The Top Three

🏆 THE INDUSTRY’S MOST IMPORTANT STORIES TODAY

🥇 GOOGLE SEARCH GOES FULL AI

🪦 Here lies search as we know it: Google GOOGL ( ▼ 0.39% ) has launched Gemini 2.0 for AI Overviews, and soon, even more AIOs will appear at the top of search results including for minors with accounts. Even logged-out users will see them soon.

But there's more — Google also rolled out AI Mode, a new search option that delivers AI-only results. more

• In this mode, the traditional 10 blue links are gone, with Gemini completely taking over the results.

• The LLM skips the standard web links and generates a response to users’ search, which can include web summaries, Knowledge Graph content, and shopping data.

• The experimental feature is currently only available to Google One AI Premium subscribers in Search Labs.

🥈 GOOGLE EXPANDS AI SHOPPING

🛒 From imagination to cart: Google also rolled out new AI shopping features, letting consumers visualize and try on fashion and beauty products.

• Vision match: Consumers can now describe clothing they’re envisioning, and AI will generate visual suggestions with shoppable options.

• Virtual makeup try-on: Shoppers can test celebrity-inspired makeup looks using AR, combining products from multiple brands.

• Expanded virtual clothing try-on: Pants and skirts from hundreds of brands are now available for virtual try-on, viewable on a range of model body types.

🥉 REELS: 3 MINUTES IS THE NEW CAP

⏲️ Reel it in: Instagram shared some Reels posting tips yesterday. The list is the exact same list that it shared with creators last year, with one change: You shouldn’t post Reels longer than 3 minutes.

• Last year, Instagram advised against Reels over 90 seconds, citing lower engagement and less algorithmic reach for longer clips.

• But in January, IG head Adam Mosseri said that creators felt 90 seconds was too short, so the platform bumped the limit up to 3 minutes.

• Now, they’re saying not to go over 3 minutes. 🫠 

Today’s Other News

📰 EVERYTHING ELSE THAT MATTERS

Advertising 📣

• Ads are coming to Copilot. Microsoft MSFT ( ▼ 1.03% ) is launching two new features in its AI chatbot to lure advertisers:

  • Showroom Ads: A split-screen mimicking in-store guidance with brand interaction on one side and Copilot handling follow-up questions on the other.

  • Ad Voice: Explains why ads appear based on user queries, with branded AI agents letting brands engage directly with Copilot responses.

• AI is taking over ad buying, like it or not. Tech giants are pushing advertisers to trust AI algorithms for automated campaigns, but many are uneasy with the lack of control, especially around placements and targeting. As AI-driven ad buys are expected to dominate 80% of digital media by 2030, the Wall Street Journal looks at what surrendering control to these “black box” tools means for marketers.

Influencer Marketing 🤳 

• Influencer marketing is becoming a minefield for marketers. Content creators are speaking up about politics and consumers are here for it. But brands? Not so much. Digiday has a great piece up today about how most brands are unwilling to show up next to politically outspoken creators, fearing controversy. As a result, marketers are facing a shrinking pool of brand-safe partnerships.

Search 🔍

• Google has updated its robots meta tag documentation to include controls for the new AI Mode feature in Search Labs. The update lets site owners manage how their content appears across Google's AI features, including AI Mode and AI Overviews. more

  • The nosnippet rule now applies to all search results, including AI tools, and will also prevent the content from being used as a direct input for AI Overviews and AI Mode.

  • The max-snippet rule now applies to all forms of search results, and it also limits how much content can be used in AI Overviews and AI Mode.

Social Media 📱

• TikTok is channelling its inner Groupon GRPN ( ▼ 3.01% ): The app is reportedly expanding its U.S. business by hiring in Seattle, L.A., and New York to build a “local services” team that will help small businesses and creators facilitate promotional opportunities. This follows an initiative that started last year in Southeast Asia offering vouchers for restaurants, hotels, and flights. more

• 🤳 Storing users' face data again: META ( ▼ 4.4% ) is expanding facial recognition for security. Soon, users in the UK, EU, and South Korea will be able to verify their identity for account recovery on Facebook or Instagram with a video selfie. more

  • The company is also rolling out facial recognition for scam detection to high-profile users in these regions. The tech helps identify “celeb-bait” scams by matching ad images to high-profile users' photos, confirming legitimacy with official profiles.

• 📍 Visit LinkedIn IRL: The professional network LNKD ( 0.0% ) has opened its first-ever offline experience center in London, offering a space for in-person professional interactions and events… but in real life. more

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