A milestone for DERU Digital
EXPERT INSIGHTS
Nick Bennett shares how a B2B company avoided wasting $50K on paid ads by investigating its funnel first. Lead volume was healthy, but deals were stalling after the first meeting. Check conversion rates, deal engagement, and sales handoffs before spending more on acquisition.
Peter Buckley highlights research suggesting AI users interact with more touchpoints because they still need to verify recommendations. Consistent product information, incrementality testing, and strong brand preference matter more when buyers take longer, less predictable paths to purchase.
Liam Moroney looks at Phave’s launch in a marketing automation category where demand for established players has been declining. The opportunity may lie in solving problems legacy products haven’t adapted to, rather than competing on the same old terms.
Sofie Sue Rutgeerts discusses research showing that media mix and sequencing can influence brand lift and purchase intent. The practical lesson: establish brand memory through high-attention placements, then use other channels to reinforce it. The best sequence depends on your campaign objective.
Precious Thundu highlights concerns about potentially invalid traffic in ChatGPT ad campaigns, including one test in which 58% of recorded visits were flagged as bots. The sample was limited, and other research found much lower invalid-traffic rates overall, so don’t assume the same pattern applies to every account. Compare billed clicks with server logs, investigate suspicious traffic sources, and monitor engagement before scaling.
INDUSTRY HIGHLIGHTS
Google is rolling out optional channel prioritization and budget allocation controls across Search, Shopping, Performance Max, and Demand Gen. Advertisers can prioritize selected channels and limit the share of spend directed to lower-priority ones, making it easier to test inventory without giving up as much control. Note that allocation limits are best-effort, not guaranteed caps.
Google Ads is introducing a report that connects search queries with ad copy, landing pages, and matching sources in AI Max for Search campaigns. Use it to identify mismatches between what people search for and the ads or pages they see, then refine targeting and messaging based on conversion quality.
Google is experimenting with a conversational setup experience that lets advertisers describe campaign goals in their own words. AI would then suggest relevant goals and assets, although a manual setup option remains available. It’s still an experiment, so the level of control and wider availability are unclear.
ChatGPT appears to have stopped adding its usual UTM tracking parameter to some outbound links, potentially causing AI-driven visits to be classified as direct traffic. If ChatGPT referrals suddenly drop while direct traffic rises, investigate both trends together before assuming your AI visibility has declined.
The new API lets organizations create and manage user groups, update membership, and assign permissions programmatically. For agencies and larger analytics teams, it could reduce repetitive admin work and make access management more consistent across accounts and properties.
A new beta lets eligible Video Reach campaigns run without a manually set Target CPM, with Google adjusting bids to maximize reach while spending the available budget. Advertisers prioritizing predictable CPMs may prefer manual bidding, while others can test automation and monitor cost, reach, and frequency.
Google is moving Lookalike segments toward suggestion-based targeting by default, giving its AI more flexibility to reach beyond selected audiences. Advertisers who need strict audience restrictions should review the opt-out option, while those seeking scale should monitor conversion quality and acquisition costs before embracing broader delivery.
THAT’S A WRAP FOR THIS WEEK!
Found a take or update that caught your interest? Repost this newsletter or tag a colleague who needs to see it.
See you next week!
