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I love this and a great lesson to take into your ad copy especially as we hit peak crazy season
Martin's Musings: Martin’s Musings: Automated Ads – Boon or Buzzkill?
Alright, let’s dive into the buzz around automated lead-gen advertising. I recently read a piece about how automation is levelling the playing field for businesses of all sizes, and it got me thinking: Is automation the saviour smaller businesses have been waiting for—or a potential minefield if left unchecked?
Now, I know what you’re thinking: "Great, another tool promising to solve all my problems. What’s next—an AI that schedules my dentist appointments?" (I think i have seen an ad for this…..) But hear me out: automation isn’t just for the big boys. Thanks to advancements in AI and intuitive ad platforms, smaller businesses can now set up campaigns that practically run themselves.
Here’s the rundown:
- Automation Saves Time
If you’re running a business, you already know how valuable your time is. Automated ads take away the grunt work of tweaking settings, adjusting bids, or manually optimising your campaigns. Once you set the parameters—like your budget, audience, and goals—the system handles the rest. Imagine running a campaign while you focus on bigger priorities (or finally take that coffee break).
- It’s Cost-Effective
Here’s the kicker: you don’t need to fork out a small fortune to hire an agency or a dedicated ad manager. Automation tools are increasingly affordable and scalable, so you can start small and grow as your budget allows. This is a game-changer for smaller businesses working with tight resources.
- Data is King (and Automation is Its Messenger)
Automated ads collect and analyse data in real-time, giving you insights into what works and what doesn’t. Unlike traditional approaches where you’d wait weeks to evaluate performance, these tools help you pivot on the fly. No more “set it and forget it” campaigns—automation ensures your ads stay sharp and competitive.
But Here’s the Catch...
As promising as it sounds, automation isn’t perfect. Like any tool, it needs a human touch to get the most out of it. Here’s what to watch out for:
- Monitor Closely: AI might be smart, but it’s not foolproof. Keep an eye on your campaigns, especially in the early stages. Automated systems can misinterpret data or optimise for the wrong metrics (hello, clickbait ads).
- Quality Over Quantity: Automation can help you generate leads, but are they the right leads? Make sure your campaigns are targeting audiences who will convert—not just click.
- Adjust, Don’t Ignore: Don’t let the word “automated” fool you into thinking it’s hands-off. Check in regularly, review the data, and tweak your strategy as needed. Think of automation as a sous-chef—it’ll prep the ingredients, but you’re still the head chef.
The Real Opportunity lies in productivity
Most SMBs don’t have a full-time marketing team to run ad campaigns or analyse performance. Automation bridges that gap. It allows you to compete with larger companies by levelling the playing field. Done right, it can help you:
- Focus on scaling your business while the system handles the marketing heavy lifting.
- Build a pipeline of leads that you can nurture into loyal customers.
- Spend less time in the weeds and more time crafting your brand’s bigger picture.
A Quick Word of Advice: Don’t treat automation as a magic bullet. It’s a tool, not a solution. Pair it with a clear marketing strategy and a willingness to experiment, and you’ll see results.
Curious about how to get started? You can check out the article that inspired this musing here: How Brands Succeed with Advertising Automation.
So, is automation a boon or a buzzkill? In my opinion, it’s both—depending on how you use it. When paired with strategic oversight, it can be a game-changer. Without it, well… you might just end up automating your way into an ad campaign nobody clicks on.
Perfromance Marketing Updates
YouTube's New Ad Trick: Ads on Pause Screens
YouTube is stepping up its game with ads that appear when videos are paused. Imagine grabbing a coffee mid-video, and bam, an ad pops up. It’s a sneaky way for advertisers to get screen time without interrupting the content itself. For SMBs, this could be a game-changer if you’re looking to get your message in front of potential customers when they’re not busy watching.
Why it matters: This is prime real estate! It could be less intrusive yet highly visible—perfect for brands with tighter budgets.
Read more about YouTube’s ad pause magic.
Perplexity AI: Preparing to Roll Out Ads
Perplexity, a growing AI search tool, is launching ads. This opens up a new platform for businesses to promote their offerings through AI-driven search results. Think Google, but with a chatbot! Could be a fun new playground for small businesses looking to diversify their marketing.
Why it matters: AI search is on the rise. As platforms like this gain traction, getting in early could give you a competitive edge.
More about Perplexity and its ad plans here.
Consumer Trends Highlight: Digital Natives and ‘Food as Medicine’
Gen Z and millennials, especially in China, are driving the ‘food as medicine’ trend. They’re all about natural, health-focused products, especially those that claim wellness benefits. If you're in the food or wellness industry, it’s time to start thinking about how to tap into this market.
Why it matters: Staying ahead of consumer trends can help you tailor your products and marketing to what’s hot right now.
Learn more about this trend.
ChatGPT Prompts for Paid Media: A Hidden Superpower
AgoraPulse has shared some valuable ChatGPT prompts that can help marketers improve their paid media strategies. These prompts guide AI into generating ideas for optimising ad copy, brainstorming target audiences, and even suggesting new campaign strategies. It’s like having a brainstorming partner that’s always available, minus the bad coffee breath.
Why it matters: If you’ve been using ChatGPT and haven’t explored its potential for paid media optimization, now is the time. These prompts can save you time, money, and mental energy—perfect for businesses looking to streamline their ad efforts.
Check out the full list of ChatGPT prompts here.
Facebook Introduces ‘Views’ for Simplified Content Insights
Facebook has rolled out a new feature called "Views," designed to provide content creators and marketers with a simplified dashboard to track how their posts, Reels, and videos are performing across the platform. Views consolidates key metrics—like impressions, engagement, and reach—into one easy-to-navigate interface.
Why it matters: Keeping track of content performance has always been a bit of a chore, especially when you’re juggling multiple campaigns or types of content. With Views, SMBs and marketers can quickly identify what’s working (and what’s not) at a glance, allowing for more efficient strategy adjustments. Whether you’re testing a new Reel or running an ad campaign, these streamlined insights make it easier to optimise for better results.
Curious about this new feature? Learn more about Facebook Views here.
AI & Marketing Tools: OpusClip
This week, we’re taking a look at OpusClip a game-changing tool for businesses and marketers looking to create high-quality short-form video content without the hassle. Whether you're creating ads for social media, tutorials, or product videos, Opus.pro uses AI to simplify the entire process.
What does it do?
OpusClip is an AI-powered video creation tool that helps you generate engaging short-form videos in minutes. It’s specifically designed for social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube Shorts. The tool is equipped to edit long-form content into bite-sized clips that hit all the right marks for engagement. And the best part? You don’t need to be a video editing expert to use it.
Key Features:
- AI-Powered Video Editing: Simply upload your long-form content, and OpusClip will automatically select the most engaging parts, turning them into polished, shareable videos in just a few clicks.
- Customisable Templates: It offers templates tailored for different platforms, ensuring your videos are optimized for TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and more.
- Auto Captions and Subtitles: OpusClip automatically adds captions to your videos, saving you time and boosting accessibility—crucial for keeping audiences engaged, especially on mute.
Why It’s Beneficial:
- Save Time: Editing videos, especially for social media, can be a time-consuming process. OpusClip automates much of the work, reducing the hours spent on post-production.
- Maximise Engagement: Its AI-driven technology identifies key moments from your content that are likely to engage viewers, ensuring your videos hit the right notes to keep audiences watching.
- Consistency Across Platforms: With pre-built templates optimized for various social platforms, you can ensure your videos look great and perform well, regardless of where they’re shared.
Why You Should Care: If you’re a small or medium-sized business without a dedicated video team, OpusClip is like having a full-time video editor at your fingertips. The holiday season is just around the corner, and video content is one of the most effective ways to connect with customers, showcase products, or share promotions. OpusClipmakes it easy to get professional-quality videos out fast, helping you stay ahead in the content game.
That’s a wrap for this week! If you enjoyed this edition, share it with a friend who could use less jargon and more straight talk in their inbox.
Until next time,
MC
(Slashing jargon like it’s my day job. Oh wait, it is.)
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