What’s also becoming more obvious is The paradox of automation. While it boosts efficiency, there’s a risk of over-reliance. As one guest noted, “It can be like a calculator – helpful, but if we stop thinking critically, we lose our edge.”
For content teams especially, generative AI has shifted the focus from output volume to original thinking and brand voice. Quantity is no longer the major metric that matters – especially in a digital landscape flooded with sameness. Quality, clarity, and connection are what set standout campaigns apart
Strategy: Metrics That Matter
Another throughline this season is the growing demand for smarter, more aligned performance metrics.
We’re seeing a major rethink around KPIs. Vanity metrics like follower counts, impressions, and even installs are under increasing scrutiny – not because they’re useless, but relying only on them can be misleading. Impressions may go up, but what does that mean without context? Install numbers might grow, but without post-install engagement, what’s the actual value?
Instead, marketers are shifting toward metrics that reflect real outcomes: ROAS, lifetime value, average order value, conversion quality, and deeper funnel behavior. Attribution challenges still exist – especially as privacy changes complicate data visibility – but that’s pushing teams to rely more on business-aligned performance indicators, rather than chasing what’s easiest to track.
Even email open rates, long dismissed as superficial, are being reconsidered – not as a stand-alone KPI, but as a signal of brand relevance and audience interest over time. The key isn’t abandoning older metrics entirely – it’s putting them in their place.
Ultimately, as one speaker from Episode 4 emphasized: “Are we measuring what really matters, or just what’s easy to measure?” It’s a question every team should be asking.
Monetization: Respect the User, or Risk Losing Them
