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Join the caravan, the rhythm is just picking up!

Good afternoon and welcome back! The sun is shining and the trends are sizzling ️‍🔥️‍🔥️‍🔥

Here’s what we’ve got for you today:

• The Fragmentation of the Internet

• 3 Marketing Trends

• Lord of the Rings...but for politics?

• How Clay Built A Linkedin Army

• 5 Great Marketing Job Opportunities

Let’s dive in! 🌵

The Fragmentation of the Web

Micro-communities Are The New Main Stream

The internet reminds me of that high school friend who now messages you about a pyramid scheme—it's in an interesting place.

The early days of the web were dominated by niche communities on places like Yahoo! Search engines were in their infancy, and websites like StumbleUpon were some of the main ways people accessed new information.

The Wild West days of the internet didn't last long.

Silicon Valley and Wall Street investors quickly realized the potential of digital and software companies. That’s when the "platformification" of everything began.

MySpace foreshadowed the rise of social media apps like Facebook and Twitter—places where you could easily search for almost any topic.

Instead of building niche communities on blogs that were hard to find, creators could now leverage the network effects of platforms and reach millions with ease. Early adopters rode the algorithms to celebrity status, and unicorn companies were born.

But all the while, something was starting to go awry.

As more media and tech companies positioned themselves as comprehensive platforms, they needed to raise massive amounts of capital. Investors influenced content moderation, and high burn rates required the introduction of ads wherever possible.

This led to the sunsetting of popular features like chronological feeds on Instagram and simple UX in search.

In short, the core products suffered.

Generation Z shows little brand loyalty to tech giants like Google due to the drop in information quality and numerous scandals. Traditional news outlets are gasping for air.

So, where are people going for information?

It increasingly looks like niche publications such as podcasts, newsletters (ahem!), and individual creator channels on YouTube. Mirroring the "cord-cutting" movement, consumers are turning to hyper-specific communities to obtain and vet information.

We have come full circle, back to the very roots of the internet.

And big tech is well aware.

Recent Google Search algorithm updates have prioritized forum results over traditional webpages, leading to websites like Reddit adding over 8.5 million users in Q2 of 2024 alone.

Surviving the increasing fragmentation of the internet means the future of marketing is focused more on Tribes & Territories instead of TAM.

Every marketer will need to be a community builder or risk being left out of the important conversations.

As we navigate this new landscape, embracing the fragmentation rather than fighting it may be the key. Building authentic communities and engaging with niche audiences will define the next era of digital marketing.

So gear up, marketers—our journey is just beginning.

TRENDING

Trends? Well we know all about those…

.Meta Removes Detailed Exclusions.

Meta has removed detailed targeting exclusions from ad campaigns, changing the way advertisers reach their audiences.

.Google Search Console Adds Recommendations.

Google Search Console now offers recommendations, helping marketers optimize their websites more efficiently.

. 70% of Marketers Report Using ChatGPT At Work .

A new report shows that 70% of marketers are using ChatGPT for work, highlighting the tool's growing influence in the industry.

🔥 HOT MARKETING TACTIC 🔥

Gifting Keeps On Giving

ABM is having an identity crisis.

The number of ABM platforms has dramatically increased, but ROI for many marketers remains suspect. For businesses without a large CLTV, justifying a six-figure spend on data tools is tough.

Savvy marketers are pivoting by leveraging gifting programs for their most important target accounts.

Tools like Sendoso enable marketing teams to give hyper-personalized gifts.

Interesting ideas include personalized fitness routines, candy-filled piñatas, and assorted cookies for executives with a sweet tooth.

Desperate for leads? Consider investing in a gifting strategy

5 Things We Love

• Lord of the Rings Startup for Democracy

  • Anduril is a startup aiming to innovate democracy through autonomous weapons technology. Read more.

• Testing Ideas from Google Leak

  • Learn how to test new ideas effectively, inspired by a recent Google leak. Read more.

• Wisdom Work is the New Knowledge Work

  • Discover why wisdom work is being hailed as the new frontier in productivity. Read more.

• Zoom Launches Documents

  • Zoom expands beyond video conferencing with the introduction of Zoom Docs. Read more.

• Twain: The AI Writer for Emails

  • Twain is a new AI tool that is focused on creating irresistible email copy. Read more.

How Clay Built A Linkedin Army

UGC, Meet B2B

Clay.com recently announced a $46M Series B! This tech startup has been on fire, upending the ABM landscape for established competitors like ZoomInfo and Apollo.

Clay allows businesses to source data from all over the web and use AI and automation to personalize outbound efforts at scale.

If you're familiar with Clay, you've likely seen a post about them on LinkedIn. Over the past few months, a veritable army of Clay influencers and agencies have emerged.

Two factors have helped Clay build a robust network of evangelists quickly:

1. Stale marketing from existing competitors.

2. Shiny demo opportunities.

The second factor is particularly impactful. There are now hundreds of videos on LinkedIn and YouTube showcasing how to use Clay, such as scraping Google Maps listings and sending personalized emails via OpenAI enrichments.

Check out this example of how Clay allows users to send personalized cold emails at scale.

The big takeaway? If you have a product that demos well, invest heavily in tutorials for your consumers. This strategy not only serves customer service needs but also educates prospective buyers.

HIRING NOW!

Sunny marketing jobs.

• Growth Marketing Manager, Paid Social

  • Remote role focusing on paid social strategies. Apply here.

• Google Ads Account Manager

  • Remote position managing Google Ads campaigns. Apply here.

• Senior Graphic Designer

  • Remote role for a senior graphic designer. Apply here.

• Senior Marketing Manager, Outbound and ABM

  • Remote job managing outbound and ABM marketing strategies. Apply here.

SUGGESTION BOX

That’s all for this edition.

Cheers,

Michael