ChatGPT ads hit 15K advertisers, Google clicks keep shrinking
ChatGPT Ads are past the experiment stage
Roughly 15,000 companies are now running ads on ChatGPT, based on detection of OpenAI’s ad tracking pixel. Early adopters skew toward software and tech, growth-stage companies, and US businesses. Reddit advertisers show the strongest crossover, with 9.6% of them also running ChatGPT Ads.
The pattern worth noting: companies already investing in organic ChatGPT visibility are also more likely to buy ads there. Some businesses appear to be treating ChatGPT as a full acquisition channel spanning organic, referral, and paid, not just a place to experiment.
Google Search revenue is up, but publisher traffic is down
Google Search revenue rose 17% to $63.3 billion last quarter. Revenue from ads placed on publishers’ sites fell. The traffic that remains has shifted away from news, health, and cooking content toward product-focused sites.
The operator implication is specific. How-to content no longer pays because AI answers the question without naming a brand. A buying question is different: it can’t be answered without naming a product. That makes detailed product documentation the content worth publishing, and paywalled expertise the content worth selling.
LinkedIn split its feed again
LinkedIn is testing two separate feeds: a For You feed and a Network feed that shows only posts from connections and followed accounts. The ranking algorithm itself is unchanged, but connections could matter more for distribution now that network content has its own dedicated tab.
Two other LinkedIn updates worth tracking: comments are now ranked differently per viewer based on relevance and connections, and LinkedIn says long-form articles are cited more often in AI search results than standard feed posts. The platform also launched a Premium proofreading tool.
One CTA rewrite lifted sign-ups 39%
Exclaimer changed its homepage button from “Start free trial” to “Try it free for 14 days.” That single change increased trial sign-ups by 39% with nothing else on the page modified. Making the trial length explicit and framing the action as low-commitment did the work.
The broader principle holds for any ecommerce or SaaS page: spell out what the offer actually is. Shoppers and users should not have to calculate what they’re getting or how long it lasts.
AI-generated ads: more volume, fewer winners
According to an analysis of AppsFlyer’s State of Creative Optimization 2026 report, more AI-generated ad variations are not producing more winning ads. The growth in AI-generated creatives is concentrated among the biggest spenders and consists mostly of localization and small edits rather than new ideas. Ad algorithms are putting a growing share of spend behind a handful of winners, and the traits that win on video often lose on statics.
18% of senior marketing leaders have already cut roles due to AI
According to Gartner research, a majority of high-performing marketing teams are expected to cut traditional entry-level jobs by 2030. Cutting those roles entirely would break the talent pipeline. The recommended shift is to move junior hires into higher-value work earlier, such as evaluating AI outputs and connecting recommendations to outcomes, backed by coaching and mentorship.
I’m founder of BizStack at Cagri Sarigoz LLC and a passionate advocate for entrepreneurs.
With over 14 years in tech, marketing, and AI, including my role as Head of SEO at CitizenShipper and co-founder of TaleBot at Intale AI, I’m dedicated to sharing genuine, useful product insights and tips.
At BizStack, I aim to cut through the digital noise to provide clear, actionable advice.
And more than all else, I’m a father to a (always) little girl and a husband.
Contact me at [email protected] for assistance.
