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Category: News

How AI Traffic is Changing the Retail Game in the U.S.
I recently came across some intriguing Adobe data that sheds light on how AI-driven traffic is making waves in U.S. retail. AI traffic isn’t just increasing; it’s actually outperforming traditional channels like paid search in terms of conversion rates!

In the first quarter, AI-generated traffic surged by an impressive 393% compared to the previous year, with a 269% rise just in March alone. What’s even more exciting is that AI traffic is converting significantly better than it did last year.

By the numbers, AI-driven visits converted 42% better than their non-AI counterparts in March. Just a year prior, these AI visits were actually 38% less likely to lead to a purchase, showcasing a remarkable turnaround.

Consumers are truly engaging with AI-driven platforms, as indicated by a 12% increase in engagement, 48% more time spent on site, and a 13% uptick in pages viewed per visit. Adobe’s consumer survey further reveals that 39% have tried AI for shopping, and out of those, 85% felt it enhanced their experience. Additionally, 66% of users believe that AI tools deliver accurate results.

What they’re saying, Vivek Pandya, the director of Adobe Digital Insights, emphasizes, “Notably, AI traffic continues to outperform non-AI traffic in conversions, which includes other channels like paid search and email marketing.”

Yes, but, despite this upward trend in adoption and positive metrics, Adobe points out that many retail sites still haven’t optimized their platforms for AI visibility, particularly on product pages.

Why we care: The debate around whether AI traffic is superior to organic search traffic has been continuous. However, this latest analysis suggests that AI’s capacity for conversion is growing, and much like generative AI, it’s expected to become an even more valuable channel.

About the data: Adobe’s insights are derived from analyzing direct transaction data from over one trillion visits to U.S. retail websites, supplemented by a survey involving over 5,000 U.S. consumers to gauge their AI shopping behaviors.

The report: For more details, check out the Adobe report on the AI-driven traffic surge and its impact on U.S. retail sites.

Dig deeper: Explore related studies that discuss various aspects of AI traffic and conversions in retail.
Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.
April 17, 2026
Effortless Google PMax Campaign Import with Microsoft Updates
I’m thrilled to share that Microsoft is simplifying the process of expanding Google PMax campaigns into Microsoft, allowing us to enjoy greater visibility and control over our campaign performance.

Microsoft Advertising is launching several updates to make managing, measuring, and migrating Performance Max campaigns more straightforward, especially for those of us already familiar with Google Ads.

Driving the news. Microsoft now allows us to import Google PMax campaigns with new customer acquisition (NCA) goals, a feature that’s been part of Microsoft since earlier this year.

The update is live for all advertisers now, enabling us to transfer campaigns focused on first-time buyers more seamlessly, without having to start from scratch.

What’s new. Microsoft ensures that when we import Google PMax campaigns with NCA goals, they will be retained if they don’t already exist in our account. Our existing settings won’t be overwritten.

Regarding audience lists:
- Google website visitor segments transform into Microsoft remarketing lists.
- Google’s “all visitors” and “all converters” lists map to similar lists on Microsoft.
- For unsupported lists like Customer Match, we may need to use alternate options.
I’ve also noticed that Microsoft takes a cautious approach with “unknown” customers, categorizing them as existing customers to avoid inflating new customer conversion counts.

Why we care. This initiative could streamline cross-platform campaign expansion and reduce the hassle of rebuilding, making it simpler to test Microsoft’s PMax inventory. Plus, enhanced landing page reporting and search term insights offer a clearer picture of campaign performance, aiding our optimization and budget decisions.

More visibility for PMax. Microsoft is integrating landing page (Final URL) reporting for PMax campaigns, allowing us to review spend, clicks, impressions, conversion value, and ROAS by landing page.

We can also break this information down by campaign, asset group, and other dimensions.

Additionally, Microsoft stated that search term reporting will become more apparent by default, with more transparency updates such as auction insights and publisher URL metrics rolling out soon.

Other key updates:
- Seasonality adjustments now support portfolio bid strategies, aiding short-term promotions.
- Campaign name limits have increased, enabling up to 400 characters for easier management.
- Autogenerated assets are improving ad relevance and performance by filling in underused Responsive Search Ads.
- Merchant Center users can directly update store names and domains without needing support.
The bottom line. These updates simplify scaling across platforms, save time on campaign setups, and enhance our visibility into campaign performance, giving us greater control over efficiency and outcomes.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.
April 16, 2026
How to Earn More ChatGPT Citations: Insights from a New Study

ChatGPT citations prioritize ranking and precision, not length. I recently came across an intriguing study conducted by AirOps that examined how ChatGPT assigns citations. It revealed that pages with precise, narrow answers are favored over lengthy, broad content.

After reviewing 16,851 queries, AirOps found that pages with well-matched headings and focused content rank higher in citations. Impressively, the top retrieval result was cited 58% of the time, indicating a strong preference for relevance over mere volume.

Why this matters to us. These findings are crucial if we’re aiming to earn more ChatGPT citations. To succeed, we need to prioritize winning retrieval spots, mirroring queries in our headings, and providing highly precise answers.

Key insights. The study emphasized retrieval ranking as a pivotal factor. Top-ranking pages were cited 58.4% of the time, compared to only 14.2% for pages positioned tenth. This highlights the significant impact of retrieval rank on citation frequency.

Another crucial point I noted was the importance of heading relevance. Pages where the heading strongly matched the query were cited 41% of the time, significantly outperforming less matched options.

It also showed that narrowly focused pages outperform comprehensive guides, challenging the typical “ultimate guide” approach many of us might consider effective.

Factors driving citations. From what I gathered in the study, being well-ranked, using query-matching headings, and maintaining content focus are key to earning citations from ChatGPT.

Additional structural insights: While structure like JSON-LD markup offered a slight boost in citations, it wasn’t as critical as I initially thought. Pages with this markup had a citation rate of 38.5% versus 32.0% for those without. Interestingly, articles with 4 to 10 subheadings performed notably well.

Furthermore, content length had diminishing returns. Pages with 500 to 2,000 words performed best in citations, whereas those exceeding 5,000 words were cited less than even the briefest ones.

Freshness matters, but only to an extent. Content published within 30 to 89 days had the best performance in terms of citations, while newer content underperformed slightly, suggesting the need for time to build retrieval signals.

Older content, particularly those older than 2 years, struggled in citations, implying the potential benefits of refreshing existing content if it currently ranks well for target queries.

Understanding the data. AirOps examined 50,553 responses derived from 16,851 unique queries, each run three times. The exhaustive dataset encompassed 353,799 pages across various sectors and query types.

The detailed analysis is documented in the report titled The Fan-Out Effect: What Happens Between a Query and a Citation.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

April 16, 2026
Gemini’s AI Takes Ad Safety to New Heights: Over 99% Bad Ads Blocked
I’ve been following Google’s strides in ad safety, and their recent updates with Gemini have caught my eye. Gemini’s AI-driven enforcement is not only faster but more accurate, eliminating more than 99% of bad ads even before they appear in 2025. This means we’re seeing fewer false suspensions and stricter adherence to ad policies.

Diving into Google’s 2025 Ads Safety Report, I’m amazed at the scale: 8.3 billion ads were blocked or removed globally, and 24.9 million advertiser accounts got suspended last year. It’s impressive to think that over 99% of these policy-violating ads never saw the light of day, thanks to the power of AI.

Google also pointed out how Gemini’s capabilities significantly improved ad safety:
- Gemini slashed incorrect advertiser suspensions by 80%.
- The system processed four times more user reports compared to the previous year.
- It enhanced the detection of scams by better understanding ad intent.
Looking at the numbers, we see a staggering impact:
- 602 million scam-related ads removed
- 4 million scam-linked accounts suspended
- 4.8 billion ads restricted
- 480 million web pages blocked or restricted
- 245,000+ publisher sites actioned
- 35 policy updates made in 2025
In the United States alone, 1.7 billion ads were removed, and 3.3 million advertiser accounts were suspended in 2025. The main reasons included:
1. Abusing the ad network
2. Misrepresentation
3. Sexual content
4. Personalization violations
5. Dating and companionship ads
Why do I care about this? Because stronger AI-driven ad enforcement impacts the way ads run or get flagged. Google claims Gemini enhances precision and reduces unwarranted suspensions, which might prevent unexpected interruptions for genuine brands. However, as AI reviews tighten, we advertisers must ensure complete policy compliance.

Some UK and US advertisers experienced waves of unexplained disapprovals, citing no discernible issues, highlighting the intricacies of automated oversight.

Gemini’s approach to ad enforcement is exciting. By evaluating billions of signals—like account age and user patterns—it’s capable of identifying malicious activity quicker than previous systems. By the end of 2025, most Responsive Search Ads were assessed instantly, blocking harmful material before it could launch. Google aims to apply this capability across more ad formats soon.

Yet, there’s a balance to maintain. Aggressive automation may disrupt campaigns, but Google’s emphasis on nuanced understanding is crucial for reducing incorrect suspensions, which is essential for brands relying on continuous ad visibility.

In conclusion, Google is banking on Gemini to enhance ad safety, aiming to curtail sophisticated scams while assuring advertisers that legitimate activities won’t be hindered by stricter controls.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.
April 16, 2026
Mastering PPC: Correcting Automation Drift for Better Conversions

I’m excited to invite you to our upcoming event on May 6, where I’ll be part of SMX Now for the second time. Join me as Ameet Khabra reveals insights on identifying and preventing PPC drift before it impacts your campaign’s performance.
It’s essential to remember that automation doesn’t inherently fail—it just executes what it’s programmed to do. The issue arises when Google Ads receives signals that are incomplete, misaligned, or too broad, which can lead to optimization for the wrong outcomes, catching advertisers off guard.
During the second edition of SMX Now, our breakthrough monthly series, Ameet Khabra from Hop Skip Media will dive into a real-life account. She will showcase a scenario where a 417% surge in conversions wasn’t the success it seemed. Through this case study, she’ll explain how automation drift manifests in four critical areas: signal drift, query drift, inventory drift, and creative drift.
You’ll gain a practical framework to identify drift early on, comprehend the importance of human oversight, and manage automation with intent. The goal is to ensure automation aligns with actual business objectives rather than just the successes platforms report.
Make sure to join us on May 6 at noon ET to learn more.
Save your spot

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

April 15, 2026
Discover Google’s Wild March Algorithm Update Impact

When the March 2026 Google core update hit, I couldn’t help but notice the dramatic shifts it created. Nearly 80% of the top search results were reshuffled. This update really boosted brands and official sites while leaving some aggregators scrambling to catch up.

I stumbled upon SE Ranking’s exclusive data, which highlighted how much more volatile the March update was compared to December 2025. Surprisingly, nearly one-in-four top-10 pages disappeared from the top 100 altogether!

The data breakdown. I saw increased volatility across all ranking tiers.

In the top 3, 79.5% of URLs changed positions, a notable jump from December’s 66.8%. Similarly, 90.7% shifted in the top 10, compared to 83.1% earlier.

Stability? Well, it took a nosedive. Only 20.5% of top 3 URLs stayed put, down from 33.1%, and in the top 10, stability fell to 9.3%, down from 16.9%.

Then there’s the churn: about 24.1% of pages in the top 10 vanished from the top 100, a significant rise from the 14.7% observed in December.

It’s (sort of) complicated. As I delved into it, I realized the core update began just a day after a significant spam update concluded, which made pinpointing the source of changes tricky. However, most disruption seemed to stem from the core update, with the spam update adding more chaos.

Diving deeper. Aleyda Solis’ analysis, using Sistrix data, revealed notable shifts from intermediary sites towards stronger, more authoritative sources. Sites that gained included:

– Official and institutional sites.

– Specialist and niche sources.

– Established brands.

– Dominant platforms.

On the flip side, aggregators, directories, and comparison sites saw declines.

Winners and losers. Solis pointed out interesting shifts: dictionary and language sites fell while major platforms rose; job aggregators lost visibility, whereas employer-specific sites like USAJobs gained.

Institutional sites saw fantastic gains on data-driven queries, with travel and real estate platforms shifting toward primary destinations. Health results were reordered with more emphasis on clinical and specialist sources.

Interestingly, YouTube experienced the most substantial visibility drop in this dataset.

Why it matters. From what I gathered, Google’s March update seems to have raised the ranking bar significantly. Strong brands and data-rich sources fared well, while intermediary sites are now more vulnerable.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

April 15, 2026
Google Phases Out Dynamic Search Ads for AI Max: What You Need to Know

As I delve into the latest updates from Google, I discovered that they’ll be retiring Dynamic Search Ads (DSA) in favor of their newer AI Max toolset. This transition will begin in September, and it’s bound to impact those using DSA, automatically created assets (ACA), and campaign-level broad match settings.

It’s fascinating to learn that Google announced AI Max for Search campaigns will exit beta, with “hundreds of thousands” of advertisers already onboard globally. I find this shift intriguing as it hints at the increasing reliance on AI-powered tools in digital advertising.

Starting September, my eligible campaigns utilizing DSA, ACA, or broad match will automatically be migrated to AI Max. This means Google will no longer support the creation of new DSA campaigns through their various platforms.

Why does this matter to us? Embracing AI Max beforehand allows us better control over campaign settings. Google mentions this change could potentially lead to an average 7% improvement in conversions or conversion value while maintaining the same efficiency.

According to Google, AI Max offers more conversions or conversion value at a similar cost per acquisition (CPA) or return on ad spend (ROAS) for non-retail sectors. It achieves this by using comprehensive features like search term matching, text customization, and URL expansion.

A Brief History: DSA has been a valuable tool for capturing traffic beyond keyword-focused campaigns, thanks to its dynamic headline generation and landing page redirection. However, changes in consumer search behavior have prompted Google to innovate further.

AI Max aims to enhance search campaigns by integrating broad real-time intent data beyond traditional landing page signals. It’s designed to adapt to the increasingly complex search landscape we navigate today.

Understanding AI Max: This feature maximizes reach, personalizes ad content, and provides more control over brand, location, and text settings.

So, what should we do now? Google encourages us to make the switch before September to ensure smoother transitions and continuity in our campaigns.

Phase 1: Voluntary Upgrades is happening now. DSA users like me can leverage new tools to smoothly migrate campaign data and settings. Meanwhile, ACA and broad match users will find prompts nudging them toward AI Max.

Phase 2: Automatic Upgrades begins in September, converting dynamic ad groups in DSA campaigns to standard ones while preserving significant settings. ACA and broad match campaigns will migrate with essential features enabled by default.

The Bottom Line: Google’s move to make AI Max the standard signifies a shift towards AI-driven strategies. By acting now, I can test different settings and fine-tune results before the mandatory switch.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

April 15, 2026
Google Now Uses Spam Reports for Direct Manual Actions

I’ve recently come across a noteworthy update from Google, which now enhances the potential impact of our spam reports. Interestingly, these reports are no longer just documentation—they might trigger manual actions against the reported sites. In addition, whatever I write in my report could be shared verbatim with the site owner I’ve reported.

Here’s Google’s Announcement. Google clarified in a note that they may utilize our spam report submissions to undertake manual actions against policy violations. This update makes it clear that spam reports are more critical than ever in maintaining the integrity of Google’s search results.

The updated guidelines specify:

“Ranking manipulation techniques that attempt to compromise the quality of Google’s search results violate our spam policies and can negatively impact a site’s ranking. Google may use your report to take manual action against violations. If we issue a manual action, we send whatever you write in the submission report verbatim to the site owner to help them understand the context of the manual action. We don’t include any other identifying information when we notify the site owner; as long as you avoid including personal information in the open text field, the report remains anonymous.”

Spam Reports Fuel Manual Actions. It seems that Google aims to clarify their usage of spam reports. This is quite the shift from their previous communication, where spam reports didn’t directly lead to manual actions. To me, this feels like more than just a clarification—it’s a significant development in how reports are handled.

Direct Transmission of Spam Report Text. Also, Google stated that the exact text I use in my spam report might be sent to the site owner. They advise us not to include personal details, as my submission remains anonymous unless I disclose such information.

Google emphasizes the importance of keeping sensitive information out of the report to ensure my anonymity is maintained.

Why This Matters to Us. This change could significantly alter how we approach spam reporting on Google. If you’re someone who regularly submits these reports, like I do, it’s essential to understand the new implications and modify your reporting practices accordingly.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

April 15, 2026
Unexpected Google Ads Disapprovals Disrupt Campaigns
I’ve noticed a growing concern among advertisers, as many of us are experiencing unexpected disapprovals from Google Ads. These disapprovals are often linked to DNS and 500 server errors, even when our websites seem to be functioning perfectly fine. This issue is raising serious questions about the platform’s reliability and our campaign’s performance stability.

Earlier this week, as a passionate participant in PPC advertising myself, I started hearing about these widespread issues from fellow advertisers. Multiple agencies and their clients were unexpectedly affected.

For instance, Ryan Berry, the Managing Director at Cornerhouse Media, reported that over 1,500 ads were disapproved in a single account at 1:30 p.m. UTC. Others have been receiving overnight emails informing them of disapproved ads.

Why this matters to us. When our ads are suddenly disapproved, it can abruptly halt traffic, leads, and revenue, even if our websites are working just fine. If Google’s systems are mistakenly flagging issues, like DNS or server errors, we are forced to waste precious time troubleshooting problems we didn’t create. This highlights the urgent need for quicker responses and escalations when such platform glitches occur.

Here’s what fellow advertisers and I have observed:
- DNS errors flagged, even when our IT teams find no issues.
- HTTP 500 errors noted, despite landing pages loading normally.
- Repeated disapprovals across numerous accounts.
Charlotte Osborne, a Google Ads trainer, mentioned encountering two separate cases involving erroneous DNS and 500 errors with no discovered client-side issues. Similarly, Google Advertising specialist Joshua Barr has been dealing with a surge of disapproval emails at night for weeks.

What’s probably occurring. Google’s ad review process employs automated crawlers to evaluate landing pages. If these crawlers experience temporary server issues, DNS lookup failures, redirects, or timeouts, it could lead to ad disapprovals under the “destination not working” policy.

This means that even if:
- our sites are live for users,
- the issue is only temporary,
- or the problem lies with Google’s crawlers,
we could still face ad disapprovals.

What actions we should take now:
- Verify Google Ads policy manager for precise reasons behind disapprovals.
- Test landing pages from different locations and devices.
- Review DNS uptime, redirects, and CDN/firewall settings.
- Submit appeals for disapprovals that are clearly incorrect.
- Document impacts on an account level for potential platform-wide issues.
Bottom line. This situation serves as a stark reminder that our hard work on strategy can be undermined by such technical glitches. When Google’s systems fail, it risks both our advertising spend and our potential leads.

Initial reports. Ryan Berry in the UK initially spotted these issues, alongside Anthony Higman, who detected similar problems in the US.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.
April 14, 2026
Meta Set to Surpass Google in Global Ad Revenue by 2026

I’ve been closely following the dynamic world of digital advertising, and there’s a significant shift on the horizon. Meta Platforms is expected to surpass Google in global ad revenue by 2026. This marks a move towards platforms that emphasize automation and performance.

Driving the news. According to eMarketer, Meta is predicted to generate $243.46 billion in ad revenue globally this year, just edging out Google’s projected $239.54 billion.

Meta is anticipated to capture 26.8% of global ad spending, whereas Google is estimated to hold 26.4%. This would be the first time Google has ever lost its leading position in digital ad revenue.

Why we care. Meta’s growth indicates that brands are getting more value from automated tools focused on performance. This trend may influence how brands allocate budgets between Meta and Google, reminding us that platform dynamics are evolving rapidly and media strategies need to stay flexible.

Catch up quick: In the digital advertising realm, Google has long dominated with its Search and Display ads, as well as YouTube.

However, their primary ad business is growing slower than previous years.

On the other hand, Meta’s success stems from advancements in AI-driven ad automation, enhanced performance metrics, and its vast reach across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

Why Meta is winning now. Advertisers are focusing more on platforms that offer substantial reach and a measurable return on investment.

Meta’s strength lies in its rapid automation of creative and targeting processes, campaign optimization with minimal manual input, and easy demonstration of ROI. This approach is particularly enticing in an economic climate where marketers need to achieve more with reduced budgets.

Yes, but. Google remains a colossal entity and continues to grow.

Its search business is one of the most profitable advertising engines globally, and YouTube consistently draws in brand budgets. However, the company faces challenges from AI search advancements, antitrust scrutiny, and slowing growth in traditional search advertising.

The bottom line. Meta surpassing Google in ad revenue would signify more than just a symbolic milestone — it represents a significant power shift towards platforms that enhance advertising automation, measurement, and scalability.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

April 14, 2026

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