Creator commerce, broader search automation and an uneven trading picture. August’s developments reward clearer customer journeys and better commercial checks.
August’s digital marketing trends bring discovery, recommendations and purchasing closer together. They also make it easier to confuse a bigger opportunity with a better business result.
This month, we look at creator commerce, expanding search automation and what PH’s client data tells us about the quality of growth.
YouTube Adds Amazon to Its Shopping Affiliate Programme
On 27 August, YouTube announced that eligible US creators could tag Amazon products in Shorts, longer videos and livestreams. Read YouTube’s announcement.
Our Take: This is a US development, so New Zealand brands should check market and account eligibility before planning around it. The wider lesson is useful now: demonstrations and trusted recommendations can sit close to a purchase decision.
Review the questions your product videos answer. Show the item in use, explain who it suits and make the next step clear. Choose creator relationships for relevance and credibility, then assess the customer acquisition strategy against actual commercial outcomes.
Microsoft Expands AI Max Availability
Microsoft announced AI Max availability for all Microsoft Advertising advertisers on 27 August. The optional features combine broader search matching, generated text and landing page selection. Read Microsoft’s announcement.
Our Take: A wider set of queries is useful only when the offer and destination still fit. Review the pages the system can use and the claims it may draw from them. A clear digital marketing strategy gives automation a useful direction.
Treat the first test as a learning exercise. Compare enquiry quality or order value with the previous position, rather than judging success from additional clicks alone.
PH’s August Read: The Average Hides the Detail
Across PH Digital’s retail and ecommerce portfolio, August revenue rose 2.6% year on year, while median client revenue rose 30.8%. Compared with July, total revenue fell 4.5%, while the median was broadly steady at 0.3% growth.
These figures describe PH’s client portfolio, rather than the entire New Zealand retail market. They show how differently the total and typical-client experience can move.
Our Take: Review your own customer and product mix before making a budget decision from a headline. A useful ecommerce growth strategy starts with the sources of demand your business can serve profitably.
What to Take Into September
Pick one point in the journey where customers need more confidence. It could be a product demonstration, a clearer comparison or a better landing page.
Connect that improvement to marketing campaign measurement. Track what people do next and whether the activity produces customers worth retaining. More discovery creates an opening; clear information and a reliable experience help turn it into growth.