A lot has moved in the digital world this week – and it’s probably a wake-up call for everyone in the industry. Meta’s going all-in on automating ads, Google’s facing serious pressure to split up its ad business, and the way people search – and buy – keeps evolving. Old strategies are fading, and new ones are emerging fast, so let’s unpack what’s changed.

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1. Zuckerberg vs. the Ad Industry

It’s the end of advertising as you know it… or, at least, that’s what Mark Zuckerberg seemed to say in a recent interview with Stratechery. Zuckerberg’s proposal involves letting Meta take over your entire marketing process: generating creatives, targeting audience, measuring results, and optimising, all without human input.

We’re looking at a fully automated ad machinery, which can make the jobs of agencies and creatives obsolete. To nobody’s surprise, industry insiders aren’t exactly thrilled with the idea – plus, there’s Meta’s history of messy ad metrics and brand safety to consider.

That said, for small businesses without huge ad budgets or marketing teams, this would definitely sound like great news.

What this means for you:

While it could look like Meta wants to eliminate your role, remember that you still have an edge over machines: strategic thinking and authentic brand voice. Use this to your advantage while utilising all the help you can get from AI. Employ these tools not to replace your expertise but to expand on it.

Remember: the businesses that survive won’t be those fighting against automation but those who master the art of instructing it.

2. Google Faces More Legal Threats

The US government has demanded Google to break up its ad tech empire, claiming that the company has built an illegal monopoly on online advertising. This comes after allegations that Google controls the market for tools used for publishing banner ads on websites.

Already facing scrutiny over supposed unfair practices concerning Chrome and search, the Justice Department argues that behavioural remedies are insufficient and will not keep Google from finding a new way to dominate the internet. Hence, the proposed remedy is a full dismantling of Google’s ad publisher and exchange businesses.

District court judge Leonie Brinkema agreed with most of the arguments – and appeared unimpressed with Google’s attempt at defence – but urged both sides towards mediation to avoid a lengthy trial.

What this means for you:

If you rely heavily on Google ads, you might want to start preparing for some big changes ahead. While nothing is set in stone yet, don’t wait until it’s too late to diversify your ad platforms and marketing strategies. Use this time to test alternatives to Google’s suite while studying new integrations that will help ensure the continuity of your current campaigns.

3. Google Officially Launches AI Mode

On a lighter note, Google has removed the waitlist for its experimental chatbot, AI Mode in Search, and is now available to anyone in the US aged 18 and above.

Google’s VP of Search Robby Stein claims this has created an “expansionary moment” for new user experiences. Unlike AI Overviews (those AI-generated summaries that appear on top of your regular search results), AI Mode combines traditional search with a conversational interface that lets you ask complex questions, compare products, and even upload images. It’s like Gemini with a search results sidebar.

Despite widespread concerns, the company insists this won’t hurt publishers and hasn’t reduced overall click-through rates. For now, we’ll just have to take Google’s word for it.

What this means for you:

Let’s get this straight: old keyword strategies won’t cut it when users are uploading their photos and asking Google questions about them. Beyond that, content strategies built purely around ranking might start to deliver less desirable results now.

So, start experimenting with AI Mode immediately to understand how your content appears in this new interface. Create content that directly answers complex questions that users wouldn’t necessarily type into a search box but would type into a chatbot. Most importantly, cover all your bases and diversify your traffic sources outside Google search.

4. The Funnel Is Dead: Long Live the Feed

As if you need any more convincing, here’s another story that proves the point: traditional marketing is no more. The marketing funnel you were taught to follow – awareness, consideration, decision – has been quietly dying for years now… and social media delivered the final blow.

Consumer behaviour has changed. Based on insights from hundreds of influencer campaigns, Gen Z, who spends nearly 3 hours daily on social media, doesn’t follow a neat path to purchase. Instead, they move through the known stages – Discovery, Hype, Purchase, and Community – all at once. In other words, the customer journey now looks more like a loop than a ladder.

It’s messy, fast-paced, and constantly evolving, just like the internet itself.

What this means for you:

To stay current, you need to ditch the old funnel and think like your audience. Forget planning for clean, step-by-step conversions because today’s audience comes across your brand in bits and pieces, not stages.

Your priority should be establishing simultaneous touchpoints rather than following a sequence. To do this, you’ll need to show up in the feeds they scroll and make sure you have a presence in the communities and groups they trust. Create the feeling that your audience is missing something essential if they’re not participating.

Forget about going viral; the goal is to be consistent.

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