In this week’s digital news, nearly 80% of top results shifted as Google’s latest update hit aggregators and boosted brands, official sites, and data-rich sources. Google is updating AI Mode in Chrome with side-by-side page viewing and a plus menu for adding tabs, images, and files as context.
Early ChatGPT ads are drawing interest but limited data and evolving features mean advertisers are still testing cautiously. Google’s new MFA requirement for the Ads API strengthens security but may require advertisers to adjust authentication workflows.
Table of Contents
Google Core Update penalises aggregator sites
Chrome AI side-panel reduces direct website traffic
Google Ads API to require multi-factor authentication
Google is tightening security across its ads ecosystem. Requiring multi-factor authentication (MFA) for API users, a move that could impact how developers and advertisers access and manage accounts.
Google will begin rolling out mandatory MFA for the Google Ads API starting April 21. With full enforcement expected over the following weeks. The update applies to users generating new OAuth 2.0 refresh tokens through standard authentication workflows.
Read more here.
Advertisers are testing ChatGPT ads, but uncertainty remains high
OpenAI’s ad push comes as it juggles multiple priorities. From AI development to enterprise growth, while facing rising competition from Google and Anthropic. Some in the industry see OpenAI as having “cast too wide a net,” experimenting across video, commerce, and other products before refocusing. Its Instant Checkout commerce feature was quietly pulled back, whilst video ambitions have also lost ground to competitors.
How ads actually show up. Early tests suggest ads may influence user journeys, but not always directly. In one example, a sponsored retailer appeared more prominently in recommendations, even when multiple options were listed. Still, platforms maintain that ads do not directly alter core answers.
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Prioritise SEO efforts like a pro with THRICE
A prioritisation framework called THRICE extends the familiar ICE scoring model by adding Time, Headcount, and Reach alongside Impact, Confidence, and Effort. The additions address common SEO failures where teams burn political capital on initiatives that take too long, cost too much, or reach too few people. Each dimension is scored on a 1-10 scale, and the totals make trade-offs visible. A homepage title tag change might score 60/60 while a full site translation scores 26/60. Making the case for sequencing without subjective debate. The framework also builds trust with engineering teams by openly accounting for their workload before making requests.
Read more here.
Teens’ experiences on TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat
Pew Research finds that roughly 9 in 10 teens use TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat for entertainment. Snapchat is the most messaging-heavy platform, with 57% of users messaging daily and about 30% posting daily. TikTok leads for product discovery, with about 60% of users saying they use it for product reviews. About 40% use TikTok or Instagram for news, compared with about a quarter on Snapchat. About 40% of TikTok users say it harms sleep, and about 30% say it hurts productivity. Snapchat stands out for relationships, with 44% of users saying it improves friendships. Overall, about 70% of teens across platforms report positive experiences.
Read more here.
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