Ready for the August highlights (and lowlights)?

Let's dive into the developments that will define your strategy this month.

This month’s marketing news seems a bit more chaotic than it has recently. The platforms are copying each other’s homework, and the creator economy is somehow both booming and bankrupt (?!). Over half of Americans are social media lurkers and have basically stopped posting, whereas our new PM declared that influencers are the future. 

Ready for the highlights (and lowlights)?

The TL:DR you need:

  • Google is playing both sides with updates to both AI Mode and traditional SERPs.
  • Edits is finally letting you bypass your design team, with more accurate branded content possible, as you can upload fonts to use on the app.
  • YouTube has finally declared war on AI slop.
  • TikTok wants to turn your best organic post into an ad (whether you like it or not).
  • WhatsApp have some updates which aren’t going to impact your marketing strategy but will make using the app much easier.

Search Updates for August

AI Updates for August

  • Ads appear in nearly 30% of AI Mode queries​. 
  • Google is still loving the man in the mirror, as it has become the second-most cited domain in AI Mode​. 
  • ​AI Mode has been building its connections, including connections with Canva, YouTube Music and Instacart​. This Connected Apps feature allows users to control these external partners directly through AI Mode.
  • ​NotebookLM has changed it’s name to Gemini Notebook.

Search Updates for August

  • ​Google Trends adds new clickable chips which add month-over-month, week-over-week, and year-over-year comparison options.
  • Using personalisation and preferred sources on Google can help small publishers.
  • Recipes are getting a glow up on Google! There are new visual elements including creator names, recipe ratings and ingredients, as well as more prominent links at the top of the result.
    • This is interesting because Google have been so focused on AI Mode recently, but they’re still investing in the experience of trad SERPs. To make sure your site is ready for any changes in how content is displayed, make sure your technical SEO health is sorted! 

Social Media & Platform Updates

Turns out, the world is getting social media burnout, not just us in marketing. Everyone! 55% of us are posting less than we were five years ago, just as the new PM Andy Burnham is going all-in on influencers. Meanwhile, HBO Max is chasing TikTok vibes with vertical feeds, Mastercard’s new creator debit card is trying to help freelancers get paid, and yet 57% of full-time creators still can’t afford rent.

Instagram Updates for August

  • Instagram Edit’s allows users to import fonts. 
    • If you work in B2B, or somewhere that is very proud of their brand guidelines, you can finally create content quicker in Edits, bypassing the design team’s queue of tasks.
  • Bilingual captions have landed in Edits, this feature automatically translates subtitles into a second language.
  • You can replace audio on feed posts and carousels after they’ve gone live.
  • Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram, reminds users that… 
    • Adding music to your carousels will make them eligible for the reels feed.
    • Posting twice in one day on Instagram doesn’t mean reach will be impacted
  • Instagram now lets you add multiple captions in a carousel.

Whatsapp Updates for August

  • WhatsApp tests a new “paid partnership” label for posts created in broadcast channels.
  • Some updates that won’t affect your marketing strategy but will make any marketing team happy: 
    • Multi-account support allows business users to manage two separate phone numbers on one device!!
    • You can make calls via the desktop app.

Google Updates for August

  • Google Images is redesigning to look more like Pinterest. 
    • This shows that Google Images is trying to move into more of a discovery platform. Your site health and alt text on images are SO important right now. 
  • Any AI slop on YouTube will not be eligible for monetisation. They have defined ‘AI slop’ as videos that include templated videos, mass-produced AI clips, repetitive formats, shock-bait, deceptive narratives, emotionally manipulative content, and more. 
    • That guy who chewed your ear off with his infinite AI business hack creating videos like this will have to think of another get-rich-quick scheme.
  • If you’re in the YouTube Partner Programme, you can package video playlists as shows with episodes and seasons.
  • Ask YouTube is being rolled out to desktop users in the US. 
    • A reminder for YouTube channel health, with SEOed video descriptions and proper video titles and captions.
  • Google Search Console now allows you to see what search terms led to people finding your social media content.

More Social Media Updates for August

  • TikTok has launched Custom Creator Networks. This turns existing brand-relevant videos into ads.
    • Your social listening has never been more important. You need to know how people are talking about you online, to understand how these videos could be used by you or your competitors. 
  • Reddit’s improved automated systems have allegedly caught 25,000 spammy posts and comments a day in the first quarter.
  • Newsletter platform Beehiiv adds a new community feature, which lets subscribers chat with each other.