Forty-two percent of people believe Google is now “less useful”
People are losing faith in Google search results. Just 14% say they are “very helpful”, while 42% believe SERPs are becoming less useful. This sentiment is more pronounced among younger people, especially Gen Z, who are turning to AI tools instead.
In a story covering the research by Vox Media, news site The Verge noted: “Legacy tech (e.g. Google) and social platforms are rapidly losing ground as trust and authenticity fade, with more people flocking to AI chatbots, niche communities, and platforms like TikTok.”
The findings might worry Google, especially as its market share recently dropped below 90% for the first time in 10 years.
Meta plans new AI app
Meta is reportedly planning to launch a mobile app for its AI assistant, Meta AI. The new standalone version is being positioned as a direct rival to ChatGPT. According to sources close to the company, the Meta AI app is expected to arrive before the summer.
After hearing the news, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman quipped, “Ok fine maybe we’ll do a social app” in a post on X.
Meta has invested significant sums in AI, with not a great deal to show for it just yet. The Meta AI chatbot has been available since September 2023, but a dedicated app might help it gain traction against more popular rivals.
Education tech company sues Google
Google is the target of a new lawsuit filed by Chegg, a publicly traded education tech company. Chegg claims its traffic and revenue have plummeted since the emergence of AI Overviews (AIOs), which now take pride of place at the top of search results.
In a statement, Chegg said: “Unfortunately, traffic is being blocked from ever coming to Chegg because of Google’s AIO and their use of Chegg’s content to keep visitors on their own platform.”
Chegg lost $6.1m during the last quarter, down 24% from a year earlier. The California-based company offers online learning tools, including digital textbook rentals and tutoring, and has relied on organic and paid SEO to drive engagement.
Google responded by stating that AI Overviews “send traffic to a greater diversity of sites.” However, it now faces a significant lawsuit which may end up in court.
Instagram considers Reels app
Meta wants everything to be an app, it seems. A new report has revealed behind-the-scenes talks about spinning off Instagram Reels into a separate mobile app.
Media company The Information claimed: “Instagram is considering launching a stand-alone app for its short-form video feature, Reels, Instagram chief Adam Mosseri told staff this week, according to a person who heard the remarks.”
The plans are part of a special project, codenamed ‘Project Ray’, designed to topple TikTok from its short-form video pedestal. It’s believed that Instagram is also overhauling its recommendation system for new users and pushing more 3-minute videos.
Lidl’s protein products sell out in minutes on TikTok
Lidl made a surprise appearance on TikTok this week, becoming the first supermarket to launch on ‘Shop’. A limited run of a few thousand high-protein products was clearly in high demand for gym-goers. All its products sold out in just 18 minutes.
Kantar Insights media head, Hannah Walley, says retailers are quickly recognising just how useful TikTok Shop can be for engaging new customers online.
She noted: “Our data shows there’s real appetite from consumers to explore shopping on the app – 46% of users are open to trying TikTok Shop or have already bought through it.”
Instagram DMs get big upgrades
Instagram DMs got a glow-up last week with new features designed to make them more competitive with rivals like WhatsApp and iMessage.
Users can now schedule direct messages by long-pressing the send button and selecting an appropriate time and date. Meta says you can lock and load a text up to 29 days in advance.
There are also new music-sharing, “pin”, and translation (for 99 languages) features.
In what appears to be a nod to other more music-focused apps such as TikTok, Instagram will now let users share 30-second previews of songs in group chats and broadcast channels.
Google AI Overviews change regularly
A new study by SEO software company Authoritas has found Google AI Overviews are more volatile than organic listings.
Over a three-month period, around 70% of AI Overviews changed for identical queries. In general, the webpages served in AI-generated answers have a much higher volatility score compared to organic rankings.
The study also found that ranking well in organic SERPs is not a strong indicator for appearing in AI Overviews. In fact, web pages outside the top 10 organic results ranked in AI Overviews 40% of the time.
