Google Vids: Create AI Videos with Your Own Avatar
Google has updated its Google Vids tool, allowing users to create digital avatars based on selfies and voice recordings. Now you can become the main character of AI videos using your own appearance and voice. The update also includes integration of the multimodal model Gemini Omni, which combines text prompts and reference images to generate videos.
New Features of Google Vids
Gemini Omni not only allows you to create videos from scratch, but also edit them: replace backgrounds, fix lighting, add effects. Step-by-step edits are supported — changes are made without needing to start over. This transforms Vids from a tool for work presentations into a full-fledged platform for creating AI content.
Personalized Avatars and Security
Avatars are linked to a Google account and marked with an invisible SynthID watermark. Access to the feature is limited to users over 18 in certain regions. Google emphasizes that avatars cannot be used to create deepfakes of company management.
Upload a selfie and voice recording to the tool. The neural network will create a digital copy that can be used in videos. The avatar is linked to your Google account.
Can Vids Be Used for Commercial Advertising?
Yes, Google positions Vids as a business tool. AI videos are suitable for ad spots, UGC campaigns, and content for crypto projects.
How Does Vids Differ from Synthesia?
Vids is integrated into Google Workspace and uses Gemini Omni for multimodal video creation. Synthesia focuses on avatars, but Vids offers deeper integration with text and images.
Try Google Vids today and create your first AI video with an avatar. It will change your approach to content production.
Avinash Kaushik: Time to Rethink Contracts with SEO Agencies — Save 25-75%
Avinash Kaushik, who worked at Google for about 16 years and held leadership roles at Intuit and DirecTV, and is now Chief Strategist at Human Made Machine, argues that AI can reduce agency fees by 25-75% right now. He urges marketers to immediately rethink contracts and stop paying for work done by machines. In this article, we break down why old contracts with SEO agencies are losing relevance and how to build a new, mutually beneficial structure.
Why It’s Time to Rethink Contracts
Kaushik highlights three converging factors: AI has become broadly intelligent, advertising platforms own basic AI models, and all systems communicate in real time. This has created a “we’re not in Kansas anymore” moment for all types of agencies, including SEO.
Work that once justified a monthly retainer is now performed by the platform. Kaushik expects savings of 25-75% on existing volumes of work and a 15-25% increase for genuinely new work not covered by the old contract.
Where the Old Contract Loses Meaning
Kaushik breaks down the old scope of work into clusters. Account architecture, keyword and audience structuring, campaign setup — about 20% of a typical contract’s cost — could shrink by 80%, as platform algorithms segment and target better.
Manual bid adjustments and pacing — AI has outperformed humans since late 2024; moreover, manual “saving” during algorithm training sabotages its performance.
Reporting — weekly decks, status meetings, manual comments — about a third of costs; 60% of this can be eliminated, as AI tools explain data themselves.
Base retainer (40-50% of a smaller total budget) — for management, strategy, data engineering.
Project fees (30-40%) — for work requiring human judgment: creative concepts, complex strategic analysis.
Performance bonus (15-25%) — tied to incremental profit or confirmed revenue growth, not platform metrics (e.g., ROAS) that the platform may inflate.
What SEO Teams Should Do
First, take your current SOW and sort each line: anything resembling template keyword research, manual rank tracking, technical audits — put it in the “platform already does this” bin. Be honest about how much retainer goes to this work.
Second, propose a new structure: a smaller base retainer, project fees for strategic work (entities, content architecture for AI Mode and AI Overviews, GEO strategy), and a bonus for organic revenue or Citation Share of Voice growth.
Third, ensure you own your data (GA4, Search Console, logs) before negotiations — otherwise, you have no leverage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this mean SEO agencies become useless?
No. Those who stop selling hours and start selling judgment, which machines cannot yet provide, will survive. Agencies that continue billing for monthly rebuilds and manual reports will lose clients.
What metrics should be used for the bonus?
Incremental profit or confirmed organic revenue growth, not vanity metrics like rankings or number of published posts.
Conclusion
Kaushik concludes: “You can pay for the past or for the present.” Most SEO teams are still writing checks for the past without realizing it. It’s time to change that.
Ready to rethink your contracts? Start with an audit of your current SOW and an honest conversation with your agency. Savings of 25-75% are not a forecast but a reality available today.
Marketing in the beauty industry in 2026 is not about long campaigns and static banners. It’s about weekly video releases, constant work with content creators, and a clear understanding of where every ruble goes. This article provides a real 90-day plan, team structure, production economics, and key metrics to show whether your strategy is working.
Brand loyalty in the beauty segment is minimal. Therefore, TikTok remains the most effective channel for generating interest in a product. Instagram Reels is the second most important, YouTube Shorts is third, but with potential. Pinterest works for the awareness stage and high-intent search. Retail media platforms (Sephora, Ulta, Amazon Ads) become the final conversion point.
According to NielsenIQ, video formats deliver 40% higher engagement rates compared to images. McKinsey notes that beauty livestreams in China account for about 12% of all online cosmetics sales, and Western countries are quickly closing this gap.
TikTok
Content can range from 3 seconds to 10 minutes. Purchases can be set up via Shopify. In the first week after product launch, plan 5–10 short videos (15–30 seconds) from creators.
Instagram Reels
Since 2026, Reels length has been increased to 20 minutes, opening up opportunities for longer tutorial videos. Optimal frequency is 3–4 Reels per week.
YouTube Shorts
If you’re already creating content for TikTok, cross-posting to Shorts requires almost no additional cost. Short videos can be used to promote longer tutorials on the same channel.
Pinterest
Static pins still deliver good CTR to product pages, especially in skincare and fragrance categories. Example: the brand 100% PURE uses paid campaigns on Pinterest and Instagram Reels to attract audiences.
In 2026, five formats work: tutorials, transformations, GRWM (get ready with me), founder videos, and comparisons (dupes). Tutorials work because beauty products need to be shown in action. Transformations provide visible results on screen. GRWM creates parasocial connections. Founder videos build trust. Comparisons are effective if you avoid using the competitor’s name or logo and instead compare with a price segment.
Example: e.l.f. Cosmetics runs live shopping streams with up to 20,000 concurrent viewers, selling thousands of product units per event. Rare Beauty combines UGC tutorials with Selena Gomez’s GRWM routines, boasting 8.4 million Instagram followers and 5 million on TikTok.
Building a Creator Funnel
Instead of one-time product mailings, a multi-tier program works. Define four levels:
Brand Ambassadors — on a quarterly retainer with category exclusivity.
Mid-Tier Creators — paid per post with whitelisting rights.
Micro-Creators — gifted product plus performance bonuses.
UGC Creators — paid only for assets, content used in paid traffic.
Technology simplifies management. Archive tracks nearly 100% of Instagram tags and 98% of TikTok tags, saving at least 20 hours per week. GRIN and Upfluence allow paying creators and tracking sales via Shopify. Traackr provides beauty industry benchmarks across 13 platforms. For smaller teams, Modash offers access to 350 million creators. Technology budget ranges from $500 to $5,000 per month.
Important: all creator posts must include clear disclosure of material connection (#ad, #sponsored) in accordance with FTC 16 CFR Part 255. Violations risk legal consequences.
Video Production Economics
There are three ways to organize video production. Each has its own cost curve.
In-House Studio
Hire 2–3 creatives, a part-time videographer, and set up an editing suite. Total costs: $400,000–$700,000 per year. High control, but slow ramp-up and limited by the weakest team member.
Full-Service Agency
Retainer of $30,000–$80,000 per month. Suitable for launches or large campaigns, but not for daily content flow.
External Editing Partner
Fixed monthly fee for editing services: $3,000–$10,000 per month. Fast, consistent, works from your creative director’s brief. Vidpros is an example: you send raw footage (from iPhone, shoots, or creators) and receive finished videos for paid and organic distribution.
Metrics to Watch
In beauty marketing, four key metrics stand out:
Hook rate — percentage of viewers who watch the first 3 seconds. Below 30% indicates a problem with the opening; above 50% means scale the budget.
View-through rate — percentage who complete a 15–30 second video. For beauty, the norm is 25–35%.
PDP attach — percentage of clicks to the product page. For brand awareness creative: 1–3%; for direct response: from 5%.
Retail sell-through — weekly sales per store at Sephora, Ulta, or Target. Key metric for retail chains.
These four indicators help determine which content to scale and which to stop.
90-Day Action Plan
Days 1–15. Analyze the last 90 days. Select top 5 by hook rate and top 5 by PDP attach. Create a plan for the next quarter.
Days 16–30. Recruit 8–12 creators through a four-tier funnel using Modash or Archive. Negotiate content usage rights.
Days 31–45. Shoot with the founder (3–5 hours of raw material). Send the material to the editing team — first cuts within 72 hours.
Days 46–60. Launch a paid campaign with a test budget of $5,000–$15,000. After 7 days, evaluate the hook rate, cut the bottom third, and scale the top.
Days 61–75. Launch a second wave of creators using winning assets. Whitelist the best videos. Add cross-posts to Pinterest and YouTube Shorts.
Days 76–90. Summarize results on PDP attach, sell-through, and revenue attributed to creators. Formulate a plan for the next quarter.
Brands operating at this pace consistently outperform those that work campaign-to-campaign with three-month gaps.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does beauty marketing differ from branding?
Branding is long-term work on identity and positioning. Marketing is short-term work on tracking consumer behavior and conversion. Branding drives marketing, but they are not interchangeable concepts.
Should I choose an agency or a freelancer?
Agencies are better suited for product launches and large integrated campaigns. Freelancers are better for specific tasks. External editing partners are optimal for a continuous content flow that neither can provide.
How much should a beauty brand spend on marketing?
Many DTC brands spend 20–30% of revenue, skewed toward paid traffic and creator work, since beauty is a category with high AOV and LTV.
Do I need to disclose every paid creator post?
Yes. FTC 16 CFR Part 255 requires explicit disclosure of material connection within the post itself, not via a link in the profile.
What is a realistic budget for a creator program in 2026?
For companies with $10–30 million in annual revenue — $20,000–$80,000 per quarter. This will support a four-tier funnel with 30–50 active creators, content rights, and tools.
If your team shoots more than it can process, we can help. Send a sample shoot and a brief brief, and we will edit the first video for free so you can evaluate the result before full collaboration.
Social networks are unpredictable: the fate of platforms can change overnight. For content creators and brands, it is critical to adapt to these changes to ensure a sustainable online presence. The potential TikTok ban in the US is a stark reminder of the risks of relying on a single platform.
Imagine: you have poured your heart into growing a TikTok account, built a loyal audience, and secured a stable income. Suddenly, geopolitics and platform policies threaten all your achievements. This scenario highlights the danger of concentrating all efforts in one digital basket. Content diversification across multiple platforms is a necessary step to protect your audience, reach, and revenue.
The Dangers of Platform Dependency
Manually distributing content across multiple platforms is a time-consuming process. Uploading, scheduling, and maintaining activity on each platform takes a lot of time and effort. As a result, creators often neglect individual channels, leading to an unbalanced strategy.
The Problem of Manual Content Distribution
The monotony of tasks like uploading and scheduling posts quickly becomes tiresome. This hinders maintaining a regular presence on all platforms, reducing overall effectiveness.
Repurpose.io: A Revolution in Content Distribution
Repurpose.io is an innovative solution that simplifies content diversification. The platform automatically repurposes and distributes your content from TikTok to Facebook Reels, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, LinkedIn, and Pinterest. Setting up seamless distribution is easy: connect your TikTok account and other profiles, create workflows—and content will be transferred automatically. The intuitive interface saves time and effort.
A key feature of Repurpose.io is auto-scheduling. You set the posting times, and the platform ensures even publication across all platforms. Your content works even while you sleep, maintaining a constant presence without manual intervention.
In times of uncertainty, Repurpose.io acts as a guardian of your content. Even if TikTok is banned, new content published on TikTok will automatically be distributed to your connected profiles. Your content and audience remain safe, regardless of the fate of individual platforms.
Call to Action
The potential TikTok ban is a wake-up call for all content creators and brands. Now is the time to act: diversify your content and protect your digital presence. Don’t wait until the ground shifts beneath your feet. Use Repurpose.io to effortlessly distribute content, reduce risks, and build a sustainable online presence. Adaptability is the key to success in the fast-changing world of social media.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Repurpose.io help with a TikTok ban?
The platform automatically copies your content from TikTok to other platforms, so even if TikTok is blocked, your videos remain accessible on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and other networks.
How much time does automation save?
Instead of manually uploading to each platform, you set up the process once—and content is published automatically, saving hours of work each week.
Which platforms are supported?
Repurpose.io supports Facebook Reels, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, LinkedIn, and Pinterest, enabling cross-posting of videos to major platforms.
Do I need technical skills to set it up?
No. The interface is intuitive: connect your accounts, create workflows—and the system starts working without any programming.
Can I set different schedules for each platform?
Yes, the auto-scheduling feature allows you to set individual posting times for each platform, optimizing reach.
You recorded a one-hour webinar, interview, or review, but no one watches it in full? From one long video, you can create a series of short clips that will work for your business. The main thing is to correctly select fragments and adapt them for platforms. In this article, we will discuss how to cut a long video into short clips to increase engagement and reach.
Which long videos are suitable for cutting
Materials with a clear semantic structure are best for cutting: webinars with sections, interviews with questions and answers, reviews with demonstrations, client cases. It is more difficult to work with endless podcasts, live streams with chat, or recordings where the speaker references invisible slides.
A good source answers three questions:
Is there a complete thought in each fragment?
Can it be watched without context?
Is there visual dynamics?
Important: we are only talking about your own content—live streams, webinars, interviews, reviews, product videos. Cutting others’ films or podcasts without rights risks complaints and reputational damage.
How to find fragments for short cuts
Start by watching the entire recording and marking the meaning. Look for scenes that could become a separate publication: a question, a mistake, a conclusion, an example, a demonstration, a controversial thought. Use timestamps to mark the beginning and end of the fragment.
PRO tips for selection:
Choose a fragment with one thought—it should not require additional context.
The first 2-3 seconds should grab attention: a hook, intrigue, a question.
Check that after vertical cropping, the frame still contains the face, hands, product, or slides.
How to prepare video fragments for editing
Before editing, decide on the type of clip: talking head with subtitles, cutaways, or a “question on screen—answer” format. Subtitles are mandatory—many watch without sound. The thumbnail should be clear and high-quality; for a series, maintain a consistent logic.
Collect fragments in a table: timestamp, topic, purpose, first frame, on-screen text, description, platform. This will save you when you have 18 cuts from 3 webinars.
For Reels, emotional and visual dynamics are important: lively speech, showing the process, reactions, before/after. For Shorts, a quick title and the first seconds explaining the topic are key. In the description, add a key phrase, a link to the full version, and a question for comments.
If the source is horizontal, check that important details are not lost in the vertical frame. Sometimes a close-up is better than trying to fit the entire wide frame. If necessary, add cutaways or text accents.
How to publish a series without spamming the feed
Do not post all cuts in a row. Distribute them on a calendar: 1 clip every 2-3 days for a small series, 2-3 per week for 5-8 clips, or create a rubric for 10+ fragments. Alternate with other content: posts, stories, case studies. If the audience starts reacting poorly, take a break.
For automation of publications, use services like SMMplanner: spread them on the calendar, prepare different descriptions for each platform.
How to make short clips from a long video: a scheme
Select a fragment with one thought, remove context.
Adapt the frame to a vertical format.
Add a clear first screen and subtitles.
If the clip starts with an answer, put the question in text.
Distribute the cuts on the calendar, do not publish everything at once.
Frequently asked questions
Where to cut a long video so the clip doesn’t look like a snippet?
Choose fragments with a complete thought and a clear beginning/end. Use timestamps and check that the meaning is understandable without context.
Should I publish all cuts in a row?
No. It is better to collect a series and distribute it on the calendar so that one material works longer and does not spam the feed.
When is it better not to make cuts?
If the fragments do not work without context, there is no important visual information in the frame, the speaker references invisible materials, or the publication violates rights. Sometimes it is better to make an article or checklist from a long video.
Conclusion
Cutting a long video into short clips is not just trimming, but strategic work with content. Select fragments with one thought, adapt them to the platform format, and publish them on a calendar. Try the SMMplanner service for scheduling—it is convenient and saves time. Start right now: choose one long video and create 3-5 short clips from it to see the result!
Stop paying bloggers for inflated reach. The real math of beauty marketing in 2026 is CPM below 50 rubles per thousand impressions on YouTube Shorts and Reels. While influencers ask for production budgets, you can buy reach for pennies and test a hypothesis for 1000 rubles. Banner advertising in short videos is an overlay banner that doesn’t require shooting a video. Just upload a creative and off you go. Below are nine trends I dug up from McKinsey, Vogue Business, and Perfect Corp reports, and most importantly—how to shoot content for each without paying an influencer a single ruble.
1. AI Personalization: Shoot for the Digital Mirror
In 2026, personalization isn’t a recommendation widget but a digital mirror that analyzes the face, determines skin type, and selects products. Perfect Corp claims AI scanning boosts sales by 14x, basket size by 35%, and engagement by 200%. These are vendor data, but the virtual try-on market is already $16.28 billion (2025) and will grow to $75.6 billion by 2034 (CAGR 18.6%).
For AI to work, shoot each SKU in 4K with neutral white balance, soft key light, and no colored gels. You need four angles: front, three-quarter, profile, and top-down. Plus 30 seconds of application demonstration on skin (not a montage cut) on at least three different skin tones. Otherwise, you’ll get a biased model that performs poorly on dark tones. Ask the vendor: “What is the error rate on Fitzpatrick types V and VI?” And don’t forget CCPA and BIPA—collecting biometrics in California and Illinois risks fines up to $5,000 per violation.
2. UGC and Micro-Influencers: $400 vs. Thousands
52% of Gen Z use TikTok as a search engine for cosmetics. Aspirational videos for $10,000 lose to UGC for $400, shot on a smartphone in the bathroom. The algorithm loves high completion rates. The winning structure: “before” (first 1.5 seconds), 8–30 seconds of application with product and ingredient captions, “after” in the same lighting and angle, and a voice CTA. Choose 4–6 micro-influencers (10–100k followers)—they have higher engagement. Each provides 3–5 UGC clips. Result: 12–30 assets for launch. And always #ad—the FTC strictly fines for undisclosed advertising.
3. Skinimalism and Biotech: Less Cream, More Science
Gen Z regrets overspending on cosmetics (Statista, 2023). The trend is skinimalism: quality over quantity. Biotech—lab-made ingredients, no animals or pesticides. Don’t use words like “clean” or “non-toxic”—only material facts. Shoot B-roll in the lab: fermenters, Petri dishes, scientists in masks. Add a Founder Explainer with the CSO—this is content for the entire launch. The CPM of such videos on Shorts is pennies, and trust is higher.
Gen Z types into TikTok search “daily skincare routine for acne”—not brands, but problems. Your title and first seconds must contain these phrases. Brand hashtags go only in the description, not in the search. Shoot 15–30 seconds with a clear answer to the question. This is organic traffic for 0 rubles.
5. Programmatic Video Banners: Auto-Placement on Hundreds of Videos
Overlay advertising on Shorts and Reels is an alternative to influencers. You don’t pay for production, only for impressions. CPM below 50 rubles. Upload a banner—and the algorithm finds the target audience itself. Ideal for testing hypotheses: a budget of 1000 rubles—and you know if the creative works or not. Transparent statistics, no gray schemes.
6. Native Banner in Shorts: Unskippable, Unblockable
Users hate pre-rolls. A native banner inside a video is when the creative is integrated into the content: for example, a logo on a blogger’s T-shirt or a virtual shelf with a product. Shot once, placed on hundreds of videos via programmatic. CPM even lower—up to 30 rubles. No shooting, no editing.
7. Banner for Infobusiness and Mobile Apps
Short videos are an ideal channel for lead generation. A banner with a “Install” or “Sign Up” button over the video gives higher conversion than pre-rolls. CPM cheaper than 50 rubles—you buy reach, not followers. For crypto projects—a banner with a QR code to a wallet. Massive reach for pennies.
8. Serial Production: 30–60 Videos per Month
To be competitive, you need 30–60 short videos per month. The problem isn’t shooting, but approval. Solution: one studio day per week with a shot list of 15–30 pieces. One reviewer for videos without claims, two (lawyer + brand) for videos with claims. A pool of 15–20 pre-approved creators—activate UGC in a week, not a month.
No more “million-view” videos with inflated numbers. Only real math: CPM, CTR, conversion. Programmatic provides a report for each placement. You see which banner works and which doesn’t. No fluff, no bloggers, no extra costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to place a banner on TikTok?
CPM from 30 to 50 rubles. Minimum budget—1000 rubles for testing a hypothesis.
Do I need to shoot a video for banner advertising?
No. An overlay banner is placed on existing videos. You only pay for impressions.
What is the CPM on YouTube Shorts?
In Russia—30–50 rubles, in the US—$5–10. The lowest CPM among all video formats.
Can I target by interests?
Yes, programmatic platforms allow you to set audience: gender, age, interests, geo.
Conclusion
Stop pouring budgets into influencers. The real math: CPM cheaper than 50 rubles, test a hypothesis for 1000 rubles, banner without shooting. Order banner advertising on Shorts and Reels—get massive reach for pennies. Transparent statistics, no gray traffic. Switch to programmatic video banners—and forget about bloggers.
Fashion Marketing 2026: Channels, Video, and Budget — A Playbook for Brand Marketers
Most articles about fashion marketing are written for students dreaming of getting into fashion school. This material is for the brand marketer who has a product launch in 8 weeks, a limited budget, and daily requests for new creatives pouring into Slack. At the end — our playbook.
In 2026, speed in the fashion industry dictates the law of speed: your marketing must move faster or at least keep pace with the supply chain. Ultra-fast fashion has evolved from a niche segment into consumer expectation. The six-month campaign cycle is obsolete. Brands need to work like a newsroom, production studio, and data lab simultaneously.
To succeed, you need to fundamentally redefine the concept of “creative.” Creative is no longer one billboard. Creative is 1000 relevant impressions. We will help you plan your team, allocate your budget, and understand the specifics of each social network to maximize Media Impact Value (MIV).
Traditional brand and performance marketing have merged into a single video stream. The reason is the “attention delta.” In 2022, a user could remember a brand from a static ad. In 2026, platforms like Instagram use a retention-based distribution model: if a user doesn’t watch a video for longer than 1.5 seconds, the platform stops showing it to similar users.
Video creates more viewing time; each new frame (close-up of fabric, scene change) resets the attention timer. The first frame rule: never start a video with a black screen. The first frame is a billboard. If the user doesn’t understand the category (“this is a dress”) within 400 ms, they scroll past.
According to Launchmetrics (2024), 44% of shoppers worldwide have purchased clothing through social media 3–7 times, and 24% have done so 8+ times. Influencer voice accounts for 75% of TikTok’s Media Impact Value. Social commerce revenue will exceed $1 trillion by 2028. For “strong buyers,” the funnel looks like this: watched a video → clicked on a product tag → confirmed purchase with biometrics. Traditional website navigation has disappeared. Every marketing dollar not invested in vertical video is structurally disadvantaged.
Multidimensional Assets
Static shows the appearance of a jacket; video shows how the lapels move, how the zipper sounds, how many pockets are inside. These “utility signals” convert buyers. If they are absent, the buyer is forced to guess — leading to a high cart abandonment rate.
Team for a Fashion Brand in 2026
A successful brand needs:
Merchandiser-Marketer: Tracks sales by SKU and updates the calendar based on return data. If a SKU has 40% returns due to sizing, the creative needs to be changed to save margins.
Editor: From one shoot day, produces 40+ vertical assets while maintaining the brand voice.
Visual Merchandising Lead: The guardian of the brand’s soul. Ensures the signature red doesn’t turn into orange on Pinterest. Guarantees the brand’s “vibe sovereignty” across all digital domains.
Key Channels and Budget Allocation
For a brand with an annual turnover of $5–30 million in 2026, four main channels work:
TikTok (30–40% of spend): Test at least 4 different creators, paying $200–500 per post. Spark Ads are the gold standard. CPM ranges from €25 to €45. Creator content dominates in the segment with an average order value up to $300 due to “low-quality trust”: Gen Z and Gen Alpha trust a person with a ring light in their bedroom more than a professional model.
Instagram Reels (20–30%): Responsible for visual branding and aesthetics. CPM is €25–45, creator fees are €10–50.
YouTube Shorts (10–15%): An underrated channel. The same vertical content provides free reach for 90 days after publication.
Pinterest (5–15%): Where consumers plan outfits. Strong categories include women’s contemporary, modest fashion, and weddings.
Retail Media (10–20%): For brands selling through Nordstrom, Saks, Revolve, or Amazon Fashion. CPM is higher, but the consumer is already in purchase mode. Retail Media Networks are the biggest shift in rented fashion space since social media. Platforms know what the customer bought last week and what they are searching for today. Moving 15% of the budget to RMN is the digital version of a checkout zone, powered by trillions of data points.
Don’t distribute the budget evenly. Choose two channels where your audience spends the most time, achieve success, then expand. Use the “masterpiece, then scale” model: first become an authority on keywords on Pinterest, then adapt the creative for YouTube Shorts. Each platform has its own language.
Six Video Formats That Work
Ranked by delivery success:
Lookbook scrolls: 15–30 seconds, 3–5 outfits. Inexpensive, long shelf life.
Try-ons with size context: Real people, real sizes, fabric stretch test.
Founder POV: Explains fit changes, fabric origins, pricing reasons. The best single format for new brands.
Show reviews and backstage: Publish in the same week, don’t stockpile.
Style breakdowns: 3 ways to wear one item. Works for both a 24-year-old TikToker and a 48-year-old Pinterest user.
Pre-launch Teasers (6 seconds): loops for ads, not for organic content.
A Day in the Life of an Atelier: proves craftsmanship, not dropshipping.
Comment Replies: a video response to the question “Can it be worn at 157 cm tall?” — the ultimate trust strategy.
Mistake: filming one video and splitting it into 12 posts. Correct approach: shoot all 6 formats in half a day, then cut 40 variations. Shooting schedule: hour 1 — heroes for the website (landscape), hour 2 — vertical reviews of 5 products, hour 3 — macro details (fabric, seams, buttons), hour 4 — interviews with designers. The modular method allows the editor to take content from a “library” rather than from a linear film.
The 70/20/10 Budget Formula
70% — Bottom of Funnel (paid social, retail media, search, creator affiliate). This is the engine. If an influencer doesn’t deliver 2.5× ROAS within 72 hours, paid amplification is turned off.
20% — Middle of Funnel (lookbooks, founder content, stylist breakdowns). Builds a “moat”: the brand story protects against commoditization. If a competitor sells something similar for $10 cheaper, the loyal customer will stay due to investment in the story.
10% — Innovation (PR, partnerships, shows, retail experiments). The first thing cut in a crisis. But these activities create cultural currency and branded search 18 months down the line. These are strange pop-ups, collaborations with digital artists, glossy editorial features. They don’t generate instant clicks, but they provide “clout,” making creators want to work with you not for a salary, but for career growth.
A skew towards 95/5 starves future demand. 30/70 burns cash. Stick to the middle ground.
Legal Aspects of Working with Creators
Disclaimer: Every paid, gifted, or sponsored post must contain a clear disclosure (#ad in the first three lines, a paid partnership label). Hidden gifting (a brand gives a $500 bag “with no strings attached,” but the creator does not disclose the value) is a violation. The FTC in 2026 is focusing on deceptive engagement. Fines can reach six-figure sums.
Rights: Obtain written permission for use before paid amplification. Standard 2026 terms: organic + paid use on Meta and TikTok for 90 days, renewal fees stipulated in advance, model releases.
Pricing Benchmarks (Modash 2024–2025): TikTok — $50–10,000+, YouTube — up to $80,000+, Instagram Reels — $750–50,000+. A working approach: “$300 per post + 10% revenue share on tracked sales after breakeven.” Micro-strategy: instead of $50,000 on one star, spend $50,000 on 50 micro-creators (10–50k followers) in a niche. The “surround sound” effect: when a consumer sees your brand from three trusted creators in a week, it seems like the next big thing.
Environmental Claims: Any statement about sustainability, eco-friendliness, or ethics in a post caption falls under the FTC Green Guides.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum budget for hypothesis testing?
1000 rubles per platform is enough. Launch a Spark Ad with one creative for 2–3 days. If CPM is below 50 rubles and retention is above 1.5 seconds, scale it.
Can I place a banner on TikTok without shooting a video?
Yes. Use overlay banners or programmatic placement on existing videos. CPM can be below 50 rubles, and reach can be in the millions for pennies. This is an alternative to influencers without the need to shoot content.
Which channel offers the cheapest CPM in Shorts?
YouTube Shorts often shows CPM below 50 rubles, especially when using ready-made content. TikTok and Reels are more expensive but offer better targeting quality.
What is a “non-skippable banner” in Shorts?
This is a banner that cannot be closed or skipped in the first seconds. It ensures 100% impression but requires careful design to avoid annoying the user.
Conclusion: Your Action Plan
Ready to test? Forget about bloggers with million-ruble fees. The real math is CPM below 50 rubles, hypothesis testing for 1000 rubles, banners without shooting. Start with micro-creators and watch the numbers. Your engine is 70% bottom of the funnel. Be ruthless.
Free AI Citations Won’t Last Long: How Google Is Enclosing the Open Field
AI citations are still accessible through content and PR, but according to an SEO veteran, the window is closing fast. “The cheap part is closing,” Shane Tepper, co-founder of Resonate Labs, told me. “The period when you can win a position through work rather than budget.”
I asked him directly: everyone talks about a closing window, but the AI search surface is expanding — more queries are getting answers from ChatGPT and Perplexity, more answers contain clickable citations. So what exactly is closing? His answer sent me back in time, to how the open field was enclosed before.
From 2003 to 2025, I was president of SEO-PR. Our early reputation was built on the “SEO PR” tactic: an optimized press release via a wire service delivered three benefits at once — direct ranking gains from keyword anchor text, referral traffic, and links from journalists. AI search works on the same model, only faster. Tepper argues that enclosure has already begun. Brands that secure their position before it’s complete will remain on the field.
The Window Is Not a Date, but a Race with Competitors
Tepper pointed to a Fuel Online audit: 1,000 corporate domains, 62% technically invisible to AI models. If you ask these brands a simple question about their category, models fail to mention them in 81% of cases. That’s the size of the open field — most haven’t arrived yet.
What’s closing the window is speed, not scarcity. Profound data: median time to first citation of new content is 6.81 days. Publish, get indexed, get cited — all within a week. The only thing preventing a brand from getting cited is speed. “The window will close when competitors wake up,” Tepper says. In crowded B2B categories, the timer is already ticking.
The May 7 Spike Holds and Is Clearly Divided by Category
I noted the 157.7% spike in ChatGPT referral traffic on May 7 and asked if it was a surge. No. Similarweb called it a new baseline, and Profound tracked a structural jump (doubling) across all brand baskets. Three different measurement methods point to changes in OpenAI’s product that day, though the company didn’t announce them.
E-commerce and retail remained almost unchanged — product recommendations go through ChatGPT’s shopping surface, not through a stream of branded links
Categories where ChatGPT recommends the company won; where it recommends the product, they didn’t.
OpenAI and Perplexity Are Making Opposite Bets — and Both Are Rational
A more important signal: in the same week OpenAI opened self-serve advertising, it began showing clickable branded links (May 7). Embedding brand URLs and tracking clicks is the data needed to train an advertising system.
Platforms have not yet agreed on a unified monetization model for AI answers, but the one with more users is already building infrastructure that relies on organic click behavior from citations. Ignoring this is risky.
“AI Authority” Is Not Links, but Frequency of Mentions
I asked Tepper to specify “AI authority.” His answer: it is the frequency with which the model finds you, trusts you, and reads you as a relevant source to mention in response to buyer questions. This is not a training data phenomenon because vendor research engines extract information in real time.
Muck Rack’s analysis (25 million AI-cited links) showed: the strongest predictor is not backlinks, but media mentions (84% of citations vs. 0.3% from paid placements). Measurement should not be “did we appear once.” Tepper noted: the probability of getting the same AI recommendation twice for one query is less than 1%. One result is noise.
Solution: regularly run a stable set of real buyer queries in ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI, and track share of voice by brand mentions in the response text.
Will This Break Down Like Google Organic Visibility? Probably Partially
SEO professionals have earned their scars: they built organic visibility for years, then ads and AI Overviews chipped away at it. I asked why AI citations should be any different. “They will probably partially break down,” Tepper replied. “Ads already appear in about a quarter of AI Overviews results; a year ago it was about 5%.”
What to Do Right Now
Tepper’s advice requires no budget.
First: Conduct an Audit Yourself
Write 15-20 questions a real buyer would enter into a chatbot (comparisons, “best X for Y,” “how to choose”), and ask them in ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Mode. Note where you appear, where a competitor appears, and where the field is empty. This will take a day and show your real starting position.
Second: Chase Mentions, Not Links
Since most changes in AI answers come from mentions, not backlinks, the most effective move is to get into third-party comparison articles, reviews, and category digests from which models extract information.
Third: Check Your robots.txt Today
Many brands are technically invisible because they accidentally block GPTBot, ClaudeBot, or PerplexityBot. Fixing it takes 10 minutes and is free.
One Number to Treat with Caution
eMarketer forecast: US AI search ad spending will grow from ~$1 billion in 2025 to $2.08 billion this year and to $25.9 billion by 2029 (13.6% of all search ad spending). This is a real number from an authoritative source, but it is a forecast based on assumptions about platform adoption and shoppable ad formats.
eMarketer analysts note: if AI answers continue to suppress clicks, ads may not deliver expected traffic, and Google may slow monetization until the economics become clear. Truist forecasts OpenAI’s ad revenue at $30 billion by 2030. Treat $26 billion as a plausible midpoint, not an established fact.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is AI citation?
It is a mention of a brand or a link to it in the response of an AI model (e.g., ChatGPT, Perplexity) to a user query.
Why is the AI citation window closing?
Because platforms are starting to monetize traffic by introducing ads and limiting organic mentions. Competitors are also becoming more active.
How to measure brand AI visibility?
Regularly ask 15-20 real customer queries in ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Mode. Track the share of voice — the percentage of responses where your brand is mentioned.
What is cheaper: a banner or AI citation?
AI citation through content and PR can be cheaper if you are willing to invest time in creating quality content and obtaining media mentions. But as the window closes, the cost will increase.
Conclusion
I have seen an open field fenced off before. Google did not warn on July 30, 2013 — it simply updated the recommendations page, and optimized anchor text in press releases stopped working. Those who won afterward did not complain; they built what the fence could not take away: referral relationships, connections with journalists, results for clients.
Tepper’s data suggests that most brands still have time to build something solid before this window closes. But the window has a size, not a shape, and it shrinks every week while a competitor figures things out faster than you.
Start today: check your robots.txt, write 15 queries, run an audit. Time is your only resource that cannot be bought.
Looking for free tools for streamers that work directly in the browser, require no registration, and leave no watermarks? Eklipse has launched a set of 13 utilities to help you design your channel, find an audience, and prepare content for publication. All tools process files locally on your device without uploading to a server.
Channel Design Tools
Five tools help you create visual stream elements without Photoshop or other design programs.
Twitch Emote Generator
Create an emote from a text description using AI or upload your own image. The tool automatically exports sizes 112, 56, and 28 px in PNG format with a transparent background, as well as an animated GIF directly from a clip. Auto-framing adjusts cropping to the subject so the emote remains readable even at 28 px.
Twitch Badge Generator
Create badges for subscriptions and bits with ready-made level presets. One click gives you all three Twitch sizes (18, 36, 72 px). The Badge Set Generator creates an entire series (e.g., by subscription month) in one go, ensuring loyalty badges look like a cohesive set.
Twitch Panel Generator
Assemble branded panels for “About the Channel,” “Schedule,” “Donate,” “Discord,” and “Social Media” with live game art, channel logo, and platform icons. Choose a layout, paste links, and export the set.
Clip Preview Generator
Select a frame from your Twitch or gaming clip, add a short bold title (or use an AI prompt). The tool automatically applies a contrasting background and enhances the image to keep text readable. Export in 1280×720 for YouTube and Twitch, as well as 1:1 and 9:16 for Shorts.
AI Reframing
Convert a horizontal clip into a vertical 9:16 video with automatic action tracking. The tool detects the game and crops accordingly: crosshair for shooters, player for Just Chatting. The frame adjusts during scene changes and locks onto the webcam if present. You can manually drag the source to set focus.
Growth and Monetization Tools
Six utilities help you find an audience, increase views, and earn money.
Twitch Affiliate Progress Checker
Check your real-time progress toward Twitch Affiliate and Partner status: followers, average viewers, stream days, and unique chatters. The dashboard shows which requirement is blocking you and approximately how many streams remain.
AI Caption Generator
Create engaging captions for clips on TikTok, Shorts, and Reels. Choose a tone, get multiple options, and copy the best one. Each option receives a score to help you avoid publishing the dullest text.
Brand Deal Catalog
Browse real gaming brands that work with streamers, filter by category, and generate an AI pitch for your first sponsorship. This is a starting list and draft for outreach, not a paid database.
Best Time to Stream
Find windows when viewers in your game are active but big streamers are offline. Select a game to see time slots where a small channel can be noticed rather than lost in the crowd.
AI Clip Analyzer
Evaluate the viral potential of a clip for TikTok, Shorts, and Reels before publishing. Get specific recommendations for improvement: hook timing, caption, format. Helps decide which of five clips to post and how to refine it.
YouTube Title Generator
Create high-CTR titles for clips and uploads. Enter what the clip is about and receive a ranked list of titles with ideas for preview text.
How Free Tools Complement the Paid AI Package
The tools solve individual tasks: emotes and badges design the channel, downloaders retrieve videos, and preview generators, captions, titles, and the analyzer prepare clips for publication. But the most time-consuming step—watching a five-hour recording to find three minutes of content—remains outside these utilities. That is handled by the Eklipse AI Package: paste a VOD link from Twitch, Kick, or YouTube, and it automatically finds kills, clutches, and wipes, then returns vertical clips for TikTok, Shorts, and Reels.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these tools really free?
Yes. All 13 tools work entirely in the browser, require no account, and add no watermarks. Your images and VODs are processed on your device; nothing is uploaded to a server. Eklipse is free to register; the full AI package for automatic clipping is a paid product.
Do I need an Eklipse account to use the tools?
No. The tools work without logging in. An account is only required for the AI package, which automatically clips streams.
Do the tools work with Kick, not just Twitch?
VOD downloaders, caption generator, clip analyzer, preview generator, and title generator work for Kick as well. Emote, badge, panel tools, and the Affiliate checker are tied to Twitch.
Is anything uploaded to your servers?
No. All tools run client-side in your browser, so files remain on your device.
Conclusion
Start with the step that holds you back. Designing your channel? Make emotes and badges. Have unpublished recordings? Download the VOD, then let the Eklipse AI Package find clips for you. Register for free and try all the tools today.
Marketing in fintech has a lot in common with B2B SaaS marketing, but differs in the level of regulation and the need to overcome greater distrust. In this guide, we will break down key channels, analytics, compliance, and effective use of video for fintech marketers in 2026.
Fundamentals of Fintech Marketing Strategy
Positioning
Leading brands define a protected position relative to a specific buyer pain point (e.g., treasury automation for mid-market CFOs), rather than a general category (“modern banking for business”). The latter loses.
Audience
B2B fintech buyers form decision-making groups: CFO and controller, VP of engineering and security head, treasurer, sometimes CEO. The group map is used for content and ad targeting.
Channel Mix
For B2B fintech startups in 2026, the basic set includes:
Metrics include: PLG (product-led growth) for self-serve and sales-assist, PLG+ABM for expansion via PQL; embedded distribution as a separate article; ABM for large deals; partner marketing, which is often underfunded. Organizations with advanced analytics achieve ROI 5-8 times higher (Red Branch Media 2025).
Compliance in Fintech
The compliance stance varies. SEC-registered fintechs fall under the SEC Marketing Rule, FINRA Rule 2210 for BD-affiliated, CFPB UDAAP for consumer lending, CAN-SPAM for email, TCPA for SMS, GLBA for data. The main problem is poor workflows: late submission of scripts to CCO, removal of mandatory disclosures, rejection of creatives after budget approval.
In 2026, AI technologies drive personalized content: behavioral signals (spending history, in-app actions) increase CTR by 15-40% (Right Left Agency). Social proof is built through influencers (Klarna: 33% of Gen Z try new brands), meme marketing (Cleo), referral programs (Monzo). Video from clients is the most conversion-friendly format: a 90-second CFO testimonial is more effective than five articles.
SEO for Fintech
PLG SEO: activation maps (templates, calculators) capture intent and product trial. Comparison pages (“X vs Y”) consistently rank #1 for bottom-of-funnel queries. Glossaries (KYC, AML, BIN sponsorship) dominate the long tail. GEO (generative engine optimization) yields +57% CTR (Mintposition 2026).
Video in Fintech
Video is effective in three formats:
Product explainer videos (90 seconds with UI and developer voiceover)
Video from clients (3-5 videos per year, 90-120 seconds each)
High-cost branded videos with drones yield low ROI. For Series A-B B2B fintech, the monthly video budget is $40K-$100K per year. Vidpros offers a flat monthly subscription with built-in compliance review.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which marketing channels are most effective for B2B fintech?
Paid search and social media for demand capture, SEO and content for generation, email and in-app for activation, ABM for enterprise, video from clients for trust.
How to measure fintech marketing ROI?
Use metrics like CAC, LTV, payback period, and attribution. Advanced analytics increases ROI by 5-8 times.
What compliance rules are important for fintech video?
Depends on the fintech type: SEC Marketing Rule for RIAs, FINRA 2210 for broker-dealers, CFPB UDAAP for consumer lending. Be sure to coordinate scripts with the CCO.
How much does a minute of AI video cost for fintech?
Cost varies: from $40K to $100K per year for regular production. Flat-rate editor or outsourced agency are affordable options.
Conclusion
Successful fintech marketing requires clear positioning, audience understanding, a balanced channel mix, and strict compliance. Video from clients and founders is the most effective tool for building trust. Start by auditing your current strategy and reach out to specialists for implementing AI video generation. Send a sample script to Vidpros — we will make the first video for free.
