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Average marketing budgets have fallen to 7.7% of overall company revenue, down from 9.1% in 2023

Budgets typically lag the economy, but can be a leading indicator of advertiser confidence.

This could be a leading indicator for smaller margins from coming price cuts too.

In the four years preceding the pandemic, average marketing budgets were 11% of overall revenue. In the four years since, they’ve dropped to an anemic 8.2%.

This is from a survey of CMOs, so a specific class of business.

via MarketingTech

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LinkedIn has reduced the size of link preview images for organic posts, while maintaining larger preview images for sponsored content.

I noticed the smaller image size on a client’s post the other day but thought it was a bug or an image smaller than the recommended size, turns out it’s the new normal.

A reminder that social platforms don’t like external links. Unless you’re paying.

via Search Engine Land

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How to Make a Video According to Meta

Looking for a video formula?

This is The Playbook According to Meta:

  • Logo visible within the first 3 seconds
  • Action within the first 6 seconds
  • Core value of the video/story within the first 16 seconds

16 seconds is the recommended length.

The 6 second mark is the inflection point. You’re trying to hook them so they stick around for the rest of the video. If they make it past that mark they are engaged and interested. Cliff notes for the first 6 seconds to create some brand awareness, full story after that.

These are all geared towards videos that appear in-feed or as part of an ad. If people are coming to your video content the mindset is different.

Also consider some form of text overlay on your video. Either full captions or at least highlight callouts, depending on the intent and message of the video.

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Dexa: AI-powered search of podcast content

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Might grocers' price cuts ease inflation and the current vibe-cession?

Target began cutting prices on 5,000 grocery store items

Walmart, which started lowering prices to pre-pandemic levels in March.

Amazon said it was slashing grocery prices at its Fresh chain by up to 30%

Aldi has begun reducing prices on more than 250 items

Walgreens lowered prices on more than 1,500 items

Voting with dollars:

in addition to eating out less and spending less at the grocery store, many price-sensitive consumers are switching from brand-name to in-house items.

via The Daily Upside