Google is now testing a grey box design in Shopping ads, instead of the usual white background. I spotted this yesterday and am assuming this is a new test. Google has been testing several variations within Shopping ads recently, so it’s hard to say for certain how new this specific change is, but I hadn’t seen this grey background box before.

Here is a screenshot of grey box.

Here is a screenshot of white box.

Personally, I like both the white box and the grey box designs. However, the white box version typically includes a “Shop now” button below the results, which I couldn’t find in this new grey box version.

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Source:: searchenginewatch.com

OpenAI is testing a new visual ad format within ChatGPT. In this test, OpenAI shows services and products through images. Initially, these ads will appear during ChatGPT’s image generation process, clearly labeled and kept distinct from the images ChatGPT generates for the user.

This test will begin at the end of this month in the U.S., with a selected group of advertisers.

Alongside this, OpenAI has also expanded its ad measurement tools and advertiser partnerships, so advertisers can better measure conversions and business impact resulting from ChatGPT ads. OpenAI is also testing brand suitability and safety measures with DoubleVerify and IAS.

Here is a screenshot of how it looks.

OpenAI announced this via blog, and wrote:

“Bringing products and services to life. Our new visual ad format helps people imagine how products and services could fit into their lives. Through images showing product inspiration, product usage, or the experiences they make possible, people can discover a new brand, understand what makes an offering distinctive, and decide what to buy. For advertisers, this creates new opportunities to tell their story through images.

Initially, we’ll test this new ad format during image generation in ChatGPT. Ads will be clearly labeled and remain separate from the image being created. As with our other ad formats, advertising does not influence the answers ChatGPT provides.

Testing will begin later this month in the US with an initial group of advertisers.”

This gives advertisers a new, more visual way to reach ChatGPT users directly through the image generation experience, while OpenAI continues building out its broader advertising measurement and brand safety infrastructure alongside this rollout.

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Source:: searchenginewatch.com

Yahoo is pushing Yahoo Scout more aggressively now. Yahoo has added a button for Scout directly on its homepage, similar to what Google has done with its own homepage buttons.

I spotted this yesterday, and it appears this may be visible to everyone.

Here is a screenshot of the new Yahoo homepage button for Yahoo Scout.

Here is a screenshot of the similar approach Google is taking on its own homepage.

Additionally, when searching for an ecommerce-related query within Yahoo Scout, it now shows product recommendations. Previously, Yahoo Scout only displayed text-based answers with standard blue hyperlinks.

Here is a screenshot of this.

Based on these changes, it looks like Yahoo is continuing to push Yahoo Scout more prominently across its platform.

We’ve covered related changes to Yahoo Scout recently. You can read more about those here.

Yahoo keeps expanding AI across its search results

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Source:: searchenginewatch.com

Google appears to be testing a new WhatsApp button within Local Results. This was new to me — I hadn’t seen a WhatsApp button in Google Local Results before, and I couldn’t find any other reports of this. When I checked again a day later, I wasn’t able to see the button anymore.

Here is a screenshot of this.

I was testing this in Incognito mode, so I wasn’t able to fully verify the behavior, but I’m assuming clicking the button would let users start a chat with that particular business directly on WhatsApp.

Image credit: Needpix

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Source:: searchenginewatch.com

ChatGPT is now showing a new heading above its ads. We’ve seen several different ad variations in ChatGPT before, but this one looks new. When searching for something in ChatGPT, a new heading appeared above the ad: “This might also interest you.”

I hadn’t seen this heading before. Brodie Clark has documented most of the different ad formats appearing in ChatGPT, but this specific heading wasn’t among them, so this looks like a new addition.

Here is a screenshot of this.

This might be a small change, but it fits into the broader pattern of ChatGPT continuing to test different ad designs.

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Source:: searchenginewatch.com