Tag: NP Digital

With Google previously stating that they will not deprecate third-party cookies at all, the tech giant has recently stated that it will still keep third-cookies in its Google Chrome system, albeit with promises from Google to enhance tracking protection for consumers. For instance, Chrome’s Incognito mode will continue to block third-party cookies by default, and new features like IP Protection—slated for rollout in Q3 2025—will further enhance private browsing.

Moreover, Google stated that with cookies sticking around for now, Google is reevaluating how its Sandbox APIs can best support the ecosystem.

It is worth noting that this comes as a surprise for everyone in the industry, especially how most of advertisers have already prepared for the eventual sunset of third-party cookies in favour of more privacy-centric alternatives like using first-party cookies.

With Google showing no signs of phasing out third-party cookies anytime soon, what sentiments advertising leaders have with this news? And what are they doing currently in response to this? To answer these questions, MARKETECH APAC recently spoke with industry leaders to learn more whether this news should come as a concern or not for the future of the advertising industry.

Genelle Hung, country manager for SEA at PubMatic

Google’s tracking protections are one step, but the real transformation has already been happening. It’s been driven by tech partners, publishers, and even brands who are building privacy-first solutions. After the first of many announcements regarding the possible deprecation of the cookie, we saw a surge in tools like AI-powered contextual targeting, alternative IDs, and privacy-safe data collaboration, particularly with sell-side targeting. 

And while Google’s privacy sandbox was a key area of exploration and testing across the industry, these broader solutions that emerged aren’t just band-aids. They are the foundation for a more open, innovative and privacy-safe ad ecosystem. PubMatic has invested significantly in these hybrid approaches, ensuring our clients can leverage both emerging technologies and existing infrastructure for maximum impact. These solutions are being developed by the entire industry, not just one company.

The future of privacy will not be defined by one company. We should continue with open collaboration, across the whole industry, to create privacy-safe tools and standards that work for everyone, not just the biggest players. That means making sure new solutions like commerce media data, sell-side curation and targeting, alternative signals are accessible and interoperable. 

Google can play a vital role by championing open standards and transparently engaging with the industry to develop privacy solutions in a truly collaborative spirit. Privacy innovation isn’t about which company is driving the solution, it’s about making sure transparency, fair economics, and real consumer choice is at the centre.

Sally Ng, managing director, North Asia at Quantcast

Google’s moves are necessary and influential, but probably not sufficient on their own to make the entire industry privacy-first. It’s a collective effort — involving regulators, other tech giants, brands, agencies, and ad tech vendors — to truly shift from a data-maximisation mindset to a privacy-by-design model. While the timeline on third-party cookie deprecation remains unclear, I believe the destination remains the same: that is, for the world’s digital ecosystem to become a more privacy-conscious one.

This is a valuable time for marketers, publishers, and technology partners to continue testing, learning, and building solutions that are resilient, respectful of user choice, and capable of delivering performance in a world without third-party cookies. It’s an opportunity to accelerate collaboration across the ecosystem — and ensure that when the transition does happen, it’s done responsibly and sustainably. 

At Quantcast, we’ve been preparing for a cookieless world for years. Our AI-driven approach and real-time audience insights already operate effectively across environments with limited identifiers. Our view is that the shift toward privacy-centric marketing is inevitable, and those who act now will be best positioned to lead in the next era of digital advertising.

Niall Hogan, general manager (JAPAC) at GumGum

Google’s decision to roll back on the phase-out of third-party cookies signals a reluctance to let go of outdated advertising models that may no longer be the best fit for today’s adland. Across JAPAC, we’re seeing rising expectations from consumers for greater transparency, control, and respect in how their data is used. 

Brands that continue relying on surveillance-based tactics risk falling behind – not just in performance, but in consumer trust. By pivoting towards attention-based solutions that enable relevant, respectful engagement without compromising privacy, we can instead focus on building the privacy-first strategies consumers have already been calling for.

Becky Leng, managing director at NP Digital Singapore

Google’s decision – one that is closely timed with the intensifying scrutiny of its antitrust case – certainly appears to be a strategic one. By keeping cookies on the playing field, Google may be trying to show regulators that it’s not limiting competition by giving other players continued access to data, rather than offering only its Privacy Sandbox solutions.

However, this slows the industry’s shift toward more privacy-conscious advertising, and marks a wake-up call for brands to actively work towards avoiding the risk of eroding consumer trust. I believe that now is the moment for brands to future-proof their strategies with a diversified marketing mix: Strengthening first-party data strategies, rethinking measurement, and investing in sustainable channels like content, SEO, and contextual advertising.

But beyond these strategic fixes, it should also be about getting back to the fundamentals of great marketing – being creative, empathetic, and truly understanding your audience. When brands build their messaging around real insights and consumer intent, they create more meaningful, trust-driven connections that don’t depend on invasive signals. After all, privacy-first strategies aren’t just about keeping up with platform shifts, but about building long-term consumer trust

Garrett McGrath, SVP, Product Management at Magnite

This continuation of legacy web addressability in Chrome has given the industry a collective sigh of relief, allowing the open web to continue to flourish while preparing for its next chapter. The digital landscape continues to evolve rapidly due to increasing privacy regulations, massive growth in non-web environments, and acceleration in cross-screen/omnichannel campaigns.

Magnite sees this latest third-party cookie postponement as a welcome admission of the challenges with Privacy Sandbox proposals and a near term boon for the open web. However, this does not change our strategic focus on the importance of first-party signals and ensuring publishers and consumers retain control of addressability, principles Magnite has championed for many years.

We continue to innovate on privacy-centric solutions that deliver value to publishers, advertisers, and consumers alike, maintaining our commitment to contributing to a more sustainable digital ecosystem that respects transparency and user choice.

Geoffroy Martin, CEO at Ogury

Google’s latest shift doesn’t alter the course of history. Identifiers have already vanished from more than half of the open web — and this proportion continues to grow, driven by consumer expectations, regulatory pressure, and platform fragmentation.

At the same time, a significant portion of ID-based signals will remain available. That’s why the real challenge is no longer what happens when IDs disappear, but how to effectively operate and perform across both ID-based and ID-less environments. This is the new media reality, and the winners will be those who embrace this hybrid landscape. 

The key is to build platforms and data models that work across the full spectrum of addressability, leveraging all signals, whether identity is present or not. While relying solely on identifiers limits reach and creates fragile strategies, ignoring IDs entirely means missing the value that still exists in identity-based signals.

The smart approach isn’t about choosing sides — it’s about intelligently integrating both approaches, in a world that will remain mixed.

Terry Hornsby, executive vice president and founder at Mantis 

Google’s decision not to roll out a standalone prompt for third-party cookies in Chrome is significant, but many in the industry have been preparing for multiple scenarios all along. The reality is, advancements in alternative targeting approaches shouldn’t go to waste just because cookies are sticking around longer than expected. The industry has made substantial progress with contextual solutions that can identify interests in specific environments – such as gardening enthusiasts browsing sports content – without necessarily needing to know who the person is. 

This not only supports advertisers in maintaining performance but also empowers publishers to better monetise their content by aligning ad relevance with context rather than identity. In turn, this means a more balanced ecosystem, where advertisers have the opportunity to blend approaches, extending beyond the current environment while still respecting the broader direction toward privacy.

Will Harmer, chief product officer at Utiq

Google’s latest move to delay the demise of third-party cookies is not a product decision – it’s deliberate procrastination. Just weeks after the U.S. Department of Justice formally labelled the company a monopolist in digital advertising, we are now expected to believe that yet another “pause” in cookie deprecation is in the name of user privacy? 

Let’s be clear: this is not a pivot. It’s a stall – a regulatory negotiation disguised as a product roadmap update. The timing is no coincidence. And the consequences are clear. Every time the industry waits, Google wins.

The industry has spent the last five years acknowledging – and preparing for – the end of third-party cookies. Why? Because they don’t work. They leak data. They slow the web. They offer poor match rates. And they leave publishers blind to who’s accessing their audiences.

Holding onto this outdated technology does not solve the privacy challenge – it extends it. Third-party cookies are a relic of a time before user consent was mandatory, before data governance mattered, and before regulators began enforcing real accountability. We cannot build a privacy-first future on yesterday’s infrastructure.

Publishers, advertisers, and tech providers now face a critical decision. Stay shackled to a monopolist whose every move is under regulatory fire – or choose independence through new models of identity and trust.

Brands already see what’s coming, with the smart ones clearly prioritising privacy-compliant identity partners. This is not a fringe movement. This is the future of digital marketing. Google’s indecision changes nothing – except the urgency with which we must act. Now is not the time to wait and see. Now is the time to commit. The industry doesn’t need more delays. It needs leadership. Let’s move forward. Together – without Google and without third-party cookies.

***

Despite Google’s plans to keep third-party cookies in Chrome after all, advertisers are increasingly unfazed. The industry has already begun pivoting toward more privacy-centric strategies, driven by evolving consumer expectations, regulatory pressures, and the growing adoption of alternative identifiers and first-party data solutions. This shift underscores a broader recognition that the future of digital advertising lies in building trust and transparency, not clinging to legacy technologies. Advertisers should see Google’s postponement not as a reason to pause, but as further validation that proactive, privacy-forward innovation is the path forward—and the time to act is now.

In Asia-Pacific retail, everything is a storefront and the door sign is never turned ‘closed’. This is the reality of commerce and marketing today whereby consumers can shop for over 24 hours without leaving their homes. However, this is not to say the brick-and-mortar experience is dead; far from it in fact, but is ripe for significant transformation. 

Despite the mass explosion of digital and social media commerce, APAC consumers still enjoy the physical shopping experience. Indeed, the majority of consumers prefer to mix both online and offline shopping. Indeed, many consumers no longer even see them as separate pillars. Brick-and-mortar, e-commerce and social commerce are, in fact, just commerce. The question is, however, how do brands and marketers merge them to provide a seamless omnichannel experience to consumers?

Over the past decade, e-commerce and social commerce have exploded, with many traditional stores pivoting rapidly to meet online demand. However, the COVID-19 pandemic laid bare humans’ fundamental need for sensory experiences, especially touch. Indeed, according to a report from IBM, touch and product interaction influence the purchase decisions of over half of consumers. As a result, retailers are now increasingly re-embracing the physical shopping experience – albeit with a digital twist.

Notably, RPG Commerce Group, a direct-to-consumer (DTC) startup home to drinkware and cookware brands Montigo and Cosmic Cookware, began purely online business at the height of the pandemic lockdowns but has since ventured into physical retail. Today, it has physical stores in Malaysia and Singapore that feature interactive displays, demonstrations, personalised customer service and customised products such as engravings and hand-drawn limited editions by Malaysian artist Fawwaz Sukri.

Bistro Bytes, meanwhile, has perfected the omnichannel experience by allowing customers to mix and match orders from either in-person at various kiosks in the mall or through a single mobile application – KLIK by Keppel. 

Any retail vertical can benefit from these kinds of hybrid experiences. The trick is to find the right model that fits both the needs and interests of your target demographic and meets them at their convenience. 

The rise of ‘retailtainment’

Traditionally, storefronts have aimed to entice visitors through lavish, eye-catching window displays. But anyone who has gone and bought a bag of cookies after passing a Famous Amos store knows that humans are a highly multisensory species. Gone are the days when visual merchandising was enough to stimulate shoppers. Now, according to recent research, almost two-thirds of consumers want brands to immerse them in experiences that hit all senses.

 However, for many consumers, the physical shopping experience largely falls flat. As many as 70% of shoppers admit that they can’t recall the last time a brand excited them. That is not to say consumers no longer want to shop physically — they just want more from these spaces.

Marketers should not be surprised by these sentiments. Nobel Prize-winning economist and philosopher Daniel Kahneman famously researched that 95% of human decisions are made emotionally. A brand cannot expect to have an emotional impact on a customer without appealing to their senses.

There are multiple ways to achieve this, whether through music, decoration or signature scent. Brands like Nike notably took this to another level with the creation of its Air Max Listening Room, an immersive listening experience designed to capture the music that inspired the product.

Temporary pop-up shops are a hugely powerful tool for digital-only brands or for retailers looking to experiment with new concepts or create a buzz. Pop-up shops and augmented reality experiences can be used to deliver product information, reviews and virtual try-ons.

Marketers can achieve this by creating AR window displays in busy areas where passersby can use their smartphones to interact with products displayed, get detailed information and make purchases without entering the store. To drive conversions, marketers can pair these with an RFID tag for customers to scan to add products to their online cart and buy within a matter of clicks.

Experimenting with this type of experience can have significant brand benefits. Around 80% of retailers that set up a popup said it was a success and nearly 60% intend to do it again.

The AI revolution

Generative AI exploded into our lives less than two years ago and today it remains a top talking point for marketing leaders. Yet, most are still figuring out exactly how to use it. Marketers, technology and business leaders are still to create tangible business cases for building effective GenAI models. Moreover, many are still grappling with its safety implications. 

Nevertheless, 67% of marketers feel positive about the possibilities of GenAI and more than half of marketers are looking to invest heavily in developing A and machine learning capabilities in their business verticals.

Although still in its infancy, retail marketers can still begin exploring genAI and machine learning technology for product discovery and personalisation for consumers based on user history and first-party data. 

Marketers can begin exploring using AI-driven content creation tools to automate product descriptions and marketing copy, but at this stage, will still require a significant degree of human oversight.

Other uses include introducing AI-powered visual search functionality that allows customers to upload images and find similar products on your platform. These can sit alongside voice-activated ads for smart speakers where users can ask questions, hear detailed product descriptions and make purchases through simple voice commands.

Last, but by no means least, marketers can combine AI with AR to provide an immersive shopping experience such as using AR to try on clothes and AI to suggest other recommendations.

Culturally purposeful

Due to the proliferation of information available today, people are hyper-aware of the world around them. As such, brands and companies are held to higher standards and consumers want brands to be purposeful within their cultural context. Globally, 80% of consumers say they make an effort to buy from companies that support causes important to them. However, consumers are also discerning whether a brand is showing genuine support or is simply capitalising on a cause.

Brands are now walking a tightrope of being called out for staying silent on issues and for speaking out and appearing disingenuous. Learning how to navigate this tightrope is still a work in progress.

However, these are some tactics that can help brands take a genuine stand on social causes that matter to them. One is to create dedicated sections for products that support social causes, such as Australian retailer The Iconic’s ‘Consider’ clothing section. Marketers can track these sections with real-time impact tracking to show customers the direct results of their purchases.

Brands can also create transparency reports on sustainability efforts and social impact directly on e-commerce platforms. They can also partner with artists and community leaders to create exclusive product lines that reflect cultural heritage, offering unique stories behind each product.

Staying ahead of the competition is challenging for retailers in 2024 as new retail providers emerge regularly and attempt to undercut the market. Marketers indeed may find themselves in a heated battle between rivals, e-commerce players and even social media influencers. 

However, it is evident that consumers no longer want to simply scroll and click when they shop. The demand for physical experiences is real and marketers are now in a position to use technology to take these to the next level.

This thought leadership is written by Keith Ho, Strategy Lead at NP Digital Malaysia

MARKETECH APAC is leading the conversation on the future of e-commerce marketing strategies this 2024 and beyond with the E-Commerce Marketing in Malaysia 2024 conference on July 25, 2024 at Sheraton Petaling Jaya and the E-Commerce Marketing in the Philippines 2024 conference on August 14, 2024 at Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria. Join us and become an integral part of a dynamic community committed to pushing the boundaries of innovation and fostering unparalleled growth in the e-commerce domain.

Singapore – NP Digital, a global digital marketing agency, has announced its agreement to acquire digital agency SearchGuru, expanding its portfolio and market reach in the Asia-Pacific region. 

NP Digital’s acquisition of SearchGuru will accelerate its APAC expansion, drive innovation in digital marketing solutions, and strengthen its market presence in the region.

SearchGuru brings a strong heritage in performance marketing, perfectly aligning with NP Digital’s customer-centric values and culture. With a market-leading reputation and a proven track record of delivering exceptional results for top brands like Club Med, Nespresso, Maybank, and DHL across Asia, SearchGuru will enhance NP Digital’s portfolio by adding in-market SEO, paid media expertise, creative capabilities, and top talent.

The agreement will enable the combined entity to offer a comprehensive suite of performance marketing solutions, from media, creative, and content to CRO and data. By harnessing NP Digital’s robust technology stack and leveraging SearchGuru’s extensive experience in Asian markets, this partnership is poised to deliver exceptional value and ROI to clients in key verticals such as finance, insurance, travel, and beauty.

Furthermore, with offices in high-demand markets such as Australia, India, Malaysia, Singapore, and Hong Kong, the acquisition will add an additional 120 digital marketers to its 270-strong APAC team and unlock new opportunities for synergy and market penetration. 

NP Digital’s agreement to acquire SearchGuru underscores its commitment to innovation and expansion in the rapidly evolving landscape of performance marketing in the region.

Dan Kalinski, managing director of APAC at NP Digital, shared, “NP Digital’s agreement to acquire SearchGuru marks an exciting chapter in our journey. We are eager to welcome SearchGuru to the fast-growing NP Digital family. This collaboration strengthens our foothold in the APAC region, affirming our commitment to serving our clients with unparalleled innovation and excellence in performance marketing. By synergizing our expertise, resources, and unwavering dedication, we’re poised to push the boundaries of what’s possible in the digital marketing landscape and deliver greater value and impact to our clients’ businesses.”

Mike Gullaksen, CEO of NP Digital, further added, “This acquisition reaffirms our commitment to customers by expanding and diversifying our APAC talent and capabilities, better enabling us to support their needs and take advantage of new opportunities around the globe. Integrating SearchGuru into our ecosystem not only expands our industry-leading scale and expertise, but now enhances our ability to empower APAC businesses with cutting-edge digital strategies and measurable results culturally and geographically.”

Also speaking on the acquisition, Larry Lim, CEO of SearchGuru, said, “It’s been an amazing journey growing from a local 4-man agency to a regional player with over 120 specialists while delivering 11 consecutive years of revenue growth in the process. Joining NP Digital will elevate us further to the global stage while simultaneously allowing us to also tap into their vast industry skill set and experience, in-house tools, and established processes.”

Singapore – The phase-out of third-party cookies by Google is hitting yet another roadblock, as the tech giant announced that the move will most likely be delayed until early 2025. This is the latest cookie deprecation delay from Google, with the phase-out initially intended to roll out back in 2022.

In a blog post in Google’s The Privacy Sandbox page, it stated that they recognise that there are ongoing challenges related to reconciling divergent feedback from the industry, regulators and developers and that they will continue to engage closely with the entire ecosystem.

“It’s also critical that the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has sufficient time to review all evidence including results from industry tests, which the CMA has asked market participants to provide by the end of June. Given both of these significant considerations, we will not complete third-party cookie deprecation during the second half of Q4,” Google stated.

The first delay on the Google third-party cookie phase-outs happened by late 2023, then again to late 2024, and now to early 2025.

In light of yet another year of delay of third-party cookie phaseout, MARKETECH APAC reached out to multiple industry leaders in the region to learn more about what does this delay means for the future of a privacy-centric advertising strategy for marketers moving forward, and how brands should continue in their efforts to utilise first-party or zero-party data strategies for their marketing initiatives moving forward.

Genelle Hung, Country Manager for SEA at PubMatic

Adapting advertising technology for a more privacy-centric future is paramount and is an effort worth taking the time to get right. Google’s new timeline does not change our commitment to creating a vibrant ecosystem around Privacy Sandbox as well as other addressability innovation areas like alternative IDs, contextual signals and commerce media. At PubMatic, we are not taking our foot off the gas. We are continuing to test and innovate around Privacy Sandbox initiatives so we can best prepare our publishers and media buyers for an inevitable cookieless future.

Nishanth Raju, Managing Director for Asia at Lotame

Deja vu, Google. It’s really no great surprise that Google has pushed back the third-party cookie deadline again. It’s in an impossible polyamorous relationship where none of its partners (legislators, regulators, industry execs) are satisfied by its commitment. The message for brands and agencies is crystal clear. Do not slow down on divesting your advertising from cookies, as they will be retired at some point. It’s a matter of who controls your fate. Give into waiting on Google, and you’re unfortunately wasting precious time building a solid portfolio of options, whether it’s identity frameworks or data collaboration. 

Dan Richardson, Director of Data & Insights for AUSEA at Yahoo

Google’s new timeline helps the industry continue to test and adapt. Beyond even cookies, non-addressable inventory will only increase and the industry should act now to prepare for these changes. Either way, Yahoo is ready to support advertisers today, with solutions for addressable and non-addressable environments, as well as testing in the Privacy Sandbox.

Gary Cheung, General Manager at NP Digital Hong Kong & Taiwan

From our point of view, the delay comes to no surprise, but the deprecation of cookies will happen eventually, and marketers and advertisers need to prepare for it. This further delay will allow marketers additional time to prepare for the loss of third-party cookies and how we should adopt a first-party-driven data strategy to drive accurate and impactful marketing. 

It is crucial for marketeers and brands to focus towards in maximising the acquisition of 1st-party data. This includes different types of data such as CRM, loyalty data, as well as online behavioural data gathered from digital assets like websites, apps, and media data such as clicks and views.

Bharat Khatri, Chief Digital Officer, Omnicom Media Group Asia Pacific

The cookieless future is not the whole story but one part of where we are headed in a privacy-first world. Effective advertising is powered by a wide variety of signals not just cookies. These traditional signals are bound to deprecate next year or soon due to high privacy concerns.

But there is a bigger issue — our industry is so focused on these declining traditional signals that they are not considering new developments like Google PAIR and The Trade Desk’s Unified ID 2.0. Privacy centricity is the now and the future for our industry. 

Nonetheless, this news does not slow down the comprehensive approach we are taking to help clients stay ahead of the curve. OMG is taking a privacy by design approach with clients and accelerating towards privacy-safe future signals to continue our commitment towards responsible advertising.

Fai-keung Ng, Director of Data Partnerships at The Trade Desk

This is a quintessential illustration of why tethering the future of your business to a highly uncertain solution is not advisable. Advertisers ought to persist in their first-party data building endeavours, while publishers must prioritise expanding their base of authenticated users, regardless of Google’s cookie deprecation decision.

It is worth noting that this third-party deprecation delay by Google doesn’t comes as a surprise for many of the industry leaders in Asia-Pacific, as many are optimistic in the alternative strategies they use for a privacy-centric advertising era ahead. Moreover, utilising first-party and zero-party data using various advertising strategies are becoming more and more commonly applied across the industry, with some saying as well that this delay will not slow down their approach for responsible advertising, as they aim to guide their clients to stay ahead of the curve. From a general perspective, this new delay from Google is another indication for many industry leaders to continue evolving towards a future where understanding of users’ privacy is at the heart of their responsible advertising mantra online.

Singapore – Global digital marketing agency NP Digital has announced new strategic key hires amidst the agency’s continued expansion in the Asia-Pacific region. Kris Casey will serve as the SEO APAC lead; while the agency’s expanded leadership team in Malaysia include Arjun Singh as group account director, Rizwan Kamil as head of performance marketing for APAC, Keith Ho as strategy lead, and Lee Weiye as senior SEO manager.

Casey brings over 12 years of extensive experience leading SEO teams across agency and in-house settings in the US, Australia, and Asia. His expertise spans working with renowned brands such as Expedia, Travelocity, NAB, Suncorp, and Nissan and leading the SEO efforts internally for Redbubble, a prominent e-commerce marketplace. 

His exceptional track record in growing organic visibility and passion for developing bespoke strategies align perfectly with NP Digital’s vision for the APAC region.

In his new role, Casey will lead NP Digital’s search engine optimization efforts across the APAC region, driving growth and enhancing brand visibility. His deep understanding of the nuances of the APAC market, combined with his innovative approach to SEO, will further elevate NP Digital’s position as the go-to partner for businesses seeking to maximise their online presence.

Speaking on his new role, he said, “I am thrilled to be part of NP Digital and to have the opportunity to drive impactful SEO strategies that will propel our clients’ businesses forward in the vibrant APAC market. I look forward to collaborating with our talented team to deliver innovative solutions that exceed client expectations and fuel organic growth.”

Meanwhile, the expanded Malaysian leadership team will bring a wealth of experience and expertise in their respective roles. Singh will lead strategic initiatives and develop innovative digital marketing strategies aimed at maximising client benefits through collaborative efforts. Meanwhile, Kamil will spearhead the strategic direction and implementation of digital marketing campaigns to drive tangible business results for clients.

Ho will focus on new businesses, especially pitches, and assist on existing accounts while overseeing award submissions and strategic initiatives, and lastly Weiye will drive NP Digital’s SEO efforts in Malaysia and the APAC region, focusing on strategy development, implementation, analytics, and client satisfaction.

Melissa Cheng, country manager at NP Digital Malaysia, commented, “We are excited to welcome Arjun, Rizwan, Keith, and Weiye to the NP Digital family. Their wealth of experience and expertise will be invaluable as we continue to expand our presence and deliver exceptional results for our clients in the Asia-Pacific region.”

In an industry as rapidly changing as digital marketing, it is surprising how many search marketing fundamentals have held for so long. For more than a decade, SEO specialists have carefully curated keywords and content optimisation in order to hit Google’s front-page results. However, this is set to drastically change imminently.

Last year, Google unveiled its biggest disruptor to the search marketing landscape – the Search Generative Experience (SGE). As an apparent competitor to OpenAI’s ChatGPT, SGE aims to create faster and more conversational browsing experiences using artificial intelligence.

In a similar vein as ChatGPT, SGE generates text, images and content through prompts, curating AI-generated information from web sources. No longer will users have to jump from link to link to receive an answer. To keep the conversation flowing, SGE will also allow deeper exploration through follow-up questions.In terms of user experience, these changes could present an unparalleled experience enhancement. However, for marketers, the future of SGE is more uncertain. 

Marketers who have spent years trying to ‘win’ the organic search engine visibility game may feel understandably crestfallen by this latest disruption.Moreover, a recent study revealed that 94 per cent of Google SGE links are different from organic search results. Marketers once again have to adapt and innovate their search marketing strategies to meet a new set of parameters, of which the variables are shifting constantly. 

Be an authority 

One fact marketers must face is that organic clicks will be harder to get than ever following these changes to Google’s search results page. Organic traffic will no longer be a case of ensuring your website has the correct keywords and content, but a longer game that spans the wider web.

In 2024, a brand’s online visibility depends largely on its footprint across different platforms and publishers, especially those known for high-calibre content. Through public relations, brands can elevate themselves as an authority on specific topics, offering guides and thought leadership aligned to topical and trending subjects.

SGE notably places high emphasis on producing informative responses that are corroborated by reliable sources. As such, brand content should meet the SEO standard of E-E-A-T: experience, expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness. 

Brands that cover topics robustly and create multiple content pieces are more likely to appear as a true authority on a subject. As a result, they are likely to be referenced once or more by Google in the same SGE answer. 

Marketers can create topic clusters and robust guides to showcase this authority, which will both deepen keyword research and help steer search users to a brand’s channels. Marketers can tailor these authoritative takes to content that meets users’ different search intent and the different stages of a buyer’s journey.

Getting mentioned throughout the internet, whether achieved through public relations or social media campaigns, is not necessarily a guarantee of traffic, but it will still improve brand visibility. Marketers can always boost their footprint by using generative AI to create more content, but should never rely on it solely. No matter how advanced the AI, human editing and review are always essential.

Another significant change to Google search will be less reliance on broad keywords. These words, which include the likes of car traders or cat food, have previously helped steer larger volumes of traffic to a brand’s page but are insufficient to meet SGE’s standards. 

Instead, marketers should aim to optimise long-tail keywords, which are longer and contain more precise phrases and point to a more specific query. 

As long-tail keywords are less competitive than broader keywords, they should be easier to rank. And because they are more targeted, they attract more qualified traffic to a brand’s website. Since AI-based answers are contextual, longer keyword phrases offer a higher chance of aligning with user intent.

Changing semantics 

What stands out significantly about SGE in contrast to Google’s traditional search is the high emphasis on multimedia content.

Rather than focus on written articles alone, marketers are encouraged to diversify their online content spanning imagery, videos and infographics – all of which help a brand appear within an SGE search.

A diversified content range shows a brand caters to a broader audience and therefore makes them more likely to be highly ranked in a search result. Indeed, some queries have more YouTube search volume than Google, which should impel marketers to build more video content for these high search queries. 

In addition to video, voice has fundamentally changed the semantics of search marketing and this will only increase with the use of generative AI. In a similar manner to voice-based search – as seen with Amazon Alexa and Google Voice –, AI chatbot searches are far more casual and conversational. These queries almost harken it back to the original days of search when new internet users would type entire questions into the early engines of AskJeeves and AOL. 

Yet, while marketers focus on the big changes and strategic pivots, there are often many basic measures that are holding their brand back from search success.

Simply updating a website regularly can make a huge difference in improving search results. Websites that have a clean and modern layout are much more detectable than those with outdated looks. Marketers should also ensure all information is up-to-date while keeping pace with trends and search habits.

Last but not least is the importance of conversion rate optimisation (CRO) and user experience (UX). There is nothing more frustrating for an internet user today than poor UX – and frankly there is no excuse for it in 2024. 

Investment in CRO and UX ensures that even if a brand receives less traffic, it is still set up to gain the highest conversion rate possible. Good CRO and UX can make up for any traffic lost. Conversely, poor UX can tarnish a brand’s reputation, decrease conversions and negatively impact it long-term. 

Google SGE will provide a wake-up call for any search marketers resting on their laurels over recent years. No longer will they be able to simply imprint key words and hope for the best, but instead focus on high-value, expert-driven multimedia content that aligns with valuable human experience and keeps them relevant for a new generation.

This article is written by Gary Cheung, General Manager of NP Digital Hong Kong & Taiwan.

The insight is published as part of MARKETECH APAC’s thought leadership series under What’s NEXT 2023-2024. What’s NEXT 2023-2024 is a multi-platform industry initiative which features marketing and industry leaders in APAC sharing their marketing insights and predictions for the upcoming year.

Hong Kong – Performance marketing agency NP Digital has made new senior hires, with Gary Cheung appointed as general manager for Hong Kong and Taiwan and Melissa Cheng as country manager for Malaysia, to fuel enterprise growth across its APAC markets.

The new hires will lead the expansion of NP Digital in their respective countries, collaborating closely with the agency’s APAC team, made up of recent hires Manuel Denoual, general manager of NP Digital Singapore, and Kris Casey, senior SEO lead.

In his new role as general manager for Hong Kong and Taiwan, Cheung brings with him over 15 years of performance marketing agency experience, unique skills, and valuable regional and global expertise to NP Digital. He has worked with APAC’s key growth sectors and has served previous roles at Publicis Media, SearchGuru, and iProspect.

Cheung’s extensive experience in digital performance marketing, coupled with his in-depth knowledge of Asia’s marketing landscape, will be valuable in leading the expansion of the agency.

On the other hand, Cheng, in her appointment as country manager, brings with her an extensive background in paid media expertise, having worked at ADA, AdColony, and Yahoo. Malaysia. She has a strong data analytics background relevant to NP Digital’s data-driven APAC clients.

The new hires will report to Dan Kalinski, the managing director of NP Digital for APAC.

Commenting on the new hires, Kalinski said, “In the rapidly evolving digital marketing landscape, NP Digital is dedicated to reshaping success metrics, prioritising outcomes that drive profitability and scalability over vanity metrics. The addition of Gary and Melissa underscores our commitment to the APAC region. Gary’s extensive regional and global experience and Melissa’s media expertise align perfectly with our mission to deliver unparalleled results for our clients in Asia. They are poised to lead NP Digital’s expansion and innovation in the region in tandem with our strong APAC team.”