Topic
Every post on the Index about audience engagement.
Dahv argues that YouTube's new microdrama features, seen at Made on 2026, change how brands can connect with audiences. Marketers who rely on traditional methods because they feel safe risk falling behind competitors using emotionally resonant content.
Dahv argues that marketers who rely only on data produce flat content. In a B2B tech campaign, the team added customer stories to the strategy and used data to strengthen the narrative, which connected more deeply with the audience.
Dahv argues that performance marketers who rely on data and precision alone miss the emotional engagement storytelling provides. Dahv points to a quirky documentary trailer as an example of narrative turning skepticism into curiosity and viewers into participants.
Dahv argues that marketers leaning on AI-generated content lose the human connection that brand storytelling depends on. A B2B software company that moved from automated content to user-experience stories saw deeper engagement and more conversions.
Dahv argues that sheer ad volume does not guarantee impact and can cost engagement. Based on a client who moved from constant ads to staggered, story-driven campaigns, Dahv says deliberate pauses build curiosity and deepen conversation.
Dahv argues that TikTok's incentives for episodic content signal a shift toward serialized storytelling. Brands that ignore it miss the chance to build lasting narratives and an audience that eagerly waits for each new episode.
Dahv argues that marketers who rely only on AI-generated content lose the human stories that drive engagement. He points to an agency whose results stalled on algorithms and recovered after it put authentic storytelling back at the center.
Todd argues that mastering data is not enough in analytics. Insights need context from the audience's perspective to lead to action, and AI works best when paired with human intuition, advocate feedback and a feel for the unknown.
By Todd Kirk
Dahv argues that in a world dominated by AI, brands need narratives with heart to connect with audiences. He recommends blending creativity with data by building emotional touchpoints and using real-time insights, warning that neglecting the human touch means going unnoticed.
Dahv argues that marketers should blend data with storytelling instead of relying on numbers alone. Real-time feedback helps teams adapt, and data should serve as a canvas for narratives that resonate emotionally and also sell.
Dahv argues that AI-generated music is a present reality, citing Deezer's upload share, and that marketers should rework their playbooks to use it for creativity and untapped audiences, while keeping a sense of balance.
Dahv points to ESPN's "Courtside" format for the Women's Final Four as a strategic shift rather than just a new broadcast. Dahv argues that real-time insights and alternative formats help reach diverse audiences, and that ignoring hidden patterns means stalled growth.
Dahv argues that data is only as useful as the story told with it. As digital marketing shifts toward agentic AI, Dahv says campaigns should use AI insights to rethink audience engagement and strengthen brand narratives.