I’ve got a problem in my front yard. There’s a spot under a tree that gets zero sunlight. So last weekend, instead of researching Reddit, Wirecutter, or Consumer Reports for the best grass seed, I took a different route. I went to the closest hardware store, grabbed all three types of full-shade seed they had, snapped a pic, and uploaded it to ChatGPT.
Then I asked: “Which one’s best for my Michigan yard with no sunlight?”
Twenty seconds later, I had a breakdown of pros and cons—and a clear recommendation. No browser. No websites. No scrolling. Just the answer.
This times 1,000,000 is the conundrum digital marketers will face for the rest of the decade:
What good is SEO or SEM if no one’s using the search engine?
Google is still king of the hill, but its empire is shrinking. As competitors bid up keywords, cost-per-click keeps climbing, making some advertisers question the ROI. Meanwhile, new search behaviors are emerging that bypass Google entirely. Case in point: 64% of Gen Z uses TikTok as a search engine, and then stays within its walled video garden.
Even when someone does search on Google, there’s no guarantee they’ll land on a business’s website. In fact, the odds aren’t great. Thanks to summaries, featured snippets, and AI-generated answers, some websites are reporting a 25% drop in traffic. Nearly 60% of searches now end in zero clicks—because people are finding what they need right on the results page.
So what does this mean for marketers and media sellers?
All of this change means there will be openings for astute sales reps and marketing companies. But being able to take advantage relies on keeping agile, keeping a close eye on clients’ needs and traffic, and keeping alternative marking tools at the ready when the current ones don’t have the bang-for-the-buck.
Your sellers must be prepared to answer a client’s needs when their customers, like me, ask for input from ChatGPT or Gemini instead of Google.
Trade Desk: It’s Audio’s Big Moment
In their programmatic news blog, TTD reviews the evergreen topic: Streaming audio is emerging as a powerful tool in advertising, capturing 25% of consumer attention yet receiving only 8% of ad investments. Great talking points for your next sales pitch. [details]
AI Headlines from around the web
- New AI-Powerd Radio Station Pops-Up in L.A.
It’s AI-powered DJs and AI-created music all with a soft drink theme in this broadcasting and streaming station, launched to promote the relaunch of Slice soda
Originally published by Jacobs Media
