TikTok Tea, Gen AI Mandates, & Consumer Shopping Preferences

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. 🐻