AI search, shopping, and ads in all the wrong places
Another month, another flurry of updates that prove digital marketing is basically the Wild West — but with more algorithms and less cowboy hats. In May, the big players made it clear: AI isn’t just a tool anymore, it is the interface. From Bing’s new Copilot-powered search experience to ads popping up in chatbot convos, search and performance marketing are shifting fast — and not always where you’d expect.
Let’s break it all down without the fluff.
If you’ve opened Bing lately (don’t lie, we know some of you do), you may have noticed things are looking… different.
On April 4, Microsoft launched Copilot Search, a new results page that blends traditional links with an always-on AI chat panel. It’s like Bing took one look at Google’s AI Overviews and said, ‘Challenge accepted.’
Now, instead of just a list of links, you get a summary of results, suggested follow-up questions, and a Copilot side panel that sticks around while you browse. It’s all part of Microsoft’s shift away from “Search in Bing” for work accounts — and it’s already live in the UK and US, with Arabic support on the way.
TL;DR: Copilot is now a core part of Bing search — turning every query into a conversation.
Because of course they did.
Google’s now testing AdSense placements inside AI chatbot convos. They’ve already trialled it with AI search apps like iAsk and Liner, and plan to open the gates to more chatbot providers soon. According to Google, it’s part of “AdSense for Search” — except now “search” might mean asking a chatbot for restaurant recommendations at 7 pm on a Friday.
If Gemini isn’t already monetised this way, we’re betting it will be soon.
What this means for marketers: expect more granular chatbot ad formats to show up in AdSense dashboards before long.
OpenAI wants a piece of the ecommerce pie.
ChatGPT’s shopping features now include categories like fashion, electronics, home goods, and beauty. It’s all based on structured third-party data, not ads — yet. But it’s still early days, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see affiliate links or product ads sneak in down the line.
What’s exciting: it’s conversational, remembers your preferences, and doesn’t require keyword gymnastics. Basically, it’s shopping with a very helpful friend — one who knows your style and doesn’t judge your purchases
Brands, take note: structured data and accurate product feeds are more important than ever.
Big PSA for Shopify users: if your Google tags live in old checkout scripts, you will lose data unless you migrate. Don’t wait. Missing conversion data can throw off months of reporting and campaign optimisations.
Shopify’s updating its checkout flow and deprecating legacy analytics and ad scripts. To keep your GA4 and Google Ads tracking intact, you’ll need to switch to their official Google & YouTube app.
Shopify Plus stores: migrate by August 28, 2025
All other stores: deadline is August 26, 2026
Great news for data nerds (we say that lovingly): Google just gave the Search Console API the revamp we’ve all been waiting for.
You can now pull hour-by-hour data for the last 10 days — impressions, clicks, CTR, and position. Perfect if you’re analysing campaign spikes or fine-tuning time-based strategy.
You’ll need to use a new [hour] dimension and the [hourly_all] data state to access it. It’s not 100% complete (some hours may be partial), but it’s still a major win.
More granularity = better insight = smarter decisions.
Meta’s not messing around in 2025. After testing in select markets (the US & Japan), ads are now live globally on Threads — their answer to X, minus the chaos.
With over 350 million monthly users, Threads is now a digital channel worth paying attention to. It’s a legitimate ad platform now, and placements are fully integrated into Meta Ads Manager, so if you’re already running campaigns on Instagram or Facebook, Threads is just a checkbox away.
Bonus: Meta added Inventory Filters so you can control the type of content your ads sit next to. Smart, given how unpredictable social media can get.
Why test Threads placements?
Text-first audience = great for short-form copy and real-time ads
Lower CPMs (for now)
A fresh format before everyone else piles in
AI and automation continue to shake things up — but it’s not just noise. These changes point to real shifts in how people search, shop, and engage with content.
What to keep in mind this month:
Structured data is now the backbone of AI discovery — polish it up.
Ad formats are getting weirder (chatbots? Threads?), but that means fresh opportunities.
And if you’re not looking at your search performance by hour yet… maybe start.
We’ll be back next month with another round of updates — but in the meantime, if you need help keeping up or want to test something new, you know where to find us.