• Click-through rate climbs on Google’s notorious AI overviews.
• Cost-per-click ads are now live in OpenAI’s flagship ChatGPT.
• Google Search executive warns about “commodity content.”
• Google Local Review replies are now moderated.
• Google “opts out” of using spam reports with personal info.

More Search Users Are Clicking to Investigate AI Overview Sources

One of the complaints around Google’s shift to AI Overviews and other generative AI content is how these features can divert traffic away from publisher websites, like your brand’s. Even though AI engines usually cite their sources clearly, that doesn’t always translate into traffic for those source websites.

Still, click-through on Google AI Overviews is climbing. Overview features now see a click-through of about 2.4%, with the majority of those clicks going to websites within the search engine results page that were cited in the Overview. Although it’s rising, click-through is lower than it is on searches with no Overview.

What does it mean? While it’s too early to generalize based on this new data, it does point to an intriguing possibility: As people become more aware of what current AI can do, they also become more alert to all its limitations. Increased clicks on citations suggest more people are fact-checking AI, a growing trend.

ChatGPT’s First Generation of CPC Ads Is Now Live in Its App

When a digital company introduces ads, it has two common options: Cost-per-click and cost-per-impression. Of these, the former can be riskier for the ad network: Advertisers pay for the ad only when a user actually clicks on it. By contrast, impression-based ads charge each time an ad is seen by a user.

After a strong start with CPM ads (cost per thousand impressions), ChatGPT has seen its CPM values crash from about $60 at launch to about $25 today. Now that cost-per-click ads are here, advertisers have an alternative. It clocks in around $3 to $5 per click and helps tie advertising spend to clear digital marketing outcomes.

What does it mean? It’s not out of the ordinary for rising ad networks to diversify their product portfolio early on. What is intriguing is that, with a shift to relatively low-cost pay-per-click, ChatGPT is gunning for the kind of performance-based marketing spend that Google currently dominates. Stay tuned for ongoing developments.

“Commodity Content” Could Harm Brand Search Visibility

You already know the basic rule of business: Commodities compete on cost, luxuries compete on experience. Service-based businesses, especially, can’t afford to be framed as commodities – get stuck there, and you’ll be dragged into a race to the bottom on price. Now, Google wants you to know this applies to online content, too.

At Google Search Central’s Toronto event, Google executive Danny Sullivan presented about the kind of content Google intends to prioritize on search in the age of AI. He highlighted three differentiators for the best content:

• Unique: Brings a viewpoint, information, or content that others cannot easily replicate.
• Specific: Talks about a specific instance or situation rather than generic rules or steps.
• Authentic: Demonstrates firsthand knowledge or expertise about the subject matter.

What does it mean? Google has always had two main business goals: Keep people on its platform and justify its ever-increasing ad prices to advertisers. It has the most to lose if authentic human content is drowned out by low-quality “slop,” and these emerging standards show that it is aware of the risk.

Replying to a Review? All Replies Now Subject to Moderation

Responding to your Google Reviews has long been a key part of local search engine optimization (SEO). When you respond to reviews in a polite, professional manner, you add the human touch to what could easily seem like another digital marketing chore to check off your to-do list.

Until now, business responses to Google Reviews have been shown immediately. Now, they are held for review. After screening, Google may approve or reject them. There’s no word yet on how Google is handling the need for so much moderation, but it’s reasonable to suspect AI will be used.

What does it mean? While most businesses shouldn’t notice a difference from this tweak, it’s wise to double-check your replies. Aggressive replies and those with personally identifying data are more likely to be declined.

Google Reverses Controversial Policy on Spam Reports

Google has backtracked on its mid-April announcement that all information submitted in a spam report will be passed on to the offending website. Instead, spam reports with personally identifying data will be discarded.

In a world where digital marketing is always changing, systems work better than fads. Contact New York Ave to discuss how time-tested, proven marketing systems can help you reach your brand goals.