• After a months-long lead-up, OpenAI starts testing advertising options in the United States.
• Marketers are concerned about privacy and ethics in artificial intelligence, data shows.
• Organic traffic fall-off driven by AI might not be as bad as first thought, says research
• More people are clicking on Google Ads – and digital advertising prices are rising fast.
• Many Millennials are now using TikTok for product and service research before buying.
• Considering Instagram? Data suggests short-form video is the way to get noticed there.

It’s Happening: ChatGPT Testing Ads in the United States

After several months of not-so-subtly floating the concept of ads in ChatGPT, OpenAI is now testing them for users in the United States. ChatGPT ads will run on ChatGPT Free and the new low-cost ChatGPT Go subscription tier. They will not be shown to minors and won’t appear near certain sensitive topics, including health or politics.

What does it mean? ChatGPT is known to aid in brand discovery, so digital advertising on ChatGPT may be a natural step for some businesses. Although Google denied that its Gemini AI product is on the way to getting ads anytime soon, the writing is on the wall: Most, if not all, AI chat apps will likely have ads in the future.

Marketers and Customers Alike Seek Clear Ethical Standards for AI

Across society, more people are thinking seriously about the implications of AI, and marketers are no exception. More than 70% of marketers surveyed in a study published by eMarketer said brands should implement ethical and privacy guidelines for activities by artificial intelligence agents, including any semi-autonomous purchasing.

What does it mean? Just like spam email in the days of yore, artificial intelligence is stirring up new questions for buyers and sellers alike. California’s whirlwind AI legislation in 2025 is a hint to the future, too: In 2026, be on the lookout for legal changes related to AI. Meanwhile, document where your business stands on AI ethics.

Organic Traffic Not So “Dead” After All, New Study Shows

Would-be prophets have declared “SEO is dead!” countless times only to find the diagnosis was premature. We admit, though: Search engine optimization seemed to sustain a career-ending injury last year, with a purported huge drop in organic search traffic due to AI Overviews. Turns out that drop was vastly overstated: just 2.5% YOY.

What does it mean? This is huge news for businesses and marketers alike. It shows search engine optimization is still a significant driver of real traffic from interested humans. What has changed (as usual) is the method of content marketing that fits today’s consumer. A full-service digital marketing agency can help you with that.

Google Search Ads Traffic Way Up (But So Is Ad Spending)

Digital advertising is a mixed bag for service-based industries, but it’s good news for everyone that digital ad click-through rates are up on Google. In fact, ad clicks have reached a five-year high. Microsoft’s search ad growth actually outperformed Google’s growth – but, of course, its ad market share is much smaller.

What does it mean? Even if digital advertising isn’t part of your outreach strategy, more interest in ads shows people are paying attention – and making real buying decisions in search. Ad prices are steep in many market sectors, though, so it’s wise to connect with a marketing agency and carefully evaluate your options.

More Than Half of Millennials Now Use TikTok for Research

If you’re under the impression that TikTok is for kids, you’d be forgiven for thinking that. For many years prior to its “on again, off again’ nationwide ban in the U.S., it was the place where teens hung out. Now, it’s time to give it a second look: More than half of Millennials, the eldest now 40+, research products on TikTok.

What does it mean? TikTok has been on a wild ride over the last few years: First, it was the fastest-growing social media site. Then, it was the target of unprecedented legal scrutiny. Now, many users don’t know what they should make of its new, U.S.-based incarnation. While the new TikTok is off to a rough start, odds are it recovers over the coming days and continues to break new ground for reaching established consumers.

Meanwhile, Short-Form Content Dominates on Instagram

Last but not least, we turn to Instagram, the Facebook-owned social media property that helped spark the short-form content revolution. 50% of time on Instagram is spent watching Reels (typical duration of each: between 90 seconds and three minutes), so have a video production pipeline in place to truly leverage it.

Digital marketing is always changing. Contact us for a full-service marketing agency that really gets it.