Hiya,

Digital marketing news comin’ your way in 3, 2, 1….

• Google GA4’s AI Assistant default channel is visible (yay!) but there is a catch (aww)… or three (boo).

• • Catch 1: It only captures traffic when it can determine if an AI-assistant is the referrer. No referrer, no capture. A lot of AI traffic gets dropped in the Direct or other channel buckets.
  • Catch 2: Perplexity is not typically included in the AI Assistant default channel because it is tagged as a perplexity.ai referrer.
  • Catch 3: Google AI Overviews and Google AI Mode clicks are still invisible, mixed in with the Organic Search channel.
  • Bottom line: GA4’s AI Assistant is under-reporting the real impact of AI platforms traffic to your website. We still need to rely on “homemade” filters for AI traffic data.

• B2B Tech Marketers study reveals the knowledge gaps brands are facing as they look to leverage Generative Engine Optimization (GEO, AEO, SAIO, etc.). The prominent issues include not knowing (1.) the prompts used by their target market; (2.) what content is currently being cited by AI engines; (3.) their competitors’ AI visibility; and (4.) how to build entity authority. Hint: conducting AI audits is the first step to filling those gaps! 

• The June Google Spam Update just finished, and guess what it targeted. (Hold for effect…) It homed in on GenAI response manipulation – particularly from planted mentions from user-generated content (UGC) on trustworthy sites. If your site allows UGC, it may be worth looking into vetting tools with this new rollout.

• Sometimes, I like to imagine what malicious hackers could build if they weren’t focused on hacking. Unfortunately, we don’t live in that reality and must remain scrupulous with digital security. Agentic AI only exaggerates this hacking problem — Google released several best practices to stay safe when using it.

• YouTube video content could be a hot solution for generating AI reach and citations… if your videos are optimized correctly. Can your titles and chapter markers/timestamps be formatted like popular AI prompts? Do your descriptions include enough relevant keywords and links to your site? MultiVision Digital has some top tips and tricks for you!

• Did ya hear? LinkedIn added collaborative posts!

From the Stone Pony to the Paramount Theatre, Asbury Park, NJ has a guitar case full of musical history. The Asbury Park Music Foundation provides music education to under-served youth in Monmouth County and supports local musicians through summer concerts that bring the community together. Check out their free concerts if you’re nearby!

*Natalie places the tonearm on the record player, slight scratching ensues before “You’re My Best Friend” by Queen starts playing.*

Supportive friendships can actually be healthy for you.

Talking to and being with your buddy can lower your blood pressure, lower your heart rate, and even help you deem problems to be more manageable.

So, call up your bestie and thank them for being awesome.

See ya on the flipside!

Natalie

The story behind the song if you’re interested!