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What August’s Paid Media Changes Mean for AI Ads, Automation and Platform Readiness

Lizzie Connick — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 10:09:39 +0000

News & Insights, Performance Marketing, Thought Leadership

What August’s Paid Media Changes Mean for AI Ads, Automation and Platform Readiness

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August Updates

August showed how quickly paid media is moving from experimental AI features into more practical campaign workflows. Across OpenAI, Google, TikTok and LinkedIn, the key updates were less about small interface changes and more about how platforms are building the next layer of advertising infrastructure.

OpenAI is expanding ChatGPT Ads into more markets and adding more performance-focused campaign tools. Google is pushing Demand Gen and AI Max further into full-funnel planning, creative production, and search expansion, while also tightening policies in sensitive ad categories. TikTok is making Smart+ more flexible, while LinkedIn is strengthening the operational and compliance infrastructure behind its ad platform.

For advertisers, the opportunity is clear. There are more ways to reach people across conversational search, video, social, discovery, commerce and lead generation environments.

The risk is that the systems are becoming harder to manage if campaign inputs, reporting, creative, data and compliance processes are not kept up to date.

The practical challenge is no longer only where advertisers should spend. It is whether their campaigns are ready for the more automated, AI-led and connected environments now shaping paid media delivery.

In Short: What Matters This Month

OpenAI Ads expanded further, with ChatGPT Ads launching in more markets and Ads Manager gaining more performance-led capabilities, including product feeds, platform and geographic targeting, and custom audiences.
Google’s August Demand Gen updates show YouTube and Demand Gen becoming more connected to leads, messaging, travel and AI-assisted creative production.
Google also introduced more AI Max testing and planning tools, giving advertisers more ways to prepare Search campaigns for AI-led expansion before wider adoption.
Google’s tighter Government documents and services policy shows how important compliance and authorisation are becoming in sensitive ad categories.
TikTok’s upgraded Smart+ experience gives advertisers more automation, more flexible catalogue usage and more AI-assisted creative tools inside campaign workflows.
LinkedIn’s August Marketing API changes show the platform tightening targeting, data and compliance processes, especially around Matched Audiences, geo targeting and EU campaign declarations.

For most advertisers, August’s updates show that AI is no longer sitting around the edge of paid media. It is becoming part of the core operating system. That makes human oversight, clean data, strong creative, clear reporting, and compliance governance more important, not less.

Conversational Advertising Is Becoming More Commercial

Business Impact

ChatGPT Ads are moving from early testing towards a more serious advertising environment.

This matters because OpenAI is not building around traditional keyword bidding or broad demographic targeting in the same way as Google or Meta. The platform is being built around conversation context, user intent, and the questions people are asking in real time.

For advertisers, this creates a new kind of opportunity. Users may not always begin with a direct purchase query, but their conversations can move towards research, comparison and decision-making. That gives advertisers a way to appear while commercial intent is forming.

The challenge is that success in this environment will depend heavily on the quality of the inputs advertisers provide, including product feeds, conversion data, context hints, landing pages and creative messaging.

OpenAI Ads expanded across more markets and added more performance-led capabilities

What happened

In August, OpenAI continued expanding ChatGPT Ads, with launches in more European markets and wider self-service access through Ads Manager.

The platform now supports core campaign creation and management through Ads Manager Beta, with tools for campaign setup, budgets, bidding, performance monitoring, conversion measurement, product feeds, platform and geographic targeting, and custom audiences.

OpenAI also continued to build around product feed campaigns, helping advertisers create feed-based ads at scale and connect users with relevant products as they explore, compare, and decide.

Why this matters

This shows OpenAI Ads moving closer to a performance advertising platform, rather than remaining a small experimental placement.

The key difference is the environment. ChatGPT Ads sit inside conversational journeys, where the user may be asking for help, comparing options, researching products, or narrowing down a decision. That creates a different relationship between the ad and the user’s intent.

It also means advertisers need to think differently about campaign setup. The platform is not just about bidding and creative. Context, relevance, product data, and landing page quality are likely to become critical inputs.

OpenAI is also placing a strong emphasis on privacy, with ads shown separately from answers and conversations remaining private from advertisers. That means advertisers can access intent-led opportunities without directly seeing or using the user’s private conversation data.

What advertisers should be paying attention to

Advertisers should start assessing whether their product feeds, landing pages, and conversion tracking are ready for conversational advertising.

Product titles, descriptions, pricing, availability, imagery and destination URLs need to be clear and accurate. Context hints also need to describe where an advertiser is genuinely relevant, rather than simply listing broad keywords.

This is also a platform we are actively testing and trialling, which helps us understand how OpenAI Ads works in practice and where it may create future opportunities for advertisers. While the platform is still early, having a presence in the beta environment allows us to monitor development, test available features, and stay proactive as conversational advertising continues to evolve.

Google Is Expanding Demand Gen Beyond Awareness

Business Impact

Google’s August Demand Gen updates show that YouTube and discovery-led inventory are becoming more closely connected to lower-funnel outcomes.

Demand Gen is no longer only about reaching users with visual creative. Google is building more ways for advertisers to drive leads, messaging actions, travel interest, and customer acquisition through YouTube and other visual placements.

For advertisers, this creates a stronger role for Demand Gen within performance planning. The challenge is making sure creative, audience signals, measurement and post-click journeys are strong enough to support that role.

Google’s August Demand Gen Drop introduced new lead, travel and creative features

What happened

Google announced its August Demand Gen Drop, introducing new tools designed to help advertisers drive higher-quality leads and acquire customers on YouTube and beyond.

The updates included tests that allow viewers to start conversations with brands on messaging apps directly from Demand Gen ads on YouTube. Google also highlighted more relevant Demand Gen experiences for travel advertisers, including local activities, events, real-time offers and personalised hotel ads.

Google also made Multimodal Video Creation in Asset Studio generally available, allowing advertisers to create horizontal and vertical assets in one workflow for use across Demand Gen inventory.

Why this matters

This shows Google moving Demand Gen further into performance marketing.

The ability to start conversations from YouTube ads is particularly important because it connects high-intent engagement with a more immediate response path. For service-led, lead generation and high-consideration advertisers, that could make Demand Gen more useful beyond awareness.

The creative update also matters. As platforms demand more asset variation across placements, advertisers need faster ways to create video assets without losing quality or consistency.

What advertisers should be paying attention to

Advertisers should review whether Demand Gen is being used only as an awareness channel, or whether it could support lead generation, customer acquisition and assisted conversion activity.

Creative should be built for multiple placements and formats, not simply adapted from one asset. Video, image and messaging assets should also be reviewed together so the campaign journey feels consistent.

Advertisers testing messaging-led formats should make sure response handling is ready. If a user starts a conversation from an ad, the quality and speed of the follow-up will directly affect performance.

Search Campaigns Are Getting More AI Planning Support

Business Impact

Google’s AI Max updates show that AI-led Search expansion is becoming more structured.

Rather than simply asking advertisers to switch on more automation, Google is adding more planning and testing tools to help advertisers understand potential performance impact before scaling AI Max.

This matters because Search is becoming less rigidly keyword-led. Advertisers will need to manage broader matching, automated text customisation, landing page expansion and asset optimisation with more care.

Google introduced new AI Max testing and planning tools

What happened

Google introduced new tools to help advertisers test and plan AI Max adoption for Search campaigns.

Performance Planner now allows advertisers to see how changes such as bidding or budget targets may affect existing campaign performance. The update is designed to support more informed testing and scaling of AI Max features.

Why this matters

AI Max is part of the wider shift away from tightly controlled keyword-only Search towards broader AI-led matching.

For advertisers, the challenge is not simply whether to use AI Max. The challenge is understanding how it affects query coverage, landing page selection, ad relevance, cost efficiency, and conversion quality.

Planning and testing tools are useful because they give advertisers a more controlled way to evaluate AI-led expansion before making larger account changes.

What advertisers should be paying attention to

Advertisers should use AI Max testing and planning tools to understand likely performance impact before wider rollout.

Search campaigns should be reviewed for landing page quality, asset coverage, conversion tracking and exclusions. Broader matching can only work effectively if the platform has strong inputs and clear guardrails.

Advertisers should also avoid judging AI Max only on surface-level volume. Lead quality, conversion value and search term relevance still need to be monitored closely.

Google Is Tightening Controls In Sensitive Ad Categories

Business Impact

Google is continuing to strengthen its advertising policies in sensitive and trust-based categories.

This matters because some sectors are not only affected by campaign performance, but also by eligibility, certification and compliance requirements. For advertisers promoting government documents, visa support, administrative services or similar regulated services, policy approval can directly determine whether campaigns are allowed to run at all.

The opportunity is a safer, more trustworthy ad environment. The challenge is that advertisers need to make sure their authorisation, landing pages, targeting and service claims are fully aligned before policy changes take effect.

Google tightened its Ads policy for government document providers

What happened

Google is tightening its Government documents and services policy, introducing stricter requirements for advertisers that promote government-issued documents and administrative services.

From 5 October 2026, advertisers will need to prove explicit government authorisation before promoting government documents or related services through Google Ads.

To qualify, a provider’s domain must be linked from an official government website and clearly identified as an authorised provider for the document or service being advertised. Advertisers will also need to advertise only the services covered by their authorisation and restrict ad targeting to relevant geographic regions, except for certain cross-border services.

Why this matters

This update raises the compliance threshold for advertisers operating in government services, visa assistance and administrative support.

Businesses that cannot demonstrate the required government authorisation could lose the ability to advertise these services through Google Ads. This reflects Google’s wider effort to reduce misleading advertising in sensitive categories, where users may be searching for official or legally important services.

For advertisers, this is a reminder that policy compliance is not a final check at launch. It needs to be built into campaign planning, landing page review, and account governance.

What advertisers should be paying attention to

Advertisers in affected categories should review their eligibility before the policy takes effect.

Authorisation evidence, landing pages, ad copy, service claims and geographic targeting should all be checked carefully. Businesses should also confirm whether their domain is linked from an official government website and clearly recognised as an authorised provider.

Agencies managing accounts in these sectors should flag this early, as advertisers without the right authorisation may need to adjust campaign activity or stop promoting certain services.

TikTok Is Making Smart+ More Flexible And Creative-Led

Business Impact

TikTok’s upgraded Smart+ experience shows the platform continuing to balance automation with advertiser control.

Smart+ is becoming more central to TikTok’s lower-funnel campaign setup, but advertisers are also being given more flexibility around creative assets, catalogue ads and audience controls.

For advertisers, this creates an opportunity to simplify campaign management while still shaping the inputs that guide delivery. The challenge is ensuring the automation has enough creative quality and variety to work from.

TikTok upgraded Smart+ with new creative and catalogue tools

What happened

TikTok’s upgraded Smart+ experience now includes new Symphony tools, including Recommended Creatives and Automatic Enhancements.

These generative AI-powered tools are designed to streamline campaign creative, improve asset quality and support faster creative testing.

TikTok has also added more flexible catalogue ad creation. Catalogue Ads can now be implemented at ad level, allowing advertisers to run catalogue and non-catalogue ads within the same campaign.

TikTok also updated Audience Controls, allowing advertisers to apply compliance or audience restrictions across campaign types, including Smart+.

Why this matters

TikTok is making automation more practical for advertisers that need speed, scale and creative variation.

The ability to combine catalogue and non-catalogue ads in the same campaign gives advertisers more flexibility, especially for e-commerce and product-led activity. The Symphony updates also show how closely creative generation and campaign automation are becoming connected.

However, creative still matters. Smart+ can optimise delivery, but it needs strong assets, clear product information and enough variation to test effectively.

What advertisers should be paying attention to

Advertisers should review whether Smart+ is being used with enough creative diversity.

AI-assisted creative tools can help increase asset volume, but outputs should still be reviewed for brand tone, product accuracy, claims and visual quality.

Catalogue advertisers should review how product feeds, catalogue ads and non-catalogue creative can work together within the same campaign. Audience Controls should also be checked where compliance, age restrictions or category rules are important.

LinkedIn Is Tightening Campaign Data And Compliance Controls

Business Impact

LinkedIn’s August updates show the platform becoming more structured around targeting, audience management and regulatory compliance.

This is particularly relevant for B2B advertisers using Matched Audiences, Predictive Audiences and geo-based campaign targeting.

For advertisers and agencies, the main impact is operational. Audience structures, partner workflows and campaign setup processes may need to be reviewed to avoid disruption.

LinkedIn introduced audience, geo and EU campaign compliance changes

What happened

LinkedIn’s recent Marketing API changes confirmed that, from August 2026, each sponsored account is restricted to a maximum of 1,000 DMP segments for Matched Audiences and Predictive Audiences.

LinkedIn also confirmed that from 31 August 2026, it will completely stop supporting Legacy Geo for Ads Targeting.

In addition, Campaign Management Partners are required to implement a self-declaration step in the LinkedIn campaign creation flow for EU-targeted campaigns, supporting regulatory compliance around political advertising.

Why This Matters

LinkedIn is tightening how targeting and campaign compliance are managed.

For advertisers using large numbers of audience segments, the DMP segment limit may require cleaner audience management and better prioritisation. The Legacy Geo change also means outdated location targeting workflows need to be removed.

The EU self-declaration requirement is another reminder that platform compliance is becoming more built into campaign setup. Even where advertisers are not running political campaigns, the workflow still affects how EU-targeted campaigns are created through partners.

What Advertisers Should Be Paying Attention To

Advertisers should audit LinkedIn audience structures, especially where multiple DMP segments, list uploads or Predictive Audiences are being used.

Legacy Geo targeting should be checked and updated before it causes setup or delivery issues.

Agencies and platform partners should also make sure EU campaign declaration workflows are understood and implemented properly. Compliance should be treated as part of campaign setup, not something reviewed only after a problem appears.

What to Watch Next

The next few months will be important for advertisers as AI and automation become more embedded across paid media platforms.

OpenAI is one of the most important platforms to watch. ChatGPT Ads are still early, but the pace of development is significant. Market expansion, product feeds, custom audiences and conversion-focused tools all suggest that OpenAI is moving towards a more serious performance advertising product.

On Google, the focus should be on how Demand Gen and AI Max mature. Demand Gen is becoming more full-funnel, while AI Max is changing how Search campaigns expand and match to intent. Advertisers should test carefully, but not ignore the direction of travel.

Google policy changes should also be monitored closely, particularly for advertisers in sensitive, regulated or trust-based categories. The Government documents and services update shows how eligibility and authorisation can directly affect whether campaigns are allowed to run.

On TikTok, Smart+ is becoming more flexible, but creative quality remains central. Advertisers should watch how much control they retain as automation becomes more integrated into campaign setup.

On LinkedIn, audience and compliance workflows need attention. B2B advertisers should make sure their targeting structures are clean and their campaign creation processes are aligned with platform changes.

What August Tells Us Overall

August’s updates show that paid media is becoming more AI-led, more connected, and more operationally complex.

OpenAI is moving conversational advertising closer to performance marketing. Google is expanding Demand Gen and preparing advertisers for more AI-led Search, while also tightening policy requirements in sensitive categories. TikTok is making automated performance campaigns more flexible and creative-led. LinkedIn is tightening audience and compliance processes.

The opportunity for advertisers is greater reach, faster testing and stronger access to intent across more environments.

The risk is that automation becomes harder to manage without strong setup, clean data, good creative and proper oversight.

That means paid media management is not becoming less important. It is becoming more strategic.

Advertisers need to spend less time thinking only about manual campaign switches and more time thinking about the systems that shape delivery. Feeds, audiences, creative, conversion data, compliance, reporting and post-click journeys all need to work together.

Strong inputs, clear governance and human judgment are now essential to getting value from automation without losing control.

Need Help?

If you are already investing in Google Ads, TikTok, LinkedIn or emerging AI ad platforms, now is the time to review how prepared your campaigns are for more automated, AI-led and conversation-led delivery.

The question is no longer only whether your campaigns are live and spending efficiently.

It is whether your feeds, assets, tracking, audiences, creative settings, compliance processes and reporting are strong enough to guide automation in the right direction.

Lizzie Connick

Biddable Account Manager

16-minute read

Recent articles:

What August’s Paid Media Changes Mean for AI Ads, Automation and Platform ReadinessSeptember 8, 2026
August Updates August showed how quickly paid media is moving from experimental AI features into more practical campaign workflows. Across OpenAI, Google, TikTok and LinkedIn, the… Read more: What August’s Paid Media Changes Mean for AI Ads, Automation and Platform Readiness
ChatGPT Ads: what we have learnt from our testing (Updated September 2026)September 4, 2026
Updated September 2026 Ads have arrived in ChatGPT, creating a new advertising environment for brands. We first tested the platform under its early beta name, OpenAI… Read more: ChatGPT Ads: what we have learnt from our testing (Updated September 2026)
When Switching to a New CMS Pays for ItselfAugust 3, 2026
When Change Pays Off For many businesses, switching website platforms can feel like a major expense. It is usually viewed as a large project involving budget… Read more: When Switching to a New CMS Pays for Itself

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

The post What August’s Paid Media Changes Mean for AI Ads, Automation and Platform Readiness appeared first on Fingo Marketing.

When Switching to a New CMS Pays for Itself

Ginny Gilmour — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 09:56:31 +0000

Thought Leadership, Website Development

When Switching to a New CMS Pays for Itself

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When Change Pays Off

For many businesses, switching website platforms can feel like a major expense. It is usually viewed as a large project involving budget approval, internal resources, operational disruption and significant planning. As a result, organisations often continue investing in the platform they already have, particularly if the website itself appears to be functioning perfectly well.

What is often overlooked, however, is the long-term cost of staying where you are.

We recently worked with a client whose website was built on a highly capable enterprise-level content management system. In the right environment, this type of platform can be an excellent choice. It offers flexibility, scalability and the ability to support highly bespoke website ecosystems.

The conversation did not begin because the CMS was failing. In fact, the platform itself was performing exactly as expected. The real question emerged during discussions around future maintenance, upgrade requirements and long-term operational costs.

Once we reviewed the projected investment required to maintain the platform over the coming years, alongside how the website was being used day to day, it became clear that moving to another CMS would likely cost less in the long term than staying where they were. Over a five-year period, the projected savings effectively offset the cost of the migration itself, and then some.

That is what makes this such an important conversation. A CMS is not simply a technical decision sitting quietly in the background of the website. It directly affects how efficiently teams can work, how much development support is required and how future website budgets are planned.

In some cases, businesses may be carrying far more operational overhead than they genuinely need.

When Enterprise-Level Capability Is More Than You Need

One of the biggest misconceptions in website strategy is the assumption that a more powerful platform automatically represents a better long-term decision.

In reality, the most effective CMS is usually the one that aligns most closely with how the organisation actually uses its website.

We regularly see businesses operating marketing-led websites on highly advanced enterprise CMS platforms. These platforms can be excellent for organisations with complex digital ecosystems, bespoke functionality, extensive integrations or strict governance requirements. However, many business websites primarily exist to support brand visibility, lead generation, content publishing, campaign activity and SEO performance.

In those cases, the question is not whether the platform is capable. It is whether that level of capability is genuinely needed.

This becomes particularly important when the complexity of the platform starts to shape how the marketing team works. If relatively simple tasks such as updating content, creating landing pages or adjusting site structure require developer involvement, the CMS may be creating more operational weight than value.

That does not make the platform wrong. It simply means the business should review whether the website’s technical environment still reflects its practical day-to-day requirements.

Why This Matters for Marketing and Commercial Leaders

Historically, CMS decisions have often sat primarily with technical teams. Today, that approach is too narrow.

For most organisations, the website is one of the most commercially important assets the business owns. It supports search visibility, campaign activity, lead generation, customer engagement and brand positioning simultaneously. The platform underneath it, therefore, has a direct impact on marketing performance and commercial efficiency.

If campaign pages take too long to launch, marketing responsiveness suffers. If simple updates require ongoing technical support, teams become less agile. If a large proportion of the budget is absorbed by platform maintenance, that affects how much can be invested elsewhere.

This is why CMS strategy should be viewed as both a technical and commercial conversation.

The right platform should support the pace, structure and priorities of the business using it. For some organisations, that will mean remaining on a more advanced enterprise CMS. For others, moving to a simpler platform can reduce cost, improve day-to-day usability and give marketing teams greater control without compromising the effectiveness of the website.

The important thing is to make that decision strategically, rather than assuming the existing platform remains the right fit indefinitely.

The Hidden Cost of Platform Maintenance

When businesses think about website investment, the focus is often placed on the initial build or redesign. In reality, the ongoing cost of maintaining the platform underneath the website can become just as significant over time.

This is particularly relevant with enterprise-level CMS platforms, where support, security updates and version upgrades can be more involved.

Some platforms require smaller, more regular updates that can be handled with limited development time. Others operate on larger upgrade cycles, where redevelopment work, compatibility testing and integration reviews can become significant projects in their own right. In some cases, major upgrades can cost tens of thousands of pounds to complete.

This is often where the long-term cost difference between platforms becomes clear.

For organisations that genuinely rely on advanced functionality, that investment may be justified. But where the website is being used in a more straightforward marketing and lead generation capacity, the ongoing maintenance burden can begin to outweigh the value being received.

That is when the business needs to look beyond the next upgrade and ask whether continuing with the same CMS is still the most commercially sensible option.

Before Approving the Next Upgrade, Ask the Bigger Question

Major CMS upgrades are often treated as unavoidable maintenance projects. Budget gets approved, development timelines get scheduled and the cycle continues.

What is often missing is the strategic review beforehand.

Before committing to another major platform investment, it is worth stepping back and asking a few broader questions:

Are we fully utilising the functionality this platform provides?
Does the platform genuinely reflect what we need operationally from the website?
How much are we spending maintaining functionality we may not actually need?
Is the platform helping marketing teams move efficiently, or creating operational friction?
Could another CMS better support the way the business operates today?

These are not purely technical questions. They are commercial ones.

Businesses often view CMS migration as a cost to avoid. In reality, there are situations where remaining on the wrong platform quietly becomes the more expensive decision over time.

Sometimes, switching to a new CMS genuinely pays for itself.

Ginny Gilmour

Senior Marketing Executive

6 minute read

Recent articles:

What August’s Paid Media Changes Mean for AI Ads, Automation and Platform ReadinessSeptember 8, 2026
August Updates August showed how quickly paid media is moving from experimental AI features into more practical campaign workflows. Across OpenAI, Google, TikTok and LinkedIn, the… Read more: What August’s Paid Media Changes Mean for AI Ads, Automation and Platform Readiness
ChatGPT Ads: what we have learnt from our testing (Updated September 2026)September 4, 2026
Updated September 2026 Ads have arrived in ChatGPT, creating a new advertising environment for brands. We first tested the platform under its early beta name, OpenAI… Read more: ChatGPT Ads: what we have learnt from our testing (Updated September 2026)
When Switching to a New CMS Pays for ItselfAugust 3, 2026
When Change Pays Off For many businesses, switching website platforms can feel like a major expense. It is usually viewed as a large project involving budget… Read more: When Switching to a New CMS Pays for Itself

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

The post When Switching to a New CMS Pays for Itself appeared first on Fingo Marketing.

The Rise of the AI-Educated Customer and the Commercial Impact for Brands

Ginny Gilmour — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 16:11:21 +0000

Digital Strategy, SEO, Sustainable Visibility, Thought Leadership

The Rise of the AI-Educated Customer

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Considering the Commercial Impact for Brands

Over the last few months, a number of our clients have noticed a clear shift in how customers arrive at conversations with their brand.

In many cases, customer enquiries are coming through with specific feature requests, well-researched questions, a more detailed understanding of their needs and a much clearer sense of direction than brands would typically expect at such an early stage in the journey.

Conversations that would normally begin with broad discovery or general questions are, in some instances, moving far more quickly into suitability, availability, pricing, comparison and decision-making.

A growing part of this appears to be linked to the role AI tools like ChatGPT are now playing during the early research phase, helping users shape their thinking, compare options, narrow preferences and form expectations before they ever engage with a brand directly.

AI Is Becoming the Starting Point of the Customer Journey

Increasingly, when users have a problem to solve, need a recommendation, or want to explore possible options, they begin that journey within AI tools like ChatGPT.

Rather than immediately moving through multiple websites independently, users are starting with a conversation.

They ask questions, explore ideas, compare products or services, challenge assumptions, refine priorities and gradually build a clearer understanding of what they actually need over time. In many cases, the value is not just the answer itself, but the ability to work through a decision interactively in a way that feels guided and tailored to their situation.

What makes this important for brands is that those conversations are heavily influenced by the information that AI tools can interpret and surface across the internet.

Websites, articles, landing pages, supporting content, reviews, FAQs, product information, social proof and broader digital signals all contribute towards the responses users receive as they move through these conversations. As the discussion develops and the user asks more specific questions, AI tools continue refining the information they surface, which increasingly shapes not only the user’s understanding of what they need but also the brands they begin considering.

That changes the way brands enter the consideration process.

Historically, users may have discovered brands gradually through online browsing, search behaviour, referrals, social content, review sites or comparison research. Increasingly, however, brand discovery is happening in AI-assisted conversations before a user ever reaches a website directly.

Once a brand is surfaced or referenced within that process, users are far more likely to engage, with a stronger level of understanding and a much clearer sense of what they are looking for than they would through traditional browsing behaviour alone.

The Commercial Risk of Being Left Out of the Conversation

This creates a very real risk for brands.

If AI-assisted research increasingly influences which brands users consider during the early stages of the customer journey, then brands whose content cannot be clearly interpreted, surfaced or referenced within those conversations risk being excluded from consideration entirely.

This is not simply about ranking in search results anymore.

It is about whether your content is structured clearly enough, technically accessible enough and useful enough for AI systems to confidently surface your brand as part of a relevant conversation.

If your website lacks depth, clarity, supporting information, or strong SEO foundations, then AI tools have far less useful material available to interpret and reference when users are exploring options within conversational research journeys.

In practical terms, that can mean your brand never enters the shortlist before a user even begins actively comparing their options.

Importantly, this does not reduce the importance of websites or SEO. If anything, it increases it.

AI tools still rely heavily on publicly available website content to understand brands, interpret products or services, compare options and generate responses. The difference is that this information is increasingly being consumed indirectly through AI-assisted conversations before users ever visit a website directly.

The Rise of the Higher-Expectation Customer

Another important shift is happening alongside this.

As users continue asking questions and refining their thinking through AI conversations, they often arrive on brand websites with a much higher level of knowledge, specificity, and expectations than many businesses are currently prepared for.

Historically, many websites were designed primarily to support early-stage discovery and broad understanding. High-level product or service pages and brand-led messaging were often enough to move a user towards an enquiry or purchase because much of the deeper education happened later, either through direct conversations, showroom visits, sales teams, reviews, or additional research.

That is becoming less reliable.

As users progress further in the decision-making process, they increasingly expect websites to answer more detailed, practical questions immediately. They want clarity around features, benefits, pricing expectations, suitability, availability, limitations, comparisons, reviews, aftercare, delivery, guarantees, returns, timelines and what makes one option different from another.

In many cases, brands are encountering users whose questions have already moved beyond the level of detail their websites can support.

That creates a disconnect.

A user may arrive highly engaged after a long AI-assisted research process, only to encounter a website that feels too broad, too vague, or too introductory for the level of information they are seeking.

When that happens, brands risk losing users not because the product or service is wrong, but because the content available does not match the sophistication of the questions being asked.

Why Content Depth Is Becoming a Visibility Advantage

This is where content strategy becomes increasingly important.

Broad, high-level pages still matter and continue to play an important role in helping AI systems and users establish an initial understanding of what a brand offers. Those foundational pages should not disappear.

However, they can no longer be the only layer of content brands rely on.

As AI conversations become more detailed, the supporting content beneath those core pages becomes increasingly important, as it helps AI systems better interpret deeper relevance, expertise, and usefulness as user conversations evolve.

In practical terms, that means brands increasingly need content that answers the types of questions more informed users are now asking, including:

pricing expectations
product or service comparisons
suitability for different needs
practical limitations
availability and delivery considerations
common customer concerns
feature differences
quality indicators
aftercare, guarantees or support
reasons to choose one option over another

This creates a sort of visibility cycle.

The more useful, structured and relevant supporting content a brand provides, the more likely AI systems are to surface that brand within relevant conversations. The more a brand is surfaced during those conversations, the more likely users are to engage, carrying stronger intent and clearer expectations.

That does not mean creating content purely for AI systems. It means creating content that genuinely supports how modern users research, evaluate, and compare options before they ever engage with a brand directly.

What Brands Should Do Next

For most brands, adapting to this shift is not about abandoning existing marketing strategy or chasing AI trends. It is about strengthening the quality, depth and structure of the information they already provide.

The opportunity is not necessarily to replace existing content or marketing activity, but to make it more useful, more connected and more aligned with how people now research and evaluate options. Broad pages should continue supporting discovery and initial understanding, while deeper supporting content can answer the more specific questions that informed users are now bringing with them.

That might include clearer service information, comparison content, FAQs, pricing guidance, suitability advice, customer proof points, local information, sector-specific pages or content that addresses common concerns before purchase.

Strong technical and SEO foundations still matter too. Content needs to be easy for users to navigate, but it also needs to be clear, accessible and structured enough for search engines and AI systems to interpret accurately.

However, even with all of this in place, the most valuable insight is knowing where you currently stand.

Customers are no longer forming opinions through one channel alone. Search results, AI-generated answers, local listings, reviews, social proof, comparison content and broader digital signals can all influence whether a brand is found, understood and considered before a user ever reaches the website.

This is where Prism becomes invaluable.

Prism gives brands a single view of how they are being seen, cited, compared and understood across AI, search, social and local ecosystems. It helps reveal where visibility is strong, where competitors are gaining ground, where brand messaging may be unclear or inconsistent, and where gaps in content, SEO, local presence or digital authority could be limiting consideration.

That insight matters because it turns good intentions into focused action. Rather than improving content or visibility in a broad, reactive way, brands can see where they are underrepresented, where they are being misunderstood, where competitors are more visible and which areas of the discovery journey need the most attention.

In that sense, Prism helps turn uncertainty into action. It can guide content, SEO, PR, communications and wider digital strategy, helping brands strengthen the signals that influence how they are discovered, interpreted and trusted.

For brands, the next step is to stop assuming they are visible and start understanding where they truly stand. In a customer journey increasingly shaped before direct website engagement, that view is becoming essential.

Final Thoughts

The idea of the “AI-educated customer” is still emerging, and user behaviour is unlikely to change uniformly across every industry overnight.

What is increasingly difficult to ignore, however, is the growing role AI-assisted conversations are playing in shaping expectations, brand shortlists and early-stage decision-making before brands ever receive an enquiry or website visit.

For brands, the implication is significant.

If users increasingly begin their journey inside AI-assisted conversations, then visibility is no longer just about attracting traffic to a website. It is about whether your brand is being surfaced, understood and considered during the conversations that are now shaping decisions before direct engagement ever begins.

The brands most likely to succeed within this shift are unlikely to be those chasing AI trends most aggressively, but those that build strong digital foundations, create genuinely useful content and align their websites with the way modern users now research and evaluate options.

For businesses that want to better understand how visible they are within AI-assisted discovery journeys, Prism can help provide that insight. It gives brands a clearer view of how they are being surfaced, interpreted and positioned, helping identify where improvements to content, SEO and website strategy may be needed.

To find out more about Prism and how it could support your brand’s visibility in an AI-led search environment, please get in touch with our team.

Ginny Gilmour

Senior Marketing Executive

10 minute read

Recent articles:

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August Updates August showed how quickly paid media is moving from experimental AI features into more practical campaign workflows. Across OpenAI, Google, TikTok and LinkedIn, the… Read more: What August’s Paid Media Changes Mean for AI Ads, Automation and Platform Readiness
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If you have a project or campaign you’d like to discuss, we’d love to hear from you.

The post The Rise of the AI-Educated Customer and the Commercial Impact for Brands appeared first on Fingo Marketing.

What a Wedding Guest Experience Teaches Us About Website UX

Ginny Gilmour — Tue, 05 May 2026 14:58:25 +0000

Performance Websites, Thought Leadership, User Experience, Website Design

What a Wedding Guest Experience Teaches Us About Website UX

Home » Homepage

What weddings reveal about user behaviour

Summer is approaching, and that can only mean one thing… wedding season! I have already been to one this year, and it got me thinking about the wedding guest experience.

Some weddings you go to are just… easy. You know where to go, what is happening and when, and what to do with yourself in those in-between moments while photos are being taken. Nothing feels confusing or forced. The day just flows, almost without you noticing it.

Others are not quite like that.

You arrive and find yourself unsure where to go. Timings are unclear or not communicated at all. There is too much waiting, often without a drink in hand, and you start second-guessing simple things like whether you have enough time to disappear to the bathroom before the wedding breakfast. That is a genuine thought I have had.

What is interesting is that when this happens, it is rarely down to the budget or the venue. More often, it comes down to how well the experience has been thought through for the guest, not just the couple.

And there is a very obvious parallel here with websites.

The sites that convert well are rarely just the ones that look good or have had the most investment. They are usually the ones where user needs, messaging, journey structure, interface design and conversion goals are properly aligned.

When that does not happen, the impact is not just a slightly worse experience. It becomes a performance issue. Traffic does not convert, paid media becomes less efficient, and potential enquiries quietly disappear.

In many cases, websites are not underperforming because there is no demand. They are underperforming because the experience does not support it.

Experience Is About Flow, Not Just Visual Design

There is a long-standing assumption that websites are judged primarily on how they look. And while visual design does matter, it is rarely effective on its own.

More often, performance depends on how well the design supports clarity, credibility and progression. It comes down to how it feels to move through.

The difference between a good experience and a poor one is rarely only the colour palette or the typography. Those things matter, but they need to support hierarchy, readability and action. The bigger issue is usually the flow, the clarity, and the ease with which someone can move from one step to the next without having to stop and think.

This is where a lot of websites fall down.

They may look polished and well put together, but once you start using them, the journey becomes unclear. You are not quite sure where to go next or what the intended path is. The experience becomes something you have to work out for yourself.

A common content and UX issue is the homepage headline that sounds impressive internally but gives users little practical orientation. Phrases like “Innovative Solutions for Growth” might feel safe internally, but they do very little to help a user understand what the business actually does or whether it is relevant to them.

At that point, the burden shifts to the user to interpret and navigate, which is exactly where things begin to break down.

Often, this is an information architecture and content strategy problem. Websites are shaped internally rather than designed externally. Pages reflect internal team structures, and messaging reflects how a business talks about itself, rather than how customers think about the problem they are trying to solve.

So while everything may make sense from the inside, it does not necessarily make sense to the person arriving on the site for the first time.

Many websites do not fail because they look bad. They fail because the experience is unclear, unstructured or difficult to move through.

The Save The Date = The First Touchpoint

The first touchpoint many of us have with a wedding is the save-the-date, usually sent well in advance and often ending up as a permanent fixture on the fridge.

It is typically simple. A lightly designed card with a short note to block out the date in your calendar.

It doesn’t come with a lot of detail, but it does set the expectation. It tells you something is coming, gives you the sense of when and starts to shape how you think about the event before you have all the information.

The same applies to websites.

In many cases, a user’s experience of a website does not start on the landing page. It starts with the touchpoints that bring them there, whether that is a paid ad, a social media post, an email or a search result.

That first interaction sets the context. It frames expectations around what the user is about to see, what they believe they are going to get and how relevant it feels to them.

When that alignment is strong, the transition into the website feels seamless. The messaging connects, the value carries through, and the user continues with confidence.

However, when it is not, friction appears. You click on an ad expecting one thing and land on a page that feels disconnected. The message does not quite match. The value is unclear. You have to stop and re-evaluate whether you are in the right place.

And if this happens, this is where a user journey ends.

This is why performance does not sit solely in the website itself, but in how well the entire journey has been considered from first interaction through to conversion.

The Invitation = Landing Page

The first tangible touchpoint you have as a wedding guest is the invitation.

A lot of time tends to be spent on how it looks, choosing between off-white and beige, and Times New Roman or a more handwriting style font, and other small design details that set the tone for the day. But the most important part of the invitation is not the aesthetic. It is the clarity of information.

Where it is. When to arrive. What to wear. What is happening and in what order.

These are the details that allow guests to understand what to expect and how to prepare.

When that information is missing or unclear, it puts people on the back foot immediately. They arrive with questions, and the experience starts with uncertainty.

The same applies to a website’s landing page.

Very quickly after arriving, a user is trying to answer three simple questions: what does this business do, is it relevant to me, and what should I do next?

A strong landing page answers those questions quickly and confidently. It uses clear, specific language, establishes value early, and guides attention so that the most important information is seen first. Crucially, it presents a clear next step.

Where many landing pages fall down is in trying to do too much, or in trying to satisfy too many internal perspectives at once. Messaging becomes diluted, calls to action compete with each other, and key information is pushed further down the page in the assumption that users will scroll to find it.

It is not uncommon to see forms that ask for more information than the user is ready to give, especially before value or trust has been established. In those cases, the site is effectively asking the user to commit before they have been given a reason to.

All of this introduces hesitation.

And hesitation at this stage is critical, because if a user does not quickly feel confident that they are in the right place, many will not continue.

Arrival = Information Architecture, Navigation & Orientation

Once you arrive at a wedding, the next part of the experience is understanding where to go.

At a well-planned wedding, it is obvious. There is clear signage. People are there to guide you. The layout makes sense. You can quickly work out where the ceremony is, where to get a drink, and where you are meant to be next. And critically, where’s good to stand so you can get away with as little small talk as possible.

At others, you find yourself hovering, looking around, and trying to work it out by following other people. It creates a subtle but noticeable sense of uncertainty.

The same dynamic exists on websites.

Once someone has decided they are in the right place, their next question is simple: where do I go now?

Information architecture, navigation and site structure play a critical role in answering that.

A well-structured website makes it easy to move through. Navigation is clearly labelled, familiar, intuitive, and built around how users think, rather than how the business is organised internally.

Where this often breaks down is when navigation mirrors internal structures. Menu labels reflect departments or services in a way that makes sense to the business, but not to the user, who is typically thinking in terms of outcomes rather than organisational lines.

Labels like “Solutions” or “Capabilities” may feel appropriate internally, but without clear context they require interpretation, which introduces friction.

Unlike a wedding, where people will usually find their way, a website does not benefit from the same level of patience. If users cannot quickly understand where to go, many will lose confidence, hesitate, or leave.

The Flow of the Day = User Journey

What really defines a wedding experience is the flow of the day.

How you move from one stage to the next, whether transitions feel natural, and whether there is a clear sense of what is happening and what comes next.

At a well-planned wedding, everything connects smoothly. You move from the ceremony to drinks, from drinks to dinner, and into the evening without needing to think about it, and without long periods of waiting.

At others, the flow can feel disjointed. There are gaps where nothing is happening, or moments where things feel rushed or unclear. Guests start checking with each other, trying to piece together what is going on.

Websites behave in much the same way.

It is not just about the quality of individual pages, but about how those pages connect to form a coherent on-site journey.

A strong website journey is designed with progression in mind. It considers what someone needs to understand first, what questions they are likely to have next, and what will give them enough confidence to take action.

Where this often breaks down is when that progression has not been properly mapped, or when each page is expected to do everything at once, to educate, persuade, and convert simultaneously.

This can lead to moments where users are pushed towards action before they have been given enough clarity or confidence, such as being asked to book a demo before the product has been properly explained.

The result is a fragmented experience, rather than a continuous one.

The best websites, much like the best weddings, guide people through a sequence that feels natural, building understanding and confidence step by step.

The Details = Usability, Microinteractions & Performance

Then there are the smaller details that sit around the edges of the experience.

At a wedding, these are the things you might not consciously notice, but which make the day feel easier. Where you go to get a drink, whether there is somewhere to sit during quieter moments, or small touches like having flip flops available for guests in high heels who lost the feeling in their toes halfway through the best man’s speech.

When these things are done well, the day simply feels smooth, and the guests feel considered.

The same applies to websites.

Small friction points cover the details that support the overall journey: how easy it is to complete a form, whether the site works well on mobile, whether pages load quickly, whether buttons are clear, whether interactions feel obvious, and whether users get the right feedback at the right time.

Some of these details sit within UX. Others sit within UI design, content design, accessibility, technical performance and front-end development. But to the user, they are all part of the same experience.

When these elements work well, users move through the site without friction. When they do not, small moments of resistance begin to add up.

Individually, these issues might seem minor. Collectively, they are often enough to stop someone from completing an action.

Because when an experience starts to feel like effort, people are far less likely to follow through.

The Lasting Impression = Conversion & Brand

At the end of a wedding, what people tend to remember is not a specific detail, but the overall feeling they leave with.

Whether it felt easy and enjoyable, or whether it felt like hard work because you were sat next to a complete stranger instead of your partner.

The same applies to websites.

Users may not remember every individual headline or page, but they often remember whether the experience felt clear, credible and easy. Whether it was clear and trustworthy, whether it was easy to find what they needed, and whether taking action felt straightforward.

This is where user experience connects directly with commercial performance.

If a website feels easy relevant and trustworthy, people are more likely to enquire, book, or buy. If it feels confusing or frustrating, they are more likely to hesitate or leave altogether.

That impression also shapes how they perceive the brand, not just in the moment, but in whether they choose to return in the future.

At this point, UX starts to overlap with customer experience and brand perception. The website may be only one part of the wider customer journey, but it is often the place where first impressions, confidence and intent are either strengthened or lost.

The Real Problem

Most websites do not struggle because of a lack of effort or intent.

They struggle because they are often built in silos.

Design, development, content, conversion and technical performance are handled separately, and decisions are made in isolation. Each element may work on its own, but the overall experience can still feel disjointed.

As a result, websites become collections of pages rather than connected journeys, often without properly considering the user.

It is not dissimilar to planning different parts of a wedding independently, without considering how they fit together as a whole and most importantly, how guests will experience it.

The real problem is often not UX design alone, but the way website decisions are made across design, development, content, marketing, analytics and conversion. When those disciplines are not aligned, the experience can quickly become fragmented.

The Commercial Layer

This is why user experience is not just a design consideration, but a commercial one.

Poor UX affects the performance of every channel that drives traffic to the site, because it influences what happens after the click.

You can invest in SEO, paid media, or social campaigns, but if the experience does not convert, that investment becomes less effective. The issue is not always traffic volume alone, but what happens once users arrive.

This is where businesses often misdiagnose the problem, focusing on channels and campaigns rather than the experience itself.

Understanding user behaviour becomes critical. Not just what people click on, but how they move through the site, where they hesitate, and where they drop off.

That is where meaningful improvements are made.

The Takeaway

The best weddings feel considered, not because of any one standout detail, but because the entire experience has been thought through.

The best websites are no different. They do not leave people unsure, frustrated, or working harder than they need to. Instead, they create a sense of clarity and ease from start to finish.

When it comes to weddings, even with the best planning, there are always things you cannot control. Like that one uncle who has had one too many custom cocktails and decides it is a good time to attempt the worm on the dance floor.

Websites come with fewer unknowns than live events, and many of the most important experience variables are within your control.

And when that experience is designed, tested and measured well, the impact can be significant: better engagement, stronger conversion, and more value from the traffic you are already generating.

Ginny Gilmour

Senior Marketing Executive

10 minute read

Recent articles:

What August’s Paid Media Changes Mean for AI Ads, Automation and Platform ReadinessSeptember 8, 2026
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If you have a project or campaign you’d like to discuss, we’d love to hear from you.

The post What a Wedding Guest Experience Teaches Us About Website UX appeared first on Fingo Marketing.

SEO for AI: Keep Calm and Stick to the Fundamentals

David Urry — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 15:52:39 +0000

Digital Strategy, News & Insights, SEO, Thought Leadership

SEO for AI: Keep Calm and Stick to the Fundamentals

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David Urry

Head of Operations

There’s been a surge in speculation about how AI is transforming the world, our lives, our work, and, crucially, organic search. Just a couple of weeks ago, we wrote about the legal battle between Google and OpenAI, a messy tug-of-war over default apps and market dominance.

It’s no surprise that this landscape is creating confusion. With Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE), ChatGPT, and Bing Copilot reshaping how people discover information, search behaviour is evolving rapidly, and so are the headlines. Each week brings bold predictions about ‘the death of SEO’ or ‘AI replacing search as we know it.’ In response, agencies are racing to launch shiny ‘AI SEO packages,’ often designed to capitalise on uncertainty.

So it’s only natural that marketers are asking:

Is traditional SEO still relevant? Do we need a completely new strategy to stay visible in AI-driven search?

The short answer is no, you don’t need to abandon the SEO rulebook. But the context in which those rules apply is changing. Optimising for AI isn’t about learning a new language; it’s about being better understood in the one you already speak.

In fact, when you look closely, many of these so-called ‘AI SEO’ solutions are just good SEO. The kind we’ve been delivering for over two decades.

How AI Is Changing Search

Search is no longer limited to typing queries into Google. Users now rely on a variety of search methods, including voice commands, conversational prompts, and AI-powered summaries. These tools are designed to deliver fast, contextual answers without necessarily sending users to a website.

This shift is introducing new search behaviours:

People ask full, natural-language questions instead of short keywords
AI answers often appear at the top of results or inside chat interfaces
Many queries now result in zero-click outcomes, where users get the information they need without visiting a site

Despite this, the foundations of SEO have not changed. AI tools still depend on well-structured, authoritative, and trustworthy content to generate their responses. A 2024 analysis by Search Engine Journal found that AI summaries most often reference content from websites that already rank on the first page of Google.

In other words, the same SEO principles that work for traditional search continue to drive visibility in AI-powered results. It’s just that in many cases, the user is AI, not you!

What AI Wants from Your Content

AI models do not invent new information. They draw on existing sources and prioritise those that are well-organised, technically sound, credible, and clearly written. Content that performs well in generative search typically shares several qualities:

It offers immediate, relevant answers to user queries
It is structured using clear headings and logical flow
It includes semantic clues that help machines interpret its meaning
It is published on domains with authority and a strong reputation

This is why forward-thinking SEO now includes approaches like AI Optimisation (AIO), Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO), and Search Experience Optimisation (SXO). These do not replace traditional SEO. They are extensions of it, focused on ensuring that your content can be discovered, understood, and trusted by both humans and machines.

Five Ways to Optimise for AI-Driven Search

1. Start with the Answer

AI prefers content that addresses user intent directly. Begin each page, article, or FAQ section by clearly answering the central question. Supporting context, data, and examples can follow, but avoid burying the lead.

Tools like AnswerThePublic and AlsoAsked can help you understand how real users phrase their questions, making it easier to match their intent.

2. Structure Content for Clarity

Use well-organised headings, concise paragraphs, and bullet points to guide both readers and AI models through your content. Include clear metadata and internal linking to reinforce relationships between topics.

Content that follows a logical structure is more likely to be selected for featured snippets and voice search responses.

3. Implement Schema and Structured Data

Structured data makes it easier for search engines to interpret and present your content. Adding schema markup to your site supports visibility in featured snippets, knowledge panels, and AI-generated summaries.

Google’s own structured data guidelines emphasise that schema helps enhance content visibility in AI-powered interfaces.

4. Maintain Technical Excellence

AI prioritises content from websites that are fast, secure, mobile-friendly, and easy to crawl. Errors such as broken links, slow page speeds, and poor mobile usability reduce your chances of appearing in any search interface.

5. Build Trust and Authority

AI systems are more likely to reference content that demonstrates credibility. This includes strong backlink profiles, expert authorship, positive reviews, and consistent topical depth.

Regular content production around defined themes, supported by internal linking and external citations, reinforces your authority. Google’s E-E-A-T framework (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) remains a reliable benchmark for quality.

What to Avoid

In the age of AI, old SEO shortcuts are more likely to backfire. Avoid:

Thin or shallow content written primarily for keywords
Ignoring technical errors and poor mobile experience
Failing to update outdated content or broken schema
Over-reliance on ads while neglecting long-term organic performance

Google’s Search Essentials confirms that helpful, accurate, and user-first content remains central to ranking success.

Fingo’s Was Right All Along: Our Approach to SEO for the AI Era

At Fingo, we don’t follow trends. We’ve always focused on doing SEO properly and that hasn’t changed just because AI is now part of the conversation. While other agencies are rushing to repackage their usual work as ‘AI SEO’ we’ve been helping clients succeed as search evolves for years.
Our results speak for themselves:

We helped an e-commerce brand achieve a 66% higher conversion rate than the industry benchmark.
One of our luxury property developer clients saw a 76% increase in average monthly impressions and an 84% boost in clicks.
We increased our manufacturing client’s share of voice by 175% and grew organic sessions by 760%.

We focus on making sure your business shows up wherever people are searching, whether they’re typing, talking, or using AI tools like ChatGPT.

Our approach includes:

Deep discovery and user intent analysis
Content strategies built for clarity, depth, and discoverability
Schema and site architecture designed for AI readability
Continuous performance monitoring and proactive technical fixes
Authoritative content supported by earned backlinks and digital PR
Transparent reporting and strategic insight tied to business outcomes

From safeguarding audits to full content expansion programs, we ensure your SEO strategy is future-ready without abandoning what already works.

Good SEO Is Just Good Strategy

SEO optimised for AI is not a gimmick or a temporary trend. It is a continuation of everything that has always made content successful: clarity, authority, structure, and user focus.

If your content is helpful and well-structured, it will be surfaced. If your site is fast and accessible, it will be trusted. And if your message resonates, it will be remembered, regardless of how people choose to search.

Want to make sure your SEO is built for where search is headed? Fingo can help.
Get in touch today, email us at hello@fingo.co.uk

The post SEO for AI: Keep Calm and Stick to the Fundamentals 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.

How We Drive Measurable Results in the Asset Management & Financial Sector

Marissa Freeman — Thu, 30 Jan 2025 15:56:46 +0000

Digital Strategy, Our Work, Performance Websites, Thought Leadership, User Experience, Website Design

How We Drive Measurable Results in the Asset Management & Financial Sector

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Marissa Freeman

Head of Commercial Success

For marketing leads in the financial services sector, you know marketing isn’t just about generating clicks, it’s about building trust. A single misstep in compliance can erode your credibility, and failing to engage your niche audience can leave your brand behind. It’s a high-stakes game that demands precision, creativity, and results.

Our client, Mitsui Bussan Commodities, is a global leader in trading energy commodities. They chose to partner with us because their digital presence was not aligned with their market position and growth plans. The brand struggled with an outdated website with poor user experience, which could not overcome compliance hurdles. They needed a solution to elevate their brand and deliver tangible results in a complex, competitive landscape.

Navigate strict compliance regulations:
Operating in EU and non-EU regions meant seamlessly juggling GDPR and other regulatory frameworks. Failure to comply could damage both reputation and operations.
Engage a diverse, highly specific audience:
Mitsui’s clients, spanning financial professionals and institutional investors, required precise, value-driven content tailored to their unique needs.
Fix an outdated, clunky user experience:
Their website no longer reflected the sophistication of their business. Key resources like daily financial reports were buried, and users exited before finding what they needed.

The Solution: A Tailored Digital Strategy

Here’s how Fingo helped Mitsui turn these challenges into opportunities driving measurable results. Our approach was simple. We addressed every challenge with precision and creativity. For Mitsui, we created a high-performing platform designed to deliver results.

1. Compliance Without Compromise

At the heart of the project was a solution that could meet strict regulatory requirements without disrupting the user experience. We built a site that dynamically adapts to user locations, ensuring GDPR compliance for EU visitors while providing tailored content for non-EU audiences.

2. Personalised Content for Global Audiences

Understanding Mitsui’s audience was key. We integrated a system that easily made daily financial reports, market insights, and other key content accessible. This wasn’t just about functionality, it was about creating an experience where users quickly found exactly what they needed.

3. Elevating Visibility with SEO

Finance audiences are notoriously hard to target, but our SEO strategy focuses on elevating rankings and visibility- which in turn supports brand awareness and trust By identifying and optimising for high-value keywords, we ensured Mitsui ranked where it mattered. Every aspect of the site, from metadata to site structure, was optimised to connect with their audience.

4. A Modern, User-Centric Redesign

We overhauled Mitsui’s site to reflect the sophistication of their brand. Clean navigation, intuitive layouts, and engaging calls-to-action turned the website into a powerful tool that worked as hard as their team.

The Results: Transforming Performance

The impact of our work wasn’t just visible, it was measurable.

119% growth in new users year-on-year:
The new platform expanded Mitsui’s reach, unlocking untapped audiences in key markets.
24% higher engagement rates:
Visitors spent more time on the site, interacting with key content and finding value in the experience.
80% surge in clicks:
With optimised pathways and targeted messaging, Mitsui’s content is connected with the right people at the right time.

These results were proof of a digital strategy that delivered on every promise.

What This Means for You

Mitsui’s success highlights an important truth: your digital strategy in asset management and financial services is a critical tool for building trust, navigating compliance, and driving engagement.

At Fingo, we understand the stakes. We specialise in helping financial services brands tackle complex challenges with precision and creativity, crafting strategies that deliver measurable impact. Whether building a high-performing website or creating campaigns that connect, we’re here to help you stand out in a competitive market.

The finance industry doesn’t wait, and neither should your marketing. Let’s chat about how Fingo can help you transform your digital strategy and deliver results that make a difference.

Contact us today at marketing@fingo.co.uk

The post How We Drive Measurable Results in the Asset Management & Financial Sector appeared first on Fingo Marketing.

Strategic Insights for Property Marketing Leaders

Peter Woollven — Thu, 30 Jan 2025 09:12:57 +0000

Digital Strategy, Property Sector, Thought Leadership

Strategic Insights for Property Marketing Leaders

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Peter Woollven

Managing Director

In conversations with clients, I am asked regularly if the government’s ambitious pledge to deliver 1.5 million new homes over five years, marks a turning point for the UK property market. It certainly offers the potential to reshape the market, while presenting challenges that demand strategic foresight. This isn’t just policy; it’s a call to action for brands to adapt, innovate and lead the market.

At Fingo, we help our clients stay ahead by aligning our expertise with evolving market demands and I’d like to explain the three key market shifts, the strategic responses they necessitate, and how we are proactively supporting our clients through these transitions.

Key Market Shifts

To remain competitive, industry and marketing leaders must navigate the immediate implications of the following changes while preparing for their long-term impact.

Increased Funding for Housing Development: The new government has allocated substantial resources to accelerate large-scale housing projects, aiming to boost the supply of affordable homes and stimulate economic growth. (FT Adviser)
Sustainability Priorities: A strong emphasis is being placed on sustainable construction practices, including the use of low-carbon materials and energy-efficient designs, to align with the UK’s net-zero goals (Politics Homes)
Market Volatility and Emerging Competition: Maintaining buyer trust and engagement is crucial during these volatile periods, especially when new competition emerges. A strong digital presence, grounded in optimised platforms and adaptive content, can stabilise brands, helping them navigate uncertainty while maintaining their momentum.

Understanding New Demand Drivers

With these market shifts come new buyer behaviour trends and market dynamics changing the way brands must engage with their audience.

Growing Buyer Market

With an increase in housing availability and government schemes, more first-time buyers, families, and young professionals will be entering the market. This growing audience is seeking affordability, convenience, and lifestyle-enhancing features. Brands must adopt inclusive messaging and dynamic strategies to capture these diverse segments effectively.

Rising Demand for Sustainability

Buyers are increasingly prioritising homes that reflect sustainable values, not just eco-friendly features. This, along with the government’s emphasis on sustainable construction, means buyers and stakeholders will be considering factors such as responsibly sourced materials, community energy schemes, and infrastructure that supports long-term environmental goals. Developers and marketers must articulate these broader sustainability benefits, connecting them to buyer aspirations for quality, responsibility, and future-proof living.

Emerging and Unexpected Competition

The influx of new developments is broadening the competitive landscape, requiring established brands to focus on differentiation. Smaller players are leveraging niche approaches to appeal to targeted demographics, challenging traditional market leaders to innovate and stay ahead.

Digital strategy can help position property brands to be market leaders amid these new demand drivers.

Growing Buyer Market

The Labour Party’s Get Britain Building Again manifesto introduces the Freedom to Buy mortgage scheme, enabling prospective homeowners to purchase a property with just a 5% deposit. This initiative is expected to bring a surge of new homebuyers, particularly from previously priced-out audiences.

For property brands, this presents an opportunity to engage this emerging market. This requires an adaptable, forward-thinking digital strategy to stay relevant and drive growth.

At Fingo, we are already helping our clients prepare for this market shift. Our work for a Surrey-based estate agency involved designing a tailored digital campaign targeting first-time buyers. Through a Paid Search campaign focusing on long-tail keywords, we ensured the agency’s services appeared at key moments in the buyer journey.

To complement this, we launched a LinkedIn Paid Social campaign to drive valuation enquiries and attract potential franchisees. This dual approach achieved a 10% increase in conversions beyond the client’s target and a cost-per-click 267% lower than the industry benchmark.

With the right expertise, property brands can capitalise on opportunities like Freedom to Buy to drive long-term success. At Fingo, we’re here to help you lead the way.

Sustainability

The government’s commitment to building all new homes to the highest sustainability standards signals a fundamental shift in buyer expectations. Sustainability is no longer a bonus, it’s a baseline. For brands, the challenge isn’t just meeting this standard but leveraging it to stand out in a competitive market.

Sustainability has become a core part of the brand identity for our luxury property clients. Developers who highlight renewable energy systems, environmentally-conscious materials, and community-focused green initiatives are setting themselves apart.

At Fingo, we are already developing this narrative for our clients. We understand that sustainability needs to go beyond checklists to truly resonate. That’s why our work with a luxury development in Andalucia in Spain prioritised storytelling and connecting the tangible benefits of sustainable living to buyer aspirations for a better future. Our tailored Paid Social campaign blended this message with targeted high-end appeal to drive high-quality traffic and enquiries.

As expectations evolve, brands that position sustainability as a competitive advantage rather than just a requirement will lead the market. At Fingo, we’re here to help you take that lead.

Emerging and Unexpected Competition

With increased funding and incentives driving large-scale development, the property market is more crowded than ever. This influx of new players is intensifying competition, making it essential for brands to respond strategically. In such a volatile market, even one misstep could significantly impact your brand’s visibility, trust, and long-term growth.

To stay ahead, property brands need a digital strategy that not only adapts to market changes but positions them as leaders. Partnering with a specialist agency in the property sector can be the difference between staying relevant and falling behind, as tailored strategies deliver measurable results.

A prime example of the power of a robust digital strategy in an increasingly competitive market is our work with a leading London property developer. Due to a saturated market, they were struggling to generate high-quality leads and couldn’t track their conversations effectively, leading to inefficient ad spending and missed opportunities.

We tackled this by integrating their Salesforce CRM with Google Ads. We used first-party data, to refine audience targeting to focus on high-intent users and launched hyper-targeted paid search campaigns using advanced geo-targeting, segmentation and dynamic retargeting. This strategy resulted in 10 sales directly attributed to Google Ads, a 125:1 return on ad spend and a clickthrough rate 54% above industry benchmark.

In a highly competitive market, investing in precision and agility is no longer optional, it’s essential.

Leading the Market Through Change

The government’s housing pledge is more than a policy, it’s a catalyst for transformation in the UK property market. The opportunities it presents, from attracting new buyer segments to leveraging sustainability as a competitive edge, are significant. But capitalising on these opportunities requires more than just adaptation; it demands leadership, innovation, and strategic foresight.

At Fingo, we’ve built our reputation on helping property brands navigate change and thrive within it. Whether it’s refining your digital strategy, amplifying your brand’s sustainability story, or cutting through in a crowded market, we’re here to help you lead with confidence.

This is a moment of unprecedented opportunity for your sector. The question is: will your brand seize it? Let’s work together to ensure that it does.

Contact us today at marketing@fingo.co.uk

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Budgets Have Changed, and So Must Your Board’s Budget Decision-Making Process

Lorenzo Brach del Prever — Wed, 29 Jan 2025 16:24:02 +0000

Digital Strategy, Performance Marketing, Thought Leadership

Budgets Have Changed, and So Must Your Board’s Budget Decision-Making Process

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Lorenzo Brach del Prever

Head of Performance

Labour’s pledge to build 1.5 million homes in five years, coupled with the rise of hybrid working models across the UK, has fueled fierce competition in the property and construction sectors. The theme here is that more people have buying power and working power- and this is a great opportunity to capitalise on the increase of buyers in both markets. Meanwhile, rapid advancements in platforms and AI are forcing marketers to rethink how budgets are allocated and strategies aligned. This means one thing for businesses: adapt quickly or risk being left behind.

This housing pledge and the growing demand for flexible workspaces are true game-changers for the property and construction sectors. It’s not just about building faster; it’s about marketing smarter. With an influx of new brands entering the market, standing out is no longer optional. It’s essential. Success in this saturated landscape depends on marketing strategies that are precise, data-driven, and aligned with commercial outcomes. Broad-brush approaches simply won’t cut it anymore.

Faster Builds, Bigger Challenges

Labour’s housing pledge has accelerated the adoption of modular construction, with the market projected to grow by 400% in the UK between 2022 and 2025. Modular techniques are revolutionising the industry by cutting build times by up to 50%, enabling faster project delivery and reducing costs. However, this efficiency has also allowed new competitors to leverage these methods to challenge established players.

At the same time, the flexible working sector is undergoing a rapid transformation. With 69% of London employers now offering hybrid working models, the demand for flexible office solutions has soared. Currently, 52% of office take-up in London involves flexible workspaces, underscoring the growing need for adaptable, premium environments that cater to hybrid workforces. Like the modular housing boom, this surge in demand for flexible workspaces has created opportunities for new competitors to enter the market and disrupt traditional players.

With looming large-scale competition, reputation and existing market share are no longer enough to stay ahead. To maintain a competitive edge, brands must invest in standout marketing that effectively communicates their unique value proposition and drives measurable results.

Smarter Marketing, Intelligent Budgets

This blog urges marketing teams to shift from a traditional “set-and-forget” budget to a dynamic, opportunity-driven mindset. All too often, we meet marketing leads who have been set a rigid marketing budget by the board—with no wiggle room or ‘Spend to Opportunity’ in mind. Worse still, sometimes the digital component of the overall marketing budget has been proportioned, leaving even less flexibility for marketing leads to adapt and respond to changes in the competitive landscape.

This article aims to equip sales and marketing leads with ambitions for growth, with the language and understanding they need to challenge board decisions on budgets that stop the business from being able to grow in the way everybody wants.

Advertising platforms have developed precise bidding technology, meaning we can accurately calculate your cost per conversion (CPA) and Conversion Value. The technology has been around since the advent of Biddable Advertising. However, the integration of AI means we can estimate your cost per lead with such accuracy that you can pretty much build your business case and project your pipeline on the solid data provided by the major advertising platforms. With that in mind, there is no guesswork in budget planning, you’re essentially given a formula for success based on your forecasted CPA.

However, forecasts are only as good as the conditions they are based on, and market factors can shift quickly. This means businesses must remain flexible, using these tools to guide decisions but also adapting to real-time changes in performance and opportunities.

Achieving your revenue goals begins with understanding the numbers. If you know the revenue required, your leads-to-sales conversion rate, and your CPA (cost per acquisition), the only variable left is your digital marketing allocation. Advertising platforms are performance ecosystems offering actionable insights into how much needs to be spent to achieve specific goals. This precision transforms marketing from a cost centre into a growth driver.

Yet many businesses remain hesitant to embrace this new model. Traditional, rigid budget models hinder the ability to adapt to real-time market conditions. Success now requires flipping this approach: while goals can remain top-down, budgets must be informed by bottom-up data from platforms that know what it takes to win. Crucially, businesses must adopt an agile approach to budget allocation, moving spend between platforms based on performance and opportunity. For instance, if one platform is delivering lower cost-per-conversion or higher engagement, reallocating funds to maximise returns becomes essential. By embracing this flexibility, organisations can ensure that every pound spent is strategically aligned to deliver the best possible outcomes.

We’ve already seen the impact of this approach with our clients. For one of our clients in the manufacturing and construction sector, we developed an agile campaign that allocated budgets based on the business’s specific commercial needs. The campaign was tailored to drive more sales in a key area of their production, leveraging platform data to optimise performance. The results were remarkable with 182% higher conversion rate than the industry benchmark, 32.5% lower CPC than the industry benchmark and 40% higher CTR than the industry benchmark.

This case highlights how a flexible, data-driven strategy transforms marketing into a tool for measurable growth. By embracing agility and aligning budgets with performance insights, businesses can unlock opportunities and achieve results that go far beyond traditional approaches.

Flipping the Script on Budgets

Outdated budget models, where boards set fixed marketing spends based on arbitrary percentages, are no longer fit for purpose. In a world where platforms provide real-time data on what it takes to succeed, agility is essential. Budgets must be fluid, adjusting to market conditions and opportunities in real time.

This is where the concept of “Spend to Opportunity” comes in. Rather than sticking to rigid allocations, it emphasises maintaining overall budget discipline while ensuring no growth opportunities are missed. Fluctuations in demand and seasonality often result in missed conversions, the potential business that slips through the cracks.

The chart below highlights this. The pink bars represent missed conversions due to budget caps, starkly contrasting the blue bars of actual conversions. Each pink bar is an opportunity left untapped.

This requires a mindset shift at the board level. Marketing is no longer a cost centre; it’s a revenue driver. By adopting a “spend-to-opportunity” mindset, boards can empower marketing teams to allocate budgets strategically, leveraging insights to maximise impact. It’s not about spending more, it’s about spending smarter.

The Roadmap For Smarter Budgets

To help businesses embrace this new approach, Google’s Growth Roadmap offers a clear progression towards performance-driven strategies:

“Google’s Growth Roadmap illustrates how brands can leverage tools and insights to move from static budgets to performance-driven strategies. Each stage highlights the progression from data capture to driving real growth through AI-powered campaigns.”

Capturing Signals: Build a foundation of durable measurement with tools like Google Tag and Consent Mode to fuel campaigns with reliable data.

Maximising Existing Demand: Use advanced strategies such as Performance Max and Broad Match to optimise campaigns and fully capitalise on opportunities.

Generating New Demand: Leverage AI-powered campaigns like Demand Gen to expand reach and uncover new growth opportunities.

This roadmap underscores how aligning budgets with performance data can turn marketing into a measurable growth driver.

Partnering for Success

Navigating this complex landscape is no easy task. Partnering with Fingo can transform how your business approaches marketing. As a performance-driven agency, we specialise in helping brands excel in competitive markets. Here’s how we can support your success:

Data-Driven Strategies: We decode complex platform data to craft actionable, commercially focused strategies aligned with your goals.
Sales and Marketing Alignment: We bridge the gap between sales and marketing teams, ensuring campaigns deliver measurable ROI.
Expert Guidance: Our experienced team educates your board and stakeholders on the value of agility and data-driven decision-making.
Results That Matter: From increasing brand visibility to improving campaign performance, we deliver results that position your brand as a leader.

Thriving in a Saturated Market

Labour’s housing pledge, alongside the rapid rise of flexible working models, has sparked unprecedented competition, but it has also created enormous opportunities for brands willing to adapt. Standing out in this crowded market requires more than just clever campaigns; it demands precision, alignment, and a commitment to embracing change.

Businesses can turn competition into an advantage by adopting a spend-to-opportunity mindset, aligning sales and marketing, and leveraging advanced tools and insights. The time to act is now.

Your competitors aren’t waiting, and neither should you.

Contact us today at marketing@fingo.co.uk, and let’s discuss how we can help you lead the market.

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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

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