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Google sued by Chegg over AI Overviews hurting traffic and revenue

Chegg, the publicly traded education technology company, has sued Google over its AI Overviews, claiming they have hurt its traffic and revenue. The company said that AI Overviews is “materially impacting our acquisitions, revenue, and employees.”

What Chegg said. Chegg wrote:

Second, we announced the filing of a complaint against Google LLC and Alphabet Inc. These two actions are connected, as we would not need to review strategic alternatives if Google hadn’t launched AI Overviews, or AIO, retaining traffic that historically had come to Chegg, materially impacting our acquisitions, revenue, and employees. Chegg has a superior product for education, as evident by our brand awareness, engagement, and retention. Unfortunately, traffic is being blocked from ever coming to Chegg because of Google’s AIO and their use of Chegg’s content to keep visitors on their own platform. We retained Goldman Sachs as the financial advisor in connection with our strategic review and Susman Godfrey with respect to our complaint against Google.

More details. CNBC reports that “Chegg is worth less than $200 million, and in after-hours trading Monday, the stock was trading just above $1 per share.” Chegg has engaged Goldman Sachs to look at options to get acquired or other strategic options for the company.

Chegg reported a $6.1 million net loss on $143.5 million in fourth-quarter revenue, a 24% decline year over year, according to a statement. Analysts polled by LSEG had expected $142.1 million in revenue. Management called for first-quarter revenue between $114 million and $116 million, but analysts had been targeting $138.1 million. The stock was down 18% in extended trading.

The report goes on to say that Google forces companies like Chegg to “supply our proprietary content in order to be included in Google’s search function,” said Schultz, adding that the search company uses its monopoly power, “reaping the financial benefits of Chegg’s content without having to spend a dime.”

Here is more from Chegg’s statement:

While we made significant headway on our technology, product, and marketing programs, 2024 came with a series of challenges, including the rapid evolution of the content landscape, particularly the rise of Google AIO, which as I previously mentioned, has had a profound impact on Chegg’s traffic, revenue, and workforce. As already mentioned, we are filing a complaint against Google LLC and Alphabet Inc. in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, making three main arguments.

  • First is reciprocal dealing, meaning that Google forces companies like Chegg to supply our proprietary content in order to be included in Google’s search function.
  • Second is monopoly maintenance, or that Google unfairly exercises its monopoly power within search and other anti-competitive conduct to muscle out companies like Chegg.
  • And third is unjust enrichment, meaning Google is reaping the financial benefits of Chegg’s content without having to spend a dime.

As we allege in our complaint, Google AIO has transformed Google from a “search engine” into an “answer engine,” displaying AI-generated content sourced from third-party sites like Chegg. Google’s expansion of AIO forces traffic to remain on Google, eliminating the need to go to third-party content source sites. The impact on Chegg’s business is clear. Our non-subscriber traffic plummeted to negative 49% in January 2025, down significantly from the modest 8% decline we reported in Q2 2024.

We believe this isn’t just about Chegg—it’s about students losing access to quality, step-by-step learning in favor of low-quality, unverified AI summaries. It’s about the digital publishing industry. It’s about the future of internet search.

In summary, our complaint challenges Google’s unfair competition, which is unjust, harmful, and unsustainable. While these proceedings are just starting, we believe bringing this lawsuit is both necessary and well-founded.

Google statement. Google spokesperson Jose Castaneda said, “With AI Overviews, people find Search more helpful and use it more, creating new opportunities for content to be discovered. Every day, Google sends billions of clicks to sites across the web, and AI Overviews send traffic to a greater diversity of sites.”

Why we care. Will Chegg win in a court against Google? Will Google have to rethink its AI Overviews and find better ways to send traffic to publishers and site owners? It is hard to imagine but this may be the first large lawsuit over Google’s new AI Overviews.

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Microsoft Bing testing Copilot Search

Microsoft is testing a new version of Bing named Copilot Search, where it uses Copilot AI to provide a different style of search results. It looks different from the main Bing Search, it looks different from Copilot and it looks different from the Bing generative search experience.

More details. The folks over at Windows Latests reported, “Microsoft is testing a new feature on Bing called “AI Search,” which replaces blue links with AI-summarized answers. Sources tell me it’s part of Microsoft’s efforts to bridge the gap between “traditional search” and “Copilot answers” to take on ChatGPT. However, the company does not plan to make “AI search” the default search mode.”

You can access it at bing.com/copilotsearch?q=addyourqueryhere – just replace the text “addyourqueryhere” with your query.

What it looks like. Here is a screenshot I captured of this interface:

Why we care. Everyone is looking to build the future of search now – with Google Gemini, Google’s AI Overviews, Microsoft Bing, Copilot, ChatGPT Search, Perplexity and the dozens of other start up AI search engines – the future of search is something they are all trying to crack.

This seems to be one new test that Microsoft is trying out for a new approach to AI search.

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Personalize your marketing without compromising privacy by Edna Chavira

As privacy regulations evolve and consumer expectations shift, marketers face a growing challenge: delivering personalized experiences while respecting data privacy. How can you navigate this changing landscape without sacrificing engagement?

Join MarTech.org’s upcoming webinar, Balancing Personalization and Privacyto explore best practices for responsibly collecting and managing first-party data, building trust with privacy-conscious consumers, and simplifying data integration across large organizations.

Our expert speaker will also address key industry challenges, from handling highly regulated sectors to adapting to opt-out technologies like Apple’s Do Not Track, and discuss the emerging role of generative AI in consent-driven advertising.

Future-proof your data strategy and balance personalization with privacy. Sign up today!

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X launches AI-powered tools that create ads, analyze campaigns

X launched two new features to help advertisers automate ad creation and analyze real-time ad campaign performance. The new features – Prefill with Grok and Analyze Campaign with Grok – are (as the names imply) powered by Grok, X’s AI assistant.

Prefill with Grok. Enter your website URL and Grok will generate ad copy, imagery, and a call-to-action headline. You can tweak as needed. Here’s what it looks like:

Analyze Campaign with Grok. Grok will analyze campaign data and offer insights and recommendations to optimize targeting and creative strategy.

What’s next. The rollout began Feb. 21. It will continue in phases, expanding to more advertisers.

Why we care. This move aims to streamline the ad creation process and make data-driven optimizations faster, cutting down on manual effort and potentially boosting campaign performance.

The announcement. Grok for Advertisers: Introducing New AI Tools for Brands.

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Most Popular AI Apps

Currently, the mobile AI apps market is valued at $2 billion, primarily led by the success of ChatGPT and the sector continues to rise with more apps.

In 2024 alone, over 4 thousand new AI apps were released and downloads reached a staggering 1.49 billion times across all AI apps.

But what are the most popular AI apps worldwide and in the US, besides ChatGPT?

Most Popular AI Apps (Top Picks)

  • As of January 2025, ChatGPT ranks as the most popular AI app worldwide with 349.41 million monthly active users worldwide.
  • ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Doubao were the most downloaded AI apps worldwide in 2024.
  • In 2024, ChatGPT became the most popular AI app in the US, recording 31 million downloads.

Most Popular AI Apps Worldwide by Monthly Active Users (January 2025)

ChatGPT was the most popular AI app in January 2025 with 349.41 million app monthly active users worldwide (excluding website users).

Most Popular AI Apps Worldwide by Monthly Active Users (January 2025)

A total of 6 AI-first apps have an active monthly user base of 30 million and over.

Here’s a complete ranking of the most popular AI apps worldwide as of January 2025 ranked by monthly active users:

Note: Data above includes app users only, excluding website users.
Rank, App Developer App Monthly Active Users Worldwide
1. ChatGPT OpenAI (US) 349.41 million
2. Doubao ByteDance (China) 78.61 million
3. Nova HubX (Turkey) 56.6 million
4. DeepSeek DeepSeek (China) 33.7 million
5. Talkie AI SubSup (Singapore) 32.8 million
6. Remini Bending Spoons (Italy) 31.77 million
7. ChatOn AIBY (US) 29.1 million
8. Character AI Character Technologies (US) 28.75 million
9. Ask AI Ai Search (US) 28.35 million
10. Chatbot App HubX (Turkey) 25.65 million
11. FaceApp HubX (Turkey) 25.35 million
12. Hypic ByteDance (China) 19.95 million
13. Kimi Moonshot AI (China) 19.43 million
14. AI Mirror Polyverse (US) 19.37 million
15. Google Gemini Google (US) 19.18 million
16. Genius No data available 16.67 million
17. Umax No data available 16.11 million
18. Luzia Luzia (Spain) 16.04 million
19. Photoroom Photoroom (France) 13.67 million
20. AI Chatbot No data available 13.49 million

Source: Aicpb

Most Popular AI Apps by Downloads Worldwide (2024)

ChatGPT was the most downloaded AI app in 2024 by far with 250.1 million installs worldwide, followed by Gemini and Doubao.

Most Popular AI Apps by Downloads Worldwide (2024)

Here’s a complete table of the most downloaded AI apps across iOS and Google Play worldwide in 2024:

Note: Download estimates above include data for 99 countries and the total number of worldwide downloads may differ.
Rank, App Downloads Worldwide (2024)
1. ChatGPT 250.1 million
2. Google Gemini 81.5 million
3. Doubao No data available
4. Microsoft Copilot No data available
5. Nova 31.7 million
6. ChatOn 29.6 million
7. Chatbot AI 29.2 million
8. Talkie 27.9 million
9. Character AI 27.9 million
10. Genius 23.2 million

Source: Analysis of Sensor Tower, Appfigures data

Most Popular AI Apps by Downloads in the US (2024)

In 2024, ChatGPT was the most downloaded AI app in the US with 31 million downloads, followed by Microsoft Copilot and Google Gemini.

Most Popular AI Apps by Downloads in the US (2024)

Here’s a complete list of the most downloaded AI apps in the US in 2024:

Rank, App Downloads in the US (2024)
1. ChatGPT 31 million
2. Microsoft Copilot No data available
3. Google Gemini 7 million
4. PolyBuzz 6.5 million
5. Question.AI 6.5 million
6. Talkie 6 million
7. Character AI 5.4 million
8. ChatOn 5.4 million
9. Linky AI 3.52 million
10. Future Baby Generator: Cosplay 2.72 million

Source: Analysis of Sensor Tower, Appfigures data

Most Popular AI Apps by Downloads in the US in First 18 Days Since Launch in the App Store

ChatGPT’s US launch ranked #1 with 1.4 million downloads in the App Store in the first 18 days since app release, followed by Google Gemini (951 thousand) and Microsoft Copilot (518 thousand).

AI Apps by Downloads in the US in First 18 Days Since Launch in the App Store

Here’s the complete list of the most downloaded AI apps in the US in the first 18 days of release for each app:

Rank, App Downloads in the US (First 18 Days)
1. ChatGPT 1.4 million
2. Google Gemini 951 thousand
3. Microsoft Copilot 518 thousand
4. DeepSeek 384 thousand
5. Grok 256 thousand
6. Claude 132 thousand

Source: Appfigures

The post Most Popular AI Apps appeared first on Backlinko.

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Google Ads tests new “Advanced Plans” feature for budget optimization

A new “Advanced Plans” section within Google Ads’ Reach Planner tool was spotted by digital marketing expert Brent Neale.

The big picture. The tool represents Google’s continued push toward automated campaign optimization, offering AI-driven recommendations for budget allocation.

How it works. Advanced Plans suggests a mix of ad types based on advertisers’ goals, creating specific plans for both conversion creation and capture.

Why we care. The feature could help advertisers more effectively allocate their budgets across different ad types based on specific conversion goals.

Between the lines. This appears to be part of Google’s broader strategy to simplify campaign planning while leveraging its machine learning capabilities.

What’s next. The feature appears to be in testing, suggesting Google may be gathering feedback before a wider rollout.

Bottom line. If successful, Advanced Plans could streamline the campaign planning process for advertisers while potentially improving conversion outcomes.

Read more at Read More

Why you need humans, not just AI, to run great SEO campaigns

Why you need humans, not just AI, to run great SEO campaigns

“Why can’t we just use AI to do it?”

Whether you’re on the brand or agency side of SEO, I’m guessing you’ve heard some version of this from an exec or a client with little knowledge of AI tools, SEO principles, or both.

I’ve been asked that question multiple times because the other party saw or heard about modest success from LLM-generated content that got some clicks and impressions.

My answer: because thousands of LLM-produced pieces of content do not a successful SEO program make. 

This article dives into the human and AI roles in today’s SEO landscape, including:

  • What people are getting wrong about AI and content.
  • What AI can and can’t do for SEO campaigns.
  • What an expert can tackle with AI tools.
  • The North Star of 2025 SEO (as I see it) and why you need humans to reach it.

(Note: No LLMs were used to write this article.)

What people are getting wrong about AI and content

When people ask, “Can we just have AI write 1,000 blog posts?,” they assume there’s a linear progression. 

For instance, if a blog post gets 100 visits/month, won’t 1,000 blog posts get 100,000 visits? 

  • No, that’s not the way SEO works. It’s not a linear discipline. 
  • More importantly, that approach means you’re just putting crap out there. You’re essentially using AI to build your own content farm of stale, repetitive language. 

There’s no value for the user or positive affinity for the brand.

Now, you could use AI tools and strategic prompts to quickly create a solid base for a piece of content, then apply human editing and a unique POV. 

In most cases, that’s faster than the content process was before AI, and it’ll produce much better content than 1,000 LLM-produced pieces, but it still requires human input.

In short, forget about spamming Google with a ton of poor LLM content. Your users won’t read it, and ultimately, it won’t do anything beyond maybe inflating your vanity metrics. 

And, crucially, Google won’t like it.

Whenever Google deals with an explosion of people doing the same (easy) thing to game the system, you want to zig while others are zagging. 

Don’t be part of the problem that triggers – and gets wiped out by – a huge algo update.

Dig deeper: 3 ways to use AI for SEO wins in 2025

What AI can and can’t do for SEO campaigns

Along with being unable to produce differentiated content, AI is being asked to do things like “come up with keywords” or “do internal links” on its own. 

If you’re just having AI look at your site and update links without careful QA, you’ll just end up with a lot of crappy internal links. 

It’s the same thing with keywords: you might get a huge list, but lots of them will have low volume, be barely relevant, or be straight-up garbage.

Anytime someone says, “Let’s just use AI for [task],” try it once, gauge the output and the time needed to bring it up to anything resembling human baseline, and you’ll have a more nuanced answer.

On the other hand, there are a few proven use cases for AI in SEO – and while they still involve human input, they’re big time-savers that free up the experts to address more strategic initiatives.

For instance, if you have good source data and/or good, well-substantiated original thoughts, AI is great for remixing them into something organized and usable. 

Let’s say you conduct a thorough interview with a solutions engineer. AI can highlight, categorize, and synthesize the most salient parts of the interview, leaving you to QA the output and layer in your own voice. 

Not only does this save you time, it helps surface patterns in big data sets that you might never have spotted on your own – or at least nowhere near as quickly.

Dig deeper: How to optimize your 2025 content strategy for AI-powered SERPs and LLMs

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What an expert can tackle with AI tools

If you approach AI tools with the right expectations, they can be incredibly powerful. 

I often use it for technical content like briefs and concepts – but as part of the drafting process. Draft 0.5 (we’re not talking 1.0) is a ChatGPT remix for me. 

That said, non-technical people using LLMs to help establish a base for technical content is fine, but even after you make it sound good, you still need an expert in the field to review the end product for fact and substance.

As mentioned, AI tools can be great for synthesizing large data sets and producing trend and sentiment analyses. 

If you’ve got a list of keywords, it’s a good practice to ask AI to come up with additional keywords. 

I also like using it for title tag and headline options. 

I’ll write one good headline with a character limit and a target persona and ask an LLM to riff on that version.

Instead of painstakingly writing five, I’ll write one really good one, use an LLM to produce a few more, and let the client choose.

So, sometimes AI is a great starting point, and sometimes it’s a great second step.

It depends on the scenario, and it takes practice to understand where its power is most effectively leveraged. 

But the answer is rarely to let AI run wild and consider the output final.

Dig deeper: 15 AI tools you should use for SEO

Why you need humans to reach the SEO pinnacle in 2025

If we can agree that SEO’s ultimate goal should be to drive down-funnel results like pipeline and sales, I’d like to offer what I see as the best way to get there in 2025: become the primary source for Google and LLMs to cite. 

Use proprietary data and establish a unique POV for your brand, and own the topic by understanding everything the user needs to learn related to the primary keyword (or conversational question).

Becoming a primary reference is fundamentally incompatible with LLMs and AI, which are by nature derivative. (In other words, you can’t be the source by pulling from the source.) 

LLMs and AI, at this point, don’t produce anything new or unique, which is what users crave – hence the rise of TikTok and Reddit search juxtaposed with the emergence of LLM search

That means you need human input to truly stand out and engage users by being a trusted reference on Google or LLMs.

Smart SEO uses AI – but still needs people to win

The other day, a colleague asked me what kind of AI tool I wish someone would build for SEO. 

My answer, which is completely wishful thinking, was a tool that would show me a network of connected ideas that haven’t been written about. A content gap analyzer of sorts that identifies what people aren’t saying. 

Given the nature of AI and the way it sources material, though, I think that’s inherently impossible (how can you source a negative?) – at least for now. 

At the rate AI tools are being developed, it’s worth monitoring. 

We’ll be surprised at the use cases that get addressed in the next year alone. 

I’m also guessing that no matter how good the tool, humans will always be needed to operate it. 

Dig deeper: AI can’t write this: 10 ways to AI-proof your content for years to come

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How to prevent PPC from cannibalizing your SEO efforts

How to prevent PPC from cannibalizing your SEO efforts

If you manage both SEO and PPC, striking the right balance is key to maximizing efficiency and ROI. 

When paid search campaigns compete with high-performing organic listings, brands end up spending more while gaining little additional traffic. 

Keyword cannibalization dilutes search performance, inflates costs, and reduces overall marketing effectiveness.

This guide will help you recognize the warning signs of PPC cannibalization, test its impact, and implement strategies to ensure both channels work together for optimal results.

Signs your PPC campaigns are cannibalizing your SEO rankings

Declining organic click-through rates

If your organic rankings remain stable but CTRs are dropping, your paid ads might be stealing traffic from your organic listings. 

This is usually the result of branded or high-ranking keywords being simultaneously targeted in PPC campaigns.

It’s also important to note that additional SERP features, ad placements, and AI-driven search results have contributed to a general decline in organic CTRs across the board.

Increased PPC clicks with no overall traffic growth

If PPC campaigns drive more paid traffic, but total website visits remain unchanged, your ads may be diverting clicks that would have otherwise come from organic search.

Google Analytics 4 (GA4)’s Traffic Acquisition Report makes identifying this issue easier. You can compare period-over-period traffic changes by channel side by side.

GA4 Traffic Acquisition report

Organic conversions declining while paid conversions increase

If paid search conversions are rising but overall conversions remain flat or decline, PPC may be cannibalizing organic conversions rather than expanding your reach.

This is especially common with Performance Max (PMax) campaigns, which often prioritize branded terms for their higher ROI. More on that later.

Dig deeper: How to maximize PPC and SEO data with co-optimization audits

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3 steps to prevent PPC from cannibalizing your SEO

1. Audit PPC and SEO keyword overlap

Not all overlapping PPC and SEO keywords cause cannibalization. 

However, to safeguard your top-ranking keywords, exclude them from your PPC campaigns.

To speed up your analysis, filter organic search terms where your website ranks position 4 or below – since most clicks go to pages ranking in positions 1-3.

Additionally, sort search terms by click volume to identify phrases most susceptible to cannibalization. 

Then, cross-reference your organic search terms with your Google Ads Search Terms report to pinpoint where you’re paying for traffic you’d otherwise get for free.

2. Use negative keywords to exclude strong SEO performers

If certain terms already perform well organically, you can use negative keywords to prevent them from triggering paid ads. 

By applying exact-match negative keywords, you avoid cannibalization while still targeting related peripheral phrases in your ads.

Google Ads Negative Keyword tool

Dig deeper: How to use negative keywords in PPC to maximize targeting and optimize ad spend

3. Refine brand bidding strategies and implement brand exclusion lists

Bidding on branded terms is often unnecessary since users searching for a brand already intend to visit its website.

Paying for traffic that would otherwise be free is rarely a good investment.

However, PPC brand bidding becomes essential when competitors target your brand.

In such cases, recapturing your brand space is a necessary expense – but fortunately, it’s much cheaper than bidding on a competitor’s brand.

The importance of brand exclusion lists

Brand exclusion lists help prevent wasteful spending on branded queries where organic listings already dominate. 

This ensures PPC budgets are focused on non-branded, high-intent searches rather than duplicating organic traffic. 

This is especially critical for PMax campaigns, which aim to drive positive ROI, often through low-cost branded visibility with high conversion potential.

One example of branded cannibalization my team identified involved a branded PMax campaign that inadvertently paid for an estimated $500,000 in organic revenue. 

Since PMax campaigns receive premium visibility – even in areas where results may not be highly relevant – this campaign bid on nearly every branded term, running unchecked.

A major issue arose when a shopping carousel for the company’s two most-searched branded phrases appeared above all other SERP features. 

This pushed the usual search ad lower on the page and forced the organic homepage listing completely out of view without scrolling. 

As a result, impressions dropped by 12%, and organic clicks fell by 33%.

If you haven’t yet taken steps to prevent your campaigns from bidding on your brand, make sure to check Google’s guide to brand exclusions

Benchmark your SEO performance on branded terms before launching PMax campaigns to make identifying cannibalization easier.

Dig deeper: Google brings negative keyword exclusions to Performance Max

Special considerations for Performance Max campaigns and targeting options

PMax campaigns use AI-driven automation to serve ads across Google’s entire inventory, including Search, Display, YouTube, Discover, Gmail, and Maps. 

Unlike traditional PPC campaigns, PMax lacks detailed keyword-level control, making it difficult to prevent overlap with organic rankings.

How PMax can cannibalize SEO traffic

  • Broad matching across multiple channels: PMax may automatically target keywords where your brand already ranks well organically, leading to unnecessary ad spend.
  • Limited transparency on search terms: Without keyword-level reports, identifying overlap with organic rankings is challenging.
  • Competing with organic listings: PMax can push organic results further down by occupying both paid search and shopping ad placements.

Dig deeper: Performance Max vs. Search campaigns: New data reveals substantial search term overlap

Mitigating SEO cannibalization in Performance Max

  • Use account-level negative keywords: Google now allows negative keywords for PMax – exclude high-performing organic keywords to reduce redundancy.
  • Optimize asset groups and search themes: If certain categories already perform well organically, ensure PMax focuses on different product lines or services. Since PMax is designed for maximum reach, precise targeting is essential.

Tests to confirm PPC is cannibalizing SEO

  • Run a PPC pause test: Temporarily pause PPC ad groups or use exact-match negative keywords for strong organic terms. If organic traffic, CTR, and conversions improve, PPC may be cannibalizing SEO.
  • Compare pre- and post-bid adjustments: Lower PPC bids on high-ranking organic keywords and track shifts in paid and organic performance.
  • Analyze assisted conversions in Google Analytics: Determine whether PPC ads drive conversions that organic search alone wouldn’t achieve. If not, adjustments may be needed.
  • Monitor organic CTR changes: Use Google Search Console to analyze CTR fluctuations for top organic keywords before and after PPC campaigns launch.

Aligning PPC and SEO requires careful keyword management and strategic bidding

Reduce ad spend where possible and avoid paying for traffic that would otherwise be free.

For Performance Max campaigns, mitigating SEO cannibalization through negative keywords and refined targeting ensures a balanced approach. 

A well-coordinated PPC-SEO strategy improves efficiency and maximizes the value of digital marketing investments.

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From search to AI agents: The future of digital experiences

From search to AI agents- The future of digital experiences

We rely on search engines to find information every day, but what if there was a better way? 

Instead of manually gathering details from multiple sources, AI agents can do the heavy lifting for you. 

They don’t just retrieve information. They analyze, organize, and personalize it in real time.

This article explores:

  • How AI agents help businesses create more personalized customer experiences.
  • The key components and frameworks behind AI-powered agents.
  • How multi-agent systems can collaborate to solve complex tasks.

From information retrieval to intelligent problem-solving

AI agents represent a fundamental shift in how we interact with AI. 

As brands, we are moving beyond passive information retrieval – a slow process of manually collecting data from various websites – to active problem-solving, where multimodal data seamlessly adapts to a preferred interface in real time.

Imagine a world where multiple independent AI agents collaborate to complete complex workflows. 

Industry experts anticipate significant transformation due to AI agents. Here’s what they have to say:

  • Satya Nadella: AI agents will proactively anticipate user needs and assist seamlessly.
  • Bill Gates: AI agents are driving the most significant software transformation since graphical user interfaces.
  • Jensen Huang: IT departments are managing AI agents the way human resources manage employees.
  • Jeff Bezos: AI agents act as digital copilots, enhancing daily interactions.
  • Gartner: Search engine volume will decline by 25% by 2026 as AI chatbots and virtual agents revolutionize customer interactions.

Today, brands have a significant opportunity to leverage AI agents as intelligent virtual teammates, enabling businesses to deliver hyper-personalized experiences.

As AI agents and technology evolve, we are moving away from the time-consuming effort of manually gathering information. 

In the future, AI agents will interact with one another, collect relevant data, organize it to match user preferences, and deliver it seamlessly – creating a faster and more efficient experience.

ai-agents-impact-on-humans.

Dig deeper: Mastering AI and marketing: A beginner’s guide

To understand how AI agents deliver these intelligent, real-time experiences, we need to break down their core components. 

Let’s explore the anatomy of AI agents and how each layer contributes to their functionality.

Anatomy of AI agents 

AI agents are designed to enhance the capabilities of LLMs by incorporating additional functionalities. 

Agents have four layers:

  • Foundation layer.
  • Application layer.
  • Management layer.
  • Data layer. 
anatomy-of-an-agent

An AI agent typically consists of the following components:

  • Memory: Stores past interactions and feedback to provide contextually relevant responses. Memory resides in the data layer.
  • Tools/Platform: Retrieves real-time data and interacts with internal databases. The chosen tools and platforms are part of the application layer.
  • Planning: Uses reasoning techniques to break down complex tasks into simpler steps.
  • Actions: Executes tasks based on insights from LLMs and other sources.
  • Critique: Provides a feedback loop for actions based on different use cases to ensure accuracy.
  • Persona: Adapts to different roles, such as research assistant, content writer, or customer support agent.

Planning, actions, critique, and persona identification occur in the management layer.

Frameworks for building AI agents

There are many frameworks available for building AI agents and multi-agent systems, each catering to a different need:

  • AutoGen (Microsoft): Focuses on conversational AI and automation.
  • CrewAI: Designed for role-playing agents that collaborate effectively.
  • LangGraph: Structures agent interactions in a graph-based model.
  • Swarm (OpenAI): Primarily for educational purposes.
  • LangChain: A popular framework enabling AI agents to work with LLMs and other tools.

Each platform offers unique advantages based on the task’s use case, scalability, and complexity.

Multi-agent AI systems and their importance

multi-agent-application-examples

A multi-agent system consists of multiple AI agents working seamlessly, each performing a distinct function to collaboratively solve problems.

These systems are particularly useful for handling complex scenarios where a single AI agent might struggle. 

Below is a simple example of a multi-agent system:

  • Query processing agent: Breaks the question into multiple parts.
  • Retrieval agent: Fetches relevant data from internal sources.
  • Validation agent: Verifies the response against various parameters such as brand voice and query intent.
  • Formatting agent: Structures the response appropriately.

This structured approach to distributing responsibilities among agents ensures more accurate and intelligent responses while reducing errors.

Before exploring how AI agents deliver real-time personalization, let’s look at why traditional methods are no longer enough.

Dig deeper: AI optimization: How to optimize your content for AI search and agents

Why AI-powered personalization is essential

As data availability declines and user expectations rise, businesses can no longer rely on traditional methods to understand customer intent. 

The shift away from third-party cookies, the rise of zero-click content, and the demand for real-time, tailored experiences have made AI-driven personalization a necessity.

AI enables businesses to analyze behavior, predict intent, and deliver dynamic, personalized experiences at scale – from search and social to email and on-site interactions. 

Unlike static personalization, AI adapts in real time, ensuring relevance across every customer touchpoint.

With traditional strategies losing effectiveness, AI agents offer a smarter, more scalable way to engage and convert audiences.

Dig deeper: How to boost your marketing revenue with personalization, connectivity and data

Delivering personalized experiences with search and chat agents

Modern websites are no longer one-size-fits-all. They provide immersive experiences tailored to each visitor’s intent. 

AI agents enable this through two key approaches:

Search agents 

Traditional site searches relied on keywords and filters, which have limitations with multimodal searches (like voice or visual) and long-tail queries. 

They also require more user clicks, increasing the likelihood of search abandonment. 

AI-powered search agents overcome these challenges by delivering a more intuitive and efficient on-site search experience.

Chat agents

Early AI chatbots responded using pre-programmed scripts or existing website content. 

Today, advanced chat agents offer personalized experiences using audience data. They can:

  • Build detailed user profiles.
  • Understand user intent by analyzing historical interactions and purchase data.
  • Learn from similar interactions to ask relevant follow-up questions.
  • Adapt on-site experiences in real time based on user behavior.
  • Inform cross-channel marketing strategies – such as email, social, paid, and retargeting – using insights gathered from user interactions.

AI agents also offer industry-specific personalization. Brands can implement:

  • Digital marketing automation agents.
  • Customer support chat agents.
  • Specialized solutions, like:
    • Financial risk assessment agents.
    • Automotive inventory management agents.

Personalize or perish

Many businesses still view personalization as optional. 

In reality, without personalized experiences, traffic and conversions will decline, leading to higher marketing costs and lower ROI as more spending is needed to attract, engage, and convert visitors. 

To improve efficiency, AI-powered personalization offers a scalable, intelligent, and adaptive solution.

Dig deeper: Hyper-personalization in PPC: Using data to deliver tailored ad experiences

Read more at Read More

Why traditional keyword research is failing and how to fix it with search intent

Why traditional keyword research is failing (and how to fix it with search intent)

After 25 years of working in SEO, I’ve seen firsthand how traditional keyword research methods fail to keep up with Google’s advancements. 

In my SMX Next presentation, I challenged SEOs to go beyond outdated keyword methodologies and embrace an intent-driven approach. 

Here are six key insights from that session.

1. Traditional keyword research is failing us

Traditional keyword research is no longer enough. 

We’ve relied on tools that provide data on competition, search volume, and relevance, but they don’t uncover the hidden context behind searches.

For years, SEOs have prioritized high-volume, low-competition keywords, assuming this would drive results. 

While this may have worked for the simpler, lexical-based Google algorithm of the early 2000s, this approach falls short because it ignores search intent.

For example, a keyword like “solar panels” may have high search volume. 

But without context, it’s impossible to determine whether users are looking for products, financing options, or general information. 

Without understanding intent, marketers risk attracting traffic that never converts. 

Today, success depends on moving beyond search volume and focusing on search intent.

Dig deeper: How to optimize for search intent: 19 practical tips

2. Google is an AI search engine

Google isn’t one monolithic AI algorithm – it’s a collection of AI systems working together to:

  • Understand queries.
  • Classify content.
  • Deliver the best results.

Here’s what’s changed:

  • Google has improved its understanding of keywords and content.
  • There is a strong emphasis on user experience, with Google prioritizing content that is easy for users to consume.
  • Google ranks pages based on relevance to intent, even if the exact keywords are missing.

For SEOs, this means that content must align with search intent – not just keywords. 

Well-structured, high-value content that directly addresses users’ questions will outperform pages optimized solely for keyword density.

Dig deeper: Content mapping: Who, what, where, when, why and how

3. The best way to uncover intent? Read the SERPs

The number one way to understand search intent is to study the search engine results pages (SERPs).

Rather than guessing what a keyword means, analyzing what Google is already ranking provides a clear picture of the dominant intent behind a query.

For example, I once worked with an ecommerce company selling biscotti cookies. 

Initially, they targeted high-volume keywords like “chocolate biscotti,” expecting strong results. 

However, a quick SERP analysis revealed that most top-ranking results were recipes, not product listings.

This indicated that searchers weren’t looking to buy biscotti – they wanted to bake it. 

Instead of chasing high-volume terms with mismatched intent, the company shifted its focus to lower-volume keywords with strong purchase intent, ultimately improving conversions.

Blindly following keyword tools without SERP analysis can lead to content that attracts traffic but fails to convert.

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4. Prioritize search intent over keywords

The real question isn’t just what keywords people are searching for – it’s why they’re searching.

As Google increasingly prioritizes intent over keywords, SEO strategies must evolve accordingly. A three-step process can help align keyword research with search intent:

Identify target intents

Before diving into keyword research, define 5-6 core search intents that align with business goals. Examples include:

  • “Compare mortgage rates” (for financial services)
  • “Best protein powders for weight loss” (for fitness brands)

Filter keywords by intent

Rather than focusing solely on search volume and competition, filter keywords based on clear purchase or action intent. 

This approach refines traditional keyword research to focus on what actually drives conversions.

Choose content formats that match intent

Content should match the searcher’s intent, which often requires moving beyond standard blog posts. Some high-performing content formats include:

  • Comparison articles (“Best budget vs. premium running shoes”)
  • Niche buying guides (“How to choose an ergonomic office chair”)
  • Interactive tools (e.g., mortgage calculators, pricing estimators)

By aligning keywords with intent and content formats, SEOs can dramatically improve engagement and conversion rates.

Dig deeper: Rethinking your keyword strategy: Why optimizing for search intent matters

5. Invest in content formats that convert better

Middle-of-the-funnel content – like comparison pages, niche buying guides, and Q&A pages – tends to rank better and convert more effectively than generic blog content.

With AI-driven search results delivering direct answers, traditional educational blog posts are losing traction. 

To stay competitive, marketers must create high-value content that serves the searcher’s next step.

Some of the best-performing content types include:

  • Comparison content (“Best DSLR cameras under $1,000”).
  • Niche buying guides (“Ultimate guide to ergonomic keyboards”).
  • Interactive tools (e.g., ROI calculators, pricing estimators).
  • Video-first content, which improves engagement and differentiation.

Shifting to intent-driven content formats can significantly boost both rankings and conversions.

Dig deeper: Writing people-first content: A process and template

6. Use AI wisely, but prioritize customer insights

AI tools are valuable for analyzing SERPs and understanding search intent, but they are not a substitute for real customer insights.

The best way to understand what searchers want is to talk to actual customers. Conversations, chat logs, and feedback from sales teams offer deeper intent insights than AI alone.

For those who don’t have direct access to customers, speaking with sales representatives can be just as effective. 

Sales teams repeatedly hear the same customer questions, making them an excellent source of content ideas and keyword strategy insights.

Dig deeper: How to optimize your 2025 content strategy for AI-powered SERPs and LLMs

[Watch] Next-generation SEO keyword research: Shift from traffic to search intent

Want to take your SEO strategy to the next level? Watch my full SMX Next 2024 session here.

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