Howdy!

We’ve got 2 weeks’ worth of roundup for you, so grab your favorite beverage and let’s jump in!

• Will AI be facing a content boom/bust situation like the gold rush? An Epoch AI study “projects that tech companies will exhaust the supply of publicly available training data for AI language models by roughly the turn of the decade — sometime between 2026 and 2032.” The potential need for more content may push AI developers to mine sources like emails or text messages (goodbye privacy?). Or lead to partnerships with content sources like Reddit and Wikipedia.

• Siri (and all Apple products) will be getting an AI makeover. They’re calling it “Apple Intelligence.” The new features include enhanced photo editing, custom emoji creation, and other photo and content editing/generation capabilities. ***NOTEWORTHY: Apple integrated ChatGPT from OpenAI to help drive some of these enhancements. Microsoft, as a core investor of OpenAI, stands to benefit from this Apple/OpenAI deal. We’ll keep you posted.

• Perplexity Pages was introduced earlier this month as a form of publishable content threads that are searchable by Google. It seems some of these threads are now starting to show up in Google’s AI Overviews. We agree with this article that these Perplexity results could lead to spammy, black-hat-ish optimization abuses.

• Raise your hand if you’ve ever abandoned a cart because of extra fees. (Okay, I can’t see your hands, but I am sure a good portion of you have.) “Nearly half of US adults abandoned their online shopping cart at checkout because [of] the extra costs (shipping, tax, and fees)” as stated by EMarketer reporting on a Baymond survey. The real question is what can we do as marketers to mitigate these costs?

• Marketing Charts surveyed high-level marketing leaders with this question: “In the next year, what effects do you anticipate AI will have on your organization’s funnel?” Interestingly, improving and scaling lead management variations were mentioned in 3 out of 5 top results. Another one was “optimizing messaging and content.”

• We’ve talked about creative being a true ad differentiator in the past. LG Ad Solutions released data expressing that “49% of customers believe they can distinguish between traditional and AI ads on CTV.” While 30% of respondents stated they would like their ads personalized with AI, 80% believe it should be regulated. We all need to be careful how we step with AI ad/content creation.

Thoughts to Take With You… 💞

Have you ever seen a toddler experience something for the first time? They pick up rocks and sticks in amazement – with consistent wonder of the world unfurling around them. 

What if we applied more of that amazement to our day? 

We could watch planes pass by the sky with astounded awe. We could experience how amazing it is that we can flick a switch and have light flood a room. We could see our jobs from a beginner’s perspective. 

Could uncovering amazement, awe, and wonder make us more aware of and happy with the lives we have?

That’s a wrap – enjoy the rest of the week!

Natalie

Speaking of awe, this is one of my favorite articles. Here’s an excerpt from Outside magazine contributing editor, Florence Williams:

“A heightened awe experience stimulates the vagus nerve, which calms us, and releases a pleasant rush of dopamine and oxytocin, increasing a sense of connection.

It also dramatically shifts which brain networks are firing up. Imaging studies show that awe reduces activation in our self-referential default-mode network. The findings help explain two significant features of a classic awe experience: a relatively diminished sense of self, and a tendency toward altruistic behavior.”

Awe changes the way we think and how we experience, #SoCOOL!

DBE Perspective… 💬

Google announced the long-awaited public release of its Search Generative Experience (SGE) last week. Except it’s no longer called SGE but rather AI Overviews (apparently, SGE was its experiment name). The search marketing industry is buzzing about the launch and its potential impact. So, we thought it might be good to add our perspective in the form of an FAQ from Marc Engelman, our VP of SEO & SAIO…

Stay tuned as we conduct our own research into the next phase of Google Search!

• Sites that suffered significantly from the “Helpful Content Update” can recover search traffic losses if they fix things, according to Google’s John Mueller. What specific things to fix is not known, but our advice is to start from your perspective. Would you actually find your content useful? Then, ask someone else or a group of people in your audience. What do they have to say? 

• Tired scanning through all the various search results (Images, Videos, News, etc.) that appear above the Google search text listing? Now you can use the “Web” filter to see those text links (and maybe some text ads). The problem is that it may be hidden in the filter bar so be sure to click “More” to find it. Here’s an example of the All view vs. the Web view (pardon Marc’s home team bias). The wanted result is in green.

• Perplexity is now delivering a daily digest to those interested. Thursday’s digest was on Apple and OpenAI nearing a deal for integrating ChatGPT technology into iPhones. Buried in the third paragraph of Perplexity’s writeup is word that Apple is talking with Google about licensing its Gemini chatbot. It’s nice to see this form of a digest with multiple link citations.

• I wonder how many boring ads we’ve seen in our lifetimes – ads that were so bad that they weren’t worth the mental storage. With the death of the cookie, ads have to be more memorable and relevant than ever. Because even the best targeting goes to waste if the ad stinks worse than a triathlon athlete after the big race. This Emarketer article says to experiment and set the creative bar high!

• Emarketer shares a Hootsuite survey showing that marketers have the greatest confidence that LinkedIn delivers a positive return on investment (70% agreed). Per an Emarketer forecast, LinkedIn U.S. ad revenues are expected to rise by 13.9% this year. LinkedIn has always had strong support from B2B marketers but now it appears B2C marketers are seeing the value, too. Interesting, and not surprising, is confidence in X/Twitter is only at 30%.

Thoughts to Take With You… 💞

You ever get that buzzy feeling – like your brain chugged too many cups of coffee. It feels impossible to sit and get one task done.

I’ve had that feeling lately and these things have helped during the workweek:

1. Acknowledging that I’m jittery (it happens and it’s okay)
2. Then, adapting my workday to fit where I am.
   1. Put the phone out of sight. 
   2. Raise the desk to standing mode and take walking breaks to work off the extra energy.
   3. Deepen the breath and imagine metaphorically “landing” on the ground.

We are conditioned to be busy all the time. If we think we’re not productive, feelings of unaccomplishment and boredom seep in. For me, the jitters arise from the stress of being too busy. It’s a warning sign to slow down.

Yesterday was World Meditation Day, and it’s a reminder to incorporate stillness in our lives. Enjoying food without distractions. Gazing out a window. Focusing on the breath. Stillness helps us reset and crystallize our intentions. It gives us pause to appreciate the path we’re on.

Best Wishes 🙂

Natalie

Jillian Pransky, renowned yoga teacher, has a beautiful way of simplifying the art of deep listening in her book, Deep Listening: A Healing Practice to Calm Your Body, Clear Your Mind, and Open Your Heart. Recommend checking it out if you’re interested!

Hey y’all!

We want to thank you for being readers of our newsletter. 😊 We get lots of questions about Search AI Optimization (SAIO), so we created a comprehensive SAIO strategy guide that overviews how it differs from Search Engine Optimization (SEO). It includes our research with links to resources! 

In the words of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in the movie Moana, “What can we say except you’re welcome?” Here it is:

• Google is starting to feel the competitive search “heat” from OpenAI, Microsoft, Meta, and other AI ventures. Machines for Gen AI are expensive and there are fewer new devices coming into the world to use them. Prabhakar Raghavan, the head of Google Search, said “it’s not like life is going to be hunky-dory, forever” and told his team to “meet this moment” and “act with urgency.” Sounds a little like a coach of a losing team challenging his players to work harder, no?

• Ever get frustrated with a less-than-ideal AI chatbot response? How are you prompting? Tech influencer, Jeff Su, explains an AI prompt formula in this short video. Warning: he speaks quickly, so you can put on subtitles or slow down the video if needed!

• It happened. The TikTok ban has been signed. Before the freak out happens, there are still a few things in the air. TikTok currently has 9 months to find a buyer, but plans to take the Biden administration to court first. If you’re looking for a quick run through, try Inc. If you’re looking for a more detailed story, try NPR.

• It’s astounding how a huge company, like Meta, can provide such little support to the creators who’ve built businesses around Meta. A recent example of this comes from fashion influencer, Lauren Holifield. Holifield was locked out of her Instagram account and faced social media managers’ dread… contacting Meta support. Trying to find a human customer service rep is incredibly difficult… so much so that some people sell their support rep contacts to others. SMH.

• Speaking of social media influencers, here’s a list of some of the top social media influencers by followers from Search Engine Journal. Most of these people crossover into different types of fame. They’re not just musicians, they’re actors and activists. They’re not just based in one country, they have world renown. They’ve tapped into so many types of audiences.

DBE Perspectives 💬

Nature gives us an intuitive feeling of relaxation and renewal. Imagine bringing that clear mindset to work. That’d be pretty sweet, right? Delve into the benefits of nature in the office and learn how to greenify your workspaces in our latest POV.

Natural Workplaces: Integrating the Outdoors into the Office

Thoughts to Take With You… 💞

We can time travel, in fact, we do it every day.

No, we don’t physically travel in DeLoreans with mad scientists. (If you do, please invite me!) It’s much more subtle than that.

We travel through our thoughts. You could be sitting at your desk and be thinking about the last time you called your mom. You could be walking the dog and thinking about what you’re getting at the grocery store later. 

Time travel is a skill that helps us learn and keeps us safe in some cases. But what can we uncover if we paused that skill for a while? How can we change moments of our lives if we focus on being fully present now? I’ll leave you with that question.

Have a lovely week,

Natalie

Psstt, don’t leave without your free SAIO guide!

Howdy!

You’re tuned in to your favorite digital marketing station. And, have we got neeewwwsss for you.

• Have you heard about the US and UK to mandate AI-Generated Content Labeling in Social Media? The goal is to ensure content consumers know the content’s sources are authentic and trustworthy. We see ripple effects of these actions on Gen AI chatbots like Bing Copilot, Google SGE, ChatGPT, etc. They may increase the use of linked citations to the sources used in responses. And, thereby, providing more value for investment in SAIO best practices. 

• Nicole Greene, VP/Analyst at Gartner, cites Gartner research that predicts shifts from search engines to AI chatbots over the next four years: “[B]y 2008, brands’ organic search traffic will decrease by 50% or more as consumers embrace generative AI-powered search.” She talks about how it’s a B2C and B2B problem. Greene also says that Gen AI chatbots “are becoming the next frontier in advertising.” That’s something we raised in our Gen AI Ads blog earlier this month.

• Do you prefer to do your searching online or in-store? EMarketer shares survey data that 72% of consumers almost always or mainly search technology online. See how shoppers like to buy clothes; toys, books, and games; furniture and home items; and health & beauty products. (Gardening surprised me!)

• “60% of consumers are taking six or more actions before deciding to buy a brand or product that’s new to them”, according to Think with Google. Here are some of those actions:
  • Comparing the price of similar brands or products (80%)
  • Searching online for reviews and information (75%)
  • Visiting the brand’s or product’s website or app (67%)
  • Going to see the product in-store (66%)
  • Checking online retailers and marketplaces for info and reviews (60%)
  • Checking the return policies (60%)

There, we’ve given you the key points and spared you the part of the read that gets into why Google is a key influence in helping connect with consumers along the journey. But here’s the link in case you want to read it for yourself.

• TikTok Tea 🫖 We know TikTok is still entangled in the U.S. legislative process. If the TikTok ban is approved, TikTok would have a year to sell the app to a U.S.-based company. BUT, Chinese authorities state they will not allow the sale of the app, meaning the app will be banned in the U.S. Those of you relying on TikTok for marketing: none of this is set in stone yet, so this gives plenty of time to ruminate on other marketing strategies. Deep breaths, y’all.

• Meta, Meta, Meta. We know the advertiser user interface is… well, rough. Some advertisers have noticed the platform has been increasingly “glitchy” over the past few months. Meta acknowledged some technical issues, but various advertisers are reporting up to 3 times the average Cost Per Thousand Impressions (CPM). Whether you’re experiencing issues like these or not, keep an eye on your Meta ads. File a report if anything looks fishy.

Thoughts to Take With You… 💞

Recently, someone shared an interesting challenge with me: “Walk a block without judgment.”

At first thought, it sounds simple. But, just walking and observing quickly falls away as thoughts travel to…

… the silly squirrel that crossed the street right before a car rolled by,

… the oddly shaped bush in the neighbor’s landscaping,

… or how loud that tiny dog is barking through the window.

Of course, omitting judgment entirely is not possible (or safe). We need it to get through our day. However, we can grow closer to the moment if we let go of thoughts of imperfection. Those imperfections make each moment real.

Warm Regards,

Natalie

It’s allergy season again?

You’ve got to be pollen my leg! 🌷

Why is Yoda such a good gardener?

He has a green thumb. 🌱

What do you call a bear caught in a spring shower?

A drizzly bear. 🐻

Hiya!

How are you doing, friends? I hope you’re ready for some digital marketing news – let’s get started!

• Fast Company is apparently seeing the same things we are. In their last AI Decoded newsletter, they discussed how marketers are concerned about the ways chatbots perceive their brands. We cannot change what the AI models already know, but we create new, optimized web content now with SAIO strategies to align their answers with what we want them to perceive.

• Does it perplex you how Perplexity’s referrals to brand sites are growing? MediaPost notes: “Perplexity… is most likely to reference product sites, whereas Google SGE will also include informational resources such as lifestyle and news sites.” Although these search engines and chatbots may give different results, we still see some overlap in their sources. This emphasizes the importance of brand authority on SAIO/SEO optimization.

• Last week, we talked about ads appearing in Gen AI responses from SGE and Copilot. Now, Google’s floating the idea of paid plans for those using the generative AI features! Regular search would remain free. But, how many people will pay for Google’s Gen AI when other platforms are giving us just as good, if not better, results? 🤔

• User-generated content… we know about that. What about employee-generated content? (*cough cough* like this newsletter) Jesse Liszka talks of the benefits of employee-generated content. It provides a looking glass view into a company’s culture, giving employees a chance to show their expertise and personality. Highly recommend this if you haven’t already implemented it in your marketing plan.

• We’ve all seen bad AI artwork. Keen eyes are able to spot AI-generated images and some audiences are upset by it. Multiple brands are banning the use of generative AI, even putting it as a clause in their agency contracts. This is a good question to address for your brand if you haven’t already.

• Social Media Manager (SMM) burnout.😔 Like PR, you have to be constantly attentive, creative, and quick. If not carefully guided, this position could be draining on a person/team. Zaria Parvez, Senior Global Social Media Manager at Duolingo, goes over her views of work/life balance as a SMM. She mentions making something beautiful with her hands every day. Adding physical creativity can ground us when most of our days are spent in a virtual landscape.

Thoughts to Take With You… 💞

Here’s an interesting metaphor:

“Forests lower temperatures through a mechanism that’s similar to sweating in humans. When trees release water vapor from their leaves in a process called transpiration, the evaporating water cools the surrounding air.”

This is from a Scientific American article on reforestation efforts. Apparently, forests are helping keep the Eastern U.S. cooler. Isn’t that amazing? If we truly look, it’s not hard to uncover wonder in the beautiful, regenerative powers of nature.

Have a superb day!

Natalie

Did you know trees can communicate with each other?? 🌳

Read The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben to learn about our surprisingly social leafy friends! If you’re looking for a quick review, check out the documentary!

Greetings!

You’re traveling through another dimension – a dimension not only of digital marketing but of mindfulness. A journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination. Next stop: Perceptive Marketer!

Yes, we changed our name. No, this is not a drill. The name change is better aligned with our mission: to widen our perceptions as marketers through industry news and mindful perspectives.

Let’s jump in!

• Want to know what’s keeping marketing and PR leaders awake at night? Check out the top 10 challenges marketing decision makers are facing in 2024, based on UK respondents. Search engine updates and volatility, anxiety of being replaced by AI, plus a lack of understanding how we could use AI are some of the top concerns. This report is from the UK, and they haven’t even seen the Google SGE roll-out yet. No wonder a separate survey cites 76% of UK employees have experienced some form of stress-related staff absence.

• Understand Google SGE through this Lady Gaga search result. Business Insider’s overview helps you gain a deeper understanding of how disruptive SGE (and other Gen AI platforms) can be to the traditional search marketplace. The article even includes a discussion on the emergence of ads as sponsored links in Gen AI results – a topic we just covered in our latest blog.

• Google SGE has been released to the public… at least for a starting set of queries. Whether you’ve signed up to see SGE or not, you may see AI overviews filling your result pages. This is only a test but stay tuned for alerts when SGE finally goes live for reals.

• Are you afraid of the robot uprising? 🤖 Maybe this might make you feel better. The United Nations adopted a resolution for the “respect, protection and promotion of human rights in the design, development, deployment and the use of AI.” Sustainable development and a commitment to closing the digital gap between countries are two purposes of this resolution. If you love legal jargon, here’s the full resolution.

It’s Raining Ads! 🌧️

Ads in AI to be specific. Google SGE and Bing Copilot are showing ads in their Gen AI responses. What does this mean for Search AI Optimization? Find out here: Spring 2024 Rains Ads On Gen AI Results!

• As a perceptive marketer, you’re probably aware of multichannel and omnichannel marketing strategies. Have you heard about “optichannel”? “Optichannel strategies aim to deliver the right message to the right audience at the right time through each channel, maximizing engagement and conversions.” Martech explains the optichannel approach is a way of optimizing individual channels to improve customer experience.

• TikTok is not giving up! (And who would expect them to?) The attempt? A $2.1 million TV ad buy. Many TikTok users have been lobbying the senate to not pass the house bill, especially with so many businesses depending on the platform. But will a TV ad make a difference to the senators’ thinking? We have to keep watching.

• 🦉 With hot tracks like “Spanish or Vanish”, who wouldn’t want to go see Duolingo on Ice! Check out this spoofy Disney on Ice remake released on April 1st! (Pro tip: if you go to the ticket link, you can get promo codes for future Seat Geek tickets AND a free month of Duolingo.)

Thoughts to Take With You… 💞

Spring makes life go a million miles a minute. Are you taking time to pause? Here are some ways:

• Take nature breaks.
• Look up from your screens.
• Focus on your breathing.
• Eat without distractions.
• Ground yourself with nature-inspired activities like gardening.

Overall, finding moments of stillness will help us truly see the beauty and wonder that is the spring season.

Happy Wednesday!

Natalie

10 points if you got the intro reference! 👏🔟👏

Here’s some spooky fun facts about the famous show. 🙂