ClickZ MarTech Newsletter - 02.27.2025

Plus, TikTok Isn’t Going Anywhere—What’s Your Next Move?

Author

Sophie Bruxner-Randall
February 27, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes

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MarTech Invest is your weekly fix for the hottest marketing tech trends, cutting-edge tools, and actionable insights redefining digital marketing.

MarTech TL;DR 📋

⚖️ Chegg vs. Google: Chegg sues Google over AI-generated search summaries, blaming AI for traffic losses—signaling broader industry tensions around AI’s content takeover.

📱 TikTok’s Dominance Returns: TikTok storms back to US app stores, doubling downloads and solidifying its lead as competitors struggle to compete.

🧠 Neuromarketing + AI: Marketers combine neuromarketing with AI to decode subconscious consumer behaviors—boosting personalization, engagement, and ethical transparency.

🎬 Google Democratizes Video Ads: Google’s AI tool Veo 2 dramatically reduces video ad costs, empowering small businesses to create impactful video marketing at scale.

🤖 Survey Sabotage by AI Bots: AI bots flood marketing surveys with fake data—brands must adopt smarter survey methods to protect insights and budgets.

MarTech Pulse 🔍

SOCIAL MEDIA

TikTok's return to US app stores is a game changer, doubling downloads and overshadowing rivals like RedNote and YouTube. Despite RedNote's efforts, its user base dwindles. TikTok's dominance, boasting 170 million US users, highlights its unbeatable charm and the formidable challenge competitors face in catching up.

RETAIL ADVERTISING

OOH Advertising is evolving with programmatic ads, states Patrick Dolan, OAAA's new COO. He sees similarities with the digital ad transformation and aims to merge retail media with OOH. Focus is on technological harmony, standardization, and industry education, while fostering creativity and operational efficiency. His journey inspires future innovations.

So, here's the scoop—Chegg is really feeling the pinch! They've gone and sued Google, alleging that the AI-generated summaries on search engine results have taken a nosedive on their website traffic—and subsequently, their revenue. Chegg's CEO, Nathan Schultz, openly blames Google's AI for this drop, claiming it's not just a hit to Chegg, but a broader threat to quality education and the digital publishing industry as a whole. It's like a wake-up call for websites that thrive on detailed, quality content but find themselves overshadowed by these newfangled AI overviews. Schultz is on a mission to stabilize Chegg’s business next year, relying on the brand's strong foundation and a hint of optimism.

Interestingly, while some niche and complex topics' websites have seen traffic gains due to AI's preference for authoritative content, many others have stumbled. Sure, health sites like Spine-Health.com flourished, but others like VerywellHealth.com took a nosedive. So, the moral of the story? It's a mixed bag! Some platforms thrive, while others struggle in this AI-dominated universe. Chegg's lawsuit might just be the first rumble in a long battle over who controls the eyeballs—and the dollars—online.

NEUROMARKETING INSIGHTS

Combining neuromarketing and AI transforms marketing by tapping into subconscious shopper behaviors to boost engagement and revenue without job losses. This blend improves consumer experiences through personalized outreach. However, ethical guidelines, transparent data policies, and workforce training are essential to safeguard privacy and promote sustainable growth.

AI MARKETING DEFENSE

Protect Your Marketing Surveys and Stop AI Bots From Ruining Your Data

AI bots are disrupting marketing surveys by submitting fake responses, skewing data, and wasting budgets. To combat this, Scott Gillum suggests using unique links, open-ended questions, trap questions, and closed source participants to maintain data integrity. As AI advances, these strategies are critical for effective marketing research.

Tech Watch 👀

DIGITAL MARKETING TOOLS

Third-party tools have become indispensable for B2B PPC in 2025. With the decline of third-party cookies and the chaos in cross-channel attribution, sticking solely to platform-native tools is a surefire way to fall behind. It's time to embrace a mix of smart, non-platform investments. Segment, a leading customer data platform, allows you to consolidate data sources like a pro, reducing your dependency on erratic browser-based tracking. Plus, it's a significant investment worth considering if you've got a well-built data infrastructure. Meanwhile, for server-side tracking, Stape stands out with a competitive pricing structure and flexible tracking options.

When it comes to spying on competitors—come on, we all do it—tried-and-true tools like Semrush cover the PPC and SEO bases. You can also tap into the Meta ad libraries and Google’s Ad Transparency Center for a sneak peek at your competitors' creative maneuvers. Staying informed with these tools grants you the edge you need to crush the competition. They're like the Swiss army knife of your marketing strategy toolkit.

VIDEO TECHNOLOGY

Google's AI tool Veo 2 slashes video ad production costs to 50 cents per second, democratizing small business access to video marketing. Though not quite on par with high-budget productions, this innovation signals a future where intricate, affordable video content could become the norm.

AI MARKETING

Warboys promotes AI in marketing, highlighting its shift from a trendy experiment to essential strategy. HubSpot's success with AI showcases the benefits: instant business impact, democratized tools for all-size businesses, and enhanced team collaboration. This human-centered AI approach fosters genuine connections and organizational growth in a rapidly evolving landscape.

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