Today's Guide to the Marketing Jungle from Social Media Examiner...
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The weekend is almost here, Alluser! Here's a recap of the most important insights, trends, and updates from the week. Catch up in minutes and go into next week prepared.

In today's edition:

The You vs. I shift on Instagram
Are you using the right content at the wrong time?
5 questions to address in your marketing
A proven strategy to build a personal brand for business
Using AI to create client proposals and more
TikTok Updates: Adobe Creative Assistant, Smart+ Ads Tools, Symphony Features, and More
Using AI to create targeted LinkedIn ads
How to know if your brand shows up in AI results
🗞️ Industry news from Google, TikTok, and more

Is Your Instagram Strategy Stuck in 2020?

You know that advice about never using "I" or "my" in your captions? The whole "make it about them, not you" mantra? What used to be considered selfish content is now what audiences crave.

Shannon McKinstrie shares how major brands like Chipotle are quietly breaking those rules and racking up massive engagement.

The shift isn't just about changing your caption style, though. A specific hook formula is working like crazy right now, and it involves a simple phrase that transforms how people perceive your expertise. Watch more here.

17 Content Formats That Actually Drive Leads And Where They Fit

Wondering if your content is doing the right job, or just filling up space? Andy Crestodina lays out 17 distinct content formats and pinpoints exactly where each one fits in the lead generation funnel.

Top-of-funnel formats like blog posts, videos, and social media spark awareness. They're designed to attract attention and drive traffic, but don't expect them to convert. For that, mid-funnel content like webinars, gated downloads, and case studies builds trust and nudges visitors toward action. And when it's time to close the deal? That's where bottom-funnel assets—like ROI calculators, product comparison pages, and customer stories—shine. These are the conversion champs.

You'll learn how these formats support each other: a blog post can lead to a webinar, and a podcast can link to a downloadable guide. He even touches on hybrid formats—like live Q&As and interactive tools—that serve multiple stages of the funnel.

This framework doesn't just help you create content—it helps you prioritize what to make based on your business goals. Read more here.

Does Your Marketing Answer These 5 Questions?

When everyone zigs, the smart ones zag—and Marcus Sheridan wants you to zag louder, bolder, and with more honesty than ever before.

In this video, he digs into the five questions that every buyer wants answered—but most businesses are too afraid to address. Why? Because transparency triggers competitors, invites criticism, and puts you out front. And being out front is uncomfortable… but also exactly where market leaders live.

Sheridan doesn't just preach this; he lived it.

Whether you're in B2B, B2C, or home improvement, this is about owning your space by being radically helpful.

He also drops one simple truth that might just change your strategy forever. Watch more here.

Two Marketers. One Year. Completely Different Outcomes

Sarah automated her content creation, analyzed data like a pro, and became her company's go-to AI expert. She got promoted.

Nancy? She's still copying and pasting basic ChatGPT prompts. Still doing everything manually. Still wondering why she's being passed over.

Alluser, fast forward one year. Which story will be yours?

Every day you wait, the gap between AI leaders and everyone else grows wider. The good news? You can still choose which side you're on.

"I have already improved my workflow on how I create and publish content and recommend it to my clients. That's why I joined AI Society - so I can get better solutions to maximize ROE - return on efforts," said member Prathima Venkatesan.

Start my AI transformation today.

How to Use a Personal Brand for Exposure, Leads, and Sales

Most content creators think of comments as annoying interruptions. This perspective is fundamentally wrong. Comments represent people raising their hands, saying, "I like you, I trust you, I want more of you." You should have a red siren going off when you see a comment like this because that person is one step away from saying, "I will buy from you."

Your goal is to deliberately move conversations from public spaces to private, one-on-one environments. When someone comments on your content, respond with "Thanks for your comment. I just messaged you" or "I just sent you a private message with the answer."

This transition moves potential customers through a progression: mass market content leads to comments, comments leads to DMs, and DMs leads to sales conversations. You don't need millions of followers to make millions of dollars. Most businesses only need a couple dozen perfect customers to double their revenue.

Once someone is in your DMs, use the Four F's process to guide the conversation toward a potential sale naturally.

How to Convert Leads to Sales Using the Four F's

F1: How Did You Find Me? This opening question feels natural and helps you understand their journey. They might say they found you through a podcast, social media post, or referral. This information helps you understand what content resonates most with your ideal prospects.

F2: What Was Your Favorite Part? Ask what they've enjoyed most about what they've seen from you so far. They might mention a specific interview, video, podcast episode, or piece of content. This helps you understand what type of value they're seeking and what resonates with them personally.

F3: Tell Me About Your Future Goals This is where selling actually happens. When they are talking, you are selling. Sales is not about talking - it's about listening. The more they talk about their dreams, goals, and future aspirations, the more they sell themselves on the value of achieving those outcomes.

Ask about their future goals, desires, and what they're hoping to accomplish. Listen carefully to understand their specific situation, challenges, and objectives.

F4: Free Resource Offer them something of value for free. In many businesses, this takes the form of free consultations or strategy calls. Brand Builders Group's entire business model centers on offering everyone a free call.

These free calls are casual, conversational, and not high-pressure. Most people who do a free call won't become clients, but enough will to build a substantial business. The calls focus on understanding their dreams, hopes, goals, and future. For some people, the services naturally align to help them achieve those things.

This approach works because it mirrors natural human relationship building. The free resource serves as what Brand Builders Group calls a "trust soldier" - not just a lead magnet to capture contact information but a genuinely helpful resource that demonstrates your expertise and commitment to serving others.

When you focus on being so useful and helpful that people can't ignore you, several things happen. Even if they don't buy immediately, they often become advocates who refer others. Your customer base becomes your sales force through abundance and generosity rather than pressure or manipulation.

The process removes the sliminess often associated with sales because you're completely service-centered. The more you lean into helping people achieve their goals, the easier selling becomes, the faster it happens, and the more sales you make.

Regain Your Time With ChatGPT: Training AI to Assist You

To achieve consistent, high-quality results from ChatGPT over time, you need to develop what Weston calls attribute sets. These detailed collections of information help ChatGPT understand your unique requirements, style, and objectives across different projects.

Build Attribute Sets for AI Model Training to Get Consistent Results

Cary Weston recommends developing three core attribute sets as a solid foundation for most professional work.

Voice, Tone, and Style: This involves analyzing your existing writing to identify patterns in how you communicate, the vocabulary you use, sentence structure preferences, and the overall personality that comes through in your professional communication.

To develop this attribute set, gather ten examples of your best writing, whether blog articles, client communications, proposals, or other professional documents. Upload this data set to ChatGPT and ask it to analyze your voice, tone, and style. Request that it identify patterns in how you structure information, your language choices, and the personality characteristics that emerge from your writing.

  I have uploaded 10 examples of my best writing. Please analyze the voice, tone, and style to identity patterns in how I structure information, the language choice I make, and the personality characteristics that emerge from my writing.

The AI will provide a detailed analysis of your communication patterns, which you should save in an external document.

Ideal Audience or Customer: This goes beyond basic demographics to include mindset, frustrations, goals, and emotional drivers. Think about who benefits most from your work, what challenges they face, what keeps them awake at night, and what outcomes they seek.

This audience attribute set might include information such as:

  My ideal clients are small business owners with 2-10 employees who feel overwhelmed by marketing technology. They're successful in their core business but frustrated by inconsistent lead generation. They value practical advice over theoretical frameworks and need solutions they can implement without hiring additional staff. They're often skeptical of marketing promises because they've been burned by previous investments that didn't deliver results.

Company, Services, and Unique Value Proposition: This helps ChatGPT understand what you do, why you do it, and what sets you apart from alternatives. Include information about your business model, approach to solving client problems, and the specific outcomes you deliver.

These attribute sets typically expand to full pages of detailed information with paragraphs and bullet points. They're comprehensive guides that provide ChatGPT with deep context about your professional situation.

You can develop these attribute sets efficiently by leveraging ChatGPT itself. For example, provide your website URL and ask ChatGPT to analyze what it sees and suggest attributes for your ideal customer. The AI is typically ninety percent accurate in its initial assessment, providing an excellent starting point that you can refine based on your experience.

  Please visit this website URL. Analyze it and suggest attributes for my ideal customer. [insert domain url]

How to Save Time on Client Proposal Creation With AI

The foundation of this system is thorough preparation. Weston first created a comprehensive model by feeding ChatGPT five or six successful proposals he had written over the years. Rather than just sharing the documents, he engaged ChatGPT in analyzing both the structure and the reasoning behind each section.

This deeper analysis helps ChatGPT understand the format of a good proposal and the strategic thinking that determines what information goes where and why each section exists.

When training ChatGPT on this section, he doesn't just show the AI what information goes there—he explains the psychological and strategic reasons for including this content. By understanding that this section demonstrates empathy and establishes credibility by showing you truly comprehend the client's challenges, ChatGPT can better identify and organize relevant information from future client conversations.

The real magic happens when this preparation meets modern technology. Weston records his sales calls with prospective clients, creating transcripts that become raw material for proposal creation. "Transcripts are the new gold when it comes to AI," he notes because they capture not just what was discussed but the actual language and concerns expressed by the potential client.

With both the proposal template and the conversation transcript, ChatGPT can extract relevant information and organize it according to the established structure. The AI knows to look for specific types of information—problems and frustrations, desired outcomes, timeline constraints, budget considerations—and place each piece in the appropriate section of the proposal.

The system creates multiple benefits beyond just time savings. Because the conversation is recorded, Weston can focus entirely on asking meaningful questions and building rapport rather than frantically taking notes. The resulting proposals use the client's language and address their specific concerns, making them far more compelling than generic templates. And because the heavy lifting is automated, Weston can invest more time in customizing and perfecting each proposal rather than rushing to meet deadlines.

Live Fan Club

This feature creates opportunities for creators and businesses to build more intimate relationships with their most engaged viewers while generating direct revenue from their live streaming efforts.

The Live Fan Club system operates through TikTok's existing live streaming infrastructure but adds sophisticated monetization and community-building layers. When someone is live and teaching or presenting content, viewers have the ability to give them a heart, which requires payment. Once this interaction occurs, a feature appears that allows the viewer to become part of the creator's fan club.

The fan club membership unlocks several exclusive benefits depending on how the creator has configured their settings. Members can access private chats, subscription content, and various other premium features that create a more personalized experience. This system resembles a combination of Patreon memberships and YouTube's Super Chat functionality, but with additional community-building elements.

One of the most powerful aspects of the Live Fan Club feature is its ability to cut through the chaos of large live audiences. During popular live streams, creators might have hundreds or thousands of viewers, making it nearly impossible to respond to individual comments as they scroll by rapidly. However, fan club members gain access to private chat functionality, allowing creators to answer questions and engage directly with their most committed supporters.

The notification system adds another valuable dimension to fan club membership. When someone joins a creator's fan club, they receive notifications every time that creator goes live. This feature enables businesses and content creators to build highly engaged live audiences who show up consistently for their broadcasts.

This development is particularly exciting when combined with TikTok's live shopping capabilities. The combination of committed audience members and direct selling opportunities creates a powerful revenue generation system. The Live Fan Club feature removes significant friction for businesses that have never ventured into community building before, providing an integrated solution directly within the platform's ecosystem.

Symphony Video Features

The first revolutionary tool is TikTok's image-to-video generator, which transforms static images into dynamic video content. This feature is currently live for all Symphony users and demonstrates remarkable creative capabilities. Users can upload a regular image to TikTok's advertising platform, and the AI will convert it into engaging video content.

Kenya Kelly observed a perfume advertisement created using this technology where a simple product shot of a perfume bottle was transformed into a sophisticated video showing the bottle sitting on flowing water. The AI added movement, ambiance, and visual effects that would typically require expensive production equipment and professional editing skills.

The second AI feature allows users to generate complete videos from text descriptions alone. Users can provide detailed descriptions of what they want to see, and TikTok's AI will generate realistic video content based on those specifications.

Kelly witnessed this technology create a video of a woman displaying lipstick swatches on her arm that appeared completely authentic despite being entirely AI-generated. In another example, the system produced a video of a young woman in a wheelchair highlighting a water bottle, creating inclusive representation that looked like professional advertising content.

The third feature adds AI-generated avatars to product demonstrations, solving a common problem many businesses face. Many companies don't want to hire user-generated content creators or influencers, and often no one within the organization wants to appear in advertisements.

TikTok's AI avatar system allows businesses to showcase their products with realistic human figures without requiring actual human participation. This technology enables companies to create authentic-looking product demonstrations and testimonials while maintaining complete control over the messaging and presentation.

TikTok requires creators to identify AI-generated content by clicking a button that labels it as such. Kenya Kelly predicts that while many people may initially resist AI-generated content, it will become an integral part of digital culture, similar to how spell check and calculators became standard tools.

Currently, image-to-video generation is available to all Symphony users, while text-to-video and showcase products features are in early access phases. Businesses with TikTok representatives can request access to these advanced features.

More Features, Tools, Changes, and Updates Discussed Include:

Scope Three Carbon Emissions Measurement for Advertisers
Search Center Integration
Advanced Ad Measurement and Attribution
Smart + AI-Powered Campaign Automation
TikTok One Platform Improvements

Watch it on YouTube

Using AI to Power LinkedIn Advertising

While typical advertisers pay $20-40 per click with disappointing results, Wilcox's clients achieve $7-9 click costs while generating significantly higher conversion rates.

His approach combines strategic targeting methodologies with an innovative Google Sheets system connected to ChatGPT's API for streamlined ad copy creation.

Wilcox's breakthrough approach centers on a sophisticated Google Sheets integration with ChatGPT's API that consolidates everything he learns about a client—audience insights, brand positioning, past performance data, and winning hooks—into a single automated workflow. Instead of manually crafting ad copy variations, he can now generate multiple iterations instantly, referencing all accumulated client intelligence with simple prompts.

In this podcast from Motion, AJ shares his approach to AI-powered voice transcription that feeds back into campaign development including how he's leveraging AI to solve complex Excel formulas and data categorization challenges that previously required significant manual effort or outsourced expertise. These automation layers allow his team to focus on strategic optimization rather than routine tasks. Watch more here.

Are the GPTs Talking About You?

There's a new kind of visibility test—and it's not happening on Google.

As AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity become the default research assistants for your buyers, the question isn't just "Are we ranking?" anymore. It's "Are we even in the conversation?"

Ashley Mann put together a dead-simple checklist to help you find out whether your brand shows up when real people ask LLMs for recommendations, comparisons, and reviews in your niche. No logins. No special tools. Just the exact prompts to run, where to run them, and what to look for.

If you're already using AI to streamline content, boost creativity, or sharpen strategy, this is your next strategic edge. And if you're overwhelmed by AI's rapid evolution? This might be the clearest way to see where you stand—and what to do next. Read more here.

LinkedIn Adds Video Covers for Newsletters and Articles: LinkedIn is rolling out a new feature that lets some users upload video covers with custom thumbnails for their newsletters and long-form articles. These videos will be viewable directly in the feed, aiming to draw more attention to content. Thumbnails will also be included in email notifications to subscribers, linking to the full article. The update follows LinkedIn's broader push to support native video in long-form publishing, offering creators more visual tools to enhance engagement. Linsdey Gamble via Threads

Meta Introduces Mandatory SEBI Verification for India Securities Advertisers: Meta has announced new requirements for advertisers targeting Indian users with securities and investment-related content. Beginning June 26, tools will enable advertisers to verify beneficiary and payer identities using contact information already registered with SEBI's SI Portal. By July 31, 2025, advertisers must have completed this verification to continue running investment ads. Meta will display the advertiser's verified name and SEBI registration on ads, with verification data retained for up to seven years. Meta

Google Adds Offerwall to Ad Manager for Flexible, Reader-Centric Monetization: Google has introduced Offerwall, a new feature in Google Ad Manager that empowers publishers to offer audiences alternative ways to access content—such as watching ads, taking surveys, making micro‑payments, or subscribing to newsletters. The feature includes AI-powered Optimize to deliver Offerwall prompts at the most effective times for each visitor. Offerwall supports multiple access models—from rewarded ads to interest capture and Supertab micropayments. Google

TikTok Shop Enables High-Value Live Auctions with Countdown Bidding: TikTok Shop is now offering Countdown Bidding, an innovative auction-based feature within seller livestreams tailored to collectible and pre-owned luxury items. Sellers create "auction only" listings with a raised price limit up to $13,000, and viewers bid live—winning shoppers are charged instantly after the livestream concludes. Buyers must pre-qualify and meet platform-defined return thresholds, while sellers must maintain high product integrity to retain access. The feature enforces strict refund policies and excludes promotional discounts. TikTok is monitoring the experience and aims to expand the feature to more categories and compliant sellers over time. TikTok

X Removes Hashtags from Ads: Effective June 27, 2025, X (formerly Twitter) is banning all forms of hashtags from paid advertisements to create a more aesthetically streamlined feed, according to owner Elon Musk. Hashtags will still be allowed in organic posts—where X's AI assistant, Grok, continues to recommend strategic usage for engagement. The change forces advertisers to rethink reliance on hashtags, pushing them toward visually punchy content and deeper algorithmic targeting. Brands should audit ad copy carefully and adjust creative workflows accordingly to comply with the new rule. Social Media Today

Meta Adds U.S. Calling, Campaign Centralization & Business AI to WhatsApp: Meta unveiled a suite of new features for businesses using WhatsApp at its global Conversations event on July 1, 2025. Businesses can now run centralized campaigns across WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram within Ads Manager, using shared creatives and budgets and leveraging AI-powered budget optimization with Advantage+. The platform is expanding Business AI agents to provide personalized product recommendations, assist on business websites, and follow up in WhatsApp conversations, starting with Mexico and soon extending to the U.S. Additionally, larger businesses on the WhatsApp Business Platform will gain voice and video support—enabling incoming customer calls, business-initiated call-backs, voice messaging, and video calls (e.g. for telehealth). Meta

Reddit Launches Optimization Score and Recommendations Center: Reddit Ads Manager has introduced a new Recommendations Center, designed to help advertisers optimize their campaigns using personalized, data-backed suggestions. Central to this update is the launch of an Optimization Score, a performance metric out of 100 that reflects how closely an advertiser's setup follows Reddit's best practices. Scores below 80 prompt actionable tips, while recommendations also appear contextually throughout the campaign creation and editing flows. Reddit Business

Threads launches In‑App DMs and Highlighter Tools: Meta has officially launched direct messaging natively within the Threads app as of July 1, 2025, marking a major step toward independence from Instagram. While the messaging features are currently basic—one‑on‑one chats, emoji reactions, spam reporting, and message muting—they lay the groundwork for upcoming enhancements like group chats, inbox filters, and message controls. Messages are initially limited to users 18 and older and only between mutual connections on Threads or Instagram, and they are not encrypted at launch. Simultaneously, Threads now features a highlighter visual element designed to spotlight trending topics and standout perspectives, appearing in key discovery areas. Meta

TikTok Shop Launches "ShopLocallyMade" Campaign to Spotlight Small Businesses: TikTok Shop has initiated a week‑long campaign titled ShopLocallyMade (through July 2, 2025) to amplify the voices and offerings of regional small businesses and creators. Participating TikTok creators feature locally made products—ranging from artisanal foods to handcrafted goods—accompanied by the campaign hashtag, helping amplify visibility and discovery. Videos are integrated with direct shopping links, enabling seamless conversion from inspiration to purchase. TikTok

TikTok Tests Bulletin Boards for One‑Way Messaging: TikTok is piloting Bulletin Boards, a new feature that allows brands and creators to send public, one‑way updates—via text, photos, or video—to followers who opt in. Only content creators can post; followers can react with emojis but cannot comment or reply directly. Currently available to select high‑profile accounts such as People magazine, Paris Saint‑Germain, and the Jonas Brothers, this tool mirrors Instagram's Broadcast Channels and enables direct communication for announcements, content teasers, livestream reminders, or product promotions. TikTok has not confirmed global rollout plans, though the platform may add more interactive elements if adoption grows. Social Media Today

X to Price Ads by Screen Size to Curb Oversized Formats: X will shift to a pricing model where ad fees depend on vertical screen real estate, meaning full‑screen ads will cost significantly more than those covering a quarter of the display. This move, announced by Elon Musk in late June 2025, aims to discourage large, attention‑grabbing ads that can deteriorate the user experience. Currently, advertisers are charged based on clicks, impressions, or engagement, but X has not yet provided detailed pricing or a rollout schedule for this vertical‑size billing structure. Elon Musk via X

Meta Expands Facebook Reels Composer with Pre‑Publish Copyright Check: Meta has introduced a pre‑publication copyright checking tool directly within Facebook's Reels composer. When enabled, the feature scans eligible Reels and holds them for up to one hour before publication, giving creators time to address potential violations. If the check is not activated, content is still reviewed post-publishing and may trigger actions like demonetization, limited reach, or muted audio. The update integrates functionality previously only available in Business Suite into the native Reels workflow, streamlining the publishing process. The rollout is expanding gradually to more creators to help avoid compliance issues and improve content stability. Social Media Today

YouTube Guides Artists in Customizing Official Channels: YouTube has released a comprehensive guide to setting up and customizing Official Artist Channels (OACs), which unify an artist's presence across the platform. Artists can manage visuals, bios, and external links directly in YouTube Studio and highlight key content through curated sections like Releases and Popular Sounds in Shorts. The integration with YouTube Shopping also allows artists to connect merch stores to their channels. YouTube emphasizes authentic branding and provides tools like Thumbnail Test & Compare to help creators fine-tune their content strategy. YouTube

YouTube Adds New Viewer Metrics and AI Tools to Boost Engagement: YouTube is rolling out enhanced audience segmentation metrics that break down viewer behavior into casual and regular"viewers to help creators better understand audience loyalty. The Most Relevant comment filter is also launching platform-wide to spotlight important feedback. Additionally, a leaderboard for top fans during live streams is now live for all channels, rewarding active community members. YouTube Premium users in the U.S. can also try a new AI-powered search carousel aimed at improving discovery of topic-relevant videos. YouTube

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