Google’s new AI Search is live — and guess what? It’s great for users, not so much for your traffic. Meanwhile, ad formats are shifting, inboxes are still dodgy, your headlines might be hurting your CTR, and the Head of Marketing still needs a job description. Fun times.
SEO’s Grim Future? Or Just a Bit of a Shake-Up?
Google’s “AI Overviews” have now been out of the lab and into the wild for a little while. Designed to answer questions directly in search results, these overviews are reducing the need to click through to actual websites. Reports suggest some sites are already seeing up to a 30% traffic drop. That’s not a tweak — that’s a slap. Read more.
There’s still value in showing up, but it’s looking more like a citation game now. Google’s generative AI grabs information, rewrites it, and serves it back without necessarily sending anyone your way. We’re inching closer to an answer engine than a search engine — and for anyone depending on organic traffic, that’s a hard pill.
So what now? Think less about ranking and more about being referenced. Structured data, clear answers, trusted sources. You want your content cited by the machine, not skipped altogether. Less fluff, more facts, more AI Optimisation.
This shift hits the core of your visibility. Our SEO services have already adapted to this — if you’re worried your search presence is about to vanish into an AI blur, talk to me.
Ads Are Now AI-Native — Like It or Not
Based on the Google Marketing Live, we got confirmation that AI-powered ad placements are no longer a concept — they’re baked in. Ads are now showing up inside AI Overviews and in the brand-new AI Mode interface. Yes, ads are being served inside the thing that’s replacing search results. Subtle. Read more here.
This is going to create a new arms race for visibility — not just for SEO, but for ad placement and contextual relevance. Google says it’s great for users. Marketers might disagree, especially those trying to keep costs down and conversions up. One thought that does strike me is that in every other channel, the platforms revshare with creators – not in Google’s world though.
You’ll need to rethink creative strategy, keyword alignment, and targeting. If your ad content doesn’t play nicely with AI-generated context, you’ll get lost. We’re not talking keyword stuffing — we’re talking clever copy that fits the AI output like a glove.
Our PPC and Paid Social services are already preparing clients for this shift. If you want to keep showing up in the AI mix, let’s talk strategy — before your ads become invisible.
Compliant and Still in Spam? Yep.
Even if you’ve ticked all the boxes — SPF, DKIM, DMARC — your emails might still end up in spam. Turns out inbox placement is now more about engagement than authentication. If people don’t open, click, or interact, your next campaign might not land at all. Read more.
This is email marketing’s unspoken truth: technical compliance is just the beginning. It’s the bare minimum. What really matters now is whether recipients actually want to hear from you. Your reputation with inbox providers is tied to behaviour, not just protocols.
So the focus shifts to maintaining interest. Clean lists, catchy subject lines, useful content, and regular sending schedules that don’t scream spammer. Oh, and bin the old list from 2019. It’s not doing you any favours.
If your email campaigns are compliant but still underperforming, our Email & CRM Services can sort it. Book a chat — we’ll get you back in the inbox.
Headlines Still Matter (Yes, Even in 2025)
There’s a fresh reminder from Google that your ad headlines actually matter. Headlines that are vague, irrelevant, or misleading are still killing performance. You know the ones — “Amazing Offer” that doesn’t tell you what the offer is. Users are tired. They want specifics. Read more here.
The advice? Make it useful. Match the query. Answer the question. Highlight one thing and make it count. Don’t try to do it all in one go — that’s what descriptions are for.
If you’re not running A/B headline tests, you should be. And if your ads aren’t getting clicks, the headline’s the first place to start. No AI magic will save a boring or baffling message.
We do this daily through our Digital Marketing & Strategy services. If your click-through rates are flatlining, let’s workshop some headline fixes.
Head of Marketing: Title, Job, or Punching Bag?
In startups, “Head of Marketing” often means everything and nothing. You’re expected to deliver branding, leads, PR, and sometimes coffee — all while having little budget or authority. It’s a role that’s wildly misunderstood and usually underpowered. Read more.
This mismatch creates frustration. Senior leaders think marketing should “just work,” while marketers wrestle with unclear goals, broken funnels, and unrealistic timelines. It’s not a recipe for sustainable growth — it’s how you burn people out.
If you’re a founder, define the role properly. If you’re the marketer, push for clear KPIs, decision-making power, and realistic expectations. Without that, you’re not building a growth engine — you’re building a resentment machine.
Our Virtual CMO services exist for exactly this reason. If your startup marketing feels more chaos than strategy, we should have a chat.
Annnd That’s a Wrap
Search is changing, ads are evolving, inboxes are stricter than ever, and your job title might need a rewrite. The one constant? Strategy and knowledge application still wins. If you’re tired of playing catch-up with every Google update, let’s get ahead of it — together.
Recent Belmore Digital Articles:
You may have missed these articles and be champing at the bit to read them :-)
