The TwoSix team is back and ready to share what’s On Our Radar for March so that you can stay ahead of the always-evolving digital marketing landscape. This month, the TwoSix team discusses email marketing best practices, Meta ad impressions, Google’s new “AI mode” and more! Keep reading to find out what we’re keeping On Our Radar for March 2025.

TikTok’s photo posting feature offers a valuable opportunity for tourism and events organizations that may find video production challenging. This feature allows users to share up to 35 static images in a single post, enabling the creation of engaging visual narratives without the need for video content.

Check out the article by TikTok with a step-by-step guide to developing a photo post and suggestions on optimizing your posts for search on the network. And this coincides with recent data indicating that 67% of users have searched the app for travel destinations or experiences. Notably, 60% of American TikTok users were interested in visiting new destinations after viewing related content.

Is it safe to say that email marketing is officially back at the cool kids table?

During the last year, one of the most popular topic themes I’ve been asked to present at conferences is email marketing. After years of social media dominance, I’m starting to notice a shift. Just a couple of years ago, I’d suggest a “best practices in email marketing” session to conference planners and they would say “what do you have on social media?”

That’s not happening anymore. It’s either AI or email marketing these days.

It’s pretty clear that marketers are taking a fresh look at the importance of their email marketing efforts. This is a really good thing and data proves it.

• 60% of consumers purchase because of email communications
• 61% of consumers prefer to be contacted via email
• Our emails drive traffic, fire pixels, and help us build audiences
• The traffic from email campaigns is typically the most engaged
• Email marketing efforts can have a 36:1 ROI

The bottom line is that your email marketing efforts can help to greatly motivate the decision-making process. While we’re beating our heads against the wall trying to game the latest algorithm changes on social media, our email databases sit there waiting for their own strategic shot. Unfortunately, many DMOs see email marketing as an annoying to-do list item that hasn’t been refreshed in years. Email marketing gives us direct access to our most engaged audiences, your deliverability is pretty much guaranteed, and it can be one of the most influential remarketing tactics out there. What is there not to like?

Not only does this reality give me the opportunity to share my most favorite slide I’ve ever created, but it’s also an opportunity to let you know that we can help! If you’ve been neglecting your email marketing program, just let us know. We’re ready to help you modernize your approach to start taking full advantage of the power of a well-crafted email message.

If you’re sick of hearing about Reels, then, boy, do I have the blurb for you! Just kidding. This is also about Reels — but with a twist. Numbers.

In the first 10 weeks of 2024, just 7% of TwoSix Digital’s overall ad impressions was in “Reels” placements on both Facebook and Instagram. In this prehistoric time, you could still watch regular “videos” on Facebook and those accounted for another 7%. So, combined, about 14% of ad impressions coming from video/reel placements.

Fast forward through the first 10 weeks of 2025. TikTok was briefly banned, Kendrick wore “those” pants, and Severance still doesn’t make any sense. Reels on their own are accounting for 20% of our ad impressions — up almost 300%. This is a big shift, and of a kind that we haven’t seen on Meta for a long time.

Most importantly to DMOs pushing website links, Reels are now getting a lot of clicks. From 3% of our ad link clicks during the beginning of 2024, during that same period of 2025, Reels constitute 17% of our ad link clicks — up almost 500%. Wow.

Does this mean you should panic and turn off all your image ads? Do you need frantically email influencers to take 100 videos? Absolutely not. We’re actually seeing some great results from image ads in “Reels” placements. But this swing is something you should be aware and get acclimatized to. Reels are not going anywhere and seem to just be growing. It is time to start making your media library into more of a 50/50 split between images and video, instead of an optimistic 90/10. And, yep, you guessed it — start prioritizing vertical video over everything else.

To me, this feels like Facebook’s shift from people’s walls to the main feed. And, honestly, I’m not even sure if that’s what they were called. Timelines? Profile pages? In any case, that should tell you something about the future.

Instagram is at it again – “following” TikTok’s lead in the vertical video space. The company introduced a new standalone app called Edits, aimed at making video content easier (and faster) to produce. The app, currently in testing, is designed to streamline video creation with templates, AI-assisted editing, and intuitive features to help users craft the kind of short-form content that thrives on Reels. Sound familiar?

Instagram has been ramping up its video capabilities for a while now, particularly as TikTok continues to dominate the short-form video space. In 2023, Instagram focused heavily on algorithmic boosts for video content, leading to a massive surge in Reels engagement. Now, with Edits, they’re doubling down on accessibility—giving users, especially those without professional editing experience, more tools to create eye-catching content without leaving the Instagram ecosystem.

While Edits could help lower the barrier to entry for casual creators, it also presents new opportunities for brands and influencers. Features like AI-assisted editing and pre-made templates mean businesses can produce high-quality Reels quickly, keeping up with trends without the steep learning curve of more advanced editing software.

This move aligns with a broader push toward making content creation easier and more dynamic across social media. With apps like TikTok’s CapCut already popular among creators, Edits could be Instagram’s answer to keeping users engaged and producing content without needing third-party tools.

It’s still early, but one thing is clear: the race for the best short-form video experience isn’t slowing down anytime soon.

Instagram is doubling down on helping new creators break through the noise. When a creator posts a Reel, it’s initially shown to their followers and a small number of non-followers. If it performs well, Instagram expands its reach, creating a snowball effect that can lead to viral success—maybe not mega viral, but hey, we can dream!

With increased watch time and Reels now extended to 3 minutes, creators have more opportunities than ever. Instagram has also refined its recommendation algorithm, boosting content visibility. Want to make your content recommendation-friendly? Avoid low-quality videos, steer clear of anything inappropriate for younger audiences, and post consistently (no, not daily—just regularly!).

Enhance your content with audio—music can take a back seat, we want to hear your voice! Keep experimenting, try new trends, and stay unpredictable. The more fun you have, the more likely you’ll attract new viewers and turn them into followers.

Right now, I’m loving the trend where Gen Z employees write scripts for their older bosses to sell a destination or business—absolute gold! Keep recording, having fun and posting!

First impressions matter—especially in email marketing! When someone subscribes to your newsletter, they are letting you know that they want to hear from you. It is crucial to take this opportunity to create a lasting impression with new subscribers that keeps them coming back for more… but how do you do that?

An automated welcome email series is the best way to create active subscribers from new contacts. Unlike a single welcome email, a multi-email series allows you to greet new subscribers, introduce your destination, provide immediate value, and build a lasting relationship with these contacts. In fact, businesses that use a welcome email series generates 51% more revenue than those who send just a single email! 

So, are you ready to turn those new subscribers into engaged, potential travelers? Click the button below to read the full blog post on How To Create An Effective Automated Welcome Email Series!

Your Google search experience may be getting a new friend. Google announced at the beginning of March that it will be testing a new “AI Mode.” Once available to the general public, you should be able to see an “AI Mode” tab under the search bar.  

Here’s what it looks like on desktop.

Essentially, Google’s new AI Mode will be a more advanced and interactive version of their AI Overviews.  According to Google, it will conduct multiple searches and scan multiple sources related to your initial query, providing more comprehensive responses. Unlike AI Overviews, which offer quick summaries, AI Mode enables interactive conversations with follow-up questions and supports text, voice, and image searches.

Many are still trying to get a grasp on concrete ways to have their content appear in Google’s AI Overviews, yet Google is already hitting us with an even more complex AI feature as part of the search experience. If you feel like it’s impossible to keep up with the evolving landscape of AI, you are certainly not alone.

I asked Gemini to highlight some key differences between AI Overviews and Google’s new AI Mode, while also sharing how those differences will impact the way we should optimize content to appear in each of these features.

Here are some foreseeable tactics to keep in mind:

Optimizing for AI Mode:

• Multimodal Content: Utilize images and videos, ensuring they’re properly tagged and optimized, to cater to text, voice, and image searches.
• In-Depth Exploration: Create content that facilitates exploration, offering data, comparisons, and reasoning to aid user conclusions.
• Interconnected Insights: Develop content that comprehensively covers various facets of a topic, linking related information.
• Conversational Structure: Design content that anticipates and answers follow-up questions, providing detailed explanations. Address the “who, what, when, where, why, and how” of your topic.

Optimizing for AI Overviews:

• Direct Answers: Prioritize concise, direct answers to user queries.
• Prioritize Questions: AI Overviews often appear when a user searches for a specific question. Aim to answer “who, what, when, where, why, and how” questions directly and comprehensively.
• Structure Content: AI overviews often pull information from featured snippets. Optimize your content to appear in these snippets by using clear headings, bullet points, and numbered lists.

Finally, one of the most important things to remember when optimizing your content for any type of AI summary is to emphasize your authority on the subject matter. Search engines want to ensure that they are providing an accurate summary, using the most reliable sources of information on a topic. To increase your authority, ensure your content is comprehensive, in-depth and filled with a strong network of internal and external links. Acquiring backlinks (referrals) from other reliable sources is also a great way to increase your site’s authority!

Remember when TikTok was banned for 14 hours? That was wild.

While the status of the app’s future in the U.S. continues getting pushed to the back burner, it looks like TikTok is making its push in local economies.

Axios reported that roughly two dozen new jobs recently appeared on LinkedIn, based in a few larger coastal U.S cities. They’re looking for people to “evaluate opportunities to connect local merchants and vendors with TikTok creators and users. [Some] listings note TikTok is looking to onboard lifestyle creators across topics like food and travel, to help drive local services adoption and monetization opportunities.”

TikTok is no stranger to the e-commerce space. In 2023, they rolled out their Shop which allows users to sell and purchase items from creators in-app instead of going to some 3^rd party site (like Etsy, for example). Now, with these new job openings, it appears that TikTok is looking to partner with local organizations, keeping users in the app to view and make purchases for services in a user’s location.

The pros? Everything can be done in one place. Imagine a TikTok user seeing a video promoting a local museum or festival nearby and wanting to buy tickets. Instead of leaving the app entirely, they could soon be able to purchase their tickets directly from that video. This has already proven effective in China’s version of TikTok, Douyin, where users can make all the transactions they need in one “super app”.

The cons? Users wouldn’t have to leave the app to learn more information or make that purchase. That would mean they wouldn’t have to visit a website once they’re done, and the business’s website would lose potential traffic.

Whatever the decision on the TikTok ban on the U.S. may be, streamlining these purchases could be a real gamechanger for small businesses and DMOs alike.

With the ever-changing digital marketing world, we are here to keep you informed of new digital trends and what we are keeping on our radar each month. Have any questions? Contact us! We’re here to help.

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