INSIGHTS FROM EXPERTS ON LINKEDIN
Sasha Goncharov warns that connecting Claude to Meta Ads Manager through MCP servers can lead to ad account bans. He explains that the integration can overwhelm Meta’s API with too many data requests, which triggers automated flags and disables accounts without human review. Several advertisers have reported the same issue, so he advises waiting for more stable integrations before trying it.
Liam Moroney breaks down why two well-known B2B reports appear to show different buyer journey lengths. One report suggests the journey is getting longer while another shows it getting shorter, but he explains that they measure different perspectives — one from the brand side and the other from the buyer side. His point is that marketers need both viewpoints to understand what buyers are actually doing and avoid relying on just one data source.
Krists Jakabsons highlights a new update in LinkedIn that adds a 180-day lookback window in the Companies tab. He also mentions earlier improvements like the comparison feature and a redesigned search bar. He reflects on how LinkedIn has been improving its tools this year.
Laura Erdem shares new data from Dreamdata showing that B2B buying journeys are becoming much more complex. She explains that the average deal now involves more touchpoints, more stakeholders and more channels, making decisions harder for buying groups. Her point is that marketing’s job is shifting from simply creating awareness to helping large buying groups align and make sense of the decision together.
Philip Ilic explains why he prefers saturating a targeted audience instead of relying heavily on retargeting in LinkedIn ads. His approach focuses on repeatedly exposing a defined list of accounts to multiple pieces of content over time so they understand the brand before they enter the market. When bottom-funnel campaigns launch later, the audience is already familiar with the company and more likely to convert.
Madhav Bhandari argues that standing out will become the biggest challenge for CMOs as software markets grow more crowded. He points to massive growth in software vendors and how AI is making it even easier to launch new products. In such a saturated market, he believes companies with strong differentiation will win while similar-looking products will struggle to survive.
Carolyn Dilks highlights research from Gartner showing many CMOs lose their roles because they struggle to clearly prove marketing’s impact on growth. She says the real issue is often poor data visibility, unclear ownership of pipeline and weak reporting to leadership. CMOs who fix their data and show clear evidence of marketing’s impact are far more likely to succeed.
Kerry Cunningham shares data from LinkedIn showing many buying processes collapse because buying groups cannot reach consensus. He argues that aggressive vendor competition, hype and attacking competitors can actually increase buyer confusion and reduce confidence in the entire category. When that happens, companies may delay decisions or abandon projects altogether, shrinking the market for everyone.
WHAT'S NEW IN THE INDUSTRY
LinkedIn has rebuilt its Feed recommendation system using large language models, transformer architecture and GPU-powered infrastructure. The new system analyzes both user profiles and posts in a shared AI embedding space to better understand professional interests and recommend more relevant content. For marketers, this means both organic and paid posts will increasingly compete based on deeper semantic relevance rather than simple keywords or engagement signals.
OpenAI has started testing sponsored placements inside ChatGPT for a small group of U.S. users, signaling the platform may soon enter the advertising market. If consumer behavior shifts toward shopping through AI prompts, ChatGPT could become a new demand-capture channel similar to search, though it would likely redistribute ad budgets rather than grow the market. For now, marketers are advised to prepare early but expect challenges around intent, attribution and evolving measurement.
Google has confirmed that Google Marketing Live 2026 will take place on May 20, where the company is expected to reveal major updates across advertising, AI and campaign automation. The annual event is one of the biggest announcement days for advertisers using Google Ads and often sets the direction for new tools and features throughout the year. Marketers can expect announcements focused on AI-driven advertising, automation and improved performance measurement.
Organic search traffic is dropping as more people get answers directly from AI tools and Google features without visiting websites. Studies show many B2B sites have already lost significant traffic, especially informational content that AI summaries can easily replace. Marketers are now being advised to track new metrics like AI citations, brand mentions and share of voice to understand how visible their content is in AI-generated answers.
Google is rolling out an AI voice-over feature for Google Ads Performance Max video ads that automatically adds narration if a video doesn’t already include one. The system pulls text from headlines and descriptions and converts it into a voice track using Google’s AI models. Advertisers must opt out before March 20 if they don’t want their videos automatically enhanced.
New technologies that measure emotional reactions, like facial coding, eye tracking, and biometric signals, are helping marketers understand how people truly respond to ads. Unlike traditional surveys, these tools capture subconscious reactions that influence decisions before people can rationalize them. This allows brands to identify weak messaging earlier and improve creative before spending large media budgets.
Google is introducing auto-generated end screens in certain video ads that show a conversion card after the video finishes. The feature pulls campaign data to display elements like app name, icon and install links, and it is enabled by default. However, it can override existing custom YouTube end screens, meaning advertisers may lose control over the final call-to-action in their videos.
LinkedIn advertisers are seeing promising results from several new ad approaches, including short-form video, Thought Leader Ads and personalized creative. Early tests show stronger engagement and lower cost per lead, especially when ads feature real people or tailored messaging. Marketers are also encouraged to test Qualified Lead Optimization and the new ad duplication feature to improve lead quality and speed up campaign launches.
Many companies are investing heavily in AI marketing tools but still fail to use them effectively because of organizational issues. According to McKinsey & Company, unclear goals, slow approval processes and rigid team structures often block real progress. The report suggests moving toward “positionless marketing,” where teams are organized around outcomes instead of roles so marketers can move faster and deliver more value.
About 80% of advertisers using Performance Max are now getting connected TV impressions through YouTube, often without realizing it. Google has expanded CTV placements and even turns product feed images into TV ads automatically. Advertisers are advised to review channel reports, improve product images and consider creating TV-ready video assets to make sure their ads actually work on the big screen.
Google has redesigned the Asset Optimization panel in Google Ads to make creative automation easier for Demand Gen campaigns. Advertisers can now manage features like AI-generated shorter videos, automatic video resizing and landing-page image pulls from one simple panel. The update makes it easier to scale creatives and expand reach without producing new assets manually.
A PPC expert shared several common mistakes that can quietly damage campaign performance in Google Ads. These include hidden automated asset settings, risky last-minute changes and blindly following recommendations from platform reps. The key is to regularly audit account settings, double-check major changes and rely on your own judgment before making big optimizations.
Research shows most B2B buyers already have a shortlist of brands before they seriously evaluate vendors. Because of this, brand awareness and early impressions play a huge role in who actually gets considered later in the buying process. If your brand isn’t remembered early, even strong bottom-funnel campaigns may come too late.
That’s the scoop for this week! If you found this valuable and any useful insights caught your eye, feel free to share them with your network.
Until next week!
