Every December, brands reach for tinsel-covered templates: “Season’s Greetings!” “Happy Holidays!” “Merry Christmas from all of us!”
It started with a simple email. A “domain renewal” notice, complete with a logo, invoice number, and urgent call to action: “Your domain is about to expire — pay R99 to renew.”
For years, TikTok has been both overhyped and underestimated: a staple app for Gen Z and its juniors, yet often dismissed by “serious” marketers. But while many brands were busy debating its legitimacy, others quietly built multi-million-rand audiences, reshaped their digital strategy, and redefined what brand engagement looks like – all thanks to TikTok.
For decades, Google reigned supreme in search. Its monopoly over traffic, advertising, and online visibility seemed untouchable. But the ground is shifting. Legal pressure is mounting, AI is changing how people find information, and a new discipline, Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO), is quickly becoming a necessity, not an option.
Traditional search engines like Google are no longer the only gateways to online information. Today, large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and Gemini, along with AI-powered search overlays such as Google’s AI Overviews, are reshaping how users interact with content.
Traditional search engines like Google are no longer the only gateways to online information. Today, large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and Gemini, along with AI-powered search overlays such as Google’s AI Overviews, are reshaping how users interact with content.
It’s time to face the facts: Performance marketing is no longer a “nice-to-have”. On the contrary, it can be argued that it has become the backbone of modern digital campaigns. Like any marketing buzzword, the term has been tossed around a lot. But in this case, it seems like it has rightfully earned its place.
Let’s be honest, most businesses are far too busy trying to show up everywhere online. From TikTok trends and Instagram reels to LinkedIn updates and Pinterest boards, it’s exhausting. And often? Pointless. Chasing every platform just because it’s the current flavour of the month isn’t a strategy; it’s a digital circus act. The truth is, not every platform suits every business, and the smartest brands know how to pick their battles.
In the past, lead generation often boiled down to one thing: attention. The louder the message, the bolder the claim, and the more persistent the pitch, the greater the chance of being noticed. Cold calls, blanket emails, and hard-sell ads were standard tools in the marketer’s toolbox. If you haven’t noticed by now, the game has changed.
Meta – the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp – is once again in the spotlight, this time facing off with the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in a high-stakes antitrust trial.