Vision #9 - The AI x Marketing Dispatch

Happy New Year, folks!

I know I’ve been a bit off the grid lately because a lot of things were breaking. Assumptions, ideas, even some beliefs we had about how founders actually want to work.

Over the last few weeks at Questera, we spent less time shipping features and more time watching how teams behave when data is unclear, when campaigns stall and when AI suggestions create more doubt than clarity.

This newsletter isn’t a roundup for the sake of staying relevant; it’s a snapshot of the things that genuinely made us pause, rethink, or change direction.

Here’s what’s worth knowing right now.

Let’s dive into some hot news in AI x Marketing:

1. People are growing bored of obvious automation and are craving content that feels intentional and original. AI is shifting into a quiet support role, helping teams work faster without dominating what audiences see. Brands are leaning into clearer voices, more episodic, platform-native storytelling, stronger links between social and real-world moments, and creator partnerships that are deeper, longer-term, and genuinely human.

2. Reports suggest OpenAI may be exploring a partnership or acquisition of Pinterest to tap into deeper, intent-driven human behavior data, particularly around product discovery and search. With its visually led search engine and more than 600 million users, Pinterest could help power more advanced shopping and advertising experiences. If this happens, it would mark a strategic move toward owning first-party data instead of depending on expensive third-party licensing arrangements.

3 Interesting Marketing Tactics:

1. How to price your SaaS without touching list prices
   A sharp breakdown of practical pricing ideas that increase revenue without defaulting to discounts.

2. Why most ecommerce emails still fail on accessibility
   74% of marketing emails lack clear link text, creating friction for screen-reader users and others. Simple fixes—clear links, concise copy, descriptive buttons, proper headings, ALT text, and thoughtful emoji use—can meaningfully improve conversions.
   

3. Building a personal brand on LinkedIn in 2026
   Six practical, no-fluff tips on standing out, staying consistent, and building credibility on LinkedIn as the platform continues to mature.
   

Resources & tools:

1. 2026 X Marketing Calendar - A compilation of holidays, events, and occasions on X in 2026.

2. TikTok published a guide for teams, leagues, and other sports properties looking to connect with fans on the platform.

3. Glowtify - AI-driven insights to optimize marketing campaigns and improve conversions.

That's all for this week. If this newsletter helped you think differently, share it with someone on your team who might appreciate it.
And if you have ideas, feedback, or even disagreements, I’d genuinely love to hear them you can fill up this quick feedback form. I read every response.

Thanks for sticking around, and excited for what we’re building together this year.

(I talk about marketing hacks and interesting AI tools on my channels, follow along Youtube Instagram)

Until next time, Keep believing!

Shubham Nigam

Founder, Questera

[email protected]