AI-powered search platforms are growing fast, but still account for less than 1% of referral traffic, according to new data from enterprise SEO platform BrightEdge. By the numbers. From January to August, AI-driven search referrals accounted for less than 1% of traffic. Organic search remains the primary driver of conversions across industries. AI search usage […]

A majority of Americans are using AI in daily life – 87% read AI summaries in search, and 84% turn to AI for shopping. That’s according to new survey data shared exclusively with Search Engine Land by digital marketing firm Centerfield. By the numbers: 87% of U.S. adults read AI-generated summaries in search results. 50% […]

Today’s customer journeys look less like funnels and more like works from Jackson Pollock; splashes of touchpoints across dozens of channels.  Digital transformation has “fractured consumer journeys into unpredictable, nonlinear patterns,” per Boston Consulting Group’s research, and AI is accelerating this complexity at breakneck speed. Here’s the take: The real opportunity isn’t in controlling the […]

Meta used its Brand Building Summit to unveil updates aimed at helping advertisers tap into cultural moments across its apps, with new ad formats, trending placements, and AI-powered targeting. What’s new: Reels trending ads are opening up to more advertisers after closed beta. The format places brands alongside the most popular Reels, with early tests […]

SEOs (and their bosses) are rapidly adopting AI search optimization, even if they’re still figuring out what it all means, according to a new survey from Aleyda Solis. By the numbers: More than 200 senior SEOs worldwide shared how they’re referring to this emerging discipline. 36% say their clients/managers simply call it “AI search optimization.” […]

Google has pushed a minor update to its search quality raters guidelines PDF (accessible here). Google updated the YMYL definitions and added additional examples for new features like AI Overviews. Google also fixed some typos and other textual issues in the document. What changed. Google posted the following details in its change log in the document: […]

Google Tag Manager (GTM) has rolled out a long-awaited update: advertisers can now add custom event parameters directly to Google Ads and Floodlight tags. How it works. A new Event Parameters field group now appears in Ads and Floodlight event tags. You can use it to: Send custom parameters (like audience or conversion details). Configure […]

TikTok is positioning its Search Ads Campaign, which launched last September, as the next big shift in search marketing, turning intent-driven queries into conversions and long-term engagement. By the numbers. TikTok reported a meta-analysis across the U.S. and Canada showing search campaigns on TikTok drive significantly higher impact than non-search efforts: 2x higher purchase lift […]

Most digital marketers aren’t investing resources in generative engine optimization (GEO), even as AI-powered search looms larger. That’s according to new survey data shared exclusively with Search Engine Land by digital marketing firm Centerfield. By the numbers. According to Centerfield’s survey: 63% of marketers said their company isn’t investing time, budget, or staff in GEO. […]

Quarterly business reviews can be stressful, especially for agency teams.  They’re meant to showcase your impact and align on future strategy – but too often, they turn into 45-minute monologues packed with PPC metrics and little engagement. Having worked across multiple agencies, I’ve seen firsthand that there’s no single “right” way to run a QBR […]