Google

AI Search Intelligence is very much in vogue and Adobe’s SEMrush acquisition proves it

Adobe’s $1.9B move for SEMrush, Google’s release of Gemini 3 and the first ads appearing inside AI answers all point to the same thing: the industry is shifting from SERPs to AI-driven answer engines. Here’s why this week matters more than most.

Survey

Google fires the next shot in the AI shopping war - changing how products are found, compared and bought

One thing is becoming clear: the fight for shopping isn’t happening on websites anymore - it’s happening inside AI assistants. Google’s latest update pushes the industry closer to a world where the buying journey is run by agents, not shoppers.

ChatGPT

How to master ASO in 2025: AppTweak’s Simon Thillay on growth, data and AI discovery

AppTweak’s Simon Thillay breaks down what’s driving app visibility in 2025 - from custom product pages and download velocity to AI’s role in discovery. Plus, inside: Apple’s $1B AI deal with Google, Perplexity’s clash with Amazon, and the rise of AI Search Intelligence platforms.

App marketing

Which retailers won Halloween in AI Search and what Big Tech’s $400B AI bet means for brands

Alphabet, Amazon, Meta and Microsoft all reported earnings this week. Alphabet impressed with strong ad and cloud growth and saw its stock rise, Microsoft beat expectations but dipped on AI-driven cost concerns, while Meta’s revenue beat was overshadowed by soaring expenses and weak profit, sending its shares sharply lower.

Perplexity

The next search revolution: Duane Forrester on the evolution of search in the AI era

Search is changing faster than ever. As AI systems replace lists of links with direct answers, marketers face a seismic shift in how visibility is earned and measured. Drawing on decades at Microsoft and Bing, Duane Forrester explores how intent, context, and human understanding will define the next era of discovery - and what it really takes to stay visible when machines start thinking for themselves.

Perplexity

5 charts that prove AI search is reshaping the internet

From ChatGPT’s explosive growth to the rise in attribution mentions and ad budgets, the data paints a clear picture - AI search isn’t a side trend, it’s a structural shift. These five charts show how discovery, attention, and money are rapidly flowing toward conversational platforms - and what that means for brands preparing for this new era.

AI Search

US lets Google off lightly as Europe fines €3.45bn, OpenAI hires content strategist and AI search reshapes traffic

US regulators go soft on Google as Europe fines €3.45bn. OpenAI turns to a human strategist, underlining the value of expertise even in the AI age. Meanwhile, AI search is continuing to eat clicks and reshaping the web’s traffic model.

ChatGPT

Elon Musk sues Apple and OpenAI for allegedly colluding to favour ChatGPT whilst Perplexity launches publisher revenue-share

Elon Musk takes Apple and OpenAI to court over alleged App Store bias, Perplexity offers publishers a new revenue lifeline, and media groups brace for “Google Zero” as AI Overviews reshape traffic. Here’s what matters, and why.

ChatGPT

Shifts in search behaviour, Google’s Gemini push and OpenAI’s scraping strategy

From shifting search behaviours to Google’s Gemini push into the home and OpenAI’s behind-the-scenes data sourcing, here are the key stories shaping AI and search this week.

From “SEO is dead” to GPT-5 and Grok AI ads - the week that shook search

This week saw a headline that rattled SEOs, a major leap forward for AI capabilities, and a signal that advertising will soon be integrated into the very fabric of AI responses. Here’s what it means for your strategy - and the conversations you’ll need to have in the boardroom.

GEO

Google expands AI Mode, Figma’s IPO soars, and Anthropic closes in on OpenAI

Google expands AI search to the UK. Figma lights up Wall Street. Anthropic's revenue surge puts OpenAI on notice. This week, we’re tracking AI Search expansion, platform disruption, and why the AI battleground is far from settled.

GEO vs SEO: how generative engines are changing the rules of search

What GEO means for organic performance, how it differs from SEO, and what actions marketers should take now.

Perplexity

From search box to smart browser: Why Perplexity’s Comet is a big deal

Perplexity's Comet just redefined what a browser can and will do - Google should take note.

Perplexity

AI wants it all — but publishers are pushing back

From pay-per-crawl debates to plummeting traffic, the battle lines are being drawn.

ChatGPT

AI Disruption, App Store Power Moves, and Publisher Pressure Continues

From Apple’s updates for app marketers to the slow erosion of publisher traffic by AI, here’s what’s actually shaping business, marketing and tech this week.

ChatGPT

Digital strategy, flawed attribution, and sceptical thinking in the AI age

How to rethink marketing effectiveness, challenge assumptions, and use AI to ask better questions - not automate bad answers.

ChatGPT

Google just launched the FUTURE OF SEARCH with AI Mode and how to make your brand visible in ChatGPT 👀

Bonus edition of Franc Talking with Jon Earnshaw and Mccaine Chan of Pi-datametrics

Video

Technical SEO in 2025: Why site health is the foundation for AI success [VIDEO]

Franc Talking: A newsletter by Be Franc. Edition 15. Are we entering the golden era of Technical SEO?

Technical SEO

Is ChatGPT's global dominance slipping? What US tariffs mean for ad giants and do we need to rein in our own AI habits?

A break from our usual Franc Talking format....

ChatGPT

Leading content in 2025: How to align teams, scale with AI, and cut through the noise [VIDEO]

Franc Talking: A newsletter by Be Franc. Edition 14.

SEO

The future of search. Google in 2025, AI and SEO. [VIDEO]

Franc Talking: A bi-weekly newsletter by Be Franc. Edition 9.

Video

Google’s DOJ troubles, Jaguar’s rebrand backlash, Revolut’s 50M milestone, and Eric Schmidt on AI’s future

Franc Talking: A weekly newsletter by Be Franc. Edition 7.

SEO

Google's November core update in full swing, Black Friday is nearly here and Bitcoin continues to surge

Franc Talking: A weekly newsletter by Be Franc. Edition 6.

SEO

Open AI revenue breakdown, Shein's profits soar, Google under the DOJ microscope and more

Franc Talking: A weekly newsletter by Be Franc.

ChatGPT

Google

AI Search Intelligence is very much in vogue and Adobe’s SEMrush acquisition proves it

Google fires the next shot in the AI shopping war - changing how products are found, compared and bought

How to master ASO in 2025: AppTweak’s Simon Thillay on growth, data and AI discovery

Which retailers won Halloween in AI Search and what Big Tech’s $400B AI bet means for brands

The next search revolution: Duane Forrester on the evolution of search in the AI era

5 charts that prove AI search is reshaping the internet

US lets Google off lightly as Europe fines €3.45bn, OpenAI hires content strategist and AI search reshapes traffic

Elon Musk sues Apple and OpenAI for allegedly colluding to favour ChatGPT whilst Perplexity launches publisher revenue-share

Shifts in search behaviour, Google’s Gemini push and OpenAI’s scraping strategy

From “SEO is dead” to GPT-5 and Grok AI ads - the week that shook search

Google expands AI Mode, Figma’s IPO soars, and Anthropic closes in on OpenAI

GEO vs SEO: how generative engines are changing the rules of search

From search box to smart browser: Why Perplexity’s Comet is a big deal

AI wants it all — but publishers are pushing back

AI Disruption, App Store Power Moves, and Publisher Pressure Continues

Digital strategy, flawed attribution, and sceptical thinking in the AI age

Google just launched the FUTURE OF SEARCH with AI Mode and how to make your brand visible in ChatGPT 👀

Technical SEO in 2025: Why site health is the foundation for AI success [VIDEO]

Is ChatGPT's global dominance slipping? What US tariffs mean for ad giants and do we need to rein in our own AI habits?

Leading content in 2025: How to align teams, scale with AI, and cut through the noise [VIDEO]

The future of search. Google in 2025, AI and SEO. [VIDEO]

Google’s DOJ troubles, Jaguar’s rebrand backlash, Revolut’s 50M milestone, and Eric Schmidt on AI’s future

Google's November core update in full swing, Black Friday is nearly here and Bitcoin continues to surge

Open AI revenue breakdown, Shein's profits soar, Google under the DOJ microscope and more

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