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At Brunner, media is in our DNA. From ad targeting to ROI tracking, hear from the experts in media.

At Brunner, media is in our DNA, blending data-driven strategies with creative execution. Explore our insights to optimize your media investments and engage customers at every touchpoint on their journey.

Our Perspectives on Media: Trends and POVs | Brunner

media

Explore strategic insights from Kevin Amos, Brunner Partner, Chief Media and Data Officer.

Perspectives from Kevin Amos | Brunner

Partner, Chief Media and Data Officer

Kevin Amos

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When Google announced in 2020 that it would drop third-party cookies, the news triggered two main reactions — concern about how to measure marketing efforts and a rush to develop alternative ways to target key audiences and track how they engage.&nbsp;&nbsp;Last month, Google’s decision to keep cookies unleashed another round of reaction. The search engine giant announced that instead of deprecating third-party cookies, it would “introduce a new experience in Chrome that lets people make an informed choice that applies across their web browsing, and they’d be able to adjust that choice at any time.”&nbsp;Immediately, Google’s about-face was met with comments along the lines of “It’s all about Google making more money” or “Google broke its promise” or “This is bad for your privacy and good for Google’s business.”&nbsp;Google is unlikely to roll out their privacy sandbox in a way that blocks their own analytics tools, and the upcoming changes should not directly impact site reporting. We recommend continued monitoring. Cookies leveraged for site tracking and analytics tools measuring on-site engagement of direct and organic traffic can be impacted by any cookie consent tools.

When Google announced in 2020 that it would drop third-party cookies, the news triggered two main reactions — concern about how to measure marketing efforts and a rush to develop alternative ways to target key audiences and track how they engage.&nbsp;&nbsp; Last month, Google’s decision to keep cookies unleashed another round of reaction. The searchRead more&hellip;" 

Targeting and Tracking Options for a Not-So-Cookieless Future

With Google Keeping Cookies, Marketers Need a Common Sense Approach to Targeting and Tracking  2

Unlock the power of your data with insights from Brunner’s data management and analytics team.

Unlock the power of your data with insights from Brunner’s data management and analytics team. Explore how we transform complex data into actionable insights that drive informed decisions and uncover new growth opportunities.

Data Management and Analytics Content and Perspectives | Brunner

data management and analytics

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When the internet was first introduced, it was a bold new frontier. A Wild West without rules and regulations. Only a few short years ago, the general public learned companies were collecting and selling data with every click consumers made. Since then, there’s been growing public awareness and scrutiny about data privacy and security concerns due to leading social media companies, like Facebook and TikTok, facing backlash on how they use and share personal data online.&nbsp;&nbsp;In 2018, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was called to address Congress about a data-sharing scandal with Cambridge Analytica, a company that bought data from Facebook to target political advertising. This marked one of the first times the collection of data by companies was questioned as unethical. In 2023, we witnessed TikTok CEO Shou Chew testify before Congress regarding TikTok’s adherence to data privacy and security. With more and more companies being scrutinized about data collection, we know this isn’t going away anytime soon.&nbsp;&nbsp;With creative thinking and new strategies being implemented, Brunner is partnering with clients to find ethical ways to store and gather data. But staying educated on the latest privacy and security laws, rules and trends is paramount. Here’s a look the laws in effect currently and the impact they will have on your brand.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Data privacy is becoming increasingly important. Discover how new regulations and shifting consumer expectations are influencing marketing strategies.

The Rise in Data Privacy and Its Impact on Your Brand

Hear from the Brunner Marketing Team as we give agency news updates, awards announcements and valuable insights on the ever-changing digital landscape.

Perspectives from Brunner Marketing Team | Brunner

Brunner Marketing Team

Unlock the power of paid search engine marketing with insights from our SEM experts.

Unlock the power of paid search marketing with insights from our SEM experts. Discover tailored strategies, industry trends, and best practices that drive clicks and conversions for your brand.

SEM Content and Perspectives: Industry Trends and POVs | Brunner

When Brunner welcomes you as a new client for search engine marketing, our first step is analyzing what you already have under the SEM hood.&nbsp;&nbsp;That means our <a href="https://www.brunnerworks.com/what-we-do/media/sem" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">SEM team</a> members use their expertise to evaluate how your accounts are set up — and most importantly — how they are performing.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The goal is ensuring every client gets the best possible return on their paid search spend.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“As Michael Jordan — one of the greatest basketball players of all time — is quoted as saying, ‘Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.’ That is how Brunner approaches all search campaigns: You’re either first or you’re last,” says Brunner Partner <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-amos-30b36b1/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kevin Amos</a>, who oversees the agency’s digital marketing team.Only the top 3% of Google partners make the Premier Partners list, the most rigorous status to earn. For Brunner, being at the top in SEM is built on years of experience and a continuous commitment to rigorous training, strategic processes, and key partnerships. That approach led to Brunner earning Google Premier Partner status for 2024, the third year in a row.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Delivering Big Results for Clients&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>“The Google Premier Partner badge is considered a big deal and we love the status,” Amos says. “But the most important thing is moving the needle for our clients and helping them achieve their goals.”&nbsp;&nbsp;For new SEM clients, the Brunner team’s work often delivers dramatic results. After an account is restructured, clients usually see drastic performance improvements for key metrics including cost per click, cost per conversion, and click-through rate.&nbsp;&nbsp;“We’ve always been cutting edge,” says Amos, citing the team’s long-time partnerships with Google, Bing, and other leading SEM platforms. Those relationships have allowed Brunner to provide input on innovations and get early access to new features and functions under development.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Through these partnerships, we can bring an extra level of sophistication and benefits that other agencies can’t bring to the table,” Amos explained. “We get first notice of new things our partners are doing, and we can take that to our clients as an exclusive.”&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Top 3% of Google Partners&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>Brunner’s SEM team has been working with Google for years and has been a Google Partner since 2016. In 2022, Google launched the Premier Partners program to recognize and reward top performers. Earning <a href="https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/9702452" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Google Premier Partner</a> status is based on three factors:&nbsp;<ul><li>Performance — Premier Partners must have an optimization score equal to or greater than 70% on their Google Partners manager account.&nbsp;</li><li>Spend — Premier Partners must maintain a specified spend level through 90-day spend across their managed accounts. This level reflects their role in helping clients consistently identify new growth opportunities and sustain their success using Google Ads.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Certifications — At least 50% of account strategists must be certified in Google’s platforms and tools. At Brunner, that number is 100%.&nbsp;</li></ul>The Google Premier Partner badge recognizes the Brunner team’s commitment to elite performance and impact, says <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/luke-navickas-16328368/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Luke Navickas</a>, Brunner’s associate director of paid search.&nbsp;“We can put our expertise up against anyone,” Navickas said. “We have a ‘test, learn, optimize’ mentality.’&nbsp;We train our teammates to understand what’s happening down to the granular level. We want to be the best.”&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Proven SEM Team Expertise and Certifications&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>All members of Brunner’s SEM team earn Google Ads Search Certification each year. In addition, most team members have Google certifications in specialties including:&nbsp;&nbsp;<ul><li>Google Ads App&nbsp;</li><li>Google Ads Creative Certification&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Google Ads Display&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Google Ads Measurement&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Google Ads Shopping&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Google Ads Video&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul>In addition to Google certifications, SEM team members earn Bing Ads Accredited Professional Certification for search advertising, native and display advertising, and shopping advertising.&nbsp;Taken together, these credentials demonstrate the Brunner team’s expertise in running paid search campaigns that reach each client’s target audiences, on the top search platforms those audiences are using.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Google Premier Partner Benefits for Brunner Clients&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>As a Google Premier Partner, Brunner gets exclusive Google benefits to extend to clients. Those benefits include:&nbsp;&nbsp;<ul><li>Ongoing access to Google’s current product betas&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Monthly Google insight reports on changing consumer behaviors and industry trends&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Promotional offers that give Google Ads credits to client advertising budgets&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Access to 24-hour advanced ads support to resolve any client account issues quickly and efficiently&nbsp;</li><li>Strategic and sales support from dedicated Google representatives for assistance with Brunner client accounts&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul><h2>Brunner’s World-class NPS Scores from Clients&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>Clients have taken notice of outstanding SEM results, and they value the close working relationship with the SEM team. Brunner’s most recent overall net promoter score, which measures customer loyalty and satisfaction, is 75+. NPS scores can range from –100 to 100+. Anything above 50 is considered excellent — and anything above 70is&nbsp;considered world-class.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Our clients know we are fully engaged in their accounts,” says Navickas. “When a client asks, ‘why does this happen?’ we have the answer. Their goals are our goals.”&nbsp;Note: This article was originally published on May 12, 2022, and has been updated for 2024.

As Brunner’s SEM team continues to deliver big for clients, we’ve maintained a Google Premier Partner status for 3 years. Learn more.

Brunner’s SEM Team Maintains Google Premier Partner Status for 2024

Brunner’s SEM Team Maintains Google Premier Partner Status for 2024, Continues Delivering Big for Clients

Hear from Luca Pugliano, Manager of Programmatic and Paid Social Media at Brunner, as he provides valuable insights in the ever-changing digital landscape.

Perspectives from Luca Pugliano | Brunner

Manager, OTT, Programmatic, and Paid Social

Luca Pugliano

Unlock the potential of programmatic display advertising with our collection of resources and expert insights.

Dive into our expert insights on programmatic display advertising and discover how to reach your audience with precision. From best practices to innovative strategies, we’ll guide you in maximizing your brand’s visibility and impact.

Programmatic Display Content: Industry Trends and POVs | Brunner

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If your brand is running programmatic advertising campaigns, you’re right to worry that your media dollars are being wasted due to fraudulent activity like bots and made-for-advertising websites.&nbsp;&nbsp;In a 2023 study, the <a href="https://www.ana.net/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Association of National Advertisers</a> found that out of $88 billion spent in open web advertising, a staggering $22 billion is wasteful or unproductive. Put another way, only 36 cents of every dollar spent through a programmatic platform effectively reaches the consumer, the ANA study found (<a href="https://www.ana.net/miccontent/show/id/rr-2023-12-ana-programmatic-media-supply-chain-transparency-study" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Read a summary; download the full report</a>).&nbsp;For advertisers, it’s the stuff of ad spend nightmares.&nbsp;At Brunner, we’re working aggressively to combat waste and fraud in <a href="https://www.brunnerworks.com/blog/programmatic-buying-the-high-tech-data-driven-way-to-manage-ad-buys-in-real-time-and-drive-business-results" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">programmatic advertising</a>, including testing and implementing innovative new anti-fraud tools such as <a href="https://fouanalytics.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FouAnalytics</a>.&nbsp;We’re seeing success. For one client, we used this platform to deliver a huge drop in bot traffic, a turn-around in verified human visits, a spike in view-through conversions and traffic — and a whopping $60,000 savings in media spend.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Using FouAnalytics to Combat Programmatic Waste and Fraud&nbsp;</h2>After the ANA released its stunning report last year, the Brunner Programmatic team revisited every aspect of how we manage programmatic ad buying. During 2023, we tested half a dozen vendors who offer tools to combat advertising fraud. FouAnalytics stood out as the only tool able to stop unwanted bot traffic.&nbsp;Like Google Analytics, FouAnalytics is an analytics platform that monitors digital media campaigns, but with an added layer of ad fraud detection. At Brunner, we use FouAnalytics’s in-ad JavaScript tags, which load data per impression based on signals that indicate fraudulent activity. Those signals include bots, ad stacking, pixel stuffing, and made-for-advertising websites.As a result, our Programmatic Ads team has adopted FouAnalytics as a best practice for every programmatic ad campaign we manage. It’s now part of our <a href="https://www.brunnerworks.com/blog/worried-about-wasted-budget-in-programmatic-ad-buying-heres-how-we-combat-waste-and-fraud" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">strict programmatic practices and processes</a> to combat waste and fraud, to ensure each client is getting the best possible return.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Brunner partners with FouAnalytics to combat programmatic ad fraud across our client campaigns. Learn more about our programmatic campaign success with FouAnalytics.

Combatting Programmatic Ad Fraud: A Success Story Using FouAnalytics

Unlock data-driven strategies with our retail media insights.

Unlock data-driven strategies with insights from our retail media experts. Explore tips on leveraging platforms like Amazon, Walmart, and Target to boost brand visibility and drive sales in today's competitive e-commerce landscape.

Retail Media Content and Perspectives: Industry Trends and POVs | Brunner

retail media

You’re on amazon.com, checking the product page for one of your brand’s best-selling items.&nbsp;&nbsp;Then you spot it — a competitor’s ad for a similar item, complete with a discount code and free shipping.&nbsp;Exactly how did a rival brand get its ad and special offer in front of an Amazon shopper looking at your product?&nbsp;&nbsp;It’s called retail media advertising, and it’s changing digital advertising to the tune of billions in ad spend from both B2B and B2C brands. Read on to learn what it is, how it works — and if it could be right for your marketing strategy.&nbsp;<h2>How Does Retail Media Advertising Work?</h2>To put it simply, <a href="https://www.brunnerworks.com/what-we-do/media/retail-media" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">retail media advertising</a> places ads right on retailers’ digital channels, such as their websites or apps, where consumers are shopping. Think of it as the online equivalent of those on-shelf coupon dispensers or point-of-purchase displays you see in brick-and-mortar stores.

Explore the world of retail media advertising and determine if it’s the right strategy for your brand. Learn how this growing trend can boost your marketing efforts.

What is Retail Media Advertising and Is it a Fit for My Brand?

In an era defined by data-driven decision-making, marketing intelligence is the cornerstone of strategic success. Discover insights from our team.

At Brunner, marketing intelligence is the foundation of data-driven decision-making. Explore our insights to learn how to leverage data effectively, target your audience, and stay ahead in a competitive landscape.

Our Thoughts on Marketing Intelligence Solutions | Brunner

marketing intelligence solutions

Google Analytics 4 is here. The latest iteration of the powerhouse web analytics tool, known as GA4, might be leaving you wondering, “What does this mean for me and my business?” In this landscape of ever-evolving technologies, it can be difficult to keep track of the most important changes and the impact they have on your teams.&nbsp;&nbsp;At Brunner, we have helped dozens of clients across a range of industries manage the transition to Google Analytics 4.&nbsp;Read on to learn more about the latest version of this tool.&nbsp;<h2>What is Google Analytics 4?</h2>Google Analytics 4 is a web analytics service that provides metrics and analytical tools for marketing that’s just come into use as Google’s new standard. In early 2022, Google announced it would be sunsetting its current analytics platform, Universal Analytics, and implementing GA4 as its main analytics service. GA4 became the new analytics standard on July 1, 2023. Google wanted to provide a more comprehensive and accurate view of data across multiple devices and platforms, such as websites on laptop or desktop computers and apps on mobile devices, including cell phones and tablets.&nbsp;<h2>Benefits of GA4</h2>Google Analytics 4 came about to provide two main benefits — protecting personal data and improving metrics for customer journeys.&nbsp;&nbsp;<ul><li>First, Google needed to ensure that the data collected about individual users preserved their privacy. In Universal Analytics, you could drill down to information at the individual user level, potentially revealing information about them. In GA4, the privacy controls — such as cookie-less measurement, and behavioral and conversion modeling — accommodate tighter privacy restrictions.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Second, Google wanted to give the end-user a more holistic understanding of the user journey. For example, in previous versions of the tool, a website visitor’s journey via mobile and via desktop would be tracked separately. GA4 allows us to track them together, meaning we get a fuller picture in one spot.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul><h2>How Brunner Uses GA4 </h2>Measuring performance is key to everything we do at Brunner, so our team has been busy preparing for the launch of GA4 since Google’s announcement. Nearly every client at Brunner uses Google Analytics and relies on us to manage it for them, so we knew we needed a plan for a smooth transition. Here’s how we did it.&nbsp;For our current clients, Brunner set up GA4 properties in July 2022, ensuring that these clients would have one year of web analytics GA4 data for comparison come July 2023.&nbsp;&nbsp;Another crucial limitation of Google Analytics 4 is that it only keeps user data for 14 months. We’ve developed a workaround for this as well. At Brunner, we ingest the GA4 data into our marketing intelligence hub, allowing us to keep historical data and give clients an alternative to using Big Query, Google’s data warehouse.&nbsp;“By ingesting GA4 client data into Brunner’s marketing intelligence hub, we create the opportunity for our clients to explore and analyze data to guide future decisions, and track campaign success and opportunities for improvement,” explained Olivia Coghe, Brunner’s Google Analytics specialist.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h3> 1. Setting up Tagging/Tracking </h3>The first step of setting up GA4 for our clients was getting the measurement ID onto each website so that we could ingest their web analytics data over a full year ahead of the switch.&nbsp;<h3>2. Configure Data Collection Streams </h3>Ensuring that the data collection is seamless can be a complex process. After setting up the tagging, we can adjust the data collection streams accordingly to enhance measurement events, configure domains for cross-domain collection, and define internal traffic.&nbsp;<h3>3. Create Goals, Events, and Conversions </h3>Each client is unique in terms of how their website works and what key performance indicators they want to measure. Our deep knowledge of their marketing goals helps us guide each client, with their specific needs in mind. We made sure all GA4 goals were mapped to each client’s larger objectives and were reflected appropriately within the platform. When creating GA4 events and conversions, we create GA4 events based on Google’s best practices. We also can register custom dimensions and metrics depending on client needs. Once the events are created, we mark appropriate events as conversions.&nbsp;<h3>4. Finalize the GA4 Property</h3>Google Analytics 4 is highly customizable for each client. This stage of the process is where our team sets up audiences, data settings, and attribution models, among other things. This is also the point when our team connects Google Ads and Big Query to the property. Along with these changes, our team can create custom Explore Reports, a new reporting feature in GA4, for each client.&nbsp;&nbsp;“In UA, they used to have a whole suite of default reports that allowed the end user to jump in and just look at different slices of data. Now they have the Explore tab, which is very powerful, but unfortunately, it’s not user-friendly,” said Matthew Cancilla, Brunner’s associate director of data management.&nbsp;&nbsp;These customized Explore Reports give us the power to dig into the data, but it can be a learning experience to get there. Our team describes learning Google Analytics 4 vs. Universal Analytics as similar to learning to speak a different language. The Brunner team can translate these differences easily for each client, giving them digestible and actionable information and reports.&nbsp;<h3>5. Monitor and Make Changes </h3>Google continues to make changes to GA4 even after its release. Staying on top of these changes is vital, so our team checks for updates daily. As our clients’ needs change, we can pivot their GA4 settings quickly.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>How Can You Get Started with GA4? </h2>If your company needs help transitioning to GA4, we can guide the process. For new clients, we start with a Google Analytics audit. We ask: are pixels firing? Does this website track conversions? Understanding where a potential client is with their GA4 migration or set up can give us actionable next steps to help them. Google Analytics 4 is ever changing and here to stay — and the Brunner team is here to help.

Google Analytics 4 is here but what does this mean for you and your business? Discover key features of GA4 and how it affects your tracking and analytics strategies.

Google Analytics 4: What It Is and Its Impact for Your Businesses

Stay ahead of SERP changes and Google algorithm impacts with valuable viewpoints and expert advice from Brady Ashe, Associate Director of SEO. 


Perspectives from Brady Ashe | Brunner

Associate Director, SEO

Brady Ashe

Search engine optimization is constantly changing. Stay up to date with perspectives from our team.

Search engine optimization is constantly evolving, and our team is here to ensure you’re always ahead of the curve. Stay informed with insights from our experts as we explore the latest trends, strategies, and best practices in SEO to help you grow your brand and dominate search rankings.&nbsp;

SEO Content and Perspectives: Industry Trends and POVs | Brunner

Our SEO team had the privilege to attend this year’s MozCon virtually, hearing from SEO professionals from all over, gaining insights into the ever-changing world of search engine optimization.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;MozCon is an annual conference to explore the future of search, gain insights into trends and connect with fellow marketing professionals in the SEO space. It brings speakers from all over the world who understand SEO initiatives and strategies and provide unique perspectives from their experiences.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>MozCon Trends</h2>During this year’s conference, there were a few key themes that directly correlate with the future of search. Below are the ones our team found the most relevant, alongside our POV.&nbsp;

Our SEO team attended MozCon 2023 virtually, gaining insights into the evolving world of SEO. Discover our top 5 key takeaways.

MozCon 2023: Our SEO Team’s Top 5 Takeaways

Gone are the days when advertisers had to rely on a tedious process of negotiating deals with individual account reps channel by channel, committing to ad buys, and waiting for days to receive data. Now, in a new age of high-tech, data-driven advertising, programmatic buying has emerged as the most strategic and effective solution for savvy marketers to beat the competition and drive business results.Through programmatic buying, advertisers can buy placements in real time through a central, automated platform that can purchase ad time across various channels, networks, and websites. They get real-time results showing exactly what’s working and what’s not. And they have the ability to shift budget on the fly and maximize ROI in ways not possible before.As a top 100 independent agency, Brunner is at the forefront of programmatic buying to deliver maximum impact for clients.At Brunner, we’re not sitting still. We’re agile and and we’re trying to move this industry forward. It’s not just ‘buy it, forget it and set it.’ We chase these audiences across wherever we need to chase them. We have the tools, we find the audience, and we have the results.<h2>What is Programmatic Buying?</h2>Put simply, programmatic buying is the buying and selling of ads in real time through an automated system. These systems, called demand-side-platforms, or DSPs, allow advertisers to place ads across a number of platforms.Programmatic buying took hold in 2013 and has since grown into an essential part of today’s marketing mix for advertisers. In 2021, the United States was the world’s largest programmatic advertising market worldwide at an estimated $167 billion USD, followed by China at $109.5 billion USD and the United Kingdom with $24 billion USD, according to Statista, which projected global programmatic buying to reach $493 billion USD by 2022.

Explore how programmatic buying uses advanced technology and data to manage ad buys in real-time and drive business results.

Programmatic Buying: A Data-Driven Approach to Real-Time Ad Management

Programmatic Buying: The High-tech, Data-driven Way to Manage Ad Buys in Real Time — and Drive Business Results

Stay updated on all the latest paid social trends.

Stay updated on the latest trends in paid social media to amplify your brand's reach. Explore insights on effective strategies, targeting techniques, and creative approaches to connect with your audience and drive engagement.

Our Perspectives on Paid Social Media | Brunner

paid social media

Many marketers are still skeptical about TikTok’s place in the digital marketing toolbox, but more and more articles like this one&nbsp;<a href="https://techcrunch.com/2022/07/12/google-exec-suggests-instagram-and-tiktok-are-eating-into-googles-core-products-search-and-maps/?tpcc=tcplustwitter" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">from TechCrunch</a>&nbsp;are making it clear that the platform is no longer playing second fiddle to the likes of Google, Microsoft, and Meta. Here at Brunner, we have certainly taken notice, and have been recommending TikTok to a variety of clients in recent years. If TikTok isn’t part of your digital marketing portfolio it has never been a better time to reconsider!As noted from TechCrunch, nearly 40% of Gen Z users prefer searching on TikTok over Google Search &amp; Google Maps “for discovery purposes”.&nbsp;While that last phrase seems to indicate that Gen Z searchers are more likely to use TikTok as an initial touchpoint for a product or service rather than for immediate recommendations for a dinner spot, it’s clear that young people are searching the web in a much different way than previous generations. With most marketing departments being led primarily by Millennials and Gen Xers this can be hard to wrap our collective heads around – but ignoring this trend could be a critical mistake for those trying to reach the nearly 70 million Gen Z citizens in the United States. While not an ideal fit for every client and situation, TikTok is nearly a must when Gen Z eyeballs are a priority.<h2>Testing TikTok with Mixed Results</h2>If your company is anything like our clients, you’ve been testing TikTok for some time with mixed results. High to mid-funnel results, and even soft conversions, typically perform strongly in TikTok and can often outperform some of the more established social channels like Facebook. However, you may have had a tougher time when proving ROI. For many advertisers, TikTok will not be the final place of conversion no matter how much search activity it’s generating. This can be a red flag for advertisers who are hyper-focused on proving the ROI for each channel. However, modern digital marketers know that the conversion funnel is as complex as ever, and just because a channel isn’t leading to a last-touch conversion doesn’t mean that it’s not an essential part of the user journey. Look no further than Google’s own&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/consumer-insights/consumer-journey/navigating-purchase-behavior-and-decision-making/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">‘Messy Middle’</a>&nbsp;to see how the conversion funnel has evolved in recent years. Many user journeys have a multitude of intersecting touchpoints, and now TikTok is most likely at least one of those touchpoints for an entire generation of US searchers. If you’re not there, will you miss out on a valuable touchpoint?<h2>When to Add TikTok to Your Marketing Mix</h2>We believe that the time is now to recommend TikTok for a growing number of client needs. But if you’re still on the fence about including TikTok in your marketing mix, the platform is working harder than ever to capitalize on its impressive search algorithm to show advertisers that it can be a lower-funnel touchpoint. As of July 2022, advertisers were able to take part in a closed BETA that allows for a sponsored ad placement in the platform’s search results. TikTok will search their eligible videos to place the most appropriate content in these results. What’s more, there are rumors that TikTok is also working on keyword-targeted ad buys that will let advertisers serve videos for specific queries!Does that sound familiar? It appears that search advertising is quickly moving into an era that will go beyond simple text ads and become more focused on highly specialized video content. If TikTok proves out this model, how long before Google inevitably follows suit and the lines between search and video are further blurred? Are you ready to meet that challenge head-on? We suspect that few are, but those that can take advantage of TikTok’s blossoming search potential are bound to reap the benefits.Keep reading to<a href="https://www.brunnerworks.com/perspectives/to-reach-young-adults-companies-like-the-home-depot-rental-are-finding-success-on-tiktok" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> find out if TikTok is right for you</a>.

Explore the potential of TikTok as a powerful paid search platform and how brands can leverage TikTok’s unique features to drive engagement and conversions.

Will TikTok Become the New Paid Search?

Hear perspectives on industry trends and future forecasts from partner and Chief Revenue Officer, Dan Gbur.

Perspectives from Dan Gbur | Brunner

Partner, Chief Revenue Officer

Dan Gbur

Gain valuable insights and perspectives from Chrissy Lynn, Senior Director of Media and Operations.

Perspectives from Chrissy Lynn | Brunner

Senior Director, Media & Operations

Chrissy Lynn

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With the soon to be extinct third-party cookie, advertisers, and agencies are going to have to look to new ways to track digital customer engagement as well as target key audiences. What began as a way to track online behavior and ensure better targeting has shifted to a growing concern over the misuse of this information.Because no one can expect to control or predict what Google, Apple, and other huge players do, advertisers need to come up with ways to track customer behavior and target key audiences. But more importantly, they need to ensure that they are doing so in an ethical way focused on customer privacy.

Explore Brunner’s perspective on navigating attribution and targeting in a cookieless world, and how to adapt your strategies for future success. 

What will they look like in a Cookieless World?

Cookieless Attribution, Targeting, and the Customer - What's Next

Brunner POV | Attribution, Targeting, and the Customer. What will they look like in a Cookieless World?

Gain valuable insights from Lindsay Motta, Senior Manager of Communications with over 12 years of experience in social media and influencer marketing.

Perspectives from Lindsay Motta | Brunner

Senior Manager, Communications

Lindsay  Motta

At Brunner, we are always thinking about the cross-channel picture. Hear from our experts.

At Brunner, we are always thinking about the cross-channel picture. Explore our insights to learn how to create seamless, integrated strategies that resonate with your audience and elevate your brand impact.

Integrated Marketing Content: Industry Trends and POVs | Brunner

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From campaign tips to influencer collaborations, discover perspectives from our team.

Discover perspectives from our experts on influencer marketing, where influence meets strategy. Explore insights on how to effectively partner with influencers to enhance your brand's authenticity and connect with your audience.

Influencer Marketing Content and Perspectives | Brunner

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As brands continue to face&nbsp;several&nbsp;challenges this year,&nbsp;including the unknowns surrounding the pandemic and the election, many marketers&nbsp;and categories&nbsp;also face&nbsp;the added challenge of&nbsp;operating under tighter budgets.&nbsp;&nbsp;For those struggling,&nbsp;the initial reaction may be to reduce or cut advertising for the&nbsp;remainder of 2020,&nbsp;but&nbsp;doing so could drastically impact a brand’s success in the long term.&nbsp;An article from&nbsp;ClickZ&nbsp;reports&nbsp;slowing&nbsp;advertising efforts now could diminish a brand’s overall impact and messaging could be less effective once marketing efforts ramp back up, leading to an 11% revenue decrease in 2021.&nbsp;&nbsp;It’s&nbsp;not only about&nbsp;identifying strategies that will help in surviving the current state of the market, but also staying competitive and setting your brand up for success well into the future.&nbsp;&nbsp;To do this, brands need to&nbsp;market smarter, but how?&nbsp;<h2>1. Take Advantage of Changing Habits and Media Consumption</h2>Media consumption has seen a dynamic shift this year, as most people have adopted some form of stay-at-home living.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/article/2020/staying-put-consumers-forced-indoors-during-crisis-spend-more-time-on-media/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">According to Nielsen</a>, media consumption has gone up significantly;&nbsp;at the height of the stay-at-home orders in mid-March, television usage was up 18% and social media app usage&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/article/2020/during-covid-19-sports-viewers-are-still-a-scoring-opportunity-for-brands-and-media-owners/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">increased by 17%</a>&nbsp;compared with early March.&nbsp;&nbsp;Now more than ever, it’s important to keep a pulse on where your target audience is spending their time and then meet them there.&nbsp;This could mean revisiting traditional TV inventory, testing streaming services and connected TV opportunities, or investing more heavily in digital efforts such as social media and search.&nbsp;&nbsp;Our Media and Planning&nbsp;teams&nbsp;can&nbsp;identify&nbsp;your audience’s&nbsp;changing habits and current media consumption as a guide to determine&nbsp;distribution channels.&nbsp;Our proprietary customer&nbsp;conversation tool I.S.A.C.C. can help you show&nbsp;up in those&nbsp;channels&nbsp;with captivating messaging relatable to their current day-to-day&nbsp;will help&nbsp;drive awareness, consideration,&nbsp;and ultimately,&nbsp;purchases.&nbsp;<h2>2. Leverage Testing and Analytics Tools</h2>Making the most of limited budgets requires a strong measurement program&nbsp;and tools&nbsp;(i.e. tracking pixels, Google Tags Manager,&nbsp;location tracking,&nbsp;and social listening)&nbsp;in place&nbsp;to&nbsp;ensure your investment is directly increasing sales.&nbsp;&nbsp;Some CPG brands&nbsp;such as&nbsp;kids’ snack brands,&nbsp;may have seen a decrease in sales with schools going remote.&nbsp;In these cases,&nbsp;it’s&nbsp;important to&nbsp;frequently&nbsp;leverage real-time data dating back to the start of the pandemic&nbsp;to efficiently optimize the way they reach new, lapsed and at-risk consumers. Doing so will allow them to respond to changes&nbsp;created as new consumer habits are formed.&nbsp;&nbsp;Other CPG brands, such as toilet paper or&nbsp;cleaning products, have seen a surge in sales resulting from the pandemic to the point where they can barely keep certain products on shelf. While the increase in sales and high demand may seem like a win,&nbsp;leveraging social media listening&nbsp;data is imperative for them to understand the sentiment around their brand as consumers may not be&nbsp;able to purchase&nbsp;the products, volume of conversation around supply chain issues,&nbsp;and whether the low inventory is causing consumers to switch&nbsp;brands.&nbsp;&nbsp;Having the right analytics program and measurement tools in place allows CPG brands to develop impactful campaigns that maximize available resources – without wasting them. By staying on top of a how your brand is performing, you’re able to easily identify new opportunities or react quickly to market changes, such as consumer behavioral shifts, supply chain issues or retailer challenges, to adjust your strategy.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>3.&nbsp;Leverage&nbsp;Influencers to Fulfill Content Needs</h2>At the height of the pandemic, brands had to get creative to&nbsp;produce&nbsp;content due to temporary closures and heavy restrictions regarding social distancing.&nbsp;While traditional on-set productions are starting to ramp back up, they come with a&nbsp;higher&nbsp;cost both in time and price tag due to the&nbsp;ongoing&nbsp;restrictions surrounding COVID-19. With tighter budgets in place, brands are looking for alternative ways to offset a potential content drought.&nbsp;&nbsp;Enter influencers. With the&nbsp;proper&nbsp;vetting and brief in place, influencers can create content on your brand’s behalf, distributing it to their highly engaged follower base. Additionally, brands have the opportunity to own and re-purpose those assets as they wish across their owned channels – creating digital, social media and TV ads at a more efficient cost.&nbsp;Even before the pandemic, CPG brands&nbsp;were testing this strategy. One great&nbsp;example of this&nbsp;is Pine-Sol.&nbsp;While the brand was&nbsp;a category leader, they&nbsp;felt they needed a fresh look to&nbsp;appeal to younger demographics who were&nbsp;entering the home renting/buying phase in their life.&nbsp;They started with an insight that stemmed from consumer data and social listening&nbsp;–&nbsp;consumers still clean on Saturdays, listening to music and dancing along in order to make it more enjoyable. They came up with the campaign “Clean Your Way” and partnered with known dancing and lifestyle influencers&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqFPDIXAFu8&amp;t=85s" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Inanna Sarkis</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqNrhsxlbl0" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tianne and Heaven</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;brand relevancy and consideration.&nbsp;Inanna’s video launched first,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/325671/pine-sol-dances-into-the-modern-age-with-influence.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">resulting in</a>&nbsp;1.3MM&nbsp;video views in 72 hours&nbsp;and a 40% increase in website traffic to Pine-sol’s site.&nbsp;Overall, brands who commit now to&nbsp;being strategic about their budgets while weathering the storm&nbsp;are setting themselves up for success, including maintaining a hold on their brand awareness, market share and securing their place with consumers for the long term.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Brunner identifies creative solutions to optimize spending and drive results even with limited resources, making the most of a shrinking budget. Learn more.

How to do More with a Shrinking Budget

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Stay updated on our latest achievements and growth as we continue to earn accolades in the industry. From award wins to exciting new initiatives, keep your finger on the pulse of everything happening at Brunner.

Agency News and Client Updates | Brunner

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According to Forrester, “Marketers can use performance marketing agencies to target in-market consumers, drive them to convert in digital channels, and support some organic marketing efforts.”While Brunner has always had a strong media planning and buying arm, we knew that we had an opportunity to enhance our performance marketing chops. To help get us started, we brought aboard two performance marketing veterans, Kevin Amos and Dan Gbur, who built the independent media agency, IMPAQT, so successfully that it was bought by media giant, Merkle.“Not long after the merger with Merkle, Dan and I knew we had to get back to our entrepreneurial, data-driven roots,” said Amos. “But this time around, we didn’t want to start from scratch. We wanted to find a partner with a shared mindset, which is what brought us to Brunner.”Over the last four years, we have been laser-focused on growing our data management, analytics and digital media teams – adopting a multichannel, performance marketing culture. The outcome has produced more well-rounded, results-driving media strategies that have exceeded client expectations. And we’re proud to say that our efforts have now been recognized by Forrester.In June 2019, Forrester published a global overview of 32 performance marketing agencies – Brunner included. In its report, Forrester outlines three segments of performance marketing agencies, differentiated by their channel offerings: performance search agencies, performance social and display agencies, and multichannel performance agencies.Brunner is pleased to be recognized as a multichannel performance agency by Forrester. According to Forrester, agencies in this segment tend to have “a laser focus on driving performance,” which has indeed been a north star for Brunner over the past years. The specific growth of our in-house SEM, social media and display teams has proven critical for reaching consumers at the moment when they’re ready to act – ready to request more info, submit the application, or make the purchase.The last pages of a consumer’s purchase story are quite possibly unfolding on their phone (or another device). Brunner’s multichannel performance marketing expertise gives us the nimbleness to reach that consumer at the right moment, in the right space, and ultimately, drive clear results for our clients.

Brunner is featured in Forrester's NowTech Global 2019 Performance Marketing Agencies report. Learn about our recognition and what sets us apart.

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