Freedom Digital News
Here are this week's 4 key stories, written for business owners who need to understand the changes in the digital landscape in order to deliver strategic, profitable implications in response to the news and why you still need an expert like us to execute the plan.
(1) 🤖 ChatGPT To Run Ads
OpenAI is actively preparing to launch advertising within ChatGPT, with code references to "search ads" found in the Android app and at least one user reporting a live promotional ad. This signals ChatGPT is shifting toward an ad-supported model focused on integrating product and service recommendations directly into chat responses.
For small business owners, this is your notice. A powerful new ad channel is about to open. Just as Google search results began, this new environment allows you to reach customers in a high-intent, conversational setting and right when they are actively looking for a solution. Early adoption here can lock in favorable positioning before the rush.
The opportunity is huge, but the format is new. Don't waste your budget guessing how to advertise in a chat environment. We create the strategy to integrate your brand into this new conversational ad format, ensuring your service is the AI's preferred recommendation, not just a random ad placed below the result. We turn the chat box into a revenue driver.
https://searchengineland.com/chatgpt-ads-android-code-user-reports-first-ad-465517
(2) Meta Boosts Purchase By 5X
New research from Meta shows that ads designed natively for Reels (which means short-form, authentic, platform-first creative) can lift purchase intent by a massive 5.3x. Meta’s key takeaway is that success relies on fast storytelling, using combined speech and music, and including clear Calls to Action (CTAs) that look and feel like organic Reels content, not traditional video spots.
For business owners, this is a clear sign that if you are recycling your old TV or YouTube ads for Reels, you are wasting money. It can have the same tone or campaign but needs to be relevant for the platform. The Reels audience is ready to buy, but they punish low-effort creative. This data shows the immense conversion potential waiting for the businesses that can deliver platform-optimised content.
The platform provides the data (a 5.3x lift is possible), but you need expert creative execution. We specialise in developing and running the rapid "test and learn" creative framework required to achieve that lift. We take the guesswork out of short-form video, ensuring your content is authentically native and drives purchases, not just views.
https://searchengineland.com/meta-native-reels-ads-can-lift-purchase-intent-5-3x-465615
(3) 📊 Google AI For High Sales
A new study focusing on transactional queries (searches like "find a dentist" or "best lawyer") in Google's AI Mode shows that 69% of users still click through to a website. Furthermore, the old rule of "rank #1 or die" is gone; users are checking an average of 3.7 businesses from the AI-generated list. The key to winning the click is superior social proof (reviews).
For local and service-based small businesses, stop panicking about AI stealing your most valuable traffic, it's not. The AI Overviews are not replacing the human need to compare service providers. The goal is no longer chasing the #1 spot, but focusing your SEO strategy on being in the "consideration set" (the top 3-5 results) and having a rock-solid, 5-star reputation.
We diagnose which of your keywords are high-value and transactional (and therefore safe) and which are low-value and informational (and at risk). We then adjust your strategy to focus on the new battlegrounds: optimising your Google Business Profile (GBP) and implementing an aggressive review generation and management strategy to ensure you always win the click from the AI's curated list
https://searchengineland.com/google-ai-mode-traffic-transactional-queries-data-465604
(4) 🛒 Morrisons 300 Digital Screens
Major retailer Morrisons is rolling out 300 programmatic digital advertising screens at store entrances as part of a move to leverage Retail Media. This follows rivals like Tesco, who are using digital out-of-home advertising to target shoppers at the "moment of decision-making" (when they are literally walking into the store).
For brands in consumer goods, food, or local services, this opens up a new, highly-targeted, "last-mile" advertising channel. You can now target shoppers who are physically minutes away from making a purchase. This is a crucial link between your digital marketing efforts and the physical world.
This type of advertising is highly effective but complex. It requires an omnichannel strategy. We design the framework that connects your existing online paid campaigns (PPC or Paid Social) with these high-impact in-store screens. We ensure you target the same customer seamlessly from the digital ad on their phone to the final message they see right before they reach the checkout aisle.
https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/morrisons-launch-300-digital-screens-stores-bold-move-catch-tesco-1758658
If you’d like to explore how Freedom Media Group can help you build your next-generation marketing strategy contact us at team@freedommediagroup.co.uk