In this week’s digital news, AI is impacting Google, AI has increased search volumes reducing organic click through rates. Anna Crowe estimates that search volume is up 6 times searches per day, yet AI is leading to a 60% decrease in average click through rates. Google’s Gary Illyes confirmed in a SEO Office Hours podcast that domain names specific to countries receive a small rankings boost over top level domains like .com. Illyes continued to say that websites which have a language match to the users query has more impact than the domain name itself.
New research reveals changes to websites through Google’s new AI Overviews feature, queries including “how to” increased by 15% in June. The keywords that trigger AI Overviews are changing, and at a face pace with a nearly 20% rise in e-commerce keywords showing AI overviews since the beginning of July. According to the Language of Effectiveness survey from Marketing Week, 46.8% of people agree that digital creative has more emotional impact when compared to creative in other channels.
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The Impact of Generative AI on search volume and CTR’s
AI is significantly impacting Google, including SEO and Google Ads. AI has increased Google search volumes but reduced organic click-through rates by 60%, potentially cutting organic traffic by 30%. This is due to AI Overviews pushing organic listings further down SERPs. In contrast, ads now appear above AI Overviews, giving advertisers prime visibility. This shift prompts questions about whether businesses will increase their Google Ads budgets or shift from SEO to advertising.
Search keywords might regain importance due to reduced organic traffic and recent improvements in search ads. To succeed, advertisers must master all aspects of Google Ads, integrating various targeting options and formats, investing in high-quality content, and aligning ad programs with marketing goals. AI continues to evolve, and ongoing adaptation will be crucial for maintaining effective advertising strategies.
Google confirms local sites receive ranking boost
In a recent SEO Office Hours podcast, Google’s Gary Illyes confirmed that domain names that are specific to countries, such as .de (Germany) and .in (India), do receive a ranking boost as “Google Search promotes content local to the user”. He did, however, acknowledge that a generic top level domain like .com can still perform well, and that the localised code boost was “not too much”. He continued his answer to say that using the correct language on the site to match the user’s query “probably has more impact than the domain name itself”. If you’re looking to start a new website or launch into another country, we would recommend exploring the options of using a ccTLD versus other methods to weigh up what will work the best for you.
New research shows Google AI Overviews keyword trends
New research by BrightEdge reveals changes to websites being surfaced through Google’s new AI Overviews feature and shows that AI search engine Perplexity is gaining ground quickly. It was found that AI Overviews were tiggered 50% more of the time for queries containing “best” in them in June, alongside “what is” queries increasing by 20% and “how to” queries increasing by 15%. This has likely already changed in July, showing how quickly AI Overviews results are still changing. Alongside this, Perplexity is growing at a monthly rate of 31%.
The main takeaway from this is the speed at which AI in general and Google’s AI Overviews feature is changing, our advice is to not try make any drastic changes with the purpose of getting into the AI Overviews box, but instead continue to create high quality content around your products or services for long term success.
Travel media networks could be the next evolution of retail
Katrina Smart of The Mars Agency suggests travel media networks could be the next evolution in retail media. Retail media has become crucial, post-pandemic, driven by digital advancements and high margins. Major retailers like Amazon and Walmart have led this trend, with others following, giving advertisers better access to data for targeted engagement. The trend is expanding beyond groceries, to sectors like tech and airlines. Growth is expected in travel and hospitality, which have engaged audiences and rich data. However, brands face challenges in navigating these networks, requiring significant investment and technology.
Digital creative delivers ‘more emotional impact’ than offline
Marketers believe digital creative delivers more emotional impact than other types of creative, according to new data. Almost half of the more than 1,200 respondents to Marketing Week’s 2024 Language of Effectiveness survey, supported by Kantar, say digital creative has either much more or a little more emotional impact compared to creative in other channels. By contrast, just one in four marketers say digital delivers less emotional impact compared to other creative.
Over 40% of creative organisations have poor DE&I reporting practices
Around 41% of creative organisations demonstrate poor DE&I (diversity, equality and inclusion) reporting practices, according to Creative Access. The report found that PR’s were the least impressed with their organisation’s DE&I practice progress. They were also least likely to feel they were working in an inclusive and supportive environment at 54% compared to an average 64%. In addition, two-thirds of creative employers also admitted to focusing DE&I efforts at entry level despite four in five acknowledging that a greater focus was needed on senior level appointments.
For more information on any of these stories, or for support with your digital marketing campaigns – whether you’d like to boost your search rankings and improve your SEO, or if you’d like to increase your Digital PR, get in touch with our team. Send us an email to team@modo25.com
