Hey 👋

Welcome to Neighbourhood Post

Don’t call it a comeback… but did you miss me?

We took a few weeks off to focus on other things (more on that soon…) but your friendly neighbourhood postman is back, ready to deliver.

And I’m picking up where I left off, ruminating on the rapid reshaping of the marketing landscape at the hands of our old adversary, AI.

Let’s get to it…

AI and digital, in three conversations 💬

Are you bored of conversations about AI?

I kind of am. 🫠

It feels like everything that needs to be said has been said.

So rather than the same boring chat, let me share 3 recent conversations that gave me a really clear view of where we’re at.

Those conversations are:

1. “The Sloppening” ⚰️
2. The competitive advantage 🏆
3. The now and not yet 🔮

The first conversation was sparked when someone sent me this post – titled “The Sloppening”.

It warns of the overwhelming spread of low-quality, AI-generated content.

(You should read the whole thing)

It’s fairly damning: “We’ve sloptimised ourselves into oblivion”

But it’s also clear: “AI didn’t break things, we did.”

We’re the pilot, AI is the plane.

Applying marketing expertise and strategy is crucial.

As a digital agency, we’re developing an approach that gets the most out of AI content generation without losing authenticity and authority.

It’s a framework designed to safeguard your brand from the pitfalls of AI-generated content, while keeping innovation and creativity at the core of your strategy.

Spoiler; more often than not it points towards original creativity over AI slop.

Which leads me to the second conversation…

Someone asked me (in a half-polite way):

“Anyone can use AI to create a social media strategy, a monthly schedule, and a month’s worth of graphics and captions in 5 minutes. So why shouldn’t I?”

My answer was easy.

“You shouldn’t, because everyone can.”

When it comes to digital marketing, people wrongly position AI as the clear competitive advantage.

But if everyone has access to the competitive advantage, it’s not really an advantage, is it? In fact it’s the exact opposite – the competitive disadvantage.

In a world of slop, you gain ground by pursuing what AI hasn’t nailed yet;

100% connection, 100% creativity, 100% authenticity.

Supplement it with AI, but start with the human.

It sounds like I’m a skeptic in complete denial.

But that’s where the third conversation comes in:

“One day AI will take all of our jobs, no one will work and the government will have to fund universal salaries for everyone.”

It’s true. AI will take 80% of all jobs that don’t require manual labour (those are for the robots to take.)

When that happens is less clear.

Probably not before 2050, but who knows?

At the moment we’re living in the now and not yet.

We know the way things are going, and I’m not naive enough to think that very soon AI won’t be producing slop, but content that is 100% creative and 100% authentic.

But that moment is not today, and we shouldn’t pretend it is just because we can all turn ourselves into Disney Pixar characters at the drop of a prompt.

Here’s ours btw (sorry Matt and Mark):

We’re prioritising how to get the most out of AI now, and also preparing for future developments.

If you want to do the same, it looks like two things:

• Become an AI-Augmented Marketer – Learn AI tools like ChatGPT, MidJourney, and AI-driven analytics.
• Stay ahead of AI developments, ethics & regulation – know what’s here, what’s coming and what won’t stay.

That’s all for today.

What do you think, more AI or less AI in future newsletters? I wouldn’t be offended either way:

See you next week.

✌️

New Year, New You 💫

It’s January, which means only one thing.

It’s resolution time.

« Insert lighthearted anecdote about how I always try really hard at resolutions but end up giving up after 6 weeks »

In some ways the 1st of January is just any other day, but a perceived new start gives us the chance to review and refresh what we’re doing.

So what does that look like for digital?

Here are 5 resolutions for you to try out in January. How many will you try?

#1 – Create social media design guidelines

Let’s start with a challenging, but important one.

When it comes to social success, your brand guidelines aren’t enough.

Designers might include a couple of example posts in the broader guidelines, but you need versatility and bespoke designs to play with.

Not something that contradicts guidelines, but an extension of them.

Start the conversation with your designer and get them in place for 2025.

#2 – Set up an email automation

 I’m always amazed at the number of brands who don’t utilise email automations.

If you don’t have any, at least focus on a welcome email when someone joins your list. Point them to other channels (e.g. social media) and gently tease the action you want them to take next.

If you’re feeling brave, don’t just have one email, set up a journey that unpacks more about who you are over a series of weeks.

If you already have a welcome automation, create one based on purchases, donations and other actions.

#3 – Start a swipe file

A Swipe File is a collection of interesting/inspiring/useful things you’ve saved for later.

I guess “bookmark” is the more universal language.

In your day-to-day, save anything you see that you like the look of. Videos you want to watch, social media that’s inspired you, websites to copy, articles on best practice, social media posts you like the look of etc.

I use a tool called Raindrop but I’m also tempted by a flashy AI newcomer called My Mind.

#4 – Check in to LinkedIn

There’s a migration happening at the moment, of people away from X towards other platforms.

LinkedIn is the destination of choice for a lot of professional thought leaders and communities.

As a result its becoming a place full of insight and expertise.

Sure, it’s still a place for pretentiousness and humble bragging, but it’s turning into a place for learning, upskilling, and professional development.

Do you want to know the biggest secret of innovation?

There’s nothing new under the sun.

When you realise that even the most creative and novel ideas can be linked to a few sources of inspiration, innovation becomes a lot easier.

It’s not plucking ideas out of thin air, it’s about becoming a student of the game and studying what’s out there already.

We’re constantly taking inspiration from lots of places.

This week on Instagram, we shared four of our favourite social content techniques.

What do you mean you don’t follow us on Instagram?

Fix that right 👉 here 👈

Why have you scrolled past without following us?

👉 Last chance 👈

If video’s your thing you can watch it here.

If words are your thing let me share four ideas:

#1 – Consider audio

While it’s true that around 70% of users watch Reels with their volume on zero, 30% of users are listening in.

So how do you use audio to stop those 30% scrolling?

Suri are the toothbrush brand your favourite influencers are using.

They know how to do social well, and they use audio effects to grab your attention.

It doesn’t have to be complicated; you can use their click sound to roll through your own collection of photos.

It worked on Lillie, it was her favourite post recommendation

#2 – Make engagement easy

Getting people to comment on social posts is really hard.

Here are three ways to make it happen:

• Make it easy – reduce the time people have to actually think about their answer
• Use humour – we sometimes want to go deep, but lighthearted, funny questions get more responses.
• Relate it to the everyday – people don’t want to answer questions about your product/service/offering. Make it about them.

Jake’s favourite post does all three.

#3 – Upgrade your carousels

6 months ago a “photo dump” carousel was best practice – adding multiple unedited photos to a post.

As social always does, things have moved on.

Try adding interactive elements to your carousels – overlay texts and GIFs, combine photos, graphics and videos.

The more time people spend flicking through, the more the algorithm will favour you.

Indi found the perfect example.

#4 – Optimise for shares

This one is the hardest.

But we know one of the main factors the algorithm favours is how many times your post is shared via DM to another individual.

You’ve probably seen the “Your third @ owes you a holiday” type posts.

That’s a direct attempt to increase the number of shares.

Try thinking creatively – how could you stretch your brand and tone of voice a little to allow you to come up with your own ideas.

Joe’s two examples (one and two) are probably out of your brands reach (!) but start there and work backwards.

—

There we go, some ideas for you to be thinking about.

And if you’ve got this far and still aren’t following us on Instagram,

👉 shame on you 👈

✌️

This is the riskiest newsletter I’ve ever sent you.

It has a high chance of being misunderstood, but I can’t keep it in anymore:

We are not data-driven.

Our decisions aren’t data-driven, our processes aren’t data-driven and our strategies aren’t data-driven.

Our internal meetings aren’t data driven.

Our lunchtime meal deal selections aren’t data driven.

And I’m having an existential crisis.

In 2008 every digital agency met at a world summit and agreed their websites must include the phrase “data-driven”. When we joined the World Wide Society of Agencies in 2021, we signed a contract (at gunpoint) saying we’d do the same.

But increasingly I’ve been wrestling with something we all struggle with:

Not all that is meaningful is measurable and not all that is measurable is meaningful.

As marketers, turning data into insights is the most challenging part of the job.

We’re can often drown in a sea of metrics, confusing what’s meaningful as the waves of numbers crash over us.

But how did we get here?

I feel like there was a golden period where we had just enough data to do the job well.

However our pursuit of ROI has us scrutinising such tiny, granular things that we’re being misled about what’s working and what’s not.

The areas with the most measurable ROI are usually short term activities.

When we apply the same method of analysis to longer term activities, such as brand awareness and community building, the short term will always win.

When our decisions are solely data-driven it skews our definition of success.

Now here comes the caveat (and cheesy metaphor) you’ve been waiting for:

We pay attention to data, but we don’t let it do the driving.

In the data-driven analogy, what does it look for us?

Well, firstly we’re doing the driving.

Data is the backseat driver. We can listen to it or we can ignore it. It’s more unhelpful than it is helpful, but every now and then it stops us from taking a wrong turn.

Let’s go whole hog; the sat nav is customer feedback, the engine is the strategy, the steering wheel is the brand. We’re going to get to our destination together, but the backseat driver is in the backseat for a reason.

Sorry, got carried away there. 🚗

Anyway, if like me you want to escape the flood of data, here’s a life jacket…

#1 – Speak to your people

If you look at historical data analysis there were two components; quantitive and qualitative.

Quantitative analysis has scaled at a significantly faster pace than qualitative.

We’ve forgotten the power of depth. Of narrative. Of nuance.

When was the last time you spoke to your customers? Don’t overthink it. Email them two questions:

1) On a scale of 1-10 how likely are you to recommend us to a friend?

2) In a few sentences, why did you choose that number?

Question one satisfies your line manager’s thirst for data, question two is where the magic happens. Build a narrative that informs your strategy, messaging and marketing.

#2 – Try the rule of 2

Reach. Views. Likes. Shares. Comments. Conversions. Clicks.

Engagement rates. Click through rates. Conversion rates.

Instagram. Facebook. Twitter. YouTube. TikTok.

It’s too much.

Focus on only two metrics per quarter. E.g. Instagram reach and email sign ups. Create a plan to increase both – measure it every month and see where you get. Switch it up for the next quarter.

#3 – Be comfortable not knowing

It’s challenging, and involves a lot of managing upwards.

Focus on the bigger picture and don’t worry too much about the efficiency of your marketing spend. If the bigger picture is heading in the right direction, don’t upset the applecart by getting too granular.

Don’t ditch data completely, but try the rule of 2 and prove to your organisation that when you focus in on a particular area and combine qualitative and quantitative analysis you can really move the needle.

OK that’s it.

Do you think less of me now?

Hopefully not.

Anyway, see you next week – I’m off to check the %OR, %CTR, traffic, time-on-site, engaged users, bounce rate and %CVR and ROI of this edition of the newsletter.

✌️

Most brands think they have a community.

At least, their leaders or marketing directors do.

I hate to be a bearer of bad news but often it’s not true.

They’re mistaking a community for an audience.

Both are a group of people who interact with a brand, but that’s where the similarities end.

Let’s breakdown the difference between the two:

📢 An audience are people who want to hear what you have to say.

🤝 A community are people who are highly engaged advocates.

An audience is passive, a community is active.

An audience is one way communication, a community is two way.

An audience are transactional, a community is relational.

When we hear those descriptions we instantly say:

“I want a community, not an audience.”

Yes, sure.

But the first rule of community building is that audiences are valuable too.

You won’t convert 100% of your audience to a community, and actually you don’t want to. There is value in building an audience just like there’s value in building a community.

The goal is understanding how to build both.

I talk a lot about building audiences, so let’s focus on communities for a minute.

Here are 3 things to set you on the right path…

#1 – Don’t just focus on social media

Most people assume community building all happens on social media.

It’s a part of the puzzle, particularly in the early stages.

But here are two key reasons why you shouldn’t put all your eggs in one basket:

Firstly, community grows SEPARATELY to your audience. They require two different approaches, and it’s hard to achieve both in the same space.

Secondly, social media is rented space. It could disappear tomorrow and you could lose everything you’ve built.

Solution: Make sure a newsletter, podcast, Youtube channel, Slack/Discord/WhatsApp group is at the forefront of your thinking.

#2 – They take time and skill

Communities don’t just happen as an extension of your marketing.

They require intentionality and expertise.

They don’t happen overnight or by accident.

They start by listening, and creating opportunities to listen. That includes social listening (comments and replies on social media) but also other online and offline connection between you and your closest members.

You need to know what to look out for and you need to be able to have the skill and expertise to create a community-building strategy.

The good news is that if you do, you’ll reap the rewards.

You community become affiliates, promoting on your behalf. They become a marketing channel in and of themselves, for many years to come.

#3 – Flood them with value, expect nothing back

I talk a lot about value, don’t I.

It should be present in all your digital marketing.

And if you want to foster a group of die-hard fans then guess what; you’ll need a bucket load of it.

Let’s break it down – here are a few ways to provide value:

• Financial; discounts, free gifts, affiliate rewards

• Aspirational; help them solve problems

• Entertaining; surprise them, inspire them, make them laugh

• Inclusion; ask for and implement their feedback

Here’s the key thing; don’t expect anything back.

Let’s be blunt, the primary reason for building community is to get something back.

But if your value is tied to the expectation of return then you’ll very quickly lose heart and give up.

Focus on the long-term and you will be rewarded.

—

There we go.

See you next week

✌️

 What even is

 marketing? 🤔

Sometimes I wish I worked in the golden era of advertising.

You know the one; skyscrapers in Manhattan, trilby hats, client dinners.

Whiskies at 9am 🥃

Inspiration at all hours ⚡️🕰️

Storm into a boardroom to deliver the headline that’s been alluding everybody.

Walk out triumphant. 🤴

Don’t worry, it’s not the whisky, cigars and party lifestyle that attracts me.

It’s the approach they had to selling stuff.

We live in a different world now.

As channels multiplied and attention evaporated, advertising morphed into marketing and we lost something.

Take a look at this:

It’s bold, it’s clever and it reads easy.

It breaks every rule in the book, but it sells you a vision. It makes you feel something. You’re ready to roll up your sleeves for the underdog. 💪

I recently saw a quote from the golden era:

I wish we approached marketing the same way.

There’s no such thing as a good ad, only good content that gets read/watched.

People connect with a vision and are prompted by emotion.

Digital is different to print, but the concept still stands 65 years later.

We have to create content that interests people.

We know that deep down, but we talk-the-talk more than we walk-the-walk.

We applaud Apple and Nike’s campaigns, we quote Simon Sinek, we share the John Lewis Christmas ad and we watch the Pespi halftime show at the Superbowl.

As marketers, we recognise what makes great advertising.

So why don’t we do more of it?

Answer: We are drawn to the easy sell.

The quick, lukewarm headlines.

The endless URLs and CTAs.

Why do we care more about hashtags than the craft of good copy?

Consider this a call to arms to the heyday of advertising. 📢

Let’s unite at the skyscraper at 9am, whisky-less but grasping our oat milk flat whites, ready to inject some creativity into our marketing.

And if you need some external perspective and a huge dose of creativity, get in touch and work with us.

Because this is an ad, after all.

See you next week ✌️