May the ritual pastry sacrifice bring luck in the new year.

• LinkedIn ad prices have surged by 30% during the X boycott.
• Facebook has rolled out “Link History” to track all of the in-app links you click. Yes, it’s default opt-in; yes, they’ve been tracking it all along; and yes, it’s used for ad targeting.
• Here’s what probably won’t happen in marketing this year.
• Prepare for privacy legislation to be enforced in 2024.

As it becomes harder to sell through influencers on social, brands are moving away from expensive professional content creators in favor of more cost-effective UGC. Here’s how:

• Work with existing customers. Tap your existing network of loyal fans whose honest reviews of free product will resonate more in an oversaturated influencer landscape.
• Hone your gifting strategy. Test incentives like affiliate commission, free products and gifts, access to special events and exclusives, and promotional discounts.
• Build lasting relationships. Keep fans engaged by sending birthday cards, spotlighting users, co-creating products with them, and inviting early feedback.
• Know when to go traditional. Larger influencers can still support bigger brand moments and product launches, in tandem with your micro-influencer strategy.

Dig deeper at Inc.

Pull back the veil on any website you want with the Rayst browser extension. Get a quick and clean report on the company (number of employees, acquisition, funding, and more), plus traffic statistics and tech stack — for web dev purposes, lead gen, or just plain old competitor analysis.

How many Coca-Cola products can you spot in this new campaign? It’s directed by Christopher Storer, the creator of Hulu’s “The Bear,” and inspired by that chaotic season-two episode (“Fishes”).