It’s imperative to stay up to date with the latest trends and tools in the ever-evolving world of marketing—but that’s easier said than done. To help you navigate this dynamic landscape, our seasoned experts have curated a list of their favorite marketing resources that you should check out when you’re not reading our blog. They include:
Websites
Newsletters
Podcasts
Social media
Communities/forums
Books
Many of us search the web to dive more deeply into marketing concepts and improve our marketing nous, knowledge, and performance. Here is a list of websites every marketer should monitor to stay up to date.
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Considered a valuable resource by our Director of Strategic Insights, Christine DeFazio, Statista is a great site to get a big picture of your audience whether you’re researching consumer behavior, analyzing market volume, or exploring emerging trends. We especially appreciate this resource’s data visualizations that make interpreting large data sets easier. The Basic Account provides free access to all Basic Statistics.
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SEO is always changing and that is why we find this resource immensely helpful. We leverage Search Engine Journal to understand algorithm updates that are crucial to our SEO strategies. In addition, the site offers the latest news and in-depth guides as well as expert commentary and analysis on all things SEO.
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DAC’s Associate Vice President of Digital Media, Richard Lajoie, says WordStream can help you understand how your campaigns stack up against industry standards. The platform provides key benchmark data for Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and Bing Ads, including average click-through rates (CTR), cost per click (CPC), conversion rates, and more.
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PPCChat.com is an interactive forum that enables us to connect with a community of pay-per-click/PPC practitioners on Twitter/X. These chats and the articles discussed are posted to the website, which helps us to stay up to date with PPC industry news and how it is affecting marketers.
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Adcore provides a great first step to understanding marketing concepts and best practices. This resource shares how-to articles like “What to Do When Your Facebook Ad Account Is Disabled,” as well as reviews such as “Display Ads that work – AI in digital marketing [2024 Edition].”
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This resource is highly recommended by our Business Intelligence Director, Kuhan Puvanesasingham. One Useful Thing features articles on a wide range of AI-related topics, helping us stay ahead of the AI curve so we can effectively leverage it in our marketing.
If you prefer to receive insights directly to your inbox, our experts have prepared a list of their favorite marketing newsletters.
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We subscribe to Content Marketing Institute’s (CMI) “This Week in Content Marketing” for content inspiration. They share great case studies and the top articles from the CMI website, allowing us to stay on top of content trends.
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Our Senior Content Strategist, Cloe Barnes-Fernandez, says, “Insider Intelligence is a great all-rounder for industry news. I subscribe to the marketing and advertising newsletter, which I find helps me keep on top of the latest goings-on with digital platforms. They’re also quite good for AI news.”
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Sterling Sky’s newsletter offers valuable insights into the latest trends, strategies, and news in local search, helping us optimize our local marketing efforts and stay updated on changes in the local search landscape.
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This niche newsletter serves readers with multi-location businesses, covering news and analysis of hyperlocal marketing. It covers a wide range of topics, including local commerce, local tech, local media, and more, providing us with the insights we need to execute successful campaigns for our clients with multi-location businesses.
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Kyle Harris, DAC’s Director of Local Optimization from our New York City office, recommends the Near Media newsletter. It primarily highlights new opportunities that arise in local search, keeping us abreast with the moves of major consumer platforms like Google, Apple, Meta, and Amazon.
Podcasts offer a unique way to absorb knowledge and gain insights, allowing you to learn from industry leaders and experts while on the go. Here are some highly valued podcasts recommended by our busy experts.
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Our Content Strategy Team Lead, Rosalind Kinder, says, “I find the brand case examples are always intriguing and the topics blend a lot of the principles our team works with regularly—from integrating AI into the workflow to the creative tactics employed in brand building to grow with today’s consumers.”
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Recommended by Mark Wheatley, our Digital Media Manager, the Paid Search Podcast teaches entrepreneurs, marketing firms, and PPC freelancers how to maximize the return on their Google Ads spends.
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As a companion to the Search Engine Journal website, The Search Engine Journal Show podcast allows us to delve deeper into the world of SEO. The show features interviews with industry experts and authorities, providing actionable advice and strategies on all things SEO, PPC, social media, content marketing, and digital marketing.
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Recommended by Rudy Nassar, the Account Director in DAC’s Montreal office, Joe Pulizzi’s Content Inc. podcast is a go-to resource for content marketing. Pulizzi, a renowned content marketing expert, shares his insights and strategies for creating compelling, effective content. The show features case studies, success stories, and practical tips that we apply to content creation.
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DAC’s Vice President of Marketing and Communications, Sonia Allard, recommends this resource. She says, “This 30-minute podcast provides data on the latest trends in digital marketing around the world. The topics are varied, eMarketer analysts each give their own points of view, allowing us to form our own opinions, and there’s even a quiz at the end of each month to test our knowledge.”
Besides monitoring the #ppcchat hashtag on Twitter/X, here are some marketing pages our experts follow on social media.
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This page is more than just hilarious advertising memes: It also provides some of the fastest updates on major industry events.
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This is a community of Facebook Ad experts that discuss bidding strategy, new ad types, new targeting options, new strategies in general, new ad policies, and more.
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Recommended by our Digital Media Manager, Mark Wheatley, this group is home to GA4 experts that answer GA4-related questions, share ideas, and post events for the community.
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This resource is a Google search hub that offers tips, tutorials, and topical podcasts posted weekly. Search Central has a wide range of talented experts that give you an insider’s perspective on everything from ecommerce to Google Search Console.
Many of our experts enjoy being a part of communities/forums of marketers that share information.
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Online Geniuses is available to thousands of members as a free Slack community. This group answers questions, shares resources, and is an excellent way to keep your finger on the pulse of all things digital.
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This resource is an active Slack community of pay-per-click/PPC practitioners.
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This is a PPC and SEM Slack community says that its mission is “to be the friendliest, and least cool, community of PPCs on the planet.”
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This active forum an excellent knowledge base for countless topics in search and SEO.
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This forum has been going strong since the early 2000s. It is a great knowledge base for any PPC and SEM questions that you may have.
Lastly, our experts recommend some great literature for marketing minds. These books offer invaluable insights and strategies to help you excel in your marketing endeavors.
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How Brands Grow by Byron Shape
This resource was recommended by DAC’s Director of Strategic Insights, Christine DeFazio. Sharp’s evidence-based approach offers readers a clearer understanding of consumer behavior, enabling them to craft strategies that resonate with their target audience and drive sustainable brand growth.
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The Coming Wave by Mustafa Suleyman
DAC’s Business Intelligence Director, Kuhan Puvanesasingham, recommended The Coming Wave. This book is particularly beneficial for marketing professionals and businesses to understand and prepare for the changes on the technological horizon, enabling them to stay ahead of the curve and capitalize on new opportunities.
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How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
Carnegie presents practical advice and strategies on how to connect with others, understand their perspectives, and influence their decisions. For marketers, this book offers invaluable insights into understanding consumer behavior and crafting strategies that resonate with audiences. This book was recommended by Rudy Nassar, DAC’s Account Director.
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Traction by Gino Wickman
Also recommended by Rudy Nassar, this book offers practical strategies and a comprehensive system, known as the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), for achieving business success. For marketers, Traction offers insights into aligning marketing efforts with overall business goals and driving sustainable growth.
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The Art of SEO: Mastering Search Engine Optimization by Eric Enge, Jessie Stricchiola, and Stephan Spencer
This book is recommended by the Managing Director of DAC Germany, Ben Moll. The authors, each an expert in the field, bring a wealth of knowledge and experience, making this book a comprehensive guide for marketers and SEO professionals looking to deepen their understanding and enhance their skills in search engine optimization.
We hope these resources will help you navigate the marketing landscape more effectively, drive your strategies, and achieve your business goals. Remember, the key to effective marketing lies in continuous learning and adaptation. Happy marketing!
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