INSIGHTS FROM EXPERTS ON LINKEDIN
Liam Moroney explains that category demand and market share are two very different things. While companies compete for market share, they cannot create demand itself because it belongs to customers and is shaped by market conditions. He argues that growing market share is difficult without major disruption, making it important for marketers to understand both market demand and their position within it.
Peep Laja shares research showing that only 2% of B2B buyers see vendors as genuinely different, with most feeling that competing products all look and sound alike. He argues that bland messaging is rarely accidental and instead happens when companies repeatedly choose safer, less distinctive positioning. According to Peep, real differentiation requires leadership teams to be willing to take risks and stand out.
Charlie de Thibault highlights three major benefits of building a strong brand: stronger pricing power, higher conversion rates, and lower advertising costs. He explains that people are more likely to buy from brands they already know and trust, which also improves performance across advertising platforms. Strong brands can often charge more and achieve better marketing efficiency than less familiar competitors.
Kerry Cunningham warns that many B2B companies rely too heavily on third-party intent data as a direct trigger for sales outreach. He argues that intent signals should first be analyzed within a predictive model to determine whether buyers are genuinely in-market before sales teams act on them. According to Kerry, intent data becomes far more valuable when it is used alongside context and AI-driven analysis.
WHAT'S NEW IN THE INDUSTRY
LinkedIn has launched Connected Apps, a feature that lets tools like HubSpot and Replit automatically add verified descriptions of how people use their software directly to LinkedIn profiles. The move gives professionals stronger proof of their skills while turning customers into public advocates for the software brands they use. It also signals LinkedIn’s bigger push to become the go-to platform for verified professional credentials in an AI-driven world where self-reported skills are becoming less trustworthy.
Google is rolling out new Smart Bidding updates, including expanded Smart Bidding Exploration and a new Promotion Mode beta, to help advertisers find new conversion opportunities and adjust performance during peak sales periods. Advertisers will also see changes to bidding optimization for budget-limited campaigns aimed at delivering steadier results. The updates give Google’s AI more flexibility to uncover new demand while keeping campaigns aligned with performance goals.
Starting in August 2026, Google Ads will automatically assign conversion-based customer lists as existing customers, new customers, or other audience types. Advertisers will no longer be able to leave eligible lists unclassified and are being encouraged to review their audience settings before the change takes effect. The update is designed to improve how Google’s automation systems optimize acquisition and retention campaigns.
Google will switch certain Demand Gen campaigns on Discover from click-based (CPC) to impression-based (CPM) billing starting July 15. The change only affects advertisers using view-through conversion optimization and is intended to better match billing with campaign goals focused on ad views rather than clicks. Advertisers can avoid the change by turning off view-through conversion optimization.
Google Ads has launched a beta that allows advertisers to combine website tag data with backend conversion data from sources like CRMs and ecommerce systems. The new feature helps recover missed conversions, improve measurement accuracy, and provide stronger first-party signals for automated bidding. It also simplifies bringing offline and online conversion data together in a single conversion action.
Google has introduced Ask Ad Manager, a new AI assistant that lets publishers analyze performance, troubleshoot issues, and generate reports using natural language prompts. The Gemini-powered tool aims to reduce manual work and help publishers move from insights to action faster. It’s part of Google’s broader push toward AI-powered and increasingly automated advertising workflows.
OpenAI has started rolling out its self-serve ChatGPT Ads Manager beta to businesses in the UK, giving advertisers an early look at the platform’s emerging ad ecosystem. The interface includes campaign management, billing, and account controls, although it currently lacks a central dashboard for managing multiple client accounts. The launch is another sign that OpenAI is laying the groundwork for a scalable advertising business within ChatGPT.
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!
