Is Marketing Climate Change Coming? Or Is It Already Here?

Is Marketing Climate Change Coming? Or Is It Already Here?

Marketers reduce reliance on search advertising

Gartner’s survey announcement reveals some intriguing data on advertising priorities and budget expectations. (The full report is only available to Gartner clients.)

Chief marketing officers increased their investment in social advertising, digital video advertising, and influencers. Most survey respondents also decreased their investment in search-based advertising.

Those investment choices mirror what’s happening in the consumer world. Internet searches have become less and less useful with the growth of vertical search and generative AI.

The rise of push content (a la TikTok) also means relevant, targeted, and personalized content now finds the user rather than the user finding the content (a la search). Robert wonders if those results hint at marketing climate change, where marketers find more success reaching audiences through influencers and social content than through search. Continue reading →