"December made one thing clear: AI is no longer a feature layered on top of marketing. It is the system deciding what gets seen, what gets skipped, and what earns trust. Search pushed deeper into zero-click behavior. Paid ads lost prime real estate. Influencer content matured into a full‑funnel channel. Platforms added tools while quietly tightening control. At the same time, security and data ownership became real business risks, not abstract concerns."
"Google rolled out AI-powered configuration in Search Console, allowing users to request custom reports using natural language. Instead of manually stitching filters together, teams can now ask questions the way they think about performance. Our POV: This changes who gets access to insight. Reporting no longer bottlenecks around technical SEO or analytics specialists. Strategy conversations can happen faster, and closer to the business question that triggered them."
Google launched Gemini 3, AI Mode, and AI-powered Search Console reporting, accelerating an AI-first approach to discovery. AI Overviews and AI Mode are reducing organic and paid clicks and increasing zero-click behavior on SERPs. Paid ads are losing prime real estate while platforms add features and tighten control over distribution. Influencer marketing expanded beyond Gen Z and attracted older, higher-value audiences into creator ecosystems. LinkedIn emphasized video and events to strengthen B2B growth channels. Security incidents, including Google Ads MCC hijacks, elevated account governance and data ownership into immediate business risks. Teams must adapt search strategy, reporting workflows, creator programs, and security practices before the shifts harden in 2026.
Read at Neil Patel
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