Just ahead in this month’s digital marketing news round-up:

• A new report demonstrates ChatGPT recommendations drive (delayed) website traffic.
• About half of U.S. shoppers don’t take AI product recommendations at face value.
• Google’s latest Spam Update rolls out worldwide and will be felt in the coming days.
• Collaborative posts are now available on LinkedIn for the first time.
• Do you use WordPress? Be sure to take action on this major security vulnerability.
• New research helps publishers answer a big question about launching a podcast.

ChatGPT’s Worth as a Referral Source Proven in Latest Research

So far, ChatGPT has a mixed record when it comes to referring traffic to the websites it pulls its answers from. However, there is some good news: A new report by Similarweb shows that when a user encounters ChatGPT website recommendations, they’re about 2.5x more likely to visit the recommended page within seven days. This suggests users may be “circling back” to source websites even if they don’t visit them right away.

What does it mean? After a rocky start, AI visibility may be shaping up to be a traffic driver rather than a soft signal of brand awareness. Users are also more likely to use AI answer engines for “discovering initial ideas” (35%) and “researching and comparing options” (30%) than they are to use Google for the same purpose.

Shoppers Are Taking AI Product Recommendations to Reddit

Reddit continues its AI-powered growth trajectory. Not only is it the cited source for an increasing number of AI responses, it’s also the place people go to fact-check AI advice against the experiences of real people. To utilize its newfound fame, it has rolled out a number of new advertising formats. A wide range of new native formats will incorporate user-generated content alongside advertiser content to reduce friction among ad viewers.

What does it mean? Reddit is shaping up to be the #1 spot online to fact-check product recommendations. It has traditionally fallen behind its rivals due to fewer advertising options and an abundance of bot traffic, but fresh, integrated online advertising options may be just the thing to appeal to its notoriously insular user base.

Google’s New Spam Update Will Make Waves on Search Results

Every now and then, Google releases a Spam Update intended to target low-effort content. This can lower a website’s search visibility practically overnight. Even if you don’t use machine-generated content anywhere online, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on your data analytics in the next few weeks in case of false positives. Should you notice a downward trend in search activity, consult with a marketing agency for corrective action.

LinkedIn Rolls Out New Option for Collaborative Post Authorship

LinkedIn is a great visibility option for service-based businesses that cater to a B2B market or upwardly mobile, career-oriented customers. If several members of your team or other collaborators touch your LinkedIn posts, a suite of new collaborative posting options has the potential to make your digital marketing workflow easier. A post can now have multiple defined collaborators and will push to all of their feeds once it is published.

Major WordPress Vulnerability Strikes Membership-Based Websites

WordPress is the best content management system for service-based businesses. Through its optional plugins, it can provide digital marketing features that fit your exact needs. The problem? Each plugin needs to be kept up to date, and they can all have individual security loopholes. That became clear this month as the popular Ultimate Member WordPress plugin was struck by a major vulnerability. If you use it, update it immediately to reduce your exposure.

Thinking of Launching a Podcast? New Research Suggests Best Schedule

Podcasts have become a popular digital marketing tool for connecting business leaders to an eager audience. Now, a new study by eMarketer sheds light on one of the big questions: When to promote and schedule your audio events. Noon to 5 p.m. local time draws the most attention for audio-only content. By using a video-first approach, you can also schedule live events on YouTube and other large video platforms, extending your reach.