June 16, 2025
Google is aggressively expanding its AI integration into search, testing new audio summaries, streamlining structured data, and offering enhanced support for loyalty program markup. Simultaneously, they’re trimming older structured data features, examining internal reorganizations (including buyouts in search & ads divisions), and commenting on external uses of AI such as Reddit’s auto-translations. On the analytics front, industry reports highlight desktop dominating AI search referrals and generative AI traffic shifting and occasionally challenging Google’s dominance.
Table of Content
- Google trials AI-generated podcast-style audio summaries in search
- Google drops seven structured data markups to simplify search
- Google enables loyalty-program markup to highlight member deals
- Google clarifies AI-translated Reddit pages aren’t spam
- Google offers buyouts amid search and ads team reductions
- Desktop powers over 90% of AI-influenced search referral traffic
- ChatGPT dominates gen-AI traffic share, but Google gains ground
This week in digital marketing, week 24 ,2025
Google trials AI-generated podcast-style audio summaries in search
Google has introduced a new experimental feature in Search Labs—Audio Overviews—which uses its Gemini AI models to generate short, conversational audio summaries for select queries such as “How do noise‑canceling headphones work?” This hands‑free, podcast‑style feature includes audio controls and source citations, and is currently available in English to users in the U.S. via the Google mobile app.
While still in testing, Google aims to enhance accessibility and multitasking by enabling auditory content delivery. The feature builds upon earlier experiments like NotebookLM and has received positive attention as a convenient and efficient way to explore unfamiliar topics
Google drops seven structured data markups to simplify search
Google will phase out support for seven structured data types, such as Book Actions, Course Info, and Claim Review, as part of its effort to declutter search results. These changes, announced on June 12, won’t affect search rankings and require no direct action from site owners.
By removing under‑used or low‑impact markup, Google aims to streamline the search experience, focusing on structured data that delivers clear, user‑facing value. The company emphasized that this is part of an ongoing optimization process
Google enables loyalty-program markup to highlight member deals
Google now supports “MemberProgram” structured data, allowing businesses to showcase loyalty offers, like exclusive prices or points, directly within search results and knowledge panels. This support applies even for companies without Google Merchant Center accounts, and lets both organization‑level and product‑specific loyalty benefits be marked up.
This update, rolled out June 10, helps merchants better display loyalty incentives to searchers before clicking through. Google’s documentation details four types of benefits that can be marked up, allowing users to view perks such as discounts and rewards upfront .
Google clarifies AI-translated Reddit pages aren’t spam
Google responded to reports of Reddit using AI to translate millions of pages, clarifying that AI‑based translation does not inherently qualify as spam under its policies. Instead, spam classification is driven by low‑quality or repetitive content meant to manipulate search results.
The clarification offers reassurance to other publishers using AI translation: provided the translated content is high‑quality and user‑focused, not simply machine‑profited—it remains acceptable to Google Search .
Google offers buyouts amid search and ads team reductions
Google is offering buyouts to employees across its Search, Ads Engineering, Marketing, Research, and Communications teams, signaling another cost‑cutting phase following the January 2023 workforce reductions. The program reflects strategic alignment and potential restructuring within core business units.
As search continues to evolve, with AI features transforming how users interact with results—these buyouts could signal future consolidation or reorganization of resources behind the scenes
Desktop powers over 90% of AI-influenced search referral traffic
Recent BrightEdge data shows that over 90% of referrals from AI‑driven search (e.g., chatbots, generative tools) come from desktop environments, even though mobile accounts for most overall traffic. On mobile, previews often keep users in-app, whereas desktop users are more likely to click through.
Google’s search referrals buck this trend: 53% mobile vs. 44% desktop, likely due to its deeper integration across platforms. However, for many generative AI services, desktop is still the primary gateway to site visits .
ChatGPT dominates gen-AI traffic share, but Google gains ground
According to SimilarWeb’s AI Global report, ChatGPT currently captures roughly 79–80% of generative AI search traffic. However, Google has increased its share from 5.4% to about 8% over the past six months, signaling steady growth.
This trend indicates ChatGPT's ongoing dominance in AI-driven search, although Google’s improved performance suggests competitive headway. Other platforms like Perplexity and Anthropic’s Claude maintain small but consistent shares (~1–2%)
Stay tuned for next week's digital marketing highlights!
A quick recap of the latest and most important trends, insights, and news shaping the digital marketing landscape, see you next week.
Junior content marketer
Aron is a 22-year-old Junior content marketer with a focus on digital strategy and audience engagement. He is gaining experience in creating and optimizing content to improve brand visibility and connect with target audiences. Always eager to learn, Aron stays updated on content trends and marketing techniques to contribute effectively to campaigns and projects.
