Saad Uddin

Paid social CPMs spike to $20+ in the weeks leading up to Black Friday, but many brands choose not to test lower CPM channels. Why are they so comfortable with leaving money on the table? Last week, I had the chance to chat with a paid media agency based in Canada. They shared that in their market, it was possible to get CPMs in the $2-$5 range for linear (traditional) TV ads during Black Friday. For brands looking to get a lot of top of funnel awareness (read, a lot of views!), the numbers tell you that it would probably make sense to at least test these channels with CPMs being ~10-25% the cost of paid social ads on Meta. But many marketers are hesitant to test those channels like TV because it's notoriously hard to measure their impact - making it a risky bet for their career and hard to justify to their boss. It's still not a fully solved problem, but post purchase surveys (coupled with a coupon) are a great way to start understanding the impact of these "hard to measure channels" and build confidence. Brands are already using surveys to understand the impact of their influencer marketing strategies - measuring the effectiveness of TV can be as simple as adding in "Saw you on TV" as a response to "How did you hear about us?" We've already seen examples of our customers using Zigpoll to do this. Manucurist used our surveys to identify that a lot of site visitors heard about their brand through a mention on Good Morning America. Jolly Mama used survey responses to build confidence in their decision to invest in PR, tracking that around 5% of their paying customers first heard about their products in articles on sites like Vogue. These are both 7 figure+ revenue brands making significant investments into "hard to measure" channels because they know it drives ROI. My understanding is that both also treated their initial testing of these channels as experiments that they allocated a smaller portion of their budget to. Once they saw early indicators that it was working via their surveys, they built the confidence to invest more from there. Hard to measure doesn't always mean no ROI! And getting the directional data you need to make decisions doesn't have to be complicated either.

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When I started including user-generated content in brands' emails, their engagement rates shot up. These brands are doing the same: Mejuri: Used real customer photos in product recommendation emails, resulting in a 28% increase in click-through rates. Glossier, Inc.: Featured Instagram posts from customers in their email newsletters, which improved social proof and still drives sales. MVMT : Highlighted fan photos wearing their watches in follow-up emails, strengthening the brand community and boosting repeat purchases. Try it out: Start adding user-generated content to your emails, and you'll see the same boost in engagement and loyalty.

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🚨You’re living in an uninformed bubble if you’re not benchmarking your marketing performance. TL;DR: 1. Growth is good, but context is key 2. Benchmark against industry standards 3. Understand what good performance looks like The Insights: 1. >>Growth Context<< When I worked at Aritzia, we saw a +20-25% growth in our department. But, we asked ourselves: “How much did the industry grow?” 2. >>Benchmarking<< If the industry is growing by +50% and we’re at +20%, we might be trailing behind. Benchmarking helps us understand our standing in the broader market. 3. >>Understanding Performance<< Clients often ask, “Are we doing well? How many views should we be getting?” It’s about understanding what good performance looks like in your industry. The Impact: 1. Growth is important, but context gives it meaning. 2. Benchmarking ensures you’re not just growing but growing at a competitive rate. 3. Knowing your industry standards helps set realistic goals and measure success accurately. How are you benchmarking your marketing performance? 👇 #MarketingInsight #DigitalMarketing #CompetitorAnalysis

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Want to get to know LaFleur in a few minutes? Here’s a <10 minute, conversational and entertaining deep dive. Fully created using AI and existing content, with a production time of about 15 seconds. If you found this helpful or would like help creating something similar for yourself or your business, let me know - I’d love to help!

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B2B brands can tap less traditional channels without adding to ad fatigue. Riley Timmins, former Director of Marketing at Cacheflow, explains how he uses Facebook and Instagram ads, in addition to LinkedIn, to build legitimacy and social proof. 👉 https://bit.ly/3YpF22C These overlooked platforms allow brands to boost visibility and resonate with target audiences without overwhelming them. The bottom line: Quality leads over quantity (What a surprise, right?!). This episode’s a must for those looking to rethink demand gen for real results. 🔥 #maketing #B2BMarketing

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We’ve seen a lot of value in leveraging Shopify for CPG brands, even when they're not ready to sell online yet. One reason we’ve turned to Shopify is its ability to manage and showcase products seamlessly. Even if a brand isn’t selling online, the platform makes it easy to organize product data, highlight content, and provide relevant product information. We’ve also tapped into Shopify’s rich ecosystem to create deeper customer engagement. For example, features like: ➫ Smart product discovery (Rebuy Engine) ➫ Integrated loyalty programs and customer reviews (Okendo) ➫ Customer service (Gorgias) ➫ Interactive user-generated content (Tolstoy) These platforms are simple to implement and provide functionality that would be much harder to manage outside of Shopify. These tools help strengthen the brand-customer relationship and deliver value beyond just a digital presence. Many brands we’ve worked with have plans to go direct-to-consumer at some point. Shopify makes that transition smooth, allowing brands to turn on e-commerce features without needing a major redesign. It’s a great way to future-proof the site, offering flexibility as strategies evolve. Even for brands not focused on e-commerce, we’ve found that integrations like Amazon Buy with Prime, Destini (a subsidiary of SPINS) store locator, and Brij can help facilitate sales through other channels. The website becomes the core hub for product discovery and education, making it easier for customers to find where to buy the product in-store or through third-party platforms. Competitively, even when a brand doesn’t sell online, their competitors may. In 2024, it’s critical to create a site that feels like a DTC experience to stay on par, and Shopify makes that easier to execute. We’ve also helped brands experiment with DTC with strategic offerings—things like gift sets or exclusive products. It’s a great way to get started, create a reason for customers to shop DTC, and shape a strategy for the future. + Video showcases some #CPG brands we've worked with at Barrel and built on Shopify—some DTC, some not!

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Google's New Surcharge . . . . A Canadian Advertiser's Headache? So, Google just threw a curveball with this new 2.5% surcharge for Canadian advertisers, and it's causing quite a stir. Ideally, your ad budget would look like this: Set Budget → Launch Campaign → See ROI But now? Google’s essentially saying, “Hold on—add a little extra for that surcharge.” Here’s how it’s really going down: 1️⃣ Budget Shock You’ve mapped out your budget to the last dollar for the quarter, ready to roll, and suddenly—bam—your costs just jumped 2.5%. No extra value to your campaign, just a bigger bill. 😳 2️⃣ ROI Headache “It’s just 2.5%,” they say, but if your ad spend is in the six figures, that small bump adds up fast. And now? Your carefully calculated ROI doesn’t look so great. 📉 3️⃣ Who Pays? Do you take the hit or pass it on to your clients? Either way, someone’s footing the bill here—and it’s not Google. 💸 4️⃣ Strategic Shuffle Now, you’re thinking, “Do I shift ad dollars somewhere else? Focus on organic traffic? Or just eat the cost and move on?” 🤔 5️⃣ Impact on Small Businesses For smaller advertisers, that 2.5% hike could be the tipping point between staying competitive or cutting back. It’s a bitter pill to swallow. 💡 At first glance, 2.5% might seem small, but over time? It could cause a real shakeup in your marketing strategy. So, if you were a Canadian marketer, how would you handle this extra cost? Would you adapt or look for new ways to stretch your budget? #GoogleAds #CanadianAdvertisers #MarketingStrategy #AdSurcharge #Budget https://lnkd.in/eJ2sZ3Uu

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In this video, Joey Babineau discusses key insights for affiliate marketers, focusing on what they expect versus what actually happens. This video is essential for understanding the challenges and realities of affiliate marketing, CPA marketing, and ad tracking. Joey provides valuable tips to improve your ad performance and reduce landing page drop-offs. 👉 https://lnkd.in/dEMzjSaZ

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3 reasons why digital video and #CTV are booming in 2024   Here’s the data and developments fueling advertisers’ growing interest in CTV and digital video.   Video ad spend is expected to rise 16% year-over-year in 2024. Brands are interested because of the deep penetration that CTV and digital video have with U.S. households. Streaming services and other publishers are stepping up to bring more ad-supported options to consumers, along with better ad experiences.   https://lnkd.in/gsk-xZ-W   Sabio Holdings (TSXV: SBIO, OTCQX: SABOF) is a technology and services leader in the fast-growing ad-supported streaming space. Its cloud-based, end-to-end technology stack works with top blue chip, global brands and the agencies that represent them to reach, engage and validate streaming audiences. Sabio Holdings’ companies consist of Sabio – a demand-side platform (DSP) powered through our proprietary ad-serving technology; App Science™ - a non-cookie based software as a service (SAAS) analytics and insights platform with AI natural language capabilities; and Vidillion it’s ad-supported streaming supply side platform (SSP) that includes server-side ad-insertion (SSAI) technology.       #DataAnalytics #Measurement #AudienceInsights #Advertising #tsx #sbio #otcqb #sabof #sabioholdings #appscience 

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🎉 Exciting Announcement! We're Revolutionizing Social Media Advertising for Shopify Store Owners! 🎉 In the world of social media, standing out is key. But for Shopify store owners, it's not just about showcasing products—it's about connecting with your audience on a personal level 👥. That's why our team at ExpertGuru has developed a groundbreaking solution that transforms the way you create and manage social media ads 🚀. Here's what we've come up with: 🛍️ Text-Emotion Ads We craft engaging texts (about 100 words) with a touch of emotion and the perfect mix of emojis and hashtags 🪝. These ads aren't just eye-catching—they're designed to resonate with customers on a deeper level. 📌 Ready-to-Post Ads For Shopify store owners on the go, we provide pre-made ads with concise, punchy text (around 20 words) and attention-grabbing images 📷. Simply post and watch them go viral! 🔧 Mastering Challenges We address the common hurdles in social media advertising, like personalization, hashtag relevancy, and image generation. Here's how: 1️⃣ Personalized Text • We create ads based on real store chats to ensure they resonate with your customers. • Our ads are tailored to align with customer interests, making promotions more effective ✍🏼. 2️⃣ Relevant Hashtags • We simplify hashtag selection with curated lists for various business types. • We leverage trending hashtags for maximum visibility 🔎. 3️⃣ Image Generation • Our approach ensures your ads are visually stunning and ready for immediate use 📷. Are you ready to transform your social media advertising? Let's embark on this journey together! Get in touch with us today to explore our innovative solutions and boost your business to new heights 🌟. Learn more here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gfhnhFrm #SocialMediaAds #StoreOwners #DigitalMarketing #AdCampaigns #Innovation

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Per Stacked Marketer: — CTV ads yield a 36% stronger unaided brand recall. — 95% of viewers prefer cart adds over immediate purchases. — Cost per thousand impressions is 10–15% above industry standards. CTV's ability to generate 36% stronger unaided brand recall is a game-changer in today's competitive landscape. But the key to turning that awareness into conversions lies in understanding consumer behavior. The preference for cart reminders over immediate purchases (95%) highlights the importance of a gentle nudge rather than a hard sell. This is where a well-crafted cart abandonment series with timely SMS reminders comes into play. While CTV's CPM might be slightly higher, its impact on brand building combined with a strategic retargeting approach can significantly boost ROI. If you have all the right pieces in place, the value is big, especially in today's digital landscape. #CTV #agency #ecommerce

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🚀 Discover How Spider AF Transformed a Google Performance Max Campaign! 📈 In just 3 days, we uncovered $2,894 in fraudulent placements, improved CPA by 14%, and saved $516.37 in ad click costs on a single placement. Curious to know more? Dive into our latest case study and see how we’re protecting marketing budgets and driving results for performance marketers like Savas Tutumlu. 🔗 Read the Full Case Study Now: https://lnkd.in/dWD__n89

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YouTube is silently dominating. As audiences continue to fracture between CTV and Broadcast... Meta and Tik Tok... 9 out of 10 internet users access YouTube weekly. 🤯 ... But advertising on this platform beyond a 6 second or 15 second spot means your commercial has to be better than the video they intend to watch and requires a new formula for storytelling. What's crazy is some of our campaigns have 30-40 second average watch times by choice... people will watch great ads and they will purchase. I spoke more in-depth on this "silent goldmine" and how you can leverage it to take your brand to the moon at a Google LA event, sharing some of our top campaigns that have generated over $1 billion in sales. You can check it out here: https://lnkd.in/gPuvH7Xt

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This is due to the Digital Services Tax Act, which took effect in Canada at the end of June. Other digital entities such as Etsy - see my post here: https://lnkd.in/gdhzhatm - and Amazon are also upping Canadian fees in the coming months. #ecommerce #advertising

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