Welcome to The Week in Data, MarTech and AI, a weekly roundup from Quad Insights that sums up the latest news surrounding the technology–driven transformation of marketing.
Generative AI is upending traditional internet search habits, new study shows
OpenAI’s ChatGPT has been dramatically increasing the daily traffic it sends to unique domains, a sign of the growing impact of generative AI search, a new study from Semrush and Statista shows. Unique domain referrals from ChatGPT accelerated from 10,000 a day in July to over 30,000 a day by November 2024, according to the research.
Most of the AI-powered search referrals involved searches concerning education, information technology and software; retail, finance and healthcare domains also showed large interest, the study shows. Overall, Google still dominates search, with 6.5 billion visitors in December 2024 — 11 times larger than ChatGPT’s traffic at 566 million. “As SEOs, we do not need to abandon the tactics we’ve always relied on, but we do need to evolve them,” Crystal Carter, Head of SEO Communications at Wix Studio, observed in the study.
More AI developments:
- “LinkedIn Is Testing an AI Tool That Could Transform How People Search for Jobs” (Wired)
- “California bill would make AI companies remind kids that chatbots aren’t people” (The Verge)
- “OpenAI’s $200 deep research will write reports for you but is it worth it?” (Dataconomy)
- ICYMI: “AI At The Top: Execs Believe In It More Than Entry-Level Marketers” (MediaPost)
Nielsen signs new ratings agreement with Paramount Global networks
With upfront season on the horizon, Nielsen and Paramount Global have overcome their differences and are doing business again in audience measurement, Brian Steinberg of Variety reports. The organizations just reached a new multiyear agreement that re-establishes Nielsen as a ratings partner for programs on CBS, Comedy Central and other Paramount networks. Paramount had turned to other providers since last fall in a dispute over fees and methods for measuring multiplatform viewership. Since that time, Nielsen has received Media Research Council accreditation for its Big Data + Panel approach.
Previously: “Nielsen gets Media Rating Council sign-off on new TV audience measurement” from the Jan. 24 edition of The Week in Data Marketing, MarTech and AI
More on measurement:
- “Buyers Are Glad Nielsen Is Moving Away From Panel-Only Ratings” (AdExchanger)
- “Hubbard Renews with Nielsen for its Audience Measurement” (Adweek)
- “LinkedIn Publishes New Guide on Evolving Marketing Measurement” (Social Media Today)
- “The LA Fires: How multiplatform local media became a lifeline” (Nielsen)
35,000%
That’s the approximate increase in redemptions of offers on cheese puff snacks during Super Bowl week by users of Ibotta, a free app that pays cash back on purchases. That’s according to Ibotta CEO Bryan Leach, who spoke with host Chris Brooklier on The Current Report podcast about Super Bowl advertising trends.
Brands are looking beyond Super Bowl ads to score with omnichannel marketing
More and more brands are leaning into measurable marketing opportunities adjacent to the Super Bowl without sinking millions into a national big game ad, Chris Kelly of Marketing Dive reports. Busch Light beer, Tullamore D.E.W. Irish whiskey and Procter & Gamble’s Spruce weed killer are among the brands pursuing more targeted, regional ad buys, while others are pursuing second-screen, social media and in-person/in-store experiences, Kelly writes. Examples of brands embracing the latter strategies include Tums and DraftKings and Twix. “Just because a company doesn’t buy an ad during the game doesn’t mean they can’t take advantage of it,” Greg Zakowicz, Senior E-Commerce expert at marketing platform Omnisend, tells Kelly.
Workday study: Generative AI is poised to unlock greater human potential
What if generative AI could help companies become more human? It’s possible, new research from Workday suggests, as long as managers recognize the unique-to-human traits of ethical behavior, conflict resolution, relationship building and emotional intelligence. Among the key findings on how AI is affecting the workplace: 83% of respondents (among those who use AI actively) see it as a tool for enhancing creativity. One conduit for this: 93% say AI gives them more time to focus on deep work, per Digital Workforce Trends. As Workday describes it: “This isn’t just a trend; it’s a fundamental redefinition of what it means to thrive in the age of AI.”
More on AI/human collaboration:
