Google still dominates search, but cracks are showing. A new consumer research study from digital marketing agency HigherVisibility, How People Search Today: A Study on Evolving Search Behaviors in 2025, reveals accelerating shifts toward AI-powered platforms.

The study, based on surveys conducted in August 2025, builds on a February baseline and highlights a sharp rise in AI adoption. Google’s share of general information searches dropped from 73% in February to 66.9% in August. Meanwhile, ChatGPT usage tripled, jumping from 4.1% to 12.5%. Daily use of AI tools also spiked, more than doubling from 14% to 29.2%.

“This isn’t just curiosity anymore—it’s habit-forming behavior,” said Adam Heitzman, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at HigherVisibility. “AI isn’t replacing search engines, but it’s redefining how people interact with information.”

Search Habits Are Fragmenting

• Google still leads for local searches and quick fact-checking.

• AI platforms like ChatGPT are increasingly the go-to for in-depth research and detailed explanations.

• Social media is emerging as a discovery engine for products and trend-based queries.

Convenience Drives the Shift
Survey respondents cited ChatGPT’s conversational interface, faster answers, and precision as top reasons for switching. Others pointed to growing frustration with ad-heavy or overly broad results on traditional search engines.

Implications for Businesses
The findings suggest that search behavior is splintering across multiple platforms. For marketers, this means:

• SEO must expand beyond Google rankings to include AI-readiness.

• Content should be structured for summarization, conversational context, and multi-platform visibility.

• Businesses must anticipate user intent across Google, AI, and social channels.

  The full findings are available at HigherVisibility’s research hub.

Get in touch with our MarTech Experts.

Marketing investment funds across borders is a regulatory minefield, and Hong Kong just became the latest jurisdiction where compliance headaches get easier. Zeidler Group, the legal and compliance firm specializing in the global funds industry, has expanded its Marketing Material Review Tool (MMR-Tool) to include Hong Kong.

The upgrade brings Hong Kong’s fund distribution rules directly into the platform, covering key frameworks like the Hong Kong Code on Unit Trusts and Mutual Funds, the Advertising Guidelines for Collective Investment Schemes, and the FAQ guidance on advertising materials. In practice, it means asset managers can now review fund marketing content against Hong Kong’s requirements with a few clicks—no manual cross-checking needed.

Why It Matters

Hong Kong remains one of Asia’s most important fund distribution hubs, particularly for European funds targeting the region. Adding its regulatory framework makes the MMR-Tool significantly more useful for asset managers juggling compliance in multiple markets.

“Hong Kong marks another important milestone in our commitment to deliver global, tech-enabled compliance solutions,” said Scott Parkin, Head of US at Zeidler Group. “With Hong Kong being a leading distribution hub, our clients can now streamline their processes across yet another key market.”

More Than Just Coverage

The expansion isn’t just about geography. Zeidler has also broadened the tool’s language support to include simplified and traditional Chinese, making it more accessible for both local and global teams.

“The MMR-Tool is now even more equipped to support on-the-ground and strategic global fund distribution,” said Serena Goldberg, EVP of Product & Services.

LLM Meets Legal Expertise

The MMR-Tool combines large language model (LLM) technology with Zeidler’s in-house legal team to deliver jurisdiction-specific, rapid reviews of marketing materials. For asset managers, that translates to less manual work, faster approvals, and stronger compliance oversight.

It’s already trusted by more than 160 global asset managers across major markets including the US, EU/EEA, UK, Singapore, Switzerland, and the UAE—with Hong Kong now in the mix and more jurisdictions on the way.

The Bigger Picture

As regulators worldwide tighten scrutiny of fund advertising, tools like Zeidler’s are becoming indispensable. The push toward automation reflects an industry reality: global fund distribution is only getting more complex, and asset managers can’t afford bottlenecks—or compliance missteps.

By embedding Hong Kong’s rules, Zeidler is signaling that global coverage isn’t just a long-term goal, but an active roadmap. For firms marketing across multiple continents, that could mean one less sleepless night for compliance officers.

Get in touch with our MarTech Experts.

Marketing leaders are under pressure to prove ROI, balance budgets, and figure out which channels are worth the spend. It’s no surprise, then, that Forrester’s latest look at marketing measurement and optimization vendors is generating buzz.

In its Q3 2025 “Marketing Measurement and Optimization Services Landscape”, Forrester recognized Marketbridge as a “notable provider.” The consulting and marketing firm specializes in helping enterprises plan, measure, test, and recalibrate their investments across the funnel—upper, mid, and lower—driving growth and sales in the process.

A Data-First Approach to Measurement

Marketbridge staked its spot in the report by showcasing three core scenarios: attribution modeling, data quality diagnostics, and owned/earned media measurement. Each plays into the firm’s pitch of speed and accuracy.

Chief Analytics Officer Andy Hasselwander contrasted Marketbridge’s approach with traditional measurement providers: “Our data-driven approach delivers real-time, accurate answers—getting to the truth in one day, while other comparable offerings take over three months.”

That speed, paired with a five-year media mix view, is a key differentiator. While most services focus on immediate results, Marketbridge positions itself as the long-range partner—helping brands plan strategically instead of chasing quarterly wins.

Why It Matters Now

The recognition comes as marketers shift from short-term demand generation to more authoritative, brand-building strategies—a pivot fueled by AI-powered search engines and the need to future-proof visibility. Channels that were once considered unmeasurable, such as earned media, are increasingly part of the equation.

By tackling upper-funnel investments head-on and quantifying their long-term effects, Marketbridge is aiming to fill a measurement gap that rivals often overlook.

The Bigger Picture

The marketing measurement landscape is crowded, with players ranging from specialized analytics firms to large consultancies. Forrester’s report highlights not only the complexity of the vendor ecosystem but also the heightened demand for providers that can bridge data accuracy, speed, and foresight.

Marketbridge’s inclusion signals that its model—speedy insights today, strategic guidance for tomorrow—resonates with an industry in flux. For CMOs staring down shrinking budgets and rising expectations, that blend could prove more valuable than ever.

Get in touch with our MarTech Experts.

In the crowded world of advertising, where even agencies struggle to stand out, Commit Agency just pulled a classic challenger move of its own. The Chandler, Arizona-based shop has acquired San Francisco’s Gumas Advertising, the firm that literally trademarked Challenger Brand Marketing®.

The deal expands Commit’s national footprint, adds a San Francisco hub, and strengthens its executive bench with John Gumas himself stepping in as president. For Commit, it’s more than just an acquisition—it’s about owning the original playbook for challenger brands at a time when most companies fall squarely into that category.

The Original Challenger Playbook

John Gumas founded his agency 40 years ago, coining and trademarking the now-ubiquitous concept of Challenger Brand Marketing. The framework was built to help smaller players take on entrenched industry leaders with sharper positioning, creative campaigns, and smarter resource allocation.

Plenty of agencies have borrowed the language of challenger branding since, but Commit now owns the source material. Pairing Gumas’ methodology with its own approach to brand definition, experience design, and marketing amplification, Commit says it has created an unmatched formula for challenger success.

CEO David Ralls made the case bluntly: “Most companies out there are challenger brands. They need a specific methodology and framework that allows them to compete against the Goliaths of their industry.”

Talent and Clients Join the Fold

The acquisition brings 10 Gumas team members into Commit’s ranks, including veterans in account services, creative design, and digital marketing. The client roster also grows by nearly a dozen, adding names like Unitus Credit Union, Shakey’s Pizza, Pvolve fitness studios, and OmniPathology.

John Gumas himself will remain deeply involved, stepping in as president of Commit Agency. “I wouldn’t have done this with anyone other than David Ralls,” he said. “We both know that when our clients win, we win—and what we bring together is pretty special.”

Expanding National Reach

With San Francisco as its second office, Commit strengthens its presence in key markets while building on recent growth. In the past few months alone, the agency added Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation, Hotel Polaris, Goodwill of the San Francisco Bay, TASER Self-Defense, and Peter Piper Pizza to its client roster.

For brands trying to punch above their weight in an economy of tighter budgets and rising costs, Commit is positioning itself as the go-to partner for growth. And now, it’s not just talking challenger branding—it owns the playbook.

Get in touch with our MarTech Experts.

">

When it comes to modern investigations, data is both a weapon and a burden. Law enforcement and intelligence agencies now sift through oceans of surveillance footage, call logs, forensic records, and social media trails. The problem? Most of it sits in silos, slowing down cases when time matters most.

SS8 Networks wants to fix that. The company, known for its lawful interception and data intelligence solutions, has rolled out Discovery, a cloud-native platform built to fuse and analyze investigative data in real time.

One Platform, Many Feeds

Discovery is essentially the upgrade law enforcement didn’t know it needed. Think of it as a central hub where surveillance video, 911 call records, forensic data, and even social media chatter converge into one searchable interface. Built on SS8’s Intellego XT platform, the SaaS solution offers features like real-time data fusion, on-demand analytics, and automated filtering to pull signal from the noise.

For investigators, that means no more juggling between disconnected databases. A single login brings everything together—whether you’re mapping a suspect’s connections through link analysis or pulling evidence from a forensic report.

Why Now?

The launch couldn’t be more timely. The sheer volume and complexity of investigative data has exploded, as SS8 CEO Dr. Keith Bhatia bluntly put it. Discovery, he said, is “purpose-built to address these challenges head-on, giving agencies instant access to the intelligence they need—when and where they need it.”

That’s not just marketing talk. Agencies worldwide are facing the same issue: too much data, too few people, and a pressing need to make sense of it fast. Discovery doesn’t just accelerate workflows—it promises to maintain evidentiary integrity, something courts and compliance officers care about as much as detectives.

Features That Matter

• Real-Time Data Fusion – Brings siloed datasets into one view.

• Automated Filtering – Cuts through digital clutter to highlight what’s relevant.

• Link Analysis – Exposes hidden relationships and patterns in seconds.

• Scalable Access – Add or remove investigators with tamper-proof audit trails.

• Subscription Pricing – SaaS model keeps costs predictable and flexible.

Dr. Cemal Dikmen, SS8’s Chief Technology & Security Officer, described it as “an investigative force multiplier.” Translation: the platform doesn’t just organize information; it helps find connections faster than human teams can on their own.

The Bigger Picture

The law enforcement tech stack has long lagged behind consumer and enterprise innovation. While businesses have AI-powered dashboards for sales and marketing, many investigative teams are still piecing together data with tools better suited for the early 2000s. Discovery’s SaaS approach is a step toward modernization, offering agencies the same kind of scalable, cloud-first infrastructure that commercial enterprises already rely on.

And SS8 isn’t alone in chasing this market. Companies like Palantir and Cellebrite have been carving out their own niches in digital intelligence. But SS8’s pitch is different: keep things accessible, unified, and built for agencies of all sizes, not just the big-budget national bureaus.

If it delivers as promised, Discovery could become a critical part of how digital investigations are conducted—whether it’s tracking down suspects, connecting fraud rings, or piecing together the digital breadcrumbs of cybercrime.

Get in touch with our MarTech Experts.

For years, hybrid meetings have been an exercise in compromise—remote attendees straining to hear, in-room participants dominating the conversation, and IT managers stuck juggling patchwork solutions. Owl Labs thinks it has the fix, and now Microsoft agrees.

The Boston-based maker of AI-powered video conferencing gear announced that its Meeting Owl 4+ has officially achieved Microsoft Teams certification. That means the entire Owl Labs ecosystem—the Meeting Owl 3, Owl Bar, and now the 4+—has been vetted to meet Microsoft’s strict requirements for seamless integration, reliability, and enterprise-grade performance.

Why This Matters

Certification isn’t just a shiny sticker—it’s a major greenlight for IT buyers. Nearly 250,000 organizations (including 92 of the Fortune 100) already use Owl Labs devices. By earning the Teams seal of approval across its product line, Owl Labs is signaling that its hardware won’t just work in theory; it will work consistently inside corporate environments where downtime and incompatibility are nonstarters.

Frank Weishaupt, CEO of Owl Labs, framed it as a confidence play: “Our customers now have complete confidence that every device in the Owl Labs ecosystem meets the highest standards for Teams integration.” In other words, IT managers no longer have to gamble when outfitting a conference room—the Owl gear is built, tested, and certified to scale.

From Boardrooms to Coffee Shops

Owl Labs has always positioned itself as the antidote to static, wall-mounted systems that make hybrid meetings feel anything but hybrid. The Meeting Owl line, with its 360-degree cameras and plug-and-play portability, is designed to level the playing field between in-person and remote participants. Whether it’s a huddle room, a roundtable, or a large boardroom, the idea is to make collaboration feel less like a tech headache and more like, well, a meeting.

And unlike some of the pricier, fixed-room systems from Cisco or Poly, Owl Labs has leaned into flexibility and affordability. That makes it attractive not only to enterprises but also to schools, startups, and distributed teams that need to collaborate without building out expensive AV setups.

Compliance and Security, Too

The Teams certification adds to Owl Labs’ growing list of enterprise-ready validations: TAA Compliance, Cyber Essentials Plus, and BIS certification. For government agencies and heavily regulated industries, those stamps matter as much as video quality. Owl Labs also touts its U.S.-developed software, with continuous updates designed to improve both security and user experience.

The Bigger Picture

Hybrid collaboration remains one of the hottest battlegrounds in enterprise tech. Zoom has invested heavily in AI-powered meeting tools, Cisco Webex is betting on hardware-software integration, and Microsoft is building AI copilots into Teams itself. By securing full Teams certification, Owl Labs is ensuring it stays on the shortlist of IT-approved gear—at a time when CIOs are consolidating vendors and demanding proof of reliability.

For Owl Labs, the message is simple: Hybrid meetings aren’t going away, and neither is the need for gear that makes them less painful.

Get in touch with our MarTech Experts.

">

Spider Labs Inc., Tokyo-based provider of Spider AF, Japan’s top AI ad fraud prevention tool, has unveiled a major rebrand, positioning itself as a Marketing Security Platform. This shift reflects the company’s ambition to protect the entire marketing ecosystem from increasingly complex fraud and digital risks.

The rebrand also includes a new corporate message: “Building a safer and happier future with AI,” replacing the previous automation-focused slogan. The update underscores the company’s move toward AI-powered anomaly detection and predictive prevention, helping businesses anticipate and mitigate marketing threats before they escalate.

“With the rise of AI, new types of fraud are emerging, and marketing risks are growing more complex every day,” said Satoko Otsuki, CEO of Spider Labs. “We’re evolving to provide proactive protection, enabling businesses to pursue growth with confidence.”

Why Rebrand? Marketing Risks Are Expanding
Marketing fraud is no longer limited to invalid clicks. Companies face fake leads, resale fraud, website tampering, data leaks, and reputational damage, all increasingly difficult to detect with traditional methods.

Spider AF’s 2025 Ad Fraud White Paper estimates global advertisers lost $37.7 billion to ad fraud in 2024, with finance (14.3%) and telecom (11.1%) industries among the hardest hit. Spider Labs’ AI-driven approach aims to make fraud detection proactive, intelligent, and comprehensive.

AI at the Core of Marketing Security
Spider Labs’ updated platform focuses on securing marketing outcomes across multiple touchpoints:

• Spider AF PPC Protection – Eliminates invalid clicks to preserve ad spend and measurement accuracy.

• Spider AF Fake Lead Protection – Blocks fake leads in real time, improving conversion rates.

• Spider AF SiteScan – Detects website tampering, unauthorized data transmissions, and script-based threats.

• Spider AF Anti-Scalping – Stops bot-driven fraudulent orders, protecting e-commerce integrity.

The solutions serve industries including finance, telecom, e-commerce, education, and real estate, making Spider Labs a trusted partner for marketing security.

Website Relaunch and Global Focus
The company’s relaunched website (https://spider-labs.com) now organizes product information by risk category, expands resources like research reports and case studies, and supports global expansion in Europe and North America.

Strategic Vision for the Future
Spider Labs is driving toward marketing security as an industry standard, focusing on:

1. Education and Awareness – Whitepapers, seminars, and research to elevate understanding of marketing fraud.

2. Product Advancement – Stronger integrations across Spider AF products, BI/MA tools, and AI-driven detection improvements.

3. Global Expansion – Entering multilingual markets with local partnerships.

4. Industry Collaboration – Partnering with agencies to strengthen transparency and trust in digital advertising.

By embedding AI at the heart of its solutions, Spider Labs aims to make protecting marketing outcomes as standard as financial auditing or data compliance, setting a new benchmark for the industry.

Get in touch with our MarTech Experts.

AI CERTs®, a global authority in vendor-aligned and role-based AI certification, has launched the AI Marketing Professional Certification Bundle, a five-in-one credential suite aimed at marketing professionals seeking expertise in AI-driven strategies and career advancement.

The bundle combines foundational knowledge, leadership guidance, ethical frameworks, marketing-specific tools, and sales-oriented AI competencies into a single, practice-focused certification pathway. Early adopters gain blockchain-secured credentials that can be shared on platforms like LinkedIn, enhancing credibility and signaling verified AI proficiency to employers and clients worldwide.

Addressing the Skills Gap in AI Marketing
Marketing today is transforming rapidly. Generative AI, predictive analytics, automation, and personalized engagement are redefining success—but many professionals lack structured credentials to validate their AI capabilities. The AI Marketing Professional Certification Bundle closes this gap, equipping learners to design, execute, and lead AI-enhanced campaigns ethically and strategically.

Five Certifications, One Cohesive Program
The bundle includes:

• AI+ Everyone™ – Core AI concepts and cross-industry applications

• AI+ Executive™ – Strategic leadership and AI implementation for marketing innovation

• AI+ Ethics™ – Ethical frameworks for responsible AI deployment

• AI+ Marketing™ – AI-powered marketing tools, personalization strategies, and campaign optimization

• AI+ Sales™ – Leveraging AI to enhance conversions, customer relationships, and journey mapping

Delivered via self-paced learning modules, the curriculum combines video lessons, e-books, podcasts, audiobooks, embedded quizzes, and real-world case studies, making it accessible and actionable for busy professionals.

Empowering Marketers for the AI Era
Offered at a competitive package price, the certification bundle is ideal for digital marketers, marketing managers, sales professionals, brand strategists, and business leaders seeking future-ready credentials. By combining technical knowledge, leadership acumen, and ethical guidance, AI CERTs® positions professionals to confidently navigate the AI-driven marketing landscape.

“AI is reshaping marketing at every level, from strategy to execution,” said a spokesperson from AI CERTs®. “Our certification bundle provides marketing professionals with validated skills and credibility to lead AI-enhanced campaigns responsibly and effectively.”

Get in touch with our MarTech Experts.