Andrew Bloch’s Post

A huge development in the world of search marketing this week. Open AI launched ChatGPT Search. To explain what it does, very simply you can now use ChatGPT like Google. Here's an example I asked question and the answer given. It seems to be crawling the information from Google (which is surprising I would have expected Bing given the Microsoft partnership), and then it gives you direct links to the business website and phone number. Note that there are no ads here. If this seems significant adoption, it means Google Ads becoming less important, and SEO becoming more important than ever. Also worth noting, the URLs it gives have no referral or UTM tags, so in your Analytics software (like Google Analytics) it will show under Direct/Untracked traffic, so you will have no way of knowing how much traffic you are getting from ChatGPT.

🚀 Exciting news from Google! They've officially rolled out ads in AI Overviews, transforming how users interact with search results. This innovative feature places relevant product ads labelled as "Sponsored" right alongside AI-generated summaries, making it easier for users to discover what they need. Targeted primarily at mobile users in the U.S., this update aims to enhance user engagement and connect businesses with potential customers at key moments. As competition heats up with AI-driven platforms like ChatGPT, Google is doubling down on its commitment to providing valuable, integrated experiences. Ad Placement Strategy: Securing top placements will be crucial, with ads appearing above or below AI Overviews. Marketers must optimize ad rank to maintain visibility. Performance Monitoring: Use Google's AI tools to track performance metrics and adjust campaigns accordingly for better results. This strategic shift reflects a need for adaptability in the evolving digital advertising landscape. #GoogleAds #AIOverviews #DigitalMarketing #ChatGPT

I've been using ChatGPT a lot in my business, and it’s been a game-changer—speeding up tasks and sparking fresh ideas for my clients. I hardly use Google now unless I'm looking for a local business or ordering dinner (so probably more often that I realise)! For small businesses like restaurants, construction firms, or creative companies, it’s tough to compete with the paid ads and big-budget platforms like Just Eat, Checkatrade, or Bark. AI is shifting this by helping businesses with strong SEO and quality content rank higher, not just those with massive marketing budgets. As AI search continues to evolve, the focus will shift from paid dominance to content quality and relevance. Businesses that prioritise authenticity, engaging content, and effective SEO strategies will have the opportunity to rise to the top—leveling the playing field for small businesses. The future of search isn’t just about budget, it’s about providing value. Those who adapt and leverage AI will be the ones leading in the digital space. Exciting times ahead! #AI #LocalBusiness #SEO #WeAreJungle #DigitalMarketing #FutureOfSearch

What is your go-to for search – Google or ChatGPT? Nowhere is this contrast more apparent than among college students. A couple of months ago, during my interviews with undergraduate students as part of market research, each interviewee consistently emphasized the integral role that ChatGPT now plays in their academic lives, and how ChatGPT has become a valuable asset for brainstorming, clarifying concepts, and even generating content for their assignments. While Google remains an indispensable tool for swift access to a diverse range of data, ChatGPT distinguishes itself by offering a conversational, and context-aware approach to queries. And this has significantly contributed to its popularity as a virtual study companion among college students. As this trend continues, a shift towards more specialized, user-centric tools is anticipated, especially as these undergraduates transition into the workforce. Thoughts?

Is the announcement of OpenAI search functionality baked into #ChatGPT a nail in the Google coffin? hmm... slow down. Let's go on a brief walkthrough of the new search features inside ChatGPT and first experiences.  🎥 User Experience - It feels a little clunky at first depending on the search query. Almost 180 degrees out from the normal ChatGPT experience. Results - It turns out ok results, but is myopic to the data/information it has learned from. If you're accustom to the breadth and depth of results provided back to you from a traditional search engine, you won't find it here. That said, it is easy on the eyes, focused but very narrow on results. Accuracy - For typical searches and a user who might be on the journey of seeking hotels or resorts, it's somewhat accurate, but again not to the depth that Google supplies you with. Accurate? sure. . . but buyer beware from the sources. Pay attention to where the data comes from here as I see this as the major sticking point for digital marketers (and #SEO) in 2025. Search GPT is relying heavily on the aggregator sites which are often driven by UGC. As attribution for website traffic continues to shift, understanding the data sources, where customers are hanging out and how this impacts the overall discoverability of your brand is going to key. 📈

ChatGPT Integrates SearchGPT - And we move another step closer to the FULL democratisation of Search We've come a long way from a time when Google was the definition of the search landscape—a world where brands and publishers dominated. Search = Google. Then, the rise of the initial “big” social platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter brought something transformative: a sense of community on the internet, but search remained with Google. In the last 18 months, we’ve witnessed the start of the ‘democratisation of search’, as social and search begin to intertwine. Platforms like TikTok and Pinterest empower users to create and discover content in a new, immersive way—moving us towards a truly Search Everywhere landscape - with certain searches gaining popularity away from Google. Today, see’s the initial steps by Large Language Models (LLMs) and innovative AI tools in redefining the search experience altogether. Imagine content drafted from across the web—social and search blended into a seamless, personalised experience. This shift reinforces the value of "search everywhere," and we could be witnessing THE early player in the space, SearchGPT/ChatGPT. Brands, creators, and publishers—now’s the time to embrace the Search Everywhere™ model. Getting mentions across the web, across various social-search platforms and via digital PR activations to gain coverage within publications WILL set your brand up for long term search success - especially in a world where AI is going to search the web on YOUR behalf to find you the answer to a query! Now more than ever, I would NOT be relying on Google alone as my long term vision for search strategy (thinking 3 years down the road here)

Will ChatGPT Replace Search Engines? Many people are turning to ChatGPT instead of Google for their queries, suggesting a shift in how we seek information. However, even Google admits that the future of search over the next decade is uncertain. Google's CEO commented on this evolution, saying: "We’re still in the very early days. I think people will be surprised at the level of progress we’re going to see." In line with these changes, businesses and content creators should consider the following actions for their websites: 1. Optimize for AI and Search Engines - Continue to apply traditional SEO best practices, including keyword optimization, high-quality content, and mobile-friendly design. - Implement structured data (schema markup) to help search engines and AI tools understand your content better. 2. Create High-Quality, Engaging Content - Produce content that is valuable and relevant to your target audience. 3. Leverage AI Tools - Use AI tools like ChatGPT to assist in creating content, answering customer queries, and generating ideas. - Implement AI-driven chatbots to provide instant customer support and enhance user engagement. 4. Stay Updated with Trends - Keep an eye on advancements in AI and search engine algorithms to adapt your strategies accordingly. - Invest in learning resources and training to stay ahead of industry changes. Early adopters of these strategies will gain a significant competitive advantage. #seo #wordpressseo #seoexpert #chatgpt #websitedesign #digitalmarketing #searchrankings #googleranking #businessowners #ucdigita #googleaioverview

𝗦𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝗔𝗴𝗲: 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗪𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀?? Imagine a world where you can’t even recognize when you’re looking at an ad. This morning, I was researching Mobile Device Management (MDM) companies and asked ChatGPT some questions about a list of providers. Among the expected responses, I found an intriguing tidbit. ➤ ChatGPT: 𝘞𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯 𝘔𝘋𝘔 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘳, 𝙂𝙤𝙤𝙜𝙡𝙚 𝘾𝙡𝙤𝙪𝙙 𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙝𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙨𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 <𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥> 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘎𝘰𝘰𝘨𝘭𝘦 𝘊𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘥 <𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥> 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴. ➤ I asked: 𝘋𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘈𝘞𝘚 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴? ➤ ChatGPT replied: 𝙔𝙚𝙨, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙗𝙚 𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝘼𝙒𝙎. Amazon Web Services (AWS) offers comprehensive solutions for <redacted> across <redacted> cloud environments. 🤨 Hmmmmm. Thought-provoking choice of info sharing (intentional or not). Some recent social threads have people asking when we’ll start seeing ads beside our ChatGPT interactions. That may be old-school thinking. LLM responses could very well be (or become) soaked in seamless ads that are barely noticeable, woven into answers to questions in ways that are so much more subtle than ads getting placed at the top of your Google search. Even if we’re presented with peer-reviewed facts, the presentation of those facts — including order, language, tone, omissions, connections to things we like, and more — will sway us. Combine that with LLMs learning about our style and preferences through extensive interaction with us and we will likely be influenced in ways we have yet to imagine. This is "The Social Dilemma" taken to a whole new level. Marketing organizations are currently using AI LLMs to plan and create campaigns, target their messages, and create content. Maybe that’s soon to be “classic” Marketing. The next transformational wave of marketing could very well be LLM Integrated Marketing where Marketing collaborates extensively with the AI team (or LLMs) to seamlessly integrate messaging directly into AI-generated responses. Of course, there are serious legal and ethical considerations around transparency in advertising and subliminal messaging. I hope Marketing teams will navigate these very, very carefully. 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗲𝗿𝗮 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴? What do you think of the implications? #ArtificialIntelligence #Marketing #AIMarketing

Which one are you using for Search - Google or ChatGPT? Over the last 16 months, our usage of ChatGPT has definitely changed the way we look for information in this world. Lot of people have started using GenAI bots for information, instead of the traditional way of searching i.e checking with Mother Google. Gartner predicts that by 2026, websites might get 25% less traffic from search engines like Google because of these new #GenAI agents. This change will have a significant impact on how businesses use SEO and PPC since less traffic might mean fewer customers. This may have an impact in the way Digital marketing world works. AI powered marketing is an emerging tech and we see a growth in this domain over the last 2-3 years catalyzed by GenAI. Btw, do you trust Google or ChatGPT for search?

The new ChatGPT web search (newer version of SearchGPT from within the ChatGPT's GUI window) isn't just a feature update - it's a strategic move that positions OpenAI in direct competition with Google. Here's my take on why this matters: 🔍 1️⃣ User Experience Revolution: The interface feels remarkably familiar to traditional search, but with a crucial difference - zero ads. It's like getting the best of both worlds: Google's simplicity meets ChatGPT's intelligence, minus the promotional clutter. (However, OpenAI is expected to capitalize the potential space for ads soon as another stream of revenue understandably) 2️⃣ Browser Integration Game-changer: With Chrome extension support, ChatGPT can now become your default search engine! This isn't just convenient - it's OpenAI's tactical play to capture the search market at its most fundamental level. 3️⃣ Digital PR's New Frontier: What fascinates me most is the source hierarchy. News media articles are getting priority placement in search results - just as in any other traditional search engine. This isn't coincidental - it's a clear signal about the evolving incremental value of media placements for the brands in the AI era. The implications? Digital PR is no longer just about visibility - it's about securing quality placements that will feed into AI-powered search results. Those media mentions we secure for clients? They're now doubly valuable as they influence both traditional and AI search landscapes. This shift makes me bullish about the future of strategic media placements. In an era where AI is becoming the primary information gatekeeper, having your brand featured in respected publications isn't just good PR - it's essential for digital visibility. I'm seeing this as the dawn of a new era in digital PR. The game isn't just changing - it's evolving into something entirely unprecedentedly new. PS: Find this insightful? Consider sharing. ♻️ Source: OpenAI (Link to the feature update in the comment) #DigitalPR #AI #ChatGPT #MediaStrategy #Innovation #DigitalTransformation #SearchGPT