And… we’re back. Hello everyone! We’ve taken a short break with our newsletter, but we’re back, providing the tools, tips, news, and advice that you need to grow your business in 2025.

To get started today, here are 3 important stats that you should ponder as a marketer or business owner this week.

• A study by Forrester Research found that partnerships contribute approximately 28% of overall revenue for mature companies.
• Data indicates that involving a partner makes a deal 53% more likely to close, highlighting the effectiveness of collaborative efforts in sales.
• Strategic alliances can provide companies with access to new markets and technologies, facilitating growth and diversification.

Most businesses naturally focus their time and resources on proven sales and marketing tactics to bring in new customers—think networking, sales calls, ads, social media, SEO, and email campaigns. These strategies absolutely work and are essential for growth.

However, many companies overlook the power of forming intentional partnerships, especially locally. When done right, collaborating with the right partner can open up entirely new audiences, boost your credibility, and create momentum that is hard to generate alone.

If you’re looking to grow your local presence, partnering with like-minded businesses might be the smartest move you make this year. If you’d like to read more, click here for some deeper thoughts on the topic from Chris Auman, President of Sanctuary – A Digital Marketing Group.

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What you need to know:

Search Generative Experience Gets a Brain Boost

Google’s new AI-powered search experience now dives deeper than ever, pulling context from across the web to deliver research-style summaries right on the results page. Say goodbye to tab overload—AI Overviews aims to become your research assistant, not just a link list. 

Google Swears Search Isn’t Going Anywhere

Despite the AI glow-up, Google insists that traditional search is alive and well. The goal isn’t to replace it, but to enhance it—AI tools like Gemini are just here to assist, not steal the show. Organic results still matter, so marketers shouldn’t ditch SEO. 

AI Mode May Rewrite the Rules of SEO

On that note… Google’s AI Mode could radically change how people interact with search—blending answers, summaries, and links in a new format that keeps users on the SERP. Early adopters may gain a visibility edge, while laggards could get buried under AI blurbs. The key? Focus on content that helps AI help you. 

Master Your Robots.txt or Risk SEO Mayhem

A well-crafted robots.txt file is still critical in 2025. It can shield sensitive pages, guide crawlers, and keep your site lean and mean for indexing. But, mess it up, and you could be invisible to search engines. Google still honors the file—but it’s on you to get it right. 

Lights, Camera, LinkedIn: How to Host Events That Click

Want your LinkedIn Live events to be more than background noise? This guide offers practical tips: plan for engagement, promote with purpose, and repurpose content for the win. Think of it as your event playbook for turning viewers into fans—and leads. 

Prime Time for YouTube in 2025

Timing is everything—especially on YouTube. Data shows early afternoons on weekdays are the sweet spot, especially Thursday and Friday. But don’t just post and pray: know your audience, use analytics, and sync your uploads with user behavior to make the algorithm love you. 

Reddit Rolls Out the Red Carpet for Advertisers

Reddit’s new ad import tools let you lift and shift campaigns directly from Meta—making it easier than ever for small businesses to test the Reddit waters. Bonus: performance tracking just got simpler too. It’s Reddit’s latest move to woo SMB advertisers with familiar tools. 

Google Forks Over $100M in AdWords Lawsuit

After years of courtroom drama, Google agreed to pay $100 million to settle claims it charged advertisers for ads placed on misleading or low-quality sites. While denying wrongdoing, the payout could pave the way for more scrutiny into ad placement transparency. 

LinkedIn Taps AI for Smarter Ad Campaigns

LinkedIn’s new AI tools—like predictive audiences and automated creatives—aim to boost ad performance without extra lift. Marketers can now plan, test, and optimize campaigns with machine efficiency. Fewer spreadsheets, more impact.

Google Quietly Makes Thousands of Changes—Every Year

Think you’re keeping up with Google updates? Think again. The search giant revealed it rolls out thousands of changes annually, many without announcement. Translation: continual SEO tuning is not optional—it’s survival. 

Instagram Now Lets You Repost Like It’s 2010 (But Cooler)

Instagram has officially added native reposting tools, letting users reshare content like pros—no third-party apps required. It’s a play to boost engagement and reach, especially for creators looking to keep the content wheel spinning without reinventing it daily. 

The “Vibecession” Is Real—and It’s Weird

The economy isn’t technically in a recession, but consumers are acting like it is. Blame inflation, tariffs, and election jitters for the “vibecession”—a mood-driven downturn with real-world consequences for spending and sentiment. Business leaders, brace for unpredictable behavior. 

Goldman Sachs Warns of Shrinking Economy Ahead

Goldman Sachs just rang the alarm: U.S. economic growth may shrink in Q2, thanks to fresh tariffs and global tension. The outlook? Cautious. It’s not a full-blown crisis—yet—but businesses are being urged to plan conservatively. 

B2B Email Marketing: The Data-Driven State of Play

B2B email marketing is still king—but now it wears a crown of data. Stats reveal that segmented lists, mobile optimization, and compelling CTAs are musts in 2025. Want more clicks? Get personal, get strategic, and don’t underestimate a good subject line. 

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SEARCH MARKETING

5 Proven Strategies to Rank Higher on Google

Whether you’re running a business, a blog, or an eCommerce site, showing up on the first page of Google isn’t just a goal—it’s a necessity. Higher rankings mean more visibility, more traffic, and ultimately, more conversions. But how do you climb the ranks in Google’s ever-evolving search algorithm? Keep reading for five proven strategies to help your website rank higher on Google.

Read More

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FREE DOWNLOAD

Learn About the Benefits of Inbound

Inbound marketing is a customer-centric approach aimed at attracting, engaging, and delighting audiences through valuable content and interactions. In short, inbound marketing is the art of putting your customers first. Download Now.

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STRATEGY

Tariffs and a Recession Talk Got You Nervous?

When the economy gets shaky, businesses start looking for ways to cut costs. And all too often, marketing is the first thing on the chopping block. It’s an easy target, right? But here’s the problem: history shows that pulling back on marketing during a downturn actually makes things worse.

Read More

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KEEPING UP

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