Today’s marketers have oceans of data at their disposal that they can use to track a nearly endless array of metrics to measure performance. Being able to eliminate assumptions and objectively evaluate campaigns is something marketers have always wanted. If they’re going to use data effectively, however, they need to acknowledge that not all metrics are created equal.

Vanity metrics are...

The travel industry is booming. As of February 2019, it was the second-fastest growing sector in the world, ahead of healthcare, information technology and financial services. There are a number of reasons for this. Millennials are growing in purchasing power—by 2020 their spending in the US alone will total $1.4 trillion annually—and already they spend $5,000 more per year on holidays than any other generation. They also take around 35 days of holiday per year on average....

Today’s consumers have trust issues. Wise to the tactics of marketers, they’ve become immune to most forms of digital advertising. Instead they look to peers, influencers, and online reviews to help them make purchasing decisions — and who can blame them? We don’t hop online in search of the next great advertisement; we’re looking to solve problems, explore the world, and make meaningful connections.

Facebook is set to trial hiding likes from posts, the company has said, following on from tests conducted by subsidiary Instagram earlier this year.

The trial will be conducted in Australia initially and is based on positive feedback from mental health professionals around boosting users’ wellbeing. Users will still be able to see how many likes a post garnered if so...

What do you think of when you hear the term ‘influencer’, or ‘influencer marketing’? The chances are that it’s someone who is either famous for being famous, or a bona fide famous person making a killing from some soulless shilling. Either way, you may wonder: just how are they getting the ROI from this?

At DMWF Global in London back in May, accounting software provider Sage made an interesting point. Could you...

How much influence should an influencer have over the material they push? A new study from Takumi has found that half of marketers polled want complete control over influencers’ marketing posts.

The report (pdf, email required), which polled a mix of more than 4,000 consumers, marketers and influencers across the UK, US and Germany, found...

We all know that our time spent on mobile phones is increasing, but this year, for the first time, our time spent on mobile overtook TV. That’s more hours checking social media, watching content and viewing ads on our phones, than watching television, or on...

For anyone struggling with workplace distraction; believe me, I’ve been there. For anyone who doesn’t think they are struggling with workplace distraction; believe me, you are.

As a digital anthropologist in Silicon Valley, I have studied this topic for years and should have known better, but a few years ago I was so mired in distraction that I missed deadlines and couldn’t finish an important book proposal. Concentrating for...

Are you confident when it comes to spotting fake news? According to a new study, almost everyone is – and this confidence means they have no problems in changing their social media activity as the 2020 elections loom.

Data from B2B marketing and research firm Clutch has found that 97% of the more than 500 US-based social media users polled said they were confident in their ability to recognise fake news on social media.

The marketing landscape today is one where data gathering and customer experience continues to increase at an exponential rate. Brands don’t want the fear of missing out on a good customer review, or a positive mention, or even genuine advice on how to improve their offerings.

In the social Wild West however, finding the golden four-leaf clover amid the field of ill-use and irrelevance is...