AI
Chrome Lives On, Stoking the AI Browser Wars
Google received some good news in the form of a stay of divestiture for its Chrome browser. Though it still faces punitive and preventative antitrust measures, the biggest bullet has been dodged.
AI
Google Unlocks AI-Video for SMBs
Google this week added to its rapidly expanding AI arsenal with a set of tools for generating talking-head videos. Use cases include product how-tos, support modules, or spokesperson-based video ads. This update adds avatars and other features to Google’s existing and underexposed Vids tool.
AI
Google AI Mode Goes Global and Local
Google’s AI Mode just took its latest steps forward. And these steps involve both global and local expansion. For the former, it’s available in more countries. And for the latter, its agentic functions are now more capable for typical local search needs, like finding restaurants and booking appointments.
Google
Does Traffic from ChatGPT Offset Zero-Click Search?
Is the elevated use of AI engines and their citations offsetting the effects of zero-click search? In other words, organic traffic from Google is declining per the above. But does greater ChatGPT usage – and resulting referrals and traffic – counterbalance those declines.
Amazon
Google Advances Aerial eCommerce
oogle’s drone delivery division, Wing, just pushed things forward in localized aerial eCommerce delivery, in partnership with Walmart. This follows similar moves and geographic expansions from Amazon, signaling an ongoing land grab – or airspace grab – in last-mile delivery to local markets.
AI
Ads in AI Mode : Google Speaks
One looming question in Google’s AI embrace is how it impacts the way it serves ads. Google took steps to answer this question over the past week. We assemble the evidence.
AI
Google AI Mode Has its Oprah Moment
During this week’s I/O keynote. Google brought the transformative AI-centric search paradigm, AI Mode, from open beta (Google Labs) to widescale availability, at least for U.S. users.
AI
Google’s AI Mode Gets Visual
Google is combining AI Mode with multimodal search, which lets you search across media formats, including text, images, and video. What does this combination mean on a surface level and in terms of Google’s AI evolution?
AI
Google’s ‘AI Mode’ Turns Searches into Conversations
Another day, another Google announcement for AI search. Following our coverage yesterday about gen-AI-infused product search, Google has rolled out ‘AI Mode.’ This brings searches from isolated one-off endeavors to a more continuous and progressive string of questions. In other words, a conversation.
Google
Google Brings Generative AI to Shopping
When looking at all the places where Google continues to blitz AI, we can add shopping to the list. Users can now enter gen AI-style
Adobe
3 Ways AI Revenue Models are Materializing
Companies from Adobe to Google are starting to peel away AI features from a core product to instead live within discreet – and often paid – apps. Will that work? The question boils down to whether or not consumers are ready to pay for AI en masse.
Google
Google Signals that Marc Benioff is Right (and Why Google Will Win Local LLMs)
This month, Google threw the SEO industry into a scramble when they started blocking LLM (large language model) and search scraping tools that didn’t have
AI
Google Offers to Call Local Businesses For You (Again)
Google has returned to the idea of automatically calling local businesses on your behalf. Its new “Ask for Me” feature uses AI to call local businesses to inquire about simple questions
Google
Google Goes to Washington, Part II: JOTO PR Disruptors Weighs In
What’s Google’s fate if it has to spin off Chrome? The latest figure to weigh in is Karla Jo Helms, whom we interview for her insights.
Google
Google Goes to Washington: A Conversation with Andrew Shotland
What’s Google’s fate if it has to spin off Chrome? The latest figure to weigh in is Andrew Shotland, whom we interview for his insights.
Google
Google Lens Doubles Down on Local Offline Shopping
Google Lens continues to be a sleeping giant in the world of local commerce. As a visual search tool, it can identify and contextualize items that you point your phone at. Carrying similar user intent as web search, Google is salivating over the idea of more high-intent query volume that flows from your camera.
AI agents
Predictions for the Future of AI Agents in Local Digital Marketing
The (somewhat) recent announcement of AI agents from three major players in the AI market (Anthropic, Google, and OpenAI) is an interesting opportunity to pause,
GMB
Watch Out for Suggested Edits or Your GBP Rankings Could Be at Risk
Did you know that anyone can suggest edits to your Google Business Profile (GBP), which can change crucial information that affects your performance in local
AI
Gemini Uplevels Google Maps
Google Maps is the latest product to get an infusion of Google’s generative AI model, Gemini. This involves several angles but the main takeaway is that Google Maps users will be able to tap into Gemini’s capabilities to make it more intuitive to find places and ask questions about them.
eCommerce
Google Shopping Gets a Brain Transplant
Google announced this week that AI will now be infused in the Shopping tab. This includes more intelligent shopping suggestions as well as a new personalized scrollable feed of shoppable items.