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Key takeaways Budgets for creator marketing surged 171% year-over-year, signaling the industry’s shift from experimentation to proven performance. Two-thirds of the increased investment came directly from paid and digital advertising budgets, redefining where brands allocate media dollars. Creator marketing has entered the “Era of Efficacy,” where ROI measurement, operational scale, and brand safety drive strategy. Follower count has lost relevance, replaced by brand fit and creator suitability as top selection factors. AI now supports efficiency, but creative relationships and trust remain firmly human-led across successful programs. CreatorIQ’s 2025 report shows marketers rechanneling ad dollars into influencer programs proven to deliver…

On episode 327 of PPC Live The Podcast, I speak to Ayisha Yousef, a familiar face to the PPC Live audience. Known for her expertise in e-commerce and performance marketing, Ayisha shares a bold story about a major Black Friday mistake — and how she managed to recover from it. The Black Friday F-Up Setting the Scene A few years ago, Ayisha was working agency-side during Black Friday week — the most crucial time for e-commerce advertisers. She managed a team of six or seven and asked them to remove ad scheduling from top campaigns to ensure ads ran throughout…

Analog film aesthetics hold a timeless appeal in digital photography, offering a distinctive look that can create a feeling of nostalgia and rustic artistry. The rich tones, subtle grain, and little imperfections of analog film create a depth often sought after by photographers. Achieving these effects can be challenging with modern digital tools alone, but Lightroom presets will help to simplify the process. They’re invaluable to photographers who are looking to replicate those classic film styles. These pre-configured Lightroom settings allow you to apply specific styles to your photos with just a couple of clicks, saving time and ensuring consistency…

Google is clarifying its Misrepresentation policy for Shopping ads and free listings. The update doesn’t change enforcement but adds more examples and guidance to help advertisers comply. Enforcement clarification: Google added examples related to non-delivery and inoperable return or refund processes. These are clarifications, not new rules. Support clarification: New guidance explains best practices for maintaining compliance and provides more detail on the appeals process. Why we care. Advertisers now have clearer expectations about what counts as misrepresentation. This can help prevent policy violations, reduce account suspensions, and improve customer trust. Bottom line. Advertisers should review the updated policy and…

You have written the news and are in the race to secure the acceptance of being featured on top media outlets, but the competition is very intense. Every business of your niche is working hard and sending hundreds of emails to the editors/ journalists with the hope of getting featured.  Are you in the queue too? Research displays that despite several attempts and spending a lot of money, the number of rejections is still high. Affecting the businesses’ capabilities of earning premium media visibility and credibility in their industry. However, only the one that stands out, seeking more attention…

Forget follower counts, micro-influencers in Singapore are proving that authenticity and engagement matter more than numbers. These rising stars cultivate close connections with their audiences, creating highly relatable and interactive content that keeps viewers coming back for more. For brands, they represent a fresh and effective approach to influencer marketing, offering targeted reach and genuine engagement that larger accounts often struggle to achieve. From niche lifestyle trends to bold creative content, these micro-influencers are making waves online, and they’re ones you definitely won’t want to miss. 1. Chloe Chong (@chloehhh_x) – 31.8K Followers Chloe has built a devoted following with…

Barry Schwartz is the CEO of RustyBrick and a technologist, a New York Web service firm specializing in customized online technology that helps companies decrease costs and increase sales. Barry is also the founder of the Search Engine Roundtable and the News Editor of Search Engine Land. He is well known & respected for his expertise in the search marketing industry. He only provides consulting services to expert SEOs and also performs search marketing expert witness services. Barry graduated from the City University of New York and lives with his family in the NYC region. You can follow Barry on…

Elastic and bounce effects have long been among the most desirable but time-consuming techniques in motion design. Expressive Animator streamlines the process, making it possible to produce lively animations in seconds, bypassing the tedious work of manual keyframe editing.In the world of modern web design, SVG images are used everywhere, from illustrations to icons to background effects, and are universally prized for their crispness and lightweight size. While static SVG images play an important role in web design, most of the time their true potential is unlocked only when they are combined with motion.Few things add more life and personality…

Barry Schwartz is the CEO of RustyBrick and a technologist, a New York Web service firm specializing in customized online technology that helps companies decrease costs and increase sales. Barry is also the founder of the Search Engine Roundtable and the News Editor of Search Engine Land. He is well known & respected for his expertise in the search marketing industry. He only provides consulting services to expert SEOs and also performs search marketing expert witness services. Barry graduated from the City University of New York and lives with his family in the NYC region. You can follow Barry on…

“Things, not strings.” This was Google’s famous quote referring to the launch of its Knowledge Graph back in 2012.  It meant that, for the first time, Google’s algorithm could comprehend real-world entities (people, places, things, etc.) instead of just matching strings of keywords.  It was also the birth of entity SEO, which laid the foundation for AI-powered platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s AI Overviews.  That’s because knowledge graph association is how machines like large language models (LLMs) can properly identify entities.  With the prevalence of AI Overviews and AI search tools, marketers need to emphasize entity recognition and entity…