X’s new link preview function is artificially inflating web traffic and skewing attribution and engagement metrics for publishers and brands, per The Verge. The feature collapses posts when links are clicked on, letting users bookmark, like, repost, and reply while viewing a webpage. It also preloads pages before any interactions, resulting in false page views. Marketers and publishers should audit their analytics tools and scrutinize any sudden, extreme traffic spikes. Prioritizing first-party data and metrics like time spent and conversions—rather than simply counting page views—will help provide more reliable insights.
Social media marketers are prioritizing user-generated content (UGC) and influencer collaborations. More than three-quarters (82%) of B2B and B2C marketers say UGC is at least somewhat important, per Emplifi. But marketers are facing challenges with their workloads. Just 7% report never feeling burned out, and nearly half say they need more headcount and resources. Marketers should invest in joint UGC and influencer strategies and monitor impact beyond vanity metrics, and CMOs should focus on building teams that can work together across silos efficiently.
After more than a year of AI stumbles, Apple will reportedly pay Google $1 billion annually to use a custom-built version of Gemini, Google’s flagship AI model, to power a next-generation Siri—marking one of Apple’s boldest AI moves yet, per Bloomberg. A smarter Gemini-infused Siri could redefine how users find information, products, and services—shifting search and ad engagement from text to voice. For marketers and advertisers, this means adapting quickly to a world where voice agents become the new gatekeepers of attention.
As marketers navigate complex legal, ethical, and operational minefields around user privacy concerns, consent and preference management platforms (CPMPs) can streamline processes and build customer trust. In a conversation with EMARKETER, Donna Dror, CEO of consent management platform Usercentrics, highlighted the importance of privacy-led marketing to obtain higher-quality data, stay compliant, and protect brand image. To make privacy a priority, not an afterthought, brands should integrate consent tools into marketing workflows, audit data sources regularly, and communicate clearly how user data is being accessed and used.
Podcast advertising is maturing into an attractive and reliable channel for repeat advertisers and strategic testing. US podcast ad spending in Q3 grew 26% YoY, per Magellan AI’s Q3 Podcast Advertising Benchmark Report. Ad loads have held steady at around 8% for five straight quarters, reflecting balance between monetization and user experience. CMOs should capitalize on podcasts’ potential for high recall and context-rich storytelling. Start by finding the best shows and hosts for placements and adapting marketing materials from social or print to fit audio channels.
Artificial intelligence now shapes how insights are gathered and applied. Over the past year, nearly all US market researchers (98%) have used generative AI, and 72% use it at least once a day, per a new Harris Poll–QuestDIY survey. AI’s speed and scale have replaced early skepticism, even as trust continues to lag behind. Brands adopting AI should build oversight and human judgment into their marketing pipelines to guarantee that every automated insight passes the test of accuracy, transparency, and brand integrity.
Google added integrations to Gemini that pull information and insights from Gmail, Google Chat conversations, and Google Drive files. It can also connect with PDFs, Docs, Slides, and Sheets. For enterprise users, this means faster and more context-rich insights—especially for tasks like internal research, competitive benchmarking, or campaign planning, where information is often scattered across different tools and channels. Marketers should begin with targeted use cases like analyzing brand sentiment from team discussions or summarizing performance reports.
66% of US banking executives say their leadership team or board has discussed allocating budget or resources to AI, more than triple the share for any other emerging tech, according to July data from Bank Director and Jack Henry & Associates.
Consolidation in the streaming industry is leading connected TV (CTV) budgets to become more concentrated, per our latest US TV and CTV Ad Spending Forecasts. Key changes on the horizon: Mergers on the horizon, as well as companies concentrating their streaming options, could change who holds power in the TV industry. CMOs should prepare for a CTV landscape dominated by fewer, data-rich platforms. That means deepening direct partnerships with leading streaming providers to gain priority access to premium inventory, and investing in AI-driven analytics to enhance creative testing and budget optimization inside walled gardens.
Instacart has launched a new suite of AI-powered tools aimed at helping grocers deliver more personalized and efficient shopping experiences both in-store and online. The rollout includes features like Cart Assistant for customized recommendations, Store View for real-time shelf monitoring, and Agentic Analytics for data-driven insights. Instacart’s bet is that the more it can use emerging technologies to simplify life for both grocery shoppers and retailers, the stickier its platform will become.
Dating app fatigue has set in for many consumers, but one entrant in the market is quietly catching on among younger consumers—Facebook Dating. The feature, which launched in 2019, has amassed more than 21 million daily active users (DAUs), compared with Hinge’s 15 million, per The New York Times. To capitalize on the dating feature's growth and user engagement, brands should use zero-party data to target ads based on profile preferences—such as users who are interested in shopping, outdoor experiences, or live events—while ensuring placements don’t feel intrusive in an intimate, high-intent environment.
The race to succeed Twitter is maturing into a two-lane race. Meta’s Threads has surged to 150 million daily active users, per Meta, while decentralized rival Bluesky has climbed to 40 million users, per TechCrunch. The post-Twitter world is segmenting. Threads offers scale and a burgeoning ad ecosystem, but Bluesky might be better for more organic brand engagement with specific user groups. For brands, the opportunity lies in balance: Use Threads for audience growth and measurable performance and Bluesky to test tone, voice, and authenticity. Together, they offer a preview of where digital conversation and brand storytelling are headed next.
Tomorrow’s grocery shoppers will expect AI tools that anticipate their needs, faster checkouts, and consistent pricing across channels. In this new era, convenience and technology will shape behavior, but value and trust will remain the deciding factors.
AI is reshaping the future of work at agencies, from reducing junior roles to cutting down on hiring altogether. Nearly all (91%) of US senior agency leaders expect AI to reduce agency headcounts, per Sunup’s AI’s Effect on the Marketing Industry report. Over half (57%) of agencies have slowed or paused entry-level hiring. To maintain value in the AI era, agencies should protect and cultivate talent pipelines and use AI to deepen offerings like audience insights and personalized campaign plans, which automation alone can’t replicate.
OpenAI signed a seven-year, $38 billion cloud compute deal with Amazon Web Services (AWS), its first partnership with the cloud market leader. The development effectively ended the startup’s exclusive reliance on Microsoft, its primary backer, per CNBC. OpenAI will use existing AWS data centers, and Amazon will build dedicated infrastructure for OpenAI as part of the ChatGPT maker’s expansion. While hyperscalers like AWS, Microsoft, and Google race to secure workloads, costs for training and inference are expected to decline. For brands, this means reduced outage risks and increased options for deploying AI-driven creative, analytics, and automation systems at scale.
When it comes to AI investment, Google CEO Sundar Pichai's mantra that the risk is underspending, not overspending, seems to be holding true at Meta. It forecast roughly $600 billion on AI-related capital expenditure over the next three years, but investors are questioning whether that philosophy has limits. Meta’s heavy focus on AI could aid its ad offerings, especially personalization options and its AI-powered ad suite. At the same time, overspending could lead to uneven focus that leaves other ventures—including its cash-burning Reality Labs and plateauing interest in Facebook—vulnerable.
Meta, Google, and Microsoft are spending at historic rates in the race to secure AI dominance. Each posted record quarterly earnings last week—and warned that even higher capital expenditures are an imperative for growth, per Wired. For marketers, the AI buildout presents both an opportunity and a cautionary tale. As Big Tech chases scale, brands must chase substance—using AI not for hype, but for measurable value today, not in the future. AI’s future isn’t guaranteed by capital—it’s earned through trust, differentiation, and adaptability. Brands that master those traits will thrive no matter how the infrastructure race unfolds.
WPP cut its full-year outlook after Q3 organic revenue fell 5.9% to £2.46 billion, its steepest quarterly decline since 2020. New CEO Cindy Rose said the company “hasn’t gone fast enough” to meet client needs and outlined a turnaround focused on AI, operational efficiency, and simplifying its agency network. WPP’s slump reflects broader challenges facing holding groups in the AI era: proving value through speed, integration, and measurable results as brands increasingly turn to self-serve, platform-driven ad solutions.
Fraudulent streaming is siphoning royalties from human artists, complicating ad targeting for marketers, and leading consumers to listen to AI-generated music without their knowledge. Fraudulent genAI content can degrade users’ streaming experience and make it harder for advertisers to accurately plan campaigns since they may not know what user data is legitimate, Inna Vasilyeva said. With data quality and trust serving as major elements of campaign deployment and optimization, brands must demand transparency from streaming platforms and prioritize verified ad inventory.
Ad-supported and free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) are surging in popularity—what started as low-cost, complementary streaming options are becoming primary destinations for discovery. Total US hours spent watching FAST services reached 1.8 billion in August, per Comscore’s 2025 State of Streaming report, up 43% YoY. Advertisers should view FAST and ad-supported streaming options as a crucial part of the CTV media mix, tapping into rising demand for budget viewing options and the services’ wealth of user engagement data for campaign optimization.