Welcome to our detailed analysis of May’s most significant digital marketing updates. If you’ve arrived here from our newsletter, you already have an overview of this month’s key developments. In this blog post, we will delve deeper into each topic, providing comprehensive insights and actionable advice.
May was a pivotal month for Google, with major changes poised to impact your digital marketing strategies. (AI on the search engine results page and Google data leak are huge ones!).
Join us as we explore these updates in detail and discuss their implications for your digital marketing efforts.
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1. AI and SEO: Google has rolled out AI-powered overviews to US search results
It’s finally happened.
After announcing Gemini (Google’s biggest AI model) 2 years ago, it’s finally been launched across search engine results pages (SERPs) across the US. Usually, there’s a couple of weeks lead time before it’s rolled out globally, so we’re expecting this change to hit the UK market soon.
This new feature provides users with fast and clear summaries of their search queries at the top of the search engine results page. The idea being that users can find relevant information more quickly and efficiently. As well as providing summaries, this section will provide you with more personalised search results through analysing previous use, behaviour and preferences.
For example, if you were previously looking for Ford SUVs, and couldn’t decide between the Ford Puma or Kuga, and so you searched for “What’s the top speed of the puma?” the AI overview would give you information about the Ford Puma’s top speed, and not information about the speedy land mammal!
What is that AI summary section called?
Google is calling this section the “AI overview” or “AIO” for short. You’ll see this abbreviation lots on LinkedIn and likely in our own comms going forward.
Does the AI Overview show up for everything our prospects will search for?
It’s still early days, so we can only report on what the USA are seeing so far.
BrightEdge have just conducted some research on this, and have released some insights that details what kinds of search queries are triggering AI Overviews across multiple verticals
It seems as though the AIO tends to show more when the search term is a query. See the chart below, it shows a correlation between AIO showing and users entering terms like “How” “Best” and “Does”.
What doesn’t an AI Overview show for?
Local search queries were the least likeliest to trigger an AI Overview search result. That makes sense because a user is looking for a structured search result (business names, addresses, phone numbers), information that can’t be usefully summarised.
Is this AI Overview section optional?
Interestingly, yes! There’s an option for users to toggle the AI Overview off and on. It will be interesting to see the split between those who welcome the AIO and those who don’t.
How is AI Overview attributed?
1. Impression Tracking:
Impressions for AI Overviews are tracked similarly to other search results. When an AI Overview appears in the search results page and is viewed by a user, it counts as an impression. This is similar to how impressions are counted for other search features like featured snippets or standard search results.
2. Search Console Reporting:
Google has indicated that impressions and clicks from AI Overviews will be included in Search Console reports. However, these will not be distinguished separately from traditional search impressions and clicks. This means that site owners will see the overall impressions and clicks without specific differentiation between those generated by AI Overviews and those from regular search results.
3. Ad Performance:
Google ensures that the presence of AI Overviews does not negatively impact ad performance. Ads continue to appear in their dedicated slots, and AI Overviews are shown based on their value addition to the search results rather than ad placement. This means that AI Overviews are designed to coexist with ads without disrupting the user experience or ad impressions.
4. User Interaction:
AI Overviews aim to enhance user interaction by providing direct links to high-quality content. This often results in higher-quality clicks where users are more likely to stay on the page they visit, as the AI Overview has already provided a relevant and accurate summary of the information they seek.
5. Content Attribution:
Since AI Overviews are built to show information backed by top web results, the content within these overviews is attributed to high-quality sources identified by Google’s ranking systems. This ensures that users are directed to reliable and accurate information .
How do I optimise my content for AI Overview?
There’s still information coming out on this daily, including this article on Search Engine Journal. I’m sure our June update is going to be full of new information.
Here’s the recommendations so far:
Concise and Clear: Ensure your content is succinct and directly answers common user queries.
Structured Data: Use structured data markup to help Google understand and highlight your content.
High-Quality and Relevant: Focus on producing high-quality, relevant content that addresses user intent.
Optimise for Snippets: Write content that can easily be summarised in a snippet, such as bullet points or concise paragraphs.
Update Regularly: Keep your content up-to-date to maintain its relevance and accuracy.
2. PPC: Google postpones removal of 3rd party cookies
Google has delayed the removal of third-party cookies in Chrome until 2025. The deprecation effort was already underway, however it appears Google is taking a pause until the new deadline.
This gives marketers more time to prepare for a future without these cookies. Third-party cookies are crucial for targeted ads and re-marketing, their removal will impact how marketers collect user data.
Why is the removal of cookies a big deal for PPC?
The removal of third-party cookies is significant for PPC because it affects:
User Tracking: Loss of ability to track user behaviour across different websites.
Targeted Advertising: Decreased accuracy in targeting specific audiences based on their browsing history and interests.
Ad Personalisation: Reduced capacity to deliver personalised ads, leading to less relevant ad experiences for users.
Measurement and Analytics: Challenges in measuring the effectiveness of ad campaigns, attributing conversions, and optimising ad spend.
What can I do to prepare?
To prepare, marketers should focus on:
Use First-Party Cookies: These track data only on your own site.
Collect Zero-Party Data: This is data that users provide voluntarily, like through surveys or forms.
Explore Privacy Sandbox Tools: Google’s Privacy Sandbox will offer new ways to collect data while respecting user privacy.
In the short-term, start planning the transition to first-party data and what steps you need to take.
Will this update affect any existing campaigns? Do you need to update your current user data policies? You can use the delay to your advantage and create a smooth transition.
3. Content: Google continues to de-index AI generated content
Google’s March 2024 Core Update resulted in the de-indexing of hundreds of websites. Mainly for websites featuring low-quality and generative AI content.
This has led to a significant loss of organic traffic and revenue for the affected sites. Most affected sites being ones relying too heavily on AI for content creation.
How can I avoid this happening to me?
Firstly, marketing managers need to make sure that any content that isn’t useful (for example, content written through ChatGPT that is long and waffles without really saying anything) is either removed or rewritten ASAP.
It’s important to note that using an AI tool like ChatGPT in your copy process doesn’t automatically mean you’ll lose rankings. These tools are great for helping with article structure or providing sources for information.
The problem arises when content is clearly produced solely by ChatGPT without human editing.
Since ChatGPT is still in its early stages, it hasn’t quite nailed “useful” content writing, and your site visitors can tell. Always ensure a human touch to maintain quality and relevance.
Secondly, marketing managers need to make sure that the process for future content includes:
Thorough research so all important points are included
A clear structure is mapped out, so the content is mapped out and the information is prioritised in a useful way for the user
A human does the final edit
4. Confirmed Google Internal Data Leak: Reveals Ranking Criteria
On the 28th May, there were rumours of a major data leak at Google. Specifically, it was a detailed document that defined the ranking factors Google uses to consider ranking order for organic search.
This information has always been a closely guarded secret, with SEO specialists employing various tactics to try and uncover it.
On the 30th of May, Google confirmed the leak.
The leaked document is incredibly useful to SEO agencies like ours.
What does the leak tell us?
The leak reveals that Google prioritises several key factors for ranking:
1. User Engagement Metrics: Click-through rates (CTR) and dwell time are crucial. High CTR indicates that users find your title and description compelling enough to click on, while longer dwell time shows that users are finding your content valuable once they land on your page. These metrics help Google determine the relevance and usefulness of your content.
2. Content Quality: Google emphasises high-quality, original content. This means that your content should be well-researched, informative, and unique. Content that thoroughly addresses user queries, provides in-depth information, and is free from plagiarism or redundancy is more likely to rank higher. Quality content also involves proper use of keywords, but in a natural and contextually appropriate manner.
3. Technical SEO: Technical aspects of your website play a significant role in rankings. This includes having a robust site architecture that allows for easy navigation, ensuring your site is mobile-friendly, and using structured data to help Google understand your content better. Other technical factors include page load speed, security (HTTPS), and avoiding broken links or errors on your site.
For the full breakdown of insights from this, Kevin Indig did a helpful article about this (published 4th June).
5. Social: Gen-Z and Millenials are using social media as search engines over Google
Gen Z, Millennials and the younger demographic are increasingly using social media platforms as search engines.
The main social media platforms that stand out for search are TikTok, Instagram, YouTube. On TikTok alone, ⅓ of of TikTok users make purchases through the platform. It generated an estimated $13 billion in Ad Spend in 2023.
Should I be including social media in my marketing strategy?
As a general statement - yes. But the platform you focus on is incredibly important here. A B2B company is much better suited to a heavy LinkedIn strategy, whereas a B2C consumer brand is better placed on TikTok. On the flip side, you don’t want to consume content meant for a B2B audience on TikTok, and you’re unlikely to buy your next pair of shoes from an ad on LinkedIn.
How can I use social media in my marketing strategy?
Marketers need to prioritise optimising social media content with relevant keywords, engaging visuals, and authentic user-generated content.
Use this content to reach and engage with the growing number of users who rely on social media for information and brand discovery.
It is important to consider platform specific strategies and optimisation. Not all businesses or ads will be relevant to all platforms.
This doesn’t mean you should ditch Google! Many younger people still primarily use Google search and other search engines for their queries. Google searches also have a more active intent. Scrolling through a social media app and being shown an ad is a very different stage of the buyer journey compared to actively searching for a product online.
By following these strategies, marketing managers can stay ahead in the rapidly changing digital landscape.
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