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Biddable Monthly Industry Update

Lizzie Connick — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 14:21:28 +0000

CHOOSE GREAT MARKETING

Paid Media & Biddable Industry Update

What January’s Changes Mean for Your Brand

January brought a series of platform updates that signal where paid media is heading in 2026: closer links between brand exposure and measurable sales, heavier use of automation and AI, and better tools for understanding how different channels work together.

Across Google, Meta, TikTok and LinkedIn, the message is consistent. Platforms are making it easier to test, automate, and scale, but they are also increasing competition in auctions. That makes data quality, creative quality and budget decisions more important than ever.

Here’s what changed, why it matters, and what advertisers should be thinking about next.

Google is introducing tools to plan and measure performance across channels

Impacts for brands

Budget decisions increasingly need to be made across channels, not in isolation. Performance in one channel may depend on investment in another, making siloed optimisation less effective.

What happened

Google Analytics released three beta features: cross-channel budgeting with scenario planning, improved Google Ads conversion management, and an advanced attribution analysis report. These tools help forecast outcomes and understand how credit is shared across the funnel.

Why this matters

These changes push advertisers away from channel-by-channel thinking and towards a full-funnel view of spend and performance. Decisions about budgets, bids and optimisation can now be based on how channels work together, not just last-click results.

What advertisers should do

Ensure Google Ads is fully linked to GA4 and explore the new budgeting and attribution reports
Use scenario planning to model how shifting the budget between channels may affect outcomes
Align bidding strategies with deeper attribution insights to avoid over- or under-investing in individual channels

Threads has rolled out globally as a paid advertising channel

Impacts for brands

Brands have access to additional paid reach within Meta’s ecosystem, but this also introduces more competition for attention. How and where budgets are allocated across Meta placements will have a greater impact on efficiency.

What happened

Meta completed the global rollout of ads on Threads, allowing brands to run image, video, 4:5 and carousel ads through Meta Ads Manager. Threads now sits alongside Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, with a reported audience of around 400 million users.

Why this matters

Threads is no longer experimental. It is now a formal paid placement, increasing available inventory and scale across Meta campaigns. As adoption grows, auction dynamics and pricing are likely to evolve.

What advertisers should do

Include Threads placements in Advantage+ or manual campaigns to expand reach
Test formats early to understand performance relative to Feed and Reels
Monitor CPMs and competition as demand on the platform increases

TikTok is blending automation with greater advertiser control

Impacts for brands

Campaigns can be launched and scaled more quickly, but results still depend heavily on creative quality and brand oversight. Automation improves efficiency, not outcomes, without strong inputs.

What happened

TikTok enhanced Smart+ campaigns with automated creative selection, improved previews, draft modes and bulk editing tools. These updates combine AI-led optimisation with more traditional manual controls.

Why this matters

These features reduce friction when launching and scaling campaigns while helping advertisers make better creative decisions before spend goes live. The balance of automation and control is particularly important for maintaining brand standards while benefiting from algorithmic optimisation.

What advertisers should do

Use automated creative recommendations to improve relevance and reduce wasted spend
Take advantage of preview and draft tools to quality-check campaigns before launch
Balance automation with manual inputs to protect brand consistency

Paid media competition is increasing as AI drives growth

Impacts for brands

As more advertisers adopt AI-driven bidding and management, competition in auctions is intensifying. Maintaining efficiency will rely more on data quality, targeting signals and creative strength than on manual bid adjustments.

What happened

Industry projections point to continued growth in digital ad spend through 2026, driven by AI innovation and increasingly automated campaign management. Coverage also highlighted legal and regulatory tensions, alongside rapid ad tech development at global industry events.

Why this matters

Rising spend and AI-driven optimisation increase bid pressure, particularly in competitive categories. At the same time, changes in regulation or platform behaviour may affect targeting signals and bidding mechanics.

What advertisers should do

Expect bid inflation and refine audience and conversion signals to maintain efficiency
Invest in AI-ready creative and measurement tools that feed automated bidding systems with strong data
Stay alert to regulatory developments that may influence targeting or platform performance

TV-style ads are becoming directly shoppable

Impacts for brands

Upper-funnel activity is becoming easier to measure against real sales outcomes. For e-commerce brands in particular, TV-style exposure is no longer just about awareness; it can now be directly tied to purchasing behaviour.

What happened

Google launched Shoppable YouTube ads on connected TVs (CTV). Viewers can now browse and buy products directly from ads shown on their TV screens.

Google also introduced Campaign Mix Experiments (in beta), allowing advertisers to test different campaign types and budget splits within a single experiment.

Why this matters

Shoppable CTV shortens the gap between awareness and purchase. What was traditionally “brand” inventory can now drive direct, trackable commerce outcomes.

Campaign Mix Experiments reduce guesswork by allowing advertisers to test which combinations of Search, Performance Max, Shopping and Video actually deliver results, rather than manually inferring performance changes.

What advertisers should do

Test shoppable CTV formats if you have e-commerce feeds and upper-funnel or demand-generation budgets
Use Campaign Mix Experiments to validate budget allocation decisions instead of relying on intuition
Monitor how bids and budgets shift during experiments to refine automated bidding strategies

What This Means For Your Paid Media Strategy

Across platforms, January’s updates reinforce a clear trend: paid media is becoming more automated, more interconnected and more competitive. Success increasingly depends on feeding platforms the right inputs, high-quality data, clear conversion signals and strong creative, rather than micromanaging bids in isolation.

For brands, that means smarter testing, better measurement and clearer decisions about where budgets genuinely drive value.

Lizzie Connick

Biddable Account Manager

6 minute read

Recent articles:

May Paid Media UpdatesJune 12, 2026
What May’s Paid Media Changes Mean for AI Search, Automation and Full-Funnel Advertising May reinforced how quickly paid media platforms are moving towards AI-led campaign delivery,… Read more: May Paid Media Updates
From Static Reporting to Active Analytics: What Growing Brands Need NextJune 1, 2026
What Growing Brands Need Next In our last article, we looked at why static analytics often fails high-growth teams. The core issue is not that brands… Read more: From Static Reporting to Active Analytics: What Growing Brands Need Next
April SEO & AI Search UpdatesMay 29, 2026
What April’s Changes Mean for Your Visibility Updates this month reinforced two clear themes: Google’s Search Console reporting error means many brands will need to reset… Read more: April SEO & AI Search Updates

If you have a project or campaign you’d like to discuss, we’d love to hear from you.

The post Biddable Monthly Industry Update appeared first on Fingo Marketing.

SEO & AI Industry Update

Nick Shilton — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 14:07:06 +0000

CHOOSE GREAT MARKETING

SEO & AI Industry Update

What January’s Changes Mean for Your Brand

January reinforced a clear pattern. AI-led discovery is becoming a productised infrastructure, not a novelty, and that changes what “visibility” means for brands.

Google and Microsoft are developing AI assistants that can browse products, compare options and even complete purchases. For retailers, this makes clear and accurate product and policy information a competitive advantage, not just good housekeeping.
At the same time, the set of websites AI tools rely on for information may not stay fixed. If publishers restrict how their content is used, the mix of sources cited in AI answers can change quickly, which can affect how brands are presented, even without movement in traditional rankings.
Rankings still matter. But they are no longer the full picture. AI-generated answers and search result layouts can vary depending on the query and context. That means brands need to monitor more than just positions, including mentions, citations, accuracy and overall sentiment.

AI shopping capabilities are expanding across major platforms

Impacts for brands

For e-commerce brands, visibility increasingly depends on how clearly AI systems can interpret product data. If details like availability, variants or delivery information are unclear, AI assistants may struggle to recommend your brand or transact with confidence. If you’re not e-commerce, treat this as signal of direction, not an immediate workstream.

What happened

Google introduced the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), designed to help AI agents shop across retailers and platforms.

Google also published further details on AI tools for retailers, while Microsoft launched Copilot Checkout and Brand Agents, signalling similar ambitions.

Why this matters

If an assistant cannot reliably interpret product availability, variants, shipping or returns, it cannot confidently recommend or transact. This also has knock-on effects for reporting, as some journeys may begin or end inside AI-led flows rather than traditional clicks.

What you can do

Treat structured product data as core SEO infrastructure, not a back-office task
Run quality checks on product taxonomy, variants, pricing, delivery and policy clarity
Prepare reporting for more complex journeys, including assistant-led referrals and assisted conversions

Publisher opt-outs from AI features could change who gets cited

Impacts for brands

The set of websites AI tools draw from is not fixed. If publishers restrict access to their content, which brands appear in AI answers, and alongside whom, may shift over time, even without changes to your own site. Expect more churn in the set of citation sources, even without changes to your site.

What happened

Industry reporting suggested Google is exploring ways for publishers to opt out of AI search features. Polling indicated that a meaningful number of publishers would choose to block AI usage if given the option.

Why this matters

If more sites restrict AI access, the pool of available sources could narrow or skew, changing competitive dynamics and citation patterns inside AI answers.

What you can do

Expect churn in which domains get cited over time, rather than assuming stability
Make first-party content easier to trust and reference through transparent authorship, clear policies and unambiguous factual statements

Your brand’s appearance in AI-generated local and recommendation results can change day-to-day

Impacts for brands

For businesses that depend on local visibility or “best of” recommendations, AI-driven results can be unpredictable. Being included one day does not guarantee continued visibility, making traditional ranking-style reporting less reliable.

What happened

A 2026 report suggested that gaining visibility in AI-driven local results can be less predictable and less repeatable than classic local rankings.

Separate research found that AI recommendation lists rarely repeat, with less than 1% repetition across outputs.

Why this matters

Local and recommendation-based searches are often high-intent. If results vary significantly, a single snapshot is not a reliable performance indicator. This increases the importance of consistent business information that AI systems can confidently reuse.

What you can do

Increase monitoring of AI local prompts if relevant to your business, and treat outputs as probabilistic rather than fixed rankings
Invest in strong entity foundations: consistent business details, authoritative citations and structured data
Encourage customer reviews, particularly those that reference the location where the service area matters

More people are starting discovery inside AI tools, not Google

Impacts for brands

A growing proportion of customers may encounter your brand for the first time through an AI tool rather than a traditional search results page. That means early perceptions of credibility and relevance may form before someone ever visits your website.

What happened

A study reported that37% of consumers now start searches using AI tools rather than Google.

Why this matters

Even if Google remains dominant overall, early-stage discovery is fragmenting. That changes where brand awareness is built and where trust starts to form, often before someone reaches your website.

What you can do

Monitor how your brand appears in AI prompts for key searches and how competitors are positioned
Optimise content for extraction: clear headings, short definitions and specific, verifiable claims that AI tools can quote accurately

Algorithm updates can still reshape visibility across entire sectors

Impacts for brands

Brands that rely on being discovered through news, updates, guides or timely content can see sudden traffic changes, even when nothing on their website has changed. Visibility can rise or fall quickly if platforms reassess how and where that content is surfaced.

What happened

Reporting on Google’s December 2025 core update showed significant visibility drops for some news publishers, particularly across discovery-led areas like Top Stories and Discover. While some large publications saw only small dips, others experienced much larger declines.

Separate industry analysis also suggested publishers are preparing for long-term reductions in search referrals, with projections of a 43% drop by 2029.

Why this matters

For publisher-style businesses, or any site dependent on fresh discovery surfaces, performance can swing sharply without any obvious trigger. This reinforces that relying on a single traffic source, even Google, increases risk during periods of algorithm volatility.

What you can do

Reduce reliance on one channel by strengthening alternative discovery routes, including AI citations, third-party sites and social platforms
Strengthen visible trust signals such as clear authorship, sourcing and editorial standards, especially where content influences reputation or purchasing decisions
Keep technical foundations tight: clean templates, clear indexation controls and minimal technical drift are more likely to hold up when systems change

Bing is pushing AI assistance earlier in the discovery journey

Impacts for brands

AI-led discovery is no longer limited to one platform. Even where the overall market share is smaller, AI assistants are being positioned as the starting point for information and decision-making.

What happened

Bing tested a new homepage layout that gives Copilot more prominence, reinforcing its focus on assistant-led discovery.

Why this matters

While Bing’s market share is smaller, the direction mirrors wider platform trends: AI assistance is becoming the default entry point.

What you can do

Where audiences skew enterprise or Windows-heavy, include Bing and Copilot prompts in AI visibility and reputation monitoring

AI Overviews are increasingly shaped by core search signals and engagement behaviour

Impacts for brands

For many searches, the AI Overview is now the first thing a potential customer sees. How your brand is described, referenced or framed inside that answer can change over time, even if your rankings remain stable.

What happened

Google confirmed that AI Overviews and AI Mode rely on its core search ranking signals. At the same time, testing suggested that whether an AI Overview appears can vary by context and query, and doesn’t appear consistently every time.

Industry coverage also highlighted risks when AI Overviews misrepresent brands, particularly through opinions or discussions on forums such as Reddit and Quora. Third-party discussion can influence how brands are framed when authoritative first-party pages are thin or ambiguous.

Why this matters

If an AI Overview appears, it often becomes the primary source of information a user sees. Visibility is no longer just about where you rank, but whether your brand is included, accurately represented and framed credibly within that answer.

Engagement-based triggering also introduces volatility: search results can “look different” without a formal update.

What you can do

Monitor AI answers alongside rankings, including citations, tone, accuracy and brand mentions
When performance changes, check whether the search layout or AI Overview presence has shifted
Prioritise content that is easy to cite: concise factual statements, clear sourcing and supporting pages that demonstrate expertise and trust

What This All Means In Practice

Across all of these updates, the theme is consistency and trust. SEO is no longer just about ranking positions. It’s about being represented accurately inside answers, being understandable to AI systems, and having data and content that platforms can safely reuse.

For most brands, the priority is making information clear, verifiable and easy to interpret. That’s what allows both search engines and AI systems to recommend you with confidence.

Nick Shilton

8 minute read

Recent articles:

May Paid Media UpdatesJune 12, 2026
What May’s Paid Media Changes Mean for AI Search, Automation and Full-Funnel Advertising May reinforced how quickly paid media platforms are moving towards AI-led campaign delivery,… Read more: May Paid Media Updates
From Static Reporting to Active Analytics: What Growing Brands Need NextJune 1, 2026
What Growing Brands Need Next In our last article, we looked at why static analytics often fails high-growth teams. The core issue is not that brands… Read more: From Static Reporting to Active Analytics: What Growing Brands Need Next
April SEO & AI Search UpdatesMay 29, 2026
What April’s Changes Mean for Your Visibility Updates this month reinforced two clear themes: Google’s Search Console reporting error means many brands will need to reset… Read more: April SEO & AI Search Updates

If you have a project or campaign you’d like to discuss, we’d love to hear from you.

The post SEO & AI Industry Update appeared first on Fingo Marketing.

Always-On Analytics: Why ‘Set and Forget’ Tracking Is Holding High-Growth Brands Back

Ginny Gilmour — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 10:13:39 +0000

CHOOSE GREAT MARKETING

Always-On Analytics: Why ‘Set and Forget’ Tracking Is Holding High-Growth Brands Back

Why Static Analytics Fails High-Growth Teams

Most brands believe their website analytics are done.

Tracking was set up once, dashboards exist, and reports still land in inboxes each month, so everything must be fine. Right?

In practice, this assumption is one of the biggest hidden risks we see for growing brands.

Not because analytics isn’t installed, but because tracking quietly degrades, gaps emerge, and complexity outgrows the original setup, often without anyone noticing. The result is confident decisions being made on incomplete information.

For high-growth businesses with multiple audiences, channels and conversion paths, analytics is not a one-off technical task. It’s an ongoing performance discipline.

The Difference Between “Having Analytics” and Having Reliable Insight

Most leadership teams feel reassured by the presence of dashboards, monthly reports and familiar metrics. Traffic is up or down, conversions appear to be tracked, and numbers broadly align with expectations.

What’s rarely questioned is whether those numbers still reflect reality.

Reliable insight depends on three things being true at the same time:

The right things are being tracked
They are tracked consistently across journeys and devices
Someone is actively validating that the data remains accurate over time

If any one of these breaks, confidence in decision-making quietly erodes, often long before performance visibly declines.

This is why the real issue usually isn’t analytics itself, but the tracking underneath it.

Where Even Mature Analytics Setups Commonly Fall Short

Even sophisticated brands with in-house teams or previous agency support are not immune. In fact, the more complex the website and marketing mix becomes, the more fragile tracking often is.

Below are the most common and most commercially impactful gaps we uncover.

1. Conversion tracking that never evolved

Many conversion frameworks are designed around an early-stage view of the business: fewer pages, fewer audiences, and a relatively linear path to enquiry or purchase.

As businesses scale, that simplicity disappears, but the tracking rarely keeps pace.

Many analytics setups still reflect what the business looked like when they were implemented. As sites evolve, we often find:

Only final conversions are tracked, with no visibility into supporting actions
Micro-conversions (key clicks, engagement signals, early intent actions) are missing entirely
Multi-step forms are tracked as a single outcome, masking where users actually drop off
Distinct audience journeys are forced into one generic definition of success

Without this depth, brands can see what happened at a headline level, but not why, turning optimisation into guesswork rather than strategy.

2. Tracking decay and silent data loss

One of the least understood risks in analytics is tracking decay, the gradual degradation of data quality over time.

Websites are rarely static:

New landing pages launch
Forms are replaced
Cookie consent rules change
CMS updates roll out
Third-party tools are added or removed

Each change introduces risk.

Unless tracking is actively monitored, brands can unknowingly lose weeks or months of conversion data. Events stop firing, definitions drift, and critical signals disappear, often without anything visibly breaking.

3. Metrics that don’t map to business reality

As reporting layers grow, so does the risk of measuring what’s easiest rather than what’s meaningful.

Analytics can quickly become a long list of numbers with no clear hierarchy or commercial relevance.

High-value analytics should help answer questions such as:

Which channels actually drive meaningful outcomes, not just traffic?
Which content supports conversion across journeys?
Where are high-intent users hesitating or dropping out?

Without this linkage, teams risk optimising for activity instead of impact.

4. Fragmented data and declining trust

As tool stacks expand, inconsistencies creep in.

Paid media platforms, website analytics tools and CRMs often report different figures for the same activity, each using their own definitions and assumptions.

When numbers don’t align, confidence erodes. Teams spend time debating accuracy rather than acting on insight, and instinct slowly replaces evidence.

Why These Gaps Are Amplified in High-Growth Businesses

Growth magnifies weaknesses.

What feels manageable at lower volumes becomes actively misleading when media spend increases, websites support multiple propositions, journeys diversify, and leadership expectations around ROI sharpen.

At this stage, analytics stops being a marketing nice-to-have and becomes an operational dependency.

Incomplete tracking doesn’t just limit insight; it distorts decision-making. Budget drifts towards channels that look busy rather than valuable. UX issues persist because friction points remain invisible. Opportunities are identified too late, often by more data-mature competitors first.

Over time, these inefficiencies compound and performance plateaus without a clear explanation.

Why Analytics Can’t Be a One-Off Exercise

One of the most persistent misconceptions we encounter is the idea that analytics can be ‘finished’.

Analytics systems sit downstream of almost every digital change a business makes. Any shift in strategy, technology or regulation has the potential to compromise data integrity unless it is actively managed.

An always-on approach means:

Tracking is reviewed and validated regularly
New site elements are measured as they’re introduced
Conversion definitions evolve alongside business goals
Issues are identified early, not months later
Data remains trustworthy as complexity increases

This is the difference between analytics as a reporting layer and analytics as a performance engine.

From Visibility to Confidence

Smarter analytics isn’t about collecting more data. It’s about clarity.

When tracking is robust and continuously maintained, brands gain:

Clear visibility into how users actually behave
Metrics that reflect real business outcomes, not vanity activity
Confidence in where ROI is coming from, and where it isn’t
Faster, evidence-based decisions across marketing, UX and strategy
A shared understanding of performance across teams

Most importantly, analytics stops being something you look at and becomes something you use.

We’ll be sharing more soon about a new always-on analytics solution designed to close these gaps, combining deep initial setup with continuous monitoring, so insight never silently slips away.

Ginny Gilmour

Senior Marketing Executive

6 minute read

Recent articles:

May Paid Media UpdatesJune 12, 2026
What May’s Paid Media Changes Mean for AI Search, Automation and Full-Funnel Advertising May reinforced how quickly paid media platforms are moving towards AI-led campaign delivery,… Read more: May Paid Media Updates
From Static Reporting to Active Analytics: What Growing Brands Need NextJune 1, 2026
What Growing Brands Need Next In our last article, we looked at why static analytics often fails high-growth teams. The core issue is not that brands… Read more: From Static Reporting to Active Analytics: What Growing Brands Need Next
April SEO & AI Search UpdatesMay 29, 2026
What April’s Changes Mean for Your Visibility Updates this month reinforced two clear themes: Google’s Search Console reporting error means many brands will need to reset… Read more: April SEO & AI Search Updates

If you have a project or campaign you’d like to discuss, we’d love to hear from you.

The post Always-On Analytics: Why ‘Set and Forget’ Tracking Is Holding High-Growth Brands Back appeared first on Fingo Marketing.

Biddable Monthly Industry Update

Lizzie Connick — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 11:37:49 +0000

Digital, News & Insights, Performance Marketing

Biddable Monthly Industry Update

Home » Homepage

November Update

November brought another month of bidddable updates. Google is pushing harder into journey-level bidding and clearer channel reporting. TikTok is trying to close the gap between how many people believe in AI automation and how many actually use it. Meta is turning Threads into a more serious media channel.

This update walks through what changed, why it matters for your brand, and practical actions you can take now.

Performance Max: Channel Reporting Finally Shows Where Spend Goes

What is happening

Google has rolled out channel performance reporting across all Performance Max campaigns globally. You can now see how spend and performance break down by channels such as Search, YouTube, Maps and more. Reporting on search partners and manager account (MCC) level access is also on the way.

Why this matters

Performance Max has always worked like a black box for many brands. You knew the overall results, but not which surfaces were driving them. With channel reporting, you can finally see whether PMax is acting more like a search campaign, a YouTube campaign or a mix of both. That helps you judge overlap with your existing campaigns and spot wasted impressions.

What you can do

Review your PMax channel report and compare it with your current campaign structure. If PMax is heavily skewed to Search, you may want to tighten your search keywords to avoid duplication.
If YouTube or Maps are driving better assisted conversions, consider shifting creative to suit those environments, for example, more visual assets for YouTube and stronger store messaging for Maps.
Set clear expectations internally that PMax is still automated, but you now have better levers for budget allocation.

Google AI Tools: Smarter Reporting and Asset Generation

What is happening

Google continues to add AI to its ads and publisher tools. On the publisher side, Ad Manager now includes generative AI reporting that can answer natural language questions like “Which ad units had the highest CPM last week?” and build custom reports.

On the advertiser side, Google Ads API v22 introduces an AssetGenerationService to create text and image assets with generative AI and expands automation for Demand Gen campaigns, including new bidding options.

Why this matters

You will see faster reporting workflows and more AI-generated recommendations across Google surfaces. Even if you never touch the API, these changes sit behind many of the tools in the Google Ads interface. Expect more auto-suggested creatives, performance summaries and “explain this” style insights inside your account.

What you can do

Decide where you are comfortable letting AI help. You might allow AI to suggest headlines and images as a starting point, while keeping human oversight for brand tone and compliance.
Use AI-driven performance summaries to spot anomalies and new opportunities, but validate them with your own analysis instead of accepting every recommendation.

Journey Aware Bidding: From Single Conversions to Full Journeys

What is happening

Google is preparing a new bidding model called Journey Aware Bidding. Instead of optimising only for one main conversion, the algorithm will consider the full lead-to-sale path. That includes micro conversions such as leads, MQLs, SQLs, opportunities and closed deals, as long as you send those events into Google Ads and categorise them correctly.

Why this matters

For brands with long or complex funnels, current bidding often over-values the first form fill and under-values later qualification. Journey Aware Bidding could give more weight to conversions that correlate with actual revenue, not just raw leads. That can improve lead quality, reduce wasted spend on low-value actions and align media with sales reality.

What you can do

Audit your conversion setup now. Map every stage of your funnel, from first enquiry through to closed sale.
Make sure you can track each step with clean, deduplicated events that can feed into Google Ads.
Agree internally on which stages should influence bidding and which are only for reporting. Brands that prepare their data now will move faster when Journey Aware Bidding becomes available.

New Brand Suitability Controls Across YouTube, Discover and Display

What is happening

Google has launched unified brand suitability settings across YouTube Home, YouTube Watch Next and Discover, building on existing controls. Inventory types and excluded content themes now work in a more consistent way across YouTube, Discover and the Google Display Network, and apply to formats such as Performance Max, Demand Gen, Video Reach and Video View campaigns.

Why this matters

Brand safety and suitability no longer live only in traditional video placements. Your ads can appear in many feed-based environments. Unified controls mean you can set your risk tolerance once and know it will carry across more of your inventory. That protects your brand while keeping campaigns simpler to manage.

What you can do

Review your inventory type settings and content exclusions.
Decide how much risk your brand is willing to accept in exchange for reach.
If you tighten suitability, monitor delivery and performance, then increase bids or budgets in your “safe” inventory to maintain volume.
Make sure your creative matches the content level you have chosen, for example more serious messaging in highly curated environments.

Search Term Insights: More Predictive, Not Just Reactive

What is happening

Google has enhanced its Search Term Insight reporting with forward-looking signals, such as predicted 30-day search volume, trend curves and clusters of rising search terms grouped by theme. These features are surfacing in recent Google Ads update roundups and are rolling out across accounts.

Why this matters

Search term reports used to be backwards-looking. You saw what people had already searched for. Predictive volume and rising clusters move you closer to “search trend forecasting”. You can spot emerging topics before competitors fully react and align your bids and creatives to those patterns.

What you can do

Build a simple cadence where you review Search Term Insights weekly.
Flag any clusters with rising volume and relevance to your business.
For strong themes, create dedicated ad groups, tailored ad copy and landing pages. For low-quality or irrelevant terms, add negatives quickly so they do not drain budget as they grow.

Google Ads API and Ad Manager updates

What is happening

Google Ads API v22 is live. It supports generative AI for asset creation, more detailed bidding strategy data and better support for Demand Gen bidding.

Google Ad Manager API v202511 is also out. It enables more precise targeting using Publisher Provided Signals, so publishers can share richer audience and context data with buyers.

Why this matters

If you run large or complex accounts, a lot of your advantage comes from cleaner data and stronger integrations, not manual tweaks.

These API changes make it easier to plug AI-generated creatives into your workflows and to read performance at a more granular level.

Publisher Provided Signals help programmatic buyers maintain relevance as traditional tracking signals weaken, which protects performance over time.

What you can do

Identify where you can use AI-generated assets to speed up creative testing, while keeping human sign-off for brand and compliance.
If you run programmatic through Ad Manager, review how you pass and target Publisher Provided Signals, then plan a test that compares PPS-driven segments with your current targeting.

Google Demand Gen New Customer Acquisition Modes

What is happening

Demand Gen campaigns now include two specific options for acquisition.

New Customer Only focuses bidding on people who have not bought from you before.
New Customer Value lets you bid more for higher-value new customers, based on first-party data.

Why this matters

Many visual campaigns blend prospecting and remarketing. That mix makes it hard to see how much new customer growth you are really getting.

These modes help you push more of your budget into true acquisition instead of spending heavily on people who already know and buy from you.

What you can do

If acquisition is a key objective, set up a test campaign using New Customer Only or New Customer Value and run it alongside your current Demand Gen setup.
Make sure your customer lists and tags can reliably distinguish new from existing customers.
Track cost per new customer, but also compare downstream metrics such as repeat rate or revenue by cohort, so you can judge whether the higher intent audiences justify stronger bids.

Threads Ads: Verification Makes the Channel More Serious

What is happening

Meta has expanded third-party verification for Threads ads. Partners such as Integral Ad Science, DoubleVerify and Scope3 now provide brand safety and suitability measurement for Threads feed. Zefr support is coming soon too.

Why this matters

Threads is moving from experiment to standard part of the Meta inventory mix. Third-party verification gives brands more confidence that their ads appear in appropriate contexts and provides independent reporting on quality. This can make Threads a more realistic option for upper-funnel campaigns.

What you can do

If your brand is already active on Meta, review whether Threads is enabled in your placements and how it is performing.
Test different creative formats and hooks tailored to text-first, conversational environments, rather than lifting Instagram assets directly.

TikTok: AI Automation Adoption Gap On TikTok

What is happening

New research from TikTok and NewtonX shows a clear gap between belief and action. Around nine in ten advertisers expect AI automation to drive future business growth and 93% say it improves their own performance. Yet only around a fifth have fully integrated AI automation into their core operations.

Why this matters

Most brands say they believe in AI automation, but many still run campaigns with manual setups and fragmented data. That creates an advantage for advertisers who move faster. If you learn how to use automation on TikTok now, you can reach more of the right people for the same budget while others are still testing basics.

What you can do

Audit where you currently use automation in TikTok Ads Manager, for example, only bidding, or also creative and targeting.
Pick one or two campaigns where you can safely increase automation, rather than changing everything at once.
Set clear KPIs for those tests, such as cost per incremental conversion or cost per high intent session, so you can prove whether automation is helping.

TikTok: Smart+ and Symphony Controls

What is happening

TikTok has upgraded its Smart+ buying experience so you can set automation levels module by module. You can now adjust how much control Smart+ has over targeting, budget and bidding, creative and placements, all within a single buying flow.

At the same time, Symphony Automation is built into Smart+. Symphony uses generative AI to create and refine TikTok first assets, including resizing videos, refreshing audio, translating and dubbing, and improving overall quality.

Why this matters

Smart+ no longer forces you into a black box. You can choose where to rely on automation and where to keep manual settings. Symphony then reduces the production time for creative, which is often the main bottleneck when you want to test more audiences or messages.

What you can do

Decide which modules you are comfortable automating. A common pattern is to keep manual control on budgets and core targeting, while letting Smart+ and Symphony test creative variations and placements.
Use Symphony to generate multiple versions of your best-performing concepts, then compare performance to your existing manual creatives.
Document which combinations of automation and control perform best, so your team has a repeatable setup for future campaigns.

TikTok: Attribution and Measurement Enhancements

What is happening

TikTok has expanded its Attribution Analytics tools. The suite now includes features such as Assisted Conversion, Performance Comparison, Time to Conversion and Touchpoints to Conversion. These help you see how TikTok contributes to conversions that might happen later or through other channels, such as search or direct.

Why this matters

Last-click reporting often underplays TikTok’s role, especially for upper-funnel and mid-funnel campaigns. If you only look at final clicks, you may underinvest in TikTok even when it is driving a lot of assisted value. Attribution Analytics gives a clearer view of how TikTok fits into the full journey.

What you can do

Turn on Attribution Analytics in TikTok Ads Manager and review Assisted Conversions and Touchpoints to Conversion each month.
Compare performance across different attribution windows using the Performance Comparison feature, so you understand how long conversions tend to take after a TikTok touchpoint.
Feed these insights back into your bidding and budgeting decisions. For example, if TikTok drives a high share of assisted conversions for a key product, consider protecting or increasing spend, even if last-click metrics appear modest.

Final Thoughts

Across these updates, three themes stand out.

First, the platforms want more of your journey data. Journey Aware Bidding, Search Term Insights and TikTok Attribution all reward brands that track clean, multi-stage conversion paths and share that data back. If you improve your tracking now, you will feed every bidding model with better signals.

Second, brand suitability is moving into more feed and discovery environments. New controls across YouTube, Discover, Display and Threads mean you can protect your brand more consistently, but you need clear internal guidelines on acceptable risk and content types.

Third, automation is no longer all or nothing. Google, Meta and TikTok are giving you more hybrid modes where you set guardrails and let AI handle the heavy lifting inside them. The brands that gain the most will be the ones that experiment, measure and then standardise what works.

Lizzie Connick

Biddable Account Manager

5 minute read

Recent articles:

May Paid Media UpdatesJune 12, 2026
What May’s Paid Media Changes Mean for AI Search, Automation and Full-Funnel Advertising May reinforced how quickly paid media platforms are moving towards AI-led campaign delivery,… Read more: May Paid Media Updates
From Static Reporting to Active Analytics: What Growing Brands Need NextJune 1, 2026
What Growing Brands Need Next In our last article, we looked at why static analytics often fails high-growth teams. The core issue is not that brands… Read more: From Static Reporting to Active Analytics: What Growing Brands Need Next
April SEO & AI Search UpdatesMay 29, 2026
What April’s Changes Mean for Your Visibility Updates this month reinforced two clear themes: Google’s Search Console reporting error means many brands will need to reset… Read more: April SEO & AI Search Updates

If you have a project or campaign you’d like to discuss, we’d love to hear from you.

The post Biddable Monthly Industry Update appeared first on Fingo Marketing.

SEO & AI Monthly Industry Update

Nick Shilton — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 16:42:00 +0000

Digital, News & Insights, SEO

SEO & AI Monthly Industry Update

Home » Homepage

Industry Update

September brought some of the biggest search and advertising changes we’ve seen all year, from major government rulings affecting Google to big updates in how websites are measured and ranked. If your business relies on Google for traffic or sales, these shifts will shape how people find and interact with you online.

Google Removes the “100 Results” Option

What’s happening:
Google stopped supporting a technical setting that let tools view 100 search results on one page. When this disappeared, SEO tracking tools suddenly showed big “visibility drops.” But this doesn’t mean fewer people are finding your site, the measurement method just changed.

Why it matters for your business:
If you noticed sudden declines in visibility reports, don’t panic. Your website may be performing the same as before, it’s the data view that changed, not your audience behaviour.

What you can do:

Treat September as a “reset month” for SEO reporting.
Focus on traffic, leads, and sales, not impression counts.

Expect tracking platforms to take a few weeks to stabilise their numbers.

Europe Fines Google $3.5 B for Ad-Tech Practices

What’s happening:
The European Union fined Google about $3.5 billion for unfairly favouring its own ad-selling systems. Regulators also warned that if Google doesn’t change its behaviour, it could face stronger actions in future. Google is appealing.

Why it matters for your business:
When regulators push for more fairness, it can lead to more competition and that might reduce ad costs over time. For now, expect little immediate change, but this signals that transparency and fairness in ad pricing are becoming more important.

What you can do:

Keep an eye on ad costs (CPCs and CPMs). If prices rise, it may not always be from competition; platform rules can influence it.
Don’t rely solely on Google Ads; test Meta, Microsoft, or other platforms too.

Google Discover & Store Updates

What’s happening:
Google Discover (the feed of recommended content on Android and Chrome) now lets users “follow” brands and creators. At the same time, Google launched new Store Widgets and smarter Performance Max options in Google Ads to help brands show more relevant products.

Why it matters for your business:
Google is blurring the line between search, social, and shopping. If your content and store details are fresh and visually appealing, you can appear in more discovery spots, even when people aren’t actively searching for you.

What you can do:

Regularly share high-quality images, posts, and updates.
Keep your product feed and Google Business Profile current, it feeds these new features.
If you run ads, test Performance Max’s “Smart Bidding Exploration” to find new conversions efficiently.

Major Spam Update Shakes Up Search Rankings

What’s happening:
Google rolled out a global “Spam Update” that hit low-quality and rule-breaking sites. Combined with other September changes, this caused huge ranking swings that many businesses felt in traffic reports.

Why it matters for your business:
If your website saw sudden drops, it might have been caught in this update. Google’s focus is now squarely on rewarding trustworthy, original, and experience-based content, not quick-generated or copied material.

What you can do:

Review your website for quality and accuracy.
Make sure all content reflects real expertise and value, not just SEO keywords.
If affected, expect a slow recovery; it can take months to regain trust once flagged.

Google Search “Live” Goes Live (U.S. Launch)

What’s happening:
Google has launched a new feature called Search Live in the U.S., which allows users to have real-time, conversational interactions directly with Google Search’s AI. People can now talk or type follow-up questions, and even use their phone camera so Google can “see” what they’re looking at and respond with tailored search results in real time.

This means users can, for example, show Google a broken appliance part or a product on a shelf and get immediate identification or purchasing options. The rollout is expected to expand globally in 2026.

Why it matters:
Search Live represents Google’s next big step toward interactive and AI-driven search. It changes how people find and evaluate products or services:

Users may rely less on clicking through multiple websites and more on instant AI-generated answers.
Google will pull heavily from structured data, product listings, Google Business Profiles, and reviews to generate responses.
Businesses with richer, verified information are more likely to appear in these live AI interactions.

For brands, this means visibility will depend even more on how complete, accurate, and AI-readable your online data is, not just how well you rank organically.

Action steps:

Review and enhance your Google Business Profile. Add detailed descriptions, photos, FAQs, and up-to-date opening hours.
Ensure your website uses structured data (schema) to help Google interpret your products or services correctly.
Maintain a consistent review strategy, and positive, recent feedback will play a growing role in how AI surfaces your brand.
Think beyond clicks: treat Search Live visibility as brand exposure, similar to appearing in a recommendation or local list, rather than a traditional visit.

Search Live is still in early rollout, but it signals where search behaviour is heading, toward AI-driven discovery experiences that reward clarity, credibility, and structured brand data.

New Google Ads Policy on Honest Pricing

What’s happening:
From October 28, Google Ads will enforce stricter “truth in pricing” rules. Advertisers must clearly show all fees, subscriptions, or extra costs before purchase, no hidden charges or vague pricing allowed.

Why it matters for your business:
If your ads or landing pages aren’t fully transparent about pricing, Google could block or suspend your campaigns. This is especially important for subscriptions, memberships, or services with recurring payments.

What you can do:

Double-check your ads and pages for clear pricing and terms.
Be upfront about all costs, even optional ones.
Review everything before the October 28 enforcement date to stay compliant.

Meta (Facebook & Instagram) Adds an Ad-Free Subscription in the UK

What’s happening:
Meta will let UK users pay for an ad-free experience. Those who subscribe won’t see ads at all.

Why it matters for your business:
People who choose the ad-free option are likely higher-income users who value privacy. That means your ad reach could shrink slightly in premium audiences, while everyone else still sees ads as normal.

What you can do:

Keep an eye on audience size in Meta Ads Manager.
Balance your social ad spend with other relevant channels like Google, LinkedIn, or TikTok.
Adapt creative messaging for more engaged, opted-in audiences.

How Big Is AI Search Really?

What’s happening:
AI-driven search is already reshaping customer behaviour. Tools like ChatGPT handle an estimated 66 million “search-like” prompts daily. Google still dominates with ~14 billion queries, but with AI Overviews and “AI Mode” now embedded in search, the share of AI-influenced results is much higher than headline numbers suggest.

Why it matters for your business:
The way people discover, compare, and evaluate products is evolving faster than most businesses realise. Even if AI search looks “small” today, the change in search behaviour is already significant. The real question isn’t if customers will use AI-driven results, but how quickly and whether your brand is being surfaced in those answers.

Where Prism comes in:

Prism by Fingo helps you see, measure, and optimise your brand’s visibility across AI and search. It shows you where your brand is cited (or missing), how AI engines describe you, and where competitors are already shaping the conversation. It’s not just a dashboard, it’s a strategy engine that future-proofs your discoverability.

What you can do:

Don’t abandon Google, but understand that generative search is rewriting the rules of visibility.
Optimise for AI citations to create structured, factual, answer-ready content that models can quote.
Use Prism to benchmark your presence, control your narrative, and make sure you’re visible in both search engines and AI-driven answers.

Discover Prism by Fingo.

U.S. Court Ruling Changes Google’s Default Search Deals

What’s happening:
A U.S. judge ruled that Google can’t keep signing exclusive deals that make it the default search engine on devices like iPhones or browsers like Chrome. Google must also share some search data access with approved competitors, but it doesn’t have to sell or break up any of its main products, such as Android or Chrome.

Why it matters for your business:
This means Apple or other tech companies might soon offer more choice in which search engine appears by default. In time, that could slightly spread traffic across more search engines, not just Google. Your customers may start finding you from a wider range of search tools.

What you can do:

Keep your online presence strong on all major search and map platforms, not only Google.
Make sure your business info, reviews, and product listings are accurate everywhere.

Looking Ahead

September proved that Google and the wider search industry are entering a new era of transparency, fairness, and quality control.

Regulators are challenging old habits.
Google is recalibrating data and enforcing clearer rules.
High-trust, clear, and useful content is the new differentiator.

For business owners, the best next step is simple: stay transparent, stay active, and stay informed. Make sure your website tells the truth, your data is up to date, and your content reflects real expertise. That’s what both customers and algorithms are looking for.

If you’d like to discuss how these changes affect your visibility or strategy, please contact hello@fingo.co.uk.

Nick Shilton

8-minute read

Recent articles:

May Paid Media UpdatesJune 12, 2026
What May’s Paid Media Changes Mean for AI Search, Automation and Full-Funnel Advertising May reinforced how quickly paid media platforms are moving towards AI-led campaign delivery,… Read more: May Paid Media Updates
From Static Reporting to Active Analytics: What Growing Brands Need NextJune 1, 2026
What Growing Brands Need Next In our last article, we looked at why static analytics often fails high-growth teams. The core issue is not that brands… Read more: From Static Reporting to Active Analytics: What Growing Brands Need Next
April SEO & AI Search UpdatesMay 29, 2026
What April’s Changes Mean for Your Visibility Updates this month reinforced two clear themes: Google’s Search Console reporting error means many brands will need to reset… Read more: April SEO & AI Search Updates

If you have a project or campaign you’d like to discuss, we’d love to hear from you.

The post SEO & AI Monthly Industry Update appeared first on Fingo Marketing.

SEO & AI Update: What Every Brand Needs to Know Right Now

Ginny Gilmour — Tue, 16 Sep 2025 11:46:25 +0000

DIGITAL, NEWS, SEO, AI

SEO & AI Update: What Every Brand Needs to Know Right Now

Home » Homepage

Ginny Gilmour

Senior Marketing Executive

5-minute read.

This update addresses the fast-changing search and AI landscape. From Google updates to AI-driven content and platforms like Reddit, these developments can impact your brand’s visibility, traffic, and reputation.

Here’s what this means depending on your service level:

If we manage your SEO: This update is to keep you informed, and any questions or specific implications for your business can be discussed in your next performance meeting.
If we don’t manage your SEO: This update gives you a clear overview of trends, potential risks, and actions you may want to take to protect and grow your online presence.

How to read this blog:
Each section includes:

What’s happening: A short summary of the latest development.
Why it matters to your business: How this affects your traffic, rankings, or brand image.
Action steps: Practical tips to stay ahead, either in coordination with us or for you to implement internally.

ChatGPT Traffic Declines But AI is Still Surging

What’s happening: In August, ChatGPT sent 52% less traffic to external websites compared with July. Users are increasingly finding complete answers inside the chatbot and don’t need to click through, while most citations still point to “answer-first” sources such as Wikipedia, Reddit, and TechRadar rather than branded sites.

Why it matters: AI-generated content now plays a major role in how people discover information. When users stay within the chatbot, traditional referral traffic drops, content that delivers concise, direct answers is more likely to be referenced, which directly affects your brand’s visibility and search traffic.

Action steps: Research the specific AI-driven questions and queries relevant to your brand, then build or expand Q&A and content sections on key pages to increase the likelihood of being cited by ChatGPT and similar platforms.

Google Updates Are Shaking Up Rankings

What’s happening: August saw a Google core update and a spam update, causing ranking volatility. Temporary drops are normal, with positive shifts expected post-spam update.

Why it matters: Google releases major updates several times a year, so ranking fluctuations are expected. A user-focused SEO strategy remains the most reliable long-term approach.

Action steps:Review your site’s rankings to see if you’ve been negatively affected. Check web impressions, traffic, and keyword performance, and make sure your content continues to meet high-quality, relevance, and user-experience standards.

Google’s AI Mode Expands

What’s happening: Google is testing and adding AI features to improve search engagement.This is designed to retain its user base as Google works to compete with chat-based, generative platforms.

Why it matters: These developments could slow the broader shift toward fully chat-based web browsing, meaning AI isn’t taking over just yet. Traditional search remains highly relevant, but AI-friendly content is becoming increasingly important.

Action steps: Don’t put all your SEO eggs in one basket. Research and track the queries that are triggering Google’s AI mode for your brand before making significant content changes.

Protect Your Brand in the Age of AI

What’s happening: AI sometimes misrepresents brands, inventing features, offerings, or controversies.

Why it matters: It’s essential to be aware of how your brand is being presented, as misrepresentations can confuse customers or damage your reputation.

Action steps: Clearly communicate your products and services, and monitor AI-driven mentions closely. Speak to us if you want guidance or support in tracking your brand’s AI perception.

Reddit Is Entering the Search Market

What’s happening: Reddit, with over 1.2 billion monthly users, is experimenting with search and could disrupt traditional engines.

Why it matters: Reddit may become a key source of visibility and engagement. Maintaining a presence allows you to manage brand awareness and customer sentiment.

Action steps: Take a wait-and-see approach and observe how Reddit’s search capabilities evolve before committing resources.

AI-Generated Images Won’t Affect Rankings

What’s happening: AI-generated images do not negatively affect SEO but should not replace all original visuals.

Why it matters: Brand-consistent, high-quality visuals remain essential for user experience.

Action steps: Continue prioritising high-quality, real images wherever possible. If that isn’t feasible, we can provide design guidance to maintain brand consistency and visual appeal.

Preferred Sources and User Choice

What’s happening: Search engines are testing the ability for users to select preferred sources.

Why it matters: Being recognised as a preferred source can boost visibility and engagement.

Action steps: Take a wait-and-see approach while observing how the feature evolves before making any changes.

Bing is Gaining Ground

What’s happening: Bing is approaching 10% market share, thanks to AI integration.

Why it matters: While Google remains primary, Bing is increasingly relevant for visibility and traffic. Optimising for Bing ensures your brand reaches a broader audience.

Action steps: Approach your content strategy with a user-focused mindset while considering AI and search-engine requirements for Bing. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket, always prioritise your audience, but stay aware of how Bing’s AI and search algorithms may impact visibility.

Local SEO and Technical Considerations

What’s happening: Local SEO, customer reviews, and geo-targeting remain critical. Google Discover is now a major source of traffic for publishers.

Why it matters: Optimising for local search and Google Discover can directly influence traffic, engagement, and conversions.

Action steps:Review local listings, manage reviews, optimise for geo-targeted searches, and ensure compliance with Google Discover criteria.

Local SEO

What’s happening: Google’s AI-driven results are reshaping how local businesses are discovered. Customer reviews are now central, influencing visibility, building trust, and, when leveraged effectively, driving conversions.

Why it matters: There is a clear correlation between local SEO practices and business performance. Strong local optimisation acts as a trust and visibility driver, helping your brand stand out in search results and attracting more customers.

Action steps: Review and optimise local listings, actively manage customer reviews, and ensure your content supports geo-targeted searches. If you’re not actively managing local SEO, get in touch to explore how improvements can drive measurable results.

Technical GEO

What’s happening: AI-driven search is more reliant than ever on strong technical SEO. Google and other AI-powered engines favour websites with clear structure, fast performance, and properly marked-up content, which improves both traditional rankings and the likelihood of being cited in AI-generated answers.

Why it matters Strong technical SEO ensures your site is discoverable, trustworthy, and optimised for AI inclusion. Key factors include schema markup, site speed, content structure, and overall technical infrastructure. Sites lacking these essentials risk being overlooked by both users and AI engines.

Action steps: We can audit your site to identify technical improvements needed for AI readiness and provide guidance on implementing them effectively.

Google Discover Is Now Essential for Publishers

What’s happening: Google Discover has become the primary source of referral traffic for news publishers, surpassing both direct and social channels. While traditional search referrals remain steady, their growth is now driven by Discover, not classic search results

Why it matters: If your site isn’t displaying well in Google Discover, you’re missing out on significant visibility and traffic. As direct and social referrals decline, optimising for Discover is crucial to remain competitive and maintain audience engagement.

Action steps: If your site isn’t performing well in Google Discover, consider reaching out to us for an audit. We can provide a summary of the links and offer recommendations to enhance your visibility on the platform.

Shopify SEO & AI Readiness

What’s happening: Shopify is a popular e-commerce platform, but its default setup can present SEO challenges. Issues such as duplicate URLs, minimal schema markup, and performance bottlenecks can hinder organic visibility. With the rise of AI-powered search, it’s crucial to optimise your Shopify store for both traditional search engines and AI-driven platforms.

Why it matters: Simply using Shopify’s out-of-the-box features isn’t enough. Without proper technical SEO, your site may struggle to rank effectively, especially as AI-driven search becomes more prevalent. Optimising your store from the start ensures better performance, visibility, and user experience.

Action steps: We can conduct a comprehensive audit of your Shopify or other e-commerce site to identify and address SEO challenges, ensuring your site is optimised for both traditional and AI-driven search platforms.

Looking Ahead

The world of SEO and AI is moving fast, but staying proactive ensures your brand remains visible, trusted, and competitive. From AI-driven traffic shifts to platforms like Reddit, these changes bring both challenges and opportunities.

Staying ahead in this environment comes from combining timely insights with thoughtful action. Keep monitoring trends, be deliberate in your strategy, and don’t hesitate to reach out for guidance or support.If you would like to discuss anything in this blog, please email hello@fingo.co.uk.

The post SEO & AI Update: What Every Brand Needs to Know Right Now appeared first on Fingo Marketing.

Google’s AI Mode Goes Mainstream

Nick Shilton — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 14:08:25 +0000

Digital, News, SEO

Google’s AI Mode Goes Mainstream

Home » Homepage

Nick Shilton

If you’ve searched for something on Google lately, you might have spotted a new option: a little prompt that says “Dive deeper in AI Mode.”

This isn’t just a flashy extra button. It’s part of a major shift in how Google works and how people find information online.

The short version?

Google is moving from searching for links to directly giving answers, using artificial intelligence (AI) to pull those answers from across the internet – and that changes the game for every business with a website.

What Exactly is AI Mode?

To understand AI Mode, you first need to understand Google itself. Google’s sole focus is the user. Not businesses. Not advertisers. Their mission is laser-focused on making life as easy as possible for the person searching. Every update, every new feature is built to serve the user, not the other way around. That ruthlessness is what drives AI Mode.

Traditionally, when you searched for something on Google, you got a list of links (the “blue links”), ranked in order of what Google thought would help you most. You had to click through to learn more.

Then in 2023, Google started experimenting with AI Overviews, short AI-written summaries that appeared at the top of the results, giving you a quick answer without clicking anywhere.

AI Mode takes that further.
Instead of giving you one quick AI summary, it turns search into an ongoing conversation.

You can ask a follow-up question without starting over.
You can search with images or voice, and AI will still understand.
It can break your question into subtopics and show you a series of AI-generated answers.

For example, if you search “Best ways to reduce energy costs for a small bakery”, AI Mode might first show you:

An overview of common energy-saving measures for businesses.
Links to relevant industry articles.
Suggestions for follow-up questions like “Which commercial ovens use the least power?”

If you click one of those, you stay in AI Mode and get another custom AI answer, without ever leaving Google. These query examples perfectly illustrate how Google has evolved: ten years ago, users would have to guess the right keywords to find an answer. Today, Google focuses on how people actually search, anticipating their needs and delivering answers in the most intuitive, effortless way possible.

Why This Matters For Your Brand

A new Pew Research study found:

Only 9% of searches with an AI summary result in a click on a website.
Only 1% of people click a link inside the AI summary itself.
Over a quarter (26%) end their search without visiting any website at all.

That means your website could still be used as a source in Google’s AI answers, but many people will read the answer without ever visiting your site.

For businesses, this creates a new challenge:
It’s not just about ranking high on Google anymore; it’s about being the trusted source AI chooses to quote.

You might be asking yourself: if fewer people are clicking through to websites, why does it matter if my brand is quoted? The answer is brand recall. When someone sees your business name cited in multiple AI Mode answers, you’re building trust and recognition, even if they don’t click through immediately.

This “silent branding” can influence future decisions and still lead to sales later, particularly for big-ticket or trust-based purchases.

How to Stay Visible In AI Mode (and why each step matters)

Here’s how you can adapt your strategy so AI Mode works for you instead of against you:

1. Go deep on topics you know best
Google’s AI Mode looks for content that explains things fully.

If you’re a financial adviser, a “Top 5 savings tips” blog is fine, but a 2,000-word guide to “How to build a savings plan for retirement in your 40s” is far more likely to be pulled into an AI summary.
The more thorough and specific your content, the more likely you are to be the one AI trusts.

2. Use cognitive empathy and write for real people’s questions, not just keywords
Old-school SEO was about matching the words people typed. Now, it’s about matching the questions they ask out loud, because AI Mode understands natural language.
Instead of just optimising for “cheap wedding photographer London,” you might write: “How to find an affordable wedding photographer in London without compromising on quality.”

3. Keep your site technically healthy
Even though AI Mode uses AI, it still draws heavily from Google’s normal ranking rules:

Mobile-friendly design.
Fast page loading times.
Clear, structured headings and schema markup so AI understands your content.

4. Use visuals and multimedia
AI Mode is starting to integrate with image search and Google Lens. That means product images, infographics, and charts can increase your chances of being included in a result.

Where We Come In…

At Fingo, we help businesses not just cope with changes like AI Mode, but actually leverage them.

Here’s how we can support you:

AI Mode Optimisation – We’ll identify the topics where your business can realistically become an AI-cited authority and create content that meets Google’s new depth and trust standards.
Structured Content Strategy – We’ll design content that answers your customers’ real questions, in the formats most likely to be picked up by AI Mode.
Technical SEO & Schema – We’ll make sure your site is lightning fast, mobile-perfect, and tagged in a way AI understands instantly.
Brand Visibility Playbook – Even when clicks are low, we’ll keep your brand visible and memorable in search results so customers think of you first when they’re ready to act.

Our goal is simple: make you the business Google’s AI wants to quote, again and again.

Contact the Fingo team today to start building your AI Mode advantage.

The post Google’s AI Mode Goes Mainstream appeared first on Fingo Marketing.

Google Is Now Indexing Instagram Content

Hiba Farooq — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 15:03:15 +0000

Digital, Digital Strategy, News, SEO

Google Is Now Indexing Instagram Content. Here’s What Marketers Need to Know

Home » Homepage

Hiba Farooq

SEO Executive

In a move that significantly impacts digital visibility, Google is now indexing Instagram content from public Business and Creator accounts. Reels, images, carousels, videos, captions, and hashtags can now appear in Google search results, expanding discoverability far beyond the Instagram app.

Meta confirmed the change in June 2025, with indexing officially rolling out on 10 July 2025. The change applies retroactively to content published as far back as January 2020. For any brand or creator using Instagram, this is a major shift in how that content can be strategically planned to be found, engaged with and repurposed.

What’s Indexable and What’s Not

Google will now surface the following content from eligible Instagram accounts in search:

Reels, photos, carousels and long-form videos
Captions and some public comments
Content posted since January 2020
Posts from public Business or Creator accounts

Notably, this does not include:

Instagram Stories or Highlights
Private account content
Posts by users under 18

If you want to opt out of indexing, Instagram offers a toggle in Settings under Privacy > Search Engine Indexing. But for most business accounts, this is switched on by default.

Why This Is Happening

This isn’t a random change. It’s the result of an ongoing partnership between Google and Meta to improve access to public content. Google wants richer, more timely search results. Meta wants broader exposure for its content and creators. The motivations are aligned.

Importantly, this change reflects a broader transformation in users’ behaviour and the evolution of digital ecosystems.

Today, people use social platforms like search engines, and search engines like social platforms. With this update, if a user includes “Instagram” in their search, for example:

“Nike Lunar 3 reviews Instagram”
“Best café in Shoreditch Instagram”

…then eligible Instagram posts meeting indexing criteria will appear in the results.

Google is adapting to how users want to discover content by indexing material previously trapped inside apps. For brands, this means social proof, audience engagement, and brand presence on Instagram now contribute directly to your web visibility.

In short, the distinction between social content and web content is disappearing. Marketers need to start thinking about total discoverability across platforms, formats, and timeframes.

Why It Matters for Your Marketing Strategy

Whether you’re working in B2C, B2B or somewhere in between, this change affects how your brand shows up when people search.

1. Instagram Is Now Part of Your Google Presence

Your Instagram content, even posts from three years ago, can now appear in both branded and non-branded search results. This includes queries like:

Your business name
Campaign hashtags
Product or service categories
Events, webinars or partnerships
“Best of” and listicle-style searches (e.g. “best accounting firms Manchester Instagram”)

This increases surface area for discovery, especially if your website is less content-rich or you haven’t invested heavily in blog SEO. For smaller or mid-sized brands, indexed Instagram posts may now represent key entry points into your brand universe.

2. Captions Are Now a Ranking Signal

Instagram captions used to be about social engagement, clarity, tone, hashtags, maybe a CTA. Now, they also influence search visibility.

What this means in practice:

Google crawls captions as part of how it understands and ranks content
Keyword relevance matters, not in a spammy way, but as part of clear, structured writing
Posts with strong descriptive language are more likely to rank for related queries

For example:

Bad: “Throwback to our shoot last week!”

Better: “A behind-the-scenes look at our commercial photo shoot for the new SolarFlex 800 roof panels, captured on location in Leeds.”

The second caption gives Google context: what the product is, where it’s located, and what kind of content it is. It’s also more helpful for the reader.

If you’re in B2B, consider including service types, client industries or outcomes in your captions. For B2C, include product names, colourways, seasons or locations.

3. Evergreen Content Can Resurface

Many marketers treat Instagram like a moment-driven channel. Content is posted, it performs or it doesn’t, then it fades into the archive. That model no longer fits.

With indexing, your Instagram content gains long-term value, similar to a blog or landing page. High-performing or evergreen content, such as product demos, client testimonials, and case study highlights, can now resurface months or even years after posting.

This creates new reasons to:

Audit your back-catalogue for quality and relevance
Re-share or reframe evergreen content in light of current campaigns
Invest more in permanent posts instead of ephemeral Stories

It’s also a chance to align your content cadence with your SEO priorities, by reinforcing key themes, queries and customer problems in your Instagram presence.

Four Actions to Take Right Now

You don’t need to overhaul your Instagram strategy overnight. But you should take a few strategic steps to align your content with this new opportunity.

1. Confirm Your Settings and Eligibility

Make sure your profile is a Business or Creator account
Ensure your profile is public
Check that the “Search Engine Indexing” toggle is switched on (under Privacy settings)

2. Improve Caption Clarity and Relevance

Treat captions like microblog content:

Be descriptive, not cryptic
Use keywords your audience actually searches for
Include product names, services, locations or common pain points

Avoid generic phrases like “Friday vibes” or “Team love”, they add nothing for either the algorithm or the reader.

3. Use Alt Text Intentionally

Instagram lets you add custom alt text to images and videos. This boosts accessibility and gives Google extra context for indexing.

Best practice:
Instagram lets you add custom alt text to images and videos. This boosts accessibility and gives Google extra context for indexing.

Best practice:

Describe the key subject of the image (e.g. “Electrician fitting solar panel to terraced house in Birmingham”)
Include relevant terms without keyword stuffing
Write it with humans in mind

To add alt text, go to Advanced Settings when uploading a post, then tap Write Alt Text.

4. Audit and Reuse High-Value Past Posts

Because posts dating back to 2020 are now indexable, revisit your older content:

Identify high-performing posts with strong saves, comments or shares
Refresh captions where needed
Re-share with updated context (e.g. “still one of our most popular…”)

What This Doesn’t Change

This update doesn’t mean your Instagram posts will leap to the top of Google overnight. It won’t replace a strong SEO foundation. And it won’t turn weak social content into a traffic engine.

But it does mean that your Instagram feed now contributes to your brand’s digital footprint in a meaningful, trackable way.

If you’re already producing quality content, this is a tailwind. If your Instagram feels like a placeholder, it’s time to rethink how that content serves your wider goals.

Our Approach

We offer brands forward-thinking social organic content built for Google visibility. Our organic social content is infused with SEO keywords, and we treat that content with the same strategic rigor as a traditional SEO plan, including commercial keyword planning by product, brand, and search volume, with an emphasis on clarity and categorisation. All while maintaining a tone that’s natural, engaging, and platform-native.

This change validates what we at Fingo already prioritise:

Clarity in content
Consistency across channels
Visibility at every stage of the customer journey

But it also exposes the disconnect that still exists in many brands’ marketing strategies. SEO, social, and paid efforts operate in silos, with different goals, KPIs and creative direction.

At Fingo, we help ambitious brands connect those dots.

We don’t just run campaigns, we build integrated strategies that combine search performance, content clarity and platform-native creativity. Whether we’re auditing your SEO structure, refining your Instagram presence, or scaling paid campaigns, our focus is on outcomes: reach, relevance, and results.

What we offer includes:

SEO that works across your website and social ecosystem
Organic social media and content strategy, informed by search insights so every post supports visibility, engagement, and longevity
Paid media that amplifies organic momentum
Analytics and attribution that tell the full story

This update from Google and Meta doesn’t replace what you’ve been doing; it enhances the visibility of what’s already working and makes the gaps more visible where things aren’t.

Ready to Align Your Content with How People Search?

We help brands translate technical changes into tangible advantage. From content audits and campaign strategy to integrated performance delivery, we make your digital presence more connected, visible, and valuable.

Want your social content to support your search strategy, not sit outside it?
Get in touch to see how we can help you unify your SEO, social and performance efforts and turn platform updates into a competitive advantage.

The post Google Is Now Indexing Instagram Content appeared first on Fingo Marketing.

Google vs OpenAI: The Battle That’s Rewriting How the Internet Works

Ginny Gilmour — Wed, 21 May 2025 08:54:49 +0000

Digital, Digital Strategy, News, SEO, Thought Leadership

Google vs OpenAI: The Battle That’s Rewriting How the Internet Works

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Ginny Gilmour

Senior Marketing Executive

The Battle That’s Rewriting How the Internet Works – And How You Do SEO

For the last two decades, one company has decided how the internet is organised: Google.

Google didn’t just create the world’s most used search engine; it built a system that influenced how websites are built, products are found, and businesses communicate online. It became the invisible (and iconically visible) layer between every question and every answer.

That control is now starting to be challenged, not by another traditional search engine but by a fundamentally different kind of technology – artificial intelligence. OpenAI’s ChatGPT isn’t just a chat functionality. It’s a new way of searching the web built around query-based, intent-led search, and it’s set to create the most serious challenge to Google’s dominance in two decades.

This new way of searching has major implications for brands and marketers. It’s changing who gets seen, what content surfaces, and how people discover information.

Google Holds the Market – But AI Is Grabbing the Future

Google has long operated with minimal real competition in search. Even Bing, despite years of investment, has rarely reached beyond 3-4% market share in key regions.

ChatGPT, by contrast, holds a tiny fraction of that market today, estimated between 0.25% and 0.5%. Google remains at least 100 to 373 times larger in search volume, depending on the source (Search Engine Land, 2024).

But this isn’t just about market share – it’s about disruption.

OpenAI isn’t trying to beat Google at its own game. It’s redefining the game entirely.

ChatGPT’s new browsing and search capabilities don’t deliver a list of ranked links. They deliver answers. When a user types in a question, ChatGPT:

Searches the web in real-time
Selects content based on trust and relevance
Synthesises an answer
Cites sources, if necessary – but doesn’t rely on rankings

This new model doesn’t require users to click through ten search results. In many cases, the answer is already there, which undermines Google’s core product and business model.

Google Is Responding – But Showing Signs of Pressure

In early 2024, Google released Gemini, its next-generation AI model. Since then, it has started embedding Gemini across its entire ecosystem – from Android smartphones and smartwatches to the Chrome browser and search itself.

But the real story goes beyond the technology – it’s about control.

In April 2025, Google had considered exclusive Gemini AI deals with Android device manufacturers – an attempt to lock ChatGPT out of the world’s most widely used mobile ecosystem. The internal discussions, now public through regulatory scrutiny, show just how seriously Google views OpenAI as a threat.

During a U.S. antitrust trial, a Google executive testified that OpenAI “would buy Chrome if it could.” The point? OpenAI, like Google, knows that whoever controls the platform – the browser, the device, the default assistant – controls how users search, find, and trust information.

In fact, in May 2025, Google took a significant step to defend its position by launching “AI Mode” in Search – a feature that lets users ask complex, multi-part questions and receive direct, AI-generated answers. Powered by its Gemini 2.0 model and currently available to select users through Search Labs, AI Mode signals a shift in how Google itself sees the future of search: less about blue links, more about complete, conversational responses. In other words, even Google is now adapting to a search experience that looks a lot more like ChatGPT (The New York Times).

This isn’t just a competition between AI models. It’s a battle for distribution, defaults, and user behaviour – and it’s happening in public, under regulatory spotlight, in ways that directly affect how your content gets surfaced.

SEO in the AI Age: What Changes Now

Because the way content is surfaced is changing, so must the way it’s created and optimised.

You’re Optimising for Inclusion, Not Ranking

In AI search:

You’re not trying to be #1 in a list.
You’re trying to be used in the answer.
If you’re not included, you’re invisible.

That means your content needs to be:

Specific
Well-structured
Authoritative
Aligned with real user questions

Structured Data Becomes a Baseline Requirement

AI models are still learning how to interpret web pages. Structured data (schema) gives them clarity.
For example, for e-commerce brands, this means:

Product markup with reviews, stock levels, and prices
Category clarity and filterable navigation
Review schema for E-E-A-T signals

AI engines rely on these cues more heavily than Google does today.

E-E-A-T Signals Are Non-Negotiable

Experience. Expertise. Authoritativeness. Trustworthiness.

These are no longer “nice to have” they are the core signals AI search uses to determine whether your content is credible.

That means:

Named authors with bios
Clear references and dates
Real reviews and perspectives
Transparent publishing

Generic, anonymous content is at a significant disadvantage.

Narrative Search is Now the Default

AI search isn’t about keywords. It’s about intent. People aren’t searching for “tent reviews”; they search for: “Which family tent is best for a two-week UK camping trip with a toddler?”

Your content must reflect and answer that kind of real-world query. That’s where much of the current web content, including thousands of SEO-optimised blog posts falls short.

What This Means for Your Brand

You’re no longer fighting for just rank on a search results page. You’re also trying to be trusted enough to be included in the answer generated by an AI.

The implications are clear:

Keyword-based SEO alone is no longer enough.
Link-building as a primary strategy is losing impact.
“Thin” blog content designed to chase traffic will be ignored.
Brand authority, clarity, and structure are more important than ever.

This is no longer just about gaming Google’s algorithm. It’s also about being legible and reliable to an entirely different kind of search engine.

The Monopoly Is Cracking – The Rules Are Being Rewritten

OpenAI hasn’t overtaken Google’s market share – yet. Google still dominates, and traditional SEO strategies continue to work for now. But the way people search is already changing, and with it, how content gets discovered.

The reality is this: you need to optimise for both. Continue focusing on Google’s algorithm, but start adapting your content to meet the demands of AI-native search, where clarity, structure, and authority determine whether your content gets used in AI-generated answers.

This isn’t a distant future. It’s a rapidly evolving present. Brands that prepare now will stay visible and relevant on both the current platforms and those shaping the next twenty years of online discovery.

How We’re Helping Clients Stay Ahead

At Fingo, we’ve been tracking this shift for a while. We understood the impact of generative AI before it reached the mainstream, and we’ve already been helping brands prepare for a world where AI is increasingly deciding what’s seen.

Here’s what sets us apart:

We build content strategies for AI-native search, not just keyword ranking
We implement advanced structured data for e-commerce and publishing
We audit and restructure content for clarity, trust, and inclusion in AI answers
We keep clients ahead of Google’s algorithm changes and the platforms beyond Google

If your SEO strategy is still only focused on page-one rankings, it’s time to rethink your approach.

AI search is already here. If you want your brand to stay visible, trusted, and chosen, not just ranked, let’s talk. Let’s build a strategy that works now and in the future.

Get in touch today, email us at hello@fingo.co.uk

The post Google vs OpenAI: The Battle That’s Rewriting How the Internet Works appeared first on Fingo Marketing.

Marketing Challenges for Construction, Manufacturing and Engineering Firms

Marissa Freeman — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 09:27:23 +0000

Digital, Digital Strategy, Our Work, Thought Leadership

Marketing Challenges for Construction, Manufacturing and Engineering Firms

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Marissa Freeman

Head of Commercial Success

With energy prices climbing, regulations tightening, and global expansion, construction across manufacturing and engineering – marketing budgets are feeling the pressure as a knock-on effect of profit margins narrowing and operation costs growing. I meet many sales and marketing leads each week who tell me the stakes have never been higher. Their budgets are shrinking, their competition is intensifying, and innovation (especially around sustainability) isn’t just expected – it’s demanded.

I always tell them – this isn’t the time for vague strategies or vanity metrics. Digital marketing is the most accountable channel for delivering measurable ROI, helping firms navigate these pressures while seizing growth opportunities.

Marketing Budgets Must Work Smarter

Despite many firms cutting back on marketing spending, we know that reduced budgets don’t mean reduced impact. Instead, it’s about doing more with less, using digital campaigns that deliver maximum ROI.

At Fingo, we help our clients maximise their budgets without compromising results. Our emphasis on Return On Investment helped us develop a laser-focus campaign for one of our clients in the luxury construction sector, who had experienced a catastrophic and overnight increase to his project’s operational costs. Our team delivered a strategic, data-driven Paid Search campaign that achieved a remarkable 7:1 ROAS, well above industry benchmarks. The team achieved this through strategic precision targeting and intelligent optimisation, so as you can see, it’s not about spending more; it’s about spending smarter.

Beyond the budget crunch, sustainability and energy efficiency are emerging as critical selling points for firms looking to differentiate themselves. Digital marketing can amplify these efforts through:

SEO-driven brand content showcasing the business’s commitment to innovative green building practices and sustainable manufacturing solutions.

Paid Search campaigns targeting decision-makers actively searching for energy-efficient suppliers or contractors.

Case studies and thought leadership pieces that position firms as leaders in sustainability.
For those willing to invest in messaging that highlights their commitment to innovation, the payoff is survival and market leadership.

Challenges and Competitive Edge

Few industries feel the weight of regulatory changes as acutely as construction and manufacturing. But these shifts aren’t universally negative. For some, changing regulations have created new revenue streams. I’ve recently supported many clients enjoying increased demand for retrofitting projects to meet compliance standards. Some of the recent regulatory updates we have seen have particularly focused on:

Cladding Safety, ensuring buildings meet updated fire safety requirements.
Water Safety, enforcing better standards for safe usage and waste management.
Fire Safety, tightening measures to prevent and manage fire risks.

The challenge, however, lies in standing out among a rising tide of competitors all targeting the same opportunities. The firms succeeding in this space are tailoring their messaging to position themselves as trusted experts who understand the regulations and their practical implications.

Digital marketing plays a key role here:

Precise messaging aligned with the latest regulations to demonstrate authority and expertise.
Targeted campaigns that ensure your solutions reach the right stakeholders at the right time.
Content strategies that go beyond compliance to communicate the tangible benefits of your approach.

For another of our clients in the manufacturing industry, we developed a strategy that focused on aligning their digital marketing efforts with industry trends and compliance. Through targeted Paid Search campaigns and keyword-driven SEO content, we not only elevated their share of voice by 175% but also delivered conversion rates 182% higher than industry benchmarks. By positioning their brand as a trusted leader in craftsmanship and energy efficiency, we helped them capitalise on opportunities created by tightening regulations.

Balancing Global Expansion with Brand Integrity

In response to budget pressures, many manufacturing firms are testing overseas production. While this can lower operational costs, it also creates a branding challenge, especially for companies that have built their reputation on being “British-made.” Additionally, the transition period can require staggering upfront investment, which can temporarily reduce marketing budgets for smaller or medium-sized firms. Another trend I’m seeing is aggressive product expansion as firms look to drive additional revenue. While this strategy has clear benefits, it often comes with the added financial burden of a product launch. My clients need a partner agency that can pivot with these sudden new demands to help throw up good quality product launches with all the digital fanfare that comes with them- brand awareness campaigns, effective lead generation, and in many cases, new, impactful, cost-effective websites.

Because Fingo is an integrated digital agency with teams of specialists across content writing, creative design, web dev, SEO and advertising- we’re uniquely positioned to take on these challenges. We’ve been able to develop brand positioning to help our clients communicate their heritage and commitment to quality while positioning their global expansion as a forward-thinking advantage. We can leverage data-driven insights and audience-first experience to help our clients expand whilst ensuring their values remain at the core of their story, no matter the market.

Let’s Overcome These Challenges Together

At Fingo, we have over two decades of experience supporting development, construction, manufacturing and engineering through solid marketing strategy and delivery. We know these industries are no strangers to pressure, but we can help transform these pressures into growth opportunities, enhancing brand positioning and long-term resilience.

Let’s work together to create strategies that drive real growth. Contact us today at marketing@fingo.co.uk

The post Marketing Challenges for Construction, Manufacturing and Engineering Firms appeared first on Fingo Marketing.