🍰 Getting smaller.

LinkedIn is rolling out new features in 2023, Google and Meta are losing ad spend share, and more. January 5, 2023 [Read in browser]( [logo] [sponsor]( Good morning, we’re back. Happy New Year! Not to brag or anything, but while we were out, we hit a new milestone: 50,000 subscribers. If you’re one of our new readers, welcome. We’re thrilled to have you. And if you’re a steady reader, welcome back. Ready to take the new year by the horns? We are too. Let’s go… ADVERTISING Are the two ad giants in slow fall? [article-image] After nearly a decade of dominance, the infamous “ad duopoly” may be coming to an end. For the first time since 2014, Meta and Alphabet [no longer account for more than half of all online advertising revenue.]( Smaller pieces of pie: The 48.4% of US digital ad spending share held by Google’s and Facebook’s parent companies in 2022 is predicted to drop to 45% by the end of 2023. Meta’s feeling the bite: Impacted by Apple’s privacy regulations, Meta saw a decrease of 3.3%. Meanwhile, Google wasn’t quite as affected. It even saw a slight increase of 0.8%. However, both are expected to face a drop in market share as the year goes by. Who’s cutting these slices? Marketers, it turns out. Apparently we’re hunting for more options and new ad formats such as TikTok or streaming service ads. Amazon holds third place with 11.7% of the entire market share, while TikTok accounts for 2% of total ad revenue – with more and more brands embracing the platform. Why we care: Going by the first reports, we may see an even more diverse ad landscape as marketers try to find the best platforms and formats for their slashed budgets. If the same pace keeps up, you can expect the likes of Netflix and TikTok to gobble up a more significant piece of ad revenue share in the coming years. But there’s more to think about this year… ADVERTISING Here’s what’s coming in 2023 Champagnes were popped, wishes were made… and now we can focus on the landscape ahead. Let’s go through some of the first major announcements of 2023, shall we? LinkedIn previews new features: The platform [announced a number of updates coming in 2023](, including… - Automatically generated captions for uploaded videos. - New Product Pages features such as category filters. - Post scheduling. - Content analytics. … and more. Google will sunset similar audiences: The feature—regarded as Google’s version of lookalike audiences—[will stop generating new segments in May](, and will remove similar segments from all ad groups and campaigns in August 2023. Instead of similar audiences, Google plans to rely on automation and first-party data in preparation for a cookieless world. Yes, it’s coming fast. US Congress hints at more social media regulation: Experts claim the US is “far behind” when it comes to social media laws, which means state representatives [may look to regulate it further](. Banning TikTok from government devices may have been the first step towards a full ban of the popular app. Data transfer and privacy laws could get stricter as well. Why we care: All signs point to 2023 building on what 2022 set up. Platforms will double down on what works to keep users. And with privacy regulations tightening, we may see even more reliance on ad automation and first party data. Is it really only the first week of January? SPONSORED BY STACKED MARKETER PRO This is one of the few recession-proof industries around… and marketers can learn a ton from it [article-image]( Fun fact: in the US, seven out of every ten households own a pet. Times might be tough, and many shoppers might be cutting back on eating out and spending at the grocery store… … But the one area Americans aren’t dialing down the dollars? Their pets. Total annual expenditures on pet care in the US hit $109.6B in 2021. So if you’re interested in: - Learning what makes pet-related sales funnels so effective. - Best pet industry ad examples across top marketing channels. - A step-by-step breakdown of a successful email sequence. - Hundreds of swipeable emails. - Two extra bonus materials. ... [Then you’ll love A Marketer’s Dive Into The Pet Industry.]( Join Stacked Marketer Pro for just $7 to get your hands on the latest and most actionable information on this recession-resistant sector—and get access to 23 other Pro reports you can leverage. [Go Pro now for expert marketing research.]( LINKEDIN How to tidy up your LinkedIn profile [article-image] If you’re starting the year with a “new year, new me” motto, it might be smart to transmit that same positive energy to your LinkedIn profile. Get that nailed down, and you can boost your visibility. Plus, you’ll increase your chances of standing out as a valuable connection and staying in users’ minds. Luckily, the LinkedIn team scouted the platform and selected [a few stand out profiles]( that might inspire your profile makeover. Here are a few things you could do… First, give your headline some tender loving care. Your headline shouldn’t be fixed because new people will land on your profile daily. Review, tweak, and adjust your headline over time. For instance, insert more than one job title and be descriptive about what you do, as this is something every profile visitor will see. Also, keep in mind that the more words you cram into your headline, the more difficult it will be to read. Use separators and special characters (e.g. vertical lines) to make it readable. Here are some [great headline examples.]( Second, craft a compelling summary that reflects your goals and causes. The LinkedIn audience is equally interested in the how and the why of your professional growth. Turn your About section into your elevator pitch, and use it to communicate your career goals. Tell your story and share turning points that propelled your growth. It’s crucial that you strike a conversational tone that will “draw the reader in” and include more than just buzzwords. “Strategist” and “expert” don’t mean much if you can’t back it up. Need another example? LinkedIn [lists this profile’s About section](. Third, turn profile visits into a discovery experience by adding featured items and professional social proof. LinkedIn allows you to insert outbound links to your work. Use them to feature keynote events, articles, interviews, and anything that cements your place as a person of authority. Don’t forget to add your best work to the list as well. All this can give an idea to potential partners about your industry expertise, like [the featured section on this profile](. That’s it! There are more examples of great profiles in the [original article](. You may be surprised how little tweaks can make your profile more appealing and memorable in 2023. Good luck! SPONSORED BY PAVED Clicks while you sleep. The ROI from this advertising channel beats out affiliate, search, social, and display advertising [article-image]( What if you could place your ads in an advertising channel that vetted, high-quality leads already trust… in a native ad format that blends with their niche and interests, and only paying per click? Paved Ad Network [seamlessly matches native newsletter ads with highly engaged audiences](, getting click-through rates 16X higher than interruptive pop-ups or banner ads. Sounds like the dream, doesn’t it? [Try newsletter advertising yourself.]( THE CREW’S INSIGHTS Three easy steps to more clickable search ads [article-image] Breaking news: Making clickable Google Ads is not an art… it’s a science. There's a technique behind the ads with high click through rates. And you can learn it right now. Here are three steps you can take to create more clickable search ads today: - Add the keyword to your headline. Adding your keyword to your headline, and pinning it at position one, will immediately address your customers' search query. - Place Unique Selling Propositions (USPs) in headlines. Adding USPs in each headline will automatically sell your brand to users, and can also address any questions they have. Is your jewelry made of waterproof material? If it is, let them know. - Use a call to action (CTA) in every description. Adding a call to action in every description will reinforce the steps you want customers to take. Simply place a “buy now!” or “shop now!” at the end of your descriptions. The rule of thumb? Give users the answers to their search queries, and help your ads stand out by highlighting your brand’s features. Consistency is key. Make sure your landing page reiterates your brand’s points instead of talking about different values that your brand gives. There you go… You’re just one click away from improved ad performance! ROUNDING UP THE STACK [GROWTH NEWSLETTER:]( Grow.co is a weekly newsletter dedicated to customer acquisition, growth marketing, and retention. Sent weekly since 2014, it focuses on tactical and practical information that is especially [useful for serious growth professionals.](* [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE](: Open AI’s ChatGPT isn’t only here to stay… it may soon be adopted by major platforms, starting with Microsoft’s Bing. Microsoft is one of OpenAI’s biggest investors and is banking on its language model to make search engines more efficient. A start of a new era? [META:]( New year, old problems. 2023 barely started and Meta has already been hit with $410M in privacy fines by the EU for breaching General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) laws. That’s rough. [GOOGLE:]( Great news for CBD brands. Google is relaxing their policies and is allowing you to promote pharmaceuticals containing CBD as well as topical, hemp-derived CBD products with less than 0.3% THC in California, Colorado, and Puerto Rico. Nice. [PRIVACY:]( A new INFORM act passed Congress as part of a larger bill that will require big ecommerce marketplaces like Etsy and eBay to disclose full merchant information on their platform listings. Meaning… more information about your competitors, and vice-versa? [ADVERTISING:]( That’s awkward. The majority of small businesses in the UK still want to focus on acquisition, even while cutting their marketing budgets or keeping them static. Let’s see how that pans out… *This is a sponsored post BRAIN TEASER Thousands lay up gold within this house, But no one made it. Spears past counting guard this house, But no one wards it. What is it?You can find the [answer here.]( [poolside-logo] POOLSIDE CHAT This ice cave happened by accident, and it’s totally magical [article-image] Combine human-induced hazards with nature’s knack for artistry, and what do you get? [An ice sculpture worthy of its own exhibition.]( These captivating icicles are the product of burst water main that leaked onto a nearby bush in extremely cold temperatures… for 12 consecutive days! It’s a “Christmas fairy-tale,” according to the bush owner… and probably a logistical nightmare for the plumbers assigned to fix the burst pipes. Guess there are some things even AI generated art can’t replicate. Yet... SHARING IS CARING Know what’s easier than asking your boss for a bigger marketing budget? Sharing today’s newsletter with other people. It’s so much easier! Plus, you look insanely well-informed, which can help you build rapport with the right executives—and maybe even get that budget after all. Oh, and did we mention you earn great rewards? Every time you share your custom link—and your friends and coworkers subscribe—you earn points toward exclusive content, merch, and more. Get started by hitting the link below! 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