Corporate America can’t afford to ignore Gen Z
U.S. Gen Z members tend to spend their money with businesses that align with their values, respond positively to autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) advertising, and prefer online subscription and customization, according to new research survey data of interest to digital marketers. BNN Bloomberg

Why More and More Brands Are Getting Into the Streaming Game on Twitch
Twitch, which Amazon acquired in 2014 for $970 million, has seen increasing numbers of brands advertising on the streaming platform, and recently some have been moving from traditional ad formats to the in-game action itself, a new area of opportunity for digital marketers. Adweek

Study: Half of marketers struggle with martech focused on personalization, optimization
Testing, optimization, and personalization remain the marketing technologies that 50 percent of marketers find the most difficult, however 39 percent report implementing new martech tools quarterly, according to newly-released report data. Marketing Dive

Study: Few B2B Marketers Are Using Artificial Intelligence
Cost and budget constraints are the biggest hurdles to using artificial intelligence in B2B marketing, and even though only 18 percent presently employ AI, 67 percent of B2B marketers believe that the technology will lead to higher quality leads and opportunities, according to new study data. MediaPost

Snapchat announces new features geared at creativity, collaboration, partner advertising
Augmented Reality (AR), improved custom partner stories, and interactive targeted content are among new featured announced by Snapchat recently, as the platform looks to improve its partner and third-party app offerings. Marketing Land

The Most Difficult B2B Marketing Jobs to Hire For
Marketing analytics, operations, and demand generation are the roles B2B firms find hardest to fill when hiring, followed by content and social media marketing, while content marketing is the area that nearly 60 percent of B2B marketers say they would be most likely to outsource to an agency, according to newly-release report data. MarketingProfs

Instagram is the best way to market to teens, says Piper Jaffray survey
U.S. teens overwhelmingly prefer Instagram when it comes to how brands interact with them, and a whopping 70 percent favor the platform for online shopping, with 50 percent favoring Snapchat for branding, according to new survey data from Piper Jaffray. CNBC

VR, AR Can Improve Brand Perception: Study
Trust in marketing can be improved through utilization of virtual reality, which tends to be favored for an increased emotional connection, and augmented reality for additive learning, according to recently study data. MediaPost

Nielsen: From Neuroscience To Behavioral Science
Market research power Nielsen has recently moved into several areas of neuroscience learning, and as the past few years have seen increasing popularity for neuromarketing, the move brings considerable clout to an area both B2B and B2C digital marketers are likely to encounter with more frequency. Forbes

Share of U.S. adults using social media, including Facebook, is mostly unchanged since 2018
Instagram was the only major social media platform to see an significant increase in usage among U.S. adults since early 2018 according to new Pew Research survey data, showing the rest of the most popular platforms saw statistically unchanged usage, with slowing growth across the board aside from the Facebook-owned Instagram. Pew Research Center

ON THE LIGHTER SIDE:

A lighthearted look at wannabe influencer marketing by Marketoonist Tom Fishburne — Marketoonist

Steve Ballmer Rewards Playoff-Bound Clippers With Complimentary Microsoft Office Upgrades — The Onion

TOPRANK MARKETING & CLIENTS IN THE NEWS:

• TopRank Marketing — 10 of the Best Influencer Marketing Agencies That Can Help You Grow Your Brand — Shane Barker
• Lee Odden — How to Use Content for Effective B2B Social Selling — Digital Marketing Institute
• Lane R. Ellis — 10 Tips for Improving Your Content Marketing Strategy with Instagram and Other Tools — Small Business Trends
• Ashley Zeckman — Ann Handley’s Total Annarchy Newsletter #32 — Ann Handley
• TopRank Marketing — 20 Best Social Media Marketing Blogs To Follow in 2019 — HobPost
• Lee Odden — Marketing Influencers: Our 2019 Top 30 — ExoB2B

Do you have your own favorite new content marketing or influencer marketing news items for the week?

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