Digital Marketing Digest | December 2024

Welcome to Cleverbridge's Digital Marketing Digest! Our quarterly blog post where we dive into the latest industry news, trends, and must-know topics. Our goal is to keep you and updated on the ever-evolving marketing landscape.

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Welcome to our newsletter! We are Natalia and Nejra, two passionate professionals at Cleverbridge working in the Digital Marketing Services (DMS) team. Natalia is a Senior Email Marketing Specialist, bringing years of expertise in crafting impactful email strategies, while Nejra is an Affiliate and Digital Marketing Specialist with a deep focus on optimizing digital partnerships. Together with a team of 15 marketers, we offer digital marketing solutions to any Cleverbridge client who wants to grow its customer base, increase conversion rates, and maximize its customer's lifetime value.

This Digital Marketing Digest newsletter began almost two years ago as an internal initiative. Its success—and the growing demand for valuable insights—has inspired us to open it up to a wider audience. Fueled by our passion for staying ahead of digital marketing trends, we're thrilled to now share our discoveries, tips, and trends with you!

Here's what you can expect: insights into email and affiliate marketing, conversion rate optimization, SEO strategies, AI trends, and much more. We’ll also share takeaways from industry conferences and provide expert commentary on the latest topics. With each issue, we aim to deliver content that keeps you informed and inspired in the fast-paced world of digital marketing.

This year has been a whirlwind of change and innovation in the industry. We've curated the most significant developments to ensure you stay in the loop.

For our busy readers, here's a sneak peek at the main topics we'll cover in this first edition:

1. AI's Dual Future: Practical Innovation vs. Emotional Intelligence – What Does It Mean for Marketers?
2. Email Marketing in 2025: Standing Out in a Crowded Inbox and Driving Success
   
3. B2B Affiliate Marketing: Unlocking Growth, Scaling Fast, and Minimizing Risk
   
4. Google’s Cookie Conundrum: Opt-In Model Reshapes the Future of Online Advertising
   
5. TikTok’s Uncertain Future: How a U.S. Ban Could Reshape Digital Marketing and Culture
6. Campaigns We Love

AI's Dual Future: Practical Innovation vs. Emotional Intelligence – What Does It Mean for Marketers?

It comes as no surprise that AI was the trendiest topic this year. Furthermore, it was the most popular topic at all the marketing conferences we visited. There were dozens of talks, each exploring AI from different perspectives. However, we noticed a stark contrast in how people approach and interpret AI—sometimes leading to wildly opposing views.

On the one hand, marketers are exploring how to make AI more human. On the other, companies like Google are unveiling groundbreaking advancements, such as DeepMind's AlphaFold which uses AI to revolutionize drug discovery by supporting scientists in designing new treatments. So, where do we draw the line? 

These contrasting applications of AI reflect two distinct paths. The Reuters article highlights Google DeepMind's AlphaFold model role in revolutionizing health and science with practical, solution-driven innovations. Meanwhile, Big Technology examines the development of emotionally intelligent AI, like Hume AI, designed to understand and respond to human emotions, enhancing interactive and empathetic capabilities. While DeepMind focuses on solving tangible scientific challenges, Hume AI seeks to bridge the gap in emotional communication, presenting divergent paths for AI's future applications.

As marketers, the most pressing question remains: how will these advancements impact us? Can we leverage AI to streamline our work and make daily tasks easier, or will it ultimately replace us? We don't have those answers yet, but we'll navigate this journey together.

Email Marketing in 2025: Standing Out in a Crowded Inbox and Driving Success

Email remains a powerhouse channel, projected to reach 4.7 billion users by 2025. It's ranked as the #1 and #2 preferred channel for Gen Z and Millenials offering unparalleled flexibility to combine multiple strategies and to easily create dynamic content. 

In a world where 437 billion emails are sent daily, standing out is more challenging than ever. That's why selecting the right campaign for your audience and goals is crucial. The NoGood agency, known for presenting the latest trends in our industry, has listed down its top email campaigns for SaaS companies, and we couldn't agree more. Over the years, we've tried all of them, gathering powerful insights to consistently boost our client's revenue. 

As we kick off the new year, we're ready to hit the ground running. If your 2025 goal is to retain more customers and drive success, we're here to help you make it happen!

B2B Affiliate Marketing: Unlocking Growth, Scaling Fast, and Minimizing Risk

B2B affiliate marketing is a game-changer for expanding your reach and generating high-quality leads by partnering with other businesses. To succeed, it's crucial to find affiliates who align with your brand, offer compelling incentives, and implement robust tracking to measure performance. Strong communication and analytics are key for building effective campaigns, fostering long-term partnerships and scaling faster. It's an efficient way to tap into new markets while minimizing risk.

Our team wrote an article highlighting how B2B businesses—especially SaaS—are missing out on affiliate marketing as a powerful growth tool. It’s cost-effective, quick to scale, and expands your reach by partnering with influencers and affiliates. Plus, the revenue-sharing model keeps things low-risk, with affiliates doing a lot of the heavy lifting. If you’re not leveraging into this yet, you’re leaving growth opportunities on the table.

Google’s Cookie Conundrum: Opt-In Model Reshapes the Future of Online Advertising

Google is keeping cookies in Chrome following backlash from advertisers and regulatory pressure. Rather than eliminating cookies altogether, users will now receive a prompt to enable or disable them. Originally, Google planned to phase out cookies by 2022, but delays and scrutiny from U.K. regulators have postponed this timeline.

This decision significantly impacts the $600 billion online advertising industry, which has been prepping for a cookie-free future. The new plan gives users the choice to opt-in or opt-out, potentially reducing the use of cookies while navigating competition laws and regulatory concerns.

TikTok’s Uncertain Future: How a U.S. Ban Could Reshape Digital Marketing and Culture

TikTok’s future in the U.S. hangs in the balance as courts weigh whether ByteDance, its Chinese parent company, must sell off its American operations. The controversy centers on concerns over national security and data privacy. While a ruling is expected soon, public opinions remain divided—fewer Americans now support banning the app.

With over 170 million users scrolling daily, a TikTok ban would mark a massive cultural shift. This decision could redefine the influencer landscape and reshape digital marketing as we know it. Stay tuned!

Campaigns We Love

We love to see a good campaign and this year has delivered some truly memorable ones! Digging into our "Campaigns We Love" vault, we've chosen our favorite— a standout initiative tackling the global issue of overconsumption. This campaign not only showcased Puresport's commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR) but also excelled in boosting brand awareness: 

Stay Tuned for More Marketing Insights!

Thank you for diving into our Digital Marketing Digest! We hope you found our insights valuable and inspiring for your marketing strategies. Stay tuned for the next release where we'll explore even more trends, tips, and transformative ideas in the digital marketing world. Until then, happy marketing – and see you soon!