Marketing to readbefore you burn cash
We write about what we've learned selling firsthand in the field. We cover what not to do as much as what to do.
Earlier posts
Shocki News
The key to YouTube search visibility is the basics, not tags or AI tricks
Now that YouTube videos appear in Google AI Overviews, some people advise optimizing for AI search too. YouTube Help and Google's official documentation tell a different story: basics like titles, thumbnails, descriptions, captions, and timestamps come before any new trick.
6 min read
Shocki News
Social media links in 67% of Google AI Overviews: how to read the number
An SE Ranking study found social media links in two out of three Google AI Overview answers. We explain what this 67% actually counts, how AI Mode and ChatGPT compare, how much of it is YouTube, and how results differ by category.
6 min read
Shocki News
Threads Gems: posts shared over from Instagram aren't eligible
Threads has started testing a Gem label for posts that drove conversation each day. Here's how Gems are chosen, which posts are excluded, how it affects your reach, and how to check your account.
6 min read
Shocki News
Social media ad spend up 21.3%: where advertiser money is moving fastest
According to WARC Media's forecast, social media ad spend will grow 21.3% in 2026 to $394.6 billion. Here's a look at global ad spend trends, the role AI plays, and what creators should prepare.
6 min read
Shocki News
How LinkedIn detects AI slop: filtering out generic, AI-churned posts
A look at how LinkedIn filters out generic or repetitive posts with no new insight, known as AI slop. We cover the report button, how the AI is trained, human review, 94% precision, and the 40% drop in views.
6 min read
Shocki News
YouTube Studio's channel search test: which numbers do brands look at?
A test was spotted in YouTube Studio that let brands see a creator channel's unique viewers, watch time, viewer age and gender, and top countries. Here's how far the test went and what creators should check now.
6 min read
Shocki News
TikTok is backing short-form movie and TV reviews with a creator camp and rewards
On Oct 7, during the Busan International Film Festival, TikTok held a TV and film creator camp and workshop. Here's what happened at the events, why TikTok is investing in short-form reviews, and what it takes to qualify for its TV and film rewards program.
6 min read
Shocki News
Carousel editing in Instagram's Edits app, and why the second slide matters
You can now build and design carousels in Edits, Instagram's video editing app. Here's a rundown of the editing tools in the new feature, which is rolling out on iPhone first, and why the second slide of a carousel deserves as much care as the first.
6 min read
Shocki News
Facebook opening to Reels first? Meta starts a test in India
Meta is testing a Facebook app screen that opens to full-screen Reels instead of the Feed for some users in India. Here's what the test involves, where Korea stands, and what to check if you post Reels.
6 min read
Shocki News
Instagram's Threads sharing sticker: add Threads posts straight to your Stories
Instagram added a Threads sharing sticker to Stories. Here's how to share Threads posts you've liked or saved, or ones you wrote yourself, to your Story, and what to prepare before it reaches accounts in Korea.
6 min read
Shocki News
Google AI Overviews also cite content outside the top 10 search results
In an Ahrefs study, the share of pages cited by Google AI Overviews that ranked in the top 10 search results fell from 76% in 2025 to 38% in 2026. The most-cited site was YouTube.
6 min read
Shocki News
Instagram Live ads launch in Korea: take your live stream beyond your followers
On Sep 30, Meta officially launched Instagram Live ads in Korea. Professional and creator accounts with at least 1,000 followers can use them, and there's no sales commission, only standard ad rates. Here's who qualifies, where the ads appear, and what results to expect.
6 min read
Shocki News
TikTok One Pay pays sponsorship fees within 30 days of posting
TikTok announced One Pay at its Creator Summit. It settles brand deal payments inside TikTok One, its sponsorship marketplace, within 30 days of a video going live. Here's how that compares with the industry-standard 60 or 90 days, what it costs, and whether it's coming to Korea.
6 min read
Shocki News
YouTube changed how it counts views: public views vs. engaged views
Since Aug 24, YouTube counts a view as soon as the first frame plays. Autoplay on the home feed now adds to public views, but revenue is still based on engaged views. Here's how the two numbers differ and where to check them.
6 min read
Shocki News
How long should a Reel be? Instagram's official guide, summarized
Instagram posted its 2026 Reels guide on its official blog. Here's which videos fit 15 seconds or less, 15 seconds to 1 minute, and 1 to 3 minutes, the length it recommends when you're starting out, and how to improve your chances of being recommended on the Explore tab.
6 min read
Shocki News
Conversational editing for YouTube Shorts: soon you can just tell AI what to cut
YouTube previewed Conversational Editing for Shorts and the YouTube Create app. Describe what you want and AI builds a first cut, then helps trim pauses, add on-screen text, sync to the beat, and find loop points. It's slated for early 2027.
6 min read
Shocki News
Ads move into AI chats? 3 takeaways from Forrester's 2027 media predictions
Forrester expects three shifts in the 2027 media market: free ad-supported tiers on paid streaming, ads on Meta's AI glasses, and conversational ads growing into a multibillion-dollar market. Here's what brands can check right now.
6 min read
Influencer marketing
You checked engagement rates. So why isn't it selling?
An influencer took off with another brand. Will they take off with your product too? A look at the fit and audience trust that numbers don't show, and at collaborations built on genuine interest.
7 min read
MMP
MMP: Do you need one at your current scale?
MMPs are often described as a must for app marketing. Here are our criteria for when to adopt one based on users, revenue, and ad spend, and how to use it so it pays for itself.
8 min read
First-party data
Real marketing starts after the ad click
Bringing people in with ads is only the start. Sales come from the flow that runs from ad → landing page → your own online store → first-party data → CRM.
7 min read
Marketing diagnosis
Good marketing starts with a good diagnosis
What matters now isn't whether one company does it all. It's the ability to diagnose properly, build a pool of specialists that fits the diagnosis, and put the right person on each pain point and keep the work moving.
6 min read
Performance marketing
Why you can burn KRW 10 million on ads and still sell nothing
The structural reasons performance marketing alone doesn't sell, and what a brand should check before raising its ad budget.
5 min read
If this sounds like your story
A diagnosis shows where you're stuck. Consultation and diagnosis are free.