Generative AI is changing how users search. With instant answers from AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and other tools, many searchers no longer need to click through to websites – especially for informational queries. But this change has resulted in many websites seeing declining click-through rates despite rising impressions. However, there’s a notable exception: local search. Businesses […]

What’s the narrowest, niche, specific type of targeting you can use in Google Ads? Placements! It’s a type of content targeting that you can use in Display and Video campaigns. (We covered one of your other options, Display/video keywords, in a previous column). If you’ve ever wanted to get your ads in front of people […]

Customers expect content tailored for them. In fact, 71% of consumers say  it’s “critical” for brands to anticipate their needs and serve relevant content in the moment. But only 34% believe brands actually deliver. The disconnect doesn’t signify a lack of effort, but a lack of scale. Real personalization is about reaching every customer with […]

OpenAI today announced upgrades to ChatGPT search that aim to deliver more accurate, reliable, and useful results. What’s new. OpenAI’s updates to ChatGPT search focused on three areas: Factuality: ChatGPT search produces fewer hallucinations, improving the accuracy of answers, OpenAI said. Shopping: Search is now better at detecting when users want product recommendations, keeping results […]

Meta is giving advertisers more ways to reach WhatsApp users by combining click-to-message ads with Status placements, offering a new path to spark conversations with potential customers. Ads will now appear in WhatsApp’s Updates tab (home to Status and Channels) and, when tapped, send users directly into a business chat. The expansion builds on Meta’s […]

Reddit today launched a beta feature called 6-second Engaged Video Views, a new optimization goal designed to make video ads more impactful and cost-efficient. Unlike Reddit’s existing 2-second view objective, the new option prioritizes users who are likely to watch an ad for at least six seconds or to completion. Early testers reported +130% view-through […]

Paid advertising, particularly through Google Ads, is a cornerstone marketing channel for businesses of all sizes. However, there is no denying that with big brands dominating the platform, it’s becoming harder for smaller and mid-sized businesses to see success. In fact, more than 50% of respondents to a recent poll said small businesses have been […]

OpenAI and Harvard economist David Deming today released a large study about ChatGPT usage. The analysis of 1.5 million conversations shows that the chatbot is no longer a niche tool: Adoption is broadening globally. Gender gaps are closing. Most people use it for everyday tasks like writing, information-seeking, and practical guidance. While 30% of chats […]