This week, agencies brace for shifts under a potential second Trump presidency, anticipating impacts on cultural messaging and regulatory approaches. Meanwhile, Google redefined Demand Gen audiences as “signals,” offering broader reach but less control for advertisers.
LinkedIn saw a 34% year-over-year increase in video uploads, solidifying its role as a creator platform with new content tools. Retail sales slowed in October as consumers awaited Black Friday deals amidst rising costs and economic uncertainty. BrightEdge’s new study highlights changes to Google’s AI Overviews, including increased product carousels and YouTube citations, which could affect SEO strategies. Additionally, a new investigation revealed Google’s Featured Snippets may show conflicting information, spotlighting challenges in search accuracy.
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Agencies brace for cultural upheaval under second Trump presidency
Audience complexity, deregulation, and a shift away from purpose will shape agency business. While U.S. citizens process Tuesday night’s election results, brands and their agencies are on the brink of a cultural shift that will impact how they speak to consumers and broach societal issues. Many agency folks ADWEEK contacted declined to comment on how a second Trump presidency might impact their business, while some expressed disbelief and sadness about the results. Others maintained it would be “business as usual.” But with Trump decisively winning more than half of the popular vote, agencies and brands must embrace the complex cultural mood of the country and reflect that in their communications with consumers.
Google redefined Demand Gen campaign audiences as signals
Google has reclassified Demand Gen campaign audiences as “signals” rather than strict targeting criteria, allowing its algorithm more freedom to optimise ad delivery beyond defined audiences. This shift, unannounced by Google, grants broader reach but reduces advertiser control over who sees ads. Advertisers now rely more on AI-driven “signals,” potentially discovering new high-performing segments, but must monitor performance closely. The update could impact targeting precision, requiring adjustments in bidding and strategy. Google has yet to confirm if this change is permanent, leaving advertisers awaiting formal guidance on adapting their Demand Gen campaigns to this new model.
Video uploads on LinkedIn have grown 34% YoY as the platform makes a big play for creators
LinkedIn is becoming a bigger platform for creators. The social platform for professionals is a growing tool for creators to build an audience and get brand deals. Creators like Gen Z public speaker Morgan Young, comedian London Lazerson and Jonathan Reid, founder of podcast firm Reidentify, are some of the biggest stars on LinkedIn. They’re using new tools like video and newsletters to create unique content that is different from Instagram, YouTube, and X. Jamé Jackson Gadsden is a community manager at LinkedIn whose job is to help creators and users grow their followings based on what resonates with people.
UK retail sales growth slumps as shoppers wait for Black Friday deals
UK retail sales growth slowed in October as shoppers delayed spending, awaiting Black Friday deals and impacted by a later school half-term. According to the British Retail Consortium, sales grew by only 0.6% year-on-year, down from September. Fashion sales were hit hardest due to mild weather, while food sales saw modest growth. Rising energy bills and pre-budget uncertainty also dampened consumer confidence. Separate data from Barclays showed a 0.7% rise in card spending, with essential spending down 2.2%. Retailers now look to Black Friday as a key test of consumer sentiment post-budget, amidst rising costs and economic pressures.
Latest Google AIO updates may impact SEO
A new study by BrightEdge details recent changes to AI Overviews (AIO) ahead of Black Friday and the holiday shopping season. Key findings include:
- Ads now featuring in AI overviews mean organic listings are pushed further down the SERP, which could affect organic traffic.
- Product carousels have increased by 300%.
- AIO citations and top organic search results are increasingly matching meaning that work tailored towards traditional ranking factors should pay off for AIO results too.
- Google is being more precise about which queries to show AIO for with a 15% reduction in keywords where AIO is present.
- YouTube citations in AIO have increased significantly which may reflect searchers preferences to watch video content when researching products
See the full study here.
New investigation reveals Google’s Featured Snippets show contradictory information
Google’s Featured Snippets have been found to display conflicting information from the same source depending on how searches phrase their queries, raising concerns about Google’s ability to interpret content accurately. For example, asking whether a political candidate is “good” versus “bad showed significantly different results, whilst the question remained largely the same. Site owners should review featured snippets they are present in and recognise how search intent affects these but overall continue to create accurate content regardless of how queries are phrased.
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