Treat creators as a strategic asset, not a one-off social play | ClickZ Digital Ad Platform Newsletter

Plus, Google users are less likely to click on links when an AI summary appears in the results

Author

Zihan Lyu
July 24, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes

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Attribution Angle 🎯

The Biggest Mistake This Agency Sees 😬 | Jamie Bolton

Dan Sava from Neon Growth breaks down why so many brands are trapped in a cycle of over-investing in bottom-of-funnel (BOF) tactics.

The root cause? Overreliance on Last Click attribution — a model that ignores how awareness and consideration channels influence the final conversion. When only the last interaction gets credit, BOF looks like the hero. But it’s a distorted view that leads to skewed budgets and missed growth opportunities.

To truly grow, marketers need clarity across the full customer journey. That means measuring impact at every stage — from brand discovery to final conversion — and understanding how channels work together, not in isolation.

👉 Ready to measure the full funnel and grow?

Sector Spotlight 🎥

AI-DRIVEN BROWSING

Google's AI-generated summaries in search results lead to decreased clicks on traditional links, impacting web traffic to publishers/brands. With users often ending sessions without clicking through, publishers face challenges as AI summaries increasingly fulfill search intents. Strategic insights for marketers include leveraging content optimization to adapt to this evolving user behavior.

BRAND STRATEGIES

Marketers are shifting from performance-driven media to brand-first strategies in response to economic uncertainty, using digital channels such as CTV, creator marketing, and audio to enhance brand awareness. This trend, evident in brands like Opensky and The Honey Pot, underscores the importance of brand-building in maintaining competitive differentiation and long-term growth, crucial for navigating market challenges.

INFLUENCER METRICS

Research by Billion Dollar Boy reveals a disconnect between creator-driven brand engagement and boardroom expectations focused on metrics. This measurement mismatch highlights the need for marketers to balance creative strategies with performance metrics. Addressing this issue is vital for aligning brand goals and measurement practices.

INFLUENCER MARKETING

Marketing professionals should integrate creators into their long-term strategies to enhance brand credibility and search performance. Instead of fleeting viral moments, creator partnerships offer sustainable impact by aligning content with strategic objectives. Using data-driven insights, creators contribute to meaningful engagement and conversions across platforms.

Optimization Hub ⚙️

RETAIL ANALYTICS

Leveraging AI and first-party data revolutionizes in-store retail media measurement, enabling precise targeting and actionable insights. Marketers now have the tools to analyze shopper engagement with campaigns, directly connecting them to sales and refining strategies in real time. With the integration of advanced analytics, marketers can optimize the full customer journey, making in-store media more strategic and effective.

ECOMMERCE MARKETING

The weekly Google Ads audit checklist offers eCommerce marketers a structured, detailed approach to optimizing ad accounts, monitoring core performance metrics, and addressing disapproved products. By focusing on various performance levels and time frames, marketers can identify and address trends, ensuring efficient budget allocation and better campaign results.

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