January sets the scene for how the rest of the year will go, and this year was no exception. From the influx of 2016 content to generative engine optimisation, this month has provided interesting insights into what we should expect to see in the rest of the year going forward.
Adverts are coming to ChatGPT
Just earlier this month, OpenAI shared its plans to introduce advertisements to ChatGPT. These will show up to those on free and low-cost tiers. They say ads will be clearly separated from chatbot responses and not influence outputs.
This change isn’t surprising. Back when social media platforms struggled to make ends meet and turn a profit, inviting advertisers to take up space did the job. However, with consumers’ trust in brands diminishing over time, how will this affect advertising going forward?
X users drop drastically
X (formerly Twitter) has come under fire for its AI, Grok AI, developing sexualised deepfakes of unsuspecting victims. Both the European Union and Ofcom have become involved. This month, the Global Pulse released a study which noted a 28% decrease in clicks on X. This is unlikely to bounce back, especially in the midst of this controversy.
For businesses, focusing on outreach on other platforms is likely to present a stronger ROI. Marketing experts say we are seeing the downfall of X in real time.
GEO rises in importance
Generative engine optimisation (as opposed to search engine optimisation) is slowly taking the lead, with many organisations introducing strategies to rank highly on generative search engines. For some, the days of a simple Google search are over – it’s all about ranking on ChatGPT and LLMs like it.
Search behaviour is shifting, and Semrush have noted that AI citations will take the lead over clicks as measures of content’s success.
For businesses, optimising for AI will become increasingly important. Optimising for voice (writing how one speaks) and turning AI citations into a core KPI while focusing on citations alongside rankings are effective steps to take to avoid falling behind.
Stay in the loop
Tune into our news roundup, which comes out in the last week of every month, for bite-sized marketing news relevant to you and your business. From current trends to big news, stay ahead of your competitors by staying in the loop!
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