Hey ,

Welcome back, and happy Friday! We're so happy you're here.

Here's what we'll cover in this week's edition:

TikTok peak period creative cheat-sheet - at your doorstep!
YouTube is the new it girl - here's what consumers really want to see on the platform
Brands use Fospha to drive TikTok growth - here's how
Full-funnel + social-first = Q4 wins
Pinterest revamps their shopper experiences

Let's dive right in!

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💁 Here's how to crack the Gen Z market (in a cool way)

Brands are moving at the speed of culture to capitalize on an increasingly growing (and extremely trendy!) market demographic.

Gen Z-ers are racking up more spend per capita than any other generation, signalling the need for marketers to continue exploring more ways to gain their loyalty. The NFL and Wattpad are some of the few brands tapping into fandom culture to build a strong cross-channel media presence that is responsive to Gen Z interests.

Authenticity is key for brand collaborations. Brands prioritizing working with creators familiar with the target audience and the product offers a much more compelling narrative, that performs best with Gen Z.

Master the art of scaling creative strategy for peak season 🛍️

Yesterday, we teamed up with TikTok and Shook Digital to share winning strategies and insights to tackle the Q4 shopping surge, from boosting creative to leveraging data and scaling with predictive tech.

We covered:

TikTok's winning strategies: Users search for brands more on TikTok than anywhere else. Leverage seasonal trends, brand familiarity, and go full-funnel to drive conversions.
How to streamline creative: As BFCM approaches, simplify video production with a modular, test-and-learn approach. Boost your ROCA (Return on Creative Assets) to scale efficiently.
Why data wins: Brands that measure perform better. Measurement partners like Fospha provide clear full-funnel insights, helping make smarter budget choices and capture more demand.

Missed the webinar? Don't worry, we got you. Get all the expert insights on-demand for free–just hit the button below to catch the full session! 👇

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Video spotlight: How Fospha helps brands succeed on TikTok 📱

Sam Carter, CEO of Fospha, shares some insights into how the platform helps provide a full-funnel view of channel performance for brands looking to grow on TikTok.

🔗 Watch the full video on TikTok for Business’ LinkedIn page!

🚀 In case you missed it 🚀

(last week’s most popular article)

Nail the Q4 rush with Google’s retail guide 🙏

Google’s official Retail Holiday 2024 checklist is here to help brands avoid costly oversights before the Q4 rush.

Key takeaways:

Target relevant customer segments with personalized content
Optimize channel spend with Google’s AI to drive traffic and increase conversions
Increase omnichannel focus by integrating both online and in-store experiences
Provide accurate, timely information to boost shopper confidence

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🗞️ HEADLINES YOU CAN'T MISS 🗞️

👚 Amazon pushes full-funnel advertising innovations

Amazon has unveiled some exciting updates for advertisers at their Unboxed 2024 keynote panel in Austin last week. Key updates include Prime Video ads expanding to 5 new countries and the launch of "New Product Campaigns" to drive awareness within 90 days. Performance enhancements like audience bid boosting and ad relevance without cookies are helping brands engage customers more effectively.

▶️ YouTube shares what content viewers are actually looking for
YouTube's Why We Watch 2.0 report is shining a light into what viewers really mean when they talk about "quality content". Across all demographics, viewers agree that content should be engaging, with viewers over 35 valuing compelling storytelling and younger viewers preferring creativity and personal relevance. YouTube ads bring in the highest levels of viewership in comparison to TV or other social categories, signalling an opportunity for brands to focus on building high-quality ads optimized for the platform.

📦 Holiday shipping increases = the new normal for brands

eCom brands now see holiday shipping surcharges as a routine cost. With UPS and FedEx increasing rates by over 30% since 2019, brands are adapting by locking in rates early, promoting earlier sales, and encouraging order bundling. They focus on accurate forecasting and innovative, multi-carrier strategies–like shipping in original containers–to alleviate rising costs.

📱 Meta launches updated controls for brand safety & sustainability

Meta announced updated brand safety controls and placement tools for ads at AdWeek last week, helping brands manage how their promotions are shown on Facebook and Instagram. Brands can now deactivate comments on ads before publishing, pushing for better management of sensitive campaigns.

❌ Latest trends and challenges in creator marketing
CreatorIQ's latest report reveals a growing challenge for marketers in balancing brand safety, authenticity, and ROI. Marketers need to navigate an evolving landscape where consumers favour genuine content, while platforms like TikTok and Instagram push new monetization features. Marketers should shift the focus from short-term influencer hits to impactful, authentic storytelling to stay competitive.

It's not too late to save peak–go full-funnel and social-first 🔥

Nest Commerce have just dropped their peak-themed edition of The Readout highlighting the best marketing strategies to win peak, decked out with the latest quarterly data and insights from their portfolio.

Here are some of the key trendlines:

Brands leveraging a full-funnel performance strategy grew 15% between Q2 and Q3, signalling its continued success and uptick into Q4.
Running Meta awareness ads for a month drove a 22% search lift, emphasizing the direct impacts of upper-funnel ads for brand search.
TikTok brought in a 144% YoY increase in spend for Nest, signifying that creative volume is key to scaling on the app.

Pinterest goes Direct: "making shopping easier" 📌

👉 Pinterest is taking the next steps to ensure users are having a much simpler shopping experience on the platform.

👉 Bill Watkins, Pinterest's Chief Revenue Officer, citing shopability as the platform's core focus and emphasized the importance of Direct Links helping brands run lower funnel ads on the service more efficiently.

👉 Direct Links enable brands to drive traffic directly to their store from Pinterest, with Urban Outfitters ringing in a 50% increase in conversions, and Walmart reporting a 15X ROAS with the platform's mobile deep linking.

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