRM Integration so each lead keeps its original source through the pipeline. Tools that are commonly used are HubSpot, Salesforce, and the like.

Minimum setup:

• Capture UTMs on the first visit and store them in hidden form fields.
• Push those fields into the CRM as lead properties.
• Maintain the original source through deal stages, not just last activity.

This is where creator programs become CFO friendly, because you can show an influenced pipeline, closed won revenue, and payback timing.

Post purchase surveys to fill attribution gaps

• A simple “How did you hear about us?” questions at checkout can catch what UTMs miss.
• Offer structured answers that include top influencers or “Creator on TikTok” or “YouTuber.”
• This is not perfect data, but it is often the only way to capture dark social influence when links are not clicked.

A practical reporting view that finance can trust

Build a weekly or monthly report that includes:

• Total Investment by influencer and by platform
• Attributed Net Revenue by model (first touch, U-shaped, or linear)
• Profit and Influencer Marketing ROI
• Creator CAC and payback period where possible

The point is to show the same language finance uses: Investment, Revenue, Profit, and time to recover spend.

The ROI Tracking Setup Checklist

• UTMs on every creator link, standardized naming convention
• Promo codes, ideally unique per creator
• Attribution pixels with key conversion events configured
• CRM Integration that stores original source and ties leads to closed won revenue
• A post checkout or post signup survey to capture dark social touchpoints
• A consistent attribution rule (often U shaped or linear) applied across reports

Conclusion

Influencer programs do not fail in finance reviews because creators “do not convert.” They fail because the measurement is incomplete. If you report EMV, views, or engagement as the headline, you are asking a CFO to fund feelings. In 2026, budget is won with revenue attribution, transparent cost accounting, and a repeatable method for assigning credit across touchpoints.

The fastest path to credible influencer marketing ROI is simple: pick an attribution model that reflects how people buy, and build a tech stack that captures the data consistently. For most teams, that means moving away from Last-Click Attribution, applying a U-Shaped or Linear approach for influencer campaign attribution, and enforcing tracking hygiene with UTMs, pixels, and CRM fields that survive the full journey to closed won.

If you want more budget next year, audit your current campaigns this month. Replace vanity reporting with Net Revenue, profit, CAC, and payback. Then you will have numbers that hold up in the boardroom.

Read more:
The Ultimate Guide to Calculating Real Influencer Campaign ROI

YouTube has been criticised by broadcasters and advertisers after withdrawing from the UK’s main television audience measurement system, just months after agreeing to be measured alongside traditional TV channels and rival streaming platforms.

The move follows legal action by YouTube’s owner, Google, which sent cease-and-desist letters to Barb and its research partner Kantar Media, blocking access to data used to attribute viewing sessions to individual content creators.

The decision came after Barb began including viewing figures for around 200 YouTube channels watched on TV sets, allowing direct comparison with broadcasters such as BBC, ITV, Sky and Channel 4, as well as streamers including Netflix.

According to reports, Google cited a breach of its terms of service as the reason for blocking access, arguing that the measurement process involved the use of creator content in ways not permitted under its application programming interface rules.

Industry figures said the move undermined YouTube’s efforts to position itself as a television-equivalent platform for advertisers.

Lindsey Clay, chief executive of Thinkbox, which represents ITV, Sky, Channel 4 and UKTV, said the decision raised questions about transparency.

“It does seem odd that YouTube has spent so much effort trying to convince advertisers that they are TV, and so gain the benefits of that reputation, but the moment there’s some TV-like scrutiny they go legal to avoid it,” she said. “If they want to be treated like TV, they need to be transparent.”

YouTube is estimated to generate almost $2bn (£1.5bn) a year in UK advertising revenue, according to eMarketer. Its participation in Barb’s measurement system was announced last February as part of a broader push by digital platforms to attract larger TV advertising budgets by allowing cross-platform comparisons.

Simon Michaelides, director general of ISBA, said the suspension was disappointing for advertisers.

“Barb plays a significant role in the UK’s measurement ecosystem, enhanced by its collaboration with YouTube,” he said. “Cross-media measurement is complex and brings challenges, but we would hope that a resolution can be found in the interests of advertisers.”

Recent Barb data underlined why the measurement matters. Figures for December showed YouTube overtook the BBC’s combined channels for the first time in terms of UK viewing across TVs, smartphones and tablets. However, the methodology counts a minimum of three minutes’ viewing, a metric that favours short-form platforms such as YouTube, compared with broadcasters’ preference for longer viewing thresholds.

Last year, YouTube said TV sets had overtaken mobile devices as the primary way its content is watched in the US. In the UK, the platform overtook ITV to become the second most-watched media service, behind the BBC.

Google said it did not believe the Barb service was representative of YouTube’s overall viewership, but stressed that the legal action was based on terms-of-service compliance rather than opposition to measurement itself.

“YouTube has a long track record of providing access to third parties for research and reporting,” a spokesperson said. “All third parties must respect our terms of service and policies when using our APIs, and we will take action when these are violated.”

YouTube’s UK audiences are also measured by firms including Ipsos/Iris, while advertising performance is tracked by organisations such as Nielsen, ISBA’s Origin initiative and AudienceProject.

Kantar confirmed the Barb-linked service had been paused but declined to comment further, while Barb itself declined to respond.

The dispute highlights growing tensions as digital platforms seek TV-style advertising budgets while resisting the scrutiny and standardised measurement long accepted by traditional broadcasters.

Read more:
YouTube criticised for pulling out of UK TV audience measurement system

Sir Keir Starmer is preparing to back legislation that would ban under-16s from social media platforms, signalling a decisive shift in the government’s approach to online child protection.

The Prime Minister, who had previously voiced doubts about adopting Australia-style age restrictions, has now dropped his opposition and confirmed that all options are being considered, including a mandatory ban for under-16s.

Speaking on Thursday, Starmer said the government needed to “better protect children from social media”, adding that ministers were closely examining the Australian model and were open to further protections, including age-based restrictions.

Downing Street has also indicated it would not block a forthcoming Conservative amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, due to be voted on next week, which would introduce a legal requirement for social media companies to bar under-16s from their platforms.

One policy adviser close to No 10 said the issue had become “live” at the highest levels of government, noting that a large majority of MPs would likely support a ban if it came to a free vote, and that public backing for tougher action was growing.

The political momentum has been building rapidly. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said last weekend that her party would introduce a ban on under-16s using social media if it returned to power, while Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has also voiced support for tighter restrictions.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has backed intervention, warning that social media had been “unleashed without properly understanding the consequences” for children and teenagers.

The move would bring the UK closer to Australia, where Prime Minister Anthony Albanese introduced world-first legislation last year banning under-16s from platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and X. Under the Australian system, social media companies face fines of up to A$49.5 million (£25 million) if they fail to take “reasonable steps” to prevent underage access, using tools such as age verification, facial recognition or behavioural age inference.

In the UK, campaign group Smartphone Free Childhood says it has delivered more than 100,000 letters to MPs urging them to support a ban.

The government’s changing stance is also reflected in recent appointments. Josh MacAlister, a long-standing supporter of phone bans in schools, was promoted to children’s minister, while Gregor Poynton, who has expressed support for Australian-style restrictions, was appointed assistant chief whip. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall is also regarded within Westminster as more interventionist on online safety than her predecessor.

Supporters argue that a ban could reduce harms ranging from mental health issues to online radicalisation. Jonathan Hall KC, the government’s independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, has said age restrictions could help prevent a new generation of teenagers from being drawn into extremist content online.

However, the proposal remains controversial. Charities including the NSPCC and the Molly Rose Foundation have warned that a blanket ban could push children towards less regulated platforms or drive harmful behaviour underground.

Andy Burrows, chief executive of the Molly Rose Foundation, said such a move risked “causing more harm than good” unless accompanied by robust regulation of platform design and content.

Starmer himself had previously expressed personal reservations, saying late last year that controlling harmful content might be more effective than outright bans. But with cross-party pressure mounting and public opinion shifting, the Prime Minister now appears willing to move decisively.

If the amendment passes the House of Lords next week, it will go before MPs in the Commons, setting the stage for what would be one of the most significant interventions in the UK’s digital economy and tech regulation to date.

Read more:
Starmer poised to ban under-16s from social media as government hardens stance on child safety online

The founder of LinkedIn, Reid Hoffman, is among a group of Silicon Valley investors helping to bankroll Labour’s digital push against Reform UK on TikTok, raising fresh questions about the growing role of social media influencers in British politics.

Labour has appointed FourOneOne, a digital marketing agency set up by figures behind the party’s 2024 general election campaign, to provide MPs with social media training and access to influencers. The firm has been tasked with helping Labour politicians sharpen their presence on platforms such as TikTok, which the party increasingly sees as critical to reaching younger voters.

Corporate filings show that FourOneOne has a minority shareholder, Estratos Digital, a Vienna-based digital agency founded by two former Hungarian Socialist politicians. Estratos itself is backed by Higher Ground Labs, a US venture capital fund with close links to the Democratic Party in the United States.

Higher Ground Labs has received funding from a number of prominent tech investors, including Hoffman, Ron Conway, an early backer of Google and PayPal, and Chris Sacca, who has invested in companies such as Twitter, Uber and Instagram. The fund has poured tens of millions of dollars into technology firms designed to support progressive political campaigns.

FourOneOne’s work for Labour has included arranging influencer access to press briefings and high-profile events such as the party conference, in return for social media coverage. The agency also provides one-to-one coaching for more than a dozen Labour MPs and runs wider training sessions across the parliamentary party.

However, the firm has attracted scrutiny following reports that it has offered cash payments to influencers in exchange for posting “progressive” content online. Investigative outlet Declassified UK reported that FourOneOne offered journalist Amun Bains £50 a week to publish at least five videos, with the potential for additional bonuses, including content attacking Reform and promoting Labour-aligned messages.

FourOneOne said the payments were part of its “Amplifiers” project and were not connected to the Labour Party. A Labour spokesperson declined to comment, citing the confidentiality of arrangements with external contractors.

The agency is run by Nik Rutherford, a former music teacher and Labour councillor, and counts Assaf Kaplan, a former Israeli intelligence officer who has worked as a Labour staffer, as one of its directors. Its growing influence comes as Keir Starmer ramps up Labour’s digital presence, including launching his own TikTok account and publishing content on Substack.

Downing Street has also begun hosting briefings and events specifically for online content creators. This week, No 10 confirmed it would scrap its daily afternoon lobby briefings for political journalists, replacing them with regular press conferences open to influencers and digital creators.

Beyond the UK, Estratos has been involved in online political advertising campaigns across Europe, including backing Rafał Trzaskowski’s unsuccessful bid for the Polish presidency earlier this year. Higher Ground Labs, founded in 2017 by a former Obama campaign director, has invested more than $50m in over 65 political and civic technology startups aligned with Democratic causes.

Estratos Digital, FourOneOne and Higher Ground Labs were contacted for comment.

Read more:
Llinkedin founder bankrolls Labour’s TikTok push against reform

Apple’s iPhone, Amazon and Virgin Atlantic have been named YouGov’s UK Advertisers of the Month for September, after each brand saw a sharp increase in consumer awareness of their advertising.

According to YouGov BrandIndex, which measures the percentage of consumers who have seen an advert for a brand in the past two weeks, all three brands posted significant gains in Ad Awareness during the month.

Amazon recorded the biggest uplift, rising from 26.5% on September 1 to 33.7% on September 25 — a gain of 7.2 percentage points. The surge followed the company’s UK Upfront event, which promoted new advertising formats across Prime Video and its growing retail media network.

The e-commerce giant also announced a landmark partnership with Netflix on September 10, allowing advertisers to buy inventory from Netflix’s ad-supported tier directly through Amazon’s demand-side platform (DSP). The tie-up marked a major step in Amazon’s ambitions to become a global hub for connected TV advertising.

Apple’s Ad Awareness score for iPhone jumped from 12.0% on September 9 to 21.5% on September 25, an increase of 9.5 points. The rise coincided with the company’s annual September product showcase, which unveiled the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and the new iPhone Air, alongside updates to the Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3, and refreshed AirPods Pro.

The high-profile launch generated extensive cross-channel marketing activity, bolstered by cinematic advertising campaigns and sustained media coverage across the tech and lifestyle sectors.

Virgin Atlantic also saw a notable uplift in Ad Awareness, climbing from 7.9% on August 30 to 13.1% on September 25 — a rise of 5.1 points. The growth was driven by the airline’s latest LGBTQ+ campaign, “Free to Be Me”, created in partnership with Attitude magazine.

The campaign celebrated inclusion and self-expression among travellers, combining digital storytelling with branded content and social partnerships to reinforce Virgin Atlantic’s positioning as one of the most progressive brands in aviation.

Together, the three brands exemplified how major product launches, partnerships, and purpose-led campaigns can translate into tangible boosts in advertising visibility — even in a competitive and cluttered media landscape.

Read more:
iPhone, Amazon and Virgin Atlantic named UK advertisers of the month for September

Viral jacket potato brand SpudBros has come under fire after being accused of “bullying” a small business owner over a name dispute.

The Preston-based duo, Jacob and Harley Nelson, who became social media sensations for serving up gourmet potatoes from a tram and have since expanded to London and Liverpool, were accused of threatening legal action against a Portsmouth trader, Rumen Islam, owner of The Spud Father.

Islam, 27, opened his stand last month, offering his own take on the viral potato trend. But he says he has since been contacted by SpudBros’ legal team, who claim the name infringes their trademark.

“After months of graft — long days, late nights — we’ve now been threatened with legal action from SpudBros over the use of our name,” Islam wrote on social media. “We’ve poured our heart and soul into this. It’s gutting to think we might lose it because a bigger company wants to throw their weight around.”

The Portsmouth business owner told followers he will be changing the name after the dispute took a mental and emotional toll. “It’s been really hard,” he said in a TikTok video viewed thousands of times. “We’re a really small business — I’m born and bred in Pompey — and this was for the locals. It’s disheartening.”

Supporters online have flooded to defend Islam, accusing SpudBros of “corporate bullying” and calling for the brothers to drop the matter.

Comments on SpudBros’ recent TikTok posts include: “Stop bullying The Spud Father — there’s enough business for everyone.”
“Bit strange to go after a shop 260 miles away. Justice for Spud Father!”

The backlash led SpudBros to issue a public statement on Instagram, insisting they were not suing anyone.

“There are rumours we’ve sued a small business called The Spud Father. We are not suing anyone. Not now. Not ever,” wrote Jacob Nelson.

He said the company trademarked The Spudfather after launching a dish of the same name — in tribute to their father — which became their best-seller.

“As we grew, we developed merch, expanded franchises and had discussions with major retailers,” he said. “We trademarked the name in June, and it was approved before any other business applied for it. Our legal team simply responded to a notification from the Intellectual Property Office — it’s not a lawsuit.”

Nelson added that his family had received threats online since the story went viral, including towards his young daughter, and urged followers to stop the “hate”.

“We’d never want anyone to feel attacked. That’s not who we are,” he said. “We love small businesses — we were one. There’s room for everyone to succeed.”

Intellectual property lawyer Stephanie Davies, senior associate at Withers & Rogers, said the dispute highlights a common pitfall for startups.

“It’s often wrongly assumed that only big companies need to trademark their names,” Davies said. “Small businesses can build a following quickly, and if they don’t secure a registration early, they risk infringing on someone else’s rights — or losing their own brand identity.”

With a valid registration in place, she added, SpudBros may have a strong legal position, and The Spud Father could be forced to rebrand.

“Trademark searches should always be done before launch,” Davies said. “It’s far less painful than a rebrand once the business is up and running.”

The dispute marks the latest clash in the fast-growing world of viral potato vendors.

The Nelson brothers’ success has paralleled that of Ben Newman, better known as Spud Man, whose Tamworth-based jacket potato stall has 4.2 million TikTok followers and even drew the attention of Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman.

New rivals, including Spud Hut, Spud Life, and Spud Factory, have since popped up nationwide, each hoping to carve out a slice of the viral food trend.

For now, The Spud Father says it will continue trading — but under a new name.

Read more:
SpudBros blasted for ‘bullying’ small UK business in name dispute

More than 6 billion people are now online, and social media has officially become a “supermajority” medium, according to the new Digital 2026 report from Meltwater and We Are Social.

The annual global study — now spanning more than 700 pages — shows how deeply the internet and social media are embedded in modern life, from how people discover brands to how they spend leisure time.

Globally, 5.66 billion social media user identities are now active — the equivalent of 68.7% of the world’s population, or two social media users for every non-user. In the past year alone, platforms have added 259 million new users, a 4.8% annual increase.

“We’re seeing a profound shift in how people discover brands,” said Alexandra Bjertnæs, Chief Strategy Officer at Meltwater. “More people are turning to social media and AI platforms than ever before. Among younger audiences, social media ads now carry more weight than traditional search in shaping awareness and perception.”

As growth plateaus in mature markets, the fight for user attention is getting fiercer. The average internet user now spends 2.5 hours per day on social and video platforms — with “filling spare time” ranking as the second-biggest reason for logging on, after keeping in touch with friends and family.

YouTube remains the world’s largest platform by active users, boasting nearly 50% more app users than fifth-placed TikTok, according to Similarweb data. Yet when it comes to engagement, TikTok dominates: the typical user spends 1 hour 37 minutes per day on its Android app — more than any other platform.

Women aged 16–24 spend the most time online overall, averaging 3 hours 40 minutes daily on social and video platforms.

The average user now engages with 6.75 different platforms each month, underlining how fragmented attention and media habits have become.

Social media overtakes search for brand discovery

The report highlights a generational shift in how consumers find new products and services.

Among 16–34-year-olds, social media ads are now the number one source of brand discovery:
• 34.2% of those aged 16–24
• 32.1% of those aged 25–34

For 35–44-year-olds, social ads rank a strong second, just behind search engines — signalling a growing divide between digital-native and older audiences.

Toby Southgate, Global Group CEO of We Are Social, said: “We’ve moved from a race for reach to a battle for relevance. With nearly seven in ten people on social media, this is where brands win or lose. Success will depend on deep cultural understanding and ideas that earn attention.”

Generative AI crosses the billion-user threshold

For the first time, over one billion people now use generative AI tools each month. OpenAI’s CEO reported that ChatGPT alone had 800 million weekly users as of October 2025, illustrating the technology’s rapid mainstream adoption.

This surge is reshaping search behaviour, with only 80% of online adults now using conventional search engines each month — down several points year on year. Meanwhile, half of global internet users say they are excited about the potential of AI, according to Digital 2026.

Digital ad spend hits record highs

Marketers are set to spend a record US$1.16 trillion on advertising in 2025, with digital channels accounting for 74.4% of total spend.

Social media advertising continues to outperform, projected to rise 13.6% year-on-year to US$277 billion. Meanwhile, online retail media has emerged as a powerhouse, with brands expected to pour US$204 billion into retail ad networks this year alone.

Streaming services also now account for more than half (50.4%) of all global TV viewing time, reflecting how entertainment, advertising, and e-commerce are converging in the digital ecosystem.

With 5.78 billion mobile users (70.1% of the global population) and social platforms reaching near-saturation, Digital 2026 paints a picture of a world where online behaviour is universal — but fragmented, fast-changing, and increasingly powered by AI.

For marketers, the takeaway is clear: winning attention in 2026 will require intelligence, creativity, and cultural fluency across platforms that never stop evolving.

“The game keeps changing,” said Southgate. “A ‘supermajority’ of the world is now active online — and every brand must learn to play by new rules.”

Read more:
Digital 2026: internet users pass 6 Billion as AI and social media reach new milestones

Instagram is introducing a PG-13-style content rating system to give parents greater control over what teenagers see on the platform, Meta has announced.

The change marks one of the company’s most sweeping efforts yet to align social-media content moderation with the kind of age guidance familiar from the cinema. All users under 18 will automatically be placed into a “13+” setting modelled on the US parental guidance film rating. Teens will only be able to opt out with explicit parental consent.

The PG-13 system, created in the United States more than four decades ago, has become shorthand for content considered broadly suitable for teenagers but containing material that may be inappropriate for younger children. Meta said its new approach would mirror that framework online.

“While there are obvious differences between movies and social media, we made these changes so teens’ experience in the 13+ setting feels closer to the Instagram equivalent of watching a PG-13 movie,” Meta said. “We wanted to align our policies with an independent standard parents are already familiar with.”

Instagram already restricts sexually suggestive, graphic, or adult content such as tobacco or alcohol promotion on teen accounts. The new settings go further, tightening filters around strong language, risky stunts, and imagery linked to harmful behaviours, including posts featuring marijuana or drug paraphernalia.

Search results will also be restricted more aggressively. Keywords such as “alcohol” or “gore” — and even common misspellings — will be blocked under the new moderation system.

The approach has been designed to resemble the UK’s 12A cinema classification. Just as films such as Titanic or The Fast and the Furious may feature fleeting nudity or moderate violence but remain accessible to teenagers, the new Instagram rules will not prohibit all instances of partial nudity or stylised aggression.

Meta said the system would launch first in the US, UK, Australia and Canada, before being expanded to Europe and other regions early next year.

The move comes amid growing scrutiny of Meta’s child-safety record and the effectiveness of its moderation tools.

A recent independent review led by Arturo Béjar, a former senior Meta engineer turned whistleblower, concluded that 64% of new safety tools on Instagram were ineffective. Conducted alongside academics from New York University, Northeastern University and the UK’s Molly Rose Foundation, the study found persistent exposure to harmful content among teenage users.

Béjar said: “Kids are not safe on Instagram.”

Meta rejected the findings, insisting that parents already have “robust tools” to manage teenagers’ accounts and monitor activity.

The UK communications regulator Ofcom has also warned that social media companies must adopt a “safety-first approach” under the forthcoming Online Safety Act, saying platforms that fail to protect children will face enforcement action and potential fines.

Child-safety campaigners welcomed the intent behind the PG-13 system but questioned whether it would deliver meaningful change.

“Time and again Meta’s PR announcements do not result in meaningful safety updates for teens,” said Rowan Ferguson, policy manager at the Molly Rose Foundation. “As our recent report revealed, they still have work to do to protect young people from the most harmful content. These further updates must be judged on their effectiveness — and that requires transparency and independent testing.”

Critics argue that parental controls can be effective only if they are easy to use and clearly communicated to families, while some digital-rights advocates warn that over-blocking could limit teenagers’ access to legitimate health or educational resources.

The rollout of a PG-13-style content standard reflects Meta’s wider strategy to bring its platforms closer to traditional media norms amid rising pressure from governments and watchdogs.

By borrowing a familiar system from the film industry, Instagram hopes to reassure parents that it is taking responsibility for the wellbeing of its youngest users — and to set a benchmark other social platforms may now feel compelled to follow.

Read more:
Instagram to introduce PG-13-style controls to protect teen users, says Meta

Google may be required to overhaul the way its search engine operates in the UK after the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) confirmed it has granted the tech giant “strategic market status” (SMS) under the country’s new Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCCA).

The landmark decision, announced on Friday, gives the CMA sweeping new powers to impose legally binding rules on Google’s search and advertising businesses — which together account for over 90% of all online searches in the UK.

While the designation is not a finding of wrongdoing, it allows regulators to step in later this year with potential measures aimed at increasing competition in digital markets.

Under its new status, Google could be required to offer users alternative search engines via “choice screens”, introduce greater transparency in how results are ranked, and provide publishers with more control over how their content is displayed or monetised online.

Will Hayter, who leads the CMA’s digital markets unit, said the move reflected the company’s long-established dominance.

“Google maintains a strategic position in the search and search advertising sector, with more than 90 per cent of searches in the UK taking place on its platform,” Hayter said.

“Having taken into account feedback following our proposed decision, we have today designated Google’s search services with strategic market status.”

The CMA said its goal is to ensure “fairer competition and more choice for consumers”, while fostering innovation and reducing barriers for rivals to compete in the UK’s £20 billion online advertising market.

In response, Google said it would cooperate with the regulator but warned that heavy-handed or unclear rules could have the opposite effect, slowing innovation and harming UK competitiveness.

Oliver Bethell, Google’s senior director for competition, said: “UK businesses and consumers have been amongst the first to benefit from Google’s innovations, often months before their European counterparts.

“Many of the ideas for interventions raised in this process would inhibit UK innovation and growth, potentially slowing product launches at a time of profound AI-based innovation.”

Sources told Business Matters that Google executives have grown increasingly frustrated by the lack of clarity over what interventions may follow. The company is concerned that sweeping or unpredictable rules could make it harder to invest and roll out new AI-driven features in the UK — a concern shared by other major tech firms observing the new regime.

The CMA will now consult on possible remedies, with proposals expected to be published later in 2025. These could include new transparency obligations for search ranking algorithms, restrictions on how data is shared across Google’s vast advertising ecosystem, and new oversight of how it integrates AI into its products.

Officials insist the purpose of the new regime is not to punish successful firms, but to ensure open digital markets that benefit both consumers and competitors.

“Our role is to promote competition and innovation, not to stifle it,” a CMA spokesperson said.

The move comes as the UK seeks to establish its own post-Brexit framework for Big Tech oversight, diverging from both the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) and the US Department of Justice’s more litigious approach.

With Google the first major company to be formally designated under the UK’s new rules, the outcome of the CMA’s next steps will be closely watched by global tech firms — including Meta, Amazon, and Apple — as Britain tests its new powers to rein in digital giants.

Read more:
Google could be forced to change search operations in the UK

British brands are failing to unlock an estimated $10 billion in value by relying too heavily on short-term marketing tactics and struggling to differentiate themselves, according to the latest Kantar BrandZ Top 75 Most Valuable UK Brands report.

Globally, brand contributes 33% of company value on average, but in the UK that figure slips to 29%, highlighting a significant gap in long-term brand building.

While UK brands are generally well known and successful at meeting consumer needs, Kantar’s analysis shows many lack distinctiveness, putting a ceiling on growth potential.

Jodie Gillary, Head of Brand Activation at Kantar Insights UK & Ireland, said: “Strong brands perform better, are more resilient and grow faster in the long run. But almost half of the UK’s most valuable brands (45%) aren’t seen positively enough to justify charging a higher-than-average price for their category. It’s never been more important for businesses to grasp the financial imperative of brand building.”

Gillary warned that British businesses risk being “too polite to be bold,” with disruption proving the biggest driver of global brand growth. Since 2006, disruption has delivered $6.6 trillion in incremental value for the world’s top 100 brands, but UK disruptor brands have fallen 19% in value since 2019.

This year’s ranking saw HSBC take the top spot for the first time, with a brand value of $21.6bn, up 14% year-on-year. It overtook Vodafone ($18.5bn) in second place. Financial services dominated the list, accounting for nine of the 10 fastest-growing UK brands.

Elsewhere, British Airways climbed 11 places to reach 55, while Dettol made a strong debut at number 34.

Overall, the UK’s top 75 brands grew by 8% in 2025, reversing last year’s decline. However, this still lags the 29% average growth seen globally, with other European markets such as the Netherlands and Spain outpacing the UK.

Research from Kantar and the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School shows that companies with strong brand equity achieve above-average share price returns and greater resilience during periods of crisis.

As Gillary notes, the fastest-growing brands are not necessarily the cheapest or biggest, but those that consistently set themselves apart: “The key is never to stand still – to consistently shake things up while staying absolutely true to the brand. Whether through innovation, branching into new categories, or standout digital experiences, brands must disrupt repeatedly to remain relevant.”

The findings underline a growing concern: while UK financial services brands are thriving, other sectors risk falling behind global competitors. Without bolder long-term investment in brand differentiation and disruption, the UK could continue to miss out on billions in untapped value.

Read more:
UK brands risk losing $10bn in value as short-term tactics limit growth potential

President Donald Trump has claimed that Rupert Murdoch and his son Lachlan are expected to join a U.S. consortium seeking to acquire TikTok’s American operations from its Chinese owner, ByteDance.

Speaking during a Fox News interview, Trump said the Murdochs would join Oracle founder Larry Ellison and Dell Technologies founder Michael Dell in the group. He suggested that the Murdochs’ involvement would likely come through their Fox Corporation media business rather than personal investment.

“These are great people, very prominent people, American patriots,” Trump told the network. “I think they’re going to do a really good job.”

The proposed deal is part of efforts to prevent TikTok from being banned across the United States. Congress last year passed legislation requiring ByteDance to divest the app over national security concerns, but the enforcement of that law has repeatedly been delayed while negotiations continue.

The White House said over the weekend that it expected the takeover to be completed “in the coming days.” Trump added that he had spoken with Chinese President Xi Jinping to help secure approval for the deal.

TikTok, which has more than 130 million U.S. users and over a billion worldwide, has long been in the crosshairs of Washington over fears that its Chinese ownership could compromise user data. Oracle is expected to handle data and security functions as part of the arrangement.

While the financial terms and ownership structure have not yet been disclosed, the inclusion of the Murdoch family would bring one of the world’s most influential media groups into the deal. News Corp and Fox declined to comment on the president’s claims.

The revelation comes just months after Trump launched a $10 billion libel suit against the Wall Street Journal, owned by Murdoch’s media empire, over an article about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein.

Despite that legal battle, Trump framed the involvement of Murdoch, Ellison and Dell as proof the TikTok deal would be in “patriotic American hands” – though much still depends on how regulators in Washington and Beijing respond in the weeks ahead.

Read more:
Murdoch and Dell said to join US consortium for TikTok takeover, Trump claims

Hundreds of UK jobs are at risk after TikTok confirmed plans to restructure its content moderation operations and shift work to other parts of Europe.

The social media giant, which has more than a billion users worldwide, said the move is part of a global reorganisation of its Trust and Safety division and reflects its growing reliance on artificial intelligence (AI) for moderating content.

A TikTok spokesperson said: “We are continuing a reorganisation that we started last year to strengthen our global operating model for Trust and Safety, which includes concentrating our operations in fewer locations globally.”

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) condemned the decision, accusing TikTok of “putting corporate greed over the safety of workers and the public”.

John Chadfield, CWU National Officer for Tech, said: “TikTok workers have long been sounding the alarm over the real-world costs of cutting human moderation teams in favour of hastily developed, immature AI alternatives.”

He added that the announcement comes “just as the company’s workers are about to vote on having their union recognised”.

TikTok defended the cuts, arguing the changes would improve “effectiveness and speed” while reducing the amount of distressing content human reviewers are exposed to. The company said 85 per cent of rule-breaking posts are already removed automatically by AI systems.

Affected staff in London’s Trust and Safety team – alongside hundreds more across Asia – will be allowed to apply for other roles within TikTok and will be given priority if they meet the minimum requirements.

The restructuring comes as the UK tightens oversight of social media platforms. The Online Safety Act, which came into force in July, imposes stricter requirements on tech companies to protect users and verify age, with fines of up to 10 per cent of global turnover for non-compliance.

TikTok has introduced new parental controls, including the ability to block specific accounts and monitor older teenagers’ privacy settings. But the firm continues to face criticism over child safety and data practices. In March, the UK’s data watchdog launched a “major investigation” into the platform.

TikTok said its recommender systems operate under “strict and comprehensive measures that protect the privacy and safety of teens”.

The cuts highlight the growing tension between efficiency and safety in the moderation of online content. While AI allows platforms to process huge volumes of posts at scale, critics argue that human oversight remains essential to capture context, nuance and emerging harms.

For TikTok, the gamble comes at a sensitive time. With regulators intensifying scrutiny and unions organising inside the company, the decision to reduce human moderation risks reigniting questions about whether technology alone can keep users safe.

Read more:
TikTok cuts threaten hundreds of UK content moderator jobs amid AI shift

Think of your favourite brands. What makes them memorable? Why do people keep coming back? The same principles that companies use to position their products and services can be applied to individuals — a process now widely known as personal branding.

Harvard Business School lecturer Jill Avery describes it simply: “Every time we apply for a job, pitch to a client, or vie for a promotion, we are marketing ourselves. Personal branding is about understanding how to communicate our own value proposition — the difference we want to make in the world.”

What is personal branding?

At its heart, personal branding is the deliberate act of shaping how people see you. It’s about defining and communicating your unique value in a way that is accurate, coherent, compelling, and differentiated.

If you don’t take control of that narrative, others will do it for you — and their assumptions may not reflect the qualities you want to project. Done well, personal branding ensures you are remembered for the right reasons and stand out in a crowded professional landscape.

Why does it matter?

Reputation is currency. By consistently demonstrating your values, skills, and passions, you can attract opportunities that align with your authentic self.

A strong personal brand can:

• Draw attention to your unique differentiators, helping you win jobs, projects, or clients.
• Connect you with communities and peers who share your interests.
• Boost confidence, reduce imposter syndrome, and clarify your personal and professional goals.

Ultimately, it helps you become the go-to person in your chosen field or niche.

Building your personal brand

Richard Alvin, senior partner at the Content Crafting company,  suggests a six-step approach to cultivating and maintaining a personal brand:

Define your purpose

Start by identifying your values, goals and unique strengths. Ask: What do I care about? How do I want people to see me? What makes me special? From there, craft a clear value proposition — a sentence that sums up who you are and what you offer.

Audit your current brand

Before you build your ideal brand, you need to understand how you’re already perceived. Consider your credentials, your social capital (networks and relationships), and your cultural capital (experience and emotional intelligence). Where are the gaps?

Create your narrative

Facts are important, but stories are memorable. Develop anecdotes that illustrate your skills and character — whether that’s a bold career move, a personal challenge you overcame, or the way you led a project to success.

Communicate and embody it

Your brand isn’t just words on a CV. It’s how you show up — online, in meetings, and in casual conversations. Share your stories through LinkedIn, industry events, and personal interactions. Embody your values by consistently acting in line with your stated purpose.

Socialise your brand

Others can be powerful advocates. Surround yourself with gatekeepers, influencers, promoters, and communities who can amplify your message and open new doors.

Reevaluate and adjust

Personal branding is never finished. Seek feedback from trusted colleagues and mentors, adapt to new challenges, and continually refine the way you present yourself.

Making your mark

Personal branding isn’t about self-promotion for its own sake. It’s about clarity, consistency, and confidence — knowing what you stand for and ensuring others do too.

When done well, it helps you attract the right opportunities, connect with the right people, and make the right impact. In an increasingly competitive world, your personal brand is the story that travels ahead of you — make sure it’s the one you want told.

Read more:
Personal branding: what it is and why it matters

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has threatened legal action against National Rail in a dispute over its use of the terms “rover” and “ranger” for rail tickets, claiming they infringe on its Range Rover trademark.

The Indian-owned carmaker issued a cease-and-desist letter to the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), which manages the National Rail website, demanding the terms be removed. According to a memo seen by The Telegraph, train operators have now been told to strip references to “ranger” and “rover” from their sites.

The RDG has advised companies they may continue to market “ranger tickets” and “rover tickets” under amended names, and JLR has reportedly indicated it will not pursue further action against retailers who comply.

Rover tickets, which allow unlimited rail travel for a week, pre-date the Range Rover by more than a decade. British Rail introduced its first All-Line Rail Rover ticket in the 1950s, costing £15 for second class – equivalent to about £304 today. By comparison, a modern seven-day All-Line Rover second-class ticket is priced at £650.

The first Range Rover was not unveiled until 1970.

A spokesperson for the Rail Delivery Group said: “We are confident that our practices have always complied with intellectual property law and were happy to work with Jaguar Land Rover towards a resolution. After being made aware of a trademark query by JLR, we worked closely with them to make a minor change to how we describe our Ranger tickets and Rover tickets.”

National Rail and Jaguar Land Rover have been approached for comment.

The row comes as JLR faces wider scrutiny. Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump claimed the company was in “absolute turmoil” following what he described as a “totally disastrous woke” rebrand. Trump criticised a recent advert featuring brightly dressed models, comparing it to “Bud Lite going woke”.

The company is also undergoing internal upheaval. In July, chief executive Adrian Mardell announced he would step down at the end of the year after more than 30 years at the firm. The business is in the midst of restructuring, with 500 UK management roles due to be cut as part of a voluntary redundancy programme.

JLR has committed to repositioning Jaguar as an electric-only luxury car brand from 2026, in what is regarded as one of the most transformative periods in its history.

Read more:
Jaguar Land Rover threatens legal action over National Rail’s use of ‘rover’ and ‘ranger’ ticket names

The UK’s advertising watchdog has banned online pharmacies from running adverts for prescription-only weight loss injections, in a landmark enforcement move aimed at tackling what it called a “wild west” culture of online selling.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) have issued nine new rulings, setting out strict precedents for how weight loss medicines such as Wegovy and Mounjaro can be promoted.

Under UK law, advertising prescription-only medicines (POMs) to the public is illegal. However, a Guardian investigation last year found widespread breaches and grey-area promotions by online pharmacies.

The new rules mean that while pharmacies can still reference weight loss injections on their own websites, they cannot display them on homepages or landing pages reached via external links. Ads can no longer use the phrases “weight loss injections” or “weight loss pen” and must instead present such treatments as part of a broader service involving consultation and prescription.

The ASA also banned the use of imagery showing injection pens or vials, and prohibited links to landing pages where named POMs are the only option available.

ASA chair Nicky Morgan said the measures were designed to protect vulnerable people from harm: “Nothing’s so harmful as powerful prescription-only medicines.”

The rulings follow an AI-led monitoring sweep in August and September 2024, which scanned 28 million online ads across all sectors. Of the 20,000 ads flagged from 35 high-priority pharmacies this year, around 10,000 related to weight loss treatments.

Infractions included direct promotion of drug names, use of injection pen imagery, and linking from “weight loss consultation” adverts to pages where only POMs were offered – a loophole now closed.

One case involved an Instagram post by TV personality Gemma Collins promoting the weight loss service Yazen. The ad breached rules because Collins referenced NHS-prescribed medication and Yazen’s site linked to articles describing her use of “GLP-1 weight loss injections.”

The ASA said pharmacies that breach the rules will be told to amend or remove offending content. Repeat or non-compliant offenders may face further action, including ad takedowns in cooperation with online platforms, and referrals to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) or General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), which can levy fines, bring court proceedings, or sanction pharmacy licences.

While the watchdog said compliance levels were generally high, some online pharmacies did not respond when challenged.

Experts welcomed the crackdown but called for tougher sanctions. Dr Piotr Ozieranski of the University of Bath said penalties should be tied to company turnover and patient risk, while UCL’s Oksana Pyzik warned that celebrity endorsements were still glamorising medical weight loss.

The ASA said more rulings are expected as it continues to monitor online promotions of weight loss drugs, both by companies and influencers.

Read more:
ASA bans online pharmacy adverts for weight loss injections in major enforcement drive

Trump Media and Technology Group (TMTG) has struck a deal to broadcast GB News on its US-based streaming platform, Truth+, in a move that will make the UK right-leaning channel accessible to audiences worldwide.

TMTG – which operates Truth Social, Truth+, and the financial services brand Truth.Fi – confirmed the agreement on Friday, saying GB News will be available with the free basic Truth+ package on multiple devices and platforms, including iOS, Android, Web, Apple TV, Android TV and Amazon Fire.

The deal will significantly expand GB News’s footprint, particularly in the US, where it will now sit alongside a roster of other content on the streaming service. The British network, known for hosting figures such as Nigel Farage, positions itself as a champion of free speech and an alternative to what it calls “mainstream” news.

The move comes as Donald Trump continues his sustained criticism of US mainstream media, labelling outlets “radical-left monsters” and accusing them of “illegal” reporting. The White House’s communications director, Steven Cheung, recently accused “liberal media” of spreading “fake news” following reports linking Trump’s name to US Justice Department files on Jeffrey Epstein – a claim Trump has denied.

Speaking about the deal, TMTG chief executive and chair Devin Nunes said: “GB News is a terrific source for news, facts and commentary. By expanding its global reach, we aim to connect an enormous new, international audience to the network’s unique reporting and opinion, while putting another dent in the global woke news monopoly.”

GB News chief executive Angelos Frangopoulos described the partnership as a strategic step: “As the fearless champion of freedom of speech in Britain, it is important that we launch across the United States of America and globally on the Truth+ streaming platform.”

The rollout reinforces GB News’s ambition to grow its international audience and aligns with Trump Media’s push to expand its streaming offering beyond the US.

Read more:
Trump Media to stream GB News on Truth+ in global expansion deal

YouTube’s decision to restrict monetisation for AI-generated content is set to have ripple effects across the creator economy, with new implications for influencer marketers, production studios and digital agencies.

As of this month, creators will only be able to earn ad revenue on content that includes meaningful human input — such as original commentary, creative editing, or scripting — under updated monetisation guidelines. It marks the platform’s most direct stance yet against what critics have called “AI slop”: mass-produced, low-effort videos that flood the algorithm.

While YouTube stops short of banning AI, the new rules aim to elevate authentic, human-made content — and they may force a rethink in how agencies and content creators approach AI in digital production.

For brands and influencer marketers, YouTube’s policy change reinforces the value of real human connection. Sponsored content that relies too heavily on synthetic voices, AI avatars, or autogenerated scripts is at risk of being demonetised — and could alienate audiences who crave relatability and trust.

“Influencer campaigns thrive on authenticity,” says Laura Bishop, founder of a leading creator talent agency. “YouTube’s message is clear: AI may enhance workflow, but real people must remain at the heart of what you publish.”

Marketers are advised to review content production pipelines to ensure transparency, avoid misleading automation, and maintain human creative input — especially in regulated sectors like finance, healthcare or politics, where trust is critical.

For YouTube-first production houses and content studios, the new monetisation policy doesn’t prohibit AI tools — but it does draw a firm line between supporting creators and replacing them.

Studios using AI for b-roll generation, automated editing, or script prompts will likely see no disruption, as long as human oversight is evident. However, studios that have started churning out fully AI-generated explainer videos or faceless top-10 list content may face loss of monetisation privileges — and potential de-prioritisation by YouTube’s algorithm.

“Studios that leaned into AI automation for scale will have to shift back towards craft, storytelling, and editorial integrity,” says David Lunt, head of content strategy at a mid-sized UK digital video firm.

Expect a resurgence of demand for on-screen talent, voiceover professionals, and video editors who can add a human touch to branded content.

Digital and social media agencies managing client YouTube accounts will need to ensure that their content strategies align with the new guidelines — especially when outsourcing or scaling content using third-party tools.

Agencies that had begun experimenting with AI-generated talking heads, stock-heavy slideshows, or AI-narrated FAQ content will need to reassess workflows to ensure creative originality and avoid breaching monetisation rules.

“This change increases the importance of storyboards, scripting, and original commentary in agency-led content,” says Nina Cartwright, a digital marketing strategist. “AI can still accelerate ideation and editing — but it must be in service of a human creative vision.”

While the new policy limits overreliance on AI, it opens up new opportunities for human creators, especially those offering creative editing, narration, scriptwriting, or live presentation skills.

Agencies and studios are expected to reinvest in human talent to help clients meet YouTube’s quality expectations. Freelancers and creators who can inject personality, emotion, and storytelling into AI-assisted content will be especially in demand.

• AI isn’t banned — but content must include clear human input to be eligible for monetisation.
• Voiceovers, scripting, and editing should involve genuine creative oversight.
• Content that’s fully auto-generated may not qualify for ad revenue or promotion by YouTube’s algorithm.
• Production workflows must shift back to prioritising originality, personality and narrative depth.
• Brands should audit influencer partnerships and agency content to ensure compliance.

YouTube’s AI policy reflects a broader shift in the content economy: tools can assist, but humans must lead. For influencer marketers, studios, and agencies alike, the challenge is no longer just to produce at scale — it’s to produce with meaning.

In the age of AI, authenticity isn’t optional — it’s the new benchmark for success.

Read more:
What YouTube’s AI content rules mean for influencer marketers, production studios and digital agencies

More than 1.8 million people streamed, viewed, or downloaded The Rest Is Politics and The Rest Is Politics: US in under 24 hours, after both shows released emergency episodes in response to the US bombing of Iran over the weekend.

In a sign of just how central podcasts have become during global breaking news events, over 1.1 million views were recorded on YouTube alone, with 685,000 audio streams across platforms such as Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Peak live audience numbers surpassed 50,000 viewers, many of whom tuned in via smart TVs — further blurring the line between podcasting and traditional broadcast.

The UK edition, hosted by Rory Stewart and Alastair Campbell, offered instant reaction and analysis to the US entering Israel’s war with Iran, asking whether the strikes could spark a wider regional or global conflict. Simultaneously, the US version, fronted by Katty Kay and Anthony Scaramucci, dug into Donald Trump’s motivations, the implications for his base, and what this latest intervention means for US foreign policy.

Tony Pastor, co-founder of Goalhanger – the podcast production company behind both shows – said the response underlined how audiences increasingly seek clarity and commentary from podcasts in moments of geopolitical tension.

“Once again, we’re seeing that in moments of fast-breaking news, audiences turn to podcasts for explanation and analysis,” Pastor said. “What’s particularly striking is how many people chose to watch these episodes on their television. The line between podcast and TV show is blurring – and it’s happening faster than ever.”

The episodes’ success follows recent findings from the Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2025, which confirmed The Rest Is Politics as the UK’s most popular news podcast and named Goalhanger the country’s top-ranked news podcast producer – ahead of BBC Sounds and Global. The podcast is also now the most-mentioned news show in the UK.

Pastor added: “These numbers show not just the trust that listeners place in our hosts, but the agility of the format. We were able to respond to a major global event in real time — and reach an audience on the scale of a primetime broadcast.”

The emergency episodes are available now on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other major platforms.

Read more:
1.8 million tune in as emergency Iran episodes of The Rest Is Politics in 24 just hours

WhatsApp, the world’s most popular messaging service, will soon begin displaying paid-for adverts to users for the first time—marking a significant shift for a platform that once proudly declared it would remain ad-free.

The Meta-owned service, which has around three billion monthly active users, will roll out the advertising features globally over the coming months. However, WhatsApp has insisted that ads will not appear in users’ personal chats, but instead will be shown in the app’s “status” section, a space used for ephemeral updates similar to Instagram Stories.

The move brings WhatsApp’s functionality closer to its sister platforms, Facebook and Instagram, and signals Meta’s intent to generate revenue from the service, which it bought in 2014 for $19 billion—still the group’s largest-ever acquisition.

WhatsApp said businesses operating “channels” on the platform will now be able to promote content in the updates tab, which also includes statuses. Companies will also be permitted to charge users for access to premium content via subscriptions, with WhatsApp expected to take a 10 per cent commission.

These new monetisation features come as WhatsApp faces growing scrutiny for recent updates, including the controversial introduction of an “Ask Meta AI” button that cannot be removed. The platform appears keen to reassure users that their private conversations will remain off-limits.

“These new features will appear only on the updates tab, away from your personal chats,” WhatsApp said.
“Your personal messages, calls and statuses remain end-to-end encrypted—meaning no one, not even us, can see or hear them.”

The app will, however, share limited user metadata with advertisers, including a person’s location, language, channels followed, and how they interact with ads. It has emphasised that phone numbers and personal messaging behaviour will not be shared or sold.

The company also clarified that users who do not engage with status updates or channels will not see ads in their inbox. “If you’re only using WhatsApp for messaging, you’re not going to see this,” said Will Cathcart, the head of WhatsApp, acknowledging that the updates tab is “not particularly popular” in the UK but is used by 1.5 billion people daily worldwide.

Despite repeated past assurances that WhatsApp would not adopt an advertising model, this announcement confirms a significant shift in Meta’s strategy. The original co-founders of WhatsApp, including Brian Acton, left the company after clashing with Facebook’s management over the direction of the app—most notably, the plan to monetise it with advertising. Acton famously declared “no ads, no games, no gimmicks” as part of WhatsApp’s founding mission.

WhatsApp had denied reports in 2023 that it was considering introducing adverts, but Meta now appears committed to monetising the platform more aggressively. The changes reflect Meta’s growing need to diversify revenue streams in a competitive digital landscape dominated by TikTok, YouTube, and other fast-growing content platforms.

Meta also continues to face pressure from regulators. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in the United States is suing the company, alleging that it acquired WhatsApp and Instagram unlawfully in a bid to suppress competition. Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg has pushed back, arguing that the company faces intense competition, especially from TikTok, and cited a surge in traffic when TikTok briefly went offline in January as evidence.

The commercialisation of WhatsApp is likely to divide users. While the platform has become an indispensable communication tool across much of the world, especially in developing markets, its growing convergence with Meta’s ad-driven ecosystem may alienate users who value its simplicity and privacy-first ethos.

Nonetheless, for Meta, the untapped monetisation potential of WhatsApp—with its vast user base and business integration—is too large to ignore. With over 200 million businesses using the platform for customer service and engagement, the addition of ad tools and subscriptions represents a significant new revenue opportunity.

As the changes begin to roll out, the tech giant will be watching closely to see whether users tolerate the presence of commercial content—or if the move triggers a backlash for crossing one of WhatsApp’s most sacrosanct boundaries.

Read more:
WhatsApp to introduce adverts as Meta pushes to monetise messaging app

Content created by individuals on platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram is forecast to generate more global advertising revenue this year than all traditional media combined.

According to new research by WPP Media, 2025 will be the first year in which more than half of all content-driven advertising spend is directed at user-generated platforms. It underscores a sweeping transformation in audience habits and media economics, with smartphones and short-form video apps at the heart of a “huge cultural shift”.

User-generated material — including creator-made videos, podcasts, and social media posts — is projected to grow its advertising, brand deal, and sponsorship revenue by 20% this year. Looking ahead, the sector is expected to more than double in size by 2030, hitting $376.6 billion (£278.3 billion).

Although the line between professionally produced and creator-made content is increasingly blurred — with many influencers operating at high production standards — WPP’s analysis suggests a reordering of media power. The report warns that this growing dominance of personalised, creator-led media is “profoundly impacting” the traditional landscape.

“Media consumption has become deeply personalised,” the report notes. “Audiences increasingly gravitate toward content that reflects their identity or beliefs, often shared by creators they follow closely. This is changing not just viewing patterns, but the way brands engage with consumers.”

With platforms such as YouTube acting as essential “plumbing” for modern media distribution, traditional broadcasters are under mounting pressure to adapt. Many, including ITV and Channel 4, have already made substantial moves to embed their content on social platforms. Channel 4, for instance, has significantly increased its investment in TikTok and YouTube as it targets younger audiences.

But that pivot comes at a cost. UK broadcasters are simultaneously contending with declining advertising revenue and rising content costs. ITV recently announced sweeping changes to its daytime output, while Channel 4 is controversially establishing an in-house studio to diversify its income streams.

Douglas McCabe, CEO of Enders Analysis, said the speed of the transition had stunned the industry. “We’ve seen a huge cultural shift in a very short period,” he said. “Advertising revenue has followed that pattern. Traditional media now faces a massive challenge to clearly communicate the value of its editorial standards, fact-based reporting, and regulated output.”

The dominance of the digital ad space is also increasingly concentrated. Just five tech giants — Google, Meta, ByteDance (TikTok), Amazon, and Alibaba — accounted for 54% of all global advertising revenue last year, further illustrating how user-driven platforms have eclipsed the legacy model.

As the creator economy continues to flourish, the message is clear: the centre of gravity in media and advertising has shifted — and it now lies in the hands of creators, not conglomerates.

Read more:
Social media creators to eclipse traditional media in global ad revenue for first time

TikTok has formed a new SME Council to give Britain’s small businesses a bigger say in the evolving digital economy, bringing together entrepreneurs, founders, and content creators who have used the platform to fuel growth.

The inaugural gathering of the council, held at Stoke-on-Trent town hall, saw 20 small and medium-sized business owners from across the UK convene to share experiences and shape a manifesto for government, due to be published this autumn.

TikTok says the initiative is designed to help shape the future of small business by giving entrepreneurs a forum to exchange insights, influence policy, and better understand how to harness digital tools to reach new audiences. With more than 1.5 million UK SMEs now active on TikTok, the platform has emerged as an unlikely but powerful force in Britain’s business ecosystem.

The council includes a diverse mix of industries — “a butcher, a baker, and a candlestick maker,” according to Ali Law, director of public policy and government affairs for TikTok UK and Ireland. That includes Rachel Spence, founder of Bear Burners in South Shields, who joined the council to campaign for clearer, more practical government guidance for first-time founders. “Small businesses make up an incredible amount of the UK’s economy,” she said. “But a lot of the time you have to figure it all out on your own.”

For others, the TikTok-hosted event stood in contrast to more traditional business organisations. Louise Rogerson, chief clinical officer of Manchester-based sleep-tech firm Levitex, said: “It felt modern and welcoming. Sometimes Chambers of Commerce can feel a bit intimidating for early-stage founders who don’t fit the usual mould.”

Dominique Bogle Khan, who runs Hair Anatomy, a Birmingham-based synthetic wigs brand, echoed the value of solidarity the group offered. “Being an entrepreneur is a very lonely place sometimes. It was comforting to realise others had gone through the same things.”

The formation of the SME Council comes amid rising interest in “social commerce” — shopping directly via social media. According to Retail Economics, more than 25 per cent of UK shoppers made a purchase through a social platform in 2024, with TikTok Shop and Instagram Shopping leading the charge.

TikTok hopes the SME Council will act both as a policy sounding board and a support network, amplifying the digital voices of small business owners often overlooked in formal trade groups. The company plans to use the group’s feedback to help shape its own platform development and provide government with a clearer picture of the challenges and opportunities facing UK entrepreneurs in the social-first economy.

While TikTok may not be the most conventional voice in British business policymaking, its impact on the modern retail and small business landscape is increasingly hard to ignore. As more firms turn to video-first platforms for growth, its SME Council could offer a new kind of influence — less boardroom, more back bedroom — but no less effective.

Read more:
TikTok launches SME council to elevate small business voices and boost digital growth

Ten of the world’s leading car manufacturers – along with two major automotive trade associations – have been fined over £77 million by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) after admitting to illegal collusion on green advertising practices.

The watchdog found that BMW, Ford, Jaguar Land Rover, Peugeot Citroën, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Renault, Toyota, Vauxhall, and Volkswagen had “illegally agreed” not to compete when advertising how recyclable their cars were at the end of their lifecycle. With the exception of Renault, the manufacturers also agreed not to disclose how much recycled material was used in their vehicles — limiting transparency for environmentally conscious car buyers.

The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) were also implicated, accused of facilitating the agreements among manufacturers.

The cartel agreement was known internally as the “ELV Charta”, or informally, a “gentleman’s agreement”, and was in effect from May 2002 until September 2017 — with Jaguar Land Rover joining in 2008.

The scheme came to light after a tipoff from Mercedes-Benz, which cooperated with the CMA’s investigation and was granted immunity from financial penalties under the leniency policy.

The CMA said this illegal behaviour harmed consumers by restricting access to information needed to make informed choices about the environmental credentials of vehicles.

“Colluding to restrict competition is illegal — and that extends to how you advertise your products,” said Lucilia Falsarella Pereira, senior director of competition enforcement at the CMA.
“This kind of collusion limits consumers’ ability to make informed choices and reduces the incentive for companies to invest in environmental progress.”

Following the CMA’s probe, SMMT, Stellantis (owner of Opel, Peugeot Citroën and Vauxhall), and Mitsubishi also applied for leniency, leading to reduced fines in return for cooperation.

A spokesperson for Renault, which was fined in both the UK and the EU, noted that the offending practices took place “at a time when the ELV recycling sector was still nascent” and argued the collusion “did not financially harm consumers”.

The European Commission has also fined 15 carmakers and ACEA €458 million (£383 million) following its own parallel investigation launched in 2022 into the same cartel across EU markets.

The CMA emphasised that the case shows its determination to pursue anti-competitive practices that threaten both consumer rights and innovation, especially as the environmental claims of companies face greater public scrutiny.

The 10 manufacturers fined in the UK were contacted for comment, and the CMA’s investigation is considered one of the most significant in recent years to target greenwashing through collusion.

Read more:
UK fines 10 carmakers and two trade bodies £77m over green advertising cartel

Let’s be honest – marketing isn’t a straight path for any business, least of all SMEs.

There’s no perfect blueprint, and everyone stumbles along the way. What separates successful marketing leaders from the rest isn’t avoiding mistakes – it’s recognising them quickly, learning the lesson, and moving forward without dwelling on the failure. In this short article you’ll find a hand-picked  selection of marketing mistakes you’ll likely make – not to discourage you, but to help you spot them sooner and overcome them faster. Think of this as your pre-emptive troubleshooting guide from someone who’s already navigated these choppy waters.

Remember, making these mistakes doesn’t mean your marketing strategy is fundamentally flawed or that you’re doing it wrong; it simply means you’re facing the same challenges as virtually every other SME trying to grow. You’re in good company.

1. Marketing Will Fall Down Your Priority List

You start with the best intentions. Then reality hits – a crisis emerges, cash flow tightens, or operations demand attention. Suddenly, marketing slides from a ‘top priority’ to a “we’ll get to it next week.”

Advice: Set concrete triggers that force marketing back onto your agenda – whether it’s a revenue threshold not being met or a period without leads. Use these as alarm bells that cannot be ignored.

2. You’ll Make Poor Hiring Decisions

Finding the right marketing talent – whether in-house team members or agencies – is deceptively difficult. The candidate with the “all-singing, all-dancing” CV might struggle to deliver. The agency with flashy case studies might not understand your challenges.

One bad apple shouldn’t spoil the barrel. A single hiring misstep doesn’t mean your entire marketing approach is flawed. Be willing to change the player, not necessarily the game plan.

Advice: Create 30, 60, and 90-day benchmarks for any new marketing resource – inhouse or external. Focus on revenue centric business outcomes, not just activities. If it all goes wrong, don’t beat yourself up. Keep your head held high, reflect on what could have been done differently and move forwards. Change the player, not the game.

3. You’ll Become Disheartened and Disillusioned

Let’s face it – marketing isn’t all instant gratification and hockey-stick growth curves. There will be campaigns that flop, strategies that fizzle, and moments where you seriously question whether any of this effort is actually worth it. That ROI you were promised? Sometimes it feels more like throwing money into a black hole.

This disillusionment is actually part of the process. Every successful marketing leader has gone through periods of questioning whether their approach is working. The difference between those who succeed and those who don’t isn’t avoiding this feeling – it’s how they respond to it.

When times get tough, that’s exactly when you need a fire in your belly. If marketing success was easy, everyone would be doing it, and every brand would be the best in their industry. The reality? There can only be one winner in each category – so make it you. These challenging moments separate the brands that will dominate from those that will merely participate.

Advice: Create a “marketing experiments” budget – a small, designated portion of your overall marketing spend that’s explicitly for testing new approaches with zero pressure to succeed. When the main strategy feels stagnant, having this playground for innovation keeps the momentum going and often uncovers unexpected wins. More importantly, it prevents the all-or-nothing thinking that leads many SMEs to completely abandon marketing when their primary approach hits a plateau.

4. The Guilt Cycle Is Real

Here’s one nobody talks about: the guilt cycle of marketing neglect. You know marketing matters. You know you should be doing more. You feel guilty for not giving it attention. That guilt makes you avoid it further. The cycle deepens.

Breaking this pattern requires honesty with yourself. Marketing is either a priority or it isn’t. If it is, treat it like other non-negotiable aspects of your business. If it truly isn’t a current priority due to other pressing needs, acknowledge that decision deliberately rather than letting it happen by default.

Advice: Document your marketing journey – the wins, losses, and lessons. This creates perspective during tough times and reveals what actually works for your business.

Final Thoughts – SME Marketing Mistakes

The hardest truth about SME marketing isn’t that mistakes happen – it’s that you’ll often need to make them yourself before the lessons truly sink in. Reading about potential pitfalls helps, but there’s no substitute for first-hand experience.

What separates thriving businesses from struggling ones isn’t their ability to avoid these mistakes entirely – it’s developing the resilience to view each setback as market research rather than failure. Every underwhelming campaign teaches you something about your audience. Every hiring misstep clarifies what your business actually needs.

SMEs who embrace marketing challenges with curiosity rather than frustration inevitably outperform those with technically “better” strategies but fragile mindsets. Your attitude toward marketing obstacles matters more than your marketing budget.

So, approach your marketing journey with equal parts determination and flexibility. Set clear objectives, but be willing to adjust your route. Celebrate progress, not just outcomes. And perhaps most importantly, find the balance between learning from others’ mistakes and being willing to make your own unique ones. That’s where true marketing wisdom comes from.

Read more:
SME Marketing ‘Mistakes’ You’ll Make – Don’t Beat Yourself Up

You don’t need to spend long in the world of digital marketing to encounter two of the most commonly used strategies: Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and Pay-Per-Click advertising (PPC).

But what are they? And which is best for your business?

In this article, we examine the ins and outs of SEO and PPC and help you determine which is the best digital marketing strategy to meet your goals.

What is SEO?

SEO is the practice of optimising a website so that it ranks higher in the search results for certain ‘keywords’, thereby earning more clicks. Typical SEO activities include keyword research and selection, content creation, technical website improvements, and encouraging links from external websites.

The aim is to make the web page user-friendly and relevant to the search term. Building citations from external websites grants the web page ‘authority’, making it more reliable and trustworthy in Google’s eyes.

You can target global keywords with SEO(i.e. those that are not geographically constrained e.g. ‘online banking’) or local keywords (i.e. those constrained to a certain geographical area e.g. ‘plumber in London’).

The advantages of SEO include:

• Long-Term and Reliable: Once SEO is established, it continues to provide organic traffic on an ongoing basis.
• Builds Trust and Credibility: Organic search results are perceived as more trustworthy than paid ads due to their ‘natural’ occurrence. Appearing at the top of search results can also act as a stamp of approval, improving both your online and offline credibility.
• Reach Beyond Your Target Keywords: A strong SEO strategy can bring traffic from search queries other than those you’re targeting.

The main challenges of SEO are:

• Time-Intensive: Good SEO, particularly when targeting competitive keywords, takes a lot of time to set up. Effort doesn’t guarantee rankings.
• Algorithm Dependency: Search engines update their algorithms regularly to root out spam; your website can sometimes be caught in the crossfire.
• Resource-Heavy: It takes a lot of research, high-quality content and SEO monitoring to target competitive keywords.

What is PPC?

PPC advertising involves paying for your website to appear in prominent places, thereby attracting clicks. This happens in three main guises.

1. In search results, for instance, Google Ads. Enter an auction to appear for certain keywords in the sponsored section of the search results. Should your website receive a click, you pay the auctioned price.
2. Prominently on social media. Pay to boost your social media posts in the feeds of your target customers.
3. Display advertising. Appear in the margins and among the content of web pages that allow it and pay for each click you receive.

The advantages of PPC include:

• Immediate Results: As soon as the campaign goes live, your website can start receiving traffic.
• Easy to Target: You can tailor campaigns by demographics, interests, location and more.
• Scalability: Adjust budgets easily to meet different targets.
• Measurable ROI: Detailed analytics is available for PPC, allowing you to track your campaigns’ performance closely.

The challenges of PPC include:

• Ongoing running costs: Costs can add up quickly, especially for competitive keywords/industries with a high cost-per-click (CPC).
• Temporary: As soon as you stop paying for the ads, the traffic stops.
• Fraud Risk: Competitors might inflate your ad costs by clicking on them without delivering value.

SEO vs. PPC Summary

Should You Choose SEO or PPC?

The choice between SEO and PPC often comes down to your business goals.

• Choose SEO if:
  • You are willing to invest time and resources over a period of time.
  • You are seeking long-term, sustainable gains.
  • You are happy to wait for results.
  • You want to build your brand credibility.
  • Your industry has low-to-moderate competition in search rankings.
• Choose PPC if:
  • You have the budget available upfront.
  • You need immediate results.
  • You are running a specific promotion or marketing campaign within a defined timeline.
  • Your industry is highly competitive, making organic ranking challenging.

What about both?

If the budget and resources allow, a combined approach is recommended for most businesses as SEO and PPC complement each other.

For instance, while you’re building out your SEO, you can still gain traffic through PPC. And those tricky, competitive keywords that are out of reach for SEO can still be reached through PPC – at the right price. There’s also evidence to suggest that running PPC traffic through your website improves the website’s ‘health’, which is no bad thing for SEO.

SEO or PPC: Final Thoughts

SEO and PPC are both effective digital marketing strategies, each with their specific advantages and challenges.

SEO lays the groundwork for sustainable results, albeit with an investment of time and resources. PPC provides immediate, short-term results, albeit results that ‘switch off’ as soon as the budget runs out.

Which one you choose depends on your business goals. And, of course, you can always choose to do both. In fact, it’s recommended.

Read more:
SEO or PPC: Which is Better?

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, has sought to calm key advertisers following its decision to scrap third-party fact-checking in the United States.

Senior executives led by Nicola Mendelsohn, Meta’s head of global business, have held a series of meetings over recent days to address concerns about brand safety and content moderation.

Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s founder, earlier this month announced an end to the platform’s long-standing US fact-checking partnership and signalled a new reliance on users to flag misinformation. Under the revised policy, the company will introduce “community notes”, mirroring an approach adopted by Elon Musk at X. Zuckerberg defended the shift during an eight-minute video statement, claiming that external fact-checking had led to “too many mistakes and too much censorship”.

Mendelsohn, speaking in Davos at the World Economic Forum, insisted Meta was not abandoning its commitment to brand safety. “There is no change. Absolutely no change. It is business as usual,” she said. She emphasised Meta’s deep investment in “suitability tools” that allow advertisers to avoid being placed next to political or socially sensitive content, adding that “Advertisers can choose where they do or they don’t want to place their ads.”

The move comes against a backdrop of shrinking advertising revenues at rival X, which experienced a steep decline from an estimated US$4.5 billion in 2022 to US$2.2 billion in 2023 amid controversy over Musk’s content moderation approach.

Mendelsohn framed Meta’s pivot as “moving back to our roots”, stressing that the platform’s original mission was to enable free expression and open debate. She played down the risk of brand damage, arguing that, while the company may be “moving faster” in its changes, it remains committed to its “core DNA”.

In addition to dropping US fact-checking, Zuckerberg announced plans to tweak algorithms to once again promote political posts, reversing a previous policy that had intentionally sidelined such content.

Separately, Meta disclosed that it would also be scrapping its diversity, equity and inclusion hiring policies, citing a “shifting legal and policy landscape” in a statement released ahead of Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration.

Read more:
Meta soothes ad giants with ‘community notes’ after US fact-checking overhaul

Piers Morgan has parted ways with Rupert Murdoch’s media empire in a move set to expand his popular Uncensored show on YouTube, ending months of speculation about his future at News UK.

The outspoken broadcaster will now operate independently, having acquired ownership of his Uncensored brand and its 3.6 million-strong subscriber base.

Morgan, 59, opted not to renew his contract with News UK, where he held a reported £50 million deal covering columns, book rights, and a TalkTV programme. His departure appeared inevitable after he stepped back from his nightly TalkTV show—complaining it was a “straitjacket”—to focus on YouTube broadcasting. The Uncensored channel will now be developed independently, allowing greater flexibility on scheduling and content creation, particularly in the United States and other international markets.

Under a four-year partnership struck through Morgan’s Wake Up Productions, Rupert Murdoch’s company will retain a share of advertising revenue. However, Morgan will run Uncensored outside News UK’s direct oversight, while continuing to write columns for its newspapers and deliver a book to publisher HarperCollins this year.

Explaining his decision, Morgan said: “Owning the brand allows my team and I the freedom to focus exclusively on building Uncensored into a stand-alone business, editorially and commercially, and in time, widening it from just me and my content.”

Morgan’s guest roster has seen high-profile figures such as Donald Trump, Jordan Peterson, Volodymyr Zelensky, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Cristiano Ronaldo debate on Uncensored. He has hinted that Elon Musk could soon join this list. While continuing his combative interview style, Morgan emphasised that YouTube—unlike conventional linear TV—lets him broadcast live discussions at any time to a global audience.

Scott Taunton, head of broadcasting at News UK, said the new model grants Morgan “flexibility to grow his own business by leveraging his position as a true global opinion former” and keeps the two parties commercially linked. Morgan has also signed a deal with US-based Red Seat Ventures to help monetise his brand further through sponsorship and additional revenue streams.

Read more:
Piers Morgan quits Murdoch empire to build Uncensored brand independently on YouTube

Kevin O’Leary, famed for his role as “Mr Wonderful” on the American series Shark Tank, has revealed plans to join billionaire Frank McCourt’s consortium in a high-stakes effort to acquire TikTok.

The move comes amid growing pressure on the Chinese-owned video platform, which could be banned in the United States if its parent company ByteDance fails to divest the app by 19 January.

Last spring, President Joe Biden signed into law measures compelling ByteDance to sell off TikTok’s US operations by this month’s deadline or face a ban—removing the app from American app stores and disabling access via web browsers. TikTok has challenged the legislation, arguing it represents censorship and breaches US First Amendment rights. However, supporters of the ban claim the platform poses a potential national security threat by sharing data with Chinese authorities.

McCourt, founder of Project Liberty and executive chairman of McCourt Global, announced in December that he was assembling a group of backers—named the “People’s Bid for TikTok”. Project Liberty’s primary goal is to hand control of users’ data back to the users themselves. According to McCourt, verbal commitments of up to $20 billion have already been pledged for the takeover.

O’Leary told Fox News on Monday that he and McCourt would need to collaborate with President-elect Donald Trump to complete any deal, particularly as Trump has asked the Supreme Court to delay the ban so he can try to salvage the platform. The Supreme Court is scheduled to review the ban on Friday, and Trump will be sworn into office the day after the deadline.

“This isn’t just about buying TikTok’s US assets,” O’Leary said in a statement on X (formerly Twitter). “It’s about something much bigger: protecting the privacy of 170 million American users. It’s about empowering creators and small businesses. And it’s about building a platform that prioritises people over algorithms.”

Neither Project Liberty nor Kevin O’Leary responded to requests for comment on Tuesday.

Read more:
Kevin O’leary joins billionaire’s bid to buy TikTok as US ban deadline nears

The number of Britons using X, formerly known as Twitter, has plummeted since Elon Musk’scontroversial takeover two years ago.

A new report by Ofcom reveals that UK adults visiting the platform’s app or website dropped from 26.5 million in 2022 to 22.2 million in 2023, reflecting a significant exodus.

The findings from Ofcom’s annual Online Nation report suggest growing dissatisfaction with Musk’s leadership, particularly among Left-leaning users disillusioned by his political affiliations and policy changes.

Musk’s outspoken support for Donald Trump, including his endorsement of Trump’s presidential candidacy and hundreds of promotional posts to his 200 million followers, has provoked criticism from UK users. Musk has also waded into UK politics, labelling the country a “tyrannical police state” and warning of a potential “civil war.”

His decision to reinstate banned accounts, including far-right figures such as Tommy Robinson and Katie Hopkins, and his “light-touch” moderation approach, has further alienated users. Critics argue that these policies have allowed hate speech to proliferate on the platform.

Additionally, Musk’s emphasis on paid subscriptions—such as boosting posts from verified users who pay a monthly fee—has drawn backlash, with many accusing him of eroding the platform’s accessibility and user experience.

Matt Navarra, a social media consultant, attributed part of the decline to Musk’s rebranding of Twitter to X:

“The redesigns and the rebranding including the switch from Twitter to X have also played a role. It broke its cultural currency. Stripping that away left many users disconnected.”

Competition from rival platforms has intensified. Reddit saw UK usage jump by 47%, attracting 22.9 million visitors as of May 2023. Threads, the microblogging platform launched by Meta, now boasts 5.3 million UK users and has gained 35 million users globally since November. Bluesky, another competitor, added 7 million accounts in under a month following Trump’s re-election campaign.

x’s demographic shift and further challenges

X remains more popular among men, who make up 63% of its UK user base. However, daily active users of the platform’s app have dropped significantly, from 6.9 million in November 2022 to 5.2 million in November 2023, according to data from Similarweb.

In contrast, platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram maintain their dominance as the top three social media services by reach in the UK. Meanwhile, TikTok has experienced a 13% growth, reaching 24 million UK users.

Ofcom concluded: “Although X remains the highest-reaching micro-blogging service, its UK adult reach continues to gradually decline.”

With competitors like Threads, Bluesky, and TikTok capturing disillusioned users, X faces increasing pressure to retain relevance. The platform’s controversial political affiliations, policy changes, and brand overhaul may continue to erode its user base unless strategic changes are made to restore trust and engagement.

Read more:
Millions of Britons abandon X amid backlash against Elon Musk’s leadership

The Technology Secretary, Peter Kyle, has commissioned new research into the impact of social media and smartphone use on children, signalling that the UK may follow Australia’s lead in considering a social media ban for under-16s.

Australia is pressing ahead with plans to prohibit social media access for all individuals under 16, regardless of parental consent. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese declared earlier this month: “Social media is doing harm to our kids and I’m calling time on it.”

Kyle stated he is “looking very closely” at Australia’s proposal and remains “open-minded” about implementing a similar measure in the UK. A 2019 review by the Chief Medical Officer found insufficient evidence to draw strong conclusions about the links between social media, smartphones, and children’s mental health.

Believing that technology companies possess unshared research on the issue, Kyle’s department is initiating a six-month study, alongside a multiyear project, to “help direct future government action.”

The call for swifter action has intensified among campaigners and parents, especially following the publication of The Anxious Generation by American social psychologist Jonathan Haidt. The book attributes the rise in childhood anxiety and depression to smartphone usage, though some academics have challenged its conclusions.

Additionally, the Safer Phones Bill, proposed by Labour MP Josh MacAlister, includes a mechanism to ban social media for under-16s and is set for debate in March. Kyle is also urging Ofcom to report on its progress with the Online Safety Act. The regulator is finalising new laws, coming into force in the spring, which will compel tech companies to protect children online and remove illegal content.

However, civil society groups argue that Ofcom is not being stringent enough on tech companies. They contend that the current rules might, in some cases, require less action from companies than they currently undertake.

Kyle has issued a “statement of strategic priorities” for Ofcom, emphasising that the regulator should ensure safety is integrated into platforms from the outset, remain agile, address emerging harms such as generative artificial intelligence, and foster an environment resilient to disinformation.

Ian Russell, chair of trustees at the Molly Rose Foundation, welcomed the announcement, stating it “outlines a much-needed course correction” and “lays down an important marker for Ofcom to be bolder.”

An Ofcom spokesperson responded: “We welcome the draft statement of strategic priorities, which, once finalised, will help shape this important work.”

Read more:
UK considers social media ban for under-16s as Minister orders new research

Trust is an invaluable asset in business. It is the foundation upon which relationships are built, and it significantly influences customers’ decisions about whether or not to engage with your company.

How to build trust signals

Become trusted by Google

The role of the media in gaining third-party trust signals

Be a Thoughtful Leader

Embrace customer and influencer feedback

Manage your online reputation

AI increases the value of human trust signals

Use trust signals to set your brand apart

Read more:
Build trust signals for your brand to unlock next-level trust and loyalty 

Successful digital marketing involves constant review of your SEO, PPC campaigns and website UX, which can result in a sense akin to FOMO for marketers concerned about getting the best possible ROMI (Return on Marketing Investment).

Phil Turner of Bespoke explains how to judge if your marketing is working, and how to strike a balance between staying at the top of your digital marketing game, without confusing your customers through over-adaptation.

In 2023, digital ad spend in the UK is set to exceed £30billion. But research by Bespoke shows that, of that figure, an estimated 31% is wasted. That’s £9.3billion being spent every year on digital tactics that generate no, or limited, return.

We conducted our research by analysing the findings of our Digital Strategy Workshops carried out over five years with companies from across the North West and South East of England, two of the UK’s hotspots for digital marketing as a whole.

The workshops, targeted at inhouse digital marketers, start with an extensive audit of current spend on all areas of digital marketing. After analysing the results over five years, we were astounded to realise just how much digital marketing spend on average is currently wasted. The key culprits according to our findings are:

Spend on PPC on platforms that simply don’t work for that industry

PPC is not like playing the lottery. It’s not a case of being in it to win it. To avoid wasting money, PPC campaigns have to be aligned with buying behaviour for that industry. If you have a niche product that consumers search for, Google is the natural choice. If it’s a consumer product that’s disrupting the market in some way, Facebook is a good option. If it’s corporate B2B, LinkedIn is probably best. But rarely will you get good returns from all three. Yes, there can be a case of trial and error. But if it’s more often error, the best move companies can make to improve these digital tactics is simply to switch them off. The saved money can be put into meaningful investments such as UX, which in fact will help convert more customers who’ve reached the site through appropriate clicks.

Paid ads just left to run

Sometimes, when a PPC plan is put in place and can be seen to work, companies just leave it running. This “if it ain’t broke” attitude can lead to huge losses from campaigns that can actually be improved by ongoing management, maintenance and development. In the worst-case scenarios, we’ve seen many more companies than you might imagine, who have simply set up campaigns and then forgotten about them. In the interim, they have updated their products and services, making these old ads meaningless, and every click they get, simply a waste of money.

Again, the advice here is review your campaigns regularly and seek constant improvement.  If they’re not working, turn them off, or change them.

Jumping too soon

The third most common way digital ad spend is simply wasted is where companies start spending before they have got the fundamentals right. If you have not carefully worked out your product or service’s positioning in the marketplace before you start spending on ads, you’re bound to be wasting a large portion of your budget.

The lesson is simple: Look before you leap. Spending the time, before you start spending your money, to get your digital strategy aligned with your products’ USPs in the context of the marketplace you’re entering will save you huge amounts of budget in the long-run.

Companies can avoid wastage by investing money and time in getting their digital strategy right before they start handing their money to Google or social media platforms.

Being aware of the potential areas of digital wastage can be the absolute decider between glorious success or outright failure as an online marketer.

Strategy

As a simple question, does your web strategy make your business stand out in your industry? A well researched strategy is fundamental to successful online lead-generation. To perform well, websites and campaigns should be designed around a well researched strategy. For example, one that includes deep profiling of your ideal customer, consistent marketing messages that have been proven to excite your customer, and an understanding of the expected return on investment across each of the digital channels available to you.

Website

Do you have a performance website with a great conversion rate? Many business persevere with an old or underperforming website for too long. A performance website is designed based on data and built with advanced lead-magnets. For example, a performance website might convert 1 in 20 of its visitors to leads whilst a regular website might only convert 1 in 200.

A brand refresh and website redesign by senior professionals who are specialist in your sector will typically improve performance overnight (on average we see an instant 15% performance increase when we relaunch a website – equivalent to £100,000s of new business in some cases).

Marketing

Do your campaigns get more high quality leads than competitors? When a business has a good strategy and website in place it makes sense to invest in online marketing campaigns to drive laser targeted prospects to your lead magnets.

Yet, we often see budget being wasted on campaigns that are poorly targeted or whose key messages do not excite the target customer. When it comes to marketing campaigns there is competition for the best value traffic across digital channels so it pays for your campaigns to be in the best shape they possibly can be.

When these three essentials are fully developed and working in harmony, a business gets the best possible flow of quality leads from its website and other online marketing. But if any of the three are not quite as they should be, the whole marketing operation underperforms. A weakness in one weakens the others too.

Read more:
FOMO about ROMI? How do you know when your marketing is working?

Marketers often assume that consumers will watch all of their 10 second ad on YouTube or stick around for the entirety of their Instagram carousel. The reality, however, is that you’re likely to be getting far less of your audience’s attention than you might like.

We’ve all heard that it takes 7 seconds to begin forming an impression. Well, one study conducted by Mars neuroscientists found that marketers actually get about 2 seconds to start making an impression with audiences online. While there is, of course, no way of determining for certain just how long consumers are spending looking at your ad in particular, one thing is for sure: it’s probably much less time than you think – and that has some serious implications for your marketing campaigns.

The attention economy

Attention is finite. It might be focused on a single task, or distributed across multiple ones, but it’s ultimately a zero-sum game. And modern media understands this. We’re surrounded by media that is always trying to get more of our eyeballs on it more often, which in turn is further facilitated by on-demand services and the normalisation of multi-screen behaviour.

The result is that while content becomes more abundant in a bid to grab the interest of the consumer, attention becomes an increasingly scarce commodity.

To make matters even trickier for marketers, this scarcity of attention is often paired with a low commitment culture towards content consumption, where impressions and views don’t necessarily translate into consumer engagement.

Overcoming low commitment

A huge proportion of marketing materials, whether it’s content, ads or social media posts, are designed with the aim of getting as many eyes on them as possible. This, of course, isn’t a bad thing, but if a medium achieves a very low commitment, and hence low attention, gaining any true or lasting brand traction is always going to be a struggle.

So, while views and ad impressions are great, businesses and marketers need to look beyond those numbers and instead become coldly results-oriented when looking at how those views are translating into concrete outcomes. If your ad is gaining impressions, but those impressions are not turning into qualified leads and sales, it’s all for nothing.

Logic vs. emotion

Perhaps one of the most powerful ways marketers and brand can overcome the challenges of low attention and commitment is through understanding the role emotion plays in consumer decision-making.

One of the most awarded marketing campaigns in recent years is Cadbury’s campaign centred around the concept of generosity. While the concept is indirectly connected to the product, it works to engage audiences by relaying instantly relatable situations that linger in the mind long after the advert has been seen. These ads don’t bother telling us how great or delicious Cadbury chocolate is, they tell us stories.

Storytelling in this way bypasses the logical aspects of our brains, tapping straight into our emotions. When attention is at a premium, the ability to evoke emotion in an audience is key to not only triggering a fast response, but also getting that response to stick. With the average ad getting mere seconds to create a lasting impression, leveraging an emotional response may buy you the extra time you need to sustain attention and impart enough information to make that all-important sale.

Final thoughts

With audience attention increasingly divided across multiple screens or focused on other things besides being sold to, perhaps the biggest sin your ads can commit is being boring.

Your marketing efforts need to overcome the huge hurdle of being ignored, dismissed, or scrolled past unnoticed before you can even begin carving out consideration with your prospect. With so little time to achieve this, it’s essential that you test your ads with external audiences in the most natural setting possible to ensure they’re cutting through the noise of daily life and grabbing both consumer attention and commitment.

Read more:
The impact of the attention economy on marketers

In the fast-paced world of public relations, timing is everything. As someone who has spent years navigating the intricacies of media relations and crisis management, I cannot stress enough how critical speed is when it comes to getting your name featured in news stories.

This is particularly true in the context of events with immense public interest, such as the recent UK general election.

Why Speed Matters

When news breaks, journalists are on high alert, looking for fresh angles, expert opinions, and immediate reactions. The window of opportunity to provide these insights is often measured in minutes, not days. Sending a reaction comment four days after a major event is not just ineffective—it’s a colossal waste of time and resources.

Imagine this scenario: A significant political event unfolds, and your PR company drafts a perfect response. However, it sits in their inbox for days, only to be sent out when the news cycle has moved on. By then, the media has already published numerous stories and moved on to the next big thing. Your carefully crafted comment is now irrelevant, buried under a pile of newer updates.

The Financial Cost of Delays

For SMEs, every pound counts. Hiring a PR company can be a significant investment, but if they are slow to respond, you might as well take that money out to the car park and set fire to it. At least then, you’ll get some warmth in this unseasonable British summer. A delayed reaction not only fails to capitalise on the immediate news cycle but also wastes the budget allocated for timely PR interventions.

Actionable Advice for SMEs

Set Clear Expectations: Ensure that your PR company understands the importance of speed. Set clear guidelines for how quickly they need to respond to major events.

Prepare in Advance: Work with your PR team to prepare draft responses for various scenarios. Having pre-approved comments can save precious time when news breaks.

Stay Informed: Keep abreast of major news events, especially those relevant to your industry. This allows you to provide timely and relevant reactions.

Leverage Social Media: Sometimes, your official channels might be slower. Use social media platforms to share immediate reactions while your PR team crafts a more detailed response.

Evaluate Performance: Regularly review the performance of your PR company. If they consistently fail to deliver timely responses, it might be time to reconsider your partnership.

In the realm of public relations, particularly during high-stakes events like general elections, speed is not just an advantage—it’s a necessity. SMEs must ensure their PR companies are equipped to act swiftly and effectively. Delayed reactions are a waste of time and money, undermining the very purpose of engaging PR professionals. By prioritizing speed and setting clear expectations, SMEs can enhance their media presence and make the most of every opportunity.

Remember, in PR, being second is not an option. Be first, be fast, and make your mark.

Read more:
The Importance of Speed in PR: A Wake-Up Call for UK SMEs

As humans, we excel in fooling ourselves into thinking that we are rational choice engines. We like to believe that the things we do and the decisions we make are fundamentally based on logic and reason – but this just isn’t the case.

Nobel Laureat and cognitive scientist, Daniel Kahneman, explores in his book Thinking, Fast and Slow, the model of two distinctive modes of thought characteristic of human cognition. The first is automatic, almost instinctual, and heavily based on past experiences, while the second is slow and calculating, with the conscious employment of logic and rationality.  This, along with a lifetime body of other work, proves to us all we are not in any way masters of our own decisions.

So, what does this have to do with marketing? Well, quite a bit. Understanding the central role emotion plays in decision-making can be the difference between an ad that captures attention, gets remembered and prompts action, or simply blends into the background noise of our daily lives.

Emotional decision-making

The two systems outlined in Kahneman’s book are but one eye-opening glimpse into the mechanics of human decision-making, and call into question how we like to think of ourselves. Behavioural scientists know that are brains are not like computers, they don’t weigh up the odds, calculating the best decision based on logical outcomes and reasoning, instead, they’re much more like that first mode of thought described by Kahneman – fast, instinctual and most importantly – emotional (“emptions” being a word we give to powerful instant reactions).

In fact, even deeper than this, our brains are exceptionally skilled at providing ex post facto rationale to support those emotional decisions we previously made. We aren’t even aware that this is what’s going on.

We evolved this way because this past experienced based “feelings” response is efficient. Gut instinct makes for quick decision making which, in evolutionary terms, could be the difference between life or death. Faced with a lion about to attack, there’s little point in starting a bullet-pointed discussion on the pros and cons of fleeing. Outside of wild animal attacks, which are somewhat rarer in modern life, emotion-based decision-making, which relies on patterns we are familiar with, is still efficient and takes much less cognitive effort. But remember, this isn’t a choice. Its just how the brain works.

Why emotion matters to marketers

The crux of this is that emotion really matters in marketing. Most marketers and advertisers get a fraction of a second to grab their audience, meaning we need to trigger a fast response if we can. It’s the key to capturing interest. Based on the behavioural and cognitive science of how we know our brains work, if we neglect to engage emotion to gain attention and drive our message home, it will most likely fail.

This golden rule applies to marketing in both B2C and B2B – though the specific emotions we’re dealing with might change. Research has demonstrated that adverts that elicit feelings of happiness or cuteness work better than those that don’t. Even negative emotions can work.

In B2B marketing, decisions are more likely to be underpinned by feelings like familiarity (“I know those guys”) or trust (“They are dependable”). Confidence is as much a business gut feeling as any logical calculation, and B2B marketers understand the value of tapping into this not entirely logical construct.

Often, the common denominator for both B2B and B2C marketing is humour. While it’s tricky to get right, and can be painful when done wrong, making the audience laugh (intentionally!) is a fast route to getting them to feel good about a brand. It’s a way of getting under the radar.

Memorability plays a huge role in marketing success. Science shows that it’s actually the emotion created that encodes those ads into our memory, as we remember based on how something makes us feel. The stronger the feeling, the more vivid the memory. Emotive marketing, therefore, isn’t just more powerful, it’s more memorable, too.

Marketing that is forgotten is marketing that may as well have never happened.

Making sense of emotion

While we’ve discussed emotion-based decision making as compared with logical decision-making, let’s not make the mistake of thinking there is no ‘sense’ in these emotional responses.

As consumers, we’re faced with ongoing micro-decisions regarding which brand of cereal to buy at the supermarket, or which brand of stationary to stock the office with. However, in the grand scheme of things, most of these decisions are of limited importance in our lives. We don’t want to spend hours agonising over every last detail before making such decisions, and in these instances, emotional short-cuts can be a useful time and energy saver. Often, the brand-we-know is enough to tip the decision.

Even in B2B, a genuine logical choice is actually a very hard thing to arrive at despite what we tell ourselves. It can be nearly impossible to fully compare specifications and capabilities of, say, two competing software products.  Therefore, that emotional short-cut allows us to make a decision and get on with things. And remember – the boss’ emotions (or those of our teams) can come into play here, too.

Pushing the right buttons

It may seem that asking for marketing and advertising that pushes emotional buttons is somehow risky or odd, but in fact the opposite is true, and the science backs this up. Fail to tap into our preference for emotional decision-making, and the chances of your marketing budget working hard for you is vanishingly small.

Of course, there is an implication that your marketing may feel “riskier”. A bullet point list of features and benefits feels “safe” (even if it won’t actually work). It’s important that you therefore seek objective feedback on your work rather than assume you are getting the emotions right first time. A smart way to reduce that risk.

Read more:
Marketing: It’s the emotion, stupid

Whether you’re an individual setting out to be an industry thought leader or a brand seeking leads, LinkedIn is a valuable tool for business success.

Clear and consistent visuals and branding

Create a compelling summary headline

List your skills, endorsements and recommendations

Post relevant content regularly

Like, share, comment…engage

Carefully manage your online reputation

Test and learn

Enjoy the process!

Read more:
How to supercharge your corporate LinkedIn profile in eight steps

Developing brand awareness in the market is one of the most challenging barriers that small businesses face. SMEs can easily miss out on potential sales opportunities if they don’t market themselves effectively as customers, buyers and suppliers won’t know where to find them or what’s on offer.

It doesn’t take a Lord Sugar to know that to generate sales, you need a consistent flow of leads, a returning customer base and strong brand awareness. But what’s now complicating the traditional business formula is the rapidly expanding world of social media. Social media platforms have now heated up the competition and added more complexity to an already busy marketing landscape.

It’s no wonder, then, that 1 in 3 small businesses outsource at least one business process. As polled by Clutch, 24% of small businesses said that increased efficiency was their top reason for outsourcing whilst other reasons included available expertise (18%), flexibility (16%) and allowing time for employees to prioritise other tasks (15%).

Can Your SME Manage its Own Marketing?

Every business is unique and comes with its own set of resources, talent and finances. Knowing whether your small business can manage its own marketing strategy takes some honest self-assessment:

• How much do you understand about marketing? Are you familiar with what strategies exist and how to measure the success of a strategy?
• Do you enjoy marketing?
• Is anyone on your team skilled in a particular area? Do they have an eye for design, a way with words or are they a whizz on the computer?
• How much time do you have on your hands?
• How well do you know your marketing needs? Who is your demographic and what platforms do they hang out on?
• Do you have the funds to employ an in-house marketer, or should you think about outsourcing your marketing to a full service marketing and comms agency?

Tell-tale Signs That Your Small Business Desperately Needs to Outsource its Marketing Strategy

It’s Been a While Since You Last Reviewed Your Marketing Strategy

As a minimum to keeping your marketing efforts strong, your social media, email and advertising engagement should be monitored once a day. Reviewing your marketing strategy is essential for keeping up with trends, shifts in demographics, sudden opportunities that arise and making sure your campaign is an all-round success. If it looks like your marketing strategy has cobwebs (and your website was last updated in 2020), then it’s probably time to look at outsourcing.

You Aren’t Seeing Results

Monitoring your return on investment is a great way of measuring the success of your marketing strategy. If phones aren’t ringing with leads, customers aren’t placing orders and those that are, aren’t the type of customer you’re aiming for, then that’s another sign to call in for some professional expertise – especially if you feel you’ve been making all the right marketing moves.

You Don’t Know Where to Start

Between Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and TikTok, social media can be a bit of a minefield. It can be easy to go guns blazing and sign-up to all (which would only deplete your resources) or, for some, it may even feel a little risky to put yourself out there on an unfamiliar platform. Marketing is a complex subject that requires the right expertise and trying to DIY it all can hoover time and lead to disappointing results.

Your Efforts are Sporadic

Disruptions and distractions can come up at any time when manning a small business. Steadying financials, monitoring stock flow and upkeeping staff retention are all core priorities which sometimes mean that marketing is one that falls by the wayside. However, the one secret to a successful marketing campaign is consistency. Consistency and time are what build brand credibility, awareness and a loyal customer base. If you lack resources and your efforts are sporadic, then you aren’t going to be see the healthy trajectory you need.

Your Schedule is Already Jam-packed

There are only so many hours in the day. Drafting and proofreading something that may seem as little as a mail-chimp email can take a lot more time than you think – even a single spelling mistake can make a potential customer overlook your brand. If you are going to implement a marketing plan, it’s important to allocate proper time and set realistic expectations as to how much time goes into an effective strategy.

Your Competitors are Outperforming You

Keeping an eye on your competitions’ marketing strategy or even stalking their socials is a good way to see how well your strategy could be performing. However, if your competitors are severely outperforming you, then it’s time to either review your current strategy or bring in experts who can offer advice and even take ownership of your strategy for you.

So, You’ve Chosen to Outsource

Outsourcing your marketing is an effective way to leverage talent and expertise within the industry whilst securing a consistent and successful strategy. Not only is outsourcing a cost-effective choice, but it can also help your small business focus on core activity and free up time to remain flexible in changing market conditions.

If you believe outsourcing is the right step for your small business, then check out some of our Top Tips for Selecting a Marketing Agency.

Read more:
When is it the Right Time to Ask for Help with your marketing?

By 2023, TikTok boasted an astonishing 1.7 billion users worldwide, comprising nearly a quarter of the global population. In the United States alone, the app had 150 million active users, while the UK counted over 23 million.

This exponential growth solidifies TikTok’s position as one of the leading social media platforms globally. Notably, almost half of Generation Z is active on TikTok, a demographic trend with significant implications, as we’ll delve into later.

The platform’s user engagement is remarkable, with over 1 billion TikTok videos viewed daily. Moreover, TikTok disclosed that nearly 1.5 million UK businesses leverage the platform to enhance their operations. Given these staggering figures, the surge in TikTok marketing is unsurprising. Perhaps it’s time for you to consider harnessing the power of TikTok for building your brand?

Finding your target audience on TikTok

When you think of TikTok influencers, who comes to mind first? Perhaps a Kardashian or another universally recognised celebrity, or maybe an unknown teenager dancing in their bedroom. But what about Laura Pomfret, Holly Holland, or David Poku?

Holly and Laura, known as @Financielle, and David Poku, under the handle @PokuBanks, represent a burgeoning trend known as #FinTok. As the name suggests, FinTok focuses on financial advice on TikTok. David delves into the risks of unregulated advice and offers tips to avoid online scams, while Holly and Laura simplify financial jargon and tackle questions like ‘should I rent or buy?’

Together, they amass over 350,000 followers, with the FinTok hashtag accumulating nearly 5 billion views. This underscores the diversity of niches on platforms like TikTok, where attentive exploration can uncover an engaged audience for any business.

TikTok videos reign supreme in content creation!

When it comes to posting videos on TikTok, insights from Sprout Social Media’s 2023 Index report offer valuable guidance on effective content strategies. Short-form video emerges as the top-performing format, unsurprisingly, given its high activity and engagement levels. Therefore, prioritising short-form video content is crucial for your TikTok channel, as Sprout’s report indicates its superior engagement compared to longer formats.

Moreover, the versatility of short-form videos allows for easy repurposing across other platforms like Instagram, amplifying their value. To further enhance your marketing efforts, consider leveraging dedicated paid advertising options through TikTok ads.

In essence, integrating video content into your content strategy is essential. But what does this entail in practical terms?

Crafting a tailored content strategy

When utilising TikTok for business, the specifics of your content will be entirely unique to your brand. Your TikTok channel serves as your platform to narrate your story in your distinctive brand voice, so embrace experimentation.

Many successful TikTok users approach content creation with an open mindset, recognising that testing and learning are integral to maximising TikTok’s potential. The platform’s algorithm can be unpredictable; a piece of content may initially receive minimal engagement, only to thrive upon reposting weeks later. Maintaining an open mind, a willingness to engage with trends and themes, and the confidence to accept that not every attempt will resonate are crucial for TikTok success.

As a business account, consider posting content that enhances brand visibility and awareness.

Develop content that embodies your core values

Be authentic. This is particularly important with TikTok for business. The most successful businesses and brands using TikTok are doing so without filters or pretence. It should be an honest portrayal of your corporate values. TikTok users want authenticity, so give it to them.

Tell your story

Whether you’re a local butcher, an emerging tech scale-up or a global mega-corporation, everyone has a story to tell. Use the platform to show and tell your story, knowledge and experiences to your TikTok community.

Showcase your people

Put your people front and centre.

Give them the latitude to create engaging content on their own terms (obviously with the businesses’ best interests in mind). This kind of user-generated content typically performs very well on TikTok and is a strong method of enhancing and amplifying employer brand.

Share knowledge and expertise

Try to teach your target audiences something they don’t know. Our FinTok examples above do an excellent job of breaking down complex subject matter into educational and easily digestible audio clips.

Entertain

Social media platforms are entertainment platforms. The content you put out into the world has to be entertaining. You have less than two seconds to hook in your target audience… so it has to be entertaining above all.

Collaborating with partners and creators

To further grow your presence, creator collaborations could be the next step.

You might not consider TikTok a defecto B2B platform… and you might be right. But, remember that not too long ago, neither was Facebook. Neither was Instagram.

The B2B creator and influencer space on TikTok is still emerging. Forward-thinking businesses can get in on the action early and explore partnerships with emerging creators, influencers, industry experts and thought leaders.

Again, look at the great example of FinTok, with billions of views all relating to financial advice. The odds are, that if you’re a business looking to engage with creators or direct users, there will be a pool of people out there for you.

When you do reach the stage of working with creators and influencers. There is yet more interesting data from Sprout Social, on the engagement rates of smaller creators:

5k-10k followers: 76.23%

10k-50k followers: 37.77%

50k-100k followers: 27.87%

100k-250k followers: 20.43%

250k-1m followers: 16.59%

1m+ followers: 12.69%

As the data shows, smaller-level creators are having much more cut-through with their audiences, when compared with higher-followed accounts.

TikTok and the talent crisis

The battle for young talent is a sector-agnostic challenge. But could TikTok be the answer to many-a-businesses recruitment woes?

In December of 2022, PR Week delved into this concept, with some very interesting anecdotal evidence, to prove that TikTok is already having a major positive impact on recruitment and employer brand.

Battenhall

“It’s been a huge driver of recruitment interest for us,” says Taja Woods, senior account executive at Battenhall. She adds that the agency’s most popular video was directly responsible for more than 50 job applications.

Here Be Dragons

“Every time we post something cool, within the next week our inbox goes mad. That’s normally people looking for their first job or an internship, so it really is Gen Z. These are people looking to enter the workplace for the first time, who’ve identified marketing as a discipline they might want to get involved in, and have looked it up on TikTok, found our channel and gone: ‘That’s a bit of me.’”

Emerge

“We have seen a significant increase in job applicants, new business and awareness as a consequence of our TikTok presence,”

TikTok offers business account users a platform to showcase their values, their culture and their ways of working in new, exciting and engaging content. The largest age demographic on TikTok is the 18-24 category, at 36%.

This younger audience is key demographic in the talent crisis and we can see from these three examples, that TikTok is already working to attract both potential candidates, new customers and new business.

If it’s working for them, then why can’t it work for you?

Initiating your TikTok business profile

TikTok stands out as a powerhouse among social media platforms, making it indispensable for enhancing yourdigital marketing efforts. Beyond mere video creation, leveraging TikTok for business can amplify your online reach, bolster brand visibility, and foster deeper connections with potential customers, teams, and target audiences, in conjunction with other social media platforms.

Moreover, the barrier to entry is remarkably low. You don’t need elaborate production setups or expensive equipment to create TikTok videos—all you require is a smartphone and a willingness to explore creative possibilities.

Read more:
Strategies and tips on using TikTok for business

Business process outsourcing has skyrocketed since covid, with 48% of companies now outsourcing their work.

Whilst saving time and resources, outsourcing your marketing is an effective way to pool real expertise, gain access to advanced marketing tools, minimise overhead and improve return on investment (ROI). With outsourcing, businesses can focus on core activity and provide services they could not before, far faster and more cost-effectively.

A recent survey conducted by Deloitte demonstrated that 65% of businesses said outsourcing helps them to prioritise key business functions whilst 63% mentioned that cost-cutting is a major benefit of outsourcing.

So, when is it the right time to outsource your marketing?

Successful marketing is about the long game of building credibility, strong relationships and brand profile. Whether producing consistent and engaging content, building user-friendly websites or raising your business’ awareness amongst target audiences, time, consideration and expertise are needed. If you have the time and capabilities yourself, that’s great but consider outsourcing your marketing if:

• Your current strategy isn’t producing results.
• You lack the right expertise and resources to deliver campaigns.
• You are looking to minimise overhead costs.
• You simply don’t have the time to keep up with the workload.
• Your brand has grown, and you need experts to implement a strategy that will keep the momentum of your business going.

Know Your Objectives

What are you looking to achieve? Are you looking to be at the top of google search? Is there a particular product you’d like to see more sales of? Or are you looking to build your reputation and raise awareness of your business or a particular service?

There is an assortment of marketing agencies out there. Some offer a 360, all-inclusive marketing approach whereas others are skill-specific and specialise in a marketing sector such as social media, advertising, copy writing, public relations, etc. Similarly, agencies may also be sector specific and offer core expertise in the likes of construction PR or social media for the hospitality sector.

Outlining your business needs and targets in this way is important when choosing an agency to help develop and implement the right strategy for you.

Be Clear on Budget

By knowing your budget and keeping a defined brief of your targets, marketing agencies can then propose how to allocate your investment and provide you with a strategy and tactics that suit. Be realistic with your budget and invest in a long-term strategy as rarely does a ‘short and sweet’ campaign achieve longer term goals.

Whilst you shouldn’t underestimate the cost of a successful campaign, keeping a defined brief will help keep your strategy focused on your core business targets without walking away with an over-ambitious campaign.

Who Will Be Doing the Work?

Your campaign will only be as good as the team delivering it. So, even though your agency may have worked with big-named clients, don’t just buy on agency reputation. Make sure your account manager is involved in the pitching process so you can better evaluate their experience and expertise. Don’t be afraid to ask them challenging questions to see whether they know their material or to check their LinkedIn profile to see their industry background.

Client-Agency Chemistry

The first question you should ask when selecting a marketing agency is can you see yourself working with these people?

Ultimately, people buy people and it’s important to make sure their values align with yours. Client-Agency chemistry is vital for ensuring effective communication and a well-executed marketing strategy.

When running a Request for Proposal (RFP) meeting, check whether the team are engaging with you rather than just pitching to you. This is also your time to prepare questions that will test the team’s relationship. How much do they know about your industry? Why have they chosen a particular approach? How well have they planned and considered the meeting?

Reviews and References

Once you’ve had an initial meeting with your selected marketing agency, it’s then a good idea to run background checks to substantiate their claims.

Using case studies available on their website is a useful primary tool, but make sure to ask for customer referrals and client testimonials too. Look into your agency’s portfolio and head onto social channels and websites they manage to see how well they are performing. Be sure to look at clients who work in a similar industry to yours. If their results are similar to your targets, then chances are, you are good to go.

Read more:
Top Tips for Selecting a Marketing Agency

Search marketing campaigns are essential for businesses that want to boost their online presence and reach a larger audience.

Retargeting is an invaluable tool that allows marketers to connect with potential customers more personally. Retargeting takes advantage of people’s browsing behaviour by targeting ads based on recent searches. To make this a little easier to understand, if someone searches for “shoes” in Google, they might see shoe-related ads when they visit other websites or check out their social media feeds. Let’s dive into how retargeting works and explore all its benefits!

Types Of Retargeting

As we said in the intro, Retargeting is a great technique that allows marketers to connect with potential customers on a more personal level. And it can get confusing as there are different types of retargeting, including contextual, dynamic, frequency-based, segmented, and social ads.

Contextual: delivers ads based on visitors’ content while browsing your website.

Dynamic: shows users ads tailored to specific items they’ve viewed on your site or purchased from you before.

Frequency capping: enables you to control how often people see your adverts over a specified period of time.

Segmentation: lets you target certain demographics and interests to show more relevant advertisements according to user behaviour.

Social: allows marketers to promote their brand on social networks like Facebook and Twitter by finding new customers and engaging existing ones.

Why Use Retargeting?

Did you know that 93% of online shoppers don’t convert on their first visit? That’s why it’s so essential to use retargeting in your search marketing campaigns. Retargeting is a powerful tool that allows advertisers to target the right people at the right time and with the right message, resulting in higher engagement and better return on ad spend.

Custom Audiences

Custom Audiences allow you to leverage data from various sources, such as emails, website visitors, and mobile apps. This is valuable as you can create an effective retargeting campaign without manually building lists. You can also set up different ad campaigns for each group of users based on their behaviour and interests. This will help ensure that your message reaches the right person at the right time. So, if you’re looking for an effective way to boost engagement and revenue, search retargeting should be part of your strategy!

What Are The Benefits Of Retargeting In Search Marketing?

Retargeting allows businesses to stay top-of-mind with existing and prospective customers, creating a more personal connection that helps turn leads into conversions.

It can also be used for SEO and PPC strategies, allowing you to optimise your search campaigns for better results. With targeted ads, businesses can track visitors’ website behaviour and serve relevant content based on their interests.

Search retargeting optimisation also offers numerous benefits, such as lower costs per acquisition, improved ROI and higher click-through rates. Tracking user interactions gives valuable insight into how successful your campaign is, allowing you to measure progress over time and make necessary adjustments if needed.

Retargeting in search marketing campaigns can help you maximise your ROI and reach out to more potential customers. By using custom audiences, search retargeting, measuring & optimising results and tracking performance strategies, you are able to take advantage of the benefits that retargeting offers. However, it can be a lengthy and confusing process, so partnering with a PPC agency in London can help make this process easier.

Read more:
Untapped Benefits Of Retargeting In Search Marketing Campaigns

The US House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved a bill on Wednesday that compels ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, to sell the popular social media platform or face a complete ban in the United States.

In a decisive vote, 352 members of Congress voted in favor of the bill, with only 65 opposing it. The legislation, which was swiftly moved to a vote after unanimous approval by a committee last week, grants China-based ByteDance a 165-day window to divest from TikTok. Failure to comply would result in app stores such as the Apple App Store and Google Play legally prohibited from hosting TikTok or providing web hosting services to ByteDance-controlled applications.

The House vote represents a significant threat to TikTok amid ongoing concerns over potential data collection and political censorship by the China-based company. Despite TikTok’s assurances that it does not share US user data with the Chinese government, previous attempts by the Trump administration to ban the app in 2020 and a state-level ban passed in Montana in 2023 have underscored these concerns. However, courts overturned these bans on grounds of first amendment violations, and Trump has since reversed his stance on the matter.

In March 2023, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) urged ByteDance to sell its TikTok shares or face a potential ban, though no action has been taken thus far.

The bill’s fate in the Senate is less certain, with some Senate Democrats expressing reservations about potential freedom of speech implications and suggesting alternative measures to address concerns of foreign influence in social media. However, the White House has expressed support for the legislation, emphasizing the administration’s desire to see the bill enacted.

While proponents of the bill argue that it does not constitute a ban as it provides ByteDance with an opportunity to sell TikTok and avoid being blocked in the US, TikTok has vehemently opposed the legislation, stating that a sale is not guaranteed within the six-month timeframe stipulated by the bill.

Following the committee’s approval of the bill, TikTok supporters flooded Congress with phone calls, prompting complaints from staffers. TikTok defended its users’ engagement in the democratic process, asserting that it is their right to express their opinions to elected representatives.

While the bill primarily targets TikTok, its potential implications extend to other China-owned platforms, such as the US operations of Tencent’s WeChat. Representative Mike Gallagher emphasized that the bill’s scope could be subject to further debate regarding its applicability to other companies.

In the midst of heightened scrutiny over foreign-owned social media platforms, the bill signals a significant development in US efforts to address national security concerns and regulate the digital landscape.

Read more:
US House Passes Bill Targeting TikTok Ownership

Google is currently in the process of rolling out one of its biggest updates in a long time and if you own a website, it’s likely to affect you.

Google holds around 90% of the search engine market share, with the majority of online traffic coming from the Search Engine any updates they make to search results usually affect how much traffic your website receives.

The updates are aimed at targeting the rise in AI-generated content and several other areas of areas where Google believes webmasters are manipulating search results.

What should you do as a business?

Here are all the things you should be aware of that Google is targeting in this latest update:

Mass-generated AI content (Scaled content abuse)

Google specially is looking for low-quality or unoriginal content at scale to manipulate search rankings which is a clear reference to the rise of AI-generated content at scale.

If you’ve been publishing AI-generated content at mass with no real process around proofreading or editing then you could be hit with a penalty.

Expired domain abuse

This is a common tactic used when wanting to give a new website a ‘boost’ in authority where an expired domain is purchased (usually with a good backlink profile) and then redirected to your new site and passed on that authority.

There are instances where this can be done responsibly, but Google has now stated that ‘Expired domains that are purchased and repurposed to boost the search ranking of low-quality content are now considered spam’ meaning that it’s likely a LOT of websites will be affected.

Creating content ‘just for clicks’

This update involves Google refining their ranking systems and looking at webpages on an individual level to see if they are created just for search engines or actually for people.

An example of this would be someone buying a domain such as bestrunningshoes.com to try and rank for the keyword ‘best running shoes’ faster than you would do with say a branded domain.

Site reputation abuse

There’s been a rise over the last few years of affiliate marketers ‘renting’ areas of websites to build out their directories and ride the authority of a much larger website to get their content ranking faster and generating affiliate sales.

If Google are worried about these kinds of practices it’s not only the ‘black hats’ they should be going after, but also having a conversation with these large websites that are renting out their websites for this kind of activity.

Here’s an example of Forbes renting out an area of their site for affiliate purposes https://forbes.com/advisor

What you can do

If you or your team have been using any of the tactics above then you should be keeping an eye on your Search Consoles this month as Google runs its core update.

For any questions about your SEO strategy or uncertainties about what you’ve been implementing over the past year, you can follow Google’s Search Status Dashboard or contact a Digital Marketing Agency to consult on best practices for your online business.

Read more:
Google is updating its algorithm, here’s what you need to know

As technology continues to evolve, business owners and marketers strive to adopt new learnings to effectively bring their products to market.

The advent of AI-driven technology and the rapid growth of online platforms like TikTok have further complicated the digital landscape for marketers.

Navigating the right marketing channels and optimising investments for a successful return has become the ultimate challenge. So, how can SMEs overcome these obstacles and achieve success?

First, we need to understand what the challenges are.

Determining who your target customer is

SMEs often profile a target customer based on a job function or role, industry, or company size. However, digging deeper to determine profile attributes to aid marketing can be challenging.

Top line targeting information is useful when broadly targeting a sector or group of potential companies but to target more effectively, SMEs need to understand the finer details about their target customers. For example, where their target customers spend most of their time online and how they consume digital content – is it mostly through video or written format?

Solution: Survey a sample of existing customers – asking them questions about the product, what they are using it for and the platform they discovered it on. Be mindful to evaluate the customers you collect data from, make sure that they are a great fit for your business and what you envision your “ideal” customer to be. This will help to ensure that the data and feedback is useful and can be implemented in an effective manner.

Profiling your customer to understand their individual needs

A target customer becomes a hot prospect by the nature of their circumstance. Understanding and documenting the problems that customers are facing will aid SMEs in positioning the messaging for their products and services more effectively, highlighting that they are able to solve their problems.

However, finding information on the potential problems that their customers are facing can be challenging. SMEs need to be able to find a cost-effective way to gather data from existing customers or prospects in a manner that provides the necessary information.

Solution: Speak to sales or product managers to determine what challenges their business is experiencing when they first contacted your company for solutions. By speaking directly with client stakeholders in the business, you will be able to determine the top 5 business challenges that are experienced by your ideal customer that led them onto discovering how your business can support them. These case studies can then be used to fuel a content marketing strategy that educates prospects on solutions that can help them overcome their challenges.

Understanding where your target customer resides online

Whilst Google is still the most dominant search engine in many countries across the globe, other search engines such as Microsoft Edge cannot be ignored. In some industries, IT equipment is supplied with Microsoft Edge as the default search engine and, therefore, B2B buyers are using this engine to search for information.

As well as search engines, B2B targets also engage on platforms such as LinkedIn, consuming content from other professionals as well as organisations in their feeds. By profiling the online destinations of a target customer, an SME can then start to determine where the business needs to have a presence to target more appropriately.

Solution: Surveying your customers will help to collate this information. However you can also partner with an SEO agency to carry out a competitive audit which will uncover where your competitors are positioning their brand online and how this can be utilised to fuel your marketing strategy.

Determining how much budget is needed to fuel marketing in 2024

On average, a business should be committing anywhere from 5 – 10% of its yearly turnover on marketing. In reality, an SMEs commitment sits closer to 3 – 5%, for a variety of reasons. Lack of awareness of marketing strategy, previous bad performance, and a general lack of confidence means SMEs sometimes do not know how to determine a budget that will drive the return required to grow the business.

Solution: Recruit a marketing consultant that can audit your marketing performance against your goals and build a strategic roadmap that carefully considers investment for return. Have someone that is comfortable at budgeting for campaigns and activity and has a track record of implementing marketing strategies for similar B2B clients.

Hiring marketers that can execute as well as plan strategically for growth.

Marketers typically fall into two categories; strategists that determine what a plan looks like, or practitioners: those that are on the ground operating as marketing specialists and execute actual activity on a day to day. SMEs have a need for both types of marketers, but often do not know how to evaluate a candidate for suitability for either role or are constrained by budget to hire in both areas.

Solution: Based on budget and needs, consider how to use consultants or agencies as well as full time operational staff for the purposes of marketing the business. Remember to use recruitment criteria that carefully assesses a candidate’s capability to either execute or plan marketing activity, asking the candidate for examples to support their claims.

In navigating the challenges of marketing in 2024, SMEs must embrace a holistic approach that involves understanding their target audience, addressing customer needs, strategically positioning online, budgeting effectively, and hiring marketers capable of both planning and executing for growth.

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The challenges SMES face when trying to market their business in 2024

The media landscape has undergone enormous and complex change over the last thirty years, with social media platforms rising in prominence often at the expense of more traditional media outlets.

As the platforms we use to communicate change, so should marketing activities and business priorities. There has been a shift away from traditional media with the circulation of paid for news in the UK dropping below 3 million for the first time, while UK consumer magazines also saw an 11% decline according to the latest ABC data.

Figures from Ofcom also show the growth of digital news consumption, with more than two thirds (68%) of UK adults consuming news via online sources. Social media is an important driver for this, with just under half (47%) of UK adults using these sources for news and opinion.

As audiences increasingly engage online, effective brand building exercises can be more complex as businesses need to plan campaigns across more channels and platforms than ever before.

Managing a multimedia presence

Between the emergence of LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok, social media has grown exponentially over the last two decades, making it challenging for SMEs to invest the right levels of time or resource into keeping current.

Research from SocialSprout suggests that social media is now the number one channel for businesses to connect and communicate with consumers. The medium provides the perfect opportunity to allow brands to invest in relationships with consumers and build customer loyalty. When customers feel connected to brands, more than half (57%) will increase their spending with that brand and 76% will buy from them over a competitor.

However, getting your content and messaging right is all important. Consumers want to learn more about the people behind their favourite brands and businesses. Seventy percent of consumers, for example, report feeling more connected when a brand’s CEO is active on social. Additionally, 72% of consumers report feeling similarly when employees share information about a brand online.

Don’t be too salesy

Social media is about relating to, and having relationships with customers regardless of whether your business is selling to a consumer or another business.  Messaging needs to be subtle, engaging and relevant to audiences when boosting brand visibility.

Social media users respond best to a balance of promotional and non-promotional content, the balance being 20% promotional and 80% non-promotional. Sharing articles that provide insight into your brand’s industry, leveraging relevant cultural moments and sharing experiences are all ways in which you can add value whilst avoiding being too product pushy.

Unlike conventional advertising, social media communication is a two-way street; consumers want to see brands that they can really engage with. Whether liking comments, responding to private messages, or starting polls will help customers feel seen and heard, enabling them to connect with your SME’s brand.

However, it is also essential to understand the role each platform plays in order to put your SME in front of the correct potential customer. Whilst it may be fun and fresh to maintain a presence on TikTok, consider who you are targeting and looking to engage with.

Influencers & third-party endorsements

Look to utilise your network, whether media, social or influencers (people who your customers relate to and who they would turn to for advice or suggestions). When a product or service is promoted by somebody else, the promotion no longer becomes a sales pitch but rather a credible recommendation that consumers find trustworthy.

Utilising influencers, customers, partners, and suppliers to promote your business will help customers justify the purchase whether in the form of case studies, reviews, endorsements, or social posts.

Declining attention spans

Attention spans have also scarily decreased. According to a study conducted by Microsoft, the average attention span of Gen Z individuals was only about eight seconds, four seconds less than that of millennials. With attention spans diminishing, information must be kept at the forefront of any article, post or video.

Similarly, TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, have boosted the rise of bite-sized video content as an essential tool in disseminating information. In today’s advancing time equals money economy, it’s no surprise that video tutorials are trumping lengthy manuals.

Videos, as well as being a great source of entertainment are incredibly useful for spreading brand awareness and providing in-depth information. They provide an excellent opportunity to engage directly with customers, show your authority and share advice.  Consider a YouTube channel when promoting a good or service as ‘How to” ranks as the most common search term on YouTube.

Websites and winning the SEO algorithm

Websites remain an ideal opportunity to showcase a comprehensive view of your SME’s products or services. However, information such as when your SME was established or how many people work for you may not be what customers are searching for? Put key information up front, answer customers questions and solve their problems by showing authority and expertise in an area through quality, considered content.

Whilst the media can open the door to millions of potential customers and third-party endorsements, adding social media management to an already busy SME schedule can be daunting. Managing the media only works when done consistently and done well, so knowing when to outsource your marketing and communications to experts is essential for both optimising your time and making the most of your efforts.

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What the changing media landscape means for SMEs

As the political landscape gears up for the next election cycle, a significant surge in advertising spending on Facebook and Instagram by the two major political parties has been highlighted by Sky News.

The exponential increase, which surpasses tenfold compared to the same period in 2023, underscores the escalating importance of digital platforms in political campaigning.

The ramp-up in spending is attributed to changes in spending limits and data regulations, favoring the Labour and Conservative parties, enabling them to more effectively target individuals with tailored political advertisements. With maximum spending limits set to rise by 80% and forthcoming data rule changes facilitating enhanced targeting capabilities, both parties are poised to intensify their efforts to reach voters through social media channels.

Labour and the Conservatives are primed for a battle on mobile devices, intending to inundate voters with targeted advertisements in the lead-up to polling day. This strategic shift reflects a recognition of the pivotal role that digital platforms play in shaping public opinion and mobilizing support.

Smaller parties have raised concerns over the perceived tilt in electoral rules, with the Liberal Democrats alleging favoritism toward the Conservatives due to their financial advantage. Despite these grievances, Labour has demonstrated comparable spending levels, indicating a competitive digital advertising landscape dominated by the two major parties.

The data, compiled by the Who Targets Me website, reveals a stark increase in spending, with Labour and Tories collectively investing over £724,000 in the first five weeks of this year, compared to just over £67,000 during the same period in 2023. Such substantial investments mirror the levels of expenditure witnessed in the month preceding the previous general election.

Facebook and Instagram’s personalized, targeted advertising capabilities have emerged as potent campaign tools, enabling parties to tailor messages to specific demographics. For instance, users over 50 are likely to encounter Conservative adverts focusing on the economy, while under 40s may receive Labour messages addressing issues such as tax avoidance and crime.

The dominance of the two main parties in Facebook and Instagram spending is evident, with 52% allocated to Conservative advertising and 45% to Labour, leaving only marginal shares for smaller parties such as the Liberal Democrats, Greens, and Reform.

Analysis of Conservative spending patterns indicates a strategic approach, with investments spread across constituencies, including those traditionally considered safe Tory seats. This suggests a concerted effort to fortify support in key battlegrounds and defend against potential challenges.

Sam Jeffers, founder of Who Targets Me, anticipates a proliferation of voter engagement efforts driven by increased funding and access to data. With the impending changes in data regulations expected to facilitate easier voter contact, political parties are poised to engage with voters more extensively across various platforms.

As the electoral landscape undergoes transformation, voters can anticipate a deluge of information and campaign messaging across digital platforms, reflecting the heightened stakes and intensified competition in the upcoming election cycle.

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Surge in Political Ad Spending on Facebook and Instagram Signals Intensified Digital Campaigning