News•Jan 16, 2026
Google Ads A/B Tests Product Titles & Images For Shopping Ads
Google Ads has begun a limited rollout allowing select merchants to conduct A/B tests on product titles and images within Shopping Ads. The test, announced by Google Ads liaison Ginny Marvin, will provide performance data after three to four weeks. Early participants can compare variations to identify which assets drive higher conversion rates. The feature follows recent experiments enabling A/B testing in Performance Max campaigns.
By Search Engine Roundtable
News•Jan 16, 2026
10 Remarketing Lists To Boost PPC Performance via @Sejournal, @Brookeosmundson
Remarketing lists remain a reliable lever in PPC, especially for search campaigns, by allowing advertisers to target users based on actual site interactions. The article outlines ten practical list strategies across the funnel—from video engagement and lookalike creation to bid...
By Search Engine Journal
News•Jan 16, 2026
WHSmith North America Media Network Taps ISM for Retail Media Network
WHSmith North America Media Network has teamed with In‑Store Marketplace (ISM) to launch a retail media network across U.S. airports. The collaboration merges more than 700 digital screens and audio assets into a single programmatic ecosystem, leveraging Mood Media’s hardware...
By Retail Customer Experience
News•Jan 16, 2026
WordPress Membership Plugin Flaw Exposes Sensitive Stripe Data via @Sejournal, @Martinibuster
A critical vulnerability was discovered in StellarWP’s Membership Plugin – Restrict Content, exposing Stripe SetupIntent client_secret values. The flaw lets unauthenticated attackers retrieve these secrets without any login or capability checks. Rated 8.2 (high) on the CVSS scale, it affects all releases...
By Search Engine Journal
News•Jan 16, 2026
The Squeeze
When a firm reaches a market‑share plateau, investors and shareholders demand higher returns, prompting a managerial squeeze. Initially, leaders cut costs while preserving customer delight, but this efficiency drive soon stalls. At that juncture companies either re‑engage the market with...
By Seth’s Blog
News•Jan 16, 2026
IKEA Pilots Virtual Product Experience in Welcome to Bloxburg
IKEA is piloting a virtual product experience inside the Roblox game Welcome to Bloxburg, targeting players in Sweden and Australia. From 22 January to 5 February, shoppers can unlock iconic items like the Stockholm sofa and Elsystem rug through an in‑game pop‑up...
By The Retail Bulletin
News•Jan 16, 2026
Glossy Pop Newsletter: Why Cocokind Is Sending Unreleased Products to Creators with 200 Followers
Cocokind has pivoted its PR mailer program from top‑tier influencers to a community‑first model, sending unreleased products to micro‑creators with 200‑300 followers. The December "leak" mailer introduced the $18 Milky‑Soft Face and Body Cleanser and replaced a quiz with a...
By Glossy
News•Jan 16, 2026
Luxury Briefing: Why Harrods’ Big Sale Swept TikTok, and What It Means for Luxury Brands
Harrods’ January sale exploded onto TikTok, turning a traditionally discreet event into a viral showcase. The platform streamed floor‑by‑floor discount maps and brand highlights, making the sale’s pricing details publicly visible. This unprecedented exposure challenges luxury retailers’ reliance on scarcity...
By Glossy
News•Jan 16, 2026
All In One SEO WordPress Vulnerability Affects Over 3 Million Sites via @Sejournal, @Martinibuster
A critical vulnerability was found in the All in One SEO (AIOSEO) WordPress plugin, affecting over three million sites. The flaw stems from a missing permission check on the /aioseo/v1/ai/credits REST endpoint, allowing contributors to retrieve the site‑wide AI access...
By Search Engine Journal
News•Jan 15, 2026
TikTok Adds More AI-Powered Tools To Assist TikTok Shop Merchants
TikTok is expanding its Shop platform with a suite of AI‑powered tools aimed at simplifying product promotion. The new AI Fashion Video Maker turns static images into polished videos with voiceovers and music in minutes. AI dubbing generates scripts and...
By Social Media Today
News•Jan 15, 2026
Google Introduces Total Campaign Budgets for Search
Google has rolled out total campaign budgets for Search and Shopping ads, extending a feature previously limited to Performance Max. Marketers can set a fixed budget for a campaign’s duration, and Google’s algorithm automatically distributes spend to fully utilize the...
By Search Engine Land
News•Jan 15, 2026
Pinterest Launches 2026 Planning Guide
Pinterest has released its 2026 Marketing Moments Guide, outlining key calendar, life and big events for brands to align their campaigns. The guide highlights that the platform’s 600 million monthly active users primarily come to shop, and that seasonal searches start...
By Social Media Today
News•Jan 15, 2026
Daily Search Forum Recap: January 15, 2026
Google rolled out “Personal Intelligence” in the Gemini app, unifying Gmail, Photos, YouTube and Search with a single tap, and announced its upcoming arrival in Google Search AI Mode. The company also clarified that the new Universal Commerce Protocol will...
By Search Engine Roundtable
News•Jan 15, 2026
Beauty and Fashion in 2025: What Really Mattered and What Will Shape 2026
After a turbulent 2025, beauty and fashion brands discovered that consumers now prioritize authenticity over polished perfection. Data from Mention Me shows micro‑influencer content generates 60% more engagement, while imperfect and upcycled aesthetics drive higher loyalty. The shift signals a...
By Retail TouchPoints
News•Jan 15, 2026
Building A Brand Is Not A Strategy, It Is A Starting Point via @Sejournal, @TaylorDanRW
The article argues that "building a brand" is only the starting point for SEO, not a standalone strategy. SEO captures existing demand and can increase mental availability through repeated, non‑branded visibility. Content and digital PR act as the signals that...
By Search Engine Journal
News•Jan 15, 2026
Big Table Group Restaurant Giant Hires New Media Shop
The Big Table Group, owner of Bella Italia, Frankie & Benny’s, Las Iguanas and Banana Tree, has appointed the international agency DAC to run its paid‑media operations. DAC will unify strategy across the four restaurant brands, replace pure awareness campaigns...
By DecisionMarketing
News•Jan 15, 2026
Lawmakers Eye Dynamic Ecommerce Pricing
U.S. lawmakers are intensifying scrutiny of AI‑driven dynamic pricing, highlighted by Senator Chuck Schumer’s criticism of Instacart’s 2025 experiment that showed up to 23% price variation on grocery items. In Tennessee, House Bill 1468 would outlaw personalized algorithmic pricing by...
By Practical Ecommerce
News•Jan 15, 2026
Google's John Mueller Says Universal Commerce Protocol Won't Kill SEO
Google introduced the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), an open standard that lets merchants sell products directly through AI experiences like Gemini and AI Mode. The announcement sparked concern among SEO professionals who feared the protocol could sideline traditional search optimization. Google...
By Search Engine Roundtable
News•Jan 15, 2026
Google: Favicons In Search Not Impacted By Google Core Updates
Google clarified that favicons displayed in search results are not affected by core algorithm updates. While rankings, Discover placements, and Top Stories can shift after a core update, the presence or absence of a site’s favicon remains independent. John Mueller...
By Search Engine Roundtable
News•Jan 15, 2026
New Google AI Mode Ads: Explore Guides and Articles
Google has introduced a new ad format in its AI Mode search results that showcases "Explore guides and articles" alongside existing Direct Offer ads. The format was first spotted by analyst Glenn Gabe, who shared a screenshot of a guide‑type ad...
By Search Engine Roundtable
News•Jan 15, 2026
Shopping Lists Ripped up for ‘in the Moment’ Purchases
Tesco Media’s "Moving Mindsets" study of 7,000 shoppers reveals that only 24% of grocery purchases are routine, while 70% of buying decisions occur "in the moment" during the store visit. Shoppers cycle through an average of 2.5 emotional mindsets, with...
By DecisionMarketing
News•Jan 15, 2026
WhatsApp Loyalty Programmes: The Future of Modern Retail
WhatsApp loyalty programmes are rapidly replacing traditional point‑based schemes as retailers tap into the platform’s 90% UK adult penetration and near‑instant open rates. By embedding rewards directly in a channel customers already use, retailers eliminate the friction of separate apps...
By The Retail Bulletin
News•Jan 15, 2026
Why Retail Brands Shouldn’t Overlook Corporate Sponsorships
Retailers are rediscovering corporate sponsorships as a strategic tool that complements digital advertising. By aligning with events, causes, or media partners, sponsors create authentic human connections that foster trust and credibility. When integrated with omnichannel campaigns, sponsorships amplify brand awareness,...
By The Retail Bulletin
News•Jan 15, 2026
Budgets on Life Support as Trump Gives Firms the Willies
The IPA Bellwether Report shows UK marketing budgets flat‑lined in Q4 2025, with 57.4% of firms keeping spend unchanged amid heightened economic and geopolitical uncertainty, including Donald Trump’s protectionist stance and a gloomy Autumn Budget. Direct‑marketing growth stalled and most categories...
By DecisionMarketing
News•Jan 15, 2026
Very Group Reports ‘Resilient’ Christmas
The Very Group posted a "resilient" holiday season, with Very brand sales rising 1.9% over the six weeks to 27 December. Strong demand drove double‑digit growth in home (7.9%) and toys and beauty (6.4%). Black Friday saw a record 209,000 items...
By The Retail Bulletin
News•Jan 15, 2026
Get Your Kicks in 2026… by Getting Audio in the Mix
Audio advertising is emerging from the background to become a central pillar of the 2026 media mix. In the UK, commercial radio reaches 40 million adults weekly, while streaming and smart speakers extend reach across daily environments. Radiocentre’s analysis shows radio...
By DecisionMarketing
News•Jan 14, 2026
YouTube Adds More Promote Targeting Options, Image-To-Video AI
YouTube is expanding its Promote in‑stream boosting tool with interest‑based audience targeting, letting creators aim clips at gamers, beauty fans, travelers and more. The new flow, currently desktop‑only, will soon appear on mobile. Simultaneously, YouTube is testing “Ingredients,” an AI‑driven...
By Social Media Today
News•Jan 14, 2026
Pinterest Highlights Trending Colors for 2026
Pinterest released its 2026 Palette report, highlighting five colors—Cool Blue, Jade, Plum Noir, Wasabi, and Persimmon—that it expects to dominate visual trends. The selections are based on a year‑long analysis of user searches and save activity within the platform. Pinterest...
By Social Media Today
News•Jan 14, 2026
Building an Integrated Marketing Plan Across All Online and Offline Channels: When 1 + 1 + 1 = 3 (and...
The article argues that retailers must replace siloed marketing efforts with an integrated omnichannel plan that treats digital and offline touchpoints as a single customer journey. It highlights the pitfalls of double‑counting conversions and the need for centralized reporting, consistent...
By Total Retail
News•Jan 14, 2026
YouTube Expands Monetization For Some Controversial Issues via @Sejournal, @MattGSouthern
YouTube has revised its advertiser‑friendly content guidelines to allow full ad revenue on videos that discuss or dramatize certain controversial topics, provided the material is non‑graphic. The updated policy now includes subjects such as abortion, self‑harm, suicide, domestic and sexual...
By Search Engine Journal
![How We Built a Content Optimization Tool for AI Search [Study]](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://static.semrush.com/blog/uploads/media/e2/2f/e22f51dd255b84e2a38e3e195b8150ad/e56eb1f7f1e194543547bb51a29886b7/how-we-built-a-content-optimization-tool-for-ai-search-study-sm.png)
News•Jan 14, 2026
How We Built a Content Optimization Tool for AI Search [Study]
A Semrush study examined over 300,000 URLs to pinpoint which text‑only attributes drive citations in AI‑powered search tools such as ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, and Perplexity. The analysis revealed five content qualities—clarity, E‑E‑A‑T signals, Q&A formatting, section structure, and structured...
By Semrush Blog
News•Jan 14, 2026
Lidl GB Promotes Insider to Lead Its Customer Business
Lidl GB has elevated long‑time insider Louise Weise to chief customer officer, adding her to the board of directors. In her new role she will steer brand, marketing, loyalty, customer insight, in‑store experience and care. The promotion follows Lidl's strongest...
By DecisionMarketing
News•Jan 14, 2026
What Is the Google 3 Pack? And How to Rank in It
The Google 3‑pack, also known as the local or map pack, displays the three most relevant local business listings for location‑based queries. It shows the business name, rating, price range, address, hours and a clickable map, often outranking traditional organic...
By Semrush Blog
News•Jan 14, 2026
4 Ways to Increase Your Website Authority in 2026
Website authority—how trustworthy a site appears to search engines and AI models—directly influences visibility in both traditional and generative search results. Semrush’s Authority Score (0‑100) quantifies this trust, with top‑industry averages ranging from 53 in construction to 75 in finance....
By Semrush Blog
![What Google SERPs Will Reward in 2026 [Webinar] via @Sejournal, @Lorenbaker](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://cdn.searchenginejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/2-1-397.png)
News•Jan 14, 2026
What Google SERPs Will Reward in 2026 [Webinar] via @Sejournal, @Lorenbaker
The Search Engine Journal webinar, hosted by Loren Baker on January 14, 2026, will feature Tom Capper, Senior Search Scientist at STAT Search Analytics, presenting data‑driven insights into Google’s evolving SERP landscape. The session will dissect AI Overviews, the new AI Mode...
By Search Engine Journal
News•Jan 14, 2026
Conversation with… People in Retail Awards Judge Shane Ashby-Roche
Shane Ashby‑Roche, Head of Organisational Development and Culture at The White Company, returns as a judge for the 2026 People in Retail Awards. He reflects on a decade of L&D experience, including a two‑year IBM secondment, and how his role...
By The Retail Bulletin
News•Jan 14, 2026
5 Ways To Reduce CPL, Improve Conversion Rates & Capture More Demand In 2026 via @Sejournal, @CallRail
The article outlines five actionable myths to bust for 2026 paid‑media marketers, focusing on smarter MQL scoring, richer attribution, and untapped conversational data. It recommends rebuilding lead‑qualification models around genuine intent signals, layering self‑reported sources onto digital tracking, and mining...
By Search Engine Journal
News•Jan 14, 2026
Wellness Briefing: The Collabs and Campaigns Winning ‘New Year, New You’ Marketing, Plus News
The wellness sector’s January push centers on high‑impact "new year, new you" collaborations, notably fast‑casual restaurant tie‑ins and the quirky "Quitters’ Day" anti‑resolution campaign. Brands are leveraging these seasonal moments to capture early‑year consumer spend and differentiate in a crowded...
By Glossy
News•Jan 13, 2026
Should Your Sales Team Be on Social Media? A Strategic Evaluation of Modern Social Selling vs Automated Outreach
The piece argues that sales teams must move beyond the binary of “on or off” social media to a disciplined, value‑first approach. It contrasts high‑volume, automated outreach—characterized by generic DMs and template pitches—with meaningful social selling that listens, contributes insight,...
By Martech Zone Interviews
News•Jan 13, 2026
Tools for Fast Search-Query Analysis
Ann Smarty highlights three Chrome extensions that streamline Google Search Console query analysis. Query Scout overlays page‑level query data and offers a $29 upgrade with pre‑built intent filters. Find Real Prompts extracts longer, AI‑style queries and can feed them to ChatGPT for...
By Practical Ecommerce
News•Jan 13, 2026
How Inviting Consumers to ‘Ask Ralph’ Deepens Their Connection to the Ralph Lauren Brand
Ralph Lauren unveiled "Ask Ralph," an AI‑driven styling assistant now live on the Polo brand’s mobile app, built with Microsoft Azure AI and Copilot Studio. The agent taps real‑time inventory to deliver personalized outfit recommendations that echo the company’s timeless...
By Retail TouchPoints
News•Jan 13, 2026
Search Marketing’s Insight Gap: When Automation Replaces Understanding via @Sejournal, @Coreydmorris
Search marketing has rapidly adopted automation—from AI‑generated content to automated bidding—boosting efficiency and scale. However, leaders now face an "insights gap" where performance shifts are visible but their causes remain unclear, eroding confidence in decision‑making. The article argues the problem...
By Search Engine Journal
News•Jan 13, 2026
Home Depot Launches Creator Portal
Home Depot unveiled the Home Depot Creator Portal, a centralized hub that links digital content creators with the retailer’s DIY and décor ecosystem. The platform offers creators campaign opportunities, training resources, product catalogs, and storefront capabilities to monetize their home‑improvement...
By Retail Customer Experience
News•Jan 13, 2026
How to Make Every Shopping Experience Memorable
Retailers must move beyond product focus to craft memorable, emotion‑driven shopping journeys across both physical and digital channels. Consumers now expect seamless integration of in‑store tactile experiences with online interactivity such as virtual try‑ons and live demos. Personalized gestures, loyalty...
By Retail Customer Experience
News•Jan 13, 2026
The 8 Best AI Visibility Tools to Win in AI Search (2026)
AI visibility tools now let brands monitor how they appear in AI‑generated answers from platforms like ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, and Perplexity. The guide evaluates eight solutions, ranging from lightweight monitors such as Otterly AI to enterprise‑grade suites like Semrush...
By Semrush Blog
News•Jan 13, 2026
Limited Inventory and Thoughtful Partnerships: How Brands at NRF Are Making the Most of TikTok Shop
Brands at the NRF Big Show highlighted how TikTok Shop is reshaping fashion and beauty commerce, with U.S. sales soaring over 400% and now accounting for more than 20% of social commerce. Success stories like Pacsun’s 11,000 pairs of jeans...
By Glossy
News•Jan 12, 2026
‘Instagram Is the Leading Social Commerce Platform in Germany’
Instagram has emerged as Germany’s top social commerce platform, with 15% of consumers purchasing directly on the app or via redirects. Overall, three in ten Germans shop through social media, while Facebook (14%) and YouTube (11%) follow. Bitkom’s research shows...
By Ecommerce News Europe
News•Jan 12, 2026
Hanna Andersson Hires Kacey Sharrett as Chief Digital Officer
Hanna Andersson announced the appointment of Kacey Sharrett as chief digital officer. Sharrett will steer the brand’s digital ecosystem and customer experience. She arrives with nearly two decades of leadership in e‑commerce, direct‑to‑consumer, and performance‑marketing, most recently heading GoPro’s global DTC...
By Retail Customer Experience
News•Jan 12, 2026
Brazil’s Oldest Perfumery Is Making a Play for US Fragrance Consumers. And No, It’s Not Sol De Janeiro
Brazilian heritage brand Granado, founded in 1870, is accelerating its U.S. expansion after posting 12% revenue growth in 2025 and 95% year‑over‑year sales growth in the United States. The company opened its first New York store in January 2024 and...
By Glossy
News•Jan 11, 2026
Early AI Signals From Holiday Sales
Adobe reported a record $257.8 billion in U.S. online holiday sales in 2025, with mobile commerce exceeding 50% of transactions. AI‑driven traffic to ecommerce sites surged 693% year‑over‑year, yet it still represented a tiny fraction of total visits. Salesforce estimates AI...
By Practical Ecommerce