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Business Growth and Digital Marketing News & Tips 08-29-25

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Many people think of digital marketing as a way to bring in new leads. But if that’s all you’re focused on, you’re leaving revenue and opportunity behind. A true strategy isn’t just about filling the funnel. It empowers your entire organization, from sales to service, to drive growth, strengthen relationships, and maximize customer lifetime value.


Here are three quick takeaways to consider:

1. A comprehensive strategy helps your sales team close more deals.

A comprehensive digital strategy equips sales with the content, insights, and automation to keep prospects in the funnel and move them toward a sale faster. You’ll also create efficiencies that reduce manual nurturing and follow-ups, so the team spends less time chasing and more time closing. 

2. It unlocks revenue after the sale.

Retention is five to seven times cheaper than acquisition. Extending your strategy beyond the first purchase means happier customers, more upsells, longer relationships, and more referrals.

3. It improves customer service and efficiency.

Smart tools, automation, and content reduce costs while giving customers instant support and answers. That frees your team to focus on the human work that builds trust and creates new opportunities.

In short, digital marketing done right doesn’t just bring in new sales. It’s the Flywheel Effect that strengthens sales, empowers service, fuels loyalty, and multiplies the value of every customer interaction.


Check out our latest podcast episode where we’ll dig deeper into each of these strategies, share real-world examples, and talk about how to put this into practice for sustainable growth. Listen now


What you need to know:

Professionals Trust Their Networks Over AI & Search
A new LinkedIn study shows professionals lean more on trusted networks and peers than AI or search for work advice, signaling a shift toward creator-led and community-driven insights. Takeaway: Relationships and networks still outweigh algorithms in professional trust. Read More

Google Launches Image-to-Video Tool for Product Promotions
Google introduced a new tool that converts product images into promotional videos, making content creation faster and more accessible for brands. Takeaway: Easy video tools may push more businesses into richer ad formats. Read More

Google Brings Loyalty Offerings to Merchant Retailers
Google Ads now includes member-only pricing, shipping perks, and loyalty goals, enhancing how brands retain and reward customers.
Takeaway: Loyalty programs have become a core pillar of digital advertising. Read More

Google’s AI Overviews Accused of Breaking Spam Rules
A viral post alleges Google’s AI-generated answers violate the very spam policies Google enforces, sparking debate about fairness in AI search. Takeaway: Even Google is being challenged to follow its own search rules. Read More

The Fractured Future of Search: New Rules for SEO
Search isn’t dying, it’s fragmenting. With AI chat, social discovery, and traditional search coexisting, marketers face a more complex visibility landscape. Takeaway: SEO is now about being everywhere your audience searches, not just Google. Read More

A Framework for Smarter B2B Advertising Decisions
Search Engine Land breaks down how to weigh Google Ads versus LinkedIn Ads when building B2B campaigns. Takeaway: It’s not either/or — the best strategy blends both based on signals. Read More

What To Do When the Click Disappears
With AI answers keeping users on search pages, rankings no longer guarantee traffic. This guide shares tactics for brand visibility in a “zero-click” world. The Takeaway: Winning SEO today means optimizing for mentions and presence, not just clicks. Read More

Perplexity’s Discover Pages Offer a Surprising SEO Insight
Perplexity’s Discover pages show how AI search is evolving — looking less like programmatic SEO and more like a bold experiment in content discovery. Takeaway: AI search isn’t just mimicking Google — it’s rewriting the playbook. Read More

Google Wants To Show More Links in AI Mode
Google is expanding AI Mode with carousels and inline links to surface more publisher content. Takeaway: AI search is shifting toward more transparency and traffic sharing. Read More

Amazon Resumes Google Shopping Ads – But Not in the U.S.
Amazon restarted Shopping ads internationally after a month-long pause, but is holding out in the U.S. market. Takeaway:  Amazon is selectively testing channels, raising questions about its U.S. strategy.
Read More

Google Releases August 2025 Spam Update
Google’s latest spam update targets low-quality content and will roll out over several weeks. Takeaway: Expect fluctuations in search rankings as spam-fighting tightens. Read More

ChatGPT’s Answers Came from Google Search After All
A new report suggests OpenAI quietly used a Google Search scraping service to power ChatGPT’s real-time answers. Takeaway: The AI vs. search rivalry may be more entangled than advertised. Read More

xAI Sues Apple and OpenAI for Alleged Market Collusion
Elon Musk’s xAI has filed suit against Apple and OpenAI, alleging anti-competitive collusion in AI markets. Takeaway: Legal battles could shape the future of AI dominance. Read More


Why Every Business Leader Needs Time to Think

How clarity breaks help you lead better

In EOS, it’s called a “Clarity Break.” Bill Gates famously labeled his version “Think Week.” This isn’t a vacation—it’s a disciplined ritual: a chance to step out of execution mode and back into strategic leadership. 

Read More


What to Do When You Don’t Have a Marketing Team

What to do when you don't have a marketing team

This article is for the business owner who wants to grow but doesn’t have a marketing team (yet). They may never have a full-time marketing team, and that’s ok. Let’s walk through what you can do and how to do it in a way that respects your time, your budget, and your bottom line.

Read More


Grow Your Organization’s Revenue with a Comprehensive Digital Marketing Plan

Discovery near water image

Do you need a digital marketing strategy but you’re not sure where to start? Or maybe you’re unhappy with the results from your current plan? At Sanctuary, we focus on strategies that get results and help you grow your business. We’re leaders in marketing, and partners in growth. Learn more today!


Subscribe to Our Podcast

Almost 100 free episodes of advice and conversations around improving and aligning your marketing, sales and operations to grow your business. Check it out here!


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Chris-Auman
About Chris Auman:

Chris Auman is a veteran digital marketer with over 30 years of experience in the trenches. As Sanctuary’s founder and President, Chris has successfully guided online marketing efforts for companies large and small.

Learn more about Chris.

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