LIVE updates: This month in search marketing [January 2024]

January 4th 2024

Google begins depreciation of third-party cookies

Starting today (04/01/2024), Google has initiated testing of Tracking Protection in Chrome, limiting cross-site tracking by default through the restriction of third-party cookies. The trial, affecting 1% of global Chrome users, is part of Google’s Privacy Sandbox initiative to phase out third-party cookies by the year-end. The move aims to enhance user privacy, and Google encourages the adoption of privacy-centric strategies, including strengthening first-party data.

January 5th 2024

Statistics show Google’s SGE differs significantly from typical organic search results

A recent analysis revealed that Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) often generates AI answers that do not align with the top 10 organic search results, showing a mismatch of 93.8%. This may impact organic traffic to websites as searchers can obtain answers directly from Google’s AI-generated responses.

January 12th 2024

41% of ad spend is wasted – should tackling ad waste be a priority for marketers in the New Year?

Reducing ad waste includes:

• Focusing on quality media
• Prioritising user experience
• Avoiding intrusive ad formats
• Ensuring accurate campaign measurement

It is predicted that this year, we will see a shift from simply exploring new AI tools, to having a greater understanding on how to use them meaningfully in paid media campaigns.

19th January 2024

How will Google’s Search Generative Experience impact search?

Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) will transform the way search results are being delivered by providing AI-generated snapshots based on user queries. Although users benefit from a quick overview, eliminating the need to scroll through numerous results, digital marketers face challenges in this “zero-click world”.

With click’s on marketing content potentially decreasing unique and authoritative content will stand out more, and E-E-A-T will become increasingly essential.

January 23rd 2024

Google rolls out conversational AI in search ads

Google is launching a conversational experience in Google Ads powered by its Gemini AI model, aiming to streamline the ad creation process. In early testing, advertisers have reported:

• The ability to build higher-quality search campaigns with less effort
• Increased Ad Strength scores that measures relevance, quality, and diversity of ad copy.

The conversational experience allows advertisers to generate relevant ad content, including creative and keywords, from a website URL. Beta access is now available to English-language advertisers in the U.S. and U.K., with a global rollout in the coming weeks.

January 24th 2024

Is social media becoming the new way to search in 2024?

There is a growing trend among Gen Zs and millennials to prefer social media platforms over traditional search engines. Approximately a quarter of 18 to 54-year-olds now favor social media for searching, with Facebook and TikTok ranking closely behind Google in user preferences.

Marketers are starting to recognise the significance of “social SEO” strategies, aligning with social media experts to create effective plans for reaching this audience.

Despite the increasing popularity of social search, traditional search engines remain dominant for now, but with the evolving preferences of younger generations, could there be a potential shift in the future?